Day 1 of the Blue Sea Moon

"What to do, what to do…" Santaniel skimmed over the books in the library, having already burnt through all the novels he previously checked out last month. A small scuffle of shoes against wood could be heard from behind him, "Oh. Hello Santaniel." He waved over his shoulder to Linhardt, continuing with his search for new content, eyes catching on a book above him, "Ya need something?"

"Hm, oh. No, I apologize if I bothered you." Santaniel shook his head and started clambering up a shelf, calling down, "Nah, you're fine. Actually, you know a lot about Crests right?" He dropped down to the floor with a new book in his hand, a slice of life novel, the cover already flipped open. "Well, I suppose, though you should talk to Hanneman if you need something obscure." Santaniel nodded and clicked his tongue, "Hm. What do you know about Macuil?"

Linhardt stood in deep thought for a moment, coming up seemingly dry, "Not much is known about the man. Except of course that he was a Saint, an excellent tactician, and was revolutionary in the magical arts and blacksmithing before he disappeared at the end of the war."

Santaniel hummed for a moment, notes dancing in his throat of a melodic lullaby, long ago lost to his memory. "Ok. Well, thanks for telling me." Linhardt bid him farewell and left the library, Santaniel now alone.

He let out a large sigh and summoned his Crest of Macuil, the damned thing that shortened his life to just a bit under a decade now… If anything didn't happen to him in that span of time of course. He sensed movement and sat still, the purple light quickly dying out as he dispelled it, and he started listening closely.

Just a light shuffle, sounded like boots too, but that didn't narrow it down much. He summoned his scry and peered into their soul, not finding much familiarity due to having not memorized most everyone's yet, it was tar black and he hated the color. Still, he didn't want to stick around and get found dead.

He left the library as nonchalantly as possible, the piercing and prodding eyes of Hubert from behind a hidden shelf following his every move.

———

Day 6 of the Blue Sea Moon

Santaniel was slick with oil blood, the remnants of Agarthan's lives covering his body and axe. He slammed his weapon into another chest, firing Bolganone underneath ten more's feet, launching them sky high and where their souls would continue up. "Hephaestus, got Meteor up yet?"

"Yep! Clear out guys!" Santaniel broke away from the combat, rolling underneath a brute's legs as Arti shattered his skull with a lance, the eye still attached at the end.

He muttered under his mask and flicked it away, the former organ snapped up by a hawk like someone would snap a grape from the vine. The camp went down in flames as Meteor crashed into it, Santaniel gave Xavien a strong high-five in celebration. "Hm. Seems you will pose more of a threat than we thought." He didn't have to even look at the person, if you could call them that, to recognize the voice.

Two more recognizable, younger voices spoke up next, "Heh! Look at these dumbasses Mike!" The scrawny one was the first to speak, followed by their taller, much more threatening brother, "Lookin for these?" He held up his Holy Twins by the chain, anger starting to grow in his body. Santaniel's eyes flashed and he stepped forward, their bodies locked in place from his gaze.

The gaze of the Basilisk. Just another gift from his mother.

"You're lucky I don't feel like fighting you idiots today… But soon." He wrapped a firm hand around the Flame Emperor's neck, tightening heavily, their body tensing, starting to shudder under his touch and he was becoming amused. He purred into their ear, "Now, I suggest you run away before I rip your head and spine from your body like a fish, and tear through your armor like taffy. Leave."

All three warped away and he turned, his body already exhausted, "C'mon. We have two more encampments if we wanna keep our pace today. At this point we'll tear them limb from limb next month."

———

Edelgard shuttered in her armor, the eyes of Santaniel burnt into her memory. "C'mon boss! Let's just go attack them-"

"No. If you attack their home they'll only fight harder. I suggest you stay on the island and protect the heirlooms and the Agarthans while they complete their work."

Noah grumbled under their breath, some sort of insult, and Mike slapped them on the back of the head. Her memory took her back to just a week ago with Santaniel and his makeshift family… He was a person… He was a beast… But what is he to the people around him?

What is he to her?

———

Day 12 of the Blue Sea Moon

"Ok… So if I…" Santaniel tapped his foot as he looked at plans for house renovations. "Ugh, I need some damn help with this if I'm ever going to get it done."

He picked up the pencil and scrapped his older designs, drawing up a new house. It had expanded rooms, taller ceilings, and he wanted to get an upstairs floor for an armory or extra storage. He felt the soft vibrations of Arti stepping through the house, he'd probably get yelled at if he found out he was up so late…

He put out the candle and left through the mirror, walking into the moonlit training room of the Monastery. He sat down on a bench and kept sketching, his ideas coming to fruition for once in the silver light. "Santaniel?" He froze and swallowed, afraid he'd be yelled at by someone, "Yes?"

"What are you doing up so late?" Edelgard came into his peripheral, and he breathed out some relief. No lectures or scoldings today. Maybe. "I could ask you the same thing, Princess." She shook her head and sat next to him, looking at his sketches on paper, "Are you planning on building a new house?"

"No. Mainly just renovations. We used to live in an even smaller shack when I was just about six, I burnt it down by accident." She gave him a horrified look and he just laughed at it, "I was learning my first spell, I took after Hephaestus in the black magic department, my first spell was Fire, then Lightning, then Bolganone, and now I'm learning Luna."

"Oh, it seems we have similar spell goals." Santaniel shook his head, "After Luna I'm learning Ragnarok, then Meteor at Byleth's request. The fire spells just kinda resonate with me after all." She nodded, "I can understand that."

"Well, yeah, with that hair I'd assume you'd get a lot of what I've gone through."

He let it slip. Why was he so Goddess damn stupid!? "What?!" Santaniel swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, well, time to commit, "It isn't exactly hard to spot someone who's gone through the experiments Edelgard…"

He turned his hair up and showed her the silver roots.

--

she already knew of course due to her being on the island… but she didn't know he would suddenly call her out on it too! "Oh… I assumed I had hid it quite well…"

Santaniel laughed, but quelled himself when he realized she had taken offense, "I'm sorry, but Lys thought the same thing. If you wanted to hide it, you should've taken my route."

He nudged into her and had a soft smile on his lips, "Don't worry. I know this isn't a contest anyone wanted to win, or even be entered into. Though sometimes fate deals us our cards and we gotta make do, y'know? But if you're up this late… Let me guess. Nightmares?"

She nodded her head, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, a small squeeze following. Just to try and comfort her she assumed. It didn't entirely work, but she appreciated the small bit of warmth in the cold of the night.

"Don't worry. You have people around you to ease that pain, now get back to bed, we have training in the morning. I don't feel like getting more bruises from Professor."

She nodded and left, watching him slip through the mirror behind a pillar, the surface hardening back into its reflective surface and she stared back at herself.

The Crest of Flames burning on her chest, trying its best to ward off the cold memories that haunted her.

———

When Santaniel returned home, his Crest of Macuil lit up his room like an ethereal torch. He stared at it until he grew tired, falling asleep with the soft violet glow of the Crest.

Awoken just an hour later, Arti found the sixth encampment. Well. Guess he was running on an hour of sleep. Should be fun, right?

———

Day 13 of the Blue Sea Moon

Edelgard stretched as she sat up in bed, sunlight gleaming through the window. She yawned and tossed the blanket aside, slipping out of her nightgown and into her usual attire, the black tights and officer's uniform.

She donned her usual red cape and the on schedule knock rang out from the wooden door, Edelgard grabbed her hairbrush. She opened the door and greeted Hubert whilst making her hair manageable, he started delivering his usual report of what Arundel was up to and the state of affairs on Santaniel's island. Turns out they had already knocked off five of their ten encampments.

Santaniel was annoying her with such efficiency.

———

Santaniel tossed his sheets from his bed, straight into his hamper and rubbed his face with some cold water, waking himself up entirely.

"Hey boys, we gonna make breakfast or catch some in the mess hall?" He slipped on an aquamarine shirt and grey slacks, followed by his jacket. "We're already making some breakfast here, just come and get some." Santaniel ran his fingers through his hair and checked the island map, he checked off another encampment he and Arti took last night and that made six.

They were making good pace.

———

Edelgard knocked lightly on Bernadetta's door, "Come out Bernadetta, it's time for class." The woman squeaked from inside her room and she raced out and past her, straight to the classroom. "Well… She's there I suppose."

———

"Oi! Lin! Let's go! I'll let you study the Crest of Ernest if you beat me to the classroom!" The green haired mage raced past him and nearly fell down the stairs, making his way to the classroom. "Haha, guess that's one way to do it."

———

Edelgard walked to class and sat down at the front, surprised to see Linhardt already in the building and Dorothea was in the front row, humming a show tune.

"Morning." Santaniel sat next to her, a dagger sliding down his sleeve and finding its way into a hidden sheathe. "Good morning." Byleth walked in and greeted the class, announcing his plans for the class. Morning training, exams after lunch, then study hall and tutoring after. A typical day. "Today, we will be accepting new entrants to the class, I expect you to treat them kindly."

'Well. With Santaniel and Dorothea to greet them I doubt they'll feel alienated.'

"Please welcome Felix, Marianne, Lysithea, and the Ashen Wolves." Their new classmates walked in the room and took their seats, Santaniel greeting Lysithea and Felix happily, the Ashen Wolves speaking with the rest of their class and fanning out evenly.

She decided to listen in on Santaniel's conversation just because he was closest. Marianne was talking in a small Scry conversation with Arti, so there was no hope in hearing that either. She tuned in as discreetly as possible to the sound of their voices.

"...If you need more training Felix you can just come to the island after we clear out the labs. We pretty much did for a week straight every month beforehand. Hurts like hell and you'll hate it, but once it's done you'll feel like a million gold pieces." Felix nodded, "Huh. What's it consist of?"

"Half lap around the island, about sixteen kilometers, then you just go at it with your partner until one of you is unable to stand. Me and Xavien have a record of sparring for… Twelve hours I think?" All three gaped at his statement, "What? I've been training since I was nine and he's the top assassin on the continent. You expect us to be soft?" Santaniel slid his dagger out from his sleeve and fiddled with it, making it dance between his fingers.

"That isn't healthy is the thing…" Santaniel sent a stare her way that may as well have been the dagger in his hand, "It isn't healthy to be me in general."

"Everyone please take your seats. I'll be discussing our training plans for today." Lysithea and Felix took seats next to Dorothea, and the Ashen Wolves fanned out into the back rows, Marianne sitting next to a curious Linhardt.

"Thank you. Now, Hubert, Dorothea, Bernadetta, Linhardt, Constance, Hapi, and Marianne will be going with Arti and Hephaestus to work on their accuracy with their ranged weapons. Petra and Yuri, you will be working with daggers, assisted by Xavien. Santaniel, Felix, Lysithea, Edelgard, Balthus, Caspar, and Ferdinand will be coming with me to work on group fighting. You either have tendencies to be off on your own or need to work on leadership strategies. We have one extra so Santaniel and Edelgard, please decide who will get the extra."

"I'll take Felix and Lysithea. Edelgard you can take the rest." She blinked in surprise at his confidence, was this a challenge to her? She wouldn't be backing down if that was the case. "I will accept this proposition. Shall we head to the training grounds?"

Santaniel grinned and stood, already pulling his team aside and telling them his plan. She strained to hear it, and so did the others but no one could, his voice carrying low.

———

Arti, Xavien, and Hephaestus exchanged their bets when they arrived. She was surprised to see Xavien bet against his brother, but then again someone would in order to make a bet successful. Santaniel tossed his training axe from hand to hand, gazing at them while she was talking to the four she had and she used a typical Empire strategy. It was the only one the others truly knew by heart at this point. Balthus and Caspar took the front with Ferdinand and herself behind them. "Ready? Begin!"

"Let's go Sant!"

"You got this!"

Santaniel dropped into a sprint, breaking past Balthus and Caspar, driving his foot into her chest and turning to take on Ferdinand. She absorbed the impact as best she could, having hit the floor rolling and she smelt the metallic scent of magic in the air.

Balthus was weathering it well enough, but Caspar was already out from a Fire to the stomach, laying on the ground groaning in pain. "Urgh, reform!" Ferdinand broke away from Santaniel, or at least tried to, having gotten struck in the leg with the hilt of his axe and Balthus was singed already.

"Felix, Lys, fire till they surrender!" Santaniel summoned Fire on his fingertips and it shot like a cannonball, nearly tearing through her shield entirely and Swarm struck hard at Balthus.

Ferdinand broke from their formation and cut through Felix's Lightning, striking him hard in the chin. The Fraldarius man fell and so did Ferdinand, taking a practically point blank Miasma to the back. "Lys, behind me. Don't worry about hitting me either, I'll shrug it off like water on a hot day." His confidence was annoying.

Time for her to show him who's boss.

Balthus listened to her and engaged Santaniel, his first couple of strikes landing, too bad he wasn't entirely a match for Santaniel's right hook. It would hurt less if it was just metal honestly.

However she got her prize, taking Lysithea out of the fight with quick footwork and a practice blade pointed down at her chest. This was Santaniel's challenge to her, she'd overcome it.

The slow dance began, both circling each other, axe heads pointed down, ready to either strike or block. Santaniel was a defensive fighter who always thought ahead, similar to Claude, but she couldn't take advantage of his over reliance on his schemes.

He was slow though, she'd have to take advantage of it like she did one year ago when he lost his arm. Santaniel's eyes never left hers, always searching and it may have unnerved her before, but she was ready to win.

Edelgard lowered her shoulder and stuck one foot in front of the other, Santaniel accepted the invitation and they crashed at high impact. His hilt cracked and the next hit would break it, she could win if he was limited to magic.

It seemed he knew that and he swiveled on his foot, a low strike with the blunt weapon would still be enough to crack a bone. She blocked it and was surprised when it shattered the wooden head of the training weapon. She growled in frustration at her foresight failing her.

He was much better at magic than her… She'd have to pin him or restrain him somehow. He conjured Lightning and it scathed her stomach, leaving a small burn and it tore the fabric of her uniform, pale, scarred skin showing.

She drove her shoulder into his stomach and tackled him, her mind in glee at the win- Until the cold metal of a dagger pressed on her jugular, an amused look in Santaniel's eyes. "Sorry Princess, but you overcommitted." Her face flushed as he got closer, whispering in her ear, "Though I wouldn't mind this in a more private environment~" She leaned off of him and he got up, giggling to himself. "C'mon, let's get you idiots patched up."

She grabbed his hand, and when he started walking away, she realized she was still holding it, her face reddening even more. He pulled her closer to him and kept his voice low, "Your scars are showing, hurry up."

She nodded, still red from the lasting contact of their hands, after a couple moments walking back to the dorms, she finally regained her senses enough to speak, "Santaniel…"

He finally noticed and went a bit red too, "Sorry, didn't realize. I'll go ahead and tell Byleth that you just wanted to change and that I got a snack from the dining hall. See you back there in ten." She nodded and watched him leave, rubbing her palm, the lasting heat still there.

She couldn't tell what was running through her mind, but she knew that it was very fucking confusing.

———

Day 20 of the Blue Sea Moon

"Hey Arti, what ya up to?" Santaniel flopped down on the ground next to his brother, reading his eyes for his emotion that seemed, well, rather annoyed. "I'm trying to meditate. I finally had my mind clear and you ruined that concentration."

Santaniel apologized and stood, walking back to the house sighing. Arti was annoyed by Marianne's abrasiveness on actual talking, Xavien was out on a job in some random piece of the continent, and Hephaestus was on a date with Manuela.

Guess he could go to the Monastery.

He splashed a couple droplets of blood on the mirror, stepping through and into a crowd of people. "Ok, who the hell-" They all turned toward him and stared, he didn't recognize a single damn one of them. "Uh, Huh. Well, I'm just gonna…" He stepped back through the mirror, rubbing his eyes, he splashed the blood on the mirror again, watching it harden. "Let's try this again."

He pressed his open wound to the mirror, stepping through the mirror and into the classroom. No one was there and it had only been a few minutes… Guess that meant that Xavien had forgotten to close the mirror. Oh well. He'd probably already killed his target and was on his way home, assassin's never use the same entrance as an exit.

He knew it was a free day, Felix was trying to get Bernadetta to teach him about gardening, Lysithea was having tea with Byleth and hopefully not getting a nosebleed, Dorothea said she was hanging out with Petra today and not to bother her… Well, Edelgard was still around and he could explore Abyss, hmm… He had an idea.

Santaniel walked around and finally spotted the snow haired woman, catching up to her and lightly bumping her on the shoulder, "Hey." She greeted him back and he asked, "Wanna go and check out Abyss?"

She turned and looked at him, likely questioning his very mindset, but he explained himself quickly. "I heard there were tons of books down there that were banned from the topside library, plus I want to go and bother Yuri for a bit."

She sighed and he wrapped his left hand in her's, "Besides, nothing better to do on a free day, eh?" She blushed and let him lead her to the stairwell spiraling downwards, "Shall we princess?" He was being brave for once, if he couldn't convey his feelings through words, maybe she'd get it through actions?

"Hey Yuri, what ya up to?" Santaniel strolled up next to the purple haired man, the other unofficial house lead of the academy. "Nothin much, how 'bout you, sweetheart?" Santaniel snickered and rustled his hair, "Same here, mind takin' me and Edelgard here to the Shadow Library?"

Yuri nodded and beckoned for them to follow, Santaniel smiled and felt Edelgard wrap her fingers through his and he smiled, the warmth traveling through his body as they followed their purple haired friend.

"Ok, just through h- ugh!" Yuri was shoved to the ground from his side, Santaniel already stepping forward protectively. "The hell is the big idea?!"

"Make another fuckin move 'n' I'll toast you idiots alive, got me? Scram!" His wider and more built figure only seemed to entice them to fight. A quick Macuil boosted Fire breath didn't though, not him at least. It did make him feel like he took a swig of hard liqour however.

He sighed and turned, helping Yuri back to his feet. "Sorry," he looked to Edelgard and continued, "To both of you. I tend to let my anger get ahead of me when people I care about are threatened."

"It's no problem, big guy, they're part of a rival gang down here. Wish I could clean them up, but besides me and Balthus, we don't have many that could keep up with the fighting."

Santaniel grinned, "Can always call on me and my brothers. Now, let's go check out that library, I need some new novels otherwise I'm going to go looney with nothing to do on the island."

--

Both of the boys snickered and carried on, Edelgard's heart still pounding heavily from the flaming tongue of fire that licked at people's skin, waiting to consume them. The only warmth that she wanted to feel from Santaniel anymore was the one from his hands.

———

Day 26 of the Blue Sea Moon

"Well, guess you guys called it. Let's exterminate these idiots!" Santaniel thundered down the center, coming face to face with an overly dressed knight with devil horns. "Hephaestus, Arti, get on lances, Xavien on bows!"

Santaniel crashed his hammer head into the Agarthium scythe, he'd fought someone using it before, but this idiot was stronger than the last. He ducked a swipe and heat pounded at his back, Abraxas and Ragnarok coming through and arrows clanking against his armor, Xavien cursing as he threw several laced daggers towards his eyes. Santaniel came underneath the horse, his axe separating a leg from its body and the other followed.

Hephaestus put the horse out of its misery with Fire and Arti pulled in with a lance, the Crest of the Beast tearing through the doom, gloom, dust, along with the man's armor.

Santaniel brought his hammer down on his back shoulder, crushing bone like glass and the man fled in warp. The signature spell of a coward in his eyes.

Him and the rest of the Viper's turned and blazed down the middle, he dove in against a brutal battalion. His eyes glowed and energy flowed like blood as he cut down the enemy, bones crumbled under his touch, skin tore like paper, and blood rolled over his armor like water on a stream bed.

Someone finally got a strike on him and he retaliated with a vicious slash that left the man's head dangling like a ball and chain. He winced as he touched the wound, just another scar. A voice carried above the combat but he couldn't afford to check out what was happening with the Professor, his axe embedded in another man's chest. Xavien was already on his way over anyways.

"Arti! Help me out with these idiots!" An Aura ripped apart men and he was bathed in light and crimson life alike. Santaniel tore through anyone who dared still raise his weapons until they all surrendered, a pile of bodies littering the floor and their scarlet blood painted his hair and body, "Goddess Santaniel, you take a bath in strawberry jam or something?"

He turned and gave a glare to Caspar, the man shrinking under his sight. Wait. Still had the gaze. "Sorry, what's going on? Kinda got caught up over here." Caspar pointed at their Professor, now carrying a familiar relic. The Sword of the Creator. Looked like his friend had a crush on a man who wielded a Goddess' power.

Neat.

———

Day 29 of the Blue Sea Moon

"Hey Professor, I have a favor to ask…"