STEP SIX: HIDDEN TRUTHS
It all kicks off roughly five years before Fates when Inigo, Severa, and Owain receive an odd letter in their homeland of Ylisse from a mysterious person asking to meet them at the Mila Tree. The group follows the instructions of the person who wrote the letter and goes there. They run into Thalone upon arriving.
Thalone reveals that he is the one who asked to meet them there, saying that he needs their help with something. He was from a far-off land and had heard of the exploits of the children who traveled through time. He needs their help to find his lost child, one named Corrin.
Thalone explains the situation of the continent of Pheuyura and how it had been swallowed up by a war started by Nohr and Hoshido many years ago. He tells them that the war has spread wide in recent years and that many lives have been affected or lost in the process.
The trio agrees to help Thalone with his problem. After having lived through the hellish future that they had escaped from, they didn't want anyone else to suffer through intense war of that sort. Thalone accepts this and takes them off to Valla to finish up their conversation.
Upon arriving in Valla, Thalone tells them a bit more of the situation. He says that the world was founded by three dragons, Akiri, Yugare, and Anankos. While Akiri and Yugare had died many years ago, Anankos lived up until recently. He had been killed in an invasion from the kingdom of Nohr. Many people from his kingdom of Valla had died and were now left in a state of suffering eternally. The royals of Valla had gone missing as well.
One of the lost royals was Thalone's child, Corrin. Corrin and their mother had fled from Valla during a second invasion that destroyed the kingdom completely. Thalone had sacrificed himself to keep them from coming to any harm, but now, he wanted to know if they had survived. Thalone couldn't search alone, so he reached out to the trio of heroes.
Severa, Owain, and Inigo knew of the tragedy that came with losing a parent due to having experienced it all before. They agree to help Thalone to find Corrin wherever they may be. Thalone says that they aren't aware of where Corrin is, but that a little bit of research might go a long way.
Before Thalone can say anything, a small group of Faceless appear. They had been sent by Nohrian mages to ensure that Valla was still empty and that nobody was hiding inside the fallen land. Thalone panics and asks for Severa, Owain, and Inigo to help him fight them off. He knew little of combat, so the other three would have to help him remain safe.
After the battle, a rout mission, Thalone explains that they will be joined in their search by one other. Her name is Lilith. She is a young lady created from some excess magic from Anankos' death that recently found a form. Thalone doesn't tell the group that he was the one who gave her a physical form due to being Anankos reincarnated, as he doesn't know how they'll react and it isn't crucial that they know this sort of information.
Thalone tries to call for Lilith, but he doesn't get a response. Fearing the worst, Thalone leaves to see if he can find her. In the end, he does find her, but she is being surrounded by the Nohrian mages who summoned the Faceless. Lilith cries out for help from Thalone. She is unable to transform to defend herself, as she was never taught to fight. Later, she learns on how to use knives and daggers, but at this time, she doesn't know how to (so Lilith can be used in actual combat from the start of each path and can be deployed in maps using dragonstones and knives but is also present in castle battles in her dragon form). Severa, Owain, and Inigo launch into battle once again to save her. Before retreating, the leader of the group remarks on how Thalone looks similar to the newest Nohrian royal, Corrin.
Thalone hears this and tells Severa, Owain, Inigo, and Lilith that they now know their destination is Nohr. While Thalone isn't exactly happy to be sending them off to the land that destroyed Valla, he sees no other choice. He knows that a terrible fate would undoubtedly befall him due to his status as a royal from Valla, which means sending the quartet to Nohr is the best option.
Before they set off, Thalone says that the trio of foreigners will need their appearances to be changed so that none of the survivors from the invasion can recognize them. He changes Severa into Selena, Owain into Odin, and Inigo into Laslow. He also provides them with jewels that originate in Valla that allow for long distance travel. Thalone tells them that the jewels can take them home after they have finished their mission. A large supply of them is found in the Vallite mines, so they can easily get many more if they ever find the need to have others.
The group leaves behind Thalone, promising to find Corrin and bring them home for him. Thalone gives his farewells as well, but unfortunately, his wishes never come to pass.
Selena, Odin, and Laslow eventually become retainers to Camilla, Leo, and Xander respectively due to their fighting expertise. Lilith ends up working with Corrin in the Northern Fortress. While the group does converse over their mission sometimes, Lilith says that it's impossible to get Corrin out of the fortress without Garon realizing what has happened.
By the time that Corrin is allowed to leave the fortress, Lilith senses that it isn't a good idea to take Corrin back to Thalone. Thalone has begun working behind the scenes with Garon, only appearing from time to time to help him control people. Thalone is too far over the edge, having been driven mad in his path to revenge. Corrin wouldn't be safe if they went back to Thalone now. The group never takes Corrin back, so Corrin ends up unaware of their relation to Thalone until Revelation exposes the truth behind the situation.