Okay so I meant to get this out a couple of day's ago but life seemed to like throwing in a few obstacles to impede my writing process.

So that being said I'd like to say let the next chapter begin... Plus I have some things I'd like to tell you all at the end of this chapter, though some may have already noticed it.

[[]]

[Irwin's P.O.V.]

Corrin was leading our group through a forest of Hoshido, however she halted us when we came to the edge of said forest.

"Hold up everyone." Corrin called out, "I see something in the distance, it looks like... A plume of smoke?"

"Please don't tell me it more Faceless or bandits." Mozu said as she gripped her weapon.

"No that isn't just any smoke." Kaze said pulling ahead of the group and standing next to Corrin, "It's my brothers smoke signal."

"Saizo's there? What does that smoke signal mean?" Corrin asked.

"He's there." Kaze said, "And it means he's engaging a large number of enemy troops."

"We need to go help him then." Corrin said reaching for the Yato.

"No lady Corrin." Kaze holding his hand out, "If he has sent up that specific smoke signal... well, it isn't him asking for help."

"Meaning?" Beruka asked flatly.

"That signal is meant to warn allies away." Kaze explained, "He believes it is too dangerous there... We... should head in a different direction."

"Kaze." I said flatly, "I don't know if you can recall this but...We aren't exactly your brothers allies, the signal doesn't mean squat to us."

Selena smirked at that, "I like how you think Irwin." Selena said drawing her sword.

"Alright then." Corrin said drawing Yato, "Everyone, get ready for battle! We're going to help Saizo!"

"Lady Corrin, why?" Kaze asked as the group started to move at a faster pace to reach Saizo before it became too late to save his sorry skin, "You'll be putting us all in danger."

"The enemy we're facing can't be defeated if we don't gather allies." Corrin said as we re-entered to forest, "I won't sit on my hands when an ally is in need, even if we aren't exactly allies just yet. We have to be willing to help each other, no matter how dangerous a situation is."

"Spoken like a real leader." Selena muttered, not realizing I heard her, "She actually kinda reminds me of her..."

'Her?' I thought as we continued through the forest, 'Could she mean the Tactican of Ylisse, Robin? Well I guess I can file that information away for later.

[]

"This looks like the place where the smoke signal was sent up." Corrin said as we looked around a rather silent part of the forest, "Do you think Saizo and his foes are still in the area?"

"I don't know..." Azura said, "It's difficult to tell, we've entered Mokushu territory. This area is heavily forested, making it easy to get lost. We should stay close."

"Footprints." Beruka said pointing to the ground, "They're heading deeper into the forest, we might find them if we follow them."

We followed the footprints for a while, with Takumi and Sakura ending up near the front of the group as we were doing this.

"It's so dark and g-gloomy here... it's kinda scary really." Sakura said holding her arms.

"If you need to you can hold onto my arm." Takumi said to his sister.

'Now why can't the jerk be that nice to Corrin.' I thought annoyed at the guy.

"Th-Thank you." Sakura said grabbing onto her brother's arm.

"We're pretty deep in the forest now, this place is practically a maze." Takumi noted as he looked around.

"What I'd give to have a Laguz on our side right about now." I muttered holding out my Killer Lance and kept my shield up.

"Aren't you half-Laguz?" Selena asked, "Don't you get anything special from you Laguz parent?"

"Nope." I said, 'Except Dragon Vein usage.'

"What the- Lord Takumi, watch out!" Kaze shouted before he suddenly shoved Takumi to the side and caught a shuriken between the blades on his wrist and his shuriken.

"A Shuriken!?" Takumi said in surpise.

"Not just any shuriken either." Kaze said tossing the weapon aside as it vanished back to its owners hand, "That was the kind Moshujin fighters use."

"How did you figure that out?" Camilla asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll chalk it up to Ninja training." I said shrugging.

"Mokushujin are attacking us?" Takumi asked pulling Fujin Yumi out, it's drawstring forming itself.

"They're about to, that was only a scout." Kaze said keeping his Iron Shuriken out, "There are more enemies heading this way."

"Everyone get ready for them." Corrin said.

Kaze was not joking when he said there were enemies heading our way... in fact, we were surrounded.

"I think I can see Saizo!" Camilla called out, "There are two other's with him, Orochi and an Kinshi Knight."

"And they seem to be engaging the same enemies we are." Azura said, " 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend', isn't that how the saying goes?"

"Well then let's get Corrin over to Saizo so she can talk to him." Selena said, "It's more efficient if the leader talks to these people."

'You would know.' I thought.

I soon began to follow Corrin along side Kaze and Jakob and headed toward Saizo, where we were blocked off by a pair of Ninja's.

[Ninja Lvl 9]

[HP-21/21, STR-5, DEF-6]

[Weapon: Steel Shuriken- MT:7]

'Oh crud that's right, guys start using Steel Weapons now.' I thought as Corrin blocked a Shuriken headed my way, "Thanks milady, now watch out!" I called out Throwing my shield arm around Corrin, causing a steel shuriken to bounce off it.

"Thanks." Corrin said as the two of us charged the first Ninja.

[Irwin Lvl 11]

[HP- 32/32, STR-14, DEF-16]

[Weapon: Killer Lance - MT:7]

[Corrin Lvl 11]

[HP-22/22, STR- 15, DEF 11]

[Weapon: Yato- MT:9]

Naturally an golden glow flashed around me thanks to my Killer Lance and I smirked

"Bye bye!" I shouted making two spinning slashes with my Lance, dealing 45 damage to he ninja... yeah he didn't make it.

[EXP +25]

Corrin struck at the next Ninja, dealing 18.

However the Ninja was able to endure the attack and struck Corrin with his Shurkien, dealing a miniscule 1 damage, but lowering her defensive abilities for the time.

Lucky Corrin recovered quickly and finished the Ninja off with another slash.

"Are you alright milday?" Jakob asked pulling out his Heal Staff.

"I'm fine Jakob, no need to heal me just yet." Corrin assured.

However then the issue I had about this fight came up below our feet.

Bamboo spikes.

"Ghah!" Corrin cried out at the spikes dug into her bare feets, causing her 2 more damage, but a heck of a lot of pain.

"Corrin!" I cried out, glaring at the spikes... then I had an idea, "Corrin, Kaze, Jakob, stay behind me." I said.

"What are you planning?" Kaze asked as he and Jakob carefully pulled Corrin off the spikes so she wouldn't cause herself more damage.

"Just watch, it's completely unorthodox." I said stepping back and away from the spikes... before running right back at them, throwing my shield on the ground and jumping on it.

My shield and I slid across the spikes, tearing them apart as I slid over them, much more effective than using Dragon Veins to take them away for a short time.

"Well... wouldn't have expected that." Jakob said as he and Kaze double teamed a Samurai, killing him quickly while Corrin took down the Oni savage before joining me.

Of course I was headed straight for Saizo, luckily friction stopped me well before I reached him, and allowed Corrin to catch up with me.

Saizo, Reina and Orochi looked at me with raised eyebrows, "Didn't think of that." Orochi muttered.

"Saizo, are you alright?" Corrin asked as she stood more on her toes, avoiding standing on her injuries.

"Corrin? What are you doing here?" Saizo asked baffled.

"We came to help you, that was your smoke signal wasn't it?" Corrin asked.

"It was but... it wasn't a distress signal." Saizo said.

"Yes, I know, Kaze told us it was meant as a warning." Corrin said, "But there's no way I'd abandon you to the enemy, to me you're a valuable ally."

"You'd knowingly risk yourself to help us?" Saizo asked surprised, "Hrmph. Very well, you've beaten me, no traitor would behave as you have. Lady Sakura must have been right about your motivations, let us fight together."

"I won't let you down Saizo, thank you for joining us." Corrin said with a smile, though it faltered for a minute when she shifted her feet.

"There's no time to waste then." Saizo said, "One of our allies, a ninja names Kagero, is being held captive. She was supposed to locate Lord Ryoma and return to us, we have to save her."

"We'll do everything we can to help." Corrin said stepping forward, only to hiss in pain.

"Lady Corrin, are you alright?" Saizo asked a little worried.

"It's the bamboo spikes, they aren't good on her bare feet." I said.

Reina then flew her Kinshi over, "Climb on, you can ride my Kinshi." Reina offered.

"Thank you." Corrin said climbing on behind Reina and pulling out her Wind Edge.

Our little group then began to rush toward the leader of these Ninja's, a man named Kotaro, however I was held back by a pair of Master Ninja's holding Iron Katana.

"Well this isn't fair." I muttered as one of them slashed at me, dealing 1 damage, gotta love a high defense.

[Master Ninja Lvl 1]

[HP- 28/28, STR-10, DEF-11-1(10)]

[Weapon: Iron Katana- MT:6]

'Okay, I can take these two on by myself easily.' I thought with a Smirk and slashing one of them with my lance, dealing him 10 damage... Well I never said it would be fast.

I ducked under a shuriken being thrown at me and countered by striking the other Ninja, bringing both of them to 18 HP, though then I stabbed the first one a second time bringing him down another 10 HP.

Though he did retaliate by slashing me with his Katana and causing me another 1 point of damage, and I had to dodge another Shuriken, I do not want that defense down debuff.

I made a wide slash with my lance that hit both of the M. Ninja's, killing the one holding the sword.

[EXP +45]

"You bastard!" The other ninja shouted, only to be hit in the back by an Ox Spirit, causing him 2 damage, "What the-!?" he shouted turning around.

Well, his dumb mistake got him a lance in the back.

[EXP +45]

[Level up!]

[HP +1]

[Mag +1]

[Skl +1]

[Lck +1]

"Thank Orochi." I said saluting the Diviner.

"You're welcome." Orochi said with a smirk.

Looking over I saw Corrin swing her blade, causing a gust of wind energy to take down Kotaro, who was the last person around.

I smirked and headed over to the group, careful of the spikes.

"All right, we've taken care of the enemy, now where's Kagero?" Corrin called out.

"I found her, Corrin! Over here!" Sakura called out as she unbound Kagero's wrist and helped her up, and they were in a small cavern entrance, not too deep in, but deep enough that she wouldn't get hit by a stray arrow.

"Lady Corrin?" Kagero asked in surprise, "What are you doing here? Last I heard you betrayed Lord Ryoma and fled the battlefield."

"Oh for the love of Yune..." I groaned, "Not this again..."

"No, that's a misunderstanding. " Sakura defended, "She hasn't betrayed anyone. If you need proof... well, I'm travelling with her! So is Takumi!"

"And what of the Nohrian Princess over there?" Kagero asked looking at Camilla, who was helping Beruka patch up the others.

"She here because of Nohrian laws." I explained, "It's really either stick with Corrin or join the dead."

"I see." Kagero said closing her eyes, "Lady Corrin, I ask for your forgiveness."

Corrin shook her head, "No, don't worry about it Kagero. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Kagero!" Saizo said running toward us, with a half set bandage, "Are you injured?"

"Saizo, you're here too?" Kagero asked looking surprised, "Why is everyone in Mokushu?"

"Isn't it obvious, we're here to save you." Saizo said.

Kagero closed her eyes and smiled, "I see, then I'm indebted to all of you." Kagero said, "The nature of my job requires that I be prepared to give my life every day... thank you for making sure today isn't that day. Now I can pass along the message that Lord Ryoma gave me."

"So you do know where our lord is." Saizo said.

"Yes, when I left him Lord Ryoma was on his way to Cheve, near the Nohrian Border." Kagero said.

"Cheve?" Saizo asked in surprise.

"Correct." Kagero said, "The area is currently fighting against Nohrain Forces. Apparently the people could no longer take Nohrian opression anymore and have revolted, it is Lord Ryoma's objective to befriend the rebels and use them to cross into Nohr."

"Hrmph, our lord has not lost his reckless habits I see." Saizo said, "We must locate him before anything happens."

"Corrin, let's head to the port. We'll need a boat to reach Cheve." Takumi said.

"All right." Corrin said, "We'd better hurry, we're going to need Ryoma's help. I don't know why, but I think he may know of the dragon Archduke Izana spoke of."

It was at that moment Beruka gripped Saizo's uninjured shoulder, "Don't run off before I can properly tie your bandages." Beruka demanded pulling Saizo to a rock to seat him.

"I think we'd better finish patching everyone up first." I said, "Sakura, think you can help Corrin, she stepped on some of those bamboo spikes."

[[]]

Right, that's the chapter folks.

Now some of you may have already noticed this, but I've placed a poll on my page that has 2 different questions.

One question is about a new character that is Laguz, but I can't decide which type of Laguz to insert, so far the Tiger Laguz is winning last I checked.

The other is about another character of Tellius Origin and I just couldn't decide on his nationality, so far Crimea is winning that, and Begnion has no votes while Daein does.

Anyway I'll see you all later.