(The chapter opens on Corrin, Azura, Ryoma, Xander, and Scarlet. All five of them are walking together near the border between Nohr and Valla.)
Ryoma: Corrin, I must ask... What exactly are we doing here? You said that you would explain eventually, but we've been in a hurry ever since leaving Nestra...
Corrin: There have been many reinforcements coming in from the land of Valla... When we went to visit the Rainbow Sage, Azura and I learned that the invisible soldiers are coming from here. They... They're the ones who led the attack on the capital that led to the death of our mother. I figured that it would be easier for us to fight back elsewhere after we took care of them first.
Ryoma: You mean the people surrounded by purple fire... I suppose it would make sense to eliminate them as soon as possible.
Xander: You believe that they're in Valla? I never would have expected anyone to be here... The land is a shadow of its former self. There aren't any people here...
Scarlet: It's not like they've led us astray yet. Maybe you should go on and trust what they have to say.
Azura: I can confirm that what Corrin says is true. The sooner that we can take care of things here in Valla, the sooner we'll be able to bring peace to the rest of the continent.
Corrin: Exactly... Plus, I... I need answers regarding what happened to Mother. There must have been a reason that she died, and... I'm going to find it while we're here.
Ryoma: We're here with you. Promise.
Azura: We should head on into Valla now... We can slide down the side of the canyon here and wind up on the land below. From there, we can try to figure out which direction the fighters are coming from.
???: Not so fast.
Corrin: Who is...?
(Hans appears behind the group. An axe is in his hand.)
Corrin: H-Hans!
Xander: What are you doing here?
Hans: You're all fools... You know that? If you had been paying more attention, you would realize that you were being followed since you left Nestra.
Azura: We have to take care of him as soon as possible. There are other matters that require our attention.
Hans: I'm not going to let you take me out so easily... Step aside at once or face the consequences that come with facing me and turning against the kingdom of Nohr!
Ryoma: We will do no such thing, you fiend.
Hans: Then you'll pay the price for it!
(Hans throws his axe at Ryoma.)
Scarlet: Ryoma!
(Scarlet jumps in the way of the hit and collapses.)
Ryoma: Scarlet! You fiend!
Hans: You were all fools for believing that you'd get away from Nohr so easily. This is on your heads.
Corrin: I've had enough of hearing you talk! It's time for us to fight!
(The battle begins. The objective is to defeat the boss, Hans. Your units are stationed up at the top of the map while Hans is near the bottom. The enemy faction is a mix of Nohrian soldiers and invisible fighters from Valla. Note: Sakura, Elise, and Scarlet cannot be deployed for this map.)
(At the start of turn one, the following dialogue plays out.)
Azura: Corrin, Sakura and Elise are going to be staying behind to look after and heal Scarlet. We're going to have to go on without them. I trust you to lead us well even without the three of them.
Corrin: Yes, of course...
Ryoma: Scarlet... Please, hold on... I'm going to kill this dastard for your sake!
(If Corrin initiates combat with Hans, the following dialogue plays out.)
Corrin: I don't know how you can live with yourself... You're nothing short of a monster.
Hans: You betrayed Nohr after everything its people did for you, and I'm somehow the monster? Take a look in the mirror before you start to criticize others.
Corrin: I've had enough of listening to you already. You aren't going to be getting away with this! I'll make sure you pay for your crimes here and now!
(If Ryoma initiates combat with Hans, the following dialogue plays out.)
Ryoma: You're going to pay for what you did to Scarlet.
Hans: Aw, did I hurt your little girlfriend? How upsetting... Not. She had it coming for defying the great kingdom of Nohr.
Ryoma: You can shove that greatness back down your throat. What is greatness when it spits on the innocent and kills the defenseless?
Hans: You're talking morality with me, Prince? As if you're any better!
Ryoma: I've had enough of looking at your face. You disgust me. Raijinto will find a secure place inside your chest!
(If Xander initiates combat with Hans, the following dialogue plays out.)
Xander: Your crimes disgust me.
Hans: You can't say that you're any better. If you had kept quiet and continued to serve your king, we wouldn't be in this situation.
Xander: I cannot abide by such actions of atrocity, and I don't understand how you can either.
Hans: It's none of your business.
Xander: In that case, we're finished talking. Step aside or die!
(If anyone else initiates combat with Hans, the following dialogue plays out.)
Hans: In the name of the king of Nohr, you must die!
(When Hans is defeated, the following dialogue plays out.)
Hans: No... I can't fail here... I can't... Die...
(After the battle, Corrin, Azura, Ryoma, and Xander look down at Hans' body.)
Corrin: Pathetic... I don't understand him in the slightest.
Azura: He's gone now though... That will allow us to press on towards the center of the enemy's attacks.
Xander: Tch... I'll never understand a man like him...
Ryoma: Where's Scarlet? We have to make sure that she's okay.
(Scarlet, Sakura, and Elise appear.)
Scarlet: You're worried, huh? No need to be. I'm fine.
Ryoma: Scarlet!
Scarlet: Your little sister did a great job at fixing me up. I'm fine now.
Sakura: I-I didn't do everything... E-Elise helped out a lot too. I don't know what I would have done without her help...
Elise: We both did this. We should be proud of ourselves for working together like that.
Xander: I'm glad to hear that you two are getting along then...
Sakura: Yeah... I suppose we are...
Elise: We're a lot less different than I expected, I have to say!
Sakura: She's right... A-Anyways, Scarlet should be fine. Her wound wasn't too serious.
Elise: I was worried for a moment there, but everything turned out fine! What happened with Hans?
Xander: He's gone... We took care of him.
Elise: I'm glad to hear it! I never liked him much, and it's pretty clear now that he most certainly deserved every ounce of my hate that he got.
Sakura: I'm relieved everything worked out...
Ryoma: Scarlet, do you think you'll be able to fight?
Scarlet: Of course! A pesky axe like that isn't going to take me down forever. I'm a lot tougher than that guy gave me credit for.
Ryoma: That's such a relief...
Corrin: I feel the same. I would hate to lose an ally so soon after meeting them for the first time.
Azura: I suppose it all worked out in the end... Now, we can keep going.
(Hinoka, Camilla, Takumi, and Leo appear.)
Camilla: We have bad news.
Corrin: What is it?
Leo: It's another invasion force. This time, Iago is the one leading it.
Takumi: That Hans punk must have called for backup, assuming they weren't there all along...
Hinoka: We won't be able to progress at our own pace until we get rid of them.
Camilla: They're getting closer with every minute that we stand here.
Azura: It seems there's only one option...
Corrin: Yeah. We'll have to take them out. It's a shame we have to deal with this distraction, but... It is what it is, I suppose.
Leo: I'll start preparing the rest of the group then.
Takumi: The good news is that this group of soldiers is likely the last of the Nohrian group from Nestra.
Hinoka: After we take them out, we should be able to proceed as we hoped to before.
Corrin: Alright. Let's get right into it then. There's not a moment for us to lose!
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