Chapter 42: The Battle of Enbarr

15th day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Byleth's mindscape.

"Alright, Byleth," I began, "I know you're busy with preparations for the upcoming battle, but there are a few things we need to talk about with you."

Sothis added, "Indeed. The Rite of Rising is not too far off, and there are things you need to know."

Byleth stared at us. "Good morning to you as well," he said.

"Thank you for ruining the atmosphere," I said drily.

Sothis snorted and said, "How is it that you two can turn a serious conversation into a joke?"

"It's a gift, my love, one with which I have corrupted our friend here," I said dramatically.

"So you admit it's your fault?" asked Byleth.

"Always has been, always will be," I said sagely.

Sothis simply rolled her eyes. "Get a grip, you two," she said, "The subject matter is serious."

"Alright, alright," I said with a sigh, "You're right. Let's get this show on the road."

The atmosphere became serious at once. "What is it?" asked Byleth.

Sothis answered, "The Rite of Rebirth is coming closer, and with it the new and improved Rite of Rising. That means that preparations have to be made."

Byleth frowned and said, "I thought those were finished."

"For the ritual itself, yes," I interjected, "But contingencies have to be put in place. We're operating with highly potent divine magic here. If Sothis' powers go out of control during the Rite, we're in deep shit. Much as Divine Pulse is convenient, it's also a very limited ability, deliberately so. Fiddling around with time willy-nilly is a fast way to delete yourself from existence."

The blood drained from his face as he listened. "Oh," he said.

Sothis continued where I left off, "That's not even mentioning what could happen if Hyperion is affected by the Rite as well, and it's likely that he will be. Now consider the possibility that his powers could go out of control at the same time as mine. In the worst-case scenario, the souls of every person on the planet are temporally displaced, therefore killing everyone in the process."

"… Contingencies sound good," said Byleth.

I nodded and said, "Yep, which is why we're taking steps to mitigate the worst of any possible fallout. That's where you come into play. We're planning to make you a beacon and a power sink."

"A what now?" asked Byleth.

"Your body has now had over a year to get used to massive amounts of divine energy. If we need to discharge excess power during the ritual, we can safely channel it into you. Plus, being marked by our power would make you a beacon for us to pinpoint you on the timestream if we do get displaced. Given enough time, which is guaranteed where I am in play, we can find our way back here," explained Sothis.

Byleth thought about it for a moment. Then, he said, "I agree to the plan, but I have a question. What will you do if you get displaced to separate points on the timestream?"

"Then I'll find Hyperion first, and then you," said Sothis, "We are beacons to each other in ways you could never be."

He accepted that answer, but had one more question for us, "And what if something happens to me?"

"We don't like to entertain that possibility at all, but we've planned for that," I answered, "We're going to choose people connected to us as separate beacons as well. Sothis is going to ask Seiros and I, well…"

"Choose Kronya," said Sothis, "She's and Agarthan, yes, but she's devoted to you."

I sighed. "That's what I'm worried about," I said.

And I was. Kronya had grown on me, despite my initial dislike for her. We had had a few truly deep conversations about her childhood or even her general past, and she often came to me to talk about things that bothered her. I had developed a fondness for her, and she, in turn, had developed a deep loyalty to me. Not only did that scare me because I was unsure of my ability to handle the responsibility to live up to her image of me, but I was also getting worried that she might get too attached to me in ways I couldn't reciprocate, especially with Sothis in my life. I had never thought it possible that I'd have to deal with that particular problem, but here it was.

An eyeroll was directed at me as Sothis said, "Don't be. She can handle both your presence and your absence. Have some faith in her. Besides, truly devoted followers who aren't afraid to talk back are worth more than gold."

She knew about my inner conflict. How could she not? We shared our souls with each other every evening, gaining insight into each other's thought processes. That was also how I knew that she wasn't angry, upset or even annoyed at that situation, just slightly exasperated. However, what she did feel strongly was trust in me to handle it, and a sense of belonging between her and me. That had done much to soothe my fears concerning the state of our relationship. It appeared that Sothis saw this as well. I still couldn't divine all her thoughts, but maybe that was why she was pushing me on the issue.

Considering all this, I agreed. "Alright then, I'll talk to her about it," I said.

She smiled at me and said, "Good. Now let's get to the next point."

"Yes," I said and turned to Byleth. "Another possible consequence of the ritual is that you might be without us for a while. That means no Divine Pulse for quite some time. I know you haven't had to use it all that often, but still, that's a safety net gone."

He nodded seriously. "Understood. No Divine Pulse… Wait a second. What about the Helmet and the Raiment?"

I chuckled and answered, "My friend, why else would I have had you train in operating the helmet and donning the Raiment on your own if not for this? I feared many months ago that I might someday be displaced or separated from you. That's why I ran with my initial thought of building upon my Adonai's prank, and turned the Helmet into an artificial Sacred Gear."

"A what now?" he asked, mirroring his earlier question.

"Well, I'm ripping off fictional stuff again, so don't worry about terminology. In essence, I turned the Helmet into a divine artifact with its own, self-regenerating pool of divine power. The Raiment is simply its evolved form. I've also recently installed a contingency measure for another problem that will enhance its viability as an anchor on the side," I explained.

"What problem?" asked Byleth, "I don't think there are many of those requiring such a thing."

I stared at him. "There's a difference between 'not many' and 'none.' The problem I'm talking about is you taking an extradimensional trip to the Darkness of Zahras."

"You're preparing for a lot of different things," commented Byleth.

"What else am I supposed to do with my day?" I asked rhetorically, "Wasting all this time on entertainment would make me feel guilty, therefore rendering me unable to enjoy myself. Besides, I can't really do anything on my own right now, so all I can do is invent new spells, make plans, delegate, and do preparations. Besides, I am, among many other things, the heir to the Titan Prometheus. His very name means 'forethought.' I'd be a really shitty heir if I didn't put together a few contingencies in case things go tits-up."

Byleth hummed and said, "Makes sense. Speaking of spells, are we cleared to use the latest project? It will be all but impossible to defend Enbarr without it, even when I'm going all-out."

My friend was right on that. The Hresvelg Household soldiers were spread thin. About 10'000 had died at Fort Merceus. The surviving 5'000 had joined Ladislava's 10'000 on their retreat from one defensive position to the next. Combined with the Enbarr city watch and the 5'000 soldiers from the 2nd Corps, there were about 22'000 now defending the Imperial capital from an invading force of roughly 73'000; General Arnold had given the original 81'000 a bloody nose. There were more Hresvelg soldiers and the part of the Imperial Army that had remained loyal, but many of them were engaged at the Rusalka line. All in all, the numbers did not look good.

"Yes. All the tests conducted in the Underworld were successful. Any deviations caused in the world of the living won't cause the spells to backfire horribly. Variations in power output might occur, but not much else. The spell controller, that being you in this instance, can safely shut the spells down and dissipate the magical energy in case of a spell matrix collapse our disruption," I explained.

"I see. Then I assume that Operation Mayfly has been launched?" he asked.

Operation Mayfly was the brainchild of Ionius. Originally, it had been planned for an uncontainable breach of the Rusalka line, but it was now being adapted to the defeat at Fort Merceus. Its purpose was to turn a clear enemy victory into a short-lived one and then a crushing defeat. With Enbarr being the bait, that was all the more likely. After all, it was lightly defended and all potential reinforcements were otherwise engaged on other fronts. For a man like Count Bergliez, who ignored that the navy even existed, that looked like a perfect opportunity to strike. That was what the former Emperor was now banking on, and going by the number of troops marching for Enbarr, it was happening.

"The signal was given the moment our enemies passed the point of no return, as you should know," I confirmed, "They departed from their base three days ago. Their orders have been changed to fit the current situation. Just hold the line, and the enemy's going to be done for."

"That's easier said than done," countered Byleth.

"True," I admitted, "But you've now got two very powerful new spells to level the playing field, and you've still got the Raiment. Plus, the 2nd Corps has been extensively trained in superior tactics. You'll succeed. I have faith in you."

Sothis added her own thoughts to this, "So do I. Byleth, you're a strong leader and an even stronger fighter. You'll pull through."

A slight smile crept on his face. "Thanks, you two," said, "Then I'd best prepare for the battle."

Having said that, he faded from view, leaving the two of us alone.

I took this opportunity to turn to Sothis and talk about something she'd touched upon previously. "Are you really sure I should ask Kronya to be my beacon? You know why I'm hesitant," I said.

She huffed and said, "Of course I know. I'm not worried in the slightest. So what if she's drooling over you? You've always made sure that her deepening infatuation with you doesn't cross into obsession, and she knows very well that you're taken. Besides, I'll have a talk with her after you're done to set some boundaries."

"It's just so weird," I said.

"What is?" she asked.

I struggled to put it into words, but eventually, I answered, "Well, the whole thing. It's not something I ever expected."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is it honestly so strange for you to be seen as desirable?" she asked.

I deadpanned at her, "Yes. You should know that."

"Oh, I do," she sighed.

She wrapped her arms around me, and I did the same for her. Then, she stood on her toes and gave me a peck on the lips.

"But I think that's wrong," she said, "You're very desirable to me, and if it takes another attractive woman drooling over you to finally give you some confidence, I'll take it."

"Well, I am flattered," I admitted, "But you're all I need. Besides, I get all the confidence I need from you."

"Don't lie to me to spare my feelings," she said, turning her head away. "I hurt yours far worse. What I said back then was hurtful."

"But it was and remains true. I'd rather have the painful truth than an easily dispelled illusion," I said, ignoring the inherent hypocrisy of that statement, "And I'll learn to live with it."

Though I couldn't see all of it, her face took on a sad look as I said that. I had a vague feeling what this was about, but I would know for sure by the end of this night's soul-gazing. For the moment, I just held her tighter. I put a hand on her cheek and turned her head. Then, I lowered my head and kissed her.

"Confidence will come in time," I said.

She, too, tightened her arms around me. "Stop lying to make me feel better and I'll believe it," she said, "I love you, and it hurts to see you hurting as well."

She paused for a bit and added, "I don't want a life without you in it."

Left unsaid was that she would endure it if the situation demanded it, but I knew that she meant what she'd said. I felt very much the same. What was I supposed to do after the war without her in my life? I'd sulk around in the Underworld all day and feel sorry for myself. She made me happy, and I doubted I'd ever be able to feel so again if we separated.

To Sothis, I merely said, "Then stay. I want to keep holding you."

Nothing more was said, and we remained like that for a long time, only separating once our respective duties demanded it.

16th day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Outskirts of Enbarr.

The day of battle had come. Ladislava's troops had arrived in the early evening of the previous day. The enemy could therefore not be far behind her exhausted troops. Scouting parties had been sent out all night to keep track on the advancing host while Enbarr had turned into a sprawling beehive of activity. The signal to form up had come just before sunrise.

Byleth and Edelgard stood at the helm of the army defending Enbarr. Overall command lay with Edelgard, as she was the Emperor. She was, therefore, positioned at the centre of the army. Byleth's force was also stationed there. It was, so everyone hoped, the unbreakable bulwark that was needed to defend the city. With them were Caspar, Captain of Edelgard's personal guard, and Lars, who filled the same role for Byleth's guard.

The flanks were held by Ferdinand and Dorothea. The former had most of the cavalry under his command and was responsible for securing the mostly flat terrain on the right flank. Dorothea, commanded the part of the battlefield closer to the coast, where riders could not easily advance over the sandy ground. With her were the flying units and quite a few mages but also a few units of light infantry.

Ladislava served as Edelgard's second in command. While the white-haired young woman formally had command over all Imperial troops near the centre, she couldn't be everywhere. As such, Ladislava was in command of the troops between the 2nd Corps and Ferdinand's force while Edelgard commanded all those between the centre and Dorothea.

At the rear were Hubert and the former Emperor. Hubert was formally in charge of the Mage Corps' combat division. In actuality, he was there to guard them against unexpected attacks. He was only to take command on Byleth's say so. Ionius was not even involved to that degree. Officially, he was only here to observe the battle, and he was not in the command structure of the army, but he had bought along his personal guard as a small reserve.

Even while the backline was still assembling itself the enemy sent out advance units consisting of demonic beasts and Titanus war machines. The beasts were fast, especially the flying ones, and the machines were tough. This made them excellent shock troops, a fact that was not lost on Edelgard and Byleth. So, they responded as best they could.

"Ballistae and spell artillery, shoot down the flying demonic beasts! Archers, focus on the terrestrial ones!" ordered Edelgard.

Byleth gave his own orders, "Mage Corps, open fire on the war machines. 2nd Corps, prepare to engage in melee."

Battle was joined not long after that. Demonic beasts were stopped, some even fell, and many engaged the Imperial troops. Loud booms sounded though the battlefield as the Mage Corps and Byleth started battering the enemy with Gauss spells. The ballista and magical artillery of the city added to the clamour. The roars of beasts and the clanking of the Titanus as they crashed into the defensive formation made it worse. The melee had begun.

Alas, this first engagement was short-lived. The attack had never been meant to break through, only to disrupt the formation. The relatively low number of demonic beasts and war machines were not enough to sustain any sort of momentum, especially under the immense volume of spell fire they were subjected to. As such, the first wave of hostiles was dealt with in a speedy manner, their purpose partially fulfilled.

The troops under Count Bergliez and Myson hit the disrupted formation in a frontal assault. There were no demonic beasts included in that charge, but over a hundred Titanus war machines were attached to the assault, primarily on the seaside flank, and more were moving up from the back. Another large flanking force was ready on the other side, this one primarily composed of terrestrial demonic beasts. The aerial ones were already engaged over the airspace of the entire battlefield.

Almost immediately, the battle line shifted. The loyalist flanks drew back, folding themselves in such a way as to form a wedge with the 2nd Corps as the point. While this opened the walls of Enbarr to attack, it reduced the defending army's risk of being encircled and attacked from behind. This shift in the line also drew the main focus of the enemy's attack towards the 2nd Corps. This was part of the overall plan.

Over the last couple of months, the armed forces of the Church of Seiros had undergone vast restructuring efforts, including the Corps system and new battle tactics. This was reflected in their new formation. In accordance with their training, the 2nd Corps' soldiers had formed up in three massive pike squares reminiscent of the Gewalthaufen tactic. Soldiers wielding halberds formed each square's outermost protective layer. Interspersed among them were heavy infantry to protect them from any closing enemies and mages using Ward spells to protect the tightly packed formation from spell fire. Further towards the centre of the square were more mages and monks to continually heal any injured comrades and dish out damage. There was also a contingent of mounted archers who could shoot over the heads of their allies, and flying units held in reserve. The space between the squares was a death trap for anyone foolish enough to attempt passing through a sea of pikes and halberds.

So, when the enemy force focussed on the point of the defenders' wedge formation, their attack quickly turned into a bloody slaughter. Spells, even the resonant variants, showed little to no effect since every mage within the square who was not busy healing, was for the moment focussing exclusively on maintaining defensive spells instead. Archers failed to thin out the squares for much the same reason. The enemy force quickly came to realise that attempting to win in melee was a fool's errand as well. Heavier ordonnance would be needed.

Troop movement took place as Myson gave new orders. The Titanus withdrew from the flanks and moved towards the centre. Their power would be needed to break through the 2nd Corps. It was a tactical error that would not have occurred if the war machines had been under Count Bergliez' command. The rebellious Imperial general was still trying to break through the flanks and encircle the 2nd Corps, after all. The Agarthan commander's inexperience would cost him greatly.

Seeing the approach of the hulking automata from his end, Byleth gave new orders as well, "The Mage Corps' 1st Battalion is to immediately start casting Abrasax. I want the spell ready within the minute."

Abrasax was a variety of the widely known spell Abraxas. The latter was a misspelling according to Hyperion, as the word had originally been written In capital letters only, and in Greek to boot. A capitalised xi was easy to confuse with a capital sigma, especially in handwriting. Hyperion used this knowledge in order to "fix" the spell through thaumaturgic concepts and further used the mythical properties of the term Abrasax. It represented the 365 spheres of perfection governed by the Almighty according to the Gnostic school of thought. The finished product therefore necessitated the use of 365 casters.

When Byleth received the signal for readiness, he began to casting process. He was the 365th caster and therefore the spell controller. The potent magical power of the spell washed over the battlefield as it built up for a few seconds. Once it was gathered and the spell matrix had stabilised, Byleth took aim at the war machines approaching the 2nd Corps' position and finished casting.

Knowing that thaumaturgic spells worked better that way, he incanted, "Abrasax!"

Suddenly, a gigantic pillar of light descended onto the battlefield. The flash temporarily blinded friend and foe alike, and the boom caused by the displaced air threatened to deafen everyone on the field. The casters bar Byleth collapsed in exhaustion as their spell worked, and beheld their work.

Where before there had been a force of over 200 Titanus units there was now a smoking crater. The Abrasax spell had obliterated them and any surrounding enemy troops. This sight stopped the enemy in their tracks. The lull in battle that resulted from this was quickly exploited as Edelgard worked to undo Count Bergliez' efforts to break through.

"Pull back the line," ordered Edelgard, "We cannot afford to hold the current position with the losses we've taken. Our front line must be shortened. Tell Ferdinand to harass pursuing enemies with his cavalry until the infantry has retreated. I want our air units to cover Dorothea on the other side."

Upon receiving these new orders, Byleth gave his own, "The 1st Battalion of the Mace Corps is to retreat into the city. We might soon have breaches in the walls. The remaining forces are to prepare for the Phlegethon spell. The pegasus and wyvern riders of the 2nd Corps are to cover the retreat until we have taken up defensive positions once more."

The troops were quick to follow their commanders' orders and shortened the line. Their retreat took them closer to the city walls. Unfortunately, this left more of said wall to be attacked by enemy siege spells. The enchantments were holding for now, but they were definitely weakening. On the upside, the retreat had indeed foiled Count Bergliez' plan to cut off part of the loyalist army.

Once the proper positions had been taken, the covering units were recalled. The results were mixed, for while they had successfully completed their mission, they had taken heavy losses. Ferdinand's cavalry was now only at half strength, and the flying units were reduced by third across the board. Prolonging their covering actions any further would have led to disaster.

Before long, Byleth's fear came true. Siege spells created breaches in the walls. Regular troops and demonic beasts alike rushed towards the gaps. Fortunately, Ionius and his personal guard were to intercept them. The aged former Emperor began casting surprisingly powerful spells, even though coughing fits nearly caused him to fall out of his wheelchair as he did so. Unfortunately, however, his soldiers were very few, even with the 1st Battalion at his side. He would not be able to hold the enemy for more than a few minutes.

Both Edelgard and Byleth had expected as much. As such, they both employed their responses. The white-haired Emperor ordered a further withdrawal and sent Ferdinand to reinforce her father. Byleth meanwhile took control of the spell he had had the Mage Corps prepare.

This spell, Phlegethon, was named after the river of fire in the Underworld. It was another ritual spell. It took longer to prepare than Abrasax and was less effective against tough targets like the Titanus, but it also had a greater area of effect and no set requirement for the number of casters. Additionally, Hyperion, who had created the spell, wanted it to live up to its name, and had added another nasty component to it. The fire it created not only flowed like water but could also not be extinguished until the spell ran out of power. And now, the time had come to use it.

"Phlegethon!" incanted Byleth, aiming the spell at the enemy forces near the breaches in the wall.

Once more, the battlefield was illuminated. This time, it was no pillar descending from the skies but an all-consuming inferno summoned from the ground. The flames burst forth from the soil and spread rapidly among the attacking army. The conflagration devoured thousands of soldiers within minutes. Man and beast alike were burnt in the devastating fire, leaving only the barest amount of ash and smoke. As the fire spread, so did the screams and the panic.

The attackers fell into disarray as their frontline troops began to rout. Their back line did not appear much better either. They scrambled in response to something at their backs. Even as exhausted as he was from participating in the two ritual spells, Byleth smiled.

"Notify Edelgard that the trap is sprung," he ordered, "Soldiers, prepare to advance on the Emperor's command!"

At the same time. One kilometre further east.

Petra was both excited and worried as she led her troops into battle. It was her first time in charge of an army, and the consequences of defeat here would be horrendous if it came to it. Alas, she was the Crown Princess of Brigid, and her people were a warrior culture. She had to prove herself in battle to be considered worthy of the throne. This was a challenge she had to overcome, but she had her grandfather's support and that of Bernadetta.

While the volunteers her grandfather had equipped were a great help, Petra considered the older girl far greater support. Over the last couple of weeks she had come to realise that what she was feeling for Bernadetta was more than a simple crush. The shy recluse seemed receptive so far, or at the very least not disinterested. Bernadetta had told her that she trusted her, and that was enough to give Petra the strength of spirit she needed.

The Princess then pushed those thoughts away and focussed on the matter at hand. Before her was the enemy. Tens of thousands were attacking the slowly dwindling army that defended Enbarr. They outnumbered the defenders greatly, and they maintained the numerical edge despite her own host, but they were out of position. Said host was comprised of about 40'000 fighters from the Imperial army, Brigidian volunteers and just about every mercenary company under the sun. It was now their turn to act.

Horns were blown as her troops charged. At the fore was, surprisingly, Bernadetta. She and her contingent of mounted archers had orders to attack any mages. The melee cavalry attached to her troops would then mow down any enemy who survived the hail of arrows. Behind them was the rest of the army, consisting mostly of light infantry. There were also foot archers and a smattering of dark mages from Brigid, as well as heavy infantry from some of the more expensive mercenary companies. Before long, all of them were engaging the enemy.

That sort of aggression was necessary due to the ragtag nature of the army. Normally, mercenaries were used to supplement an already existing army, but in this case, they made up the majority of the force. As such, cohesion was not very high. The enemy could therefore not be allowed to capitalise on it. Petra had come to the conclusion that that scenario could only be averted if the enemy lacked the ability to control their troops.

From that point of view, the magnificent conflagration before the walls of Enbarr could not have come at a better time. It had provided the perfect opportunity to strike. If not for that, the relief army would have had to wait for the enemy to enter Enbarr.

As her troops struck at the underdefended rear of the enemy host, they first encountered Agarthan mages. Petra idly thought it fitting that those who remained safely at the back while their allies died were now the first under attack. it was a coward's reward to be struck down first, after all. That they were a priority target was merely an afterthought.

She and her retainers were now cutting a bloody swathe through what remained of the Agarthan backline. Her blade tasted blood and flesh on numerous occasions, though she was also being nicked by enemy spells quite frequently. It was thanks to her dexterity and quickness that she had nothing more serious than light burns, but every spill that missed her usually hit a comrade. It made her all the more determined to finish this quickly.

The pace Petra had set was the one her army followed, and her ferocity was matched by theirs. As such, their momentum caused them to overrun the majority of the Agarthan troops quickly. They routed just as the traitorous Imperial troops under Count Bergliez did at the western front. This caused both front and back of the enemy army to flee towards the centre, disturbing the enemy commanders' efforts to get the situation under control.

Eventually, the combined Bergliez/Agarthan army found itself unable to manoeuvre as its soldiers ran into each other from opposite directions. They were too tightly packed, and suddenly, even individual soldiers found themselves unable to move from lack of space. Their panic got worse, and they began trampling over each other in a stampede.

Count Bergliez was not so easy to take down, however. His commanding voice eventually caused a smidgen of organisation to resurface. He amassed whatever force he could and used it to attack the smaller defending army. Seeing this, their fellows joined in, hoping to regain the initiative in the battle and claim victory.

Sadly for the Count, that particular plan was foiled from two sides. Petra and Bernadetta rushed the positions that had been left weakened by Count Bergliez' redirection of troops, thus maintaining the disorganisation of his army's rear. When what appeared to be the leader of the Agarthan portion of the army began fleeing into the Count's direction, the battle order of his troops disintegrated fully. On the other side of the field, the attacking army suddenly saw itself confronted with a warrior clad in white light. He tore through them with exploding lances of light and white-hot flames. He even began sectioning off parts of the attacking troops with odd hexagonal barriers, leaving the isolated units to be butchered while their comrades were held back.

From there on, the battle shifted completely in the favour of the Adrestian loyalists. The attacking force had become impotent in their boxed-in position as their ability to retaliate was rendered null and void. They died in droves to their opponents' weapons and lost more through trampling. It became a slaughter in short order, and thousands died in minutes. Their blood drenched the field as they were whittled down to a fraction of their former strength.

The Count knew which way the wind was blowing. His last gambit had failed, and if he didn't act soon, there would be nothing left of his troops. He searched for a standard bearer, losing precious minutes in the process, but he eventually found one. She was dead, having been trampled by her own comrades, but she still had her equipment on her. He took her standard and her kit of signal flags even as he struggled to not get trampled himself. After another minute of fumbling, he managed to affix the flag he wanted to the standard.

"We surrender!" he shouted, raising the white flag and waving it. "We surrender!" he repeated.

The troops around him heard him, noticed it was him, and followed suit. "We surrender!" they echoed him.

Count Bergliez' troops threw down their weapons, one after the other. As soon as they had done so, they were taken captive with no further bloodshed. They would not dishonour their commander with a false surrender. Only a few chose to keep fighting, standing alongside the disintegrating Agarthan contingent and thus making their true loyalties known.

Myson, the leader of said contingent was panicking now. He was in denial, too. This was supposed to be his grand victory to cement him in his position as one of Agartha's leaders! He could not possibly be losing to the beasts that polluted the surface of the earth! He had to salvage this situation somehow, but his every attempt to do so failed. He had already tried to Warp out, but a suppression field was already up around him. He had to-

A blow to the back of his head knocked him out.

With their commander unconscious and captured, even the remainders of the Agarthan host finally surrendered. It was messier than with the troops of Count Bergliez, but it happened rather quickly. Even the Dark Shells many of their officers were afflicted with couldn't disable their survival instincts. There were a few attempts at false surrender, but none got anywhere. In the end, all resistance finally crumbled when they all had thrown down their weapons.

One hour later. Near the gates of Enbarr.

"I am having great joy to see you," said Petra.

"Likewise," answered Edelgard with a smile, "Your arrival was timely."

Petra nodded and said, "The fire was the perfect opportunity."

The rest of the Black Eagles, minus Linhardt, joined them I short order, and so did a lethargic Byleth. Lars had to support him as he walked. Participating in the ritual spells and hen donning the Raiment for so long had clearly exhausted him. Thankfully, the others looked like they were in much better condition, though Dorothea had an unhealthy pallor.

"I can't say I like the ambiance, but it's good to see you again, even if it's only been a few weeks," she said.

Caspar was unusually sombre as he added, "Yeah, this isn't exactly a pretty sight."

"It is quite bloody," said Petra.

"You seem to be taking it relatively well," commented Ferdinand, "And so do you, Bernadetta."

The girl in question shrank in on herself a bit. Her social awkwardness had not abated much, it seemed.

She replied, "It's not like I'm calm or anything. Big battles like that are terrifying. I thought I was going to die any minute the entire time."

"And yet you charged bravely at the enemy. You've come far," said Edelgard with pride in her voice, "I see that spending more time around Petra did you good."

Bernadetta blushed, a deep red spreading on her face. She and the Princess of Brigid had indeed spent a lot of time together, both during the day and at night. Petra had been very careful to never go beyond cuddling with her, though. Oddly enough, even though such physical contact should have terrified her, Bernadetta had instead gained confidence from it. Suddenly, her father's assessment that she was unmarriageable sounded incredibly silly. Clearly, there was someone who very much wanted her, even if it wasn't a boy. She found that she began to mind that less and less as time went on.

It also helped that she'd seen Petra blow off plenty of suitors during their stay in Brigid. Some of them had reacted in anger, blamed the "foreign bint," and had tried to hurt Bernadetta. After she'd broken the arms of five different men in panic-induced reactions, she'd accidentally earned the respect of the court. Anyone who could put down experienced warriors, especially without meaning to, was an accomplished warrior as well and therefore worthy of respect. The shift in attitude towards her had given the shy girl another boost to her confidence.

To Edelgard, she replied, "It did. It was nice seeing her homeland, even if I couldn't understand many people."

"You've barely graduated and yet you're already engaging in diplomacy. You have a true noble's bearing, Bernadetta!" said Ferdinand, "It looks like I'll have a lot of catching up to do at this rate."

"Speaking of catching up," said Byleth, "We should discuss how to proceed from here."

"Indeed," said a second voice from his direction.

"Hyperion?" asked Edelgard.

"Yes," he replied, "I've got the report on fatalities. Would you like to hear it now or later?"

She sighed. "Now is as good a time as any, I suppose," she said.

"On our side, we're looking at roughly 12'000 dead. Expect a few thousand more to be injured beyond your abilities to heal. Most of them are from Enbarr's city watch and Ladislava's troops. The 2nd Corps on the other hand only suffered a few hundred fatalities, mostly among the flying troops," reported Hyperion, "The enemy fatalities on the other hand are counted at 65'000 and above. The rest have been taken captive, including both enemy commanders. Congratulations on that, by the way. The upper echelons of Agarthan society are notoriously hard to capture. So, good job on the battle. This wasn't exactly Cannae, but it's still a great victory. Operation Mayfly has been a resounding success."

"That sounds good," said Edelgard, "With this victory we can reverse the momentum on this front."

"Indeed. We should make ready to march as soon as possible. If we are quick enough, we may be able to cut off enemy troops attacking the Rusalka line," suggested Ferdinand.

"Don't we have stuff to finish here first?" asked Caspar.

"Indeed," said Byleth, "We have captives to process, and the troops need rest."

Edelgard nodded and added, "I also have many administrative tasks to fulfil. As the Emperor, I cannot afford to slack off in that area."

"Wait, you're the Emperor now?" asked Bernadetta. "Is your father…?"

"He's still alive," answered Edelgard, "But his health is failing, and with how he exerted himself today…" She sighed and added, "I worry that it won't be long now."

"He has fought well despite his condition, Your Majesty," said Hubert, "Should he perish soon, he will be able to do so with the knowledge that your city and your rule are secure."

"That is cold comfort, but it is comfort nonetheless," said Edelgard with a sigh.

"Do not be mourning just yet. He lives and you are Emperor. My congratulations for ascending," said Petra.

"Digressions aside, the matter of the prisoners remains," reminded Hubert, "We need to decide what is to be done with them, primarily Count Bergliez and the Agarthan commander."

"Any identifying features?" asked Hyperion.

"He wore a big, pointy hat, of which he has been divested since, and unlike many of his compatriots, he forwent wearing a mask. He also wears warlock robes," said Hubert.

"Well, I'll be," said Hyperion, "That might just be that cowardly arse Myson."

Edelgard froze. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Well, I haven't seen him yet, but he's one of the few Agarthans I can recognise on sight," he answered.

The Emperor's expression darkened. "Keep a constant guard on him. If he truly is Myson, he has a lot to answer for," she snarled.

Unused to seeing such a reaction upon her face, Dorothea asked, "Edie, what's wrong? Who is Myson?"

"He oversaw the experiments that were performed on my siblings and me," said Edelgard icily.

"He shall have proper accommodations," said Hubert darkly, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Don't go overboard," said Byleth, "We hold ourselves to higher standards than them, no matter how satisfying revenge sounds."

Edelgard deflated as she thought on those words. "You are right," she sighed out, "But I will still execute him personally once we are done with him."

"Good," said the Knight of the Covenant.

"What of Count Bergliez?" asked Ferdinand.

"Well, he's down for the count," joked Hyperion.

Groans answered him, much to his amusement. He cackled at their reactions.

"I thought we'd left Alois' humour behind us," said Dorothea.

"Could you please stay serious," said Byleth.

"Spoilsport," said Hyperion with a sigh, "But fine. Let's talk about the good Count. Execution or lifetime imprisonment? I vote for the latter."

"That's…. a bit sudden," said Ferdinand.

"Well, you wanted to cut this short, right? And do you honestly see any other options for him? He committed treason. Any punishment lesser than that cannot be accepted," replied the young God, "In light of his honourable surrender, however, I am against execution, since that would disincentivise other opponents doing so in the future. Hence why I recommend lifetime imprisonment."

Hubert hummed and said, "He presents a good case, questionable sense of humour notwithstanding. However, I would go further than that. I urge you to also strip House Bergliez of its noble title and its lands."

"What do the other's think?" asked Edelgard pensively.

Ferdinand answered, "The punishment must fit the crime. I agree with these recommendations."

Petra stayed silent. She and her people had no love for Count Bergliez. The man had killed her father and invaded her homeland. She would have personally suggested execution, but she knew that her emotions were affecting her judgement on the matter. Considering her current company on top of this, she elected to not say anything.

Dorothea said, "Well, you're the Emperor, Edie. Your word is law. I don't have much of an opinion on matters like that."

"Uhm, staying inside all the time sounds kind of neat, but the cells probably aren't a good place to be. I think it's fine that way," said Bernadetta.

Caspar didn't say anything for a good minute. He was thinking hard about the situation. On one hand, the case was clear. His father had committed treason and deserved his just punishment, which usually was execution. On the other hand, it was his father. He didn't want him to die.

Eventually, he said, "I'd prefer if my father stayed alive."

Edelgard nodded. "It seems that we've reached a consensus. Count Bergliez will be imprisoned for life, and his family shall lose its noble status."

Bernadetta hesitantly spoke up, "Uhm, what about all the other prisoners? The regular soldiers?"

"Those who served under Count Bergliez will have their weapons and gear confiscated. They will help repair the damage done to Enbarr's fortifications and continue to work on various projects before being released. That is far more productive than a prison sentence for men and women who loyally followed their superior officer," declared Edelgard.

Byleth added, "I will take charge of our Agarthan prisoners. I'll destroy Dark Shells where they exist. Those among them willing to join us will get a chance. Most soldiers, however, will be sent to do farm work or to do resource gathering tasks. What is to be done with them after the war is a decision for another day."

Edelgard then said, "With that out of the way, I'm ending this meeting. We'll gather again tomorrow, but for now, let's finish the most necessary tasks and then rest. Dismissed."

AN: Welcome, one and all, to another chapter of Headmates. This time, I'm even ahead of schedule!

I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter. Not a lot has happened, but the things that did happen were big. Sothis and Hyperion are busy mending the cracks in their relationship while ensuring that things don't go horribly wrong once the big moment arrives. After that discussion, Count Bergliez and Myson got more than just a black eye in their battle. Duke Aegir and Count Varley are about to be in hot water thanks to the destruction of their main army. Next time, we'll see how the other fronts fare, though.

As usual, I'd like to thank all of my readers for their continued support, even if it's silent. It brings me joy to know that my readership continues to grow.

Now, with all that said, I bid you a good day, and until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!