Deliverer of Birthright

by romeoraiden

My First Story. Two Nations. One desperate enough to bring a terrible war, the other more concern for themselves, and at the center, a sheltered Princess is forced to make difficult choices for the good of all. In her quest to do what's right many will stand with her and many more will oppose, throwing her in a state of despair. And from the chaos a Fallen Hero will rise again.

29. Chapter 29: We Are All Monsters Deep Dow

Chapter 29: We Are All Monsters Deep Down

With tremendous anger and power, Robin delivers a mighty punch at the now demonized Iago in retaliation for his latest crime, even if it was unintentional, sending the monster tumbling on the floor violently, however this mighty blow doesn't seem to even phase him as he gets up effortlessly and as he extends his right hand, a black hole, similar to Elise's Apocalypse spell forms around Robin to suck him, however the Hoshido Noble has an easier time dispatching the powerful spell than Corrin as all it took is a swing from Ragnell infused with Ignis. He proceeds to vertically swing the great sword down on Iago, who again is able to block it forming another dark shield. Robin only has maybe a second or less to avoid the next attack as grotesque blades come right out of Iago's chest that easily bypass his shield as if they are intangible but Robin can tell that they will be tangible to his flesh, so with superhuman speed, he turns to his left to evade the blade. Unfortunately, Iago anticipated this, even that he would turn left, that's why he had another Singularity ready to suck him in right below him that Robin definitely didn't have time to counter against.

"Dammit!" Robin cursed his luck as he desperately channels Light Magic to purge this demonic darkness but Iago doesn't give him much of a chance as he attacks again, with one of his demon swords in hand he horizontally swings it on Robin, thankfully, he can parry this attack and this black hole isn't as strong as the first one so he can escape it with his light, afterwards he is able to land a successful slash and bisects the new Demon from his torso. To Robin's further dismay, Iago is also unphased by this and his cut body attaches itself back together so impossibly fast that all who witness this fight would easily mistake Robin for fighting a phantom instead.

"Ah… at long last, I am liberated from the burdens of humanity." Iago said so irritably prideful that Robin becomes more and more compelled to hurt him further and rectify his failure of making sure he stays dead unlike last time.

"MOTHER!" Corrin cried out in anguish as she holds the dying Arete in her arms, the sword that impaled her that was meant for Corrin as she inexplicably used herself as a shield to protect her vanishes from her body, leaving the open wound to bleed out more. "No, no, no, NO!"

"Mommy…" Elise uttered, unable to process what she's witnessing.

"You're Majesty, no!" Effie cried out in horror.

"Oh, what grave and terrible evil would commit such an unforgivable crime?" Arthur uttered with both grieve and rage.

"Mother… mother…" Azura uttered, despair all over her as she can only crawl to reach for Arete and Corrin, no longer having the energy to move her legs.

Arete groans over the pain she's in still, clinging to life, staring intently at her wound and fruitlessly tries to stop the bleeding, like Corrin is doing but the wound is too big and it goes all the way to her back as well, and even if they could stop the bleeding she's lost too much blood already for a healer to be of use. Knowing the end is near, all she can do is spare a glance at each of the daughters beside her.

"Why…" Corrin uttered, hopelessly confused by what's happened.

"Are you three okay at least?" She dodges her question and asks her own, as softly and gentle as she always would when comforting each of them. Emotionally destroyed as she is, Corrin is still able to reply with a weak nod that made her smile before she closes her eyes. "Good…"

"No… don't… don't leave…" Corrin mumbled barely able to say the bitter words. "… don't leave me…"

"My, how unfortunate." Iago bemused, looking apathetic towards what he's done.

"She was your queen, Iago!" Robin protested angrily at the devil.

"I was aiming for Corrin, she has no one to blame but herself." Iago heartlessly shrugged off. "I've longed predicted such an outcome to be honest, to think that anyone would still care for a traitor such as that pitiful dragon."

Taking advantage of his ever increasing ego, Robin spitefully shuts him up by grabbing him by his mouth and fires a light blast at pointblank, partially destroying the Demon's face and knocks him to the ground, Iago even groans in obvious pain, immediately proven wrong after his bold claim.

"Nothing can hurt you, eh? Demon plus Light equals a very dead Demon." Robin scoffed, just as he was about to launch another attack, Iago violently retaliates by getting up and starts swinging his clawed hands at his rival, Robin is able to parry each of them but it's getting harder as each blow is twice more powerful than the last, his hold on Ragnell is loosening. In frustration, Robin truly begins to channel his power over light with his body shining bright with a ray, striking at Iago that make him groan in more pain but still he resists and his body erupts with purple flames that counter against Robin's light until the spells cancel each other out, afterwards, Iago rushes the Tactician, grabbing him by the neck and pins him to the ground.

"Futile! The Fires of Hell can consume even the Light Side of Aether itself." Iago boasted.

"I know, but I've been burned by hotter flames than whatever puny smoke keeps coming out of you." Robin shrugged.

"Like what?" Iago dared just as Selena comes into the fight and impales Iago with her sword, now pinning him to the ground and the sting of her blade also hurts him.

"You bastard!" Selena growled in outrage and magic envelops her as she hits Iago with a shockwave that creates a deep hole for the Demon to fall further below.

Expecting him to come out eventually, Selena and Robin move out of the way as Iago rushes out while covered in his purple flames, ready for another go at them, only to end up clashing with Odin next as he slices off his right arm with a vertical slash from his own sword.

"You are all a nuisance!" Iago snapped as he unleashes a powerful firebreath to incinerate them all but the combined power of both Morgensterns by Robin and Selena, the flames are absorbed into the tomes, stopping the attack. Odin and Laslow move in to fight the Devil next, the latter shoots three arrows that are made up of glass that Iago wisely avoids, realizing from the start that those would've been dangerous and he then blocks Odin's Missiletainn with his right hand that rapidly regenerated after he had sliced it off and at once both Sorcerers unleash a furious burst of dark energy that blast them both away from each other and neither were harmed as a result.

"My, my, what an unexpected development." Iago mused as he looks down upon Robin and the Trio with intrigue. "I suspected there was something going on between the four of you but I foolishly brushed it off as unimportant. A mistake I'm gonna have to rectify right now."

"Iago. What's happened to you, for all your twisted ideals and bloodthirst, you were a true champion of Nohr, revered enough to have received the trust of the court." Laslow questioned.

"Bah! As if a fool like you could understand. Nohr was never my home, just a means to an end for my true home, but it's all gone now, all that matters now is my vengeance and with the Queen assassinated by the traitors of the Crown, this Kingdom's lust for carnage will increase a hundredfold." Iago declared, seeing the loss of Arete as a happy accident.

"You're a blight that even the Darkness is disgusted with." Odin cursed with uncharacteristic contempt.

"Says who? The Tenets of Qliphoth?" Iago questioned with sarcasm and smugness. "The Gods are dead. All that matters in this world is power absolute."

"And like so many who have come before you, the power which you gave up everything for will prove to be completely useless in the end." Robin avowed.

"Is that so." The Fallen One chuckled. "Come and prove me wrong then, though don't be surprise once you fine your spines under my clutches."

"You sure love to hear yourself talk, don't you." Selena sneered.

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, Selena." Iago vowed and in the blink of an eye, over hundreds of demonic swords appear to surround the heroes, threatening to impale them before they could react and as the swords are sent flying, they fail to hit their targets as a translucent, bluish sphere is created that traps the four inside that easily repels all the swords.

"What…" Iago mumbled in confusion over this sudden development as he is certain that neither Robin, Selena nor Odin casted this spell. It is a peculiar one, the sphere has a ring around its orbit with Roman numerals on it, also, the four inside look to be immobile as they didn't even so much as flinch when the sphere showed up and its translucent enough for him to have noticed with his new supernaturally enhanced eyesight. "How curious. What is this?"

"Time Magic? In this day and age?" The ominous voice of Wrath can be heard in Iago's mind as the fire demon is witnessing to everything through his one good eye. "Most curious."

"Time? There's no way these fools can have such power." Iago hissed.

"I truly pity you for what you have become but that does not mean you won't be purge in a way deemed fit for your insidiousness." Iago turns his head to see another newcomer who has enter the battlefield, who unbeknownst to him is the Rainbow Sage himself.

"HIM…" Wrath hissed.

"Oh… and who might you be exactly?" Iago asked intrigued before noticing that it's not just Robin, Selena, Odin and Laslow that are caught in a sphere as Corrin, Azura, Elise, Arete and the other retainers are also trapped in spheres, each small enough to contain only one person and are all floating beside the Sage, confirming that it was he who saved the four.

"A man who's also sinned and fallen from Grace but unlike you, I will not sully my hands with innocent blood. Never again." Hydra said with scorn. "Your madness will end the only way it should, Macbeth."

"That name no longer holds any meaning to me." Iago scoffed with malice at the mention of that name.

"It's the name of your true self who you've pointlessly buried for something as petty as revenge." Hydra lectured.

"Jeez, and the pot calls the kettle black." Greed sneered.

"I've only just met you and already I'm sick of you. Time to die." Iago hissed as he goes in to attack the Rainbow Sage with one fell swoop but like with the two sins who attacked his Sanctuary, that was ill advised. Hydra does something truly unexpected that surprises even the two Sins as Hydra pulls one of the Nohrians he saved, Peri and uses her as a shield, putting her between him and Iago and what was even more surprising is how Iago gasps in horror upon seeing Peri and in desperation stops himself, just barely able to avoid hitting her.

"So, Macbeth isn't completely gone yet." Hydra mused, as he knew that Iago would stop himself from killing Peri.

"You… you BAS-" The Rainbow Sage stops the demonic tactician for now by firing a mighty shockwave that blows him far and wide into the sky until he is out of sight.

Once that is done with, Hydra opens a portal and returns to the Sevenfold Sanctuary and brings everyone he'd saved with him. He then frees Robin and Corrin from their stasis but leaves everyone else immobile.

"What the…" Corrin uttered in shock by all that's happened and then turns to the Sage. "Hydra?"

"I'm so sorry, Corrin." Hydra mumbled bitterly while he stands next to Arete, looking honestly better than she was before and the wound Iago inflicted is gone.

"Mother!" Corrin sobbed, reaching for her but can only go as far as the sphere can allow.

"This sphere, is this Time Magic?" Robin asked in awe.

"Chrono Stasis. The only temporal spell left in the world unlike the rest of the power that vanished even before the end of the Golden Age of Dragons, and even then it's still a ''minor'' spell." Hydra explained.

"It sure did wonders back there. How are they?" Robin asked turning to the others still locked in the spheres.

"Those in Chrono Stasis are trapped in a time loop, reliving a moment in time continuously in such a way that they are rendered immobile, as you both experienced when you were both trapped inside. Unable to move but not because you are actually being restrain by chains or frozen in a block of ice but rather because the time flow of that area you are standing in has been robbed, by all account you still have control of your body and you are still conscious as well as process everything going on around you but you can't make a single reaction all the same because without time on your side for even the smallest nanosecond there's nothing that can be done as what's truly been stolen from you is your freedom." Hydra explained. "It doesn't work on demonic entities, though, I presume it's because I have yet to truly master this ability. Never saw use for it other than to heal."

"Heal?" Corrin repeated.

"As I said, those trapped inside Chrono Stasis can't react to their predicament because Time is not on their side as it is all mine to command and through my will I accelerate, decelerate and stop the flow all together of those trapped within. By accelerating time, I can rapidly age someone, turning them to dust in a second. By decelerating and stopping time, I can restrain other people and catch an enemy's attack. By reversing time, I can heal wounds by reverting them to a state before they were inflicted and neutralize an enemy's spell by reversing it to a point before it was cast."

"So that's how you were able to save us from the wounds Greed and Envy inflicted on us and the scar Xander inflicted on me. But you're not actually healing the victims, you're reversing the injuries, making it so they never occurred in the first place." Robin surmised.

"Correct. I can even prevent terminal illnesses from ever occurring and erase the cause off the face of existence."

"Does that mean that Arete's…" Corrin began with hope for her stepmother.

"Corrin, I don't want to give you false hope, that's worse than leaving you in despair right now. Even if I had fully mastered this magic, there's no way to save someone's who's lifeforce has already faded." Hydra explained remorseful. "Try as I might, the best I can do to keep her alive is to trap her in a time loop one second before drawing her last breath, no further than that, the spell was simply never meant to resurrect and once she is removed from the sphere death is all that awaits."

"NO!" Corrin snapped in outraged, despair overtaking her but also fear and hatred. "No, this wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to be there! I wasn't supposed to fight Elise."

"The Seven Deadly Sins, or at least one of them aren't done with you yet. Even I realized too late that they were the ones who orchestrated this disaster in Demon's Falls. That fool Zola discovered the secret of the trio a while ago and Greed encouraged him to act under his desire for fame and glory and Wrath turned Elise's sorrow into rage and lure them to their trap. Once those two were set, luring you two was easy, especially since you obviously wanted to see more of Robin's secrets up close." Hydra revealed.

Robin can only grit his teeth in frustration. Like it or not, he caused this and played right into their arms. He was blinded by his fears, even after Azura calmed him down to consider all possibilities. He's such a fool.

"Defiling me and starting this war wasn't enough for them. They had to include so many more innocent people into this and harm my families even more." Corrin growled, vengeance again returning to her thoughts.

"Corrin…" Hydra began.

"Well, I don't care if they can control me again, I'm going to find them and I am going to thrive this sword into each of their blackhearts as many times as it takes to make them answer for every life they've destroyed for their amusement!" Corrin vowed. "Starting with IAGO! He's played me for the last time! What he did to me… he will die by my hands and no other! But before I do any of that, I'm saving Arete, I don't care what it takes. Nohr cannot lose her! Azura and I can't lose her!"

With her declaration, Hydra and Robin exchange knowing looks to one another before making another response to her.

"Very well, child, if that is what you wish, then I shall help you once more with my knowledge." Hydra said. "There is only one relic in all the world that can undo Death itself. The Bifröst."

"The Bifröst. Elise mentioned it to me once, she called it an S-Class Stave that is capable of healing anything, including death itself." Corrin said. "But everyone else brushed it off as an old folk lore of Nestra and nothing worth our attention."

"The Bifröst is very real, and it's power, while exaggerated, it is not outside the realm of possibilities. It's power can in fact heal any wound and disease no matter how supernatural, and as for bringing the dead back to life, that is also true." Hydra explained, filling Corrin with immense hope.

"But such a miracle comes at a cost, Corrin." Robin said next. "As you know, Necromancy grants one the ability to manipulate the ancient power of Death by drawing strength from the Afterlife, however those brought back by it are never truly alive again since the dark magic may be able to reanimate the body but it cannot fully restore one's soul, often times only slivers of it which render them as monsters like the Necrodragons you've encountered. In order to truly resurrect someone, one must pull the soul in full back from the Afterlife and into the Land of the Living and the Bifröst has this power."

"Sadly, there are certain conditions that will always occur when using the Bifröst. The main ones being that it can only be used once a day and that it can only resurrect someone who's been dead for less than twenty-four hours, any longer and it won't work, as such the potential to resurrect multiple people isn't all that promising. And once that person has been resurrected they will often come back with a piece of themselves missing, not physically per say, such as their original personality, memories, magic, or any special talents they might've had with something like a warrior prowess, or warrior spirit in general will be lost, never to be regained again and it is a random issue with no way to predict the result. Essentially, what it really does is reincarnate someone as a mirror image of what they were but never as one that is perfect." Hydra informed.

"Arete is still alive, there's no need to wait for death, we can just restore her while she's still breathing, right?" Corrin said.

"Indeed, as long as she remains like this, her revival will be indefinite and I can keep her like this as long as necessary but I cannot help you with anything else. My power and focus must remain with her, otherwise I could risk canceling the stasis."

"Then where is this Bifröst? Where can I find it?!" Corrin demanded with haste.

"Not with me, obviously, otherwise she'd be as healthy as a newborn already. Long ago, the Bifröst was in the possession of a great and benevolent Cleric who lived a thankless existence three hundred years ago who travelled across Horus healing the sick and the dying who could be saved, never asking for anything in return. A true saint. She successfully hid the fact that she possessed the Bifröst, what's more, people were also none the wiser that this nameless healer was secretly Half-Lycan." Hydra explained.

"Half. Does that mean… the relic is in Mount Garou?" Corrin uttered in horror.

"Yes, hybrid or no, she was still of the Wolfskin and lived with her pure-bred kind and spent her final days with them and due to their distrust of humans, they are dutybound to keep the Bifröst hidden so that no human can ever taint it again." Hydra explained.

"Why can't anything be easy. Not even Garon wants to set foot there." Corrin muttered.

"Not out of fear, though even with the Grimm, invading the den of the wolves is still largely suicide. The Children of Fenrir are powerful adversaries to those who earned their wrath." Hydra continued.

"I don't care! I won't let anything stop me. I will not let my mother die like this. Not for sacrificing herself to save her disloyal daughter!" Corrin declared adamantly, placing both her hands on Arete's sphere. "I'll do anything."

"We're not saying don't go Corrin, I'll use all my power if I must to accomplish this important quest but taking on an entire tribe of beastmen, desecrating their lands and stealing from them, that's not something that will come easy for you. " Robin said.

"And as powerful as you are, I'm not comfortable with just the two of you going there with what's at stake. You're Hoshidan allies are unusable at the moment as the climax of the Battle for Niflheim will reach its conclusion. They cannot spare anything for you two." Hydra said. "However, you have more than enough allies here." As Hydra said so, he releases Selena, Odin and Laslow from their stasis.

"Holy Naga, that was not a pleasant experience." Laslow muttered.

"You three." Robin muttered.

"Yeah, we heard everything you guys were saying and we're in! Lady Arete is our Queen and it was one of our own who left her in this state." Selena declared.

"Yes, we owe it to our beloved Masters to restore the Mother of Dark Divinity back to full life so that she can continue to bring serenity to our Dark Kingdom even after the war ends in Dawn's unfortunate victory." Odin added.

"You three were not this back and forward back home." Robin muttered.

"What did you expect, you put us in a very tough position and these demons you mentioned. We've read about the legends of the most sinister evils to ever bring harm to this world but there is seldom mention of these seven abomination who personify vices but Lord Xander did mention to me that he discovered that you two were fighting an unknown enemy while fighting us as well." Laslow said.

"Xander knows about the demons?" Corrin uttered.

"Garon's known about the Seven since you faced Envy in Izumo and they know about what really happened in the Valley of Ahsoka but chose to prioritize all their efforts into the War and nothing else." Hydra said.

"Son of a…" Corrin cursed in disgust. Hydra was right after all. Nohr would've never helped her if she did approach them with the truth. Not as long as Garon's in control but perhaps if they knew the full details they might've… No! With Iago in the mix it was a fruitless effort. But things will be different for sure.

"With the three of you helping, we should be able to pull this off." Robin said.

"What about our comrades?" Odin asked turning to his Nohrian friends.

"I don't know them all that well to trust them not to stab Cor in the back and the farther away I am from Zero and Peri, the better." Robin objected.

"That's fair. Sorry guys. But rest assure that we'll save the Queen." Laslow apologized to them, especially his partner. "She'll definitely kill me after this."

"What about Azura?" Corrin asked as Hydra never released Azura from the stasis.

"Unlike you, she's just a Replica made by that Multiplex and I doubt she'll be of much used to you so I will dispel her." Hydra said as he makes the Azura copy dissipate, afterwards he turns to Arete and removes her pendant from her. "This shouldn't be in your possession anymore for your body is no longer strong enough. Young Azura is no better but she will hold on far longer." In the blink of an eye, the pendant gets swamped by Corrin's Dragonstone and he gives it back to her.

"You'll need it. Trust me." He insisted.

"Thanks again for your aid." Robin said with gratitude.

"Think nothing of it friend, just come back safely." Hydra replied with a smile.

"I usually always do." Robin smiled back.

"Let's not delay, just because time is on our side doesn't mean we should leave Arete in such a state." Corrin insisted.

"Yes." Hydra said as he makes a hand gesture that creates a portal made of water before them. "This will take you to Mount Garou. Be safe and remember, the Lycans live for combat, and unless you do something miraculous like saving them from a crisis, you won't be able to live without more blood on your hands."

"I… can't care about that right now." Corrin replied trying her best to sound callous as right now all she cares about is saving Arete.

"So you say. Within the Wolfskin village, Kaen, there's an old looking shrine east of it where they offer tribute and worship their own god. Inside you'll find a trapdoor to a basement where the wolves keep their most valuable treasures. The Bifröst will be there, no doubt." Hydra instructed.

Corrin nodded as she was about to step into the portal but stops midway as there is much left unsaid. "Hydra, if you were watching us all along and knew the true danger, why didn't you arrive sooner to stop this? I was Iago's true target, not her."

Hydra gives no answer, the silence raising the tension in the room for a few moments before he turns his head away from them and speaks.

"There is much about me that I cannot say, things that I am bound to live a lie and secrecy." He responded, knowing it to be an unacceptable response. "I know it's a lot to ask, Scions of Destiny but I beg you to tolerate my silence throughout your journey."

"Can I at least really count on you to look after them for me?" Corrin asked referring to Arete and Elise.

"Yes you can." He responded with much more conviction and life. "Consider it a… father's promise, so to speak. The last thing I want is to see a young dragon's suffer such a loss so earlier when her wings have only just begun to spread." He noted while placing a hand on Elise's sphere, referring to her and her wellbeing as her innocence has yet to fully perish.

"I'll hold you to that then." Corrin said as she gives one last look at Arete and Elise, the latter staring right at her in her immobile state, the look of horror after witnessing her stepmother's death still visible as well as her tears but she has overheard and saw everything that transpired so she knows now that Arete has a chance to be saved. If nothing else, Corrin can only hope that this will be enough to at least give her a sense of peace when this war is finally over. She extends her hand out to her, hoping to hold the Budding Flower she once proudly called sister but that time has long since passed. With nowhere to go but forward, Corrin, Robin, Odin, Laslow and Selena take their leave into the portal, leaving the Rainbow Sage with the Nohrian Royals and elites.

Hydra can only sigh to himself as he lies down on a chair, not even bothering to spare a glance at the Nohrians he basically has taken prisoner and the bottle of turmoil they are going through by this situation but still has words to say for Arete.

"Even after everything she's done to your new home and family, you still threw yourself in the line of danger for her. I will never be able to thank you enough for this." He whispered with immense gratitude to the half-dead Queen. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I vow that you will be saved, no matter what."

"Poor, lost souls, these children are. Each of them has a sob story to tell. Children of Darkness always suffer but those who accept and endure are all the stronger for it." Quill said entering the room and walks passed the Nohrians trapped in time. "I don't mean to be bias but there's always been a certain beauty about tragedy that makes the Scions of Light… cheap in comparison. Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps."

"You're never bias when it comes to black, white and gray. Especially since paradise is never what it's cracked out to be, and humans, for all their talks about wanting to live in peace are terrible liars since they've always responded better to negative conditions." Hydra said somber.

"You're in a sorrowful mood." Quill bemused sarcastically.

"Quill." Hydra uttered, conspicuously close to snapping.

"Don't use that tone with me, and besides, you know how that would end for you, and you need to remain focus on her." Quill retorted, placing a hand on the Sage's shoulder, silencing Hydra. "Are you willing to cross any lines to save her? The Bifröst is a blasphemous tool that brings more harm than good to the Human World. That's one Sacred Treasure you should've never created."

"It was needed so many times before and I knew we'd need it again someday, which is why I urged you to hide it in that infested forest since I was forbidden to covet it." Hydra said.

"And now we're supposed to allow someone as frail and sick of death like her to keep it at the cost of I don't know how many Lycans." Quill scowled at the circumstances.

"I'm not asking you to help us, merely that you stay out of the way and let us save her." Hydra pleaded as he turns to Arete. Quill just sighs and also shook his head.

"Old friend, who am I to be mad over the loss of life when my hands are bloodier than most of the old gang. And we both know that all who reside in Horus must partake in the greater plan once the seeds have been sown. The Children of Fafnir are no exception. Try as we might, there is no escaping from the Chains of Fate, not forever." He stated.

"So you'll help Corrin?" Hydra asked.

"I've already given enough help to Sephiroth's kin. for the sake of Shiva's people, I bestow upon them my final Blackgrace. They're on their own from now on." Quill scoffed.

"What you did was overcomplicate things getting between that army and Niflheim." Hydra hissed.

"Ever since Sephiroth's reign ended, Hoshido has always fancy themselves being self-contained. This won't change anything." Quill shrugged.

---

The demonized Iago groan as he crash lands pretty far away from Demon's Falls, a few more miles and he would be out of Nohr territory and right in the border between Nohr and the farther west country of Almyra. Iago really hates that place.

"DAMN! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU DEAD!" Iago roared in outrage over his defeat, angrily swearing vengeance upon Hydra for his interference, his body exploding with demonic energy that infects the environment around him as it all melts like acid.

"Yes! YES! Continue to fuel your anger and power. But take it from me, it is all best reserve for our preys." Wrath suggested, still speaking to him telepathically.

"WHERE?!" Iago demanded.

"Not sure. Greed, where do you think they are now? His Sanctuary?" Wrath asked his sister.

"Obviously but knowing how close he and his daughter are with the Shadow Queen, Corrin would most likely had been sent to find a way to bring her back from the brink of death, which Hydra is undoubtably stalling, and there's only one thing in Solheimian soil where such a thing is possible. The Bifröst. But where, is the real mystery I've longed to discover ever since we reawakened." Greed surmised.

"The Ultimate Staff? I believe I know where it might be." Iago said as he was once interested enough to investigate if the legend was true and he long estimated that the Bifröst could potentially be with the Wolfskin but he never found the time to confirm this, nor would he dare waste time even looking for what could just be a fairytale. If Corrin really did went to find it then he can only curse himself for his inaction.

"AWESOME! Go fetch it for me then." Greed cheered as Iago flies to Mount Garou at Supersonic Speed.

---

The Real Azura holds on to her pendant that Hydra transferred back to her around her neck, the sorrow she felt upon what she saw still consumes her but with one last shred of hope, Hydra telepathically informed her of Arete's only chance for survival that she desperately clings on to.

"Please… save her. Robin… Corrin." Azura pleaded.

"What was that sorrowful force?" Jakob asked taken aback as he like everyone was struck hard by Azura's wave and have seemingly lost the will to fight. Even the Grimm have become docile.

"Such awful despair. Lady Azura…" Kaze uttered, the words he wants to say refusing to come out as he can only watch as the Corrin who he thinks is the real one get on her knees, leave the Noble Yato lying on the ground and give the Songstress comfort.

"It's okay… everything is going to be okay." She assured her mournfully as they both know what the real her and the real Robin are going to do to save Arete.

"Azura! Corrin!" Takumi called out to them as he, Hinoka and Sakura rush to the two.

"Are… A-re you both oka…y?" Sakura is sobbing uncontrollably.

"I… I don't know." Azura mumbled. The weakness she struggled to hide for so long and only ever allowed and trusted Robin to witness now out in the open for all to see.

"I'm so sorry. Nothing is as it should be for both of you." Hinoka said as she gets down to hold them both in a hug.

---

"Dammit. Lady Arete. She can't really be gone." The Replica Robin muttered more so sad for Azura and Corrin as they both think the world of Arete despite now being her enemies. Even though the true Robin barely had the chance to really get to know the Queen of Nohr it was easy to understand why she was so revered, in many ways, she reminded Robin of Emmeryn. Sure she had her moments at being a brute like her husband and she was certainly more stern and headstrong than Emmeryn but it comes with the territory of being one of the leaders of a Kingdom as harsh as Nohr, regardless she had enough similarities to the former Exalt for Robin to respect her as a true queen. He can't even imagine how those two are feeling, as well as Xander, Camilla and Leo. Just looking at the two of them look more defeated than they actually are seems sadder than it already is.

"Robin…" The Chief Tactician turns to see Lilith in dragon form rush to his side, returning to Niflheim. She was sent to act as the main lookout for the coming Nestrian Army and considering how far she was she most likely wasn't affected by Azura's song.

"Lilith, what are you doing back here? You should be on standby for the moment when we can execute the plan to hit Nestra's Army." Robin frowned.

"About that… there won't be a need for us to fight them because Nestra isn't coming." Lilith said as a matter of fact and really scared of something she saw.

"What?" Robin questioned. "What's happened?"

"They're dead. Every last one of the Nestrians sent to help Nohr who were barely half a mile away from here have been all slaughtered. It looked like a Grimm onslaught."

"Ridiculous." Leo uttered, obviously denying such a thing, not that he has the strength to back it up in his current state.

"Yeah, for once I'm with Leo, that's ludicrous. No matter how vicious Garon truly is, a man as cunning as him would never harm his allies." Robin said skeptically.

"I said it was like a Grimm onslaught, I never said it was the case. Just look." Lilith said, holding her Dragonstone to create a projection within it that shows the events Lilith is referring to. And as she said, an area right between the Nohr-Niflheim Border known as Ivaldi, lies in ruins with the corpses of soldiers wearing the armor of the famed Nestra that are designed supposedly out of electrum, a combination of gold and silver while the higher officers are dressed in far more defined and decorated armor. Everything from the minor soldiers to the General himself as well as the powerful war machines they brought with them which are impressive state of the art tools of destruction that used to be a topic of envy for the Nohrians who prided themselves with their own engines of war prior to reacquiring the Grimm, is all destroyed and tarnished beyond recognition. This isn't the aftermath of a fierce battle but of a full one-side slaughter, completely merciless that spared absolutely no one and it really does look like a scene Grimm would leave behind but at the same time there was something else at work.

"What could've done such a thing?" Robin uttered completely in awe and unnerved but nowhere near as shocked as Lilith and as the others would surely react, something Lilith picked up on and honestly unnerved her even more but then again, Robin's no stranger to war and this level of death and carnage.

"Does that mean we've won?" Lilith wondered.

"Too many Nohrians in Niflheim still so let's not celebrate just yet." Robin frowned.

The Grimm resumed their rampage of the Ice Tribe and so did most of the Nohrians but they were ultimately defeated and even Xander went as far as to surrender so that his remaining men and women would be spared, which both Corrin and Ryoma accepted and the remaining enemies are now being round up and detained.

"All of the coming Nestrians are dead?" Ryoma repeated, unable to process what Lilith has informed all of them and even shows them what she showed Robin. "This cannot be."

"I'm showing you all the truth, the threat of Nestra has passed, at least from a military front until the War is at an end." Lilith assured them.

"But what or who could've done this? Surely not Nohr, they have Nestra's strength right at their fingertips." Hinoka uttered.

"Maybe the Seven?" Hinata guessed.

"After everything they put us threw? There's no way they would suffer us to have such an upper hand in this fight." Reina objected.

"What can we possibly make of this and what consequences will this have for us?" Hinoka muttered.

"I'm not positively sure yet but I have a strong feeling that nothing good will come of it. As Lilith said, this massacre will affect us gravely in the future, whoever did this is no ally of ours." Ryoma said, fearing how dire this new predicament will really work for them. "Clearly Robin's previous plan would've been more preferable."

"Would've been?" Robin repeated but went ignored.

"Regardless, we still won this battle and three of the Nohrian Royals are in our custody. Even if this backfires on us and spurns Nohr to be even more brutal, the upper hand is all the closer." Takumi suggested.

"True. Niflheim is safe and with at least Xander in our custody, Nohr's morale will drop significantly. Victory seems within reach but until we get to Garon, nothing is assured." Robin clarified.

"Indeed." Xander bemused while he lies on his knees, his arms wrapped on his back same with Camilla and Leo beside him and the remaining Nohrians that have also been captured. "You've won nothing on this night, so long as my father stands, victory is still within our reach."

"I admire your faith in your Majesty. King Garon will surely be our greatest opponent yet but that will not deter us in the slightest." Ryoma boasted while hiding the anxiousness he feels of facing Garon. He loathes the man but he cannot deny his strength, he will face him alone if he must but he would prefer not to. The best case scenario is that they leave Robin to face the Demon King all on his own. That'll be quite a show, but Corrin will doubtlessly be adamant on facing her former father herself, making it more apparent that Ryoma must face him regardless. Either way, Hoshido will be victorious.

"Do what you will with us as the victors but don't be surprise if your attempts to use us as bargaining chips fails." Xander said.

"Bargaining chips? There will be no need for that once we proceed with our march so consider yourselves fortunate." Ryoma replied.

"Fortunate, eh? We'll see about that." Xander whispered as the Hoshidans leave the captive Nohrians under the guard of the Niflheimians who look more eager to just cut them down than hold them as prisoners of war and Xander can't really fault them but if they do attempt to harm his comrades and siblings despite already being bested, they're in for a surprise from the Crown Prince. "How much longer, Leo?" He whispered to his brother.

"He'll be here soon, very soon. And his magic power is beyond what it ever was so he's already assumed and perfected his Grimmafication." Leo whispered to him. "Robin clearly hasn't noticed yet so he's still under the effects of the Icebuster. The stage is all set."

"Good. A great travesty about the Nestrians but what comes next will certainly be more fulfilling." Camilla hissed as the most driven not to let things end like this, especially as she catches a quick glance of Corrin who has been keeping her distance from the Nohrians, as she walks in a different direction. "Corrin… so close and yet so far away."

"Stay calm, Camilla, please. Now is a good a time as any not to lose yourself to wrath." Xander pleaded with her.

"Xander, what was that feeling we received back then. Was any of it actually real?" Leo asked regarding Azura's sorrow.

"Don't think that way Leo. Mother's fine. She's back in Windmire escorting everyone underground with Elise beside her at all times. Almost everything is as it should be." Xander assured his little brother and sister that nothing bad has happened to their family. That everyone back home is doing better than them. However, even Xander is doubting his own words, and unless they can see her again, they'll never be sure.

---

"Are you two well?" Ryoma asked Corrin and Azura, regarding the shockwave the latter spread across the village.

"We're… fine for the most part, I think." Azura said weakly, the horror she saw and felt still plaguing her but hope still lingers inside. "My mother is not gone yet, Robin can still save her."

"That's not too surprising." Takumi sighed, feeling some relief for the two.

"Now what's next? Do we begin the march for Windmire?" Hinoka asked.

"Not yet. Our forces are exhausted from the previous fight which took its toe on us and Rinkah has yet to recover from all the strain she put herself threw stopping that… tsunami, I think it was called and needs to recover in the Astral Plane." Ryoma said. "Hayato and the other Wind Tribalists have also taken a beating and will likely be out of it for the final battle."

"Damn, of all the times for Leo to give his A-Game as a tactician it had to be now." Corrin muttered.

"He certainly did a number on us but at the very least Niflheim has been saved." Robin replied.

"And for that I am in your debt." Kilma declared, walking to the Hoshidans with both his daughters and Fuga at his side. "Despite the disaster that rain down upon us I am forever grateful to you Hoshidans for coming to our aid. This was a victory I have longed for so very long. And that goes the same for you, my brother of the storm."

"Think nothing of it, Chief Kilma. We of the Precursor Bloodlines are sworn to be there for one another, even if our lessers would forsake it so." Fuga said proud of what they accomplish today.

"I HEARD THAT, ASSHOLES!" Rinkah snapped, walking around despite not being in a proper condition.

"Rinkah, what are you doing, you should be in the Astral Plane recovering." Corrin said.

"I'm… f-fi-fine." Rinkah insisted while shivering because of the cold temperature. Even though a battle just took place in the village with plenty of fire around that hasn't all been taken out yet, the presence of so many ice mages prevents heat from ever taking whole in all areas and since she has so very little magic left at the moment, she's no longer able to generate enough heat to sustain herself in Niflheim.

"You've never been anywhere this cold before, have you?" Takumi asked as he himself has gotten somewhat used to the cold.

"Muspelheimian, remember?" Rinkah hissed.

"Yeah, also no magic, no life for dragonic demigods so quit being stubborn, or else your dad will use us for target practice." Corrin reminded her while Robin uses his magic to generate heat to make the Fire Princess feel warm.

"Aww, so much better. And where exactly did Lilith put her Mark?" Rinkah asked.

"Right this way, please." Lilith instructed as she begins escorting the wounded to the Astral Plane to be tended with. No use in hiding her true nature now that it's all hands on deck more than ever.

"How did you put up with that black sheep for so long?" Kilma asked irritated by Rinkah.

"We really don't." Fuga bemused.

"Exactly why are the people of Muspelheim looked down upon so much? I never understood that part." Sakura asked.

"Apart from being somewhat insensitive and hotheaded by nature. The whole tribe, especially the Blaze Faithful aren't exactly helpful with anything that doesn't involve conflict so there's a lot to be desired when it comes to them." Ryoma explained.

"Pity she's the only one who volunteered." Robin said.

"It's for the best, really." Fuga insisted.

"Guess there's nothing left but to rest up then and hope for a better tomorrow." Scarlet said.

"Yes, the hour of our victory is finally within reach, we must make sure everything has been perfected for our final battle." Ryoma declared.

"An end to this war, finally." Azura sighed while growing anxious with anticipation on what's to come next.

"One last fight and we can all go home." Hinoka boasted, tightening both her fists. For so long, storming the Heart of Nohr was but a dream and now it will become a reality. Still, so long away from home has honestly dulled her thrill of combat.

"Home… it's time to go back." Corrin said somberly at the thought of returning to Windmire. Even if she's just a Replica, she has all the original's memories and emotions so she can't help but behave as such, which makes the others buy that it's really Corrin easily, such as Sakura who grabs her by the hand as a way to assure her that everything will be alright, which she appreciates.

Though, her worries return once she notices Robin look troubled by something, though she won't voice them.

"What has you looking somber? Not satisfied that one of your strategies finally didn't pan out?" She asked with a little bit of insult in it since nothing will sugarcoat the animosity Corrin now harbors for Robin, and this causes a slight chuckle from Ryoma and Jakob while Azura rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"No, that was inevitable." Robin shrugged.

"Wow, you are too accepting of things not going your way." Takumi wondered.

"I'm used to disappointments. This is something else. I feel… a disturbance of some kind." Robin said growing anxious.

"Is it another one of your pack of lies, because I think Jakob has the perfect remedy for that." Corrin continued.

"Yes, I've always wanted to try my ''remedy'' on you." Jakob said fainting kindness to hide a deeper malice.

"Not the Ipecac overdose again, Jakob." Flora muttered in disgust regarding Jakob's true intention.

"What the heck is an Ipecac?" Hinata asked.

"The last time you used that junk Robin saw right through you and you ended up vomiting all over Lady Corrin and me." Flora reminded.

"Gross." Oboro groaned.

"Something's coming. Heading right towards us." Robin interrupted, completely deaf ear to Corrin's whining.

"Absurd, our scouts would've noticed." Kilma countered.

"I can't make sense of it, I'm still suffering under the effects of Leo's Anti-Magic but I swear there's some powerful surge of dark magic drawing near." Robin cursed, unable to understand what he's feeling.

"Dark magic? There's Plenty of Niflheim Dark Mages here, we enlist their aid in helping-"

"LOOK OUT!" Screamed one of the Ice Tribe's Warlocks, pointing at the sky above them in a panic as a large crimson energy blast is heading their way, straight where they are. It happened in a split second with no time for anyone to get away, Robin, Corrin and Ryoma raised their mighty swords and with a simultaneous swing, the power of Noble Yato, Raijinto and Ragnell destroy the blast but the shockwaves born from the aftermath were devastating to the surrounding areas and knock everyone else hard into the ground.

"What the hell was that?!" Takumi yelled as he forces himself back up along with everyone desperately getting into position for another fight.

"Another Nohrian assault! Was Xander's own forces just a vanguard?" Ryoma cursed.

"If so then we know what comes next." Robin muttered as he, Jakob, Kaze, Felicia and Flora form up in a circle to guard Corrin and they all look up to see their next foe which is a real behemoth.

"Oh gods…" Corrin muttered in horror as right above them is the last thing she expected to face.

---

"And here we are." The true Robin bemused as they gaze upon the infamous Land of the Wolfskin. It is an impressive and grassy forest that is quite beautiful and not the kind of place you expect "monsters" to reside in. Hydra transferred them right at the top of the very mountain above this dangerous land where the five of them can mostly see much of the land, the constant dark clouds of Nohr posing little hindrance to their visibility. Nearest to the mountain is a village, nothing too impressive but the fact alone that any sort of settlement exists here proves that those living here are more than just animals.

"There it is. Kaen, the village of the Lycans." Robin said motioning to the place.

"Great, so how are we supposed to do this? It's just the five of us vs. a large enough amount of beastmen to pose a challenge to both Nohr's and Hoshido's best?" Selena asked.

"First thing's first, we have to draw the attention of many of them as possible to come out of the village, specifically the ones more akin to warriors and defenders than the more citizenry-types." Robin explained. "You four stay airborne, while I go and have a talk with the Chief."

"You know their leader?" Laslow asked.

"Crossed paths with him during my first run in here. His name is Keaton and is a reasonable wolf unless provoked, he did let me go without a fight the first time." He explained.

"But you think there will be no second chances?"

"Pretty much but he deserves a fair warning and I rather catch them by surprise when we end up fighting them. I'll gently bring you down to their village while most of their warriors are focus on me for the moment." Robin instructed.

"Seems decent enough but are you sure you don't want at least one person backing you up, I hear the bites and scratches of a Wolfskin can make people really sick that healing rods won't cut it either." Odin asked.

"I'm sure." Robin said confidently.

"Fine, just be quick about it and when you do start fighting them don't you dare take them on too long, or else." Corrin warned as she holds his right shoulder tightly and squishes it for emphasis, making him very uncomfortable, even getting him almost on his knees.

"Got it." He muttered, groaning a little. "Severa, Owain, Inigo. I'll be counting on you to watch out for Corrin in my absence."

"That's kinda what we were expected to do prior to both your defections to the Light." Selena replied in confirmation.

"Good. You'll know the signal when you see it." Robin said before flying down to meet the Lycans.

Upon his departure, an uncomfortable silence overtakes the four, the Princess being strain with the three Retainers even prior to her desertion and leaving her alone with them is bound to cause trouble, though with the looming loss of Arete on each of their thoughts, they have to swallow all grievances to pull this off, not that it'll be easy.

"So… how long have you known? About him and us I mean?" Laslow is the first to engage in small talk with Corrin, at the very least they should try to be on friendly terms to some extent.

"Not long enough." Corrin replied way too quickly and a little coldly but the flirt didn't pick up on that.

"Sounds about right with him. It's always not long enough. At least with his present self." Selena bemused, recalling simpler times when their lives made more sense.

"Present self?" Corrin whispered in confusion but dismissed it, not sure if she could get much out of them, and even if she does, it'll probably feel hollow unless she hears it from Robin himself. But there is one thing that she longs to know and it matters very little where she gets this information from as long as she learns something. Or rather learn about someone.

"Truly, we are sorry about how grim the circumstances that led to our previous skirmishes were. Torn between our duty and our own aspirations but such are the cruel whims of War." Odin lamented still finding it in him to speak as he normally does in any situation to stay positive.

"Yeah… maybe in another life we could've been allies working to change Nohr for the better from the inside but I'd made my choice and I'm sticking with it." Corrin said, her new conviction never leaving her.

"Yeah, well same here." Selena shrugged as she summons her Morgenstern and pulls her sword out of it. This is the first time Corrin has seen Selena's copy up close and it is indeed an authentic replica but it looks older and it shows the smallest hint of being worn out, as if this one has been through more skirmishes but the fact that it possesses the same abilities can't be a coincidence. Sure, she could be mistaken but considering the bizarre origins of these three and Robin she could be on to something. Something more massive than she's thinking.

No one has yet to tell her about Robin previously slaying a God of Death and claiming his power.

"So what signal do you guys think he'll make for us this time?" Laslow asked.

"When does he not make a signal that comes from the sky?" Selena asked rhetorically while groaning. "My guess, summon down the dark clouds above us as a distraction. Those wolves may have superb senses that makes them difficult to catch off guard but those things up above aren't natural, they could mess with their noses."

"Indeed but can he really pour enough power for such a grand performance? What if what he experienced in Demon's Falls, the strange change done to his body happens again?" Odin asked concern. "Lady Elise said so herself that she wasn't the cause."

"I don't know but whatever is happening to him it definitely felt necromantic in nature but nothing we've ever seen before." Selena said recalling what she felt when she was curing Robin. "And I definitely didn't dispel it completely, only enough to hold it off for a longer period."

Corrin gritted her teeth at that, meaning that she hasn't seen the last of the curst afflicting Robin.

"Maybe you can shed some light on that, Princess." Selena questioned. "You and Robin fighting some different set of monsters while warring against us."

"The Seven Deadly Sins are real and they're the ones who started this war with me as their unwilling suicide bomber." Corrin revealed to the three, which definitely shocks them but not as much as she thought, making her think that Xander, Leo and Camilla know confided with their retainers about it. "Though, you knew that already."

"Not exactly, just what little our masters could share and they knew little of the situation themselves." Odin muttered with mixture of fascination and dread.

"Crap. I knew something messed up was going on behind the scenes but to think we wouldn't be able to track the danger at all, much less what could it be." Selena uttered.

"Goodness gracious. How atrocious this is turning out to be. I just hope we're not too late to stop them and their foul machinations." Laslow said worried for them all.

"Somehow I just know that it's already too late." Corrin mumbled.

---

Robin lands very close and now stands a few yards away from Kaen. Despite their animalistic nature, the people living here have enough human decency to build proper homes for themselves giving their preferred human forms as Kaen is a very nice and large village. This will not be easy but he knows where the shrine Hydra mentioned is so at least he knows where to direct his allies.

"Show time." Robin sighed as his ears are immediately beset by noises from all around him and it doesn't take long for him to find himself surrounded by hulking wolf-like beasts that are more bidepal than quadrupedal, each one easily twice the size of any men. Most of them have white fur than black, while the deadlier looking among them have a mixture of red and black fur to them, all of them have menacing red eyes to add to their fear factor. The Beastmen are nothing if not quick to react to the arrival of anything that could be seen as a threat to them, especially as Robin sent a minor shockwave across the village to let them know that an intruder has arrived. The one in the middle in front of the Tactician feels to be the most intimidating, granted Robin is not really scared but he feels threaten enough to be wary of his words. That same Lycan assumes his human form, revealing a young man in his mid-twenties dressed is mostly black, dark and white long hair and lacking human ears, instead having noticeable wolf ears and a tail.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in, or bird in this case." The apparent Lycan leader said bemused.

"Hello, Keaton." Robin greeted friendly to him.

"Same to you but as you can tell by the immediate vicinity, we're not at the moment in a greeting mood." Keaton said, looking honest but he's certainly not speaking for everyone else in his pack. "I'm surprised to see you again, most people lucky enough to get out alive know better than to return?"

"Circumstances have persuaded me to stick around a little while longer with my friends from Nohr." Robin said. "But that's not important right now."

"Last time I left you off scot-free because I was curious by your scent and felt like being a good sport but I also made it clear to you to never come back." Keaton said next with a more commanding voice.

"I know, and I wouldn't have defiled your demands without good reason." Robin said more respectable and honest. "Keaton, I need your help."

"Help? From us? That's a new one, most humans who come here are more interested in taking what's ours than requesting aid. You continue to intrigue me, Robin." The Lycan Leader replied, though there is a hint of weariness that it's easy for Robin to spot.

"It's one of my friends, her mother's dying from a wound too lethal to be treated, we can only keep her alive for so long but that's no way for anyone to live. We're out of options and we can't keep her like that forever." Robin explained his plight.

"That's sad, bro, but I don't see what could've possibly given you the impression that we of all people would have the means of saving a human's life from death, unless…" Keaton said before quickly coming to the only possible conclusion and picks up his Beaststone, signaling his fellow wolves to prepare for an attack. This has turned dire fast. "How did you find out about the Bifröst?!"

"It doesn't matter how, what matters is that I need it. I know I'm asking too much." Robin said, trying to stay reasonable.

"Too much is an understatement, but do you really understand the kind of power you want to get your hands on, the temptation that thing brings?" Keaton questioned far more demanding.

"I know not of its history, only its power and that it can save lives, as well as free them of their burdens." Robin replied, longingly at the last part.

"Well, I can tell you're not making up this sob story just to take advantage of my sympathetic nature, but even if I wanted to let you borrow it, it's ours, and what guarantee do I have that you'll return it once this friend's mother of yours is saved and you won't keep it to use as another engine of war to keep the Hoshidan soldiers from ever depleting, or did you think I wouldn't notice how you now look and even smell like one of their generals?" Keaton said, recognizing the design of Robin's uniform. Though when they met his previous uniform made him look like a Nohrian commander as well.

"As the Chieftain of your tribe, you must know humans enough to know that question has an impossible amount of answers with none sufficient enough to ever be acceptable." Robin replied regrettably.

"Due true. If there's one thing that everyone who's alive fears is the unknown and there is nothing more mysterious and frightening than Death. Humans take it way too far that they'll pursue anything divine to achieve eternal life. Heck, if what the elders of our tribe says is true, and my grandpappy is always right, the first Twilight War began because both Nohr and Hoshido wanted the Bifröst for themselves. Their greed and lust was so great that they laid waste to even their neighboring nations just for getting in the way, all for the power to cheat death, so much so that the damn thing got lost in all the chaos during the first week of the war and they didn't even noticed that nobody had it anymore until the war finally ended a decade later." Keaton elaborated on a piece of both Horus and the Bifröst's dark history. "Little did those morons know that the Staff can only bring back a person to life once because a second chance at life is enough of a miracle, but a third chance is an affront to the Heavens."

"I know full well how corrupt my kind is and believe me, I understand and welcome the true value of dying and its relationship with the living but my princess doesn't, or at least not yet, nor do I want her to." Robin said. "I won't be leaving here without the Bifröst."

"Then I'm afraid you won't be leaving here at all. A pity too, I hate to end a life I previously spared but none must know that such forbidden power rest here, which rightfully belongs to the Wolfskins." Keaton declared as he resumes his true wolf form. "We swore an oath to the one the humans shamelessly call the Thankless Maiden that the Bifröst must never fall into the hands of those who would desecrate the Balance between Life and Death, no matter the reason. You will regret coming back here alone."

"I already do regret it but not for what you might think." Robin said sadly as he summons Morgenstern and pulls out his Levin Sword. "But please, believe that I truly am sorry for what comes next."

Without skipping a beat, the Wolfskins launch their assault on Robin, with the White Mage acting much quicker, making a fierce swung of his lightning blade while channeling wind magic, blowing many of the beasts away from him but some held their own quite well and proceed but Robin still proves fast enough to evade them and flies passed them, heading for their village.

"STOP HIM!" Keaton roared with the beasts chasing to stop him from setting foot in the village, though once he gets near, more Lycans come out from Kaen, blocking his path, sinking their claws on him that he easily parries with his sword, knocking them down. Robin then gets on his knees to evade being decapitated by a fierce slash from the claws of a Wolfssengner that barely managed to sneak up on him, Robin simply hits him with the pommel of his sword, emitting enough force to blow it far away, crashing into three other wolves. Robin then takes to the sky but nowhere near the clouds and sends a barrage of weak lightning bolts to all his surroundings, intentionally missing the Lycans and instead hitting their homes, causing miniscule amounts of damage on purpose that can be easily repaired but ultimately accomplishes what he expected to happened as he really riled up all the wolves as all of them, including some children angrily charge, leaving the village to attack him.

"So far so goo-" Robin is interrupted as one wolf manage to leap high enough to reach him, nabbing him as they both crash back down with Robin receiving the full impact, not that it can actually hurt him, easily kicking the wolf off him, only to quickly move away to dodge another brutal assault, followed by parrying a stronger slash, and is then force to make a higher leap to escape being dogpiled.

"Fimbulvetr!" Robin releases a mighty wind to his surroundings that stops all the Lycans closest in their tracks by freezing them but many more didn't get caught and proceeded once he stopped. Keaton manages to get close enough to Robin first and thrust his right arm into him before he could parry with his sword and pins the Mage to a tree.

"I didn't think you would be this dumb, even by human standards. You're barely pulling up a good fight." The Wolf Chief taunted as he presses more pressure until the three breaks and falls on top of Robin, pinning him by his legs. "Earning the full might of my clan was your last mistake."

"Quite the opposite, actually." Robin smirked as he again summons Ignis, releasing an intense heat that forces all but the strongest wolves to back away from him to avoid the volcanic level of heat. Robin gets back airborne and extends his right hand to the sky before he lowers his hand down and something spectacular happens as the clouds above them come falling down to the ground, covering up the entire village.

"What the… that's impossible!" Keaton uttered in disbelief.

"Don't say I wasn't merciful." Robin says as he flies to where the entrance into Kaen is supposed to be before facing all the Lycans.

"What are you up to now, Robin?!" Keaton demanded.

"As I said, I'm not leaving this place without the Bifröst and so extreme measures are required." Robin replied.

"You honestly think something as harmless as a cloud can stop even a single Wolfskin?" Keaton questioned.

"Not the cloud itself, no but remember, clouds are naturally made of water, and water conducts electricity." Robin explained while cladding his sword with lightning. "And Kaen is all wet now."

"Damn you!" Keaton cursed, realizing the severity of Robin's true plan.

"Enter at your own discretion, though I'm sure that not everyone of your people has left the village yet, no doubt confused and maybe even scared by what just occurred so I have hostages now. No one has to die today. As soon as I claim what I have come for, I will make everything back as it was." Robin declared with a truly commanding tone that made plenty of the wolves just as intimidated as they are of his magic power. "You've been warned." He said at last before flying away.

"You won't get away with this!" Keaton swore.

---

Robin flies straight to the intended target, the shrine that houses the Bifröst. It looks really old and small, it's clearly been around for hundreds of years and is still given proper care and respect on the part of the people of Kaen. Corrin and the trio flew their way down with Corrin's Icarus as soon as they saw the clouds fall down were Robin was waiting and guided them to their destination, arriving on the shrine.

"Okay, now you've really have outdone yourself, Robin!" Corrin uttered by how astonishing this whole thing is. Trapping an entire village in a cloud and putting the Lycans in a turmoil with a Fog of War, already they can hear from all angles the howling sounds of confusion and turmoil from the villagers.

"Don't celebrate yet, I didn't buy us enough time for my liking." Robin said not so confident in his stunt as he initially thought. "Alright, you four remain on guard of the shrine while I find the Bifröst."

"Wait, why do you get to find it, you're our heavy hitter?" Corrin questioned.

"You're a heavy hitter, Corrin, especially with your stone and these three are the better fighters than you." Robin reminded her. "Besides, I know what the staff looks like so it'll be quicker with me."

"You do?" Corrin asked but Robin gives no answer as he gets inside the shrine.

"There are a few heading this way." Corrin heard one of her ''allies'' whisper as she, Laslow, Selena and Odin are forced to guard the shrine, standing side by side, awaiting the worst, all the while hearing the angry and ominous howling of the wolves everywhere, they're completely surrounded but the howling also indicate confusion and fear, as expected given the shock fest of a portion of the sky falling down on the village. They clearly don't know what's going on yet, much less the reason behind this, though perhaps the Lycans outside have warned their people inside of what's going on, though a few of them.

"What's our best bet against these things?" Corrin asked the trio.

"Naturally, the Beast tribes are vulnerable to the special minerals that we use to make Beast Killer weapons, which I thankfully brought with me." Laslow said as three swords that have resemblance to the Beast Killer Lance manifest before the flirt and passes along two of them to Corrin and Selena while Odin sticks with his own sword, Missiletainn. "Hopefully they'll serve us more for intimidation than lethal force. It's enough of a bad taste in my mouth that we're invading these people."

"Sadly, beasties are known for having too much pride for their own good that they won't give us too much of a choice." Selena scoffed.

"Pride…" Corrin whispered while trembling at the mention of that word but is quick to focus on the danger before her as a Wolfskin steps out of the cloud, fury in its howl as it ferociously goes to attack the invaders, Corrin the first to intercept as she parries the swing of its razor sharp claws with her new sword, followed by catching an uppercut slash thrown by the Wolf next with her left hand. Her strength as a human may pale in comparison to the beast but she holds on well to give it a kick to the stomach to push it down on the ground, followed by Selena firing a wind blast to blow the wolf out from their visibility, though she pushed him a bit too far as the next thing they hear is a wall being busted open.

"Too much?" The redhead asked rhetorically as she confronts the next Wolf that charges and she swings her blade that the Wolf catches with its barehand, a folly on its part as the palm begins to burn upon contact with the blade design to slay its species, forcing it to release its hold on the blade and back away while it cries from the sudden pain. Selena then converts her magic into her left hand to empower it and deliver a supercharged punch to knock the beast out from their sight as well. At the same time that she did another Wolf storms in straight at her but she's prepared for a surprise attack, quickly conjuring up a literal firewall between them that the Wolf crashes into and is caught on fire itself, already screaming in pain and runs off away from the humans.

"You're nothing without your tendency for overkill." Odin mused as he begins to channel power from his sword to intercept four Wolfskins coming in at once and deals with all of them, each knocked out for the count with the might of his dark blade. Normally weapons composed of dark magic are lethal beyond the average danger of regular weapons but Odin can minimize the killings by manipulating the magic of the sword to convert the blade to an energy-based blunt weapon with no edge, so at best the damage he can make to the Wolves is cracking their ribs but that isn't too bad since Lycanthropes have promising regenerative powers so they'll recover provided they avoid conflict for a while. "I just wish I could have the will to overkill myself but alas, the great honor of my sacred blood would never allow me to rain death upon the undeserving."

"You have dragon blood too?" Corrin questioned, curious from that remark as she intercepts another Lycan, one of the superior breed she studied once, a Wolfssegner, definitely a real challenge as it is able to resist the burning touch of her sword and pins her to the ground. The force of this behemoth becomes so great too quickly that she is forced to use her dragon powers as her arms change, increasing her strength to be more than enough to push the wolf off her and as she leaps above it, she slams both her hands on its head so hard, slamming it to the ground, hopefully he is knocked down but not out permanently. She can't let herself fall here. She will save her mother from Nohr.

"Ah…" Odin muttered, not sure how to respond to Corrin's question. "When will I learn?" He whispered.

"Oh boy…" Laslow sighed dejectedly he fights two Lycans at once but despite their surprisingly fast attacks that match well with their brute strength, the Crown Prince's right-hand man is able to evade the attacks with such precision and astounding reflexes that it looks as though he is practicing for a dance routine than actually being in danger, and while he is at it, he delivers several slashes to his assailants that they are unable to avoid and none of the cuts are too deep and once enough have been inflicted, the two fall to their knees from the pain and are now momentarily immobilize. "Robin sure seems to be taking his time."

"One can only imagine what crap lies down below the shrine that these brutes have stashed in over the years." Selena said.

"Are you guys ignoring me right now?" Corrin protested as they get surrounded by more wolfskins who manage to show up without their notice.

"Gawds! Just shut up and fight, you stupid girl!" Selena snapped irritated by the Princess.

---

Once inside the shrine, Robin is quick to examine the floor for where the trapdoor might be, which doesn't take long and he heads inside what looks to be a large basement, one side there are lots of things like armor, weapons, jewelry, and way more things that probably belonged to those who dared enter here and were killed by the Lycans across the ages, judging by how rusty the majority are, and on the other side things are far more disturbing, being filled with the bones and skulls of humans, a bunch of dead animals and some real junk.

"At their core Lycans are animals. No surprise." Robin sighed not the least bothered by this sight as he begins looking for the Bifröst and decides to begin with all the bones. "I have the unfortunate feeling that something as rare as the Bifröst wouldn't be placed somewhere it would be obvious to find so I'll take my chances on this side."

He casts a wind spell so deadly that the air rips the bones to pieces until not even dust remains, clearing the way for him and he made sure to destroy all the bones. This may upset the wolves but he doesn't care about that, and he has to be careful with this spell otherwise he might destroy his ultimate prize. After a minute or two, he finally finds it, gazing upon the marvel of a staff that is the Bifröst.

"Finally… it's within my grasps." Robin muttered as he grabs the staff, a surge of its incredible healing magic already coursing through him. This feeling, this light, its heavenly. Robin can instantly tell why the Lycans don't want this to fall into human hands, they'll just do more harm than good as always. Even still, this can definitely save Arete from death. What's more, this can definitely save him. "I can finally free myself of his darkness. But first…"

Robin immediately flies back up fast but still makes sure not to damage the shrine in any way, he can't bring himself to take more from them, and once outside, he finds his friends being swarm by a few daring Lycans and he certainly can't stand for that so he unleashes his power and blows all the wolves away from them and back inside the dark clouds and as more threaten to reach them, Robin pours more of his magic to make the large cloud tangible enough that he makes a wall of ''steel'' they can't pass through.

"Couldn't you have done that before?" Corrin protested to him.

"Can't cast one as tough as this while taking my eyes off it." He replied, also certain that he was the fastest choice to get the staff. Sure there's Severa but she's not one to endure places that resemble dumpsters.

"BULLSHIT!" Corrin furiously snapped at him.

"Look, I have the Staff let's just leave." Robin whined as he hides the staff in Morgenstern then prepares to fly them out of here. "Hopefully Hydra has a portal ready for us because we still can't warp ourselves."

"I'm sure, let's just fly out of this village first and remove this cloud from a safe distance. I don't want to keep these people in this kind of turmoil much longer." Corrin said.

"Alright, let's-" The five warriors are left frozen the instant they hear another even louder howl of a Wolfskin. But this one is different, there was no anger, simple fear based on confusion and turmoil. In fact at this moment the only kind of howling they should be hearing is one of vengeance against the humans who dare invade their home and worse steal from them. Instead this howling was one of absolute terror, the terror of staring death in the eye and meeting your end.

"What was that?" Laslow uttered, knowing deep down that their time in Kean is far from over as similar cries of agony can be heard repeatedly all around them, what's worse they can definitely hear the sound of Lycans being attacked and receiving blows that either crush them on the ground and even the sound of their flesh being ripped apart as well as houses destroyed by an unstoppable brute.

"There's someone else here." Odin deduced as the painful screams are getting closer and they keep getting more unbearable to hear.

"Oh no…" Corrin uttered in horror as Robin quickly dispels the clouds surrounding them to see what is really happening and what they see is a bloodbath as the Lycans they previously fought are all dead and torn to bits without mercy, but this isn't anything like the trail of human bodies Corrin was forced to leave behind in her wake in this war, these murders are downright inhumane, there was no reasoning or justification, only senseless bloodshed, Corrin can't bring herself to look, though one look from Robin and the other three she can tell that while they too are disgusted by this sight, they seem accustom to such horrors. And upon seeing who did this, the futility of it all made a lot more sense.

It's Iago! He's back and is standing right before them, in his right hand, he is carrying a Wolfskin child by his neck. The poor boy struggles to breathe as the demon is holding him tight, tears all over his face as he can already feel death about to take him.

"Iago, don't…" Corrin pleaded with the former man but Iago just gives her his signature gloating smug as he squishes the boy's neck so much that he doesn't just break it, he tears the head off from the body as it falls on the floor while he still holds the now mortified head of the young werewolf, to the horror of the humans.

"Forget the Horseman of Famine, Death itself has been infesting Nohr ever since you first set foot here." Iago sinisterly taunted as he tosses the head away.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Corrin screamed her lungs out at him with bloody vengeance, charging in after him but is stopped by Robin who restrains her, all the while suppressing his own wrath.

"You mean like you killed these innocent, foolish creatures." Iago taunted as he makes a powerful flap from his wings that the dark cloud covering the village in its entirety is blown away, bringing visibility back to Kaen and the carnage the former human wrought is worse than they thought. Surely he hasn't attacked the whole village but nearly half from at least the east side are all dead now. "I guess you're still Nohrian deep down after all."

"I'll show you how a true Nohrian tears a body to pieces." Selena growled enraged.

"How badly I wish I could infest that redhead but sadly she's already been blessed by Hydra's wretched protection. Such a pity." Wrath bemused from Iago's head, bearing witness to the ensuing fight.

"You'll pay for everything you've done, Iago!" Corrin swore, wanting so badly to kill him, the resentment and bitterness she's held ever since the day her life changed forever and finally the one responsible within reach. "What you did to me… WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"

"And if you had played the role of a suicide bomber more properly, you would've never had to deal with the aftermath of such a… delicate I believe is the word. Such a delicate process." Iago replied remorseless of his actions, not like that would ever be a surprise, given what he was as a human being. Why should his new life as a demon be any different. "But if you can't accept your fate than you're welcome to try and rectify it. Either you die here and now, or I do."

"That will gladly be you!" Corrin swore.

"Hold that thought." Iago suggested as the sound of a stampede is heard from his left as the Lycans that Robin previously fought led by Keaton storm inside the village as soon as the cloud vanished. "The real show begins now." He mused as he plans to escape to leave Corrin and friends to bear the weight of his latest crime but Robin won't let him escape as he grabs him by his tail as he attempted to fly away.

"Your days of puppeteering are over!" Robin shouted as he angrily pulls him to the ground just as the Wolfskin warriors arrive.

"Oh gods!" Keaton could only wallow in a bitter sorrow greater than he's ever felt in his life at the bloodbath that has befallen his home, the bodies of his friends and loved ones lying on the ground and made to form a gory sight, despair consumes the Lycans but with the humans in clear range among the bodies of their fallen brethren as well as a literal demon soon turns their sorrows into uncontrollable wrath. "You…"

"Keaton…" Robin muttered, unable to even try and find the words that could ever prove their innocence in this massacre, and they are largely responsible, after all Iago is here because they're here.

"Kill them… KILL THEM ALL!" The Wolf Chief roared as he transforms again and the Lycan warriors charge in, ready to seek out their vengeance.

"RUN!" Robin shouted as he releases an illuminating light from his hands that momentarily blinds the wolves from their new preys.

"But…" Corrin uttered but isn't given much of a chance to say much as Robin grabs her hand and they attempt to escape, however Iago won't let them escape.

"I don't think so." He hissed as he grabs Robin by his shoulder and pulls him away from the Princess and sucker punches straight into the Lycans, then turns to Corrin. "None of you will leave here alive with that staff. I won't allow it and unfortunately, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." He rams at Corrin and takes her flying through a few houses.

"Corrin!" Robin shouted, quick to get up to reach her but must first get pass the Wolfskins who will never allow him to escape and as things stand now, he cannot afford to hold back and lets loose his power, striking down any who get in his way.

"To hell with this day and everything to do with it!" Selena shouted as she too lets loose her magic power to push the wolves away alongside Odin while Laslow provides cover fire with a Hunter's Bow, his arrow yet to miss their target.

---

Corrin fights back against Iago by transforming into her dragon form, granting herself the strength to push the Demon off him and slam him viciously on the ground and she would've squish further if Iago hadn't summoned more blades from his body to destroy her arm. Though the demonic blades fail to even pierce through her hand, the sting of the tips are enough to force her to release his hold on him and once freed, he assaults her with his vicious claws clad in fire magic, each blow burning her face more and more, they feel hotter than the lava from Demon's Falls but she will never relent. The Dragon Princess again grabs a hold of her along awaited prey and begins ramming him through another of the houses in Kaen and as she throws him down she prepares to fire a water breath. She's reluctantly been practicing to make proper breath attacks with Robin and Lilith and at this very moment she's happy that she took the training seriously. Her Water attacks can penetrate steel with ease, now she's dying to know what it can do to demon flesh.

The frighten squeal of a little girl halts her attack as she turns to her left to see a mother and her daughter lying frightfully in the corner of the living room they are now in. She wondered what was going on everywhere else in the village and is happy to learn that there are still survivors who refused to fight and chose to hide, not everyone is a fighter much less willing to act under their animal instincts in favor of trying to survive it seems. They really are no different than humans after all, if they can feel fear, they can harbor love and compassion like what she's seeing right now, no different than any parent and child, and here she is, bringing ruin to their homes just to save the stepmother she abandoned and to exact her revenge.

"Just who am I…?"

Her moral dilemma grants Iago another chance to slip away and cast a powerful Thunder Spell.

"Rexbolt!" He roared and the thunderbolt from above struck her hard and blasts her pretty far away from him and crashes near the far west edge of Kaen.

"Harboring sympathy for such pitiful creatures. I expect that kind of stupidity from Elise but then again you've always been no more than a child in my eyes anyway so I have only myself to blame for being surprise." Iago chuckled as he flies towards her.

"Dammit, Iago. Stop this! Your beef is with me and my Hoshidan Authority. There's no reason to drag these people in our war. It doesn't matter if they aren't human nor answer to the Throne, they are still Nohrians by right of ancestry to this land." Corrin demanded.

"That is not for you to decide, especially as you stand as the clear loser of this fight. In war, only the victor decides what's right and what's wrong. And you were never going to win this war, my dear." Iago declined showing mercy to anyone.

"I don't understand you. In spite of fighting for the same cause you would fall to this extent. You owe your life to Garon. Xander once told me that he saved you in your time of greatest need, everything you have you have because of his mercy, and you repay him by killing his wife and now you won't even let me save her." Corrin protested.

"I do owe my allegiance to King Garon and I serve him even now." Iago replied fiercely, offended that Corrin, the true traitor to Nohr would question him. "But he wasn't the only one who saved me from the fires that burned my home, it wasn't just him that was there for me, it wasn't him who pulled me out of the wreckage and made me forget the screams of my sister. My mother was Hoshidan in both appearance and honor but that didn't stop her own people from treating her like a witch for marrying a Mage from Nohr."

"The Sins saved you?" Corrin questioned, unwilling to believe that, though him being willing to give up his humanity does make more sense if true. Even still, she can't help but harbor pity for him since his vile actions are truly because he is consumed by loss and grief.

"Believe what you will, you mean nothing to me, you never did. However I confess that using you like I did was wasteful on my part. It would've been more satisfying corrupting you into slaughtering the Hoshidan Royals without remorse while always none the wiser of your true parentage but my associates were insistent that you be at the center of this chaos."

"WHY ME?!" Corrin yelled bitterly at the position she was forced into. "Is my unknown lineage so awful that I'm not allowed by neither Hell and Earth to live my life. All I ever wanted was to be a good princess to the people I thought my own and marry whoever the hell I want without so much as a but!"

"As usual, you're an embarrassment to us all. And there's no point in you ever learning the truth, you will die here along with the man you're so obsess with. It's almost necrophiliac, he's not quite dead but his soul is always so close to the edge, and deep down you know he's so out of reach and yet you cling on to a hope so false. Such a pity." Iago smirked. "Like Envy would always say, sometimes you have to spare the child and spoil the rod!" Iago isn't given the chance to attack as Corrin strikes first, finally firing her water breath that blast him pretty far and right into the other side of Kaen.

"I would rather break the rod!" Corrin shouted, angrily more determine to end this and END HIM.

---

"Get out of my way!" Robin yelled with his suppress anger and frustration finally let loose as he fires a powerful and violent shockwave of dark magic that causes severe damage to the Lycans, knocking the majority out for the count and thankfully the waves missed the trio. "I am truly sorry for this."

"Ugh… Why did you have to come here…" Keaton uttered his last bitter words to the humans who ruined their lives before collapsing from his wounds. But at least they'll live.

"Dammit… how could things have gone south so awfully." Selena muttered.

"If only the Bifröst could be used to save them all." Odin suggested with desperate hope to correct this horrible mistake.

"You heard what Hydra said, the Bifröst is not infallible and can only be used once a day. And speaking as someone who's been trapped in a state between life and death myself for a long period, it's not pleasant to be kept that way for long and Arete is not as strong as me." Robin said regrettably, reminding them that just because Arete is being kept alive with Time Magic doesn't mean they should use it for long. Being trapped between the living and the dead is a hell all its own.

"I guess you're right." Laslow uttered as they turn their attention where the sounds of battle linger as Corrin and Iago's conflict is relentless. "Even with a dragon at our side, I doubt we can actually stop Iago as he is now. His power almost reminds me of Grima's Deadlords, worst of all Mordred. He can kill us if given the chance."

"I know. There's no telling what more horrors the minions of the Seven can pull and the longer we prolong, the less chance we might have at winning." Robin deduced.

"What do you suggest we do then to end this lunatic?" Selena asked.

"Call out a reluctant friend." Robin sighed in disappointment on to what he must do as dark magic engulfs his left arm and from his palm, a blade comes out, the same one he was going to use in the Opera House before he was interrupted by Odin and Laslow. A replica of Selena's, the obvious difference is that the blade is black instead of silver, the fuller and hit are red, not gold and there is no hole in the base.

"Reficul." Odin uttered in awe at the sight of the deadly blade the trio know all too well. "Of course, what better way to remove this evil than with the Blade of Evil's Bane itself!"

"I wondered when you used that sword again." Selena frowned slightly as she notices the deeper frown on Robin. "Then again, you hate using this blade."

"And I'd hope to never use it again but alas, I must do what needs to be done, yet again." Robin swore as the time has come to end his Princess's feud with the Dark Tactician of Nohr. "I won't be long." He declared as he flies forward, straight into the fight and sees that Corrin has managed to stay in a stalemate against Iago while remaining in her Dragon Form, a feat he finds a little surprising, since he never imagined she would remain as a dragon for this long but that only proves just how deadly Iago truly has become.

"Time to die, Corrin!" Iago avowed as he performs very odd hand gestures, forming magenta colored patterns on the air, runes of clear demonic origins and as he does so, several seals manifest that surround Corrin, one over her and the other under her. The power of this spells creates a rippling shockwave all blown straight at Corrin, with the Dragon Princess screaming in pain and anger.

"A fitting end for a miserable beast like you." Iago laughed as he then fires a breath attack of his own, launching a poisonous stream that should finish her off. If only the blast had hit her as Robin arrives in time and with a swing of his black blade, dispels both of Iago's attacks aimed at Corrin. "Damn you…"

"Reficul." Wrath narrowed his eyes, gazing at the sword Robin wields. "Finally."

"You Whiteheads sure can't stay away from each other." Iago groaned twice as irritated as he typically is when things don't go his way, which prior to the war was very rarely so he's not used to this.

"No we cannot and this time you really are a dead man!" Corrin growled.

"Relax a bit Corrin. I got this." Robin insisted as that attack really did a number on her. "As she said, there will be no more second chances for you, Iago. You're not hurting anyone ever again."

"That's for me to decide, boy. I don't know how is it possible that you survived the curse I afflicted upon you but it matters not. You will not stop me!" He declared, charging up another spell with the same patterns like he used on Corrin with an extra dose of power that would surely finish them off, but ultimately proven futile as a single swing from the black blade is all it took for Robin to destroy the spell.

"Again! Is that sword Anti-Magic?!" Iago uttered.

"You'll wish it was." Robin narrowed his eyes as he goes to swing at the Demon, and as soon as he went an inch closer, something within Iago screamed at him to run and it wasn't Wrath nor Greed, though they were going to tell him to flee. As fast as he could go, Iago fled from Kaen, already half a mile away. He's never felt this way before, this kind of fear surpasses what he experienced all those years ago. Just what is that sword?

"Not quick enough." Robin bemused, already caught up to him.

'ABSURD!' Iago screamed in his head. 'This speed… is that blade granting him more power?'

Robin delivers a vertical slash that Iago manages to avoid but the same cannot be said for the tip of his right wing that gets cut, and this minor injury proves more fatal than it seems, he can't help but scream as the pain proves too great as he falls to the ground. This is the kind of pain one should feel when they have a hole forced open in their chest not a slight cut. He's not sure if the wing is still useable but he can't think about that right now as he has to roll out of the way as Robin slams the blade at him, and he's lucky to have avoided this next swing. In retaliation for this pain, Iago fires another poisonous breath attack at the superior Tactician and to make sure he doesn't get away, Iago uses shadow magic to manifest demonic arms to come out from the floor and grab a hold of Robin so that he doesn't escape the almost perfect pointblank range. As soon as he stops his attack he is shock to find that his target is gone from sight as that blast shouldn't have been able to disintegrate him.

"You are more powerful." Robin whispered in his ears, standing behind Iago and then stabs him in the chest before he could do anything. "But your sins only makes you an easier prey for my Sin Eater."

Iago screams with even greater pain with the sword through his chest, the evil powers within him erupting out of control until he exploded across a far range that destroy the surrounding area and left a decently large crater with Robin unaffected. As he pulled the sword, Iago falls to the floor, still alive and ''purified'' as he is back to his human appearance, the only thing left to cover him are his pants and without his Sorcerer uniform to cover him, Robin can better see the rest of the scars from his past. His body has more pretty old scars that he's sure he didn't acquire during his long currier as one of Nohr's Generals.

"No more Hellish tricks for you." Robin scoffed as the Sorcerer forces himself back on his feet but he can only stay on his knees.

"As far as Tacticians go, I'm never empty handed, Godslayer." Iago hissed, even now his ego and stubbornness does not waver. Robin would give praise to his pride if the demonic embodiment of that vice wasn't at large. "Yes, I know who you are, the Sinners told me much about you, and I must admit. You have my empathy. I have never known anyone more foolish as you who would so stupidly throw his life away for the ungrateful time and time again and receiving only Death as compensation."

"I've always been a bit suicidal, something we both have in common so the empathy is appreciated." Robin said as he points his sword below his neck and forces him to look at him. "You know, you almost remind me of someone I once knew, a lost soul with a promising and fulfilling future, threw it all away when he was consumed by a great loss. That kind of rage changes you in ways that defile reasoning. But then I realized that madness is not the absence of wisdom but the inability to care about what's right. The difference between you and him is that he had no choice but to fall to corruption. But you, you did have a choice, and you chose poorly."

"Is that what you think?" Iago chuckled defiantly and uncaring.

"Just a hunch. I too know what it's like to give in to rage when a love one is involved in tragedy, so I am sorry for what you've become but it changes nothing. I will not suffer your worthless life any longer but I will not take pleasure in it either." Robin groaned at the last part, hinting suppress animosity that he spoke with half-truth.

"As if that makes you better than me." Iago hissed, even now he speaks with the smugness of a victor but Robin knows his deceit, this is the behavior of a fiend who refuses to let his opponent have a satisfying victory by taunting them even in death. Pathetic, some might say but Robin always viewed this as courageous in some aspects, though Iago doesn't fit into this category. At least he's not a coward begging for his life. Those who kill have no right to complain about being killed themselves eventually. How he came to that realization was a grim experience best forgotten. "You accomplished nothing! Nothing except push yourself further back to the brink of damnation. And for what, a girl who brings only misfortune and sorrow to those around her. Oh, but you're used to it aren't you? Being a means to an end for Royals undeserving of any devotion or loyalty and be cast aside when you grow too powerful. This is beyond a fool's errand! If I were in your place I would've done everything in my power to avenge such injustice done to me and my family but you… just to protect THEM! The Exalts. The architects of your pain, you went as far as to throw YOUR OWN daughter away!"

By his words, Robin now looks at the fallen man with real contempt, his hand trembling with the black blade already beginning to cut into his flesh but it doesn't go deep enough to be fatal, even as Robin shakes with his anger but he does well to hold himself back. He will not succumb.

"What are you waiting for then? You're smart enough not to leave anymore loose ends. Hesitation is the enemy of true Tacticians." Iago dared, seemingly resigned to his fate.

"Only for those who value victory more than the lives of the soldiers we were entrusted to lead." Robin replied. "And besides, as hard as I tried, ultimately I'm not the one who should finish you off."

"I see." Iago said as Robin pulls his sword away from him and he turns around to face his true executioner, the very Princess he condemned, still in her dragon form and without hesitation she grabs him by his neck and pulls him closer to her.

"You could never suffer enough for the pain you've wrought and luckily for you, I ain't got the stomach for torture." Corrin growled as the moment is finally here. Despite his end, the Dark Tactician still has the nerve to chuckle in defiance.

"Taking the moral high ground even now… Please, Humans. Dragons. Demons. Or in between. It doesn't matter what you are, it changes not what you truly are." He chuckled.

"And what am I to you? A Monster of Light who lives solely to purge all who live in Darkness. Is that all you see in me? In Hoshido?! Is there nothing else in our lives more important that all we do is fight without end all because of the wrongs of the past that we can't ever have a future where all of it is left buried and put to rest!"

"As a young but truly wise Dark God once said, the Future is built upon the Past." Iago sneered, unknowingly, or perhaps knowingly opening up a very deep old wound in Robin that'll never heal. "Everything in the Universe originated from Darkness, even the Light. The latter can't accept the shameful truth so it painted the Dark as the enemy of all and so much abuse pushed the Shadows to declare war on its own children. For Aether to reign supreme, Creation must be Balanced with Destruction. Imperfection. Misery. Sin. You can pretend to be the good princess all you like Corrin, but in the end, you're just like me! It always has to be how you want things to be or no one is allowed to be happy."

"Then I guess we are all monsters deep down after all. But you forget, Iago. Every monster gets what they deserve eventually." Corrin sneered and begins to squish his evil head to mush. "Don't bother saving a spot for me in Hell, I won't be joining you anytime soon." With all her hatred, the head of the Dark Tactician of Nohr combusts, blood, pieces of his skull and brain are splash on the ground and cover most of Corrin's left arm, finally ending the life of the evil human turned demon.

He got off easy but it's of no concern. As Corrin drops his body, Robin burns it to cinders with fire magic to make sure there's nothing left to reanimate this time. Corrin makes a heavy sigh filled with so much emotion before reverting back to her human form, her eyes as hollow as a corpse as she stares at the fire.

"I knew I feel empty in some ways once this was over but… I thought… I'd at least feel…" Corrin muttered, too tired and weak willed to say anymore. Robin takes her hand and insist that she lies down on a tree far from the scene of the battle to rest and she lies there for a few moments.

"It's not his death that weights you down." Robin said somberly.

"What have we done Robin? I know I'd said I would save Arete but this was beyond what I believed would happen." Corrin mumbled with remorse over what has transpired. "The Lycans were never supposed to get involved in our affairs."

"I know." Robin said feeling more guilt than she does, holding Reficul in his hand, his grip loosens that it drops to the floor.

"Even if Iago spilled their blood, the fault lies solely on us for these deaths. Gods, when did everything get so out of hand." She mumbled. She can't even shed tears for the fallen, she's all dried up.

"That's a question with no answer. Gods, there's no real solid answer as to why everything is like this. But Corrin, I know things are only getting darker the further we go but you have to stay strong, not just for others but for yourself. I know I'm asking too much of you. The world is always going to ask too much of you. It's not fair and if I could change things for you I would but the world is complicated for all the right and wrong reasons, that's how it must be. What's important is being a better person, and you are better than anyone around you, not because you are strong but because you feel shame by everything that's happened." Robin tries to help Corrin find closure. "You feel lost right now, like all you do is hurt everyone around you, not just those who deserve it. I can't prove that but I can't disprove it either. And that's something you have to allow be a part of you."

"What are you saying?" Corrin muttered.

"Like I told Azura before, if I could give you one direction, one step along the path… It would be… to let yourself be lost." He revealed.

"Lost?" Corrin repeated gravely confused.

"Forgiving your sins is a small task, at least for someone like a bishop… and if that were enough to save you, I would take you to one and they would recite the words. But you suffer… and you seek answers… And that is the greatest pain of all… The pain of doubt. If I could dispel this doubt myself, I could free you from your pain. But then you would be nothing more than what any soldier and hero ultimately is to the people and nation they swear to serve in the end; puppets that kill for a cause that is not really your own but one you decided to follow for whatever reason. Use your doubt. Use it to become something more. I think it makes you more… human."

"Robin…" Corrin uttered as speechless as Azura was when Robin told her this as a means to cope with her own guilt in fighting Nohr.

"Whether you will ever find answers, I do not know. But you must live with your doubt until then. If you can, then all of the joy and sorrow you experienced and will experience will truly belong to you alone." He continued as he offers her his hand to help her back up. They should really leave about now

"I…"

"Living like this gives me some semblance of closure to all the lives I took. Some are sustained by faith, but for me, there are no answers."

Wordlessly, Corrin accepts his hand and rises again. Such words aren't enough to help her with this pain, they weren't meant to. She does feel her heart harden, enough to at least see the rest of this night through in spite of her recent misdeeds as she knows there is more to come. Even still, she can't bring herself to say so much as a thank you, instead she chooses to bring up a very important topic that she was too hasty to bring up before.

"The Bifröst. Hydra sent you here to find it and not a means to return to your world, didn't he?" A realization pops into her head that doesn't make much sense, at first.

"Yes." Robin confessed, now filled with melancholy.

"How is a healing item supposed to help you travel across dimensions?" She asked.

"The Bifröst has no such power, and I did not meet with the Rainbow Sage to find a way home. I'm never going back there. I can't." He revealed without the slightest hesitation, his face completely hollow, shocking Corrin. "Not even for her."

"But why…"

"Enough!" He interrupted her with a quick but harsh tone. "Not here and not now. When we save Arete and meet up with your siblings to know that they're okay, only then I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Everything?" She asked, craving reassurance.

"Everything." He replied. "I'm tired of lying. I'm tired of fighting. Of everything. And I've hurt you long enough and you deserve to know why I must go when this is over."

"Robin…" As she spoke, a portal of Hydra's magic is made before them just as Odin, Selena and Laslow arrive in time for them to finally leave this tragic place.

---

"Well, so much for that fool." Greed snorted as she and Wrath return to their castle. "I hope you're satisfied and that this clusterfuck of a plan was worth being at Pride's mercy."

"Oh, it was sister, it was indeed, everything went according to plan." Wrath chuckled with pure delight and sinister satisfaction.

"How do you mean? Neither Robin, nor Corrin are dead and Arete will be saved from Anankos's clutches. The way I saw it, this whole thing was a bust." Greed questioned.

"If you have time to complain like a pissant than you have eyesight to pay attention. Their deaths were never my objective. Corrin suffering further was a happy bonus that went up without a hitch but most importantly, Robin finally revealed it. Reficul. The Ultimate Corrupted Holy Sword has resurfaced. Iago's final role in life is complete." Wrath smirked, irritating Greed enough to cease her walking, grabs him by his shoulder to pull him back to confront her.

"What the fuck are you hiding from me, you Burning Ass Freak!" She demanded losing her patience with her brother dropping ever more.

"When Garon is defeated and lies dead beneath Corrin's feet, you'll all see our final victory at long last fulfilled." Wrath promised as this is only the beginning.

---

And that is the end of Iago. Nothing left but Garon and the war can finally end and it won't be long enough before the truth of Robin is finally open to Corrin, though how exactly I will have it done I am still considering, I have the final battle to also consider after all. What to do, what to do, I'm almost open to suggestions. Either way, till next time and as always leave me reviews. Who doesn't love them.