"Before we leave this place for good, we need to talk" Seteth said with a serious expression on his face. There was still smoke lingering in the battlefield, but what remained of the soldiers of the Church had already surrendered. "As you must already know we aren´t humans but the ancient inhabitants of this land; the Nabateans"
"The ancient civilization that ruled this land"
"Exactly, for thousands of years we ruled, but our origins were marked by war. Those events are prior to my own existence, but they were known as the Great War. That war and its destruction shaped the land as we see it right now. We, the nabateans were victorious, but the price was too high. The land was burned and turned into ash, the waters pure poison and the mere action of breathing was a curse, but our creator chose to sacrifice herself making our world being born again.
As a consequence of her sacrifice, we turned into the guardians of the world until the full recovery of our creator. Our cities prospered as we made peace with the human that were left after the cataclysm, peace finally ruling our world…or so we thought…I was younger than you see when the resting place of our creator was profaned by a thief that was willing to do anything to obtain true power and with it the suffering of our people began once again. What remained of our creator was turned into a lethal weapon and many of our kin suffered the same fate"
"The Sword of the Creator and the relics…" They were indeed powerful, but the price had been too high.
"Exactly" Seteth continued with a painful expression on his face. "Our own brothers and sisters were used to kill many of us. Some of us tried to fight back, some others tried to ask for mercy…in vain. It was clear that the hand behind that usurper wouldn´t stop until annihilating all of us, retribution for the war they lost thousands of years ago. But even if turned into a fearsome weapon, the legacy of our creator lies within…and that connection with Sothis was particularly strong with Rhea. She never lost faith in her return, even if what remained of her was only bones and a crest stone…and in her obsession with her she created new tools"
"You mean people like me?"
"Yes, but they weren´t suitable hosts. I never truly suspected her actions until I found out about the content of your father´s diary. A child without a pulse isn´t something particularly common. And my suspicions turned into reality when you returned to the monastery after your battle against the murderers of your father, five years ago. Your eyes, your hair and the aura within you are reminiscent of Sothis, but not completely the same"
"I guess that I was a disappointment to the end" he ironically said.
"But even if you have inherited the power of Sothis, your body is still human"
"So?" he replied, not understanding what he was trying to say.
"Don´t you understand? That is something impossible or at least should be, a deviation from nature that can only bring misfortune and suffering to the wielder and those surrounding him. Your mere existence is a contradiction of every living being on this land" Seteth said as his eyes observed like they were seeing his soul. "You already know what happens to those that aren´t compatible with the relics"
"They turn into beasts"
"Exactly, but even those wielding a crest shouldn´t abuse such weapons since the spirits of our kin seek revenge and will start gaining control of those stupid or ambitious enough to abuse this forbidden power. Yet you have been able to abuse such power countless times, even if you feel exhausted you are able to recover fast enough for the next battle in a speed that not even someone like me could dream of"
"Maybe the power of the Crest of Flames allows me to have such resistance" he said as he looked at the palm of his hand. He was exhausted after the battle, but his wounds had already disappeared.
"And all of this while you have been cursed by Rhea" he said as he made a signal to Flayn. Extending her hand, a strange mist started to appear.
"This…is your heart. Do you think that someone could be alive in such circumstances?" Seteth asked as he observed the same. The heart had been pierced multiple times by different crystals that appeared to grow from within. They were partially covered by what appeared to be roots emanating from the crest stone in his heart. Looking at it for the first time in his life he couldn´t avoid being surprised. If someone else had showed him the same he would have said that it was impossible to be alive with such heart…yet he existed, he could breathe and live like anyone else.
"How can I exist despite that?"
"That is something I wonder as well. It is the living proof that Rhea´s efforts were somehow successful in the end…but at what price. You were born dead, Byleth, your existence has only been granted by the power of the crest of Sothis, but everything has a price. Do you remember what I said, about the dead spirits of our kin that seek revenge even after being dead?"
"I do, but I don´t fear that. Five years ago, I merged with Sothis and we became one and even if we were still separate entities, she would never dare to harm me"
"Even if your spirits are one now, it doesn´t mean that your body is immune to the negative effects of such power. A human body isn´t prepared to withstand such amount of energy for so long. Your own power will consume you as it transforms itself to be a suitable host for Sothis and Rhea´s ambitions will turn to true…or you will lose sanity and be nothing different to those that had fallen prey to the relics"
Such words made him recall the events related to the spirit inhabiting the Sword of the Creator. Even before that battle he had sensed from time to time the corruptive influence of the Sword, but it had been the price he had to pay to protect those he held dear. Without the powers of Sothis and the Sword of the Creator many tragedies would have taken place by now, but he had been able to advert most of them…yet as he thought about it many doubts came to his mind. The strange visions he had been suffering during years, the agony as he used his powers, the confrontation with the being that had declared itself the true Sothis. Could they be signs of his struggle against the evil within him?
"You think you can control your power, that you can overcome its corruptive influence, but that way of thinking would cause your own demise. After all, you aren´t the only one that suffers for the corruption of power"
Seteth stopped for a few seconds, as if he was preparing himself to what he had to say next.
"We, the Nabateans are extremely powerful. Our magical capabilities are unmatched and our strength in combat is far superior to humans. Our extended lifespans have allowed us to become one with this land, we know every secret of it and its strength is ours…and in times of difficulty we are able to show our true body, the one that allows us to be at our apex of strength"
"Your true body?"
"This body you see wasn´t the one I was born with. Humans would describe us as monsters, but there was beauty in our true forms as well. In our original form we were living natural disasters, our power unmatched, although you have already experienced our wrath"
"The power of the Immaculate one" Its power was truly a threat even for capable fighters. But in that case…
"Why haven´t you used such power when you tried to conquer the monastery?"
"I thought you would make such question" Seteth said with a sad smile as he patted her daughter´s head. "Long time ago we could, but we have spent too much time like this and we are unable to return. To others the exact opposite has happened, but those shouldn´t cause you any problems" he continued as his face turned serious. "The real problem is Rhea. She is the only one capable of transforming at will and such power is also the origin of our curse"
"What curse?"
"Chaos and insanity. Existing in two different realms makes our mind unstable. With a human lifespan that would never be a problem, but centuries are nothing to us…and that constant conflict between both realities starts to damage our very own existence" he said as he looked at the sunset. "Many had fallen to such illness…"
"And that could mean that Rhea will lose control of herself and turn into a mindless beast. Even knowing that, why she chooses to keep such duality?"
"Because she venerates Sothis above everything else. We were created as copies of our creator and like that we share her own fate" Seteth said as he looked at him directly into the eye. "Tell me, have you ever met our creator? If so, under what disguise?"
"I have and she is nothing like the paintings made by the Church. She was smaller and younger, like a child"
"Interesting to say the least. I would have never believed you before since what I used to see was something completely different. Our Creator was something far more powerful than a young girl…and her true form would ridicule the Immaculate one. Such was her power…and Rhea tries to emulate her until her return. Remaining in one form for the rest of her life would be a humiliation to her"
"But I´m not a Nabatean, even if part of my body has changed, I can´t transform"
"But that doesn´t mean that you are safe from the corruption that the power of Sothis generates. I have seen at least one time that you were overwhelmed by your own power. The day your father regrettably died. Without aid you might have fallen insane. Compared to us you are a child, but your mortal body might not be able to resist for too long"
"But there is nothing I can do about it. I didn´t chose to have this power, but if I can use it to protect those I care of…" He justified himself, but the beast in the forest, the fate of the forgotten hero came to his mind.
"One day you might be the one to kill them"
"Before such day comes I will…"
"Kill yourself? Do you really think that you could simply solve it like that?" Seteth said as he unsheathed a dagger. "If so confident you are, you could use this. Don´t worry, it is not my intention to kill you, you are still our benefactor. Besides, my daughter will heal you if something happened" Seteth said as he realized his distrust.
He felt a sharp, agonizing pain as the dagger bit his heart, the pain was intense, blood falling to the floor…yet his consciousness was intact, the moment it threw the dagger away, his injury disappearing, even though the pain lingered. He had felt like dying in many occasions but it was the first time he had tried to kill himself. He shivered as he looked at the bloodstained dagger.
"What am I?"
"Not a human, but not a Nabatean. Since you can´t die it means that you will risk losing yourself by your own power…and it is probable that the more you use it the nearer such limit will be"
"What can I do to advert this?"
"If the source of such doom is the power within you, the only possible solution I can think of is sealing it or at least limiting it. The crest of flames is the most powerful crest that has ever existed and even a fraction of its power will overcome the heroes of our time. My daughter can aid you with a magical seal. It won´t eliminate the source of corruption but it might ease your existence. If you defeat Rhea, the cursed she placed on you will come to an end and perhaps you will be able to have a normal life if that´s what you wish for"
Seteth´s words were convincing, but he still had doubts. Why helping him now, after all that had happened between them?
"Why would you help me? I might end up killing Rhea and you have acted under her command. You were confronting me until now"
"I know that it´s something difficult to believe. It´s true that I don´t believe in the cause that you are fighting for, but I can´t agree on what Rhea did to you. I thought that the lie we created was meant to protect us from any risks, but her only true objective had been bringing her back…but my only true reason to explain to you all of this is that my soul won´t find any rest until I can do something for you as you did to us. My daughter might had died, and I didn´t forget that…you also decided to let us life back at the battle of the monastery.
I won´t tell you to trust me, but I offer you this in exchange for the many things you have already done to us" Seteth said while offering his hand.
He looked at him as he finally took his hand.
"I trust you"
"Professor, it will be painful, but I will make it quick" Flayn said as she unsheathed a ceremonial dagger with strange glyphs on its surface. Then Seteth offered him a rag to put it into his mouth.
The pain was intense as the steel bit his flesh, but he had to endure it no matter what.
…
"Even though victory is on our side, many lives had been sacrificed" The rest of her companions were still recovering from the assault but there she was with Hubert and Byleth, preparing the plans for the next weeks.
"The battle to the north had been one of the bloodiest in the whole war. Most of our army divisions had been destroyed, but some groups had been able to survive the battle. They have informed us that the archbishop was leading the assault of the Church forces" Hubert said as he read aloud the content of the letter he had received.
"If only the Church forces are the ones that have been deployed, we could risk an attack from the Holy Kingdom at any moment. Hubert, any news about the Kingdom divisions?"
"Nothing remarkable. Troops are mobilizing to the west to secure the villages that are the closest to our troops…but anything could happen after this battle"
"What is the situation of the army of the archbishop? Are they heading south towards the monastery?" That would be the worst-case scenario, most of the troops were exhausted and if the moral of the enemy would be high after their victory to the north.
"They are in direct combat with the troops of our "allies". Their advance has slowed down and attacks and counterattacks are happening all across the border. The front has stabilized once again"
"That is something relieving, to be fair I´m not sure we would have been able to withstand another assault in so little time" The monastery was a sturdy construction, but the walls and several towers had been damaged. Another attack would make the situation worse. There was also the fire in the cathedral, which had been turned into ash. Looking at him, she was intrigued about what had happened there, but first she needed to prepare the strategy for the upcoming battles.
"We need to prepare a counterattack as soon as possible. Even if the troops of the Church are exhausted after the recent battle, we can´t let them time to recover under the shield of the Holy Kingdom. This war has lasted enough, we need to make them realize that further resistance is doomed to fail"
"Lady Edelgard, with all respect I am afraid that neither the Church or the Holy Kingdom are willing to surrender"
"Perhaps their rulers, but the ones that suffer the costs of the war might oppose their actions if they realize the war is lost"
"In a battle the moral of the troops is important" apported Byleth. "Emotions can easily influence the effectivity of the soldiers. If the troops start having doubts about achieving victory, many will be willing to drop their weapons"
"Even if your words are truth, Professor, the mentality of the leaders of Faerghus is far different to the Alliance or the Empire. They will put their troops to the limit in order to defeat us. As long as there are leaders to defy us, the soldiers will rally around them and there are many notable warriors among the ranks of the Holy Kingdom"
"Those generals must fall in order to demolish their will to fight, but they must be defeated in battle. Assassination or other questionable methods would only turn them into a source of inspiration to the soldiers"
"In that case, the best place to strike would be Arianrhod"
"The silver maiden…" Arianrhod was a key city to control the Holy Kingdom. It was heavily defended, after all the Empire had erected it as a fortress against the Holy Kingdom before House Rowe decided to change alliances. The loss of such fortress was a stain in the history of the Adrestian Empire. "If we retake it, the moral of our troops will be boosted as well. After all it was an imperial fortress at the beginning"
"And it would divide the troops of the Holy Kingdom in two" Byleth said while observing the map. "There are many fertile lands over that area, if we conquest it, the Holy Kingdom will have problems to supply the rest of the troops. However, the Holy Kingdom will realize our intentions if we head towards it, there are many watchtowers and scouts in the center of the Holy Kingdom"
"In that case let them think that we are heading towards the capital. A big army would be an obstacle to take the fortress since they must have supplies to outlast us. Numbers won´t grant us the victory on this battle, but if we distract the troops of the Holy Kingdom with a movement to the north, we would only have to face the troops that are currently at the fortress. Most of our eastern army is heading west right now. They will continue advancing north so they think that the next important battle will take place in the north of the Kingdom"
"I see, an attack in two movements. An interesting maneuver, Lady Edelgard" They were interrupted as a soldier arrived bringing a new letter. Opening it, she started reading its content.
"The rebel forces of Dagda are asking for our help. It seems that our "allies" had been hiding their activities at the back of the Empire"
"Dagda is a large land with many resources. That would mean many problems in the future if we do nothing about it"
"I understand" she sighed. "We have been too focused on the north and the east, but this war knows no borders"
"Who is the leader of the rebellion?" asked Byleth.
"An old acquaintance of you, Byleth. It seems that Shamir has found her way into her homeland after the battle of the monastery" Even if they had been enemies five years ago, she couldn´t blame Byleth´s light smile after knowing that one of his former companions had survived until now. "I´m willing to help, but the numbers we can send are limited. We can´t jeopardize our own progress in this war"
"There is no need to worry about it, Lady Edelgard" Hubert said as a smile formed on his face. "In times like this, I consider a subtle approach the most effective and how fortunate, a strike from the shadows is my specialty"
"I understand, if you can get rid of the leaders in the territory, they might be removed by the resistance there. But in that case, you would need companions that are able to conceal their identities as well as they get rid of the enemies"
"I know the capabilities of most of our companions and I think that…."
Their conversation was interrupted as someone fell to the floor in front of them from one of the windows.
"Ugh, I should have been more careful…"
"Bernadetta? Were you eavesdropping us?" Hubert asked in a cold tone.
"D-Don´t look me like that! I-I was just checking the f-flowers, you know after the battle they might have been damaged. It is important to take care of them, right?" Bernadetta said while panicking.
"Bernadetta…How much have you been hearing?" Edelgard sighed.
"A-A bit of everything…but please don´t get angry with me!"
"Hubert, you said that you needed people able to operate in the shadows for this operation, right?"
"Yes, I did"
"In that case, be sincere. Did you notice Bernadetta´s presence during all this time?"
Hubert was looking at Bernadetta while she was trying to cover her face in embarrassment. She had to admit that it was quite a comical sight.
"I must admit that I didn´t notice her presence. But the duties I have been thinking about would require more qualities that…"
"Hubert, Bernadetta has been fighting in this war the same as us, I think that she has already proved her qualities and besides" she said while smiling. "The fact that you weren´t able to notice her it´s the proof that she is suitable for a war in the shadows. You already have a member for your operation"
"A-And my opinion!?" asked an alarmed Bernadetta
"In that region there are many exotic plans, you might find something really interesting" Byleth suggested.
"L-Like carnivorous plants?" Bernadetta asked with a renewed light in her eyes.
"It seems that it has been decided" Edelgard smiled after seeing the change of attitude in Bernadetta. She still remembered how she spent most of her days in her room, but now she could be seen in different places. Even if she was a shy girl, she had proved many times how capable she was in the battlefield. Seeing her overcoming her initial fears was something she was very happy about.
"Understood lady Edelgard" he said while bowing. "I must retreat for now there is much to be done yet. Bernadetta, please come with me" he said as Bernadetta followed, a bit calmer.
"Bernadetta has changed a lot, yet there are some things that don´t change at all" Byleth said with a smile.
"I know. If she wasn´t clumsy from time to time, the Bernadetta we know would disappear and we´ll probably miss her" Edelgard said before returning to their discussion. "While Hubert and his companions are doing this task, we´ll prepare for the following battle. We need to replenish forces and mourn the dead, but the following weeks are going to be decisive. This war has lasted far too long. The time to put an end to it is finally at hand"
"Even after war there will be many things to be done, but I will be there with you"
"Those words are really inspiring. I thank you for that" she said with a warm smile when something came to her mind. "Tell me, Byleth, you were talking with Seteth and Flayn after they surrendered, why did you choose to spare them?" She wasn´t accusing him for doing so, she was just curious about the reason.
"They told me that they would never interfere with us again. Seteth is worried about the wellbeing of Flayn and they prefer to hide themselves than to fight to death. Besides, they have helped me to control my powers and ease the pain that comes with it" he said while touching his chest.
"I see. To be fair, I´m not willing to make unnecessary sacrifices and I believe their word. My plan is not to annihilate all of their kin, but to remove them from power. If they have been unable to resolve the problems of this world during their reign it is our responsibility to find a solution to them. However, I´m not sure that all of them will have the same opinion, you have already experienced it with some of our former companions and colleagues. Some will prefer to die even if it is something completely avoidable"
"I know…but in that case I will take the responsibility" Byleth´s voice was neutral, but his eyes were betraying him. He had really changed a lot during all these years. And it was for the better.
"Now we´ll honor the death, but I´m sure that many are willing to talk to you. In particular Professor Hanneman and Manuela are really excited with your return to the monastery"
"I see" Byleth said as he approached the door.
"Byleth"
"Yes?"
"Welcome back, welcome back to Garreg Mach" Edelgard said while smiling. After all it was the place of fond memories between them.