Despite the ambush, Takumi's group was holding out extremely well.
The ninja were nimble and quick, but they weren't nearly quick enough to dodge arrows of light, nor were there enough of them to kill even a single number of their group.
Liz hissed when her shoulder acted up as she let loose another arrow. Another ninja fell to the ground in a limp heap, joining his brothers in staining the ground red. The fact she had taken so many lives in such a small amount of time felt as if it should have disturbed her, but just as was the case before, Liz felt nothing. Her heart felt like it was encased in ice as she mechanically let fly arrow after arrow.
Liz was so caught up in the heat of the moment that when the battle finally ended, she was still ready to let another arrow loose. With no targets to perforate, however, she eventually relaxed, taking breath after breath.
"Well, how eventful," Takumi said dryly, "When that Nohrian prince suggested this plan, somehow, I knew this would happen."
"Did you inherit Archduke Izana's penchant for soothsaying, Takumi?" Camilla asked, mock-gasping. "Could you perhaps see if Corrin and Leo have already engaged the enemy? Or if they still live at all? I must warn you, if they do not, I am liable to enter a rage."
"You're scary, Camilla," Takumi replied, "very scary, but fortunately for you, I have seen scarier. Besides, I doubt Corrin would go down to a bunch of ninja. She has that dragonstone with her, after all. Even just one of our groups could easily smash through a defensive line of samurai and ninja."
"Hmph, sometimes I believe your flippancy is merely a defense mechanism," Camilla mused before looking around. "Is everyone alright?"
"I'm pretty banged up," Liz admitted, limping forward, "But I'm not dead yet. Or at least, I don't think so."
That will change soon.
Liz snarled and shook her head. "God, maybe I need that staff more than I thought."
"Fear not, Owain Dark has only mildly inconveniencing injuries!" Owain declared, throwing his head back and laughing even as blood dripped to the ground from his arm. "Ah, but maybe we should… get this over with. The illustrious fell hero of legend is feeling rather lightheaded."
Camilla giggled. "And this time it's not because you are gazing at me?"
"You are a bright light amongst the darkest falls of Nohr, Princess Camilla!" Owain replied, "But, er, maybe those kinds of jokes aren't appropriate right now? I feel as if I… oh no." Owain fell to his knees. "Oh, gods, this is not good."
Camilla's mirthful gaze switched to one of absolute seriousness. "Felicia!"
"Y-yes, Lady Camilla?" the former maid responded.
"Focus on Owain," Camilla ordered before turning to Liz. She shrunk underneath Camilla's intense gaze. "You will be next, do not worry."
"No, I can help her," Hayato said. Liz took a step back as the small Wind Tribe native approached her. "Well, I want to help her, but I can't if she just backs away from me like a mouse against a cat."
"I'm trying to protect the mouse from the cat," Liz grumbled.
"Lady, please, let me help you. We don't know if those shurikens had poison on them," Hayato said, his voice level.
Liz grit her teeth, looking around. It seemed as if she and Owain were the only ones to sustain any major damage. After a moment, Liz sighed and motioned over to a tree. "I need to sit down."
Liz felt the glow of the… was it a 'festal'? She couldn't quite remember what it was called, and it produced a different glow compared to the staff that Felicia was using on Owain. Nonetheless, she felt her wounds closing, inch by agonizing inch. Slowly, the pain abated.
"How do those things work?" Liz said, not looking at Hayato go about his work.
"It would take too long to explain to someone who has never used them," Hayato said quickly, "I imagine they're not too different from Nohr's staves, but I have no way to know for certain until I use one myself."
"Oh, magic is so complicated that you can't explain it to a moron like me, I get it," Liz grumbled, rubbing her forehead. "Jesus, how did you learn it, then? You can't be any older than fourteen."
"I am not a child," Hayato intoned, so quickly it had to have been instinctive. "And I do not like you implying me as such."
"Jeez, okay, calm down short-stack," Liz replied, holding her hands up defensively. "Just do your thing, I guess. There any sign of poison?"
"On the shuriken that pierced your shoulder? No," Hayato answered, "The most dangerous part was the bleeding, but that was easy enough to fix. You need to be careful around those shuriken however."
"Do these bastards actually use poison?" Liz mumbled out.
"That depends on what the ninja or samurai has been doing," Hayato explained. "I do not know much about them, but I wager there are all kinds of creatures in these woods that could make for effective poisons if properly implemented. You were lucky that the ninja that hit you did not appear to need it."
"Lucky me," Liz sighed.
After a few more moments, Liz was back up and running. Her shoulder still felt sore, and her body was replete with aches, but she was, for the most part, fine. Owain was still limping around, but he seemed to be fine as well.
"Is everyone ready?" Takumi called, gazing over the group. "We do not have any time to waste. I doubt we will make it in time to help Corrin in rescuing Saizo, but we can help with the assault on the Mokushujin outpost Kaze spoke of."
"Outpost?" Liz repeated, "He called it a 'stronghold'. That's not something an outpost is called, Your Princeliness."
Takumi waved an arm. "My point still stands! We know where it is located, and the Mokushujin don't exactly have access to a large supply of stone, so it will likely be made of bamboo and other types of wood. We will have little trouble smashing through their line."
"We don't have Corrin or Lilith with us," Camilla pointed out, "and as strong as I am, I am not a human battering ram, nor will I be used as such."
"My fell energies!" Owain shouted, "They could easily sunder their pitiful fortress! One shot of lightning, and the entire structure will be consumed by flames!"
"That would kill the prisoner, wouldn't it?" Hinata said, rubbing his chin. "I don't think Lord Ryoma would like it if we killed his retainer as a bit of collateral damage, ya know."
"Couldn't we just…" Liz coughed, "Couldn't we just climb over it? It can't be very high, and even if it is, we could just, you know. Do all that cool shit. Hell, you and I could even take potshots at them!"
"Potshots?" Takumi raised a brow. "I suppose that could work, and it would keep collateral damage to a minimum. I need to thank Corrin when we regroup; going in with swords drawn was the right decision. I would hate for innocents to be caught up in this. That is, if there are innocents in this far-flung country."
"S-surely there has to be," Felicia chimed in. "It can't all just be soldiers, right?"
"Right you are," Takumi replied, nodding. "Alright, that's enough chit-chat. We'll need to head out if we want to make it in time!"
"I don't even know what time it is," Liz replied quietly, "Look at the sky? I can't see the sky either. What a shitshow this is."
It'll only get worse.
Liz made a mental note to talk with Corrin later. Something wasn't right.
The Mokushujin fortress wasn't exactly the most impressive structure. From Corrin's judgment, it looked to mostly be made of bamboo and other types of wood. She had to admit, though, that if they didn't know where it was because of Saizo or Kaze, she and her group likely would have marched right past it. It was a small stop on their journey to the sea and Notre Sagesse, but she couldn't have left it the way it was. Not with Saizo and Kaze with her. She owed it to the latter, at least.
Kaze came up beside her and Leo and Lilith stood to either side of her.
"No signs of other ninja nearby," Kaze reported, "They have likely holed up in their shelter completely. The minute we either show our faces or break through those gates, we will be beset upon."
Corrin nodded and turned to Leo. "Back in the Wind Tribe, I used my full dragon form to break through its stone gates. These wooden ones wouldn't be an issue. Should we forego strategy in favor of overwhelming force?"
Leo gazed at the fortress in front of them. After a moment, he sighed. "It's a shame we have no cavalry, otherwise we would make quick work of these fools. However, if what you say is true, then I see no reason why we cannot. I may be a tactician, but you are our leader. My advice? A direct approach could lead to more casualties on our side, but it could also be quicker. It is a risk, and it is up to you to decide whether it is worth it or not."
Corrin closed her eyes and nodded. "…Alright, I think we should. Kaze and Saizo? Stay with me. Leo and Hinoka, lead the rest beside me. And Lilith, with me! We'll charge them together."
"And what of Takumi and the rest?" Kaze asked. "They could still be out there."
"For now, we'll move forward under the assumption that they will not show up," Corrin replied, her voice shaking lightly. "W-we can't lose our advantage here. We'll look for them after this battle is over."
Corrin took a deep breath. "Everyone, into position. We move on my signal."
Corrin could feel every one of her footsteps send a small quake through the forest. Her dragon form had grown, she reasoned, which was why every single step felt as if the earth itself was shaking in fear. Her wings twitched slightly in anticipation of what was to come, and just behind her, another followed. They were two hunters, two apex predators, and they were on the hunt.
When they came in view of the fortress, Corrin could hear hushed whispers even her enhanced human hearing would not have been able to pick up. They traveled through the ground and rushed through the vines, these shadow stalkers of man. Corrin shook her head violently, her antlers dangerously low to the ground, and when she opened her mouth, a monstrous bellow came forth and traveled through the trees. Beside her, another roar followed.
The signal.
Corrin felt metal fly against her scales, only to bounce off and barely leave a chip in them. She roared again and dragged her forelimb through the dirt before her hindlegs sprung her forward. She barreled towards the fortress, dozens of metal objects striking her only to bounce off as she neared. Her wings folded behind her to reduce drag. With one last, bestial roar, she surged forward while dirt and leaves flowed behind her from the force of her four-legged sprint, and her antlers connected with the gates.
Wood splintered and fell away as if it were made of straw. Bts and pieces were thrown everywhere, covering the ground. Once they were through, dozens, if not hundreds of people stood before Corrin, and she looked down at them with barely visible eyes. A moment later, Lilith made her presence known as blue flames shot forward from behind Corrin, engulfing a couple people in flames. Their charred bodies fell to the ground a few moments later.
Her group followed behind her, and they began the battle in earnest. Swords clashed and shuriken flew, drowning the world around Corrin in a hellish cacophony of noise that nearly drove her mad.
But Corrin held on, and alongside her sibling, she rained hell down upon the Mokushujin.
Severa had to admit, Corrin's dragon form would never cease to be terrifying to behold. And she was one of the few people who saw Grima's true form up close.
The only consolation was that Corrin and Lilith were on their side. Severa would hate to have to come up with a way to take her out if she lost her mind. Especially after she spent the last few years of her life readying herself to fight alongside her.
At least she made good on that promise.
Requiem cut through the air and Mokushujin equally, splitting open chests and cutting off heads with the same ease as a hot knife through butter. Even then, the Mokushujin were numerous. Dozens of them seemingly crawled out of the woodwork of their rickety fortress, and with the sun barely piercing through the dense canopies above, it was life fighting in the dead of night.
Severa spotted Kaze only a few paces away, fighting his own battle. Their eyes met for only a brief moment before a shout echoed across the fortress-turned-battlefield. Severa turned to the sound and instantly could tell who it was.
Kotaro.
Severa couldn't get a good look at the man, or hear the nonsense he was spouting very well, but she could see that cocksure expression on his face, and it made her blood boil. She could hardly imagine how Kaze felt upon seeing that grizzled monster. She turned to him to see his eyes locked on the daimyo's position. A flash of red and another ninja was upon the bearded daimyo.
Saizo.
Severa gnashed her teeth together as several ninja descended upon her at once. She couldn't rely on Kaze in that instance. No doubt the fool was taken by thoughts of revenge, just like him. It was a bitter thought, but understandable given the circumstances. Severa made a note to yell at the idiot the next chance she got.
She was able to take down several before she was tackled to the ground. The offender attempted to pin her down, but an elbow the his cheek nearly sent him flying as he rolled over to the side. Another ninja came over, katana in hand, before stabbing it down. Severa rolled to the side and kicked, socking the poor dastard in the jaw. A sickening crack echoed through the air as he howled and stumbled back. Severa was doing alright, but she likely only had moments to live before something came upon her and ended her wretched life.
It almost came in the form of another katana. She barely had time to raise her sword to try and block it, only to realize she misjudged the angle ever so slightly. The tip plunged towards her chest-
-And it never hit, as another blade exploded out of the man's chest. He gurgled once before he was stabbed again, and fell to the ground. Kaze stood over him, breathing heavily as he looked down at Severa.
Severa blinked at him, her mind uncomprehending before she shook her head.
"Need help?" Kaze asked, holding out his hand.
Severa scoffed. "I-I should be the one asking you that question, idiot!" Severa huffed as she took the ninja's rough hand and was hoisted to her feet. "I thought you'd leave me behind. I thought you'd…"
"My brother can handle himself for a few moments," Kaze said, "Besides, I think I'd rather pursue the approval of the living."
Severa barked a laugh. "I can't believe you actually listened to what I said!"
"What can I say? You're persuasive."
Severa tried not to laugh again as more ninja poured in from places unseen. Back to back, they faced the Mokushujin, ready for anything that could be thrown at them.
There was one thing that they could not be prepared for, however, and they realized that when the earth beneath them crumbled under the weight of so many.
Severa yelped as she shot her hand out and grasped the edge of the new hole. Over a dozen ninja shouted and screamed as they fell into the new hole in the ground. Panic entered Severa's heart as she realized Kaze was among them.
"Kaze!" Severa screamed, looking into the pit. "Kaze, are you okay!?"
When she got a good view of the inside, she felt her heart sink into her chest.
The bottom of the pit was covered in sharpened bamboo stalks. Almost all the ninja that fell were impaled in several places.
Kaze was among them.
Severa barely remembered what happened next.
Inigo's blade had been bloodied before, and the fight within the Mokushujin fortress was no different. He had long grown used to the taking of human life. Risen? They were always easy, mentally, for him. With them gone, and with no invisible Vallites in sight, the only things that offered that familiar respite were the Faceless, and they were not nearly numerous enough to satiate that part of him.
There would always be that numbness in his heart when he fought his fellow man. He had grown to accept it. It was rare when he felt anything else.
Seeing Severa rampaging across the battlefield while he fought alongside Azura was certainly one thing. Over her shoulder was slung a bloody arm, and she recognized the person instantly as Kaze.
"We need to help her," Inigo said, pointing. "She can't take them all by herself."
"We're abandoning the battlefield?" Azura questioned.
"Not abandoning!" Inigo replied delicately, "just helping a friend, yeah? I'm sure Corrin would understand! That is, if she can understand anything while she's in that form."
"She can understand a great deal, believe me, and you are right," Azura conceded. "I am with you, my friend."
"Friend, hm?" Inigo repeated with a smile.
"Inigo," Azura hissed with a slight glare.
"Right, right! Apologies! Let's go," Inigo hastily replied.
They fought their way to Severa and Kaze, cutting down ninja after ninja and samurai after samurai. Their numbers seemed endless. As they got closer, Inigo had to stop himself from fumbling with his swings.
Severa had always been beautiful to his eyes – every girl was, really, so she was not special in that regard, at least not compared to the princess who fought beside him – but when he looked at her then, he did not see the soured young woman who fought for her friends. In that moment, she saw an angry hound, ready to rip anyone and everything limb from limb. With her teeth bared, with flaming blue eyes, and only one hand able to swing her father's sword, Inigo found himself almost unable to approach any further. That was, until he heard her scream.
"Help me!" Severa shouted at the top of her lungs, snapping Inigo out of his short stint in shock. "Help me or by Gawd I'll wear your teeth around my neck!"
Inigo grunted as his sword pierced through a samurai's lacquered armor from behind, sending the trained soldier to the ground in a heap. Azura was not far behind, her naginata making short work of several Mokushujin who dared oppose her. Not a scratch was even on her, despite the rough battle surrounding them.
"We're here!" Inigo declared, going around Severa to help hold Kaze up. "What happened? How did he get this way?"
"The gawddamn ground opened up!" Severa seethed. "There were spikes made of bamboo – these fuckers knew we were coming, of course! Fuck! This was a stupid idea!"
"Focus on getting him out of here!" Inigo said, "Azura and I will help you! Let us be off!"
"You have my naginata," Azura affirmed, "None shall harm you."
"Oh, I feel safer already," Severa snarled, "I'm sure Kaze does too. Oh wait, he can't say anything because he's unconscious. Thanks, Corrin!"
Inigo disregarded Severa's attempts to talk to people who weren't even there and focused on getting them all outside. True to Severa's words, nearby laid a massive sinkhole into the earth, and as he helped move their wounded ninja friend, others opened up, massively limiting the area where they could safely fight.
"What are they planning?" Inigo asked. "Regroup, maybe? Force us out so we have no choice but to burn it all down?"
"Leo's dark mages are on standby should it come to it," Azura replied, "And we have Lilith and Corrin around. We could have burned this entire fortress to the ground, but we didn't because of its prisoner. Saizo would never forgive us."
"Fuck him!" Severa growled, "Fuck him and his little prisoner bitch! I don't give a shit!"
"Severa, focus!" Inigo barked.
As much as he could share her sentiment, somewhat, blaming others wouldn't be good for her. Before long, and after fighting through the few Mokushujin that blocked their way, Inigo led them all out. It was strange, though – no arrows or shuriken struck them.
When Inigo turned back around one last time, he figured out why.
The shuriken and arrows struck Corrin's scales harmlessly as she roared at the offending archers and ninja. Just because it didn't do any lasting damage didn't mean that it did not hurt. And with Lilith at her side and dealing with the same issue, she knew she wasn't alone in that sentiment. The more arrows that tried to pierce her scaly hide, the angrier she grew. However, she refused to move.
Moving would mean leaving her retreating friends in harm's way, and she refused to allow that to happen. Not again.
Pits opened up all along the wooden walls of the fortress, leading into bottoms filled with piercing spikes. As horrifying as it was, Corrin couldn't help but find a little amusement in the fact that almost everyone impaled by the bamboo spikes were Kotaro's own men.
Of course, the man himself stood before them, flanked on both sides by his remaining ninja. He stood tall and proud, his hair waving with the wind as a small amount of blood dripped from his forehead. Saizo was nowhere to be found, and Corrin prayed that the ninja had been taken to safety along with the others. Lilith could flame him and his subordinates to death where they stood, but she hadn't let out another bout of fire since the beginning of the battle, and Corrin didn't expect her to. The entire fortress was made of tinder, and its prisoners would make for fine kindling if a fire went unchecked.
Still, there was only a small bit of distance between Kotaro and Corrin and Lilith. All it would take is a small charge and the daimyo would be in her jaws. Even so, the fool saw fit to monologue.
"When I heard that the sons of the man I slaughtered over twenty years ago had brought an army with them, I scarcely believed it, let me tell you!" Kotaro began, laughing. "I thought for certain my time had come! And yet, here you stand! An abomination against nature, and her pets! I know you will be back. I know you might even try to kill me now. But let me tell you something before you do, Princess Corrin.
"This world is filled with monsters, just like me!" Kotaro held his arms out to his side. "And there always will be! If you try to correct every mistake, every error, every malicious action, you will be left wanting, fool! Always remember that while I may die here, I will not end! My kind will never end-!"
Kotaro never finished his monologue. An arrow sailed through the air and hit him directly between the eyes. The daimyo went cross-eyed, trying to look at the weapon that suddenly sprouted from his forehead. Blood dripped down as his expression was caught between disbelief and amusement.
Kotaro slumped to the ground, his entourage looking down at the fallen daimyo, utterly flummoxed.
Corrin turned her head to where the arrow came from, and had to keep herself from stepping back in surprise.
There Liz stood, blond ponytail floating with the wind and her bow in her hand. Noticing Corrin staring at her, Liz gave her a mock-salute.
Stifling a laugh that would no doubt have sounded horrifying to hear, Corrin turned back to the group of ninja and roared. Many of them began fumbling backward, tripping over themselves to retreat into their corners of the fortress or climbing over the walls to try and escape the two dragons ready to pound them into the ground. After a few moments, Lilith summed it up more than Corrin ever could.
"It's over."
"That was stupid. So, so stupid!" Severa said, her voice bordering on breaking as she held Kaze's hand in hers. The ninja was lying in a cot, facing towards the canopied sky, all the while several of their healers surrounded him. She refused to leave his side, even after they had advised her to. Felicia and Jakob could do a good enough job even with her there, couldn't they? They wouldn't have been good healers otherwise.
"Calling him stupid won't solve anything, Sev," Liz said, standing off to her side as people went to and fro around the now abandoned fortress. Corrin was God knew where, alongside her siblings, and even if she were nearby, it was clear Severa needed her in that moment. Owain and Inigo were near as well, as if standing vigil over the fallen ninja.
"He can't hear you," Liz quickly added.
"I don't care! Maybe he'll hear me anyway- I don't give a fuck!" Severa snarled, clutching his hand so tightly that Liz was concerned that she would crush it. "He doesn't get to die on me! Not like that!"
Liz took a deep breath, looking towards the concealed sky and letting out a sigh. Slowly, she sat down beside her niece, pulling her knees up to her chest. She put her hand on Severa's shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. Liz thought for a moment that Severa would try to shake her off, but luckily, no such thing happened.
"You care for him, huh?" Liz asked.
"What in Gawd's name gave you that impression?" Severa snapped. "I would be in this same position if it was you here, just so you know. Me and him? We've been… well, we've been close. Just like how these two dunderheads who seem to think they're my friends are getting all cozy with two princesses, I guess I've… grown attached. The same way Lucina got attached to that prince, too. Gawd, this wasn't supposed to happen."
"You thought you could just come here and do your job, then get out?" Liz asked, "Considering how my brother's life went down, and how my life's going, I don't think you guys ever stood a chance."
"And what is that supposed to mean, Owain and I getting close to 'princesses'?" Inigo asked, coming around the wounded ninja and sitting down on Severa's other side. "I will have you know that I treat Lady Azura with respect."
"…Owain Dark has nothing to say on this subject," Owain said quietly, refusing to sit down.
"Look at him! He's scored and he's trying to be modest," Liz laughed.
"Stop laughing," Severa growled.
"I'm sorry, I just-!" Liz coughed, "I mean, fine. I getcha, Sev. Probably not as much as these two but I getcha. You care about him. But I'm starting to think it's more than that."
"Don't say it," Severa pleaded, "Don't say it. Not right now. I understand what you mean but do. Not. Say. It."
"You're very prickly today. More than usual," Liz sighed, "guess I should've seen that coming, given the circumstances."
"We shouldn't have charged in willy-nilly," Severa said, "We shouldn't have, but Corrin did it anyway. We have Leo, the great tactician of Nohr, on our side, and she chose to do a full assault. I don't get it. I'm fucking- Gawd, I am fucking furious."
"Do not rope my master into this," Jakob chimed in, the glow of his staff waning as Felicia took up the bulk of the work. "It is not her fault that this ninja got unlucky."
"This 'ninja' has a name, butler," Severa snarled, letting go of Kaze's hand to stand up and glare at Jakob. "And if you dare – if you fucking dare – to insinuate that it's his fault that he's like this, I'll send you to the Dusk Dragon's court myself. Am I clear?"
Jakob looked back down at Severa impassively before sighing. "Crystal. You should know that he shall likely make a full recovery. He is lucky enough to have not taken the brunt of those bamboo shafts, but he will not be in fighting condition for a week at the most. Felicia could tell you more. I am going to find Lady Corrin."
"Good," Severa grumbled, crossing her arms. "Go find your master."
Jakob left, leaving only Liz, Severa, Inigo, Owain, and Felicia around. Before long, the maid bowed out as well, with Kaze's condition stabilizing. Severa sat back down, grasping his hand once more. Liz got a good look at the ninja, feeling herself wince unintentionally.
The poor man had been impaled through his arm and leg, as well as one straight through his stomach. The most pressing one through his stomach had been the focus of the healing session, and while it was still covered with white bandages, it likely would not trouble him too badly. The piercings through his leg and arm, however, made Liz worry a little.
"I wonder where Saizo is," Liz said aloud, "You'd think he'd be here, considering Kaze is his brother."
"He was wounded in battle fighting Kotaro. Not as badly as poor Kaze here, but wounded all the same," Inigo supplied, looking around. "Either that, or he's out trying to locate Kagero."
"What's so great about her?" Severa growled, "What's so great about her that we couldn't have just burned this entire place to the ground from afar? It was there! It was vulnerable the minute we spotted it! But because on the off chance that this girl might get hurt, we had to charge in here and nearly get killed? This is bullshit."
"In a way, I agree," Liz sighed, "but, I mean, what would you have had her do, if it was you in those dungeons?" Liz looked down. "What if it was me down there? Would you still think this way?"
Severa's silence was telling. After a moment, she quietly mumbled to herself as her thumb lightly ran circles on Kaze's palm.
"You two, go find and help Corrin, alright?" Liz asked, "I'll talk to her later. I'm not going to leave Severa alone like this."
"It'd be better if you did," Severa bitterly remarked.
"I wouldn't be a good aunt if I left my only family here alone with her wounded boyfriend and nothing but her thoughts, right?" Liz asked, a small smirk drawing itself across her face seeing a violent blush spread across Severa's face.
Severa turned back to Kaze, mumbling even more.
"A decent suggestion," Inigo noted, standing back up. "We have no idea if there are more Mokushujin within the fortress. We could be ambushed at any moment, eh? C'mon, Owain."
"We are here for you, Severa," Owain said suddenly. "Never forget that, old friend."
Severa nodded. "Thank you, Owain."
Finally, all that remained were Severa and Liz, staring and standing by as Kaze peacefully slept.
"So," Liz began, tapping her knee. "I was joking about being a great aunt but it looks like that might be happening sooner than I-!"
"Auntie, not another word before I decide it's time for more sword training."
"Are you sure you shouldn't be resting, Saizo?" Corrin asked, her voice shaky as they descended into the depths of the newly captured fortress. Despite the depth, the corridors were well-lit, more so than the outside of the fort. "You took a nasty hit…"
"I'm. Fine," Saizo growled out. "I could have done this on my own, but since you so graciously offered to accompany me, Princess Corrin, the least you could do is stay silent."
Corrin's mouth closed with an audible 'plop'. Truthfully, her mind was still overtaken by thoughts from the battle. Kaze's condition wasn't good, and Saizo appeared to be running on pure spite and desperation alone. Overall, the battle had gone in their favor, and a second part of it had been stopped by the timely arrival of Liz and Takumi's group, but she still felt as if it was her fault.
It was her fault, in a way. It was her strategy that didn't heed Leo's tactical advice. No doubt her adoptive brother would give her hell for the strategic blunder, even if they had won, and she couldn't find it within her heart to blame him for that. In the end, their strategy may have saved Kagero; the smoke would have entered the underground structures and suffocated her. But it came at a cost.
The battle was over, though, Corrin reminded herself. That was all that mattered.
"Kagero?" Saizo called, looking at the various cells. "Kagero, are you here?"
"Saizo!?" A strong, distinctly feminine voice called out. "Saizo, is that you?"
"Yes," Saizo replied, moving towards the dungeon cell that now had a pair of hands wrapped around its bars. "I came as soon as I heard you had been apprehended by these Mokushujin trash. They did not-?"
"I am fine, for the most part. If a bit rattled," Kagero replied, looking beside him. "Is… is that who I…?"
"We can speak of it later," Saizo said, "first, let us get you out of here."
"You always go marching through dungeons. First in the Wind Tribe, then Izumo – at some point at least, I'm sure – and now here. I almost think you like the draftiness of them." Takumi snorted, looking up to the sky.
"Takumi," Corrin sighed, "Just… tell me. What did you find while you explored this place?"
Takumi shrugged. "Honestly? Not much. We have some good weapons now, and the plunder, well, we might not be able to carry it all. But it's just that; plunder. I almost feel like a bandit myself."
"We can't very well return it to the people, can we?" Leo asked, "We have no time to track down every single citizen these borderline thugs got these goods from. Better it be used to save the world than waste away in some treasure room."
"Agreed," Takumi replied before turning back to Corrin. "We already had enough to book passage to Notre Sagesse and back, consider this extra."
Corrin nodded, closing her eyes. "Leo, I owe you an apology."
Leo raised a brow before crossing his arms. "Go on."
"I should have weighed your tactical advice more effectively," Corrin said, feeling as if she were crumbling at the seams. "And it nearly cost us dearly. If we had not-!"
Leo held up a hand, silencing Corrin. After she stopped, Leo let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It was boneheaded and reckless, but we are all still here regardless, though I am sure Kaze now wishes, in hindsight, that we had gone with a more cautious approach," Leo said, "I will not reprimand you, because it is not my place to. It seems as if you're doing that enough already. You have a decent knack for tactics, sister, but you always had an issue with overconfidence. Consider this a valuable lesson: never underestimate your enemy. It is always better to be smarter than to be braver."
Corrin listened carefully to Leo's words, and took them to heart. She nodded, feeling suddenly tired.
"I will coordinate with the others on how best to clear out the remaining soldiers here," Leo said quietly, "You should focus on resting for now. That dragon form takes a lot out of you, doesn't it?"
Corrin felt herself laugh, despite the situation.
"More than you know, Leo."
And we are at 30 Chapters! Hard to imagine that we've gotten this far. It definitely won't be as long as Aberration, but it'll still be the size of three good-sized books. We've got maybe 20 chapters more to go. Onwards!
Here's a link to our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a
See you guys next time!