A War Of Change.
Things had taken a drastic turn, and not at all for the better. Edelgard had been exposed as the Flame Emperor, and was part of the horrible acts that had been going on lately. What's worse, she openly made and enemy of the Church and it was now clear that war was on the horizon. Right now, Edelgard and returned to the Imperial Palace in Enbarr, the Imperial Capital. And Edelgard rallying Imperial troops.
"The leaders of the church have misused its creed to fulfill their true desire - to rule the world. They have fooled the people of Fódlan. Long ago, they divided the Empire to create a Kingdom, and then, divided that Kingdom to create an Alliance. They did all of this to make the masses bicker amongst themselves. They caused instability in order to reinforce their own authority. They gathered gold and lived in extravagance. How? By preying on the devotion of those who wished for the goddess's salvation! Those corrupt hypocrites cannot lead Fódlan to true peace! Their foul belief system must be torn asunder so that true wisdom may finally prevail! And so, I have decided- by order of the Adrestian Emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg- the Empire hereby declares war on the Church of Seiros!" Edelgard declared, earning cheers of support from her soldiers.
Esdeath was standing next to her, despite her stoic face, she was hurting on the inside. She joined Edelgard because she never believed in the Church at all, and she knew how she would be treated if anyone caught wind of that she was the descendant of Nemesis. But this also meant she would need to fight the only person she trully loves.
Back at the Church, Byleth and Seteth were standing in the Audience Chamber to discuss what was happening.
"I cannot believe it... Let us recount the situation as it stands, Byleth. After you returned from the Holy Tomb... the Adrestian Empire declared war upon the Church of Seiros, as well as our allies" Seterh said.
"Declared war?" Byleth asked in surprise.
Seteth nods "Edelgard demanded her own father relinquish the throne, and then assumed the position of emperor. She has deemed the Church of Seiros to be an evil of this world, and is calling upon the people of Fódlan to help her tear it down. And what's worse, Esdeath decided to side with her for reasons we don't yet know. I must discuss our response to this declaration with the archbishop after the knights return from their investigation. Until then, watch over the students. See that they remain calm".
Byleth remained silent. The mere thought of having to fight Esdeath in a true battle to the death was not something she was looking forward to. But now she understood why Esdeath was acting so strange... but she was also worried about Akame. She hadn't spoke a word since she learned that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor. And Byleth worried Akame's already fragile mental state had taken a really damaging blow.
Later that day, Byleth spoke with her students. All of them were clearly on edge after what happened.
"I heard what happened, Teach. The princess- well, the emperor now- she really did it, didn't she? The lords and dukes of both the Kingdom and the Alliance have been called out, and now have to choose between the Church and the Empire. The seed of conflict was always there, and now we find ourselves in the middle of a war that will tear Fódlan in two" Claude said, not sounding as easy going as he normally does.
Lysithea looked worried "The Empire is rash, but I never thought it would come to this".
"How could something like this happen? I hope everyone back home is safe" Leonie said in clear concern.
"I always enjoy a good battle... but a war? Even I can't fathom the amount of unneeded bloodshed that it will bring. This is madness"
"I'm sure it's mass confusion at home right now. My brother must be worried sick about me. And my sister, Mine... she must be working herself half to death just to prepare for what is coming" Hilda said, no sign of her normally lazy attitude, she was genuinely concerned.
"Only time will tell" Byleth said, it was really the best she could offer at the moment.
Claude nods in agreement "You're absolutely right, Teach. I'm sure a lot of us are worried about our homes, but... all we can do now is prepare for battle... and tread carefully".
Lone Moon: Together, the people of Fódlan relish the beauty of the brilliant moon overhead as another year ends. They recall sad partings and new acquaintances alike, but each person must still walk their chosen path alone. With each day, the presence of spring grows stronger and yet a lone moon still haunts the sky. A silent reminder, perhaps, of some inescapable truth…
In the Audience Chamber, Byleth was speaking with Rhea and Seteth. The Archbishop's calm face was seething with anger that non would ever expect to see on such a beautiful woman's face.
"Unforgivable! I cannot believe that the Adrestian Empire would embark on such a violent course of action" She said.
"The fault is my own. I failed to see the wickedness within Edelgard's heart" Seteth said in shame.
"Is she wicked?" Byleth asked, not wanting to believe it since Akame was very close to Edelgard.
"She plotted with ill-meaning strangers to achieve her own ambitions and defiled the Holy Tomb. If that is not wicked, what is? Or perhaps her ambitions are even grander than we know. Perhaps she is planning to make herself a false deity by demonizing the Church of Seiros..." Seteth said in thought.
"Adrestia received its very name through a divine oracle. To injure the goddess is a sin most foul that shall not be forgiven nor forgotten. We must stop the Empire...and quickly" Rhea declared.
Shamir enters "I have returned, Rhea".
"Welcome back, Shamir. Were you able to discern the Empire's movements?" Rhea asked.
"Their main troops are marching towards Garreg Mach. It is said that they will join forces with Edelgard's army and arrive within two weeks" Shamir explained.
"Two weeks? That is not enough time! It will require all of our efforts just to prepare our defenses before then. We must send notice to all surrounding villages at once. We must order the residents of Garreg Mach to flee for their lives" Seteth instructed.
"It will be done" Shamir said before she leaves.
"…Professor…listen closely. If our enemy invades the monastery, I will have no choice but to stand upon the battlefield. If something happens to me...I am entrusting my sacred duties to you" Rhea said.
Byleth looked shocked at that "Why me?".
"You must have guessed it by now. The truth of who you are. Or perhaps I should say, your lost memories are surely beginning to return. I have acted all these long years as a mere proxy for you. But the duty is yours and yours alone. Only you can lead the people of Fódlan" Rhea explained.
Byleth wasn't sure what to think, so she just nods before she left. Once she was gone, Seteth looked at Rhea.
"…Rhea, please. You must tell me all that you know. I beg of you" He pleaded, earning a tired sigh from Rhea "That one…is the progenitor god. Am I correct?".
"In a sense. Our dear professor is…a vessel. One who carries the power of the progenitor god within. In time, the vessel will become one with the power contained within, and the progenitor god shall return to this world" Rhea finally explained.
"I see. I trust that you are aware of the questionable nature of this experiment? But I suppose there is no turning back…" Seteth said in a uncertain tone.
"I ask that you help our friend…and in doing so, help her. I am waiting and hoping for the moment when our creator rules this wayward land once more" Rhea said.
"I understand. As ever, I will take you at your word" Seteth said.
Suddenly Flayn enters "Lady Rhea, Brother, I will do my part as well!".
"Flayn! Were you eavesdropping? Regardless, I am glad to hear it. You owe your life to Byleth, after all. And in the end, she may prove to be our sister in this cause" Seteth said with a small smile.
"You have my gratitude, Seteth. And you as well, Flayn. As followers of the progenitor god, it is up to us to see our mission through" Rhea said.
"So... that's the truth you've been hiding" Came a cold voice, causing the three to look and see Akame emerge from a hiding spot.
"Akame? Where you listening?" Rhea asked.
"I heard everything. So my sister was nothing but an experiment? You used her to further your own gain? You never cared about us at all! You just saw us as pawns to achieve your own goals!" Akame said, growing more angry by the second.
"Akame, you don't know the full story. What I did may be seen as questionable for some, but I did it because-" Rhea began but Akame refused to let her finish.
"Silence! I don't want to hear any more of your false preaching! And to think I wanted you to be my mother! But you used me! Just like everyone else!" Akame said, sounding deeply hurt.
Rhea gasped "No, what I said to you was no lie. I do care about you, Akame. Deeply".
"I believed that, once... but I've learned something vital from both Edelgard and from you. I can't trust anyone. And right now, I trust you even less than Edelgard. She kept secrets but she never openly lied to me. If anything she gave me hints to what she was planing. I just couldn't see it until now" Akame said.
"Enough! You will not speak such blasphemy to Lady Rhea!" Seteth said in clear anger.
"Oh be quiet. Blind obedience such as yours makes me sick! If all you need is Rhea's word, then you are just another puppet! And I have lost all respect I have for any of you! So I am going to make one thing clear: I do not fight for you, I fight for my family. If anything happens to my sister, I will hold all of you responsible, and I will make you all answer for it! This is not a threat, it's a promisse!" Akame declared before storming of.
Flayn tried to stop "Akame wait! You don't understand. The Goddess-".
"Save it Flayn. As far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as a goddess. And if there is, I deeply hope she looks at all of you in disgust" Akame said coldly before she finally left.
"Lady Rhea..." Seteth said silently.
"Let her go... she is hurt, and I can't blame her for that. All we can do now is wait until she is willing to listen" Rhea said... a single tear running down her face.
The following weeks went by alarmingly fast. The Church barely had time to set up a defensive line before the Empire's forces had arrived. Akame spent the two weeks being mostly isolated from the others, refusing to speak to anyone as her trust in anyone that wasn't her sister had been all but shattered. Even Byleth had trouble speaking to her, and all Akame told her was to not trust Rhea or anyone who follows her... and that Rhea was just as much of a liar as Edelgard had been, if not greater. Byleth didn't like this, but due to the war being appoun them, it left little to not time for the sisters to have the talk they would need to clear things out.
"Listen up, everyone! The Imperial army is upon us. If you can fight, pick up a weapon! Everyone else, hurry up and evacuate! We have the goddess's protection on our side. We have nothing to fear. Victory will be ours!" Alois told the Golden Deer who had gathered for the battle.
Catherine joins them "Byleth, are you ready?".
"Almost" Byleth answered.
"Well, hurry up. I don't need to tell you that the situation is dire. We have some support troops from the local nobles, but the army we're facing is immense. No matter how you look at it, we're at a disadvantage. To make matters worse, the enemy is being led by Edelgard. Do not underestimate how extraordinary her abilities are" Catherine ordered.
"She's back already? Talk about impatient!" Hilda said.
"If we don't stop them, the academy will be destroyed. Prepare for battle, everyone!" Claude said.
Lysithea looked determined "We will stop Edelgard's rampage!".
Ignatz smiled "Our opponent is formidable, but if we work together, we will not fail".
Raphael pumps his fist "Enough talking! Let's go!".
Marianne decided to make one last prayer "Dear Goddess… Please, protect us all…".
"Come on everyone! Let's show those dastards what happens when you mess with the Golden Deer!" Leone declared.
Leonie smiled at the girl who's name was almost identical to hers "Try not to get to excited out there".
"I shall fight with all that I have. It is an honor to fight alongside each of you!" Flayn said in determination.
"Professor, Claude… You'll lead the way, won't you? You won't let any of us fall, right?" Hilda asked as everyone except Byleth and Claude leave.
"I wanted to talk to Rhea first, but as expected, that won't be possible. What did she hope to accomplish at the Holy Tomb? What happened to you as a baby? There are still so many things I need to know. The same goes for the real origin of the Crest Stones and the Heroes' Relics. As for Seiros and Nemesis…just how much of their mythology is true?" Claude wondered.
"We know so little" Byleth said.
"It's true. But lucky for me, I refuse to die with so much still unknown. Hey, Teach… All joking aside. Can we possibly survive this battle?" Claude asked.
Byleth nods "We'll find a way".
"That's all we can do, right? If we gave up, the god of fate wouldn't be happy" Claude said with a smile "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not the kind of man to just roll over and die in a place like this. I have my own ambitions to see to. There are things…dreams…that I must see come to fruition. And I've been thinking. I want you to see those dreams realized as well. On top of all that, there are still so many secrets out there, just waiting to be uncovered. We can't let that stand, can we? So, Teach… No, scratch that. You're so much more. You're my ally and my friend. Teach… Friend… None of those words quite capture what you've come to mean to me. We may not be connected by blood, but I believe our bond goes deeper than that. Now that we know each other, our hearts are connected. Even if our paths diverge and we're forced to say good-bye… I know that we'll meet again. And so, for lack of a better word, I gratefully call you my friend, and I hold fast to the belief that this isn't it for us. No matter who or what you really are, I'll always be on your side. You can't count on much in this world, but you can count on that".
Byleth couldn't help but to smile at that as Claude left to join the rest. But then Akame emerged from the shadows "That was some speech".
"You ok Akame?" Byleth asked, worried about her sister's mental health.
"I will once this is over. But Byleth, promisse me this. When the war is over, we will go back to traveling on our own. We can't trust anyone here anymore. We are better of without anyone else" Akame said.
"Akame, I thought you said you liked it here. You were happier than I had ever seen you before" Byleth said.
"That was until I learned that my best friend was the one behind all this, and that the woman I saw as a mother was just another puppet master, seeking to use us for her own gain. We can't trust anyone other than ourselves, Byleth. When I go out there, I will only fight for you. Everyone else can burn" Akame said, her tone making it clear that she meant every word she said.
"Akame..." Byleth began but sighed "Alright, if it makes you happy then we will leave after the war ends. But promise me this, Akame: Regardless of what Rhea and Edelgard has done, don't hate everyone else for it. You know better than even me that the friends you made here were not false".
Akame's eyes softened at that "You're right... the others in my class showed me love and friendship that is impossible to fake... alright, I will not resent them for this. And I will remember the good times we had".
Byleth smiled in relief "Good girl. Now, let's win this war".
Akame nods and the two sisters walk hand in hand. The Battle field awaited them.
The battle had begun. Their goal was to hold back the Empire's forces and make sure they don't breach the defense line. But Akame had only one target in sight: Edelgard. Her friend... she needed to face her again. She needed answers from her before she spills her blood on to the ground. She owed Edelgard that much, for all the kindness and support she had showed in the past. So Akame was ready to fight some Imperial soldiers, but they stopped when Edelgard herself showed up.
"So you came here to face me alone, Akame. Reckless, even for you" Edelgard said calmly.
"Edelgard. I challange you to a duel. Face me one on one, or are you a coward as well as a liar?" Akame demanded.
"I never lied to you, Akame. Everything I told you was true. I just didn't tell you everything" Edelgard said.
"Part of me believes you. But another part of me just wants to see you dead" Akame said.
Edelgard closed her eyes for a moment before giving Akame a hard look "Think very carefully about whether you wish to raise your sword against the Empire... or if you will offer it to us in fealty. And after you've thought it through, if you still wish to fight, I won't stop you. I will simply use the full extent of my power… and crush you".
"So you accept my challenge then?" Akame asked.
"I do. You may have bested me before. But this time I will not hold back" Edelgard declared.
Both women got ready before they charged at each other. The pair's pace was almost impossible to track. It was Akame on the offensive at first, striking fast and hard at her opponent. Edelgard was forced on the defensive for the most part, redirecting Akame's strikes while also using her momentum to off balance her. Akame didn't let up, she knew that she didn't need to overpower Edelgard, and a single slash could be enough to win the battle, and she could only hope Edelgard's strength would allow her to survive long enough to reveal the truth. Edelgard kept on blocking, deflecting the tip of Akame's blade into the ground before kicking Akame in the gut. She slid back, but was up in time to block Edelgard's follow up strike, and they entered a weapon lock. Akame pushed against Edelgard's strength and then pushed her back before swinging her sword at Edelgard as hard as she could. The sword clipped Edelgard, but only managed to cut a tiny piece of her hair. She then responded with a punch to the face, knocking Akame back. Akame slashed again, as Edelgard ducked the attack. Akame then brought her foot up to Edelgard's chest, making her stumble back.
Akame dashed after her, but Edelgard was read. She threw her ax at Akame who easily hit it to the side. But Akame didn't realize that Edelgard had a hidden sword on her. So when Akame got close, she was wide open for a stab to ther shoulder. She cried out in pain and Edelgard dropped her shield, allowing her to use her free hand to punch Akame hard in the gut, making her cough out saliva before falling to her knees. She looked up to see Edelgard point her blade at her.
"Finish it..." Akame said, sounding broken.
"Not yet. You fought well. But now, your fight is over. Send in our reserve troops, and give my uncle the signal!" Edelgard called out.
Akame got wide eyes "What are you doing?!".
In the distance near a town by the outer walls of the monastery, a large reserve of Empire soldiers are seen charging towards the monastery. On a cliff overlooking the approaching reserve, Byleth looks on. Just as she are about to unsheathe the Sword of the Creator, preparing to fight, Rhea stops her. Byleth watches as she walks ahead.
Rhea turns toward her, smiling "Everyone here, young and old, is in your hands" A conflicted Byleth moves her hand away from the Sword and reluctantly nods. Rhea turns back towards the approaching reserve. Byleth runs back toward the monastery No. I will not allow another Red Canyon tragedy to happen here".
Rhea transforms into a dragon looking creature and takes flight towards the reserve. Meanwhile, Claude and Dimitri are seen fighting off straggling Empire soldiers. Claude notices the approaching reserve while Dimitri busily fights on.
"What is going on?" Claude wondered.
As Claude and Dimitri continue to fight, a group of students, guided by Byleth, are running away from the monastery. Akame couldn't believe her eyes. Rhea was hiding that form this whole time? Just what was she?
Meanwhile, Rhea lands and proceeds to attack the reserve, forcing them to retreat back. The town is destroyed in the process. As some Empire soldiers watches the battle unfold, one of the soldiers quickly notice four Demonic Beasts charging towards the fight. The four Demonic Beasts pounce on the Rhea, knocking her down and pinning her against a monastery wall. Byleth, noticing the fight, rushes to Rhea's aid and attacks one of the Beasts. As Rhea knocks away the Beasts, part of the wall, which overlooks a large abyss, is destroyed with a Beast falling to its death below. The remaining Demonic Beasts are crushed by rubble in the ensuing collapse of the wall.
A bewildered Rhea glances at Byleth "Why did you come?!".
Byleth, realizing her error, glances back to see Thales and his soldiers watching her. Thales launches a ball of energy that knocks Byleth back towards the now-exposed abyss. The ensuing explosion causes Byleth to fall into the abyss below. Rhea lets out a horrified roar as Byleth falls into the darkness below, screaming.
"BYLEEEEEETH!" Akame screams as she runs at full speed to the large abyss, ignoring the pain of her bleeding shoulder, and Edelgard made no attempt to stop her. She looks down in the abyss but finds no trace of her sister "No! No! NO! SISTEEEEERRRRR!" Tears began streaming down her face as she falls to her knees "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!".
For a moment her dark aura flares like a wild black fire. The Imperial soldiers looked ready to kill her but ice quickly stops them. Esdeath walks over to Akame and puts a hand on her shoulder, cuasing Akame to look at her with rage and sorrow.
"I'm sorry..." Esdeath said, the tears in her eyes showing the loss of Byleth effected her too.
Akame's dark aura slowly fades and she breaks down crying as Esdeath kneels down and hugs her. An ice wall making sure they would not be disturbed. Akame had lost the only family she had left... and after the battle was over... Akame surrendered to Edelgard... She had no reason to fight anymore...
.
Tell me what you think.