Chapter 8: Dark and Stormy Icebox Cake

Ingredients: 12 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 4 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp dark rum, 2-3 tbsp lime zest, 2-3 tbsp lime juice, 56 g gingersnaps

Recipe: Whisk cream for 2-3 minutes, then add sugar and vanilla and mix another 3 minutes. Transfer half the cream to a small bowl and add rum and whisk 30 seconds. Gently mix lime juice and zest to remaining cream. Spread a layer of rum cream on bottom of pan, then cover as much of this layer as possible with gingersnaps. There should be a solid layer of cookies at this point (make sure all pieces are touching). Next add a layer of lime whipped cream and cover with another layer of snaps. Continue layering by alternating rum and lime cream (~1 cup per layer) until both mixes are used up. Refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight, then invert and serve. Additional lime zest can be sprinkled on the surface for taste.

Lysithea steeled herself. They were outside the chapel, and could hear rumbling as something approached. She readied her tome as...four students came out?

"Help," they screamed, running behind the contingent. "They're going to be here soon," they panted ominously.

"Get out of here and back to the monastery," Jeralt commanded them, and they were all too happy to oblige. "Kid, ready your students." Byleth nodded and the Black Eagles drew their weapons.

The ground began shaking and the first of the creatures broke through. It was a grotesque, quadruped creature, skin black with dark grey scales and bony spikes protruding along its spine. It reared up onto its hind legs and opened its long, fanged mouth, unleashing an earsplitting roar before dropping back down. Its glowing red eyes scanned the outside of the chapel, singling out a student who had failed to get away, chasing after it with another howl.

Lysithea covered her ears and flinched.

That's a Demonic Beast? How do we even fight that thing? It's the size of a dorm room! You could probably stab it and it won't feel a thing!

"Ferdinand! Lead the charge; Linhardt, Bernadetta, Caspar, Petra, follow him. Fight together; we don't know how strong that thing is."

"Hang on, Professor, I'll go with them as well. They can always use a second healer, right?"

"Of course, Dorothea. Keep everyone safe." The six dashed off in the hopes of making it to the student in time.

"Everyone else...we're going in-"

Another howl emanated from the chapel, followed by a shriek. More footsteps were running towards them quickly, and a familiar girl with short red hair sprinted out, hiding behind Edelgard.

"Edel! Help! There's a crazy beast chasing me!" Lysithea recognized Monica and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Another of the beasts soon followed her out. Jeralt, Byleth, Lysithea, Edelgard, and Hubert drew their weapons, ready to fight. Monica hid behind a bush and watched on intently.

"That beast...is that a stone on its forehead?" Jeralt pointed, and Lysithea gasped. The stone...looked like it had the markings of a House on it. She wasn't quite sure which, but she was sure it originated from one of Fodlan's many Houses.

"Whatever, it's attacking," Monica shrieked from the bush. Sure enough, the beast was dashing towards them, fangs bared. They jumped to the side, Edelgard slashing with her axe and managing to land a blow. Byleth tried to wrap his blade around the mouth to hold it shut, but the beast was too quick and was able to escape. Jeralt landed a strike as well, and Lysithea and Hubert stood back, firing dark magic.

The beast either wasn't taking damage, or wasn't feeling it; it simply reared back and lunged again, snapping at Edelgard this time, who was able to dodge once again. With its size, it wasn't quick on its feet; it became a pattern of dodging and counterattacking, which suited Lysithea just fine. Though it was a straightforward battle, she knew better than to grow complacent. Though the beast was slow, one strike was all it would need to kill. They continued dancing around its blows, and finally, the beast began to waver from their cumulative strikes. It staggered backwards, dazed after Jeralt landed a glancing blow to the stone on its head.

"Now! Everyone, move in for the kill!" Jeralt and Byleth led with their weapons, and they all struck at the beast in sync. A final howl gurgled in its throat before a purple glow encircled it. The creature seemed to shrink before the light slowly faded, revealing…

"A student?" Byleth quickly knelt down and checked for a pulse. He slammed a fist into the ground. "How...how can this be?" Byleth looked up, his eyes searching. Lysithea held a hand to her mouth in shock. Edelgard looked away, shaking her head, while Hubert's attention was further down the walkway, where Ferdinand's group was returning, another student's corpse in his hands.

"Ferdinand! Was that student the Demonic Beast?"

"Y-yes, Professor Jeralt. I...we had no idea...I'm sorry." The normally cheery Ferdinand wiped tears, blood and grime off his face. "If...maybe we could have…"

"There's no way you could have known, kid. You did what you had to. Were you able to save the student being chased?" Caspar nodded, and the student in question stepped forward from behind him.

"Thank you all," he said, his voice shaking."I-I'll find a way to repay you, I promise."

"There's no need for that. Run along, now, and stay away from any sketchy happenings, you hear me?" The poor student nodded and ran back towards the monastery.

Lysithea sighed and sat on the floor with the rest of the students, beginning to relax after another battle.

Monica stepped out from the bush as well, now a wide smile on her face.

"Thanks for all your help, sir!" She sidled up to Jeralt, and he nodded. His eyes followed her as she continued to prance around him.

"Something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," Jeralt shrugged and turned away.

Lysithea gasped. In the blink of an eye, Monica had drawn a dagger from her robes and leapt towards Jeralt's unprotected back. She fumbled for her tome and scrabbled to stand up as Edelgard and Hubert did the same, causing them all to trip over each other in their rush.

No...we're going to be too late! No one else is paying attention...

"NO!" She heard Byleth yell. He whipped his sword towards Monica, but a figure teleported in and blocked the whiplike blade. Lysithea closed her eyes as the sickening sound of cold steel slicing through flesh pierced her ears. Jeralt fell to the ground, the same dagger Monica had drawn embedded deep in his back. Monica's face had taken on a crazed look, and she licked her lips and cackled madly as an audible gasp escaped from the Black Eagles as a collective.

"Stupid old man. How dare you get in the way of my brilliant plan...you dog." She kicked Jeralt with a look of disdain.

Byleth was already at Jeralt's side. Lysithea's vision swam with tears as she stood guard, tome at the ready and aimed at Monica but one eye trained on Byleth. He held his father's body in his arms, the life slowly oozing out with the blood from his back. He mumbled something before reaching up to Byleth's face and stroking his eyes, then stuffing a small parcel into Byleth's hand. His voice gathered enough strength that she could hear it again, and she felt more tears spring unbidden at his words.

"To think...the first time I saw you cry, your tears would be for me," he said. "It's sad, yet...I'm happy for it. Thanks...kid." His hands dropped to his sides, limp and unfeeling. Byleth stood up, staring at Monica, who was now cackling madly at him, and the newcomer. Lysithea's eyes narrowed as Byleth spoke his name.

"Solon. Monica." He drew his blade, his face swimming with grief and unbridled fury that Lysithea had never seen before. "I will kill you both here today."

Solon grinned evilly as mages began teleporting in, forcing the Black Eagles to retreat. Byleth carried Jeralt's body gently and placed it aside.

"Students. No tactics today. These ruins don't have much terrain; it's kill or be killed. We've fought these mages before; expect dark magic. And show no mercy." Without waiting for confirmation, he dashed forward, blade at the ready and slashing through two mages, the students quickly following suit.

Lysithea dueled two mages, dodging or deflecting their bolts when necessary and firing back with hers.

"Miasma!" She allowed herself a thin smile as one of them grunted and collapsed to the floor, one that was quickly wiped away as she felt a dull blow to her own stomach. Reeling, she scrabbled on the floor to get back on her feet.

"Nosferatu!" A white light ensconced the mage and he howled in agony. At the same time, Lysithea felt her wind come back to her, and she finished off the mage with another Miasma.

Two down, lots more to go.

"Dorothea! Look out!" She shot a bolt at a mage who was about to fire at the opera singer, who nodded her thanks and returned her focus to healing Caspar.

Poor Caspar and Ferdinand; magic tears right through their defenses. She scanned the battlefield, looking for Byleth and firing off spells here and there to help her friends. She saw Ferdinand arch off his horse as he took a Miasma to the face and dashed to his side.

"Ferdinand! Hang on, let me heal you." She flipped her tome to another glyph and muttered, "Heal". A light green glow pulsed from her hand, healing his wounds. He struggled back to his feet and mounted his horse.

"Thanks, Lysithea." She nodded and examined the battlefield again. The mages had slowed to a trickle, and Byleth was advancing on Monica and Solon, Edelgard next to him. She made easy work of the two between them and hurried to catch up to him.

"Let me help you avenge your father." Byleth did not respond, his eyes, still fresh with tears, staring straight ahead at Monica.

"Ohh, I'm so scared," she cackled. "You look so scary! Ha! But I can be scary too, you know?"

She snarled and began taking off the student's uniform, revealing a black bodysuit with a diamond cutout running from her chest to her abdomen. She tore off her red wig, revealing short, dirty orange hair underneath, and her eyes pulsed and her skin faded to a pale grey color. Three tails, each with serrated edges and a pointed tip, emerged from her back, snaking out in front of her and dancing in the air.

She licked her fingers.

"This is what I truly look like, vermin! Now...come at me! I'll kill you with my own hands," she said, sticking out her tongue. Her eyes focused on Edelgard.

"Huh? What are you-"

Edelgard drew her axe.

"Prepare for death while you still can." With a yell, she dashed forwards, axe raised for a blow. Kronya sidestepped and lashed out with her tails, nearly catching Edelgard across the chest, but the girl was able to roll under the blow. Byleth followed, slashing at Kronya's tails with his blade. She quickly drew them back to her with a hiss, directing them back out at Byleth and Edelgard. Byleth was able to extend his blade, blocking two of the tails, while the third wrapped around Edelgard's axe handle. The girl shrieked as the serrated edges cut into her hands, letting go of the axe and falling backwards. Lysithea hurriedly began healing her bloodied hands, but Edelgard shook her head.

"Heal me later, help the Professor now!" Lysithea turned back to face the duel raging behind her. Kronya used her tails to keep Byleth out of range, and he was forced to parry furiously, looking for an opening to fight back. Lysithea fired off bolts of magic, but Kronya would simply flick it away with one of her tails while the other two continued their assault on Byleth. Lysithea's eyes widened as one sped towards her after slapping away a spell.

I guess Kronya's had enough of me.

She leapt aside, but not quite fast enough; she yelled out in pain as the razor sharp edges sliced her thigh.

Byleth's attention turned towards her for a split second, and Kronya took advantage of the distraction to direct another tail towards Byleth's back. He somehow brought his sword up in time, blocking the strike but losing his footing due to the poor timing. Another tail moved with lightning speed up to his neck stopping just for Kronya to gloat.

"Aww, see how nice I am, you're going to see your father already!"

Goddess...please help me with this spell.

"Seraphim!" Lysithea yelled, ignoring the throbbing pain in her bloodied thigh. She felt a crackling of power in her arm and directed it towards Kronya.

It's...it's working!

An orb of yellow, pulsating power shot from her outstretched hand and latched onto Kronya, knocking her backwards with a screech. It expanded and encircled her, tendrils of light shooting into her body and lancing it over and over. Her tails thrashed around her, slashing at air as she convulsed in pain. When it finally receded, Kronya lay on the floor, panting, smoke rising from her.

"What….what was that…", Kronya gasped, floored from the damage. Byleth was now above her, sword raised for the kill. "Aiee! No!" She stumbled back towards Solon, who had been watching the proceedings from the very corner of the ruins. Byleth simply followed, an inexorable force. Lysithea wanted to follow, but she couldn't put any weight on her bad side.

That's going to sting for a while.

"Well, Kronya." Solon stood over her.

"Solon! Don't just stand there!" Kronya cowered behind him and pointed at Byleth. "I need your help!"

"Yes, you certainly do." Lysithea tensed herself for what was to come. She heard footsteps behind them and was relieved as the rest of the Black Eagles joined, weapons at the ready to protect Byleth. They formed a vanguard behind him, leaving him alone at the corner of the ruins with Kronya and Solon.

Solon walked up to Kronya and reached a hand over her chest. He paused slightly before plunging his hand into her chest and holding her up.

No...is this some sort of ritual? It almost looks like when they were…

"S-Solon….stop this!" Kronya screamed, struggling haplessly in the air.

"Have no fear, my dear. Your sacrifice will do what you could not: kill these vermin." Solon's arm erupted in dark flames which quickly advanced to surround Kronya.

"Professor! You need to get out-" Before Lysithea could finish, a bloodcurdling scream interrupted her. Kronya slumped over in Solon's arm, and he tossed her in front of Byleth.

"Begone with you...Fell Star."

Purple flames sprang up, forming a ring around Byleth and isolating him from the students. The flames grew taller and taller, forming a dome around him.

"Professor!" The students yelled, but there was no response. Suddenly, the flame began to fade, and as it died down, everyone gasped.

"He's...he's gone?" Lysithea limped forward, running her hands over where Byleth had been. "No…" Edelgard stood next to her.

"That could only have been magic! Where is our Professor?" She pointed her axe at Solon.

Solon laughed mirthlessly.

"The Forbidden Spell of Zahras...forbidden because it requires a human sacrifice. An eternity wandering the void, pure nothingness…"

"No! I don't believe anything you say! He's still alive!" Lysithea pounded the floor as Edelgard wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to her feet.

"You're lying, dammit!" Caspar yelled out. Ferdinand clapped him on the shoulder.

"That's right. Our professor is no ordinary human." A murmur of assent ran through the group, a rarity for Ferdinand. Edelgard stepped forward, to where Byleth usually stood at the head of the group. Lysithea staggered a bit before Linhardt and Dorothea supported her.

"You boast of a victory...but if you did resort to such tricks to stop the Professor, you will regret it."

Solon laughed madly and drew his staff.

"If you are so sure he is alive, perhaps I should send you to find out." He slammed his staff into the ground, generating a shockwave that knocked all the students back. Groaning, Lysithea rolled over, trying to push herself up. Her thigh screamed in protest, and she could only feebly sit herself up.

"Ha! I only showed but a fraction of my power when we last met. This time...I will not-huh?"

A golden light suddenly pierced through the dark sky, shooting towards them.

"What...it's coming towards us!" Bernadetta pointed. Indeed it was, getting larger by the second, until it landed between Solon and the Black Eagles. As the light faded, Lysithea could see the silhouette of a person. But not just any person.

"P-Professor?" But something was...different.

His hair, she thought. It's...pastel green now?

He looked back and nodded at the students before turning his attention to Solon, who cowered in fear. He fired dark magic at Byleth, who merely cut through the attacks until he was in range. Without any hesitation, he plunged his blade into Solon's heart, pushing him backwards against the shrubbery until he met a wall. Byleth drew his sword out and wiped it on the shrubs as Solon fell to the floor, dead. Without looking back, Byleth moved to where he had stashed his father's body. The students watched him, heads bowed and hands clasped.

The evening moonlight shimmered off the teardrops on his face, which became a stream, which became a coursing river, emptying into puddles on the ground. His body shook and roiled with sobs, screaming his grief in unintelligible, primitive sounds to the gods above. They responded with tears of their own, the black sky opening into a torrential downpour mixing with blood and tears already soaking into the granite floor. The students slowly filed back to the monastery. Lysithea felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Lysithea. He needs some space. And you need to get your leg attended to." Lysithea nodded, looking back over her shoulder as Edelgard led the students away. She would never forget the image of Byleth, knelt in the rain, cradling his father's body, his futile pleas to the skies reverberating throughout the ruins. She closed her eyes, remembering Monica draw her dagger.

If only I'd reacted faster...

So action has started up again; I decided to combine the chapters with the demonic beast fight and Monica/Kronya, I thought it flowed better this way. It seemed like a superfluous chapter to dedicate to this completely in the games, as well; don't worry, I'll spend more time elaborating on his change of hair color later on. I also thought this would give him a chance to avenge his father right away instead of moping in the monastery for a month like he did in the game.

Dark'n'stormy is a drink that my friends like to get every once in a while, and I thought it was an apt name for this chapter, seeing as how the atmosphere has really changed. Things are starting to happen, so stay tuned!

2lazy2login: woops, it happens! thanks for catching that, I fixed it :)

As always, please R&R, and enjoy!

-elementaryprincess