The day of the Battle of the Eagle and Lion was deceptively calm. As Blaise stood at the edge of Gronder Field, she scanned the soon-to-be battlefield noting and memorizing as much of it as she could.
The weather was nearly perfect with plentiful sunshine and large fluffy clouds. It was chilly but not cold. This far South of Garreg Mach would not likely see any snow until later in the year if it saw any. A thin layer of frost covered the grass, but it would be gone by the time they started the battle.
Tactically, this part of Gronder Field was interesting. The battle would take place in a dip in the land, allowing onlookers like Rhea and Seteth and Edelgard a view of the battle as a whole from the surrounding cliff tops. The only exception Blaise could see was a patch of forest to the Northwest. There was a river that ran along the South with two bridges on opposite ends for access to the rest of the field, a large fort to the Northeast, and, most importantly to Blaise, a ballista set up halfway between the river and the fort. Otherwise, there was not much more than tall grass to stand in one's way or, at most, a faint rolling hill from the North.
The chattering of the Black Eagles feet away told her they were overwhelmingly excited. That was good. Their morale needed to be high. She could hear Ferdinand gushing over the Elite chosen of "esteemed Black Eagle house" from here.
To Edelgard, if she had to guess. Maybe Hubert.
"The weather is nice for a battle."
Speak of the devil.
The voice at her shoulder made her blink, but she only tilted her head to acknowledge Edelgard's comment.
"I cannot express my frustration that I can do nothing more than watch," she admitted.
Blaise did look at her then in time to see her gaze flicker toward where Seteth and Jeralt were having a conversation with a man Blaise was not familiar with but had seen meet them at the edge of Bergliez territory.
"Count Bergliez is in attendance. Do you know the significance of his position in the Empire?"
Military Affairs.
She'd heard Caspar mention it once or twice.
Edelgard nodded. "Originally, I was hoping to earn his support myself. In fact, Hubert questions whether my decision to withdraw was made with too much haste considering the position we now find ourselves in." She shifted, arms crossing against her chest. "I disagree. My power alone would not bring us a win here."
Blaise didn't even have to look to know Edelgard had now shifted her attention towards the Golden Deer. Towards Balen.
Her brow was furrowed when she tilted her head to look up at Blaise. "Tell me you have a plan."
For Balen, went unsaid.
Blaise hesitated. She hardly considered it a plan...
I have an idea.
She hoped. There were quite a few twists of desperation in it.
Edelgard nodded, expression unreadable. Seconds passed, lavender boring into cobalt far longer than was casual in one of those stares Edelgard did when she thought she could read Blaise's mind simply from doing so.
One day Blaise was going to ask what it was she saw.
But not today.
Eventually, Edelgard's lips twitched into the slightest of smiles. "Frustrations aside, I am looking forward to witnessing a Black Eagle win. They underestimate you."
Us.
They underestimate us.
"Us," Edelgard repeated in a breath that was somehow surprised and flattered at the same time. She flipped her hair, Blaise swearing she stood just a tad taller. "Well, they will soon learn of their error."
Hopefully today.
Blaise shook herself.
No, definitely today if she had anything to say about it.
An arm was suddenly thrown over both of their shoulders, Blaise jumping at the contact that had somehow sneaked past her defenses.
"Dorothea!" Edelgard admonished, her voice a higher pitch that made Blaise feel a little better at her own shock. Apparently, the Imperial princess had also been too engrossed in their conversation.
Dorothea wasn't even all that sneaky.
Still, tearing her gaze from Edelgard brought the brunette into view and she was grinning that all-too-knowing smile she was so good at. "Edie, did you tell Blaise you liked her new cloak?"
Blaise's eyes snapped down to the heavy red cloak but not before catching a glimpse of Edelgard's widening.
"What?" Edelgard snapped, albeit the high pitch ruined the effect she was going for.
"Her cloak, Edie. It looks as if it could have come straight out of your wardrobe."
...
Blaise was glad she couldn't be expected to speak. Unfortunately, it meant Edelgard was forced to cover and she seemed to be drawing a blank after being thrown off guard by the songstress's appearance.
Enough of one that Dorothea blinked, the gears quite obviously turning in her mind.
"…Did it?"
Blaise pointedly, and she hoped casually, looked away as Dorothea shot her a glance.
Edelgard was a funny shade of red and struggling to string words together when Hubert seemingly materialized at her side. "Lady Edelgard, I hear final preparations are about to begin. Shall we find a suitable position to watch?" he suggested.
Just like that, Edelgard recovered though her face was still quite a bit red. "Yes, of course, Hubert."
Dorothea's all-too-knowing smile had returned with full force and her eyes flickered briefly to Blaise before settling back on Edelgard. She winked. "I doubt the position will matter, Hubie, but do enjoy yourselves. There will be a lot to see. Blaise made sure of that."
Blaise was acutely aware as Edelgard and Hubert regarded her. She fought to keep her face straight lest she look like a deer staring down a spell.
"...I look forward to seeing the Black Eagles' performance." Green eyes flickered to the Golden Deer and back. "... You did reinforce your sword, yes? A shame it would be to fall the same way you did last time."
Blaise hesitated before she shook her head, the simple motion rippling concern through the two nobles. Edelgard, she noted, jerked with the barest widening of her eyes.
Hubert simply frowned. "You did not?" he questioned, disbelief practically dripping from the words.
Edelgard tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Blaise, I would have happily sponsored an upgrade of your weapon whether through reinforcing it or purchase of another," she berated.
That … might not have been a bad idea in hindsight.
Too late now.
She hoped she didn't look nervous.
Not going to need it.
Much… Hopefully.
Edelgard's expression immediately shifted into what Blaise could only call intrigued and even Hubert couldn't remain completely unmoved, his eyes narrowing and accentuating the frown he already wore.
Dorothea laughed, no doubt at their expressions. "With that dramatic statement, we'll leave the two of you to enjoy the show. Come on, Blaise. It looks like Dimitri is drawing the Blue Lions' starting position now," she pointed out.
Blaise tilted her head over her shoulder to see Dimitri standing across from Rhea and Seteth, his classmates crowded around behind him.
The Black Eagles would draw next and the Golden Deer last.
She nodded to Dorothea, pausing only to swing her bag off her shoulder and offer it to Edelgard for safekeeping. She had not packed much for her journey to Enbarr for several reasons. One, she really didn't own much but, two, she had no desire to tell anyone until the moment had come else it interfere with morale during the battle or she have to suffer through the gossip that was no doubt going to follow.
Her small pack would not raise any suspicion. Still, there were certain objects Blaise didn't care to put through a battle if she didn't have to.
Hubert was noticeably displeased by the action as Edelgard graciously accepted the bag, but he said nothing. Then Blaise hastily turned away, afraid if she looked in Edelgard's direction any longer she would start staring again or something. Even so, she was certain she felt eyes on her back as she joined Dorothea to return to their classmates. She risked a glance behind her.
Edelgard and Hubert were walking away in the opposite direction, the retainer reaching out to take the bag from Edelgard to which she shook her head and proceeded to slip the strap over her shoulder.
It made Blaise smile, just a little, as she returned her attention to the Black Eagles now that Rhea and Seteth were joining them.
It was about time to get this battle going.
~FE~
The Black Eagles were given the Southeast starting position.
Blaise clicked her tongue as she gave the territory one more quick scan, noting the starting positions of the other houses. Claude was no doubt ecstatic to be starting in the Northwest among the forest. The Blue Lions were across from the Black Eagles in the area home to the fort. The Ballista sat between them.
At first glance the Black Eagles' Southern position looked to be the worst pick. Their terrain held no cover by a forest or a fort and they were separated from the other houses by a river.
Looks were deceiving.
She waved over Ferdinand who was followed by Manuela.
"I take it that look on your face means you are not disappointed with our position," Manuela stated, crossing her arms as she paused beside her.
Ferdinand, unusually serious as he surveyed the land, shook his head. "I do not see how. Our territory is wide open to that ballista."
It was.
And, if another house gained control of the ballista first, it could spell the end to the Black Eagles' chances. That said, the Blue Lions had the fort which she would bet her sword Professor Hanneman would try and reinforce prior to allowing his students to attack and the Golden Deer were the farthest away and would have to charge willy nilly through the forest to reach it before them. Balen and Claude were more likely to sacrifice control of the ballista. They had the forest to cover them from it, after all. The Blue Lions were more of a risk, but even just a couple of minutes would give the Black Eagles all they needed to take it first.
Blaise pointed to the mechanism.
Top priority. We need Petra on that from the beginning.
"We would have to charge across the bridge faster than the Blue Lions can charge down an open hill on steeds," Ferdinand stated, unconvinced.
Manuela waved a hand dismissively, coming to the same conclusion Blaise had. "Hanneman won't leave that fort immediately. He'll want to ensure it as a base for retreat should they need to make a last stand," she assured him.
"Ahh… I presume if worst comes to worst we would block the bridge to force them to come at us a few at a time," Ferdinand stated.
It didn't offer them the protection of a fort or forest but Blaise could agree that was the best their terrain afforded them.
Hopefully that will be unnecessary. Aggressive offense is going to be our best option.
Conquest.
Quick, heavy, and opportune strikes.
So very Black Eagles if Blaise said so herself.
The trick was being smart about it.
They weren't given much more of an opportunity to consider the landscape as they were ushered down into the valley. It was a steep, winding, and rocky path that was particularly slow going for the horses. As such, the sun was quite high in the sky by the time the Black Eagles settled in the Southern starting position. It was the closest territory to the main pathway in and out so there was little to do besides wait as the other two houses continued on to their own.
Blaise would be lying if she pretended she wasn't antsy. Her sword hand was sweaty and she forced her fingers to clench and unclench the hilt to allow cool air to relieve the feverish skin. She barely acknowledged her brother with a nod as he passed, Balen looking very much like he had something to say that he, ultimately, chose not to.
Maybe she would ask him about it later.
Her free hand rose to weave her fingers around the chain of her Black Eagle pendant and she chanced a glance at the Blue Lions for a mop of red hair that was the Gautier heir. The knight in question was in the midst of his classmates as comfortable as ever. Seeds of doubt planted themselves deep in her mind.
What if she was the one being played? What real motivation did Sylvain have to switch sides? To be a Black Eagle over a Blue Lion?
Blaise pushed those worries to the back of her mind. It didn't matter. It was a risk she had to take because she needed a Hero's Relic. Otherwise, they had already lost. She comforted herself with the fact the Blue Lions' position would allow a clear view for him to see where she and Bernadetta were heading and, thus, where he needed to meet them at.
Her father, once again acting as one of the referees for the battle, crested the bridge.
So everyone must be in place.
Blaise bounced a little nervous energy out as she stepped back in line with the Black Eagles who had gone unusually quiet besides Manuela's last minute lesson that no one was listening to.
Dorothea took a step forward with Petra a half-step behind, the two girls with faces of stone and raw determination, respectively. Ferdinand trotted his horse the length of the Black Eagle line while Caspar remained where he was but swung his axe to rest against his shoulder. Linhardt hung in the back behind Manuela as Blaise took her position next to the official Black Eagles professor with Bernadetta at her heels.
They had this.
They had to have this.
Jeralt rode his horse past them, pausing next to Blaise. She couldn't deny the discomfort she found in his gaze as he looked down upon her. Was he upset with her? Angry even? She'd avoided him for the better part of the few days since their altercation. She'd practically stuck to Edelgard like glue because she knew it would deter him from seeking her out.
If he wasn't now, would he be later when she announced she would return to Enbarr alongside Edelgard?
Or would he be relieved?
Her presence had done him no favors this past year. It was probably best for all of them that Blaise follow the path she had started.
It was what she told herself anyway. She was too afraid to read into his expression.
He clapped her on the shoulder. An expression of silent solidarity if there ever was one.
Blaise felt one of the knots in her stomach loosen just a little at the unexpected motion that felt strangely like support. He spurred his mare onward without a word and held his lance in the air toward Rhea.
A signal the three houses were ready.
Trumpets blared, echoing off the rocky walls around them. Blaise saw the light of a spell begin to build in the center of the field, her muscles tensing as they waited for it's release that would signal the beginning of the Battle of the Eagle and Lion.
Dorothea took another step forward though she cast a hesitant or concerned frown back at Blaise. Worried, questioning. Blaise saw it flash across her features in the blink of an eye.
Blaise nodded her encouragement.
Dorothea really would be quite the leader if she only learned to trust her classmates as they trusted her. Because she was one of them, no matter what the gossipmongers chose to whisper behind her back. Come on, Dorothea. Prove them wrong and watch your classmates follow. Blaise knew for a fact they would.
The former songstress took a notable breath before her passivity broke into a smile as she spun to face the rest of her team with an infectious vigor.
"Black Eagles, unlike the others, we have someone to bring a victory home to. Edie is counting on us. Let's not disappoint." She spun a second time back toward the field as the spell shot into the air and thus began the battle. "Our priority is the ballista!"
Petra leapt forward, a full bound ahead of her classmates and her sword gleaming in the sunlight. "We will not be failing! Attack together."
Something like pride settled in Blaise's chest as the students took off at the command. Ferdinand steered his horse after Petra, taking Dorothea by the hand and swinging her up behind him. Caspar let out his typical war cry and charged on Petra's heels, the action forcing Linhardt into a full blown run if he expected to not end up fighting on his own.
That left Manuela, Blaise, and Bernadetta.
Blaise faced the purple-haired archer, who she was surprised to see stood straight and barely winced at the attention.
Blaise smiled.
You sure you want to join me?
Last chance, Bernadetta.
The girl was probably scared mute, but she nodded her resolve.
"I expect the two of you to rejoin us quickly, understood?" Manuela insisted. She frowned at Blaise. "Understood?" she repeated a little harder.
Blaise crossed her fingers as she took a step back. That was the plan.
"Good. Good luck," Manuela wished before she swept off in the wake of the other Black Eagles.
There was no more time to be distracted. Blaise waved for Bernadetta and turned her steps to the West, aiming for the far bridge. They could have crossed the one in front of them, but Blaise suspected Leonie or Lorenz would aim for her the second they cleared the trees. With the river between them, they would have to find a different target, preferably any Blue Lion besides Sylvain. The far bridge offered the possibility of depositing them behind the Golden Deer which could give her and Bernie an advantage.
After all, many of Claude's schemes wouldn't work in the case of this battle. They had to move forward if they expected to take down the most opponents. They couldn't have the whole class hide and pick off the leftovers like they had in the mock battle. But she also expected Claude would be reluctant to send everyone out at once and that would give her time to catch up on the edge of the forest.
It was imperative she faced off Balen at the edge of the forest.
She needed him out in the open where she didn't have to worry about trees and where Sylvain could find her but Bernadetta could to stay hidden.
That dash across the river and into the forest was really quite uneventful for the two of them. She could hear the clang of weapons in the distance and glimpse the occasional yellow of a Golden Deer student, but they kept on moving with no apparent notice. Blaise kept a swift pace, keeping low to the ground while Bernadetta matched her step for step. Inside the safety of the trees, she turned their steps to the Northeast, toward Balen's pulse that gave his position away to her as surely as a beacon. Their pace slowed just enough to accommodate the need to weave trees and refrain from crunching dying foliage beneath their feet.
When he felt deafeningly close but far enough away she still couldn't see him, she paused. Pressing her back against a tree, she turned to Bernadetta who did the same across from her.
I'll draw Balen. I need you to keep anyone that comes with him off my back. Stay hidden. If you have the chance to take someone down, do so, but keeping any attacks away from me is your biggest priority.
Bernadetta nodded as Blaise considered the other Crest necessary to her plan. Sylvain wasn't too far away either it seemed, and he was closing in quickly. Mentally, she crossed her fingers that was a good sign.
If you see Sylvain, ignore him.
The purple-haired archer tilted her head.
S-Y-L-V-A-I-N
Blaise made perfect care to emphasize each letter of his name. She was not risking the outcome of this battle over a miscommunication.
The Black Eagles are down a fighter.
Everyone knew that. There were rumors galore over what the Black Eagles were thinking… what Blaise was thinking. She'd heard them.
I recruited Sylvain. I expect him to turncoat.
…
Bernadetta tilted her head again.
Expect?
Blaise nodded. Expected, hoped, needed, all of the above. She pushed off from her chosen tree before she ruminated any longer, waving her companion along with her. The distance closed and Blaise slowed her pace ever more lest she give them away too soon. As she had guessed, the Golden Deer had foregone attempting to take the ballista and, instead, were hovering in the area just outside the forest which was a mess of clashing students.
Towards the ballista, the other Black Eagles were tirelessly defending their hold on the mechanism, Blaise catching sight of magic that could only have been Manuela's as the ballista itself twanged with each shot. She could hear Caspar's war cry from here and see a glimpse of Ferdinand upon his steed. They were locked in a skirmish amidst more blue than yellow but the Golden Deer's ranged fighters were encroaching quickly while Leonie and Lorenz were already deep in a sea of blue.
They were causing quite the uproar although Dedue and Felix seemed to have them stalled for the time being.
Blaise motioned for Bernadetta to wait where she was, prepared herself with a deep breath, and stepped down upon a twig that cracked beneath her weight. Launching herself along the tree line as stealthily as she could, she moved not a moment too soon as Claude spun and released an arrow exactly where she had been.
There was no denying he was a good shot.
"Hey Teach, think we know where your sister went now," was Claude's easy call.
Peering out between the branches, Blaise saw Balen tear his attention away from the battlefield where his students, besides Claude, were advancing and shift it towards the forest. The Sword of the Creator glowed red as Claude nocked an arrow.
Blaise glanced at Bernadetta.
Ready?
The archer silently nocked her own arrow though hers remained pointed at the ground.
Blaise took it as a yes.
Another deep breath and Blaise tugged at Sylvain's Crest, hoping he would get the memo to get over here like right now. Then she turned her attention within. To her Crest. She let it build until she felt raw, familiar power tingling beneath her skin, a multitude of the intangible heartbeats pulsing in her blood each as unique as the next.
She slipped her sword from it's sheath, reveling in her Crest drawing the others to her in a way she had only recently come to appreciate.
After all, why should Chevalier submit? Why should she have to beg, reaching out like a timid child to cling to their parent's hand only to have no control when it was snatched away and she was left falling?
What if, instead, she called them? What if she gave them no choice? What if she captured them? …Like a Hero's Relic?
She really was no different.
It was a disturbing thought but why should she continue to run like a dog with it's tail between its legs every time one of those accursed weapons crossed her path?
Névé came first, damn it.
Balen's Resonance with the Sword of the Creator was nothing more than a cheap knock off. He may have the most desirable Crest, the most powerful, the one that could warm her from the inside out, that could ground her, and of which she'd spent so much of her life clinging and following until it's violent abrupt end.
But it was still just one.
One willingly given to her by another.
She wondered if all those months ago, Rhea knew what she could do with it and all the others at her fingertips. She wondered if Rhea held her back because she was afraid. The Archbishop's expression during that conversation about her mother flashed briefly in her mind's eye.
Perhaps she should be afraid.
Blaise herself didn't know but she was about willing to find out.
She shot out of the trees from a position North of her two opponents and charged straight towards Balen.
Claude, naturally, attempted shooting her in the face with the blunt arrows, but Blaise was already tearing across the expanse of open ground toward her brother with all the Crest-induced speed Chevalier could provide her. He got no further than pointing his bow and Blaise was too close to Balen for him to risk loosing it upon her else he risk hitting Balen on accident.
Whether it was the unexpected direction of her charge or the speed with which she bore down upon him, she must have caught Balen by some surprise as he did not extend the Sword of the Creator to catch her from afar. He barely even got the sword up at all.
Their weapons clanged together.
There was a pause that felt a long time to Blaise but was likely no more than a single millisecond. They locked eyes, blue on blue.
She wondered what he thought.
Did he respect her as an opponent any longer? Or did he insist she be allowed in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion out of pity?
Did she even care?
…Maybe a little. They could have changed the world too, after all.
But they were quite past that. Her and Edelgard were moving on.
And it was all going to start today with a win that even the Minister of Military Affairs could not ignore.
Blaise's fingers tightened on the hilt of her sword as she pushed her blade against his, a subtle challenge she knew Balen would catch.
Her brother engaged the trade of blows first with all the ferocity Blaise expected from him. She knew better than to rely on her sword to hold back his so she refrained from applying much pressure as she instead used the weapon to simply slide his wide each time it swung around. Blaise relied on her steps, quick and precise and purposeful, to force him back, to keep him moving lest he realize she wasn't actually trying to break his defenses.
It was risky. The angle of her sword only needing to be off by a degree for his blade to slice into what would be considered a fatal blow.
It was not her style. She liked to move and not just forward but around and back, up close and far away. Like a whirlwind, she liked to spin and rush in with everything she had in that moment.
As it was, Balen was the one switching directions to try to get around her, but he was somewhat predictable and she matched him step for step.
This was simultaneously too direct and too timid for her, but, at least this way, Claude had to think twice in case Balen decided to change directions and take the arrow intended for her and Balen had limited movement. Even so, she caught a glimpse of Claude releasing an arrow into the forest which made her think Bernadetta had already blocked an attempt upon her and grabbed his attention.
It was a passing thought since she didn't hear her companion squeal, and Balen chose that moment to dive to her left, his sword aimed at her shoulder. She deflected it in a shower of sparks. He was quick to bring it back in the other direction, back pedaling to try and put some distance between them. Blaise jolted after him, ducking beneath the swing until she was right back in front of him. He tried to swipe his sword up the length of her in one of the few maneuvers he could properly perform in their close proximity, but she side-stepped it and raised her sword just in time catch his coming back down.
More sparks fell between them as the sword ground harmlessly past her.
Blaise actually saw Balen's jaw lock and, if she didn't know any better, she'd swear he was irritated.
Apparently, Balen didn't like her changing up her routine. He had always been a creature of habit, she supposed. She smiled at her small success and filed that information away in the back of her mind for later evaluation.
There was another echoing crash as Blaise was finally forced to block a direct hit. She inwardly cringed but her sword held steady for the moment.
They paused again.
Just briefly. Another millisecond that felt a life time.
Thunderous steps sounded in her ear, only just distinguishable from the mess of sound surrounding her. A whinny of a horse, the beating of wings against air, the twang of a bow, and a sleuth of curses in a female voice against none other than Sylvain. The ground vibrated beneath her feet by the approaching stallion.
Blue eyes met blue eyes a second time.
This time Blaise moved first, no longer holding any regard for her weapon. She bore it down on Balen in such a fury her brother chose to back up rather than meet it. She dodged his return swing and charged in it's wake.
Balen lost another step.
An arrow cut the air toward her, its trajectory abruptly broken by another that sent the two careening into the ground at her feet.
She leapt over them to meet Balen, sword against sword.
"Teach, behind you!"
Blaise felt herself shoved nearly off her feet as Balen no doubt responded to the warning by pushing her away with seemingly every bit of strength he possessed. The force had been directed through their swords, but the act still took her breath away as surely as if he had punched her in the stomach.
He turned, extending the Sword of the Creator against the threat at his back.
But Sylvain wasn't really a threat. Wasn't really aiming at Balen at all. And Balen shoving her away only made Sylvain adjust his charge so his steed avoided the attack altogether.
Blaise saw a flash of yellow out of the corner of her eye, but Claude seemed to pause when Sylvain bore straight past Balen. She saw a flash of purple as well, and she wondered why Bernadetta had left the shelter of the trees. But more concerning was the red that invaded her vision, Sylvain's lance pointed straight at her and the Sword of the Creator following in the horse's wake.
She swallowed, that brief flash of doubt invading her mind in one overwhelming flood that nearly rendered her paralyzed.
Sylvain was replaced by another with wild red hair and a scarred face, tendrils of black creeping and enveloping him. He reached out to her, eyes pouring blood.
Red armor, a red flower, red Crest stones, red blood, a red gown. Red, red, red.
The tip of the Lance of Ruin pierced the air above Blaise's shoulder moments before the weight of the weapon slammed into her chest and Sylvain steered his horse right around her. The red in the lance died, the abrupt change snapping her out of her trance. Her sword was lost to the ground as her fingers closed around the Hero's Relic.
A green-eyed youth came to her mind, replacing her nightmare of Miklan.
She'd promised to free him.
Blaise swung the lance out before her. It stayed dormant. She didn't call for the Crest stone. She didn't want it. She didn't need it.
She just needed to block the Sword of the Creator.
It's trajectory after Sylvain fell upon her as the former Blue Lion student veered around. She dug her heels in the ground in something akin to preparation although there really was no way to prepare for the seconds that followed. It hit her like a horse-drawn chariot and a sound like thunder shattered the air. Tremors shot through every part of her followed by an uncomfortable numbness as if the nerves in her body all fell dead at once. She had the presence of mind to twist the lance and the extended pieces of the sword followed, each twist nearly jerking the weapon from her hand, until it suddenly locked tight with another snap that was akin to bone on bone.
She thought for one split moment the Lance of Ruin might have broken against the sheer might of the Sword of the Creator, but the tension told her otherwise.
She had it where she wanted it even if having the Sword of the Creator literally wrapped around the lance wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind.
Blaise wasn't about to over think it, wasn't about to question her luck.
She charged, her very footsteps throwing dirt and grass behind her in her haste. She succeeded in earning enough slack along to way to level the lance. She bore it at Balen's heart.
And pulled her strike at the last moment, the tip a hairs breadth from penetrating his breast plate.
Ba thump, ba thump.
Sweat trickled down her hair line, cold in the winter breeze. She heard no voices, no sound of battle except that in the distance. She held her breath. It seemed as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting.
Balen blinked, the only evidence that he may have been surprised.
Blaise mirrored him.
Why wasn't the referee calling the match? She was certain she'd won. The Sword of the Creator was harmlessly wrapped around the Lance of Ruin that was pointed directly at Balen's heart.
That was fatal by Seteth's very definitions! She would know. She'd had to listen to all those meetings at the beginning of the year.
Ba thump, ba thump.
"Where the hell's the ref?" Sylvain echoed her question, the sound of his horse trotting nearly drowned by the pounding in her head.
She was loathe to move out of her position without an official call, but every muscle she had trembled as it was and clearly the ref wasn't around anyways.
How terribly annoying.
Blaise pulled the lance away and rose from her stance. Across from her, Balen did the same. She let him figure out how to disentangle his weapon from hers, instead turning her attention to those around her. Claude had an arrow pointed at her head, Bernadetta had one pointed at him. They relaxed as she moved. Farther away stood Ingrid upon her pegasus with Ignatz beside her. Both of their weapons were on the ground which she supposed meant they were out. She could still hear the distant sounds of battle in the direction of the ballista.
But there was no sign of her father or the other referees meant to be scattered across the field.
"What's the meaning of this, Sylvain?!" Ingrid demanded, Blaise suddenly recognizing the deep red shadowing her features. Definitely mad.
Blaise didn't want to be on the receiving end of that.
For his part, Sylvain smiled his usual ever-charming grin, Blaise noting he had released the red flags of the Black Eagles along his steed so that it covered the original blue. She tuned out whatever explanation he was giving Ingrid in favor of holding her pounding head.
Ba thump, ba thump.
Perhaps she should simply suggest her and Balen step out and call it even? There was no way she knew whether Bernadetta had Claude down before or after he had her. She couldn't very well call Claude out either seeing as that clearly favored her.
This was the problem with these ridiculous fake battles. Especially when the refs didn't do their job.
She shook her head and faced her brother.
You and me out?
He nodded, having finally separated their two weapons.
This was fine. The Black Eagles had every chance of still being able to pull this off without her, even with allowing Claude a potential pass.
Blaise moved, her intent to give the Lance of Ruin back to Sylvain and reclaim her sword.
Except she stumbled.
Her knees had hit the ground before her mind had time to register that the world was spinning. She blinked furiously, trying to steady it.
Ba thump, ba thump.
She was vaguely aware as someone called her name. Maybe Balen, maybe Sylvain or Claude. She saw Bernadetta lean down in front of her and felt the Lance of Ruin tugged from her grasp.
It did nothing to stop whatever was happening to her. If anything, the pounding grew worse.
Irritated and maybe a little frightened, Blaise snapped her head up to glare at Balen, fumbling with her fingers to tell him to let go of that stupid sword of his before it made her head explode. She hadn't managed to Sign a word before she froze.
The Sword of the Creator was sheathed, Balen's hand no where near the weapon.
Ba thump, ba thump, ba thump.
She'd felt this way before, her blood turning to ice as realization struck her in a moment. Dizzy and nauseous, Blaise somehow used Bernadetta to claw her way back to her feet.
An earsplitting screech that seemed to shake the ground nearly threw her right back down. The inhuman sound echoed off the stone cliffs that surrounded them, leaving an unnatural silence in it's wake. Blaise couldn't hear any fighting anymore, not even towards the ballista.
She grabbed Bernadetta by the arm and practically threw her at Sylvain while pointing back towards the ballista and the rest of the Black Eagles. His smile gone and replaced with that of a soldier, Sylvain seemed to understand the silent command and lifted the small archer behind him onto his steed. Balen barked a similar order at Ignatz, the Golden Deer archer clambering up behind Ingrid before she willed the pegasus into the sky.
That left Balen, Blaise, and Claude at the forest's edge when the trees shuddered and out stepped a Crest Beast more reminiscent of the one within Shambhala than Miklan. With a hide as black as onyx and as hard as any armor, it stepped into full view. Red eyes fixated on them, claws longer than Blaise's sword mutilated the ground, and it's tail destroyed trees with one swing.
It let out a roar that pummeled them as surely as any wind magic, Blaise forced to raise her arm in a makeshift shield against flying debris.
It's Crest stone, settled directly on the beast's head, taunted her with a deafening volatility that left her body drained and her thoughts lost in a haze she didn't quite understand.
She fumbled at her sheath only to be cruelly reminded she'd dropped her sword. She frantically scanned the ground for it.
The valley seemed to echo as roars erupted in various directions, one of which she knew was behind her, toward the exit and her Black Eagles.
She knew deep down this valley had become a death trap.
She searched harder.
The forest trembled again and there was a second of the beasts bearing down on them.
"Get back to the others!"
Balen's order registered in her mind and steps pounding in the other direction told her she was likely on her own as she scoured for her sword. At least until she quite suddenly felt an arm around her shoulder as Balen no doubt attempted to direct her away.
She struggled against him, forcing shaking fingers to Sign, My sword. My sword.
"Forget the sword."
Balen's voice had an edge to it she had never heard before, and it did nothing to convince her to abandon her endeavor.
Didn't he know she needed her sword?
She wasn't going to be weaponless against these beasts. She wasn't going to bleed and burn because of them. Not this time. She wasn't that great at magic. She learned that in Shambhala.
She needed her sword.
Blaise caught a glimpse of light reflecting off steel and she was elbowing Balen in the stomach to make a frantic dive for it. Her fingers had just closed on the hilt when the ground cracked and splintered as one of the beast's large claws tore into the grass-covered earth only feet from her. She watched it rear back on two legs, the air seemingly sucked from her very lungs and replaced with something dry and scalding. She rolled to the side, clambering to her feet and bolting just as the beast released a blast that melted and warped the ground where she had been. The air was suddenly thick with smoke and the unique smell of molten rock. Turning towards the East, Blaise drew to a sudden halt as her path to the others was blocked by another rearing beast. She bolted again as the air grew scorchingly hot.
Balen! Where was Balen?
Had he left? Had he been hurt? Killed?
...Was she alone?
She cursed her inability to call out more than ever as every attempt to get around the two beasts inexplicably ended with her facing down some part of them. If it wasn't the flames of it's attack forcing her to dodge or die, it was the teeth or the claws. The putrid air made her lungs burn and her eyes water. Her sword hand was uncomfortably warm and sticky, whether with sweat or blood she didn't know. It occurred to her she'd lost all sense of direction as the beasts seemingly blocked every attempted path.
Lost, lost, lost. Blaise was suffocating in the heat, drowning in the fury of the violated Crest stones, collapsing beneath the pressure.
She knew quite suddenly her sword wasn't going to help anything. Hell, she could barely even breathe much less swing the weapon.
She was helpless.
Again.
In an instant she could only describe as despair, she stopped her attempt to run, her sword dipping to the ground. She saw nothing beyond the beasts as smoke filtered up and cast everything in a gray haze.
Where was the sun? When had it gotten so dark?
Her lungs constricted and not entirely because of the contaminated air surrounding her. She doubled over, gasping and coughing as her mind raced for something. Anything.
She wasn't sure what hit her. Something relatively blunt which she supposed was the best she could ask for. The tail maybe? It sent her spiraling over the ground, her weapon once again lost from her grip as the impact sent shockwave after shockwave through her body until she lay quite still, exhausted and dazed… somewhere.
Her vision faded as she heard footsteps approach her and she clung desperately to consciousness, willing herself to stay awake, to open her eyes and see.
The footsteps stopped and she could make out a shape leaning over her. She couldn't tell who but she didn't need to see them once they spoke, their tone sharp and mocking.
"What do you think of my new team, Névé?"
Shudders raced up her spine. She used every available ounce of strength she had left to sit up only for Monica to kick her back down, her foot pressing down at the base of Blaise's throat.
Her new team?
Pulse after pulse echoed in her mind, too many to count. Roars and commands and screams filled her ears. The air burned and blistered in a way reminiscent of Remire.
Goddess, what had she done?
She supposed the answer no longer mattered as the pressure on her neck increased and what loose hold on consciousness she had slipped through her fingers.
She shouldn't have been surprised really. After all, Névé had destroyed everything she loved once before.
It had only been a matter of time before she did the same.
A/N:
Aaand surprise (or not), the Battle of the Eagle and Lion is really a mesh with the Cause of Sorrow. Kudos to anyone who guessed such. The question now is, where's Jeralt? Since, canonically speaking... things happen. But will they happen? O_O
Who was going to win if the beasts didn't show up? The Golden Deer or the Black Eagles? The Blue Lions? I never intended anyone would win so your guess is as good as mine. I did, however, go back and forth on the twin fight and I pretty much always had Blaise scraping out a win here albeit not exactly fairly nor without a significant amount of luck. Don't know if Blaise's win reads well. Turns out it's really difficult to outsmart Claude and outperform Balen with his super sword while our girl is also an emotional mess buuut I was tired of debating it. Blaise needed the win for her sanity's sake and I do think she had the best motivation to win so there. Not that it ends up mattering much, mind you. Cause Monica does Kronya things...
Canon Byleth using the Sword of the Creator and being the only professor to participate in game really wasn't fair either. At least the playing field was levelled a little here.
Hope everyone enjoyed! Until next time. *waves*