A/N: Mokushu Part 2? Mmm, sorry, but no. I'm just… so happy to introduce the huge major canon divergence, that I'm going to follow it up!
Fasten your seatbelts, we're diving headfirst into a lake of lore.
Antex: We shall see, won't we?
Vallite: Purotekutā no Kyōdai ai (Protector of Sibling Love) [Corrin's Naginata] | Hoshizora Seiza (Starry Constellation) [Lilith's Mother] | Jiyū (Freedom) [Lathna's F!Pegasus] | Kanpeki (Perfection) [Subaki's M!Pegasus] | Shi no Mirai (Tides of the Future) [Izana's Crystal Ball] | Kuronikurā (Chronicler) [Forgotten Dragon God of Records/Time-Keeping] | Fuka-sa No Kage (Depths of Shadow) [Afterlife for the Damned] | Todoku No Hikari (Reaches of Light) [Afterlife for the Blessed] | Mizumare (Waterborn) | Wasure rareta kuni (Land of the Forgotten) [The Void. The place where only Shattered Spirits and Fractured Souls go to]
Hoshidan: Baranotsubomi (Rosebud) [Elise's Mare]
Nohrian: Katáktisi (Conquest) [Xander's Stallion] | Ouranós Trómos (Skyterror) [Camilla's M!Wyvern] | Μαύρο άλογο/Alastor (Dark Horse) [Leo's Stallion]
Common: Firechaser [Hinoka's F!Pegasus] | Lavender [Silas's Mare]
"Milord Grima. I failed." The young woman in the robe soberly states, the eyes on her cloak glow a menacing purple. "You gave me the resources to easily kill a Dragon and I failed." The Tome almost burned her just by holding it, so she is unable to comprehend how Yasei was able to take a direct hit!
What seems as a Human stands across from her, overlooking the broken islands of this… Valla. His hair is a fine silver, his hands behind his back, but that about ends the Human-side. Two large horns protrude from his skull, a black-scale tail extends from beneath his cloak, everywhere there should be skin, is instead black scales, tougher than any steel. "There was success."
"Grima?" She asks, doubtful, "You ordered me to kill Princess Yasei, I failed, I should…"
"Morgan." He cuts her off. "Come."
She hesitates, then rises off her knee and walks to him. He places a hand on her head… and pats her. A familiar warmth spreads in her body. She smiles. "Father?"
"Not all victories are apparent. Not all defeats are absolute." He begins to explain. "And wars are won over the long-term, battles can be lost and yet we can recover." He raises his other arm and opens the palm of his blackened paw. An image forms, a spell that overtakes the broken window. An image of Princess Hinoka, stricken with Fear… from her own 'sister'. "Yasei, this foolish bitch. She carelessly used her power and her own 'sister' was caught in it. Hinoka fears her now. Yasei's army is no longer tightly bound, the threads of discourse have been sewn, and with their best Tactician now being doubted…" He distorts the image, turning Yasei's form broken and battered. "They will fall apart." He dispels the image and kneels to look at Morgan. "You did well."
Tears well up in her eyes, her vivid green hair sparkling, "Thank you, father! But… what will we do now? We can…?"
He shakes his head, "It's too soon. Anankos has reinforced the barrier. Sending you or any of my Elites now would drain me too much. We must bide our time. But, as for you?" He pauses. "Tharja!"
A hooded woman walks in, beaten and battered. Her sun-tanned skin is sporting a number of gashes. "Yes, Robin!" She eagerly exclaims.
"Have Morgan healed and completely taken care of… and she may visit her mother."
"I… can see mother?" Morgan gasps.
"But of course, I dare not deny her own flesh and blood." He nods.
"What of Gaius?" Tharja asks.
"...as you will."
Tharja's smile turns cruel, "She will be very pleased! Come now, Morgan…"
Grima pats his daughter's head one more time, and she happily leaves with Tharja. "Tiki…" Grima muses, "Break already, will you? I have complete control over everyone else… except you."
The last of the Shepherds, the only one who has yet to give in, the only one who was spared Death. She has been left in an emaciated state, her Dragonstone long since taken. Her long ears twitch as the door opens. It's too early for the bare minimum of food or water. Torture, then. He… her ears twitch again. No, the footsteps are too light to be Grima, and there is a scent of femininity beneath the familiarity of the robes and…
"Morgan." Her voice cracks, dry and rough, lacking water. She slowly looks up and sure enough, the smiling face of her own daughter is looking back at her. Seemingly taunting her with food and water. Her stomach growls, she licks her lips, even though no saliva forms. If Morgan is here… she did something 'right'. Her stomach then twists at the thought of more suffering, more dying.
"Mother!" She cheerfully greets, unlocking the door, entering, and locking it once more. "It's so great to see you again!"
The… this is the worst of the tortures. No amount of punctures or spells can replicate this… this genuine happiness. Morgan has somehow simultaneously remained completely unchanged… and completely heartless, yet also retaining what makes Morgan… Morgan. "...Hello." She returns the greeting.
And yet, she cannot bring herself to hate her. She is her own daughter. Her only daughter. The only 'nice' thing about all this… which is likely part of the planned torture, anyway. Yet… she cannot distance herself from Morgan. She… is all she has left. Whatever is left of 'Robin' is gone. "I brought you some food! And the tiny sweet rolls!" She then lowers her voice and giggles, "But don't tell anyone, okay?"
She now notices them. The tiny sweet rolls… a top-grade legacy compared to the bread and water she normally gets. The mere presence of them even makes the water smell good. Her stomach growls again. "Wait there's…?" Morgan's eyes turn 'innocent', and she pulls out a large… mouth-watering… flank of… of. She can't think of the word as hunger takes over. Meat is meat. "What happened?" She then asks, managing to snap out of her hunger-driven stupor.
There is no way in her mother's name that she is getting meat unless something major happened.
"I made father happy!" Morgan happily answers. "Really proud, too!" Her Dragonstone shines brightly with her current emotion.
"...Oh? Did you… learn more about being a… Manakete?" She slowly asks, then coughs.
Morgan brings the water to her, and she slowly drinks. "I thought I messed up, but I actually set things into motion that turned out better than what I was initially going to do!" She explains vaguely. "Mother…?"
She knows that tone of voice. "I told you, I cannot."
"Father misses you so much."
"Ro… Grima visits me daily as is, and nothing of them speak 'love'."
"I miss you."
Her sharp retort dies on her tongue. Instead she closes her eyes and nods, "I miss you, too. My dear, dear daughter."
"Then why?"
"It's because I love you too much. I… I can't. I can't support this path you're on." Every tear-fueled word is true.
Morgan frowns, and the mere act nearly breaks her heart. "And it's because I love you so much that I can't stand you wasting away in here. Mother, please."
A crystal green tear forms in her eye. "...I knew it. Just take it." She whimpers. "You only came here for my Tear. I should've…" Grima always comes for her Tears. Magic incarnate, powerful enough to become an elixir that permanently boosts a soldier's fighting capabilities across all categories. However, due to her weakened state, she's only been able to produce one every week. "I should've known better than this being a…"
The Tear drops to the floor. From the cracks, grass defies all rational logic and starts growing, a single flower accompanying them. She's unsure if this is a taunt. Has Grima really gotten his Elite so strong that he doesn't even need her Tears? Morgan tilts her head. "Mother?" She gently asks, unknowingly twisting the metaphorical knife even more. "Do you want some?" She offers the sweet roll in one hand, and the flank with the other. She's tried starving herself, but she knows that if she were at risk of starvation, Tharja would just come in, Hex her, and force her to eat. And who knows the next time a great 'Victory' will occur? She slowly nods. Morgan smiles and brings the flank up to her mouth.
Meat has never tasted so sour before.
Gunter is in the War Room, studying the map of Valla over and over, memorizing every last detail, river, nook, hole. His experienced eye captured these locations… the blood pumping through his veins is no longer solely his. Anankos had given him a chalice of his own blood, mixed with magic and true to his words… Gunter hasn't felt as alive as he was back in his prime… maybe even better than then. However, he is also old enough to temper this with his wisdom. He may be stronger than in his prime, but he is not invincible by any means.
His armor and weapons have also been given similar treatment, infused with magics. His own steed has also been given Anankos's blood. It seems the Silent Dragon is very hopeful of him. "Gunter of Nohr?" He falters at the table, "My apologies for unnerving you." He shakes his head, turns his head…
And almost falls down on the spot. "K-King… Sumeragi?!" Gunter exclaims, rubbing his eyes and now doubting if Anankos's blood had some unlisted side effects.
Sumeragi chuckles, which turns into laughter. "Yes, it is I! Though, I suppose I am King no more, hm?"
Sumeragi has a… transparent look to him, similar to the soldiers that Anankos employs en masse. "Are you… dead?"
"Yes, well no… ugh." He rubs his forehead. "My spirit and soul have been made manifest by Anankos. I am capable of falling in battle, but as long as Anankos both lives and I desire it, I can return to life… or as much as 'this' is considered living."
"You say that as if…"
"I have." Sumeragi frowns. "Gunter, this is no ordinary foe we are tasked with."
"Grima?"
"Grima? We haven't even had a chance to fight him yet, I speak of his Elite!" He crosses his arms, bestowing his powerful aura. "But yes, I have seen Grima… a black-scale dragon with six wings and six eyes."
"His Elite?" Gunter tilts his head. Anankos had made a passing mention, "Anankos told me he would explain them before I was sent out."
"From the intel we gathered so far, Grima's Elite comprises two main groups. There are the 'Risen', now, while most of his army is made of 'Risen', the Elites show very little if no decay, they are also outfitted with the best weapons and armor."
"The Risen? Ah yes, Anankos showed me an image of them. Purple-skin, red eyes?"
"The same." Sumeragi nods, arms still crossed. "The second half are… mostly unknown. We only know that they are fully alive… and possess level of power that make them 'Avoid At All Costs'. One is a dark-haired temptress with a knack for Hexes. She is capable of locking your muscles before you even have a chance to blink. Another is a white-haired Sorcerer who is capable of a level of magic that obliterates buildings. The third we've seen so far is…" He scratches his head, "You know the Wolfskin and Kitsune? He too, is a shapeshifter, but he takes the form of some… large bunny?"
Gunter dryly chuckles, "No ordinary bunny, I assume?"
"He is capable of tearing through Plate like wet paper with his teeth." Sumeragi grimly states.
"Have you experience with any of them? Are there tell-tale signs of them close?" Gunter then asks.
"Yes, actually. Both of the Mages radiate a dark aura powerful and wide enough to feel their presence from nearly a mile away. The Shifter can always be heard before he arrives with cries of terror."
"I see…" Gunter nods. "Your Highness, I…"
Sumeragi balks out in laughter, "I'm no King, Gunter."
Gunter grimaces. "Are there any more important people here?"
"...My wife." He plainly states.
"...My condolences, and if I may ask… Corrin?"
"Gunter… Mikoto came with Corrin, or I suppose Yasei, in tow when she arrived in Hoshido. I was well prepared for the day that the real father would be known. I just… never expected her real father to be a Dragon God." He frowns, and uncrosses his arms. "Now, if you will excuse me. I have a battle to fight."
"Come back…" Gunter stops mid-sentence.
"I will most likely die." Sumeragi tells him. "Grima's Elites are brutal, but if I don't take every chance I can get to fight them, they will only start to push us back." Sumeragi departs.
Gunter looks down upon the map again… then reaches into his armor and pulls out a hidden brooch. He opens the locket and looks at the miniature painting. Corrin, holding up a handmade ball that Gunter crafted for her during her youth. "I won't die." He resolves. "I cannot die, and I refuse to die. I promised she would see me again, and damn it, she will!" He tucks the locket away and resumes studying the map.
"...Why?" She asks as she hears the door open. She's facing away from him, her black hair flowing down her back.
"I had to." Anankos responds, his voice soft and gentle. He approaches, she stiffens.
"Don't touch me." She bites back, causing him to falter. Hate is a concept that is all but unknown to her. "Why?!" She turns around, the pinnacle of beauty, even as tears form in her semi-corporeal form.
"Because I need you, love." He answers.
"You denied me Paradise! I had willingly gave my life for our… my daughter, I left the world, knowing she'd be safe…" Her lips tremble and her body quakes. "And you took that away from me!" She chokes on her sobs, face contorted with a mixture of grief and pain. "And then… I find out you also dragged my love into this!"
"Grima…" He takes a breath, "Is beyond any foe I ever encountered, I couldn't do it alone."
"Yes, because it's you, you, you. And… and if it isn't 'you', it's My Yasei. As soon as you learned I was bearing your child, I was forgotten." She grips her hands into fists. "And… I even only now recently learned that Corrin has a half-sister. AFTER YEARS OF RAISING HER! Where did you keep her, 'husband'? Where was Lilith the entire time?! Was she not 'good enough'? What about the people of Valla? What of anyone or anything that isn't you or Corrin?!"
"...Yasei is special." He states.
"She is, but she isn't worth neglecting everyone else!"
"No, you don't understand, her power…"
Mikoto raises her hands in frustration. "Power? Is that it? A 'Dragon' thing, I'm assuming? The same excuse you used whenever you…"
"You wouldn't understand…" He starts.
"Because I'm a Mortal!" Mikoto syncs with him. "You never gave me a chance to understand! We are… we were MARRIED! For better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, till death do us part! I was to be your other half, to share all of your burdens as I have so share mine with you! I expressed all my worries and concerns and what did you do? I tell you what you did… you earned your proud title as the 'Silent Dragon'." She crosses her arms and turns around, "What… are you planning to do with Corrin."
He hesitates, "To empower her."
"For?"
"She is to take my place as Ruler of Valla. My own power is causing me to degrade, Mikoto."
"...That is why you wooed me?" She asks.
"I wanted you as my wife because I love…"
"Hmph." She huffs, "Sumeragi loves me. Corrin loves me. Hinoka loves me. Ryoma loves me. Takumi loves me. Sakura loves me. You? You only seek to use me. Throw yourself into the Void, Anankos, if you fear yourself degrading."
"...I'm sorry." He whispers.
She scoffs, "That's the first time you…"
It happened in an instant, a severe pain wracks her head as she feels Anankos's hand on the back of her head, magic burning and scorching through her. "I need you in this army, Mikoto. With, or without your consent."
Her knees buckle and her eyes roll upwards. "Corrin…"
"And I will not have you stopping my Yasei's path." He pulls his hand back and she falls unconscious… at least, as unconscious as a Spirit-Made-Manifest can get.
He then blinks his eyes and gasps for air, looking at his hand… "No…" He shakes his head. "No! No no no!" He falters, stumbling backwards. "Mikoto, what have I…?" No, he knows what he did. "Damn it! Why didn't you just accept as Gunter did? As Sumeragi did?! Why did you have to push me?!" His breathing grows sharp and fast, but above all, a pain like none other wracked him.
His heart ached.
"Corrin…" I stop dead in my tracks, mid-march. My body tenses and I intake a sharp breath.
"Milady?" Jakob asks me.
"Mother? Mother!" I reach back and… nothing.
"By the gods, you turned whiter than a bed sheet, and you're sweating…" Jakob pulls out a handkerchief and dabs my face. "I daresay you look like you've seen a ghost."
I resumed marching, only a few other glances were sent my way. Jakob thankfully kept his voice down. "I… would you mind getting Sakura to me?" I ask him, "I'd like to speak with her."
"Of course!" He swiftly departs.
"...?" Felicia tilts her head at me, her gentle eyes discerning a lot more than just 'seen a ghost' as Jakob assumed. I just reach out and hold her hand, the cold combating the heat and sweat my body is producing. She then smiles.
No words, no further actions, and I already feel a lot better.
"B-Big sister?" Sakura interrupts my gaze on Felicia.
"Hello, Sakura… sorry to have you bothered…" I trail off, still holding Felicia's hand.
Sakura flushes, but makes no comment on that and instead, "Jakob told me you wanted to speak?"
I slowly nod, "About the… spirit talk we had earlier." I gulp, my mouth feeling dry, "I…" I what? How do I approach the topic of telling her I heard Mother call to me? "You said they could manifest themselves to defend a person, are there other things they can do too, then?"
Felicia squeezes my hand, she sends me a worried glance… almost admonishing, in a way. "Well excuse me for not wanting to bold-face tell Sakura that Mother said my name! You know, Sakura! The most emotionally vulnerable out of the Hoshidan Royalty! And the one who saw Mother die in my arms!"
Sakura nods, oblivious to the unspoken exchange between Felicia and me. "Well… that would depend on where a spirit ends up. The ones broken in the Void are completely unable to interact with our world in any manner. The ones who choose to remain are the ones who perform small acts of Spiritual Intervention, which can range anywhere as large as between saving someone's life… or as little as locking the door behind you."
"And the ones that either Ascend or Descend?" I prompt.
"That…" She twiddles her fingers, "Is where things are… less certain. It's more… tricky to understand. Generally speaking, most spirits who Ascend to Paradise or Descend into Torment are unable to manipulate our world, but…" She pauses, thinking… likely recalling the scrolls she read. "The spirits who Ascend can, at times, reach out… offering advice or aiding in an event like a harvest, but the way they do so is far different than a Spirit who remains here. Ascended Spirits typically manifest as small balls of light, best seen at night. Their influence on the world tends to be small…" She falls silent, "And then there are the Descended Spirits…"
"They don't have the same powers?" I prompt.
"The main difference is that those who Ascend are also those who feel as if their time in the world has been properly finished, that there are no more chapters to write, so to say. The ones who Remain feel as if they need to contribute more to the world, so they manifest in a more potent manner. The ones who Descend… were wronged in some way… perhaps their death was dishonorable, or they held a grudge that weighed their spirit down. Regardless of the case, they are likely to manifest in our world as Demons."
"...I've never seen or heard of Demons in Nohr, and Hoshido so far…" Sakura shakes her head, stopping me.
"Even though their will is strong to make selfish changes, they can only physically manifest for a set period of time, and a variety of effects are capable of weakening them. Shirasagi is a prime example of having the resources to deter Demons. The outer walls are kept in a reflective sheen, the gates have salt spread across the ground in front, doors are engraved to have Prayer Slips pre-installed. All of these things weaken Demons, and can deter even the strongest of Demons. However, most towns can only afford to upkeep Prayer Slips. Salt is expensive, and wooden walls are all but impossible to have a reflective shine like brick can manage."
"And what can these Demons do?"
"...Most cause pettier misfortune. If you ever tripped over seemingly nothing, it was a Demon. However, the strongest of Demons are capable of physical bodily harm."
I nod grimly. "Are they capable of being harmed by us?"
"Not traditional weaponry, no. Silvered weapons are the best means of fighting the lesser Demons, but the stronger Demons require some level of Divinity to best." She explains.
"Thank you, sis."
She smiles, "I'm happy to inform you, but… if I may ask?"
"...I heard… Mother… calling my name." I gulp.
Sakura nods, "Well, you do have a strong bond with her."
"Wha-?" I tilt my head, "I have a strong bond? But… I was separated from her!"
"Ah, I should go over one more thing to clear that, then…" Sakura pauses, "Spirits and Demons are also more powerful under two circumstances. The first is the location where the body died. In Mother's example, the Shirasagi Town Square will likely have a far more calm feeling, even though a tragedy occurred there." How… how is she speaking so calmly about all this? "The second is close contact… Mother died in your arms, which essentially means a portion of her spirit went into you, thus making it easier to establish a connection, such as talking…" She informs me, "And how did she sound? Happy?"
...Mother sounded distressed, in agony, as if something… "Yes, she was overjoyed to call to me." I lie to her. No, she was in pain, but… I can't tell Sakura that! If I told her that, she'd surely think that Mother… Descended.
Sakura smiles, Felicia gives me another glance, I force a smile. "Well, if there's nothing else…?"
"No, and thank you." Sakura moves back to where she was.
"Mi… Corrin?" Felicia prompts.
"I couldn't, Felicia. Not to Sakura." I whisper. "It… it sounded like someone was torturing her. Pain… agonized, and losing strength fast." I grip her hand tighter.
"It has been a long… lonely winter. The fire burns dull, the wood runs low… I gaze through the frosted mirror and ask myself why you aren't here…" Felicia begins. "Never before have I felt this cold, never before had I felt this low… gazing upon the fireplace, wondering if I should've taken your place."
My face contorts with sorrow. "...I never really took the time to grieve properly. After Mother died, I was too overwhelmed with trying to remember… my Draconic heritage, trying to figure out everything. I… I really pushed her back."
"The seasons come and go, ice breaks and flows… I filled the stockings with my love and cheer… yet when I wake in the morrow, you're still not here…"
"I yelled and harmed Hinoka, and she's taken rightful measures. I… I never wanted to lead an army in the first place. I always imagined myself at Xander's side. Well… I got what I wanted. A soldier under someone else's command, and yet… I know Hinoka. She… She can't lead us well enough. She isn't Xander, she isn't Leo. She's too headstrong, too direct. Leo would tear through her in moments and yet…"
"The table's set for two, for me and you… I wished upon a star that night, but things have never been so far from looking bright."
"Azura… please, advise Hinoka as well as you did with me. Perhaps… with the stress of leading off my shoulders for a while, I can recuperate. I'll get my bottled emotions out properly, and then… I'll be fit to lead once more, but until then…"
"Spring has come, the flowers will bloom. The sun burns bright, and yet all I feel is the chill of those nights… back when the winters were long, and the nights were cold. I've never felt so empty, as when you disappeared."