Chapter 7 - Ominous Waters

Corrin wandered aimlessly through the endless sea of gray.

Fog swirled around him, patches of light and dark flitting in and out at the edge of sight. For as far as the eye could see, the mists stretched out into the nothingness, hanging over an empty plane of the mirror lake beneath his feet. Each step he took as he walked on its surface sent a ripple washing outwards into the gloom, the only sound to be heard were soft plops each time his feet disturbed the surface.

For an eternity, he trudged through the unchanging scene, time itself seeming to hold no meaning. A part of him wondered where he was and how he had come to this place, yet he found it difficult to focus on those questions now, the thoughts slipping away like liquid held in open fingers.

Everything was still.

Silent.

Empty.

Suddenly an icy wind rushed through the void, its frozen fingers chilling him to the bone. The mists shifted around him. He whirled in place, suddenly searching for something. Where? He had to find her. Where was-

He froze in place, his eyes falling on the person he sought. A silhouette of white against the gray, her aqua hair trailing behind her. Her back was to him, her gaze on something further beyond the edge of his sight.

He opened his mouth to call her name, only for no sound to escape from it. He tried again, only to once more find that he could not speak. Before his eyes, she seemed to move further and further away, the distance between them stretching before his very eyes. He reached out to her, running towards her in desperation as he tried to catch up as she continued to slide further and further way.

Another blast of wind slammed into him, the cold slicing deep into the core of his being. With a sudden jolt, the water's surface shattered like a pane of glass under his feet. He tried to scream, only for no sound to escape his lips as he tumbled through into the void.

Then suddenly, he was standing on the ground once more, the land beneath his feet a barren waste of cracked gray earth. Dark clouds rolled overhead, the land choked in thin, wispy smoke that curled and danced like pale phantoms in the wind.

A feeling of dread seized of him at the sight of the bleak, dead land, yet try as he might, he could not turn away. Instead he felt a will that was not his own guiding his steps, drawing him deeper and deeper into the abyssal lands that seemed to stretch on and on in the empty nothingness.

Ahead a pocket of smoke shifted, revealing a gray, ghostly figure standing in the gloom. Every instinct told him to turn away, to flee, yet he found that his body would not obey. Soon he was within sight of the man, who slowly turned to look at him.

Corrin's mouth fell open, letting out a silent cry of alarm as staggered back. He recognized the cold, dead face that stared back at him, belonging to the first man he'd been forced the kill, one of the soldiers he'd fought on his first mission where he'd been sent to the Bottomless Canyon.

More figures materialized before him. At first they were only the soldiers he'd killed in the heat of battle, those casualties he'd been unable to avoid, each bearing the fatal wounds he'd dealt them. But then soon others joined, the people of Cheve slaughtered by Hans' men, the men and woman he'd failed to save. He saw the rebel leader Scarlet, her body covered with the grisly wounds of her slow, pained death at Hans' own hands. Joining them came the Kitsune, slaughtered as the Nohrian army marched into Hoshido. Then more, so many more, all dead, all staring at him, accusing him.

All dead because of him.

Panic seized him then. He turned trying to flee as the figures closed in around him. He managed only a handful of steps before his foot got caught on a loose patch of gravel, his legs slipping out from underneath him. He crumpled to the ground, his whole body paralyzed by fear and wracking.

He could only watch as they drew in around him, their whispering voices calling out to him, their words echoing unnaturally as spoken from dead lips.

"You killed us."

"It was you."

"You murdered us."

Then two figured loomed before him, standing larger than the others as they stepped into sight. He gazed up, staring straight into the faces of his brothers, Ryoma and Takumi, looking back at him, their expressions sad and wracked with pain.

"Why did you kill us?" they asked, speaking in unison.

Corrin tried to answer, tried to tell them he didn't have a choice, that it wasn't his fault. Yet still no words came out.

"Why did you let me die?" came Azura's voice, the ghostly image of his dead wife materializing behind his brothers.

Then the ghosts fell on him, hands reaching out to seize him as darkness fell over him, plunging him into the void.

. . . . .

"No!" Corrin screamed, eyes shooting open. In a moment of confusion, he flailed at the darkness, kicking and clawing at the blankets wrapped around him as he desperately tried to escape the enclosing faces. His heart hammered in his chest, blood pumping loudly in his ears. He twisted, falling out from his bed, crashing down hard on the ground. His head bashed against the floorboards, sending a jolt of pain radiating through his skull. Jagged bursts of light flashed before his eyes and he tasted copper.

Yet still he struggled, desperately trying to wriggle free of his cloth wrapped prison. His breath came in wheezing gasps, no matter how hard he tried. He had to get away, had to-

Slowly his movements stilled, his racing mind finally catching up to him. He remembered where he was; he was in his room, his bed. It had been just a dream, none of it was real. None of it had been real.

His breathing calmed, ragged gasps stilling to slow, steadying heaves as his heart continued to pound. He squeezed his eyes shut, clutching at his head. It had felt so real. Even now he could see their faces so clearly, it was as if they were standing there before him. There were so many. He'd forgotten truly how many were dead, either by his hand or by his choices.

"It wasn't my fault. I did what I had to," he whimpered, his shoulders beginning to shake with the onset of tears. "I didn't want this. Please… I didn't want anyone to die!"

But no response came, the room silent as ever, the faces in his memory continuing to stare back at him. Judging him in silence.

A sudden knock on the door jolted him to the present. The speed and weight of the knocks carried with them a sense of urgency. He staggered to his feet, scrambling to the door and throwing it open. Morning light streamed in, burning at his eyes. He blinked, squinting as the person before him blurred into focus. It was Silas.

"Corrin, Xander needs you to meet him at once. We've just received word there's been another attack."

Corrin blinked again, a moment passing before the words fully sunk in. "What? There's…"

"Yes. Invisible Soldiers. The town's only a few miles off. We'll need to move if we're to reach it in time."

. . . . .

"What's going on?" Robin asked, coming to a stop in front of where Inigo stood near Xander, both retainer and lord directing troops about the chaos that had erupted through the keep. An instant later, Lucina moved into place, having been only a step behind him as they had made their way through the sudden confusion that had erupted through the camp.

It had been a day since they had first arrived in the astral keep. Or at least, he thought it had been a day. Time did not seem to perfectly match up, at least going by the hours they'd spent outside during the army's march. It had been only minutes ago that they had been awoken to the sound of a hundred sets of feet stampeding all throughout the castle's grounds and the cacophony of countless frantic voices. They'd hurried out there as quickly as they could, fearing that they were under attack. Even if now it was clear that this was not so, it was plain that something had happened.

It was Inigo who spoke up first. "A runner just arrived from a town several miles from our army's position outside the keep. From the description, there can be little doubt that Invisible Soldiers are responsible."

"What? Where?" Robin asked. He glanced at Lucina, her expression just as alarmed as his own. From what Corrin had told them, the last attack had come only two days before. Back in their own world, there had generally been more time in between invasions by the phantom army, even when their strikes had been at their most frequent.

Either they simply have some way to deploy quicker in this world, or else they are stepping up their game, Robin realized, musing over the possibilities. If it's the former… well, this is their world too. It is surely easier for them to summon in large numbers than it was to breach the barriers between our world and this one.

It was Xander who answered his question, seeming to take no notice of Robin's focus turning inward to his own thoughts. "The town is called Vahlsee and sits a three hours forced march on foot from our camp in the outside world. From what we are aware, the messenger traveled by horse, making the journey in near half that. That, with his account, tells us it's been two hours at the most since it began."

Robin blinked, barely managing to snap himself back to the present in time to hear the prince's answer. Still, it took a moment for his still reeling mind to catch up, a lapse that was thankfully filled by Lucina.

"Two hours? Is it not then likely that we'll be unable to arrive in time to provide any timely aid?" Lucina asked, a grimace filling her lips as her expression turned grim. In that single look, Robin recognized what she must be thinking. How many times had she faced this same realization, he wondered as he had many times before. How many times has she received word of Risen assaulting a town or village, only to know that any help she could give would arrive far too late?

"That's being taken care of," Xander replied, his expression remaining impassive. He paused for a moment, but then upon seeing the dubious looks given him, he elaborated, "We sent Corrin out a few minutes ago. He is going to fly as close as he can, then reposition the keep to his new location."

"Reposition? What do you mean, I'm not sure I follow." Lucina asked, arching an eyebrow. She glanced between Robin, and the Nohrian prince with evident uncertainty.

"The keep is tied to the rest of the world at a single point that must be moved as we travel. It cannot be accessed normally otherwise. We can move it only once every so often, but on some occasions we can use this to transport land-bound troops faster than we would otherwise," Xander explained.

"Problem is though, the magic to do so is quite picky. There's a limit to how many people can be within the keep when the transfer happens," Inigo added, chiming in. "Only a hundred at most, I believe. So the vast majority of the army will have to catch up with us, I'm afraid."

"Which is why we are going in with our best soldiers. Corrin's account of your fight plus my retainer's," Xander motioned to Inigo, "own testimony makes it clear that you two should be among that number. So I would advise you to prepare and meet us with the rest of the soldiers before we march."

Robin blinked, confused that Inigo had told Xander about them, until he remembered that Corrin had ordered him along with Severa and Owain to explain their origins to the Nohrian lords they served. It was likely that they had explained he and Lucina came from that same land. Must have gone decently well if he's still his retainer, Robin noted.

Yet that was not his most pressing thought at that particular moment. No, what he was most concerned about was their lack of forces. If our own encounters with the Invisible Soldiers are anything to go by, we will be easily outnumbered. We'll need to strike fast, either overwhelm them quickly or at least lead them into some sort of ambush. I doubt we'd be able to survive a long drawn out fight until the rest of the army arrives.

"If there is time, perhaps I can be of help in developing a strategy given our limited numbers. In our own encounters with these phantoms I have found a few solid tactics that have proved-"

"Any assistance you can give off on the battlefield would be appreciated, but for now I must get back to preparations. Again, prepare yourselves and then gather here when ready," Xander interrupted before Robin could finish, reiterating his earlier instructions once again. With that, he turned away, ending the conversation to resume rattling off orders to the other soldiers bustling about.

Robin opened his mouth to say more, then squeezed it shut once again, a frown pursing his lips.

Inigo gave him an apologetic look before turning away as well to assist his lord.

Sighing, Robin shook his head, turning back to his wife. "Well that was unfortunate," he said, his words aimed more to himself than to her.

"I can scarcely believe it. Even if they do not yet trust us to the fullest extent, would it not be of little harm just to hear us out? Perhaps if..." Lucina trailed off, glancing over to where the Nohrian prince was still giving orders

Robin shook his head again. "No, if I was in their position I might have made the same decision. They have their own leaders and strategists, so it's not like they are desperate for assistance in that regard," he explained. He paused, a small, wry smile tugging at his lips as he added, "I mean, it's not like when your father was so desperate to find a tactician that he offered the position to the first person he found passed out by the roadside."

This got a smile onto Lucina's face as well. "Well, perhaps then the problem is you do not seem suspicious enough, if past experiences are anything to judge by."

"Perhaps," he echoed, chuckling softly. He glanced over his shoulder, then back to the tent. "However, I think it's best to leave testing that one for another day. In the meantime, we should get ready, not much time left to prepare."

"Yes. Let's," Lucina dipped her head in a sharp nod.

With that, the two hurried back into their tent and at once set about arming themselves for the coming battle. Gathering his weapons from where they lay around the room, Robin laid them out next to him before moving on to prepare donning the rest of his gear.

Retrieving his own breastplate from the pile he'd left it in, Robin could not help but take pause and grimace as his eyes fell upon the ruined armor. Long gash marks lay down the center plate where Corrin had struck him with his claws, cutting deep enough to even damage the padded leather underneath. Similar cuts had torn open the side, the metal split and cracked where parts around the seam had fractured and broken away. Multiple dents marred its surface, many so severe that Robin was not sure if the armor would sit properly if he were to don it now. The right pauldron too was badly crumpled, while the left had been punctured by a thrust of Corrin's transformed arm.

There's no way I can wear this now, even if there was time to make repairs, Robin noted. He hadn't realized the damage had been this severe; until now he hadn't really taken a good look at it. Tossing the plate aside, he picked up his greaves. Besides one gash, they were otherwise intact and in far better shape.

Better than nothing I suppose. Buckling the grieves in place, Robin scooped up his tomes, stuffing them into the pockets of his coat and buckling his sword to his belt. A moment later, Lucina stood as well, her armor clinking softly as it settled into place, the gold trimmed metal glinting with a warm, gentle light as it caught the rays streaming in from outside.

"Perhaps you can find some spare gear in the armory," Lucina noted, eyeing him up and down, taking particular note of his lack of armor.

Robin nodded. "Right. Go ahead, I'll meet you with the others." He leaned in, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before turning and sprinting from their tent.

Working his way through the obstacle course of people hurrying through the keep, Robin squeezed past the crowd of soldiers arming themselves just outside armory and rushed inside. With luck the interior was mostly empty, with most of the weapons having been brought outside where they could be passed out more easily than within the more confined space.

Digging through the racks of armor, Robin found a chain-shirt that looked to be about his size. Throwing off his coat and belt, he pulled the armor over his tunic. The rings rattled and clinked as they fell into place. It was definitely not a perfect fit, at one time a bit too short and too loose. But it was close enough to suffice for now.

Slipping back into his coat, Robin unbuckled his belt over the mail shirt, which hopefully would fix the latter problem with the gear. If he had more time, he could have likely found a better fit, perhaps even something that offered more substantial protection than chain.

"Hopefully this is enough," Robin muttered aloud. With that he turned away, hurrying back to join Lucina and the others.

. . . . .

The rising pillar of smoke was the first thing they saw of their destination.

Black against the pale-gray sky, the great plume twisted as it reached upwards above the treeline, splaying out in inky fingers that seemed to stain and claw at the clouds above. The crackle of flame could be heard, mixing with the splashing footfalls of the Nohrian soldiers as they charged forward through many puddles left by the days of near ceaseless rainfall. Only a few stragglers among the townsfolk forced to flee their homes now crossed their path, urged onward by the encroaching army to continue to retreat from the soon to be site of battle.

Corrin slowed half a pace, looking back to watch one of the groups, this one made up by a family of five clad in tattered, singed and bloodstained garments, vanish into the woods beyond. A grimace twisted his lips, the terror glimpsed upon their faces branded in his mind. He'd spotted many more of these refugees as he'd flown overhead, their number made of those who'd been lucky enough to escape early into the attack that had fallen on their homes. There had been so many, too many to count before, but now… now that family was among the very few who'd gotten out after the Invisible Soldiers had continued to spread throughout the lakeside town.

Corrin felt his hand involuntarily slip to Yato's hilt, his fingers tightening around with such force that his knuckles went white. Instinct told him that soon they would find no more survivors anywhere but behind them. As fast as they had reacted, for all the haste that had carried their charge to the town's aid, the inescapable fact was that it had still been hours since the attack had started. Any who had been trapped inside, whose escape had been cut off by the demons invading their world...

The Invisible Soldiers rarely let anyone they found live to tell of it.

A warm, itching sensation stabbed at Corrin's fingertips, spreading up his arm. As he looked down, he saw that his clenched hand had begun to change, his fingers growing longer and sprouting protruding talon-like claws at their tips. With an effort of will, he forced himself to release his tightening grip, the appendage visibly morphing before his eyes as it returned to normal.

He'd started to transform without even realizing it. He'd often slipped into his dragon form in reaction to moments of stress or danger, but this…

He'd never entered the partial transformation without meaning to. Not before now. Was he so unfocused now to let it happen? Or perhaps it was his anger that had fueled the change.

"Corrin, eyes sharp, we're here," came Leo's voice, dragging his mind back to the present.

Corrin blinked, registering the sudden change in surroundings. So lost in his own thoughts as he had been, he'd failed to notice as the tree-line suddenly fell away, giving way to a wide expanse of land cleared by logging. Ahead loomed Vahlsee. While he had never visited it before, Corrin was familiar enough with the once bustling lakeside township from his readings. Built on an artificial lake formed by the dam used to control the flow of water used to power mills in the settlements many miles further downstream, Vahlsee stood as one of the few large Nohrian settlements in the northern reaches of the kingdom, save the capital of Windmire. It provided both a crucial stopping point for the fur trappers and hunters who dwelt in the northern edge of the land as well as a place from which timber could be shipped downstream. Constructed of squat stone buildings built near the shores and surrounded by simpler brick and wooden homes further inland, the town nearly encircled the entire lake, a testament to the engineering prowess of Nohr to shape the harsh landscape to their needs.

However, little of that image could be seen now. Black smoke curling from smouldering ruins that had once been the homes of so many, entire sections of the town little more than rubble and ash.

Before their eyes, the veil of smoke seemed to part, a shimmering seeming to pass through the space before them. There was a flicker of light, an ethereal violet that cast no light of its own. The air shimmered again, this time for a split second as the silhouettes of many figures cloaked in a black mist passed in and out of view.

Corrin closed his eyes, mustering his will. He breathed in and out once, steadying his breath, then let his eyes open. Through focus alone, he shattered the illusion that cloaked the phantoms, their translucent forms materializing in full. There were over a hundred of them, easily outnumbering the Nohrians with three for every one of their two. Like oiled silk, the ghostly warriors seemed to glide into formation, forming ranks opposite the darkly clad soldiers of flesh and blood arrayed against them.

For an instant, the world seemed to hang still, only the still drifting smoke betraying the passage of time.

"Charge!" Xander bellowed, raising Siegfried high. Deep, purple light flashed around the blade, the air around it seeming to thrum with power.

With a roar, the Nohrian soldiers surged forwards, dashing over the plain to meet the phantom lines in a clash of ringing steel. The ground shook with the weight of their footfalls, a low rumble giving way to the metallic shriek that accompanied the striking of blades.

With a cry of his own, Corrin bounded forward, cleaving at the closest Invisible Soldiers with a powerful overhead strike. The Phantom staggered back, his own sword snapped cleanly in two from where the blow from the Yato had landed. Corrin lashed out with a savage kick, slamming his foe to the ground. Raising his blade high, Corrin prepared to strike, only to hesitate for a split second. He saw again the faces that had haunted his dream, their accusing eyes staring back at him.

He barely reacted in time as the phantom snatched up his broken weapon, flinging the jagged shard at Corrin's face. He darted aside just in time, the very tip of the fragment leaving a stinging line on his cheek. With a howl of rage, Corrin threw himself forward, driving the Yato deep into the ghostly soldier's heart.

Why are you hesitating? he asked himself, his mental voice cold and harsh. These aren't just some Hoshido soldiers you can reason with or feel sorry for. These things aren't human. They killed your mother. Killed Azura. They need to pay!

Ripping his sword free, Corrin whirled around, hacking as a phantom attempted to flank him. Again the visions flashed before him, only this time he paid them no heed, letting his rising anger flow over all other thought or sensation, drowning them out in an endless sea of burning hate.

Once again, Corrin threw himself into battle, letting the red haze of death and blood sink over him. Letting it consume his mind until all that was left was the heat and rhythm of the conflict surging around him. Where for a time he could forget. Where for a time nothing else mattered.

. . . . .

"Thoron!"

A burning spear of lightning leapt from Robin's outstretched hand, lancing into the Invisible Soldier directly in front of him. The ghostly warrior vanished in a blinding flash, utterly obliterated even as his comrades were thrown back by the furious might unleashed by the spell, dissipating into smoke as they struck the ground.

Robin whirled half a step, ducking under a cut aimed at his throat, retaliating with a hacking slash at his attacker's exposed midsection. The phantom reeled back, falling to one knee as it struggled to remain standing. With a silent scream, the shadow cloaked swordsman raised its sword high, throwing itself forward in one last desperate attack. But Robin paid it no heed, having already turned away to face down his next foe. For he knew with utter certainty the attack would never land.

A wet squelch filled the air, barely able to be heard over the roar of battle as the phantom suddenly jerked to a stop. Its burning eyes widened for an instant, fixed on the tip of a sword protruding from his chest. Then with a puff, it dissolved, releasing a cloud of violet mist through which strode Lucina, her blade already in motion to deflect an incoming blow.

"He was moving pretty slow, could have probably waited another second before finishing him off," Robin noted, speaking in the same tone as one discussing the weather.

"Of course. But I would not dream of letting it get that close," Lucina replied. Falchion intercepted another cut, this one having been aimed at Robin. An instant later, the Tactician's blade darted in, cutting down the phantom before he could untangle his own sword from Lucina's.

"Yes, but tiring yourself out without need is just as risky. Could cause you to make a mistake further down the line," Robin argued. He opened his mouth to say more, only to promptly shut it again as three more phantoms charged their position. He thrust out a hand, launching a bolt of electricity that split into a dozen smaller shards, breaking off into three groups to strike down each of the three. Two stumbled and fell, while the third managed to make it several more steps only to die by a swift thrust of Lucina's blade.

It also gave Lucina a chance to respond before Robin could continue.

"A cost I would pay gladly if the alternative is to see you getting hurt," Lucina countered. Stooping low to pick up a fallen javelin thrown by a phantom several minutes before, Lucina stood, clutching the spear in her left hand. She paused half a beat, then flung the spear at an armor knight stomping towards them. The javelin embedded into the phantom's shield with a solid thunk, the impact knocking it wide. Lucina was already in motion, having leapt forward the instant the spear left her hand, closing the gap and striking the knight with a flurry of carefully aimed blows at the gaps in its armor. A second later, she leapt back, avoiding not only the retaliating blow from the knight, but also the gout of flame that rushed forth to finish the Invisible Soldier off.

"I could say the same, you know. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself were you injured from pushing yourself on my account," Robin managed to reply before he was once again drawn into combat.

"Pushing myself? How is that any different from your own actions?" Lucina asked, stepping alongside him to aid in vanquishing the group of phantoms accosting them. She continued to speak, even as she wove her blade in a dance of parries and countering strikes. "You cannot be so careless with your own safety. I cannot abide it."

"I cannot help but hold your well being above my own, you know that."

"And I could never put more worth in my life if it meant risking yours."

"Well, I-"

"Gawds, get a room already, will you two?!" a familiar voice scoffed, cutting in before Robin could finish.

Both he and Lucina froze in place, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion into their conversation. Severa pushed her way between them, continuing past without paying either of them a single glance as she cut down the foes they'd been fighting with a barrage of furious slashes fueled by an endless, burning reservoir of pure annoyance. Only when the Invisible Soldiers had been vanquished did she turn around to face them.

"Or at least flirt like normal people, jeez. I know it's 'normal' at this point to do that in the middle of a damn battle, gods know how that became a thing, but this is getting ridiculous. You are the only two who could make trying to one-up the other on who is more worried and protective of the other sound so mushy and gross," Severa scolded, making a show of opening her mouth and sticking out her tongue in disgust.

Robin felt his cheeks burn red, Lucina too showing signs of embarrassment. Severa hadn't been wrong either: the back and forth had indeed become a sort of game between them. They just hadn't expected anyone to be paying enough attention to overhear it.

"I umm…" he looked to Lucina, clearing his throat. "Back to the battle? Yes, let's do that," he offered, Lucina quickly nodding her head.

Severa merely rolled her eyes.

Turning his gaze from both his wife and the almost smug looking mercenary, Robin surveyed how the rest of their forces were faring further down the line. So far, the battle had gone far better than expected, with the Nohrian forces fighting their way to the town's edge with minimal casualties. Only a handful of their foot soldiers had even been injured, with even fewer having been killed in the initial struggle. Even now they were close to begin their advance into the town proper.

And yet…

Something's not right, Robin realized. While each individual foe they fought was just as powerful as those they'd encountered before, their defense seemed less organized, with far fewer present than expected. And if there was one thing he'd learned, nothing was ever too easy. When it seemed to be… well, that's when you get worried.

It was then that he noticed the rest of the army's advance had begun to slow., What had once been a steady push into the enemy lines soon became something more akin to a defensive formation. The movements of each soldier became more tense, more cautious. It seemed almost as if they were hesitant to advance any further, even though no order had been spoken.

What's going on? We should be moving quicker, Robin wondered, looking around. Worried as he himself was of a trap, lingering in the open was far riskier than advancing. Within the town, they would have more choke points to take the best advantage of their fewer numbers were they to come under attack from another side. Besides, the more time they wasted, the more chance they had for their enemy to gather reinforcements.

"Why are we taking our time going into the town? Are we afraid of an ambush? Perhaps from within the buildings?" Robin asked, turning to Severa. Yet even as he spoke the question, he knew that was not it. No, the cautious gaze of the soldiers was not on the town itself, but of something beyond. No, clearly there was something else going on, something he hadn't been told. And Severa was the only one within earshot who might be able to answer it.

For her part, Severa regarded him with a look part annoyance and part genuine surprise. "You mean no one told you? The Invisible Soldiers can use water like a gateway or something. Don't ask me how it works. I'm just working from what Lady Camilla told me. Apparently when they went out to visit Lord Xander's son awhile back they ran into a bunch of them in some wetlands or something…" She trailed off, evidently deciding telling the whole story was not worth her time. "Whatever. The point is, Lady Camilla told me and Beruka to help make sure no one got too close to that lake." She pointed, past the buildings and to the sparkling waters just visible beyond.

Robin stopped dead in his tracks, a sudden fear gripping his heart. He fixed his gaze harder on Severa now, speaking as quickly as he could. "Wait, you just mean bodies of water like lakes and ponds, right?"

"Didn't I just say it was wetlands last time? You know, like small pools everywhere?" Severa scoffed. Then she froze too, only then seeming to notice his expression. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost or something. What-"

"We need to warn them, now!" Robin snapped, spinning around as he desperately searched for someone, anyone in charge. Dammit, Lords Xander and Leo were far away, leading the army near its center. He'd have to hurry and pray he was quick enough. He had to warn them about-

"Warn them about what? Have you lost your mind?" Severa asked.

At that instant, Robin felt a hand grip his arm. He whirled around, expecting to find a furious Severa attempting to stop him, only to find Lucina there facing him, concern in her gaze. "Robin, tell us, what's going on? I can make it to them faster than you if need be, but first I must know what to warn them of."

"It's not the lake, Lucina. The ambush isn't going to come from the lake. It's going to come from all around us!" He waved his arms frantically, motioning to the expanses of trees that lay just beyond the battlefield's edge. "It rained yesterday, remember? On the march. And the ground was soaked before it started. And today, when we came in. There were puddles. Everywhere."

For a split second, the world seemed to stand still. Then Lucina's eyes widened, her face going pale as she registered what he was saying. An instant later, Severa too reacted, her own eyes widening as her mouth fell half open as the realization hit her.

"Oh Gods, we need to-"

An explosion tore through the army's left flank, pale blue flames engulfing several men in a single instant. The dark shadows beneath the trees seemed to stretch and grow, spreading out into the field before taking the shape of countless figures of dark and invisible flame. Among them greater shapes loomed, the colossal undead known as Faceless stomping further, dragging with them magical siege engines each capped with a flaming orb.

"Get down!" Robin bellowed, grabbing Lucina by the arm as he threw his weight forward, crashing into Severa so that all three of them wouldn't be dragged down. Twisting around, he threw up an arm, unleashing a vortex of wind before them, praying with every fiber of his being that it would be enough.

With a roar of rushing air, the devices unleashed a bombardment of shimmering light, arcing towards the Nohrian forces. An instant later, the sound was joined by the twang of bow strings and the woosh of countless arrows.

All around men screamed, arrows thunking as they sank into the soaked earth or found their mark in the exposed flesh of the soldiers who'd an instant before had their backs turned. Several came down directly on the heads of the trio, only to be knocked aside at the last instant thanks to Robin's spell. The ground shook and rumbled, flames scattering the already disorientated army as all desperately fought to protect themselves. Everything was utter chaos, all cohesion lost in a single instant.

That was when Robin saw it. The shadow rising from the lake ahead, rank after rank of Invisible Soldiers striding onto land. Had the army been focused on it, the distance between them would have granted ample time to react. But now, their lines thrown into chaos from the trap sprung upon them, that time may as well be mere seconds for all the good it would do.

With a sound like the rush of waves over a rocky shore, the phantoms moved forward, engulfing the ruined town and smashing into the front lines.

The real battle had only just begun.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in getting this one out, I have had a crazy busy last couple days. And sadly things don't look like they are going to get less hectic going forward, so it may be another three weeks before the next chapter. I will try my best to meet my usual schedule of two weeks if I can, but no promises. Still, I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Anyways, onto responding to the guest reviews.

RogueHazard - That is a good point there regarding what the reactions for everyone else's reactions would be. Severa's father in this story is Stahl actually. Henry is Inigo's father. Though you are correct, the whole time travel thing has probably screwed the perspective on children and grandchildren, lol. Owain and Severa just escalated it further.

Darkness21 - I wanted to make sure the whole conflict between the heroes was resolved quickly, so I am glad that worked well. And yes, Inigo is lucky he survived Robin, but that wasn't the hard part. Surviving Morgan will be, lol. As for Soleil… I cannot confirm nor deny any plans I may or may not have.

Anyhow, that's all for now. As always, please let me know what you guys thought about this one. I love hearing your guys feedback!

Until the next one, take care everyone and have a wonderful day!

Character Spotlight: Severa/Selena

Class: Hero

Second Secondary Classes: Sky Knight, Dark Mage(S Support - Owain/Odin), Wyvern Rider (A* Support - Camilla)

Skills: Luna, Vengeance, Deadly Breath, Aegis, Galeforce.

Personal Skill: Fierce Rival - When user is the support unit, if the lead unit triggers a critical hit, the user is guaranteed a critical hit (if their attack connects)

Equipment: Selena's Blade, Armor Slayer.

Status: Alive