A Timelost Revelation

"Can I learn magic? Can I… Blink like you, or... or... wait that probably requires a Ghost, huh?" Corrin thought for a moment. She was as giddy as a schoolgirl over the prospect of more training… and more battle. Peace was, of course, the end goal for any nation, but Corrin had spent so long on the battlefield that she'd begun to long for the thrill of a good fight.

It didn't seem that would be an issue here, anyway, given how Grey had pretty much been fighting for the entire duration of his career.

A thought came to her suddenly. "Wait, don't you have to be chosen to become a Guardian?"

"You have to be dead before you become a Guardian," Grey corrected. "But being a Guardian don't just mean being a Lightbearer. Guardians are, well, those who protect the Last City and humanity against the Darkness. If you can do that, that pretty much makes you a Guardian."

He led her up the stairs to the Courtyard. "As for the whole magic thing... to tell you the truth, I ain't too sure," he said with a bit of a frown. "You've got a ton of Light in you. Everyone does, every person and living thing. Thing is, you've got more than others, maybe even matching that of some Guardians. When Guardians are raised our inner Light is activated in some way, allowing us to wield the Light as a weapon. Given how you ain't dead, maybe there's some way we can activate your Light too."

"We Ghosts seek out our Guardians from corpses," Saratoga spoke. "Normally their Light can only be truly released when they're judged worthy of the Traveler, and inherently know how to use it. You? Yeah, as Grey said, I ain't too sure, either. There's gotta be some way you can use it. I mean, you had the whole..." he glanced around to check if there was anyone near. "Dragon transformation thing going on, and your Light seems to manifest when that happens. Maybe you need to find a way to focus your Light on Blinking, or even casting a Super just like that."

The princess nodded. If she channeled her light while transformed, perhaps it would help for her to have some kind of tool to focus her power through? She held her dragonstone loosely, ideas turning and churning in her head. Using the stone as a conduit allowed her to control her transformations. Perhaps it could help her to channel that Light for other purposes.

Corrin smiled and looked to the Hunter with a determined and excited look in her eye. "Whether I can become a true Guardian or not, I am always up to learn. Where do we start? Do you have swords? I mean, other than the one I took off that bandit? I can already handle a blade so that might speed things along."

"You'll need more than just a sword, kid," Grey told her, entering the Tower Courtyard. "Ain't gonna get far with just that."

Stepping into the sunlight, Grey paused to glance up towards the sun. It was afternoon now, and the sun was shining its brightest. He frowned. The Almighty was already on its way to Earth, and the people of the City still seemed to be blissfully unaware. In a few weeks they'd probably be seeing the silhouette of Almighty against the sun.

Corrin too stopped and stared, but she wasn't exactly sure what she or Grey were looking for. Still, seeing this City thriving despite the great odds facing humanity only bolstered her resolve. Whether these were her people or not, the princess would protect them.

The Hunter looked away and shook his head. "Come on, Hangar's this way."

They continued forwards, heading down the stairs. The smell of engine fumes and sounds of engineers working on vehicles could be heard as they entered the Tower Hangar.

It was a large, open area, with jumpships parked on landing pads around the place. Civilian mechanics and some Guardians were busy working on their jumpships or Sparrows, or conducting repairs and modifications. Occasionally, a jumpship would enter through the large openings, pick up or drop off a Guardian, and then fly away.

The Tower's Shipwright was crouched over a Sparrow, welding a few parts together.

She paused when she caught sight of Grey walking up to her. She took off her goggles and smiled, waving at him. Her accent was much like Grey's. "Hey, Grey."

"Holliday," Grey nodded, before cocking his head over at the Sparrow. "What're you working on?"

Holliday grinned, motioning to the Sparrow. It was an elegant design, stark white with a yellow trim. There were a pair of stripes going up through the middle and ending in three curving symbols of red, blue, and black. "Zavala asked me to come up with a Sparrow as a prize for second place winner of the Guardian Games after that fancy Cabal machine gun Banshee's working on."

"Guardian Games?" Grey asked, raising a brow. "That's what Zavala's calling the event?"

"Well, what'd you expect it to be called?" Holliday asked. "It's pretty much a sporting event for you Guardians. Like the Olympic Games from the Golden Age, or whatever it's called."

"Right..." the Hunter muttered. "So, what's it called?"

Holliday shrugged. "I dunno. I've mostly been calling it the Runner Up, or something catchy like Second Place Winner," she said, before catching sight of Corrin behind him. "Oh, hey! Who's your friend?"

For her part Corrin was too busy staring at the Sparrow. It was beautiful, and would no doubt be a fine prize for winners of this Guardian Games. She snapped out of her thoughts as the Shipwright addressed her. "Oh! Pleasure to meet you ma'am. My name is Corrin," she flashed a smile, and offered the woman a slight bow.

Holliday returned it with a smile of her own. "Well, pleasure to meet you, kid," she said. "I'm Holliday. I'm the Tower's Shipwright. That means I procure jumpships and Sparrows for the Guardians around here, and fix them up if I have to. Ain't nothing wrong with staring, by the way. I've been working on this baby for a while now."

She turned to Grey. "Say, Grey, I didn't know you were taking more rookies under your wing."

"Hmm?" Grey asked, momentarily confused. Then he glanced to Corrin. "Oh, she ain't a Guardian."

"She ain't?" Holliday asked.

"She ain't," the Hunter confirmed, then paused for a second. "She's, uh, she's trying out for a Scout position with the City Militia. I'm taking her under my wing."

It was a lie of course, though it was plausible. Holliday herself didn't seem to be entirely convinced, but she smiled at Corrin. "Well then, good luck out there," she told her. "I hear Grey here's as tough as they come when it comes to teaching."

Grey rolled his eyes. "You ain't heard nothing yet..." he muttered.,

Corrin flashed the Hunter a teasing smile. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep up."

With that done, Grey turned to the Shipwright and gave her a curt nod. "See you around."

Holliday waved. "Holler if you need me. I'll be here."

They parted ways, and the Hunter led Corrin to one of the many landing pads toward the side.

Parked not too far away was the personal ship of Saint-14, and the legendary Titan himself was standing in front of it, laughing and joking with a pair of other Titans as a handful of pigeons pecked at breadcrumbs by his feet. His signature plumed helm suddenly locked onto Corrin before very quickly making his way towards her. "You... you!" He cried, almost in disbelief. "It is you!"

"Huh?" the princess stopped dead as the Titan approached her. "I… I don't..."

She looked to Grey for answers, but he had the exact same look she had. "What?"

Saint seem to ignore the Hunter, his attention only on Corrin. "You were there! At Twilight Gap, slaying Fallen left and right with a flaming sword!" He said. "It was amazing, to see someone with your skills fighting off the Fallen and protecting the City walls!"

Corrin had no idea how to react. She could only give a confused and nervous chuckle. "I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else."

The Titan seemed adamant. "No, it is you!" He insisted, but then he took another look at her, at her outfit, and the fact that she still seemed so out of place, and everything seemed to sink in. "I see. Perhaps it is not your time yet."

Grey took a step forward. "What are you talking about?"

The Titan glanced at him, then back at Corrin. "I am certain that it is you who was there at Twilight Gap. After all, I asked for you to remove your helmet to look upon a Hero of the City, and so I would remember your face. I do not forget," he said. "And yet you say that you don't know what I'm talking about, and I know why."

He gestured to her armour. "When I met you, you were wearing the garb of a Hunter. Yet here you are not, and I see that you also do not have that flaming sword of yours. Yes, now I understand..." Saint put a hand on his chin in thought. "You were said to have come through a portal, a Vex one."

The princess was once again at a loss. But something did click. When Saint mentioned a flaming sword, he couldn't mean the Yato blade, could he? She supposed there were countless weapons in this world that could fit that description, yet Corrin felt that wasn't the case.

But how could that be, when she hadn't been carrying the Yato when she came to this place?

"Vex?" Grey interrupted, surprised. "You mean the Vex transported her to Twilight Gap?"

"A future version, I am sure," said Saint.

"That's... not possible," Grey said, feeling lost for words now. "They shouldn't have been able to. Twilight Gap ain't on Mercury, and that's where the Infinite Forest is. They shouldn't have been able to do that."

Saint seemed sympathetic. "Perhaps not, but I recall you were calling out for someone named Grey," he said, turning to Corrin. "Neither of you know. That can only been that it is because it has not happened yet!"

Grey was feeling even more lost now, but Saint continued. "I believe that you will find out in due time, perhaps some time from now. It is, I think, your destiny to unravel the secrets of the Vex."

With that, Saint made his way back to his ship, scattering a few more breadcrumbs to the pecking masses. Cayde's pet chicken Colonel was there, and Saint seemed to mutter something about a 'pigeon lord' upon seeing her.

The Hunter shook his head. "Well, that was... weird," he said, though it was very much an understatement. He tried not to think on it too hard, but the thought of a future version of Corrin travelling back to the past and helping Saint fight off the Fallen at Twilight Gap was still very confusing.

He didn't know whether he should check his ass or scratch his watch.

"Come on," he told Corrin, walking over to a control panel. He tapped a few buttons, and in a minute, his jumpship swooped in through the large opening. They were transmatted on, and they were off, streaking off towards the horizon.

They sat in silence as the landscape passed by below, both thinking about the bizarre revelation Saint had told them. This was something none of them could even think of, and someone, it was even more unexpected than Corrin's entire arrival into this world. Fate was playing with them again, it seemed.

After a few more minutes sitting in silence, Grey spoke. "So... you got any idea what he was talking about?"

Corrin blinked and scratched at her cheek. "I have no idea what he was talking about… except the sword part. Back home, I do have a blade that I suppose you could describe as flaming. Kinda wish I'd brought it with me all things considered."

"Could be Raze-Lighter or something, but..." Grey trailed off. He had a feeling it was indeed this blade of hers, but that raised even more questions. How would she even get it in the first place?

Another thing was that Saint had mentioned her wearing the armour of a Hunter. Grey was intending to give her some actual armour when they landed, so perhaps it was indeed her from some time in the future. But how long, exactly? It could be weeks, months, or even years. He frowned at the thought of Corrin being stuck here for so long.

"What is this Twilight Gap?" Corrin asked suddenly, looking to Grey.

"Twilight Gap?" Grey asked, before clearing his throat and leaning forwards. "Well, the Battle of Twilight Gap was one of the largest battles ever fought by the Last City."

"A combined force of Fallen launched an attack on the City with the ultimate goal to capture the Traveler," he said. "See, much like humanity, the Fallen had their own Golden Age when the Traveler came to their home system. But, well, it all came crashing down and ended like humanity's Collapse, which they called the Whirlwind."

Saratoga spoke. "In the years that followed surviving Fallen fled their system and began to search for the Traveler, or Great Machine in their language. They eventually tracked it to Earth after the Collapse, during the Dark Age," he said, projecting an image of Fallen raiding human settlements. "During the Dark Age, the Fallen constantly raided and attacked human settlements all over the world, having been reduced to scavengers and pirates. Early Guardians, then known as Risen, fought them off and protected the civilians, fully transitioning them from Risen to true Guardians."

Grey took over. "By the time of the City Age humanity had banded together to construct the Last City, defending it from Fallen attacks and keeping them from breaching the walls. The City, now protected by walls and Guardians, managed to prevent the Fallen from attacking."

The Ghost's image switched to a breach in the wall, Guardians defending it from a horde of Fallen on the other side. "Over a hundred and fifty years ago, the Fallen, desperate to reclaim the Traveler, launched a final, massive assault on the City. Guardians and the forces of the City managed to hold them off at Twilight Gap, on the outskirts of the City."

"The battle lasted hours, but the Fallen were eventually repelled, and with it their ability to launch any more coordinated attacks on the City," Saratoga finished, the image disappearing. "So there you have it, the Battle of Twilight Gap."

"Fun fact: Chance is a veteran, was one of his earliest battles," said Grey. Then something suddenly clicked. "Wait, he was there. That must've been why he recognised you."

He looked to his Ghost, and they nodded at each other. "Chance's head is a little scrambled," said the Ghost. "But he can still remember faces."

"You must've run into him at Twilight Gap," Grey said, before pausing for a second. "A future version of you, that is. This is just so damn confusing still."

Corrin couldn't agree more. he notion that she'd somehow travel back in time, to this massive battle fought to protect the City, all while searching for Grey was nothing short of a dizzying concept.

Interdimentional travel, magic and mayhem were all normal for Corrin. But time travel? That was new.

She sat up in her seat and turned to Grey. "But if you weren't present at the battle, then why would Saint say I was looking for you?"

The Hunter shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe I'll get thrown to the past as well. We'll only know when it happens for real," he shook his head. "I gotta ask,, though. What's this flaming sword of yours?"

Corrin tapped a finger against the side of her seat. "It's called the Yato. It's a sacred weapon in my world. It was forced by one of the twelve elites, and it was said its wielder would bring peace to the world. I'm not sure how I could bring it here, but given its mystical powers anything is possible."

She'd stopped carrying it on her person after the peace talks ended, but now she was kind of regretting it.

Grey scratched his chin in interest. "A sword that has its wielder bring peace to the world, huh?" He asked. "Guess that worked out for you in the end."

The princess chuckled. "It was a great blessing to have it on the battlefield, regardless of the legend."

All of her decisions had had a major impact on the war, hell it had started the day she chose her Norian family over her Hoshidian one. It was hard to feel like an envoy of peace when war seemed to follow your every move.

"Must've been one hell of an Exotic," Saratoga muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Still, something was a little odd. "But you didn't bring it with you, so how were you using it when you ran—run into Saint at Twilight Gap some time from now?"

"Who knows, maybe it wasn't actually this Yato of hers," Grey shrugged. "Could be some kind of Solar sword."

"But what if it is?" The Ghost asked. "Maybe the Vex have managed to pull it from her reality, just like they did with her."

The Hunter leaned forwards in thought. That was possible. More than that, it raised the question of whether they'd be able to pull anyone else from her reality as well. Maybe they'd have the entire royal family of Hoshido and Nohr getting tossed out of a Vex Gate.

He didn't want to tempt fate, though.

"I reckon Saint's right," Grey said, turning back around to the jumpship's controls. "'I believe that we will find out in due time'," the Hunter said, mimicking the Titan's odd accent, but broke into a smile upon finishing. "Heh, that's pretty funny."

Corrin giggled at that, turning to stare out the windows as the scenery passed by over thirty thousand feet below.