A/N: Before anyone reads, further, I encourage everyone to read the new updated chapters. Along with fixing grammar mistakes, I've changed a few things and added some more details. I especially encourage a reread of Mikoto and August's conversation in Ch. 9. I've also changed August's surname from 'Claude' to 'Mymir' and his sword 'Fenrir' to 'Laufey'. Reading back on the story, I always had a bit of a problem with them especially since Claude and Fenrir are names in other Fire Emblem games. Also, I just finished GOW 4 and have been on a Norse Mythology kick as of late. And for those new to the story, thanks for checking it out and I hope you enjoy.
April 24th, 1506 AD
Hinoka, dressed in her sky knight attire, walked over to Corrin and August with Azura behind her. The eldest daughter of Yamato looked at her sister with a smile, "I have to go meet up with mother and Ryoma, my face is too recognizable to walk around the public. Azura? Could you lead Kamui and August around the festival."
"Alright," The blue haired princess dipped her head into a nod as Hinoka rushed off to join with the rest of her family. Azura looked at the two of them, a light smile formed onto her face. "I'll show you around."
Azura led them through the stands that were selling masks, souvenirs, and food to the attendants. August looked to Corrin as they walked amidst the bright array of colors. However the princess kept her eyes to the ground and her face blank. Her lips tensed in thought as she ignored the noise.
"Hey, Corrin, you in there?" August asked, catching the princess' attention. He moved himself to one of the stands as he kept his sight on her, "You want something to eat?"
"...Sure," Corrin meekly said as she moved herself beside August. The two stood at an old woman's food vendor that had been flourishing with a savory scent.
"You two kids look like you could go for some of my world-famous roasted potatoes!" The lady cheered as he handed them a pile of sliced potatoes on a wooden board. "They're delicious and nutritious! I guarantee you'll love 'em."
August paid for the food as he and Corrin walked over to Azura, the fair-haired princess placing one of the slices into her mouth as they walked. Corrin commented on the food, "Wow, it's really good. I've never tasted spices like these before."
"Is it?" Azura asked as she looked at the two of them as she took one, which they nodded their heads to. "Mm, you're right. This is delicious."
"Well I'm glad you two are enjoying it…" August deadpanned as he held onto the plate, unable to take one without the risk of dropping it all.
Corrin laughed at August's demeanor, taking one of the slices in her fingers and raising it to his face. "Alright, you big baby, open wide…"
"Seriously, right here?" August asked as he looked around the crowd that they were in. "Corrin, do you not understand how weird that looks?"
The princess frowned at his nagging, "Do you want some or not?"
With a sigh, August relented. Corrin fed him slice after slice, and during this, August could feel a few eyes on them. He could also hear light laughter coming from Azura seeing him get red-faced. But luckily, his solace arrived in the form of a bell that echoed throughout Shirasagi square.
"It's time for the ceremony," Azura announced to the two of them, taking the lead to the statue of the Dawn Dragon, Byakuja.
In the midst of their walk, August looked to Corrin. He noticed something attached to her hip, a sword that had a strange aura radiating from within its sheath. He looked at the princess with a raised brow.
"Where did you get that?" He asked in a low voice.
Corrin's fingers grazed against it, "It was given to me by my… By King Garon."
"I see…" August nodded along, noticing how painful it was for Corrin to mutter those words.
"Do you think they're doing okay?" Corrin asked, causing August to raise a brow at what exactly she was referring to. "My siblings, my… adopted ones."
"They're most likely fretting over you. Camilla is probably flying around Ragea, Xander is sending troops, Leo is scouting for you in secret, and Elise is cheering them all on, hoping to be the first to tackle you in a hug."
Corrin smiled at the thought of that as they reached the center of the square, "I can honestly see that…"
The princess walked over to stand beside her mother, who waited for the rest of her children to arrive, while August stood amidst the crowd. He kept himself near the front, placing his hands into his pockets while he watched the other Hoshidan royals arrive. Mikoto began guiding her children where to stand for the ceremony, a large crowd already forming as they patiently waited for the royal family to begin. He looked over to her youngest son, who strayed away from the group with his arms folded.
"Takumi, come stand next to Kamui." She asked him while she stood next to Ryoma and Sakura.
The prince scoffed as he folded his arms, "This ceremony is pointless, allowing a Nohrian like her into our court. Bah. What a waste of effort, let alone trust."
"Now, of all places?" Hinoka groaned as she turned to her younger brother, "Takumi, why can't you‒"
"Let's calm down Hinoka," Mikoto insisted in a collected tone of voice, "Takumi will come around, let's give him space until then."
Hinoka turned to her brother, who was resilient in his attitude, but she could only let out a sigh. She looked at Kamui, who stirred in discomfort as she looked at Mikoto. The princess gazed downward to her haori, her face flushing as she began to speak.
"Um… Mother," Mikoto turned to her daughter as she kept her gaze onto her clothes. "T-Thank you, for accepting me into Hoshido. But both it, and Nohr… I'm a part of both of them. And despite it all, I can't bear to be against either of them. I want to be the bridge that connects these two, I want to see their people hold hand and hand. That's what I want to be for our people here, and my people there."
August smiled at her words. But amidst the crowd, he could feel tension. Civilians spoke amongst themselves at the thought of Nohr. Savage, scum, demons- they were all words that he heard from them. But… At least Corrin's words rang well with her Hoshidan family. Save for Takumi, they smiled at her hopes. It was almost like a child revealing her fantasy.
After a long pause, the ceremony began. Hoshidans watched as Mikoto gathered their attention with grace. The royal princes and princesses behind her centered around Corrin, who shifted in slight discomfort at the amount of attention she received but she held steadfast. People gathered around in anticipation as Mikoto stood with her children. August watched with an odd feeling bubbling inside him. It was warm, gentle, and tickled in his chest. Was this pride? The sight of Corrin, dressed pretty and standing before a crowd, was a nice sight. It brought him to smile, knowing that she would be alright. Yet that warm, fuzzy feeling was replaced by an odd shift. Its presence caused his heart to jump.
Within the square, he noticed figures in the far distance from the center. They hid within shops and alleyways where few would spot them. Each one he saw had bound themselves in a large cloak. August readied Laufey in his grip and slithered through the crowd to find any guards available. Only to freeze once he was hit by that odd sensation once again.
He looked to the center of the masses, where a man in a robe outstretched his hand towards the royals. Following it, he saw the blade on Corrin's hip begin to tremble. A crimson aura seeped out of it and its eyes opened and leered about as it floated from its scabbard. It zipped to the cloaked man's hand. People already dispersed, allowing him enough space. He plunged it into the ground and sent out a wide explosion.
August watched as time moved slowly. The force sent him flying beside citizens. Shards of the Ganglari sword shot into many unfortunate souls. Blood, debris, and bodies flew through the air. His ears went deaf, the sounds of ringing were all that was. The weak barrier of air that he scrambled together had protected him from any serious damage. But while he was in midair, his eyes caught something in just a flash. Yet it was so vivid, so visceral, it had shattered his mind.
Queen Mikoto had thrown herself onto Corrin before the blast could reach them. Spikes drilled into the woman while Corrin stood frozen. She threw her life away, for her…
I would be reunited with my daughter for a brief period of time. Mikoto's premonition echoed in August's head as he flew through the air.
August hit the ground with a hard smack. He landed onto the remains of a shop, where ruined bricks and scaffolds served as a cushion of sorts. He picked himself up with a grunt as his vision came back to. His sword was used as a cane that shook in his grip. But as he lifted his head, he saw what had befallen.
The royal family were in the center of the square, where they surrounded Mikoto. Their mother was covered in her own blood, she laid there, weak and dying as her children kneeled beside her. And Corrin watched from a distance away, her mother's blood sprayed onto her. The princess' face was lifeless as she watched Sakura desperately flick her festal to heal the Queen's wound. Nothing happened.
"H-Her wounds…. They're too much! M-Mother, I…" The youngest daughter had tears well up from her eyes as she desperately tried to flick the staff to work while Takumi kneeled beside her.
"Just keep trying!" He cried out in a plea. Takumi looked at the woman with water flowing from his own eyes, "Mother, please, just hold on! We'll fix this!"
The Queen outstretched a hand, it jittered as Takumi reached out to grasp her. The four royals clung to their mother as the light from her eyes waned. Her breaths slowed as her head rolled off to the side, where Corrin stood. With the last of her strength, she was able to whisper out to her, "K-Kamui…"
Mikoto's body went limp. Those dark brown eyes that sparked with life and peace had been snuffed out. And her children were silent, frozen, their hearts stopped after hers. And Corrin, she felt as if her light had been snuffed out as well.
Ryoma was the first to come back. His body rattled and his breath became rigid as he stood up. He wanted blood for this. The prince turned to the source of this tragedy that destroyed the square and murdered his mother. His eyes landed on the cloaked figure, who stood amidst his destruction without any movement.
Ryoma reached for the Rajinto at his hip, "You…" He growled before charging in. With a power surge of lightning in his strike, he was able to cleave through the man. But all he cut through was mist. Its particles were still fresh and lingered around his sight. The prince needed to see blood, "SHOW YOURSELF! Face your death, you will bleed for your crimes!"
"Ryoma!" Hinoka cried out, her hands still entwined with her mother's alongside her younger siblings. "Ryoma, stop!"
As soon as those words left her mouth, the enemy advanced. Nohrians, hidden and protected from the blast, sprung from the outer square and rushed to the center with weapons. At the arrival of the troops, any able-bodied Hoshidan soldier rushed over to defend the royals. However, Ryoma looked upon the challenge with soulless eyes. He raised his Rajinto, golden sparks bursted from the blade. "For my family! FOR MY MOTHER!"
Amidst the struggle against the invaders, August rushed over to Corrin. The princess was still frozen, her eyes locked onto the bloodied corpse of her mother. He took the girl's hands and attempted to shake her out of her stupor. August shouted, "C'mon, we have to go! Corrin!"
His words fell deaf, more so muted amidst the thoughts that swirled within her mind. All she could see was Mikoto, lying dead and bloodied. All because of her. Mikoto sought her for years, Corrin could imagine the restless nights of grief the poor woman had been put through. She spent her life to shield Corrin, from her own sword. The Ganglari was given to her by King Garon. It was meant to do this. And she brought it. She did this. It's her fault. All of it.
"I…I..." Corrin gritted her teeth as she watched the fighting, the blood spilt, the destruction. Grief, shock, and fury, they all surged within her chest. She should have died, she should have died a long time ago and spared everyone from this. Hoshido, Nohr, everyone would have been better off. If she had died…
"Everyone… I should have died…" Wind around Corrin had become intense, becoming a dark purple that surged from her body. "Everyone should…" She fell to her knees, with August's pleas still falling mute. "Die…" She clenched her fists as she felt the flames envelop her skin. "Everyone DIE!"
August was launched backwards from a sudden plume of fire that swallowed Corrin. He acted fast and summoned a shield of wind which licked off the flames and weakened his fall. And from the ground, he saw his student‒ his friend's form being snuffed out by the fires. However, upon closer inspection, he saw something change. He saw her arms splitting into large, slender limbs of a lizard. Her torso outstretched as she fell to her knees. Metamorphosis, much like a butterfly from a cocoon. But once the flames were dispelled by her wings, it revealed what Corrin had become.
A dragon. A silver, slender, equine body with outstretched wings. It had horns of a deer that hung at the sides of her blank visage. Its jaw was thin, barely connected to its head. The beast stood upon its knuckles as it reared, flailing its frontal legs and screeched with distortion. August watched in shock, much like everyone else amidst the ruins. Corrin turned her head, towards where the Nohrians and Hoshidans fought, and charged. Her large tail swept the battalion, leaving the Hoshidan to steep back and watch. Corrin crushed many of them beneath her feet, bones cracked, bones spewed, and many of them stood their ground.
"Dammit!" August cursed as he picked himself up. He watched from afar, noticing the swords that the Mercenaries carried. Wyrmslayers, a blade designed to kill dragons and the like. He looked for Ryoma, to help deal with the troops, but he found him occupied. Dealing with the hooded figure who had re-emerged from his feet.
"I'll kill you for this!" Ryoma screamed from a distance, blood curled and eyes alight with fire.
August gritted his teeth as he clenched his strained chest. He couldn't even work his lungs correctly, how was he going to get everyone out of here alive? Dammit, he couldn't think straight. He was about to shut down any minute now.
"Ah~" A pleasant voice snapped him out from his stupor, August turned his head to find Azura. A swirl of energy flowed around the blue-haired princess as her voice rang. And from her voice, August could feel strength returning to his bones. She moved over to the man, "You looked stressed, I figured you might know what to do next?"
"I wouldn't say know, but I might have an inkling of an idea." August coughed as he held his blade steady. He looked to Ryoma at the other side of Shirasagi Square, lightning cracked from his blade with each strike for the hooded figure's head. The crown prince violently threw each slash without his blade able to strike its target's vital areas, all without armor to protect him in such a violent fight. August voiced himself to the royals, "Ryoma is in danger at the moment. Lady Hinoka, can your tenma still fly?"
"Of course she can," Hinoka attempted to sound proud, but her voice faltered amidst the ruins as she stroked the wings of Tomoe. Her steed gave soft whimpers as the princess gently climbed on. Hinoka turned to her brother's bout, "I'll help Ryoma. Takumi, come with me."
"Right," Takumi clenched the Fujin Yumi that hung onto his shoulder. The prince hopped onto his sister's tenma as they watched the dragon fend off the attackers. He clenched his teeth and managed to spit out, "And what of that?"
"I'll deal with it," August responded quickly, "Just go."
As soon as the two eldest royals got off the ground, August began to shout out orders to the bewildered soldiers with gusto. It was a simple command, protect the royals and leave the dragon to them. Kaze and Rinkah were sent after the soldiers with wyrm slayers while he, Azura, and Sakura calmed down Corrin. As he rushed over to the dragon, his sword at his side in case he needed to summon a barrier of wind to protect them. August shouted to the two young women at his side, "Right now, Corrin is our only hope of surviving against these bastards. But I'm afraid it also puts us at risk if we don't find a way to calm her down."
As August readied his blade and kept Sakura behind him, Azura spoke within close ear shot and said, "I might have a way to calm her down." The princess clenched the pendant around her neck, "Though, I'm not entirely sure it will work."
"I'm open for anything, milady." August laughed as he summoned a blast of lightning to pierce through a Nohrian's head. To his left, he could hear Sakura wince at the sight of the man's charred brain chunks flying out of his skull. August grabbed her hand and turned her away from the sight, "Lady Sakura, can your staff still heal?"
"Y-yes," The princess answered meekly, trying her best not to look at the growing number of bodies amidst the ruins of the square. She gripped her healing rod tightly as they ran, "W-what would you need me to do?"
"There are soldiers fighting with great wounds, I'm going to get you near to heal them. Are you alright with that?" August asked her as he kept the youngest princess close for safety, much to her discomfort but she held her tongue considering what conflict they were in.
"Yes," She nodded her head, clenching her bloom festal tighter as she looked to the struggling soldiers before them. "I-I'll do my best!"
At her confirmation, August summoned a gust of wind against a group that tried to rush against them as Sakura went to heal some samurai. The man kept the attacks going as the princess tended to the wounded. Summoning bursts of fire which washed over Nohrians by a strong gale of green wind. Azura joined them in the midst, her song kept August strong enough to continue the spellcasting. But what caused August to flinch was a grasp onto his shoulder. His eyes shot over his shoulder, finding themselves to land on a colorful pair.
One was a mahogany haired man dressed in the average Sky Knight uniform, the other was a samurai dressed in predominantly pink and a youthful expression upon her face. The sky knight was the one to clasp his shoulder, a confident smile upon his lips. "Please, allow me to defend Lady Sakura, it is my duty as her retainer after all."
"Hey! I'm her retainer too!" The samurai next to him yelled out as she brandished her katana. She looked back to August, her face stern as she stood at the side of Sakura. "But yeah, leave protecting Lady Sakura to us!"
August looked between the two, their faces kept a semblance of brightness amidst this dark scene. Something that was reflected into Sakura's eyes as she stood in between them. August held no doubts as he and Azura rushed off into the danger that was reaching its climax. Once they separated from Sakura, they noticed the numbers of Nohrians diminish amidst the square. Either they laid dead, injured, or cowered at the rampaging dragon.
"Azura, you told me that you had a way to calm her down right?" August blurted as the two rushed into the scene through the bodies that were keeled over in their own blood.
The princess nodded as she clenched her pendant, her lips tightened and brows furrowed as the sounds of the skirmish continued. August led them over to where the elder three royals had broken away from where Ryoma had fought. A single cloak remained with multiple tears and holes remained of the assailant. They all shared heavy breaths from the lack of time to comprehend it all.
Yet that would have to wait, Corrin needed to be tended to. The dragon currently stood amidst a scattered corpses of Nohrians, taking rapid distorted breaths as its head was lowered. The world seemed to stand still before it. As they all stared upon it, Azura began to walk forward.
"You are the ocean's gray waves~"
The blue haired princess began a melody. Her pendant began to float as it still hung around her neck, illuminating in a bright blue. Radiant bubbles began to form around her and swirled in a delicate flow. The dragon snapped its head towards her, locking onto Azura as she vocalized.
As soon as it hit him how close Azura was getting, Ryoma began to make a break to stop her. He shouted, "Azura! Stop! You'll‒"
A vortex of water erupted and blocked off Ryoma, sending him backwards for Takumi and Hinoka to catch him. Azura gave a hardened glance at them before continuing her song. With each step she took forward, the dragon slithered back. As Azura got closer to the creature, a gentle smile crossed her face.
"Yet the waters ever change‒"
Sakura's cry pierced through the square upon seeing the dragon's retaliation. With one swipe of her claws, Corrin knocked down Azura. August's hand instinctively reached for his sword, ready to summon a gale of wind, but he stopped when a circle of water began to flow around the dragon.
"F-flowing like time…" Azura slowly tilted her head upwards, her face wrinkled with pain as her voice struggled to sing. "The path is, yours to c-climb…"
The dragon grasped her throat, Azura let out a weak yelp as the claws tightened. Takumi immediately readied his bow for the dragon's head, but his bow was forcefully lowered by August. The prince shot the foreigner a piercing stare but he responded by gesturing to the stunned dragon. Its gaze lingered on its victim underneath its large claws.
"Kill me if you want…" Azura's croaking had caused the dragon to slowly lose her grip on the blue haired princess' neck. Her eyes watered as the two looked at each other, "But… do it as yourself."
Those words pierced the dragon, causing it to let go of Azura. It tread backwards on its knuckles and with one last roar, it began to transform back. A mist emerged from it like steam and enveloped the dragon, leaving its shrinking silhouette visible. Corrin's hair was a candle flicker that slowly died in its intensity and silver blue hue. Eventually, the smoke dissipated and revealed the princess.
Corrin clenched the sides of her head, her face creased with pain, and her body twitched like a dying animal that seethed with anguish. She looked like she could fall to pieces at any moment. August rushed over to her, leaping over any stray rubble, to help support her to her feet. As he stood beside her, he had heard her fragmented muttering that was barely above a whisper.
"I… I… Remember… That day…" Her grip on August's forearm tightened, which he did his best to ignore for her sake. Corrin's last whisper was taut and just about to break, "Oh gods… I remember… Everything…"