Derdriu Palace, Riegan
Claude took a deep sigh as he stood on the open doorway towards the balcony of his room, taking in the cold breeze of the dawn with his bare skin.
Despite the cold winds coming from the direction of the seas beyond Derdriu's harbors, beads of sweat dropped down from his head. He didn't know why exactly, perhaps it was the anticipation of the looming battle that is to happen soon.
Or perhaps because of what he had just done earlier with the woman who he had just shared his bed with and basked their shared warmth with.
Claude glanced behind him to see Hilda sleeping soundly on one side of his bed, softly snoring, half her naked body covered by the luxurious and warm bed sheets from the waist down.
He stifled a small smile as he stared at his sleeping lover for a bit. Despite what many assumed Hilda was: a selfish and spoiled woman who despises hard labor, they didn't know her like Claude knew her. Despite the lazy and carefree exterior lies a caring and devoted person.
"Hah! I'm only like that when it comes to people I benefit from, remember that."
Were Hilda's words to him when he first described her as something else rather than what she portrays herself as such. Her blush and slightly embarrassed smile was all he needed to see that time.
His smile faltered as he remembered the events that led up to this point.
The war, Myrrdin's fall to the Empire and Judith's death.
If it wasn't for Hilda, Claude would have had a hard time keeping his usual cool and collected self in the face of the crisis he and his entire nation were facing: The Empire.
Claude was biding his time in this war, waiting for the right time to come and break the stalemate yet the actions of one person had ruined all of it and forced Edelgard's hand to attack them despite the Empire's divided and winded armies fighting against the unified forces of the Church and Kingdom.
At first, Claude had thought that the Empire's divided attention would be their downfall. What he didn't expect was a wild card that he thought was long gone five years ago. A wild card he wished he had by his side to use.
The one thing he envied that Edelgard has in her arsenal: Byleth.
He knew the moment he saw him help him, Edelgard and Dimitri during that ambush from the bandits, he knew something was special about him. A strong will hiding within that nonchalant face of his. His intuition was proven right with his quick rise within Rhea's ranks and what truly settled such a thought was when Byleth came to possess the Sword of the Creator.
Claude was never a firm believer of the Church of Seiros but he wasn't foolish enough to discard the existence of the Sword of the Creator and the power it possesses despite the embellishment of the Church.
Byleth possessing such a weapon once described in myths was what cemented his role as a game changer for Fodlan.
And such a game changer will be the one he will inevitably fight against… him and the Edelgard herself, a person who is known to have bested Catherine, Dimitri and Judith based from the reports of the battles she was in.
One of them was already a formidable force to reckon with but two of them?
Not to mention, one of them killed Judith. As much as he had wished Byleth had chosen his side over Edelgard, he wants Byleth to answer for Judith's demise.
Claude wasn't a man who held grudges nor is he the type to allow hate to fester within his heart as it gets in the way of thinking rationally for his schemes. He cannot allow such emotions to cloud his judgment especially against the likes of Byleth and Edelgard.
One wrong move against either of them in the battlefield can potentially mark his own end.
Suddenly, soft familiar arms wrapped around his bare waist and a pair of soft but firm flesh pressed against his back, making him jerk up knowing what was pressing against his back.
"And why are you not in bed, Duke Riegan?" Hilda asked with a hint of seductive mischief as her hands felt the chiseled abs on Claude's body with her hands.
"I can't sleep." Claude admitted, placing his hands over Hilda's.
The tone in Claude's voice quickly shifted Hilda's expression to a concerned one but she tried to still remain sounding like her usual carefree self to distract him from the thoughts that were clouding him.
"You're sleeping with dear old me, what else do you need to make you sleep well?" Hilda asked as she continued with her seductive tone.
Claude smiled, knowing what Hilda was trying to do for him. He already told her what was bothering him a few hours ago before they slept together and so, decided to tag along with Hilda's attempts for some bedroom banter.
"Probably reassurance that Holst wouldn't want to chop my private bits when he learns I'm fucking his sister." Claude joked with a nervous chuckle at the thought.
Hilda raised an eyebrow. "Oh don't worry about Holst, he can't do anything to you once I threaten to cut him off from me if he ever laid his hands on you. Besides… he likes you well enough as it is."
"Yeaaah right, as if he'll take it kindly to know I stole your virginity in Garreg Mach and before getting married."
"Hah! I say let him try!"
"Easy for you to say when it's not your life on the line!" Claude exclaimed, not wanting to imagine the thought of Holst using the Freikugel and chasing him around with it.
"Please, the only time I'll ever let him harm you is if you ever found someone else to fuck around with besides me." Hilda responded with confidence. "Something I DOUBT you'll do considering you have me."
Claude turned around to meet Hilda's gaze before softly cupping her face and planting a wet kiss on her lips, something she reciprocated with passion.
"Do I hear you right?" Claude asked with a smug smirk as he pulled away from Hilda's lips. "You're actually being possessive of me?"
Hilda frowned at him, blushing uncharacteristically at Claude's insinuation.
"Don't get me wrong and don't flatter yourself, I told you that I don't make commitments especially at this time of war." Hilda said as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "It just so happens you are the only one I deemed worthy to sleep with me so–"
Claude's grin turned to a genuine one, despite what Hilda told him that they're merely friends with 'benefits' since they started this relationship, he could tell that Hilda genuinely cared for him, she just finds it not in her character to tell her of how she feels about him. Claude also truly cared for Hilda but merely played along Hilda's poor attempts to cover her feelings for him as merely of sexual satisfaction.
"For all your confidence and shamelessness, you're still not being honest with that huh?" Claude asked with his smirk returning.
"Oh can it you— wait, who the heck are you calling shamele–"
Without another word, her lips were shut as Claude kissed her again.
They continued kissing each other, arms wrapping around each other and feeling one another's bare skin until they both stopped to catch their breaths, eyes looking at each other with passion.
Then, Claude's eyes turned to that of concern as his eyes shifted down to avoid Hilda's questioning gaze.
"Claude?" She asked after seeing his shift to melancholy.
"Hilda, I want you to promise me one thing–"
"If this is about you wanting to make a bet about marrying you after beating back the Empire then–"
"It's not that." Claude told her, his tone serious and bereft of any playfulness. "This is serious, Hilda."
The pink haired woman's lips fell silent before giving him a nod to continue.
Claude's hands caressed her cheeks as his emerald green pierced her pink ones.
"In the event things go awry in the battle–"
"No Claude, don't go there–"
"I want you to preserve your own life and retreat if you have to… even if it means abandoning me." Claude told her. He told nearly the same thing to Judith before she left to defend and manage Myrrdin's defenses, something that quite clearly failed.
He couldn't afford the same fate that befell Judith as well as possibly Ignatz and Raphael back in Myrrdin to happen to Hilda as well.
She was someone he couldn't afford to lose, defending him to the last breath.
Hilda's eyes were wide from what he ordered her to do before they turned solemn. Hilda then buried her head on his chest, sighing at what was being asked of her.
"And you expect me to unquestioningly just leave you like that?"
"Yes." was Claude's firm response.
"What about you?"
"I can find a way to get out, I always do should Derdriu fall."
That was a lie, Claude knows it is live or die the moment the Imperial Army arrives here in this city but as the Alliance's leader, he must defend it as much as he can.
Besides, this was his last gambit to defeat Edelgard. He knows even Edelgard won't be ready for what he had in store for her.
"Claude, before it all goes down. I need to tell you–"
Just before Hilda can finish, the alerting sound of a horn from somewhere in the city was heard followed by the unceasing ringing sound of the bell towers on each corner of Derdriu.
Both Claude and Hilda knew what those sounds meant.
The Imperial Army has arrived.
"It is as you have expected, Your Majesty," Hubert said, his hands behind his back as he reported to Edelgard regarding their situation. "The armies of all the Five Great Lords, four in this case, have gathered within the Aquatic Capital's walls."
All eyes went to the Emperor who had her back turned to Hubert, Byleth and the Black Eagle Strike Force.
"And the harbor?"
"Our scouts reported that no ship had left Derdriu, ever since the armies of the Alliance had all gathered inside." Ferdinand spoke in response, being the one who knew about such a thing first hand.
"What is it that concerns you about the harbor?" Leonie asked, recalling the many times Edelgard had inquired about it during their planning of this siege.
The Emperor turned to eye the mercenary, a solemn look upon her face.
"You and Lysithea had been with Claude more than most of us were in Garreg Mach. That man always has something in his schemes, contingencies lying in wait."
Caspar scoffed at the notion. "Didn't feel like he had contingencies when we beat him twice during the mock battle and the Battle of the Eagle and Lion."
Everyone within the tent of the Emperor reminisced a bit regarding the battles Caspar mentioned, some of them were still with their respective original houses during those battles, it was peculiar to think where they are now and what they are fighting for.
"That was because Claude was still leading untrained people as well as conceited ones in the case of Lorenz during those battles." Byleth responded to Caspar disregarding the dangerous mind dwelling within Claude's head.
"I agree. Despite what he appears and acts to be, Claude is not someone to underestimate. I've seen how his mind works, he's always usually one step ahead of his enemies and as for what you said, Caspar." Lysithea turned to Caspar who felt like all eyes went on him for his rather reckless remark.
"Claude is now surrounded and commanding competent men under him, most notably Duke Holst, a renowned veteran and the one who led the Golden Deer to victory during his time in the Academy. We cannot afford to underestimate him or the ones he commands this time." Lysithea continued.
Byleth then broke his silence. "Regardless, we will win. Claude doesn't have all of you to fight for him." He said in an effort to boost the morale of his former students.
"Whatever he throws at us, we'll be ready because we will throw harder than he ever will by force or with schemes of our own."
Edelgard nodded to Byleth's words as she turned around to face her friends and former classmates.
"We'll begin the siege soon, take your positions and always be vigil."
Taking that as his cue, Byleth began to walk away from the tent.
"Black Eagle Strike Force on me. We await Edelgard's signal." Byleth said as his own specialized squad within the tent followed him outside, leaving only Edelgard, Hubert and Lysithea inside.
The latter being in deep thought.
"What's wrong?" Edelgard asked the snow white haired woman who looked down on the map of Derdriu with an uncertain look.
"It's just that, don't you find it strange that Claude correctly predicted your next move?"
"He was expecting Her Majesty to go straight to Derdriu to dismantle the Alliance, he knew we would blitz right through to the capital mostly because if we divided our forces to take on each major territory of the Alliance, we'll be easy pickings from any reprisals." Hubert explained yet Lysithea seemed unconvinced.
"We have all the information we need to conduct this siege as efficient as we can, Lysithea or are you concerned about encountering your former classmates–"
Lysithea, again, shook her head. "It's not that." She firmly told the Emperor, having strengthened her resolve, that she will never falter in the battlefield when fighting those who she considered her friends on the opposite side.
"Edelgard, I fear this is a trap. Whatever Claude has planned, he wants you to be here."
The Emperor gave Lysithea a reassuring smile, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I know, I'm expecting it from him." Edelgard confirmed. "The professor also shared the same opinion you did. Don't worry about me and be more concerned about yourself… if something happens to you–"
"I can say the same thing to you." Lysithea cut her off, fully knowing what her sworn sister is cautioning her about. "I'll be fine."
Hubert faked a cough in order to get the attention of the two white haired women.
"Apologies for the interruption but we must get going, Your Majesty. Lady Lysithea." Hubert politely interrupted. Lysithea gave him a frown while Edelgard sighed and shook her head in annoyance.
"Let's move out." Edelgard said with the Aymr in hand as she left the tent, trailed by Hubert and Lysithea, the latter armed with her Levin Sword and the Thyrsus.
Somewhere in Derdriu, the rightful owner of the relic Lysithea possessed was relishing on the possibility of acquiring it back into his family and for Lysithea to answer for the high treason her family committed.
Byleth had never been in Derdriu, only having seen it from a distance when he was still just a traveling mercenary under his father's banner. He had only seen it briefly but even then, it was a beautiful city compared to Faerghus' Fhirdiad.
He recalled Lysithea telling him how life was within its walls, having been inside the city many times prior to her enrollment in Garreg Mach, a city bustling with trade and life, the sheer elegance of it was enough to rival the refinement of Enbarr's architecture. The city of merchants and the busiest city in all of Fodlan, that is Derdriu.
Now, the city was a far cry of what it was as the sound of steel clashing permeated over the air, the familiar scent of blood was all over, a scent he was too familiar with.
His blood slicked sword dripped blood as he moved forward, his target being the interconnected ships at the docks. Flanking him were his squad of his former students and now his comrades in arms. Though the Black Eagle Strike Force were subdivided into different battalions that held key positions in this siege, Byleth retained most of them in his own battalion as they were the only ones he can entrust that can keep up with him in battle.
Byleth easily cut down one of Derdriu's defenders when the latter tried to block his way to the docks, his eyes set on the other side through the ships.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Felix said after he had killed his own opponent, moving next to Byleth, his eyes looking at the ships connected by sturdy planks to the other's decks.
The former professor merely nodded, having wondered why upon breaching through the outer walls of Derdriu and into it's inner walls, Claude was spotted in the docks instead of Derdriu's Palace which is a fortress in it's own right. He knew something was up but he still couldn't pinpoint what it was that Claude was scheming in this battle.
The only reason why Byleth opted to lead his forces towards the interconnected ships was to prevent his own troops being congested with Edelgard's own forces that broke through the inner wall, prompting Byleth to try and execute a two-pronged assault that would corner Claude in two fronts: one from the inner city lead by Edelgard and the other by Byleth's own forces through the ships.
'Could it be he is trying to lure us into the ships and ambush us?'
Was what Byleth could only think Claude would do yet his mind said otherwise because such a strategy was way too obvious for Claude to do and knowing him, the Duke of Riegan would have thought that such a strategy was anticipated by someone like Byleth.
Whatever Claude had in mind, Byleth could feel a sense of dread somewhere as he and his troops battled their way against the defenders who by now had begun to retreat into the ships after seeing their own getting slaughtered by Byleth's forces.
Edelgard and Lysithea fought side by side, the latter being needed more in Edelgard's side to counteract against any possible Alliance cavalry within the inner walls.
While Lysithea was casting her spells, Edelgard covered her from any possible attack on her. Somewhere, Hubert, Dorothea and Ferdinand were also doing their part after the latter led the charge with his own mounted forces while being supported from behind by Hubert and Dorothea with their respective mages.
So far the battle has been going in their favor.
Too much in their favor to Edelgard's liking. The Emperor had lamented days earlier towards Byleth about settling this war with the Alliance before the battle began in Derdriu. Wanting to put an end to the Alliance by ridding them of Claude's leadership and forcing them to submit, wishfully thinking that the Alliance should just lay down their arms instead of wasting the lives of their men for a battle they couldn't win.
Alas, it was all but a wishful thinking and Edelgard as the leader of her army should know that sacrifice is inevitable in war as while she and those under her banner fight for what they believe is right, the Alliance also believes that they fight for what is right in their perspective, the security and sovereignty of their nation.
"There are no easy choices in war." Byleth reminded her. "Remember what I taught you in Garreg Mach, never hesitate in the middle of the battle. Bury those thoughts and push onwards."
Cold words but true ones. Lately, she has been distracted about a lot of things with Lysithea ever since they told Byleth about his origins, some of which Byleth had known from the journal of Jeralt that Lysithea had returned to him, the others by partially correct deductions.
To think that Byleth has a nearly similar experience as the two women in regards to their sources of power, their Crests being artificially implanted within them. For all Edelgard knew, she was the only one born naturally with a Crest of Seiros while Byleth and Lysithea had theirs given to them by others, without their consent.
Something that has also bothered Lysithea as well but at the same time has spurred her to continue on with Edelgard's revolution against Rhea and the foundation she had built with her lies throughout the centuries.
Even if it meant for Lysithea fighting against her own people. To be fair, Lysithea did express that she owed the other lords of the Alliance nothing for how they had abandoned her family into the dark fate that had befallen them. Lysithea also reaffirmed to Edelgard that she doesn't also owe the Empire anything, her reasons for fighting with Edelgard was because of the cause Edelgard espouses and her own personal reasons.
"Something is bothering you." Lysithea noted as she saw Edelgard's rather tense look. The ashen haired woman has mostly been calm even in battle but this time, there was something clearly gnawing at her.
Edelgard did nothing to hide it. "This is too easy. Normally if we were fighting someone else, this wouldn't be a problem but with Claude?"
"I told you." Lysithea said in a matter of fact tone as they both covered each other's backs with Lysithea blasting an unfortunate soldier away with dark magic while Edelgard bisected her own opponent with the Aymr.
"This is a trap but the frustrating thing is how we don't know what it exactly is." Lysithea said with bared teeth as there seems to be increasingly less Alliance soldiers fighting them and the Imperial army.
"They're retreating." Edelgard pointed out, hesitating on ushering out the order to push forward as she imagined it is what Claude had predicted she would do.
"Your Majesty? Your orders?" Hubert asked after noticing the retreating soldiers.
Lysithea turned to Edelgard to see a hint of hesitance in the Emperor's face. Even if he did it unintentionally, Claude's reputation of scheming has started the mind games in his enemies' heads, giving them every reason to become wary and paranoid of what might happen next, making them more vulnerable in his eyes.
The Ordelia woman could only hissed at whatever Claude had in store for them as her mind also wondered where the other Lords of the Round Table were and why they were absent in defending the capital of the Alliance, why are they away in a battle that would determine the fate of their nation?
"Onwards." Edelgard ordered as she led the charge as her soldiers roared with their morale high from their momentum in this war since they took Myrrdin from Judith.
Then, without warning, the retreating Alliance soldiers suddenly stopped fleeing and suddenly formed their formations with shield bearers at the front. Edelgard gestured to her men to stop their charge as the Alliance soldiers kept in formation, unmoving as if waiting for something.
"I'll break their ranks." Lysithea volunteered as she channeled dark magic into the Thyrsus, her own mages under her command also channeling their magic.
"Hubert, Dorothea, back me up."
The latter two agreed as they gave their respective battalions a look to mimic their movements and incantations to form a devastating spell that can only be done by a group of skilled mages.
Just as they were done to unleash their spells, a fiery explosion broke all of their focus.
Edelgard was immediately alerted and looked behind to see one of Derdriu's tallest bell towers collapsing on the rear of the Imperial army, crushing many to their deaths from the falling debris of concrete and bricks.
Next, the multiple buildings that were situated on each side of the middle of the Imperial army also exploded, causing multiple casualties from either the fiery explosions or shrapnels caused by the broken buildings.
Just before Edelgard could say anything, a horn sounded all over Derdriu. With the sound of the horn, thundering footsteps indicating thousands of soldiers emerged from parts of Derdriu's city that were left untouched by the Imperial army.
Lysithea's eyes widened as she recognized the banners they were carrying as well as those who led these newly arrived reinforcements.
"Hilda…?"
Edelgard turned her attention back to the Alliance army that were just shortly a while ago, retreating from them, now backed up with their reinforcements still looking fresh and primed for battle while Edelgard's own soldiers have suffered many casualties from the collapsed buildings as well as their high morale significantly dropping.
"Hello Lysithea." Hilda greeted Lysithea as she stood in front of the gathered Alliance army before them, holding an axe having the physical characteristics of a Heroes Relic, resonating with power from Hilda's Crest: The Freikugel, the heirloom of House Goneril.
The two former classmates and friends locked eyes with one another and while Hilda wore her usual carefree smile, there was a hint of sadness within as she is about to face Lysithea in the battlefield. Lysithea could only look conflicted, having no need to make an effort to conceal it.
"I expected this from Claude but I just couldn't tell how and when.." Edelgard commented as she walked a few steps forward. "It is very much him to concoct this kind of scheme."
Hilda faked a courteous smile to the Emperor. "Hello there, Your Majesty– or should I just call you by your name, Edelgard?"
"Doesn't matter what you call me." Edelgard said, dismissing any attempts from Hilda to stall her inquiry. "Where is Claude?"
The pink haired woman merely smirked in the presence of the Emperor who has been reputed as one of Fodlan's greatest warriors, unfaltered by the aura and power she exudes.
"Did you honestly think I would answer that?" Hilda asked.
"I had hoped you would." Edelgard said, her steel gaze never leaving Hilda's carefree eyes. "I know this will be futile: I give you and all your men a chance to live if you all lay down your arms right now–"
"HAH!" Hilda chuckled much to Edelgard's chagrin. "In case you haven't noticed? We've blocked the back of your army and pretty much crushed some of your men, you are in no position to tell us to lay down our arms when you should be the one doing so."
Lysithea looked back and forth towards Edelgard and Hilda, two possessors of axes that contained great power and harnessed the powers of their Crests as well. All of them knew where this discussion was heading.
Damn Claude and his mind. Hilda was right, the Imperial army was in no position to offer such terms to the Alliance army with how their numbers were quickly cut down in the height of their momentum.
While it surprised many that Hilda of all people led the Alliance army against Edelgard, they had to set aside their surprise when Hilda ordered her troops to charge the cavalry provided by House Gloucester taking the vanguard charge.
While Lysithea and Hubert formed their Dark Spikes spells in unison to reduce the charging cavalry's numbers, Ferdinand had to lead his own counter charge against the encroaching Alliance cavalry while hastily forming a disorganized formation.
In the middle of the chaos, Edelgard and Hilda clashed. The Aymr and Freikugel hit against each other, both their wielders neither budging as they are nearly matched strength by strength, something that surprised Edelgard greatly that Hilda was concealing such power when she had merely thought of her as a spoiled woman who relished on the luxury given to her.
In the bloody chaos that ensued, Lysithea was looking for Edelgard while battling her way until she and a man mounted on top of a horse caught each other's attention. While there were many Alliance cavalry scrambling about in the battlefield, this one was different.
"Lorenz." Lysithea's eyes narrowed, her grip on Thyrsus getting tighter as she had laid eyes to the true owner of the relic she held. He may have grown his hair but that terrible haircut and annoyance-inducing face were unmistakable, Lysithea could also tell the purple plate armor he wore wasn't for show as well.
"You." Lorenz growled in quiet anger to the woman who had dared to use his family's heirloom against the very nation they serve to safeguard from the Empire.
As the situation grew much more tense between them, Lysithea couldn't help but worry what had befallen Byleth and the Black Eagle Strike Force in their endeavor to reach Claude from the other side of Derdriu.
Byleth knew Claude had something up his sleeve the moment they entered the city. What he didn't expect was how far Claude was willing to go to catch them off guard.
And by off guard, Byleth meant seeing the Leicester Alliance's sworn enemy, from what he had heard from extensive research of the Alliance, the Almyrans aiding Claude's army in this battle against them.
How and why Claude managed to strike a deal with the so-called 'Savages of the East' was the least of Byleth and his Strike Force's concerns as they found themselves taken by surprise from the appearance of dozens upon dozens of wyvern riders, all of them being of Almyran origins dealing death from above.
While Byleth isn't no stranger against fliers, fighting so many of them proved to be challenging as well having limited space in moving around in the ships they were surrounded in.
"Man oh man, how did Claude even get the Almyrans to fight for him?" Sylvain wondered as he found himself pressing his back against Felix', the latter not showing a hint of concern at being surrounded around one of the interconnected ships.
"Stop asking unnecessary questions and focus on not losing your head, Sylvain." Felix coldly said, his eyes moving to his sides to look at any attacker coming into his direction.
Without warning, a wyvern rider swept down separate Felix' head from his body only for the swordsman to parry the strike with such precision that the rider was taken by surprise and was forcefully dismounted. As the unfortunate rider was just about to stand up, he saw Felix looking down at him before getting impaled on the chest by the swordmaster's blade.
"Watch out!" Sylvain cried out as a warning to Felix when he saw another rider descending down to have his mount grab Felix to the head with its jaws. Just before Sylvain could act on defending his friend, Ingrid swiftly arrived atop her pegasus to thrust her Heroes Relic, Luin, to the head of the wyvern that was about to bite down on Felix' head.
Just as Ingrid did so, another wyvern rider was to attack her only for Sylvain to throw a javelin he had been carrying around on a bag behind him, impaling the rider to the chest as Ingrid gave him a nod of gratitude for covering her.
"Cover each other's flanks as well as anyone else carrying bows and arrows!" Byleth ordered his Strike Force and their battalions. "It's the only way to effectively fight off against the wyvern riders!"
He gritted his teeth after hearing the cries of pain and death from the other Imperial soldiers. Not long ago they were the ones rallying in high spirits, now they are the ones screaming and dying from the ambush that was beset upon them. Imperial soldiers were being slashed, bitten or carried by wyverns to their demise.
Then, without warning the Almyrans suddenly retreated, confusing Byleth and his troops considering they were the ones with the disadvantage of being surrounded.
It didn't take long for Byleth to realize that was going on as he saw multiple spheres of fire about to rain down on him and his soldiers, it was then that Byleth realized how this was Claude's masterstroke as another set of explosion occurred from somewhere in Derdriu as buildings and towers crumbled to where Edelgard and her army are.
What followed were multiple explosions that either incinerated or blasted away the Imperial soldiers and the Black Eagle Strike Force as the ships caught fire almost immediately, some even sinking from directly receiving multiple fireballs.
As the rain of fire descended upon the Imperial Army led by Byleth which razed the soldiers and burned the ships that was to be their final resting place, Claude looked from a distance with a forlorn look.
"An eye for an eye, Teach." Claude said as he stood beside his white wyvern, a bearded and scarred Almyran dismounted his wyvern to stand beside the Duke of Riegan with a triumphant smirk.
"I must admit, kiddo. I didn't think that strategy could work, you eliminated the Emperor's trump cards in one fell swoop."
Claude didn't reply as he looked over to where Edelgard and her remaining forces were being overwhelmed by another part of his scheme to defeat the Empire in the height of their momentum.
"Go and assist Hilda and the others, Nader. I will be joining in the fray to fight Her Majesty soon." Claude said as his eyes stayed glued to the burning ships.
Nader immediately obeyed and mounted his wyvern, rallying the Almyran forces with him as they soared to the skies to find their next prey.
Claude sighed and began to mount his own personal wyvern and gave the burning ships one last time. This was how he served justice for Judith's death and the lives lost in Myrrdin.
"It didn't have to be this way, Teach."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Felix said after he had killed his own opponent, moving next to Byleth, his eyes looking at the ships connected by sturdy planks to the other's decks.
Byleth blinked as he found himself beside Felix again, still fresh from witnessing his own men and former students being killed in a fiery explosion. The former professor could still feel the coldness of the sea on his skin as if he just took the plunge.
Having witnessed what is to happen to them if Byleth continued with his plan, Byleth knew what to do now right after he had turned back time to prevent such fates for him and the Imperial Army.
As the soldiers under his command marched towards the ship, Byleth called upon them to halt their advance.
"Stop." Byleth commanded much to the confusion of the soldiers and the members of the Black Eagle Strike Force.
"We cannot proceed." Byleth said which further sowed confusion among the ranks of his soldiers, some were grumbling as to how the momentum was in their favor and should just press forward.
"That place is a trap."
"How do you know it's even one?" Felix questioned him with an impatient frown.
"I just know." Byleth told him with all-knowing eyes. "Claude is expecting us to cross there before ambushing us."
He had to play this smart, if Claude found out about this, he would probably have contingencies in place in the case of Byleth not taking the bait. He has to find a way to subvert Claude's predictions of him.
And he has to think and act fast.
"Your Majesty? Your orders?"
Edelgard raised her left hand, curling it into a fist as a gesture for those under her command to halt their advance. Lysithea and Hubert were both surprised by her sudden order of ceasing their push onwards with the Alliance army retreating.
"Edelgard, what are you—"
When the Emperor turned her head to look at Lysithea, the latter was surprised to see the pained expression on Edelgard, looking like she saw or experienced something terrible right before her eyes. It was a look of genuine fear that was a rare sight to behold from the proud Emperor.
Lysithea didn't know what made the Emperor lose such composure that she was sure Edelgard had earlier but this worried her greatly to see Edelgard like this.
Lysithea didn't know how Edelgard did it but she managed to outsmart Claude's trap that he had laid for the Imperial Army just now.
How the Emperor found out about the plans to collapse the bell towers and other tall infrastructures surrounding the marching Imperial Army was anyone's guess but it worked in their favor. The people that Claude had assigned to create an explosion to crush the Imperial Army's morale and literal lives, were immediately killed upon discovery from the skilled assassins Hubert had ordered for the deed.
Nonetheless, now isn't the right time to think of such things as they are now having a stand-off against the reinforced Alliance Army before them with Hilda at the helm who bore a look of shock on how Claude's plans were botched just as Edelgard and her soldiers were about to step into his trap.
Despite the reinforcements, they were dismayed to see their plan crumble before their eyes as Edelgard directly glared at them with nothing but cold anger within her eyes, immediately replacing the look of genuine fear she had that Lysithea saw earlier.
Whatever she has seen seems to have sparked something within Edelgard as she ordered her army to attack Alliance with a battle roar that ignited the Imperial soldiers' morale.
Edelgard immediately went for Hilda, their axes of significant power striking the other as the clash of their respective relics reverberated into mini-shockwaves, pushing away anyone unworthy to join the duel between the two.
As the battle raged on, Hilda found herself beginning to get tired from her continuous back and forth with Edelgard. While she was easily misunderstood and underestimated as lazy and delicate by most who didn't really know her, she wasn't one to tire immediately in terms of battle especially while motivated.
Yet, this clash with Edelgard was sapping her too much, the amount of effort she had to do just to avoid getting cleaved by Edelgard or preventing her from getting advantage was beginning to tax on her while Edelgard showed no signs of exhaustion, remaining composed with a cold glare in her lavender eyes, a cold glare that sent a chill within Hilda's soul as she realizes that look.
Edelgard aims to kill her without reservation.
Then it happened, Edelgard broke Hilda's guard after seeing the chance when the latter could barely keep up anymore. Slashing the Aymr up, Hilda was staggered back, her hands desperately clinging to Freikugel were sent up from the force of Edelgard's strike, leaving Hilda open for the mortal blow.
Instead, Edelgard bashed Hilda's face with her greatshield, stunning Hilda and knocking her down to the ground as Edelgard immediately turned to her side to anticipate an attack directed at her.
"Hilda!" A man cried out after seeing his precious younger sister take a beating from Edelgard, angrily swinging his axe towards his sister's attacker, one that was readily parried by the Emperor.
"Duke Holst, I was wondering when you will arrive to defend your sister." Edelgard said with an expectant look, her eyes glanced at Hilda for a brief moment as Holst shifted from glaring at Edelgard to being concerned about Hilda.
"I-I'm fine– Oww…" Hilda moaned in pain as she clutched her head in pain, her forehead was cut and bleeding from the force of the shield bash she suffered and she was still in a daze following Edelgard's recent attack on her.
The sight of his sister in pain sent a shockwave of rage within the Duke of Goneril, the pink haired man tightened his hold on his axe made of sturdy silver as his Crest of Goneril manifested and enhanced his weapon.
Edelgard's eyes focused on Holst, knowing how capable the man is even from the stories of the staff back in Garreg Mach, he was the one who led the Golden Deer win the Battle of the Eagle and Lion during his time in the Officer's Academy, and is now currently one if not the mightiest general of the Alliance's army, one who constantly kept the Almyrans at bay in Fodlan's Throat.
The Emperor waved the Aymr to her side as her own Crest of Seiros manifested albeit a minor one to empower it, making the Aymr resonate and glow crimson with power as Hilda realized something.
"She… wasn't even getting serious… with me?" Hilda wondered as she saw the full scope of the gap between them.
As those around them watched with bated breaths, ceasing their own battle to witness the duel between the mightiest of their side.
With a loud roar from Holst, he stomped his way towards Edelgard, clutching his Crest empowered axe to bring down towards the Emperor. The ashen haired Emperor blocked the axe with her shield only to be surprised upon seeing it getting dented by Holst's strike.
Quickly thinking, Edelgard used her strength to deflect Holst's axe away with her shield arm, discarding the broken shield in the process and went on to match Holst by holding the Aymr with both hands.
Edelgard went to charge towards Holst, swinging Aymr to the man's head only for Holst to unexpectedly dodge it in the last second, surprising Edelgard as she received a kick to her side, staggering her with Holst taking advantage of the momentary opportunity to land a mortal blow to her.
Swinging his axe to cut Edelgard in half, Holst was taken by surprise when Edelgard's left hand emitted a familiar orange glow, something he had seen many mages do in his life.
Without warning and with little time to react, Holst hastily raised his axe to block the ball of fire that Edelgard fired from her left hand, causing an explosion that sent Holst back with some signs of burning, small trails of smoke emitting from places on his body that fire had kissed.
Hilda was shocked upon witnessing the Emperor cast magic without much difficulty. Edelgard stood firm and tall, looking at her left hand that sizzled with embers of her magic.
This was the first time she had employed the use of whatever magic she knew in a battle, even Edelgard couldn't believe she managed to pull it off to avoid an injury she could have gotten.
As Holst winced from some of the minor burns he suffered from hastily guarding a fireball up close, Edelgard glanced at the one responsible for teaching her the use of the arcane arts.
"You helped me learn to fight up close along with Dorothea and I think it is high time I will teach where I'm good at."
"Lysithea, I don't believe the way I fight mixes well with magic–"
"Nonsense, you urged me to learn to fight up close while utilizing magic. If I can adopt and mix two styles of fighting then you can too. Now, let's get started…"
Lysithea managed to smirk a little after catching a glimpse of Edelgard casting the magic she tutored her with, feeling some manner of pride that it did help her sister in battle after Edelgard expressed doubts of ever being capable of using it in a practical manner up close.
But now, she has her own battle to fight after having been confronted by the man who is trying to reclaim the staff that she holds with her left hand, resonating with her Crest and the arcane power running through her veins.
"I had you pegged as a turncoat the very moment you turned your back on the Golden Deer in Garreg Mach."
Any trace of the smirk that graced Lysithea's lips vanished when she heard Lorenz's words, still riding on his high horse literally and figuratively as he berated the treachery of Lysithea and her family.
"House Ordelia has always been such a staunch member of the Alliance. How and why in the Goddess' name would you break such a thing?"
Lysithea could only roll her eyes at Lorenz' words. She never did take him seriously even back then when they were students.
Of all the people in the Golden Deer, she liked Lorenz the least, even less so than Claude as she found little qualities regarding him. She viewed the Gloucester heir as pompous and a strict adherent to a system that she had thoroughly hated.
"A staunch member of the Alliance that you and the other noble houses abandoned to its fate, left us and never even once tried to aid even after the ordeal we suffered, all because of what? Self-interest? Self-preservation?"
Lorenz grimaced at Lysithea's counter, he too lamented and questioned why his house alongside the other noble houses never approached House Ordelia following the ordeal it has suffered, was it because of the precaution of risking the Empire's retribution? Or simply because of the competition in terms of political power? That they saw a major house fall and lose its influence within their country and never sought to aid them?
"Then why would you side with the same Empire that caused your family such misfortune?" Lorenz countered back as he and Lysithea circled around each other, undisturbed as the battle continued around them.
Lysithea merely waved the relic that Lorenz deemed was stolen from House Gloucester, the Thyrsus.
"Because Edelgard is the only one willing to lead a fight for a better future." Lysithea responded with steeled resolve. Having no more doubts about her sister's intentions for the future of Fodlan after the many trials and tribulations they both have faced.
"Madness!" Lorenz proclaimed. "It seems you have been extensively brainwashed by that Emperor who claimed many falsehoods about the Church and its tenets!"
Lysithea could only make a dry chuckle as Lorenz ordered his mount to charge towards her.
There were no more words needed. Lysithea was quick to wave the Thyrsus to the ground before her, using her magic channeled to it to cause the ground to explode, causing Lorenz' horse to rear up with its hindlegs.
"You're one to talk about being brainwashed when you and so many in this continent have all fallen to the lies of the Church." Lysithea said as she formed spikes of dark magic above and behind her.
With a flick of her wrist of the hand that held Thyrsus, the Dark Spikes headed towards Lorenz to impale him with them.
The death throes of Lorenz' horse ringed through Lysithea's ears, confirming that her spikes had hit their mark. She did think of Lorenz as nothing more than a showboating buffoon as she has seen back in Garreg Mach, having more of a knack in grandstanding than doing anything that contributed to the Golden Deer's victory in the battles they had.
She was immediately proven wrong when Lorenz emerged from the smoke she had caused, his lance aiming to impale her through the chest. Thankfully, Lysithea was quick to think and move, using her magic to levitate her body away from Lorenz' lance.
Her initial shock immediately disappeared as she mentally made a note to herself to never underestimate anyone, especially those she knew and hadn't seen for a long time.
"I'm no fool to fall for such a ploy, Lysithea." Lorenz said as his eyes looked determined to defeat his former classmate. "If you think I am still the same man you met years ago then you are gravely mistaken."
"Apparently not." Lysithea confirmed his words, determined not to commit the same mistake of underestimating him.
Despite her failed attempt to immediately end Lorenz, Lysithea was still confident she could pull through this battle. Not wanting to be nearly as helpless as she was back in Myrrdin, she also has to prove Byleth wrong that she can take care of her own and that no manner of disease or condition will hinder in fulfilling her role in this war.
"Remember what I taught you in Garreg Mach, never hesitate in the middle of the battle. Bury those thoughts and push onwards."
She nodded to what Byleth had told her and the Black Eagle Strike Force back in Garreg Mach, something that they mustn't forget.
Friend or no, it was her life or Lorenz's as they continued their fight.
Claude looked on from atop his white wyvern, surveying the parts of Derdriu that were deeply embroiled into battles.
Having heard that his ambush of demolishing the towers of Derdriu to crush the Imperial army had failed, he wondered how in the world did Edelgard anticipate his planned ambush? He thought he had gained enough reputation to play mind games into his opponents.
Now it was Claude battling within his thoughts: did Edelgard have the foresight of seeing through his plan or was it perhaps of information acquired from any possible spies that had infiltrated the ranks of the Alliance?
Then there was the absence of the army led by Byleth, he had planned that either Byleth or Edelgard would lead their halves of the army through the ships where he would spring his other trap that would immediately obliterate that half of the Imperial army.
This isn't going as planned as he initially thought, a lot of his contingencies and other strategies relied on either one of his foiled plans to work.
Was it Edelgard who anticipated this from him or was it–
"Duke Riegan!"
Claude turned to the wyvern rider that flew beside him.
"What is it?"
"There are three individuals running across the ships at fast speed by foot!" The wyvern rider reported.
Claude immediately brought up his binoculars onto his eyes to see where his soldier pointed out, only for his emerald green eyes to widen.
Within the lens of his binoculars, Claude saw Byleth, Felix and Petra running at breakneck speeds, crossing the ships one by one at an alarming rate.
He didn't know if the former professor was mad for leading such a charge but he knew better than to let him pass safely. Claude was no overconfident fool, after all. He knew that when Byleth gets too close and fights him, he stands little to no chance in prevailing over him.
"Signal our Almyran allies to attack them and put the mages on standby! We can't allow those three to pass!"
The wyvern rider nodded and went on his way to immediately issue Claude's orders as the Duke of Riegan watched as his Almyran allies began to descend upon Byleth and his two companions.
"What the hell are you planning, Teach?" Claude murmured to himself as he readied himself, preparing House Riegan's heirloom and one of the Heroes Relics, Failnaught in case he finds the opportunity he needs to join the fight.
"I know you're coming for me, Teach."
And he wasn't planning on running away from this fight as Byleth, Felix and Petra fought off the Almyran wyvern riders, using their speeds and ferocity to their advantage. None of the three showed any signs of stopping with Byleth using the Sword of the Creator to its full extent to fend them off as he and his two chosen companions progressed further.
Then, as if he knew he was being watched from afar, Byleth briefly looked up at the sky to see where Claude had been watching him. Their eyes met, Byleth's cold green eyes staring straight at Claude's determined green ones, determined to defeat him and Edelgard in this battle and possibly end the Imperial invasion of the Leicester Alliance.
There was also a desire for vengeance within Claude's eyes as they stared back at the eyes of the one who had killed Judith.
Holst began to show signs of fatigue with his continued battle against Edelgard; he had taken a few minor hits from the Emperor's attacks, specifically the magic she had employed in this fight.
While not as potent as a trained mage's, Edelgard's unexpected utilization of magic mixed with her sheer might in close quarters had consistently sent Holst to the corner, it was beginning to get harder and harder in anticipating the attacks of the Emperor and the Alliance general had suffered from it.
Getting distracted from the fiery explosion Edelgard has created, Holst barely blocked another blow from the Aymr with the latter axe managing to cut his cheek, drawing out blood in the process.
Taking advantage of Holst being staggered, Edelgard rammed her shoulder to Holst's body, knocking him down to ground for Edelgard to raise the Aymr and perform the coup de grace.
"No!"
Edelgard was forced to jump away from Holst when Hilda, blood still trickling down from a cut on her forehead, tried to land a hit on her with Freikugel to no avail.
"I'm sorry Hilda, I thought I could beat her." Holst apologized as he was helped up by his younger sister who he protected from the Emperor earlier, now having protected him from death against the same person.
"And yet she's showing no signs of tiring." Hilda added, grimly looking at Edelgard, still standing tall but with some signs of damage on herself, namely a small bruise near her lips when Holst very narrowly hit her with the pommel of his axe in their clash.
"The reports were true about her, she's truly a monster in the battlefield for being so deadly and efficient." Holst murmured.
"Sounds like you're admiring her." Hilda frowned at her brother who had assumed his fighting stance once again.
"Call it a warrior's respect to a fellow warrior." Holst replied, wiping off the flowing blood from his cheek.
That was no light praise, Hilda knows her brother well, Holst only gives praises to people he fought if he felt like it was warranted and such things only happen quite rarely. Then, she wondered…
If Edelgard was here then the one that Claude is most likely to face was–
Her pink eyes widened at the thought of Byleth fighting Claude, the man she had thought was the coldest and most fearsome swordsman is probably heading towards Claude and her heart suddenly beat faster with anxiety.
Edelgard noticed the fear and anxiety reflecting upon Hilda's eyes, tracking where her eyes were looking towards the docks.
"So that's where Claude is."
The pink haired woman gasped as she realized her mistake.
"The professor was right to ascertain that would be the most probable location Claude would station himself. By the time I am finish with both of you, I will come for him—"
Hilda gripped Freikugel as tightly as she could and unleashed an uncharacteristic war cry aimed towards Edelgard.
Both Holst and Edelgard looked surprised at Hilda's sudden outburst, her minor Crest of Goneril manifested to further empower the already devastating power of its corresponding relic.
Hilda charged towards the Emperor despite Holst's pleas for her not to do something reckless, to no avail.
"In the event things go awry in the battle–"
"No Claude, don't go there–"
"I want you to preserve your own life and retreat if you have to… even if it means abandoning me."
The conversation she and Claude had earlier played within her mind, refusing to listen to Claude's instructions for her own self-preservation.
The woman before her, the professor or even anyone else will not touch Claude. She cared too much for the Duke of Riegan to even let that happen, she will do everything she can even if it means her own death.
Because despite how many times she denied it to Claude's face, she truly came to love him.
"Looks like I touched a nerve there." Edelgard said, noticing Hilda's feelings for Claude as she waited for Hilda to come at her, making note that Holst was following suit behind his sister.
For Edelgard, it was high time she finished this battle. If Hilda and Holst aren't holding back against her then she must respond in kind.
Inhaling deeply, Edelgard raised her Aymr up to the air, the sun's rays reflecting off of it as power surged from within her.
Blinded by zeal to attack Edelgard or to support his sister, Hilda and Holst did not notice that Edelgard manifested the Crest of Flames to empower the Aymr, enchanting it with swirling white gold flames as she anticipated Hilda's attack.
Just as Hilda is about to swing Freikugel to attack Edelgard, the Emperor slammed down the Aymr to meet against Freikugel.
The resulting attack caused Hilda to be thrown back by the sheer force of Edelgard's swing, disarming her of Freikugel as the pink haired woman hit and rolled around the ground, unconscious from the shockwave caused by the clash of Freikugel and the overwhelming power of the Aymr.
Holst could only look on in shock, shock turned to anger after seeing Hilda not moving from her spot. Freikugel just littered down on the ground before him, now dormant without its wielder's power.
Just as Holst turned to attack Edelgard, the Emperor was already closing the distance between them, within her lavender eyes was one of firm resolve to end this battle.
Holst was too late to mount a proper defense when Edelgard targeted the handle of his axe, splitting it into two with Aymr before delivering another spinning slash to the stunned Holst who used the top half of his axe to barely defend himself.
The Alliance general was thrown away from the sheer might of Edelgard's attack, sending him face first on the ground.
Concurrently, Lorenz surprised Lysithea with how much he had matured from how he used to be five years ago. Able to fight against Lysithea despite his inferior magic and superior close quarters prowess that has frustrated the snow haired woman.
'The professor was right to tell me that I need more training fighting up close.' Lysithea thought with bared teeth, remembering the many pointers Byleth had given her during their time sparring one another, one that resulted with an easy victory by Byleth despite Lysithea's use of magic.
"I guess we should be training more often together then." Byleth suggested with an uncharacteristically small smirk when he made Lysithea yield.
If only that training would have yielded better results to make her fight more effectively against skilled opponents like Lorenz.
Lorenz was fighting with all he had, fueled by his nationalism for his own country, to fight and protect it with his life. There was nowhere else to go if the Alliance is to fall today, Edelgard's revolution that has been fast gaining steam, is going to threaten their livelihood and what had kept Fodlan stable throughout the centuries.
"Remember Lysithea, our two Crests may be our curses but even such curses have their own use and what you have is something you can use well to your own advantage."
Edelgard's words rang in her mind.
"You have always utilized the Crest of Gloucester in our battles but you never found a use for the other one that you possess: the Crest of Charon."
She had only manifested that minor Crest of hers a few times during training and unlike the Crest of Gloucester, she found little use for it in most battles.
But now, this may probably be the time to take Lorenz by surprise.
And this was a risky scenario to try it out in the heat of battle. It was the only way since Lorenz knew how Thyrsus works and he himself has proven resilient against Lysithea's magic by utilizing his own to counter them.
What she once saw as a pompous fool is now an experienced and well-trained nobleman.
Casting spheres of dark magic towards Lorenz, Lorenz avoided their trajectory and went forward towards Lysithea with his lance aiming to pierce her heart.
He had expected her to get away only to be taken by surprise when Lysithea rushed in towards him as well, Levin Sword in hand.
Lorenz cannot back out now, he knows he has to aim for the kill with the momentum he has as they get closer to each other with their weapons ready.
While he was careful not to underestimate Lysithea, he was also aware not to overestimate her, she wasn't that good in close quarters combat and even if she had some measure of training with the ways of the sword, there's simply no way she could have caught up to the skill of those who focused their discipline with the sword.
But what Lysithea lacked for skill with the sword was her magic and she was about to compensate for that.
Lorenz thrust his lance forward and in the last second, Lysithea used a small blast of dark magic from the Thyrsus to propel herself out of harm's way, shifting on the side and making Lorenz miss his mark.
Almost immediately, Lysithea enchanted her Levin Sword with the Soulblade weapon art she had been training with, lacing the jagged blade of the Levin Sword with dark purple energy as she charged at Lorenz to strike.
Lorenz could only attempt to slash her away with a hasty swing of the lance only for his eyes to widen when Lysithea's Crest of Charon manifested and empowered the Soulblade enchanted Levin Sword.
The resulting clash caused Lorenz's lance to shatter in half with Lysithea's Levin Sword cutting through the pole and towards Lorenz' body, seriously wounding him as blood flowed out from the wound on his upper abdomen.
Lorenz quickly fell flat on his back, holding his bleeding wound in pain as both the combined sensation of pain the sword and dark magic had contributed to his wound coursed all over him like an electric shock.
Lysithea loomed over the fallen heir of House Gloucester, her Levin Sword still enchanted with the Soulblade.
"A-Are you going to kill me now?" Lorenz asked as he stared straight into Lysithea's unreadable eyes. "Like you did Ignatz and Raphael?"
The Ordelia woman furrowed her eyebrows. "You think they're dead?"
"How else would they be? You and your Empire you pledged allegiance to spared none of the key figures in Myrrdin…" Lorenz weakly said.
Lysithea disenchanted her sword off of the Soulblade.
"They're alive and just incarcerated." Lysithea said as she remembered how Edelgard spared Ignatz and Raphael for her sake, wanting to leave the decision of their fates to her.
"W-What?" Lorenz looked surprised and just then, Sylvain arrived.
"Man, looks like I'm too late to join in." Sylvain said as he stayed mounted on his horse. "I personally wanted to kick his ass ever since we crossed each other in Garreg Mach."
This surprised Lysithea as she knew Sylvain was with Byleth as per their strategy, Ingrid soon swept in atop her pegasus, joining the fight as well.
"Sylvain, what are you doing here?!" Lysithea questioned.
The red head scratched the back of his head.
"Orders from our commander, he allocated us to back her Majesty's army–"
"If he sent you here then who is he with?" Lysithea asked as she became increasingly concerned at the presence of what seemed like all of the troops under Byleth's command on the other side.
Sylvain could only sigh before hastily explaining everything in the middle of the battle. Lysithea's eyes widened in shock and anger upon hearing what Sylvain had to say. Just then, a foreign war horn distracted them.
"I must commend you, Ashen Demon, you have big balls charging ahead with just two of your soldiers with you."
Byleth's expression remained unmoved even as he found himself, Felix and Petra surrounded by many riders atop their wyverns. In the middle between all of them stood out this burly scarred and bearded individual, despite the rough looking scars, the man possessed a rather carefree smile that contrasted his appearance.
"Now, I know of your reputation as a one man army but surely you realized how bad of a situation this is for you and your troops?" Nader asked but Byleth remained silent.
Felix and Petra glanced at Byleth, both of them possessing a no-nonsense expression upon them as if wanting to just get this impending battle over with. In Felix' case, he was hungering to battle the Almyran wyvern riders before him to see if their fearsome reputation in battle is truly justified.
"Move. I have no quarrel with you or any of the Almyrans." Byleth coldly said as his eyes then moved to see where Claude was watching them from his position.
"No can do. You know the answer already."
"It was worth a try." Byleth stepped forward, Sword of the Creator in hand. "Before we begin, I want to know why the Almyrans would aid the Alliance despite the many battles you have waged on one another?"
"Then, come." Byleth beckoned them as he, Petra and Felix readied their blades.
The trio then gave each other nods, all three knowing what they've gotten themselves into despite the risks. Out of everyone within his command, Byleth could only trust Felix and Petra in this because of their speed and deadly accuracy with a blade.
"But that' suicide professor!" Ingrid exclaimed after Byleth had told them about his plan.
Everyone else was also giving him a look of apprehension with only Felix looking unaffected by it.
"Why? Why are you so adamant about this?" Leonie asked, getting frustrated over Byleth's lack of explanation regarding this matter. It was suicide and since she had made a vow to Jeralt to aid and protect him, she was inclined to not agree on such foolishness.
"It's a strong hunch." Byleth simply responded, not wanting to prolong this conversation any longer, he wasn't going to give them a choice.
They just have to trust him.
He knows what's running in their minds now and he had hoped he could explain it, that he saw what is to befall them if they all marched forward with their original plan. He didn't want such a fate to happen but how could he tell them? There was simply no time for that anymore.
As more protested, Felix scoffed and decided to just walk forward with his sword ready.
"Felix! Don't tell me you're seriously going through with this?!" Annette asked out in shock and concern after she saw the former noble go on ahead.
"I really don't care. As far as I know, all of you should be listening to him." He eyed Byleth and despite his cold and uncaring tone, there was a hint of trust within Felix' eyes as he made contact with Byleth's own green eyes.
"But this plan–"
"It's almost as if all of you have forgotten how his unconventional strategies had helped us in the past." Felix said which made his former classmates pause.
"I am very much agreeing with Felix. I am trusting the professor with this." Petra gave an affirmative nod to Byleth despite the extreme risk.
Byleth gave the two short thankful nods.
"I ask all of you to once again put your trust in me." Byleth said after his former students had gone quiet.
"But what will we do?" Bernadetta asked the only lingering question that remained within their minds.
The commander of the Black Eagle Strike Force scanned each and everyone of his troops.
"First…"
Despite just numbering three, Byleth, Felix and Petra had used their smaller numbers and speed to their advantage. With little regards to their surroundings, the three were able to outmaneuver and fight off the Almyran wyvern riders by either killing off the riders or the mounts, or by incapacitating them in some way.
Petra specialized in making two riders collide against each other before moving in for the kill, Felix was more focused on cutting down the riders. Meanwhile, Byleth had used the tremendous power and reach of the Sword of the Creator to unleash a slicing maelstrom, something he had never used extensively since he had worried about hitting his own soldiers with such an attack.
If Byleth was to be honest, it felt good cutting loose with his power from time to time, always having had to hold back in regards to the safety of others.
After Byleth retracted his sword back into its form, he suddenly found himself on the defensive as Nader swept down with his wyvern, his heavy axe clashing against the Sword of the Creator which sent the professor to the air by the sheer force of Nader's strength.
In danger of falling down to the cold sea below, Byleth reacted immediately and used the Sword of the Creator's whip form, piercing and locking it on the mast of the ship and retracted it immediately to pull himself towards the mast.
What Byleth didn't account for was Nader continuing his attack, soaring above to meet him in midair just as Byleth was in the middle of pulling himself.
Pulling the sword's edge out, Byleth hastily reverted his weapon to its sword form to block another powerful swing from Nader in midair, this time it sent him crashing down the deck of the ship he was originally in, alarming both Felix and Petra as they fought.
'He is far stronger than I thought.' Byleth growled in irritation as he stood up, feeling some pain on his back due to landing and crashing through the ship's deck. He felt a stinging type of pain on his left leg, noticing a big splinter of wood from the ship's deck, lodged on to it and causing it to bleed.
"Damn." Byleth cursed and quickly pulled it out, he then used what Lysithea had taught him regarding faith magic's most basic spell, the healing and closing of wounds to prevent blood loss.
While he was no expert in the fields of magic, Byleth's power that Sothis had granted to him compensated for his lack of experience, quickly sealing up the wound to prevent any form of blood loss before looking up at the hole he made on the ship.
Jumping up to go back to the fight, Nader lay in wait for him, still looking carefree and confident upon causing some damage towards Byleth, noticing the small traces of blood on Byleth's leg.
'This man. He does not possess a Crest nor a relic yet… his strength is entirely his own by years of training and experience.' Byleth inwardly praised Nader's prowess, comparing his strength to that of Edelgard's who he still believes is superior in nearly all aspects due to the power that has been bestowed upon her twin Crests and the Aymr.
This wasn't going to be an easy fight and Byleth knows he cannot tarry any longer.
He has to finish this.
By now, he has seen signs of exhaustion from Petra and Felix, fighting all of these Almyrans with just these numbers was bound to happen. If this keeps up, they will be cut down as many of the Black Eagle Strike Force has stated earlier.
Byleth has to revert back to this state of mind that he was on years ago, way before Garreg Mach, the time when he was more infamously known by his moniker, a title that never truly left him despite his accolades within the Church of Seiros and now in the Adrestian Empire.
He has to bring the Ashen Demon back. His state of mind where he cared about nothing else but to fulfill a job that was contracted to him with cold and deadly efficiency.
A state of mind that he had left behind after he had met his students and now his comrades in this war.
Without warning, the Sword of the Creator pulsated crimson with power as if resonating with Byleth's desire to end this without any regards for mercy, Nader and the other Almyrans saw this as the Crest of Flames manifested above Byleth before the Sword of the Creator sizzled with white flames over the crimson glow that his sword was emitting.
"It seems you are getting serious–"
Nader couldn't even finish his sentence when Byleth suddenly ran and jumped to him with blinding speed. In the untrained eye, it would seem as if Byleth turned into this flash of crimson light that headed towards Nader in the blink of an eye.
Nader was forced to block Byleth's swing, using his axe to block more powerful blows from Byleth who used the wyvern's head as something for Nader to stand on while applying more and more pressure to the Almyran.
Then, Byleth realized that Nader was beginning to pick up the pace, parrying Byleth's slashes with his axe with one hand whilst keeping control of the wyvern who was becoming erratic from having a stranger stepping on its head.
Despite Nader's parrying of Byleth's swings, he was beginning to notice that each time the Sword of the Creator clashes against his axe, it chips away pieces of it due to the power of the sword and its wielder. He knew it was only a matter of time until Byleth shatters the axe and runs him through with the blade.
Without warning, Byleth slashed the Sword of the Creator upwards to break through Nader's defense and was ready to decapitate him. Before he could capitalize, Byleth saw from the corner of his eyes the incoming crimson arrow from a distance and jumped away from Nader and his wyvern to avoid it.
Landing near the hole that he created upon crashing, Byleth looked from where the arrow came from to see Claude staring directly at him.
Then, Petra and Felix arrived near Byleth, their backs bumping into his back as they formed a circle, all three of them surrounded by Almyran wyvern riders.
Neither said a thing, both of them eyeing their professor with Byleth maintaining his stoic facade despite getting heated up in battle earlier, the Sword of the Creator still sizzling with the white flames from the Crest of Flames.
It seemed like it was the end of the line for Petra and Felix as both were winded down from fighting so many all by themselves and while Byleth was a one man army was Nader said, he cannot win this battle alone especially with Claude waiting for him to be open for an arrow to the chest from a distance.
Then without warning, an arrow struck one of the riders, followed by not one but many more as the Almyran wyvern riders found themselves being pelted by a barrage of arrows from one direction.
Byleth allowed himself a small smile as if he was expecting this to happen all according to plan.
Claude and Nader looked at where the arrows were coming from only to see a group of Imperial archers led by Bernadetta and accompanied by Ashe, firing from the other side of the docks near the ships.
"Duke Riegan, I bring news!" A messenger arrived mounted atop a pegasus.
"What is it?" Claude asked, his eyes still fixated on the archers that had arrived to aid Byleth, Felix and Petra.
"Unexpected reinforcements from what we believe to be members of the Black Eagle Strike Force had come to assist Emperor Edelgard, Duke Holst has been defeated and we're steadily losing ground!"
Claude gritted his teeth, looking back and forth to where Byleth is and where Edelgard is currently at.
He had no idea how Edelgard predicted his move earlier and this time, Byleth had anticipated his scheme to sink him and the Black Eagle Strike Force in one stroke. Everything was falling apart.
He has to make his stand.
The Duke of Riegan turned to the messenger, who was still waiting for his command.
"Edelgard!"
The Emperor who was clad in red looked at the person who called out for her, her expression turned to relief upon seeing Lysithea completely fine despite some dirt and grime on her.
Before Edelgard could respond, she noticed Lysithea's angry scowl.
"Did you put the professor up for this?"
"What–" Edelgard then noticed Sylvain alongside the other members of the Black Eagle Strike Force aiding her own forces as they mowed down the Alliance soldiers that continued to fight on.
The look on Edelgard's face answered Lysithea's angry question.
"You didn't…?"
Just before Edelgard could ask one of the members of the Black Eagle Strike Force, she pushed away Lysithea after sensing a killing intent.
"We're not done yet…"
Edelgard narrowed her eyes when she heard Holst's voice. Holst was now holding on to Freikugel, the relic was glowing in response to its wielder's crest. Despite bleeding on the side of his head and having many bruises, Holst was still ready to fight the Emperor to the death.
Meanwhile, even if Edelgard knew she could easily destroy the duke by now, she simply didn't have the time to fight him anymore. Instead, she did something that will surely break the spirit of the Alliance's most famous general, his only weakness.
Approaching the unconscious Hilda, whom Lysithea had noticed and was concerned about by now, Edelgard pointed the glowing Aymr's edge on to the unconscious Hilda. The blade being just a few inches away from cutting the young woman's throat.
"We are done, Duke Holst." Edelgard stated coldly, wanting no more time to waste with an opponent she had decisively defeated earlier considering what's at stake right now after piecing together what she had realized.
"Y-You!" Holst gritted his teeth as he witnessed Edelgard threatening to kill his sister in front of him.
"Yield now or else, I will cut the throat of the one person that matters to you the most." Edelgard said without reservations, her voice was icy and her expression showed Holst the degree of ruthlessness she was ready to show.
Lysithea was taken aback by what Edelgard said and was ready to do, she looked nervous as to what would happen as Hilda's fate depended on it.
Holst gritted his teeth and started muttering curses before he grudgingly threw down the Freikugel and knelt down, defeated in all aspects by the Emperor. There was simply no way to win or bargain here anymore, not with a blade pointed at his unconscious sister, the only family he had left in this world.
Edelgard scoffed and ordered some of her soldiers to restrain Holst who simply looked down on the ground, defeated.
What resulted afterwards as a result of witnessing Holst surrendering and being taken prisoner was the total loss of morale of the Alliance forces that fought against Edelgard's Imperial army. Some retreated and some surrendered after seeing the plan crumble and the Imperial army prevailing over them.
Edelgard then left with Lysithea, who gave one last worried glance to Hilda. For a moment, the Ordelia woman allowed herself a brief moment of repose, she didn't want Hilda to perish in this battle considering how the Goneril noblewoman hasn't wronged her in any way or form back in Garreg Mach. Lysithea, however, was sure that Edelgard wouldn't have hesitated to kill her if she wasn't taking Lysithea's feelings into consideration.
"Are you really going to kill her if Holst doesn't surrender?" Lysithea asked, but Edelgard didn't answer immediately as she issued an order for some of the Imperial army and the Black Eagle Strike Force to follow her.
"I'm no fool, killing Hilda in front of him would only enrage him rather than break him immediately." Edelgard said as she and Lysithea went on their way to the one place where they are needed.
"Felix. Petra." Byleth called the attention of the two. "It's time."
Felix and Petra both nodded, making a break for it while the Almyrans were being pelted by arrows, those wyvern riders who did come to attack Bernadetta's sniper battalions were intercepted by Caspar's soldiers and wind magic by Annette and mages under her and Linhardt's command.
The wind disrupted their flights, leaving them open for volleys of arrows afterwards.
"It is actually working professor! The plan!" Petra exclaimed out in surprise after seeing how their risky stunt had worked in their favor.
Byleth wanted to feel pride in overcoming what was to become their fate if he had proceeded with their original plan but couldn't. Besides, they cannot rest on their laurels yet especially since he is still wary of any contingencies that Claude had in place.
Without warning, more crimson arrows were fired at them in rapid succession as they crossed a ship on the way to the other side of the docks to where Claude is.
Then, the roar of a wyvern nearly halted them as Nader was going after them from behind.
Byleth grumbled at the persistence of the man he had just fought earlier, he can't afford to stop now and attack him with Claude sniping them from afar.
"Go. I'll handle him." Felix told Byleth after seeing the frustration in Byleth's face.
Byleth gave him a look but Felix narrowed his eyes, gesturing Byleth to just go and to not fuss about him.
"I will be backing him up, professor. Please, go and be ending this battle for us!" Petra also urged as she and Felix made an immediate stop to hinder Nader, their swords ready.
"I don't need help in fighting him." Felix insisted, glancing at Petra before his eyes went towards Nader.
Petra didn't give him a response, wanting to focus more on fighting the incoming Almyran general who gave Byleth a pretty hard time earlier with just his brawn and experience.
"I see that you two have decided to cover for him." Nader said, halting his wyvern's movements upon seeing the two waiting for him. "Very well, I have full confidence in what Claude can do. Have a taste of my undefeated strength and see if you can survive!"
Felix grinned as his warrior's spirit took over him in fighting a strong opponent, something to match against his skill in battle.
"Then, let's see if you'll stay undefeated at the end of this battle."
Byleth gave them one last look, trusting them in this battle against Nader as he continued his way to Claude. By now, Claude is now shooting arrows towards him with pinpoint accuracy, Byleth was only able to fend his arrows off with his sword.
Finally, reaching the end of the last ship, Byleth gathered all the strength he could on to his feet to jump at the docks to where Claude was, arriving alone at the wide stone pier overlooking the vast sea surrounding Fodlan.
Byleth looked up to see Claude, slowly descending down atop his white wyvern to meet Byleth. Both staring each other up, their eyes focused on one another despite the sounds of the ongoing battle still happening around them.
"Heya Teach." Claude said with a carefree smirk, something that Byleth hasn't seen for a while now.
The smirk wasn't fooling Byleth though, he could tell in Claude's eyes what he was thinking of doing right now at this moment.
"Claude." Byleth simply acknowledged him with a cold stoic look.
"You still haven't changed throughout these years eh, Teach? Still have that same cold and straight to the point look you have when in a battle." Claude's smirk then dissipated as he sighed afterwards.
"I still wonder what our situation would have been if I earned more points on you than Edelgard did on that day." Claude said and shook his head, the time for what-ifs is now over. "No point in whining about it now, I suppose."
Bringing up House Riegan's relic, Failnaught, to aim at Byleth. Claude said his final words to Byleth before this ill-fated reunion between them reached its conclusion.
"Sorry, but I'll be taking the win today." Claude said with resolve and determination to see this battle through as the one who leads the Alliance and to avenge those that had fallen from fighting the Empire, whose blades are now stained by the blood of all nations in Fodlan.
Immediately aiming an arrow to fire it at fast speed, Claude began to offensive towards his former professor in some of his classes five years ago.
Byleth deflected the arrow away with his sword but Claude remained elusive as he kept flying around the sky while firing his arrows charged with Failnaught and Crest of Riegan's power.
This forced Byleth on the defensive as he had no means to reach Claude from such a height.
Claude was planning to tire him, Byleth thought as the former continued to harass him from above with accurate and powerful shots that Byleth had to deflect or dodge from.
Byleth knew he can't always deflect or avoid all of Claude's shots towards him especially at the pace and accuracy the Duke of Riegan had, he had to find cover and think of a way to reach Claude.
Simply using the whip form of the Sword of the Creator isn't enough in this battle after he tried several attempts only for Claude to have enough time to maneuver his wyvern mount to avoid getting hit by the deadly sword whip.
Noticing the triumphal arches that surrounded the middle of piers where Claude had a strategic view of Derdriu, Byleth formulated a plan and ran towards them to seek cover from Claude's attacks.
Hiding behind one of the arches, Byleth tried to peek to know where Claude is currently at, only to narrowly avoid getting pierced by an arrow to the eye by Claude, ready to shoot him with another arrow should Byleth show himself.
Readying himself, Byleth quickly revealed himself into which Claude fired another charged arrow towards him, despite Byleth's quick movements, the arrow managed to shatter a chunk of Byleth's armor covering his neck and shoulders, to the point of even cutting his skin within his left shoulder.
But that small amount of pain didn't stop Byleth, he used the whip form of the Sword of the Creator to impale the tip of it on the top of one of the triumphal arches before pulling himself towards it by retracting the Sword of the Creator back to its tip.
Using the momentum he has from pulling himself back to the tip of the Sword of the Creator, Byleth managed to again, narrowly avoid a direct hit from Claude's Failnaught, the arrow bore a hole on Byleth's coat after the latter had maneuvered himself out of harm's way.
Settling above the triumphal arch, Byleth is now of the same height as Claude is flying from. He knew Claude would immediately soar higher to avoid being in range from Byleth's attacks. Transforming his sword into its whip form again, Byleth swung the bladed whip to where Claude's wyvern was going to.
As expected Claude canceled the arrow he was about to fire and instead used one of his hands to grab on the reins and lead the wyvern upwards to avoid the deadly sword whip from making contact.
What Claude did not take into account was a bolt of lightning coming out of Byleth's left hand that was fast approaching towards him.
Hastily steering his wyvern away, Claude was barely able to avoid the unexpected spell from Byleth, something he had not taken into account from what Byleth could do.
Just as Claude was to regain his focus back towards Byleth, his eyes widened when Byleth had swung his sword whip once again towards Claude's direction.
'He got me–' Claude couldn't even finish what he was thinking as he did the only sensible thing he could do to save his life, blocking the vicious lash of the Sword of the Creator's whip form with Failnaught.
This hasty block however, was so strong for Claude that he was forcibly dismounted by the power behind the lash. Claude looked down at the location he was about to fall to and used what strength he could to turn around and braced himself for a hard landing on the group of barrels placed near one of the triumphal arches.
Claude, as expected, landed hard on the barrels, crashing through them that somehow softened the impact he felt upon hitting the solid ground of the pier, his body rolled after landing and almost immediately Claude felt a tremendous amount of pain with the rough landing he had just experienced.
Unfortunately for Claude, he had no time to even feel the full brunt of the bruises and splinters on his body when he heard Byleth's loud and fast footsteps coming towards him.
Immediately bringing up Failnaught, Claude found himself at the receiving end of Byleth's powerful swings with the Sword of the Creator.
Claude reckoned that if the bow he had in hand right now was just a normal one, Byleth would have cut through and landed a mortal blow to Claude by now.
Even then, Claude desperately blocked Byleth's attack, using what training he remembered fighting and defending up close. Despite his specialty in long range, Claude in close combat wasn't an easy target.
But in the face of an enemy like Byleth, Claude could do nothing but defend and back away, hoping to create a distance between them and fire an arrow up close to kill Byleth with it.
"It's over." Byleth coldly said and raised his sword to bring down Claude only for the former professor to be caught off guard when Claude's white wyvern roared and rammed Byleth square on the side of his body using its head, sending Byleth crashing on a pile of wooden boxes.
Claude acted fast and quickly mounted his wyvern once again and aimed towards the pile of smoke and dust where Byleth crashed to and fired it only for the arrow to be deflected by Byleth who emerged out from the pile of shattered wood with a blood running down from the corner of his lips and a cut above his left eyebrow.
Controlling his wyvern to soar high, Claude was set to continue his earlier strategy of pelting Byleth with arrows using Failnaught and see if he can succeed this time, thanks to the injuries inflicted by his wyvern mount who selflessly came into his defense just as Claude was about to meet certain defeat.
Both were heavily breathing at this point. Byleth was never one to tire so easily due to the superhuman amount of stamina he had following his merging with Sothis but the amount of times he had exerted himself in this battle especially when he rewinded time to an extent was beginning to take its toll.
Being unable to react in time on the wyvern that rammed him was a sign that exhaustion was beginning to dull his reflexes.
Even Claude could feel his own exhaustion taking him due to the maneuvers and defense against Byleth's vicious attacks as well as his injuries from crashing down from such a height, the bruises and the wounds he received from the splinters were also making him wince. He could swear that one of his ribs was cracked judging by the sharp pain in his chest.
But he can't back down now, he has the chance to take down Byleth at this point, he had never seen the man so vulnerable with all he went through. Despite his plans being foiled today in bringing down the Empire, at least he could get some small measure of justice for what Byleth did to Judith in Myrrdin.
Then, it hit Claude. Why is he still fighting an increasingly losing battle against the Empire? He wasn't one to be emotionally clouded in his decisions, he wasn't one to fight for justice… revenge, whatever someone calls it. Is he this emotionally compromised now that he is more focused on defeating the man before him?
But that doesn't matter anymore as Byleth was ready to continue the fight once again, Claude knew he should too. It was either him or Byleth now.
It was now or never.
The two wordlessly continued their battle with Claude surprising Byleth by charging towards him, his wyvern ready to tear him limb from limb as Claude readied another shot in hopes of capitalizing in Byleth's exhaustion.
Byleth, despite the injuries and exhaustion he has, strafed to his side to avoid the razor sharp teeth of Claude's mount, he knew what Claude was going for with this charge as Byleth changed his sword into its whip form and thrust it forward to Claude who was forced to cancel his shot in the last second.
The two passed by one another, each missing their attacks with Byleth immediately turning around to swing his whip towards Claude while preparing another magic spell.
Claude knew what to do next, rightfully predicting Byleth's usage of another spell, steering his mount to avoid another bolt of lightning from hitting him or his wyvern. Claude did something that surprised Byleth in order to avoid the sweeping sword whip that was about to hit him.
Claude purposely loosened his right foot on the stirrups of his mount and allowed himself to dangle upside down on the remaining foot on the other stirrups whilst preparing another shot with Failnaught. Byleth's eyes widened in surprise at how Claude was now practically aiming at him while hanging upside down with one foot on a stirrup.
'Got you.'
Just before Claude could let loose the arrow, a lone arrow pierced the side of his white wyvern. The scaly beast bellowed in pain from the arrow lodged deep in the base of one of its wings, scrambling around the air which broke Claude's aim towards Byleth.
Shocked, Claude looked at where the arrow came from only to see Leonie from a distance, still holding on to her bow that she had shot with as she was followed by members of the Imperial army that was led by Edelgard.
Then, without warning, Byleth had swung his sword whip to sever the strap that held the remaining stirrups he had his foot in, making Claude fall once again. The Duke of Riegan closed his eyes, feeling like he is about to meet the end of his fate, only for Byleth to unorthodoxly use the whip form of the Sword of the Creator to wrap him with it and pull down to crash on sacks of grain in the pier.
The next thing Claude knew, darkness took him, only catching a glimpse of Byleth's boots approaching him.
"He's waking up."
Claude's green eyes opened, still feeling dazed from the battle and injuries he had sustained. Hearing the voices of various people before him, his half-opened eyes first spotted two pairs of black boots.
He also felt something was restricting his arms and body together, his eyelids fluttering, tilting his head up to see two pairs of eyes staring down at him.
"You're finally awake." Byleth said, Claude merely looked at the man who had defeated him, realizing now that he has been knocked unconscious from earlier and is now restrained by ropes.
Claude took his time to register his surroundings, noticing the low growls of his wyvern who by now is chained and being threatened by spears from the Imperial soldiers guarding it. He looked back up to see the other pair of eyes staring down at him.
Lavender eyes stared straight to his green ones.
"You've… grown lovelier than ever, Edelgard." Claude managed to smirk, a facade to hide his defeated look. Inside, Claude felt that he had failed himself and the Alliance in this battle. That Edelgard and Byleth were already several steps before him.
But what Claude feared for now is if Nader and the others were all right. Especially Hilda, who he had hoped to whatever god was listening to his mental prayers by now, was able to escape as he had asked of her earlier.
Despite the solemn look Edelgard was giving him, she humored his words.
"You're not so unfortunate yourself." Edelgard remarked. "It is unfortunate we meet once again at such an inopportune moment."
Claude could only do now to accept the defeat he had tasted and it was a bitter pill to swallow than he had thought.
What bothers him now is how and why is he having this conversation with Byleth and the Emperor now?
"What happens to me now? The Alliance?" Claude asked, dreading to know what to happen yet maintaining his carefree facade in order to save face in front of his greatest adversaries.
"The answer depends on you, Duke Riegan." Edelgard said. By now, Claude had noticed Lysithea standing behind Edelgard and Byleth, looking worriedly at him.
"You've bested me and anything else I can throw at you. Regardless of what you decide for me now, the Alliance will become a part of the Empire… that I can understand." Claude as he looked down at the stone ground of the pier, drops of blood dripping down from the wound on the side of his head.
"Do you yield, then? You've never known when to give up until you are given no choice." Edelgard said, remembering the two times Claude was forced to yield in the mock battles and the Battle of the Eagle and Lion back in their time in Garreg Mach.
It was something Edelgard respected the Duke of Riegan. Despite his carefree attitude, Claude was never one to rest on the privileges he had.
Claude then looked at Byleth with a sad smile.
"I wish there was a time where you chose me instead, Teach. The many things we could do together but alas, all of that is just a dream now. I don't blame you for choosing Edelgard's side, I completely understand what it is you and the Empire are fighting for but… you cannot blame me for the actions I chose to do in response."
Byleth gave him a silent nod of acknowledgement. The Sword of the Creator still in his hand making Claude assume that his fate was leaning to its end.
Something he is now beginning to accept unless this last card he has works.
Facing Edelgard once more, Claude didn't hesitate to look straight back into her eyes.
"You must know why I couldn't surrender easily. The sovereignty and freedom of the Alliance rested on my shoulders." Claude reasoned. "But, if you're as smart as you seem, I bet you've figured out why I was able to summon Almyran reinforcements. Wouldn't it be better to let me go and have me in your debt?"
After he said those words, Claude looked at both Byleth and Edelgard. Analyzing their reactions with the two only breaking away their stares at the defeated duke, to look at each other before looking back at Claude.
Then, Edelgard slightly smirked.
"Always having a card to play in the–"
"Don't kill him!"
Edelgard, Byleth and Claude both turned to where the voice was. Claude's eyes widened as he saw Hilda running up to them before Imperial soldiers grabbed ahold of her just as she was trying to reach Claude, desperation in her eyes despite the danger she attracted in seemingly escaping from her captors to go to them.
"Hilda… you're…" Claude could only feel a wave of relief upon seeing Hilda alive, she was wounded but nonetheless alive.
"The fate of many, including hers, depends on your answer to my next question, Claude von Riegan." Edelgard said, approaching Claude with the Aymr in hand.
"As the leader of the Alliance, do you yield and surrender? Relinquishing the sovereignty of the Leicester Alliance over to the Adrestian Empire?"
Claude knew at this point that Edelgard had gotten the best of him no matter what bargaining chip he had in hand. The least he could do now is to preserve the lives of those he had failed and the woman he loves.
Before he gave Edelgard the answer she wanted, Claude gave Hilda a look.
The look said it all for Hilda: that everything will be okay, that he was ready to die if it meant saving her life and the rest of the Alliance from the possible wrath of the Empire.
"I, Duke Claude von Riegan, formally surrender to you, Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg and by your right of conquest, the Leicester Alliance and its fealty now belongs to you."
Edelgard nodded and much to the horror of everyone especially Hilda, Edelgard raised the Aymr with one hand, looking as if she was ready to cut down Claude despite his surrender, possibly as reprisal for his persistence in fighting the Adrestian Empire and to make an example of him.
Claude hung his head low, ready to accept his fate as Edelgard swung the Aymr down to him as Hilda screamed out for her to stop.
Then, the ropes around Claude loosened and fell on his side, silencing everyone as Claude looked up to Edelgard and then to the ropes that were cleanly cut by Edelgard.
"And I accept your surrender." Edelgard said, her eyes softening a bit.
At this moment, Hilda once again broke free of her captors and ran up to Claude, immediately hugging him, her captors rushing after her only for Edelgard to gesture them to halt.
"H-Hilda…?" Claude called out, surprised by the sudden action of Hilda and then he heard it: her sobs followed by warm tears soaking the shoulder Hilda was crying on.
The pink haired woman didn't say anything else, sobbing loudly in relief, Claude ignored the wincing pain he felt throughout his body and simply returned her embrace as Byleth, Edelgard and the Black Eagle Strike Force looked on.
"T-Thank you…" Claude stuttered as he looked up at Edelgard and Byleth. "I'm truly grateful for this courageous decision, Edelgard. I will return this gesture one day, I promise you."
Edelgard simply gave him a nod as she and Byleth both turned to the Black Eagle Strike Force and the Imperial army who were awaiting the words they needed to hear from her.
Raising the Aymr above her with her right hand, Edelgard allowed herself a triumphant smile.
"Everybody! Raise your voices in a victory cheer! Derdriu is ours!"
And with those words, thunderous roars of triumph erupted from the Imperial army, drowning the city of Derdriu with cheers despite the death and devastation that had happened just now.
As for Byleth, he gave Claude and Hilda, who were still embracing each other in relief, a look before he turned towards Lysithea.
He gave her a smile but soon found himself being embraced by the snow haired woman.
He did not know why but he didn't stop or push her away, Byleth simply basked at the warmth she was giving him. He allowed himself to let his guard down at this moment.
And lastly, he allowed himself to return the gesture to Lysithea, his free left arm wrapped around her back as the Imperial army and Black Eagle Strike Force continued to revel in their triumph.
Hello everyone, surprise surprise this fic is still alive! So much has happened since the last time I updated this fic! Besides making the collaboration smut fic I wrote with SuperbOwl, I have been incredibly busy with matters in real life and boy, has real life been such a massive rollercoaster these past few months.
First, I am glad to say that I am now a happily engaged man! I have worked hard to finally reach the point where I can finally proposed to my significant other! Second, I will be severely cutting down on the fight scenes in this fic, this chapter in particular was very bloody to write and it really drained me out as I wrote it in a very slow rate over the months. I am afraid my job now has given me little time to invest in writing or any hobby in particular unlike the times where I can be a bit more carefree. Third, I must admit that I suffered a major burnout on Three Houses and Fire Emblem in particular that I had to revitalize myself by playing or trying out other games, Rune Factory 5 (which I am currently addicted to) in particular.
Not to worry, I still plan to go ahead with the fic as intended but as I have mentioned, trimmed down from the fight scenes. But that's not to say that I will not cover the most integral battles that occurred in Crimson Flower, namely: Tailtean Plains and Fhirdiad.