The day had long since ended, the sun surrendering itself to the edge of the horizon. The majority of the Monastery had gone to sleep, silence taking up residence within the fortress walls. There were some who persisted of course. Their ranks included a score of knights on watch duty, a legendary mercenary worriedly nursing a drink, and an elegant archbishop gazing at the stars above.
Within this minority was a single teacher enclosed in the confines of a small room. The space was dim save for the single candle that flickered, dispelling a minute fraction of the shadows. Several stacks of books cluttered the solitary desk within, leaving little room to utilize for other tasks. Despite the conditions, the sounds of scratching paper never slowed, even when a ghostly voice spoke.
"You should get to bed; it is quite late." The voice was ethereal, and though it had some volume to it, it did not disturb anyone asleep.
"Hn," The noise that followed was dismissive at best, and the quill continued without hesitation.
"You need to rest," the voice echoed again. "You can do whatever you're doing some other time." Only then did the writing utensil pause, hovering above the parchment.
"Sothis," Byleth rubbed his eyes, "please, I am trying to concentrate." If Byleth was honest, he was exhausted. On top of cleaning his classroom, he also had been at the end of an endless stream of questions. His students had wanted to know everything about him, from his battle experience to his shoe size. For all his frustrations, he couldn't blame them. He saw their expressions when they learned he was only a mercenary, instead of a qualified teacher.
The questioning looks he received had been full of doubt and disbelief. Here was a group of students, many of them nobles, having a complete novice teacher being thrust upon them. It was no wonder they questioned everything about him. They were evaluating him, hoping to assuage their doubts and fears. The only student within his class to have seen his abilities was Edelgard, and he doubted that she had trumpeted his praises upon her return. Therefore, Byleth would have to prove himself, not only as a capable teacher, but a capable person as well.
Thus, Byleth was up far later than usual, reading books and trying to learn what he could about the Empire and Fódlan's history. Of course, he had received a syllabus of the required material he was supposed to be teaching. There were standard subjects spanning history to mathematics. However, the list also contained subjects such as close quarters combat and magic sessions. It was wide and varying list and Byleth felt his skills did not encompass it all. Thus, he had decided to throw himself into learning the subjects, like any training regimen he had endured. First was history.
Thankfully, Byleth wasn't completely ignorant in the subject of history. Jeralt has spoken about it from time to time. Furthermore, a few mercenaries in their group had been scholars previously, and had taken delight in teaching a young Byleth about the history of Fódlan. Still it had never been as detailed as this, and with his earlier weariness, Byleth was beginning to struggle.
"I understand your concerns," Sothis broke into his thoughts, "and I commend your dedication to your mission. But trying to push yourself as such will not help your health nor help you achieve your goal. What kind of teacher falls asleep in his own class?" At her words Byleth could only sigh. Perhaps she was right.
"Sorry, thanks for the reminder." The timeless youth nodded, seemingly pleased that her scolding had worked and disappeared. Sothis had always been an oddity in his life. He didn't know when he had first seen her, but he knew he had been in the cusp of adolescence. As a child he had dreamed of fantastical battles with armies, that spanned the bases of mountains, clashing with one another. It was like fights of the past were being laid bare before him. However, without fail, at the end of each dream he would glimpse a throne. Upon the stone seat rested a sleeping figure, a mane of green tresses pouring over her figure.
It was only in time did he begin to communicate with her. Their first true meeting happened by chance. She had awoken when he was standing before her. He had made the mistake of calling her a child, and she had torn him to shreds for such a comment. Yet after that first conversation, Sothis had become a constant, albeit invisible, companion in his life. In the beginning she would only speak to him in his dreams, only if she happened to be awake when he visited. But slowly she grew more active, eventually speaking to him while he was awake as well. He had nearly screamed in terror on the first occurrence. Thankfully he had been wise enough to only speak with her in private. Even as a child, Byleth had figured out that speaking to 'voices in one's head' was considered abnormal.
Realizing his thoughts had begun to derail, Byleth quickly leaned forward and extinguished the candle. He wearily made his way to bed and collapsed into its confines. The mattress was hard as rock, and the pillows were lumpy due to the clumping fabric within, but Byleth couldn't bring himself to care. He had dealt with much worse after all.
As his consciousness slowly began to drift away, he tried to order his now rampant thoughts. The most important task at hand was choosing the participants for the upcoming battle of the three houses. Rhea had suggested that in order to 'gauge the abilities of the professors and students' a mock battle would be held. At face value the battle seemed innocent enough, yet Byleth was fairly certain that it went further than that. It was a test, specifically designed for him, to show his value. He gave a sigh before a plan began to form in his head. It would do well not to disappoint.
-Ω-
Trepidation and excitement were in the air causing all the students of the Officer's Academy to be on edge. Today was the day for the battle between the three houses. There was nothing at stake of course, except for pride. That being said, more than a few students had formed a betting pool on the results of the match. The odds seemed fairly even across the board. None of the houses holding a clear advantage. At least at first glance.
Claude eyes narrowed as he surveyed the battlefield laid before him. The battlefield was dotted with small grouping of trees to provide minimal cover if needed. There were no hills or inclines that could give any of the teams the advantage. All things considered, the battleground was relatively simple and that was what worried Claude. Without any complexity on the battlefield, many fights would come down to strength.
Not everything would be dependent on might alone of course. Tactics still played a large role. When and where to attack. Baiting your opponent to open themselves up for attack. Whether to press the advantage or to stay back. However, tactics could not win the battle alone, especially with such a plain arena to fight in. Strength would be a determining factor. And to Claude's dismay, strength wasn't his team's forte.
The golden deer's team consisted of Lorenz, Hilda, Ignatz and Manuela, along with himself. Claude had decided that versatility was the better of the choices. Ignatz and he were archers, giving his team ranged options. Their primary role was either to harass their opponents or stall potential threats. In addition, Lorenz and Hilda were their close combat fighters, ready to eliminate anyone who got pass the wave of arrows. Finally, Manuela was their resident healer and with her being the nurse of the Officer's academy, Claude had no doubts about her abilities.
The formation could engage and react to most scenarios that Claude had foreseen. Any direct assault by the Black Eagles or the Blue Lions could be delayed and neutralized with proper timing. Furthermore, on the off chance they needed to go on the offensive, they had enough driving force to eliminate any potential assaults. That being said, they lacked the strength to defeat both houses single handedly.
Though he loathed to admit it, Claude was taking a gamble with his current formation. The best-case scenario was that the Black Eagles and Blue Lions would fight each other and whittle down their numbers allowing the Golden Deer to sweep in the nab the victory. Thus, it was up to Ignatz and him to deter any potential attackers and spur them on to face another house instead. It was certainly a risk, but what was life without a few every now and then?
"A gold piece for your thoughts," Hilda said drawing up next to him a gentle smile on her lips.
"You're going to need at least a bullion for me to even consider that offer," Claude laughed, a familiar smirk finding its way onto his features. "But I suppose this benevolent leader can give his followers a handout every now and then." That earned him a smack, albeit a good natured one.
"Enough joking around, you do have a plan…right?" The question was expected, but the hesitation threw Claude off. He gave Hilda a glance and although her features showed one of confidence, her eyes glinted with restrained emotion. She was nervous, he distantly realized, and she was looking for comfort if only just a momentary one.
"Of course, I have a plan," Claude responded, allowing confidence to seep into his words. "After all, the best way to win a one on one fight is to show up third."
-Ω-
Dimitri tightened his gloves for what he felt was the thousandth time. He had done all his prebattle checks. The training weapons had been thoroughly examined for any damage, their armor had been repaired and strengthened, and he had reviewed the battle plan with his squad. There was nothing more to do. All that was left was the fight.
Dimitri's grip on his lance tightened and he allowed himself to revel in what he was feeling. The tension, the uncertainty, the thrill of the upcoming battle. It was intoxicating, but he couldn't allow his emotions to run wild. Dimitri drew in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His stomach was in knots, his muscles tense. He would admit he was nervous, but there was something beyond that. The future heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus saw this as an opportunity.
It was no secret that the kingdom was in dire straits. Civil unrest was not uncommon within the kingdom and the other nations saw this as a sign of weakness. However, utilizing this chance, Dimitri would change their minds. This was a chance to show the other kingdoms, furthermore Lady Rhea and all the church of Serios that Holy Kingdom of Faerghus still had life in it.
"Dedue." Within an instant, his loyal retainer was beside him. "Are all the students prepared?"
Dimitri had thought long and hard on who to include. Dudue was an obvious choice. What the man lacked in words, he more than made up in strength. Dimitri was rather certain that the pair of them together could handle anything they faced. If not, Ashe had their backs. The boy had almost tripped over himself volunteering for the battle, and Dimitri couldn't deny the overeager boy. The ever-gentle Mercedes was on the backlines incase of injury and Hanneman was present magic buzzing at his fingertips.
Their plan was simple but effective. The Black Eagles was the biggest threat. Dimitri had seen what Byleth was capable of and was not eager to engage with them after striking against the golden deer. Logically they would need to triumph over the Black Eagles, before sweeping away Claude and his team. However, taking on two teams without rest was suicide, it was basically handing the Deer the win. Thus, a different strategy was needed.
Byleth and Edelgard were the real threats from the Eagles. Thus, Dedue and him would charge with a forward assault and strike as hard as they could. If luck favored them, they would fell at least one of them. After that they would pull back, drawing in the Eagles. At the same time, the remainder of his team would rout the Golden Deer from behind, forcing them out into the open. The Eagles and Deer would most likely clash, allowing The Blue Lions the opportunity to strike when they were both tired.
"The students are in the appropriate position." Dudue responded in his normal monotone, drawing Dimitri from his thoughts. "We are ready to begin." Dimitri sent his retainer a silent nod of thanks before returning his attention to the battlefield. Any second now the trumpet would sound and the battle will have officially begun.
-Ω-
Hubert was not easily impressed. To Edelgard, this observation was not new in the slightest. Her taciturn retainer always had, as Casper lovingly called it, 'A stick up his arse.' Whether it be battle plans, or troop formation, Hubert would always pick and prod at the small faults he saw. This was not due to some misguided principle, like some fool trying to find the flaws in everything. He simply had higher standards than most…much higher standards.
One could argue that this was a good practice, as the more thorough one was with the task, the better the outcome. Yet Edelgard felt that the lines had to be drawn somewhere. And she felt strongly that one such line should be drawn when it came to their newest professor.
"I can not fathom the stupidity of this decision. A lone mercenary, that barely knows how to teach, was assigned as our instructor for an entire year. It is as if this were a deliberate act of sabotage against us and the Empire." Hubert growled out, as he stood beside Edelgard on the field of battle. A sigh escaped the princess' lips as she listened to the never-ending complaints.
"Calm yourself Hubert. I need you to be focused if we are to win this fight." Edelgard attempted to placate him with limited success.
"I assure you I am perfectly focused," Hubert grounded out. "However, I ask how I am supposed to remain calm when our dear instructor's plan places you as the target. He is practically sending you forward like a lamb to the slaughter." Edelgard only shook her head in mild annoyance.
"If memory serves Hubert, I volunteered for the position. Or do you think me so fragile that I am unable to defend myself?" She admonished, sending a look to her retainer. Hubert simply grunted in lieu of an actual answer.
Edelgard had a sneaking suspicion, that what really annoyed Hubert was that Byleth's plan was relatively sound, and there was little to pry at. Their professor had impressed her, presenting a solid strategy for the upcoming battle. It took into account both of their opponents, with contingencies to fall back on if needed. It was only a matter of time before they saw if it worked. The blaring of a horn echoed throughout the field. The call to battle had been made and Edelgard immediately reacted.
"Hubert, with me!" Before the words had completely left her lips, she was already moving forward. She dashed across the open field, feet beating a quick rhythm against the grass beneath her. A single glance back confirmed that Hubert had followed, easily keeping pace due to his training. Her vision returned to before her where Dimitri and Dedue had appeared, spear and axe in hand. She briefly caught the look of confusion on the prince's face. He had clearly expected Byleth to the appear beside her.
Dimitri was the first to attack, thrusting his spear once Edelgard was in range. Instead of bringing up her weapon to defend herself, Edelgard spun to the side deftly avoiding the dulled training spear. Using the momentum, she gave a yell as she attempting to drive her axe into Dimitri's side. However, the youthful prince quickly brought up his spear handle parrying the attack with a grunt. The two struggled, weapons locked in a test of strength. Sensing an opening, Dedue charged, bring up his own axe to attack. Seeing the assault coming Edelgard quickly broke away. Dimitri moved to follow but was quickly halted as Hubert sent a torrent of flames to block to his advance.
Dudue however didn't even hesitate, breaking through the wall of flames at top speed. Pale eyes quickly locked onto the dark mage, seeing him as the weaker threat, and charged. Edelgard moved to intercept the man from Duscur, axe arching to strike Dedue's head. The tanned man broke away, reflexively moving back before her attack could find its target.
It was then that the prince made his reappearance rushing Edelgard. His spear lashed out, sending a flurry of attacks her way. She ducked and weaved but hissed in pain when one attack hit its mark. She quickly broke away covering the graze on her arm. Due to training weapons being used, no blood was drawn. Still the strike had torn her uniform and an angry red mark marred the maiden's otherwise fair skin.
Sensing his advantage, Dimitri pursued her attempting to use the handle to strike her temple. The attack was cut brutally short as a fire ball was launched at his feet, courtesy of Hubert. Dimitri leap to the side, eyes immediately locking onto his other opponent. This proved to be his undoing as Edelgard took the opportunity to smash her axe into the prince's side, toppling him. Before a follow-up attack could commence, Dudue interceded causing Edelgard to retreat back to Hubert's side.
Dimitri shakily stood from the blow; hand pressed to the surely bruising side. Even after that attack, his eyes stayed sharp, ready to react to anything. It had become clear that a single misstep would cost either party. Losing a member this early in the contest would easily spell failure. Thus, each pair gauged their opponents next move, watching for any sign of an oncoming attack.
"I may have underestimated you, Edelgard." Dimitri broke the silence, causing the princess to tense. "I was certain that you would have needed the mercenary's help to hold the front line. I see now that I was thoroughly mistaken. It has been an honor to face such a skilled opponent." Much to the leader of the Black Eagle's surprise, his voice was completely genuine, devoid of sarcasm or honey laced words. It was nice, she decided, that they had a chance to speak like this. To praise a worthy opponent, without politics getting in the way.
"I can say the same about you," Edelgard admitted after a pause. "You are quite skilled in your own right. I could only name a few who surpass your skill with a spear. You could even present a challenge to our newest professor." Unlike the praise she received, the praise she had given to Dimitri served two purposes. One was an honest admission of his skill. Upon receiving his praise, Edelgard had dispensed some of her own. The more nefarious purpose was to remind the wayward prince of the suspiciously missing member. The widening of Dimitri's eyes informed her that her secondary message was quite clear.
"Your professor…" Dimitri startled expression was priceless. "Where is he?"
"Most likely eliminating the remainder of your team." Hubert smirked darkly, clearly relishing his opponent's distress. "You might still have time to save one if you run." At those words it looked as if a switch had been flipped, a dark glare forming on Dimitri's face.
"And what's stopping me from eliminating both of you right now?" He took a few steps forward intent on proving the validity of his threat when an arrow struck at his feet, digging into the ground a fair amount before stopping. He looked up to the origin of the attack to find Bernadetta and Linhardt emerging from the woods. The archer already had another arrow notched, while the healer had the dark wisps of Nosferatu swirling around his hand.
"Because no matter how skilled you are, I don't think you can win a four on two match," Edelgard declare airily, hoisting her weapon over her shoulder. "Now you can try to save what remains of your team or you can lose the match here." A beat passed, and for a horrifying second Edelgard thought that Dimitri might attack, despite the odds.
"Dedue, let us regroup with our allies." Without hesitation the prince left, his retainer quickly following. Edelgard watched them go allowing the tension in her muscles to fade. She took in a deep breath. So far, the plan was moving along smooth. She hoped that the rest played out as well.
"I still think we should have pursued them my lady." Hubert spoke rousing Edelgard from her internal musings. "This would be an optimal time to strike them down."
"No, we follow the professor's plan," Edelgard responded quickly. While she saw the wisdom in Hubert's words, he had not experienced their professor's skills firsthand. Not only was he the son of the famed Blade Breaker, but a skilled mercenary in his own right. A small part of her was curious if this plan would play out a perfectly as he had described. It would be good to know for future reference, in nothing else. Three shrill cries filled the air, alerting the four students.
"That's our cue, come we have no time to waste!" With one last order, Edelgard lead her classmates into battle.
-Ω-
Claude watched as the battle unfolded between the heads of the Black Eagles and Blue Lions. He allowed a familiar smile to slip onto his lips. The two showed an impressive display of skill, fighting with a grace and form that rivaled that of professionals. It was quite a treat to watch. What further boosted his mood, what that his plan was coming along swimmingly. As predicted, the Eagles and Lions had immediately butted heads. If this kept up, victory would be theirs. Claude rolled his eyes as the teams paused in battle to compliment each other of all things. At that moment he could only feel pity for the other houses. He would rather take an arrow to the knee, than follow one of those two royals into battle. It was cases like these that Claude was sure he could read his opponents like a book.
It was then, of course, that his opponents stopped being predictable. Against expectations Dimitri turned and fled, Dedue following. It was only then did he spot the other members of the Black Eagle emerging from the trees. Well that was unexpected, he had assumed that the group would fight till elimination. However, this was still within parameters of his plan. The Eagles were sure to follow and eliminate them. However again his plans were derailed, the Black Eagles making no move to follow. It was then three sharp cries startled Claude. He spun widely looking for the source of the disturbance. However, no matter where he looked, he couldn't find the source.
It was when the three same cries echoed once more that Claude realized that he needed to look up. There above him sat a bird, no, a hawk. Its feathers were a slight brown, camouflaging the bird perfectly against the trees. Its beak curved to a sharp point, and its talons grasped the branch tightly. What was disturbing about it was that its piercing yellow eyes were aimed directly at him. Claude stalled for a moment trying to figure out why the bird was crying out. Was he near its nest perhaps? Or was it trying to intimidate a bigger creature?
The bird screeched again, three high distinct notes. Claude eyes widened. That was it! It was calling, trying to communicate something. But what was it trying to communicate to? And what was the message? Claude thoughts continued to spin as he sent a wayward glance back to the Black Eagles, to gauge their position. It was then he realized that they were headed straight for him. As if they knew exactly where he was. But that was impossible, had made sure to conceal himself perfectly. Three more cries filled the air and finally the puzzle pieces slid into place.
"Oh…shi-" Claude didn't even finish he thought before he turned and sprinted away. Moments later the bush he was hiding behind ignited, courtesy of Hubert, as the Black eagle closed onto his position. When the hell did Edelgard find time to train a hawk? And why wasn't it an eagle? Seriously what was the point of being called the Black Eagles if-
An arrow struck the tree beside him with dull thunk, bringing his thoughts back into focus. Prioritize escaping first, complaints about nonsensical mascots later. The foliage slowly began to thin to Claude's relief. He was almost out of the woods. Soon he would be able to link up with his team and drive off the Black Eagles.
"Hey, I need some back up!" Claude yelled as he broke free from the forest. "We don't have much-!" The words died in his mouth as he came to an abrupt stop. The field was littered with the unconscious bodies of both his teammates and the remainder of the Blue Lions. The only people still standing were the three teachers. Manuela and Hanneman were in rough shape, breathing hard and struggling to stay upright. On the other side stood Byleth, who was none worse for wear.
"To think he could take on both of us." Hanneman panted. The man's clothing was covered in a combination of dust and scorch marks. It was a small mercy that his monocle was still intact. "I suppose the Archbishop's decision had some merit after all."
"Is that seriously what you're thinking right now?" Manuela replied, equally breathless. It was then she looked to Claude giving a sad smile, "Sorry Claude, but we may have underestimated the newest professor. I leave the rest up to you." With that his homeroom teacher fainted, Hanneman soon following. A few moments passed in silence until Byleth turned, eyes locking onto the sole Golden Deer. Claude sent Byleth a small laugh.
"You wouldn't attack a helpless student now, would you?" Both parties knew that the question was pointless. The teacher of the Black Eagles would most likely eliminate him. However, Byleth was saved from answering as another voice answered.
"Perhaps our teacher might hesitate, but we will not do so in the slightest." The chilling voice of Hubert alerted Claude to the small force that had just arrived. Claude had completely forgotten about them with all the excitement. To his front was a mercenary that had taken on both of the teachers single handedly and won, while to his back was a four-man squad he had little chance of beating.
A small chuckle escaped his lips slowly building until he was in the throws of deep laughter. It was laughable, how confident he had been in his decisions. How foolish he had been, believing that he would come up with a royal flush when the deck was already stacked against him. How quickly he had been defeated, how easily his formation had fallen. He had taken a gamble and didn't even have a pair to show for it. There was no coming back from that.
"I know how slim my chances are." Claude exclaimed throwing up his hands in surrender. "And I rather not end up in the infirmary trying to prove otherwise." Edelgard looked surprised for a moment before lowering her axe.
"Very well, then all that leaves is…" As if on cue, Dimitri and Dedue burst through the brush. They quickly looked to the fallen students, then the surrendering Claude and finally the Black Eagles. Dimitri quickly raised his spear and Dedue his axe, preparing to fight. Claude took that as his cue to back away to avoid interfering. He could commend Dimtri in his courage to face such a situation, but in the end it was hopeless. If nothing else, he could sit back and enjoy the fight. And that is what Claude did, for all two minutes and seventeen seconds until the match was called.
-Ω-
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