Alright folks, this is going to be a little bit of a downtime chapter on Corrin's part of the story, but we will get to see some action when we switch back to Merdia.
Even though we already know how her fight with Camilla's going to turn out, A Second Tier doesn't hold a candle to a Third Tier.
Alright let's get this started.
[[]]
[Irwin's P.O.V.]
"I think we can stop running for the moment." I said after about we just kept running for about thirty minutes, "I doubt anyone could have gotten past that Reaver."
"...Whew." Azura sighed wiping the sweat from her brow, "We managed to escape, but I'm sure they'll be on our trail the moment they get someone past the Reaver. We can't leave things as they are now though, we'll be branded as traitors by both kingdoms."
Corrin was silent save for the panting she was doing due to how much stamina she expended.
"Listen to me. You'll lose everything if you don't choose a side. It's either Hoshido or Nohr." Azura warned.
"No." Corrin said, "There's a third option. I can choose not to support either side."
"But...how?" Azura asked confused.
"I have family in Hoshido. I also have family in Nohr." Corrin said, "Even if I were to lose everything... Even if all of them despise me... I can't choose to side with one against the other. I simply can't do that. I don't care if I lose everything. This is what I've decided."
"I see..." Azura said closing her eyes and nodding her head, "You have to be willing to risk a lot to accomplish something major... I suppose you're right. ...My own mother lost her life protecting Nohr. But I don't think she regretted her choice. She died to protect the ones she loved. I've made up my mind as well. I will follow you down the path you've chosen."
"I'm with you too Corrin." I said hefting Mikoto on my shoulder a bit, "I'm sure your mother would say the same."
"I'll follow you down whatever path you follow milady." Jakob said bowing to her.
"Azura, Jakob, Irwin... Thank you." Corrin said.
A mintue passed as everyone but me put their hands on Corrin's shoulder, I didn't simply because I have a queen on my shoulder... Speaking of which.
"I don't mean to detract from this heartwarming moment... but do you have any idea where we can rest?" I ask, "No offense to your mother but she's kinda heavy."
Corrin smiled and nodded, and as if on cue, the little dragon that floated on an orb known as Lilith appeared in a puff of smoke, causing Jakob and Azura to jump from the sudden appearance.
"Lilith! Great timing." Corrin said pulling the small dragon into a hug.
"Lilith?! Milady, do you mean to say this creature is our stable girl? It can't be..." Jakob said.
"Actually...it can. And it is." Corrin said, "She's also the Bird I nurtured back to health."
I blinked at that statement, no matter know much I know it, it still doesn't make a lick of sense.
"Sorry, milady, but I fail to grasp the joke. Lilith is a human, not a...fantastical beast." Jakob said, "Although I always did suspect that wasn't actually a bird..."
"How the heck do you mistake a Dragon for a bird?" I asked, "No offense Lilith but you don't look very bird like."
"It's fine." Lilith said nodding her tiny little head.
"Look, I know it's confusing. I'll explain everything later. Come on! I have an idea of where we can rest." Corrin said nodding to Lilith, who responded by creating a portal.
"My word... What is that light?!" Jakob asked.
"Erm, I'll explain that later too..." Corrin said.
"As long as it's somewhere safe." I said as the portal expanded in a flash, pulling us in.
"Beg pardon, Lady Corrin, but might I inquire...what just happened? And where precisely are we?" Jakob asked looking around the Astral Plane in confusion.
"I'll take the explanation later myself, is there somewhere I can lay the queen down?" I asked.
"My Shire has plenty of space, and it's pretty warm." Lilith said lifting her claw and pointing behind me to her shrine, "I'm pretty sure there's a spare futon in Corrin's Private chambers."
"I'll get the futon." Azura said walking over to the treehouse that was Corrin's Private chambers.
"I'll be at the Shrine." I said turning around and walking over to the shrine.
'I hope Camilla's okay.' I though as I walked through the green grass, 'Fighting a Reaver in close combat is a pretty bad idea for the most part.'
[No P.O.V.]
[With Camilla and Merdia]
Camilla stood up and slowly climbed back onto her undead wyvern, watching as Merdia looked between the rest of the fliers around her, none of which were eager to attack Merdia.
"No volunteers?" Merdia asked putting her Tomahawk in her enchanted pouch, "That's disappointing." She said pulling out something Camilla didn't recognize."
It was an ornate looking white wood crossbow with gold plating. This was the strongest of the three Crossbow type weapons of Tellius, the Arbalest. And anyone from Tellius knew one thing about Crossbows, anything that flier should FEAR these.
Tellius Crossbows can't make use of the wielders Strength, limiting it to only their raw Might, for the Arbalest it's a Might of 38, and while normally a Flier could survive an arrow attack, it was much harder for anything airborne to withstand a crossbow attack.
In truth Merdia could actually do more damage using a regular bow at this point, but she felt like using the Arbalest this time.
Merida twirled the Arbalest in her hands, loading a bolt from her pouch into it before firing it at one of The Hoshidan Pegasus Knights, the bolt tore through both the mount and Rider, killing them both.
Merida loaded up another bolt and shot at the next Pegasus Knights, killing both of them one after another.
One of the Nohrian Wyvern Rider managed to get close to Merdia and swing his axe at her, only to miss as Merdia took two steps back to dodge the swing and fired a bolt at the man, the bolt not even seemingly halted by the wyvern scales.
The other Nohrian Wyvern Rider didn't fare much better.
Camilla decided it would probably be a bad idea to fight this woman on her undead Wyvern and quickly dismounted, picking up her Steel Axe as she did.
"At least you're smarter than the others." Merdia said putting her Crossbow back in her pouch and pulling her Steel Poleaxe off her back and resting it on her shoulders, "Still, you should probably just back off while you have the chance, The Princess has had plenty of time to escape by now. If you fight me you'll just be beaten. And if I recall, Nohr soldiers that are beaten in battle have failed in the eyes of King Garon, he'll execute you if you return to me after such a defeat you'l receive fighting me."
"Get out of my way." Camilla said gripping her axe tighter, "I'm getting my sister back even if I have to kill you to do so."
Merdia sighed, "Don't say I didn't warn you." Merdia said, "Come then, show me your strength."
Camilla ran forward with her axe and swung at Merdia, who swung her axe as well. The two axes collided, but Camilla was sent spinning from the force behind Merdia's axe as it overpowered her swing.
Camilla recovered her bearing as Merdia hefted her axe back onto her shoulder, before suddenly bashing Camilla in the head with the butt of the pole, knocking Camilla back a few steps.
"Last chance to back out." Merdia warned.
Instead of saying anything, Camilla swung her steel axe at Merdia once again, Merdia did the same and this time when the two axes collided Camilla's axe shattered.
Camilla stumbled as she looked at her broken axe, then at Merdia.
"I tried to warn you." Merdia said before she punched Camilla in the head, knocking her out.
Camilla's Wyvern roared at Merdia and flew at her, only to get knocked out as well from getting bashed in the head by the flat side of Merdia's axe.
[With the remaining Nohrian Family]
"Sister!" Elise cried out in worry, ready to run over to help Camilla.
"Don't!" Leo shouted grabbing his younger sister, stopping her from running off.
"But Leo, Camilla-" Elise started.
"She'll live, for now." Leo said as Merdia was seen throwing Camilla over her shoulder, avoiding the spiked shoulder guards, and dragged her Wyvern into the woods by it's tail, "That woman never made any lethal strikes at her, just knocked her out."
"Fall back!" Xander ordered the Nohrian troops, "Elise, I promise, we'll get Camilla back."
"Please be okay Camilla, I don't want to lose two sisters." Elise said sniffing.
[Irwin's P.O.V.]
"So let me get this straight." I said as Corrin sat in front of the throne of her Astral Plain castle, she didn't feel comfortable sitting on a throne just yet, "The Dragon Veins here can create buildings, but it takes time for them to recharge their energy, time we have to spend in the real world because when we're here time in that worlds slows to a crawl, and we age as if we were in that world." I always wondered about that, the temporal differences between worlds is always an interesting concept until it gives you a migrane.
"Yes." Corrin said, "The Dragon Vein's here only have enough energy to create one structure, but I don't know what to make."
"What can you make?" I asked.
"As of right now I can make a statue of myself which is already made as it doesn't drain the Dragon Viens." Corrin said pointing to the rather accurate statue of herself sitting in front of the platform that hold her throne, "And Armory's and Shops that sell Nohrian and Hoshidan weapons and tools."
I nodded, "How about the Nohrian armory?" I asked, "After all most of us here are more accustomed to the Weapons Nohr designs, even Azura seems to be well trained to use a Lance instead of a Naginata."
Corrin nodded, "That's a good idea." Corrin said, "Plus your armor is still pretty damaged." She added pointed to the destroyed chunk of metal I called armor.
"Yeah... that too." I admitted.
Corrin then stood up, causing a Dragon Vein to activate and in a burst of energy a Nohrian Armory appeared right in front of the Daikon Farm.
"There." Corrin said, "You go on ahead and get yourself some things ready."
I nodded and ran into the building.
[]
Stepping into the building I was honestly expecting to see an Illusion of a Nohrian Lancer, but not the Dark Mage Illusion.
"Welcome." The Lancer Illusion said, "What are you here for?"
"I'm here to build myself some new armor... possibly a new weapon or two." I said.
"Follow me, I'll show you how to use the forge in the back." The Lancer Illusion said opening the side of the counter to let me in, "Normally this would cost you a bit of gold as Lilith sends us Illusions to get the things we sell and materials, but you need the armor."
"Thanks." I said.
[]
About an hour later I had replaced my armor, now with a fixed Iron Hauberk, now with two plates on my hip that were loose enough to allow wide movements, shoulder guards that looked like they had dragon claws gripping them, and forearm guards that also protected the back of my wrists. Now this was pretty much just ornamental for me considering my Gamer ability, but I'll at least have an excuse to why I'm taking less damage than I would normally, after all I don't want to come up with another cover for why I'm taking so little damage in commoner clothes.
I had also handed over 400 of my remaining 1500 Gold for some materials, a pair of long wooden poles and metal ingots.
It took me a few minutes, but I managed to successfully forge a pair of Tellius Javelins, which the Nohrian Mage enchanted to return to my hand when it hits or misses it's thrown target.
The Tellius Javelin was a long, thin wooden pole with brass caps on each end about a foot long, with a simple thin iron spear tip on one end.
[Tellius Javelin]
[Rank- D]
[MT- 7]
I smirked as I twirled the two weapons and put one in my inventory and held out the other to the Lancer Illusion, "Think you can begin recreating Javelin's like these?" I asked.
"Since we've seen you forge these Tellius Javelins we should be able to produce them ourselves." The Illusion said.
"Great." I said storing the other Javelin in my inventory.
Stepping out of the armory I bumped into Azura, literally.
"Ah Azura, I was hoping I'd run into you." I said, "Though not so literally."
"It's fine." Azura said, "What did you want Irwin?"
"Wanted to give you this." I said holding out the second Tellius Javelin out to her, "I've always found the Tellius javelin's more reliable than the ones from around here."
Azura took the Javelin from me and smiled, "Thank you Irwin." Azura said, "I'll be sure to use it well."
A few more minutes later Corrin called us together, "Is everyone ready?" Corrin asked, getting a round of positive responses, "Then we should continue on."
"Has anyone considered what our next move will be? Nohr and Hoshido against us; we don't have many friends right now." Jakob pointed out as Lilith began to open the portal.
"Hmm...it seems like we should lay low for a little bit." Corrin agreed.
"At least Queen Mikoto will be safe here." I said.
"Then... I know a place where no one will find us. We should be safe there." Azura said.
"Really?' Corrin asked.
"Yes. And once we get there, I have much to tell you. Things I heard from my mother...and the truth about this world..." Azura said as the portal expanded around us.
When the portal closed, we were back in the forest where we started, not much time had actually past, the sun was still covered by that tiny cloud I had noticed was there when we left.
However the bushes rustled behind us.
"I think we spent too much time talking outside of the Astral Plane." Corrin said drawing Yato.
I pulled out my Iron Lance, Jakob readied an Iron Dagger, and Azura pulled out her new Javelin.
From the bushes, Camilla walked out, completely unarmed... and she promptly barreled toward Corrin.
"Oh Corrin I'm so glad you're okay." Camilla said pulling Corrin into a rather tight hug.
Jakob, Azura and I were all on guard.
"You four don't have to worry about a thing." The familiar voice of Merdia said as she stepped out of the bushes, dragging Camilla's Wyvern by it's horn, the creature not looking very happy about it, but wasn't going to fight back, "To Nohr she is considered a dishonored soldier from just how beaten down she was, joining you four is literally her only chance of survival."
"Especially because you broke my weapon." Camilla said, annoyance clear in her voice.
Merdia simply reached into her pouch and pulled out three thing, A Steel Axe similar to the one Camilla used to use, a Fire Tome, and a Hand Axe, all of Nohrian Design, "Consider it my apologies for breaking your things." Merdia said, then she looked straight at me, "Glad to see you've managed to get yourself some new armor Branded One, not sure where you got it fro, but that's beside the point."
"Who are you?" Azura asked, getting Camilla to notice her.
"My name is Merdia." was the response Merdia gave, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do. Don't get yourselves killed, especially you three, Corrin, Azura, Irwin."
With that Merdia turned around and chopped down a bush to make her leave.
"Hold on...you're Azura? The same Azura that was kidnapped?" Camilla asked letting go of Corrin.
"You remember me?" Azura asked Camilla, surprised slightly.
"Of course I do. I saw you many times in the castle. And if I remember correctly, the Nohrian nobility used to treat you horribly..." Camilla explained her Wyvern stepped over to her and nuzzled her.
"Why?" I asked, "Seems kinda pointless to me... Then again I never understood the minds of nobility in the first place."
"Azura's mother, Queen Arete, was Father's second wife. However, there were many in the nobility who supported Queen Katerina My mother was one such person. She constantly told me not to talk to Azura." Camilla explained, "Of course Xander, being Queen Katerina's child, was told the same thing. Later, when Leo was born, he was also kept away from her. We were dutiful children, so we obeyed. But we always wished we could spend time with you, like real siblings. We never forgot about you. You are our adorable sister, after all..."
"...Thank you for saying that, Camilla." Azura said, a smile growing on her face... One that was soon gone in a moment when she was pulled into a hug by Camilla, "Now I can start catching up on all those years we could have spent together."
"There would probably have been less time to catch up on if they learned to rebel a little." I muttered, then I looked to Corrin, "You're probably going to have to help train Azura in the art of surviving Camilla."
[[]]
Alright folks, that's the chapter.
Now, I know that the Javelin from Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn had some pretty terrible Hit Stats, but I've always found them to hit the enemy more than the Javelin's in Awakening, which is the same as the one in Fates, only with a decent Might.
Seriously in Radiant Dawn I always expected for the enemy to hit me with their Javelins every time they had one, while in Awakening I consider it a miracle on the enemies part if they managed to hit me with the thing... however few actually had one.
Either way, yes, Camilla has joined early, and we didn't have Takumi to be the party pooper of a heartwarming moment of the siblings Azura and Camilla.
Anyway I'll see you all in the next chapter
