Disclaimer: Some instances of graphic violence.
The bandit's breath expunged from his lungs as Byleth's fist rammed into his gut. He doubled over, coughing violently as he gasped for air.
Byleth then grabbed hold of his chin in one hand and his head in the other.
With a sharp twist, the thief's neck broke. The loud crack of his bone breaking echoed throughout the tower.
Byleth stepped to the side, avoiding the body as it crumpled to the floor. He perked his head up at the sound of fast approaching footsteps.
"You bastard!"
Byleth ducked instinctively, the swipe of an axe passing by harmlessly.
As he rose to his full height, Byleth lashed out, the palm of his hand slamming into his attacker's nose.
"Gah!" The man shrieked as he stumbled backwards, a hand shooting up to his bloodied nose.
Byleth delivered a powerful kick to the man's leg. The thief's knee buckled, forcing him into a kneel.
Mirroring the same movement from before, Byleth grabbed hold of the man's head and twisted as if it were mere routine.
The second bandit's eyes rolled back, his body falling forward as it collapsed the ground.
Dimitri wrenched his lance from his foe's gut as he finished his own battle. Byleth had noted the prince had been watching him this entire time. Even when dealing with his own enemy, he had felt Dimitri's murky eyes follow his every move.
"You are…" Dimitri paused, his eyes darting to the bodies at Byleth's feet. "…Quite efficient at this."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't supposed to be a compliment, my teacher," Edelgard grunted as she pulled her axe from the chest of a bandit, still finding the time to shoot the prince an angry glare.
"I am aware." Byleth nodded. People were often disturbed by the way he fought. His brutal efficiency on the battlefield paired with his empty face was what earned him the title of 'Ashen Demon' in the first place.
"Pay the boar no mind, Byleth," Felix scoffed, flicking the blood from his sword. "He's never liked the sight of his own reflection."
Reflection?
Byleth raised an eyebrow, his eyes shifting between the swordsman and his liege. The Lions were… an interesting group. He had thought the Eagles had its fill of characters, but the Lions were no slouches either.
Sylvain, while proficient with a lance, was quite the chatterbox in the field. While his constant droning to his female companions proved somewhat grating, Byleth found his demeanor relaxing. Even in the face of so much death, the Faerghus knight somehow found a way to keep on smiling.
Dimitri was an honorable man, but when it came to warfare, he was a beast. The mercenary wagered that his skill might even match that of Edelgard's, if such a thing were possible. Although, perhaps the most glaring difference between the two was the glassy look that had followed Byleth since the start of combat. He was no stranger to that look; a pair of eyes that had once stared into the darkest abyss of what humanity had to offer. He had seen many mercenaries with that very same look on their faces as they drowned their sorrows in a vain attempt to forget the ghosts of their past. He could only hope Dimitri had the strength to avoid such a fate.
The prince's retainer, however, betrayed no emotion. The shed of blood didn't seem to bother Dedue in the slightest. In fact, if anything, he was more interested in Dimitri's well-being than his own. Him and Hubert would make quite the pair.
Then, there was Felix. To be honest, Byleth had taken quite a liking to Felix. The swordsman reminded him of himself in many ways. He was blunt and always said what was on his mind, sometimes to a fault- not that Byleth minded. He appreciated his crass nature and lack of care for formalities. Plus, his skill with a blade was second to none. If Felix were a mercenary, he would probably be rather wealthy. Byleth doubted he'd care about something as trivial as gold, however.
"Professor Eisner."
Gilbert's voice and the clanking of his armor pulled him from his thoughts.
"We should push further in."
Byleth nodded. If they didn't move quickly, Miklan's men could engage them from behind and trap them in. They had no way of knowing the extent to how many men he commanded, so it was very likely a group could flank them from the rear. Miklan would have to have a large group of men to seize Conand Tower, so it was safe to assume there was more enemies lurking somewhere.
"Are you okay with manning the rearguard, Gilbert?" Byleth asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Of course, Professor."
"Bernie, Dorothea, Linhardt, assist Gilbert. Follow his orders as if they were my own."
The three Eagles nodded, all three looking more than a little relieved to be away from the frontlines. Gilbert being their only big body was a bit troublesome, however…
"Dedue, if you do not mind, would you join them?"
The man from Duscur looked to Dimitri for approval.
"Do as he says, Dedue."
"Understood."
Their exchange reminded him once again of Edelgard and Hubert, albeit two very different sets of personalities.
"Edelgard, Hubert, Dimitri, and Felix, I want you at the front with me."
Byleth's gaze drifted to the red-headed knight.
"Sylvain, don't stray too far behind."
The flirt gave a thumbs up.
Seeing as it was his brother they were tasked with killing, Byleth didn't want Sylvain too far away should they stumble upon Miklan. This was his fight, after all.
"That goes for the rest of you, as well. We have no way of knowing how many men are waiting for us, so stay close," Byleth advised, drawing his weapon. The Sword of the Creator shone a bright red in his hands. "Let us proceed."
The group nodded and begun their march through Conand Tower once more. Given what Byleth was able to get out of one of Miklan's bandits, their leader was somewhere further within. It was always a surprise the bonds one didn't mind betraying when they were offered a chance to live.
Byleth walked down the dimly lit corridor, his sword raised in preparation. On either side of him were walls lined with multiple doors that lead to goddess knows where. Their current position was rather precarious. Were they to speed down the hallway, they might alert any enemies hiding in the shadows. But if they went too slowly, someone might grow wise to their presence or they might get collapsed on from behind by another force.
As they approached the double doors at the end of the way, Byleth held up a fist to signal the group to stop.
Closing his eyes, he pushed an ear to the wooden door.
There were the slight rumblings of people talking within, but other than that, there was no indication of how many might be lying in wait.
Byleth hummed to himself, considering his options.
Placing his hand on the knob, he twisted it slightly. Locked.
"They're cautious, I'll give them that," Edelgard remarked.
"This isn't the first time I've dealt with a den like this," Byleth replied. "They most likely have a handful of precautions in place to weed out intruders. It's possible they have a secret knock or a passcode for their men to traverse back and forth, or perhaps one of the bodies back there holds a key to this door here."
"What's your reasoning?" Felix asked, looking unconvinced.
"It wouldn't make sense to lock this door if Miklan posted men to watch the entrance." Byleth shrugged. "There's also a small hole bored into the wood. Probably a peephole. You can see the flickering of their torches were you to look through it."
Felix squinted his eyes to where Byleth was pointing.
"So there is," he nodded, content with the answer.
"What do we do then, Professor?" Dimitri asked.
"Observe."
Raising his leg, Byleth kicked at where the two doors were joined, busting them open. The sound was thunderous. If the bandits didn't know they were here, they certainly did now.
"What the-?"
At least a dozen heads snapped to the door, their hands immediately moving to their respective weapons.
"Intruders!" One of them shouted. "Go alert Miklan!"
"So much for the element of surprise," Hubert sighed, shaking his head.
Byleth ignored his dry remark and stepped through the door. He took a brief moment to examine the room. It was spacious, so there would be room to maneuver around. Given the set of tables in the center of the room and the plates of half-eaten food, it was safe to assume Miklan's men used this area as a makeshift dining room.
Banners were lazily pinned to the walls, each adorning the symbol of the group.
"Kill them all!" One shouted, then charged, the others following suit.
"Professor?" Edelgard looked to him, awaiting his orders.
Fourteen men. Well-armed. Little to no armor. No archers or mages. Ranged attack to thin their numbers.
"Hold."
Flicking his wrist, the Sword of the Creator broke apart, the fabled blade coiling like a snake at his feet.
Sweeping his arm in an arc, the blade flew forwards in a wide, horizontal slash.
Four unsuspecting men cried out as the chain collided with their midsections, mangling their flesh. Their bodies were tossed aside as if they weighed nothing.
With another flick, the sword retracted back to the hilt and reverted to its original form.
The Ashen Demon turned his gaze to what remained of his enemies. They all stopped in their tracks. None expected the ranged attack from a sword, but it was Byleth's dead eyes that froze them in place.
Abuse their fear.
"Follow my lead," Byleth ordered, then took off towards closest foe.
The closest bandit held his sword out in front of him, the weapon trembling in his grip. His wide, terrified eyes never left Byleth's as he grew closer and closer.
Byleth dodged his haphazard attack, using the momentum of his churning legs to plunge the Creator's sword deep into his gut.
"Guh!" He coughed, blood splattering Byleth's face.
Punctured lung. He'll drown in his blood. Not a threat.
With one quick motion, Byleth yanked the sword out. The man fell to his knees, then to the floor below.
Byleth turned his attention to the next thief that dared to challenge him.
This one let out a war cry as he charged, a lance raised high above his head.
Poorly trained. Inexperienced. Step to the left then retaliate.
Sidestepping his clumsy, downwards strike, Byleth smashed the hilt of his sword into the side of his head.
The thief stumbled to the side as he clutched his head, completely oblivious to the blade flying towards his neck.
The sword cut through his flesh like butter.
Byleth looked away, purposefully avoiding the gruesome sight. Even someone as bloodstained as himself felt repulsed by the sight of a head rolling on the floor. No amount of experience could accustom one to that.
Taking a brief pause, Byleth examined the battle around him. It was something he had to remind himself to do often now that he was a teacher. If one of his students were to get fatally injured, he had to be aware of that a soon as possible. Byleth couldn't prevent what he didn't have knowledge of, after all.
Dimitri had just finished his own battle, while Felix looked to be in the midst of dueling two separate men. Despite them outnumbering him, he didn't look to be having any difficulties.
Hubert had a terrifying look on his face as he eviscerated some poor soul.
Sylvain and Petra seemed to be tag-teaming a sole bandit.
Byleth furrowed his brow, his pupils moving a bit quicker now. There was one student that seemed to be missing from the fray.
Linhardt was casting a spell on a roughed-up Ferdinand.
Bernadetta was cowering in the back beside Gilbert
Where is she?
His heart plunged into his stomach, his mouth running dry.
Edelgard. Where was Edelgard? She wasn't there.
Did I miss her-
Byleth's hair stood up on end. He was so engrossed in trying to find her, he nearly didn't sense the bloodlust coming from behind him.
He whipped around, but it was far too late.
The point of a sword fell towards his shoulder, aiming directly for his heart. To be forced to use Divine Pulse for such a careless misstep…
"Byleth!"
An axe flew into his vision, crashing into his would-be-killer's ribs.
The strength of Edelgard's blow nearly cleaved the man in two and sent him flying in the process. The lifeless body slammed into the nearby wall, cracking its surface.
"Are you hurt?!"
A worried Edelgard asked as she ran up to him, not even bothering to spare the slain man a single glance.
Byleth blinked, nearly unable to contain his disbelief at the showing of her strength. He always knew those thin arms packed a punch, but not this much.
"I am fine." Byleth shook his head. "I suppose we're even now."
Whatever surprise he felt was promptly overtaken by the wave of relief at the sight of the unharmed Eagles' leader.
"I wouldn't say that." Edelgard grinned slightly before turning serious once more. "We should continue onwards. Miklan is no doubt aware of our presence now."
"Right." Byleth nodded, bringing himself back to the present.
He could talk to Edelgard later. There was still a mission to be completed.
"Professor?"
Byleth looked to her, his eyes landing on her offered handkerchief.
"There's blood on your face," she said, frowning slightly.
Byleth accepted the cloth, running it across his features. During his days as a mercenary, he found that igniting fear in the hearts of his enemies to be quite the effective tool. Usually his face covered in the blood of his foes proved to be the most efficient method of doing so, and given the chaos of battle, wasn't very hard to achieve.
But he was a professor now, not a mercenary. There was no need to utilize all his mercenary knowledge.
"Thank you," he said, handing it back.
Edelgard glanced at the stained cloth, her nose wrinkling.
"That's… quite alright, my teacher. Why don't you hold on to that?"
Byleth nodded and placed the handkerchief into a pocket.
"Professor Eisner!" Gilbert's voice echoed throughout the room. "Reinforcements from behind!"
The professor turned his head to the entrance. Sure enough, a group of a dozen bandits were charging the doorway that Gilbert had hunkered down in.
To be expected. Fighting indoors like this was just begging to have your only exit cut off. This is why Byleth much preferred fighting outdoors. It was much simpler.
"Gilbert, let them through! Eagles, Lions, intercept them."
Byleth glanced over at his snowy-haired companion. Losing sight of her again could prove… problematic.
"Edelgard, stay close to me."
The Eagle nodded, completely oblivious to the turmoil hidden behind his blank expression.
Byleth came to a stop outside another set of double doors. After an hour of fighting, their group had finally made it to the innermost part of the tower. Were his predictions correct, Miklan and what remained of his men should be waiting inside.
"Alright, everyone. This is it."
The professor turned to face them.
"Miklan is most likely waiting for us inside."
Byleth's eyes flickered to the frowning Sylvain.
"His most trusted and capable men are probably in there with him. Miklan himself wields a weapon similar to mine. They have nowhere to go but let us tread carefully. It's unwise to underestimate a cornered man."
The group nodded collectively.
Byleth looked back to Sylvain.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be, Professor." Sylvain nodded, his face grim. Byleth hadn't known the man long, but during that time, he had grown used to seeing him smile. The look on his face now didn't suit him.
"…Good. I'll leave your brother to you, but Edelgard and I will be close by to provide assistance if necessary."
Sylvain blinked, his gaze falling on the splotches of blood that stained Byleth's armor before moving to the ever confident Edelgard.
"That is… oddly reassuring." He smiled slightly. "Thanks, Professor."
"Of course."
Byleth then turned to the rest of the group.
"Dimitri, you and the Lions take the left side. Gilbert, you and my Eagles will take the right. Edelgard and I will man the middle. Let no one interrupt Sylvain. Understood?"
The group nodded again, readying their weapons.
"Let's go."
Byleth strode to the door, this time not even bothering to check if it was locked as he kicked it open.
The inner chamber was much larger than any of the previous rooms they had encountered. Were he to hazard a guess, he would say this would have been the throne room before Miklan set up shop.
A tattered, red rug began at the doorway and traveled the length of the room, stopping as it reached a broken-down throne. On either side of the rug were half a dozen stone pillars that held the roof above them in place.
Torn paintings in their broken frames hung on the crumbling walls, most of them half-covered by the red banner of Miklan's group. Blyeth only now recognized that the upper half of the insignia to be the Crest of Gautier, while the lower half was the Hero's Relic Miklan had stolen.
Miklan himself stood at the end of the room surrounded by a score of men. His armor was worn and beaten, but it should still prove effective enough at protecting him. Despite his scarred face, Byleth could see the family resemblance. Both brothers had a full head of long, red hair. They also seemed to share many of the same prominent, facial features like the curve of their jaws or the color of their eyes.
A scowl adorned Miklan's scarred face as he watched his younger brother enter.
"Miklan…" Sylvain growled.
"Well, if it isn't my younger brother," the elder brother seethed, his voice dripping with contempt. "Why have you come you Crest-bearing fool?"
"You know why I'm here. The Lance of Ruin, Miklan. Hand it over."
Miklan snorted, his hand tightening around the shaft of his lance.
"Over my dead body."
"If that's the way it's going to be, so be it. I don't want to humiliate you even further than you already have, but if you push me, I will."
"You and that mouth of yours." Miklan glowered at his brother. "You never know when to shut it up. And now you have the audacity to try and take my birthright? You? Who has always had everything handed to him simply because the blood that runs through your veins is different than mine?"
The hand that gripped the relic began to tremble.
"If not for you… If it hadn't been for you…"
"Shut up! I'm so tired of hearing that." Sylvain shook his head with a sigh. "You've always blamed me for something that isn't my fault."
"Of course it's your fault!" Miklan snarled, baring his teeth. "It's always been your fault!"
Miklan pointed the Lance of Ruin at his brother.
"And now, I'll spill that precious blood of yours."
"You haven't changed a bit, Brother." Sylvain frowned, raising his own weapon.
Byleth and Edelgard exchanged a glance, nodding in unison. The time for pleasantries was over.
"Lions, Eagles, engage the enemy!"
Both groups split off towards the right and left, leaving Sylvain, Byleth, and Edelgard alone in the middle.
Miklan turned his head to the ceiling and roared, his fist pounding his chest.
"Kill them! Slaughter every last one of them!"
Byleth unfurled his sword, letting it drape down his back. The sounds of combat had already begun.
"Sylvain, go. We've got your back."
"Got it."
Adjusting the grip on his lance, Sylvain charged forward to meet his brother head-on. There was no hesitation in his stride. No indecisiveness in his eyes.
His strength is commendable.
Byleth turned his attention back to the battle that was beginning to unfold. Two swordsmen had broken off from the group to cut-off Sylvain from the right, while two archers had trained their bows at him.
"Edelgard, handle the bandits on the right."
The princess nodded, running off to intercept them before they could reach the Lion.
Take out the archers before they become a threat.
Byleth shifted his grip on his sword, whipping his arm towards the two archers.
The blade cut a path across the battlefield, striking the first archer before he had the chance to take his shot.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent the chain flying towards the other, embedding its sharpened edge into the other archer's ribs.
It only took two simple movements to end two lives. Byleth couldn't help but marvel at the destructive properties of the sword he held.
Retracting the blade back to its base, Byleth took off to assist Edelgard. She had already taken down one of her foes, but another two had taken his place. As strong as she was, even she had difficulty stopping the assault of three different swords.
Byleth gripped the Sword of the Creator in both hands, the sword trailing behind him as he ran.
There was an opening in Edelgard's defense. The bandit in her blind spot had raised his sword, his eyes set on her exposed shoulder.
Grunting with exertion, Byleth cleaved through the air.
The sword cut clean through the bandit's arm, his limb and weapon falling to the ground below. Before he had a chance to scream, Byleth's sword pierced his chest.
Kicking his body from his blade, Byleth raised his weapon just as quick.
A steel sword slammed into his own, the hit sending vibrations down Byleth's arms.
Byleth pushed him off, spinning around on his backfoot to kick him square in the chest.
His attacker gasped for air as he backpedaled away. The Ashen Demon gave him no chance to recover. With a downwards slash, he cut through the bandit's armor, tearing the flesh beneath.
Byleth exhaled slowly, allowing himself to relax slightly.
"I'm grateful for your assistance, my teacher," Edelgard thanked him, but the traces of a frown played at her lips. "But I assure you I could have handled a few mere bandits."
"I have no doubt." Byleth replied truthfully. "However, I will take no unneeded risks regarding your life."
Edelgard turned her sights back to the battle at hand, but he could spot the slight bobbing of her head as she nodded.
"It appears the others are finding similar success," Edelgard noted. "Even Sylvain seems to be holding his own against a Relic."
"Indeed." Byleth frowned. It all seemed a little… too easy. For a group as renowned as Miklan's, Byleth had honestly expected them to put up more of a fight.
And yet, Gilbert and the Eagles had already taken out nearly half the group themselves, while Dimitri, Felix, and Dedue had taken down their own share of bandits. All that remained at this point were a few stragglers and the leader himself.
He was immensely grateful that no one appeared to have sustained any injuries, but still, Byleth couldn't help but feel uneasy.
As Jeralt had told him many times before, if you ever felt restless on the battlefield, there's probably a good reason why.
"…Byleth."
He looked to Edelgard, raising an eyebrow at the sudden change in names.
"What?"
"Order Sylvain back. Now."
He turned to the brothers, his eyes narrowing at the glowing red Crest Stone. Miklan was a Crestless, so how could he-
The hair on Byleth's neck stood up on end. Before he knew what was happening, his feet were already moving. He could hear Edelgard call out his name, but he ignored her.
"Sylvain, get back!"
The red-head tilted his head towards the fast-approaching Byleth, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Argh!"
Sylvain's head snapped back to the pained scream of his brother, his eyes widening at the sight.
Black tendrils had shot from the lance's stone, engulfing the entire right side of Miklan's body, devouring everything it touched. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the black mass traveled to his neck and face.
Byleth quickened his pace.
Whatever remained of Miklan's forces had turned and fled at the terrifying sight, save for one man that stood only a few feet away, frozen by fear.
By the time Byleth reached the student, the black blob had already consumed the entirety of Miklan's body.
"Get behind me," he ordered, placing himself in between the shadowy tendrils and Sylvain.
"What is that?" Sylvain murmured, his gaze never leaving the sight of what had once been his brother. "Is… Is that Miklan?"
As the black bindings began to constrict around Miklan, a new body began to form. Two hind legs that stomped the ground, breaking the stone beneath it. A pair of two giant arms that easily dwarfed Byleth in size. An enormous tail that coiled around its legs. A row of foot-long spikes that ran down its spine. A mouth full of razor-sharp fangs that could tear through his flesh as if it were nothing.
With an explosion of red light, the black tendrils were flung from the beast that had once been Miklan.
It was monstrous. It looked like some grotesque dragon without wings.
The lizard-like beast reared its head back and roared, the thundering sound causing Byleth's ears to ring.
The beast's red eyes landed on the terror-stricken bandit.
"N-no…"
The bandit tried to back away but tripped over his feet.
"Please, no- AHH!"
The monster snatched the man up with its claws, then flung his body behind it as if he were nothing but a pebble.
The thief smashed into the stone wall, no doubt breaking every bone in his body.
"It'll be your death if you don't get back!" Byleth shouted, pushing Sylvain towards the group behind him.
The creature let out another booming roar, shaking its giant body back and forth, breaking multiple pillars in the process.
Byleth's grip tightened around his sword as the beast's glowing red eyes landed on him.
Anxiety bloomed in the mercenary's chest as he realized he had no clue how to fight this monstrosity, and neither did his students. How could they? It wasn't as if Jeralt's band of mercenaries ran into many twenty-foot tall monsters in their travels. What could he even do?
"Oh, my. You've found yourself in quite the predicament."
Byleth's eyes widened as he felt the familiar sensation of time slowing to a halt.
"Sothis?!"
"Who else could it be?" Sothis's annoyed voice resonated in his mind. "Now, stop asking silly questions and listen to what I have to say."
Byleth closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
"I'm listening."
"Good," Sothis huffed before continuing. "This thing you are fighting is commonly referred to as a 'Demonic Beast' in your tongue. An evil power causes them to grow quite large. Its life force is far beyond a mortal like yourself."
"Demonic Beast…" Byleth repeated quietly, the name leaving a familiar taste on his tongue. "How do I kill it?"
"Normally, one would require a battalion of men simply to break through its carapace. But seeing as you don't have access to such a thing… A strong attack should be enough. You and that Gilbert fellow should have no trouble with that. The woman from Hresvelg or the prince might be able to succeed as well, but the rest of your children will have difficulty felling such a creature."
Byleth gritted his teeth. Four against one didn't sound like very favorable odds in this situation.
"Any other tips?"
Sothis was silent for a moment.
"…Have them aim for its eyes. Blinding it should help."
"Got it." Byleth nodded, his eyes trained on the beast. "How do you know all of this, Sothis?"
"You should be worrying more about the lives of your students than the extent of my knowledge," Sothis sighed. "If you're out of questions, get out there and fight!"
Time began to flow once more as the pause was lifted. The sounds of the tower came back all at once, assaulting Byleth's ears: the roar of the beast and the cries of Edelgard, Gilbert, and Dimitri as they all called out to him at once.
The Demonic Beast wailed once more as it swung at him with its left arm.
"…Be careful, Byleth," Sothis whispered.
Byleth nodded then darted straight towards the approaching talons.
Considering its size, the Demonic Beast had been much quicker than he had anticipated. If he didn't time things right, its claws would shred him.
Byleth tensed the muscles in his legs, the Sword of the Creator releasing as he ran.
At the last second, Byleth pushed himself off the ground, jumping clear over the tree-sized arm.
As he flipped over the beast, he flung his arm forward, sending the chain toward its limb.
The Creator's Sword wrapped around the Demonic Beast's arm, its edge digging into its flesh.
The moment Byleth's feet touched the ground, he tugged on his sword, pinning the creature's arm to the ground and forcing it onto all fours.
"Now! Aim for the eyes!" He screamed over the monster's agitated howl.
He hadn't given the others much warning, but to their credit, they had acted quickly. Only seconds after he had shouted, nearly a dozen projectiles had been thrown towards the beast's face. Javelins, hand axes, spells, arrows, all of them whistled through the air as they approached their target.
The Demonic Beast roared in pain as the shots connected. Many missed their mark, but at least two arrows and a single javelin had hit home. It's beady right eye was blinded, blood freely pouring from the wounds caused by the attack.
While Byleth's brazen assault had worked splendidly, catching the clearly stronger beast off guard and forcing it to kneel, there was one thing he hadn't accounted for:
The sheer stupidity of his plan. Were he to let go, he would lose his weapon. Were he to hold on for dear life, it was very likely the beast would fling his body around like a lure on a fishing line.
So, when the Demonic Beast reared back on its hindlegs, Byleth had no choice but to hold on the best he could. The sword that was latched onto its arm showed no signs of dislodging itself, forcing him into a precarious position. As long as it was stuck, there was no hope for Byleth to recall it.
Byleth growled, his feet digging into the ground in a vain attempt to stop him from losing his footing.
"Attack its blind spot!" He shouted. "Mages, use fire magic! Archers, keep on-"
However, perhaps the most glaring flaw in Byleth's plan was that he hadn't considered the intelligence of the creature.
The beast took hold of the sword, its claws wrapping around the chain in a death grip. Arrows and spells continued to rain down on it, but most of them simply bounced off or didn't seem to bother it in the slightest.
The Demonic Beast pulled the sword from its flesh, the spray of its own blood hardly giving it pause.
It let out a guttural growl as it cocked it's arm back, dragging Byleth forward.
The mercenary's eyes widened as he felt his feet leave the ground.
Edelgard's heart stopped at the sight of her professor being tossed aside as the beast whipped the sword around, his body colliding with the stone wall behind them. Byleth's limp body fell to the floor, a few broken segments of the wall falling on top of him.
"Linhardt, get to the professor now!" Edelgard barked, her authoritative gaze shifting to Dimitri. "Lions, cover his approach!"
Dimitri nodded as he came to a stop, motioning for his comrades to follow after him as he ran to meet up with the healer.
"Eagles, to me!"
The empress didn't wait for a reply. Bringing her axe out in front of her, she grabbed hold of it with both hands. She could feel her blood boil with the power of her two Crests humming beneath the surface.
The beast howled as she approached, its one good eye boring holes into hers, but she did not waver.
Its claws swiped at her, but Edelgard was quicker. She jumped clear over its arm, her body twisting through the air.
She fell atop the beast, her axe slamming into its neck.
Linhardt fell to his knees beside the downed form of his professor, his hands moving quickly to remove the debris that had fallen on him.
"Oh, man," Linhardt grunted as he lifted a particularly heavy stone.
With the rocks cleared, Linhardt placed his hands to Byleth's chest in as he began to channel a spell.
"I would rather be doing anything else right about- AH!"
The boy shrieked when a hand shot out, gripping his wrist.
"That's not necessary." Byleth grimaced as he sat up.
Byleth glanced to his side, letting out a sigh of relief as he spotted his sword a few feet away.
"Are you daft?" Linhardt blinked. "That thing just threw you around like a plaything."
"I am fine," Byleth coughed, shaking his head. The action caused pain to shoot up and down his body. The sensation was worse in his midsection, but other than a few broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder, nothing seemed too serious.
His hardened eyes met Linhardt's
"You don't have the energy to use Physic," Byleth stated. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here."
"Well, yes, but I don't see what that-"
"Save what energy you have left for someone with more serious injuries," Byleth wheezed as he came to his feet. "You're our only healer. Can't have you keel over yet."
"'Keel over?'" Linhardt repeated with a frown. "How hard do you plan on working me?"
Byleth grinned as he helped him to his feet.
"As hard as needed. Now, give me a vulnerary."
Linhardt raised an eyebrow but did as he ordered.
"You'll have to open it," Byleth instructed, his eyes wandering down his limp, throbbing left arm. As long as that shoulder was dislocated, he wouldn't get much use out of it.
This wasn't the most effective method, but…
Grabbing his left wrist with his good hand, he raised the arm-
Then pulled, slowly but firmly.
There was terrible pain as the joint shifted, followed by a popping sound as it fell back into place.
Linhardt's face went green at the sound.
"Goddess save me, did you just-"
Byleth snatched the vial from his hand, downing the bitter tonic in one swig. There was a warm, tingling sensation as the liquid went down his throat, the feeling slowly circulating as it traveled down his arms and legs.
It wouldn't mend anything more serious than a gash or a sprain, but it would have to do until the battle was won. At least it dulled the pain.
"Go join the others. They need you more than I." Byleth nodded towards blobs that danced around the towering monster. "I'll be right behind you."
Linhardt simply gaped at his professor, his legs not moving an inch.
"Go."
The tired mage shook his head and sighed. He did as Byleth ordered, but gave no effort more than a slight jog.
Byleth rolled his tender shoulder as he bent down to retrieve his sword, his eyes never leaving the fight unfolding without him.
To her credit, Edelgard seemed to have a firm control over the battle. Byleth could hear her shout demands as she bobbed and weaved around the beast, slashing at its legs whenever she had the chance.
With it partially blinded, it was a sound tactic to go for its legs. If it lost its balance, the battle would probably be won.
Unfortunately, with legs that were thicker than tree trunks, there was little hope of that any time soon.
The Sword of the Creator glowed a bright red as it returned to the hand of its master.
Edelgard jumped back, the Demonic Beast's claws smashing into the ground where she had once been standing.
Despite the numerous injuries she had inflicted, the creature still stood tall, seemingly unfazed. Blood poured freely from the gashes on its legs, but if it was at all weakened, it didn't show it. If anything, their efforts had only proved to annoy the beast even more. It was as if they were nothing more than flies buzzing around it's enormous body.
The princess's chest rose and fell rapidly as she gasped for air, her eyes darting around the chamber. The rest of her allies and somehow made it through unscathed, but the longer this bout continued, it was unlikely to stay that way. If she didn't find a way to down this thing soon, it could turn ugly.
How much strength does this one monster hold?
"Edelgard, look out!"
Dimitri's voice called out to her over the chaos.
Edelgard turned her head, her eyes widening as the beast's tail whipped around its leg and right towards her.
Her grip tightened around the hilt of her axe. She would be forced into dodging this demon's attacks no longer.
With as much strength as she could muster, she brought her axe down on its tail as it got close.
The blow cleaved through the flesh, crashing into the stone floor below and leaving a crater in its wake.
The Demonic Beast reared back as it let out another ear-popping roar, its bloody stump of a tail flailing behind it.
Edelgard felt her muscles tinge in pain as she yanked the axe from the ground, but she pushed it aside.
"Now's our chance! Hit it now!" She shouted. "Hit it as hard as you-!"
Her words died on her lips as she spotted a familiar tuft of green hair jog towards them.
Linhardt?! Then, where's-
The beast let out another cry, however this one was more strangled.
Edelgard shot her head up towards the sound, her breath catching in her throat at the familiar glow of red. The Sword of the Creator had wrapped around its neck, the sharpened edge digging into its skin.
The chain tightened as it was pulled on.
The beast toppled to the ground below, its massive claws pawing frantically at the noose around its neck.
"Finish it off!"
Byleth's voice reverberated through her ears leaving her dumbstruck. The simple sound of his voice caused the anxiety that had been eating at her heart to disappear entirely. The weight that been lifted was so great, it nearly knocked her over.
"Leave it to me!"
The flash of blue that flew past her dragged her back to the present. The realization that Dimitri would beat her to the punch was regrettable, but in the end, she supposed it didn't matter as long as the battle would be won.
Dimitri twirled his lance as he ran towards the struggling creature. His feet pushed off the ground as he jumped through the air.
The prince let out a roar of his own as he fell towards the downed beast. His lance pierced through its flesh, skewering the Demonic Beast's heart. Red light exploded from the hole in its body as blood shot from the new wound.
The monster writhed in agony, one last howl escaping its maw before its head collapsed against the ground for good. The red light from its Crest Stone dimmed before it died out completely, finally signaling the end of their gruesome battle.
Edelgard exhaled slowly. Before she could allow herself to relax, she had to make sure…
Her eyes scanned the room, completely glossing over what remained of Miklan as the black tendrils receded, until they eventually rested on the sight of her instructor.
Byleth closed his eyes and let out a sigh of his own, strapping his sword back to his waist.
His head perked up when he noticed her staring.
Smiling, he gave her a thumbs up.
Edelgard returned the smile, her heart finally returning to its normal rhythm.
"Honestly Professor Byleth, I have no clue what you were thinking," Dimitri admonished him from his spot across the campfire. "If you simply let go of the sword…"
"Never." Byleth shook his head, grimacing as an exasperated Linhardt healed his wounds. "Letting go of your weapon means death on the battlefield."
Byleth looked around the camp, his finger dragging across where the Eagles sat.
"Remember that."
With the battle won, both Eagles and Lions were finally allowed a moment of reprieve. Deciding it best to rest for the evening, they had set up camp only a few hundred yards away from Conand Tower. They were tucked away in a grove of trees as to protect them from the elements, but not so tucked away they weren't without a freshwater resource nearby.
The students currently sat in a circle around the campfire Byleth had put together, filling their empty stomachs on dried meats and preserved fruit and vegetables. The only ones not present were Bernadetta, who had set up her tent in record fashion to hide herself in, Gilbert, who elected himself first for the watch duty, and Dedue, who had insisted on assisting.
"It seems that doing the opposite could amount to the same outcome," Hubert remarked dryly, his chin resting on his fist as he watched Byleth with his usual shadowy expression.
Byleth shrugged, wincing slightly at the moment.
"This would go quicker if you stopped moving," Linhardt sighed.
"It is unreasonable to expect people to stop moving."
"I-" Linhardt opened his mouth to protest but gave up just as quick. "Sure."
"I'm honestly surprised you escaped that with only a few broken ribs," Dimitri mumbled, his eyes drawn to the large purple splotches that colored Byleth's bare upper body. "I admit, when I saw you go down, I expected the worst."
"As did I."
Byleth glanced at Edelgard, only to find her already glaring at him. He briefly considered mentioning the fact that he had also dislocated his shoulder, then proceeded to pop it back into place, but quickly decided against it. Something led him to believe Edelgard's mood would only worsen should he let that particular bit of info slip.
He had already gotten quite the lashing from Sothis. If possible, he would prefer to avoid a similar fate from Edelgard.
"I don't know why you guys are on his case," Sylvain said as he sat down beside him, chowing down on a piece of jerky. "I thought it was pretty badass, not gonna lie."
"Thank you, Sylvain."
Sylvain turned to the professor, grinning brightly at him.
"Hey, Teach, do you mind if I tell people that I was the one who was heroically flung into a wall when I recount this adventure later? Girls always swoon over the injured hero."
Byleth blinked. They do?
"His brother just died in a horrific fashion and yet that's all he can think about," Felix groused, shaking his head. "I wish I could say this wasn't typical."
"Would you rather I didn't act normally?" Sylvain asked his old friend, frowning slightly. "Would you rather I wallowed in sorrow instead?"
"Don't listen to Mister Grumpy over here." Dorothea smiled and prodded the swordsman with her elbow, only proving to annoy him further. "I think it's admirable."
"Heh, I knew you'd get it Doro." His smile returned as he winked at her. "Birds of a feather, am I right?"
"Oh, Sylvain. Don't lump me together with your ilk."
"Your wit is as sharp as your beauty, Dorothea," Sylvain laughed nervously, a hand rubbing the back of his head.
"Smooth save, buddy." Caspar patted the dejected flirt on the shoulder.
Byleth smiled as he watched the two houses converse. If only moments like these could be more common…
"Something on your mind, my teacher?"
Byleth looked to Edelgard. The princess was still watching him, although now her angry expression had softened into something of a wistful look. Perhaps she was thinking the same?
"It's nothing." Byleth shook his head. "I was only thinking that this is… nice."
The bickering of the students quieted down as they all turned to the professor.
"Yes… This is rather pleasant, isn't it?" Dimitri smiled, looking down to his clasped hands in his lap.
Felix huffed and turned away, crossing his arms.
"Heh, we should do this again sometime!" Sylvain grinned again, slapping the professor on the back.
"If you could refrain from banging on the professor, that'd be wonderful," Linhardt sighed. The white light that shone from his hands began to fade. "Anyways, that should do it. You'll probably be sore and stiff for a while, but otherwise you'll be fine. I think."
"Thank you, Linhardt," Byleth replied, choosing to ignore the bit of uncertainty at the end.
Grabbing his nearby shirt, Byleth moved to slip it on-
"Hold, Professor."
He raised an eyebrow at Hubert, his arms stopping halfway through the sleeves.
"That scar…" Edelgard's aide nodded towards the jagged line that ran down the length of his sternum. "How long have you had that?"
Byleth noticed Edelgard's eyes widen as they were drawn to it.
"This?" he pointed to it. To his knowledge, it had been there as long as he could remember. "Since I was an infant. Why?"
"Huh," Ferdinand made a thoughtful sound as he squinted his eyes. "Now that you mention it, it is unusual for a scar to look so neat."
Was it? To Byleth, it was only a simple blemish as were the other numerous scars that marred his body. He had never paid it any mind.
"That is a surgical scar, is it not?" Linhardt asked, looking rather confused by everyone's sudden intrigue. "I thought it rather obvious."
"Surgical?" Byleth mumbled, the word leaving a bad taste on his tongue
Dimitri placed a hand on his knee as he leaned forwards.
"You truly did not know?" Dimitri asked.
"No…"
Byleth ran a finger across the rough groove, his mind wandering to the past. Jeralt never mentioned anything…
"Hmph, I did not intend for this to turn into an interrogation of our professor's medical history," Hubert said as he rose to his feet, his eyes on the contemplative Edelgard. "Perhaps we should all stop ogling his chest and retire for the evening, no?"
"Oh, yes," Dimitri coughed into his hand and leaned back. "M-my apologies."
"Correct, we will need much rest for the walk tomorrow," Petra nodded in agreement, coming to her feet as well. "It is a long journey back."
"R-right." Their words made sense, but Byleth couldn't shake himself from his thoughts. "I'll put out the fire. You all get some sleep."
The students rose to their feet one by one, slowly filtering out of the camp as they made their retreat back to their tents. Byleth gave them automated farewells as they left, until it was only him and Edelgard alone by the campfire. Why she hadn't left yet, he wasn't sure, but given the look on her face there was something on her mind.
Byleth shook his head and slipped on his shirt. It was unusual for him to get so lost in self-reflection like this.
"You should get some rest too, Edelgard," Byleth said as he moved to put out the fire. "You worked harder than anyone out there today."
"I… I will," she replied softly, her hand absently rubbing a spot on her chest. "Teacher, was what you said a moment ago true?"
"Hm?" Byleth hummed as he bent down to lift the bucket of water. "Was what true?"
"That you do not know how you got that scar?"
Byleth stopped and glanced at her.
"Still on this?"
"I-I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry." Edelgard shook her head. "It's just…"
Edelgard rose to her feet.
Byleth raised an eyebrow as she approached, unsure of her intentions. The light of the fire flickered across her features as she walked, illuminating only half her face. Despite the poor lighting, Byleth could still see the hardness of her features.
"I suppose it'd be easier if I just show you," she said as she stopped beside him. Only a few inches separated the two.
Reaching up to the collar of her top, she tugged it slightly downwards.
Byleth jerked his head away, his gaze landing on everything but her.
"Edelgard, what are you-?"
"Just look."
Byleth's eyes inched back toward her, widening when they landed on the small patch of skin she had revealed to him. She had only pulled the cloth down a few inches, but even so, Byleth could see the beginning of the scar over her own heart.
It was similar to his own, but the incision was much rougher, as if someone had cut her flesh with a blunt knife rather than a scalpel.
A terrible realization dawned on him as he recalled what she had disclosed to him only a week before.
"This is only one of the many flaws that mark my body," Edelgard spoke quietly, pushing her top back into place.
Blyeth blinked rapidly. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words were able to get past the sudden dryness.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," she continued, avoiding his gaze. "But you could imagine my surprise when I saw that you bare one similar to my own."
Edelgard lifted her head, her eyes scrutinizing his. Her pupils moved back and forth, looking desperately for an answer that he himself could not give.
"You truly do not know?"
"…No." Byleth lowered his head. "Sorry."
"There is no need for apologies." Edelgard smiled ruefully and looked to the fire. "If you do not know, you do not know. You can't help that."
"Still. I feel I should."
Edelgard chuckled and shook her head. There was no joy or happiness in the sound.
"I simply got lost in idle possibilities. Pay it no mind."
Edelgard had a habit of brushing off conversations such as this one, but Byleth doubted he would be able to. If anything, this little exchange would be near impossible to shake for a myriad of reasons.
The empress sighed, her eyes lost in thought as she peered into the dancing flames. Byleth wanted nothing more to give her the unknown answer she sought, but he could not. She already knew about as much as he did regarding his own past. How could he hope to help her? Before today, he didn't even realize there was any significance behind that particular scar.
Still, he felt it pertinent to change the topic of the conversation. It felt wrong to send her off to bed with whatever thoughts that plagued her mind.
"I'm sorry if I worried you."
Edelgard glanced at him, confusing etched on her face.
"Earlier. Back at the tower."
"Ah. Yes." Edelgard nodded, grief flashing briefly across her features as she recalled the fresh memory. "Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"I felt I should," Byleth replied. "I… Didn't mean to upset you. I could tell you were angry with me."
"I wasn't-"
Edelgard sighed, her shoulders slouching.
"Perhaps I was slightly miffed at the sheer stupidity of your actions," she admitted. "But I could never stay angry with you, my teacher. Even now, despite knowing how reckless you were, I am simply glad that…"
Edelgard turned to him and smiled. It was more genuine this time.
"Glad that you returned to me unharmed."
Her eyes drifted to his abdomen.
"Relatively unharmed, anyway."
Byleth returned the smile with a small one of his own.
"Besides," Edelgard sighed, turning away. "Even I can see the merit in your plan of attack- even if it failed horribly."
"You sure you aren't angry?"
Edelgard covered her mouth with a hand to mask her laughter. Byleth was happy to hear its mirth had returned.
"Alright, maybe I'm still slightly upset. Just promise me you won't worry me so in the future, and I'll let it slide. This time."
"I promise." Byleth nodded, his ears catching on one particular word. "But you were… worried for me?"
It was an unfamiliar feeling. Other than his father, no one else had ever worried for his wellbeing.
"Of course! We all were!" Edelgard huffed, looking rather insulted by his question. "As Dimitri said, when you went down like that, we all expected the worst. I was nearly beside myself with fear."
Byleth frowned. He knew his actions might exhibit anger at his decision making or worry that they had lost their strongest tool, but to cause Edelgard and the others to feel such fear over something as trivial as his own wellbeing was not his intention.
He… He was unaccustomed to what it meant to have friends.
"I… I think I understand the feeling," Byleth said, his blue eyes cloudy with thought. "When we had first entered the tower, there was a time where I couldn't seem to find you no matter how hard I searched. The pain that gripped my heart as I thought the worst might have happened was unimaginable."
Edelgard's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly.
"I-I see."
Despite the hesitation in her words and the tone of his voice, Byleth could tell her smile had grown.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Nothing." Edelgard shook her head. "You just speak so strangely occasionally, my teacher. It's almost as if I'm speaking to some foreign creature rather than an adult man."
Byleth frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry."
"No, no you misunderstand. It's not a bad thing. It's… It's a wonderful thing, Byleth."
His name on her lips rarely showed its face, but whenever it did, Byleth couldn't help the feeling of wanting to hear it more often.
"If you say so," Byleth said, his brow furrowing slightly. Her words didn't alleviate his confusion in the slightest.
"Why don't we make an agreement, then?"
Edelgard turned to face him, her smile softening as she looked at him.
"From now on, why don't we do our best to not worry the other?" Edelgard put forth. "I must admit, you have grown… dear to my heart as well. I'd rather not see you hurt if it can be avoided, and I will endeavor to do the same."
Byleth tilted his head, his brain fixating on the 'dear to my heart as well' part.
Regardless, he nodded readily.
"Deal."
"Then we have an agreement," Edelgard laughed lightly as they shook hands. Hers were much smaller than his. "Do you want any help putting out the fire?"
Byleth tried not to frown as their conversation came to an end. Truthfully, he wouldn't mind speaking to her for a moment or two longer. He found himself enjoying the turn their conversation had taken.
"I can handle it. Go get some rest."
"Okay, Byleth." Edelgard nodded and turned to leave. "Sleep well."
There it was again. The mystifying sound of his own name.
"Try not to stay up too late," she called out as she walked away. "We do have a long march tomorrow."
Byleth sighed. That they did. Now that his moment with her had ended, it was back to the real world. Once they returned to the monastery, everything would resume as it once did. His thoughts would no doubt return to the meaning behind the scar over his chest and his own origins. How did it relate to the scars Edelgard bore? Were their pasts more similar than he knew?
Then there was the fate of Miklan and how such a thing happened to him. He himself wielded a Hero's Relic. Would Byleth have to worry that such a fate might befall him should he continue using the Sword of the Creator?
And then, perhaps the most disturbing of them all, were the hidden workings of some unseen force that seemed to slither around in the dark, out of reach. He couldn't shake the feeling that somehow all of these occurrences were connected. How? He had no clue.
All of these things weighed heavily on Byleth. He had no doubt they would keep him up for many future nights.
Yet, as he watched Edelgard walk away, her form illuminated by nothing other than the dim light of the fire and the glow from the moon, his thoughts drifted to nothing but her.
There you have it! A much longer chapter than the norm, but hopefully you all liked it!
I also hope the fight scenes weren't too awful. Honestly, fight scenes I think might be my weakest point of writing. I try my best to avoid them when possible, because I feel they mess up the pacing of my chapters too much, but in Fire Emblem its unavoidable. And while a lot of the time I feel like they can prove to be unnecessary filler, I can't deny they're needed here and there. Especially when your two main characters are Byleth and Edelgard.
...And I won't deny I found a bit too much enjoyment in writing someone like Byleth fight. Someone like, say, Robin, probably wouldn't go around snapping necks. But an ashen demon who had probably always been taught to be brutally efficient in battle by his legendary father? He probably wouldn't care so much what others thought of his fighting style.
One thing I want to touch on before I go, that I absolutely love btw, is how strikingly similar both Edelgard and Byleth are. It wasn't something I really caught when Edelgard remarks that her and Byleth have similar personalities during her introduction. I didn't think much of it. But writing this story and taking both of their origins into account, they really are two sides of the same coin. It's actually surprising how much these two have in common if you have full knowledge of both their backstories.
Anyhow, thanks for reading! While there still is the Battle of Eagle and Lion, this chapter really does feel like the turning point in Three Houses. Things really start taking a turn from here, so I'm reaaaally looking forward to getting to some of the juicier chapters.
See you next time!
