"My King, I am at your service." Corrin said as he knelt in front of the purple flames, the Avatar of Anankos, Silent Dragon and God-King of Valla.

"Do you know why you have been summoned?" Anankos asked him, "Why you have been called away from the Nestran front?"

"It is not my place to question your orders o' great Anankos." Corrin said neutrally, his words betraying no emotion, lest he displease the dragon, "I merely follow your commands."

"As well you should." The flames responded, "Nestra is all but fallen before my might. You are needed elsewhere, in a far more important role."

"Name it, and it shall be done." Corrin said, head bowed.

"Excellent." Came the dragon's reply. He always liked it when Corrin acted the part of a supplicant. It's what kept the young man alive for so long after all.

"The Princess of Valla, Azura, lives," Ananakos explained, and his fire grew, revealing visions to Corrin's eyes, "My assassins have failed to kill her, and even now, she gathers champions from Nohr and Hoshido to stand against me. Should her forces grow stronger, then she may be bold enough to even lay siege to Valla itself. That cannot happen. As we speak, she moves for Cheve, to bring their wyvern riders under her banner. I task you, my most useful servant, to end her. Bring me her head, her sword, and her pendant."

"As you command My King." Corrin said as he bowed his head before turning on his heel.

"Corrin…" Anankos spoke, "Do not return unless you have succeeded… and if you fail, then you would do well to take your own life, before my servants do it for you. At least in death you may prove more useful to me than in life.

Corrin said nothing, but continued to walk away from the God-King… his father.

His most useful servant… That's all he was to Anankos. All he ever was. The dragon had never been bothered to give voice to their true relationship; that of father and son. Why would he? After all, Corrin was but a mere half dragon; his human blood dirtying his veins, only good to serve as a weapon.

So Corrin had become Anankos' weapon, the finest in the dragon's arsenal, and had found favor that way… But Anankos' favor was conditional, and fleeting. Any failure, or misstep could result in his death, and although he found no joy in his life, Corrin would rather live as a useful than by thrown aside by his parent, cruel that he may be.

"Lady Azura, enemies to the north!"

Azura, Princess of Nohr and Commander of the Coalition Army, gathered the Yato, and raced to the head of her army. Sure enough, the ghost soldiers of Valla had appeared, armed to the teeth and ready for battle.

"That's a lot of them." Takumi, Prince of Hoshido and the representative of his country to Azura's Coalition Army, said as he moved next to her, his Fujin Yumi in his hands. They were quickly joined by his sister, Sakura, and Azura's own sister, Camilla.

"I was expecting some resistance on our way to Cheve," Azura replied, "But it seems like they were waiting specifically for us."

"W-we've never fought that many before." Sakura stuttered, "We're in for a long fight."

"Don't worry dear," Camilla said in her soft voice, "They'll fall like wheat before our blades."

"Wait a moment." Azura said as her eyes settled on something, "One of them is approaching… it's not invisible.

Sure enough, a lone warrior on horseback came galloping towards them, before stopping several yards away.

"Princess Azura." It spoke in a masculine voice, "You are outnumbered. Give yourself over to me, and the lives of your followers will be spared."

"It talks?" Takumi asked as he leveled one of the Fujin's magical arrows at the rider, "I thought all Vallites were mute?"

"It's not a ghost soldier." Azura whispered, "It's a human."

A young human at that, around her age, with pale hair and red eyes, and a face that looked innocent were it not for the grim shape of his mouth.

Azura took a step forward, and then addressed the rider, "You! You are human, are you not? Why do you fight for Anankos?"

At first, the boy said nothing, as if he was taken aback at Azura's question.

"What a pointless question." He finally spoke, "Someone who is about to die need not know. I say again, surrender, and spare the lives of your followers."

"I will never surrender, not to any servant of the Silent Dragon, be they ghost or flesh." Azura responded, "Instead, I make you an offer; stand aside and live, or fight us, and be defeated."

"… Very well then. I gave you your choice, prepare to die." The boy turned his horse around, and galloped back to his army.

Azura drew her blade, and addressed her army.

"Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Corrin didn't know why he had bothered to make the offer; it was not like he really expected Azura to take it. After all, he wouldn't.

Still though, he was impressed with her spirit, if nothing else. Yes, other human foes had shouted defiance at him in the past, but those were empty threats, merely words. Azura spoke with confidence… confidence that she could prevail.

It stirred something in him… what was it?... Ah yes, admiration. That was the word he was looking for.

Still though, he had his orders, and he would carry them out, lest he face Anankos' displeasure.

"So, it seems that we face each other in battle today." Corrin said to Azura from the back of his horse, as the princess approached him, flanked by warriors, "You've done well this day; my ghost legion was no match for your skills. Still, now you face me. You have no hope of victory."

"Tell me; why is a human serving Anankos?" Azura asked him.

"This again?" Corrin replied, "Why do you care?"

"Don't you know that he hates us? That he wants to kill us all?"

"… You make it sound as if I have a choice."

Azura's eyes widened at that.

"Then, you're-"

"Enough!" Corrin snapped, and he drew his own sword, "This talk is pointless! Either fight me now, or lay down and die!"

"… If you won't tell me why, then at least tell me your name." Azura asked.

"… Corrin. My name is Corrin."

With that, Corrin charged her.

"H-how is this… possible…" Corrin muttered as he clutched his bleeding side. Somehow, Azura had defeated him. His horse was dead, and he lost his sword. Now, the victorious Princess was standing over him.

"You are beaten," she stated, "Surrender, and I will spare your life."

"Heh…" Corrin humorlessly chuckled as he reached into his armor and pulled out a fist sized stone on a chain, "My life is not yours yet human!"

In a flash of light, Corrin disappeared, replaced with a huge dragon.

"Gods!" Azura shouted, sword raised, ready for Corrin's next attack.

It never came though; instead, Corrin leapt away from her, and took to the air, flying towards the mountains in the east.

"D-did you see that?" Takumi asked as he ran up to Azura, "Did that Vallite General just turn into a dragon?"

"I did." Azura answered.

"Good, then I wasn't just seeing things. Why didn't he attack you though?"

"He was hurt pretty bad from our battle; perhaps he's going to lick his wounds?"

"Well, if that's the case, then this probably isn't the last we've seen of him."

"I suspect you're right." Azura said, her mind elsewhere.

Why was a human fighting for Anankos? From what little he said, he made it seem as if he was being coerced. Perhaps, if she found out what compelled him…

She shook those thoughts from her head. She didn't have time to worry about hypotheticals. She needed to get to Cheve. Her coalition still needed to grow, and they didn't have much time before the skies switched. She would have to deal with Corrin the next time he showed his face, which, hopefully, would not be for a while.

He transformed as soon as he landed, and dropped hard to the ground, groaning as he clutched his ribs.

He had a chance to kill her, why didn't he take it?

Because, the voice in his head told him, she would have killed you with the Yato, and Anankos would have snatched your soul and remade you into a ghost soldier, and you wanted to live for a while before you had to meet your ultimate fate.

So? It was not like he had long to live anyway. He had failed. No doubt, Anankos knew by now. His life was forfeit, and he could never return to Valla. He was wounded, alone, and about to be hunted by both sides of this war.

He wasn't just going to lay down and die though… if his father was going to kill him, then at the very least he would make the old dragon work for it.

Corrin got up, still clutching his side, and walked through the woods, hunted, injured, scared out of his mind… but for the first time in his life, free.