The Resistance had returned to Garreg Mach. Upon the defeat of Nemesis and the 10 Elites, many were unsure of what to do next. There were no other battles to be had, no incoming threats - peace was finally in their grasp. This left the many soldiers of the Resistance without a purpose, without anything to train for. There hadn't been any orders to return to their respective homes just yet, so everyone did the only thing they could: rest.
Aside from those who suddenly had a whole new world's worth of responsibilities.
Claude was sitting at his desk within his room in the dormitories at Garreg Mach. He leaned back in his chair, quill placed firmly on one of the various papers he had to deal with. There wasn't an entire mountain range's worth of work to do, but there was still quite a bit. Duke Riegan sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
"Nemesis and the 10 Elites are all gone, huh…?" He said to himself. "There's no more battles left to fight. Teach doesn't think there will be, anyway. Seems like it's almost time for the Resistance to disband."
Claude frowned, a hint of regret in his visage.
"But there's still going to be a bigger battle to fight back home and across all of Fódlan. With the war over, it's finally time to start making that future I've always been dreaming of." He grinned. "Edelgard, Dimitri…I hope you two haven't changed your minds."
At that moment, his door started to creak. Claude stopped leaning back on his chair, allowing its front legs to land on the floor before turning around to see what was going on.
Hilda peeked in through the partially open door.
"Mind if I come in?" She asked with a sense of tiredness in her voice.
"Heh. You don't have to ask, Hilda. Of course you can."
Seemingly satisfied, Hilda nodded and smiled, properly making her way inside the room. She closed the door behind her and proceeded to flop onto Claude's bed, her pink hair nearly touching his pillows.
The two were silent for a short time. Claude had gone back to looking at his desk, reading his papers and occasionally writing something down on them while Hilda simply continued to lie on the bed.
"What are you doing there, oh fearless leader?" Hilda rolled onto her side, speaking with a slightly teasing tone. "Don't you wanna rest?"
"As much as I'd love to, I can't right now. As the current Duke Riegan, I've got a lot to prepare for in the aftermath of the war. There's a few changes I'd like to make to Fódlan so we can all truly live in peace."
"Changes? Like what?"
"Well, first of all, I'd like to tear down Fódlan's Throat."
Hilda laughed. "Oh, my brother isn't gonna like that one. Fódlan's Throat is practically his home now! But seriously, why tear it down? Isn't it protecting us from Almyra?"
"Almyra only wants to attack because they don't know anything about the people of Fódlan, and the people of Fódlan only hate them because they keep attacking. It's a vicious cycle that I want to put a stop to." He gave Hilda a sidelong glance. "People need to start accepting outsiders for who they are - other people."
She was taken aback by the apparent seriousness on his face.
"Wow. That sounds pretty nice, you know. I've come to learn just how silly it is to judge others because of where they were born or how they look. I'll support you all the way on that one, fearless leader."
"Heh, thanks, Hilda." Claude relaxed. "It's a good thing I've got that meeting with Edelgard and Dimitri later today…"
"Meeting? What's that all about? This isn't another war council, is it?"
"No, it's not going to be anything like that. You know how I was just talking about those changes? Well, Edelgard and Dimitri have got their own ideas for improving society not just in their territories, but for Fódlan as a whole. We've been working together to come up with ideas that we all like the sound of, ideas we think will benefit everybody. This meeting will be where we present these ideas to Rhea, the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros, who we essentially need permission from so we can put our ideas into action."
"Oh, I get it. So the three nations of Fódlan are going to be working much more closely from now on. And now, with this meeting, you're going to be presenting your plans to the archbishop so she can approve them, right?"
"Right." Claude nodded. "It might be difficult, considering how stubborn the archbishop can be and with how…weird she's been acting lately. Ideally, she'll accept every idea we have."
He frowned, staring up at the ceiling of his room.
"But that's never gonna happen."
"Why not?" Hilda asked. "Rhea's nice…enough. I don't see why she'd reject any of your ideas."
"Believe me, if you knew what it is we're going to ask her, then you'd see. I just hope she decides to cooperate with us, regardless of how she feels. We only wanna help the people of Fódlan, so if she rejects our ideas, well…it'll get awkward. Very awkward."
"I'm sure it'll be fine. You're the Master Tactician, after all. There's no way you won't be able to figure something out."
Claude smiled, letting out a slight chuckle.
"Thanks again, Hilda. I can always count on you to give me confidence when I need it."
Hilda smiled back. "It's what I do best."
The two stared at each other, their gazes intertwining momentarily. As soon as they felt the heat rise on their cheeks, they both turned away, focusing on themselves and the things they needed to do. Claude returned to his work while Hilda put her back to the bed, attempting to find some semblance of rest.
Yet both were distracted, unable to keep the other person out of their thoughts. They even caught themselves briefly glancing at one another.
Not much work or rest was had from that moment on.
Within the courtyard in-between the Officers Academy classrooms and the dining hall, adjacent to the gazebo area, Dimitri and Marianne were seated at a table, enjoying some warm cups of tea. Marianne had her hands clasped together on her lap, merely staring at the cup on her side of the table while Dimitri was taking sips of his drink, almost unfazed by its heat.
Dimitri smiled, putting his cup onto its plate.
"I am glad you accepted my invitation, Marianne," he said. "I…wished to spend some time with you."
"I, um…I wanted to spend some time with you, too. I wasn't sure if you felt the same way."
"Why would I not? You are the woman that saved me from the boar I nearly became. Your precious smile brightens my day whenever I gaze upon it."
"Uh-!" Marianne blushed. "I d-don't know I was the only one that helped. D-Dedue, he…"
"I am certain of what I said. There is something about your smile that eases any fury I have within me. Even now, for me, your smile is like a sun that breaks the veil of darkness surrounding my heart with its warm, gentle rays."
"O-oh, I…"
Dimitri chuckled, taking another sip of his tea. Marianne, struggling with the heat that was cropping up onto her face, decided to follow suit and started drinking.
"So, I, um…" The blue-haired girl stammered. "The w-war is over…what will you do now, D-Dimitri? Will you return to Fhirdiad?"
"I will, but not right away. There are still some matters here that require my presence. I have yet to determine the future of Fódlan, the path the continent shall take from this day forth."
"P-path? What do y-you mean?"
"I'm referring to my plans that pertain to the betterment of Fódlan at large. There are many aspects of our society that I wish to see changed. Only when that has happened will Fódlan truly see an era of peace."
Putting her cup back down onto its plate, Marianne looked at the king with an uncertain brow.
"What kind of plans do y-you have?"
"I wish to erase the oppression that has been ingrained into our society for far too long. I want to ensure everyone is treated equally and that poverty is lessened, if not removed entirely. It's my firm belief that everyone should have the chance to become whoever they wish to be, regardless of the circumstances forced upon them."
"That sounds n-nice…I think I would like to live in a w-world like that. Maybe, if the world was already like that, I wouldn't have had to deal with Maurice's c-curse."
"If we already lived in such a world, Duscur and its people would not be the target of Fódlan's ire. Dedue would not have had to suffer."
"Mmm," Marianne nodded. "I w-wish you the best of luck, Dimitri. Changing the w-world like that…it doesn't sound easy."
"Thank you, Marianne. It will not be a simple task, but it must be done for the sake of the world. Fortunately, it appears El and Claude have similar opinions regarding similar such matters. We are all united in our efforts to improve society. However…"
Dimitri frowned, his gaze being cast to the table below. Marianne furrowed her brows.
"However…?" She asked.
"I do not know if Archbishop Rhea will agree," the king answered with a sigh. "In the past, she has called for the execution of those who disagree with her ideals. Do you recall the incidents with Lord Lonato and the Western Church?"
"I…vaguely remember. She wanted them dead?"
Dimitri nodded. "Our ideas to improve Fódlan may earn us her wrath. I do not wish to fight the Church, but I will do so if the archbishop leaves us with no other option. Let's hope the discussion we shall have later today doesn't result in such an outcome."
"I agree. I wouldn't want you to fight the Church, either. I don't know what I would do in that situation. My future is already unclear…"
"Oh?" Dimitri raised a brow. "Don't you know what you'll be doing now the war's over?"
Marianne shook her head.
"I may have to return home to my father. If that were to happen, I would likely become the next Margrave Edmund. I-"
"Is that something you want?"
"I don't know. I would like to help my father, but I don't think I can accept the responsibility of managing his land. I don't know what to do…!"
"Come with me," Dimitri blurted out.
Raising her head to meet his gaze, Marianne stared at him with a confused expression.
"I…what?"
"I want you to come with me. To Fhirdiad, I mean. If you were to return to your father, we would no longer be able to meet one another. I would be rather upset if I were to lose you and no longer have you by my side."
Marianne's mouth was agape. "Y-you…you want me to be with you?"
"Only if you are willing."
Her blushes returned. She covered her face with her hands, hiding a good portion of her visage, though it did nothing to ease the pure emotion that was shining through the cracks.
"I, uh…" She stuttered again. "I w-will think about it."
"Please do. I think it would be best for us both."
Dimitri continued drinking his tea, all while Marianne persisted in her struggle with her emotions. The heat of her tea did nothing to ease the heat, yet it was comfortably warm. Enough so that she was eventually able to get used to the temperature at that moment.
Marianne smiled, her light shining through the darkness.
In the dining hall, Edelgard was feasting on her lunch. It was a large sandwich filled with fish, aptly named 'Fish Sandwich'. The emperor was taking her time with her food, savoring every last bite and making each moment with it count. Although she was on her own, sitting on one of the benches in the dining hall further away from the counter, some made curious glances at her.
She immediately shot down each one with a sharp look in their direction, making it very clear that her lunch was not to be interrupted. As such, Edelgard kept eating, even as the dining hall resumed its normal operations around her.
"Your Majesty!"
Edelgard looked up, smiling at the person who had a bowl of soup in his grasp.
"Ferdinand. To what do I owe your visit?"
"I wish to eat with you. Is that acceptable?"
"It's more than acceptable. Please, sit. I would greatly enjoy your company."
Ferdinand bowed his head. "I am grateful, Your Majesty."
As he began to sit down on the side of the bench directly opposite her, Edelgard raised a brow, pausing in the consumption of her meal.
"Your Majesty?"
Ferdinand looked up, having almost begun eating his Onion Gratin Soup. "Um, is there anything wrong?"
"Why are you calling me that, Ferdinand? I thought I'd made it abundantly clear that I wished to be referred to simply as 'Edelgard'."
"I…do seem to recall you saying something of that manner. However, I-" Ferdinand hesitated, gripping tightly onto his wooden spoon. "I simply cannot comply."
"Why not?"
"Because it is a reminder of my place in the world. I am but a mere, cowardly noble - a shell of my former self. By referring to you as 'Your Majesty', I am constantly reminding myself of your superiority to me."
Edelgard's mouth flew open.
"Superiority? I seem to remember a time when you believed you surpassed me in every category. You challenged me at every opportunity you had." She smirked. "It became rather irksome. Why the sudden change?"
"I may have behaved in such a way in the past, but much has changed since then. The simple fact of the matter is that I succumbed to Arundel, no, Thales' darkness - you did not. As a result, my life has become laden with sin, and yours has not. I have cut a bloody path in the name of Thales' Empire…that is something I will never forget."
Edelgard compassionately frowned. "You may have succumbed to him in the past, but that isn't the case as of now. Your future is clear and bright, as well. There's still room for you to surpass me." She smiled.
"That is easy for you to say, Your Majesty. Your actions did not lead to the death and misery of thousands of people. You were not the reason why the Ashen Wolves suffered the way they did. My sins are a permanent stain upon my person…I may never wash them away."
Ferdinand cast his head to the table, a look of regret permanently etched onto his face. Edelgard put her sandwich back onto its plate.
"I understand how you feel. Sometimes, our pasts can weigh down on us, preventing us from moving forward with our usual fervor. It may even become impossible for us to move entirely." She looked at him. "But that is why you must let go of the past and look to the future. Like I said, being weighed down by the darkness in your life will only slow your advance." She briefly closed her eyes. "That is why I will always move forward, despite all I have seen."
"Despite all you have seen…?" Ferdinand repeated to himself. He returned Edelgard's gaze, noticing a wavering in her eye. "Your Majesty-!"
"Please, call me Edelgard."
A short silence emerged between the two. Ferdinand's eyes and mouth widened in surprise while Edelgard was merely giving a faint smile.
All of sudden, Ferdinand gained a determined expression.
"I think I understand now…Edelgard."
"Do you?" She asked.
He nodded. "Looking to the future…it certainly distracts you from an unpleasant past and a tumultuous present. I…I think I have something to look forward to."
"What might that be? Consider me intrigued."
"I will protect you, Edelgard." She gasped yet allowed Ferdinand to continue. "You might have been able to let go of your past, but there may very well come a time when you fall underneath the pressure. I will be there to protect you from such overwhelming emotions."
Her eyes widened, a faint redness appearing on her cheeks.
"You've already failed," Edelgard smirked. "You've merely introduced another overwhelming emotion."
"I…what? What are you-"
It took him a second. He blushed.
"I, um, well, you-"
Edelgard laughed happily. "You needn't worry yourself, Ferdinand. I might have teased you somewhat, though my emotions are certainly honest."
"That is what surprises me! I didn't realize you saw me in that way! Why…?"
"I'll let you figure that one out for yourself." She peered through the window that looked out onto the fishing pond area. "I believe it's almost time for me to leave."
"W-what? Where to?"
"I have a meeting with Dimitri, Claude, and Rhea. It should be starting very soon, so I will need to be quick with finishing my meal. My apologies, Ferdinand. I would like to spend more time with you when I can." Edelgard picked up her sandwich. "Much more time, at that."
Ferdinand was without words, remaining speechless for the rest of his time together with Edelgard in the dining hall. His blush stayed even as she finished the rest of her food and left the hall in a hurry.
He smiled, slowly eating away at the rest of his soup.
Upon one of the benches in the garden outside of the dining hall, Lucas was relaxing as much as he could. He breathed in the fresh air of the calm, outside world, finally able to find some manner of peace.
Yet he looked at the sky with a worried expression.
"So, what now?" Sothis asked, slumped toward the back of her throne. "The war is over. There is no more fighting left to be done. It seems you were indeed able to find a good future for everyone."
"Yeah, I suppose…" Lucas sighed.
Sothis leaned forward, raising a brow. "Hmm? Do you have a problem with that? It is rather fortunate you were able to defy Fate itself. Some of your dearest friends would be dead by now if it were not for your intervention."
"That's not it. I mean, I don't feel like I've done anything like defying fate, but that's not what I'm worried about."
"Spit it out, then. Do not waste my time."
"Ah, well…"
Lucas hesitated, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.
"I'm just worried about what'll happen now. This is the end of the road, the part of the game where the credits start rolling, where we see all those paired endings and stuff. I have no idea what to expect from this point on. What do I even do now…?"
"I see. You are concerned for your future." Sothis grinned, leaning on her hand, which she rested on the rightmost armrest of her throne. "How ironic."
"Please don't make fun of me, Sothis. I'm legitimately worried here. I don't know what I'll do now that the war's over. I've got…I've got nothing." He cast his head toward the 'floor' in his mind, the void beneath his feet.
"Were you not a professor at the Officers Academy before the war? You can always do that again."
"But the Officers Academy isn't even open right now…"
Sothis frowned, ceasing her leaning. "Right now, perhaps. Though it will not stay that way forever. That will be the path you can take."
"Hmm…" Lucas folded his arms. "I guess it's my only option, aside from becoming a mercenary or something. And I really don't want to do that. Here I thought being a professor would be a temporary thing…"
After nodding at the mortal she had been speaking to, Sothis looked to her right, glancing at the person standing beside her throne.
"What do you think, Byleth? You have been unusually quiet for the past few days. Perhaps now you will wish to speak?"
"Ah…!" Byleth rapidly blinked, turning to the goddess. "My apologies, Sothis. I didn't mean to worry you. I've just been thinking about something…"
"What might that be?"
"That's the thing, I don't quite know exactly what's on my mind. I feel as if there's something we're missing, something important…I can't seem to remember what, exactly. It's as if that one part of my knowledge has been taken away from me, but all of my other memories and thoughts have been left intact."
"Most unusual. Might it have something to do with my loss of memories? Although your presence, as well as Lucas', has revealed much of my own past and existence to me, there are still parts of my memory that I cannot seem to reach, no matter how hard I try. It may be that your loss of knowledge is tied to that somehow."
"Perhaps. I'm not sure either way. All I know is that, whenever I try to think about what I cannot reach, I feel an overwhelming sense of dread. Like there's something coming that I once knew about…" Byleth looked down at Lucas, who was still standing in front of the stairs leading to the throne. "Be careful, Lucas. Whatever it is, it may appear soon. You must be ready."
Lucas returned Byleth's gaze with a nervous, uncertain nod.
"Uh, okay-"
Sothis' eyes suddenly widened. "Hush now! It appears someone is approaching." She grinned again, though her expression radiated a sense of playfulness. "Someone very special."
Returning his vision to that of the physical realm, Lucas turned his gaze away from the sky, searching the immediate area for whoever it was Sothis was referring to.
The pace of his beating heart rose.
"Hey there, Lucas," said Dorothea, a smile on her face. "May I sit?"
"Uh…yeah. Here."
He patted the empty part of the bench next to him.
"Thanks," she replied, sitting down in the exact spot he patted. "I've been meaning to talk to you. Good thing we finally have time to do that, huh?"
"H-heh, yeah. There's no more battles left to fight, so I guess we now have all the time in the world to t-talk."
"We certainly do, don't we?" Dorothea chuckled. "We've been through a lot recently, what with the war and all. We've fought all kinds of battles and seen so many different places…"
Her expression became wrought with sorrow.
"We've also killed a lot of people. Some of them were even people we knew from the academy. Just goes to show you what kind of life we've led these past few months."
Lucas' visage became melancholic, in much the same way as Dorothea's. "Y-yeah. When I woke up after my five year long rest, I never expected it would be like this. Well, maybe I did, but I never realised just how difficult it would be. I didn't think I'd have to fight anyone from the academy, much less kill them."
"At least you didn't have to kill Bern, right? And you never had to fight the Ashen Wolves, either."
"Right." His tone of voice grew heavier. "It was just Lorenz and Ashe I had to kill. God, even to this day, I can't get their dying faces out of my mind."
"I understand. Sometimes, I can't help but think about the people I've killed. Who were they? What kind of lives did they lead? Did they have any family or friends?" Dorothea sighed, gazing at the partially clouded sky. "I always think about this kind of thing after every battle. It even keeps me awake at night sometimes."
Lucas nodded, his gaze aimed at the ground. "And yet, somehow, despite everything - we're still here. We've survived. But Hubert, Lorenz, Bernie, Ashe, Yuri, Hapi, Balthus, Constance…they didn't make it. Why do we get to survive…and they don't?"
"War's just like that, I'm afraid. People die and others survive. That's how it is and always will be."
Lucas sighed, slumping to the back of the bench, his arms by the sides of his legs. Dorothea glanced at him and nodded in understanding.
"This war could've been avoided. If Thales didn't exist, or if he wasn't so downright evil…nobody would've had to die," he said.
"Some people would do anything to see their ideals realized. Even if it means starting a war and plunging the whole world into chaos…"
Lucas closed his eyes. "I hate war. I never want to see another one ever again."
"Same here. Let's hope Edie, Dimitri, and Claude, can at least make this era of peace last. I don't think they'll be able to eliminate war entirely, but they should do what they can. I wouldn't want innocent people getting caught in all the fighting again…"
"Yeah, absolutely. I have faith in those three, though. If anyone can usher in a new age of peace, it's them. No doubt about it."
Dorothea sidelong-glanced at him and smiled. "You've got a lot of confidence in them, huh? I suppose you're right, though. Those three may be nobles, but they're easily the best nobles I've ever met. And I've met a lot of them."
"Heh, I'd imagine you have."
Her smile faded and her eyes narrowed slightly. "You say that like you know a lot about my past. I know we've talked about that kind of thing before, but I don't think we've ever discussed my time in the Mittelfrank Opera Company all that much. Actually, that reminds me."
"O-of what?"
She fully turned in his direction, her legs still dangling off the edge of the bench.
"I don't know much about your past. I mean, I remember you saying you were from some place called England - that's it. That's all I know. But, despite that, Seteth and the others seem to completely trust you. Seteth even told me that he prevented the Knights of Seiros from leaving the monastery to find Rhea because of you." She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Why is that? There's gotta be something you haven't told me."
"Uh…" Lucas paused, a faint amount of sweat forming on his face. He sighed, calming himself down in the process. "There is something I haven't told you."
"What is it? Sorry for pressuring you, I'm just curious. Your backstory is almost a complete mystery to me. You're like one of those enigmatic characters in an opera, whose backstory doesn't get revealed until closer to the end of the story. I can't help but be curious."
Lucas nervously laughed, itching the back of his neck. "H-heh, yeah, well, about that…" He stopped itching as his eyes widened slightly. "Huh. Weird. Normally, I'd feel more apprehensive about this, but for some reason, I want to tell you the truth. That's very strange."
"Oh, good." She nodded, smiling. "As long as you're comfortable with telling me. If you want to keep it to yourself, that's fine too. Don't let me pressure you into doing something you don't want to do."
"But I just told you I wanna do it…never mind." He leaned forward on the bench, sidelong-glancing at Dorothea. "It's quite the story. You might not believe me, considering how outlandish it gets, but it's the truth nonetheless."
"I've heard a few outlandish stories in my time, I'll be fine. I've even performed a few of them. So, why is it that Seteth and everyone else trusts you so much?"
Lucas stopped for a short time, gathering his thoughts and putting them together into a coherent answer. Dorothea patiently waited.
"The reason that Seteth, Edelgard, and the others trust me so much is because I can see the future. Wait, no…" He shook his head. "Well, I can see the future, but I'm oddly limited in what I know in some ways. In other ways, I know much more than I should."
"Y-you can see the future? How?"
"I could lie and say that it's because of the goddess' power that I have-" Lucas noticed a change in Dorothea's expression, her head tilting to the side slightly. "Oh, didn't you know that?"
"Having the goddess' power is quite the claim. I suppose it explains that weird flash of light that came from you back in the Sealed Forest. Still, I'm not sure I believe you have the powers of the goddess herself."
"Well, I do. I have an apparition of her in my mind right now, actually. I've been speaking to her since before I became a professor."
Dorothea was speechless, her mouth agape.
"Do you have any proof to back that up?"
"I don't have a receipt or anything. I can use her power to rewind time and it seems like I'm able to tap into her vast pool of mana to enhance my attacks. That's not something I can use much in a battle, though. Really tires me out when I do that kind of thing. That's actually how I fell asleep for five years, by the way. Used up a lot of Sothis' power in the Sealed Forest and ended up falling unconscious right after finishing my attack. I don't want that to happen again, so I haven't done anything like that since. I have been using the time rewind power, however."
"Uh…okay then." Dorothea blinked, gently brushing her hair with her hand. "How did you come to get that kind of power? That's not something that happens to everybody."
"Honestly, I don't know. I was in my home and then suddenly, I was here in Fódlan, like I was teleported. Shortly after that happened, I started speaking with Sothis, as well as Byleth who's also in my mind, and began using her power."
"Byleth? Who's that?"
"Someone you wouldn't know. Their situation is complicated, but in short, they're from the future. I think the reasons why he's here and why I got teleported are somehow linked. Not sure about that, though."
"O-okay…" Dorothea paused, thinking. "So you were in your home, then you got sent to Fódlan, where you randomly got the powers of the Progenitor God as well as knowledge of the future from some guy? This really is some story. You weren't lying."
"Ah, well, that's not quite it. You might need to sit down for this one-" Lucas halted himself, gazing at Dorothea's sitting visage. "O-oh, right. Uh, well, either way, that's not the whole thing."
"That's not the whole story? What else could you possibly add to that? It's already far more complex than any narrative I've seen or read."
"It's a common genre where I come from. That is to say, I'm not from Fódlan, but you already knew that. I'm from a place called England, which is in the United Kingdom, which is a part of the continent of Europe…which is on planet Earth. Oh, wait, you guys don't know about planets and space yet, do you?"
"What."
Lucas shook his head. "Don't worry about it. The point is, I'm not from this world. I come from a place far removed from Fódlan. You wouldn't be able to reach it through normal means, like a wyvern or a boat. I don't even know if you'd be able to reach it at all."
Dorothea didn't respond. She blinked and moved a little, indicating she wasn't sleeping.
"Another world…? I'm not sure I know what that means exactly. This place, England…you can't get to it with a boat or wyvern, so what even is it? I don't understand."
"It's another realm of existence, another land where different peoples and cultures exist. Think of it like a Brigid or Dadga that's impossible to get to."
"Okay, it's starting to make a little more sense. Only a little, though. Anyway, so, you're from this other world. Is that all?"
"No." Lucas shook his head again, raising a single finger. "There's one more thing."
"There's still more?! Oh…alright, what is it?"
"Well, you see, my world has had plenty of technological advancements. We have moving pictures, vehicles that are many times faster than horses or wyverns, and little boxes that allow interactive games to be played. These games are basically like books if they had visuals and you could determine what happens in them, or an opera controlled by one member of the audience that has a particular device with multiple buttons and sticks on it."
"A device that controls an opera performance? That sounds terrifying."
"They don't control actual people, they just control the characters in the game. Characters that move and talk like real people, but they're fictional. Anyway, in my world, there's this one specific game called 'Fire Emblem: Three Houses'. It takes place in a continent called Fódlan, featuring such characters as Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, Rhea…"
"Hold on." Dorothea stared straight at Lucas with an incredulous look. "Are you saying that Fódlan exists in your world…as a fictional 'game' thing?"
"Yes." Lucas nodded. "That's how I know about the future. It's because I've played this game multiple times over, and thus experienced its story to the point where I remember all the key details about it. When I got sent to Fódlan, the setting of the game I've played so much, I realised I had basically become a seer. I knew what was going to happen."
"You shared that knowledge with Seteth, I'm guessing. Is that why he trusts you so much? Because you told him about the future and it all came true?"
"Yeah, exactly that." Lucas chuckled nervously. "Now that's all. It's, uh, it really is unbelievable when I look back at it. Doesn't feel like it should be true, but it is."
"You can say that again…I'm still not sure I believe it."
Her doubtful expression lingered for only a short while longer, soon becoming replaced with a warm smile.
"But I think I can, despite how crazy it is. After all, who would lie with a story like this? And besides…" She looked into his eyes, retaining her smile. "I can't bring myself to distrust you."
"Dorothea…"
Her smile widened. The sweat that had been cropping up on Lucas' face started to subside. It disappeared entirely when both of her hands held onto one of his.
The beating of Lucas' heart grew faster.
"W-what are you doing?" He asked her.
"I'll be honest with you, Lucas. It's hard for me to believe in something I can't see or haven't experienced myself. It's why I'm not faithful to the Church or the goddess or anything. That's why I'm so unsure about your story. However…" Dorothea blushed. "I can believe in it because it's coming from you."
"W-well, yeah, obviously. But, er, what's so special about me? Why does it matter if the story comes from me or not?"
"It's because…"
Dorothea paused, her flushed face blooming a bright crimson. She raised Lucas' hand, the one she grasped earlier, stroking it slowly and intently while staring into his midnight black pupils. Her voice shifted into a soft whisper.
"I love you, Lucas."
Lucas quietly gasped.
"I…wha-wh-!" His face was awash with the deepest of blushes as his heartbeat grew ever faster. "Y-you…love me? Why? Where did this even come from…?"
She tittered. "I'm just following my heart. Can't go wrong with that, can I? As for your other question, I love you because…you're you. You're the nicest and most genuine person I've ever met. I love spending time with you, and I don't want that to ever end. I want to hold onto you and never let you go."
Her brows furrowed, her gaze casting itself down to her hands, which had both entrapped one of Lucas'.
"Please, don't ever let go…"
Lucas' expression was filled with concern as he laid his eyes upon Dorothea's sorrowful visage. He said nothing, even as his heart rate continued to rise.
"You fool! Say something, you incorrigible idiot!" Sothis exclaimed to him. "She is pouring her feelings out to you! This is the moment…the time you have been waiting for! Say it!"
"But I-"
"I am within your mind, fool! I know what you are feeling at any given time. As such, I know how you feel about her." Sothis' tone grew softer. "This is the time to wear your heart upon your sleeve."
"Was that a-"
"Enough." Sothis glared at him. "Do not delay, for this is a crucial moment! Speak your mind and reveal how you truly feel."
Lucas returned to the physical realm, Sothis' words weighing on his mind. Once again, he was looking at Dorothea, whose countenance was starting to become overtaken by sorrow.
Seeing her worried face, he grew resolute.
"Dorothea, I…" Lucas hesitated. "Y-you're amazing. You're one of the only people that can make me feel b-better when I'm down. You invited me to the sauna that one time because you knew it was exactly what I needed then. You also went out of your way to make me an egg sandwich that other time. Nobody ever does anything like that for me - except for you. Dorothea, I…"
She looked up, hopeful for what was to come.
"I love you too. I'll never let you go as long as I live. I n-need you. Without you, I…I don't know who I'd be right now."
A faint glimmer shone in his eyes.
"If I didn't have you, I'd have gone insane long ago. You're the only person keeping me who I am. If you hadn't been there with me through those hard times, I might have even died-"
He was cut short by something soft and wet touching his lips, as well as a pair of arms hanging over his shoulders. Lucas blinked, snapping out of his sorrowful stupor, laying his eyes on what was occurring before him.
All of his earlier sorrow had washed away, his mind going blank - aside from what was happening. He returned the favor, pressing his lips against hers. The joining of emotions, the combination of their feelings - it was all exemplified in the kiss. Her juicy, vibrant lips met his blank, dry ones, conjoining together for quite some time.
The only thing the two felt - aside from the love they shared for one another - was the slow erasure, the dampening of the regret lingering in their hearts.
After a sufficient amount of time passed, they slightly pulled themselves away from each other, their faces so close that their foreheads were nearly touching.
"H-have you ever kissed anyone before, Lucas?"
He shook his head, though he paused halfway through doing so. "M-maybe. There was this girl I briefly dated for like a week or two when I was six. I don't remember it that well, but I think we kissed…"
"Heh," Dorothea smirked. "You must've been practicing in that case because that wasn't half bad. I think I could get used to this."
"Uh, thanks?"
"You're welcome…my love."
Lucas' blush deepened once more while his eyes widened. Dorothea took notice and chuckled.
"Not used to that, huh? It's fine. Neither am I, honestly. Looks like we've both got some things to get used to."
"I guess so." Lucas smiled. "By the way, I love you, Dorothea."
"I love you too."
Their emotions still running high, they decided to have another kiss. Their second kiss was far lengthier than the first, with more energy and emotion poured into every second of the interaction. The only things that mattered to them in that moment were the existence of the other person and the love they shared - they ignored everything else.
As a result, someone had come out of the dining hall and caught sight of them.
Edelgard smiled, leaving them be.
Minutes later, the meeting was ready to go. In the cardinals' room, seated around the table used for the war councils in the past, were the leaders of Fódlan's three nations. Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude sat next to each other, the backs of their chairs facing the wall of stained glass windows. Archbishop Rhea, still garbed in the armor of Saint Seiros, was seated upon the largest chair at the furthest end of the table, the one Seteth had been using up until that point. Seteth himself was sitting to the right of his fellow Nabatean.
Rhea had her eyes closed, her posture firm and exuding such power and authority through her sheer stance alone. Nobody was fazed by this, though an uncertain air was felt by the other four.
"Seiros…I trust you are aware of the purpose of this meeting," said Seteth.
"Indeed," she replied with a calm tone. "I am aware."
"Then let us not delay this any further. This meeting shall determine the course of Fódlan's future, and as such, we must proceed with relative haste so that Fódlan may find a new, peaceful age." He glanced over to the three leaders. "Each of you will have a turn to speak. After your turn has concluded, Seiros shall give her opinions on the proposals raised and decide if she wishes to approve of them or not. This will repeat for each one of you three. Understood?"
Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude nodded.
"Very well. Let the meeting commence." Seteth focused on the Alliance leader. "Claude, you shall speak first."
"Thank you, Seteth." Claude smiled at the archbishop's advisor, though his smile faded slightly when he turned to Rhea. "And thank you for agreeing to this, Rhe-I mean, Seiros. I really appreciate it."
"Go on," Seiros responded, a slight forcefulness to her tone. "Say your piece."
Everyone else in the room was taken aback by her behavior.
"Uh, alright then. I'll skip the pleasantries." Claude's smile disappeared entirely, his face gaining a serious look. "The people of Fódlan have been afraid and discriminatory of outsiders for far too long. Ask anybody from this continent what they think of places like Duscur or Almyra, and chances are, they'll respond with needless hate. If they'd only get to know people from those places, they would realize they're not that much different from them. Just because there's been some bad blood between Fódlan and these other places, doesn't mean we can't eventually get along."
"What are you suggesting?" Seiros asked.
"I'm suggesting that we start breaking down the barriers we have in place around Fódlan and start accepting people for who they are. Make it part of the Church's tenets, whatever works for you. What I want to do is to tear down Fódlan's Throat. That way, we can start forming diplomatic ties with Almyra, which should then help other countries to realize our intentions. What do you think, Lady Seiros?"
Seiros frowned. "I cannot accept that. It defies mother's teachings, the holy tenets of the Church. Fódlan cannot be allowed to communicate with the outside world."
"Why not?" Claude raised an eyebrow. "Would it really be that heretical to just tweak the tenets a little? If Fódlan is to change for the better, then we've got to allow those changes in the first place. They might be uncomfortable at first, but we'll get used to them later."
"No." Rhea glared at Claude. "I will not allow it." She turned to Dimitri. "You. You're next."
The three leaders shared their dumbfounded looks with one another. Claude shrugged and sighed, retaining his frown as Dimitri proceeded to take his turn.
"Thank you, Lady Seiros." The king of Faerghus nodded, quickly swapping out his dumbfoundedness for a faint smile. "Too many times have I seen those in power abuse the statuses they wield. Scheming amongst themselves to better their livelihoods while ignoring the needs of their people, turning a blind eye to the suffering they themselves have caused. I would like to end this eternal cycle of the strong trampling over the weak."
Rhea's frown intensified into a scowl. "Continue," she said with a venomous edge to her voice.
"I will encourage Edelgard and Claude to introduce a form of active government that allows the people of their nations to have a say in how that nation will develop in the future. I wish for the voices of all citizens to be heard - everyone should have an equal chance to do so," Dimitri continued, unfazed by Seiros' tone. "To that end, I wish for the Church to lose its influence upon the three nations. Its teachings are valuable to those that follow them, but they shouldn't be enforced on every citizen."
Her scowl worsened, a few veins of anger rising around her forehead. She tightened her hands into fists, balling them to the point where her fingers started to dig into her palms.
"Unacceptable," Seiros spat, baring her teeth slightly. "You would dare reject the teachings of the goddess…? Simply unacceptable." She glanced at Edelgard. "You may speak, Emperor."
Dimitri frowned, keeping quiet, although he clenched his fists underneath the table. Claude kept a close eye on Seiros' mannerisms while Seteth glanced between everyone with a worried brow.
"My change is but a simple one, Lady Seiros. Crests may have been a blessing from the goddess and they do possess considerable power. However, their existence has only brought about a certain lust in particular individuals. Their lust has resulted in the suffering of many and the death of some." Edelgard briefly faltered, keeping her composure in the end. "Children have been thrown aside, cast away from their families simply because they lack a relevant Crest. Some have even been killed in the name of Crestology. This will not do."
"You…"
"I would like for Crests to no longer have the value they currently possess in our society today," Edelgard kept speaking, ignoring Seiros' intensifying scowl. "People should attain power and status through their own hands, their own skills and talens - not simply because they happened to be born into the right family. I am not asking for the complete removal of Crests, though I shall admit that is an outcome I would prefer. Regardless, less societal importance should be placed on Crests overall. That's the only way Fódlan can truly see progress."
"No. Absolutely not." Seiros vehemently shook her head. "Crests are a divine gift. To turn them away is to reject the graciousness of the goddess herself. I will not allow such a foolish demand."
"Demand?" Edelgard raised an eyebrow. "But that wasn't-"
"We understand, Lady Seiros," Dimitri interjected. "We apologize for our comments, but you must see, we are only asking these things for the sake of Fódlan. We believe these are important steps to take to improve our society as a whole."
"Fódlan has prospered under the teachings of the goddess. We do not need to diverge from that path. This meeting has been useless…" Seiros glared at the three leaders. "Have you any other demands?"
The three shared glances, with Edelgard and Dimitri each giving Claude a nod. He turned to Seiros.
"Well, we don't have any 'demands', but we do have one last thing to ask," said Claude. "Archbishop Rhea, Lady Seiros, whoever you are - please step down from your position. Like Dimitri said earlier, the church's influence over the three nations forces the people of Fódlan to think, believe, and act only in accordance with the Church's teachings. What the Church wants is what the people should fall in line with. Anyone else dares to have any ideas or thoughts that directly oppose what the Church wants? Execution. If Fódlan is to prosper in the future, we can't have an archbishop that supports these oppressive ideas anymore."
Seteth almost gasped upon hearing this, yet he kept his composure. Edelgard and Dimitri made no reaction, merely staring at Seiros, waiting for a reply alongside Claude, who folded his arms.
Angered veins popped up around Seiros' face. Her hateful eyes were as widened as they could be, her dagger-like stare pointed directly at the three. Her fingernails were embedded into her palms, causing them to bleed.
"You sinful heretics!" Seiros shouted. "The Church of Seiros exists solely to spread the teachings of the goddess across the people of Fódlan! We provide respect and love to the Progenitor God Sothis for the gracious act of creating this world and the creatures that dwell there! Mother created your ancestors and your homes! She is the reason why you are here in the first place! How dare you defy her will!"
"I know you're supposed to be the goddess' direct offspring and all, but that doesn't give you the right to lord over the people of Fódlan." Claude continued to angrily frown at her.
"Claude is right. The people of Fódlan should be able to determine their futures for themselves, which is why we wish to give them the means to do so. Your teachings are unnecessarily restrictive and they impede Fódlan's growth," Dimitri added, also frowning at the archbishop.
"You say you wish to spread the goddess' will…" Edelgard scowled. "But is it not, in truth, your will? The goddess has long since passed, Seiros."
"That is not true! Mother has returned…she is among the realm of the living once more! I know…this is what she truly desires!" Rhea's yelling resumed.
"You are blind to reality, Seiros. Open your eyes…Lucas is not your mother!"
Seiros growled, suddenly rising from her seat. "You ungrateful heretics…! You owe your very lives to my mother! You are all carving yourselves paths of sin!"
"Seiros, please…" Seteth raised his palms in a calming, defensive manner. "These people have the best interests of Fódlan at heart. Mother would want us to work with them to bring peace and prosperity to the land. Was that not our original purpose?"
Seiros sharply turned in Seteth's direction, directing her fury at him. "Cichol, you agree with these whelps?!"
"Whelps?!" Claude repeated incredulously.
"Seiros, I-" Seteth tried to speak.
"I have heard enough," Seiros interrupted. "Cichol, I see you have betrayed our mother, our own kind…you are the same as these reprehensible sinners. You…"
A green light began to emerge from within Seiros, enveloping her in a light-green glow. Seteth and the three leaders stood up, backing away from pure shock.
"You are all undeserving of salvation!" Seiros exclaimed, her voice becoming more distorted as the light grew stronger. "Your fates have been sealed…! FEEL THE WRATH OF THE GODDESS!"
"Get back, you three!" Seteth called out to the three beside him.
"What's happening?" Edelgard asked.
"It's Rhea, she's-"
"GRWOAAAAAARRRR!"
The light swiftly brightened, engulfing the entire room. The earth itself shook, trembling under the might of the power that had been reawakened. Seteth, Edelgard, Claude, and Dimitri retreated to the door as they felt the floor give way.
Most of the room was destroyed, leaving a gigantic, ruinous hole to the outside world where the meeting area once was. Staring down at the four from outside was a large, ancient dragon.
The Immaculate One roared.
Author Notes: Although Nemesis has been defeated, it seems there's one more fight to be had. Come back next time for the conclusion to Act 4...
Thanks to Frost for beta-reading!
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