"Where… am I?" he voiced his question. He laid on a grassy plain looking above a foggy morning sky. It was… calm and quiet, enough to make him want to take a nice, long nap. He closed his eyes, but he could not go to sleep. Something was shaking him.
"Oi, oi," he complained as reopened his eyes. "I'm trying to sle-" he was interrupted when someone suddenly picked him up and threw him into the air. He tried to catch a glimpse of the one who threw him. All he saw was a tall, muscular man. That was all he noticed before the man was incinerated by a barrage of fireballs.
He hit the ground and rolled back onto his feet. His eyes widened as he witnessed the charred corpse of the man that saved him. Taking a single step back, his foot bumped into something. With a single deep breath, he turned around and looked down. It was the corpse of a blue-haired woman. He quickly looked away as he grimaced from the horrible sight, but the sight right before his eyes was much worse.
Swords, arrows, and magic pierced the land and air. Men and women killed each other as the bodies of the dead were left scattered all around him.
He finally realized what was happening. It was an all-out war. A war that he had no part in.
And yet… there was a bloody sword in his hand. He was covered in blood. His body began to tremble as he continued to bear witness to the atrocity happening in front of him.
"Haru… ki," someone called to him. Turning to the voice, he saw another woman walking aimlessly. Her hair was tainted in blood, while spears and arrows impaled her back. She reached her hand out to him. Before Haruki could reach his own hand to her, she collapsed… Lifeless. He was useless to do anything.
Haruki's legs gave out on him, unable to handle the suffering. He covered his ears and looked down to the ground; an ill-attempt to escape this nightmare. In his state of despair, a bright light illuminated from behind him. He did not dare to turn around, but he did catch sigh of a shadow of someone wielding some sort of weapon. He did not care what weapon it was. If it was going to end his suffering, then let them. The pain was unbearable. He just wanted it to stop.
Thus, Haruki closed his eyes and waited for death to befall him.
"..."
But the strike never came. When he reopened them, he saw… nothing. The field, soldiers, and carnage just disappeared. All there was to see was black.
"Hhaaaaaa."
In the midst of the bizarre silence, there was a single, quiet yawn coming from behind him. Haruki slowly turned around only to see something even more bizarre.
"What a wonderful nap… But how did I even- oh?"
It was a child. Golden eyes and straight, long hair to match. She wore a white dress that went down to her knees. Her pale skin seemed to glimmer in this dark place. He had never seen her before, but there was something… familiar about her.
"Hehe! Now how did you get here, huh?"
"...I-" he was cut off by a finger on his lips.
"Tsk tsk tsk. No need to answer. You don't know, either... I know," she removed her finger. "But don't worry! Hopefully everything will be revealed to us sooner or later. But for now." With a gentle smile she faded away.
"Time to wake up..."
[20th day of the Great Tree Moon, Imperial Year 1180: Remire Village]
Haruki gasped out of his slumber and opened his eye. With the moonlight illuminating from out the window, he could see that he was still in his room in the inn. Gazing upon the bright moon just out the window, he controlled his breathing and let out a sigh. He wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead, trying to shake off his nightmare - a nightmare that he had already forgotten. Getting up from the corner he slept on, he walked toward his gear.
In addition to his shirt, trousers, and boots, Huruki put on his leather armor. Then came the knife harness which housed four knives on each side of his abdomen. Finally, he wrapped his black scarf around his neck and put on his black cloak that had the Eisner insignia embroidered on the back.
Once fully equipped, Haruki heard a knock coming from the door. Judging by the aura, he knew exactly who it was. Taking his time to fasten his Killing Edge Sword onto his belt, he eventually went and opened the door. Facing him was a tall man holding a small candle. He had blonde hair and a scar just under his left eye. It was a man he knew all too well: Jeralt, the Blade Breaker.
"Old man," the young man said.
"Hey, Haru," Jeralt greeted. "Heard some commotion, so I came to check up on you."
"..."
"Was it another nightmare?"
Haruki nodded.
"Were you... able to remember something, this time?"
Haruki slightly hesitated, but he eventually shook his head. Although it was partly true, he purposely left off the part about the young girl. That was something that hadn't happened before. However, he thought it was best not to make his father worried when even he didn't know the answers to what he just saw.
"I see," Jeralt rubbed his chin. "I know it's nothing new for you, but It has been happening a lot more than usual, and we still don't know why. I know you don't like it, but we'll have to talk about it more with Alexia, later."
Haruki only nodded again and walked towards the stairs.
"Hm? Where you off to?"
"A walk. Fresh air might make me feel better."
"You sure you'll be alright?"
"I'll be fine," Haruki sighed and turned to Jeralt. "Quit worrying so much."
"But it's my job to worry," Jeralt slightly smiled. "You're my kid, after all."
Without another word, Haruki turned away and walked down the stairs, leaving his concerned father behind.
Leaving the inn, Haruki felt the soothing chill of the midnight breeze. With the moonlight showing the way, he walked along the lonely roads of Ramire Village. Once reaching the exit of the village, he noticed some of the mercenaries keeping watch.
"Hey, Phantom!" One of which was rather difficult to miss or ignore: Brotus.
Haruki approached the brawler, but did not respond.
"What, ain't that rotten tongue got somethin' to say?!"
"Shut it, Brotus," Haruki finally spoke. "I'm not in the mood to listen to an old drunk's banter."
"HUH?! OLD?! Why ye little-" Brotus menacingly approached Haruki, but the boy was unfazed.
"Dawn hasn't arrived, and you're already on his back?" another member approached them before things got out of hand. "Quite down, you brute. And you better not have been drinking on the job."
"Alexia," Haruki greeted the new arrival.
"Hello, Haruki dear," Alexia smiled. "Apologies for this old brute's antics."
"Old?!"
"Keep it down, Brotus. You'll wake everyone up."
Brotus and Alexia. The oldest members of the Eisner Mercenary Company. Aside from Byleth and Haruki, those two were the Jeralt's most trusted allies. They were also the only two in the Company that still talked to Haruki, willing or not.
"Bah, ye got it easy this time, Phantom. Now, where ye off to?" Brotus asked, continuing to call Haruki by his nickname. "Ye better not be causin' trouble this late at night."
"Brotus. Enough already," Alexia interrupted.
Haruki pulled up his hood and passed by the two mercenaries. "I'm heading for a walk. The old man already knows."
"Hmph. Is it wise to let that brat roam around like this?" Brotus mumbled, which resulted in him being elbowed in the gut by Alexia. While Haruki did hear him, he didn't want to waste another breath on him.
"Dear, wait," Alexia rushed to the young man. "Before you go, let me check your arm."
"Hm? Now?" He turned back around to face Alexia and reached out his left arm toward her, which caused the expert in faith magic to slightly flinch.
"Yes, dear… Your father's orders," she composed herself and proceeded to inspect Haruki's bandaged arm. The woman never wanted to admit it, since he was the boss' son. As much as Alexia tried to hide it with her honeyed words and smile, Haruki knew that she was completely terrified of him.
Not that he blamed her, though. It's the same reason why Brotus vilified him and why most of the company completely avoided him outside of missions. It's been like that for quite some time.
A few moments passed before Alexia sighed in relief. "Good, everything looks stable. And the wounds are almost fully healed, so you should be okay… I don't need to remind you not to overdo it."
"Right…"
"Good… now off you go. We'll be waiting for you here."
With a light nod, he turned back around and walked away.
He hoped that finding a quiet place for himself would help clear his mind and figure out what he saw in his nightmare. And for Haruki, the forest was an ideal spot. After all, It was one of the very few places where he found solace. It gave him peace when the world utterly annoyed him. Of course, that was the case if the forest did not become a battleground; if it did, that would be an entirely different story.
Once being some distance away from the village, Haruki sat next to one of the many trees that dotted the landscape. Having his knees tucked to his chest and most of his face buried in his arms and hood, he couldn't shake off this feeling of confusion.
Like every other time, he didn't remember anything that happened in his nightmare. But for some reason, he vividly remembered the final moments. He played the sequence in his head over and over, but he still couldn't understand it.
"Who the Hell was that?" he reminisced. "Of all things… Why do I remember her? Why do I remember at all?"
He lifted his head to gaze upon the moonlight that broke through the leaves of the trees.
"...Why now?"
"My, my. So many questions!"
Haruki twitched his brow as he heard a familiar voice. He slowly lowered his gaze and saw a young girl sitting just a few feet in front of him.
"There's so much going on in your head! I was just itching to get out for a bit!"
There was no question about it. It was her. The same girl that suddenly appeared after his nightmare was now here right in front of him.
"Hehehe! You might find all of this strange. I do, too." She stood up and walked closer to the young man.
To make things more unnerving, Haruki could not sense this girl's aura. For him to be incapable of sensing a person's aura, they must be true masters of stealth, capable enough to perfectly hide from his detection. It was either that, or they had to be dead. This girl… fell to neither logical explanation.
"Hey now! No need to be so anxious."
While deep in his thoughts, Haruki did not notice that the girl was already right in front of him. She kneeled back down to be at eye-level with him.
"I have no intention nor desire to do you any harm."
It was out of instinct to never trust strangers who say such words. Yet, this felt… different. Even if he couldn't sense her, the girl's words seemed to truly have meaning behind them. He could not help but believe in her words.
"Good! We're both on the same page," she began to poke his cheek. "Since, we both don't know what the heck is going on, it's best to figure this out together, right? After all…"
Haruki blinked, and the girl vanished again, leaving no sign of where she went. Until…
"Seems like we'll be stuck together for now on," he heard her voice… inside his head.
Haruki slumped back on the tree, trying to make sense of what just happened, but to no avail.
"...You can't be serious," was all he could say.
"You're… a strange one," the girl commented on Haruki's nonchalant reaction. "And here I thought you would be traumatized. Anyone normal person would have if they heard voices in their head."
"..."
"Oh well, let's just save this chit-chat for later, I suppose. We seem to have a more pressing matter to attend to."
As she spoke, Haruki felt a presence.
"My my. You've picked up on it quickly! Always at the ready, it seems."
Haruki ignored her as he started sensing his surroundings. Just north from his position, he sensed the aura of three people. They seemed shocked about something. They were not afraid, but they were desperate. Judging by how fast they were moving, they were probably being chased by something… or someone.
"It seems to be that way. I wonder who, though."
Haruki did not answer. Instead, he searched further deeper within the forest to sense any other signs of life. His eye suddenly widened as he tracked what was following the new arrivals. He simply sighed as he finally stood up.
"Looks like we have our hands full. Whenever you're ready… Haruki."
"You know my name?" the boy frowned, feeling more uneasy.
"Oh, now you decide not to ignore me? But yes… strange, though. How do I know that?"
He tuned out the girl's voice, for the time being. He had something to do, after all. With weapons at the ready, Haruki dashed toward where he felt the presence.
How long had he been running? More importantly, why did their highnesses decide to follow him? Now, all the bandits that attacked their camp are hot on their trail. Well, there wasn't much he could do about it now. He just needed to plan his next course of action.
The three stopped to catch their breaths, seeing that their pursuers had lost their trail… for now.
"Well, this little training exercise took a turn to the extreme," Claude began, seemingly trying to lighten the already grim situation.
"You're right," Dimitri replied. "How are bandits so close to the monastery?"
"Beats me. But they sure made a mess of things."
"I hope everyone else got out of there in one piece."
"I'm sure they have," Edelgard reassured. "For now, we must do what we can to survive. After all, we are not out of danger just yet."
"You're right, Edelgard," the prince agreed. "We have to keep pushing forward. I'm sure we can find someone who can help us!"
"My, your optimism shows no bounds, Dimitri." the care-free Claude chuckled. "But you're right, we better get moving before-"
Claude was cut off when a knife hovered near his throat.
"Claude!" Dimitri yelled. Edelgard, on the other hand, already had her axe in hand, ready to attack at any moment.
"Don't try it," a voice came directly behind him.
"I can say the same to you," Edelgard glared at their assailant who didn't respond.
None of them sensed him coming. It was like he just appeared out of thin air. Was he one of the bandits? Doubtful. He seemed way too skilled to be some petty bandit. Plus, he had the perfect chance to kill him… but he hadn't done it, yet.
"Let go of him," Dimitri demanded, "Or we'll be forced to act!"
"Just state your business here," the assailant simply said, not fazed by neither of their highnesses' threats. "Besides, you're in no position to make demands."
Claude nervously chuckled and raised his hands. "Listen, why don't we all just cool down?" The knife moved closer and made contact with his skin. "Or maybe not."
After sharing a glance with Edelgard, Dimitri nodded. It looked like they finally understood the situation; about time, too. After a moment Dimitri responded. "We've been attacked by a group of bandits." Judging by how the grip of the dagger slightly tightened, that must have gotten his attention, but he didn't say anything else.
"They attacked us when we were at our camp," Edelgard added, lowering her axe.
"Yeah… What they said," Claude reaffirmed. "We're pretty much in a bind, right now. It won't be long until they find us… I hope that was enough to convince- AHH!"
Before he could finish his sentence, the assailant used his foot to pin Claude to a nearby tree, knocking the air out of him. Claude tried to get a good look at his mysterious fellow, but because of his hood and scarf under the cloak covering most of his face, only strands of white hair and a piercing red eye were all he could see. Although, judging by his relatively short stature, he wagered that he could be no older than the three of them.
Seconds went by in complete silence, as he continued to stare at Claude. He then looked over his shoulder to see Edelgard and Dimitri, both of them tightening their grips on their weapons at the moment of eye-contact. After another tense moment, he turned back to Claude with a much softer gaze than before. With a sigh, he took his foot off Claude's chest, giving the archer the chance to breathe again. He then brushed past Dimitri and Edelgard, not batting an eye on either of them.
"You got lucky this time," he pointed to a path. "Head to Remire Village just south from here. Once you're there, ask for Jeralt Eisner. Fill him in with all the details."
"What… are you planning to do?" Edelgard asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna buy you time."
"Are you insane?!" Dimitri shouted. "While we're grateful for your help, there's just far too many of them for just one person! At least let one of us-"
Dimitri was interrupted when a sword was pointed mere centimeters from his head. "You'll only get in the way. Just get to the village, if you value your life." After that, he put away the sword and dashed away with surprising speed and silence, leaving the three alone once more.
"So…" Claude broke the silence, "should we do what he said?"
"It's… not ideal," Dimitri sighed, "but we have no other choice."
"He's giving us valuable time," Edelgard added. "Time that we should not waste."
"Gotta agree." Claude nodded. "It's settled then. Let's make our way to the village."
With Edelgard and a reluctant Dimitri in agreement, they made their way toward Remire Village. However, Claude couldn't help but turn his head back to the direction where the mysterious fellow went. There was something about him that made Claude curious… Very curious. Something told him that this wouldn't be the last time he'd see him, too. For now, though, he needed to focus on staying alive.
He was standing upon a familiar sight. There was nothing, except for a large throne. Sitting on said throne was a young girl. She had long, messy, green hair, and she was wearing a blue regalia that was adorned with gold jewelry. This time, however, there was something different. Before, she was fast asleep, without a hint of waking up. But now…
"Oh my… What could've brought you here?"
She was awake, and she was talking to him.
"It is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose," she yawned. "Very rude, indeed... Now come to me. I wish to have a look at you."
He slowly walked closer to the girl. Her green eyes observed everything she could of him.
"Hmm, I have not seen the likes of you before," she continued. "Who are you, anyway?"
It was a simple question, but it was a question that he felt he didn't have an answer for. He could say he is a mortal, but he had lived anything but. It was the reason why he was given that moniker…
"I'm a demon," he replied.
"Do not deceive. You would do well to keep your wit in line."
It would seem that was the wrong answer. He thought back again. While he was frequently known as the Ashen Demon, which was a name that was widely known and feared, he remembered something that his brother once told him…
"You're still human, dumbass!" Those words rang to him clearly... And he also vaguely remembered that concussion he gave him that day.
"I'm a mortal."
"I see. Then you must have a name of sorts. Go on."
Was it wise to give out his name to a stranger? There was always that slim possibility that she may pose a threat to him and to others. He probably shouldn't...
"Byleth," he responded, for whatever reason.
"Huh. I shall never grow accustomed to the sound of human names," she said with a hint of amusement in her tone. "You must also possess a birthday. Beneath which moon and on what day were you born to this world?"
Byleth wasn't sure why such information was relevant. However, it would seem that he'd have no choice but to amuse her. Although, his birthday was a topic that has not been discussed that often, even with his father and Haruki. Regardless, Byleth recalled his father mentioning that both he and Haruki coincidentally share the same birthday. That being said...
"The 1st day of the Pegasus Moon."
"Well, wonders never cease!" she exclaimed. "It seems that we share our day of birth. How strange!"
Truly? It couldn't possibly be another coincidence... Could it?
"Hmm. It all feels so… familiar," the girl continued, but it was clear to see that she was getting weary. "I think it may be time for yet another nap…"
The girl rested her head on her hand and closed her eyes. Seeing the girl return to her slumber, Byleth also felt weary. He did his best to remain conscious; there were many questions he needed answers for, and this girl just may have them….
"It's almost… time to… begin…"
"Hey. Time to wake up."
Byleth opened his eyes. He saw his father sitting on a chair and already dressed in his armor.
"Were you having that dream again?" he asked.
"Yes… about the young girl," Byleth answered. Getting up from his bed, he went to get dressed, seeing that it won't be long before they depart.
"You've described her to me before, but I don't think I've ever met anyone like that."
"And Haru?"
"Another forgetful nightmare."
"I see… Where is he?"
"He went out for a walk, but he should be back any minute. You should finish up getting ready, too."
Byleth simply nodded as he finished putting on his armor and overcoat. However, his mind was still clouded by what he witnessed just moments ago.
"I know you've been thinking about the dream you've been getting," Jeralt put a hand on Byleth's shoulder. "But for now, just put that out of your mind. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts."
Byleth didn't respond immediately. He continued to watch his father take his hand off him and walk toward his shield and lance.
"Risking your life is part of the job for mercenaries like us. Letting your mind wander is a sure way to get yourself killed."
Byleth nodded in agreement. He followed his father's suggestion and decided to worry about his dream another time. His mind must be focused on the next job.
"Okay, let's pack up and wait for the rest outside," Jeralt said. "Our next job is in the Kingdom. I told you before. It's far from here, so we'll need to leave at dawn."
"Of course," Byleth nodded, in which Jeralt gave him a faint smile.
Fastening his sword onto his belt, Byleth was ready to depart. However both he and Jeralt heard a commotion outside.
"BOSS!" The two mercenaries turned toward the door. Suddenly, Alexia barged in.
"Alexia? What happened?" Jeralt asked.
"No time to explain! Just hurry outside, boss. Your presence is needed!"
Byleth and Jeralt shared a glance. They wondered what would be so dire at this hour. They could only hope Haruki was not the one causing trouble.
"Very well," said Jeralt. "Lead the way."
Upon exiting the inn, Byleth and Jeralt were introduced to three people roughly around Byleth's age - perhaps younger. Judging by how they were dressed, Byleth presumed that they were of noble rank.
"These three arrived just now," Alexia said. "They asked for you personally, boss."
"Please, forgive our intrusion," the tallest of the three stepped forward and gave a courteous bow. "We wouldn't bother you were the situation not dire."
"What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?" Jeralt asked
"We're being pursued by a group of bandits," the boy continued, which immediately caught Jeralt's attention.
"Bandits? Here?"
"It's true," the white-haired girl spoke. "They attacked us while we were at our camp."
"We've been separated from our companions, and we're outnumbered," the last of the three added. "They all came after us, probably aiming for our lives... and gold"
"I'm impressed that you're staying calm even at a time like this. So… Wait… That uniform," Jeralt's eyes widened. Taking a better look, Byleth did notice them wearing uniforms with matching designs. The only major difference was the color of their capes. However, these were uniforms that he did not know, but his father seemed to know them all too well.
"Boss!" the sound of Brotus approaching them pulled Byleth away from his thoughts. "We got trouble! Bandits just outside the village. And we got a lot of'em!"
The blonde one stiffened and glanced at his companions. "You don't think…"
"What's the matter, kid?" Jeralt asked him.
"There was someone in the forest. He was the one who told us to seek your aid," he lowered his head. "He stayed behind to buy us time to come here."
"Don't tell me…" Jeralt's eyes widened, again. It immediately became apparent to Byleth on who they were talking about.
"That stupid brat!" Brotus lashed out. "Why does he always act on his own?!"
"I'm... guessing that shady guy in the woods was one of yours, yeah?" the one with the yellow cape asked.
"Yes, he is," Jeralt rubbed his temple.
"That damned Phantom! Pulling all of us in this mess!"
"Enough, Brotus," Jeralt told the brawler. "I'm sure Haru had his reason."
Byleth agreed. Haruki must have analyzed the situation and thought of the possibilities, and bringing these three nobles to seek the mercenaries' aid was the best possible course of action. However, what Byleth did not approve of was his brother's tendency to act on his own, which was something that had been happening far too often.
"Whatever the case may be, with bandits in the area, we can't just abandon the village, now," Jeralt straightened his posture. "Brotus, Alexia! Get everyone ready to set up a perimeter around the village. If any bandit tries to break through, you know what to do."
"Yes, sir!" they both said and immediately left to relay the order.
"Byleth… Get Haru out of the forest and help him deal with stragglers."
Byleth nodded at his command.
"And you're confident that he is still alive?" the girl asked.
Byleth did not blame her for doubting Haruki. At a glance, he did not seem like an imposing figure by any means. However, it was that false assumption that made him a dangerous opponent. Byleth knew him better than anyone else. He knew that he was still alive. And he knew that...
"My brother isn't weak," Byleth suddenly said, receiving widened eyes from the nobles and a smirk from his father.
"Heh, ain't that the truth," Jeralt muttered. "Alright, kid, let's get to it. Hope you're ready."
Byleth nodded, again, steeling himself for the skirmish that was ahead.
"Let us assist you!" the blonde said, wielding his lance. "We were the ones who caused so much trouble for you and this village. So, it's the least we can do." The other two seemed to share the same sentiment.
"If you are willing and able, then be my guest. Your names?"
"Oh, pardon us! My name is Dimitri, and with me are Edelgard and Claude.
"Hello," Edelgard greeted.
"Yo!" Claude saluted.
"Right then. This is Byleth. You'll be under his wing when assisting my other son, Haruki. Follow his lead, if you want to make it through this alive." Jeralt turned to Byleth. "Be careful out there, and bring Haru back in one piece."
Jeralt ran to join the mercenaries, while Byleth turned to the three nobles. Dimitri and Edelgard were filled with determination in their eyes.
"Well, ready when you are, boss!" Claude seemed rather relaxed about the ordeal.
"Very well." Regardless, Byleth had his objective, and he intended on completing it.
"Stay focused."
AN
And so, Haruki's story begins with various encounters with some familiar faces we all know and love, as well as some new interesting characters. The fight to defend Remire Village begins in the next chapter!
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time!
-JQ
