Chapter Text
“You’re arrogant, self centered, and in…” What was that word he always used? Right! “Insufferable!” Corrin gritted her teeth, shoulders shaking. Why? Why was her younger brother so…so…infuriating!
After Azura showed her the truth about King Garon’s true form she knew the only thing she could do was talk to her family. After all this was their father and no one deserved to know more than them. The problem of course was she couldn’t tell them the full truth due to that land’s curse. All she could tell them was Father wasn’t himself and they had to do something about it. They had to take Nohr back from his rule.
Elise would be the easiest so she talked to her first. She listened as Corrin explained the best she could for the sake of Nohr they had to take down Garon and he wasn’t really who they thought he was. She believed her, she told her she’d always believe her big sis no matter what. And that while this was a little hard for her to take in whatever Corrin decided she’d follow the decision because she loved her so much.
Camilla was next. It was harder for her to accept Corrin’s words than Elise but she told her she loved and would follow her. If Corrin said Father needed to be defeated to end this war for not only the good of Nohr but the good of her family then so be it Camilla was willing. She was always willing to do anything that favored her precious sister’s well being as well as her dear family. That was enough to convince her to fight at her side.
But Leo. Leo wouldn’t budge. She told him everything she could, what she said to Elise and Camilla but it wasn’t enough. Even now he had that condescending know it all smirk on his face as she begged with him, pleaded with him, to listen to her.
“Insufferable? For wanting a simple request.” He waved his hand, ”I don’t understand why it’s so hard to put proof with your claims, sister.”
“I told you I…I just can’t tell you.”
“I’m afraid that’s not very convincing argument.” He crossed his arms, “You’re not telling the full truth, if its even that.”
“Of course it’s the truth! What reason would I even have for lying about something like this!?”
Gods she wanted to grab him by the neck and strangle him or at least shake him until that brain of his would realize how irrational he was being right now! There had to be some way, somehow to convince him she was in fact telling him all she could say. But she couldn’t tell him everything and that was the problem! If he would just listen to her, if he would just trust her! And that made her more angry than everything, she left her blood family, she betrayed her place of her birth and who she left them for had no faith in her at all? And that…made her want to cry the feeling overwhelming was everything for naught?
“Leo. Why? Why don’t you trust me? Elise and Camilla believed me without proof.”
“They always were soft. It doesn’t surprise me at all truly.”
“Why can’t you understand we have to dethrone Father? All he does is spread hate and evil! And he’s heartless even to you, his own child!” Maybe using logic would convince him, maybe using an argument he wouldn’t be able to argue a point like that would slowly but surely turn him around to her side.
“Perhaps your time in Hoshido changed you, maybe they got to you. It’s even possible you could have been brainwashed by-“
Did he honestly think that?! “Would you listen to yourself! Gods you have no faith in me at all do you? Haven’t I proved to you time and time again I’m on your side?! I sided with Nohr didn’t I? Is that not enough for you to trust your own sister?! Or is the fact that I’m adopted not enough for you to trust me?”
It was slight but the mention of siding with Nohr over Hoshido lowered his prideful smirk to more of a grimace. That’s right. Back then when she made her decision it was quick, a blink of you miss it look but she caught it. Fear. He was scared of her leaving. Well maybe she should with how bratty he was acting!
“If that’s truly how you feel. If you can’t trust me because I’m not related by blood then siding with Nohr was a mistake. I should have sided with Hoshido, my true family! I’m leaving!” She’d had enough this wasn’t going anywhere and she had to get away before she said something she’d regret.
That did it. His calmness faded and was replaced by hate not unlike the look she got from Takumi the few times she encountered him. In fact it was eerie how similar his glare was.
“Go then!” He spat, “If you think they’ll take you back! If Nohr means that little to you! But once you leave we’re no longer family” Now he was shaking, nostrils flared and one hand ready to grab his tome in a moments notice.
“Oh like you’re the perfect brother! What the hell is wrong with you? What do you even want?! Why are you so stubborn?! ” She was lucky that stone was holding in her dragon powers because the anger coursing through her veins was unbearable, a growl was threatening to escape her throat. “You know what, forget it! You don’t think I want to tell you!? I already said all I can say, that man is no longer King Garon and I can’t say anything else as much as I want to! I can’t even say he’s not of this world because of this damn curse where if I say anything about-
“CORRIN NO!” Azura appeared like a breath of wind and covered her mouth, golden eyes full of worry, “You’re going to say too much!”
This happened to get Leo’s attention, “Curse?” He took a deep breath and pinched his nose to calm himself down, “Not of this world?”
“No.” Azura slowly lifted her hand, “Corrin you said enough, I told you this was a bad idea. If I wasn’t watching you, you’d be gone now.”
“I…I’m sorry Azura.” Taking a couple of breaths to focus, she realized what she almost did. “I’m glad you wanted to come with me. That really could have ended badly, huh?”
“Let’s go back, the last thing I want to happen is you to fight the siblings you sided with.”
She nodded, “You’re right.” Now that she thought about it, she could tell Leo the truth. If anything her disappearing right before his eyes would be the proof he needed wouldn’t it? All she would have to do was get him to promise he’d continue what she started. Elise, Camilla and Xander wouldn’t be very happy about it however.
“Corrin what is she talking about?” Now he was curious, she could see the glint in his earthy eyes, his desire for knowledge making his anger from before fade. And that gave her an idea.
“Leo~ If you really want proof I could give it to you. But like Azura said I’d be gone.” She smirked, “Would me sacrificing myself be enough for you, baby brother?”
“Corrin!” Azura looked at her concerned, “Please don’t.”
Oh no she was still a little mad she was going to rub it in, “After all since I’m no longer family you wouldn’t care if I was gone right? Of course you’d have to be the one to give the news to everyone exactly why I disappeared.” She put a hand to her mouth a gasped in horror, “Gosh could you even imagine what our family would think?”
“Ugh I get it. That comment was out of line.”
She grinned. Good.
“But let me get this straight.” He looked at Azura first and then her, “There is a curse and that is preventing you for telling me the whole truth?”
“I know you don’t believe me, but yes.”
He raised an eyebrow, “I’m a highly talented mage, Corrin. I know how bad curses can be. Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
She was going to cry. Seriously?! All she had to say was she’d love to say something but she was cursed and THAT was what it would take for him to believe her?
“Then you believe me now?”
“Not fully. But-“ He smirked, “Every curse has a loop hole. There must be some way you can fill me in without activating it.”
“If there is I have no idea how which is why I really need you to believe me.“
“I understand.” Azura walked past them. “The only way is for you to see yourself. But you’ll be cursed too. Once you know you can’t say anything either to anyone even us. If you’re okay with that and will put your trust in Corrin and I, follow me.”
“Azura…are you sure?” She knew exactly what Azura was going to do but it was surprising. When they discussed how to tell others of the truth Corrin’s first idea was to take everyone to the other world and explain everything to all of them. But Azura refused to take anyone back, it was too dangerous for those who couldn’t travel by water to go there. Because it would be harder for them to leave if things got bad.
“I don’t want to but you really want him to know. Otherwise you wouldn’t have slipped up like that. And he’s scared Corrin.”
He said nothing but gave Azura a look of displeasure.
She however ignored it. “He wants to believe you but he’s afraid. I think showing him will help him come to terms with everything just like you.”
Now he turned away from her signaling to Corrin that Azura was correct in her assumption. Wow, she was really good at reading people.
“Right.” She nodded, her and Leo also did share similarities in personality even when they were kids. It made sense, she was scared too when she first found out. “We’re going to the Bottomless Canyon aren’t we? How far is it from here?”
“You remember well. Not too far but we do need to hurry, we can’t be gone for too long of a period without causing suspicion.”
Corrin walked over to Leo and patted his arm, “Stop sulking Leo, if you want to see the truth with your own eyes I need you to follow us.”
“I wasn’t sulking.” He scoffed, “But I do have many questions.”
“All will be answered in time in the one place they can be.” Azura sighed, “Let’s go.”
“This could be a trap.” Leo mused, “But I want to trust you, sister.” He sighed, “All right. If this is for the proof I’m asking for I have no choice. I’ll follow you two.”
The three didn’t have to travel far until the calm weather changed into storms, lighting crackling overhead while thunder boomed, signaling to them they had reached their destination. Azura lead the two to the edge of the bridge overlooking the chasm, her bare feet accidentally kicking a lone rock tumbling into the abyss below.
Everything finally hit her. The reason the weather was so weird over here. It had to have something to do with the world below. Time was different down there after all, perhaps all the pent up energy of the world created the massive storms that never seemed to die down at this spot.
“This is the answer to everything?” Leo walked up next to Corrin and looked around in confusion, “This is the Bottomless Canyon is it not? I don’t see anything different here.”
“That’s because the answers you seek are below you.” Azura smiled and pointed to the gaping hole at her feet, “We jump. I’ll see you soon.” And before he could react she was gone disappearing into the darkness.
“Jump?!” His pupils dilated in terror and he looked around, “Are you mad?! A fall from that height would kill us all.” He reached for his magic book, “I was wrong this most certainly is a trap.”
“Leo it’s not please trust me.” She looked at him pleading, “I promise.”
“Are you going to jump?” He looked at her wary and even took a step back. “Go on.”
He wasn’t going to. She could tell, she’d jump and that would be it, he would not follow after them he’d go back and all this would have been pointless. She could push him. But with the way he was staring at her ready to protect himself he was expecting her to do just that.
“We’ll jump together.” Instead she held out her hand and smiled at him, “You can trust me.”
He looked at her for a second probably trying to judge if he could in fact trust her. Knowing him he probably also thought all of this was insane but she was so close to having him convinced. She knew the second he saw this world he’d have the proof he desired so badly and that would allow him to believe her. All she needed was to get him there.
After what seemed like forever he muttered something and grabbed her hand tightly. She felt the tremors run through his arm. Even the thickness of his armor couldn’t hide that.
“On the count of three we’ll jump.”
He gulped and nodded, closing his eyes.
“One.”
She was able to make him step closer to the edge of the bridge he previously had backed away from.
“Two.”
She felt his whole being tense up. She was going to have to tug him, he was too scared to jump on his own.
“Three!”
He couldn’t believe she convinced him to do this. To jump off a bridge overlooking a cliff into a chasm known as the Bottomless Canyon. This felt like it would be suicide! Which was why Leo was so stunned he didn’t hit the bottom of a canyon like he expected but a grassy knoll. Squinting and looking upward he stood up trying to vain to put everything together. The young prince was a smart person, one of the most intelligent in all of Nohr. But for once he was speechless. This simply wasn’t possible. A whole new world beneath them?
Perhaps he was knocked out from the fall and was dreaming. Dreaming of this exquisite land before them and…were those islands floating above them? What would cause that? He groaned and rubbed at his head. This was too much to take in. In all his studies he’d never read about anything like this. Finally he was able to find his voice.
“Where…are we?”
“This is the land I was talking about.”
Corrin didn’t seem phased in the slightest as she let go of his hand wincing. He…might have gripped it a little tightly. But of course she wasn’t concerned, she’d been here before. And the mysterious blue haired girl, Corrin’s friend, looked almost nostalgic as she looked around. How long has this place been hidden and why? What secrets did this land contain?
“I can see that.” He sighed, “Tell me, does this place have a name?”
“If it does Azura never told me. She told me to completely keep quiet about it.” She giggled her ears wiggling, “But now I know why, I almost slipped up!”
“Azura? That’s your name correct? This is the first time I’ve met you, though Corrin did mention of you in Cyrkensia, wishing you were able to see the show.”
“Yes.”
She was hiding something all right. The girl had as many mysteries as this land they set foot in. Simply put she knew too much. He wanted to trust his sister but there was something off about the female. When she first showed up his first thought was she looked far too much like the singer who tried to curse father. Corrin liked her well enough and he didn’t want to be rude to her friend but-
“You don’t trust me do you?” Her words cut through his thought process, expression unreadable but its almost like she was able to read his mind which was very unnerving.
“Well. I wouldn’t say I don’t trust you per say-”
“But you have your doubts. I can’t say I blame you. Which is why Corrin is going to talk to you instead of me. But not here we need to move, I don’t know how long it will be before we’re spotted by them.”
“There are others here?”
But the place was completely barren he didn’t see anyone else. He looked around for good measure, unless they came from those islands on the sky? But that didn’t make logical sense. Truthfully this whole world didn’t make logical sense.
“Soulless monsters is the only way I can describe them. They almost didn’t seem human. Azura even said they weren’t anymore.”
“Over here!” Azura motioned to a hole in a cavern, “You should be safe here, be quick Corrin. Don’t forget we still need to travel back.”
“What about you?” Corrin looked at her friend concerned, “Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. I’ll keep watch and alert you two if I see any of them.”
“Got it.” She nodded. “Okay Leo, let’s go. I’m about to tell you a lot and I’ll try to answer any questions you have, but please try to keep an open mind.”
He sighed. She was still worried about that? He followed her off the edge of a cliff at this point he was certain she was telling the truth as much as it hurt. He knew she was right. But he needed to know more, what was she talking about when she said Father wasn’t King Garon anymore?
The two traveled deeper into the cavern. It was odd, it looked destroyed. Like civilization once thrived here. What could have happened to turn it to total ruin?
“I trust you sister. Please. Tell me everything you can. When you say Father isn’t himself, what do you mean?”
“I saw it Leo…” She looked up at him. “I saw Father’s true form. A monster…a soulless monster of black sludge. Like some sort of surreal…zombie.” She rung her hands together biting her lip. “That’s how I know that thing isn’t Garon anymore.”
She looked at him cautiously, her chest moving slightly with each breath, waiting for his response. But he didn’t know how to respond. What she had just told him confirmed the fears he always had; father really was lost to him. But no! He refused to believe it. He couldn’t believe it!
“How?” It came out gruffer than what he intended, “How do you know it’s not a trick?”
“It’s not. I know for sure what I saw was the truth. The magic crystal-”
“Magic crystal?” His desperation was winning over his logic. Father could be saved he wasn’t truly gone, it looked bad right now but he needed to study more he’d figure out how to bring him back., “That you got from Azura I assume? Azura who looks just like the singer who tried to kill Father in the first place?” His breaths became heavier and more erratic. “She had every reason to want him dead she grow up in Hoshido who hates us!”
He believed her and trusted her otherwise he wouldn’t even be here. He met what he said, And yet…He couldn’t accept it. To accept father was like this since he was five years old, that this monster was the one who trained him to kill, to summon faceless without hesitation. That the father he remembered, the one who gave him piggyback rides and encouraged his studies was lost to him forever, and this monster was all he had left; he didn't want it to be true.
“Azura was the singer but it was for a reason!”
She squeezed her eyes shut waiting for him to retaliate. But he didn’t as much as he wanted to, because knew he couldn’t.
“She knew all along what was happening to him and tried to save him!” Her face fell, “But when it didn’t work and hurt him instead she knew that meant there was no saving him.”
“How…” He repeated again quieter this time. But it was true. And he knew that ever since that fateful day.
“I was shaken up over the slaughter of all those singers and what Father said. I couldn’t sleep. I followed Azura and thought she was trying to kill herself when I saw her disappear beneath the surface of the water. I jumped in after her and ended up here.”
She paused and looked at him, probably wondering how he was taking this. Not well, but he was always good at hiding his true emotions from everyone. Plus a small part of him always knew. He tried talking to Xander about it before to only be told Father was going through a rough patch and he'd be back to himself soon. He always felt that was a lie but tried so hard to hold onto it and now he couldn't anymore.
“Then she explained things to me, that she tried to help him with her song and gave me a crystal that either a great mage or someone with highly potent dragon blood could u-that’s it!”
She got down on the ground rummaging through rocks, tossing stones around.
“Watch where you’re throwing that! You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“If we find another magic crystal you can activate it, you’re a highly talented mage! That would allow you to see the truth with your own eyes! Come on, help me out.”
He sighed and walked over to where she was but before he could bend down to help she yelped rubbing at her head furiously.
“Told you.”
As much as he usually would have basked in the glory of being right his mind currently going through its own war, was too busy to indulge in something so insignificant. He reached for what hit her and froze.
“Oh it’s some sort of statue? Wonder what it’s doing here…”
He knew that statue. That was the same statue, although much smaller, Father brought in right before he…he swallowed. His analytical mind couldn’t deny it, the evidence was right in front of his face. The one thing allowing him to hold onto his fantasy, no proof, had shattered before him.
“Corrin that statue-”
“Corrin run! We need to get out of here now!” Azura ran in panting almost out of breath, “They were waiting for us to come back there’s a whole army here!”
“But the crystal-”
“There’s no time!” She ran past them waving her staff, “Follow me, I’ll lead you to the exit.”
Azura’s movements were light and elegant even as she ran. The way she flowed was like water in a stream dancing through the air. Corrin moved similar not as graceful but just as light. Meanwhile Leo struggled to keep up with the two women wishing more than ever he had his horse; this kind of running without riding Sleipnir was not something he was used to.
The question of who the statue was of burned in his mind. The same one Father kept above him and consulted in even when deciding Corrin’s fate after she chose to side with them. Which was absurd in the first place. She proved how loyal she was. The great…Anan…
“Anankos…”
Azura froze, practically in the middle of the air and turned to look at him, golden eyes wide and full of fear. “How did you know that name?”
If Azura knew of it then that must have been the right name. “Father seeks advice from something with that name I was simply trying to remember it. Who is it?”
“Anankos-“
Before she could continue an archer shot at her, the army caught up and they were out of time. Corrin ran over and slashed the archer knocking him down.
“There’s too many of them!”
Indeed there were, for behind the fallen archer an army of creatures glowing in purple light formed and were gaining on them. He knew when to retreat instead of fight and the three of them were highly outnumbered. Even if he came up with a strategy for a fight the odds were not in their favor.
“Listen.”
Azura cut through his thoughts as he was trying to figure out the best way to escape, he was good with planning but not so much on the spot like this. Should they try to fight a couple of them to get out of here or if they should run for it fighting no one?
“Anankos is the cause of King Garon’s condition and that’s all I can tell you right now. He’s the cause of this war, he’s the cause of everything.”
“Who is-“
“I want to tell you but now is not the time, just know that for now and don’t mention him once we leave. You must never speak of this place in the outside world, or you will vanish.”
“Which is what almost happened to Corrin.” And it would have been his fault for snapping at her…
“Yes. Remember to keep this place a secret once we return.” She pointed to some hills in the distance where another large army was beginning to get into formation. “That’s where we have to go, jump off there and we’ll end back up at the Bottomless Canyon.”
Where did all these people come from, the land was barren when they arrived. But the army could have almost rivaled Nohr’s there were so many of them. “Jump? Again? But that doesn’t-“
“Time and space flow differently here than it does in the world we came from.”
“Due to Anankos?”
She nodded, “And his curse.”
“We’re going to have to fight them to get through right?” Corrin gripped the Yato tightly. “I’ll hold them off you two follow me.”
The girl was going to get herself killed with a move like that! “If I could make a suggestion instead of running forward with brute force on your own, you lead the way, Azura will follow after you, and I’ll bring up the rear in case someone from behind attacks.”
“I’m going to have to agree with Leo that that’s a better idea, I don’t think you can take on all of them on your own Corrin.” Azura bit her lip and pointed toward a group on the far right, “It’s not going to be easy to make it past them…but that looks like our best chance.”
“Honestly it’s a miracle you survived on the battlefield this long on your own with a strategy such as that.”
“If we survive this than tutor me on strategy okay?” Before he could open his mouth to respond she ran forward slashing at the enemy, “Let’s go!”
For three versus an enemy that keep coming they were able to hold their own quite well. Corrin cleared a path with Azura’s support and Leo kept the rear clear with his magic. They had almost made it to the edge when another enemy with a mount leapt in front of Azura blocking her and Leo from catching up to Corrin. They were covered in the same purple fog as the others and looked almost regal. Was this Anankos?
“Azura! Leo! Hurry!” Corrin called out to them, “The path is finally clear, we need to jump!” In the end due to the circumstances they were back to her original plan, “I don’t know how much longer I can hold them off!”
“On behalf of my King I welcome you to our hidden kingdom of Valla. But I will not allow you to go any farther!”
Well that answered the question he had about where they were but he didn’t have time to think it over. She held a tomb glowing with flickering flame the attack heading straight toward Azura who stayed frozen in place, shaking lightly.
“It can’t be…”
If she didn’t move at all she would take a direct hit from a very powerful spell that only the most experienced mages could use. “Azura don’t just stand there, get out of the way!”
But for one reason or another she couldn’t. Leo took matters into his own hands and let lose the branches from his own tome to counter the attack, the wood snapping from underneath the ground, shooting straight up on his target knocking the unknown women off her horse to the ground below. He grabbed Azura’s arm with the hand not holding Brynhildr tugging her away from the explosion of embers at the last second joining up with Corrin who at that moment barely dodged a hit from two enemies at once. Her posture was hunched, her hair matted, and her breathing heavy. Simply put she was exhausted.
“They’re still coming!” Azura ran to the edge seemingly back to normal after Leo let go of her arm, “We need to jump now, follow me!”
“I’m sorry Leo I can’t do a countdown, there’s no time.”
“Don’t worry about it. Now that I know what happens I’m fine. Let’s go.”
All three jumped at the same time, a mix of spells from the soldiers burning the grass they jumped from not even a second later. Even some arrows were shot into the gap they leapt into followed by animal spells made of light. But they had made it. They escaped just in time; back to the world they knew.