The council erupted into discussion. Tutsoi took a few steps back, his jaw wide. Corrin's vision began to grow fuzzy; the world around him was blackening from the sides. He debated in his mind whether Axel had mis-spoken or if Corrin had misheard.
The council began speaking to Axel; Corrin could barely make it out.
"Are you sure of this?"
"Yes. I was there the day Corrin's soul was split into two."
Corrin shakes his head, which removes some of the nausea. He tries to listen to the conversation.
Omna spoke up. Corrin could faintly recognize his voice.
"If this is true, then… Corrin, Tutsoi, and Axel. I need you three to follow me."
Omna steps down from the council and walks towards a door to the left. Before he enters, he waves his hand for them to follow him. Axel and Tutsoi go; it takes Corrin a moment to gather his thoughts before he catches up alongside them.
The walk was silent, but they soon found themselves in a room with a table. On the table was a map. This reminded Corrin eerily of the war room where the Hidden Vanguard was given their mission. Though this map was of considerably lower quality.
On the map was what seemed to be an island. To the northeast was the city of Avitou, labeled 'Avitou City'. In the center was a large, mostly circular lake. To the west of the lake was a marking that read, 'Ruined City'. To the east of the lake, below Avitou City, was a tower. Corrin assumed this must be the tower he and Lukas had held up in.
To the southwest was another 'Ruined City'. From a bit south of the tower in the east, to the northwest, going around clockwise, red ink covered the entire landmass. The only parts that weren't covered in red were the tower and slightly south of it, Avitou City, and the north of the lake. Directly in the center of the lake was a rough drawing of a city on the water, and above it read, 'Ruined City'.
Corrin and Axel took in the map for a moment, their eyes tracing each outline. Omna spoke up.
"This is the map of this entire realm."
Corrin and Axel both looked shocked. Though Corrin could not be much more shocked than he already was.
"If what Axel says is true, Corrin, then we must find Lukas. There's something that's been kept a secret for a long time now… that must be shown the light."
Omna took a moment to breathe, but Corrin started talking before Omna could finish.
"Lukas… told me his side of the story. Tutsoi attacked him to protect his sister from somebody who threatened her."
Omna sighed.
"Yes, that is the story."
Corrin spoke up again.
"So then why did you lie about it?"
"Tutsoi is one of our best soldiers, and his reputation could not have been tarnished for attacking Lukas. Most people already didn't trust Lukas because he was a Shem. We had to choose between the two."
Corrin was getting angry at this point.
"Why didn't you choose both of them? You could have teamed up together and saved Tutsoi's sister!"
Omna calmed himself.
"It was not so simple, Corrin. People had already begun to notice Tutsoi and Lukas fighting. Bad things happened, and people got hurt. They sided with Tutsoi in the end and drove Lukas away. It wasn't my decision that he left. I simply covered for Tutsoi's actions."
Corrin felt humbled after the explanation.
"So… why does everybody fear him so much?"
"Because… many believe that he was the one who awakened the beasts."
Axel and Corrin take short glances at each other. Axel squints his eyes.
"Beasts? What kind of beasts?"
"Nightmarish beasts. Look at the map. Everywhere in red is their territory, and they get closer to our city every week. These beasts used to be quite benevolent and stayed in the southwest. But one day, they began to attack and expand. Food is minimal, and morale is low. At some point, a rumor began to spread that Lukas had angered them."
Corrin didn't like the sound of nightmarish beasts. Omna continued.
"But, of course, he didn't. And Tutsoi believes that the man who threatened to kill Tutsoi's sister is the cause of all this. But I believe now may be the time to act. Clearly, some things are changing. You and Axel both somehow fall into this realm, likely due to something tampering with the shard of realms. Lukas was framed a year and a half ago, and a mysterious man is on the loose."
Omna takes a deep breath and looks at Axel, Corrin, and Tutsoi.
"Will we all work together to apprehend this mysterious individual?"
Corrin nods his head without hesitation. Axel nods soon after, but also comments.
"After we're done, can we find the shard of realms? We will give you haven in our Empire if you hand the shard to us. After we apprehend this person, of course."
Axel seemed as political as ever. He was more interested in the well-being of Vrebathia than bringing somebody who threatened Tutsoi's sister to justice. Corrin remembered then that he had the shard around his neck.
Corrin took a few steps back, just in case somebody tried to take it from him. When he did, he took the shard and pulled it out from under his shirt. The glow immediately illuminated the entire room.
The others immediately turned to face Corrin.
"Lukas gave this to me. He told me to come here and get proof that he was telling the truth about his story from Tutsoi. He was going to come with me, but I messed up while using it."
Axel took a deep breath.
"Since we're on the subject, I might as well."
Axel takes Corrin's shard out of his coat pocket. The two shards shine together and hum, as though they were communicating.
Omna and Tutsoi's jaws both drop. Omna walks around the table to get a closer look.
"Sweet mother of the gods."
He first looks at the shard of realms, then he turns to look at Corrin's shard.
"The shard of realms…"
Omna brings his hand up to his chin.
"...And the shard of time."
Corrin looks at his shard. It was the shard of time.
"I've never even seen one shard, but to see two in one location. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
He takes both of them in before walking back.
"Corrin, you said you used the shard of realms before?"
Corrin nods. Omna points at it slowly.
"Use it again, try to get back to Lukas and bring him here if you can."
Corrin looks down at the shard. He focuses in the same way he did before. The same problem occurred before. He seemed to have difficulty calling on the shards' power out of the blue and not while in battle. It would have come much easier for him if his life were at stake.
A black and purple ball appeared right beside Corrin. It began to grow in size. Corrin imagined that it would lead to the tower. Corrin walked forward and touched it. His body again felt dizzy, but much less severely than the first two times traveling through the realm's space.
He shot out and appeared in the same room Lukas and he had been in before. The black ball stays. Corrin thinks it is wise to keep it there in case he needs reinforcements or needs to leave quickly.
Corrin looked around but saw nobody. He looked down the stairs, but then something fell from behind him. It was metal and clanked onto the brick flooring. He turned to view what had fallen.
It was a broadsword, covered in black metal. But the black metal soon began to fade away. Corrin looked up; the ceiling was easily 30 feet above him. Above him was nothing but darkness. Even the morning sun couldn't shine through the windows. The snowstorm outside was too thick for anything but simple blue light to puncture its way slightly through the window.
So, instead of looking, Corrin tried to listen. He brought his hand to his right ear and listened for any sound. Corrin didn't have the best hearing, especially after Tenor village burned down and the boulders smashed into the earth. But despite that, he tried to hear something.
He listened and heard a murmur. Then, Corrin had an idea.
He pulled the shard out from under his shirt. The yellow light illuminated the ceiling and everything around him. Corrin wished he hadn't done that. Above him were dozens of gigantic spiders. Their eyes peered down at Corrin. In the center of the ceiling was a dangling figure wrapped up in white webs.
Corrin covered his mouth with his free hand. He pulls out the broadsword on his hip and readies it, despite his never having used a broadsword before. The spiders begin to fall with their webs and climb down the walls. Corrin knows he can't take on all of these things, but he can't leave Lukas either.
He readies himself for combat when suddenly a web shoots his right arm. His arm flies back, and he lets go of his sword, which falls into the black hole.
Corrin was now completely defenseless.