Xavien whistled as he tied up his target, flicking some blood on a mirror and dragging them through. "Alright. So we're going to do some interrogation. If you don't respond sweetheart you'll be a couple inches shorter. Ok?"
The idiot shouted obscenities at Xavien, struggling in his bonds. He flicked some blood on the mirror again, cutting off the man's feet from the mirror closing. They screeched in pain. Too bad nobody could hear him. He crouched and pulled their chin up, "Speak to me and this'll all be over a lot quicker than you think."
He wailed in pain after spitting on Xavien again. "Speak dog." The man shook violently and sobbed out the information between heaves of pain.
"There, wasn't that easier?" He asked the severed head he held in his hand, "Too bad it took that long hun." He tossed the head through the mirror like a ball. "That should be enough info to suffice about the Duscur Tragedy investigation."
He wrote down the information and rolled it, opening the office of his employer and set it on his desk. He slipped through the portal and back to the cottage, "Hey Sant. Got anything cooking up?"
—————
Day 1 of the Red Wolf MoonHephaestus hummed as he baked a slew of sweets with Mercedes, sprinkling powdered sugar over the flaky tops of the turn overs.
He pulled one from the pan and split it with her, the baked apples and filling glowing golden with the help of the firelight.
————
Day 3 of the Red Wolf Moon"Hey boys." Santaniel greeted them as he walked out of the portal, "Got the mission debrief ready to share." Xavien nodded and tossed him his dagger, "Alright.
Also, took care of your equipment maintenance."
Santaniel smiled and nodded, "Hephaestus, you ready?" The mage nodded, pouring a glass of juice instead of ale for once, "Yep. Go ahead and start, I'm listening." Santaniel nodded, sitting next to a vacant chair, and began the debrief, "So, the mission is at Remire Village this month-"
Hephaestus notably perked up, due to his partial residence when he had been kidnapped and barely made it out with his life to the village. "Oh? What's going on there?"
Santaniel took the interruption in stride and continued, "There's a bad disease going around. Highly contagious and it's never been seen before. People are suspect of the origin and are expecting black magic. Symptoms are fever, numbness, and heavy vomiting- the color being a much darker green and red than the normal brown you'd expect from a viral sickness."
Hephaestus wore a worried frown and a creased brow, "Alright. I haven't heard anything about the disease that causes all three of those symptoms before..." Xavien nodded in agreement, "Same here unfortunately."
Santaniel leaned into his hand and tapped his foot, "I mean, I've had the same symptoms after I was first ever transformed... but that can't be the case in Remire, can it?"
Hephaestus shook his head, "Not a chance. You need a Saint's blood in order for it to work. The only reason you have the ability is we happened across vials of blood in a cave just South of Sreng. Unless the Saints are magically alive again, we shouldn't have to worry." Santaniel bit his tongue and nodded.
'Could Flayn be a Saint..?
————
Day 5 of the Red Wolf Moon"Dimitri! Chill with the jabs! Just a spar. I don't feel like going to the infirmary." Santaniel scolded him as he avoided the sharp tip of the spear, grabbing it and sending a large shock of Lightning through the metal shaft and into his partner's arms, disarming him. "Uh, I apologize Santaniel. I got caught in the heat of the moment."
"It's fine, just try and restrain yourself ok?" He patted Dimitri's back and took a stance five meters away. "Now. Bring it on!" He and the Prince clashed and Santaniel was thrown back, sliding on the ground before pulling himself back to his feet.
Santaniel hopped back, avoiding a sweep and jab, parrying it with his blade. He was practicing with a Levin Sword, the power surging through his right arm, amplifying the electric sparks flying off the weapon. "Lightning!" Santaniel called, sending a jagged bolt from the sword into Dimitri who grunted and shook it off, advancing again.
Dimitri clashed with the Levin Sword, Santaniel bringing it's full force down. Both weapons shattered in a display of power and sparks, the metal shards acting as shrapnel.
Santaniel sighed as he picked them from his right arm, having shielded his face with it. He walked over to Dimitri and helped him with picking them from his arms, the shards having embedded in his skin. "We need to be more careful next time."
Dimitri nodded and sighed, apologizing for breaking the sword. "It's nothing, we recently got a good chunk of arcane crystals so I can always get it repaired." The two parted ways for the day, Santaniel hustled to class and groaned as he forgot his hand axe back at the training grounds. 'I'll get it later.' He decided.
He did not.
————
Day 10 of the Red Wolf MoonSantaniel uttered a guttural roar as his wings whipped up a massive whirlwind, blowing Byleth backwards. He dove and rolled right as he hit the ground, slashing with the Sword of the Creator. Santaniel pressed against the ground and started closing in on his Professor and jumped, surprising and pinning him.
He grinned and laughed a bit, "Gotcha this time." He leaned off and his Crests flashed. It had been Byleth's idea for him to fight in his other form, as long as Marianne and Lysithea were nearby to help control himself.
Almost seemed unnecessary now, maybe he was just out of touch with it.
Santaniel stretched and yawned, "Thats the last one for today. It really drains me when I pull that form out." His eyes were half lidded and he rubbed his temples, felt like he had skipped a couple days worth of sleep. He stood and smiled, "At least I can control it while Marianne is here."
Byleth nodded and it looked like he was having an invisible conversation. He ignored it and approached Lysithea who was studying underneath a tree and settled down next to her. "Hey."
She blushed a bit, a result of just under a week ago with her drunk actions still in mind. She mumbled out a greeting. He sat up and looked at what she was reading, another book of Crests, "I think our best bet would be going back to the labs and just checking there again. There's no one there and their notes are still all over the place."
Lysithea nodded, "I think that'd be a good idea too, but we have to focus on the upcoming mission. Maybe we should go next month?"
"That sounds fine. I'll get Xavien and Byleth to come with us just to make sure we don't run into any trouble." She silently agreed and they read from the book for a while, that is until Hephaestus showed up.
"Hey Santaniel. Need your help at the house for a bit, you can bring your lil girlfriend too if you want." Santaniel smiled sweetly and stood up, prepping a dagger while Lysithea was about to say something with her sharp tongue..
"Hephaestus. You have about ten seconds to run before I throw this dagger. Now. Run." Hephaestus took the threat seriously and booked it, Santaniel counted to eight.
''Idiot." He threw the dagger like one would cast a spell, effortlessly, and hit him in the calf. He drew a yowl.
Santaniel smirked evilly and offered Lysithea a hand up, "He probably just came to check up on me. Just pay him no mind."
She nodded and they strolled over to Hephaestus, "Apologize and I'll use Heal on you." He demanded. Hephaestus grunted as pulled the dagger from his leg and apologized to Lysithea. "Good idiot."
He cast the spell Heal and watched the hole close up, "Anyways. What ya need Hephaestus?"
"Xavien knocked down a tree and we need you to cut it up, you have the axe right?" Santaniel rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Obviously... where the hell is the axe?"
He gripped empty air and looked down, the axe missing from it's usual belt loop and... he left it at the training grounds. "I forgot it while training. I'll just use my Holy Twins for now," He turned and shouted, "Hey Professor! Check the training grounds for my axe would ya?"
He didn't receive a response but knew he would end up doing it no matter what.
—————
Byleth scoured the training grounds and found Santaniel's axe, delivering it to him without a hitch. He thanked him and told him he'd head to sleep for the day, and that he and Lysithea would like him to accompany them on their search for clues.
He agreed and was now going about his duties, inviting Xavien and Raphael to a meal to increase their motivation. Xavien talked about his latest job and Raphael asked him how he got the contracts and it turned into a miniature lesson on how to spot good contractors and those of which are a scam. Byleth was surprised by the man's knowledge for looking about a decade younger than his father.
Afterwards was Choir Practice, choosing Hilda and Lorenz to come and sing for the day. 'They seemed to like singing together at least.' Byleth made his ways toward the counselor box, filled with notes.
He found three anonymous notes addressed to him. The first was Raphael complaining about not getting enough meat during meals, next was Constance asking if she could refrain from going out during the day, that wasn't happening, and the last one he couldn't recognize the handwriting.
It was a love note.
The red haired woman who submitted it carefully crept away, suppressing the urge to sigh in relief.
—————
Day 17 of the Red Wolf MoonXavien ducked an arrow and rolled his eyes, piercing someone's eye with a dagger. "Well. Can't be on top without someone trying to take the title now can I?"
He pulled the small blade out with the eye still pierced on it, thick black blood pouring from the now empty socket.
"Hm. Seems that wasn't actually your motivation then. That's new." He slit the idiot's throat with no hesitation.
————
Day 24 of the Red Wolf MoonSantaniel wiped the smirk off Sylvain's face. "Pay attention dumbass." He glowered heavily at him as he stood up with his lance back in hand.
"Jeez alright." Santaniel wasted no time and struck again, axe nearly snapping his lance in half as he put up a half assed block.
He knocked him down again, looking at who he was staring at, it was Ingrid and Lysithea talking to each other and while he looked Sylvain tried to sucker punch him, missing entirely as Santaniel stepped forward a bit, mainly on accident.
Sylvain landed with a thud and Santaniel sighed. "Stop staring at Ingrid and focus on the spar." Sylvain looked at him and cocked his head, a sly grin crossing his face, "I was looking at Lysithea actually..."
Santaniel walked forward and stomped on his hand, bones cracking under the heavy weight, he got as close as possible and whispered in his ear. "Don't even think about it. Otherwise I'll be the one putting you in the dirt. Got it?" The heat on his breath intensified by the fire growing in his stomach.
Sylvain started sweating and he nodded. Santaniel took his foot off his hand and grinned, "Hey Lys. Ingrid. Care to join us?" He cast a Heal on Sylvain's hand and nonchalantly turned around, leaning on his axe.
They both turned their heads and Ingrid happily accepted, Lysithea shrugged. "Will we use Relics?" She asked this plainly, shrugging Thyrus off her shoulder and waved it in the air. "You two have Lúin and the Lance of Ruin right?"
Santaniel asked, the two nodded and he unhooked the Holy Twins, "Go and get em, I have an axe for both of you."
The two Noble's came back with the Relics and positioned themselves on the outside of their area, Santaniel taking a backed up position in his jade armor, Lysithea to his back and ready.
Byleth had joined them to judge the competition, "Ready? Begin!" Ingrid took off like a bullet, shooting straight for Lysithea but was knocked off course by Santaniel's swipes. Lysithea used Luna in the center to drag an approaching Sylvain and off balance Ingrid together.
"Bolganone!"
"Dark Spikes T!"
The spells collided and imploded, creating an explosion, from both of their Crests being summoned at the same time. The two laid in a pile and moaned in pain.
"Did you have to use magic too?" Sylvain groaned. "Uh. Yeah. It's a strategy Byleth taught us. Almost everyone in our house who can use magic does it. Ignatz and Marianne regularly did it when they pincered the rest of your troops at Gronder, remember? Oh, yeah. The both of you got knocked out too fast to see it." Santaniel wore a sickly sweet smile, 'Let Sylvain get angry. It's funny-'.
"Heh. Yeah. I mean we actually have territories, families, and relationships to worry about. You don't. We can't constantly train our lives away. We actually have worth."
Sylvain was mocking him. He could fire back, much harder. "You obviously have the time to train if you can run your mouth and chase ladies as much as you do. I don't need to run over your list of women you've slept with and cheated on, especially if you have your eyes on Ingrid and Felix both." Sylvain shrunk into himself and Santaniel pressed harder.
"You think I didn't see your drunken little 'accident' with Felix? How you were drunkenly making a hot mess of yourself to him? How about you eyeing Lysithea during our spar so much you couldn't get a block
up faster than your limp dick? You're a pathetic bastard son who's only worth comes from his Crest. Honestly, Miklan would have been a better man than you. I'm heading to the library. Go ahead and join me if you wish Lysithea, Professor."
He took his armor off and pulled on his jacket, hands gripping the axes in his hands. They were glowing a menacing red and flickers of purple.
Anger and disgust.
————
After Santaniel left, Lysithea tore into Sylvain.
"Are you kidding?! He, out of all people, is who you want to get upset and you want to insult his family as well? An assassin at the top of his field, a scholar of Reason theory, and a dead man who was not only the one who could pull him from his room to help us beat the Death Knight, but who was also a scholar in Faith magic."
Lysithea grit her teeth and bit back insults, but gave him the coldest truth he didn't want to hear. "He was the one who beat Miklan in the first place, and nearly lost the rest of his family to him! Yet you feel the need to be petty and insult him by saying you have more worth simply existing."
She took a deep breath and walked away, silently making her way towards the gardens.
———
Sylvain looked to Byleth for some kind of solace and was met with a cold, stoic stare.
"You told me you were jealous of my Crest and how I don't have to worry about territory to inherit. How you could hate me for it, how I had no expectations. Now you use that same inheritance and those expectations of yourself to hurt someone else."
Byleth left the room and took to his quarters for the night. "Great. Schmucked that up." Ingrid didn't offer any words, just a knowing stare,
'Huh. Guess I really did if Ingrid isn't yelling at me.' He stood up and slapped on his mask that Santaniel had called out, "He'll get over it."
————
Santaniel looked around for Tomas, not finding him anywhere around the library. 'That's... odd.'
He helped himself to some novels, waving at a half asleep Linhardt who was on his way out. He grabbed a couple stories of the knights, the Saints, and a love story.
He skimmed over the introduction to it and hummed, 'This is a story of two star crossed lovers, forbidden by fate to last-' he heard footsteps and swapped books, picking up the tale of Loog.
Felix of all people walked through the door and found him, "Hey."
Santaniel waved at him and skimmed the pages, his spirit not really in it. "Ugh. Even you read those stupid tales?" Santaniel rolled his eyes, "Mate, I've been reading these kinds of stories since I was a child. They just kept me occupied. Anyways, what ya need?"
Felix sat next to him with a book on Reason theory and Santaniel knew already, "Struggling on homework I assume?" Felix sighed and nodded, flicking open to a page about an equation for range.
"You messed up the multiplication and carried the wrong number." Felix seemingly ignored him and spied the story he'd hidden and reached for it. He got slapped on the back of the head by Santaniel instead.
"Focus on your stuff. Yes I grabbed a love story. Yes I'm love sick. Yes I know it's stupid. Just focus." Felix nodded and returned to his math while Santaniel read about Loog, Kyphon, and Pan.
Soon Felix finished and showed the equation to Santaniel and he gave him a thumbs up, "I think you'd like Xavien." Felix raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, "How so?"
Santaniel tossed Felix a dagger, "He's the one who taught me what I know. He also spars with me often so you'd probably wanna come over to the island tomorrow." Felix nodded and fiddled with the dagger.
"So. Who are you love sick for?" Santaniel kicked himself and sputtered out the name, rubbing the back of his head. A familiar red flush spanning his cheeks. Felix leaned back and spoke again, "If you truly have feelings for them, what's the worse that could happen?"
Santaniel rolled the ball of thoughts in his head, finally deciding, "Lysithea. We have a lot in common and she's sweet." Felix groaned at the pun and Santaniel snickered, "Sorry. But yeah, just kinda hard to tell her with a couple conditions I have."
Felix was about to press until Santaniel explained, covering the span of what happened in the last couple of weeks, this afternoon, and Felix nodded, "Huh. Well. Thank you for embarrassing Sylvain like that, I won't have to now. But at the same time, why bother fighting and not enjoy yourself if you have less than a decade to live?"
Santaniel shook his head and smiled lightly, "Who else would protect you idiots?" Eventually they decided to head off towards the Green House, Felix wanted to see Anette.
————
Santaniel sang as he tended to his vegetables and small patch of flowers, sprinkling them with some compost. He grabbed a watering can and moved it slowly across all the spots until he felt someone staring at him, "Who ever is watching me, can you help me out with the plants instead?"
His request wasn't audibly answered so he supposed he knew who it was, "Bernadetta. If you don't want to you can say no. I won't hate you or get mad about it." She squealed and ran off, brushing past Felix and Anette who were talking about their plans for the free day this week.
Santaniel sighed and shook his head, looking out the windows as the sun approached the horizon. 'Should probably apologize to Lys about blowing up earlier... would she be in the gardens if not the library?'
"Hey Felix, Anette?" They both turned to look at him and Anette answered, "Yes?" Santaniel set down the watering can and plucked a couple flowers, a collection of lilies and violets, "Wanna come to the gardens with me?"
————
The trio of students walked through the gardens, filled with people having some tea and sweets. He spied Dorothea and Ferdinand having tea, Shamir and Catherine just talking about work, and Lorenz was accompanied by Marianne, both speaking softly to each other.
He walked through the slew of tables, stopping occasionally just to chat with some of his class mates. He pointed out an empty seat for Annette and Felix, "You guys go ahead and sit down for a bit. I'll keep going around."
He waited as Annette raced past and handed some of the violets to Felix, "Don't brother fighting it. I read you easier than your mother could."
Felix blushed and walked over to the table where Anette was bouncing up and down in her seat.
He left the two love birds alone and walked over to Ferdinand and Dorothea, "Hey guys." Ferdinand stood and greeted him, "Hello Santaniel! Did you want to join us for some tea?"
Santaniel shook his head while Dorothea rolled her eyes, "No thanks. I'd never want to impede on your guys' special time together." He smirked at the two's reaction and continued, "I've never really been one for tea but I was wondering if I could snag some turnovers from you."
Ferdinand handed him a small plate with the turn overs on it, and he placed some of the flowers he picked on the piece of porcelain in an artful way, well, as artful as he could get. He thanked them both and walked to the other side of the garden, humming happily as he did.
He turned the corner and spotted her, "Hey…" his voice died in his throat as he saw Cyril kiss her. His heart dropped to his feet and he set the plate down on an empty table, the lilies brushing over the pastry.
Taking his leave towards the training grounds, 'Should've known. She was just drunk after all. No one wants to be with a damn monster.'
Hubert watched from the shadows as the man walked away. Crumpling a ball of paper that he'd sent to Cyril.
————
Lysithea lurched back after feeling Cyril lock his lips with hers, "W-what the hell Cyril?!" She backed up and out of her chair, the ink bottle spilling on the ground.
The small boy looked at her confused, "B-but..."
Lysithea grumbled as she slapped her forehead, "I'm teaching you how to read and write! You just kissed your teacher! Would you kiss Shamir or Byleth?!"
He shrunk into himself and he apologized profusely, Lysithea just stormed away towards the exit to the gardens and saw the plate.
It was covered in white lilies. 'But... who?' Her mind was aching from what just happened and how someone just saw her, who would have... 'Oh.'
————
Santaniel slammed his hammer through the wooden dummy, a fierce cracking as it split the wood and shattered into chips. "I'm not a monster. I know that."
He crushed the torso of another one, "But sometimes I feel like people may be right." He cast Fire at the last dummy he had set up, setting it aflame, "Maybe I should just go home." He said aloud, "I wish Arti was still here..."
He heard the steps of a hefty figure come through the doors, the moonlight above illuminating the room poorly. He'd been there for hours and had busted nearly all the hammers in the convoy, a thick coat of sweat covering his arms and forehead.
He stepped back and got into a fighting stance, questioning the darkness, "Who's there?" He relaxed when it was just Jeralt who'd came through the door. "Oh. Hey." He set up another row of dummies and pulled a bow out, taking shots at each, setting the arrows aflame before hand. Jeralt took up a lance and set across from Santaniel, the burning wood illuminating the room much better now. "I know what you're going through. This'll make you feel better." Santaniel shook his head, "If I hurt someone, it just makes me look worse."
Jeralt rushed him and Santaniel's eyes slit, he slung his hammer from his back and snapped Jeralt's lance in half and bashed into him with his shoulder.
The duel was on.
Jeralt slung another lance off his back, shining with faith magic, a holy weapon. Santaniel took the offense now, sending a kick into his opponent's block before slamming his hammer against the spear. A sharp ringing echoed out, into, and over the night.
Santaniel breathed jets of flames towards Jeralt and slammed his hammer into his block again, the weapon shattering in Santaniel's hands. 'Who cares. I just need to win something today.'
"Bring it!" Santaniel leaned under a sweep, grabbing the lance and throwing it high into the air, advancing with nothing but his fists and magic.
He threw the first punch into Jeralt's stomach, followed by a left hook to his jaw, spit flying over the dry ground.
Jeralt retaliated and socked him in the face, sending Santaniel flying backwards and into the wall. 'Not done yet.' He subconsciously summoned his wings and flew at the man, cracking his jaw with a fierce right hook.
The spear he'd sent flying earlier finally hit the ground.
He won.
Santaniel helped the man up after folding his wings away. "Sorry about that. It's just... Too much has happened in the last month and it just doesn't feel like I can win." Jeralt nodded and they sat down on a bench outside, he took out his flask and offered it to Santaniel who shook his head, "Not a fan of whisky." Jeralt nodded and took a swig, "Kid. Tell me what's bothering you."
"First at Gronder, I was taken down by some outside force, one of the only two people who were fell, and Rhea dragged me away from the celebrations for a bit. She made me pray with her. I wasn't in control." Santaniel took a deep breath and continued, he needed someone to vent to.
Someone who would listen, and the person who did that…
"Afterwards I thought me and Lysithea actually felt mutual with our feelings towards each other and I found her kissing Cyril today. Before that catastrophe there was Sylvain getting on my nerves, saying how I was only good because I have 'no' responsibilities. I have territory just like them, but mine isn't official. And before all of this month there was Arti's death... I just can't win." He slumped his head into his hands, "I just..."
He was cut off by Jeralt, "Kid. I've lost a lot. Battles and people. I've been bothered, I've had people speak horribly about me. I'm still here and I've lived for over one hundred years."
Santaniel blinked and his mouth gaped, Jeralt already answering, "I'll explain another time kid." Santaniel nodded and asked instead, "Can you hand me the flask?"
————
Day 25 of the Red Wolf MoonSantaniel dragged himself out of bed, hung over. "I'm never drinking with that guy again." He rubbed his temples, he had drunk three bottles of whiskey last night and his body ached.
He walked through the mirror and grabbed some breakfast, just ham and grits. He leaned on his hand and dug in, trying to fight past the headache. He felt someone sit next to him and he mumbled a greeting, turning his head to face Felix, "Hey."
Santaniel nodded in recognition and chewed on the grits. "I'm not joining you guys today. Drank with Jeralt last night and I downed three bottles of whiskey. I have a headache from hell." Felix rolled his eyes and scraped some fruit onto Santaniel's plate.
"Eat some of those. They help with hydration." Felix must've spotted Santaniel's empty glass, he'd already drank three times through.
"The mirror by the dorms should still be active. I already let Xavien know you were coming so he shouldn't attack you." Felix nodded.
"How did things go with Lysithea yesterday?" Santaniel groaned and leaned his head back. "Why do you think I was drinking?" Felix grimaced and patted Santaniel's back.
"You see Claude lately?" Felix shook his head. 'Been a week since I've seen him...' Seemingly thinking of him summoned the Devil because he settled on the bench opposite Santaniel, smiling devilishly like always. "Hello my training warriors."
Santaniel nodded and Felix actually greeted him. Claude looked over to Felix and asked, "What's up with him?"
Felix summarized what was up and Claude frowned a bit, "You'll be fine man."
It sounded more like a question but Santaniel knew it wasn't. He would be. Just without his usual training and study partner. Yay.
————
Santaniel grunted as he got under the weight bar and pushed up, having agreed to Raphael's idea of training his muscles. Well.
They were certainly screaming right now. He lowered himself to the ground and back up, his legs screaming as he went back down. "Good job Santaniel! You sure you haven't done this before?"
Santaniel shook his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the bottom of his tunic. "The only lifting I've done is with logs. Never done actual routines."
Santaniel spotted Raphael and when he was done he continued the conversation, "How's your little sis?" Raphael went on and on about his little sister while he hit his reps, getting heavier each time with the weight, eventually matching Raphael's.
"Uh Santaniel? You sure you want to do that?" He rolled his eyes and got underneath the bar, pushing himself to go down and then up, his muscles finally giving when he set the bar back. "I'm stronger than I look, big fella."
————
Felix grunted as he took another cut from Xavien's daggers, dancing around him happily, humming a few drinking songs. "I thought Santaniel said you were good with a sword?"
Felix blocked a slash and took another across his chest, feeling the blood drip from the cut. He swept his leg in a circle and knocked Xavien over, pointing his sword at his neck.
"I'm the best with a sword."
————
Santaniel walked to class early, tossing his axe like usual. He hummed the lullaby his mom sang him regularly and tried to remember the words, 'Something about a river...'
He slumped his bag onto a bench and waved at Byleth, "Hey Professor. Here's my homework." He handed his tactics homework to him and took his seat, putting his feet up on the table."
"So. Anyone new join this month?"
"Ingrid, Anette, Dorothea, and Ferdinand. Hephaestus will also be joining us this evening for Reason theory" Santaniel nodded and tossed his axe as he listened, "Alright. That means we'll have two more people who can use Relics then. Anette has the Crest of Dominic right?"
"Yep!" A cheerful voice exclaimed from behind and he responded with, "Afternoon Anette." He didn't bother turning as he tossed his axe, humming the words of one of Jeralt's songs he'd heard, catching the attention of Byleth. "He taught me the words. We went drinking last night because the last month hasn't been the kindest."
"Oh? What's been happening?" Annette asked. "People have been getting under my skin lately. It's unusual. Arti's death happened a couple months ago. The fight at the tower. Just been hitting harder than I thought lately." He leaned back into the desk behind him, eyes locking with Lysithea.
He immediately sat up and brought out his map of the monastery, ignoring Lysithea's attempt at a greeting. He drew the sauna and training room in more detail, noting where his favorite spots were to train and sit.
Later on, about twenty minutes, a sweat soaked Felix slumped down next to Santaniel. "Enjoy your training with Xavien?" He grunted out a 'Yes' or an attempt at it as breathed heavily, many wraps of gauze around his chest and arms. Santaniel cast Heal and helped him perk up a bit, "You'll get used to it. I have."
Santaniel erased a spot on the garden, replacing it with the proper outline of bushes and tables, marking where people usually sat when he saw them. He had an alright memory, just not when it came to things that bore him.
When everyone was in class, Byleth assumed the lesson, that being axe wielding. Santaniel hummed as he listened to the advanced tactics and combat arts.
"Today we'll be getting a partner for trying the basics. They are already predetermined so don't complain." Santaniel rolled his eyes.
"Lorenz and Hilda, Flayn and Ingrid, Balthus and Claude, Annette and Ferdinand, Dorothea and Felix-" the reveal of his partner put a small disappointed frown on Felix's face, "Yuri and Raphael, Marianne and Ignatz-"
'There's no way that he did.' Santaniel thought. "Hapi and Leonie, Constance and Lysithea. Santaniel, since you're the most advanced on the topic, you'll be helping to instruct the pairs." Santaniel mentally cheered, 'I'm not ready to cross that bridge. I will when I come to it though.'
The rest of the group got gathered up and made way for the training grounds, he got pulled over by Byleth before he left, "I know why you were with Jeralt. He used to do the same thing with members of the mercenary group." Santaniel tried to say something but instead just blushed, "Yes sir."
————
He took the people who'd never handled an axe before and instructed them on how to properly hold it.
"In order to properly use its weight to your advantage, you have to put your dominant hand at the bottom and the non-dominant hand half way up. If you're wielding a short axe, use one hand half way up, if it's a hammer, have one hand next to the head and the other half way up." He turned his attention It's made for crushing armor after all." He stopped speaking, fearing to lose the attention of his classmates.
"They'll have different weights depending on material. Ingrid, Yuri, and Constance if you'll help me demonstrate?"
The three came up and he selected a bolt axe, hammer, iron, steel, and silver axes. He also had a short axe and Holy Twins. "Now, Constance. Please hold the Bolt Axe and concentrate on firing a Lightning spell out of it.
"The blonde did as instructed, a large bolt firing out. "Ingrid, would you like to try?" Ingrid did as instructed, only managing a measly spark. "Now, Yuri, go ahead and throw this short axe at the target just over there." He nailed it perfectly, a bullseye. "Constance, can you try as well?" The mage threw the axe and didn't even make it to the target, the small weapon clattering to the floor.
"It all depends on your strengths and weaknesses. Not a single one of you here could wield the Holy Twins. But anyone here could use an Iron axe. Mages do better with Bolt Axes, speedsters do better with short axes, and heavy units love hammers and typical axes." He exhaled the rest of his breath and turned back to the class."
"With the permission of the Professor I bought enough of Anna's wares with a discount that you could all experiment and not interfere with other people. Now, please choose your desired weapon and gather with your partner for your duels."
————
Lysithea brushed against Santaniel as she picked up a Bolt axe and he shied away, taking a half step in the other direction and she confirmed her suspicion. 'At least Cyril isn't here... why did I even mention it?'
The small Almyran boy walked through the door and delivered a couple letters to Byleth and one to Santaniel who's face noticeably tightened as he accepted the letter and thanked him.
She walked to an empty space with Constance, both of them having taken bolt axes. Constance took the initiative and fired the first bolt, narrowly missing, she fired back and scored a hit.
Constance yelped, hitting the ground, she rolled over and got back up, closing the distance and took a swing at Lysithea, missing one, twice, and her last one was blocked, getting electrocuted by Lysithea.
Constance conceded and Lysithea reported the result of the duel to Byleth, who congratulated her with a pat to the head.
She watched the rest of the spars and Santaniel was instructing Flayn how to hold the axe, getting close behind her and positioning her hands, 'Is she actually leaning into him?'
She stood watching as Santaniel stumbled a bit and said something about switching her axe out if it was too heavy. Flayn blushed a bit but shook her head. Lysithea kept watching bitterly as he instructed the green haired girl.
Pretty soon Santaniel approached and asked to pull the Professor to the side for a bit, she crept a bit closer to them and listened in.
"Hey. Xavien is in a bit of a sticky situation, me and Hephaestus need to head out and help him. He went on a contract and the Beast was a lot bigger than he thought. Think you could spare a free day this week and assist us? Bring along some of the other students if need be."
She tried to sneak away but Santaniel spoke again, "And whoever is trying to be sneaky with their eaves dropping better book it quick before I develop a reason to care. And stay silent."
—————
Santaniel walked through the door with his hands on his axes. The first time in so long, it had a new color.
Blue.
Fear.
Four Hundred and Twenty Three Weeks Remain
—————————————
That'll be all for this chapter, Remire and the mysterious beast will be taken care of in a much shorter chapter in the next couple of days.
Love y'all-
Guardian