Third-Person POV

"Hey! You meanie!" Lily called out to the Death Knight.

The aforementioned meanie turned to the girl, momentarily causing her to jump in fright.

"Your armor looks soooo lame! Lily has seen scarier things than you!" She continues to taunt him.

"I don't think that's gonna work." Cyril stated.

"Like I said, have faith in her." Yugiri said to the boy.

"Lily, what are you doing?!" Lysithea asks her friend.

"Enough of this nonsense, child." The Death Knight said in an intimidating tone.

"Na na na na naaa~! Y'know, Lily's even scarier than you! Just look!"

Lily then made a scary face, fitting of a zombie, as her heart began literally beating out of her chest.

"GAHHHH?!" Cyril and Lysithea simultaneously let out.

"Gurk!" The Death Knight was also caught off guard by the youth's action.

"Blehhhh!" Lily stretches her face while sticking her tongue out.

Yugiri just has a pleasant smile on her face the entire time, and Linhardt's eyes are wide.

"Now Lysithea!" Lily shouts.

"Huh? Oh I see! Huhhhhhh!" Glowing purple spikes begin to pop up one by one in the air, surrounding the confused Death Knight, "HAH!".

Lysithea unleashes the Reason spell Dark Spikes Τ, obliterating the Death Knight as he stands.

"Ugh… The time is not right... I will wait for the next opportunity…" The armored reaper warps away defeated, deciding that this battlefield was not fitting for someone like him.

"That was… oddly helpful, Lily. I am grateful for your assistance." Lysithea puts her hand to her chest and smiles.

Lily struggles to put her heart back in her chest before smiling back, "You're welcome! Now let's kick some butt!"

"Well that was um…"

"Hm…"

Cyril and Linhardt were trying to understand what happened, but Yugiri beckoned them to follow her as they opened the eastern stronghold and let in the reinforcements. One down, one left to go.

"Ah, I can't shake them!" Sakura let out before a pegasus knight was downed by the group of student archers led by Ai.

"Nicely done, Bernie. Is it alright for me to call you that?" Ai asks Bernadetta.

"Um… it is if you want to. Thanks." Bernie responds.

Ai nods before taking aim at two more imperial pegasus knights, both of them moving quite quickly to avoid the shots from the other bow users. She takes a deep breath in, as she memorizes the flight patterns of her enemies….

And she lets her arrow fly.

"YARGH!" A pegasus knight cries out.

A direct hit to the side. The pain causes the knight to lose their footing on their pegasus and accidentally steer into the path of another one, causing the two of them to fall to the hard ground.

"Success, but this is not even close to being over yet." Ai thought to herself, before turning to the mages at the magical ballistas, "Choose a good location to strike, don't let them get any closer to the monastery!"

"I am truly grateful to have such a kind and inspirational individual like you defending this holy place. I am in the debt of you as well as your friends." Lady Rhea complimented.

"We owe you ourselves Lady Rhea, it is our pleasure to be of any assistance." Ai told her as she launched another arrow.

Sakura stares at the two for a bit before turning her attention to Byleth, Marianne and Dimitri, she had forgotten she was an adjutant when she got separated. She quickly ushers her pegasus to head back to face the crowd of imperial soldiers. rejoining the fray alongside Felix, Yuri, Petra, and Tae.

"Gurgh!" Balthus is taken off guard by one of the winged beasts' attacks.

"C'mon, big guy! You're not done yet!" Saki picks up her friend off the ground as Caspar decides to take a shot at Hubert.

"Uraaaaahh!" Caspar throws a punch, but misses by a mile.

"Still with the battle cries, Caspar? I told you about them allowing your opponent to gain an advantage, and yet you still refuse to use them sparingly."

"Ugh... Now I really got a problem with you, pal!" The angered brawler kept throwing multiple blows, but the dark mage kept dodging.

"Such a pity that you decided to oppose the Empire. What would your father think about this?" Hubert continues to toy with the former Black Eagle.

"He. Would. Think. You. Should. Keep. Your. Mouth. SHUT!" Caspar's rapid jabs failed to hit their mark.

And then from behind, Seraphim hits Hubert, "Agh!", Caspar's attacks were a distraction to push him into position!

"Ashe, do it now!" Junko signals.

"In the name of justice!" Ashe fires a single arrow right into Hubert's shoulder.

The emperor's retainer just rips it out and scoffs, "I can afford to fall back. We still have the advantage."

He then warps away in retreat as Saki and Balthus down the remaining winged beasts.

"Hoo! What a workout! Now let's finish things up!" Saki smiles as she sees the reinforcements arrive.

"I'm still raring to go… hah." Caspar pants as Junko heals him up.

"We've managed to take back the last stronghold, now all that's left to do is rout the remaining enemies." Junko said after giving a sigh..

"Right, there should be an improved chance at victory now that the reinforcements have come through. Just need to survive through it!" Ashe reaffirmed.

"Huh, this is looking to be easier than I thought. These Empire guys need to pick up the pace if they want to take over!" Balthus laughed.

"Ha ha, they won't stand a chance now!" Saki grinned and fist bumped Balthus and Caspar.

"Underestimating our opponents again…" Junko shook her head with worry.

"Indeed. The fight's only just getting started…" Ashe states.

"You're late. I... We are all tired of waiting." Dimitri stares down the unmasked Flame Emperor with rage once again building inside of him, "Now, let's separate that sick head from your neck, shall we?"

Edelgard gave him a simple reply, "Heh. You never were one for patience."

She then gave a saddened look as Byleth approached, Marianne behind him. Sakura then descends from the sky and dismounts her pegasus to stand with Dimitri.

"Please stand down… there has to be a better way, Edelgard…" Sakura tells her friend, but she is unmoved.

Edelgard just said nothing as the battle commenced.

Dimitri's aggressive style clashed with Edelgard's strength in a power struggle, eventually breaking up when Byleth used the Sword of the Creator. Edelgard dodged his attack while taking light blows from Sakura's lance, who was clearly trying not to kill her. The Flame Emperor armor just ate up those attacks easily before Edelgard knocked her away.

"Sakura!" Marianne cried out as she ran to her side for healing.

"RAH!" Dimitri roars as he once again goes for the kill, yet that gives away his position.

"Tch…" Despite that, Edelgard was still taken off guard by the surprise attack and is being overpowered by Dimitri's own strength.

Byleth then launches his whip-like blade once more and it wraps around Edelgard. Dimitri takes advantage and deals heavy damage to her armor with his steel lance with a use of Tempest Lance.

Another power struggle is in play with Dimitri winning until Edelgard activates a combat art of her own, Lightning Axe.

"AGH!" Dimitri cries out in pain from the shock as Byleth steps in to protect him.

The wind blows through the professor's light green hair before slashing back and forth with his legendary weapon. A Wrath Strike knocks the emperor back in a heap, as Sakura rejoins him along with Marianne and Dimitri.

"Surrender." Byleth tells Edelgard, holding his blade in front of her neck.

"No Professor, a beast like her does not deserve any mercy…" Dimitri pushes past his teacher and grabs her by the throat.

"Dimitri…" Marianne looks on as Dimitri begins to choke the life out of Edelgard.

"Ack… gah….urk…." Edelgard struggles to get free.

Dimitri smiles as it seems as though his vengeance has finally arrived.

"STOP!"

Sakura pulls Edelgard away from Dimitri, the Adrestian Emperor trying her best to reclaim air into her lungs.

"What… are you doing?" Dimitri asked in a quiet, yet chilling tone.

"There has to be a way to talk things out! I won't let you kill her just for the sake of people who are long gone… she is not the one at fault for that!" Sakura tells her house leader as she holds her arms up to defend her friend.

Byleth placed a hand on Dimitri's shoulder, like he's telling him to listen to what Sakura says. However, the anger inside the young prince just refused to let him accept this. He believed her responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur, and he swore that she would receive punishment for it.

"Preventing my revenge upon the one person who murdered my loved ones… you are such a fool. I cannot believe I had ever thought you worthy of being a friend…"

That last sentence.

It just hit the poor girl hard.

After hearing this, Sakura fell to her knees, a heartbroken expression left on her face. In her eyes, the old Dimitri has been killed in favor of the raging boar

Edelgard watched this display and decided that she had seen enough, so she called out to her remaining soldiers.

"You fought well. But now, your fight is over." She tells her enemies before shouting out, "Send in our reserve troops! And give my uncle the signal!"

Rhea looked ahead and saw that was approaching on the horizon, "What... is this?!"

Randolph and Ladislava retreated as all those defending the monastery wondered what was going on. The Empire's reserve members ended up being much larger than anticipated, they flooded the town near the monastery and were well on their way towards the monastery.

"Oh my… we need to retreat! Call everyone back!" Ai commands and the students all made their way back to the monastery to gather up.

"Shit shit shit… that's way too much of 'em!" Saki sweats as she joins her, Ashe, Caspar, and Balthus running past her.

"What should we do?" Junko asks as she sees soldier after soldier charging in.

"... We have no other option. Get Linhardt and Lysithea ready." Ai lowered her head, defeated.

Junko begins to fidget, "A-are you sure? There's not even an opportunity to say good—"

"The fight is done… we've lost." Ai tells her.

"Ai… ugh, damn it! I'm going to go find egghead and bring her here!" Saki dashed away.

"Go get everyone ready to go home. I'm going to go look for Sakura too." Ai tells Junko.

"... Very well. Stay safe." The idol senpai told her kouhai as she made her way towards the courtyard.

Ai just continued to shoot arrows into any soldiers who came closer, and prepared to reach for her blade.

She then sees Byleth approach her, "Professor, is Lady Rhea safe?"

"...She is. But I'm here to guide everyone to safety. Is there anyone left aside from you?" He asks her.

"Saki is off trying to get Sakura, and I'm about to go search myself. We'll be sure to make it back quickly."

"I see… it could be difficult to traverse the terrain with how things are now, tread lightly and stay out of sight. Make sure all three of you make it out alive." Byleth tells her.

Ai nods before unsheathing her Armor Slayer and rushing over to nearby buildings for cover.

"Where are they?! The soldiers could be in here any minute now!" Kotaro yells as he, Tae, Lily, Yugiri stand close in a circle.

"We just have to be patient. It would be much more dangerous when one is right where the enemy makes their entry. And all three of them are out there right now…" Junko sighs.

"Well we only have one shot at this, can't use the Warp spell repeatedly." Lysithea informs them.

"My my… and the unknown outcome of using the spell along with that staff is also troubling…" Yugiri put her hand to her cheek.

"Just have to leave it to luck I suppose. How exhausting…" Linhardt said as he read over the instructions once more.

"Lily is so worried… what if they don't come back?!" The young tv star quivered in fear.

"They will… I know they will…." Junko tries to reassure her, but to no avail, since she too was worried about Sakura, Saki, and Ai. Their friends were in danger, and all they could do was pray for them.

Sakura was still in the same spot as she was before, everyone else had already gone, well except for two people. Dimitri was stuck fighting off soldiers as they dragged him away from their emperor, and as for the other...

"I couldn't imagine the pain you are enduring at the moment. He really has become a very different person than before…" Edelgard stepped forward towards Sakura slowly.

"You've read that message I had sent to you days ago, correct? Then allow me to explain my request in better detail. The Church of Seiros had exercised its power countless times to spread its influence over all of Fódlan. Obliterating those who opposed their actions, like what you had seen with the Western Church. They divided the Empire to create a Kingdom, and then...divided that same Kingdom to create an Alliance. They did all of this to cause instability in order to reinforce their own authority. They gathered gold and lived in extravagance by preying on the devotion of those who wished for the goddess's salvation. Those corrupt hypocrites cannot lead Fódlan to true peace. So… I'm asking you to please consider being at my side."

"..."

"Your skills are worthy enough to be a great asset to the Adrestian Empire, Sakura. I have made no mistake in considering you as someone to care for and fight alongside. My friend… let us usher in a new dawn for this world, and make it a better one. Free from the Church's control, and where the weak will be guided by the strong. Do you accept my offer, General Minamoto?"

"I….I…." Sakura slowly begins to reveal her answer, but she keeps struggling.

She thought of her friends in Franchouchou, the students she battled with at the monastery, but in this current state of mind… she just didn't know.

"I'LL ANSWER FOR YA PRINCESS, HELLLLLLLL NOOOOOOOO!"

Edelgard and Sakura turn to see Saki and Ai standing there, steel gauntlets and sword drawn.

"Sakura, don't let her get to you. Do you understand what she's even asking? You've known her for a much shorter timespan, while we have been together since we've been revived. There's no other choice here!" Ai tries to reason with her.

"Just tell her to piss off and junk, we have to go home!" Saki growls at Edelgard.

Sakura begins to hyperventilate as she is unable to make a decision rationally. As the cries of pain from the soldiers got louder, Dimitri once again shows his face as he sees Sakura next to his hated enemy…

"Traitorous woman…. You are just like the heartless monster by your side!" Dimitri then begins to run, with the intent to strike down both of them.

"Goddamnit you crazy bastard stop!" Saki and Ai hold back the savage prince with their weapons.

"Dimitri, enough! She's not the enemy!" Ai tells him, but Dimitri refuses to listen.

Sakura looks towards the three of them, and then back to Edelgard, who holds out her hand.

"GAHHH THERE'S NO TIME LEFT!" Tatsumi screams as Junko is now in the circle with them.

"They haven't arrived yet, if we do this now, I don't believe we'll find the opportunity to do it again with the war going on!" Lysithea says as she holds the glowing Staff of Fódra in her hands.

"We have to stick together, if we don't, who knows what will happen?!" Junko tells her manager before they felt the ground shake below them.

"Aaaaaahhh! What's happening?!" Lily cries out.

Unbeknownst to them, The Immaculate One had been summoned, and was wreaking havoc upon the Empire's forces. Tremors kept on rumbling through, as the monastery began to crumble. Debris hitting the ground at a rapid pace.

"RAGH, RAGH!" Tae gurgled as everything fell apart.

"Ack…"

"Damn it… I can't hold on for much longer… AGH!" Lysithea and Linhardt couldn't handle the overwhelming force of both the quakes and the staff at once.

Yugiri then notices a large pillar was about to fall their way, so in a split second decision… She moves out of the magic circle and helps the two mages hold up the staff.

"Big Sis Yugiri?! What are you doing?!" Lily asks, utterly baffled.

"We'll be together soon enough, Lily… do not forget about us until we return to Saga." The courtesan tells her.

Tears fall out of Lily's eyes as Yugiri, Linhardt, and Lysithea lift up the Staff of Fódra…

Like before, the red gem within the staff glows bright as heavy winds begin to circle around Kotaro, Junko, Tae, and Lily, (and Romero). The crimson light is blinding as a vortex is created and it begins to suck them all in once more.

"No… no!" Lily yells as she is engulfed by the vortex and is muted.

Another gateway had opened… and they all disappeared from where they stood. The stone pillar falls and crashes into the amiibo Gazebo, only one left were Yugiri, Linhardt, and Lysithea.

The three of them fell to the ground exhausted after so much magic had been used there. But then out of the corner of their eyes, they saw people approaching. It wasn't the Imperial Army.

It was Ai and Saki.

"What happened here?" The former asked, in a dejected tone.

"The earthquakes had caused these two to lose control of the staff, so I stepped in to ensure the process went well. The swirling vortex from before had appeared again, and the others were engulfed and sent to an unknown world once more." Yugiri explains.

"My apologies… if I had only been more skilled with that relic, then we would have been able to hold off until you three arrived…" Lysithea shook her head in defeat.

"Don't be so hard on yourself… but also… There's only two of them here. Where's—"

"Sakura? Tch…." Saki finishes for Linhardt.

"Yeah, girl with the egg shaped head and a bow. I thought you went out to find her?"

"... She's gone now." Ai looks down at her feet.

"Pardon?" Yugiri's eyes went wide.

"She ain't dead but… she ain't here either." Saki's fists were clenched as she fell to her knees.

Ai then began to have tears fall from her face. Not common from the usually confident Heisei Idol, but you could not blame her.

"Then where is she?" Lysithea asks.

"Edelgard has turned her against us. She's a general of the Empire now."

END OF WHITE CLOUDS

This is far from the end, but regardless thank you. For following this story with each chapter, sticking with it until the finale. It just means a lot to this dumb idiot who decided a concept this strange would make a good story. I enjoyed every minute writing White Clouds so much with our favorite zombie idols thrown in. My first fanfiction has concluded, yet the saga in Fódlan will continue real soon. Three Houses Saga: Azure Moon will be a separate fanfiction from this story, so you have to go searching the Fire Emblem and Zombie Land Saga crossovers on whatever website you use. Or just click on my profile to check, maybe follow/subscribe if you want to see the that and/or my other ongoing fanfiction with a Fire Emblem: Three Houses and a Zombie Land Saga character in it, Danganronpa: Fictional Nexus with Ai Mizuno as the protagonist and Bernadetta von Varley in the cast as well! Or if you're on AO3, there's the option to subscribe to the Three Houses Saga Duology series. Whatever, hope that when Azure Moon is released, everyone who reads this story will do the same for that story. What happens now? Feel free to speculate and share if you so wish. See you in five years… (okay not in this time, but in Fódlan time)