Emperor Arundel, garbed in his dull grey and crimson red robes, sat upon his throne within the palace at Enbarr. A nameless, irrelevant soldier stared up at him, sweating profusely while looking absolutely terrified.
The soldier had just informed his emperor of some unsavory news. As a result, Arundel was channeling the heated anger of a volcano. His rage seemed as if it was about to erupt. The soldier shrunk in the overwhelming presence of a furious, wrathful man.
"Such impudence." Arundel clenched both of his fists, the veins on each appearing like they were about to pop. "Treason is inexcusable. It is punishable by death."
"E-Emperor…" the soldier whimpered.
"Petra failed to comprehend the might I possess. I can very well crush her homeland in mere seconds. Reduce it to yet another Valley of Torment."
"W-will you really do that, Emperor? Isn't Brigid a useful ally of ours? Why destroy them?"
"They are useful only for their land. Brigid has fertile soil, one that is far more effective at producing certain crops than the land offered by Fodlan. However, it is not a necessity. If Brigid was to disappear, we would hardly suffer."
"I see…so they're e-expendable."
"Quite so. Brigid, and its people, is nothing to me. If its princess wishes to defy the Empire that has selflessly provided her with a home and the means to fight, then we must show her the consequences of her actions."
"R-right." The soldier reluctantly and nervously nodded. "I a-agree with you, Emperor. We've got to make Brigid pay…"
"Indeed. Now, leave me be. I have preparations to make."
"Yes, my Emperor!"
The soldier quickly bowed, then fast-walked out of the throne room. Once alone, Arundel relaxed onto the throne. He breathed out a sigh, somehow letting go of a mask without changing his appearance.
Beside him was a sudden flash of magical energy. A cloaked figure with a gigantic black hat, one that cast a dark shadow over his vaguely grey-toned face.
"Master," said the person who teleported into the throne room.
Arundel grinned.
"Myson. What business do you have with me? An update I should be aware of, perhaps?"
"Yes, Master." Myson nodded. "I trust you are already aware of the Brigid princess' traitorous actions as of late."
"I am. I will begin with the destruction of Brigid at a later time."
"Excellent, Master. Your power knows no limit." Myson smiled. "I come bearing additional updates. It appears the Flame Emperor was unsuccessful in his attempt to take the Aquatic Capital."
Arundel scowled. "How disappointing. The strength we gave that man, he is misusing it. He should be far superior to any human, or Nabatean. He should be without opposition."
"I agree. He may be resourceful, but he is not making adequate use of our power. We must correct him when he returns." Myson bore a similar hateful expression as his master. "It also appears that Count Varley's daughter was killed in the battle."
"And? Am I supposed to care for the fate of one pathetic weakling?"
"No, Master. I thought it would be best to mention it, at the very least. I should also report that those who engaged Count Gloucester's forces at Derdriu were those led by Duke Riegan's offspring. It seems they have joined with those calling themselves the Resistance Army."
"Resistance Army…those fools from the monastery. No doubt the Brigid princess means to join them."
Myson's eyes darted to the throne room's large double doors. He squinted at them for a moment before returning to his master.
"What will we do with them?"
"Crush them like any other. Their numbers are small, and their forces are weak. If they are present at both the monastery as well as the Aquatic Capital, then they must be split."
Thales' gaze gained a determined glint.
"Hmph. Perhaps it would be prudent to attack them at their most vulnerable," he continued. "I have a plan, Myson."
"What is it in regards to, Master?"
"We still require that item. We were unable to obtain it during our last visit to the monastery. Are those shackled rats still alive?"
"Yes, they are. The four of them are alive. The quiet one…is still quiet. As you requested."
"Good. I will organize an attack on the monastery. You must take yourself, as well as those rats, and infiltrate the monastery, using the chaos of battle as a distraction so that none may witness your presence."
Myson seemed confused but then bowed for his master regardless.
"I sense your bewilderment." Arundel/Thales said, surprising the dark mage. "You will find a way to obtain it. I trust you understand what that entails."
"Y-yes, Master. I will do anything you ask of me."
"Then you must prepare for your departure. I have already thought of the perfect individual to lead the attack."
"Is it…?"
The cloaked Agarthan mage grinned in delight. He momentarily looked back at the double doors.
"How fitting. It could only be him."
"Quite. Now, leave. It would not do well for the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire to be seen discussing with suspicious mages."
"I understand. May Agartha be with you, Master."
In an instant, Myson disappeared in the same pulse of dark magic as before. Arundel was left alone in the throne room. He composed himself, putting his metaphorical mask back on.
He wasn't alone for very long. Through the double doors came a young man with long, bright-orange hair, as well as a red and black cloak. His face was frozen in a state of perpetual hate.
Ferdinand knelt down in front of the stairs that led to the throne.
"Emperor," he said. "I have heard of Petra's betrayal."
"She has selfishly placed her own survival over the fate of her home. She also wishes to fight alongside the church, the enemies of the Empire."
"Inexcusable," Ferdinand spat. "I feel disgraced. I once called her my ally, yet it appears she is naught but a foolish soul who yearns for the Empire's destruction. She is evil incarnate, and not much better than that Edelgard."
"You have shown such endless respect for the Empire and its power. You want nothing more than for Adrestia to flourish - as do I. You are an ideal Adrestian soldier."
"Thank you, Emperor Arundel. Your praise means the world to me."
Arundel smirked.
"You are welcome. Now, tell me. You have come here for a reason, have you not?"
"I have. I wish to ask you to allow me to lead an attack on Garreg Mach Monastery. I must be the one to deal with such a treasonous individual as Petra.I knew she was preparing a rebellion, yet no one believed me."
Ferdinand stood up and stared straight into Arundel's eyes.
"I will finish what I started."
Thales stared back.
"You are in luck. I was already planning to attack the monastery. We must crush all those who wish to oppose our might. Punishing a traitor would be ideal, as well. I will permit you to lead the attack. Bring General Randolph with you for additional power."
The Aegir heir gasped, then smiled.
"Thank you, my Emperor. Garreg Mach will fall. And so shall our enemies."
Deridru's palace was awash with peace. Its occupants were either at rest or hard at work. Those that had no administrative responsibilities were primarily taking a break - particularly after what occurred the day prior.
However, some needed to do the boring stuff. The paperwork, the organization, and such. Claude anticipated the necessity of these tasks.
Which is why Jeralt and Hilda were in the war council room together. The older man was reading through and writing on various stacks of papers, while the younger, lazier woman was merely scanning the information out of curiosity.
Even that was too much for her. She collapsed onto the table, dropping the paper she'd been holding.
"Ugh, this is so boring! Why do we have to do this? It's the worst!"
Jeralt saw through her.
"Are you serious?" He said. "You know why we have to do this. Your boyfriend threw all his dirty work onto us."
"Claude's not my boyfriend."
"Whatever. Not the point. Look, the faster you work, the faster you'll get this done. And then you'll be able to do what you like. You are Claude's assistant, aren't you?"
"I am, but…"
Hilda sighed. She stared at the mountainous paper stacks before her.
"I didn't sign up for this."
"Too bad. You got it anyway, kid. Get over it, and get to work."
The pink-haired gal buried her face on the table.
"It's too late to quit, isn't it…?"
"Far too late." Jeralt frowned. "If you didn't want to do this, you should've said something before Claude left."
Hilda raised her head, her expression now adorned with confusion.
"Where even is Claude? He never told me where he was going."
"That's a surprise. I figured you two were so close that he tells you everything. Either that or you just weren't listening."
"It may have been the latter…" Hilda sheepishly smiled.
Jeralt face-palmed. He let out a hefty sigh.
"Alright, kid. You better listen this time, because I'm not repeating myself. Claude's gone off to see Count Gloucester, to make amends for all the conflict that's been going on between the two the past five years. With practically all the Imperial forces in the Alliance gone, the Count should be a lot more open to peace talks and the like."
"Oh, that's right! I remember now! He did mention something about that. I'm glad he's trying to get that all sorted out with the Count. There's been a few attacks on Derdriu over the years, you know. Would be great to finally put that to a stop!"
"Yeah, exactly. Can't imagine how tiring it must be to get constantly hounded by the Empire for five years straight. Especially with how the battle yesterday went."
Jeralt smirked, putting down his quill.
"I'm surprised you brats hadn't all died yet."
"It's not like we were fighting their main forces. Just a small part of them, with some Alliance soldiers added every now and then. We're also stronger than we look."
"Heh. Won't doubt that. You kids are honestly impressive. Just five years ago, you were all inexperienced brats. But now, you're soldiers. Grown, and experienced."
"Uh, thanks?" Hilda tilted her head as she spoke. "I wanna say it's all thanks to Professor Manuela's teaching, but even I admit, she wasn't the best. How is everyone else in the Resistance, by the way? Everyone alive and well?"
"Yeah. Last I checked, anyway. Which was almost a month ago by now. Your professor's doing well. Same as she's ever been. I don't know if that's a good thing or not…"
"As long as she hasn't changed for the worst." Hilda's brow furrowed in sorrow. "Unlike some people."
Jeralt folded his arms, and leaned back in his chair.
"What do you mean? Who's 'some'?"
"Lorenz. And, from what I hear, Ferdinand. They were pretty nice people back at the monastery, if a little too absorbed in the idea of nobility. But these days, they've chosen their homes over anything else. They really took all their noble talk seriously in the end, huh?"
"Nobles can be very passionate about their self-perceived responsibilities. It's their one goal in life. To be a shining example of nobility, to be the sort of person that any commoner can look up to. I never knew those two students all that well, but they seemed just like that kind of self-important individual."
"Yeah, you're right about that. It's a shame. At least Ferdinand's still alive. I sure hope he makes it through to the end of all this."
"Me too. Not because I especially care much for the guy, but because I know people would be upset if he died." Jeralt closed his eyes. "Lucas, in particular, would be very sad if that happened."
Hilda nodded, if a bit uncertain in her movement.
"He's still not awake, right? I heard he took a nasty fall during the battle yesterday."
"Something like that." Jeralt opened his eyes. "He would've died if it wasn't for Claude's intervention. Unfortunately, we weren't able to save that other student of his…"
"Bernadetta…I heard the Flame Emperor killed her. What happened over there?"
"Lots of things happened. Terrible things. Lucas and I were just about to get out of the street we were fighting in, when all of a sudden, some more Imperial soldiers came around the corner. They were led by that student, Bernadetta."
"So she was with the Empire. That doesn't sound like her."
"Right. The thing is, she didn't want to be there. I'm guessing it had something to do with her family, I'm not really sure. Lucas was able to convince her to come over to our side, but before she could, the Flame Emperor showed up. And that's when he killed her."
"That's so awful. What kind of monster do you have to be to kill your own subordinate like that? Especially someone like Bernadetta, too. Was there any need?"
"Doubt there was. Some people just wanna take any opportunity they can get to do the things they want to do. Maybe the Flame Emperor really wanted to kill her. I'm not sure why, but some people certainly enjoy killing."
"If that's true, then he really is a monster. I wouldn't mind if that guy didn't make it through to the end of all this."
"Same here, kid. The Flame Emperor needs to be stopped, along with the rest of that damn false Empire."
"False Empire? Heh, that actually has a nice ring to it. Maybe we should call them that from now on."
"I'm all for it."
Jeralt and Hilda breathed easy, taking in an odd sense of joy found from basking in mutual dislike of the evils of war.
Their eyes turned to the stacks of paper they had yet to go through. The two of them shared a sigh.
Pure evil was waiting for them on the table.
Wandering throughout the many hallways of Derdriu's palace was Edelgard. She was not among those who chose to rest following the battle. After waking up on an uneasy morning, the rightful princess of the Adrestian Empire obtained a small helping of breakfast. Immediately after doing so, she left the palace's dining area.
She had free time. This meant that she could train. Train as much as she pleased. To better her own strength, to gain enough power to take the Empire back from those controlling it in the shadows.
Edelgard stopped in place, clenching her gloved hands. Her head was angled toward the red carpet on the floor. She was lost in thought - all on her own.
A dark haze clouded her mind. She closed her eyes, struggling to deal with such a sudden, mental intrusion.
"E-Edelgard?"
The soft voice of a woman she barely knew came from behind her. Edelgard reopened her eyes. The dark thoughts were still with her. Although, there was something that eased them. She looked up, remembering the fact that she was still wearing Lucas' hat.
Edelgard relaxed. She composed herself before turning around to meet the source of the stammering voice that pierced her mind.
"Marianne?" The princess went wide-mouthed. "Do you have business with me? How may I help you?"
"Uh-um…are you okay?"
Edelgard closed her mouth. Her brows curved, going into a frown with a downhearted tint to it.
"I'm fine," she lied. "I was merely thinking about what I wanted to do next. Is that all? I sense that you had some other reason to approach me."
Marianne nodded. She moved an arm from behind her back to her front, revealing that she possessed a rolled-up letter. The blue-haired girl offered the letter to Edelgard.
"Th-this is from Seteth. It arrived at the palace not too long ago. It w-was addressed to Claude, but since he's not here, Jeralt took it instead. H-he asked me to give it to you, so you could read it. He also wanted Professor Lucas to read it."
"Oh? An update from Seteth? Consider me intrigued. Thank you, Marianne."
Edelgard carefully retrieved the rolled-up paper from Marianne's grasp, ensuring to not take it too forcefully. She wished to not terrify the, evidently, already afraid girl.
"Y-you're welcome…" Marianne held her hands close to her chest, once the exchange had been made. "I will be leaving now."
She proceeded to leave. Edelgard had no words. No interjections, no reason to keep her from leaving. The princess was alone, once again.
An empty feeling formed within her.
Staving off any further dark thoughts, Edelgard turned her attention to the letter she'd just been given.
"Jeralt wanted myself and Lucas to read this. Perhaps it would be prudent to take it to him first, so that we may read it together. Though…" She grinned. "I'm tempted to read it for myself. It shouldn't be a problem if I do that."
The princess began unrolling the paper. But not even a second later, she stopped.
"No." She shook her head. "This feels wrong. I'll save it so that we may read it together. That is, if he's even awake. I should check."
Undoing all the minor progress she had made with the paper, Edelgard walked off, heading far away from where she initially wanted to go. Her path changed, for she had chosen to seek out the infirmary.
It wasn't a considerably hard task. The palace's infirmary ward was a place she knew the location of. There was only the matter of getting there.
Which didn't take much time at all. Edelgard walked at a brisk pace, intending to reach her teacher as soon as she could.
She soon arrived at the large, wooden door that acted as the entryway to her destination. With no hesitation whatsoever, she pushed it open.
Inside was a notably spacious, stone and wood-covered room. Its appearance was similar to that of Garreg Mach's infirmary. Except, this one had quite a lot of space to it, much more so than the one run by Manuela. There were more than two beds, for one.
Edelgard's gaze carried itself over to the bed in the corner of the room closest to the door. It was on her left, and was covered by a white veil that circled completely around it. The veil made it impossible to see what was behind.
But Edelgard knew. She grimaced.
"Bernadetta…it is unfortunate what happened to you. I hope you can rest easy. You have lived through such hardships in your life. May you find peace in death."
She closed her eyes, reminding herself of the memories she shared with her fellow Black Eagle. Edelgard was frozen in recollection and reminiscence for a significant amount of time.
Her eyes opened once she was done. She walked past the veil-covered bed, heading towards another bed that was around the midpoint of the room.
On it was the sleeping form of a good friend of hers. Only his head poked above the bed covers, which wrapped around most of his body.
Edelgard was silent. She looked down at his calm, relaxed expression. It was a far cry from his typical, emotive self. The princess checked the rolled-up letter that was in her leftmost grasp.
"He's still asleep. Hopefully not for another five years. I…" She struggled to shake off further dark thoughts. "What to do now, I wonder?"
Uncertain, Edelgard glanced around the room, hoping to find something in particular. Her eyes locked onto a wooden chair on the opposite side of the infirmary. As nobody else was around, she decided to borrow it.
Edelgard stole the chair, and used it to sit beside Lucas' bed, as she waited for his reawakening.
Many minutes passed. Hundreds upon hundreds of seconds trickled by. Edelgard kept sitting by Lucas' bed, her resolve unwavering.
She was going to wait until he woke up. No matter how long it would take.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait for another five years. Lucas began to stir after over an hour of waiting.
"Ugh, wha…" Lucas said. His eyes swiftly blinked, his arms stretched, and the rest of his body wiggled as he slowly regained consciousness. "Why…Edelgard?"
He squinted as he looked straight at her smiling face.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?"
Lucas took a moment to register the question. He instinctively covered and wiped his mouth.
"I…I'm fine. What h-happened? Where am I?"
Abruptly, his eyes widened. Something prevented him from jolting upwards, though it was clear that he really felt the urge to do so.
"Where's Bernie?! Where is she?! Is she…is she safe? Please tell me she's safe…"
Edelgard's heart sank to the bottom of the abyss it was in.
"Bernadetta, she…" The princess was reluctant to speak, but she composed herself. "She is dead. Killed by Adrian Aquila, the second Flame Emperor. I'm sorry."
Lucas said nothing. His eyes relaxed, albeit in an uncomfortable manner. All the tension in his body evaporated, leaving him as an exhausted man. His head leaned back on the infirmary bed's pillows, creating a deep depression.
He gazed blankly at the ceiling above.
"I failed again," he said with a heavy breath. He spoke with a monotone voice. "That's the second, no, third student I wasn't able to protect."
"None of them were your fault. You cannot blame yourself for circumstances beyond your control."
"Maybe not. But they were circumstances in my control. Hubert would've been saved had I been around for the Battle for Garreg Mach, I could've not listened to Lorenz, and I could've rewound time further to protect Bernie. I didn't do any of those things. As such, I have to blame myself. At least in some regard."
"You didn't kill any of them yourself. Hubert was stabbed through the chest by Thales' spell, Bernadetta's head was caved in by Adrian's Hero's Relic, and Lorenz was killed by his own stubborn sense of nobility. You did not end their lives - others did."
"I agree with you. That's why…"
Lucas frowned. A small bump formed on the surface of the bed cover. Underneath, his fist was covered in red as it was being clenched to an intense degree.
"I want them dead. Thales, Adrian, the entire Agarthan race…they will all die by my hands."
Edelgard seemed surprised by this outburst but eventually nodded.
"Of course. They must all disappear if Fodlan is ever to see peace."
"That's not what I mean."
The Adrestian raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, then?"
Lucas sighed. His fist relaxed, but his frown remained.
"Saving the world, or whatever - that's a nice sentiment. It's a neat bonus. But it's not quite what I'm after. Not anymore. Not wholly. Honestly, I really just want Thales and the others to die. That's the most important thing to me right now."
"I see…" Edelgard took some time to ponder what she'd been told. "I can't judge you for that. Secretly, it is what I want as well. I want revenge for all the horrific experiments Thales put me through. A creature like him is far too dangerous to be left alive."
"Yeah, agreed. He's the one who started this whole war, the very reason why Hubert, Lorenz, and Bernadetta ended up dead. He's going to die, Edelgard. I'll make sure of it. I just…"
Lucas' fist clenched again. This time, Edelgard put one of her hands on the bump that formed on the bed cover, calming him down.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome."
The two of them sat in silence. Nothing could be heard, aside from their own breathing. No sounds reverberated from elsewhere in the palace. Nobody entered the infirmary.
It was only them, basking in their mutual understanding of one another.
After a short amount of peace transpired, Edelgard reminded herself of the thing she carried in her left hand. She presented it to Lucas.
"I have something that may very well help to put our minds at ease."
"What is that? A letter?"
"Yes. It's from Seteth. I wanted to wait until you were awake before reading it. It seems something may have happened at Garreg Mach recently."
"Oh. Well, open it, then. Read it out so I can hear."
Edelgard nodded. She took the string that held the rolled-up letter together and undid the knot. The paper expanded out to its original state, allowing the contents of the letter to be read.
Seteth's voice rang through their minds as she read it out.
"Greetings, Claude.
I trust that everything at Derdriu has gone favorably for you. Flayn, Lucas, Edelgard, Jeralt…how are they faring? I certainly hope their travels have not worn them down in any way. You are keeping Flayn especially safe, yes? I should hope so.
Regardless, I have some news for you, as well as for the aforementioned four. An interesting development has occurred at Garreg Mach Monastery. A most delightful one, at that. One that will benefit us all.
We have received new allies. Petra, one of the former Black Eagles, has joined our ranks. She has defied the will of the Adrestian Empire's military. She seems to understand that the Emperor isn't precisely who he appears to be.
But that is not all. In her exodus of the Imperial army, she has brought along many supplies for our shared consumption. As a result, we will be faring considerably better than before. I am still awaiting the confirmation of the delivery of your supplies, Claude.
Ordinarily, this is where I would end the letter. However, Petra's arrival contained an additional surprise. Along with the supplies she had stolen from the Empire's stock, she has also found like-minded soldiers that no longer support the Empire. They are with us as well.
Some of these soldiers include an additional pair of old friends. Well, to be truthful, they are not soldiers. They were merely part of a small rebellious group that operated around the Empire and were primarily based in Enbarr.
Dorothea and Anna were with this group. They are also part of our ranks now.
That is all I have to update you with. Please send me a response as soon as you are able to. I cannot bear the thought that Flayn may be hurt…I hope you do not tell me that.
Goodbye.
~ Seteth."
Edelgard lowered the letter with a grin.
"Well. Petra, Dorothea, and even Miss Anna are now on our side. How fortunate."
Lucas breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to smile.
"Yeah…" he said. "I'm glad I won't have to fight them. Especially not-"
He caught himself. Lucas coughed, attempting to distract Edelgard from what he was about to say.
It didn't work. She eyed him with a suspicious expression.
"What were you about to say?"
"Nothing. I just coughed, that's all."
She shook her head. "I don't believe you. However, I won't pry. You've been through enough recently. You don't need me to give you any further undue stress."
Lucas turned away. A faint blush formed on his cheeks.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Edelgard smiled. She ignored his blush, refusing to tease him. Her gaze ventured over to the window on the adjacent wall. A yellow beam of light poured in through the glass.
She stood up, paper in hand.
"I must be leaving now. I still have some training to do today. After that, I will be having lunch. I'll bring you something from the palace's kitchens."
"Thanks." Lucas' blush slowly disappeared. "I probably shouldn't move, considering my state. I'll take whatever. It doesn't matter to me. See you later, Edelgard."
"The same to you."
Edelgard then proceeded to depart from the infirmary. She left with a positive feeling. Happiness filled her soul, giving her a feeling of contentment she cherished for the rest of her day.
Meanwhile, Lucas continued to rest his tired self.
But even sleep was not enough to counteract the massive weight he felt tugging at the deepest end of his heart.
Day 9 of the Pegasus Moon. Those residing at Garreg Mach were prepared for a fight. One that their wyvern and pegasus-riding scouts had seen coming almost an entire week prior.
A detachment from the Imperial army was about to arrive. The main body of the Resistance Army stood prepared in a location near the town beneath the monastery. It was a place that had seen battle once before - five years ago.
Unlike the time where Petra, Dorothea and Anna's rebellious selves arrived, they all felt an overwhelming sense of danger. As if this was to be an actual fight.
Dorothea, garbed as a Dancer, approached her one-armed friend.
"Hey, Petra. How are you feeling?"
"I am fine. Thank you for the question, Dorothea. My arm may be…not there, but I can still be fighting."
Petra unsheathed her Killing Edge, and pointed it into the distance. Dorothea gave a nod of understanding.
"I see. Well, as long as you're okay with it. I wouldn't want you to fight if you were uncomfortable. Just know that we've got a lot of people here as is. There's no need to feel like you need to keep fighting, for our sake."
"Dorothea." Petra turned to her friend. "I cannot stop fighting. For my people, for Brigid - I must be fighting. Always. So, do not have worry for me."
The Dancer sighed. "Alright. I'll take your word for it, then. I'll be right by you. We can fight together."
"I would be liking that greatly."
They both shared a smile. With their pre-battle talk having reached its conclusion, Dorothea and Petra focused on the horizon, alongside their allies in the Resistance Army.
In the distance, everyone could hear faint sounds of the clanging of steel. Some mild yelling, as well as the occasional cheer. The threat of battle was approaching, fast.
Everyone steeled themselves one more time. Seteth, with his Spear of Assal and his wyvern. Catherine, with her Thunderbrand. Shamir readied an arrow from her Silver Bow. Hanneman and Manuela prepared their fingertips for an onslaught of casting. Anna twirled around her expensive, but effective Brave Sword.
And Alois steadied his new axe. It was rather gigantic, with two curved edges at the tip of the weapon. The axe glowed with an ancient, blue aura. He grinned as he looked at it.
"Enjoying your new Sacred Weapon, Alois?" Catherine asked him, interrupting his appreciation.
"Oh, very much so! It's an honor to wield the Axe of Ukonvasara! I might not have the Crest needed to make full use of its power, or any Crest for that matter, but that doesn't mean I won't be bringing it down on those that deserve it!"
"Good! I'm glad we managed to find that thing in the vault. Definitely gonna be handy in the battles to come."
"You said it!" Alois smiled, raising a fist in agreement. "Though, I must axe…"
Catherine looked at him in total confusion. "You must ask…what?"
"You know, axe…ask. Axe. Ask. Get it?"
She stared at him with a blank expression. It took her about half a minute to realize what he was saying. Catherine buried her face in her palm.
"That was terrible." She shook her head in disapproval. "At least you're able to keep making jokes like you always have. I find that to be rather comforting in times like these. Keep at it, Alois. Even if you'll never come up with anything funny."
"Haha, I'm happy you appreciate-" Alois blinked. "Hey, wait!"
"Enough talk, you two."
Catherine and Alois looked over to see Shamir glaring at them.
"They're here," the ex-mercenary said.
Everyone's attention centered around the army of Imperial soldiers headed in their direction. There was quite a large amount of them, though their sheer numbers did not deter the members of the Resistance Army.
They were prepared, and ready to fight.
But there was one thing neither of them had anticipated. Leading the detachment of Imperial soldiers were two Adrestian Generals. One was a vaguely familiar man with light-grey hair and dark red armor.
Another was a long, orange-haired man who fought on top of a horse. Dorothea and Petra were taken aback when they saw him.
"Members of the Resistance Army. Those that oppose the Adrestian Empire," the man said.
He pointed his Brave Lance in their direction.
"I am Ferdinand von Aegir. And I will bring about your destruction. For the sake of Emperor Arundel, and the Empire."
Ferdinand scowled at his opponents.
"This will be the last day of your pitiful lives."
The battle soon got underway.
Author Notes: Another battle's about to start at the monastery. Will Ferdinand get what he wants? Maybe. You'll just have to find out next time.
Thanks to Frost for beta reading.
And now, review response time!
eseer - Heh, well, war isn't exactly kind. Anyone can die, even those that did nothing. Also, am I going to take Petra's other hand, too? It would indeed be funny if I did that.
Lord-Azrael3 - Thank you very much!
blazenite104 - Thanks, and you'd be right. The Sword of the Creator does indeed need a Crest Stone. Says something about how Edelgard was treated by the Agarthans in this timeline, huh?
Your responses are much appreciated, folks! See y'all next time!
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