Santos

War drums and horns echo in the distance over the sound of thousands of footfalls marching. The weather had taken a turn for the worse as we approached the larger sprawling hills of Gronder Field with a layer of thick fog obscuring the ground and dark clouds hanging ominously in the sky threatening to rain at any moment. Even the air tasted vaguely of copper and sweat as I followed the joint army.

The head of the large joined forces featured the leaders of each major faction. Claude and his Almyran and Alliance forces, Catherine and the remnants of the knights of Seiros, Felix with Rodrigue leading the Faergus knights, Edelgard and her ragtag rebels, and King Getafe riding on his camel that he brought overseas with numerous mages surrounding him. An imposing army of nearly forty thousand troops meeting the slightly smaller force of the Adrestian main army. For the first time in recent history, the autocratic Adrestians have been outnumbered in a major conflict.

While routing the Adrestian army under the command of Emperor Ionius the IX, my group's target is their 'mystery' general that has razed much of the countryside recently. A dark armored rider that seems to exude death wherever he roams; Sothal. Seems he's having the Agarthans continue to have fun while he quietly purges towns and villages, as now he no longer has a constant flood of power from Cornelia. We've forced his hand, and now it's time to see who has more power.

The strike force I coordinated with Byleth includes all the Ashen Wolves sans Felix, Dimitri, Macuil, Seiros, Byleth, and a few elite Almyran cavaliers. My ever-loyal guard HIdalgo is present too, though he's more present to make sure I'm not killed by a stray arrow and not necessarily defeat the army. I have to keep reminding myself that he's here for my protection only, not glory or defeating the army.

More war horns blare out, sounding like a group of angry moose. I check over my gear one last time; a sturdy gambeson over my mage robes and small travelers pack strapped to my right thigh containing as many vulneraries I could manage to stuff into it. Observing my companions, everyone else has suited up accordingly, most opting for either light chainmail and studded leather besides Macuil. He decided to wear hardly any armor, but my worries for him are minimal since I presume he'll be turning into a dragon soon enough.

I turn my head as I hear the main army begin to march. "Alright, group," I say, looking over my shoulder to my friends. A mix of emotions written over their faces ranging from anticipation to unease. "We want to run through the plan one last time?"

"It can't hurt," Yuri replies with a mischievous smile upon his face. He gives a subtle nod toward Hapi. "Best repeat it for those who haven't listened previously."

"Very well," I huff, rolling my shoulders. "We're to locate and draw Sothal away from the main forces. He's our target. Once we get his attention," I point toward the flatter area to our SouthEast that's heavily wooded. "It'll be difficult for him to call for reinforcements, thus giving us time to pin him down."

"And what pray tell is our plan to subdue one who wields such terrible power?" Constance asks with a hint of consternation in her voice. "Won't he be able to snuff out a simple goad?"

I smile and nod. "Maybe, but I've got a good feeling he'll bite. He may be good, but Sothal sure as hell ain't omnipotent. Not yet, at least. I doubt his pride will keep him away from a good challenge, and that's what we use against him." I look to Byleth, who's dressed in her black cuirass with a dark blue cape and the sword of the creator strapped to her side, "And besides, we have an ace in the hole. Byleth and I are the bait, as that's who I suspect he's truly after."

"Well, as long as I get to punch God, I'm game," Balthus cheerily states as he cracks his knuckles. Of course, the brawler would only bring a gauntlet and no other weapons.

I notice Dimitri shift his weight uneasily from one foot to another, his eyes darting around wildly. "Hey, Dimitri," I shout, snapping the blonde lordling out of his daze. "You going to be okay?"

"Nothing is going to...happen to my mind is it?" Dimitri quietly says. "I'd rather not relive that experience. Ever."

"You and me both," I chuckle at first and then sigh. "I think he's pretty attached to the body he's currently in, though who knows what magical tricks he may have up his sleeve. We'll just have to be vigilant. That's it."

"Nothing else to hype us up, Bleeder?" Hapi muses, crossing her arms with a smirk on her face. "C'mon, give us a little something."

I shrug and then gesture to the army marching near our little makeshift camp. "No speech or anything. If I have to motivate you now, then I don't know what will," Hapi's smile grows, "I think Balthus said it best; let's go punch God in the face and show him who's boss around here."

After a brief round of cheers and nods, we begin to tail the main army. The first step to locate Sothal shouldn't be too difficult, where the only snag might be if he brings an entire contingent with him to back him up. I guess that his pride will get the better of him, but it's hard to say. Even though I've spent a lot of time with him in my head, he's still something of a foreign entity to me. I've never been able to predict him or see through his ruses in the past. But something inside me tells me this will work. A part of Sothal's essence remains inside of me, and I seek to use that to every advantage.

With me and Byleth at the helm of the group, I look over to my companion. The steely resolve in her eyes shows a warrior with no fear and utter focus, something I wish I could say the same about myself. While I may have been able to talk without my voice quivering, I'd say it's more impart to the political training I've had in the past few years.

In reality, this situation scares me shitless. Seriously, I couldn't even go to the restroom this morning cause of nerves. While I may be one of the most powerful mages on Fodlan right now, I still feel like the underqualified ER doctor from Earth that used to be me. Now, I'm something different. A fusion of two worlds, and two different lives. And when it comes to protecting what is truly important; fear can wait. This is no different than being in the operating room. I've got lives to save, and that's that.

We crest the first large hill in Gronder Field, and we are greeted by the sounds of clashing metal, war chants, and the buzzing of magic hanging in the air. The two armies have finally clashed; a sea of red and black versus the ensemble of colors that make up a great portion of the known world. Demonic beasts and golems stand out amongst the greater ranks of the Adrestians, while our sheer numbers seem unperturbed at such monstrosities.

"Do you believe they'll be fine?" Byleth softly asks as we begin to skew more away from the nearby army. "Those foes look quite intimidating and threatening. I'm tempted to assist and help."

"You gotta have faith in our leaders, Byleth. Claude is crafty as hell, Felix is too stubborn to lose, and Getafe is here for ultimate glory," I reassure Byleth. "Plus Edelgard has a score to settle with her countrymen. To say their motivated and prepared would be an understatement. We need to do our job, and let them do theirs."

"I know, but still," Byleth remarks, her gaze locked upon the skirmishes developing in the distance. She shakes her head and looks back at me. "You're correct. Forgive me for my lapse. I suppose the mercenary in me is eager to engage is all."

"You're fine!" I laugh. "The doctor in me would rather be literally anywhere else."

A small smile creeps its way across Byleth's lips. "I suppose that's true. Have you been able to surmise Sothal's location yet? I've yet to see anything."

I shake my head and groan. "No. Sensing magical auras is practically useless right now. Way too much magic in the area, not to mention his aura is so oppressive that I can tell you he's at this battle, but not where. Kinda like trying to pick out a piece of salt from the ocean."

"Ah, a shame."

"Yeah-" I pause and look behind me at the rest of the group. I may not be able to detect his location, but there is at least one person who is better than me by strides at feeling magical auras. "Hey, Lystihea!"

"Yes?" I hear my apprentice shout back in confusion. I slow my stride and motion for people to make a path for her to come to the front. She huffs and adjusts her grey and purple mage robes as she reaches me. "What is it? Has something come up?"

"Slightly. I need you to determine Sothal's location on the battlefield. We've got poor visibility due to the sheer amount of people fighting and casting spells. Do you think you can do it?"

Lysithea frowns and taps her index finger against her lips. "Perhaps, but it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

"And you're a magical metal detector," I say with a reassuring pat on her shoulder. I hold my hand to let the group know we are pausing, "Focus and go for it."

"Very well," Lysithea remarks as she takes in a deep breath.

She remains still, her hands clasped together, and her hair beginning to float upwards as if someone is rubbing a balloon on her head. Her face twists into an angry focus as she grits her teeth and more of her fine white hair floats upward.

"He's...he's...right over," Lysithea holds out her hand, trying to figure out where to point. "Over there." Her arm stops, and she's pointing to the Southeast. The direction away from the army and where we were going.

I do a double-take and lean close to Lysithea, "Are you positive?" I whisper in a tense tone. "You sure you didn't mess up?"

"Do you still think I'm some novice that would mess up a simple sensory incantation?" Lysithea demands, putting her hands on her hips. "I thought you would have faith in my abilities-wait." She composes herself for a moment and lowers her voice. "Sothal is away from the chaos, isn't he? Like he knows."

"I don't like this," Byleth chimes in. "When your prey beats you to the trap it means one of two things," She holds up two fingers, "Either we're extremely predictable, or we have a traitor."

Mierda. Dissension in the ranks is the last thing I'd want to imagine at this point, but who could it reasonably be? It's not like anybody has had contact with Sothal recently, nor have I noticed any dubious behavior. My immediate instinct would be Kronya, but she's bound to me through. I'm sure I'd sense if something messed with that bond, right? Right?

I grunt and press onward, waving people to follow me deeper into the forested hills of Gronder Field. I'd say to everyone to be careful, but I feel that would be redundant. We're about to fight a twisted entity, and everyone will be focused on fighting. I'll just have to work double duty by keeping my wits about me as the group's main healer.

With Byleth helping me brush some of the long spindly branches out of the way for the rest of our group and some of the Almyran cavaliers, I can feel Sothal's oppressive presence grow stronger. Like stepping into a thick miasma that wants to choke you, I feel as we are going in the right direction. He may be a step ahead of us, but perhaps we can spin this. We might have lost the element of surprise, but our greater plan is still a go. Just need to snap the trap shut on the creature.

Delving deeper, a thick fog has settled into the forest coming up nearly to my knees and the air tasting stale and humid. A gross combination as I can feel the moisture in the air stick to my face as if walking through several spider webs.

I feel Byleth place a hand on my shoulder just as we are about to breach into a clearing. "We've arrived. Hang in the back," Byleth instructs as she brushes past me.

I nod to my counterpart and step to the side. The Ashen Wolves give me a knowing look as they pass by me and draw forth their weapons, bodies trembling with focus, vigor, and perhaps a hint of fear. The rear guard of six cavaliers pass me by, exchanging solemn nods, and I take one last deep breath. It's showtime.

Stepping out of the brambles I'm immediately greeted by a standoff between my group and maybe about 30 meters away I see seven riders. From their jagged armor and the haphazard emblems emblazoned on their robes, I recognize their heraldry that of something akin to Agartha. All except the center rider, who's hungry magical aura dominates my senses. Dressed in black full plate armor with a wicked glowing ax held to the side of their black steed, I look at the creature's scarred face where I meet their putrid black eyes that seem to gleam through the fog.

"Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you would arrive," Sothal says as he sits back comfortably on his armored steed. "It's good that you've gathered the most problematic people for me in one place. I knew you'd be helpful."

I step forward, brushing past a very tense Macuil who gives me a look saying 'Just tell us to strike already' and I briefly look at Seiros who seems resolute and angry, like the saint of legend. Byleth has the sword of the creator drawn and at the ready, as I stand next to her and gaze at the herald of oblivion in the eyes.

"Why are we talking?" I demand as I begin to harness and focus on my magic. Warp is my immediate focus as I pour my emotional focus towards that intent.

Sothal rolls his shoulders, armor creaking slightly. "Because I'm doing my duty, I'm not just some brazen creature. I figured I'd allow you one last chance to throw down your weapons. To see the futility in your struggle. Embrace the end of a cycle, as it is the Goddess's will."

"You know nothing of the Goddess's will!" Seiros barks as she confidently strides forward, white-knuckling her silvery sword and shield. "You've taken everything from us."

"Not yet I haven't," Sothal cooley replies. "But, that day has come, young Seiros. I knew there would be a fight here. To hide secrets from me is as if to hide from the very air you breathe," Sothal hoists their hero's relic ax, resting it on their shoulder, "Tell me, do you really think you can fight the tide forever? Do you really believe that you can defeat me?"

"I think we can kill you," I quietly growl. "This is meaningless, we've come to stop you from committing genocide."

"And so the cycle continues," Sothal remarks, an eerie smile creeping across their scarred visage. "I'd be a hypocrite to say I didn't enjoy my duty, but this is my favorite part. Thank you for giving me purpose again, Santos Capetillo." Sothal extends his free arm and makes a sweeping gesture towards us to his fellow Agarthan riders. "Do God's work."

The Agarthan riders beside Sothal rush ahead, weapons and tomes held high. I immediately cast Warp on myself to position myself at the rear of the group and several of my companions let out their respective war cries. The hum of Reason magic fills the air as Hapi, Lysithea and Constance unleash a bevy of Dark magic spells towards the masked riders. I see a glow emanate from the two mages of the Agarthans and a slight distortion bubble form around them. The Ward spell. Of course, Sothal wouldn't bring just any lackeys, especially knowing he'd be fighting mages. For someone who boasts about being inevitable, they sure are careful. That tells me he must fear some weakness of his.

Macuil is the first to race forward, a wondrous light encapsulating his body, though it quickly fades as Sothal reaches his hand out from and a purplish dim glow emits from it. The light recedes from Macuil as he slows his pace and from his body language I get a feeling of shock from him. Must be some sort of Soul magic counter to prevent transformation? I can't identify the magic being hastily cast as I shift my focus to the non-caster Agarthans that are holding polearms that begin to engage with our other melee forces and cavaliers.

"Everyone form up and coordinate as we planned!" Byleth shouts as she raises her holy sword high. The sound of screeching metal emanates through the air as she clashes with the first Agarthan who dismounts from their dark armored steed with supernatural grace and brings down a gnarled warhammer. Byleth sidesteps the initial wide and powerful looking swings of the faceless juggernaut. "Cavaliers, circle around!"

The Almyran riders ride past and I cast Ward on them in conjunction with Constance and Lysithea. Not a spell I'm particularly well versed in nor have the aptitude for, but when group casting it's quite potent. The riders are instructed to engage Sothal quickly and then retreat to see how he will fight, given the speed of the Almyran thoroughbreds are second to none. I quickly glance at the melee fighters, with Macuil, Dimitri, Byleth, and Balthus taking the vanguard against the group against the three melee-based Agarthans of the riders. The casters of Sothal's group remain mounted and seem to be casting some variant of support spells on the melee fighters. That'll be a problem.

As I see Yuri trying to skulk around the pitched chaos of the melee battle, I notice the Almyran riders that approach Sothal begin to sag in their saddle. I narrow my eyes and ready my Warp spell as I notice the riders begin to tilt to the side, losing grip on their mounts as they are nearly upon Sothal who hasn't moved at all nor seems ready to defend himself.

The riders slip from their saddles and I immediately extend my hand out and cast Rescue. "Hapi, Constance, a little help!" I cry out as I can feel my emotional well of power dampen as I expend the mana to bring three of the riders to my feet.

Hapi and Constance react quickly and follow suit in snatching the remaining two riders as they tumbled to the ground clutching their heads, rolling back and forth. "He's in my head!" One of the Almyran riders moans as he keeps his eyes shut and remains and clutching his head. "Please make him go away. Please."

More Soul magic, or is this just an effect of Sothal? They've been fed a lot of power from Cornelia, so is this the extent of their influence? Such an oppressive power that it damages one's psyche to even be near? I shake my head and offhandedly cast Physic on Balthus, who has a nasty gash across his left bicep. More issues about having a plan with a relatively unknown enemy. For all that time Sothal spent in my head, I learned very little about him while he plundered my mind for information and manipulated me. Like a child playing 4d chess against a grandmaster.

"Tend to them," I say to Constance as I gesture for Hapi to follow me. "We need to eliminate those Agarthan mages. Seiros' spells are being rebuffed by their Ward spell and Yuri aren't able to get into a favorable position with their movement patterns," I glance over to Kronya who has her short bow held steady and has a focused look upon her face, her natural face as she's dropped her Almyran 'Zana' disguise. "Kronya, keep up suppressive fire on those mages. When I say 'now', aim directly downward."

Kronya flashes me a quick grin before refocusing on her targets with a steely gaze. "As you command."

"So, how do we want to do this Bleeder?" Hapi asks as the air seems to vibrate and hum lowly as another one of Seiros' Serehphim spells dissipates against the enemy mages' Ward spell. "They've got quite the barrier setup and mobility to boot."

"True, but you're forgetting a crucial fact about the Ward spell."

"Lessons? At a time like this?" Hapi bemoans. "Hardly the place."

I shake my head and chuckle. "Field experience is the best experience, Hapi. Ask any doctor or warrior, and I'm sure they'll agree. But, Ward has a fatal flaw."

Hapi raises an eyebrow. "It's a perfect defensive spell for deflecting hostile-" Hapi pauses and a smirk creeps across her face. "Oh, that's devious. Let's do it."

Seems sending Hapi to the tutors in Dagda wasn't a complete waste of time after all. We exchange a brief nod and I point to the rider currently dodging projectiles. "Focus on providing power, I'll conduct the heavy lifting and direction of the spell," I state as I breath in deeply and begin to empty my emotions for the Faith magic.

Just like when I teleported a contingent of warriors with Sevihn back so many years ago in a large Warp, Hapi and I perform the inverse as our combined Rescue spell bathes the Agarthan mage in a warm green light. Before they can react, they disappear in the blink of an eye. Ward may protect someone from Reason magic, but was never designed to block support magic, because why would you ever need that? Unless of course, your enemy could bend the rules of magic thanks to their crest, like yours truly.

"Kronya, down!" I shout as the Agarthan mage flails their arms in a desperate attempt to rebuttal with a spell, but instead, they receive an arrow to the face that pierces through their strange headwear veil. Then two more arrows quickly follow up the initial kill shot. Say what you will, but atleast Kronya is thorough and she'd know better than anyone an Agarthan's constitution.

"Nicely done," I cordially say to Kronya who sends me a suggestive wink. I look back to the battle taking place, and in the chaos of accosting one of the mages, it seems Yuri's blade was able to find the throat of the other remaining mage as the steed is fleeing. Must have caught them off-guard with Silence, easily the most underrated spell in existence and my personal bane. Still, just happy Yuri is on our side.

Byleth and the other's finally seem to be gaining the upper hand against the other Agarthans now that their support has been eliminated, with only Balthus hanging back from taking a few more nasty slashes from one of their halberd's. I motion for Hapi to help Constance with the dazed Almyran riders as Kronya and I approach the melee group.

Seiros is currently casting Heal on a focused and frustrated looking Balthus. Dimitri, Macuil, and Byleth are all still locked in one-on-one combat with one of the full plate clad Agarthans, though it seems to be an overall deadlock. Lysithea appears to have moved onto healing duties as well as casting Physic and Fortify on the three combatants to prevent them from becoming fatigued.

Byleth manages to dodge underneath another wide attack from her opponent's warhammer and smoothly her sword transforms into its whip-like form. One swift motion and flick of the wrist later, the chain sword is neatly coiled around the heck of the helmeted Agarthan like a serrated anaconda. Like pulling the cord to a chainsaw, she pulls hard and a sickening series of cracks echo out as the bloodied blade retracts back to its sword form, and the Agarthan knight tumbles to the ground with his face looking behind him now.

Byleth follows up by extending her sword into a chain once again by catching Dimitri's opponent by the ankle. Now with restricted movement, the bulky ax wielder poorly parries Dimitri's powerful blow and then receives 'The Capetillo Special' as Dimitri cleaves through the warrior's sword arm with his halberd. Now, this is progress!

Sothal seemingly sensing my hope raises a hand full of dark energy, and the beam shoots into his remaining soldier. I can feel a strange aura now permeating the remaining Agarthan, and it's eerily similar to Sothal's hungry spiritual aspect.

Macuil clashes once again with the armored foe, but his form seems to falter as he parries a second blow considerably slower. And the Agarthan is getting faster. You gotta be kidding-

Dimitri tries to help by dealing a glancing blow to the foe, but seems to suffer the same effect as Macuil as a look of sudden pain crosses his face and he drops to one knee. "He's been empowered magically by Sothal, stop hitting him!" I shout as the Agarthan knight windes up for a killing blow on Dimitri. Thankfully, Seiros, Lysithea, Hapi and I eagerly respond in kind with our offensive Reason spells mingling into a conjoined plasma-like attack that knocks the warrior back, skidding across the soft grass but not falling over.

The fog and smoke clear as I can see the Agarthan's chest plate has a nice hole burned into the center of it exposing his ashen colored chest, though he looks relatively unharmed. I quickly motion for Balthus and Kronya to grab Macuil and Dimitri as they appear to hardly have the strength to lift their limbs. Sothal begins to dismount from his horse, approaching with an amused expression on his face.

"You've fought valiantly, proving that you want to endure the cycle no matter what," Sothal muses as he holds the red pulsating ax in his hands. "But, now I shall show you mercy. The End has come."

"The hell it has," I curse under my breath. "Everyone circle him!"

"Those who can fight, stand with me. Stand for Fodlan!" Byleth shouts with the most emotion I've ever seen her bare. Pure determination floods her eyes as she leads the charge toward Sothal with Yuri and Seiros in tow.

I look back to see Lysithea and Constance trying to cast Restore and Heal on the drained Dimitri and Macuil, though it appears to be slow going. Balthus brushes by me, nodding, and as I'm about to begin jogging after I look back to see Kronya writhing on the ground clutching her head. Exactly not what I need right now.

I dash over to Kronya and try to steady her with my hand. "Talk to me, what's happening?" I frantically ask. No visible wounds on her, much like the Almyrans who are now either passed out or babbling nonsensical words.

"Like what you did...to me," Kronya gasps as her bloodshot eyes look around wildly. "Magic-help me."

I take in a deep breath and close my eyes. "Hold in there for a moment, and try to relax. Trust me," I say as I place my hand on her twitching head and draw upon my soul for power. Splintering another fragment of myself, I push into Kronya's being that seems to under attack of Sothal's influence. He's trying to break my bond forged through Innundate as far as I can tell. There is no fighting off such a force, so I settle for putting Kronya out of his reach and cast a spell Seiros once taught me, the very spell she and many Nabateans used to slumber; Repose.

The inverse of the Wander spell, instead of expanding one's senses it cuts them off entirely. Like a strange physical and spiritual cryonic chamber with a set release where nothing positive or negative may influence the target, even things like time or Soul magic. Hopefully, an hour is sufficient until this issue has been resolved.

My vision doubles briefly from the spell feedback and I can feel blood running down my nose and my stomach churns painfully. I really am falling apart. I wait a moment for my vision to clear up, and then immediately break into a sprint back towards the action, as I can see Sothal sidestepping and ducking under various coordinated attacks, slices, and blasts of magic narrowly missing him as if a rehearsed dance. Events almost playing out as they did in the Holy Tomb. Not again, and not if I can help it.

I extend my hand out and try to cast Rescue on Sothal, and much to my expectations it doesn't move him at all. But, it does distract him for a second. In Sothal's small lapse Byleth and Serios manage to score a decisive gash through his plated armor, and the dark god stumbles backward.

My joy quickly evaporates as I feel my entire body lurch and the world around me spin. I find myself directly in front of Sothal, who's grinning as Byleth, Balthus and Serios awkwardly stop their follow up attack to not skewer me. Did the bastard just teleport me? Again, I'd like to reiterate that magic is bullshit. Especially in situations like this.

"Surprised?" Sothal quips. One of his gauntleted hands grasps me by the shoulder that still has an arm attached. "You should have expected as much, Santos. I'm still inside of you."

Sothal immediately headbutts me in the face, my nose and cheekbone crunching under the pressure. The pressure on my shoulder intensifies, and then something in my bones simply collapses. I feel my body get lifted up and then briefly airborne before colliding with the hard soil, fog swirling around me.

Sounds of shouting and metal clashing resound around me, but with my ears ringing I can't make heads or tails of what is actually being said or where it's located. I want to move, but through the pain, the blood trickling out of my broken face and shoulder my body isn't responsive. I hear more vague sounds of war as I try to turn my head, and that's when my vision goes dark.


I awaken with a gasp. Pain immediately greets me as I stare up into the dark canopy, my shoulder and head throbbing. I look to my side and see an exhausted Lysithea kneeling over me, resting her hands on my side to help prop her up. What the hell did I miss?

"Are you lucid, master?" Lysithea huffs out, her voice shaking.

"About as much as I can be," I grunt as I sit up slowly, my muscles protesting. I brush some of the grass and leaves out of my hair and look around the dormant clearing. No recognizable bodies except for the slain Agarthans, the passed out Almyrans, and the still-frozen Kronya. Alright, it hasn't been an hour at the very least.

"I couldn't get to you quickly, but the others drew Sothal further into the woods," Lysithea motions weakly toward a small trail. My eyes widen slightly, as I recognize the shape of the branches overhanging the path. The same path and area where Sothal tried to body snatch me for the final time.

I scramble to my feet, though they are a bit wobbly. I may be healed relatively well, but nothing can replace blood loss. "I'm going after them," I say to Lysithea, who seems to lack the will to stand up. "Watch the others here and hold things down."

"But I can-"

"Out of the question," I sharply respond. Lysithea's eagerness wilts under my pointed stare. I crouch down and place my hand on her shoulder. "Stay safe, and if nobody comes back in 15 minutes. Run. Leave this place."

"I'm not some-"

I tighten my grip on her shoulder, a tear trying to fight its way down my bruised cheek. "You run. Do you understand?"

Lysithea stares up at me with watery eyes for several moments, but she finally looks down and sheepishly nods. "Okay," She whispers.

"Atta' mija," I say, tousling her already bedraggled hair. I stand up and give her one last nod of assurance before shambling my way toward the path everyone gave chase to Sothal.

Knowing him, he's probably trying to lure people away and isolate them. That's what my gut is telling me, as a part of him being in me is a double-edged sword; I can kinda predict what he might do with us being in such close proximity again. It's strange and feels dangerous, but it's all I've got right now.

As I slowly make my way down the arborous path, It's not long until I find another of the group; Constance. Her body is face down slumped over a stump on the side of the path, blood splattered on her robes and covering her hands. I hobble over to her and immediately check for a pulse.

Weak, but it's there. That means there is hope.

Gritting my teeth, I cast Heal and try to inject some notion of life into her. I try to gently roll her over and see a large horizontal gash across her midsection. I focus my Heal spell on her midsection, trying to seal up the shallow cut. It may be a horrible scar, but it sure as hell beats dying.

I groan as I gently lower the unconscious Constance to the ground and continue my trek up the path, finding similar results. I manage to find Balthus unconscious with a deep stab through his leg and head trauma, Hapi slumped over a branch with a dislocated, and Dimitri unconscious with a shattered halberd haft at his side and broken ribs. I spent a little time casting Heal on each one, the spell practically second nature to me at this point. Just something to stabilize them. I feel as if I'll need most of my strength for what lies ahead.

Next, I find Macuil hissing in pain with his own lance, impaling him into a large tree. I helped pull it out and healed him, though the Nabatean had no words to give me. Just a look filled with hatred focused on the path ahead. Everyone behind is stable, but what ahead still has my nerves jumping. It's not much father now.

Leaving Macuil to his recovery and thoughts, I tread carefully upward as I begin to hear the sounds of combat once again ring in my ears. My legs feel as if they are made of cement and paper mache as I continue down the winding forest path, brushing long spindly branches out of my face.

I nearly stumble over a large gnarled root as I follow the twisting path and I'm greeted to the sight of Seiros kneeling over Yuri, who has a bloodied side but a grin still on his face. "Hey, doctor-" Yuri grimaces and moans, holding his side, "Fancy seeing you up and about."

Seiros's head whips around, her messy green hair swinging around, matted with blood and dirt. The raw determination from before is still present on her face, though something else is there too. She looks almost mournful as she gestures for me to approach.

"I feared that you may have not woken up so soon," Seiros says in a low tone. Green energy pulsates from her hand, embedding itself into Yuri's gashed side. "Are you in any condition to fight? Is Macuil still alive?"

"He's alive, just taking a breather," I reply as I look farther down the twisting path. "Where is Byleth?"

Seiros sighs and points down the path. "She goaded Sothal and led him away," Her face twists as if she had just eaten something sour, "We could barely scratch him. He's nigh untouchable."

"Then we just have to do something unexpected," I relent as I crouch down and help apply Heal to Yuri. "Sothal and I are still connected, so he's predicted our moves. He knows what plan I had in place, so he took me down and probably went hard after Lysithea. Correct?"

"That is true, he did seem focused on her after you fell," Seiros slowly says. She regards me with watery green eyes and I feel her hand on my shoulder. "I have been understanding, but please tell me what you planned."

I swallow hard and nod. "I put a lot of energy into drafting a meticulous plan to capture him since arriving in Fodlan, even more so after meeting that mysterious figure in Abyss. The plan was to pin Sothal down and then bind him to Lysithea with Soul magic. A good plan, but one I assumed he would anticipate due to his connection with me," I raise a finger and smile, "But, that connection goes both ways. To truly dupe Sothal, I had to not think about the real plan. No notes, no foresight, no anything. Just an uneasy feeling that I knew I would do something, so I used Soul magic to circumvent that. To freeze a memory suspended in time, kept away from the caster."

Seiros' eyes widen and her mouth gapes. "Repose is a spell solely to preserve the physical body for extended periods, I believed..."

I nod. "It is, but I think we all know that Sothal and Sothis can tweak the intent of spells," I explain as I stand back up, my knees creaking slightly. "Sothal doesn't play by the same rules as us, mi amor, so I had to play by his rules."

"So what do you plan to do?" Seiros asks, her voice unsteady.

I shrug and let out a dry chuckle. "I have no idea. I'm hoping it'll come to me any minute now, considering I was correct in timing it. I had to keep it hidden as long as possible, even from myself." I lean down and kiss Seiros on the lips, lingering for a moment before moving away. "That's why I didn't tell you the extent of my plan, and to trust me. Because I couldn't afford to even trust myself."

Sounds of metal clashing and I feel another shift in fog, the cool forest air brushing up against my goosebumps forearm. My head swivels toward the sound of action before looking back to Seiros, who solemnly nods to me.

"Go, Santos," She quietly suggests. "I'll watch over Yuri. Help Byleth end this madness."

"Yeah, what your lady said," Yuri quips, though he groans again clutching his side.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," I say as I turn around, but I feel something grab my hand.

I look back to see Seiros clutching my hand, and our eyes locked in on one another. We stay like this for a moment, the air in my lungs feeling hot and heavy as I can see her jaw attempting to move, but no words coming out. I offer a weak smile and nod as I pull away from her weak grip. I begin to walk and start-up into a jog, my feet feeling leaden and weightless at the same time. The fatigue and aches from before seem to fade away as I clench my hand as if to savor her touch.

I run down the pathway, dodging wayward branches and hopping over roots. I refuse to look back, as I feel if I do I may not want to persevere onward. So I remain focused on the task ahead, and I enter a small secluded clearing with a thick treetop canopy blocking out much of the muted sunlight from the dark clouds above. It nearly looks like night despite it being almost the middle of the day. Nearly running out of time.

As I enter I immediately raise my hand and cast Thoron at Sothal, who is mid-swing with his hero's relic. He seems to notice me, and drops his shoulder and rotates to avoid my torrent of electricity, but gives Byleth enough of a window to perfectly parry the monstrosities uneven blow and deliver a ruthless front kick to Sothal. The force of the kick slams Sothal into a nearby tree, causing some twigs and leaves to fall.

Byleth wipes off a large swath of sweat from her forehead. "Welcome back," She says with her sword held at the ready, as Sothal dislodged himself from the tree bark. "I thought I would have to save the world on my own."

"Oh, you know me. I have a flair for the dramatic," I nonchalantly say as I quickly cast Fortify on Byleth and myself. "I figured being dead for precisely the right amount of time would be advantageous."

Byleth raises an eyebrow. "You only resort to base sarcasm when you are either worried or scared."

"Thanks."

"Still alive, are you?" Sothal grunts as they lumber toward Byleth and me, ax hoisted onto his pauldron. "Fighting this far is delusional," Sothal sighs and shakes their head. "A pity. I once longed to share this experience with you, Santos. To have a true purpose in the wheel of nature. I Thought an outsider could understand what it means to be shunned from one's purpose, but I was mistaken. Nothing more than a deluded little man."

"I was once an outsider," I say defiantly, widening my stance slightly and harnessing my mana within my being, "But I found a place. A home."

"Then your home shall become your grave," Sothal states as he approaches with his great ax at the ready.

I lean toward Byleth and nudge her in the side. "We just need to keep him busy a little longer," I whisper.

Byleth nods. "I've got you if you've got me."

"Your jailor, Lysithea, is not coming. Why poison yourself with hope?"

With Sothal's words echoing in my mind, I smirk and hop back as Byleth and Sothal begin to engage. Just as their blades are about to touch I cast Warp on Byleth to reposition her slightly to his left, out of his swing's path and she's able to land a direct slash, cutting into his dark plate armor. Sothal grunts and looks between us with rabid fervor, with a plume of dark energy emanating from him. Looks like the kid gloves are off, and that means the same for me.

I take in a deep breath, and as I exhale the grass around me begins to turn brown, the trees begin to shrivel, and the small chirp of bugs is silenced. Sothal is going to cast Harvest upon those who strike him, then I'll need more fuel for Physic and Restore to keep Byleth upright. Two can play that game.

With me rapidly alternating between casting Physic and Warp on Byleth, we've finally begun to see a chink in the once indomitable seeming Sothal as he struggles to keep up with Byleth blinking around him. Not to mention Byleth's own ability to rewind time, which I'm sure she's used thoroughly, but I know she'll run out eventually. We just need to stall a bit longer and keep Sothal occupied.

Sothal, seemingly fed up with the cat and mouse game with several chunks of his plate mail missing, let out a loud groan. Black miasma circulates around him, and as Byleth is reappearing to strike Sothal again, but only finds air. In a sudden flash of light, Sothal appears before me and delivers a front kick to me, sending me airborne as my back slams into a large tree. I let out a ragged gasp as the air in my lungs is violently knocked out of me, and I see the imposing pale figure with beady black eyes staring down at me, with their ax raised high.

"Enough games, Santos. You've entertained me long enough, but I must get back to work," Sothal sneers as he lines up the ax to my neck. "Any last words?"

"Yeah," I wheeze out. "This is going to hurt."

I can see Byleth trying to extend the sword of the creator, but the distance is too great for her reach. Sothal rears back to decapitate me, and I can't help but close my eyes and turn to the side preparing for the blow.

A sharp pain flares up inside my midsection, a large spear, the Spear of Assal poking through my body through the tree and right through Sothal. Skewed together I cough up some blood as Sothal grunts in pain with the long weapon now pierced through a gap in the midsection of his armor; a previous cut from Byleth's holy sword.

"You little rat!" Sothal hisses as he tries to pry himself off the spear, but fails. With a slightly hooked end and the haft lodged into the large tree behind me, he's caught like a fish on a wicked hook. Sure he could eventually get out, but that's not to mention Byleth who still has some fight in her, though she is moving considerably slower. Healing magic can only delay fatigue for so long, after all.

A small ray of light pierces through the clouds and the canopy, hovering over Byleth. It's finally noon, and with that my obstructed memories come rushing back. The missing pieces to what my plan always was. Sothal's eyes widen, the first time I've seen the entity display fear as he tries to wriggle the Spear of Assal free.

"I'll kill you!" Sothal shouts, helplessly tugging at the tightly lodged holy relic. "Piercing me with such a weapon!"

"Kill me?" I chuckle, coughing up more blood. "Hardly a threat to a dead man. I had hoped that a relic of Sothis would dampen your power, and it seems I was right." Byleth finally is within range of Sothal and me, her breath labored and shoulders slumped. I can't help but grin at Sothal who seems at a loss for words. "All your talk about you still being in has come back full circle to beat you. Byleth holds the power of Sothis, and I hold your power. Like when you tried to fool me in Faergus, I learned what could happen when you combine both powers. You get the true power of the Goddess." I narrow my eyes as I can feel my vision beginning to fade from blood loss, and I can't hold back one last small smile. "Checkmate."

Sothal's hands lunge for my neck, but I simply close my eyes and smile as Byleth says something, but the sound seems to fade away. Here, I cast my last spell, one last piece of the puzzle to restore the Goddess to her full form. While it's just a fraction of her original being, Byleth should have the means to absorb Sothal in this small window of time.

I can't help but smile as I can't feel my limbs anymore. Sacrifice. The paired spell to Harvest. Not just a wonderful spell, but a gesture to the world and people I care about. The goal was never about winning, but making sure Sothal lost in the end.

It's been fun, but now the rest is up to you, Byleth. Give 'em hell.


Hapi

"Hey! Hey, wake up!"

What? Can't I just be left alone? Here I am getting a great nap in, and-

Wait. We were fighting. Fighting God. Sounds more ridiculous every time I tell myself that. The last thing I remember is that armored arse tossing me around like a ragdoll and getting conked. Wait, am I dead? Could I maybe just pretend to sleep-

"Hapi, I know you're awake. Your magical aura is too lively."

Little she-devil. Can't let me just have this one, eh? Fine. She wins this time, but that's only because the world is at stake. Nevermind how my body feels as if it's gone through a meat grinder.

I roll my body over and plant my hands on the moist soil, lifting myself with some effort. I don't feel that bad, but definitely sore. Maybe Sothal was going easy on me? Unlikely, but I'd like to think I've got rather good dumb luck. At least better than Balthus, which counts for something.

I look up to see my favorite blind person. "Hey, Cupcake. Are we dead?"

"Hardly," Lysithea sharply replies. "A large flash of light just went off in the distance, and something large shook the ground. Did you feel it?"

I slowly shake my head. "Nope," I hold up my hand, "Mind helping me up? My hand is up, by the way." I wiggle my fingers for emphasis. Sure, she can't see them but it's the thought that matters, right?

Lysithea huffs and begrudgingly grabs my hand and helps yank me to my feet, though she nearly tips herself over in the process. My, does she look rough. Her robes are torn, her left cheek is bruised, swollen, and nearly purple and she seems to be favoring her right side. Poor kiddo, it's not a good look for her. Granted I probably don't look much better, but I'm more adept at rocking the 'filthy and beat up look'.

"We should check to see who else is still alive. The magic in the area is like a wild whirlpool. Almost as if it's alive," Lysithea states as she motions for me to lead the way. "I can barely sense five meters in front of me. Best if you lead, as I'm surprised I found you."

"Anybody else?" I ask as I begin to make my way down the forest path.

"Constance, but I had to leave her as she has a badly injured ankle. Found Balthus as well, but he's helping patch up Constance," Lysithea divulges without any protest or animosity in her tone. She really must be out of it, but it does warm my heart knowing that those two are relatively fine.

After a few minutes of wandering down the thick brush path, we enter a small open straightaway where I manage to spot Dimitri and Macuil sitting across from each other chatting quietly. Macuil has his bloody shirt tied off around his stomach like a cinch, and Dimitri just looks rugged. Handsomely so. As for Macuil, I'm still irked that he didn't go into his dragon form earlier, but considering how he reacted I'm sure he's pissed as well. I know I would be if I were a dragon.

The two warriors notice us as we approach, with Dimitri breathing out a sigh of relief and Macuil simply snorting at our presence. "Sup," I announce as I walk up to the duo. "Take it you guys got banged up?"

"If by 'banged up' you mean utterly thrashed, then yes. Quite," Dimitri mirthlessly chuckles. "Still, we draw breath, though I'd be a fool to say I have the strength to walk more than a few strides at the moment."

"Did you see a flash of light? Earthquake?" Lysithea chimes in. "Anything at all?"

Macuil makes a guttural sound in his throat and then spits on the ground. "Yeah, I did. The old magic is what that was."

Lysithea steps forward, brushing past me. "Who cast it?"

The bloodied Nabatean shrugs. "Not sure. I'm not a mage. Never cared for the arcane. I just know it was the old magic. Has a certain feel to it."

So much for ancient dragon knowledge. I look over to Dimitri who just shrugs and offers a sheepish smile. I return the gesture and wink at him, and then I grab Lysithea by the arm. "C'mon Cupcake, we got to go find the others."

"Do be careful," Dimitri calls out as I drag the blind magic gremlin through the forest path. She swats at me to let go, but her strikes are like being assaulted by the person with pillows for hands. Almost soothing in a massaging kind of way.

"If you're going to do that, can you go a little higher? My shoulders are killing me."

"Or I could go lower, and start kicking if you don't stop dragging me like luggage," Lysithea warns. I immediately unhook my arm, to which she nearly stumbles. "A little warning, Hapi!"

"Eh," I say with little care. If she was really mad she'd threaten me a spell or two. Nah, she's just on edge, which I can hardly blame. I know I am, or else I wouldn't be so motivated to keep moving to find out what happened.

We maneuver through the rest of the path, moving branches out of the way for my blind friend and making sure she doesn't trip over any of the risen roots. She really needs to appreciate me more. Thankfully, I can see a clearing through the forest, and I see someone familiar standing near the exit.

The figure turns around, and I hold a hand over my eyes to help shield the sunlight from my vision as I can vaguely see who I believe to be Yuri. The only person I know that can stand smugly. Not sure, but it's just how it is. Yuri-bird is a weird one and just gives off that kinda vibe.

"I was wondering when someone else would show up," Yuri states, a harsh edge to his voice as he holds onto various branches for support. Even he looks rough as hell, and he's usually the one to get out of these situations unscathed.

"Cupcake and I-" I can hear Lysithea groan at her nickname. Not my fault she's sweet and fluffy. "Yeah, so we're fine. The rest of the folks are good enough. Where's Grandma, Chatterbox, Bleeder and tall, dark and scary?"

Yuri raises an eyebrow and his lips twitch in amusement. "No nickname for God?"

"Nah, not good enough for one."

"Up ahead," Yuri says, pointing toward the clearing around the bend. "Be warned though...it's messy. Seiros is over there right now with the others," He pauses and lowers his voice, "Just be mindful, Hapi. I've never seen anything like it."

"So….did we win?"

Yuri chuckles and just motions toward the clearing. "Not sure, but go see for yourself."

Okay, now I'm curious. I'm used to not getting straight answers from Yuri, but for him to be at a loss for words? Truly the world has come to an end."

I feel Lysithea tug on my shirt. "Hey, something feels weird up ahead. Just a forewarning."

I look back at my diminutive friend with confusion. "Weird means a lot of things, especially to us. Whatcha mean exactly?"

"There's no magic in the area except for one signature," Lysithea softly says. "Everything else is just...empty."

Creepy. I keep my mouth shut and trudge onward, suppressing the urge to sigh. Really don't need any crazed animals to pop up now. Walking past the bend and toward the clearing, my jaw drops. I hear Lysithea gasp and brush past me as I stand at the threshold of the small clearing.

The trees in the area look like they've been scorched, but almost as if they've been burned from the inside out. The grass in this ovoid like area is completely dead, and even the air tastes and smells stale. Like life had been sucked out of it, and I'm left breathing in nature's fart.

At the far end of the field where I can see Lysithea rushing toward, I see Seiros on her knees in front of a tree with a large spear embedded in it with a one-armed corpse skewered into it. I can't help but cringe as he looks like all his fluids have been drained with his sunken features and skin that seems to sag off his bones. The only thing immediately odd is the spear seems to have gone through the tree as the hooked tip is facing outward.

What in the name of the naked baby Goddess?

I break into a light jog, trailing Lysithea who has just reached Seiros. I can see them face each other and quietly exchange words, but it's unintelligible. As I get closer I notice near Santos's corpse a bunch of scattered armor pieces at the base of the tree. Sothal's blackened armor, but not a body around. Not even any squishy bits. Did he escape? Or possess someone?

Reaching Seiros and Lysithea, I look over Seiros's shoulder to see her crouched over Chatterbox, and I immediately wish I hadn't as I avert my eyes. Poor professor's chest is completely burst open with lots of stone shards lodged into the squishy bits. Her hair is completely white, to the extreme that it makes Lysithea's white hair seem to have at least a few shades of difference. It's like something sucked all the color outta Byleth, as even her skin looks ashen and cracked.

"So...what happened?" I nervously ask. I may know a thing or two about magic, but judging by Lysithea's visibly uncomfortable body langauge, I doubt she expected something like this. I certainly didn't.

Seiros turns toward me, her cheeks damp from tears running down. "They won. Sothal is no more. The Goddess has been restored," She glances back down to Chatterbox's broken body and mutters, her voice shaking, "Are you proud, Mother?"

I hear Seiros mumble something else before she begins to sob. I didn't think dragons could cry. Lysithea sniffles as well, but I remain steady. A weariness and cold acceptance wash over me. It doesn't feel like we won yet here we are; standing in the ashes of God and dear friends.

And now...I realize I didn't even get to say goodbye.