Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks

Morgan's POV

"How big is this forest?" Lord Corrin asked "It's like it goes on forever."

"It may be long but we are on the correct path." Azura said.

"Have you been here before?" I asked.

"I'm not sure…it feels familiar." Azura said "I remember holding Mother's hand."

"Hello, have you been enjoying your visit in Valla?" a voice said.

We looked over and that mage from before walked up, this time making herself visible fully, she had sky blue hair to her shoulders and a very mature figure, she was a pretty woman."

"M-Mother?!" Azura gasped "This isn't possible you-."

"I am Arete." The woman introduced herself "Servant of King Anankos."

"Servant?" Azura asked "that…that's a lie!"

"Everyone who lives in Valla is a servant of Anankos whether they know it or not." The woman explained "And while I was failed the last time we met I will redeem myself today."

"So you were the mage from when we first arrived here." Azura said.

"What kind of vile magic is this?" Xander asked "To turn the dead to his will…but like this?"

"Unbelievable." Ryoma said.

"Azura you don't have to-."

"It's fine." She sighed "This…thing is not my mother, she has no memories and is just one of the puppets…you know that don't you?"

"Mother…what nonsense the only thing I know is that you must die!" the woman yelled.

"Get ready." Azura said "We'll have to get passed her if we want to continue."

Azura's mother teleported to the back line as more Vallite troops appeared. The forest was thick so we had to split up in order to make it through efficiently, some troops went around the top side and others the bottom in order to clear a path through to Arete.

"HYAA!" Severa flipped by and slashed at a few of the individual soldiers.

"Anything you need me to do?" Soleil asked slashing through a man.

"I don't think so, it looks pretty good right now." I nodded.

"ROARR!"

"GRRR!"

Selkie and Velouria were howling and charging around the battlefield chewing soldiers up. When I got up to my side of the forest Azura and Corrin were confronting her mother. The older woman looked bruised and beaten, I wager she had lost a two on one fight.

"You haven't seen the last of me." Arete said teleporting away.

"Mother…"

That woman…was malicious I could just feel it…losing to the Vallites is certain death.

"That was not your mother." Ryoma noted.

"I know…but to see her face like this…isn't easy." Azura frowned "My mother taught me the songs I know, and she taught me the history of Valla. She was special she showed me how to live. It's thanks to her that we've made it this far…but she is gone, my mother is dead. She may look the same but that is not her."

"Fighting a parent is not easy." Owain said looking somber "Can you do it if we meet her again?"

"There's no need to worry." Azura said "I can defeat her."

"We shouldn't stand idle." Prince Xander said "Let's keep moving."

We headed out of the forest and had to cross another set of floating bridges, this time they felt more sturdy and didn't fall in on us.

"Something wrong Ryoma?" Corrin asked.

"Huh…oh I was just thinking about Scarlet." The prince said "If she was alive I bet she could do something about this crummy mood."

"Yeah." Lord Corrin laughed.

"Something else has been bothering me." Ryoma said "who killed her?"

"I've kinda wondered that as well." I raised my hand.

"What do you mean, wasn't it some random Vallite Soldier?" Corrin asked.

"I think it was a spy." Ryoma whispered "I think someone in this group killed her."

"That can't be." Lord Corrin gasped.

"But why Scarlet and not Lord Corrin, or even you or Prince Xander?" I asked "You're all worth far more to your countries and this army than Scarlet was…not that she wasn't a good fighting but you know what I mean right?"

"We were the only ones who jumped off the bridge." Ryoma said.

"You did say you two were attacked on the way down." Gunter noted.

"I see…" Lord Corrin frowned.

"The killer must have jumped with our group." Ryoma said "It's the only possibility, I didn't say anything sooner because you wanted us to trust each other, I just needed more time to work on my theory."

"Things will only get tougher from here on out." I said "We're almost to the castle and Anankos, we'll have a big problem if one of our own starts killing in the middle of the battle."

"What can we do?" Lord Corrin said "We have no clues."

"Give me some time to think about it." I smiled "I'm sure I'll figure out a plan. Just keep your eyes open."

"You've come far enough!" Arete suddenly appeared in front of us "Leave now or I will destroy you."

"No." Azura said "You must let us pass."

"You want another fight then if you won't listen to reason I'll use a friend I brought along." The woman smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Lord Corrin glared.

"Don't worry, you'll see soon enough." Arete smiled vanishing again "If you live long enough that is."

"These floating islands make it a pain to get around." I hissed as the bridges moved around on their own. "I think…yes here we go? There, there and there, then we wait for the bridges to move and it should take us over to Arete."

The others moved out and I stood back to observe "Yes…good moving nicely."

"RAAH!"

I slid back as a Hand Axe slammed into the ground where I was.

Forgot they had flyers.

I turned around to face my opponent "Crud…"

"Ha…ha…ha…"

This invader was a reanimated Scarlet.

"I suppose it will be easier for me than it will be for most of the others." I frowned "Let's get this over with, I'll put you down."

Her Wyvern roared and flew towards me, I rolled to the side and started throwing off spells, for a dead person she was slippery, still I finally hit her with a thunderbolt and knocked her off the mount.

"I'm ending it!" I said igniting my hand "Ignis Immolate!"

"AHHHH!" the girl let out a shrill scream as her body was engulfed in a rainbow fire, burning her away "Thank…you…"

"Hmm…it was nothing." I frowned "Get some sleep now."

I hopped on one of the bridges and managed to catch up with the others as they finished off Arete.

I'll keep that Scarlet bit to myself.

"Azura…"

"She, said my name." the girl gasped.

"Come…here Azura." Her mother gasped for air.

"Mother." Azura held her hand over her mouth "You remember who I am?"

"Soon my body and should will disappear." Arete said "And I'll be free of Anankos control…I remember you."

"Is that really you?" Azura asked, worried about going to a potential enemy."

"It could be a trap." Ryoma warned.

"But I might not be." The girl was shaking "What do I do."

"Azura…follow your heart." Lord Corrin said.

"I will trust that this is my mother, and that she is telling the truth." Azura nodded walking towards the woman.

"Mother…"

"Azura…you've gotten taller." The woman laughed "You're beautiful."

"I've missed you." Azura sniffled.

"I'm sorry for leaving you, you've been suffering alone for so long." Her Mother said.

"No, I've never been alone." Azura said "I've have the royal children from both Nohr and Hoshido at my side, and all my other friends and family."

"That's good." Her mother sighed.

"Shigure, Hisame come here…I want you to meet my Mother just once." Azura said.

The two boys walked up and Azura introduced them.

"Mother these are my sons…" Azura smiled.

"I see…such handsome boys." Arete smiled "Please…look after your mother for me…I, can feel myself slipping away…I wish we all had more time together…I'm…so proud of you."

The woman's body faded away and the only sound in the area was Azura crying.

"I'm sorry Azura." Ryoma frowned.

"He'll pay." Lord Corrin growled.

Elsewhere at the same time.

Soleil's POV

"The battle's just keep getting tougher." I sighed "And we're fighting all the time, it's exhausting."

"And there's no playtime." Selkie pouted.

"That's not our big problem." Nina scoffed.

"We have to complete our great quest." Ophelia smiled "We're close to our final goal just a little more now."

"Hmm?" Velouria stood up.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I…smell something." She growled "Something nasty."

I jumped back as a cloaked figure with a lance stabbed the ground.

"Assassin!" I warned "Take him out!"

I drew my sword and tried to stab him but only got kicked back. Ophelia slid over and blasted the figure back into a tree.

"RAHHHH!" Velouria transformed and tried to punch the attacker only for him to duck and her fist shatter the tree.

"Well looky what we have here." Nina smirked aiming her bow "HYA!"

The man tilted his head and avoided the arrow, he pulled his spear back and hurled it at her.

"RAWR!" Selkie jumped up and grabbed the spear, snapping it with her teeth "GRR!"

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Hmm…" the figure suddenly vanished.

"Where'd her go?" Nina asked.

"He's gone." Selkie growled "I can't smell him at all."

"He must have teleported." Velouria said.

"Come on we need to get back and report this." I said.

AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

Till Next Time!