Well, I kept looking at the story and it turns it has a total of 19,308 words until the creation of this chapter.
As for this chapter, I feel like it is going to be the most infamous chapter for how I deal with Chapter 6 of Three Houses.
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The Horsebow Moon came. Garreg Mach was placed in a state of emergency. Not only was Flayn missing, but Linhardt also vanished. The Black Eagles and Lady Elincia were being interviewed for the whereabouts of the green haired noble, but none got an answer. Not even Byleth could figure out anything.
Kiran was on their way to bed when they heard a conversation between Odesia and Dimitri.
"Are you serious, Dimitri?" The Teal and neon green haired female crossed her arms. "You cannot be stating that someone just kidnapped both Flayn and Linhardt."
"It is true!" The Blue Lion House leader shook head before fixing his white hair. "I went to the library and saw that there was a struggle."
"The library... I saw Linhardt there before we set off on our mission!" Odesia gasped. "And did you find anything?"
"I found his white hair ribbon." Dimitri shows Odesia Linhardt's hair ribbon, which had small strands of pine green hair. "There were also books that scattered because of a broken bookshelf."
"This is bad..." The Black Eagle student frowned. "If the bookshelf is broken, there must have been a huge struggle. And there won't be any way to look for clues because the library will be out of bounds tomorrow."
Kiran then left in a hurry before the two students would even notice that the summoner was eavesdropping on them.
The summoner entered their bedroom and closed the door.
"Sothis... we have a problem." They said.
"I know what you are referring." Sothis appeared. "In the original timeline, only Flayn was missing. And in here... both Flayn and that Hevring boy are missing."
"We are gonna help the entire monastery tomorrow..." Kiran lied down on their bed. "And I believe Alfonse will have some details on the whole kidnapping thing. After all, he was kidnapped by Thórr."
"Won't that... you know, traumatize him?" The green haired girl asked.
"I know it won't." The summoner shook their head. "He is a young man with willpower."
Sothis only sighed. Sometimes, she would ask herself if the Sothis of this alternate Fodlan can stand Byleth's nonsense.
The next morning, Aster was helping clean up the library when Kiran approached her.
"Excuse me, Aster?" The summoner asked her.
"Eep!" Aster almost dropped her staff. "Oh. It is just you, Summoner. You startled me..."
"My apologies." Kiran smiled. "My question is... what details do you have when you were with Alfonse during his rescue attempt?"
The pink and blue haired girl's skin turned whiter than pale due to her different color skinned.
"Aster?" Kiran got worried. "Are you alright?"
"Forgive me..." Aster shook her head. "It's just... I cannot help, but be stuck on my failure on my attempt of what happened. It still terrifies me... even in my sleep."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Aster." The hooded Summoner sighed. "Forgive me for not being there for you."
"It is fine..." The white-skinned girl nodded. "I have to continue cleaning up. If I don't, Sir Aelfric will lecture me..."
As Aster continued cleaning up the library, Kiran shook their head.
"Aelfric..." They thought to themself. "Who is that?"
At the Golden Deer Classroom, Alfonse was writing notes on how to find the whereabouts of Flayn and Linhardt when Byleth approached him.
"Alfonse?" The Professor got his attention.
"Oh. Professor." The Askran Prince nearly dropped his quill. "Perdoname (Forgive me). I was doing some notes on how to find Flayn and Linhardt... the latter is your student after all."
"It is fine." The teal haired man nodded. "You were kidnapped when you first arrived, is that right?"
Alfonse stopped writing and dropped his quill. He placed one hand on his chest, took a deep breath and looked at the Black Eagle Professor.
"It's true." The blue and blond haired young man sighed, twirling a lock of blond hair. "From what I heard, not only Sharena was determined to find me, but she was also worried for my safety. I think... the same thing was happening to Caspar?"
"Indeed." Byleth crossed his arms. "But Caspar is very upset to the point that he won't focus on his studies."
"Ya veo... (I see...)" Alfonse clenched his fist together as if he was going to pray. "The sheer helplessness on saving a friend would deeply affect their emotional health..."
Suddenly, Peony arrived to the Classroom.
"Excuse me?" The Ljósálfar looked around. "Pardon the interruption, but has anyone seen Lady Manuela?"
"No." Byleth shook his head. "Why is it?"
"I am looking for her." Peony said worriedly. "The last time she was seen was when she was running off, holding what is supposed to be a mask."
"A mask?" Alfonse stood up from his chair. "Who could wear a mask?"
"I cannot think of anyone at the moment." The blond and orange haired álfar looked down. "I asked Emile if the mask belonged to him, but he gave me a flat no."
"A mask whose identity is unknown." Byleth sighed. "This has more questions than answers."
"Perhaps we could ask-." Peony was going to continue when Eir ran towards the door of the Golden Deer Classroom.
"Professor!" She shouted. "I heard a scream! It is coming from an abandoned room in the Knights Hall!"
"This is bad..." Byleth growled. "Eir, Peony! Go get the others! Alfonse, come with me!"
"Got it!" Eir and Peony nodded in unison and left in a hurry.
"What happened?!" Alfonse asked, a mix of anger and worry flowing inside him.
"The time has come, Alfonse." Byleth did not look at the Askran Prince. "The time to solve this mystery."
Minutes later, the group went towards the abandoned room. Dimitri and Dedue were absent because Dimitri had to tend to some commotion in Faerghus and Dedue accompanied him.
Ashe opened the door with a lockpick and they saw what is supposed to be an unconscious person.
"Manuela!" Dorothea gasped.
"Is she hurt?!" Beles gasped.
"She is injured, fortunately not fatally." Odesia is checking on her. "She needs to be taken to the infirmary."
Hubert noticed something.
"Her hand." The black haired man said. "She is pointing at something."
Everyone saw that Manuela was pointing at a passage behind a bookshelf.
"A passageway behind a bookshelf." Claude hummed. "This surely seems very interesting."
"There is no time to waste." Edelgard shook her head. "Professors, Summoner. Go check on that passage. Claude, Odesia and I will take Manuela to the infirmary."
"I will come with you too, Lady Edelgard." Aster nodded.
"Aster? Are you certain?" Edelgard asked. "The Professors will be short a healer."
"Thank you, Aster." Odesia nodded. "But I'm afraid the Professors will need more than us. I can handle healing Manuela."
"Alright..." Aster nodded.
"Please be safe, Linhardt..." Caspar thought to himself.
As soon as Edelgard, Claude and Odesia carried Manuela back to the infirmary, the rest descended down the passageway's stairs.
"Ugh..." Hilda groaned. "It's so dark here, I can't see a thing."
"Mind if I light up the way for a bit?" Sharena said as she turned on a lantern she brought from her journey to Hel.
Suddenly, as the room lit up, Annette gasped.
Lying infront of them were two unconscious girls: Flayn and one with dark greyish-blue hair.
"Is that Flayn?!" Mercedes gasped.
"It is." Emile nodded. "There is also another girl."
"That girl..." Ingrid thought to herself. "Is that... Neumi Merlina Gwendal?!"
Suddenly, some footsteps were heard. Aster froze in fear while Alfonse prepared himself to take out Folkvangr.
"That armor..." Lucretia muttered to herself. "So blue... so... intimidating."
The entire group stood back for a bit... the Whirlwind Emperor had arrived.
"He's here..." Alfonse thought to himself. "The Whirlwind Emperor..."
"So." The Whirlwind Emperor started his monolouge. "The little children have arrived. I have never expected them to find the abandoned dungeon where the Knights of Seiros would execute prisoners who defied the Order of the 'Goddess'. I am actually amused." He turned to see Aster ans Alfonse. "Ah. The girl that advanced from the darkness to the light and the little captive who was rescued from deception. It must be a surprise to see you both again... yet... I am not intimidated by your anger. Or your fear." He then took out his lance. "Let me introduce myself to the others. I am the Whirlwind Emperor. The Hurricane that will change the world to a better place. I will stop you at all costs."
"I don't know what you want, but you won't be taking my brother again!" Sharena hissed. "I won't allow it!"
"Oh, I won't do that... yet." The man in blue armor polished his lance.
"What did you do to Flayn and that girl?" Marianne cried. "Where is Linhardt?"
The Whirlwind Emperor was unable to answer Marianne's question. As if her words completely left him speechless.
"Did..." Elizabeth gasped. "Did Marianne just leave the Whirlwind Emperor speechless?"
Suddenly, a whirlwind was summoned and sent everyone flying except for Alfonse, Aster, Kiran, Marianne and Caspar.
"Everyone!" Aster screamed.
Caspar growled. He was filled with anger to the point of believing that the Whirlwind Emperor was responsible of kidnapping Flayn and Linhardt.
"You will pay for what you have done!!" The Cyan haired student charged towards the Whirlwind Emperor.
"Caspar!" Alfonse called. "WAIT!!"
Caspar did not hear the command and attacked the Whirlwind Emperor.
The attack barely did any damage and the armored warrior sent Caspar flying, knocking him unconscious.
"Caspar!" Marianne screamed.
"You are all no match for me." The Whirlwind Emperor laughed. "There is no way you can face me without a plan!"
"Summoner!" Alfonse turned to Kiran, trying not to show anger or fear. "Get Flayn and find Linhardt!"
"Are you crazy, Alfonse?!" Kirain shouted, their voice filled with worry. "That guy is super powerful!"
Before Alfonse could reply, a magic hand appeared and grabbed him by the neck.
The Askran Prince tried to scream, but he couldn't because the magical grip on his throat was tightening, making him lose all air.
"Alfonse!!!" Aster cried. "Plese stop that!! You're killing him!!"
"Silence, child!" The Whirlwind Emperor growled. "You have no right to even speak to me! You are a failure as an ally and even as a healer! You cannot even do the right thing for once! Not even when you were told to save lives! You are a pathetic rat always crying for help!"
Aster was left on the verge of tears as she tightened her grip on her staff.
"As for you, Princeling." The armored man turned to Alfonse, who was still struggling to break free from the magic that was choking him. "You are as weak and pathetic as the rat is. Unable to save a childhood friend from his cursed, helplessly watch an ally die by the hands of an enemies and saved from death by even your own father. You do not deserve to be a rightful ruler once you realize your-."
Suddenly, a dark spell appeared and hit the Whirlwind Emperor, stopping the strangling magic.
Alfonse dropped to the ground like a ragdoll and started coughing blood. Veronica had regained her strenght and fired a spell from Elivagír.
"No one harms the Askrans." She said in a serious manner. "No one but me."
"Vero..nica..." Alfonse struggled to speak as he held onto his throat while Marianne and Kiran helped him heal.
"What in the world is a child doing here?" The Whirlwind Emperor hissed. "No matter. I will kill you anyway."
"Not if I kill you first." Veronica prepared another spell. However...
"That is enough!" A voice was heard.
A mysterious robed person who was taller than everyone else had arrived, carrying an unconscious Linhardt.
"Linhardt!" Kiran thought to himself.
"We are not tasked to kill these people." The robed person said. "Our real work is done." They then turned towards the group. "You may keep these three. We apologize for dragging them to this situation. I am the Sin Reaper. May your sins be cleansed by my presence."
The Sin Reaper gave Linhardt to Kiran and disappeared alongside the Whirlwind Emperor.
"The Whirlwind Emperor... the Sin Reaper... and the Death Knight..." Aster muttered to herself. "Hoc non intentant bene... (This will not bode well...)"
Everyone else went towards Kiraine.
"Is everyone alright?!" Hubert asked.
"ALFONSE!!!" Sharena screamed as she went towards her brother.
Alfonse muttered words that no one understood and held onto his sister as she comforted him with Lucretia.
Mercedes and Annette checked on Caspar, who was unconscious.
"No fatal injuries." Mercedes nodded. "Though I am worried about Linhardt..."
Something caught Valeria's eye. She saw that Linhardt's hand was barely showing his Minor Crest of Cethleann. She whispered something to Aster and the latter gasped.
"We need to take them to the infirmary. Pronto." Ingrid demanded and everyone else nodded.
"Can you stand, Alfonse?" Lucretia muttered.
Alfonse nodded and stood up without struggle.
Sharena's worry never faded as Alfonse still tried to recover from being almost strangled by a magical arm for who knows how many times. The Askran Prince would say that Lucretia felt the same.
Later after the fiasco, Kiran, Byleth, Beles and Rhea were reunited.
"I am relieved that Flayn and Linhardt are alright." The Archbishop smiled.
"Pardon the interruption." Kiran said. "But... we nearly lost two students to the enemy. Not only did the Whirlwind Emperor show up, but we met someone called the Sin Reaper. The latrer was more merciful than the former and they even helped save Caspar and Alfonse's lives. Not only did we find Flayn, but we also took notice of a girl with grayish blue hair and something was missing on Linhardt."
Rhea was left speechless by Kiran's statement.
"Lady Rhea?" Beles got the Archbishop's attention.
"That girl... is Neumi Merlina Gwendal. She is a student of the Officers Academy, however, she is a student of last year's class." The Archbishop stated. "She asked to rejoin the Blue Lions after she recovered... as for Linhardt... there is an enemy who wanted to try... a weapon that nullifies Crests."
"A weapon that Nullifies Crests?" Byleth's anger was shown for the first time.
"Indeed." Rhea nodded. "Enemies such as the Sin Reaper, the Whirlwind Emperor and the Death Knight wanted to try something out with the Blood of Flayn and Crests such as the Crest of Cethleann." She sighed. "For I fear... the Monastery is not safe for Flayn and-"
"Halt, Rhea." Seteth said as he and Flayn entered.
"Seteth?" Kiran gasped. "And Flayn? What brings you here?"
"I came to have a word. With Rhea." Seteth crossed his arms. "You were considering that Flayn and I moved to a different location, right?"
"How do you-?" Rhea gasped.
"Well, it seems that Flayn stated that instead of moving off to a remote location, we would be safer at the Monastery." The green haired man continued. "And she fears for your wellbeing too, Rhea."
"I also have a request." Flayn said. "What if I were to join the Summoner's class?"
"That is a wonderful idea." Kiran smiled.
"I agree." Beles smiled as well.
"I believe so too." Byleth nodded, smiling.
"Thank you so much!" Flayn beamed in joy. "I will do my best to help you all out!"
Night came, Odesia went to visit Linhardt since Caspar was still recovering from his injury.
Linhardt was lying in bed, looking at his hand, his Crest becoming a bit more visible.
"How do you feel?" Odesia asked.
Linhardt's attention turned to Odesia, who had a saddened smile.
"A little dizzy..." He shook his head. "Though my arm is burning and my head hurts."
"You deserve some rest." The teal and green haired girl scratched her head. "The Battle of the Eagle and Lion is coming next month and we don't know how you, Alfonse or Caspar will feel after all of this."
Linhardt remained quiet. He trembled and shivered, Odesia knew it was a bad sign.
"Can you explain what happened?' She asked.
"I don't... know." Linhardt replied. "I don't know what happened."
Odesia remained quiet for the night. She would sense something was wrong, but she believed that someone must have knocked Linhardt unconscious while he was fighting back at the library.
Meanwhille, Lucretia went towards Kiran.
"How is he?" The Summoner asked.
"He's fast asleep." The Golden Deer student sighed. "I talked with Miss Anna about the situation... and she was very upset. I think she said 'No one messes with the Prince of Askr on my watch!' and she was a very determined woman when it came to Alfonse. I... fear something would happen to me... and I fear I may not see dear Lysithea again."
"I am sure nothing bad will happen." Kiran said. "I promise you."
"Thank you..." Lucretia smiled.
Far away from the Monastery, Thórr thought about her upcoming plan.
"The Battle of the Eagle and Lion is coming..." she smirked. "And I will be the one to change everything. Just you wait, Kiran. My master's goals will succeed in this Alternate Fodlan."
TO BE CONTINUED
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After Chapter notes: To be honest, in all my 14 times I played Three Houses, I always hated doing Chapter 6 of the main story. Not as much as Chapter 4 of Cindered Shadows, but writing that was torture. I had to do university stuff so I could remove my focus from my hatred on Chapter 6.