Tailtean Plains, Imperial Year ….

The sounds of footsteps were getting heavier as the men of a vast army marched toward the heat of the battlefield.

However, there was no one on the other side as if they were just practicing.

Until a sword shot from the cloudy sky, nailed right into the middle of the battalion followed by a wave of fire burning every poor soul who could not escape.

As the sky was covered in darkness, the rain was showering heavily on the battlefield, mixed with the blood of fallen soldiers while the fire was still raging making way for the appearance of a new player, an ash man from beyond the clouds and rain.

Wasting no time, he rushed towards his enemies, slaying them down one by one, and painted his sword with their blood.

The ashen one fought valiantly, dodged multiple lances by performing a backflip then eyed each of his attackers with his golden eyes shining like stars themselves. Before they could react, he dashed into the main army, swinging his blade which now turned into a whip, swiping off everyone on the scene.

More roars echoed through the air as men charged toward him, fury and anger warring for dominance on their faces. But there would be no retribution for the dead once the last soldier fell to the ashen one; cursing his name one last time before joining his companions in death.

The figure stood lonely on the battlefield, surrounded by his victims, staring into his hand which reeked of blood. Rain cleaned the gore from his hair and skin while thunder sounded like applause above.

The man shifted his weight. Wet earth squished between his toes as he moved forward then back again. It was almost a dance, a challenge accepted simply because it was too much effort not to do so. Oddly, there was no celebration or pride from the victor on the battlefield; only silence and darkness illuminated by lightning strikes followed by thunderous bursts of sound.

Bodies lay all over each other, soaked with rain and covered with mud, armor broken and bent outwardly where blade met flesh. The arms had been severed from most of them and legs from others. Most who remained still had lost hands – some lost limbs completely – as they burned in fire earlier, consumed by flames that emanated from yellow eyes that peered out from under a hooded cloak. The fragile flags littering the field were spotted in places where intense heat had torn them to shreds; blackened fragments danced in the wind.

The victor walked away, head bowed, clothes dripping wet and caked with clumps of dirt and grass; cape flapping behind him while he headed north until his presence was getting smaller and disappearing completely.

….

22nd of Great Tree Moon, 1180

"Hey, wake up.", a voice called out to her waking her up from her sleep. It took some time for her to adjust to what had just transpired then she noticed she had fallen asleep on her table.

"Was it the same dream again?", Jeralt asked nonchalantly with little concern in his voice.

"Yes, the battle got even more intense", Bylass let a heavy sigh, averting her gaze to the window to clear her thoughts.

"Massive armies got massacred by a single man, right? It's preposterous since no man is capable of such a thing even if it is just a legend that also doesn't have any recollection of that story."

"Anyway, we have our next job in Kingdom so you should put it away and prepare for our departure."

"Understood, I will be ready once I update Byleth."

"Everybody is waiting for you and the first one you think about is him. I've informed your prince already, so you don't need to trouble yourself.", Jeralt grinned sarcastically.

Before Bylass could reply while her face was red like a tomato, one of the mercenaries ran to report:

"Jeralt! We have a problem. A group of children pleaded for help, claiming that they were being chased by bandits."

"I heard you. Let's go, Bylass."

Byleth was shocked by the sudden commotion. He was quickly filled in by Bylass, and they hurried to the village gate. There he saw three young adults wearing robes resembling uniforms. The blonde man with icy blue eyes wore a blue cape and seemed to have been running for quite some time. On his left was a dark-skinned boy with curly black hair, wearing a yellow cape and sporting an uncharacteristically chill demeanor. On the blonde man's right was a silver-haired girl with violet eyes wearing a red cape. She had an air of tranquility around her, seemingly the brains of the group.

Though Bylass emitted feelings of unknown mutual attraction and understanding, this girl elicited something far more complex: nostalgia, joy, but oddly enough…regret? Why would he feel such emotions towards someone he didn't know? His mind raced trying to comprehend it until realization hit. Was she one of the family he was searching for? Though overwhelmed with joy at this thought, yet another emotion arose from within him: guilt. Memories came flooding back of that fateful day when he had forsaken them despite their desperate pleas; whenever his eyes met hers, remorse flooded through him due to how many things he wished he could say and ask.

Multiple questions started to form in his mind as the gears of his brain cells were rotating wildly. Before he could open his mouth, Byleth decided to keep quiet for now since there was a more important matter. He could get his answers later once they'd dealt with the bandits.

"Correct me if I am wrong. You three are being chased by the bandits, right?"

"That's right, therefore we beg for your help."

"The attack occurred while we were preparing to depart as well."

"There is no doubt they are after not only our lives but also our gold as well",

"I see … That uniform… Looks like fate has caught up to me.," Jeralt sighed a bit. This reaction made Byleth curious since Jeralt seemed to know about these three students' school. The last time he asked whether his boss knew such an academy, Jeralt shrugged and simply replied he had no knowledge of said academy.

"Jeralt, we spotted bandits outside the village and there are a lot of them!"

"Alright, here are my orders. We will split our forces in half to…"

"Sir Jeralt, may I have a few words?", Byleth suddenly interrupted causing everyone eyes at him.

"What do you have in mind, kid?"

"I would suggest that it's better to deploy all of our forces to protect the village."

"Then could you please enlighten me who will face the bandits?", Jeralt asked skeptically.

"It's simple!"

"…."

"I will take care of them on my own", Byleth said in a deadpan voice. The moment his words were spoken, each person at the scene widened their eyes, shocked by his bold strategy. Jeralt exhaled but before he could lecture Byleth for his ruthlessness, his daughter had already beaten him to it.

"Didn't we already discuss this, Byleth!", Bylass was not shouting but her voice was loud enough to catch his attention. Her stoicism was gone, which got replaced by a worried look on her face, surprising everyone except Jeralt.

"Yes, I know but this is different. We have villagers who will be helpless if one of them manages to get through our defense. I promise that everything will be under control."

"For the past 2 years, you've proved to me you are untrustworthy when it comes to your recklessness. I will say this once again so listen carefully. We are a team so we will deal with this together!"

While everyone was still baffled by what had just happened, Jeralt found the situation amusing since he had been used to this for nearly 2 years. Normally, his daughter had a carefree personality when she was around Byleth as if she was a teenager. However, once Byleth got himself injured due to his hasty behaviors, her sunshine aura will be gone, replaced by the frowns of a mother who is angry at a rebellious son. Fortunately, most of his injuries were minor and the missions were successful; therefore, she agreed to tolerate his actions but refused to leave him out of her sights whenever he made such statements on the next tasks.

"You'd better listen to her, kid. Besides, from what I recall, both of you are capable of fending off an entire platoon together. Our forces will defend the village while you and I fight on the frontline."

"We will also join you as well. Although we are students, I guarantee to you that each of us is far from being helpless when it comes to combat." the Red Cape girl spoke with confidence, receiving nods from her two friends.

"I'm grateful for your consideration, sir Jeralt. Then I will be ready to deploy. Bylass, what is troubling you?" Byleth bowed politely towards Jeralt then turned his head back to Bylass who was still eyeing him doubtfully until she left a heavy sigh.

"Alright, I will trust you for now but please don't do that again. We are a team, remember. I got your back, and you got mine." she said pleadingly and avoided his gazes making him feel a bit guilty. Without warning, his arms slowly found their way to her shoulders, and held it gently until she looked up to catch his eyes.

"I'm sorry for my early rash thoughts. You were right. As long as we have each other, it doesn't matter what kind of obstacles lie on our path. We will overcome this, together!"

"Byleth…"

"Sorry for interrupting your moments but we do have a big trouble ahead. You guys can catch up later somewhere secluded which got enough privacy for your…. session.", the Yellow Cape boy grinned sarcastically which broke their thoughts and left them embarrassed even though they tried to act nonchalantly as if nothing just happened.

"Put that business aside, let's go now!"

Under cover of darkness, a small team of bandits scouted the area and served as vanguards simultaneously. In other circumstances, they would call this a foolish idea if the location they were spying on was a military barrack instead of a village. However, according to their boss, the three nobles they were chasing ended up in a village with helpless villagers. Although their priority was gathering information, they could also intimidate the people sheltering these nobles which could force them to hand over the targets, making their job easier.

While the ruffians were dreaming about the spoils they would earn before victory was achieved. From the front gate, a cavalry knight dressed in orange appeared alongside the three nobles. It was unexpected to them that there was a knight in this rural area, but one would make no difference since they still had reinforcements behind their backs.

Yearning to seize the victory by themselves in order to not share the prizes with others. The 5 bandits took out their weapons preparing for battle and provoking the targets. Nevertheless, after waiting for a while like an eternity, neither the nobles nor the knight made any move. They just simply stood there with weapons in their hands as if they were waiting for something. While the captain of the bandits was busy comprehending the odd situation, one of his friends suddenly screamed as he was hit by a dagger.

Before he could give orders to his subordinates to remain calm, a shadow rushed from the depth of the forest into their formation and slashed the injured member. In front of them was a blue-haired woman dressed in mercenary attire, her stance was steady indicating she had years of combat experience which also explained the dagger earlier and why they could not sense her presence. Refusing to let this insult go away, the captain ordered all the remaining ones to kill this insolent woman. 2 lancers charged toward the mercenary intending to take advantage of weapons' superiority, and knocked off her sword.

Soon that would be the first and only mistake that would cost their lives. It appeared that their moves were predictable, the mercenary threw another dagger to the leg of the bandit on her left causing him to fall down groaning in pain. Then she simply rotated herself to the right dodging the upcoming thrust and stepped on his lance. Not giving him a chance to breathe, the blue-haired one stabbed straight right into his heart and made breathing unnecessary for the fallen bandit. While the other just finished taking the dagger out of his leg, he got kicked by the woman who chose to exploit the confusion instead of taking the sword stuck in his friend's body. Although her body looked light, the kick was not gentle instead violently sending him fly towards the tree nearby which put him out of commission.

Out of nowhere, another presence lurking in the shadow made its move. While the bandits were shocked by the mercenary's demonstration, the being jumped from the tree and flew toward the archer. The sharp blade thrust right into his nape, leaving him crying in pain until he felt nothing. Just like the blue-haired woman, the figure wasted no time, took advantage of the chaos, and sliced the bandit nearby with his dagger right in front of the eyes survived ones.

As the shadow made its move out of the darkness covering it under the shade of the trees, moonlight cast on the field revealing a man sharing the same sky-blue hair with the woman. If they did not know better, the bandits would assume either of 2 figures was a clone of the other and they'd already been played on their hands from the beginning. Panic soon turned to fear as many in their rank were shaking heavily; all their eyes turned to the captain pleading with him for a way out of this hell. Unbeknown to them, the figurehead was also scared shitless, making him unable to utter a word.

As if time had stopped when he regained consciousness, all his members already laid on the ground, some of whom were breathing tried as hard as possible slipped out of there although they were unable to stand up. That would not last long when the male one stabbed each of them right in their hearts. What terrified him more than anything now was how calm he was after gruesomely slaughtering his man as if wiping off some insects. The cries of his subordinates begging for their mercy which got answered by that cursed emotionless face until the blades did the favor.

Sky-blue hair with indigo eyes; his eyes widened due to the realization that just his head made him shout in fear.

"The Twin Ash…."

Before he could finish his sentence, the blue-haired man dashed toward his side and sliced forcefully with fury in his eyes. Moments before the cold of death took over him, the captain heard the last words from the Demon who was glaring at him with a raging fire in his eyes as if he was offended by something; his hands tightened the grip of the sword and delivered in a tone of voice that was cold as ice:

"Don't you dare finish that words or I will let you know what nightmare truly is!"

Then the captain spat the blood one last time and his soul was finally free from this terrible dream forever.

Jeralt stood calmly on his horse and inspected the aftermath of the plan Byleth and his daughter proposed earlier which he could not be satisfied with further. He did not know what kind of skills they learned from their private meetings but that looked like to pay off after witnessing how matched they were in spreading chaos among the bandit's rank. Although it had been common to Jeralt when it came to their stoicism no matter how much blood was shed, that could not be said for the three noble kids.

The blonde boy's face shifted from neutral to a deep frown as he attempted to process the situation. He watched in horror as Byleth confronted the bandit who had already been defeated. His friend's violet eyes seemed to contain a mix of emotions, shock, and amazement that Jeralt could not quite comprehend. The yellow cape boy, however, still seemed relatively calm - his smiling facade hiding something else in his gaze that kept Jeralt on edge.

A loud cough broke through the silence, allowing the trio to revert back to their more normal expressions. But it was also the sign for Jeralt to begin phase two of his plan. After Byleth and Bylass rejoined the group, Jeralt spoke up loudly and began issuing orders.

"Now the vanguards had been broken, it's time for us to advance before their reinforcements came. Byleth and Bylass, you two will hide in plain sight under the cover of this forest and wait for opportunities to strike. The rest follow my lead."

"Jeralt, I would like to add something!"

For a mere moment, he thought it was Byleth who interrupted him before giving any suicidal suggestions. However, it was not Byleth who said that instead, it was Bylass, raising her hand to catch his attention with her blank face despite the glints in her eyes. At least she would be considerate unlike her reckless "best friend" (which Jeralt refused to believe) so it would not hurt to hear her plan.

"Sure, what would you like to change, Bylass?"

"Given 2 out of our 3 guests had heavy weapons, it would be better if we pair with another to balance the weakness of our weapons."

"Byleth and I will serve as bait and at the same time try to neutralize the watchtower over there which likely has an archer. Blue Cape, you will target enemies with swords due to the superiority of the lance. Once you knock his sword off, it's Red Cape's turn to deal the final blow."

"Moreover, it is in our best interest to have Yellow Cape staying behind and shooting down any threats. Jeralt, since you are cavalry which will be the most effective against unarmored enemies if given surprising elements. Therefore, you may prefer to wait in the forest and then strike as many of them as you can once the moment arrives.", Bylass finished her proposition without dropping a beat.

"Your suggestions are structured logically for most parts but there is one part I still don't understand. Care to enlighten me on how you both are going to cut through their lines before reaching the tower?"

"Don't worry, you will see soon enough. Shall we dance now, Byleth?", Bylass drew her sword and winced at Byleth.

"The honor is mine, ma'am!"

As Byleth expected, the reinforcements were truly a pain in the ass due to their manpower advantage. No matter how many ruffians he cut down, another would quickly replace his position and charge at him. Furthermore, the archer standing at the watchtower was also causing a lot of trouble for him and his allies. Fortunately, he and Bylass had already devised countermeasures in their early meetings.

The two mercenaries moved with precision and style like two dancers of an entertaining event. They walked toward the bandits before suddenly rushing toward the front line. The first lackey positioned himself in defense, holding tight his axe and hoping it would withstand the assault. To no avail did he brace himself when Byleth's sword violently smashed the axe and ended up tearing it apart. Using his favorite strategy, the navy hair man sent a kick to the poor one's stomach which made him crash onto another one and succeeded in neutralizing both.

Harnessing momentum from a forward motion, Byleth and Bylass descended upon the next row of foes—two more with swords raised in their hands. Knowing that he could only counter one of them at best, that would be proved otherwise once Bylass who was running behind Byleth used his shoulder at a pillar by her left hand and put her foot into the brigand on the right while Byleth managed to block the attack on the left in time. Shocked by how matched the duo was, the brigand was busy processing what just happened until Bylass sliced him from behind and ended his life.

On their right side, things were looking good for Blue Cape and Red Cape since they did manage to compensate for the other's weakness despite the girl's hesitation when Bylass suggested the pairings. With a heavy axe in her hands, she used all her force to crush the bandit lancer, pressuring him to put down a knee to defend until his lance was broken. The brigand tried to retreat while she was busy adjusting her form after a heavy blow; however, Blue Cape had acted accordingly to plan so the boy threw his lance and landed into the ruffian's heart.

As Byleth and Bylass kept advancing toward the tower, the enemy's formation was reorganized, targeting the duo to prevent their further approach. Sadly, these efforts were fruitless against the paired mercenaries who would provide support to each other with movements that could not be strangers. As if they could telepathy, either Byleth or Bylass would rush to counter any surprise attack if the other was busy. Yellow Cape's station as archer also provided some support for them if there was any enemy sneaking on them who would meet his arrow instantly.

"Our target is near, keep moving Bylass!", Byleth shouted after fending off another thrust.

"I know! By the way, I spotted an assassin lurking in the bush earlier.", replied Bylass as she dodged another arrow.

"Yellow Cape, take cover behind your friends now!"

"I have a name you know, it will not… oops!", he quickly rolled to the right avoiding the bandit sneaking on him.

"Irrelevant! Blue Cape, make sure he is safe before we achieved our goal."

"Got it.", then he rushed to the archer and thrust at the swordsman bandit.

"Red Cape, avoid swordsman and stick to Blue Cape until we manage to neutralize that watch tower."

"On it."

Once they reached the destination which was protected by a line of vanguards, Bylass raised her sword and shouted:

"Jeralt, now!"

Unaware of the cavalry hiding in the forest, Jeralt charged his horse toward them whose rank was thrown into disarray. Knowing the moment had come, Bylass cut through their disorganized rank and stopped in front of the tower before putting her hands on the right knee. Without hesitation, Byleth followed her suit and ran toward the same destination then suddenly, he jumped at her. His foot met her hands that were carrying his weight until she gathered her strength and sent him flying to the top of the tower.

Byleth lunged at the archer who trembled in fear as he flew from the ground. All of a sudden, he used his left hand to touch the fence surrounding him, leaped outside, and slit the bandit's throat with his blade held in his right hand.

There was complete silence after they demonstrated their power. Oddly, the fighting stopped altogether, and every single gaze was now focused on Byleth. Without a word, he threw away his sword and jumped into nothingness. Like an angel descending from heaven, Byleth slowly dropped from the tower; one foot still stood up on nothing while his other leg rested against the flat side of a sword as if it were a column pedestal. Just like a scouting party earlier, panic turned to fear once they realized who they had been fighting this whole time.

The Twin Ashen Demons!"

A cold chill raced through their veins as they saw the two monsters looming ominously before them.

"I thought this was supposed to be an easy hunting job, why do we have to go up against these Demons?" one of them whimpered.

"Forget about the girl, isn't that the Shadow of Ashen Demon?" another asked, his voice trembling in terror.

"You mean the monster that delights in bathing in his enemy's blood and ripping out their entrails?" A shiver ran through him as fear swept through his body like a raging storm. His words were punctuated by the quivering of his voice.

Byleth scolded in his head, cursing the people who were likely his colleagues for spreading unnecessary rumors about him. Despite his irritation, the horrors inflicted by his title proved to be beneficial for him. Hoping to end this conflict without dirtying his hands furthermore. Byleth dropped from his sword and picked it up, pointing at the bandits with his intimidating form, and said calmly:

"Turn back now and retreat to the place you came, or else your eyes will never behold the sun again!"

Before they could flee and obey his words, a menacing voice interrupted them, stopping them in their tracks:

"So, we finally meet again, Ashen Demons!"

"Boss, why don't we just scram and avoid fighting them head-on?"

"Fear not, we have greater numbers than them. Besides, he's not the invincible being that legends paint him to be. Am I right Hero of Captives or should I call you Shadow of the Ashen Demon?"

As Byleth heard the voice of the brigands' leader, it stirred up an old memory. It was unmistakable - that same bandit, whom he had encountered two years ago on that fateful night. He turned to get a better look at him and saw the horror of his suspicion confirmed. The grimace on his showed all his inner conflict as he confirmed it was indeed the same cursed fiend that had dared to show its face again

"You!", Byleth roared with a voice that boomed like thunder across the battlefield, shaking the trees and sending all creatures fleeing in terror

"It has been 2 years and you already made a name for yourself, didn't you? Instead of being a knight in shining armor, you've chosen to be a Demon which terrorized even those you rescued.", the leader replied with a taunting voice which made Byleth frown deeper.

"Unlike you who ran away like a coward on that day," Byleth spat contemptuously.

"Yes, but it did allow me to survive...and I left you a farewell gift, didn't I?" The mocking voice of the leader hung heavy in the air.

"Byleth, don't listen to him!", Bylass shouted desperately, her hands stretching out to grasp his left one, which was trembling. His fingers curled into hers and he seemed to calm down as the two held on tightly

"Kostas, your defiance has drawn the last drop of my patience. Surrender now if you wish to retain any semblance of a dignified death."

"Are you really so insolent as to threaten even nobleborn? You demean the honor of Faerghus and I cannot allow such a dishonor!"

"Easy there, Dimitri! We may not enjoy being killed by these bandits, but they outnumber us. It would be unwise to resist them."

"What is an honor when power dominates this world? The strong devour the weak, and we are more than aware. With no authority here, your lives will be our trophies.", Kostas sneered in a way that disgusted Byleth beyond measure; it reminded him all too much of two years ago and he dry-heaved from the mere sight.

The air was thick with tension as "Byleth" spat his disdainful words. His hand shook with rage, squeezing the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. "Targeting noble or not, you decided to target them while outnumbering 10 to 1. Once a coward, always will be a coward even after all these years."

"Shut up Demon!" Kostas growled, his face turning red with fury. "You're a hypocrite for saying something so contrary to what you said before. I must thank you for enlightening me that day though".

"Running like a dog after losing a battle?", Byleth sneered with contempt

Kostas sneered. "No, but I know how to neutralize Demons such as yourself if the rumors are true. I'd love to see your face when she died in your hands." He and his men laughed cruelly in unison.

Byleth could not take it any longer. Despite Bylass's best efforts to restrain him, he managed to pull away from her grasp and ready himself for battle. His smirk was gone, replaced with a stoic expression. To the world, it seemed like he kept his cool in the face of insults, but Bylass knew otherwise.. She could feel the deep anger rising up within him and a fight about to break out. The situation was rapidly deteriorating, threatening to take a turn for the worse...for anyone but Byleth.

"This is your last warning. Disavow your leader or you will all suffer the consequences! Those who stay … no further words are necessary!", Byleth thundered with a commanding voice.

"Your threats are meaningless when you can't even save anyone. Let us finish the job and take down the Demon by eradicating all of the nobles!"

"Like hell, I will give you the chance to do that.", Byleth snapped back before rushing without waiting for his comrades.

"Kid, get over there and help him before he hurts himself again!", Jeralt shouted out in haste as Bylass hurried after Byleth.

"Jeralt, I entrust those three to you. Defend them at any cost!"

"We are not kids here, you know! First him and now her, I wonder if they are our parents."

"Claude, your humor in this situation astounds me since our lives are on the line."

"Give it up, Dimitri. It should be no surprise for us when it comes to his attitude. Anyway, prepare yourself!"

While Jeralt and the three nobles were busy defending themselves, Byleth ruthlessly cut down as many bandits as he could without any hesitation. Due to the orders, half of the forces seemed to avoid confrontation with him instead choosing to pick on any of the three teenagers to finish their job. Deciding to not let the same thing happen again, Byleth mercilessly looped off the head of the nearest brigand who was about to throw the lance at Blue Cape. Then he picked the lance up before aiming at the next one who was charging on his left and charged at the upcoming wave. Luckily for Byleth, Bylass had joined to assist him, which successfully pushed them back until he delivered the final blow to each one of them. After killing the bandit in front of Kostas, Byleth took his sword out of the corpse and kicked the body toward the leader which he evaded easily before striking back.

However, just like 2 years ago, Kostas and his goons had no chance against the duo mercenaries who now had the support of Jeralt the Blade Breakers and "not so" helpless teenagers that are capable of defending themselves. Once Bylass's sword clashed with Kostas's axe, forcing him to struggle to fend off her advance, Byleth immediately rushed and chopped off his wrist before he could respond. Taking huge damage, Kostas stepped back and tried to stop the blood loss but to no avail; the wound was too severe, and he was crying in pain.

"This is your end, Kostas!"

"I must admit you live up to your reputation which I gave you too little credit for.", Kostas grinned despite suffering the blow.

"This time you will die just like the way you've been living, and I will end your miserable life before you can pull the trick like last time.", Byleth prepared his blade for the final blow.

"Who said I had no backup?"

"Your efforts in making me distracted are useless to me so don't bother trying."

"Mark, plan B now!"

The bandit, who was presumed to be knocked out, suddenly got up and rushed toward the Red Cape girl holding an axe. Byleth felt his entire body freeze in shock at the sight, but he had no time for emotion. The memories of that day flooded back into his mind and he knew that this was a moment he had been training for all those years ago- when he had made his vow to always protect those in need. He didn't care about the consequences if he were to take that blow; if she really was one of the family members he had been searching for, then it would have been worth it, even if not, he would still be at peace knowing they were safe. With a newfound determination, Byleth put away his sword and ran toward the girl.

You can't save anyone let alone yourself.

"Shut up!"

Byleth had made it just in time and was about to protect the girl from the attack with his body when something unexpected happened - Bylass had blocked the axe, inches away from his back. Kostas was astonished by the events and was about to reorganize when he heard more footsteps. He knew they would lose if they stayed, so he chose to flee with his lackeys instead.

"Bylass, how did you…", Jeralt stuttered in shock.

However, Bylass didn't say anything and instead hugged Byleth, confusing both him and Jeralt.

"The knights of Seiros are here!"

"And here we go.", Jeralt sighed exasperatedly upon realizing that things were going to get a lot worse.

At the same time, there was someone struggling with their emotions nearby who reluctantly let Byleth go after an awkward cough. Little did anyone know that this moment would leave a scar on her heart for the rest of her life.

Minutes earlier, a different timeline

Bylass didn't know how many times Byleth had been acting rashly but none of his outbursts over the past 2 years could be compared to what he was experiencing now. Although she was disgusted by Kostas and it would be hypocritical for her if she said she didn't wish for his death. Nevertheless, inside her heart, Bylass knew having Byleth execute revenge on the bandit would not bring him peace, and encountering the fiend only re-opened his old wound. For a while, she thought he might put the past away and move on towards a brighter future with her, which she considered the happiest years she had in life.

Unfortunately, fate was sealed and Byleth had to face his worst nightmare. Everything was under control for a while until he threw himself in front of the Red Cape and took the deadly hit.

Bylass felt her heart stop as she watched Byleth collapse to the ground in pain. Anger and sorrow surged through her veins as she lunged towards the brigand, landing a deadly blow that ended his life instantly. Kostas had already fled the scene, cowardly leaving them behind. She threw the sword away and rushed over to Byleth, who was being held by Red Cape who subtly left them some space.

"Why did you do that?!", Bylass choked back tears as he spoke, trying to stay strong. Byleth could feel the conflicting emotions tearing at her heart.

Byleth's eyes weakly opened, she could barely find his breath which was fading as each second passed. After repositioning his body in a comfortable way, she gently embraced him while her left hand placed on his cheek. Was this how he felt those years ago? No, this was worse because he was someone who meant the world to her. She could not everything end like this; not before she could tell him what she had been holding back for years.

"Bylass…", his voice was getting weaker, but he still managed to hold a smile on his face faintly

"Don't say anything. I will take you to the apothecary now." She was about to pick him up before her wrist was interrupted by his hand which held hers dearly.

"I…I'm sorry, I know I promised to return safely to you but… it seems my time is up."

"No! Please don't say that!" Tears began streaming down her cheeks, blurring her vision with sorrow.

"Bylass … I'm really grateful for these two years you gave me, though there are many things I wish to finish… At least I won't die alone and be forgotten... I'm glad that I have you by my side right now." His hand reached for her cheek which she returned by squeezing it gently.

"Please live your life for both of us", he said as his hand went limp and fell into her lap.

Bylass couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him. He looked so peaceful, like sleeping in a dream he might never wake up from. She screamed his name desperately, hoping he would still be alive even if it was only for a moment. But despite all her efforts, he remained lifeless in her arms.

The reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. The warmth that they seemed to share when together was gone and replaced with coldness now. Bylass felt sadness and anger starting to surge through her; she couldn't believe this was happening. He had promised to stay with her, to introduce her to his family one day. How could he just leave without ever fulfilling any of those dreams? She wanted to scream, but all she could do was cry silently.

At this moment, she could not deny it any longer. She had an answer for those feelings of yearning for him after all this time; embracing tightly his body and closing her eyes, Bylass whispered:

"Byleth, I …."

Suddenly, the surrounding area became quiet until a voice broke out:

"What would you do if you had a second chance?"

Bylass got out of her thoughts while her senses were adapting to the situation. When she opened her eyes, the forest had been replaced by an old temple covered in eternal darkness. The only place that had small light was the throne which was occupied by a young girl with green eyes.

"Who are you?", Bylass shouted, reaching for her sword which she forgot that she threw earlier.

"Easy there, I come in peace. As for your answer, my name is … Sothis or the Beginning. But where did I hear that from?"

"What do you want?"

"As I said earlier, I'm here to offer you a second chance."

"What do you mean by second chance?"

"Enough with these questions, alright. I can turn back time before the tragedy befell your lover."

Normally Bylass would flush and deny it vehemently, but the thought did not occupy her mind now after hearing the proposition:

"You mean you can turn back time as you please?"

"Yes and no. My power is not unlimited but since the event just happened recently, I can help you with that."

"Then please, send me back before the moment he took that blow!"

"And your wish shall be granted. Good luck to you, bearer of flames."

"Is that you Jeralt? I can't believe I've found my captain here after 20 years.", the captain of the knights shouted excitedly.

"20 years and you are still that noisy, Alois. And drop with the title captain, please. Now I'm just a humble mercenary. So long, Alois.", Jeralt waved his hand.

"Right, goodbye Captain! Wait, this is not how it is supposed to be.", Alois stuttered and stopped them before Jeralt and the duo left.

"Garreg Mach Monastery! Look like this is inevitable."

Alois found it amusing to see Jeralt's defeated face after trying to run away from him. Noticing the 2 figures behind him, Alois assumed they were twins due to the similarities in their resemblance:

"Are you both twins of the captain?"

"I'm the angel of death", Byleth responded.

"And I'm emissary of hell.", Bylass took the hint and joined the fun.

"You sure have great children, Jeralt."

"Joke aside, Bylass here is indeed my daughter. As for Byleth, we met him 2 years ago and I can guarantee that we are not related."

"Really? They look quite close to me. I thought finally I could find a younger version of you."

"Well, he might not be my son, but Byleth here has earned enough of my trust and respect. However, that could be the case if she already made up her decision.", Jeralt grinned at Bylass who looked away to hide her embarrassment while Byleth's face was unreadable.

"By the way, shall we head back now? Or are you about to run off again, captain?"

"Even I wouldn't dare to run off from the Knights of Seiros. Kids, I leave the three nobles to you. I and Alois have some works to handle now."

Byleth and Bylass waved to the kids and guided them back to the village. Spotting the corpses of bandits outside the wall of the village, Byleth got reassured that the base was safe, which proved his strategy was successful. But somehow, he had a feeling that Bylass was displeased with his ideas as if she could hear what he was thinking after shooting him some warning glares. Furthermore, what caused her to be so stressed now?

"I must admit that your insane proposition ended up working. After seeing how you both manage to control the flow of battle by yourself, I can see where your confidence comes from.", the blonde kid (who Byleth assumed his name was Dimitri) complimented them.

"Especially how the two of you lean on each other and counter any surprise attack with such fluency. None of the generals in the Empire can even be that capable."

"And don't forget how they neutralized that watchtower. So, can you guys give me some tips? I promise I will pay you handsomely."

"Again with bribery, what devilish schemes are you having now? ", Edelgard shook her head in disappointment.

"I'm innocent as an angel, princess. Seriously, how can you guys do that?"

"It's our trade secrets.", both said simultaneously.

"You heard them, Claude. By the way, I appreciate what you both did to help me back then. No wonder how both of you are children of Jeralt- the Blade Breaker."

"Once again, I'm indeed his daughter but not for Byleth here. He is still our family of sorts though.", Bylass explained casually.

"Hey Dimitri, you lost the bet. I told you already.", Claude laughed mischievously.

"I never agreed to your deal, Claude. All I said was I wondered whether they were siblings."

"And I bet that they were far beyond that after witnessing such affection."

"Please ignore his babbling. However, I'm curious as well. You two do look similar though."

"Honestly, neither of us knows the reason but the important part is she is my dearest friend, and we are stuck together for a while.", Byleth answered neutrally.

"It seems that this friend of yours doesn't mean that much to you," Bylass muttered bitterly causing Byleth to tilt his head in confusion.

"Back to our topic. I forgot to make an introduction. I'm Edelgard von Hresvelg and it's a pleasure to meet you.", Edelgard nodded politely trying to hide her embarrassment after witnessing the scene earlier.

"And I'm Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. He is Claude von Riegan who is too cheeky for a grandson of Duke Riegan."

"I was about to have the most fantastic introduction ever but looks like you beat me to it. But yes, I'm Claude- heir of Leicester Alliance."

"May I remind you that it was thanks to you that we end up being chased by those bandits?"

"For once I must admit with Dimitri, what kind of idiot announcing his title and Crest in front of those brigands then ran away. If we didn't escort you, the Alliance may have a new heir now.", Edelgard said with an amusing smirk.

"It was a tactical retreat, guys. I didn't expect you both would run with me, but the problem was solved since we crossed with the duo mercenaries here."

"Anyway, as future emperor of the Empire, I would love to employ…"

"Hold up right there, Edelgard. I was the first talking to them."

"Look at you, fighting over someone you just met but I will cut to the chase. Which county has your allegiances?"

After Claude finished his question, the others soon followed and stared at him and Bylass, waiting for their answers. Byleth had never been interested in politics therefore he didn't care to learn which country Remire Village was located in. All he wanted was to reunite with his family who his instincts said was Edelgard. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to recognize him, so he started doubting his mind. But the question still remained- which country is he interested in the most?

Never thought I would say this, there is nothing that makes me feel more overjoyed to have you on our side.

Indeed, the ***** ***** Strike Force is an important asset to Adrestian Empire. My apology for suspecting your choice that day.

It's alright, ******.

But I do wonder as well, Byleth. Why did you choose us?

Isn't it simple?

….

You all are my family.

"Byleth is everything alright."

"It's nothing.", Byleth swallowed and pulled him up quickly." As for your question, I would say I'm most interested in Adrestian Empire."

"And for me as well."

"A wise choice I must say. Although the Empire is in a weakened state, it's still a force to be reckoned with., Edelgard answered with a satisfied grin on her face.

"I've been meaning to ask. What are the Knights of Seiros?", Bylass asked.

"Another surprise, although your father was their captain. They are one of the mightiest forces in Fodland."

"And based on your uniforms, you guys are studying in an Academy, right?", Byleth took the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"That's right, the three of us are students of Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery."

"I know this is odd to ask but could you please enlighten me?", Byleth asked hesitatingly.

"No worries, what do you wish to know?"

"Have you guys ever seen a blue hair professor at the Academy?"

"Heh?", their eyes widened at his question.

"Are you asking if we ever met?", Dimitri decided to break the silence first despite his awkward smile.

"….", Byleth's face remained stoic but deep down in his heart, he just wanted to dig a hole now after asking that question.

"We definitely have never met before. If you were indeed one of the professors at our Academy, there would be no way I can forget such a talented person.", Edelgard answered politely.

"Oh, right.", Byleth inclined in defeat, saddened by the truth of his discovery.

"There you are, kids", Jeralt approached them with Alois at his side. "There are changes in our plans now. We will head to Garreg Mach Monastery."

"When will we depart, Jeralt?"

"Early morning tomorrow, so you kids should go take a rest now."

"If that is all, then I will take my leave now. Have a good night, everyone", Byleth nodded and bid farewell to the three students. He was about to leave before getting stopped by someone.

"Meet me at our usual spot", Bylass whispered to his ears.

"What a night we have", Bylass murmured while waiting for Byleth.

"Indeed, especially how reckless that lover of yours.", another voice raised inside her head.

"Could you please stop teasing me with such a thing? Also, why did you help me earlier?"

"Isn't helping your companion a good thing to do?", Sothis tilted her head.

"Since when are we friends?', Bylass asked curiously.

"Well since I'm part of you now so I suppose that's the case. Moreover, shouldn't you be grateful that I just saved his life?"

"Right, I'm sorry. Thank you for giving me that chance.", Bylass bowed respectfully.

"I'm glad that we can come to a mutual understanding. But there is one thing I'm curious about as well."

"What is it?"

"I wonder if I've ever seen Byleth somewhere before?"

"Have you ever talked to anyone before?", her voice piqued with curiosity.

"Nope, you are the only one I've ever talked and I doubt others can see my presence."

"Then why do you think that you've known Byleth?"

"I don't know but when I saw him, a sense of familiarity was arising in my soul. When he took that blow, an unknown sorrow took over me, begging me to save him no matter what. Argh, my head is blowing now.", Sothis held both hands in her head, dramatizing her outburst.

"Let's see if he can see you and figure something out later."

"If who can see who?"

Bylass was caught off guard as she stood up in a defensive stance. Realizing it was only Byleth, she relaxed her body and waved at him. Sothis appeared for a minute to check their hypothesis until she realized he was not aware of her presence, so she decided to disappear and gave them some moments.

"Nothing important. However, we must talk about your behavior earlier. Why did you do that?", Bylass raised her voice.

"What did I do?", Byleth asked defensively, feeling the pressure of her sharp glares piercing into his eyes.

"You used yourself as a shield!", Bylass screamed back at him, her voice trembling with emotion. "Don't you understand how dangerous that could have been?! What if something had happened to you? You don't know what it would feel like for me to lose you!"

Byleth was taken aback by her words. His heart ached at seeing the pain in her eyes. He knew he had done the right thing, but something about her pain made him question himself. He shook his head and said softly, "Bylass, it was the only way to protect someone else's life who has a family waiting for them. My life means nothing if I can save another life."

"What about me? Am I not your family too?", Bylass looked straight into his eyes. Her voice was breaking as if she was about to cry.

Byleth sighed deeply, taking a few moments to think. When he finally spoke again, his tone was gentle and understanding.

"Yes, you are my dearest and my most cherished family."

"Then please listen to your family. I can't bear seeing you getting hurt for the sake of others."

"Bylass, what happened? I'm fine, aren't I?"

"…", she was completely silent and lost in thoughts until she suddenly hugged him.

"You are an idiot, you know."

"I will take that as a compliment.", he gently squeezed her back.

"Look, I know you've always been idealistic, but you don't have to take the burdens by yourself. I'm always here for you!"

"And I'm by yours."

"Then promise me that you will never do such thing again.", her hands reached his cheeks, forcing him to look at her eyes.

"Bylass…"

"I'm serious!", her tone got deeper hinting that she was not joking.

"I promise.", Byleth reluctantly agreed knowing he should not antagonize an angry Bylass further.

Although Bylass knew that he would not abandon his suicidal behaviors, she felt satisfied for the time being. If what Sothis said was true, at least she could repeat it one more time in case something like this happened again which she hoped it wouldn't be repeating once more.

Wind sipping through leaves, cracking undergrowth with each step creating a peaceful melody. A slight scent of flowers and sweat on their lips easing the atmosphere; leading them to sit down and enjoy the night. The night sky was aglow with luminous stars, glittering like the tunes of a beautiful sonata. The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the veil of darkness cast away the darkness of the forest. Both said nothing but simply relaxing and experiencing the calmness of nature.

Turning her head to Byleth, she carefully poked his shoulders:

"It's late now, time to go."

There was no answer from him, instead a small snore indicated he had fallen asleep.

"I guess our time hasn't ended yet then.", she thought as she positioned herself next to him, laying his head on her shoulder.

Conflicted emotions swirled within her heart – while the thought of being with him filled her with joy, it also brought pain and uncertainty about what the future may hold for them. She wanted to express her feelings but at the same time, she was afraid that it would all change if she did. Yet deep down inside, she knew that this might be her only chance to confront her true desires.

Taking a deep breath, Bylass silently kissed his forehead and chuckled.

"Even though you are an idiot, I can't help but fall for you. This time I will not run away from my heart's desire anymore. I love you, Byleth!"

And she fell asleep with their heads leaned on each other. Forget all the suffering they both experienced today, the duo slept soundly, waiting for another sunrise tomorrow which would lead them to yet another journey.

"I guess it has finally happened. Take care of her well, Byleth!", Jeralt walked away with a happy smile. Maybe Alois was right, he would have a son sooner or later.

Life was never easy but it didn't mean they could not find happiness, could they?