Byleth was running down the long porch in front of the ground floor dorms.

Byleth was walking up the stairs of the goddess tower. Dimitri was with her. They were going to make a wish.

"Perhaps it would make more sense for me to wish that we'll be together forever. What do you think?" Dimitri tells her but moments later, he added, "Haha! Well now, Professor! You must admit I've improved in the art of joke-telling."

If it was a joke, it was a cruel one. Dimitri acknowledges as much but doesn't take back his take back.

Byleth keeps running, but she's not running. She's once again climbing the steps of the goddess tower. This time she's alone, and corpses of soldiers decorate the stairs. At the top, she finds a man. A tall man clad in black armour and cloaked in shadows, he raises his head. He sees her but also doesn't see her. Byleth doesn't know who the man is, but she knows he makes her heart hurt.

Byleth was in bed; the man from the goddess tower loomed over her with a smile. His one brilliant blue eye, shining with love and adoration. Byleth still doesn't know who the man is, but she knows he makes her very happy.

No, no, that was all wrong. Byleth was in Garreg Mach and she was running along with the dorms towards the pond. But long before she gets to the fishing pond, she sees it. A jet black tower was jutting up into the heavens. Perhaps in the light of day, she might be able to see the top. But right now, the tower blends into the darkness, blotting out the light of the stars.

Then there is the ice. As Ingrid had reported, the overflowing water of the pond had been frozen mid flood. But while the dorms and the great hall was untouched, half the greenhouse seemed to be frozen over.

"Professor!" it was Annette, "I was just about to head toward the meeting point. But I wanted to make sure everybody was okay."

"Report."

"Ah, everybody is okay!" Annette assured her, "The wall of the greenhouse closest to the pond is wrecked. But no one was inside, thankfully."

"Professor, Annette!" Dimitri ran up, followed closely by Dedue, "I am glad you are okay. Where are the others?"

"I am not sure. I remember Mercie telling me that she was going to stay up late helping Professor Manuela stocktake the infirmary. I think Ashe might have been at the library."

"Hopefully, both will be heading to the warehouse soon. You should too and gear up. Felix, Ingrid and Sylvain are already there. Professor," he continued as he turned towards Byleth, "I told the others to bring your gear too."

It was then that Byleth realised that she had nothing with her but her sword. It would not be the first time she took to the battlefield with nothing but her coat and weapon, still, armour is armour, "Thank you."

Dimitri beamed at the praise but said nothing more. Though it looked like he wanted to say something else, Byleth turned her attention

So it was Dedue who addressed the black beast in the room, "I was not aware you had a son, professor."

Byleth blinked, "I don't. I have never had anyone stick their dick in me, which I understand is the only way to get a baby in you."

Dimitri turned beet red and gaped at her, words seemingly failing him. Dedue remained stoic and simply said, "I see, that is surprising given what I know of mercenaries but it does fit you. But you did run here saying something about a son."

"Yes, the son I hope to one day have," said Byleth, "I believe he's here."

"From the future?" if Dedue was feeling incredulous, he did not show it.

"I know it sounds strange and I cannot explain it for I don't understand it myself," Byleth admitted, "But I have always had dreams that felt more like memories. I think my memories of my little boy was from my future self."

"And you think this boy is ahead of us?" asked Dedue, not letting his tone betrayed his inner thoughts.

"Yes!" Byleth found herself growing excited, "I can't wait to meet him!" she found herself grinning, "He's so cute! I can't wait to introduce him to you all!"

"And he's called Rodrigue?" asked Dimitri carefully.

"I think so."

"I see," there was something off about Dimitri's voice, "I did not know you thought of Felix… that way."

"Felix?"

"What about me?" asked Felix as he ran up with Ingrid and Sylvain, "We got your gear, professor. We passed Annette on the way here. I told her to come with Ashe and Mercedes. We probably shouldn't be moving about by ourselves."

Byleth nodded, "Form up," she said while putting on her armour, "Let's get closer to the tower!"

Which was easier said than done for the ground was slippery due to ice that they could not see. It was embarrassing, they were like newborn fawns. The dead fish everywhere wasn't helping either.

"I can sacrifice a few fire spells," Sylvain suggested.

"No, we don't know what's ahead," Dimitri replied, "Keep approaching carefully and slowly."

"Professor Byleth!" It was Claude, he and Lorenz were on the balcony leading to the great hall, "Knew you and the lions would get there first!"

"We should be with the others!" Lorenz protested.

"Hilda will bring here in time," he said with a smile, "But this is a mystery I am not going to miss out on!" he gestured towards the tower.

Byleth was close enough to see the tower now. It was an awesome sight. There was no windows or doors. It looked like a shard of obsidian glass that stretched up into the sky. The circumference of the tower filled the pond and was great enough to destroy the jetty. The ponds walls too undoubtedly sustained heavy damage.

"We won't be able to fish anytime soon," Byleth noted sadly.

"You have strange priorities, professor," commented Edelgard when she materialised next to her.

"Warp spell?" Byleth asked.

Edelgard nodded, "I had Linhardt send me ahead. He is coming with Hubert and the others. But I was not going to let you and the Lions be the only ones to pierce his mystery."

"See Lorenz," Claude said as he jumped down, "The Princess gets it!"

"That's all well and good, but how do we get in?" wondered Lorenz as he followed Claude down.

Byleth stared at the smooth wall of the tower. It was almost hypnotic, she began to sway on her feet as deep exhaustion started to overcome her, "Professor!"

Dimitri caught her before she could fall. It felt so right to be in his arms but would he still love her if he knew how not normal she truly was? Would he grant her their son? Not that it mattered, the knowledge of what she had to do was revealed to her. She would act, even if it meant that Dimitri would turn away from her.

Byleth steadied herself and moved towards the tower. She had never sung before coming to the monastery. But had embraced the choir as a way to develop a skill not related to battle. She could sing now and so, Byleth sang, "In time's flow, see the glow of flames ever burning bright," she could feel her crest activating, "On the swift rever's drift, broken memories alight…"

The symbol of the crest of flames glowed bright white on the side of the tower and then, the middle of the crest showed a crack. The cracked expanded into the shape of a door before it swung open to reveal the pitch-black darkness of time eternal.

"Ah, do we have to go in?" wondered Sylvain.

"I want to meet my son," Byleth declared, "I am going in but none of you has to follow!" with that, she stepped inside. From the footsteps that followed, she could tell that all of them had opted to take the plunge with her.

Unfortunately, as soon as the last of her students had entered, the door shut behind them. Cutting them off from Garrah Mach and the students who were still en route. For better or worse, they were on their own.