A.N: Some people might consider this too idealistic, and I'd say they're right, but I wanted to write something beautiful. Or actually, I would've liked to draw this as a comic without any speech since I feel like everything would've been easier to get across in pictures, but since I can't draw at all, this'll have to do.

WARNING: Spoilers up to chapter 129.

Together We Stand, Together We Fall

White.

That was the first thing Keith Shadis saw as he opened his eyes; white as far as eye can see. Just white.

"Ah…"

Well, almost. Turning his head, he saw his companion who'd joined him for his last journey. Their last journey.

"This is… death?" Theo Magath asked "Not quite what I was expecting."

"I expected nothing" Shadis says "You wouldn't happen to know what we're supposed to do now, would you?"

"…Head towards the light?" Magath just shrugs at the look Shadis gives him "It's just something that people often think about when it comes to death. I just always thought that when you die, you die."

"Likewise," Shadis admitted "But apparently, that's not the case."

"Should we just head in some direction?" Magath asked, but Shadis didn't answer, too focused on a figure he saw forming in the distance. It came closer, and he realized it was a person "Shadis?"

"Over there" he said without taking his eyes off of whoever was approaching them "Someone's coming."

"Instructor Shadis, sir!" that salute, that voice, that face… "We didn't expect you to arrive this soon!"

"…Blouse?"

"Yes, sir" she said "And I assure you, I don't have a steamed potato with me this time!"

"…What the hell?" Shadis could hear Magath from beside him, but he ignored the man. He had more important matters at hand.

"Blouse!" he yelled, and the girl, no, a young woman already, jumped like it was a drilled in reaction to his voice "Ye-yes, sir?"

In all honesty, Shadis regretted that he hadn't ever done this while he was alive, not to any of his cadets. But now, having this second chance, he decided to take it.

"You became a fine soldier" he told her as he pulled her in to his arms "I'm proud of you."

Magath watched the scene unfold, already understanding the situation. The woman was one of Shadis' old students, someone who'd died before him. He had a chance to tell what he had left untold while still alive.

The general couldn't help but wonder if he'd get such a chance too.

"Captain Magath, sir"

He froze; he knew that voice.

"It's general Magath now"

He knew that one as well.

Turning around, he saw the saluting Galliard brothers.

"Porco… Marcell…"

And behind them, the promising, deceased warrior cadets who never fulfilled their fates: Zofia, Udo and Colt. Not only that, but little ways away was another fallen warrior, Bertolt.

"All of you…" he said, and did something none of them probably expected "I'm sorry."

He was bowing, so he couldn't see their expressions. Not that he even knew if they were really real in the first place or just something his mind had created, if he was simply seeing what he wanted to see.

As he looked up, he could see their baffled expressions, clearly not having expected it. That was a way Magath would expect them to react, so he was no closer to finding out if they were real or not.

"…About what, sir?" Marcell was the one to ask.

"About everything" he answered "About what I put you through, both as your commanding officer and as a Marleyan."

Silence. And more silence.

"…Well, shit happens" and Zofia, who was quickly silenced by Udo elbowing her in the ribs.

"You were simply doing your job, cap- general" Marcell hastily corrected "All of us were."

"That's no excuse to- "

"There are no excuses to a lot of things" Bertolt cut him off, and at that moment Magath realized that this was, in some bizarre way, real. He would've never imagined the timid young man to interrupt him "But what's done is done."

"I- "

"Sir" Marcell interrupted his superior officer, which was another thing Magath hadn't been expecting. He watched as the boy saluted, the other warriors and cadets following his example "It was an honor to fight by your side."

After recovering from his shock, Magath saluted back.

"The honor was all mine" too bad he realized it so late. He'd fought alongside so many remarkable comrades without really understanding their worth. Not 'till his final moments. Speaking of those…

He turned his head to look at Shadis, only to see him with a much bigger group of young soldiers now. His former students, the man betted. And he could see a face that he recognized as well.

Ymir, Marcell's killer.

As upset as he was of the boy's way too sudden death, he now realized that the girl was just a victim of the circumstances. Circumstances that Marleyans like him had created. But what did Marcell himself think?

He turned to see the boy's face, but instead of looking at the other group, he was watching Bertolt. They all were.

The tall young man was looking at the other group, and Magath would have to be a fool to not notice the longing in his eyes. Not too long ago he would've had the boy's head for it, but now he understood, at least partly. They were his comrades, too.

"Go" he said to the young warrior "You have something you want to say to them, don't you?"

Bertolt didn't even hesitate. Magath saw how the boy got the other group's attention, all of them looking at Bertolt. The first one to step up was Ymir, followed by the girl they'd first seen. And then, a freckle faced young man pushed right past them, standing directly in front of Bertolt. From the look on the warrior's face, Magath could tell he was someone important.

The two boys stared at each other until finally, the freckled one extended his hand with a smile. Then, Bertolt broke down. Magath did not know why, but he accepted that some things he could never understand. That included whatever bonds Bertolt had with these people, these people who came to him one by one, talking to him. He'd never know for sure, but to him it looked like Bertolt was being forgiven. Lastly, he saw Shadis step up, making what he had learned to be the Paradis military salute. His cadets followed his example.

A motionless moment followed before Bertolt snapped himself in to the very same salute. Again, not long ago Magath would've had his head for it, but that was in the past. Now he was just happy that the young man could get a closure of his own.

As Bertolt returned to them, Magath held Shadis' gaze. There was no signal of any kind but, at the exact same time, both soldiers gave each other the salutes of their own countries, their subordinates following after them.

As much as he regretted not having understood things while still alive, Magath sided with the thought of better late than never.

He'd achieved his peace, even if it was after death.