Chapter 2: Walk with me

Mellow light shakes me softly awake. I look around the room and jump away from me bunk bed to the ground to notice that Byleth had already left. I opened the door and wandered around the deck and found no one. Sighing, I stared at the dark blue that colored the vast ocean. Still a few days away from our destination, we were supposed to see some territories today. Sunlight spread and brightened the horizon from behind me. "Would you like some bread?"The professor asked behind me. This took me by surprise, as I was known to be very keen and agile when it came to the presence of other people. I turned to see that he was also holding a water jug and held it out for me.

"Thanks," I ate heartily, as I had not eaten since getting on this ship nor had my fill of water. Mother always joked that I was thirsty most of the time. When I was done, I asked, "what's it like where you're taking me?"

Placing his right hand on his chin and left on the right hip, he carefully thought a response for me, but he didn't seem satisfied enough to share it. After a while, he broke the silence,

"it's quiet, and there are many differences that lead the people to fight against each other. You will find many things to do—the land is vast. And it will be difficult for you. You will not be as free as you were. The life we lead is very structured. There are rarely any deviations or surprises. Some feel asphyxiated by it and yearn to go back to their homes. It will be nothing like Bikanel." Byleth spoke with uninterest and a stare that said that he wasn't really looking at you, but through you. It's just weird. "Is there a reason for your eyepatch?"He asked.

"It's not green. I…it's always hidden." I murmured, I was going to say that I can't see through it, but that would be a pointless lie. Having different colored eyes was frowned upon and gave away that you're not of pure blood. Because of it, my mother insisted in having it hidden to protect me from other people's judgments.

"Not green?"

"It's a grayish kind of hazel that freaked everyone out. So, we faked that I had lost my eye due to an infection because of the sands. People back home don't ask questions about it, since it's rather normal to cover up your eyes." I said, speaking louder.

"Mhm."Nothing more from him. Seeing as he initiated the conversation, I told him that I was excited to go to Fódlan, but he didn't seem to be interested in speaking with me. Only answering in grunts and one words. Perhaps I have exhausted him? I took the jug of water and set out to lay down on the other side of the deck below some shade that would be gone by midday. This ride is eventless.

Nightfall came without anything interesting as the rest of the days. When we crossed the small peninsula between Morfis and Almyra, I was hoping to see some land closely, but we only caught glimpses of the shadowed outlines of the earth. I mostly kept to myself and only spoke when it came to meals, water, and sleep. Thankfully, the last two days went without dreams bothering me.

I was told that we reached the coast of Fódlan overnight and that the ride upstream went smoothly. Surprised that both the ocean and the rivers were at peace for our passage left me perplexed as to the kind of people that worked for the place my mother was sending me too. Nevertheless, I was not able to ask questions or doubt these folks. At morning, Byleth had the ship docked close to a small village. He gave me my bag of ointments and seeds which I strapped to my waist and followed him. I thought that this was the place, but I was proved wrong as we continued through the hill. It seemed that I was to walk into the mountains with the party. Alongside Byleth, around eight monks followed him. Four on each side. They all covered their faces with those weird beige robes. It made sense to assume that Byleth was someone who held power in this place—he wore a cape and his garbs were black. Or maybe I'm wrong.

From a distance, the village reminded me of home. Quaint, small, picturesque for a memory. You could see that it only had fourteen houses spread out in a spiral. In the middle a small chapel-like structure stood taller than the rest of the village and house a large area that resembled a community campfire gathering. It was a beautiful sight to see the people walking around like shadowy figures. I wondered what their lives are like. Is it peaceful? Do they have a secure source of food? Water they have from the river close by. Are there fiends? I wonder if this place is at war like my place. I wanted to ask so much, but Byleth doesn't seem the type of person to even be aware of his surroundings. I hope that at the place I'm going there's someone that likes to spill the crucial bits of life.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to go back home or write. Seeing this scene, I felt a clutching sensation around my chest that sent a fiery sensation of pain with every step I took as I followed Byleth.

Byleth made a comment on how it was nice that I could keep up. That I had more stamina than some of the students that were nestled in the monastery. I felt great knowing that I was at least more proficient than other people that were accepted into this place, even if it was walking. Being used to pushing myself to stride across the sand, walking on solid footing felt like a breeze.

We walked for hours and these people never stopped. The forest trail was beautiful for me. Several times I got sidetracked examining flowers I'd never seen before with weird shapes like paws, upside-down bells, sharply pointed starfish with colors like an off-set old white, bright matte reds, blushed pink, unfertile ground beige, and sunlit sand. Some had fresh cooling fragrances, while others simply smelled like citrus and fruits. There were also these vines with tiny black centered balls surrounded by pointed bright yellow petals that had the sweetest misty honeydew fragrance. Byleth had scolded me a couple of times because I was setting their arrival time back because of my dawdling. I don't regret it, I mean, I've never been here!

The trees were all huge and majestic. They were so tall that if you looked up you saw their branches interlocking into black webbed open ceiling. This was breathtaking because the sunlight made them look black and sent slithers of light across the trail. I felt like I was walking in between dimension in the cool shade and the warmth of light. This could never happen in Bikanel. I saw how his hair went from the darkness into the shimmering brightness as he walked through the trail. It was as if his features came to light and how that dark hair turned minty green for a few seconds glimmering and reflecting the light. I also noticed when I jumped a bit further ahead that his skin would glow a bit. Glittering slightly under the embrace of warm sunlight. It was attractive. He is a physically attractive person, but such a bore to be with!

This confused me, why was I feeling attracted to him, what was attracting me to him? I've never experienced this in Bikanel. Well, it's not like I had many people to talk to.

I wondered if my skin would also look like that if someone else laid eyes on me. Would the people here find me attractive or interesting? I've always liked covering up to protect my skin, my mother always jabbed at me that I was the fairest skinned Al Bhed people would ever see and I'm tan! Maybe here I can show a bit more skin. The sun isn't that strong compared to Bikanel. I know that my hair would probably look different. Most Al Bheds had a very light golden tone to their hair that was almost always straight. I'm the exception in my village. My hair wasn't straight, it was beach sand blonde colored spiral kind of hair. It also seemed to defy gravity, whereas people's hair would go down, mine decides to create these tiny towers on my head. Therefore, my hair doesn't glow like other people's when it's in sunlight. It just gets lighter. But when it gets wet you can see that it can reach my lips and cover my ears. It's a real mess to deal with if I would let everything grow, so my mother would just cut the back and the sides close to my scalp and only leave it long in the crown. It's going to be difficult to manage my hair if I can't find someone to help me out. I don't want to look like I just woke up every day!

At dusk, Byleth motioned the monks to set up camp and I was amazed at how they were carrying tents that seemed to expand in size when taken out of their robes. Again, Byleth told me that I was to sleep in the same tent as him. To ensure that I would arrive with life. That made no sense to me. Still, this was the last night before arriving at the place that would mold me into someone of utility and purpose. I am so excited!

One of the monks told Byleth that there was a small stream where we could wash up before sleeping. Byleth, a man of few words, motioned me again to go a wash up after him. Following him through a path with shrubs we walked less than five minutes and this stream they mentioned was like the oasis back home. I awed in amazement and told Byleth, "This is huge!"

"It's small to what you can usually see here. No big deal." Again, no amusement or enthusiasm, just who is this person?

"Well, compared to the desert, this is almost a pond!" I excitedly announced, to which he replied blankly, "Don't bathe. There are no cloths to dry ourselves with. Wash your face and head back."

"Okay. I get it."I replied frustratedly with a grunt. I have really been looking forward to a bath. My skin had become mushy and sticky with its natural perspiration processes. I had learned this from mother when she taught me to mix ointments, to always apply on clean skin because you would be wasting them otherwise. I understood him too, this climate did not dry you quickly as the one in Bikanel. There was so much aridness in the atmosphere that you could bathe and the whispering sand in the air would just absorb the water away from you. There was no need for cloths. I washed my face and felt the ice-cold water brush my face. I have never felt water like this before. It feels so good and refreshing. And this is something I can't share with Byleth because he won't understand where I'm coming from.

After a few splashes I stared at my face reflected. Eyepatch set in place, pores looking a bit open, slim features still in place. Curls a bit disheveled and wild. Still attractive. The way my cheekbones pronounced themselves when I turned sideways really excited me. It felt like I was someone of importance. My moment was cut off by Byleth's voice when he ordered me to leave. I headed back and settled in our tent. This time there was no bunk bed. At least the ground was more comfortable than sand and I could close my eyes. I knew I was gone. I stopped listening to the sounds around me.

"Mhm. It is you again, child. How is it that you find yourself in this place again? It is rude to interrupt my repose."The woman glared at me as if I were interrupting her from something important. This place, the same blackness from the other day. The same throne. The same woman. I was having the same dream again. "This is a dream," I told her.

"A dream? Are you daft? Do you not see where you stand, how you are to move about freely, how you will yourself to speak to me?" I felt that she berated on and on for hours. Scolding me for being daft and unaware of what was happening around me. She went on to explain that this place is a sacred place—but that she doesn't know why. She's lost some of her memory. All that she has are lightbulbed fragments of knowledge that whisper their way to consciousness. I still didn't know her name, or why I was there. We were both silent for a while and she broke it by asking what my name was because she was tired of calling me child.

"I'm Gippal." I murmured.

"What? Gip?" Dumbfounded she continued, "speak louder, child!"

"My name is Gippal." I looked at her, speaking louder.

"Huh. What a weird name. Mhm, matters not, Gippal. At least you will keep me company for some of the time."She grinned, as if my presence brought her some joy.

Confused, I asked, "Do you know why I'm here?"

She raised her eyebrows at me and scoffed, "how am I supposed to know, you just vanish and re-appear here. I can offer you wisdom and possibilities. But…if you do not know the questions that you seek the answer to, there is little I can offer to you." She held her head with her right hand and added with an unsure tone to her words, "I am confident that this is a manifestation inside your mind, or soul. I do not know, but there is something critical about you that I cannot quite figure out, but it is familiar to me."

I looked down and stretched out my hands. I wondered what these fingertips were capable of…but I've always been running. I turned to look into her eyes and queried, "In my mind? Soul? Something about me? How am I familiar to you?"

"You ask too many questions, Gippal! These things, they just are. This is you; this is possible because your mind is quiet. You are familiar to me. Not you, but your experiences and vacillations. I can sense that you are a shifting continuum. Very much like what I am or was."

Her explanations did not help me at all. It served to only confuse me more. I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms while tilting a bit to the side, "I'm not sure what you mean…and what were you going to say about my blood when I saw you last time?"

I could tell she was frustrated, "You will understand soon. And that, I do remember telling you while you vanished and now it has escaped me. Mhm…it is very important that you know it."

"What about my existence and this thing about crests?"

"Mhm, yes…your existence? It's a mistake. You shouldn't exist. You are something that should not be. It is noticeable to the common eye that you are not pure. And there is also a reason for your existence and mistake. Why would the world create someone like you? In this land you will not be shunned like you would be in your land."She yawned and straightened herself in her throne. She stared at me questionably as if waiting for me to answer or ask her questions. But it still did not make sense to me, I was a mistake? Impure? Meant to happen?

"So…I'm a vacillation of whatever creates things in this world? A paradox…not meant to happen and I still have a purpose…I get it. I think." I relaxed a bit and sat on the floor of blackness, crossing my legs and placing my hands on my knees. "What did you mean when you talked about Crests?"

"I did not mean to say that you have no crests. Mhmm…Do I remember what they are? Ah, yes! They are the person's source of affinities, capabilities, synchrony with the elements, magic and that source of thing. People think them to be a blessing from the Creator. Without a crest, you're just ordinary. Nothing special—unless you undergo rigorous training. And hardly anyone achieves that, ha! Humans trying to be as gods. Quite funny, wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't get it. You're saying that I don't have a crest, yet I do?"

"Mhm, how do I say this," She pouted and sighed heavily, "you appear to have no crests because you have no affinities, no special talents, nothing special about you. Your body is weak. You also have no talent for magic. It's obvious…yet…there is something intriguing. I'm not sure if it's the eyepatch or the way that you stand. Yes…I'm sure that there is a crest within you sleeping. Yes, it is sleeping. I can sense it. It was forced into invisibility. It is evidence enough that you can converse with me. You can relate to me in a way an ordinary human cannot. Only he can see me like this. I am not sure if he knows that you can see me as well. But…you shouldn't be able to see me because your crest is not my own."

"What do you mean? Who is this he?" I thought I was speaking. But she just looked confused as I realized that my voice had disappeared. I felt an electrifying sensation on my hands and legs, and I saw that I was indeed vanishing like she had said. I was becoming sand drifted away by the wind that did not move through this place. Like home. In a matter of seconds, I had become specks of dust swirling in a whirlwind that extended infinitely in this space. My body had fractured into these tiny pieces, yet I also felt how I stretched endlessly.

Not soon after, the mantle of darkness fell…

Byleth was rummaging his belongings and left the tent. I stretched and groaned as I felt some spasms on my back. I needed a bed quickly. I strapped my bag around my waist and stepped outside. It was still twilight, and I couldn't see the sun or it's morning streams of bloody red illuminating the horizon. Byleth was in conversation with some of the monks while they secured the tents back into their tiny bags and hid them under their robes. It was an interesting thing to watch them do that as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

I stepped closer to Byleth and asked if it was time to leave. He simply nodded and said that we would be there at midday. We walked a slower pace than yesterday, the air getting cooler as we traversed upwards the mountain path. You could see that the trail was often used, for it was well kept and free of any natural obstacles. I noticed that we were going slower because the monks were not used to this kind of walking. Thankfully, life in Bikanel provided with tall dunes that were great to get us accustomed to strenuous distances or terrains. I smiled to myself recognizing that my talent could indeed be walking through any kind of terrain—except, well…water. Wow…I must really be ordinary if that's my talent.

"When we get there, you will be interviewed." Byleth spoke in a hushed voice, as if it were a secret.

I was baffled and taken by surprise, as I was about to ask him he made a downward gesture with his hand—low voice, got it, "who will?"

"The Archbishop. She must interview you. To evaluate if you are worthy of admission. It may take a while."

"And after that what will happen?"

"I…do not know."

"But I thought I was already admitted." I queried in a whisper as we kept walking.

"It's…do not doubt that you will be admitted. I chose my words poorly. She merely wishes to inquire a few details about yourself."

"Oh…that's a relief." I sighed.

If the Archbishop was going to interview me, then this must be the person that my mother sent the letter to…or the one who sent us the letter? I don't understand this. I'm scared. What if this place is just like the people from the mainland and their religion? What if…she is an Archbishop of Yevon? Do they have summoners here? Is there a Sin? Then…this must be a trap. No, I can't start thinking like this again. I need to be calm.

I need to see this through and then figure out what I can do.

Byleth was right, yet wrong. We didn't arrive by midday; it took us a little bit longer because the monks had to frequently stop for breaks. Even so, that didn't bother me because I could just look at the shrubs and gaze at how huge the forest that lies before the monastery. The only place in Bikanel that has a tree is the Oasis. The rest are cactuses, and it's not like you can get shade from them. The entrance to the monastery was huge. You could see that it was like a temple from the mainland. It was protected by magnificent stone walls that had guard towers stretching farther into the sky. Furthermore, there were towers that were much bigger than the stone walls and guard towers—watchtowers I assumed; the way it was designed and constructed was so much more impressive than anything I had ever seen. It is prepared to protect itself against invasion. Though I already knew that their weak spot is lack of machina, being a religious place, I assumed that they also had teachings against technology like the people who believed in Yevon had in Spira. Us Al Bhed were different. We didn't exactly believe in Yevon or the teachings, so we were quite adept with machine and technology. The only thing I like about Yevon is the hymn. It's soothing.

As we walked to the entrance, a lively guard gave his salutations to Byleth, straightening his posture out and slightly bowing towards him. "Good afternoon, Professor! I have nothing unusual to report. Except that the students left on a training expedition. How was your assignment overseas?" His voice annoyed me it felt that it was covered in forced optimism, yet it was relieving to hear someone else other than Byleth.

"It went well." That was Byleth's response. I swear that he had no skills. "Come," he motioned me to follow him. We arrived at some sort of long hallway with many wooden tables and chairs on both sides laid out symmetrically after passing through the reception hall. We came to a door that lead to a bridge and I was going to continue walking until Byleth stopped me by holding my arm. He motioned that it was to the left that we were going. He opened a door that had stairs that lead to a hallway that had many rooms. At the end of the hallway was a huge wooden gate that was slightly open. Byleth told me to wait there and he went inside.

I tried to take in my surroundings, this place was beautifully constructed. Everything was in stone, which would explain why it felt cool during the day. I suspected that in cold nights they would feel comfortably warm inside without the need for fire or quilts to cover themselves up. There was also something somber about this place. The carpets, dim lighting and the closed rooms. The ambience felt tense and weary. If he was here, he would have to be someone important. This is probably where the important people where. I wondered if I would be coming here often. I hoped not. I didn't want to go far but I did not want to wait standing, so I decided to sit down next to the doors. If I could hear something that would be a plus. Whoever Byleth was speaking with, probably talked in that same hushed manner as he usually does. I closed my eyes, feeling comfortable in the cool embrace of stone surroundings…and waited…

"Come," His voice woke me up. I looked confused as I felt that I had been asleep for the longest time. I noticed that it was lighter than when we got here, so it had to be the afternoon, but not late afternoon because the sun did not feel scorching and the rays of light weren't creating long shadows. "Thanks, that was a long conversation." My response felt obvious, yet unwarranted. His reaction was neutral, inexistent. Unwarranted. "Yes, she waits and does not like to be kept in waiting. Go. I will wait for you here."I nodded and walked inside the chamber.

It was beautiful. Columns reached the ceiling, a faded gray coloring them turning a dusty white against the light. They have been polished frequently and cared for with diligence. Alabaster chandeliers hung from the ceiling, dimly lighting the room with candles that I wondered who would place and light them up there. A red carpet leads the way to the balcony and to the other chambers that connected to this one.

A woman that looks like his mom stood there. Mint green eyes and flowing beautiful hair reaching half-way to her forearms, an elegant white dress adorned with golden hems and necklines hid her figure from the observing eye. The same fair pale skin that would be sure to glimmer in the sunlight like Byleth's. Hers was a soft, gentle voice that echoed peace through the chamber. "Gippal, I have been waiting for your arrival. How was your journey with Byleth? I trust that the protection of Seiros guided you here without obstacles."What a warm smile. What a difference from what Byleth is.

"It was okay. Yes…nothing happened."

"I am overjoyed to hear that." She walked slowly to stand closer to me. "Do you know why you are here?"

"No…I…don't. My mother didn't tell me why I was being sent here, Ma'am." I looked down in I ask for her name? Maybe he only talks in syllables or lopsided nonsensical sentences. I guess he has no social aren't the best either.

"Please, call me Lady Rhea. I am the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. Tell me, what do you know of your talent?"

"Well…" This is the moment that my mother spoke of, I had to lie here to ensure that I would not be expelled or in danger. "I don't have any control over it…" I fiddled with my hands, unsure of what to say. Head still down and legs crossed sideways—confusion overwhelmed me. I hoped that I could just vanish. I've never had to talk brilliantly about myself. People just didn't expect anything from me.

"You are safe with me. We will help you control it. So, tell me, what is your talent?" She emphasized safe and control. I peeked and she smiled warmly and gestured her arms open sideways, as if inviting me to reveal my inner turmoil.

"I can…uhm…well fluctuate energy. I can shift it, so people become energized or exhausted. But I don't know how it works and it just happens randomly."Mostly to me, but I couldn't tell her that. And energetic fluctuations is also very similar to the use of arcane spells where mages just put people to sleep, slow them down, or quicken them to move faster.

She seemed unfazed and uninterested with this; I could see it in her blank expression. Even so, I could tell that there was a certain kindness to her words. One like the most respected summoner in the mainland. "And your crest?"

Crest, I had a dream about this with that woman. She also looks like her and to Byleth. Could they be related somehow? I can't question this here. The woman could easily be an apparition or a shadow. Yet she told me that she speaks to someone else. "I don't follow, Lady Rhea. Crests?"I had to lie and keep lying for now.

"Isn't it visible in your eye, and that is why you cover it? Your mother wrote of how it was special, that it contained untapped power."She ushered me to come closer so she could examine my eyes. I walked slowly towards her, my limbs trembling against my will. My skin was perspiring along my back, thighs and hands. I have never wanted to get out of a place so much. Why was I feeling like this when she is being so kind to me? What am I afraid of? Why do I want to spontaneously vanish?

She held my face with her hands and smiled as she took of the eye patch with a gentleness that resembled the way my mother would care for my wounds as a child. I blinked my right eye quickly and forcefully a few times, still unused to being bathed with light or processing the environment. Slowly, the blurriness and the sting of being awake settled and I could see clearer and brighter. A lump formed in my throat, afraid to swallow, unsure of what she would say.

I'm afraid of her judgment.

"I've never seen this before. Two different eyes. Your mother spoke the truth. They are special."There was confusion in her voice. She spoke low and carefully watching the words she chose; "it was the right choice to send you here. People may use you for their benefit. Here, that will not happen. I guarantee that you will be safe, protected. However,"she froze.

She let go of my face and turned to see throughout the balcony. I wondered what she meant about my eyes being special and what my mother said in her letters to this place. And how could people use me? I was of no use in Bikanel and I doubt that I would be of use here. And how did my mother send letters to this land when its existence wasn't even known in Bikanel or all Spira?

"Yes?"I asked in a hushed tone. I did not expect that waiting for her response would feel longer than the trip here. The wind stopped, giving my mind the sensation that time had stopped its flow.

"I will speak with professor Hanneman. He is our expert in the science of Crests. He will surely be able to enlighten us as to the nature of your phenomena. However, he is currently away with the rest of the students for the week."She shifted to again lock her eyes with mine. Her presence was different, more serious and strategic.

"What will I be doing?" I muttered.

"I will assign you to Byleth's class. You will be alone for the week, so it should give you the opportunity to see the monastery and its facilities. Furthermore, he will explain how we manage time in the monastery, and it is essential that you adhere to our ways. There will be specialized and diverse training sessions with many weapons. The faster we discover your affinities, capabilities, and talents the better your future will turn out. I welcome you to Garreg Mach's Officer's Academy, Gippal. It is an honor for you to be enrolled in decades of prestigious education and training for the improvement and maintenance of peace in our land."

"Thank you, Lady Rhea. I…don't know what to say."I collected myself, I needed to know if there were other professors, I don't feel comfortable around Byleth. I just don't imagine him teaching me anything!"I'm curious, there are other classes?"

"Yes." She cleared her throat and turned to gaze outside before clarifying, "However, you will not be a fit for them. You see, the Black Eagles and Blue Lions are rather selective. Someone who is not from their territory would most likely be unwelcome. However, Golden Deer, lead by Byleth is different. Theirs is a community of diverse people that accept all who come into their arms. It is their natural stance, as they are from the Alliance. I merely chose the class that would provide the most adequate environment for you to grow and relate to peers. Pay no mind to it."

So, there were three classes in this place. It's not that different from the mainland…it's disappointing to come all this way and find myself with…no, I can't go around thinking like this when I haven't experienced anything yet! I must try to be as open as I can. Even if it's useless. "I see, thank you." She turned to look at me and motioned me to leave, and I found that Byleth was still standing awkwardly in the middle of the hall waiting for me.

He said with that blank expression, possibly knowing that I was going to be his student from the moment he came for me in Bikanel, "walk with me."

A/N:

Thank you for investing your time to read!