Chapter Twenty Two ~ The Abyss
(A/N) So I have finally sat down to play The Ashen Wolves DLC and I am loving it so much that I quickly churned out this chapter to get things going! As you'll see I've changed it up quite a bit so you aren't reading a straight up regurgitation of the story :3
Jessie: Thank your kind words Jessie! ٩(⁎❛ᴗ❛⁎)۶ I may have gotten teary eyed as well as I thought of my own father writing it. And thank you for the congrats, I'm so happy to have a job again :D
They slept well, or as well as they could after an intense emotional battle. If anything, they were completely worn out that sleep exhaustion overtook them all.
Yet, they had to walk up bright and early for the ride home. As everyone busied themselves with packing, Ashe found Dorothea adjusting her satchel.
"Uh, Dorothea!" Ashe called out as he approached the brunette. "Good morning," he greeted warmly.
She turned around, a slight early morning grumpiness lingering upon her face. But, Dorothea's expression softened once she realized who was speaking to her. "Good morning Ashe," She greeted musically.
"I just...well," Ashe paused, finding himself a bit tongue tied in the songtress's presence. "I wanted to say that you have a beautiful singing voice and that song you sang yesterday was...it was very touching."
Dorothea's vibrant green eyes were now fixed upon the young man. She was so used to compliments on her voice and raves about her talent that it had begun to bore her a bit. However, hearing it from Ashe, especially after knowing what he had just gone through made her feel humble.
"I know yesterday was...difficult for you Ashe," Dorothea remarked gently. "That verse was from an opera I sang back in Enbarr, it was about a daughter and her father who was a knight. I thought the song would be soothing, as it was about loss, yet the remembrance of love." The sonstress's voice faded as she became thoughtful of her own strained relationship with her father. Quickly, Dorothea blinked away those distasteful thoughts and returned her gaze to Ashe, taking in his earnest face and innocent lime green eyes. Her heart felt for him, and the grief that must be shimmering just below the surface.
"Ashe," The songstress carefully spoke his name as she reached out to take his hands into her and give them a gentle squeeze. "The version of Lonato you cherish lives on in your heart, does he not?"
"Yes," Ashe breathed, realizing just how thick his breath had become at the mention of his adopted father's name.
"Then keep that flame of memory burning bright and untarnished," Dorothea honestly advised.
Ashe nodded thoughtfully, though there was still something he had to do, clear Christophe's name…The young man returned a gentle squeeze of his own before releasing Dorothea's hands. "Thank you, I...I really needed to hear that," he remarked with a soft smile.
The pureness of his emotions and earnest look upon his face robbed Dorothea of speech as he strode away to tend to his horse.
"Hmmm," Dorothea hummed thoughtfully, a small smile gracing her lips before it fell as another's voice rang out to her.
"Oooohhhh Dorotheaaaa," Sang Sylvain in a sickly sweet voice.
"Sylvain, I swear to the Goddess I will light your hair on fire if you take another step towards me," Dorothea hissed as she crossed her arms across her chest.
Sylvain, who wasn't a complete fool, paused in his approach. "Dorothea, please! That time in the fog amidst battle was an accident! I saw that soldier sneak up on you in the fog, but was too far to use my weapon. That spell shot out of my fingertips before I even realized what I was doing!" He implored, hands clasped in front of him in beseechment.
But Dorothea merely grimaced as her verdant eyes flashed with anger. "Then maybe you should master your flame spells first before testing them in the thick of battle!" The songstress tossed her hair over her shoulder, revealing a portion of singed tips, before she sashayed over to Ingrid. Dorothea then whispered something into the blonde's ear that was incriminating enough to warrant Ingrid to cast a withering look back at Sylvain.
Oh, he was going to get an ear full later…
The ride back to Garreg Mach was uneventful, which suited Byleth perfectly after their far too eventful mission. The Professor was peacefully riding alongside her father's steed as a wave of nostalgia swept over her. The years of living on the road seeking mercenary work from one town to the next. Never staying still long enough to form bonds with the townsfolk. Now Byleth could only wonder what became of the people they helped. Have the towns flourished since then? Were the townsfolk better? Such thoughts had never occurred to her before now…
Unfortunately Byleth's musings were interrupted as a young woman's voice called to her as they entered through the gates of Garreg Mach monastery.
"Professor Eisner! Hey! Professor Eisner!" Called out a dark magenta ponytailed head that was bobbing along the crowded sea of people. Anna, the odd shopkeeper, Byleth recalled as the young woman rushed towards her. Anna's dark magenta eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Found ya! Am I glad you're still in one piece!" The shopkeeper grinned widely, before casting a side glance towards Jeralt. "Ummm, there's something I need to speak to you about...in private," Anna added as she cupped her hand around her mouth to hide it from the Captain's view, though her loud whisper made Jeralt arch his brow at the enigmatic shopkeeper.
Slightly rolling his warm honey brown eyes, Jeralt spoke up, "Here I'll take your horse back to the stall. Catherine and I need to report to Rhea, and you deserve to rest with your students." He patted Byleth's shoulder as he added, "You've earned it."
The professor just blankly nodded before sliding off her steed and handing the reins over to her father.
"We'll catch up soon alright," Jeralt said with a nod before he continued on with the rest of the troops.
Once gone, along with most of the troops, Anna turned back towards Byleth. The shopkeeper was nearly trembling with excitement. "I've got something to show you, follow me!" And without question, Byleth followed the mysterious shopkeeper into a side alcove away from prying eyes.
Once hidden, Anna rummaged through her rucksack and withdrew a heavy tome with ivory leather bindings slightly yellowed from age. The inscriptions and swirling details seemed to be of opalescent ink.
"So, I was going through my loot...er...I mean recent supply of antiquities and came across this book!" Anna stated. "This book...it's one of the missing tomes that was thought to have been lost in the 'mysterious fire' 21 years ago. Now, I know Archbishop Rhea would be keen on having this rare book back and would pay a hefty sum. But then I got to reading it myself and by gosh it's a page turner!"
Anna continued to gush as she waved the apparently historical book about. "It states that Saint Serios devised the Rite of Rising, that was to be held during the ceremony with the intent of bringing about the goddess's rebirth. But, the kicker is, there were the Four Apostles who assisted Saint Seiros with the ritual. Yeah, you heard me right...the four Apostles...not the four Saints." Anna wiggled her magenta eyebrows conspiratorially. "And, wait for this, as I was reading there was this other character...and she reminded me of you...alot like you actually."
While Byleth was not greatly interested in the history of Saint Savior and the Rite of...whatever…
'It's Saint Serios and Rite of Rising,' chided Sothis's voice within her mind.
'Yes, that,' Byleth thought, before continuing on that the notion that there was a character like her in an old historical text was...intriguing...unfortunately Byleth then realized that she had been staring far too long at Anna, while possibly not blinking the entire time.
"Now don't give me that look!" Anna huffed as she pouted at Byleth. Mistaking her daydreamy expression for one of slight scolding. "My gut told me two things, one was...well...that Archbishop Rhea would be mighty suspicious of me if I strutted into the audience chamber with this book and no...great explanation as to how I got it. And second, that I should give it to you."
Byleth blinked at this and a question rolled off her tongue. "Where did you get this book?"
Anne pouted again, then sighed in acquiescence. "I may or may not have a business arrangement with a certain person who is connected with the Abyss."
"Abyss?" Byleth repeated with unfamiliarity.
"The Abyss," Anna repeated as her voice dropped back to a whisper as she looked about the now empty courtyard. "It's the ancient sprawling remains hidden deep within Garreg Mach. I heard off folks live down there so those with common sense avoid it. However, I am an enterprising merchant, and my gut told me there was treasure to be found down there. So I did some snooping...er...I mean, investigating and found this entrance!"
Magenta eyes flicked over Byleth's shoulder. Slowly following the shopkeeper's gaze, Byleth could make out a sizable hole in the monastery's cobblestone wall hidden so well behind growing veins it was easily missed. Her father would have a fit if he knew such a security lapse was going on in Garreg Mach.
"When I went exploring I...well...got into a bit of trouble with the citizens down there. Luckily I made a business deal with one of them. From time to time they would bring me some valuable antiques they found in exchange for...well mundane stuff really like supplies of food, clothes, things to really just get by living. Alot of wax candles...like ALOT."
"Alright well, do what you want with this information and book, I'm wiping my hands clean of the lot of it!" Anna stated, rubbing her hands together as is to rid imaginary dust for emphasis.
"Oh, but…" Anna held out an outstretched palm and she smiled sweetly at the Professor.
Byleth merely stared blankly at the beckoning palm, then gazed up at the smiling shopkeeper.
"Ya' know for departing with such a treasured antique and giving you first dibs, I should be paid handsomely don't you think?" Anna added playfully.
It made sense. Though, Byleth didn't ask for the tome, nor Abyss rumors. Still, having a skillful merchant come to her with future valuables was an asset worth investing in. Byleth opened her money pouched a dumped a handful of coins into Anna's palm without much thought.
"Oh by golly!" The magenta haired shopkeeper cheered. "I'm gonna empty that sweet shop with this! Thanks a bunch Professor," Anna blessed her with a bright smile and a wink, before scurrying off in the direction of the bustling market.
Quietly, Byleth turned back around. Dark steel blue eyes appraising the tome, then hidden passageway. Her mind musing at what to do with the information.
'Check it out, of course!' Sothis's pert voice piped up with eagerness. However, Byleth wasn't so sure about it.
Unlike some of the students, Byleth was a novice in the knowledge of the Goddess, the Saints, and Seiros. To be honest she could care less of them. But, Anna's remark of an individual resembling Byleth did pique the professor's interest. She had no other living relatives apart from her father. And even he rarely spoke of any other family members, apart from her mother, and that was on very rare occasions.
Byleth peered at the hidden passageway again when a voice called out to her.
"Professor! There you are!" Sighed Dimitri in relief. "Everyone was wondering where you had gone to after we all returned," he added with a warm smile as he stopped at her side. The Prince's eager smile falter once he appraised the silent Professor. "What's the matter?" He asked gently, his brow slightly furrowed as he gazed down at the young woman.
Though how Dimitri could tell that she perplexed...just perplexed Byleth further. But the young woman decided to divulge the recent events to the Prince, of how she came about the historical tome and that mere feet away from them was a mysterious hole in the cobblestone wall that could led to the Abyss.
"Hmmm," Dimitri hummed as he seriously ruminated on the information. "I've heard tales of countless passages snaking beneath Garreg Mach. This...this might actually be one of them."
"Professor! Dimitri!" More shouts came as the rest of the Blue Lions rushed forward.
"What's going on?" Annette asked with a curious gaze.
"Why didn't you show up for lunch?" Mercedas added with concern.
"Is it because it's Dimitri's turn to cook?" Slyvain joked as he grinned at the Prince.
"Now, I wasn't trying to get out of kitchen duty," Dimitri announced, slightly miffed at the very idea that he would have tried to dodge out of his duties. "The Professor and I may have found one of the passageways to the Abyss."
A sudden hush fell over the Blue Lions, before they returned back to chirping questions and wondering if the countless rumors were all true.
"I thought that was all a myth, a silly explanation for why things go missing," Mercedes commented.
"Then maybe I'll finally find my favorite slippers!" Annette exclaimed happily.
"It's obvious that passageway is going to lead to a dead end, we're losing valuable training time if you ask me," Felix huffed from the back of the group.
"But, no one asked you Felix," Sylvain snickered, earning a daggered glare from the swordsman.
"We could use a little distraction, an adventure," Ingrid added with a smile.
"So, what do you think Professor?" Ashe asked.
"Onwards," Byleth stated with a nod towards the hidden hole.
"Oh good, onwards to our doom," Felix sighed as one by one, the Blue Lions slipped with the dark passageway.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the dark torchlight Abyss. Two individuals milled about in the dreary silence, until one finally spoke up.
"Ugh...Yuri," a tall burly young brunette man groaned in the torchlight. "This is brutal," the lad sighed heavily as he leaned against the cold stone wall. "Tell me again why you're subjecting me to this devastating boredom?"
The other young man with softly short light purple hair, leaned against the wall with a languished sigh. "Enough with the yawning Balthus," Yuri sniffed as he adjusted the silver cap over his left shoulder. "If you are really that bored…" The young man hummed thoughtfully before a grin worthy of the cheshire cat widened upon his lips. "We could always make a friendly wager…"
Balthus's heavy jaw scowled at his friend. Wagers with a trickster never ended well. "Yeah, thanks but no thanks, pal. I'm low on funds and I don't need another dept I can't pay," He pointed his large thumb at his bare chest and the loop of heavy metal chains.
"Right, B," sighed a prim female's voice. Into the torchlight strode a blonde haired young woman with fluffy bangs that were framed with twirling hair kept place with a purple headband. "As if you could say no to that. Please continue bickering for nothing amuses me so," She snickered haughtily. "I would have been otherwise overwhelmed with boredom without it."
A darked skinned lass with vibrant shoulder length crimson hair, shook her head disapprovingly as she followed the blonde. "Constance, you can count me out," she replied smoothly. "I'll leave the talking to you and Yuri-bird."
"But Hapi, do you really want to miss out on the fun?" Yuri batted his eyes playfully before he caught a shadow moving towards them.
A lean, hooded figure approached the four. He stepped into the firelight, revealing himself to be a rogue. "Hey boss," the man addressed Yuri.
"Yes?" Yuri asked, blinking back bored induced sleepiness by blinking his purple shadowed eyes. "Oh Varith, back so soon?"
"Yes, I've received word that there is movement in one of our central passages. Watchers state that it appears to quite a large group too."
"Visitors, hmmm? Well, we should roll out the welcome mat and greet them," Yuri acknowledged with a wicked smile dancing upon his lips.
"Aw yeah, finally a little action!" Balthus cheers as he flexed his muscles, causing the chains wrapped around his chest to clink with each movement.
On the other hand Constance grimaced as she whipped her hand fan open with a flick of her wrist and began fanning herself. "Tis ignorance itself to rush headfirst into trou...Balthus come back here!" Constance demanded with a stomp of her violet heeled shoe.
Hapi smiled serenely. "But are you not excited Coco? You've been waiting for a chance to try out your shiny new magic."
Constance gave a noncommittal sniff as she continued to fan herself.
"She definitely is," Yuri replied in Constance's stead. "The surface laws don't apply down here. That gives us the freedom to have some fun with them. Especially if they work for the church."
Both Hapi and Yuri strode onwards, causing Constance to falter in fanning herself. "You better not leave me behind!" She fumed before rushing after the retreating pair.
Nearby, the Blue Lions had exited the passageway in an expansive torchlight chamber no one would have guessed was below their feet.
"Have there been people actually living below us this whole time?" Ashe remarked with amazement. His tone was a mix of awe and concern for the well being of those who would call this home.
Dimitri, "From what I've heard, the underbelly of Garreg Mach is inhabited by, well, people of questionable character. And anyone who would dare trespass into the darkness would be quickly swallowed up by the…"
"...Abyss," finished a deep booming male voice causing all the heads of the Blue Lions to look about for its source. There ahead of them were four individuals still hidden by the shadows.
Like clockwork, the Blue Lions regrouped, eyeing the strangers warily.
"Identify yourself," Dimitri called out to the newcomers.
The tallest and bulkiest of the figures strode out first. "Well, welcome," Cheered a large burly man with a genial smile, though his dark eyes glinted in the firelight.
The Blue Lions however just gawked at him.
"You...your uniform," Dimitri noted with confusion. Something tugged at the back of his brain as the Prince noted the color scheme of silver, grey, and purple with black chains. Then he shook his head like a wet dog. "We merely wish to learn more about the Abyss."
"Such indulgence simply cannot be permitted," A female's voice stated primly as a young woman strode out from the shadows. "I shall divine what your true intentions are." The Blue Lions watched as the blonde unfurled her hand fan and wafted the air about her as she continued to proclaim, "You are here by order of the church, which cruelly plots to eliminate the inhabitants of the Abyss!"
Dimitri opened his mouth to object to such a crude and wild accusation, but Byleth had stepped forward.
"We are not here to harm you, or anyone of the Abyss," Byleth announced evenly as she gazed at the pair. Silently her experienced eyes appraised their characters, weighing possible proficiencies at various weapons as well as powers.
"There has been quite the history of outsiders entering the Abyss to exterminate us as if we were pests," Constance stated as she scrunched her nose at the very idea.
"Look," the giant of a man stated as he stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders. "I don't care what the reason is that y'all are here. Brawling is on the menu, and I'm ready to feast," he grinned like a hungry wolf as he cracked his gloved knuckles in a row.
Byleth blinked, "Unwise. You're experienced, but vastly outnumbered." She stated. Her monotone voice almost sounding bored at the very idea, and that made Balthus's thick eyebrow arch at her.
"Then how about we level the playing field?" Stated silky male voice. A lithe young man with soft purple hair strode out from the shadows. "Let us add two more shall we?" He announced for he was followed by a dark skinned young woman who smiled day dreamily at them.
"We are quite famished for amusement," the purple haired young man lamented, before he set his keen eyes upon the Professor. "What do you say to a good fight?"
"Still unwise, hopefully the Abyss has a capable healer," Byleth replied, drawing gasps from her students, and a woop from Sylvain.
"You are in for quite the surprise," the apparent leader of the group remarked, his keen purple eyes narrowing dangerously upon the Professor.
"Doubt it," Byleth replied emotionlessly before strongly commanding, "Blue Lions partner up!"
"Uh…" Balthus cleared his throat. "Yuri did that woman just say Blue Lions?"
"She did…" Yuri replied tersely.
"So that would mean she's the Professor?" Balthus added with a brow raised.
"Most likely…" Yuri answered, brushing off a non-existent speck of dust from his shoulder.
"So we challenged the entire Blue Lions class and the Ashen Demon?" Balthus formulated.
"Appears that way…" Yuri quipped as he smiled wickedly.
"Excellent," Balthus breathed, a gleam in his eyes, as he cracked his neck. "Game on Lions."
Yuri, while just as excited for a battle, was also intrigued. He had heard rumors that Captain Jeralt had returned, bringing with him the Ashen Demon to be the new Blue Lion's Professor. Everyone joked down here in the Abyss that it was just a rumor the surface dwellers were spreading in order to keep the Abyss citizens scared and remain in line. Yeah, we better behave or else the Ashen Demon will get us all, they joked.
Well...the Ashen Demon appeared to be quite real. Yuri was looking forward to testing her abilities and seeing if she lived up to the boogeyman-like title.
(A/N) So I really just started the Ashen Wolves DLC so please no spoilers just yet :3 I hope you are liking my take on it so far! :D