Byleth fell to his knees. A second ago he was in the Holy Tomb faced with a monster that was once Archbishop Rhea. The next, he and the rest of the Black Eagle House students were in an open field, somewhere far from Garreg Mach Monastery. Normally Byleth would take control of the situation, keep his emotions in check and lead his students to safety.

Today was not that day.

Archbishop Rhea. Someone who his father Jeralt had warned to keep an eye on. The one who practically controlled all of Fódlan through the Church of Seiros. Was a dragon known as the Immaculate One. The person who revealed this to him? His head student of the Black Eagle House Edelgard. The newly crowned Emperor of the Adrestian Empire. The revealed Flame Emperor who was part of a faction that had attacked and killed innocent people. Who took innocent students and turned them into monsters.

Who killed his father.

It was all too much for him to register at this moment. His usual stoic nature threatened to crumble at the final straw on his back. He wasn't paying any attention to the panic and cries of pain all around him.

"Hubert! Are we all accounted for?" Edelgard called out as she turned to her most loyal aide.

"The Black Eagle House are all accounted for. The Adrestian soldiers who were still alive were left behind. They will not survive the Immaculate One's wrath," Hubert coldly responded with a slight bow to his Lady.

"So much... blood... ugh... so much..." Linhardt stared down at his blood-soaked bishop gloves. He quickly pulled them off and tossed them away,

"H-help! Dorothea is... she's hurt! Someone! Help!" Bernadetta screamed as she knelt beside the unconscious songstress. Dorothea had suffered a nasty blow from one of the Adrestian Knight's shields during the battle against the Flame Emperor. Ferdinand quickly ran over to Dorothea and picked her up into his arms, holding her head close to his chest.

"We need to get out of here! Is there a safe place for us to retreat to?" he called out to Edelgard, but could not hold back the frown he bore upon her. Edelgard did not react to his frown but answered the question all the same.

"There is a small fort not far from here. We will use that as a temporary base of operations. We must go now before the Knight's of Seiros are sent out for us," Edelgard gave the order.

"What is happening? What the hell is going on?! We were defending the Archbishop, then she became a monster, and then we left with you, but you're the Flame Emperor? Gah, my brain hurts from all of this!" Caspar shouted as he scratched his head.

"Caspar! Do not lose you. The time for thinking is not now. We leave now to think later," Petra had walked up behind him and shook his left shoulder.

"R-right. You're right. I followed the professor before. I'll follow him now. Hey, where is the professor?" Caspar looked around. Everyone soon found him just ahead of the group still on his knees staring out across the field.

Byleth's mind continued to spin. All those months bonding with Edelgard. The sleepless nights they confided in each other. How they danced together at the ball. How she smiled at him. How she tried to pull him out of his grieving from his father's death. How she continued to smile at him after that... when she was part of the group responsible for it. Edelgard was the enemy. He swore to himself that he would kill every single one of them that lurked in the shadows harming the innocents. So why... why did he stand at her side? Truly, he didn't. He hadn't made a stand with Edelgard, but he clearly did not stand with Rhea.

Because he could not and did not trust Rhea. He took his father's warning to heart and the things he saw and heard through the year teaching at the Officer's Academy made him question the Archbishop's true motives. How merciless she was to those of the Western Church who claimed themselves misled. How much of an iron grip she had over everything within her control. The extra attention she had on Byleth himself. She knew about him and his connection with Sothis more than she let on. Then there was the fact that she did something to him during his birth. How he had no heartbeat. How it was enough for his father to fake his death and flee the Monastery over twenty years ago. Then finding out she faked the burial of his mother to keep her preserved somewhere else only for herself. Rhea could switch from this caring motherly figure to wanting the swift deaths of anyone that questioned her or her goddess. Byleth did not trust her and for questioning Rhea she showed her true colours.

Now he was an enemy of the Church of Seiros. Stuck with the people that he called his enemy. Was there anyone he could trust left?

"Byleth!" he was snapped from his thoughts. There before him with her hand on his shoulder was Edelgard. A look of apprehension and guilt in her eyes as she looked into his. "We cannot stay here. Come with us Professor, where Dorothea can be treated and where we can be safe."

Byleth wanted to say many things there and then. But knew they couldn't stay out here in the open. Despite his lack of trust and feelings of betrayal for Edelgard he wouldn't let Dorothea's health be a detriment to that.

"Fine. Lead the way," He said coldly as he stood up, his hand tightly gripping the Sword of the Creator. Edelgard winced slightly at the tone of voice but nodded her head.

"Everyone, this way," she called out and took lead. The Black Eagle House and Byleth quickly followed. Ferdinand kept Dorothea close as he continued to run, lamenting about his steed being left behind. He would have gotten Dorothea to safety quicker if he kept him nearby.

"Ngh... F-Ferdie?..." Ferdinand looked down at Dorothea in his arms, fading in and out of consciousness.

"Do not worry Dorothea. You're going to be okay. I promise you we'll be somewhere safe soon," He smiled down at the girl that claimed to hate him so. Despite her negative feelings for him he thought very highly of Dorothea and hoped that one day he'll find out why.

Bernadetta continued to panic as she kept pace with the others. Linhardt kept quiet but was physically exhausted from coming out of a life-or-death battle to sprinting for his life. Petra was close to the front a few feet from behind Edelgard, eyes front and focused on the task at hand. Her mind however was also racing due to the Adrestian Emperor's actions and how they would affect Brigid. Hubert was at Edelgard's side but kept a passing glance at his Professor. He didn't stand with the Immaculate One, but he didn't stand with his Lady. So he'd keep an eye on him for now.

Byleth said nothing as they ran. Nor did he show anything either. Those that passed a glace to him would be reminded of how they first met their professor. The mercenary who never showed emotion. They did not know how right they were. For every step Byleth took as they ran for safety, the professor within him slowly died.

88888888

The Black Eagle House ran through the gates of the small keep the Empire had under control and into the wide courtyard. Finally slowing to a walk Edelgard started shouting out orders.

"I want the guard tightened atop the walls keeping their sights north towards Garreg Mach. We have one among us injured that I want to be seen to immediately. Everyone else must begin preparations, for the time to lay siege upon Garreg Mach Monastery is soon upon us," The keep was quickly abuzz with activity. Two Priests came to Ferdinand and escorted him to the side so they could treat Dorothea. Linhardt sat down on the floor and laid back, utterly exhausted from the running and ready to sleep there and then. The rest of the house looked around in shock at the activity they were kept in the dark of.

"Edelgard... how... how long have you been planning this?" Caspar finally asked as he looked towards the Emperor who had started stripping herself of the Flame Emperor armour, underneath it all was the familiar academy uniform she wore. She let out a sigh as she dropped her axe to the floor.

"I suppose I have plenty of questions to answer. Since you all came with me, I shall tell you everything. It's a lo-"

SHINK!

"ARRGH!" Hubert suddenly screamed out in pain. Everyone turned to see his blood splatter on the floor as Hubert fell to the ground. His hand gripped behind his knees where he was profusely bleeding. The next moment Edelgard heard the Sword of the Creator's blade reconnecting before she was tackled to the ground with the blade pressed against her neck. Edelgard was always good at keeping her emotions in check. But she couldn't hide the fear in her eyes as she looked up at her Professor's enraged face. No... the Byleth glaring down upon her with his sword to her throat wasn't the professor anymore. For the first time in her life, she looked up to Byleth the mercenary. Byleth the Ashen Demon.

"Give me one good reason to not take your head!" Byleth spat out as he pressed the blade harder against her delicate neck.

"Professor!"

"Holy Shit!"

"Whoa, Professor!"

"Wait what are you doing!"

"P-Professor!"

The entire keep froze in place, arrows drawn and aimed at Byleth, mages ready to cast magic at the slightest movement. The Empire's forces were ready to kill the mercenary. But they feared any movement would result in the Emperor's death. The Black Eagle House was frozen in shock at the change in their professor.

"Professor-" Edelgard tried to speak.

"You work for them? Do you lead them? The bastards that killed my father? You're part of it!" Byleth screamed at her.

"I'm not their leader, but we are allied with them. They are an enemy of the church who is my enemy," Edelgard calmly spoke, keeping very still under her teacher's blade.

"Was my father your enemy? Is that why you had Kronya kill my dad? Turn innocent students into monsters? You two were tied to the hip since she was found! Who else did you tell her to kill?" Byleth shouted back again.

"I didn't know she was going to kill Jeralt! I didn't tell her to-" Edelgard tried to explain.

"BULLSHIT!"

"You will not leave this place alive!" Hubert got up to his knees, black magic circling around his hand. Suddenly he was knocked back down to the ground. Caspar stood over him with his axe at Hubert's head.

"I don't know what the hell is going on but I'm not letting you hurt our professor!" Caspar glared down at Hubert.

"Edelgard... this is a lot to take in..." Ferdinand stepped forward in shock. "Working with the enemy? Planning siege's on Garreg Mach? Why?"

"Rhea is the real enemy here. She is a monster known as the Immaculate One. She's used her power to enslave all of Fódlan under her rule in the pretence of a false goddess. I want to free our country from her tyranny, end the class system centred around Crests and unite Fódlan into one nation. I wish to achieve the dream of a better world for all that live in it!" Edelgard argued.

"At the cost of my father's blood? Those students' blood that turned to monsters? What about Flayn's blood? When you released the Death Knight to take her! Stab Manuela! WHERE DOES IT END EDELGARD?!" Byleth shouted again.

"I've told you once before... that I'd do anything to achieve my dream and goals when I become Emperor. I hate working alongside them, it makes me sick to my stomach... but if it will help me make a better world then it would have been worth it..." Edelguard speaks softly as she can feel the sting of tears in her eyes.

"The ends justify the means? Is that what you tell yourself... Flame Emperor?" Byleth sneered down at her. Edelgard closes her eyes. That hurt her. Hearing Byleth call her that instead of her name, after all they had been through together when she was his student.

"I've been forced to do things that I did not want to do... I've allied myself with my Uncle... linked myself to people that would do the world harm... all to have the strength of taking down the Immaculate One. You've seen Rhea with your own eyes who she really is. Please... lend me your strength... and we can defeat her once and for all Professor... then when Fódlan's united we can take down those responsible for your father's death. We can do it togeth-"

"Unite Fódlan? So the Church and Rhea aren't enough for you, you'll turn on the Holy Kingdom and the Alliance next? Face it... you can make all the self-righteous claims of freeing the country all you want, but all this is is your own ambition to conquer Fódlan. After everything you've done, you expect me to believe this noble mission of yours?" Byleth countered, his teeth gritting as his grip tightens on his blade.

"Prof-"

"I swore that I would kill every last person that was linked to my father's death."

"Please-"

"So I'll ask again, GIVE ME A GOOD REASON NOT TO TAKE YOUR HEAD!"

Edelgard's breath gasped out as the blade pushed harder down on her neck, blood leaking from the slit made.

"MY LADY NO!" Hubert screamed from under Caspar.

"PROTECT THE EMPEROR!" A soldier ordered drawing his sword as some began to charge.

"Wait stop!" Ferdinand called out.

"ALL STAND DOWN!" Edelgard screamed out, causing all to freeze up again. She looks up with tears in her eyes to Byleth.

"I can't give you a reason that you'll trust anymore... I can't bring back your father...I only wish... we could have walked this path together..." She finally whispers and closes her eyes. Surrendering her fate to the mercenary. Byleth breathed heavily, he wanted her head. Vengeance was clouding his mind. For his father! He'll take the lives of all those responsible! He'll have the Flame Emperor's head!

"Professor..." Bernadetta's whimper pierced through his thoughts. He turned around to see all his students with fear in their eyes. Even Dorothea seemed to have awoken to see this.

"Professor I understand that you are angry. But if you do this the soldiers will surely kill you. You won't be able to make it out alive outnumbered. Do not throw your life away," Linhardt spoke calmly and logically, but he couldn't hide how scared he was to lose Byleth.

"Please Professor do not lose yourself to your anger. We don't want to lose you," Ferdinand called out next, reaching out to him to bring him back to his sense.

"You are hurt. I am hurt too. This betrayed our... This betrayal of trust from Edelgard and the Archbishop must be answered. Not like this," Petra voiced her opinion, though Byleth could see her hand gripping the handle of her sword tightly, ready for a fight against the Empire's soldiers if need be.

"This whole thing is bad. Real bad. I don't know what's going to happen, especially with my father... but what I do know is that I don't want you to die, Professor! We need you!" Caspar called out, still keeping Hubert pinned down with his axe.

"There will not be a stone left unturned in my pursuit to find and kill you," Hubert vowed with his deathly glare at Byleth.

"Hubie shut up... Professor... please..." Dorothea called out as she forced herself to sit up.

Byleth remained unmoving, staring down at Edelgard. Her eyes were still closed waiting for his blade to sink into her neck. Byleth gritted his teeth, the primal need to take his revenge did not allow him to pull away, but the pleas from his students kept his blade at bay. For Edelgard the wait was just as painful as the blade to her throat, she wanted this to be over with. Given either the mercy she questionably did not deserve or a swift end to her life. Then she felt droplets drop onto her cheeks. One after another. She slowly opened her eyes and then immediately wished she didn't. Byleth's tears ran down his cheek and dropped down onto her face.

"I cared for you... I opened my heart to you..." Byleth whispered in pain. With those words, Edelgard felt a pain in her heart that hurt more than any wound she had been given. That hurt more than the experiments she had endured as a child.

"Byleth..." She went to reach out for his face, she wanted to wipe the tears from his cheeks. But before she could reach him he suddenly stood up, pulling the blade away from her. The Black Eagle House let out a chorus of relieved sighs. Caspar also released Hubert, the heir of House Vestra quickly crawled over to Edelgard's side and helped her sit up. Bernadetta fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands, sobbing to herself from the fear and heavy emotions she felt.

"Thank you, Professor... thank y-" Ferdinand spoke with a relieved smile on his face but stopped when he saw Byleth walk past him towards the gatehouse. "Professor, where are you going?"

"Halt! You are not leaving this-" a guard ordered as he and three others went to apprehend Byleth, but he could not finish as with one swipe of the Sword of the Creator the three guards were sent flying backwards a good fifteen feet with severe slices across their torsos.

"Make no mistake Emperor..." Byleth's voice called out. A harsh piercing voice filled with anger, a stark contrast to the Professor they grew to know. "Logic and reason is the only reason you live this night. You were right about Rhea, however. She is a monster that must be stopped."

Edelgard dared to hope as she looked at the back of Byleth. "Then you'll-"

"But I will NEVER... stand with you. The Flame Emperor is my enemy and the next time we meet... I will kill you... and all that's behind turning innocent people into monsters," Byleth vowed to all in the Keep's courtyard and kept on walking.

"Don't just stand there you impotent fools! Stop him!" Hubert ordered as he built up Miasma in his palm once more and pointed towards Byleth. Only for Edelgard to pull his arm down.

"Your majesty are you out of your mind?" Hubert growled out.

"Let him go... if anyone here does not wish to take part in what's to come they are free to leave..." Edelgard forced her voice to be heard by all, despite how tight her throat felt as she pressed her other hand to her bleeding neck. Byleth did not turn back and kept on walking.

"Professor! Wait!" Caspar called out.

"I'm not your Professor anymore..." Byleth whispered to himself as kept on walking, leaving the keep and the past year behind. His time as a professor was at an end. He did not know where his path would take him. But he knew his place was not at Edelgard's side or the Empire. Perhaps he would hunt down those responsible for his father's death? Return to his life as a mercenary? Either way, he would not make the mistake of opening up his heart to others again. He would keep his emotions hidden once more underneath.

Where ever his path would take him now, it would be as the Ashen Demon.

This was an idea I had ever since I felt vindicated for not trusting the Church on my first playthrough of Three Houses. I'm now on my second playthrough now choosing the Golden Deer this time. I may have some ideas on where this story can go but so far I'll leave this alternate take on Byleth and this deviation from the Crimson Flower path.

I may come back to this if inspiration takes hold but despite how this turned out, it'll be BylethxEdelgard and FerdinandxDorothea. Who knows what other pairings may happen if I explore and learn of the other characters through their routes. But I needed to get this scene out of my head and vomit it into words on a paper.

Hope you enjoyed reading this, maybe they'll be a second chapter!