The leaders of the three nations of Fódlan gathered within the quarters of the captain of the Knights of Seiros. Duke Riegan, King Dimitri, and Emperor Edelgard were sitting around the low, square table in the middle of the room, while Lucas sat at the captain's desk, leaning forward with an endless mound of nervous anticipation.
It hadn't even been a minute since the four of them came together within the room, and yet, Lucas was already sweating and slightly shaking.
"You know, we've done this exact thing before, haven't we?" Claude asked rhetorically, a grin on his face. "Last time, we talked about our hopes and dreams for the future of Fódlan. I wonder what we're gonna talk about this time…"
"I do wish to discuss what we all intend on doing once the fighting has finally concluded. It will be good to communicate our ideas with one another so we can all work toward improving Fódlan as a whole." Dimitri turned to Edelgard, who was sitting in the seat in front of the desk, which was to his left. "Is that what we shall be discussing today?"
Before Edelgard could speak, Claude interrupted her. "I wish it was. I've got so many ideas I'd like to share with you all. So many different plans and strategies for making the world a brighter place for everyone. I'm more than ready for this war to be over."
Edelgard glared at Duke Riegan for a brief moment before composing herself and letting out a sigh of relaxation.
"We can discuss those matters another time," she said, clenching her fists in her lap. "I would prefer to talk about something else. Something…personal."
Dimitri's brows furrowed. "Personal? Is this regarding your past with Thales?"
"No…not exactly." She shook her head. "Though it does have something to do with him."
"That-" Dimitri blinked, his expression becoming more serious. "Ah. I believe I understand. Do go ahead, El. Please, tell us what you wish to say."
"I shall."
Edelgard visibly struggled, the knuckles covered by her damaged, white gloves becoming rather noticeable as her entire body tensed up. She glanced behind herself, at Lucas, who gave her a supportive nod and a smile.
She breathed out another calming sigh, finding the strength to speak the truth.
"I…have not been very forthcoming with you two. I need you to know the truth about me, about my original path."
"Original path?" Claude asked. "What are you talking about?"
"I was getting to that. Please do not interrupt me again." Edelgard gave him another glare, which seemed to silence him. The tension she built up had not faded. "By 'original path', I am referring to the crossroads of fate I once found myself at. Two paths were laid out before me. Each one would have led me toward a different fate, a different set of circumstances. I could have become a tyrannical emperor that you two would have stopped at nothing to overthrow…"
Claude was about to ask another question, but quickly read the room. He gave Edelgard the time she needed.
"Thales and I originally had an alliance…of sorts. We were going to work together to achieve our shared dream of destroying the Church of Seiros. To that end, I…"
Edelgard trembled again. Lucas noticed this and reached over, leaning across the desk to place a hand on her shoulder. It was enough to cease most of her trembling. She briefly smiled at him before turning back toward Claude and Dimitri, continuing.
"I was going to declare war on the church."
Dimitri and Claude were taken aback, their mouths fully agape. Lucas silently nodded, having returned to his previous sitting position.
"You were intending to declare war…? Just as Thales did?" Dimitri questioned, his eyes widened.
"Yes." Edelgard solemnly nodded, a sorrowful frown on her face. "At the time, I thought it was the only way of achieving my goal. I have lived through so much suffering at the hands of those who greatly value Crests - I wanted to end the cause of it all. The reason why Crests are so highly sought after." She closed her eyes. "The reason why I am an only child."
She reopened her eyes, her expression resolute, albeit somewhat pained.
"Seiros' teachings were the reason why Crests became so valued. I reasoned that if the Church of Seiros - the source of Fódlan's overreliance on those teachings - were to be dismantled, I could then end the suffering of all those who had been ensnared by the Crest-focused selfishness of others. As such, I wished to declare war. However, I could not do so on my own. There weren't many allies that were willing to wage war against the Church of Seiros. That is why I felt I had no choice but to ally myself with Thales and the Agarthans."
Claude and Dimitri were completely silent, the former listening intently while the latter looked toward the floor, his expression darkened.
"But then everything changed." Edelgard gave the person sitting behind her a sidelong glance. "My teacher, Professor Lucas, showed me another path. He showed me the effects my war would have had on the world, the devastation it would cause, and the hatred it would breed. I wasn't sure of his foreknowledge at first, but after his predictions started to become true, I realized that I had to believe in him."
Lucas faintly smiled, though he soon turned away once Claude and Dimitri started looking in his direction. Edelgard smiled.
"He told me of your hopes for the future of Fódlan." She ceased her glance, going back to face the other two lords. "That's what led to the discussion we had in these very quarters five years ago. If it were not for Lucas…I may have become the center of the world's hatred. Perhaps that would not have been a bad fate for the world, as my death would have allowed that hatred to disappear, thus granting peace to the people. A requiem of sorts…"
Edelgard shook her head.
"I'm glad that didn't have to happen, though. I am very fortunate to have even met Lucas in the first place. He's the reason I am here today, able to speak with you two in such a manner as this. I owe much to him…I will not let him deny the things he has done, for the impact he's had on my life is significant."
"C-can we please talk about anything else?" Lucas huffed, folding his arms while facing the wall.
"Ah, so you aren't denying it."
Lucas made a grunt of disapproval as his frown intensified. Edelgard smirked.
"I'm just h-happy that you're happy…"
She smiled. "Thank you, my teacher. Your continued concern for my wellbeing will always be appreciated."
Lucas remained silent. Edelgard turned back to Dimitri and Claude, who had both been listening closely. They both entered states of deep contemplation, evidenced by their heads tilted forward toward the table. Claude's expression was more clearly defined, as Edelgard could tell - he was certainly considering all he could regarding the information he gave her.
But Dimitri was harder to read. She couldn't quite get a grasp on what he was thinking. His body seemed tense, but he didn't seem furious. His face was blank, yet his gaze was distant. Before she could say anything to him, Claude spoke first.
"So you were gonna start this war, but Teach stopped you. He showed you another path and you followed it. Now, you're determined to work alongside us so we can bring peace to Fódlan. Is that right?" Claude asked as he stared directly at Edelgard.
"Yes." Edelgard firmly nodded. "You two are far more suitable allies than Thales ever was. He threatened me on many different occasions. I was determined to work with him for the sake of my cause, but after Professor Lucas told me about you two, I simply had to abandon him as well as all the strategies and plans we had come up with. This included me acting as the Flame Emperor, which, now that I'm reflecting, never amounted to anything. Hmm…"
"Heh, yeah, no kidding. Thales, or whoever he was, didn't seem like the friendliest person to me." He smirked, leaning back in his seat. "Either way, I'm glad you're on our side. I'm not too worried about what you originally wanted to do - I'm just glad you never did it. And because you never did any of it, and you've also proven that you're more than willing to work with us, I can look past it. No problems here, Emperor Edelgard."
Edelgard let out a slight gasp before her mouth slowly transitioned into a smile.
"Thank you, Claude. Your support means a lot to me."
"Yours to mine, as well. Thanks to you, I'm one step closer to reaching that dream of mine. Won't be long before I'm finally able to break down Fódlan's barriers…"
"We'll get there. I promise you that." Edelgard's smile faded as she slowly turned toward her step-brother, who was still figuratively elsewhere. "Dimitri…?"
Dimitri suddenly looked up, giving his step-sister a slight sidelong glance. Lucas' presence in the corner of his eye reminded him of where he was.
"El…" He said quietly, soon raising his voice to a normal level. "You once wished to fight alongside those who stole your childhood?"
"I am not proud of it. At the time, I thought it was my only course of action. Nobody else would have supported me in my campaign against the church. The only enemies they had were the Agarthans, thus I felt the need to ally myself with them. I planned to use their power to destroy all those in my way, then after the war, I would have fought a secret battle to eradicate their kind."
"But you found another course of action. Professor Lucas guided you to the path you now follow. Therefore, there was no longer any need to fight on their side."
Edelgard nodded. "Indeed."
"I see…"
Dimitri let out a slow sigh as he looked up toward the ceiling of the captain's quarters. He closed his eyes.
"Then I have nothing to worry about." He turned to Edelgard, a content smile on his face. "I agree with Claude. You have already proven your allegiance to our cause, El. I would like to create a glorious future for Fódlan alongside you both. However, to move toward that future…we must learn to forgive the past."
"Yeah. Can't exactly look to the future if you're blinded by the past," said Claude.
"Precisely. That is why I can look past the things you were intending to do, as they simply never happened. You cannot judge a person by the actions they never took. Instead, judge them by how they choose to act in the present. You have yet to give me any reason to doubt your conviction, El."
Edelgard's mouth opened in surprise, but it was soon replaced with another smile. She breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back against her seat.
"Thank you, Dimitri. With your support, I feel as if a massive weight has been lifted from my shoulders…I feel more comfortable now."
Claude grinned. "Heh. I'm guessing you've been struggling with this for a while."
"You could say that. I'm certainly glad it's off my chest, though I must give thanks to Professor Lucas. He was the one that helped me decide upon doing this."
She glanced at her former teacher, who didn't reciprocate the gaze. His face was red, though she couldn't tell if he was blushing profusely or if he was merely sweating. Either way, her grin persisted as she retracted her glance.
"Y-you're welcome," Lucas spoke quietly, although it was loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear. He raised his voice to a regular volume after realising he hadn't been speaking all that quietly. "At least you're all on the same page now."
"Good thing we got close to this page a while ago. Wouldn't have been good if we had to fight each other. Wait…" Claude blinked. "Teach, is that what would've happened if you never intervened?"
Lucas gave him a slow nod. "Y-yeah. You three would've fought each other and at least one of you would've ended up dying. But we've long since avoided all that, so yeah…"
"In that case, I'm glad I met you, otherwise I might have been dead by now. But that does make me wonder…what happens to you, Teach, in those other futures you know about? Why didn't you ever intervene in those?"
"Um-" Lucas was about to respond, but Edelgard put her hand out to her side, interrupting him.
"He told me this before. I believe it was that he died long before ever coming to the monastery…wasn't that correct, my teacher?" She gave him a sidelong glance and a very slight nod of understanding.
It took him a moment, but he returned the gesture. "Uh, yeah. That was it. Killed a year before the start of the academic year by some, uh, mercenary. Forgot their name - if they even had one. You know how mercenaries are sometimes."
"Right…" Claude tapped his head. "Keep your secrets, then, Teach. I'll find them out someday."
"Claude, there is no need to pry. We all have our secrets and we are not at liberty to give them when asked." Dimitri turned to him.
"Well, Teach already knows all of our secrets, probably. I think a trade of information like that is fair, isn't it?"
Lucas, Dimitri, and Edelgard stared at Claude with raised brows, who merely chuckled in response.
"I'm kidding, of course. Just trying to lighten the mood."
"Did it need to be lightened?" Edelgard asked.
"No, but that kind of thing's always nice to have. I think so, anyway."
"I must agree," said Dimitri. "Levity can be quite a useful tool. It's better than continually surrounding yourself with sorrow, anger, and other such emotions."
"Absolutely."
Edelgard sighed, though she couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Lucas also felt a smile coming on, having warmed up enough to turn toward the meeting.
"I guess that's the end of that?" He asked rhetorically. "I guess we can all start focusing on the battle at Shambhala now."
"Yes, I would assume we can. When will our next war council be?" Dimitri wondered.
"In two days," answered Edelgard. "We have time to think and relax before it starts."
Claude suddenly shot up from his seat, stretching his arms and yawning in the process. "Great! I'll see you all then."
With that, the meeting between the three leaders of Fódlan's nations drew to a close. The three of them, plus Lucas, all departed from the captain's quarters and went about their separate ways.
The next battle was on the horizon and it was time to prepare.
Two days later, the Resistance's various leaders and commanders came together for yet another war council. They all converged within the meeting room on the second floor of the central building, some arriving later than others. In the end, about ten minutes after the meeting was supposed to begin, the meeting got underway.
Seteth acknowledged everyone's presence with a slight nod before speaking.
"Greetings. Before we begin, I would like to congratulate us all on our victory over Arundel at the Imperial capital. We all fought hard - our efforts were rewarded. I would also like to personally thank you all for allowing Lady Rhea to be rescued from Arundel's clutches." He bowed. "She is my dearest friend. I do not know what manner of fate would have befallen her had we become unable to save her. Again, I thank you all."
"Heh, don't worry about it." Judith grinned. "Arundel was a threat to everyone. We had no choice but to take him down. I am glad the Archbishop's safe, though."
"She might be safe, but that doesn't mean she's feeling good. I heard she took quite the hit back in Enbarr." Jeralt sighed.
Catherine's eyes narrowed as she frowned, focusing her anger on the edge of the meeting table she was sitting at. Shamir kept a concerned eye on her partner.
"Yes, she did. She is now resting in her quarters, hopefully healing the injuries she sustained during the attack. It will be some time before she can leave." Seteth's eyes closed for a brief moment. "I trust you all know the truth of what occurred."
Mostly everyone nodded and quietly spoke their confirmations, though Catherine remained silent, glaring at the table.
"I see. I suppose that saves me having to explain in full. In short, Lady Rhea transformed into the Immaculate One to save us all from certain destruction by the hands of the javelins of light - Arundel's final gambit."
Nobody was surprised, though Catherine's glare seemed to intensify. Shamir continued watching over her.
"So Lady Rhea was the Immaculate One…this is a confirmation if I've ever seen one," said Alois, whose brows were furrowed. "It wasn't sent by the goddess, then. Or maybe it was…I can't tell. If that's true, then that would mean-"
"Rhea would have some connection to the goddess, wouldn't she?" Claude wondered, interrupting Alois. "She's not a simple messenger or Archbishop or whatever. There's something special about her, isn't there, Seteth?"
"It is not my place to share such information. You should ask Lady Rhea herself if you so please, as I am not the right person to answer them."
"Alright." Claude shrugged. "I guess I can save my questions for her when she's feeling better. I've also got some questions for you, Seteth, but I get the feeling you won't answer them."
Seteth shook his head. "I know what they are, and you are correct."
"I understand. You probably want to keep this meeting focused and on-topic, which is fine." Claude leaned back in his chair. "Go ahead, then. Keep it focused."
"Thank you."
Seteth turned his attention away from Claude, redirecting it to the meeting as a whole.
"To reiterate, Lady Rhea has been significantly injured because of her desire to keep us all safe. As such, she will be recovering in her quarters. She is not to be disturbed for any reason, unless it is urgent. In such a situation, I will be the one to alert her of whatever is happening at that time. I trust you all understand."
More nods from the meeting's participants, save for Catherine, who was still fixed in a state of pure melancholy.
"Now, we may move on to other topics, such as the primary reason I have called for this meeting. Emperor Arundel may have been defeated, however, the fighting has yet to conclude. There is still one more enemy we must overcome."
"One more? I thought we already took care of the guy that started this war in the first place. Who else is there?" Manuela asked, raising a brow.
"It is not so much a single opponent, as it is an entire race we must exterminate for the sake of humanity's survival."
Seteth breathed slowly in and out, steadily controlling the nerves that came in through everyone's stares of varying confusion. They were all silently asking him the same question, one that he fully intended on answering, despite his nerves telling him not to do so.
"Those that were fighting the Umbral Beast within the Imperial throne room may have noticed something upon its defeat. After the magic that formed the beast dissipated, a strange, gray-skinned individual was laying on the floor. Arundel was no longer in sight. The truth of this matter is…" Seteth looked up, returning everyone's gazes. "The man you knew as Arundel was merely a disguise. In truth, his name was Thales, and he was the leader of a race known as the Agarthans."
Everyone was taken aback, apart from those that already knew the truth. Lucas, Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, and Jeralt were unaffected by the news. Even Catherine, who'd been struggling with her deep-seated emotions for the entire meeting, found herself surprised.
"Agarthans…who might they be?" Hanneman asked.
"They are a race of individuals who have existed for over a millennium. Long ago, they directly opposed the goddess herself and were punished for their sins by the likes of Saint Seiros herself. They have since gone into hiding and have not shown themselves…until now, it seems."
"What is it they want?" Gilbert wondered.
"The Agarthans wish to exact revenge against the children of the goddess, Saint Seiros' kind. They want nothing more than to wipe out every last one of her kind, as vengeance for the punishment they had received. Thales likely began this war so he could achieve that very goal. He must have used his expert command over the dark magical arts to disguise himself as Lord Arundel, where he would then be able to take command over the Adrestian Empire and use its military might to exact his revenge."
"All that Seteth is saying is true. I know as much, because I…" Edelgard hesitated. "Because I have witnessed firsthand the depths of Thales' cruelty."
"El…" Dimitri said, glancing at his step-sister.
Edelgard smiled at him. "It will be fine, Dimitri. I cannot look to the future if I am blinded by the past…is that not right?"
Dimitri paused. A smile gradually formed on his face. Claude also smirked, giving the Adrestian emperor a nod of understanding.
"I see. As you were, El."
"Thank you. Though, I believe there isn't much left for me to say. I don't intend on revealing something so personal to me at such a time as this." Edelgard looked over toward the rest of the meeting's participants. "Just know that Thales, as well as the rest of the Agarthans, have nothing but the utmost hatred for humanity. Fódlan has become a victim of their lust for revenge. That will continue to be the case until they are stopped."
"Which is why we must put an end to them," Seteth added. "This will be the Resistance's next course of action. We shall seek out the Agarthans' underground base and rid Fódlan of their menace. Only then shall we know true peace."
Everyone, save for those that knew of the Agarthans' existence before the meeting, gave uncertain looks to the Nabatean. Some of them shared glances, while others kept to themselves.
"I'm fine with it," Shamir said, shattering the silence without a hint of hesitation. "If those Agarthans are gonna keep rampaging over Fódlan until they get what they want, then we should stop them from doing so. If we don't, they'll take everything away from us. We can't let that happen."
Judith nodded while pointing a finger in Shamir's direction. "I agree with her. We've been fighting for peace for so damn long. If we don't stop those Agarthans soon, everything we've worked so hard to achieve will all be for nothing."
"I will add that the Agarthans have been secretly attempting to control the Empire and the Kingdom for many years now." Dimitri's expression became stern, with a faint amount of rage seeping through. "They were the ones behind the Tragedy of Duscur and they likely had a hand in the Insurrection of the Seven as well."
Apart from Lucas, Edelgard, and Claude, everyone turned to face Dimitri in complete shock.
"S-seriously?! The Tragedy of Duscur…wasn't caused by Duscur?" Alois asked, his eyes widened.
"Duscur was a mere pawn in the Agarthans' schemes. They may have carried it out, but Thales was the mastermind. Fortunately, he is dead now. But the Agarthans are tenacious…they will never give up, no matter what befalls them." Dimitri's fist clenched. "The only thing that can stop them is complete annihilation."
"Your Highness, how long have you known of this?" Gilbert questioned, his arms folded and his composure largely maintained. "Why only share this information with us now?"
Dimitri glanced at the orange-haired knight. "I've known for only a few years. Professor Lucas informed me of them." He briefly looked over at Lucas, who was only several seats down from him. "As for why we haven't shared this information until now, that would be because we didn't wish to introduce any unnecessary concerns to you all. We needed to keep our focus on the war, on the battles the Resistance would face. Now that the fight with the Empire is over, we can turn our attention to the Agarthans."
Gilbert merely blinked and nodded in response, although there was some hesitation to his motion. As the immediate discussion slowly drifted away into the memories of everyone present, some general murmurs sounded around the table. Some people shrugged, others talked amongst themselves, while certain individuals kept to themselves.
Hanneman was quiet, up until the point where he raised his hand.
"That is all truly well and good, but if we are to exterminate these Agarthans, as you say - how do we go about doing that?" He wondered, quieting the already quiet discussions around him. "We do not know the location of their dwelling. How can we exterminate them if we do not know how to find them?"
"That is a simple matter." Seteth glanced at the only person at the meeting who was wearing a hat. "Lucas, would you know the location of the Agarthan stronghold?"
"Um…" Lucas paused to think. "It's called Shambhala, if I remember correctly. I think it's in the mountains near Hrym? It should be, considering-"
He cut himself off as his eyes slowly expanded.
"Crap." He blinked, returning to facing Seteth. "We need to be thorough when we get there, but we also need to be quick."
"Why is that?"
Lucas frowned. "They have two more tricks up their sleeve. First of all, they're gonna send down the last of their javelins of light, probably to try and ensnare us in the ensuing explosions while we're still in Shambhala. Second of all, they should have the bodies of Nemesis and the 10 Elites down there, ready to be revived. If that happens…"
"Nemesis and the 10 Elites..." Seteth said, his expression becoming pensive. "They were some of the fiercest warriors in all of Fódlan's history - we may have to fight them. I do not know if our chances would be favorable in such an encounter."
"That's why we need to be thorough. I don't know where their coffins are, but they've gotta be somewhere. If we can stop their revival, there'd be no more fighting left for us to do after we leave Shambhala. However, we're not gonna have much time."
"Because of the javelins of light. Hmph. Quite the predicament indeed." Seteth put a hand on his chin as he entered a brief state of ponderance. "If it's the lives of our allies or the prevention of the Agarthans' final scheme we must choose from, our answer is clear. We must put the lives of our friends above all else. We shall retreat from Shambhala before the javelins appear."
The meeting's participants largely all nodded in agreement.
"Is there anything we should know about this Shambhala place, Teach? Anything aside from the inevitable javelin appearance and those dusty old coffins."
"There isn't much else to say, aside from the fact they'll probably have those Titanus and Viskam things active again. They both should have some kind of deactivation protocol, but I'm not sure what the conditions are on that." Lucas glanced at Claude.
"Eh, we'll figure it out." Claude waved it off. "They're all gonna get destroyed either way. It's at least good to know what we'll be up against, though."
"Indeed." Seteth nodded. "I shall send out a small scouting group to inspect the mountains near Hrym for anything suspicious. If this 'Shambhala' is there as you say, there may very well be something that indicates its presence. Once the location is confirmed, we can begin planning a date for our march. Are there any objections?"
Nobody shook their heads, raised their hands, or said anything.
"I see. By the end of this month, we are likely to find ourselves advancing to the enemy headquarters. This may not be our final battle, but it will be a dangerous one all the same. Be wary, all of you. The Agarthans are a dastardly bunch."
Seteth briefly closed his eyes and breathed out a calming sigh.
"That is all. You may leave."
At his word, the meeting's participants started getting up and heading over to the door of the war room, to make their preparations for the battle to come. Seteth watched everyone approach the door, a small cluster of folks starting to form around it.
Before Judith, who'd gotten there first, could reach out and open the door, they suddenly burst open from outside. Everyone froze in shock as they laid their eyes upon the person standing in the doorway.
"L-Lady Rhea?!" Seteth exclaimed, taken aback. "What are you doing here?! You are still injured…you must allow yourself to rest!"
"I understand you are intending to invade the home of the Agarthans, are you not?" Rhea asked, ignoring Seteth's exclamations as she entered the war room.
"I, well, yes, but-"
"I will be coming with you."
Gasps sounded from around Rhea. Seteth was left speechless, while Catherine - who was standing closer to the meeting table - frowned and approached the archbishop.
"Lady Rhea, please forgive me, but we can't allow you to come with us. It's far too dangerous, especially for someone as injured as you are. Please, stay here at the monastery." Her brows furrowed. "I don't want you to get hurt again."
"I will be going. I simply must see the home of those who have threatened our existence for so long. I must see it…" Rhea glared at something far away, her expression becoming resolute. "I must."
Nobody was willing to respond. Everyone in the room was silent, staring at the archbishop with varying expressions. Most were surprised, while others were concerned, such as Seteth, Catherine, and Lucas. Edelgard and Claude's eyes were slightly narrowed, with the latter's arms folded.
Seteth sighed.
"Very well. We shall endeavor to protect you, Lady Rhea. Is that all-"
Before Seteth could finish, Rhea simply turned around and left the room, but not before allowing her gaze to linger on Lucas for a short time longer than necessary. He nervously sweated under her unusual, unsettling eye and was relieved when she departed. Seteth glanced at Lucas with a raised brow, who merely shrugged.
Nobody was sure what just happened, much less were they certain of what to say. Either way, the common consensus was that it was the perfect time to leave. As such, they all started to leave behind the awkward silence of the war room.
"My daughter certainly is a strange one. The way she looked at you…what was that?" Sothis commented as Lucas walked down the hallway within the second floor of the central building. "How did I come to sire such unusual children?"
"Seteth and Flayn aren't unusual," Byleth replied.
"Hmm? Oh, you are correct. I sometimes forget they are also my children. Compared to Rhea, those two are reasonably well adjusted, though Flayn's short stature is something worth noting." Sothis frowned. "Now that I come to think of it, is Flayn truly one of mine? She is Seteth's daughter, is she not? Who was her mother?"
Byleth paused. "I…do not know."
"Neither do I," added Lucas. "If I remember correctly, the race of her mother was never stated in the game. She could have been either human or Nabatean - they never made it clear."
"How puzzling. I suppose in this case, Flayn would be rather unusual. But we are getting dangerously off-topic, so let us not deviate too far." Sothis leaned forward on her throne. "Rhea…rather, Seiros. What is that woman planning?"
"I have no idea. It's strange, though. Whenever I think about Rhea, I feel…weird. Indescribably so. It's warm, but it doesn't feel right." Lucas shuddered. "What the hell is this…?"
"I suppose we may find our answers soon." Sothis sighed and leaned back in her seat. "For now, you must prepare. The battle at Shambhala will happen very soon. I have never seen this place before. I am very much interested to see the home of my children's longtime enemy."
Lucas blinked. "Uh, right. More training, I suppose…gotta get some Vulneraries. Just in case."
With the image of Rhea's unsettling smile permanently ingrained into his mind, Lucas walked onward, fetching some Vulneraries so he could safely enhance the intensity of his training. It was all in preparation for the Resistance's next battle, the one that would take them far underground.
To a world of darkness.
Within Shambhala, everything was quiet. Agarthan mages were running around, silently getting their tasks done, while the physical Agarthan soldiers were elsewhere, preparing their weapons for the encounter they knew was coming.
Myson was inspecting several of the inactive Titanus units. As he did so, several Agarthans mages came up to him and gave their reports regarding the status of the Viskam, to which he promptly made a mental note of and ordered the mages to attend to another task. Myson continued inspecting the Titanus, searching for any flaws in their systems or their exteriors, any issues that would hamper their use in battle.
He searched fervently, never resting or giving himself a break. Myson worked tirelessly.
From behind him came the flashing sound of teleportation. After turning around, his gray-skinned and vein-ridden face hidden by the veil of his Agarthan Warlock outfit, Myson sighed.
"Greetings, Myson," the Agarthan who warped in greeted his brethren. "I trust the preparations are going well?"
"They are. It is only a matter of time until we are ready for them. Those wretched humans…they shall feel our wrath."
The other Agarthan smirked, his black mask hiding his face. "You truly believe Master Thales would have failed? Such little faith you have, Myson."
"Quiet, Odesse." Myson glared. "I do this on his orders."
Odesse, the other Agarthan Warlock, chuckled. "That I understand. But still, Master Thales is, well, Master Thales. He is unstoppable. Those beasts will never defeat him."
"Hmph. You don't understand. Master Thales himself told me that he is not infallible. He has his limits and his weaknesses. It may very well be that by now, the humans have defeated him and they are on their way here to finish the job. Master Thales anticipated such an outcome. That is why I am here and it is why we are as busy as we are now. We must prepare for any outcome."
"Is that right? Very well. I'll help where I can. That should be enough to protect the good name of Master Thales as well as Agartha itself. Though…"
Odesse grinned.
"Do remember we have those contingencies."
"Which one? There are three of them. And I already plan to use two."
Odesse raised a brow, though that was hidden by his veil. "Oh? I believe I know which ones. You mean to entomb those wretched beasts, and use those undead soldiers to eradicate any unfortunate survivors?"
"That is correct. We must keep the humans pinned down here, so they may feel the true depths of our wrath. Shambhala may fall as a result, but it will be a worthy sacrifice."
"Yes, yes, I agree," Odesse said, his tone of voice indicating boredom. "I'm glad you won't be using that other plan. It was restricted for a reason, was it not?"
Myson frowned, shaking his head. "Even if I wished to use it, I am unable to."
"It matters not, then. Seems we must pin our hopes on these Titanus, the Viskam, those undead corpses, and those 'javelins of light', as they call them. Of course, there's our power to rely on, but that can only go so far."
"Are you not confident in your abilities?"
Odesse grunted. "If those humans were able to defeat Master Thales, then I'm afraid neither of us stands a chance against them."
"Of course. I should have expected as such." Myson's eyes briefly closed. "You were always the coward, Odesse."
"Call me what you like, Myson. I simply know what I value most," Odesse said as he turned around, his back now facing Myson. "What is the point of Agartha…if there's no one left to believe in it?"
"You know we have brethren scattered around the three nations. Even should we fall, others will take our place."
"And who would lead them? How would they be organized? You're not thinking these things through. If we left them all alone, with no guidance, there is no doubt they would be plucked from their hiding spots and executed for the crime of being an Agarthan."
"Have faith in our brethren. We are all stronger than you think."
Odesse smirked, his face entirely hidden from Myson's view.
"If Master Thales truly fell…we can't be as strong as you say, Myson. I will fight alongside you when the humans arrive, though I can't expect us to get very far." He gave Myson a sidelong glance. "Know that I will always do as I please."
In an instant, Odesse warped away, leaving Myson with a frustrated visage.
"How foolish…" Myson shook his head. "Master Thales' legacy is all we have left."
He sighed, getting back to work inspecting the Titanus units. As before, Myson continually worked, preparing every last line of defense for the city engulfed by darkness.
They would all be needed very soon.
Author Notes: Lots of preparation in this one! Next time, we'll be going to Shambhala!
Anyway, so, you probably know about the demo that just got released for Three Hopes. Lots of interesting stuff has been revealed because of it, some of it through datamines, even. I've stated this before, but I will be ignoring that game's canon. I've already planned the rest of this fic out so it doesn't make sense to me to change things up here just because of this official AU. That being said, I'm not opposed to adopting some of its ideas at some point in the future. If there's room left for it, that is.
Still very hyped for the game, btw.
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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