Dimitri pov./ dream.
I walk up stairs that I recognized as the stairs from the monastery. But were covered in the dead bodies of imperial soldiers. I continued walking. And saw the other me. The monster i became as I let my hatred consume me. Sitting in the shadows holding a lance giving with a glowing blue blade. And a black handle. I approached.
"...do the voices still haunt you?" the other me asked.
"Yes…they still do. I still want revenge on the one who wronged me…but i won't let that consume me." I replied. He quickly got up and grabbed me by the collar.
"This is your future! What makes you think this can be avoided!? What makes you think you can avoid becoming a monster!? When that hatred still burns within you!?" the other me asked.
"Because of a girl who truly lost everything…an outcast to her people. Everything she had taken by her own sister…it was her pain that taught me a lesson that we both needed but you didn't get…that we're not alone. We still have people who care about us. And a duty that can't be ignored for revenge…she helped me heal…she saved me. And I saved her. As two damaged people…me and her can help each other heal." i replied.
"...i didn't have someone like that…therefore i let my hatred consume me. And drive me to my death. I doubt your fate will change… but I'm more than willing to be proved wrong. very well…take this lance…it will help you greatly in the battles to come." he said as he handed me the lance. "That lance contains the same power that athro wields…what shall you name such a powerful weapon?" the other me asked.
"...azure moon." i said. The other me grinned.
"I pray that my fate will not be yours…good luck." the other me said. As he and the monastery disappeared in a flash of light….and i woke up. I see athro sleeping by my side. With a smile…despite everything she's been through. She's still able to smile. I looked over to areadbhar. And saw azure moon crossed alongside it forming an x. As much as i want to keep looking at my love's smiling face. There's still a duty we must fulfill. So i shook her awake. She yawned cutely.
"...so. Guess it's time for the alliance crowning?" athro asked.
"Yes. our week has passed. We don't have much time left." i said.
"Alright. Hopefully we'll make it back in time. But for now. Time to get claude that leader position." athro said. After saying goodbye to rodrigue. And to the people. I got on the carriage with athro. But I noticed Felix and Sylvain talking with their fathers.
"I know things have been strained since we lost glenn…but please come back alive felix." rodrigue said, worried.
"I won't die…not until I beat the ice queen." felix said. Rodrique laughed.
"Don't go too hard on the kingdom's new queen now." Rodrigue said. Everyone looked at us with an raised eyebrow. Athro giggled. And showed everyone the ring i gave her. Everyone had a look of shock on their face. Which quickly turned into smiles.
"I saw that coming. You owe me five hundred gold felix!" sylvain yelled.
"I never agreed to that bet. You fool." felix said.
"Seriously? You met a bet on that?" ingrid asked with a facepalm.
"I'm happy for you two." mercedes said with a smile.
"So am i. You two are so cute together!" annette said.
"The new leadership is looking good for the kingdom." ashe said.
"I will continue to serve you both." dedue said. Both me and athro smiled…i was never alone.
"And speaking of romance…be careful with …i don't want to be a grandfather just yet." margrave gautier said. Sylvain smirked. While ingrid's face went red. As she tried to hide her face.
"...oh great armageddon blade…sylvain and ingrid had sex! when!?" athro yelled. Ingrid's face became a shade of red that was unheard off.
"After the dance. Athro!" sylvain yelled. Only to get ingrid's back hand to the back of his head.
"Oh. guess that makes sense. Romance was all over garreg mach that night." athro said with a grin.
"Will the both of you shut up!?" ingrid asked. Sylvain and athro chuckled. After the most embarrassing moment in ingrid's life just happened. We all headed for derdriu.
derdriu/shujinko pov.
It took two days to arrive. And as we did. We were greeted by a woman with her hair in a ponytail. I know who she is. The hero of daphnel. Judith von daphnel.
"Welcome back kid. I know your in a rush…but we have a problem. The almyrans are attacking fodlan's throat. Being lead by their prince. shahid." judith said. Claude had a look of annoyance on his face.
"Of course…after all. His way of proving himself for the throne is to crush the alliance. But I won't let that idiot have his way." claude said.
"You seem to know alot about this shahid. Care to share?" I asked.
"Let's just say. You're not the only one with a brother who's a jerk that wants you dead." claude said. We headed for fodlan's throat and ran into hilda's big brother. Lord holst. He looked at me with a grin.
"So you're the guy who won the hearts of not just my little sister. But two other ladies of the alliance. Hopefully you are good at fighting as you are as wooing women." holst said with a grin, i noticed lysithea hilda and marianne blush.
"This battle will be over quick. And shahid will regret wasting our time with his stupidity." i said.
"With the extra manpower that came along with you. This will be over quickly. I've heard of how the adestrian princess and the prince faerghus in combat. And you don't get called "the berserker." or the "priestess of blades" for nothing." holst said.
"Is that what people have been calling us?" natsu asked.
"Priestess of blades? I like that nickname." athro said. Soon the almyrans attacked.
"Here they come!" claude yelled.
"They want a fight. Let's give them one they won't forget." i said. Everyone nodded. The almyrans were tough. But after everything we've been through since arriving at garreg mach. This was easy. After slashing and bashing my way through the almyrans. I ran into their commander.
"So you're the infamous verdant dread fighter? The name is nader the undefeated! Show me what you got!" nader yelled with a grin. I sighed.
"Well that changes today. I'm not particularly happy that our gathering of forces to fight a great evil is being put on hold because your boss wants to impress his father by destroying the alliance. So forgive me. But i'm going to destroy you for wasting our time!" i yelled. After alot of crossing swords between axe. He managed to knock one of my swords out of my hand. But that gave me a chance to punch him in the face. Which i managed to do. Knocking out one of his teeth.
"God damn kid! You've got a mean right hook!" nader yelled.
"Time to die." i said.
"You really are in no mood for this are you? Alright i'll retreat. Tell khalid i said hi!" nader said said as he retreated. Who the hell is khalid? The battle continued. And then i saw a familiar face on the battlefield.
"Oh what a lucky day. That bratty almyran prince is giving me a big sack of bullions for this. But i also get another shot at you boy!" shin yelled.
"I told you that if you showed your face in fodlan in again i'd kill you. Hope whatever shahid paid was worth your life!" I yelled. After a bunch of sword clashing. My dan tien daos versus his broken executioner sword. After we pushed each other away. I threw my sword at him which got him in the chest.
"You little-!" shin tried to yell but I just stabbed him in the stomach with the other dan tien dao. I grabbed both handles. And ripped them out of his body sideways. He fell to the ground. And bursted into purple flames.
"Goodbye. brother." I said. I sighed as I continued the battle. As i kept fighting my way through the almyrans. I noticed an agarthan summoning spell.
"So these are the demons seeking our annihilation? Very well. I. epimenides. Will protect our people by slaughtering these vile demons!" epimenides yelled.
"Another viper? This one looks human." I said. While the other snakes had a pale white skin tone. This one had a fairly normal skin tone. His hair was orange with purple on the ends. He had orange glowing markings on his face. He was duel wielding a killing edge. Alongside a cutlass that was glowing in the back of the blade.
"Shujinko!" natsu yelled as he approached me. "Think you can do soul cleave on him?" natsu asked.
"Why?" I asked.
"I feel like this is a sothis and byleth situation. That epimenides took control of that man's body. He would make a powerful ally if we free him from epimenides." natsu said. I saw the wisdom in that.
"Keep him busy." i said. Natsu nodded natsu clashed blades with epimenides. I got behind him. And began to chant. Soon epimenides had natsu to the ground with his blade to his throat.
"You will pay for your crimes against my people." epimenides said with cold rage. Natsu grinned.
"Not today. Shujinko now!" natsu yelled.
"Soul cleave!" i yelled. Shoving my hand into epimenides chest. And pulling out a pale skin guy with long white robes. With an orange flaming crown. The man that he was possessing fell unconscious. The markings on his face were gone. And so was the orange in his hair. Becoming all purple. I picked him up. "Take this viper down natsu!" i yelled. Natsu grinned
"With pleasure." natsu said. I quickly retreated. And brought him to the stronghold.
"Who is that?" marianne asked.
"Shez…" byleth said.
"You can explain later. We have a battle to win." i said. As i ran off to deal with the leader of this attack. Shahid. Natsu can handle epimenides.
Natsu pov.
"Tell me. Armageddon knight. Why do you hate us so much? What did we ever do to you?" epimenides asked.
"Your kind kidnapped me and planned to use me as a lab rat. Both me and shujinko have seen what happens to your failed experiments. You took innocent families like edelgard's and lysithea's and destroyed them with your vile experiments. Just for the sake of a more potent warrior to enact your selfish revenge! If you want revenge on the nabateans. Fine. but leave the rest of the people of fodlan out of it!" i yelled.
"Why do you care? You not even from this world. So just get out of our way and let us. the true humanity reclaim this earth." epimenides said. I bursted out laughing.
"True humanity? Out of all your kind. You are definitely the most arrogant. And that is saying something. And your right. I'm not from this world. But i'm going to fight for it. For the people i believe in. and…" i said as i showed my finger that had the ring on it. "And for the woman I love. The woman who lost most of her family to your kind's disgusting experiment! An vile act that i will never forgive you vile heartless arrogant bastards for!" i yelled with all my fury.
"Begone with you, demon!" epimenides said as he threw a miasma at me. I dodged the attacks. "The cycle of this world must be protected!" he yelled. He fired a hades omega which caused a massive hole in the ground. This guy was powerful. But not powerful enough. I hopped from falling debris. To get closer. Dodging miasma fireballs and hades omegas the hole way. After slashing through a luna. I struck at him with my axe. Only to be blocked by a dark shield.
"You foolish demon…do you really think you can destroy us all? The nabateans failed to do that. What hope do you have!?" epimenides yelled. I transformed into my armageddon lord form.
"They don't call us armageddon knights for nothing." I said. The increase in power. Quickly overwhelmed epimenides shield. Which quickly broke and slashed through his chest. He fell to his knees. Black blood leaking from the wound. He chuckled.
"Hey. armageddon knight…will you please tell shez…that i'm sorry." epimenides said. I'm guessing shez is the person he possessed. Normally I wouldn't do a damn thing for a snake. But i could tell that he was legitimately sorry for what he did to shez. Like he was more than just a hand to wield a sword. More then just a body he could use. It was he was….a friend to him.
"...yeah. I'll tell him." I said.
"...thanks…" Epimenides said. As he vanished into black mist. I sighed. And reverted back. I decided to head back.
Shujinko pov.
"How dare you challenge me!" shahid yelled. He was wielding an axe that looked like it's black blade was half a gear.
"We've got a war to prepare for. And we don't have time to waste on a whiny brat like you." i said. Shahid gritted his teeth in anger.
"It's time i teach you some manner. You fodlan knave!" he yelled as he flew his wyvern at me. Despite wielding an legendary axe. This guy fights like a pampered little prince. It didn't take me long to give him a nasty cut and a black to send him flying away. "How dare you challenge me!" he yelled like the brat he is. He flew up high. Going in for high dive screen. But his charged was interrupted by an arrow fired by claude. Which he had to dodge.
"I would make my escape if i was you! You won't like what comes next!" claude yelled.
"You swine…turn that loathsome face from my sight! In every way. You remind me of my wretch of a brother! I will be the end of you one day. I promise you that!" shahid yelled as he quickly retreated.
"Shouldn't we go after him. He's gonna be a thorn in our side in the future." i said.
"Nah. at the end of the day. He's still royalty. The last thing we need is some army tromping in here trying to avenge him. Y'know?" claude asked.
"Hey claude…who is khalid?" i asked. Claude looked at me with wide eyes.
"Where did you hear that name?" claude asked.
"That almyran general. Nader. He told me to say hi to khalid. But i don't know a khalid. Do you?" i asked.
"...god dammit nader…what i tell you stays between us. Got it?" claude asked. I nodded. It was weird seeing claude get so serious….and i saw why.
Khalid was claude's true name. Both fodlan and almyran blood runs through his veins. His mother tiana belongs to the riegan line while his father is the almyran blood line. Shahid is not only a brat. But an idiot. Claude is his brother. How he could mistake that mug for anyone else goes to show how stupid his brother is. He also revealed his goal. Which was a peaceful relationship between fodlan and almyra. And i could see the benefits from that.
Almyra is a warrior culture. Hell they fight bandits for fun! Which would be a win-win for both sides. The almyrans get to have their fill of battle. And fodlan would have less of a bandit problem. And plus almyra probably has some unique items you can't get in fodlan. It seems claude is really worried about the others judging him for it. Although i'm pretty sure byleth knows the truth. She's been through this a bunch of times. So she probably knows everyones darkest secrets. But it's best if this stays between us for now.
"Alright. Your true name and origin will be yours and yours alone to tell. But for now it's safe with me." i said. Claude smiled.
"Thanks shujinko." claude said.
"Shujinko!" a voice behind me yelled. And i turned around to see my mom and dad. Saya and daniel
"What do you two want?" i asked.
"You killed shin. How could you do that? He was your brother!" daniel yelled.
"I told you. If he showed up in fodlan again. He would die. And i made it clear that i'm no longer a part of your family. The bridge has been burned. The golden deer are my family now. And i have a war to prepare for. So leave me alone!" i yelled.
"A war? Shujinko. You can't! You're coming home with us now!" saya said a she tried to grab my hand only for me to put one of my dan tien daos to her neck.
"I'm not abandoning the golden deer to go back to the family that abandoned me for a scumbag like shin. If you don't leave me alone…then I'll kill you." i said. My mother looked at me in fear.
"Fine…if you want to stay with these humans. But know this. You are not welcomed back…ever! I'm disowning you!" daniel yelled.
"Daniel!" my mother yelled.
"Fine by me. To hell with the train wreck you call family! I have a war to fight! So leave fodlan! Now!" i yelled. Daniel opened a portal. And immediately stepped through. Saya looked at me with sadness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry shujinko…" saya said. As she walked through the portal with tears going down her eyes.
"And i thought i had family problems." claude said.
"There not my family anymore. The battle's over. So let's do what he came here to do. Leader of the alliance." i said. As i walked back to the stronghold.
Natsu pov.
"Where am i?" shez said as he woke up.
"You're at the alliance's stronghold. My name is natsu tachinowarui. Your alright now. We managed to remove epimenides from you. So your mind is your own now." i said.
"Thanks…my name is." shez tried to say. But byleth finished the line.
"Shez…so you came along too." byleth said.
"More timespace shenanigans?" I asked. She nodded.
"Say hello to the star of the "three hopes" timelines. The one where i never became a professor for garreg mach. And where me and my father die at his hands." byleth said. I looked at him in shock.
"Only in some of those timelines. Most of the time i got you and the blade breaker on my side!" shez yelled.
"Hmm…so are you willing to side with the empire for this run?" i asked.
"What? Also what's the deal with you? You're a new face." shez said.
"Yeah. and i'm not the only one." i said. As shujinko and claude approached. And soon dimitri and athro.
"Whoa! Three new faces!" shez yelled.
"So who is he?" athro asked.
"Another timeline hopping warrior like byleth. And as for us. Where the key to a golden dawn. One where neither of you have to kill each other." i said. I then explained everything to him. He was shocked.
"So because you saved edelgard from being an agarthan lab rat. She's actually more open to finding a peaceful solution to the crest system?" shez asked. Me and edelgard nodded. He smiled. "Thanks for saving monica by the way. I would have done it. But it seems like all this timeline hopping has made it so that epimenides has more control. It got to the point where he had full control and I couldn't do anything." shez said looking ashamed of his weakness.
"In the timeline where you joined me…were you and monica…a thing?" edelgard asked. Shez nodded. "Hmm…good to know." edelgard said.
"You don't seem disappointed." shez said.
"As much as i'm thankful for hubert and monica's loyalty…they both really need to…what did you say natsu?" edelgard asked.
"Get a life?" i asked.
"Yeah that." edelgard said. Shez laughed.
"Words cannot express how much I agree…alright. I suppose whatever side i join won't matter in this timeline. Considering it seems like everyone is going to work together for more than just escaping zaharas…so i'm guessing i'll be with the empire…again." shez said.
"So. another timeline jumping warrior will be on our side. This will certainly stack the odds in our favor." edelgard said.
"Not just that edelgard. Considering he managed to strike me down in a couple of his timelines…i would say he's even stronger then me." byleth said.
"Indeed...and i must admit…having an agarthan weapon turned on it's creators…will be a beautiful sense of irony." i said with a grin.
"I would appreciate it if you didn't call me that…i don't know how arval ended up in my head. And I didn't choose to get my body hijacked by epimenides." shez said.
"right…sorry." i said. After the battle. Shez joined with us. And claude was deemed leader of the alliance. And was given his signature weapon. The hero's relic of riegan. Failnaught…i would say were more than ready. We would spend a few days to relax a bit. And then we would head back and prepare for war.
"So why are we going to claude's room?" i asked.
"Got something important to discuss with him." edelgard said. We walked to his room. As we approached. We heard the moans of claude and byleth…me and edelgard both blushed.
"We should come back tomorrow." i said.
"...indeed." edelgard said. We then left claude and byleth to their…night of passion. As we walked down the hallway. Edelgard hugged my arm. "Um…natsu. Can we do that as well?" edelgard asked with a blush.
"...my room. Or yours?" i asked.
"Yours. Mine would attract unwanted attention." edelgard said,...a night of hot passionate love. Before a day of war…just like the stories.