This will be the chapter in which there will be surprises and heartbreaks. Also bad news... in the story. Not about me. Don't worry.
I was originally going to call Linhardt's mother Constancia, but since Constance exists, I decided to think of a different name... and... Elincia was the only one I could come up with.
Ashe and Dimitri went to the audience chambers. Valeria, Rhea and Beles were also present.
"I am glad you're here, Ashe." The green haired student shook her head. "I'm afraid we have bad news..."
"Is something wrong?" Ashe tilted his head.
"I am afraid so..." Rhea sighed. "The knights got word of an upgoing rebellion recently... It is related to the West Church... It seems that an acquaintance of the spy who said the gossips has recruited Lord Lonato to the rebellion..."
A huge silence occured. Ashe was shivering in horror upon hearing the news of his adoptive father.
"This... this has to be a mistake." He broke the silence. "Lonato would never be part of a rebellion... at... at least he never told me..."
Rhea ran to Ashe and hugged him.
"Do not worry, Ashe." She whispered. "I promise you. All will be solved wuthout conflict."
Ashe hugged back and said an inaudible thank you. Valeria sighed, knowing that Ashe would never hurt Lonato. Beles patted Ashe in the back.
Dimitri was the only one who did nothing to comfort Ashe because he didn't know how to. He could only look in sadness as Ashe tried not to cry at the news.
Meanwhille, Edelgard and Linhardt were conversing in the Black Eagles Classroom.
"You want to what?" The light brunette shook her head. "Sit out on the mission?"
"Yes..." Linhardt nodded. "I just... I couldn't stop thinking about what happened in the Holy Masoleum. And yet..."
"I am sorry you had to witness that, Linhardt..." The Black Eagle House leader patted him on the shoulder. "But... If that is what you want, I will not scold you. Neither will our Professor."
Suddenly, a woman with the same hair and eye color as Linhardt arrived to the classroom.
"Lin?! Oh, my!" She gasped in joy. "You have grown so much since you enrolled."
"Mother?!" Linhardt turned around to see his mother, Elincia von Hevring, countess of the Territory Hevring and wife of Harle von Hevring, Adrestia's Minister of Domestic affairs. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"
"Forgive me." The countess sighed. "I always wanted to visit you, despite my illness." She then notices Edelgard. "Ah! Edelgard! It is so nice to see the 9th scion of Adrestia."
"Greetings, Countess Hevring." Edelgard bowed.
"Oh, no need for formalities, Edelgard." Elincia smiled. "You can call me Elincia. I do not mind it."
"I understand." Edelgard nodded. "Why don't you spend time with your son? I am sure he will love some peace and tranquility."
"You don't have to, Edel-." Linhardt shook his head until his mother interrupted him.
"You are so kind, Edelgard." Elincia smiled.
As mother and son left, Odesia walked in.
"Was that Lady Elincia just now?" The teal and neon green haired girl asked.
"Indeed." Edelgard nodded. "Linhardt was considering sitting out on the recent mission, so I thought why not spend time with your mother to calm down."
"So he still has not recovered from the emotional trauma of the rescue mission?" Odesia sat down on her desk. "I had a meeting with Mother just now."
"Duchess Desiree von Gerth?" The Black Eagle House leader said.
"Yes. It was related to the transfer status the yearly foreign student was going to have." The other Black Eagles House student sighed. "I asked her if it was alright to exchange me for a Brigid girl called Petra, but mother said that Petra is still learning our language and is not used to it yet. So... here I am."
"And Petra is... the granddaughter of the King of Brigid?" Edelgard nodded.
"Yes." Odesia nodded. "I know this is odd, but I believe that Petra is now a squire for the Spies of Seiros training under a female knight... what was her name again? Oh. Shamir."
"Shamir is known for her stealth." The light brunette sat down next to her classmate. "She and Alois are away on a mission to try to surpress the rebellion of the Western Church."
"I feel bad for Ashe..." The other student crossed her arms and plopped her head on the table. "He now knows that Lord Lonato is part of the revolution formed by-."
The bells chimed, meaning that free time was over and the night was coming.
"It is time to go to bed." Odesia stood up. "We have an exam to study for tomorrow."
"Indeed." Edelgard also stood up. "We should rest."
As the Verdant Rain Moon shines in the sky alongside the Blue Sea Star, Kiran still lied down on their bed.
"Darn it..." They mumbled. "This thing was supposed to shine but all I get is weak magic. I can't function as a summoner like this."
A knock was heard. The summoner stood up and went to open the door. Alfonse was behind the door.
"Good evening, Summoner." He smiled. "Sorry if I interrupted your sleep."
"It's fine, Alfonse." Kiran smiled. "I wasn't asleep. So don't worry about it."
"Ya lo entiendo. (I understand now)." Alfonse nodded. "You are a heavy worker. But everyone said you should rest... though it has been hard for me to rest."
"Ah." The Summoner shook their head. "Spending three moons in captivity and another moon waiting for your sister to wake up is harsh."
"I know..." The kind young man sighed. "Yet, I never stopped getting nightmares about it..."
"Don't let them get to you, Alfonse." Kiran shoon their head. "I know you can break through them."
When the summoner was talking, they unknowningly shook Briedablik so much that it knocked down a bookshelf, making some of the books land on them... as in the summoner.
"Kiran?!" Alfonse felt in shock. "Are you alright?!"
Kiran's right arm somehow broke through the pile book.
"I am somehow unhurt!" Kiran said nonchalantly while giving a thumbs up.
"Now is not the time to be so nonchalant about this!" Alfonse was starting to panic. "We have to get you out of here and tidy up this roo-!"
"Don't worry." Kiran said. "I got this."
With the snap of a finger, Divine Pulse activated and time rewinded back to when Kiran was about to knock the bookshelf down.
"Gah..." Alfonse collapsed to the ground, dizzy from the time trip. "Never. Do. That. Again."
"Sorry, but what if someone got killed?" Kiran shruged.
"You have a point." The Askran prince got up.
"What is going on?" Lucretia peeked on the door.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Kiran shook hands... with Alfonse giving them an unamused look.
"Alright." The dark blue haired girl nodded. "Everyone else is studying for the exam, so please lower your voice."
"Wait... there is an exam?!" Alfonse panicked again.
"Oh. You're new." Lucretia realized something. "Forgive me. You must be behind, so I can help you catch up."
"Thank you, Lucretia." Alfonse smiled.
Lucretia led Alfonse to the library so she could help him study.
"Wow." He gasped. "I did not know you had a library so huge."
"Thank you." The Golden Deer student bowed. "This is where most students study for their exams."
"Alright." The blue and blond haired young man grabbed a chair and sat down. "I will have to catch up to all of you since... you know."
"I understand..." Lucretia also sat down. "But don't worry. I can help you."
They had spent the night studying and did not notice that morning had come.
"Were you two awake the whole time?" Aster checkef on the two of them.
"What the?!" Lucretia gasped as she stood up, with Alfonse following suit. "Were we studying all night?! We won't have the time to arrive to class!"
"I can help restore your energy." The white skinned girl then casted Fortify from her staff to help Alfonse and Lucretia restore their energy.
"Thank you, Aster." The Askran Prince smiled.
"Of course." The pink and blue haired girl nodded. "You will want to be early for class."
"Of course!" Lucretia nodded as she and Alfonse ran to the Golden Deer Classroom. "Thanks for the help!"
Meanwhille, Thórr and the Death Knight were reunited with the Whirlwind Emperor.
"What do you want?" The Death Knight scowled.
"Do you have the Crest Stone of Daphnel prepared?" The Whirlwind Emperor crossed his arms.
"Of course." Thórr nodded. "Since the real Lance of Ruin is on the Death Knight's hands, all will go down on Lord Lonato."
"The lord does not have a Crest." The Death Knight growled.
"It is true." A man with blond haired arrived to the scene. That man was Rufus Blayddid, uncle of Dimitri and older brother of the late Emperor Lambert, however, he was a lot different. "Lord Lonato is Crestless, just like his late Son, Christophe."
"You are right, Rufus." The Death Knight said. "We will make preparations for the next month."
As the Whirlwind Emperor and the Death Knight left, Thórr stayed behind with Rufus.
"What do you say, Thales?" The Goddess of war smirked. "It is true that you are from an alternate Fodlan, right?"
"You will want to state that." Rufus said. "Those worms of the Allience army ruined my plot to bring light to Argatha. Now we can have this chance."
"It seems that there are a lot of Different changes in this Fodlan." The teal haired woman grabbed her axe, Mjólnir. "There were a lot of victims of the Crest Experiments... Prince Dimitri, upcoming Baroness Annette Dominic upcoming Margrave Sylvain Gautier, but there were some failures... like former son of Gautier, Miklan."
"Hopefully, Dimitri will prove a stronger boon than Edelgard." The Emperor Regent nodded.
Back at the Officers Academy, as Felix and Ingrid were going to class, Lucretia and Alfonse ran by them.
"Excuse us!" The dark blue haired girl said.
"They seem to be in a hurry." Felix scowled.
"They must have overslept." Ingrid shook her head. "I have to admit... this feels nothing like back home... you and Sylvain would always tease each other an-."
"Sylvain..." Felix sighed.
"I know..." Ingrid said. "I miss him as well... It is a shame he could not attend the academy with the illness spreading Gautier territory. It must have also killed his older brother, Miklan."
"Indeed." The dark teal haired young man shook his head.
"Anyway, let's go to class." Ingrid said. "We have an exam to do."
As class started, in the Golden Deer classroom, Lucretia and Alfonse arrived with tired looks on their faces... because they ran all the way from the library.
"Sorry we're late..." Lucretia tried to speak. "We spent the night in the library."
"Don't worry, you two." Claude said. "Almost everyone spent the night studying."
"Wait... Alfonse?!" Sharena turned around and shouted, accidentally waking up Mirabilis.
"Sharena?!" Alfonse gasped. "You're in this house too?!"
"When did you-?!" The blond and pink haired girl was about to asked until Mirabilis interrupted her.
"So Prince Alfonse is here too?" The Daydream Ljósálfar yawned. "This will be... fun..."
"You two seem lovely together." Dorothea smiled.
"Enough with the chatter." Kiran said. "We have an exam to do. Alfonse, your seat is in the desk behind Lucretia and Lorenz's desk."
Meanwhille, in the Blue Lions classroom, Beles noticed that Ashe was struggling with his thoughts. She went up to her student.
"Ashe?" She asked him. "Are you worried about Lonato?"
"Yeah..." The silver haired boy nodded. "I can't stop thinking about Lonato..."
"We'll find a way to solve this conflict." The Professor petted her student's hair. "Don't let that get in the way of your studies."
Ashe smiled when the company of his professor cheered him up.
"Thank you, Bell." He said.
"Of course, Ashe." The teal haired woman smiled.
As the exams were done, the only ones who failed the exams were Lorenz (due to his overconfidence), Mirabilis (she fell asleep) and Ferdinand (he did not study). Caspar and Ashe almost did not finish while Alfonse did three different tests and passed then all.
One night, Alfonse shivered in his sleep. He had not slept well and also lost sleep. Suddenly, a knock on the door is heard. He went towards it and opened it. Ilna was waiting behind it.
"Good evening." The teal and blue haired girl bowed. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"
"You could say that." Alfonse nodded. "I have lost a lot of sleep in the past months."
"Would you like some tea?" The kind young woman asked. "It is a very good medicine for insomnia."
"Yes. Thank you." The Askran Princess nodded.
As Ilna left, Alfonse lied down on his bed and looked at the ceiling. He recalled the last time he had trouble sleeping... it was days after Thórr had kidnapped him and sent him to the Dragonblood world.
His thoughts were interrupted when Ilna arrived with some Seiros Tea.
"Sorry I'm late." She said. "I couldn't find out what your favorite Tea was, so I thought Seiros Tea would be good."
"Thank you for the thought, Ilna." Alfonse saod as he grabbed a teacup.
The Seiros Tea has a sweet herbed smell when Alfonse took a sip. It had a warm, calming taste.
Alfonse felt a lot better. This gave Ilna relief since she is mostly known for healing physical and emotional wounds.
"Thanks for the tea and the visit, Ilna." The Askran Prince said.
"Of course." The healing spy of Seiros smiled. "If you need any help, come find me."
Ilna left the room and Alfonse closed the door. He then went to bed and fell asleep, getting a good night rest for the first time in a while.
The time for the mission came. As the group advanced towards Magdred Way, Fjorm noticed some trees that were completely charred.
"The trees are completely burned..." She shook her head. "And the grass is nothing but ashes..."
"Have you not heard of the Great Fire of Magdred?" Valeria asked. "It happened during the Tragedy of Duscur. Many knights of the Holy Empire of Faerghus that survived the Tragedy were trying to put out the fires, but they were injured and exhausted. Many soldiers of the Church had to help them out... sadly... this is the after effect of the Great Fire."
"How terrible..." The blond and light blue haired girl gasped.
"We do not know what caused this..." The dark green haired girl stopped walking. "But an old friend of mine... Christophe... he was accused of starting the Great Fire and executed."
Suddenly, the two heard a noise. Valeria took out a dagger.
Suddenly, a Knight of Seiros was thrown to the ground, barely surviving.
"Are you ok?!" Fjorm asked while rushing to the man.
"This is crazy..." The knight was barely able to breathe. "Something... is controlling Lord Lonato... into doing such... atrocities..."
"Don't speak." Valeria shook her head. "We will find you a healer and get you in shape."
"I am afraid... I do not have... time..."
The Knight stopped breathing.
"Unforgivable..." Fjorm hissed. "Who would just-?"
"Now is not the time for questions." Valeria sheated her dagger. "We have to stop this."
"You're right." The Princess of Ice nodded. "Before it gets any worse."
Fjorm and Valeria headed off to Lord Lonato's location. When they arrived, they saw that the Minor Lord was killing Knights of Seiros. His eyes were glowing red.
Fjorm and Valeria were horrorized by the act.
"Lonato!" The green haired girl called out. "You have to stop! This isn't you! Ashe would never want this!"
Lord Lonato did not reply and charged at Valeria, swinging his lance at her.
The student managed to dodge the attack. Her speed got her to disarm Lonato with just her dagger.
"Give up." She growled. "An unarmed man cannot fight."
Fjorm turned around and saw that everyone else (except for Linhardt because he is sitting out on the mission) had arrived.
"Lonato!" Ashe called.
Lord Lonato looked at his adoptive down, anger in his glowing red eyes.
"Lonato..." The Silver haired boy called. "Don't let anger consume you... please... surrender and do not risk the lives of the people..."
A huge silence ocurred. Everyone waited for something to happen.
"Is this a bad sign?" Veronica thought to herself. "As if... someone might attack by surprise...?"
Suddenly, a red and black spark surrounded Lonato's body.
"Lonato?!" Valeria gasped.
"Ashe... Valeria..." The minor lord struggled to speak as the sparks kept appearing. "Run..."
Soon enough, a red and black ball appeared, encasing the minor lord and soon, the man started screaming. The ball sent Fjorm and Valeria flying, both of the girls landing unscathed.
Everyone watched as Lonato transformed into a mysterious, ugly looking beast, with Ashe, Beles, Valeria, Marianne, Annette, Bernadetta, Peony, Eir, Alfonse and Sharena having horrofied looks on their faces.
Ingrid saw that the ball had a mark that was similar to the Crest of Daphnel, the crest she bares.
As the ball dissolves, what is now i place of Lonato is something one would call a Black Beast.
"Oh my... Oh gods!" Valeria was in pure horror. "Lonato?! Is that...?!"
"What is that form?!" Edelgard asked.
"A human that is taken form when mankind is punished by the Goddess..." Odesia explained, shaking in terror. "A Black Beast..."
The Black Beast roared and charged at Ashe, who was frozen in horror to do anything.
"Ashe!" Caspar went towards the young blue Lion and pulled him out of the range of the Black Beast's attack.
"That was close..." Annette shook her head.
"How will we defeat that thing?!" Drew shouted.
"I-I don't know..." Elizabeth shook her head. "B-but... why am I hesitant to raise my bow?"
"I-I don't know what to do anymore!!" Bernadetta cried.
"We can't be helpless!" Peony shook her head. "We have to put him out of his misery!"
"She is right." Veronica nodded. "We have to be brave."
"They have a point." Claude nodded. "Everyone! To battle! And be careful!"
Everyone except Ashe went towards battle to fight against the Black Beast.
"Lonato..." Ashe thought to himself. "Why do I hesitate to fight you...? And now... this happened..."
As the Black Beast was weakened, Ashe raises his bow and prepared hinself to fire and arrow for the final attack.
"But... you must be suffering..." The silver haired boy continued thinking to himself. "Chirstophe's death put a very heavy toll on you... Now... I will have to ensure you die in peace."
Eir saw that the Black Beast charging at Ashe.
"Ashe!" She screamed.
The warning made Ashe release the grip on the arrow, firing it. The arrow pierced the Black Beast's head, killing it.
The monster falls dead on the ground. It then evaporates into red and black dust to reveal a now deceased Lonato.
Ashe approached his late adoptive father. He knelt down, said an unheard apology and started crying. Beles ran to her student and hugged him.
Meanwhille, Valeria sighed, hiding tears that fall down her eyes.
"Valeria... I am so sorry." Alfonse said.
"No..." The Blue Lion student shook her head. "It is not your fault... the one who is taking it the worst is Ashe... He is Lonato's adoptive son."
"There is no need to pity a disgrace like him." Lorenz scoffed. "That does not defy the act of nobility."
The words Lorenz said really threw Valeria from her saddened grief into immediate anger.
"That... that... YOU are what makes the nobility a disgrace!!" Her voice turned into a scream, startling Alfonse. "Lonato was a kind man who cares deeply for the people of Gaspard! He is the one who adpoted Ashe and his siblings into his family, rescued me from a fatal illness and put me in service of House Rowe and improved the state of Arianhrod! How dare you call him a disgrace and stain him with your selfishness!! YOU do not know the qualities of Lord Lonato Gildas Gaspard, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester!!"
Every word she spoke made her tears more and more visible. Her speech left Lorenz completely speechless as Alfonse cheered the Blue Lion student up as she broke down in tears.
Meanwhille, Ingrid picked up the source of Lonato's insanity: a sphere-shaped stone with the Crest of Daphnel.
"Professor." She called out to Byleth. "I found this."
"A stone?" The Black Eagle Professor tilted his head.
"It is strange... we will have to tell Lady Rhea." The Blond haired student answered.
"You guys go on head..." Ashe stood up and dried his tears. "I'm going to check on the village. I hope Zachary and Aliana are ok."
"Can I come with you?" Beles asked.
"Yeah..." The earnest boy nodded. "Thank you."
Everyone returned to the Monastery while Ashe and Beles went to visit the former's siblings.
At night, Byleth went to visit a grave.
The grave was written with "Here lies Sitri Eisner. Born Day 24 of the Ethereal Moon of the Adrestian Year 1130. Deceased Day 20 of the Horsebow Moon of the Adrestian Year 1159. May the blessing of the Goddess reach you."
As Byleth was going to leave, he was caught off guard by Jeralt.
"There you are." The light brown haired man said. "This is usually the last place I would find you."
"Forgive me, Father." Byleth shook his head. "I had to think about some things."
"It is fine." The mercenary nodded. "You know, your mother would be proud to have been visited by you."
"Yeah." Byleth nodded. "Maybe Beles can visit her too someday."
Meanwhille, as Rhea was going to call it a day, Seteth rushed in.
"Rhe-! Archbishop!" He called.
"Seteth? Is something troubling you?"
"Flayn has gone missing! I cannot find her!"
Rhea gasped upon hearing the news, horror in her eyes.
Suddenly, Eir walked in with a panic look on her face.
"Lady Rhea?!" The silver haired girl screamed. "Have you seen Linhardt von Hevring?!"
TO BE CONTINUED