AUTHOR'S NOTES: And here's the latter half of this story's equivalent to 'Chapter 1'. While Corrin is the more sheltered one (not quite the the extent of the avatar in the game), Kamui is still closed off to most of the world. However, she's far from ignorant, and instead is well-aware of the low quality of life that Nohr 'enjoys'. It's also worth pointing out that while the game (like most Fire Emblem games) was extremely vague about the ages of the characters, I am going to be very clear with them. Rather than give a boring info-dump on them, however, I figure I'll reveal them in the story as necessary. This chapter will reveal Elise's age, for example. Either way, I'll spare the ramble. However, it's also worth noting that I only have one pairing established, and so if people have suggestions for pairings or just two characters you'd like to see interact more, leave suggestions in the comments.
Happy Reading!

CHAPTER 8: Embracing the Dark

Sing with me a song of Siblings and Dreams...

The trip to the hot spring had been well-warranted and well-earned, according to Kamui. Normally she complained about how long Camilla took in the bath, but this time she was quite fine with letting her big sister marinate in this spring with her as long as she wanted. Kamui had no plans for the rest of the evening, and she aimed to get to bed early even, so that she could be well-rested and focused for the fight the following day. As such, by the time Camilla took her home to the fortress, she stripped to her smalls and went right to sleep, her mind still fixed on the day's events.

Kamui woke up the next morning focused to a point. When Flora and Felicia showed up to wake her up that morning, they found her already awake, hacking and slashing away at a practice dummy in her room. There was not much else to say about this little chamber. The only things that really existed in this room were a few changes of clothes (Kamui was no fashionista and she knew it), a vast array of different weapons and practice targets or dummies, and a myraid of paintings, sketches, sculptures, and puppets. When Kamui was not fighting, she was usually creating, and had developed rather impressive artistic talents. Being locked up for so long in a desolate fortress had left her few options, since she only really got to venture out into the world when one of her siblings showed up and went with her.

"U-up and at 'em, Kamui!" Felicia was the one the snap Kamui out of her focused trance. She actually jumped, throwing her sword with such ferocity that had Felicia not ducked, it would have undoubtedly sliced her right in half. Instead, the sword sailed down the hall, shattering some massive piece of pottery or some other superfluous decoration.

"Blood and damnation, Kamui, you could have killed us!" Flora exclaimed.

"Knock next time," Kamui grunted, turning to face them. She was wearing nothing but shorts and a tanktop, revealing her arms and legs, which were decorated with cuts and scars.

"W-we did!" Felicia got back to her feet.

"...oh." Kamui mumbled, "knock louder?"

Before they could get into a discussion about whose fault it was, Kamui's butler Jakob appeared from behind the twin maids.

"I took the liberty of readying your armor the previous evening and finishing earlier this morning," he explained, producing Kamui's armor looking as good as new. "As well as fixing the holes from yesterday's… err, skirmish."

"Thanks, Jakob." Kamui felt slightly guilty, "I'm glad you all watch out for me."

"Your sister fights ruthlessly," Jakob continued, "and your brother Xander is a terrifying opponent."

"Trust me…" Kamui showed off one of her scarred arms, "I've got enough physical evidence of their brutality to last me a lifetime—maybe two if I'm careless."

"All the more reason to remain vigilant," Jakob reminded her, "Master Leo has lectured you on this subject before, has he not?"

"More than he should be allowed to," Kamui shook her head, "just give me a moment to get ready and then let Xander and Camilla know I'll be right out."

She didn't even wait for her retainers to leave and close the door before she started undressing. If they didn't like what they saw, no one was forcing them to look. She thought about the dream she had had two nights before, and was intrigued to see if the individuals were even real. Did she really have a red-haired older sister who had been waiting over 15 years for her return? Did she have a brother who very well could be her twin? She had a lasting impression that she did, but she used this to her advantage as she finished gearing up. Thinking of them helped her stay focused. If she could best Camilla and Xander today, she would gain freedom to explore more on her own, and in turn possibly even learn if these siblings of hers even existed.

"It's just you and me, darling," Camilla cooed once Kamui was out on the rooftop. "Come at me whenever you're ready."

"Where's Xander?" she was not falling for the trap twice in a row. Fool her once…

"Be wary," Xander warned, appearing in plain sight, "this time a wrong move could cost you dearly." Kamui was used to this tough love, and so did not take it personally. However, she had a reply ready at the tip of her tongue.

"I don't plan on faltering." she licked her lips as she drew her sword.

The level of ferocity that Kamui fought with this time, when fully backed by her passions, was overwhelming. Her style was fierce and almost primal as she launched an all-out offensive assault against her two siblings, the steel of her swords clashing against theirs. Even Xander with the full might of Siegfried could not stand against Kamui's rage. While the battle was swift and decisive, it also ended quickly. Four dangerously powerful swings of her blade later, and this time it was Xander and Camilla that were left reeling.

"I am… impressed." Xander exclaimed, "well done, Kamui."

The wounds were prominent but not deadly. As Elise appeared to help nurse them back to health, so did Leo, who approached Kamui with a slow clap.

"Even I found that impressive," he pointed out, "and that doesn't happen often. You appeared more savage than usual, however. I doubt it's any cause for alarm, but I felt it important to alert you in case you didn't realize."

"I realized," Kamui nodded, turning to Xander. "And, thanks, by the way. Thanks for having patience, and for your, erm… tough love."

"It's tough love, alright!" Elise piped up, "but I'm glad you won, big sister! Now you three don't have to beat each other up anymore! Yay!"

"Well I'm not complaining," Kamui chuckled, "it's nice to not get my ass kicked in on a semi-regular basis."

"I certainly agree!" Elise concurred, "as much as I enjoy using my magic to heal you guys when you're hurt, I'd rather not have to use it at all!"

Brandishing her staff, she turned to Xander and Camilla before turning to Kamui. "By the way, sister! Check out this new trick!" She twirled her staff with the dexterity of a maid, linking it into a rather impressive little display before she aimed it at Camilla (who was the most injured of the three). She repeated similar processes for Xander and then Kamui, giggling playfully as she watched her siblings' faces light up as they were rejuvenated.

"Elise," Leo was the one to interrupt this time, "when are you going to behave like the adult you technically are?"

"I'm only 16!" Elise jumped. Camilla also (metaphorically) raced to her defense.

"And she's a little late bloomer, dear." she chortled. Elise giggled, clearly flattered.

"Leo, Leo, Leo…" Kamui shook her head as well as she approached her younger brother, "let her have her fun. Honestly… for someone as closed-off and dour as me, it really makes my day."

"You've earned it." Xander pointed out, "You're naturally talented, Kamui. With enough devotion to your craft, you could easily become the strongest warrior in Nohr."

"Might is not always determined by strength with pointy metal sticks." Leo reminded him.

"Leo, he didn't mean it like that." Kamui interjected, "trust me—you, Camilla, and even Elise have given me plenty of reminders about how dangerous magic can be. It doesn't always have to be a competition though."

"Does it?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

"You tell me," Kamui pointed out, "I don't see you lining up to challenge me in combat, and you and I both know you can annihilate me in a game of strategy."

"If I may get this back on track…" Xander interrupted the two, "you know what your victory against Camilla and I means, right, Kamui?"

"I'll finally get to see Windmire and Castle Krakenburg." Kamui smirked. "I'm game. Seriously—if I never see this gods-forsaken shithole again it'd be too soon."

"Think of all the fond memories you've made here though," Leo quipped.

"There's the Leo I know and love," Kamui elbowed him. "Aye; I'd be quite fine to take a torch to this place… after everyone was out of it of course. I'd hate to lose any of you, or any of my loyal retainers."

"Eyes on the prize, little princess." Xander shook his head, but he couldn't help but crack a smile. "Let us begin the necessary preparations."

It did not take long for Kamui to pack a few things and be ready to make a permanent move. Her practice weapons and dummies, as well as her sculptures and paintings, held no real value to her, and she could easily get or create new ones once she was moved in with the rest of her family. They mattered much more to her.

She met back up with Xander and the others at the stables, where their stable girl Lilith was preparing their horses for the journey.

"I've heard the news," she smiled, "it's good to know that you'll finally be leaving this desolate place."

"I was telling the others that I'd be quite fine if this place burned to the ground." Kamui quipped, "I'm Kamui and I'm never setting foot into that shithole again."

"Then perhaps it's for the best that I'm coming with you," Lilith smiled. "The horses are ready, and they seem excited for the trip as well."

"Good, and I'm glad," Kamui smiled, "I'd miss you too much if you weren't tagging along."

Joining Lilith, Kamui, and the four siblings was Gunter, the oldest of Kamui's retainers. A grizzled old war veteran, Gunter was a strict man with little sense of humor (much to Kamui's dismay), but he had also served as an extremely effective teacher, helping Kamui have a viable sparring opponent for the times when Xander and Camilla were not around.

"I and Jakob will be accompanying you, Lady Kamui," he informed her, "Meanwhile Flora and Felicia will continue their work in upkeeping this location, should you return."

"I have no intentions of coming back here though," Kamui wondered why they were to stay behind. She hoped that it was not her fault.

"I understand that," Gunter remarked, "I am simply stating King Garon's orders."

"Right," Kamui nodded. "Well if there's nothing else that needs my attention?"

"Yes, let's get going." Gunter turned down the path they were heading down (he had never gotten off his horse), and as Kamui saddled up and followed them down, she glanced one last time at the Northern Fortress—a place that she hoped to never see again.

She had never been this way before in the few times she had been able to roam the wilderness of Nohr. Most of the smaller towns she had seen had been east or south of here, and now they were headed west towards Windmire. The journey itself was not much in the way of eventful, but it was clear that as the black Nohrian Capitol City came into view, that Kamui's life was about to change forever...