Chapter 35. Vae Victis, Part 2.

"Gloucester Manor," Edelgard muttered as she climbed from her horse, her grip on Aymr tight as she glanced around the charred remnants of the buildings. "I see Adrasteia was through in his destruction."

Byleth nodded as he turned to Hubert, "Does this look like something Mortis would do?"

Hubert paused, "I cannot say for certain. My in person interactions with her were limited."

"I think this is something Mortis would have done," Ignatz offered. "She did set fires in Myrddin after all."

"Did Mortis ever burn a building down when you last worked with her?" Byleth asked Hubert.

"She did," Hubert confirmed as he crossed his arms. "It was a slow fire, slow enough to allow for early escape, but powerful enough that it could not be put out before the building itself was destroyed.

"Professor," Yuri observed from the side of the group. "There's a horse here."

"Odd," Byleth said as he turned to the direction Yuri was pointing to, his face dark as he watched the horse bite into an unattended rose bush. "A horse wandering without a rider."

"There are no signs of life here," Hubert added. "Odd that there are no dead bodies either."

"What do you mean by that?" Byleth asked.

"Mortis was very strict about eliminating potential witnesses," Hubert said. "She slashed the throats of two drunkards who had potentially witnessed our first assassination. For this area to be devoid of the dead would suggest that this Adrasteia was a ghost, or the area was abandoned when he struck against the former count."

"Adrasteia is not a ghost," Byleth said. "That much we know for certain."

"And it is very much unlikely the count would have been left alone for a long period of time," Edelgard finished. "Especially considering his active rebellion."

"Hubert, Yuri, I want the two of you to scout the edges of the property," Byleth cut in. "Edelgard and I will see if there's anything within the manor itself."

"I can take care of the horse for the time being," Ignatz offered. "There might be some grazing land around the manor."

"Very well," Hubert said. "I'll make my way along the western fence. "Yuri, you head east. We'll meet up in the northeast corner of the property."

"Right," Yuri said as he pulled a sword from its scabbard. "Keep your eyes open."

"Aranea, do you have the power left to open a portal?" Spite asked as his sister followed him.

"Doubtful," Aranea replied. "I'm not fully recovered."

Spite nodded, "It is possible that Solon's forces could be heading along the same pathway. We can rest for a while. It would save us a heart if we were to only open the portal once."

"Right," Aranea said. "Do we wait here?"

"This is the gateway to Goneril territory," Spite said as he glanced around the room. "Only Shambhala proper awaits after this room."

"Why is a single heart of so much importance to you?" Aranea asked.

"The insanity Thales is planning," Spite replied. "A Nabatean is rather difficult to bring back, and the plan calls for the return of the second most powerful Nabatean in recorded history. It would take an immense amount of arcane might to pull off."

"You really don't like the plan much, do you?" Aranea snorted.

"No, I don't," Spite said. "I think the plan is a waste of valuable resources that could be better spent elsewhere."

"And what would you do?" Aranea asked. "If you were in charge of the war."

"It would depend on how much of Fodlan we want to preserve," Spite said. "For our own rule afterwards."

"Do tell," Aranea said. "I want to listen to one of your plans for once."

"You already know what kind of plans I favour," Spite snorted. "You watched me plan Noose."

"Walk me through it," Aranea said. "What does that diabolical mind of your cook up anyways?"

"Fine," Spite scoffed, taking a moment to sit on a fallen pillar. "I would launch a coordinated attack against vital food production facilities across Fodlan. An army of phantoms that could wreak untold havoc across Fodlan through use of Zaharas. A force of invisible terrors that even the descendents of the Ten Elites could do nothing against."

"You would break their faith," Aranea said.

"Not just break it," Spite said. "I would give them a new ruler, one based on superstition and the alleged power of their fell goddess. Claim that the army was the wrath of the Fell Star given form. And let their own paranoia do the rest."

"And then what?" Aranea asked.

"Demand the head of the betrayer on a platter," Spite said. "She is simply too… able to be allowed to live."

"High praise coming from you," Aranea said.

"I created her," Spite replied. "The duty falls to me to put her down."

"What duty?" Aranea scoffed. "You did nothing wrong."

Spite sighed as he turned to his sister, running a hand through his hair, "Had… had I been Agastya during the Enbarr years, I would have chosen to answer the Enbarr question differently, and maybe that would see a different turn of events."

Aranea raised an eyebrow at her brother's words, her hands clasped as Spite turned away.

"Spite?" Mortis asked as Spite rose to his feet. "Are we moving forward?"

"Not yet," Spite said. "I wouldn't have us move until later."

"Why is that?" Mortis asked.

"There is another expeditionary force out there," Spite said. "It's possible they will also be travelling this way today."

"Why are we waiting for them?" Yurius asked.

"There's no reason to waste precious resources over a few hours," Spite said.

"Right," Yurius said. "Sorry, it's just that I've been sitting in a dark cell for a while now."

"And how did they treat you?" Spite asked, his tone even as he looked at Yurius.

"I'm alright," Yurius said, raising his hands in an attempt to ward Spite off.

Spite frowned, "I'll make a note for an apothecary to look at you once we return."

Yurius nodded, "Spite, could I ask you about something?"

Spite raised an eyebrow, "What is that?"

"I never really got to ask you this before, but why did you spare Monica?"

"The von Ochs girl, yes?" Spite asked, his face measured as he watched Yurius nod. "Your… host had requested her survival."

"He sent a letter to me in person," Aranea said. "Said he had a certain use for her. I relayed the message to my brother."

"I'm told that magi with a link to the nobility of the Adrestian Empire is hard to come by," Spite said. "And that he owed a debt to the girl's father."

"What happened to that old man anyways?" Aranea asked.

"He had an encounter with Myson," Spite said. "It went poorly for him, and he was ultimately killed."

"Myson?" Yurius asked.

"My replacement within imperial command after I was recalled to Shambhala," Spite said. "He was able to leverage two incidents which almost allowed us to claim relics belonging to the Four Apostles."

"Almost," Aranea said. "He failed in both attempts. Still, he was able to gain valuable information on creating demonic beasts."

"That he was," Spite said. "But the operations were overall failures in that both relics that had been drawn out fell into the hands of our puppets."

"Which they turned against us," Mortis finished.

"Correct," Spite said as he turned to Yurius. "But that's enough about the past."

"If we were to find Monica on the battlefield," Yurius started. "She-"

"If she was unwilling to join us, we would likely have to strike her down," Spite said. "But if Hawthorne kept his end of the bargain, there is no reason to believe she was on the battlefield to begin with."

Mortis paused as she turned to Yurius, "I believe I saw her at Garreg Mach."

Spite blinked as he turned back to Yurius, "That is rather unfortunate. Still, we will make an attempt at avoiding killing her on the battlefield. That is all I can promise."

"Right," Yurius said, his face uncomfortable as he turned away from Spite and Mortis. "Thanks anyways."

"Ashe," Seteth said, his face concerned as the young knight rushed into him. "Where are you going?"

"Ah," Ashe said, taking a step back. "Sorry, we've been ordered to head north."

"Ashe-" Ingrid started. "My apologies Seteth, but Edelgard has requested our presence up north."

Seteth nodded as he stood to the side, "I'll leave you to it then."

"Right," Ashe said as he climbed aboard a horse. "I'll be going now."

"There goes that nice boy," Indech observed as he stepped from a side alleyway. "Where are they headed?"

"North," Seteth said. "It seems as if they found a place that's worth looking into."

Indech nodded as he yawned.

"Long night?" Seteth asked.

Indech paused, "I could not bring myself to sleep last night. To know that the scions of Agartha are still as dangerous as… back then."

Seteth closed his eyes as he walked along the rows of dead, "I cannot think what terrible agony they must have experienced in their final moments."

"So much death has happened in this place," Indech said.

"Not just this once, brother," Seteth replied. "There was a battle here some months ago as well. When the Adrestian Empire first took this bridge."

Indech grimaced as he looked away, "It's not a battle I fear, but to go to sleep one night…"

"Like mother," Seteth finished.

"You understand then," Indech said. "To be carved into pieces as I slept, or to be erased through those Agarthan world breakers. That is what I fear."

Seteth nodded as he turned away from his brother, his eyes settling on Flayn as she approached him.

"Father," Flayn said. "There's a lot of people coming in from the east."

Seteth frowned, "Is that so?"

"Those coming to claim their loved ones," Lorenz explained as he hurried next to Seteth. "As a representative of the Church, I ask that you… assist me in this endeavor."

"The church is disbanded," Seteth pointed out. "I would not have the authority."

Lorenz shook his head, "Many of my people have clung to their faith in this hour. It is all they have left. If you were to even simply give a short prayer for each of them, it would give them peace of mind."

Seteth nodded as he turned to Flayn and Indech, "I'll be going then."

"Right," Indech said, his voice gentle as he led Flayn away. "I'll try to catch some fish for lunch today."

"Yuri," Hubert said as he nodded to the other man. "Anything of interest in your side of the estate?"

Yuri shook his head, "Nothing."

Hubert nodded, "The fire on the west side of the estate was expertly set. Likely from within the building itself."

"Tell me more," Yuri said. "I may have… had some experience with fire."

Hubert raised an eyebrow before he gestured for Yuri to follow him, the two men walking for a minute before Hubert spoke.

"I believe the fire was set within the building," Hubert said. "The outside of the building, while showing considerable damage, has not been entirely charred, while the inside of this building has collapsed entirely."

"What do you think the building was?" Yuri asked as he glanced behind the pair, as if a ghostly enemy was stalking them.

"A stable," Hubert said. "If Adrasteia was looking for a distraction, what better way to distract his enemies than to have a dozen rampaging horses across the manor? It would also explain the lost horse wandering the estate."

"Fair point," Yuri said as they approached the main building. "Teach."

"Yuri, Hubert," Byleth said. "Have either of you brought any news about the estate?"

"The burned building we saw earlier appears to have been the stable for the late Count Gloucester," Hubert explained. "I believe it was burned to provide Adrasteia with a means of concealing himself in a position where he could strike at the late count."

Byleth nodded as he waved for the two men to enter the building. "The fire has destroyed much of what remains of Gloucester's manor, but the structure itself is still sturdy, having been made from stone."

Hubert nodded as he approached Edelgard, giving her a slight bow as she rose from a crouch.

"Three dead," Edelgard said, gesturing to two bodies at her feet. "The third one is behind the Professor."

"Do we have any idea who any of them are?" Hubert asked.

"I believe one of them is Acheron," Edelgard said. "His hair has… rather miraculously survived."

"But he did not, did he?" Yuri asked. "Pity, that's one more lord I can't take advantage of from now on."

Hubert frowned as he tore the wig from the dead man, taking a minute to examine the hairpiece, "Almost certainly enchanted. Very expensive."

"But in poor taste," Yuri commented.

Hubert chuckled at the comment before tossing the wig away, "Are there any rooms in particular we should look at?"

Byleth paused, "I believe Ignatz would have an idea of that. Call him in. Leave the horse as is."

"Right," Yuri said as he turned from the building. "I'll be out then."

"I'm pleased that Acheron has been dealt with," Edelgard offered after a minute of silence. "Still, we have gotten few answers out of this place."

"We'll just have to wait for the others then." Byleth said. "We've done what we could have."

Edelgard nodded as she tossed the wig aside, glancing up at the ruined staircase above them.

"El?" Byleth asked.

Edelgard shook her head, "It's nothing. Let's go."

"We have contact," the messenger gasped as he scrambled into the room. "There's been contact at Conand Tower."

"Is that so?" Count Galatea asked, rising to his feet as he turned to his two guests. "Are these friends of yours, by any chance?"

"We came here alone," Tiana shot back. "We did not have a second fleet behind us."

"So it's not Reza then," Count Galatea said. "I will lead my forces toward the front in that case. I expect you two to follow."

"What choice do we have?" Claude asked. "It's not like we can just say no."

"Have they made any attempt to negotiate so far?" Count Galatea asked.

The messenger shook his head, "I was sent back here the moment that we encountered anyone at the site. I was not informed of their affiliation."

Count Galatea nodded at the response, "Very well then. Summon Holst. Tell him that we are marching on Conand Tower."

"I'm right here," Holst said as he entered the room, an empty cup of tea in hand as he sat down. "My men are ready to move in whenever."

Count Galatea nodded, "Your men will flank them from the north. Ensure they don't see us coming."

"I understand," Holst said as he stood up. "Consider it done."

"Doesn't seem like they're coming," Aranea commented as Spite rose to his feet.

"Pity," Spite replied. "Yurius, Mortis, be prepared to move out."

"Hey Spite, I think I see something," Yurius said. "Is that- is that one of ours?"

Spite frowned as he stepped next to Yurius, his eyes narrowing as he stared the dead soldier down, "No Yurius, that's a revenant."

Yurius flinched at the words and took a step back, "Does it want to hurt us?"

"Possible," Spite said. "But we have the magic to reduce it to dust, so there's little it can do."

"Will it try to harm us?" Yurius asked.

"Doubtful," Spite replied as he turned away from the ghost. "If nothing else, they'll know to fear our power."

Yurius nodded as he turned to follow Spite, taking one more look at the crowd of ghosts gathering behind them before he broke into a run.

"Do you see anything?" Caspar asked for the third time.

Douglas frowned as he inched forward, "Do you know of any blondes?"

"Well, there's quite a few of them," Caspar reasoned.

"It's a man," Douglas said. "And he's looking right at us."

"Wait-" Caspar started as a wyvern slammed into the ground next to him, the blue haired fighter staggering as he fell back, a lance piercing the ground beside him as Douglas spun around, his bow aimed at the sudden attacker.

"Imperial army!" Douglas shouted as he advanced, his bow pointed at the pink haired man's head. "Identify yourself or say your prayers!"

"Imperial army?" the man spluttered as he looked down. "Where are you-"

"Fhirdiad detachment," Douglas snapped. "Taking a detour to find two missing officers. And what of you?"

"I am Holst Goneril," the pink haired man shot back. "Commander of Fodlan's Locket."

"Hey wait a minute," Caspar said. "I know you!"

Douglas grimaced as he lowered his bow, "Where from?"

"You're the guy who ate those mushrooms!" Caspar said.

Holst gritted his teeth as he turned to the blonde man hurrying to the group.

"Douglas, you know this guy?" Caspar asked, pointing to the man approaching them.

"That-" Douglas started, taking a moment to look at Caspar before he continued. "That's Count Galatea, General Galatea's father."

"Ingrid's father," a soldier said as he translated the title for Caspar.

"Ah," Caspar said before he looked at the shorter man next to the count. "And why is Claude here? Didn't he promise to leave Fodlan?"

"I told you so," Claude muttered to the woman next to him.

Holst cleared his throat, "Lady Tiana Shah, Queen of Almyra, and her son, Crown Prince Khalid Shah of Almyra."

"Right," Douglas said, turning his eyes to Claude. "We're looking for General Ubert and General Galatea."

"Ingrid?" Count Galatea started, his voice hard as he looked at the archer before him.

Douglas grimaced, "Yes."

"We never saw either Ingrid or Ashe," Claude cut in. "They were here?"

"We had reports that there was an army at Conand Tower," Douglas said. "Generals Ubert and Galatea went to gather a head count while Generals Gautier and Fraldarius left for Garreg Mach to summon reinforcements."

"Garreg Mach," Count Galatea said. "Not Enbarr?"

"We were told Garreg Mach," Douglas said. "While word may have reached Enbarr, it would take time before any mainline imperial forces could reach Conand."

Count Galatea nodded as he turned around, "We did encounter the remnants of a hostile force, but it had almost been slaughtered to a man by the time we arrived here, by the so-called Lord of the Desert, as it were."

Douglas narrowed his eyes as he turned to Caspar, "Is that so?"

"Ashe… Ashe encountered a dragon at Fhirdiad," Caspar said. "It flew off with Ingrid."

"My daughter?" Count Galatea asked, his tone frigid as he stared at Caspar.

"General Ubert was able to retrieve her with only minor injuries," Douglas interjected, stepping in between Caspar and the furious Count Galatea.

"Count Galatea," Holst said, placing a calming hand on the man's shoulder. "Perhaps they are able to identify the dead for us?"

"There's at least one I think you should see," Claude interjected. "Though there's not exactly much of him left."

"Why is that?" Caspar asked.

"I think you know him," Claude said. "Though he only seems vaguely familiar to me."

"Show me," Caspar said as Claude turned around.

"Show all of us," Count Galatea said. "If this is important, we can let Myrddin know."

"Spite?"

"Yurius," Spite said in response, turning to face the younger man, "Is something the matter?"

"Is it just me, or are there more ghosts following us than before?" Yurius asked.

"Well, he's not wrong," Aranea reasoned. "There are more ghosts following us."

"And what should we do with them?" Mortis asked.

"We don't have the time to clear all of them out," Spite said as he glanced at the formless wave spilling into the room they stood in. "We're almost to the gateway back to Shambhala regardless."

A particularly loud cry from the crowd behind them made Yurius flinch, the man turning to a frantic sprint as he fled ahead of the group.

"I didn't know he was afraid of ghosts," Spite observed as he increased his pace to a brisk walk. "Might be a problem if we were to ever return to Zaharas."

"Likely that we will," Aranea said. "Still, we are close to the room."

"One more hallway and we'll be there," Spite said, launching a ball of fire at the stones behind them. "Pity if Yurius went the wrong way."

Aranea snorted, "That boy is hopeless."

"Yurius!" Spite called after the spooked soldier. "Hallway to your left!"

A scream responded as Spite swore.

"What now?" Aranea muttered, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion as Spite fed even more magic into the flames behind him. "Did he find a dead body?"

Mortis growled as she hurried after Yurius, her eyes narrowed as she swore.

"Spite?"

"Mortis," Spite said as he caught up to his apprentice, his eyes turned to the hunched ghost standing before him. "What the-"

"Solon?" Aranea gasped. "Is that Solon?"

"Was," Spite said. "What happened to him?"

"Bad news," Mortis muttered as she kicked the downed man. "Looks like Yurius is out cold."

"We're one room away from Shambhala," Spite said as he glanced back at the wall behind them. "We can carry him there before performing the ritual."

"Right," Mortis said. "But what happened to Solon?"

"His mind must have been destroyed before he was slain," Spite muttered. "There is no saving him, even if we were to bring him back again."

"Who could have done that?" Mortis asked, her face disgusted as she took a step back from the ghost of Solon.

"Macuil," a ghostly voice behind them shrieked through the wall of fire. "Macuil! Macuil! Macuil!"

Spite turned to face the assembled crowd through the flames of the wall, his eyes narrowing as he saw faces he recognized.

"Bastards," Aranea growled as she turned to face the ghosts.

"So he returned," Spite muttered as he reached to grab the downed Yurius. "Mortis, help me with Yurius. Aranea, opening the portal falls to you. Let's get out of here before the wall fails."

"Right," Aranea said as she turned away from the broken form of Solon and the crowd of ghosts behind them. "Let's go then."

Seteth paused as he wiped the sheen of sweat from his head, his face solemn as the last grieving family turned away from him, their beloved son wrapped in a simple bedsheet.

"Just one left then," Lorenz said as he approached Seteth, his arms behind his back as he nodded in greeting.

"Your noble father's murderer," Seteth said.

Lorenz nodded as he looked down at the wrapped corpse, "I- I am conflicted. Is it wrong for me to have such hatred in my heart?"

Seteth closed his eyes as he stepped away from the corpse, "Let us speak of this elsewhere."

Lorenz nodded as he followed Seteth toward the imperial side of the bridge, past the ruined husks that had once been the northern side of Myrddin.

"What is it that you believe you'll get out of… this?" Seteth asked.

Lorenz closed his eyes as he clenched his hands into tight balls but said nothing as the two men walked along the bridge.

"I once stood where you did," Seteth said after a minute of walking, his gaze turned to the water rushing under the bridge. "My brothers and sisters, slain by those I had once called friends."

"I'm sorry for that," Lorenz said.

"But it was not revenge that gave me purpose," Seteth said. "Revenge did not give me the determination to watch over Flayn over all these years. Duty and love did."

Lorenz glanced back at the distant sheet-wrapped body before he spoke, "And what does revenge provide?"

"You know the answer to that," Seteth reminded Lorenz. "Revenge against the dead is meaningless."

Lorenz stood silent for a minute before he continued, "And what is it that you would have me do? What would you do in my place?"

"When the war ended, the first act of my sister was to build a monument to our mother," Seteth said. "She built it to continue her revenge, but also to honour mother for the life she had led, not the death that she had no hand in, to wipe away the city of Agartha, which had burned Fodlan to ash in the old war."

Lorenz nodded as he walked back to the body, a torch in his hand as the night descended.

"If mother was to see it," Seteth said after a minute of silence, "I believe she would have felt pride at what Seiros built in her memory."

Lorenz nodded as he turned to the burnt town around him, "So to build a new Myrddin over the ashes of the old."

"But not just Myrddin," Seteth said. "What makes Garreg Mach great was that it had the people willing to strive for greater things. If there are no eyes to witness and enjoy this new Myrddin, then what is it that you have laboured for?"

"Agastya?" Chilon asked as he stood by the door.

"Chilon," Thales said as he turned to the younger man, his tea untouched as he looked up.

"Lord S- Periander has returned. Lady Pittacus is with him."

"And the two operatives he was sent to retrieve?" Thales asked.

"They have been recovered," Chilon said. "Though one is regrettably unconscious."

Thales nodded, "Where are Lord Periander and Lady Pittacus?"

Chilon glanced behind him as Thales took a sip of his tea.

"The entire group of three are here," Chilon said. "The unconscious man has been transferred to the infirmary."

"Very well," Thales said. "Have the three of them come in."

Chilon nodded as he stepped out of the room.

"I am glad to see that you are well," Thales said. "Please, sit."

Spite nodded as he sat down, his face grim as he turned to Thales.

"The northern expedition was annihilated," Spite said. "All signs at the scene of the battle suggest Macuil was responsible."

Thales closed his eyes for a moment before he nodded, "I will wait for Solon to confirm the fact, but I believe your words."

"He's not coming back," Aranea added. "We encountered his spirit when we made our trip back to Zaharas."

"Is this true?" Thales asked as he turned to Spite.

"His mind was destroyed before his death," Spite said. "However, the other undead within Zaharas indicated to us that Macuil was responsible for their annihilation as well. It is possible he was waiting in ambush."

Thales nodded, "This is rather fantastical, and had it been from anyone else, I would not have believed it."

"I understand your feelings," Spite said in reply. "That being said, I stand by my report."

Thales nodded as he closed his eyes, "Lord Periander, you will return to Zaharas with me. I will confirm this report in person. Lady Pittacus, you and your apprentice are dismissed for the time being."

"I understand," Pittacus said as she bowed her head in understanding.

"Return to your living quarters," Thales said. "Remain there until I return."

"Of course," Aranea said as she stood up, nodding to Chilon as she left the room.

"I see Zaharas is disturbed," Thales observed as the portal behind him shut, the harsh light from Shambhala failing as the gateway closed.

Spite said nothing as he followed his superior into the darkness, the green light of Zaharas eerie as the two men walked forward.

"Do you recognize this artifact?" Thales asked as he raised a horn to his lips.

"I do," Spite said. "Though I admit I have never attempted to use it before."

Thales nodded as he blew, the sound haunting as the chamber shook.

"Your moment of reckoning awaits," Thales said as the tide of ghosts rushed into the chamber, a hundred faces visible as they surrounded the duo.

"Percival, I believe your name was," Thales said as a ghost knelt before him.

"I have failed you," the ghost started, his face bowed to the ground below.

"You fell in service to Agartha," Thales said. "There is no end more noble than that."

"But I was not enough," Percival cried, his eyes turning to both Thales and Spite. "For all the trust that was placed in me, I failed."

"Tell us what happened," Thales said.

"The Wind Caller struck our group," Percival started. "Vito and the others had gone into the woods to look for Olympia, and I- I failed."

"And yet he stands next to you," Thales said as he focused on another ghost, his head bowed as he moved forward.

"My unit was ambushed by Almyran pirates," Vito admitted as his form flickered. "We were… massacred."

"Vito," Spite barked. "Where is Olympia?"

"I- I do not know," Vito admitted. "We did not reach Olympia before they attacked us."

"And what of Solon?" Thales asked as the ghosts parted once more, his face turned to disgust as he saw the mewling form of his subordinate.

"That's how I found him," Spite offered after a moment of silence.

"And when was it that you last saw him alive?"

"I walked him to the gateway to Zaharas when he left," Vito volunteered. "He hadn't been there for over a day when Macuil came for us."

"You inspire a great deal of loyalty in your men," Thales said as he turned to Spite. "Even those who have fallen in the line of duty stand with you."

Spite said nothing.

"The rest of you are dismissed," Thales said to the fading ghosts. "We will return to Shambhala to discuss this… development."

"Mortis," Spite offered as he greeted his apprentice. "Thales has called for you."

"Is this related to-" Mortis started.

"I do not know," Spite said. "But he summoned you in person."

"Right," Mortis muttered as she followed Spite. "Do we have a plan for the near future?"

Spite paused before he shook his head, "We will see in the near future, but the meeting will come first."

Mortis nodded as she spotted Aranea, the trio quiet as they reached the conference room.

"Ready?" Aranea asked.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't drown yourself in my alcohol stash when I'm away on official business," Spite muttered as he opened the door, his face growing murderous as he saw the woman in the room.

"Lord Periander!" Thales barked. "Enough."

"Agastya Thales," Spite started as he glared at the woman. "What is she doing here?"

"She has defied my orders," Thales said, his voice hard as Spite lit a orb of fire in his hand."That being said, she is not to be harmed… yet."

Spite growled as he extinguished the fire in his hand, taking a moment to slide into a chair next to Myson.

"Chilon, you are already familiar with what we intend to do in the coming days, so you are to take our guest back to her quarters. She is to be denied food for the next two days."

Chilon nodded as he seized the woman's hand, his armoured gauntlet delivering a vicious crunch as the woman was dragged from the conference room.

"Now that that matter is dealt with," Thales said. "I regret to inform the rest of you that our plans have reached a hitch."

"Is something the matter?" Myson asked.

"Indeed," Thales said. "Solon is dead."

Myson turned to the man beside him as his fists clenched.

"He was obliterated by the intervention of a cursed Nabatean," Thales said. "It is unfortunate, but we cannot bring him back this time. He is lost."

"And no," Thales added. "Lord Periander had nothing to do with it."

Myson swallowed before he glanced at Spite, "Of course not."

"Our next orders of business will start tomorrow," Thales said. "We will augment our standing forces in the coming days. Lady Pittacus, you will organize our existing arcane regiments into an effective fighting force."

Aranea nodded, "I would be honoured."

"Lord Periander, you will assist me in an endeavour to field more soldiers when we reach Fhirdiad," Thales continued. "We will require your rather unique talents for this undertaking."

Spite nodded as he bowed his head.

"Lord Myson," Thales said as turned to the last member of the Septet within the room, "There is at least a single open slot in regards to the Septet, with the loss of Solon. Within this room are two potential candidates for the next Lord or Lady Solon."

Myson narrowed his eyes as he turned to Mortis and Odesse, "There two, I presume?"

"Correct," Thales said. "They are Mortis and Odesse. By the time we leave Shambhala for the next phase of our plan, I expect you to name at least one of them into the ranks of the Septet."

Myson nodded as he leaned back into his seat, "As you command."

Thales nodded as he stood, "The meeting is adjourned. Come, Lord Periander, there is much to discuss before we break for the evening."

Spite turned his gaze to Aranea and Mortis before he stood and followed Thales out of the room, the door shutting behind him.

"Mortis and Odesse," Myson observed as he sat up, his fingers crossed as he looked at the two younger faces at the table. "Before I begin, I will make it clear that I will judge you on merit alone. Your past and your affiliations mean nothing to me. Is that clear?"

"I understand," Mortis started.

Myson nodded as he turned to Odesse, "And what say you?"

"I- I understand," Odesse muttered.

"This is going to end badly," Myson muttered as he turned to Aranea.

"My brother taught her the old tongue," Aranea informed her peer. "Not so sure about him."

Myson snorted as he turned to the blank-faced Odesse, "I hope your brother was through in his work, I would be very disappointed if she was lacking."

"Oh we shall find out," Aranea muttered as she rose from her seat. "The two of you are free to go. Myson, do you have a time tomorrow you want them?"

"Daybreak," Myson said as he leaned back into his seat. "Back exit."

"The one with the monolith?" Mortis asked as she stood up.

"Correct," Myson said as he turned to leave the room. "Daybreak, not a minute later."

"Right, we're here," Felix muttered as he climbed from his horse.

"What a mess," Ingrid whispered as she dismounted. "Is this truly the Gloucester estate?"

"For such a wealthy region, the manor does seem small," Ashe admitted.

"Still, this is the largest building for some time," Sylvain reasoned as he climbed off his horse. "Professor! You here?"

"There you are," Yuri said as he popped his head from the charred remnants of the manor house. "Took you long enough. Sun's going down already."

"Yuri, that's enough," Byleth chided as he stepped out after Yuri. "It's good to see that you've made it here, but we have questions."

"Well," Sylvain started. "We're all ears, teach."

"Ingrid, Ashe, where were you when Gloucester Manor burned?" Byleth asked.

Ingrid and Ashe exchanged a glance before Ashe spoke up, "There's an unused tower of some sort in the corner of the estate, and they forced us to get in."

Byleth turned to glance at the tall building in the distance, "And how did you get into the estate?"

"There was a fence we were able to climb over," Ingrid said. "We can show it to you if you want."

"That will not be necessary," Edelgard interjected as she stepped from the house. "We are making a move on Conand Tower soon. The army there must be dislodged."

Ashe turned pale as he took a step back.

"Ashe, is there something wrong?" Edelgard asked.

"There- there was no army at Conand Tower," Ingrid stammered. "There were only a few of them there, not an entire army."

"So your prisoner was lying then?" Byleth concluded.

"No," Ingrid said. "It- Solon was there."

Byleth flinched, "We killed Solon."

Ingrid shook her head, "Solon and Cornelia were both there, Cornelia said that Adrasteia was her brother."

"It's true!" Ashe protested. "I saw her too."

"Cornelia is still alive?" Edelgard asked, her voice frigid as she turned to Byleth. "Solon too?"

"Tell us more," Byleth said. "What else did you see there?"

Ashe closed his eyes for a moment as Sylvain turned his head, "Professor? We have company."

Byleth frowned as he turned to Sylvain, his eyes turning to the sky as a pale fleck grew closer.

"Hold your fire," Edelgard said as she looked up. "It doesn't seem hostile."

"Bodies," Ingrid said.

"Pardon?" Byleth asked as he turned to Ingrid.

"We saw bodies at Conand Tower. More dead bodies on the ground than there were soldiers guarding us," Ingrid said. "The soldiers- they were doing something to the bodies."

"I have them on visual," Hubert called. "It's a wyvern rider. One of ours."

Edelgard nodded as she stepped forward, the young man on the beast gasping as he climbed from the beast.

"Soldier, what are you doing so far from your post?" Hubert barked.

"Hubert?" Edelgard asked.

"His uniform is of one of the guards under Holst Goneril," Hubert explained. "Why he was flying from the direction of A- Conand."

"I bring news from Galatea territory," the man gasped as he looked up, his face stunned as he realized who he was talking to. "There- there's been a landing of Almyran pirates at Conand Tower. We've taken their leaders prisoner at the County of Galatea."

Edelgard narrowed her eyes as she turned to look at the man, "And has there been any other news you wish to report?"

The man nodded as he glanced down at the ground, "There's been a massacre at Conand Tower. Estimates say there's at least a hundred bodies there."

"One hundred dead," Edelgard muttered as she turned to the man, her eyes dark as she turned to the group around her. "There's no time to waste. Have our forces march to Galatea territory. It will take some time to navigate the mountains, but we must make time."

"May- may I say something?" the soldier before Edelgard stammered.

"What is it now?" Hubert growled.

"There is a shipment of citrus meant for the captured pirates docked at the Daphnel river. It's to leave for Galatea territory shortly."

Edelgard glanced at the exhausted horses of the group around her, "Then we will leave for that ship at daybreak. Until then, try to find a place to sleep."

AN: Chapter 35 done. Read, Review, yada yada. The whole song and dance.

Due to a lack of responses to the poll, I have shut it down. Regardless, thank you to the umm... 2 people who took the time to vote. From this point on, I will be uploading on a week by week basis.

AN 2: The second project. I will also be starting a new project in the coming days. This project will take away from this story, but I am still committed to finishing this story at least before February of next year.

I am doing this because, as readers may have noticed, I've burned out since finishing the Burning of Gloucester arc, and my pace as suffered greatly as a result. I believe this secondary project will allow me to have an alternative to writing this particular work when I'm not in the mood.

With that bit out of the way...

Next chapter. (Expected in 2 weeks time).

The price of blood- Spite.

Demon- Edelgard.

The price of failure- Claude.

The bitter pill- Dorothea.

Mother- ?