The way to Izumo from the Wind Tribe, while faster than the main road that connected it to Hoshido, was by no means easy. Corrin and her group traveled through the desert plateau until they came upon a path that led further below, and soon enough they found themselves in a forest. Trees spread out as far as the eye could see, so thick in some places that the sunlight barely reached the floor. The path through the trees was clear, even if it was difficult to spot at times.

Thankfully, they never lost their way, and they made good progress towards Izumo.

Corrin was even able to lose her hood for a while. The light had become less harsh since they had left the desert plateau the Wind Tribe sat upon.

"Penny for your thoughts, Candy Corn?" A voice said, saddling up beside her.

Corrin had been in the middle of their small convoy, trapped in her own little world until that person reached out to her. She turned to see the small, lithe form of Liz trailing up to her side. The blonde looked up to her with dark blue eyes, a small smile on her face that slowly disappeared the longer Corrin went without giving an answer.

"Ah, right, you guys probably don't have pennies here, huh? Well, uh, what's on your mind? You haven't spoken to anyone since we left the Wind Tribe."

Corrin blinked before sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose. "I haven't found a reason to talk to anyone, truth be told. I don't- there's a lot on my mind right now."

Liz nodded. "I've heard. Fuga dropped a couple bombshells on you, didn't he?"

"Oddly enough, he didn't tell me anything I didn't already suspect," Corrin grumbled. "It was just… perhaps it was my exhaustion, or my own perception that colored the events, but I had always assumed – I had always assumed that my mother was always some sort of scheming monster. Taking on a human form to seduce my father and conceive me, and to this day even he hasn't realized it. And that maybe Garon was right to kidnap me when he did."

"And now you're wondering if all that's not true?" Liz asked quietly as they continued their march through the woods.

"It was just rationalization," Corrin explained, her hands clutching into fists. "Just a way for me to try and justify my own feelings. I had never given it any thought until now. Never put it into words. My mother has gone from a mystery, to a monster, to a martyr in my head, and it's – it's incredibly frustrating. Frustrating beyond all belief."

"I get it," Liz said. She paused, considering her next words carefully. "Well, kind of. I can't imagine how it feels, and hell, your mother took control of me for a long time. Several months of my life I won't get back," Liz mumbled before shaking her head. "Your mother is your mother, Candy Corn, and your father is your father. Nothing will change that. But they won't be who you are. As far as I'm concerned, no matter how evil those two are, you'll always be a hero to me. You and everyone else."

"A hero?" Corrin echoed.

"Yeah, a hero!" Liz giggled. "Well, maybe not in the traditional sense. I don't remember a lot of heroes that could turn into a dragon, but there're a lot of 'em who killed dragons. And since we're on our way to do that now – well, you also have that sword. And gave me my own. So maybe my perception is bit skewed or something, but I think of you as a hero. You certainly act like one."

Corrin blinked before looking away, rubbing at her eye for a moment before looking back. "T-thank you, Liz. I-I thank I needed to hear that."

"Anytime! If there's anything I'm good at, it's talking. Seriously, just ask Severa. She's probably sick of hearing me talk now. Besides, you're cute when you blush." Liz smirked.

Frowning, Corrin gave Liz and aside glance. "Blush? What are you talking about?"

"I saw you look away," Liz claimed, "and that little smile you get, too! That one that shows your fangs! Very cute."

"My fangs- You-!" Corrin nearly stopped in her tracks before rubbing her hands down her face. "How you're not unnerved by them is beyond me, Liz."

"Unnerved?" Liz repeated incredulously, "The hell would I be unnerved? Those kinds of things would be loved by everyone back home, I'm sure. I mean, the pointed ears, the slitted pupils, the fangs and the platinum hair, God, if I had a picture of you and posted it online, nobody would believe me but they'd still think you're drop-dead gorgeous!"

"I have no idea half the things you just said and I'm not sure I like them…" Corrin mumbled.

Liz pat Corrin on the back, laughing. "Don't worry about it, Candy Corn! Not worth fussing over. Besides, I'm all that matters, obviously."

"I need a name for you," Corrin said suddenly, looking down on Liz with half-lidded eyes. "I need a name for you as vengeance for giving me a nickname like that."

"Oh yeah?" Liz crossed her arms. "Alright, then. Give it your best shot, Candy Corn."

Corrin placed a finger against the side of her chin and closed her eyes, thinking for only a few moments before a devious smile found its way onto her face.

"Jelly Bean."

Liz frowned and her eye twitched. "J-jelly bean? Are you serious?"

"Oh, deathly serious, Jelly Bean," Corrin laughed. "It does make a lot of sense, doesn't it? You're small and sweet. A perfect fit, wouldn't you say?"

"You're making fun of my height!" Liz accused.

"Perish the thought, Liz!? Corrin said, placing a hand against her chest as she gasped in mock offence. "To accuse a princess of casually making fun of her subjects, how cruel!"

"Oh, please, acting like that only makes it worse," Liz said, rolling her eyes. "You're lucky I like you. I wouldn't take this from anyone else."

"Truly," Corrin agreed sarcastically, "I would be nowhere without my ample amount of luck."

"Ample amounts of something, maybe…" Liz mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Corrin asked.

Liz waved a hand. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe we should stop chatting and get going on this road, eh?"

What a road it is, Corrin thought.

"I notice you looking at me, Kaze," Severa said, approaching the ninja as he rested by a campfire. They had stopped for the night, about halfway towards Izumo, and the ninja had seen fit to set up shop away from everyone else. It rubbed Severa the wrong way. Well, it rubbed her some kind of way, at least. She still couldn't really tell what she was thinking herself. "Like what you see or something?"

Kaze looked up from staring at the flames and gave her a disarming smile. "Charming as always, Severa."

The redhead scoffed. "Flattery won't get you anywhere with me. I want an answer. I've noticed you staring at me."

"I stare at everyone, my friend," Kaze answered, leaning back and looking toward the night sky. "It's my job, you know. I am a ninja."

"Scouting us all out, are you?" Severa asked, pacing around the fire Kaze had made, the light of the flames dancing across her form as her shadow walked among the trees behind her. "Making sure we're not a threat to your precious Lady Corrin, huh?"

"Mhm. Something to that effect, yes," Kaze replied, "although I will admit a small lie on my part. It is true that I have been watching you a bit more closely than the others."

"Aha!" Severa laughed triumphantly, crossing her arms. "I knew it!"

"Not for the reason you're likely thinking of," Kaze continued. "I said once that you fight well. That it is clear in your stance and your style that you have gone through a great deal. That has made me curious about you. It is not my place to pry into your personal life, but I find myself curious all the same."

Severa looked down at the ninja with narrowed eyes before she sighed. "You know, you could've just asked me. I mean, depending on how I'd feel at the time, you might've even been given an answer."

Kaze chuckled. "Old habits die hard, I'm afraid. I'm a ninja; facing my problems head-on is likely to get me killed."

"And what a tragedy that would be, right?" Severa drawled.

"To some, it would be, I imagine," Kaze said neutrally, "Why don't you take a seat with me? We have been traveling for quite some time; you must be exhausted."

Severa remained silent for a few moments before silently cursing to herself and walking around the fire. She took a seat next to Kaze, her legs pressed against her chest and her arms wrapped around them.

"I've been through worse than this," Severa said quietly. "I've traveled farther than I think I could even count."

"That is what worries me," Kaze said. "Someone as young as yourself having been through enough to be so skilled is a tragedy, indeed."

Severa sniffed. "That's one way of putting it."

"I imagine your story is a complicated one."

"Hah!" Severa barked a bitter laugh before sighing. "That's one way of putting it, Ninja Man. You don't know the half of it."

"I do not think I would mind hearing of it," Kaze said, his voice low. "If only to get it off your chest, so to speak. I have noticed you are quite tense."

"Noticed that too?" Severa murmured. "Gawd, why do you have to be so frustrating?"

"I see it as simply looking out for a comrade," Kaze replied.

"That so?" Severa hummed. "Well, Ninja Man, imagine this world, right? Imagine your world covered in dark clouds as far as the eye can see. The land is broken and barren, and the only hint of warmth is around the fires from the destroyed houses. Your mother is dead and your father is as good as dead. You fight not because of your nation, not because your blood compels you, but because it is the only thing you can do."

Kaze stayed silent, allowing Severa to continue.

Severa continued to fold in on herself, making herself seem smaller as her voice grew in intensity. "And to avoid that bullshit, all that horrible death and torment, you escape to the past. To rewrite the future you came from. And you succeed, but at great cost. You do not fit in. It's not your place to stay, no matter how much the people you love want you to. You are at war. You are chaos. You resemble the dark clouds of the world you came from. You can't rest, you can't stop."

"It sounds like a nightmare," Kaze said succinctly.

"A nightmare that I can't wake up from," Severa sniffled, shivering.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Severa shook her head. "I haven't been 'alright' for a long, long time, Kaze. I'm fucked up."

"Maybe so," Kaze said, sitting up and crossing his arms. "Or, perhaps, you are a confused young woman who has not yet found her place in the world. War may be your past, but it does not have to be your future."

Severa shrugged. "It's all I know how to do."

"And being a ninja is all I know, too," Kaze answered, "It does not mean that that is all there is to me. I am my own person, behind the cloth and shurikens. And just like me, you are your own person behind the gambeson and swords. Perhaps you may not discover who that person is for a long while yet, but if you wish it, I would not mind helping you."

Severa loosened her grip on herself as she stared up at the sky, her breathing slowly steadying itself. "You'd do that? No strings attached?"

"You are a comrade and I consider you a friend," Kaze answered softly. "Of course I'd do it."

Wiping at her eyes, Severa replied, her voice trembling, "Y-you almost sound like… W-whatever. You should consider yourself lucky; I'm not usually so open like this!"

Kaze chuckled. "A lucky man I am, then."

"I wasn't lying, you know," Severa whispered. "I'm fucked up. Been that way for as long as I remember, and not all of it is the fault of someone else."

"It rarely is," Kaze replied, "It is a shame, but we are inclined to hurt ourselves just as much as we hurt others, or they hurt us. I have experience with that much too."

"Mmm," Severa hummed.

"It's true. I told you I have a brother, did I not?" Kaze asked, "Though you would not know it were you to look at us. We are as different physically as we are in personality. Doubly strange, considering we are twins."

"I never knew what it was like to have a sibling," Severa mumbled, "Not in the way that most people would get, anyway."

"Sounds as if there is an interesting story behind that," Kaze noted, "But I think you're done telling me details willingly."

"Smart ninja."

"Smarter than most, maybe," Kaze lightly chuckled, "though I'm sure some would consider such intelligence a curse. I watched as my home was subsumed by a man viler than any monarch I have ever known. My brother drowned himself in reckless abandon and anger, becoming a retainer to the crown prince of Hoshido himself. I took the more cautious approach, and in turn I found myself on the most dangerous missions, ironically."

"What was his name?"

Kaze looked to Severa, his eyes almost as transfixed on her as they were on the flames in front of them a moment prior.

"His name," Severa repeated, idly playing with one of her red twintails. "Even the worst monsters have names."

"Daimyo Kotaro, of the principality of Mokushu," Kaze answered, his voice quiet and filled to bursting with muffled rage. "That monster that wears the skin of a man, he conquered Kohga, a country that bordered his, almost as soon as he gained power. But he was not satisfied with mere conquest, no. He wished to annihilate, to destroy. He is an opportunistic weasel of a man. My clan, the Igasato, was nearly completely wiped out in one of his attacks. A clan that had proudly been serving the Hoshidan royal family for generations, nearly destroyed in a single day."

Severa remained quiet.

"My brother figured out it was him," Kaze continued, spellbound by his own words, "but nobody would believe us. We had no evidence, and even if Prince Ryoma could be convinced, King Sumeragi could not. I elected to stay put and wait for the perfect moment to strike. My brother, on the other hand, in his rage, traveled to Mokushu all on his own. He did not come back for weeks, and not only did he fail, but his right eye was gone. The Mokushujin took it."

"…I'm sorry," Severa said.

"Mokushu is south of Izumo," Kaze said, his voice growing quieter. "With any luck, we will be heading there as well."

"Vengeance, then, is it?" Severa scoffed. "Kaze, I don't want to talk down to you, but… but I've seen what vengeance can do to people. It can twist them, break them, turn them into a mockery of who they once were. I'd rather not see that happen to a person I consider a friend now."

Kaze blinked before mumbling under his breath and rubbing his forehead. "My apologies, Severa. I hadn't intended to get so personal so quickly. I suppose what you said earlier lit a fire underneath me."

"Blaming me?" Severa snorted, "Gawd, we really are alike, huh?"

"That's a concerning thought," Kaze said, "we are similar, but we also have our differences."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one, I am a man," Kaze listed, "and secondly, you clearly have the better hair of the two of us."

Severa ran a hand through her crimson twintails, bringing them over her shoulders and across her chest. "You're damn right I do! Best there is!"

"The style certainly helps, too. I have always found it quite pleasing," Kaze continued, "although your stealth could use some work. We need not be good at everything."

"That sounds like a challenge, Kaze," Severa warned, "and I've never lost a challenge. Ever."

"It will be something for you to practice, I suppose, in between bouts of thrashing your aunt around," Kaze laughed.

After that, Severa and Kaze slipped into a comfortable silence, neither wishing to disturb the peace that surrounded both of them at that moment.

"Hinata, come on."

"P-prince Takumi!?" The samurai yelped, jumping nearly ten feet into the air at his lord. The rising sun breached over the tall trees, bathing their campsite in a brilliant golden light. They would be moving out in a few hours.

And here this idiot is, training at such an absurd hour. He's lucky he's my idiot.

"No one's around, Hinata," Takumi pointed out, standing next to the samurai. "You can just call me 'Takumi'. It's not like father is around to judge."

Hinata rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly smiling as he lowered his katana. "You know me, Takumi! I can't just slack off because we're traveling! Gotta keep myself sharp in case any of those invisible dastards show up. They were sure tough though, weren't they?"

"I wouldn't know," Takumi scoffed. "I didn't face them head on. Only a fool faces such opponents face to face. Besides, Fujin Yumi is more than enough to deal with them. They may be invisible, but they fall to arrows of light just like anyone else."

"They die because of sword slashes too," Hinata chuckled, stretching and letting the sun cast its light upon him. "I mean, they died easily enough! Okay, well, not 'easily', but they went down. And then turned into water. That part was what got to me, honestly. Good thing I wear sandals."

"Indeed," Takumi said, nodding sagely. "You're good at keeping them off me." Takumi was trying desperately not to look at Hinata's toned and muscular arms. "And nothing else. Definitely nothing else."

"Eh? What're you talking about?" Hinata asked, "I mean, hey, remember when we used to spar all the time? Couldn't do it while your father was around, of course, but it was fun! We should do that again."

Takumi remembered very well the countless training sessions he had with Hinata. Of course, not all of them were entirely innocent, but most of them were genuine sword training. Takumi was not half bad at it, if he said so himself, but he would never be able to hold a candle to his older brother. It was simply impossible.

No doubt his father and the court thought it was because of his dirtied blood. The commoner blood in his veins no doubt stunted his swordsmanship. What would a commoner know about the ways of war, outside of their conscription?

Takumi's blood boiled, but he let it go. The court and his father were far away, then. And he was in the company of a loved one. There was little that could sour that moment.

"I'm not so sure, Hinata," Takumi grumbled, "It's been over a year since the last time. I have no doubt that you would knock me to the ground within an instant."

"Now, that's no way to think," Hinata said, laughing, "That's the way quitters talk, Takumi! You can't be a quitter."

"I'm not a quitter," Takumi defended, "I just know when I'm clearly outmatched is all!"

"I dunno, sounds like something a quitter would say." Hinata rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Or maybe it isn't… I dunno, sometimes things that you say confuse me."

Takumi closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Alright!" He spat, "I'll go get a few training swords. Mind that you do not tear apart that tree anymore than you have, okay? We do not need to leave constant reminders of our presence. If you aren't careful, you could lead anyone who's following us straight to our next camp."

"See, now that's the spirit! Just make sure we don't get too heated this time, alright? It needs to be actual training and not, you know, that other thing," Hinata said, chuckling to himself.

"I make no promises when it comes to you, my 'friend'," Takumi said.

Maybe it was a good thing he was no longer in Shirasagi, Takumi thought. Being alone with Hinata and the rest of the group certainly was better than anything that made that sickeningly sunny town into a tolerable place. And without his father's constant watchful gaze, he felt… free. As if the world had become a much brighter place, despite where they were headed.

Takumi and Hinata sparred until the group moved on, and Takumi found himself smiling for the rest of the day.

The thick forests of Izumo gave way to a small, windy plain as they moved further south. The city was in sight by that point, and the structures Corrin saw as she led her convoy through nearly made her mouth drop to the floor. It was a simple village, it seemed, so long as she didn't look above and into the tree.

It was like a massive treehouse, she mused. Corrin never was able to build one herself, but she had heard of such things in the books she read within the Northern Fortress. It was similar to Castle Shirasagi in the construction of the roof – pointed at the ends, with tiles overlaid like the armor of samurai. All of it was built atop a massive tree, stretching high into the sky. Even from their distance, Corrin could see it clearly above all else.

"Impressive, isn't it?" A voice said. Corrin turned to see Takumi, who held his hands up placatingly when he saw Corrin whip around to face him. "Easy there, sister. We're safe here. At least, for the moment."

Corrin took a deep breath as she stopped, looking up to the massive treehouse. "Have you been here before, Takumi?"

"Not many times, but yes, I have," Takumi said, nodding. "Always liked it here, honestly. It's so out of the way; so far from all the troubles plaguing Hoshido and Nohr."

"A neutral nation," Corrin summed up, nodding and sighing. "Good. Good thing we chose this place to recuperate at. And what with confirmation that the sovereign duke can speak with the gods, it's almost as if we were always destined to come here."

"Be careful believing in destiny, Corrin," Takumi said, crossing his arms. "No doubt our fathers believed they were 'destined' to destroy Anankos, save the world, and bring everlasting peace. But look where we are now? If there was destiny, we wouldn't be here."

Corrin blinked. "I never… Huh, I never thought of it that way. I didn't know…"

"That's my other contribution, besides unparalleled archery skills," Takumi said, tapping the side of his head with a smirk. "I perforate people with arrows, and I know things. Two very important skills to have."

"You'd be a valued part of our group, brother," Corrin assured, "Even if you had neither."

"Kind of you to say, even if I don't believe you," Takumi snorted, "Anyway, I think we should get going. Izumo isn't going to travel to us, now is it?"

"Mmm. Perhaps it will, if we wait long enough," Corrin mused.

"I can't tell if you said that as a joke or seriously, and honestly, that's the scariest thought of them all," Takumi grumbled.

Corrin's group approached the gates of the village, standing in a diamond formation with Corrin at the head. Her right hand never left Yato's pommel, ready to be unsheathed at a moment's notice. It wasn't so much that she thought they would be attacked; it was more a force of habit than anything else.

Liar.

Idly, as they approached the door, Corrin wondered what would happen first. The village had no walls, no sentries, nothing to protect it from the outside. In fact, it almost seemed as if there was nobody at all. The village appeared as a ghost town from a distance.

Luckily, before suspicion could take hold of her, she saw someone approach. Corrin breathed out an audible sigh of relief as she looked between her three siblings; Camilla on her right, Takumi on her left, and Azura just a little fartherr behind. Corrin stepped forward as the person approached her, apprising their appearance.

It was a man wearing an ill-fitting robe; his clothing almost seemed to swallow him whole as he waddled up to them. His eyes were beady, but the smile on his face wasn't creepy. At least, not at first.

"Welcome, friends! Welcome to Izumo!" The man yelled for everyone to hear. Corrin rubbed her ear as she shook her head. "I, Daisuke, welcome you to the capital of our wonderful dukedom!"

"Ah," Corrin breathed out, looking around. "I thought this was more of a village…"

"'Tis!" Daisuke said quickly, "It would not be wrong to say our capital is more like a long procession of villages all banded together, like its own country of village-states! Ah, but I see the confusion plastered across all your faces. You're wondering about our lack of walls, the lack of people, yes?"

"I've been here before, little man," Takumi grumbled, "and this place was not like this when I was here last. There were no walls, true, but that's because we haven't gone far enough. There are walls surrounding the castle, and select parts of the villages that make up this capital. I'm certain we're more worried about the lack of people."

Daisuke nodded, not seemingly caring at all about the slight against him. "Your words hold great wisdom, Prince Takumi. I did not know of you from your previous visits with your father, but I have heard of them. As to our lack of people… they are gone."

Corrin blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Gone, Prince Corrin," Daisuke repeated, nodding as his smile continued to melt into a mournful frown. "Many of our people have simply vanished into the night, never to be seen again. Our duke has enacted a curfew, and before long, guards lined our streets, until even they were taken. I know not the reason for this mass exodus, but…"

"Why is it that everywhere we go, something horrible is happening?" Takumi asked.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the company we keep," Camilla said, "Perhaps a certain loud-mouthed, foul-mannered Hoshidan prince fouls up our luck?"

Takumi barked a laugh. "You're getting better, Nohrian."

"Regardless!" Corrin spoke above her quarreling siblings. "I am sorry to hear that, Daisuke, and hopefully we'll be able to get to the bottom of this. But first, I need to speak to the duke. Izana, was it?"

"Archduke Izana, yes," Daisuke corrected and nodded, his grin slowly returning. "He can communicate with the gods, which is how I knew to meet you here! He has likely known you would meet with him long before you set off on your long journey!"

"H-he can just… do that?" Corrin asked, stammering slightly.

"Some abilities are so powerful, nobody should have them," Azura noted idly.

"Wise words, if completely wrong!" Daisuke remarked happily. "I can take you to Archduke Izana, yes. As I said, he has seen this meeting coming for a long, long time, and no doubt he awaits it eagerly. I do warn you, however, Princess Corrin, that the Archduke is considered to be something of an – well, let us say he is something of an eccentric."

Takumi laughed again. "He can say that again! Go on, waddler, say it again!"

"He is something of an eccentric!" Daisuke repeated without question.

"By the Dawn Dragon, the nerves of this Izumite!" Takumi said, chuckling to himself.

"Please, stop harassing the only villager we have met," Azura said, glowering at Takumi from behind his back.

"Your friends will need to wait outside of the chamber while you converse with the Archduke," Daisuke said, "I am sure you will be staying for quite some time, however. Archduke Izana has quite a lot he wants to say to you all!"

Corrin exchanged glances with all of her siblings. With a round of nods, she looked back to the small man in front of her.

"Alright," she intoned, "Lead us to him."

Corrin and her group were led through the quiet villages of the capital, with only a few people milling about the dirt and gravel roads. It was surreal, seeing such a village in pristine condition yet with barely a single soul within. The castle grew larger and larger as they traveled, Daisuke leading them all the while. She was reminded of Castle Reppu, and how it had hung over them as they prepared for a deadly assault.

"This reminds me of reports we received from a village to the south of Castle Krakenburg," Camilla said, looking around as her armor clanked with each step. "An entire village had been stolen away in the night, with not a single soul left among the bereft buildings. It was Lucina and her small group of soldiers who discovered it."

"And who do we know can travel undetected for miles, are incredibly hard to see, and have a tendency to kidnap people?" Takumi asked rhetorically.

"Curious indeed," Azura commented.

"I don't want to make any assumptions until we've talked with Izana," Corrin said, "I want to make sure."

"What was it that Chieftain Fuga said before we left?" Takumi asked again, "That we should not trust people in high places? Let me tell you, Corrin, I may not be able to tell at this distance how high up this tree-castle is, but it is very, very high up."

"I understand what you mean, Takumi," Corrin said, "I really do. We will be cautious, but we can't exactly turn this down. It's the entire reason we set out on this path."

Takumi sighed and nodded. "I just hope we're not all about to die horrible, painful deaths in someone's basement. I'm sure Hayato would have something to say about that."

The entrance to the castle, which Corrin still didn't know the name of, was a thing of beauty. It was a massive platform, which could ascend or descend at the simple pull of a lever. The clinking of chains reverberated throughout the small, hollowed section of the tree as they ascended. The rest of her group stayed behind, in the first part of the castle. Corrin felt herself growing giddy at the prospect of staying for a while. Not for too long; they had a deadline to meet, after all, but she couldn't help but wish to stay in Izumo for as long as they were able.

In Liz's own words, it felt like he was at an 'amusement park'. Corrin didn't know, exactly, what that meant, but the sentiment was easy to guess with the name.

"If worst comes to worst," Camilla said, whispering into Corrin's ear, "Beruka's wyvern can easily make it here. And I believe Lilith, what with her dragon form, could easily reach this place too. Just a precaution should something go awry, dear."

Corrin nodded, swallowing.

Eventually, the chains stopped their incessant noise, and the platform stopped at a massive set of light, carved wooden doors.

Daisuke stepped forward and pushed them open with surprising strength. The small man grunted all the while, but it was an impressive feat. Almost too impressive, Corrin hissed in her head.

"After you, my lords and ladies!" Daisuke said, bowing as he gestured to the now opened doors. "I will fetch Archduke Izana for you – you need only wait but a moment!"

Corrin and her siblings did as they were told, moving into the grand hall. Corrin looked around in wonderment, barely able to contain her excitement. It was as if she were in Castle Krakenburg or Shirasagi again. Only, with those castles, they were taken from nature. A deep pit into the earth had been created and Krakenburg carved out of the stone, while Shirasagi had been built atop a high hill, its lumber and small amount of stone carried from lands far away. Meanwhile, the castle they stood in was seemingly carved from the very tree itself. It easily dwarfed the foliage they passed by on their way there.

"I think Corrin is a little starstruck," Camilla giggled.

"I find myself sharing that," Azura murmured, looking around with a rare smile on her face. "I suppose it's a nice change of pace, considering the locations we've been to so far."

Takumi shrugged. "It's nice, yeah, but, uh, I just want to remind you all – the Archduke is a very strange man."

"You said that before," Camilla pointed out, "What exactly does that mean, Takumi? It's not exactly the most direct way of warning us."

"Would you believe me if I said he was a complete loon?" Takumi growled, "Would you, Camilla? I have a hard time believing it myself, what with the fact that the man is supposed to run a country. He's so far removed from Sumeragi, or even Garon, if I'm so bold. I guess talking with the gods has a tendency to make on soft in the head."

"Regardless, he will be a valuable ally," Azura said, looking out towards the windows that lined the great hall, watching the sunlight stream in. "We did not make a mistake in coming here. I only hope that whatever troubles Izumo is having can be solved quickly. We only have so much time before the Winter Equinox."

Corrin sighed and nodded. "Agreed."

Before long, the sound of doors opening nearby resounded throughout the whole great hall. Corrin looked in the direction of the noise to see a person walked towards them. A pretty man of average height with long white hair and an ornate white robe approached them, the expression on his face completely neutral. In the center of his forehead, there was a symbol that Corrin couldn't recognize. Despite what Takumi had said, the man appeared the part of an implacable leader.

"Archduke Izana," Corrin intoned, bowing lightly. "It is an honor to finally meet you."

"Hm. Hmhmhm, now is it?" Izana asked, a small giggle leaving his lips as a smile broke out across his face. Judging from the twitching, Corrin wondered if the Archduke was unhealthy.

"Er, I would hope so?" Corrin raised a brow.

"I certainly think it is!" The archduke suddenly exclaimed. "I did the vision that proclaimed you would come to my doorstep almost twenty years ago now! I gotta tell ya, having that one finally come true is a huge load off my shoulders! O great and merciful gods! Thank you for this opportunity!"

Corrin blinked before turning to Takumi, who only gave her a shrug and a smug grin.

"Y-yes, I had heard that you had a vision of us from your… friend? I think?" Corrin said, suddenly feeling as if she were in the wrong country.

"Who? Daisuke?" Izana asked, placing a finger against his lip. "Oh, that old sausage! He Will do anything anyone tells him to, so he does! I'm glad he hasn't been ruthlessly taken away from me yet!"

"We heard about that," Corrin said quietly, "Something similar was happening in the Wind Tribe. Only there, they were being taken forcefully. It sounds like something more stealthy is going on here."

Izana nodded and began pacing around. Corrin followed his movements. "I know! And it's very unkind! Just swiping people up in the middle of the night, without rhyme or reason!? And what's more, I found no invitations to a feast or a festival! How rude to take Izumites from their homes without promising a good time beforehand! The nerve!"

Corrin's mouth gently popped open as she once more turned to her siblings, as if asking for confirmation that what she was hearing was, in fact, being heard by everyone else. Takumi offered a non-committal shrug, Camilla looked just as shocked as she was, and Azura seemed to stare oddly at the archduke.

"But that's whatever," Izana dismissed, waving a hand as he stopped. "I've ordered a curfew for my people, and many of them have avoided being seen out in daylight for a long time now, in fear of being taken. But we can't go on like this! What's a day in Izumo without a part or two!? And we haven't had one in weeks! I'll help you, Corrin, because I know that's what you came seeking for, but first I need your assistance."

"You need us to help you find the culprit," Azura said before Corrin could speak. "Why did I think it would be easy?"

"Because nothing's easy, baby girl!" Izana laughed, "nothing at all! Even Izumites have to clean up after a feast or two! If it's easy now, then it won't be easy later and all that! You must take the good with the bad!"

"We will help you, archduke," Corrin said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. "You have my word on that already, but I want you to tell me everything you know, everything we could possibly do to stop Anankos."

For the briefest instant, a flash of fear surged through Izana's eyes. The archduke looked away and took a step back before chuckling to himself and meeting Corrin's red gaze.

"Now that's a tricky order, my dear," Izana said, his voice noticeably quieter than before, "You're talking about the Silent Dragon. Now that name, that name inspires fear in all who know it. It's she who will bring about the end of the world, drowning it in silence and blood. I have read of her."

"Then you know that we must defeat her, no matter the cost," Corrin said adamantly, her hand still outstretched. "I need you, Archduke Izana. And you need us. Do we have a deal?"

The Archduke looked between Corrin and her siblings before his cheery demeanor returned to him, and he happily shook Corrin's hand. She nearly recoiled from how cold his touch was, but kept a firm grip as Izana enthusiastically continued.

"But of course, my half-dragon friend! Of course! You need not start today, of course, hmhmhm!" Izana said, letting go of Corrin's hand and taking a few steps back. "We have a dozen or so quarters that your friends below can use, and you may join them if you so wish. Tomorrow, we can begin in earnest to discover the thing behind my citizens' disappearances! I'll have Daisuke, the doddering do-little, help you on your way! No, if you'll excuse me, I need to make preparations for when you come knocking on my door again! Tata for now!"

Just like that, the Archduke left without so much as a wave after turning around.

Corrin, Azura, Takumi, and Camilla stood completely still and silent for a few moments. Corrin herself could barely understand the ranting man, though Takumi seemed relatively unfazed, only staying silent out of a seeming respect for everyone else's bemusement.

After a while, Camilla let out a small giggle. "Ah. What the devil was that?"

"A madman," Azura answered succinctly.

"That was the Archduke of Izumo," Takumi said, "I have to admit, I think he's only gotten crazier and more scatter-brained as time has gone on. The last time I saw him, he wasn't nearly so… unhinged. And he acted like he didn't even recognize me. How rude. Certainly,I wasn't so small back then."

"You aren't much to look at now, Takumi," Camilla pointed out, crossing her arms.

"Getting closer, Camilla," Takumi chuckled, "I almost felt that one."

Corrin sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Let's just… let's just wait for Daisuke to come back. I think I've had enough for one day."

"There's something wrong with this place," Severa noted, pacing up and down her and Liz's shared room. "I don't like it."

"You've said that, what, two-dozen times now?" Liz said, blinking as she laid down on her futon. "Just give it a rest, will ya? Yeah, this place is creepy, but we don't have anything to worry about. Corrin came down and explained everything."

Severa stopped and looked to Liz with a withering blue glare. "When you've gone through the amount of shit I have, you learn to trust your gut instincts. Something's not right here. Hasn't been since the second we walked into Izumo. Everyone else can feel it, too. Hell, I'm pretty sure you feel it, but you're too lazy to try and do anything about it."

"What could I do about it, even if you're right?" Liz groaned, rubbing her forehead. Severa wasn't wrong, but did she have to put it so rudely? Then again, Severa hadn't been the best at being nice. "We can't just go prancing around the castle."

"Says you," Severa said quickly, looking to the paper door. "I don't like it."

"The amount of times you've said you don't like something, I'd think you were me," Liz grumbled, "You can stay awake all you want, but we've been traveling and standing around all day, so I'm not exactly broken up about sleeping in a creepy castle. Maybe if you were with Kaze, you wouldn't be so high strung."

"What in- what is that supposed to mean, auntie?" Severa asked pointedly.

"I'm asking you to, please, not make me a great-aunt before I'm at least thirty," Liz replied.

"You-!" Liz saw Severa hide away, and she couldn't help but chuckle a bit, imagining to the burning blush across her pale face. "Whatever! I'll stay up, but the minute something creepy happens, you better get up, too!"

"I gotcha, Sev," Liz waved, turning over in her futon. "I'll be on standby. Just don't pace a hole into the ground, will you?"

Severa scoffed and said nothing more, while Liz attempted to drift off to sleep. With the dimming light from their candles, and the dark, moonless night all that showed from their window, Liz found it difficult.

Liz tried to ignore the skittering shadows.

You are in danger.

TOO SPOOKY FOR YOU.

Anyway, yeah, sorry about the cliffhanger but the chapter was starting to drag on and if I continued I probably would've written out the entire battle that's gonna happen. With that said, good lord this'll take a while lol.

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