A group of people gathered within the Cardinal's Room at Garreg Mach. Various important personnel were amongst those attending the war council. Everyone was mostly staring at the one in charge of it all - Seteth.
He sat at the largest chair at the end of the extensive table which was furthest away from the door. Lucas and Edelgard were sitting next to each other, to Seteth's right. The latter of the two was in the seat at the edge of the table, closer to the green-haired individual that commanded them all.
Lucas was able to keep a straight face despite all the directions his mind was going in. Edelgard's presence had been enough to keep him steady. Jeralt being on his right was also a reassurance. To remain in comfort, Lucas massaged the Seiros Shield he kept hidden underneath the table.
Its divine energy was most efficient in keeping the dark thoughts away.
After everyone arrived, Manuela once again being a late arrival, Seteth cleared his throat and stood up.
"Greetings," he started. "It is a pleasure to see you all once again. This war has been rather draining on us all, even though we have not partaken in any significant battles for the past five years. I will personally apologize for our less than favorable conditions."
Catherine looked as if she was about to comment, but Shamir stopped her, allowing Seteth to continue as normal.
"However, I can say with confidence, that we now have an opportunity to change that, and to strike back against the Empire."
Everyone, except for Lucas and Edelgard, responded with surprise.
"We do?" Alois asked.
"Indeed. We now have a plan of attack, a means with which to begin directly opposing the Empire's conquest. We have lacked the resources to do so until now. But with the support of our allies in the Alliance, we may finally begin whittling away at the Imperial army's vast influence."
"What's our plan, Seteth?" Hanneman wondered, cusping his chin with a palm as he pondered plentiful possibilities.
"We will be capturing the Great Bridge of Myrddin."
"Myrddin?! Isn't that the place that's protected by Count Gloucester?" Manuela raised a finger, bringing attention to her. "He's with the Empire. How exactly are we gonna be capturing his bridge?"
"It is a simple matter. I have been in contact with Claude, the leader of the anti-Empire movements within the Alliance. He has said he will be diverting Count Gloucester's attention away from Myrddin, which will allow us to take the bridge with little opposition."
"Oh, Claude? Glad to know he's still around." Manuela smiled. "If this is one of his plans, then I'd say we've got this in the bag already."
"Now, don't be so sure of yourself, Manuela. Claude is not infallible. While his schemes are most certainly…" Hanneman paused to think of the right word. He frowned, then said, "irksome for those targeted by them, there is always the possibility they may be overcome."
"True." Manuela shrugged. "But you know what? I don't care. I'm willing to believe in my little schemer."
Hanneman sighed. "If anything, the faith you have in your student is most admirable. I merely wish you were somewhat more cautious."
"If you're so doubtful, then why don't you just ask the guy who knows if we'll win or not?" Manuela turned to Lucas, who'd been staring blankly into the table. "Hey, Lucas, what do you think? Is Claude's plan a good one?"
Lucas quickly and sharply cried out in shock. He returned Manuela's gaze.
"Um, yeah, it's good," he said. "We should be able to take the bridge."
"Should? So is it not a guarantee, then?"
"If there's anything I've learned recently, it's that nothing's a complete guarantee. You need to be prepared for any outcome."
"Big surprise coming from you," Catherine sneered.
Lucas looked over at the tanned, Relic-wielding woman. She was glaring at him with eyes of contempt. Instinctively, he leaned back on his chair - as if doing that would alleviate him of her disdain.
"What was the meaning of that remark, Catherine?" Edelgard asked in defence of her friend. She bore into the older woman's soul with an expression of suspicion.
"You know what I meant. Lucas knows about the future, doesn't he? It's incredibly hypocritical for him to say that nothing's a guarantee when he's the one that keeps guaranteeing future events to us."
"His foresight is not absolute. He cannot predict anything with complete accuracy."
"Don't give me that. I bet he could've predicted Lady Rhea's capture with complete accuracy. Where the hell was he when that happened?"
"Unconscious. You know that."
Catherine's eyebrows pulled together, her lips tightened, and the hand she had on the table visibly clenched. "Don't give me that, either! Of course I damn well know he was asleep, or whatever! What about before then? Why didn't he tell us about Lady Rhea's capture before he fell unconscious? What the fuck was he thinking?!"
"Calm yourself, Catherine," Edelgard recommended, briefly closing her eyes to restrain herself from eliciting a deep emotional response. "We are all allies within this room. There is no need to be so aggressive."
"Shut the hell up. Don't tell me what to do…" Catherine glared directly at Edelgard. "Adrestian princess."
Edelgard tightened one of her fists underneath the table. She grit her teeth, restraining her overwhelming desire to smack Catherine in the face.
Yet, she didn't need to. Shamir laid a restrictive hand on her partner's shoulder.
"I think you've said enough," she stated. "Calm down before you get thrown out of here, or worse yet, thrown into the dungeon. Let that happen, and you'll never get a chance to rescue Rhea. Is that what you want?"
Catherine growled. She balled up her anger into her fist, then unloaded it on the table with a slam.
"Fine," she said in a more relaxed tone of voice.
Edelgard breathed a silent sigh of relief, pleased with Shamir's intervention regarding the verbal altercation. She was glad it hadn't devolved any further. Out of concern for her friend, she checked up on Lucas.
It was evident that Catherine's words deeply affected him. He'd begun to hug the Seiros Shield as secretly as he could, keeping the lower ends of both his arms over the curvature of the Sacred Weapon while it was under the table.
For the sake of the war council, Edelgard didn't say anything. She merely smiled.
"Well, disregarding the matter that has just taken place, allow us to discuss the specifics of our mission at the Great Bridge of Myrddin," Seteth said, cutting into the silence. "According to Lucas' intel, there will be a mixture of both Alliance and Imperial forces defending the location. They will even attempt a surprise attack."
"Ah, so we've got to watch our backs? No problem! I'll make sure that plan of theirs never sees the light of day!" Alois reassured his comrades.
"Truth be told, Alois, I was hoping you may stay behind. You as well, Hanneman."
"What?" Hanneman asked in surprise. "Would it not be most prudent for us to send all of our forces for a decisive attack?"
"There will be no need for such a maneuver. I would like to ensure that the monastery remains safe. If the Empire were to attack while our best soldiers were away, then I fear we would not have a place to return to," Seteth explained. "I am entrusting you two with the defence of Garreg Mach."
"Understandable! Your trust will not be misplaced! Hanneman and I will defend the monastery with our very lives!"
Hanneman sighed. "If I must. But if I may ask, Seteth, why us? Why not anyone else?"
"I believe in your respective capabilities to lead the part of our forces that will be left behind. You two are both wise and very experienced leaders. I do not believe there is anyone else better suited for the task."
"You have quite the faith in us," remarked Hanneman. "But so be it. I will work with Alois to protect the monastery. We shall not allow the Empire to invade while our main force is away."
"Thank you, Hanneman. And you, Alois."
Alois beamed in pride, appreciating the words of his superior. Hanneman only smiled.
"We will be leaving in two weeks' time. Prepare yourselves for an important battle. If we fail, the Empire may very well claim dominion over the entire continent. We, the Knights of Seiros, cannot allow failure! We must succeed, for the sake of Fodlan!"
Mostly everyone nodded. Some were too perturbed to truly feel the positive energy coursing within Seteth's declaration, such as Catherine or Lucas, but there were those that felt more than encouraged to take on their enemies. Alois especially.
However, Jeralt was unsure. He murmured something incoherently before raising his voice.
"Are we really gonna be calling ourselves that?"
"Excuse me?" Seteth wondered, his attention focused on the captain. "Is there a problem?"
"Not necessarily a problem, just something I was concerned about. Calling ourselves the Knights of Seiros doesn't sit right with me. We'll be bringing in forces from the Alliance, and hopefully the Kingdom. I don't think we should subject them to a name that doesn't represent their homes, what they're fighting for."
"You wish to rename our army? I can accept that. Does anyone have any ideas? We will need something that does not strongly represent either territory. An entirely neutral name, one that Alliance and Kingdom soldiers would be pleased to fight under."
"Avengers?" Lucas suggested. His tone was one of faint happiness. "Um, League of Justice? Garreg Mach Strike Force?"
"I like that last one," Edelgard commented.
"Hmm." Seteth pondered the seer's suggestions. "I do not know if your first two are particularly fitting, Lucas, and that last one is perhaps not neutral enough, I fear."
"Why not just 'Resistance Army'? We're resisting the Empire, and we're an army. It's also about as neutral as you can get," Jeralt added.
Seteth thought about it, considering the idea as he stood.
"It will suffice," he said. "We shall be known from this day onward as the Resistance Army. Are there any objections?"
Silence.
"I see. Now, fellow members of the Resistance Army, you are all dismissed. Get ready for our first major battle in five years."
One by one, those that attended the war council slowly departed from the Cardinal's Room, getting up from their positions at the table before walking through the door. Lucas was one of the last few to leave, having only done so at the behest of Edelgard.
They both headed through the first floor of the central building together, passing by the four rooms in the middle of the floor. Once they made it down the stairs, they went through the doorway leading to the outside world.
Before they split up to go their separate ways, Edelgard took one more glance in Lucas' direction. His face indicated a great deal of conflict as if he was struggling about something she hadn't thought of. His gaze was distant. She assumed he was speaking to Sothis and Byleth.
The fact that was likely the case worried her. If it was a problem so significant that he needed to talk to the goddess of all people…
Edelgard stopped herself from assuming anything major. Yet, she couldn't quite help herself in some regard. Her mind had flashed to the battle the Resistance Army was to have at the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
She then realized just what it was that was ailing her good friend.
Several weeks later, the recently birthed Resistance Army marched out of Garreg Mach, leaving behind a small percentage of their forces for defensive purposes. Every soldier geared themselves up in preparation for their journey. When it came time, they all began their trek towards the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
It had been an uneventful march. Nothing of note occurred. The Resistance Army made use of a trail that went down the east side of the mountain the monastery was on. This allowed them to reach the ground at a point that was within Alliance territory, some ways away from Myrddin.
Since they were wandering close to House Gloucester, they all needed to be very careful in regards to their positioning. A single mistake in routing likely would have alerted those loyal to the Imperial army to the presence of opposition.
Nobody wished to involve themselves in a meaningless encounter.
Keeping the rough locations of any nearby major towns and villages in mind, the Resistance Army furthered their advance across Alliance territory. They snuck past Gloucester, making use of Claude's distraction to pass by without being noticed. It took a large handful of days, but eventually, Myrddin was within sight.
One more restful night at camp was taken. Then, the Resistance Army pounced upon those at the edge of the bridge that was in the Alliance. Not many guards were posted there, which meant the overall battle was a rather small skirmish.
Until they crossed the Great Bridge itself. A cavalcade of Imperial soldiers were seen in the distance, fully prepared and equipped for the Resistance's arrival.
Lucas' right arm twitched, the sharpened Killing Edge in his hand suddenly jolting in place as a result of his wavering.
"It's just about time…my first battle of the war," he said within his mind.
"Are you afraid?" Byleth asked.
"I think you already know the answer to that one."
"Of course." Sothis lightly nodded. "It is only natural that the fires of war would scare you. But you must fight all the same."
"She's right. You can't back down now," Byleth said in agreement.
"I know. I don't wanna fight, but I'll do it. If it's to eventually rid Fodlan of those fucking Agarthans, I'll do whatever it takes. I just…"
Lucas raised his arms, bringing the Seiros Shield in his left hand up to his chest. His Killing Edge was pointed forward.
"I really hope I don't have to fight any of my former students."
Alongside the rest of his allies, Lucas charged into battle. The fight on top of the Great Bridge of Myrddin soon began.
The two sides met with each other on the side of the bridge that reached Adrestian territory. Seteth, Catherine, and Shamir led the frontmost line of the Resistance Army, while Jeralt, Lucas, and Edelgard brought up the rear.
They were prepared for any eventuality.
With his Spear of Assal, Seteth sliced through and cut down various Fortress Knights. He had to put in some considerable effort so as to pierce their bulky armor, but even they fell to the might of Seteth's Sacred Weapon. He was forced to retreat from the danger of nearby Archers, concerned for his wyvern. Thankfully, Shamir was there to take care of them. She shot arrows deep into their skulls.
Catherine's Thunderbrand was, once again, a useful tool. Its ancient, orange radiance slashed through enemy lines, even finishing off some in only a couple of strikes. She also made sure that those Shamir had shot were indeed dead.
Her anger coursed through her. The rage she'd felt in response to Rhea's capture, the desire she felt back in the Cardinal's Room…she finally had an outlet. A means with which to release her fury.
Nobody stood a chance against it. Her power was far too great for the Imperial soldiers to handle. Scarred bodies were laid all around her as she endlessly forced her way into enemy lines.
Shamir was close behind her partner, ensuring Catherine wouldn't be on the receiving end of any sneak attacks. Her well placed arrows were quite efficient in this matter. She continued to chase after her good friend.
Manuela was somewhere in the middle of the Resistance Army's forces. Her Faith magic was being put to good use. Heals were casted to ease any injuries her allies had taken, while Wards were given out to those that engaged with any Mages. The support she provided was very useful for the whole of the Resistance.
Right by Manuela was Flayn. They both shared similar Faith magic related skill sets, so they were as equally important as one another. Seteth kept an eye on his daughter. He was ready to fly in on his wyvern and defend her if need be, but she was holding her own fairly well. Thus, no sort of intervention was needed.
It also helped that she was wielding a certain staff.
At the back of the overall group, Lucas and Edelgard dealt with any stragglers. Anyone from the Imperial army that was able to sneak around the front's advance, or anyone that appeared suddenly from an obscure entranceway. Her Sword of the Creator worked well with her own voluminous Fortress Knight armor. It provided a solid ranged option, granting her a surprisingly great deal of offensive mobility.
Lucas' updated Myrmidon getup was as efficient as it'd ever been. Light and mobile, while still having a sufficient level of defence. Speaking of which, his Seiros Shield was being used to a significant effect. It was able to block just about anything that came his way. None of these nameless and inconsequential soldiers were able to get anywhere near to shattering his divine protection.
However, he knew he needed something of an upgrade. Everyone else on his side had undertaken Advanced classes. Some of these persisted from when he was awake before the five year gap of time, such as Catherine's Swordmaster class or Shamir's Sniper class. Some were most certainly different than they had been previously, like Flayn having become a Bishop, or Edelgard being a Fortress Knight.
And there he was. Just a Myrmidon - not even an Intermediate class. Something needed to change.
But not now, of course. There was still a battle to be had.
"Maybe later," he thought, before refocusing his efforts on the massive swath of enemies before him.
The conflict was going well for the Resistance. Some of their own had fallen to the might of the Empire, but the major commanders were still active. Divine Pulse was activated by Lucas a couple times to avert any deadly fates. Nobody he truly cared for was to die on his watch.
To that effect, he and Edelgard were about to initiate their plan. As the Resistance Army rounded a corner while on the bridge, the two of them - plus some additional knights - broke away from the main force and remained at the corner, facing away from the direction everyone else was going in. It was as if they were waiting for something.
Then they came. Imperial reinforcements, led by Acheron.
"I have arrived, General Ladislava! Prepare to witness my strength, so it may be reported to His Majesty…wait."
The blonde-haired Warlock blinked. Directly in front, and behind of himself, were groups of Resistance Army forces.
"How did you know I would be here? In this exact spot?" Acheron wondered. He narrowed his eyes.
They widened when he took sight of Edelgard.
"Wait, aren't you-!"
Within a minute of his arrival, Acheron was stabbed through the chest by Edelgard as she performed a quick, elongated stab with her Sword of the Creator. Lucas finished it up by blasting the enemy commander's back with his new Levin Sword.
"What…happened?" Acheron was barely able to say as he collapsed onto the ground.
Lucas and Edelgard's plan was a success. The Imperial army's attempt at bringing in reinforcements was a complete failure. All of the extra soldiers brought in by Acheron's warping were kept occupied by the knights that accompanied Lucas and Edelgard.
Once that was taken care of, the small side group met back up with the remainder of their allies. Their return was much appreciated, as the main force was deep in fierce combat with three Demonic Beasts.
Catherine and Shamir led a contingent of knights to face one on the Resistance's far left, Jeralt and Manuela did the same with the beast on their right. This left Seteth, Flayn, and the remaining few knights to deal with the one in the middle. Edelgard backed up Jeralt's group, while Lucas decided to help Seteth.
The Demonic Beasts became the Resistance's primary target. Some soldiers still tried to sneak in quick lunges and arrows, but none of them amounted to anything.
It was the beasts that were capable of dealing considerable damage. Knights from all three branches of the Resistance Army were killed by the blazing heat of the Demonic Beasts' Flame Breath, or the wild swiping of their claws. The creatures bathed in the blood of the humans.
But the humans were not helpless. They were capable of doling out just as much damage in return. The Heroes' Relics were key to their counteroffensive. Catherine and Edelgard sliced through the Demonic Beasts with as much might as they could muster. Seteth's Spear of Assal also proved to be effective in a similar regard.
Before any further casualties could be made, the Demonic Beasts fell, one after the other. Only a dwindling number of Imperial soldiers remained. The Resistance charged in, keen on ending the battle as soon as possible.
The fight against the persisting Imperial soldiers was the same as it had been previously. Their overall morale was visibly lowered after the defeat of the three Demonic Beasts, yet they still fought with admirable levels of determination. However, even though the Resistance was weakened and somewhat tired after their encounter with the aforementioned creatures, they were still able to fight with most of their strength intact.
As a result, many more Adrestian soldiers fell. Their numbers were thinning. It was getting to the point where the Imperial General herself needed to step in.
"I will not let a single one of you pass!"
Ladislava swooped in upon her wyvern, taking out a knight with a single swing of her Silver Axe. She was about to continue with her counteroffensive when she was forced to block an attack with her Aurora Shield.
"You are…"
"Jeralt Eisner. You might know me as the Blade Breaker."
"The Blade Breaker? I've heard many stories about you. I wasn't able to fight you during the Battle of Garreg Mach. Now, it seems I might finally have my chance." Ladislava pointed her axe in Jeralt's direction. "Come! Allow me to be the one that breaks your blade!"
"Let's see if you can even come close to doing that."
Jeralt and Ladislava set upon one another. A knight on horseback versus a proud, Adrestian General on the back of a wyvern. Great Knight against Wyvern Lord. His lance struck against her axe - their battle began.
Elsewhere within the battlefield, Lucas and Edelgard were mopping up several extra Imperial soldiers that weren't in the Resistance's immediate path. They were fighting close to a pair of smaller, wooden bridges that extended out to some other section of the Great Bridge.
Only a miniature handful of soldiers stood in their way. Edelgard had to switch out to a Killer Axe for the sake of preserving her Heroes' Relic, but she was still more than capable of eliminating foolhardy Adrestians.
After some time, the Imperial numbers greatly decreased. Lucas and Edelgard took a quick breather, giving themselves time to prepare for just a bit more combat.
However, combat found them. From the wooden bridges came a small detachment of Imperial forces. They were led by a pair of distinct Paladins.
Lucas gasped, then grit his teeth.
"Professor…I was unsure if I would ever see you again. I am glad to know you are alive," said one of the Paladins. He turned to face the white-haired princess. "Edelgard."
"Ferdinand." Edelgard returned his gaze. "I see you've made your choice."
"As have you. I hadn't thought you would ever abandon the Empire like you have. But it seems I was wrong." Ferdinand scowled at his former friend. He pointed his Silver Lance in her direction. "You are every bit of a traitor as Emperor Arundel said you were."
"Me? A traitor? How rich. At least I'm now aware of what manner of drivel Arundel is giving to his people."
Edelgard primed her Killer Axe towards Ferdinand.
"I had thought you would be smarter than this. To not give into the corruption that's currently controlling the Empire."
"Corruption? How could you say that?! No…this must be an excuse. A false reason with which to justify your traitorous actions!"
She frowned. "Open your eyes, Ferdinand. The darkness is there. Surely, you must have felt it, at least. The evil that lurks within the shadows."
"Quiet! I will not listen to the words of a traitor! Your lies will end here…along with your life!"
Ferdinand performed a wide, horizontal swing with his lance. One that Edelgard was easily able to block with her tall shield. As the two entered a physical struggle of lance against shield, the fallen princess glared directly at her opponent.
"It seems I will have to open your eyes for you. Prepare to be blinded by the truth, Ferdinand."
Their own battle went underway. Edelgard and Ferdinand were trapped in a round of deadly one-on-one combat. The pair ignored the rest of the world around them, mindlessly allowing their allies to do as they pleased.
As Imperial soldiers fought various knights from the Resistance, Lucas brought his attention away from the battle between former Black Eagles. His gaze was focused on the second Paladin. It was also someone he wished not to fight. But with the way he was looking at the ex-professor, it seemed as if there was no way around it.
"Lorenz. I see you're still around," Lucas said.
"Indeed I am. And I see you have awoken from whatever manner of deep slumber you were in."
"I only awoke this month. I've missed a lot that happened these past five years. You…you're fighting for your father, aren't you?"
"That is correct. He has chosen to ally himself with the Empire, which was the right decision. To oppose Fodlan's mightiest military force - that would have been foolish. Will you continue to be a fool, Lucas?"
"If being a fool means to fight against those that slither in the darkness, those that you can't fucking see for whatever reason, then call me a damn jester. But…"
Lucas hesitated.
"Lorenz, are you sure you wanna do this? You can back down now, head home, and say you were defeated in battle. None of us have to die."
"A true noble never runs from their responsibilities. Raise your blade, Lucas. You wish to take this bridge, do you not? You will have to go through me. I will not 'back down'. Do you understand?"
Lucas' jaw clenched. He sighed.
"I do…"
"Then let us battle until one of us falls."
Reluctantly, Lucas raised his Levin Sword and his Seiros Shield. Lorenz did the same with his Silver Lance. And then, their fight started.
Lorenz's lance lunged straight ahead, propelled by the speed of his steed. Lucas needed to dodge - he heeded the danger. He promptly impeded the attack by leaping backwards. Literal counterfire was given in return. A Fire spell was released toward the Paladin. It missed.
In return, Lorenz charged in with his horse, using the momentum of his mount's forceful gallop to initiate an upwards swing. Lucas blocked it with his Seiros Shield and used the recoil time to throw out a Thunder cast. It struck true. Lorenz was hit by a bolt of electrical magic, but it wasn't quite enough to force him off the horse.
The fight continued. A trading of blows, of swords, of lances, and of magic. Lucas' Sacred Weapon gave him the defensive advantage, which, when combined with his Divine Pulse, gave him an edge that allowed him to overcome the skill difference.
He chose not to think about what may have happened had Rhea not given him her shield.
Lorenz was significantly more well trained than him. Although he'd been given several weeks of harsh, catch up training from Edelgard, Lucas was more than aware that didn't come close to the five years of warring everyone else partook in. He always thought about that, all the way through the fight.
Things became much more dangerous and fierce the more it dragged on. Lorenz's slices and stabs grew more ferocious in nature, charged with an intense desire to attain victory and fight off the invading forces.
Lucas was desperate. His strikes and magical blasts were quicker, loosely placed, and more powerful. Even though he was unable to rid Lorenz of his steed, he was still capable of damaging him to a considerable level.
Both soldiers were panting, exhausted from the battle they shared. But one was less tired than the other.
Seeing an opportunity, Lucas fired a jolt of electrical magic from the tip of his Levin Sword, aiming straight for Lorenz. It struck him in the chest, providing him with an overwhelming sense of pain. That, in conjunction with his already fatigued self, caused him to let go of the reins of his horse and fall to the ground.
Lucas ran up and pointed his Levin Sword at Lorenz's neck.
"This is it," he said. "Surrender now, Lorenz, and I won't kill you. You'll be able to live another day. Please don't make me do this…"
"Why h-hesitate?" Lorenz was barely able to speak.
Lucas frowned. "What?"
The heir of House Gloucester coughed, spewing blood over the side of his face. He smirked.
"This…is war. Are you truly so n-naive…that you believe you could f-fight without killing those you've come to know?"
"I-"
"You kn-know about the value of killing," Lorenz interrupted. "About what it means to take someone's life. Lucas, I will not st-stop should you choose to let me live…I must fight for my father. For the man who brought me life. I...w-weigh my love for him above all else."
Lucas' hand wavered, yet his Levin Sword remained at the ready.
"Wh-which is why you must kill me. End my life. Kill me so that others m-may live. Leave me alive, and I w-will continue to fight…I will bring about the end of all you care for. Edelgard, Jeralt - the rest of your allies. Could you l-live, knowing you could have prevented their deaths?"
Lucas inaudibly gasped. His eyes widened as a recent memory flashed back to him. In his mind's eye, he could see a vivid image of Edelgard standing over him, hints of sadness somewhere in her expression.
"Hubert…"
The grip on his sword tightened.
"I'm sorry, Lorenz. I can't allow another one of my friends to die. If it really has to be you or them…"
"Do not sp-speak. It will only make the act more d-difficult to carry out."
"I-I'm sorry…"
With a single thrust, Lucas' blade pierced Lorenz's neck. Endless blood came pouring out as the Levin Sword was pulled away from the hole it created. Life was drained from the body at a gradual rate.
Lorenz was left with a content smile on his face.
Lucas stared blankly at the body for some time. Eventually, he turned away, averting his gaze from the death he caused. His expression was not of immeasurable sorrow. Tears were not leaking from his eyes.
Instead, all there was on his face was despair and reluctant acceptance.
He spent some time alone.
The overall battle proceeded without him. Imperial numbers were growing smaller by the second. Knights from the Resistance Army overwhelmed the Adrestians, as well as the Alliance soldiers that reinforced them. Only a minuscule amount of enemies remained.
General Ladislava was one of them. Her encounter with Jeralt had begun to slow down. Her wyvern was weakening and her attacks were generally becoming sluggish.
On the other hand, Jeralt's strikes were as swift as they had been moments earlier. He barely slowed down - if at all. His strength was still utterly massive.
She had no response for when he was able to slice her axe clean in half with his lance. Her shield fared no better in this regard. Seconds later, her wyvern was felled as well.
"I…I have to protect the Great Bridge!" Ladislava exclaimed while heavily breathing. "For Emperor Arundel's sake, I can't lose to you…!"
"Give up, and make your peace with reality. You're about to die. We're about to take this damn bridge. Got that?"
"You…d-dastard!"
In an instant, Jeralt carved his Silver Lance into Ladislava's neck, using his Crest of Seiros-fuelled strength to perform a strong slash that dragged the tip of the lance through her neck. All manner of guts and blood spilled out onto the ground below.
Her life had ended.
All of Ladislava's men froze when they witnessed her lifeless body fall weakly to the ground. Those that couldn't see it got the general idea from the expressions and actions of their allies. This shared freeze gave the Resistance Army the chance they needed to bring the overall battle closer to an end.
Ferdinand, too, was reluctant to act. His horse disappeared into the distance long ago after Edelgard deftly dealt with it. This made capitalizing on the situation much easier for her than it otherwise would have been.
But she chose not to kill him. Rather, she decided to switch her Killer Axe for the Sword of the Creator. She pointed the Relic at his skull.
"We've won, Ferdinand. Because you were once my classmate, I will give you this opportunity. Flee now with the rest of your soldiers," Edelgard said.
"What? I can't very well flee now-"
"You can. I'm giving you the chance. Return to Enbarr - now. See for yourself the corruption I speak of. The darkness that rests within the palace. Arundel is the source of it all."
"Are you certain of this?"
"I would not fight for this cause if I was uncertain."
Ferdinand struggled to comprehend the full breadth of her words. He was torn between two extremes.
He came to answer.
"I will flee," he said. "But not for you. I will flee so that I may have another chance at ending your life, Edelgard. Traitors to the Empire will not be left unpunished."
"If that's what you wish. Now go."
Ferdinand leered at Edelgard, then ran away from the battlefield as far as he could. The heir of House Aegir disappeared from sight entirely.
She shared not a single word. Edelgard silently checked on the state of the battlefield behind her.
All of the enemy soldiers were either dead or about to die momentarily. The fallen princess sheathed her Heroes' Relic.
Edelgard took some time to ease her wounds as the battle for the Great Bridge of Myrddin came to an end.
Somewhere within a dimly lit room, far away from all the encounters raging on throughout the continent - there was a woman. A twenty-four-year-old woman with luscious, brown hair, emerald green eyes, as well as a crimson red dress and a deep red-brown undergarment.
The woman stared out of a high up window, onto the busy streets of Enbarr. She was thinking. Lost in thought. Her contemplation led her through various topics, such as the state of the war, the wellbeing of her friends, and what to do next.
A memory of a certain man flared up in her mind. Someone who owed her a favor. Someone who she wanted to see again. Despite her wishes, she was unable to. There were many things left for her to do.
Silence within the cramped, stone room abruptly ended when the door creaked open. A familiar red-haired friend of hers entered.
"Hey there, Dorothea."
The former Black Eagle turned around, smiling once she realized who just arrived.
"Oh, Anna. Nice to see you again," she greeted. Her expression became more inquisitive as her mind raced through the possibilities behind Anna's presence. "Any updates on the situation out there?"
"Not much. All I was able to gather was that some members of the Imperial army recently brought in some dark skinned girl with red hair, kinda like mine. Dunno who that's supposed to be though."
"Neither do I. She doesn't sound all that familiar. But why would they want to capture her? Is she important somehow?"
"I dunno. My informant wasn't sure, either. They said they may have heard something about a plan Arundel had, but that's all they knew." Anna sighed in defeat. "Sure looks like they got a whole bunch of shady practices going on in that palace."
"Sounds about right. Hopefully, we can rescue that girl."
Anna seemed unsure. "I wouldn't bet on that, and I'm a betting girl. Might be a better idea to just take what we can get."
"You might be right…"
Dorothea, full of uncertainties and vague hopes, stole one more glimpse out of the window.
"What about our friends? Have you seen them recently?"
"I've been around. Some of them are still at their homes, and they should be aware of what we're doing. However, I don't know where everyone is."
"Some's better than none, I suppose." Dorothea turned back to Anna, following a sigh. "It's as you said. We'll take what we can get. I just hope nobody's gotten into any trouble."
Anna nodded, visibly displaying her agreement with her friend's hopes. Quietness emerged between the two as they both rifled through their minds and briefly enjoyed peace.
But out of nowhere, Anna had a flash of remembrance.
"Oh! Almost forgot."
Dorothea turned around, confused. "What? What is it?"
"I heard some pretty interesting rumors recently from my informant." Anna cheekily smiled. "Apparently a few days ago, an unknown military force attacked the Great Bridge of Myrddin. They almost wiped out the whole Empire garrison!"
"An…unknown force? Do we know their allegiance?"
"They didn't have a banner, which was weird. But if I had to guess, they must have been from Garreg Mach."
"The monastery?! Are you sure?" Dorothea's expression lightened up, becoming hopeful.
"Gotta be. The Kingdom's all wrapped up in their infighting; as is the Alliance. The monastery's pretty close to Myrddin, last I checked. Who else could it be? We're the only rogue Empire group in all of Adrestia. As far as I know. And I know a lot."
Dorothea paused. Her smile grew.
"If that's the case…"
Anna laid a finger on her chin as she waited for whatever her friend had to say next.
"Then it's time. Tell your informant we're moving out."
"Where to?"
Dorothea looked out of the window and pointed far, far into the distance.
"Garreg Mach Monastery."
Author Notes: The war's truly kicking off. If it hasn't already, of course. Hope nobody here's a Ladislava fan.
Sorry this one took so long to come out. I don't have an excuse this time, this is just how it happened. My bad! Will try to get back on schedule as soon as I can.
Anyway, so, uh, review response time?
eseer: Haha, the burn sure is slow, huh? Don't worry. It'll...stop burning (?) at some point.
Axel363402: Thank you very much! I pride myself on my dialogue (kinda). Glad you liked it!
And that seems to be it for now! Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you next time!
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