Peace had finally arrived for the people of Enbarr, the Imperial capital. The fighting ended with the defeat of Emperor Arundel and the Resistance succeeded in their mission - the war was seemingly over. As a result, some of the Resistance soldiers began to celebrate their victory. The uneasy air that filled the throne room minutes earlier had all but disappeared.
Despite the victory, the Resistance was unable to leave the capital right away. There were still some matters that needed to be tended to. Primarily, there were immense piles of stone debris surrounding a mostly destroyed building that required cleanup. Seteth ordered several soldiers to handle these efforts while he took care of the source of the destruction.
She was returned to the cart she had been resting in previously, back in her regular form.
As Seteth continued guarding her, this time on his own as Shamir and Catherine were elsewhere, he noticed something approaching in the distance. A large group of soldiers - friendly soldiers - were coming out of the Imperial palace. Most of them had already done so, yet some of them remained inside, until now.
Leading the army were the three lords, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude, though Lucas was also with them. Their expressions varied, though it was clear they desired answers.
Seteth took a deep breath, having sensed the nature of the conversation that was to happen. The three lords and Lucas soon approached him with their inquisitive visages.
"So…" Claude began. "Well, before we ask any questions, we should make this clear. We beat Arundel. He's dead."
"Yes, I have heard as such." Seteth smiled. "Congratulations. I am certain the battle was not easy."
"It was certainly quite the trial. However, we persevered and were able to put an end to the emperor's tyrannical reign. The war with the Adrestian Empire is over," stated Dimitri.
"But our fighting has yet to conclude. Even now, more battles await us in the future. Let us see through to the end of them all," Edelgard added, her expression resolute.
Lucas nodded, having nothing to say.
"Indeed. Now…" Seteth glanced back at the cart he was guarding. "You all wish to know what occurred out here, do you not? That sound was rather loud. I should imagine even you four were able to hear it."
"We did. What happened, Seteth? It looks like the city's unharmed…" Claude pointed a thumb behind him, in the general direction of the damaged building. "For the most part, anyway. But for a sound like that, something big must have happened, but it doesn't look like anything did. Again, what happened out here?"
Seteth hesitated before breathing a calming sigh, easing himself somewhat.
"I suppose I cannot hide it for much longer. I suspect Lucas already knows of this."
"I do…?" Lucas arched his brow. His eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a minute-!"
Seteth raised a hand, interrupting Lucas. "Please. Allow me to explain."
He breathed another sigh, helping him to reveal the truth of the situation that occurred before his very eyes.
"A javelin of light was swiftly approaching the city. I was about to order an evacuation, to escape the ensuing devastation before it could occur. However, I was stopped. Rhea, whom we'd rescued from the depths of the Imperial dungeon, put her hand on my shoulder and assured me that she would protect everyone."
"And to do that, she must've-!" Lucas exclaimed, his eyes still wide open.
Seteth nodded slowly. "Yes. She transformed into a dragon…The Immaculate One. With her power, she destroyed the javelin of light that was to bring ruin to the city, thereby protecting us all."
Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude's mouths all flew open in surprise, though Edelgard's reaction was more muted than the others.
"Wait…Rhea's The Immaculate One? Seriously?" Claude wondered. "I wonder if that was the same White Beast that showed up at the Battle for Garreg Mach…"
Seteth raised a brow. "You did not know of this?" He turned to Lucas. "I'm surprised you never told them."
Lucas blinked quickly, letting out a small, quiet round of nervous laughter. "It, uh…it never came up. I was asleep for five years, so I missed the whole White Beast thing. By the time I woke up, nobody asked me about it."
"Hmph. I suppose that is fair." Seteth turned back to the four as a whole. "Now you all know, but I am afraid to say there is more to the tale."
"I would assume so. If The Immaculate One, or Rhea, destroyed the javelin of light, then what was it that caused that earth-shaking sound?" Edelgard asked, her minor surprise quickly fading.
Seteth was initially silent, only raising a finger. A moment later, he raised another.
"Another javelin of light appeared, much to our surprise. Including Rhea's, I would assume. She was unable to react to it in time. As a result, she was struck by the javelin. The resulting explosion forced her to the ground, creating that sound you all heard and destroying an unfortunately placed building."
"Where's the Archbishop now?" Dimitri wondered. "Is she hurt?"
Seteth briefly glanced at the cart one more time. "Yes. We placed her inside this carriage so she could rest. This is where she currently remains. She is heavily injured, although her wounds are not fatal. The clerics say she merely needs time to rest, so that is what we shall give her."
"Well…I hope she gets better. If those javelins can destroy entire cities, I can't imagine what it'd be like to take one of them head-on." Claude furrowed his brows, also glancing at the cart. "I'm honestly surprised she's still alive."
"She is quite the durable one," Dimitri commented. "Her strength is commendable."
"Indeed…" Seteth closed his eyes.
The five of them succumbed to silence, a lingering sorrow shared amongst them. They were all left to their thoughts and feelings, though they remained together, which caused a sense of awkwardness to be introduced.
Lucas couldn't quite handle it, thus he spoke.
"So, uh…" He nervously broke the silence. "What's next? I m-mean, I know what the next battle's gonna be, but what's the plan for right now? Are we going back to Garreg Mach?"
"Not…immediately." Edelgard shook her head. "I would prefer to stay behind and undo the damage caused by the former emperor. That may very well take some time."
"Yeah, that sounds fair to me. It wouldn't be right if we let the people of Enbarr clean up the mess caused by our Archbishop. That, and you've got a whole lot of political mess to sort out, right?" Claude turned to Edelgard. "I know I did."
"As did I. I'm fine with remaining here, if that's what you feel is necessary, El," Dimitri said to her. "The Empire is vast, so it's likely to take quite some time to repair all the damage. I will help you wherever I can."
"Thank you, but I'm not sure how the King of Faerghus can help with the political state of the Adrestian Empire. Allow me to handle the negotiations. There are some unsavory characters I've been meaning to take care of."
"Like Duke Aegir and Count Varley?" Lucas asked rhetorically. He frowned. "I can see why you'd wanna take care of them."
"Precisely." Edelgard temporarily glanced at her former teacher. "As for now, I shall prepare a speech to the people of this city, declaring my return and announcing my successorship of the throne. I will claim my rightful place as emperor."
Claude smirked. "Emperor Edelgard…it's finally time. Think you're ready?"
Edelgard turned to Claude with a steely gaze.
"I have been preparing to take the throne since before I came to the Officers Academy. I may not have been ready at the time, but I most certainly am now." She faced away from him. "As emperor, I will lead the Empire into a new dawn. We shall chase that dream we've been searching for so long. Under my guidance, we shall reach out and hold it close. For as long as I live, I swear it - the Empire will be at peace."
Dimitri, Seteth, and Lucas smiled, while Claude's smirk remained. Under the warm, friendly gazes of her allies, Edelgard couldn't help but follow suit.
She smiled.
"Thank you all for your help. I'll now prepare that speech." Edelgard turned around, facing the palace. "Seteth, you may allow the Archbishop to rest within the palace. Surely, she would find it more comfortable to lie on a bed."
"Very well. Thank you…Emperor Edelgard." Seteth bowed.
Edelgard nodded in response. With nothing else to say to the other four, she walked away from the area, approaching the bridge at the southern edge of the plaza, intending to reach the palace.
As the emperor made her way to the over side of the river, someone called at her from behind.
"Edelgard!"
Turning around, she found Ferdinand was the one approaching her. Her expression relaxed into a smile.
"Ferdinand. I'm glad that you're well." Her brows furrowed when she noticed his worried visage. "Perhaps I may have spoken too soon. Are you well?"
"I should be asking you the same. You were fighting your uncle, after all." He frowned. "Are you truly okay with that?"
For a split second, Edelgard glared at him before calming herself. "You weren't there, so you wouldn't understand…regardless, that creature was not my uncle."
"Creature?" Ferdinand tilted his head in confusion. "Did you not like him that much?"
Edelgard smirked.
"Yes, but not exactly for the reasons you might expect." Her smirk quickly faded. "My uncle was kind a long time ago, but he died. When that happened, someone else took his place."
"Someone…else?"
She nodded. "Indeed. My uncle was replaced with someone that shared his appearance, but only through the veil of magic. His true identity…was that of an Agarthan's."
Ferdinand was taken aback.
"A-Agarthan? What is that? Is that a kind of person from another country?"
"In a sense. Agarthans have been secretly plotting the destruction of humanity for the past thousand years. They are the enemies of the children of the goddess. The one that was posing as my uncle…was their leader, Thales."
"Ah-! I-impossible…" Ferdinand's mouth was agape. "Thales…I was following his orders the entire time I was in service of the Adrestian military?! How is that even possible?"
"Agarthans are skilled in the art of dark magic. They are capable of using their skills to disguise themselves as humans. You may remember Tomas, the old librarian from the monastery. He was one of them, an Agarthan named Solon. As was Monica - her true name was Kronya."
"Tomas was Solon and Monica was Kronya…I always wondered what happened to them." Ferdinand clenched his fist. "Now I know. So they were truly our enemies the entire time…!"
"Not entirely. Long ago, they were simple humans. But they had been killed and replaced by these Agarthans, all to gather information on their enemies. The same applies to Arundel, rather, Thales."
"I-I see…"
Ferdinand released the tension that had been building up in his fist, yet it did nothing to heal the conflict inside his mind. He scowled, but not at anyone or anything.
"This Thales person...he had the entire continent fooled. I wish I had never listened to Randolph all those years ago."
"I assume he was the one to enlist you into the army. Either way, you should not blame yourself. Thales was a rather cunning individual. His ploy to take the throne from my father, and in turn from myself, had succeeded. He was willing to do whatever it took for the safety of his people, though not for any righteous purposes. Now he is dead…he can no longer bring harm to others."
She closed her eyes, her mind flashing back to memories of events long passed. Ferdinand observed with a look of understanding. He allowed her to do as she felt was necessary, choosing not to interrupt.
Edelgard soon returned to the physical realm.
"Fortunately, I'm surrounded by people I care for," she said, turning to Ferdinand. "Especially you."
"Edelgard…"
She raised a hand in his direction. "I am not simply 'Edelgard' anymore. From this day onward, I shall become the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire."
"Ah, my apologies, Emperor Edelgard-"
Edelgard chuckled. "There's no need for any of that, Ferdinand. I may be 'Emperor' to the common folk but I shall remain as Edelgard to my closest friends and allies. I wouldn't want you to treat me any differently."
"I-if that is what you wish. Though, it will be very difficult to put aside such notions. You are to become the emperor - that cannot be ignored."
"No, but I hope you will try. It would mean a lot to me."
"I…will do my best. For you, my emperor-I mean, Edelgard."
Edelgard grinned, staring at Ferdinand for only a moment. He returned her gaze, the two staring into each other's eyes.
"I-I must be going," said Edelgard, a faint blush appearing on her face. "I need to prepare a speech for the people of Enbarr. They need to know their rightful emperor has returned."
"R-right." Ferdinand nodded, his cheeks also reddening. "I will help you in any way that I can. Not only for the sake of the Empire but also for y-your sake."
"Thank you, Ferdinand. Your help would be appreciated." Edelgard smiled. "Let's go."
Together, the two of them proceeded toward the Imperial palace, preparing a speech that would change the future of the Adrestian Empire.
Throughout the next two and a half weeks, Emperor Edelgard and her allies endlessly labored themselves so they could reform the Empire, attempting to remove all traces of Thales' influence.
It all started with the speech she gave to the citizens of Enbarr. Without hesitation, and with emotional support from Ferdinand, Edelgard spoke to the people, apologizing for her absence as well as the tyranny of the former emperor. She calmed their woes, informing them with absolute certainty that she would watch over them all and guide the Empire as a whole into a brighter future.
The people took to her words rather well, as evidenced by the largely unanimous crowd of cheers that arose from underneath the palace's main balcony. Edelgard smiled, very much appreciative of their support. Her confidence and determination to improve the Empire only emboldened after that day.
As the coming weeks transpired, Emperor Edelgard traveled to different cities within Adrestia to meet with the other nobles. She had various meetings across all the palaces the nobles owned, most of which weren't particularly friendly. Duke Aegir, Count Varley, and Marquis Vestra received quite the tongue-lashing from the new emperor. Their titles were stripped from them and were all placed under house arrest.
Though, perhaps not unexpectedly, Duke Aegir was reported to have died shortly after Edelgard placed him under house arrest. According to a report given to her by one of her soldiers, she learnt that several of his former subjects were the ones that did the deed.
She ignored the report, acting as if nothing had ever happened.
Over time, Thales' influence over the Empire gradually disappeared. Edelgard succeeded in her efforts, as the people of the Adrestian Empire soon began to understand they would be heading toward a new, peaceful era. To them, the war was over and life could return to normal.
Such was not the case for the Resistance. They knew there were still some battles left to fight. As such, Edelgard chose not to stay behind in Enbarr. She wished to continue fighting until the very end. Seteth ordered several knights to guard the city in her place, which she was thankful for. It allowed her to act as she pleased.
After all the preparations were made, the Resistance departed from Enbarr, ensuring to keep Rhea as obscured as possible so the truth of her wellbeing wouldn't leak, while also keeping her comfortable enough so her rest wouldn't be disturbed. It was tough to sustain this, but they figured out a way.
Nearly an entire week's worth of travel later, the army returned to Garreg Mach. Despite all that had happened, everyone went back to doing the same thing they were doing before the invasion of the Imperial capital. The average soldier knew the fighting wasn't quite over, yet they weren't sure of the nature of the next battle. They didn't even know who they'd be fighting. Still, they trained and trained, getting stronger and reaching new heights in the process.
Rhea was safely put away in her bedroom, the Archbishop resting peacefully within her bed. Seteth was forced to remain as the Acting Archbishop for a while longer. He carried out all his responsibilities as before, yet always found the time to check up on how his longtime friend was faring.
On the morning of the 18th of the Blue Sea Moon, two days after the Resistance's return to the monastery, Seteth was standing on the wide, stone terrace on the top floor of the central building. He looked down upon the monastery grounds, watching everyone walk around and go about their business.
He sighed.
"What shall become of Fódlan, now the Alliance, Kingdom, and the Empire are all at peace…?" Seteth wondered to himself. "Is the war truly at an end? Will the fighting continue? Will the three of them truly be able to join hands?"
He closed his eyes, taking in the warm air around him.
"I know not what will happen. But it seems we are moving toward the light."
"Seteth?"
A familiar, almost foreign-sounding voice came from behind Seteth, alerting him to the sudden presence of an ally.
"Ah, Lucas. You have arrived." Seteth smiled after reopening his eyes and turning around. "How are you? I trust that you are feeling well?"
"I am…I think," Lucas replied, stepping forward from the entryway to the balcony. "What about you? Are you okay?"
"I am fine. Thank you for asking. Now, I believe you understand why it is that I have called you here."
Lucas nodded. "You wanna talk about the next battle, don't you?"
"Indeed. It's time to concern ourselves with future events."
Lucas breathed out a self-calming sigh. He got closer to Seteth, eventually standing beside the male Nabatean. The two began to look over the monastery grounds.
"What is our next move?" Seteth asked. "What further steps must we take before we can achieve peace?"
Lucas frowned, staring off into the distance.
"We've got to go to Shambhala, the home of the Agarthans. Thales might be dead, but there's still bound to be other Agarthans hiding over there. We need to get there and kill them all, so we can make sure they'll never be able to try anything ever again."
"An Agarthan extermination, hmm? Although it is rather violent, I can agree with the necessity of such a plan. I have wished for the destruction of their kind for quite some time."
Lucas briefly scowled, his fists clenching. "Same."
Seteth glanced at Lucas, witnessing the tension he was building up within himself. He gave the professor a nod of understanding.
"Is there anything we should know regarding Shambhala? Are the remaining Agarthans likely to have a trap of some kind? What will their defenses look like?"
"Um, well…" Lucas paused to think, partially releasing his clenched fists. "They're likely to have those Titanus things, as well as the Viskams. Probably gonna have their best soldiers and stuff, too. I think we've already killed a bunch of the Agarthan generals already, so I don't know who else is left, if there even is anyone significant still alive."
"No other traps? I assume we cannot expect anything like the Rite of Rising."
Lucas shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I didn't even see the Rite of Rising coming, so for all I know, there could very well be something else just like that. But I wouldn't know what it is. Actually…"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"There is something, now that I think of it. Something we're gonna need to prevent while we're there. If we have the time, that is."
"What do you mean?" Seteth asked with a raised brow.
"Well, first of all, they're probably gonna use the javelins of light one final time, so we're gonna need to act quickly while we're there. Secondly, somewhere in the depths of Shambhala, they've got these weird metal coffins. Inside them…"
Lucas turned to Seteth, a worried, yet determined expression on his face.
"Are the bodies of Nemesis and the Ten Elites. Their secret, final plan is to revive them and use them to attack us, complete with dark versions of the Heroes' Relics," he explained. "Hopefully we can stop their revival from happening, but I have no idea how to go about doing that. We wouldn't have much time before those javelins show up anyway."
"Nemesis…" Seteth's visage darkened. "I thought I would never see him again. He was a powerful warrior, as were the Ten Elites. If we have to fight them, it would be quite the battle indeed."
"Which is why we need to think of a way to prevent them from appearing, but I don't even know where their coffins are to begin with. Seems like we'll need to improvise."
Seteth nodded, humming in agreement. "If need be, we shall prioritize our escape over the prevention of their revival. It would be best to keep our allies alive so we can then fight another day."
"Yeah, I agree. We don't need to suffer through any more deaths. We've seen too many." Lucas glanced at Seteth. "Should we discuss the Nemesis battle now, or later?"
"Another time. It would be best to keep our focus on events that will transpire sooner, rather than those that will occur later."
"Right. Okay then…that should be everything. I don't think I'm missing anything."
"I see. You may leave now. I shall spend my time devising the logistics of the Resistance's next move. With your information in mind, of course."
"Okay. I'll, uh…I'll just train. That's all I can seem to do these days, anyway."
Lucas gave one final look at the horizon before sighing and turning around.
"See ya, Seteth."
"Goodbye, Lucas."
The two went their separate ways, with Seteth remaining on the stone balcony while Lucas ventured through the central building. Their thoughts were both filled with the immediate future, the two speculating on the events to come.
Shambhala was to be their next target - that much was certain. Yet so much about it was uncertain.
Following the brief discussion of the future he had with Seteth, Lucas departed from the midst of the central building, returning to the warm air outside. Being in the middle of the Blue Sea Moon, Fódlan's general climate had become quite hot, with the sun casting its scorching rays upon the land.
Lucas looked down at his primarily black-colored uniform and sighed.
"I wish I was wearing a different colour," he said quietly to himself.
"Nothing is stopping you from doing so. Apart from yourself, that is," Sothis replied in his mind. "Why do you keep wearing that thing, anyway? Surely it must be tiresome to do so for so long."
Lucas paused.
"I…I don't know. I've always been fine with wearing just this. No point in spending money on new clothes when I can just use what Garreg Mach already has for free."
"I suppose that is fair. Still, are you not in possession of a large amount of gold? You could very well purchase whatever you please."
"No, I've already given most of my money away to the Resistance. It's important to make sure we're properly funded and all that."
Sothis narrowed her eyes. "You are allied with the current Duke of the Leicester Alliance, the King of Faerghus, as well as the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire. Funding should not be a concern to you."
"To quote Tesco, 'every little helps'. We run a massive army, so any amount of funding is good. Besides, it's not like I ever plan on using my money all that much, aside from the occasional blacksmith visit. Better to not let it go to waste."
"If you feel that way, so be it. I cannot stop you. Well, I suppose I could send a non-lethal shock to your brain, but I am a merciful goddess. I will not do that to you if it is unnecessary."
"You've done it before," Byleth interjected.
"Only when it was necessary." A smug grin appeared on Sothis' face. Lucas gave her an accusatory glance, one that didn't faze her whatsoever. "Don't give me that look. Someone has to stop you from making terrible mistakes."
Lucas silently turned away within the mental world, standing beside the doorway into the central building in the physical realm.
"If that's the case, why didn't you stop me from killing Lorenz and Ashe? Why didn't you stop me from falling asleep after the Sealed Forest battle? I could have saved Hubert and the Ashen Wolves. Maybe Bernie wouldn't have left for the Empire if I wasn't unconscious…she could have been saved, too. Why'd you let that happen, Sothis?"
Sothis' grin disappeared, her expression becoming more serious.
"I may be a goddess, but even I cannot transcend the power of Fate. I have my limits - as do you."
"Didn't we talk about this already?" Byleth asked. "I thought we decided fate wasn't something we cared for."
Sothis glanced to her side, where Byleth was standing by her throne. "That is true, but we cannot simply ignore it. Fate will not simply disappear if we do not think about it."
"Then why bring it up?" Lucas wondered.
"Because it is important to remember that there are things in this world that will never be within our reach. You need to be aware of what you are capable of and you must never try to aim for something far outside of your reach. Know your limits, Lucas." She smirked. "Especially as a mortal."
Lucas raised a brow. "Right…thanks, Sothis."
"You are welcome," she said with a smile. "Oh, do pay attention now. It seems the emperor is approaching."
"Huh?"
Returning to the physical world, Lucas blinked rapidly as he made sense of what was happening around him. Someone was in front of him, someone who wore a black uniform not too dissimilar to his. After a moment, he realised what was happening.
"My teacher? Are you…there?" Edelgard waved a hand in front of Lucas' face.
"Oh. Uh, Edelgard, hi-" Lucas felt a sudden and random need to cough. He nervously laughed it off. "Well, heh, uh…what's happening?"
"I wished to speak with you about something." Edelgard glanced behind herself, at the benches that faced out toward the chasm separating the main monastery grounds fromt the cathedral. "May we sit?"
"Um, sure."
Fighting through his nerves, Lucas sat down at one of the benches alongside his former student. The two gazed at the near-distant presence of the cathedral, the rays of the sun pouring directly at the back of their heads.
Lucas turned to Edelgard, a confused expression appearing upon him.
"Why are you still wearing that?" He asked. "Aren't you the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire now? Why's an emperor wearing the Officers Academy's Evening Wear uniform?"
"I have yet to take up my full responsibilities as emperor. As such, I will continue to wear this until the day I return to Enbarr." Edelgard smiled. "You needn't worry, my teacher. I have commissioned a tailor to create an article of clothing befitting that of an emperor. It should be ready once the fighting has truly concluded."
"Oh. Fair enough, then."
Lucas leaned back against the bench, releasing yet another sigh.
"So, uh, what was it you wanted to talk about? Sorry for interrupting you there."
Edelgard let out a small bit of laughter. "It's fine. I merely wished to speak with you regarding…a concern I've had lately."
"A concern? What about?" Lucas' brows furrowed.
The Adrestian emperor paused, hesitating, struggling to find the right words to say.
"Do you feel I should tell Dimitri and Claude about…" She struggled again. "My original path?"
"Your original path? Do you mean-"
She nodded. "Yes. About my identity as the original Flame Emperor, how I originally intended to fight alongside Thales to end the church, how I wished to walk a bloodstained path for the sake of bettering the world - I wish to tell them about it all. I don't think I can keep this to myself for much longer."
Lucas was taken aback. He returned to sitting normally on the bench, his back leaning forward.
"Why do you wanna tell them about that, all of a sudden? What brought this on?"
"Nothing in particular. It's just…after all we've been through together, I feel guilty about keeping this secret to myself. I feel as if I need to share it with others, aside from you. I want Dimitri and Claude to have nothing but the utmost trust and faith within me. They cannot do that if I continue to hide things about myself."
"You're feeling guilty about hiding the truth from them, huh?"
"Not just that. I fear if I were to tell them, they may choose to fight or go against me in any way. Our relationships would be strained, and Fódlan's future would be compromised. I…do not know what to do. Telling them the truth has its risks, while not doing so is more likely to secure peace between the three of us. But I don't know if I could live with the guilt."
Lucas frowned as he thought about the situation at hand. Edelgard was silent, her eyes closed, dealing with the demons inside her head.
"I think Claude would understand. He's a logical person, so I think he'd be more likely to understand that you're far, far removed from that path. Dimitri, on the other hand…" He grimaced. "There's a chance he might not be happy with you. He's a very emotional person, so I could see him going after you if he knew the truth of what you were originally going to do."
"I agree." Edelgard slowly nodded, opening her eyes. "I'm the most concerned about Dimitri. If he felt there was even one thing about me he didn't like, he may try to kill me."
"But there's also the chance that he wouldn't. He's grown past his emotional habits, I think. He's not as animalistic as he was before. All thanks to Marianne and Dedue, it seems. He might just end up feeling the same way as Claude."
"You understand why I'm so conflicted, then. I want to tell them the truth, yet that desire is clouded by uncertainty. It…scares me, I'll admit."
Lucas gave his former student a nod before looking up at the vaguely cloudy sky above.
"If there's one thing I've learned recently, it's that you need to do what you think is right. Even if things seem uncertain, if you feel even the slightest bit of warmth about it, then it's worth chasing after. You just gotta reach out…" He stretched his arm out to the sky, seemingly reaching out for something.
He closed his hand as if he caught something.
"And grab it with your own two hands. Given the situation, perhaps not literally, but you get what I mean." Lucas lowered his arm back to his side. "I hope."
Edelgard's mouth was agape as she observed his demonstration. When he finished, she smiled and nodded.
"I…understand. Thank you, my teacher."
She rose from the bench, turning to face away from the view of the cathedral.
"What did you decide?" Lucas asked, also standing up.
Edelgard almost replied immediately, but looked down at her clenched fist before anything else.
"I will tell them," she said. "It's what I think is right. Even if their trust in me worsens, they deserve to know the truth. I will seek them out and we shall hold a private meeting."
"Do you want me to be there, as well? I don't know what I could do exactly, but I might be able to help."
Edelgard glanced at her former professor, giving him a questioning look before softening her expression.
"Yes, you may help. With you there, I would feel more at peace with my decision. Your presence would be invaluable to me."
Lucas nodded. "Alright. I'll come with you, then. Let's get this meeting set up. I'm sure we can get away with using Jeralt's quarters or something…"
Edelgard smiled. Alongside her teacher, she wandered away from the benches near the central building, intending to seek out Dimitri and Claude for yet another discussion.
One she felt was as necessary as the one that came before.
Author Notes: And now we're back to our regularly-sized chapters. The war with the Empire is finally over! Buuut the fighting isn't quite done yet. Shambhala's next...I wonder what that'll entail?
Feel free to drop a favourite, follow, and/or a review, if you're so inclined! I'll see ya next time!
Thanks again to Frost for beta-reading!
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