Time to finish the daylight hunt.
Chapter 4 – Reunion at Daybreak (Ethereal Moon)
As the Dire Wolves rushed toward her and the others, Byleth shouted, "Constance!"
"Leave it to me!" Constance interrupted as she readied her Fimbulvetr spell.
Acting quickly, Annette and Linhardt began channeling Mana to Constance, allowing her to ready the spell in seconds. The blonde sorceress then shouted as she raised a wall of ice in front of the wolves, just behind the trailing members of the House Aegir troops. The ice shuddered and cracked as the wolves crashed into it.
"That will not hold them for long!" said Constance.
"Long enough for us to make a shield wall!" said Caspar.
"No, a shield wall will not stop them," said Ferdinand. "Spread into two groups. We need to catch them between us so we can confuse them."
"On it," said Yuri.
"We'll need someone to draw the wolves in," said Byleth, prompting everyone to turn to her. "Yuri, take the left side. Ferdinand, take the right."
"How can I help?" asked Bernadetta, surprising the others. Then, realizing the looks they were giving her, Bernadetta said, "H-Hey, I can't just let you guys do all the fighting!"
Leonie smiled and said, "Well, well, looks like Bernadetta got a little braver since we last saw each other."
Before anyone else could comment, the cracking of ice caught their attention once more. The wall was seconds from breaking. Byleth immediately began pointing out spots for the others to go to. The former teacher could not help but swell with pride at seeing the cooperation between her former students. It was as though they had never been separated for five long years.
"I will be acting as the prey for the wolves to be chasing," Petra said before rushing toward the wall, ensuring she would be the first thing the wolves spotted.
"Petra, be careful!" Dorothea said worriedly as the others took their positions.
As they did, the ice finally broke as the first Dire Wolf's snout bashed through the wall, its fangs snapping for anything it could reach. Petra drew an arrow to her bow, took aim, and fired at the wolf's nose. The Dire Wolf recoiled with a loud snarl as the arrow pierced its hide, more than enough to rile it up. The wolf then rushed forward, smashing through the icy wall and spotting Petra immediately. The Brigid princess immediately spun around and ran, despite knowing that even she couldn't outrun an angry Dire Wolf for long.
The wolf snapped and growled as it scrambled after Petra, with the other three wolves in tow. The leader began to sprint with unexpected speed, closing on Petra far faster than Byleth had anticipated. It would catch her in seconds, its fangs ready to crush her.
"WATCH OUT!" Bernadetta shouted.
Byleth was just about to reach for the Divine Pulse when Petra leapt up as the Dire Wolf snapped its jaws at her, gracefully dodging the strike. Her dagger drawn, she slashed the tribal blade across the wolf's nose, making it yowl in pain. But the wolf recovered quickly, and just as it made another lunge of its fangs at Petra, Caspar roared as he slammed his axe into the wolf's side, sending it to the ground on its side, wounded but alive.
The other three wolves were right behind the first, and they quickly saw Caspar as new prey.
"NOW!" Byleth shouted.
The soldiers raised their bows and fired at the wolves, pelting them with arrows from both sides. A Dark Spikes T spell from Lysithea rained down on the third wolf, skewering it with dark lances of magic while Excalibur spells from Annette and Linhardt tore apart the fourth wolf. The second wolf howled defiantly, but its cry was soon silenced as Leonie and Bernadetta both shot it inside its mouth, their arrows lodging into the doomed creature's brain.
As the other three wolves collapsed, the first wolf scrambled to get up, throwing Caspar off it. Caspar yelped as a stray arrow hit him in the shoulder.
"Caspar!" shouted Annette.
The wolf turned toward Caspar in its rage and, before Caspar could ready his axe again, the wolf prepared to crush his head in its teeth.
A Thoron spell from Dorothea and a fireball from Byleth struck the wolf before it could attack, making it yelp and yowl as it was scorched by the combined spells. It collapsed to the ground just at Caspar's feet, dead.
Caspar let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thanks, Professor. You too, Dorothea. That was a close one."
"Are you okay?" asked Annette.
Pulling the arrow out of his shoulder, Caspar answered, "It's just a flesh wound. I'll be alright."
"I'll be the judge of that," said Linhardt as he readied his healing magic. Caspar said nothing to object to him.
As Byleth nodded at Caspar, one of the Aegir soldiers shouted, "They're on the run!"
The soldiers began cheering as they turned to see the few remaining rogues were fleeing from the town.
…
Pallardó was stunned. Watching the students handle his four Dire Wolves so easily left him dumbstruck. He had nothing left to throw at them. His men were cutting and running, and he figured he ought to do the same.
"Guess it's time to take my leave," Pallardó said to himself as he turned to flee.
"And just where do you think you're going, Pallardó?" said a voice that made the swindler freeze in horror.
He turned just as the tip of a Levin Sword was raised to his neck and raised his hands in surrender as he said, "Anna! F-Fancy meeting you here! I was just–"
"You were just leaving after trying to kill my friends?" Anna said angrily as she emerged from the shadows.
"Y-Your friends? Hey, I didn't know they were your friends, Anna!" Pallardó stammered for a moment and then said, "Hey, come on, there's no need for this. We can talk this out."
"I only want one thing from you, Pallardó."
Anna drove her blade into Pallardó's throat. His eyes shrunk in horror as she sliced open his windpipe, the blade delivering an agonizing electrical shock to him at the same time.
Anna then said, "And it's for you to stay dead this time."
Pallardó stumbled back as Anna withdrew her blade, and after two steps he collapsed onto his back and gurgled his last in agony.
The sound of footsteps prompted Anna to turn around. The students were rushing toward her, surprised to see the redhead merchant after so many years. The former heiress of House Ernest didn't look as though she had aged a day, her long red hair still tied in a ponytail and her face devoid of any scars or blemishes. Her outfit, however, had several new additions to it, including a practical leather chest piece and some throwing knives strapped to her arms and legs.
Before the others could say anything, Anna, who had been looking at Byleth in surprise, said to the greenette, "About time, sleepyhead! I thought you were never gonna wake up!"
"A-Anna?" Byleth said in a flustered tone.
"I've been coming back here every two months for the past five years to check on you! Do you know how hard it is to plan a merchant life around such a thing?!"
Byleth was speechless, as were the others.
But what really shocked them was when Anna suddenly rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Byleth in a hug.
Byleth was stunned as she realized Anna was crying.
"I'm so glad you're okay…" Anna sobbed.
"Anna…" said Byleth. Hugging the merchant, she said, "I'm sorry I worried you."
"Wait a second," Dorothea said as she realized something. "You mean you really WERE sleeping for five whole years?!"
Byleth and Anna awkwardly separated as Linhardt said, "My, my, I'm envious of you, Professor Eisner."
"Perhaps you had best explain what happened to you, Professor," said Ferdinand.
Byleth was about to answer this when she suddenly heard a loud growling noise. The others heard it as well, and immediately they were either amused or baffled by it.
It was coming from Byleth's gut.
Byleth blushed as she realized just how famished she was.
"How's about we hear your story over some breakfast?" said Annette. "I'll cook!"
"No, allow me, Annie," said Dorothea. "It's the least I can do for getting you all into this mess."
"Huh? What do you mean by that, Dorothea?" asked Caspar.
"Don't you remember? I'm the one who came up with this reunion promise. And because I did, you all–"
"Songbird, don't," Yuri interrupted. "You didn't know this would happen."
"Don't worry about it, Dorothea," said Leonie. "We got to see each other again, didn't we?"
"Leonie's right, Dorothea," said Lysithea.
The others agreed with this, easing some of Dorothea's guilt.
"Thank you, everyone," she said with a sniffle.
…
Following the battle, the soldiers from House Aegir were busy searching through the loot left behind by Pallardó's gang. Ferdinand had come to the monastery with around eighty men and had lost ten of them with fifteen more wounded. Thankfully, there were more than enough medical supplies in the town to address their injuries.
There was also plenty of food stockpiled in the bandits' hoard. Herbs and spices, vegetables and plenty of meat were found by the soldiers and brought back to the monastery. Dorothea used the ingredients to cook everyone a hearty meal of boar meat, pheasant eggs, and a freshly made salad. Of course, the students had also found a large keg of beer, and Leonie was now on her second pint.
Leonie slammed down her mug with a loud, satisfied gasp and said, "Oh yeah, that's the taste of life right there."
"Leonie, isn't it much too early for you to be drinking?" asked Linhardt.
"What are you talking about? It's never too early for beer!"
"Could you at least not spill your drink all over the table?" Constance said in disgust.
As he scarfed down another strip of boat meat, Caspar said, "Oh, wow, this is good. Mmm! I haven't eaten good food like this in a long time!"
"Dorothea, you've really improved at cooking," said Annette.
"Thanks," said Dorothea. "I owe it to you guys."
"It's a shame that no one else from our semester has arrived," said Lysithea.
"Maybe they're just running late?" said Bernadetta.
"I wouldn't count on that," said Felix.
"What do you mean, Felix?" asked Byleth.
The others were confused for a second, but then Anna said, "A lot has happened over the past five years."
Felix then said, "I suppose we should fill you in, Professor. Shortly after the battle five years ago, there was a regime change in Faerghus. Long-story-short, House Blaiddyd is no longer in power. The Kingdom has been split into two factions: the Loyalists, and the Faerghus Dukedom. The Dukedom is led by Cornelia Arnim and currently controls the capital city of Fhirdiad."
"Who is Cornelia?" asked Byleth.
"She used to be the court magician to the Faerghus royal family, but she now rules the Dukedom as its Duchess, and pledges her fealty to the Empire. My father and the boar currently lead the Loyalists against the Empire."
"As for the Alliance," said Lysithea, "it too has split into two factions: one that supports the Empire, and one that opposes it. Claude is leading the faction opposed to the Empire, while House Gloucester leads the Imperial supporters. Claude has been working hard to make the Alliance outwardly look unified, so as not to give the Empire cause to invade. However, I do not suspect that will last much longer."
"Isn't your family on House Gloucester's side?" asked Leonie.
"Yes, but I chose not to side with them. At present, you might as well say I'm not a member of House Ordelia."
"Last I heard," said Yuri, "Balthus was working for Claude as a mercenary. I'll bet Hilda had something to do with that."
"What about Hapi?" asked Annette.
"I wish I knew. I haven't heard a thing about her ever since the battle. For all I know, she could be dead."
Constance, despite being out of the sun, turned gloomy upon hearing this.
"By the way, what exactly happened to you, Professor?" asked Dorothea.
Byleth took a deep breath and then told them of her part in the Battle of Garreg Mach. She told them of the man in black who had bested her and how she fell into the ravine, though she opted not to tell them about the Divine Pulse.
"How did you survive the fall?" asked Annette.
"I… don't know," said Byleth. "I should have died."
"When I found her, she was being sealed away in some kind of crystal by this strange creature," said Anna.
"Strange creature?" asked Lysithea.
"I've seen a lot, but this wasn't like anything I've ever encountered before." Anna reached into her pouch as she said, "I made a drawing of it. Here, let me show you."
Anna spread out a piece of parchment, showing her diagram of the creature. Dorothea and Byleth were both confused by what they saw. A lion's body, covered in thorns, with vibrantly colored wings, and a head that didn't look like anything they knew. It seemed almost too stylized to be an accurate diagram.
"Is this supposed to be avant-garde, Miss Anna?" Constance said with a laugh.
"I know, my drawing's bad," said Anna. "But I know what I saw."
"Have you, perhaps, encountered this creature before, Professor?" asked Ferdinand.
"No, I don't think so," answered Byleth.
"I'd remember if I saw something this… bizarre," said Dorothea.
"That's not even the weirdest thing about it," said Anna. "This thing spoke to me, in perfect Basic, and told me to leave By in that crystal until she could recover. Then it vanished in a cloud of mist."
"Okay, are you sure you didn't hit your head back then, Anna?" asked Yuri. "I saw you fall into the waterways in Abyss during the battle."
Anna frowned at this, not appreciating that Yuri thought she was crazy.
"I believe you, Anna," said Byleth.
"Okay, so you ended up being saved by this… thing," said Dorothea. "What about the rest of you?"
"I've been working as a mercenary," said Leonie. "Never for the Empire, though. Captain Jeralt would never forgive me if I sided with them."
"Same here," said Caspar. "I've just been wandering around, fighting the good fight."
"I cut my ties with my father and the boar years ago," said Felix. "I've spent the last few years trying to make trouble for the Dukedom."
"I was being kept at home by my uncle," said Annette. "He's the leader of House Dominic and didn't want me to get involved in the fighting between the Dukedom and the Loyalists."
"So, if you were being cooped up by your uncle, how'd you get here?" asked Caspar.
"It's actually a funny story." Annette blushed as she added, "Felix kinda… kidnapped me."
"WHAT?!" Bernadetta yelped.
"Technically, she's not wrong," Felix said with a smirk. "Annette was about to be married off to some Imperial fool when I broke into the Dominic estate and took her with me."
"Not to mention this," Annette said as she gestured to her Heroes' Relic. "The relic of House Dominic, Crusher."
"I didn't want it to end up in Imperial hands."
"As for ourselves," Constance said as she gestured to Ferdinand, "we attempted to retake House Aegir's territory from the Empire two years ago. It was… less than successful."
"Our forces were routed by the Empire's elite, the Black Eagle Strike Force," said Ferdinand.
"Black Eagle… Strike Force?" Anna said, both amused and bewildered by the name.
"They were named by Edelgard herself," said Linhardt. "They're led by Ladislava, the Crimson Warrior. Best Wyvern Knight in the Empire."
"I've met her before," said Byleth. "She was captain of Edelgard's personal bodyguards in Enbarr."
"Ever since our defeat, we have been forced into hiding," said Ferdinand. "I have very few soldiers left under my command."
"I was basically staying at home," said Linhardt. "Left it to come here. I don't think my father really cares."
"I went back to Brigid once…" said Petra, "but I had to be returning to Fodlan for our reunion."
As Dorothea smiled at Petra, Bernadetta said, "Well, I… um…"
"Go ahead, Bernadetta," said Byleth.
"I got captured by the Empire after the battle five years ago and was sent back home. I had to stay with my father, who was under house arrest. He was so angry at me all the time, I thought he was gonna kill me a dozen times a day!"
Yuri then said, "That's until I broke her out of her home. It's more-or-less the same thing Felix did. I snuck my way into the Varley estate and took Bernadetta with me. Simple as that."
"Wow, just like that?" asked Caspar.
"Well, her father did spot us and gave chase. But don't worry, he won't be troubling anyone ever again."
"Did you kill him?" Annette asked in shock.
"Actually, no. He ended up causing a rockslide in the Oghma Mountains and I have to assume he was crushed to death by it."
"Oh."
"Good riddance, I say," said Constance. "Wystan von Varley was the worst of the worst."
"I guess that's everyone," said Leonie.
"Wait a second, what about you, Dorothea?" asked Annette.
Hesitantly, Dorothea said, "I…"
Before she could continue, one of the House Aegir soldiers ran up to the table and said, "Milord, we have visitors. They bear the standard of the Knights of Seiros."
Quite the strange stories to share, aren't they?