Darkness was completely surrounding them as they fell deeper and deeper. The air coming from the pit was filled with that nauseating scent, but his grip of Sothis´s hand didn´t grow weaker. Noticing they were entering a giant cave he released a spell to soften their fall the moment he could see the ground under them.
Carefully landing on the ground he quickly casted a spell to avoid being engulfed by the shadows around them. Giant pillars departed from the area, looking like giant trees climbing into the unknown.
"It seems that we have arrived to the bottom of this place" Sothis muttered beside him, carefully stepping forward. "Be prepare just in case" she warned him as they advanced forward.
Everything was completely silent, but his senses were completely alert. Every shadow could be an unknown threat; there was no other way but to react before they were overwhelmed. The giant cave where they were was completely empty, but the silence around them was completely unnatural.
"This isn´t a cave; this is a crypt" he thought as he readied his sword arm.
"What are you seeking in the deeps?" asked a voice from the bottom of the hall, the moment they heard those words a spectral light quickly approached them, making them able to see what was awaiting them. Rusted armors were scattered around the throne room, but what caught his attention was what was sitting on the throne.
Wearing a majestic armor, it appeared to be a king, with a golden crown on the top of its head, yet only a skull could be seen, purple flames instead of eyes. Next to him there was a sword of a monstrous size, which appeared to be made out of bones of a giant creature, small puddles of blue light coming from its cracks.
"A Fell Star and a misguided human, how interesting. Eternity really passes slowly when you are trapped here" The skeleton on the throne said, although it didn´t move an inch.
"So you were the responsible behind all that happened up there. We are going to make sure you don´t commit any crimes anymore"
"Is it a crime when they were the ones that offered themselves so willingly? The taste of human flesh has never been of my liking, but there was plenty of it here. However, now I will have enough nourishment to release myself from the chains of this place" it said as the purple flames in the hollowed skull growing brighter. "It´s been a while since the last time I´ve tasted a star" it said as it observed Sothis when it suddenly looked at him. "Proudful human, I have no interest on you, your kind hasn´t satisfied me the slightest yet I offer you a generous proposal. Feed me with her and I will spare your world. I will even give you the gift of immortality if you wish so, the only thing I ask for is for her flesh"
"I will never let you do that!" he said as he unsheathed his sword.
"The hell you are talking about? I´m not going to be devoured by such disgusting creature. You are getting on my nerves"
"It seems that both of you don´t seem to understand the situation" the mysterious corpse laughed as he sensed some movement behind the throne. "You are not going to leave this place alive; your energy is what I need to leave this place for good. You should have never trespassed here, now you will be consumed, by me, by the Abyss. And you, petty human, why embracing a lonely star? There are plenty like her in the sky, so many that I will always have nourishment. Why not serving one of them instead?"
"I won´t let you touch my friend!"
"A friend? Such idiocy is only found in humans, I guess. Millenniums sharing this forsaken place with your kin has given me some enlightenment about your idiocy. Very well then, I will taste your marrows while you still remain conscious. Sometimes true enlightenment can come through the worst suffering. After I exhaust all you have to give me you will faithfully serve me as your Lord and savior as an empty carcass, like them" the skeleton said pointing to the shadows that were moving behind the throne, the moment they approached he could see knights wearing a partially eroded armor, their flesh dried with two holes without end instead of their eyes. Among them he noticed the person that had seemed in the vision provided to them by the magic armor.
"This will be your fate. Perhaps I will use your flesh too. This body is too old for my liking, but I didn´t have nothing better to use" the corpse laughed as the knights behind him continued to approach, he could see that some knights were also approaching from behind. "I sentence both of you to die today, now fall to the Abyss" it said as he hit the floor with the giant sword next to him, making the floor under them crumble.
They were falling and they couldn´t see anything a few meters from them, yet he could sense movement around. In the split of a second, he was able to avoid an attack from one of the cursed knights while Sothis released potent fire spells around her. With the light of the spells he was able to see for a few seconds what was surrounding them and the moment he saw it the grip on his sword grew tighter. Countless knights were approaching them from all directions while they continued falling. In that bottomless pit there was no other light except the one that was coming from Sothis´s spells and the light of his own sword. The Sword of the Creator was able to rapidly tear through the metal and flesh of their enemies, but they continued approaching, as if they were unable to feel any pain.
"How troublesome they are!" Sothis shouted as she disintegrated some of the knights with a potent fire spell, the explosion sending some of the knights to the deeps, but more of them were coming to continue their onslaught.
Stopping one attack from behind he was able to counterattack with the Sword of the Creator, creating an opening for Sothis. With their joint forces they weren´t a real menace against them, but their numbers weren´t diminishing. As he avoided another attack, he realized why there were still plenty of enemies.
"We are fighting against the same enemies!" he shouted as he parried an attack aimed to his head.
"You must be kidding, how are we supposed to escape from here then?" Sothis said as she casted another spell. From behind one of their enemies was crawling to her.
"Sothis, careful!" he shouted as he used the whip form of the Sword of the Creator as he activated his crest. The enemy was impaled as it glowed for a second before it turned into dust.
"It´s gone for good" Sothis muttered as she erected a magic barrier to protect the two of them. "It seems that the combined power of the Crest and the Sword are able to break through these cursed creatures. In that case we will need to attack them with everything we have!" she shouted as she casted a potent spell with her inner strength.
With their combined forces they started to get the upper hand of them as the darkness around them grew weaker. It was the turn of the last fighter, the one who he had seen in the vision. Using her lance, she tried to jump on him, but he was faster. With a quick swift he cut her ankles off, making her fall on her knees. As he approached her, she was trying to stand up again using her lance, but it was already too late.
"Your sacrifice won´t be in vain. I will make sure that this nightmare ends for good" he said as he honored her with a warrior death and released her from her misery, only dust remaining where she was standing.
The moment the last of the warriors was defeated the dark mist around them disappeared, landing in front of the ancient throne.
"It seems that I underestimated your teamwork" it said as it laughed, rotten air coming from its mouth. "However, imminent death awaits to both of you, but I´m sure you will entertain me with your light" it said as it stood up and quickly approached them.
Their enemy tried to slam them with its giant sword. The earth beneath trembling with every brutal attacked that released.
"So annoying" Sothis said as she threw at him a giant fireball, but it opened its mouth and swallowed it.
"Don´t you understand? I won´t be defeated by any of you. A god is invisible and worshipped by those who envy its strength. Accept your fate and I will make sure to end your misery quickly" it said as his attack destroyed one of the pillars, large rocks falling from a ceiling impossible to see by the naked eye.
"I would pity anyone who would need to worship something as repulsive as you" Sothis said as her protective barrier destroyed the rocks falling on them. Taking advantage of the magic protection he quickly ran to one of the sizes. Their enemy tried to slam him with his giant sword, but he was faster and jumped on one of its legs as he used the full power of the Sword of the Creator. The sword bit the rusted armor and beneath it, infuriating their adversary. As he jumped backwards, he could see a black liquid coming out from the recent injury.
"Oh, so you can bleed. If you are capable of being hurt, I don´t mind giving you a good beating" Sothis smiled as she casted giant spears of lights.
As they continued attacking, they were slowly but steadily weakening it. Its attacks were turning erratic as the dark liquid continued pouring from its injuries. The purple light of the skull was glowing brighter as dark liquid started to come from it too.
"When we fight together there is nothing that can stop us. In times of need when we help each other all our obstacles are removed. Now is the time you will pay for your crimes!" he shouted as he jumped on its head and nailed the Sword of the Creator in the center of the skull. Dark mist came from the skull, but he insisted on his attack until the creature fell on his legs and finally collapsed. The moment it fell the sword he was wielding fell to the ground, causing a small tremor.
"So, is it over now?" Sothis asked as she caught her breath. The dark mist around them was starting to disappear.
"It seems like that, but I have no idea where we must head now" he said as he looked at his surroundings when suddenly an explosion happened that sent him to the ground.
"Arrogant fools! Do you think you are capable of defeating me so easily? Now that I am released from the chains of that old body, I will show both of you what I am capable of!" furiously hissed a voice from the deeps of the dead body as pure darkness started to come from it, first the legs and then the claws and tail; a creature of pure dark with not recognizable face. And it then jumped with an agonizing howl.
Sothis erected a magic barrier, but the creature was able to bypass it, since it didn´t have a solid body.
"Sothis no!" he shouted as he quickly approached, but it was already too late since Sothis was already engulfed in the black mist. He couldn´t see anything through the mist, but hearing her cries he knew she was suffering and then suddenly everything stopped. The fog disappeared and only the unconscious body of Sothis was left next to one of the destroyed pillars.
"Sothis!" he shouted as he quickly approached her location, picking her from the dust he placed a hand on her forehand to make sure that she was alright.
"You are a fool" she suddenly said as a magic explosion sent him flying to one of the remaining pillars. The impact made him cough blood, but he was able to avoid in the last second a spear of light aimed at him. When the dust settled what he saw made his heart fill with fury. Sothis´s lower body was covered in the dark oily substance, shadowy limbs clumsily moving from its base. The upper half of her was still herself but the black substance was pouring from her eyes and mouth.
"I won´t forgive you for this!" he shouted as he charged.
"Mortals can´t understand the dwellings of the gods" the creature said as it moved Sothis´s arms, the moment she extended her arms he was sent to the ground as the Sword of the Creator landed in her hand. The Sword was emitting purple sparks in the hands of its new owner.
"How could you?" he asked shocked
"The Sword is just answering to its true Lord. Bones and blood is the only thing that truly remain loyal and this is how you will meet your end; defenseless and by someone you called a friend, no matter what you do the victory will be mine, such a tender flesh" the dark mass at the bottom laughed as Sothis extended her other arm and the greatsword came to her call.
Avoiding one of the attacks aimed at him he jumped forward one of the columns. The only things he had with him were his armor and a dagger.
Even though the creature was laughing as it tried to kill him, he could hear a moaning of suffering from Sothis´s lips as her flesh grew paler. "It is consuming her from within" he realized. If he didn´t hurry up she would end up being consume by such creature, but he didn´t have any devices that could grant him the upper hand in the battle. The only thing left was using the power of his crest to its fullest.
Concentrating all the energy he had within, a sparking charge ran through his body as he quickly approached the agonizing Sothis and the dark matter surrounding her. Spears of light and dark came to him as he came closer but he evaded them. The giant sword furiously hit the ground but he was already jumping on her. She was a few meters of landing on top of her.
It was then when he felt a piercing pain as he was impaled by the Sword of the Creator, the very same sword which he had been using until now. The sword was biting its flesh as it were a feral animal, black slime coming from its wound.
"How pathetic, killed by your own sword" muttered the creature beneath, but he wasn´t gone for good as he tried to came closer. The closer he came the deeper the sword went through him. He could feel it leaving his back but it didn´t matter as long as he could touch her. The pain was almost unbearable and a feeling of tiredness was spreading through his entire body, yet he continued coming closer.
"Are you trying to find your end faster? Humans never cease to amuse me, you could have served me as a herald, yet you chose to stand by the side of your friend; the very same who has killed you, but your perseverance is worth of comment. I wonder if I will receive such power after I devour your flesh" the creature laughed. His body was already on the sword hilt as he touched Sothis´s face with his hands.
"Sothis, open your eyes" he said as he poured what remained of his strength, tears of blood failing on the Goddess´s face, but her usual green eyes were still covered in black slime.
"How pathetic, yet entertaining and now…"
"And now leave my body" Sothis shouted as a magic explosion engulfed both of them. An inhuman scream was heard as the black slime was engulfed in green flames, only the agonizing cries of the beast could be heard. He fell to the ground, but he didn´t feel the pain, his senses numbed by the blood loss.
"Don´t dare to enter my body again!" Sothis furiously said, but her fury turned into desperation when he saw how he was. "You idiot, since when I told you to die for me?"
"We are friends, right? This is the only thing I could do" he said with a weakened voice. The green flames around him felt somehow distant as Sothis´s voice rang inside his head. A light pain made him realize that Sothis had pulled the Sword of the Creator from his body off as she started to cast healing spells on him, although he could feel nothing as everything got darker.
"There is no purpose on trying to save him. He has dug his own grave" said a voice coming from the deeps of the fire. "If you dare to defy me, I will annihilate everything you hold dear until only ashes remain of the world you know. This is the promise for your insolence" the voice said as the flames gradually started to extinguish.
"Cursed it! I´m too weak and I can´t do nothing for you. If I am a Goddess how I am so powerless?" Sothis said as tears started to leave her eyes. He wanted to comfort her, but his body didn´t respond to his order, his own eyes were starting to fail him.
"There is no other option then" she said as she placed a hand on his chest as she was engulfed in a green aura, the moment she did so he could feel a renewed strength filling his entire body. He weakly smiled to her as he extended an arm to her when he stopped shocked.
Sothis was starting to disappear, consumed by the flame that was entering his body.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you think, dummy? I´m saving you" she said with a sad smile. "I´m afraid this might be the last time we will be talking like this. It was short but at least it was fun while it lasted"
"I don´t want you to die" he said as tears started to form within his eyes.
"Respect my decision as a friend. Besides, I won´t be gone for good, I´ll always be with you" she said as she gently smiled. Embracing her, he couldn´t avoid crying as her body continue to disappear.
"Now we are one, let the light of your heart guide you" she said as she finally disappeared, green particles floating around him.
As he stood up once again, the Sword of the Creator came to his aid, the moment he touched the Sword golden sparks came from it; a purifying aura extending through the battlefield.
"Do you think that because you have joined forces will you able to defeat me? You are delusional if you think you can achieve victory here"
"I won´t defeat you, I will destroy you for the evermore" he said as he approached him.
The creature roared and unreleased blow after blow against him, but he effortlessly stopped all of them. Which each impact green flames were released around him, consuming the corruption surrounding him, yet the flames didn´t harm him. With a final impact the sword of his enemy turned into dust, leaving the creature before him defenseless.
"If I can´t have that power, no one will have it!" the creature roared as a black cloud engulfed him. The impact made him fell to the ground. Acting out of instinct he was able to stop his right hand with his free one, his sword hand turned into a claw with a menacing eye opened in the middle of it, looking at him with hate. He knew he was trying to possess him like he did to Sothis, an intense pain flowing through his veins.
"Why won´t you just die?" the creature howled as he tried to use his own sword against him.
"If I died everything I´ve done would be in vain. My final days won´t be against you and you will never have control over my body!" he shouted as he charged his free hand with the power he had inherited, engulfing his entire body in blue and green flames. The beast howled and tried to run away, but it was too late as every single bit of its body was bitten by the flames. An explosion of pure light extended through the area, cleansing the corruption.
When he stood up once again, he could see a giant orb of light in front of him. Looking at his injured arm he realized that green veins were visible within his body, the crest of flames irradiating energy from his chest. Touching his hair, he realized that it has changed as well.
"I won´t forget you, my dear friend" he thought as he touched the giant orb of light, the moment he did, it raised to the sky; a red star appearing in the once cloudy sky.
"We are finally free, and all thanks to you" said a voice behind him. When he looked at the owner of the voice, he realized she was the knight of the visions of the past. He didn´t know how, but he knew she was a spirit. "Now the city will finally be destroyed by the purifying fire. My heartfelt thanks for cleansing our curse after thousands of years, now we may rest in peace. Star of the morning, hero who has embraced godhood, inherit the light of what remains of our world and protect the weak" she said as she offered to him a ring with an amethyst. Countless spirits were appearing around him. As they kneeled, he could see that in their faces there was relieve, relieve for the end of an endless nightmare.
"May this ring protect you and allow you to return safely whence you came, mighty Lord of light" she said as she kneeled before him. The moment he put the ring on his finger a water like substance appeared in front of him. He could see through it how his students where battling against what appeared to be Solon´s forces. A pair of amethyst eyes made him smile as he approached the portal. The red star above them was quickly approaching, the heat quickly increasing.
"Farewell, proudful hero, may the light guide you for the evermore" the voices behind him said as he was engulfed in the mist of the portal
….
"You really are a group of fouls! He is dead, don´t you understand" Solon laughed. Most of their forces were behind in the rearguard she and Hubert spearheading the offensive against the enemy forces.
"You can only speak nonsense. He will come again and when he does you will regret everything you have done!" She shouted as she continued fighting when she suddenly felt a magic aura.
"It cannot be…So the Fell Star is able to overcome pure dark" Solon mumbled as a fissure started to appear in front of them, a portal starting to form in front of them. She didn´t have to look to know who was coming through it, fear turned into relieve.
The portal in front of her exploded in an immense explosion, the shockwave sending her to the ground. The light was so brilliant that her eyes hurt, but she couldn´t stop watching what was happening in front of her.
"So the Fell Star has been able of piercing through the eternal darkness. Your mere existence frightens me, but I have no other option than to fight you!" Solon shouted as around the brilliant light reserve troops and monsters started to appear. Their numbers where even greater than the ones they had been fighting until now.
"There is no need of more fighting since the battle is already over, kneel and receive the power of the sunlight" a majestic voice said from the center of the light. The moment he said those words the enemy troops except Solon suddenly paralyzed and slowly started to kneel, beasts included. "Your sins are countless and will be repaid accordingly, may your death release you from your chains" he said as spears of light fell on all of them, annihilating the enemy army with one spell. As the spell was casted the light surrounding him disappeared, revealing the figure of Byleth, although he was completely different to the one he had grown to love. His teal hair had turned into light green and even from the distance she could see the serene green eyes looking at Solon as the judge looks the prisoner before the trial.
….
"Our forces, so easily defeated" Solon muttered as he fell to the ground, pathetically trying to stay away from Byleth, which he was slowly approaching him.
"Your little tricks had been your undoing. Your plans are deemed to fail. Now reveal your secrets"
"You are a fool if you think you can make me reveal them. I will rather die, than reveal our inner hope to the star of doom!" he said as he casted a dark spell against him, but he felt nothing.
"You are misunderstanding the situation, you are going to die anyway, the only thing that will change is how long will it take" he said as he placed both of his hand on his head "Now reveal your secrets!" he commanded as Solon started to shout uncontrollably. Suddenly images of unknown places and people started to come to his mind. "I need to know the exact place, where is your kind?" he thought as he searched even deeper in the mind of Solon and suddenly a city without light came to his mind and even though he had never been there he knew its name "Shambhala" he thought as he tried to find its exact location.
….
"My Teacher, it´s over. he is already dead" Edelgard´s voice made him come to his senses. When he looked at where he was placing his hands, he realized Solon was already dead, his flesh and skull partially melted.
"You are right" he said as he released his hand from what remained of his body, the moment he did, it turned into ashes.
"What did happen to you, my Teacher? Those eyes and hair are completely different to the ones I used to see" she asked trying to keep a neutral tone, although her voice was menacing to undercover her real feelings.
When he looked at her, his eyes remained calm.
"I received the power of the Goddess" The moment he spoke those words she felt as if she was hit by pure ice. "I´ve lost him then" she thought as she briefly closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she gently smiled to him, her usual mask covering her true face once again.
"The power of the Goddess? She must hold you dearly to have blessed you with her strength once again. However, I must ask you something. What will you do with such power?"
He firmly looked at her before answering.
"I will use my new powers to protect my students"
The answer made her smile a bit. "There are things that never change, I guess, I wouldn´t expect another answer from you and I appreciate that you want to protect us. However, the day may come when you won´t be able to protect everyone, when that day comes what will you do?" she asked, even though she knew that there was no point in the question anymore. However, instead of answering, Byleth fell on his knees as he collapsed to the ground.
"Byleth!" she shouted as she came to his aid. "Wait a second, he is sleeping. These new powers of him, must have exhaust him" She thought. His body was hot, but it wasn´t painful to hold, although his new appearance was still shocking her.
"Lady Edelgard, so you were there" Hubert said as he quickly approached both of them "And so there is the Professor" His expression was serious and analytical as if he were measuring every possibility. "Lady Edelgard, with due respect, we must finish him off. It is clear which sides he is now"
"Are you telling me to kill him?"
"Not by your own hand of course, since it is my duty as a member of House Vestra. I will bear all responsibilities, but this is the most logical way to solve this problematic"
"He has been our mentor for almost a year!" she said shocked to his advisor´s comment.
"And I cannot deny that I appreciate him. However, it is clear that the paths we follow are completely different. Now if you forgive me" he said as he unsheathed a small curved dagger.
"No! I command you to stop"
"Lady Edelgard…"
"It´s an order. Are you daring to disobey me?" she said with a furious look.
"Why? He is the enemy now"
"Because I love him"
Hubert drop his dagger the moment he heard her words, a horrified expression on his face. It would have been comical or even embarrassing to her, but she could only feel sadness as she said those words. "I will be the peerless emperor you wish me to be, but I won´t kill him in such defenseless state"
"It might bring doom to us"
"Our hands already have our fair share of blood, but I refuse to spill his blood. Not like this" she said as she took his body between her arms. Even though she was small she was confident of her strength. "I will bring him back to the monastery, you are free to do as you please" she said as she silently headed all the way back.
…
The sun was starting to set when they arrived to the main gates of the monastery. Torches were already lit and the elite of the knights of Seiros observed them in silence as they passed through the gates.
Before the entrance to the main hall she could see Rhea and Seteth waiting for them. The moment the archbishop realized the presence of Byleth on her back, she smiled, making her shiver.
"Our champion has safely returned to this holy place with the power of the Goddess bestowed upon him. A true hero indeed" she said as she approached them. "However, even the champion of the faith must rest, you have done well to bring him back, but your duty is over now" she said as she took hold of his body between her arms, a bitter taste left in her mouth. "Seteth, make sure that no one disturbs us" she said as she headed to her private chambers, the elite of the Church, behind her. Seteth looked at her a few seconds, before going after them, leaving her and Hubert alone in the main hall since most of the students weren´t aware yet of what had happened. When she lost sight of them, she started to walk away.
"Lady Edelgard, I must apo…"
"Not now Hubert, I wish to remain alone for the time being" she said as she left the main hall and headed to her room, the first stars of the night starting to appear in the sky.