1/21 Guardian Moon
"We are about to arrive to our destination, we must be careful from now on, Professor" Seteth said as he checked his wyvern. Their scouts have spotted the location of the beach where the last forces of the western Church were, but if they wanted to caught them by surprised it was advisable to keep their flying units next to the rest of their army. "That area is filled with strong magic so we could teleport easily to our next destination after we resolve this matter once and for all"
"Is it because of the power contained in the Saint´s graves?"
"Not only that, but their final resting place also contains powerful weapons. Luckily enough, there are no signs that the seal of their tombs had been broken so they won´t have an advantage over us"
"Even if that´s the case we can´t overcommit" he could already feel the scent of the sea close to them. "The sand would slow down the advance of our forces if we use heavy mounts. We´ll use our flying units instead to get rid of those who can attack us from the distance while our main forces secure the objectives, understood?" he asked as he checked his students. They were already wearing their battle equipment. By the look on their faces they were already used to battling after all their expeditions.
"Understood!" The confidence in their voices made him smile.
…..
"How you dare to profane this sacred place? Spilling blood in this blessed area is a sin against the Goddess!" shouted what appeared to be one of the high ranked officials of the western Church. Corpses were scattered around the dunes and the waves have turned red, but their forces were steadily annihilating the resistance of their enemy.
"The ones that started all this mess are you!" Seteth shouted as he attacked another group of western Church soldier from the heights. "If you are so scared of spilling blood in this place you wouldn´t have started this nonsense of rebellion"
"You are just a bunch of heretics! We know about your lies, there is no other way around but to fight!"
"In that case I accept your challenge, but don´t complain if I don´t go easy on you" Seteth said as he prepared another attack with his wyvern.
A magic spell exploded a few meters from him, clouding his vision for a few seconds. Using his senses, he casted a fire spell in the direction whence the attack came, a few seconds later the cries of the enemy could be heard.
"It´s so embarrassing that the mess in which the kingdom finds itself is because of people like this" Dimitri said next to him as he defeated another enemy.
"This is not the time to lament, Dimitri. We need to keep forward or nothing will change" Edelgard said from the heights as she accompanied Petra and Ingrid in an aerial attack.
Even though the terrain was slowing them down, the forces of the western Church weren´t prepared for it. As they continued pressing forward, they divided the enemy forces in two; a group surrounded by the western sea of Fódlan and another that was using the watchtowers of the area to attack them from the distance.
"Ugh, I got hit" Caspar complained when an arrow from one of the watchtowers hit him in the shoulder.
"Calm down for a second, Caspar. I got you" Linhardt said as he casted a healing spell. "How troublesome, do we have to climb that watchtower to get rid of them?"
"Not necessarily" Hubert grinned. "Professor, please help me casting a spell against the watchtower" he said as he extended his arms. Canalizing his energy, he did the same, releasing a potent spell that engulfed the ceiling of the watchtower in flames.
"From the distance it looks like a candle, a pity that we don´t have a birthday to celebrate" Hubert chuckled. The surviving enemy forces were trying to leave the inferno of the watchtower, but they were welcomed by a rain of arrows and spells.
"Could you stop being so sinister? At least you are our ally, I guess. If we were enemies it would be too troublesome to my own liking" Linhardt yawned.
"As long as you don´t do anything funny to Lady Edelgard you have nothing to fear from me" Hubert said, although his usual sinister smile was clouded by a shadow of distrust.
….
"So you have defeated us all…With this the rebellion comes to and end, but at what price? The young people of this place have been decimated. Mothers and wives will cry for the lost of their loved ones and all of this to keep a lie alive"
"It was your mistake that you raised in arms against the Church. As a member of the Church your duty was to serve those in peril not to fight for your own benefit. It´s a pity that people had to die because of your arrogance, but the future will understand. The high ranked officials will be executed, the rest will be taken as prisoners and they will have to proof their loyalty to the Church. The Church won´t kill unnecessarily, but you will have to answer for the crimes that have already been committed"
"Story is written by the victors; I can already see how the copyists will embellish the tales of such adventure. However, even if we have failed, that doesn´t mean that one day the reign of this twisted Church won´t come to an end. I will pray for the arrival of such day"
"Even when you are about to die you are still spotting nonsense" Seteth sighed. "You will die here and now. Don´t worry, I´m not the monster that you think I am" he said as he swiftly killed him with one hit of his weapon.
"They really fought to the bitter end" he thought as he watched the scene unfolded before him. The resistance had been finally crushed, but he was more relieved than anything else. "At least we won´t have to worry about this anymore"
"So with this the battle is finally over" Seteth muttered as he checked his surroundings. "The rebellion has been put to an end and your help have been invaluable. Thank you, Professor you have earned my deepest gratitude"
"I did what I had to. I´m glad that all of you are safe"
"I think that as well. Could you accompany us, Professor? We need to pay proper respect, but apart from that there is something that I want to show you. Flayn, with me" Seteth said as he headed to the giant rock where the last leader of the western Church had just been slayed.
"This coastal area has been guarded by the Church for hundreds of years. It is the final resting place of some of the saint of the Church of Seiros…and also the final resting of my wife. She was always really caring and to this day I only have warm memories from her. To be honest, I wish she could be here, even if it sounds selfish" he said as he observed how Flayn placed some flowers on the grave.
"It isn´t selfish at all. I completely understand the way you are feeling" It was an unusual sight to see Seteth being so open about his path, but it wasn´t something that made him feel uncomfortable.
"I´m glad to hear that. Not only you have been aiding us, but you also saved Flayn. After losing my wife, I´ve devoted my entire life to protect her. I´ve said it many times already, but words can´t express the gratitude I feel for your kind actions"
"If it weren´t by you, I don´t know if I would still be here" Flayn said while shivering.
"I´m glad that I was able to save you" Byleth smiled.
"Even though you are our benefactor we´ve been lying to you the entire time, but this is the time to make it end. Professor, I must say that Flayn isn´t my sister, but my daughter. We´ve been hiding our true identities to keep her safe, since her blood is quite unique and could attract those who seek to cause only harm. I guess that this finding must have left you speechless" Seteth said as he carefully waited for his reaction.
"To be honest, I suspected something like that for quite some time" The overprotectiveness of Seteth to Flayn was more reasonable if he was protecting his own daughter, and his manners around her made him recall his own father when he was younger.
"Really? That is surprising. I thought that our disguise would be undetected by anyone"
"Dear father, I think that the way you handle me must have been your undoing. I´m not a little girl anymore, you know?" Flayn giggled.
"I see…Anyway, even if I have revealed this information to you, I hope you won´t be telling anyone else about it. I wish to keep such things private; we don´t know who might be hearing. The world is already dangerous to us. There is no need to make it worse"
"Don´t worry about it. I won´t be telling anyone about it"
"It will be our little secret then. Thanks Professor!" Flayn said with a wide smile.
"There is another matter I wanted to discuss with you. This sanctuary has been guarding powerful weapons for centuries. Weapons wielded by the saint of old" He said as he placed his hand in the large rock in front of him, the moment he did so the surface he had just touched disappeared revealing a lance and what appeared to be a catalyst. "These are legendary weapons. The forces of the western Church knew about their existence, but fortunately enough they weren´t able to reveal the seal hiding them. These weapons are mighty enough to defeat entire armies"
"Are they related to the heroes' relics?" he asked. Looking at them he couldn´t see a crest stone and the silver colors on it made him think that they were made of different materials.
"That´s a really interesting question, Professor. These weapons are said to have been created by the saints themselves so their origin is completely different so they are safer to use than the relics. However, in proper hands they are able to cause a great destruction" he said as he picked the lance, the moment he touched it, a faint silver light started to appear on the surface of the weapon. "This is the spear of Assal, a sacred relic that is tied to the crest of Cichol. As a wearer of said crest, my affinity to this weapon is higher so its properties are enhanced. However, you will understand its power if you give it a closer look" he said as he offered him the weapon. The moment he touched it he could feel an electrifying sensation running through its body. Contrary to the Sword of the Creator, the weapon was warm as if he was touching a surface embraced by a gentle sun.
"I can sense its power"
"These weapons are blessed and are able to heal its wielder even in situations of great danger. This is surely a great asset. However, that doesn´t mean that using them grant certain victory. Tremendous amounts of skill are required to use them properly. Apart from it, there is also this relic, bound to saint Cethleann; the caduceus staff. Saint Cethleann was said to devout her whole life to treat the injuries and illnesses of those who suffered during times of great peril so it´s healing magic is said to be quite powerful, although not even the most powerful catalyst can return those who have left us" he said with a sad expression on his face.
"What will you do with both weapons?"
"I think that it would be wise to entrust you with the caduceus stuff. It´s healing properties will surely be useful to you and your students even in times of great peril. I will keep the lance for now, but don´t doubt to contact me if you ever need it"
….
The camp was already in silent as he walked through the forest. In a few hours they would depart to their next destination; the lands of Duscur.
"So, the champion of the faith is walking in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. Did you have any divine revelations?" asked a voice in mockery. He didn´t have to turn around to see Felix laying on one of the trees around.
"I was just feeling like walking, nothing to do with that"
"Even if you say so I´m sure that some people would just see what they want to. With these last battles I had my fair share of fanatism, yet it isn´t over yet" he said as he approached him. "The holy kingdom of Faerghus. It´s ironic how many lies can be placed in one single name. Holy for whom? We´ve just slaughtered the members of the western Church for the things they believed in, something harsh for an institution worried for the wellbeing of others…and a kingdom without a king until Dimitri comes of age, although I wouldn´t hold my breath about the future"
His voice was filled with resentment and it didn´t sound like a young man, but as an old, helpless warrior.
"You sound disgusted"
"Disgusted because this world is helpless, at least for what I´ve seen. The Church says that the Goddess loves us all, yet we execute does who don´t suit with their believes, how appropriate, don´t you think?"
"So you don´t believe in the Goddess?"
"I believe in facts, that´s all I care about. The changes that have happened to you are obvious enough to tell me that something must be there, but whether the teachings of the Church are the absolute truth is another story" Felix laughed. "However, clerics and their divine problems doesn´t bother me the slightest. The real problem are the knights"
"The knights?"
"Yes, they are the worst scum I can ever think of, yet they are worshipped all across the land. I can´t really blame the people since I was once like them" he sighed. "Knights are really proud of the oaths they make. Protect the faith, protect the king, protect the weak…Beautiful words turned into meaningless dust. If knights are meant to protect the weak why the slaughter of Duscur happened? For the sake of a dead king? Was the king killed by children and women? No, yet they continued nevertheless for the so-called oaths they made…and they slaughtered them like animals"
"The kingdom was in great distress when the tragedy happened"
"That doesn´t justify the slaughter of innocents, but they are knights so it´s ok, right? They tell each other how righteous they are, how high is the honor they have acquired during their battles, but they will avert their eyes at the sight of the corpses. And they even consider themselves superior to sellswords! They are just plain murderers, if they at least admitted what they are I could at least understand, but they won´t ever admit that they aren´t superior to a mercenary"
"Some of your mates are willing to be knights. They are doing their best and I have faith in them"
"You are referring to Ingrid and Ashe. Both of them are obsessed with chivalry stories. To be fair the kingdom as a whole is obsessed with it. Bringing justice and defeating the evil sounds really great, fighting for justice while they keep their sacred oaths. But what would happen if the king orders you to kill the weak? Or the faith commands you to set a village on fire? What is wrong and what is right?"
"We aren´t at war and I´m sure that Dimitri will be a good king"
"He really has a gentle face, but his true self will be revealed soon. He is just a boar…and in the case of Ingrid and Ashe, they are just believing a bunch of lies. Chivalry isn´t the apex of the life of a warrior. My brother died because of that way of reasoning, but no one apart from me appeared to be bothered by his death, quite the contrary. "He died like a true knight" my father said, but was it worth it? Is a glorious death what knights wish for? I can´t understand that way of thinking at all, that´s why I was interested in you from the beginning. You are a mercenary, the complete opposite of the values of knighthood. Most knights despise mercenaries since they said that they have no honor, but fighting with you has shown to me that you are more reasonable than most knights"
"Being a mercenary doesn´t mean that we are willing to commit any atrocities. We have our own codes, but we won´t swear undying loyalty to a lord just because they pay us"
"That´s why I like you more. I´m fed up with knighthood, although I´m not the only one that has had its fair share of it. Sylvain isn´t planning to turn into a knight, although his womanizer tendencies are really unsetting. All I can say is that in my case I won´t be the ghost of Glenn, I will cut my own way with this sword of mine" he said as he showed to him his silver sword. "You really are quite unique. That may be the reason why you earned the trust of the archbishop so fast"
"I´m glad that I was able to teach all of you. All of you have the fate of this land in your hands. I really hope that your decisions can bring a better future to the entire region"
"You may be right about that, although I don´t see myself inheriting the position of my father. The old man has still plenty of life, perhaps the day he passes away I will reconsider what I´m saying but today is not that day. Since we are already here, what about we practice for a bit? Our last lesson was ages ago, I´ll show you how much strength I have earned during this time" Felix grinned as he prepared himself for combat.
"It will be a pleasure" he nodded as he unsheathed his own silver sword.
….
"You really gave your best, Professor. I can´t barely stand on my feet" Felix said as he tried to catch his breath.
"I saw that you were giving your best so I decided to do that as well" he said as he sheathed his sword. "Your fighting capabilities have improved a lot these last months, you should be proud of yourself"
"The day I defeat you will be the day I can be proud of myself, until that day I will continue getting stronger, no matter the cost" he said as he looked at him. "Now that I think about it, that could be a reason to keep fighting"
"When I was a mercenary I fought because of the money, but now I keep fighting to protect all of you"
"So you fight to keep all of us safe? That sounds like a tale that Ingrid and Ashe would love to hear" Felix laughed before he looked at him again. "Now that I think about it can I ask you something?"
"Do as you please"
"What do you think is the cost of a human life?"
"Are you asking me this because I was a mercenary? The answer is clear in that case; it is the amount of money that they give you"
"I think that that approach to life is the most appropriate. Most people would tell you that every human life is equal but it is a complete lie. A king´s life has more value than a simple peasant or the life of a sage is more valuable than a complete village. No matter what you say the reality defies the notion of an equal valor to all life"
"You aren´t wrong, but you aren´t completely right"
"What do you mean?"
"Even if you can measure a human life because of the power or knowledge they have, their value will only depend on the opinion of others. A king without vassals is powerless, the same with a sage without disciples. Having power doesn´t mean that you are immune to the change of your own value and even if you are powerful, some people will simply not care about it. For a father his own son will be more valuable than the life of a sage he has never known"
"To sum it up, humans are irrational even when they have means to be rational. Would you dare to defy an order of someone powerful for the sake of your own feelings"?
"I will certainly do so if there is no other way around. Certainly, for all of you"
"Coming from someone that was once called the Ashen Demon it´s really impressive. I guess that time really changes all of us, even those who had earnt their reputation in the battlefield"
"Saving those you hold hear isn´t a sign of weakness, Felix. It has nothing to do with being a knight or not, but it has everything to do with being a human being. You said that you are disgusted by the way knights have been acting all this time, then show them how wrong they are with your own actions."
"I would certainly enjoy teaching them a lesson" Felix grinned. "You are quite unique, Professor. A normal teacher would have said that I was mad"
"You were just voicing your opinion. There was no reason to silent you. I´m glad I was able to know a bit more about you and I´m looking forward to our next combat"
"I´m glad as well. Glad that someone can at least think. When I was a boy, I enjoyed reading chivalry stories, but the plot is always the same. If those knights existed, they would certainly get rid of our current knights, most of them are scum, although you will shortly discover that by yourself. Duscur is fairly close and if the reports are correct, a small contingent of the kingdom is already heading to Duscur to crush the rebellion"
"We will arrive earlier than them and we´ll make sure that everything ends well. Dimitri can talk some sense into them"
"Dimitri has no power until he turns into the next ruler of the Holy Kingdom. His uncle, Rufus, is a drunkard womanizer, yet he isn´t completely stupid. The nobles of the Kingdom are asking for blood and he won´t refuse the occasion to grant it to them. Even if Dimitri is the prince heir, disobeying an order from the regent could sentence them to death, although plenty of them will just be bloodthirsty. In that case, what will you do?"
"Even if after Dimitri talked to them, they refused to stop their onslaught I will kill them"
"We are talking about troops of the kingdom here, aren´t you a high ranked official of the Church? That could bring some problems to the Holy Church"
"It doesn´t matter if they come from the Kingdom or not, if they are willing to commit a slaughter only for the sake of it putting all of you in risk, I won´t doubt to kill them. Each action brings a consequence and I will answer for them if I need to do so. However, I´m not planning on risking the safety of any of you"
"Those are quite the words, but I don´t dislike them" Felix grinned. "In that case I will be doing my best too. This could be a good opportunity to proof my training. It seems that going to this monastery was a good decision after all. People like you are quite unique. I´ll be going them, after the beating you gave me, I need some time to rest. I wouldn´t want to be exhausted for our following battle"
"Good night, Felix, and see you tomorrow" he said as he observed him in silent, their conversation resonating in his head. Even if his way of thinking was pessimistic, he couldn´t say he was wrong, it was the truth, a harsh one, but still the truth of the world they lived in.