Chapter 8 - Shifting Tides

The space behind Corrin detonated into a raging torrent of fire, throwing him from his feet. He rolled, his clothes smoking as he skidded to a stop several feet away.

All around, chaos had erupted through the Nohrian ranks, fire engulfing many of the soldiers as the bombardment continued, some blasts even killing Invisible Soldiers caught too close, as if their foes cared little for the casualties on their own side. Perhaps they didn't, for the enemy flowed in now in a near constant advance.

They'd been caught completely off guard. Their plan had been so focused on the threat the lake posed, they'd failed to anticipate the risk brought on by the heavy rainfall in providing an alternate entry point for reinforcements. Not until it was too late, the assault coming from their flanks throwing their forces into disarray long enough for the very danger they had feared to materialize, only then without the organized defenses they'd planned to counter the enemy reinforcements coming through the lake itself.

Corrin scrambled to his feet, snatching up Yato from where it lay just in time to block an incoming blow aimed at his head. He parried the slash wide, retaliating with a swift cut that disemboweled the phantom who had attacked him. He stepped forwards to meet the wave, heedless of their number, heedless of the fire that rained down from the sky. Two soldiers before him fell under the tide of the advancing phantoms, cut down in an instant. Another tumbled lifelessly, arrows sprouting from his chest.

Nearby, several of Corrin's friends still fought, spared from the inferno if only by sheer fortune. He spotted Silas and Kaze among them, both seeming to be attempting to remain near at hand to aid Corrin, even as the lines around them broke. Further back still, Xander and Leo rode from pocket to pocket of defense, shouting frantic orders to regroup. Yet it was plain they could not hold this position for any longer, there were simply too many!

"Fall back! Fall back!" came the cry to retreat. The ground trembled as another orb of magical flame smashed down nearby, three more Nohrian soldiers vanishing in the sea of raging fire.

"Corrin, we need to go!" he heard a voice call, nearly lost in the screams and roaring flame.

Yet even as soldiers broke rank and fled all around him, Corrin paid them no heed. With renewed fury, he hacked and slashed at any phantom foolish enough to approach him. One after another, he cut them down, only for two more to appear to take the place of each that fell. But still he fought, redoubling his efforts with each blow he struck, each swing of Yato faster than the last.

In his mind, Corrin told himself that he was merely trying to buy the others a few more seconds, justifying his decision. But he knew deep down that was a lie. No, in truth he had no intention of fleeing now.

With a roar of challenge, Corrin leapt forward, dashing through the enemy line as he cleaved down foe after foe. He skidded to a stop, thrusting out his left hand. In an instant, his arm shot forward, lengthening into a spearlike point that skewered three phantoms before him, whom spasmed once before evaporating into smoke.

Whirling around, Corrin parried a blow even as his arm changed again, forming claws that tore out another phantom's throat. He lunged again, hacking down another Invisible Soldier, then another. With a roaring cry he lifted Yato high, preparing to strike down a third, the blade moving in a blinding arc.

Something heavy smashed into Corrin's back, staggering him forward. He whirled around just in time to see a naginata sweeping towards his face. He ducked at the last second, the blade passing an inch from his head. Throwing himself back, he fully turned to face the new foe, readying his blade to retaliate.

Then he froze, his skin going pale white as he beheld the phantom that stood before him. For an instant he could not move, the icy grip of fear closing around his heart.

Unlike the other phantoms he fought, this one seemed somehow more physical, the shimmering mirage that hid its form wavering before his eyes to reveal a Hoshido spear fighter clad in black and gold armor over green garments. And while his skin shone a pale, dead gray and eyes burned with a fiery glow, Corrin recognized the man's face at once.

It was one of the faces that had haunted his dreams. One of the men he had killed.

Without bidding, memories flashed before his vision. He saw his fight with the very man before him, the commander who had led the Hoshidan forces laying claim of Fort Dragonfall. He saw again how he had tried to give the man a chance to surrender, even as rage gripped his heart, born from the man's actions in capturing Azura and his plans to kill her. Anger that had been let loose when he'd refused his offer, swearing instead to kill himself and Azura. It was then that Corrin had unleashed his Dragon Vein, bringing down a store of acid in the ceiling above to consume the remaining Hoshido soldiers. He still remembered the horrible screams as they died.

They had been the first lives he'd taken fully by his own choice outside of the heat of battle. The first deaths that truly haunted him.

Corrin barely lifted Yato in time to defend himself as the Hoshido captain charged. The force of the blow knocked him a step back. An instant later, pain lanced at his side, a shuriken drawing a line of red as it sliced through armor. He spun to find himself face to face with another ghost of his pass, this time one of the ninja who had attempted to assassinate him in their camp, who he'd been forced to kill in self-defense.

All around, more phantoms closed in, each wearing the face of another that Corrin had seen countless times before. Each and every one was that of a foe he'd killed, each a face that haunted him. Their eyes flickered as they fixed upon him, filled with something he had never seen in other Invisible Soldiers before.

Anger.

These weren't some illusion, weren't some trick. These… these were really the men and women he'd slain, returned to life as vengeful specters to stand before him now. Before, he'd never understood where Invisible Soldiers had come from, nor why they seemed to be a collection of warriors of several different cultures, from Nohr to Hoshido to a third stranger group he did not recognize. That is, until this moment.

They were the spirits of those who'd fallen in battle, bound by some force to strike against the living. Phantoms in both appearance and in truth.

"No…" Corrin whispered, shuddering as he stared, cowering before the dead eyes closing in around him.

Then, as one, the vengeful revenants charged.

. . . . .

"Elwind!"

A glimmering crescent of air sliced into the nearest group of soldiers, felling one and throwing three more back. Yet even as the spell left his fingers, Robin was already spinning away, raising his sword to parry an incoming blow from his left. To his right, Lucina wove Falchion in a dazzling sequence of movements, blocking and parrying countless blows aimed at the two of them.

The ground shook violently, another bombardment smashing into the disorganized Nohrian forces, the screams of the wounded and dying drowned in the roaring inferno the siege engines released.

And with the assault came still more Invisible Soldiers, rushing to fill in the gaps opening by the raging fires, further splintering what once had been organized lines. All around them, chaos reigned, with entire sections of their forces having been pushed far back..

"Robin, I fear we cannot hold off again such numbers for much longer!" Lucina shouted over the roar of combat. Falchion flashed twice, darting through the guard of the two nearest enemies with lightning swiftness, striking them down in an instant. She half turned, the motion bringing her gaze to Robin even as it kept her in line to defend against another foe attempting to strike at her flank. In a single fluid motion, she parried and countered, vanquishing the phantom before the attack could connect. "As loath as I am to suggest it, perhaps now is the time we must withdraw!" Lucina continued, for an instant her eyes fixing solely on her husband.

"No, we can't retreat now. We'll be overwhelmed long before we can escape," Robin argued, shaking his head. Whirling around, he turned to Severa, who was already locked in combat several Invisible Soldiers. "Severa! We need to find Owain and Inigo! Can you take me to them?"

Parrying a slash aimed at her throat, the red-haired swordswoman cleaved down two of the soldiers with a single savage blow before finishing off a third with a lunging thrust that slipped through the phantom's guard. Wrenching her blade free, she half turned, sparing a split second glance Robin's way.

"I'll see what I can do. No promises though," she hastily answered, forced to once again to turn her attention to the foes swarming around them. "Maybe if someone could clear the way…" she added, a hint of sarcasm dripping in her voice.

"Right… I'll get right on that…" Robin muttered, despite the circumstances allowing a dry bite to enter his voice. "Duck," he said, thrusting out both hands in a sweeping motion. Lucina and Severa threw themselves to the ground as a wave of fire slashed through the air over their heads, engulfing the phantoms closing in around them. In an instant, all nearby had been reduced to charred corpses that quickly dissolved into smoke.

Robin swayed a step, pressing a hand against his forehead as the effort of casting the spell took its toll. "Hurry, now's our chance! That took a lot out of me. Won't be able to do that again until I have a few minutes to rest."

At once, Lucina and Severa leapt to their feet, the mercenary taking the lead as they hurried into the thick of the fighting in search of their friends. The two swordswomen swiftly cut down any foe that stepped in their path, sparing none even a second glance in their haste. The entire battle had devolved into chaos now, pockets of defenders fighting here and there, scattered as the enemy overran their position. Far away, Robin spotted Xander and Leo on horseback, marshaling those nearby them in the only real organized resistance that remained. Already, they had formed a defensive line among the more rocky terrain further back, using nearby hills to offer some protection against the bombardment. The swiftness of their regroup was a testament to Lord Xander's skill as a battlefield commander and Lord Leo's as a strategist, but Robin feared it would not be enough. While their response was sound, one any tactician would agree was prudent given their circumstances, they were too outnumbered for it to provide much hope of victory. To have any hope now, playing it safe was no longer an option.

As fortune would have it, though to anyone else it may appear to have been from misfortune's hand, they found Owain and Inigo away from the lieges, instead fighting among one of the larger pockets of resistance. Robin could only guess how they'd gotten separated so easily, but in this case it saved them precious time by being so close at hand.

"Inigo! Owain!" Robin shouted, grabbing the two's attention from the fighting whirling around them, At once, both turned at his voice, rushing to meet them.

"Robin, Lucina, Severa, thank the gods you three are alright. We lost sight of you during the bombardment. Got separated from the others too," Inigo explained, speaking so quickly he seemed out of breath. "We've been trying to regroup but, well… that hasn't been going well."

"We too are relieved to see you are well also," Lucina replied. She glanced around to the small pocket of soldiers around them. "How badly do the others fare?"

"I fear we can't tell you more than what we already know, you probably saw the poor state of things on your way to our little corner of the battlefield," Inigo answered dryly.

"Argh! My aching blood! These accursed vexations continue to rise from the shadows of the rain, ceaselessly striking us with our backs turned. If only I could release the full might of my dark powers then we could blaze forth our path to victory, lest we all meet our ends."

"I think what Owain is saying is that we need to figure something out, or I fear we won't be living long enough for it to matter," Inigo added. He turned, looking at Robin expectantly, as did both Owain and Severa.

Right, time to do my job then, Robin mused. He cleared his throat, speaking quickly.

"Listen, I have a plan, but I can't do it alone. That's why I need the three of you," Robin paused, motioning to the two men and to Severa each in turn, "Time is short, and for this to work you will act on my behalf in relaying this plan to Lords Xander, Leo, and Lady Camilla and convince them to follow my strategy."

For a single instant, the three looked back at him in stunned silence. "What? Us? Why do you need us? Wouldn't it be easier to tell them your plan on your own?" Inigo asked, plainly shocked in both appearance and in tone.

"Wait. That's what was so important that you needed to find us? So we could play messenger?" Severa added, voicing her own indignant shock. "Why us, of all people?"

"Because they trust you. If they didn't, you wouldn't still be their retainers even after they found out you've been lying to them for all this time, would you not?" He said, answering their question with one of his own. He looked to each of them in turn, trying his best to read what they were thinking. "Time is short and I can't afford to waste any of it trying to convince them to follow my plan. And because I know you three trust me in turn. Because you know I'll do everything in my power to get everyone out of this alive."

For a moment, none of the three moved. Then, one by one, each nodded in turn, their expressions hardening. "What do you need us to do?" Inigo asked, stepping forward. Severa and Owain took place on either side.

Despite the direness of the situation, Robin could not help but smile at this. Hell, it took everything not to laugh, so happy was he that the three still held him in enough regard to follow his plan. "Thank you. Thank you so much," he said, nodding back to each of them. Then, steeling his own nerve, he let his gaze harden, his expression becoming stern. For when he spoke again, it was not Robin the mage or Robin the swordsman who addressed them, but Robin the Grandmaster Tactician.

"Inigo, I need you to get Lord Xander to gather our cavalry: himself, Peri, Silas, Gunter, Siegbert, Sophie and any other horsman we have left. Have them hit our enemy's right flank. Tell them not to engage directly, but strike fast and hard before trying to draw as many of them off as you can. With their speed they can lead as many as they can away from the main group without getting caught," Robin instructed, motioning to with his hand to the open plains on the east side of the town.

"I will see what I can do," Inigo replied, a small smile tugging at the mercenary's lips.

"Severa, your job is to get Camila to instruct our fast, frontline soldiers to gather up. Beruka, Charlotte, as well as you two," Robin motioned to both Severa and Inigo, "will be among their number, as well as any other soldiers that can be spared. You will cut a path and strike at the forces pursuing Lord Xander's group. Meanwhile, they will wheel around and hit from the north opposite of you, cutting off the exposed phantoms from their main force."

"Sounds like a plan. But won't that leave us trapped between the now split forces?" Severa asked. In the past, Robin would have expected scepticism from the mercenary, but now the question was posed without a hint of worry, as if Severa already expected there to be a satisfactory answer.

"That is where Owain comes in. He and Lord Leo will take our mages and archers: Niles, Nina, Mozu, Shura, and Nyx and take position on that ridge." Robin pointed to a rocky outcropping covered in brush and brambles. "On your way into position, you will be in charge of clearing out the foes still coming from the woods behind. Lord Leo will need to use a Dragon Vein to take care of the puddles and stop more from coming through. After that, you will lay in wait until the group of phantoms is cut off by the first two teams. If all goes as planned, they will be exposed and easy targets from your hiding place."

"Haha! I can feel my fell hand twitching. Although time has marched on differently between our worlds, the bonds we have forged remains strong. This nostalgic sense of heeding the instincts you have finely honed, the very instructions remain the steadfast guide, they act as a light to bring us out of the road to darkness."

Robin turned away from Owain to address all three together. "Finally, everyone else needs to hold our ground here. The healers and more heavily armed fighters will be among them, and it is up to them to buy as much time as they can."

"Buy time? Time for what?" Severa asked, arching an eyebrow. "You mean for our own reinforcements to arrive?"

Robin shook his head. "No, they are still hours away. Our only chance at survival is to defeat the enemy ourselves before they defeat us. The only problem is that they can keep bringing reinforcements through the lake. Which means we need to do something about it."

The three exchanged bewildered looks. "The lake? You don't mean you have some way to stop them from using it?" Inigo asked.

"Would it be any less crazy than the other plans my husband has pulled off in the past?" Lucina asked, speaking up. She stepped next to Robin, whispering in a hushed tone, "You do have a plan for that, do you not? I just want to make sure that…" she trailed off, the look held in her eyes alone betraying her worry.

"Of course, wouldn't be a master tactician if I didn't have something up my sleeve to deal with our little lake problem," he whispered back. Then he cleared his throat, speaking up once more. "Severa, the next bit will sound weird, but it is imperative that you convince Lady Camilla to fly away from the battle and visit every village downriver. We need everyone there evacuated to high ground as quickly as possible," he instructed.

Severa opened her mouth as if to argue, only to immediately snap it shut again. She nodded sharply. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Yes, actually. Do you know where Ophelia is? I'll need her help for my part of the plan," Robin added.

Both Owain and Severa reacted in shock to this, their eyes widening. "What? What for?!" Severa asked, a flicker of indignant anger tinging her voice.

"She was left behind with the younger children for this battle, we did not wish for her to be put in harm's way," Owain added, his tone deadly serious and his body language without any of his usual theatrics.

"In that case, have Lady Camilla fly first to the entrance to the keep. If I recall correctly, Corrin's son, Shigure, is a pegasus rider, is he not? He can fly Ophelia back here," he said. Seeing the still worried looks from Owain and Severa, Robin sighed and added. "I know it's a lot to ask, but she'll be with Lucina and myself the whole time. Corrin and Kaze too, since I need them for my plan as well. She'll be far safer with us than not."

The two exchanged another quick look, seemingly unconvinced.

"Now I understand…" Lucina whispered from where she stood next to Robin, so softly that he almost swore he had imagined it.

He turned to look at her, eyeing his wife thoughtfully. She raised her head, their eyes meeting. For a moment, he stared into her face, the realization of what she was thinking slowly dawning on him. Of course, she too would sympathize with the plight of Owain and Severa. For Robin knew the lengths Lucina would go for the sake of her own family, for their own children. So focused on the strategy, he had given it only a passing thought. Perhaps he should have taken more time.

Perhaps now he should leave it in her hands

Lucina nodded to Robin once, then stepped forward, taking center stage to address the two now. "There is little time to argue, so now you must do as Robin says. I vow that we will do everything in our power to keep her safe." She paused, meeting both their gazes in turn. "You know as well as I that Robin always strived to make sure that we all made it through alive. He did it with Grima, and he will do it again. You know this," Lucina asserted once more, looking into her comrades' eyes.

Owain moved first, nodding his head in acceptance at Lucina's words. An instant later, Severa reacted too, a reluctant sigh falling from her lips as she followed her husband's lead. "Alright, but she better come out of this without so much as a single scratch, or you'll have to answer to me," Severa muttered, speaking just loudly enough for it to be plain that she wanted to be heard.

"Of course, you can count on us," Robin promised. Without any delay, he cleared his throat again, resuming where he left off. "Right, you three know what to do. Time is of the essence, so let's move," he said, his gaze falling onto each of the three in turn.

At once, without another instant of delay, the trio spun away, rushing off to find the Nohr royals they served with all possible haste.

For a moment, Robin watched them go, again finding a smile tugging at his lips. Now we just have to hope their lieges listen in time, Robin thought. With that, he and Lucina set off as well, trusting that their friends would follow through with their part of the plan. After all, they too had their own part to worry about.

Hopefully it was still not too late to win the day.

. . . . .

A shimmering lance of crimson light burst from Siegfried's blade, piercing three of the phantoms before dissipating. The trio of mirage cloaked soldiers stumbled and fell, clutching at their chests as they crumbled away into inky smoke.

Another group of Invisible Soldiers were thrown skyward as a shimmering tree of golden light erupted from the ground, the radiant gleam spreading to those it touched, eating away the shadows until nothing of them remained.

All around, others fought desperately against the seemingly endless tides, every phantom slain being instantly replaced by another a step behind.

"Leo," Xander bellowed, tugging on the reins of his steed to wheel around and ride over to where his brother sat upon his own mount some distance away. "We're not going to be able to hold off for much longer. We need a plan."

"I know, Brother..." Leo replied, his hand gripping his hair, attempting to concentrate, though there was a pained look over him. It was only then that Xander noticed that Leo had been injured on his side, as Leo held the wound with his other hand.

"Leo, you're hurt!"

"I'm fine, it's nothing to worry about..." Leo assured, though as hard as he tried to hide it, Xander could tell he was in a lot of pain. Leo then tried to formulate a plan in an attempt to turn the tides. "Anyways... we need to figure out the positions of all our soldiers. Since we've been cut off from our supporting unit, if we can locate them, we can regroup and assist them, but... if we try to break through, we'll get overwhelmed. This would be easier if we had a Dragon Vein nearby, but it can't be helped. If we could get Camilla to try and locate everyone's positions... no wait, that won't work... These phantoms... we can't see them properly. If we fly too high, we won't be able to tell how many phantoms there are, and if we fly too close, we could get ambushed by archers..."

It was clear to Xander that Leo was struggling greatly to formulate a plan. Xander should have realized it earlier, but Leo likely didn't have a plan for the situation they were in. Having been caught completely off guard, any possible contingency they had likely had broken apart. Plus, the injury was likely making it difficult to think clearly, especially under the chaos they were currently in. Xander clenched his fist tightly as he mentally cursed himself for not seeing the possibility of there being a trap, and now they were being picked apart, and now Leo was hurt, and Corrin... Xander didn't want to accept the worst.

Feeling his arm being grabbed, Xander saw Leo looking into his eyes. "Brother, don't lose focus... I'll try to think of a plan to help us get through this. Now go, see to the others. As the king, you have to help keep everyone together..."

Nodding sharply, Xander twisted in his saddle, searching for his sister, Camilla. He spied her, fighting just further away. Galloping over the distance, he cleaved down a phantom who rose to bar his path, the thing falling away into two pieces as it vanished into smoke.

"Camilia, where is everyone else?"

"Last I saw, our missing retainers were among those separated from us in the initial confusion," the Nohrian princess answered. She paused, her wyvern lunging forward as she cleaved down a foe striking at their flank.

"And Corrin?" Xander asked.

A worried look fell over Camilia's face as she froze in place uncertainly, which told him everything he needed to know.

No one he had asked had seen Corrin since the initial confusion of the retreat. Had he been trapped out there, surrounded as he had attempted to withdraw? Or perhaps, more worryingly, he had chosen to stay by his own choice.

We should never have let him come, Xander realized. He grimaced painfully, closing his eyes. After what happened last battle, they should have realized Corrin would try something like that again. He'd hoped, foolishly it would seem, that Corrin's recent rash of suicidal behavior could handled as long as they remained close at hand. But now…

Was he even still alive? And even if by some miracle he still fought, how could they reach him in time when they could barely stave off their own deaths?

Without warning, the earth buckled underneath their feet, trembling as another barrage of siege engine flung flames slammed into their position. Even with the hills providing partial cover, the bombardment threw their front lines into confusion. A group of Invisible Soldiers attacking their right flank broke through, surging straight towards Xander and Camilla's own position. As quick as they could, the two royals spun their mounts around to face this new threat.

A blast of lightning lanced down from the sky, splitting into a dozen forks that lanced the charing mob of foes. Smoke rose from the ghostly figures as they toppled one by one, while the few that remained stood slowly, visibly injured by the spell. An instant later blades flashed as two swordsman entered the fray, Xander immediately recognizing them as Laslow and Selena. The two swiftly cut down each of the remaining phantoms before they could so much as react, only stopping once they had reached the two royals. Quickly behind came Odin, the tome clutched in his hand still crackling with power as he caught up with the other two.

"Sorry we're late, had to run a couple errands on our way here," Laslow said in greeting, bowing slightly. "I hope you-"

Selena elbowed him hard, hissing something that sounded like "just get on with it" from under her breath.

"Good, there you three are. Quickly, take up position with the others, we need to hold them off longer if we are to have any chance of getting out of this alive," Xander instructed. From the corner of his eyes, he spied Leo riding up to join them, his younger brother still clutching at his wounded side.

He started to open his mouth to say something more, only to stop as he saw that none of the three had made a single move. He watched, confused as they instead exchanged worried looks, before Laslow spoke up, clearing his throat.

"Actually, we need to speak to you about that. Look, it's important that you trust us, as we really need you to listen to what we have to say." He paused, as if taking a moment to gather his courage before, taking a deep breath, he continued, "Things are going badly, you surely see that. We need a new plan. That's why we just got done speaking to Robin. He came up with a strategy, but he needs you to follow his lead if it's going to work. Please, I understand if you don't trust him yet, but we've known him long enough to say with certainty that this can-"

"You want us to what?" Leo questioned with a bewildered look on his face as he stared at the each retainer in turn, cutting them off before they could continue.

Odin, or more accurately Owain, looked at Leo, and attempted to plead his case. "Lord Leo, though I understand how trying this must be, in this dark moment where the waves of chaos comes crashing forth upon us, we-"

"Out of the question! We cannot trust the advice from him. This is reckless beyond all else," Leo asserted, interrupting his retainer, as said retainer grimaced. Pragmatic as always, Leo was the least likely to trust new allies, despite learning that they were comrades of their retainers.

Xander looked at his own retainer, Laslow, or as he was truly known, Inigo. How difficult it was to get used to the fact that this was the name of the man that he trusted for years ever since he entered. While Laslow did indicate that name was fake and he was from another place, Xander still found it hard to believe that they were from another world entirely. It was almost akin to the works of fairy tales for children.

Glancing towards the redhead, the girl Selena, or Severa as she was truly called, tried to interject to defend her friend. "Lady Camilla, please understand. Robin is a very skilled tactician. He's come up with a lot of ideas in the past that saved us in our time of need."

"I'm sorry, dear. I know you mean well for Robin, but this man tried to harm Corrin before. To trust someone like him, even taking him in, is something I do not condone," Camilla rejected, clearly the most against it, despite the look of gentleness she held. She even proposed that they execute both Robin and Lucina when they learned that the two had fought and nearly killed Corrin.

In all honesty, Xander was still very much against the idea of allowing the two otherworldly people to be with them, understanding and sharing his siblings' skepticism. Robin's strategy could very well bring more harm than good, and Xander would never allow his family to be harmed.

Suddenly, Xander watched as Inigo got in front of him and bowed. "My lord Xander… I understand that you do not trust Robin or Lucina, and really, it wouldn't be surprising if you were to no longer trust us either. However, we've sworn our loyalty to protect you and we would never go against that, and thus you've learned to trust us. So even if you cannot find it in your hearts to trust Robin himself, find it in you to trust in us then."

"Yeah, what Inigo said. I completely trust Robin and Lucina with my life, and know that they would do everything they can to ensure that everyone makes it through this. Robin hates the idea of losing comrades," Severa added on, standing tall in front of her liege, and Camilla seemed somewhat surprised that Severa wasn't backing down despite Camilla's decision.

"That is correct! Though the cloud of doubt hangs in the air of our comrades, the sacred blood that flows through my veins shared by my kin Lucina, sworn to the man she surrendered her heart to, holds a power that transcends all there is. If you cannot believe in them, then believe in the us that believes in them," Owain declared with his dramatic statements, but the look of loyalty that he held in his eyes could never be denied.

For a long moment, no one spoke, those final words hanging in the air. He glanced to Leo and Camilia, finding their expressions reflecting those of people lost deeply in thought as they too considered the trio's words.

Xander looked back from the three retainers to the battle unfolding before them. Already, the flickering shadows flowing out from the lake had become an ever widening sea in the fields before them. There were so many now, and with each passing moment their advantage would only grow.

Perhaps they were right. Perhaps now they really did have nothing to lose. Their chances of victory already seemed a distant dream from where they stood. To stay the course now meant surrendering to fate, to fight against the heavy odds arrayed against them. Was it even possible for this foreign tactician's plan to really make things worse for them than they already were?

Still, he was loath to put the lives of his family and his people in the hands of someone he barely knew. Too often had they faced treachery from within their own kingdom. The scheming Iago… his own father… how could he trust an outsider when he couldn't trust those from his own lands?

Corrin would have trusted them, a voice deep within his own thoughts reminded him. Before all this, before the weight of it all came crashing down on it, he would have put his faith in them, just as he had with so many others. Had it not been that trust that had carried them so far? Perhaps it was time he shared some of that faith.

And even still…

Even if he couldn't yet bring himself to trust these travelers from another world…

He could still put his faith now in his friends. If learning their origins hadn't changed his faith in them, nor had it for his siblings, how could now be any different?

He looked to his siblings, first to Leo, then to Camilia, finding confirmation in their gazes that they had come to the same conclusion as he had. Nodding to each, he at last let his gaze fall back on the three standing before them, moving with purpose born of renewed resolve.

"So, tell us. What is this plan? Time grows short, and we must act quickly while we still may. What do you want us to do?"

. . . . .

Pain shot up Corrin's leg as a blade slipped through his guard, drawing a line of red along the outside of his thigh. Air hissed from between clenched teeth, his leg buckling beneath his weight. He fell to one knee, barely managing to steady himself in time to avoid toppling over. He cried out, anger, pain, and fear gripping his voice in equal measure as he desperately battered the enemy's sword aside as it came down in a second strike, its razor edge missing his arm by a hair's breadth. Twisting around, he lunged, throwing his full weight behind Yato's blade as it stabbed at the swordsman, driving them both to the ground as the phantom was skewered upon the divine weapon. He dissolved before they could hit the ground, the sudden lack of resistance sending Corrin sprawling forward.

A flicker of movement passed through the corner of Corrin's vision, darting in on his left. He threw himself to one side, rolling out of the way as a club came down on the spot he'd occupied an instant before. He lashed out with his uninjured leg, tripping the phantom oni.

Pushing a hand underneath him, Corrin shoved himself upright. His leg screamed in protest, but he ignored it now, fighting back against the pain with all his strength his had left. His heart hammered so violently he feared it might burst, his breathing coming as ragged gasps as every instinct urged him to flee.

There were too many. He couldn't keep fighting. They'd catch him, they'd-

Again the ghosts of his past charged, stealing away the thought in a sudden surge of mindless, pure panic. He slashed and clawed at the phantoms as they fell upon him. Two were torn to bits by his furious assault, another driven back baring ghastly wounds, but it was not enough, still the others came on.

A blade darted in, scoring a blow on his forearm that robbed Yato from his weakened grasp. Even as he lashed out with his other hand, fingers growing talon-like claws that felled his attacker, another blow fell hitting him in the small of the back with enough force to drive him to the floor. A booted foot connected with the side of his head. Light flashed before his eyes, the impact slamming him into the dirt. Pain throbbed through his skull and he tasted copper.

Two more blows fell upon him, boots slamming into his side. He heard a rib crack, the air forced from his lungs. Now all that was left was pain, obliterating all else. He tried to fight back, only for his arm to be pinned, the hilt of a sword smashing down on the side of his jaw with enough force to draw blood.

Then the blows ceased, leaving Corrin crumpled and drifting in a sea of agony. He wondered if they were planning to make him suffer, to lay there in pain for awhile before finishing him off. A small, dark part of him hoped that they would. Perhaps it was only right that he was made to pay for all the deaths he caused. A precursor to the hell that awaited him in death.

"Charge!"

The sound of hoofbeats filled the air, turning to a rumble that shook the earth beneath him. Corrin raised his head just in time to witness a wave of horsemen crash into enemy lines around him, spears and swords glinting in the burning embers as they cleaved down each foe in their path.

They must have seen them, Corrin realized. That's why they stopped. They saw them coming and turned to face them at the last moment. That's why they ceased attacking me.

At the cavalry's head was Xander, followed by every cavalier and knight among their number, cutting a path through the enemy. Yet as he watched, they began to wheel away, sticking not at the army's heart but at the edge of its flanks.

What's going on, I thought they were in retreat? Corrin wondered, bewildered by what he was seeing, half expecting it to not to be real. Yet somehow it was, for the effects of the charge were plain to see. As he watched, they continued their arcing path, pulling away as the enemy began to give chase. A bulge formed in the phantom's lines as they advanced out into the field towards the hills further behind.

At that very instant, a section of the Nohrian lines, which somehow already managed to reform ranks and take up defensive positions, broke away from the rest, charging across the field to drive into the spot where the exposed bulge in the enemy lines was at its most vulnerable. Among their number, Corrin recognized Selena, Laslow, Charlotte, and Beruka along with many of their remaining foot soldiers and the other quicker fighters of their group. Many phantoms fell before they even had a chance to turn and face this new threat, and even then their initial defense was confused and lacked any sort of cohesive effort.

Then the cavalry wheeled fully around, slamming into the bulge from the back. With both forces pushing from either side the exposed enemies were swiftly cut off from the rest of their number, now driven towards the hills.

However, Corrin recognized at once this would not last. It would only take a few more moments for the enemy to regroup and retaliate. Then it would be the two Nohrian forces that would have to contend with a fight on two flanks, one from the group they cut off and another from the main enemy force. Surely they must have realized this, the risk was obvious, even to him. Why then, Corrin wondered, had they taken up an almost certainly suicidal plan?

A flash of light split the battlefield, erupting not in the Nohrian lines, but in the center of the Invisible Soldiers separated by the pincer maneuver. From the hills behind the enemy rained a barrage of arrows and spells, loosed by the Nohrians who'd suddenly sprung from their hiding places. Even from this distance he recognized Leo, Odin, Niles, Nina, Mozu, Shura, and Nyx among their number, with them all other bowmen from the remnants of the Nohrian army that had accompanied them.

Caught entirely by surprise, this final assault proved to be the final straw. The phantoms lost all remaining cohesion, falling in droves under the combined assault. Their ranks shattered, many attempting to flee. Yet despite their best efforts, only a handful made it out. The rest were slain, down to the very last one.

In the span of minutes, nearly a third of the enemy forces had been slaughtered. Even with reinforcements still streaming in through the lake, it was a heavy blow and one that had bought their forces precious time.

For an instant, Corrin could barely react, stunned by the efficiency of the plan. While it hadn't been anything special, utilizing only common military maneuvers and tactics, the swiftness with which it had been enacted astounded him. In only a dozen or so minutes, the Nohrian forces had to fully regroup and position themselves for their three pronged attack. The timing had been perfect as well, and showed an intimate understanding of where best to utilize each member of their army. Even the choice of who would remain behind with the rest of their forces to hold off the main portion of the enemy seemed to have been carefully considered, the rank and fodder soldiers being reinforced by their healers and more heavily armored fighters.

Never before had Corrin seen anything like it. While the timing and precision were well within what he expected of Leo's skills as a strategist, the sheer swiftness of the response was not something he'd ever seen his brother pull off. Leo was best suited when planning ahead, using contingency plans already in place to react to the enemy. This was different. This came from someone thinking on their feet and reacting to the situation far faster than he'd ever thought possible.

"Here. Get up."

Corrin twisted around where he lay, finding Robin standing over him, Lucina a step behind, keeping watch. The tactician had his hand outstretched, extended to him in offer of aid.

"Wha…?" Corrin groaned, wincing at the surge of fresh pain that came with his movements. The world around him still seemed hazy, and it was difficult to process what was going on.

"Get up, we need your help if we're to turn the tide against these phantoms," the white-haired man repeated. His hand remained in the spot, motionless, even as the rest of his body seemed to tense with an air of impatience. "Quickly now, we don't have much time. We've managed to delay our enemy's victory awhile, as I'd hoped, but we cannot count on things remaining in our favor much longer."

"As you hoped? You mean to say you were the one who…" Corrin trailed off, his skull throbbing painfully. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear himself, he reached out, grasping the tactician's hand.

"Yes. It was fortunate that my friends were able to convince your siblings to follow through with my strategy, otherwise I fear it would have taken far too long to rally everyone behind the plan." With an audible grunt, Robin hoisted him upright, Corrin staggering a step as he found his footing. He tested his wounded leg, finding that while the pain worsened as he did so, it still managed to support his weight.

"How…" Corrin looked around, spotting the various groups fighting in formation. "How did you know where to deploy everyone? You've only been among us barely more than a day and it seems you already have a grasp on everyone's capabilities," Corrin said, amazed.

"Oh. It's nothing special really. When you first introduced me to your friends I paid close attention to their gear as well as general observations related to their build and mannerisms. You can learn a lot about what sort of fighting style and role a person fulfils just by-"

"Robin, time is short, is it not?" Lucina interrupted before the tactician could continue any further.

"Oh. Yes, of course," Robin said, slapping his palm against the center of his forehead. "Let's go, then. The others are waiting."

"Others?" Corrin asked, but the two had already turned away, hurrying off at a quick pace.

For a moment, Corrin could only stare. Then, slowly he shook his head, and started after them.

Author's Note: Sorry about this one coming so late, the last few weeks have been absolutely killing me with work. First two weeks since later chapter I had basically no free time, then I came down with the flu for a week, so most of this chapter was only written this past week. Hopefully it doesn't feel too rushed in places, as I really wanted to make sure to get this one out to you guys

I'd like the give a shout out to Omegaxis1 for helping me out a bit with a couple places I was having trouble putting into words and to ajani's apprentice for beta reading for me as always

Also, for those who noticed it, yes, that was totally a Gurren Lagann reference I slipped in here. One of my beta's suggested it and it was just so perfect not to have. Though come to think of it, if Owain was to make any anime reference it should have been a Jojo's one. My god, what is wrong with me, why haven't I make a single Jojo's reference before now?!

Anyhow, moving on from that terrible disappointment I now feel for myself and my choices, I suppose it's time to move onto responding to some guest reviews

Darkness21 - Yes, this chapter was to really have a chance for Robin to shine due to his talents as a tactician, which is how I feel he should always contribute to these stories. It always feel out of place when Robin is made to be some super badass hero guy, since that's not who he is. Yes he is strong, but a lot of other characters in the series are too. What makes Robin special is that the games more or less give the impression that he is the greatest tactician in the Fire Emblem verse, so that's the role he should play.

That said, I feel like the Nohrian royal's reaction has been understandable. I mean, these guys just popped into their world out of nowhere, so they aren't going to suddenly be all buddy buddy with them or even trust them all that much.

As for your thoughts on Corrin, you hit the nail right on the head. What I have been really trying to get across is just how much Corrin has been put through, and in the end, he is not able to handle it on his own. I mean, he lived his entire life entirely sheltered, meaning he wasn't at all prepared emotionally for everything that was thrown at him. And he did really fucking well, he lasted longer than most people would, because he is strong, but in the end it took it's toll. And in the end the big thing I wanted to make clear was how much Corrin needed Azura, how she was the one who kept him sane and grounded. Their Conquest supports show that so so so very well, but now, without her, Corrin can't bare the weight on his own.

Guest - Yeah, would have been really useful if Robin had known some of these details. But they didn't trust him, so he was left in the dark of some stuff that would have caused him to spot the trap sooner while they didn't trust him enough to give help.

Well, that's all for now. Wait, actually, speaking of reviews, I didn't have a chance to respond via PM to most of the reviews left on the last chapter, so I will be doing that now as soon as I post this one.

As always, please let me know what you guys thought on this one. Hearing your thoughts always makes my day, plus your feedback is the only way I can improve. Until next time, take care everyone, and have a wonderful evening!

Character Spotlight: Xander

Class: Paladin

Secondary Classes: Wyvern Rider, Warrior (S Support Charlotte), Mercenary (A* Support - Inigo/Laslow)

Skills: Luna, Aegis, Armored Blow, Axebreaker, Deadly Breath.

Personal Skill: Chivalry - When enemy's HP is at maximum, damage +2 and damage received -2 during the battle

Equipment: Siegfried, Xander's Silver Lance.

Status: Alive