At first, the Ashen Demon had thought he'd awoken, yet he wasn't lying in in a bed, and he couldn't see the walls of the wooden bungalow.

He couldn't see anything.

He lay on a flat surface, stone. He rose to his hands and knees, and realised that not only could he see them, but that they had a feint green glow to them that illuminated the paved stone floor below ever so slightly. He rose to his feet, inhaling the warm, stuffy air, and clicked his fingers. The sound echoed into the darkness.

And then he heard a high-pitched yawn.

He turned and some thirty feet away, he saw a stone step. It glowed with a tinge of green light, just like his body. After a moment, another step appeared, and then another. He watched them go higher and higher, and that's when he heard his father's voice.

Saturday 19th Great Tree Moon

Jeralt tapped his son on the shoulder once again. This time, the boy opened his eyes and gazed at him.

'Time to get up kid.'

He watched the boy crane his bruised arms up to rub his eyes before inching himself upward. He frowned.

'Still not feeling great, huh? That's not like you.'

The Ashen Demon shook his head.

'But better than earlier?'

The Ashen Demon nodded again.

'Perhaps that just means you didn't get enough sleep. Apologies kid, you'll get a proper one once we're in Gaspard.'

He limped back to his own bed and grabbed his boots, gritting his teeth as he bent over. He then lowered himself onto his bed, putting on his boots and fastening his belts. Across the room, his son did the same.

'Did you dream?'

There was a long pause before the Ashen Demon responded.

'No,' he muttered.

Jeralt shrugged. 'Maybe that's a sign neither of us slept well or long enough. Anyway, let's get going.'

A rapid, heavy knock sounded on the door. Within moments, both father and son stood poised, their blades ready. Jeralt opened the door. Mik stood, his face pale.

'You're needed outside right now.'

Jeralt cursed under his breath. He nodded and followed the man outside.

Outside in the early hours of that morning in Remire Village, Jeralt and the Ashen Demon met three strangers they'd never forget.

The village was quiet, its residents still asleep. The sky was a dark blue, signalling that dawn was gradually approaching. A harsh breeze made Jeralt's nostrils sting. He looked up the hill and saw his mercenaries, awake and rushing back and forth.

Unease settled in his stomach.

Mik led him to Rufus, who stood with three strangers.

Jeralt eyed them. They breathed heavily. They were young, late teenagers or young adults, perhaps a similar age to his son; two of them men and the other a woman. They wore black uniforms with brightly coloured cloaks, one red, one blue, and the other yellow. The first man, with the blue cloak, was tall, nearly the same height he was. He had blue eyes and combed hair that gave him the impression of a man who called his parents "mummy" and "daddy". A lance hung from his waist. The other man, with the yellow cloak, had dark, ruffled hair and green eyes; a bow hung from his back. Finally, the woman, the one in the red cloak, had long, white hair and cold, purple eyes. She reminded Jeralt of the stories of women whose glare could turn men into stone. She gripped an axe in one hand.

He looked at their uniforms and frowned.

''What's going on?' he asked. 'What are kids like you doing running around here at a time like this? It isn't safe.'

The blonde-haired man stepped forward and bowed. 'We do apologise,' he said. 'We wouldn't intrude if the situation didn't demand it. We're being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you'd be so kind as to lend your support.'

Jeralt's eyes widened. 'Bandits?'

'It's true,' the woman with the red cloak said. Her voice made Mik stand straight. 'They attacked us whilst we rested at our camp.'

'We've been separated by our companions and we're outnumbered,' the third man said. 'They're after our lives, not to mention our gold.'

'Really...,' Jeralt breathed, his mouth dry. He shivered, and not just because of the cold. He thought of his son's bruised and wounded body. He thought of himself and the rest of the mercenaries, and all the injuries they had-

-all their injuries that hadn't been healed.

They'd shared vulneraries, but they'd done little more than provide a temporary boost of energy. To be ready for more combat, they either needed time to recover or for someone to heal them with magic. Neither was an option.

Jeralt pressed his eyes closed and then looked at the strangers again. 'Well, I'm surprised you're staying so calm considering the situation. I...'-

He paused. 'Wait, I know that uniform'-

'Bandits!' Adrien called, emerging from the nearby trees. 'They're nearing the village.'

'How many?' Mik asked.

'Enough of them,' Adrien said.

'You can't be serious,' Mik breathed.

Jeralt sighed. 'Well we can't leave now can we? If we leave, they might loot the village. We'll need to stay and fight.'

'Is that wise?' Mik asked. 'We still haven't recovered from the fight yesterday and our mages used up all their spells yesterday, we're vulnerable.'

'We have to fight,' Jeralt said. 'We didn't risk our lives for this village yesterday just to give up on it now. (He put a hand on Rufus's shoulder.) Mobilise the others,' he said. Rufus nodded and ran off. Jeralt turned and met his son's blank gaze.

'I hope you're ready kid.'

Jeralt's weapon felt heavy in his hand when he saw the orange glow of torches in the distance.

He, his son, Mik and the three strangers had been led by Adrien through the dark trees at the front of Remire village towards a clearing at the end. Dalsk was crouched amongst the shrubbery.

'We've got a bit of a problem,' Dalsk murmured, peeking through the overgrowth. His voice was low. 'Those kids have led a large group of assholes this way, and I don't think talking is gonna work with them.'

'We do apologise again,' the blonde-haired man whispered.

'Yeah yeah kid.'

'How many are there?' Mik asked.

'Can't tell,' Dalsk replied. 'As big as us at least.'

Jeralt peered through the shrubbery. Beyond it, the land descended into a long grass valley blotted with the occasional hill. The torch bearers marched in their direction from some two-hundred metres away.

'Your group that you got separated from,' Jeralt asked the three strangers. 'Which direction are they in?'

'From behind them,' the girl said. 'When the bandits came we tried to get away but they managed to surprise and separate us. More bandits are pursuing the other group.'

'You gotta be kidding,' Dalsk growled.

A chill rushed down Jeralt's spine.

That's the direction Bayen and his men fled in… but he couldn't have assembled so many men so suddenly… could he?

'Will we need to help them as well?' he asked the woman. She shook her head and smiled.

'I wouldn't worry about them. I don't think the bandits realize that they're dealing with the Knights of Seiros.'

'Knights of'- Jeralt's eyes widened. Ashen Demon aside, every mercenary snapped their head around.

'You seem to get it. In short, we just have these guys to worry with,' the man in the yellow cloak, winking.

'Just these guys to deal with?' Dalsk breathed. 'You're fuckin' nuts, kid. We just fought off Ronan and his banding group of assholes yesterday and we ain't recovered yet. We're fucked.'

'That was you?' the white-haired woman asked. 'They have been causing us trouble for months. You have my thanks and that of'-

'I don't care about your thanks,' Dalsk replied.

'Enough,' Jeralt said. 'We can handle them. This isn't the first time we've been put in a tricky situation. (He pointed down the valley.) There's only two ways they can get to the village, through the narrow valley up to the left or through the trees here. If me and the rest of the gang can lure the bandits into the valley, you guys will be able to come down from the trees here and perform a flanking manoeuvre.'

'With who?' Dalsk asked. 'Me, the kid, Mik and Adrien? That's four of us, what kind of flanking manoeuvre you thinking of?'

'I'll send more men to support you,' Jeralt replied. He turned and nodded at the three strangers. 'But these three will help you as well. (He turned to them.) What's your names?'

'Dimitri,' the blonde-haired man said.

'Claude, nice to meet ya,' the other man said.

'I am Edelgard,' the girl said.

'Nice to meet you, I'm Jeralt. (He pointed.) This is my mercenary group (he put a hand on the Ashen Demon's shoulder) and this is my son.'

The three strangers bowed, and then he spoke again.

'I think I know who you guys are,' he said, nodding at their uniforms.

'I think you do,' Claude said, smiling.

'Well, if that's the case, can I trust you guys to carry out this task to a high standard?'

'You have our word that we will do our utmost to defend this area,' Dimitri said, raising his lance.

'And we will flank the enemy when the time is right,' Claude said.

Jeralt nodded and turned to Dalsk. 'These guys know how to fight. They'll do a good job.'

'Really?' Dalsk asked, glaring at the newcomers.

'You could say that,' the man called Claude said, winking. 'We know you guys are struggling with injuries so feel free to let us do the heavy lifting.'

Dalsk stared at him, the boy smiled back.

'Ignore his childishness,' Dimitri said. 'But his words are true. We have been trained in combat since childhood, you can depend on us.'

'Agreed, there is no need to treat us differently,' Edelgard said.

Jeralt eyed Claude's smile, he listened to Dimitri's polite yet commanding voice, and he eyed Edelgard and the large axe she carried in one hand. He watched the three newcomers and nodded again. 'Believe me Dalsk, they'll do a good job for you.'

'Yeah yeah okay whatever,' Dalsk replied. 'But how many men will you station here? Cause if a large a group of them come this way we'll need'-

The Ashen Demon blinked. When he reopened his eyes, everything was dark, apart from his glowing skin. The air was also once again warm and stuffy.

And then he heard the high-pitched yawn again.

The Ashen Demon turned in the direction that it emanated from but saw nothing. If Jeralt had heard the voice, he'd have likened it to that of a young girl.

The stone steps from before then reappeared, from the same direction. They lit up in green light one by one until there were seven of them. Darkness blanketed whatever lay beyond them.

The Ashen Demon looked at the steps but didn't move towards them.

'Kid, you alright?'

The Ashen Demon stood with his eyes fixed upward. Jeralt tapped his shoulder again and this time he blinked.

'You okay?'

His son blinked and then nodded. Jeralt gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

'You'll be exhausted, I know,' he said. 'But stay focused, the people of Remire are counting on us.'

The Ashen Demon nodded and no more was said on the subject.

'At least you don't have a damn hangover,' Dalsk grunted.

'If I may,' Dimitri started. 'I once heard that a cure for a hango'-

'Shut your trap, kid!'

'Jeralt,' Mik said, peering through the shrubbery again. 'There's definitely more of them than us. We're wounded, exhausted and without magic support. It's going to be hard to find victory here. Are you certain this is the right move?'

Jeralt nodded. 'There is always a way.'

The mercenary leader wished the group good luck and then moved back through the trees.

'Hide in the shrubbery and behind the trees,' Adrien said. 'If they're coming this way, we need to remain hidden until their attention is on Jeralt's men.'

They discussed their positions, and then separated to scan the area. More of Jeralt's men, Rufus, Ralph, Gregory, Alexander and a further group joined them, bringing their size close to twenty-five.

'If I may, I think we only have this small corridor to concern ourselves with,' Dimitri said, once everyone had returned. 'There's too much thicket on the left side and the cliff on the right is too steep to climb.'

'Okay,' Adrien said. He looked at Claude. 'Bowman?'

'Yeah.'

'Right, we'll hang at either side of the corridor and pick bandits off where needed,' Adrien continued. 'The rest of you will wait in ambush just beyond the clearing should some of them come up this way. I'll keep an eye on the valley and give the signal to commence the flanking manoeuvre when it's time. Any questions?'

There were none. The group scattered amongst the trees; the Ashen Demon included.

'I never got your name.'

The Ashen Demon turned. The white-haired woman called Edelgard moved behind him.

'Your name?'

The Ashen Demon paused for a moment, and then uttered a word he hadn't used in a long time.

'Byleth.'

The woman nodded. 'Nice to meet you Byleth, let's ensure we are victorious.'