The victory had been won, and the battlefield was alive with the sounds of joy and celebration. His father proudly patted him on the head and said something he could not quite make out. However, his heartfelt warmth at that moment - the joy of having a family.
Then his father walked away to check on an injured girl, reassuring him he would be back.
And that's when his world shattered into pieces.
The girl laughed a twisted laugh as her dagger thrust deep into his heart until his body crumpled to the ground in pain. He roared with rage and lunged forward at the murderer, but it was too late. The coward had disappeared.
He ran towards his father, trying desperately to save him, but the wound was too fatal. He watched in horror as his father slowly slipped away from him. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mingling with the rain that had started to fall over the battlefield.
"I'm glad... your first tears were for me," his father said softly.
"Please! I don't want everything to end like this!" He cried out pleadingly, grasping onto one last hope.
"My time is up Byleth, Though our peaceful time together was short I will treasure each moment we shared." His father's voice shook with emotion.
"Me too, father!"
"Remember … we will always … watch over you …" His words trailed off before he could finish, and his limp body stilled.
"No!" Byleth screamed. "I don't want this to be our end! Please don't leave me alone!" But before he could say more, his father breathed his last breath and went still forever. Sobbing furiously, Byleth cried out "I can't lose you too!"
2nd of Harpstring Moon
Byleth sat up in bed, gasping for air as he violently woke up from another nightmare. His body trembled as the images of his father's death flashed through his mind once again. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about his father's passing, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.
"It can't be real. Please tell me this is just a nightmare!" Byleth exclaimed hastily as he recalled every detail of the dream. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to deny it, the feeling was too surreal, destroying any hope he had. However, there was something else troubling him now, something gnawing at the back of his mind like a festering wound.
"We will always watch over you?" he repeated aloud, the words ringing in his ears. "Does that mean my mother…"
His thoughts were cut short by a sudden pain in his head, and he winced in agony as another headache took hold.
"Do you think she will be proud of me?"
"Of course, you are her son after all," came the reassuring reply, but Byleth wasn't so easily comforted. He knew that his past actions had been less than honorable, and he couldn't help but feel like he'd let both of his parents down.
"I hope these flowers suit you, Mother," he whispered as he placed the pink blooms on her grave. But even as he spoke the words, a sense of emptiness filled him.
"No!" Byleth yelled out in anguish, his hands tightly clasped around his head as if he were trying to keep it from shattering into a million tiny pieces. The weight of shame and guilt bore down on him heavily, threatening to swallow him whole with its immense power.
"Byleth! Are you alright?" Bylass rushed to knock on his door when she heard his loud yell coming from the other side.
Moments passed with no response from the unrelenting door despite his continuous cries for help, Bylass decided to open the door forcefully. Rushing towards him, her hands found their way to his cheeks.
"It will be okay! I am here now." She said reassuringly.
"Bylass!" He blinked several times as his eyes began to dilate, his grip weakening until his mind felt calmer.
"What's wrong?" Her gentle voice echoed with concern.
"It's…" He stammered, trying to explain the situation but everything seemed too overwhelming to make any sense of it all. The terror of the nightmare still lingered heavily in the air.
"You don't have to tell me right now," she urged softly, guiding him back to bed.
As Bylass closed the door behind her and made her way to class after reassuring him that she would cover up for his absence - alone in the room without her soothing presence, Byleth slowly shut his eyes; hoping there wouldn't be another haunting nightmare coming for him tonight. The atmosphere filled with an unbearable emptiness, yet he could almost hear those words that rocked him to his very core echo once more.
I'm glad your first tears were for me.
Edelgard shifted her weight and glanced at Bylass, who looked solemn as they entered the archbishop's chamber.
"It's good to see you both. Congrats on your victory at the mock battle," Rhea said softly.
"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Rhea. What do need us for?" Bylass replied with a sense of respect and formality.
"Your class will clear out a group of bandits that attacked our students weeks ago." The last word sent a chill down Bylass' spine. She remained stoic but her eyes widened in shock as she spoke up,
"Lady Rhea! Can I ask you a favor?"
Seteth frowned before Rhea waved him silent.
"I don't mind, my dear. What is it that you wish for?"
Bylass paused while gathering her courage before replying firmly, "I wish to clear the bandits on my own." Her words shocked everyone in the chamber and Seteth demanded an explanation,
"Are you becoming a bit arrogant after the victory at the mock battle? I must say I'm disappointed, professor."
Rhea held up a hand for silence and turned her attention back to Bylass. "If you would, please elaborate on your request?".
"It's … it's personal to me and Byleth." She said quietly.
"Professor, I don't know what happened between you and those bandits, but this is an esteemed academy," Rhea interjected sternly. "We must teach the students the necessary skills to survive should the need arise. Therefore, I'm sorry I can't grant you this request." Seteth nodded in agreement as she spoke.
Though her heart sank slightly, Bylass accepted the archbishop's decision with a nod of respect.
"If that is what you wish, then I shall abide."
Seteth continued with one more warning:
"Speaking of Byleth, I hope that he will not use his methods in front of the students here." To which Bylass agreed before taking her leave with Edelgard who asked cautiously:
"Professor, about what happened earlier …?
Bylass remained silent for a while until she replied calmly: "There is something I need to tell you and our class." Edelgard nodded before walking off to gather their peers as Bylass steeled herself for what was sure to be a challenging conversation ahead.
"Why has fate never been kind to him?"
"Everyone is here, professor," Edelgard said.
"Wait a minute, where is Byleth though?" Ferdinand asked.
"He is currently not feeling well but there is something else I'm about to tell you," Bylass spoke in an even tone, betraying no emotion.
"You're referring to our task this month?" Hubert asked.
Bylass nodded once. "But first, how much have you heard about us? The rumors, I mean."
The group exchanged uncertain glances until Hubert offered solemnly:
"I've heard whispers of an Ashen Demon who could wipe out entire armies,"
Ferdinand raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I thought those were just stories."
Hubert shook his head.
"I saw her during the mock battle. She's every bit as formidable as they say and you were also there as well."
Edelgard frowned, her eyes fixed on Bylass with a calculating look.
"Is that why you wanted to take this on alone?"
Bylass stiffened almost imperceptibly. "No, that had nothing to do with my decision. And Hubert, what else have you heard?"
"That's right, there have always been such rumors about our dear professor here for years, until 2 years ago – the day when first whispers about another man with an uncanny resemblance to the Ashen Demon started to spread." Everyone was widening their eyes in shock while Bylass's face was unreadable.
"Is that … Byleth?" Dorothea stuttered as Bylass gave her a nod.
"Shortly after, the man left his mark on the mercenary world, terrorizing bandits and thieves with his gruesome methods."
"Bodies of criminals were often mutilated; he seemed to revel in watching them flee in fear from his emotionless gaze. The Nightmare of Bandits – Shadow of Ashen Demon." Hubert revealed more details as the other students listened silently.
Ferdinand shifted uneasily in his seat before managing to blurt out, "Is that true, professor?"
"It pains to say this but yes. What Hubert said is true." Bylass said neutrally.
"Professor, I …" Ferdinand began before being interrupted by Bylass.
"But that's not the whole picture." The professor looked up at the group with an expression of somberness and understanding in her eyes.
"Could you please elaborate for us?" Edelgard asked curiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Do any of you remember when I told you about how I met Byleth?" They nodded simultaneously.
"And Edelgard, I believe you also have questions about how Kostas seems to know us?" Silence filled the room as they all waited for Bylass to continue.
"Let me tell you how that fateful day changed our lives forever."
"And that's what happened." Bylass ended the story with a heavy heart, feeling weighed down by her conflicting emotions.
"I didn't realize he had gone through so much," Ferdinand said as he bowed apologetically. "My sincerest apologies for judging you two without knowing all of the facts."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Professor. But what happened was not your or his fault." Dorothea said quietly, her voice full of understanding.
Edelgard murmured under her breath. "So that is what he meant..."
Hubert smirked darkly. "Killing a prisoner even when his goal was achieved? Now I understand why our classmate is reduced to such methods to deal with these vermins." Bylass shot him a warning glare before turning back to the class.
"Then what do you plan for our upcoming task, professor," Edelgard asked firmly.
"Before answering that, I have another question. Has anyone experienced killing yet?"
The room fell still and silent until Edelgard and Hubert raised their hands. Bylass was not surprised about the house leader at all after witnessing her combat experience while the latter seemed skillful due to his demonstration at the mock battle.
"I know this is probably hard for most of you to hear," she began again. "But life can take unexpected turns, so who knows if you may one day find yourself in a situation where you must choose between life or death?" Everyone listened intently while she went on. "Before taking such an irreversible step, remember two key principles: no hesitation, and killing only when it is your last option."
Hubert tilted his head in confusion. "That's odd advice coming from someone in your profession, especially the latter—why do you say that?"
"No hesitation—if you pause in deciding for even a second, it could cost you dearly," Bylass explained. "And secondly, never take anyone's life unless there is no other path to safety." Her words filled the classroom as everyone took note of the lesson.
"Who was your first kill?" Edelgard suddenly asked.
Bylass clenched her fists tightly, a muscle twitching in her jaw as she dropped her gaze to the floorboards. After a few moments of heavy silence, she finally spoke in a monotone, "A Fiend who was trying to kidnap the kids in my village. I think I was nine when that happened."
The room felt like a vacuum once more. Edelgard's eyes widened as she appeared to be forming a new thought while Hubert had an amazed look on his face. Breaking through the air of awe was Bylass' voice once more.
"Let's begin our training tomorrow morning. Ferdinand, Caspar, when we're on our mission I expect you to keep Byleth under control if he gets too reckless. Unlike the mock battle, this is serious."
"Of course, professor. He is part of our class after all." They replied cheerfully.
"And Linhardt, please be prepared to heal him no matter how grave the injury is," Bylass added hesitantly.
"It's fine by me, professor. But I wonder why you are overprotective of him?"
Dorothea jumped in before Bylass could answer, "Lin! Is it rude to ask such questions?"
But Bylass reassured her with a gentle smile and said, "It's alright Dorothea. The reason is that he is very important to me." She placed her hand over her heart for emphasis.
Dorothea smiled sympathetically at Bylass and said, "He's lucky to have you, professor."
Edelgard then suggested, "Shouldn't we pay him a visit then?"
Bylass shook her head softly and smiled. "Perhaps another day then. He needs some peace of his own now." Despite her words, she could feel worried gnawing at her insides, yearning to comfort Byleth in this moment of solitude.
"Anyway, let's begin our lecture now."
"There you are, kid. I heard that your first assignment was to take out the bandits?" Jeralt asked, his face bearing a concerned expression.
"Yes, Lady Rhea was insisting on eliminating them for some reason."
"However, I believe that's not everything, right?" Jeralt said with worry in his eyes.
"The leader of the bandit- Kostas was the one crossing us 2 years ago," Bylass said uneasily, her hands trembling slightly as she remembered the nightmarish experience.
"I understand your concern, kid. This will undoubtedly be the first real battle taste for most of those brats. And what if one of them falls…"
...his mind will be bound to break once again." She stopped speaking and then took a deep breath before continuing, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't let that happen again, Jeralt. Not after that night."
Jeralt put a comforting hand on Bylass's shoulder and said calmly, "We already managed to cut down most of their forces, didn't we? Besides, your class will be accompanied by Knights of Seiros as well." She felt her anxiety ebb away as she nodded in agreement and took a few steadying breaths.
"Thank you, Jeralt." Her voice was still shaky but more sure than before as she spoke.
"Speaking of Byleth, where is he?" The question made Bylass's face look troubled again and she paused before answering.
"Something happened to him this morning."
"How bad is it?" Jeralt asked worriedly.
"Something happened to him this morning." The words barely passed through her lips as she wrung her hands anxiously together. "He was crying in pain as if his mind was shattering into pieces." A chill ran down her spine at the thought of it and she could feel desperation flooding her chest. "I don't know how to ease his pain, Jeralt."
"But you were there to comfort him, weren't you," Jeralt replied softly which she nodded.
"Then that's more than enough. He would no doubt be grateful for your sincerity, kid." She felt a small sense of relief wash over her at his encouraging words and nodded in agreement. "I hope so too, Jeralt."
"It's getting late now, isn't it? I think he hasn't eaten anything yet so you can bring him some of his favorite dishes."
"That should work then. See you next time, Jeralt." She waved and headed for the dining hall.
"Until next time, Bylass."
Byleth had been lying in his bed for what felt like an eternity, his eyes glued to the cobwebbed ceiling of the cellar. As he stirred awake from a deep slumber, the light of the moon spilled over the window, easing the pain that had plagued him for an entire day. His moment of peace would soon be interrupted by a knock on his door.
"Byleth, may I come in?" came Bylass' voice from outside.
"Sure," Byleth mumbled, and the door creaked open to reveal a worried Bylass carrying a bowl of soup
"How are you feeling now?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"I'm feeling better now though my stomach said otherwise," he replied, trying to force a joke to erase the sorrow in the air. In response, she offered only a weak smile and placed the bowl on the table.
"Is that soup?"
"Yes, your favorite one- fish and bean soup," she said as she brought over a spoon for him. "Here try some of it."
"Bylass, I'm capable of handling myself." He sighed heavily.
"Save your energy, sir Byleth. Say "Ahh"." Bylass said without dropping a beat, despite her inner embarrassment.
Mumbling quietly, Byleth opened his mouth so that she could feed him before flashing a smile. "How is it?"
"It's delicious, Bylass!" he replied with a satisfied smile.
After putting away the empty bowl, she helped him out of bed and into the chair close by, settling herself opposite of him. Taking a deep breath, she began speaking softly, carefully choosing her words so as not to upset or overwhelm him.
"Byleth, I know this might be hard, so I won't force you if you're not comfortable with answering."
Warmth flooded Byleth's being as he saw just how much Bylass cared about him—he didn't need to say anything for her to understand. With an air of honesty and gratitude surrounding him, he finally spoke up.
"You don't have to apologize, Bylass. Words can't describe how grateful I am for your consideration. I guess I will have to break it to you sooner or later." Bylass nodded slowly, her expression shifting from worry to anticipation as she prepared herself for whatever was coming next.
"I dream of my father." Byleth hesitated, his voice shaking. "No, it was more like a fragment of my memories."
Bylass turned her head to face him, concern etched on her features.
"From what I recall, there was a battle in a faraway land. As I was celebrating our victory, I felt my father's warm hand patting my head." Byleth continued, his breath coming out in short gasps. "Although it was just a dream, I could vividly feel his touch as if he was here with me."
"A father will always be proud of his son, Byleth," Bylass said gently.
"Moments later, we saw an injured girl on the battlefield and my father went to help her before saying he would come back soon."
"But he couldn't fulfill that promise." The sadness shifted from Byleth's face to something darker as he clenched his fists.
Bylass remained silent, sensing the pain emanating from Byleth.
"Turns out that girl was only pretending to approach him until she found her chance to stab straight into his heart. Just like him ." Byleth scowled furiously, his fists clenching at his side.
"Byleth …" Bylass trailed off unsure how to comfort him.
"I tried to chase her, but by then she had already disappeared into thin air. Not caring for anything else anymore, I rushed to my father's side, hoping there might be some chance."
"But no matter how hard I tried, his presence was fading away; he could barely hold his breath as each second passed." Tears pooled in Byleth's eyes as he recounted the painful memory. Without hesitation, Bylass reached for his hands and intertwined their fingers tightly.
"It was just a nightmare, Byleth," she whispered but received no response from him.
"Even now," Byleth continued through choked sobs. "I could feel his life slipping away right in front of me, but all I could do was hold his body as he cried out in pain. He spoke his final words of comfort and love to me and then he was gone. For all the talk of saving innocents, I couldn't save anyone, not even my father."
The pain in Byleth's voice was overwhelming and Bylass held him closer, offering silent comfort. She could feel the warmth radiating from their clasped hands along with the faint thudding of their hearts in unison.
"It's alright. I'm here for you." Her fingers gently brushed his hair as he instinctively held her back in return and they allowed themselves to find solace in each other's embrace.
She felt his body relax slightly as she held him close. Tears kept sliding down his cheek and she wiped it away before it could drop onto the ground. They stood there for a long time in silence, simply holding one another for comfort until he started to relax after a long moment. Her fingers gently brushed his hair as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and it became easier for him to deal with the pain he felt inside without her. They were here for each other always.
"I am so appreciative that you are here for me," he said sincerely.
"I promised to be by your side, didn't I? You are my family after all." Bylass replied her voice velvety soft in the night air.
"And the same goes for you." His mind began to relax for the first time in a long while.
Guilt colored her words as she added,
"I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"It wasn't your fault," he reassured her. "You deserve to know after all. Furthermore, you've done so much for me."
"I'm humbled."
"Maybe those villagers were right, a Demon like me only brings destruction to everyone I love." His voice suddenly wavered with insecurity, piercing her unbeaten heart like thousands of needles.
"Stop it! You are not what they made you out to be." Her finger touched his lips lightly for emphasis. "Byleth, you are so much more than that."
His heart ached at her words; though he knew deep down that they were true, old doubts still lingered. "Despite all this talk about saving families," he murmured sadly, "I can't even protect my own."
"Most importantly, only a Demon is having no remorse after all those killings." He looked away, unable to meet her gaze as he traced his fingertips over his face.
As he continued to speak, her heart was filled with a strange mix of sorrow and longing. He had been so distant since they first met, and yet she felt a deep connection to him like nothing before. He masked his pain so well, but it was obvious he was hiding from his wounds – just like her. Despite having no idea what was coming next, Bylass determined that the time had come to act on her desire.
A desire to make him whole again.
"A long time ago…" Bylass paused." I used to hang out with a group of friends or so I thought."
Byleth turned his head to face her and she continued, "It was a long time ago, perhaps I was nine back then. And like any other kids, we would often talk about childish things such as our ideal types of man." She grinned at the memory before continuing,
"I did not expect that from you," Byleth said neutrally despite the humor in his voice.
"One day, we decided to explore the nearby village despite our parents' warnings. It was a fun trip though; Avina was chasing the brightly colored butterflies while Metylda together with me and the rest roleplayed as if we were royals having a tea party. We pretended there were horses pulling carriages for us and imagined ourselves sipping tea fit for royalty."
"I guess that's where you learned acting from then, Princess Maria." A small smile tugged at the corner of Byleth's lips as he spoke.
"Until I heard a shrill yell from Avina's side that sent chills down my spine. Without thinking, I urged them to follow me and hastily rushed towards her direction."
"Then I saw two menacing bandits chasing after her like a pair of wolves after its prey. When she ran into our group, she let out a silent cry as her body still quivered in fear and despair." Bylass scowled at the memory.
"What happened then?" Byleth asked hesitantly.
"Remembering Jeralt's instructions, I firmly commanded the others to remain calm as I reached for my dagger and launched myself into the battle, channeling every ounce of strength within me until those ruffians were brought down. The next thing I knew was waking up with trembling figures backed away from me in terror. Not knowing what had happened, I offered my hand to reassure them all was well, only to be met by Metylda's slap and cries of fear."
"But why? It was you who saved them."
"As Avina told their parents what had transpired, they all had looks of horror on their faces except Jeralt. They began hurling out insults towards me despite Jeralt's defense," Bylass remembered solemnly.
"I can't remember most of what they said but there was one title that stayed with me ever since - Ashen Demon."
"Those close-minded fools," Byleth cursed bitterly.
"But my expressionless state wasn't the only reason they feared me," Bylass stated as Byleth gaped at her incredulously.
"Turns out, when Avina checked on me after I had collapsed, she assumed I was dead and so when I woke up their reaction became even more intense, thinking I had risen from the dead!"
"Why did she think you were dead?"
Bylass hesitated before answering:
"Because I have no heartbeat." Her words echoed heavily in his room.
"Bylass." He paused before continuing," Are you attempting to lighten the mood?"
But instead of laughter, all she did was shake her head. He still couldn't believe it; a person can't be alive without a heartbeat and yet here she was standing in front of him feeling very much alive. He recalled the warmth he felt from her earlier.
Do you know what doesn't have a heartbeat?
Demons and monsters.
I wish we had never met, Ashen Demon.
Bylass bit her lip to prevent herself from gasping out loud. Fear and insecurity coursed through her body as she anticipated his reaction. Would he turn away from her in disgust? Why was she the one feeling so insecure now? Her head swam with possibilities, each more daunting than the next.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly placed his hand on her left chest and waited for his reaction. She didn't know why she was doing this, or what she expected to gain from it, but here she was, holding her breath while waiting for his answer.
"Do you feel anything now?"
Despite the intense situation, Byleth seemed remarkably calm. All Bylass could focus on was the sensation of him touching her chest. At that moment, she wished fervently that time would stand still so that she could savor the moment forever. Seconds felt like hours as they stood there in silence until finally Byleth broke away from their gaze and gave her his answer.
"I can't feel anything. All these years, I thought that was just my imagination" The surprise in Byleth's voice was unmistakable.
"So, you knew?" Bylass asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"I felt it the first time we … hugged each other but I quickly brushed it aside, assuming that was just my imagination." His hesitation to say that word brought a smile to her face. Perhaps, that cute side of him made her fall for him.
"It's unusual, isn't it? Being alive with no heartbeat… No wonder people started to avoid me like the plague once they heard, and it only got worse when the mercenaries witnessed me in action and called me a monster. For ten years I've avoided everyone except Jeralt… But then you came along." Bylass smiled softly as she looked into his eyes.
She leaned closer to him and spoke.
"For some reason, I had no trouble showing my emotions when I was around you. Do you remember the first time I managed to smile?" She paused before continuing." It was thanks to you, Byleth! The day we went to the river together. The moon was full and glowed brightly. That was... the best day of my life."
"Bylass, I don't know what to say." He mumbled, but his voice carried hints of euphoria.
"Therefore, it doesn't matter what this world calls us. We must keep moving forward or all lives lost will be meaningless. Even if this world turns against you, I will be your blade, protecting you against anything that would cause you harm."
"As if I would let you take on all these responsibilities alone."
"Looks like someone has learned it finally." She grinned with contentment.
"I have a great teacher after all."
"Then, will you keep walking this path together with me, my eternal Demon King?" Bylass playfully joked.
"I did not remember ascending the throne." He smiled cockily.
"My decree said so anyway - Now what will be your answer?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he replied with certainty and extended his hand towards her invitingly, "Let us walk together... "
"…My dear eternal Queen!."