Author Notes: Double feature time!
Approximately two weeks later, everyone was in position. One of Garreg Mach Monastery's line of defenses consisted of every student from the Officers Academy as well as several high ranking knights and members of faculty.
They were all positioned at the outskirts of monastery grounds, hovering around the main gate that provides access to the grounds itself. Lengthy stone walls lined the locale, separating the ancient architecture from the natural green environment that laid beyond the raised drawbridge.
A gigantic force of Adrestian soldiers approached on the horizon.
Every student, every knight, every faculty member - a wave of nervousness passed through them all. Yet they stood firm, ready to fight. Ready to protect Garreg Mach.
"They're almost here…" Caspar nervously said from where he stood in front of a narrow staircase, mildly shaking within his Brawler gear. "Normally, I'd feel excited, but this feels completely different."
"No kidding," Ashe agreed, gripping his bow tightly. "This is the first major battle in this war. And we're taking part in it. I don't entirely know how to feel. Other than scared."
"I won't lie, I'm literally shaking right now. I don't know how people deal with this," Leonie admitted.
"It's just pre-battle jitters. You'll get used to it when we start fighting," Catherine reassured the worrisome students. "Think of it like all the missions you've been on these past few months. This is no different."
"But this is a war. How is it not different?" Ashe questioned.
"At the end of the day, they're all battles. Scenarios where you can either die or survive. Just because this one will have a fancy label on it, doesn't mean the stakes are that much different than anything you've seen before," explained Catherine. "You'll die if you fail. Simple as that. So win."
"That may be oversimplifying the matter, but Lady Catherine is most correct," Lorenz concurred. "We must triumph, lest we receive the stale taste of defeat."
"You sure are acting like you know a thing or two about wars. I'm pretty sure you've never been in one, big guy," Leonie noted.
"No, I have not. However, it simply makes perfect sense. An aggressor will stop at nothing to achieve what they wish. That involves wanton murder," Lorenz elaborated. "Have you not been paying any manner of attention, Leonie?"
"Hey, don't patronize me! I know how battles work. What do you take me for?" Leonie huffed.
"..." Lorenz struggled to respond right away. "For the sake of our relationship, I will not answer that question. Know that I, at the very least, see you as a valuable ally."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Leonie exclaimed in confusion.
Caspar and Ashe chuckled to themselves. Catherine frowned, merely shaking her head in disapproval.
"Alright, that's enough, kids. Time to look alive. We've got a battle to fight," she instructed them.
At her words, the students around her brought up their guards and prepared to attack on a moment's notice. Everyone else that was allied on the side of the monastery did the same, for they knew the enemy was approaching.
Before long, a colossal collection of Imperial forces appeared on the furthest end of the area, at the beginning of a wide stone path. The knights, students and faculties prepared themselves.
Although they all shared varying levels of fear, there was an additional desire that tied them all together, linking their hearts and uniting them under the same banner.
To guard Garreg Mach Monastery. Some had their own reasons, but they all wished to stomp out the threat of the Empire.
"Everyone! This is it!" Seteth called out to all of his comrades from atop his wyvern. "The battle to safeguard our precious monastery has arrived! We must not allow a single enemy past our defensive line! If that were to happen, it may as well be over for us. Which is why we must succeed! Everyone, prepare yourselves!"
They did precisely that.
"Now, let us fight! For the sake of Garreg Mach Monastery!"
A resounding cheer erupted from the overall crowd. Various knights charged in to meet their foes at the same time the opposition did the exact same thing. Sounds of steel clashing against steel flared up from the heat of battle that soon combusted.
The battle to defend the monastery was on.
With those that remained at the defense point, they were all ready to engage any enemy. The knights that charged down the rightmost section of the battlefield (facing away from the monastery) were having an equal battle with Imperial forces. Soldiers clashed and fell on both sides.
But then a Winged Demonic Beast approached. Many of Garreg Mach's knights were torn apart and eviscerated by the flying creature's presence. Plans had to change.
As a result, some of the students and higher-ranking knights that were closer to that specific area were ordered to charge in. This included the likes of Felix, Sylvain, Mercedes, Ignatz, Alois, Gilbert, Seteth, Flayn, Bernadetta, Hubert and Edelgard.
The Adrestian princess remained steadfast. Despite the uncertainty that plagued her mind.
She and the rest of her contingent rushed in, distracting the Winged Demonic Beast from its onslaught and giving it a worthy opponent. Attacking an airborne being was difficult for some.
However, those with spells, arrows, or a flying mount in Seteth's case - they had no such trouble. Edelgard's Sword of the Creator was also more than useful in an encounter of this variety. Felix, Sylvain, Gilbert and Alois had to wait until the creature forcibly landed after being sprayed with projectiles. Only then could they attack.
The Winged Demonic Beast was soon downed. It took quite a bit of effort from the combatants, but at least they were all alive. Priests were on hand to ease most of the damage taken from the encounter. Nobody was too injured. They all turned themselves around, intending to return to their initial defense-oriented positions.
Yet the approach of a second Winged Demonic Beast aggressively modified their plans once again.
On the other side of the equation - literally within the opposite part of the battlefield - more members of the Knights of Seiros were engaging with the Empire's red-toned military. There were no Demonic Beasts of any kind, so their fight remained equal.
Until the Death Knight made his presence known to all. As if out of thin air, he appeared, slicing his way through the thinning horde of knights with his dark energy tipped Scythe of Sariel.
He was the main reason why the leftmost third reinforced their allies. This team consisted of Annette, Ingrid, Lysithea, Raphael, Shamir, Jeralt, Petra, Linhardt, Hilda and Claude. As well as additional knights.
Their arrival only briefly caught the Death Knight's attention.
"I see nothing but a collection of rats. You will all be exterminated by my hand," he threatened, swiping the air with his scythe in a display of might.
"Heh. Rats, are we? Well, there is strength in numbers. Even an army of rats can overcome one overconfident, lumbering giant," Claude taunted in return, notching an arrow on his Silver Bow. "Let's go, my friends! We can't let this guy walk all over us."
"Hey, I thought ordering people around was my job," Jeralt jokingly complained from atop his horse. "Never mind. I was about to say the same thing. Let's just cut through this bastard and then strike at the heart of the Imperial forces!"
At their command, the group engaged the Death Knight and whatever Imperial soldiers surrounding him that remained.
His Scythe of Sariel proved to be challenging to overcome. As evidenced by what eventually happened to an overzealous knight, one slice from the enchanted weapon was enough to leave a deep injury. The students and higher ranked knights fought as defensively as they could.
Though, some attempted to apply more pressure upon the Death Knight than others. Lysithea was one of them. She unloaded several Miasmas and Swarms onto him, yet they were either evaded, blocked or somehow parried. Sometimes, he would even forcibly grab one of his allies and use them as a human shield, sacrificing their lives for his own safety.
Her inability to deal any decent damage brought clear frustration to her visage.
"Fine, then!" Lysithea growled. "If you won't hold still, then I'll just have to get closer!"
She was just about to rush in and get close for a clearer shot, yet a hand that landed upon her shoulder held her back, preventing her from doing so.
"I won't allow you to do that," Linhardt chided the white-haired girl.
"What?!" Lysithea struggled within the Hevring heir's grasp. "Linhardt, let me go! I can take him! I've got just the weapon to do it!"
"Getting in close to that man is downright suicide. I can't allow someone so special to die here," stated Linhardt.
"Special?" Lysithea almost froze, yet she unthawed when she reminded herself of who she was speaking with. She lowered her voice. "You're just talking about my two Crests, aren't you?"
"I was, yes. But this is no time to be discussing that. You said you had a weapon?" Linhardt changed the subject. "It wouldn't happen to be Dark Spikes T, would it?"
"It is. I haven't mastered it, but I know its magical makeup makes it especially effective against mounted enemies. The Death Knight's on a horse, isn't he? Therefore, Dark Spikes T is the perfect weapon against him," Lysithea explained. "I can cast it. However…"
"You need time."
"Uh-huh. Can you make yourself useful for once and make sure nobody gets close to me? Oh, and I'll also need someone to put the Death Knight in range for the spell. It doesn't have endless range, you know."
"I suppose I can handle all of that," Linhardt said with a yawn. "Just be sure to let us all know when you're ready."
"Of course. Thanks, Linhardt."
The Black Eagles' Priest merely waved dismissively. He stood by the Golden Deer's resident Dark Mage, preparing to fire a Wind or Cutting Gale toward any loose enemy that may have foolishly chosen to approach.
Nothing of the sort happened, but Lysithea did appreciate the gesture. As she prepared her cast of such a high level spell, she made a mental reminder.
Dark Spikes T was soon ready to be unleashed. At Lysithea's call, Linhardt flung several Cutting Gales at the black-armored individual. They had been sliced clean through with the Scythe of Sariel. Death Knight continued engaging in close quarters combat with those who possessed such weaponry.
Linhardt frowned at the failure of his initial plan. He then decided to raise his voice, addressing his allies. "Everyone, come over here!"
Some of his friends turned around with briefly confused stares before they were forced to evade another scythe slash. No-one seemed to get the hint until Claude looked over. He smiled.
"Listen to Linhardt, everybody! Just trust me. And, uh, him too!" The Golden Deer house leader insisted.
Everyone shrugged at his words, yet followed them anyway. They all retreated from the immediate front lines, breaking off from their respective engagements with the Death Knight.
He took the bait - as expected. The masked man galloped in pursuit of the ones that tried to escape from him. When he got close, everyone moved out of Lysithea's way.
"I don't have time for this…" she said. "So just die already!"
It was too late for the Death Knight. With a wave of her hand, the fifteen year old girl released several blades of dark magic, which all honed in on the masked one as well as his steed. They struck true and exploded upon contact. The horse collapsed to the ground as a result of all the immense pain it received.
On the other hand, the Death Knight had been launched from his mount due to the explosions. He flew through the air, crashing down upon the ground some ways away from the collapsed animal.
"I was bested by rats…how dissatisfying," he lamented while lying face up on some grass. "My thirst has yet to be fulfilled. But I will not perish before that occurs. I shall retreat. For now."
Without warning, Death Knight pulled himself back up, warped to his fallen horse and then immediately teleported away from the battlefield, not to be seen by anyone else.
"Looks like we did it. Good work, Lysithea," Shamir praised the student, who looked away in order to hide her beaming visage. "There are some more enemies further down this path. Let's secure this area and provide help for the other teams."
"Sounds like a plan to me. Let's do it!" Claude concurred.
As the contingent led by Jeralt and Shamir furthered their progress down their respective column of the battlefield, a handful of the other knights remained where they all were, intending to guard that particular portion from any sneaky enemies.
Meanwhile, the third segment of the overall squad of defenders had chosen to act much more defensively than either of their allies. They kept themselves located within their starting position nearer to Garreg Mach's gates, just behind the raised drawbridge.
The drawbridge was intended to be a safeguarding mechanism. Preventing any interlopers from sneaking in through the front. However, it wasn't able to keep out any Pegasus Knights or Wyvern Riders.
Luckily, the third team had a batch of Archers and Snipers available. They were able to clip the wings of their airborne foes. Their defensive position had been maintained.
Yet not everybody agreed with it.
"Why must I be the one held back? They are out there, yet I cannot reach them. What manner of ridiculousness is this?!" Dimitri growled, clenching a fist with much more fervor than necessary. "If it were not for this infernal bridge, I could tear them all apart! I..."
Dedue laid a hand upon the prince's shoulder.
"Your Highness," the Duscurian addressed. "Calm yourself. The bridge has been raised so that we may prevent the enemy from infiltrating Garreg Mach. When it lowers, you may have your chance."
"But I must-"
"Your Highness."
Dedue slowly shook his head. Dimitri glanced elsewhere, the grip upon his fist loosening. The hand that was on his shoulder gradually retracted itself. An exhale came from the Faerghus prince.
"So be it," he accepted his temporary fate.
The battle raged on. With everyone in the other groups locked in the deadly embrace of battle, Dimitri struggled with his instinctual desire to eviscerate all those he considered his enemies.
Thankfully for him, the drawbridge was eventually lowered, allowing the third attack squad to engage the flood of Imperial soldiers that rushed up the stone path found within the middle of the locale. Dimitri and Dedue were a part of the team, as were Catherine, Manuela, Hanneman, Yuri, Ashe, Caspar, Ferdinand, Dorothea, Lorenz, Leonie and Marianne.
The largest of the three teams. Suitable for the horde of Adrestians and hooded Agarthans that came their way.
Catherine led the charge. She cut through a handful of enemies using Thunderbrand, immediately thinning their numbers in a considerable manner. Her time alone at the front of the group was short, as Dimitri zoomed in and began cleaving foes in two with his Silver Lance. Half-torn bodies were strewn all over the path he tread.
Yuri wasn't far behind. Yet he primarily kept to himself. His Fetters of Dromi gave him all the protection he required.
Caspar and Ashe stood back-to-back as the former of the two slammed their fists into their attackers. He did this while the latter of the pair carefully let loose their well-aimed arrows into the skulls of anyone that even got remotely close.
Leonie and Lorenz were also closeby. Together, they used their skilful and precise lancework to end the lives of unfortunate Imperial soldiers.
Everyone fought with a shared determination to survive. Some were more engaged in the battle than others. Dimitri being a clear indication of the intense side of the equation.
Marianne was the exact opposite. Out of the corner of her eye, as she reluctantly brought a finale to the opposing lives that surrounded her, she could witness the devastation Dimitri laid in his wake. After seeing him rip apart a poor soul with his lance, their entrails and organs becoming clear to see, the Golden Deer's Priest hesitated.
That was enough for an Imperial Warrior to get close to her. She hadn't noticed until it was too late to respond. As the soldier raised their axe, Marianne welcomed her end.
But at the last second, a Thoron whizzed above her, striking the soldier's head with sufficient force to knock him out.
"Huh? I thought-" Marianne stumbled as she looked around, trying to see who it was that saved her life.
"Come on. You can't just hesitate like that in battle, you know."
The light blue haired girl followed the trail of noise. She turned behind herself, seeing the figure of a certain Dancer from the Black Eagle House.
"Oh, Dorothea. Thank you so much for saving me," Marianne thanked her savior.
"You're welcome. Just make sure you're careful, okay? I think a lot of people would be upset if you died. Myself included," advised Dorothea.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah. I know the Golden Deer really love and appreciate you. Hilda especially. She calls you her best friend," Dorothea giggled.
"I don't know if that's true, but...thank you."
"You're welcome. Again. Now, how about we get back to the battle, huh?"
Marianne nodded. She followed Dorothea's lead, refocusing her efforts on the elimination of every single enemy soldier. Although she had become re-energised due to the intervening Black Eagle, there was still a hint of hesitation to her movements.
She couldn't help but keep catching glimpses of Dimitri.
Further towards the front of the third squad, Ferdinand was deftly dealing with his foes while atop his horse, mainly relying on his Killer Lance. He would also sometimes switch to his Short Spear. That gave him a ranged option, although he did have to retrieve it every time it was thrown deep into the cranium of his adversaries.
Another round of Imperial soldiers approached. Ferdinand looked over. A man with light-grey hair and the garb of an Adrestian Warrior, as well as a woman with bright brown hair, who rode on top of a winged creature as a Wyvern Lord - they both came closer.
The man suddenly stared straight at him.
"You! You're Ferdinand von Aegir, aren't you?" He questioned as he neared the Black Eagle, his face slowly contorting in anger. "What are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be with us?"
"Randolph von Bergliez? I…" Ferdinand faltered. "I do not know if I can support Emperor Volkhard's ideals. He has made some rather extraordinary claims."
"And you're fine with abandoning the Empire, just like that?!" Randolph exclaimed in sheer rage. "I'd heard you were a proud noble of Adrestia. Granted, you haven't inherited your station yet, but that doesn't matter. Either way, you've clearly abandoned the place you once called home. Are you fine with that?"
"…"
"Just come back to our side, Ferdinand. If you're worried about your friends, I'm sure they're feeling the same way. I have no doubt they'll want to come back as well," convinced Randolph. "I think we can all work something out."
Ferdinand frowned. He paused, struggling internally before coming to some manner of response.
"I...I will not give in so easily."
"If that's what you want."
Randolph readied his Silver Axe and rushed in, beginning to engage Ferdinand in a round of mid-range combat. The student's position atop his steed gave him an advantage compared to the enemy general stuck on his two feet. Especially when combined with the superior reach of a lance versus an axe.
The two continued to fight as the battle around them proceeded.
Secret plans belonging to an individual slithering within the darkness were also put into motion. Somewhere within those shadows, an unseen figure trained their eyes upon Yuri. In a flash of light, they appeared in front of the young man.
"Yuri Leclerc?"
The Ashen Wolf in question halted whatever advance he planned, then turned around to face the dark-blue haired individual that was behind him.
"You're that guy from the Holy Tomb. Adrian Aquila, was it?" Yuri asked the older man. "What do you want with me?"
"I've been asked to retrieve you. Don't worry."
Adrian smiled with malicious intent.
"This won't take long."
Seteth's team pushed themselves through the multiple Winged Demonic Beasts that opposed them. Only some were injured. Even less were killed. None of the students or notable knights had perished, although the likes of Sylvain as well as Bernadetta had to retreat for sake of their survival. A pair of clerics departed the area alongside them to ensure their safety.
Those that remained with the rest of the squad took a small break upon defeating the third and final Winged Demonic Beast. No other enemies were in the immediate area, so they felt they could get away with it.
Despite seeing a large group of Imperial soldiers charge up through the middle of the battlefield, they knew the team of monastery defenders assigned to that area would be more than capable of handling that situation. However, some were on standby, ready to perform a pincer maneuver if needed.
Edelgard was one of them. She had a Steel Axe equipped in place of her Heroes' Relic. Preservation was key. Her Relic saw plenty of use in the repetitive bouts against the winged beasts, so it needed some rest.
The house leader of the Black Eagles stood between a pair of stone structures that hadn't seen much use. If any. She made sure she was out of the potential view of any loosely-placed soldier, thus keeping herself safe and secure for the time being. She figured her allies would know where she went.
Her gaze was locked to the ground. Her expression was of slight regret.
"Those soldiers...their faces, they-" Edelgard kept herself from finishing that thought. "Is this truly the right course of action? I only wish for the answer to make itself known."
She raised her head and tilted her view towards the general direction of the monastery - which was blocked by a stone wall.
"Professor, why do you persist with your slumber? Is the sound of war not sufficient for your awakening? Please. Reawaken, my teacher."
Her expression changed. From regret - to sadness. She kept her mind from spiralling any further by refocusing her efforts on the battle. Very clearly, it wasn't over yet.
Out of nowhere, a wave of darkness flew past her head. A sudden surge of fear burst into her very being. Edelgard steadily turned around. She jumped back and prepared her axe once she saw who was behind her.
"Thales. You must be foolish to even consider approaching me alone," she mocked him.
"You must be foolish to consider turning against me and the entirety of the Agarthan race," Thales repeated in return.
"Don't be so childish. You know why I have turned my back on you and your kind. Your villainous ways are coming to an end," Edelgard retorted.
"Is that so?" Thales wondered. He then bore a malicious grin, but only for a moment, as his expression quickly became inquisitive in nature. "Tell me, Princess. Do you ever intend on returning to your rightful place within the Empire? Have you entirely thrown away everything you have built thus far?"
"If you're asking me to lead this war as we originally intended, then no. I will never become the tyrant empress you wish me to be," denied Edelgard. "I shall not be a pawn in your underhanded schemes!"
Thales closed his eyes temporarily, stopping to think.
"How unfortunate. For you, that is," he said after a short-lived silence. "From this moment forth, you shall be regarded as a traitor to the Empire. To your own home. You shall have to live with this knowledge for the rest of your pitiful life."
Edelgard's expression weakened briefly, yet she recomposed herself.
"So be it. I was prepared for that possibility from the very start. Nothing you say can divert me from my cause," she sneered at the Agarthan.
"You truly are imprudent. I shall make you deplore your own existence, Fallen Princess." Thales' malicious grin returned. "But I will not start with you. Your allies shall suffer as a result of your defiance."
"What? What are you planning?"
Thales' grin became evermore malevolent. He raised a hand, and snapped his fingers.
Seconds later, the ground started rumbling. Sounds of an approaching stampede became louder and louder with each passing second. Edelgard was confused. Until Thales pointed behind her. Reluctantly, she turned around.
An endless rush of wingless Demonic Beasts charged straight through the middle of the battlefield. Edelgard immediately brought her attention back to the Agarthan that had been posing as her uncle. Her face emanated vexation.
"You possessed more of them?!" She asked, her voice reflecting her wrathful countenance.
"I have far more than even that at my disposal," Thales informed her, maintaining his venomous grin. "Every human on this battlefield shall die because of your insolence. Do you now see the fruitlessness of your cause?!"
"You monster. There are far too many Demonic Beasts there for our entire force to handle, let alone the specific group assigned to the middle! This is no battle. You've turned this into a slaughter!" Edelgard yelled, raising her voice.
Thales responded not with speech, but with a cackle. Edelgard's spiteful appearance only intensified. Her eyes bore into the Agarthan's grey, veiny skin.
"You should've thought about that before turning against the hand of Agartha," Thales chided the human girl.
Edelgard grinded her teeth, her rage tempting and teasing her like prey to a wild beast. Her mind briefly flickered to whatever she believed was happening with the middlemost squad. She then refocused herself onto the enemy standing menacingly before her.
Lady Rhea hurried around within her quarters. She speedily placed a crumpled piece of paper behind a drawer and sprinted out onto her balcony. Upon the stone platform, the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros observed the happenings pertaining to the defense of Garreg Mach.
She gasped when she witnessed the arrival of various grounded Demonic Beasts tearing effortlessly through a line of knights. Forces from both sides retreated upon their entrance, including the likes of enemy generals along with the brave students that fought for her monastery.
Rhea scowled.
"Agarthans...how dare you defile my monastery with these foul creatures!" She exclaimed internally. "The insolence. The wickedness. It appears I have no other option to deal with these reprehensible souls."
She briefly glimpsed back inside. Her eyes landed upon the human still resting in her bed.
"I will trust you to guide and protect the people of Fodlan…" Rhea's eyes shimmered. "Mother."
The Archbishop refocused on the battle below. She closed her eyes and allowed a deep-seated power to unearth itself. In a flash of green light, Lady Rhea was no more.
An ancient, white dragon soared through the air.
Upon the ground, the squad of Garreg Mach protectors that were assigned the middle portion of the battlefield all mostly ran away from the vicious creatures that soon approached. Some lagged behind from the overall retreat effort. Others moronically chose to fight them off.
As a result, many knights perished to the mindless destruction the Demonic Beasts laid in their wake. Students were not far behind.
Lorenz and Leonie broke off from the Imperial soldiers they were fighting in order to retreat. However, one of the beasts had taken an interest in them. It ignored whatever mindless destruction it was initially causing and chased after the pair of Golden Deer students.
A pursuit occurred.
"It's getting closer!" Leonie fretted while running back towards the drawbridge as fast as she could.
"This infernal creature...will it not leave us be?!" Lorenz worried, sprinting for his life.
"Does it see us as food or something? Damn it, we don't taste good! Leave us alone!" Leonie yelled at the Demonic Beast in a vain attempt to force it to cease their advance. "Go bother someone your own size!"
As if in response, the artificial creature halted. Only so it could then fire a wave of flames from its mouth. It was aimed directly for the two humans.
There was no time to evade. The inferno was coming straight for them at a speed they could not react to. Leonie and Lorenz's instincts failed them. They hastened their retreat, but it was all for nought.
"Leonie!" The heir of Gloucester territory called out for his friend.
"Wha-"
The orange-haired village girl had no time to react. Unexpectedly, she was in the air and then thrown far into the distance. She had a rough landing. Her head banged against the hard ground below as she found herself ever closer to the drawbridge.
"Ow...what the hell was that?" Leonie wondered as she checked herself. She was fine.
But as she turned back in the direction of where she once was, Leonie realized that someone else wasn't fine. There were no more flames. The Demonic Beast was still.
Leonie recoiled in shock as she laid her eyes upon the charred visage of Lorenz Hellman Gloucester.
"Lorenz, no!" She cried. "I've gotta get him out of there! He-he'll die! I have to-"
Interrupting her was the resonant roar of a sky white dragon that loomed overhead. Leonie's attention was taken up by the sudden appearance of the ancient creature. While still hovering in the air, it picked up the Demonic Beast near to Lorenz and rose high into the air with it entrapped by the dragon's piercing claws.
The unknown dragon then unloaded a surging beam of light onto the Demonic Beast's body. It tore the beast in half, sending the rest of its artificial body crashing down upon the stone structures below.
From her seat upon the ground, Leonie watched as the dragon unleashed chaos upon the battlefield. It fired many of its beams onto its surroundings, eviscerating many of the Demonic Beasts that murdered all those knights.
She was speechless. She had nothing to say regarding the most unusual happening that took place before her very eyes. Leonie then remembered.
"Lorenz!"
The student in question was lying on the ground. Leonie could not tell if he was alive. She stood up, a determined expression coming over her.
"Don't worry, Lorenz, I'll come get you!" She told herself quietly.
However, before she could move, another voice from behind called out to her.
"Leonie! What the hell are you doing, kid?!" Jeralt shouted, grabbing the Golden Deer student's attention immediately. "Get back here right now! It's too dangerous out there!"
"Captain Jeralt, I...my classmate, Lorenz, is still out there! We've gotta save him!" Leonie pleaded with him. "Please!"
"That's admirable and all, but you've gotta think about saving yourself before you're ready to save anyone, kid. You have to get yourself to safety first," Jeralt advised. He rushed over to the girl on his horse, offering his hand out to her once he got close. "Come on. I'll get one of those Priests over to check on your friend. Just take my hand and let's get outta here."
"But, I…" Leonie hesitated. "Oh, fine. You better make sure you get someone to save him."
"I promise. Now, take my hand!"
Accepting the captain's offer, Leonie grabbed his arm. He then pulled her up onto his horse. The two of them then galloped away, fleeing from the battlefield that was so full of merciless decimation.
Edelgard and Thales were still hiding between a pair of unmanned structures. They both peered around the corner, witnessing the appearance of the unknown dragon as well as its fierce engagement of the grounded Demonic Beasts summoned earlier.
Thales grinned in delight.
"So it has finally happened. The Immaculate One shows itself. It is only a matter of time before that ancient power is sealed away," he asserted. "Never to be used against us."
"The Immaculate One?" Edelgard rhetorically asked. She peeked over the corner, watching the aforementioned dragon embed its claws into the body of a Demonic Beast. "Wait. Is that…?"
"Indeed. That is the creature that has been controlling Fodlan for centuries. The Immaculate One," clarified Thales. "Otherwise known as Archbishop Rhea."
The princess gasped. She briefly studied the visage of the ferocious dragon before returning to face the Agarthan leader.
"Do you think this changes my position? I am still against you. You are not much different than The Immaculate One. You're both equally violent," Edelgard remarked.
Thales glared at the human. "How dare you compare me to that witch! I am nothing like a child of the goddess!"
"You're certainly acting like a child."
His glower only intensified. It radiated much more hatred than ever before. The veins that were scattered around his head and his overall body pulsed at the call of his emotions. He raised a hand.
"I grow tired of your provoking ways! I intended to let you suffer. I would inflict such scars upon you and watch you write in agony. But no. You deserve far worse, Fallen Princess," Thales threatened her as his hand became enveloped in dark, magical energy. "I shall smite you with the hand of Agartha itself! Prepare to die a thousand deaths!"
With his other hand, Thales clicked his fingers. An Agarthan soldier appeared behind Edelgard and disarmed her, leaving her without the Steel Axe she possessed. The soldier then restrained the girl and immediately put up a spherical, see-through barrier that engulfed them both.
Thales smiled wickedly.
"You will not be avoiding the wrath of Agartha. This Silence Barrier has been specifically tuned to prevent you from escaping with that teleportation magic we provided you. Now…" He lowered his hand, pointing his overflowing dark mana at the white-haired student. "Die."
"Ugh!" Edelgard grunted as she failed to wriggle herself free.
The Agarthan soldier which Thales summoned possessed an overwhelming amount of strength. She couldn't reach for her sheathed Heroes' Relic. Neither could she conjure the power of her Crests. It was as if even they were being suppressed by the barrier she found herself in.
"No, this can't be it. This infuriating Agarthan - I can't break free of their grasp! What is this power? I...why do I feel so weak?" Edelgard wondered as she attempted to find an escape. "Why do I feel like this? I-I have to avoid this attack. But I cannot. Where-no!"
The tenebrosity of Thales' magic had grown to its apex. He reached back.
"I can't fall here! Not until I've seen a truly free Fodlan! Not until I've seen the future Professor Lucas promised...not until then! But-" Edelgard battled her own desires to look away from the shadows pointed directly at her face. "Am I really about to die?!"
It was ready. The beam of darkness that would end Edelgard's life. She braced herself, averting her gaze from the reality staring her down. She chose not to witness the truth.
Thales thrusted his palm forward and released his spell.
…
Blood dripped onto Edelgard's red-tinted armor. There was no gaping hole in her chest, no soul-rending pain that threatened to tear at the very fabric of her existence. Confused, the Black Eagle opened her eyes.
She wished she hadn't.
"H-Hubert?!" Edelgard meekly said.
Standing in front of her, with a shadowy beam through his chest, was Hubert von Vestra. Weakly, he returned his liege's worrisome stare. He smiled - albeit a pained one.
"What? What is the meaning of this?!" Thales questioned as he held his piercing spell in place. "When did you-"
"Q-quiet...wretched being," Hubert demanded between breaths and coughs of blood. "Y-You have no right to speak. Not w-when you almost killed Lady Edelgard…"
"Do not presume to give me orders, human!" Thales barked.
"I will d-do as I please," Hubert countered with a low, raspy voice. "Such as th-this."
All of a sudden, the wounded Adrestian blasted the summoned Agarthan soldier with a Miasma, staggering him enough for the Silence Barrier to be dropped and for Edelgard to be released. Then, through sheer willpower, Hubert forced his body through Thales' spell, hoping to break free.
His body objected to such torture. He screamed and cried in agony as he willed himself through the deathly embrace of the dark spell. Eventually, he succeeded. Hubert landed heavily upon his liege. As he fell, he ensured that his arms wrapped around her shoulders.
"Thales, l-leader of the Agarthans…" Hubert heaved. "You are n-nothing. Nothing b-but an insect, waiting to be exterminated. Y-your time shall come, insect. It will come...someday."
Before any of the Agarthans could respond, Hubert and Edelgard disappeared in a flash of light. Thales retracted any traces of his piercing beam spell. He slammed the wall to his right with a fist.
"Curse that maddening lapdog!" He exploded. "And that infernal princess! They were both in my grasp, yet they escaped! They shall be eviscerated next I see them."
The leader of the Agarthans released his fist from the confines of the wall. He walked forward, shoving aside his summoned soldier and peering at The Immaculate One. Thales' anger slowly dissipated.
His Demonic Beasts had the dragon pinned down. It was no longer moving or thrashing around. He smiled - demonically.
"At least this has occurred as planned," he said with a delighted tone. Thales then addressed his underling. "Follower of Agartha. Has the other plan become a success?"
"Yes," the Agarthan soldier confirmed monotonically. "The bearer of Aubin is now within our grasp. What would you like us to do next, Master?"
"We shall retreat. There is nothing left for us here. We may attempt to decimate their precious monastery with our Demonic Beasts, but we have already lost enough as is. It would be best for us to fall back and regain our might," Thales reasoned to the nameless soldier. "Let us take The Immaculate One and the bearer of Aubin, and leave."
"Yes, Master."
Somewhere far away from the battlefield, Edelgard and a heavily wounded Hubert reappeared amongst a collection of bushes. They crashed onto the greenery, leaving a pool of red to form within the natural environment.
Edelgard laid upon her back as she recollected her bearings.
"Hubert!" She recalled.
Without any further conscious thought, the dual-Crested woman leaned to her right, her viewpoint becoming full of a nightmarish reality. One she chose not to avert her eyes from.
Her retainer.
"Hubert. Are you-"
Suddenly, he began violently coughing, unloading a cascade of blood onto his black, Dark Mage attire. That was all the response she needed. Edelgard reached into a pack hidden beneath her immense armor and pulled out a Concoction. She extended her arm over to the medium-sized hole that laid within the middle of Hubert's torso. The Concoction was then applied.
It did nothing. Nothing aside from causing Hubert to cough out more blood.
"What? Why did that not-" Edelgard wondered, but interrupted herself when she came to a realization. She froze, only able to speak a single word. "Oh."
Hubert eked out a smirk.
"Lady Edelgard…" he said with a croak. "I d-do not believe that will work."
"I-I understand that. But I am unsure if I can accept it," she revealed.
"You will have to. That is the only way you can m-move forward, with no lingering d-doubts or regrets…" Hubert coughed again. "You u-understand what must be done."
Edelgard nodded. "To look to the future I strive to create. To not be weighed down by anything. To move forward, freely. Is that it?"
"It can only begin with acceptance."
The girl refused to turn away, although the urge was strong. She visibly shook, her hands clenched as they laid upon her armor. Her gaze was forever locked upon him.
There was a glint in her wavering eyes.
"I...I can't. Hubert, I cannot allow it. I, the princess of Adrestia, hereby order you to-!"
"Stop," he calmly spoke.
"B-but! I…" Edelgard's hands tensed further. "Hubert, I can't! Without you, I have no-one. You have always been there for me. Always by my side. If you were to go, I-"
"Y-You are not alone, Lady Edelgard," a weak Hubert stated. "The Black Eagles...they are your friends. Cherish them well. They will help you w-when the world seems dark."
Edelgard's vision started to become cloudy.
"The P-Professor, as well...when he awakens, h-he will help you to the best of his ability. I k-know he will," Hubert struggled to say. "He is a g-good person."
"Hubert, you-"
He merely raised a finger, silencing the girl. Nothing else was said as he lowered his arm. Edelgard allowed herself one moment of weakness.
Hubert eased all of his tension. He absolved himself of all his woes, allowing himself to feel the cold essence of the wind as it brushed over him. His hands fell onto the bush. They met with the crushed leaves and the dirt that lay underneath.
As the girl beside him wept, Hubert smiled one final time.
"I apologise for keeping so many secrets from you…"
As her retainer closed his eyes, Edelgard wiped hers. She attempted to absolve herself of her tears, yet they kept coming. She reached for the arm closest to her.
And then she let go.
Hubert's stiff arm fell to the ground - reuniting with the bush. Edelgard held herself close.
"It's fine, Hubert. I did not mean to trouble you so," she lightly replied. "You told me to look to the future. I shall endeavor to do precisely that...my closest friend."
Although a faint gleam rested within her eyes, she turned her gaze to the eclipsing mountain behind her.
The one that contained Garreg Mach Monastery.
"I will fight in your honor. In your memory. You will never be forgotten."
Edelgard stood up.
"When everything clears, I will return to give you a proper burial. I promise you."
She departed. Hubert's body was left to rest amongst the bushes and the dirt that surrounded the locale. He was left with a smile upon his face.
"Goodbye," Edelgard said as she took her leave from the area.
The future was at the forefront of her mind.
Author Notes: I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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