Year 1180, Day 31 of the Lone Moon
Sananiel grunted as he got jabbed in the stomach with an axe hilt, he kicked the man in the chest, cracking the bones underneath. He fell to the ground dead."Why... are... there... SO MANY?!" He casted Ragnarok as people fled through the tunnels of Abyss behind him. Lysithea and Hephaestus at his back with Raphael next to him. Sananiel gritted his teeth as he came across the realization he didn't want to make.
He couldn't die here, but neither could Lys or Raph…
He took a deep breath and flashed his Crests, roaring loudly to get a brief break in the action. He turned to Raphael, "Take Lysithea and go. Me and Hephaestus will be fine."
He flashed again and gave Raphael a hug, "If I survive this, make sure you guys come back like we promised, alright? Now go, run, get back to your families." Raphael took his orders and picked up Lysithea as she was in the middle of a spell. She yelped and jumped off of him as he tried to tug her through the tunnel, "No! I'm not leaving! I'm not some-!"
"Lysithea!" Sananiel yelled at her, his eyes soft and luminous, "Go. You have more time than me. Now just go, take the fight back to Edelgard, but promise me: Five years, you'll return." She stared at him and stuttered, "I-I..."
"Just promise damn it!" Sananiel casted Fire through the tunnel as more soldiers tried to funnel through, roasting them alive. "I promise."
"Good. Remember, fight like hell." He turned around and casted Lightning, collapsing the tunnel from his side. "Love you Shortstack..." The rocks covered the exit and he looked to Hephaestus with nothing but determination and anger in his eyes.
"Let's fuckin rock 'em."
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Year 1180, Day 1 of the Great Tree Moon
Sananiel woke up with his right arm mangled but still intact, all his ligaments in his left leg were torn or shredded from electricity, but it was still attached.
Hephaestus was relatively fine but both were in massive pain at the island.
'I'll see you again Lys, I just don't know when.'
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Year 1182, Day 26 of the Verdant Rain Moon
Sananiel was finally able to walk again. The cast from Hephaestus came off and he put his weight on it, still stinging but it held. He sighed heavily and walked around, hopping up and down to test it, and he cheered when it was good enough to run.
"I'm going to have to learn how to wield my axes again... At least wait for muscle memory to take its hold."
"I doubt that bud, work on restoring your leg first. Build muscle mass, we should be prepared."
"You're right… I miss them."
"I know bud. Let's make 'em proud, alright?"
Three Hundred and Thirty Two Weeks Remain
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Year 1184, Day 21 of the Ethereal Moon
"Ok. So, we have all our supplies correct?" Hephaestus nodded and flashed his staff, the Crest stone gleamed and hummed under Hephaestus' touch.
"We launch the assault here, and we take on the main battalion with my dragon form so we can finally figure out what the hell is up with my green blood, how it came to fruition, especially if it's supposed to be red as a half breed, and finally find out what the hell is up with the saints and Seiros. And Rhea too." Hephaestus nodded again and Sananiel flashed a smile.
"Let's make it a massacre."
Two Hundred and Eleven Weeks Remain
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Year 1185, Day 24 of the Ethereal Moon
Sananiel stretched out his wings and full body height, now at 188 centimeters, only a couple above Hephaestus. His ears had pointed out as he grew over the years and his hair no longer had the brown overgrowth as an attempt to hide his silver hair.
He once again grew it long enough that he could tuck it into a ponytail if he wanted. He didn't feel the need to hide it's original color, or his past, a much lighter shade of a familiar green setting into his roots.
As he gazed over the island, Xavien, Mercedes, and Arti's graves included, he sighed.
It had been a long five years of research to find out what he was, what exactly had been going on, and it felt it had been even longer since he'd seen everyone...
Especially Lysithea.
Hephaestus came up next to him and patted him on the shoulder, "Let's go to the monastery tomorrow." Sananiel smiled and he knew exactly what he meant, "Sure thing."
He tossed his Holy Twin in the air, the chains were off and he was ready to be unleashed. His arm now polished silver instead of the old steel it had been for years, and it crackled with magical power when he moved it.
Adorning his neck was now a dual amulet, decorated with the Crest of Ernest and Macuil, the warm royal purple and fierce viridian contrasting brilliantly in the twilight.
Hephaestus had relatively stayed the same over the years, a couple of grey hairs now making their way along his hair and the start of a wispy beard complimented his crimson red robe, a white undershirt and slacks complimenting it. "You think they'll be there?"
"If there's any chance, it'll be tomorrow."
"Why wait till tomorrow to get going then?"
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Day 25 of the Ethereal Moon
Byleth pulled himself out of his slumber, coming up on the river bed and coughing out about a cup's worth of water. He turned to a man nearby, "What year is it?"
"1185"
"Month?"
"Ethereal Moon."
"Day?"
"The 25th, you hit your head or somethin' guy?"
Byleth didn't answer but he walked up towards the monastery, silent but not stoic. No one could be. 'My students need me.'
He snuck through the ravaged town, crawling with thieves sneaking like vermin and made his way to the main buildings of the monastery. "Someone has to be here... they promised."
He pushed through the entrance hall door, skeletons clacking to the ground as the old, untreated wood scraped against the dusty stone floor. He gagged at the smell of rotten flesh and he raced through the hall. "Maybe some will be waiting in the Mess Hall or the Cathedral..."
He walked through the small door from the entrance hall, peering into the upturned tables and ruined cloth that he once dined on happily with his students. 'Claude, Lysithea, or Sananiel will come. I know it.'
The Cathedral was next, the rusted gate was dropped and he had to pry the thing open, thankfully he had his Sword of the Creator.
Byleth witnessed the destruction of the cathedral, the statue of the goddess now consumed in the rubble of the roof that once housed her. He frowned and shook his head, 'Senseless destruction... I have to keep searching, someone is here.'
He took his leave and went towards the Goddess Tower, "Well, Sananiel might not be one for heights, but Claude is a sucker for them..."
He lunged up the steps, one to three to five, until he reached the top, golden light surrounding the leader of the Golden Deer.
"Where have you been these past five years Teach?"
————
Three Hours Before Dawn
Lysithea stretched as she pulled herself out of bed, her eyes heavy from fatigue as she served as her father's advisor since the war started, and Sananiel departed with Hephaestus to the island.
She was still very groggy until she looked at the calendar, recognition replacing it and she pulled out her violet veil and rushed past her dream catcher to her vanity, she decorated her hair with tassels and ornaments, gifts from her mother to cheer her up.
She picked up Thyrus and watched it hum to life as she strapped it on her back. She wore a new royal purple dress with puffy, snow white sleeves, decorated by intricate golden patterns, pure white tights, complimented with a purple and gold tie adorning her chest.
She stepped out of her room and greeted the servants handling her food, "Bring it to the dining room please."
She moved off towards the same room a couple minutes later after going to the bathroom, swiftly greeting her father and mother as she grabbed a couple of pastries. "Remember dear, if they're not there. We must assume the worst..."
Her father's ominous warning towards Byleth and the others didn't shake her resolve. She'd go no matter what, besides, Raphael and Marianne were already there.
She thanked Marcus and walked outside, waving at her old classmates, smiling slightly at the bolder Marianne who served as Margrave Edmunds assistant and advisor, along with a much more fit Raphael who rode a bright orange-pink wyvern.
————
Sananiel hummed as his wings flapped above the blackened ocean, an imitation of Icarus flying close to the moon instead of the sun, and he was already closing in on the Ordelia territory where they'd rest.
"So the plan is to stop here for a moment, let me get my energy back with a meal, and then head to Garegg Mach, correct?"
Hephaestus replied via scry due to the wind over powering his voice, "Yep. We should be there before the sun rises luckily. Let's stop at that one tavern if it's not swarmed with Empire soldiers, we were already on their wanted list, probably more so now."
"Eh I wouldn't be shocked if it were. We can cause a little scrap now couldn't we?" They landed at the tavern and Hephaestus hopped off, they walked in and waved to the tavern owner, ordering a hearty breakfast for Sananiel.
His appetite had only grown as his body did, and he dug in as soon as he got his eggs and potatoes. "Hey... doesn't that guy look familiar?"
And here we go.
"Yeah... I think he's wanted?" Sananiel turned in his stool, "Think you're mistaken boys, we've heard that a lot as we go around. This guy is his brother, not very close to him though. We're just trying to make our way through the territory today."
They left him alone as he crafted his lie on the fly, adopting Xavien's tactic as his own and Hephaestus finished his breakfast.
When they got outside they were attacked though, by a band of Imperial soldiers, and they left several bloody, and burning bodies in their wake as they took off for the monastery again.
"On the road again..."
"For the love of the Goddess not this song again!"
————
Just North East of Garegg Mach, Day Break
"How long till we get there Raphael?" The man looked down and read the map as they flew, "It says another ten minutes this way and we'll be on the North East corner of a courtyard."
The mage nodded as she rode on her midnight colored Pegasus, named Devil, and Marianne rode on her Pegasus named Dorte Jr.
Raphael had taken up wyvern riding in an attempt to be hired but it unfortunately didn't work out, his wyvern being named Passion Fruit. She stroked Devil's mane as he flapped his wings dutifully in the strong dawn wind, the once immaculate walls of the monastery coming into view.
"Well. We'll be there soon..." Dread filled her stomach as she hoped that her classmates would be there, and a smaller part of herself feared the worst happened to Sananiel and Hephaestus...
No. She couldn't think like that.
Fight like hell.
No matter what, she was bringing it to the Empire for what they've caused over her entire life... Never helping her family, never saving her from those awful experiments, siding with the people who did such acts, they had taken people she loved and possibly the one she loved the most.
They landed their steeds and walked them through the broken wall of the courtyard and could hear fighting, "What the heck is going on?" She asked, getting Devil to take off again into the air to see it, "No way..."
"You're late!" Claude yelled at them from the South West corner, firing the legendary Failnaught at the bountiful amount of bandits, "Get in on the action and cut them off! I'm grabbing what they hid down here while I still can!"
She nodded and relayed the news to Raphael and Marianne, they nodded and they were all three shooting off like cannon balls, shredding through the gang of thugs that guarded the door. "Ok. When we come through this door we have to expect an ambush, alright?"
The other two nodded and she unlocked it, pushing it open and-
Fire exploded in the center as something crushed through stone and the ground crumbled beneath the pressure. A large dragon-like creature stood in the center with someone on it's back and she hid behind the door, her eyes stinging as she didn't actually expect him to...
She silently cried as she heard a deeper version of his voice, "Fun's over boys and gals!"
He got cut off several times as he was bombarded by affection from her classmates. She longed to be there but she was afraid she'd lock up somehow-
She listened as Raphael gloated about getting her out and keeping her safe and she froze up as Sananiel greeted Byleth, finally asking and pinpointing her via the scry, she supposed. 'Why didn't I put up the mind guards?! Am I that out of practice?'
Heavy, delayed steps made their way toward her and she felt the tears well and she dove into his chest, killing his greeting off and he stroked the back of her head, hushing her.
"Lys... look at me." She nuzzled into him deeper, not wanting to end the contact yet. "I won't leave you again. I promise." She looked up and fixed her eyes on his, the mutated green and purple catching her attention, his hair no longer the blend of silver and copper, the question as to what happened dying in her throat.
She was lifted into the air, squeaking like a toy and she blushed, embarrassed.
"I won't leave you again. I promise. Alright?" She blushed more as he pressed his lips to hers, taking a breath. She smiled and connected their foreheads, "You better not Santi."
"Santi huh? I like it."
————
Two minutes earlier from Sananiel's P.O.V
"Hey Hephaestus, wanna make an entrance? Double Bolganone when I dive, alright?"
"Copy that."
Sananiel breathed in deep as he saw Lysithea open the door and he dove, fire catching in both of his talons and he slammed down into the center of the crowd as the fire exploded. "Fun's over boys and gals! Bolganone!"
The fires rolled over him and Hephaestus safely, his wings protecting them and they heard the shrieks of people dying off, "IT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE AN EASY JOB!"
The last words of Palardo, one of Anna's rivals and he rolled his eyes as he flashed again, going from the 279 centimeter tall dragon form to his human form and he raked his hair back from the wild, wind swept mess it was, staining it blood red and he growled at it in frustration. "Why do thieves always die so bloodily..."
His frustrations died as he nearly did, by being crushed in a Raphael bear hug, and he gasped as he felt him squeeze the wind out of his lungs, "Goddess from hell on a stick please let go Raphael..."
His voice was deeper but not unfamiliar and the man let him go, allowing him to catch his breath before he realized Lorenz and Ignatz were already there and gawking at the fact he still lived, "Oh please. I can travel through mirrors and can turn into a dragon, this has you the most shoc-"
He cut off as he caught in another bear hug from Hilda, Leonie, and Claude, "Goddess, when did you people get so strong?!" Hilda and Claude laughed at his joke and he smiled, "Sup? Claude that is an awful beard-"
"He said the same thing to me."
Hephaestus finally spoke up, having taken to speaking to Lorenz, Marianne, and Ignatz, the latter two looking much bolder and Lorenz with a much more respectable haircut. "So I'm assuming Professor is here too?"
"Yep." Sananiel turned and hugged the guy, "Knew you weren't dead just yet! The gut just had a feeling. Speaking of feelings... I'm assuming Lys is here too?"
Raphael nodded and beamed, "Yep! Kept her safe just like you said!" Sananiel grinned and hummed, "Good. I'm assuming she's hiding from me right now... Behind the gate?"
Marianne nodded silently, so he approached and stepped through somewhat hesitantly, trying his best to keep himself from smothering her with affection off the bat.
"Hey-" He was interrupted as she threw herself at him and he already felt the wet streaks of tears making their way down his shirt and he frowned, running a hand through her hair as she wept for a few moments before finally speaking, "Lys... look at me."
She buried her face down farther into his chest and she cried harder, "I won't leave you again. I promise." She looked up finally and his heart melted, she had only grown more beautiful. He picked her up underneath her arms and she squeaked in surprise, "I won't leave you again. I promise. Alright?"
She blushed and warmed up as he pressed his lips to hers, sealing it the best way he knew how. She smiled and leaned forward, her head touching his.
"You better not, Santi."
"Santi huh? I like it."
One Hundred and Sixty One Weeks Remain