"Interesting," the Death Knight hisses as the Night Cats surround him. "You would stand against me?"

"We are not with your masters, Bartels," Tigress replies to him. "And this doesn't concern you. Leave if you know what's best for you."

"Emile…" I hear Mercedes whisper. And turning to look at her, I see she's reacting as well as one could expect: visibly shaking on her feet, with unsteady breath, widened eyes and mouth hanging wide open.

And she's not the only one. While she's watching the fire mages that got us trapped instead of the masked people staring down one another, Lysithea is in much the same condition, with the addition of cold sweat running down her temples.

And the others aren't much better. While Claudes's gaze keeps going from one group to the other, Felix, Dedue and Dimitri have their narrowed eyes locked on the Cats. Dimitri also with gritted teeth and fists clenched on his lance.

And, back by the casket, there is Byleth. Keeping his attention to the mages aiming at him, but still stealing a few glances to the Cats.

"That man is dead," the Death Knight points his scythe at each one of the Cats. "Now, who among you shall die first?"

"Me," 'Lion' says, with both hands holding the hilt of the hammer she's carrying and the head aimed at him. "I'm curious to see if you're all you're crammed up to be."

As of now, she is the only Slitherer I have seen that wasn't hidden under layers of clothing or wearing a human disguise. And boy, seeing her kind's pale skin is even worse than I could have imagined. I have seen some people who didn't take much sunlight, but something so white is just...unnatural. From this distance I can't get a good look at her eyes, but I can bet they aren't any better.

Between my surprise at seeing her skin and her whole change of attire, I almost didn't even recognize her. Her hair and her stature are the only things I recognize from our last encounter. Instead of the powerful mage that ambushed the Blue Lions in the wilds, what I see before me is basically a bodybuilder wielding a heavy weapon like it weighs little.

"So be it," the Death Knight growls before raising his scythe and spurring his horse into a charge for the Slitherer woman.

Despite the quickly approaching threat, Lion doesn't look fazed by it and is standing her ground, hammer still raised at the Death Knight and stance unflinching.

It is only when a swing of his scythe comes for her that she moves. Or rather, she rotates over her right, building momentum for her own swing, and then her hammer connects with the horse's side, pushing it and its rider away from her and toward one of the columns.

"Santo…" I gasp, as the Death Knight and his mount impact with the column, causing severe structural damage to it in the process.

The horse doesn't move after that. The Death Knight, however, comes out of it in better shape as he pushes it away. And he does not seem to have taken any damage, save for one horn chipped off of his helmet.

Lion slowly approaches him as that happens. "Not impressed," she says, clicking her tongue.

In response, the Death Knight lets out a loud guttural sound as he brandishes his scythe in her direction. A guttural sound after which both combatants charge at each other.

And then it isn't long before hammer and scythe meet.

While Lion and the Death Knight proceed to trade blows, the three other Night Cats walk forward, past the other Slitherers and onward to Byleth.

"Alright, that takes care of the big scary Knight there," Claude, who was looking at the two dueling people, intervenes. I and the other Lions turn to look at him, but Lysithea remains fixed on the object of her attention. "Anyone got any idea how to get past the fire?"

Silence is all the answer he gets, as everyone is either too focused elsewhere or doesn't know what to say.

As for me, I turn to look at the mages, who still have their hands stretched out. These guys are the ones keeping this circle in place, no doubt about that. And there's nothing we can throw at them without them seeing it and burning it with another burst. Our only option would be distracting them, but if not even the Death Knight threatening to kill them managed to, what else can?

"Hey, you seem deep in thought." I wince as Claude gives my arm a light elbow, that unmistakable smile still on his face. "Got something you want to say?"

I shake my head. "Not yet. I'm just...thinking."

"Oh yeah? Want to share what's on your mind?"

I refrain from letting out a sigh. Must he really right now?

"I'm...thinking if we want to break free, we must distract d- them," I say, nudging to the mages. "Problem is...they don't seem easy to distract."

"Too true," Claude lightly agrees, "I wonder what's got them so focused."

"I suppose it's d- the Blue Fire. With how unstable it is, I suppose dey wouldn't...want to…"

Wait a frigging moment.

Blue Fire is unstable. And this one is so unstable that it requires the full attention of three mages. But if this spell were to be overloaded beyond their control…

I place a hand on Claude's chest and push him back. "Stay back." I have no idea if this will do, but in case it does, it's best if he isn't too close.

I conjure an Arcthunder and aim each of the three spheres at one of the mages. Predictably, one of them raises his hands again and summons another burst. Which, just as predictably but less to my content, harmlessly absorbs the spell before simmering down.

Crap. Should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

"Well," Claude whistles. "That didn't work." No shit, Sherlock. "Got a plan B?"

Oh, that I do: if at first you don't succeed, try again. Only add more firepower to it. And I know just who I need for that.

The problem now is snapping her out of her stupor.

I turn to the white-haired girl and find her still shaking at the sight of the Slitherers and muttering some gibberish mixed with names I don't recognize. I can sympathize with whatever is in her head, but now is not the time for it.

I grab her by the shoulder and shake her. "Snap out of it, Lysitea! We need you!"

"Wh-what-?" Lysithea recoils at the motion. When she sees it's me, her face's features instantly harden and, upon seeing what was shaking her, pushes my hand aside. "Don't you touch me!"

Good, she's back to her senses.

"Never mind dat," I tell her as I point at the line of Blue Fire surrounding us. "We need to overload it. And you are… the most powerful mage of d- the seven of us. Can you do it?"

Lysithea furrows her brow. "Overload it?" She turns to look at the Blue Fire. "What do you…?"

After a moment of hesitation, her eyes widen and she turns back to me. "Are you insane?!"

"Insane, I hope not." Though it's a feeble hope at this point. "Without a better plan, yes."

"Do you even-?!"

"Listen," I cut her off. "I have seen for myself how dangerous Blue Fire is. I know tinkering with it is a bad idea. But unless you can come up with a better plan, d- this is all we have, unless you can come up with a better one."

"But...but…"

I arch an eyebrow. "What are you? A petulant kid who rejects plans when d- they come from people she dislikes, or are you an adult?"

That seems to do the trick, as her stance immediately tightens up and her eyes shoot daggers at me. "I am an adult!"

I nod at hearing that. "Good."

"Ahem," Dimitri draws the two of us' attention to him, the others standing behind him, with Felix rolling his eyes and the others looking confusedly between one another. "I'm glad you came to an… understanding. But, what exactly do you want to do?"

I gesture for him to come closer. "I don't want dese wannabe crows to overhear. So listen well, Boy Scout."

[Byleth]

The three hooded figures with cat masks step forward while the pale woman engages with this 'Emile von Bartels', the six mages around me making way for them to pass.

Out of the three, I recognize the lancer that attacked us back in Gaspard. If he's here, the other two wearing his same armor must be the other Night Cats. And these mages with the beaked masks are not part of any cult or organization I have ever seen before. This must mean they are Nightcrawlers themselves. Possibly the rank and file of the organization when compared to these assassins.

"How very strange. There is something familiar about them."

You have met them before, Sothis?

"Not exactly. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've seen them. But the beaked masks remind me of...something. I don't know."

"It seems fate has a wicked sense of humor." The words coldly coming out of the woman's mouth interrupt the conversation between us. Her two companions tighten the grips on their weapons and start pacing around on my left and right. "Arranging your retrieval of the Sword of the Creator like this, using the future leaders of Fódlan as meat shields is cold even for your daughter."

My...daughter? "What are you talking about?"

The woman raises her sword, the tip pointed at me. "Trying to deceive us is pointless, Fell Star. We know who you really are. What you really are."

Fell Star again. "I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage. I don't know what this 'Fell Star' is. And I have no daughter."

In response to my words, the woman reaches for her mask with her free hand and removes it as it makes a hissing sound. What the mask reveals is a scowling white-skinned face with narrowed eyes with black scleras enveloping golden irises. "Do the people of Agartha stir your memory?"

It doesn't stir mine. Sothis' is another matter.

"Agartha? I...I know that name."

That the word did mean something to her and that these people would hate her so leaves only one explanation. "You and Sothis were enemies at one point, weren't you?"

The two men stop pacing after my question. The woman's face twitches. "You mean we and you, don't you?"

"Sothis may inhabit my head, but she and I are not one and the same."

The woman purses her lips and furrows her brow before talking again. "If that is true, surrender that sword. I promise no harm shall come to you or your students."

"What do you want with it?"

"To keep it away from Sothis' hands. That monster once torched Fódlan, and none of us shall let that happen again."

"Wh-what?"

"Now," the woman lowers her sword and raises her free hand. "Give it to me."

Sothis...is what they're saying true?

"I...I don't know! I can't remember anything! It could be, but then I...why? Why would I do-?"

Calm down.

Her doubt sounds too genuine. And she is not denying the possibility she did that. Whatever the truth is, she really doesn't remember. And somehow, this sword is linked to her.

"The sword stays with me," I declare, causing the woman to wince. "I may not know what transpired between your people and Sothis, but her existence is now linked to mine."

"If you hold onto that, you will only restore more of her power," she warns. "And when she's restored enough, your mind and body will cease to be yours."

"Perhaps," I concede while raising the blade to defend myself. "But I'll worry about it when the time comes."

The woman's features harden once again and she puts her mask back on. "You are a fool, Ashen Demon. And we will not let your mistake doom us-"

An explosion cuts her off. An explosion from where Claude, Lysithea and the Blue Lions were being kept. A cloud of smoke obscures them, save for the two pillars severely damaged by the explosion.

"Attack!" I hear Dimitri shout, right before he, Felix, Dedue and Claude emerge from the cloud and attack the Nightcrawlers.

"Panther, Cheetah," the woman hisses. "Intervene. Subdue the students."

"What about you, Tigress?"

I almost miss it, but 'Tigress' reaches for a knife hidden beneath her cloak and throws it at me. I'm not able to dodge it entirely, but a scratch on my cheek is all the damage it does.

"I'll manage. Go."

The two Night Cats immediately break off and join the ensuing fray. Tigress, on the other hand, starts circling me, sword pointed at me.

"I will take the Sword of the Creator. Even if I must pry it from your cold dead hands."

"You will try."

[Eugenio]

Aside from Lysithea needing the help of one of my Arcthunders to actually detonate the Blue Fire, the plan went mostly as I'd intended. She and I took the front with Mercedes, who deviated any burst of flames coming our way and the others stayed behind, shielded by Mercedes.

"Did it work?"

"It did," Lysithea answers Dimitri. "I can no longer sense the Dark Magic around us.

The Boy Scout nods solemnly. "Perfect. Attack!"

Dimitri immediately charges into the cloud of smoke that formed after the explosion, quickly followed by Dedue, Felix and Claude

"Well, you've heard him, ladies," I say. "Let's go before we lose de element of-"

To my surprise, Mercedes is not paying attention to what I'm saying. She's instead looking intently to the side, where Lion and the Death Knight are still beating each other up.

"Mercedes? Are you alright?" I ask the blonde girl.

"That man," her voice sounds distant as she replies. "Tigress called him Emile."

Oh, shoot me in the balls.

"It doesn't matter what he's called, the others need us," Lysithea chimes in. "Come on, we have to help!"

"Lysitea," I tell the short girl, who turns to me. "Emile von Bartels is… the name of her little broder."

Lysithea furrows her brow. Then she looks at Mercedes. Then at the Death Knight. "You mean that big scary guy and her brother are the same person?"

"He must be," Mercedes intervenes. "He and I are the last ones of House Bartels."

A worried look comes over Lysithea's features as she turns back to me.

"You go help the others," I whisper. "I'll keep an eye on her."

Lysithea gives me a hesitant nod. "Make sure that she doesn't do anything reckless."

Ah, reckless is normally a word I wouldn't associate with Mercedes. But when it comes to her family and with how she's acting right now, I'm not too confident.

"I will."

Lysithea gives me a quick nod before going after the others. That leaves me with nothing to do but go next to Mercedes.

"Mercedes, I…"

"After all these years, I finally met him again like this," she mutters, unheeding my words. "What happened to him? What is he doing here?"

Oh if only you knew just what he's involved with right now.

The latest clang of the two combatants draws my attention to them. They both have their weapons in a lock now, neither giving ground to the other. The Death Knight's armor has some dents that weren't there before and Lion has some bruises and cuts here and there. And despite the hits they've taken, they don't seem to have any intentions to relent any time soon.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually kind of rooting for the Death Knight to win this fight.

All of a sudden, Lion manages to overcome her opponent's strength and push him backward. Not by much, only a couple of steps, but the big guy is stunned long enough for her to charge another swing and kick a leg from under him. The Death Knight lets out a screech of pain when that happens, and Lions lifts her hammer, ready to hit him again.

The only thing stopping her is a Fire hitting her side.

"What t-?"

When I look again, Mercedes is no longer by my side. Instead, she has approached Lion and her hands are outstretched in her direction.

Oh fuck no!

"Well, well," Lion says as she regards Mercedes. "To what do I owe your attention Miss Martriz?"

"Leave him alone," Mercedes replies, her voice more firm than it usually is and her face making a more severe expression than it has any right to.

Lion looks perplexedly at her, then she gives a glance to a still downed Death Knight and then looks back at her. "Oh, that's right, you were a Bartels for a time. Well, sorry to tell you this, honey, but your brother has fallen in with the wrong people."

Mercedes doesn't react in any way.

Lion merely lets out a sigh. "It's times like this that I'm glad I'm an only child. Oh well, I'll try not to hurt you too badly, honey."

Oh you won't, bitch! Not again!

I rush to where Mercedes is and place myself between her and Lion before any spell can fly. "Eugenio?" Mercedes asks, astonished, while Lion looks at me surprised.

"Go heal your broder. I'll handle dis hag." Getting the murderous psycho back on his feet is a stupid idea, but Mercedes won't have it any other way. The fact I get to settle the score with this woman has nothing to do with this. Nothing at all.

Thankfully, Mercedes heeds my words and rushes to her brother's side. That leaves me with the Slitherer sorceress and - apparently - brawler. And her black eyes that feel like staring into the void, with the indigo circlets forming the irises feeling like the void is staring back.

"Well, well," Lion chuckles "I didn't believe it when we were told you actually joined the Blue Lions, but I guess it's true. I suppose I'll have to give someone my apologies for laughing at the notion."

That brings me back to the present. "You won't get to do dat," I hiss as I raise a menacing finger. "You hurt Shamir. Now, I'll do de same to you. And I'll take my time doing it."

Lion merely arches an eyebrow. "You made a friend out of that assassin? Ridiculous," she scoffs.

That is where I lose it. Without losing a moment, I charge a Thunder and shoot it straight at the bitch. To my displeasure, though, she manages to hastily raise her hands and parry it.

"My, my," she says. "You've grown stronger with magic, haven't you?"

I do not deign that with an answer. I only gather more Thunder Magic in my hands as I scowl at her.

Lion clicks her tongue. "Cheetah would have liked a crack at you. Oh, well." She drops the hammer and raises her own hands, gathering Dark Magic. She then gives me a smirk. "Just make it interesting, will you?"

A low growl escapes me, after which the two of us start circling each other. A few Thunders and Miasmas are exchanged between us, but both are parried or easily dodged

One part of me wants to go all out and throw the more powerful spells at her right away, so that she gets what she deserves. But the more rational part knows that would be suicide. She's clearly more powerful than me, both magically and physically if her duel with the Death Knight is anything to go by. And it also recalls the advice I gave Mercedes about outsmarting your opponent. But how do I do that?

"My, my. Hesitating after that fire you pulled out?" Lion chuckles. "Well, that's fine. It means I can do this."

Right after saying that, Lion makes a few gestures with her right wrist, clenches her fingers and points them at me. And right as she does that, five large purple spikes appear between us, all aimed at me.

"Time to dance, Outworlder."

One by one, Lion unclenches her fingers. And for each finger, one spike is shot at me.

Crap, did this have to be my introduction to Dark Spikes?

Thankfully, I manage to dodge the spikes, even though the last two come dangerously close to skewering me. But I don't get to catch my breath, before another set of spikes is already locked on me.

"Care to do that again?"

Knowing full well I can't keep dodging with my asthma long enough for her to run out of juice, I try a different approach: going as fast as I can, I conjure an Arcwind and release it against the spikes. And as the two spells collide, the resulting effect is less than I'd hoped but still good enough, as the spikes all miss me and end up planted harmlessly around me.

Although I'm immediately back on edge when Lion clicks her tongue.

"Wrong move," is all she says before snapping her fingers. And before the spikes detonate.

Pain immediately spreads all through my body as the magical energy scorches my body and the explosion blasts me aside. More pain follows when I connect with one of the hard brick walls of the Mausoleum. And after that, the pain becomes unbearable around my ribcage if I so much as try to move anything.

"How disappointing," I hear Lion in the distance, much weaker than before. "If this is all you can do now, Lynx should have been able to overpower you back then. Oh, and speaking of her..."

I feel something grab the back of my neck tightly, sending more shots of pain around that area. Before I can so much as register it's a hand, I am lifted up from the ground and am face to face with a scowling Lion.

"That was the little sister of Panther and Cheetah you killed that day," she hisses. "One of the few people they had left from their old life. Someone they loved dearly. And you took that away from them. What do you have to say for yourself?"

…

"Well?" the grip on my neck tightens, almost into a choke. "I'm waiting."

"I…" I keep my gaze with her unnatural eyes. The unnatural eyes of this Agarthan who has me by her mercy. Who I first faced two months ago not far from Garreg Mach. Who I learned took me from my world. Who denied me everything I had. Who left me in a position where I have to fear for my life. Who…

Her usual attire has been replaced by a white tunic, not unlike one you'd see on patients in a hospital. That she allowed it to be changed in that is the first sign of how badly she's been reduced.

Her right hand is in a cast, her fingers so enveloped in it they can't possibly move. Her face has taken an unnatural purple colouring, with her nose set at an angle it wasn't originally. Her breaths come out weakly, with her brow furrowing a few times when they do.

She doesn't seem to be conscious. But her closed swollen eyes do not make it clear if that's true.

Who reduced Shamir the way she is now.

"I don't...think you are in a position to judge me."

With as much speed as I can muster, I grab Lion's arm with one hand and her face with the other. And before she can remove either, I activate Nosferatu with both gloves.

Lion lets out a screech unlike any I've ever heard before as the magic sips her life force and pours it into my body, slowly and excruciatingly but effectively repairing my damaged bones and healing my bruises.

"S-stop!" Lion pleads. I ignore her. Just like I ignore her cries as I keep up Nosferatu. I do not stop even when she lets my neck go, I merely land on my feet and keep absorbing the life out of her, forcing her on her knees. And by the time she tries to use her free arm to pull my hand away from her face, she's too weak to do it.

This...thing crippled Shamir for life. She ruined my life. And now she has the gall to call me out for the life of one of her accomplices? For hurting two more? She deserves this. She deserves this and worse.

But...why does it feel less and less right the more it goes on?

I have never taken a life before. I have only ever heard stories on what killing for the first time is like. Stories of how it can change you.

So why am I not feeling anything?

I…

But every time I try to voice my complaints, my head immediately goes to the first guy I fought today. The one I gutted myself. And how now I'm feeling the same as what I felt with the Slitherer: nothing.

...

Again, more people dead at my feet. Again, I'm feeling nothing. It wasn't by my hand they died this time, but that doesn't make this any better. Not to me.

"Maledizione!"

I push Lion to the floor, letting her go as a result. I can only clench my fists and watch as her previous shreeks now give way to pitiful whimpers as she clutches her wounded arm to the chest and tries to cover the hand-shaped burn scar that now marrs her face.

I can't do it! Even all she has done, all the death I have seen without feeling anything, all that I have killed, I can't do it! Why her of all people?!

"Eugenio, look out!"

Mercedes' panicked shout stirs me from my thoughts just in time to notice the axe flying toward me and dodge in the nick of time, the blade just barely brushing against the tip of my nose before it lands not far from me.

"Well, well. Seems you learned your lesson."

I turn where that voice came from, the same direction that axe was launched from, and am met by the sight of another Night Cat. Specifically, the twin-axes guy whose name I have yet to learn.

Actually, wait. Lion mentioned another name I hadn't heard before. Cheetah. And she said he is…

Oh, crap. A vengeful brother.

"Last time, you survived because I didn't have the time to finish you off," he declares, his remaining axe pointed at me. "This time, you won't be as lucky."

I step away from Lion and start conjuring more Thunder Magic, Cheetah's gaze never leaving me. If I can keep this guy at a distance, I should be able to handle him, but his fellows all had some kind of gimmick attached to their weapons. I doubt he's any different.

Fortunately, at the side of my vision, I see I'm not alone this time around.

"Please, stand down," Mercedes warns him, fire dancing in her outstretched hands. "We don't want to harm you."

Cheetah turns to regard her for a second. Then, he lets out a chuckle. "Oh, you won't."

With a move that surprises me, he stumps his foot to the ground. At first, nothing happens besides me questioning what the point of it was. But then, to my utter horror, the floor just behind Mercedes opens up and spits out an intense burst of fire. The resulting explosion catches her back and blasts her away.

"Mercedes!"

When she lands, I see the back of her robe singed by whatever that was, along with the back of her hair. The blonde girl tries to lift herself up, but fails and falls unconscious almost right away.

I turn back to the Night Cat. "Bastardo!"

"Your turn," he just says before stomping his foot again.

I move away from where I'm standing and barely manage to escape a blast of my own. But before I can reposition myself to aim a spell, Cheetah stomps his foot again and I have to move again.

This happens a couple more times before I realize fighting from a distance is not an option, draw the sword at my hip and rush him. I know it's a bad idea right away, but I'm not going to wait for this guy to run out of power, if he even can.

As can be expected, my attempt at a swing is easily parried by his axe, and the only thing I accomplish is for the recoil to bounce me back, causing a derisive snort out of him.

"Right where I wanted you," he then hisses.

Without giving me any breathing room, he starts savagely swinging his axe at me, immediately forcing me on the back foot. I try to avoid his swings, but more often than not I am forced to parry in order to not get skewered. And the sheer strength behind each of his blows is enough to make me recoil.

As my parries only serve to wear down my strength, I decide to try a different approach. At the first chance I have, I parry with only one hand holding the hilt and in a looser grip than preferable. Predictably, the sword is pushed out of my hand, but that leaves me the opening to grab Cheetah's with my free one. I grab him and discharge a Thunder through his body, making him howl in pain.

He proves to be surprisingly resistant, though, as where that thug earlier was quick to go down, he manages to stay on his feet. But that doesn't matter. I just need to keep this up until he also goes down.

At least that's the plan until he stomps his foot again, unleashing another blast right next to us.

The left side of my body is instantly in pain as it is the first to be caught by the explosion, a good chunk of my robe getting torn on that part. The right side soon follows as I land on it soon after, but at least it's only temporary. The pain on the left persists. And I fear it may be due to burns.

Cheetah is the first of the two to get back up. Pieces of his armor have come off, and his cloak is now a tethered mess, but he somehow managed to hold onto his axe. His mask has also come off, revealing his telltale white skin, a pair of fully cyan orbs that make for his eyes and a mane of fuchsia hair. And also the savage snarl his face is twisted into.

"Why?" I ask him. Even I don't know what for.

"I lost family because of you," he hisses as he lifts me by the neck of my robe to his eye level. "Do you think your trickery or a Bolganone can compare?"

Without even giving me the time to reply, he raises his axe, ready to deal the killing blow.

...it's strange. For the longest time here, what I wanted was to return home. To see my friends and family again. But now, as my life is about to end, my head isn't thinking about that. It's thinking about all I've tried to do here and all the people I've met. Alois, Catherine, Shamir and Hanneman. Mercedes, Annette and Dimitri. Dedue, Ashe, Ingrid and Petra. Hell, even Lysithea, Felix and Sylvain.

It makes me wonder what they'll think of me once I'm gone. The Blue Lions will probably have a more flattering opinion than I deserve since they'll never know the truth now.

I resign myself to what's about to happen and close my eyes.

But that final strike doesn't come. I wait for a bit, but nothing happens to me. And when I reopen my eyes, I see why.

A long thin blade cuts through Cheetah's armor and impales him from back to front. His face shifted into an expression of pure shock and his breathing became more labored.

"No…" I find myself muttering.

Cheetah looks down at the blade coming out of his body as he starts gurgling up blood and his raised arm shakes. It isn't long from there before his axe falls from nerveless fingers, he loses his grip on me and his whole body becomes slack.

"NO!" I hear Lion shout.

It is only when his corpse is lifted into the air that I notice the Death Knight's silhouette behind him, letting out slow deep breaths. Along with a guttural growl when, with one swift movement of his scythe, he tosses Cheetah off his weapon and next to Lion, who crawls to him and tries to shake him. To no response.

After that, she pulls out some sort of small glass orb from one of her pants' pockets and shatters it. Both her and the body immediately warp away.

"Hrrrmmm," is all the Death Knight has to say after that.

"Emile, wait!" Mercedes, who seems to have regained consciousness at some point, tries to call out to him, hand stretched toward him. All that it gets her is a quick glance from her brother before he slams the pommel of his scythe on the ground and warps away himself.

[Byleth]

"Wind!"

Yet again, the gem on Tigress' sword lets out a burst of air that pushes the two of us apart. Not too much, but enough to be out of each other's reach. She and I then proceed to circle each other again, both of us seeking an opening to exploit. We have been at this for a while at this point. Every time one of us finally attacks, we trade blows for some time before she activates that gem and we start over.

If there is one thing I can give her, it's that she is a far better swordswoman than most. Quick, precise and always moving with purpose. But unfortunately for her, so am I. And this sword I'm wielding - which must be a Hero's Relic, from the looks of it - gives me a rather large advantage over her, as when it glows it has come close to breaking hers more than once.

Of course, all these breaks must mean she knows that as well. And she also has her own tricks up her sleeves. So far, she has used that green gem only for weak Wind Magic, but I was told she can do much more than this. No doubt she's just waiting for the right moment for it.

Thankfully, I haven't had to use the Divine Pulse yet. Should her incoming tricks catch me by surprise, I can rewind time and react accordingly to them.

"B-Byleth," Sothis intervenes all of a sudden. "I'm feeling...strange."

As soon as she says that, something happens to me too. My vision suddenly becomes blurrier, my body heavier on my legs and my grip on the sword's hilt looser.

What is happening?

"Finally," Tigress says. "I was wondering when the poison would take effect."

Poison? When did that happen? All we've done has been swinging swords at each other, and neither of us has managed to actually land a blow y-

Wait...the knife!

"Do not attempt your Time Magic. You can't control it in this state."

Even if I could, it is too late to go back to that moment. The Time Pulse's reach is not that far.

Without another word, Tigress comes with a new flurry of slashes that I barely manage to parry. Whether she was holding back before or it's the poison's effect, her attack are now coming much quicker than before, and I find myself struggling to keep up with her now.

Again and again, both swords clash against one another, but this time the strength behind mine is weaker, and Tigress doesn't hesitate to exploit that fact, pushing harder and harder and forcing me on my backfoot.

And then, it happens.

First she motions her sword in a way that suggests she's going to attempt a stab at my shoulder. But when I attempt to parry it, the stab doesn't come. And she instead swings again.

All of a sudden, I can no longer feel anything from my fingers and a sudden shot of pain from my wrist forces me on my knees as I try to suppress a pained cry. And as that happens, I hear the sword clanging as it falls on the floor, followed by something else.

I look at my hand to see just what has been done to it. All I am met by is a bloodied stump.

Before I can further contemplate my now handicapped limb, the tip of Tigress' sword comes near my throat. I look up to see the woman staring down at me through her mask.

"You are beaten," she hisses. "It would take nothing for me to end you right now."

"...but you are not going to." I manage to wheeze out through the pain. Why else would she take the bother of making that observation otherwise?

Tigress lets out a sigh. "No. But I'll leave you with a warning. We need your patron's collaboration only for so long still. If the next time we meet you still stand with the Fell Star, you will die."

Patron? What patron?

Tigress pummels me in the forehead before I can ask that aloud. Before I pass out, I am able to see her grab the Hero Relic and hear her order a retreat.

And that was the double update. We meet some new allies of the Night Cats' and people get messed up on both sides. What can I say besides you're welcome? :)

This is a part of Eugenio's development I hope makes sense. Up until now he's tried to keep it together at killing people. Once it was a quick kill he did out of anger, another was an accident and the others he wasn't the one actually doing the killing. But when faced with inflicting a painful execution on someone, even someone he despises so much, he couldn't do it. Was that done well? I'll leave it to you to judge.

A huge thank you to Softandhappy for betareading this one. Come join us all at the TreeHouse Discord server, code: 9XG3U7a

See you guys next time!