Chapter 36: Vae Victus, Part 3.

I saw her face as I slept.

I reached for her hand.

But she tore herself away, her face lined with terror.

I chased after her, into the darkness, into the land of roaring shadows.

But the dead stopped me, unliving hands and claws tearing at my legs.

They dragged me down, their leering, bloodstained faces blocking out the light that was mother.

"I thought you would be out here." Aranea turned to her brother, the twins standing in silence before Spite turned to face his sister. "Worried for tomorrow?"

"No," Spite replied, taking a breath of the warm summer air as he closed his eyes. "I'm not."

"Stop lying," Aranea chuckled. "I know you well enough that you're worried."

"Why should I be worried?" Spite raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the black monolith. "I've finally learned the truth-"

"Oh shut it Addy, I knew you were going to hold it over me," Aranea growled.

"I've recovered Mortis," Spite continued, "And of course, she's ascended into one of the Septet."

"She hasn't ascended yet." Aranea pointed. "Myson is responsible for deciding that."

"Yes, and we both know Odesse is an incompetent buffoon," Spite sneered. "I'll be surprised if he even survives whatever Myson is planning."

"Are you going to sleep?" Aranea asked.

"No," Spite rubbed his face as he turned back to the monolith. "I have certain things to do."

"Like shaving," Aranea snickered.

Spite reached for the stubble on his face before he nodded, "One of many things to do before daybreak."

"What do you think Thales is going to do tomorrow?" Aranea asked.

"I couldn't tell for certain," Spite replied. "Still, I suspect it has something to do with the dead within Zaharas."

"How much has Thales gone into your predecessor's papers?"

Spite shrugged, "I have a suspicion on what he's planning, but I'm not in his head."

"I see," Aranea shrugged. "We'll see in the future, won't we?"

"I'd much rather have your job, if I'm going to be honest," Spite admitted. "It's boring, but not as stressful as whatever Thales is going to have me cook up."

"Lovely," Aranea grumbled. "More work for me then."

Spite chuckled, "At least you don't have to deal with Thales."

I see my face in the darkness.

She mirrors me, her face a mocking serenity.

But I see the madness in her eyes, even as she extends an arm forward.

I shrink from the pale grasp of the doppelganger, but she does not stop.

The arm tears through the darkness.

It finds my throat.

And then I cannot breathe.

Cannot fight.

Cannot scream.

She forces me to meet her eyes- my eyes.

She forces me to see the madness within.

My madness.

That which I have hidden for so long.

I scream, but no sound escapes my lips.

Her face begins to decay, to rot and fester before my eyes.

Something in me turns away from the horror, but yet I am trapped in place.

I see mother beneath the pestilence, her knowing eyes judging me.

I scream her name.

But my voice is gone, and her eyes burn my will to fight away.

My knees break and falter, and a feeling burns in my heart.

Is it fear? Horror? Shame?

I do not know.

But she still judges me.

And I have been found wanting.

She was alone in the palace again, the marble halls shattered and the air reeking of fire and smoke.

Edelgard blinked as she looked down at her hands, her heartbeat rising as the haunting voice drew her in, past the doors leading into the throne room, her legs moving to a cruel puppeteer's strings.

She steeled herself as she faced down her monstrous doppelganger, the blank eyes of Adrasteia's work unflinching as she towered over Edelgard.

"Adrasteia," Edelgard hissed, her hands balled into fists as the hulking monster moved forward.

The other Edelgard made a noise, even though her withered, bloodless lips did not move.

Edelgard felt a rage burning within her as she realized the monster was laughing, a cold, unholy sound.

"He may have planted the seed," the hollow, inhuman monster taunted. "But it was you who chose this path."

"You're not making any sense," Edelgard hissed.

"Is that so?" the monster mocked, the shifting beast thundering as she stalked forward. "I know what would drive you to embrace the power that he, and only he could offer."

Edelgard gritted her teeth as the monster stepped before her, her doppelganger lowering herself to meet Edelgard eye to eye.

"And do you want to know the answer to that?"

Edelgard gritted her teeth.

"You will bow to me your own power is not enough," the monster whispered, her voice echoing across the walls of the ruined throne room. "Because even with his cursed gifts, you could not cast down all your enemies."

Edelgard tried to take a step back, but found the stone wings of her other self blocking her escape.

"You will bow to me, because above all else, you cannot accept that all the blood you spilled was for nothing."

Edelgard threw a punch at the monster, though the attack found nothing but thin air.

"You cannot accept that the lives that were destroyed for you could never be repaid," The monster whispered, materializing at the doors to the throne room.

"Why- why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know those desires of yours," the monster continued, her empty red eyes burning into Edelgard. "Your desire to shatter those who wronged you, your desire to see your mother, just one more time."

Edelgard clenched her teeth, "And I can't do that without-"

"Some things are dictated by fate," the blank-eyed monster smirked. "There are some things that are destined to happen."

Edelgard felt a stab of something in her heart as the monster shifted into darkness, leaving her alone in the palace.

"And this?" the monster's voice echoed. "This is destined."

"Lady Edelgard?"

Edelgard gasped as she scrambled up, her eyes darting around the pre-dawn air, taking a moment to adjust to the dim light.

"Are you alright?" Hubert asked as he stood over Edelgard. "It seems as if you were having a nightmare."

Edelgard shook her head, "Are the others awake? I would prefer it if we were moving."

Hubert frowned as he turned away from Edelgard, "I believe the Professor is awake. He was patrolling the perimeter late last night."

Edelgard frowned and climbed from her bed roll.

"Do you need to wash off?" Hubert pressed. "You're drenched."

Edelgard looked down and grimaced as she realized her state of dishevelment, "Is there a river nearby?"

Hubert frowned as he turned his gaze around the yard, "There should be a source of water nearby, though I am unfamiliar with the terrain."

"It is alright," Edelgard dismissed Hubert with a wave. "Our primary concern has not changed. We need to leave for Daphnel territory before the delivery ship has left for Galatea territory."

Hubert nodded as he looked up, "Ah, Professor!"

Edelgard spun around to see Byleth approach, her face flushing as she realized how close her consort really was.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something important," Byleth greeted. "Still, the area appears secure. The rebels seem to have been isolated at Myrddin."

"Professor?" Hubert asked. "Have you located a source of water by any chance?"

"Hubert!" Edelgard exclaimed. "I'm alright! So stop with the water already."

Hubert, perhaps unsurprisingly, ignored her squawks of protest, "Lady Edelgard had a nightmare. It would be good if she was allowed some time alone."

"That's enough!" Edelgard declared. "I don't need to-"

"El," Byleth interjected, his voice stern as he crouched down. "Let me see you."

Edelgard gave Hubert a dirty look as Byleth crouched down, his eyes unreadable in the early morning light.

"You're washing yourself off," Byleth stood. "There's a reservoir to the east that the farmers use for their crops. We can wash up there."

"I- I don't need it," Edelgard protested.

Byleth gave Edelgard a stern glare in response, and Edelgard sighed as she resigned herself to her fate, turning away from Byleth as she did her best to hide her embarrassment.

"What was the nightmare about?" Byleth asked when Hubert was out of earshot.

Edelgard grimaced as she cast her gaze to the ground, "I- I was back in Enbarr."

"The palace," Byleth guessed. "With the monster."

"You remember?" Edelgard whispered as she looked at Byleth.

"That's not something I'll forget," Byleth tucked a stray lock of hair away. "Not in this lifetime."

Edelgard nodded at the words as they followed the path, her eyes taking in the quiet farmland around them.

"I always wondered what living in farm territory like this was like," Edelgard admitted. "All my life, I've been in cities. Enbarr, Fhirdiad, Garreg Mach…"

"Perhaps that grand tour of ours will include the farmlands of Fodlan?" Byleth suggested. "With all the regional sweets that exist."

Edelgard choked back a laugh as she shook her head, trying and failing to hide her delight at the prospect, "I- I think that's an idea I can get behind- once this is all over, of course."

Byleth nodded as they reached a crossroads, "To the right. We're almost there."

"I see it," Edelgard replied. "It- it looks nice."

Byleth didn't say anything in turn as he crouched next to the water, his trousers rolled up as he produced a handkerchief.

"It's rather cold," Byleth announced with a wince as he climbed into the ankle-deep river. "Still, it shouldn't be a problem."

Edelgard nodded as Byleth washed her arm, her eyes darting along the horizon, ever wary of people watching.

"Is the water alright?" Byleth asked as he dabbled at Edelgard's forehead, the cloth gentle as he went around her ear.

Edelgard replied with a slight purr, though she jerked away from Byleth a second later, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Please be still," Byleth chided as he lowered the icy handkerchief. "I'm going to wash your neck."

Edelgard suppressed a giggle as Byleth found a weak spot, her hands clenched into fists as he inched the cloth down her sensitive spine.

"Did you enjoy that?" Byleth asked, his voice breaking what little willpower she still had.

"I did," Edelgard admitted with a chuckle, a smile on her lips. "I didn't- I didn't think you could be so gentle with it."

"Sometimes-" Byleth replied, his voice growing distant before he trailed off. "Sometimes we couldn't get enough water for a bath."

Edelgard felt a laugh die in her throat as she looked down at the water Byleth was wading in.

"I'm sorry," Edelgard whispered. "If- if I had been strong enough-"

"El," Byleth looked into her eyes. "There was nothing any of us could do that day. If it wasn't her, there would have been another in her place."

"I- I saw… me" Edelgard admitted as the couple fell into silence. "In the dream."

"The monster in the palace?" Byleth asked as he looked her in the eyes, his body rigid.

"Yes," Edelgard confirmed as she remembered the hollowed eyes of her doppelganger. "Her. She- she said that there were some things that were inevitable."

Byleth clenched his teeth as he dunked the cloth back under the water again, his hands fierce as he applied the handkerchief to Edelgard's hand.

"Professor!" Edelgard yelped.

Byleth flinched as he stepped back, pain flashing in his eyes as he took a deep breath, the offending piece of cloth falling to the river, "I've been told that before. That there were things that were inevitable."

"And?" Edelgard asked as she met his eyes.

"I don't believe that," Byleth replied, his eyes unwilling to look upon Edelgard as he reached for the fallen handkerchief. "We chose this fate, not the other way around."

Edelgard nodded as Byleth brought his hands to bear again, his touch careful as he moved to the other side of her face.

"We all had a choice to make," Byleth continued. "We chose to bring Hilda back to Garreg Mach, to let Claude go with Nader. To enter Fhirdiad, even as the city burned around us."

Edelgard felt the empty eyes burning in her mind fade at the words.

"We had a choice," Byleth finished, his eyes on hers as he brought the soft cloth against her legs. "And, in the end, I think we chose correctly."

Edelgard closed her eyes as Byleth let out a long breath.

"Professor?" Edelgard asked as she hopped forward, two tiny splashes the only hint Byleth would receive as Edelgard kissed him, her lips against his as the two of them embraced in the middle of the cool river.

"Thank you," Edelgard whispered as she pulled away, though her arms were still around his waist. "For walking this path with me, right to the end."

"We're not there yet," Byleth reminded Edelgard as he scooped her up in his arms, a yelp of surprise escaping Edelgard as he climbed from the stream. "But you're right. We walk this path together."

"Lord Myson," Mortis called in greeting as she stepped from the back door, her eyes flickering to the obelisk behind the older man before settling on his face.

"You are early," Myson crossed his arms as he turned his gaze to the door behind her. "And have you seen the other one?"

Mortis shook her head as she looked down, "I have not."

"Pity," Myson muttered. "Still, do not assume this will be a victory by default. There are other soldiers who may yet fit the bill, should you… disappoint."

Mortis grimaced as she looked away, "I will do my best."

"As do we all," Myson declared. "I will see if Periander's mentorship was enough."

"Is there something we should be doing?" Mortis asked.

Myson frowned as the sun peaked, his pale features wrinkled with disgust as he glared at the door behind her.

"We will change the obelisk to a more… manageable form," Myson explained as he turned away from Mortis. "Our rituals will require a great deal of arcane energy, and we must dismantle the obelisk to do so."

Mortis nodded as she followed the man forward, "Manageable form?"

"The obelisk is… diluted," Myson offered in response. "To concentrate the power within creates the real possibility of injuries, perhaps fatal."

"And we need three people for this?" Mortis asked.

"The previous Agastya, Periander, was able to divide a portion of the obelisk and concentrate it without assistance," Myson explained. "Still, we cannot risk an accident, and, as it stands, only Thales possesses the ability to concentrate the power alone. Since he is unavailable, the task falls to us."

"And what will we do with it?"

"That remains to be seen."

"You think he'll say anything? Claude asked as he exchanged a glance with the archer in the dining hall, the only other soul present in the early hours.

"Doubtful," the man replied with a shrug. "I've seen his type. Went to the grave with their secrets."

"What did you say your name was again?" Claude asked.

"Douglas," the man repeated. "I'm General Ubert's second."

"Ashe?" Claude remarked with a raised eyebrow.

The man gritted his teeth but nodded, "Still not sure why you are back here. I did hear you swear that you were leaving Fodlan for good, back in Derdriu."

Claude raised his hands in surrender, "Guilty as charged, friend."

Douglas scoffed and shook his head, taking a sip of the tea in his cup, "I hear you were on the scene when the Wind Caller came for them."

"I was," Claude replied. "Big winged dragon. Didn't like Tomas much."

"The guy torn to pieces?" Douglas raised an eyebrow. "Not the name I was given."

"And what was that?"

"Solon. Weird name. Never seen it before."

Claude felt a glimmer of disgust at the name even as he kept his face blank.

"Douglas, we're conducting an interrogation, Count Galatea wants you to lead it."

"Holst, was it?" Douglas stood up. "I can't promise results. I know a few dirty tricks, but nothing more."

Holst grimaced before he turned to Claude, his eyes watching the younger man for a second before he turned back to Douglas, "I did not make the request. That was Count Galatea."

Douglas nodded as he turned to the door, "Dungeons?"

"Correct. I've brought two of my men to bring you there."

Douglas raised an eyebrow before he stepped from the room, disappearing down the hall as Holst turned to Claude.

"Well," Claude started. "I guess it's nice to see you here."

Holst did not say a word as he sat down, gesturing to the hallway as he turned his gaze to Claude.

The door slammed shut, the echo ringing as Claude met Holst's gaze.

"Is this about Hilda?" Claude asked after a moment of silence.

"You are correct, Prince Khalid," Holst replied, his face grim.

"Call me Claude, all my friends do."

"Very well then, Claude," Holst continued. "I will get to the point."

"You want to see Hilda," Claude guessed.

"Minister von Vestra has promised me that she is alive," Holst explained. "Yet I do not believe him. He is a master of lies and misinformation."

"Well, you're right about that," Claude managed with a chuckle he concealed with a cough. "Hubert does like his lies, but when I last saw her, Hilda was alive."

"Was this in Derdriu?"

"It was," Claude confirmed. "After I was… exiled, Marianne came to me to say farewell."

"Edmund."

"That's her," Claude continued. "She and Caspar carried Hilda over to the port."

"Carried?" Holst turned pale, his hands clenched.

Claude grimaced, "Hilda was badly injured in the siege-"

"And how do I know she's still alive?" Holst snarled. "What if-"

"Calm down," Claude stammered, his hands raised in surrender. "Every healer in the Black Eagles was swarming her. They wouldn't have hurt her. And that's before what they did to Hubert."

Holst turned his gaze to Claude as he slumped back into his seat, "I- it has been several months since I have seen Hilda, and I fear for her safety."

"I get that. I know how much you care for her."

Holst swallowed as the door swung open, the murderous form of Douglas storming past the stunned duo.

"Douglas," Holst stammered.

"You man has escaped," Douglas snarled as he rummaged through a set of weapons in the corner. "Gather your men. We're going hunting."

"Escaped?" Holst barked. "How?"

"The bars on the cells have been melted off," Douglas snarled as he seized a powerful bow. "Nobody seems to have mentioned to me that your man was a mage."

"He was-" Claude confirmed.

"Then you should have him silenced at all times," Douglas barked. "Or at the very least, having both his arms broken."

Claude winced at the comment as Douglas handed him a smaller bow from his stash, "General Ubert spoke highly about your marksmanship skills."

"Wait-" Claude started. "You want me to go with you?"

"You know what they look like," Douglas hurried into the corridor. "And you know how to shoot. That's enough for me."

"You!" Holst barked at his man at the door. "Alert the Count."

"Already done." Douglas snapped as he burst into the early morning light. "Now- Prince Khalid, if you were a band of fugitives, where would you be going?"

"So you're saying that they are running into another war zone?" Dorothea spluttered at the messenger standing before her.

The man looked sheepish before he nodded, his gaze flickering to the other members of the Black Eagles Strike Force before them.

"We cannot let them run into danger without us," Ferdinand interjected as he stepped forward. "We must move quickly."

The messenger grimaced, "I- I do not believe that you could reach them before they leave-"

"Where is the Professor right now?" Seteth cut in, his eyes boring into the man before him.

"He was camped at Gloucester Manor," the messenger managed as he staggered back from the sudden intrusion from Seteth. "But he's set to leave for Daphnel territory today."

"Daphnel?" Ferdinand raised an eyebrow. "What is there at Daphnel that is so important? And what makes it so that we cannot meet them there?"

"Like I said before, there is a situation at Conand Tower that requires attention," the messenger managed. "There is a ship at the Daphnel River headed to Galatea territory."

"Adrasteia," Dorothea hissed.

The messenger blinked as he looked at her, "I'm sorry?"

"I do not understand the question of Conand Tower," Ferdinand shook his head. "There is a besieging army there, but the Professor is going in almost alone?"

"The Almyran force was intercepted before most of them were able to disembark from their ships," the messenger replied. "The entire force is in custody."

"Almyrans?" Ferdinand asked, turning to Dorothea, "Mortis was Almyran?"

Dorothea shook her head, "No, definitely not. But why are there Almyrans at Conand Tower?"

The man grimaced as he glanced back to his mount, as if he sought to flee.

"You will give us answers," Seteth barked, his voice authoritative as he seized the man by the collar. "What of this force of Almyrans at Conand Tower?"

"We discovered the fortress littered with corpses, but no army in sight," the messenger stammered. "Slaughtered. Eyewitness accounts say by the Wind Caller of the Sreng Desert."

"Eyewitness?" Seteth asked, his grip on the man's collar loosened.

"A certain Prince Khalid of the Almyran Empire," the man started, turning his gaze away from Seteth as he backed away from the towering man. "His mother, Lady Tiana von Riegan as well."

"Claude, Conand Tower?"

"I was given the name Khalid," the messenger replied. "I- I'm not sure who this Claude is."

"Claude swore that he would leave Fodlan forever," Dorothea argued as she turned to Ferdinand. "I don't believe he would be back this soon."

"I believed he would leave Fodlan for at least a decade," Ferdinand muttered as he shifted his gaze to Dorothea.

"If we miss the ship in the Daphnel River, is it still possible to make it to Galatea territory?" Dorothea asked the messenger.

The man grimaced as he turned to his mount, "The pass at Aeilil will be very difficult to cross without an airborne mount."

"Seteth, how many mounts do we have available?"

"I have my own wyvern," Seteth shook his head. "But no other flying mounts here."

"My lady," the messenger explained with exaggerated patience. "It would be almost impossible to cross the Aeilil Valley without a flying mount. It is why her highness is leaving for the ship in Daphnel territory as we speak."

"Why is there a ship there?"

"Is there something wrong, Seteth?" Dorothea asked.

"Both Daphnel County and Galatea County lack vessels larger than individual fishing vessels," Seteth explained. "Where did this ship come from?"

"Ah," the soldier raised an eyebrow. "The vessel came from the former Alliance fleet at Derdriu. We had recommissioned the ship when the Almyran vessel was sighted crossing into Fodlan's waters."

"And why is such a vessel stationed in the Daphnel River?" Seteth demanded. "Should it not be watching the Almyran vessel?"

"The terms agreed with Lady Tiana were that her troops were to be provided with fruit while in captivity," the soldier explained. "The vessel is currently collecting fruit from the fruit farms in Daphnel territory."

"Which is to be distributed to the prisoners in Galatea County," Seteth guessed.

"That is correct."

"As I understand it," Seteth continued, "This vessel in the Daphnel River was not meant to be transportation for Edelgard and her retinue."

"That is true." the messenger admitted.

"If the ship is to leave tonight, then it is certainly possible that some of us can make the trip over," Seteth argued.

The man frowned before he nodded, "Yes, that is correct."

"How many horses do we have access to?" Ferdinand asked a soldier standing behind him.

"We have several war horses for the anti-bandit patrols to the south," the man piped up. "We can spare some for those of you who need it, now that we've taken control of Myrddin again."

Ferdinand nodded as he turned back to the messenger, "Very well then, count me in."

"You-"

"Hello Myson," Spite greeted the other man. "My rituals today will require a significant amount of crystalized arcane."

"And that's why you are here," Myson guessed.

Spite nodded to Mortis in greeting, "My patience is not unlimited. Have you managed to extract the power needed?"

"Odesse has yet to show," Mortis grumbled.

Spite raised an eyebrow as he turned his gaze to Myson, grimacing when the man nodded.

"Very well then, I will take his place," Spite offered. "We will deal with his incompetence at a later time."

"This ritual of yours," Myson whispered as the two men closed with the obelisk, Mortis standing a distance behind the pair as they talked. "Just how much magic are you going to use?"

"As I understand it, there are at least several dozen dead who are to be returned," Spite explained. "At the very minimum, twenty individuals."

"Twenty?" Myson asked as he reached the obelisk.

"The spirits of four of my five squads were located within Zaharas," Spite explained. "The fifth squad did not respond to the relic that Thales wields. Should this experiment be successful, we may even be able to return elements of the strike teams seconded to Bias and Pittacus."

"Odd, which squad are you missing?"

"Olympia," Spite replied as he placed his hands on the obelisk. "Come, I will need your assistance with this."

"Have you ever-" Myson started, falling silent as Spite shook his head.

"Mortis, you will observe for the time being," Spite ordered. "Be ready to intervene at my order."

"Understood," Mortis called back. "Anything in particular?"

"Arcane barrier," Spite turned to the obelisk. "There's a chance the obelisk will react negatively to what I'm forcing into it."

"Right," Mortis managed as two orbs of arcane formed in her hands.

"Myson, I will concentrate the obelisk, but I will require you to cut the yield down to a workable size."

"Right," Myson muttered as he watched Spite press his hands on the obelisk. "How many?"

"Eight small," Spite ordered, his voice strained as an arc of lightning lashed from the obelisk, the magic reflected mere inches from his face. "Two large."

"Understood," Myson glared Mortis down. "Eight small and two large."

"Shush," Spite hissed, his face strained as the obelisk shuddered, a wisp of darkness flicking to life before the wind tore it away. "Mortis! Barrier!"

"On it!" Mortis cried as she shielded the trio, mere moments before a storm of darkness erupted from the obelisk.

"Myson," Spite barked as swirling faces pressed against the barrier. "Support Mortis. I can't promise our survival if that barrier fails."

"Right," Myson replied as he glanced at the panting Mortis. "And the cutting?"

"Impossible at this rate," Spite growled, "I'll need to stabilize the yield for cutting later."

"That would be for the best," Myson observed as a screaming face formed against the barrier. "How much longer?"

Spite frowned as the raging storm around him faded, "Odd. That- that's not supposed to happen."

"Periander?" Myson asked.

"The concentration is still in process," Spite muttered. "This storm isn't supposed to weaken."

"What could have caused that?" Mortis wondered.

"Mortis, can you see anything out of the storm?"

"Nothing," Mortis replied. "Just darkness and… faces?"

"As it should be," Spite muttered. "Yet the storm is weakening."

"How long until we can stabilize it?" Myson called.

"Mortis, can you expand the barrier?"

"I- only for a minute," Mortis replied.

"Myson, get ready for the cut."

"Are you sure?"

"Do it. I'm not sure why the storm is fading, but this is an opportunity we are not passing up."

"I understand."

"Mortis," Spite barked. "Expand the barrier."

"I'll do my best," Mortis hissed as the barrier expanded against the storm of darkness. .

"Myson," Spite growled as half of the shrunken obelisk slipped through the barrier. "Now."

Myson closed his eyes as he cut himself away from the casting of the barrier, taking a moment to draw a calming breath before he struck at the stone trapped within.

"Hello there Ferdie," Dorothea greeted the orange haired man as he climbed on his horse.

"Dorothea," Ferdinand replied. "Are you-"

"I'm coming with you," Dorothea declared, her tone leaving no room for debate. "I… I can't just walk away from this."

"Perhaps-"

"Ferdie," Dorothea interjected, her voice unflinching. "I've made my mind up."

"Are you sure?" Ferdinand asked as he climbed off his mount, his eyes mirroring hers.

"Ferdie, you're not stopping me. If you don't help me, then I'm going to Conand Tower on foot."

"Dorothea," Ferdinand pleaded, his voice gentle. "I must ask you-"

"Why am I doing this?" Dorothea shot back, staring nose to nose with Ferdinand. "Because I'm not going to be thrown to the side like this."

"Nobody-"

"Let me finish, Ferdie," Dorothea hissed. "When I met her in the infirmary, I swore to myself that I would see this through. To give her a way out that didn't involve bloodshed."

"You think she- you think she's willing to surrender to us?" Ferdinand raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know," Dorothea replied. "But if I don't try, I'll never find out."

"Ferdinand," a voice called from behind the pair. "Let her go."

"Seteth?" Ferdinand turned to face the newcomer. "Where's Flayn?"

"She's not coming with us," Seteth replied, his face hard. "I'm leaving her with my brother."

"Surely there's more you can do at Garreg Mach-" Ferdinand offered.

Seteth shook his head, "My brother Macuil, the one you know as the Wind Caller, is a reclusive paranoiac. If you were to encounter him, I believe it will end in bloodshed."

"I see," Ferdinand muttered as he looked back at Dorothea, "But why-"

"Because I know the pain of being left out," Seteth replied, his face an expression of longing as he glanced back at the bridge and the distant form of Flayn and Indech. "And not being able to go back to change that."

Ferdinand closed his eyes for a moment before he turned back to his horse, "Dorothea, I want you to sit in front of me when we ride."

"I understand," Dorothea climbed onto the horse, her hands shaking as she clung to the beast's mane.

"Hold on tight," Ferdinand climbed onto the horse. "We'll need to go quickly if we were to cross over to Daphnel territory, and I won't be able to live with myself if you get hurt."

"Are we ready to leave?" Edelgard asked as the rest of the strike force gathered at the northern fence of the ruined compound.

"We are," Hubert replied as the various members of the group nodded their confirmation.

"Very well," Edelgard turned to Ignatz. "What's the shortest road into Daphnel territory?"

"There's a plaza to the north," Ignatz explained. "There's a road to the west there."

"Plaza?" Ashe stammered as he exchanged a glance with Ingrid.

"Is something wrong?" Hubert interjected.

"The plaza holds some form of gateway into Zaharas," Ingrid explained. "There was another gateway at Conand Tower that Adrasteia used for travel."

"Very interesting," Hubert offered. "We will take a look there, but we do not have the means to access this gateway of yours."

"May I ask you how fast travel was?" Edelgard asked Ingrid.

"He- he knew his way through Zaharas," Ingrid explained. "We were able to move from Conand Tower to the plaza in less than a day."

Hubert raised an eyebrow, "Any stops?"

"One," Ingrid explained. "We- we were attacked by undead spirits within the depths of Zaharas."

"Spirits?" Hubert looked intrigued.

"Look at Freckles, he does look like he saw a ghost."

"How long were you held up?" Edelgard asked.

"A few hours. Cornelia was exhausted in the battle with the spirits."

"Interesting," Hubert offered, nodding to Edelgard. "Still, we need to press forward."

"When we reach this plaza, I want you to show us," Edelgard ordered.

"Of course," Ingrid managed as Sylvain patted Ashe on the back, the silver haired knight flinching as he hurried down the road.

"Let's go," Edelgard muttered as the group trotted out of the ruins of the Gloucester estate.

"El?" Byleth whispered as Edelgard turned to face him.

"Professor?" Edelgard whispered.

Byleth kissed her, his lips against hers as Hubert almost fell from his horse.

"El, we'll get to the bottom of this," Byleth promised. "Never forget that."

Edelgard felt a smile spread across her face as she looked at the sun rising above the horizon.

"That we will."

"Stabilizing the yield," Spite managed as he turned his gaze to Mortis, "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Mortis muttered. "I'm not used to holding a shield up continuously."

"Yield has been cut down to size," Myson called, his voice strained. "Eight smaller pieces."

"We will only need the smaller set for the time being," Spite explained. "We won't need the larger set until we reach Fhirdiad."

"Fhirdiad?" Myson asked.

"The final resting place of the Immaculate One," Spite replied, his shirt soaked in perspiration. "Now, help me hold the barrier. I believe Mortis is on the verge of collapse."

"I'm fine," Mortis protested.

"And if you are incorrect in your assessment, we die," Myson barked, his hands pushing on the walls of the barrier.

"What was that?" Mortis asked after a moment of silence.

"The faces in the storm?" Spite asked as he pushed his power into the barrier.

"Were they- the souls of the lost?"

"No," Spite shook his head, "Scraps of power. Unusable byproduct of the concentration process. Unfortunate, but an unavoidable part of the ritual."

"Storm is clearing," Myson observed, his face dark. "What- why is Thales here?"

Spite turned around, his eyes dancing over Thales before turning to his sister, "Odd."

"Lowering the barrier now," Mortis called as the shield faltered, the dome of light flickering before fading into the air.

"I am surprised to see you here, Lord Periander," Thales greeted. "You were not supposed to commence the ritual."

"Odesse was not present when the ritual was to begin," Myson chimed in.

"I am aware of that," Thales gestured to a form behind him. "Do you recognize this?"

"Is that... Odesse?" Myson muttered. "Half its body has been obliterated."

"Was," Aranea frowned. "He wasn't under your barrier when the ritual began."

"We started without him," Spite explained. "Time was of the essence."

Thales nodded, "I see that your ritual was successful."

Spite turned to the diminished obelisk behind him, having been reduced to a human sized shape, "The storm of spent energy weakened midway through the ritual, and now we have the reason why."

"Do we have the materials necessary to continue?" Thales asked.

"We should," Spite nodded to the obelisk behind him. "Myson, show him your cut."

"Right," Myson stated, a small, shifting stone in his hands.

"Well done," Thales murmured, turning his gaze to the obelisk behind the group. "You are dismissed."

Spite nodded as Myson stepped back into the fortress of Shambhala, exchanging a glance with Aranea as he left.

"Lord Periander," Thales barked.

"Agastya?" Spite replied, taking a bow as he turned to Thales.

"See that- it is put to good use," Thales ordered, gesturing to the dead man in the dirt.

"There should be enough blood left for a single full vial," Spite offered as he crouched down to the dead man. "Still, it is too risky to use a single sample. We would need more volunteers over the day."

"And you will have them, Lord Periander."

"A- Lady Pittacus, would you care to run to my office? My tools are within my desk."

Aranea blinked before she glanced to Thales, "Ah, right. I can do that. Mortis, come along now."

Thales cleared his throat as Aranea turned to him, "My Agastya?"

"Lady Pittacus, do refer to Lady Bias by her title," Thales stated. "It is rude not to."

Aranea exchanged a silence glance with Spite before she turned to Mortis, "Yes, of course. Lady Bias. Please, come with me."

AN: Chapter 36 is done.

Feed your author with reviews. Seriously. Feed your authors.

Next week: Chapter 1 of Seven Years (Expected to be 4-5k words).

Next chapter for The Post-Game Series (2 weeks):

Mortis- Alone

Aranea- Before the night

Edelgard- The Daphnel River

Ferdinand- Together

Claude- One shot