Author's Note: Last we left off, something ominous made itself known, no doubt trying to interfere with the Great Plan that involves Byleth, it seems. Whatever it may be, it's gonna be one hell of a first impression for his appearance. But that voice at the end of the last chapter though... hmmm. Probably some obscure god that hasn't fully showed himself yet. I mean, how could the skaven possib-... ... ... ... Of course they would discover Fodlan through means of the Warp; it's essentially the twisted mirror of the physical universe! ... ... ... ... Okay then, hope we got ourselves a Prophet of Sotek so he can tell his god that vermin's back on the menu. (Just so you know, Tehenhauin won't be in the story. But don't worry, someone else would represent him in some other way, perhaps something in a way that would suprise even you.)
Wait, how about we have Ar'racx-Tuteql read the disclaimer for us today to begin the chapter! Take it away, my prehistoric friend.
Ar'racx: Thank you, Revered Author, Warhammer belongs to Games Workshop and Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems while everything else belongs to their respective creators and franchises. All original characters such as this servant of the Great Plan are created by our Lord Tartarus.
Enjoy the newest chapter, warmbloods, and witness one of the Children of the Old Ones go into action!
Chapter 3
The Demonstration of Adamantine Savagery
Field of the House Mock Battle
The day of the House Mock Battle is here.
Ever since his unexpected employment into the Officer's Academy, courtesy of Alois recommending him to the Archbishop, Byleth was quick to adapt to the situation. However, when it was time to choose between the Three Houses, he chose the Blue Lions House, lead by Prince Dimitri, as Byleth felt something that was stirred within him that they've somehow met once before. Soon, he unexpectedly begun to make quick friends with his new students despite being only just introduced to them during his first day in Garreg Mach and has been training them every day leading up to the Mock Battle, seeing what are their strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome said weaknesses by working as a team. Sure, they were a few...hiccups and problems that had to be dealt with- cough cough Felix and Sylvain cough cough- but these became more managable as Byleth fitted more into his new role as their Professor.
Byleth reflected his thoughts back on that past week leading up to the Mock Battle, wondering if the training he had given to them is more than enough to ensure their victory. He already talked to Dimitri about their battle plan about how to proceed with the upcoming battle, with their team consisting of Dimitri, Dedue, Ashe, Mercedes, and Byleth himself. The Blue Lions team was situated in the south of the battlefield whilst the Golden Deer lurk within the forest to the west and the Black Eagles having the advantage of having an acutal fortification area they could retreat to at their east. Plus, both of their respective House Leaders tried to barge in on their conversation earlier trying to scope out any details that we would've accidentally spoke too loud about. Luckily, the timely arrival of fellow Professors Manuela and Hanneman to dicuss about the faculty meeting shook them off as Byleth's presence was required.
Which leads them to now as the Blue Lions are currently facing off against what remains of the Black Eagles, consisting of just Ferdinand and Edelgard as the other three, including Manuela, were taken out of the fight as they were finishing off the already weakened Golden Deer who were attacked on both flanks almost at the beginning of the Mock Battle from the start which saw them being eliminated from the field very quickly. Granted, The Blue Lions themselves were also on their last legs as Ashe and Mercedes were taken out by Lorenz and Hubert before both said students were eliminated via a surprise attack from Dedue before he was also taken by Edelgard herself.
However, fate had other, more insidious paths in mind. Paths that if not immediately averted could lead the world to utter disaster.
-"Dimitri...It's time! Now we can finally settle the question of which of us is stronger."
-"Very well then. I accept your challenge to battle, Edelgard! Know that with you as my opposition, I shall not hold my strength back against you."
-"Hmph... I expect nothing less than so as well, Dimitri!"
As the two of them begin to come into close quarters against one another, an explosion of earth bursts forth between them, prompting them to stop dead in their tracks or else be caught in the blast radius as the dust soon settles. Everyone soon puts their gaze upon the large gaping hole that now adorns the landscape as swirling green energies twirl with green cracks of electricity going into multiple directions. At first, all are utterly confused and surprised by this new development that had occurred, but all of a sudden, in the span of a few moments, thousands upon thousands of rats with glowing red eyes burst forth from the now-to-be portal as a few dozen or so humanoid vermin, numbering almost towards a 100, with either crude armor or rags that barely cover their malnourished bodies scuttered forwards with rusty blades and spears that look they could snap with the faintest of blows.
The Knights of Seiros, alongside Jeralt, immediately charged down the hillside into the horde as those that remain had come together to form up a tight group as they make their way towards safety. As they're approaching a 'safe' area, a flash of green lightning cracks amidst the group, blinding most in the general vicinity. When they opened their eyes, they see all is present... Except for Byleth. Dimitri goes into a panic, looking around the now blood-soaked battlefield for his teacher.
-"Professor?! Professor, where are you!"
Ar'racx had seen the explosion and knew at that moment that a Gnawhole had been created, the only beings capable of passing through them safely and easily are the vile and disgusting Skaven that his kind had come to utterly despise very, very, very much... Especially, those of Clan Pestilens. It had been a very long time indeed since he had eviscerated the vermin whether it be a weapon, or with his bare hands, tail, feet, and maw.
The Oldblood picked up the pace as he burst forth with reasonable speeds towards the sounds of battle, eager to sate his undying hatred and bloodlust against the ever-growing numbers of enemies the Children of the Old Ones have made over their long journeying. He then sensed something that immediately sent signals into his brain, forcing the Saurus Ancient into a complete stop as his eyes widen, with his head turning towards his right before Ar'racx's mouth begins to snarl savagely in pure contempt and disdain, because he knows exactly who it is that infuriates him to such levels.
Changing his direction, Ar'racx goes to the ground and takes a stance as if he's an predatory beast of the ancient jungles, readying himself to lunge forwards towards his new target. With the force of power befitting his age and prowess, explodes into a blur of speed as the Oldblood barrels towards his new direction as dirt and debris gets picked up for his every footstep as he then realizes that his ward, the vessel of the Progenitor God may be in danger, compels even more so.
-"I only hope that the Progenitor God's vessel remains unharmed, and that my enemies know of my wrath!"
Byleth lies prone on the ground in pain as he was soon, and rather rudely, picked up by an unknown intruder that had interrupted the mock battle just as Dimitri and Edelgard were about to fight each other. He remembered that some weird glass orb exploded with some green electricity point-blank, blinding his senses for a couple of minutes, just enough for him to be seemingly misplaced from everyone else. When he regained consciousness, he looked around his surroundings, realizing that he was just a few miles away from the open field of the Mock Battle. As he tried to steady himself up before trying to go back, he felt something go through his right shoulder. He quickly turned his head to see some sort of weird glowing blade go through his right shoulder, blood flowing out of the wound like a rushing fountain, as he was then promptly put down with a fierce hammer-fisted backhand which saw him being laid out on the ground. He then looked up towards a strange figure as he hears the stranger speak in its vile tongue.
-"So, you're the stupid-pathetic manling that my master wanted as his-his pet-slave, yes-yes? Perhaps I can run a few-many experiment-tests on you-you to analyze this great-big power you possess from-from within, or maybe have that Morskittus Ironreaver from Clan Skryre modify-turn you into a proper pet for my god-master, hmmmm. So many-many choices yet so few-little opportunities." Rambled the stranger, arrogant and exceedingly prideful as it soon throws him into a rusted iron cage.
Byleth then groans after he tries to force himself to get up only to put his hand over the stab wound and drop to his knees. Byleth then feels something breath on him and stares up to finally get a good look at the intruder.
The intruder's face looks as if a giant humanoid rat grew mutiple sets of horns on its head, skulls and bells hanging from various places, with half of its face exposing parts of the skull where flesh was presumedly torn off. A single circular piece of a green rock was embedded in the middle of its forehead, whose red eye glares at him triumphantly, as if it won the lottery for being the greatest there ever was as it flicks its head upward, with the long braids on each of its head, adorned with a skull on each one, dangling up and down with a dramatic flair befitting of its status. The creature wore almost nothing except for a armored loincloth along with bits of armor covering its forearms, legs, and neck, and from the rear twitch two tails that each have a bladed tip, along with being bedecked with a few spiked bronze tail-rings.
-"Your lackie-minions won't help you, man-thing. As of this moment, they're probably being overrun-killed by the lesser harbingers of the superior race that is the magnificently competent Skaven, yes-yes!" Said the arrogant rat-creature, whose words reek of its vile superiority over its new captured prisoner.
While he hasn't bonded with his students for long, Byleth finds himself being genuinely concerned for them, mysteriously as it is, thinking that maybe because he is their professor that's supposed to train and protect them. Byleth then gives his usual emotionless glare at the creature with whatever will he had left and retorts back to the monster.
-"I don't know who you are or what you are, but don't doubt my students out of this yet. Even now, my father is there aiding them at this moment and are going to stop you."
-"hehehehehehehehe... hahahahahaahhaahahaahaaa... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! Oh -huh- oh you think you're funny, do you man-ling? Maybe you'd mildly amuse me-me and my master as some sort of jester-clown, with all of those little tricksy-tricks, or even better yet, you-you should learn to... SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND KNOW YOUR PLACE, MAN-BOY!"
Yelled the giant rat-daemon as it proceeded to unleash greenish-black lightning from its fingertips, resulting in Byleth screaming his lungs out as he's relentlessly shocked over and over again, each time hurting far worse than before to the point where the pain almost became too much as his voice begun to fail him. When the shockings finally stopped, he took deep labored breaths as he felt the last remnants of the electricity course through his body, making him spasm in place as he begins to puke blood and bile.
-"Gggrrrrrrrrr. I must admit that you might have a silvery voice-tongue on you-you indeed, human-meat. But as much-much as i hate-hate it, you still have a part-phase to play within my master-god's grand-scheme-plans, yes-yes. But that doesn't mean i wouldn't enjoy pain-torturing you-you, Yes-Yes!"
Byleth looked at the creature as it took him out of the cage and had a large diseased sickle in the other hand, intending to put through more torture. Byleth could only muster enough strength in his hoarse voice to speak out.
-"...W-What in Fodlan are you?"
The creature bore a twisted face-splitting smile as he proudly and arrogantly reveals himself to his prisoner.
-"What I am, puny-dumb man-thing, is the Best-Greatest of all other Verminlords. I am the the Thirteen Headed Rat King, He who shall Herald the Coming of the Great Horned One, He who shall stands at His side as this world becomes the rightful nest-lair of the almighty Skaven race. I... Am Skreech Verminking, and you shall become my latest opportunity to show-prove myself as his most prized-valued equal."
The Verminlord then proceeded to cackle like the mad daemon-rat until he was hit a beam of energy that forced him to drop Byleth as he's pushed hundreds of feets away from the position he once stood. Skreech then recovered and looked around, furious that something dared to interrupt his most exquisite of monologue. Byleth was also looking around as well, trying to look for the one that released him from the vile hell rat's grasp. He then quickly looked back to Verminking as he bellowed angrily.
-"WHO DARES TO INTERRUPT ME? I DEMAND THAT YOU REVEAL-SHOW YOUR STUPID-DUMB FACE IMMEDIATELY SO I CAN PULERIZE YOU INTO TINY-SMALL BIT-PIECES TO FEED TO THE WARP!"
As Skreech continued to scream and yell incoherently, Byleth noticed something, or rather someone, behind the Verminlord. Skreech continued his child-like tantrum until he felt something touch his shoulder, so he turned around to face whoever it may be, to lash out at the one who had he thought possibly hit him... only for it to grab onto his face and hurl him skywards as it leap up, catching up to him and slammed the Verminlord into the ground.
-"Ni atreto, piki of inu roedor teotl. Kaua inin tlan ipan sepa, anoso muk'yaj olvido ik no mauan Skreech Verminking." Commanded the newly arrived Ar'racx-Tuteql, ready to face off against the Greatest of the Verminlords.
As soon as Skreech saw the Oldblood standing in front of his target, something inside him snapped as he charged forward, kicking dirt up with each long stride. Summoning both his Warpglaive and Plaguereaper as he swings the glaive towards Ar'racx in a wide arc as the Oldblood simply raises his left arm to block the swing while moving to the side as the Verminlord tries to put his Plaguereaper into the Saurus' throat. Ar'racx continues to duck and weave as Skreech tries his best, and due to increasing frustration and anger, to hit the Oldblood, while Ar'racx simply keeps blocking and parrying almost every blow, with Skreech scoring a few but effective hits that almost stumbles the Saurus. Ar'racx simply waited for his opportunity to come, and opportunity came when the Daemon accidentally left himself wide open, slamming his elbow into the mouth as teeth and blood fly out followed by a combo of slashes, kicks, and a well executed Dread Sweep via his tail, slashing across the Verminlord's leaving a gaping wound as Skreech's mouth begins to foam with seething hatred at the Saurus Oldblood.
Byleth could only watch from afar, both shocked and awed at the same time as these two beings, whom he never thought to have existed at all, clash in such a display of speed that is thought impossible for beings of such size. He begins to wonder if anyone could even go up against one of them without dying almost immediately. He continues to watch until he hears several footsteps approach, prompting him to turn away from the duel to see his father leading all the students and some of the Knights of Seiros, who were then followed by the two other of Garreg Mach Professor Hanneman and Manuela.
-"Professor, are you alright?! We were worried sick about you since we finished off that horde of large rodents that attacked us."
Said Ashe as he along with the team of Blue Lions approach their professor before they and everyone else turned their gazes to see the ongoing duel as Ar'racx seizes yet another opportunity to go on the offensive, knocking the Plaguereaper out of Skreech's paw from a energy pulse he released from his body as his back spines glowed with blue heat before unleashing his breath attack towards the Verminlord who swiftly moved aside...only for his face to be directly in the grasp in the Hand of the Gods as magical energies explodes, sending Skreech careening across the landscape from the assault as he's also hit by another fully charged breath attack square on in the chest as Skreech slams into a large boulder, shattering as it collaspes on top of him.
-"By the Goddess, what in Fodlan are those creatures?" Asked Ferdinand, agape in utter shock and disbelief as everyone else stood there, transfixed by the battle being waged by the two giant beings. Jeralt then sees his son bleeding out from the stab wound he received from the Verminlord and rushes over to him to see if he needs assisstance.
-"I need a healer over here ASAP, my son is bleeding out here!" Demanded Jeralt as everyone turned to see Byleth bleeding out.
Manuela immediately runs over to start healing Byleth's shoulder. Just as she was about to heal him.
"Everyone, get out of the way, they're coming over to us!"
One of the knights cried out as everybody quickly looked over to see Skreech, who had gotten himself free from the massive pile of smoldering rocks, pushing Ar'racx to them as they get out of the way before the two stop as the Oldblood manages to hold himself steady and pushes Skreech away as the Verminlord screeched in anger and rage over today's failure.
"Why can't you lizard-things just stay DEAD-DONE! It's as if the universe itself is always trying to Beat-Break our glorious plan-schemes! How many, how many times do we have to deal-fight you? What spiteful gods sent your kind to harry and torment us?" Skreech questioned as if the universe itself dares to oppose it rightful rodent overlords. Ar'racx scoffed at these statements and decided to give the hated and vile Rat-Daemon his answer, one that makes the Verminlord finally falter in his stance and feels something he hasn't felt in centuries: Fear.
-"Ihtoa inin in moseua of mo ba'alche'ob repugnantes, alimañas."
Says Ar'racx as he takes the chance to headbutt the Daemon as it falls to the ground as the Oldblood grabbed onto one of the Verminlord's horns and rips it off as Skreech cries out in pain whilst Ar'racx begins to give him the Ground-n-Pound, saying these final words as he continously hammer fists Skreech over and over.
-"As ueyak as mo atleueltik mekayotl ka ayemo kuauakpa ompa, teuatl yaan saniyo mati axiltok exterminio total, je'el bix ku ya'alik ti' le Gran Plan ti' le Old Ones, inmundicia dadoínica."
By the time he's done, his opponent's face looks like a lump of swollen tissue, as bruises swell up with blood and pus. Skreech decided he's had enough and would try again another, as he looks toward the groups of humans standing a dozen meters or so away, and he points to Byleth screeching.
-"You're just stupid-lucky that you've had outside help from this reptile-thing, man-thing! But know-seek this, ONE way or another, you WILL be used in part of our great plan-schemes!" Skreech says as he dissappears in a green sulfiric mist, returning to his vile Vermin-God empty-handed.
Ar'racx stares at the spot for what seems like an eternity, pondering about how could the Verminlord not only have known about Fodlan, but about the Progenitor God's veesel as well. He considers reporting back to the fleet about this strange and concerning revelation, until he hears a voice call out to him.
-"Excuse me? I would like to speak to you about what had just happened here, if you don't mind."
The Oldblood takes a glance at one of the warmbloods approaching him, more specifically a white haired youngling, while the others continue to look upon him, mostly with shocked looks on their faces while others seemed to be amazed and curious looks. He did notice that not everyone looked at him with the same expression as he saw some looked skeptical and wary of the large being that stood before him. Understandable, given the circumstances, he would've been in the same boat, as it were, if the situations were reversed. Ar'racx then set his gaze upon the female youngling that looked up at him, slightly tilting his head to the side as to why this one seemed bolder than the rest. She then proceeds to introduce herself.
-"My name is Edelgard Von Hresvelg, and I would like for you to answer my questions, if you may?"
Asked Edelgard with an aura of dignity, while also studying the Lizardman, evaluating about his signficance in her mind while also wondering if it would become a serious threat to some of her more... grander ambitions for Fodlan.
-"Now hold on just for a minute, how about we take it back with us to Garreg Mach so we could know what we're dealing with here? For all we know, it might possibly have others like it someplace in Fodlan we've never heard of. That is if it wants to come with us." Suggested Hanneman.
The group nodded their heads in an mostly unanimous agreement aside from a few who either don't care or are wary of having this creature come back with them. Hanneman then spoke once more.
-"Besides, this opportunity could give us valuable experience if they're more out there. So then, umm, creature, how about coming with us and sort everything out? Ar'racx thought about it for a while before coming to a decision.
He looks toward Hanneman and gave an affirmative nod signifying that he agrees. Hanneman then beams with glee at the answer.
-"Excellent! we'll return to Garreg Mach immediately as soon as everyone's situated.
Everyone then returns to the place of the Mock Battle along with their new companion where a Knight of Seiros awaited them and told them that Archbishop Rhea returned to Garreg Mach with her assisstant Seteth while Jeralt lead some of the knights to aid the students. Everyone then started the trek back to the Monastery as Byleth looked at the Saurus Oldblood while they were walking, wondering what it was saying in its tongue to the now identified Skreech when they fought. Byleth continued his stare at him, with Ar'racx staring straight back, until they reached their destination with Ar'racx being escorted by Jeralt to see the Archbishop as word spread like wildfire of this new reptilian individual. Byleth wondered as the Saurus was soon escorted, who was he and why does he feel that this is just the beginning of something that would change history.
A/N:
Well, that was something wasn't it? Seems that the Horned Rat has made his move through Skreech Verminking, but what was he talking about when he something about Byleth being used in their grand scheme? Guess we have to wait for that to come around, huh?
If you want to know what Ar'racx was saying during his fight with Skreech, he was talking in Saurian since pretty much everyone else doesn't know the language, except for maybe Verminking.
Here's the translations if you're curious about them:
1. "I dare, spawn of the Rodent God. Leave this place at once, or suffer oblivion by my hand."
2. Tell this to the rest of your disgusting species, vermin... As long as your wretched race is still out there, they would know only complete and utter extermination, so is it written in the Great Plan of the Old Ones, daemonic filth.
Stay tuned as our Saurus Oldblood is introduced to the Church Of Seiros in The Crests of the Saurian.
P.S.: Expect heavy usage of Lizardmen technology in the following chapters, along with horrified followers when they hear of how the Lizardmen worship their deities.