December: Naga's Voice

Sophie leaned forward. "So you guys had to use time travel? That's crazy!"

Owain continued, "We went back in time to slay the Fell Dragon Grima. Long story short, with our fated prophecies of the future and the magic bonds of friendship and love . . . we slew the foul miscreant!"

"That's so cool! What caused you to go to Nohr?"

"Severa, Inigo, and I were approached by the human Anankos, your grandfather. He was desperate to save Valla. We could never turn our backs on a person in need! And so began our lives as the mysterious shrouded warriors that have intrigued multitudes of crowds through the echoes of time!"

Sophie crossed her arms. "Can we talk more about the time travel? Did anything wonky happen because you used it?"

"Well, sure. Normally, the future selves disappeared, the timeline reverting itself. But the three of us were approached by Anankos before it happened to us."

"Wait, I don't get it. Lucina and the others are here."

"Yes. Let me explain this better . . . while the future selves vanished, the present selves were born with their memories. It was the same us, but the timeline reverting back to normal. With us three, we only merged with our present selves when we got back. The timeline is still reverting itself as we speak."

Sophie started grasping the concept. "I think I get it. So, any other versions of you merge with the present you? But the timeline is still working out the kinks in the system so there might be some other weird timeline-y things?"

"That's a wonderful summary, actually. You, dear Sophie, are a master sage of the space-time continuum!"

"Heehee! Thank you! And you spent decades in Nohr, right?"

"Well yes. After all, when we arrived we were still to young to get married and have children."

"And time passed like normal in Ylisse?"

"Indeed! That's why our parents are in their retirement years. Although Father still likes to challenge the rookies in the palace guard."

Sophie gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for explaining it to me, Owain! You know; you're really nice."

As Sophie trotted to her guest room she shared with Caeldori, thoughts of Valla and Avel filled her mind. She found her roommate intently reading. "Hey Caeldori, when do you think the scholars will fix the Outrealm Gate?"

Caeldori peered up at her from her volume. "I'm not sure, myself. Do you think . . . do you think . . . no, never mind."

That piqued Sophie's curiosity. "I think what?"

Caeldori flushed. "N-no. What I mean is, do you think once the portal is fixed, we can go between the worlds as we please? Then I could see you and Shiro more often."

Sophie shrugged. "I don't know. I just had Owain go over the whole time travel business with me. I'm nowhere your level of intellect yet."

Kana poked his head through the door. "Sophie? Can I sit with you? I'm lonely."

His sister gestured for him to join her, and he happily plopped on her bed next to her. "Yay! What are we talking about?"

The girls didn't want to give him a possible false hope about seeing his friends from another world, so Caledori changed the subject. "Soleil and Shigure invited us girls to tea. Do you want to join us, Kana?"

Kana "oohed". "Yes!"

The three of them walked to the courtyard where Soleil and Shigure were. Soleil squealed and wrapped her arms around the Sophie and Caeldori. "Boy, have I missed you!"

Caeldori questioned, "What happened since we last saw each other?"

Soleil recounted, "After we got home to Rosanne, I met my grandparents! My grandmother is so amazing! She's a world-class cutie and the BEST DANCER! Isn't that right, Shigure?"

Shigure agreed, "Grandmother is a talented performer. It's clear where Father got his skill. And she has been giving Soleil lessons."

Kana asked, "How are those going?"

Shigure quipped, "Fairly well; her moves no longer look like a demon-summoning ritual!"

Soleil scowled. "Hey buddy! Stop that. Anyway, what happened with you cuties since we parted ways?"

Sophie peeked into her cup of tea and stared at the golden hue of the piping hot liquid. "The usual. Studying Nohrian culture, training with the ol' lance, riding with Avel, writing to Siegbert . . ."

Caeldori said nothing. Soleil filled in the silence. "Hey, you'll never guess what happened! You won't believe me when I tell you."

Shigure gasped. "Soleil, you don't mean you're going to reveal the secret, are you?"

Soleil giggled. "Sure, why not? We've defeated a dragon with them! They won't betray us."

Shigure argued, "But if word were to get out about it, there'd be danger."

Kana was in disbelief. "Are you safe? Do you need me to get my mama to protect you?"

Shigure cleared his throat. "We're safe. The person in question might not be."

Soleil countered, "He'll be fine! He's clearly skilled with a sword."

Caledori rolled her eyes. "Will you two please make up your minds? Are we going to hear the story or not?"

Soleil divulged, "We heard an otherworldly voice speak to us as a man impaled by some odd object hovered in the air. The voice person removed the object and brought him back to life. She told Father to remember the heroes of old."

Sophie bit into a tea sandwich. "Do you know who was talking?"

Shigure groaned at his sister's eagerness to share information. "Yes, actually. The hint about 'remembering the heroes of old' reminded Father of an ancient legend that featured a story similar to what occurred."

Kana begged, "Can you tell it? Please?"

Shigure indulged, "There were once two heroes named Alm and Celica. Their home, the continent Valentia, now called Valm, was ruled by two dragons: Mila and Duma. Alm and Celica fought against the Duma faithful, who were evil, but Celica was run through by a sword. Mila removed the sword from her body and brought her back to life."

Caeldori hypothesized, "So you think Mila did the same to this man?"

Shigure shook his head. "No. Mila and Duma fell asleep and have not woken since. However, another dragon named Naga still has tremendous power. Father thinks it was her. Naga spoke to him and the rest of Chrom's party before. He said the voice was the same."

Sophie asked, "So your world has dragon gods as well?"

Soleil considered that. "Yes and no. Yes, we have dragons here too, but they're not gods. Naga told Father and the others that she wasn't a god, and she was the most powerful of the 'divine' dragons. After that revelation, religion in our world is very muddled."

Kana's eyebrows furrowed. "If dragons aren't gods in your world, are they in mine?"

Shigure exhaled. "I don't know, Kana. Honestly, humans are the same throughout our worlds, right? Why would dragons be different?"

Caeldori cut to the chase. "Who was the man Naga saved?"

Soleil responded, "When we asked him, he said he was Prince Darios of Gristonne and that he had to get back to Castle Aytolis and to help his friends Lianna and Rowan defeat the Chaos Dragon Velezark. He was killed protecting them. When we got the invitation to come to Ylisstol, we brought Darios with us because we're the only people he knows, but he keeps a low profile."

Caledori shook her head. "There is no Kingdom Gristonne in this world."

Shigure finished, "Exactly! So Darios must be from another world! We need to get him back there!"

Sophie analyzed, "So besides getting the Outrealm Gate working, we need to find a gate that'll connect us to Darios' world?"