AN: Guest review response time:

Guest from the 7th of January: How is it unrealistic that the Agarthans can put up a fight? I get that they never showed up with a real army in the game, but there are a few things to consider. Apart from the Alliance front, their soldiers have mostly played support roles so far. All other opposition to the unified pacification effort comes from rebels and usurpers like Duke Aegir and Rufus. Also recall that I listed the Agarthan population as sitting at around 10 million people. They can still mobilise plenty of manpower. In the game, they had enough steam to last five years in their support capacity alone. Assembling a few armies is not outside their capabilities.

I also remember that there are other continents and countries. Dagda? Currently dealing with a regime change. Morfis? A city state more concerned with its own affairs than foreign wars. Almyra? Locked in a (so far) non-violent power struggle. Sreng? Too weak to do anything right now. Albinea? Neutral in the war, inclined to be hostile towards Agarthans & Co because of their stance on slavery. Norweg? Has joined with the allied forces.

Chapter 46: Return to Home

2nd day of the Harpstring Moon 1181, late night. Varley Manor.

The tired figures of Bernadetta and Petra stumbled into the room. The signs of exhaustion in them were clear in their tired gait and slumped postures. Part of it was the hour, as it had been midnight quite some time ago. Another contributing factor was the battle that had been fought on the previous day. These two had participated in it, and it showed in the slight shivers one of them had.

"Th-this used to be my room," said Bernadetta. "It was the only safe place in the manor."

Petra gently squeezed Bernadetta's shoulder. "I shall give safety to you in any place," she said.

A small smile graced the older girl's face. She threw her arms around Petra and clung to her. She did it, in part, because of her exhaustion, but it was mostly because she liked beings so close to the Princess. Then, she said, "Thank you for looking out for me."

"Always," said Petra with a smile of her own.

It was surprising with how much force Bernadetta hugged her. Not that Petra minded; on the contrary. It was simply that nobody expected such strength or such attachment from this usually shy girl. The part of Petra's heart that ignored the previous day's events soared at the embrace, because this was the one person she really, really wanted to be in close physical contact with. The more rational part of her mind, while not lacking in feelings for Bernadetta, told Petra to cool it. Cursing puberty in the back of her head, she focussed on providing her friend comfort.

There was a comfortable silence that stretched on for a minute. Bernadetta's grip relaxed slightly, but she still held on firmly. It was also her who eventually broke that silence. "We should probably get to bed."

Petra nodded. "We have the privilege of a whole bedroom. We should have use of it," she said.

She was referring to the current crisis in the city. The enemy's attack at the end had rendered half the city uninhabitable. Much of the night had therefore not just been taken up by the rescue effort but also by the need to provide shelter for not just the army but also more than 10'000 homeless civilians. And so, since the city barracks had been reduced to ashes, hundreds of soldiers were now quartered in the manor.

The place was tightly packed, and only four people had some modicum of space. Petra and Bernadetta were among those, by virtue of the fact that this manor was now rightfully Bernadetta's. So, she had free reign of her own room, and she'd invited Petra to share it. The other two to have some more room were Edelgard and Byleth, who had chosen to share the former bedroom of Bernadetta's uncle. Though she was sure that nothing would actually happen between those two this night, Petra had found it very hard to not laugh at Edelgard's red face when Byleth had suggested it. Having the two in separate rooms wasn't going to happen, though. Space was too tight as it was, seeing as every other room had at least five people in it.

Knowing how fortunate she was to not only be alone in a room with Bernadetta this night but also invited to the bed along with her, Petra wasted no time. Within minutes, they were clad in sleepwear Bernadetta had taken out of a drawer and huddled together under the covers. Petra had taken the other girl into her arms, and Bernadetta was now snuggling into her embrace.

Kind of like a rabbit; twitchy, easy to frighten, but incredibly cute and cuddly, thought the Brigidian Princess.

She fought down the desire to kiss her. Bernadetta was still not entirely sure about the exact extent and nature of whatever they had between them, and Petra wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she pushed too far and hurt her. Instead, she put on a warm smile and asked, "How are your feelings?"

Bernadetta hesitated. "… Not good. I know he wanted to sell me. He hurt me and abused me. But it still hurts to think that I killed my own father."

Petra suppressed the urge to sneer. If Bernadetta hadn't had to put down Count Varley herself for her own peace of mind, she would have gutted him like a fish. Even in death, he still tormented his daughter. Outwardly, Petra said, "Leave him behind. He is gone now."

Bernadetta nodded. A small, self-depreciating chuckle left her. "Even on his knees and at my mercy, he called me unmarriageable," she said. "That word has controlled me for far too long."

"And it is untrue! I want to have marriage with you!" said Petra, incensed. She shut up immediately. She'd said too much!

"… I know," said Bernadetta, much to her astonishment. "I'm not clueless, you know? That's why I told him that I wasn't unmarriageable anymore. I knew you wanted me, even if I don't get it."

Petra swallowed empty air. She had underestimated the older girl. It had been foolish to think that her attentions had escaped Bernadetta's notice. When she didn't think she was under threat, the archer was incredibly perceptive.

"You are adorable," she said, trying to find the words in the unfamiliar language of Fodlan, "I like your voice. Your body has much beauty-" The blush she could see on Bernadetta's face at that thrilled her quite a bit. Still, she had an explanation to finish "-and your spirit has even more. That is why I want you."

"But I'm really skittish and flighty; annoying too, and-" began Bernadetta.

Petra cut her off quickly. "No. You are not annoying, Bernie," she insisted. "You have flightiness and are easy to frighten, but that's you. Do not think that is giving me doubts."

Bernadetta remembered one of the first conversations they had ever had about the topic of her… unique behaviour. It had been near the beginning of their year at the Officers Academy, so the memory was not quite fresh. She did, however, remember some parts of it. "So I don't remind you of prey anymore?"

The younger girl actually giggled at that. "No, you are still like prey," she said. She hugged Bernadetta a bit tighter to her and continued, "But you are my prey. If you are wanting that."

Bernadetta's cheeks were beet red at that statement. A year ago, she would have interpreted it as a threat, but after so much time spent recovering from her childhood trauma and being around Petra, she understood what the Princess was getting at. Petra was making advances on her.

It was at once exhilarating and confusing. She knew that the girl from Brigid had an interest in her. Until today, however, she hadn't known how serious that interest was. It excited her to not only know but also feel that she was so precious to someone else. It was sadly also confusing, mostly because Petra was a girl. Bernadetta was still not quite sold on the idea of having a relationship like that since she didn't really have much of a physical attraction to women. She wasn't really averse either, though, and was considering it.

"I… don't think I can give you an answer just yet," she eventually said, "But I like being close to you."

Petra nodded in understanding. "Take as much time as you need. Days, weeks, years; I will wait," she said.

Bernadetta swallowed drily. That was a promise of commitment. "I hope it won't take quite as long," she said. "There are problems to solve before I can really think about it as much as I should."

"House Varley?" asked Petra.

"Not just that," answered Bernadetta, "It's the war too, and my future. I don't think I want to continue House Varley. I'm not suited to govern territory. But what should I do once the war is over? I don't want to be soldier forever either."

"Come to Brigid," said Petra, "I will always want you there."

While this statement could be seen as demanding, Bernadetta knew that it wasn't meant like that. Petra still hadn't fully mastered the local language, after all. "Maybe. But what would I do?"

Petra grinned. "I could teach you hunting. You have need of improvement."

Bernadetta blushed in embarrassment at the memory this brought forth. The indignity of losing her nerves against and being chased by a rabbit of all things would cling to her for quite some time still. "I was a nervous wreck, okay?"

Giggles answered her. "Hunter or no, you have preciousness in my heart. With me, you will always have a home."

Hours later, daytime. Underworld, Hyperion's palace.

"This is going to be my home one day," I said as I looked at the walls of the spacious throne room.

"Your Majesty?" asked Hydros from his seat.

The man had proven himself to be an excellent administrator. I had subsequently asked him to help in the running of the Realms of the Dead, a task which he had accepted with surprising enthusiasm. He could, therefore, be found in the palace quite often.

"Just thinking to myself," I answered him. "I will take up residence in here at some point. I don't know when, but if things go awry, well, it might be sooner than later."

Hydros hummed. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. While everyone here would like it best if you were here on a more permanent basis, we won't descend into chaos and anarchy if you take a few decades or centuries."

I huffed and said, "Well, it would become a problem if something happened during the Rite of Rising and I suddenly wasn't there anymore."

A small chuckle came from another part of the room. Hydros and I weren't exactly alone here, since the administration of the Underworld required a lot of people. So, it came as no surprise that our conversation would be heard by others. Few would insert themselves into it, though, but this was one of them.

"The afterlives of all worlds are connected, Your Majesty. You know this," said Ananke. "So long as you are in any world, your power will reach this one and allow the Underworld to function. Not to mention the contingency measure you have made."

She was speaking of a project I had given to Brahma and other primordial deities. Basically, I had asked them to construct a sort of battery that could store divine power and release it under a few (very stringent) conditions. I had thought it prudent to prepare for the worst-case scenario. In case I was displaced during the Rite of Rising, I wanted the Underworld to remain functional. The project had eventually borne fruit, and I had been charging it with my excess power for a few months now.

"Of course I know," I said to Ananke, "But it never hurts to have a back-up plan. What if I land in a void between worlds? That would be disastrous."

She frowned. "Such voids don't exi-"

"Chaos came from such a void. She was once a part of such a void that decided to not be nothing anymore," I interrupted. "Concerning the mechanics of the world, fate and whatever else, your knowledge is unmatched, but consider this: I am from a universe where this one was supposed to be fictional. If any 'fictional' setting is true, or at least some, then their access points to voids between worlds exist too. Whether it's the Dimensional Gap, the Outside or any manner of such things, voids exist. I will not endanger my subjects with my carelessness!"

Contrary to my expectations, Ananke smiled. "I'm glad that you can hold you ground in an argument."

A thoughtful frown came over me. "Wait. Was this a test?"

She nodded and answered, "Yes. I know very well about the existence of voids between worlds. As you said, Chaos was once part of such a void. I wished to see how you would respond to challenges to your decisions and thought processes. I have noticed that you are not the most confrontational of individuals when you're unprepared for an argument."

"That was a bit of a lame test, though," I said. "It wasn't really an argument. You just brought up a counterpoint."

"We have to start small," she said, "And you know why."

Indeed, I knew why. Self-confidence issues had been my bane for many years now. "I do. Well, nothing for it. I guess I'll have to practice diligently."

She nodded and stayed silent. Hydros also chose to not say anything more.

So, with the distractions out of the way, I went back to the paperwork in front of me. It detailed the new arrivals from yesterday. Numbers, ages, all sorts of data on those who'd died, and a few interrogation reports. It had to be said that Tartarus always delivered swiftly when I wanted information from someone within his realm. People always sang when they were promised a few weeks of vacation from the Pit's tender mercy. As it was, those promises and the interrogations had yielded results. The report from the SIC that followed the interrogation transcripts was the final piece of paperwork I was reviewing.

The report listed key facts first. One, the Agarthans had now answered the conflict escalation our own forces had begun with the destruction of the Arundel forces that had beleaguered Monica some time ago. Two, they could deploy mages capable of calling in missile strikes. Three, those mages, as the interrogation surmised, had no idea what it was they were doing, only that it was a powerful attack. Four, current countermeasures were insufficient. Five, strikes on civilian targets could not be discounted.

Possible strategies were listed next. One, a complete switch to asymmetric warfare. Two, train more mages to use Warp and Rescue until an entire army could be moved within minutes. Three, develop defensive spells. Four, surrender.

Some of those options were more viable than others. Surrendering was out of the question, and so was a switch to asymmetric warfare. Retraining of the armies alone would take far too long. The time argument was also the reason why option two was out. It took longer to train untalented mages to such a high level than to teach talented mages a new spell. So, option three it was.

Fortunately, the analysts had done great work on the targeting spell used for the Agarthan missiles. In conjunction with the data on the redirection ward of Sothis' starship, I had everything I needed to develop a countermeasure. It would still take some time, but I expected to have results within the month if I was reading the report before me correctly.

A few minutes later, I sighed tiredly and put the thing aside. I had no idea how I could possibly pull this off in the future without essence division. I couldn't do it outside of prayer space just yet, so I had to employ legions of helpers for it all.

For now, all I could personally deal with were my priorities. One of those had been the strategic considerations. The other matter, the one I was now going to work on, was the proper relocation of the recent arrivals.

There was now paperwork on that topic yet. Instead, I had asked Erebus and Nyx to help the people settle in and then report to me. They would come to tell me in person, and if I knew the two well, they'd show up soon. For all their terrible sense in humour – I was still cringing at their ill-considered prank and my frankly brattish reaction to it – they were very efficient at their tasks.

I was proven right when, barely ten minutes into my beak, a messenger entered the room and announced that the two of them would be here in a few hours. I thanked the messenger and dismissed him. It was time to wait now.

So, I tinkered away at the new spell for the next couple of hours. My progress was relatively slow because I was still not a genius at maths, but the domains I had inherited from Prometheus helped me overcome that hurdle, at least partially. I was pleased to note that my prognosis appeared to be correct for the most part. It would be finished by the end of the month.

The time flew by, and eventually, a guard announced the arrival of the couple I was waiting for.

"Good day, Your Majesty," said Nyx.

"Hello, you two. Come, sit down and give me your report," I said.

I gestured towards two chairs that were slightly more elaborate than the others around the room. They were reserved for preferred advisors. There were also more than just those two, but the other special advisors were not currently present as I had given them other tasks.

The two sat down, after which Erebus produced a sheaf of paper from his robes and began recounting, "Everyone has been delivered to their new quarters. City #8341 has been officially founded as a result. The new residents have been given the privilege of naming it. It will take time for the public transport system you designed to connect it to the network, but it will happen within a few days."

The public transport system was one of the renovations I had brought to the Underworld. The Realms of the Dead were constantly expanding, and with the distances involved, some people had had to travel for millennia to visit relatives who dwelled in other parts of the Underworld, even with supersonic trains and other advanced technology. As such, I had used the Seal of the Underworld as a base for a network of magical teleportation platforms. These platforms could only be accessed if the prospective user swore a binding vow on the Styx to never use them in a way that would hurt the Underworld, after which they could receive a mark that granted them access. After being separated form my family, I would not have my subjects suffer the same fate.

"Good. Are there any special cases that need my attention? Do they have food and clothes?" I asked.

Erebus rolled his eyes while Nyx suppressed a laugh. "Yes, they have all the necessities, and no, they don't have any cases of judgement, justice or disputes that would need your attention. It's all just like you wanted."

"That's good to hear," I said with a nod. "I know it's a bit annoying, but you know why I'm asking. It never hurts to double-check. Besides, these people have had a horrible day. The least they should have is an arrival in a comfortable home here in the Underworld."

Erebus shook his head. "Don't think I don't approve, but it's a bit grating to have every obvious thing questioned. I get why, though. Things that are obvious to one person aren't always so for others."

"Indeed," I said in agreement. "Is there anything else to report?"

The two took a moment to think, then shook their heads. "No. That was all," said Nyx.

"In that case, you're free for the day," I said. "I still have my own work to do, so I'll hop by your palace for more dancing lessons tomorrow."

Erebus and Nyx left after a few parting words, and I was left to prepare for what was coming next. The work I'd alluded to before was, in fact, a project for Sothis, and it required quite a bit of dedication.

A few minutes later, I stood in the palace forge. It was a place I had only discovered after a few visits, but I'd been using it for months. While Prometheus was not Hephaestos, the forge still called to him, and to me as the inheritor of Prometheus' domain. It was a bit more modern than the ones one would typically imagine, but the domain of invention thrived in such an environment. Here, I had forged my two hammers, and it was here that I was forging a present for the woman I loved.

I snorted as an unbidden thought came to me. How much of a gasket will Seiros blow when she hears about the little prank I'm integrating into this? Garreg Mach might as well turn into a volcano.

17th day of the Harpstring Moon 1181. Garreg Mach, infirmary.

Tension and anticipation hung in the air as preparations for the first ritual were made. It would be ready by the next day, but both Edelgard and Lysithea were already turning the Monastery into a boiling pot of nervousness. It had gotten so bad that they had been told to go to the infirmary and wait for Professor Manuela so she could do a check-up. Since she was not yet there, and wouldn't be for quite some time, the two white-haired girls attempted to calm each other's nerves with conversation.

Edelgard had just finished recounting all that had happened since her departure from the Officers Academy. Across from her, Lysithea was quite pale as she listened.

"Did you have to go into so much detail about the blood and gore? I really could have lived without knowing what colour a human's spleen is," said the younger of the two.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Edelgard. "I'm used to such sights. I've been for a long time."

Lysithea elected to not delve deeper into the how and why of that statement, and instead focussed on another topic. "I guess we can leave that be. There's something else I wanted to talk about anyway. I'd like to know about the situation in the provincial capital after what happened. I'm not exactly high enough in the chain of command to have seen the reports."

Edelgard grimaced. "It was bad. Half the city has been rendered uninhabitable. If the buildings had been packed tighter together like in the big cities, civilian fatalities would have probably surpassed the 35'000-mark instead of the 20'000 it ended up being. It is fortunate that the population in Varley territory is not concentrated in its capital but instead spread out across four cities along the lone river in it, and a few mining towns. Additionally, if we hadn't had access to advanced magic, we would have lost more than just half the army too. Personally, I would also have died without Byleth and Hyperion's training in the use of AT fields. That was probably another factor for the lower-than-expected losses."

"20'000 civilians and half the army is lower than expected?" asked Lysithea in disbelief.

The Emperor nodded and said, "Yes. I have been informed that weaponry such as this used to be banned across the entire world once because of their destructive potential. We got off lightly."

I don't think I'm feeling too well, thought Lysithea. "And they have more of those?" she asked.

"Not too many more, but enough to be concerning," admitted Edelgard. "For now, I've ordered to only amass when the enemy does, and to engage in harassment and disruption otherwise. Hubert and the others will manage the details while I'm here with Byleth."

"That's good, I think," said Lysithea, letting that topic lie. "Speaking of the Professor, it's good you've brought the him along. We're going to need him for the ritual. A miniscule infusion of divine energy is needed to make sure it's a success."

Edelgard frowned slightly and asked, "Why were we not informed of this sooner?"

The younger of the two shrugged. "I think Hanneman thought that it was a given. I've noticed that when he's in his element, he tends to forget that the people he's with don't follow his thought processes."

"Byleth must have known as well," said Edelgard pensively. "I wonder why he didn't tell me."

"That's because it was obvious from the beginning that I would accompany you," came a voice from the doorway.

It was Byleth who had spoken. Both he and Manuela entered the infirmary.

"Professors," said Lysithea in greeting.

Edelgard followed suit. "Byleth. Professor Manuela."

"My, speaking so familiarly to our dear Professor Byleth already? How scandalous," said Manuela with a laugh. "Never mind that, though. It's time we conducted the last check-up. Any health issue might cause complications during tomorrow's ritual."

The two white-haired patients laid down on their respective beds in response. After a year at the Officer's Academy, they were familiar with the procedures here, after all.

Manuela checked Lysithea first, giving Byleth pointers as he helped her. She said, "Well, you're about as healthy as you can be right now. I think Lady Rhea's admonishments have done wonders for your sleep schedule, hm?"

Lysithea blushed in embarrassment. "I guess so," she said. "Learning is easier when you're not tired."

"In any case, you're cleared for tomorrow's procedure. There should be no health-related problems for you," said Manuela.

Then, the attention of the physician and her temporary assistant turned to the Emperor. They were both more careful and more thorough with her. There was a guardedness to her that made Manuela frown. She knew the reason, of course, but it was unpleasant to think of.

By the end of it, Manuela gave her verdict. She said, "You're healthy as well, though I noticed the signs of a building stress problem. There are also a few things that concern me about scarred tissue inside your body, but your organs, muscles and bones all seem to work like they should."

Edelgard nodded slowly. "It is as I suspected, then," she sighed out. "Have you had a look at my scars? Those on my skin, I mean. Some of them have been aching a bit more lately."

Manuela shook her head. "I haven't, actually. The diagnostic spells I use don't pick up on things like that unless it's some sort of lethal skin condition. Besides, I'm not the expert on healing scars here."

The unsubtle insinuation was picked up on by Byleth. He said, "I have removed a few scars on occasion. Manuela could probably do it too if she thought to use the spell modifications I taught her in that manner."

"I see," said Edelgard. She frowned in thought and asked, "Why have you never brought it up with me? I can't remember you ever saying anything about this."

Byleth swiftly explained, "I'm actually unsure if I mentioned it before. In any case, the first time I erased a scar, I did so by accident. When I tried it again deliberately much later, I found out that even the modified Heal spell I use has a low chance of reattaching a severed limb or even removing a scar unless I touch it. Considering that almost your entire body is covered in scars, I thought it best not to say anything. I wasn't about to ask you to undress, and then touch you all over. Inappropriate doesn't even begin to describe such a thing."

He thought he could hear a small giggle from Lysithea as he watched Edelgard's face take on an astonishing shade of red. She was honestly kind of cute a times, he found, despite her toughness. It was fascinating how she'd blush at the simplest things between them when she'd been making the most serious of expressions minutes before that; it had made bunking in the same room with her in Varley manor a lot more amusing than he'd thought for sure, even though he'd slept on the floor and she on the bed.

Manuela, it appeared, was also quite amused. "Why yes, that would have been very awkward," she said teasingly. "At least propriety is no concern in that regard anymore. Her Majesty is an adult, and she is no longer your student, Professor Byleth."

"That is true," admitted Byleth, "But it is also true that one shouldn't rush to get their partner naked so soon in their relationship."

Edelgard couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. With a red face and a dropped jaw, she was too stunned to properly reply. Then, she noticed the slight hint of a smirk on Byleth's lips.

"A-are you teasing me?!" she stammered out.

A slight chuckle wormed itself out of his mouth. "I guess I am," he said.

She replied with a tone of feigned anger, "You spend entirely too much time around those spectral nuisances in your head!"

Ignoring the howling laughter from said nuisances, Byleth said bemusedly, "It's a family trait." Then, his face shifted back to a neutral expression. "Joking aside, do you want me to have a look at the scars or not?"

She sobered up as well. "Yes. A few of them are inconvenient, some are just uncomfortable, but all of them are ugly and bring up bad memories. If at all possible, I want them gone."

"Uhm…. Professor?" asked Lysithea from the side. "Could you perhaps have a look at some of mine too? I don't think I want to carry those surgical scars on me either."

Byleth thought it over. "I think it should be okay with Edelgard and Manuela as chaperones. Your parents would be better, but I think they've been relocated to Zanado."

Lysithea nodded. "They have," she said.

"As expected," said Byleth. "In that case, we'll begin – with Manuela's permission of course."

"Go right ahead," said Manuela. "While I don't think I can learn to properly reattach limbs without divine power, scar removal is still worth learning. Observing you during the procedure should yield interesting results."

Byleth seemed pleased. "Good. Then let's get started." He turned to the other two in the room and continued, "Edelgard first, please. You said you have a few scars that ache. We should at least get rid of those so you have one less thing to bother you tomorrow."

18th day of the Harpstring Moon 1181. Holy Tomb.

The floor isn't all that cold, even if it's made of stone, thought Lysithea as she nervously waited for the ritual to begin. On second thought, I don't think it's stone at all. It looks like it, but it feels slightly different.

Her musings were cut short by Professor Hanneman. "Are you ready?" he asked.

The question drew a sharp nod from Lysithea. "I am."

"So am I," said Edelgard.

The Emperor was also laid on the floor, though several metres away from her. The reason for this was that the distance and positioning were of a particular importance for the ritual. In fact, much of the open space in the Holy Tomb had been repurposed because of it.

There was a large version of the thaumaturgic magic circle painted on the wide-open space before the throne. Lysithea and Edelgard were each positioned at two of the corners of the triangle that symbolised the three branches of the Tree of Life. In the spot where the third would be stood Byleth. He would serve as the stabilising influence and catalyst for the ritual. The position reserved for Hanneman was merely that of the activator. He himself would stand outside the circle to minimise interference.

"Very well. Professor Byleth?" asked the older man.

"I'm ready as well," called Byleth from where he stood.

"Excellent," said Hanneman, "Then let us begin!"

Before he could do so, Byleth interrupted him. "Are the materials in place? It won't do any good if they're not."

Hanneman had the decency to look ashamed. "Oh yes, how could I forget? Please wait a short moment."

He walked around the ritual site, inspecting every spot where he had placed ritual ingredients. Byleth had done right in warning him to take care, as he could spot a few things that weren't quite in the correct place; they had been disturbed by one of the young women upon entering the circle. Fortunately, the circle itself was undisturbed.

After he had nudged things back in place, he said, "Sulphur, mercury and salt are in place, as is the lump of pyrite in the centre."

"That's it?" asked Lysithea. "That sounds very simple. How did it take so long to get everything ready?"

Hanneman raised an eyebrow. "Young Lady, do you know how rare mercury is? Not to mention difficulties in transport and the handling of the substance. Then, we also had to find alchemically inert substances that were also chemically inert, which led us to enchanting tiny splinters of glass. The entire ritual circle is comprised of a mix of sulphur, mercury and salt, after all. These substances are not allowed to react with each other in the slightest, and enchanted glass was the easiest solution."

"You enchanted glass splinters?" asked Lysithea incredulously.

"Yes, all of them not much bigger than a grain of sand. And they had to be enchanted individually. It kept my team of helpers awake for quite a few nights as well as myself," elaborated Hanneman.

"Oh," said Lysithea. "I feel silly now."

"It brings up another question, however. What is the pyrite for?" asked Edelgard.

"It has symbolic meaning. It's fool's gold," answered Byleth in Hanneman's stead. "The ritual begins with a transmutation of fool's gold into actual gold. The properties of 'purification' and 'change from that which is a mimicry into that which it is meant to be' are then transferred from the alchemical ritual to the greater thaumaturgic ritual. The tainted, faulty bond between you and your Crests will be purified and turned into one that doesn't harm you."

"Precisely," said Hanneman. "Naturally, that change isn't instant, and the ritual has to be performed daily over the course of twelve days, but it is the quickest working solution, and also the one with the most benefits. Additionally, the divine energies Professor Byleth will be channelling into the ritual carry the property of 'life' inherent to the Goddess. As such, your lifespans should be restored to what they were meant to be. Does that answer all of your questions?"

"Not quite all of them, but I don't want to ask about the technicalities right now. We should stop delaying this any further," answered Edelgard.

Hanneman nodded. "Very well. Let us begin, then." He quickly took position at the designated starting point of the ritual behind Byleth. "On your signal," he said to the younger man.

"Begin," said Byleth shortly thereafter.

Following that cue, Hanneman poured magical energy into the ritual circle. The alchemical reaction started immediately. Not only was it an important first step, but it also gave Byleth the necessary time to take the reins of the ritual from within. Hanneman's magic was soon replaced by Byleth's, which was in turn partially supplanted by the divine energies he was channelling. Within just a few seconds, Hanneman's involvement in the ritual was over.

From there on, things progressed rapidly. The large lump of pyrite at the very centre of the ritual circle quickly turned into gold. As soon as that process was finished, a rush of magical energy spread almost explosively from the centre to every part of the ritual circle. It lit up like an oil fire, and light engulfed the three people at who were participating in the ritual.

Two gasps could be heard as the process went along. From where he was standing, Hanneman could see slight twitches on the mostly still forms of Lysithea and Edelgard, though nothing that would have indicated pain.

Soon, however, both the twitching and the light died down. The glow of the ritual circle disappeared after a few seconds more. The only thing that remained was the sound of a slight groan.

"That was moderately unpleasant," said Byleth.

"Speak for yourself. This was nauseating," commented Edelgard.

Another groan could be heard. "Agreed. I think I'm going to hurl," said Lysithea.

"Please do so outside of the ritual circle," said Hanneman drily. "We will need it for some time to come."

Lysithea simply groaned again, saying, "I think these are going to be the twelve very bad days."

22nd day of the Harpstring Moon 1181. Upper section of Shambhala.

"I think we've picked a really bad day to come back," said Nikola, "And it's an even worse day for whomever is responsible for the next thing that sets off Thales."

Upon reaching the underground city, the clergy of Hyperion had quickly found out that Shambhala was in a bit of an uproar. It appeared that Thales had finally received confirmation that his latest gambit had failed, meaning that Edelgard and Byleth were still alive and under the protection of Garreg Mach's wards. To say that he was displeased was an understatement, and he made sure everyone knew it.

"I'm just amazed that the same old trick works every damn time," said Anselma, "Though it's getting a bit too old for my taste."

Kronya looked at her team. She agreed with both of those who had spoken. Thales' temper tantrums were bad for anyone who even slightly annoyed him. Anselma was also well within her rights to complain about always playing the captive slave. On the upside, both of these factors had allowed them a quick and uncomplicated entrance despite their somewhat poor disguises.

"I don't like it either," she said. "These robes are also really inconvenient. They're neither my uniform nor my casual outfit."

Philip snorted and said, "You mean that strip of cloth that makes you look like you've escaped a brothel?"

Kronya rolled her eyes. "Oh please, like I've never heard that before. I like to show off; doesn't mean I let anyone touch me. The list of people who are allowed that privilege is very short."

"Uh-huh," said Philip in feigned disbelief.

Honestly, the two of them were only bickering because they could see that Nadia was shaking like a leaf. Shambhala was a collection of bad and painful memories for her. Distracting her a bit from them was the least they could do.

"Silence," said Nikola. "Kronya, keep your head in the game. What's our first target?"

"The officer at the gate said to go to processing hub six. According to Myson's information, that's the one they'd opened just before he left for Enbarr. It's about a kilometre from here," she said. With a frown, she added, "And don't refer to me by name. Unlike yours, mine is pretty damn rare."

Their walk proceeded mostly in silence after that. There was not much to discuss, and nothing could be said in front of the soldiers who were marching around the upper level. Since the upper two levels of Shambhala were reserved for the use of the military, they also didn't encounter any residential areas from which they could have gleamed some insight into the current state of affairs in Shambhala. The small trip did not yield any intel as a result.

They had some information, of course, from Agarthan soldiers who had perished in recent weeks and been interrogated by Lord Hyperion, but intel which was outdated by even a week was still outdated. So, it fell to them to do their own reconnaissance for the mission. They hadn't discovered much of substance yet, but they were convinced that they would find something soon.

Before long, they arrived at the processing hub. Crying could be heard from inside the building. The wailing of children and grown-ups alike was easily distinguishable even among the multitude of other sounds. The harshly spoken orders which sometimes interrupted them were incapable of stopping them.

With a dropping stomach and bile rising in her throat, Kronya approach the clerk at the entrance of the building. She steeled herself and said confidently, "The gate guard told us to come here for the processing of this one." She pointed at Anselma, who had shackles attached to her feet and her hands tied behind her back. "She's slated for personal allocation to our unit's quarters."

The clerk simply looked at Anselma for a moment before filing through a bunch of papers on his desk. After a minute, he said, "You're in luck. Your application is one of the last dozen allowed today. If you'd come a few hours later, you probably would have had to give her up to Chilon's division. Would've been a real shame about that one. Here is a form for you to fill out. After you're done, head through the gate and hand the stamped form to the official inside."

The form was filled out in short order, stamped and handed back. Kronya and her team then passed through the gate into the building. In there, they could say the source of the wailing from before. There were hundreds of people in chains. The people who were herding them handed over papers to a few officious fellows in researchers' uniforms, and then pushed their captives onward. One after another, they were dragged around and loaded onto carts carrying Chilon's insignia. Once those were full, they departed, leaving the space open for new, empty ones. And all it took to consign these people to whatever sick thing awaited them was a damn form.

Anselma observed not only her general surroundings but also her "captors" as they passed through the building. She was barely even aware of the official signing off on the form they presented to her, focussing instead on the reactions of her team. It was good she did so, as she had to subtly nudge Nadia out of the small tremors that had begun rocking her body.

Fortunately for everyone, they were outside the building before they were caught behaving suspiciously. Being inside the processing hub had shaken them all.

"What the heck was that?" asked Anselma in a hushed tone.

"A nightmare," answered Nikola grimly. "It might even be worse than the so-called fun houses. Chilon is in charge of the catacombs, including all the experiments that are run there."

Nadia swallowed drily and added, "Those who aren't considered 'fun enough' to torment in the fun houses are usually sent to Chilon. None of them have ever resurfaced."

Anselma paled. "Oh Goddess," she said, "We have to stop this!"

"And we will," said Kronya grimly.

Nikola added his own statement as well. "We can't move too fast. I don't like that we have to move slowly, but if we're too hasty, we'll be discovered and killed before we can help anyone."

"More importantly," interjected Philip, "Do any of you have a clue where we're supposed to stay?"

That stopped most of them. "Damn. I didn't think of that. Being homeless is far too conspicuous," said Nikola.

"Not to mention that we'd be considered prime candidates for whatever Chilon is doing," said Nadia.

Kronya sighed. "Calm down. I've got a plan. I have an uncle who isn't on good terms with Thales."

The others blinked. "What?" asked Philip.

"Thales doesn't just recruit fourteen-year-olds willy-nilly. He took me away from my uncle and planted a Dark Shell inside me because my uncle pissed him off," explained Kronya. "If he's still alive and we explain the situation to him, he should help us."

"What about your parents?" asked Anselma.

Kronya answered curtly, "Thales didn't like them either from what my uncle told me."

"Oh," said Anselma as the statement sunk in.

"Never mind that. Let's find my uncle, and if he's still around, we'll make the house our base and start operations from there," said Kronya.

AN: Greetings, dear readers!

Another chapter has been finished. I hope you've enjoyed it.

This time, Bernie and Petra have a heartfelt discussion. After that, Hyperion is busy acclimating himself with his job, and he start tinkering a bit. After that, I put a small scene between Edelgard and Lysithea there, mostly because I felt those two haven't interacted enough with each other. The first in the series of rituals to resolve their Crest situation follows. And lastly, Kronya & Co enter the lion's den called Shambhala.

I hope you're looking forward to how things are going to progress as much as I'm looking forward to writing them.

With that said, I would once more like to thank everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed. This story has breached another milestone at over 600 favourites. I'm very pleased to have such a large readership.

Now then, until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!