The Emperor of the Adrestian Empire could hardly remember ever feeling so happy hearing another person's heart beat. Years of pent up emotion and self-restraint tossed to the wind, she squeezed the man in her arms into a tight embrace. Tears of sorrow became tears of joy as she laughed and hugged her dearest teacher with all the force she could muster.
The Church of Seiros was no more. Archbishop Rhea, Saint Seiros herself, was dead. The massive body of the ancient dragon lay unmoving in the center of the burning plaza. The Empire had officially won the war. Five and a half long years it took to reach this point. She wanted to begin rebuilding the continent into the image she'd had for it.
Not yet. A thought whispered in the back of her head.
"Those Who Slither in the Dark," a voice said ominously, coming up behind her. It was Hubert, her friend, her most trustworthy ally, and the seated Minister of the Imperial Household. He'd read her thoughts perfectly.
The Emperor nodded. "It's not over yet. Not for us."
"Those Who Slither in the Dark?" the man in her arms suddenly spoke, as if he hadn't been unconscious for the last two minutes.
The Emperor quickly released her grasp on her teacher who sat up slowly. The man stood shakily to his feet.
"Still playing coy, I see," Hubert commented so quietly she almost didn't hear it.
"They are an organization that has existed for as long as I can remember." she answered, ignoring her erstwhile retainer. "They are the ones behind the Tragedy of Duscur. They drove my siblings, every single one of my brothers and sisters, to madness and death. They've controlled the empire for as long as I've been alive, manipulating history from the shadows. We cannot allow them to roam free. Now that the Church of Seiros has been toppled, they are our last remaining enemy, As long as Those Who Slither in the Dark exist, Fodlan can never know true peace."
"Then we fight them," her teacher said. The man plucked the Sword of the Creator, the divine weapon of the Progenitor God, from where it lay. To no surprise, the sword remained dormant. The red sheen of power that once flowed from her teacher's hands were no more. No signs of the Goddess's blessing that the man had received five years ago in the forest outside Garreg Mach remained. He was human. As human as everyone else.
"Your powers…" the Emperor said.
The professor paused for a moment, as if waiting for something, and then shook his head. "It's gone. There is no turning back."
"No," the Emperor agreed. "There was never a choice to turn back. Not since I started to walk this path."
"Is she dead?" a voice shouted from the other side of the plaza. "Is it over?"
"They won!" cried a jubilant voice.
It was joined by another, even more jubilant voice. "We did it! Oh my gosh we did it!"
Ferdinand. Dorothea. Bernadetta. Voices of friends.
"We took the victory!" Petra shouted, joining in the cheer.
A small military force gathered at the plaza, cheers ringing out concentrically as the news spread.
"What do we do now?" Bernadetta asked. "Do we all just leave and go home?"
"Bernadetta, how could you say something like that?!" Caspar shouted, making the girl yelp with fear.
"Aah! I'm sorry!"
"Why are you apologizing? I'm just wondering how you could leave without celebrating with us?"
"It is not over yet," Edelgard announced, broadcasting her voice loudly.
Like deer detecting prey, the now gathered students froze to listen.
"There is one more enemy left for us to defeat."
"Thales," Lysithea said.
"Yes," Edelgard affirmed before repeating the same description she'd given to Byleth earlier.
"I was able to trace the source of the enemy's location when they destroyed Fort Merceus," Hubert explained. "They are in a city named Shambala. That's where we shall go."
"What kind of power must they have to be able to destroy a city in a matter of seconds like that?" Ferdinand asked.
"They are a power which hates the goddess and all things living. I am taking a detachment of my best soldiers with me," Edelgard rejoined. "I will crush this enemy with my own two hands. I cannot make you join me on this quest, but if you could lend me your hand once more, my friends, I would be more than grateful."
"Are you really asking?" Ferdinand declared loudly. "Of course we're coming with you!"
"Yeah!" Dorothea added. "In what universe would we leave our dear Edie to fight this alone? I'm already in, and I know everyone else feels the same."
"We will take the last victory together," Petra added seriously.
Each of her former classmates voiced a similar opinion.
Lysithea, Petra, Ferdinand, Bernadetta and Caspar. Along with the professor and Hubert, they were all that were left. Everyone else was dead. The Empress's joy from the camaraderie she received was severely embittered by the reminder.
"Don't any of you go dying on me," Edelgard said solemnly. "Please."
She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Byleth.
"I'll keep them safe," the professor promised.
Edelgard nodded. "I'm counting on each of you for this final push. Gather your best battalions. Do whatever equipment maintenance you deem necessary. We'll meet back at the monastery in three day's time. We'll be departing at the first light of dawn. I'd suggest you use this time to put your affairs in order before we leave. That is all. Dismissed."
The Goddess's Tower. The new Hegemon of the continent waited alone at the top. Surely her teacher received the invitation?
Time passed slowly, giving her ample time to feel anxious about what was to come next. It was five years ago all over again. The final month before the invasion had eaten at her nerves in a way she didn't think was possible. The nightmares had returned every night with a vengeance and sleep had been scarce. In a way, this was almost just as important.
She had always considered herself patient, and she'd waited all these years - promising herself this confession at the end of the war. It was like a flood just waiting to burst from the gates of a fragile dam.
A part of her was terrified. How do I talk to him? What do I say?
Another part of her already knew the answer. It doesn't matter. Just be honest.
She breathed, and, against her will and despite already knowing what she should be doing, the voice of fear resurfaced. It was followed quickly by anger. Idiot! Must you always be engaged in such pointless internal battles?!
Yes. She answered herself. Because your fate is being decided tonight. You must make peace with the possibility that things won't work out the way you want it to.
Purposeful and nearly silent footsteps padded their way up from the stairwell, and Edelgard watched her beloved surface with trepidation and hope. If you could choose me once more, I will give up my throne to be with you. I will give you everything.
She put on a practiced smile as her dearest teacher came up the stairs with her note in his hand. "Here," he said as he soundlessly handed the note to her.
If she hadn't had so much practice, it would have been difficult suppressing the sudden urge to feel embarrassed. She took the note and folded it neatly in her hands while she decided how she'd begin the conversation.
Speak your mind.
And she did.
"The children of the goddess have been defeated at last. The shape of the world will be forever changed. Humanity is free now. The world is ours once again. Can you believe it?"
…
…
Inside Shambala, the battle was fierce. The enemy operated strange machinery, producing power that none of them understood. Byleth's strong tactical leadership was one of the pillars that held them together against this unknown enemy. The individual strengths of her former classmates were another. The battalions they commanded were well-trained, drilled for a number of complex maneuvers, and were capable of handling whatever came their way.
Combined with tactical ingenuity and superior military strength, the Imperial army broke into the room at the center of the maze where the dark mage, Thales, waited - an old evil sitting alone on his dark throne.
"You are all that is left. Surrender and we will end your life painlessly. Peacefully," Edelgard shouted, her voice booming across the massive chamber of the Agarthan's throne room. She stepped through the entrance and was followed by her classmates.
The dark mage smiled a grisly smile from where he sat. "Pity. If only you'd stayed loyal to us until the end."
"Loyal to you? After what you did to my family? After Duscur? You were going to subvert me anyway."
"You've won," Thales declared with a strange joy, ignoring her words. "But you will not get to enjoy your victory."
"What-?"
The old man put his palms on the floor.
"Kill him! Now!" Byleth yelled.
Edelgard rushed across the room to do just that, noticing the circles of light emanating from Thales's hands.
The earth above them shattered and the world shook with tremendous force.
The ceiling collapsed, bringing boulders and rubble crashing down in front of her. The path was blocked.
"Javelins of Light," Hubert said with horror before a boulder crashed down onto his head, killing him instantly.
"STOP!" Edelgard pleaded to no avail. Thales's laughter echoed out from behind the massive wall of rubble between them.
"Run!" Edelgard screamed to those behind her before realizing the truth. There was no escape. They were too deep underground, too far into the maze.
Byleth stood unmoving as if he were trying to will something to happen. The screams of Imperial soldiers being crushed by the cave-ins rent the air outside the throne room.
"Lysithea!" Edelgard cried, noticing the woman slipping in. "Warp the professor out of here!"
"No!" Byleth shouted just as loudly. "She is the Emperor. Adrestia needs her!"
Lysithea ran as fast as her feet could carry her toward the Imperial ruler.
There was no time. "What are you doing?!" Edelgard half-screamed. She realized she was being silly. Obviously even with her great talents, Lysithea would not be able to warp any of them far enough to survive. Every single person she'd brought into Shambala was doomed, and Edelgard found herself shaking as she collapsed to her knees.
The cake-loving woman took Edelgard's hand. "My life for yours," she said.
The Emperor watched with horror as Lysithea began bleeding from her eyes and nose. Her pupils dilated and disappeared upwards as she shouted with all the effort she could muster. The air trembled with magic, and the pale, bleeding visage of the most powerful mage Edelgard had ever known - would ever know - became the last thing she saw before the throne room underneath Shambala disappeared.
She grasped at the air where Lysithea's hand had been. Grasped at anything she could - the sand beneath her, her weapon, her hair. She released a loud wail of grief. She'd won. It was over, and she'd lost everything.
Rings of light continued to trace through the air, followed by a javelin of magic powerful enough to destroy a city. An explosion of heat and flames rent the desert sand, disintegrating everything in its path. Buildings, people.
And then it stopped, as suddenly as it had begun. Thales was probably dead, killed under the firepower of his own spell. In the span of a single minute, all the things that had given her life joy had been turned to dust.
"No…" she sobbed, whimpering under her breath. "This can't be happening."
But no one was left to hear her. They were all gone, their promises with them, and it was all her fault.
Author's Note
That moment you realize that without Rhea, the fight in Shambala against TWSitD would have ended in utter disaster. :)