The day before your mission to track down the soldiers in black, You stand in the Blue Lions homeroom with the students and Reese.

Reese: Nesreen delivered new information to us today. The soldiers in black have been seen moving on a village in Aster territory. We're going to be journeying there to save the village when they strike tomorrow.

Aestlyn: Aster... A village from my home is being terrorized...

Kyle: Not to worry, darling. We won't let anything happen. We'll save everybody there.

Magnolia: Enough people have been hurt by these soldiers as it is... It's time to bring this to an end.

Falon: I agree. Those who find it okay to attack people for their own selfish gains are disgusting.

Illona: We can handle this... We took care of our mission last month, right?

Karim: Exactly. We didn't have any issues there, and we can take care of this too. It'll be a piece of cake.

Cassia: I wouldn't put it so plainly... We're dealing with experienced soldiers. We can't take any risks.

Nora: But we'll be fine. We know what we're doing, and we've been training for this.

Karim: Plus, we're more experienced than we were last month. That's important.

Aestlyn: Yeah... We'll handle it!

Nora: If you say so...

Cassia: We shouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves... That would be a recipe for disaster.

Illona: It's getting late... We should retire for the night. We need to be ready for tomorrow.

Kyle: I must agree... Goodnight, everyone.

Reese: Be ready for the mission tomorrow. We can't afford to take any longer than we need to.

Falon: I can't wait to win this... They're cowards, and it's what they deserve for killing the innocent.

The students all leave alongside Reese save for Magnolia. She stays behind and whispers to You before departing.

Magnolia: If these people really are involved with the death of my father... I'm going to make sure they pay for all they've done. I didn't know him, but I hear he was a good man... He didn't deserve this, and neither did the people who passed away in the recent attacks. Until tomorrow, Professor.

As Magnolia leaves, Seraphine appears at your side.

Seraphine: She seems pretty determined... I can't blame her though. You should get some rest before tomorrow. We don't have a moment to lose. Tomorrow is a big day.

You nod your agreement and make your way back to your room before falling asleep for the night, wondering what the future will hold...

The next morning, You arrive at the class's homeroom, ready to set out on your mission.

Reese: Alright. It's almost time for us to go.

Magnolia: We don't have a moment to lose.

Kyle: It's time for us to save those people, and if we're lucky, take out those soldiers once and for all.

Aestlyn: Too many innocent people have been hurt already...

Karim: Then we'll just have to kick them out! They won't know what hit them.

Falon: Off we go then!

Nora: We can't get too overconfident, but we should still seem prepared to intimidate them.

Illona: I hope we can do this...

Cassia: It's too late for second thoughts. Let's just get it over with.

The group leaves the Officers Academy and Garreg Mach behind to walk to Aster territory. The whole way there, You can't help but think about the mission at hand. Could this faction truly be involved with the assassination of the previous king? What could their goal be?

When You arrive in Aster territory, You see a group of soldiers in black raiding a village.

Reese: There they are. We need to save as many townspeople as possible.

Aestlyn: I don't know what they want, but I won't let it continue... This ends now!

Kyle: For the sake of the people in that village, let's do this.

Falon: To battle, Lions!

The battle begins. The Blue Lions are already seeming more experienced than the month before. You cast your gaze to the leader of the force, a man wearing all black with a mask to hide his face. The mask shows a variation of the Crest of Blaiddyd. His name is Marcus.

Magnolia: You! Who do you think you are?!

Marcus: Forgive me for interrupting your duties, Princess. I'm simply doing what I must to make a living around here. Does it conflict with your morals?

Magnolia: I don't know what you're doing or why, but I intend to stop it here today!

Marcus: Make as many empty promises as you wish. You'll always be just like your father.

Magnolia: Ah-!

Falon: Don't give them a second glance, Magnolia! Let's take them out!

Seraphine: This must be a revolutionary who helped to kill her father... We need to take him out.

The battle continues around You. You and your class fight back well, saving many villagers along the way as You attempt to cut through the enemy forces to take on Marcus.

If You initiate combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.

Marcus: You're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong... I don't know what you're playing at here, but by allying with the royal family, I'm going to have to end your life. My apologies.

If Magnolia initiates combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.

Magnolia: Who are you? What is this faction of yours? Why are you doing this?

Marcus: You're just a child. How can I expect you to understand? Our plans are far too great for you to comprehend.

Magnolia: I want an answer. Now.

Marcus: The bastard child of Franz Josefa... You shouldn't even be alive. The plan would be going perfectly according to plan if not for your existence. You shouldn't have tried to take on the throne.

Magnolia: I don't know what you're talking about, but it all ends here!

If anyone else initiates combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.

Marcus: Pests, the whole lot of you... You know what we do with pests? We squish them!

When Marcus is defeated, this dialogue plays out.

Marcus: Ugh... This is not the end... It will not be over until we decree it is...

After the battle, Magnolia stands over Marcus with the rest of the Blue stand nearby as Magnolia points her sword at Marcus' throat.

Magnolia: I want the truth.

Marcus: I won't tell you... You're the reason this is happening...

Magnolia: What are you talking about? Quit speaking in riddles!

Marcus: You heard me... Next time we meet, we will have your head, Josefa. Consider that a promise.

Marcus pulls a sphere from his pocket before throwing it onto the ground. Smoke fills the area. The Blue Lions begin to cough wildly, and You do the same.

Seraphine: Hey! Come back! You can't get away that easily!

Your vision begins to fade to black. You fall forwards, unconsciousness taking over your mind...

You feel You are dreaming when You next see something. You are standing in the village You just helped to save, though You look much younger than You are currently. You look around, seeing many people bustling around in excitement. You look at your hands, seeing they are rather small. A woman appears nearby, and You look up.

?: Come on, Rion... Join me, please. We have to find a place to stay for the night.

The woman has an air of familiarity to her, and You feel as if You have met her recently. Her voice is similar to Evenor's, making You gasp in surprise. You see a shadow dart past, and when You look, You see a child no older than three running around. She has green hair, and it takes You a moment to realize this is Seraphine.

Seraphine: Rion! Come on! Play!

You look in between Seraphine and Evenor. Seraphine disappears into thin air when You do not follow her. Evenor takes your hand and drags You into the town. Your vision turns to mist, and everything fades to black...

When You open your eyes once again, You see the students standing above You alongside Reese. You are in a hotel, as far as You can tell.

Reese: Good... You're awake.

Kyle: We were so worried, Professor!

Illona: It appears they created some form of gas from dark magic to trigger unconsciousness...

Aestlyn: They're gone... If not for the kind people of this town, we would have been left alone out there.

Falon: They used the distraction to get away. No traces of those soldiers remain.

Magnolia: Their leader dropped this while he was escaping... I managed to take hold of it just before I fell unconscious.

Magnolia hands You a piece of paper. On it, the word 'MALICE' is written in threatening capital letters.

Karim: What the hell could that mean?

Cassia: If I had to wager a guess, I would say that's the name of their faction.

Nora: Malice... They had a reason for this. I'm sure of it.

Magnolia: Yeah... Professor, you look rather pale. Are you okay?

You say You had a dream while You were unconscious, and You believe it to be a sign of a lost memory.

Reese: Truly? Then, by all means, continue.

You explain the dream, starting with the woman who You believe was Evenor. She was treating You like a mother would her child. After that, You explain a girl with green hair running off into the woods near the town, though You intentionally choose to not mention that You have been seeing this girl for some time.

Illona: You... You know Ms. Hepius?!

Aestlyn: And it sounds like you were in Aster territory at one point before, when you were much younger...

Kyle: How old do you think you were at the time?

You say You were likely around fifteen years old. You also mention how nobody else seemed to be able to see the girl with green hair.

Falon: You know, the goddess has long green hair... What if she was the one who you saw in the dream?

Reese: Dreaming of the goddess...

Cassia: I'm afraid I don't know what that dream could have meant, but... If I had to guess, I'd say it was a memory from the past, from before you lost your memory.

Nora: Who knew that would trigger something?

Karim: If you ask me, this is definitely something to keep in mind... We've learned a lot here today.

Magnolia: Yeah... We're going up against a faction called Malice. They seem to hold a grudge against Faerghus, as far as I can tell...

Nora: If I had to wager a guess, I would say that Malice is also connected to those mercenaries from last month.

Illona: I wonder what the link could be...

Karim: First, they attacked Ms. Hepius, and now, they go after a village she was once in with the professor... What could the connection be? Do you think she's the reason why?

Kyle: I can't say for sure... I wish I could tell you.

Cassia: It seems clear Ms. Hepius has something to do with the professor's lost memories. Why would she appear in a dream like that if that wasn't the case?

Magnolia: It must have felt rather realistic for you to think it must have happened to you in the past...

Falon: The archbishop will want to hear about all of this. We should get back to her as soon as we can.

Reese: The people of this village are going to receive compensation from the church for the damages they suffered... We should be okay to leave after bidding everyone farewell.

Illona: Do you think you can make it back, Professor?

You stand up and see if You feel dizzy. When You do not, You nod.

Illona: That's a relief... I was halfway worried we'd have to carry you back...

Reese: It's time for us to return. We need to report back as soon as possible.

Magnolia: Alright... Let's get going then.

Everyone begins to leave the room, and You follow behind them. Magnolia walks alongside You.

Magnolia: They seemed to carry such hate for my bloodline... I do believe they are connected to the people who killed my father. I just can't comprehend why... They had a plan, though I don't know what it could have been. I tried to ask for the truth, but their leader... He said I was responsible for this, that everything would be according to plan if not for me.

You tell her she shouldn't let their words get to her.

Magnolia: I know, I just... I don't know. We don't have enough information to come to any reliable conclusions... We should catch up with the others. Thank you, Professor.

Magnolia walks away, and Seraphine appears next to You.

Seraphine: This is too much for me... Those men were involved in the assassination plot for sure. It's too much of a coincidence. They hate the Faerghus royal family and happened to be seen in the battle that took the life of Magnolia's father...

You nod. You have discovered a lot today.

Seraphine: I hope it's not selfish of me to be thinking more about what we saw in that dream though... Was that truly a memory? It would explain why Ms. Hepius asked if we remembered her, but... I don't know why we would be with her in a Faerghus territory... And that little girl was me, but I was so young... You seemed to be a teenager at the time. What could have happened? I don't understand, but I want to know...

You don't hear Seraphine say anything on the way back to the monastery. She seems to be lost in her own thoughts about what You saw in that dream. You do not ask her about it. After returning to the monastery, You go to report what You have learned to Aisa.

Aisa: Ah, Professor... I see you have returned. Did you learn anything new today?

You explain how You saved a village from being attacked by the soldiers.

Aisa: I am glad to hear no one was killed in today's battle... Is there anything else I should know?

You tell her your suspicions about the group, which called itself Malice, being involved in the death of the previous king of Faerghus.

Aisa: Ah... It appears you know the truth about Franz Josefa's death... I assume Magnolia told you... After he died, I was told the truth about what happened when he was killed. I didn't realize it would ever come to this... The group who killed him disappeared soon afterwards and wasn't seen again up until recently. I had my suspicions they were tied in with the group that attacked Ms. Hepius last month, but I had no proof... Thank you for telling me this.

You ask her if there is anything else she needs of You.

Aisa: No... Not that I can think of. The church will do its best to investigate the two parties you have fought up to this point. Until we come to a conclusive answer about what should be done, we are going to go on as usual. You should return to your students. They are waiting for you.

You nod to Aisa and leave the room, not saying a word about the dream You had. You do not know if it is a good idea to tell the truth to her until You know the truth. You walk to the Blue Lions homeroom silently, seeing the students inside once again.

Reese: Well, that's that. We've all been through a lot today. I think we should turn in for now.

Falon: We learned so much today... I don't know how to feel about it...

Aestlyn: At least we drove them off... But I somehow doubt that's the last time we'll see them.

Illona: Yeah... They're not gone. I know it.

Kyle: The least we can do right now is try and prepare for when they do appear next.

Karim: Yeah. We need to be ready for when they come back, since I know this isn't the end.

Cassia: They retreated and escaped, meaning they're all out there still... How aggravating.

Nora: Let's just get ready for it.

Magnolia: A lot happened... I was thinking this school year would just be about figuring out where we all belong in the world, but I think we've already seen how wrong that assumption was...

Falon: Yeah. Can't we just have a moment of peace for once? Maybe a mission will actually end simply instead of leaving us with this cloud of uncertainty.

Reese: No year before now has been like this... It's concerning.

Nora: There isn't much we can do about it now. The church is going to investigate the enemy, and when they find something, we'll be able to press on. Until then, let's continue going about our lives.

Cassia: I'm ready to turn in for the night. I'm exhausted.

Karim: Same here... I don't know who those enemies were... Malice... But I have a bad feeling about them.

Aestlyn: I just hope Aster territory stays safe from here on out... It's the least my family deserves. They've had to deal with it enough as it is.

Kyle: We drove them off, and unless they think we're finished, they're going to stay away.

Nora: Yes. The threat of us appearing is enough to frighten them as far as I can tell.

Illona: I hope that's the case... I'd be content to never have to deal with them again...

Falon: Well, until we figure it out, I'm heading to bed. Night, everybody.

Karim: Until next time.

Magnolia: Goodnight, Professor...

Magnolia looks at You oddly on the way out, and You can tell that she is thinking of the death of her father. You do not dwell on it though, instead watching the students leave. You follow them out before heading back to your room. Seraphine appears again once You arrive.

Seraphine: I thought I had a pit in my stomach after last month, but this takes the cake... I just want all of this uncertainty to be over... But it doesn't look like that's going to be happening anytime soon. Why don't we try and get some sleep until then? Yeah... Yeah, that sounds like a good idea... I can't tell if I want to find out the truth about our shared past or not at this point. That dream scared me, you know... I don't know what to think about it... I'm sure we'll have to face it one way or another, but... I'm not ready. Until then, goodnight, Professor... May we figure out the truth together soon.

You go to sleep soon after, though it takes You quite some time to drift off. The uncertainty of the future is too much for You to immediately fall unconscious. What could that dream have meant? What is the truth behind this faction called Malice? What does Malice want, and why did attacking a village suit their goals? You eventually fall asleep, though it is restless. No new memories are gleaned from your rest, and You feel sick. Thankfully, You have the next day off. That is a minor blessing, but it is all You seem to have in this time of turmoil and fear...


This story got so many reads in such a short amount of time. We aren't even finished with chapter three yet, and there are over 900 views on this story already. That's absolutely crazy to me. Thank you guys so much for reading. It really does mean a lot.

-Digital