Was it the right choice? Could I have tried to rebuild my previous life? I ask these very questions to the current day, and I still have no definitive answer.

Blacking out from the teleportation and landing back in Fodlan was not my best attempt. I don't know if I was sloppy or if Earth just messes with magic since it has none because arriving about 5 feet in the air from the ground makes for a hard landing. A plume of dust poofs up as I hit the hardwood flooring in my old room at the Galatea estate as I try to get my bearings.

Looking around it's obvious something went wrong since there are sheets on everything, yet it doesn't seem to be as it was when I first arrived. I can clearly see the old alchemy table I had built still to the side and much of the walls and roofing look new as if someone rebuilt it. I look around a bit more in awe before I stop in my tracks understanding what had happened.

"I'm in the goddamn future," I say out loud to nobody in the dusty room.

I head towards my alchemy lab to check to see if any of my belongings are still here and it looks completely cleaned out. Hopefully, I can smooth things over with the Count since I'm guessing I've been gone longer than a few days if repairs to the house have been made and dust has settled.

I head to the door to go find my quarry but the door doesn't budge. I check the lock and its unlocked. I give it another budge and it holds steady as if someone boarded up the door from the outside. I sigh and conjure up Cutting Gale to blast into the door to give me an exit. I'm sure the Count will understand.

The door blows clear to the other side of the hallway slamming into the wall, and as I step out I notice a maid I don't quite recognize down the hall frozen like a deer looking at me. I wave and put on my best smile asking, "Sorry about the door, but, uh, is the Count around?"

She gives me another once overlook and then turns on her heel screaming down the hall towards the stairwell, "Master! Master!"

"Well, that wasn't the reaction I was hoping for," I comment to myself quietly as I walk down the hall at my own pace in the direction of the screaming.

Following the voice I eventually end up in the foyer where the screaming has stopped and I see Leif, looking much worse for wear with wild hair and a bit unkempt leather jacket standing with a blade at the ready with two armed guards in chain and leather armor bearing the crest of Daphnel painted on the front.

Leif looks at me with wide eyes and pursed lips but doesn't utter a single word, which only adds to the unreadable intensity the man is projecting. Figuring I should break the ice and lighten the mood a bit, I try to joke and say, "So, what did I miss?"

" That's all you have to say? 'What did I miss'? Are you fucking serious?" Leif roars as he takes three aggressive steps towards me with his blade at the ready.

I take a step back and put my hand up, "Okay, so you probably want an explanation and I have one. It's been an emotional few hours for me since I teleported, but I can explain if you let me."

"You can explain it in chains Santos. Guards, seize him," Leif commands as he points his sword towards me and the two burly men come up and secure me from each side. The guard on my left side looks a bit confused so I whisper to him, "I'm a cripple, I don't have a left arm," to which the man nods.

I return my attention to Leif and ask, "This really necessary? Is it about the room and it's destruction? Talk to me, Leif."

Count Galatea stomps up to me, towering over me slightly with his face about an inch from my face snarling out, "Because Santos, you're little experiment years ago created an energy that turned half my staff into demonic beasts. Nearly killed everyone here, myself and Ingrid included. With you gone and Luin missing I wasn't left with many choices. That is until I read through all your notes," Leif backs away from my face a bit as I mutter under my breath, "Shit."

"Yes, Santos. I read about the blood magic. The crestology. But, when I thought it couldn't get worse after investigating your crimes here, a few weeks later Cornelia turns up with evidence of your involvement with the Dagdan military. A wanted criminal in not only Adrestia but also Dagda! You are a sickness that keeps spreading!" Leif shouts at me, which at this point I'm a bit stunned that the warm man I knew literally hours ago has transformed into someone so hateful towards me.

"I don't affiliate with Dagda, and if you'd listen to me about it I can explain it," I plead to the enraged lord but seemingly having none of it he fiercely responds, "No! I'll have no more of your lies! You're a snake. Dagda wants your head just as much as anyone, whether you are still a spy, deranged mage, or insane criminal. And finally, you betrayed my trust, Santos. And you will pay the price."

"So you are going to kill me?" I ask cautiously to the angry Count who shakes his head, "No, you will be executed in Fhirdiad. The bounty on your head will go to my house and help the effort to restore my lands. In a sense, you will have helped me."

Leif returns his full attention to me locking his gaze onto my eyes stating, "I will take you to Fhirdiad to be executed. Then, your head will be shipped to Dagda in a shoebox. Killing you will help Lord Regent Rufus' reign and help unite the kingdom in knowing that a dangerous criminal has been caught."

Still stunned from not only the situation I had back on Earth not even 30 minutes ago but finding out that people I thought were my allies have turned on me, but deep down I can't really blame them with how selfishly I had acted. I threw away a lot of trust and kindness for my pursuits, and now I find myself on the chopping block. I suppose that's karmic justice. Guess I don't need to enroll myself in therapy for all the messy feelings I have that I'm currently numb to and repressing either, so I guess that's a silver lining if there ever was one.

Before I can offer up a response to rebuttal and defend myself, Count Galatea quickly takes the hilt of his blade and clocks me over the head with it and my vision fades to black. Not sure anything I said could have helped the situation, but it also makes me wonder, how long has it been?

The travel from Galatea to Fhirdiad was one of the most uncomfortable journeys I've ever had to make, being pulled ahead by a horse with a metal collar around my neck for 5 days through the mud and cold nearly killed me alone, but with my magical healing and the meager rations that Galatea's guards tossed my way I managed. The Count outright refused to talk to me since our encounter at his estate, but I did learn he found Luin in my old room where I had dropped it and reclaimed it, and luckily the magic I had imbued it with had faded.

Being alone those few days with my thoughts, I began to think if it was really the right call to come back to Fodlan. If I should have stayed on Earth and tried to rebuild my old life or something, but something drew me back. I think it's the fact that on Earth I was alone, and here on Fodlan, I figured I would be among people that cared about me. With me now in a cell waiting to be executed, I'm starting to feel a bit foolish for returning.

Sothal spoke with me on the 3rd day when my hunger pangs were at an all-time high and confirmed that the 2 and a half hours on Earth, combined with the wonky spell incantation had placed me back in Fodlan where I was not 2 and a half hours later, but 2 and a half years later. It's the year 1179 in month Red Wolf Moon, so the cold is pretty bad with the sleet and rain pouring down haphazardly. A rotation of 3 armed guards stayed with me during the entire travel and explicitly said nothing to me, which got old very quickly when trying to strike up a conversation to get some information only to get punched in the face. Another karmic justice thing I presume that fate cooked up just for me.

Arriving in Fhirdiad I was greeted with getting pelted by snowballs, snowballs, and rocks in them, and, you guessed it, rocks. Lots of stones. Once again my healing kept me from having permanent brain damage, but I still felt every single one hit me leaving me in a bevy of bruises. They brought me to the royal palace and put me in the dungeon to wait and rot. From the conversations I heard, it seems like my execution is a big deal for the current royalty to help solidify their power hold. At least people will be at my funeral, so that's a plus.

After 3 days of waiting in the cold and barren dungeon underneath the palace, I finally heard the door open at a time different than mealtime, meaning only one thing. Visitor or it's showtime.

I hear careful footsteps clack on the stone down the hallway. Inside the cell I've tried to make myself comfortable, but with them deciding to chain my legs and arm along with inscribing the cell with a silence rune on the ceiling ensuring I could conduct no magic I pose little to no threat to anyone.

The source of the steps finally shows itself when the person appears in front of my cell holding a lantern in a beautiful red and gold dress that shows off a very voluptuous figure topped off with a fox skin scarf. Her hair is done up in the way I remember her to do it back at the academy and her makeup seems to be on point as well, matching her wardrobe choice with red lipstick and gold flaky eyeshadow.

"It's been a while, Santos of Dagda. Or should I call you "The Blood Shaman" as you are known by the locals back there, hmmm?" Cornelia jeers with a haughty grin.

I do my best to roll my eyes, but even that action seems laborsome in my pitiful state as I reply, "Cornelia. Fancy seeing you here. I didn't prepare any tea unfortunately so you'll have to forgive me."

"For a dead man, you seem to be in rather good spirits."

"Accepted all this," I gesture lazily with my head around me, "Around day 4. Now it's just what it is."

Cornelia steps up to the bars of the cell, looking down on my striped body that's now only covered in rags the guards provided earlier as they saw fit to remove my robes. With a look of disgust, Cornelia says, "I always knew you were hiding something. I just didn't expect you to turn up actually, considering I read your journals and managed to get in contact with a few individuals in Dagda. Anyways, interesting theories might I add. That last ritual in your journal should have reduced you to ash, yet here you are. You never did write down what it was, but I figured that out too," Cornelia pauses a bit dramatically to which I stare blankly up at her waiting for her to continue, "It was for time travel. You intended to send yourself into the future far enough where your crimes would be forgotten, but it seems you have failed. I signified you might return and told Galatea to be on the alert for your belated arrival. But, you can't outrun your sins, Santos. Nor can you evade justice."

"Yep, you figured me all out. Congrats. Are you going to keep gloating, or do you have anything else to say?" I nonchalantly fire back causing Cornelia to scowl at me and shriek back, "You're mocking me!"

"Me? Never. That'd be highly unprofessional of a doctor such as myself," I tease back. If I'm going to die, I might as well get in some choice words and mess with those who were against me from the very beginning. Also, starvation and dehydration haven't done my charismatic charm any favors.

"Cope whatever way this is, but know that you couldn't outsmart the royal court or me. If you didn't leave when you did I would have had your balls in a vice for all the realms to see. Your plan was doomed the very moment you stepped onto Faergus soil."

"Don't threaten me with a good time, Cornelia. And you are missing a few key details about myself. I didn't write everything down in my journals, you know?"

"I see your humor is becoming more like the sewage that passes through the underbelly of the city. And your lying. A warp like that could only be used for time travel with how your diagrams outlined it," Cornelia reasons, but I chuckle at her rationale which only seems to upset her more as I hear her cry out, "Stop that!"

I stifle my laughter and clear my throat out, "It's cute you think yourself so smart. That you think you have me all figured out. You have much in common with the shitty know-it-all medical student TA's I would encounter back at university. I'll throw you a bone since you've been such a good dog to the king regent. I didn't intend to time travel. I was traveling dimensions. Time travel was a side effect."

"That's a lie. Such magic is impossible," Cornelia retorts and I respond, "Impossible to you. Not me."

Cornelia steps back from my cell and brushes off her dress a bit and carefully readjusts her hair, "You're execution will be sweet as you are clearly delusional down here. I reckon it won't take too many more days for the rest of the nobility to come witness your demise. Farewell Santos of Dagda."

"Hasta luego Cornelia. I'll make sure to save you a seat in hell," I mock back at the sorceress as she storms away and I crane my head to watch her leave. Annoying her had been the best thing that had happened since I came back to Fodlan. Sure it was petty, and perhaps even childish, but in my defense, I love toying with people who think their smarter than they really are, and in doing this gave me some kind of pyrrhic joy. If I'm going to die, then I might as well enjoy it, right?

The days in that cell gave me plenty of time to reflect on my past relationships and decisions. What I would have done differently. 'What if' is a dangerous phrase as it seems to create new questions and resurrect old ones, and if you are looking for answers then I can only advise that you avoid them unless it is entertainment that you seek.

My mind drifted to my memories with Cassandra, my childhood with my brothers and parents, numerous friends through grade school and several other amazing events. All gone, except for in my memory they live on. At first, I thought that it would be depressing, but then I thought that it just makes those memories more special. In me, they live on, which I think is neat and equally sad.

I had eventually lost count of the days as my sleep schedule had been erratic chained down in the dreary basement of the royal keep and with no sunlight to help guide my decisions I tried to count the meals I received, but those are far and few between.

My stupor of bouncing between old memories that seemed to be my daily norm is interrupted as the dungeon doors open again and I heard several footsteps approaching my position. Guess it's finally time.

"It's not too late Santos. You can fulfill your destiny and seize my power for yourself completely. End the cycle."

"And you can sit pretty and wait for it to end naturally. I'm content with not creating a massacre out of the world. Deal with it Sothal."

Sothal recedes into my subconscious seemingly for the last time as I can no longer even sense the hints of his influence or semblance in my mind. As I'm distracted with probing my own mind I hear the doors to my cell open and see a few knights enter and begin to undo my shackles. I count about 12 of them in total, with 4 being mages. I'm cuffed and a black sack hood is put over my head to completely obscure my vision as I hear a gritty voice warn, "Any sudden movements mage and you'll find yourself in a world of hurt."

I do my best to shrug but being held by 4 knights makes the motion a bit impossible. They quickly march with me in tow, nearly dragging me as I can feel the weakness in my legs due to malnutrition setting in and lack of use certainly hasn't helped either.

We march for about 15 minutes up many stairs and corridors until I finally feel cold air and lots of jeering from people. It's the kind of noise you'd hear as a sports team at a rival stadium, except I'm the rival and the whole damn country is the stadium. I'm led through the crowd of angry screaming people for another few minutes until I feel us going up some steps to onto some scaffolding by the feel of the material on my feet.

My hood is ripped off and I'm in the center square on the performance podium they would use for big plays and I see the square is filled to the brim with people of all types. I look around on the podium and see many knights and some nobility in their full armor, most notably I see Count Galatea is on the stage with me along with Cornelia, Lord Regent Rufus, Margrave Gautier, and a few other people I don't immediately recognize. Also, there is the typical hood executioner with an oversized ax standing next to a chopping block.

Rufus seems to gesture to the crowd to calm and settle and it takes them a few moments to do so and they are silent all across the town square. He steps forward announcing, "People of Faergus. I, King Regent Rufus Blaiddyd present to you a criminal, a coward, and a deceiver. This man threatened the integrity of our great nation by worming his way into our system only to betray those who would befriend and help someone in need. A war criminal from a foreign nation using forbidden blood magic on our people turning them into monsters. He has been caught and will see justice today."

The crowd roars with enthusiasm as Rufus pauses and his ensemble of nobility on the stage clap for him as he continues, "So, we will sleep better tonight knowing that one less monster is in the world. But, we being the generous and auspicious people of the Holy Kingdom of Faergus will follow the Goddess's wishes and show some mercy. A chance for this vagabond to admit his wrongdoings. So! Santos of Dagda, the Blood Shaman of Fodlan's Fangs, what say you for your crimes against humanity?"

I get pushed forward onto the stage with the crowd splayed out before me and with the tip of a blade digging into my back with the smug King Regent Rufus standing expectantly a few feet to my side. I give the nobility a slow and tired glance before I look back into the crowd and as loudly I can say, "I regret a lot. I shouldn't have done a lot of things that I did, especially to Count Galatea and his family. But, I have helped many in my time here," I hear some chuckles and whispers begin to emit from the crowd, "and I accept what you may think of me. Just know that you don't have the whole story from what your so-called king has told you. Some people just want a scapegoat to ignore real problems."

As I'm being quickly dragged off the stage after my little rant and I hear Rufus shout, "On to the beheading! We shall have justice!"

The crowd erupts into another session of cheers as I'm lined up in the head wedge of the chopping block and can hear some faint grunts coming from the executioner as he takes a few warm-up swings next to me. I close my eyes try to focus on enjoying my last few breaths of fresh air as I hear the executioner line up to my side and the crowds cheering increase as the climax of the event is nearing.

"Let justice reign! End him!" Rufus declares and I can hear the executioner grunt as he lifts his large steel ax.

My body tenses as I anticipate the blow to end my life and just about when I believe he is about to swing down and take my life I hear a 'thunk' and the executioner fall over onto his side gasping in pain and the ax fall next to him with a heavy 'clang'.

The crowd is astonished by the sudden change of events and more murmurs and talking is coming from the crowd and I eventually hear a voice from the crowd shout, "Move! Make way for the knights of Seiros and Archbishop Rhea!"

What?

I maneuver my head to look into the crowd and I can see people are stepping to the side to make a path for a group of knights in the Church of Seiros colors, with Rhea leading them. I glance over to the executioner beside me still howling in pain as he has an arrow stuck nicely in the middle of his thigh. I smile and watch with curiosity as the nobility seems caught in headlights as Rhea makes her way towards the stage with a few personal knights, one of which I recognize immediately by her lightweight leather outfit, short blueish hair, and bow at the ready.

Shamir looks over at me and gives me a quick but deliberate roguish wink before returning her attention to the nobles she's approaching with Lady Rhea and the other entourage of knights she's with.

Finally, on the stage, Rhea addresses everyone, "Good people of Faergus, I am Archbishop Rhea of the Church of Seiros. I am here today to claim the prisoner, Santos Capetillo of Dagda as it within my authority and right to claim criminals and miscreants of the nations. He will have a different punishment as it is the will of the Goddess."

More murmurs break out in the crowd, more confusion, and uncertainty. Not wanting the situation to lose him favor Rufus quickly interjects, "Lady Rhea, while I appreciate your unexpected arrival, I do believe that you can't just take my prisoner away. Anybody?!"

"She can actually. It's in the old laws of the Kingdom of Faergus," Cornelia begrudgingly answers as she glares at Rhea who seems completely unaffected by the posturing of the nobility.

"Shamir, go get the prisoner," Rhea commands to which I see Shamir jog over to my position on the chopping block. She helps me to my feet and whispers, "You know this makes it the second time I've rescued for an execution. Not that I'm keeping count of course."

"Put it on my tab," I reply as I put my arm around Shamir for support to help my unwieldy legs walk. With all the sound combined with the dizziness of malnutrition feels like I'm underwater and I can't make out what Rhea and Rufus are saying, all I can manage to see is Rufus is looking incredibly ticked off and Rhea is stone cold.

Shamir helps walk me to the bulk of the Seiros knights and I do see Rhea rejoin us shortly stating, "We are leaving Fhirdiad now. We will return to Garreg Mach immediately. Catharine and the convoy is outside the city gates ready for us."

"Of course Lady Rhea. Let's march soldiers!" Shamir shouts and we begin to march with Shamir, Rhea and I in the center of the circle the knights have formed around us to lead us out of the city. I don't hear much besides lots of whispering from the crowd as they seem about as stunned as the nobility, and myself to be honest.

Once we are out of the square where the majority of the people were I look to Rhea and ask, "So, what's my sentence? And can I ask why, your...holiness?"

Rhea looks to me and smiles, "That is an apt title, and to answer your question it would be servitude. I remember you from back in Arundel many years ago when we fought against Dagdan and Brigid forces, healing people in the streets. I came not only because of my trusted knight Shamir's recommendation but because I saw good in you that day. And I believe that you can atone for your sins and still serve the greater good. And I have many questions for you, as do others. We will save that once this excursion is finished and you are rested."

All I can do in my ragged state is a nod to the archbishop's eloquent answer and march on with the rest of her troops as we edge towards the eastern entrance to the town and I see many carriages and troops on horseback armed and at the ready. Looks like Rhea was ready to come in guns blazing with over 200 knights. I take one last look back at the city of Fhirdiad and the desolate snowy land around the walls of the city as I board a carriage with some unknown knights of Seiros.

"Farewell Fhirdiad, it's been something." I muse out loud as I take my seat on the cold wooden bench and pass out from exhaustion. Here's to my new life in Fodlan.

A/N: Chapter comes a day early, bite me :p but there we have it, folks, quite the warm welcome back to Fodlan, eh? Santos is off to the Church of Seiros and Garred Mach whether he likes it or not with a big ole target on his head now that reputation has spread and bridges have been burned. What do you think will happen next? Right now we are a couple of months before Byleth arrives, so you know that will be interesting once all the events at the Church happen, but what will be different and what will be the same? Stay tuned and find out. Tell me what you think is going to happen!

So finally about 90k words before hitting the main canon of the game, pretty crazy prelude? Anyways, here's the review responses. Also, I've had my beta slowly going through my chapters editing to which they are finally caught up (!), so moving forward there should hopefully be fewer errors. Edited versions will be out a day or two after the initial release generally just due to timing and such.

Review Response:

VGBlackwing: Yeah, Sevihn was a jerk but he didn't have the foresight to predict this. He thought he would have Santos's body! And yes, bad things have happened with relationships and contacts built up. He's pretty close to public enemy #1 due to the bad press. regular folks are pretty averse to magic, let alone blood magic.

Bonefish: He didn't swing it, he got real goddamn lucky and falling into other people's potential machinations.

Deffinitely Not Red: I appreciate it and thanks, it was tricky to figure out with about 4 different drafts of that whole chapter. Basically boiled down to the choice to go back to where he has people that support him or be a stranger and alone in his old world. Santos obviously is going to feel conflicted moving forward. Dude needs therapy.

Alex Jones: Thanks for the pro tip.

See you all next week with the prelude to the main canon! Feels like I've been saying that a lot xD anyways, until next time folks and thanks for reading!

Next Chapter: 1/11-1/12