Author's Note: Where we last left off on The Crests of the Saurian, we saw to the end of the Secret Plague of Duscur. Now that their first official major skrimish against the Force of Chaos and the Skaven, it's understandable that questions are soon going to be thrown around a bit about the true nature of this rising enemy. Which would all be explained in this chapter... hopefully, at the very least, in an open minded manner.

On another note, Fodlan is going to be exposed to an actual foreign religion potentially for the first time in its history, without any negative impressions hopefully.

Well, anyways, we have today's representative to say the disclaimer. So then, Tlauil-qrek'ekko, would you like to have to go ahead if you'd like?

Tlauil-qrek'ekko: You have my thanks for this generous offering, Lord Tartarus. Warhammer belongs to Games Workshop and Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. Easter Eggs that may be seen belong to their respective creators and franchises.

Thank you very much for that disclaimer, Chief Astronomer!

And without further or do, the latest chapter of The Crests of the Saurian!

Chapter 9

Exchange of Beliefs

It had been approximately a few days since the 10-day affair what had become known as the 'Skittergate Incident' within the Duscur Region of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus with the safe recovery of Lord Lonato, who was imprisoned by the enemy for what he himself measured to be approximately three to four weeks.

As for what happened within that time period, the Lord of Gaspard himself wished not to speak of what he witnessed during his time there, with the Lizardmen giving their nod of approval; After all, it's wise for easily malleable beings such as humans to not speak of what they'd seen lest they become maddened with insanity or worse from recounting the accursed images from within their minds.

However, tensions almost lead to two sides trading blows with one another when Lord Lonato stood face to face with the Knights of Seiros, particularly when he set eyes on Catherine, who looked a bit ashamed to look at him as he was then calmed down thankfully by Ashe before things started to become bloody.

Then, things took to a 'more at ease' kind of turn when Lord Lonato declared that he would return to his lands to... assure the people that live within his territory that their lord is in good health, and thus parted ways peacefully with the Blue Lions and the Knights of Seiros along with his personal knights that went to rescue him during such troubling times as they themselves returned back to Garreg Mach Monastery using a Instant Gateway, courtesy of Tlauil-qrek'ekko.

Garreg Mach Monastery Main Cathedral, Fodlan

-"And that is what had transpired within Duscur, Archbishop Rhea." Said Byleth as he gave his report on what had happened on that mission to Lady Rhea and Seteth while bowing in respect towards the two.

-"I see. In that case, well done in ensuring the safety of the students and watching over them, along with the Lizardmen, throughout the mission that was bequeathed onto you by the Goddess. Said Rhea as he gives the Professor a small smile on a successful mission.

-"I concur with Lady Rhea on that assessment. However, what concerns me about these recent events is whether these 'cultists' and Skaven you've reported to us about would reveal themselves either at a later date or try attempting to retaliate against us for stopping them barring any significant damage that would've been dealt in their 'would-be invasion'". Spoke Seteth as he gave some viable concerns to consider about the aftermath of the Skittergate Incident.

"But nonetheless, that problem is for another time. Lady Rhea and myself would discuss on the matter and investigate this topic on our own, with the assistance of the Lizardmen of course. You're dismissed for the day, Professor."

Byleth gave a bow before he turned around and walked out, closing the door behind him.

-"Lady Rhea, what would you have me do with the Lizardmen? Ever since they arrived in Fodlan, there are other events that're out of the ordinary happening all over Fodlan. I would highly suggest interrogating the Lizardmen on what they know about all of this because for all we know-"

-"Seteth. I understand that you're still suspicious about our new... visitors, but I believe that whatever their intentions, it is for the betterment of Fodlan as a whole. And while I too am skeptical about what ulterior motives they have in mind, we must also give them the chance to prove that they're no threat to us, but rather as new and bright partners for whatever may come ahead." Rhea replied, with a calming but firm finality in her voice as Seteth concedes to her wish with a sigh.

-"Very well, Lady Rhea, I understand. But please try to keep what we said in mind about all this, okay?"

Garreg Mach Monastery

Tehéx'lol-tek was admittedly a bit befuddled when Nax'ih-Chek told him that he, along with the other Lizardmen are to be given an proper honorary welcoming to Fodlan by courtesy from most of the students, more specifically the Blue Lions.

Initially, he was a bit hesitant to accept on the matter because he honestly had no idea why they would decide to do such a thing without some kind of reasoning, but after it was said that they could freely express whatever cultural customs and religions they please, he was becoming surprisingly eager to spread the divine word of his patron deity Soték to any who wished to lend their ear and promptly accepted the invitation.

As for the others, Ar'racx surmised that it would probably be very important to properly better know the 'ins and outs', as they say, of Fodlan for a much more enlightened understanding for when the time comes for the Children of the Old Ones to initiate the next stage of their Great Plan across the stars... that and also trying to keep a close eye out for a few particular somebodies that he noticed looked seemingly out of place and suspicious amongst the student body; i.e. people such as Edelgard, her retainer Hubert, or that 'charming' (as some people, including the young man himself, would say) schemer Claude.

In Nax'ih-Chek's case, it's to honor the promise that Annette and Mercedes made him take despite the two of them saying otherwise, though for some reason, the Ancient Kroxigor feels something that his kind typically never felt before, something that feels akin to what the warmbloods call being 'wholesome'.

With Tlauil-qrek'ekko, this special occasion, in his mind, shall grant him the opportunity to study both the history and the magical arts that Fodlan, along with the other continents, have in store, along with these so-called 'Crests' that seem to be this significantly big deal within the three nation's respective upper classes. It also has a secondary meaning to foretell what of the coming events in the far future, especially of when more threats like that of the Skittergate Incident would come to occur and prevented from ever happening again.

They were told that the welcoming event would take place at the Dining Hall, which is nearby the main entrance to the Monastery, on the 25th of the Garland Moon, which just happen to be tomorrow which gave them some time to prepare for what to reveal about their kind and to answer any questions that come their way.

Nightfall

Time had passed by as if it were in fast motion, and the time of the welcoming event is here.

The dining room interior had been rearranged, along with been redecorated with Lizardmen heraldry just only for this special occasion as Skink workers move with quick efficiency to make the place more befitting of a place worthy for the Children of the Old Ones.

All of the Three Houses, consisting of the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, Golden Deer, and even the Ashen Wolves of Abyss, came for the special event with trying to know the Lizardmen a bit better in mind. Along with them were some of the Knights of Seiros, namely Alois, Catherine, and the recently met Shamir and Cyril, Jeralt's Mercenaries with Jeralt at the helm, Seteth and his sister Flayn, and the Archbishop herself.

As for the food and drinks for the event, some of the Lizardmen that originally hailed from Ketsalku that're currently stationed within Abyss had opted to have a combination of exquisite feast of freshly made Lustrian-style dishes with sweet beverages that're said by other mortals to be the 'essence of the gods themselves', or something of that sort according to a certain world of monster hunters that had dealt with the Lizardmen before.

Soon, everyone was then seated with each Lizardmen being the head of their respective table, with Lady Rhea being the head of the very middle table, as the Archbishop stood up from her seat to give a little speech before the pleasantries could begin.

-"Ladies and Gentlemen. On this day, we've come together to celebrate this most grandiose occasion as we properly welcome the Lizardmen from their far off homeland to Fodlan. As for our reptilian representatives, we, on the behalf of the fair peoples of Fodlan, wish that this interaction would grace us all with the wonders of each of our respective cultures and traditions for everyone."

Everyone gave their applause before they begin to enjoy the evening as several of the Skinks that arrived from the Abyssian embassy played a variety of ancient musical instruments in an perfectly executed rhythm, to make it sound more reminiscent of their primordial homeland.

Several dishes consisting of meats, insects and eggs from species only native to the Dragon Isles, along with fruits, exotic spices and other condiments are served and passed around for everyone to try, with many of Fodlan's finest sweet pastries of many kinds being present as well, to the delights of a certain few.

However, despite the deliciousness of the cuisine that's been offered, true to the main reason for the occasion, many sought out the Children of the Old Ones, each one being eager with many questions about multiple topics involving day-to-day life within Lizardmen society along with the gods they worship, more specifically the enigmatic Old Ones.

Of the many that wish to seek the answers they desire from the Lizardmen, some are... bewildered and taken aback with some the answers they've been given back.

-"What! There's no female Lizardmen in the entirety of your race? At all?!" Said Sylvain in a complete look of shock and disbelief as he was given the extremely blunt answer from Ar'racx, to which the Oldblood simply gave a nod as confirmation.

-"Huh, that's actually kinda both creepy and weird at the same time. How do your kind manage to reproduce in the first place if there's no... you know, females?" Asked Hilda of the Golden Deer.

To be frankly honest, Ar'racx himself had never bothered to know the specifics, since he's just a Saurus Warrior that's technically not supposed to remember that kind of stuff in the first place. Luckily for the Oldblood, Tlauil-qrek'ekko had already begun answering it for him as many other people had heard the question itself being asked and have begun to congregate around them.

-"You see, warmblood, We of the Children of the Old Ones, of whom you, along with countless others, call 'Lizardmen', do not reproduce in the same conventional manner, such as giving birth or parenting one's young, like most other living creatures. Instead, our creators, The Old Ones, devised a very special method for our very creation via using very ancient and powerful arcane technologies that we only recently begun to understand properly only due to millennia of intense research and understanding.

-"Wait, hold on, i've got a quick question to ask of you. If you're only beginning to know about all of this, why did it take so long to figure out if you're the creation of the Old Ones? Shouldn't you have known about this knowledge given that you're the 'first' civilization?" Questioned Linhardt, who was a tad curious about this odd little detail.

-"The Old Ones were... should we say extremely vague with their machinations, even to their creations such as us. Along with the fact that they never have the time to quite fully tell to us their Great Plan before the coming of our most hated foe."

Linhardt thought about the answer for a good minute before being satisfied for now with what he was given and giving the gesture to continue with his previous answer.

-"Now then, going back to the answer at hand, while I do not have the authority nor consent to share unto you the finer details of how it all operates and functions, what can be said is that they're effectively one of the most sacred aspects of our existence as a whole."

With that precarious question answered, they told other questions of the sort of about how Lizardmen are different in multiple ways. But the one BIG question in the minds of everyone present, especially those of the Church and who pray to the goddess, is how the Children of the Old Ones practiced in the way it was taught to them for all of these years?

The Ashen Wolves saw some little bits here and there about the various enclaves of statues and temples dedicated to the many 'Old Ones' that're deeply worshipped by the Lizardmen, but even then, people like Constance wonder about the connections between the Old Ones and their reptilian creations.

What they soon come to learn is something that none of them have expected in the slightest.

While the Lizardmen are a bit privy with most of the Old Ones due to means of habit, Tehéx'lol-tek was particularly elated to spread the word of Soték to all who would hear him, to which all soon come silent when the Prophet offers to tell of the Serpent God Soték himself, presenting forth the {Plaque of Soték} which he carries with him at all times as powerful illusion magic envelops the hall to see the past from the perspective of the Children of the Old Ones themselves.

With a proud yet powerful voice, the Skink Prophet begins to recite the very story he told to countless others throughout their self-imposed exodus across the stars known as:

The Rise of the Serpent God/The Rat and the Serpent

-Excerpt Written by Tehenhauin, First Great Prophet of Soték and Tetto'ekko, Astronomer of the Constellations

(Year 2519 of the Imperial Calendar)

-"One prophecy shines above all others."

-Anonymous Skink Priest of the City of the Moon

The Jungle Continent of Lustria has ever had a long and tumultuous history of violence and bloodshed amidst a primitive yet orderly cycle.

One of the most significant events within those harsh lands was the savage, brutal war between the Lizardmen Empire and the Skaven of Clan Pestilens,

For more than a thousand years, the unrelenting clash between the two hated enemies has claimed lives on either side beyond counting.

This is the story of the Rat and the Serpent.

Lustria was home to the Lizardmen, both the children and eternal servants to their creators, The Old Ones, godlike beings who both forged the building blocks of life and the world itself.

When the First Spawning of the Lizardmen had come to a close and the Old Ones were making for their ill-fated departure,

The first spawned Slann Mage-Priests had begun to write down every single scripture of The Great Plan,

A detailed collection of prophecies and forgotten lore that would aid the Lizardmen race into the foreseeable future.

The Slann had always revered The Great Plan as divine scripture,

And aim to zealously follow its multitudes of commandments and prophecies, which were scrawled out onto sacred plaques of either stone or precious materials of similar composition.

There was however, one plaque which stood out from every other of its kind that've been made. The Prophecy of Soték.

The Prophecy of Soték itself was an obscure one compared to many others, only being scrawled out onto a singular plaque of blackest stone etched in crimson symbols and letters, which was kept in the Temple-City of Chaqua, The City of Gold.

The Mage-Priests that ruled the city were both unsure and uncertain of the plaques' meaning, as such of any other plaque describing the Great Plan.

They never attempted to ponder about its meanings for too much nor too long lest the other Mage-Priests from the other Temple-Cities would begin to telepathically express demands of this knowledge for their own studies.

Thus, would the plaque remain hidden from the rest of the world, locked within the deepest vaults of the Lizardmen of Chaqua.

The Prophecy in question had not only predicted the fall of the Polar Gates at either pole, followed by the Daemonic Invasion that would come to threaten the very world itself, but a future unknown enemy that shall bring plague, death, and pestilence to Lustria in the future.

It would become a perilous for the Children of the Old Ones would have to endure on their own, a crashing tide of rotting disease against a solid rock of unbreakable tenacity.

This new enemy would be then consumed in its entirety by the Great Deliverer that was Soték.

However, though the Mage-Priests themselves were fairly concerned about the warnings of the prophecies, largely disregarded the plaque for some other time, focusing on more pressing and immediate affairs that require their undivided attention.

This would be proven as a deadly miscalculation for Chaqua.

Rise of Clan Pestilens

-"At the time of the three hundredth cycle of this world, the twin moons shall unite as one and summon forth the Rodent God and his evil spawn-minions to deliver both plaque and pestilence upon the lush continent named Lustria."

-Excerpt from the Prophecy of Soték.

It was on the year of -1399 on the Imperial Calendar in which the warnings of the Prophecy of Soték would begin to manifest and come alight.

It's around this time period that a new power has arisen from the steaming jungles of that continent.

A Skaven Clan that had successfully traversed the deserts of what had been known as Araby.

How the ratmen not only found the tunnels beneath the Great Ocean (World-Pond) to the jungle lands of the Lizardmen was never recorded.

Although the petulent ratmen were mostly accustomed to the insect-filled swamps of the Old World,

The various virulent tropical diseases of Lustria had begun to take its toll on many a number of the Skaven Clan, decimating almost all of its members to just a few hundred surviving individuals in total.

When the Clan itself was on its knees, their blotchy and matted fur soaked in cold sweats with already fevered brains wracked by visions of diseased insanity, they're visited by an epiphany.

If they were to dedicate the rest of their lives, and that of future generations, to the Great Horned Rat himself, they would all be spared of their torment.

If they scoured the jungles for sacrificial offerings as gifts, The Great Horned One's ever volatile hunger would be appeased.

If they were to grow used to revering and worshipping the very diseases that were killing them, they may be reborn anew as something never seen before.

And so out of their darkest desperations, came forth a new breed of Skaven - The Plague Monks.

Methodically, Clan Pestilens began to regrow, plundering arcane secrets from the steaming jungles over multiple centuries

And learning to overcome the countless diseases that still ail them, giving their full commitment and devotions towards corruption.

When the time came for their plan to be fully enacted, they had begun to actively for cold-blooded creatures of reptilian origin as sacrifices in the name of the Great Horned Rat.

The Skaven of Clan Pestilens and their filth first arose within the Lizardmen spawning pools southwards from the Chaqua, The City of Gold.

The spawning pools themselves were normally verdant and green teeming with bountiful life, but were suddenly turned into black and sickly pools of dank scum.

What came out of said pools weren't healthy Saurus and Skinks, but instead malformed mutants that crawled out of the waters, crawling with deformed appendages and screaming with swollen ulcer filled mouths, withering and dying only mere hours after their emergence, only to collapse under the Lustrian sun.

With such disturbing news reaching their ears, a cohort of Saurus warriors were sent forth to investigate what had occured by order of the Slann Mage-Priests of Chaqua.

Once they arrived, they discovered the sickly creatures responsible for this defilement. Rat Spawn.

This is the first time that both species have met one another and were completely unprepared to face off against their new foe for they have no knowledge of their ways.

The Plague Monks, however, had spied upon them from deep in the jungle for quite some time, constantly gauging their weakpoints and ever refining their maladies against the Lizardmen.

Despite the valiants efforts, the Saurus Warriors were ultimately overwhelmed by the Ratmen's blistering numbers, outnumbering by dozens for every one.

The Saurus had stalled for time to ensure that only a single Skink survivor would escape back to Chaqua with a dire warning on its tongue.

Unfortunately, for both the Skink and The City of Gold, the messenger brought more than just his warning to the Temple-City...

For instead of salvation, it brought inexorable doom, for the infectious seeds of pestilence and disease have been brought forth to its heart.

It would only takes mere days before Chaqua itself had begun to fall into disorder and anarchy.

Skinks died in massive droves, for their kind were the most susceptible and most likely to pick up the insidious plague that the Skaven had bought to their home.

As the infection grew more and more out of control, the Slann Mage-Priests caved in and read the long obscure Prophecy of Soték aloud to the masses

And had ordered huge warbands of Skinks to seek out and capture as many of the rat-spawn as possible to bring as sacrifices to invoke the Serpent God's power,

And to drive back the rat-beasts back to the fetid dens they whence came.

Many would not return from such a task, but those that're successful brought back many Skaven prisoners.

They were then dragged, kicking and screaming along the way, to the newly constructed Altar of Soték to be then sacrificed to the Divine Serpent.

But it only made the already festering disease in the Temple-City much worse, as the prisoners had also brought more of the 'sickness' with them.

Many would look to the skies in their dying moments as they would have visions of a gleaming twin-tailed comet soared overhead that would soon come to resemble the tongue of an enormous serpent that shone brightly even in the light of day, for none were immune to the plague's devastating touch.

Even the Slann Mage-Priests themselves had also begun to show the unmistakable and tell-tale signs and soon sickened as a result, sealing themselves in their underground tombs to be protected by their remaining Saurus Temple-Guards as they too finally succumbed to the plague as well.

Without the Slann to lead them, leadership soon fell into the hands of the Skinks Priests of Chaqua who had served the Slann until that very moment.

As the last of the Slann were to be sealed away permanently deep within the temple-ziggurats, a large green comet with two tails flew overhead in the night sky as it left an iridescent glow in its waking path.

This would become known as the herald of the coming of Soték.

The Prophet of Soték

-"The Forked Tongue of Soték hangs low in the sky. The Slann have felt it. Now, I see it. Brigther. Clearer.

Amongst the Skink Priests of Chaqua who were suddenly given leadership of the survivors of the City of Gold, the greatest of their number was known as Tehenhauin, who managed to recover the plaque that contained the Prophecy of Soték,

Took a gleaming sacrificial blade that would come to be later known as the ''Blade of the Serpent's Tongue' and declared himself the 'Prophet of the Serpent God', thanks to the split in his tail signifying his claim, leading at the head of a great column of the survivors as they evacuated from Chaqua, never to return forever onwards.

He had sought to warn all of his fellow Lizardmen throughout Lustria of the impending danger that is to come and rally them for revenge against this new enemy.

The self-proclaimed 'Prophet of Soték' trekked across Lustria preaching the prophecy, claiming the Serpent God would manifest into reality and liberate the Lizardmen from plague and rat-spawn.

It is also said that once Soték has been fully satiated with the tainted blood of the sentient vermin, The Serpent God himself would devour then the Great Horned Rat whole, who would spend an eternity stewing within his gullet.

But the Deity could only be brought forth if given his proper dues

And as the grandest form of payment, Soték demanded that millions upon millions of rat-men to be sacrificed in his name.

With Tehenhauin, a new breed of skinks have started to become more notable as they emerge and begin to follow their new leader:

Skinks with strange blood-red crests that're just as eager for war and bloodshed as their much larger Saurus brethren.

Naturally, large numbers of Skinks took to this new arising cult as they were the massively significant majority of those affected by the plague now seeping across the continent, most of which being easily drawn to the newly created 'Red Host of Tehenhauin'.

However, in the beginning of the war, the Slann Mage-Priests themselves initially held the Serpent God in disdain, refusing to even so much as acknowledge Soték's name for it could be find in any of the ancient plaques within their archives.

This maintained disbelief soon become more and more difficult increasingly over time in the face of the plague's devastation infiltrated the Temple-Cities along with the oncoming swarms of Skaven as the ratmen armies emerge from below, bursting forth to overrun outposts, ruins, and even fully occupied cities.

As the Slann begun to spend huge quantities of time meditating inside their chambers upon the correct course of action concerning how to properly handle the crisis of the Skaven, it was Tenhenhauin that would rise to lead the Lizardmen as they waged bloody guerilla warfare across Lustria alongside newly elected Red Crested Skink Chiefs that would become his lieutenants-in-command.

After his first few victories against the pestilent enemy, he quickly became equal to the Slann in the eyes of the Skinks that follow him and beyond as even the larger and brutish Saurus and Kroxigors, along with prehistoric beasts of the jungle, have begun to rally underneath the Prophets' banner as they crushed the Skaven skirmish after skirmish.

This 'Red Host' traveled across the jungle continent as a colossal horde as they fought where rat-spawn are at their most numerous, relieving entire Temple-Cities that were laid under siege by the rat spawn as the Prophet of Soték himself leads the charge crashing out of the surrounding jungles and slamming into the enemy, slaughtering many by their thousands and sacrificing any survivors captured after the battle to Soték.

For neither side, there was no mercy, no remorse, no hesitation. There was only death that stalked the undergrowth of the Lustrian canopy. Soon, all of Lustria was then plunged into a century of war, pestilence, and bloodshed as Skaven hordes hurled themselves at the Lizardmen Temple-Cities while Skink war parties scoured the undergrowth looking out for entrances to the ratmen lairs.

Tehenhauin then soon demanded that the Skaven to be sacrificed in the Altars of the Old Ones which lay within the Temple-Cities, being promptly denied by the Slann themselves as they had feared that the plagues that follow the ratmen would infect the entire city.

Thus they denied entry and banned sacrifices from the cities, resulting in the Prophet having to lead long lines of battle captives into the deep jungles to find long forgotten altars that can still be used.

It was upon such altars that the pestilent vermin were sacrificed in many different ways, such as hurtling their bodies into large bodies of snakes to being devoured alive, ripping out still beating hearts out of their ribcages, throwing them down stone steps as their bodies become bruised and broken from each collision resulting in their deaths, using powerful snake venoms to inject their bloodstreams with potent venom, and drugging them to being eaten alive by massive serpents whole.

Prominent Skaven leaders such as Chieftains and Warlords were always beheaded by a highly well known member of the Red Cult.

Ancient Scar Leader Kroq-Gar having the highest number at the time at well over a thousand.

With each victory becoming more and more in their favor, Tehenhauin gained more prestige with each sacrifice making the comet in the sky glow brigther even as the Prophet himself increased in power.

A living carpet of serpents soon came to gather under him whilst he cut down his foes with his venomous dagger, the slithering beasts swarmed over them, biting and choking them.

The Red Crested Priest was even blessed with great visions, finding and unleashing forth, without permission nor consultation with the Slann, rare and powerful Engines of the Gods as they ordered forth into battle, arcane devices of destructive power left behind by the Old Ones themselves with Tehenhauin himself often times even rode upon an Ancient Stegadon with such a device, activating it to blast entire regiments of Skaven by the tens of thousands to ashes.

The years turned to decades and the conflict still raged with the comet waxing even stronger as Tehenhauin encouraged his followers to capture and sacrifice more of the cursed vermin, with each battle the number of Skaven rendered upon the Serpent God's altar swelling immensely.

Despite the still tensions between the Prophet of Soték and the Slann, Tehenhauin wanted the assistance of the Mage-Priests and forced them, by his own terms, to contemplate his desires after he issued a crushing victory against the ratmen at the Mal'liente Swamps where he captured a large horde of Skaven prisoners and the Slann finally relented to his desire to sacrifice within the Temple-Cities.

The entire population of such cities such as those of Itza and Hexoatl besides the Slann themselves would come out to observe the spectacle as Tehenhauin gave out his fiery oratories as Skaven were ritually butchered behind him.

His magics became unmatched by any of the ratmen's sorcerers as he imbued fellow Lizardmen with terrifying strength and made their scaly hides impenetrable to all but the most powerful attacks, hurled massive spears of amber light to strike down unspeakable abominations and unleashed volts of arcane thunderbolts to immolate units.

The Skaven were now being beaten back time after time until they've had enough of this tiresome thorn and gathered in force to face the Prophet.

The Emergence of Soték

-"The time is upon us, my fellow apostles! It has been foretold!

The Rodent God's pestilent spawn blights our kind, but today the Red Crested Skinks shall strike a vengeful blow. We shall send these plague-beasts to the bottom of the pit, where the Great Serpent's wrath awaits them!

With this glorious sacrifice, all of Skaven-kind will know that the Prophecy of Soték has come to pass!"

-Tehenhauin, Prophet of Soték before the Battle of Gwakmol Crater

After a century of guerilla warfare and open battle against one another, the war between the Lizardmen and the Skaven had reached its bloody climax, for although the Prophet of Soték had led his host to many victories within that time, it was the battle within the Gwakmol Crater where Tenhenhauin had caused the greatest amount of slaughter.

It was here upon the edge of the formation that Tehenhauin marched ahead of his host to see a seemingly endless tide of rat-creatures arrayed against him in their vast numbers, not knowing of the cunning trap the Prophet had in mind.

Undeterred, the 'Red Host' were unleashed with the brilliant strategy that he is still famed for 'til the modern day.

Very much like the forked tongue of his divine patron, the Prophet's armies struck lightning fast in the form of forked assaults, slamming forth into the weakest points of the enemy battle lines, surrounding them and crushing the foe like a serpent's prey in its coils.

Being a masterful tactician in jungle warfare, Tehenhauin surprised his enemies from unseen angles even as they fought upon the open crater.

Tehenhauin was truly a ruthless general, seasoned warrior, and potent wizard as his talents and skills for combat and warfare were displayed at the Gwakmol as he personally obliterated his way through the Skaven lines and shattered their resolve even as tides of serpents were summoned forth to cripple enemy movements.

Saurus and enraged Skinks cut down enermous swathes of ratmen, fire-breathing Salamanders immolated entire rans, and massive Stegadons smashed into the flanks with bonecrushing force.

The Prophet of Soték utterly shattered the resolve of the cowardly Skaven with a decisive victory as the vermin army routed for escape, yet not a single one of the survivors so much as stepped foot out of the crater.

So many cowering Skaven were captured by Tehenhauin that the long columns of captive trains took long days to pass as they were marched and herded to a secluded altar within the deep jungle.

Upon the crumbling of some long lost forgotten god, the greatest and most potent ceremony of the entire war began as Tehenhauin enacted a great ritual where so many of the ratmen were ritualistically slaughtered with hundreds, if not thousands, of them being sacrificed with every passing hour that the great Amaxon River ran crimson with tainted blood.

After the ritual's climax, the Twin Tailed Comet filled the sky as Tehenhauin was infused with such an immense amount of power, even as writhing tides of serpents immune to the plagues slithered all throughout the jungles of Lustria.

From that day hence onward, Soték's powers coursed through all of Lustria and the Red Host, led by an ascendant Tehenhauin, became a nigh unstoppable force of primordial savagery and fury, shattering army after army they came across whilst they marched towards the Clan Pestilens capital of the fallen city of Quetza, driving them back until they were completely encircled on all sides of every active Temple-City across the entire continent.

The Lizardmen cut their way towards the city and proceeded to lay siege to the rat-spawn, seeking to wipe them out in its entirety.

At the height of the Siege of Quetza, Tehenhauin, along with his closest disciples, disappeared into the jungle, returning on the dawn of the third day upon the back of a massive Arcanodon, leading a group of Ancient Stegadons, each one carrying forth rare Engines of the Gods counting twelve in total as they obliterated thousands upon thousands of the plague-ridden rat-spawn.

Being defeated time and time again, the Plague-Lords of Clan Pestilens began to bicker against one another on a course of action to ensure the overall survival of their clan before they came to an agreement with one last desperate plan.

The Exodus

-"It was at this pivotal moment in the course of the war that our almighty Soték reared his head towards the pestilent hordes and drove them from our sacred jungles, to forevermore feast upon the Rat God's children until their race is completely eradicated and the cosmic accident that hinders Great Plan is realigned to its original purpose."

- Anonymous Slann Mage-Priest

Thus did Arch Plague-Lord Nurglitch along with his Plague-Lords, deciding they should make a break for it, mustered up the entirety of Clan Pestilens into a massive horde condensed into a singular column that clouded the horizon, being forced to flee Lustria to sail across to the Southlands.

Clan Pestilens then clashed with the surrounding Lizardmen armies to find its weakest point and smashed through the smallest point, casting them aside as they made a break for the easternmost coastline.

Realizing their attempt to escape, Tehenhauin rallied the Lizardmen into a relentless force, encircling and harrying their enemy for hundreds of miles all the way to the coast and beyond with every step barely being contested as the Prophet of Soték stroved for nothing more than their total annihilation as the jungles were drowned in torrents of diseased blood.

The final battle of the entire war occurred upon the shores of Fuming Serpent Island where the Skaven attempted to flee Lustria.

This was the perfect chance here and now for the Lizardmen to erase the Vermintide's taint from the continent forever.

Finally forced from his fortress-stronghold under Quetza, Arch Plague-Lord Nurglitch met Tehenhauin in open battle as Stegadons crashed into the rotting frames of Plague Furnaces, Kroxigors crushing Giant Pox Rats under their huge weapons, Red Crested Skins slamming lines of Plague Monks in a savage blood-fueled frenzy.

At the center of everything within the battlefield, Tehenhauin, the Prophet of Soték himself, reaped a bloody as great as that of the Battle of Gwakmol Crater with his Blade of the Serpent's Tongue cutting both champion and monster with great and terrifying ease as he finally leveled his hate-filled upon Nurglitch.

In such a small meaning of gazes, the Arch Plague-Lord was given a rude revelation: If he were to face the Prophet of Soték in single combat, he would die.

Thus, Nurglitch and his Plague Lords tricked a full quarter of the Skaven armies to attempt to kill the Prophet as a sacrificial delaying action as the rest of the hordes deserted their and boarded their ramshackle fleets, made out of bulbous wood and festering ropes, to try and flee eastwards.

What happened next at the height of the battle was disputed for many long millennia until the coming of the End Times, but those who were there at the time, including Tehenhauin himself, swear upon their very lives that it happened.

The many Skinks claimed that from the bubbling volcano on the island, a godlike serpent of unimaginable size, none other than Soték himself, erupted from the lava and slammed into the Skaven horde, shattering them before plunging into the sea to pursue the fleet, even as he's accompanied by a horde of slithering serpents.

And so did the Forgotten War of Lustria come to its final conclusion and Tehenhauin claimed his victory.

With Clan Pestilens defeated, the Slann-Mage Priests of Lustria could no longer deny the Prophet nor the reality of Soték any longer and thus called forth a great conclave to be had.

For the first and last time in Lustria's history, the Slann themselves converged in person as had not been done since the age of the Old Ones at the First Temple-City of Itza for a meeting in solemn convocation.

Here, Tehenhauin was summoned forth to converse with the Slann, who is to speak to them of Soték with his words not recorded upon the Slann's orders as the doors sealed.

When the sealed doors reopened, none but those present knows of what truths were revealed but in the council's wake, the Mage-Priests saw it right that Soték was of the Old Ones, and thus should be venerated along with building Pyramid-Temples and Altars that're to be made to his fealty and honor.

Worship of Soték would soon begin to equal, if not surpass, that of the Old Ones themselves.

Thus, The Prophet of Soték usher in a new god of the Lizardmen even as he marched back out into the jungles to continue his guerilla war and life mission to hunt down the rat-spawn for many centuries to come afterwards, reappearing whenever his aid is needed most.

The story itself comes to its end as the illusion magic powered by the {Plaque of Soték} dissipates as everyone is returned to reality.

Then came the applause with mixed emotions such awe, fear, rejoice, and amazement at the telling of the Lizardmen's past of the coming of the Serpent God himself as many eager students and scholars came up to Tehéx'lol-tek asking a multitude of questions whilst everyone else tries to absorb and comprehend what they've just been shown.

As for Byleth, something deep within him resonates immensely with the story as he was invested about Soték, for ever since they returned back to Garreg Mach, he'd been having weird dreams and visions of great fire-breathing serpents and torrents of crimson, black, and diseased blood alike in great flows as a large serpent leers down at him, claiming that 'one day you would bring forth salvation to this world and those beyond.' The Ashen Demon had a look of ponderance upon his brow as he didn't notice Yuri approach him until the young man tapped the professor's shoulder.

-"That was quite the telling story of truth, now was it?" asked Yuri in a suave voice.

Byleth could only nod as he stared at him for what felt an eternity before he realized what he was doing and apologized for his action, only for Yuri to lightly chuckle at the gesture.

-"Oh, don't you worry about that. How about we exchange names and we'd call it even then, hm?"

-"Right. My name is Byleth Eisner and I am this year's newest professor." Byleth introduced himself professionally as he left his hand out for a handshake. The light-purpled leader looked around to see if anyone else that he doesn't trust at first was close by before taking his hand and gave his own introduction.

-"Ah. So you're the new professor these surface dwellers we're talking about for the past few weeks. My name is Yuri and if you want to learn more about me and my crew, you'd have to go down to this nice little place called Abyss where we also have ourselves a little Lizardmen embassy believe it or not.

Byleth's eyebrow raised significantly as he wondered how did they manage to create an embassy under the Church's nose undetected before Yuri whispered into his ear that he'd have to go to Abyss for that and asked if he wanted any water or tea.

Byleth naturally chose to have some ice cold water.

As for Edelgard, she was equally curious, skeptical, and cautious after hearing the story. As future empress of the Adrestian Empire, she'd have to determine whether it's worth trying whether to persuade the Lizardmen to her side and aid her in toppling Fodlan's corrupt structure or view the Children of the Old Ones as another threat to her greater ambitions through it all, ones she definitely knows that her 'allies' have already known about and are trying to find any weaknesses to exploit against them.

She already conversed with Hubert about what to do with Lizardmen should they prove to become another enemy with her loyal retainer not having much luck when it came to finding anything remotely resembling a weakness. So her best option for now was to observe the sentient reptiles from a distance and articulate her next moves there.

But for now, there's a evening event to be had and even one such as herself would not waste such a rare time indeed.

However, unbeknownst to her, Ar'racx has been keeping a close eye out for both her and Hubert in particular. For the Oldblood knows that while their outward appearances are mostly positive to most people that don't bother to pay attention, he knows deep down that ulterior intentions of an unknown purpose are running through the imperial princess's mind. Nevertheless, Ar'racx knows that he, along with his fellows, must keep vigilant lest they expose all their major playing cards far too early and make fulfilling the Great Plan that much more difficult than what's necessary.

-"You said you wanted to know more about Crests?" Asked Lysithea as she was incredibly surprised as to who asked the question.

Tlauil-qrek'ekko nodded as he sat next to the white haired maiden, while she's still eating her pastry, as he was interested in learning about these so-called 'Crests' ever since he heard them talked about everywhere along with its importance.

-"Indeed, miss Ordelia. It has come to my attention that these 'Crests' that you, along with many others, possess some mysterious properties that enhances the bearer's abilities in some way, yes?"

-"...Yes, you're mostly right on that front. They're usually passed down from generation to generation through certain bloodlines, such as those of my house, House Ordelia, as an example."

-"Interesting. Most interesting indeed. Perhaps we could make some agreement to where we could mutually learn from one another, yes?" Asked the Skink Priest.

-"An agreement? Not to be rude towards you, but what do you have that would make me want to share my findings with you?" Replied Lysithea with an inquisitive look on her face.

Tlauil-qrek'ekko takes a glance around to see if anyone is either looking their way or trying to snoop in on their conversation only to see a singular person make their approach as the Skink tilts his head as he recognizes that the person in question comes from the Black Eagles house if he recalls when they first arrived.

-"Oh! Don't worry, that's Linhardt. He's actually one of the few people here that knows more about Crests than I do. Though I do want to know why he's coming over here instead of waiting for our conversation to be done with." Lysithea said curiously.

-"That's because I was waiting for the both of you to be together like this so I don't have to waste much of my nap time for later." Answered Linhardt as he took up a third chair and set next as he exhales a yawn out of his mouth.

-"Very well. What is it that you wish to discuss that is considered important enough to be had with the two of us?" Asked Tlauil-qrek'ekko as he gave a nodding gesture for the green-haired warmblood to ask his own question.

-"You see, i've had this aching curiosity towards you Lizardmen ever since you first came to Garreg-Mach, as does everyone else no doubt. But I am particularly interested as to how you deduced that Lysithea here has two Crests in the first place?" Linhardt asked in a hushed whisper.

Lysitheas' eyes widened considerably whilst Tlauil-qrek'ekko produced a sound that is equivalent to that of a chuckle at this warmblood's quick perceptiveness. The white-headed girl took a look around quickly to see if anyone heard what've been said before looking to both Linhardt and Tlauil-qrek'ekko. But before she could say a word, she was stopped as the Skink Priest raised his hand to explain himself.

-"Fret not, miss Ordelia. I have already met up with your compatriot earlier in the day before I came here. He appeared to have the same conclusion as I did when we first met one another, but I did tell him about the two Crests that dwell within your body and how it has shown extreme signs of stress, aside from the white pigment of your hair of course. We came to a mutual understanding and agreement to aid you of your affliction, but if only I take in the both of you as my newest disciples to teach unto you the Winds of Magic.

That choice is up to you, Lysithea. Do you wish to walk the path chosen for you? Or do you wish to break free and walk upon a path made by yourself?"

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Almost 4 straight months of writer's block and procrastination is quite the hurdle to get over, but I promise more will at a more frequent rate come the new year.

Do expect one of the other works to begin production as well as well as some slight revision updates to this story to make it more up-to-date for my standards as time passes onwards.

Please have a little more faith that production will kickstart once 2021 comes around in a few days.

Tune in next time for more The Crests of the Saurian!

Have a Happy New Years, Ladies and Gentlemen.