Chapter 35: Lessons in Truth and Theology
20th day of the Guardian Moon 1180. Golden Deer classroom.
"Good morning, class," said Byleth. "Today's program is comprised of two excursions. We will first head down to Abyss and then leave for Zanado once our business there is concluded."
Over the many months that Byleth had been their Professor, the Golden Deer had slowly grown used to his abrupt way of beginning their lessons. However, it still left them with questions quite often; ones such as this:
"Uhm… What exactly are we going to do there?" asked Hilda. "It doesn't sound very officer-y."
"I don't believe that's a word, Hilda," interjected Claude, "But I can't say I'm not curious either."
Byleth inclined his head. "There are several reasons, the first being that my mother is entombed in Abyss. I wish to pay my respects."
That was news to most of them. Their teacher only very rarely spoke of family matters, and Jana and Jeralt were very tight-lipped about that topic as well. It was a piece of information none of them had expected, but to someone like Claude, it opened up more questions.
"Forgive me for asking, Teach, but why is she not buried in her grave?" he asked.
Ignoring the outraged looks Claude received for that question, the Professor answered, "It is connected to the second reason: Theology."
"Uh… what?" asked Raphael, "Why's that important?"
"The Officers Academy is a Church institution," said Byleth, "And all of Fodlan has been culturally, socially and politically influenced by the Church for over a thousand years. The Church is about to begin the process of its reformation, which means that you, the future leaders of Fodlan, will need to know about the history and the secrets of the Church. That is the main purpose of our excursions."
Claude was lost in thought as he contemplated that answer. "I see," he said. "Are there more reasons?"
"Yes," answered Byleth. "The proper integration of the Duscurian refugees and the Agarthan captives necessitates the formation of cultural understanding. That is why we will travel to Zanado, where the refugees live now."
"But why?" asked Marianne. "It's a good thing, and we should get along, but why do it like this?"
The young Professor was pleased with his students' inquisitiveness today, and therefore answered promptly, "Because the Goddess Sothis is part of their belief system as well. They have as much of a right to know the truths that have been hidden as we do."
A smirk made its way onto Claude's face. "Ah, so we finally get to find out everything, huh?"
"Yes. Most of it, in any case," said Byleth.
"But why would the Church hide anything?" asked Leonie. "It doesn't make sense to me."
Before Byleth could answer, Lorenz interjected, "The Church is a political entity. Secrets are only natural in politics. If you have nothing to hide, everyone can see and exploit your weaknesses."
"That is one reason," added the Professor. "Another is the safety of certain individuals and groups."
"Can you give us some examples?" asked Lysithea.
Byleth nodded. "Down in Abyss, you will see a small polytheistic temple. Any faith that does not have the Goddess Sothis in its belief system is not accepted in Fodlan. Its followers would be persecuted and possibly murdered all over the continent. Abyss is the only safe place for them at this point."
"I wonder how that came to be," said Marianne. "The Church does not strictly forbid the worship of other deities or the practice of other religions. Heresy is punishable, but being a heathen isn't."
Claude chuckled. "Marianne, you know the tenets, rules and definitions of the Church. Do you think the average person has an idea what the difference between a heretic and a heathen is?"
"That is part of the problem," commented Byleth. "When it was founded, the Church constructed a system of beliefs and practices for Fodlan to adopt. The goal was overshot. Going back on any policy could have led to the collapse of the system. By the time going back was no longer dangerous, it had become too difficult to do. So, polytheists and other heathens have found themselves being rescued and protected by the Church ever since, ironically."
"Oh," said Marianne, looking downcast.
"People like simple explanations. I'm not much of a guy for complicated stuff myself," said Raphael. "That's why smart ones like you need to be around. You can explain it so it makes sense for everyone. If you manage that, they won't do things they aren't supposed to anymore."
"A simplistic view," commented Lorenz, "But mostly a correct one. Indeed, the web of lies must be un-spun and simplified for everyone's understanding. It is no simple task, but it is one you would be uniquely suited for, Marianne."
The girl smiled at that. "Thanks. I'll try my best," she said.
"And what makes you think the rest of you won't be involved in this?" asked Byleth.
"Do we have to?" whined Hilda. "It sounds boring."
The young Professor considered her for a bit. That was a typical Hilda-like question. He was glad that she seemed to be handling the emotional aftermath of her family's legal troubles well, but he sometimes wished for a bit more seriousness from her. He fought the urge to sigh.
"Yes, you have to," he said. "Change needs to begin somewhere, and you're all part of that somewhere."
That statement did precious little to improve Hilda's stance on the matter. Sadly for her, the others seemed to agree with their Professor. Seeing that she was outnumbered, she huffed. "Fine, but don't expect too much from me."
"There will be plenty of stuff for you to like," said Byleth. "Trust me."
"I'll believe it when I see it, Professor," replied Hilda.
There were chuckles at her expense throughout the room, but they subsided quickly. When it had grown quiet again, Byleth spoke up. "Alright, we'll leave now. The other Houses and the Archbishop will be accompanying us as well, by the way."
"Why is that?" asked Ignatz.
"The same reasons that apply to you apply to them. You're all the future leadership of Fodlan. You need to know the truth to spread it," replied Byleth. "Let's go."
Two hours later. Abyss.
Wary and unfriendly gazes followed the students as they walked behind their Professors and the Archbishop through the underground settlement that was Abyss. They could even see some of the parents in the crowd taking their children away as though they expected the surface-dwellers to attack them. It left a bitter taste in everyone's mouths, even Hubert's. These people were afraid, but they were also stubborn and resilient. They only trusted their own, which was ironic in light of Fodlan's attitude concerning foreigners. Here, it was the average Fodlanese who were the foreigners, and the students were not particularly thrilled about it.
It was also possible that some of the looks were garnered due to their tagalongs. The five people dressed in strange uniforms were drawing quite a bit of attention. Four of them had the typical pale skin and looks of Agarthans, while the last one was a high-profile individual. It came as a surprise since almost nobody knew that Anselma had joined Hyperion's clergy. Additionally, while the four with Agarthan looks were silent, Anselma was in a hushed but heated debate with her daughter. That also drew some attention.
They encountered Yuri and his Ashen Wolves within a minute of entering the underground town that formed the centre of Abyss. The greeting they received was short and to the point, but t dd the job. The wary and scared looks the group from the Officers Academy had received abated. It was to be expected, considering that Yuri was the leader and protector of Abyss. Its people trusted him not to lead enemies to their doorstep. That didn't mean that they would trust the outsiders, but they wouldn't begin any hostilities with them either.
From that point on, it was smooth sailing. Nobody stopped them, fewer people stared at them, and the people of Abyss resumed their usual activities. The guards also didn't give them much trouble since Yuri got them to stand aside after only a few short words. It was, therefore, not a very long journey to their destination. It took the whole procession only about twenty minutes to reach the small pagan temple.
"Greetings, Archbishop and company. Welcome to the temple. I've been expecting you," greeted a veiled woman as soon as they entered the building.
"Greetings to you as well, priestess," replied Rhea.
The two of them had never spoken with each other before, having used Yuri as an intermediary until now. Rhea herself was still unsure about everything, but her mother had made her intentions for the Church of Seiros clear. The reforms were set to begin within the month, war or no war. Cooperating with those of other faiths was essential to those reforms, and so, Rhea had no choice but to leave her comfort zone. At least she wasn't alone in her discomfort. The priestess was visibly nervous despite her veil and robes.
While the two sized each other up, Hyperion and Byleth by extension inspected the exposed speck of skin on her neck. It looked like a very familiar shade to them, only ever so slightly darker. So, before the conversation could go anywhere, Byleth asked a question that halted it in its tracks.
"Are you the descendant of an Agarthan?"
The priestess froze. "I… Why would-," she stammered.
"No need to be afraid," said Nikola as he and his fellows stepped forward into her view. "Yuri has vouched for you, and the people here know that not all of our kind are beyond redemption."
"Furthermore, the sins of the parent are not the sins of the child," said Rhea with some reluctance. She hated the Agarthans, but with the knowledge she had about the Dark Shells, the hatred was tempered by pity.
The priestess swallowed a lump in her throat before she finally answered, "My father was an Agarthan. He met my mother during a covert operation. He was supposed to dispose of her. He ran instead, taking her with him. He was caught and killed a mere week later, but he managed to hide my mother from them. I was conceived on the single night they spent together. Mother always called me her little miracle because of that. She still does.
When I was little, she also told me stories he had told her about how things were wrong with his people, and what they had lost. They had lost their culture, their languages and their Gods. I listened to those stories and made it my mission to make sure that they would not be forgotten. That is not to say that I despise the Goddess of Fodlan, but the other Gods deserve attention too. This statue here? It's not one of the Gods Mother told me about, but it represents the only place where they can be worshipped."
Her story surprised the listeners. Her circumstances were rare, quite possibly unique in all the world. None could really fault her for her choice of faith.
"That might soon change," said Nikola.
The priestess tilted her head. "Why do you say that?" she asked.
Nikola motioned for his four comrades to come forward and display that symbol they wore on their uniform. "We are the priesthood of Hyperion the Younger, youngest of the Gods, and staunch ally of Sothis, she who died and then returned. They remember who the old Gods were, and they do not tolerate blind hatred against those who worship them."
"I don't believe you," said the priestess.
A sigh escaped Rhea's lips. "But it is true. I admit that I do not particularly like Hyperion, but the Goddess is fond of him. She has commanded that he should be known, and that all should know the true history of the world and all the Gods that used to be."
"Even if most of them were distinctly unpleasant fellows," said a new voice. It came from Byleth's direction, though it was not the man himself.
There was a shimmering, see-through image of a man standing in front of the now helmeted Professor. He said, "Hello there. The name's Hyperion. Let me start by saying that what you're seeing is a projected image. I do not possess a physical form just yet, which is why I usually communicate through Byleth here."
"This has to be some kind of fever dream," said the priestess.
Kronya, who had stayed silent so far, snorted. "Oh yeah, the boss has that effect on people. Blunt as a club sometimes."
"Thank you for that glowing endorsement, Kronya," he remarked drily. "Now then, priestess, do you know the names of those Gods your mother told you about? I might know a bit about them."
"How would you know them? Other Gods are not popular in these lands," remarked the priestess.
Hyperion only gave her a full-bellied laugh and said, "Oh man, people really forgot a lot over the years, huh? Fodlan and its surroundings are full of the names of other Gods. Case in point, our Archbishop over here. Her name is Rhea. The original Rhea was the sister of Hyperion the Elder. She was the Titan Goddess of Motherhood and Queen of the Titans. Other mentions of such names include the names of the Four Saints, who were named after Irish Gods. In fact, Fodlan itself is named after Fodhland, one of the many names for the home of the Irish Gods. Dagda and Brigid are names of two Irish deities as well. Then, we have Arianrhod, the name of a Celtic Goddess of the Moon. Heck, we have a guy named Raphael here. His name means 'God heals' and is a reference to the Abrahamic God, whom I also worship."
"Wait a second," said Claude, "I know you mentioned this before, but how is it that Gods worship other Gods?"
Hyperion's answer came swiftly, "It's because I worshipped him before I became a God, and he initiated the events that led to my deification. He's the only one I'll ever worship, too. It's one of his highest commandments: 'Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.' Pretty stringent, but it also doesn't mean that I can't respect, befriend or love other Gods."
"I… see," said the priestess finally. "Why are these… Irish Gods' names so spread out all across Fodlan?"
"Excellent question!" said Hyperion. "The answer itself is quite simple. One of their kind was Sothis' dearest friend and most loyal ally in the War of Cataclysm. His name was Manannan Mac Lir, God of the Sea, God of Death, Overking of the last Irish Gods, ruler of the Otherworld. She honoured his memory by instructing her children to name many places after his kin."
Rhea nodded, "That is true."
"Oh," said the priestess. "That is interesting." She hummed and then asked, "You said that you could recognise the Gods I know. What about this statue?"
The God's projection raised a finger as he remarked, "I said I might recognise them, not that I will. I have never known all Gods in existence." The finger was lowered after that, and he continued, "As for your question, that's tricky. There were many Goddesses with wings such as the one depicted by this statue. Going by the robes, however, I'd say she's a Greek Goddess. Not too surprising since Sothis once upon a time also belonged to the Greek pantheon. I see two likely candidates here. One of them is Nemesis-"
"The King of Liberation?" interrupted the priestess.
"Fuck no," said Hyperion with a snort, "I don't mean that self-important, arrogant blowhard of a two-bit bandit. I mean the Goddess he was named after: Nemesis, the Goddess of Revenge, Retribution, Balance and Justice. The name roughly means 'giver of what is due.' Incidentally, she was also often mistakenly conflated with Adrestia, the Goddess of Revolt. Three guesses where the Empire's name comes from.
Anyway, since the statue doesn't have Nemesis' usual paraphernalia, it's probably more likely that it depicts Nike, the Goddess of Victory. It's important to mention that she was not a Goddess of War."
"She was not?" interrupted Dedue. "That seems strange to me."
"How so?" asked Hyperion back. "It's very well possible that both sides in a battle or war end up losing. A natural disaster could wipe both armies out, for example. Conversely, it's possible to attain victory in all manners of things that aren't war. Contests and the like."
That got a lot of those in attendance thinking. The notion was not quite as bizarre when one dedicated some thought to it.
"So, the names of the Gods you worship?" asked Hyperion.
The priestess was startled by the question, but was quick enough to answer. "Oh, yes. The ones my mother told me about were Isis and Ra."
"My, my, that is a peculiar pair," said Hyperion.
"So you know them?" she asked.
Hyperion's image nodded. "Yes. They are of the Egyptian pantheon, to which Sothis originally belonged under the name of Sopdet. She eventually left for the Greek pantheon after… certain unpleasant events. Now, as for your Gods, they are both very important. Ra, while not strictly a Primordial, is on their level of power and existence due to being a God of Creation. His primary domain is not only this but also the sun. Isis, or Aset as she was known once, usurped Ra's position as the head of the pantheon when she poisoned him and stole his True Name and the power associated with it. When they died, that power went back to Ra, however."
The priestess blinked owlishly at him. "When they died?" she asked. "How can Gods die?"
"While Gods are normally immortal, there are certain circumstances and powers that can disable immortality. Perhaps one of the most famous possessor of such powers was Persephone, the wife of Hades, the Greek God of the Dead," answered Hyperion, citing information the divine fragments of his sponsors had given him. "Her name means something like 'destroyer' and 'death bringer.' A gentle woman at heart, but angering her was never a good idea. She had the ability to make an immortal being mortal for a certain amount of time."
"Did she kill the Gods, then?" asked the priestess.
A headshake precluded the answer. "No, that was the work of the Agarthans of the time, using the mass ritual sacrifice of billions of souls to power the Forbidden Spell of Zahras."
The Agarthans among their numbers blanched, much as it seemed impossible with their pale skin. All of them had heard whispers of the spell while growing up in Shambhala. They had heard of its power and of its danger. Only the most insane or power-hungry dared even research it, let alone attempt to cast it. Hearing what was required to actually perform such a feat quickly made them all nauseous.
"That's sick," said Nadja.
"Oh, they fucked themselves over really hard with that move," said Hyperion. "They not only neutered the spell's future potential for all eternity, but it also cost them the war. The ancient and unbreakable laws that govern souls do not like attempts at violating them. The perpetrators of the deed got their just desserts."
The priestess, however, looked dejected. "They're dead. The Gods are dead," she said.
"They are, but that doesn't that they're lost forever," said Hyperion. "I am the new God of the Dead and Lord of the Underworld. Those with the strength and existential presence of Primordials, such as Ra, were able to escape the Darkness of Zahras and have found themselves in the Underworld. Contact me on Samhain, when the veil between the living world and the Underworld is thinnest, and I'll arrange a meeting with him for you."
At the dumbfounded look she shot the young God, Rhea spoke up. "He speaks the truth. During that night, it is possible to visit those lost to us. I had the joy of meeting my long-departed family."
Many others nodded in agreement. Most of those in attendance had been part of the last Samhain ritual.
"That is a lot to take in," said the priestess. "I will have to think about this."
"Take all the time you need," said Rhea. "It is time for us to depart in any case. The students have learned much from being here, I am sure. We will bother you no longer, however." She turned to the Professors and said, "Please take the students to the surface again. Professor Byleth and I will remain for a bit."
"Are you going to visit Sitri Eisner's tomb?" asked Edelgard.
The Archbishop stiffened. "Yes," she said tensely.
"May I come with you?" asked the Princess. "I wish to pay my respects."
Rhea's face nearly scrunched up. Her immediate instinct was to say no, but she fought down the urge to do so. She knew of the white-haired girl's infatuation with her grandson, of course. She had no desire to let her daughter's tomb be the site of an attempt at wooing him. However, she could spot that Edelgard was sincere enough not to mock the dead.
"Very well. Come along. Goodbye, priestess."
21st day of the Guardian Moon 1180. Road to Zanado.
"So, what do you think?" asked Sylvain.
"Huh? About what?" asked Ashe in response.
The students of all Houses were currently on the road to Zanado. They had begun the march on the day before. The clergy of Hyperion had disappeared somewhere along the way, only to be replaced by what appeared to be the entirety of the college of cardinals. They were, however, not much for conversation, which left the students to talk among themselves. The hot topic of the day was the revelations they had heard in Abyss.
"About all of this God stuff," said Sylvain. "I mean, it's all nice and good, but I have no idea how it's relevant to us. We know that some strange things have been going on for ages. I don't know what the big deal is."
"I see the big deal," replied Ashe. "Religious turmoil is never an easy matter. I lost Christophe and Lonato because of it."
The red-haired boy hummed. "I guess that's true. It doesn't really bother me, but I've also never been overly pious."
"You don't have to worry about the pious," interrupted Mercedes from the side, "You'll have to worry about the zealous."
"You're right," added Dimitri. "But I think the Goddess has laid the groundwork for as smooth a transition as we're going to get."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sylvain. "What groundwork?"
Ingrid piped in at that point. "Honestly, don't you ever pay attention? The Goddess has been answering prayers for months now. If people are unsure about the direction the Church is heading in, they can simply ask her."
Sylvain looked a bit sheepish as he replied, "Oh, right. Sorry. It's just not that big of a deal for me."
Annette giggled when she heard that. "Only you, Sylvain."
"Even if I'm not the most reverent guy around, I know that this is going to cause a lot of trouble," said Linhardt, "This is going to cut into my nap time. Ugh."
It appeared that the Black Eagles were joining the discussion as well, the Blue Lions realised. The Golden Deer were also on approach. Flayn and Seteth added themselves to the mass of talking people as well. True to what Linhardt had said, the matter of religion was one that would always cause heated debates.
"It does have the advantage of smoking out the mad zealots, though," commented Claude. "Once they crawl out of the woodwork, we can get rid of them in a much easier manner than would be the case otherwise."
"For once, I have to agree with Claude's assessment," said Hubert. "Much as I dislike organised religion in general, the reforms the Church is supposed to enact are… favourable. Opposition to positive change such as this must be stamped out."
Flayn added her own opinion as well. "I loathe bloodshed of all kinds, but I agree that those who would use the Goddess as an excuse to spread hatred need to be curtailed. I just wish there wouldn't have to be unrest or violence."
"Don't be disheartened," said Marianne with a light smile in the green-haired girl's direction, "The Goddess has made her will clear. There won't be many who will disobey; I'm sure of it."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Lorenz. "Many people only play lip service to the Goddess, but the disruption of our operations should stay low despite that."
"Is there a reason for you to claim that?" asked Ingrid.
"Yeah, it sounds contradictory, added Sylvain.
Lorenz nodded. "Certainly. Most of those who will oppose the reforms are our enemies already. Additionally, those within our ranks who would have problems with these reforms have currently more issues with the threat our enemies in this war pose."
"Okay," said Sylvain, "That explains that, but the original question remains: Why do we need to know about Gods that are long dead?"
"As Ingrid asked before, have you not paid attention? Hyperion clearly said that the Goddess once belonged to two different pantheons and was friends with a member of a third," said Edelgard.
Hilda raised a hand with some hesitation. "Why is that important?" she asked.
It was Seteth who answered this time. "To divine the future, one must only read the past. If the followers of the Goddess know that peace with other religions is not only desirable but something that has been done before – by the will of the Goddess no less – they will be more accepting of the changes. Plus, seeing similarities or making connections between oneself and others raises the chances of cooperation."
"I must agree," said Hanneman, finally also joining the discussion. "It is important to learn lessons from the past lest valuable knowledge be lost. I have been informed that there have been many gruesome religious wars over the tiniest of details, when simple talks could have resolved the problems easily. It would be best if we avoided that."
"Okay," said Sylvain, satisfied with the answer, "That does make sense when you look at it like that."
With that topic shelved, there was room for a new one to be opened. Many students had questions about different topics. The most frequent of them were concerning their destination. Zanado was known as forbidden grounds, after all. It had been a surprise that the refugees from Duscur had been quartered there.
The one to answer this particular question was Seteth. "Zanado was the Holy City where the Goddess ruled for a short while. When she entered her sleep after restoring the world, it remained the Holy City, but lost much of its central authority over the years. The city was later destroyed in a bloody massacre, which is how Zanado received the moniker 'Red Canyon.' It is not a pretty tale, and there was only one survivor to tell of it."
"Who?" asked Mercedes.
"Saint Seiros," answered Seteth. "She wandered Fodlan for a long time, searching for other survivors of her people. She found only four, those whom we call Saints nowadays. They had not lived in Zanado, which was the only reason for their survival. Seiros eventually befriended Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg and founded both the Church of Seiros and the Adrestian Empire. They were very close, so close in fact that people started speculating whether they were lovers. They were not, but the myth has persisted to this time.
As it stands, Zanado was declared off-limits to anyone and everyone. It has remained a memorial to those who once populated it, and neither Seiros nor any Archbishop has ever allowed anyone to desecrate it with impunity. Those who deliberately entered the Red Canyon have in the past been executed for this offence.
The reason, then, why the refugees from Duscur are allowed within the confines of the former city and its surroundings is because the Goddess herself demanded they be situated there. They cried out to her to save them, and she granted the survivors the right to live in the Holy City. It was the safest place to put them, she said."
The students and teachers had listened with rapt attention during his explanation. Now that he noticed it, Seteth was a bit startled. He had never been a great orator, though he had an interest for history. Being in his unique position, he was probably the most knowledgeable historian in all of Fodlan. However, since most people tended to find only boredom in history, he was not used to hold the attention of so many for matters unrelated to military and administration.
That everyone had paid attention was exemplified when the one to ask the next question was actually Caspar. "Wait a second. Isn't that place supposed to be a ruin?"
"You will have to judge the state of the city yourselves," was all Seteth said in response.
23rd day of the Guardian Moon 1180. Zanado.
When the procession of students, clerics, teachers and officials finally reached Zanado, they stopped in surprise, none more so than the Golden Deer. They had seen the state of the ruins on their mission all these months ago. The sight before them was in stark contrast to had been the case before. Big changes had taken place here.
The first thing to greet their eyes was the wooden wall a short distance before the entrance to the canyon. Behind it, right at the opening in the mountains was the construction site of a partially finished stone wall. While there was still a lot of work to do, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the fortification would not be inferior to any wall surrounding Garreg Mach. The gatehouse, for one, looked like it would become a death trap for any invader.
As they passed the gates, they were greeted with the sight of more construction work. Roads and houses were being built in places where before there had only been rubble. Said rubble seemed to actually be used for the construction work, lowering costs enormously. Building a city of stone would have been an exorbitant expense otherwise. Naturally, this meant that not everything could be made of stone. There were many wooden houses, especially on the more distant plateaus. Even more seemed to be in the process of being constructed.
It was on those plateaus that the first evidence of habitation could be found. There was smoke rising from the chimneys and the sounds of animals as well as cattle bells. Almost no animals were out and about due to the winter climate, but the noises from the stables and the very few herds outside was unmistakable. There was more movement from those houses, however. It seemed that the inhabitants of Zanado were curious about the noisy procession that had entered the city's confines.
At the sound of trumpets, that activity became more pronounced. There was shouting, though none of it sounded in any way panicked or alarmed. The reason became apparent soon as people left their houses in groups and made their way towards the central plateau, to which the mass of people from Garreg Mach was also headed. It appeared like a pre-arranged process had begun.
Upon reaching the central plateau, the students encountered a strange sight. There were stands, much like there would be in a theatre or an opera, though they looked like a temporary placement. It was there that the Archbishop made everyone halt.
"This was the site of the Palace from which the Goddess once ruled," she said. "It is the most appropriate location for the revelations of this day."
"What kind of revelation are we talking about?" asked Claude.
Rhea swallowed hard, but Byleth answered before she could. "The kind that is very hard to bring to light." He directed his gaze at Rhea. "Are you sure you want this, Grandmother? You can still back out."
She shook her head. "You know that it is much too late for that. It is hard, giving up the protection secrecy has afforded us for so long, but the cost is no longer worth it," she said.
Byleth nodded. He turned to the students. "To the stands, everyone. You have the front-row seats. Rhea and Hyperion will explain the changes and their backgrounds."
"Indeed," added Rhea. "It would be best if you went to the stands. You might also encounter some familiar faces. The people of Duscur were not the only ones granted asylum by the Goddess."
Indeed, many people had been evacuated from danger zones ahead of time, including the families of several students. Even the members of House Ordelia had been moved to Zanado after their initial stay at the Monastery. As such, there were many happy reunions taking place. As a pleasant side effect, this made the wait for the others' arrival considerably more enjoyable.
Eventually, however, people started filing in. Hundreds filled the stands, and many more came to watch from wherever they could find a place to stand. Most were the dark-skinned people of Duscur, but there were also many knights from the garrison of Zanado. Everyone had heard the announcement that something big concerning the Goddess and the Church of Seiros was going on. Before long, the plateau was bursting with people as a consequence.
When the crowd had quieted down, Rhea spoke, her voice carried to the whole crowd with a newly invented sound amplification spell, "Thank you all for coming. You have been called here to hear the revelation of secrets long held by the Church of Seiros. To clarify, these secrets were made to keep the peace in Fodlan and to protect certain people from persecution. However, with the Goddess' return and with the current war, these secrets have become superfluous. They may even have become harmful. As such, we have deemed that it is now the time to set these secrets aside for the truth."
As soon as she had finished, a small burst of light emanated from Byleth's head, announcing the summoning of his helmet. From it sprang forth the, to some, familiar projection of Hyperion. "Good day, everyone. My name is Hyperion. Many, though probably not most, of you already know me. My existence alone raises many questions for those who have believed in the tenets of the Church of Seiros all their lives. For that reason, and some on the side, I will join Rhea here in answering them.
On that note, be aware that some of the things we are going to say will definitely upset at least some of you. The things you are about to hear will shake the foundations of what you believe to be true to the core. We ask that you keep calm and ask for clarification on such matters. Now then, with that said, I cede the floor to the Archbishop."
Following the cue, Rhea launched her explanation of the events leading up to the War of Heroes. She told the audience of the Children of the Goddess, the Nabateans, and how they had ruled Fodlan. The tale went into their mandate to watch over humanity and how, outside of Zanado, these ideals had partly deteriorated.
"In truth," she said, "Some of the Nabateans were no better than the corrupt human leadership of the past. Although most were virtuous, there was a sufficient number of infamous tyrants among them. It was easy for Nemesis and his backers to first sow unrest and then foment rebellion." Rhea took a deep breath before she continued. "After Nemesis and his followers desecrated the resting place of the Goddess in the Holy Tomb, they crafted the abomination known as the Sword of the Creator and used it to massacre every Nabatean they could find, starting with the population of Zanado. Whether they were Nabatean or a Nabatean's human spouse or that spouse's family, all inhabitants were slaughtered."
From there, the tale went to the true story of Nemesis and Saint Seiros. The rise of Nemesis' "kingdom" and his doctrine of the rule of the strong were only briefly covered. However, the clans that had followed Nemesis were a topic that was touched upon in depth. These clans were, after all, the precursors of most of Fodlan's nobility. When it came to the King of Liberation's opponents, Saint Seiros and the Four Saints received mention, as well as the Four Apostles, who had betrayed Nemesis. The rise of the Adrestian Empire and the War of Heroes then closed the speech.
Soon, the questions came. Among them was one asked by a senior Knight of Seiros. "But, Your Grace, why did Saint Seiros hide the truth?"
"She did so for the purposes of political stability and peace. The people of Fodlan had celebrated the King of Liberation in the beginning years of his reign, hailing him as the vanquisher of the Wicked Gods, as they called the Nabateans. To their eyes, he was not a tyrant to begin with, but had instead turned into one over the years. It was impossible to tell the truth without further civil unrest and even more war to follow," answered Rhea. "Not only that, but Nemesis' backers were also still around. They could have easily inflamed tensions and caused the Adrestian Empire to collapse before it could stabilise."
"In fact," added Hyperion, "They are still around. They have instigated this war, after all. They are the ancient enemies of the Goddess."
"I have another question," shouted a Duscurian woman. "How do we know that this is the actual truth, and not just some fanciful tale? I do not mean to say that you are lying, but what is your proof?"
Byleth turned his head towards Rhea. He asked, "Is it time? You could still-"
"No," she replied. "I have steeled myself for this." She turned towards the woman who had asked the first question, and answered, "I know that it is the truth because I lived through it. I am Seiros."
As the last word left her mouth, a green glow encompassed her. It increased in intensity, nearly blinding everyone watching, and grew in size. People almost started to panic.
"Calm down!" shouted Hyperion and Byleth in tandem. Their voices were not only boosted by the amplification spell but also by the helmet's speakers. As a result, the crowd immediately stopped. "Fucking Hell, stop being a bunch of scaredy cats," added Hyperion, "There's no reason for alarm. We know what's going on."
At that point, Rhea had finished her transformation. Before the scared onlookers now stood a horned dragon of white colour and considerable size. It showed no signs of hostility or aggression, which calmed the crowd, but there was more than one heaving breath taken at the sight.
"I am Seiros," spoke the dragon, "And the Immaculate One, youngest direct Child of the Goddess." She craned her neck at the Duscurian woman. "Is that answer to your satisfaction?"
Said woman simply liked at the Archbishop turned dragon and meekly nodded her head. "Yes," she answered in a small voice.
"Alright, now that no one's panicking, I would like to remind everyone here that Seiros over here has given you a lecture about the past of this continent for over an hour. People don't exactly do that when they plan to hurt you. Yes, she's a big, scary dragon, but she's also a person with impulse control and common decency, so calm the fuck down," said Hyperion.
"You're laying it on a bit thick, my friend," said Byleth out loud.
The projection of Hyperion stared somewhat flatly as he said, "Hey, it's taken Seiros a lot of courage to come clean about all this. I'd like it if people accepted her for who and what she is."
The woman in question looked down at the projection with an unreadable expression at those words. "I can speak for myself," she said. After a second's hesitation, she added, "Nevertheless, you… have my thanks."
"Uhm… Lord Hyperion," said a man from the crowd. He was a construction worker if his apparel was anything to go by. In genuine wonder rather than disgust, he asked, "It doesn't bother you that Lady… Seiros isn't human?"
"Did you not listen? She's a Child of the Goddess. The Goddess isn't a human – and neither am I –, so why would her children be? If you don't have a problem with Sothis, you will have no problem with Seiros," asked Hyperion back. "Thank you for asking that question actually. It's best to get that out of the way early on."
The next question came from Petra. "Lady Seiros, were the other Children of the Goddess also being capable of shifting their shape?"
"They did," said Seiros. "It is an ability we all inherited from our mother. However, with her absence, we have grown weaker. I am currently the only one still strong enough to transform. Fortunately, our strength is returning together with Mother."
Petra scrunched up her eyebrows in thought as she frowned. She said, "There are many tales in Brigid of strange Gods, even some of our Spirits, changing between forms. Were your kin our spirits?"
Seiros looked as pensive as a dragon could look as she answered, "I honestly do not know, child. I am not educated on the matters of foreign faiths. Fodlan has always been my sole priority."
"It's more than likely that Sothis and the Flame Spirt are one and the same, considering that hers is the Crest of Flames," added Hyperion, "But I would say that many of your spirits are not Nabateans."
"Have you met them?" asked someone else. This one was an elder from Duscur. Going by his apparel, he worked in some priestly capacity.
Hyperion's projection shook its head in denial. "I have not. They cannot be met as of now. After the War of Cataclysm, all Gods bar Sothis and her benefactor were dead. I'm the first new God ever since. Don't fret though, for your Gods can still come to be."
That statement caused quite a stir in the crowd. Thankfully, however, they remembered what had been asked of them in the beginning. As such, rather than make his displeasure known, the elder said, "Explain, please."
"That is what I am here to do," said Hyperion with a grin. "This was supposed to be my part in today's event form the beginning. Strap in for a history lesson, boys and girls."
From there, the young deity launched into a far-reaching explanation of the events of the past, using projections of his and Sothis' memories to aid him. He showed the gathered people how the world was before the War of Cataclysm. He showed them, with permission from the woman in question, snippets of Sothis' life. Among the scenes were some of the meetings with Metatron, the most crucial encounters with the Egyptian Gods and many of those with the Greek Gods. Towards the end came scenes from the War of Cataclysm and her battles with Manannan Mac Lir at her side, peaking in the ritual that resulted in the casting of the Forbidden Spell of Zahras.
"Now here's the thing," continued Hyperion, "While the old Gods died, and most remain captive to the Darkness of Zahras, some, like the Primordials, did escape. They were quite helpful in explaining many things about deities."
More images were shown. They were Hyperion's own, this time. His "trial" at the beginning of his journey in Fodlan, his meeting with the Gods in the Darkness of Zahras and his coronation ceremony were all shown to those present. He also showed them some of his lessons concerning divinity and what it entailed. From those coming to be as conceptual beings and those born to other Gods to mortals who became Gods and those created by the faith of their believers, all bases were covered. It left the people reeling, but they continued to listen as if spellbound.
Having nearly finished his explanation, he closed with the words, "As you can see, while your Gods and Spirits are not yet there, they exist on a conceptual basis. The seed of their existence must only be nurtured by your faith. One day, they will become real, and they will be your children. You will shape their appearances, their personalities and their powers. Once that day comes, Sothis and I will welcome them among us, but until then, they shall be your responsibility."
Seeing that the crowd was becoming restless again, Seiros spoke up again. "We have told you much today. There is even more for you all to contemplate. We will leave you to those things now. Should further questions about anything arise, you may compose letters and send them to one of the Cardinals, who will then compile the most frequent and the most important questions. For now, let us all retire."
AN: Hello there, my dear readers. We meet again, and even slightly ahead of schedule!
This chapter was an info-dump more than anything else, but I still hope you all enjoyed reading it. I felt that it was necessary to progress some of the plotlines that have been in the background so far, such as the long-talked about reform plans. Doing away with the Church's secrets is on now. It would also appear that Rhea/Seiros is slightly warming up to Hyperion.
For those who have been itching to see some action again, it will come next chapter. There will also be some more character interactions. Depending on how things develop, there might even be a section with Monica in the next chapter or the one after that.
Speaking of Monica, Three Hopes dropped. Please read this. I will not incorporate anything from Three Hopes into this story, except maybe a few details that align with stuff I've already lined up. It would lead to continuity errors of troublesome proportions. That said, I dig the game so far.
Now then, with that said, I would like to convey my sincere thanks to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed. This story has reached first place in favourites and follows of all M-rated stories playing Fodlan. You've made this possible. Your support so far has been incredible, and I hope I will keep delivering to your satisfaction.
Lasty, today's recommended story is Interesting Times by Zanarkand Kido, in which a man is reborn in the Mass Effect universe. In order to drive back the Reapers, he does not intent to be a soldier, mercenary or vigilante. No, he decides to be something far scarier than any Krogan could hope to be: A businessman and politician.
With that, I wish you all farewell for now. Stay happy and healthy, and until next time!