Rain fell upon a world engulfed in darkness. An army of undead soldiers, dripping with poison from their decaying mouths, approached the gates of a city. Soldiers of all manner of disciplines were lined up around the city walls, the ramparts, and at key locations within the streets. All were ready to go up against the encroaching dark.
The army of the undead closed in - the battle for survival soon began. Soldiers swung and lunged with their swords, axes, lances, and whatever else they had, all for the sake of defending the city. They put everything they had into their attacks, for it was the only thing left they could do.
But it was not enough to prevent the undead from entering the city. Some were warped in through the use of magic, which helped to open the floodgates. The city's inner defenders got to work safeguarding the non-combatant survivors while also doing everything in their power to save their closest allies from an unfortunate fate.
A young girl with long, flowing, yet slightly disheveled midnight black hair was one of the ones fighting the undead in the city streets. Her hefty, sturdy black armor, which had silver highlights, protected her against the assault, while the large, ancient axe she wielded made quick work of the undead. The axe itself had a faint, light purple glow around it, indicative of the otherworldly strength it possessed. The girl used it to great effect.
However, the undead numbered in the thousands, which increased as time passed. The girl grit her teeth, gripping her sacred axe and using its power to tear through two undead soldiers with a single swing. Their dark purple blood splattered onto her armor, yet she was unfazed.
As she fought, she hummed a familiar tune.
"I won't let anyone die today…" She spoke to herself determinedly, her natural voice containing a peculiar accent. "I'll destroy you all, and end this battle myself!"
With her axe in hand, she cut through several more undead soldiers. Her black boots, which also had silver highlights, kicked off against the cold, hard, stone tiling of the ground, giving her increased momentum behind her strikes - heightening their power.
After cutting down more of the enemy's forces, she glanced at the sky. The girl smiled once she saw a red-purple dragon with green-tipped wings blow blue flames at a group of incoming undead wyvern riders, dealing considerable damage to them.
"You get 'em, sis."
The girl continued fighting, using every last bit of her strength to take down as many of the undead as she could. Despite her tenacity, her stamina wouldn't last forever. The undead kept on coming, even seeming to use different battle formations as the battle went on. Some of them ended up surrounding some of the city's other defenders, sealing them away from the reach of their allies, which guaranteed their deaths.
Although the opposing army was using unique strategies and sending in soldiers of all types, including lance-users, beasts, and warriors with incredibly sturdy armor, the girl continued to give it her all.
She did have a breaking point, however. As she fought, she gradually built up sweat, while her limbs and head started to ache. The undead kept on coming, an endless sea of death and venom all around her.
"Fall back!" Someone called from afar, but due to the ringing in the girl's head, she couldn't make out whose voice it was in particular. She did, at least, recognize them as an ally.
As such, she followed their command. Splitting an undead through the middle with her now-purple bloodied axe, she dashed away from the immediate area, her heavy armor failing to slow her down. Some other undead soldiers approached her as she left the area she was fighting in, but she cut them down before they could bring her any harm.
Briefly, she glanced at the sky once more. The red-purple dragon was also fleeing the scene, heading back to the castle toward the further end of the city. They were replaced with a group of pegasus knights. The girl couldn't help but smile again.
A loud, agonizing scream from a familiar voice snapped her out of her stupor.
"NO!"
She turned away from the dragon, facing the direction the noise came from.
Her eyes widened.
"Dad!" She exclaimed.
Ignoring the earlier command from her ally, she pushed on in the direction her father's voice came from. Empowered by a strange, adrenaline-fueled desire, the girl forced her way through the thousands of undead soldiers that were in her path. The ones that attempted to stop her ultimately failed.
Nothing would get in her way.
Eventually, the girl arrived at what she knew, for sure, was the source of the noise she heard earlier - despite not having any direct confirmation of such.
An adult man with medium-length black hair was crouched, kneeling over the body of a woman that was lying on the ground in an open area. A tall individual whose identity was shrouded in the darkness of his heavy, dark blue armor stood over the two, a short distance away. A lance was in his hand, one that had a similar purple glow as the girl's axe.
"Dad, is everything okay…?" The girl asked, slightly out of breath.
No reply. Frowning, the girl slowly walked forward, keeping her guard raised as she maliciously eyed the armored individual. They weren't doing or saying anything, yet she kept up her guard regardless.
"I heard you scream, dad. Did something happen?"
"I-I, she…" The man's peculiarly accented voice stuttered. His body shivered, his dark-blue and black medium armor shaking with each twitch of fear. "This bastard…"
"Who? What-" She glanced at the unidentifiable individual once more before returning to the body on the ground.
She gasped.
"Mum?!" Her voice started to be filled with sorrow. "No-!"
The man turned around, revealing his heavily scarred and bruised visage to the girl. He got one good look at her before closing his eyes to hold back the emotions that yearned to pull through. He stood up.
"Promise me something, my daughter."
"W-what is it, dad?" The girl wondered, emotions overwhelming her.
He unsheathed his sword. Both it and his shield also glowed with the same purple energy that the girl's axe and the armored soldier's lance had.
"My life is over," he replied, his voice heavy. "It seems it was always destined to be this way. I need you to do just one thing for me, my daughter. Just one promise I ask you to make."
"Anything."
"Survive. Live until the end of this war, this long fought struggle. Survive, for me…" He hesitated. "And for her."
The woman's luscious, brown hair was sprawled along the ground. A large pool of crimson red blood formed beneath her body. A deep, narrow, bloody hole was carved into her chest.
The man with the ancient sword and shield glared at the red stains on the armored soldier's lance.
"S-survive?" The girl sniffled. "W-wait, why? Aren't you going to come with us? Wasn't that the plan? I thought we were all going to make it out of here!"
"Our lives were fated to be this way from the start. We were all doomed before we even realised it." He gave his daughter a sidelong glance. "But you and the others, you'll bring light back to this world. I know you will. Just don't forget my promise."
"The p-promise to survive…" She wiped at her tears. "I won't forget it, dad. Y-you have my word."
The man nodded. "Good. Now, you must leave. Meet with the others, and leave this city." He turned back to his enemy, the shadowy individual. "You must all survive…"
The girl stepped back, partially turning around.
"You sure you're not coming with us, dad?" She asked.
"No." He closed his eyes. "A dead man like me has no future."
Without sharing another word, he charged into battle with the one whose visage was hidden from the world. The girl chose not to watch as the sounds of steel clashing against steel rang from behind her. Although her misty eyes clouded her vision, her path was clear.
"Goodbye, dad…"
The girl ran away with tears in her eyes.
"Hello? Professor, are you in there?"
A woman with orange hair waved her off-hand in the man's face, trying to get his attention. In her other hand was a wooden training axe. She tapped it against his face to see if that would work, but it didn't. The black-haired and eyed man was unfazed by anything she tried.
Annette frowned, a mix of frustration and empathy in her expression.
"Oh no, he's doing it again…" Her light-hearted, typically carefree tone of voice grew weary. "Where's Dorothea when you need her?"
The woman sidestepped around the training axe he was wielding and tapped him on the shoulder, touching the smooth fabric of his large, black and gray robes. The man did not react. Looking at him, she could see that his gaze was distant, as if his mind was elsewhere.
Lucas' mouth twitched.
"M-muh…" He mumbled. "A-Agartha, you…!"
"Uh-oh. This isn't good. Probably shouldn't leave him alone; who knows what he'll do? Hmm, come on Annie, think, think…think!"
Annette stood there, racking her brain for any helpful ideas while Lucas mumbled to himself. His somewhat disheveled hair and beard blew in the wind that was faintly present in the former students' training grounds. Her white, brown, and dark turquoise robes were also blown around, but only by a little.
She blinked.
"Hey, Professor…uh, rather, Headmaster, can you hear me?"
Lucas shivered, his knuckles becoming white due to the force he was applying to his grip on the training axe's hilt. He slashed ahead with his training weapon, causing Annette to yelp in surprise. Fortunately, she was out of the way of his horizontal attack, so she wasn't harmed. Still, it did nothing to ease the nervous sweat that was appearing on her face.
"I'll take that as a yes." She sighed. "Look, it's okay. Nobody's going to hurt you. Agartha isn't here. They went away a long time ago. You're in the monastery, Headmaster. You're safe."
He slashed again, this time nearly hitting Annette with the back end of the axe.
"Whoa! Okay, I don't think that worked very well. Headmaster, I promise. You are safe. Nobody's going to hurt you or anyone else, so please put down your axe before someone gets hurt."
"Agartha, I will kill you…"
"I just said Agartha's not even here! Are you not hearing me after all? I wish you'd tell me."
Annette yelped again as Lucas slashed in her direction. She leapt back to avoid further attacks on her person, which seemed to be the right move as Lucas attempted exactly that. After realizing he was getting nowhere, he decided to stretch out his arm and point his open palm directly at Annette.
A venomous scowl took over his visage.
"Drown in a sea of flames."
He tried to push something out of him. Annette braced herself for what was to come, ready to either block or evade the spell she was anticipating.
But nothing ever came. Lucas tensed his palm, trying to squeeze out every bit of magical power he simply did not have. After realizing what was happening, Annette relaxed her guard.
"Is he trying to cast a spell?" She said to herself. "It doesn't seem to be working. But I thought he could use magic?"
Lucas continued to fail at casting a spell, solely focused on trying to eviscerate his unseen foe with the spell he thought he had. Annette stood there, her face full of desperation and uncertainty. She racked her mind for any more ideas, yet she ended up standing in silence as Lucas strained his hand with how much he was stretching and tensing it up.
A calm voice emerged from behind Lucas - it caused him to freeze.
"My darling, are you okay?"
All of his straining ceased. He slowly turned around, his eyes widened and his face full of desperate sweat. His shaking slowed, though it did not disappear. Behind him, having come through the small corridor that led to the training grounds' exit, was a beautiful woman with long, dark brown hair, who was wearing a mostly red dress that had black highlights.
Dorothea's smile brought an end to all hostility in Lucas' mind. Annette sighed in relief.
"Dorothea, I-"
"It's okay, my wonderful husband," the former songstress spoke with a warm, soothing voice as she approached her significant other. "It's okay. I'm here now. You don't have to worry."
"I was…you're here. You were, I thought-"
He was stopped by the embrace he suddenly found himself in, which was initiated by his wife. A soft touch, a conjoining of two souls - it was enough to ignite warmth within him. Lucas was drawn away from the reality he thought he was in, reciprocating the hug by wrapping his arms around Dorothea, just as she was doing to him.
His eyelids became heavy.
"Wow…!" Annette's mouth hung open in astonishment. "You're amazing, Dorothea! You stopped that episode of his - single-handedly!"
"I certainly did." Dorothea sighed, running her hands through Lucas' rough hair. "Maybe this whole axe training thing wasn't such a good idea after all. I thought he'd find some comfort in it, but I guess not."
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I'm not as delicate as you are." She turned to her training axe. "Maybe that's why I use these. That would explain a lot."
"It's not your fault. I wouldn't call it his fault either. Honestly, I'm not sure who or what is to blame. This is such a strange situation."
Dorothea and Annette's expressions both became melancholic. Meanwhile, Lucas was completely silent as he continued to hold onto his wife.
"You're still not willing to tell me exactly what happened to him, aren't you?" Annette asked with a raised brow.
The former songstress shook her head. "I don't think it's my place to do that. He'll tell you, and everyone else, when he's ready. I don't want to force anything since his mind is pretty fragile right now. The slightest touch, and…well, you've seen what he can do."
"Yeah…" Annette nodded solemnly. "It's terrifying. What could possibly have happened to make him act like that?"
Annette's question repeated in Dorothea's mind as she gazed into Lucas' tired eyes. She smiled as he turned to her.
"I w-was…training?" Lucas wondered, speaking with a raspy, exhausted voice.
"Yeah, you were. Don't worry about it, though. You and Annie were just finishing up." Dorothea turned to Annette. "Isn't that right?"
"O-oh, yeah!" Annette blinked in surprise, nodding vehemently. "That's right, Headmaster! We were just about done, h-heh. Make sure you remember all those axe-wielding forms I taught you!"
"Ah-!" Lucas paused. "I shall."
Dorothea chuckled. "Heh heh. How about we take a nap together, my beloved? I think you and Annie had quite the workout just now. It would probably be good if you two took it easy for the rest of the day."
"Y-yes. Let's rest."
"Okay. We'll start heading over, then. Don't forget to put your training weapon away first, though."
Lucas slowly nodded. He followed his wife's advice, putting the wooden axe away into the side room, inside one of the large chests the training weapons were stored in. After returning to Dorothea, the two held each other's hands.
"It is done," he said to her.
"Good! Let's get moving." Dorothea turned to Annette. "Thanks for helping him with his axe skills, Annie. I knew you were the right person to ask."
"You're welcome, and thanks! I'm always happy to help. Have a good rest, you two!" Annette smiled.
"We will. See you later!"
Waving goodbye to the orange-haired axe wielder, Dorothea departed from the former students' training grounds while holding hands with Lucas. After heading out of the large double doors, the two returned to the main, vast area of Garreg Mach Monastery.
Everything was peaceful. Knights from the newly formed Unification Knights, monks from the Church of Fódlan, and clerics (from the same church) wandered throughout the entire place, performing various helpful tasks that benefited everyone. There was still some damage that had been sustained from the somewhat recent attack from the White Beasts, as large piles of rubble and debris were scattered around monastery grounds. The central building, among other structures, had yet to be fully repaired. Large holes had been formed in the walls and roofs of various buildings where the Immaculate One and her White Beasts emerged.
Destruction was not to be easily healed. Yet, those that resided at Garreg Mach were doing their best. They had at least made a considerable start.
Lucas and Dorothea stood in front of the doors that led to the former students' training grounds, drinking in the calm air that came with peace. They didn't stay there for long as they had a place to go to and something important to do there. As if by instinct, Lucas began walking toward the former student dormitory, but Dorothea remained firm, their hand holding preventing Lucas from going any further.
"Where are you going? That's not where our quarters are," Dorothea said, again with a calm voice.
Lucas stopped. "Oh. Th-that's right." He turned to his wife. "You take the lead."
Dorothea smiled and nodded. She proceeded to take the lead, perfectly following her husband's recommendation. The two walked together into the central building, hand in hand, heading up several flights of stairs until they reached the third floor. They stopped in front of the large wooden door that was opposite the Star Terrace.
Holding onto the door handle with her free hand, Dorothea smirked.
"I still haven't gotten over how weird this feels," she commented. "I mean, this used to be Rhea's room. Now, it's our room. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it."
"It's…a nice room," Lucas quietly responded.
"Yeah, it certainly is. You know, I'm glad Rhea had a massive bed like this - it fits us both pretty well! That's gonna be important for us in just a minute."
"What do you mean?"
Dorothea turned to him, brightening her smile while also chuckling and briefly closing her eyes. "You'll see, darling."
She turned away and placed her hand on the door.
"I've got something special planned for us."
Dorothea gently pushed it open, the two of them walking through and closing the door behind them.
On the other side was a rather spacious room with all sorts of wooden shelving units, dressers, and wardrobes up against the walls. Paintings of various things such as vast landscapes, an ancient city within a dry canyon, and a particular woman with lengthy green hair were fixed to the walls. At the far end of the room was a substantial, double-sized bed that had pure white sheets and pillows. An extensive, dark wooden frame surrounded the bed, providing anyone that rested within the sheets an additional ceiling of sorts beneath the room's actual ceiling.
Dorothea frowned at one of the paintings.
"We should get these things removed someday…" She shook her head in disapproval, then sighed before smiling again. "Anyway, shall we lie down?"
"Lie down? Um…" Lucas thought about it for a moment. "Yes."
"Good. Then let's do it. When you're ready, my love."
Lucas blinked confusedly, but he allowed Dorothea to lead him to the bed they shared. The pair went underneath the sheets, occupying the two sides of the mattress - at first. Moments later, Dorothea shuffled closer to him. While lying within the comforting confines of the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling the extensive bed frame provided, the two turned to each other, laying on their sides.
Dorothea's beautiful, radiant smile ignited something inside of Lucas' soul. The two blushed.
"How are you feeling?" She asked him. "At peace?"
"Y-yes." Lucas stuttered. "I don't feel conflicted anymore. Being with you…I can see clearly now. Thank you for arriving when you did."
"You're welcome. I was hoping Annie would've been able to help you with your episodes, what with her bright and bubbly personality. That's why I asked her to train you in using axes, instead of someone that's probably more qualified to do so, like Alois or anybody else. Seems like I was wrong…"
"I'm sorry." Lucas closed his eyes.
"You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault. In truth, for this situation specifically, it might be my fault, given that I was the one who suggested the training session in the first place. I should be the one apologizing."
Lucas reopened his eyes, suddenly staring determinedly at Dorothea. "No. I am the one at fault. It was my episode, and I also agreed with the idea of the training session. I need to get better at using axes, to make full use of Edelgard's gift."
"That Sacred Weapon, huh? It was pretty nice of her to give that to you. She didn't need to go to that length for a wedding present, but she did." She laughed a little. "I always knew you and Edie were good friends."
"She was good to me in the war. The only true friend I had, aside from Sothis and Byleth, until you and I reunited."
"Your only true friend…"
Dorothea's expression softened, sorrow evident in her eyes.
"I'm kind of surprised you didn't end up proposing to her. You two would've been great together."
Lucas frowned, disapproval bubbling up within. "Edelgard was only ever a friend to me. I never would have proposed to her. We were allies, comrades in arms…you and I were something more. That's why I chose you."
"Yeah, but are you saying you don't have a deep connection with Edie?"
"Not in the same way as with you. The bond I share with her is not the same type of bond you and I have. We are partners for life. Our marriage transcends time and space. Even fate itself is nothing compared to the power of our love. My love for you is what allowed me to defeat Agartha. My friendship with Edelgard would not have done the same."
"That's…" Dorothea's mouth hung open, evidence of her surprise, yet she was able to smile. "Wonderful. So very wonderful! Thank you, my love. You always know exactly how to make me feel better about myself."
"It's the truth. You deserve to hear it."
"Heh, at least one of us feels that way about me." She shook her head, chuckling to herself. The redness on her cheeks deepened. "Oh goddess, I love you so much. I…come here."
"What-?"
Before he had any time to question it or react in any way, Lucas was pulled into a close embrace by his wife. She wrapped her arms around him, the two laying directly next to each other, locked within a physical conjoining of their feelings.
Lucas and Dorothea relished in the cuddle they shared. A moment of absolute peace, one where the rest of the world did not matter to them.
The only thing that did matter to them was the person they married.
"I'm glad I said yes, my love."
"Me too."
Their cuddle lasted for a long while. Outside, the sun glided across the sky, passing closer to the western edge of the blue boundaries of the world's ceiling. The color of the sky began to change, becoming ever so slightly orange.
Yet, Lucas and Dorothea continued to cuddle.
They only stopped when they heard an abrupt series of rapid knocks from the other side of the bedroom door.
"Lucas! Dorothea!" A sharp, well-defined, masculine voice called, muffled because of the walls. "Are you both inside this room? I don't wish to disturb you two, whatever it is you are doing. Please let me know if you are in there."
"Seteth?" Dorothea and Lucas glanced at each other with a single raised brow, sitting up on the bed. The former of the two raised her voice. "What is it? Has something happened?"
"Nothing too terribly urgent, I can assure you!" The male Nabatean replied. "We have merely received word from our scouts, the ones I have assigned to the Agarthan hunt."
"Agarthan…" Lucas quietly said to himself, unbridled anger beginning to show itself in his glare.
Dorothea temporarily furrowed her brow at her husband, then turned back to the door. "What about it, Seteth? Did they find something?"
"They have! As it so happens, the last two remaining Agarthans have been hiding underneath our noses this entire time." A small pause. "They appear to be located at Zanado, the Red Canyon."
"Zanado…?!"
Dorothea and Lucas' eyes both widened.
"Indeed, Zanado. It seems they have been hiding in relatively plain sight. Or perhaps they have been moving around, and this is their most recent location." Seteth nodded, but such an action went unseen by the two inside the room. "Either way, Alois has recommended that we dispatch a small group of knights to deal with them. I agree with him, and as such, we both require approval from the headmaster of the Officers Academy before we can proceed. This means we need permission from you, Lucas."
Lucas blinked at the mention of his name.
"Please permit us to end this long, drawn-out conflict with the Agarthans."
"I'll allow it." Lucas promptly replied, venom in his tone. "As long as I can come along and end this myself."
"My love…" Dorothea's brows furrowed.
Seteth paused while Lucas scowled and dug the tips of his fingers into his palms, massively intensifying the grip of his fists.
"Very well. You can come as well. I will also be there, commanding the knights, as will Alois. We shall leave tomorrow, at dawn."
"Wait!" Dorothea held out her arm, though she retracted it when she remembered Seteth wasn't in the room with her. "I'll come too. I won't allow my husband to get hurt out there."
"That I can also allow. Your strength will be invaluable to our cause, Dorothea," said Seteth. "Ensure you are both prepared and fed by nine in the morning - that's when we shall leave. We will not allow those Agarthans any chance at vengeance. I shall see you both at the gates at nine."
Sounds of shuffling came from the other side of the door, which was soon accompanied by faint footsteps. Seteth was no longer at the door, giving Lucas and Dorothea more time to themselves.
Lucas scowled at the floor.
"I will end them by my own hands…"
Dorothea kept a concerned, watchful eye over him.
The next morning, Lucas and Dorothea arose from their bed and immediately got to work preparing themselves for their departure. Breakfast was eaten, though as they sat in the dining hall together, Dorothea had to keep Lucas focused on eating as he kept murmuring to himself about the prospects of the coming mission, which distracted him from his food. As a result of her intervention, Lucas was fed, thus he had the energy to prepare his armor and weapons for the battle ahead.
He and Dorothea returned to their shared quarters after having breakfast. They searched inside different chests, fishing out their armors. Dorothea selected her Dancer attire, her usual flowing, white and red dress slipping on her body comfortably. She also equipped herself with several bracelets and charms - which were typical for a Dancer.
Lucas, meanwhile, wore something different than what he was used to in terms of battle. A weighted black shirt completely covered his torso and arms, much in the same way as his weighted black pants covered his legs. They were both internally padded with armor, hence the unusual weight they had, which didn't faze Lucas in the slightest. His black boots also followed this trend. Lucas looked back at the white cloak that was in the chest, merely scoffing at it before burying it underneath his headmaster uniform.
He ensured that his three Sacred Weapons were fastened to his person. The Sword of Seiros was safely sheathed, its jagged blade fitting snugly into its holder. The Seiros Shield was secured to his left arm, granting him a solid means of defense. In his right hand was the gift Edelgard gave him for his wedding.
Labraunda. He lacked the Crest necessary to make full use of its capabilities, as with the Seiros Shield and the Sword of Seiros, but he didn't care. Lucas wielded them regardless.
"Ready to go?" Dorothea asked her husband as she secured her Levin Sword in her right hand's grip.
"Yes. Let's move," Lucas responded with a slightly forceful tone.
They nodded at each other, and then departed from the room. As there were no preparations left to make, Lucas and Dorothea made their way down the central building and through monastery grounds, eventually approaching the marketplace.
Before they could walk on and progress to the other side of the gate, the two were stopped by a friendly voice.
"Greetings, Headmaster, and the headmaster's lovely wife! Nothing to report!" Gatekeeper saluted the two.
"Oh, hello! I'd love to stay and chat with you, Gatekeeper, but we're just about to leave the monastery on some official business. Sorry! We can talk later, though." Dorothea bowed apologetically.
"I see. I think I heard about that from one of the other guards. If that's the case, don't let me keep you behind! It wouldn't be good if they left you here, huh?" Gatekeeper laughed lightly, sheepishly scratching an itch on the back of his neck. "If you're at all concerned for the safety of Garreg Mach - don't be! I will be right here, defending this gate with my life! I can't imagine we'll be attacked any time soon, but I'll be here regardless!"
Dorothea smiled at him. "I'm sure everyone will be safe with you standing guard. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome, Dorothea! Good luck out there! You too, Headmaster!"
Lucas responded with silence, causing Gatekeeper to nervously chuckle. Dorothea sighed.
"Sorry about him. He appreciates your words, it's just that he prefers to show his appreciation in other ways. Don't take it personally," the Dancer spoke on her husband's behalf.
"Oh no, it's fine! I've seen plenty of people like that before. Well, similar, anyway. I'm sure he'll be fine with you around though, Dorothea!"
"I hope so. Thanks again, Gatekeeper. I'll see you when we come back, in about a week. I can't imagine we'll be gone for long."
"I certainly don't think you will. Goodbye, you two!"
As Gatekeeper waved goodbye, Dorothea and Lucas walked through the marketplace together, holding hands all the way.
Beyond the gate was a small army of knights, their numbers not even approaching fifty. Alois was there, checking through the various carriages and supply chests some of the carts had to ensure everything was where it was supposed to be. He was wearing his usual gray-silver armor and had his Axe of Ukonvasara Sacred Weapon on hand, evidently prepared for battle.
After wandering through the final gate, onto the patch of grass, stone and mud that laid beyond monastery walls, Lucas and Dorothea were quickly met with Seteth. His wyvern was by his side, quietly allowing its owner to walk it around by him holding onto one of the straps on its body.
"Greetings, you two," Seteth said as he approached, his dark blue, armored robes swaying slightly in the wind. "I see you are both prepared."
"We certainly are. We both want to see those despicable Agarthans taken care of." Dorothea turned to Lucas. "Don't we, my love?"
"We do," he quickly replied. "These are the last ones, yes?"
"It seems that way. Our hunting has been rather efficient these past few months, in no small part thanks to Edelgard, Dimitri, and Holst's contributions to the cause. Without their help, I fear our hunt may have taken much longer."
"That wouldn't matter. I'd still find and eviscerate them myself…" Lucas gritted his teeth in anger.
Seteth frowned. "Be that as it may, it cannot be denied that those three provided substantial assistance. And now, it is our duty to close this chapter on Fódlan's long, drawn-out history with the Agarthans." He briefly closed his eyes as he tilted his head to the skies. "I may finally have a chance to achieve vengeance for my people."
Lucas and Seteth were quiet, dealing with the vengeful thoughts in their minds. Dorothea fluttered her gaze between them and sighed.
As the three were standing around in silence, a distant call from Alois snapped Seteth out of his contemplation.
"Hey, Seteth! We're all ready to go over here!" The captain of the Unification Knights called.
"Ah. How fortunate," Seteth commented quietly to himself before raising his voice to respond to Alois. "Very well! We shall leave now, then!"
"Okay! Off to Zanado it is, everyone! I hope we can Zana-do this…!"
Alois' voice trailed off as several of the knights around him groaned in response to his pun. Seteth shook his head in disapproval and turned back to Lucas and Dorothea.
"It started in Zanado," he said to them. "And it shall end in Zanado."
Lucas, Dorothea, Seteth, and Alois' group's march to Zanado was not a particularly lengthy one. As the canyon was in the Oghma Mountains, where Garreg Mach was already located, there wasn't much of a journey to be had. Even so, they did have to stop for the night a couple of times, which slowed down the march overall.
After only two days' worth of travel, the environment soon became all rocky and rough. The grass and hard mud of the path they had been walking on disappeared. Sand was blown around in the vaguely violent winds, causing everyone to avert their eyes to prevent them from being assaulted by the sand. It was evidence enough of where they were.
"Zanado, the Red Canyon…" Dorothea frowned, a hint of sadness in her expression. "I wonder why those two Agarthans decided to hide here. Wouldn't it be better to hide somewhere far away, where we'd have more difficulty in finding them?"
"We can only speculate as to what their reasons might be. Perhaps they assumed we would overlook this area, considering it's close to our home - the monastery." Seteth briefly inspected his Sacred Weapon, the Spear of Assal. "We only knew of their presence here because of a physical, distant inspection by our pegasus-riding scouts. It is possible they erected one of their magical barriers, enchanted by Silence."
"Oh, you mean like the one they created at the Sealed Forest six years ago? It makes sense we weren't able to find them by magical detection if that were the case. Still, I don't think it was a good idea for them to hide so close to the enemy's headquarters. That's just…"
"Ridiculous?" Seteth turned to Dorothea. "Indeed it is. However, no matter what they chose to do, our connections with the leaders of the three nations would have prevented them from hiding anywhere for a particularly long amount of time. In the end, we always would have found them. Perhaps they were aware of that this entire time."
"Huh? What makes you say that?"
"The Agarthans are a cunning, deceitful kind, as you well know. It may be that they have chosen to reveal themselves now so they can spring some sort of trap. And if that's the case, selecting Zanado may not have been a coincidence."
Dorothea's worrisome expression worsened slightly. She grimaced. "You think they've set a trap? And you also think their decision to hide here is part of said trap?"
"Potentially." Seteth faced the wide, rocky path in front of them. "It will be prudent of us all to remain on guard."
The march continued. Lucas, Dorothea, and Seteth brought up the rear, while Alois directed everybody from the front. They followed the path forward, sometimes peering their heads toward alternate routes. Massively tall rocky cliffs surrounded them from the sides, eclipsing them all through sheer height. They prevented anyone from easily looking over to see which path to take, though a pegasus or wyvern rider had no such difficulties.
As such, three friendly pegasus knights were patrolling the skies, helping guide everyone that was down below. Nearby, there was a vast expanse of familiar scenery with the faint smell of blood emanating from it, but nobody was there, thus the pegasus riders didn't tell anyone to go that way.
Eventually, after circling various mountains and even going directly through one, the path opened up to reveal a hugely expansive, sandy canyon that was filled with ancient, long abandoned, sandstone ruins. A colossal castle rested on the far side of the canyon, appearing in almost as good of a condition as it had been many years prior.
When Seteth came out to the front of the group, alongside Lucas and Dorothea, he sighed.
"I presumed this was where they would be hiding…" He shook his head. "Disgraceful."
"Look!" Dorothea pointed out toward the canyon. "I can see some people wandering around down there! Do you think that might be them?"
"Most likely. Though-" Seteth narrowed his eyes, attempting to get a better look at the vague dots that were moving around amongst the ruins of the canyon. "It appears there are more than two individuals down there. Perhaps they have allies."
"It doesn't matter who they are." The veins on Lucas' hands bulged with fury. "They're working with the Agarthans, so they deserve to be slaughtered as well."
"For once, I agree with your ruthlessness. I have little sympathy for those that ally themselves with the enemies of humanity."
"Well," Dorothea held tightly onto the hilt of her Levin Sword, "I guess it's about time we get moving, huh?"
"Indeed."
Seteth walked forward with his wyvern a few paces, then turned around to address the entire group.
"Everyone!" He raised his voice. "We have arrived at Zanado, where the final remnants of the Agarthans reside. Beneath us, within the ruined town you see below, is where our enemies and their sympathizers lie. We shall charge down there and vanquish every last one of them. Only then will Fódlan's peace truly last. Are you all ready?"
The knights raised their weapons. Lucas and Dorothea did not, only nodding.
"Then, for the sake of Fódlan's future…charge!"
With a furious roar from the small army and a surge of determination, everyone got ready and charged down the mountainside path toward the ruins of Zanado.
The final two Agarthans were in their sights.
As the miniature army of knights swooped in on the ruined city, the mercenaries that had been wandering the area quickly noticed they were under attack. Most of them were spread out across the ruins in small groups, with only two of these groups being located in the middle section, where the knights were entering the city from. Because of where their enemies were coming in from, the mercs rushed over to the middle to support their allies.
Massive clusters of battle emerged in the sandy streets.
Lucas was making the most progress out of anyone on his side. The inherent, immense might of Labraunda, combined with his downright superhuman strength, made him a force of nature, unable to be stopped by any of the mercenaries. His black armor would have prevented him from taking any meaningful damage, though his reaction speeds far surpassed that of his enemies. Every single axe or sword swing that came his way moved at a pace that - in his perspective - was far slower than that of a snail's. Lucas was untouchable.
Dorothea was also faring well. She mainly took a supportive role, using her skills as a Dancer to embolden the spirits of her allies, allowing them to continue fighting for longer. With her knowledge of Faith magic, she proved to be a useful healer as well. Her Reason magic prowess hardly slacked in the months that passed since the end of the war, as the likes of her Thunders, Thorons, and Sagittaes were more than effective at blowing away the opposition. While she did need to conserve her mana, her Levin Sword gave her another offensive option that didn't drain her supply of magical energy. She may not have been as unstoppable as her husband, but she was certainly someone to be reckoned with.
Lucas defended her the entire time, preventing anyone from getting close to her.
Seteth and Alois had their fair share of fighting to do as well. Their respective Sacred Weapons, along with their many years of battle experience, made them quite the considerable combatants. Mere mercenaries weren't enough to bring them down.
Lucas, Dorothea, Seteth, and Alois pooled their strength together to push back against the mercenaries with a tidal wave of power. Even as more of them filled in from the castle at the further end of the ruins, reinforcing their friends, nothing seemed to work against their new, sudden foes.
It was as if Lucas, Dorothea, Seteth, and Alois could take care of them on their own.
But then something changed. As the numbers of the mercs were dwindling, a purple ball of light shot through the street where the mercs were coming from. The sphere of energy rushed forward, toward the fight that was occurring around Lucas and Dorothea, which was slightly detached from what was happening on the other side of the street with Seteth and Alois.
Unexpectedly, the ball of light transformed into a woman with lengthy, violet hair, dark brown armor, iron gray shoulder pads, and an orange-red scarf that blew in the wind. Her two swords glimmered with the rays of the sun.
"Hold it right there!" The woman yelled after transforming into her human form. "I won't let you get away with what you've done…!"
Lucas, without breaking a sweat, drove his axe through a mercenary's skull. He slowly turned toward the woman without a change in his part-stoic, part-angered expression.
"You're working with the Agarthans…I'll have to kill you, too."
"The hell are you talking about?! You're the one that's been killing members of my mercenary group." She glared at Lucas. "I have damn near nothing left because of you!"
"It doesn't matter. You're in our way."
The woman grinned. "Bad mistake, friend. Ever heard about the Violet Inferno? I don't like the name, but it's a good representation of what I can do. You'll regret ever having messed with me…"
She knelt slightly, getting into a battle-ready stance with her dual blades.
"Shez, leader of Shez's Mercenaries. Your fate is sealed."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, as did Dorothea, who was watching the encounter as it occurred.
"Never heard of you…" He responded as he shook his head.
Before Lucas could continue, the woman - Shez - darted ahead and performed a double diagonal slash with her dual swords. The might of the strike was enhanced by her forward momentum, which was rather high thanks to the blistering speeds she was moving at. Dorothea struggled to keep up.
But Lucas didn't. He easily blocked the attack with the Seiros Shield, much to Shez's surprise.
"You're a fast one, huh…?" Shez said as she entered a struggle against Lucas, attempting to apply all the pressure she could onto his shield - she was failing. "Not bad. Haven't met many people that could react to my speed."
"Too slow."
Shez couldn't even begin to utter a response before receiving a gut punch from Lucas. While she was suspended in the air following the punch, Lucas quickly unleashed a heavy sideways slash with Labraunda, landing on the side of Shez's torso. The force of the attack was enough to almost bury her into the ground below, a minuscule crater forming around the impact.
Struggling onto her knees, Shez coughed up blood.
"D-damn…who the hell is this guy?!" The purple-haired mercenary leader dug her two swords into the ground and leaned upon them.
"Something is interesting about this one," a neutral voice spoke in Shez's mind. "Something very interesting indeed."
"Arval? You can sense something about him? What is it? What's so interesting about him?" Shez wondered as Lucas slowly approached her in the physical realm.
The white-haired, red-eyed being with white, scaly armor floated around in the vague darkness that represented Shez's mental void. Their eyes narrowed as they put a hand to their chin.
"That's the thing; I'm not sure. This one feels familiar, but also not familiar at the same time. I feel as if I should despise his very existence, yet I do not, although the feeling is there…somewhat," Arval explained. "I'm not sure what to think. This guy is certainly an anomaly, I can tell you that."
"So he's not an ordinary person…is he like me? Does he have some sort of power like I have?"
Arval shrugged. "Perhaps. I can feel faint traces of something within him, but what that might be - I have no idea. It almost feels a little like that Ashen Demon you fought so long ago."
"The Ashen Demon? But there's no way." Shez returned her gaze to the physical world shortly. "He looks nothing like him. And besides, I'm pretty sure the Ashen Demon was said to have disappeared a while ago. How could this guy have any relation to him?"
"I don't know. Better stay on guard, my partner in destiny. Don't let yourself get killed by this guy before we can figure out what's going on. I'd hate it if that were to happen."
"Don't worry, Arval. This fight isn't over yet…"
An inferno of violet flames suddenly erupted from Shez. Lucas was unfazed by the shockwaves created by the uprising of magical energy, merely observing with mild intrigue as Shez's form started to change.
Her purple hair and eyes turned into a lighter shade, matching the mana that continually flowed around her body. An orange, magical energy construct appeared around her head as white, bone-like lines formed around her face. Lucas angrily frowned, forcefully gripping the hilt of Labraunda.
Shez, in her newly transformed state, slowly turned up and stared straight at her opponent.
"We're just getting started," she said.
"This power, it…" Lucas strained his teeth as veins of rage bulged around his skin. His eyes twitched. "It feels just like Agartha."
"Agartha…?" Arval rhetorically asked themself.
Dorothea's eyes widened. "Oh no." She reached out to her husband. "Darling, please remember that I'm here! Don't lose yourself to your anger!"
Lucas hesitated upon hearing her voice. His arms shook with indecision.
"Darling? Are they…" Shez internally wondered. Her eyes locked onto something gold that shined on one of Lucas' hands. "They're married?! Or, at least, they're engaged?!"
"Oh, now this makes things complicated." Arval added as Dorothea held hands with Lucas. "They seem close. Are you willing to end their relationship? They have essentially wiped out your entire mercenary career at this point. Still, can you do it?"
Shez also hesitated. "I don't know. I want to get back at them for what they did, but judging from the guy's reaction…"
Lucas' wrathful veins slowly subsided as he continued to talk with Dorothea.
"They do seem close." Shez sighed. "He's also strong. I'm not sure I can beat him, even with my Awakened state. But I need to get revenge-"
"Shez!" A deep masculine voice called out from behind the mercenary leader. Shez partially turned her head toward him. "It's time!"
Shez paused, then grinned after being hit with a wave of realization. "I'll be right there, Alfred!"
The hooded figure nodded in response, teleporting away through a flash of purple magic. Retaining her grin, Shez turned back to Lucas and Dorothea.
"See you later. Have fun without me," she taunted.
In an instant, she transformed into a ball of light, having activated her Shadowflash ability. As a mere construct of mana, she bolted toward the ruined castle at such a speed that nobody was able to follow her movements.
Save for Lucas, who was vexed. His angered visage returned.
"Agarthan…you won't get away!"
Using his breakneck speed, Lucas rushed forward, chasing after Shez. He kicked up a small clump of sand as he initiated his sprint, some of which sprayed onto Dorothea's leg. She withstood the shockwave created by his push forward, her brows furrowing as soon as she realized what was happening.
"Wait! Lucas, darling, don't leave me behind!"
Dorothea proceeded to follow after her husband. While she wasn't as fast as him, she was still able to move at a rather rapid pace. Seteth and Alois looked over after taking care of a pair of mercenaries that were coming after them.
Their expressions turned to incredulity.
"What are they thinking?! They're likely about to run right into a trap!" Alois exclaimed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Seteth frowned, then mounted his wyvern. "I shall go after them. Alois, can you take care of proceedings here?"
"With pleasure! There's only a handful of mercenaries left, so this won't take long! I'll be fine!"
"Thank you." Seteth smiled. "I will return soon."
Flying high into the air, Seteth's wyvern moved as fast as it could toward the castle closeby. Alois was left to fight the remainder of the battle against the mercenaries, which was already going in his side's favor. As he said, there were only a few more left.
However, soon after Seteth left, two gigantic beasts were warped in behind the mercenaries. Alois blanched.
"Demonic Beasts?! Wait, was this the trap?!" He laughed to himself. "What a devilish set of reinforcements!"
Despite the arrival of the two Demonic Beasts, Alois and his knights gave it their all.
As the battle outside progressed to its final stages, several individuals were hurrying around within the depths of Zanado's ruined castle. Lucas was right on Shez's trail, able to keep even her Shadowflash form in his sights. She had to cease using the ability at various points which generally slowed her down, but even in her regular state, she was still fast enough to keep Lucas from reaching her.
Though she wasn't fast enough to lose him entirely.
"What are you doing?" Arval asked in Shez's mind. "That guy's still coming after you. Do you want to lead him straight to the other two?"
"No, but I just can't lose him. Figured those Demonic Beasts would slow him down, but I guess not. Seems like Alfred and Uriel's ultimate plan didn't work out so well."
"And because of that, you're going to let this guy kill your employers?"
"Not at all. Alfred and Uriel are pretty strong spellcasters. If we can triple-team him, then he should stand no chance."
Arval shook his head. "That's not a good plan. What if he ends up killing all three of you?"
"There's no way that will happen. I'm pretty sure Alfred and Uriel have a few more tricks up their sleeves. If this guy ends up overcoming all of them, well…we probably picked a fight with the wrong person, then."
"This is ridiculous. I can't believe you're fine with gambling your life away like this." Arval blinked. "Actually, this makes perfect sense for you, now that I think of it. You've never had much regard for the safety of your own life. Need I remind you of how many times I have saved you?"
"At least fifty…" Shez sighed, laughing lightly. "I appreciate your concern, Arval, but I've got this one figured out. We won't die here."
"I should hope not."
Shez and Lucas continued their chase, running tirelessly through the unlit, decrepit corridors of Zanado's castle. They sped around various corners and doorways, even entering an obscure one Shez broke through with a shoulder bash, choosing not to waste time by stopping and opening the door by hand. Through the doorway, the two bolted down a steep, lengthy staircase, one that descended further into darkness. More hallways and corridors followed, though this area of the castle was much less well-lit than the one above, which was already abandoned by light.
After sprinting down several more staircases and getting to the point where everything was pitch-black, the aura of Shez's transformation being the only thing that lit the way, Shez stopped after entering a large chamber.
Inside were a pair of individuals whose hoods were down. They both seemed like plain, ordinary humans with uninteresting features, yet both hid their true selves deep underneath their masks. They were inspecting a colossal, ancient, circular device, one that had all sorts of deeply engraved lines and indescribable runes surrounding it. A clear hole was in the middle of it, surrounded by its ancient stone frame. The woman was pulsing dark magic into the device, yet she received no reaction from it.
Their inspection was suddenly halted by the panicked voice of the mercenary they hired.
"Alfred! Uriel! We've gotta fight!" Shez exclaimed, quickly running out of breath.
"Shez?" Alfred, the male one, narrowed their eyes. He turned to his partner, Uriel. "Something is wrong. Our trap failed, it seems."
"How unfortunate," Uriel said with a dull, uninterested voice. "Are those foolish knights approaching as we speak?"
"Just one of them is. And he's-"
"Sidestep to the left!" Arval warned.
Without questioning her partner's warning, Shez sidestepped to the left. Her eyes widened as a large axe came flying into the chamber, landing just in front of the wide open doorway she once occupied.
Lucas soon appeared within the chamber. He grabbed Labraunda and glared at the other three.
"You must all be Agarthans. I will kill every last one of you," he threatened them, tightening his grip on Labraunda's hilt.
Alfred and Uriel scowled at Lucas. Unbeknownst to them, a faint pulse of energy sparked within the hole in the middle of the device.
"This one knows…" Uriel whispered, subtly leaning toward Alfred. "We must eliminate him."
"I do not recognize his appearance, but he must have fought alongside the Resistance. He is one of the ones that brought Shambhala to its destruction," Alfred also whispered.
"I see. Then he is a priority target. We shall finish inspecting this device after removing this obstacle."
Dark magic appeared around the hands of the two disguised Agarthans.
"This place will be your grave, fool," Uriel raised her voice, allowing Lucas to hear her. "We will not die."
"Rrrgh…!" Lucas grunted, animalistically. He pointed Labraunda at Uriel. "It will start with you!"
Shez, Uriel, and Alfred got into battle-ready stances, preparing to fight against the lone Lucas. The two sides stared each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. More sparks of energy sputtered within the empty hole inside the frame of the circular device. At first, it was nothing but an insignificant amount of activity.
But as Lucas took a step forward, something happened.
"What?!" Uriel's black eyes widened behind her mask.
Everyone had to shield their eyes from the blinding white light that surged outward from the device. It illuminated every last inch of the chamber, bringing to light all the grime and unsightly vines that were starting to grow. Some rats even scurried away from the chamber, instinctively afraid of what was occurring.
The light dissipated after some time, reintroducing darkness to the room. Though, it wasn't as absolute of a darkness as it was before due to a change in the empty frame of the device.
A wavy, turquoise void filled the space that was once unoccupied. Everyone's attention was transfixed solely on the colorful void.
"This is…" Uriel paused. "A gate? I didn't know these existed, much less did I surmise the Nabateans had one."
Alfred grinned maliciously. "Magical gates of this caliber are said to have the power to teleport those that go through it to a far-away location. We can use this to our advantage."
"You are suggesting-" Uriel stopped herself, soon sharing Alfred's mischievous expression. "How clever. Let us make haste, then. Our lives are at stake if we remain here."
Shez and Lucas blinked in surprise.
"Wait, what?" The dual-wielder turned to her employers. "What's going on?"
Before she could get a response, Uriel and Alfred were already approaching the gate. They turned around, their smug visages lit up by the gate's turquoise glow.
"We no longer have any need for you, Shez. May you perish here alongside the foolish beast," Alfred said with a threateningly aggressive voice. "Goodbye."
"Indeed." Uriel nodded. "May the hands of Agartha guide us to our vengeance…"
"Wait!" Shez held out her arm.
They did not wait. Alfred and Uriel stepped through the portal, disappearing from the spacious, dark chamber. Lucas and Shez, meanwhile, were both visibly enraged.
"How sneaky of them. They haven't even paid you yet!" Arval remarked.
"You're right!" Shez's transformation faded. "I won't let them get away with this!" She rushed toward the portal.
Lucas followed suit, springing into action when Shez got close to the device. "I won't let you get away, Agarthan!"
Shez grit her teeth, preparing to defend herself, but she fell into the void before Lucas could reach her. Thus, she too was whisked away to parts unknown. After this occurred, Lucas stood at the base of the device, staring into the endless depths of the turquoise and white space the portal was giving him a view into.
Some of his fury subsided.
"Have I seen this before…?" Lucas asked himself. He shook his head. "It must have been a long time ago."
Staring down at Labraunda, the fury of his that faded seconds earlier returned to him.
"I will kill them all, no matter what it takes!"
With a surge of determination, Lucas leapt into the portal. He was also teleported far away, leaving the chamber with no occupants left.
Aside from Dorothea, who arrived moments before Lucas disappeared.
"What…?" She wondered aloud to nobody, between panted breaths. "Where did he go?"
As she scanned the chamber, Seteth arrived, having dismounted his wyvern and running ahead with its reins in his grasp.
"Dorothea! I have finally caught up with-"
He froze when he saw the activated device.
"The Outrealm Gate…"
"Huh?" Dorothea shot him a questioning look. "What are you talking about, Seteth? Do you know what this is?"
"I do. It was something we Nabateans were not permitted to use, much less touch. If this is where the Agarthans chose to hide, then I fear their tampering has shattered the worst of taboos." He closed his eyes. "This is a gate to the outrealms - an Outrealm Gate. Seiros affectionately referred to it as the Gate of Sothis."
"The outrealms? What are those?"
"Other worlds. Places that are unreachable by normal means. It is not something I have had much experience with myself, so I cannot tell you much about it. All I can say is that we were barred from using it by mother herself."
"Mother? You mean the goddess. Wait…"
Her eyes slowly widened out of fear.
"If the goddess didn't want you using it, that must mean it's dangerous in some way, right?"
"I would assume so, yes." Seteth tilted his head slightly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because my husband just went straight into it. I saw him leave."
She balled her hands into fists as a determined expression appeared on her face.
"I'm going after him."
"What?!" Seteth was overtaken by astonishment. He raised his arm as if to stop her. "No, you mustn't-!"
His exclamations fell on deaf ears. Dorothea was already approaching the portal, which already began to shrink in size.
"Wait for me, Lucas. I'll find you…!"
Dorothea walked through the portal, disappearing in the same way the others had. Seteth ceased his futile efforts to get her to stop, lowering his arm and sighing.
"Apologies, Mother. It appears I will have to break your taboo just this once. Please forgive me," he said to nobody in particular, briefly praying. "The humans left before I could begin guiding them through the outrealms. Regardless, I shall seek them out, and bring them to safety."
He stopped his praying as the portal became smaller.
"I will not allow them to die due to my negligence."
With haste, he approached the portal alongside his wyvern. The beast was initially afraid of all the bright lights emanating from the Outrealm Gate, but a stroke from Seteth was enough to ease its woes.
"It begins…"
Seteth stepped through the gate just as it closed. He found himself transported to a location far removed from Fódlan.
A world soon to be beset by war.
Author Notes: It finally begins! The sequel to Temporal Glitch is here! Although peace has been achieved in Fódlan, it seems peace has not yet reached Lucas' soul. What exactly will happen to Lucas, Dorothea, and Seteth in this story? Check back next week to find out!
Shoutouts to Frost for beta-reading, as always.
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