Hello, everyone. Let me start this off by saying thank you to everyone who's read my previous Byleth/Rhea stories and even my Three Houses stories so far. After all of that, this right here is the big one, the Silver Snow rewrite that I've spent the last two years thinking of. Yes, this is going to be a full rewrite of the Silver Snow route focusing on Byleth and Rhea, who will be the co-lords of this story. As they should have been in Three Houses proper *exhales* Okay, had to get that out of my system.
Those of you familiar with my writing should know what to expect. I'm going to do my best to give justice to not just Rhea, but Byleth, the Church staff, and the Nabateans, all of which were some of my favorite parts of Three Houses. This is story is going to include some expansions on all of them and the rest of Three Houses' cast, in other words fanon ideas I've had raddling around in my brain for the last two years.
In regards to my previous Byleth/Rhea stories, there will be references to them. Honestly, looking back at them they were really buildup to this one. For those of you who've become familiarized with my character writing, you can expect plenty more of that. In addition, well…this is going to be a war story so my action writing will be getting some flexing.
Now, with all that said, read on and I hope you all enjoy the story!
I do not own anything.
Prologue-The Beginning
"Expect the dawn of a new beginning in the dark nights of life."
-Lloyd John Ogilive
Battle.
If there was one word, one concept that could be used to summarized Byleth Eisner's existence that was it. It wasn't unnatural for a mercenary, least of all a mercenary like him. For as long as he could remember he'd been around battle, in battle, fighting tooth and nail. With a lifestyle such as that it wasn't a wonder for him to dream of more fighting. That was when he dreamed at all. This was one of those nights he did dream, and it was of a battle.
But this one was different.
It was pouring rain across the open field, turning the ground into mud. That wasn't a hindrance to either of the armies advancing on one another; they were deadest on defeating their opposition, rain, sleek, or sunshine. The muddy field was going to be the sight of multiple deaths, thousands. In just a single glance Byleth summarized both armies numbered in the quadruple digits, arguably more. Those numbers included ground forces and air forces. The skies boomed with not just thunder but with the neighs of pegasi and the snarls and roars of wyverns. The latter of which were quite thirsty for blood, especially on one side.
He took notice of the difference between the two armies as he examined them.
On one side were armored knights riding atop equally armored horses. They were in formation, practiced formation. Above them flew equally numerous squads of knights riding pegasi. Scattered amongst them were a handful of wyverns and griffins. Byleth's eyes widened in surprise seeing the hybrid creatures leading the knights into battle. Griffins were rare creatures, supposedly extinct in some parts of the world, completely mythical in others, and where they did live they were endangered. What he saw were countless griffins being ridden into battle, and battle ready at that. He felt his blood tingle at the prospect of seeing them clash with the opposing army.
Which was visibly less uniform. Many of them were dressed like brigands, albeit almost just as many were wearing decent to well-crafted armor. Unlike the other side though there was no standard armor; even when it came to banners that contrast continued. He spotted several banners sporting different insignias being raised as the army clashed with their heavily armored opposition. His blue eyes meticulously scanned the banners, finding that one held dominance above all others.
Skyward roars drew his attention back to the air. There were far fewer pegasus riders on the other side, and a hell of a lot more wyverns. Only a handful were riding griffins. As the armies clashed Byleth noted how the wyverns more eagerly snapped at their enemies, be they beasts or humans. His eyes narrowed; he knew the type of wyverns who were raised in such a manner. The people who did so tended to have substantially low value on the lives of their enemies, not to mention wanted their scaled mounts to know what humans tasted like and gain a liking for it. Not all the killing was done by them though, their riders gleefully plunged their spears and axes into their enemies, who returned the favor. Within seconds blood and body parts were cascading to the ground along with natural rain.
He couldn't smell any of it, further affirming that what he was witnessing had to be some kind of vision or dream. Not that it would have mattered. It wasn't like he got overwhelmed by the stench of the battlefield. The time for that had long since come and gone.
Byleth looked back down at the ground where the fiercest fighting was going on. Bodies were piling up one after another, yet neither side showed any signs of stopping. The battle had just begun and both sides had brought sizable armies to bear. He wanted to know exactly who these armies were and what they were fighting for, the curiosity quietly burned in Byleth's chest as he watched the battle unfold. Neither side were able to claim an immediate advantage, but they were trying their hardest to. In addition to melee combat he saw arrows and various magical projectiles flying across the battlefield. Several dozen made impact, some of them with quite a bit of force. Whole squadrons of fighters disappeared in fire, ice, lightning, chunks of earth, and even poisonous gas. Those strong enough to charged through the explosions, others had shields that they used to protect themselves so they could keep moving forward.
There was no way to tell how much time had passed since his viewing had begun, Byleth hadn't been keeping track of it. He'd watched with an impassive yet sharpened stare as the two armies destroyed one another's first lines. Gradually the knights began to overtake their enemies. Byleth could see that they had the superior armaments and tactics. Watching the gradual overwhelming fed several theories he had forming in his head regarding the battle.
Suddenly, a burst of light from his far left caught his attention. By the time Byleth looked up at it, it'd already hit the ground. Dozens, potentially hundreds disappeared in the fiery explosion that followed. Byleth couldn't directly see what had happened, but from the positioning he could see that a hole had been blown in the knights' offense. Looking into the heart of the inferno Byleth's eyes widened in surprise at what he saw. There was a sword there, one unlike any he'd ever seen. It'd been hurled like a javelin, and based on the impact it had, the power of fire had been imbued in the weapon.
The blade's supposed owner slammed into the earth not long after. He stood amidst the epicenter of the ring of flames that the thrown sword had created. As he rose Byleth focused his vision as much as he could to get a look at him.
Byleth had learned to size warriors up based on their appearance. Even in this supposed dream-like state that ability remained. Despite this just being a dream or vision, Byleth knew one thing-the man who took hold of the mystic sword was not to be trifled with.
He stood at over six feet, all of it scarred muscle. A fur-coated cap bellowed behind his back. Looking at it he recognized the emblem as the predominant symbol that the brigand-composed army had been waving. Byleth knew he was the leader; the biggest, likely the strongest, and more than willing to prove it if someone challenged his position. He could tell all those things as he stood up and Byleth caught sight of his eyes. A sudden throbbing tore at his chest causing his blood to stir. It was the first time since this "dream" had begun that he felt his body react. His lungs temporarily froze, and his eyes remained locked on the giant leader.
Who…who are you? The mercenary thought. It was an odd paradox, he wanted to speak the words even though no one would hear them, yet his lungs wouldn't work as he wanted them to. Was it fear holding his tongue? He'd felt that terror-born silence before, but…was that what this was? Was this barbarian-looking swordsman able to elect such a response in him? For what it was worth he was certainly fighting with enough skill and force he could inspire dread in onlookers. The latter feeling was spreading through the knights as scores of them were cut down by the long-haired man.
In going on the attack Byleth became aware of another feature of the mystical sword-it was a whip-sword. Raising it then throwing it forward he saw the blade itself stretch across dozens of feet. The bladed segments were connected by a black cord; all of them were deadly as they tore through armor and flesh alike as if they were all wheat. Body parts and blood intermixed with dirt, shooting outward in multiple directions. To the knights' credit they chose to keep on attacking even as their comrades fell. Unfortunately, all they did was follow them into the afterlife. Some of them quite painful. Byleth saw how skilled the barbarian was with his weapon, and how his fighting style was tinged with bloodlust. Some of his blows didn't kill, they simply maimed.
Limbs were torn off of humans and animals leaving them bleeding out on the ground. Death cries and groans didn't last long; the battle was still raging, and the tide had obviously turned. With their leader now carving a bloody path, the brigand army began a renewed push forward. Byleth watched with quite disinterest as the "barbarian" army took glee in finishing off those who were wounded. Pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears, or were lost to joyful, murderous laughter. More blood stained the muddy ground, which also absorbed the bodies of the dead who were trampled in the ongoing fight. For a moment Byleth felt a ping of sorrow on behalf of the families of the deceased. Their loved ones weren't going to be having an open casket, or maybe even much of a body left to bury. The barbarian army showed such enthusiasm in killing their opponents in the most painful manner as possible.
They were clearly following their leader, who was a one-man natural disaster.
Everything that stood in his way was destroyed. Weapons shattered against him, and magic seemingly had little to no effect. Physical and magical barriers were torn to pieces in seconds, those seeking protection behind them being swiftly cut down. Or crushed in a single physical strike. While watching the barbarian leader Byleth noted the glow emitting from his sword. The blood-red luminescent caused his racing blood to accelerate. He'd have been entirely enticed by the swordsman if more lights hadn't caught his attention. Somehow feeling the light against him, Byleth looked around to see that more red lights were emitting from across the battlefield. He saw several scores of knights fall and heard their death cries intermixing with the opposing army's triumphant shouting.
There's more than one weapon like that. He recognized watching the lights continue to burn bright like torches. Where a few of the lights where there was actually fire. Some of the lights were also coming from the air. Looking up he saw aerial fighters dropping out of the sky like the numerous rain droplets.
In what seemed to be no time the battle had shifted. The momentum was now on the side of the wild barbarian-like army. It seemed that much of their victory was owed to the mysterious weapons they were wielding. While there were a few on the knights' side, he recognized that there were far more on the other side, and they were far more aggressive in fighting their way forward. He saw in some parts of the battlefield it was an outright slaughter that made his stomach turn. In contrast to the bright red flashes, he saw a few flashes of blue. They stood in opposition to the red flashes.
A bright burst of blue light grabbed Byleth's attention and yanked it to the right. An arc-shaped burst of magical energy cut through several barbarian soldiers. Byleth followed its trajectory to the one who fired it, a swordsma-no-a swordswoman.
Unlike practically everyone around her she was unarmored. She stood tall and incredibly calm at the chaos unfolding around her, which included the death of her own troops.
The oddest thing about her were the flowers on her head. They rested on either side of her alongside a winged headdress. Thanks to the rain they were soaking wet, yet somehow, they remained fastened to her head. Speaking of her head, she had light green hair, so light that it remined Byleth of tree leaves. Toward the braided in it turned yellowish blonde. Curiously, her eyes were the brightest shade of green imaginable. Upon seeing them Byleth once again felt his body pulsate with an odd sensation. He focused entirely on her, and she was focused entirely on the approaching enemy.
As with many other things, Byleth was able to tell this woman was a sensed battlefield commander. She barely emoted as her own troops fell around her, in defense of her.
"Lady Seiros…" One of the knights muttered as he fell to the ground in front of her.
"Seiros," Byleth murmured. For the first time his mouth was able to function properly. He didn't dwell on that for too long as he waited for the woman to make a move. The barbarian swordsman was steadily cutting a path toward her, undoubtedly hellbent on getting to her. She knew that and she was remaining remarkably calm about it, further designating herself as the leader of the knightly warriors.
The whip-sword flashed reddish orange, lashing at her like an angry viper.
THUNK!
His eyes widened in recognition of the blue light. Now that he was seeing it up close, he was able to see that they were indeed coming from a weapon. In the case of this Seiros, a shield. Through the glow of blue light, he spotted it, a polished circular arm shield that glowed with some insignia. Something about the light was almost mystifying, more so than the red glow of the barbarian's weapons. That same blue light shimmered around the woman's sword as she drew it in preparation for her clash with the man. Simultaneously, the rain ceased, and the clouds began to part. Sunlight immediately began to break through the clouds illuminating the battlefield. In doing so it also illuminated the faces of the combatants, especially Seiros and her opponent.
Fierce and beautiful, those were the adjectives that Byleth felt best summed up the elegantly dressed and armed woman. In her left arm was a shield and in her right was a rapier-like sword with a zig-zagging blade. Somewhat unusual yet looking at her face illuminated by the sun he couldn't help but feel they suited her. She was a woman of determination and focus, the former of which darkened her face as she glared at her masculine and scar-bodied opponent. In that instant Byleth knew what she felt for her opponent was personal animosity-hatred-and looking back at the barbarian swordsman he saw that the feeling was mutual.
Their first clash was one of sword beams, each taller than trees and shaking the earth with their collision. Neither triumphed; as the beams dispersed, the two fighters ran at each other. Their locking blades released a gale-like shockwave that fanned out around them. Temporarily looking away from the pair Byleth saw how the fighting around them had ground to a halt. Everyone was staring at them; they all knew that this personal battle between the leaders would change the course of the battle more so than the lot of them fighting and killing each other. Obviously, they wanted to see the outcome of the battle just as much as Byleth did. On top of that, they no doubt realized that the other was so far out of their league intervening would be akin to committing suicide.
Even as the storm passed, thunder still rung out, the thunder of swords clashing. In watching the clash Byleth was able to thoroughly observe the fighting styles of the two combatants and leverage a guess at who would come out the victor.
The man's maelstrom-like fighting style sharply contrasted the borderline elegant and refined nature of the woman. That didn't mean that he couldn't keep her on her toes, he was very much doing so through a combination of raw power and his own version of skill. Though his swings were wild and powerful they had a target, and when they missed, he quickly followed them up with another attack, at times aimed at a blind spot. Byleth could feel the impact from every attack that was met and parried. He could have sworn he felt the heat from the ignited sword as well. His eyes widened at the sight of orange and emerald flames swirling around the barbarian leader's blade. Even as something akin to a spirit Byleth could have sworn he felt the heat from the sword scorching his skin.
In case it wasn't clear enough, the sword was in no way normal. Hell, from what he'd seen it wasn't even a metallic blade like those of the barbarian's opponents. Whenever Byleth got a look at it, he couldn't help but note how it seemed more like…bone. It was quite fitting as its wielder was leading what was basically an army of ruffians and fighting like one, but again, with clearly refined skill. He was more power, but with form guiding his movements. Such traits made him all the more fitting a foil to his opponent, this Lady Seiros.
She was clearly the faster one thanks to several factors. She also knew exactly who it was she was fighting; the woman was predicting his movements and countering with perfect timing. Her counterattacks were swift and precise, creating several cuts over the brute's massive body. They were minor but compared to how her troops had been doing before it was undoubtedly a step up. That said, she was remaining cautious of her own state of being, the barbarian swordsman came close to overwhelming her several times and did so drawing blood from her at various points. The two of them were seemingly dead even, but Byleth had a feeling that wasn't going to last long for long. His intuition told him that something was going to tip the scales in someone's direction.
While the man's sword was alit with orange and green flames the woman's blade swirled with azure light. At the base of the former's weapon, he saw that same red glow, it stood out in such sharp contrast to the shine of the other sword. Above both combatants their respective emblems glared giving Byleth a better look at both of them. With the giant, he saw the symbol made up of interlocking knocks burning bright orange. As for the woman, above her a seed-like symbol burned bright, its golden radiance seemingly struggling against the other one just as the woman was against the barbarian's strength. Cracks spread out along the ground around them, the air itself shaking from the fast-building pressure. Even the soldiers on the far reach of the battle scrambled back even further, lest they be crushed by the energetic pressure.
"Today it ends, Seiros! Today is the day I take your head! I'll raise it up high so your followers can see just how weak and pathetic you've always been!" Boomed the bearded man. The sheer bloodlust in his voice was as hot as the sword he wielded. Byleth knew sometimes looks could be deceiving, but from what he'd seen and heard, this swordsman relished the thought of brutally killing his enemies, and likely making examples of them as he'd promised to do. "Just give up and I'll give your body a decent burial!"
Something in the woman's eyes flashed, almost literally. "Today it does end, Nemesis." She seethed. "But it's your head that leaves its body! As punishment for all the sins you've committed!"
Mentally repeating the man's name, Byleth watched the woman vanish in a blur of white. It wasn't as instantaneous as she'd hoped as the man, Nemesis, turned his attention to his left. His whip sword caught fire and fell upon the warrior woman. She defended with her shield, but it seemed like she was trying to stop an entire mountain from crashing down atop of her. Looking back to Nemesis, he saw his right arm raised and glowing with those same supernatural green flames. Amidst them Byleth spotted what seemed to be scales along his arms. Reptilian scales…or maybe draconic scales. His analysis only lasted for a few seconds as he slammed his fist into the ground sending forth a wave of emerald fire toward Seiros.
An explosion of orange and green fire lit up the battlefield. Byleth briefly looked away, then he looked back once he saw the translucent blue barrier that surrounded the green-eyed woman. She'd raised her shield just in time to project some sort of barrier to protect herself. Looking at her feet he saw the barrier cutting into the ground, indicating that it stretched above and below the surface. Byleth was about to whisper something when he saw a blur moving across his eyes.
His ears rung with the sound of glass cracking. Seiros' barrier had been shattered thanks to a blow from Nemesis' arm. He sent the swordswoman rolling across the ground with a roundhouse kick that shook the air as it was delivered. It was impressive that the white-clad woman was still alive, much less able to get up. She spit out some blood and took another charge at Nemesis. He responded in kind, running at her while encased in an aura of smoldering flames. He let out a near bestial battle cry, completing his demonic look.
The woman called Seiros wasn't deterred in the slightest, a testament to her courage. Her outstretched sword glowed with light until it became a solidified blade of luminous light that stretched several feet beyond the blade's original length. When she swung it, all Byleth saw were various flashes of light. He could count at least twenty slashes, but he had a feeling there were far more. Looking back at Nemesis he saw numerous cuts along his body, his aura of flames and even scaled flesh having been cut through. His face twisted in feral rage as he sought to make Seiros pay for every wound she'd dealt to him.
KRRRING!
Suddenly, the once golden light turned multicolored. The once flaming sword had several layers of frost along it, the power within it have been frozen. Seizing on the moment, Seiros launched a powerful kick straight into Nemesis' gut, sending him skidding backward. Byleth felt an extreme fixation on the outstretched leg. From an outside perspective it was perfectly normal, but he suspected that Seiros' physical strength wasn't as far behind Nemesis' as their body types might have led one to believe.
As powerful as the kick might have been, it wasn't anywhere near enough to put him down. He was upright in an instant. His sword glowed orange, the ice shattering as the power within the strange sword roared to life anew. Red lightning cackled around it as he reeled his arm back then flung it forward, sending forth the disjointed whip-sword. It tore through the ground on its way toward Seiros. She used both of her weapons to deflect it, sparks flying from each parrying. Byleth noted how the whip-sword seemed to be mentally guided by its wielder via its movements. Looking back at said wielder, he saw the center piece of the sword's guard glowing. The extend blade ignited in flames forcing Seiros to jump back. Nemesis took that as an opportunity to make a thrusting attempt with the extended sword.
The tip came dangerously close to piercing Seiros' stomach; even as she stepped aside, he caught the way the heat singed her cloth and armor-covered stomach. A direct hit would have punched clean through them. With the whip sword ignited and still extended she was forced to remain on the defensive, evading the sweeping swings. While she managed to avoid getting hit her sword wound up entangled by the glowing blade.
What happened next caused a gasp to race through the audience.
Byleth saw veins bulge seconds before Seiros yanked her arm back. Nemesis' sword was ripped from his grip, and within that same window of time Seiros ran at him. She appeared right in front of him in the same time it took one to blink. Even he hadn't been able to track her movements, which was a surprise.
THUNK!
It seemed even in his astral-like state he could feel the impact from the blow. Just from a glance Byleth knew that upward palm strike would have broken the jaw and neck of a normal man. The next strike, a left hook, would have done the same. Hell, all the blows that followed were strong enough to turn an ordinary human's face into mashed up flesh and bone. Also, frozen over and cracked into pieces.
At first, Byleth didn't notice it, but sometime after the fourth blow he did. First there were the bursts of cold air tinged with snowflakes. Second, he looked to Seiros' fists. He remembered seeing the wondrous lights in the sky called auroras. Even he found them things of wonder, having sketched a few of them down in his various sketchpads. Byleth saw miniature auroras coating her fists along with tendrils of ice. They both exploded in small clouds with every hit she landed on her opponent; the blows themselves were coming at the speed of lightning, maybe surpassing it. Seiros arms became colored blurs as she screamed in what was unmistakably pure rage. For all his apparent power Nemesis couldn't find a window to retaliate, which no doubt was the point. His face was coated in ever-increasing layers of sparkling ice that cracked beneath the physical force of Seiros' punches.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Each punch was getting stronger as evident by the cracks continuously spreading across the ground. Byleth watched, unblinking and utterly captivated by the beatdown.
THOMP!
Like a mighty oak tree, Nemesis went down, and Seiros was there atop of him. A dagger was pulled out and put at the side of his neck.
"Tell me, Nemesis," Seiros seethed in a quiet, yet rage-filled voice. "Do you recall the Red Canyon?"
Red Canyon? Byleth thought with narrowed eyes. No sooner had he finished the statement did the warrior woman plunge her dagger straight into Nemesis' neck, shouting how he was going to die for it. The dagger was raised and brought down again and again, all while the woman continued to scream in rage at the bearded man. Blood gushed from Nemesis' wound and continued to spill down his neck, forming a little puddle beneath his head. No, it was growing by the second thanks to the rage-fueled adrenaline rush the woman was on. If it wasn't obvious what he feelings for Nemesis were before, they were clear as day now.
"You took everything…that I loved!" Seiros wailed, sounding no less angry but also on the verge of tears.
Hearing that further stoked Byleth's curiosity, as well as made him feel a twinge of sympathy for the woman. He'd seen such anger before, and he knew it could only come from having lost something precious. Something that was unlikely to ever be recovered.
The sun's golden rays had long since rolled across the land, but now hands were raised to the sky in triumph. Those hands belonged to the army of knights. Their leader was victorious, and thus they were victorious. As for the brigands, after seeing their leader fall several realized the tide had turned and promptly started running for it. Fortunately for them, some of the knights were willing to let them pass instead of cutting them down on the spot. Others though weren't so lucky; fresh blood spilled across the muddy ground electing cries of agony and terror.
As for Seiros, she was panting, looking physically and emotionally drained from the battle. She briefly stared at the horizon, seemingly recognizing the glow of the sun for the first time. When she looked away it was to gaze back at the sword of her now slain adversary. Thanks to the sun, Byleth was able to get a better look at the weapon; his suspicions were confirmed that it was indeed bone. All of it, from the blade all the way down to the tip. Thanks to Nemesis' earlier rampage the sword was coated in blood, the blood of numerous knights.
That didn't seem to bother the woman known as Seiros. With surprising gentleness, she placed the sword against her face, a look of deep relief on her face.
"He's gone now, Mother…"
Byleth's eyes widened. "Mother?"
He didn't have the opportunity to say anything else or contemplate what he'd just saw and heard. There was a heartbeat-like thump from behind him, then the entire world vanished into a black hole. Byleth hovered in darkness, his astral self looking around in bewilderment. Another pulsation followed leading him to look directly ahead. There was a rainbow-ringed mass of darkness hovering in front of them, then it exploded outward, washing over Byleth like a tidal wave.
What came next was a blur of images that he had only seconds to comprehend.
The first image that came to him were of apes lumbering across a rocky plateau. They were moving along without a care in the world as most animals did when at peace. Blue eyes stared into dark brown as one of them suddenly turned and looked at him. Did it know he was there, watching it? Where exactly was "here" anyway?
Everything changed in a burst of color. Suddenly, Byleth found himself standing in the air, looking out over an expanding city. Following the line of ever more elaborate buildings his eyes finally settled on a gigantic circular tower that overlooked the city and the surrounding land. In the blink of an eye, some of that was gone. He was still in the air, but where once a tower stood there was now a ziggurat. Standing at the forefront was a woman with green hair dressed in golden ornaments and a navy-blue dress. White-robed fingers with green eyes flanked her on both sides as she stood before a massive crowd. It was a new city, one whose populace Byleth could more plainly see.
He saw lots of green.
His ears suddenly twitched as they heard sounds. He recognized he was hearing words but for whatever reason he couldn't decipher them. Following his instincts, he looked back at the leading figure. Blue eyes narrowed as he drunk in the details of the mysterious woman. Her hair was a vibrant shade of shamrock green with her eyes of a lighter shade. Her ears were also pointed. Byleth felt his mouth drop open in surprise at the clearly inhuman feature.
Again, he had little time to dwell on the sight as the imagery around him changed again. It was only the third time, but he was already getting irritated. Couldn't these visions stay consistent for one minute so he could figure out what the hell was going?
The sound of waves surprised him. Instead of land he was floating above water, and instead of buildings there were ships. Great masts stabbed at the sky as sails were pushed along by the wind. Just as he began to drink in the sight and try to make sense of it the scene shifted, again.
Byleth gasped as he found himself staring at tombstone-like buildings assailed with lights. They were twice as big as the largest buildings he'd ever seen, the tallest being triple and quadruple that. All of them were covered in light and glass. In fact, quickly scouring the landscape he found himself staring at a sea of lights. It was without a doubt breathtaking.
And then the city was lying in ruins. Craters the size of mountains dotted the landscape while columns of smoke connected the earth and the sky.
Explosions made his ears ring so badly he almost covered them with his hands. Looking around he saw multiple masses of light streaking across the sky before making contact with something. Domes of fire and light went up from all sides nearly blinding him.
Finally, there came the roar, a heaven-shaking sound that reverberated down to his bones. Feeling his silent heart racing Byleth looked up and his jaw dropped at what he saw this time.
Gigantic, almighty, majestic, those were the words that he believed summed up the enormous figure that hovered before him. It was serpentine yet sported multiple sets of avian-like wings that pulsated with rainbow-colored light. Behind the creature hovered some kind of halo of light that was almost as blinding as the creature's actual body was. He could just barely make out the shape, but once he did his mind quickly raced with possibilities to identity what this creature was.
It roared again while the light around its body began to build up.
"D-Dra-!" Before he could finish his common sense kicked in. Both his arms went up to shield himself from the burst of light that completely enveloped him. Dream or not, vision or not, whatever it was Byleth's instincts told him to brace himself and that's exactly what he did. Only when the light died down did he lower his arms. He found himself staring at darkness, infinite darkness that left him even more confused then ever.
Finally, sound reached his ears. Acting in impulse he began to move toward it, his body tingling with anticipation and anxiety at what he was about to face. What awaited him at the end of this?
Based on the sound he was following and had identified, someone asleep.
True to his prediction, he found a slumbering girl just a few moments later. Her bright and wild green hair seemingly stretched down to her ankles as she sat upon a stone throne in the middle of the abyss. As he approached her Byleth realized that he was walking on solid ground himself, or rather, he was walking up solid ground. He was walking on steps.
Reaching the final step, he saw that one of her ears-or likely both-were pointed. With her head cocked to her left he could see the right ear was an elongated shape that didn't belong to an ordinary human. While he stared, she seemingly woke up. With a yawn she sat up and stared straight at him.
Curiosity consumed her face. "Oh my," she began. "What could have brought you here?"
Byleth honestly didn't know what to tell her. He wanted to ask where "here" was. Some version of the afterlife? Hell itself? Some sort of astral plain? There were so many questions swirling in his head that he temporarily felt overwhelmed by all of them.
The girl yawned again. "I wonder how you got in here…"
"I'm wondering that myself." He finally managed to say. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
"It is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose. Very rude indeed." Her young-sounding voice continued. "Now, come to me. I wish to have a look at you."
Deeming her not to be a threat, Byleth stepped forward, putting himself within three feet of her. He used the opportunity to get a better look at her face. Based on her appearance, she couldn't have been any older than ten or so, in spite of that there was something about her that belayed that assumption. Plus, there were her clothes. He recognized regal clothing when he saw it, and that's definitely what the little girl was wearing. In fact, the more he looked at it the more he began to draw comparisons to the woman on the ziggurat from his vision.
"Hmmm, I have not seen the likes of you before. Who are you, anyway?"
At that moment, Byleth considered his options and what each of them would invoke in the girl before him. Everything in his gut was telling him that this girl wasn't human, or at least not completely human. As for him, well, nicknames aside, he knew what he was. Best not to beat around the push. "I'm a mortal." He finally said.
The girl didn't seem to take issue with his answer. "I see. Then you must have a name or sorts. Go on."
"Byleth Eisner." He answered. The more this went on, the more he was beginning to feel like he was introducing himself to a potential client. At least that was making this whole thing easier to accept.
A look of amusement came over the girl's face. "Huh. I shall never grow accustomed to the sound of human names." With those words she just confirmed his suspicion that she wasn't human. "You must possess a date of birth as well. Beneath which moon and on what day were you born into this world?"
Yes, this is definitely starting to feel like meeting with a client. A potentially divine client of all things. He whimsically mused in his head. Based on the seconds that followed it looked like the girl couldn't read his mind, so his thoughts were safe. That gave him some time to think about his response. Who was this girl, and precisely what sort of calendar system was she familiar with? Throwing caution to the wind he finally gave her an answer. "On the twentieth day of the Horsebow Moon, in the year 1159."
"The year 1159," she repeated. "How long has it-"
"I'm twenty-years old, come that day this year, I'll be twenty-one-years-old." He explained.
"That would mean…it is the year 1180." The girl ascertained. A yawn caused her lips to part. She leaned back into her stony seat, her eyes already growing heavy with sleep. "I think…it is time for another nap…"
"Wait," Byleth said, his voice booming louder than it had before. "Who are you? I've told you my name, so can you at least tell me yours?" There was so much he didn't know, so much he wanted to know. As sleep threatened to grip the mysterious girl, he felt those answers slipping away from him. It was frustration and he wanted to do what he could to stop it.
She managed to meet his eyes one last time before dowsing off. "My name…my name…it is…the beginning. It is…time to…begin, I believe…I am the…"
It took a great deal of self-control on Byleth's part not to step forward and rouse her from her sleep. He sorely wanted to do exactly that, but he had a feeling it might not be the right thing to do. He still had no idea who or what this girl was; his chance to learn her name had literally just passed him by, much to his frustration. Lastly, the darkness was closing in on him, and he could feel something pulling him away. He wondered if this long sequence of dreamlike events was about to come to an end.
Byleth wasn't ready for it all to end, but with a full tug he knew that it was about to.
And it did.
"Hey. Hey! Time to wake up." A familiar voice boomed above him.
Byleth bent down the frustration he felt as he opened his eyes to a wooden ceiling. Inhaling he felt real air, he felt it on his skin. Sitting upright, he stretched his arms up and looked at both of his hands. After several moments of flexing his fingers, he found that he had full control over his body. Most importantly, he was back in the real world; he still remembered everything that he'd experienced though. Memories of his dreamlike visions swayed in his head as he swung his feet over the bed and walked toward the source of the voice. He recognized it and the face it belonged to by heart, they were one of the few absolute constants in his life.
"That dream again?" His father, Jeralt Eisner, asked having immediately read his face.
"About the war? Yeah, it was a little more…vivid this time. I actually got to see the winner, a woman warrior with a sword and shield." Byleth knew it probably wasn't a good idea to tell his father all of the details. He honestly didn't know how to explain many of them himself. In fact, he honestly had very little idea what they all even were.
His father had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he mulled over his response. "Massive armies clashing over a field, huh? There hasn't been a battle like that in over three centuries here in Fόdlan." As they stared at one another Byleth recognized that his father knew more than he was letting on. When it came to Fόdlan's history he always seemed to know more than he let on. "In any case, put it out of your mind for now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts. Letting your mind lead you astray is a good way to get yourself killed."
He knew that; he'd seen it happen countless times on the battlefield. It was never a pretty sight to see, and Byleth thought it was a bad way to die.
The mercenaries he'd grown up with had told him as much, but a few remarked that it was a fate he was unlikely to meet. The Ashen Demon losing control of his emotions? Letting his thoughts lead him astray in the middle of a battle? Fish were more likely to sprout wings and swim through the skies than that happening.
Nodding, Byleth put his dreams to the back of his mind. They'd return to the forefront some time in the future though. This had been the sixth time he'd had such dreams. He knew they weren't random; it felt like they were trying to tell him something. Now, what that something was he was getting more invested in knowing. If he kept on having them then he was certainly going to want to know more about them. All that said, he recognized that now probably wasn't the time for time, just like his father said.
"Ok, time to get moving. Our next job is going to take us to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. You told me that you've been meaning to see it with your own eyes, haven't you?"
A slight smile found its way to his face. "Yeah, I have. Guess you ended up keeping your promise after all."
There was a hearty laugh at the quiet words. "You know me. When it comes to that sort of stuff, I always keep my word. Come on, let's get ready to move. We've got a long journey from here to there, so we gotta leave before dawn. The rest of the group is already ready to go."
"Jeralt! Sorry to barge in, but your presence is needed!"
In an instant Byleth read the redhead's face. Ronald was his father's second-in-command, and he was more than worthy of that position as several dozen, including Byleth, could attest. If he came to Jeralt for a situation, then it was probably plenty serious.
That was something Jeralt immediately recognized. "Ron, what's happened?"
"We've…got a situation. Some kids need our help, and before you say anything…they're from Garreg Mach, the Officers' Academy." The paladin explained looking at him straight in the eye.
Byleth saw the immediate change but chose to say nothing about it. He simply followed him out the door to see the so-called kids. A minute later and he saw them, all three of them. He had little idea what this Officers' Academy was, but his immediate guess was some sort of military school. The three of them were dressed partially like students and junior officers, commanding officers if the colored shoulder caps they wore were any indication.
The one on the far left had tan skin, curly black hair, and green eyes. His laid-back posture stood out in contrast to the seriousness of the other two. For a situation that seemed so serious he was staying pretty calm about it. The one in the middle, the one who was speaking as well as the tallest of the three, presented a calm and dignified exterior as he explained the situation. His blond hair was stringy but well groomed and his crystal blue eyes held no fear or anxiety about the situation. All that left the one on the right, the only girl in the group. There was something unnatural about her pale hair. It seemed almost…unearthly. The moment he looked into her light purple eyes he felt a shiver up his spine.
As the blond explained, they were being pursued by bandits, who were apparently pretty well equipped. That put Byleth on immediate guard and piqued his curiosity. Exactly how well armed were these bandits? If these kids were of some importance, then he imagined they were rightly equipped for the job, which would certainly explained why they were looking for help.
"Those uniforms…damn, you all really must be from the-" His father's words were cut off by the warning from another member of the band,
"I guess they followed you all the way here. Now that they've got you in their sights they're not going to let you go, and they're definitely not going to let the people of Remire get in their way." Jeralt grimly predicted. He looked back at Byleth, whose eyes had already hardened with resolve. "Looks like we'll be getting some fighting in before the break of dawn. Get ready!"
Byleth scoured the three teens in front of him. "Weapons."
"A lance please." The blond immediately spoke up, a familiar glint in his eyes. Byleth knew that shine well and felt a quiet liking for the boy.
"I'll go with a bow, it's more my style." The tan-skinned student answered with a smile.
"I'll have an axe if you have one." Spoke the girl of the group, her voice somewhat barefoot of emotion.
He moved like the wind to gather the chosen weapons. In the back of his mind he was already thinking about how they seemingly suited each of the supposed students who they'd crossed paths with. The bow was an effective but indirect weapon, suitable for the yellow-caped boy who seemed the most relaxed if a little cautious about this whole thing. A lance for the blond with the blue cap, he seemed the most eager to settle this. Lastly, the axe for the girl who he still couldn't quite get a read on. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn she kept looking around her, almost like she was expecting one of the bandits to jump out and attack at any moment.
Once they all had their weapons, they moved out into the forests to confront the bandits. Byleth himself had a sword, his own weapon of choice, drawn and at the ready. He put it to use to deflect several arrows that came flying at them. As the split halves clattered to the ground Byleth heard a similar sound reaching his ears. Looking to his left he saw that the blond had deflected all the incoming arrows with his lance. Arrows from their own side went flying curtsy of the curly-haired boy. Tracing the trajectory of his shots Byleth took note of how skilled he was with a bow.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fire lit his vision. Following the trail of the fireballs he saw that the girl had been the one to hurl them, showcasing her ability with magic. She dove into the flames and began hacking away at the startled bandits, showing no hesitation in cutting them down, even if they were already burning alive.
Fearless, and with little regard for collateral damage. Byleth noted as he started cutting down the bandits that came at him. His sword quickly ran red with blood as he steadily moved to cut the bandits down. The sooner they got this over with the sooner Remire Village and its people would be safe. Byleth bristled at the thought of them being in danger, a feeling that might have helped guide his blade.
Within seconds the forests around the village had become a hive of violence and fire. Some of the latter wasn't just coming from magic but bombs.
"Heads up, everyone! These aren't your normal ill-equipped thugs!" His father shouted over the mayhem. "They're lobbing bombs!"
"Seriously! Isn't this a little much just for us!" The bow-user yelled as he dove to the side to avoid an overhead sword swing. He put an arrow in the ribcage of the bandit swordsman bringing him down, then another arrow in his head killing him for good.
"Regardless, watching your footing!" The blond lance-wielder responded as he maneuvered through the mayhem while cutting down the oncoming assailants. Byleth saw training in his movements training and experience. "Edelgard! Don't go out so far!"
"I can handle myself! Worry about yourself, Dimitri!" The axe-wielding girl shouted. Byleth looked up and saw that she was indeed out in front. It seemed she was the most eager to defeat these bandits despite her outward demeanor. "Remember, you have a kingdom to lead one day!"
A kingdom to lead? That shade of blue and that lance work, I wonder…is he the Prince of Faerghus that I've heard about? It was starting to feel like he'd jumped from one mystery to another. Once again, he pushed the thoughts to the side in favor of dispatching the bandits. Byleth didn't know how many of them there were, but he was betting the number was close to a dozen. They were also pretty well-equipped; maybe even too well equipped.
THUNK! THUNK!
Just as he was about to cut down two approaching bandits, they fell to the ground with arrows in their chests. He looked back at the archer and gave him a nod of appreciation.
"Just consider you owe me one!" He happily called.
"I'll return the favor one day!" Byleth shouted back before continuing on. A handful of the bandits had more skill than the usual riffraff. They gave him a modicum of a challenge, but not much. Looking around, he saw the three teens were handling themselves incredibly well.
In a battlefield of physical fighters, the girl, Edelgard, stood out as being the apparent sole magic-user. She raised her axe up and twirled it, seemingly gathering the fire from around her. Once she felt she'd amassed enough of it, she swung it forward at an overlooking hill, sending forth a fiery crescent blast. Byleth watched the hilltop go up in flames with various bodies scattering to avoid the resulting explosion. He genuinely wondered if the bandits would start turning tail and running now that they saw their targets were stronger than they thought, not to mention they had some first-class mercenaries to contend with.
In what felt like no time he and the three uniformed teenagers were by one of the village watchtowers. Thankfully it and the buildings around it were still standing, untouched by the fire but not the fighting. They were all forced to dispatch a couple of brigands that had seemingly been waiting for them. After killing the village guards.
"Dammit, dammit! This wasn't part of the plan at all!" The apparent leading bandit ranted. He certainly had the look of the leader, and of a man seemingly on the verge of a rage-filled breakdown. Now was the perfect time to cut him down, and Byleth took it.
"Look out, boss!" Screamed one of the Brigands as he intercepted his attack with his own axe. An electrified axe at that. Byleth locked eyes with the six-foot-tall man. "You stuck your nose in the wrong battle, ya' little shit!"
Sparks flew from the magical axe as he attempted to overpower Byleth. His burrow knitting, Byleth dug his feet into the earth and pushed back. He wasn't going to go down that easily. Tendrils of energy amassed around his blade while his muscles bulged beneath his sleeves. With a grunt Byleth forced the axe down, then swiftly brought his sword up, cutting the brigand across the chest. A second strike took his head clean off. Before the decapitated body could fall to the ground Byleth looked at the leader and lunged for him.
Shrieking in alarm the bandit swung his axe, a flame-coated weapon sending a wave of fire at him. Byleth easily cut through it and continued pressing toward him. To the bandit's credit, he managed to deflect his first two blows, then he suffered a bloody gash on his shoulder in failing to parry the third. Just as he went in for the killing blow, he heard a voice.
"Sir! Behind you!"
It was the blond prince. Hearing the familiar notching of an arrow and the cackling of lightning. Turning to his right he saw an electrified arrowhead coming at him. Instinct guided his actions, when his sword came down a burst of air shot forward intercepting the arrow. The resulting burst of lightning was the distraction that the bandit leader needed to scurry away underneath the protection of his flunkies.
"Y-You…you're all going to pay for that, ya' hear me! You're all going to pay!" Spit flew from the leader's mouth as he held up his axe, cackling with crimson flames. Byleth felt a shiver up his spine observing how the flames were cackling in an on and off again pattern.
His eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do. "All of you, get back!"
When he slammed the axe down it exploded in a burst of fire and light, blinding light. Just as Byleth raised his eyes to see through the flames more bombs fell, instead of fire though it was light. He gnashed his teeth Flash bombs! Dammit, who are these dastards? And are these kids really that important!? "Cover your eyes and focus on your hearing!" Byleth shouted to the three teenagers as the flash bombs went off. Bursts of light illuminated the surrounding area.
It wasn't the first time Byleth had to fight while having his sight impaired by blinding light. As he'd told the others, hearing was key. He heard the heavy footsteps and the heavy breathing of the bandits. Using those two things he deciphered where the next threat was coming from. His boots slammed against the ground as he hustled to get into position.
"Die, you snot-nosed brat!" Came the voice of the leader. There was the sound of metal clanging and a feminine grunt followed by a thud!
Byleth swung his sword out just in time to catch the bandit's axe. With all his strength he lifted his arms up and began to overpower the leader by pushing him back. The flash had come and gone, and he was able to open his eyes. Through the panic on the bandit leader's face, he saw a single flicker of determination on his face.
A boom of thunder from his left caught his attention. Out of the corner of his left eye he saw another lightning-coated arrowhead, three, coming at him. They actually seemed to be moving at the speed of lightning. And one was was zooming toward his head.
He tried to shove the leader away, but that's when something bizarre happened. The colors of the world inverted, blackness being the dominant color with shades of blue and purple concentrated in front of Byleth. Within that center a glass-like crack spread. Seconds later the glass gave way and he felt himself being pulled into the mysterious abyss that lay beyond it.
-O-
Byleth looked around the familiar darkness, immediately scouring it for the girl on the throne that he'd saw earlier.
"I'll have you know I do not fancy death!"
As if she'd been there all along, the mysterious girl was there, on her throne and looking at him with partial disappointment and partial annoyance.
"And I'll have you know that I was going to intercept that arrow. I've done so before, so you don't have to worry about seeing my head split open." Byleth wearily remarked.
The girl leaned forward with an inquisitive look on her face. "Were you now?"
"I've seen more than my fair share of battlefields. You'd do well not to underestimate me."
"Such bold words, yet I am unsure if you can back them up." She remarked, her intense gaze softening somewhat. Her words confirmed that she had been watching him. Byleth quietly looked around the darkness trying to figure out where "here" was. A part of his subconscious mind? The depths of his soul? "Still, you took your time in dealing with that ruffian." Her statement was interrupted by a yawn. He didn't know if that was an indicator of her having woken up or preparing to go back to sleep. "Tell me, do you plan on dispatching all of them?"
"If I must. Like I said, I'm more than capable of it." He pressed.
"And in doing so, would you put your life in harm's way? For three strangers whom you've just met?" The girl questioned. Her tone was sounding less like a child and more…adult-like; even her speech pattern reminded him of an older person instead of a child.
Byleth stood up straight and looked her right in the eye. "They came to me and my father for help. If I have to put my life on the line to protect them, so be it."
"Are you not a mercenary? A sword for hire? That's awfully chivalrous of you." Came her reply. Looking at her, Byleth could see beyond her surprise she seemed to be almost…smiling. What sort of answer had she been expecting?
"I'm not a chivalrous man, but I'm not the type to stand by and watch innocent people be killed by bandits. I've seen that happen enough so if I'm in the position to stop it, I will. Payment or not." He resolutely explained.
Ever so slowly, the girl smiled at him in an approving manner. "You speak of a lack of chivalry, yet I can see that you do indeed have a sense of morality, a code. Byleth, correct? You have my curiosity, and I shall say my support. While I applaud such an attitude, I suggest you keep it in moderation. To help you do that I shall be here to guide you."
An eyebrow was raised. "Guide me?"
"Yes." She responded standing up and beginning to descend her throne. "There is much I do not know, but I have this feeling that your fate and mine have been intertwined, much like these brands of mine." In a moment of whimsey she toyed with her left side braid. "You have told me your name, and now you shall know mine. It is Sothis. I was also known as the Beginning." Just as he inhaled air, she rose her hand and pointed it at him. "Now, go, show me that you weren't simply boasting before." Right before her appeared a magical circle with an eye-catching symbol in the center.
His eyes widened as his immediate memories were roused. "That emblem-"
The cracking-like effect returned along with the inversion of color. He recognized that he wasn't going to be getting answers, not until this was over with. To get there though he had to finish the battle that was started.
In other words, absolutely nothing new for him.
-O-
He could see and hear, but he couldn't move. Byleth hated the sensation.
The world around him was inverted when it came to colors, time itself frozen. Byleth himself couldn't move, but he was aware of everything around him. Once he got over the initial shock, he examined his surroundings.
Counting the leader, there were six bandits in the immediate area. The boy known as Dimitri was holding off three of them at once with his lance while the fifth one was to Byleth's far right, having a quiver full of arrows. As for the last one, he was currently engaging the bow wielder, no doubt keeping him distracted so he couldn't cover the rest of them.
No sooner had he completed his analysis then they all begin to move backwards.
What the hell?! His mind screamed while his mouth refused to work. Right before his eyes he saw everyone retracing their steps as if invisible strings were guiding them. Amazingly, Byleth could feel his own body moving backward. Time…time is…rewinding itself! While he dueled with the shock, he watched the battle rewind to the point when the archer started to get into position. Stop! I can do this from here!
Rather by his will or the girl known as Sothis, time stopped right then and there. Color returned and with it the roar of warfare.
Byleth gripped his sword as he focused all his might into his arms. First, he swung at the archer getting into position. The pressurized blast of air cut him down and left a spray of blood on the grass. From there he dashed forth to intercept the bandit leader, intercepting his attempted murder of the girl. With ease he shoved him back and went in for the killing blow. What stopped him was the thrown sword that came from another one of the bandits. Spying him, he saw that the move cost him as the blond quickly ran his spear through his side then moved onto his compatriots.
"F-F-Fall back! Retreat!" Shouted the bandit leader. Fittingly, the survivors scrambled to follow his orders and thus save their own lives. Wherever they were fighting they broke off and ran, some of them outright dropping their weapons.
Watching them gave Byleth an odd sense of déjà vu. "Typical." He muttered flinging his sword to the side and thus flicking the blood off. The battle was over, he could see that. As much as he would have liked to have known exactly who those bandits were, Byleth recognized that pursuing them probably wasn't a good idea. Turning back, he approached the white-haired girl, who'd gotten back to her feet. Having lost her axe, he saw her wielding a dagger. "Are you alright?" He called in his usual monotone voice.
"I-I..I am, thanks to you. You saved my life." She said, her eyes glittering with light for the first time.
"Hey, I'd say he just saved all of us, but, eh, maybe yours twice over." Quipped the archer as he and the blond joined them. "I gotta say, those were some impressive moves. You're one hell of a skilled fighter."
"Quite so. You…you are able to swing your blade with enough force to turn the air itself into a weapon." The blond said in clear amazement. Byleth found something amusing in the starstruck look on his face; it reminded him of his own face when he witnessed such displays. Or they would have if he were a more impressive person.
"It took me almost half a month to master it, but it's a useful skill. In the absence of arrows or knives, the wind itself is a good long-range weapon." Byleth remarked.
"I agree, when harvested right, the wind can perhaps prove a better alternative to arrows." The girl seconded.
"Hey, hey, don't go knocking on the always reliable bow and arrow!" Cried the tan-skinned boy still with humor in his voice. "All you need is a good shot and problem solved via one, nifty and trusty arrow."
Byleth nodded. "That's also true. The matter is entirely dependent on the situation," he paused looking back on his experiences in ranged combat. "And somewhat on personal taste. I have a fondness for archery myself."
"Really? So you're not just all swords and smarts! I'm starting to like you more and more by the second, mister…"
He didn't get the chance to introduce himself thanks to a new voice, one that boomed across the forest like a drumbeat. "The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut you down for terrorizing our students!"
The sound of fire suddenly being extinguished piqued his interest. Magical bursts of water were being used to stop out the flames before they could spread too far. The spellcasters were seemingly part of the newly arrived platoon of knights. Their name made him blink in recognition.
Knights of…Seiros? Seiros? As in that warrior woman from my dream? As the group came upon them Byleth found himself replaying the details of his battle-centered dream. In that same time his father came upon them, blood dotting his armor. Not surprisingly, there wasn't a scratch on him. What did catch Byleth's attention was the near apprehensive look on his father's face.
"Ugh," he groaned. "Why him?"
"Who is he? An old friend?" Byleth questioned. He knew that expression, and it made him curious and on guard with the approaching man. One look at his face though and Byleth was questioning if the latter was warranted. Everything about him seemed so…non-threatening.
"Captain Jeralt? It is you! Goodness, it's been ages!" he shouted with a beaming smile. When his father continued to stare, he just kept on laughing. "Don't you recognize me? It's Alois! Your old right-hand man! Well, that's how I always thought of myself anyway. Oh, it must have been twenty years ago you went missing without a trace! I always knew you were alive though!"
"Captain?" Byleth repeated. He knew that this man wasn't referring to any mercenary band.
"You haven't changed a bit, Alois. Just as loud as ever. And drop the "captain" nonsense; I'm not your captain anymore." His father said in an annoyance-tinged voice. He briefly flickered his gaze to Byleth, silently promising him an explanation later. Frankly, he'd have liked to hear it now. "These days, I'm just a wondering mercenary. One who has work to do. Goodbye, old friend, I wish you well in your continued service to the Knights of Seiros."
"I see…goodbye old-!" At the last second his despair changed to determination. "Wait! That isn't how this ends! I insist you return to the monastery with me! There's so many who'd love to see you!"
"Garreg Mach Monastery," his father spoke the name like a man choosing his method of execution. "I suppose it was inevitable." And that was his acceptance of the inevitability of it. One way or another, this was his fate.
"That's wonderful to hear!" Whoever this Alois was, he wasn't letting his father's demure attitude get him down. Perhaps there was a little charm in that. With that confirmation, the man called Alois turned his attention to Byleth. "And who might you be? The captain's child?"
"Yes." He looked back at the three teens who he'd rescued and fought beside. They all had been standing on the outskirts of the conversation, watching it with varying degrees of curiosity. It was easy to see they were just as confused as him but watching the little reunion with interest just like him too. Looking between them and the brown-haired man, he inhaled. "My name is Byleth Eisner, son of Jeralt Eisner. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"Ah, I knew it! Your mannerisms remind me of the captain, and based on the scenery, you've got his skills as well! I'd love it if you were to the Monastery with us!"
"I would like to. Yes." Byleth said in as much of an upbeat voice as he could muster. His father let out a groan of defeat.
"What's troubling you, captain, you're not going to run off, are you?" Alois half-jokingly asked.
"Even I wouldn't dare run away from the Knights of Seiros." The Blade Breaker drily responded.
So…after all these years, I finally get to learn some of those secrets. Even if he was a more emotive person Byleth believed he would have kept his face passive. Letting his excitement at the thought of his father's secrets being revealed probably wasn't a good move.
Secrets between father and son, this could turn out to be quite interesting!
Going dead-still, Byleth looked around his immediate area. Upon finding no one there he came to one conclusion. You're in my head. I have a spirit in my head.
You say that as if you have been afflicted with some sort of curse. Sothis chirped back with slight indignation. For it was my power that allowed you to roll back time and end the battle quickly instead of prolonging it.
Yeah, it was…thank you for that. Byleth said. He considered himself adaptable. Having a specter-like girl in his head, who also possessed the power to seemingly manipulate time? Even for him that was unusual, but he believed he could get used to it.
He was confident that he was the only one who could see her. Right beside him, Sothis' spectral form seemingly manifested. She fixed him with an approving smile. Ah, so gratitude is not so far out of your reach. Nor were your boasting simply empty words.
I'm not called a demon for nothing.
Demon? You? Hah! You are no demon. An exceptionally skilled mortal yes, but no demon.
You simply haven't seen me in a real battle. Byleth shot back. Rather than anger, he was feeling somewhat amused by the mysterious girl. She certainly had some sass to her; how much of it though he could only wait and see.
Considering how our fates seem to be bound. I shall. Now, go, join the others. This Garreg Mach Monastery, I am just as eager to see it as you. Almost immediately after she finished speaking a yawn sounded in Byleth's head.
Would you like to take another nap until we get there, or can you stay awake until then? Byleth coyly asked. Just before the spectral image faded, he caught Sothis shooting him an incensed look. As best he could he smiled at it while moving on.
Out of curiosity he cast his eyes to the far right. It was faint but he could see the first lights of dawn beginning to rise above the darkness. A new day was coming, albeit technically it already had. Byleth recognized that this day was going to bring a lot of changes to his life, ones he likely never could have imagined.
It put a slight spring in his step.
Aaand that's the first chapter, sorta. A bit long for a prologue, but once I started writing I found it hard to stop. To be frank, I really want to spend into the school year to show where things will be changing. Though not my intention, as I was writing I ended up thinking of where this story will go and how I might hint at that through this opening chapter.
To get a very important subject out in the open, Byleth's portrayal in this story will be more…active I should say. Given his backstory of a seasoned mercenary, I'm going to write him as such. That means he is an excellent fighter AND he's extremely perspective, both in and outside of battle. He's not going to be an absolute genius, but he will be able to put clues together, and he'll have the incentive to go out and actively search for clues himself. I plan on that actually causing disruptions to the canon story since instead of Byleth being stoic, he's going to be more willing to explore the world around him, and even question certain things. And people. His character arc is usually portrayed as him fully awakening to his emotions; while I can work with that, such a thing doesn't have to mean he's dead to the world around him. Fódlan's a new world for him and he is going to explore it, it's part of what's going to lead him into becoming the leader he turns into come Part 2.
All that said, I will admit it was a bit difficult writing that. I was very tempted to just kill Kostas off here and now because I'd written Byleth to have the skill and capability to do so. For the sake of what I have planned, I decided to stick with canon.
Speaking of Kostas, I gave him and his crew a slight upgrade from canon. Edelgard hired him and his gang for a job, a job that would put him in potential conflict with Dimitri and Claude. While she doesn't think much of Claude, she'd at least give Dimitri some serious thought, thus would be willing to lend them stronger weapons to get the job done. That too is going to tie into Byleth taking a more active role in the story. The Flame Emperor storyline could have been done better, so I'm going to treat it in-universe as a mystery that Byleth sets out to investigate. Obviously, that's going to lead to friction with Edelgard.
As you all likely know…I did a lot of expanding on Three Houses' opening scene, and thus Seiros and Nemesis' final fight. Those of you familiar with my stories should know I've got a taste for writing detailed fight scenes. While I couldn't go too wild with Seiros and Nemesis' fight, I wanted to show more of their abilities as the greatest warriors Fόdlan had in the last millennium. Given Byleth's a fight junkie, he was an excellent eyewitness to it. Seeing it was another piece of the puzzle that he's going to be attempting to put together. Like I said, I'm writing him as an experienced mercenary, so in a fight, certain things will stand out at him. Those of you who've read "Treasures of a Demon", should recognize his affinity for weapons. He's going to catch onto Heroes' Relics very quickly, and the truth about Nemesis and his forces.
The next chapter, the official first chapter, will introduce Rhea, the Monastery, and see Byleth choosing the Black Eagles. And him making his…shall we say impactful introduction to them.