Corrin flew into a defensive position, bringing his sword up just in time as a crash blew through the wall. Figures wielding swords came flying toward the Hidden Vanguard.
Bricks flew in their direction, the figures getting closer by the millisecond.
Corrin was the only one prepared for the sudden attack.
It was over in the blink of an eye. Corrin parried one attack, but he was overrun. A sword was jammed into his mouth; it was clearly aimed at his neck. Corrin coughed blood as the sword sliced up his right cheek.
He tried to take a swing at one of the figures, but there were too many of them. He was knocked back to the ground.
He turned himself to fall onto his back to minimize the damage from the attack. Dust exploded upward, and he found himself seeing only a few feet ahead of him.
In only those few seconds, however, soldiers came running at him. All of them were Mostiis and were wielding scimitars. Corrin defected attack after attack. For the first time, it felt like Corrin's training had actually paid off in combat.
The attacks suddenly stopped with a shout in the distance. As the dust settled, the situation around Corrin became clear.
He saw dead bodies. He looked closer at them. Most of them were the sudden attackers—most of them.
Among them was a sight Corrin thought he'd never see.
Forrest stood, walking towards Corrin. His right arm was ripped off. The blood poured out like a fountain. His mouth was bleeding, and he was mumbling something to Corrin.
Lenn's head lay separated from his body. His daggers still sat loosely in his hands.
Merri was lying on the ground as well. A sword was jammed through her chest. She was still.
Corrin began to hyperventilate.
Sitting not too far away was Edwin. He was lying on the ground, unmoving.
Tears began to fill Corrin's eyes.
"Oh gods… we failed…"
The attackers stood on the other side of the room, near the queen whose face was the same as before.
One of the attackers took a step forward. His voice was all too familiar. His two axes dripped with blood.
"I'm impressed, Corrin. That was quite the show of quick thinking."
His face was covered with blood.
"Though, of course, there's no way you can deal with both me and the Queen. How long can you last this time?"
Corrin scanned slowly for his sword. His face was still stunned. His hands began to shake. Vesterii laughed.
"You're terrified, aren't you? You were never able to see a life taken. It was just too much for you."
Leimon fell to his knees.
"Corrin…"
He spat blood.
"Just… Run…"
Corrin tried to take his advice, but his feet wouldn't move. None of them would. Blood started to drip out of his mouth and splat onto the floor.
Vesterii walked closer to Forrest. He lifted his axe over him.
Corrin brought his hand up, as though he were trying to stop him.
Forrest's head split open in a violent display. Bloodshot upward and onto Vesterii.
"Despite your inability to actually kill something, you always seemed to want to. I could tell in your eyes that you longed for the moment the Queen died by your blade. But… it never would actually come. Because you're weak, Corrin."
Vesterii stopped walking.
"But now… there's only one more piece to this puzzle."
The Queen stood from her throne and smiled menacingly.
"The shard."
Vesterii laughed and pointed to Corrin.
"That's right! That little gemstone that's been taunting me for all these months. Sitting around your neck."
His face dropped, his smile.
"But I take my orders clearly. I was not to kill you until you reached here. So that the gem was right there for the Queen to see me take from you."
Corrin brought his hand up and clutched the gemstone. Tears now poured out of Corrin's face. Forrest… Lenn… Merri… Edwin… they all were dead. Lifeless. Unmoving.
Corrin fell to his knees and began to wail. His sword wasn't even with him.
"You really are as weak as I thought you'd be."
Vesterii lifted his two axes. A war horn sounded in the distance.
"Now, Corrin… the rebel leader is here. He thinks he'll actually be able to win. But he's wrong. He won't win-"
Corrin looked up.
"Just shut up already."
Corrin's scar pierced his cheek like hell itself as he shot forward faster than he could recognize. Without even thinking, Vesterii's face flew backward. Corrin's hand stretched like a punch.
"What the hell!? That speed… It's unlike anything I've ever seen before!"
Vesterii jumped back and slid along the floor, the dust poofing upward. Corrin jumped and grabbed his katana, which was only a few feet from where he had been standing before.
Corrin's vision began to blur. He was breathing too fast. Both from the shock of the situation and from dashing so quickly. The scar burned his cheek. He brought his hand up and tried scratching it.
The pain was immense. But Corrin had had enough. He was not going to let death get to him anymore. His anger towards Vesterii and the Queen had reached a boiling point.
Vesterii jumped forward with his axes at the ready. Corrin yelled as he brought his katana forward. Corrin found he was hardly even keeping up with his own movements. The blows kept coming from Vesterii, yet Corrin could hold his own against them.
It was all in the muscle memory. Vesterii was fast; he couldn't see him move. But by using the shard, he could gain just enough extra speed for his muscle memory to take over.
It could keep him alive, but there's no way he could win like that.
"Blind rage will get you nowhere, Corrin!"
Corrin took over his muscle memory for just a moment to bring Vesterii's axe down and take his first offensive attack on Vesterii. He threw himself around and flanked Vesterii on his right side.
"Light Katana…"
Corrin's katana began to glow immensely.
"Steady as the stream!"
Corrin moved his body to the right and left as he flowed towards Vesterii, attacking every time he got to Vesterii. The attacks had weight, but most of them were purely for precision; to keep Vesterii on the defense until he got him right where he wanted him.
Corrin went until they hit a wall to the left wall of the throne room.
Corrin then went for one final attack.
"Light Katana…"
"Oh, no you don't!"
Vesterii swung his axe just over Corrin's head, narrowly dodging Corrin himself. Corrin knew he couldn't attack from this angle. But he was right next to Vesterii.
Corrin pushed off the ground with as much power as he could muster. His feet glowed a yellow color before they exploded off the ground in a brilliant display of force.
The ground shook, and Corrin tackled Vesterii through the wall. They exploded into a vacant kitchen.
Corrin hit his back on a counter, and Vesterii landed perfectly. In an instant, Vesterii was right next to Corrin. He swung his axe up and brought it down like thunder towards Corrin's chest.
Corrin quickly threw his katana towards the ceiling. On the ceiling were pots and pans hanging. The katana hit the pans, and they fell, hitting Vesterii in the head. Corrin brought his leg up and kicked Vesterii upward in the face.
Corrin grabbed his katana and readied it.
"Light Katana…"
Corrin's blade illuminated once again.
"Power!!"
Corrin's blade shot towards Vesterii's neck, but it stopped like it hit a brick wall when it landed on Vesterii's neck. Corrin took a closer look. Vesterii's axe was up against his neck, blocking the attack. The force, however, still pushed Vesterii away from Corrin.
The hole in the wall where they burst through moments ago grew larger as bricks fell from the top. Corrin looked that way, seeing a figure. The Queen, in a single flash, had her jeweled broadsword resting on Corrin's neck. It began to cut its way into it.
Corrin could feel the pain, but he was already moving forward. In a moment of quick thinking, Corrin brought his leg up as though to kick straight into the air. The momentum of bringing his leg up sent his neck backward and around the blade.
Corrin was now in the air. His vision was horizontal. He brought his sword down to the Queen's neck. But, as though she anticipated the move instantly. She dodged back, avoiding it easily.
A memory flashed through Corrin's mind of the mysterious man. He also dodged his attacks easily.
But Corrin realized something.
He had been able to cut the man's beard when he had gone easy on Corrin. Corrin realized it finally just now: The man had gone to the exact speed of the Queen, and Corrin had been able to hold his own!
A new sense of determination blew through Corrin at that moment.