1/18 Guardian Moon
"The weather is so humid. It has been raining for days. When is it going to end?" Dorothea complained as they continued their march. Visibility was poor so they were riding their wyverns and pegasi next to their main column. Rhea had casted a magic barrier that protected them from the rain, but he could feel the humidity in the air.
"Well, at least it isn´t a swamp" Linhardt said with a small flame on his right hand. "At least this is natural rain, if it was someone casting a spell on us would be more troublesome"
"It is like this every year. However, when the season of rains stops the views are truly beautiful. Seeing the world from the peak of the archdeacon it´s truly an impressive view" Dimitri said as he rode next to him.
"That´s the life in the north and west. Snow and rain, and when you are fed up with it, more snow" Sylvain laughed. "With such weather one misses a bit of warmth"
"You are just trying to sneak into someone´s else's room" Ingrid said as she menacingly prepared her fists.
"I plea no guilty, I wasn´t thinking anything weird this time, I promise!"
"This time? No matter what you say, you are only making it look worse"
Protected from the rain, he couldn´t avoid smiling to their chattering, although there was someone with a serious expression on his face. Since the start of their trip to the west, Ashe has been extremely serious, even melancholic, although he couldn´t really blame him. After all that had happened, they were returning to the west to get rid of those who had instigated Lord Lonato´s rebellion in vain.
"At least this time we have some protection from the elements" Edelgard commented next to him. Beneath her clothes he could see her battle armor, the eagle of the Adrestian Empire drawn on it with vivid colors. "Even though months have already passed since then, we are finally coming again to this place. Although we can criticize them by their methods, there is no denying that they are really fighting for their ideals"
"What is the purpose of such ideals if they lead to nothing but suffering?" Dimitri joined the conversation with a disapproving look. "The world will only change for the better when we stay together and overcome our hardships. That´s what I believe in"
"Do you really think that the world will really change out of the good will of the people? Don´t you think that some people won´t change for the better, unless being forced to do so?"
"Yes, because I believe in the good will of people. If you distrust everyone, you will find yourself with a sour taste in your mouth for the rest of your life"
"Calm down, both of you" he said as he stood between both of them. By the way they were looking at each other they appeared to be willing to continue arguing, but they finally calmed down.
"Forgive me, Professor, Edelgard. I wasn´t in the mood and I was too harsh with my words"
"Don´t worry Dimitri, it´s always a pleasure to share different opinions. This way I know more about you the same way you know more about me"
"Let´s talk about a different topic then. This part of Fódlan has always been quite rainy and there is quite an interesting legend behind it. Thousands of years ago, this region was ruled by worshippers of the dark, the land scorched by its misguided inhabitants. The once prosperous land was turned into nothing but dust, but some of its inhabitants begged for divine help. One day, the sky turned black and an endless storm got rid of those who had been terrorizing the land for too long. Life prospered once again and the frequent rains are just a reminder of what happened thousands of years ago"
"Even though so much time has already passed, it is surprising that such tales have continued for so long" Edelgard said with an analytical look.
"It is part of the old believes of these lands, although there is no proper evidence about it"
"We have similar stories in Duscur. In ancient times the demon of the black sea and the king of the white flames clashed against each other, destroying the land around them until the goddess of the skies appeared and sent both forces to sleep. Then the goddess of the sky created the mountains to contain the deep sea and bury the white flames and like this the region of Duscur was created"
"Black sea and white flames" he thought. He had seen something like that in dreams, in which appeared to be a lifetime ago. He wondered if Sothis would know something about it. It was interesting that something that had happened in his dreams could be similar to a story he had never heard before.
"That´s such an interesting story, Dedue. Your people truly have a culture completely different to Fódlan"
"The goddess of the sky… Could it be the Goddess worshipped in the land of Fódlan?" Edelgard asked with a thoughtful look.
"It could be, in Duscur we are polytheists. Every element of nature is controlled by a god or goddess. There is the god of errands, the god of the mountains, the god of the trees…Anyway, all of it is going to disappear"
"Dedue, don´t say something like that, we are going to save your people. I won´t allow the forces of my uncle to cause any more sufferings to your people. I will make sure that Duscur remains at peace. Killing an entire population just for the crimes of a few…how infuriating"
"We will protect all of them, I promise you, Dedue"
"Your highness…I mean Dimitri, Professor, you have my eternal gratitude. Let´s finish this first so we can head to the north as soon as possible" Dedue said with an unusual smile.
…..
"The enemy is close so be sure to be cautious from now on. Now rest" Seteth said in front of them before entering his own tent. The forces of the Church had already prepared the camp, guards at their perimeter. He didn´t feel tired so he decided to walk to one of the hills closest to their camp. The rain had already stopped by then and luckily enough the soil around one of the trees was dry enough for him to sit down on it.
Stars were all over him, the scent of the nature around him was making him recall of his former life.
"I wonder is he is observing me from over there" he wondered as he observed the skies. The teachings of the Goddess said that those who died were received by the Goddess, but he knew it must be a lie, although the fact that he was able to speak with his mother once made him wonder where they could have gone.
"The past is clear and the present is unstable, but the territory of the unknown is clearly the future" he thought. What would do after the scholar year came to an end? It was clear that the archbishop´s desire was that he stayed at the monastery and he was sure that he would come to enjoy his future students…yet he felt that his time to continue his path was approaching.
"So, you were there, can I accompany you?"
"I thought you would be sleeping by now"
"Certainly, I should, but I don´t feel that tired" Edelgard said, sitting next to him. "Time passes really quickly, although it still feels like yesterday when we first met. Since then, lots of things have happened, yet we have overcome all of them. It certainly has been a unique experience that I´ll remember for the rest of my life. It´s a pity that it ends so soon. Just when I´m getting used to it, the duty calls me back. Will you stay at the monastery?"
"I think that I will start a new journey. You are free to accompany me if you want to. How about we travel together? The two of us. I could show you the places of my stories. There are plenty of places you should see with your very own eyes or you will regret it for your entire life" Even though he knew it was an impossible proposal he felt he needed to say it.
"It surely sounds like a tempting plan, but I´m sure that Hubert would oppose such idea. He would say something like "Your majesty, instead of spending your time daydreaming you should be signing these papers up, or hearing the complains of our noble lords"
"That sounds like a job appropriate for Ferdinand" When he said those words, Edelgard couldn´t avoid laughing. Seeing her laughing was quite a rare sight. To be fair he didn´t know if he had seen her laugh at all. Hearing that made him feel good.
"It´s unusual from you to criticize one of your students, but I could imagine the situation" Edelgard smiled. "If I have time, I would certainly accompany you. Time…The thing I lack the most…Anyway, I hope that we don´t have more problems from now on"
"I really hope so. At least for the time being it seems that we will have a better weather" he then looked to the guards at the base of the hill. "I think we should return already. I don´t want you to get scorned because of my fault"
"In that case, could you accompany me?" she said as she offered him her arm.
"Always" he smiled, accepting hers.
The guards said nothing when they saw them appear in front of them. The tents were already silent, only the sound of the horses and beasts could be heard in the inner area of the camp.
"Rest well, make sure that no one of them oversleeps" he said as he reluctantly let her go.
"Don't worry, I will make sure that all of them are prepared for tomorrow. Thank you for accompanying me, Byleth"
Hearing his name from her lips made him smile as he headed to his own tent.
"Are you having problems to sleep as well?" Seteth asked. He was sitting next to what remained of one of the bonfires. He didn´t appear to be tired, his green eyes piercing his.
"I don´t feel tired at all, and you?"
"You should try to get some sleep, anyway. The lack of sleep could numb your senses. Although, in this case I´m not the one I should be giving such counseling" he said as he stood up. "Our clash with the western Church will happen in a short while. They must have realized our presence by now. Tell me, why do you think they are continuing such hopeless crusade against the main church?"
"They may think that the central Church is wicked"
"Is it, though? What makes something be evil? The answer will change depending on the person. They may accuse the central Church, yet they are blind about their own mistakes. History teaches us that most decisions aren´t made based on moral terms, but on the political gain they can grant to those with power. This region has already suffered under their rule. It is the time to stop it. Forgive me for my words, Professor. You could say I was thinking aloud. I hope you can get enough rest. I don´t want you to underperform in front of Flayn. Since this will be our first battle together, I will make sure to keep an eye on both of you"
"I will protect her as well as the rest of the students. You don´t have anything to worry about"
"You really mean what you say" Seteth shortly smiled. "See you at dawn them" he said as he headed to his own tent, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
…..
1/19
The mist around them was thick enough to block their sight a few meters ahead from them. The place was completely silent, but he knew that his enemies weren´t far ahead.
"They must have prepared an ambush" Catherine muttered beside him.
"This time will be different. It is clear than I am the objective and they must have heard of our arrival. Let them come closer"
"Lady Rhea, that would be too dangerous, what about your safety?"
"Faith is my only shield, a shield that can withstand everything. Their minds and hearts have been misguided. The Goddess doesn´t protect those who oppose her teachings. Besides, the champion of the Goddess is next to me" Rhea smiled as she put her hand on his shoulder. "The merciful mother is the creator of all things, from the endless sky to the deeps of the land. However, the ancient scrolls say that Sothis had a higher affinity with water. Water is a powerful element; all beings need it to survive like the sun in the sky. It gifts us with life yet its fury is capable of devastating cities, engulfing the creation of men. This mist is nothing compared to such power, don´t you think Byleth?
Their faith is weak so they don´t have the blessing of the Goddess…but you… You were able to overcome every trial that has been in front of you. You are the rightful heir of her powers. Please cast aside this mist with the blessing of the Goddess" she said as she extended her arms.
Looking at his surroundings he wasn´t too sure about what he should do, but he imitated her and closed his eyes. He could feel the power of Sothis inside him, waiting to be released. Feeling an increasing heat in his hands, he extended his arms and as he did so a potent light left both of his hands, the mist completely disappearing around them.
"What happened to the mist!?" asked one of the enemy soldiers a few meters from them.
"Those who have abused the trust of the Goddess are bound to suffer her punishments. Only a heretic would decide to remain in the shadows and now you will pay the price of your treachery" Rhea said as with a silent movement of her hands she commanded the elite of the knights of Seiros to charge at the front line of their enemy.
"Take battles positions now!" he shouted as he leaded his students in the charge to the flanks. Even though they had lost the covering of the mist, the soldiers of the western church were enemies with plenty of experience on the battlefield and they were keeping their lines in order.
"Flying units, attack from the flanks!" he commanded as he released a potent fire spell. The explosion engulfed several of the enemy soldiers in green flames and allowed their ground units to secure a more advantageous position. After receiving the powers of Sothis, he had realized that most of his spells were more powerful than ever before so he needed to be more careful to avoid causing any harm to his students.
"So, the holy whore is sending their slaves to fight against us. If so blessed you are by the Goddess why do you refuse to engage in combat?" shouted what appeared to be the leader of the western church forces.
"That statement is devoid of sense coming from someone that chooses to fight in the shadows. If you seek to provoke me then your purpose is fruitless" Rhea said with a serene gaze. "You will die today; it would be wiser to spend the remaining time of your life asking for mercy to our pious mother"
"Don´t use her name in vain. You cover yourself in holy clothes, yet your heart is utterly rotted. I will crush you!" The man shouted as reinforcements came from the forest. The western Church forces were welcomed by a rain of arrows and spells, leading the attack he tried to approach their leader, cutting through their forces.
"Is that a hero relic? Using such weaponry is against the rule of the Goddess!"
"What is against the rule of the Goddess is raising in arms against her" said Rhea´s voice amplified by magic.
The elite of the western Church was guarding the leader of their leader. Most of them were wearing heavy armor and some of them were even casting spells against him. Feeling an itching in his sword hand, he realized that the Sword of the Creator was glowing. He didn´t know exactly why, but he knew what he had to do. Two handing the weapon, he drove the sword in the ground.
And then true hell was released around him. Green flames engulfed the elite of the knights of the western Church, their cries resonating in his ears. In a few seconds the flames extinguished, but he looked shocked at what he had done. The only thing that remain of the soldiers guarding their leader was melted helmets and pieces of irons, their bodies turned into ash by the heat of the flames.
"Is all this power mine now?" he wondered horrified to what he had done.
"What had just happened?" said the leader of the western Church while coughing, his eyes watching the destruction in front of him in disbelief.
"The Goddess doesn´t favor you anymore. Your dirty deeds have made the Goddess feel disappointed in you" Rhea said as she approached the scorched land, the moment she looked at him, she genuinely smiled. "You truly are her champion. Words cannot express my gratitude for your services to our merciful mother, but for now, we need to resolve this matter once and for all" she said as she casted magical ropes around the leader of the western Church.
Around them the fight was already coming to an end. With their leader captured and the elite of the forces utterly destroyed, the fighting spirit of the standard soldiers of the western Church was quickly fading away. Some of them tried to run away but were killed in the process as well as those who continued to resist. Those who surrendered were made prisoners by their forces.
Their students were exhausted but were out of any danger. He wanted to celebrate with them their victory, but he had fear he could harm them. Looking at the Sword of the Creator he decided to sheathe it. "For the rest of this journey I will rely on standard weapons. I wouldn´t forgive myself if something happened to them" he thought as he observed his students in silence.
"The explosion that happened before…Was of your making?" asked Seteth as he carefully approached him. He was wearing a wyvern Lord armor, but by the way he moved his movements didn´t appear to be slowed down by it.
"It was"
Seteth was looking at him in completely silent as he nodded.
"It seems that the elite of the western Church met its end by a single move of the Sword of the Creator. Such powerful move must have certainly saved lives, but it would be advisable to avoid abusing its power. You are a skillful warrior and we don´t know to what extend a crestless sword differs from other relics"
"You are right, now that the battle is over, I will try to use standard weapons for the rest of the journey"
"Understood" he nodded. "It seems that Lady Rhea is waiting for us. We should meet her at once" he said as he continued walking past him. With no other option he followed him.
….
"You are just a dirty wench that is misusing the name of the Goddess in vain! How long are you going to keep with this farce, you dirty whore?" A man wearing cardinal clothes said as he tried to freed himself from the grip of the central church soldiers.
"Talking in such manner to the head of the Church is a blasphemy, although a small one compared to the crimes you have already committed" Rhea said with a soft voice, although he could sense the threat hiding behind her smile.
"Do you mean our rebellion? There are some things that are worth fighting for. I regret nothing of what I´ve done. Neither my men. Our eyes had been opened by the truth, the truth of what you are, you are just…" he couldn´t continue as he was punched by one of the knights of the Church, teeth falling on the ground. "You really think that hitting me will hide the truth? You can kill me, I´m sure you are willing to do so. But the only thing that you would achieve with that is show to the world how scared you are. Violence will only create more violence in an eternal cycle. This is the world where we live in"
"As long as the Church stays strong, the world will be kept at peace. It is the duty of the Church to be the guardian of this world, Saint Seiros herself said so hundreds of years ago. However, despite of the importance of such mission you have betrayed the trust of our merciful mother. The Goddess is saddened by the misuse you have done of her message to this world. Opposing our pious mother is an unforgivable crime that will be punished accordingly" Rhea said with a serene gaze. She then looked to one of her soldiers. "Bring them to the pyres"
The leader of the Western Church continued cursing them as he was carried to the execution place, although some of their allies weren´t so brave. Some of them were sobbing and some of them were completely expressionless.
"Those are already dead" he thought as he looked at them. He had seen countless people die in front of him, but executions were never a comfortable sight. "It´s a shameful way of leaving this world, deprived of an honorable death" he thought as one of the high ranked officials of the western Church begged for mercy, but he was welcomed with a punch in the stomach before continuing his path to his death.
"All of you have broken the Covenant of the Holy Church of Seiros. As you should know, the punishment for your sins can only be forgiven by your death. The merciful Goddess believes that the flames of torment can erase even the most terrible crimes. Your flesh will turn into ash, but your soul will be purer than ever before and perhaps one day you will be able to see the magnificence of our creator" Rhea continued as the Church forces placed tree branches and tied them to wooden poles.
"I believe in the existence of the Goddess, but I don´t believe your words. Your legacy is a lie that will turn into ash. These are my words, archbishop. You might find pleasure in killing me, but I will be laughing in hell when your tyranny ends. Even if I fall some others will raise again. It´s just a matter of time"
"They will fall as well. Your heresy makes you speak nonsense. The faith is strong in me and I was chosen rightfully by the heart of the Holy Church. It is obvious that your heretic behavior has made you insane, but perhaps these flames will enlighten you" Rhea said as she casted a fire spell on the lower level of the pillar. Covered in oil the fire quickly extended and started to bite the flesh of those fated to die.
"Even if it was a great fight, I don´t feel well at all" Caspar muttered as the cries of the prisoners filled the air, accompanied by the smell of burning flesh. Their students had approached them after the end of the battle, although their healers were attending the soldiers of the Church that had sustained injuries during the battle.
"I think I´ve had enough battle experiences for the rest of my life, now if you excuse me, I´m not feeling that well" Linhardt said as he ran away to the woods.
Looking at the faces of his students, most of them appeared to be displeased by what was happening, although it wasn´t an uncommon sight. There were some places were even harsher punishments were practiced, although he could understand why the cries of the ones dying could make them feel uncomfortable. Only two students appeared to be completely unaffected by the public execution. One of them was Hubert, who was observing the scene in silence, his eyes carefully observing every detail. The other one was Dedue, who was standing next to Dimitri, his face made out of stone.
"Do you really think that the Goddess would be pleased of seeing this? In the name of kings, lords and the Goddess countless crimes have been made, but the teachings of the Goddess always believe in the good faith of humans. This has nothing to do with that, don´t you think, my Teacher?" Edelgard said as she continued watching the scene. Even though her gaze serene, she could see tension in her hands.
Thinking about Sothis, he knew that she wouldn´t be pleased by something like that. It was true that the teachings of the Goddess always tried to forgive the mistakes of nobles and common folk alike, but the punishments were way crueler to those that were member of the Church.
"I don´t think she would be pleased by this" he admitted.
"Then we think alike. I´m glad to hear that from you. Even if you have received the blessing of the Goddess, it is obvious that you are able to understand the reality far better than those that insist on interpreting the will of the Goddess. Sometimes I wonder if the Goddess really exists… Forgive me, it is obvious that her existence is real if you have earned her powers, yet the world around me makes me wonder what is true and what is not"
Both of them remained silent as the smell of burnt flesh infested the air. After a while the cries stopped and the forces of the Church started to prepare the final resting place of those who had opposed them for so long. No honors were given to them as they were buried together in the same place because they had opposed the teachings of the merciful mother. As heretics their tomb was marked with a red star as Rhea placed a small statue of each saint around it.
"The punishment that awaits them is harsh. The purgatory has never been a gentle place to stay. However, I have the hope that one day their spirits will be able to find true peace. Justice is harsh, but not without a reason. If we let our inner desires drive our actions the blade of justice will put an end to our lives. That was the fatal mistake that they did; to oppose the teaching of the Goddess for banal reasons. Until then the only thing we can do for them is praying for their souls and for a world where such crimes aren´t committed anymore" she then approached him with a gentle smile. "I am afraid that I will have to stay here for a few days to make sure that everything remains under control. Seteth will lead the rest of the forces to the north. The Church will come in aid of Prince Dimitri as well"
"Will you be ok by your own?"
"There is no need to worry about my safety. Catherine will remain with me. She is worth an army of full trained soldiers. With your presence in the battlefield I am sure there is nothing to fear, but I will pray for your safe return until then" she smiled, before leaving the place accompanied by Catherine, which quickly nodded to him, before following Rhea.
The rest of the students and their forces were already prepared to continue their path. The inhabitants of the surroundings have observed the execution in complete silence, but as they left, they bowed to them, before they returned to their duties. There wasn´t any hostility in their eyes as if a new lord for their land was nothing to be surprised about.
"As commoners they must be accustomed to such practices" he thought as he leaded the march of his students as Seteth did the same with the Church forces. The rules were the same for lords and peasants, but it was a rare sight to see a lord executed. Most of the time they were able to avoid certain death by bribes or their status granted them special privileges that were beyond reach for those born in the common folk. Even rarer was the execution of a high rank official of the Church. The members of the Church were highly respected by their communities and only the worst crimes could justify their execution.
After a few hours of riding the forest started to grew scarcer around them. A gentle breeze was coming from the north, although the snow of the area has already melted a few weeks ago.
"Our next objective will be to get rid of the remnants of the Western Church in the holy tombs of the saints. There is a sanctuary next to the coast where the Saints of old are worshipped. The weapons of those heroes of old are there. Their relics must be protected at all costs, to avoid further problems within this forsaken region" Seteth said as he approached him. "Please, tell your students to be prepared. Even if we had defeated the core of the rebellion once and for all, they will certainly be a tough nut to crack. It is ironic that is their faith in those misguided believes what they make them fight for the bitter end. Faith…such a difficult to explain concept, don´t you think Professor?"
"It is" he was surprised to see a so talkative Seteth, but he didn´t mind. In fact, he was glad that he was slowly opening to him.
"For the Church, having faith in the Goddess is the most important thing, but don´t confuse faith with fanatism. There is room to dissent, but an open rebellion will be certainly not be allowed. I haven´t forgotten that you are my benefactor. If it weren´t for you, only the Goddess knows what could have happened to Flayn"