The Light

After some much needed stress relief, Byleth passed back out. They both detested being clothed, but they had to leave the bath clothed, otherwise it would be indecent. Still, it was uncomfortably clingy after such a freeing experience. Once Byleth was sound asleep, Dimitri requested that Dedue watch over the professor's room, to which he obliged.

Dimitri ignored his discomfort, then walked toward the source of his distress and noticed that it peaked just below the gazebo. He mentally charted out its location and assumed that it was the holy tomb that waited below. If that were the case, Dimitri needed to scout it out and eliminate those lurkers, but he did not know the underground routes as well as Seteth. That meant petitioning for permission would be the next step on his agenda.

Or it would have been next if Dimitri had not seen a familiar face.

"You are getting adept at this." She said, sitting in the gazebo. Long blue hair. Soft eyes and a consoling smile. "I told you I wanted what was best for Bylleth. I am glad I entrusted him to you. Do you remember?"

"Who are you?" Dimitri asked.

"A friend. Now. You sense it, don't you? Those creatures still stir and want their freedom. Listen to me closely. They are after that which will bring them back to life."

"How do you know so much about them?"

A silence hung over them and her smile vanished. "I am one of them."

"What?" Dimitri took a step back.

". . .Death does not bind them. Bind us. Our consciousnesses are stronger than that. The problem is, we do not have command over our own bodies anymore. Incomplete beings, thrown to the side, called failures. Once the Archbishop was captured, those consciousnesses began to awaken. Once sealed away from doing harm, their souls yearn to return to this world."

"I do not understand this." Dimitri said.

"No. As you are now, you lack the insight. The Archbishop has many secrets, and those below are but one of them."

"How are you free to roam, but they aren't?" Dimitri asked.

"Who said they aren't?" She warned. "I can be seen by a few. I choose to. They do not. How can you say for certain that they aren't already here?"

Spirits. Ghosts. An invisible threat. "That's what you are, I take it? A ghost?"

"Yes, you could say that."

"Then why aren't you after the same goal?" Dimitri asked.

"Byleth's life is more important to me than mine. I wish to return to slumber and move on to the next world. There I will meet an old face and wait for Byleth. But he is due for a life of his own. The others need to move on as well."

"Are you Araleth?" Dimitri asked.

"I am. Byleth is my child. And I will not stand idle while those others plan his downfall. They need something within Byleth to resurrect. But it will not end well in their favor. They have yet to realize this."

"Humor me. Why is that?" Dimitri asked.

"Their bodies could not survive life the first time. Resurrecting that would only amount to misery. Even if it does succeed in issuing a breath of life, only one may fully resurrect and the others will constantly fight over their chance. They will all perish and fade once more."

"How many are there?" Dimitri asked.

"Eleven. Including me, twelve."

"Okay. Tell me what I need to do, then." Dimitri listened to her. She pushed Dimitri and Byleth together in the first place, but that was an entirely undone timeline now. Dimitri had to confirm something before she continued, "How do you remember your interactions with me?"

"All twelve of us remember the undone. Do not forget that as I tell you. We are borne of the goddess's divine magic darkened by ill intent. We feel the flow of time, forward and in reverse, as naturally as you breathe. The memory of Byleth dying is still fresh on their minds, and they will stop at nothing to reenact it.

"You remember I mentioned a core? When it was struck, it threw those plotting consciousnesses into a frenzy and they battled to retrieve it. Now that time has reversed, the core remembers the damage. Those below remember it, as well. They wish to take it, by any means necessary."

"How could those ghosts have anything to do with that ambush? Since they have no bodies of their own, we were still attacked by the imperial spies, correct?"

"They know who your enemies are. They whispered strategies into their ears. They just did not realize doing so would backfire and harm the core. I believe I heard Byleth's thoughts echoing back a curiosity to how the enemy's movements were far too predictive of what you two would do next? That is because they knew and retained that information, based on the spirits' decision to share it with your natural enemies."

"Ah. Great. An internal threat and intruders from the outside. Okay. What do I do to keep Byleth safe?"

"Return to Byleth. Watch over him as he recovers. There is a sealing magic that I am sure he can perform, as it is intrinsically linked to the goddess's power. Flayn more so than Seteth would also be inclined to this magic."

"Oh. Why is that?"

"Such capabilities boon more fully in some more than others. Flayn happened to hear my voice and see me – and I saw her strong magical aura as well."

"Then we cannot deal with them until Byleth fully recovers . . . There is no other way to keep them from harming us?" Dimitri was less than thrilled with that answer. He wanted to eliminate them a week ago, but forgetting important details and prioritizing staying close to Byleth prevented him from researching it further.

"I am afraid there is a limit as to what you can do. But, you still play a key role in this. I have to retreat where they cannot find me. Weakened by their bloodlust, I must not show my face regularly. You are stronger than I am."

"Eleven to one. I am sure you are doing the best that you can."

"I was never much of a fighter. You and the others close to him, are so loyal to him. I think that I can leave this task to you."

"You can."

Araleth nodded. "Thank you. I will start showing Flayn how to perform the sealing magic. Byleth should come up with it naturally. Return to him. He mends faster in your presence." And like that, Araleth vanished from view. It took a few moments of reminding himself that yes, Araleth was the ghost of his lover's mother, and that yes, he was not hallucinating as Flayn can see her as well. There was something to be gleaned from her approval, though, and Dimitri would wear that with pride.

Dimitri returned to Byleth's room and Dedue left them after the prince expressed his gratitude. Byleth was already awake, however, looking out the window. He craned his body to see who his visitor was, and smiled.

"I am surprised you are awake, Byleth." Dimitri said.

"I had a hard time staying asleep. It was a bit odd to wake up to an empty room, though."

"Sorry. I had some errands to run – no rest for our kind, right? How are you feeling?"

"Good. The light poured into my room and I was curious about its touch. It seems like it's much different now."

"How so?" Dimitri asked.

"Well, we aren't supposed to travel in the light, but it pours so gently now."

"I beg your pardon? Where did you hear something like that?"

Byleth fully turned around and said, ". . . From you? 'The light burns, so stick to the shadows'. That's what you said."

"I most certainly never said anything of that sort! Are you sure you are remembering correctly? Ah. Sorry. You just woke up from a nap, so you perhaps dreamt it?"

But a sudden remembrance of that light burning his face came back to the forefront. Were they on the spirits' turf when they dreamt? If that were the case, Dimitri had to fall asleep when Byleth did – and that was a task easier said than done, as he slept more than Dimitri under normal circumstances.

Byleth nodded, "Maybe. It was such a real dream, then. That light did sting so vividly, that I had to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Dimitri looked at Byleth with equal parts intensity and fear – these eleven would need to be sealed before they could do more harm to him. How could Byleth heal if he could not sleep in peace? Perhaps that was the point . . . they were going to run him ragged and guide the next set of intruders into ending Byleth when he was powerless to fight back.

That was never going to happen.

Dimitri closed the empty space between him and Byleth, pulling him into an embrace. He ran his hands up and down Byleth's back, remember how smooth and warm the bare skin was a short while ago. Byleth's hands were folded between their abdomens, and he made no movements beyond nestling his face in Dimitri's chest. They had already indulged carnal pleasures for one day – and Dimitri sensed very little sexual desire from Byleth as they cuddled, so he moved for something less taxing.

Dimitri took off his overbearing armor and shirt, leaving himself bare from his waist up, then relieved Byleth of the same. He ushered them to the bed and resumed a tender embrace while they faced one another, and Dimitri caressed Byleth's back. Dimitri felt Byleth's lips gently pecking his collarbone in reciprocation, but it did not last for very long. Dimitri's touch lulled Byleth back into slumber, and Dimitri shut his eye in hopes for the same.

He wanted to see this 'otherworld' once again to determine its threat level to Byleth.