I'm thinking of making a full legit story on Three Houses. One that follows my own custom plot with twist and turns and fluff and all that fun stuff. Still not quite sure yet.
Anyway. Enjoy another Kronya chapter.
Run.
She had to run.
She had to run away.
This wasn't The Professor she knew. This wasn't The Professor who happily offered her tea and snacks. No, this was a monster. A demon.
She pushed past the many branches blocking her way as she sprinted through the forest. Her pointed ribbon like tendrils trailing behind her. She heard the rattling of what sounded like a chain behind her, she dared a glance over her shoulder to see tip of the Sword of the Creator barreling towards her, her eyes widened in horror. It wrapped around her ankle, cutting deep into her flesh. She cried out in pain as she was lifted into the air. She twisted and wriggled around, spotting The Professor breaking through the brush. His menacing glare trained on her.
She managed to break free from the sword's grip and landed on the ground with a thud. Barely dodging a swing from the Professor. Rolling out of the way and climbing to her feet.
She broke through the thick brush and tripped over one of the many rocks. Rolling onto a stone platform. She stood upon her feet, her knees buckling as the blood from the wound on her ankle bled all over the stone ground. The Professor emerged from the forest. Stopping a few feet from her. She slowly backed up, bumping into someone. She turned around, worried it was one of The Professor's students. But it was Solon.
"Solon! Thank goodness you're here! Let us defeat this foolish Professor!" She may have been weak. But she knew damn well The Professor was no match against Solon's magic.
Yet, Solon didn't do anything. Instead he grinned wickedly at her and reached out his hand, an ominous glow surrounding it. Kronya backed away cautiously.
"S-Solon? What are you doing?" Solon continued to approach her.
"Fulfilling you're purpose, Kronya. You've done well leading the Fell Star here. Now I will see to it your potential will not go wasted."
Kronya's wounded ankle gave our from underneath her and she fell to the ground. Crawling backwards, but Solon jammed his cane into the palm of her hand. Pinning it to the ground.
"W-Wait! Solon no! Stop this!" But the elderly man did not listen. Kneeling down and sticking his hand through her chest, gripping hold of the power within her. She cried out in agony, this was not the pain she was used to. This was not the pain she enjoyed. Whatever pain she was experiencing was horrifying. Is this what her victims felt when they died? Is this what it meant to die?
Her head fell back loosely, and her vision blurred and darkened slowly. But she saw The Professor standing there. Just as shocked as she was. The taste of the tea she had with him filled her taste buds, her body trying to find some sort of hope. She slowly reached out her hand towards the blue-haired man.
"P-Please...Save me..."
He was a monster. A demon.
Thats what everyone called him. And for a time, he believed them.
The Ashen Demon. An unfeeling, merciless, empathetic killer.
But his father knew who he really was. He knew that underneath his Ashen demeanor he was someone who just wanted to understand people.
With the help of his students, he eventually achieved that dream. He was able to properly display his emotions.
But now none of that mattered. His father was dead. And Kronya was to blame.
He was aware that his students were whispering of him, he was aware that they were terrified of him. But it didn't matter.
Killing Kronya was the only thing that mattered. And Kronya knew that. When she fled from him after he disarmed her, he didn't care. When he caught a glimpse of her terrified expression, he didn't care.
When she cried out in agony, as Solon threatened to tear open her chest. He didn't care...Right?
She was calling out to him. Begging him to save her. And suddenly it came back to him. He reverted to his old ways. He became a demon. A monster.
He ran ahead, abandoning his students. Focused solely on his objective. Just like a mercenary.
But he wasn't a mercenary. Not anymore.
Kronya deserved whatever punishment awaited her. But not like this.
"You're really going to do it aren't you? You really want to save this girl?" Sothis's voice echoed in his mind. He did not respond, rewinding time to just before Solon thrust his hand into Kronya's chest. Dashing forward and stepping in between the two, swinging his sword horizontally at Solon, who seemingly warped backwards away from his strike.
Solon was surprised, but glared at the Professor.
"Kronya, kill him!" Solon commanded, looking behind the Professor to Kronya. Who glanced between the two, climbing to her feet, her gaze lingering on the Professor before running away from the two.
Solon's eye brows furrowed. "Fine. Seems I must do it myself." He turned towards the Professor, then raised his hand into the air, plunging his hand into his own chest. mimicking what he did to Kronya. Byleth went to attack but suddenly found himself restrained.
"Its a shame I must do this myself. But getting you out of the picture will be worth it." He grunted as he tore out a strange black orb, and crushed it in his hand. The whole world going dark for Byleth as he was sucked into a dark rift.
She was completely out of breath at this point. But she couldn't stop running. She had to get out of here. She had to find someplace safe. She was certain everyone wanted to kill her now.
But The Professor...He saved her...
She was lost in the thought of The Professor she failed to notice a giant axe swinging towards her, she ducked, barely dodging it. Falling to the ground and rolling out of the way as the large blade came crashing down on the ground to where she just was, she looked up to see her assailant. Being met with the picering gaze of Edelgard.
"So. You're still alive."
Edelgard yanked her axe out of the ground and rested it on her shoulder. Kronya climbed up to her feet for what felt like the 6th time today.
"E-Edelgard..." Kronya went to go say something but Edelgard cut her off swiftly.
"I thought I told you no unnecessary deaths."
Kronya tried to rack her brain for what she meant. Before finally landing on what she meant. The Professor's father.
"T-That was!-"
"Part of your plan?"
Edelgard approached Kronya. Who backed away until she was pressed up against a tree.
"Where is The Professor?"
"I-I don't know! I ran away after he saved me!"
Edelgard raised an eyebrow.
"Saved you?" Kronya nodded.
"S-Solon was going to use the forbidden spell."
Edelgard's eyes widened before she kicked Kronya in the wounded ankle. Causing her to fall to the ground clutching it and whimpering.
"Curse you're kind!" She ran off towards the direction of The Professor and Solon. But it was too late. A massive, dark explosion shook the forest, knocking both of them back.
"Professor!" Edelgard cried out.
Sothis was gone. Almost.
She had melded him Byleth to grant him her full power. Allowing him to escape the darkness. His hair changed, and his sword now glowed brighter then before.
And Solon was dead.
But it didn't feel like a victory. Was it because Sothis was gone?
Was it because he saved Kronya and let her get away?
He tossed and turned in bed before trying to close his eyes. Suddenly feeling something heavy sit on top of him. Opening his eyes to see a silhouette straddling. Holding a knife above their head. But for some reason he didn't try to defend himself. Instead staring at the figure. He knew exactly who it was anyway.
"Kronya."
When his vision adjusted to the darkness he could see her expression was one of indifference. Her hands shaking as she held the dagger above her head.
"Why...Why aren't you trying to stop me?" Her voice was shaky. Byleth only continued to stare at her.
"Because I know you can't bring yourself to hurt me." Kronya narrowed her eyes.
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because I'd already be dead."
Kronya let her arms fall loosely to her side. Dropping the dagger on the floor. She held her head low.
"Why did you save me? I killed your father. I tried to kill you and your students."
Byleth didn't answer her. Continuing to stare at her, as he wasn't even sure himself.
"Answer me!" She clutched the collar of his shirt as she stared at his unchanging face.
"Because you're my student"
"You're student?" Kronya was silent at first, before letting a few chuckles, then throwing her head back and bursting out into a full out laughing fit. When she managed to calm down she looked back the Professor.
"You're student!? That's the reason why you risked you're stupid life!?" She pushed the Professor down onto the bed, placing both hands on either side of his hand and looming over him.
"You are aware I was only pretending to be your student. It was all an act."
Byleth shook his head. "We had tea together did we not?"
"Y-Yes but..."
"We talked didn't we?"
"Yeah but I don't see how that..."
"You attended my class"
"Only because I needed to blend in."
"That counts as being my student."
Kronya looked at the Professor quizzically, sitting up and leaning away from the Professor. Yet still straddling his lap. The Professor sat up and looked at her.
"Why are you here?"
Kronya' twirled some of her unkempt orange hair in her finger before looking back at the Professor.
"I have no where else to go. My people want me dead and so do yours...But I was hoping you could do something for me."
"Why do I have to help you?"
Kronya quit playing with her hair.
"Because you saved me. And now, I'm your problem."
They stared at each other for a bit. Byleth sighed. "I'll figure something out in the morning. For now get some sleep." Byleth laid back down in bed. Pulling the covers over him.
He felt Kronya move off him, only for his covers to be pulled open and someone climb into bed behind him. He opened his eyes, but didn't bother looking behind him.
"Kronya."
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?"
"Sleeping."
This felt kinda weak. Sorry It felt like I was yanking you guys all over the place with the sudden jumps.
I'd improve this if could, but this is like the 4th idea after I wrote out the other 3 and scrapped them because they just weren't good enough.
Until next time.