Chapter 19 - Answers
Robin hurried through the halls of Castle Krakenburg, shouting rushed apologies to the several groups of servants and guards he nearly barreled into as he ran. He threw open doors to any not to private quarters, searching for his friends.
Where are they? We don't have much time. I need to-
"Robin, there you are!" He stopped, turning to see Lucina rushing towards him. "I saw the note you left, but when I inquired with the guards and heard you'd been gone for many hours, I feared the worst." She wrapped her arms around him, a gesture he returned in kind.
"Sorry to worry you," he apologized. He let go, cutting the hug short. "I'll have to explain later though. Right now I need to find Owain, Severa, and Inigo. Prince Corrin as well. Do you know where they are?"
"Do I… No, I am afraid not. I haven't seen them all- wait, Robin, what's the meaning of this? What is going on?" Lucina exclaimed, hurrying after him as Robin set off at the same frantic pace as he had before.
"I can't explain, Lucina. Not here."
"What do you mean? Why can't you-" She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop and face her.
"I can't," Robin repeated. He gripped her shoulders, his gaze meeting her's. "I can only tell you after we go to the Bottomless Canyon.
Confusion flashed in Lucina's eyes for a moment. Then her eyes widened, realization filling those brilliant blue orbs. "I see. But why do you need to find them? Corrin I understand, but our friends-"
"Because I think they know," Robin said turning away, but this time at a slower pace so Lucina had a chance to follow and walk in step with him. "About the reason we can't talk here. Perhaps even about the identity of our enemy."
Lucina nodded.. "If that is true, then I can perhaps understand your urgency. Though I can only imagine there is some other reason for haste that you cannot yet elaborate. So I will trust you at your word and will act with the utmost speed in aiding you."
"Thank you, Lucina," Robin said, smiling. Without further delay the two of them began searching the castle for their friends, scouring every room one by one. However, it still took them several minutes before they at least stumbled across two of whom they sought, finding Owain and Severa within one of the castle's courtyards. Both seemed to be training, Severa swinging a wooden sword at a training dummy while Owain practiced spells aimed at a set of targets he'd set up against one of the walls.
"Owain, Severa, there you are!" Robin said, coming to a stop as they turned to meet him. He leaned forward, gasping as he caught his breath. "Do you know… where Inigo is? It'll be easier to explain this with all of you-"
"Present," Inigo announced, stepping out into the courtyard from one of the other archways. He had a wooden sword in hand, seemingly having arrived to join the other two in training. "What is this about, Robin? If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect you just ran several miles, given your appearance."
"Something like that," Robin admitted. Straightening, he dusted off the sleeves of his coat, using the moment to collect his thoughts. "So, this may sound weird, but… I know."
The three exchanged looks, confusion clear in their expressions.
"Um, excuse me?" Severa asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Why you couldn't answer my questions. Why you claimed it was because of a promise. Why you can't answer me, even now," Robin explained.
Silence.
"You… you know?" Owain asked, his voice uncharacteristically faint. Yet even as he spoke in a whisper, Robin detected a excited tension in those words, as if torn between amazement and not yet daring to surrender to a hope that may yet be dashed.
"Yes, and for obvious reasons, I cannot explain how I answer that, assuming we are talking about the same thing," Robin answered. He paused, looking at each of them in turn. Each looked utterly bewildered, as they could scarcely believe was was happening. But in their eyes he could see a flicker of hope. Hope that perhaps finally they would be able to speak.
"But… even if you really do know, then how would we…" Inigo trailed off, shaking his head.
"Well, what if I told you I knew a way to go somewhere. Somewhere that if, say, someone had some secret they couldn't speak, they could safely talk about it there," Robin said, once again choosing his words carefully. He needed to make sure they understood what he was getting at. "A place I believe you know about. A place I know how to get back to."
"R-Really?" Severa stammered, looking to each Robin and Lucina in turn.
Lucina nodded. "Yes. We do. Though I must admit, I am unsure how Robin discovered we share the same unspeakable knowledge."
"Which I can explain once we are at that place," Robin added. "But yes, we know how to go… there…" he finished rather lamely. Though he supposed it didn't likely matter, as there were far more important things than appearing dramatic. Even if Owain would certainly disagree with that suggestion.
"How?! Where?!" The three exchanged eager looks.
"Meet me at the city's east gate in two hours. In the meantime I need to go find Corrin. He knows as well."
The three beamed excitedly, and Robin too found himself smiling.
Now they just needed to get Corrin on board. Then, if they moved fast enough, they could reach the Bottomless Canyon by nightfall. Then, finally, he could get the answers he'd long sought.
. . . . .
Robin gazed up at the winding path that lead up to the Bottomless Canyon. Stormclouds churned and boiled overheard, flashes of crackling light illuminating the eternal twilight. Though it had taken much of the day to travel here from the capitol, night should not have fallen so soon.
"I don't understand... " Corrin muttered, coming to a stop next to Robin. He gazed up to the heavens, his lips pulled into a frown. "It seemed as though the sun was setting but now the skies seem frozen in a endless loop of fading and growing twilight."
"It must be the skies changing… we're running out of time," Robin muttered. Corrin gave him a curious look, his mouth beginning to open as if to question it, only to be cut short as Robin turned away and called back the others still trailing at the rear. "Hurry, we need to get to the canyon before nightfall if we can."
"How much further… is... it…" Severa whined, panting as she lumbered up the steps, her shoulders bent and arms dangling wearily.
"For even… one who has ascended the Eternal Stairway… maintaining such haste saps at the strength of the great Odin Dark," Owain added, following a step behind.
"If I ever have to see another set of stairs after this… it will be too soon," Inigo complained, coming in at the back.
"Sorry, but we can't afford to wait. I'll explain why when we're there," Robin answered, urging them on with another wave of his hand.
They had set off from Windmire not long after convincing those three to follow him and Lucina to the bottomless canyon. Thankful it had taken far less to get Corrin to come along, the prince having accepted as soon as he realized Robin wanted to speak within the other world. Yet unlike in the past where he would have expected it to be with resigned acceptance, Corrin had seemed almost eager.
Lucina must have really gotten through to him, Robin mused, recalling his wife's account of her talk with Corrin during the festival the night before.
Pausing to give a chance for the others to catch up, Robin extended a hand to Lucina, who gladly accepted it as he pull her up alongside him. "Thank you," Lucina muttered, letting him support part of her weight as they marched up the mountain pass for some distance before trading off, supporting his weight next. Taking in turns to rest and support the other, the two managed to pick up their pace a bit, until soon enough they'd reach the top.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the swaying bridges that extended out over the pitch black void of the canyon. The wind howled, it's voice that of some hellish beast as it shreaked through jagged cliffs. Though breaks in the clouds Robin could see the glimpses of a strange, swirling light in the twilight sky. It reminded him of the lights that would sometimes appear in the far northern regions of Ragna Ferox back home, only their colors now seemed even more vivid and bright.
We're running out of time.
Without stopping to even catch his breath, Robin started forward once more. Winding through the cracked stone road, he made for the nearest suspension bridge, coming to a stop before it. He motioned for the others to follow once again, then, with a moment's pause, stepped out onto the creaking wood. Lucina came next, followed by Corrin, then with more evident apprehension, the remaining three. Only when they'd reached the center of the bridge did Robin come to a complete halt, turning to wait for the others to reach him.
"Um, why are we stopping?" Inigo asked. He peered nervously over the edge of the bridge and into endless void bellow, his skin seeming to grow paler with each passing moment. "I'd hate to put the damper on this, but I'd rather not remain on this suspension bridge longer than we have to. Bridges and I have a bad history with one another."
"There also exists a terrifying spirit within these pits, seeking to drag us into the darkness without end. Though my fell hand holds a darkness even deeper that its, I fear that the clash between the two would form something truly dark," Owain added, rather unconvincingly, given how he seemed to tremble slightly and kept his eyes fixed firmly way from the pit.
Ignoring the remark for… obvious reasons, Robin instead addressed the group as a whole. We're here."
"Here? In the middle of a bridge? How does this have to do with-" Severa slapped her hands over her own mouth, stopping herself before she could explain any further.
"Well, we're here, and we're also not. Call it the doorway," Robin explained. He sighed deeply. Here comes the part he wasn't looking forward to trying to explain. "I know this sounds crazy, but I need you to jump off this cliff."
Owain, Severa, and Inigo all stared at him, their jaws hanging open dumbly. "You what?!"
"I'm not telling you to kill yourselves. Trust me, you'll live. I can't explain why, because… I can't explain why. You know why. Think about it a moment." He waved his hands around vaguely. "Lucina, Corrin, please help me out."
"Robin speaks the truth. By passing through the Bottomless Canyon, we can reach our destination," Lucina told them. "I understand if it sounds mad, but we have done this once before. In the opposite direction. Lord Corrin, as I understand it, has been both ways."
"If we were really planning on just killing ourselves, we wouldn't have come all this way to do it," Corrin added. He shook his head, giving a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, bad joke. At any rate…" Before anyone had a hand to stop him, he hopped over the side, balancing on the edge of the planks as he gave one last look back. "... probably better if we just demonstrated."
With that he leapt into the blankness, vanishing from sight.
Peering down after him for another moment, Robin turned back to the other three, sighing once more as he saw their now horrified and shocked expressions.
"Look, do you really think I'd ask you to do something this crazy without reason? When have I ever led you astray?" Robin asked.
The three exchanged nervous glances. "He has a point," Inigo noted.
"Good," Robin clasped his hands together. "In that case, I'll go next. Lucina, you go last, make sure everyone is in before following."
His wife nodded, motioning to the ravine. "After you then, Robin," she said, mirroring her words the first time they'd made the selfsame leap of faith from the other side.
Haha, very funny.
Ducking under the guiderope, Robin leaned forward, gazing down into the bottomless depths. He froze, his heart seeming to skip a beat. That's... a long way down, huh? He gulped audibly.
"Something wrong, Robin?" Lucina teased, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips.
"Just because I know I'll live, doesn't make this any easier to do. Gods I hate heights," he muttered. Sucking in a deep, gasping breath much like one about to plunge into a great body of water, Robin squeezed his eyes shut a let go.
He felt his stomach lurch as the unrelenting hand of gravity gripped him, dragging him downard into the blackness. The faint light streaming through his closed eyelids ceased, the entire world becoming nothing but the sensation and roar of air rushing past him. Then suddenly there was a blinding light, and then nothingness.
. . . . .
Groaning, Robin opened his eyes. He groaned groggily, rolling onto his side. Blinking several times to clear his vision, he spied Corrin some feet away, already dragging himself upright.
Right… time moves slower here than outside. Here it must seem I was only seconds behind. Which means...
There were four soft thuds in rapid succession, followed by a series of disorientated groans. Twisting around, he spied Lucina, Owain, Severa, and Inigo laying among the grass. One by one they began the stir, looking around their half-glazed eyes as they lifted their heads.
They were on the same island Corrin had led himself and Lucina to when they'd first exited the world within the Bottomless Canyon. A ruined fort loomed in the distance, nearly half of it having seemling collapsed over the floating landmass' edge. Beyond more ruined buildings dotted the gentle rolling landscape, overgrown with tall, swaying grass. The skies around them shone blue, lit by a golden light that seemed to come from every direction, as if the heavens that stretched beyond sight produced their own light.
A gentle breeze rolled over the landscape, the air neither too hot or too cold to be comfortable. Birds flitted among the trees, their calls singing a sweet melody. Somewhere near a brook bubbled, running through the hills. Everything was quiet and peaceful, so much so that for a moment Robin could almost forget as calm as it may seem, they were now walking deep within enemy territory. This world belonged to the Invisible Soldiers, something they would all do well to keep held in their minds.
"Well, we're here." He turned to regard the three he'd brought here with Lucina, Corrin, and himself. "So, was I right to assume that you have all been here be-"
"We know who it is!" Owain, Severa, and Inigo screamed in unison, leaping to their feet and rushing over.
Before Robin had even had a chance to respond, they all started speaking at once, shouting over one-another in a confused torrent of words which only snippets could be made out
"-ever since Anankos first-"
"-did you know about this place? How long have-."
"-so we've been trying our best to-"
"-you wouldn't believe how we-"
"-the whole war it's-"
"-we couldn't warn anyone-"
"-part of his plans since-"
This went on for several moments longer, until finally all three were forced to stop and catch their breaths. They gasped for air, their shoulders rising and falling with each wheezing cough.
"... right… so… as I was saying…" Owain started to say, recovering the quickest.
Robin help up a hand, stopping him. "Hold up there, I can't understand a word any of you are saying. One at a time, please. And slowly."
"-and just wait a moment too," Corrin interjected, his eyes fixed firmly on the three. "You mean to say you've been here before? When? How?"
"That's… a long… story…" Severa wheezed, her hands pressed against her knees.
"Probably should… tell it slower...this time...huh?" Inigo added.
"That would be for the best," Robin said, looking around once more.
"But not yet. It would be wise to first find a safer place to talk. I am certain our enemy would have the way to and from the Bottomless Canyons under watch, even if not directly guarded," Lucina counseled, her hand on Falchion's hilt as she swept her gaze over the surrounding landscape, searching for any sign of distant movements.
"I was thinking the same thing," Robin agreed. "Come on, let's see if we can find a spot with a bit more cover from unfriendly eyes. Then you three can tell us everything. From the very beginning."
. . . . .
"So let me get this straight. You three were called to this world by the good half of a dragon. A dragon that, in all probability is at the very least nearly as powerful as Naga or Grima mind you, is now trying to kill us," Robin stated.
Owain, Severa, and Inigo exchanged nervous glances, before venturing to speak. "Yeah, that about sums it up I'm afraid," Inigo confirmed, answering on all three's behalf.
Robin closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he bit back a weary sigh. Dragons. It always has to be dragons.
Sighing, Robin leaned back against the rocky crest that rose over their hiding spot. A steep hill on one side, jagged rocky terrain on the other, it provided excellent cover from spying eyes. At least it seemed that they'd managed to avoid detection for so far. The land around them remained as quiet and serene as it had when they'd first arrived. The song of birds flitting about the trees mixed with the rustle of the swaying grass and the occasional sound of small animals scurrying about the rolling plains. If not for the sea of floating islands stretching out to infinity, he might have mistaken the land for Ylisse's countryside. But no, they were far, far from home. In a strange, alien world.
At least now he knew its name: Valla, the Invisible Kingdom.
Yet peaceful as the scenery was, Robin couldn't relax. He felt tense, as if a crushing weight had fallen onto him and would flatten him at any moment. Breathe, Robin. Just take a deep breath and try to keep this all in perspective. You knew or suspected most of this already. You knew from what Tiki told you, this thing's power was nothing to scoff at. You saw how easily it tore through reality. For gods' sake, you felt it's presence when you tried to shut the rift at the Ruins of Time, a calm voice reminded him.
Yeah, well, I was hoping I was wrong, he countered back.
Yes, and ignoring both logic and your own instincts was surely going to plan out for you. Also, arguing with yourself like a madman isn't helping matters, the other voice reminded.
Pinnacle of mental health, thy name is Robin. Yes, he could say that with not a hint of irony.
"Anankos…"
Robin turned, his gaze falling on Corrin. Throughout the entire explanation, the dragon blooded royal had spoken little, only scattered acknowledgements to what was being said.
"That name… I heard it before. My fa- King Garon, he… he mentioned it once before. In a prayer, he called out to Anankos," Corrin explained. He shook his head. "All this time… this whole war... "
"We… we suspected the king was under Anankos' sway from the beginning. One of the dragon's servants confirmed as much, making it almost certain your kidnapping from Hoshido was part of his plans," Inigo added, nodding slowly. "But with the curse in place... well, there wasn't much we could do."
"Not that we didn't try our best," Severa added sharply, defensively wrapping her arms over her chest. "Do you honestly think all the times your siblings acted behind their father's back was entirely on their own. We spent nearly two years pestering them to act against him every damn chance we had."
"And who do you think urged them to send us to your side. It was by our words that Odin Dark and Niles were tasked with aiding your perilous mission to quell the Ice Tribe uprising. Nor was Lord Xander's decision to send his own retainer to come to your rescue one made without our influence."
"But in the end, we could do little more than see to your safety the best we were able," Inigo concluded. His expression grew more somber as he looked at Corrin's face. "I am afraid in that regard, we have done poorly. For all our knowledge, we were helpless to prevent Anankos' plans from coming into motion. We couldn't stop the war. We couldn't prevent the hardships you faced."
"I…" Corrin shook his head, his jaw tightening as if in pain. "It's not your fault. I think… I think Azura knew this too… she was the one who revealed to me Garon was being controlled. Yet she didn't stop the war…" Corrin hung his head, his gaze falling onto the dirt. "I guess in the end, everyone was just trying to protect me."
Silence fell over the group, no one moving to either confirm or refute Corrin's statement. What could the three say, after all? Lie and tell him he was mistaken. Or confirm it was true, only to drive another blow to the royal's own self worth.
"What of Anankos' other half? The one that called you to this world?" Lucina asked, changing the subject. "Why has he not shown himself since then?"
"We… we don't know," Severa answered, her voice wavering with uncertainty. "The last we saw him was before he sent us away with our mission. But..."
"In all likelihood, he didn't make it out alive," Inigo finished for her, his expression sad. "From the way he talked before he sent us away he didn't expect to survive remaining behind to keep his dark half busy."
"A noble sacrifice, all to ensure we could live on and act as your guardians. Your protection was paramount, an aim from which he did not waver, even in the face of his own doom," Owain added.
"Why… why me?" Corrin asked, peeking out from the shadows that hung over his lowered head. "Why am I so important that he would… why Anankos would die for me?"
The trio stiffened at this questions, an audible intake of breath punctuating the stark silence. "We… we can't answer," Severa said. Her voice carried the same uncertainty as before, only now also halting and stiff.
"It is not the curse," Inigo added quickly, before the question could be asked, shaking his head sharply. "I'm sorry, Lord Corrin, but this matter if one we must keep hidden from you. Recall when we once claimed it was because of a promise that we had kept our secrets? Well, that was yet a half truth. For it is in this matter that we were asked to guard some matters that are best left secret."
"You promised? Than what could…" Robin glanced between the trio and Corrin, the gears beginning to turn in his head. So there was more to it then Corrin being Yato's wielder, that much was clear. No reason to keep that secret. So there must be something more, something more personal that…
His gaze fixed on Corrin's pointed ears and cat-like crimson eyes. The traits of a manakete in his human form. From what he had been told, Corrin's mother had been entirely human. So then, by that logic…
It was from his father that he possessed dragon blood.
That explained the secret. But to hide that from his own son… Robin's head twitched slightly, having begun to shake his head only to catch himself at the very last instant. He had to keep a neutral expression, to avoid giving away his realization. If he were to find out, or to piece it together on his own… He already lost the woman he loved recently. To find out to truth of his parentage now, along with the knowledge he will never meet a father who ultimately died for his sake...
… it might truly break him.
Thankfully, Corrin appeared to be still trying to wrap his head around all the revelations that day, enough so that he hadn't yet focused in on that secret. "I… I trust you. I don't like it, but I accepted that answer in the past. While I know now it was truly because of the curse, it would be wrong to deny the same courtesy I gave before."
Then Corrin froze, his whole body stiffening before turning to look Robin's way. "Come to think of it, how did you realize the three of them were aware of the curse?" Corrin asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh," Robin reacted. "I, uhhh…"
Smooth, Robin. Real smooth.
Dammit, he hadn't exactly made up his mind on whether to tell Corrin about Azura or not. On one hand, the man had every right to know. Hiding things from him now would certainly not inspire trust, especially if he found out on his own. Yet that said, to hear now that she was so close, yet outside his reach…
"...To be honest, I am rather embarrassed I didn't figure it out sooner," Robin lied. To be fair, what he said wasn't outright false. He really should have pieced things together sooner. A carefully chosen partial truth is often more effective than an outright lie, afterall. "I was trying to think of ways to circumvent the curse, only to realize that the methods I was envisioning would have me acting much the same as they have." He motioned to Severa, Inigo, and Owain. "Once I realized that, everything just fell into place I suppose. I figured if they were called here for a reason, it must have something to do with their enemy. But if they couldn't say anything, they must know about the curse."
For a moment Corrin stared at him intently, eyes narrowing slightly. It took everything Robin had not to sweat. Then, slowly Corrin's posture relaxed, and he nodded slowly. "Makes sense I suppose. Still, I wish I'd realized it myself. And far sooner. Would have saved so much hardship." Corrin's eyes slowly looked downward, a flicker of repressed pain revealing itself.
"Unfortunately, we were unaware of a means to enter Valla after we'd left," Inigo noted. "Nor that you were aware of it or the curse, Lord Corrin. If we had, we would have acted differently than we had, but as far as we knew, it was only us three aware of our true enemy."
"But no longer," Lucina noted, speaking up. "Now that we know our foe's identity, we must find a way to bring this information to the others. If so, we can gather a force at the Bottomless Canyon to strike at Anankos directly, can we not? With all six of us pooling our efforts, I am sure we can discover a way to accomplish this task."
Everyone's eyes seemed to light up at Lucina's suggestion. It was no surprise, after no clear direction for so long, this must have felt like the first real glimmer of hope at the end of a long dark path. Robin found himself smiling at that. Lucina seemed to always shine so brightly when she showed these moments of leadership. Despite how she tended to put herself down, she truly held the charisma of an Exalt.
"So about that…" Robin said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It might not be that simple."
"Huh? What is the matter, Robin?" Lucina asked, visibly perplexed by his words.
"Well, I don't think we'll be able to enter through the Bottomless Canyon after today," Robin explained. At the shocked expressions the others gave him, Robin continued. "During my research, I discovered a cryptic passage in an old text that read 'When dawn turns to dusk, when dusk turns to dawn, the door below opens and closes'," he lied, instead of repeating what Azura had said to him before.
"Huh, and what does that mean?" Severa asked.
To everyone's surprise, it was Owain who answered. "Yes, yes! I know of this. Once in each passage of twenty years, the celestial heavens reverse over the lands of Dark and Light!"
Robin blinked, surprised by this answer. "Well, yes, pretty much. In translation from Owaineese, the constellations above Nohr and Hoshido reverse every couple decades. And if I am correct, the last part of that passage is referring to the way to Valla through the bottomless canyon. That when the skies change, it opens or closes. And if it's open now…"
"Then it will close when the skies change," Corrin finished. "So that's what you meant when we saw the strange lights we say over the canyon. The skies are changing now, aren't they?" he asked, wearily.
Robin nodded. "Yes. By the end of tomorrow, the skies will have fully changed. So if my interpretation of the passage is correct, then we won't be able to enter that way."
"Then what will we do? Surely there has to be some other way to enter Valla, mustn't it?" Lucina asked, her brow furrowing, her expression growing almost urgent.
"I… I don't know, but… If I'd have to guess, I'd put my money on there being some other means of accessing Valla," Robin answered. "Think about it, from what Anankos told you three..." he motioned to Owain, Severa, and Inigo, "... this whole place was a powerful kingdom before his evil half destroyed it. A kingdom that had relations with Nohr and Hoshido. They certainly traded and communicated with one another. Which would be difficult if they could only interact on a decades long interval."
With that silence fell over the group once more. A gentle breeze whistled among the rocks, the distant sound of swaying trees and grass spread over the still landscape. Of any other living thing, no sound could be heard.
"So not only do we need to figure out a way to convince everyone to follow us here, but we also need to find this other means of entering Valla. A place no one can speak of," Corrin noted.
"When you put it like that, it sounds impossible," Inigo noted dryly. "But, we've all had experience with the seemingly impossible. For us, that sounds like just another day. How tiresome."
"While it certainly will not be easy, I believe this can be done. Together," Lucina agreed.
Corrin closed his eyes, tensing as everyone looked at him. Then the dragon prince breathed out slowly, and when he opened his eyes, they were focused and full of resolve. "You're right. And while I can't imagine anyone would be keen to follow me after how things… turned out… I made a promise to see a peaceful future. One I will live to see. I will do everything in my power to keep that promise."
For a moment, Robin was taken aback by the sudden conviction in the royal's voice. He had heard Lucina's account of how Corrin seemed to have finally found his footing after his wife's death and to strive to move forward once more, but… to find such resolve so soon? That took a tremendous amount of willpower and inner strength.
It's the same spark Chrom has. And Lucina too. The mark of a leader, Robin thought.
"Not like we're going to back out now, are we?" Severa said. Owain and Inigo nodded in agreement. "What's the plan, leader?"
"I, well... " Corrin frowned, his expression growthing thoughtful. "Robin, you said that it was likely Valla was in contact with the other Kingdoms. For centuries, correct?"
"Yes, I can't imagine that they wouldn't…" Robin's eyes widened, grasping on what he was saying. He slapped his palm against his forehead. It was so obvious, how had he not seen it? "Of course! For being in contact so long, there is bound to be records of some sort. From before the curse was place. But since King Garon was under Anankos' sway, he certainly had those destroyed. That's why there was nothing in the Nohrian archives!"
"If so, then that means Hoshido would likely have some sort of records of their own dealing with Valla. If we can find those, then perhaps they can provide a means of conveying what we know without falling victim to the curse ourselves," Lucina suggested.
Robin opened his mouth to reply, only to fall short. A sudden chill ran through him, a nagging filling of dread beginning to eat at his mind. All around them, the land had begun to feel painfully empty. Why now? We've been alone this whole time… So why feel like this now...
"Yes," Corrin agreed. "My only concern is that as soon as anyone in Hoshido who knew of Valla became aware of the curse, they may have tried to hide any mention of it as well. If only to prevent anyone reading about it and accidentally triggering the curse by speaking to someone of what they read."
"Even so, it seems as though our best chance would be to-"
"-Wait, do you hear that," Robin said, holding up a hand to cut Lucina's words short. He craned his neck, straining his ears intently. The grass rustled in the wind, a distant tree creaking as it's branches swayed. No other sound could be heard, only the faint rhythm of their own breathing, which now seemed painfully loud amongst the still.
Everyone's eyes were on him now, their bodies' tense as hands reached for their weapons.
"What? What did you hear?" Severa hissed in a harsh whisper.
"Nothing," Robin said, his lips tightening into a grimace. "I can't hear anything."
In any other circumstances, these words would have caused the others to relax. But they all seemed to notice that he remained as tense as ever. Then Lucina's eyes widened. Good, she'd noticed it too, even if the others hadn't
"There were bird chirping until just now. The whole time we've been here, they've been singing since we got here. But they stopped. Just a moment ago," Robin explained.
One by one, each set of eyes gazing on his face shot wide with alarm, finally grasping what he was saying.
"We should go. We can discuss our plans elsewhere," Corrin said quickly, eyes darting around nervously. "Come on."
Nodding, Robin got to his feet, remaining low in the rocky terrain they'd hidden among. He motioned for the others to follow. "This way, we need to-"
"My, my. I am impressed. I did not expect you to detect our presence this quickly," said a woman's voice, echoing through the landscape. "But if you thought you could slip away so easily, I am afraid you were mistaken."
Author's Note: So, once again it took me forever to get a chapter out. On the bright side, this chapter ended up being so long, I was able to cut it into two chapters and put out the first half early while I finish up the last bit. I should chapter the rest (Chapter 20) out either this Friday or Saturday.
Anyhow, it looks like things are finally heating up, with our heroes finally having a goal and direction thanks to being able to share their mutual knowledge and put all the pieces together. Another goal of this chapter was to somewhat redeem the Awakening Trio and find a way to make their actions in Fates seem less stupid considering that had all the answers. So unlike in the game they knew Corrin was the one they needed to protect from the very beginning, but also were behind several of the decisions the Nohrian Royals made to assist Corrin against Garon's orders, which I feel would be in character. While they were unable to have any major affect, they were able to help out to some degree.
Anyhow, onto guest reviews.
Darkness21 - Yep, pretty much. Due to being teleported away in a hurry by Anankos, the Awakening Trio never found out how to get back to Valla. And since only Corrin, Azura, and Gunter were there for that part of Conquest, they had no way of knowing that others in their group knew how to get back.
Dracofighter - Yeah, that chapter (and this one now too) had to cover a lot of info. Personally I blame Fates for this, as there is are so many plotholes and issues I am now trying to make sense of, which requires a lot of explaining. Also, I am glad you and everyone seemed to enjoy my take on how magic works within the Fire Emblem universe. I will be tackling similar topics going forward
Anyhow guys, as always please take the time to leave a review if you have any comments, questions, or criticisms. Your feedback always makes my day! As I mentioned before, the next chapter will be out either this Friday or Saturday.. Until then, have a wonderful day everyone!
Robin's Writings: The Relationship of Magic, Life Energy, and Quintessence
In the previous section, we briefly explored the topic of magic, from its nature, to its fundamentals, and to some of it's more useful applications. Importantly, the discussion provided a foundation from which further topic can be explored, namely magic's relationship with the things that set us and and every other living thing apart from the rest of creation: the energies of life and the soul.
Life energy, or one's lifeforce, is the power possessed by all living things, from people, to animals, to plants, to even lifeforms so small they appear as mere specks to the naked eyes. A distinction must be made, however, between ones lifeforce and the reserves of energy that are used by their bodies in their function. That "simple" energy comes from our bodies' ability to process food and convert it into the fuel we need to function, and whose workings are far beyond this discussion. No, Life Energy is different matter entirely, one whose true nature is still as hotly debated as that of magic.
The one thing most scholars agree on, is that Life Energy is produced by the 'soul' of a living being. When I refer to soul, I do not mean the spiritual concept of one's immortal self and being, but rather the everpresent essence all living things possess. The lifeforce permeates the body of every living things, detectable only through magical means. This should come as no surprise, however, giving how Life Energy and Magic go hand in hand. Indeed, it is only through our lifeforce that humanity is even capable of harnessing magic to begin with. As previously discussed, magic requires an initial investment of energy from the spellcaster, energy that itself comes from the wielder's lifeforce. It is for this reason that early spellcasting techniques were so perilous, as mage could easily consume all of their lifeforce with only a handful of spells. Magical foci, of course, solved much of this risk, requiring the user to give up only a small drop of their Life Energy with each spell they cast.
Now, some among you might have reacted with shock at the idea of using one's life force as a fuel to power magical spells. Indeed, when put it that way, it can sound rather frightening. But I can assure you, the matter is far less grave than it may otherwise seem. The thing to understand is that so long as one does not completely expend their reserves of life energy, the lost energy will replenish itself if given enough time. Life Energy, as it's name suggests, is intrinsically linked with the state of being alive, and is tied to one's health and body. When you are hurt, your lifeforce weakens, but his restored as you heal and recover. However, this relationship is not one way, as losing too much Life Energy causes the body to weaken, while an infusion of Life Energy can cause the body to heal and recover at an accelerated rate.
This later aspect of Life Energy serves as the fundamental component by which all healing magic functions. When a cleric casts a restorative spell, they are pouring Life Energy into the target, causing their bodies to rapidly repair damage and restore their vitality. However, this too can have a darker side. Some, less savory spells favored by Dark Mages and Sorcerers are capable of attacking a victim's lifeforce directly, either ripping it from their body or even siphoning it off to be absorbed by the spellcaster. The spell Nosferatu comes as the most common example, though more deadly variants do exist.
So in summation, Life Energy is the power every living things possesses, which is tied the health and state of the body. There are many ways to utilize and harness this power, many of which can be quite potent. However, this power pales in comparison from its source. The source I refer to, of course, is that of the soul.
If the nature of Life Energy is unclear, then the nature of the soul, or Quintessence, is on even less certain ground. To this day, no being, god or otherwise, seems to truly understand what this power is, other than that it is at the very heart of every living being. Unlike life energy, Quintessence is entirely finite. From the day you are born to the day you die, you possess a fixed amount of Quintessence. The amount can vary from individual to individual, with the quantity of it being commonly linked to one's willpower and ability to produce Life Energy. If your Quintessence is consumed or otherwise removed, then you die. It's as simple as that. In all of history, no one has ever been able to overcome this one truth. Quintessence is part of who we are.
In normal circumstances, the Quintessence within a person remains there untapped until it is released upon death. Where the Quintessence goes after is not known. The best means developed by the brightest and most powerful mages in history have only been able to determine that the Quintessence seems to disperse at a rapid rate, vanishing from all means of detection in an instant. One commonly held theory is that this Quintessence is the source for the magical energy to permeates all of creation, an endless pool of power replenished by the cycles of life and death. However, with no known way to test this hypothesis, this remains but conjecture, and whose validity is something I am not qualified to speak on. If you must know my opinion, I personally lean in favor of this theory, as it neatly explains much of what we do not know of both magic and of the soul. Though some argue that this explanation is almost too convenient, a point I will gladly conceded. In the end, is is a matter without no clear answer, one which will likely not be found within any of our lifetimes.
Now, some among you may ask, is it possible to harness one's Quintessence? To answer, yes, it is indeed possible. But it is perilous. Throughout all of history it has only been accomplished on a large scale on a handful of occasions. In every case, it comes at a sacrifice, either given willingly by a brave soul to perform some miracle, or at the cost of innocent lives cut short in dark rituals that are best not spoken of.
In my own life, I have only witnessed the power of Quintessence first hand once, and to this day the memory haunts me. From a distance I watched as thousands were lead to the Dragon Table by the Grimleal, willing sacrifices to fuel the resurrection of the Fell Dragon Grima. I shudder to think what might have been wrought had we not cut the ritual short as we did. Who knows how powerful Grima may have become.
Besides my own experiences, I have encountered two other cases where Quintessence was harnessed the shapen the world. During my travels within the World of Fates, I witnessed the results of these acts. The first was in the Nohrian Dark Mage named Nyx, who as a child has accidentally absorbed the Quintessence of every person within her village, killing them and cursing herself with unnaturally long life. The other was of the fate that befell the Songstress Azura, whose powerful pendant drew upon her Quintessence to imbue her song with the power to quell the rage of dragons. It was by it's that she died, having faded out of existence with the last of her Quintessence spent. Twice I witnessed the pentant's power used, and twice it came at a cost. Of the third, I was not present and know for certain that none who laid witness now remember it.
But that story is one for another day.