Happenstance (Fire Emblem Fates)

The Sense of an Ending

Anankos ran the sharp end of a rock against his shin, hissing in a mix of pain and pleasure. Red eyes examined the multiple cuts and the blood trailing down his legs, and he grinned devilishly. When he got to his feet, standing at his full height, he staggered, walking with a slight limp. Tears were beginning to well in his eyes, and he could not help but laugh. This human was so pitiful, how had his other half taken an affinity to him?

Anankos scoffed in amusement. Soon, he would have this body to himself.

He pushed through the burning in his legs, knowing that he had certainly felt worse, and he continued down the sidewalk. Many times he stumbled, cursing his weak vessel, but he kept on his way towards the Windmire house.

It was eerie, only the pale moonlight showing him his path, but he pressed on, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The threat of police finding the trail failed to faze him, knowing he could easily deal with weakling humans. There was only one thing that could harm him, and it would not be long before he dealt with it.

Approaching the house, he quieted his steps and suppressed the purple flames exuding through his skin. He ran his hand through his hair, entangling his bangs with dirt and flaring them out. For good measure, he added some cuts to his face and ripped some of his clothing.

From around the corner, Anankos could nearly taste the negative emotions brewing from the individual on the back steps. Although his power was limited in this human body, the dragon could still sense emotions and manipulate them as well. It was simple to deduce from the feel of residue magic that it was Leo sitting around the corner, kept up by the pangs of insomnia and self-deprecating thoughts.

The dragon grinned to himself. This was simply too easy. The gods were just smiling down on him today, it seemed.

Anankos allowed the tears to fall freely now, and without precedent, he stumbled around the corner and collapsed. Leo instantly jumped to his feet and ran over to his friend, shock overcoming him at the sight of cuts and smudges of blood. It took everything in the dragon to hold back a smile, to not audibly laugh at how smoothly everything was going.

"Gods!" The blond cried out, rolling his friend onto his back to examine the countless more injuries, "Takumi, what happened to you!"

Anankos kept his eyes squeezed shut to feign pain and he winced against Leo's touch with a groan. "I c-can't explain now," he muttered, hand clenching over his chest, "please... just get Azura... and have her sing for... for me."

Leo seemed rooted in place in a mix of shock and panic. Guessing by how long it seemed for him to make up his mind, the dragon wondered if the reincarnated mage had figured him out. Either way, it took him a beat too long to get to his feet and run into the house, leaving the back door wide open in his rush.

For how smart Leo made himself out to be, he had no common sense. He wouldn't hesitate in leaving Takumi behind in the cold, on the ground of his backyard? He wouldn't question why he was here in the middle of the night? It wasn't as if the blond had no knowledge of Anankos. And if the plan continued its success, the plunder would cost him his sister's life.

Anankos sat himself up, digging his hands into the stones on the ground for good measure. And what excuse would he give to Azura? He brushed the thought aside; as long as he was able to lure her out, there was no need to plan any further. He had the rocks beside him as well as his own two hands. Leo was powerless against him, and the dragon's inability to kill the human meant nothing; it was the girl he was after.

He frowned. It would be easier to proceed into the house rather than stay outside. After all, Leo left the door wide open and the screaming would be better contained within the house. He pushed some of the stones into his pockets before getting to his feet and entering the house, making sure to close the door behind him.