Chapter 22
A Brawl of Water and Fire
"Growlithe, Thunder Fang!"
The orange furred dog raced toward the charred training dummy. As he did, his fangs began to be charged with electrical energy. Growlithe then jumped into the air and bit down on the dummy, electricity engulfing it until the small dog released his grip.
Gowlithe jumped back and landed in front of his partner. The small dog then turned to his red head partner and barked happily. Sylvain quickly knelt in front of him and pet his partner.
"Way to go, buddy! Six out of ten isn't terrible!"
Gorwlithe barked a reply and jumped into his partner's arms.
"With a bit more practice, I'm sure we can get this working."
Sylvain picked up his partner, who happily obliged. Sylvain kept congratulating his partner as the puppy took all the compliments in stride. Sylvain was sure that his partner could keep getting stronger.
"See that, Professor? We're really getting the hang of it!" Sylvain said as he turned to his battle instructor.
However, the red head could see N as lost in his own mind. His hand was on his chin as he mumbled to himself. Sylvain had no idea what he was saying, but it was obvious he was not focused.
"Hey, Professor," Sylvain called out as he walked toward N.
Once again there was no response. N's gaze was firmly set to the floor as he continued to mumble to himself.
Sylvain walked in front of him and waved a hand in front of his eyes, but even that did not work.
"He must be off in his own world," Sylvain muttered with a chuckle.
Sylvain tried waving in front of his eyes again, but there was still no reaction. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zorua trotting over to his partner. Sylvain watched as the black fox tried to get his partner's attention, but was still unable to. With a defeated sigh, the black fox jumped and bit down on N's leg.
That did get N's attention. He yelped as he kicked his leg into the air sending Zorua flying. The green haired professor quickly realized what he had done and rushed over to his partner's side.
Sylvain found the entire situation hilarious and could not hold in his laughter. Even Zorua, as when N reached his partner he found the small fox snickering.
"Very funny," N said with a sigh. "There are easier ways to get my attention."
"Oh trust me, we tried," Sylvain replied as he got his laughter under control. "Nothing was working."
N rolled his eyes. "Fair enough."
Zorua jumped on his shoulder and N walked toward Sylvain, who set down Growlithe.
"So, how is training going?"
"When did you space out?" Sylvain asked with sly smile.
N rolled his eyes, but still replied. "You were one for three."
Sylvain's eyes widened slightly. "Wow, right at the beginning."
N shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind."
"Clearly," Sylvain said in a hushed tone. "Well, we ended up going six out of out ten. The last few were pretty consistent." Growlithe barked in agreement.
"That's good. You're close on mastering the attack," N said as he knelt in front of Growlithe. "However, I wouldn't use it in battle just yet."
"You do know our mission is at the end of this week, right?"
N nodded in response. "I do. But I don't see you and Growlithe being able to use the attack consistently by then."
Growlithe wined in disappointment. A quick glance toward Sylvain showed his own dejected expression.
"However, you've managed to learn an attack from scratch far quicker than most. I can certainly commend you on that," N said.
"Thanks, Professor. We'll keep at it." Sylvain turned to Growlithe. "Right, bud?"
Growlithe let out a determined bark, which his partner took as confirmation.
"Thanks for the help, Professor. I'll try to come by again tomorrow."
"Of course. And I'll try to be a bit more attentive. Again, I'm sorry about that."
"No worries. I can tell you got a lot going on in that head of yours. Just try not to burn out before you see us master Thunder Fang."
N chuckled. "I won't. I'll be more than happy to see that day come about."
N watched the red head leave the battle arena. The entire time he spoke to Growlithe as the puppy walked beside him. N smiled at the sight. Through their training together they had grown closer. Though N wished to know why he was trying so hard. He knew the upcoming mission was personal for Sylvain, but he did not know the specifics. Byleth had told him that it was better for them to explain it, as she did not fully understand either, but he did not want to outright ask.
Though, that was not his most pressing concern. As he supervised Sylvain's training, his wandered to what Edelgard had shown him. It had been two weeks since then and the two had yet to speak again about it. There was distance between them again, but nothing as bad as the first time. It was just to think about anything besides what she had shown him.
N sighed as he ran a hand down his face. Her revelation was another piece to a puzzle that was impossible to solve. Since he had yet to hear back from Cynthia, he spent as much time figuring things out on his own. While at the monastery he learned that people can have the same crest, it felt like more than a coincidence that Edelgard and Byleth shared the same crest.
The Crest of Flames, he thought. I wonder how that crest is connected to mine.
N held out his hand and focused his energy into manifesting his crest. It slowly formed revealing the two connected rain drops, one with jagged edges and the other with rounder ones. As he lessened his focus, the crest slowly dematerialized.
He sighed again and thought back to that night, and the conversation that came about
—-
Two weeks ago…
N staggered as he took a step back. In front of him glowed the Crest of Flames glowed from Edelgard's palm. If he were not looking at it, he would not have believe the girl. He had been in the room when Hanneman had explained the significance of the crest to Byleth. Now he was seeing it displayed by someone else.
He was at a loss for words. He did not know what to say at the sight. All he had were questions. Questions that would overwhelm both him and her. He tried his best to collected himself. He could see that Edelgard wanted him to say something. Her gaze told him as much.
Slowly, the crest dematerialized and Edelgard brought her hand to her side. "I'm sure you're curious as to why I possess it."
N nodded. "That would be a good start."
"It's a long story," she said as she turned away from him. She rested her forearms on the stone wall in front of them and turned her gaze to the sky. "One that is difficult for me to tell."
"I can believe that. Especially with what you told me during our first conversation," N replied. "Don't force yourself to tell it, but I hope to one day understand."
Edelgard nodded with an appreciative smile. "There is one part of the story I can tell."
N turned to her in surprise. He was ready to not learn anything and just have left their conversation at that. He copied Edelgard's position and rested his forearms, but kept his gaze on her.
"Evil people had taken captive my siblings and I. Most of them died from what we experienced, leaving me the only survivor." A warm smile came to Edelgard's face. "Someone saved me from them. The man felt all powerful in the way he struck them all down. I can still remember the way his partner defeated any foe."
"Who were the people that held you captive?" N asked.
"They looked liked beings born from shadows. Almost inhuman, I'd say."
"And the man that saved you, did he kill all of them?" N asked hesitantly.
Edelgard nodded. "The ones that held me captive at least. I'm sure there are still some out there, but he assured me they'd never harm me again."
N took in her words and felt they were familiar. They were similar words to what he had said when they first met. The promises that had been made were true, but the cost had been greater than N could have imagined. It seemed that while Edelgard's savior had done the opposite as his. Despite the familiar words, he was happy that she had someone like that to look back on. Seeing her genuine smile as she recounted the savior's qualities made him happy.
"What's wrong?" Edelgard asked.
N turned to her and saw that she was looking at him. "Sorry?"
"Your expression, it looks distant."
"Ah, my apologies," N said, "hearing what you said brought back a memory. One I'd rather forget."
"Why's that?" Edelgard asked, as she tilted her head to the side.
N released a short breath before responding. "The person who found me in the forest said something similar to me. He said that he was saving me from living alone. He was right, but I should have noticed what his true intentions were." He glanced toward his shoulder where Zorua would always be. "I should've listened to my friends."
"I see. It would appear we had similar experiences just in the opposite way," Edelgard said.
She wondered if that had anything to do with Ghetsis. While in Abyss, she had learned the Ghetsis may have been N's adoptive father. While she was still unsure if the Ghetsis she knew and the one that terrorized N were one in the same, there was a connection there.
"I'm just glad everything worked out for you," N said, a half smile formed on his face. "Though it doesn't really explain why you possess two crests."
Edelgard's expression darkened. "Those shadow people were to blame for that."
N was quick to pick up on her change in tone. Now N understood what she wanted to keep a secret. "I get it. No need to keep going."
Edelgard nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I'm sure one day I can tell you what happened."
"The same goes for me."
"I wonder if me having this crest means we are connected in some way," Edelgard said.
N shrugged. "More so with Byleth than me."
"That's true, but I don't know her as well as I know you."
N rose an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"Have you heard the old legends?"
N was caught off guard by the rapid change in topic. He thought the conversation was going in a particular direction, but Edelgard changed its course quickly. It felt like she wanted to avoid saying something.
"Which ones?"
"About the dragons: Reshiram and Zekrom."
N nodded in response.
"Have you heard the legend of the heroes?"
N shook his head. He had been researching the dragons lately, but mostly avoided anything that felt like it was not a part of the possible answer.
"I learned this from…" Edelgard paused as she found the right word to avoid using his name. "…From a close advisor. They say that one of the two heroes possessed the Crest of Flames and with it could summon the legendary dragon Reshiram."
N quickly understood what she was trying to say. "You wish to summon Reshiram?"
"If that would help achieve my goals, then yes. I'm sure Reshiram would find me to be a worthy partner."
While he did not fully know what Edelgard's goals were, there was something oddly black and white about her thinking. She would avoid whatever she did not want him to know, but there was enough in what was left out in order to get a close understanding.
"What makes you think Reshiram would follow?"
Edelgard was taken aback by the question. She had just told him what she had in order to command a creature of such power.
"I have the Crest of Flames. Reshiram is said to be able to control the hottest of blazes. If someone bares the Crest of Flames then Reshiram is obligated to follow them."
N sighed. Despite everything he had recently taught her, she still had much more to learn when it came to understanding the beings she habited the world with.
"That may be true, but Reshiram is still a Pokémon at the end of the day."
N caught himself just as he said it. He had used the word Mewto had out loud. He quickly glanced toward Edelgard and saw that she was confused as well.
"Sorry, that slipped out."
"What's a Pokémon?" Edelgard asked.
"I believe it is the true name of all the creatures. Mewtwo said it, so I think it might be true."
"I see. An interesting word." Edelgard shook her head. She was getting distracted by something so trivial. "What you said, what do you mean by it?"
N turned his gaze up to the moon. With just the moonlight he could see so many Pokémon of the night. "A partner does not follow you because of something like a crest." N paused to let his words sink in. "Rufflet isn't your partner because it sees you bear a crest. He follows you because he senses your resolve. I'm sure Reshiram would be similar. The creatures are able to see past what we show. At least that's what I believe."
"Is it because of that time you spent in the forest?"
N nodded. "A part of it." He fully turned to Edelgard. His grey eyes stared into her purple ones. "It doesn't take having a special ability to hear the voices of them. You just have to open your heart to them like they do to you. If you think you can force your partner to follow you in the way you're thinking, then you'll end up walking down the wrong path. Your partner will not follow that path."
Edelgard was taken aback by how serious N became. She knew he could be stern, but never assertive. She could tell that's what he firmly believed. Just like her, N had been through a lot for someone so young. Those experiences likely contributed to that ideology that he clung to.
Edelgard turned away from him for a moment. "I understand what you're saying, but there are parts I cannot agree with." She turned back to him with smile. "Though, I'm glad your ideals do not match entirely with someone else's."
N rose an eyebrow in confusion. He was unsure as to who she could have been referring to. He was happy to see that part of his words had gotten through to her. Maybe it would take more conversations like this one in order to get her to completely understand his ideals. On the other side, he would learn more about her own ideals. N could tell she was passionate about something and her experiences shaped them, but he was still missing what she withheld from him.
"Nothing like a moonlit argument to get one ready for bed," Edelgard said as she stretched her arms into the air. "I like how our ideals don't entirely align. It makes me want to keep trying so you can see things my way."
N chuckled. "I could say the same."
Silence followed their words. It did feel like their talk was over, but there was still a sense of something being left out. Apart from what the tow chose to omit, there was still something else missing.
"N, I just want you to know that I trust you, and you can trust me," Edelgard said.
A grateful smile formed on N's face. "Likewise. I'll keep your secret. I just hope you're willing to tell Byleth too."
A sad expression came formed on Edelgard's face. "I hope so too. A part of me wishes she chosen the Black Staraptor house instead."
Before N could respond, Edelgard left. N reached out and thought of following, but knew it best to not. He gave one last look to the moon and wondered if this new puzzle piece is what he needed to finally solve the mystery that was before him.
—
Present day….
Cynthia entered Enbarr's library as she had been doing for the last month. Like always Herdier and librarians huddled about, along with the odd person. She was still focused on helping N, but the more she dug into what he had presented her, the more questions came up.
She had found a lot of interesting information within the halls of the library. Some of which she was sure no one had touched in years. Perhaps it was a byproduct of the library no longer being accessible to everyone.
What interested her the most was the scant information on a specific group of people. Buried in the back of the library was an old journal of an explorer. The journal did not have a name, but it recounted the explorer's time with a tribe of people who were closely connected with the creatures of the forest. From the explanations of the explorer, they had the ability to communicate with the creatures.
To Cynthia, it sounded very similar to N's abilities. His ability always went beyond the normal understanding between partners. There was a chance that he was somehow a descendant from that tribe. The main problem was that she could tell the journal was very old. A lot of the handwriting had faded and some of the pages were falling out. However, after finding that journal, it helped her better understand what N wanted her to look for.
She was still assisted by Sycamore and Rowan. Both men had noticed how what she was looking into help with their own research. She appreciated their help immensely, as doing it all by herself would have been an impossible task.
When she turned the corner to the table she always used, she stopped when she saw someone who was not Sycamore or Rowan. A tall man stood at the table, looking through the journal she had found. He had bright, red hair that almost looked the mane of the Pyroar at his side. He wore a black coat, trousers, and boots. The front of the coat was lined with white fur that went around the neck collar. Underneath the coat was red shirt that matched the ascot her wore.
His Pyroar was the first to notice the new arrival and her Garchomp was quick to growl at the lion. This caught the man's attention. He glanced up from the journal and closed it. The sound echoed in the quiet library.
"You must be Cynthia, correct?" the man asked.
Cynthia remained quiet. She had no idea who the man standing before her was, but she could sense he could not be trusted. Especially with the way Garchomp growled. Her Garchomp always knew when someone felt off.
The man seemed to understand why she was being so guarded and was quick to introduce himself. "My name is Lysandre. I believe we have a common acquaintance in Augustine Sycamore."
"What of it?"
"I was curious as to why an outsider had access to this library."
"I was given permission."
Lysandre chuckled. "By someone no longer employed by the palace."
Cynthia's eyes widened. The man knew a lot, too much about why she was in Enbarr. She knew she could trust Sycamore and Rowan. The two men would never sell her out.
Lysandre was able to piece together he thoughts with just the look on her face. "Don't worry. Your partners didn't sell you out." Lysander snapped his fingers and two young woman appeared from behind bookcases. One with blue hair held Sycamore, while one with orange hair held Rowan. The two had strange looking visors over their eyes. The two men looked beaten and tired, but they were breathing.
Cynthia wanted to race toward them, but the growling from Pyroar stopped her. Not only that but two more young woman, one with purple hair and the other with green, jumped out as well. Like the other two, they had odd looking visors. Each with their own partner's, a Drapion and a Liepard.
"Ah, ah, ah," the purple haired woman said.
Lysandre chuckled. "We've been monitoring Augustine and Rowan for some time now. I noticed a stall in Augustine's research, which not too uncommon, but it was different this time."
Lysandre walked over toward Sycamore who was beginning to stir. He forcefully cupped the researcher's cheek with one hand, quickening the man's awakening. Sycamore's sight adjust to the new scenario and quickly saw Cynthia.
"Cynthia!"
"Quiet!" Lysandre snarled as he backhanded the young researcher.
"What do they have to do with me?" Cynthia asked.
Lysandre turned to Cynthia and gestured to the table of book in front of him. "What you've been looking into could jeopardize the plan."
Cynthia now realized the danger Sycamore had mentioned. When they had reunited he had said that what she was looking into was something others within the palace were also researching. She quickly realized that she was no longer safe within Enbarr. Her safety net had all but vanished. She had to find a way out, and quickly.
"I must commend you, however," Lysandre said as he picked up the journal he had set down. "You've made more progress than we have, and your services are greatly appreciated." He shook the journal to put emphasis on his words.
"Then how about letting us all go."
Lysandre let out a loud laugh. "Oh please, my dear. You know exactly what happens next."
"In case I have the wrong idea, why don't you enlighten me."
Lysandre's smile dropped. "I was in the mood to humor you, but it seems you have no intention to follow instructions."
A wheezy laugh escaped from the now awake Rowan. Lysander turned to the older man, his brows coming together.
"What's so funny, old man?"
"Cynthia was never one to follow the rules. You'll learn that the hard way, Lysandre."
Lysandre glanced back toward Cynthia, who had yet to drop her defensive stance. He turned back to Rowan, an eerie smile came to the man's face.
"It seems I need to show you the exact position you have put your friends in." Lysandre snapped his fingers and the orange haired woman moved in an instant. She drew a knife and in a swift motion sliced Rowan's throat.
"NO!"
Cynthia tried to rush toward her mentor, but the two women in front of her stopped her. Rowan instinctively brought his hands to stop the blood pouring out of his neck, but it was useless. Rowan's arms dropped and he collapsed to the ground, his blood pooling around him.
"The same thing will happen to him, if you don't comply!" Lysandre spat as he pointed at Sycamore.
Cynthia turned to Sycamore. The blue haired woman pressed a knight into his throat. Cynthia could see how scared the man was. His gaze shifted toward her, and despite his fear, he shook his head. She understood what he was saying. He did not want to her to stay in Enbarr.
"If I do, Augustine won't be harmed."
"That was all you had to do from the beginning," Lysandre replied.
"What would I be doing here?"
"Continue your research, but not for your original purpose. It will be all in the name of Lord Ghetsis."
There was that name again. Rowan had mentioned it as well. The advisor toward the current emperor, but the one who was really in control. Whatever he was searching for, was tied into what N had asked of her. However, she knew she could never reveal what her original purpose was.
"Fine. I'll do it. Just please let him go!"
"Cynthia, don't!"
Lysandre laughed triumphantly. "I knew you would understand." Lysandre snapped his fingers and the blue haired woman let got of Sycamore. Cynthia rushed to his side and made sure her friend was unharmed. "If only you understood sooner, then Rowan did not have to die."
"You're a fool, Cynthia," Sycamore said in a hushed tone.
"It was the only way I was going to get an opening."
"What are you talking about?"
"Keep your head down."
Sycamore was unsure as to what she was planning but followed her instructions.
"Now shall we continue your research?"
"Yeah, I will," Cynthia replied as she began to stand. "Just that I'll take my research on the go."
Lysandre sharply turned toward the blonde woman. She had particular glint in her eyes, one that reeked of defiance. Lysandre quickly turned toward her Garchamp, which had somehow moved from her spot to behind Cynthia.
"Stop her!"
"Garchomp, Stone Edge!"
Garchomp roared and slammed her claw into the ground. The ground beneath Lysandre and the four women began to crack and giant, blue stones emerged from the ground. The orange haired and purple haired women called out for their partners to intercept the attack.
Using that moment, Cynthia grabbed Sycamore's arm and pulled him along. Now was their only chance of escape. She spared one last look at Rowan and apologized for not being able to save him.
From the cloud of dust, Lysandre could see the two escaping. He growled in anger and called for his Pyraor. "Burn them to a crisp! Fire Blast!"
Pyraor honed in on his targets and unleashed a torrent of flames that morphed into the symbol for fire.
"Meet the attack, Garchomp! Dragon Pulse!"
Garchomp jumped in front of her partner and fired off a beam of blue and red energy. The two attack collided destroying many more bookcases. Papers and wood burned, giving the two escapees more cover.
"You four! Find them!"
"Yes, Master Lysandre!"
The four women pressed a button on their visor and it managed to see even with the dust that had gathered from the battle. All four could see the two former researchers and Garchomp running toward the library's main entrance.
"Celosia, you're the closest! Cut them off!" the green haired woman called out.
Celosia, the woman with short, purple hair, locked on to her target and moved to intercept. She weaved through tall bookcases as Drapion crashed through them, using its large arms to destroy anything in its path.
Cynthia could hear the destruction behind her, but did not dare look back. She had to get out of Enbarr with Sycamore. She had to warn people about what was going on. She came to a grinding halt when Drapion landed in front of her, cutting off her escape.
"Crush them, Drapion! Night Slash!"
Drapion hissed as its claws glowed purple. The purple scorpion charged forward with such ferocity, it frightened Cynthia.
"Meet the attack! Dragon Claw!"
Grachomp's claws glowed with a blue-green energy and she lunged forward. The two attacks collided, but Garchomp overpowered the purple scorpion and landed several consecutive blows. The blow knocked Drapion into a bookcase, causing its destruction and the wall behind it to crack.
"C'mon, we have to keep moving!" Cynthia said.
"I'm right behind you," Sycamore replied.
The two broke into a run and tried to shake off their pursuers. In a library that would be difficult, but there was still a chance. When they reached the main hall, the blue haired woman that had killed Rowan, cut them off. At her side was Weavile, its claws digging into the stone beneath it.
"There's only one way out of this place, so it was easy to predict your route."
"Stop this, Mable! You know what they're planning is wrong!" Sycamore argued.
Mable laughed. "Oh please, you're the one who doesn't see the potential of the world we're creating." She removed her visor revealing her indigo colored eyes. "There is beauty in a world dominated by the strong."
"The strong exist to protect people!" Cynthia argued.
"How naive. Do you see everyone in the world with a creature by their side? The creatures only serve those who they deem as strong!"
"She's just buying time for the others to catch up," Cynthia whispered.
"I know that," Sycamore replied.
"I will be a part of that world! I won't be held back by people like you! Weavile, Ice Punch!"
Weavile jumped into action as frost covered its claws. Without even calling out the attack, Garchomp jumped into the fray with a Dragon Claw attack. The two attacks collided, but Garchomp was having trouble overpowering Weavile. Due to being at a disadvantage, the ice was beginning to grow over Garchomp's claw.
"Garchomp!"
Mable laughed triumphantly. "Even a creature as strong as Garchomp has its weaknesses."
"Break away, Garchomp!"
Garchomp mustered her strength and managed to push Weavile away. However, the damage had been done, a portion of Garchomp's claw was covered in ice.
"Mable, keep them busy!" a voice called out.
Mable snickered. "Hear that? My backup will be here any second. It'll be difficult for you fight three of us at once."
"Is that right?" Cynthia said as a smirk came to her lips. "Good thing I kept this attack hidden. Finish this, Garchomp! Iron Head!"
"What?!"
As Garchomp lowered her body, the top of her head glowed sliver. In a burst of speed, she closed the gap between her and Weavile. The small creature did not have time to react as the attack made contact and sent Weavile careening into Mable. The force even pushing her back and crashing into a bookcase.
The two researchers did not need to say what to do next. They continued their sprint through the library. As she ran, Cynthia thought of the blue haired woman, Mable. Leaving her in a daze was not what she wanted, she wanted to kill her for what she did to Rowan. She knew that had to wait. What mattered was getting out of the library. Once they were out they could blend into the populace and escape Enbarr.
She could still hear their pursuers behind her. In front of her however were the doors to the library. She looked toward Garchomp, who immediately understood what to. Garchomp raced ahead of them and smashed through the doors. The guards by the door were startled by the noise and were caught by surprise as Cynthia struck them down.
"Garchomp, bring the door down on them!"
With roar, Garchomp slammed both of her claws into the ground and massive blue stones erupted from the ground. The foundations of the door were destroyed and the massive doorway began to crumble.
"That should slow 'em down." She turned to Sycamore who was more than ready to keep running. "Let's get out of here."
Sycamroe nodded and they vanished within the crowd the had gathered in front of the library.
However, the rubble was blown away by the orange haired woman's Druddigon. Her, Lysandre and the green haired woman emerged from the rubble and surveyed the congregation that formed at the bottom of the library's steps. He ignored them, as he already knew what he would say in a public statement, and turned to his two subordinates who had removed their visors.
"Aliana."
The orange haired woman stood in attention.
"See what you can salvage from that woman's research."
"Right away, Master Lysandre." Aliana turned and entered the library once again. Before crossing the rubble she put on her visor again. Her Druddigon flowing close behind.
"Bryony, take some of my personal guard and find our loose ends."
"As you command, sir," Bryony, the green haired woman, said. "What will you do, sir?"
"I need to address the masses first. Then comes the report to Ghetsis," Lysandre replied. He began walking toward the library's steps. "You have work to do, Bryony."
"At once, sir."
Lysandre took in a deep breath and released it. First came the embellished account for the common folk. Following that was the real report. He put on his usual friendly expression and looked toward the group standing before him.
—-
N sat in at the desk in shared room. He had just finished writing the proposal for the field trip he wanted to take the students on. With it being the final day of the week, the monastery was quiet. It gave N the time he needed to get his thoughts in order.
He put the documents into a folder and stood up from the desk. He called for Zorua, who quickly climbed onto his shoulder. As he exited the room a gust of wind blew past. It was stronger than he had anticipated causing him to loose his footing for a moment. When the gust died down, he steadied himself. Zorua also looked to be rather rattled.
He looked toward the sky, it was still sunny, but he could see storm clouds on the horizon. They were in the direction of where Byleth and her students had gone. He hoped seeing those clouds were not a bad omen. He sighed and made his way toward Rhea's chamber. He spared one last glance and mentally wished his friends luck.
—-
Byleth was hoping to beat the rain, but as they neared the old tower, her and her students were beginning to become soaked. The most difficult part was keeping the tip of Charmander's tail lit. As she expected, the orange lizard did not like the rain.
As for everyone else, they mostly looked to be in high spirits. Though the rain was beginning to snuff out any sense of light heartedness. After all, the mission was just as personal as the previous one.
Byleth glanced toward Sylvain. He was oddly quiet and mostly kept to himself. No even Ingrid could coax him out of his silence. She understood why. After everything she had heard about his relationship to his brother, it made sense he would want to remain serious.
Once the tower was beginning to come into view, the group stopped in order to make any final preparations.
"There it is. The abandoned tower the thieves are using as their base: Conand Tower," Dimitri said as he walked up to her. Behind him was Gilbert, the knight she had two weeks ago.
Byelth turned toward the tower. It sure looked abandoned. The stone looked brittle and much of its walls were falling apart. However, it was still largely intact and provided a good enough defense from outdoor attacks. Which only left the option to attack through the interior.
Byleth turned to Gilbert as he explained the tower's role in a battle hundreds of year ago. He summarized everything she had guessed by simply giving it a quick glance.
"Professor, did you see the villages on our way here?" Dimitri asked.
Byleth nodded. "No doubt the thieves are the cause."
"I concur. They're not going to survive the winter as they are. If thieves are only left with pillaging in order to survive, it's understandable yet still deplorable." Dimitri's expression darkened. "But it's different this time. It was like they destroyed those villages for pleasure. No matter the reason, that behavior cannot be allowed. Ever."
Byleth understood his sentiment. She had seen all kinds of things in her time as a mercenary, yet this instance did feel different. Even the thieves she would encounter then would only harass villages one time and move on. These thieves returned whenever the villagers would build themselves back up.
"Don't both losing your head over those lowlifes, Your Highness," Sylvain said as he walked over. "It's wasted effort."
"Sylvain," Dimitri said as his expression softened. "The leader of the thieves, the one that stole the relic. It's your brother, is it not? I know he's been disowned, but…"
Byleth glanced toward Dimitri. She wondered why he was being careful with his wording. She could tell by the way he was acting he had already resolved to kill him.
"He is no longer a member of House Gautier, or my brother. He's nothing more than a common thief."
Byleth was taken aback slightly by how stern he was being. There was not a hint of sympathy for his older brother. She figured that if there ever was, it had long since been replaced with either indifference or hatred. At the moment she could not tell which one it was.
"I get that, but anyone would find this situation regrettable," Dimitri reasoned.
Sylvain scoffed. "It's too late now for regrets. I'm determined to put an end to this."
With that Sylvain walked away leaving the three to ponder his words.
"He's already come to terms with what will happen. Nothing will change his mind now," Gilbert said.
"True. I just wished this could end peacefully." Dimitri turned to sky. The rain had yet to being to let up. "We should get our war council done. It seems it's only a matter of time until we get the worst of this rain."
"I agree. I believe my men have already set up a tent for us to use."
"Very good. Lead the way, Gilbert."
The two men walked toward the cluster of tress, but Byleth stayed behind for a moment. She glanced toward Sylvain who was speaking with Growlithe. At least he had one friend to lean on. It was better than having to process everything on his own.
"Professor, are you not going to join us?"
Byleth looked up to see Dimitri with a concerned expression. She glanced quickly toward Sylvain and then back to Dimitri.
"I'll join soon. There's something I want to check first."
Dimitri nodded. "I understand. Just don't be gone too long."
Dimitri turned and jogged to catch up with Gilbert. Byleth walked over to Sylvain. He was still talking to Growlithe, who was listening with rapt attention. He stopped as he heard Byleth walking toward him.
"I'm not in the mood for a lecture right now," Sylvain said.
"This isn't a lecture," Byleth replied.
"Then why can't you leave me alone?"
"I'm checking up on my students before a battle. Is that so wrong?"
Sylvain rolled his eyes. "Do what you like, but I'm fine."
"If I can do what I like then let me ask you this: why didn't you tell N the real reason for your training?"
Sylvain did not respond. He continued to stare at Growlithe.
"He's worried about you." Byleth glanced towards Growlithe. "He's good a reading people, especially in the way their partner acts."
Sylvain sighed. "I just did not feel like telling him. He doesn't have to know everything that goes on."
Byleth shrugged. "That may be true, he's better at lending an ear that I am."
"You're being modest. People are partially lining up in order chat with you," Sylvain replied with a scoff.
Byleth crossed her arms. "Is that why haven't flirted with me lately."
Sylvain sputtered a response as he turned toward his teacher. It was hard to tell if she was joking with the blank expression she had, which also made it hard to tell if she was being serious.
"You're bringing that up now?"
"I am. It got to stop thinking about the mission didn't it."
Satisfied, she turned away from the red head as he tried to formulate a response. By the time he could, she was much too far to bother with a retort. Sylvain chuckled to himself and turned to Growlithe.
"She sure is an odd one isn't she."
Growlithe barked in response.
"I agree, buddy."
—
From the tower's top floor, one of the thieves looked out the window with a spyglass. Despite the rain decreasing visibility, the thief could still see a group of people amassing not too far form the tower. The thief tried to focus as much as he could into trying to discern who the people were. It was clear they were not from the near by village as the armor most of the people could be seen. However, there was something oddly familiar about the armor. One figure got closer and the thief managed to get a better look. The thief immediately recognized the armor; it was the Knights of Seiros.
The thief sprinted form his post and rushed toward the top floor's main hall. There, a group of thieves were gathered around their leader. Their leader sat on some piled up stones. He had red hair and scar running down the center of his face. He wore old, dented armor and stabbed into the ground next to him was an odd looking spear that looked to be made of bone. Behind him was blue scaled reptile, with scars running across its body. It had long arms with five clawed fingers. Running along its back were three red spines and its jaws were slightly open. The beast snarled as the thief approached.
"What is it?" the leader asked.
"Sir, just beyond the tower I saw a group amassing."
The leader scoffed. "Are those villagers really thinking about fighting back?"
"It wasn't the villagers. They were the Knights of Seiros."
The leader chuckled. "I was wondering when they'd show up." As he began to stand, he grabbed the lance and plucked it from the ground. "Well then, we better show 'em a good time."
"Yes, sir."
The thieves began to scramble and grab any weapon they could get their hands on.
"Miklan, sir, there's more than just the Knights," another thief reported.
Miklan rose an eyebrow. "Who else?"
"They appeared to be students from the Officer's Academy. I could've sworn I saw the prince of Faerghus."
"Is that right?" Miklan snarled.
The thief nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Well, how about that." Miklan turned to his partner. "Hear that, Feraligtr. It seems my little bro is here."
Feraligatr snarled in understanding. Miklan chuckled as he joined the rest of his crew in making preparations.
Unbeknownst to both of them, the crack the spear had been removed from began to leak a red energy. As it slowly spread throughout the top floor of the tower, the spear Miklan carried had a stone imbedded into it and it began to glow in a similar color as well.
—
The trek up the tower was oddly quiet when it came to encounters with the enemy. Only a few popped up as they went up. It was not enough to stop their advance, so the group pushed forward.
Their formation was rather simple. Byleth and her students were at the vanguard, along with a few knights. Gilbert and his men brought up the rear, as his unit had more personnel that were weighed down by heavy armor. There was also the fact that Gilbert's partner was not the a fast mover either. Bastiodon lumbered behind them as an extra layer of protection.
As they walked, it was difficult to tell how much longer before they reached the top. The small amount of enemies meant that the bulk of the thieves' forces were concentrated at the top floor. A sentiment that Gilbert echoed.
"I guess their intention is to crush us with superior numbers," Ingrid surmised.
"That would make things a bit more difficult," Mercedes replied.
"I say bring them on. More chances to test how strong I've gotten," Felix said, his Honedge echoing the sentiment by unsheathing itself.
"We should still be careful. We don't have an exact number of their forces," Dedue reasoned.
"I say we just get through this as quickly as possible," Ashe said.
The chatter helped in calming everyone's nerves. However, Byleth could tell they were all still focused. No one's gaze ever stopped looking forward for more than a second.
When the group made it to the next floor, a larger group of thieves compared to the previous floors attacked them. Three of them charged at them, while one stayed behind. At the thief's side was a Torkoal.
"Incinerate them, Torkoal! Flamethrower!"
Torkoal reared its head back as flames collected in its mouth. With a slight lunge forward, Torkoal blasted a torrent of flames.
"Meet the attack, Ponyta!" Ingrid called out.
Ponyto jumped into battle and the flames collided with her. The flames engulfed the small horse, but Ingrid was not worried. The flames slowly began to form a spiral and began to be absorbed by Ponyta. When the flames vanished, Pontya breathed out smoke from her nostrils.
"Counterattack, Ponyta! Low Kick!"
Ponyta charged toward Torkoal and the fire tortoise readied itself for the attack. However, the tortoise was caught off guard when Pontya slid and swiped at its legs causing Torkoal to collapse to the ground.
"Finish it Ponyta! Stomp!"
Pontya adjusted her posture and reared her hind legs. She then brought down her front legs with enough force to generate cracks in the floor.
The thief was left stunned. He looked between Ponyta and Ingrid with a fearful expression. Ingrid leveled her lance and readied herself for an attack. However, the thief dropped his sword and ran away, leaving a shocked Torkoal behind. Ingrid turned to the now abandoned Torkoal with a frown. Behind her the fighting had stopped as the small group of thieves were routed.
Torkoal struggled to get up, but Pontya helped the tortoise stand. Indrid walked toward the creature, who took an apprehensive step back. She did not close the distance but knelt in front of the tortoise.
"I'm sorry your partner abandoned you."
Torkoal let out a shocked gasp.
Ingrid seemed to understand what Torkoal was saying. "Not all people are as bad as him."
"Ingrid, stop wasting time with the turtle," Felix said as the group moved past her.
Ingrid sighed and slowly began to stand. "I think you can do much better, just saying." Pontya agreed with her partner's words.
Ingrid bid farewell to the tortoise and jogged to catch up with her friends. Torkoal watched the girl turn the corner and turned to follow as well.
After facing down another group of thieves larger than the previous one, the small force sent to defeat them began to realize that they were getting closer to the top.
"With the amount of enemies we've faced, I'd say we're close to the top floor," Gilbert said.
"If we are soon to face the bulk of their forces, we should not drop our guard. They may just be thieves, but they are in possession of a Hero's Relic," Dimiti added.
"Don't hold back for my sake. My brother will pay for everything he's done," Sylvain said.
Dimitri turned to his friend with a concerned expression. However, he did not say anything in response. He turned his attention forward just as another group of thieves intercepted them.
"Looks like you kids have made it pretty far," one thief said.
"But this is as far as you go," another said.
Behind the group of thieves were two more, each with their own partners. One had a Weezing, while the other had an Arbok.
"Leave these to me and my men," Gilbert said as he and Bastiodon stepped forward. "The rest of you keep pushing forward. We'll catch up."
Several of the students were going to protest, but a gesture from Byleth made them all stop.
"We'll be counting on you, Gilbert."
The students and their professor broke out into a run, but the thieves moved to stop their advance.
"Don't let 'em get away!"
"In order to do that you'll have to content with me! Bastiodon, Bulldoze!"
As the group from the Officer's Academy were just out of range, the ground beneath the thieves' feet began to shake. Most fell over, while Arbok had taken a massive amount of damage. However, Weezing was unaffected.
"Guess, we'll have to cut down the old geezer first," Arboks's partner sneered.
"I gladly welcome the challenge."
As the other group advanced, the progress was always hindered by a group of thieves. While they had been easy to defeat, they were all still surprised by how large the force Mikland seemed to command. It was like they just kept appearing.
As Byleth cut down another thief, she felt the Sword of the Creator pulsating in its scabbard. While it had been doing that since they arrived at the tower, it had only increased since getting closer to the top floor.
She reasoned it was due to being in proximity of another Hero's Relic, but in the back of her mind it did not feel that way. When the gripped the sword's handle, she felt the pulse all over her body. In her mind flashed the red sky she had seen at that canyon and something shrouded in shadow enlarging. The image shifted to anther creature enveloped in shadow undergoing a similar transformation to Yuri's Absol.
"Professor!"
The images faded as Byleth was brought back to reality. She saw Dimitri at her side with a worried expression.
"What's wrong? You stopped moving for a moment," Dimitri said.
"It's nothing," Byleth replied quickly.
"Then why did you draw the Sword of the Creator?"
Byleth glanced down to her hand and saw her holding the bony sword. She was surprise to have suddenly drawn it. Her intention was to keep it in its scabbard until she needed it. Perhaps subconsciously she drew it as they grew closer to Miklan.
"Just in case things get too out of hand."
Dimitri nodded. "I understand. We're about to reach the top floor."
Once again focused on the main objective, Byleth led her students up to the final floor. Waiting for them was a large group of thieves and all the way at the end, Miklan stood, holding the Hero's Relic. Behind him was a Feraligtr that looked ready to strike.
"Crush them!" Miklan exclaimed.
The thieves rushed into battle and the group from the Officer's Academy prepared to engage. The fighting was chaotic. Most had to fend off thieves, while also fighting along side their partners.
Dimitri and Shinx worked in unison. Dimitri would strike deftly with his lance, while still being able to give Shinx orders. It helped that the thief had a partner that was weak to Shinx's Electric-type attacks.
Felix and Honedge were two dancing blades. The ghostly sword would cover Felix's blind spots, striking both humans and creatures. While Felix blocked human attacks meant for Honedge. To the trained eye it looked like the two had been fighting side by side for years.
Ashe had gotten better at switching between a ranged weapon and one meant for close quarters. Due to being in an enclosed space, Ashe did not have the room for drawing his bow. Her had been training with an axe, so he found himself being able to hold is own against opponents. His Grovyle, meanwhile, used his superior speed to strike his opponents. Even if he was at a disadvantage, Grovyle still gave it his all.
Mercedes and Annette worked together in blasting magical spells. In a similar manner, Jigglypuff and Happiny fought off any creature that tried to attack them. Whenever any of them found an opening, they would heal one of their allies which went greatly appreciated.
Dedue kept close to the prince, but had his own battles to fight. He and Larvitar would push back opponents with the immense strength. Any thief or creature that fought Larvitar was surprised at how strong he was. While Dedue did not show, he was proud of his partner.
Ingrid showed similar prowess with handling battling with Pontya as well as a lance. Similar to the fight against Torkoal, Pontya was quick and was always ready to counter attack.
For Byleth, this kind of fighting felt familiar. It was almost like she was back in her days as a mercenary. This time she had two partner's to back her up. Charmander would remain close, but he fired off attacks to any creature, or human, that came too close. Eevee, who was used to fighting on her own, managed to hold off any creature that would challenge it. When it came to fighting with Hero's Relic, Byleth was surprised as to how easy it was to wield. This was the first time she used it in such a large fight, but it felt like using a standard steel sword.
As for Sylvian, he pushed past anyone standing in front of him and focused solely in his brother. As he cut down another thief, he was faced only a large Feraligtr. In front of it was Miklan, a smug grin on his face.
"Come to do the dirty work yourself?"
"If that's what it takes," Sylvain said as he leveled his lance. Next to him, Growlithe growled at Miklan and Feraligatr.
Miklan's grin fell as he got into as stance as well. "I'll kill you know and take what's rightfully mine."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"I want someone else to have a stab at you. Feraligatr, Slash!"
Feraligtr jumped form behind Miklan and charged toward Sylvain. Its claws glowed white as it charged forward.
"Meet the attack, Flame Wheel!"
Growlithe jumped into the battle and flames quickly enveloped him. Feraligtr lunged forward and its claws collided with Growlithe's flames. However, Feralitgr's strength won out and managed to strike the orange furred puppy.
"Growlithe!"
Growlithe landed at Sylvain's feet and struggled to stand. Even with the effect of Growlithe's ability, Feraligtr was still dealing way too much damage.
Miklan laughed as he called Feraligtr back. "Still as weak as ever." Miklan dropped his stance as his laughter continued. "If not even Growlithe can protect you, what hope do you have?!"
As Growlithe began to stand, he growled at his opponents. Even if his opponents were stronger, Growlithe would not back down and that meant Sylvian couldn't either.
"We'll fight together, Growlithe."
Growlithe barked in agreement and prepared to pounce.
Miklan scoffed. "It seems I'll have to put you both down."
The brothers charged at each other, the collision of their lances generating sparks. Beside them, their two partners fought. Feraligtr snapping its jaws, trying to catch its prey as Growlithe skillfully dodged each strike.
Sylvain managed to find an opening for a thrust, but Miklan was quick and managed to deflect the strike with his shield. Miklan took the chance that his brother was off balance, and went for his own strike, but Sylvain managed to dodge it. The two jumped back to their partners.
"Growlithe, Flamethrower!"
Growlithe jumped into the to avoid another strike from Feraligtr's jaws. He then opened his mouth and flames began to collect within it. With roar, he fired off a pillar of flames.
"Push through with Waterfall!"
Cloaked in water, Feraligatr met the pillar of flames. However, it proved to be easy to push against the flames and Feraligtr managed a strike on Growlithe. The small dog fell to the ground, Sylvain tried to rush to his partner's side, but Miklan moved to strike.
"Finish the damn mutt, Feraligtr!"
Feraligtr nodded and lumbered toward the downed Growlithe. As it did, its claws glowed white.
"No! Growlithe!"
Miklan cackled at the sight. "Once your little dog is no more you'll be next!"
Sylvain turned to Miklan and tried to strike, but he was once again blocked the by the shield. Sylvain could not have his attention divided. If he tried to help Growlithe, Miklan would impale him. If he focused solely on Miklan, then he would lose Growlithe.
He quickly glanced to the satchel he had been carrying. It held the Fire Stone N had given him. If he could just find the opening, he could get Growlithe to touch it. He was desperate to get Growlithe up again.
He turned back to Miklan, whose smile had dropped. Rage had replaced it. Sylvain looked to where Sylvain had turned and saw that Feraligtr had not attack. With a strong push, Miklan managed to separated from his brother. He had hit Sylvain with his shield, knocking the wind out of him.
Miklan stormed to Feraligtr and hit the creature with his shield. "What're you doing, you damned beast?! You were supposed to end the dumb mutt!"
Feraligtr turned to its master, it tried to snarl but was met by another hit from the shield.
"What good are you if you can't finish off one tiny dog?! Now, finish it!"
Sylvain watched as his bother tormented his partner, though he was not sure he could Feraligtr that. He wondered how many of the scratches on Feraligtr's hide were from Miklan. He would not be surprised if it was all of them.
"Miklan, you treat your partner just like you treat people," Sylvian wheezed out.
Miklan whipped his head around and tightened the grip on his lance.
"Feraligtr fights for you and you treat it like dirt. No wonder it hesitated."
"You don't get a say in how I treat my creature!"
Miklan charged at Sylvain, and the red head readied himself for the attack. However, Miklan was stopped in his tracks. An arrow had hit him in the gap of his armor on his shoulder causing him to let out pained yell. Sylvain looked behind Miklan to see Ashe drawing another arrow. He turned to see that the thieves had been almost completely defeated.
The next to join the battle was Felix, who struck Miklan in order to have him drop his shield. Dimitri was then by his side, helping him stand.
"What took you guys so long?" Sylvain said with a chuckle.
"There were a few more bandits than we anticipated," Dimitri explained.
"It seems you're getting your ass beat," Felix said.
"Sure looked that way," Sylvain replied.
Miklan looked between the new arrivals. He pulled out the arrow in his shoulder and began to take steps back. Feraligtr followed as it laid eyes on Grovyle and Shinx, who were protecting Growlithe.
Miklan grit his teeth and leveled his lance toward his opponents. "I won't let you all stop me now! I'll kill all of you!"
Just as he said that, the stone embedded into the lance began to glow. As it did, the thunder outside the tower grew louder and from a hole int he ceiling everyone could see the sky turning red. Beneath them, all the cracks in the floor were emitting a red energy.
"What's going on?! Why can't I control the lance?!"
The four facing down Miklan saw the Lance of Ruin begging to shake. It glowed with the same red glow as the ground beneath. The energy then began to collect into the lance and the energy beneath their feet intensified.
"Do you guys see the sky?" Ashed asked.
The other three looked up to see the same red sky as that day. A loud roar changed their attention toward Feraligtr, as the red energy began to envelop it. Like it had a mind of its own, the lance pointed at Feraligtr and the glow got even brighter. Feraligtr's eyes began to glow red and as more energy enveloped it, the blue alligator began to grow in size.
Behind them the sounds of fighting had stopped. Everyon had turned their attention toward the Feraligtr that had grown taller than anyone. Its head graze the top of the tower, any slight movement would like cause the ceiling to come down.
"It's just like that day," Ashe said.
Feraligtr roared and it forced everyone to cover their ears. However, Miklan began to laugh. The laugh then morphed into a maniacal cackle. "How will you stop me now, little brother? Feraligtr will crush you all and bring the entire tower down."
"It looks like we only have one choice," Sylvain said.
He turned to Growlithe as he put his hand in the satchel. He pulled out the Fire Stone and looked at Growthile. He remembered N's warning about using the stone. While it would grant Growlithe his transformation into Arcanine, it would be at the cost of not being able to learn attacks naturally.
"If you're going to use it, it's now or never," Felix said.
"Are you sure, buddy?" Sylvain asked Growlithe.
Growlithe quickly nodded.
"I trust you buddy and I know you trust me." Sylvain threw the stone into the air and Growlithe followed it. "Let's show him our power!"
Growlithe touched the stone with his paw and he was enveloped in blue light. The transformation was practically instantaneous. Growlithe's tail grew, his fur began to cover his face and he grew taller. As the light faded, Growlithe was no more, standing before everyone was Arcanine.
Arcanine let out a howl and everyone could feel the power that came form the transformation. Even Miklan was taken aback by him. Sylvain turned to his friends, who all nodded in understanding.
"Can I count on your help?" Sylvian asked.
"You didn't even need to ask, Sylvain," Dimitri replied.
"Let's show him the strength we have together," Ashe said.
Felix did not respond, but a small smile formed on his face.
"Okay, then. Let's do this everyone!"
Arcanine howled as he prepared to fight and agreed with everyone's sentiments.
"You think the four of you can stop me! With this new power, I'll crush all four of you!"
"It looks like the effects of the red energy is also affecting Miklan," Dimitri pointed out. "It's faint but his eyes are glowing in a similar manner."
"Then we have to defeat Feraligtr first and then Miklan," Felix surmised.
"Destory them Feraligtr! Waterfall!"
Feraligtr roared as it prepared to attack, but to everyone's surprise it did not use the Water-type attack. From Feraligtr's feet, dark tendrils formed and two lashed out. The tendrils moved quickly and struck Arcanine. The orange furred dog took the attack, but managed to shake off the attack.
"What are you doing?! That wasn't Waterfall!" Mikland swung his shield into Feraligtr's leg, but the metal simply bounced off its leg. Miklan growled as he turned back to his opponents. "Whatever, just crush Arcanine."
Feraligtr roared, causing the tower to shake and making more to ceiling to collapse.
"Now's our chance! Shinx, Shock Wave!"
Shinx jumped into battle as electricity was emitted form his body. With a high pitched roar, the lion cub released the energy. The attack landed, but Feraligtr looked largely unaffected.
"Does becoming giant have another effect?" Dimitri asked aloud.
"Then we'll just have to keep attacking! Grovyle, Leaf Blade!"
As the leaves on Grovyle's forearms glowed and extended, the large gecko jumped into the air. He slashed at Feraligtr's stomach, but even though the attack connected, Feraligtr looked unfazed.
Miklan laughed as he watched his opponents not be able to damage his Feraligtr. "Even with attacks like those you've barely hurt Feraligtr."
"Then we just have to keep attacking! Honedge, Shadow Claw!"
Honedge removed itself from its scabbard and a purple glow engulfed the blade. Hondege struck Feraligtr, with its attack causing the large alligator to stagger slightly.
"Looks like we are actually dealing damage!" Ashe exclaimed.
Miklan growled. "Then I'll just have to crush all of you first."
Feraligtr roared as its glowing eyes locked onto Arcanine again.
"He really is only targeting you," Felix said.
"I thought that much was obvious." Sylvain turned to Arcanine. "You ready?"
Arcanine nodded and got ready to defend.
"Destroy them, Feraligtr! Aqua Jet!"
Instead of cloaking itself with a veil of water, Feraligtr lifted its leg. When it brought its foot down, the ground cracked beneath it and sparks energy began to moved form it. The energy tore at the ground as it neared Arcanine. When the sparks reached Arcanine, the ground beneath him exploded into a column of yellow energy.
Once again, Miklan yelled at his Feraligtr for using the wrong attack. Again striking the alligator with his shield, this time it dented the end of the shield.
"Feraligtr really isn't following Miklan's commands," Ashe said.
"Maybe it's because of the Lance of Ruin," Dimitri reasoned.
"We can figure that out later. We need to attack as Feraligtr recharges!" Felix said. "Honedge, Shadow Claw!"
Just as before, purple energy engulfed the blade and it slashed at Feraligtr. It staggered again as the damage it was receiving began to take its toll.
"Grovyle, Leaf Blade!"
"Shinx, Spark!"
Both attacks collided, causing Feraligtr to take a step back and crash into the wall behind it. The crashing causing more debris to fall. Terrified screams could be heard as any surviving theif tried to escape the giant creatures rampage. It roared as it regained its footing causing more debris to fall.
"Are you ever going to join the fight, Sylvain?!" Felix called out. "We can only deal so much damage between the three of us."
"I thought I was playing defense," Sylvain argued.
"No time for that now. We have to go on the offensive, or Feraligtr will bring this tower down." Dimitri glanced toward the cracked floor and frowned. "It's a miracle we haven't fallen already."
"If anyone should deliver the finishing blow, it should be you Sylvain," Ashe said.
Sylvain looked between his friends. All of them trusted him to fight. He turned to Arcanine, who despite having taken so much damage, stood proud and ready to attack. The large dog turned to his partner with a particular look in his eyes. Just like his friends, Arcanine trusted him as well.
"Okay then. Let's show 'em our new move Arcanine!" Arcanine growled as it got into a position to pounce. "Hit 'em with Thunder Fang!"
Arcanine charged forward, as he did sparks began to form in his mouth. Sylvain silently prayed that the move would come out. He had been training for this one battle, if it did not connected then all of it would have been for nothing. Arcanine leaped into the air and bit down on Feraligtr. Sylvain was prepared to see flames, but he heard the crackle of electricity.
Sylvain's eyes widened as he saw Feraligtr being shocked by Arcanine's jaws. He cheered loudly at the move connecting. While he knew it would only really be worth a cheer when he could do it consecutively, however that did not matter in the moment. In the moment he was in, all the training had paid off.
"Quickly, while it's still off balance!" Felix called out.
The other three called out their attacks which all connected. Miklan growled and turned to his Feraligtr who was beginning to fall. As it did, Feraligtr began to shrink. When it returned to its normal size Feraligatr collapsed. Miklan walked over to Feraligtr and raised his lance.
"You're just as useless as always!"
Before he could strike Feraligtr, another lance stopped him. Miklan turned and saw Sylvain.
"You lost. Don't take out on Feraligtr."
"You don't get to make that choice."
Sylvain's gaze narrowed. He glanced toward Feraligtr, despite everything that had just transpired, the alligator had a soft expression. He recalled N's words, in that there were no bad creatures simply bad humans. With one swift movement, Sylvain disarmed Miklan form the Lance of Ruin. He then leveled his lance against Miklan's throat.
"Surrender, Miklan. Your thieves are wither dead or gone. Even your Feraligtr doesn't want to fight."
"You and I know both know the Church will kill me for what I did," Miklan sneered.
Sylvain glanced toward the Lance of Ruin. He knew it was a possibility, maybe it would be better to just kill him. He pressed the tip of the lance closer to Miklan's throat. He stopped when he heard Feraligtr growl slightly. He glanced toward the defeated alligator, but before he could do anything, someone put a hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see Byleth standing behind him.
"Are you going to kill him?" Byleth asked.
"For everything he's put me through, it crossed my mind," Sylvain replied.
"If that'll bring you peace, then do it."
Sylvain looked his brother in the eyes and could see his murderous intent. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Feraligtr and N's words once again ringed in his ears. Sylvain let out a yell and drove his speak into his brother. Miklan screamed in pain and fell over, however he was not dead. Sylvain had stabbed him through the leg, the wound would lead him to becoming crippled. Sylvain let go of his lance and left it embedded into Miklan's leg.
Behind him, the clanging of armor filled his ears. He turned to see Gilbert walking toward Miklan.
"I'm surprised he's still alive," Gilbert said.
"What you do with him is up to you. I'm done dealing with this," Sylvain said.
Gilbert nodded and ordered his men to tie Miklan's arms behind him. Sylvain walked over to the Lance of Ruin and picked it up. He felt the power coursing through it, but he did not feel like it was controlling him. Arcanine walked toward his partner and sat down. Sylvain put a hand on Arcanine's fur.
"Thanks for having my back, buddy."
Arcanine nodded in response.
Before Sylvain could say anything else, he heard a roar from Feraligtr. Knights were trying to tie it down, but the alligator was not having it. Sylvain rushed over and told them to stop.
"I'll handle it."
"Be careful Sylvain," Ingrid said.
Sylvain nodded to her and walked up to Feraligtr. The blue scaled alligator's expression softened as Sylvain knelt down in front of it.
"I'm sorry that your partner was an evil person. You didn't deserve that."
Feraligtr let out a low growl. Arcanine growled in response and made sure to stay close to Sylvain.
"Thanks, Arcanine, but I think we'll be fine." Sylvain turned back to Feraligtr. "You deserve better than him. I'm sure you'll find that partner."
Sylvain put a hand on Feraligtr's snout, then he stood up. He called for Arcanine to follow. The large dog turned to Feraligtr for a moment before following his partner.
Feraligtr watched as Sylvain left, it stood up and let out a roar. Sylvain turned and saw that Feraligtr was lumbering toward him. He was surprised in the way Feraligtr was acting.
"What's wrong with you?" Sylvain asked.
Feraligtr let out a series of growls and bellows as it gestured at Sylvain. For his part, Sylvain could not understand what Feraligtr was saying. He was not like N and he wished the green haired professor was with them to translate.
"I may not be N, but I think I know what Feraligtr is saying," Byleth said.
Sylvain and Feraligtr turned to the professor awaiting an answer.
"I think it wants you to be its partner."
"Me?!" Sylvain exclaimed as he pointed to himself. He turned to Feraligtr, who nodded. "Uh, sure I guess. We can certainly try to make this work." Next to him Arcanine barked. "Though I guess who you gotta convince is Arcanine."
The two creatures turned to each other and growled.
"This certainly took a turn," Ingrid said with a groan.
"I think it'll be interesting," Mercedes said adding a giggle.
As Sylain walked toward the group of Blue Pyroars, Arcanine and Feralgtr continued to bicker. Meanwhile, Byleth watched with an amused expression. Just like her, Sylvain had acquired a second partner. Compared to Charmander, Feraligtr was received a bit more openly. Though Ingrid and Felix did look uncomfortable. However, they all introduced themselves and their partners to the new member of their house.
"We've got another stowaway," Gilbert said as he stood next to Byleth.
"I wouldn't call Feraligtr a stowaway," Byleth replied with a shrug.
"Well, we do have one." Gilbert gestured toward his group of knights.
Byelth turned to where he was pointing and saw a Torkoal enjoying the company of the knights.
"Is that…?"
Gilbert nodded. "It is. Though I think the men have taken to the guy. I think Bastiodon has new friend as well."
"Despite the mission, it seems everything worked out in the end," Byleth said.
—
From a shadowy corner, Kronya had just watched the entire battle. She did not care for the mushy stuff, but the fighting itself was mighty interesting. Just like the canyon she saw another instance of the gigantification effect. Since the battle concluded, the sky had returned to normal and the red energy from the ground had vanished.
She did learn something interesting. The effect was tied to the Hero's Relics. However, if one did not have the corresponding crest, one could not control the creature that underwent the effect. While she had not battled, she still felt the thrill watching. She too wanted to fight a creature that went giant.
In the end the assignment was not as boring as she had anticipated. Knowing her job was done, she sunk into the shadows and disappeared.
AN: With that this chapter comes to a close. A quick update this time, man what how I wish i could always do that. It was easy to get into this chapter as it was one I had mostly planned out fro the beginning. The fight against Miklan in particular was fun to map out. I had to find a way to translate the beast transformation into something else and the answer I came to was that of Dynamax. While it would have been fun to have a Gigantamax instead, I had already locked Miklan's partner as Feraligtr as it factors into the story more. I hoped you enjoyed that fight. I tried my best to make it as action paced as possible while still not making it drag for too long. But now, Sylvain has another partner. I think that part could still use some work even if I wrote down how it was supposed to go down in my head.
Then we have our second big action scene, the library battle. I wanted to have Cynthia's plot line still be relevant and this was the answer I came to. I have been teasing Lysandre for awhile now so I decided to have him show up now. Though it did mean I needed to remove Rowan since he was not going to make it out of there. I wish I could've spent a bit more time into her research story line, but there a beats I needed to hit with the main plot so I couldn't find the space for it. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed that part as well. When it came to translating Team Flare admins to this story, their clothes will laregly remain the same. The same applies to the visors, as I have teased Ghetsis has a hand as to why Those Who Slither in the Dark are not around. And since they seem to have decently advanced technology, I figured the visors could still exist.
With all that out of the way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's funny how since I began this story two new Pokemon games have been released. I have yet to decide if I'm going to include Pokemon from Scarlet and Violet, or the Hisuian Pokemon, but I am inclined to use a few. Stay tuned for the next one and if you are enjoying feel free to follow, favorite and/or review.