Author's Notes

Another mission, another battle that Bambietta will fight.

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

Fire Emblem is owned by Nintendo

Me? I only own the story you're reading right now.

3rd Person POV

White Clouds

Day 30 of the Garland Moon

Bambietta bought an Intermediate Seal for Ignatz. Ignatz passed the exam for Archer.

After that, Bambietta and her Golden Deer go to battle.

As they do so, they talk to Catherine. "It really is an honor to accompany Catherine, wielder of Thunderbrand. I hear you're intimidating enough to silence the howling winds!" Claude praised.

"Thunderbrand? What are you talking about?" Bambietta asked.

"You mean you don't know?" Catherine asked back as she reveals her weapon: a sword with three spikes on each of the sword's cutting sides. "My weapon is called Thunderbrand. It's one of the Heroes' Relics. A long, long time ago, the goddess bestowed divine weapons upon 10 heroes, which were passed down to their descendants. It's an honor to wield, but I'm afraid there won't be any chance for that today. Our mission is to help clean up the aftermath, not to fight."

"Why would Lord Lonato incite such a reckless rebellion? He had to have known he had no chance of winning." Claude brought up.

"It all goes back to the Tragedy of Duscur..." Catherine answered.

"The Tragedy of Duscur... I don't know much about it." Bambietta said.

"You must be joking. Where have you been traveling that news of it didn't reach you?" Claude gasped. Bambietta thinks of her former friends.

"...Some things are better left unanswered..." She sighed.

"I see... Well, anyway... It happened about four years ago. The king of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was murdered by the people of Duscur. That about covers it, right?" Claude predicted.

"To put it simply, yes. But there's more to that story. They had accomplices within the Kingdom as well. Lord Lonato's son, Christophe, was one of them, and so he was handed over to the church for execution." Catherine explained.

"Why was the king targeted?" Bambietta brought up.

"King Lambert was attempting a major political reform. Needless to say, he had many enemies. Whatever the truth behind that incident may be, Lord Lonato has harbored resentment toward the church ever since. Well... To be more specific, his grudge isn't only against the church. It's also against the one who turned Christophe over to them..."

"Report! the enemy is approaching! They can't be avoided." A church soldier reported as he appeared. "Their numbers are far greater than we predicted. They used the fog to slip past the knights' perimeter!"

"It looks like our mission just changed, Professor. Everyone, prepare for battle!" Catherine galvanized. Bambietta nods.

Bambietta POV

Foggy Forest

This fog... I'd better get myself and my students to clear this, otherwise we'll be ambushed all damn day.

Which reminds me. I don't have any of the powers I had as a Quincy in this world. Sheesh...

Anyway, I bring Claude, Mari, Hilda, Ashe, Ingrid, Caspar, Petra, Lysie, and Lorenz with me to this battle.

"Anything in the shop I could buy that could help clear this fog?" I asked the shopkeeper with bright red hair. Her name was Anna.

"Indeed. There are torches which are blazing flames that increases visibility in heavy fog." Anna answered.

Before buying the torches, I bought a Steel Sword, a pair of Training Gauntlets, and a Training Bow for Ingrid.

After that, I bought torches for almost everyone. I'll sell the torches I didn't use, don't worry.

With that, we go to battle.

"With this fog, it's impossible to tell where the enemy might be... or how many of them there are. The enemy could be trying to surround us, but they shouldn't have enough soldiers to form a tight circle. Take down anyone who breaks through the fog, and let's push through!" Catherine ordered.

"The conditions are the same for both sides... But we're at a disadvantage for not knowing the terrain." Claude pointed out.

"Proceed with caution! Wait for them to enter your field of view." Catherine warned.

I take down a Gaspard Soldier. I grow in strength and defense.

My students and assistant advance, some of which use their torches.

An archer attacks Claude. "You would think we're just gonna do nothing while you try to kill our lord!?" The archer exclaimed.

"Why, Lonato? Why did you drag so many others into this?" Ashe asked, not getting an answer.

The archer shoots Claude, but misses.

Claude pays the archer back by striking him twice.

Hilda attacks a fighter in the bushes. "Lord Lonato doesn't deserve such sadness and anger... Now it's your turn to suffer!" The fighter claimed. Hilda attacks him twice and hits him twice.

Lorenz finishes off the archer and grows in maximum life energy and dexterity.

Ashe finishes off the fighter with a Curved Shot.

I defeat a Myrmidon hiding in the bushes.

Another archer attacks and hits a church soldier critically.

Catherine, having none of that, defeats the archer with one swing of her Thunderbrand.

I heal the critically hit soldier with Recover.

The rest of my students advance.

A fighter attacks Mari, but she dodges and defeats the fool for trying to hit her. Another soldier got lucky, but Mari counters with Nosferatu.

An archer attacks and hits Mari. Oh come on! How many enemies hidden in the mist ARE there!? Okay. That does it.

"Claude! Hit that soldier!" I ordered. He does so and Claude grows in maximum life energy, strength, dexterity, speed, luck, and charm.

"Lord Lonato... Please, don't die..." The soldier groaned before he dies.

"The nobles start the war, but it's the commoners who spill their blood first..." Claude mourned.

I attack the Dark Mage hiding in the bushes. "I won't let you anywhere near Lord Lonato!" The Dark Mage proclaimed. Oh, we'll see about that! After shooting him once, he attacks me with a ball of darkness, but I dodge it then score a critical hit on him! He stood no chance.

The fog is lifting as a result of the Dark Mage being defeated! Seems like the fog was being caused by magic.

Catherine was walking through the currently clearing fog while two armored knights looked on in fear. She jumps in the air and cuts one of them down. The knight that was spared wouldn't be for long as he attacked Catherine, but she dodges then blocks another attack before cutting him down too.

"It's you..." An elder voice growled. It was a white haired man with a mustache in armor. "Thunderstrike Cassandra! It was your wretched zealotry that killed my son!"

Hm. Must be Lord Lonato.

"Haha... The only name I answer to is Catherine. Prepare to taste the blade of one who serves the goddess." Catherine warned. "Now you face a Knight of Seiros!"

The fog fully clears. "The fog has cleared. There's nothing left to hide you or the filthy Central Church from the judgement of the goddess!" Lonato growled.

Ingrid critically hits a Myrmidon.

Hilda defeats an archer and grows in dexterity, speed, and charm.

The rest of my students advance.

The Myrmidon Ingrid attacked attacks her and hits her.

An archer attacks Lorenz and hits him.

Catherine defeats the Myrmidon that attacked Ingrid.

Her soldiers advance.

Lorenz attacks the archer that attacked him.

Claude finishes off the archer.

Ashe gets the first hit on the fighter in the bushes, but misses the second attack. Hilda finishes off the fighter.

The rest of us in the Golden Deer advance.

Catherine and her soldiers advance.

Claude attacks a soldier with Curved Shot and hits him.

Petra takes Claude's Iron Bow and defeats the soldier.

I critically defeated another soldier.

The rest of my students advance.

Catherine and her soldiers advance.

Ingrid equips a Steel Sword and advances into the bushes.

I cast Thunder on one of the armored knights twice.

The rest of my students advance.

One of the soldiers hits Ingrid with Disturbance.

Another armored knight did the same to me. At least I got master of the subject.

Another Myrmidon attempted to hit me with Disturbance, but missed.

A fighter attacks Catherine, but we all know how that song and dance goes. She then moves on to the armored knight that attacked me.

The church soldier, a Myrmidon, attacks the soldier that attacked Ingrid.

Lorenz attacks the soldier that attacked Ingrid. Ingrid finishes off that soldier.

Claude attacks the Myrmidon that attacked me twice. Unharmed as the Myrmidon hit him, but did no damage to him.

Lysie finishes off the Myrmidon that attacked me.

Mari heals me.

I heal her back.

The rest of my students advance.

The enemies do nothing while Catherine advances. "You! I will be the one to kill you, no other!" Lonato roared.

"You have lost all sense of justice." Catherine shook her head. "You want to fight me? So be it. I'll send you to meet your goddess."

Her soldiers advance with her.

I defeat one of the fighters with Assault Troop, dealing damage to Lonato in the process.

Claude defeats another fighter and grows in maximum life energy, dexterity, speed, and charm. It seems he's also got his authority raised, earning him the ability Battalion Desperation.

Mari heals one of the soldiers.

The rest of my students advance.

Lonato heals the damage I dealt to him.

Hilda uses Stride on Ashe, giving him, Ingrid, and Petra some added movement. Ashe attacks Lonato.

"Stand down, Ashe. I must destroy these evil-doers by any means necessary!" Lonato ordered.

"Please surrender, Lonato! Whatever your reasons for doing this, we can still talk it out!" Ashe begged.

"Rhea is an infidel who has deceived the people and desecrated the goddess! We have virtue and the goddess herself on our side!" Lonato declared.

"Even if all that's true, dragging the townsfolk into it like this isn't right!" Ashe exclaimed.

"Enough. If that is how you feel, prepare yourself! I'm putting an end to this!" Lonato roared.

Ashe hits Lonato with a Curved Shot. Claude attacks Lonato. "You have been deceived by that witch... I will show you the truth!" Lonato proclaimed.

Claude hits Lonato.

Lysie hits Lonato with Swarm Z, lowering his speed.

Caspar hits Lonato with Helm Splitter, but gets hit himself.

Ingrid finishes off Lonato with Knightkneeler. "That vile woman... Christophe... Forgive me..." Lonato groaned before he dies. Ingrid grows in strength, magic, dexterity, and luck.

"Lonato, I..." Ashe sobbed.

"I never thought I'd see Lonato meet his fate. Well done, everyone. Let's gather our troops and go." Catherine ordered.

Our allies did not suffer heavy losses, so I earned a reward from the Church of Seiros. I received a Secret Book and a Goddess Icon. I sent them both to the convoy.

My students really praised me for my work. Thanks to my efforts, their motivations were increased. ...Except one.

Forest on the way to Garreg Mach

"Nice work, Teach. Still... that fight left a foul taste in my mouth." Claude pointed out. "That aside, did you see how Catherine fought?"

"She's incredible." I told him.

"Agreed. I thought the power of the Heroes' Relics must be exaggerated, but I was clearly wrong. Makes you wonder about that legend..."

"What legend?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just the usual fanciful nonsense. An ancient Relic that once cut a mountain in half with a single swing. That's what they say, anyway. But as amazing as Thunderbrand is, I don't think it fits that description. Apparently, Relics can harness tremendous power for those with a compatible Crest. Though you can technically use one so long as you have any Crest at all. I dunno. Long story short, I'd like to try cutting a mountain in half someday." Claude explained.

"Ooh! Are you talking about Relics? You'll be able to use one soon, Claude! I just know it!" Hilda exclaimed as she appeared. "After all, you've already been selected as the next head of House Riegan!"

"Easy there, Hilda. I don't know how apt "soon" is. My grandfather is still unbearably healthy. Oh? Is this news to you, Teach?" Claude asked me.

"Yeah. Pretty much." I nodded.

"Yours truly was recently recognized as a legitimate child of House Riegan. They possess one of the Heroes' Relics too, though I've yet to see it." Claude explained.

"You haven't seen it?"

"I was raised by my father. House Riegan is on my mother's side of the family. When I learned that my mother was the daughter of an Alliance noble, I was so surprised I thought the whole world was pulling a fast one on me for a week."

"So, that means your mother is Duke Riegan's daughter, right? Where is she now?" Hilda asked.

"I can't say. My mother's currently living in a different world than the one she grew up in and has no desire to return home." Claude answered.

...That's a pretty playful way of saying that she's dead... ...She's not dead, is she?

"Um, OK. You sure have a lot of secrets, don't you?" Hilda pointed out.

"I'm just keeping a promise to my parents. Make of that whatever you will. In exchange for my so-called secrecy, I'm free to do as I please, which is why I decided to see what the other side of my family was like. That's how I found out about this strange Crest I bear..." Claude said.

"Professor Bambietta. Claude. It sounds like the troops will be withdrawing soon. We should return as well." Leonie declared as she and Ignatz appeared.

"We won. We should be celebrating. Instead, we're heading back with heavy hearts..." Ignatz told.

"Whoa there! What's the matter? You look as sad as a kitten without any yarn." Claude replied. "If we hadn't done what we did, the rebel army would have followed this road all the way to the monastery. And they would have crushed all the little villages along the way. We stopped that from happening. You should be proud."

Catherine appeared. "Sorry to intrude, but this incident may be more serious than anticipated. I found this on Lord Lonato. It's a note that mentions a plan to assassinate Lady Rhea. We can't tell who sent it, so the source is suspect, but the content is too disturbing to ignore. We must report to Lady Rhea right away. I hope that it's nothing..."

...You know, when you say that, it's usually NOT nothing.

Garreg Mach

Audience Chamber

I talk to Rhea and Seteth. "I am glad to see that you have returned safely. The goddess is gracious with her divine protection. But it was not only her divine protection that shielded you, was it? You are just as skilled as I had hoped." Rhea complimented.

"No, Rhea, my students deserve the praise." I told her.

"I am not so sure. I heard some of the students were... hesitant about fighting militia. However, we must punish any sinner who may inflict harm upon believers, even if those sinners are civilians. I pray the students learned a valuable lesson about the fate that awaits all who are foolish enough to point their blades towards the heavens." Rhea said.

"Our real concern is what Catherine reported. The secret message that was in Lord Lonato's possession. It contained a deplorable plot to target the archbishop on the day of the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth. The plan seems unrealistic at best... But a threat is a threat. We must maintain constant vigilance. To that end, I would like for you and students to help with security on the day of the ritual." Seteth ordered.

"You can count on us." I declared.

"That is most reassuring. You have my gratitude." Rhea nodded.

"The Rite of Rebirth is of paramount importance. It is when the Church of Seiros and its believers unite to pray for the return of the goddess. The archbishop and I will be confined to the Goddess Tower once the ritual begins. Of course, the knights will be on high alert as well, but there aren't enough of them to keep watch on every corner of the monastery. It is far from ideal to be forced to mobilize students, but the gravity of this situation requires that we all bend to avoid breaking." Seteth told.

"While there is no need to fear for my safety, we cannot turn a blind eye to those who would blaspheme so heinously." Rhea declared.

"With any luck, this will all be for naught. Still, be on your guard." Seteth warned me.

And with that, I make preparations for the next month.

END OF EPISODE