"The ghosts of the past linger like smoldering embers of a dying blaze."

Corrin's eyes opened in an instant and he found himself floating in an endless sea of black. He tried to cry out only for his body to refuse. He heard nothing. He felt nothing. All he could see was an infinite void all around him.

"We cannot rid ourselves of these specters. They cling to us so long as we draw breath and there is no silencing them. Not with vengeance. Not with justice. Not with retribution. There is but one way to put an end to their pleas."

His thoughts were not his own—it was as if someone else was speaking in his head. He desperately attempted to take a breath to no avail. He felt as if he were drowning.

"Death. When one's life comes to an end, only then will they know peace. Only then will you know peace. Only then will I know peace."

Suddenly, Corrin could see more than just black. He saw his mother cradled in his sister's arms and riddled with smoldering holes. He saw her giving him a final smile, his sword buried in her chest, before fading into light. He saw Setsuna's lifeless body laid out before him, red scars like the branches of a tree marring her face. He saw Beruka hanging from the gallows. He saw Arthur bleeding out on the stone. He saw his father knelt before him.

Death, death, death. So much death. Avoidable deaths, deaths he was responsible for, deaths that had shaped him. All around him was death. He was the Assassin Prince, after all. Death stalked him wherever he went.

Corrin's vision shifted again and this time he saw a little boy with a head of white hair, crimson red eyes, and pointed ears. The boy smiled up at him with innocent eyes, and the next moment, he was gone. In his place was a young man with the same features, only now there was no smile. He looked anxious and unsure of himself. He balled his fists and averted his eyes, disappearing the next moment. Finally, Corrin saw an older man reflected back at him. His left arm was black and clad in scales. The whites of his eyes had been overcome by violet. This man was scowling, a knife in his hand and blood staining his armor.

"Degeneration. A fate that comes for all of our race. It seems your own was premature."

Corrin felt as if he were on the verge of death—whose voice had invaded his thoughts? It was neither male nor female, neither old nor young. There was only a single discernible quality to it.

It was filled with hate.

"Soon. Soon, little dragon. You will come to know my suffering."


Corrin awoke screaming.

Sweat drenched his face and stained the bed sheets. He took rapid deep breaths and stared straight ahead at the wall, his eyes wide and body trembling. Next to him, Kagero stirred before opening her eyes and sitting up in concern.

"Corrin…? What is it? Are you alright?"

He let out a shaky breath. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just…had a nightmare."

"That comes as no surprise on tonight of all nights." Kagero sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. "I must admit, I expected myself to be restless. Would you like me to get you a glass of water?"

"No, it's alright," Corrin said, shaking his head. "I should get back to sleep. We need to be as well-rested as possible for what's to come."

Kagero pursed her lips and placed a hand on Corrin's. "Be that as it may, it's also important to make sure you're prepared on all fronts. That includes your mental state. Is there anything in particular that has you concerned?"

"Plenty," Corrin said with a mirthless smile. "Every step we've taken on this journey has reminded us of what the enemy is capable of. If he was able to completely decimate the terrain like that, I'd be loathe to think of what he's able to do to us."

"It's frightening, yes, but let us not forget the plan. Once he's weakened by Azura's song, the rest of us should be more than enough to fell him."

"In theory, yes, but it took four of us singing in unison to dilute the blight enough so that it wouldn't consume us completely. Azura can't be the one to do it—she's used its power far too much already—it would be ideal if it were Shigure, Kamui, or myself. We're the only other people with experience."

"You may be right, though keep in mind that it would be best for two people to sing. Two pendants means double the effect, after all."

"Of course. So Shigure and myself then."

Kagero raised an eyebrow, looping her arm through her husband's and resting her head on his shoulder. "I see. You wish to protect her."

"Yes." Corrin found himself staring at the ceiling and furrowing his brow. "The enemy is already fixated on us to begin with; having her sing would just be painting an even bigger target on her back. I refuse to put her at risk like that."

"You're aware that she's more than capable of handling herself, yes? Kamui is no weakling. You've seen how fearsome she is both on and off the battlefield."

"I don't know if I'd describe her demeanor outside of battle as 'fearsome', but she certainly can be when she wants to." Corrin sighed and idly ran his fingers through Kagero's hair. "Back when we fought Setsuna, she got hurt pretty badly. I don't know what it was, but seeing her like that…it made me feel sick. I don't want to see her hurt ever again, and I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

Kagero smiled. "It makes me happy to hear you say that. Just a few weeks ago you wanted nothing more than to put her head on a pike and parade it around Shirasagi. You've certainly changed for the better, my love."

Corrin felt a pang of guilt in his chest and grimaced. Memories of the things he had said and done under Anankos' influence had haunted him ever since the day he'd overcome that darkness and reclaimed full control of his will. Anankos had permanently damaged his life. It may have been Silas that severed his arm, but it was Anankos that had put him in that position to begin with; it was Anankos who led him into a blind rage in Jotunheim and nearly got him killed. Without the Silent Dragon's seeds of darkness sprouting from within him, Corrin would have never attacked his siblings after their meeting in Izumo. He never would have imprisoned Kamui in that dark, cold cell beneath Castle Shirasagi. He never would have sent Beruka to her death. All of these decisions were his to make, yes, but it was Anankos who'd urged him towards his choices. Towards his mistakes. Mistakes that he would have to live with for the rest of his long, long life.

"I'd like to think we all have," Corrin sighed. He rested his hand on Kagero's head and closed his eyes. "Let's return to sleep. We have a long day ahead of us."

"That we do. Goodnight, Corrin."

"Goodnight, darling."

And as Kagero drifted back off to sleep on top of him, Corrin's mind was on one thing and one thing only.

He would slay the Silent Dragon no matter what stood in his way.

Much to the surprise as well as the relief of everyone present, gaining access to Castle Valla was neither difficult nor time consuming. The front gates were locked, of course, but the walls had weathered and crumbled so much so that there were various entrances in the forms of holes all across the frontmost facade. After a spell to detect presences courtesy of Orochi confirmed that they were alone, the squadron funneled through one of the larger holes and into the castle proper.

Just like the library, the state of the castle made it evident that no one had stepped foot inside in decades. The marble floor had cracked and weathered with time and dust particles floated all throughout the air—Hayato and Rhajat once again took it upon themselves to make it breathable. As they made their way through the castle's halls, they found that few testaments to the castle's former glory remained. They occasionally came across torn banners, rotted ornate rugs, and crumbled statues. A chandelier lay in the middle of the hallway still surrounded by broken glass. What was most eye-catching, however, was the large hole in the wall separating the grand hallway from the throne room and the rubble that lay before it.

Every set of eyes pointed through the opening and into the throne room. The tome they had taken from the library had said that the Silent Dragon dwelled in this very room, but there was certainly no dragon to be seen. Not now, at least. Would they have to advance even further? What awaited them just ahead?

"It…it can't be this easy, right?" Shiro asked. "I expected every inch of this place to be booby-trapped or something."

"No trials, traps, or anything of the sort, it seems. I suppose Anankos is going easy on us," Siegbert said.

"Or maybe the fights we've already had were our trials," Selena suggested. "Either way, we're here now. It's not over until we slay a dragon, so let's get this over with."

Camilla clapped a hand on her shoulder before she could take a step. "Patience, Selena. Corrin, Kamui, my loves. What should we do?"

The twins met each other's eyes and exchanged a silent nod.

"What we came here to do," Corrin began.

"We kill Anankos," Kamui finished.

Ryoma smiled. "Then let us move forward."

Leo made short work of clearing the rubble obstructing much of the entrance with Brynhildr. The tome's gravity manipulation made is so that each and every was boulder lifted like it weighed nothing and tossed to the side. When the path was clear, Corrin and Kamui led their allies into the throne room proper, weapons drawn and senses on high alert.

There was no throne to be seen, not anymore. Aside from the astounding size of the room, its only distinguishing feature was the giant effigy of a human face seemingly carved out of the wall itself. The face resembled a serene-looking man, as if he were sleeping, with a long diamond shape protruding from his forehead.

Lilith brushed her fingertips against the red jewel on her own forehead. "Anankos…Father."

"Isn't here." Charlotte's grip on the haft of her ax tightened, veins bulging on the back of her hands. "That pisses me off. Are we sure that book was accurate?"

"Well, there's always the possibility that those books were made to relay false information regarding Anankos specifically, but it's unlikely," Azura said. "Besides. Even without its help, I believe we would have come to the conclusion that a former king would reside in his throne room anyway."

"Stay on your guard," Corrin said. He gestured around the room with his Omega Yato in hand. "We split into squads and search the room as thoroughly as possible. If anyone comes across anything of interest, call out and notify the rest of us immediately."

He and Kamui hastily divied up their forces into small teams before setting out on their own searches. Corrin and Kara took to searching the ceiling, being the only ones among them capable of flight—without the use of magic, at least—while Kamui took it upon herself to survey the area around the effigy on the wall with Lilith, Kana, and Kaze. She ran her hand across the stone and inspected every inch. There were no signs of life to be found, not even the most miniscule of insects crawling out from the cracks and crevices.

"Do you think he's somewhere else?" Kana asked, tapping the wall with his estoc in search of any hollows. "Tell me we didn't come all the way out here for nothing."

"As Azura said, it's certainly possible, but unlikely." Kaze placed a hand on the effigy and stared. "Perhaps he dwells in another part of the castle. We may need to explore the basement next. After all, he may have moved since last we checked that tome."

Kamui shook her head. "I don't think so. Corrin and I don't sense anything and neither do our other shapeshifters. There should be some sign of life, but there's just…nothing. To the point where I don't think this is natural."

"Natural?" Kaze asked.

"Valla isn't devoid of life. We've seen birds, bugs, small mammals and the like all around. Surely a few rats at the very least would have found their way here by now, yes? But there isn't so much as a gnat. It makes me think that…that something must have eliminated them all before we got here."

Kana furrowed his brow and paused his search. "You think he killed all the rats and stuff? I guess he would have had to get rid of the corpses, too, but why? What good would that do him?"

Kamui pursed her lips; that was a good question. For what purpose would Anankos somehow clear the castle of every last sign of life? What good did it do him? If he wanted to hide his presence, then it would have been ideal for him to obfuscate it as much as possible by allowing vermin to roam free. Every squeak and scutter would have made them question if he had finally shown himself.

This was vexing. Not only had entering the castle and navigating to the throne room been far too simple, but now, Anankos was apparently making it easier for them to find him—and yet he was nowhere to be found. He had to be hiding somewhere in this vast and spacious room, but aside from the stone columns supporting the ceiling, there were no hiding places. So then…where would he…?

Kamui's heart dropped.

"Mom? Did you find something?" Kana asked as his mother's body stiffened. She grabbed Lilith's hand and took off running towards Corrin, her eyes frantic and wide.

"Kamui?" Corrin returned to the ground and put his hands on her shoulders as she skidded to a stop, panting. Lilith looked at her with worry in her gaze as well. "What's the matter? Have you—"

"I need you to focus with me, Corrin. Lilith, you too," Kamui said, speaking a mile a minute. She took her brother's hand in one and Lilith's in the other and squeezed.

Corrin frowned. "Focus…? What do you mean?"

"Close your eyes and try to sense Anankos again."

"Kamui, the only lives we've sensed are those of our allies, and—"

"Please," Kamui pleaded with desperate eyes. "Block out everything else and just focus. Lilith, you're his daughter, so you might be able to feel it as well."

Lilith nodded, though she was clearly unsure of whatever it was Kamui was talking about. Still she had full faith in her. She took a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders, and closed her eyes. Kamui did the same.

Though skeptical, Corrin put his trust in his sister and closed his eyes in turn, joining hands with Lilith. He tried not to let the sensation of Kamui and Lilith's hands squeezing his own distract him.

Corrin never was sure just how to explain his ability to sense things—people, danger, magic. It was not dissimilar to Orochi's ability to discern whether or not something was arcane in nature, but this was more innate rather than being achieved through years of practice. Scent was a part of it, but it was mostly a sensation he felt in his belly. Since he shared this ability with Kara, Kamui, and supposedly Kana, he knew it came as a boon of draconic bloodline.

He sensed Camilla and Elise not far from him—he'd know their auras anywhere. Kagero, Kotomi, Kara. One by one, he clocked each of his friends, family members, and newfound comrades alike. He came to Lilith—confused yet full of hope—and Kamui—anxious and full of fear. That was it. There wasn't a single other soul to be found aside from his own, so just what was it that Kamui wanted from him?

Corrin tried and he tried, but to no avail. Frustrated, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sensing anything. All there is is—"

He opened his eyes and the looks of sheer terror on Lilith and Kamui's face gave him pause. Their hands slipped out of his own as they took a step back.

"Why are you two looking at me like that?" he asked. The question came out more scared than inquisitive. Kamui began to tremble and her hand went to her weapon. Lilith grit her teeth and gazed into Corrin's eyes with an expression he'd never seen on her before. She looked at him with a righteous and burning fury, as if she were ready to lunge at him at given moment.

And then Corrin felt it.

And he heard it.

And he was it.

"I had imagined you would have caught on sooner."

The voice reverberated throughout the room. All at once, weapons were drawn and spells were readied. Corrin's hands flew to cover his ears—his head, the voice was in his head. It came in a cacophony of whispering waves and washed over him like a cascade of torment. No…no, this couldn't have been happening. He had rid himself of Anankos weeks ago! Surely this was some sort of trick. He was cured—he wasn't a threat to anyone.

"He wanted us to find him here," Kamui said in a shaky breath. "Gods. C-Corrin, are you with us?"

Corrin nodded, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. His heart rate hastened even as he tried to remain calm. Not only was Anankos here, but he dwelled within him.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I can…I can handle this."

He wrapped his fingers around the pendant hanging from his neck. For the third time, he drew on the power of Azura's pendant and the song that had once been used to quell the Silent Dragon's wrath.

"Y-You are the oceans gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore just out of reach…"

Corrin felt the warmth of the pendant's glow seep into him through him scales and a shudder tore through his body. He wasn't sure if it was his anxiety or the song's effects combating Anankos' will. He squeezed the pendant tighter in his grasp.

"Yet the water's ever change, flowing like time, the path is yours to climb."

He felt himself growing lighter, as if a great weight was being lifted from his shoulders. It was working! Corrin gripped the pendant even tighter—he refused to allow the Silent Dragon to take control of at the eleventh hour, not when there was so much at stake, not when he'd beaten this monster once before. Tighter, tighter! He had to avenge those who he'd lost! He had to kill the puppet master once and for all—tighter, tighter!

Something shattered, and Corrin's breath stopped.

Practically petrified, the Assassin Prince slowly uncurled his fingers and let the fragments of the centuries old gem crumble to the ground. He looked down at what remained at the pendant, and it was only then that he saw that familiar dreadful purple fog gathering at his feet.

Azura gawked in despair-filled shock as if she'd just witnessed an atrocity. Heavy tears filled her eyes and began to roll down her face at once. She stumbled backwards before Shigure grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her from falling over.

Corrin looked up and met Kagero's fearful gaze. He looked at Kotomi, regret palpable on her face, and at Kara, who looked as if she were on the verge of running right up to him, held back only by her sister's tight hold on her hand. Finally, he faced Kamui, and his voice broke as he spoke the only words he could muster at the moment.

"I'm so sorry."

And he was gone.


The next thing Corrin knew, he was sitting on a familiar bedside.

He recognized the room immediately. The children's toys scattered across the floor and the wooden doll held loosely in his fingers were evidence enough. He may not have had any memories of this room from when it truly belonged to him, but just being there filled him with a sense of nostalgia. This was the room he spent much of the first two years of his life in with his sister, that enough was certain, but…just what exactly was he doing here?

"Good question. I dunno, though."

Corrin turned his head and was met with the always welcome visage of Setsuna. He drew in a sharp breath and his heart felt as if it had come to a stop—he wasn't expecting to see her ever again.

"Setsuna…? What's going on?"

"I just said I don't know," Setsuna said with a shrug. "Maybe this is an hallucination before you die or something."

"That would…certainly explain things. So you aren't you, then? You're just in my head?"

Setsuna nodded. "Yup. I died, remember? Again. And moved on to a better place. I hope. Anyway, how're you holdin' up? You don't look so good."

Corrin frowned and his shoulders slacked as he set the doll down before holding his head in his hands. "I…I thought I was cured. I thought I'd taken my body and my will back from Anankos' clutches, but I was wrong. Why? Why is this happening?"

"Hm…how did Shigure explain it again?" Setsuna tapped her finger against her chin. "Anankos takes control of people with weak psyches, right? Generally people in vulnerable states of mind, like Takumi or, well, you. I guess you weren't as mentally fortified as you thought you were."

"But I was," Corrin insisted, balling his fists against his head. "I let go of the resentment I had for Kamui. I love her. I would protect her with my life—isn't that enough? What more must I do to rid myself of this…this beast?"

Corrin began to tremble and bit his lip. This was all wrong. He'd already forced Anankos out of his head once before, so why had the Silent Dragon returned? No longer was he obsessed with vengeance. No longer was he obsessed with justice. No longer did he want Kamui's head on a pike. Those were the fixations that had weakened his mind and allowed the Silent Dragon to possess him just as he'd possessed King Garon or Takumi, but he was over all of that now. He was Corrin again, so how had his psyche been stolen from him a second time?

He had failed. Again. He had come so far only to lose himself just as he was approached the final challenge he had to overcome. Corrin was so, so sick of failure. Kamui had always bested him in their sparring sessions back before all of this began. He'd lost battle after battle, comrade after comrade, and it was his own damn fault. If he had just been more lucid—more levelheaded, more careful—then perhaps people like Reina would have still been alive. Perhaps Arthur's blood would never have stained his hands. Perhaps he would have been able to fall asleep without the echoes of the crowd's raucous cheers and the creaking of the gallows rope haunting him. But he hadn't. He'd let himself slip away, and because of that, he had failed for what could have been the last time.

He didn't have to question it—surely he was attacking the people he loved at this very moment. Anankos would stop at nothing. If they wished to subdue him, they would have to put him down lest he throw himself at them again and again. It was what he'd done only weeks ago, after all, caring not for his own wellbeing. All that mattered was that his goals were met. And they never were. Not really.

"…What if forgiving Kamui wasn't what needed to be done?"

Corrin's breath hitched in his throat and his trembling ceased. He lowered his hands and looked to Setsuna with inquiring eyes.

"What…what do you mean?"

"Well, think of it this way. It's not like you've gone back to wanting to butcher her in front of her family or something. Come to think of it, your feelings for her now are probably stronger than they ever were."

Corrin frowned. "You make it sound as if I'm in love with her…"

"Are you?"

"Setsuna!"

"I'm joking," Setsuna said. The sound of her delightful little laugh brought a slight smile to Corrin's face. "Anyway, if Anankos was able to take control again even though you've forgiven your sister, then it's probably something else you haven't dealt with. You've got a lot of mental hangups, you know."

Corrin sighed, leaning forward and smoothing back his hair. "But I was so sure that he couldn't control me anymore. I forced him out of my head with my own will, but…I suppose all that accomplished was suppressing his influence. If not Kamui, then what? What is it that Anankos is exploiting?"

Setsuna shruged. "Beats me. If you don't know, then neither do I. I'm just something your subconscious made up."

Corrin desperately wracked his mind in search of an answer. Setsuna was wrong—he was perfectly mentally sound. Kamui was the twin at war with her own mind, not him. But if Corrin was fine, then how had he been possessed? There had to be something he was ignoring, a truth he was unwilling to confront. There had to be something, but try as he might, nothing came to mind. He was Corrin Asuka, the Assassin Prince. He protected those who could not protect themselves on the streets of Hoshido and defended those he loved on the battlefield. He was a husband, a father, a brother. He'd made mistakes, yes, but was working towards atoning for those mistakes every day. Corrin knew who he was and he was confident in himself.

"You're not being honest with yourself," Setsuna said, frowning.

"I don't understand," Corrin breathed, covering his face with his hands. "I don't understand. I just…I need to get back. I need to get back. Everyone's counting on me, but I'm hurting them—I'm hurting them again."

"Again."

"Again. Kamui, Camilla, Elise, Leo…they must hate me. Hate me for what I did to them. To the people they loved." He grit his teeth and choked back a sob. "I pushed away everyone who tried to help me. Hinoka and Takumi…I even pushed away Kagero—Gods, what is wrong with me?!" He slammed his fist against the bedframe and seethed in anger as tears filled his eyes. "I hurt so many, and I'm trying to make up for it—Gods I am trying—but is it not enough?! A-And how am I going to atone this time, if I even come out of this alive? I can try and try and try, but it'll never be sufficient. It'll never be enough."

Setsuna put a hand on his shoulder and a tear rolled down his face.

"I can feel contempt in every look Effie gives me. She wants me dead, I know it. I can't even work up the courage to properly apologize for murdering her damn husband—what sort of prince am I? Camilla and Elise—they can never love me the same way again. Not after what I did to them. I hurt them—" His voice broke, sobs wracking his body as he cried into his hands. "I hurt them so bad, Setsuna. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Corrin…" Setsuna breathed, calmly stroking Corrin's back. "I…I don't think Kamui was who you had to forgive to get Anankos out of your head."

Corrin's weeping came to a sudden stop. He was absolutely still, as if he'd been frozen in time. Finally, he sat up straight and met Setsuna's gentle eyes.

"You don't show it, but you've carried so much guilt with you for so long. Guilt over not being to save people, over hurting those you love, over refusing help you really did need. You're letting that guilt consume you whether you know it or not."

Corrin's eyes fell.

"I just…I want to be good. I need them to know that I am not my past mistakes."

"You are good, Corrin, and everyone around you already knows that. Camilla and Elise know it. Takumi and Hinoka know it. Kagero and Kotomi know it." She gave a hopeful little smile. "I knew it. So. Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself and move forward."

"I don't know how," Corrin whispered. "How can I forgive myself when I've wronged so many? Permitted so much death that could have been avoided?"

"You accept. You accept the parts of you that you hate. You learn from them, you grow from them, and you try your best to make them better. Your mistakes should drive you towards the future, not keep you shackled to the past."

Shackled to the past. It was almost funny. Kamui had learned not to let her regrets take over her life and Corrin had supported her in that all the while being unable to move forward himself.

He sniffled, a small smile on his face. "You were always more wise than people assumed, you know. That's what I loved about you."

"Heh. Thanks. But this isn't me being wise," Setsuna said. "I'm you, remember? The only person who can truly understand you is you." She pressed her lips to his forehead and gave him one last hopeful smile. "So be good to yourself."

The next moment, she was gone.

Corrin's eyes fell to his hands and the Omega Yato resting in them. They'd been empty just a second ago. He wrapped his fingers around the blade's hilt and pressed his lips together.

"Be good to myself…" he muttered.

There was much to think about, but he had no time for that. He had to return to his loved ones.


"Keep him back!"

Kamui erected a wall of flames in defense, but her efforts were fruitless. Corrin charged through the fire without hesitation and their blades met in a hurricane of slashes. Corrin managed to land a clean cut right across her arm and she winced in pain as her blood splashed onto the floor. She forced her palm against his chest and set off a small explosion—not enough to seriously injure him, but enough to send him flying back a distance away.

"Elise!"

"I've got you!"

Elise was by her side in no time at all, channeling her magic through her staff and closing Kamui's fresh wound in only a few moments. Kamui drew in full, heavy breaths as she stared at Corrin, who had just risen to his feet.

Of all the things that could have gone wrong now of all times, this was by far the worst. She'd had enough of crossing blades with her twin brother for one lifetime. They were supposed to be fighting Anankos, not Corrin! Not only that, but hadn't he been cured? He should have been free from the Silent Dragon's influence, but…

He lunged forward only to be stopped by thick roots bursting forth from the ground and wrapping around his legs. Leo hastily muttered another incantation to ready a second spell, but the Omega Yato tore through the roots effortlessly. He was obstructed yet again by Kagero, whose kunai glanced off of his armor and only succeeded in momentarily throwing him off balance. He continued his advanced towards Kamui until finally his body was seized by the same black aura that had been used against him twice before. Lilith thinned her eyes to maintain her focus—now more than ever it was important to concentrate. She winced as Corrin began to move again, slowly but surely, and a thin rivulet of blood trickled from her nose.

"Don't overexert yourself, Lilith!" Azura cried.

With a grunt of frustration, Lilith released her hold on Corrin and stumbled backwards. Shiro was there to catch her before she could fall.

No one moved a muscle. They waited for Corrin to attack just as they'd been doing for the past several minutes, purely playing defense and doing all they could to keep him at bay. Yet, Corrin did not take another step. He stood right where he was, sweat rolling down his brow and his jaw tightly clenched, and bit by bit, raised his sword in the air.

"P-Papa?!" Kara started towards him only for Kana to grab her from behind, preventing her from moving forward. He shouted at her for her carelessness, but she paid him no mind, only continuing to call out for her father.

Kamui kept up her guard and made certain Elise was adequately protected behind her. "Damn it, Corrin. Wake up," she muttered.

Finally, Corrin let out a guttural scream and plunged the blade into his belly. Cries of his name echoed throughout the chamber and Kamui's grip on her sword tightened. What was this—Anankos? No. There was no reason for the Silent Dragon to purposefully bring harm to his most valued vessel, not now. This had to be Corrin himself, but what was he doing?

It didn't matter. She trusted him wholeheartedly and was sure that whatever he was doing was justified. Moments later, she was proven correct.

Corrin fell to his knees, and all at once, the sinister miasma lingering around his body dissipated until there was no indication it was ever even there. His eyes, wide with pain, were the same vibrant shade of red they should have always been.

He was free.

"Corrin!"

Kamui was the first to move, rushing over to her brother's side and falling to her knees to support him. "Are you alright? What was that? What happened?"

Corrin winced and shook his head. "No time. I'll—agh, I'll explain later." He grit his teeth and in one smooth motion withdrew the Omega Yato from his body. Elise and Sakura were at his side by the time the metal clanged against the stone floor, their magical incantations overlapping as they worked to close his wound. Camilla, Hinoka, and Azura hurriedly approached him and all six of Corrin's sisters helped him to his feet.

"Azura," Corrin breathed, meeting her gaze with guilt-filled eyes. "Your pendant. I'm sorry. It was your mother's, and I…"

Azura closed her hands around Corrin's and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're safe."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Camilla said, gesturing ahead.

In the back of the room, right before where the remnants of the throne lay, the ethereal image of a man clad in ornate white robes flickered into existence. His azure hair cascaded over his shoulders and his deep red eyes, though aimed solely at the twins, seemed to pierce the very being of everyone present.

"Look at you," he began, his voice low and sonorous. "At the end of it all, you finally managed to rid yourself of me. I am so very proud of you, Corrin."

"Your praise means nothing, monster," Corrin spat. He picked up his weapon from the floor and assumed a fighting stance, and though pain flared in his stomach, he stood tall and firm.

"It is not too late, you know." A sinister smile crept up Anankos' lips. "We can live together here in Valla. You. Kamui. Kara. Kana. Lilith. Myself. We can be a family."

"We already have a family," Kamui countered. She looked to Hinoka and Ryoma, Leo and Elise, Lilith and Azura. "And you? It doesn't matter what blood runs through our veins. You will never be family."

"History shows that you don't tend to treat your family very well," Corrin hissed.

Anankos scowled. "You know nothing of what you speak, child. Have you any idea of what I have had to endure? Have you any idea of how it feels to be betrayed by those closest to you? To have people you once loved turn on you?"

"I do," Corrin said, "and I know what that can do to a person. I was on the verge of becoming you. You destroyed everything beautiful around you, and for what?"

"Insolent fool! What I did—everything I have done has been in the name of justice! Vengeance! Retribution against those who dared turned their backs on me!"

"Is this justice?! Puppeteering the lives of their descendants and murdering the innocent?! Just look at what you've wrought, Anankos!" Corrin spat. "Your kingdom? Ruined! Your daughter? Dead! And now, every living person who shares your blood stands before you ready to slay you once and for all! This is the fate you've spun for yourself!"

Anankos seethed, and though he bared his fangs at Corrin in righteous indignation, he turned his head to Lilith and sent a shudder down her spine. "And Lilith, my daughter. What of you? Will your throw your life away to protect not only your niece and nephew, but these wretched apes as well?"

Lilith only glared. "These people have given me more of a home than you ever did. They've loved me more than you ever could. You may have created me, but you do not control me."

For a just a moment, there was a flash of sadness in Anankos' eyes. That sadness was promptly replaced with pure, unbridled fury.

"Then may Mikoto forgive me."

A cacophony of dissonant whispers filled the room as Anankos held his head in his hands and doubled over, his body convulsing. The party covered their ears to filter out the noise and the room all around them shook, dust and gravel falling from the ceiling. Anankos let out a maddening cry and was consumed by a blinding silver light. When the light faded, the azure-haired man was gone, and in his place was a terrible beast.

Anankos' resemblance to Corrin and Kamui's draconic forms proved to be unnerving, with several of their allies looking back and forth between him and them. The size of the beast dwarfed even the tallest among the army, his dreadful wings—membrane torn and riddled with holes—nearly touching the domed ceiling above. Countless overgrown antlers sprouted from his head and neck which hung low to the ground. The beast had no eyes, only a single glowing orb that permanently held open his mouth. His muscles and scales had greyed with time and his claws had cracked and chipped away until they were naught but jagged bits of bone protruding from flesh. What once must have been a magnificent white Astral Dragon had degenerated beyond recognition.

Corrin couldn't help but clench his teeth at the sight of the monster and glance down at his youngest daughter. At his twin sister. He didn't know what fate awaited them over the next few hundred years, but he promised himself he would never let them become…this.

Kara was always fearless to the point of being reckless in battle, but with the Silent Dragon himself staring her down, her eyes were wide with fear and her legs shook with terror. Corrin put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't be scared, Princess. It's almost over."

For once, Kana actually smiled at her. "No sense in losing your nerve now. Not when we're right on the verge of victory."

"We'll be fine, I promise," Kotomi said. "You've always fought your hardest. This time shouldn't be any different."

Kara pursed her lips and nodded, tightening her grip around the handle of her sword. "R-Right! Just have to beat the bad guy, same as always!"

"Kamui? Corrin?" Silas backed up to the twins' side and threw them a nervous look. "What're our orders? You guys are the bosses, remember."

"Come on, let me at 'em! I want to make him bleed!" Peri said with wild eyes. In spite of their situation, Kamui smiled. Peri may have mellowed out greatly over the years, but there would always be a part of her younger self at her core.

Kamui met her brother's eyes. "Are you ready for this?"

Corrin nodded, determination on his face. "Always."

The twin dragons faced forward and raised their legendary blades to the air. A fire burned in their eyes, flames stoked by years of death and of pain. Together, they cried out in unison,

"This ends now!"

and began what was to be their final battle.

Anankos roared as dozens of soldiers charged at him with enough determination that even the impossible was within their grasp. The instant he raised his forequarters and prepared to bring his talons down, a fusillade of arrows—steel and spectral alike—collided with his arm and spilled blood black as oil. He shifted his attention to the group of archers that had fired and his claws swiped through the air only to be met with a dense wall of woven tree roots at the last second.

"Change positions!" Leo called. Takumi, Kiragi, Mitama, Niles, and Midori all ran right past him as he willed the roots to extend and wrap themselves around Anankos' arm. The dragon ripped the wall of roots right out from the throne room floor, sending dirt and gravel flying through the air.

With a snap of her fingers, Kamui sent a single burning ember towards the roots. That was all it took to ignite the dry wood and create a blaze that engulfed a section of the dragon's arm. He cried out in anguish and flailed the limb in an almost desperate attempt to extinguish the flames.

"Rhajat, Hayato!" Kamui shouted.

"Got it!"

"Whatever you say, gorgeous!"

Father and daughter stood before the beast and unleashed an intense gale of wind. Oxygen fed the flames until they consumed the arm in its entirety, and once again, the Silent Dragon's wail was enough to shake the room. He then seemed to seethe, ignoring the pain coming from the burning of its flesh as a dark miasma coalesced around its arm. The flames' hue blackened before they fizzled out completely, the charred flesh it left behind smoking. The Silent Dragon wasted no time, slamming his claws into the floor and summoning countless shadowy spikes that broke through the ground and caught several people as they rose.

Corrin pressed his back against the flat side of one of the giant spikes and found that it was as smooth as glass. He silently ushered Elise and Sakura out of Anankos' field of vision and over towards Matoi, who was knelt down with her hand pressing into a gash in her thigh. Elise and Sakura's combined healing made it so that the wound was mended in mere moments.

"Thank you, Mother," Matoi said with a smile. "And…Princess Elise. I appreciate your assistance."

"Don't mention it," Elise said.

Corrin gestured forward with a pair of fingers. "Selkie, Shiro, and Kiragi are right ahead. Meet up with them and attack from behind."

"Understood." Matoi stood up and prepared to make for her cousins before Elise stopped her.

"Wait. Bring along Forrest and Dwyer. They'll heal you if you need it."

Matoi nodded and took off. Corrin looked around the room and let out a huff of frustration—he could barely get his bearings with all the erected spikes obscuring his vision.

"They're like the stone pillars in Jotunheim," Sakura said. "This isn't exactly the same situation, though…"

Corrin nodded. "Right. Last time, we had the advantage—ah, Hoshido did. We need to level the playing field." He took a deep breath and looked towards the ceiling, his wings stretching to their full span. "I'm going up. Stay safe."

With a single powerful flap of his wings, he took to the air and ascended nearly to the peak of the throne room. He just barely hovered above Anankos' menacing head even at such an altitude. He willed his sacred weapon to rev to life and emit a warm golden glow before folding in his wings and plummeting downwards.

"Hyah!" he shouted as he pierced Anankos' neck, evoking a roar of agony that only grew in intensity the further he fell. Corrin withdrew his blade and spread his wings once again, reversing his direction and gliding right back up to cut through the beast's throat. Though Anankos cried out in pain, the wounds barely seemed to have any significant effect. It continued to writhe and thrash about, every stomp of its foot or beat of its tail against the floor shaking the room.

Anankos whipped his head around so that his eyes were aimed right at Corrin. He seemed to freeze in the air. Each crimson eye, massive and unblinking, rendered him petrified so much so though he plummeted downwards like a stone. He would have been splattered against the ground had it not been for Lilith's aura seizing him and hurriedly ushering him over to lay at her side.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she pulled him to his feet.

Corrin let out a shaky breath. "Yes, thank you. Those eyes…there's something about them. Something older than I can even comprehend."

"He has been alive for several millennia," Lilith said. "Don't let it unnerve you. Just think about everything's he's responsible for. Every home destroyed, every life lost…every bond broken."

The prince nodded and turned his attention to his eldest daughter, who hastily made her way to his side with heavy breaths. Kana approached right with her. "Father! We think we have a plan as to how we can get rid of the obstructions.

Corrin smiled. "Let's hear it, then."

Meanwhile, his other half was struggling to avoid being flattened.

Once Anankos had dealt with Corrin, he set his sights on Kamui and did not seem interested in pursuing anyone else. Kamui—despite countless hours of fruitless attempts over the years—could decidedly not fly without the use of magic, and she had no interest in spewing flames from her feet down on her allies in such an enclosed space. As such, she bobbed and weaved through the spikes all around her, diving out of the way of blasts of dark energy and fending off oncoming swipes of giant claws with blasts of sheer cold ice. As exhausting as it was, she was at the very least keeping his attention off of her allies.

From the giant globe of constantly shifting eyes, a ray of white-hot magical energy shout out towards Kamui and she dove out of the way, rolling across the floor before springing right back to her feet. The attack had completely disintegrated the stone flooring of the throne room and had penetrated deep into the earth, smoke rising from the ravine left behind. Kamui let out a staggered breath—a second later and she would have been reduced to nothingness.

"Don't you touch her, monster!"

Kamui turned her attention to where her brother had once again taken to the air, flapping his wings and hovering just within range of Anankos. "Remember who killed your precious servant—that damnable snake, Iago! It was me! I was the one who slew Mikoto when you sent her after us!"

Anankos roared and once again switched his focus to Corrin. From the faintest hint of a smile on his face, Kamui knew that that was precisely what he wanted.

"You want revenge, right? Justice, retribution, blood for blood! That's what this has all been for! So come on, come and get me!"

The dragon charged another ray of energy and Corrin flew towards one of the larger spikes to perch atop its peak. He leapt off of it the instant the blast was released and the attack obliterated the pillar at once.

As Corrin flew from spike to spike, each one either being disintegrated by the dragon's breath or shattered by a swipe of its tail or paws, Kana and Kara worked to push every broken off end over towards Lilith, who looked to be undergoing some sort of enhancement spell from Elise and Orochi. Any time the beast's attention would linger too close to the young dragons, Kotomi would appear before him in a burst of smoke and slash at his eyes before dashing away, keeping his focus locked purely on herself and Corrin.

Ah, Kamui thought, that's what you're going for.

Soon, there were almost no more spikes for Corrin to leap from. That was when he dug his claws into the wall and perched to continue his verbal taunt.

"Look at you! Just a mad old beast! You used to be a king beloved by all, and now what have you become? A tyrant! A tyrant who decimated his own land and people!"

That about did it. Anankos charged forward in righteous fury and slammed his body into the wall. It failed in crushing its target, as Corrin had already leaped from his perch, though it did nearly breach the throne room wall. The stone cracked and crumbled, debris falling from the ceiling and the whole structure of the room seeming to momentarily wane.

As the beast started to turn around, Kamui glanced at where Lilith, Elise, Orochi, Kana, and Kara were gathered. She'd seen this sort of enhancement spell before—the light aura surrounding Lilith's body was not yet quite bright enough. It wasn't ready, but at this rate, they would catch Anankos' attention and be attacked before they could complete their preparations. She grit her teeth and wracked her brain for a solution. Kotomi could only keep up her momentary distractions for so long. They would need something bigger, and when it came to spectacle, Kamui was by far the most qualified to dish out exactly that.

She didn't very well had time to ponder what she was to do, so she opted for the first thing that came to her mind. Creating explosions from her palm was easy. All it took was a single flame and a simple ignition to set one off, but Anankos was at too great a distance for any explosion she could muster up to have any sort of effect. If she wanted to distract or temporarily immobilize him…

Her body moved before her mind. The single snap of her fingers seemed to cut through all the noise of the ancient god's growling as well as the sounds of war from her comrades in arms and a lone ember flew out towards the Silent Dragon just as it had when the battle first begun, only this time, Kamui kept her arm extended and her focus intact. She had to time this just right lest she make things even worse.

Time seemed to slow around her as the orange flame danced through the air and towards its target as if travelling along an invisible wire. It grew farther with every passing moment and Kamui felt her control over it fade further and further as it did, but she could not ignite it just yet. It was too soon. Too soon…

Now!

The fiery explosion went off right right near Anankos' face as he turned to face he adversaries, the sheer force of it all enough to send the colossal beast stumbling to his side. Smoke obscured his vision just long enough for Elise and Orochi to complete their spell and invigorate Lilith with their magic. Lilith stood tall and firm, her arms outstretched, and took a deep breath. All at once, the pointed remnants of Anankos' black spikes were consumed by the same violet aura Kamui had grown so used to by now. She'd seen Lilith handle impressive loads before, but steadily raising multiple spikes that had to weigh several tons all at once? That was something different entirely. Still she achieved exactly that, the pointed ends of each pillar aimed towards the dazed form of Anankos.

"Father!" Lilith cried. "To Hell with you!"

She threw her arms down and sent the spikes flying towards the beast with a cry of effort. One by one they collided with their target, every impact making it cry out in pain. They tore through the membrane of his wings as well as his flesh, painting the stone around it with blood black as oil. The final spike pierced him through the chest and left him stunned for just a moment, staring straight ahead into nothingness, before him finally collapsed.

No one said a word. The room was absolutely silent save for the sound of dust settling and heavy breaths. Anankos was absolutely still. After what felt like an eternity, the silence was broken at last.

"Auntie Lilith! You did it!"

Kana cheered and leapt in the air to pull Lilith into a tight hug that she reciprocated wholeheartedly. The rest of them gathered around, some with hesitant smiles on their faces, others with uncontainable grins.

"Wow, that was over sooner than I thought it would be!" Kiragi said, laughing. "That was amazing! How'd you manage to lift all of those heavy spikes like that?"

Orochi winked at him and ruffled his hair. "With some support courtesy of yours truly and Princess Elise."

Asugi smirked. "Way to go, Ma. You carried the day."

"Oh, don't give me all the credit. It was Elise's spell, I just helped. If anything, you should patting Lilith on the back."

Lilith let out a shaky breath and stumbled, evidently lightheaded. Ryoma put a hand on her shoulder to stabilize her. "Kana and Kotomi came up with the plan. All I did was execute it."

"Alright alright, we get it. We all did it," Kana said in a huff. "But I wouldn't start celebrating so soon."

As if on cue, the still corpse of Anankos began to flicker and fade as if it were teetering on the edge of existence. The castle rumbled with such an intensity that it felt like the entire island was being violently shaken from its place in the sky. A deep, bellowing, sonorous voice sounded throughout the castle—no, it must have been audible throughout all of Valla.

I AM THE FORGOTTEN DRAGON.

THE BETRAYED KING.

THE ENTOMBED GOD.

IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF VALLA. I SENTENCE YOU TO DEATH.

The sight of the stone effigy sinking into the wall escaped most, for they were preoccupied with protecting themselves from further harm from the quake. Corrin noticed, though, and grit his teeth as the bottom of the face crumbled away and revealed familiar glowing red eyes peering through the darkness. Realization dawned on him in that moment—it was never an effigy in the first place.

It was a mask.

The hair on the back of his neck stiffened as the energy in the room shifted. By the look on Kamui's face, she must have noticed as well. The rumbling paused and all was still.

Kara peeked out from behind her fingers, whimpering. "Is…is it over?"

"No," Kamui choked out. Her ear twitched and eyes widened. She suddenly reached out. "Leo!"

The pressure in the room seemed to implode in on itself and Corrin just barely caught sight of something emerging from the tunnel. It was a deep black sphere of nothingness that drew in every piece of rubble and ripped the walls and floors apart, swallowing up everything it passed. Corrin only just registered it before his vision was cut off by a dense wall of ice layered atop Leo's shield of thick tree roots and vines, which burst forth from the floor and covered everyone in a dome in seconds.

Kagero held her youngest daughter close as she cried out in fear. The very ground beneath them shook as if the gods themselves were tossing it every which way, and worst of all, not a soul had any clue of what was happening around them. All they could hear were the sounds of destruction and the deafening roar of a dragon—far louder and deeper than the ones they'd already been subjected to.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the quake came to an end and all was still. Despite the barrier around him, Corrin could feel that something had shifted. The air was different.

Leo let out a shaky breath, magic still jumping between his fingertips to maintain the barrier. "Kamui? Is it safe?"

"Safe isn't the right word, but…"

Kamui lowered her hands and the icy outer later of their dome shattered. Though hesitant, Leo did the same, and the vines and roots began to unravel only to reveal a dark, jeweled sky above.

Ryoma clenched his jaw and tightly gripped the Raijinto in his hand. "Gods," he whispered.

While much of the throne room floor remained, the walls around them had been destroyed entirely. Instead of the lush green grass and clear blue sky of Valla, there was nothing around them but a deep black void dotted with stars above. Nothing was below them, making it so that they were floating along through space just like Valla's shattered islands. The abyss they found themselves in was the most immediately striking thing, however, it took no time at all for everyone to lay eyes on the gargantuan beast looming before them.

The true form of the Silent Dragon was like something straight out of a child's nightmares. Its appearance was less necrotic than that of its degenerated form, but more than that, its size dwarfed that of its previous form. It was about half the size of Castle Shirasagi from head to toe—though its head could barely be called such. It was nothing more than a mass of muscle and cartilage that was jaw-like in appearance, holding the same sphere of eyes within. Its wings were massive, easily spanning even farther than what remained of the throne room floor. Its hulking claws rested on the edge of the floating platform and its body hovered within the abyss below.

"We…we can't kill that, can we?" Keaton choked out, tail stiff as a board. "We can't kill that thing! No way!"

Saizo huffed and drew his katana. "If it bleeds, we can kill it."

"That thing won't even feel any of my daggers! How are we supposed to take it down?" Felicia asked nervously.

"The same way we've been fighting since we got here," Kamui said with a confident smile.

The teeth of Corrin's Omega Yato whirred to life. "Together," he finished.

One of the Silent Dragon's eyes shimmered and gleamed before glowing red. One by one, phantasmal apparitions of Vallite soldiers manifested all over the area—no, that wasn't correct. Many were soldiers donning armor and wielding weapons befitting those of their station, but the rest appeared to be ordinary citizens. They were dressed in plainclothes and their weapons were far more rudimentary. They possessed carving knives, walking sticks, and swords meant more for amateur practitioners rather than trained soldiers.

A knot formed in Kamui's stomach as one particular phantom caught her eye. Though her facial features may have been obscured, Kamui could tell by her frame that she was but a young woman who had no place on the battlefield. She might have enjoyed spending time with her loved ones or on her hobbies before Anankos destroyed her home and seized her soul for his own machinations. Now, she was nothing more than a puppet for a tyrannical god.

Something else was odd. While the fallen soldiers possessed a variety of body types and weapons, they all appeared to have the same hair styles. The men had shaggy hair held together in a loose ponytail, their faces framed by locks, while the women's hair was all styled in bobs, full in the back with bangs in the front. In addition to that, their stance was…familiar. Too familiar.

"They're supposed to be you," Silas suggested, glancing at his wife and brother-in-law. "It's sick."

The twins met briefly each other's eyes with frowns on their faces. "I never was much for fighting with pitchforks," Kamui said.

"I've never even considered using wood axes. Seems a little impractical in war."

That brought the smiles back to their faces.

"You're able to joke at a time like this?" Kagero asked, bewildered.

"No sense in doom and gloom! Not when we're right at the finish line!" Peri said, bouncing on her the balls of her feet with an eager grin. "Come on, come on! Give us the command and let's get right to it!"

"With pleasure." Kamui nudged her brother in the side and the both raised their weapons to the sky. Together, they cried out.

"Let's end this! Everyone, charge!"

With war cries and eager shouts, the soldiers of Hoshido and Nohr alike rushed forward towards their victory, weapons at the ready and a fire in their hearts.

Corrin took to the air to cut through the hoards of ethereal Vallites like a scythe through grass while Kamui's frost and flames made quick work of anyone who dared stand in her way. Another version of her would have felt guilty about snuffing out life without a second thought, but these people had died centuries ago. She wasn't quite sure what happened when their mist-like form dissipated. She hoped they moved on to a better place, but they didn't turn into golden motes of light like Xander or Sumeragi had. She didn't know, and she had to be content with that. After all, dwelling on it further would only serve to cloud her mind. She didn't need that now of all times.

Corrin folded in his wings and screamed as he ran straight ahead, the teeth of his buzzing blade tearing through his enemies. The Silent Dragon drew its head back and almost seemed to groan in pain as a mess of mangled black antlers sprouted from its skull and masses of arcane energy manifested all around it before shooting out towards Corrin. The Assassin Prince dodged each and every one, leaping from side to side and using powerful beats of his wings to boost his momentum. He drew his Omega Yato back in preparation to saw through the beast's massive scaled fingers only to catch the sight of a Vallite encroaching on Sophie from behind. Without hesitation, he drew a kunai from his belt and sent it whizzing through the air. Sophie let out a surprised yelp as her assailant dropped to the ground before dissipating into mist.

"Thanks, Uncle Corrin!" she called.

"Kana, watch your sister's back!" Corrin shouted back.

Kana bared his teeth—draconic fangs just barely starting to come in—and forced his estoc through the cuirass of a Vallite archer. Next to him, Kotomi flung blade after blade at anything that came near.

"Kind of busy here!" Kana shouted. "She can handle herself!"

"Aw, what's the matter? Too proud to come and protect your big sister?" Sophie teased.

Silas interjected before Kana could respond. "You two are not doing this now of all times! Focus!"

Kotomi let out a breath. "Right, focus," she repeated. "Kana, I'm fine here. Go help out your sister."

"But—"

"If I'm in trouble, I can just teleport away. Don't worry about me." Kotomi gave him a reassuring sisterly smile. "Show her what a ferocious little dragon you can be."

Though not entirely on board, Kana pursed his lips and nodded before taking off towards Sophie with his weapon at the ready. "If you need your little brother to protect you, maybe you shouldn't be on a battlefield in the first place!"

Meanwhile, Ryoma cut arcs of lightning through the air that struck each of his enemies and reduced them to nothing. He'd seldom smiled during this mission—he'd seldom smiled over the past five years—but now, there was a slight curl to his lips as he cleared a path through spectral soldiers. Azura was among the first to take notice.

"Ryoma," she began, holding her naginata in a defensive stance, "if I may, what exactly did Scarlet say to you yesterday?"

"Would you believe me if I said you're the first person to ask me that?" Ryoma replied with a chuckle. "Everyone else seems almost intimidated, as if they're afraid of what I might answer. I have to wonder if I am truly that unapproachable."

"You are king."

"Queen Camilla seems to be friendly with everyone."

"That's because she doesn't really carry herself like royalty. She acts like a mother to all."

"Are you saying I'm regal?"

"I'm saying you aren't exactly a 'cool older brother' type."

Ryoma paused, mused on that notion for a moment, and nodded before cutting through yet another Vallite ghost. "I suppose you're right. To answer your question, though…I believe that will remain between Scarlet and I."

"Oh? Keeping secrets now, are we?"

"I don't believe you of all people should be judging others for their secrecy," Ryoma said, and a flash of guilt briefly overtook Azura's face. "But yes, I am keeping secrets. What we said to each other is…something I do not believe needs to be heard by others. You understand, surely."

"I do—oh my." Azura spun on her heel and bisected a phantasmal swordsman that had decided rushing straight towards her was the best course of action. "I do. Kaze and I have certainly said things to each other that I would rather remain between us. Well then, Shiro did at least exchange a few words with her, yes?"

Ryoma's smile fell only slightly. "No. He never so much as laid eyes on her."

"Ah. I'm sorry."

"No need for apologies. Truthfully, I'm not sure it would have done him much good." The king took a deep breath, and even amid dozens of phantoms trying to kill him as well as a colossal raging dragon, he let his shoulders slack. "Shiro is…a strong young man. Stronger than I was at his age. In all my time knowing him, I don't believe he's ever shown even a hint of resentment towards anyone over the loss of his mother. It's as if he was born with closure.

"I expected him to at the very least wish to see her, but after the battle's end, he just looked at me and smiled. Like there wasn't an ounce of regret in his body. I've…I've always wondered how he stays so positive even if the face of darkness. He certainly doesn't get it from me, so…it must be from his mother. She always could find the silver lining in any gray cloud."

Azura, too, relaxed. "I may not have known her as well as you did, but she was a good soul. Scarlet's death was—"

"Azura. Forgive my rudeness, I appreciate your kind words, I do, but I believe they'd be wasted on me. I know all too well how wonderful my Scarlet was. And though she may be gone now, her legacy carries on. Not only through Shiro, but…through myself as well."

The king eyed his blade for a moment, the electric blue edge crackling with lightning, and smiled. "Scarlet stood for freedom. For justice. For those in shackles rising up against their oppressors and freeing themselves. Anankos is the greatest slaver of them all, and as such, it is my duty to ensure his defeat here and now. Not only as king, but Scarlet's husband as well."

Azura let out a long breath through her nose and her lips curled into a smile.

At long last, she had her brother back.

As the others dealt with the horde of ghosts wielding wood axes and hunting knives, the twin dragons kept their focus on the god behind this all. Corrin's Omega Yato cut shallow gashes in the Silent Dragon's legs, tearing through its tough scales and sending black blood splashing onto the ground. Kamui lobbed fireballs and ice shards alike at the head, the heart, the eyes of the beast. In spite of their efforts, however, it seemed to be largely unaffected, continuing to roar and thrash about whilst masses of arcane energy fired off from its head.

Corrin retracted his wings and landed in a sprint, taking off toward the beast's right side. "Kamui!" he called.

"Right!" Kamui shouted. She leapt out of Anankos' immediate range and began to focus her magic into the palm of her hand, streams of air spiraling inward towards a slowly expanding ball of white hot fire. She knew what her brother needed—she always seemed to, even without needing to be told. Her and Corrin's knack for silent communication between each other was something she cherished, and it proved especially valuable in situations like these.

The orb in Kamui's hand grew large enough for her to grasp completely. With a grunt of effort, she crushed the flames in her fist, smoke and excess embers escaping through the gaps in her fingers, and reeled her arm back to punch through the space before her. This sent forward an almighty inferno that bathed the Silent Dragon in flames and scorched its scales black. It roared in agony, thrashing about, before its right foreleg gave out from beneath it. The force of its head and neck slamming against the floor was enough to shake the entire platform they fought upon and throw several of them off balance, but the impact of any stumble or fall was greatly dwarfed by Corrin's next act.

Corrin dashed right up to its head with astonishing speed, and with teeth grit and determination on his face, forced the whirring edge of his Omega Yato into its flesh. The Silent Dragon' scream was so close and of such great volume that Corrin felt as if his eardrums were on the verge of rupturing, but that would not stop him. He continued to run, weapon at his side, and cut straight through the beast's heart as he did. Finally, his blade came out the other side and he continued forward until he reached Kamui. It was only then did he look back at the results of his attack, that being a deep wound straight through the dragon's head and blood flowing like a waterfall.

The Silent Dragon rose again, struggling as it shifted its weight onto one foreleg to support itself. Its effort were fruitless. Not a moment later, Camilla soared towards it from behind on the back of her wyvern and cleaved her axe through the base of one its wings. The appendage toppled into the endless abyss below as Anankos wailed—blinded, crippled, suffering. Its remaining wing soon followed. Hinoka glided through the air, her naginata at the ready, and with a single slash, severed it clean through. Just like that, the Silent Dragon had had its wings clipped.

The beast began to slide backwards, claws leaving deep grooves in the stone. Another few moments and it would have fallen into the blackness below. The runes of Brynhildr glowed as dozens upon dozens of thick tree roots sprouted from the stone and entangled themselves around the leg that Kamui had scorched. The Silent Dragon only roared in pain each time it struggled to free itself. Ryoma turned his attention to its remaining foreleg and thinned his eyes. Like a clap of lightning, he cut through scale, flesh, and bone alike. The severed limb fell to the ground along with the head of the beast once again.

There was no more roaring. No more thrashing, no more swipes of baleful claws that could rip through a fortress' defenses with ease. Now, the Silent Dragon could only writhe. Pathetic, almost pitiful cries escaped it. What had been the greatest threat to all just a minute ago was now more akin to a cornered wild animal, and like any predator, it had its last defense.

Masses of arcane energy—dragon's breath—began to form before its wounded heart. The formation was erratic and unstable, as if Anankos could not focus, but precision mattered now when its only goal was pure destruction. The twin dragons met each other's intense gazes and nodded at one another.

"Left?" Corrin asked.

"Right," Kamui replied.

They broke off at once. As Corrin ran forward and spread his wings, Kamui vanished in a flash of black light and reappeared on the opposite side of the dragon, and though she stumbled for a moment, she, too, ran forward with her blade at the ready.

Corrin kicked off the ground and took to the air; a small explosion beneath her feet sent Kamui flying high. They leaned until they were upside-down, and for a moment, they were like a pair of extravegant aerial dancers flipping through the air as if they had done so a thousand times before. But they were no dancers, no.

They were but a pair—of dragons, of siblings, of heroes—longing for a chance to rest.

Both Omega Yato sawed clean through the top half of Anankos neck. Corrin landed on one side, Kamui on the other.

Anankos went stiff.

The attack that had been building dissipated.

And like a pyre reducing a corpse to naught but ash, the body of the Silent Dragon burned away. Even as the ashes drifted away, its heart still remained. It idly floated in place as the eyes that had been spared from Corrin's blade darted from one person to another. Watching. Waiting.

Kamui wiped her hair, slick with sweat, from her eyes and lowered her weapon. "It…isn't attacking us," she said in a rasp.

"I'm not sure if it can," Lilith said. She walked forward, cautiously, until she came to stand right before what remained of the being that had sired her. "Anankos? …Father?"

There was no verbal response. The eyes only focused on Lilith, their gaze enough to make her tremble. She held her tongue between her teeth as a lump rose in her throat. She clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, turning away.

"I…don't think it can hurt anyone anymore," Sakura said.

"We can't know that for sure," Leo said, cautious as ever. "We came here to slay a dragon, didn't we?"

"Then let us put an end to this," Ryoma said. Even so, he calmly set the Raijinto in his sheath and met his little brother's eyes. "Corrin? Kamui?"

Corrin hung his head low. "I…yes, let's. Kamui, would you—"

Kamui shook her head. "No."

"I see." Corrin let out a deep breath. "Then I suppose I shall."

"No," Kamui said, shaking her head once again. She turned and smiled at one person in particular. "We've played the hero for long enough, haven't we? I believe it's time someone else gain some closure."

Azura furrowed her brow in surprise. "You…you wish me to be the one who…? No." She shook her head and took a step back. "I can't. I'm half the fighter any of you are—it wouldn't be right."

"You're also the one who brought us all here to start," Kamui pointed out. "Without you, well…many of us would be dead by now. Corrin and I may have killed each other ages ago. Who knows what the state of Hoshido and Nohr would be? We were able to achieve this because of you, Azura. So go ahead. Claim your victory."

Azura drew in an uneven breath and looked to Corrin. "I…I—"

"She's right," Corrin said with a reassuring smile. "Anankos has been behind…so much of our lives. He sent your mother to Nohr, and because of that, you were born. Kamui and I were taken because of him, and you were taken in retaliation. Iago was his servant. His curse is why you've had to spend so many years in silence, but despite it, you perservered. None of this could have happened without you."

Blinking away tears, Azura looked to those around her and was met only with varying looks of approval. Ryoma put his hand on one of her shoulders and Kaze on the other. She stared forward at the docile organ floating before her, its eyes slowly blinking, and squeezed the haft of her naginata until her knuckles were white.

She took a step forward.

"You…" she began, her voice wavering. "You have taken from me my father. My mother. You have destroyed a beautiful kingdom because of your own rage. You have allowed your desire for vengeance to consume you, and as such, your legacy has been forever blackened. You could have been remembered as a great king who had to be put down by those who loved him. You could have been revered for the rest of time in not only Valla, but Nohr and Hoshido as well. And now? Now, you'll only be remembered as a blight on the history of our nations.

"Goodbye, Silent Dragon. Goodbye, Anankos."

Azura raised her blade high, and just for a moment, there was a flash of emotion in a single one of the entity's eyes.

The heart burned away just as the rest of it had.

No one said a word. Azura simply stood there for a while, motionless, before her blade slipped from her fingers and she fell to her knees. Her husband and children were at her side immediately as sobs wracked her body and she weakly beat her fist against the stone, consumed all at once by grief, relief, regret.

Kamui looked to her brother, who met her eyes with a hopeful smile. That smile said more than words ever could.

Silas let out a long exhale and slicked his hair back, slouching forward and closing his eyes. "How long was that?"

"The whole ordeal? About twenty-five minutes. Our battle in…wherever we are? Feels like five," Elise answered.

"Gods. I expected us to be fighting for the rest of our lives. It's almost…anticlimactic."

"We should be grateful that it was over so quickly," Kagero said. She winced and pressed her hand into a wound on her arm; Dwyer hastily made his way to her side to heal her. "It's…truly finished. Everything."

A small, sad smile crossed Charlotte's lips. "Yeah, it is. It's too bad we couldn't all be here to see it through."

"True as that may be, there is no doubt in my mind that those whom we have lost are smiling down on us now. After all, it wasn't long ago we came face-to-face with many of them," Ryoma said.

"We can mourn the dead," Camilla began, putting her hands on Corrin and Kamui's heads and petting their hair, "but let us not forget to cherish the living."

Lilith opened her mouth to speak ony to freeze in place. She whipped her head around and those present followed her gaze.

Weapons were drawn and spells readied once again. Not far from them, the ghostly form of Anankos' human form shambled towards them, arms hanging loosely at his side and dragging one foot behind him. His image flickered every few seconds as if he were struggling to maintain his existence. The closer he got, the more clear his features became. His jaw was slack and his eyes were dark and empty. His azure hair was matted, tangled, twisted. He looked as if he were on the verge of collapsing.

Siegbert began to approach with his sword at the ready. "Allow me," he said. Corrin raised his hand and the young prince halted.

"Wait," he said. His eyes were steely and focused, taking note of every move Anankos made. "Remain on guard, but stay your arms."

Though puzzled, Siegbert reluctantly obliged. Soon, Anankos had hobbled so close that a path had to be cleared to make way. His targets were clear as day.

Kamui's ear twitched, and though she kept her hand on her blade, her shoulders relaxed. She didn't sense a hint of aggression from him even as he came to stop right before she and her brother. The flickering had become more frequent by now. At this point, he was invisible more often than not.

Anankos struggled to raise his head, and when he did, he simply stared at the pair in front of him for what felt like an eternity. Then, slowly and with great effort, he raised his arms. Peri, Kagero, Kana, and several others tensed up. Finally, Anankos came to rest one intangible hand on Corrin's cheek and the other on Kamui's. A bitter chill seeped into their faces. He let out a single quiet breath and spoke. The words were barely audible.

"You have your mother's eyes."

And all was silent.


A/N: And the Silent Dragon has at last met its end.

The final chapter will be released before the year's end. I'll say more then, but until that time comes, thank you so much for reading. Enjoy yourselves, everyone.