Chapter 49 - Echoes Revealed

"I'm not so sure about this," Corrin said, feeling a pang of foolishness at repeating himself for the umpteenth time. Still the tactician had yet to acknowledge any of his objections to the plans, and he really, really, really didn't like all the unanswered questions.

No sooner had Morgan teleported him and Sakura to join the others, Robin had immediately relayed his plan. A plan in which he was bait. A plan that had about a dozen other variables that needed to go right. A plan built on one very large assumption: that it was even possible to reactivate and modify the spell his mothers had woven to protect all of Hoshido.

"Yes, I heard you the first time, Corrin," Robin said, even as his gaze remained locked on the way ahead as they ran. Even stil, Corrin detected a twinge of annoyance in the tacitican's voice this time.

Good, whispered a small part of him that he quickly tried to bury. Corrin worked his jaw, trying to keep from clenching his teeth. As frustrated as he was, it was a struggle not to lash out in kind.

Ahead of them cliffs rose high in the sky, the peak above shrouded by wisps of cloud and mists cast off by the once glittering waterfalls that tumbled down from the summit on which Castle Shirasagi sat amongst the heavens. What in the past had been a vision of serenity and peace was now poisoned by the unclean taint of battle: the clouds stained black with smoke and the shimmering waters appearing red as blood as they caught the light of the fires that consumed the city below. The crystal pools at the foot of the mountain too had taken on an unnatural pallor, appearing black as the night sky covered in a thick veil of vapor that roiled like a witch's cauldron.

At least we are almost there. They'd managed to make quick time now, thanks to the Hoshidan soldiers covering their flanks. Only twice had they met resistance that had been swiftly scattered, allowing them to push right for the very heart of the city.

Even still… this plan…

"Robin, please, can we just talk about this? I'm not about to let you lead us all in there blind and-" Corrin started to say, only for Robin to come to a sudden halt in front of him, turning to look him dead in the eyes.

"I wish I could take the time to explain in full, but we don't have time. Trust me, I've thought this through. This can work, but I need you to trust me. Please," Robin said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Corrin froze, hesitating. Trust…

He did trust him, after everything that had happened so far, had the tactician once led them astray? Had his plans ever failed them? Not once, except only in that they'd cost Corrin his-

Oh.

Corrin left the realization hanging in his head, the realization reverberating through him. It wasn't this plan that bothered him. Not really. It was the destruction of the Astral Keep, the only reminder he had left of Lilith, the home he and Azura had shared, the place that in such a short time had held so many memories…

It had been necessary. He knew that. They hadn't had a choice. But even then… it's loss was still painful. It stung. More than a mere place should have.

"Alright, I trust you," Corrin relented. "But if this doesn't work we-"

"It will, have a little faith," Robin assured him, managing a smile. "Come on, we need to-"

"Robin! Corrin!" Lucina called out, her sword drawn as she looked past them.

Following her gaze, Corrin saw the wavering haze of the air before them, mist rolling in from the pools of water just beyond. Then he saw them: pockets of emptiness the mist would not touch, humanoid in their shape.

Invisible Soldiers. More of them than before. It was only right, he supposed, that the enemy would call in reinforcements now. No doubt attempting to stop them here: lest they found a way to close off the very gateway the phantom warriors of Valla were using.

At least Robin's plan has that going for it, Corrin realized. We aren't trying to reach these pools themselves, just get past them.

Corrin drew Yato, it's sword blazing with crimson light as it hummed with power. Before him the Invisible Soldiers took shape, their flickering outlines becoming visible as he focused his will upon them. Then the ghostly warriors charged, their now blazing outlines blurring as they moved with preternatural speed.

Corrin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Then in a flash he launched himself forward, having entered his hybrid form in a mere blink of an eye. A crescent of crimson light split the air, a bisected phantom dissolving behind him as skidded to a stop in the center of the enemy lines. Digging in a heel, he carried his remaining momentum into a whirling slash that cleaved through the armor of two foes, felling them in an instant.

Through heightened senses of a dragon he felt the next strike coming: the ripple in the air and the barely perceptible whoosh of an axe as it swung in a wide arc. Wings flapped and he launched himself up, the axe passing harmlessly through the space he'd occupied even as he flipped over his would-be attacker. Yato backed down as he landed, splitting the ghostly warrior's helm in a shower of sparks and a single cry cut short.

Spinning around, Corrin saw the enemy closing in around him on all sides, his sudden assault having only caught them off balance for a mere moment. Yet despite the situation he made no move to defend himself now, letting Yato sit casually at his side, a smile reaching to his lips.

"Now," he whispered.

Right on cue the area to his left detonated in a blinding flash of light and a crackle of electricity, ragdolling a group of Invisible Soldiers like a child's playthings. A rush of searing heat surged past to his left, incinerating a score of phantoms caught fire hotter than a blacksmith's forge.

Then in a blink of an eye Corrin again launched himself into the frey, sword cleaving through the nearest foes between him and pools, Yato leaving trailing arcs of blood-red light in its wake. Two foes closed in from either side, only to fall as arrows of azure light burned searing holes in their chest, even as through the corner of his eye he saw the twin Falchions, cast in blue and white brilliance, cutting swath through those enemies that had yet laid between him and the others.

All around him the others too entered the fray, fanning out to either side as to drive a deeper wedge into the enemy's ranks

Corrin's arm morphed, extending out to spear an enemy mage, interrupting it's spell before it could complete. He parried a strike from a sword, ducked under a club, and side stepped an arrow, before again leaping into the air. This time he folded his wings in, diving straight down to drive a phantom into the dirt with feet that suddenly morphed into talons. Like a predatory bird he held down his pinned foe as it thrashed, a thrust from Yato finishing it for good.

Yet still, as it had been for so many encounters of the past, for every Invisible Soldier that fell, two more appeared to take its place. Corrin knew that right now their only chance to counter this was to keep on the pressure, to prevent the enemy from being able to bring their full numbers to bear.

Dropping his transformation, he gripped Yato with both hands, meeting a charging warrior. The blade caught the haft of an axe, cleaving through and burying itself deep into the phantom's chest. Ripping it free, Corrin advanced forward, Yato coming down, once, twice, and three times, striking down foe after foe that moved to bar his way.

Soon he was joined by Lucina and Marc, who fought alongside him now, their own divine swords driving back the undead foes like leaves against a mighty storm. Spells bombarded the enemy ranks, thinning their numbers before they could reach him and the other swordsmen, allowing them to cut swaths through the tides until soon they were almost upon the very edge of the waters that surrounded the cliffs that rose high above.

Corrin knew somewhere beyond was a bridge that led over the water, and beyond that a stairway cut into the cliff face. But climbing it would take time, and with seemingly endless reserves of reinforcements the enemy had to throw at them, it seemed unlikely they could make it to the castle before the whole of the city was overrun.

It was fortunate then, that they had no intention of going that way. They'd just need an opening and he could do the rest.

The water bubbled, splashing up as more Invisible Soldiers emerged, at once forming ranks and charging. Their weapons burned with fell light, hungering for the death they would unleash.

"Robin!" Corrin shouted, sweeping Yato out to one side. The divine blade blazed with power, Corrin pooling his will and strength into it. Behind him he heard the tactician begin to chant, the air humming with power. Corrin's eyes burned red with their own light. Then there was a thunderous report, the world going white as lightning struck not at the enemies, but Corrin's blade at the very instant he brought it to bare. The crackling gold energy turned crimson red as it entered the metal, merging with Yato's power as it was that instant the swords seemed to cut through the world itself, the space rippling before them the crescent of light spread out in a wave. Then the charging line of foes vanished in a wave of heat and blinding brilliance that when faded revealed only roiling steam and tongues of smoke in its wake. A few crackles of crimson lightning danced in the space before them, until those too faded away.

Corrin's shoulders rose and fell with heavy breaths. Even with Robin's spell having provided a great portion of the attack's power, the effort of channeling it and his own might had exhausted much of the reserves of strength he had left. He couldn't help but be reminded of just how much his desperate flight across the land earlier that day had taken out of him, and of how the scant hour of rest he'd been given hadn't been nearly enough to regain his full strength. Still, the cost of this attack had been well worth it, for it had bought them the opening they needed for the next stage of Robin's plan.

"Corrin! Now, before they can regroup!" Robin said, stepping alongside him. The tacticial turned, firing off another spell back behind them, Lucina moving in place as well so the three of them stood back to back in the formation of a triangle.

"Yeah, don't worry about anything! We'll keep these losers busy for a while!" Soleil laughed, loosing one last arrow from Thögn before drawing her sword to deflect and swiftly counter an incoming blow.

"Plus you got Super Master Tactician Morgan here to take over from father, so yeah, you really really really have nothing to worry about!" Morgan added with oh so much grace and humility.

"It's now or never. We must have faith they can handle things themselves in our stead." Lucina assured him.

"Right!" Corrin said, adding only to himself: just please, be careful.

In a single motion he slammed Yato into its sheath then seized hold of Robin and Lucina by the shoulder. With a grunt of effort, he kicked off the ground with all his might, wings shooting out from his back as he lifted them both up with him into the air. His arms burned, as did every muscle in his back, shoulders, and wings as he flapped with all his might, soaring higher and higher through the mists and smoke.

Arrow and spells whizzed past all around him, one missile striking his back and deflecting from his armor. He hissed in pain, gritting his teeth as a second found a gap in the plating just below his shoulder, lodging itself painfully there. Yet he refused to loosen his grip or slow, fighting through the pain and lingering fatigue of both the day's earlier efforts and the powerful attack he'd unleashed moments before. Just a bit further, just a bit more!

The castle walls loomed before him, white stone painted red by both the light of the fading sun and the fires burning below. With one last surge of effort, he came up over the lip of the clifface, collapsing into a panting, gasping heap as he fought to fill his burning lungs.

"Corrin, your arm-" Lucina started to tell him, turning to regard the arrow lodged there with evident concern.

Corrin motioned her away with his hand, seizing the arrow shaft and snapping it away, leaving the head lodged there. He could have it properly removed later. Painful as it was, it hadn't hit anything vital and dealing with it now would take too much time.

Pressing himself upright, Corrin swayed and found his footing. His head swam and he still found himself short of breath. Still, he could still move. That would need to be good enough.

Both Robin and Lucina hesitated, seemingly still concerned for his well being. But after only an instant they relented, trusting at least for him to know his own limits enough to make that call. "What way to the throne room?" Robin asked.

Leading the way, Corrin headed for the front gates of the keep, finding them already forced open. Beyond lay the bodies of Hoshido soldiers, their few numbers indicating that these were the remains of the handful of guards left to protect the castle in Hinoka's and Sakura's absence. With blood alreading starting to dry and no enemies in sight, he guessed the Invisible Soldiers had swept through here at the very start of the siege. The poor guards hadn't stood a chance against the sudden, brutal assault.

Other than the occasional body of the slain they passed, the castle appeared eerily empty, long gone the days where the place had been a lively home prior to the Nohr-Hoshido war. Their footsteps echoed loudly as they ran, lingering on far longer than they ought.

It's just like in Izumo, Corrin realized, recalling when he'd entered the throne room there alone. The same presence was here, the almost intangible feeling of being watched.

Perhaps then they'd taken the bait.

Throwing the final set of wooden doors open, they entered the throne room, the intricate patterns of the marble floor marred by the crumpled forms of yet more slain Hoshidas, pools of already drying blood beneath them.

Corrin slowed to a stop, his eyes drawn to the white throne where it sat at the far end. A single shaft of dim light illuminated it, faint where it once had been bright. For the throne lay empty, any hope for it being filled as quickly as it faded for all of Hoshido.

Then suddenly Corrin was back there, in those last moments. Azura fading before his eyes, vanishing into motes of liquid light that twinkled away like stars. He could feel the pain of his wounds again, and the smell of the blood he'd shed during that fight. He could feel the tears that ran freely down his eyes…

Then without warning something brushed against his hand, feeling almost as if someone had seized hold and tugged at it in an attempt to turn him around. The sensation vanished almost instantaneously, yet still in shock as surprise he twisted to look, almost certain someone else had been there. It was good that he did, for at that instant one of the shadows cast by the lanterns rose up before him, taking shape as a hooded figure wielded a naked blade black as night. Corrin threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the first cut. The second he caught with Yato, steel screeching in a shower of sparks.

Then Lucina was on the assailant, Falchion flashing with divine light that drove back the darkness. The attacker seemed for a moment to shrink back against that radiance, then in the instant before the counter attack could connect the phantom swordsman leapt back with frightening speed, clearing a dozen feets' distance in a blink of an eye.

A bolt of lightning crackled through the space between them. In another sudden blur of movement the phantom intercepted Robin's spell with the black katana, detonating it in a shockwave of force that nearly staggered Corrin. He shielded his eyes against the billowing smoke, straining to see what had happened.

Had it worked? Had the attack landed?

Slowly the smoke cleared, revealing the hooded figure standing completely unscathed. While it's features were hidden by the dark cloak of war, there was no mistaking the identity of this phantom. It was the very assailant who had used Ganglari to kill his mother, as well as lead the Vallite forces in many of the battles since.

Red eyes beneath the hood fixed on Corrin, the phantom swept the black katana into a sheath somewhere beneath it's cloak. "It was foolish to have come here, young prince," the figure said, the deep voice distorted as if speaking underwater, it's words difficult to pick out even as Corrin strained to listen. Yet still it's tone was unmistakable. Confident. Disappointed. Almost mocking.

Those red eyes flicked briefly to Robin and Lucina. "Even with the interlopers at your side, your choice here will be your doom. " He laughed, the sound echoing through the whole of the throne room and filling Corrin's blood with ice. "There will be no rescue, no escape this time."

"About that," Robin interrupted, thrusting out a hand in a wide sweeping motion. A gust of wind tore through the chamber, the Invisible Soldier forced to shield itself against the gale. There was a booming thud, the previously half open throne room doors rattling against their frame as they slammed shut. "You and your master really need to work on your strategy. To take such obvious bait…" the tactician made a tisking as he drew his sword, lighting crackling around him as it coalesced in his palm.

The cloaked figure flickered, and in an instant it was looking at Robin now, the red eyes from beneath the shadows now wide. "You… what are you…?"

"Did you honestly think Corrin would just waltz in here with only Lucina and little-ol-me if I didn't have a plan?" Robin asked, a smile tugging at his lips. "As for what that plan is… well… forgive me if I don't give the best part away just yet. Gotta keep you guessing."

Corrin caught a twitch of movement in the empty hand of the phantom, it's fingers curling and uncurling with involuntary motions that betrayed it's anger. Then it laughed, the sound reverberating as if joined by multiple voices speaking of the same lips. As if the will of something else lay behind it. "Very well, let's see if whatever this foolish strategy brings you any victory. For intended or not, you cannot hope to defeat us as we are now." The figure flickered against, it's form blurring outward. Then suddenly where just one stood there were now several others, a dozen or more armored Invisible Soldiers standing at the spectral swordsman's beck and call.

Corrin lifted Yato, preparing for the onslaught.

In an instant the swordsman swept an arm from beneath his cloak, Ganglari wreathed in violet flames as it glinted in the lantern light. The blade shattered, a hundred razor shards propelling themselves towards the trio with speed so great Corrin could barely track them.

Corrin leapt to the side, watching from the corner of his eyes as the shards shot towards Robin, homing in on the tactician making no move to dodge.

There was a blinding burst of light and smoke, the floor cracking as Robin slammed his gathered lightning down at his feet. The shard entered the smoke, swallowing all of them in it billowing haze.

There was a sound like glass shattering, followed by a strange reverberating hum. Then suddenly a sphere of glittering purple plowed through the smoke, scattering it aside in a sudden rush of air. From the smoke Robin stepped forward, palm outstretched, watching as the sphere arced straight for the Invisible Soldiers. Then he snapped in hand shut in a violent swipe, the orb flattening as the glittering motes within spread outward. Only the lead phantom ducked in time, diving to the ground as those to either side were caught full force. They were shredded as the purple mist passed through them, as if cut by a thousand razor blades. For an instant Corrin watched stunned, mind racing at what had just happened. Then he understood. The glittering was from tens of thousands of shards of Ganglari. Robin had somehow broken the pieces further until they were reduced to the size of sand which he'd captured in a wind spell.

"How-" was all the phantom could manage before there was a sudden flash of movement. The ghostly swordsman just barely managed to draw his katana in time to meet Falchion in time, the force of the blow from Lucina sending him reeling back.

"I'm a quick learner. After seeing how you could direct those shards during our last fight, I thought long and hard on how to deal with it," Robin explained. "Then it hit me. You stopped only as soon as they were last from view. You needed to see them for the control to work. So a little smokescreen and making sure all the pieces were made too small to see did the trick. That's a flaw with a blade made of glass: magic or not, it's still really easy to break."

"Damn you!" With a howl of rage the hooded specter lashed out with his sword, the blow clumsy and wild as a result of his poor footing. Lucina managed to evade with little effort, but it bought the Invisible Soldier a split second. Just long enough for two of his copies leapt at Lucina, forcing her attention to them before she could press her assault.

For all the speed of the original, the copies seemed practically sluggish, lacking much of the supernatural prowess. So it was that Lucina easily met the first attack, parried and cut down the first, then dodged a slice from the other and finished it with a thrust. Both vanished in puffs of black smoke. The exchange only lasted a split second, but it was enough for the real version to break away, using the time to close on Robin and Corrin.

Dodging a ball of thunder Robin launched it's way, the phantom leapt forward, sword coming down in a blinding flashing. There was a shrill clang of steel, Corrin throwing himself in the way to intercept the flow. The impact sent a jolt of pain through his arm, painfully as it reached his injured arm, staggering him. Before he could recover the swordsman lashed out with a second lightning quick cut, slicing him on his right forearm, nearly causing Corrin to drop his sword in surprise.

He would have been finished then, had it not been Robin's turn to leapt to his defense. Slashing at the incoming blade, Robin knocked the weapon wide even as he thrust a hand up against the phantom's chest. "Elfire!" A blast of flame roared from his palm. Any normal foe would have been consumed by the inferno in that instant, but this swordsman was faster than any ordinary foe. It darted left, the flames searing it's shoulder, revealing a shock of white armor where the cloak was burned away. Another howl of rage animated from its throat as it charged forward again, sword bared.

But for once Corrin was faster. Launching himself forward, Corrin formed his arm into a spear, throwing his full weight behind the single blow as he brought it down. There was another ringing of metal against metal, Yato sending the katana spinning from it's grasp the very instant before the arm-spear connected with the phantom's shoulder. For a split second he met resistance, armor plating catching the strike before buckling, the force of all of Corrin's anger and righteous fury having been poured into this one attack. The howl of rage became a choked grunt of pain as the spear met bone, the phantom's left arm falling limp at it's side.

Then another blast of flame roared out from Robin's palm, and this time, wounded as he was, the phantom failed to dodge in time. The fires wrapped around it in a searing wave, the grunt again becoming a howl, this time one of complete agony as the entire figure was lost in the inferno.

Skidding to a stop, Corrin panted, his shoulders heaving as his arm returned to normal. That... was for... mother...

Then Corrin froze, the time seeming to slow to a crawl as the flames died away. His eyes widened, and for the moment he couldn't move or react as he beheld their foe. Gone was the black cloak, consumed by the flames. Instead was a figure clad in white and gold armor, his ornate helmet adorned with large horns, black hair billowing behind him in a massive mane like a lion's.

No. It can't-

Corrin was too slow to react, a sudden palm strike catching him in the sternum. There was a crack and a burst of pain as he was sent sprawling, bursts of light flashing in his vision.

Even as Corrin struggled to move, he could only watch as the phantom went to retrieve it's sword. As the watched violet flames licked around the wound, knitting the damage Corrin had dealt until no trace remained. The phantom tested his once lifeless hand, clenching and flexing it before it found its place on the hilt of his sword. The battlefield had grown unnervingly still now, neither Robin nor Lucina having made a move to resume fighting. The still cloaked copies of the now revealed swordsman seemed to have again multiplied, now more than a score strong as they stood between the two Ylissians and the original swordsman.

Dazed still as he was, Corrin couldn't help but notice neither of them seemed as shocked as he was. Had they not recognized him, or perhaps had they already deduced the phantom's identity and chosen not to tell him. He didn't know what was worst.

Memories came unbidden again, watching as the same figure that now stood before him fell in a hail of an arrow, falling to his knees filled with black feathered shafts. For the person before him had died trying to protect Corrin so long ago, a memory that he'd only regained after first coming to Hoshido. Memories of the day he'd been kidnapped by Garon.

Memories of the day King Sumeragi had died to protect him.

Corrin's stepfather laughed, the resurrected King of Hoshido's black blade now blazing with fell flames dark as those that ringed his ghostly form. "Perhaps it's good then, that it is now that you learned of my identity. For now you know how fitting it is that you meet your end here: in my throne room, at my own hands."

Then all at once the phantoms charged.

Author's Note: So, I kinda failed in my first attempt to get chapters out sooner, huh? Life got really busy again sadly, so it took me way too long to get this one out. That said, I am determined to get at least one more chapter out by the year's end, and hopefully another shortly after the new years. That's because we are finally, finally, FINALLY at the end of Act 2 of this story, with after that only Act 3 left, which is going to probably be the shortest section of the story due to being, well, one big finale more or less.

That said, thank you for everyone's kind words eugring my to continue. I can assure you that I WILL finish this story one day and that it won't be abandoned. Luckily I have a plan for what's left. In fact, it's probably because I only had a vague outline of what would happen in Act 2 that I have run into some problems that likely slowed down my pace. But now? Act 3 I have probably the most details nailed down, so hopefully it should be smooth sailing from there.

So with that, I have nothing else to add right now. Please, please, please as always let me know what you think. Your constructive criticism and feedback helps me improve as a writer… as well as helping to motivate me to get off my butt and actually write. Thanks as always, and until next time, have a wonderful day everyone!