Chapter 15 – Knight, Professor, Student
Seteth studied the corpse. They had inflicted devastating after devasting blow yet had stubbornly refused to die. At least until the brain was pierced, he had yet to find a foe capable of surviving that. The nature of the monster made Seteth suspicious. Beasts such as giant wolves or birds could occur and be born naturaly. While they were mutated from magic or from a crest stone, they had become an actual species fully capable of breeding and reproducing. Though they lacked crest stones at that point. Monsters like this one are mutants brought about by a crest stone.
The knights of Seiros were famous for dealing with monsters such as these, often traveling to every corner of Fodlan for their hunts. They were a neutral force, capable of dealing with great threats and keeping the peace of Fodlan. It was their entire reason for existing beyond the protection of the Central Church. But they had other duties. One of those secretive purposes was the retrieval of Crest Stones. While most of the original crest stones of their kin stolen by Nemesis have been accounted for and interred into the holy tomb, some remained missing. Yet not all crest stones were from Nabateans.
Their old enemies were devious and learned to make artificial crest stones that had appeared over the years. These artificial crest stones were used to make abominations, empower the original followers of Nemesis, and Goddess knows what else. If this was one of their experiments, why let it loose so close to their territory? While their foe was ever lurking in the shadows, they gave Garreg Mach a wide berth. Perhaps it escaped and made its way here?
Seteth rose from the corpse. He turned and focused his gaze upon Lucas. Lucas proved himself a capable warrior and contributed more to the fight than any of the knights. But the very nature of his power roused his suspicions. A monster, likely Agarthan made, appears and a man with Agarthan magic helps to take it down? And not just one person with their magic, but two? Not to mention the crest he sensed. All in all, Seteth could admit his nerves were frayed, fantasies of worst-case scenarios flooded his mind. This man had sat and had lunch with his daughter! What would have happened had she followed him to some unknown location and…
Seteth stopped himself. He was jumping the gun as Indech liked to say. Calm down, he told himself.
"Lucas, come here!" Seteth called. Lucas had been tending to Kayla and Shez, patching their wounds and making sure neither passed out. Seteth didn't see anything wrong with the boy, a miracle given that he should be dead after that blow. His magic had healed him, and he surmised he was simply tired. Lucas turned back to Kayla and spoke a few more words. The Pegasus rider slapped him on the back and pointed back to Seteth. Lucas made his way over. How best to play this?
"Kayla's leg is broken. Not the worst I've seen, I don't think she'll lose it. Still, we should take her back to the monastery ASAP. They have better supplies, and I'm worried about infection…" Lucas gave his report. Seteth cocked his head in Shez's direction, filing the unfamiliar term, ASAP away. "Nothing wrong physically. Looks like that burst of magic healed him and gave that huge boost in strength. He says he feels exhausted, which I can believe."
Seteth hummed, looking into his eyes. The flecks of red were still there, but dull and otherwise normal. Seteth needed to probe him for information. There had been Agarthans who defected over the years, but none dared come to the Church of Seiros for sanctuary. There was too much bad blood between their people, even exiles dared not seek them out. Most chose to scurry away into the night or find a distant refuge away from Fodlan. Seteth looked at the monster's corpse and had an idea.
"Since you may join the Knights of Serios, there is something you should know." Seteth unsheathed a knife and approached the beast's chest. He placed his hand around its chest and sent pulse of magic. The stone resonated. "Come here."
Lucas knelt next to him; his curiosity aroused. He turned his gaze to the monster's chest. "The Knights of Seiros hunt monsters like this often. Part of their duties is the retrieval of what we call Crest Stones." Seteth let the name hang in the air, studying Lucas's reaction. Lucas met his eyes, confusion on his face.
"Okay… what does a stone have to do with its heart? Assuming that's where your hand is" Seteth nodded, before driving a knife into its scales. He made an incision large enough to fit his arm through. He rolled up his sleeves and reached inside the monster, flesh squelching. Seteth dug, until he found what he was looking for. He gripped the round smooth stone, yanking it roughly. This one was featureless, unlike the one inside of himself. If it wasn't for the magic inside, it would be an ordinary rock.
Lucas looked at it with surprise. "Wait, are you telling me it's heart was a literal rock?" Lucas looked bewildered. Then his gaze narrowed on the stone. "Is it, pulsing?" He asked. It was not physically pulsating, but the magic within did give such a feeling. It did not beat like a heart; the pulse cycled their blood supercharged with magic through their bodies.
Seteth nodded. "That is correct. A crest stone is a rare and sacred thing. They are meant to be interred at sacred sites all over Fodlan, though mostly in Garreg Mach." He handed the stone to him. Lucas took it, studying intently. "A Crest Stone is brimming with raw magic. The magic is so great, it can cause normal animals or even people to transform into monsters, or more powerful demonic beasts" Lucas turned it around in his hand, looking up at him, tensing. "It won't change you unless you tap into its magic or are exposed to it for an extended period time. Have no fear." Seteth took the stone back. Either Lucas was an exceptional actor, or all of this was new information to him. While he knew little of Agartha's inner workings, he could imagine that even their lowliest members knew about Crest Stones, given how often they utilized them.
Lucas looked back at the monster. "Why is something like this here then?" Seteth rose an eyebrow. "If it mutated from an animal, why would a Chameleon be in this part of Fodlan? It's tropical and cold blooded, this isn't their natural habitat."
"An excellent point. We must also consider its ability to blind us." Seteth began to pace around him. "A creature, who had no earthly business being here with abilities which are by no means natural. Which means only one thing. It was made by someone and taken here." Lucas's eyes widened in understanding.
"You mean it was an experiment? Something cooked up in a lab?" Curious, Seteth had never heard that phrase before either. He remembered Shez mentioned he was a foreigner whose home was gone. Seteth suspected he was speaking of Agartha, but now a sliver of doubt crept into to him.
"I believe so. The question is, who could have done this?" Seteth said. If he was of Agartha, this question would be an invitation to come clean and admit it. Lucas said nothing, opting to study the monster. "Lucas, if you want to tell me something, do so now." He added further pressure. He had dropped enough hints, if he was of Agartha, he would have surely known what Seteth was getting at.
Lucas turned around and leaned his back on the monster, looking into the sky. "I woke up here. In Fodlan I mean. In some underground ruin, lab thing." Seteth blinked. That was… not what he expected. Lucas rolled up a sleeve, showing the multitude of scars. "And these weren't here before."
Seteth tore his gaze away from his arm and back to his expression. He looked exhausted, bitter, and frustrated. "And I take it you have no clue as to how you come to be in said ruin. Where is your home?"
He gazed into his eyes and let out a bitter chuckle. "Seteth, one of the first things I did when Jeralt took me in was to look at every map of the known world. Every single one I could get my hands on." He let out a huff of air. "Nothing. No clue as to where the hell it is or how to get there." He rolled his sleeve back down.
An experiment then? He had seen evidence of their brutality when it came to their test subjects. Only most of those test subjects came from within Fodlan or possessed Crests. Though Lucas did fit one of those criteria. As a Nabatean, he could identify Crests on his own without a crest analyzer. He knew each Crest in the world by their distinct magical signature. Or so he thought.
He had no idea whose crest Lucas had. He wasn't sure if the young man was even aware that he had one. The Agarthans were obsessed with experimenting on Nabatean blood, perhaps they wanted to see what would happen to the young man? The holy magic of Sothis had been mixed with their unholy powers within the young man, something Seteth had never seen. Was Lucas the first? A prototype of some kind?
Seteth recounted the abilities he displayed earlier. High speed teleportation with no preparation. And then the sword technique. Most Agarthan techniques revolved around intricate formulae, spells, and technology; Lucas's were more physical. Perhaps because he lacked formal training, he manifested it differently.
The young man was involved, and possibly a victim of his ancient enemies. If he was left for dead or they failed to dispose of him, they might come for him. Seteth chewed his lip, before coming to a decision. He would give a partial truth, a partial story as to who they are. It would be unconscionable not to warn him what he may be up against.
"Before I begin, you must understand this is… not a public part of the Church's history. In ancient days, there was a powerful nation that coexisted with the followers of the Goddess. For many years, this nation and those who followed the Goddess lived in an uneasy peace. The Goddess shared many gifts with their people in hopes of fostering understanding and unity. Until said peace was broken."
Lucas nodded his head, seemingly familiar with the story. "Jeralt told me about this. He said the ruins I showed him were a remnant of their civilization."
"What did he tell you exactly?" Seteth prodded. Jeralt had served Rhea for over a century. He was the Captain of the Knights of Seiros, he was responsible for finding and disposing of Agathan technologies. He knew more than most, but how much did he tell Lucas?
Lucas bit his lip. "That they were a group of people who existed a long time ago, with magic as a corner stone of their civilization. They had advanced weaponry and technology which made them arrogant and dangerous. Though he told me he didn't know what they were called." Seteth doubted that. Why would he hold a nugget of information back from Lucas? Perhaps he feared the young man would seek them out? "He also said they went to war with the Goddess and were defeated. I assumed that at some point their… creations and people were outlawed or put to death." It was a rudimentary summary, though one to be expected from someone with little facts to go by. Seteth was pleased the young mercenary was cooperating with his questioning and begging to believe his story. But that didn't mean Seteth would discount the possibility Lucas was an infiltrator yet.
"That is…. mostly correct. While their numbers were diminished after the war, the Goddess welcomed any who renounced their former allegiances. Most of their leaders were to be executed for their crimes, though many escaped." And if only they had been caught, perhaps Zanado would still exist…
Lucas hummed. "And I'm guessing the escapee's swore vengeance and went underground?"
Seteth nodded. "Quite so. There has been evidence of a secret cabal. Most likely their descendants have been performing dark experiments over the years, but we have been unable to pin them down."
"How long has it been since the Church drove them underground?"
Seteth sighed. "It has been estimated to be around a millennium before the founding of the Empire. So, it would have been nearly two thousand years ago their third war against the Goddess ended."
Lucas seemed intrigued. "Third war? What about the other two?" Seteth enjoyed storytelling far too much. Seteth cursed Lucas for his perceptiveness and himself for that slip up.
"I know very little about the first war, any records have been lost to time. All we know is that was long and terrible." Seteth began.
"Then how do you know it happened?" Lucas questioned.
Seteth inhaled sharply, shooting him a glare. Lucas gave him a quick apology, quieting once again. Seteth ignored the question and chose to move on. Not that he could have answered any questions about the first war, it was far before his time. Even when their civilization was at its peak, few could claim to have lived through that war. While their kind do not age, time brings the risk of death regardless. Indech and Maucil confessed to having served in the first war, though neither wished to discuss it with Seteth. Maucil told him that it was best left in the past. A sentiment Sothis herself shared, her only words about that war were to honor their lost brothers and sisters.
"The second war on the other hand was said to be short, only two years. It took place sometime after the first war, though I have no clue as to how long. The peace that resulted from that war was more of a ceasefire. The third took place decades later and was by far the worst. It was said that the land itself was befouled. No crops grew for decades, wildlife was unable to drink from rivers, even the birds fled for new lands. It took the Goddess herself to heal the land."
Seteth looked away. He had gotten carried away again. It was time to get to the point and start making Lucas answer questions about himself. Lucas's eyes held a curious gaze, one that he approved of. While he approved of Rhea hiding the truth of Zanado for their safety, he was sickened with the branding of Nemesis as blessed by Sothis, even if they claimed he 'fell'. Though he did not blame Rhea for that. She hated it the idea, but the then Emperor insisted it was necessary for the subjugation of the North.
"Forgive me, but I have rambled too much." Seteth lowered his hand, his spear ready to answer its master's call. His expression became stern, the Hammer of Judgement was ready to render his verdict. "Allow me to ask you directly for surety. Are you a member of this group? Do you possess any ties at all, past or present?"
Lucas looked offended. "Considering they ripped me from my home with no way back? Not in a million years." He responded with venom. Then his expression turned calculating, his body tense, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. "That's why you told me that story. Why you showed me the crest stone. You were prodding me to see how much I knew…"
Seteth nodded. "That is correct. You must understand Lucas, I have fought these people for a very long time. And now, my sister Flayn, is known to the public. I must be sure, for her safety. They would not hesitate to hurt or use her to get to me." Or worse, he added mentally.
Lucas let out a scoff. "Clever bastard…" Lucas stayed tense, looking into Seteth's eyes. He felt no hatred from Lucas, only wariness. They stood for several seconds, sizing each other up. Then, Lucas relaxed and Seteth matched his posture. He sighed wearily. "Everything I told you was true. I don't have a damn clue what they did to me or why. I'm not a spy, hell, Jeralt didn't even want to come back here! He and the rest of us were shanghaied into service after Remire. We wanted to hit the road and move on to the next job. If I was a saboteur, me making it here would rely on a ton of luck."
Seteth gave a knowing smile. "True. And you could have left. You could still leave if you desire it, there is plenty of work for a mercenary, even without Jeralt."
Lucas looked offended. "Jeralt saved my life, took me in, taught me, and fed me. I owe him and that group of scoundrels." He added fondly. "Where sh-they go, I go."
Seteth noticed the slip. He could guess who 'she' was. His face broke into a knowing smirk. Ah to be young and in love.
He still needed to question Shez, though he figured the eager young man would be easier to interrogate than Lucas. There was one thing Seteth was sure of. Lucas was loyal to Jeralt and to the Blade Breakers. And was smitten with the new professor. Seteth couldn't trust his words alone, not yet anyways. He would keep an eye on Lucas Raithe. And what better way of doing that than keeping him close?
"Very well Lucas. But first, I would like something from you. I want you to vow that you will protect the people of Fodlan and to follow the Goddess's wisdom and teachings."
Seteth had gone from questioning, to teaching, then to threatening. It was designed to throw and keep Lucas off balance. He found that a person acted as their truest self when in such a state. "I'm not a follower of your Goddess Seteth." Seteth hummed in approval. While Seteth hoped Lucas would come to appreciate the Goddess' teachings, he could not stand false piety. He stared resolutely into Seteth's emerald eyes. "The first one though? That's a promise I'm willing to make."
"Then allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Knights of Seiros."
Lucas's bounced in his saddle, wishing for the ride to be over. Since their target had been so vicious, it must have eliminated any bandits normally stalking the roads. So, he decided to drop his guard and enjoy the forest air. Only to have a sudden rain shower ruined that plan. His hair was plastered against his face, and he felt a chill. He glanced over at Kayla, who rode her Pegasus on the ground with the rest of them. While its rider had broken a leg, it had broken a wing. Kayla had even joked their injuries were proof of the bond between rider and mount. Lucas suspected her Pegasus also had a broken rib, but it seemed to be trotting just fine. He hoped she was not going to catch something, the last thing Kayla needed was to get sick on top of the leg.
Lucas tunned out Waymar and Tylers conversation, something about initiating someone. Probably him, but it wasn't important for now. What was the worst that could happen? Streaking across the monastery? Waymar didn't seem the type, but he had been wrong about the man already. Lucas found Waymar far less prickly than before. It seemed his performance had impressed the knight and shown him he was worthy of joining the knights. Seteth had told the others that he endorsed Lucas's admission to the knights, though made no mention of Shez.
He thought back to his conversation with Seteth. Whoever those people were, Lucas would not be alone when they met. He had By, Jeralt, Shez, and now the Knights of Seiros. Even so, the very idea of a shadow organization existing for a thousand years while experimenting on people and creating monsters sounded like a conspiracy theory Lucas would laugh at. But the past year of his life had skewed his reality. What was unbelievable was now very believable to him. Speaking of unbelievable…
"Prometheus, you there?"
"Yep." Prometheus responded, popping the p. Though the distortion of his voice made it sound odd. It annoyed Lucas he was being so blasé after going dark for days.
"Care to explain what happened to you? You started freaking out when Byleth told me about Sothis. Then you just, fizzled out…"
"I can't tell you that." Lucas's anger flared. He couldn't believe this.
"What the fu… Why!?"
"I can't tell you that either, just… trust me. It was for your own good."
"What was!" His dodging was getting on Lucas's nerves. For all his talk about being his guide, he liked keeping him in the dark. And then there was the dream he had. Lucas paused. The dream! "I experienced your memories, didn't I. And you cut yourself off from me because something about Sothis triggered a memory you didn't want me to see."
Prometheus finally manifested himself, floating in front of him. "Lucas, that was an important memory to me, though an incomplete one. Your feeling of being hunted while on a mission caused you to reach into me. What happened after that little skirmish was why that memory is so important to me."
"You said I reached into you. Is that why I could use your technique? That… lightsaber, thing."
Prometheus let out something between a chuckle and sigh. "Mirage, Lucas. I called that technique Mirage. And I wouldn't plan on using it again any time soon. Basically, the magic you enchanted into your sword was vibrating around the edge, creating a spectral blade using the sword itself as a core. By using high-speed vibration of Maso particles, you cut through it's hide with ease. And with those vibrations, comes heat. Hence your sword melted."
"Yours didn't melt."
"Sever was made for me after I discovered that technique. I can't tell you how many swords I melted until it was made." He let out a sigh. "Seeing Sever broken like that hurt my heart."
Lucas remembered the destroyed armor in the ruins and the broken sword. That must have been Sever, or what was left of it. The pistol in the display wasn't in the memory though. Maybe Prometheus got it later?
Lucas needed to get back on track. He needed to find out why Prometheus went dark and what he knew about Sothis.
Prometheus could tell his attempts to divert the conversation had failed. "You want to ask what I know about Sothis." He concluded. He let out a long sigh. "Lucas you made a horrible mistake in telling her about me."
"She doesn't have any memories Prometheus. And doesn't have a body, what can she do?"
Lucas could feel his indignation. "You don't know a damn thing about her or me. If you had even an inkling of what she had done and is capable of, you'd know just how wrong you are. But alright, I'll play this game. Maybe she's telling the truth about her amnesia. Maybe we don't have anything to worry about right now. But that doesn't mean she won't get her memories back. And then, things will get nasty." Prometheus drew close, his visage nearly demonic. "And it's not just what she can do to me."
"What do you mean? Tell me why you are afraid of her. Why you hate her? Why you are so sure she's dangerous. Or how about who are you really." Prometheus said nothing. "Oh, let me guess. You can't, because of some rule you came up with, but can't tell me about." It was like playing a game in the dark without being told the rules.
"Lucas please… just trust me on this. I really want to tell you, but I just can't. Not yet, you're not ready." Prometheus pleaded. Lucas opened his mouth and spoke aloud.
"Why the fuck should I trust you!" He yelled. The other knights and Shez jumped at his sudden yell. They all turned to stare at him, while Lucas realized his blunder.
Without warning or preamble, everything turned grey. Lucas shuddered as something inside of him burned. His eyes dotting around, trying to figure out what happened. He could see individual rain droplets suspended in the air. Shez's frozen face contorted into shock. Lucas raised a hand and waved it in front of his face. His mare neighed, clearly uncomfortable. Lucas hopped off his horse and began to look around. But as soon as he let go of his horse's reigns, it froze too, joining the black and grey surroundings.
Then, everything began to move backwards. Rain droplets rose into the sky, Lucas's allies began to walk backwards, all while he remained still. The world was rewinding and leaving Lucas behind.
Lucas was dumbfounded and rooted in place, watching his allies go back.
"Lucas, either follow them and get back on your horse or think of a real good excuse for why you teleported ahead of them." Prometheus stated urgently. Lucas was still rooted in place, unable to formulate a reply or comply with what he said. "Lucas!" Prometheus repeated urgently. This finally got Lucas to snap out of it, as he ran forward to catch up with them. The pace they had been moving at began to slow, and color began to return to the world. He jumped on his horse, which jerked right as everything began to move as it already did.
Tyler and Waymar's conversation continued. He didn't pay attention to what they said before, but Lucas was certain it was the same. Shez looked over at him, staring at the others.
"Lucas? Are you okay?"
Lucas opened his mouth, trying to find the words to tell his friend what happened. But he couldn't and simply told him he was fine.
"Prometheus, what was that?"
Prometheus did not appear, but he did laugh darkly. "Sothis. Still think she's nothing to be concerned about?" Lucas's mouth went dry.
The mission had been easy so far. Or at least, as easy as bringing a bunch of nobles on their first bandit hunt could be. When Lucas killed Kostas, the remaining bandits were left leaderless, and his lieutenants were unable to pick up the slack. That was the problem with bandits. Most of the power was centered around their leader. If a leader gave too much power to his subordinates, they would revolt and take over. For mercenaries and soldiers, you wanted the second in command to be able to take over at moment's notice. For bandits, you wanted the second in command to enforce the leaders will.
Thus, resistance had been paltry and easy to pick off. Edelgard had proven her willingness to kill and had cautioned her on who in the Eagles had not had their first kill. Dorothea, Bernadetta, Lindhardt, and Caspar all lacked experience in snuffing out a life. When they were faced with bandits, she made sure each of them took on a bandit near a person who had taken a life before. She was gladdened that no one hesitated or took perverse pleasure in the act. Even the boisterous Caspar was somber after his Gauntlets crushed a man's windpipe. She had met psychos who delighted in killing, each turned her skin. Her father refused to work with them, but a few had managed to join without tipping others off to their proclivities beforehand.
She remembered her father's lessons about the morality of killing. When she was a child, he told her the world could be cruel, and sometimes to keep yourself safe you need to do bad things. As she got older and understood her father killed people for money, he told her a lesson she hadn't forgotten.
"I made a code for myself. Never kill an innocent person. Never kill an enemy when I don't have to. A soldier shouldn't take pleasure in killing another soldier. I've realized over the years that soldiers are fed horse crap by their lords and sent to die for reasons they don't really understand. And never, ever, enjoy the act of killing. Deciding who lives and dies is a drug Byleth, and I have seen it ruin too many." Despite his attempts to make her understand, it was unnecessary. Killing hadn't bothered her. Most of her kills consisted of either bandits who made their choices or other mercenaries who knew the dangers of their profession. Her first kills that night when she got the title Ashen Demon did stay with her though. They didn't bother her, they just stood out as her first. Killing someone she knew or whose story she knew like in Bládthanna? That was a whole different matter.
"As much as I would love to debate morality child, you should focus." Sothis chastised. They were reaching the center of the red canyon, near what looked like a ruined pyramid. Byleth spotted four bandits ahead. One of them had his eyes closed and was muttering what looked to be a prayer. It seemed this one knew it was the end and chose to make peace with his maker.
"I am getting them!" Petra called out. She dashed forward, aiming for the bandit most removed from the group. The bandit yelled a taunt, which Petra ignored. The Brigan princess was a superb swordswoman and had been paired with Bernadatta. While the bandit taunted her, Bernadetta took the opportunity to shoot him. An arrow thudded into his leather chest piece; the blow painful but not fatal. He gasped for air, grabbing the arrow shaft. He looked up to see Petra on top of him, summersaulting into a slam. Her sword cleaved into his shoulder all the way to his heart.
Byleth hummed. She would have to talk to Petra about the dangers of leaping attacks. They were great for damage but rendered you vulnerable. The other eagles moved in, ready to box their foes in and prevent escape.
A couple falling pebbles caught Byleth's eye. She turned her attention to the top of the ruined pyramid and saw large rocks tumbling down at high speeds. In the heat of battle, none of the eagles had noticed the danger. And one was coming right for the future empress.
"Edelgard, run left and don't stop!" Byleth cried. The white-haired woman didn't hesitate and broke into a sprint. The rocks landed right where she had been standing, sending a large dust cloud into the air. The bandits were smarter than she thought. The other Eagles stopped their charge and looked to her for guidance. "Eyes on the enemy! Edelgard, take command and finish things down here. Hubert and I will deal with him." Byleth ordered. She nodded to Hubert who glared hatefully at the top of the Pyramid. A lone bandit stood at the top; a bow strapped to his back. She hoped he was out of rocks. Hubert raised his hand and fired a Miasma. It missed.
Hubert growled. "He is too far, Professor. I will provide cover while you finish him." Byleth nodded and began to climb up the stairs to the top of the pyramid. Hubert kept the pressure, sending spell after spell. Something was familiar about these stairs. The nostalgia she felt since they arrived at this canyon became stronger with each step.
The bandit dodged Huberts spells, taking cover inside of the structure. Byleth could hear the bandit cursing up a storm.
Byleth entered the pyramid, meeting the bandits' gaze. He had dark rings around his eyes and lacked several teeth. He was done and he knew it.
Her father had taught her that much of the strength of nobility came from image. And the three heirs nearly being killed by some no name bandits under the protection of the Church? There was no way they were going to survive, even if they succeeded in ransoming the three heirs.
"W-wait!" The bandit cried, raising a hand. He threw down his sword in surrender. "Just, hear me out!" Byleth ignored him, stepping closer. "We were paid! The boss was hired by someone!" She narrowed her eyes. Byleth was a professional, but that didn't mean she didn't get angry. He was a bandit that nearly flattened her student, she didn't care what he had to say.
"I quite agree. Finish him child, I worry for your students. We should return to them posthaste!" Sothis pointed out. Byleth agreed but was annoyed at her nagging. "I am right, and you know it!" Sothis argued in her shrill voice.
Byleth stepped closer and slashed her sword across his throat. He gurgled, grasping his throat, before falling to a knee. Byleth turned around and looked down on the canyon to find her students, only to gasp. The canyon was now full of white marble buildings in immaculate condition. She saw countless people walking the streets predominantly dressed in white robes and sandals. This place felt like her home, her responsibility, her duty. Byleth looked down, only to realize she was wearing an unfamiliar dress. She closed her eyes as a mind spitting headache came to her. She opened her eyes, only to find the bustling city gone. Back to the dusty ruin she had arrived in. What on earth was that?
A sharp pain pierced her back as a sword broke through her flesh. "No!" Sothis cried out. Byleth let out a shocked gasp. Warm breath on the back of her neck made her shiver. Stupid, she cursed herself. She didn't finish him; she should have been more thorough!
Then, the world went black and white. Byleth was standing at the foot of Sothis's throne. The girl blinked owlishly at her. Then she leaned back, smug as could be. "Well, it appears I am not so useless."
"What did you do?" Byleth asked, rubbing her chest.
"It appears I hold some temporal manipulation!" Sothis exclaimed, looking like a child proud of their fingerpaint. "I believe I may be able to turn it back as well and prevent your injury!" Sothis's grin became catlike. "But first, I wish to exact a toll upon you." Byleth sucked in a breath.
"What is it?"
Sothis's grin became a stern frown, folding her arms around her chest. "Take more care of yourself! I am bound to you, you dolt!" Ah, so that was it. "I make no claims about being an expert in combat, but what you did was a grave misstep!"
"I was a bit distracted by the city coming to life." Sothis's glare began to fade, as she looked away. Her expression became pensive as she slumped on her throne, her face resting on a closed fist.
"Did you also feel it? That wrenching nostalgia?" She asked somberly.
"… I did. Like I've been here all my life." She never felt such emotions when it came to places. Remire was where she grew up as a child and had her earliest memories, but she never had that level of attachment to it.
"I do not think you have. Perhaps I have. My memories are still missing, it is entirely possible I once lived here. I may be the source of what you feel about this place" Sothis reasoned.
"Does that mean you feel what I feel?" Sothis looked up.
"I do. On that subject, I must discuss food with you! Some of those dishes were positively divine and… oh that can wait!" Sothis shook her head, annoyed she was acting so childishly.
Sothis began to glow a soft green. Then the glow became blinding, causing Byleth's vision to go white. Byleth found herself in the real world, watching time roll back. Sothis rolled time back to when the bandit was begging for his life.
"We were paid! The boss was hired by someone!" Byleth resisted the urge to finish him like before. He was going to die, that much was certain. But now that her anger had cooled. If he was hired by someone, they might try again.
"Start talking. Before you find out why they call me the Ashen Demon." She growled, leveling her blank stare. As much as she disliked her moniker, it came in handy when it came to intimidation.
"T-they wore a mask! A flame pattern, and dark armor with feathers all over! They wanted us to ambush those noble brats and take 'em out. T-they said to make sure the professor was dead, but he ran."
Byleth raised a brow. Taking hostages and ransoming them was the typical playbook when they dealt with nobles. Even then, hostages were risky. A noble would prefer to just kill the bandit to protect their reputation. If it worked, a bandit clan would have to take the money and run as far as they could. Outright murder? The only benefit was bragging rights, and few lived long enough to do so.
"You have a name for him?"
"N-no, the boss dealt with him. I only saw him once!" His eyes darted around, and he kept stuttering. It made Byleth think her 'death' over. Could he really have picked himself up with a gashed throat and stabbed her in the back? Now that she thought about it, his sword was on the ground, he would have had to pick it back up while dying too.
Byleth's instincts flared, as she ducked down, feeling a whoosh of air go overhead. A sword struck tarnished marble, causing the iron blade to snap. Byleth grabbed her sword and thrusted it upwards into her attacker. The hidden bandit gasped, but Byleth kicked him away. She heard the other bandit pick up his sword, and she spun to face him. Only for the man to get hit by a bolt of magic.
Byleth's traced the spells trajectory and found Hubert. The dark mage was panting, hand outstretched with magic dancing around his fingers. "Forgive my delay professor" He turned his attention to the dead man. The corpse had already begun to stink, as if it had been dead for some time. An effect of dark magic?
"Not at all. Thanks Hubert. How are the others?"
"Just fine professor. Lady Edelgard took command and finished off the remaining bandits. It appears the first mission of the Black Eagles was a resounding success." He looked over at the bandit. "I heard him talking from outside. Did he have anything useful?"
Byleth shrugged. "Nothing worth repeating, he was just trying to distract me. Thanks for the save."
Hubert straightened up and gave a sinister smile. "Lady Edelgard believes we can learn much from you. It would not do have her be disappointed this soon."
"Why were you so out of breath earlier?"
Hubert looked away, annoyed at Byleth's perception. "There were… more stairs than I anticipated."
Byleth nodded, the glint in her eye making Hubert nervous. "Then we'll work on developing your stamina when we return to the monastery. Being a mage does not mean you get to slack off with physical training."
Shez stood in Seteth's office, nervous about what the advisor had in store for him. While he had told Lucas he passed and would be welcomed into the Knights, he had left Shez's fate in the air. He did just as well as the others, and the mission had been a success. Did he do something wrong?
"Perhaps it because you would have died had it not been for me." Arval snarked. Shez grunted, acknowledging his point. When they first met in his dreams the night before, he had been understandably confused. His self-proclaimed partner in destiny had been the source of the magic from the day before, and the reason he was alive. And he had gotten a sweet sword too!
"Yeah, you're probably right. Man, what am I going to do…" Shez whined. While he was fine working with the Blade Breakers as a merc, with Lucas becoming a knight and Byleth a professor, he felt like he was getting left behind. He was glad they were making their way up in the world. Still hurt though.
"Hey, cheer up, he didn't outright say you failed! Maybe he has another test for you?" Arval tried to cheer him up and give him hope.
Shez had only known him for a day, but he had come to like Arval. When they first spoke, he sounded stuffy and uptight, talking about being partners in destiny. Then, it was like he decided it was too hard to be grandstanding. Arval had confessed his lack of memories, though he did admit to being related to his new sword and awesome magic. That made him alright in Shez's book.
The door opened and Seteth waltzed in, his signature resting stern face on full display. "Ah, Shez. Please, take a seat."
Shez deposited himself into a chair in front of Seteths large mahogany desk. While it was simple in design, it was very well made. Various papers and reports were strewn across, making Shez wince at the workload.
Seteth interlocked his fingers and gave the young man a smile. "Rest assured, you impressed me with your performance. You did well, displaying remarkable courage and skills." Shez let out the breath he didn't realizing he was holding in. "But I am afraid I cannot allow you to join the knights of Serios." And there it was.
Shez looked down at his feet. "I see." He said pitifully.
"It is an utter miracle you are not dead. That blow should have killed you." Seteth leaned back and exhaled. "It is clear to me you have much to learn young man." Seteth paused, letting his words sink in. Shez refrained from mentioning Kayla's injury. It was one thing to fail, it was another to wine about like a child. Especially to someone chewing you out. Even so, she got knocked out early in the fight, he lasted way longer!
"She worked her way up their ranks for years and you are an outsider. That's why you are being held to a higher standard." Arval wisely pointed out. And Shez knew he was right. The silence was becoming uncomfortable as Seteth let his last statement hang in the air.
"Thankfully, you are in the best place in Fodlan to learn." Shez looked up. "The academy admits those of lesser means more oft than people realize. And the Officers Academy still owes you a debt for saving out students. You have great promise, but it is clear you are in need of guidance." Seteth's face was now fatherly. "What do you say?"
Shez hopped up and nodded. "I'll do it! I promise, I won't let you down." This was his chance. Maybe he wasn't becoming a full-blown knight like Lucas or a professor like Byleth, but this was his chance to rise higher! To not get left behind by his new family.
Seteth nodded with a wider smile. Shez's eagerness seemed infectious. "Then as we allowed Professor Byleth to choose her class, you shall be allowed to do the same."
Shez didn't hesitate. "Black Eagles. If Byleth is teaching them, I know they'll be the best when the year ends."
"Very good. Now that you will be admitted as a student, I must ask some routine questions." Shez sat down, still grinning. Seteth pulled out a blank parchment and raised his quill. "Now, what can you tell me about your past? And I must insist you leave out no detail, I wish for the record to be thorough."
Shez was so giddy, he shared everything about his past and how he came to be a mercenary. The emerald eyed man asked only occasional questions, merely writing down notes on his parchment, occasionally underlining something he felt was important. When Shez was midway through his story about meeting Captain Berling, Seteth interrupted. "Forgive me, but I just realized you never mentioned your mother's name. What was it?"
"Oh, it was Everly."
Authors note
Well, this is a lore dump chapter from Seteth about some Ancient history, at least from his perspective. He's trying to pass off his knowledge like he read it in a book, not actually lived it and avoid Lucas's suspicion.
In three hopes he admits he was suspicious of Shez because his power did not come from a crest. It was probably a partial truth; they knew he had Agarthan powers. He took a wait and see approach to Shez, but with Lucas and Byleth in the picture, he's a little frazzled and decided to take a more upfront approach.
I decided to make Shez a student after all. While he did good in the fight, getting hit like that made Seteth decide that he was too young and would benefit from being a student. So, Shez will be joining the Black Eagles when they get back from their mission.
Byleth dropping her guard by something unexpected was the only way I could figure out how to get her divine pulse into the story this early. The other bandit was hiding, and attacked when Byleth was distracted by her vision. Originally, I thought about the bandit rushing her before he died but went for this.
The pyramids in Zanado were inspired by the Pyramids of Merren in ASOIAF. Since Zanado seemed inspired by a mixture of Greek and Egyptian culture, I decided a pyramid would be fitting.
The final part where they get into Shez's mother was a tough decision. I like the Patricia theory, but I couldn't get the timeline to work. Duscur was four years prior to Canon. Shez could be artificially made like Sitri and artificially aged up MGS4 style. Even then she would have had to take him in at least eleven. So, I decided not scrap that idea and used an original character.
My love of Death's gambit is very established, if you noticed the reference, right on.