Here are my review responses:
Ilovefonandalaude: *cue evil laughter* you shall see!
Metal Flash: I'd suppose Lenalee isn't in the running for any sister of the year awards (given that her vocab has been 'expanded' after spending so much time with Ryuga who is goddam master at foul language). I am well prepared for the people that ship Ryoma & Scarlet together (heck I like the ship myself) but I'm pretty sure the game even showed how oblivious Ryoma was to Scarlet's feelings and thus I abuse that fact to completely skip over it 😊. He already has two other women pining for him already (one that he actually likes anyway).
GuardianSapphire: I am the master of cliff-hangers!
OwnageFanfics: Thanks so much for your continued support. I'm always interested in hearing what fans of this story have to say so take your time and ask me anything.
U-Know Yunho: I've already started thinking about that meeting, I'd imagine those three learning about Ryoma has done will be pretty hard to accept or swallow.
Heatnation: I know, right? I thought I was going to die as well.
I don't own Fire Emblem Fates; all original characters belong to their respective owners. The opening is 'Akatsuki no Hana' covered by Saki and the ending is 'Akatsuki' also by Saki.
Opening:
Light up the dawn
Setting the sky ablaze before my eyes
Lets write another story
I'll tear the doubt out of my mind
'Cause with the strength inside me
I'll leave the girl I was behind
Throw away the days of wishing I could believe
Now it's the start
Breaking through to the sky, with the strength to survive
Feel the dawn break through to your heart
Chasing the skies, I'll find a brighter day
Shatter the lies, I'm who I wanna be
The fire inside will burn for all to see
You won't take my courage away
Flowers'll bloom and burst into my view
Even the passion here won't disappear
For all of the days, you thought I'd hesitate
I'll erase it all and (I'll) finally change my fate
Chapter 26: Taking Control
"Kanda…"
The vampire's eyes snapped open wide shock as he looked upon the women he loved in disbelief. Her beautiful white haired was strung all over the peace, tears dripped from her crimson eyes and her breathing was harsh and barely hearable given that his hand was crushing her windpipe.
Titania was staring at him with that same gentle smile she had worn so many times before. Not the girl that he had threatened to kill only minutes before.
"Tit-Titania…." Kanda managed to speak as his hand left her neck and he moved back in confusion "But how…"
He let go of her throat and backed away from, as he did so his mind raced with images to fast to concentrate. In one instant it was when he had first seen her, in another it was her as a child running towards him. In another, she was standing in front of him, wearing a white gown that paled in comparison to the beauty that she bore on their wedding day but next, she was a child once again and he was reading to her.
None of the images were making sense. He'd only known her as an adult, a woman not as a child. Then why was he seeing-
Because they're my memories.
Kanda flinched and his eyes narrowed, he was no longer with his beloved. But back in the white plain that he had come to know so well. Turning, he saw something that him laugh "You're still going to try to fight against me?"
Ryoma stood before him with eyes filled with hate and pain, all of which was directed at him. Kanda continued to mock him "You think that you can beat me? I've taken you over multiple times now little prince…you can't do it you're not strong enough!"
I can defeat you. Just like you can take me over I can do the same. But no matter how hard you try vampire…I won't let you control me forever.
He snarled "I'm stronger than you. I've always been stronger than you! You still refuse to feed and give to your true nature, but if you did I'd win because I'm the real you! No matter what you do, you can't beat me. You will never beat me!"
Didn't you say were the same? Ryoma drew his sword from its sheath That you're a part of me?
"Are you going to try and fight me? That's adorable, but if it's a fight you want I've clearly got the advantage in almost all the areas. That just means it will be even more pathetic when you lose once more…"
The Prince of Hoshido smirked I didn't say I was going to fight you.
Ryoma plunged the blade into his leg causing both and Kanda to shriek in agony. The vampire felt his strength waning and the astral plane vanishing as blood continued to drip down his leg. The Prince only smirked as the white world around them began to shatter and he grew brighter.
As the world descended back into nothingness, and Ryoma disappeared Kanda bared his fangs.
"DAMN YOU!"
Scarlet was shocked, to say the least, when she saw the threatening creature in front of her plunge his own blade into his leg. The vampire roared in anguish, and as he was distracted by his self-inflicted pain she took the chance to get off the road and rush to the door.
She looked upon the monster and was surprised to see him smiling despite the pain in his eyes. Her mind filled with hope as she spoke "Ryoma?"
"Get out…" the prince breathed harshly "Get out and lock the door behind you, nobody comes in without my say so."
"You're hurt!" her eyes drifting to the slow bleeding wound on his leg, the blade still firmly lodged into it "You need a healer or something!"
Ryoma grinned, fangs still slightly protruding from his mouth "I'll be fine…just get out before he comes back…trust me he's pissed off right now."
The rebel leader hesitated momentarily, but when she saw the fierce determination in the Prince's eyes she couldn't help but comply. She rushed out the door and slammed in shut with a loud bang, she then proceeding to lock the door as best she could before heading downstairs to tell the guards that no one was allowed entry into the tower anymore.
Now alone, Ryoma pulled the blade from his wound and shuddered as the healing process slowing began to mend it back to normal. After a few moments, his wound had vanished (as if it had never been there in the first place) only known by the blood that was dripping of his blade.
He clenched his fist "I beat you."
Ryoma started to laugh, almost hysterically at his revelation "I fucking beat you!"
(Mokushu)
"So, you're the great Daimyo Kotaro…rather disappointing I must say".
Ultear smirked at the irritated expression on the Mokushu leader's face "but regardless of what I believe…we have business that needs intending."
Kotaro narrowed his eyes "So it seems, but I was not informed that the Nohrian's would be sending a woman to review our current situation."
The magus frowned at his statement before urging him to take her around the surrounding grounds. From what she could see, the land was decently fortified with a majority of the ninja's (and other fighters) having been armed with poison as to further weaken their enemies. She could admire such a tactic, she too enjoying letting her foes suffer a slow and cruel death rather than one devoid of any feeling. However, she couldn't help but notice a sense of uncomfortableness that seemed concurrent with the soldiers. At first, she believed it was because of her overwhelming pressure, but whilst that made them fearful, it didn't make them uncomfortable…something else was amiss.
"Tell me Daimyo…why are you men so uneasy?"
Kotaro raised an eyebrow "What do you mean. Do man of Mokushu would be uneasy in the face of their ruler. Besides this isn't unease…its suspense and excitement."
"Suspense…and excitement?"
He flashed a toothy grin and his eyes filled with fulfilment and self-gratitude "You see my dear…we managed to capture one of the Hoshidan dogs that he been spying on our negotiations with you Nohrian's. She's a beautiful one to and is believed to be one those most loyal to Prince Ryoma."
Ultear stopped in her tracks. She glowered down at the Daimyo with so much intensity, he thought the earth would shatter beneath him "You captured someone…close…to the Hoshidan Prince."
Kotaro took a step back from the Nohrian visitor "Y-Yes…she has so far refused to speak…but we believe with her here…she'll lead the others to try and rescue her."
"Your planning an ambush then?" Ultear questioned, though it seemed more a demand than a question to Kotaro at this point.
He shook his head rapidly and Ultear's pressure seemed to simmer down (much to his, and his soldiers, relief). She took a step forward towards the Daimyo and grabbed him by the scruff off his neck "Do you really believe that a plan such as this is good enough to kill those soldiers?"
A vein bulged in the Mokushujin neck "Do you dare accuse me off not thinking my plan through! I am the only foothold Nohrian has in this place so don't you dare think that I'll let so bitch we a few magic tricks offend my tact-"
The Daimyo crumpled to his knees and grasped desperately at his neck, feeling the air in his lungs slowly leave his body. his face grew blue, eyes bulging out of his head as he found it impossible to breath. Ultear's eyes glowed with rage as she concentrated the suffocation spell on the foolish, arrogant man before her with minimal effort.
A sickly-sweet smile plastered on her face "That's not what I wanted to hear" she drew her outstretched hand slowly into a fist and as she did, so the spell got slowly more intense, until she was a mere inch away from ending the curse "I wanted you to tell me if this plan was worth the Nohrian's putting support behind it. If it was worth sending me out here to come and make sure you didn't completely fuck up."
Her eyes glowed with intense power, she sent out a wave of pressure that sent all the surrounding soldiers and the already struggling Daimyo face first into the ground "Is it worth insulting my being. IS IT WORTH DYING FOR YOU FOOL!"
Desperately, Kotaro shook his head. He couldn't talk. Couldn't breathe. And wouldn't dare meet the gaze of the woman before him lest she kill him instantly.
No not this woman…this monster!
Seeing his will almost completely shattered, Ultear sighed before relaxing her hand causing the spell and pressure to dissipate. Kotaro took in a breath of relief as air filled his lungs once more. He found it difficult to stand but slowly, he rose up once more, yet he still wouldn't look Ultear in the eyes…fearful of what he had just experienced.
"I-I will en-ensure the utmost success!" he spoke rapidly, almost pleadingly "I-I wil-will not accept anything less than success."
"Good." The witch walked away from the broken ruler and the wary soldiers that now encompassed him "The last one that failed was pulled into the ground for his failures…I hope you won't be as, unfortunate."
And with that she disappeared instantly…revealing to all that were present that the woman was never truly there. Rather it had been a projection. Which told all those present one thing…if that projection was that powerful…how strong was she in reality?
A few hours later…
Lenalee and her army were walking along the border of Mokushu. Still sore from the loss of Izana, who Takumi informed them had perished during the initial attack led by a man in jet black armour, whilst dealing with their new Nohrian allies and reunions with old friends. At the front Lenalee, Orihime and Natalie were talking with each other casually, an instance which seemed generally odd given the time of warm but was comforting to the princess as she caught up with two of her oldest friends. However, as the got closer to the sea which would take them to Nohr to search for Ryoma, Lenalee spotted something odd in the sky a little further back.
"Everyone, hold up! I see something in the distance" She narrowed her eyes "It looks like…a plume of smoke?"
Kaze followed his master's gaze and was taken aback "That isn't just any smoke."
"What do you mean?" Natalie asked, hands on her hips "Its probably just a fire or something."
"No…I recognise that shape anywhere" Kaze's eyes fell to the floor "It's my brother's smoke signal."
Lenalee was shocked "Saizo's there? I thought he got ahead of us before we left the Wind Tribe?"
"He did…but it appears he's gotten into some form of trouble. That particular signal means he's engaging many enemy troops."
"We need to go help him, then!" Irisviel declared as the others muttered or nodded in agreement "We should leave now!"
"No Irisviel…" Kaze said sharply shocking her "If he has sent up that specific smoke signal…it isn't him asking for help. That signal is meant to warn allies away; he believes it is too dangerous there. We should keep heading towards the sea and continue our search for Prince Ryoma."
Lenalee frowned "Be that as it may…he isn't the only one fighting there Kaze. I recall being told that Kaede and Orochi had gone with him as well. That means there also in trouble."
"Its to dangerous. Saizo, Kaede and Orochi…they all knew the cost from going out on their own and they're willing to face the consequences-!"
Kaze was suddenly thrown back into a tree, a bruise already forming on his face from where he been punched by Eros who looked more than a little pissed off "You can't be fucking serious…Kaze, that's your own brother out there!"
"More than that though he and the others are still our comrades!" Hajime glared down at the Ninja "It wouldn't be right to leave them like that."
For a few seconds Lenalee pondered her options until she decided. She turned to her army that was waiting for her "Everyone, get ready for battle! We're going to going help Saizo and the others!"
Kaze stared at his master in disbelief "Lady Lenalee, why? You'll be putting everyone in danger! My brother doesn't want to be saved!"
The princess clenched her fist "Kaze…the Nohrian's have multiple allies and we can't beat them if we don't gather allies. And I won't sit on my ass whilst an ally is in need!"
She turned to the rest of her group "Everyone here is from a different background. Regardless of wherever we are Hoshidan's, Nohrian's or whatever we claim ourselves we've put that aside to help each other, no matter how dangerous a situation is."
The army then began to turn back towards the smoke, ready to aid their allies against whatever threat they were facing. And as Irisviel and Hajime helped a prone Kaze get back on his feet, Lenalee walked by placing a strong hand on her retainer's shoulder with a smile before moving along with Hajime.
Irisviel and Kaze were left at the back, slowly following after the rest as the healer tried to remove any damage that Kaze might have sustained from Eros' earlier attack. Yet despite his own belief that they should keep moving forward, Kaze couldn't help but me grateful for the others genuine effort to go aid his brother. To stop Saizo from doing something that would rid Kaze of another family member.
"Lady Lenalee, everyone…Thank you for this" he fixed his eyes upon the smoke in the sky "brother…I'm coming for you."
Ending:
Times ahead are filling with dread
Tears have spilled at thoughts I could not send
As the sky above shows a burning red
Burning red just for you
See the strengths and faults laid within your soul
Once you feel your passion flow
You'll know
Little one, do not be afraid
Follow on and show that you are brave
Break the wind that will push you back
Go til the dawn shall crack
Lighting down a path in your way
Raise your arms and reach up to the sky
Let your feet help you to run and fly
There are vows we could never know
From times of long ago
Meet their word and bring forth the day