"And that is what happened." Byleth was giving her report of the mission to Rhea and Seteth. "Truthfully, I wanted to give chase. I doubt they would've gotten far, but the students fought hard and were rightfully exhausted. So I thought it best to pull back and return."
"A wise decision." Rhea gave a curt nod, followed with a smile. "Your concern for your students so soon after your arrival here warms my heart. Do not worry, the Knights will search the area in your stead."
"Thank you for your report. We will inform you of your next mission in the coming days." Seteth said. With that, Byleth took her leave, and Seteth and Rhea were alone. Seteth let out a heavy sigh afterwards. "Mysterious dark mages…a demonic beast, and Kronya…Rhea…"
Rhea was silent for a moment. While she kept a warm persona for the public, in private like this, she was allowed to grimace a little. "I know what this means, Seteth…they have returned. Or rather, it appears as though they have been around for quite some time."
"I was worried about this…" Seteth knew better than to think those people were gone for good. While he was one who worried often about such things, this was a gut feeling he simply couldn't ignore. "This is precisely why I had Flayn come with me here. What do you propose we do?"
"If they escaped into the darkness again, there isn't much we can do." Rhea admitted. "We don't know where they are or what they intend to accomplish. All we can do at the moment is remain cautious and steadfast." Sitting still was far from what she wanted to do, but it was their only option at the moment. Never did she think they would rear their ugly heads once again…
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Luke was getting his injuries tended to by Mercedes once he returned to the Blue Lion classroom. They were all pretty interested to hear how his off class mission went. "Wow, you look pretty roughed up." Sylvain remarked. "Was it that bad?"
"You have no idea." Luke said with a groan. He did flash Mercedes a smile as a thank you for her efforts. "It started off pretty routine…then we got attacked by dark mages. Then some woman named Kronya nearly took my head off. Weirdest girl I've ever seen, she was completely pale…like, ash. And then a freaking monster appeared. It was a long day…"
"Wow…I can't imagine an experience like that." Annette said with a sweat drop. "I'm glad you made it out okay, though!"
"Did you gain anything useful from something so hectic?" Ingrid had to ask. Luke was pretty deadest on following the Black Eagles on their mission.
"Admittedly, it was a lot more than I bargained for. But we were able to get out of it with only minor injuries." Luke said while stretching his arms up. "Watching all of the Black Eagles fight, I got an idea of how they move. So I've more or less copied their movements, which will make fighting them in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion that much easier."
"You went to copy them?" Mercedes blinked.
"That's right!" Luke puffed his chest out proudly. "Totally worth it if you ask me."
"I see. So that's why you were so determined to accompany them." Dedue understood now. Luke didn't really share what he was thinking with others – they'd only find out after the fact.
"Tch, how pointless." Felix scoffed. "You can't just copy a person's movement or their blade work. Everything you strike with is going to ring hollow."
"I'm not trying to copy their attacking style, just how they move." Luke rolled his eyes. "When you know how a person moves, you get a better idea of how they want to attack, it's pretty simple."
"A person's true self shows in their strikes." Felix said.
"And I guess that's why you're always so easy to read." Luke shot back with a grin. Felix just scowled at him.
"Alright…I think that's enough of that." Ingrid was going to have to be the one to break this up. The two men rolled their eyes at each other and decided to break it off.
"Regardless, I'm glad that things worked out for you." Dimitri had a friendly smile. "Your talents will no doubt be vital in future battles. We will be counting on you."
"…Yeah, yeah…" Luke didn't seem too receptive to Dimitri's praise.
"And here I was thinking you went because you had your eyes on that new student." Sylvain teased.
"Can it." Luke huffed. "Unlike you, I think with the head on my shoulders." He then glanced over at Ashe, who was uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. "Hey, what's with him?"
"Huh?" Ashe blinked before shaking his head. "N-Nothing, I'm fine. Really."
"Okay…." Luke wasn't going to press that.
.
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"Whew…" Shez was on her own at the pond, simply looking out over the water. She had a lot to think about considering that last battle. "…That was some fight, huh?"
"Yeah. Who were those people? And why did they know about us…?" That was something Arval wasn't going to get out of his head so easily. Kronya and Myson glared at Shez with contempt for the power they shared.
"…I wonder if this means the others are going to start looking at us differently." Shez wondered aloud. She had only been here for a little over a month at this point. It felt like it was no different than being in a mercenary band, but…there was something different she couldn't put her finger on.
"I think you'll be okay. They trust you." Arval tried to reassure Shez that everything was alright. "Just because they know about us doesn't mean you're on their side. I'm sure they'll realize that."
"…" Shez was silent. She was thinking back on the fight with Kronya, and as she was…
"Oh, there you are." Byleth spoke out to Shez, causing her to turn around. "I was looking for you."
"Yeah…?" Shez quirked a brow.
"…I was telling everyone in the class what a good job they did back there. That includes you, you were pretty standout." Byleth said with a nod. "You did a great job holding off that Kronya woman until I got there."
"W-What…?" Shez's eyes widened. Getting praise from the Ashen Demon? She…wasn't sure how to feel about that. She shook her head, trying to ignore that strange feeling in his chest. "I wasn't trying to hold Kronya off for your heroic rescue; I was trying to finish her. But I wasn't able to." Even after all of that…
"…I was trying to do the same too." Byleth admitted. "But, she turned out to be sturdier than I anticipated. So she got away, and I bet she'll be back eventually. Actually…that's the first person I wasn't able to kill."
"…You weren't able to kill me." Shez quickly said. If there was one thing she wanted to squeeze out of this conversation, it was this. Byleth didn't respond to that verbally. Actually, Shez could hardly tell what Byleth was thinking since her expression did not change. Still, someone that Byleth couldn't kill? Well, it wasn't much, but… "…I'll kill her before you can."
"Huh?" Byleth blinked, Shez's statement surprising her.
"You heard me, Ash…Professor." Shez pointed to Byleth. "When Kronya or any of her allies show their faces again, I'll be sure to take them out before you can!"
"…" Byleth remained silent for a moment. The corner of her lip twitched upwards for just a second, but Shez didn't see it. Byleth wasn't even aware of it. "Lead by example. That's what Jeralt taught me. I'm letting you know now, that I'm doing what I've always done: put my best out on the battlefield. I cannot expect my students to do that same if I don't. And I don't intend to fall behind my students either…I don't think I'd make a very good teacher if I did."
"Heh. You're on." Shez felt a second wind coming. She was a little deflated after her inability to strike Kronya or Myson down. But this…oddly, it helped.
"Get some rest. We'll be getting our next mission soon, and I have to figure out the lesson plan." Byleth said before walking off. "…The teaching is the hardest part."
"I think you're doing a fine job so far." Sothis replied. "Your words from experience carry a certain weight to them. I think those students of yours will learn much from them."
As Byleth walked off, Shez watched. She was starting to think that maybe the Ashen Demon wasn't so…
"What are you doing?" Arval asked. "Don't get so cushy with the Ashen Demon. We're here to kill her, remember?"
For a brief moment, Shez almost forgot about that. But Arval reminded her. "Ah…right. It slipped my mind for a moment. Talking with her just then…she felt like a normal person. It's just…it's been more than a few months since that battle. She seems like a completely different person already, I don't know how to explain it."
"Don't worry about that. Just remember our destiny. We have to put her to the sword. You can't stay stuck under her forever. Student surpasses the master, remember?" Arval reminded Shez.
"Right!" Shez shook it off. The praise Byleth gave her for her efforts came from a different place than just…doing her job as a merc on the battlefield. It blindsided her, but she had to keep her eyes on the prize. The death of the demon. But, even so….
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Edelgard was currently by herself. She asked Hubert for some time alone after what happened in Zanado. From what Kronya said, it sounded like Monica was gone. "…." How frustrating. Monica's death was a possibility and Edelgard knew that. It was one thing she had to prepare herself for, but being faced with it was…difficult to swallow. To think those people would have their way…
"Ah, so there she is. The one who struck down that crazy monster." Claude's voice interrupted her thoughts. Unfortunately for her, he was not very high on the list of people she wanted to see right now.
"Can I help you, Claude?" Edelgard regained her composure before turning around to face him. He really did have a poor habit with his timing.
"I just wanted to double check if those rumors were true." Claude said with a friendly smile, although Edelgard wasn't immediately buying it. "Word spreads pretty fast here, you know. Heard things got pretty crazy on your classes monthly mission."
"Indeed, it's as you heard. Things went in a different direction than anticipated, but we were able to handle it accordingly." Edelgard replied calmly. "Although, I would not be surprised if those mysterious people acted again."
"Sounds like they were shady characters." Claude said.
"Friends of yours?" Edelgard replied. It was mostly a joke, even if her tone didn't convey it. But Claude did let out a chuckle from it.
"Oh, you wound me." Claude replied with a similar tone. "If it were me, it would've been a little more sneakier than what you ran into."
"Is that the case?" Edelgard quirked a brow. "I suppose you are the type to have one plan after another in case things go awry."
"See, I knew you'd start learning eventually." Claude placed his hands behind his head. "Always gotta have a plan in the back pocket. But if this is your way of trying to get any information out of me for any future battles, I'm afraid my lips are sealed tight."
"Funny that would be the one time you actually stop talking." Edelgard replied while closing her eyes. "And I already told you, I don't need any of that to defeat you. I'll simply smash through each and every one of your plans, no matter how carefully laid out."
"Hah…" Claude had to respect the arrogance. Edelgard really didn't think losing was an option. Oh, how he would enjoy taking her off that high horse one day. "I suppose we'll see about that, won't we Your Highness?"
"Indeed we shall." Edelgard replied before walking off. Oddly enough, this sudden conversation with Claude helped her just a bit. She couldn't give up yet, she still had plans of her own. Even if this was a huge setback, she had to keep going…
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.
Several days passed. Kronya was fully healed, but there was a noticeable scar from where Byleth attacked her. She couldn't look or even touch upon that scar without thinking of that dreadful moment. She scowled instinctively. She and Thales were standing before the armored entity known as the Flame Emperor. "Do you have to wear that armor?" Kronya let out a scoff. "It's an eyesore."
"As is that pitiful scar of yours." The Flame Emperor replied. "Let that be a reminder that there will be no salvation for your kind."
"Shut it!" Kronya barked.
"We came not to discuss Kronya's bumbling failure." Thales replied. The callousness in his tone caused Kronya to go quiet from anger and embarrassment.
"Where is the girl?" The Flame Emperor asked.
"Gone." Kronya replied with a dismissive wave. She, Myson, and the other members of their group were keeping the truth a secret. If Thales or the Flame Emperor knew about it, that would be strike two of three. She was already threading on thin ice for losing to a human. But she did hold up Monica's tome. "This thing, though? I swiped it from her before she died."
"I see…" The Flame Emperor replied. How disgusting.
"As you can see, everything is in order for our plan to be set in motion." Thales told the Flame Emperor. "I trust you will do everything in your power to aid us. After all, you are our greatest creation."
"I want in as soon as possible." Kronya said while stepping forward. "I've taken enough of Monica's blood…to do this." Her entire body started to change, slowly shifting to match Monica's appearance exactly. This new Monica spun around, tilting her head while giving an eerie smile. "See? I can even get her voice down."
"That's enough, Kronya." Thales said, entirely unamused by Kronya's antics and impatience. "You'll get your moment. The last thing we need is you committing to another mistake. Our plans are finally coming to fruition. Do not make me regret putting you in this role.
"Tch…" Kronya grumbled while shifting to normal. "And what about the purple haired woman Myson and I told you about? She has-"
"I know." Thales said while closing his eyes.
"Her power? What about it?" The Flame Emperor questioned. "If it's something you know about…"
"It's not something you need to concern yourself with. I intend to find out the truth of the matter for myself. That woman can make a very good ally if my suspicions are correct…"