I; The Mercenary, Below
Lone Moon
Hubert had moved with frightening speed. The Agarthan forces at Arundel had been overrun swiftly and without mercy or hesitation. There had also been far fewer of them than their best-case predictions had anticipated.
"They'd already left." Claude concluded, removing a black marker from the map "Whatever their next move is going to be, the majority of them have moved out in anticipation."
"Here or Enbarr?" Edelgard mused "Their own base? A location in the Kingdom or the Alliance we don't know about? Are they preparing an attack or retreating? Biding their time? It galls me to have to be so… reactionary."
"Patience." Byleth advised "Perhaps Hubert will have more for us in person when he returns. Is there news from Ferdinand?"
"He anticipates being able to return for graduation. Hrym is not happy, there is much to be done in the region, but his appointment has allayed what other opposing voices there were in the Empire."
"Reacting may be all we can do for the present time. We need an inside edge if possible. At the very least we must begin training scouts and infiltrators." Dimitri added
"Shamir is already on the task" Seteth began, but Byleth's attention was drawn aside as Yuri appeared in the doorway and made a quick birdlike gesture with his head to beckon her over. Byleth left the table quietly as Seteth continued to apprise the others and approached him, concerned what would have drawn him above.
"Our friends have started slithering their way through Abyss once more. Many of them in dark masks. Normally I'd take care of it myself, but with the Emperor's little announcement the other day, perhaps she'd like to offer her aid?"
"How many?" Byleth asked plainly, brows furrowing
"Well, perhaps more than I could deal with myself" Yuri admitted. "It seems likely they may be staging an attack on the monastery. A preemptive strike would be in order, I can guide you to them; Abyss is a labyrinth even for those of us who know it well, but my men are tracking them. Congratulations on your appointment, by the way, General Demon, or is it the Ashen Saint now?"
"Please stop drinking with Sanderson." Byleth requested flatly and strode back over to the table, picking up the marker Claude had placed aside and setting it down firmly on Garreg Mach at the centre of the map. "They're moving through Abyss."
"Then we can head them off, immediately." Dimitri said, standing tall.
"Let us hope they are not attempting to break the ward again." Edelgard added, frowning. "I do not know Abyss at all. What conditions do we anticipate?"
"Tunnels and passageways. Some caverns. Many traps." Byleth summarised "I don't know of any entrances we could reasonably get calvary through, but we do have a guide." She added tipping her head back to where Yuri lingered in the doorway.
"What are the chances they'll attack above as well, that this is a distraction?" Claude asked.
"Low." Edelgard responded "Guerrilla warfare and sabotage would be more in keeping with their methods. Perhaps they might send some Demonic Beasts to divert our troops, but a full assault on such a defensible location as Garreg Mach is unlikely in this timescale -not without the Empire backing them. They'll need longer to build that sort of force."
"Then consider this your last mission as House Leaders." Seteth announced. "Leave the skies and the Monastery to me. Gather those of your Houses you can quickly find and head below to crush this threat before it spreads."
"My troop is still in town, if you can spare a messenger, send for Sanderson to reinforce you." Byleth suggested, and followed on the heels of the House Leaders, Yuri pacing beside her. "Fifteen minutes," she called to them "Find who you can and gather in the Entrance Hall. I'll deal with the Guildmaster."
~o~*~o~
The trouble with being a recluse, Bernadetta realised, was that everyone always knew exactly where to find you. She stood at the back of the assembled group, near the water-wall as the Ashen Demon assigned troops and commands.
The Ashen Demon had been a lot less scary sitting in the sunshine with a child in her lap, before she'd been able to summon the Goddess and put in charge of leading a war.
The House Leaders had gathered those of their class they could most quickly find. Hilda had been pulled away from decorating for the upcoming graduation ceremony and was not happy about it -it had been the one task this year she'd been at all enthusiastic about. Leonie had been with her, holding supplies Bernadetta herself had helped source for the occasion but Claude apparently hadn't found anyone else.
Come to that, aside from Edelgard it was only herself and Petra representing the Eagles, and Bernie seriously regretted not having any other hiding places than her own room.
Dimitri had done the best of the house leaders in terms of gathering forces; the Lions had been on dinner prep this week, so Ashe, Annette, Dedue and Mercedes had been easy to find.
Maybe if she was lucky she could hide behind Dedue? That would probably keep her relatively safe and unnoticed.
Shamir joined them, sent by Seteth, and they began to head out, following the lead of the Ashen Demon and the young man from Abyss.
Bernie took a deep breath and steeled herself as they descended into the darkness, hovering close behind Edelgard.
~o~*~o~
Chanting echoed down the passageway towards them as they advanced towards the Agarthan incursion. One of Yuri's rogues fell in beside him, whispering in his ear before taking off again back towards the more populated areas of Abyss on whatever errand the Savage Mocking bird had sent him. Claude was inconspicuously marking each turn they took with a piece of chalk -for later explorations no doubt- but at the head of their procession, Byleth found she could recall the turns easily enough.
They came around one last turn and were faced with a barricade, blocking off each side of an entrance of some significance and leaving only a narrow way in, perhaps enough for two people abreast. Three figures in the white uniform of Abyss were waiting on the further half of the barricade; two girls looking through gaps in the boards to the room beyond, the third leaning heavily against it, on guard for any unwelcome arrivals.
"About time you got back, Pal" the big guy from the fighting pits hailed Yuri as they approached "it's getting real creepy in there."
Coming upon the nearside, Byleth peered through a gap in the barricade, Claude to her right, Edelgard on her left and Dimitri easing onto his toes behind her to look over the top. The chamber was large -reminding her more of the Cathedral than any other space she could think of; but with many pillars lining it down each side. Further barricades had been hastily erected between them to force a switchback and choke-holds, protecting those at the back of the room from any immediate danger.
And at the back of the room, Solon was marking out a complex magic formula upon the ground.
Byleth did not need to know what it was supposed to do to understand that it was meant to be dangerous
Very dangerous. Likely destructive.
"Is there any other way in?" she asked aloud as she scanned what she could make out.
"There are three doors, one at the back and one on each side there" Yuri pointed out. "The only way there is the turn two passages back; if you keep to the right it wraps around the room, but there's a cave in shortly after the back door so the door on the right side is unusable. If I were them I'd have that passage heavily guarded -it's likely one of the offshoots is where they got in, they certainly didn't use any of the main entrances. Chances are they'll have reinforcements lurking about that way."
"I'll deal with it." Byleth stated, and Yuri startled a little at her uncompromising tone.
"Try and take one alive, if you get the chance" Shamir advised and Byleth nodded.
"Dimitri and Dedue are your front line. Use the barricades to your advantage, but don't be afraid to break them if you need to and beware of foes in hiding around the pillars." Byleth began as she turned to face the assembled troops, then drew up short for a moment looking between them.
The three houses had not worked together before and none of the Professors were present. She glanced between the house leaders, the students and the battalions she'd drummed up from the Guildmaster, weighing and assessing the compositions. At length her eyes met with Dimitri's and stayed. His shoulders drew back proudly in response to her stare and she nodded at him "The right person to the right job. Will you accept?"
Dimitri considered a moment before agreeing. A simple "Yes." passing between them.
"Dimitri has command." Byleth announced "Yuri will lead our allies from Abyss. All of you; stay alive. Leonie with me." Leonie jumped in surprise before falling in behind her, keeping her spear at the ready as they moved off down the passageway Yuri had indicated to circle around.
~o~*~o~
Dimitri gave Byleth a minute to get in to position, as he formed up the Academy troops for their first advance. It was also giving the enemy time to notice them; but they'd long since dug themselves in and shored up their defences, prepared to be discovered.
Still, it would only be polite to announce themselves.
Dimitri raised his hand sharply and Claude commanded their archers to let loose; a volley of arrows raining deadly points over the first barricade. Many thudded uselessly into it, or into the flanking pillars, but there was enough noise from the other side to tell them that the majority had found a mark to soften the enemy up. Dimitri and Dedue crashed into the barrier, breaking it and scattering what remained of the front line while Annette and the two girls from Abyss began picking them off with targeted magic. Edelgard, Hilda and Petra advanced into the space they'd cleared to engage the next wave.
~o~*~o~
Byleth and Leonie advanced at a quick pace, not quite running but no leisurely stroll either. Byleth hadn't said a word and Leonie felt a nervous trepidation building; had she been forgiven? Was this her chance to make amends? Why had Byleth brought her along? Petra or Shamir would surely have been better partners for this sort of sneaking flank. They came to the turn Yuri had mentioned and began advancing along the way; it was paved for the most part, but followed the path of a natural tunnel and so meandered around odd corners and alcoves instead of following a straight line. Good for concealing their advance, less good for knowing what enemies they may be about to come across.
Such as the unfortunate guard they stumbled upon leaving a side room as they rounded a sharp turn. Byleth reacted first, punching him in the solar plexus and ducking to allow Leonie a clear swing with the heft of her lance, knocking him out. With his belt and a scrap of fabric torn off his shirt, Byleth gagged and hogtied him before removing his weapons and dragging him back into the room as Leonie guarded the passage. The Agarthans had evidently been using it for supplies; there were crates of arcane crystals and other miscellaneous items Byleth couldn't identify piled up inside. She swiped a few vulneraries, tossing one across to Leonie to keep before making her way back to the passage. Once they were out she pulled the door closed and broke off the handle in a sharp move.
"There's one for Shamir. Don't worry about holding back from here on." She instructed and Leonie nodded her understanding, still not quite daring to trust what ever this opportunity was.
~o~*~o~
The second barricade fell under her axe, but Hilda was immediately beset by an assassin charging at her from the other side. She struggled to pull her weapon clear from the wreckage into any guard position as the deadly tip of his sword came towards her.
"Easy there little Lady." A broad figure announced, fist crashing down into her opponent's skull a mere moment before she'd have been skewered.
"Is that you, Balthie?" Hilda questioned, recognition dawning.
"Shit, Hilda? You're all grown up! Oh, shit, don't tell Holst I said 'shit' in front of you! Three times! Fuck."
The tall man's face rapidly paled and Hilda stepped past him to counter a second assassin's sword with a rising sweep of her axe that cleaved the blade and left the swordsman open for Bernadetta to send an arrow through his neck.
"Don't worry! Your secret is safe with me!" she chirruped as Yuri slid between them to cut the purse from a grappler's belt before slitting his throat and ducking back behind a pillar.
With Ashe and Bernadetta covering her Edelgard moved up to hold the ground Hilda had cleared, pushing forwards towards the next choke point.
~o~*~o~
Byleth and Leonie entered a wider chamber that had passages splitting off in numerous directions. One of them was presumably the Agarthan's entry into Abyss as they'd left a hulking brute of a man to guard the space. He stood from where he'd been resting against a wall and hefted a greataxe up to meet them.
Byleth made a quick motion with her hand and Leonie began circling one way while Byleth moved the other until they were flanking him as they moved forwards.
He laughed at them and swung; the deadly reach of his weapon more than enough to arc through them both.
Except that Byleth rolled forwards beneath the arc, slashing at his leg and skittering back further behind him. With a sharp hiss he turned to keep her in sight, allowing Leonie an opportunity for a quick stab, piercing into his shoulder. The brute backed up to get them both in view and Byleth charged in, engaging him with quick blows, forcing him to defend where he'd already been wounded. He bellowed at her and swung the axe down in a powerful cleave that might have broken stone. It would have broken Byleth had she still been there, but the mercenary had stepped to the side.
With the axe down Leonie was able to drive her spear through his chest.
Byleth nodded sharply at her just as the sound of running footfalls began echoing around them down the passageways; summoned by his yelling. They turned back-to-back to face the entrances to the chamber, tensely awaiting the reinforcements
~o~*~o~
Dimitri ordered Petra and two of their battalions to fall back to Mercedes for healing then moved forward to relieve Dedue, fighting at Edelgard's side. His lance thrust forward piercing through the Agarthan line, funnelling them to the side to be mowed down by Edelgard's axe, Claude angling his shots over them to keep them from being overwhelmed as the barricade beside them was broken from their opponent's side, and a new wave charged at them.
The prince called out a sharp oder and Annette's battalion unleashed a fury of thunder on them, halting the charge in their tracks. Another word and Balthus and Hilda swept in to clear the space and guard that flank.
With Claude, Ashe, Annette, Bernadetta and Shamir at their backs, Dimitri and Edelgard began the next push forward to where Solon was still scribing furiously into the ground with the Circe Staff.
~o~*~o~
Five enemies in close range were bad odds for two people fighting back to back. Leonie kept her spear moving, forcing her opponents back as Byleth stepped forwards on her side to bring a conclusion to those fights as swiftly as she could, carefully not letting them past her to her partner's unprotected back.
Five enemies in close range were bad odds for two people fighting back to back. Even when that pair were using forms that had been designed to work in close combat together. Leonie's withdrawals posed no danger to Byleth's balance, and Byleth's sword was never in position to accidentally catch the shaft of the spear, but they weren't progressing, only defending. Something was off.
Byleth caught a hasty blade overhead, but Leonie's countering thrust came in short and Byleth only dodged her enemy's parry by chance. Frowning she fell back a half-step with her next stroke and suddenly the rhythm came to her once more. When Leonie stuck a foe she was ready to step in and slice them from the spear-tip. Where her blade locked against another, Leonie was in a position to sweep the enemy and crack their skull with the butt of her lance. It was a familiar dance; one she had learned from her Father.
He had taught Leonie his part in it.
Byleth only had to adjust for the difference in reach.
~o~*~o~
There was a clear space before the dais Solon was working on where there were no pillars or barricades, but the forces from Garreg Mach had one more line to break through before they could start that last assault. Edelgard was spearheading the charge as though the Agarthan incursion was a personal affront to her.
Considering it, Dimitri suspected that might not be too far from the truth. He kept close enough to watch the flanks and signalled Claude to move over to provide her better cover.
As they advanced he came level with the side door just as a mage in a dark mask was thrown through it, crashing to the floor and rolling to a stop by his feet. Dimitri ended him swiftly and looked over to see Byleth and Leonie framed in the doorway. Leonie saluted and Byleth gave a curt nod, closing the door again to prevent any enemy reinforcements coming that way -or fleeing through there.
A dark smile curved over Dimitri's face. Knowing that his back was clear, he called his battalion up and strode forwards to match Edelgard. They would have justice for Remire. This very day. This very hour.
The battle-lust pushed him forward. They would have justice.
And they would live to see it.
Before they advanced into the open space before the dais he called for Pure Water to be taken by anyone who couldn't be Warded and moved Mercedes's healing team closer to their ranks.
They moved and Solon cursed as he was forced to leave off his work and defend himself.
~o~*~o~
By Byleth's reckoning, they must be coming close to the second door now. Another turn, perhaps two, and they'd have made it and could rejoin the rest of their forces, hitting the Agarthans from behind. With Leonie at her back she strode forward to the next turning, but rounded the corner too quickly. It was a mistake on her part, she'd been over-confident, lulled by the familiar rhythm of Jeralt's fighting style, of having a reliable spear at her back. The trap she'd stood in hadn't been too bad; a simple snare, a moment with her dagger and she'd have freed herself.
No, it was the warlock who turned and blasted Ragnarok at her that was the issue.
She didn't even scream as it seared her, pulling on the hands of time instinctively.
Seven paces from the corner, Byleth suddenly leaned heavily against the wall, spots dancing before her eyes, some deep yawning pit within draining her energy away. Sothis had not been mistaken when she'd said there would be a cost to using that ability without her power to draw from.
"Byleth?" Leonie asked, a hand carefully on her shoulder "Your eyes are… glowing? Or… not- it's fading, but for a moment there…"
"Warlock" Byleth breathed "around the corner, and a snare." A concerned look crossed Leonie's face
"You… sure? Your eyes were green for a second just now. Are you alright?"
Byleth considered for a moment, finding that thinking required a great deal more effort than she was used to -as if her mind was attempting to work through treacle, before deciding a simplified version of the truth was all she had the energy for "It's a revelation thing."
Leonie heaved her off the wall and supported her a few steps back down the passageway to an alcove "So, what, the Goddess forewarns you of stuff now? You're really a Saint? Claude said you'd all spoken with her…"
"Not precisely." Byleth said collapsing heavily back against the wall Leonie guided her to and pinching the bridge of her nose to see if that would help with the dots swimming before her eyes "Although, it is a good way to explain it…"
Leonie hummed and kicked a stone, sending it skittering down the way they'd come and squeezing herself in next to Byleth to remain hidden and listen for the warlock approaching. He stepped lightly, and it was only the drag of his robe that gave him away as he paced carefully past them looking for the disturbance. With his back an unguarded target for her, Leonie's spear did not miss.
"I guess I never thought there might be drawbacks to divine power." Leonie continued without missing a beat, helping Byleth back off the wall "Everyone's been throwing around words like 'Saint' and 'Oracle' and calling you the Hero of the Revelation, but without actually knowing what that means."
"I'm still working that part out." Byleth admitted "You'd better take point." She continued, once she was comfortable enough walking on her own.
"You're not going to go collapsing on me if I let go are you?"
"My head hurts, but it's easing… I probably shouldn't try that in the thick of combat… I'll be more careful from here on. Thank you, Leonie."
Leonie puffed up, eyes smiling "Don't worry! I'll make sure you're safe. I have a promise to keep."
~o~*~o~
Byleth and Leonie may have cut off the possibility of fresh reinforcements, but Solon could conjure his own. Claude drew and fired swiftly when he recognised that dark vapour beginning to form in the sorcerer's hands, but the arrow fell short and Solon's dark chant continued. "Don't let him complete that spell!" Claude shouted pushing forward as Dimitri and Edelgard cleared a space for him. "Archers, Mages! Forwards!"
His second arrow also fell short. Bernadetta was forced to divert her shot to a mage who attempted to flank them. Dimitri broke the line ahead of them with a powerful sweep of his lance. Annette send a blade of wind slashing forwards to be caught by a ward as one of the mages still guarding Solon moved to intercept. Edelgard cleaved her axe down on a grappler with enough force to sever limbs and Claude stepped forwards again. His third arrow pierced through the skirt of Solon's robes and passed through the cloth leaving him unharmed as the spell caught and spread out along the floor.
Claude cursed as the undead began to rise around them.
"W-what? He can r-raise the dead?" Bernadetta shivered
"I didn't want to believe it." Edelgard murmured, eyes narrowing as she backed into a defensive circle with Claude and Dimitri
"Well believe it." Claude answered, notching and firing an arrow through the other eye-socket of a mage he'd just performed the same manoeuvre on to end him the first time.
"This is sorcery most foul! As a scion of house Nuvelle I cannot allow this to pass!"
"I don't think anyone can allow this to pass, Coco."
"Huh, you really didn't strike me as a 'Coco'." Claude mused, ducking under a sword with a spin as he readied his shot to counter fire.
"How dare!" She snapped back "I am Constance Von Nuvelle! You may address me as Lady Constance. Only Hapi has the privilege to use a less formal moniker."
"In other words she realised she couldn't stop me." Hapi explained blithely, as her dark magic tore one of the revenants apart.
"Coco it is then." Claude agreed. Grinning even as Constance summoned a deafening blast of Thunder to decimate the opponents before her.
"Less antagonising our allies, please Claude" Dimitri interjected, pushing forwards far enough to reach the base of the dais where Solon stood and sidestepping a blast of magic. Solon sneered down at them.
"It is over Solon! Surrender and I shall ensure your death is quick." Edelgard demanded.
The Dark Bishop scoffed at her. "We had such hopes for you." He lamented "You would have become Hegemon of the light-lands. Alas, for all our efforts, you are just another beast and it falls to me to be the saviour of all."
"Save your words. They will not keep your head on your shoulders." Dimitri answered, though his voice did not hold the same darkness he'd been under during that first encounter with Solon in Remire.
"Dear Prince, do you think her worth defending? She would have ground you into dust beneath her heel had she only stayed the course. Do you truly believe you can trust her now?"
"Oh stop being sour that you lost your hold on the Empire" Claude answered "That was the most pitiful attempt at turning us against each other you could have managed. I expected better."
Solon harrumphed "As for you, the surprise heir of Riegan, I should have put you down the first chance I got, Almyran mongrel."
There was a beat of silence. Had he not been desperately running through a thousand deflections in his mind, Claude might have admitted that was a much better attempt at dividing them; but he had to think fast to counter it and- it was already too late. He heard Hilda's gasp somewhere behind him and flinched.
Then Edelgard turned her hard stare on the marksman "Was that all it was!? Your hometown is in Almyra? Of course it is. How could I have missed it?"
"It does seem obvious in hindsight." Dimitri agreed. "I can even understand why you'd hide it. The prejudice against Almyra is much alike that against Duscur."
"I'd just like to point out, I haven't actually admitted to anything." Claude answered carefully.
"You cannot hide it from us now!" Edelgard insisted
"You can operate under any theory or hypothesis you like, your Imperialness. I just want you to remember, should anyone ask, that I didn't tell you."
Edelgard started, but Dimitri cut her off "Ah, I see. That's how it is. Very well, Claude, we'll remember."
"Glad we're on the same page here."
"How charming." Solon remarked dryly "Now you can all die together without any misunderstandings between you."
"Ah, one thing before you kill us?" Claude added as the Dark Bishop raised his hand. "You might want to check behind you."
Solon did not get the opportunity to follow Claude's advice as Leonie thrust her spear through him from behind. Byleth stepped forwards and slit his throat with her dagger as he fell to the ground. Around them, the risen undead continued their assault, but Edelgard hefted her axe and called out a victory cheer nonetheless.
~o~*~o~
Myson took in the the battlefield; Solon was lost, the few living troops they had remaining were sure to fall in moments and, more than just the Empire; it seemed all three nations and the Church were now working together against them. Abandoning what remained of their forces, he warped away to the relative safety of one of Abyss's disused passages, and began making his way back to report their situation to Thales.
~o~*~o~
Byleth picked her way through the wreckage of the battle, scanning the black powdery remains of the reanimated dead for any identifiable weapons, Leonie keeping to her side. After a moment she hailed Claude over to them, pulling him from what looked like an awkward moment with Hilda.
"Was she here?"
Claude shook his head "No, she wasn't. Sorry, Friend."
Byleth waved a dismissive hand and Leonie sucked in a sharp breath as she realised what this pairing had been about. Byleth looked over to her with a grim smile.
"Next time."
"Next time." Leonie agreed.
~o~*~o~
"We should have kept the girl somewhere more secure." Thales frowned, looking at the pitiful few vials of blood they had remaining as in the background another failed attempt at enhancing a Demonic Beast thrashed around in it's death throes.
"Not to disparage Solon's work, of course, but have you considered that the girl may only exist because the father is special?" Myson asked.
"If that is the case then best you hope it is the father, and not the mother who was special. Not that it is of much use to us if it is, that lapdog is almost as well guarded, and as careful, as the Archbishop."
"True." Myson agreed "But there is the Shrine at Rhodos, an attack there may lure him out. And we yet have sway within the Western Church."
"…Yes." Thales mused "Yes, I see where you're headed with this. Let me think on it; we cannot afford any great risks at present." Myson bowed and began to withdraw but was halted as Thales called after him "Tell me, what of this girl, this hero of the revelation, the one they've started calling a living Saint?"
Myson shrugged "She is a strong tactician. An exemplary fighter; daughter of the former Captain of the Knights, likely that's why they chose her, there's nothing particularly special about her that I could make out. No Crest, no blood."
"A 'people's hero' then" Thales sneered "Still… one worth keeping an eye on."