This chapter takes some inspiration from a 90's classic: Record of Lodoss War. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Chapter 53 – Mysteries of the Red Canyon (Red Wolf Moon)
Dorothea let out a soft moan as her eyes fluttered. She couldn't hear anything at first, but the sound of a familiar voice began to fill her ears.
"…thea? Do… ea? H… kay…?" said the voice.
Again, Dorothea moaned in pain. Her eyes slowly opened to a blur, but as her hearing began to focus, so did her vision.
"…othea? Dorothea?!"
"Uhhn… Wh-Wha…?"
She could finally see who was speaking. It was Byleth, and the teacher's expression was of uncharacteristic worry. The Sword of the Creator was once again sheathed at her hip.
"Dorothea, are you alright?"
"Uhh… H-Huh? Professor?"
Dorothea's eyes widened as she bolted upright. At doing so, she felt her body ache in pain.
"Ah… Ow…" the singer groaned.
"Are you alright? Is anything broken?"
"N-No, I-I don't think so. B-But I feel like I just got run over by Raphael."
Dorothea then felt a soothing warmth filling her body and realized Byleth was now channeling a Heal spell into her. The pain in her body softened, though it did not disappear.
"I didn't know you could heal, Professor," said Dorothea.
"Mercedes showed me how recently," said Byleth. "Is that better?"
"Y-Yes…" Dorothea couldn't help but blush a little as she said, "That's sweet of you, Professor."
Dorothea then took a moment to look around. Wherever they were, it was dark, with only a few rays of fading sunlight shining down from above.
"Where are we?"
"We're still in Zanado. We must have fallen into the caverns below the ruins."
"Wait, what? H-How did we survive?"
"The wolf. It broke our fall."
Byleth gestured to the nearby corpse of the Dire Wolf alpha, which lay some distance away and surrounded by rubble.
"Oh… Really lucky for us, I guess," Dorothea mused aloud. "How long have I been out?"
Looking at her pocket watch, Byleth said, "At least a few hours for both of us…"
"I wonder if anybody's noticed our absence yet at the monastery."
Dorothea then looked back at Byleth and saw the Professor looking down with, to the singer's surprise, an expression of shame.
"I'm sorry, Dorothea," said Byleth. "I got us into this mess and now we're–"
"Professor, don't," Dorothea interrupted. "I wanted to help you with your search. No one could've known those wolves would come after us."
"Even so, I–"
"Besides, if I hadn't flinched back there, maybe the wolves wouldn't have attacked us."
"It's not your fault, Dorothea. Even my father would be intimidated if he had to fight an entire pack of Dire Wolves by himself."
Dorothea couldn't help but smile a little at such honesty. Then, as she looked around, she asked, "So, how are we going to get out of here? Unless we learn to sprout wings, I don't think we're going to be getting out the way we came. And I don't think the Sword of the Creator can reach that high."
Turning away as she spoke, Byleth said, "These caverns don't appear to have been formed naturally. Someone built them, or at least carved them out."
Byleth gestured to the floor, which Dorothea now saw was a set of ornate yet aged panels, not natural rock.
Following Byleth's words, Dorothea said, "So, if someone built this cavern, there has to be a way out of it."
"Exactly."
The two looked around, but the faint rays of sunlight weren't enough for them to see into the darkness.
"Give me a second," Dorothea said as she readied a spell. Then, with a brief "Lumis…", she produced a small ball of light to float above her right palm. It wasn't much, but it was enough to illuminate the shadows.
The two saw a series of hollowed out passages along one of the walls. Indeed, the chamber was not a natural cave.
"Oh, great…" Dorothea whined. "Which one do we take?"
For a moment, Byleth pondered how to handle the question. Then, she put her index finger to her lips, licked it, and held it up as she walked over to the passages.
"Professor?" Dorothea asked.
"Shh… I'm trying to feel for the wind."
Byleth walked before two of the passageways before she felt a cool sensation on her index finger.
"This way," she gestured, and so the two ventured down the passageway.
The two remained silent as they walked, both so Byleth could listen for any trouble and because there wasn't really anything to talk about. Occasionally they'd reach a junction and, again, Byleth would feel for the wind to try and figure a way out. With no other means of navigation, it was all they could rely on. However, to ensure they wouldn't get lost, Byleth would occasionally cut at the walls with the Sword of the Creator, leaving markings in case they went in circles.
After a good half-hour of walking, the two entered a large dome-like chamber. No natural light was shining into the room, but from the echoes of their footsteps they knew it had to be a large enclosure.
"Let me give us some more light," said Dorothea, channeling more Mana into the light that still floated over her hand.
The floating ball expanded, and soon the whole chamber was flooded with light. It was far brighter than Dorothea had intended, but the cause was soon evident.
As their eyes adjusted to the light, Byleth and Dorothea saw an enormous mural spanning the ceiling of the chamber they stood in. The pictures in it depicted a civilization unlike any they had ever known, portrayed by dark colors and performing numerous violent acts, in conflict with an army of giant animals of many species. The animals were led by a massive winged beast of emerald and ivory, which appeared to be unleashing the ocean itself upon the armies of the dark civilization. The mural continued to show the civilization's demise and the great winged beast breathing life into the ruined landscape. Despite the age of the room, the mural had withstood the test of time, only marred by cobwebs and dust rather than erosion.
"Whoa… What is all this?" asked Dorothea.
"Whatever it is, it's ancient," said Byleth. "I don't think anyone in Fódlan's ever seen this before."
"Or at least no one who's still alive today."
Byleth nodded at this, listening both to Dorothea and Sothis as the green girl chimed in.
"It truly is an impressive display," said Sothis. "I feel as though it is familiar to me, but…" Then, with a loud pout, she added, "Oh, confound it all! I just cannot remember! I feel as though I should know what it means, but again my memory fails me!" Then, calming down, Sothis said, "But it will do no good for me to fuss over it. After all, it is because of my need to remember that we are in our present dilemma."
"Who do you suppose those people were?" Dorothea asked, gesturing to the civilization. "Do you think they were the ones who lived here?"
"I don't think so," Byleth answered. "It shows the animals wiping them out. If they were indeed annihilated, they wouldn't have lived to make this mural."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Then, Dorothea's eyes widened as she looked at the winged beast and said, "Hey, Professor, look. In the middle of its head. Isn't that…"
Byleth looked at the winged beast's head and, to her surprise, she saw the Crest of Flames adorning its forehead.
"Isn't that the Crest of Flames?" asked Dorothea.
"Yeah… But I thought that Crest was given to Nemesis by the Goddess."
"The King of Liberation?"
"Yes. Rhea told me Nemesis was destroyed by Seiros after he became corrupted."
"But… why does that winged beast have it, then?"
Byleth was silent, not knowing the answer.
"The girl raises a very interesting point," said Sothis. "If Nemesis were indeed the first to bear the Crest of Flames, why does that creature bear it as well?"
"Hey, look, that one up there," Dorothea said as she pointed again. "Isn't that the Crest of Indech?"
Byleth looked to see Dorothea pointing at what looked to be a giant black tortoise, and indeed the Crest of Indech was on its forehead. They looked and saw each of the animals had a Crest on its head, but some of them did not match any known Crests in Fódlan. Some, however, were clearly recognizable, being Crests born by the Ten Heroes.
"What does this mean?" Sothis mused. "I wonder…"
A loud impact echoed from one of the passages and caused trails of dust to leak from the ceiling, breaking the three out of their trains of thought.
"What was that?" Dorothea asked, her floating light dimming as she was startled.
Byleth rested her hand on the pommel of the Sword of the Creator as she stepped in front of Dorothea, listening for any noise from the far passage. Another tremorous thud echoed through the darkness and again the ceiling shook.
"I do not think it wise to investigate that sound," said Sothis.
At the same time, Dorothea said, "Whatever's making that sound, I don't wanna know what it is."
Byleth did not answer either of them as slowly she made her way toward the far passage.
"P-Professor, what are you – wait up!"
Dorothea scampered after Byleth as the teacher cautiously made her way forward and began climbing a set of stairs in the far passage. As they made their way up, the air started to become stuffy and a foul stench filled their noses. They reached the top of the stairs and ventured a short distance down another passage to find another large chamber. Across on the opposite side, the two could see another passage, this one rather large and with light coming down from above.
Dorothea's face lit up with hope. It was a way out.
And then, seconds later, her hope was replaced by dread as a loud crunching footstep landed to their right.
Byleth quickly made a gesture for Dorothea to put out her light. As Dorothea put out the ball of light, Byleth then inched forward to the corner of their current passage so she could look around it.
Her eyes narrowed as she saw a grey-scaled Demonic Beast moving forward slowly on all fours. Its scales were not as dark as Miklan's had been when he had turned into a Black Beast, but this Demonic Beast still dwarfed the two women, easily as big as a house. From its many fangs, a violet mist ebbed from its mouth as it exhaled. Its nose made several sharp intakes of breath, smelling for something.
Byleth grimaced as the beast smelled more rapidly; it had caught their scent.
Having looked around the corner as well, Dorothea made a fearful gasp, prompting Byleth to push her back with a 'SHHH!'
Unfortunately, the Demonic Beast had heard them ever so faintly. It turned its head, growling as it tried to figure out where the noise had come from. It sniffed again, still catching the scent of prey nearby. Slowly it moved forward, following its sense of smell.
"That beast will surely discover us soon!" said Sothis, her voice thankfully unheard by the Demonic Beast. "And even with your blade, not even you could take a Demonic Beast on alone."
Turning back to Dorothea, Byleth whispered, "I'm going to get its attention. Once I do, run for the exit. I'll be right behind you."
Concerned, Dorothea said, "Professor! Don't be – ah…!"
Dorothea held a hand to her mouth as she realized just how loud she had been.
The Demonic Beast snarled and then roared, having discerned their location.
Byleth made her move, rushing out as she drew the Sword of the Creator. She didn't intend to kill the beast, but if she could buy Dorothea enough time to reach the exit, perhaps they could get away from it.
The beast rushed toward her, swinging one of its claws at Byleth as she dodged the blow. She slashed at its wrist, her blade leaving a bleeding cut through its scales. The beast snarled as it tried to swat her but again Byleth avoided the strike. The Demonic Beast made several more attempts to squash or slash Byleth, but she dodged each strike and countered with a shallow cut to its arms.
For an instant, Byleth turned back to see where Dorothea was. To her dismay, the girl hadn't run for the exit yet.
"Go! I'll be right be–"
"LOOK OUT!" Dorothea screamed.
Byleth spun back toward the Demonic Beast as it lunged its jaws forward with a speed it had not previously shown. Byleth tried to raise her blade to slash at its mouth, but she was too late.
Byleth let out a scream of agony as the Demonic Beast's fangs sank into her torso.
"PROFESSOR!"
As pain wracked Byleth's body, the Demonic Beast was about to lift her from the ground when time went still.
"You fool!" Sothis shouted. "Do not let yourself be distracted at a time like this!"
The Demonic Beast's fangs removed themselves from Byleth's body as its head lurched back. Byleth was now looking back at Dorothea just before she had screamed her warning.
Time resumed to the sound of Dorothea's scream.
"LOOK OUT!"
Byleth spun back around to see the Demonic Beast's head lunging for her once again. Knowing she wouldn't be able to stop the attack, Byleth jumped back to dodge it. But even then, she wasn't quite quick enough. The fangs of the Demonic Beast barely missed tearing into her flesh, but the beast's snout still slammed into Byleth's body, sending her flying back with a howl of pain. As she hit the wall behind her, the phantom pain from the beast's fangs tearing into her flesh wracked her body, and Byleth let out a horrible scream before she fell forward to the ground.
"PROFESSOR!" Dorothea screamed as she rushed toward her.
Byleth let out a painful gasp as she tried to push herself up, but her body was in such agony that she could barely move. The pain from both injuries had hit her simultaneously, overwhelming her senses. She didn't know how she hadn't lost consciousness.
She then looked up and, to her dread, saw Dorothea rushing to her, trying to ready a healing spell. Behind her, the Demonic Beast's mouth was beginning to emit a cloud of purple vapors.
"Professor, hang on!" Dorothea said fearfully. "I'll heal you!"
"N-No, d-don't!" Byleth wheezed. "R-Run… RUN…!"
The growling of the Demonic Beast caught Dorothea's attention, and the singer turned to see it raising its head, about to unleash a breath attack.
"D-Dorothea…!"
The Demonic Beast roared as it released its breath, sending a thick cloud of toxic gasses toward the pair.
I'm being such a jerk with these cliffhangers, aren't I?
The mural scene was largely inspired by the first episode of the 90's Lodoss anime, when Parn and Deedlit come across the mural showing the war between the gods. I have to wonder if I revealed too much to Byleth too early with this.
And yes, the phantom pain effect strikes again. Byleth has to stop being so careless. But seriously, imagine being chewed on by something around the size of a house with teeth as big as your arm. OUCH. Now imagine feeling that at the same instant as being thrown HARD into a brick wall. DOUBLE OUCH.