A/N: How's it going everybody!

Here's the aftermath of the Night Raid. Get ready for an interesting story point for this one.

2019

"Holy…" Sylvester began.

"… Crap." Finn finished.

"An entire raid like that, ending in such a manner." Liezel began. "I didn't think such a scenario existed."

"Imagine that." Eden began. "An entire raid conducted at the dead of night. Quite remarkable, I must say."

"it's a shame that it was all for nothing though." Clark spoke. "Half of an entire army dead."

"No doubt that a different strategy would've been the better option." Damien said. "Even if it has to come out of nowhere."

"It is the price of war." Harold spoke. "I'm not surprised actually."

"You know Harold," Hillary began. "Maybe you could tone down on that just a bit perhaps?"

"Whatever…"

"If you thought the night raid was a lot to handle," Ms. Gregory began. "What was to happen next, would leave quite the impression."

Verdant Rain Moon, 1186
Adrestian Empire Outskirts

The plan to raid Enbarr Castle during the nightfall has resulted in heavy casualties for both the Imperial Army, and the Student Army. However, this meant yet another loss for the Student Army, following the failure to capture Fort Merceus.

In a plain field, the last of the retreated Student Army forces gather just beyond the boundary of Adrestian Territory. What was once an army that numbered to 150 individual soldiers, was now counted to 75. An exact half of all the troops who have joined the raid. Of course, a few had to stay behind to help continue keeping the Monastery safe.

While the Student Army gained some new recruits in the form of the rebels who lived within Enbarr, even their numbers didn't bring up the count that high, as a great deal of their fellow men have also died during the raid.

"Can't believe we have to add yet another failure to this campaign…" Niya sighed as she reached the troops, seeing just how little remained following the raid.

"We are in no condition to fight for the time being." Everon spoke, before turning to Niya. "Professor, it should come as to no surprise, but we should be heading back to the Monastery."

"I'm well aware of that." Niya replied, before she turned to survey her surroundings, just to confirm that everyone who survived was there, and they were not being followed. While no one was following them, injuries could be plainly seen, including both Felix and Caspar, who have sustained arrow wounds during their escape, as well as some bruises on Dorothea. "Come on everyone, patch up whatever wound you can, and let's head back."

As the Student Army made a long march back, Niya lagged behind, looking back as Enbarr Castle grew smaller the further they walked. Chills were felt on her spine as she remembered the faces of those who were trapped inside, only to be mercilessly slaughtered. With no other choice, she began to join whatever remained of her army back to the Monastery.

"Hey Dedue," Caspar spoke as they continued the walk. "Thanks for the assist back there. If it weren't for you, I would've probably died back there."

"You need not thank me Caspar." Dedue simply nodded. "I only did what was right."

"Those bodies…" Dorothea mumbled to herself, as she sat behind Ingrid. "I don't think I'll ever get them out of my memories…"

"I'm sorry Dorothea." Ingrid bowed her head in shame. "If only I had taken another path…"

"Don't worry Ingie…" Dorothea placed a hand on Ingrid's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault…"

"How you holding out there buddy?" Sylvain asked in concern, looking back slightly, seeing Felix clutching his arm tightly.

"Still in pain obviously." Felix grunted. "That vulnerary barely did a thing to ease the pain…"

"At least it stopped the bleeding." Sylvain commented. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

"I… suppose so…" Felix simply sighed.

Meanwhile
Enbarr Castle

"What the hell was that Hunter?" Edelgard furiously scolded, angered how Hunter deliberately disobeyed her orders.

"You were taking too long!" Hunter yelled back. "I simply moved things along."

"And now we are down to less than half of an army thanks to you." Edelgard countered, putting emphasis on the 'you' part.

"Well, what did you expect?" Hubert questioned. "For them to surrender, and they might join our cause? They'd all rather die, than join our cause, and you know it."

A brief pause

"Besides, half of the enemy's army is gone. I have reason to believe that they would not dare attack us with so little troops remaining." Hunter added.

"Very well." Edelgard decided. "Until then, we should consider any option on how we can retaliate… if we can that is."

"We have all the time in the world right now." Hunter simply spoke, before he made his way out.

Jeritza on the other hand, simply stood, listening to the whole thing, before he too made his leave, thankful that Mercedes was not part of the raid, therefore, she survived.

Meanwhile

"Eugh!" A soldier recoiled in disgust as he picked up another body. "These corpses… the smell is suffocating."

"You think that's bad," Another soldier spoke, "You should've been here when they took out the body by the gate. The guy was nearly split in half."

"Ugh…" The first soldier groaned, as he lifted another body away to the mass burial. "I did not want that in my mind right now…"

"Just remember to put the enemies by the pyre…" the second soldier reminded. "We got to give respect to our fallen comrades, and burn the enemies in the flames on hell."

"Yeah, yeah. I don't need a reminder." The first one said uninterestingly, as he continued onward.

Later
Garreg Mach Monastery

It was dawn by the time the army had returned to the Monastery, and an alarm horn had been blown to signal their return from a brutal battle. However, what greeted the students that stayed wasn't a joyous triumph.

As the remaining students gathered, the damage was all too clear. The number of soldiers that remained were visible, and countable, with some having visible injuries. The only one who commanded a flying unit, Ingrid, landed her Pegasus by the Monastery gates, before helping Dorothea out, before continuing on foot.

Some of the civilians, who were temporarily residing within the Monastery grounds as their villages were being repaired, could only weep as they slowly realized that their loved ones had not survived the night raid. Everon could only look in sadness, as he bowed his head in shame.

"What happened?" Came the voice of Annette, absolutely heartbroken by what she could see.

"Another failure, that's what." Niya immediately answered, her tone somewhat in between the mood of both annoyance, and anger.

"Niya," Ingrid called out, not liking the tone the former professor was using.

"Sorry." Niya flatly answered, before turning her attention to McCarley. Ingrid wasn't pleased with the response, but decided to let it be, as arguing about it would've been a waste of time.

"Tell the minister to get ready, and call the healers." She simply commanded.

McCarley nodded, but asked "What about the messengers? Shall I have them sent off?"

Niya shook her head in response. "Just one. To Seteth. He needs to know about Rhea."

"Understood." McCarley nodded, before he took off. Thankfully for him, a few of the student healers immediately proceeded to tend to the healers.

As the injured were being tended, Niya temporarily locked herself in her quarters as she waited for the memorial to begin. She cursed at herself, knowing very well that she could've done better.

While she was thankful that all the students who joined the raid survived, albeit with a few minor injuries such as Felix and Caspar, she was angry at herself for not doing the same for the army she had gathered. The same army who pledged their services to her cause, as a form of gratitude for what she had done for their homelands. Now, majority of them were dead.

She cursed at not using Divine Pulse to perhaps warn the soldiers earlier, and maybe more could've escaped. But, would it have been enough? While Divine Pulse can only go so far now without the presence of Sothis, she knew that she should've at least tried it in some form, but she didn't.

Later that Day

A memorial was held for the fallen soldiers who have perished during the raid. In particular, Senyold, a veteran who, according to accounts, held up the gate long enough to allow his fellow soldiers to escape, but would never again see his grandchildren again, and the young Reaver, a young recruit who had made fast friends with majority of the survivors, including Senyold. Reaver in particular, hit a lot of the soldiers, as he was a young lad, whose life had been taken too early.

Given the circumstances of how the raid resulted in, no bodies of any of the fallen soldiers could be retrieved. Instead, the minister lit up a large candle as a substitute for the bodies. The large candle used was similar to the one used for the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth, albeit less grand in design. It was a candle specifically used for mass deaths, as it had been previously used following the Remire Village Massacre, 6 years earlier, as well as the Blood of the Eagle and Lion, 4 months earlier.

Perhaps what shocked a lot of those present, was the presence of Niya, who 4 months earlier, refused to attend the mass funeral for the soldiers who perished during the Blood of the Eagle and Lion. Many questioned why she was here now, and some were even disgusted by her. A few murmured that she showed up simply because of her bias towards the army that she had help build.

Regardless of how they felt towards the former professor's presence, they did not lose their thoughts on the loss of their fallen comrades… that is, save for a few.

That Night

After everyone had gone to bed for the night, save for those who have been assigned on night shift, a trio of soldiers had decided to meet up in the former Black Eagles classroom. What they were talking about, did not seem pleasant at all.

"The nerve of her to show up like that!" A Sniper furiously snarled. "I don't care what anyone says, she's bias and that's all she is!"

"You are not the only one angered at her my friend," A Gremory nodded. "I just can't understand how our fellow soldiers are just willing to let it slide though."

"Hmph." A Mortal Servant sneered. "They probably just didn't give a damn. Me on the other hand, am not just willing to just let it slide."

"It seems that we are all on the same page then." The Sniper nodded. "I say we take her out."

"We can't just do that." The Mortal Servant reminded. "We'll get ganged up upon, since I doubt that everyone else will see us eye-to-eye."

"Then how do we do it then?" The Sniper crossed his arms.

"Discreetly then." The Gremory smirked. "With poison."

"I think I know where this is going." The Sniper smirked, before the Gremory explained her plans.

The Next Day

"So sorry I'm late." Niya apologized, as she made her way to the Monastery Gardens, where the trio were. Before them was the usual tea time set-up. Unknown to Niya however, this tea has been tampered with.

"No, no." The Gremory assured. "We understand the businesses that you had to attend to. We're just glad that you're able to join us."

"Please have a seat." The Sniper gestured, as he tried his best to hide his excitement over what was to transpire soon.

Niya did what she was told, and looked to the trio, before giving the set up a good look. "I see that the tea has already been set up, and poured." She observed. "I did not expect this at all."

"Only the best for you." The Mortal Servant spoke.

Niya did her usual serving of sugar, a single teaspoon, before stirring it, and finally taking a sip. As she did so, the trio forced themselves to contain themselves, as the former professor took the bait. Now all they had to do was wait.

"My, that's an interesting taste for Leicester Cortan- *cough*" Niya began, before she let out a violent cough, followed by another, and then another, before she dropped the teacup, which shattered upon hitting the ground.

"It's just a special brew." The Gremory spoke. "It takes a while to get used to the flavor."

"It is quite a uni- *cough*" Niya coughed once more, before she felt her entire body slowly getting stiffer, and stiffer. "Wha- what's happening?"

"You just need to relax professor." The Mortal Servant smirked, before he moved closer to her, while slightly withdrawing a dagger. "You just looked so tense yesterday."

"Also…" The Sniper smiled sadistically. "You need to pay for your sins."

"I… never did… anything to you three." Niya struggled to speak.

"Liar." The Sniper hissed, before spitting at Niya's face. "You only cared for those who died last night, not every other time."

"You don't… understand."

"You spit on the memory of those who died in Gronder by neglecting to attend their funerals, only to attend those who died last night." The Gremory growled, before delivering a swift kick to the shins.

"I under… stand your anger. But… this is not… how-"

"Shut-up!" The Sniper snapped, before delivering a chop to Niya's throat, causing her to gag, and cough in pain.

"The only way to ease the pain, is to perish alongside them" The Mortal Servant spoke, before revealing his dagger, and putting it up to her neck.

Niya could only stand there helplessly, as the cold blade pressed against her neck, drawing a tiny amount of blood. She needed to react, but she couldn't due to the effects of the poison.

"Say hello to the dark ones for me…" The Mortal Servant grimly said, as he readied himself to slash her throat.

"Judgement is passed!" A voice shouted out, before a thrown axe embeds itself on the head of the Mortal Servant, causing him lose his grip of the dagger, before falling to the ground.

"What on earth?" The Sniper spoke in surprise, before finding himself being knocked down by a strong punch, before being quickly restrained.

The Gremory could only scream in pain, as she felt a strong wind pin her against a wall violently, before she fell, clutching her body in pain.

Niya's rescuers were revealed to be none other than Seteth himself, along with Seiros Knight leader Everon, and Flayn.

"I have no clue what is currently going on here," Seteth began, as he walked to the Sniper, who was struggling to free himself from Everon's grasp. "But attempted murder is a crime most despised, and an insult on Monastery grounds."

"No. You don't understand." The Sniper protested. "She deserves it."

"Silence!" Seteth snapped. "I shall let Everon deal with you."

"But how did you…?"

"I noticed something wrong when I entered the Monastery. It's a good thing that I followed my instinct." Seteth explained before turning to Everon. "Everon, take him away!"

"At once." Everon nodded, before quickly lifting the Sniper away, while another soldier grabbed the Gremory, and disposed the now deceased Mortal Servant.

"Come professor," Seteth spoke, as he and Flayn grabbed Niya. "The poison may not be fatal, but you require aid immediately. We can discuss what we need to discuss later."

Although Niya still couldn't speak, no thanks to the poison, she was glad that someone had managed to save her just in time.

A/N: And we're clear!

You know, because we had three whole chapters without a 2019 scene, I actually forgot how to write one, so I had to reread previous chapters to get an idea. Oops.

Also, minor scene with a few traitors. It might seem ridiculous for some, but I always felt that there would be some people out there who would've gotten fed up with Niya's actions, and felt she needed to pay for it.

Next chapter, we'll have Seteth, as well as a surprising twist concerning Edelgard.

Until the next chapter, BYE!