An Inevitable Encounter

The sound of pounding footsteps and falling rain is all that can be heard. Thousands rush to the center of the battlefield, some on foot and some soaring above the clouds on the backs of magnificent beasts. Both sides meet in the middle with a clash that rattles the heavens, weapons crashing against each other. A once peaceful world is now full of endless bloodshed, death, and tragedy.

However, in the midst of all the horror, a flaming sword cuts through the battle, and in its path, a man stands alone, his golden eyes alight with an unknown fire. Soldiers flock towards him, eager for more death, more killing, and in their minds, victory, but this man has no intention of picking off meager soldiers, and instead rushes towards a woman who glares from the shadows. He lunges at her, grinning as the promise of bloodshed fills his mind. As her bodyguards fall around her, someone shouts her name: "Lady Seiros!" It is all she can hear besides the beating of her heart and the strangled cries of falling soldiers. She faces her enemy with a coldness that he cannot match.

And as the sun comes out from behind the grey clouds, bathing her face in a golden glow, she draws her sword and approaches him. He pushes her back with a force stronger than many, but she counters and gains momentum, striking over and over again. He does not give in, however, and his blade morphs into a whip, lashing out at her, barely missing her stomach. As his whip comes out again, she lets it hook around her sword and throws both weapons as far away from them as she can get. They face each other, weaponless, matching each other's resolve and hatred. But he was never educated in hand to hand combat, and she strikes him, causing his large body to fall in the mud. As he tries once more to stand, she kneels and holds a dagger to his throat, and speaks.

"Tell me, Nemesis. Do you recall the red canyon?" His eyes widen in horror as her blade plunges down into his chest, again and again and again. "You'll die for that! Die! Die!" She pauses, gasping for air, anger raging inside of her. "You took everything that I loved." Her shouts grow quieter, softer, more desperate than angry. Her soldiers cheer around her, celebrating her victory. But she does not smile. She only looks towards the rising sun and the fading storm clouds, lifting up her enemy's weapon. She cradles it close to her, whispering only for herself. "He's gone now, Mother. He's gone."

The image fades away, revealing a young girl sleeping in a throne far too large for her tiny frame. However, she rubs her eyes and slowly sits up, gazing at a young woman standing in front of her. She leans forward.

"Oh, my. What could've brought you here?" the girl says, and the young woman is confused, scanning the space for any clue to where she is. Finally her eyes focus on the small girl. "I wonder how you got in here."

"I-"

The girl does not allow her a chance to speak.

"It is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose. Very rude indeed. Now come to me. I wish to have a look at you." She gestures for her to come forward, and she does so warily. The girl atop the throne says nothing, only stares at her dark blue hair and armor. "I have not seen the likes of you before. Who are you anyway?" The young woman blinks slowly, still attempting to figure out where in the world she is. Once she finally registers that she was asked a question, she answers softly.

"I… I am a mortal."

"Do speak up, girl. If you are mortal, then you must have a name of sorts. Go on."

"My name is Byleth Eisner."

"Hm. I shall never grow accustomed to the sound of human names," the girl says with a giggle. Byleth merely frowns. "You must possess a day of birth, as well. Beneath which moon and on what day were you born to this world?" "The second day of the Pegasus moon. Can I ask where I am?" Byleth looks around again, frantically searching for a way out.

The girl shakes her head, eyes widening with excitement.

"Well, wonders never cease! It seems we share our day of birth! How strange…" she trails off, lost in thought. Byleth shivers. "It all feels so… familiar. I think it may be time for yet another nap… It is almost time to… begin…" The girl falls asleep once more, her head resting in her hands. The world wavers slightly, the blackness surrounding them swiftly shifting to a bright white-

Byleth awoke with a start, her head pounding. What in the world? Suddenly, her surroundings became clear, and she realized it was only a dream. But it was so strange. It has to mean something.

"Hey, time to wake up." Jeralt's voice traveled up the stairs and pulled her out of her thoughts. She quickly dressed and left her room in search of her father, and once she found him, he smiled. The moonlight filtered through the windows, casting the room in an eerie glow. "Were you having that dream again?" Byleth nodded, pulling on her boots and cloak.

"The war… the death… Does it mean something?"

"Massive armies clashing on a vast field, right? There hasn't been a battle like that in over three centuries…" He trailed off dreamily, and Byleth stood up. "In any case, just put that out of your mind for now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts. Risking your life is part of the job for mercenaries like us. Letting your mind wander is a sure way to get yourself killed." she nodded, grabbing her sword from its resting place and sliding it into the sheath on her hip. He watched her prepare silently, a grim expression on his face. "Time to get moving. Our next job is in the kingdom. It's pretty far, so we should get going now if we want to arrive by morning."

"Of course," Byleth replied, nodding. She pulled open the door only to find the rest of the mercenaries waiting for them. "Hm? Father, everyone is already waiting for us outside…" One of the men stepped forward, speaking quickly, his face twisted into an expression of worry.

"Jeralt! Sir! Sorry to barge in, but your presence is needed!" The man catches his breath. "There are three people who would like to talk to you. And bandits on the way, sir!"

Jeralt and Byleth followed the mercenaries to the clearing where three people stood, one girl and two boys. They looked nearly the same age as Byleth. The three looked around nervously, but the boy clad in blue was the first to speak. He bowed respectfully, and Byleth watched him curiously.

"Please forgive our intrusion, sir. We wouldn't bother you were the situation not dire." Jeralt merely shook his head, annoyance filling his eyes.

"What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?"

"We are being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope-" He winced as the sound of the bandits grew closer. "That you will be so kind as to lend your support." His pale blue eyes were filled with hope, and Byleth nodded before her father could reject them. The boy beamed, but Jeralt was not happy.

"Are you positive they're bandits?"

"Yes. They attacked us while we were at rest in our camp." Now it was the girl with long white hair who spoke.

"We've been separated from our companions and we're outnumbered. They're after our lives…not to mention our gold." The boy in the yellow gave them a slow smile, despite the seriousness of his words.

Jeralt snorted. "I'm impressed you're all staying so calm considering the situation. I-" his smile faded into a look of recognition. "Wait, that uniform…" Before he could finish his thought, one of the mercenaries rushed up to them.

"The bandits! They're right outside the village gates. Damn, there are a lot of them…" Jeralt glared at the three young adults.

"Guess they followed you all the way here. We can't abandon this village now." He looked down at Byleth, and she nodded to him.

"Let's go. I'm ready."

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed my first chapter. Please leave a review of what you think! I love this game so much and I'm so excited to be writing for this fandom =)

~Saffron465