Chapter 39: Carpe Noctum, Part 1.

"Vito, Shambhala summons you."

The ranks of the Septet shifted as the lesser sorcerer stood, his body paralyzed as he stiffly marched to the Agastya, his eyes darting around the room, yet unable to meet the averted gazes of the rest of the Septet.

"Vito of Shambhala," Thales continued. "Your men have spoken highly of you. To stand and fight in the face of death. You deserve a reward."

Vito shifted as he knelt. "I- I am honoured."

"From today forth, you will be known as Solon of the Septet." Thales continued. "Ensure the trust placed with you is put to good use."

Vito shifted before he rose, backing two steps away from Thales.

"Now," Thales continued. "The next phase of our operations will continue."

The room fell silent as Vito inched back, pausing next to Spite as he turned his gaze back to Thales.

"We will require an investigation into the massacre at Conand Tower," Thales said. "We expect a warband of Almyran pirates and potentially one of the four Saints of old. Our defenses must deal with the former quickly if we are to strike at the latter."

"What if the two groups are working together?" Myson asked from the side.

"Unlikely, but a danger nonetheless." Thales replied. "A vanguard of our personal units will move out to investigate the fortress. When that is secured, we will conduct our investigation."

"What of our flanks?" Spite spoke up. "Conand Tower borders several noble houses."

"Their forces will have been depleted by the war, they will be of no threat to us." Thales replied.

The room fell silent for a moment as Mortis exchanged a mutual glance with Aranea.

"Bias, Chilon, you will take control of our southern flank." Thales barked. "Solon, avenge your previous failure and bring us victory against the Almyran fleet."

"Myson, you will guard our northern flank." Thale continued after a pause. "Pittacus and Periander, you will be with me."

"What of our… regular regiments?" Spite asked. "Discipline cannot be held forever, especially not within the haunted halls of Zaharas."

"They will hold." Thales replied as he gestured to Myson. "We will not be long before we march upon Fhirdiad."

"Are we close to landing?" Seteth asked the soldier at the helm of the ship, his eyes darting to the distant coastline.

"I'm afraid there's perhaps another hour before we can make landfall," the soldier replied. "There's only a single port where we can unload our cargo without damage to the ship."

Seteth nodded as he turned back to the ship, nodding as he met the gaze of Byleth.

"Good morning Seteth," Byleth said. "I'm surprised that you came this far, especially without Flayn."

"We are going to war against the enemy who murdered Seiros," Seteth replied. "I could not bear the thought of losing Flayn in battle."

Byleth nodded as he turned around, watching the steps leading to the belly of the ship.

"I apologize if I'm intruding, but you are… with Edelgard, yes?" Seteth asked after a minute.

Byleth nodded as the soldier next to him shifted away, his face a bright blush as he left the two men to their private conversation.

A slight smile rose to Seteth's lips. "I remember how I would spend every moment thinking about Janet. I suppose that is love."

Byleth paused as he stared over the horizon. "Have you found anyone else over the years?"

Seteth shook his head. "For so long, I lived alone, watching over Flayn. It was enough for me to know that my last link to Janet was safe."

Byleth nodded as he watched the water below. "Do you believe that Rhea-"

"I do," Seteth sighed. "She took mother's loss the hardest out of all of us, but I never believed she would go as far as she did, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Seteth," Hubert murmured from behind. "Your counsel would be appreciated."

"What is it?" Seteth asked, his tone guarded as he turned around.

"You've had interactions with Agarthans in the past few years," Hubert said. "And yet you did not put the pieces together, why was that?"

Seteth narrowed his eyes. "I do not know what you are saying, Hubert."

"Very well then, Seteth," Hubert continued. "Let me give you an example."

"Mortis," Byleth guessed.

"Both Mortis and her master, Cornelia Armin." Hubert corrected Byleth. "One, a ghost, with no records to speak of, the other having been accused of horrific crimes. And yet they both served along with your forces, walked amongst your inner circles. How do you answer that?"

Seteth said nothing.

"Shall I continue?" Hubert asked, his tone cold. "Cornelia also had a… personality change, from what I have been told. With the fact that Tomas and Monica von Ochs having been replaced, did it ever cross your mind that she might have not been who she claimed to be?"

Seteth clenched his teeth. "We were short on manpower, no thanks to your own forces skirmishing along the road to Arianrhod."

"And speaking of Arianrhod," Hubert continued, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "How did you miss the Titanus contingent, used only by your sworn enemies in ages past, amongst the defenders? Did Rodrigue not inform you of their presence? Did you not witness them travel through your territory over the war?"

Seteth turned back to the ocean. "I do not have the answers you seek, and I suspect you know that. But you must remember that…they are masters at concealing information. I did not know the Titanus units were deployed until I was informed of the Javelin of Light. After the war ended."

"Hubert," Edelgard warned as she climbed to the deck of the ship, her eyes darting between the three men by the railing. "That's enough. We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves."

"Hubert is right," Seteth hissed from the railing, his face a mask as he turned back to Edelgard. "If they truly wished it, Cethleann may very well be dead."

"Can you think of a reason why you and Fl-Cethleann were not targeted?" Edelgard asked.

"We- we must have been seen as a lesser threat to the enemy." Seteth said after a moment of silence. "Flayn and I have lost the ability to transform into our… other selves."

"And that makes you less of a threat," Edelgard guessed.

"They must have thought that Seiros was the main danger to their plans, for she slew Nemesis all those generations ago."

Edelgard nodded. "What will you do once this war is over?"

"I- I must give Seiros a decent burial," Seteth said, his eyes turned to Edelgard. "I cannot allow for her body to rot."

Edelgard nodded. "When this war is over, we can get to that."

Seteth closed his eyes. "If- if I may see her before then."

"Granted," Edelgard said, glaring down Hubert in the process. "You will have time to mourn, but you will return to service afterward."

"Of course," Seteth replied, his face relieved that he didn't need to fight.

"We're in the final stretch!" a sailor called. "Land soon!"

"But first, we need to deal with Claude." Edelgard sighed as the boat began a wide turn.

"He does think he's being sneaky like this." Claude muttered as he glanced at the shape at the edge of the treeline. "Now?"

Douglas shook his head as he put a finger to his lips. "He's moving." Douglas whispered a moment later, the older man slowly rising to his feet.

"Making a break for the village?" Claude asked as he kept pace with the older sniper, their bows aimed at the fleeing figure as they watched the man run at the closest building at the edge of the village.

"Curious but also stupid," Douglas muttered. "There's nothing in that village worth this secrecy."

"Think he's stealing a horse?" Claude asked.

"Wouldn't do him any good." Douglas muttered. "Horses need feed, and he's dumped even the edible berries. He's not looking to get out of here by land."

"You think there's a way out via magic?" Claude asked the older man.

"The most brutal attack I remember was when a regiment of mages teleported a squadron of knights directly into a battalion of Holy Kingdom archers," Douglas replied. "Bastards never saw it coming."

"But do you think he has a place to warp to?" Claude asked.

"Doubtful," Douglas murmured. "Especially not after the town guard starts firing at him."

Claude glanced up as the man dove behind a house, an arrow plunging into the house behind him.

"They're not very good at it are they?" Claude muttered. "That was a bad shot."

"They're young men at best," Douglas replied as he signaled to the archers in the village. "There's little honour in killing from a distance. Most of them want to be knights one day."

"Will they?" Claude asked.

Douglas laughed bitterly. "A horse is expensive enough. The armour and weapons needed for a knight are even worse."

"I see," Claude muttered as he glanced down the alleyway that the man fled down. "You have any idea where he's going?"

"He's headed to the centre of the town," Douglas muttered. "Suicidal bastard."

"Then let's grant his wish then." Claude muttered.

Lysithea blinked at the slice of cake in the hands of Linhardt.

"Lindy, are you alright?" Lysithea asked as she shifted awkwardly in her bed. "I- I've never thought I'd see you up before me."

Linhardt blinked as he cut a piece of the cake, poking the fork closer to Lysithea.

"Lindy?" Lysithea repeated. "I'm not going to say no to cake but-"

"I will admit, I find this experience as strange as you do." Linhardt replied. "My father has… given me his blessing to walk away from House Hevring."

Lysithea felt a grin spread across her face as she bit down on the smooth, rich cake. "This is delicious! The sweet-"

"Albinean maple syrup," Linhardt explained. "When the cooks ran out of molasses today, my father brought them a bottle to use."

Lysithea inched forward to take another bite as Linhardt stabbed a strawberry. "Try this."

Lysithea made a low, pleased moan as she inched back into her bed. "Why is it that I've never tried this before?"

Linhardt shrugged. "I would have to ask about that."

Lysithea sighed and looked at the cake again. "Lindy, is something wrong?"

Linhardt pressed his lips together. "I'm- I'm not sure how to please you."

Lysithea blinked. "Pardon?"

"Father wants me to spend all of today to make you happy," Linhardt explained. "And since I saw Raphael going into the kitchens as I was leaving, I'm not sure if there's any more cake left."

"Lindy?" Lysithea asked. "What if I told you that I wanted to make you happy?"

Linhardt paused before he glanced out of the window at the rising orange sun. "Would you like to watch the clouds with me?"

Mortis grimaced as she ran from the portal, taking a position behind a pillar on the southern side of the abandoned fortress.

"North side clear!" a voice, likely one of the many lesser sorcerers called out.

"East side clear!" Vito, the newly promoted Solon, shouted.

"We have contact!" a third voice shouted. "Imperial forces!"

"Chilon! Bias!" Thales barked. "You will hold back the enemy until we have secured what we have come here for!"

Mortis grimaced as she exchanged a wary glance with the heavily armoured soldier.

"Bias taking the southern position!" Mortis shouted as she gestured for her battalion to move, the loose, well trained soldiers running forward with their bows drawn, leapfrogging the southern fortifications with practiced ease.

"What are we doing?" Narik whispered as Mortis reached the edge of the tree line, the Arrow of Indra in hand.

"Have your men move into the forests," Mortis barked. "Bring whatever enemies you cannot kill to me."

"Where will you be?" Narik asked as he gestured for his men to move into the woods.

"I will be on the road." Mortis said. "They'll have to cut through me before they can reach Myson."

Narik nodded. "I'm leaving you three men in the towers. Use them well."

Mortis grimaced as she glanced at Kronya. "No chance for her?"

Narik shook his head. "No. There will be better opportunities in the future."

"Glory to Agartha." Mortis murmured as she stepped forward.

"Glory to Agartha." Narik replied.

"Careful, Lady Edelgard." Hubert murmured as Byleth took Edelgard's hand, slowly leading her down the plank to the small harbour.

"Send word that the Emperor has graced us with her presence," the captain of the ship barked. "And get those oranges to the Almyrans before there's a riot."

"No need for that," a man dressed in silver armour barked as he stepped forward. "I am Count Galatea. I regret to inform you that you have come at a bad time."

"Is something wrong?" Edelgard asked.

"You have come for the prisoner, yes?" Count Galatea asked as several heads poked from the railing. "He's escaped our grasp."

"Where is he?" Edelgard asked, her voice low as she exchanged a glance with Hubert.

"We've trapped him within the forest, but we have yet to strike a killing blow." Count Galatea said. "To do so would destroy a valuable source of information- and risk starvation in the process."

"Then we shall… meet with him." Hubert said. "Hapi, In-"

Hubert coughed as he exchanged a glance with Byleth.

"Seteth," Byleth barked. "You'll go with Hapi, right?"

"Naturally," Seteth replied. "Having eyes in the sky will be crucial in keeping us aware of his movements."

"Does this prisoner have a name?" Byleth turned to Count Galatea.

The man shook his head. "We were unable to establish an interrogation. We intended to, but he escaped before we were able to begin."

Byleth nodded as Dorothea whispered something into Hubert's ear, the tall man nodding as he turned his gaze to Count Galatea.

"You look like you have something to ask of me," Count Galatea said.

"What does the name Mortis mean to you?" Hubert asked.

Count Galatea flinched as his eyes darted to Sylvain. "I-"

"Relax," Sylvain raised his hands. "She told us about what you did to my old man. It's all good."

"Lady Mortis is alive?" Count Galatea asked. "I thought she was amongst the dead at Arianrhod, being Corneila's equerry."

"We had a previous run in with her," Sylvain said. "But she escaped from us when-"

"We were forced to exchange hostages," Edelgard cut in. "Your daughter in exchange for Mortis."

"Is Ingrid alright?" Count Galatea had turned pale at the mention of his daughter.

"She is fine," Edelgard continued, exchanging a wary glance with Hubert. "But we believe that Mortis, or at least her superiors, have some form of relationship with your prisoner."

Count Galatea swallowed. "And Ingrid?"

"Father," Ingrid called out from the deck of the ship, having been pushed forward by Felix and Sylvain. "Please, I'm alright."

Count Galatea turned his gaze on the ship before he nodded, "I'm glad to see you are well."

"Count Galatea!" a voice called from behind.

"What is the matter?" Count Galatea asked as he turned to face the nervous rider.

"The prisoner has broken into the village!" the man cried as he dismounted. "He's taken hostages in the central square!"

"Bastard." Count Galatea hissed as he turned back to Edelgard. "That's your man there."

"Lead the way to your village then," Edelgard ordered. "Seteth, Ingrid, Hapi, you will be the best suited to head into town."

"We're not going to leave them alone," Byleth said as he turned to the messenger. "Is that the only horse here?"

"I- it is," the messenger confirmed. "Do you need it?"

"Can it take more than one person?"

"Another massacred regiment," Spite muttered as he turned to Thales. "Their guards were down. Potentially an early morning attack."

"Considering the power of the blasted saint, it would not have mattered if the attack was early in the morning or in broad daylight." Thales replied. "Still, there is no sign of the enemy apart from our dead."

"So it is," Spite replied. "Shall we commence with the harvesting?"

Thales pressed his lips together. "I expect there will be imperial forces on the scene soon. We will… interrogate them for information. Pittacus, Periander, you will reinforce the southern defenses. Ensure that one of these... guards tells us about their numbers here."

Spite nodded as he rose to his feet, silent as he walked the walls of the fortress.

"Addy," Aranea whispered once they were out of range of Thales. "Isn't Kronya-"

"She is," Spite muttered. "I've ordered Narik to see her off to safety."

"Safety? Here?" Aranea snorted. "They can't even grow food for their own soldiers. She'll starve, assuming they don't kill her outright."

"You had personal experience with them?" Spite asked as he passed through an archway.

"Levies sent to guard Arianrhod," Cornelia chuckled, a sneer rising to her lips. "Fifth rate, if that."

"Did they do anything?" Spite asked. "Apart from running away?"

Cornelia shrugged. "I lost track of them during the battle. They're reduced to ash regardless."

"So it is," Spite muttered as he nodded to an archer on a nearby wall. "Soldier, where is Bias?"

"Front road, Spite," the man called back. "Said that she's taking the point."

"Where are the rest of your unit?" Spite asked. "I see three men here."

"Camped out in the forest," the man grumbled. "Lucky bastards at least have some shade."

Spite chuckled. "Where is Chilon?"

The man pointed north in response as he took a swig of water.

Spite nodded as he turned to Aranea. "If things go badly, I'll set a fire. That's the signal for you to advance."

"It's a few shitty knights," Aranea scoffed. "What could go wrong?"

"Our two captives might have mentioned the tower," Spite replied. "It's not that long of a trip."

Aranea glanced at the forests around them. "So you're saying those backstabbers might be down the road somewhere?"

"You know first hand that they're unpredictable." Spite pointed out.

"Addy, fuck you." Aranea muttered as the man above them choked back a laugh.

"What the hell is he doing?" Claude muttered as he inched closer to the pale pavilion.

"Whatever it is, I don't like it." Douglas muttered. "Still, if he's turning himself into a crisp, I'm not going to be against it."

Claude suppressed a chuckle at the comment. "Are we cleared to shoot?"

"We're about to have company," Douglas muttered. "Heads up."

"Oh look, it's Ingrid," Claude said, his eyes narrowing as he saw two more figures. "Is that-"

"Seteth." Douglas muttered. "Thought that guy disappeared into thin air."

"What is he doing?" Claude whispered as the green haired man pushed his wyvern down, a lance in hand as he slammed into the man at the centre of the pavilion.

"Nothing good," Douglas muttered. "The fire is coming for him."

Claude blinked as he realized the dark fire surrounding the pavilion had shrunk as the wyvern rider fought the mysterious mage, the tongues of flame having shrunk in width, yet grown in size as the green haired man seemed to realize his predicament.

"Seteth!" Claude shouted. "Get out of there!

Seteth turned his head in shock as the flames roared around him, a moment before the wyvern leapt through the black flames, barely dodging the tendrils of darkness that had chased the beast down.

"Seteth!" a familiar voice shouted from behind Claude as he spun around, his heart sinking as Edelgard landed next to him, dressed in a bright, regal set of armour.

"Edelgard-" Claude started. "You look good."

"Spare me the chatter," Edelgard snapped. "We need to-"

A scream ripped through the air as Edelgard turned her gaze to the twisting, flailing figure at the centre of the flames, the pale man's voice turning from a panicked cry to an inhuman shriek as the flames consumed him, his spindly arms turning black as white bone became visible underneath.

"By the Goddess," Claude muttered as he felt his stomach churn.

"No saving him," Byleth growled as he dismounted from his horse, his face scrunched up as he turned away from the now-silent man. "As for you, I thought you said you were leaving Fodlan?"

"Change of plans." Claude shrugged. "Mom got homesick, and dad insisted I came along."

"Hardly a place for a vacation." Byleth observed as Seteth touched down, his wyvern looking shaken and slightly burned.

"Seteth," Edelgard observed. "I'm glad to see you're unhurt."

Seteth nodded as he turned his gaze to the corpse at the pavilion. "The same cannot be said for him. It reeks of foul, dark magic."

"Zaharas," Byleth guessed.

Seteth closed his eyes for a moment, as if running the idea through his head. "Yes, I believe he was attempting to open a gateway to Zaharas."

"I know I've never asked you this before, but just exactly what is Zaharas?" Byleth asked.

"Solon attempted to trap you there, did he not?" Seteth asked, his eyes hard as a slight breeze picked up the charring flesh of the dead man.

"He did, Byleth confirmed. "It was a dark, lightless realm."

Seteth closed his eyes for a moment. "During the first war, I once searched the destroyed capital of the Agarthan people. Despite their soldiers and war machines having been destroyed by the Goddess, the vast majority of their people disappeared into thin air."

"A capital?" Edelgard asked.

"The city itself has since been destroyed, but Rhea- Seiros insisted on building Garreg Mach on top of the ruins of the Agarthan citadel." Seteth explained. "Even throughout that entire process, we found no trace of the Agarthan people."

"What does that have to do with Zaharas?" Byleth asked as Hapi and Ingrid landed.

"My brother Macuil had speculated that they must have had a means of escaping underground." Seteth replied. "Not underground such as Abyss, but into another world entirely."

"Sothis mentioned that," Byleth muttered, his eyes meeting Edelgard's eyes.

"And this is Zaharas where the Agarthans have escaped to?" Edelgard asked, her voice cold.

"That is our belief, yes," Seteth replied. "And yet, for the last thousand years, they have returned time and time again. From this shadowed realm they have struck with impunity."

Byleth frowned. "When I was sent to Zaharas, Sothis said that we were trapped in a void. Yet-"

"Void?" Seteth raised an eyebrow. "Were you alone?"

Byleth nodded. "There- there didn't seem to be any living creatures within Zaharas. No hostile bands of soldiers seeking to hunt us down."

"Solon made no attempt to escape as well," Edelgard pointed out. "If this world was truly their home, then I believe he may have attempted to flee while he still had the chance."

Byleth paused as Hapi and Ingrid landed, their faces pale at the sight of the dead man.

"Ingrid, you said that Adrasteia dragged you and Ashe through Zaharas." Edelgard barked. "What- what was it like?"

Seteth flinched as he heard the words, his eyes turned to the blonde woman.

"Adrasteia forced us to march through there," Ingrid said. "And yet-"

"What was it like?" Seteth asked. "Can you remember anything?"

"Ghosts." Ingrid said after a moment of silence. "We were attacked by ghosts. Adrasteia and Cornelia killed them all, but-"

"Were there any living Agarthans within those halls?" Seteth asked.

Ingrid shook her head. "None at all. We were alone. There weren't even rats or flies there."

Seteth grimaced. "So it seems that Zaharas is not able to support life."

"Sothis suggested as much," Byleth muttered as he trailed off.

"Seteth, does the name Shambhala mean anything to you?" Byleth asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Seteth paused before he shook his head.

"Mortis mentioned it, didn't she?" Edelgard asked.

Seteth raised an eyebrow. "You have my attention there."

"She said that Adrasteia almost marched through Zaharas to drag Kronya back to Shambhala." Edelgard said. "After the assassination of Jeralt."

"Who is this Adrasteia guy again?" Claude asked.

Edelgard exchanged a glance with Byleth as Seteth frowned at something behind Claude. "Claude, do you know that man?"

"Capitan Douglas!" the rider called, his face flushed as he tore off his helmet. "We have trouble."

"Take a drink," Douglas ordered the man, handing over a flask of water. "Your report."

"Get the Count. There's more of those bastards at Conand. Just came out of thin air from what we can tell."

"You can answer me, soldier." Edelgard snapped. "Explain."

The man flinched as he scrambled off his horse. "My Emperor, there's a troop of soldiers that have taken up positions in Conand Tower. Too many of them to have slipped by our cordon. We need orders."

"And you shall have them." Edelgard muttered. "Ingrid!"

"Edelgard?" Ingrid asked.

"Fly back up the road. Inform your father. The rest of us will move out to greet our unwanted guests."

"Do we know what they look like?" Edelgard turned back to the man.

"I recognized one of them," the man panted. "It was Lady Mortis-"

"Mortis?" Seteth hissed. "Cornelia Armin's representative at Fhirdiad?"

"The same-" the man gasped. "I swear on my mother's grave."

"No need for that," Seteth replied as he turned back to his wyvern.

"Ensure the rest of the task force knows that," Edelgard ordered as Ingrid scrambled to her mount. "Claude, you're coming with us."

The dead chain me here, and yet they have become silent.

I am naked against their words. Their truths are unending. My lies were-are unending.

They once mocked me, but now they are silent. And yet it has become worse.

There is no punishment, not yet. I am laid out, defenseless against what is to come, but no blade has pierced my flesh, no brand applied to my skin. But I feel it coming. And I fear the judgement that is waiting.

Mother, I… I am sorry. I have failed you. Time and time again. You struck me down in that haze of fire. But please, do not leave me like this. Judge me, I beg of you. If nothing else, let me hear your voice. If only for a day.

Please.

Lysithea blinked as she lay on the field, basking in the rays of the falling sun.

"Lindy?" Lysithea asked.

"You're awake then?" Linhardt asked, his voice light and amused.

"What- what time is it?" Lysithea asked.

"Close to sundown," Linhardt said. "You fell asleep only a little while after we came here."

Lysithea flushed, her eyes darting away from Linhardt. "It- it's just that it's been so long since I was just able to lie down in a field like this. I used to love to read in the summers."

"Back home?" Linhardt asked.

"Yes, back home," Lysithea murmured. "Mother would always… just read to me on this little hillside by the river. Away from the darkness."

Linhardt nodded. "You said that you would be going back soon."

Lysithea bit her lip. "Maybe at the end of this month, once the Gloucester situation is over."

Linhardt frowned. "That's true, do you think we'll be able to find anything from… her?"

Lysithea fell silent. "I- I can't say for certain. She would have been no more than a child when the experiments happened. And, from what my parents could tell, there were no women amongst the imperials."

Linhardt tightened a hug around Lysithea's shoulders as he sighed, watching the sun set.

"Lindy, could you read for me there?" Lysithea asked as she watched the setting sun. "If only once, with the sun."

Linhardt paused. "What would you have me read?"

Lysithea paused at the question, "I suppose we've already read all the books in Garreg Mach."

Linhardt tightened. "That's it!"

"Lindy?" Lysithea whispered.

"Abyss!" Linhardt whispered. "There are countless forbidden libraries down there. All the books that Seteth wouldn't let us read."

"You think he- he might have hidden something down there?"

"Edelgard- Yuri." Linhardt whispered.

"Yuri?" Lysithea asked. "Lindy? What's going on?"

"Hubert told me that the man who experimented on Edelgard had hired Yuri… Because Varley disturbed a library dig."

Lysithea felt her breath stop. "Did Varley send the books to Garreg Mach?"

"Even if he didn't, there's still countless books down there." Linhardt whispered. "We could find something down there."

Lysithea nodded as Linhardt climbed to his feet.

"Lysithea?" Linhardt asked as they parted at the gates of the Officer's Academy. "Could you tell Hanneman where I'm going? And about Varley's books?"

"Look alive," Spite muttered as he stepped next to Mortis. "We can expect a move out before nightfall."

"What do you think it's going to be?" Mortis asked as she shifted her weight to her lance.

"The Black Eagles Strike Force could make their way here." Spite replied. "Be on your guard."

"The whole thing?" Mortis asked. "But how?"

"Not all of them, but some of their faster units may be onto us." Spite said. "We did trade two of Edelgard's officers for you and Yurius."

"They were captured here?" Mortis asked.

"They were," Spite said. "Still, it would be difficult for the entirety of her forces to arrive here, even if they travelled night and day."

"Why is that?" Mortis asked as she wiped away a sheen of sweat from her brow.

"Aileli, the Valley of Torment." Spite explained. "A fortress that once rivalled Shambhala."

"There's nothing there." Mortis pointed out.

"Except the wrath of the Fell Star." Spite replied. "Stories say that the fortress threw their entire arsenal against the false Goddess."

"Did it work?" Mortis asked.

"Is Old Agartha still standing?" Spite scoffed. "The Fell Star was so enraged that not even the dust of the old fortress was left."

"Then how do you know about it then?"

"The vault in Enbarr had a number of old photographs within." Spite explained. "There was a set on the citadel at Aileli. A fortress in the shape of an eight point star, bristling with arcane and explosive guns, held by one of the more elite units of the old empire."

"And the Fell Star ran through that?"

Spite's silence spoke volumes as he sighed. "From what we can tell, yes."

Mortis glanced at the ruined spires behind her. "How long until we're done here?"

"Our orders are to take prisoners," Spite replied. "Thales isn't even harvesting the dead."

"Prisoners?" Mortis asked. "Didn't you say that-"

"It was something that I only realized this morning, after we left the safety of Zaharas." Spite replied.

"So what do we do if we run into… them?"

"We set this forest ablaze and fall back." Spite explained. "Make it impossible for them to take Conand Tower without a bloodbath."

"Is it likely for Edelgard and her Strike Force to make it here?" Mortis asked. "Even if in part?"

"Certainly possible at the very least. Her armies consist of no shortage of officers familiar with the northern stretches of Gloucester and Daphnel territory, and with Gloucester's idiotic rebellion put to the sword, it is only a matter of time before they march on Conand Tower."

"Are the saints with them?" Mortis asked. "Cichol, Cethleann, and Indech were all at Myrddin."

"That is troublesome, and unexpected," Spite admitted as his face darkened. "Indech could have gone to sea and avoided the terrain of Aileli, or even disgorged the entire task force on the beach to the east."

"What do we do then?" Mortis asked.

Spite grimaced as he turned away from Mortis. "Thales will have your head on a pike if this information comes out. It would be treason in his eyes, if not severe neglect, for you to not have mentioned it before we left Shambhala."

Mortis swallowed. "Then-"

"Keep it to yourself, and have your battalion fall back to the fortress." Spite ordered. "But not a word to Narik. Tell him that I intend to burn the forest down, and that I don't intend for his men to be caught in it."

"Got it," Mortis muttered as she ran into the deep forest. "Keep safe."

"Ingrid, what's going on?" Sylvain asked as Ingrid landed, her face pale as she climbed from her mount.

"We have a confirmed sighting of Mortis."

"What?" Hubert snarled. "Where?"

"Road to Conand Tower," Ingrid said. "The man who saw it swears on his mother."

"Bastard," Hubert growled. "Count Galatea, what's the closest way to Conand Tower?"

"What about the prisoner?" Count Galatea asked.

"Dead," Ingrid replied. "His ritual backfired on him. Burned him alive."

Count Galatea nodded as he gestured for the young crowd around him to follow. "Try to keep up. It's a bad idea to lead a horse into these woods."

"At least we'll have some shade from the sun." Ferdinand sighed as he stepped under a tree. "

"Ingrid, your pegasus is exhausted." Count Galatea observed. "You will come with us on foot."

"Right," Ingrid paused. "Father."

"We will talk when all this is over." Count Galatea said.

"Ingrid, are Edelgard and the professor alright?" Ashe asked as he hurried into the forest.

"They're moving in with Claude and your man."

"Douglas?" Ashe asked, surprised. "He's here?"

"Along with your blue haired friend." Count Galatea added from the front of the trail. "His name was Bergliez, I believe."

"Huh, Caspar's here too." Sylvain muttered. "Did Anna come? Purple hair, an absurd amount of stuff on her back?"

"The merchant?" Count Galatea scoffed as he led the group deeper into the forest. "No, those prices of hers are a crime in themselves."

"Narik," Mortis murmured as she stepped next to the leader of her battalion. "You're to retreat. Spite is setting the forest ablaze."

Narik nodded as he whistled into the forest, his whistles taking a high, urgent tone despite his deep voice.

"They will be moving back soon." Narik said. "Let us be quick, The fires summoned by your sponsor are vicious."

Mortis nodded as she watched the various members of Narik's warband hurry backwards, their eyes darting around the uneven ground.

"Where is Kronya?" Mortis asked.

"Too slow," a soldier growled. "Had a tendency to wander after squirrels."

Mortis clenched her teeth as she met Narik's eyes. "Fine, fall back while you still can. I'll catch up."

"Be careful." Narik warned, his voice barely above a whisper. "We are in hostile territory."

"El, I'm not sure the horse can-" Byleth started as the horse buckled, throwing him to the ground. Again.

"Professor!" a voice shouted from above. "Are you alright?"

Byleth grimaced as he staggered to his feet, his mind taking a moment to process the scene before him.. "I must be dreaming." Byleth whispered as he drew his sword, the point shaking as he pointed at the revenant standing by the treeline. "You're dead!"

"Professor!" Edelgard's voice cried as a hand pulled his arm back. "Is that-"

"Kronya." Byleth hissed as the pale figure moved in the corner of his vision. "She- she's not getting away from me."

"Teach, I don't like this." Claude's voice echoed from behind him. "Back up. I've got you."

"No, Claude, that's Jeralt's killer." Edelgard warned.

The mention of his father's name made Byleth see red, and he charged forward, sword raised to end the revenant.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash, a flicker in the light.

It was only his training, honed after a lifetime of mercenary work, that he dodged the spear aimed at his head.

As the red haze lifted, he prepared his sword again.

And Mortis readied her lance, her face grim as Seteth landed, his own spear pointed at her.

AN: Chapter 39 is complete. Whew.

Review.

Someone.

Please.

Next chapter:

Three Houses- Mortis.

Darkness beneath the earth- Linhardt.

Swords and Sorcery- Spite.

Home- Indech.

The burning forest- Aranea.