Chapter 23 – Gronder Field

30th Great Tree Moon; Imperial Year 1186

A hawk was flying above the field screeching. This was a place well known for any student of Garreg Mach. Gronder Field… This was there mock battles between the houses of Garreg Mach would happen. But this time… It was different. They were at war.

The mages in Edelgard's army already prepared fire spells before firing them to a group of Kingdom's and Alliance's shoulders. They screamed in pain before dropping dead.

A blond-haired man with an eye-patched looked down to the corpses of his army. A cold look was in his eyes. On his shoulder he wielded the Heroes' Relic similar to a lance. He pushed one of the dead soldiers with his foot.

"Know that I will tear your heads from your shoulders." he exclaimed. "The dead must have their tribute."

From another side of the battlefield Claude sighed. He already had calculated with how many of his people might survive. It wasn't looking good for him. But he had also sighed because he found it tragic that they were fighting here.

"As big class reunions go… This one's gotta be the worst in history." Claude stated closing his eyes briefly.

At the last end of the battle field Edelgard took a deep breath. She found it ironic that all of her former classmates were meeting at Gronder Field. A short look behind her, told her that every single member of her army was ready.

She wondered shortly as to why the battle would happen. Hubert's spies had reported that the Kingdom's army was invading their territory. Then other spies had said that the Alliance was also invading and that they were meeting at Gronder Fields. So, she ordered her army to follow.

She shook her head before focusing on the battle field in front of her.

"Years ago, we fought here as classmates." she trailed off, glancing to the side sadly. "But not today."

Everyone prepared their weapons. Byleth took a deep breath focusing her energy on the upcoming battle. She knew this was going to be one of the cruelest battles she would have to endure. Next to her stood Macuil. He also had drawn out his sword. However, he was starting to worry. Fighting former friends was never going to be easy. He knew from experience. However, this was war. And he knew none of the people he was going to fight.

"And so… We fight on. All soldiers, move out!" she yelled.

Byleth had herself immersed in a fight with a mounted unit. The horse's rider was wearing a grey armor and had fiery red hair. He wielded a lance as a Heroes' Relic. Byleth gritted her teeth. He was a fast attacker. She wasn't used fighting against mounted units and she had her fare share of trouble with it. The unit was charging at her again.

With a curse, she stumbled to the side barely avoiding being run over by the horse. The lance pierced into her left thigh causing her to cry out in pain. She collapsed to the ground pressing her free hand onto the wound. Blood was seeping out between her fingers and she cursed.

"Sorry, it's nothing personal. But you are our enemy!" the man exclaimed thrusting his lance forward. "Although you are a beauty. It's a shame I have to kill you now."

Byleth knew that she couldn't escape him. This was going to be her end and…

Suddenly the air shifted and several dark projectiles pierced the man's flesh as he cried out. He was thrown from his horse and hit the ground hard.

"Heh… I'm not… afraid…" the red-haired man on the ground muttered. "I figured it would end… like this…"

His eyes rolled back and he took his last breath. She gazed at the man sadly. He maybe had family. Maybe he had a wife. A shadow casted over her and she tensed. However, she calmed down again then she saw Jeritza. Next to him stood Noir dancing nervously. She smiled faintly at him knowing that she had to thank her life.

"Thank you." she said trying to stand up.

However, she failed and stumbled back onto the ground. Jeritza knelt next to her and focused. In front of him the Crest of Lamine flickered to life as a healing spell sunk into her. The wound on her thigh was closed. She took his outstretched hand and stood up with his help.

She looked him in the eyes but his gaze was already fixed on a Pegasus flyer. The woman neared both of them in a rapid speed. Jeritza mounted Noir quickly before readying his scythe. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed the weapon tighter.

Byleth herself extended her sword trying to catch the Pegasus flyer. But she avoided the weapon and descended straight to Jeritza.

"You will pay for what you did to Sylvain!" she yelled stabbing her Heroes' Relic forward.

He parried the weapon with his own. His heart was thrumming in his chest. A familiar headache started and he knew that Death Knight would soon emerge if he didn't end this fight in time. Noir seemed to grew more anxious with the seconds ticking by.

Jeritza gritted his teeth. He didn't want to let Death Knight take control over his body. Not now. Not then he had the chance of- His thoughts were interrupted then the woman thrusted her lance into his right shoulder causing him to let his scythe go. He gritted his teeth against the pain.

The Pegasus flyer was relentless. He had to give her credit. She managed to out-speed the two of them and even managed to attack both of them. Byleth knew that they were going to lose. Pegasus had a better endurance than horses… Even though Noir was a Ventus Nigri and they were known for their endurance.

The woman urged her Pegasus forward one more time. Byleth's eyes widened realizing that she was about to kill Jeritza. She screamed and rushed forward trying to stop the outcome. However, she was too late. Her lance pierced his armor and his chest. He was thrown from his horse and hit the ground with a clatter. Byleth screamed and rushed towards him.

Not again! She was going to lose someone she held dear. And this time it was Jeritza.

The Pegasus flyer was actually surprised by this and pulled her reins in order to let her Pegasus fly back somewhat. She watched with distant eyes as Byleth knelt down next to the dying man. He turned towards her, a small smile grazing his lips. He bent forward, his chest muscles straining against the wound.

"If only I could return… to those days once more…" he muttered sadly. "And… If I could only see… her once more…"

"Jeritza! You can't leave me alone just like dad did!" Byleth yelled while tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"I… am sorry… Byleth…"

He gritted his teeth and put a hand on her cheek. Such softness… He caressed her cheek so softly. Then he pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in realization at what this meant. Her tears flowed freely now. He separated from her coughing up blood. He fell backwards to the ground.

With widened eyes she watched as his eyes fluttered. His chest stopped moving. His body went limb. And his heart… stopped beating.

Byleth screamed his name again. She completely ignored the approaching danger of the Pegasus flyer. A sharp pain erupted in her chest and she looked down. A lance had pierced her as well. Then the weapon was pulled out again and she collapsed on top of Jeritza's corpse.

"So this… is… how it ends…" she muttered, a single tear escaping her eyes.

She reached a hand to his and intervened their fingers. She gave a gentle squeeze and smiled slightly. At least she wasn't going to die alone. And still… She couldn't help but wonder. What was going to happen then she died? What would become of the Black Eagle Strike Force? No… She, somehow, couldn't allow herself to leave them alone. She had still a job to do!

Focusing on the threats of time, she pulled with all the force she had left in her dying body. She turned back time. She wouldn't allow herself to fall here. Even if Jeritza now died. The environment turned purple before the events of the battle reversed backwards until…

Byleth found herself in the moment where Jeritza's shoulder had been pierced by the woman's Heroes' Relic. The Ashen Demon extended her weapon and wanted to pierce the Pegasus' wing in order to prevent the last outcome. However, the Pegasus avoided her and the woman thrusted her weapon forward, much to Byleth's horror. Because of the recoil she couldn't twist her weapon again. And so, she had to watch as Jeritza died again.

And again, she pulled back time. This time even further back. Just right before the woman dived in to cause Jeritza his wound on his shoulder. She charged straight at them. Still, Jeritza would receive the wound on his shoulder. But now she stood in between him and Noir and the Pegasus flyer. She would do everything in her might to prevent his death.

With an outcry the woman charged at her. Byleth knew what to do now. She had to get the right moment to strike. Too soon, and the Pegasus would avoid her attack. Too late, and she would be killed. The Ashen Demon took a deep breath. She swung out her weapon extending it. The Pegasus tried to avoid the attack but was pierced by a spell. The woman hit the ground coughing up blood. Byleth jumped onto her and pierced her chest with her sword. Then she jumped back and collapsed to the ground.

"Your Highness… I… failed you…" the woman gasped turning towards the red-haired man. "I will… soon follow… you… Sylvain…"

She died. Meanwhile Byleth's hands were shaking uncontrollably. She had managed to prevent his death. But seeing him dying two times. It was too much. Especially considering that on the first time he… had kissed her. And, according to her logic, people only kissed then they loved each other. Did this mean that he…

"Byleth, focus!" Jeritza snapped at her. "The battle isn't over yet!"

"R-right…" she muttered standing up again.

She could waste her time later with those thoughts. Although, seeing him dying two times was clearly a shock to her. It reminded her that she had lost her father and no matter what she did, she couldn't save him. But she had saved Jeritza. Byleth shook her head. A strong headache appeared signaling her that she couldn't turn back time anymore. If one of them died now, that this was it.

The next thing she knew, she was thrown back by a strong wind. She hit the ground and groaned. The force actually intensified her headache. She had to close her eyes but forced them open then she noticed that Jeritza was already battling again. She tried to sit up, however, her environment turned and she had to threw up. Were these the side effects of turning back time?

Jeritza saw that Byleth was incapable of fighting anymore. He shortly wondered why but soon focused back on the battle with the woman in white and blue clothes. She was somewhat familiar to him. He couldn't just place it. While fighting he tried to place this woman. She wasn't at least a threat to him. She didn't have strong spells. That was good. Although, she might hold back in hope of tiring him out. But unlike the Pegasus flyer, she wasn't skilled in fighting. She didn't even have a weapon with her.

His mind raced trying to place the woman. His memories wandered back to then he was teaching in Garreg Mach. Once his sister and… a young woman entered the training grounds in hopes of training with an axe. He refused to train them saying that they were unfit of doing so as they couldn't even lift the axe. His sister apologized but her… friend (!) said that she wanted to try it out. His sister was pretty close to her… They were, in fact, inseparable. Everywhere his sister went, she would follow. And the other way around.

But why was his sister not with her? Jeritza lowered his weapon.

"You… Where is your friend?" he asked her.

"What are you talking about?" she counter-asked him. "My friend?"

"The one who accompanied you then you wanted me to teach you about using an axe." he answered.

"Why should it care you?!" she snapped. "She wasn't your friend!"

"No, I am not. But she… she is my sister."

"Don't lie to me, you traitor!" she snarled. "If you are her brother then you wouldn't have abandoned her!"

He grimaced slightly at remembering how she and their mother had left him with his father. Did he really abandon them then he begged them to leave him? He was certain that this was the best way. Had he mistaken? No, he hadn't abandoned them.

"I hadn't abandoned her." he insisted.

"I wasn't talking then Mercie and her mother left House Bartels! I was talking then you betrayed her by kidnapping Seteth's sister!" she yelled.

"I didn't have much of a choice back then. Either I followed the order or…" he trailed off grimacing.

"Or what?!"

"I am not obliged to answer you." he said. "But please answer me. What had happened to her?"

"She was married to a noble living in the Kingdom two years ago."

"What?!" he hissed. "Where is she living? Tell me!"

"I don't know. She just… disappeared from one day to another."

Jeritza gritted his teeth. He had wanted to prevent this. He had wanted that his sister lived a happy life. But now she had been the wife of a noble from the Kingdom for two years now. If he found out that she had been living a terrible life then…

"I have to kill you." Jeritza said stopping his own thoughts. "You are an enemy to the Adrestian Empire."

He readied his scythe and walked slowly towards her. Annette fired a wind spell at him but he easily blocked it. He swung his weapon out. The young woman squeaked in fear while tears streamed down her face.

"Pl-please! I could be of use! I'm a good mage! Just… don't kill me, please!" she yelled frantically.

The tall man swung the scythe forward. Meanwhile Annette closed her eyes and hung her head knowing that her time was up. She just hoped that her death would be fast.

"I'm sorry… father…" she mumbled before the scythe came down with great force separating her head form her shoulders.

Author's note:

Death's in this chapter:

· Sylvain: Killed by Jeritza

· Jeritza: Killed by Ingrid (Divine Pulse saved his life afterwards)

· Ingrid's Pegasus: Killed by Jeritza

· Ingrid: Killed by Byleth

· Annette: Killed by Jeritza

In the first version of this chapter Annette was actually captured by Jeritza. But that would be so unlike his character. That's why I decided to kill her. I also dislike Annette very much. She is my second least favorite Blue Lion, after all. Who is my least favorite Blue Lion? Well, it's Dedue.