Hey, everyone! We got a lengthy one on our hands this time.
Just wanted to give you a heads up now, but the A/N at the end WILL contain some spoilers regarding the Ashen Wolves DLC. If you have yet to play or beat it, then read that at your own risk.
Now, onto the chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
Contemptible fool. She had given him ONE task. One, simple task, yet he couldn't even do that right; he couldn't even do the one thing his profession required of him. And now, because of this simpleton's failures, she would have to kill him. The world would be better off with one less, inept bandit in it.
Though, maybe Edelgard was the fool in all of this. She should have known better than to enlist an outlaw's help. Were they truly people of any worth, they wouldn't have strayed down the path of banditry in the first place.
Edelgard frowned as she watched the poor excuse for a human being rush her position, his axe poised and ready with intent to kill.
Not that any of it mattered. Even if this bandit had more skill than the princess gave him credit for, Kostas and his troop were done for the minute the Blade Breaker and that mysterious man appeared. There was no reality in which a simple band of thugs would be able to best Jeralt and his mercenaries.
Maybe her scheme was destined to fail from the beginning…. Maybe it was better that way.
She would simply cut her losses here, then move on to the next step. Perhaps if she played her cards right, she could enlist the Blade Breaker and his companion to her cause. With allies as strong as that on the Empire's side, maybe there were other ways in which she could avoid the impending bloodshed. The body count of any future conflict was bound to be astronomical as long as Claude and Dimitri lived. While they all were the three house leaders of the Officer's Academy, Edelgard was realistic enough to understand they could never coexist. It was… regrettable, but the three of them were like oil and water; they simply could not meld together- the drawback to those who had goals and aspirations they would die for.
However, with the Blade Breaker and the blue-haired one on her side… Perhaps she could lessen the blood spilled.
"You'll die!"
Edelgard set her feet, her dominant hand shooting towards her dagger. While there was an obvious disadvantage here in choice of weapons, she was confident enough in her abilities to-
Her eyes widened as a flash of blue and black appeared before her. The breath was stolen from her lungs as the moon's light reflected off the silver of a sword that would prevent the axe from even getting anywhere near her.
The very man she wished to enlist, Byleth she believed his name was, deflected Kostas's foolhardy attack with ease. The bandit was sent flying back in the direction he had come from, his axe clattering to the side as he fell upon his rear.
Byleth exhaled calmly as he lowered his blade.
"Are you hurt?" He asked without turning away from the foe.
Such a simple question, yet for her, it was incredibly foreign. Very rarely did anyone ask her such a thing anymore. Even when the question was voiced with so little life, so little emotion in it, Edelgard was at a loss for words. Her mind was listless as her captivated eyes stared at his back.
The back of the man that had… protected her?
Forcefully pushing down her emotions, Edelgard donned her mask as she heard Claude and Dimitri approaching from behind. She could not allow herself to show such weakness in front of her two rivals. She could not allow herself to show such weakness in front of this stranger. For all she knew, he was privy to her position as heir to the throne of Adrestia, and-
When Byleth turned his head, she met his eyes.
His deep, blue eyes.
Great pools of blue that reminded her of the terrifying sea.
Ominous storm clouds had rolled in by the time the trio had reached the center of the Sealed Forest. As if the forces that be had divined yet one more way to cast a dark mood over the already bleak trek through the forest, the clouds that had seemingly materialized to block the sun's light threatened to spill its rain at any moment. If Edelgard didn't know any better, she would think the 'gods' and 'goddesses' were looking for one more small way to spite her.
Byleth was the first to step into the clearing. His trained eyes scanned the surrounding area of any threats, his free hand gingerly rubbing the wound he had received only moments prior.
"Nothing but trees," he puzzled, his brow furrowed.
Edelgard couldn't see anything suspicious, either. Other than the walls of trees that barricaded them in, there weren't any signs of life.
However, in this dreary light, even those trees seemed sinister. Those twisted branches, those leaves rustling in the wind…
"I don't like it," Edelgard murmured, her grip tightening around her axe. "Keep your guard up, you two."
"It's barren now, but it won't stay that way," Hubert agreed quietly, his fingers twitching at his sides. The mage turned his head to Byleth. "What are your orders, Professor?"
Byleth paused, taking a deep breath. Given the way the muscles in his jaw had tensed, Edelgard assumed he was on edge as well.
"Unless we plan on waiting them out, we don't have much choice."
Cracking his neck, Byleth continued onward. Edelgard and Hubert followed close behind.
As they walked, all but an inch at a time, Edelgard swiveled her head back and forth. Still, nothing else had appeared. Nothing jumped out at them. Nothing attacked them. Just what were Solon and Kronya planning? There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that they were here somewhere in this maze of trees, but it was curious that they had yet to reveal themselves. Curious, and worrying.
Perhaps their plan was to draw him further in… Further away from the outside world.
Edelgard glanced at her teacher as they went. His face was pale, beads of sweat dripping down his brow. Those blue eyes of his darted towards every sound- be it a twig snapping somewhere in the distance or a branch swaying in the breeze.
Seeing how distraught and uncomfortable he was brought Edelgard's guilt rushing back to the surface. In a perfect world, Byleth should not have to experience such negative emotions. In a perfect world, he would still have his father. In a perfect world, those fiends that she aligned herself with would not have killed him.
Yet, such a thing was impossible. Nothing in this world was truly 'perfect.'
And while it was not her hand that ended Jeralt's life, part of the blame surely landed on her; despite what Byleth or Hubert might claim otherwise. Every life claimed in her pursuit of a more just world would be on her shoulders.
Every step she took was towards that goal of a future brighter than this one. For a future where no innocent child had to witness their world come crashing down around them. For a future where bright individuals, latent with potential, had every opportunity to prove their worth and make something of themselves- regardless of the blood that ran through their veins.
Edelgard could not undo what had been done, but at the very least she could ensure that these two did not claim another life. If what Byleth desired were their lives, she could help him achieve that closure.
While it was true every future decision could not be influenced by the tender feelings she held towards Byleth, she could at least walk for him on this day.
…Except, none of the three would be walking for much longer. They would not find who they were looking for.
Instead, she would find them.
"Hello!"
Crows hiding in their nests cawed as they flew away, startled by the booming voice that broke out through the Sealed Forest. Her voice was loud, as though it were only inches from Edelgard's ear. Had she not been so prepared for even the slightest hint of the enemy, Edelgard would have surely jumped.
"You're here!"
Byleth froze as the sound registered in his ears. His lips inched downward as he realized who the voice belonged to. His glove tightened as his hand clenched around his weapon.
A few dozen yards away, a pillar of purple light rained down from the sky. Edelgard steadied herself as she watched a body materialize in front of them, her gaze lingering on Byleth.
"Welcome to the forest of death!"
As the light faded, Monica stood in its place. She was still wearing her disguise as the innocent student of the Officer's Academy. Her vibrant red hair was tied up into buns at the side of her head, that blasted fake smile of hers plastered across her face. For a creature born from such darkness, Edelgard could hardly believe such a rodent could make that expression. Fake or not, Monica's smile was disturbing.
But above all else, it angered her.
Edelgard wanted nothing more than to wipe that grin off that face of hers.
Given Byleth's reaction to seeing Monica, the villain behind his grief and scorn, she was not the only one feeling this way.
As his eyes traversed up the length of Monica's body, eventually landing on that smiling face, his features grew hard. His eyes grew sharp like daggers. One by one, crinkles formed on his forehead as his brows knitted together. His nostrils flared. Like a wolf before its prey, Byleth snarled- but not fully. As though his lips were fighting against unseen restraints, they would only twitch before settling back into place.
The red glow of Byleth's Sword of the Creator intensified in his grip. Red strands of electricity raced up and down its blade, pooling at his hand before shooting upwards again. As though the weapon was feeding off Byleth's growing emotion, the latent energy it held begged to be released.
Byleth took a step forward-
Only to be stopped by Hubert's hand.
"Hold, Professor," Hubert whispered, his face set in a scowl. "She has yet to reveal her hand."
"He's right, you know!" Kronya replied, flipping a strand of her hair away from her eyes. "I have a whole speech prepared and everything!"
The girl's smile turned to a sneer.
"But, let's skip the formalities."
The red-haired student, who at one point had likely been a decent human, had seen the last light it would ever see as Kronya shed the skin. She discarded Monica as though it were nothing but a blanket covering her body.
The disguise of Monica was gone and what remained was a pale, ghastly woman. A pale woman in a scantily clad outfit, with orange hair that covered a quarter of her face. Tendrils snaked out from her coattail, slithering over her shoulders to reveal the razor-sharp points that ended each one. Her lips were dyed a lighter shade of black, as though covered in some shade of lipstick, and a black line cut across her eye as if her face had been scarred.
This had not been the first time Edelgard had seen Kronya's real form, but she certainly hoped it would be the last.
"There," Kronya sighed, popping her neck. "That's better, isn't it? There hardly seems to be a point in keeping up the charade if you already know who I am."
Kronya's dead eyes moved to Edelgard. The emperor was unfazed as she stared back.
"Isn't that right, Edel?"
Edelgard opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Byleth's back blocked her vision.
He had stepped in front of her, readying his sword.
"Do not speak to my students."
"Ooh, feisty, aren't we?" Kronya laughed. "That's okay; I like it when the vermin fight back."
Kronya clapped her hands. At the sound, more pillars of purple light cascaded down from the heavens. Dozens of them. Some of them were larger, more rotund than others, but all together there had to be at least forty of them.
The lights dispersed, leaving man and beast alike in its place. Hooded men wielding everything from swords to magic, some even on horseback. Demonic Beasts, all ranging in size. Some were only a few feet taller than Byleth when they stood on their hindlegs, while others were easily the size of the trees that enclosed them.
Roars of the demons filled the forest. The sheer decibel level of their combined cries shook the very leaves. Whatever birds and other wildlife currently present in the Sealed Forest were sure to flee now. There were no doubts that the second group had likely heard the sound as well.
On all accounts, they were surrounded. If this was the trap Solon and Kronya had in mind, it had done the trick. With the enemy blocking off every escape route, the trio had no choice but to fight their way out.
Or, fight their way to her.
Byleth gripped the Sword of the Creator with both hands, his expression grim as he examined the foe's numbers. His pupils bobbed up and down, back and forth, as they counted the heads before him.
For a moment, only a split second, she saw a shade of hesitation to those blue eyes. The dip of his shoulders was barely noticeable as he looked to Hubert, then to her.
When his eyes left Edelgard's, so did that expression of doubt. As if some wave washed over his face, all signs of human emotion were gone. It was as though the muscles in his face had frozen.
"I'll cut a path," He stated matter-of-factly. "Edelgard, Hubert, stay close. Watch the flanks."
"Understood." Edelgard nodded, readying her arms. Hubert followed her example, a ball of prepared magic shimmering in his palm.
"Be careful," Byleth whispered. "Should I fall, leave this place…"
The professor met her eyes once more. His own were harder than steel.
"Alive."
Edelgard frowned deeply, her heart's rhythm skipping a beat.
Why was he telling her this once more? Why was he prepared for his own death? He couldn't die- no, it was more that Edelgard wouldn't allow such a thing to transpire. Byleth had made it painfully clear what she had to do in the wake of his passing, but she could never accept such a thing. She could no longer picture a future without Byleth Eisner in it, nor did she want to.
But, before she could open her mouth to assure him that none of them would fall this day, Byleth was already moving.
The professor was on autopilot as his body reverted back to its original purpose before coming to the monastery. Hands that moved on pure instinct as they twirled his blade in a circle, releasing the bindings that kept the Creator's sword in place. Legs that pounded the dirt without hesitation. A face that betrayed nothing.
Lest she get left behind, Edelgard followed after. Though Hubert wasn't the most physically gifted member of their class, he could hold his own weight in battle better than anyone. She couldn't see him beside her, but she could feel her aide right on her heels. For a moment, she wondered how Hubert perceived all of this, but such thoughts could not be entertained for long.
"Kill him!" Kronya bellowed, waving her arm forward.
And with that order, the battle begun.
The Demonic Beasts charged forward, roaring as they tossed their heads side to side. Smaller trees and shrubs were crushed or torn from their roots as these monsters barreled through them.
A volley of arrows and magic filled the sky, plummeting towards Byleth's expected position.
The foot soldiers and riders kept their distance from the forces of nature that were the Demonic Beasts, but they too began to push forward.
It was clear that the trio did not have the numbers advantage. They were heavily outnumbered, but hardly outmanned.
Edelgard's eyes darted towards the oncoming projectiles, but not a second later, the Sword of the Creator had already arced into the sky to intercept them.
As though they were nothing but sharpened twigs and balls of harmless light, Byleth cut through them with ease. The first attack was easily repelled.
The first beast to reach them was quite large; easily dwarfing the three of them in size, but it wasn't quite as large as some of the others.
As Byleth drew near, the great beast opened its jaw. Row after row of jagged and sharp teeth glinted off a ray of sunlight that had managed to break through the clouds.
An orb of dark magic connected with its maw, courtesy of Hubert. Black flames spilled across its face, engulfing its scaled flesh in magical energy.
The Demonic Beast reared back on its hind legs, screeching in pain as it clawed at the flames eating away at it.
Byleth did not waver as he ran beneath it. With a flick of his wrist, the Sword of the Creator wrapped around one of its legs, digging into its ankle.
With as much strength as he could muster, Byleth tugged on the line. A mere mortal would not have the strength required to topple a creature of such size, but thanks to Hubert's timely attack and its own off-balance stance, Byleth's maneuver did the trick.
The beast fell to the floor, the ground seemingly trembling as it landed.
"Edelgard!"
He did not need to tell her twice; she was already moving to finish the job.
The taut muscles in her arms fired as she swung her axe downwards towards the downed monster.
The axe cleaved through the Demonic Beast's neck with ease, slamming into the forest floor beneath it. The ground all but shattered as the axe's head lodged itself into the earth.
With a grunt, she yanked her axe free from the mess of dirt and flesh. It was gruesome sight, but with a creature such as this, Edelgard did not feel repulsed. A fitting end for a being created through such nefarious ways.
Muttering a silent apology to whatever pour soul was used in creating this particular Demonic Beast, Edelgard turned her sights back to the battle at hand.
Another Demonic Beast was fast approaching, however this one was much smaller in size. It proved to be little threat for Byleth and the Sword of the Creator.
The fabled weapon whistled as it cut through the air. Shades of red and black flashed across Edelgard's face as a morsel of the sword's energy was unleashed. That red electricity licked the grass, scorching it and cracking the ground beneath as the blade flew only a foot or so over it.
The Demonic Beast, not understanding things like life and death, did not make any moves to get out of its way. It simply kept up its headlong charge at Byleth.
The Sword of the Creator sliced clean through the beast's front leg, nearly carving the entire creature in half. The monster crashed into the ground about a dozen feet away, howling in agony as it writhed around.
While a crippled Demonic Beast was likely not to be a threat to the trio, Edelgard made sure to end its life as well. She could never be too careful in a battle such as this. She would take no chances with Byleth's life, nor Hubert's.
Pulling her axe from the carcass, Edelgard set her sights on the next threat. Byleth was already making his way to the next two Demonic Beasts with Hubert providing ranged assistance. She was assured the two of them together would be enough to handle the monsters, however…
The three horsemen moving to flank her professor was worrisome. Byleth was so preoccupied in his duel with the beasts, he had not noticed the enemy approaching his rear. It would be up to her to stop it. It would be a difficult task as she did not have access to a weapon like Byleth's or powerful magic like Hubert, but… She could be crafty.
Edelgard ran forward, shifting her grip on her axe. She had used a similar tactic way back during the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, but the stakes were much lower than. That battle wasn't a matter of life and death.
She could never hope to outrun a horse, but given her trajectory she should be able to cut them off before they could make it to her allies. Edelgard would never be thankful nor appreciative for what was done to her and her family, but it was moments like this one where her manufactured body came in handy. With the power of two Crests flowing through her veins, her body was much stronger than others; quicker, as well.
It was not often that she could allow herself to fully tap into that potential, as her near super-human abilities would be far too obvious for anyone with a discerning eye, but in life or death situations that worry didn't matter all that much. When she truly pushed herself, there were very few that could hope to beat her in a footrace.
As Edelgard barreled towards the rapid approaching horses, she cocked her arm back behind her shoulder.
As she exhaled, she chucked her axe at the closest horseman with as much strength as she possessed.
The heavy axe shot through the air like an arrow, its edge embedding itself into the unsuspecting foe's shoulder.
The man cried out in pain and surprise as he was flung from his horse, falling to the earth below. The beast without its master neighed, throwing its head around as it bucked.
Like a row of dominos, the next horse in line came tumbling down as its legs tripped over the rolling man Edelgard had struck with her axe. The second horseman was thrown from his saddle as his horse tripped, crashing face-first into the dirt.
Two down, but it wasn't nearly good enough. The third horseman whipped the reins as he sped forward, leaving his two comrades in the dust as he continued his path to Byleth and Hubert. One, single enemy on horseback likely wouldn't be much of an issue for either man, but…
Edelgard hurried over to the crushed man. His body had been battered, broken, and bruised by nine-hundred-pound creature that had trampled over him, but he was still breathing. It wouldn't be that way for long, but for now, he was still alive.
Bending over to tear the javelin from his mangled hand, Edelgard rose to her full height, her eyes scanning for where the final horseman had gone.
He had been able to create some considerable distance between himself and the emperor, but not enough.
Grunting in exertion, she hurled the javelin at the man's back as he galloped away.
Not a second later the spear pierced through his shoulder blade, skewering his heart. The man slipped off the back of his horse without a sound, slumping to the forest floor beneath him.
"Die!"
Edelgard's brows raised as she felt gust of wind tickle the back of her neck.
Instinctively ducking to the left, she narrowly dodged the sword strike of the second horseman. He had been thrown from his steed as well, but had avoided being trampled like his partner had.
As she spun around the blade, her hand shot to her hip, drawing her dagger. Edelgard didn't have the time to retrieve her axe, so for now, this would have to do.
The man roared as he lunged forwards, a foolhardy attempt at running her through the chest with the sword's point.
Calmly stepping to the side, she avoided the man's second strike.
He would not get a third.
Before her foe could steady his balance to retaliate, Edelgard lashed out and took hold of his wrist and twisted. A crunching, breaking sound reverberated through her ears as the bones in his arm snapped.
The sword fell harmlessly from his grip. He screamed.
Placing her foot behind his, she pushed his off-balance body over it, sending him to the dirt.
The moment his rear touched the ground, Edelgard fell atop him, plunging her dagger between the space in his ribs.
The man's eyes widened as her small blade struck his most vital organ. A gargled noise escaped his lips. Those wide eyes grew lifeless as the blood seeped from his wound.
Sighing, Edelgard withdrew her dagger. Using the man's tunic to the clean the blood from it, she placed it back in its sheathe.
Picking herself off the ground, she paced over to where her axe had fallen. Retrieving it, she took a brief moment to examine the field of battle once more.
Nearly a fourth of Kronya's forces had already fallen to their combined efforts. Four Demonic Beasts remained, while around two dozen men were still waiting in the wings. The beasts were a fearsome foe, one misstep could amount to death, but they had their advantages. Even men under her uncle's employ didn't want to step into a battle knowing those reckless creatures could kill them at any second.
The final four beasts were stalking towards Byleth, one step at a time. Like a pack of wolves, they began to inch towards where he stood, threatening growls rumbling out from their throats. Hubert, awaiting the professor's commands, stood off to the side a few feet away. A powerful spell was channeled in his palm, the black magic cackling as it waited patiently to be released.
Byleth waited calmly, his back straight and feet set. His blue eyes bounced from beast to beast, searching for any sign of an impending strike. He held his weapon at his side, but given the way his fingers were twitching, he was ready to move at any time.
Edelgard began to make her way towards the two, but she kept her footfalls light. In this fragile waiting game, she did not want to be the one break it.
When she was near ten yards out, the Demonic Beasts pounced in unison. The moment they made their move, Edelgard broke out into a run.
At the last second, Byleth jumped backwards. His body twisted backward as he flipped, a single hand cushioning his fall before it sent him upwards and to his feet.
"Hubert!" Byleth called out.
Waving a hand outward, Hubert casted his waiting spell.
The darkness pooled beneath the beasts' claws. Black tendrils shot up from the pool, wrapping around their trunk-sized legs and locking them in place. The creatures all growled as they tried to rip their limbs from the sludge, but the magic prevented them from getting very far.
Purple balls of energy, like wisps floating on the air, erupted out of the spell. They danced around the four Demonic Beasts, one by one colliding with their flesh, exploding on contact. Dozens of small, purple explosions bloomed as the magic hit their marks.
The Demonic Beasts all howled in pain as the spell hit. With beasts as large as these, it wouldn't be enough to finish the job, but the spell had done enough to weaken them considerably.
As Byleth struck at the largest one with the Sword of the Creator at a range, Edelgard changed her path to meet the two closest to her.
The one closest to Edelgard noticed her as she drew near. Those red, beady eyes latched onto her as she hefted her axe.
The Demonic Beast turned its great head towards her and roared. As such a monster couldn't hope to speak, that roar was as close as it could have gotten. A threatening sound, warning her to stay away.
A feeble attempt by a beast on the verge of death.
When Edelgard was within striking distance, the Demonic Beast extended its neck to try and close its teeth around her head.
The emperor didn't even bother to dodge.
Swinging her axe with all of her strength, her weapon slammed into the side of the beast's jaw. The axe cleaved clear through the lower half of its mouth. The now useless piece of flesh fell to the ground with a grotesque sound, like a wet sponge hitting pavement.
Those glowing eyes faded as the Demonic Beast collapsed on the ground, blood gushing from its new wound.
Edelgard resisted the urge to click her tongue as she noticed the red splotches that had formed on her sleeves and hands. No one enjoyed being covered in another's blood, even someone as experienced as her or Byleth in these matters.
But, that disgust would have to wait.
There were still two beasts left.
The final two Demonic Beasts had recovered somewhat from Hubert's attack, but with the way their legs were buckling, failing to withstand the massive weight of their bodies, Edelgard knew they didn't have much energy left. It would only take a clean, decisive strike to finish both.
Stepping around their fallen brother, Edelgard ran towards the one closest. The Demonic Beast Byleth aimed for was backpedaling away, its head hovering inches from the ground as it growled at the approaching professor.
As her target tried to swipe at her with its foot-long claws, Edelgard took to the air to avoid it. Bring her axe up over her head in a two-handed grip, she fell upon the Demonic Beast's skull.
Dirt, grass, dust, and blood erupted from the ground as she slammed the beast's head into the floor. Again, a cracking sound reverberated in her ears as her axe crushed bone. The sound sent involuntary shivers up and down the length of her spine, but she pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside.
Tugging her axe free from the mess she created, Edelgard lifted her head to see how her teacher had fared-
Only to find that his battle had yet to commence.
The Demonic Beast he was pursuing was still backing away, one step at a time.
Byleth matched its movements, only taking a step whenever it did. It seemed that he was playing it safe, waiting for the cornered beast to make the first move. That was unlike Byleth, as he always seemed to try and overwhelm his foes with his incredible speed and overpowering strength, but Edelgard could not fault him for being cautious.
In fact, given their prior conversations leading up to this battle, it didn't surprise her in the slightest.
When the Demonic Beast finally made its move, rearing back on its hind legs as it let out an ear-shattering cry, Byleth lunged forwards.
But… something was off with the creature's movements. Why had it reared back like that? Wouldn't the beast instead pounce… And why was its body convulsing?
Edelgard's eyes widened as she watched the Demonic Beast open its jaw.
Before she even realized, she was running.
"Byleth!"
Her professor froze in place, his head snapping towards her. His brows were laced in confusion, his lips mouthing her name.
Realization washed over his face as he heard the bubbling sound that she feared. His head jerked back towards the Demonic Beast, his own eyes widening as he saw the ball of purple, demonic energy forming in its mouth.
Byleth unfurled the Sword of the Creator, attempting to kill the creature before it had a chance to strike, but Edelgard proved to be far quicker.
With a flick of her wrist, she hurled the axe at her target as though it were a mere boomerang.
Her aim was true. The edge of her weapon connected with the Demonic Beast's neck, lodging itself deep into the beast's thick flesh.
However…
Even she had been too late.
Half a dozen spheres of poisonous gas had already escaped the creature's mouth by the time Edelgard's axe got there.
And all six of them were aimed straight towards Byleth.
Byleth attempted to cut through them, but his Sword of the Creator only managed to catch half mid-flight. The other three were still flying towards him undisturbed.
He gritted his teeth as he tried to jump away in time, but again, he would be one second off.
Thankfully for her, this time Edelgard managed to get their first.
Diving forward, she collided with Byleth's midsection. The professor yelped in surprise as he was thrown to the ground, grunting as their combined weight slammed into the ground.
"L-Lady Edelgard!" Somewhere behind her she could hear Hubert cry out in astonishment. Edelgard ignored him.
As the spheres of demonic energy exploded a few feet away, Edelgard's hand shot to her cape. Byleth's eyes widened as she pushed the red cloth to his mouth.
"D-Don't breathe," she wheezed.
Unfortunately, Edelgard didn't think that far ahead. Her first instinct had been to protect him, but now that she had, she didn't know how to protect herself, nor how long the poisonous gas might linger. It wasn't as though she could somehow turn back time to handle things differently, so for now, she was relying solely on her instinct to protect Byleth.
Tearing off her glove, she covered her own mouth with it. Her hope was that the small amount of fabric would be enough to ward off the poison if she didn't breathe either, but it was far too late for that. The damage had been done.
She coughed into the white fabric. As she coughed, she involuntarily inhaled more. Which caused even more coughing.
The entirety of her chest burned when she inhaled, as though someone had lit a fire somewhere within her lungs. Her body began to shake, her vision going hazy. Her mind begun to spin, giving her nausea. If she didn't have such a firm hold over her lips, she feared she might have emptied the contents of her stomach.
Byleth's eyes filled with fear as he looked at her pale face, as he watched her struggle to catch her breath.
It didn't matter. As long as he was safe, it didn't matter. This poison wouldn't be enough to kill her. Edelgard had survived far worse. It would hurt, it would be uncomfortable, she might even lose consciousness…
But, it didn't matter.
She could faintly hear Hubert fast approaching, calling out her name once more.
However, her blurry vision was only filled with Byleth. She peered into those great, blue eyes that reminded her of the clear sky she loved to walk beneath. As long as they still held life, everything would be fine.
As long as she preserved that life, all was fine. As long as she could be there for him as he was for her, all was fine.
Byleth had already done so very much for her. Simply by being by her side, her heart was set at ease. By simply listening to her, by simply befriending her, he had brought her happiness she didn't know she was capable of ever experiencing. By simply being… Byleth, he had chipped away at the scorch marks that caked her heart, revealing the beautiful red that laid beneath.
Byleth had already fulfilled his end of the shared promise they made in the Goddess Tower. The moment he stepped into her life, placing his own between that axe and her, he had fulfilled that promise a hundred times over.
On that night, so many moons ago, he protected her without a second thought. That night… changed her life forever.
The princess pushed her cape a little harder against his mouth. Her trembling thumb slowly caressed his cheek.
I will protect you as well, my love.
Edelgard winced as a great gust of wind nearly swept her off of Byleth's waist. The noxious gas that surrounded them was blown away.
The gales were far too powerful to be natural…
Magic?
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see group of blurry images fast approaching them. Though she could not make out their faces, she assumed the one at the very front to be Linhardt.
Byleth, however, wasted no time. The moment the poison had cleared, he grabbed Edelgard's arm and removed it from his mouth.
His own arms moved to gently grasp her back, switching their positions as carefully lifted her up. He cradled her body a few inches off the ground.
"Why would you do that?" Byleth asked quietly as he hovered over her, his usually gruff and apathetic voice filled with worry.
Edelgard coughed once more, then weakly lowered the hand covering her mouth. She angled her head to look up at him. She couldn't discern if the effects of the poison had clouded her mind and loosened her lips, or if it was really because her heart had spoken for her, but-
"Because, I love you."
Byleth frowned. Something cracked behind those wonderfully, blue eyes.
"I-If that makes me foolish, I do not care."
Byleth's hand gripped hers tightly.
"Lady Edelgard!"
By this time, Hubert had made his way to them. He all but fell to his knees beside the two, his hand already shooting to the vials he carried on his person.
"Drink this, now," he ordered, offering two doses of the medicine he carried.
Byleth snatched the first bottle from his hands, pushing its rim to Edelgard's lips. Lightly tilting her head forward, he poured the contents of the antidote into her mouth. Thank goodness Hubert came prepared.
Edelgard grimaced as she tasted the foul liquid, but to Byleth's relief, within seconds the color returned to her face. She didn't wheeze when she breathed in. Her coughing stopped.
Once he was certain that she had swallowed the concoction, he accepted the other vial and downed it as well.
When she began to look like her old self, Byleth sighed. Seeing her like that had… been too painful. He never wished to see her suffer like that ever again, and certainly not for his sake.
Brushing a strand of hair away from her face, Byleth's fingers lingered on her cold cheek. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his chest and never let go, but… This was obviously not the time for such things. Not when everyone was here, and not when there were still people he had to kill.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." Edelgard nodded in his grip. Her eyes had become strong once again.
"Good."
Byleth rose to his feet, helping her to her own. Before their hands broke apart, he gave hers one last squeeze.
"Why not use Divine Pulse, Byleth?" Sothis asked him, sounding genuinely curious as to why he did not.
Byleth lowered his head in guilt, averting his gaze from the unsuspecting duo.
I…
Byleth knew how that would play out; it was plain as day. The moment he saw the Demonic Beast preparing to attack, and the moment he saw Edelgard barreling towards him, he knew what would happen. Just like in Remire Village, Edelgard would put herself in harm's way once more for his sake. This instance had been far less fatal than the last, yet still… The fact that Edelgard was in any pain weighed heavily on his conscience.
It was just… When he did realize the events that would transpire, he hesitated.
As he feared, he hesitated.
A voice in his mind told him to wait. To wait until it was absolutely necessary. It reasoned that if he did use Divine Pulse, something worse could happen that he wasn't prepared for. He wanted nothing more than to rewind time and do it over again to avoid any injury to Edelgard, but…
Byleth now feared what these alternate timelines might hold. If this path he was on now didn't result in death or serious injury, perhaps it was better to not abandon it so quickly. If he did turn back the clock, and the end still stayed the same, he would have only made Edelgard suffer twice as much. Byleth couldn't accept that.
For now, I'll do as Edelgard wants.
Because he could no longer fully trust in his own power, he would trust in hers.
"Are you okay to keep fighting?" Byleth asked her.
"I am," Edelgard answered, her axe now back in her hands.
Byleth paused, giving her a once over. There was no one he would rather face Kronya with, but he feared that Edelgard may have been putting on a brave face.
No. I will trust in her.
"Edelgard and I will go after Kronya," Byleth said, his eyes moving to the battles that had sprung up around him while they talked. Shamir, Alois, and the rest of his students had entered the fray, engaging what forces remained. "Hubert, regroup with the others. Fill them in on the plan and help them clear out the rest."
Hubert hesitated, his gaze moving to his liege. He didn't look thrilled with being ordered to retreat to the second group, but to Byleth's surprise, he nodded regardless.
"Very well; but tread carefully. They surely have more in store for you."
"We will," Byleth assured, meeting Hubert's eyes and holding them. "I promise."
Byleth knew it could never be easy when his orders took Hubert away from Edelgard's side. Hubert's had no equal when it came to his loyalty. If the situation demanded it, Byleth had zero doubts that he would volunteer his own life in place of Edelgard's.
"Thank you, Hubert."
"If you want to thank me, come back in one piece," Hubert scoffed, shaking his head. "Do not fail, Professor."
With that, Edelgard's aide left to rendezvous with the others. Byleth watched him leave for a few seconds before turning his attention to Kronya.
The girl once known as Monica was still standing near the back of the clearing. Curiously, she had yet to move from the position she had started in. Though, he supposed that wasn't much of a surprise. If Hubert was correct and they still had something up their sleeves, it'd make sense that she wouldn't be the one to engage him. She'd want Byleth to make the first move.
I'll have to make this quick. Are you ready, Sothis?
"Should you really be asking that of me?" Sothis sighed. "You're the one in danger; just be careful, Byleth."
I will.
"Come, Edelgard." Byleth motioned for her to follow. "Let's finish this and head home."
"Of course, my teacher."
Side by side, Byleth and Edelgard approached the waiting Kronya.
"Took you long enough. You really know how to keep a girl waiting, Professor." Kronya smirked, twirling the dagger she carried. Byleth frowned as he recognized it to be the very same blade that had ended his father's life. "I was beginning to wonder if you planned to let me go?"
Kronya's gaze landed on Edelgard.
"And I take it you're here to kill me, Flame Emperor?"
"I am." Edelgard glared at her, her hand clenching her axe. "Prepare yourself for death while you still can."
Kronya shrugged with a sigh.
"No surprises there. You never did like me, did you, Edel?" Kronya's features hardened as she shot Edelgard a glare of her own. "The feeling was mutual. Hopefully your uncle won't mind if I put a few cuts on that pretty face of yours."
Byleth stepped forward, raising his sword to grip it with two hands. He never liked it when his enemies got too mouthy. Especially when that mouth threatened one of his students.
"I'll take the lead," Byleth said as he placed himself in front of her. "I'll leave the supporting role to you, Edelgard. Strike whenever you see an opening."
"Understood, Professor." Edelgard nodded. Readying her own weapon, she took a step back.
Exhaling slowly through his nose, Byleth turned his attention to Kronya.
The orange-haired creature scowled as Byleth began to walk forwards.
"You're a fool to be so brazen," she spat.
"Maybe so," Byleth relented. "Either way-"
When he was only a dozen or so feet away, he stopped.
"You won't be leaving this forest alive."
Kronya snorted, setting her feet and falling into stance. She lifted her arms, her dagger's point directed towards Byleth.
"Big words for an orphan."
Byleth felt his rage boil to the surface. The desire he had to break her returned with a vengeance.
As the Ashen Demon, there had been very few people in this world that Byleth actually wanted to kill. As a mercenary, he followed every order given to him. Every instruction his father gave. Most of the time, those orders and instructions ended with a pile of bodies at Byleth's feet. It was nothing personal; it was simply the way it was. The people he killed certainly deserved it, and the lives he ended surely brought peace and solace to many smaller settlements that didn't have the manpower to protect their lands. But the man he was back then didn't concern himself with the bigger picture. The grand scope of things never particularly bothered Byleth.
Good, evil. Light, dark. Black, white.
They were all such subjective things that he didn't concern himself with.
Byleth Eisner lived a life of various shades of grey.
Things were different now.
There were things he wanted from life.
Things he wanted to claim, things he wanted to see. Things he wanted to change, and dreams he wanted to make real.
Things he wanted to protect.
And today, there was someone he wanted to kill.
He would make it quick.
Byleth inhaled deeply.
As he exhaled, he pushed all of that to the side.
He cleared his mind.
And his face became motionless, unblemished by the marks and grooves of human emotion.
Byleth's backfoot kicked off the ground.
As he flew towards Kronya, the muscles in her legs tensed. Her lips curved downwards as she watched Byleth get closer.
"You'll never avenge your father," Kronya hissed. "I'll just have to kill you, too."
Make her dodge to the right or left.
Byleth lunged forwards, thrusting outward with the point of his blade. As his attack was in a straight line, he hoped to force Kronya to move to one of his sides.
As expected, the girl hopped to the right, avoiding Byleth's strike with ease.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she pounced forwards. Expertly shifting the grip on her dagger to prep for an overhead strike, Monica reared her arm back-
Byleth's arm shot out.
His hand grabbed hold of Kronya's falling arm by the wrist.
"I told you," Byleth said, leering into Kronya's wide eyes as he forcefully pulled her closer. "You won't leave this place alive."
"Shut up!" Kronya growled. "Arrogant human!"
One of the tendrils attached to her back began to move. As if it had a mind of its own, it tried to impale Byleth's midsection with its spike.
Twisting his body, Byleth pushed his back into Kronya's chest to avoid the blow, all the while keeping a firm grip on her arm.
Dropping the Sword of the Creator, he grabbed her wrist with both hands.
Then, threw her over his shoulder.
Kronya gasped as her back slammed into the dirt floor.
The second her body touched the ground, she rolled to the side.
Not a moment later, Edelgard's axe crashed into the spot she had just been in.
"Tch!"
Kronya hopped to her feet, jumping away to create distance between them.
Retrieving his sword, Byleth began to walk towards her once more.
"Two against one is hardly fair, isn't it?" Kronya sneered. "What, are you too afraid to face me alone?"
Byleth didn't take the bait this time. Having faced Claude before, he was already well adept in ignoring his opponent's attempts to play to his emotion.
He swung with the Sword of the Creator.
The blade expanded to several feet as it moved, forming a great arc. Red lightning crackled around the growing blade.
She'll jump.
There were no other choices. She could not avoid it by ducking to the side again. If she slid underneath it, she'd still get caught. The only choice Kronya had to dodge this blow was by clearing it.
When Kronya jumped over the blade, Byleth swung his arm upwards, then to the right to catch a leg. Byleth controlled his weapon's trajectory like a conductor might an orchestra.
Kronya's eyes widened as the sword followed her.
The Sword of the Creator wrapped around her leg, its sharpened grooves lodging themselves into her flesh, latching itself in place.
The girl cried out in pain as the sword dug in.
Grunting in exertion, Byleth brought his arms down.
Following its master's movements, the Sword of the Creator threw Kronya back to the ground with force.
An explosion of dust and dirt erupted as the two came crashing back down to earth. Such an impact would kill any normal human being, but Kronya was far from normal. Having seen the things they were capable of, Byleth had little doubt her soul still lingered in that husk of a body.
Retracting the sword, Byleth walked forwards.
As the cloud of dust settled, he could see Kronya's form kneeling on the ground.
She wiped away a trail of blood that dribbled down the side of her chin, then lifted her head to catch Byleth's eyes as he got closer.
Growling again, she slammed a fist into the dirt. Launching herself off the ground, she took off for Byleth in an all-out sprint.
But, she was much slower than before. There was a slight limp in her step. The way her body favored her right side was very telling. The slight twitch in her eyes each time she took a step… his last attack had dealt a number on her. The battle was over the moment 'Monica' had killed his father, but he supposed it'd be over for good now.
Byleth slowly came to a stop, readying his blade once again. He gripped it with both hands, pointing its tip towards Kronya.
Kronya darted to the left, then leapt forward.
Byleth deflected her knife.
Kronya stumbled backwards, two of her tendrils slithering out from behind her back to try and pierce Byleth's chest.
Byleth swung upwards in a diagonal slash. The Sword of the Creator cut through both tendrils with ease, severing them from Kronya's garment.
Kronya scowled as they fell to the ground harmlessly. Shifting her grip on her dagger, she held it sideways as she ran forward to reengage him.
Bringing her arm up across her body, she tried to stab Byleth in the crook of his neck.
Seeing that she still had yet to learn her lesson, Byleth's hand darted out. His fingers laced around Kronya's wrist-
And yanked it downward.
Kronya stumbled forward as her body was pulled, right into Byleth's blow.
He smashed the hilt of his sword into her cheek.
She was thrown to the side, rolling across the ground a few times before coming to a stop.
Just like before, Edelgard was already on her.
Kronya pushed herself away with her feet to avoid Edelgard's axe. Pushing herself back up, she tried to put some distance between her and the two-
But, this time, Edelgard didn't let up.
When Kronya tried to make her retreat, Edelgard pursued.
With a horizontal slash, she tried connecting her axe to Kronya's ribcage.
Kronya winced as the edge grazed her abdomen, leaving a trail of red in its wake. It wasn't a deep cut, but Edelgard still managed to leave her mark.
The girl placed a hand to her wound, glowering as she looked to the blood that coated her hand.
"Before you die, I have one question."
Kronya jerked her head up, snarling as she met Byleth's impassive eyes. Eyes filled with no remorse. No pity.
Edelgard's brow furrowed as her gaze followed Byleth.
"Why did you kill him?" Byleth asked as he walked forward. "What did he have to do with any of this?"
"I won't tell you anything!" Kronya shot back, baring her fangs. "Your feeble mind couldn't possibly understand our-"
"Be quiet." Byleth frowned. He came to a stop a few feet away. "Jeralt was a good man… A good father."
Images of his life with his father flashed through his mind. The days the two had spent together. The days they spent training. Days they spent talking. Days where it was just the two of them, gazing up at the stars. Every story, every lesson, Byleth remembered them all.
But above all else, he remembered Jeralt's laugh. He remembered the warmth of that sturdy hand on his head.
He remembered the weight of Jeralt's body in his arms.
Byleth raised his sword, pointing it towards Kronya's neck.
It started to rain.
"And you took him from me."
With those memories guiding his hands, Byleth darted forward. The Creator's sword trailed behind him, its tip cutting a path through the ground as he ran.
The Sword of the Creator shone brighter and brighter. The aura that encased the legendary blade became volatile as its red electricity jumped to every near surface.
Gritting her teeth, Kronya readied her dagger. Byleth could see fear in those eyes, but more than that, he could see her rage. Her anger at being bested, and being bested so easily.
A small part of Byleth Eisner rejoiced that the look of fear and anger would be the last one Kronya would make.
Spinning around on his back foot, using that extra momentum, Byleth swung his blade.
The air screamed as the sword cut through it. It may have been his imagination, but it felt as though the very ground shook as it fractured beneath the weight of the Sword of the Creator's power. Blades of grass, chunks of earth, fallen leaves, all flew into the sky as the chain passed by.
Kronya's eyes widened as the sword sped towards her. She held her smaller blade out in front of her in hopes to stop Byleth's attack, but it was a feeble attempt.
Nothing could stop it.
There was a flash of red and black, followed by a shriek of pain as the strike connected.
Kronya was tossed aside as though she weighed nothing. Her body skipped across the surface of the ground like a stone, slowly rolling to a stop several feet away.
Byleth frowned, humming softly to himself. That should have killed her. Perhaps her body was stronger than he gave it credit for.
Recalling his blade, Byleth lowered it as he stalked forward. Edelgard followed behind.
As she heard his approaching footsteps, Kronya tried to pick herself off the ground, but her arms gave out. Her cheek rested against the grass surface, tears from her eyes spilling down the side of her face and watering the grass beneath. Byleth doubted those tears were any sign of emotion. It was likely involuntary.
A part of him hoped they were born from the pain she felt.
As Byleth came to a stop before her, Kronya tried once more to lift herself from the ground.
All she could manage to do was prop her body up with a single arm as she stared up at the man that towered over her.
Byleth lifted his sword, pressing its point to her throat. A small trail of blood trickled down from where his blade touched. The growing rainfall washed it down her skin.
Those eyes that were once filled with fear and rage were now pregnant with hatred. A burning, all-encompassing hatred for the man that loomed over her.
"Wh-what are you?"
Byleth tilted his head to the side at her question.
He considered himself to be many things. A professor, a friend, Edelgard's partner. These were things he held onto as if his life depended on it; in many ways, it did. He held these titles to his body like a sheet of protective armor.
But to Kronya and their kind, the answer to that question did not give him pause. It was quite simple, really. To them, he was-
Kronya's hand shot out, grabbing the sword at her throat. Blood spilled from her hand as she threw it to the side.
Byleth's eyes widened as he saw a glint of steel.
Almost faster than his eyes could follow, Kronya flung her dagger at Byleth's heart.
He barely had the time to twist his body to the side. The blade flew past him, but not before leaving a small gash on his arm. Byleth winced as he felt the sting of the wound.
Using the small diversion to her advantage, Kronya jumped off the ground and flew towards the line of trees behind. She was trying to escape.
"Damn it!"
Byleth growled as he watched her retreat. Had she been faking her injuries? He should have caught that. He should have killed her sooner. He should have killed her before she could escape. Now, it only prolonged matters. She wouldn't make it far on those legs in the coming storm, but starting a manhunt through a forest like this could take hours. He had to make sure he found her before she could get too far.
"Inform the others!" Byleth shouted as he ran forward. "I'm following after her!"
"Wait!"
Byleth skidded to a halt, raising an eyebrow as he turned back to her.
"I'm coming with you," Edelgard declared, her strength wavering. "Please, do not ask me to leave now."
Th-thump.
Byleth blinked, startled by the sound in his chest. It… still hadn't left him?
Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump.
As he gazed into Edelgard's purple, pleading eyes, the drumming intensified. It was even louder than the falling rain. It echoed on and on in his eardrums. For a moment, they were the only sounds he heard.
Th-thump.
He grasped his chest. It… was more uncomfortable than before. The beats felt like they shook his very body.
Why was it stronger now?
Th-thump.
"F-fine," Byleth swallowed, shaking off the feeling. His head was spinning. It felt as though his stomach had turned upside down. Why was it doing this? "Stay close."
Edelgard nodded, relief washing across her face. She, of course, could not see the turmoil taking place in Byleth's chest.
He did not know why he heard these noises. He did not know why Sothis couldn't hear it, either. He didn't know why they had gotten stronger as time went on. He did not know why they were so intense at this moment, or why they only occurred in moments like these.
He did not know.
Byleth only hoped that his not knowing didn't have any dire consequences.
The forest scenery raced by in a blur. Leaves, branches, trees, roots, they all lingered in Byleth's vision for a second before he passed it by. Byleth ducked beneath a tree limb, hopped over a root, avoided a tree.
Running through such a place was dangerous. There was no way of knowing if a hidden root or a patch of slick mud might send him sprawling to the ground.
At this moment, he was thankful for the disappearance of his heartbeat. If that organ was still thumping away in his chest, he doubted he'd have the wherewithal to traverse this terrain without tumbling. It'd be far too distracting, and he needed the upmost concentration to make it through this place in one piece.
A dozen or so yards ahead of them was Kronya. As expected, she did not have the experience that Byleth had in running at full speed through a forest, nor did she have the raw reflexes of Edelgard.
Who, to her credit, was handling the situation with skill and grace. He doubted she had much experience in this either, but by taking one look at her, Byleth wouldn't have guessed. She matched his movements with ease, dodging tree, branch, and root alike. Byleth did not need to slow his pace so she could play catch-up. If anything, he had to push himself a little harder just to keep up with her.
The leaves and branches rustled as the two pushed their way through. The thunderous sound of the rain falling atop the leaves above them filled his ears, but the trees did impede their fall. Were the ground any wetter or any slicker, traversing this forest at this speed would be nigh impossible.
Kronya panted as she turned her head back to them, her brow scrunched up as she saw them getting closer. They were gaining on her, but there was still a considerable distance to cover before they could reach her.
The forestry began to dwindle as they neared the end of it. Through the gaps in the leaves, Byleth could spot another clearing. That was fortunate. It would be very difficult to hit a running target in a forest with the Sword of the Creator, but if they reached the clearing, it wouldn't matter.
Seconds later, the prey and her hunters emerged from the denizen of trees. The rain fell unimpeded once more.
What?
The first thing Byleth's eyes landed wasn't Kronya's back as they reached the clearing.
It was the curious structure that was built there. A stage made of stone, with pillars that lined the sides. Given the grass that had begun to sprout up through the cracks left when the stone was placed, it must have been there for quite a while.
But why was it there to begin with? Why would such a structure be built in the center of the Sealed Forest? What possible purpose could it have?
Kronya, who had her head turned back to Byleth and Edelgard, did not notice the grass turn to stone. She exclaimed as she tripped end-over-end, her body rolling to the center of the platform.
He supposed, in the end, the answer to that didn't matter. All that mattered was finishing her off.
Byleth slowed to a jog as he stepped onto the stage. Edelgard was close behind.
Its surface was slippery with the rain that coated it, but it wouldn't matter.
Flicking his wrist, Byleth unfurled the Sword of the Creator. Kronya was back up on her feet, but without a dagger, and still suffering through the countless injuries her body had sustained, she wouldn't put up much of a fight now.
"H-how?" She murmured, biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "How could I lose?"
He recognized the expression she was making. It was of defeat. Loss. The look someone made when they knew they were on the brink of death. A look made by those backed into the corner with no other options left.
A look made by those with no other option left but to die.
Most didn't accept that fact easily. Most didn't go peacefully into the night. Most railed against it until their final breath.
Byleth had been the cause of that look countless times before.
Now was no different.
Raising his arm, he-
Byleth's eyes widened as a purple light materialized behind Kronya. Violet light he was growing increasingly familiar with.
"Byleth," Edelgard whispered, her body tense as she watched Solon phase into existence.
"…I know."
Byleth lowered his blade, erring on the side of caution. For him to be showing his face now… There must be a reason. There must be a reason that Solon appeared now. He doubted Kronya's life was so important that he would risk his own to save hers. Other than that… that man that had saved her before, this group didn't seem to care much about saving their allies. It would be far too convenient for both of these monsters to appear before his blade like this.
He had to have something planned…
"Well."
Solon stepped forward, his arms hidden in the sleeves of his robe.
"We meet again, Fell Star."
"Solon!" Kronya exclaimed, turning her head to the older man. "Don't just stand there and chat! I need your help!"
"Yes, you most certainly do."
For a moment, Solon smiled. It reminded Byleth of the grin he had seen a handful of times from Tomas. An unassuming, nonthreatening grin.
Byleth must have been imagining things. He gripped his sword a little harder, taking a step back. He motioned with his head for Edelgard to do the same.
Solon began to walk forwards. Kronya's orange eyes followed him, one of her brows slowly raising.
"What are you-?"
It happened in an instant.
A man this old should not be able to move like that.
He should not have that speed.
Nor the strength.
Byleth gasped. He was so shocked he could hardly even speak.
Edelgard flinched. Her face paled as she saw the red of exposed flesh.
Kronya screamed. A blood-curdling scream as Solon's arm pierced her chest. His gloved hand shot out the other side, Kronya's still-beating heart clutched in his talons.
"Have no fear, Kronya." Solon sneered as he lifted her off the ground. "Your sacrifice will help rid this world of the filthy vermin that have long infested it."
Purple, bordering on black colored magic engulfed the two. It looked like… smoke, or shadows and darkness manifested. Byleth knew not what it was, but he knew it was something far more wicked and sinister.
"Edelgard, get back," he said, setting his feet as he fell into his stance.
Edelgard did not respond. Her wide eyes gazed at the shadows as they creeped across the stone floor. She watched breathlessly as the shadows inched up the pillars.
As the darkness spread, Solon stepped backwards off the platform, Kronya still hanging from his arm. As the darkness spread, walls began to form around the edges of the structure, blocking off their only avenues for escape. It had only been seconds before the darkness grew like a fire. The shadows billowed high into the sky, filling his vision with nothing but black.
"Byleth!" Sothis shouted. "You have to retreat. Now!"
Byleth grew cold as he stared into the abyss. The hair on his arms and neck stood up on end as he felt death inching closer.
"Edelgard!"
The princess flinched, only know registering Byleth's voice.
"Move!"
Edelgard nodded, then turned and ran towards the nearest exit. Byleth was close on her heels.
The forest was only a dozen or so feet away. It would only take them seconds to get there, but the ancient magic was growing still. They might be able to make it before it walled them off entirely, but-
Byleth howled as a shadowy tendril encased his right arm. The magic seeped through his clothing, burning his flesh beneath.
However, it wasn't that it was hot… It was cold. So, very cold. Like ice. The sensation of the magic tearing away at his flesh was so intense, Byleth nearly felt his consciousness fade.
"Byleth!" Edelgard stopped, her eyes widening as she saw the black tether pull him back.
Byleth gritted his teeth, yanking his arm from the shadows. Not a second after, nearly a dozen more tendrils shot from the source of this magic: Kronya's crushed heart.
As he broke free, he stumbled. Using a hand to steady himself, he ran to Edelgard.
"Go!" He yelled, grabbing her hand and forcefully pulling her forward.
The two pairs of boots smacked the pavement as they ran. Byleth ran faster than he ever had before.
He gripped Edelgard's hand harder than he ever had before.
They were ten feet away. Then eight feet. Then six.
They were fast, faster than most, but even they couldn't outrun the dark.
Fear filled Byleth's still heart as he watched the shadows get closer. If those tethers got hold of them… They'd die. Byleth didn't know how, but his mind was screaming at him that they'd die for sure.
Divine Pulse! I have to use-!
Byleth's heart sunk into his stomach as he realized…
He could no longer feel his hold. Like a wisp of smoke dancing around his fingertips, Byleth could always feel the strings of time and fate. Even before he connected with Sothis, he could feel something. Like an extra weight hanging on the air. It was only after their union that he realized what that weight was.
But, now?
He felt nothing.
He could do nothing.
Nothing but rely on his own strength.
"Run all you like, Fell Star!" Solon's cackle boomed over the clearing. "Nothing can save you now!"
Byleth grimaced as he felt three of the shadowy limbs latch onto him. Two on his right arm, one on his left leg. The strength at which they pulled on him nearly sent Byleth to the ground. The pain he felt as the magic washed over his skin nearly caused him to cry.
But he could not succumb to that pain. Not yet.
Not when he was this close.
He could hear Edelgard call his name, but as much as it pained him, he had to ignore it. The dark had yet to reach her, but he saw a pool of it getting closer- closer to where her feet were connected with the ground.
If they reached her…
…This was not the fate he wanted for her.
Byleth tasted copper as blood filled his mouth. Biting his tongue to stifle a cry, he tore himself out of the darkness. He ripped his arm free, then his leg.
Another two tethers took hold of his left arm.
But he ripped that free as well. He ripped his arm free before those shadows could reach the hand he was holding.
They were only a few feet away.
Byleth gripped her hand with both of his.
He whispered a silent apology.
Edelgard exclaimed as she felt her feet leave the ground.
Swinging her forward, Byleth threw her with all his might.
She grunted as she hit the grass but a few feet away.
The magic now covered the entirety of his right leg. It was dragging him back.
The moment Edelgard hit the safety of the grass, she pushed herself up. Even now, she was trying to save him.
To protect him.
"Stay back!" Byleth cried, grimacing as he felt the shadows spread up his leg. He began to shiver against his will.
"No!"
Byleth fell to the pavement. He could see Edelgard lurch forward, reaching for his hand. He could see her face clearly. A face brimming with pain, horror, and sorrow; three things that he did not want to be the last she experienced with him.
However, things don't always go the way you might like.
The final image he saw before the wall of darkness separated the two was Edelgard's hand.
The last thing he felt was the warmth of that hand as the cold smothered him, sucking him into the void.
The last thing he heard was Edelgard screaming his name.
Once upon a time, there had been only one star on Byleth's horizon. For two decades, that was the only light he had known. There was nothing else, as he was unaware of the other star that lit his path, lost to him when he was born.
It was all he had, so Byleth followed it. He followed, followed, and followed in the trail of white it left for him. He followed it so closely, clinging to the protective glow it shone on him. The path it took him on didn't matter, because it was a path set by it. It didn't matter how red the ground became or how bumpy the road was, because that light enveloped his shoulders regardless of where he went. It never left him, not even once.
Over time, new lights formed. One by one, they blinked into existence.
At first, it was just one. One heavenly, godly light that basked him in warmth unknown. Much like the first one, it had protected him. Just like that first one, he clung to it. Though it was a strange, foreign sensation, he never strayed too far from its path. Whenever he was lost, scared and afraid of where he might be, it imparted its wisdom onto him. It taught him things he did not understand. In a way, it was that ethereal light that was the first to open the doors to his human heart. Were it not for this angelic ray, he may never have found new roads to tread.
Not long after, another eight appeared. Eight, little stars in his sky. Then two more, for a total of ten. They were new, and they were exciting. Never had Byleth experienced lights such as those. For the first time in his life, it felt like something was following his trail instead of the other way around. For the first time, he had been able to give something instead of take it away.
Finally, he had been given a purpose. A reason of his own.
For that, Byleth loved them dearly. He loved them so deeply, thankful for the opportunity to experience the purpose they gave him. With his very life he would protect those precious bundles of light, ensuring that no harm ever befell them.
To his surprise, of those ten little beacons, one began to grow larger than the others. It grew and grew, eventually growing large enough to encompass his entire world. No longer was everything black and white.
Byleth began to experience colors.
Blues, greens, yellows…
Crimson… Something he had always associated with blood had grown to mean something else to him entirely.
He began to experience emotions he had never felt before; like joy and love. He began to understand that the motionless organ in his chest had a greater purpose than the one he envisioned for it. He began to understand that maybe even someone like him could be loved.
It was her that had rid the ash from his heart. It was her that made it beat.
For the first time in his life, he felt human.
Somehow, without his knowing, she had become the brightest light in his night sky.
And he had grown to love her more than he ever thought possible…
These things were still true. Even though that original star had disappeared, lost to the void, he still remembered his father's love. He remembered Sothis. He remembered his students.
He remembered Edelgard.
He remembered them all so clearly… So vividly…
Yet, here at the end…
None of those lights were anywhere to be found.
All he could see was black.
It was dark. Everything was.
So, so, incredibly dark…
It was suffocating.
The heavy blackness that surrounded him had sucked all of the oxygen out of the air, leaving him with nothing. He gasped, he wheezed, but still, he could not draw breath.
Like a tidal wave, that darkness had pulled Byleth in. He was caught in its undertow.
It threatened to drag him under. Drag him so far down, that there was no hope to claw himself back again.
In such darkness, Byleth could not swim. He could not see. He could not breathe.
Was this what death was like? Was this eternal darkness, devoid of all light, devoid of all hope, devoid of all life, the end of the road? He… He did not want this. Byleth had prepared for death, but he had not prepared for this.
He wanted to see his students again. He wanted to see his father one last time. To finally meet his mother. Just once. To hear Sothis chide him as she usually did… To hear her child-like giggle whenever Byleth did something that amused her.
He wanted to be with Edelgard. How fiercely did he want to hold her, to laugh with her, to love with her, to be with her for just one second longer. That great, shining embodiment of the future…
Edelgard von Hresvelg had given him everything. She was, and always would be, his brightest light. Every ending he imagined with her, every pathway he saw himself taking at her side, was always brighter than the next one he pictured. To Byleth, as long as it was her that he was with, there were no bad-ends to his story.
So, here, at the precipice of the end….
How could all of that light be snuffed out?
How could this hell be the end of his journey?
It was so cold…
So lonely…
So frightening.
Byleth shivered.
…Can a dead man shiver?
Byleth did not know.
All he knew was that he had to get out of here. Now.
…
…
But, he could not. How could one man hope to break through these shackles if he could not even tell if his eyes were open or not? This realm he found himself in… It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He no longer remembered how to move. Even if he did, he could not feel the limbs he was trying to operate.
He could not feel the presence of time. Before, Byleth could simply grab hold of those red strings and manipulate them in ways he saw fit. Time bent to his will.
However, in this nothingness, there was no concept of time. There was no past or future. There was nothing for Byleth to influence. There was nothing to rewind or change.
There was nothing.
In the dark, devoid of everything, Byleth was lost.
He could not see those lights.
He could not see anything.
There was nothing.
Nothing to guide him home. Nothing to bring him back. Nothing to protect him. Nothing to remind him who or what he was.
"…B-"
There was nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing, nothing, nothing…
"Byl-"
Byleth tried to cry, but there was no sound. There were no tears.
He tried to call out for his mother. For Jeralt. He tried crying for Sothis or his students.
He tried calling for Edelgard.
But no sounds came. No responses given.
Because there was nothing.
There was nothing.
"Byleth!"
A young girl's voice shattered the agonizing silence. The veil that clouded Byleth's mind vanished.
The darkness receded as light returned. Like a great explosion, Sothis's godly light swept across the area. As her green light washed across his eyes, Byleth could see once more. He could feel once more.
Air rushed into his lungs.
He was alive, once more.
"W-what?" Byleth gasped, his eyes wide as he examined his surroundings. Instead of the pit of dark he assumed he was in, the throne room he was in now was the very same one he had been in countless times. The very same one he had been in when Byleth and Sothis first met. "But, how-"
As he recalled the events that lead the both of them here, Byleth fell to his knees.
That's right…
Solon's spell had entrapped him in darkness.
He had walked right into it.
Just as he had planned, Byleth was the one that triggered the trap. Just as he planned, Edelgard and the others had avoided it.
Only… this wasn't what he had envisioned.
He had been so caught up in protecting everyone.
That he never stopped to consider protecting Sothis.
Byleth lifted his head to the top of the staircase before him, where a distraught Sothis sat atop her throne. Her brows were knitted together, her lips set in a firm line across her cheeks. Her eyes were glistening with worry as she watched him. She was shivering as well. Her skin was pale and ashen.
It hurt seeing her look so weak.
"Sothis…"
"Now is not the time for apologies, Byleth," Sothis spoke softly as she shook her head. As always, she could read his mind. "You can apologize after we find a way out of this place."
Byleth shrunk beneath her accepting gaze.
"I… I do not know how," he admitted.
"So, because you do not know the answer, you are giving up?" Sothis challenged.
"I…"
Byleth deflated, his head lowering. His bangs covered his eyes as he stared at the ground.
He was defeated. He was lost. With so many of his sources of strength gone, Byleth found himself with none. For the first time in his life, he truly felt weak.
"I failed," Byleth whispered. "What more can be done?"
"Failed?" Sothis repeated. "This does not sound like the Byleth I know."
Sothis rose from her throne.
"The Byleth I know would be rejoicing that he was able to protect those he loved."
The sound of her foot falling on the stone staircase echoed throughout the chamber.
"The Byleth I know would not give up so easily."
She took another step.
"The Byleth I know would still be searching for ways to cheat even death."
Byleth raised his head, looking to where Sothis stood on the stairs. She stood high above his kneeling form, her hands resting on her hips as she watched him. Though her skin pale, though her body shivering, she did not waver.
"But I killed us," Byleth murmured. "I killed us both."
"As you and I are one, it is true we are both trapped in this void," Sothis agreed as she continued her descent. "This realm of darkness we are in is separate from the world from which you came. In time, our hearts and minds will cease to be… It would take a god to leave this place."
Byleth averted his gaze, his guilt resurfacing
It was as he feared. There was nothing. Nothing that he could do. Nothing that could be undone.
There was nothing.
This realm of dark that he ended up subjecting Sothis to, as well.
"Tell me, my child-"
Byleth flinched as he felt Sothis's hand lightly push his chin upwards. He had never been able to physically feel her before, so how…?
His eyes widened as he stared into her green ones. Byleth had never been this close to her before, but at this distance…
He marveled at how beautiful and bright they were.
It felt as though…
He was staring into the sun.
He couldn't look away.
"Are you prepared to die?" Sothis asked, tilting her head to the side.
Byleth blinked.
No.
He did not want to die.
Byleth always assumed that he could accept it as long as Edelgard and the others were safe.
He always assumed that he could accept it as long as he fulfilled his promises. As long as he fulfilled his oaths to keep them safe.
But, here at the end, Byleth realized he could not accept that at all.
There were still so many things he wanted from life.
So many things he wanted to attain.
Knowing that here, at the end, he had achieved none of that defeated him more than his own death.
"I am not." Byleth shook his head.
Sothis smiled knowingly, as though she expected such an answer.
"I thought as much. I also do not wish to die." Her smile faltered. "So, it seems as though we have no other choice."
"What are you saying?"
Sothis was silent for a moment.
"…Do you recall your father's diary?" She asked.
Byleth did, so he nodded.
"He said you were a child who never cried nor laughed," she recounted. "And I think I am the one to blame for that."
"How could that be?"
Sothis's hand moved from his chin to his heart. It thumped beneath her touch.
"Since your birth, our hearts have always been bound. It is my presence within you that repressed your humanity."
Sothis frowned, her eyes darkening with regret.
"I do not know how Rhea managed it, but she allowed me to exist inside of you."
"Rhea?" Byleth's eyes widened.
"Yes." Sothis nodded. "Because of her, I have always been with you. It is within you that I found my power yet again."
Her small, delicate hand did not move from Byleth's chest as she continued.
"The power of a goddess. The power of the progenitor god."
'Progenitor god…' This was the first time Byleth had heard these words, yet… They felt incredibly familiar to him. As though… he always knew its meaning.
"I am the one who watches over Fódlan and the creatures dwelling there. I am Sothis, she who died and then returned."
Sothis smiled wryly as she watched the dots connect within Byleth's eyes.
"Though, you already knew that, of course."
The fact that Sothis was a goddess he had accepted long ago, ever since Rhea let the name slip within his presence. He just… never realized the significance of that fact until now. He never realized the significance of the progenitor god residing in him.
"There is but one thing left to do to save us from this darkness of eternity," Sothis continued, pulling Byleth back from his thoughts. "I must now use that power- the power of a god."
"Y-you can do that?" Byleth stammered. "You… can save us?"
"Yes and no. I lack a body of my own. I cannot save us… but you can."
"Me?"
"Indeed. Were I to relinquish all the power that I have to you… You would be a god in all but name. You would have the strength to pierce this shroud."
Byleth frowned as he noticed the twinge in her voice… The catch in her eyes.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Sothis's smile became rueful as she gazed at him.
"Were we to do this, you would stray further away from humanity. There is a chance that… were we to do this, you would no longer be able to exhibit the emotions you have as of late. It would be as you were when you were a child."
Byleth's frown deepened. He did not want to become what he once was. Ever since coming to the monastery, his body and his life had changed. He smiled. He laughed. He loved. He cried… These were things he did not want to relinquish just yet.
That… that revelation was troubling, but…
"There's something else, isn't there?"
Sothis avoided his eyes.
"Were we to join as one… I shall disappear."
"No."
Sothis's head jerked up, her eyes blinking dumbly as she stared at him.
"What?"
"I won't allow it." Byleth shook his head fervently. "There has to be another way."
"Byleth, this is the only way," Sothis persisted.
"No." Byleth shook his head again. "No! I… I can't lose you, as well."
"Byleth…" Sothis mumbled, her brow creasing. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "When I say disappear, I do not mean that all I am will be no more."
Sothis knelt beside him, her other hand moving to his chest.
"My soul will join with yours, and you and I will never be apart…"
"But?"
"But… I will no longer have the chance to speak with you. I would no longer have the opportunity to give you guidance. I would no longer have the chance to sit in on your lectures and watch your students grow together with you. We would no longer be able to laugh together. I…" Sothis's voice cracked as she continued. "I would no longer be able to sit with you as you read to me… I will miss it greatly."
They… They would truly lose all of that? Byleth did not want to lose the ability to smile, but he did not want to lose that time with Sothis even more. Byleth valued that time they spent together so very much… He… He did not want to lose that. He valued it more than some look his face could make.
Without her, who would he read sappy stories to? Who would give him advice when he needed it most? Who would he talk with in the dead of night when he could not sleep, and his dreams kept him awake? Who would he eat his meals with? Who would he fish with?
If she wasn't here with him… who would do all these things with him when he was alone? Despite what it might look like to an outsider or a passerby, Byleth was never alone…
"So long have I been on this path with you. Through you, I got to see and hear this world. I even got to chastise you from time to time."
Sothis giggled. The movement of her shoulders caused a tear to fall from her eye.
"I may not have acted like a goddess, but… it was certainly fun."
The progenitor god smiled through those tears.
The sight broke him.
"No." He shook his head again. "No! I… I can't accept that! I can't! There… There..."
Sothis was becoming increasingly difficult to see through the water that sprung to his eyes. Everything was blurry and distorted.
Everything but Sothis's green eyes.
Those green eyes that always stared back at him like a mother would her child.
"Byleth."
Sothis's hands moved from his chest to his hand. They were so small as they gripped his.
"This… is the only way. You do not want to leave your precious friends behind, do you?"
His shoulders began to tremble as he clutched her small, gentle hands.
"N-no."
"I do not want you to leave them, either."
She reached out to graze his cheek, her thumb wiping away his falling tears.
"I want you to live a long, happy life."
As the two knelt on the stone surface of Sothis's chambers, the progenitor god pulled the mortal being into an embrace. As Byleth felt her tiny, spindly arms wrap around his back, he began to shake.
Though Sothis may not truly be related to Byleth by blood.
Though he had his own mother that he would never replace for anything.
Though he had never felt this kind of touch before.
Though the very first time he had felt it was lost to him, a still-born infant that had no recollection of the first, and last time, his mother held him.
He now understood what it might have felt like to be embraced by a mother.
What it might have felt like to hold her love, and to be held by it.
Sobs racked his body as he tried desperately to hold on to that.
"I-I don't want you to leave," Byleth confessed into her hair.
"And I won't," Sothis assured him. "Though we may never have another moment together like this one, I will always be with you, Byleth."
Like the stars in the night sky, flecks of light began to form. One by one, small, golden lights fluttered into the air around them.
The dark that remained was blown away as the lights grew and grew. Like the falling snow, thousands upon thousands of lights hovered around the two.
In those small orbs, Byleth saw many things. In many of them, he saw reflections of himself, and of Sothis. In others, he saw small, distorted images of himself as a child with his father. He saw a different version of himself standing beside a woman dressed in crimson. He saw blood, and he saw war. He saw a small cottage tucked away in the wilderness. He saw himself standing amidst a field of dandelions, his hand linked to a small child with hair as blue as his. A child with great, purple eyes that were the shining embodiment of the future.
In those small, specks of light, Byleth saw the past and the future. He saw faces he did not recognize. He saw faces he had yet to come to know.
In those small, beautiful rays of gold, Byleth saw everything.
"Your will and mine are now as one. Both sides of time are revealed to you, and you alone, Byleth Eisner," Sothis whispered into his ear. "I will ask you but once more; what shall you do?"
As his eyes lingered on the visions of that small girl with hair like the sky, Byleth gave his answer.
"I must live."
"Yes; you must."
Those images were lost as the orbs of light began to move.
Forming one, great stream of light, they spiraled around the two. Faster and faster, until Byleth's entire existence was coated in heavenly gold.
"I have one final favor to request from you, Byleth."
"Anything."
The body he was clutching so tightly suddenly felt lighter.
"When the fighting is over, and this world no longer requires your strength…"
Her body began to disappear as it evaporated into green particles of light.
"Promise me you'll achieve that life I see for you. A life so filled with peace, joy, and love. A life that shines down on others, motivating them to do the same. A life that you deserve."
Byleth closed his eyes as he tried so valiantly to keep his hold on Sothis.
Even in these last moments together, her final thoughts were of him.
They always were.
"I promise," he mumbled into her fading hair. "I… I love you, Sothis."
"And I you, my dearest boulder."
Those words tickled his ear, followed by the wondrous sound of Sothis's laugh. Together, they filled his body with warmth. That heat radiated in his chest, before spreading outwards.
With that final declaration of love given, what remained of the progenitor god deteriorated into a mist of green light.
A mist of green light absorbed by Byleth's imperfect heart.
And there you have it. This chapter took me quite a while, so I hope you all enjoyed it! I was going to finish this segment here, but by the time I reached the Sothis scene, this chapter had already become the longest one to date. We'll wrap up the final battle next time, fellas.
Phew, this was an emotional one. Not gonna lie, feeling kind of drained after writing the final half of this. It's weird knowing that Jeralt and now Sothis won't be recurring characters anymore...
A bit to discuss before we broach the Ashen Wolves.
Back to flashbacks! Edelgard this time to set the mood! This will be something I utilize later on with her character. Like Byleth, it will become centered around her childhood and her time locked away.
The Kronya fight may have seemed a little one-sided, because, well, it was. I dunno, I just really wanted to write Edelgard and Byleth basically thrashing her, so I did just that. Loved every second of it.
Now, on to the grand finale. As some wagered, I did in fact change up the dialogue to make it more personal between the two.
One thing that always caught my interest about the Sothis cutscene was her line "both sides of time are revealed to you." I thought this was a really cool line, but I wanted to add some actual applications of it. Both sides of time are supposedly revealed to Byleth, but we don't see anything like that during the scene so I added my own take on it. You might be able to wager a few guesses as what the endgame might look like ;).
I am really going to miss Sothis.
Alright, on to the DLC! LOOK OUT BELOW FOR SPOILERS.
As you know, they literally gave Byleth's mom a name. They straight up slapped a name and face on her. I'm overjoyed, of course! This was something I wanted since I beat it the first time!
...But it does put me in a sticky situation. I've got some ideas to skirt around it (thanks Nate-kun for the assist!), but as of now, I won't be changing her name from Eleanor to Sitri. I will, later on, but I thought I might do it this way because there are chapters coming up where Byleth's mother may have a role. It would be increasingly confusing for everyone involved if I suddenly changed her name after 33 chapters and 200k words.
So, after the story finishes, I'll go back and edit her name from Eleanor to Sitri. I could just leave it, but I personally don't like naming characters something other than their canon name (Byleth, Robin, Kris, Corin, etc). This way, readers that have been following along as I write won't be confused by the sudden name change, and people that stumble on this story after its finished won't be confused by the random name I threw in there.
That basically sums it up!
Next chapter we'll get to the grand finale of this fight! See you all next time!
