Hey, Quick note before you read! When people are speaking in the Brigid tongue, it'll be in parenthesis. Love you all, and enjoy!
Day 4 of the Great Tree Moon
"How long has it been since we've been to Brigid, Hephaestus?" Santaniel leaned on the deck railing with his elbows, watching as the ships approached a private, porcelain white beach.
It was bordered by beautiful greens, pinks, and purples of the forest, the loud sounds of exoctic birds flying in the air. "I'd reckon, about, twenty years now. We last came with Horus on a trip to meet the locals, we ended up seeing a parade I believe."
Santaniel blew a stream of hot air, "Alright. My Brigid tongue may be a bit out of use, but I spoke with Petra and understood it well enough, and she said that I was still somewhat fluent." Hephaestus laughed, "I'm shocked you can still so easily speak it, I guess you did live around him and Lisa when they spoke it for work though."
"Why did they speak the language so much?"
"Ah, I suppose I never told you. When we still worked at the lab, it was feigned to be a collaborative effort with Brigid to pull people from the Empire to help. Your mother and father worked tirelessly to practice and made sure you knew it, so I'm not surprised it'd come naturally."
Santaniel spied several brilliantly colored wyverns flying from the island and he waved them down, signaling Petra to come down to his, Hephaestus, and Claude's ship.
(Hey! Down here!) She heard him and the flock of dragons landed on the ship, several warriors and Petra's grandfather accompanying her. Santaniel kneeled in respect, (I'm honored to meet you.) He stood up and continued, (We understand that the Empire has you in a death vice with Dagda, and we would like to free you from such.)
In a run-ragged voice, the king spoke, (It is my pleasure to meet you as well, young one. I understand that you and my granddaughter are good friends. It is my honor to meet such an established warrior. You may greet me by name, Akamu.)
Santaniel nodded his head in respect, (Thank you. If it would cause no trouble, we would care to arrive at shore to discuss how to liberate you from the Empire.)
The old, tanned man smiled at him, (Of course. We shall meet you there, if you ride a wyvern, you may come with us.)
(Well, I might not ride a wyvern, but I have a couple of tricks that you might not believe.)
He flashed a smile as bright as his wings opening, and he took off. (Catch me if you can!) He outpaced them for the first three quarters, and was nearly caught on the last, but he still landed first, flashing as he hit the shore and transformed again.
He made simple conversation with some of the warriors as some of their own wyvern riders and Pegasus riders joined them, Lysithea grumbling at him about his partial transformation. He pecked her on the cheek in response, "Thankfully I can still summon my wings, just can't really bring out my talons or fangs."
She rolled her eyes and listened to him speak to the warriors as they regaled each other with former stories. He translated mid way through each story in Fódlan tongue for her, and she nodded along, probably not really listening to the stories, just to him.
Eventually the ships landed and some tables were brought out at Claude's request so they could set down maps of Brigid, and mark where the Empire encampments were.
Santaniel tried to speak in Fódlan first before switching to Brigid to tell the other side his thoughts, on top of whatever Petra missed in her translations, "I believe if we attack here and then move in a crescent moon path, we can wipe out the encampments within just a couple days. We'll have to get everything set up of course, but we can really break their back if we do this."
He repeated the same thing in Brigid to the king and his guard, gaining looks of approval. The king spoke to his daughter and she looked confused on how to translate, saying, "My father wants to attack by the time the curfew begins."
"He wants to attack at dusk."
"That is correct."
(I hope it is alright that we wait a couple of weeks to set up our camps Akamu, it's imperative that we do so. It is to properly prepare.) The king nodded and spoke softly, (I just wish for this fighting to be over soon so I may pass the throne to my granddaughter.)
(We will try and finish this war as quickly as possible. I assure you no harm shall come to you and your people if I can help it.) He smiled brightly again and Santaniel returned it, "We'll attack at dusk towards the end of the month, sound alright to you Claude?"
"Fine with me. Hey I've been practicing my Brigid-"
"No. Don't even try." That drew many laughs and Claude did his act of being hurt, and Hilda laughed so hard she snorted which drew Yuri in.
Santaniel smiled at the scene and tried to absorb the moment as much as he could, 'If this is the last year of my life, I'll be damned if it isn't filled with good memories too.' Lysithea tugged on his arm and he wrapped one around her shoulder, drawing her closer. Neither of them saying anything as they just let the bonds of the future form.
———
Day 7 of the Great Tree Moon
"Hey Lys." Santaniel pulled the tent flap open and let her inside, "Welcome to the humble abode for this month." She looked around and didn't really spy anything that interesting. 'I guess he really doesn't have much decorations.'
The contents of the tent were simple enough, a cot, a mirror, a basin with water, and some books scattered amongst the floor. "It's not much, but when I have a way to immediately head home it's enough."
She blinked at him and remembered what she came here to do in the first place, "Oh! Do you mind if we share the tent?"
"Uh, sure. Just go grab your stuff and we can set it up how you want, try and hurry though, we'll have to sleep soon."
She nodded and lugged in her stuff from outside, a single big case of her stuff. It mainly consisted of clothes and her battle gear, along with tombs she'd occasionally read from. Although it was evident to anyone who saw that she wouldn't be taking no as an answer today.
"Alright, well, you want another cot or-"
"Nope." She was trying to make her decisions quickly, and as decisive as possible to avoid doubt. That didn't stop her from having a blush on her face though as she said it, and Santaniel started getting playful with her.
"Afraid of nightmares shortstack?" She pouted and he laughed, clasping his hands around her waist, lifting her up to his height. "I'll protect you." He placed a small kiss on her lips and her blush just intensified, "Shut up."
"Make me." He issued the challenge and she took it, pressing her lips to his and pushed her tongue through the gap, taking him by surprise. When she broke away he definitely did shut up. However, she might have bitten off more than she could chew.
He pushed her down on the cot and pinned her, a devious glint in his eyes.
"Mmm, how about some revenge for what you did on your birthday…" She blushed redder than a tomato as she placed his lips to her neck and groaned as he went all the way down to her collarbone, trailing back up to the other side and he made a necklace of bruises around her neck.
"Learn your lesson yet?" She whimpered out a yes and he laughed, "Sorry Lys, you did start it after all." She rolled her eyes and pulled his face down to hers and they shared a long kiss, neither breaking away, nor wanting to.
He broke it first and she pouted, "Whyyyy?" He laughed and brushed her hair from her eyes, "Nothing, just admiring my treasure." She couldn't help but giggle at the sappy comment, ringing her arms around his neck and she let out an eep as he picked her up, setting her on top of him so they swapped positions.
He extinguished the magic flame in the corner of the tent and pulled a blanket over them. "The cot is too small for us to share it, so you'll have to sleep up there, ok?"
If there was a possibility that Lysithea could become a light source, she would have been one now. Her mind was abuzz with activity as she thought about what people would think-
Her thought was cut off as Santaniel placed his hands on the side of her head and she could see his eyes become luminous, a helpful ability in night time skirmishes, but there was a soft glow to them instead of the intimidating glare they usually were.
He fixed her hair and gave her a kiss on the lips, "Goodnight Lys. Love you." She buried her face in his chest and grumbled out a 'Love you too,' Letting the steady breathing of her partner draw her into dreams of a future that could be in reach soon.
For the first time in years, neither had a single nightmare.
———
Day 10 of the Great Tree Moon
Byleth grunted as he hefted up a log that Raphael had cut down for him. He pulled it out of the way and wiped his mint hair out of his field of vision. He still wasn't used to the color, nor people mentioning it.
"Hey Chatterbox." He turned his head and smiled at Hapi, "Hello." She pulled out Windig and cut through the log easily, he couldn't help but admire the axe work and the handiwork of Santaniel's forging. "I never got the chance to properly thank you for saving me back at Garegg Mach against the Death Knight."
"It's no issue. It's my job to protect my students." She sighed and realized what she did a bit too late. A giant earth crawler burst from the ground and they cut through it with their relics, and she groaned this time instead, in much more exasperation.
"That's the first time in a while I've done that." Byleth snickered and she rolled her eyes, "I can't help that I just feel safer around you." Byleth rocked his head to the side and she took a moment to recollect herself, "I always have. So I have to thank you for that too, Chatterbox."
Byleth smiled slightly, "No problem. Think you can help me set up these tents?"
She smiled and gladly accepted, finishing the final tents for the troops.
———
Day 12 of the Great Tree Moon
(Oh! Check out the beauty! She'd make a fine wife!)
(Go and take her then! What can she do? Say no?)
The Brigid men shared a laugh and it quickly died when Santaniel growled out a warning in Brigid, (Say anything similar to that again about my sister, and I tear your heads off.)
The two men broke out in a sprint past Hilda and Santaniel waved at her, "Yeah. Sorry, some of the people here believe they can get away with whatever they want because a majority don't understand their language."
She scrunched her face and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off, "They assumed you were just able to be taken advantage of because you don't 'Look' like a typical warrior." Hilda sighed and whined, "But I'm nooooot-"
"Hilda I've seen you literally smack someone so hard you gave them a concussion."
"They were talking badly about Marianne! I had to!" Santaniel grinned and he ruffled her hair, "I'm happy we can agree we'll protect those we love at least."
"Wait-"
"You two sharing a tent isn't exactly a quiet night Hilds." She blushed madly and Santaniel got a kick out of it, cackling madly. "Yeah, just keep it down please, me and Lys like our rest."
"Ooo you and Lysi are sharing a tent?" Santaniel tilted his head to the left and answered, "Well yeah, we are dating after all. We only recently made it official, and public, because of Claude's little blunder at the alliance round table." She giggled at it and she slunk next to him to whisper in his ear, "Claude and Lorenz have actually been dating for a while, so have Cyril and Flayn."
Santaniel widened his eyes and hummed, "That's interesting. Lin and Bernie have been getting along very well, and Raphael said Shamir had been teaching him a lot. I don't expect the latter to go anywhere though, and I think Ignatz is getting with Leonie to paint more."
Hilda gasped, "Leonie and Ignatz? Didn't expect that one!" Santaniel laughed and they talked about the state of things with their friends. Apparently Ashe had been missing Ingrid badly, they were evidently very close before he abandoned the Kingdom and took up allegiance with the Alliance.
"I hope the rest of them are hanging in there. Felix may say he has a certain hatred towards Dimitri, but the dude cares for him. Don't get me started on how he talks about the other two when he got drunk once."
"Hey, what ya guys talkin' about?" Yuri slid in next to him and started his report about the Empire encampments, ten in total.
They were to meet on the 20th to discuss teams and battle plans. "Alright, thanks Yuri. How're you and Constance?" Yuri laughed and flashed an engagement ring on his finger, "I told her I wanted in on when she restored her house, so she got me a gift to make that dream a reality."
Santaniel gawked at the beautiful green gem in the center, "Damn man. Congrats. Keep her safe, otherwise that'll only bring you pain." Yuri rolled his eyes, "I always make sure everyone makes it out of a fight alive, don't I?"
"True enough. We should probably get set up for the night, I'm drained." Hilda bumped into him and glared, "If I hear you transformed when taking down a camp, I'm drop kicking you back to Fódlan, understand?"
"Yes Hilds. Stop worrying about me so much. Sounding like Arti."
———
Day 20 of the Great Tree Moon
"So, the plan is to split into teams obviously. Who all is taking who, and who is leading the teams?"
Byleth assigned the leaders like he would at the Academy, "Claude, Santaniel, Lysithea, Yuri, and myself will be the commanders. We'll have to take on two encampments each, but that shouldn't be such an issue with the Brigid reinforcements. I'll let you talk out who's coming on your teams for a bit so we can move out at the end of the month. Dismissed."
The group of four stayed in the tent and immediately began their discussions, Yuri starting it off. "We should all bring a faith mage, that much is certain. I think I should take Flayn and Cyril, Balthus, Constance, and Leonie too. Claude, you already have your team planned out so let's hear it."
"Lorenz, Hilda, Marianne, Ignatz, and Raphael. Lorenz, Hilda, and Raph are great front lines and Ignatz is the second most precise archer we have, behind your's truly of course."
Lysithea rolled her eyes, "I'm taking Ferdinand, Dorothea, Ashe, Seteth, and Bernadetta. I can easily take care of any units with bad resistances to magic, even without Dorothea but she has the healing spells."
Santaniel hummed, "I don't think I'll take Lin, purely because Byleth will need a healer for his team to. Me and Hephaestus know enough white magic to suffice on that front. So I'll take Hephaestus, Petra, Catherine, Shamir, and Felix. Byleth will take the rest. Hopefully this goes cleanly and we don't have casualties, remember your escape plans and disengage if you have to. This is a war. Not a mock battle like we did five years ago, alright? I promised to keep myself safe so you have to do the same. That said, let's win this damn war and bring the Empire down a few pegs!" The other three cheered and they were ready to cut their path.
———
Day 26 of the Great Tree Moon
"Hey Felix. Wanna get some sparring in?"
The Fraldarius man looked up at him, a gleam in his eye. "It's been a while since I've fought you. Sure." Santaniel smirked, "Well, you won't be fighting me while I wield The Holy Twins…"
Santaniel unsheathed Leistrung, the rancid smell of poison burning their nose hairs, the sword seemed to hum at his touch, gleaming bright green. "Uh, actually, it's been soaking in its own poison for awhile, I'll just use Sturmrufer for now."
He whipped out the staff and it gleamed with a bluish glow, power radiating at his touch. "Sure. Just don't be mad when you lose."
The duo cleared out a space in the center of camp and began their duel, a small crowd gathering as Felix closed in on him. Santaniel caught his first slash with the staff and shot Fire point blank, forcing him to retreat for a moment and he circled Santaniel, in response the mage drew a circle of glyphs and stabbed his staff in the center, crimson flames arching out and Felix flipped over them, closing in on Santaniel.
Santaniel growled as Felix tore his tunic and he cracked him in the stomach with the staff, "Fire!" He blasted him point blank and fixed his jacket to cover his briefly exposed torso.
Felix hopped up and closed in on him again, Santaniel blocked a kick with his staff and caught the sword with his right hand, sending volts of electricity through it and he casted Bolganone under them, catching him off balance and knocking him down.
Santaniel closed the distance and had Fire broiling on the end of the staff, "Nice fight. You've been getting better."
"You too." The crowd cheered at their display of fighting and Santaniel snickered when he realized they'd been getting watched, "Too bad so many people saw it, eh?"
Felix slapped him on the back of the head and Santaniel ruffled the guy's hair as they walked back to their section of tents, "How have you and Annette been?"
"Good. The fighting has been stressing her out, so we've been trying to relax with each other."
"And I'm guessing you singing to her helps?" Felix blushed and Santaniel just got another kick out of it, "Eh don't worry. Dorothea was poking fun at Yuri when he took her place in a show during our school year for orphans. You're not alone on that front." Felix grumbled, "You don't exactly have the voice of an angel."
"Yeah, I have the voice of a Saint."
Day 30 of the Great Tree Moon, Dusk
Santaniel, Petra, Shamir, and Hephaestus danced through the trees, striking wherever they could with bows. Santaniel may not be amazing with them, but he could hit a target.
His eyes were slightly glowing to help with his night vision, but they were closing in on the camps. Shamir sent a relay of information to the rest of their team, readying them for a fight.
"We attack on three. 1... 2... 3... NOW!"
Santaniel went silent as he used a technique he had no need for in the past half decade, Shatter. A deep breath and the breaking of a dam. He was ready.
He broke ahead and dashed through the tents, a red storm of blood cascading the ground. He heard screams ringing from the other side and he blitzed over, seeing a giant, hulking monster.
The Crest of the Beast on its forehead so no wings, no talons, no fangs… Goddess this would be so much faster if he could.
———
Lysithea casted Swarm on her encampment of soldiers, their bodies not exactly able to stand up to the constant duress of her spells.
The other camp was almost the same for Dorothea and Ashe, able to take them down from a distance without a hitch.
She surveyed the scene and saw Ferdinand bloodied up and she called Dorothea over, pointing him out.
"We gotta help him!" Dorothea rushed over and immediately placed her hands on the wound, pouring out the Faith magic into him. "C'mon Ferdie… Don't die on me like this…"
Tears stung at Dorothea's eyes as Ferdinand looked up at her lovingly, clasping her hand in his, "I'm just a bee dying for his queen…"
———
Byleth cut down several battalions and moved on effortlessly to the next, his relic only glowing brighter the more it fed on the blood.
"P-please, have mercy! We surrender!" He cornered their commander and took their surrender happily.
"Throw down your weapons. You'll be spared."
———
Yuri hummed as sliced through people easily, Constance cackling she struck people with Bolting.
"Ah, reminds me of when people tried to raid Abyss." He bisected a man's head from his body and let Balthus take care of the rest.
"Alright. Everyone Is accounted for. Good job team."
———
Claude let a flurry of arrows go into a demonic beast's face, making it fall to the ground dead. "Two more…" Lorenz jabbed his lance into another's eye before he crushed its skull with Ukonvasara, and it's gore covered him head to toe and he gagged at the smell.
"Oh! You've done it now!" Hilda slammed Freikrugel into the enormous beast's face, not standing up again as it slumped over. "Everyone ok?"
"Relatively." Raphael grunted as he limped over, his leg mangled, but he was still alive. "I won't be able to fight it looks like…" Claude shook his head and patted the blonde man on the back, "It's alright big guy. Marianne? Can you help him out please?"
———
Hephaestus sighed as he scorched a battalion. "Pesky little-" He felt his insides crunch as a hammer scored a hit to his stomach. He looked up and met eye to eye with Edelgard.
She had joined the fighting afterall…
Santaniel was nearby, he could call for help! "Sant- Aniel!" The roar of a beast was deafening, he was alone now… He had to do something.
The strike of a hammer made him feel like a bell, his insides crushing. "No… I won't die… Yet!"
'I'm sorry Santaniel. Good luck.' Fire licked at his skin, he had to drive her away. Do permanent damage. Something. He gathered the strength and unclasped his robe, letting the flame resistant material fall to the ground. The Empire had once wanted him to abuse his magic.
Now, their leader would have a full taste of it.
He breathed deep and fueled his flames, they took his life energy as sacrifice. With his vision going black, then red, he let the spell rip.
Right into Edelgard's stomach, "I'd say see you in hell… But I have people to see again. Enjoy the burns you nasty, rat faced bitch."
_
Santaniel grunted as he ducked and rolled out of the way of the monster's claws, "Where the hell is Hephaestus when you need him?!"
He unsheathed Leistrung and slashed through its arm, severing it and he watched it fall to the ground. He jumped over the thing's tail and threw Leistrung into its face, cracking its mask and he whipped out Sturmrufer, twirling it and summoned a Fire, blowing it out.
It turned to a column of flames and it torched the thing. It's thick skin and the blood curdling under the intense heat and Santaniel sighed, "Thank the Goddess that's done. Where the hell is everyone?"
He couldn't hear anything over the roars of the monster, and now it was way too quiet.
He walked lightly over the dead bodies of many and he had to pinch his nose at the smell, grabbing the Holy Twins to keep himself from throwing up. He turned a corner and found them huddled around someone.
"Where's…' Santaniel rushed forward and pushed them aside, Hephaestus lying in the middle, burnt out…
"You ain't leaving me yet you bastard…" He conjured a Recover and pressed to his chest, feeling the beating resume, plus his pulse return. Catherine gave him mouth to mouth to resurrect him and he gasped back to life, leaning forward and smacking foreheads with Catherine. He groaned as he sat up, "I got fucking bashed with a damn hammer in the ribs-"
"Hephaestus. I said be more careful. You're lucky I didn't do something drastic."
Hephaestus laughed, "Well, let's just say my heart is critical. You know that, and honestly, I'm pretty sure that white magic is the only thing keeping me going right now."
Santaniel dropped his smile and stared at him, "Wait, what?"
Hephaestus smiled weakly, "Sorry kid, but right now, you're my life support. That can't happen forever, I'm a realist and so are you. You're gonna have to leave me now. No. I have to leave you..." Santaniel pressed down harder on his ribs, "I'll be damned if I can't try."
He focused his energy into his right arm and forced the healing through.
Hephaestus groaned in pain as his heart tried to mend but it just couldn't. It was too far gone.
"Please… I can't lose you too…" Hephaestus grabbed Santaniel's hand and smiled meekly, "I won't leave you. Me, Arti, Xavien, Horus, and Lisa are always looking over you. We love you, I'll tell them that you miss them. I promise, we're watching over you."
Hephaestus picked Santaniel's hand up off his chest and breathed for the last time, Santaniel let his emotions go and he cried in silence while people gathered around him, protecting him from the outside world.
He had lost the last of his family. It was time for the cards of vengeance to be dealt. Edelgard's hand was first.
…After he buried the last connection to his family.
———
Thirty Eight Weeks Remain
Progress on Cure(s): 72%