"This is it sir?" Henry along with the rest of the team stood in front of a massive set of doors.

The President nodded. "Yes. Our final battle is beyond these doors."

"And within, we'll likely find Gunnter and Azura." Corrin added.

"Of course. He's been waiting for us. Waiting for you."

Corrin stepped in front of the army and faced them. "Everyone, let me go in first."

"Are you crazy, Corrin?" Xander asked.

"At this point I would say that is a safe assumption." Soren said.

Xander disregarded the comment and continued. "This is the king of Valla. He must be very powerful. You don't truly think you can take him on by yourself, do you?"

"No, I know that I'll need all of your help... But the Rainbow Sage said that the Seal of Flames was critical to defeating Anankos. If I don't open with a blow from it, the rest of you may not even be able to hurt him!"

Ryoma nodded. "I see... All right. We'll follow behind you, then."

"Hold it." Everyone turned to Robin. "Say you're right about this. That only you can hurt Anankos. Then what if you charge in first and fall into a trap? He knows you're coming and that you hold the Yato. He'll have an ambush waiting for you and you'll be wiped out immediately. Then we lose our only means of harming Anankos."

"Er…yes…I suppose that's one possible outcome." Corrin admitted.

"Possible?" Carter asked. "I say it's the only logical assumption."

"If you don't want us to get hurt then don't throw our only chance of winning this battle into the wind." Soren added.

"I'll be fine. I can-

Ike ignored Corrin and faced Soren. "So, what's our plan? Keep him in the back?"

"The only problem with that is that Corrin would be valuable if we were attacked from behind. And it would be difficult for him to reach Anankos."

"Guys, I-

"Then we'll put him in the center." Robin said. "Princesses Hinoka and Camilla can cover him from above."

"Is anyone listening-

"That could work." Kris nodded. "First we need to drive Anankos out of Gunnter. Then Prince Corrin can go in for the kill."

"Guys!" Corrin yelled in an annoyed and offended tone. "I thought I was the leader here!"

"Leaders and tacticians are two separate things Corrin." Leo said.

"Yeah! Look at grandpa and father!" Morgan added. "Grandpa is a leader because he leads but he doesn't think a lot, so father is the tactician!"

"Uh…thanks." Chrom muttered. "I think."

"Plus, let's look at it this way. Grima and Anankos are insane evil dragons right? And you're the son of one of them while my dad just has Grima's powers."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Corrin asked.

"It means you are 50% insane by heritage and father is 0% insane."

Robin chuckled and ruffled Morgan's hair. "I don't think that's quite how it works kiddo."

"Really? Last I checked math doesn't lie."

"Wait, does that mean Kana, Shigure and I are half insane too?" Kamuri asked.

"Mmm…more like a quarter, since you mother's human and your father only has half of the crazy blood."

"Guys, I can handle this." Corrin said. "I-

Henry put a hand in Corrin's shoulder. "Look buddy, last time you made a plan it was to split up in unfamiliar territory and it kinda blew up in our faces, so this time let's let someone else come up with the plan, and we'll see how it works out."

"*sigh* …Fine."

"Good. Everyone form up!" The army quickly surrounded Corrin. Ryoma and Xander took the front, with Henry and John at the back. Everyone else was in front of, beside or behind Corrin, with he Prince surrounded by a shield of troops. All flier hovered directly above him.

"Everyone ready?" Ryoma asked. They all nodded. "Then let's go!"

Xander cracked the reins on his horse and it charged into the door, ramming it open. Gunter was inside sitting on the throne. Alone save for one person. Azura. She had her hands and legs tied up and was kneeling on the floor next to the throne. Gunter had taken off her breastplate and shoulder pads for good measure as well as the armored boots, leaving her feet in the white stocking she was wearing underneath that just reached her knees. A metal ball was jammed in her mouth with leather straps attached to the sides that were strapped together behind her head, gagging her and a silver collar was around her neck, connected to a chain that wound around the armrest of the throne. Everyone stopped at the sight of him. Xander growled. "So, it is true…Gunter, you traitor!"

"Hahahaha... BWAHAHAHAHA!" Gunter laughed as a purple aura formed around him.

Corrin's hands trembled. "It really was you…wasn't it?"

"Good to see you made it this far Lord Corrin. Though I suppose there is no further need for honorifics. I don't have to feign respect for you any longer."

"So how long have you been acting like a loyal servant?" Lion asked.

"Hmm... You have no idea how difficult it is to accurately answer that question. The simple answer is...the whole time. One way or another."

"And how about why?" Corrin asked. "Why would you betray us... Why would you kill Scarlet?"

"That's simple: I don't like you. I can't stand your belief in the good in everyone. I decided that I would tear every last bit of innocence away from you."

Corrin shuddered. "I've known you my whole life, Gunter... This betrayal is unbelievable."

Gunter smirked. "The look on your face, Corrin. The look of someone without hope. Can you still say that you believe in everyone, Corrin? After this betrayal, can you still really believe that?"

"Yes. Even now, I can find it in myself to believe in you, Gunter."

Soren sighed in exasperation and turned to Ike. "Good gods Ike, just how naïve is this fool?"

"It's simply who he is."

Gunter laughed. "I don't know what to say. Are you naïve, or just stupid?"

Corrin shook his head. "If it means being able to trust my friends...my allies... After all, you're just being manipulated by Anankos. If I learned anything from fighting my mother...fighting my father... I believe I can still save you. We saved Henry's leader after all."

Gunter turned to the President. "Hmph. Even now you resist my control."

"You have no control over me anymore fiend. Now release your hostage and let's settle this honorably."

Gunnter smirked as he tugged the chain on Azura's collar making her yelp. "Think I would go through all the trouble of capturing her if I would let her go if asked? You misunderstand though. She is no hostage. She is a witness."

"Witness?" Corrin asked. "For what?"

"Your demise. Once she sees you die in front of her, she will sink into the abyss of despair. And that despair will turn her into a true slave for Valla just like your mother and father were."

"Mother will not break so easily!" Shigure growled.

"Perhaps. However, if that is not enough once the battle is over, I plan on locking her up and torturing her until she breaks. But I will spare nobody else. I have underestimated you lot for the last time."

"We took down all of your bodyguards." John said cracking his knuckles. "Now all that's left is smacking you down!"

"Ha! Don't compare me to those pathetic puppets! They were nothing more than the fragile leftovers of long-dead fools. This body belongs to Anankos. I am him and he is me!"

Corrin stood tall. "I won't give up! I'll fight to get you back, Gunter. With the help of my friends, we're going to end this war!"

Gunter only grinned. "You will try." Suddenly everyone heard booms around them. In multiple sections of the walls around them holes burst open and water started pouring out making puddles. Soldiers started to rise up from said puddles at an alarming rate.

Everyone looked around them. "We should have expected this." Marc growled holding Falchion in front of him.

"This is it everyone." Henry said. "Time to end this war of deception!"

"We'll be over whelmed at this rate." The president said grimly as more troops appeared. "We need to cut off the flow of reinforcements."

"I can sense Dragon Veins around us." Leo said. "If we can activate them we might be able to stop them."

"Then we'd best hurry." Soren said. "I have a plan."

"Then explain it quickly." Xander said. "The more time they have to spawn more enemies the smaller our chances become."

Back on his throne Gunter gave the tied up Azura's chain another violent tug. "Watch closely Azura. It'll be the last time you get to see your precious family." The princess whimpered in distress as she sat still on the floor. Gunter then brought his eyes back to the battlefield. Corrin's team had split up and engaged their enemy. "No doubt they noticed the Dragon Veins by now. The royals will be going straight for them. I mist prevent that at all cost." He spotted Takumi and Leo running towards a puddle. "Fliers!"

On his order a Pegasus knight and a wyvern ridded flew over and made them stop in their tracks.

"There…two down seven to go…" On the other side of the room he saw Hinoka and Camilla attempting to fly to another Dragon Vein. "There! Archers!" Bowmen ran to them and fired arrow after arrow. Both mounts got their wings nicked forcing them to land. Hinoka and Camilla found themselves surrounded and forced to fight on the ground. "There. That's about half of them…next is…"

He spotted Sakura and Elise accompanied by Ryoma and Xander, heading for another Vein.

"Ha! They think it was wiser to clutter so many of the royals together?" As Gunter snapped his fingers two golems rose up in front of the royals. Elise and Sakura were about to act when the Golems masks started to glow. Suddenly the stone surface under them softened and their legs sank in. Both Sakura and Elise shrieked as they suddenly fell knee deep into the mud, like substance. To make matters wore it rose up and swallowed their hands, before it became solid stone again, trapping their legs and stretching out their arms. Xander and Ryoma couldn't help them. They were too busy fighting the golems. And even if they win they couldn't leave them to go for the Dragon Vein.

Gunter laughed triumphantly. "That was too easy! Now…as for the last one…" Corrin slashed through a swordmaster so he, Henry and the President could approach Gunter. The knight smirked as he rose from his throne drawing a sword. "Welcome, Corrin! Do you still think you can try to sway me with your mutterings of trust and belief?"

Corrin nodded. "Of course. I believe in you, Gunter."

Gunter laughed. "Your foolishness is just impressive. That's all right, though. If thinking as you do will be a comfort as your life fades, then be my guest!"

Gunter rushed forward at Corrin and their blades clashed. Henry and the President came towards them but with a roar, Gunter sent all three of them hurling back. The President was the first one back on his feet and he thrusted his rapier at Gunter, but even with his less sleeker weapon the knight was able to block all the attacks effortlessly.

"Fool! Think I would just give all the power needed to surpass me to a puppet?" Gunter kicked him back and reached into his armor. "Thank you for escorting Azura to Valla. You delivered me what I had been yearning for so long."

He took out a blue pendant. Corrin's eyes widened as he saw it. "That's…Azura's pendant!"

"Ha! Hers? This was property of the Silent Dragon long ago."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you forgotten?" the President asked. "Your friends explained that Anankos smashed his Dragonstone in preparation for his insanity. The Vallite royal family made a piece of it into a pendant."

Gunter held up the pendant. "Indeed. And now…the true power of Anankos…IS MINE!" Blue light shined from the pendant as Gunters purple aura expanded. "I am the forgotten dragon. The betrayed king. The entombed god..." Water enveloped his body. "In the name of the King of Valla, I sentence you…to DEATH!" As his watery shell exploded he grew horns wings and a tail, similar to Corrins.

Corrin grunted as he pulled himself back up. "You have…the same power as I do…"

"Do you see now? This time you truly have no hope!"

Gunter shot a sphere of water at the president knocking him to the ground. Henry got up and charged but Gunter blocked his sword with his own and swiped him with his tail. He was about to go in for the kill when Corrin kicked him back. He had his dragonic, mask, and wings on.

Gunter smirked as Corrin took for the skies with the flap of his wings. The knight followed. They clashed weapons into the air. Corrin was pushed back before Gunter flew after him. "Come Corrin, surely Xander taught you better than this!"

Corrin blocked his sword with the Yato and thrusted a Dragonic Lance at Gunter knocking him back. The knight growled as he uppercutted Corrin in the gut so hard he flew into the ceiling. As the prince fell Gunter rushed up and grabbed his face and slammed him back into the ground. Corrin yelped as his head made a harsh impact.

Gunter kept his grip on Corrin's face as he lifted him off the ground. "It's over now. Once I destroy you I will revive you as my pawn. And then…I'll finally have my revenge on-GAH!"

Gunter dropped Corrin as he felt Henry stab him from behind with his rapier. "Ya know, I never understood why the bad guys always had to ramble on." The captain smirked. "Doesn't it just leave you open all the time?"

Gunter swatted him away with his tail. "You dare stab the king of Valla in the back?!"

Henry grunted as he sat up. "Actually…last I checked you were the one who stabbed us in the back."

Corrin leapt to his feet and jumped onto Gunter and pulled Henry's rapier out of his back. "Henry!" he threw the blade to him. As it stuck into the ground next to Henry he pulled it out and stood up. The President walked next to him as Corrin clashed with Gunter again.

"Shall we?"

"After you sir."

Just as Gunter punched Corrin in the gut, making him hunch over gasping Henry and the President came at the knight with their rapiers. Before Gunter knew it he was attacked by a barrage of thrusts. He tried his best to parry them, but more and more hits were successfully wounding him.

Then both men stepped aside as Corrin charged his Dragon Fang. The watery sphere flew into Gunter. He screamed as he was flung back. When he hit the ground his horns, tail and wings disappeared. "How are you this powerful? Anankos…"

"Is…is it over?" Henry asked.

Gunter growled as he got up. "No! This...isn't over yet... I am the king of Valla. He is me. I won't die. I refuse...to die..."

"It's hopeless Gunter." Ryoma said as he and the others approached. "You cannot win. Your army has been defeated."

"What?! Impossible! How did you stop the flow of troops without activating the Dragon Veins!?"

"How dumb are you Gunter?" Takumi scoffed. "Look around."

Genter looked at the walls where his troops were supposed to be coming out of. But the water had been frozen. "B-but how?! Xander and the others haven't gotten near the Dragon Veins?!"

"Have you forgotten?" Soren asked. "All those with Dragon's blood can activate Dragon's Veins."

"That should only be the royals!"

"And those blood related to them."

"What are you-

Kana then stepped forward. With her were Kamuri, Shigure, Shiro, Seigbert, Kiragi and Forrest.

"The royals were just to distract you from the Veins long enough for them to get there. Once you were fixated on Corrin it was a simple matter to freeze the water and decimate your troops. It was such a simple strategy. And you still fell for it."

"Me…outsmarted…by the likes of you…? No! I won't accept this!"

"Stop this madness, Gunter!" Corrin yelled. "Just stop!"

Shigure looked at the pendant around his neck. "You are the ocean's grey waves…"

Gunter clutched his head. "What... What is this?! This song..."

Xander turned to Corrin. "Corrin! Keep talking to him! What you're doing... It may actually be working! You're the only one who has a chance of breaking through Anankos's control!"

Corrin nodded. "Gunter, I believe in you! Don't fight me! Fight the power controlling you! Remember the experiences we've shared! All the time we spent together... You'd cheer me up when I was sad about being stuck in the fortress... Think of the conversations we had—you, me, Jakob, Felicia and Flora!"

"Guys if it were this simple, we wouldn't have had to fight a lot of people!" Silas said. "Let's just strike him down while we have the chance!"

Corrin stepped towards Gunter. You helped me practice my swordsmanship... You taught me discipline and control but also taught me to laugh and let go. I cherish all of these memories, Gunter. So, please! Come back to us! Break free and come back!"

"...Lord Corrin..." Gunter hunched over "...I..."

"You remember, don't you? Hold on to those memories, those feelings!"

"Ugh...gaaaaaaa... ...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Without warning Gunter raised his sword.

Xander's eyes widened. "What?! Look out!"

Ryoma ran toward Corrin "Corrin! Move!"

"AH!" Corrin braced himself for the worst. He only opened his eyes when he heard an impact, yet didn't feel it.

"Urk..." Gunter tightly grasped his sword as it was now in his own gut.

"Gunter?"

"UAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW..." Purple smoke left Gunter's body and flew over behind the throne. The knight looked at Corrin with sad eyes. "...Milord."

Corrin could only look at him with fear and sadness in his eyes. "Gunter... What have you done? "

"I will atone...for my actions... For my betrayal...with my life."

"Gunter!"

Gunter collapsed to the floor.

"Gunter!"

"Daddy, help!"

"NO!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"GAROOOOOOOOOOOON!"

…

"Do you truly want revenge?"

"Yes…yes, I'll do anything to make him suffer! I'll make him pay for this!"

"Then give me your soul!"

"Urgh..."

"Gunter, can you hear me?"

Gunter expected to be in hell when he woke up. Not with Sakura and Elise healing him as Corrin looked over him. Azura was next to him. No longer tied up or gagged. The collar was still on. But Corrin had cut off the chain. Two and a half links dangled from the front. Gunter sighed. "Lord Corrin... Yes, I can hear you. Do you recall when I told you that I declined King Garon's gift? How he offered dragon's blood, but I refused? It offended him greatly. So much that he had my wife and child killed."

Half of the team gasped. "...That's horrible." Corrin replied quietly.

"How could he do such a thing?" Alm asked.

"He didn't stop there. Once my family was dead, everyone in my town was also killed."

Chrom clutched his fists. "Just like those villages in Yilisse…"

"...But...why?" Corrin asked.

Gunter looked straight at the ceiling. "I ask myself that, every day. I cannot understand the minds of royals. To you all, we commoners are little more than pawns in your schemes... Or weeds to be killed on a whim."

"That's not true..."

Xander glanced at Ryoma. "Is that how people view the royalty?"

Ryoma looked down. "Such an impression would easily breed powerful resentment..."

"After my family was killed, I vowed to get revenge on Nohr and on King Garon. I helped raise you just to further my own goals. I only befriended you to use you against the man who took everything from me."

Corrin looked down. "That's...OK. I understand, Gunter."

"...What?"

"Whatever your motivations, you stayed by my side and helped me. Your intentions may have been dark, but you were still good to me." Corrin flashed a smile. "And that's what you'll always be—my friend."

"But, I... I killed Scarlet..."

"I know, but you were under the control of Anankos. You weren't you. If you truly wish to atone for what you've done, you must live. Live for Scarlet's sake. Live for the family that was taken from you. I need you to help me fight Anankos. To protect all the people he could still hurt."

"You have suffered dearly." Henry said. "But you should know just as well as the rest of us that Garon was manipulated by Anankos. If you wish to avenge your family and people, then let's strike our common enemy together."

Corrin stood up. "Let's go. Our final battle awaits."

The purple smoke that was ejected from Gunter flew into a giant stone mask. Its eyes opened up glowing red as a long neck extended from the wall. The throne was flung to the other side of the room.

"Is that him sir?" Henry asked.

The President nodded. "No doubt. This must be Anankos."

Gunter claimed to be Anankos, but in terms of his boss fight all that meant was that he glowed purple. Fascinating. So I figured I should make him more of a threat and remembered about Azura's pendent being part of Anankos's dragonstone. So I had Gunnter seem more effective of an enemy in this story by kidnapping Azura and stealing the dragonstone back.