Hours had passed within Seteth's office as Ashton told his story. The mood had shifted considerably; while before, there had been a definite tension in the air as Byleth learned whatever he could from Ashton's account, and Ashton would occasionally look at the holstered sword at Byleth's side. By the end, however, it had become incredibly somber, as if the very room itself had almost become as cold as the weather outside reflected.

"And, that's everything," Ashton whispered, shrugging. "All I can remember, anyway. It… did not occur to me until just now how much I have lost. All these people I have spoken to you about - Roland, Ella, Saladin, Nothic, Jasmin – they are dust now, bones beneath the earth."

"You are here now," Byleth replied, his expression unchanging except for a slight softening of his features. "That is what matters."

"Is it?" Ashton questioned aloud, slumping in his chair. "You know everything now, professor. Rhea is Seiros. Seteth is Cichol. The Saints live among you still. You know what happened in Zanado, the truth of Nemesis and the goddess. If that was always my purpose, then I must say, I thought it would be something far grander."

"Even I was not privy to the fact you knew some of this, but it cannot be helped that they are out in the open now," Seteth sighed, crossing his arms. "Well then, professor. You now know everything. Have you found a reason as to why you look so different?"

"No," Byleth bluntly replied, "although I have a strong feeling it is associated with the child you fathered."

"Arawn," Ashton murmured, his eyes looking down. "My son. I wonder if he still lives."

"I have not seen him since the end of the war," Seteth replied, gesturing with his hand towards the window behind him. "I believe he is alive, but as to his current whereabouts, I have no clue. Given how much time has passed, it'd be impossible to track him down. Kingdoms have risen and fallen since the end of the war. I doubt we will find him unless he wishes to be found."

"Then perhaps I will find him once this war is over," Byleth stated, standing up. "Thank you for everything you have said tonight, Ashton. Our army welcomes you."

Ashton silently waved a hand as Byleth left the office, leaving him and Seteth alone again. Ashton sighed, feeling his entire body quake as he held back falling apart entirely.

"This current age is not so bad," Seteth said calmly. "What you have lost is great, but perhaps the future holds further promise."

"The future held promise back then, too," Ashton replied, his voice cracking as he looked at Seteth. "Did Roland's reforms take? Did Saladin become more than a weapon of war? Did Jasmin and Nothic finally find their place? Please, tell me, Seteth, whether it was all for nothing or not."

Seteth looked down at his desk. "I cannot answer those questions, Ashton. You knew them far better than I did."

"I will only know if I ask, I suppose," Ashton said, "Roland wanted to reform the nobility system. Give those in power more chances to act of their own accord, perhaps even dismantle it entirely. The poor guy had his work cut out for him, but he could see the signs. Unhappy, arranged marriages led to broken relationships and broken people."

Seteht pursed his lips before speaking. "Then I am sad to say that has not happened. One need only ask some of the former students of the Officer's Academy to know how that has come true."

Ashton ran his hands down his face. "And now they are all gone, and I am still here. I do not- I don't- goddamn it all."

"I have something for you," Seteth suddenly said. "Something that can serve as a reminder of happier times, if you will. I found it while I was searching Rhea's quarters, when we returned to the monastery."

Ashton looked at Seteth curiously as he rummaged around in his desk. After a moment he held up what he was searching for, and Ashton's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"T-that's…"

"The ring you gave her, yes," Seteth said quietly. "It was the only thing within Rhea's quarters that was not pillaged. It was hidden away, yet deliberately taken off. When I came to the academy over a decade ago, she was still wearing it."

Hearing that, Ashton felt his eyes tearing up. He turned away, rubbing his eyes. "I cannot- I can't. Seteth how? How can I go on like this?"

"Because you still have something to live for, even after everything you have lost. There has not been a person in history with your unique circumstances, and the only ones who come close are myself, Flayn, and Rhea. Fight with us, find her, and present this ring to her. It will not be the same as it was in the past, but in the end, it will not have all been for nothing."

Ashton turned to see Seteth holding the ring in the palm of his hand. It was weathered by time, with most of the intricate patterns upon it long gone, but he could still recognize it for what it was. His own was as pristine as the day he had gotten it, no doubt due to the chamber he had been left inside of. Taking a deep breath, Ashton held his hand out, and lightly grasped the ring.

Holding it in his hand, Ashton felt himself coming undone again. It felt as if a golf ball had lodged itself in his throat, and he coughed a little as if to try and get it out. He looked down at the ring in his hand before closing his fist around it.

"Very well," Ashton said with difficulty. "If this is the way it must be, then I will see this horror story to its end. Let it be so."

Perhaps I am a hybrid? It would explain much. Only my father could tell me what my mother looked like, and he never went into details, not even after the incident in Abyss. Even when I saw her corpse, it was quickly put away, as if they did not want me to see. As if Rhea did not want me to see.

Such thoughts swirled within Byleth's mind, over and over again. He had left Seteth's office, only to find himself in the same room that Lady Rhea would often be seen in, just to the left of her own office. The rooms had been in shambles when he returned, but over time their luster had returned, rubble had been cleared, although the monastery itself was still broken and ruined. The former Officer's Academy was in relatively better condition, but that was a low bar to clear.

Byleth wondered if that was Edelgard's doing, or merely chance.

"Professor!"

A voice came from behind him. Were it anyone else, they likely would have jumped in place hearing a voice come from behind them. Luckily, Byleth's time as a mercenary served him well in suppressing reactions such as that. When he turned around, slowly, he saw none other than Ashe approached him, the grey-haired former student waving as he looked around.

"Ashe," Byleth greeted, "Do not worry; nobody else is here. Shamir and Catherine left some time ago, I believe."

"Ah, I don't mind anyone hearing us. Everyone will know in a while anyway," Ashe said, taking deep breaths as if he had been running. "I need to show you something. It's urgent."

"I thought everyone was in bed except for the night's watch- ah, that would be you," Byleth replied. "Very well. What has happened? Talk to me as we walk."

Ashe moved to the side as Byleth walked forward, their combined footsteps echoing in the mostly empty halls.

"We had a visitor at the walls. An old friend," Ashe reported. "She came with a warning. A contingent of Adrestian forces is heading our way. They must have noticed our activity here."

Byleth remembered the dead soldiers that led to Dimitri, and came to a different conclusion. "Or perhaps they noticed a patrol went missing."

"Professor?"

Byleth waved a hand. "Continue. Who was this visitor?"

Ashe blinked before nodding. "It's Petra, professor. She gave us the information."

Nearly stopping right then, Byleth continued moving forward but at a slower pace. "I thought for certain she had joined the Empire."

Ashe shook his head as the duo moved outside, cold wind and snow flying past them as they made their way to the former classrooms.

"I trust her completely, professor. She's not the type to lie, and I would rather believe her than throw her out because of where she comes from," Ashe said.

"I want to trust her too," Byleth replied. "I remember when she was a part of my class. She joined of her own volition. I only hope that loyalty to a good cause outstrips loyalty to Adrestia."

"Her people are part of a vassal state, professor," Ashe said, "if there is any loyalty to Adrestia in her, then it'd only be because of loyalty to her people. I don't think that's the case, though. She wouldn't have told us of an imminent invasion if it was."

"She could be doing this as a diversion," Byleth theorized, holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Tell us of the invasion, but not giving us the proper direction from which they come from."

"Er, much as that would be a decent strategy, there is only one direction they can assault Garreg Mach from, professor," Ashe replied, his lips thinning. "And even then, she was a political hostage, and giving her up for a single assault does not seem like something Edelgard or any other Imperial general would do."

"You are a sharp one, Ashe," Byleth said, a small smile on his face as a frigid wind whipped by them. "You truly do trust her. I will take your word for it and trust her too."

Ashe let out a sigh of relief, his breath fogging up in the cold before they moved to the courtyard in front of the classrooms. Since the remnants of Faerghus' forces began using Garreg Mach as a staging area, the old classrooms were repurposed as both storage rooms and common areas, although most of the time, people avoided the old Black Eagles' classroom. There was no true superstition about using it, as evidenced by crates that littered the place, but nonetheless it remained empty most of the time.

Byleth wasn't surprised that Petra chose to be held there. Despite joining his class during those halcyon days before Edelgard launched her campaign against the Church of Seiros and most of Fódlan, she had maintained connections with the friends she had made in the Black Eagle house.

No doubt, bonds that had been severed with her arrival. Byleth believed Ashe was correct in his assessment, but it had to be hard for the Brigid Princess.

Entering the room and out of the cold, Byleth took stock of the room. While most of the chairs and tables had seen little use, no dust covered the crates that were shoved to the side. Sylvain sat across from Petra, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed as he stared at her, his face disturbingly blank. Petra stared right back without blinking, her face also devoid of emotion.

When Ashe and Byleth entered, the former was the one to speak first, his tone colored with confusion.

"Are we interrupting something? Sylvain, why are you glaring at her?" he asked.

"Would you believe me if I said we were having a staring contest?" Sylvain replied, letting his head fall so he could look at Byleth and Ashe, upside down.

"I would have believed you if you said you were leering at her," Byleth said, crossing his arms. "If you wanted a staring contest, you could have asked me."

Sylvain waved a hand. "You were up there, talking about something important. Why would I interrupt that?"

Byleth sighed. "Enough of this foolishness, then. Petra, it is good to see you again."

Petra stood up, her previous lack of expression falling away as she smiled, taking Byleth's hand in her own and shaking it.

"It is good to be seeing you as well, professor," Petra said warmly. "It is a good thing to be seeing so many friendly faces again."

Byleth raised a brow. "Not being treated well in the Empire, hmm?"

Petra's lips thinned as she glanced at Ashe briefly, before continuing. "I will not be speaking much of my time in the Empire, professor. I am not meaning to cause offense, but it was… unpleasant. Not out of any faultiness of Edelgard, understand? There are strange people about, pale ones with bad eyes."

Byleth's eyes narrowed as he looked beyond Petra to something only he could see. "Very well. Let's sit down. Tell me all about this Adrestian excursion heading our way."

Petra nodded and took her seat again, while Sylvain sat to Byleth's right, with Ashe taking a seat next to Petra. After they were settled, Petra began her account.

"They are hundreds strong, marching toward the abandoned town," Petra said, "they are led by a general named Randolph. A fine warrior, and seasoned."

"Oh, good, I was worried we would have to eat him without spices," Sylvain mused, leaning back in his chair and placing his arms behind his head.

"I am afraid I do not have understanding. Why would you eat him?" Petra asked, blinking.

"Sylvain, could you please act properly for once? This is important," Ashe chided, glaring lightly at the noble son opposite of him.

Sylvain shrugged. "She gave an opening, I took it."

"One more comment like that and I am sending you out to pick weeds in heavy armor," Byleth said, his tone disturbingly void of emotions.

Sylvain paled slightly before waving a hand. "Alright, I get it! Who can blame a man for wanting to jest around a little?"

"Do not mind him, Petra. Continue," Byleth urged, clasping his hands together on the table.

Petra nodded. "There is not much else to say, professor. I could not see what the army is being made out of, but I can say that they will be arriving here within the moon, perhaps less than a week."

"One week of preparation it is, then," Byleth summarized, "before an army of hundreds is set upon us. I suppose Garreg Mach has suffered worse, and with the Knights of Seiros here, alongside the remnants of the Kingdom army, we ought to match them soldier-to-soldier."

"Maybe it would be a good idea to ask for aid anyway?" Ashe suggested.

"From who? The Alliance?" Sylvain asked. "They have enough problems of their own as it is, and I doubt anyone in Faerghus would help us. Except maybe for Felix's father, and that'd only be if we tell him about His Highness."

Ashe winced at Sylvain's words, and Byleth shook his head grimly.

"That might be our only choice. Even if we win this battle, a few platoons of beleaguered knights and soldiers will not be enough to challenge Edelgard's might," Byleth said. "Good job you two, for allowing Petra entrance. Petra, I know this is asking much of you, but we need every sword we can grasp if we are to win this war. I realize you have friends on the other side, and I would not blame you if you wished to take up a non-combat role."

"Professor, warrior blood flows through my veins," Petra replied, her voice low. "I know what must be done. I am only hoping that others from the Black Eagles are able to see the lighting."

"Well, all well and good, huh?" Sylvain said, standing up. "I'll go ahead and fetch some others to stand guard; I think Ashe and I have done a decent job of-!"

Sylvain was interrupted by the sound of armor clanking just outside the room. Byleth froze too, only halfway through getting up himself. Ashe stayed where he was, his already pale skin paling further as realization struck him.

It wasn't another moment until the new arrival was at the door. Prince Dimitri stood like a specter in the night, his blackened plate armor absorbing whatever light fell upon him, and his long fur cape lightly billowing behind him. His one working eye surveyed the scene impassively before settling on Petra, whereupon his lips peeled back in a vicious sneer. Byleth almost didn't see Areadbhar in his hand before it was too late.

"I should have known," Dimitri snarled, "you would let an enemy spy into our midst! Not to worry; I shall remove her head from her shoulders before your mistake dooms us all!"

Byleth didn't wait for Dimitri to move forward, instead unsheathing the Sword of the Creator and facing Dimitri down. The Feral Prince stopped his advance, then, glaring at the professor.

"Out of the way, professor," Dimitri growled, "I will not suffer an Imperial spy in our midst."

"She has given us valuable information, and has proven herself an ally," Byleth replied, keeping his voice even and firm. "Once you start striking down allies, there is no going back."

"And yet, you would raise your sword against me?" Dimitri scoffed, relaxing his stance. "And how do you know she is an ally? Will she willfully raise her sword against her own?"

"Brigid holds no loyalty to the Empire. Not now, and never again," Petra spoke, standing up and staring Dimitri down as well. "Do not be striking me down, Prince Dimitri. Imperial troops march on Garreg Mach. You need not worry about me."

Dimitri's snarl gradually faded before he finally relaxed his stance completely, pressing his lips together in a thin line.

"If I catch her sending letters to the Empire, I will have her drawn and quartered," Dimitri snarled, before turning away without another word. Once he was gone, Byleth let out a sigh before sheathing his sword and turning to face Petra. He saw Ashe, standing up, and shaking slightly, while Sylvain looked reasonably calm, Byleth also saw the slight sneer he was trying to hide.

"As much as it may have been an act, I miss back when he was just a chivalrous fool," Sylvain said, stretching before standing up. "Is there anything you want us to tell the next watch, or is it alright if we go ahead and catch some sleep?"

Byleth shook his head. "We will leave the preparations for the morning. Nothing should be done on this night. Petra, no matter what Prince Dimitri says, you are welcome here."

Petra bowed her head. "I am in gratitude, professor."

"I'll show you where you can sleep. Follow me," Ashe quickly said, moving towards the door with Petra in tow. Before long, the two were gone, leaving only Sylvain and Byleth within the old Black Eagles classroom.

Byleth stood there for a few seconds before he felt Sylvain place his hand on his shoulder.

"Something will need to be done about him soon, you know," Sylvain whispered. "And as much as I don't want to be the one to do it, I will step in if he starts hurting people on our side."

"You are his friend, Sylvain," Byleth replied quietly. "You, Felix, and Ingrid are the ones who should bring him out of this. It does not, and should not, fall to me. I was your professor, not your parent."

"You would have made a better one than my own father did, if it's any consolation," Sylvain said. "I do want to help him. I do! He's- he was my friend, professor. But I cannot help someone who doesn't want to be helped, and I have my own problems I still need to sort through."

"The first step is admitting you have a problem, I suppose," Byleth sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "But asking me for solutions seems a strange thing. As I recall, I am simply an emotionless husk. Is that correct?"

"I won't lie to you, professor: you used to be, but not anymore. I don't know what happened to you when we fought Kronya and Solon all those years ago, but you changed, and its only happened more since we got you back. You're not nearly as emotionless as you used to be," Sylvain said.

Byleth turned to face Sylvain completely. "If I am to have emotions, then this will become much more complicated."

"Don't see it like that. Girls love a little emotion, you should know. Especially when you come across so morose and sad. They'll flock to you like-!"

"Sylvain, please, be serious," Byleth interrupted.

"Am I not?"

Sighing, Byleth ran a hand down his face. "You and the others should talk to him. Perhaps I should talk to him, too, but it is as you said: unless he wants us to help, there is little we can do. I only pray that he does not lead us to destruction. Half of our forces are dedicated to him, and would follow his command no matter where it leads them."

"There's that amazing Faerghus chivalry and loyalty we're known for. Isn't it great, professor?" Sylvain asked, a dry smirk on his face as he held his hands out.

"It's infuriating, which is new, but not altogether unwelcome," Byleth replied. "I will not sleep just yet, so by all means, get as much rest as you can while you still can. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

Quite understandably, Ashton was in no hurry to go to sleep that night. In fact, if he had it his way, he would never fall asleep again. The thought of a warm bed was the furthest thing in his mind. Instead, he devoted his time to exploring the monastery and academy, marveling at all that the Church of Seiros had accomplished since his imprisonment. Even while ruined, the monastery in particular drew him in.

He could imagine sitting in one of the pews as a bishop gave a sermon, could imagine dancing and laughing with the people of the nearby village as a celebration was held during one of the religion's holidays, and above all else, he imagined watching Seiros herself, looking down upon the people with a smile as they basked in the glory of the goddess.

Of course, such idle thoughts were folly. Ashton knew the goddess was dead, but then again - he hadn't a mind to challenge his preconceived notions yet. Not until he knew what, exactly, the entire situation was. He knew they were fighting against the Adrestian Empire, and such thoughts were almost anathema to him.

It wasn't but a day ago to him that he was fighting with Adrestia with all of his might against Nemesis' forces. And once he woke up, it was his duty to fight against it.

Such thoughts put a damper on his musings as he walked the length and breadth of the academy, admiring the stonework and the dark and cold. It didn't seem like such a hostile thing, for some reason, he would reach out and run his hand through misty snowdrifts upon the wind, would watch the dark clouds above roil and move.

And then, he would be reminded cuddling up to her, feeling her as a storm raged outside-

Ashton found himself at the bridge between the academy and the monastery, looking down into the inky blackness below. Every so often, a priest or monk would walk by, giving him strange looks. Why so many were up at such an ungodly hour, he would never know, nor did he care to know.

A part of Ashton wondered what laid beneath the massive bridge that spanned the chasm between the academy and monastery. To him, it had only been a little over a decade since he had traveled through the mountains with Cethleann and Roland at his side, only a few days since last he had a drink with his friends, and yet such things had happened over a thousand years prior.

It was Imperial Year 1185. Ashton was older than the very bridge he stood upon.

"There you are," said a voice from behind him. Ashton barely flinched as he turned around and looked down.

Despite everything he had thought about, his mind wandering toward faces long gone yet still so awfully recent, he would recognize Cethleann's face anywhere. She'd barely aged a day, though the outfit she wore was a far cry from the illustrious dress she wore during the war.

"Cethleann," Ashton greeted quietly, blinking as if she would disappear the moment he did so. When she stubbornly stood in place, he sighed. "Seems like just yesterday we spoke, but to you it has been over a thousand years, hmm?"

Cethleann- or Flayn, as Seteth claimed she went by, walked forward until she stood beside Ashton, going on her tippy-toes to see down into the abyss he had been gazing into only a few moments prior.

"No," Flayn said, her normally cheerful voice almost as quiet as Ashton's. "It was a short while after you, but my memories are…" she coughed into her fist. "I was asleep for a long time, Ashton. Not as long as you, but what difference does a few decades make?"

Ashton's eyes widened. "I had hoped nobody else would have to suffer this, but it appears I am not the only one anyway. Cethle- Flayn, I am sorry to hear that. Your mother, is she-?"

"She has been gone for a long time," Flayn replied, her face twitching slightly. "You are the only human from that time left, it would seem."

Ashton closed his eyes and thinned his lips as he placed both of his hands on the side of the bridge, hanging his head as the full reality of the situation hit him.

"There is not a lot of pride in being the last one standing," Ashton whispered. "I have been wondering since I awoke what I could have changed if I had remained. No doubt I would likely be dead by now, but perhaps Nemesis could have been defeated earlier. Perhaps there would be no war this year. Perhaps- no, I shall not go there. Flayn, my apologies for leaving you all. I didn't-!"

Flayn lunged at him and wrapped him up in an unexpected hug. Ashton squawked at the half-Nabatean brought him down to her level.

"It is so good to have you back!" Flayn finally said, and Ashton could hear her voice cracking. "Even if it is just you, I am happy there is finally someone here! Someone besides father or Seiros! There is no need to be sorry, Ashton. Not after all of this. We cannot go back in time and fix what we think is broken! I am thankful that you are here now."

Ashton closed his eyes and let it happen. "I only hope Seiros, or Rhea, or whatever she calls herself feels the same way."

"Ashton," Flynn said, separating from him and bouncing on her heels. "Father most have told you that she still wore the ring. I was quite shocked when I first saw it, but she took care of it for so many centuries! It had faded with time, yes, but that made it all the more beautiful."

Ashton smiled at that, the first real smile he'd had since he arrived at Garreg Mach. He stood up, then, and suddenly felt very tired. He wasn't afraid of sleep anymore.

Looking down at Flayn, and remembering Seteth, he took solace in the fact that not everything was gone.

Fucking hell, Red, what're you doin', releasing a chapter when you said you were gonna take a break?

Well, I'm definitely taking one after this Chapter, lemme tell you. Writing Chapter 22 is like pulling teeth (something I'll probably be experiencing here soon lmao), but I guess I couldn't just leave this fic at the cusp of the Present just to go on a hiatus, so here it is, first real chapter in the present time. Do not expect an update next week for this story lol, it's definitely (probably) not coming.

Not unless I get a sudden burst of inspiration or I'm just too damn stubborn, which has happened before.

Anyway, here's a link to our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

See you guys later!