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Azura is terrified that it's her voice that dies first.
This is only a momentary interruption, a shift from one form to the next as Anankos dissolves into a spray of mist, into his next form. Her heart pounds in her ears, and her throat has long passed the point of feeling raw and scratchy. The air that once helped fill her lungs with power feels like it's been stolen from them, and she watches on, sweat dripping down her brow as Anankos prepares to take the next form. That is what he's doing… right?
The others must think the same. Silas is still standing in front of Corrin as a shield, hunched over on his horse, so tired he seems ready to slip right off. Of course Corrin stands directly behind him, still crouched and ready to go despite the blood pouring from her thigh and leaving a sticky trail on her armour. To the left and right sides of each of them are Ryoma and Felicia and Xander and Charlotte, all sharing in Azura's anticipation and fear. She can see it in the way Ryoma is still trying to keep Felicia behind him, away from the brunt of whatever it will be. She sees it in the way Charlotte's grip on her axe is so tight, not even Xander himself could wrench it from his grasp. Somewhere behind her, she knows Jakob will not have torn his gaze from her for even a minute, too afraid that something could happen to his beloved. All of them are watching and waiting, not ready to believe it's over yet, not ready to believe that Azura's voice and all of their blood could be enough. It's not over yet. It isn't over yet. He's been toying with them all the way along, surely he's just trying to make them comfortable so he can strike once more. That's all it is.
"Is it… Is he gone?" Elise dares to ask from behind her. Azura isn't sure who she's talking to. Likely just seeking any adult that will listen, she wagers. "Did we beat him?"
"Shhh," Someone — probably Leo — silences her. He would never be the type to trust in his enemy's demise. "Just watch."
Elise seems to oblige him, and another moment passes. Then, without a ceremonious send-off or guttural battle cry, the invisible soldiers dissolve.
Azura is unable to fight off the gasp that escapes her throat.
It can't be.
After all of these years…
"Oh my gods," murmurs Jakob, rushing to her side. "My love, did we do it? Did we free him?"
Azura stares, long and hard, up at the space where the dragon once held strong. The dragon that killed her father. The dragon that tore apart her country. The dragon who preyed on her and her mother for years. Gone. Gone.
Forever.
They had finally freed Anankos from his suffering.
Tears pour over her, although she's not really sure why. She's not sure that it's truly joy that she's feeling. It's more like… relief. It settles into her bones in an instant, and as soon as it does, her legs give out, pulling her down the floor. Jakob does his best to try and catch her on the way down, but he's worked himself too hard and his muscles aren't quite strong enough to support them both. The two of them fall together, and in the distance she can hear Sakura yelp out her name as they rush to be by her side. The poor thing, she must be terrified she's hurt herself with her song… but the truth is, she's never felt better in her life, stinging in her throat be damned.
"Azura," Jakob says frantically, squeezing her arm, "Azura, my love, please speak to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing," she chokes out, her voice feeling ugly and raw, "Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all."
"Azura, please, you're frightening me," he whispers, brow furrowed. He's been terrified of losing her ever since he found out about the power of her song. As tough as he pretends to be, Jakob is still a person. He still feels these things just like everyone else, especially for his soon-to-be-wife.
Wife. Gods, she's actually going to get to be his wife.
"It's alright now, Jakob," she says, turning her head to look into his eyes. "We… I think we…"
She doesn't manage to get the words out before the crowd of soldiers erupts around her. The sound makes them jump, but the sights of their faces puts her completely at ease. Looking over at Elise, pure joy on her face, she knows they've all seen it too. They know that they're safe now.
"We did it!" Elise shrieks loudly, hopping down from her horse to launch herself into the nearest person's arms. Tsubaki receives her with a mixture of contentment and confusion, but he too starts to smile and laugh, overwhelmed by the sensation of freedom. Relief is washing over each and every one of them, just as it did Azura, and it could not feel better. "We saved it! We freed Azura's home!"
Rinkah lets out a Fire Tribe warrior's call of victory. Hayato and the twins answer with the ones from their own tribes. Hinata throws himself against Oboro in delight, and despite the fact that he knocks her right off her feet, she lets him. Selena and Odin laugh as Laslow bursts into happy tears at their sides, and Selena, in a rare moment of affection, puts her arm around each of them. Orochi breathes a sigh of relief and nuzzles her face into Kagero's neck, clearly feeling the happiest she's felt in a while despite her subdued reaction. Peri jumps up and down as she cheers, and swept up in the heat of the moment, Setsuna and Hana join in with her.
Up ahead, she sees Corrin and her eldest brothers, each of them locked into their own moment. Xander is holding Charlotte by the waist, holding her up like she's victory incarnate, and she is cheering into the air, bragging about how "nobody fucks with Nohr". Conversely, in a moment of her own forwardness, the future Hoshidan queen has pried her fiancé's chin armour from his face and is now stealing a passionate kiss — not that Ryoma seems to mind. No, he never does when it comes to Felicia. As for Silas and Corrin, well… they are hopping onto Silas's trusty steed, ready to race over to Azura's side. The smile on Corrin's face is undeniable, and just seeing the joy in her, Silas seems unable to stop smiling too.
Weakly, Azura moves to prop herself up, with Jakob still supporting her back. In a moment, they will have their own celebration, but he knows how important it is that the two children of Valla have this victory to share.
"Azura!" Corrin cries as they bound towards her, her white waves bouncing with the movement despite the sweat slicking her bangs to her forehead. "Azura! We made it!"
"We made it," Azura whispers to herself, unable to fight off the smile that crosses her face. "We made it."
"We made it," Jakob whispers from beside her, planting a kiss on the side of her head. "Your mother would be so proud, Azura."
The words could make her tears fall anew. Mother… She would have been so happy. Oh, how Azura wishes she could have seen this. In her heart, she knows that her mother has been watching them all the way along, but that doesn't make it feel any less sad. Somewhere out there, she chooses to believe that she, Sumeragi, Garon, and Mikoto are sharing in the celebration too — now that Valla is at peace, so too can be their souls.
We made it, Mother.