AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, it's been three months since my last update. February/March are always my busiest months at work, and I thought I'd be able to write on top of the late nights and weekends... but nope, I needed a break from anything mentally taxing. Most of you have been super sweet and understanding about the long wait, which I appreciate. And now that the worst of work hell has passed, things should go more smoothly with updates!
I think a part of me was also really hesitant to release this chapter... it's not quite where I want it to be for such an important chapter. But I also want to get the story moving, so hopefully it's at least okay. In any case, thanks for reading!
(The chapter title means "Take my heart when you go" in Lakota, and was shamelessly borrowed from the show Westworld.)
Chapter 36 - Mi Cante Ki Yu Ha Ya Ye
Leo smirked.
He couldn't help but wonder how a mere ant would feel if it were suddenly able to destroy a mountain… how the tortoise would feel if it could simply slaughter the hare. Surely, it would be something akin to what he was feeling right now?
But, gods… such power! It had been so illogical, so foolish, for him to resist using the Dark Stone earlier in this battle - or, as soon as he and Sakura had initially discovered it in Magvel, really. If only he'd done this long, long ago, then Sumeragi could have never taken her from him in the first place. In fact, he even found himself hungering for the other half of Fomortiis' soul, the part trapped within the Sacred Stone in Magvel… after all, once Leo obtained that additional power, then he'd truly be unstoppable.
"Leo?" Corrin spoke again, but this time, his brother's gaze was fixed on Sakura. "Sakura's so… still. I… I can't tell if she's breathing or not. Is she…?"
Corrin couldn't seem to finish the question, but Leo glanced in her direction. For a brief moment, he felt a horrible sense of despair as he feared that Corrin was right - that Sakura could be dead. But he quickly pushed such pointless feelings aside.
What did it matter if she was dead? Thanks to the Dark Stone, he had enough power now to bring her back to life if need be. And with the Sacred Stone all the way in Magvel, there was no true threat in this world to his new power… not even Anankos, puny god that he was. Only the Yato was a concern - a Fire Emblem that could function, at least in part, like Magvel's Sacred Stones… that is, if Sakura had been right in her interpretation of the Rainbow Sage's guidance.
The solution was obvious, though… Corrin would simply have to die. As far as Leo was concerned, the notion was long overdue, anyway. Xander had always lavished Corrin with praise while ignoring Leo's own accomplishments, and now… now, Xander was dead, and Leo would never have the chance to make up for lost time with his brother. And as for Camilla, well, she'd always loved Corrin more than him… that much had been obvious. Elise had too, although perhaps to a lesser degree.
But yes, Corrin's death… this was what Leo wanted, what he'd always wanted. Leo had resented his brother for so long, but he'd simply never had the courage to do anything about it, to extrapolate the most straightforward solution to this problem before now.
"Ung…" Leo grunted as a horrible pain overtook him.
It was always his natural inclination to analyze anything and everything, and he tried to understand why he suddenly felt so strange… why things didn't feel quite right. Perhaps if he'd had the time to think, his natural cleverness would have enabled him to realize that the Demon King was filling the void left by his destroyed soul, allowing him to be manipulated to do as the creature willed.
But time wasn't a luxury that Leo was afforded, since there was a more pressing matter at hand… Anankos. The dragon needed to be dealt with.
Ah, yes… that must be why the thought of taking Corrin's life suddenly bothered him so much. Corrin and his Yato were needed to defeat Anankos, so his brother couldn't die just yet.
He supposed that killing Corrin would just have to wait, then. They'd defeat Anankos first… and after that, Corrin would finally die.
Leo pulled out his tome and opened it, surprised as new spells began to turn to ink on the pages.
"Brynhildr… you've been holding out on me," Leo tsked as he leafed through the powerful spells… spells meant for mass destruction. "But whatever magic you were using to hide these from your wielders, your divine power can no longer match my own."
The book started to release frantic pulses, but Leo ignored its annoying whirring. To think that he'd actually even started to care for his tome… how foolish. It was just a book, after all, nothing more than a tool… a tool meant to kill.
And kill he would… starting with Anankos, the god who'd desired the Dark Stone because he thought he was more powerful than the Demon King. Pathetic… Leo would show him how false that was.
A purple glow started to surround Leo as he readied Brynhildr. "Mjölnir!" he called out, his smirk only growing as a massive electric force field appeared, encompassing Anankos. Lightning infused with corrupt darkness generated inside the dome and pierced the dragon, appearing to cause severe damage. Yet Ryoma, Takumi, Camilla, and Azura had all been within the range of the force field as well, and even though Anankos had taken the brunt of the damage, they all screamed as the lightning injured them as well.
"Leo! Are you crazy?" Corrin asked, running to Azura as the dome disappeared to help her up, before then tending to Camilla.
"What… the hell?!" Takumi snapped, although he was too weakened for the scolding to have much bite to it.
"Hmph. If you can't handle the dangers of battle, then just stay out of my way," Leo countered, shrugging carelessly.
Ryoma grunted as he struggled to stand, his gaze fixated on his unconscious sister. "What happened to Sakura?"
"It's okay, she's still breathing," Elise assured him as she tended to the fallen princess. "But… but my staff isn't having any effect on her…"
Ah. So, Sakura was still alive then. A foreign feeling started to stir within Leo, infiltrating his entire being with a comforting warmth. Despite his mind nagging at him to ignore it, he found that he couldn't…
However, soon the decision was made for him as Anankos came flying toward him.
"You took his power!" Anankos seethed. "My power!"
Yet with Brynhildr's magic, Leo had dominion over gravity itself… and with the Demon King's power, he was stronger than he'd ever been. Plucking a spell from his tome as casually as if he were playing a lyre, he managed to utilize the laws of gravity to freeze Anankos right in his tracks, smirking as the dragon snarled with rage.
Only, Anankos wasn't a mere man - he was a god - and Leo only had half of the Demon King's power. Already he could feel Anankos starting to break free from the gravitational pull, and it was only a matter of time before the dragon was able to move again.
"I'll kill you for this!" Anankos screeched.
Readying himself for the ensuing attack, Leo watched as a tree began to grow on the dragon's head - one that reminded Leo of Brynhildr's magic - and then Anankos shot a ball of blue light directly at him. As he began to wonder if his mortal flesh would even survive such a blast, someone pushed him out of its path, and he and his savior came crashing together to the ground.
"Corrin! Leo!" Camilla cried out, her words making Leo realize who had saved him before even his senses could catch up.
But they were both fine, and Corrin didn't stop asking his incessant questions.
"What did Anankos mean, Leo?" he pressed. "Why did he say that you took the Demon King's power? Please, just tell me what's going on!"
If only Corrin wasn't needed to defeat Anankos, then Leo could so easily snap his neck, right here and now, just like he'd always wanted to…
… He had always wanted Corrin to die, hadn't he?
But something still seemed off, still seemed wrong.
"And even if things don't work with my Hoshidan family… well, I'm glad that I could at least grow closer to you."
"Ung…" Leo groaned again, but whenever he tried to think, it felt like some kind of serpent was squeezing his chest, trying to smother him completely.
Once again, though, Anankos' presence didn't leave much time for further reflection. Ignoring Corrin's pleas as he stood, Leo narrowed his eyes at the dragon, ready to end him once and for all.
"So unworthy," he scoffed, channeling Brynhildr's magic into himself. A sphere of dark energy then appeared - almost as large as the one that Anankos had summoned earlier, the black hole that had pulled most of Castle Gyges into it - and it began to slowly descend on the dragon, sucking him toward it.
His companions were affected too, though, and he heard them cry out as they held onto whatever was nearby to prevent from themselves from being dragged toward the sphere. In a moment of panic, Leo looked to Sakura, who was still unconscious… but this time, Ryoma had taken hold of her, keeping her grounded so that her inert body wouldn't go flying.
For an instant Leo felt only pain, realizing that he could have killed the person that he cared for most… he couldn't bring her back to life if her body disappeared into a vacuum, after all. But the pressure in his chest only tightened, removing any and all traces of emotion.
Focusing on his spell instead, Leo realized that as big as the sphere he'd generated was, it was still too small for Anankos to slip through it and into oblivion. No matter, though - Leo's intent hadn't been to be so merciful, anyway.
Yes, the coup de grâce was yet to come… and with a smirk, Leo closed his eyes and commanded Brynhildr to do as he bid.
A violent explosion promptly followed as the sphere then erupted, an explosion of dark energy that Anankos was unable to avoid.
"Grrrawwww!"
The blast had no effect on Leo - he was the master of gravity itself, as it were - but the force of the explosion was so powerful that it sent some of his companions flying across the platform.
That didn't matter, though - what mattered was that the spell had nearly annihilated Anankos. The dragon lifted its head and continued to howl in pain, and Leo watched with utter amusement as the dragon then fell, lying as still as death itself.
Was this it, then? Had he killed his foe?
Yet everyone gasped - including Leo - as the eyeball-covered sphere that had previously been in the dragon's mouth then floated into the air, leaving its destroyed body behind.
The sphere was still able to attack, though, and a blue blast was promptly fired at Leo. This time, however, there was no one able - or willing - to risk their life to save him.
Leo channeled Brynhildr, and a wall of trees rose up in front of him. But Anankos' blast ripped right through them, the trees perhaps protecting him from its full force, but not shielding him completely.
The attack was potent - much more potent than the purple fire that Anankos had utilized earlier - and Leo screamed as it felt like his insides were melting.
Cursed mortal flesh! If only he had the Demon King's body, along with his power…
But thankfully, he survived - perhaps a testament to how much Anankos was weakening - and soon, he even felt a healing glow surrounding him, removing his injuries completely.
Not even acknowledging Elise's help, Leo just struggled once again to his feet, gritting his teeth with annoyance. So it was true, then - Corrin would need to deal the final blow with the Yato, the Fire Emblem, in order to kill Anankos once and for all.
How bothersome. But, no matter - that could be arranged.
Channeling Brynhildr's energy once more, vines and branches began to grow from earth, attempting to latch onto what remained of Anankos. Yet, as much as Anankos tried to squirm away, Leo was persistent in his efforts.
"Grrrrrh!" the dragon - if one could still even call it that - yelled as Brynhildr's vines brought the sphere toward the ground and prevented it from escaping.
"Well?" Leo asked, looking at Corrin with his eyebrow raised while his brother was too busy gaping at him to do anything. "I'm offering him up to you on a platter, Corrin. I would hope that not even you could mess this up…"
Coming to his senses, Corrin lifted his sword and ran toward the dragon, screaming with intensity.
It surprised Leo when Corrin's free hand first turned into a dragon claw - had he figured out how to do just a partial transformation, then? But while the dragon was still making noises, as if in pain, Corrin then cried out and thrust the Yato fully into him.
Leo readied himself for another attack in case Corrin hadn't managed to finish off the wretched creature. But after emitting some final gurgling sounds, the sphere then imploded, turning into pieces of dark matter that evaporated harmlessly into the air.
That was it, then. Anankos… Anankos was dead. It was all over.
A strange sensation began to tug at Leo as he caught sight of Sakura - something familiar and warm, but also… distant, as if he wasn't really feeling anything at all. Cognitively, he was able to grasp that he wanted - no, needed - to be with her. He was able to understand that this goal was his driving force. And yet, there were no emotions actually guiding that innate desire.
As he continued to look at Sakura, who was still unconscious, he knew that he loved her - that was a fact, wasn't it? But he was almost certain that there should be more than just an acknowledgement of a truth, that it should mean more.
Pain rippled through him as he fought for understanding, but he ignored it, as well as his companions, as he started to walk toward her.
Before he could reach her, though, he heard the sound of electricity crackling behind him.
"Stay away from her, Leo…"
Ryoma…
The warning in his voice was evident, and as he turned, Leo saw that the samurai still had his sword drawn. Despite being ten yards away from it, Leo could practically feel Raijinto's electricity as it stung the air, as potent as it was, and the resulting static even caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise.
"Ryoma! What are you doing?" Corrin protested as Elise gasped. Camilla on the other hand seemed torn, as if she knew that something was off, but even despite that, she couldn't endorse an attack on her brother.
"Don't you realize what's happened?" Ryoma countered. His voice was solemn, as if filled with deep regret, but his eyes never strayed from his opponent. "Anankos even said it himself. Leo took the Demon King's power from the Dark Stone… and until I know exactly what that means, I'm not letting him anywhere near Sakura."
Leo tsked. "Ah, Ryoma. You should have just let things be, for your own good. You realize that now I have no other choice but to kill you?… To kill all of you?"
"W…what?" Corrin wondered, practically whimpering. "Leo, what are you saying?"
But Ryoma was unfazed by the threat - at least, until he realized that he was suddenly unable to move.
"What? What is this?" he growled. "I… I can't…"
Takumi raised Fujin Yumi to attack Leo, but in an instant, he was frozen, too. Leo then used his power over gravity to send everyone's bodies flying, as if they were mere ragdolls, releasing gravity's hold once they were corralled into the same area - which caused some to fall painfully to the ground.
The sound of bones breaking and people crying out filled the air, but that was the amusing thing about humans - they had no idea how truly weak they were. Leo hadn't even realized it himself until he'd gained the Demon King's power, only then understanding how pathetic he'd once been. Even combined, their power couldn't even begin to compare to his…
Activating Brynhildr once again, whose desperate pulses he pointedly ignored, he then summoned a circle of trees, which trapped his companions in a cage of sorts. The trees all met together to a pointed top, like a tent, so that even those with mounts couldn't escape.
But it wasn't just a cage… it was a death trap.
"Leo! What are you doing?" Corrin wailed, peering at him through a small crack between the trees. But as branches as sharp as blades began to grow on each tree, his intent became clear to those that were trapped.
He was going to kill them all.
"Elise, Corrin - get behind me!" Camilla commanded, clearly hoping to protect them. Yet, her efforts would be futile, of course - there was simply nowhere to hide. The branches were growing on all sides of the cage, and once Leo commanded them to impale, they would be impossible to avoid.
Yes… they would be dead soon enough, and all the impediments to his goal of being with Sakura would then be dealt with.
Now that everyone was trapped in the magical cage, Leo had no need to keep them frozen, and he watched with amusement as Ryoma tried to hack away at one of Brynhildr's trees with Raijinto. Didn't they realize yet how weak they were?
Didn't they realize that they couldn't escape their fates?
Perhaps some of them did, as screams of terror began to echo throughout the cage.
"Please don't hurt us, Leo…" Elise sobbed, and for a moment, Leo felt as if something were twisting inside of him. Grunting from the pain, he was suddenly filled with doubt. Was… was this really what he wanted? He loved Sakura, but didn't he… didn't he love his siblings, too?
Yet, any and all feelings that were starting to rise within him abruptly evaporated, and once again, he only felt empty.
Of course he loved his siblings… that much he knew. However, they had never loved him in return. Everything was finally so clear to him. Of course he'd always suspected as much - feared it, even - but it wasn't until he'd gained the Demon King's power that he truly understood. Even though their deaths were regrettable - Corrin's was the only one that was necessary, after all - with them gone, he'd have a clear path to the throne, and he could finally restore Nohr to its former glory with Sakura by his side.
His unrequited brotherly love had always held him back… held Nohr back… but, no longer.
And without any further shred of remorse, he began to gather more of Brynhildr's power, concentrating on the magic he needed to bring his companions - no, his opponents - to their ends.
It was the screaming that woke her… so much screaming. Despite feeling so weak - so drained - as if she could sleep for days on end, Sakura couldn't ignore the cries and shouts of her loved ones as they pulled her toward consciousness.
Once she opened her eyes, she expected to see the horrible sight of Anankos killing them all, the sight of Leo dead beside her after being cut down by the Yato… and yet, that wasn't the case. Instead, a dragon's carcass was lying on the other side of the platform, and Leo was standing right beside her.
But everyone else… merciful gods, they were surrounded by trees, trying but failing to escape their wooden prison as they screamed in terror.
At first Sakura didn't understand what was happening - or, perhaps, she just didn't want to understand. But despite her haziness, she was soon able to put two and two together.
Leo… he had taken the Demon King's soul from her, bringing it into himself to save her life. His intention had been to sacrifice himself, to allow Corrin to kill him - and the Demon King - with the Yato. But if Leo was still alive, then that meant…
Purple started to surround her husband, and she understood Brynhildr's magic well enough by now to know what was about to happen.
"Don't…" she pleaded, so faintly that she worried Leo wouldn't even hear her, yet she simply lacked the strength to speak any louder.
Thankfully Leo heard her, though, and the purple mist surrounding him soon disappeared.
"Sakura," he acknowledged, but his voice seemed so… distant. Was it only because she was tired?
"You're awake…"
Using her arms to bring herself to her knees, and then slowly managing to stand, her eyes never left Leo's.
"Don't do this," she begged again, although if Leo was truly gone - if the Demon King had taken his soul - then she knew that pleading with him was pointless.
But she had to believe that something of her husband still remained - that his soul was still in there, somehow - and that she wouldn't have to watch everyone she loved die in front of her while she was helpless to stop it, just like with Anthony.
Leo said nothing, but watched her curiously - and unfeelingly - as she took a shaky step toward him.
"Your siblings are in there, Leo," she pressed, continuing to approach him. "And your retainers. You love them, and you'd never do anything to hurt them… I k-know you wouldn't."
His head tilted, and he looked almost confused, as if he'd expected her to endorse what he was doing.
"Don't you see, Sakura? I'm doing this for us," he insisted. "As long as our families are alive, they'll never let us be together. Besides, once they're dead, you and I can finally unite Nohr and Hoshido into one kingdom, as its king and queen, and you can have the lasting peace you've always wanted."
"No," Sakura said, shaking her head. "This isn't what I want… peace earned from blood is not true peace. And this i-isn't what you want either. The Demon King is just poisoning your mind… your heart. Can't you see that?"
"The Demon King?" Leo scoffed. "Gods, Sakura. For so long, we've been afraid of him - afraid of what might happen if his power was unleashed. But, we were wrong, so wrong. He isn't worth fearing… his power is nothing more than a tool - a tool through which I can bring peace to this world. Besides, do you really think I'm foolish enough to let him manipulate me? If anything, I'm the one controlling him. Just think of all that we'll be able to accomplish, with such power at my fingertips…"
Even listening to him made her want to cry. He sounded exactly like Lyon had in Mt. Neleras… and Lyon had been too far gone to save, his soul having been completely destroyed by the Demon King.
In an act of desperation, she put her hand over his… the same hand that he was using to hold Brynhildr. She could feel Brynhildr's complete and utter panic, and she wanted to comfort the tome. But there wasn't time, and even if there had been, there was nothing she could offer to make the situation better.
Is there anything of Leo left? she silently asked the tome, knowing that it could sense her feelings, yet unsure if she wanted to know the answer. Our Leo, I mean?
An image came to her of a world of darkness and death, and Sakura shuddered. But amidst the blackness there was a small, green tree - Brynhildr - that was peppered with pink cherry blossoms. At first she thought it was odd that Brynhildr would be covered with such flowers, but she soon realized what they were supposed to represent - the parts of her soul that Leo had taken into him along with the Demon King's.
And hidden under the canopy of Brynhildr's branches…
"Leo…" Sakura gasped, partly with relief that something of him remained, but also with devastation. The Leo that she saw - the Leo that Brynhildr showed her - he was badly wounded, unconscious, and bleeding. Brynhildr might not speak her words, but she knew exactly what the tome was trying to convey.
Weak. Dying.
Brynhildr was trying so hard to protect him, but the surrounding darkness was starting to encroach the small haven, turning the tree's roots black as its leaves and flowers started to wilt.
"No…" she whispered, sobbing lightly.
"What are you doing, Sakura?"
The voice that spoke to her belonged to the boy that she loved - her husband - but when she looked at him, his eyes were dangerous and full of suspicion.
Terrified, she gasped, stepping backward.
"N-nothing. I j-just-"
But her words died in her throat, buried by fear, when she realized that she could no longer move backward, that her body was frozen in place.
"Ah. So you seek to betray me too, then? Your own husband?"
His hand brushed lightly against her neck, letting his thumb rest casually on top of her trachea, and her eyes widened in fear. Even though he wasn't actually hurting her, she could still distinctly recall the trauma she'd suffered in Mt. Neleras, and she suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe again.
But nothing was as terrible as the murderous glint in his eyes. To have him look at her in such a way… it was unbearable. Never did she think it was even possible for him to hurt her, for her to fear him like this, but it was more than clear that he wanted to kill her.
… And yet, he didn't. But why not?
Leo… it had to be Leo's soul stopping him, whether he realized it or not. Maybe, then, she could stop this after all… there had to be a way that she could reach him, there just had to!
Perhaps he couldn't kill her, but the Demon King clearly intended to punish her for her perceived betrayal. And with a flick of his hand, Sakura gasped as her body was suddenly flung forward, halting only several feet in front of the tree cage.
"I think you need a better view of these events," Leo told her. "To watch as we usher in an era of peace… to feel the blood of your loved ones splatter upon your face, and know then that they'll never again stand in our way."
"'Sakura!" Takumi screamed as he caught sight of her, his voice fearful as if begging for her help while he and the others continued their desperate attempts to escape.
"Takumi!" she replied, sobbing in earnest now.
No, this couldn't be happening… merciful gods, please, no…
"J-just let them g-go, Leo," she pleaded.
"You know… I always wondered who you would side with if you were ever forced to make the choice - me, or your family. But I guess I know the answer now… you love them more than me. You always have. Just like my siblings always loved Corrin more than me… you're the same as them."
"No!" Sakura insisted, although she didn't know if it was doing any good to argue with him while he was like this, while he was the Demon King. Still, she had to try…
"I know you've been hurt in the past… but what you speak of, it isn't love," she insisted. "Love, it… it's not a finite resource, and it's not a competition. Don't you remember what the bishop said to us, on the day that we were wed?"
Of course he remembered - he was incredibly smart, and with a memory to match. He said nothing, though, only continuing to stare at her, so she struggled to recall the words.
"L-love is patient," she started, "love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Please, Leo… remember how you felt on that day, in that moment!"
"Ung…" he groaned, and she thought she saw something - recognition? - flashing in his eyes. "I… remember."
Hope started to course through her - had she finally gotten through to him? But in a moment, the spark that had lit his eyes was gone, and he smirked. Not the kind of smirk that used to make her heart race, but one of pure malice.
"I remember, Sakura… and do you know what I feel?… Nothing."
She couldn't help but shiver.
"Feelings… they are fleeting, and pointless. But power… that is tangible. It isn't love that will protect us from everything trying to rip us apart. Yet with this power, I can finally protect you… I can bring glory to Nohr, and I can bring peace to this world. Everything I've ever wanted is at my fingertips…"
No… it was hopeless, wasn't it? Nothing she said could reach him. And as desolation overtook her, she started to sob once more.
"If… if you truly w-want us to be together, then let them go and I'll g-go anywhere with you, wherever you want," she promised. "But if you k-kill them, Leo, then… then you'll have to kill m-me, too. And if you won't do it, then I'll t-take my own life."
He sighed.
"You still don't understand the extent of my powers, do you?" he asked, taking a moment to glance idly at the terrified people in his cage. "That I could even maintain a spell for this long, for instance - I would have never been able to do that before. But it's not just earth and gravity that I hold dominion over - thanks to the Demon King, I now hold power over death as well."
His gaze then returned to her.
"So, yes… perhaps you may die after all, Sakura. But if you do, then I'll just bring you back to life, at which point you'll be my puppet to control. Then, you'll always be by my side, and I'll never have to live with the fear of being alone ever again."
Sakura shuddered at how the Demon King was able to twist and pervert Leo's deepest fears and desires. If only she could access the part of him that the Demon King had nearly destroyed - the part of his soul that was barely holding on while being protected by Brynhildr - the part of him that made him Leo.
But nothing that she said seemed to be getting through to him…
"Please…" she tried again, unsure of what else to say as she continued to sob. If only Leo hadn't taken the Demon King's soul into himself, if only he'd just let Corrin kill her, then this wouldn't be happening! But because her life was spared, everyone that she cared about would die instead, and right in front of her eyes, too… just like with Anthony.
"You said that you'd never let anyone hurt me," she told him between her sobs. "But this would hurt me more than anything else ever could. Please, Leo…"
Leo tsked.
"You'll come to realize soon enough that this is for the best," he assured her. "And once this is over, we'll finally have the life we always dreamed of together…"
Purple then started to swirl around him as he readied the command for the dagger-like branches to impale those within the cage.
"No!" Sakura screamed, shutting her eyes tightly because she couldn't bear to watch what was about to happen.
She expected to hear the pained cries of the people before her as they were forever silenced, but instead, only Leo screamed. Opening her eyes, she gasped as she saw another tree rising from behind him, its branches wrapping around his body to keep him in place.
The cage then disappeared as the trees comprising it returned to the earth. Sakura tried to run to her husband, but his gravity spell was still holding her in place…
"Ahhh!" Leo screamed while he writhed against the branches that were holding him, clearly struggling with the Demon King for control over his own will.
"Leo! Let me go!" Sakura cried. He looked at her for a deliberate moment, and she gasped as she saw that the blood vessels in his eyes had popped, causing them to hemorrhage within - but he didn't free her. Instead he just turned to Corrin.
"Corrin," Leo gasped, clearly in pain. "The Yato… you need to… kill me. Only the Fire Emblem… can seal… the demon's soul."
"No!" Sakura protested while Corrin's jaw dropped, and she struggled vigorously against the spell holding her, to no avail.
"Leo… I c-can't do that," Corrin sputtered, looking stricken. "There has to be another way!"
"Please. I can't contain him for much long-… ahhhhh!"
Sakura wished she could cover her ears so that she didn't have to hear Leo's horrible screams, but since she was frozen in place, she couldn't even do that much. Yet as she saw Corrin readying his sword, she realized then that Leo purposefully hadn't undone the spell holding her - not because he was in too much pain, but because he wanted to keep her from interfering.
"No! Corrin, don't!" she begged, and Corrin's gaze flitted between her and Leo unsurely.
"Ahhhhhh!" Leo screamed again, and this time his eyes flashed purple, as if Brynhildr's magic were overflowing within him. The platform that they were standing on started to shake, with pieces breaking off of it and floating through the air. Azura screamed as the ground beneath her feet crumbled away, but she managed to grab onto the closest ledge before plummeting to her death.
"Azura!" Corrin cried out worriedly.
"Corrin, you have to hurry!" Ryoma commanded. "Either the Demon King will kill us all, or Leo will while he struggles to contain his power. We need to put an end to this, now!"
But there had to be a better way! Maybe they could just take Brynhildr from Leo… yet if they did that, then he'd have nothing to protect himself from the Demon King.
It was clear from the way the platform was falling apart that they didn't have much time left - and from Leo's continued screaming, that he didn't, either. Still, Sakura racked her brain for a better solution - one that didn't require that Leo…
The branches restraining Leo were beginning to fade away, as if to indicate that he was losing his battle against the Demon King, and Corrin approached him with tears in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry," Corrin whispered, but Leo appeared to be too lost in his own agony to even hear him.
"No! Don't!" Sakura howled.
Corrin looked at her for a moment, but then turned back to Leo. It was as if everything were happening in slow motion, but even still, since she was trapped in place, Sakura was helpless to do anything but watch as things unfolded.
Putting one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other halfway down the blade, Corrin guided the Yato below the plating of Leo's armor and thrust it upward, plunging it into his abdomen. Leo's eyes, now red with blood from his struggle, widened in surprise at the pain, and he gasped.
With the desire for peace and a better future in everyone's heart, a black matter began to transfer from Leo to the Yato - the Demon King's soul - to be sealed there forever.
Even so, Sakura screamed. Leo was… he was… no!
With the Demon King's power leaving him, Sakura was finally able to move again, and she rushed to her husband's side.
"Leo!" she sobbed, unlatching her Sun Festal from her dress.
The branches and tree holding Leo also disappeared, and soon Corrin - and the Yato - were holding up Leo's full weight. Corrin latched his arm around Leo as the force brought them both to their knees, and he struggled to keep them both upright.
"Leo! I'm… I…"
But Leo only shook his head. "Thank… you…" he whispered weakly.
He then turned to face her, and despite the blood that had hemorrhaged in his eyes, she could now once again see the love that he bore for her shining within them.
"Sak…"
But that's all he managed to say before his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell unconscious. With Corrin unable to hold up his brother's weight anymore now that he was completely limp, Leo then fell prone to the ground.
"Leo!" Corrin cried out, but Sakura was already using her festal. Even before Corrin fully removed his sword, she focused on healing her husband, putting more attention and care into her magic than she ever had before. She was exhausted in her own right, never having the chance to recover from Leo absorbing her lifeforce earlier, but she ignored her own needs and pushed through her fatigue so that she could save Leo.
She quickly realized that Elise was trying to heal him as well, and with Sakura's skill and precision combined Elise's sheer magical power, Sakura was pleased to see that Leo's wound seemed to be closing. It was difficult to tell because of the armor covering the wound, but once the sword was removed he should have been bleeding profusely. Yet, there was hardly any blood at all…
With renewed hope, Sakura scrambled to her knees by her fallen husband and placed her hand on his neck.
… Only, she couldn't feel a pulse. Gods, no, he had no pulse! That… that meant that his heart wasn't beating, and that he was…
"No!" she wailed. Leo couldn't be dead… he couldn't be! This couldn't be happening. "No… no!"
"Sakura! Move!" Ryoma commanded, and she turned to see that her brother's sword was crackling with electricity. She gasped as he then pointed his sword at Leo.
"No! Leave him alone!" she cried, scrambling to protect her husband's fallen body. "He's already… he's… just leave him alone!"
But Takumi pulled her away from Leo, holding her upright and dragging her backward while she struggled against him so that Ryoma would have a clear shot.
"Stop it! Just stop it!" she pleaded, but her cries were ignored, and her brother directed his electricity right into Leo's chest.
Watching her husband's body jolt proved to be more than Sakura could handle, and between her exhaustion and the extreme stress of the situation, she then fainted into Takumi's arms.
When Sakura next opened her eyes, it didn't take long for her to realize that she was no longer in Castle Gyges. Rather, she was in her room in Castle Shirasagi, surrounded by her siblings and Hana.
She couldn't have been unconscious for that long, so they must have used a portal to get from Valla to Hoshido. However, there still must have been enough time for her to be bathed, since her hair felt wet, and she was no longer filthy. Hinoka, Azura, or Hana - most likely Hana - had probably seen to it.
"Sakura… thank the gods that you're awake," Ryoma said once he realized that her eyes were now open, but she said nothing.
For so long, she'd wanted to be reunited with her family. When she had been separated from them in Magvel, she'd thought of them constantly, dreaming of the moment that they would reunite. But now, she was finally with them again, and she couldn't even be happy because Leo…
Unable to help herself, she began to cry softly.
"Sakura, it's all right," Ryoma assured her, his voice strong and soothing. "Leo is alive."
… What?
But no, her mind must be playing tricks on her, letting her hear the one thing she longed to hear. Leo was dead… she'd examined him herself.
"Listen to me," Ryoma tried again. "Hear my words, Sakura… Leo is alive."
… She'd heard him say it again. But it couldn't be true… could it?
"It's the truth," Takumi told her, helping to cease her doubts. "I can't say that it makes any sense, but Leo explained it to Ryoma and I before. Something about electricity being able to help the body's organs resume to function normally after a trauma…"
"So then, earlier - with Raijinto - you weren't trying to hurt Leo even more, you were… trying to save him?" Sakura asked Ryoma, completely incredulous.
"That's right," Ryoma confirmed. "And by some miracle of the gods, it actually worked."
"Oh, Ryoma… thank you!" Sakura cried out, launching herself into her brother's arms. "You're amazing! Thank you… thank you!"
"You're making me blush," Ryoma chuckled as he pushed her away.
With that great weight off of her shoulders, Sakura then hugged everyone else in the room with her… Takumi, Hinoka, Azura, and Hana. Merciful gods, it was so hard to let go of even one of them, but equally hard not to pull in another. She just loved them all so much, and to think, she was finally together with them again…
"Where's Subaki?" she then asked, frowning as everyone seemed to avoid her gaze. "He's not out patrolling right now, is he?" She knew how seriously he took his duties, after all, but even he deserved a break after everything that had happened.
"Sakura…" Takumi started, for some reason glancing at Hinoka before returning his gaze to her. It was only then that she realized that Hinoka's eyes seemed red and puffy. But, why?
"Subaki, he… he…"
"He didn't make it," Ryoma finished, his voice firm but soft. "But he died bravely… he died a hero."
"W-what?" Sakura gasped, the shock of the words piercing her almost as much as the horror of them. "N-no… it can't b-be. Please, no!"
But no one refuted Ryoma's terrible words… and for a moment, Sakura felt as if she couldn't breathe.
Subaki… he'd always been her rock, her advisor, her retainer… and her dear friend. How… how could he be gone?
"I'll go and get you some water," Hinoka said, rising abruptly and practically running out of the room. It was somewhat bizarre, especially since no one even seemed willing to look at her as she left, but Sakura was too preoccupied by the news of her retainer's death to focus on her sister's strange behavior.
"How did he… d-die?" Sakura asked, squeezing her eyes tightly to try and hold back her tears.
"We can discuss it later," Azura stated, her voice kind and soothing. "You've been through enough, Sakura… for now, you should just focus on your recovery."
"No," Sakura insisted, shaking her head. "I… I need to know. Please, tell me."
Ryoma nodded, and explained what happened with the gravitational vacuum that Anankos had created… how she and Leo had almost been hit by a large piece of debris, but Subaki had swooped in to intercept it, thereby saving them.
"So he died… to save me," Sakura concluded, unable now to stop the tears from falling.
"Don't think like that, Lady Sakura," Hana begged. "Subaki and I… it is our honor to serve you. If Subaki were here, he'd tell you the same thing… and if he had the chance to do it all over again, he would make the same choice without hesitation. So would I, if I had been in his position."
Sakura knew that Hana had meant her words to be comforting, but they weren't. Both Anthony and Subaki had died because of her… she'd lived in their stead. How was that fair? How was her life more important, more meaningful, than theirs? And the last thing she wanted to think about was Hana giving her life for her one day, too.
"Leo," Sakura then said, the need to see him nearly overwhelming her. "Where is he now? I… I need to see him."
"He's still resting," Ryoma told her.
"Where?" she pressed.
"In the guest wing," Ryoma told her. "But Princess Camilla asked me if his family could have some time alone with him first. There's something she wants to discuss with him when he wakes. I'm sure that Leo will come find you the moment he is able."
His family? But she was his family, too… she was his wife. Still, she understood, and she couldn't deny Princess Camilla such a simple request, as much as she wanted to.
So, for now, she had no choice but to wait for Leo to come to her… and in the meantime, try and find the strength to accept the fact that someone very dear to her was gone and never coming back.
When Leo woke, he expected to find himself in some kind of afterworld.
Only… he wasn't. He was in a room - distinctly Hoshidan, but that's all he could identify - and lying on a shikibuton with Camilla, Corrin, and Elise all seated on the floor beside him. This all felt somewhat familiar… he'd had a similar awakening after Takumi had shot him, after all.
Yet, back then, Xander was still…
"Leo!" Elise cried out once she realized he was awake, pulling him from his tormenting thoughts. Flinging herself at him, he soon found himself holding his little sister as she squeezed him tightly in a nearly suffocating hug.
He knew that he didn't deserve her concern and affection - not after almost brutally killing her and his other siblings - and yet, he couldn't bring himself to push her away. He looked over at Corrin and Camilla, wondering if they'd be filled with the reservations that Elise was lacking, and yet, they only seemed… relieved.
Unable to bear his guilt, he averted his gaze, although he still didn't let go of Elise.
"How am I…" he started, his voice so hoarse that he barely recognized it.
"Alive?" Camilla finished, an amused smile making its way to her face. "To be honest, I hardly understand it myself. Sakura and Elise managed to heal your wound, but you were still - for all intents and purposes - dead. Or at least, it seemed like you were."
"But then, Ryoma used his sword to blast you with electricity, and suddenly you were breathing again," Corrin explained.
… Electricity? So… the research of the Nohrian Clerics' Guild was accurate, after all. Incredible, simply incredible…
And even before that, it was Brynhildr that had kept him alive when the Demon King had attempted to destroy his soul. Finding his tome, he subtly put his hand on it so as to not to draw any attention from his siblings.
You saved me once again, old friend, he thought. Thank you…
The tome started to whir, and Leo smiled as he could feel its affection for him, along with its relief that he'd returned to his normal self.
I'm sorry for what the Demon King - for what I made you do…
"Of course, we had no idea what was happening at the time," Corrin then continued, his smile reaching his eyes. "We thought that you were dead, and that Ryoma was so angry with you that he was desecrating your body. Camilla almost took off his head…"
Camilla shrugged, clearly not feeling at all penitent. "If anyone ever tried to hurt one of you… well, they'd lose more than just their head."
"Even… even after what I did to you all?" Leo asked, averting his gaze once more. "You still care about what happens to me?"
"Of course!" Elise promised, hugging him even more tightly. "You're our brother, you big dummy!"
Camilla chuckled. "That about sums it up. You know, as brilliant as you are, Leo… you can also be such a fool."
"All right, all right, I get it," Leo huffed, his cheeks starting to turn red.
"Yeah, and besides," Corrin added, "you were able to stop the Demon King in the end, and now that part of his soul is sealed forever in the Yato."
"I suppose," Leo agreed. He then frowned as he thought of something. "To be honest, I'm surprised that Sakura wasn't here with you, waiting for me to wake. Perhaps… perhaps she's angry with me for what happened?"
"Definitely not," Corrin assured him. "After Ryoma attacked - er, saved you, she fainted from exhaustion. She's still resting now, as far as we know."
"What?" Leo asked, his alarm growing. He gently pushed Elise off of him and moved to rise. "I need to see her…"
"In a moment," Camilla insisted, putting her hand on his shoulder to keep him in place. "There's something I need to discuss with you first."
She and Corrin then gave each other a long look, before she said, "Elise, why don't you go check in on Sakura to see if she's awake yet? If she is, I'm sure she's waiting for news on Leo's condition."
Elise nodded, giving him one last quick hug before bounding off elsewhere into the hallways of what Leo could only assume was Castle Shirasagi.
"Well, what is it, then?" Leo asked, unable to mask his impatience. He needed to see Sakura and make sure that she was okay… to hold her in his arms again, like he'd be longing to do ever since she was taken from him in Caer Pelyn. For so long, he'd even feared that she was dead, that he'd lost her…
"We need to talk about Nohr," Camilla told him, and despite himself, that piqued Leo's interest. "Especially in light of Xander's…"
Pain rippled through Leo at the mention of their fallen brother, and he couldn't help but reflexively grasp at the bedding beneath him. His feelings were mirrored in the eyes of Camilla and Corrin, and he wondered how any of them would ever feel whole again.
"Well, we have no choice but to do the best we can to lead Nohr in his absence," Leo noted, attempting to ignore his emotions and remain pragmatic. In truth, he wished that he could break down right then and there, to scream at the gods for the unfairness of it all… but Xander wouldn't want that. He knew that their brother was counting on them to see to the prosperity of Nohr… it's even what they'd talked about before he…
Leo cleared his throat.
"In any case, I'll support you in whatever you need, Camilla," he promised. "You'll want to return to Nohr soon… with both Father and Xander gone, the kingdom may be unstable for some time. But once things settle down, we can hold your coronation."
Camilla and Corrin gave each other another long look, and Leo felt himself starting to get annoyed.
"Is there something that you both want to share with me?" he huffed.
"As a matter of fact, there is," Camilla answered, undaunted by Leo's ire. "I have no desire to rule Nohr, Leo. Besides, I never had an aptitude for politics. The next ruler of Nohr… well, it should be you."
Leo was silent for a long moment, wondering at first if he'd misheard her.
"You want me… to be the king of Nohr?" he finally inquired, completely dumbfounded by her words.
Camilla nodded, and Leo gasped.
Truthfully, he didn't know how to feel. Surprised, of course… and terrified. But also… gods, he was ashamed to admit that there was a part of him that actually wanted this. And that, of course, only led to more guilt, as if these long-buried desires had been the cause of Xander's death, that the gods were punishing him for such dark ambitions.
But he'd never be even half the king that Xander would have been… he'd never live up to Xander's legacy. And what about Sakura? With Nohr and Hoshido now broken kingdoms, forced to recover from a war against each other that had led to great loss and devastation, the anti-Hoshidan sentiment in Nohr would be high. As a prince of Nohr, his marriage to a Hoshidan princess might have been seen as an acceptable gesture toward peace. But as a king… would his people ever accept a Hoshidan queen? … Or would they just revolt instead?
"Camilla… I can't," Leo urged, his voice cracking as he bowed his head. "Please don't ask this of me… please."
"Leo," Corrin whispered, his eyes heavy with sympathy.
But Camilla was unrelenting. "This is what's best for Nohr, and you know it," she stated, her voice filled with conviction. "I'll support Nohr in any way I can… but I don't know the first thing about what it takes to rule a kingdom. You'll do it, then, won't you, Leo? For me… and for Nohr?"
She didn't need to say it, but Leo flinched all the same at the implication. For Xander.
He could bring himself to do little more than nod, but that was enough to bring visceral relief to Camilla's features. "Well, then - I'm glad that's settled. But as you pointed out, we should be returning to Nohr soon… and if you're to be the king, you'll need to return with us as well."
"I know that," he snapped, unable to hold back his frustration, even though he knew it wasn't Camilla's fault. "But, I need to see Sakura first."
"That's good… because she's been asking for you," a voice interjected, and they all turned to see Ryoma standing in the doorway.
"Ryoma…" Leo greeted, suddenly uncomfortable.
"Princess Elise told us that you were awake," Ryoma noted. He then looked to Camilla and Corrin. "Do you mind if I have a moment alone with Leo?"
They nodded and cleared out, allowing Ryoma to take their place by his side.
"How much did you hear?" Leo asked.
"Enough," Ryoma admitted. "Truthfully, I'm a little relieved that you'll be ruling Nohr instead of your sister. Don't get me wrong, I have the greatest respect for Princess Camilla, but… she also terrifies me."
Leo couldn't help but chuckle. "Ah, yes, I heard that she almost cleaved off your head earlier. Look, Ryoma, about that… thank you. For saving my life."
"There's no need to thank me."
"But there is," Leo insisted. "I almost killed you… I almost killed everyone. You should have just let me die. Why… why didn't you?"
Ryoma sighed. "I already have one heartbroken sister… I don't need another. I did it for Sakura… but I also did it for me, because I consider you a friend… and for Nohr, because your kingdom already lost one great prince today. Take your pick."
Leo shook his head. "But I promised that I would prove myself to you… that I would prove I'm worthy of Sakura, that I can be trusted to protect her. And, instead, I almost killed her…"
"That's not what I saw," Ryoma countered. "I saw you willing to stop at nothing to save her. When Sakura took in the Demon King's soul… she was going to die. But you took that burden upon yourself so that she would live. Your intention had been for Corrin to kill you immediately, right? But when that didn't happen and the Demon King overtook you, you still kept fighting… for her.
"Truthfully, the thought of my sister going to Nohr - the thought of her being queen of Nohr - terrifies me. But there's no one I trust more on this earth to care for her than you, Leo. So, you don't need to worry… I won't stand between you two, or try and keep you apart."
Leo tried to swallow down the lump that was forming in his throat.
"Ryoma… thank you," Leo said again. "I promise you that your faith in me will be warranted. And I'll wait to send for Sakura until I'm sure that Nohr is stable enough for the kingdom to accept a Hoshidan queen."
Ryoma nodded. "In the meantime, perhaps it would be best to keep your marriage a secret, so that only those of us who went to Valla remain aware of it. We can then hold a royal wedding once you deem it to be the right time, announcing to our people that the union is a symbol of the everlasting peace between our nations."
The thought made Leo somewhat uneasy, but he couldn't argue with Ryoma's sound logic. He needed to give his people a chance to get used to the idea of a Hoshidan queen, not announce from the get-go that they already had one. So, with a sigh, he nodded.
"Can I see her, then?" Leo pleaded, not even caring how pathetic he must look.
But Ryoma just chuckled. "Of course. She wants to see you, too. I won't keep you any longer."
Sakura forced a smile as Princess Elise continued to talk animatedly. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the princess's company… in fact, she liked Elise very much, and hoped that they would one day grow to be great friends.
But everything just seemed to… hurt. Not physically, although she did still have some slight pain in her lower abdomen when she moved too quickly. But the news of Subaki's death, as well as what had happened earlier with Anthony, still weighed heavily on her.
Not that she was the only one hurting, of course. Elise was clearly in pain, too… every once and awhile, her eyes would grow distant and sad, and Sakura knew that she must be thinking of her lost brother. But Elise was amazing… somehow, she still found the will to smile, and Sakura could only wish that she had such strength.
But how could Sakura be strong when she felt like she was only moments away from falling apart completely?
"Anyway, I can't wait for you to try Nohrian sweets!" Elise gushed. "They are the best in the world, and you're going to love them!"
"I don't know about that… Hoshidan sweets are pretty good," Takumi grumbled. Whereas Hinoka had never returned from her mysterious departure, and Ryoma, Azura, and Hana had left when Elise had come to see her, Takumi had curiously stayed.
At first Sakura thought it was for her sake, but Takumi's attention seemed to stay completely on the Nohrian princess. And, even though he appeared annoyed, it almost seemed… feigned?
Sakura had only been away from everyone for close to two weeks in this world, between the time she'd spent in Magvel and the time she was being held prisoner by Anankos… and yet, in some ways, it felt like she'd missed out on so much, that everyone was a stranger to her now.
Oddly, she even felt… alone. Which was silly, of course, since she hadn't even had a single moment to herself since she'd awoken.
"Sakura…"
Her ears perked up as she heard Leo's voice. Eagerly she lifted her eyes to the doorway, half expecting that her mind was just playing tricks on her, but reassured once she saw him standing there.
Everything around her - the entire world - seemed to stop in the moment. He was here. Leo was here. And he was alive and whole, just as Ryoma had promised. His presence alone was like a balm for all her heartache, and she knew then that she needed him close to her… merciful gods, how she needed him.
"Leo…"
It felt like there was so much she needed to say to him, and yet, that was the only word she could manage to speak. But her gaze was so focused on Leo that she didn't even notice as Takumi glanced between them and rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Takumi, we should let them be alone," Elise commanded, practically dragging her brother out the door while he grunted with annoyance. And yet, once again, his ire seemed false, as not only did he smile at Leo while being dragged away, but Takumi even put a hand on his shoulder.
Leo nodded at him in acknowledgement, but an instant later their two siblings were gone, and they were finally alone. Just to be safe, though, Leo slid the door shut.
"Sakura."
His voice cracked this time, and in an instant his strong facade disappeared, leaving a broken and vulnerable boy in its wake. She would have gotten off of her shikibuton to go to him, but he reached her first, kneeling next to her mattress and taking her in his arms.
It was only when she felt the sudden vibrations in his body that she realized he was crying. The soft sounds of his sobs were muffled by her hair, but she could still hear them. He'd always shown such tight restraint over his emotions, and he'd never been like this before - at least, not with her, except perhaps at Mt. Neleras. Having to witness him so broken made it feel like something was squeezing her heart.
Was he crying from the devastation of his brother's death? Or maybe from the relief that she was alive? Perhaps it was even a mixture of the two…
She forced her own tears to remain at bay, despite what she'd lost and her equal relief that Leo was okay, that he was here… because more than anything else, she wanted to offer him the comfort that he so clearly needed.
Bringing her hand up to the back up his head, she gently caressed the nape of his neck. But it wasn't long before he pulled away, his wet eyes boring into hers like she might disappear again if he so much as blinked. He then brought his hands to her face, holding her cheeks as if she were made of the most delicate Hoshidan porcelain.
The look in his eyes finally pushed her to her own tears, because she could so clearly see his grief, his suffering, his potent need for her. But as much as she wanted to, she didn't know how to take his pain away. She couldn't bring his brother back… she couldn't bring Anthony or Subaki back, either. They were gone, and their absences had left holes in the people that still remained, holes that could never be filled.
Leo leaned into her, pressing his forehead against hers, and they both closed their eyes. But he was so close that she could feel the tickle of his breath, and soon his lips were on hers. The kiss began gentle, slow, loving… and yet it quickly became rough, desperate, full of need.
He abruptly pulled back, and when he gasped she thought he'd only needed air, but his breath then broke into a sob. Once again he pulled her to him, yet this time he held her even more tightly.
"Sakura," he whispered. "Sakura…" Repeating her name as if it were a mantra.
"I'm here," she promised, running one of her hands through his hair to try and comfort him. "I'm so sorry about Prince… about Xander, Leo."
His fingers dug into her back as she spoke his brother's name, but even though his reflexive gesture had hurt her slightly, she didn't mind the pain. She was willing to give him everything, any and every part of her, whatever he needed.
And yet, when his tears finally subsided and he pulled back, she was taken off guard when he said, "I'm sorry, too… about Subaki."
Helping Leo through his grief was one thing, but she was completely unprepared to face her own. The truth was, she didn't know how to face it. She was no stranger to loss, and yet… well, when her father had been killed by King Garon, she'd been so young, too young to truly understand what death even meant. And when her mother had died, she'd been thrown into a battle with Nohr immediately afterward, and then transported to Magvel following that, with no time in between to even grieve.
But in just the past few days, she'd lost her father and mother, again… Subaki had died to save her… and Anthony…
Anthony…
"Sakura! Help me!"
"Sakura?"
She jolted, almost expecting to see Anankos before her, but a hand on her cheek and her husband's concerned eyes calmed her.
"I know how hard this is," he told her. "Subaki… I only spoke with him once, but he was a good man. He was even the first Hoshidan to support our marriage."
"He was?" Sakura asked, and Leo nodded, smiling slightly.
"Yeah. Apparently he thought our union would set a good example for the Nohrian and Hoshidan people… that we might all learn someday to accept each other."
Sakura felt her eyes starting to water. That sounded like something he would say…
"I'll… I'll go to his parents tomorrow," she told him, "and let them know that he… let them know what happened. I just… my heart breaks for them."
There was a long silence.
"… I think you've been through enough already," Leo began, his tone slow and cautious. "You don't have to shoulder that kind of emotional burden right now… in fact, you need some time to recover from everything that's happened. I'm sure that Ryoma could go to them instead."
She shook her head.
"Subaki was my retainer… and he died saving my life. It should be me. "
Leo closed his eyes and sighed in resignation, as if realizing that there was no point in even trying to convince her otherwise.
"And what about Hinoka?" he inquired. "She must be taking Subaki's death hard…"
Sakura lifted her head, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Hinoka?"
Leo's eyes widened for a moment, as if he realized that he'd said something he shouldn't have, before softening with pity.
"Sakura… I think that Hinoka and Subaki… they cared for each other."
She felt as if she'd just been slapped. Merciful gods, how… how had she not known this, not seen it? Her sister and retainer had always been close, of course… close friends. But maybe after her disappearance, the two of them had grown to be more than that…
And now, because of her - because Subaki had sacrificed himself to save her life - her sister had lost the man she loved. It didn't seem fair, that she was alive when both Subaki and Anthony had died because of her…
She didn't even realize that she was crying until Leo pressed her against his chest, and eventually, the steady sound of his beating heart began to calm her. He was just so solid against her, so real and so tangible, and even though she had no right to escape the tormenting thoughts in her roiling mind, his presence managed to keep her grounded.
"I love you, Leo," she then said.
He pulled back slightly and pushed her face upward with one hand before leaning down to kiss her. His lips tasted salty because of his prior tears, but they still felt sweet against hers… so sweet.
"I love you," he echoed as the kiss concluded.
They remained like that for a long time - hours, even - and the longer he held her, the stronger she felt, as if she could somehow manage to move past everything after all.
"Sakura…" he then interjected after a long silence. "Are you… all right?"
"What do you mean?" she wondered.
"Anankos… you were his prisoner for days. I… I know that he hurt you. I saw myself how you looked when we arrived at Castle Gyges. Do you… do you want to talk about it? What you went through?"
He was asking for her sake, she knew. The hesitation and discomfort in his eyes made it clear that having her catalog her injuries was the last thing he wanted to hear.
It didn't matter, anyway… the physical injuries were healed now.
But, Anthony… Anthony…
She longed to tell Leo about the child in Anankos' castle - how he'd been turned into a Faceless as a punishment for her crimes, how it was her fault that a child had died. But she knew that Leo would offer her comfort, and that hardly seemed fair… if anything, she felt like she deserved to be tormented for what happened to Anthony, that leaning on Leo for strength was an easier penance than what she owed.
Besides, Leo's brother had just died. How selfish would it be for her to demand comfort from him over the grief she felt for a child that she'd only known for a matter of days? Leo needed her support now, not the other way around, and she would do anything for him.
"I'm f-fine, Leo," she promised, stuttering only because she'd never been a good liar. "Besides, it'll all be okay now… now that I'm with you and we're together again."
She meant her words, as being with Leo gave her the strength to face anything, even something as terrible as grief and loss. And yet, when Leo pushed her away slightly and refused to meet her eyes, as if he felt guilty about something, a terrible feeling started to grow in the pit of her stomach.
"Sakura… there's something I have to tell you," he started. "I'm sorry, but I… I have to return to Nohr soon… tomorrow morning at the latest."
Sakura tensed and instinctively clutched at him. "But… why? Do you really have to go so… so soon?"
"I'm afraid so," he noted with a deep sigh. "With Xander… gone… well, Camilla doesn't want to take the throne. The next oldest is Corrin, of course, but he isn't even technically Nohrian, and he plans to rule Valla with Azura, anyway. So, that means-"
"You're… y-you're to be king?" Sakura gasped, and Leo nodded.
She suddenly felt dizzy, light-headed even. Leo was going to be the king of Nohr. And that meant… that meant that she…
Would be… queen? Of Nohr?
Her face drained of all color.
"Nohr is in bad shape right now," Leo continued. "I have to go back before things get worse… and the sooner I return, the sooner my people can become used to the idea of a new king… and a Hoshidan queen. But I'll send for you as soon as it's safe, Sakura, I swear it… no longer than a month or two, at most."
Months?
She felt like she was falling apart, and that Leo was the only thing holding her together… how could she bear to be without him for months, especially now of all times? To be forced to relive the things that Anankos had done without Leo by her side to give her strength?
… Maybe she could beg him to stay… plead with him to remain here with her, at least for a little bit longer. He loved her enough that he would agree if she begged him, she was almost certain of it.
The words nearly slipped from her lips before she bit her tongue to hold them in. How selfish could she be, truly? His entire kingdom needed him… and in comparison, she was only one person. Besides, to put such a burden on Leo, to force him to choose between her and his kingdom… how could she do that to him?
Besides, it's not as if she were truly alone. She had her family here, of course, and Hana as well. She was just being silly and overly sentimental.
"I understand," she told him instead, forcing herself to smile. "I… I'll m-miss you, though."
He brought his lips to hers and she savored how it felt, knowing that their kisses would be too few before he had to leave tomorrow.
"I'll miss you more than you can even fathom," he told her, and she could see the pain of knowing he had to leave her written all over his face. "But don't worry, Sakura. We'll be together again soon, I promise."
She tried to take comfort in his sweet words, and leaned her head against his shoulder as he held her.
Once again, he held her for quite a long time in silence. But as a thought came to her, she finally spoke.
"Leo… when you were in Valla, heading toward Castle Gyges, did you… did you encounter any Faceless?"
He pulled away from her, lifting her chin and searching her eyes. "Why do you ask?" he inquired. "Is… is that what Anankos did to you, then? Is that how he hurt you? He had a Faceless attack you?"
She couldn't bring herself to answer him, and instead turned her head away, but he used his hand to turn it back so that they locked eyes once more. His eyes were filled with anger - not at her, of course, but at the thought of something hurting her.
"Yes, we saw a Faceless," he told her. "… And we killed it."
Sakura shuddered at first, but then her eyes began to fill with tears, prompting Leo to pull her back into his arms.
"Don't worry, Sakura," Leo whispered into her ear. "The Faceless that hurt you is dead now."
He was, of course, misinterpreting the cause of her sadness… but how could he have known? Only the most twisted of minds would have ever assumed that the Faceless had been someone that Sakura cared about, a method for Anankos to torture her.
And so she knew for a fact that Anthony was dead. Before she'd held onto the small hope that he was still alive and she could somehow find a way to revert him to his old self. But now, even that slim chance was gone…
"Shhh," Leo hushed her as she cried into his chest. "The Faceless that hurt you is gone… and so is Anankos. Anankos can't hurt you anymore, Sakura."
But as another tear fell slowly down her cheek, she wondered if that was really true.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: FYI, Leo's spells that he used in this chapter were taken from Fire Emblem Warriors! The one that killed Anankos in his dragon form was Leo's special move in FEW.
The "Raijinto defibrillator" (lol) was based on the scene between Leo/Ryoma/Takumi in Chapter 33. That scene was definitely a Chekhov's gun moment, so please forgive me for that.
So, both Anankos and the Demon King have been dealt with... but there's still more to come. Sakura/Leo still need to come to term with what they've lost (poor Sakura especially has a lot of survivor's guilt), and also, how they will grow into the roles of king and queen of Nohr. All of these things will also impact their relationship in significant ways...
(And by the way, that's also why Xander "needed" to die in the story... Leo's arc was always meant to end with him becoming King of Nohr.)
And we are now entering the third and final arc of portal, which I imagine will be the shortest arc of the three... but with me, I guess you never know. XD
For anyone still reading this story... thank you, it means the world to me, and I hope that you're still enjoying it.
Oh, and by the way, if anyone wants to hit me up on twitter to talk about LeoSaku (my fave topic), the story, or whatnot, please feel free to! My twitter handle is fancy_plans.