Day 1 of the Lone Moon
Santaniel stood above the church and stared down at the surrounding area, his feathery wings covering his cold ears in the early spring air. He took a deep breath and felt the tears start, it had been a rough couple months. He needed to release it all. Sadness and the feelings of betrayal had no place on the battlefield.———
Day 2 of the Lone Moon
"Thank you for coming, Professor, and to you, my classmates, for believing in me. You have given up your ties and family to follow me in this bloody path. Some of our classmates have decided to stay with the Church during this time, along with our comrades who we have come to know over this past year. But we must not hesitate, and if you feel as if you would, you should leave now. You will be safely returned to your families before any of the fighting starts. War is no place for feelings of grief or sadness, so, as the ruler of the Empire, we shall march on Garegg Mach soil and attempt to overthrow this corrupt church. The Archbishop has lied about this continent's history, and plans to keep the future in the dark. We shall follow our path towards a brighter dawn for Fódlan, are you with me?!"
A thundering roar echoed in the abandoned building they hid in, kilometers from the church. The rallying cry had resounded to perfection, her Professor and Hubert stood behind her and gave their silent approval. The time for potential tears or fear had left, and the feelings of cold hearted bravery took their place.
There was no place for sadness or grief on the battlefield.
———
Day 4 of the Lone Moon
"Welcome Arti, Hephaestus, Xavien. I have an offer to extend to you. To become my personal guard, you will be paid heavily, more than your weight in gold." Rhea stood with her hands laced in front of her like usual, her voice warm like the sun, but her eyes were icy like the sea at night. Arti had faltered under someone like this before. His own father. He had consistently put him in this position, promising rewards, but her eyes always told him the truth.
The promise of pain and regret lingering in his eyes had told him enough times that he should never take words at face value. Instead, he took to the eyes, the windows to the soul. Arti had always instructed Santaniel to do the same, that's how he knew this girl was never wicked. No one could shut one out to the soul, but it seemed Rhea was hardset in her beliefs that this could not be resolved without war or violence.
Hephaestus spoke for the three of them, "I'm flattered that you are so enamored by our skills, but we're here for Santaniel. He's our priority, just as you are the priority for the knights."
"Yeah. I have to decline, though the gold is enticing." Arti simply shook his head, he kept his eyes locked with Rhea. She had something else in her sleeves. "I can promise you more than just gold, but an extended life and power. The Crest of Seiros and my blood will give you the gift of power. Doesn't that sound even more enticing."
"No." Arti spoke before the other two, taking the wind out of Rhea's sail. "I have already brushed with death once, nothing can convince me that an extended life would be good for a human. We would miss our loved ones and we would outlive our own children. Your offer is nothing but an empty promise and a beautiful lie." Hephaestus nodded, "My family lies beyond the horizon. I plan on going when destiny intends for me."
"I work with death. It doesn't faze me, and once you've killed the unkillable, there's no point in continuing. I may not have connections like these two, but these three are my favorite idiots. I agree with Arti, I'll pass on this deal." Rhea's smile creased and dismissed them without a word, and the three left.
'We follow Santaniel, for he's our reason to continue onward.'
———
Day 7 of the Lone Moon
Santaniel stood amongst the many leaders of the Knights of Seiros, awaiting the words of Seteth. He had been sent to listen by his brothers to help with the initial defense of Garegg Mach, but as soon as things became too dangerous, they would leave.
Then, more than likely, never return.
"Good evening. Your assignments are to protect the vital points of the Church, any entrance should be top priority. If they make their way into the Monastery, we lose. You're expected to fight until your last breath, is that understood?" Santaniel hid a scoff and turned to leave, slipping out the door. He didn't need any lessons of fighting until your last breath from Seteth.
He was a high priority figure in the Church, he was likely to be guarded heavily, only Flayn and Rhea would receive even heavier defenses. "Santaniel, are you leaving the meeting early?"
"No need for me to stay." Catherine nodded as Santaniel brushed past her, "I hope you all stay safe."
"Thanks, you too." Santaniel waved over his shoulder at her and left to the dining hall, walking through the mirror and back home.
Where he wished he could stay and wait for it all to blow over.
———
Day 10 of the Lone Moon
Byleth was busy organizing his troops for the march. At his left was Lysithea and she kept him updated for every news flash possible. "Lysithea, you had the option to accompany anyone else, yet you chose to assist me with this. I am the busiest behind only Edelgard, would you not rather take time to mentally prepare yourself to fight your former classmates?"
She shook her head and instead kept writing in a tome, "This is the only way I can prepare Professor. I plan to stay by your side during this battle, Edelgard has deemed me worthy enough to be your personal protector… And I quite like spending this time with you."
A thin smile cracked Byleth's lips, "Thank you Lysithea. I will make sure we all make it through this fight." Her smile warmed the room like a bonfire and he carried on through his work, he would push through this battle.
————
Day 21 of the Lone Moon
The Viridian Vipers stood around Santaniel parents' grave, saying a silent prayer to whatever awaited them in the sky, for all of them all to survive. "May we all come back in one piece, and if not one piece, a small enough amount we may be put together again. We go into this fight facing ones we love, our friends are out there on the battlefield with a weapon facing our way this month. So, if there is a god out there… Let us win this fight."
His brother's bowed their heads in agreement and acceptance, "Let's enjoy our last week, we know we'll be together boys. We go in as family and we come out as family, no matter how much we may break, we'll be back together and hit harder than ever before. If anyone ever tries to mess with us after this, no bars are held." His brothers gave a shout and he followed suit with a hefty drink of ale. His parents would watch over him from above, and he had faith that a Saint's Luck would find him that bloody day.
———
Day 25 of the Lone Moon
"We are gathered here to celebrate our togetherness before this fight. We bow our heads in hope that we may defeat our enemy in the first blow before too much blood is spilled. Let us eat, and be victorious!" Edelgard sat and smiled, looking around her friends and classmates, but she couldn't shake the feeling of someone just being missing.
Someone she'd find on a burning and blood soaked battlefield only a week later.
———
Day 31 of the Lone Moon
The scene is painted in a fiery red, almost ruby light. The first shots had already been fired, the walls of the Monastery already cracked. The war cries of soldiers rang from the entire surrounding hill, along with the sound of skin being punctured and burned. Skulls were cracking against blunt force, soldiers trampled by their allies as they rushed the enemy, some of those same allies meeting their ill-advised fate by running into a lance. All for mere feet on a battlefield to be gained.
The ringing of bow strings rang in the back lines, the occasional scream of one falling to a similar projectile common in the commander's ear. Horses and Pegasi groaned as they were slayed, multiple Wyverns and their pierced bodies fell to the ground with a muddled thud as the last of their life left them and their rider. It was an ugly scene, and war is never pretty. The scene that was laid before his eyes was one that was burned into his mind for the rest of his days.
Santaniel stood upon the stairs to the courtyard, his jacket flapping in the breeze, clanking against his armor underneath. Sparks danced off his fingertips, and light flashed from his eyes. He was on the front lines, and it seemed he was deemed expendable by the Archbishop. He licked his dry lips and scanned the battlefield, he took one deep breath in… and it was the last on this cursed day that wouldn't stink of blood.
If they saw him as a monster… Then he would play the part of the monster.
Santaniel stepped off the stairs, his magic creating a current of air, making a barrier around his body. It pushed aside projectiles and magic, but not people. He walked through the main entrance and stood there for a moment, staring down the troops in front of him. Only his classmates were here, he had hoped for some faceless merc to pummel instead of these faces he had sat down and eaten with at points during the year.
"I don't want to spill your blood… But you chose to side with them."
———
Eastern Wing
"So, you decided to come here. That's a shame Hubert, you had loads of potential. I'm going to have to put you down however. This won't hurt if you just stand still." Hubert seemed to be disappointed by the fact Xavien was here, and not fleeing or sitting out the fight. "I would expect a simple mercenary to leave while they still had their life within their own grasp. I will rip it out of your cold, dead hands now."
'Don't speak until you've won dipshit.' Xavien slung three daggers from his hand at Hubert, watching him attempt to dodge them all. He failed, one lodging itself into his arm, the one he held his tome with. "You should just leave this place. Demons aren't welcome here after all."
"It is for her majesty! As long as my death is not in vain, it shall be for her!" Hubert casted Miasma after Miasma at Xavien, and a dagger occasionally flew back at Xavien, the final one nicked his cheek and Xavien sneered at Hubert. 'The gloves are off now.'
Xavien lunged off the top of the pillar, nimbly side stepping or sliding under the spells. The small cuts didn't bother him in the slightest, however, this next cut would end Hubert's life. A short end, for a man on a short leash. With a simple swipe across Hubert's neck, the head advisor to the Empress fell. His blood soaking his pure black hair, making it stick to the ground.
"See you in hell."
———
Western Wing
"Dorothea. Petra." Arti and Hephaestus stood on the Western stronghold, their magic already creating light in the waning sunlight. "I apologize for what I'm about to do to you."
"I am as well." Arti knocked the Inexhaustible, aiming at Dorothea first. She would be the easiest to hit, and Hephaestus could shatter their resistance. "You fools don't know who you're working with, they tortured Santaniel and many other people to achieve their crown jewel, Edelgard. Even if you succeed here, what do you expect? For the rest of Fódlan to keel over and die with the Church?"
Hephaestus cast a Fire at Petra and Arti let his arrow loose at Dorothea. Both rushed to cover the other, the brunt of the Fire being absorbed into Dorothea's magic, then flesh. The arrow caught skin in Petra's leg, the arrowhead sticking deep into muscle. Dorothea let Thoron fly, raising the hair on the back of Arti's neck while Hephaestus dispelled it.
"This isn't a pleasant sight. You know this. We shall not hold back however." Arti drew the bow string back and launched a missile into Dorothea's neck, her blood painting Petra's arms red. Hephaestus consumed them both in a vicious Bolganone.
Their ashes had been dispelled by the chaotic winds of war.
———
Santaniel side stepped Caspar and felt the wind around his body cast aside a Cutting Gale from Linhardt. "You two aren't prepared to fight me, how did you expect to fare against someone like Rhea if you can't even touch me?"
"We're here to fight, not talk damn it!" Santaniel looked Caspar in the eyes and saw something, not fear, but hesitance. He didn't want to hurt him, the memories of their eating contest, the warm, loud welcome to the Black Eagles… He couldn't do-
He recoiled as Caspar punched him in the jaw, knocking him off balance. Blood rolled from his lip and down his face.
'No hesitation.'
Santaniel reacted quickly and whipped the hilt of the Holy Twins across Caspar's chin, listening to bone crack and his neck twist as skin split. The stone beneath his feet became a bit slicker with blood, "Linhardt don't try and-"
"CASPAR- NO!" Linhardt summoned a swarm of Cutting Gale and sent it roaring at Santaniel who felt his eyes building tears. There was no place for them here on the battlefield though.
Santaniel felt his emotions drain and watched the glare of his Holy Twins grow, and the puddle of blood around his feet grew larger, deeper. Linhardt falling next to his best friend, their love would not die with their bodies however. He had killed his friends… He looked up and met eyes with more of his classmates, his Professor.
He was standing over the bodies of his family.
———
Byleth listened to the shattering of time as he rewound the battle, "Linhardt and Caspar, stay in the back and protect Hubert. I'll lead the center assault with Edelgard." He looked around and instructed Felix and Bernadetta to attack the East with Manuela and Marianne in tow. Raphael and Yuri would take the West.
"Yes Professor."
"Lysithea, stay close to me."
"Yes Professor." Lysithea conjured spells upon the head of Thyrus and they marched towards the center. Byleth couldn't shake the picture of the grotesque scene that had become of his students.
Santaniel with his boots, soaked in blood. His silver jacket stained in the viscera of his former classmates, and the tears that stained his eyes. He didn't want to do this, though he felt betrayed. Forced to work with the opposite side to avenge his parents and the life he could miss out on.
Byleth slashed through a battalion, making his way to the front of the Monastery, finding Santaniel standing alone in their way. "Turn around and walk away from this. I have no part in this fight and I don't want to hurt the ones I love." Santaniel had an entirely different air around him, one that radiated lethality. If they struck, he would only come at them with the same force.
"Santaniel, I know why you won't fight with us. Though why would you fight with them?" Lysithea stepped forward, Edelgard putting an arm across her chest. "Santaniel-"
"This is no place for words." The man cast aside his jacket and had his Holy Twins drawn, "If this is goodbye… Well, it was fun." He kicked off the ground and struck, his blades gliding off the Umbral Steel of Aymr.
———
"My Teacher, go. Confront Rhea and win this fight. I will handle this." Santaniel grimaced and casted a Fire at the ground between their feet as he turned to attack Byleth and Lysithea. She got between them, and pushed him away.
Lysithea hurried Byleth past them and it seemed she absorbed his full attention now. For better, or for worse. "No, no more running for you. You did it on the island, you did it in the Holy Tomb, you're doing it now. You started this, and dragged me through hell. Let me return the favor."
Leistrung was a blur as it swept through the hot air. She felt the acid spitting off the blade as it connected with her armor, she hefted the heavy axe and swung back.
He jumped back and sheathed Leistrung, back to his Holy Twins. He circled her, a viper eyeing a wounded eagle as a great feast, their eyes never leaving one another. The warmth had been drained from his eyes, and so had the love."You fight with them, even though they've put you through hell?"
"You do not understand the situation I've been put in Santaniel." He gritted his teeth, tightening his jaw, and stared her down with a flash of purple temporarily blinding her. "No, but you don't understand mine either."
He closed on her and caught flesh with his blade, the aura of his Holy Twins a bit dimmer. She would have to outlast his supply of adrenaline. Though, with the past month… It would be putting a strain on his own morale to handle that flood of emotions. She had to keep talking to win.
"What do you mean about your situation?" Santaniel jumped back from an arrow and narrowed his eyes at her battalion. 'That's a bad sign-' A roar, followed by blistering heat tore the ground and her battalion apart. Their burnt bodies lifeless upon the ground. "The situation those fuckers put me in, the same one you'll be in, Flame Emperor." He flexed his fingers and showed her the palm of his left hand, her heart sinking at the spidery web of veins across the leathery skin.
"Just accept your end. One of us has to." The heat grew around her as she realized he had casted Ragnarok. She had to move. Her legs did that for her, the brunt of the attack absorbed by her shield, her legs trying to get her into more open space. She was faster, she had to dodge and get out.
She had to buy time for the Professor.
———
Western Entrance
"Raphael and Yuri huh… Ok." Xavien stalked his prey through the gardens that had become overgrown the past month. Raphael looked around, having sensed a presence. There was a possibility he thought it to be only his nerves, but if he followed Xavien's instructions… A dagger came flying through the foliage and Xavien leapt out of the bush, his Viper Daggers in hand as Yuri closed the gap. Raphael followed closely behind him, it would be tough to win this…
Xavien ducked a wide swing from Yuri, Windsweep, if only he had a Rapier now… Raphael was next, an overhead swing with an axe into the stones resulted in Xavien being pinned between the two. No escaping now. "Xavien, just surrender, you have no ties-"
"My ties are my brothers Raphael." Xavien swapped his daggers and lunged at the large man with sleep inducing daggers, one missed as he stepped back, but the other hit it's target. The broad chest made the perfect target and Raphael fell like a sack of stones.
Next was Yuri.
Yuri was predictable… Jab, jab, sweep, and lunge to finish… Asleep. Xavien sighed as he tied the two up and went on his way to take out the rest of the wolves and deer. "Deer and wolves… Labels like predator and prey matter not when you are simply at the apex."
———
Eastern Entrance
"Three students and a teacher are coming. Felix, Bernadetta, Marianne, and Manuela."
"Strange group. I don't want to hurt Manuela…"
"I don't wish to hurt Marianne as well, but we must fight for our allies, and for ourselves if they attempt to attack us." Arti readied his bow and shot a preemptive shot at Felix, catching his Aegis shield. "Unfortunate. That would have knocked him out cold."
"Marianne doesn't know Restore?"
"Nope." Hephaestus smiled and wrapped his hand around his new relic, the one Santaniel made for him. "Watch this then." A light blue flash marked the spot of Hephaestus and the temperature rose about twenty degrees. "Be gentle."
"Of course." Hephaestus stepped down and vines spread across the ground rapidly, trapping their feet in place. "Poor kids. Never had a chance."
"You seem powerful… Fight me." Arti shot Abraxas and cracked the helmet of the Death Knight, "Now you, you will die you disgusting reaper." The light hair of Jeritza spilled from the Death Knight's helmet, a thin line of red blood dripping down. "Hephaestus, ready?" Jeritza reared back on his horse, attempting to flee. Maybe to find better ground to fight upon? It didn't matter.
"Of course." A magical explosion signaled the death of an ally of the Empire and the Agarthans. "Goodbye."
———
Center, Stairs
Byleth led his battalion up the steps and through the main door of the Monastery, eye to eye with Seteth and Flayn. "You have betrayed the Church and shall pay for your crimes Professor!" Byleth whipped his sword across the flank of Seteth's wyvern, blocked by Flayn's barrier. "Lysithea, take on Flayn."
"Yes Professor." Byleth dipped his shoulder and launched off his left foot, rolling past two armored knights and closing in on Seteth. He was at a disadvantage if Seteth had Assal, however, if he had a distraction…
There was Lysithea dropping onto Flayn with her Levin Sword. "Flayn, retreat!" Byleth ripped his sword across the wyvern's head and decapitated it, now on top of Seteth, "Gah, I'm sorry Lady Rhea, but I must retreat!" Both the green haired siblings left the Monastery for the time being and were out of the fight. "How is Edelgard fairing?"
"Her body is being worn down, it seems Santaniel is getting tired as well however."
"We should continue onwards. Hubert and the rest of the class will be bringing up the rear, and the flanks should have been taken care of by the soldiers we sent earlier."
"Uh, Professor… Santaniel's brothers are currently flanking around the back end of our strike force. If we do not hurry, Edelgard will be in serious danger and so will we. They seem to be using non lethal forces to beat us, however, they don't want to kill us."
"Good, your classmates are fine then. If we take down Rhea, we win here and now. Lysithea, do you believe you can take out Catherine with magic?"
"Yes Professor, I'm confident in my own abilities."
"Good, you should still be careful."
"Of course Professor."
———
Center
Santaniel drew deeper breaths more than he was drawing blood, he was losing momentum and hurting someone he loved was hurting him with each cut he put on her. It was simpler when there was a mask she hid behind. "Santaniel, why are you fighting with the church?"
"Rhea is the lesser of these two evils. She may be the Archbishop, but she's like me. She's not human, and that's why you hate her. It's why you hated me." Santaniel stepped forward and let magic flow into his Holy Twins, "Though, I can't say if you stopped or not."
"Stopped what?"
"Hating me." Santaniel lashed out with the Holy Twins on their chains, tearing through the dirt and into Edelgard's armor, her screams tearing the air and into his ears. He closed in and she swung hard, straight towards his right arm. She was aiming to take his arm once again, but the same tricks lost their appeal with an old crowd.
He stopped the brunt swing of the axe with his prosthetic, his eyes trained on a fabricated Crest stone… He moved his left arm to Edelgard's throat and spoke soft enough for only her to hear, "They offer power and knowledge. They offer the truth, their version of it…"
He slammed his hand through the brittle Umbral Steel, his fingers clamping the Crest Stone. "But it's all lies." He crushed the cursed object between his fingers and the glow of the false relic died. "You'll find that out after this war ends."
He pushed her to ground and restrained her, then listened to a scream rip through the air and sent a chill down his spine.
'Lys…' He got off Edelgard and looked towards the stairs, "God damn it…" He looked between the objective and where his family lay in danger… "You have luck on your side today Edelgard." He left her where she lay, alive, unlike her battalions in the strike force. But definitely not conscious. A simple but effective blunt strike to her forehead left her entirely out of it.
Santaniel took off, up the stairs.
———
Byleth's Moments Before Being Sent Off The Edge
Byleth slammed his sword into Rhea's, their edges causing melancholy notes to ring throughout the air. He heard the scream and felt his Crest manifest, his blood boiling and his teeth grit. He bore down on Rhea and slammed her sword away, the hilt following into her jaw, a sickening crack following.
He turned and ran toward Lysithea and Catherine's fight, striking at Catherine before thinking. He had to protect her.
Catherine blocked the strike with her bloodied sword, but Byleth refused to relent, closing the distance and delivering a kick to Catherine's legs. She winced and started to bleed as Byleth slid his sword across her chest. "Gah!"
"You will pay for hurting my students!" He brought down the sword and cut deep into her shoulder, but she was warped away before he finished the job. "Lysithea…" He knelt down next to Lysithea and a warm light was pressed on her bloodied side, her weak gaze looking up at Byleth. "I… Underestimated the enemy."
"You'll be ok. I promise you."
"Thank you, Professor."
"You… You have betrayed the Church and my trust!" Rhea was no longer human, but a dragon. One far larger than Santaniel had ever grown to, even in his strongest moments. Byleth gritted his teeth and looked down at Lysithea, 'Her protection is my first priority.'
Byleth took a long breath, and ran. Faster than he thought he could, and jumped over the ledge of a broken wall into the courtyard. He needed to get away from her, and find somewhere he could dodge around instead of striking blindly at a massive entity, stronger than any he'd ever faced.
'Find a clearing-' He lunged out of the way as Rhea, no, whatever that thing was fired at him with a beam of energy. "You will pay for your crimes against the Goddess, you failed experiment!"
"Experiment"?' Byleth dodged again and felt himself getting backed into a corner, he still had room to dodge though. He shot a Fire at the dragon, it's scales practically nullifying the damage. He slashed with his sword, leaving only flesh wounds, nothing too deep. He still needed to run, he had no hope of defeating her. 'I can't beat her alone.' He jumped back as she pounded the ground with her feet and the earth trembled underneath him, then gave way. He was falling.
And he wouldn't resurface for a long time.
———
All of the Black Eagle Strike Force Had Been Gathered, and Brought Before a Human Rhea After Byleth's Defeat. All of Them Remained Alive However.
Their Sentencing Would Now Be Issued By the Archbishop.
"You have committed treason against the Church, and you shall be executed for your crimes…"
'We can't let them die like this.' Santaniel echoed into his brothers' heads. 'Well, yeah, this is… Awful to say the least.'
'I'm morally grey and I agree with that. Rhea… She isn't your family Sant. She's deranged, and we have no clue what she'll do with us after this. Especially if we're forced to execute them.'
'We could warp them far away, far enough away they can run away, and enough so they can't reunite with the main forces immediately.'
'Agreed. So, Sant, are we going through with this?' Santaniel didn't know. He never has known. He couldn't look his friends in the eyes and cut their heads off with them giving zero resistance. That would be impossible for him, for anyone he felt. Should he really spare the person that tormented him for years? He certainly wouldn't help them.
Though… Eyes could never lie, he knew that. They were the window to the soul. If Edelgard had truly lied about loving him, he would have known, right? He wouldn't let that simply slip by. He wasn't so desperate for love he would let someone pull the wool over his own eyes, hell, he hadn't even known what love was at that point!
It was real… Wasn't it?
He was torn. He didn't know what to do, but… He couldn't let his friends die. Lysithea, Felix, Bernadetta, and Raphael. They didn't deserve this, and if he saved one, he would save them all. 'Warp them on my count.'
"...And now, your execution shall commence. Starting with you wicked girl." Santaniel stepped up and placed the head of his Holy Twin on Edelgard's shoulder, his eyes dead of light. He simply stared at her with his hazel eyes, the only thing in her soul was fear. '3…'
"What are you waiting for, Santaniel?! Do it!"
'2…' He could feel the tension in the air and he would cut that before he even hit Edelgard's skin. '1…'
"I'll do it myself if you pity this girl that much!"
'Now.'
———
Santaniel whipped around and a loud note rang out as he brought it down on Rhea's sword. Edelgard felt her stomach roll and heart quicken as she widened her eyes. "You traitorous child, betraying your own family-"
"You aren't my family Rhea! You never have been, and you never will be!" Talons raked at her stomach and green blood dripped down his arm as she screamed in pain, starting her transformation again. "Your lucky star is shining today. Don't waste it. Find the Professor and fight like hell, but if you ever come to my island again. I'll gut you all like fish."
With that, a flash of purple blinded them all and they were teleported to a random patch of foliage. They had been saved by four people they didn't even know if they should trust a year ago.
Now, they would be fighting for their lives against the most powerful entity in Fódlan.
———
"How long until you can get us out of here Arti?"
"Twenty minutes. Hold her off until then."
"You guys go, protect Arti from anyone that attempts to disrupt the spell and then Hephaestus you can use Rescue on me. Now go!" Santaniel flashed and took to the sky raking his talons across Rhea's back and flew towards the Monastery grounds. "You want me, don't ya?! Come and get it you senile bitch!" He was horrified by Rhea, terrified maybe. He would do anything for his family though. Even take this on.
He dove into a hole in the Church door, tucking into the Entrance Hall. He didn't have long, the doors came flying off the hinges as Rhea ripped through the dry wood. "GRAGHHH!" A beam of energy pierced the tiles in the hall as Santaniel jumped and slammed his feet into her snout, taking off again, further into the Monastery. "Come on Arti… Don't let me down brother." He let his body grow, but he didn't stand to Rhea's height. He wasn't in a safe weight class, and he was the prey here.
'Think, think, think damn it! It's all you were ever good at!' He had no time to do that unfortunately. He dipped under a swipe, striking back with fire. He waited and saw nothing, he was going to be killed if he didn't do something. Santaniel lunged onto the bridge of the Monastery and took off into the cathedral, he had an idea. Too bad it was riskier than asking Flayn out with Seteth around. He saw what happened to poor Ignatz that day.
A small smile crept upon his lips as he reached the domed room, his wings fully stretching out as he took to the ceiling. Rhea, in blind fury, rammed into the room with too much speed. Much more than Santaniel expected, she split past him and turned on him. He had no time to react, pinned in moments and teeth sunk into his shoulder. His screams echoed through the hollow building. 'I can't… Go yet… This isn't on my terms damn it!'
His body felt hot. His Crests were building in him, they were responding to his peril. He had one shot, and he needed his body to hold up. One breath, two breaths, and THREE. He pushed his strength into his arms and pushed, on his hind legs, and rocked back. He felt something snap in his leg, and he screamed again, but the prayer had been answered by the Goddess herself.
He pushed his back into and through the statue, the rubble falling on top of Rhea, no, that was not Rhea. That was the beast of legend, the Immaculate one.
It took him way too long to put that together. Embarrassingly long. He reached out with Scry and pried Hephaestus' mind, 'Res… cue… please.' His body felt lighter and he felt dirt under his skin, body shaking from the heat Hephaestus applied to him. His mortal wounds could thankfully be healed, but that leg… It would take a very long time to heal.
"We can go home now Sant. Just hold in a bit longer."
"I'm… I'm going to take a nap. Let me know when we're home."
"I will, don't worry little guy."
"Thanks Hephaestus."
"No problem."
WOO, TIME SKIP TIME BABY BOYS AND GALS AND NON BINARY PALS. I'm excited to roll out the designs of Xavien and Arti this time around. Let's look forward to the back half of this story now friends!
