Genres/Ratings: Action/Adventure, War, Battle, Friendship. (T)

Characters: Raine, Ashe, Warin, Dimitri, Edelgard, Rodrigue.

Summary: The time for the clash had come. The three armies of the three territories were meeting again, five years later, to do battle as they once had when they were students. Nothing but pride and academia had been on the line then, but now, everything seemed to be at risk. There was no doubt the casualties would be beyond count, with the melee and the chaos that would ensue once the first salvo was fired, and all Raine could do was hope, hope beyond hope that somehow her words had reached the right ears, and the massacre to come could be averted before the blood began to flow.

Great Tree Moon

Grondor Fields

Noontime

"The conditions aren't nearly as horrible as Rodrigue and Gilbert had been concerned for... That's one small blessing for today..." Raine remarked as she cast a wary glance about the fields of Grondor, noticing that only in small patches had the dense fog of yesterday had managed to stick to the ground. It did nothing to hide the enemy troops that were approaching from the east and west, and their numbers were vast underneath both the red and yellow flags of the Empire and the Alliance. To the forces of the rebellion, who had mustered barely half of what they were seeing now, it had to look horrifying... yet Raine felt no fear, or even concern as she watched the lines forming in preparation for the battle to come.

The very air was still and tense, weighing each and every soldier down far more than any set of armour could ever manage. Death's hand was resting idly on the shoulder of every man and woman present in the fields, a grim reminder of the only permanent outcome this battle would truly have, and Raine was well aware this tension was impacting her own men. Still, she showed no sign that she was aware of that weight herself, and she cast a speculative eye about the skies where she had seen several winged messengers flitting to and fro well behind the enemy lines. More preparations for the melee to come, but that was not her chief concern.

No, instead her eyes turned to the Empire's forces, who had been on the cusp of the field when hers had marched forward, and that had been the only thing that had made her feel alarm. She heard Warin approaching on her left, instinctively feeling her unease and moving to respond to it, and she was glad for his company as she turned her head slightly to look at him as his gaze followed her own out to the forces that were beginning to spread out to further cement their lines before she remarked quietly, "They were here before we arrived... Not surprising, but still annoying. They'll have laid traps, no doubt. Our movement forward will be stymied."

"You intend to funnel everyone west?"

"If possible... The tactics I used five years ago won't be applicable here. Trying for a pincer with our low numbers is asking for more graves to be dug back at the monastery... The more we can avoid conflict with the Alliance's forces, the better." Raine answered with a deep sigh, and she ached as she wondered why she could look back so fondly on the obvious lie that the Battle of the Eagle and Lion had been. It was preparation for Edelgard, preparation and a trial run for this exact moment, and to say Raine wished to teach her another humiliating defeat was an understatement. Yet, she also had to be cautious, as now lives were on the line, and it had been five long years since she had last had the chance to cross blades with the Emperor... or with Claude. "And with no word from Lorenz or Marianne, and that poor scout we found a day ago... Things aren't looking good for us."

"Cut the head off of one snake, and you've only the other to deal with. Claude may be well defended, but he's still an easier target to take out than the princess will be. I wouldn't mind putting him in his place for you, if you'd like." Warin offered with a grim smile, reminded of that humiliating moment after his hard search into Derdriu, only to be summarily dismissed because he had nothing to give that Claude wanted of him. He was indeed nursing a grudge over the young man's arrogance, and would be more than happy to provide his sister with an advantage that was sorely needed when she looked out over the two assembled armies before her.

"I said I wanted to avoid conflict, Warin, not start it. No Alliance soldier is going to be attacked on my watch, barring matters of self-defence. I don't care if Claude sees us as an invading force. Until he himself declares war on the Kingdom, he's to be left alone, and alive. Any possible ally is valuable. Even him." Raine reminded her brother with a trace of an annoyed sigh, and he shrugged his shoulders idly, but did not push the matter further. She understood his cold pragmatism, and she even agreed with it on a solely professional level, but she had already chosen how she would be fighting this war, and she could not change course now. Her eyes once more studied the enemy lines, taking in the soldiers and their positions, and she remarked idly with a nod as she took in the Imperial sniper manning the ballista in the central fort, "What do you think about that...? Bait?"

"Bait. And not very good bait. Who wants to be sitting in the centre of the fields in the middle of a three-way melee? Avoid it at all costs, even if it means putting our fliers at risk. Petra can manage on foot for one battle." Warin agreed with a nod of his own, and he wondered if Edelgard was simply considering them idiots, or was hoping for a repeat of all of the same tactics Raine had employed five years prior. It was true that then in the battle five years prior, Raine had made a two-pronged charge that did involve taking the central fort and keeping it in order to lay down suppressing fire with the ballista, but to employ such a strategy now was only asking for trouble. He remarked as he rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers inside of the tight confined of his gauntlets, "I think she expects a repeat of your battle from five years ago... All the way down to your exact troop movements, if her own placement is any indication. If that's really the case, you've got another advantage on the princess."

"Possibly. She's changed as well, so I can't discount her own growth despite what we're seeing." Raine allowed, but she wanted to tread carefully even though her brother's words made sense. She had not been surprised at all to hear that the Emperor herself was leading her forces from Fort Merceus to engage the rebellion's troops, as it was exactly what she would have expected Edelgard to do, but that did not mean everything else would be so easily predicted. Edelgard was arrogant. She didn't trust anyone's judgement but her own at the end of the day, and so she had come here personally, most likely to ensure that the reports she had to have received of Dimitri and her own survival were true. She believed it could be ended here, in a three-way melee, simply because she had the advantage of terrain and preparation. It was not a wholly inaccurate assumption, as battles had been won by less, but... To Raine, it only proved that she had not changed as much as she may have believed she had, if it was true. "She came here, which I anticipated, but... How far she's come herself since our last battle is something I don't know. Engaging her will be risky, but unavoidable."

"You're not about to set the prince on her by himself, are you?" Warin asked sarcastically, and though he did not expect an answer, the sharp, scolding look he received in reply was more than enough of one. It made him shake his head, but he had already come to terms with the fact that his sister simply would never allow for Dimitri to engage in such a fight on his own. It didn't matter if that was what he wanted, or if he would object, even violently, to her presence, as Raine was going to be there to provide aid, and there was nothing he could do about it. She wouldn't risk allowing him to lose himself to rage and get killed in the process, and the only way to prevent such a thing from happening was to be there personally. "I made my promise and I'll keep to it... but you're still an idiot."

"That's not keeping your opinions to yourself, Warin..." Raine replied with a roll of her eyes, and she once more glanced skyward as the flurry of activity from the Alliance's pegasi and wyverns seemed to be growing more erratic and frantic. It made her brow furrow, and she felt her hand inching instinctively towards her hip to grasp at the hilt of her blade. She didn't like seeing so many soldiers in the air, especially knowing that the Empire had a ballista ready and primed to shoot every single one of the fliers out of the sky if and when they were given the signal, and it only further proved she had erred in not securing enough fliers for herself. Her own soldiers had preferred steeds rather than wyverns or pegasi, and only Petra had showed a different inclination during her days of study rather than warfare.

"Professor!"

Ashe's terse voice interrupted Warin from replying with further sarcasm, and the siblings turned to him in tandem to see him with his bow in hand, strung, and an arrow dangling from his fingertips in the other. His eyes were narrowed and his face drawn and wary, but his eyes were brilliant with battle-light as proof that he was keeping his wits about him as he hurried forward to the two siblings. He pointed to the sky, but kept his voice low and tense as he informed them sharply, "Professor, I've noticed that there's a falcon knight circling close to our lines. They've made three passes, each one closer than the last... They're coming around for a fourth now. Permission to shoot them down?"

Warin turned his gaze in the direction Ashe had looked, and he saw indeed that there was a falcon knight circling about the trees, watching and studying the rebellion's lines from well up in the air. Three passes would be more than enough to have all the information they would need to draw up strategies in opposition to their enemy's forces, but a fourth pass meant much more dangerous inclinations were likely at work. He glanced to Raine, who had tilted her head up to make the same study, and he then looked to Ashe before asking him thoughtlessly, "Can you make that shot, kid?"

"Ashe can shoot the body off of a moth and leave the wings intact. He can make that shot." Raine answered for her student with complete and utter confidence, and Ashe pinked slightly under the unexpected praise. However, his professor was still looking upwards without any emotion, her seafoam-coloured eyes studying the knight he had pointed out, and she didn't look as if she was ready, or even considering, giving an order. Rather, she was taking far longer than she ever would to reach a decision to take action, which made both Ashe and Warin exchange a confused look before she was shaking her head and musing, "No... That isn't a soldier studying our lines. They're looking for something. For someone. And from the angle of their pegasus... They just found them."

Ashe reacted instinctively, bringing his bow up and beginning to notch the arrow to the string as he saw the pegasus take a steep dive, but he was stopped abruptly when Raine's hand shot out to block his aim. He looked at her in confusion, but the emotionless expression she had been wearing had turned into something approaching a smile, which only made him flounder all the worse as he watched the knight diving in close enough at range. He could pinpoint the rider drawing a bow now, still a small silhouette in the sky, but if their aim was any good, they could quite easily kill anyone they wished if they were not taken care of first. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand, and he began nervously as his professor's arm still blocked him from lifting his bow, "Professor...?"

"Not a move. Let's see what they do." Raine instructed him firmly, and she glanced about for a moment before realizing with a growing smile that she, Ashe, and her brother were the only small group assembled for a good measure of distance. The knight was coming for them specifically, and no one else. Her hand reached for her blade, but her fingers were loose on its hilt as she felt the men on either of her sides tense uncertainly. She knew that armour, and as the pegasus dived closer... She also knew that flash of pumpkin-coloured hair.

The whistle of an arrow made both Warin and Ashe jump, but Raine didn't even flinch as the projectile buried itself between her feet with a sniper's precision. The flier above rolled a wing in a salute before turning tail and heading back for the Alliance lines, and all three looked down to the arrow that had been fired with no warning, greeting, or farewell. Raine stooped to retrieve it, noting the parchment that had been tightly rolled about the arrow's body, and she mused inwardly that even with the added weight, Leonie's shot had been perfect from the back of her pegasus. She had grown greatly in her archery skills, making Raine smile somewhat sadly as she wondered what her father would think if he could see them all now, grown-up and as skilled as any soldier he could have commanded both as a mercenary, and a knight-captain.

Raine was silent as she unrolled the missive, and she heard Warin and Ashe shifting their feet to glance over her shoulder and look about her side respectively to read what she had received. The message written on the parchment was simple, consisting only of three words, along with the seal of the House Reigan to signify the genuineness of the article she held in her hands. Without a word, Raine felt a smile breaking out across her face, and the hand that had been creeping towards her sword now clenched the hilt in earnest. The weight and the anxiety that had been crushing her chest blew away like crumpled leaves in a crisp autumn wind, and she looked to Warin, a triumphant smirk curling at her lips as she remarked pointedly, "Twenty coins, and the first drink is on you when we're back at the monastery."

"When the battle is over and he hasn't turned his forces back on us, I'll think about it." Warin answered back with a shake of his head, but he also felt the beginnings of a smile cracking at his lips. The sudden, unexpected change of the tide was a welcome one, and he had to admit he had not once put any real faith in Raine's attempts to reach out to the young leader of the Alliance. To have himself proven wrong wasn't bitter or sour on his tongue at all, and he looked back to his suddenly smiling sister before asking her politely, "I assume there'll be a change of orders now, Commander? What do you want our troops to do?"

"You're taking a token force with you to the east. Bring Raphael, as well as Flayn, Seteth, Catherine, Alois, and of course Shamir. Play the goat. You know exactly how, and teach the others what I mean if they're unsure. You remember Father's lessons better than I do." Raine's orders came crisp and sharp, and Ashe involuntarily stood at attention despite the fact that he was not the one being addressed. He watched as Warin nodded in confirmation, listening intently, and his navy eyes flashing with something akin to amusement as she continued on, "If you can, find Claude, and depending on how the battle is faring, tell him what we'll need him to do. I trust your judgement, so do as you please. But, if possible, warn him to stay as far back as he can from engaging any of the Imperial forces. We can take the brunt of their blows. Claude will be more open to negotiations if we prove ourselves reliable here."

Ashe hesitated, eyebrows furrowing as his hand tightened on his bow, but his mouth didn't open as he listened to the orders coming from his professor's lips. He trusted her judgement, as it had carried him and his classmates this far already, and yet... That letter still did not look as if it meant for as much celebration as Raine and her brother were having. As much as he understood the goodwill they were willing to show the Alliance, especially after their aid in taking the Great Bridge of Myrddin, he could not feel the same optimism. There was so much at risk, especially if Claude proved he would use the advantage of exhausted and injured Kingdom troops to take the upper hand entirely once the Imperial forces had been driven out.

Warin caught the look of worry on Ashe's face, and he nodded to him for his sister, who turned at once to see it for herself as she finished outlining her plans for her brother. Her smile gentled, understanding where Ashe's concern was coming from, and she addressed him quietly, but not unkindly as she asked, "Are you concerned they may be walking into a trap, Ashe?"

"I don't want to doubt potential allies... Especially in such times when trust can be our only real currency, yet..." Ashe hesitated once again, lowering his eyes to the ground as his left hand tightened around the haft of his bow. He had been eager to shoot down the rider he had spotted, wanting to do some good, yet Raine's benefit of the doubt had proven better than his own judgement. She would not always be right. The costs if she was wrong... He shuddered involuntarily. The bodies would be too high to count, or to bury. Yet, his professor was watching him kindly, with some same non-judgemental eyes he remembered from five years ago when she had promised she'd fight the Church of Seiros itself to protect him as Lonato's son, and that gave him courage to speak, "If Claude's words prove untrue... What will we do, Professor? Do you have a backup plan for such an occurrence?"

"I do. And that backup plan is my brother." Raine answered with a firm nod, and she looked to Warin, who also nodded and crossed his arms over his chest with a calm, confident expression. Ashe looked to both siblings, momentarily unsure, and she explained for him simply as she saw the unease and confusion, "This isn't our first time having to deal with allies who may turn enemies the moment it becomes convenient for them. This is a situation we've faced many a time in our days as mercenaries. Playing the goat is for the Empire's sake, to draw attention and distract, and if the Alliance does play along, we'll be able to succeed in luring out their forces for a complete rout... However, if the Alliance proves duplicitous... Warin will cut the head from the snake, and the Alliance's troops will either scatter, or surrender. Raphael is going because he is a friendly face to many of the Alliance soldiers, and will inspire trust in our commitment to the truce... but Warin and the others will not be as hesitant as he may be if they turn on them."

Ashe blinked, realizing that the others Raine had assigned to Warin's command were Knights of Seiros and not Blue Lions, who would not have compunctions against fighting their former allies or friends if it came down to an all-out melee. His professor was already three steps ahead, and he immediately felt the fool for doubting her judgement. How many times had she proved since her return that she was thinking of a long-term strategy, and not merely preparing for the next battle? The siege of the bridge had proven that she was never just content with seeing the fight at her feet. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, as a true commander, and it made him duck his head in a small, apologetic bow as he spoke quietly, "Forgive me, Professor. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"No, I much rather prefer being doubted, Ashe. There's no apology needed. My instincts may be good, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of making mistakes. Claude didn't promise a truce. He merely acknowledged that he received our message. He owes us nothing, and should he and his forces turn on our own, he has broken no oath. You're right to point that out." Raine dismissed his apology with a flick of her wrist, and Ashe looked back up to her, his bright green eyes studying her curiously and thoughtfully. She offered him a small, affectionate smile before she continued for him, "Being prepared for the worst doesn't make you a pessimist, nor does it mean you've no faith in your leaders. You're just wary, as you should be after so much fighting. Good luck isn't often stumbled on, and should always be looked at carefully. I know you know that better than most."

"Is that what you'll be telling the others, then, when you return to revise our orders?"

"Yes. For now our strategy will involve cooperation with the Alliance, assuming that is Claude's intent... Should it not be, Warin will signal us immediately, and we'll be ready for the flow of battle to change. My brother can handle himself, and I don't doubt he can handle Claude alone, too, should the situation call for it." Raine answered, and her hand tightened on the hilt of her blade as Warin inconspicuously ducked away from the conversation, readying his gauntlets as he left to find his soldiers and brief them on the mission's change before Raine had to do so. It would save her precious time, and Raine watched him leave without comment before continuing on for Ashe, "However, as I said in the beginning... I want to focus solely on gutting the Imperial army's forces while we have the chance. Edelgard herself has taken the field, which gives us a very rare opportunity... We cannot waste it."

"But His Highness..." Ashe knew he should stop, but this time, he could not help himself. He had overheard his professor bickering with her brother, and to know she was planning on shadowing Dimitri's footsteps all the way to the Emperor herself filled him with worry. He already was aware Dimitri was in no state to be fighting such a dangerous foe alone, but he also knew he would not be happy to accept help, especially from her. Though they had not been as tense and angry around one another as they had been, to say their relationship had been repaired was not at all true. And Dimitri had made sure everyone knew that the vengeance he craved was for his hands and his hands alone. "Professor, if you get in his way..."

"It's not my well-being that concerns me, and it shouldn't concern you, either, Ashe." Raine dismissed his worries firmly, but not unkindly as she understood the track of his thoughts. She didn't want him to dwell on them, and she did not want to dwell on them, either. She knew the risks she was taking, but that was a decision for her to make, and no one else. She would be shadowing the future king, and if necessary, she would be taking vengeance out of his hands if the opportunity arose and he was found lacking in ability. His mind was clouded by rage... and as he had demonstrated five years ago, as terrifying a fighter he was, he was not as efficient as he usually could be when he allowed his anger to direct him. "Don't worry. Let's return to the others, and give them their orders. Time grows short, and the battle closer. We need every last minute we have to prepare."

"Yes, Professor."

How had she miscalculated so horribly? As the lines of battle tightened about her like a noose, Edelgard felt a cold sweat breaking out underneath the weight of her armour, and she gritted her teeth silently in anger. She could barely believe what she was seeing, yet she knew it to be the truth. Somehow, without her notice and despite her interference... the Alliance and the crumbling remnants of the Kingdom's forces had established a working truce, and together, their combined might had pinned both her and her army into a box that there was no escape from. She was losing soldiers faster than she could order reinforcements for, and there was no doubt in her mind that loss was close. Their strategy, and the playing of their roles, had been impeccable.

Just when she had thought that the forces that cursed professor had sent to the east would clash with the Alliance's men, Claude had instead personally turned directly west, engaging the Imperial line and drawing out her defensive troops in tandem with Raine's own soldiers engaging from the north. On two fronts and like lightning she had been attacked, and she had been forced to watch with growing horror and rage at the gambit that had been played flawlessly before her eyes. When had they had the time to establish a truce? Especially with all of their messengers having been taken care of long before they could have ever reached friendly ears in the Alliance territory?

Her teeth ground down audibly, and her hand tightened on her axe until her knuckles whitened underneath her crimson gauntlets... She had been played for a fool twice now. Ferdinand's betrayal on the bridge, while expected, had still stung when she had learned that not only had he defected for the rebellion, but he done so under Dorothea's influence. Her friend had turned tail and left the Empire years ago underneath the guise of not wanting to be a soldier for the Empire, and yet there she had gone, right back into battle, to bring Ferdinand out of her command as easily as plucking a flower from a garden. It made her quiver in disgust and outrage. Failure after failure... as if that damned professor was somehow reading all of her moves ten steps in advance, and was countering them without the need to even look at her.

Edelgard took in a deep breath as she banished the anger and returned to her mask of cold rationality. She knew that was false, despite how much it felt otherwise. It was simply bad luck that the woman had not died in the raid of Garreg Mach, and it had been poor planning on her part that had led to the failure to retake the monastery, and defend the bridge. She never should have allowed Randolph to try such a mission alone and unsupported, and she never should have permitted Ferdinand to be on the front lines. If she had forced Randolph to pull back and await reinforcements, the rebellion would have been crushed before it begun. If she had kept Ferdinand in a tighter heel, the bridge would have never fallen because of his betrayal. Two critical mistakes, but mistakes she could have rectified. Now, here, in the fields where she had been so damned certain she would have victory... a third mistake had been made.

She had counted on the professor to re-enact her strategy from five years prior, to divide the lines and force her way forward through with brute strength and the enticing lure of an easy victory, and yet she had played a completely opposite hand. One Edelgard had not prepared for, despite having the advantage of territory, and preparation. All of the traps she had set, all of the men she had sent out... None of them had expected to be abruptly trapped between the lines of the Kingdom and Alliance at the same time. The chaos of battle was meant to be used to her advantage, not against her, but once more, the professor had pulled the rug out from underneath her feet.

The pincer was closing, and the lines were being broken. She had seen it, Dimitri spearheading the wave in the north, scattering her men like grains of sand in a whirlwind, with that woman close on his heels to provide cover and another sword to his race forward. Hubert had sacrificed much time and energy in delaying their advance, but once he had been forced to engage them directly, the professor had nearly cleaved him in two. In a panic of blood, fear, and knowledge that he was not permitted to die there, Hubert had been forced to withdraw, and now Edelgard found herself standing alone, readying herself with her meagre remnants of her guards who would provide no protection against the oncoming storm, and she wondered how in the world she had allowed herself to get into this damned situation.

The screeching of steel through air broke her concentration, and it was followed by an anguished bellow as a soldier in front of her took a spear to the chest. The weapon had broken right through his body as if it was merely paper and not flesh and bone, and he fell like a sack of sand to the horror of his fellow soldiers. Edelgard tightened her grip on her weapon as she watched the man responsible stalk forwards, a lion amongst the men, a cold, cruel smile gracing his blood-flecked face as he pulled the spear from the corpse as easily as he would a stuck arrowhead in a target. His one good eye blazed with a crazed cerulean light, and he was muttering quietly as he approached with slow, confident footsteps, "Stab your chest, break your neck, smash your head... I will allow you to choose your own death at the least today."

"I'm not interested in methods of dying... All that matters is that death takes place, not so much the where, or how." Edelgard answered with that same quiet intensity, and her hand grew still, confident, on the handle of Amyr. This was a crazed beast, not a man, and she barely owed him the trading of words. How could one reason with a creature living full on delusion and lies? She could see no sanity in his face, and she felt not an ounce of sympathy for him as he approached and left her men scattering in his wake. Not one of them have the courage to stand up to him, but she supposed she couldn't blame them for their fright. For his madness... He was still a giant. His strength, his Crest, had made him so. They were right to be wary of him... but she was not. "I've no intention of dying today."

"And I'm sure all those you slaughtered so far have felt the same way!"

A roar seemed to sound as he threw his spear, but it hit the blade of Amyr and went far too wide to be of any consequence. Edelgard leapt from her position on the small, already crumbling fort, axe in hand as Dimitri ran to meet her. Areadbhar and Amyr met in a clash of sparks and a screech of Relic on Relic, and Edelgard felt her teeth clench as her body almost immediately gave way underneath the massive strength of the man in front of her. In pure physical strength she was far outmatched even if her weapon and armour gave her weight and closer range, but he was not thinking strategically as he pushed her back. He was craving only to sink his Relic into her head, and absolutely nothing else. He would not have it. She would not permit it.

Falling into a crouch, Edelgard allowed the sheer force of his push to carry him forward on his own as her axe lifted in unison with her movements. The edged blade caught his back as he careened past her, and his roar of pain made her smile grimly as he turned on her, face a blaze of rage and blood, and his one eye blinking madly. He wouldn't win in this state. All of his past victories had been taken with a calm head, and under the guidance of his dearly beloved professor... but now he had neither to bolster him. He was a mad dog, and he had come for her alone, likely leaving his professor far behind. He would not win as he was... and she would put him quickly out of his misery.

Amyr sang out twice more, blocking both incoming stabs of his Relic and shoving them aside, and Edelgard took the chance to close as Dimitri failed to keep her at bay. Using her axe to keep his lance firmly away from her body, the Emperor rushed forward, twisting her great weapon to the side and lifting it so the blunt side of the edge struck the lost prince full in the face. He went staggering backwards under the force of her blow, his armour saving him from the broken neck she would have otherwise inflicted on him from the power behind her hands. She swung again, knocking him further back and off balance, and his Relic went wide as he struggled to keep his feet. She had her opening, and Amyr glinted crimson in her hands and she raised it and let it fall with a roar of exertion.

A whistle sounded, followed by a sharp crack, and Edelgard felt her Relic rebound before she realized what it was that had blocked her from putting her axe directly into Dimitri's chest to cleave him in two. She whirled, seeking the source, only to freeze instinctively at the sight of the Sword of the Creator singing back to its normal size into Raine's hand as the professor walked with slow, calm surety towards her. Her seafoam-coloured eyes were cold even though her expression was deceptively calm, and Edelgard ground her teeth as she realized that she had failed again in judgement. Dimitri had left the professor behind... but that didn't mean she had allowed him to get far enough ahead.

Yet, seeing her as she was, exactly as she had looked five years ago, Edelgard felt herself hesitate. She hadn't entirely believed the words of her scouts, that the professor of the Blue Lions had somehow survived the siege of Garreg Mach and hadn't appeared to age a day, and yet there she stood all the same. Even her clothing was the same, that dark mercenary cloak and leather guard, as if she needed nothing else to protect her from the battle waging all about her, and Edelgard wondered at what heresy, what miracle, had kept this woman alive, and seemingly unchanged after five whole years of being presumed dead to the entirety of the world.

Raine read her expression easily, and she watched from the corner of her eye as Dimitri struggled to stand, the wounds of his earlier fighting now taking a toll on top of the injuries Edelgard had inflicted on him by taking advantage of his blind rage. She had tried to keep up with him, but he was simply too strong for her speed to match, and she had lost sight of him shortly after handling Hubert. She had feared this exact situation, but she was glad she had come in time to interrupt what surely what would have been a killing blow if she had dawdled even a moment longer. She took full advantage of Edelgard's attention, knowing Dimitri would need several more moments before he would find a second wind, before speaking calmly, almost casually, "You seem surprised to see me. Did you not believe the words of your scouts from the raid on the monastery? Or from Ailell? How about from the bridge? Thrice now you must have been told I was alive... yet right now you look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Professor." Edelgard spat the word, feeling that white-hot ball of rage return in an instant to choke the sense out of her as she recalled that same piercing voice calling her a monster, and comparing her to the real heathens who were all-too willing to set the world and all of its inhabitants aflame. Still she was so ignorant, still she was so naive, and yet she spoke as if she had all the answers, and all of the wisdom needed to lead, and to oppose her. It made her hate her even more, made her wish she had been capable all of those years ago of killing her outright, but that had been then, and this was now. She had grown older and stronger in the last five years as the Emperor... The woman in front of her had not seemingly aged a day. If magic had preserved her... then those five lost years would prove her downfall. "I knew when we met that one day, one of us would kill the other... Today is the day your journey ends."

"Quiet. Save your speeches for your men. They sorely needed it today, and they'll sorely need it after. There's no grandstanding in battle. There's only the screams of the dead, dying, and the singing of weapons flying." Raine dismissed her curtly, and her blade flashed ruby in her hand as she steadied her stance, knowing full well her words would prick a fragile temper and bring full attention to her rather than the injured man behind her. So, she had not changed, even after five years. It was almost amusing, if it wasn't so damned infuriating to see... and she hefted her blade easily with one hand as she asked her quietly, "What will you scream for when it's your turn?"

"Damned fool!" Edelgard roared her curse as she leapt for her unthinkingly, and Amyr met the Sword of the Creator with a burst of energy. Yet the sword held strong, refusing to give despite the difference in size or strength, and Edelgard wondered if it was the clash of the Crests that left the weapons unable to give against each other. It would make sense, as her Crest had been implanted unnaturally, and yet the Sword of the Creator had responded to Raine, but she didn't doubt it would do the same in her hand once she had it. It was all she had needed, all she had wanted ever since she had realized where it lay and what was needed to hold it, and to see the weapon that would have made all she was doing so much easier in the hands of someone who knew so little, and cared even less... Her vision glinted crimson as she snarled, "You still know nothing!"

"Then why is it that I continue to win?" Raine did not push back against her assault, instead dodging and weaving about her swings with all the practise of her many years of combat. It was true enough that while Edelgard had gained five years of experience and training, it still was not enough to give her the upper hand. Not when she had been born with a sword in hand and put to work before she had been able to speak. Her father had taught her the way of war from the cradle, and she had taken to it like a fish to water. She lived and breathed battle, with no distractions of politics, ideals or dreams to get in her way. She was a soldier born, with a near-full lifetime of uninterrupted battle beaten into her body and brain, and it was her lasting advantage even against those who had gained half a decade of time on her, and she knew it as she continued to taunt as she circled expertly about her opponent, "At every turn, you lose. At every turn, you stumble, fumble, and eventually tuck tail and flee from me. In five years of unimpeded conquest, where I wasn't there to meet you, you still haven't put the whole of Fódlan underneath your boot and banner. Now that I am here... What makes you think that you'll fare any better than you have without me there to keep you in check?"

The arrogance astounded her, and continued to enrage Edelgard even further. It was a grim reminder of her loss at the footsteps of Garreg Mach, and her old wounds, now scarred over, were aching in remembrance of her loss. She had been young and arrogant, too, and she had paid for it then by underestimating the professor of the Blue Lions... but now things were different. She was no longer an untrained whelp with mere dreams to fuel her. She was the Emperor, wielding Amyr as well as the Sword of Seiros, and she would not lose to this woman, who by some strange twist of fate, had been born with the Crest of Flames. She wouldn't lose. She could not lose. "Silence! You knew nothing five years ago, and you still know nothing now! You cannot defeat me! The righteous world I dream of...! It may be beyond your vision, but I will make it come true! You cannot stop me!"

"I can... and I will. I made that promise five years ago, didn't I, Flame Emperor? Or have you forgotten?" Raine asked quietly, her voice a dangerous, sibilant snarl, and without warning her dance of evasion came to an end as she closed abruptly. She used the same move of keeping her sword on her side to push Amyr away from her body to come in close without putting herself in danger of her range, and her seafoam-coloured eyes were twin pools of fire as her hand twisted her blade, a grim, evil smile breaking across her face as she repeated those words she had spoken so many lifetimes ago, "If I have to spend the rest of my life chasing you in order to put you down... So be it. Nothing will stop me. Death won't keep me from dragging you down into the grave with me. You started this war. Don't be angry with me when I end it for you!"

The Sword of the Creator pulsed crimson, charging for the ground only to ricochet and extend back up, point first, for Edelgard's throat. Only one quick shove of her axe stopped the blade-point from slicing completely through her throat, but nonetheless as Edelgard pulled back, she felt hot blood soaking through her collar in grim reminder of just how close death had brushed against her. Behind the professor she could see Dimitri recovering, his hand once again steady now on Areadbhar, and she ground her teeth as she held a hand tightly to her throat... She was outnumbered, and again, backed into a corner. The ranks of the combined forces would be closing in, and she could not hold off both the professor and the prince at once. Not without risking her life and putting it up to their lack of mercy... There was no other option left to her but retreat. Retreat, and find her victory another day.

Clenching one armoured hand about her throat, Edelgard stared hatefully at her enemy. She had been beaten today... but she knew their streak of luck would not last. It never did. The Alliance and Kingdom would never be able to hold a steady truce, and Dimitri was far too wild to lead a true rebellion. Their time, and their numbers, would dwindle, and eventually she would gain the upper hand. All it meant was a bit more patience on her part... and she could wait that little longer for the world she wanted. For the world that was needed to put things right again. Her free hand glowed black as she stymied the flow of blood from her wound with the other, and she focussed on a spot far behind her fleeing line as she snapped out a curt snarl of a farewell, "Fine... You win today... but when next we meet on the battlefield... I will have my victory!"

"Tch!" Raine snarled as her sword slashed out again, extending like a spear, but she was met with air as that same dark magic she had witnessed Solon and Kronya use once before teleported Edelgard from the field of battle and to who-knows-where. Spitting out a curse, Raine pulled her blade back to her hand, eyes narrowing in both anger and annoyance at the flight of another cornered enemy. Once more when her back was to the wall she had chosen flight rather than stay and put her life on the line, and Raine felt her lips curling into a fearsome scowl and she muttered under her breath, "Damned coward... She can throw soldier after soldier into the way of an army of swords, lances and axes, but the moment it's her neck, she chooses to flee..."

"So she thinks she can escape... That will not be the case." Dimitri's harsh voice forced Raine away from her growling, and she turned to look at him in both confusion and surprise to see him glaring out towards the east, where the rest of the Imperial army was giving way to the force of the Alliance and the Kingdom in open flight. It was doubtless that Edelgard lay ahead, likely unable to move herself too far due to her wounds, and the sheer number at her back would prove impossible to fight through. Yet still, Dimitri stared at the only escape route that was left to the Empire, and a wild look was in his eye as he snarled out, "We failed to capture her... but I will keep pursuing. The rest of you, keep fighting. This does not end yet!"

"She's gone, Dimitri! Don't be a damned fool and throw your life away in pursuit!" Raine snapped, both angry at her own failure and at his suicidal overconfidence. Saving him once had been difficult enough, she was lagging in strength and stamina as it was, but she had managed to catch up without the use of her power, and she was glad for it. She didn't have much left in her, and she wasn't about to waste what little she had until she could rest. What was needed was a tactical retreat, not a wild flurry forward, and as she heard the hooves of Rodrigue's horse approaching, she tried to gentle her voice in hopes of reasoning with him, "Rodrigue is here. At least listen to his opinion before you go charging off."

"Your Highness! Professor! Good! We must retreat to the great bridge!" Rodrigue's voice rang out loud and clear as he checked his mount and leapt off in one smooth movement, but his brow was furrowed with concern as he approached the two who had splintered off from the pack in an effort to keep Edelgard and her chosen guard away from the bulk of their forces. He had seen Dimitri's initial charge, as well as Raine's immediate pursuit, but now was not the time to give thanks. He had word from their allies as well as the scouts, and they needed the information he had now and without delay. "The Imperial army is closing in from Fort Merceus. It seems that the Emperor kept a token force ready to cover her retreat back into safe territory. Our forces, and that of the Alliance are exhausted. We will not be able to make a second stand."

"I'll kill all of them!" Dimitri whirled on Rodrigue with a snarl, and Raine winced instinctively away from him at the mixture of rage and wild abandon in his voice and expression. His lance was bloody and his face wild, and even though Rodrigue did not flinch, seemingly unmoved by the prince's wrath, it did not stymie him for a moment. His hand was shaking on the handle of Areadbhar, more proof that he was barely holding in his desire to give chase, and it showed in his snarl of anger and wrath, "No matter how many hundreds or thousands there are! They will not stop me from crushing her skull with my bare hands!"

Rodrigue opened his mouth to argue, only to pause in surprise before his eyes narrowed in confusion as they focussed on something over Dimitri's shoulder. For a moment he ignored his prince entirely, and he spoke slowly, with a shake of his head, alerting Raine immediately to the wrong he was seeing as he remarked with a sudden, worried sharpness to his voice, "What in the world are you doing here? It's far too dangerous for you! Fall back, now! You'll be killed in an instant without a weapon, you foolish girl!"

"Heh."

It was a whirlwind, and one that neither Raine nor Rodrigue were prepared for as Fleche leapt forward from the bushes, dagger in hand and raised. Her face was as crazed as Dimitri's, eyes blazing with wild bloodlust as her dagger fell down and pierced in deep to his shoulder. The prince staggered forward as the blow he had taken from Amyr shrieked in agony as the dagger tore it further open, and he fell hard to his knees to hear laughter, wild, unrestrained laughter from behind as the dagger twisted with cruel intent before it pulled loose for another blow, "Did I catch you off guard, your majesty?! I bet it hurts, doesn't it?! But it's nothing compared to what my brother felt! You will never be forgiven, you know! I will NEVER forgive you! You filthy, hell-bound monster...! DIE!"

Rodrigue moved as the dagger moved to fall a second time on Dimitri's unprotected back, his cloak brushing past Raine's arm, and she closed her eyes instinctively to feel the world about her freeze. She had not meant to, had not thought to, but without thought or reason, she called upon Sothis' powers and froze time as she understood what it was Rodrigue intended to do, and what Dimitri was about to allow to happen. He had let go of his lance, letting it fall in silence in the grass, and he had not moved to rise, to block, or even to face the crazed young girl who had come for his life. Instead he knelt where he had fallen, head hung low as realization clouded his one good eye, and quiet resignation took the place of where rage and vengeance had been moments before.

Raine knew Rodrigue's intent, and for one, brief moment, she looked at Felix's father and took in that determined, wildly desperate look upon his face with sympathy and pain. Dimitri was not as much of a ward as he was a son... and to lose him, to lose him without action, would be crueller than death. He was ready, he was eager to put himself in the path of that dagger, and she knew without a doubt that it would cost him his life if he were to do so. He was acting on instinct, not thought... and he would leave behind both Felix and Dimitri if she permitted him to act.

Closing her eyes again, Raine clung to the frozen image as she understood her mistake and accepted the consequences. Too many times already in this fight had she called upon Sothis' power, just as she had for her father... and this was the last of it she could muster. It was too late to turn the hand back farther to interrupt the first blow, and if she did not move, it would be far too late to stop Rodrigue from killing himself to protect Dimitri. And as for the future king... Raine was well aware he would not do a thing to save himself if Rodrigue was held back. It would take too long to draw her sword, to aim and deflect the incoming blow... but she could still move faster than her blade could, if she so chose.

A small, quiet smile played upon her face as the realization sunk in, but she felt nothing in terms of regret or remorse as her feet began to move to break the spell she had cast. The one magic she knew and had mastered, and the only one that would ever be capable of saving the lives of those she loved, regardless of the cost she had to pay to fully grasp it in all its strength. She would break a promise today, and for that she felt a twinge of guilt, but it was not enough to make her hesitate. It did not matter. This time was not like the last, where she had thought her brother would be alone when she fell... He had Shamir now. He would live without her. She, however... She already knew she could not without Dimitri.

Time unfroze as her foot pushed forward, launching herself past Rodrigue and into the way of the blade, and she turned her back, arms outstretched and eyes closed shut in preparation for the blow. The dagger hit true, sinking deep into her cloak, her armour, and into her back with cold, deadly precision. She felt the point of it bury itself deep into her chest, prickling somewhere where metal was never meant to be, but even as the pain and the shock crested over her, she did not care. This was the way it was meant to be. This was the sacrifice that was meant to play out. She was as bloodstained as he was... but her future would not save the Kingdom. His would. And even then... That future meant little to her as an agonized gasp escaped her lips, and her legs threatened to give out from underneath her from the blow.

"Professor!"

She wasn't sure whose voice cried out, but she did hear the sudden shriek of magic, as well as the anguished scream of that young girl as she fell somewhere far behind her. Rodrigue had not wasted a moment, and for that, she was glad. Her body swayed on weakening legs, and she reached up thoughtlessly to feel blood soaking both the back and front of her cloak as she hit the dirt heavily on her knees. How far had that dagger pierced her? How deep were her wounds that she had been ignoring to press on and chase after the future king? She hadn't bothered to look. Hadn't even felt the pain. But now that's all there was, sharp, brutal agony that turned the world upside down, and turned her vision to a foggy haze. Still... That girl was dead, and Dimitri was safe. Her lips curled against her better judgement into a smile... She had succeeded. Nothing else mattered.

"No. No, no, no...! Professor...! This punishment... It wasn't for you...! Professor!"

Raine looked up, feeling her fingers growing cold and numb as she heard Dimitri's voice breaking through the dullness that had taken up place in her ears. It was coldly familiar... Quiet and stillness and pain, a broken body and the encroaching darkness, and against her will her body shivered with remembrance. She had died once, hadn't she? The memory was faint, but it was there, brought back with that dagger buried between her shoulders and reaching for her un-beating heart. Yes, she was sure she had, all those years ago... and it made her chuckle softly. Warin had called it a miracle... but that she did not have another one in her. He was right, and she knew it, and she was calm, quietly and painfully calm as she looked up into that wild, staring eye in Dimitri's face as she answered him quietly, "There's no such thing... as punishments on the battlefield, Dimitri... It's just war."

"No! Don't die! You can't die! Father, Stepmother, Glenn... They all died and left me behind... You can't join them... You can't join the ghosts who shadow my every move... Not now... Not like this... Not for me!" His voice was shaking, desperate, desolate, and it made her ache in a way the dagger could not ever hope to cause as she met that lost expression, those anguished eyes, without a flinch or a moment of hesitation. His hands twitched, aching to reach for her, yet he was frozen as he stared at her, limp, pale, and bloody, all because of him. The guilt was an axe wound, a million cuts of lances and swords and arrowheads, and his voice choked as he forced the words out, "This is my fault...! I... I'm the one who killed you... as surely as if I held the blade...!"

"You're wrong... as ever..." Raine chuckled again, closing her eyes for a long moment before her hand reached of its own volition to caress his cheek. It felt hot underneath her fingers, though whether it was from her blood, the warmth of his skin, or the coldness of her own she couldn't tell. It didn't matter. Then there was wetness, jerking her back from those warm, embracing shadows that were tugging at her body, and she looked to see the tears leaking over his face and through her fingers to streak the blood, both his and hers, down his jaw. It hurt, and though her body was rapidly losing its ability to feel, to move, she forced her words past her numbing lips to correct him, "No one ever died... for you. They died for what they believed in. For what they wanted. Your life belongs to you... just as mine belongs to me. Not the dead. Not our ghosts... Just ourselves. I'm doing this... because I want to. Because I can't fathom existing... in a world where you aren't there. Do you understand? If you hear my voice after I'm gone... If she blames you, curses you, cries for you... Don't listen. She's lying. Because right now... Right here... I'm happy, and I would do it again, and again, and again."

Voices were calling in the distance, scared, pained, alarmed... but they were fading. The entire world had gone an eerie, calming shade of grey. Her strength was fading, and she let it go without regret or hesitation. He would not be alone when she left him. Nobody would be. They had one another, they had well-trained leaders, and they had themselves to pull their strength from. She was not afraid for her students, for her fellows, her brother, or even him. They would all move on without her. She had long ago stopped being their reason for moving forward. She could rest easy. She could let go. And she did with a long, tired sigh, closing her eyes and letting her body collapse to the ground.

Perhaps now... She would get a chance to see her father again.

AN:

Nothing to say that won't cause bombs to fall, but it's what I wanted to write, so I'm happy, even if it was... I dunno, melodramatic? The next few chapters, as can likely be imagined, will be dealing with the fallout of Grondor, as well as Raine's sacrifice, so expect bucket-loads of angst, division, and arguments. There's plenty I need to deal with, and will be dealing with happily as I continue to go on writing. This, of course, is really where the Raine/Dimitri stuff begins to surface and be handled, so I'm sure that will make a few people happy, even if it's not entirely how they imagined it'd start off. Still, what can I say? I've always been a whore for angst.

Also, just in case I haven't mentioned it before... I am aware of the DLC being released soon, but unfortunately I don't intend to do anything about it for this collection in particular. I'm already quite far in as it is, and trying to write side-story pieces that simply wouldn't connect with the "canon" already built in this work would just be too much for me right now. Writing has been difficult these past few weeks, and I've no interest in trying to make it worse by speedrunning another playthrough alongside with the DLC pack. I am working through Azure Moon as I write, in order to make sure my script and details are accurate, and trying a second playthrough on top of that is too much for the moment. I apologize in advance, but the characters of the Ashen Wolves, as well as the entirety of Abyss, will not be mentioned, or treated like canon material for the rest of the series.

As always, thank you for reading so far, and I hope to see you again sometime soon. Please drop me a review should you feel the need, and I'll see you again when my next chapter is ready for you guys! Have a good one until then!

Mood: Playful.

Listening To: "Fallen Leaves" - Billy Talent

~ Sky