DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts nor Fire Emblem Three Houses characters, Square Enix, Nintendo, and Disney are the owners.
FabledLife: Yep, Sora's gonna make use of other keyblades' formchanges and more in future chapters.
RedRat8: Indeed, Sora is not gonna get in the middle of Byleth's personal matters about her family.
CHAPTER 21 – RETRIEVE THE CHALICE 1
/
ABYSSIAN CLASSROOM
After hearing Aelfric tell her the unknown story of her mother, Byleth was filled with lots of questions inside her mind and felt the necessity of find it out by herself, so she went to look for the man around the basement until finding a place where Aelfric was standing, it was a classroom.
"Hey, Aelfric." Byleth greeted him.
"Ah, Professor. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he replied back in nice tone besides asking her the reason to be there.
"I would like to hear more about my parents." She stated her motives to be there, wanting to find out more about them.
"Oh, yes, of course you do. I will gladly tell you all that I know." Aelfric said willing to spill the information. "Where to begin… if you have something in particular in mind, please ask and I shall answer as best as I can."
"Okay…" Byleth thought for a second before making him a request. "Can you tell me what my mother was like?"
"Kind. And wise. I would often see her in the library, her nose was always buried in a book." Aelfric began.
"Also… What was my father back then?" she interrogated him.
"Jeralt, your father, was… very much then as he is now. His knights would have done just about anything for him." The man mentioned her. "Whenever he had time to spare, he would instruct the children of the monastery in combat and tactics."
"Wow, this is how I learned to fight and make up strategies." Byleth remarked the way she was raised by her father.
"Just like those wide-eyed youngsters, your mother and I made a hero of him in our minds." Aelfric continued. "When I learned that Jeralt and Sitri were to be married, I was quite surprised. Back then, Jeralt was something of a mentor for me. As for Sitri… She found it difficult to express her emotions."
"So… my mother had difficulties to express her emotions… just like I have." Byleth said with a curious tone.
"Yeah, it was only when she was gazing at Jeralt that I ever saw her smile… a smile that rivaled the very sun." Aelfric closed her eyes remembering her with a smile. "His tale of the outside world must have seemed like a lifetime for one as frail and guarded as she."
"Was my mother frail?" Byleth asked him attentive.
"Indeed. She lacked strength to travel beyond the monastery." Aelfric affirmed her question explained the reason for it. "The only souls she ever spoke with were a select few within the monastery walls. I can picture it now, the stories he told her… His striking words and his boisterous laugh."
"So my father had a great time with her." Byleth smiled listening.
"Listening to him must have given her a great deal of hope." The black-haired man said with a sad smile. "As for me, I could have never become like Jeralt, as much as wished for it."
"You wanted to be like him?" the professor asked him looking at him with curiosity.
"Oh, I suppose I did. He would tell stories from a century ago as though he had lived them himself." Aelfric replied. "No matter how fervently one studies the stories of old, that is not an easy task. Professor, you traveled with Jeralt before coming here. You must have seen a great many things, yes?"
"Indeed…?" Byleth started to feel uncomfortable with her personal questions.
"Forgive me for overstepping, but do you not regret forgoing your travels to take up residence here?" Aelfric apologized for his actions besides asking her if she loved working in the monastery.
"I love working here, so I have no regrets." She replied expressing enjoyment with her occupation, even though she had very deep and personal reasons for that, and it wasn't because Rhea requested her services. It was more than that.
"Heh heh, well then! I suppose I have no choice but to assist you as best as I can." Aelfric expressed his willingness to help her. "To shape young minds must afford you a unique perspective on the world. I am certain my unsolicited advice is nothing but nuisance, but please hear me out… it is my hope that you will live a full life-experiencing the world, fostering strong relationships with people."
"Fostering strong relationships…" Byleth was taken aback by his words thinking about the people she related to, but then she came to think about her students, especially Sora, Edelgard and Dorothea.
"Do so for dear Sitri, whose wish to experience such things shall regretfully never be granted." Aelfric begged her to fulfill her mother's wish.
"That's why you asked to teach the Ashen Wolves?" Byleth began to understand the reason of his request to aid Yuri and the others.
"Yes. You are right. It is my own stubborn notion. One that her Grace will likely not think kindly of." Aelfric affirmed leading her to understand that he needed her to guide the Ashen Wolves. "Beyond my personal motive, I believe that alone can guide my flock to even greater heights. And perhaps you will learn from them as well. Ah, but I have taken enough of your precious time. Know that I am here for you, always."
/
Meanwhile, Sora was getting along with Constance while walking around the Abyss basement, given on how curious she was for his mastery of magic combat, and change of keyblades alike.
"So, you were to become a keyblade master or something?" she asked him looking curious.
"Yeah, I was about to until the Organization XIII stepped in the middle and screw up everything, taking me with them and almost possessing me as their next vessel, and because of that, I lost most of my power and Riku rescued me, that's the reason I failed the Mark of Mastery exam." Sora mentioned the problem he went through because of these guys.
"My god… Such bad guys ruining everything… but, despite not earning a title like this, I see you as a keyblade master on your own right, you managed to take down not only lots of mercenaries with such mastery, but those dark creatures that were scattered across the underground." The girl replied with disgust towards the Organization XIII guys besides praising him for being a capable man of dealing with stronger men. "Even Balthus is proud of you due to your qualities as a true warrior."
"A true warrior?" Sora asked amused.
"Of course, Sora! I saw the way you transformed into a lot of things and how fast you are to deal with every opponent you see." Constance said with an amused smile on her face. "I can see why your house is a lot stronger compared to the others. Aaaahahaha!"
"Well… You gotta credit Byleth for that, she has taught us a lot of lessons about the combats and tactics, she's really strict with her works, but she's fun to interact with, an excellent teacher." Sora laughed between his teeth.
"I see… this is why you guys are so capable of dealing with many foes, which leads me to believe that the Black Eagles could hold the reputation as the most feared house, just saying." Constance gave an opinion regarding his house's status.
"Well, it could be because of my keyblade powers, let's say that not only I have greatly been learning a lot of things thanks to Byleth's guidance, but most of my classmates too." he commented understanding her words.
"If you don't mind, I'd love to join your class so we could be battle partners for an amusement." Constance teased him.
"That would be a great idea! I think I should let Byleth know about this." Sora replied with excitement.
"I finally did it!" Constance thought with an immense happiness written on her face. "Anyway, let's go see Aelfric and the others if he gained some information about those bandits."
"Right." Sora finalized heading to the said place.
[SUPPORT BETWEEN SORA AND CONSTANCE HAS REACHED LEVEL C]
/
ABYSSIAN CLASSROOM
Sora and Constance headed to the classroom meeting with Byleth alongside the two teams and Aelfric to see if they had some clues about that individual who would lurk around the basement.
"Pray tell, Yuri. Did those foul bandits whom we bested at the arena confess anything?" Constance asked him if they had spilled some important information.
"Not a ward. And they wouldn't say names. I got the feeling they didn't know much themselves." He replied with negativity about figuring out the problem, but he was certain of something. "However, one thing is clear. Whoever hire them is after something here in Abyss."
"Yeah, that's gotta be it. They must have been on a treasure hunt or something." Balthus assumed their actions.
"Surely." Caspar coincided with him. "I think they want to steal something from here."
"A treasure hunter here? I don't get it. What is there to find these dingy tunnels?" Hapi wasn't quite catching up.
"Aelfric, was it?" Linhardt spoke with monotone voice. "Looks like this is a ringing bell for you."
"Well, something does come to mind, but the notion is preposterous at best." Said the man.
"I can assume that sometimes, people are closer to the truth than we think…" Edelgard was thoughtful regarding the subject.
"Any lead will do, so long as it helps determine our next course of action. Please go on." Hubert asked for any strategy to take.
"As you wish, though again, it is quite far-fetched. You see, there's longstanding legend here." Aelfric told them an important tale. "It is said that deep underground, below even Abyss, is a place called the Chasm of the Bound wherein lies the Chalice of Beginnings.
"Chalice of Beginnings?" Byleth was filled with curiosity about that mysterious object.
"I've never heard of it, but chances are it's some kind of sacred artifact belonging to the church." Linhardt found this subject interesting.
"I once happened upon an old document that mentioned a ritual called the Rite of Rising." Aelfric continued telling more important things. "The text was incomplete, so I was unable to achieve a full understanding of the topic. I cannot even guarantee the authenticity of what I read. But it stated that the Chalice of Beginnings is a sacred object crafted by order of Saint Seiros herself."
"By the Saint Seiros?" Byleth asked him.
"Yeah, Saint Seiros apparently used the artifact to carry out the Rite of Rising, along with the Four Apostles." Aelfric affirmed her question telling the story.
"What is the Rite of Rising?" Sora interrogated the man.
"It is a ritual that is believed to have the power to resurrect a life that was lost." Aelfric explained him the details. "However, the ritual failed… The four Apostles bound the chalice so that it would never fall into a mortal's hands."
"The Rite of Rising, huh?" said Dorothea intrigued by the statement.
"Ah, yes, the chalice of legend! My father mentioned it to me long time ago." Constance began. "A secret treasure of the church… a chalice powerful enough to resurrect the dead… Exhilarating, no?"
"Quite. It's not a small wonder that people are after it." Edelgard agreed with her, that object was so mysterious that anyone would kill to get. "Even so, we still don't have much to go on. We must gather more information about this legend at once."
"Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. I will do all I can to track down more clues within the monastery." Aelfric was ready to seek more crucial information. "Although, Garreg Mach's library is so… well curated, I doubt any further records will be found."
"Wondrous! We shall do all that we can as well." Constance accepted the request among the others.
/
HALF HOUR LATER…
"The answer is no. I will not allow it. It's far too dangerous." The man wasn't willing to give them permission.
While Byleth was out exploring the Abyss, Sora and the gang tried to persuade Aelfric to let them go down deeper place under Abyss, but the man wasn't willing to cease.
"But, if we can determine its origin, we may eliminate the very danger that vexes you!" the girl complained about his negativity to let them get in a very dangerous situation, according to him.
"You already know this, but there are plenty of folks who down here who can't defend themselves." Balthus agreed with his friend, they weren't willing to just sit down and do nothing to protect the people. "If these attacks keep up, eventually they'll find themselves in harm's way."
"Yes, I am aware. However, for the time being, you must promise to refrain from acting recklessly." Aelfric reiterated them on not getting involved on his 'research'. "My dear flock has suffered enough as it is. You needn't take any further risks."
With that, Aelfric left the students to go investigate to find more clues, or this is what everybody thought, but Sora felt that something was up with this man. Why Aelfric would not let them go down deeper to the underground? What was the reason for him to go alone?
"Surprisingly overbearing, isn't he? He must really care about you guys." Said Dorothea touched by his words.
"Most certainly. Yet if we fail to nip this problem in the bud… I shudder to think will transpire." Constance spoke having her face written in concern.
Everything seemed to be lost when…
"You need something, guys?" a woman's voice came to the room, surprising everyone.
"Aha, it's you! In the nick of time, as it were!" Constance looked cheered up after seeing the professor appear. "Come, let us venture into the deep, deep underground. The chalice of legend awaits!"
"Byleth, we need to go to the said place that Aelfric mentioned." Sora seconded telling her to go there.
"Are we going to underground?" the professor asked with surprise.
"But of course! Deeper and deeper still beneath the monastery, to the Chasm of the Bound." Constance replied expressing her wishes to get there.
"Coco… haven't you heard what Elfie said?" Hapi questioned her showing concern about the consequences they all would face later.
"I surely did, but we must read between the lines." Constance justified her desires to disobey Aelfric's warnings. "Aelfric wants a solution as badly as we do. And so, we shall seek out the Chalice of Beginnings and represent it to the church! If our enemies desire the object, this should halt all future attacks on Abyss! Brilliant, right?"
"I dunno Constance, the chalice is under some kind of strong and unique protection from the thieves, remember what Aelfric had said earlier." Edelgard considered this mission as risky and asked her to think about it very well. "Even if we find this thing, we cannot just take it and run, we have to find a way to break this seal."
"Ah, but that is simplicity itself! We shall ascertain whether it is still bound, and then… we shall release it!" the blonde girl retorted trying to convince everyone.
"But where is this chasm, anyway? I've never even heard of the place, much less seen it." Balthus recognized not knowing the place at all.
"As luck would have it, I have discovered another secret passage! It appears to go deeper underground." Constance came up with a plan to head to the said zone without Aelfric noticing. "According to my superior instincts, it undoubtedly leads to the Chasm of the Bound!"
"Wow, I suppose it's worth a look." Yuri praised her for figuring the said passage. "I don't care about finding some old cup, but if it could help us protect Abyss, I'll support the cause."
"You guys don't have anything else to do at present, do you?" Constance requested their help to retrieve the chalice. "You'll assist us, right?"
"We will. Me and my students have a week off." Byleth accepted her request.
"I don't have anything scheduled before my next nap, so I guess that's fine. Edelgard doesn't look too thrilled, though…" Linhardt replied with a dryed voice.
"Aaaahahaha! Excellent! It's decided. We leave at once, fellas." Constance was pleased with their positive answer.
And with that, the gang set out to the deepest part of Abyss to get the Chalice of Beginnings.
/
THE DEPTHS
The Black Eagles and Ashen Wolves had been walking for a very long time and some of them were feeling tired.
"Feeling pretty lost right now." Linhardt said seeming worn off. "How long have we walking? Maybe a full week?"
"A week? Come on. It's been a few hours at most." Hapi corrected him.
"Exaggerations aside, if this takes much longer, I'm concerned about our lack of food and water." Edelgard complained feeling tired like everyone else.
"You tell me, my feet are killing me." Sora seconded feeling that pain and sitting down for a while.
"Mine too Sora, we've been walking a lot that my feet have messed up." Caspar whined for the same reason as his classmate.
"She's got a point, how about we go a bit farther, and if we don't find anything, we turn back?" Ferdinand suggested to keep forward as they could.
"Constance… I find it curious how fast you became interested on the chalice. Care to explain?" Dorothea asked her to in that state.
"Oh… I… No. Why would I be interested on a silly little legend… for some supposed ulterior motive? Ahaha…" Constance stuttered getting nervous.
"Ha, you want the esteem. You think this will convince the church to restore your fallen house." Yuri reproached her for that attitude of hers.
"Uh?! How could you possible know that?! Have you been snooping within the confines of my very mind?!" she replied feeling that her cover had been blown.
"I shall restore House Nuvelle to its former glory at all costs! Haha! It's practically your catchphrase." Yuri made fun of her in an arrogant tone.
"Aha! Just as I suspected. Constance is the former lady of the House Nuvelle." Linhardt said after finding out her status.
"You know the House Nuvelle, Linhardt?" Byleth asked him surprised by his student's words.
"In a sense, Byleth." He replied with a nod with his head. "Until just few years ago, it was a house of viscounts in the west of the Empire."
"House Nuvelle lost its status five years ago, as a result of their part in the war." Edelgard mentioned an important fact about the said house's demise.
"You speak as though it has nothing to do with you." Constance was upset after hearing her house's tragic story, she didn't want to hear it at all.
"I fear all I can do is to ask forgiveness in place of my father." The future empress tried to comfort an already upset Constance. "If doing so will comfort you in any way, then please accept my-."
"Save your breath." Constance interrupted her. "That will not be necessary. There's only one thing that I desire. For the sake of my parents… who fell courageously and selfishly in defense of the Empire… For them, I shall restore our status, revive House Nuvelle, and return it to its former glory! All I do, even spending each day advancing my magical prowess, is to that end."
"And in reward for all that hard work, you were forced to live underground, Coco." Hapi mentioned the consequences of her actions that lead her to live in Abyss. "Life's cruel. It's like you took a shortcut back to the starting line. Or maybe you're just unlucky, buddy."
"What the heck are you sayin'?" Constance questioned her getting upset by her words. "I never intended to share… that side with you…"
The girls were about to bicker when Balthus saw something that got their attention.
"Look at that! It's a good thing that we didn't turn back." He let them know after just noticing that thing. "That looks mighty chasm-like if you ask me."
"For real?!" Sora stood up to see if he was telling the truth.
"Yeah, looks like we found it." Balthus affirmed his words.
In effect, they finally had found a light at the end of the tunnel, and everyone set a foot outside of the Abyss.
/
UNDERNEATH GARREG MACH. - DAYTIME
Sora and everyone else exited the Abyss exposing themselves to the sunlight, however, none of the Garreg Mach people could see them, the reason is… is that they all were way underneath the monastery, they never had set a foot on this until now.
"Say… are we beneath the bridge at the monastery?" said Sora amazed at the place he was. "It's incredible!"
"Wow! I've never thought that I'd be starin' up at that bridge we've crossed a thousand of times from a way, way down below, dude!" Caspar replied in the same energy as him.
"Right? We could build a hideout if you want." Dorothea whispered at Sora's ear in a teasing voice, blushing him in the process.
"Are we sure this is the right place?" Yuri asked the blonde girl if she was right.
"It is. I think. I believe. I… hope?" Constance tried to affirm him, however, she was not hanging out with the others but hiding herself under the tree's shade, something that worried them.
"Constance, why are you hiding in the shade?" Edelgard interrogated her. "Aren't you the who insisted that we find the chalice?"
"Oh, screw it! Okay! If you insist that I join you, the I shall." She replied with a notorious annoyance before joining the team. "See?! Satisfied?!"
But, something was wrong with Constance… as soon as she exposed herself to the sunlight, her flattering attitude disappeared and changed into a more humble and anxious one, having her face cast in shadow.
"Constance? Are you okay?" Sora asked her out of concern.
"Oh my. I was quite rude just now… Please accept my humble apologies for treating you so foully." Constance apologized with now humble and saddened voice, something that puzzled everybody. "I presumed too much to stand beside such noble paragons. Allow me to dig a hole to bury myself in…"
"Ugh… No matter how underground we are, sunlight is still sunlight. Poor Constance." Balthus was worried about her friend.
"What's happening to her?" the keyblade wielder asked about her state.
"She's not being herself." Byleth seconded feeling puzzled for her strange attitude.
"This is what Coco's like in the sun. That's why she lives underground." Hapi explained the girl's true personality when exposed to the sunlight.
"I fear I cannot guarantee that this is the Chasm of the Bound. I have almost surely wasted out time." Constance said fearing that they made a bad move recklessly.
"Enough with the self-doubt, yeah?" Balthus told her to stop blaming herself for anything. "Just put one foot in front of the other. We'll have your back in the shadows before you know it."
"Come on, Coco. Cheer up, we need you." Hapi encouraged her to show her cheerful side, to no avail.
"And now I have forced you in a state of pity. I feel so very worthless." Constance kept discouraging herself, something that Sora didn't like to hear, and this reminded him those words that he himself said long time ago.
"I admit it, I have never seen anything quite like this before." Said Dorothea looking at her curious. "Is there nothing we can do to help her?"
"Hey." He said stepping forward putting himself in front of her. "Listen, you don't believe that, I know you don't."
"What?" Constance looked surprised by the boy's words.
"I know you are not used to this sunlight, alright? But you shouldn't be pitying yourself… You have done a lot of great things when you are in streak and all." Sora tried to cheer her up giving some kind of speech. "Balthus already said that we got you back, okay? So as long as you stick with us, you're gonna be fine."
"Sora, keep Constance moving, if we don't start searching, we'll never find that damn chalice." Balthus indicated him to stay with her for a while.
"Okay, let's go, Constance, come on." He replied while still trying to make her cheer up.
"I must ask you to cease. You shall soil your hands upon my filthy back. No soap could possibly-huh?" Constance tried to tell them to stop but she then sensed a strange energy getting closer. "This feeling… I sense a magic in the air. There is something just ahead. The binding spell, perhaps…"
"I don't feel anything at all…" Linhardt replied oppositely but then he realized that she was right. "Wait a second, actually, I hear something. Something big. And it's moving."
Suddenly, there was a very loud sound coming from the entrance to the place where the chalice was being hold inside.
"Perhaps there is something in place that is guarding the chalice." Edelgard was receptive after understanding the situation.
Effectively, as Edelgard had warned them, a big golem monster with a Crest of Seiros appeared from the front making everyone let out a gasp.
"What the hell?! This big monster is coming to us!" Caspar freaked out after seeing the golem.
"What is that thing?!" Ferdinand seconded in shock.
"I don't have the slightest idea what's going on, but I know it doesn't bode well." Yuri admitted not figuring out that monster.
"I dunno. Could be fun. It's been a while since I've met an enemy that could put a good fight!" Balthus said with a smirk on his face, excited to fight this big thing. "Hey you! Meet your master, pal! I'm gonna pummel you into my own personal shield!"
This resulted in our heroes being gravely compromised, there were not only three golems approaching, but a certain number of the heartless, including the giant ones. That put them all in risk and they had to find the chalice before it was too late.
END OF CHAPTER 21