Byleth's steps were brisk and long as he quickly made his way to the faculty dorms. It was a bit of a long shot, but if several of the students of the faculty were to be believed, then Jeritza had been acting suspicious in the last few days. Granted he was always suspicious, even more so than Byleth himself was at times, but he had acted even more peculiarly recently. His absence during these events certainly didn't help either.

A scream near the faculty dorms was what alerted Byleth that he may have been right.

I believe our suspicions were correct.

Agreed

They arrived in his room and found Hanneman kneeling in front of Manuela who sat against a nearby wall. There was blood coming from a wound on her stomach.

"Are you alright?" Byleth asked.

"Barely." Manuela replied. "That bastard Jeritza tried to stab me from behind. If it wasn't for Shamir, I'd say he would've gotten me good." Her wound seemed light, though she was in no state to be running around.

"Where is Shamir?" Byleth noticed the absence of both Jeritiza and Shamir in the room.

"She and Catherine were busy chasing after Jeritza over there," Manuela pointed to hidden passage at the corner of the room. "I'd head down their quick if I were you, don't know what they'll run into down there."

"Professor I heard screaming," Dimitri appeared just out of the entrance of the room along with the rest of the Blue Lions. "Is there someth- Manuela what happened to you?"

That Prince seems to have some very unfortunate timing with these things.

Indeed.

"Oh my," Mercedes commented as she kneeled in front of Manuela. "A little further up and it'd be quite the serious injury."

"I'm quite aware of that," Manuela replied before letting out an angered grunt. "If Jeritza really is the Death Knight, then I'm going to pay him back for this."

"Jeritza was the one who did this?" Annette asked.

"Stabbed her and escaped through a hidden passage, Catherine and Shamir gave chase," Byleth quickly informed the Blue Lions. "I'm going to go after them, who else is coming?"

"I'll help carry Manuela to the infirmary," Dimitri replied before turning to his second in command. "Dedue you and the others are to go after them and follow the Professor's commands"

"As you command your Highness," Dedue replied.

Byleth looked at Hanneman. "I'll need you to help me gather the Golden Deer and send them after us."

"Of course, Professor."

"Good now let's-" before Dimitri could say anymore, Felix would suddenly run past them and make his way through the hidden passage.

"Uh! Felix! Wait up!" Annette shouted as she gave chase.

"Oh no Annie don't run ahead without us!" Mercedes would follow soon after.

"It isn't safe you two. Wait!" Ashe ran after Merecedes.

Ingrid glanced at her running classmates, clearly ready to go after them. "Professor, should we?"

"Let's just go," Byleth replied as he ran into the hidden passage with the rest of the Blue Lions behind him.

It'll be interesting trying to lead another set of students.

We'll have to make it work.

They arrived at an underground passage where Felix had already started fighting with two swordsmen. "Where is she!" he shouted as he pushed one away so that they could be blasted by one of Annette's spells. He then disarmed the other one and stabbed his sword into his thigh. "I'm not asking again, where is she." Felix dug is sword deeper into his foe's leg and prevented him from moving away.

"We'll never talk to an inferior species like-"

Felix took his sword out and lopped off his head. "Then I'll just have to cut my way through every one of you."

Byleth grabbed his shoulder before he could run off. "Wait."

"We don't have time to wait."

"You won't do Lysithea any good if you get yourself killed."

I do believe he feels responsible for her kidnapping.

As do I but we can't allow our emotions to cloud our judgement.

"What would you do then?" Felix asked.

"You and the Blue Lions are with me. You listen to my commands and we'll be able to route the enemy without any casualties."

"I'd listen to the Professor if I were you," Ingrid commented once she caught up. "There's a reason Sylvain chose to be part of his class."

"I agree. We've seen how capable he is when we…" Ashe fell silent, likely remembering the time they had to kill his adoptive father.

Felix glanced at the rest of his classmates. "Hurry up and give us our orders then," he demanded Byleth.

"Dedue takes the front line with you and I covering his flanks. Ashe and Annette will provide ranged support while Mercedes stays back to heal. Ingrid the ceilings here are low so stay close to us and go in when you see any of us in need of help."

"What about those Warp Pads over there?" Annette pointed at the mechanisms scattered throughout the area. "I think we can use those to get around quickly."

Byleth shook his head. "We don't know where they go, and our group is too large. We'd easily get split up if we used them. Besides I think that Shamir and Catherine are already taking that route." It was likely the quickest route and with just the two of them they would be able to stick together easily enough.

"Hopefully we'll be able to meet up with them soon enough. Who knows they might even get Lysithea out before we do!" Ashe commented.

"If she's still alive," Felix grumbled.

"Felix!" both Ingrid and Annette shouted at him.

"She's been here for four days. We have to assume the worse especially when we're just standing around and talking."

"We'll begin the operation now," Blyeth replied before turning Felix around and looking him in the eye. "I know you're impatient, but you must stay in formation at all costs. It isn't just her life at stake here, we're all risking ourselves being down here."

"Fine. I hope you're as good as the Boar says you are."

"You'll see."

Catherine cut down another man with Thunderbrand just as Shamir shot down a mage that had been attempting to cast a spell. Together, the two of them had been using the Warp Pads littered around to quickly navigate the area. More than once they been met with a dead end or an ambush, but it was faster than trying to cut their way through the enemy's main force.

Or at least that was what she hoped.

"I'm starting to think this wasn't a good idea," Catherine commented as they stepped through another Warp Pad, only to be forced into cover by a group of archers.

"You're the one who suggested it," Shamir said as she popped out of cover quickly to shoot down one of the archers. "It does work in a way. The enemy can't gather up quickly with us popping in and out all over the place." She kneeled against a nearby wall and drew another arrow. "If anything, we can at least distract them for the others once they come. Assuming we don't get ourselves killed first."

"We'll be fine, I think. Just make sure to watch my back," Catherine leaped out of cover and charged at the archers with Thunderbrand at the ready. She would cut two of them with a single swing while Shamir finished the last one off. "So, which one next then?" Catherine pointed to the three pads in the room they hadn't used.

"I'd say the left one."

"Didn't we use that one?"

"No, we used the one in the middle."

"I'm pretty sure we just came from that."

"We came from the one in the middle on the other side."

"Are you sure? Because I distinctly remember that broken chunk in that wall over there."

"That's because you cut into it when you were swinging around Thunderbrand. I say we go left; you can follow me if you like." Shamir stepped into the warp pad and disappeared for about a few seconds before promptly reappearing again.

"… Dead end," Shamir replied as she tried to hide the blush on her face.

"Told ya."

"Doesn't mean you're right about the middle. We should head right next."

"Fine but if this is another dead end you owe me ten gold."

"I'll bet twenty."

Catherine took the Warp Pad and arrived in the heart of what seemed to a prison. If Lysithea was still alive then this was likely where she would be kept. "Best two out of three?

"You're paying for my drinks later."

They quickly moved from cell to cell looking for anyone inside until they finally reached the one at the very end. It was there that Catherine would find Lysithea lying on the ground. Her uniform was torn and stained with blood in several places. Most dangerous of all was that she didn't move at all.

"Lysithea," Catherine gasped as she slammed against the cell door that held her. "Hey! We're here to break you out!" She didn't respond no matter how much Catherine called her.

"Move aside," Shamir demanded as she pushed Catherine aside and began to work at the lock with her own set of lockpicks.

It was only after a few grueling minutes had passed before Shamir finally had the door open. Catherine rushed into the room and immediately cradled the fallen student.

Lysithea was pale and her breathing was erratic. It was as if her body was struggling to keep itself going.

Catherine reached into her pouch and pulled out a potion. She was wondering how she was going to get Lysithea to drink it when her eyes opened slightly.

"No. Not again… please," Lysithea begged. Her eyes were unfocused, it was likely she couldn't see who it was in front of her. "I'll listen now…"

"It's me," Catherine replied. "Catherine. Shamir and I are here for you."

"Catherine?... You came for me?"

"Of course, I did. And so, did your Professor. He's right behind causing a real mess of the enemy."

"Professor… I'm so sorry for being a failure… I should've been stronger… I should've done more with the time I had left…" Lysithea's eyes closed once more.

"Not good Shamir," Catherine said as she began lifting Lysithea in her arms. She didn't need to be a healer to know that Lysithea's condition was dire. There was a good chance she wouldn't make it if she didn't get healing soon.

"We'll meet back with the Professor then," Shamir replied before beckoning her to follow her out.

Carrying Lysithea in her arms, Catherine followed Shamir out of the hallway. The area was devoid of the enemy, likely distracted by the Professor and his class. It would be simple enough to take the Warp Pad they had used before to get back to them.

Or at least that had been the plan. Once they passed the gate, they would find the mechanism broken and the Death Knight standing over its remains.

"That is my prey," the Death Knight said as it sat idle on its steed and faced the two of them. "Release it and I might let you live."

Shamir immediately drew her bow. "Not good. Going to have to take the long way out."

"Well we knew that it wouldn't be that easy." Catherine had heard all about the Death Knight from the Professor and his students. That wouldn't stop her at all though.

"Maybe. But the only way out is through him."

The Death Knight didn't move as Catherine went to a nearby corner. She kneeled down and gently laid Lysithea down on the floor.

"You'll be alright," Catherine whispered as she gently brushed a lock of hair aside before standing up.

"I don't what sort of strange obsession you have with her." She stepped in front of Shamir, pulled out Thunderbrand, and pointed it at her foe. "But know this Death Knight! You now face the Knights of Seiros!"

"Foolish... Your deaths shall be swift," the Death Knight replied as he drew his scythe.

Felix set a nearby archer's bow on fire with a quick spell before running him down with his sword. Another body, another kill for his blade, yet that hardly satisfied him. These people were weak, simple to cut down and hardly put up a fight. That only made the fact that he couldn't protect protect two little girls from them even worse.

What did all that training amount to when he couldn't do anything when it truly mattered? He still couldn't beat the Boar; he wouldn't be able to protect anyone once he finally lost control. What would it take before he was finally strong enough to do so? What would he have to toss behind to finally be strong?

Even now, Felix didn't know the answer as he cut down another man in front of him. Grow strong so you may live and live to grow stronger. That was what he had been taught.

Yet the Professor was stronger. Faster, stronger, better with a sword, and an effective leader. He was both everything that he was not and everything that he wished to be.

Was this why Sylvain had transferred from classes? Felix had assumed he had done it to fool around again, but now seeing the Professor in action once more he realized that he was wrong. It wasn't just the students under him that improved, the Professor himself seemed much stronger than he had a few months ago during their last joint mission. Such incredible improvement in just a few months.

"How did you get so strong?" Felix asked the Professor during a brief moment that they fought close to each other.

"To survive at first," the Professor replied plainly before elongating his sword and flinging it at a mage that had been aiming toward Dedue. "That was life for a mercenary."

Felix watched as the Professor cut the man down with ease. "And now?"

"I have something to protect."

"Having to protect something doesn't make you strong, it makes you vulnerable," Felix replied as he stepped aside to let Annette fire a spell at an armored knight. He tried to protect those two girls on the wall and failed. Glenn had tried to protect his king and failed. Fighting to protect something was just another of those excuses that those Knight's gave. Chivalry, pride, blind obedience, it was just another one of their twisted ideals.

"I'm aware of that but I've accepted it and it is the reason I have to get stronger. Why are you so focused on becoming stronger?"

"Because that's how it is for children in my country. You're of no use if you can't swing a sword."

"Do you have any other ambitions."

"Why should I? Nothing's as important as the pursuit of strength."

"And yet despite what you say. Here you are fighting so fiercely to rescue a student."

"I owe her a debt and I plan to repay it. That is all."

"Well…" Byleth ducked under an axe and stabbed a man in a gut. "Strength for strength alone isn't enough. If you become too obsessed with it then you risk becoming a demon."

"Aren't you called the Ashen Demon?"

Dedue charged forward knocking a spearman onto the ground. Felix took that as a chance to run up and stab him in the neck before he could get up.

"I am… which is why I know the price of becoming one. It isn't worth it I can assure you."

And yet here this man was, cutting through men like butter. The Professor had learned from the former captain of the Knights of Seiros and traveled Fodlan fighting as a mercenary. Perhaps he would do the same. His father would certainly have words about that though. "I will beat you and I will surpass your strength."

"I look forward to that. Don't lose yourself in the process."

"I won't. I only have one goal after all."

Catherine had gotten a good amount of information about the Death Knight from the Professor and his students in preparation for their eventual encounter. However, what she had learned was nothing compared to fighting the thing herself.

The Death Knight was strong. She could see why this thing had been able to push the Professor to his limits.

She grunted as blocked yet another strike from its scythe. It and its strange weapon was strong, a match for her and Thunderbrand.

Thunderbrand glowed in Catherine's hands, her Crest of Charon manifested, and with a blast of energy empowering her strike she was able to push the Death Knight back along with his steed. An arrow flew overheard and struck its shoulder. It didn't seem to do any damage past the plate though.

"My arrows aren't doing much damage." Shamir said she somersaulted away from a Thoron the Knight casted at her. She fired an arrow mid spin and landed neatly on her feet. "I'm going for the horse. Try to find an opening and strike it with Thunderbrand."

The Death Knight tried to use its mount to circle around the area and strike them, but Shamir's aim was true. Just a few arrows to the horse's was enough to slow the mount and give Catherine the time to charge.

It attempted to cast a spell only for an arrow to fly through its raised palm and cause the spell to explode. Catherine took this chance and struck it with all her might.

It blocked the strike with the shaft of its weapon and the two began exchanging blows.

This time she was on the offensive as she kept attacking with swing after swing. There was no technique or subtlety to her swordplay, just pure raw strength as she continuously pushed her advantage on her opponent. It was a reckless style, suited for people much weaker and much less skilled than the Death Knight, but any openings she created would be quickly covered by Shamir who fired each of her arrows with a purpose behind them.

Even if few of them actually pierced off the Knight and its mount's armor just the weight behind each arrow would cause the Death Knight's swings to shift elsewhere. At one point it had to block an arrow aiming for its head which gave Catherine the opening to run in and land a cut along its leg.

The Death Knight hardly seemed to register the wound as it snapped its mount's spurs and forced it to gallop straight for Shamir.

Unfortunately for them, Shamir always came prepared. She took out a bundle of firecrackers from her pouch, threw it at the ground in front of the horse, and covered her face. They would explode and the sound would echo through the halls. It was loud enough to even get Catherine's ears ringing, enough to serve its purpose of frightening the mount.

The horse stopped and reared upwards. While the Knight was distracted Catherine ran in and swung at it once more.

She struck a clear cut across its before it met her weapons with its own and they traded blows once more.

This time she wasn't so fortunate. Though she was able to land a few shallow cuts, the Death Knight had apparently started learning her movements. This time it would to land a few hits on her as they traded blows. A scratch on the thigh, a punch to the chest which would definitely bruise, and the shaft of its scythe striking her shoulder, the injuries would begin to gather up on her body.

As the Knight separated from her once more, Catherine switched her sword hand. The strike to her right shoulder had been particularly bad, she wasn't going to be able to swing that arm around much anymore. Fortunately, she was perfectly fine with using her other arm.

"Almost out of arrows," Shamir said.

That was bad. Catherine was confident but she wasn't stupid. Once Shamir was out, she'd have a hard time holding the Knight by herself.

Before the Knight could charge again however another arrow would fly through the air and bounce off its back. It would turn around to find the Professor and a good majority of the Blue Lions behind it.

"Oh my, how frightening! You two certainly had a hard time," Mercedes commented as she appeared from the side, prepared to heal Catherine's wounds.

"Not me, Lysithea first," Catherine demanded.

Mercedes nodded and made her way to the unconscious student.

"You… Was this meeting… preordained?" The Death Knight with a strange fixation on Mercedes. It hardly seemed to notice it being surrounded by the Professor and the rest of the Blue Lions.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Mercedes asked as she started to treat Lysithea.

"Never mind that," Catherine said. "It's over Death Knight. Surrender now."

"Kill them," was all it said.

A flash of light appeared and a figure with white and red armor would emerge. It wore a metal helmet with a masked attached to hide its face and its very presence seemed to emit power.

"Halt. You're having a bit too much fun," it replied with the voice of a leader.

"You are getting in the way of my game."

"Hmph. You'll have more opportunities to play soon and you're injured enough as it is. Your work here is done."

"I don't think so Death Knight." Claude would suddenly appear from one of the of Warp Pads at the corner of the room. "Sorry we took so long Teach."

"Why did you use the Warp Pads?" The Professor asked.

"We figured this way was faster," Claude replied cheekily as Dimitri and the rest of the Golden Deer appeared behind him. "It was."

"Only after we ran into like three Dead ends," Hilda commented, clearly annoyed by what they had just been through. "Oh, is that Lysithea?"

Marianne and Lindhart were silent as they quickly joined Mercedes in treating the unconscious student.

The Death Knight hardly seemed phased with being completely surrounded though and instead turned toward its new companion. "Understood. I will go…" It then looked at Lysithea where she laid. "Five years." He announced to everyone there. "Train her. Make her strong. I will come to collect my prey before her time is up." The Death Knight then disappeared leaving its companion behind.

The Flame Emperor turned toward the Professor and Lysithea briefly before addressing the rest of them. "We will cross paths again. I am the Flame Emperor… It is I who will reforge the world." It then too disappeared.