Chapter 30. The Burning of Gloucester, Part 3.

"What are you singing?" Ingrid asked as she glanced up to Spite.

"Pardon?" Spite asked as he turned his gaze to her.

"Ah, I- I heard singing," Ingrid replied. "Sorry to bother you."

"Oh," Spite replied as he blinked. "I apologize if that disturbed you."

"No, it's alright," Ingrid said. "Though, if possible, might I ask you what you are singing?"

Spite turned down to Aranea for a moment, pushing away a lock of hair from his sister's face before he looked into the darkness of Zaharas.

"A dirge," Spite said after a moment of silence.

"A- dirge?" Ingrid asked.

"A song of mourning," Spite said.

"I see," Ingrid swallowed. "Who was it for?"

"I learnt the song for the funeral of my mother," Spite said. "But the original? It dates to what you call the War of Heroes."

"I- I see," Ingrid said. "I'm sorry for the loss of your mother."

Spite nodded as the two fell into silence.

"What language is the song in?" Ingrid asked. "I don't recognize it."

"Old Agarthan," Spite said. "Still, there is a version that you would recognize."

"Really?" Ingrid asked.

"There is," Spite explained. "The Agarthan version is the original, but it was translated by the original author to a language you would recognize."

"Does the song have a name?" Ingrid asked. "I- I might have heard of it."

"I doubt you have," Spite replied, "the song is named The Edge of Dawn."

"So, I heard from Hubert you took out Roderigo Midas," Dorothea said.

"Him?" Mortis asked as she looked up from her meal.

"That scumbag?" Felix asked, his face twisted in disgust. "He's like a worse version of Sylvain."

"What?" Sylvain protested. "Even I have standards!"

"I killed Midas, yes," Mortis said. "What about it?"

"Well, I want to thank you," Dorothea replied. "He-"

"I know," Mortis replied. "He tried to abduct you and a certain Ingrid Brandt Galatea. Spite was pleased."

"Wait, what did Adras-erm, Spite want with him?" Dorothea asked.

"It's quite alright to call him by his birth name," Mortis said. "I don't think he minds either way."

"Why did Adrasteia want him dead?" Dorothea asked.

"He had sent letters trying to marry Aranea," Mortis explained. "He claimed he knew her secret and was trying to blackmail her."

"Did he?" Dorothea asked.

"Even if he did, he took the secret with him to his grave," Mortis replied. "But to answer your question, no. I searched his office. Nothing there."

"This Adrasteia sounds like a better brother than what I had," Sylvain said. "Sounds like a saint compared to Miklan."

Mortis shrugged, "Aranea wasn't a particularly good sister to him, and I suppose, in the end, he spoilt Kronya rotten."

"I suggest you never mention Kronya before the Professor," Hubert said from the doorway. "Lady Edelgard may be less inclined to pry him off your throat."

"Hubie!" Dorothea exclaimed. "Come to join us for dinner?"

"No," Hubert explained. "Lady Edelgard and the Professor have retired for the night. If any of you wake up late, we will drag you out of bed. By your hair."

Dorothea grimaced as she waved her hand, "Alright then Hubie, we won't be late."

"Don't be," Hubert said. "And Mortis?"

"von Vestra," Mortis replied. "Do you still need help with mastering your stolen spells?"

Hubert turned his head, "No, but I suggest you cooperate with us in the coming days. It will be very painful for you if you don't."

Mortis scoffed, "We'll see when that time comes."

Hubert glared at the dark haired girl before he turned around, the door to the infirmary shutting behind him.

"Why wasn't Cornelia a good sister?" Dorothea asked when she turned back to Mortis.

"Apart from the murder or does the murder itself count?"

"Murder?" Felix asked.

"Aranea tried to murder Spite in 1174," Mortis explained. "Tried being the main word."

"She tried to kill her own brother?" Sylvain asked.

"She never got close to him." Mortis explained. "There were six of… us."

"You tried to kill Adrasteia?" Dorothea whispered, her attention rapt.

"No," Mortis replied. "If I had actually taken part in the attempt on his life, I wouldn't be here today."

"What happened?" Sylvain asked, his eyes hard.

"The other five locked Spite in a room and tried to kill him," Mortis explained. "He killed every last one of them."

"He killed five people?" Sylvain asked. "In a few minutes?"

"He killed four before they could even get the barricaded door open," Mortis replied. "He killed the last man before he could reveal who ordered the attack."

"But they told him, didn't they?"

"The last of the five, Thersites, was on his knees, begging for his life when they broke the door down," Mortis explained. "Spite snapped his neck in front of half of Shambhala."

"But why would he do that?" Felix asked.

"Had word of the real plot gotten out, Aranea would have been executed," Mortis explained. "And I most likely would have joined her."

"But- she tried to kill him," Felix muttered. "She tried to kill her own brother."

"Yes, and didn't your brother try to kill you?" Mortis asked Sylvain. "Multiple times I might add?"

Sylvain grimaced, "They- they thought he would get better."

Mortis sighed and shook her head, "That afternoon, Spite locked himself in a room with his sister, and they came to some form of agreement."

"Did she reveal you?" Dorothea asked.

Mortis snorted, "I suspect Spite already knew going in to that mission, but regardless... I revealed myself."

"What happened there?" Sylvain asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Mortis snarled, glaring at Sylvain. "The end result was that I was to never reveal that the conspiracy had been headed by Aranea, and in exchange, I would be apprenticed to Spite."

"Was he good?" Dorothea asked. "As a- master?"

"Mentor," Mortis corrected, "And yes, apart from faith magic, he was excellent."

"What was his problem with holy magic?" Annette asked.

"Spite could never use healing magic," Mortis explained. "He might have been one of the most powerful sorcerers in Shambhala, but he could never use any form of healing magic."

"That's… odd," Dorothea said. "I've never heard of anyone with no healing ability."

"I suspect it had something to deal with his childhood," Mortis said. "But then again, there are certain subjects that I've never approached with him."

"Mortis?" a voice asked from the door. "Are you in here?"

"Hello Maya," Mortis said from her position on her bed.

"Do you happen to have any cake left?" Maya asked. "Someone named Lysithea ate all the sweets and I'm still hungry."

"I- do," Mortis said as she looked down at the untouched cake on her plate. "Do you want what's left of mine?"

"Yes please!" Maya said as she rushed forward, a fork in hand and a gleam in her eye.

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of that before," Ingrid said.

Spite nodded, "Both versions of the song were hidden in vaults well away from Galatea territory, and I would be surprised if you had ever heard of the name before."

"I see," Ingrid said. "How did you learn the song?"

"I had memorized the song during my time in Enbarr," Spite replied. "I could write the song down, word for word, but I'm afraid I don't have a pen on me."

"Could you tell me more about the original author then?" Ingrid asked.

"And why are you curious about that?" Spite asked. "

"I- I want to know what drove him to make such a song," Ingrid said.

"Her," Spite corrected. "The original artist was a woman."

"Oh," Ingrid said. "I see."

"To answer your question, her name was Periander."

"Isn't that your name?" Ingrid asked, raising an eyebrow. "You said we could call you Lord Periander."

Spite shook his head, "She was a member of Shambhala's original Septet, and my name is a title derived from her position as one of Shambhala's first rulers."

"Oh," Ingrid said. "I see."

"Think of it as a counterpart to your ancestors, the Ten Elites" Spite said. "Though that none of the initial Septet had blood relatives who survived the war."

"That does make it easier to understand," Ingrid said.

"The first Periander composed the song when the first Solon took his own life," Spite explained. "They had... a close relationship."

"How- how did that happen?" Ingrid asked.

"The exact details are lost to history," Spite said. "Especially since Periander herself was murdered only a few short years later."

"How did that happen?" Ingrid asked.

"Two traitors strangled her during a power struggle," Spite explained. "They were promptly disposed of, but Periander was still dead, and nothing could be done at that time."

"That's... " Ingrid said. "Why was she murdered?"

"Cleobulus and Anacharsis wanted to sell the rest of Shambhala out to save their own skins," Periander said. "Since then, their names have been bywords for traitor and coward."

"Why are you explaining this to her?" Aranea asked. "It's not like she needs to know about the history of Cleobulus and Anacharsis."

"Oh," Spite said. "You're awake."

"Of course I am," Aranea said. "It happens when you have two people having a conversation right next to you."

Spite nodded, "Right, if neither of you have complaints, then we can get back to moving on."

"Ahh!" Ashe cried as he snapped awake, his eyes darting around the room. "Ghost!"

"I think he's able to go," Aranea observed.

"I agree," Spite said. "Let us go then."

"Can't sleep?" Sylvain asked as he stepped toward the window of the infirmary.

"No, I suppose not," Mortis replied as she nodded at the lump in her bed. "Not with Maya in my bed anyways."

Sylvain chuckled, "Felix is mumbling to Annette again, and I really can't sleep with his singing voice."

"Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Mortis asked.

"I- let's take a walk," Sylvain said. "We don't want to worry anyone else, do we?"

"No," Mortis replied as she moved to the door. "I suppose we don't."

Sylvain nodded as he opened the door, "Ladies first."

Mortis nodded as she stepped through the door, "Did you sneak out often as a child?"

Sylvain chuckled, "I- umm, yes."

"Shangri-la had few places to go past dark," Mortis said. "Still, I began volunteering for guard duty as soon as I was able."

"I- I see," Sylvain said. "I'd like to apologize for trying to look up your skirt all those years ago."

Mortis shrugged as she moved down the stairs, "Why is it that you chase women exactly?"

"I fall in love easily," Sylvain lied.

"Is that so?" Mortis asked. "I suppose we have to go back to lying to one another."

"Oh fine," Sylvain muttered. "I- I just want a distraction. None of my dates ever go anywhere."

"And why is that?" Mortis asked as she turned around, her eyes boring into his.

"Because everyone only wants my Crest," Sylvain snapped. "It's always the Crests."

"I see," Mortis replied as she turned at the end of the stairs.

"No you don't," Sylvain snapped. "Everyone wants me only for my Crest."

"Because of the Lance of Ruin?" Mortis guessed.

"You got my parents there," Sylvain spat. "The Lance of Ruin this, the Lance of Ruin that. If they weren't so obsessed with that thing, then maybe Miklan could have… turned out differently."

Mortis nodded, "Your father's… obsession was included in my briefing."

"You knew?" Sylvain asked. "If you knew already, then why did you ask me in the first place?"

"Our spies and scouts varied in both quality as well as quantity," Mortis replied. "Few Fhirdiad based nobles were willing to get on your father's bad side by openly gossiping about him."

"Fhirdiad- Cornelia?" Sylvain asked.

"Correct," Mortis replied. "Our information was most plentiful amongst the nobles of the Adrestian Empire, followed by the Leicester Alliance, with the Holy Kingdom being dead last."

"Why the Alliance?" Sylvain asked. "What made them so good for information?"

"There are no shortage of deals to be made amongst the bickering noble houses, and no shortage of people willing to collaborate or disprove the accounts of their peers," Mortis replied. "And that's not even mentioning how easy it was to bribe Eastern Church officials."

"Just who was behind all this?" Sylvain asked. "It sounds like you had a dedicated spymaster."

"Spite, or as you know him, Adrasteia," Mortis explained. "He was determined to ensure Kronya's safety before she infiltrated the academy, and compiled a list of almost every major student at Garreg Mach during your year."

"I see," Sylvain said as he stepped outside. "Did you ever meet my father?"

Mortis raised an eyebrow, "I did, in fact."

"When?" Sylvain asked. "Before the war?"

"Council of Fhirdiad," Mortis said. "He advocated for a rather… brutal death for you and your friends."

"I-" Sylvain said. "Heh, it sounds like for once he shut up about the Crest."

"He begged me to personally kill you if I were to encounter you in combat," Mortis said. "I was surprised, nothing in my briefing notes suggested he would do such a thing."

"And what did you say to that?" Sylvain asked.

"I didn't get to respond," Mortis said. "Dimitri ordered him to leave the meeting, said his personal vendetta was becoming a distraction."

Sylvain laughed, "I see, I'm glad to hear that."

Mortis shrugged, "I admit, I doubt he could even achieve even half of what he was threatening. He didn't seem all that skilled with a knife."

Sylvain shook his head, "I- I wonder what he's doing right now."

"He was recuperating in a cast the last I heard of him," Mortis said. "Count Galatea launched an attack against him."

Sylvain choked as he turned to Mortis, "Ingrid's dad?"

"I understand why," Mortis replied with a shrug. "He had threatened Ingrid standing in the same room as her father. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who had sabotaged his horse into crashing his carriage."

"Are you sure it was Ingrid's father?" Sylvain asked. "I- I'm not that sounds like the man I know."

"Naturally," Mortis said. "I stood by him when he tampered with the horse's feed. Still, he was rather shaky. He was much more used to caring for animals than harming them."

Sylvain raised an eyebrow, "I- I'm going to be very careful around Count Galatea from now on."

"And why is that?" Edelgard asked.

"Ah!" Sylvain yelped as he spun around. "You scared me there- wait, just why are you out here?"

"We took a nighttime walk to clear our thoughts," Byleth said. "And what of you?"

"It's kinda hard to sleep when Felix is singing," Sylvain offered. "I'm sorry, we'll head back."

Edelgard paused as she turned to Mortis, "I'm sorry I attacked you."

Mortis turned her gaze to Edelgard, "I apologize for provoking you. I- I hope we can move on, if that's possible."

"Did- did Adrasteia reveal anything about me?" Edelgard asked.

Mortis angled her head, "He told me that you were very close to your father,"

"I see," Edelgard said. "Did he ever mention any part of Enbarr?"

Mortis shook her head, "He said that the Imperial Palace was a fortress, but one that was rather difficult to escape from."

"Did he ever mention anything about me?" Byleth asked.

"He was fearful for Kronya's safety when he learned of her role in your father's death," Mortis said. "From what I learned from Cornelia, he almost marched through Zaharas to personally drag Kronya back to Shambhala."

"Why didn't he?" Byleth asked.

"Cornelia said that Solon and Thales were both there," Mortis said. "That the two of them wouldn't allow her to die at your hand."

"That's one way to put it," Sylvain said. "I hope you do know what happened then, right?"

"I'm very well aware of what happened," Mortis said with a grimace. "Leonie says a great deal when she drinks herself into a stupor."

Sylvain winced as Edelgard and Byleth exchanged a look.

"Does Adrasteia know the truth?" Edelgard asked.

"No," Mortis said, looking at her boots. "I wasn't able to tell him the truth when we last spoke."

A glint flickered in Byleth's eye as Edelgard yawned.

"We'll be going now," Byleth said as he moved to pass Mortis and Sylvain. "Don't be late for tomorrow morning."

"Boss, there's someone out there."

"Oh?" Solon asked as he turned his gaze to the young man who had barged into his tent. "What did you just say?"

"There's someone running around out there," the soldier managed. "I- I'm not sure if it's human."

"Macuil," Solon growled.

"No!" the man exclaimed. "It- it's human, but it doesn't seem like one of ours."

"Talos, Olympia!" Solon barked at the two lieutenants. "Take whatever men you can find and take care of this… problem."

"Right away," Talos said. "About Vito's... subordinate, should we bring her?"

Solon turned to the grinning woman, her hands crimson with the blood of another fallen soldier.

"No," Solon said. "She has more use here."

"Of course sir," Olympia said as he stood. "We'll hunt this bastard down."

"Right," Solon said as he pointed to the unfortunate man. "You- show them where you found this… thing."

"We're here," Spite said as he stepped through a large chamber, the walls flickering with green light.

"You sure Addy?" Aranea asked.

"I've stepped through this portal before," Spite said. "It takes us to a crossroads in the north of Gloucester County."

"Should I open the portal?" Aranea asked.

"Go ahead, but make sure these two go first."

"Why us?" Ashe asked.

"Do you want to be left alone in Zaharas?" Spite asked. "If you stay, you might run into some of those ghosts you fear so much."

"Ah," Ashe said, snapping to attention at the words of the Agarthan sorcerer. "Right, we'll do as you say."

"Good," Spite said. "Cheer up, you might see some of your friends soon."

Ingrid exchanged a glance with Ashe as the group moved forward.

"Well, this is it," Aranea said. "Get ready."

"Are you opening a portal again?" Ingrid asked.

"Not quite," Cornelia said. "I would advise you to hold back the screaming. We wouldn't want to wake the locals."

"What do you mean by-" Ashe asked, freezing as a dark mist surrounded the group. "What- what are you doing?"

"This is the only way we can ensure that the two of you don't do anything foolish when we are busy with the ritual," Spite explained, his frame covered in shadow. "But do not worry, the darkness is harmless."

Ashe whimpered as the ghostly tendril squeezed him tight as the darkness enveloped them.

"Mortis?" Sylvain asked as they stood, watching the peaceful Airmid river before them.

"Is something wrong?" Mortis asked as she turned to face Sylvain. "You sound like you have something on your mind."

"I- can Agarthans bear Crests?"

Mortis shook her head, "We are fundamentally incapable of bearing the blood of the Fell Star."

"Fell Star?" Sylvain asked.

"Your goddess," Mortis clarified. "Sothis, I believe you call her."

Sylvain stared at Mortis, "You mean Seiros?"

"No," Mortis said with a roll of her eyes, "Seiros was the Immaculate One, who you slew in Fhirdiad. Sothis created Seiros."

"Wow," Sylvain said. "With whom? Was he good looking?"

"She had the power to create life on her own," Mortis scoffed. "Just as magic can be used to animate a golem, she had the power to create a living being."

"I mean, I'm not sure she was super good with that," Sylvain said. "There was this Chalice of Beginnings-"

"Which had the power to allegedly bring back the dead," Mortis said. "Yes, I'm aware."

"It doesn't work," Sylvain said. "Ashe told me how it turned Aelfric into an abomination."

"That's the replica," Mortis said with a roll of her eyes. "It's designed to fail."

"I don't understand," Sylvain said. "Why would you intend for something to fail?"

"So it takes your enemies with it when it fails," Mortis said. "The original was stolen from the ruins of Zanado, and the one you hold now is a trap meant for the Four Apostles."

"What do you mean by that?" Hubert asked as he approached the pair. "The Chalice of Beginnings in our possession is a replica?"

"Correct," Mortis said. "The true Chalice of Beginnings was stolen by the first Myson. The false Chalice spawns a powerful abomination upon being used."

"Ah," Hubert said, a hand on his chin. "So when the Four Apostles were at their weakest after the ritual, a monster would be spawned amongst them. A cunning trick to kill four enemies with one stone."

"You catch on quickly," Mortis observed. "Good."

"It failed," Hubert said. "Rhea- Seiros was on hand to witness the first attempt."

"A pity," Mortis replied with a shrug. "We would have been done with those pests if the attempt succeeded."

Hubert nodded, "That you would have."

"Hubert?" Bernadetta asked. "We should be done for the night- oh."

"I was just saying my goodbyes," Hubert said as he turned back to glare at Mortis. "Now, if you will pardon me."

"We have the target's visual," Talos murmured. "Olympia, have your squad flank the bastard."

"Is that an arm?" a soldier whispered. "That thing is eating an arm!"

"Quiet," Talos barked. "It'll hear us."

"Too late for that," Olympia hissed as he glared at the monster's fleeing form. "It's running."

"Do not follow," Talos snapped, all pretenses of stealth forgotten. "We'll hunt it as a pack. No telling what kind of dangers might be lurking in the bush."

"What was it that it dropped?" a soldier asked. "It looks like- oh shit."

"What's the matter?" Talos asked as he moved his gaze to the object the monster had dropped.

"That- that's an arm," the soldier whispered. "That thing's a cannibal."

Talos growled as he turned to the item on the ground, his face filled with disgust. "Alright, let's kill this bastard before he eats anyone else."

"Right away sir," the soldier muttered. "Just like you said, a pack."

"And here I thought Spite was being figurative when he said corpse eating," Olympia muttered as he hurried into the bush.

"Should we wake them?" Dorothea asked as she glanced at Mortis asleep against Sylvain.

"It's not daybreak yet," Indech replied. "And not all of your friends have arrived yet."

"Still, I didn't think she would get so close to… Sylvain," Dorothea observed. "So very unexpected."

"Well then, if you don't mind, I'll be in the water."

"Water?" Dorothea asked as Indech tossed away his robes. "What are you doing?"

Indech didn't reply as he leapt into the water, his body shifting as he landed, the human form disappearing as Indech grew into a large turtle.

"Wow," Dorothea said. "I- I didn't expect that."

Indech chuckled, "I suppose I must ask you to step lightly when climbing aboard."

"I see," Dorothea said. "Would you mind if I did so?"

"Please go ahead," Indech said. "I'd rather not have twelve of you try to climb onto my back at once."

"Lady Galatea," Spite said. "You seem amazed by something, may I ask what it is?"

Ingrid blinked as the question as she tore her gaze from the wheat fields around her to face the Agarthan Sorcerer, "Sorry, I- I've never seen so much food in my life."

"This wheat has yet to grow entirely," Spite said as he glanced at Aranea sleeping against a tree. "It will take a considerable amount of time before it can be harvested and turned into flour."

"Right," Ingrid said. "I- Galatea County is rather poor when it comes to crop yields."

Spite nodded, "Has the Church ever assisted you in this endeavor? There are certain means to increase the output of a land, should a lord have the knowledge to do so."

"Ah," Ingrid said. "We- we don't ask for charity. It's rather embarrassing to do so."

"Lord- Spite?" Ashe asked. "May I ask you a question?"

"Spite is fine," the sorcerer replied. "I'm hardly much of a lord anyways."

"Why is it that you know so much about crop yields?" Ashe asked.

"My mentor taught me," Spite said. "The previous Periander, whose title I inherited upon his death. He taught me a great number of things."

"I see," Ashe said. "We- we didn't learn that much about crops in the academy."

"Lord Ubert," Spite said. "Might I ask you something in turn?"

"Yes?" Ashe asked.

"From what little I know of you, I was told that you were an orphan from a young age. Is that true?"

"I-" Ashe started. "Yes, I was an orphan, but I still took care of my siblings."

"Through theft," Spite said.

Ashe grimaced, "Yes, but I only stole to feed my siblings."

"I was not passing judgement," Spite replied. "Had I been in your situation, I would have done the same."

"Are- are you an orphan?" Ingrid asked. "You told me about your mother-"

"I am," Spite confirmed. "Still, I shed no tears for my mother. She wasn't worth the effort. As for my father, he was killed in action against a certain Jeralt Eisner shortly after I was born. I cannot say I have ever known him."

"Is that why Kronya was sent after him?" Ingrid asked. "To get revenge for your father?"

"No," Spite said. "Kronya and I share different fathers. To my knowledge, he is still alive."

"Did you sing for Kronya?" Ingrid asked. "The dirge you mentioned."

"The Edge of Dawn?" Spite asked. "Yes, but on my own terms, away from prying eyes."

"What is this dirge you mentioned?" Ashe asked.

"The Edge of Dawn is an old dirge that dates to the War of Heroes," Spite said. "I was forced to learn it as a young man."

"The Edge of Dawn?" Ashe asked. "That's a song?"

"What did you think it meant?" Spite scoffed.

"The sun is rising," Ashe said, pointing to the horizon. "I thought you meant that dawn."

Spite frowned as the first rays of the sun illuminated his face, as if to prove Ashe's point.

"Ah, that's what you meant," Spite said as he turned to watch the sunrise. "No, that sunrise is not what I meant."

"Seteth, is that Indech?" Byleth asked as he gawked at the large turtle at the head of the Airmid River.

"Ah," Seteth said. "You've seen my brother's other form, please do not be frightened."

"So, we just climb on?" Sylvain asked.

"One at a time, if you don't mind," Seteth said, nodding to his brother.

"How long should it take?" Byleth asked.

"Not long," Indech said. "We should reach your bridge by sunset."

Byleth nodded as he turned to Edelgard, "Do you want to go first?"

Edelgard frowned as she nodded, "If possible, I'd like you to sit behind me."

"That can be arranged," Byleth said as Edelgard crossed over to Indech, their hands held as Edelgard sat in the middle of Indech's shell.

"Is that?"

"Silence," Talos said. "I recognize the poor bastard. He's one of ours."

"Damn," another man muttered. "Next time Vito gets a special assignment, I'm going to tell him to shove it where the sun doesn't shine."

A nervous chuckle followed the man's outburst as the group advanced through the bush.

"Body hasn't begun to rot," Talos observed. "He hasn't been dead long."

"What does that mean?" a soldier asked.

"They must have survived the initial attack by Macuil," Talos said. "But certainly didn't last all that long."

"Who killed them then?" Olympia asked. "I doubt a savage could take on a group of Shambhala's elite."

"Not Macuil," Talos said. "His forces wouldn't have torn our man into pieces."

"Whatever it is, it's basically feral," Olympia said. "Whatever we find, we kill it."

"Right," Talos said. "You heard the man, whatever we find, we kill."

"Right," a soldier muttered. "Let's kill this bastard and then we scam. I'm going to drink myself stupid once we get back to Shambhala."

"But first we need to hunt this feral thing down," Talos said. "And then find a corpse eater to extract this bastard's heart."

"Hey Mom, are we close?" Claude asked.

"We should be," Tiana said as she brushed her hair back, her eyes watching the sea below. "Prepared to lead a bunch of kids into sacking an empty fort?"

Claude sighed, "Something tells me that they're going to just goof off."

"You have my guards to ensure that doesn't happen," Tiana said. "And the marines aboard this ship."

"Why is it that you need so many guards anyways?" Claude asked. "Is dad that worried about you?"

Tiana snorted as she leaned against the railing of the ship, "They're here to make sure I don't get carried away."

"And?" Claude asked. "They're here to hold you back from fighting?"

"A year before you were born, there was a certain… incident," Tiana said, watching her son as she spoke. "Afterward, your dear father got tired of his vizier demanding I be punished, and pushed a bodyguard unit onto me."

"So they're here to back you up if someone raises a stink," Claude concluded. "I see."

"If I do get into a scarp, they do get to unwind," Tiana said. "Plus, they get to see Fodlan, so that's a bonus."

"Is guarding the palace really that boring?"

"Your father is a little too good at his work," Tiana replied with a shrug. "The only time I get excited is when he gets his rope out."

"Mom, please," Claude pleaded. "Too much information."

Tiana chuckled, "So dear son, have you found a spouse yet?"

"Nope," Claude declared. "Nope, never talking about this again."

"Lady Tiana?"

"What is it?" Tiana asked the soldier who had interrupted them.

"The wind has died down, and our crews need rest."

"So be it," Tiana replied. "Give them enough time to eat, but we won't stop any more until we reach Conand."

"Understood," the soldier said as he hurried away.

"There's the bastard," Talos said. "You, pick him off from a distance."

"Are you sure?" the archer asked. "What if he notices me?"

"Then don't miss," Talos shot back. "Olympia, do you have archers on hand?"

The other squad leader shook his head, "We have a few magi, but aiming at this range will be difficult."

Talos nodded as he turned to the archer, "You, cover our advance. We'll send this bastard to hell."

"Right," the soldier muttered as he raised his bow, taking a knee as the handful of magi darted forward.

"Stand down," Talos hissed as he waved at the archer behind him.

"Ready?" a junior mage asked as a ball of fire flickered in his hand.

"Fire!" Talos shouted as the mage corps attacked, a half dozen elemental attacks screaming toward their target.

Their victim screeched at the assault, the man staggering back as the first wave of magic cracked the cannibal's armour.

"It's not dead," Talos muttered. "Again! Repeat your attack!"

The monster screamed in response.

"Is it trying to say something?" a mage asked.

"Just keep firing," Talos growled. "I want that thing to be a butchered mess before any of us even get close."

"But-" the soldier started. "What if that thing is trying to say something?"

"Keep. Firing." Talos snapped as he unleashed a more powerful spell, the magic searing the flesh of the staggering cannibal.

"It's trying to run," a soldier observed.

"It's not going to get away from us," Talos snapped as he turned to the soldier. "Mark my words."

"Uhh, boss?" the man asked.

"What is it?" Talos barked.

"It's- gone," the man said, pointing at the spot where the man had last stood.

"They're right," Olympia said as he moved to the last location of the feral man. "There's a cliff here. Steep drop too. Bastard is dead and gone."

"Lovely," Talos said as he hurried forward. "That's interesting. Didn't realize there was a cove here."

"Are we done though?" a soldier asked. "That thing screaming gave me the creeps."

"We're done here," Talos said. "Come, let us return to camp."

"Addy, can I take you aside for a moment?" Aranea asked as she glared at the two figures before her. "There's something I need to discuss with you."

"Is something the matter?" Spite asked as he gestured for Ashe and Ingrid to stop, a single eye watching the pair as Aranea stepped closer.

"There's a chance they're both dead," Aranea said. "We didn't receive any message from Mortis in the time after you left, and it's possible Yurius is already dead."

Spite nodded, "I see, clearly I can't even trust you to tell the truth."

"Addy, I did it to protect you from yourself," Aranea growled. "You were going to get yourself killed at that rate."

"I've always served Shambhala," Spite replied. "Without question or complaint. Even when I should have spoken up. I would never have betrayed our people."

"Yes, and your hatred of Solon would have driven you into the cold embrace of death," Aranea shot back, "We need Solon and Thales to end this war on our terms… but after? Certainly not."

"Aranea, I want to ask you something," Spite said as he resumed his walk, his pace brisk as he turned to Ashe and Ingrid.

"And what is that, dear brother?"

"Did you tell Mortis?"

"No," Aranea replied. "She didn't like talking about the dead. You know why."

"I see," Spite said, pausing as he reached a post. "No, I don't. I didn't have every one of my friends butchered before my eyes."

"Yes, because you never had a friend that wasn't me," Aranea scoffed. "It's ironic."

"What is?" Spite asked.

"The first Periander was a woman," Aranea said, watching the flash of warning in her brother's eye. "And yet whenever I think of that song, I always think of you."

"There are times to talk about funeral dirges," Spite hissed. "And now is not one of those times."

"But you still wear a mask over that black heart of yours," Aranea argued. "And yet, despite all you have done, you are always in the cold."

"Sorry to interject," Ashe said. "There's people coming this way."

"We'll finish this later," Spite snarled as he turned to Ashe. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"They're wearing the colours of Gloucester," Ashe said. "And they seem to be looking for something."

"Come on now Khalid," Tiana said, grabbing her son's shoulder.

"Mom?" Claude asked as his mother pushed a beautiful bow into his hands.

"War awaits," Tiana said as she jogged from their quarters. "We're making landfall. You'll be instructing the brats."

"Right," Claude said as he hurried after his mother. "We are the first wave then?"

"Just a precaution, Prince Khalid," the captain of the ship said. "There may be poachers in these woods, and we don't want one of the kids to run into a trap."

Claude nodded, "How many landing boats are there?"

"You and I will be on the first boat," Tiana said. "We'll light a torch once we've scouted the area."

"Safe travels, Shahbanu Tiana, Crown Prince Khalid," the captain said.

Tiana punched the man's shoulder in response, "Safe in these trips is boring. A wild boar or two make for excellent marksmanship training."

"And cooking training," the captain said with a smirk.

"And for the last time, don't call me Shahbanu. Even Reza doesn't call me that.""

"Does dad find it weird how much you crave food sometimes?" Claude asked his mother.

"It has been too long since I've sunk my teeth into a wild hog," Tiana scoffed as she climbed into the rowboat, two marines nodding at Tiana as she sat down.

"Come along now, Prince Khalid," the ship's captain said. "Glory awaits you."

"Right, right," Claude said as he climbed after his mother, taking a moment to grab onto a large oar before the boat sank into the water.

"On my mark," Tiana called as the boat settled into the water. "Go!"

Claude grimaced as he pulled the oar toward his chest, his arms straining against the heavy wood.

"It's only a few strokes," the soldier next to him laughed. "You'll get used to it."

"We have land!" the soldier shouted as the boat stopped with a shudder.

"Darius, do you see anything?" Tiana asked as Claude took deep, laboured breaths.

"Few strokes my ass," Claude grumbled as he climbed after the advance party.

"There's a carcass on the beach," the marine replied. "Probably an old goat that fell off the cliff."

"So be it," Tiana barked as she climbed from the boat. "Secure a perimeter!"

"Lady Tiana, the second wave is coming." the other marine barked.

"Good," Tiana said. "We'll move deeper inland. With luck, we can secure Conand Tower by nightfall."

"Right," Claude said. "Huh, never been this far north."

"Not much up here to see," Darius observed.

"Who even is responsible for this fort anyways?" Tiana asked her son as she moved along the beach.

"Dunno," Claude said. "When I was at the academy, some bandit lord even managed to capture the fortress."

Tiana scoffed, "The knights of Faerghus have really declined in quality."

"An army marches on its stomach," Darius scoffed. "And last I heard, the closest noble house from here was one bad harvest away from starving."

"That's House Galatea for you," Tiana chukled. "Still, Daphnel territory was never known for production of food."

"Boss?" the other marine asked. "You need to take a look at this."

"What is it?" Tiana asked. "You sound worried."

"This thing-" the soldier said, his finger pointed at the dead animal at the edge of the beach. "It's human."

AN: Chapter 30 complete. Read, Review, whatnot.

AN2: I'll be collecting short story ideas for after the main story is over. Feel free to suggest (SFW!) ideas in reviews.

Current plans include:

Byleth and Edelgard's wedding (Story arc for after Thales has been murdered)- Comedy.

Bonfire for the Nabateans (Also after Thales gets whacked)- Serious.

Edelgard gorges herself on sweets (Post Thales)- Comedy.

The Emperor's Speech (Post Thales)- Serious.

Place suggestions within reviews!

Next Time:

Gloucester actually burns- Spite

Motion sickness- Mortis

Arrow to the knee- Claude

A surprise visit- Chilon

Fateful Choice- Lorenz

P.S. When Spite mentions ghosts to Ashe, feel free to imagine him saying it in Claude's voice (See Claude-Lysithea B support).