Chapter 5 - Into the World
"You will not lay a finger on him!"
The blue-haired woman shoved forward, twisting her blade the instant it met stronger resistance against Corrin's own. Before he could react, the Yato slid down the length of the woman's weapon, sparks emitting from the friction. He stumbled a step, thrown off balance as the resistance against his weapon vanished. He slashed wildly, spinning to face her, only for his blade to dart in, intercepting his attack before it even began. The parry struck at the ideal moment, wrenching his sword back with enough leverage to nearly tear it from his grasp. As he reeled back, he immediately saw that he was wide open for the next attack, one he could not hope to defend against.
With a cry, he threw himself back, slamming his shoulder into the dirt. He skidded half a food before he twisted, turning his momentum into a roll that carried him back to his feet. He threw the Yato up before him in defense against the attack he was sure was coming.
Nothing happened.
Corrin blinked once, finding to his shock that the woman had not moved from the spot. She stood in a ready stance, the tip of her sword pointed towards him, her steel-blue eyes fixed upon him.
"Lucina!" cried the voice of the wounded man at the woman's feet, his own gaze fixed on her. For the briefest of instants, her gaze flicked over to him, the woman's firm visage softening in the look of concern. Then her expression hardened once more, her focus snapping back to Corrin.
Even as he watched the woman, Lucina it seemed was her name, took a step forward, not to close the gap, but to put herself between him and the white-haired man. Her blade shimmered with radiant, blue light, sparkling like a sapphire that shone through the gloom.
"Stand down. There is no reason for this conflict to proceed any further," she commanded, her voice ringing through the fog like the peals of a great bell. She took another step, placing herself before him.
Corrin opened his mouth to speak, pressing a hand against his head. Everything feels so… numb… and… foggy. Like the mists… are in here and are… clouding… everything. He grimaced, forcing himself to focus, to try to make sense of it all. I… I should listen, right? She wants to talk, just like the man did… maybe this is a mistake. Maybe...
"Graaaah!" Searing pain split Corrin's skull. He doubled over, clawing at the skin on his face. A fire rushed through him, anger surging forth once more. Thoughts pressed into the forefront, memories of the recent fighting. It was a trick. The man tried to kill you, and she is with him. They are liars. Fight back. Strike! Kill!
"Liar!" He growled. The blood haze fell over his vision once more, driving away the pain and the doubts. He straightened, the Yato burning with crimson shadow. Then he lunged, launching himself into a furious overhead strike aimed at the woman's head.
In an instant, the woman moved, not away as Corrin had expected, but towards him. In a single step, she darted forward, closing the gap between them with such swiftness that Corrin hadn't the time to react. Her blade danced inward, meeting his blade just as it began to pick up momentum. For an instant, the auras of light that wreathed the blades surged in a burst of blinding light. Crimson shadow splashed against sapphire radiance where the blades met, sending a shower of glowing motes of light raining around them. In an instant, memories filled his head of his fateful duel with Ryoma. He recalled how his brother's Raijinto had burst with lighting each time it had met the Yato, the hum of power he had felt within. The woman's blade too thrummed with power, one of serene might. The Yato seemed to feel it too, a shimmer running down the blade. For an instant, a vision of fire filled Corrin's mind, and for an instant their weapons seemed as two flames dancing in the night.
Rather than parry his strike completely, her blade instead directed it off course, using its own inertia to cause it to sail harmlessly past. A hiss of breath fell from clenched teeth, Corrin following the momentum of his own strike to carry it back around. His speed aided him now, allowing him to recover and launch his next attack, cleaving at her shoulder. Metal rang out, the woman taking half a step to her side while knocking his attack off course, the Yato's edge passing an inch from her arm.
This time, he did not have the chance to recover, the woman checking her stance as he lashed out, launching a rapid barrage of thrusts and felching-like slashes that forced Corrin back on the defensive. Each blow rained sparks down on them, both weapons flashing with divine energy each time they clashed. Time and time again he tried to break free, to counter with an attack of his own, only for her blade to be there each time, foiling his strikes the very instant they began.
A blade slipped through Corrin's defenses, narrowly missing his cheek as he threw himself back out of range of her blows. This provided only the briefest respite, the woman pursuing him once more, forcing him to defend himself against the blows raining down on him. Yet through it all, she never seemed to fully commit to her offense, as if her aim was only to keep him engaged and goad him into trying to counter. It was as if she wanted him to fight back.
No, that was it, wasn't it? Even tired as he was, Corrin was still far quicker and stronger than she was. Precise and swift as her moments seemed, they were no faster than Ryoma's had been in their duel. Yet blow for blow, she outpaced him, intercepting every strike with such precision and dexterity that it seemed effortless. It's the way she's fighting, Corrin realized. Each of her movements was kept small, using only as much energy as necessary. Only use enough strength to ensure his blows just barely missed, and only move just enough to easily keep pace. It was as though her style had been developed just for this purpose - to counter foes whose physical might oustripped her own.
I can't overpower her. Corrin's eyes widened as the realization hit him. Against every foe he'd faced, his speed and strength had won him the day. But here… even if he wasn't as exhausted as he was, there was no certainty that he could even beat her. While the style itself was unlike anything he had seen before, it shared enough similarities to other styles he'd seen for him to recognize that he was beaten. For it was a perfect counter to his own, with the erratic movements and acrobatics used to catch lesser foes off guard only serving to tire him out even faster, playing right into her hand.
Back and back Corrin retreated, the woman Lucina's sword a blur as it darted in to intercept each wild swing Corrin launched against her. With each clash, the Yato's weight seemed to grow in Corrin's hands, as each blow began to grow more sluggish from the burning strain within his arms. At that moment, the woman saw her chance. With a cry, she swung her sword in a sweeping cut, catching the Yato at the instant Corrin was trying to recover from another swing. There was a blinding flash of light as the Yato was knocked wide. The woman stepped in, twisting her blade to hood underneath the Yato a tear it from his grasp. Corrin hadn't even the time to register what had happened before a booted foot entered his vision, the woman driving her heel into his chest with enough force to send him sprawling. The kick drove the air from his lungs, pain lancing through his back where he landed hard.
The Yato spun through the air, sinking into the ground out of reach. For a moment it wobbled there before stilling, the crimson fire fading out.
Wheezing and gasping for air, Corrin tried to rise to his feet. He managed a single step before collapsing sideways, his knees giving out beneath his weight.
He was spent.
Completely and utterly spent.
Groaning, Corrin lifted his head, watching as the woman slowly approached, blade outstretched. Without the Yato, he had no hope of defending himself.
A shudder ran through his body upon registering what was about to happen, the icy grip of fear having latched onto his heart. Without even realizing it, the Nohrian Prince's hand seized hold of his dragonstone, its surface shining with prismatic light. For an instant, he saw the swordswoman's eyes widen in recognition, leaping back as her gaze fixed onto the stone.
Then Corrin changed.
With a bellowing roar, the dragon threw himself at the woman, claws bared. The transformation was one of desperation, a last resort. The small bit of the rational part of his mind still conscious to his actions knew that while this form would give him overwhelming power and strength, the price would be his speed and agility. Thus, he was just an easier target for the much more agile foe. However, it mattered little now. Now it was all or nothing, where if he succeeded it would be through brute strength.
Corrin smashed into the spot the woman stood, the impact throwing a fountain of debris into the air. Even as his claws missed the woman by mere inches, the sheer force of the collision shoved her back, forcing her to slip to one knee to brace herself as she skidded several feet back. Another roar bellowed out as Corrin pounced on her, claws gouging deep troughs into the earth as he pushed off, air whooshed with the flapping of his wings, propelling him forward with swiftness that betrayed his size.
The swordswoman leapt back, claws missing her midsection by a hair's breadth. Twisting as he landed, Corrin lashed out with his tail, the blow whooshing over the woman's head as she ducked low. Her sword flashed blue as she swung in a wide uppercut, forcing Corrin to keep his distance as she darted out of range of his claws. Corrin couldn't understand why, but for some reason, Corrin felt his draconic instincts warning him to avoid the weapon the woman held. However, the fragment of reason Corrin had pushed aside those thoughts and continued.
At the apex of her swing he launched himself forward. This time he feinted, moving to the right only to dive in on the left. The gamble worked, the woman's reaction coming an instant too slow to adjust her dodge in time. Droplets of blood splashed against the ground as she reeled back, Corrin's claws having found their mark on her left arm. She staggered back, off balance from the attack.
He had her!
With a triumphant roar, Corrin leapt at her, preparing for the finishing blow.
The white-haired man screamed the woman's name.
It was at that instant that Corrin sealed his own defeat.
In a single instant, the woman regained her balance, checking her stance with swiftness impossible for one truly off-balance. All too late Corrin realized his mistake, having fallen for the woman's ruse. With impossible speed, she darted to the side, ducking under his claws in a fluid, sweeping motion as wind whipped at her cape. Her sword flashed once, burning bright as it was brought to bare. A shout fell from her lips, cutting through the night as she stepped forward. Her blade danced, trailing blue light as she slashed, its razor edge slipping through scales and into Corrin's side.
A howl of agony fell from Corrin's throat, echoing through the gloom. Pain unlike anything he'd felt before spread outward from the wound, engulfing his whole body, as Corrin began to now understand the instinctive fear that he held towards the sword, the fear that he had foolishly cast aside.
The sword… it hurt.
Hurt just as badly as a wyrmslayer. It carried the same power, the bane of dragonkind.
But this… this was more. It burned. It burned with light. With horrible, cleansing, purifying light.
The momentum carried Corrin forward even as his body collapsed around him. His scales and wings dissolving as he fell to the ground, his form becoming human once more, even as he tumbled to a grinding halt. For what felt like an eternity, he lay there in agony, clutching at his bleeding side. Had the woman aimed a little farther past the area she struck, the wound would have certainly been fatal.
The whole world was nothing but a sea of pain. He couldn't breathe! He couldn't see! He couldn't move! He couldn't even think!
Slowly the pain began to recede, becoming a dull ache that flowed from gash. Footsteps filled his vision, drawing closer before coming to a stop. Forcing his eyes open, Corrin could see the woman standing a few yards away, her sword trained on him.
"It's over, stand down," the woman stated flatly. Despite the intensity of the battle, the woman appeared at best only out of breath. Despite the small gash he had inflicted on her arm, she did not seem at all fazed by it.
Corrin gritted his teeth, his breath coming in pained hisses. His eyes fell on the Yato, his fall having brought him within reach of the blade.
"No," he growled, the word so inhuman it could barely be made out. As if in a trace he stood, his body screaming in protest. His hand found the Yato's hilt, pulling the blade free from the earth. "No," he repeated, staggering toward, swaying with each step. Blood oozed from between his fingers still clutched over his side. With one arm he hefted the Yato, raising it high over his head.
"Stop! You can't fight me in your current state. For your own sake, surrender this foolish fight," the woman warned, her sword glinting as moved into a defensive stance.
"Never!" Corrin spat. With animalistic how he threw himself forward, charging at the woman. Crimson light spilled forth from the Yato's blade, burning light a flame as he brought it down with every ounce of strength he had left. The woman raised her own weapon to block, preparing to parry the incoming blow. However, her eyes held a firm resolve that if he would not stand down despite the mercy she had offered, then she would put an end to him.
"Stop!"
A dazzling burst of light erupted in the space between them, the single word reverberating with power that shook Corrin to his very core. A fountain of water burst outward, throwing him from his feet and sending the woman staggering. He landed sprawling on his back, the world spinning before him as the voice echoed through his mind, washing away the red haze that covered his thoughts, replacing it with a cool, soothing calm.
Mind slowly becoming more clear, ruby eyes began to take notice of what was happening, and he could only stare. For in the spot between him and the woman, stood the very last person he expected to see, but the sight of whom stole his breath away.
"Azura?!" he gasped.
His face stood there motionless, hovering several inches off the ground. Motes of white light danced around her translucent form, her body shimmering as it seemed to glow with its own light. Slowly she turned her head, her eyes falling on him, a sad smile on her lips. The light began to dim, her body flickering as it began to dissolve.
"Azura!" Corrin repeated, more frantically than before. The pain he'd felt moments ago becoming numbed in the face of what was before him. He scrambled to his feet, rushing towards her, hand outstretched.
Azura closed her eyes, shaking her head sadly. The light scattered away, fading into droplets of water that vanished in the mist.
"No, please, don't go!" Corrin cried, reaching out for her hand.
Then she was gone, disappearing into empty nothingness. The light faded, darkness returning once more.
The Yato fell lifelessly from Corrin's fingers, clattering against the earth. He fell to his knees, shoulders bobbing up and down. Tears streamed down his face, splashing in the dirt. "No… don't go… don't leave me… please… don't go," he begged. No longer did he care about what might happen or of the other two nearby. No longer did he care what happened to him.
All he cared about then was Azura. All he wanted was to see her again, just for one moment longer.
"Come back… please… come back…." he sobbed, still reaching out into the spot she had appeared.
But it was no use. She was gone.
His resolve completely broke then, his voice breaking as he wailed in grief. He fell forward, cradling his head in his hands as cried.
She was gone. Just like before.
Gone…
. . . . .
"Robin!" Lucina's voice cut through mist as she rushed towards Robin, who laid slumped at the edge of the battlefield.
For a moment she glanced over to where the red-eyed swordsman had collapsed, indecision playing across her features even as Robin watched her. Then she turned away, returning to the tactician's side.
"Lucina, I…"
Before he could even finish his words Lucina dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around him in a fierce hug.
Pain lanced through his sore and battered form, the movement bringing with it fresh agony. Yet that seemed of little consequence against the warmth and strength of her touch as she held him close.
"I was so worried. When the portal collapsed with you inside… when I woke up here without you anywhere in sight… I thought I'd lost you again," she said, her voice cracking with the onset of tears.
"Lucina…" Robin murmured. He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered. There was nothing more he could say in that moment, no other words that could make it right.
For what felt like hours they sat there, holding each other tightly, not daring to let go. When at last they stirred, it was Lucina who broke the contact, pulling back to arm's length. "Gods, Robin, you're hurt. I'm so sorry. Are you alright? Does it hurt?" She asked, only now seeming to remember the state he was in.
"Fine… just need to rest," Robin assured her. He winced, bringing a hand to his throbbing head. "Head hurts… hard to think clearly… memories are a bit foggy. Still just starting to come back," he murmured, flinching as the pain ebbed and flowed in intensity. He grimaced, feeling another stab of pain in the center of his skull.
"It's okay. Just relax. Don't try to force them. It will only make it worse," Lucina told him gently. She placed a hand on his arm, giving it a firm squeeze.
"Ha, just like we told Morgan," Robin chucked, a pained smile coming to his lips. "See, already remembering things."
A small smile of Lucina's own tugged at the corners of her lips. "Just hold still one moment. Do you have any elixirs left?"
Robin shook his head, the movement sending another jolt of pain through his body. Right… hold still. Good idea. "No, used the last one during the fighting before the rift. Ha, more memories. On a roll," he explained, his voice coming out as something akin to a pained groan. He winced yet again, an arm reflexively clutching his side. Yep, was right. Definitely broken ribs.
Lucina nodded. She reached down to her belt, finding a small medicine pouch tied just behind Falchion's sheath. From within, she retrieved a small vial of clear, silvery liquid that almost seemed to shimmer with its own light.
"Last one. Take one sip, it is unfortunate that we cannot afford to use the whole thing now," she instructed, offering up the potion.
Nodding, Robin uncorked the vial, taking a mouthful of the liquid again. As always, the potion felt more viscous than water and possessed a sweet-bitter taste he could not readily identify. A rush of icy cold rushed through his body, giving way to a sudden warmth centered around his injuries. At once the aches and pains began to subside, the open gashes on his side, leg, and arm closing and scabbing over before his very eyes. He prodded the spot on his side, testing it. The raw skin burned at his touch, not fully healed, but no more blood welled from the spot.
"Thanks." He coughed, his throat burning with a sensation akin to that after taking a mouthful of a strong drink. "Here, you hold onto the rest," he said, returning the bottle to her.
Nodding again, Lucina took the offered vial. She moved to stow it away, then stopped suddenly, staring at it with a curious expression on her face. She shifted slightly, half turning to glance at where the swordsman still hunched motionlessly in the center of the battlefield.
"Lucina, what are you…" Robin started to ask. He trailed off, her gaze telling him exactly what he needed to know. "But he tried to kill both of us. Why help him now?" Robin wondered. He glanced over at the prone swordsman, hesitant. While he was not against giving the man a second chance… he did just try to kill them. That was enough of a reason to remain cautious regardless of what they did.
With a groan, Robin braced a hand against the ground, pushing himself upright. He swayed, staggering a single step as he found his footing.
"I am not too sure that was his fault, Robin. Something strange happened when I tried to talk to him before. For a moment it looked like he was going to listen, but then suddenly he seemed to be in pain and when he recovered I could only see rage from him," Lucina explained, standing as well. For a moment she fell silent, her expression thoughtful. "What's more, you must have felt the same thing I did."
"Felt what?" Robin asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I felt… well, it's difficult to explain, but when I first confronted him I felt the strangest sensation like another person was breathing down my neck. But it was inside my mind. It lasted only for a moment, but it seemed to me like their were testing me, looking for something in my mind…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "It felt cold… unclean almost. I didn't like it. But… I think it was trying to influence me, but it needed to find something first… something like..."
"... rage," Robin finished for her, realization hitting him. He slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead, cursing himself for his own blindness. "Gods, I felt it too. When the fight started. I think it made me see things that weren't there. See him as an enemy. My mind felt foggy, difficult to focus on anything but my fear and anger."
He frowned, turning to pace half a step before returning to his original spot. "Outright mind control is no easy task, no matter how strong you are. The easiest way is to have some sort of connection to the person, like my fath- Like Validar did to me, when… you know… But, when that fails, relying on negative emotions of the wielder can have a similar effect in acting as a gateway into someone's mind. You don't even have to control them directly, just strengthen those feelings until they overwhelm someone and lead them to act in a desired way," Robin explained, looking to Lucina. "Between my confused mental state and my own fear at the moment, I must have been influenced into attacking. The same was attempted on you, but you were well enough in control of your baser emotions that there was nothing to exploit."
"Indeed. And your words now strengthen my resolve, Robin. I do not believe this man was our enemy by his own will." She glanced back over her shoulder, looking towards the swordsman. "Besides, I feel as though someone else too wanted to us to stay our hand. One I owe for arriving in time to save your own life."
"That woman," Robin muttered, staring at the spot she had materialized in. A thousand questions as to her identity or even her nature raced through his mind, but he set them aside. Spirit, illusion, mental projection, it mattered little right now. "You saw her too?"
"Yes." Lucina nodded. "She led me here, same as you it seems. I think she wanted us to meet. Why else would she lead us here? If it was to embroil us in this conflict, she wouldn't have intervened. What's more…" her gaze lingered on the red-eyed man for another long moment. "I think he knew her."
Robin frowned, considering this. It… made a great deal of sense, to be perfectly honest. The woman clearly was protecting the swordsman, yet she had also led Lucina here to keep that very man from killing himself. Clearly, keeping them all alive was in their best interest.
Besides, from the sounds of it, she had indirectly saved Robin's own life after already aiding him in avoiding being ambushed by phantom soldiers. He did owe her one.
"Right. Just… let's be careful. No telling how he will interact."
Quietly, the two approached the hunched over man. It was only then that Robin recognized that he was not quite as motionless as he thought. His shoulders trembled, bobbing up and down in time with soft, choking sobs.
He's crying, Robin realized, mind seizing upon the man's reaction when the woman appeared, how he had desperately rushed towards her.
Coming to a stop a foot away, Robin watched as Lucina slowly stooped down behind him, reaching out with one arm. Unconsciously, Robin felt his hand grope for the hilt of his sword, only becoming aware of the action after it turned up empty. Right, his sword was still on the ground. He'd forgotten to retrieve it.
Lucina's hand tapped lightly on the man's shoulder. At once he reacted, body tensing as he scrambled back, recoiling from the touch. He tried to twist around, only to slip and fall onto his hind quarters. He flailed an arm, fumbling for his sword.
"Wait, please, we don't wish to fight you," Lucina said, holding out both hands with palms facing towards him in as non-threatening of a gesture as she could. "I think someone else wished for us to fight and may have been influencing your actions as well as ours. Can you focus clearly now?" She asked.
"I…" a pained groan fell from the man's lips, his eyes squeezed shut. "I think... Gods... my head. I felt so angry, like I couldn't control…" he opened his eyes, glancing at each of them in turn. "I'm so sorry, I didn't-"
"It's fine, we figured as much," Lucina assured him. She reached for her belt, the man tensing once more, only to relax as he saw that she had gone not for a weapon, but for an elixir vial. "Here, take this. It will heal your wounds. After that we must talk, as much is going on that must be understood. Then we can-"
A low thrum reverberated through the air, the ground beneath their feet trembling in time with its beat. Lucina leapt to her feet, whirling around, Robin already in motion too. Through the mist, dark shapes massed at the edge of sight, flickering in and out of focus. Eyes like flame burned, distant at first, but drawing quickly closer. There were dozens, hundreds even.
"Dammit! Guess whoever orchestrated the fight isn't too happy about us sitting down to talk," Robin shouted, swearing under his breath. He spun back to his wife. "Hurry, get him up. We need to leave, now!"
Quickly, Lucina shoved the vial into the man's hands, drawing Falchion as she turned to face the encroaching sea of shadowy shapes. Robin sprinted over to his sword, snatching it up before rushing back to her side. Already the red-eyed man had stood, the now empty vial discarded at his feet. His own sword was in his hands, his eyes narrowed.
"Which way?" Lucina asked, eyes falling on Robin.
"Not sure, maybe-"
"I know. There's a crevice nearby. If we can get enough of a lead we can take shelter there," the man interjected, speaking up.
Robin turned, eyeing him up and down, trying to get a read on his intentions. Despite everything, or perhaps because of it, a small part of him was still loathe to trust the man at face value. He glanced back at the shadowy sea drawing in around them, which was far and enough to make his choice for him. "I can handle the getting a lead on them part. Can you do that earth magic again? The same you did against me?"
"You mean use a Dragon Vein? I think… yes, there is another one nearby," the man said, giving a sharp nod.
Dragon Vein? Robin wondered. But there was no time to ask about it now. "Yes, just get ready and put it between us and them. "Now let's go. Lead the way!"
At once, the man turned around sprinting away from the two. With his speed he quickly gained distance between them. For an instant, it seemed to Robin that he was leaving them behind, only for him to then skid to a stop, half turning to face them. He stretched out a hand, just as he had done before.
Within moments, Robin and Lucina closed the gap between them. There was a roar, the earth splitting open behind them the instant they crossed some threshold, a wall of jagged stone bursting force to bar their escape.
"Thoron!" Robin bellowed, launching his spell at the wall. His strength restored by the healing potion, he had more than enough energy to spare now, well enough to destroy a large chunk of the wall. The past scattered the pursuers directly behind, showering the rest in a hail of stone and a cloud of smoke. "Right, lead on!" He shouted, turning back to the other two.
With haste, the man lead them towards the rockier terrain at the edge of the island, picking his path through as many natural barriers that would provide some degree of cover. While the smokescreen had done its job in allowing them to escape from direct pursuit, the mist that still clung to the area now made it impossible to tell just how far away their foes were. If they did somehow close in on them, there would be no knowing until they were right there in front of them.
A chasm loomed before them, several feet deep and half as wide. The red-eyed man ducked down into it, waving for them to follow.
Robin exchanged a quick glance with Lucina, then followed into the gloom.
The next few minutes were the longest in Robin's life. The three of them hunched down in the chasm's floor, not even daring to breathe loudly as they waited and listened. Distantly, they could hear the faint noise of many booted feet passing over stone. The sound drew closer and closer with each passing moment, until it seemed that they would be found for sure.
"Please don't find us. Please don't find us," Robin whispered, repeating the words as a mantra over and over.
Then, at last the noise began to recede, fading further and further away. After another few minutes it was gone, silence falling once more.
Robin waited a couple more minutes before breaking to silence, just to be safe. "Alright, I think they're gone," he said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Yes," Lucina agreed. "We are fortunate that you saw this ravine," she added, turning to the man.
The red-eyed man nodded, but said nothing, his gaze fixed on the floor of the ravine.
Another moment passed in silence.
"So, um, what might your name be? We have not properly introduced ourselves," Lucina asked, tilting her head quizzically as she finished. "If it helps, we can go first. My name is Lucina, and this is my husband, Robin." She motioned to him with a hand.
"Corrin," the man answered, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Slowly he lifted his gaze. "My name is Corrin," he repeated, a weary sigh falling from his lips. He looked at the two of them up and down slowly. "You… don't seem to be from any land I know. What are you doing… here?" His pointed up with his chin, indicating the land above.
"That's… a long story," Robin answered. He rubbed the back of his neck, contemplating how best to explain. "To keep it brief, those… things invaded our home. We were part of an army trying to fight them. There was a portal, we tried to get to it, to try to enter wherever they were coming from. But something went wrong. The portal collapsed and well, we ended up here."
Corrin nodded slowly. "Well, you succeeded in that regard," a bitter chuckle fell from his lips, as if at some joke. "Sorry, it's just… our situations are more similar than you could imagine. Unfortunately, I can't give any of the answers you you're hoping for. I don't know what this..." he motioned around with a hand, "... place is or even what it's called. All I do know is that it is a realm separate from my world and that those things come from here. Invisible Soldiers, we call them, but truly I know nothing of their nature. For the past year, small bands of them have been launching attacks against both Nohr and Hoshido, but only recently have appeared in any great force."
Nohr and Hoshido? Those must be kingdom of the land he comes from, Robin mused. Something about those names struck a chord within him, as if some long forgotten memory. He could have sworn he'd heard those names before somewhere, but… dammit, everything was still too foggy, too many holes in his recollection.
Lucina then spoke up again, picking up from where Robin left off. "Still, you do seem to know more than us, regardless of how little that is. It is fortunate then, that we were lead to you."
"Azura…" Corrin whispered the name under his breath, so quietly that Robin nearly missed it. A pained expression flashed across his face, his eyes seeming to glisten with growing wetness. He blinked, averting his gaze.
"Do you mean the woman we saw? Do you know who she is?" Lucina asked.
"She is… was… someone I lost…" Corrin whispered, his voice cracking as he finished. He turned away as to avoid facing either of them directly.
He… lost? Wait, if that woman is dead, then how did she appear? Robin wondered, eyes widening at this revelation. Never before had he heard of spirits appearing after their deaths, at least not those who did not possess some degree of divine power in life. Of the latter type he was familiar, having seen the Tiki from Morgan and Marc's world appear to take up Naga's mantle, but this woman seemed human, not a god or dragon. If she was, then who was she? Clearly she was someone dear to Corrin, for even the mention of her brought a powerful reaction. But beyond that, he had little else to go on.
Though now was not the time to ask. Even if it was, he doubted Corrin would tell him more.
So instead, Robin tried to change the subject.
"So, how did you manage to transform your body like that during our fight. I've never seen a manakete do anything like that before."
Corrin looked up, a perplexed expression on his face. "Manakete?"
"Huh? But aren't you a dragon? I thought that's what-" Robin froze, the realization hitting him with the force of a thousand avalanches. "Oh, gods… if you've never heard the name manakete before… When you said my world, you really meant my world. This place isn't just connected so some other land. It's connected to an entirely different world."
"Wait, you mean like an Outrealm?" Lucina asked.
"Yes, exactly," Robin agreed nodding his head. Dammit, that must be why the kingdoms Corrin mentioned had seemed familiar. Travel between different Outrealms was common enough that stories of other lands were known well enough to be written about in countless tomes. He must have seen some mention of this place in passing before now.
"That would explain why your clothes don't match anything I've seen before," Corrin replied. "Outrealms are something I have heard of before. But why would the Invisible Soldiers attack your home? I don't…" he trailed off, his expression hardening. "Doesn't matter now. We can figure this out once we get back to my world. It's not safe to linger here much longer."
"Do you know how to get back there?" Robin asked, arching an eyebrow.
Corrin nodded. "I can lead the way. It's not far from here."
"In that case, I think leaving this place would be the wisest course of action," Lucina agreed. She stood, Corrin and Robin following suit.
As they turned to leave, Robin held out a hand, motioning for Corrin to wait. "I need to ask one question. Why help us? I know we are making a gamble of our own in trusting you, but why give us the benefit of the doubt?" he asked.
Corrin turned, facing him directly. "Because I was led here too. I think… I think Azura wanted me to help you..." With that he turned away, setting out into the fog.
Robin exchanged another glance with Lucina, then started after him.
. . . . .
True to Corrin's word, the place was not far away, taking only twenty or so minutes to reach wherever he was leading them. That spot, as it turned out, was the very edge of the island. An empty sea of gray stretched out below the drop off.
"So, this is it," Corrin said, coming to a stop and turning to face them.
"This is what? An endless abyss?" Robin asked incredulously, looking between Corrin and the gray void. "What do you want us to do, jump into it?"
"Yes, that's exactly what we need to do," Corrin asked, with so much seriousness that Robin couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Haha, that's a good one, you must…" he trailed off, seeing that Corrin's expression was not changing. "Oh gods, you're being serious, aren't you?"
"Yes. I am. Look, it sounds crazy, but this place leads to a location in my world called the Bottomless Canyon. If we jump here, we can return to that place," he explained.
"So… an endless void leads to a place called the Bottomless Canyon. And you are sure you aren't screwing with me?" Robin asked.
A hint of a smile, the first Corrin had shown all this time, tugged at his lips. "I know, it sounds crazy. I would have thought so too. But I trusted… the person who told what I'm telling you now. Trusted them more than anyone. It will work."
Robin opened his mouth to say something more, only to be silenced by a warning glare from Lucina. Right, not the time. Go along with it.
"So how does this work? Do we all jump at once?" Lucina asked.
Corrin shook his head. "It has to be one at a time. I will go first, as time moves slower in this place than in the outside world." He turned away, taking a step forward towards the edge. Then he froze, quickly spinning about to face them once more. "Oh, I almost forgot. This is important. There is a curse on this place that prevents anyone speaking of it in the outside world. Mention it at all to anyone when not here, and you will die."
"Yeah...um… that definitely sounds like something we should know about," Robin said, glancing worriedly at Lucina. If he almost forgot to mention that to us… gods, I hope there isn't anything else important we need to hear about.
He frowned, something else occurring to him then. A curse that prevents him speaking of this land. Something about it seemed familiar. Like he should know this, what was… he grimaced, his head throbbing again. Dammit, just as with before his memories were still too foggy. This was familiar, he was sure of it, but…
… he just couldn't remember how.
Corrin looked back over his shoulder, gazing into the fog. "We should hurry. No telling how much longer we will be safe in this place." He turned, and without a moment's hesitation, stepping out into open air. In an instant, he vanished into the fog below, fading from sight.
"Wow, so we do just jump in," Robin said, gazing out over the edge. He gulped audibly, then turned back to Lucina.
"So, um, who goes first?" He asked.
"After you," Lucina said, motioning with a hand.
"You sure, maybe you should-" A mischievous smile from Lucina silenced the thought, Robin's words turning into a resigned groan.
"You are evil. An evil, evil, evil woman. What did I do to deserve this?" he babbled.
Lucina giggled, covering her mouth with a hand. "Because it's very cute when you get flustered like this. Go on, I'll be right behind you."
"You know, I always wondered where Morgan got it from, until now," Robin muttered, turning back to the abyss. "Well, here goes nothing." Sucking in a deep breath, he squeezed his eyes shut and leapt out into open air.
For what felt like an eternity, he plummeted down, the world nothing but the howl of rushing air and wind tearing at his clothes. He didn't dare open his eyes for even a moment, silently praying for the fall to end.
Then there was a flash of light, and everything went dark.
The next thing Robin knew he was laying on his back, staring up at a blackened sky. Lightning flashed, illuminating dark storm clouds that boiled and churned overhead. A figure stepped into sight, Corrin's face coming into focus as he bent down and extended a hand.
"We're here."
Author's Note: So, the obligitory crossover hero fight is finally over and now the plot can advance. Hopefully the part where the two groups make nice and stop fighting was believable, with the whole Ghost!Azura thing that I totally came up with first, Heirs of Fate *glares angrily*. Going and stealing plot points from a story I've been outlining since Fates came out in Japan. I see your game, DLC, I see your game!
Er... crazy rantings aside, just a quick point of clarification. The intention on the Lucina vs Corrin fight is not to say she is more powerful than either Corrin or Robin, but rather that Lucina is in many ways a counter to Corrin. Through a combination of her fighting style and wielding Falchion she is very well suited to deal with Corrin's abilities and his combat style. Couple that with Corrin being completely exhausted and quite a bit wounded from his fight with Robin… well, you saw what happened.
Anyhow, next chapter will likely be a bunch more character interactions, which should be fun. But in the meantime, let's respond to some guest reviews. Of which there is only one this time
Darkness21 - I am glad you enjoyed the fight. As for Corrin mistaking Lucina for Azura… well, even in his current unstable mental state he can clearly tell they are not the same person. Then again, in Conquest he somehow couldn't tell who Azura was when wearing different clothes, so maybe I am giving him a bit too much credit, lol.
Well that's all for now. As always, please let me know what you guys thought of this one. Until next time: peace!
Character Spotlight: Azura
Class: Songstress
Second Secondary Classes: Sky Knight, Samurai (S Support - Corrin), Troubadour (A* Support - Elise)
Skills: Special Song, Voice of Peace, Amaterasu, Inspiration, Vantage.
Personal Skill: Healing Descant - Allies within a 2 tile radius recover 10% HP at the start of the user's Turn
Equipment: Blessed Lance, Spear, Azura's Salve x2.
Status: Deceased
Ability Details: While she was still alive, Azura prefered to fight in a supportive role, using the power of her song to heal and strengthen allies. When she did engage in combat, she fought at a distance using the longer reach of her spear to attack foes already focused on her allies. In particular, she used this tactic in support of Corrin, handing back to launch attacks at openings he provided or to cover him from flanking attacks.