A word of warning for Itachi fans: he's evil in this fanfiction, and I mean pure evil. Because I'm more of a fan of evil Itachi than the poorly written "good" Itachi, I think for a Fire Emblem story, Evil Itachi fits better in my opinion. This will be the first of multiple chapters focusing on characters in their respective houses; the chapters the first and second blue lions, black Eagles and golden deer chapters take place at the same time (with the exception of the third Golden Deer chapter, which hasn't been fully written as of this writing).

Another thing I should say is this chapter is a loose adaptation of Chapter 3 of Fire emblem three houses.

The first Black Eagle chapter takes place at the same time as this one. Without further ado, I hope you enjoyed this, and my favorite crossover ship is usually my favorite scenes to write I love Sasuke and Mercedes together it just clicks for me though you're free to disagree.

chapter 8 Justice and revenge

The last thing Sasuke expected was to be sent on a mission to put down a rebellion when he first set foot in Garreg Mach. It would be a few days before they would reach their destination, plenty of time for Sasuke to learn about the history of this Lonato. This was the first time he had left the monastery; he never thought he would visit any region of Faerghus so soon. On the road, Sasuke couldn't help but notice just how beautiful the landscape was. If they weren't on a mission, he would love to take a look at the scenery. Mercedes noticed what he was thinking.

"It's a shame we're going on a mission. It's so beautiful here, especially in this Forest. Faerghus is a beautiful country if only you could see it Sasuke Kun" he believed it seeing how beautiful this part of the the continent looked and they weren't even in Fearghus there was nothing back home that compared to this place it was soothing peaceful unlike the constant tension and threats of War. It almost felt like he was on a different planet." under different circumstances I'd like to visit your home in Fearghus" Sasuke didn't know what was happening with him ever since he met his friends in the Blue Lions; he felt like he had become soft. What was happening to his goal of revenge against his brother? Was he becoming weaker? He was troubled by what was happening to him, then he looked at Ashe, who was silent the whole time, something about this mission was unsettling him.

"I don't like this," said Sasuke out loud.

"I know what you mean," said Dimitri. "It's just what are we doing? Why is there a rebellion in the first place, and who is Lonato?" He had so many questions.

"When we camp for the night, I'll explain the best I can," said Dimitri he rode ahead. Sasuke couldn't help but notice something dark in his eyes.

"So you notice it too," said Neji. He knew Hyuga were very observant and could see through people.

"Know something I don't?" Sasuke challenged, not really having patience for his games.

"Figure it out yourself; it's pretty obvious after all, aren't you the Uchiha prodigy?" he said mockingly as he wrote ahead alongside Tenten. "What an ass." said Sylvain, showing his clear dislike for Neji. "He was the prodigy of the previous year where I'm from." Sasuke explained to them about the way things worked in Konoha about the best students of each year. "So he's considered a genius like you? Great. What an asshole! I already don't like him and I only spoke to him once." Sylvain didn't mince words on how he felt. "I recall you thought the same thing about Sasuke when you first met him." remarked Annette. "The difference is Sasuke knows how to take a damn chill pill and besides you and Felix made him soften up along with Mercedes." he said as he winked.

"Which begs the question Sasuke, how are you two anyway, is she your girlfriend or what?"

This caused both Sasuke and Mercedes to blush red as tomatoes.

Sasuke got annoyed and rode ahead with Mercedes to hide their embarrassment.

Annette smiled at the two she thought it was cute and Felix knew that look that she had on her face.

"Oh, don't do that, Annette! I know what you're going to say." said Felix, not wanting to hear it.

Sylvain' rolled his eyes.

"I think they're in love and they just don't know it yet."

Her boyfriend knew what she was going to say.

"It could be possible after all In Duscur we have a goddess of love lovers that are meant to be together tend to fall in love quickly there's nothing rational about it can't be explained there's an equivalent in Konoha called the red threads of fate" Dedue explained to everyone in the group."you know you should talk more Dedue there's a lot of interesting things we can learn from you about Duscur"The dark skin man shook his head."there isn't much you can really learn there's barely anything left"he said bitterly as he left everyone.

"It's a painful thing for all of us to talk about you know why he's reluctant to speak to us" Felix said to his friend."yeah it certainly a tragedy all innocent people being blamed for a crime they did not commit while the perpetrators got away Scott free"the shadows in Felix's eyes said more than words could his brother Glenn died that day Dimitri wasn't the same and neither was Ingrid. Why does everything have to connect to that tragedy?

The day of the Uchiha massacre 10 years ago

Sasuke was coming home from school. It was a typical day. It was nothing really special as usual, he got praised by the teachers and his peers for his nearly perfect performance. This didn't matter to Sasuke; the only praise he cared about was Itachi, his older brother. The streets of Konoha were quiet at night; he was heading to the Uchiha clan compound. When he got there, he saw gruesome images. He dropped whatever he was holding; he saw the severed head of a girl who was no older than 12. He saw other bodies, mangled and broken children, women, men, the elderly, the gruesome images were not something a child should see: severed limbs and body parts. It looked like a bloody battle had happened. Blood was everywhere.

He ran, he had to find his parents, he couldn't lose them too. The boy was frightened and scared. He was crying, seeing neighbors he'd seen every day since the day he was born. He heard screams. We got to his home; he had to make it in time if he could protect his mother and father and even his brother when he got there. He saw a gruesome sight that no child should ever see.

His father's head rested on the entrance of his house, with a look of shock and horror on his dead father's face. What shocked him most was his mother; she had a blade through her chest. She looked at Sasuke and was barely able to get the words out. "Run, Sasuke! Get out!"

She couldn't say anything else as the blade was pulled out; she fell to the ground face-down. He couldn't move; he was scared. He saw his mother die; he was too late. He couldn't save them.

He saw someone moving in the dark room; he could barely see anything, but the moonlight shining through the window gave him a glimpse of the person responsible.

"Foolish little brother," said a cold voice. "How could you?" Sasuke asked, barely able to get the words out; he couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it.

"I enjoyed every moment of it, the dying screams of those pathetic vermin who call themselves Uchiha. I am the next Madara, except this time I will be the only Uchiha left."

Sasuke ran in fear; every instinct told him to run. He ran; he heard laughter from his brother. He tripped and tried to get back up, but he wasn't able to move.

"I will show you everything that I have done"

He cast an illusion on him and made him see everything he did.

How he tortured his victims, how he made them suffer the kind of brutality he saw was nothing a 7-year-old boy should have seen. Even saw the deaths of his parents again and again.

When he collapsed after seeing the deaths of his clan and his family over and over again, he was barely able to stand.

"I won't kill you yet, little brother; you're so weak that you're not even worth killing when you have the same eyes as I. I'll consider sparing you if you value your life; you'll never seek me out, because you've always been a coward and always will be." His brother left in tears. "I'm sorry, everyone. I'm sorry, mother, father. I failed. I"

Mercedes noticed Sasuke was having a nightmare. He was turning his head from side to side, tears fell down his cheeks. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough, mother and father. I couldn't protect you or anyone; it's all my fault." She shook Sasuke to wake him up. He opened his eyes and then looked away in shame.

'you heard everything"Sasuke said Horsley."no I saw you turning in your sleep I was worried"he tried to calm himself down but he wasn't."you don't have to talk about it Sasuke Kun"she said softly she hugged him Sasuke put his face in her chest they were alone in a tent all of them had their own separate tents but Sasuke needed her right now he didn't want everyone to know about his nightmares she knew."if I was stronger they would still be alive,"Sasuke said, not holding back his tears.

"The bastard murdered everyone I knew. Neighbors, friends, and even their families were all butchered. He's roaming somewhere free right now, and the crimes he committed have gone unpunished. I have to avenge them. My clan deserves justice for what has happened."

Mercedes is starting to understand Sasuke better now. His reluctance to talk about his past regarding his brother, who was his brother, started to make sense to her now. She couldn't imagine going through what Sasuke went through.

They stayed like this for the next 30 minutes before Sasuke pulled away after calming down."do you have these nightmares every night?"she asked him concerned for his well-being."yes that's why I sleep alone. I don't want people to see me in a week and pathetic state"she did not agree she didn't think there was anything wrong with being vulnerable if it's with people you trust." Do you trust me Sasuke Kun?"asked him honestly.

"You don't judge me based on superficial things like appearances. You're the first woman to ever look beyond the surface. I just don't want you to think I'm weak. You have to understand what you think matters more: you and Dimitri. What you think of me is important."

He didn't answer her question, but she waited patiently.

"When it comes to things in my past, it's hard for me to talk about it. It's not that I don't trust you or the Blue Lions. It's painful to relive that night almost every day. Hearing the voices every day, telling me and demanding me to avenge them, I hear them even now."

Before Sasuke break down sobbing, she spoke softly. "I don't know what words of comfort I can offer you. The only thing I can do is be there for you, Sasuke-kun. You don't have to be alone; we are here for you. I'm here for you." She said that last part with more emotion than she intended. "You're like an angel, Mercie. I think you're too good for me." The kind of emotions she felt from Sasuke were not something he normally shows in front of others.

If it hadn't been dark, he would have seen her blushing face.

"I've been told that by other people before." She said, not wanting to accept compliments like that. She didn't see herself as an angel.

"But you are. I feel more comfortable showing a vulnerable side to myself. You're not judgmental, and I do really mean it you're too good for me, a failure like me shouldn't be associated with you." She wasn't going to hear him put himself down.

"Get some sleep, Sasuke Kun. We will need it for tomorrow." She said softly.

"If it isn't too much to ask, can you stay with me tonight? I don't know if I want to go back to those nightmares with you. I feel safe." He said, embarrassed at admitting his darkest fears.

"Of course, Sasuke-kun. I'll do just that." Sasuke placed his head on her lap, and she fell asleep sitting up."

Everyone woke up, Dimitri wondered where Mercedes was; she wasn't in her tent. He walked to where Sasuke's tent was and he saw Mercedes asleep, sitting up with Sasuke in her lap. He didn't want to draw attention to both of them; he quietly spoke. "It's time to get up; we have to head out."

Dimitri said softly. "Mercedes opened her eyes and then blushed, realizing she was caught. Sasuke got up and then looked at Dimitri. "It's not what you think." Sasuke said, embarrassed. "You can explain it later; Sasuke and Mercedes." Dimitri said with a smile, despite the grim reality that they were about to face, he couldn't help but feel happy for them both.

The others woke up. It would be another day before they reached their destination, walking. He couldn't help but wonder why Mercedes slept in Sasuke's tent. It probably wasn't anything, but then he couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that Sasuke had the same kind of nightmares that he did. Had he not revealed much about himself beyond wanting revenge in the three months he had known Sasuke, but there had to be a reason.

His friend and retainer Dedue walked by his side. He would ask him for his opinion, something that has been on his mind since Sasuke and Mercedes first laid eyes on each other. It wasn't just Sasuke who was infatuated with Mercedes; she was infatuated with Sasuke as well; it was mutual.

"Do you have a question, Your Highness?" asked Dedue.

"How many times have I told you you can call me Dimitri when it's just the two of us?" said Dimitri to his friend.

"It wouldn't be proper, Your Highness." he replied. "I could order it you know"

"You won't, Your Highness. That's not in your character." he was right, of course.

"I can't help but notice how Sasuke and Mercedes have been acting towards each other. This kind of love is when two partners start to connect on an intimate level. Whatever happened in that tent last night changed their relationship."

He knew about it, too, did the whole class know about it?

"How many people know that they slept together in the tent?

Dimitri asked Dedue

"Only you and me; we should keep it that way. We should let them settle things out on their own. Love is not something we should intervene in at all."

Dimitri agreed. He hoped Mercedes could find happiness, and he hoped Sasuke was the one.

They both had a painful past, especially Sasuke's. He could tell in time. Dimitri believes Sasuke will reveal his painful past to him, but for now, he will leave him alone.

Mercedes is the person he trusts the most, and he doesn't want to step on that trust.

Annette couldn't help but notice something was different between Mercedes and Sasuke. The way they were talking to each other, the way they were acting around each other, it was different than before. "Am I the only one who notices something is different?" Annette asked her boyfriend and his friend Sylvain. "Whatever it is, it's none of our business." Felix said, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Sasuke, what a lucky man! Mercedes is quite something; an angel, as they say." Sylvain said, disappointed, it's not him."I don't know what you're getting at." Felix said, annoyed by his antics."I mean, out of all the girls to fall for our emo classmate, it has to be Mercedes of all people." Sylvain said, disappointed, or was he? It was hard for her to tell; usually he says this about every woman that he hits on but she moves on to someone else.

"It's pretty bold of you to say that they haven't talked to each other more than a month," Felix pointed out.

"They were infatuated with each other for two months before they started talking," Sylvain reminded them.

"Can we not talk about this on a damn mission?" said Felix, getting sick of having this conversation about their friends' love lives.

"Don't get me wrong; I support them. It's just strange to me out of all the people here, it's Sasuke of all people that Mercedes falls for, and believe me, she has fallen hard for him." Then what about Sasuke?" asked Annette.

"What about Sasuke then?" she asked him.

"Oh, I think Sasuke has fallen even harder for her than she has for him. We will know in time, and I know Felix, you're getting sick of hearing about this. I'll drop it." He said, knowing that Felix did not want to talk about it anymore. Annette didn't either.

Lonato was getting ready to leave his castle; he would avenge his son; he would make the archbishop Rhea and Cassandra pay for what they had done to his son. His loyal subjects were behind him; there was a good chance he would die, but he couldn't stand by while his son's murderers not getting punished."I've given you everything I possibly could" said a raven-haired man in a black cloak with red stripes.

"You have given me everything I possibly need, Itachi Uchiha, but do not kid yourself; I don't trust you or anyone that's associated with your organization." The man shrugged, saying what he said didn't phase him. "The Akatsuki don't lie; information is one of our greatest weapons. I guarantee you all the gold you paid us was worth it." He didn't trust this foreigner from a foreign land, but he had no other choice; he had to avenge his son. He hoped whoever is sent to put down his rebellion wouldn't be with them; he couldn't bear the thought of losing another son, even if he isn't his son by blood.

The man turned to his men, most of whom were not even soldiers but civilians. They wouldn't back down; he was determined even if he failed to start a rebellion against the central church, which the western church had been at odds for many years. If his death could lead to a rebellion that could bring justice to the death of his son, then it would be worth it. "Christophe, I will avenge you or I will die trying." His men loved his son and him, and they wanted to avenge him just like he did.

"There's a good chance none of us will survive if you don't want to die, leave now. I won't ask you to follow me to your deaths; you have families to care for, but for those who are willing to stand by me, let's bring Justice Christophe. We will make the archbishop pay for what she has done and Cassandra Thunderstrike."

After he was done, he heard a woman yell, "Death to the archbishop!" He also heard someone else say, "Death to Cassandra!" He heard them chanted over and over again. This was it. Whether he succeeded or failed, today he was going to die. He hoped his death would not be in vain.

"What a sad and pathetic fool leading his men to to pointless deaths" remarked a masked man.

"I don't like working with Those Who Slither in the Dark. I don't trust them, and I don't think their goals align with ours." said Itachi Uchiha.

"It doesn't matter they have their uses, after all. The Akatsuki don't have a stronghold in Fodlan, and not to mention the host of the Kyubi is currently located here, but he is on a mission in the Land of Waves.

"The mask man explained to Itachi."

Then what should we do, Tobi? Should I capture him along with the carrier of Sothis?" asked Itachi.

"No, watch Naruto Uzumaki and Byleth Eisner for now; whatever you do, do not be seen. We cannot afford to be discovered now." The hologram was about to end.

"Your brother is with those who are going to put down the rebellion. Don't you want to greet him?" asked his partner Kisame.

"No, he isn't worth my time and espionage is our mission." Itachi answered with no emotion.

"Leave now before you're discovered; we cannot let anyone know that we exist, especially here."

Tobi fades away.

"What a shame! We're going to miss out on the show."

Kisame says disappointedly, "We'll have other chances; let's leave."

Sasuke is here as much as he looks forward to seeing Sasuke again. He knows there will be another chance. He licks his lips in anticipation; he's looking forward to breaking Sasuke and if he manages to develop bonds with people with, he's looking forward to breaking those bonds by destroying them. If his foolish brother has fallen in love with anyone he would he would break him by forcing him to watch that person die.

Let the fools believe they're fighting for their own justice; they'll all be dead by today's end. It mattered little to Itachi, the fools who believed they were fighting for a just cause. Justice meant nothing to him, those with power being those with justice, while those without power had no justice: it was the way of the world.

Ashe was dreading his confrontation with his adoptive father. Are his siblings okay? The anxiety over the eventual confrontation was eating at him; he didn't know who to turn to. He felt conflicted. Part of him thought he should be fighting with Lonato, but another part of him couldn't bring himself to fight his friends. What could he do?

The two new students in the Blue Lions. He couldn't talk to them because he didn't know them. They were strangers. He didn't really know Sasuke Uchiha well. There was only one person he could talk to, and that was Mercedes, who was currently with Sasuke. They were eating lunch, but he didn't know what to do. He had to talk to someone. He walked towards them. "Excuse me. Do you mind if I join you?" Ashe asked Sasuke and Mercedes. "Sure. There's always room for more people to join." She offered. He sat down, not knowing what to say.

"What's wrong? You've been quiet throughout this entire trip?" Mercedes asked, concerned. He took a deep breath, not knowing how he was going to explain it to her. "I don't want to fight him. He's done so much for me and my siblings. Am I doing the right thing?" Ashe asked. "I'm out of the loop. What's going on?" Sasuke asked.

"Lonato is my adoptive father. My parents died when I was young, and I was the only one who could take care of my siblings. I used to steal a lot to put food on the table. When I broke into his castle, I saw a book I wanted to take, but I couldn't read. I was caught, but instead of punishing me with beatings like other lords would have done, he took me and my siblings into his family. He taught me how to read and write. I owe everything to him. I feel like I'm betraying him. I don't know what to do."

Then Sasuke spoke bluntly, "If you don't feel like you have the resolve to kill him, then you shouldn't come with us. You should head back."

Mercedes looked upset when he said what she thought, but Sasuke didn't allow her to interrupt. He gently silenced her and continued.

"If you do that, you will likely regret it. You won't get any answers either way. The choice is ultimately yours to make and yours alone."

Ashe there is no right or wrong decision here. Every decision is going to feel wrong, but which decision is worse is another question that only you can answer yourself.

He was expecting to get advice from Mercedes, but instead, he received it from Sasuke.

"Thank you Sasuke. It means a lot to me. I know it's harsh what you told me, but I appreciate your honesty."

Things were silent between them until Mercedes spoke.

"I wish there was another way to resolve this. Is violence the only answer?"

He knew she hated committing violent acts; she was a kind soul.

"Whatever decision you make, Ashe. You'd better make it quickly. Within a few more hours, we will be confronting him."

Sasuke and Mercedes got up after they had finished eating. Ashe made his decision. He was going to see it through no matter what. Regardless of the outcome, he would never forgive himself if he didn't try. Maybe he could save Lonato and get him to turn back from this path.

They were at the Magdred Way. Sasuke looked around the forest. It would be a good place for an ambush. He couldn't help but put his hand on his sword.

"You're getting a little too tense for me," said Catherine. "I don't know, but I feel like an ambush could happen at any time. I don't know why, but I have this feeling."

Sasuke was rarely wrong about such things when he felt hostility in the air; he knew an ambush was imminent.

"I'm an outsider from another land. Can you tell me what this is all about?" he asked Catherine Dimitri, Felix, and Sylvain had uneasy looks on their faces along with Dedue. "Have you ever heard about the tragedy of Duscur?" Asked Catherine to Sasuke and the Konaha students that were with him. "I don't see how that's relevant to this mission." Sakura said irritated that Sasuke ignored her the whole time. "It is completely relevant; it's the whole reason why Lonato is going on his crusade against the Central Church to begin with. Have you literally learned nothing on our way here? You foolish girl," Manuela said angrily at Sakura's inability to pay attention to things that were not related to Sasuke.

"4 years ago the king of Faerghus was assassinated, and those conspirators we managed to capture were tried and executed. One of them was Lonato's son; he blames the church for his son's death, along with the archbishop and myself."

"No matter where he goes, it never changes. Sasuke thinks his desire for revenge against Itachi is no different from Lonato's. He looks at Dimitri, whose eyes have shadows in them, the moment anything related to Duscur is brought up, along with Felix."

"So he believes this is a crusade of Justice?"

Sasuke said aloud, surprising everyone.

"Justice—that's what you call what he's doing?"

Catherine asked, wondering what Sasuke was getting at.

"Justice and revenge are not separate things; they are two sides of the same coin from his perspective. His cause is a cause of Justice."

Everyone wondered why Sasuke would say such a thing. He thinks about his own clan and family; he can almost empathize with Lonato.

"Well, it's pointless to have this debate since we're in the middle of a mission where we could be ambushed at any time", Manuela cut in.

That earlier feeling he was feeling earlier, he took out his sword and asked Neji, "This fog; use your Byakugan." Neji did as Sasuke instructed; he activated it and shouted at everyone. "Ambush!" Everyone got in their positions; so Sasuke was correct: Dimitri was right by his side along with Felix covering each other's backs; he looked where Mercedes was; she was being supported by Annette and Tenten who had her spear out.

Sakura was with Ashe, Dedue, and Sylvain. Neji was looking for any enemies; they were fortunate to have him on this mission. "Damn those bastards! They've cast a spell to cover this entire area with fog. Can your Byakugan find the spellcaster?" asked Catherine. "I can find it, but the fog is so deep that it hampers my Byakugan." He explained, ashamed to admit such a weakness.

"Than we have to find the spellcaster as soon as possible, be on your guard. This is not some training session, this is life and death, one wrong move and you're dead."

Manuela said to her students as she stood by Sasuke. Sasuke activated his Sharingan, maybe the Byakugan wouldn't be good for this situation. Then he saw it. This not some fog? It was some form of genjutsu? How did they manage to do such a thing, especially when genjutsu is not taught in Fodlan.

"We have a problem someone casted a genjutsu, we all been hit by it." Everyone looked at Sasuke like he was crazy. "You mean they've casted a jutsu that affects all of our senses?" asked Annette. "Yes, but unfortunately for them, I'm here. If I kill the person who casted the jutsu, I can undo it." Manuela gave Sasuke the okay.

He ran to the area on his right where there were resistance, they weren't soldiers Sasuke didn't waste any time. He cut them down. They didn't give him much of a fight; they weren't experienced at picking up a sword or a bow. He didn't kill theml of the people he encountered; he wasn't there for that. He was only there to kill the caster who was clearly experienced. When Sasuke got close, the caster looked at Sasuke in horror. "Amateur mistake a master of genjutsu would never make the mistake you have made." Sasuke cut him down. The jutsu was undone, and the fog was also being undone. It cleared, and Sasuke saw an army. This would be a slaughter. None of these men had any experience. These were civilians. Sasuke did not feel good about this at all.

"Cassandra, thunderstrike, you will answer for your crimes."

Lonato shot with righteous fury. The woman looked at him with disappointment evident on her face.

"My name is Catherine. You will face judgment from the goddess."

On the surface, she acted all cocky and confident, but inside, she didn't feel anything but regret. the man that she was facing was the father of one her closest friends she had to kill she had to steal herself; she couldn't let her emotions control her; she had to end this or more people would die.

"My son spoke highly of you and you betrayed him when you killed him," he said with hatred in his voice. "Nothing I say will convince you that he was guilty and had a hand in our King's murder." He interrupted her. "He was a scapegoat; the real people responsible. Why aren't they being brought to justice, Catherine?" He asked her with righteous rage. "You are the reason I can't ever return home or have you forgotten that?" The man looked at her with no pity in his eyes.

"You murdered my son; you deserve much worse."

There was no reasoning with him; she knew it.

"It's a shame someone as respected and honorable as you is suffering such a disgraceful end."

He took out his spear.

"Enough words, Cassandra! I will avenge my son or die trying. The goddess will punish you."

He was no easy opponent; she knew this would not be an easy battle.

Ashe had to get to him, trying to reason with him to stop this. His friends were defending themselves against civilians; these people couldn't fight; they're barely even able to pick up a weapon. A boy attacked him with an ax. Ash had to defend himself and disarm him. He wasn't aiming to kill anyone. He had to get to his father before it's too late. He saw Catherine and Lonato engaged in battle. Both combatants were powerful. Catherine was clearly the person with the edge; she had youth on her side and she was one of the most powerful knights. It was a foregone conclusion he knew that she would ultimately win.

But if he could get him to back down, he could stop this slaughter. He ran as fast as his legs could take him. He couldn't fail. When he was within range, he shouted at Lonato. "Lonato, please stop! It doesn't have to end like this." The man looked at him with sadness. He knocked Catherine back. "I don't want you involved in this. That's the reason why I kept you in the dark." Ashe couldn't believe it.. "What about Lisa and Brent? Love you like a father! How can you do this to them?"He felt tears in his eyes. The old man, unless his imagination was playing with him, he was also crying. "I love you like you're my own children. I would do this even if it was you. I have to do this. I have to avenge your brother. I can't sit idly by. You will have to kill me, Ashe. There is no other way."

Instead of going to him, like Ashe, he went towards Annette; she would not survive if he didn't do anything.

Catherine wouldn't get there on time. He took out his bow and drew an arrow. Quivering, he fired. The arrow hit its mark, but he was still going. He fired again, and it made him fall to his knees. "Please stop! It doesn't have to end like this!" he begged. He fired one last time, but it was useless. He went straight to Annette; he was on the verge of putting his lance to her throat. Ash fired again, this time it went through his throat. He dropped his lance, fell face-down on the ground.

All the people who saw their lord fall looked at Ashe with hatred. "Murderer!" a boy screamed. "Ungrateful brat!" A mob was about to swarm him, but Sasuke got between them and Ashe. Whatever ability Sasuke had, he used to make them fall to the ground. He clenched his eye as if he was in a lot of pain and went on one knee, using his sword for support. "Thank you, Sasuke. You saved my life."

Sasuke looked at her and then pointed at Catherine.

"I didn't save your life, I saved there's."

Sasuke corrected, "Then" Ashe felt even worse; he didn't just feel horrible for being responsible for the death of his adopted father, but he felt weak and useless if he was stronger, he could have protected himself. Maybe.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it! You dishonor him by thinking that way. He died for what he believed was justice."

Sasuke said. Ashe looked at him and anger flashed in his eyes. He shouted.

"How could you say 'was justice'? How many people have we killed? He was a good man; he should have died surrounded by loved ones, not on a battlefield. He died in disgrace; you don't know anything. Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at Ashe. "I'm an orphan too. I know what you're going through."

Ashe was wide-eyed. "Sasuke?!" Mercedes ran to him and checked Sasuke's condition. Then she went to Ashe and used her healing magic to heal whatever wounds he had.

"I have to go and see if my brother and sister are okay." He said, leaving them alone. He couldn't face his friends after nearly getting one of them killed with his hesitation.

A few hours later, the dead were given their proper burial. It was raining; Dimitri felt like a monster; he couldn't help but get flashbacks of a rebellion he had to put down. No matter how many years have passed, he cannot get the voices out of his head demanding for him to avenge them. Then he thinks about the man that just died, Lonato. He had much respect for him. He was a good man who had a strong sense of justice. This was not the way he should have died. Sasuke knew he was troubled and spoke. "You should go inside. You're going to catch a cold." Sasuke said with concern. "I'm fine." Sasuke pushed. "No, you're not. Ever since the death of Lonato, you've been staring at the sky. Face it, Dimitri. There was nothing that could have been done."

"Were we really in the right? Who's to say Lonato and his cause wasn't just? Who are we to judge him? He believed in justice he was trying to avenge his son;"Dimitri was interrupted by Sasuke. "It's the reality of war."Sasuke said coldly.

"How can you say that are you out of your mind?" Dimitri shouted at him, then he regretted it immediately.

"I'm sorry, you're right."Dimitri is conceited."Justice and revenge are the same side of the same coin. Those who say there's a difference between Justice and revenge are only fooling themselves. I don't believe for a second that there's a difference between the two"the way Sasuke was speaking made it seem like he had experienced this himself.

"My own brother murdered his entire family and clan in cold blood. When I think about what was going on in their final moments, the dying screams, the gruesome state of their mutilated bodies. I didn't come here for any altruistic reason. I seek my own justice, Dmitri just like Lonato. I understand more than you know the desire for revenge."

Dmitri's assessment of Sasuke was correct; it's hard to believe how accurate he was able to see through Sasuke.

"That must be horrible, having a brother who murdered everyone you cared about. I can't imagine dealing with such a burden."

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"Is that why Mercedes was in your tent a few days ago?" asked Dimitri, who suspected as much when Sasuke didn't answer.

"Please don't tell anyone Dimitri; you and Mercedes are the only people that know." Dimitri couldn't help but notice how close he and Mercedes were. "I don't know if I'm worthy of such trust, Sasuke. The amount of blood I have on my hands makes me a monster." Sasuke turned around and looked at Dimitri. "No, Itachi Uchiha is a monster. He murdered women and children and relished in it. He made me experience those murders over and over again. Imagine seeing everyone you love die for 72 hours straight, but only having one second pass? The hatred I have for him is so deep, I feel sick physically thinking about him." Sasuke opened up to Dimitri.

"If I ever find him, he's dead."

Sasuke finished and left Dimitri alone. He understands Sasuke better than he knows they both want justice. For the people of Duscur, for his father, and all the other innocent people who died, he will bring their murderers to justice by any means necessary.

Annette was shaking; she had come very close to being killed. She was only inches away for having a lance go through her throat. Felix comforted her the only way he knew how by singing to her but that wasn't enough. Everyone in their temporary quarters that were given to them were silent; it was cold. Her friend Mercedes had a lot on her mind from what she could tell."Are you alright, Mercie?"Annette asked her genuinely worried.

"I'm just praying for all those souls that were killed so much senseless death and for what? It's so cruel that so many people's futures are extinguished by our own hands. Why are we even going to Garreg Mach? I didn't go there to learn how to kill people I went to learn so I can use those skills to help others. My hands they're stained"Annette wouldn't let her continue. She hugged her she felt tears fall through her eyes."it's okay let it out it's okay"Annette said to her friend it was usually the opposite it was unnerving to her that their roles were reversed.

"Thanks Ann I'm sorry for looking weak it's just I was scared for all of us"that was an understatement she thought and that was scared too but then she can help but notice there was something else."are you sure that's all?"Annette asked her knowing there is more."it's nothing, let's get some sleep tomorrow we will have to head back."she knew there was more but she couldn't ask. She didn't want to get nosy she got on her bed and went to sleep.

"No, no" Sasuke woke up drenched in sweat. He looked at the night sky. It had to be three or four in the morning. Great. He walked outside; he felt the night breeze; it was cold. He knew soon they would return to a warmer climate.

"Can't sleep?" Sasuke was startled when he looked and it was none other than Catherine.

"Beautiful this place is, isn't it?" she asked him.

"Yes, despite the under the current circumstances, it's hard not to see the beauty." The woman agreed.

"You handle that better than I thought. You've seen some horrific stuff before, haven't you?" she asked him, almost as if she knew something. She couldn't have known about the massacre.

"Yes, I have thought about it, but I'd rather not talk about it." The woman nodded in understanding. "I wouldn't want to relive a nightmare like that myself. Yesterday was certainly a nightmare, but it had to be done or more people would have died." This pragmatic approach was something Sasuke agreed with, but he knew others wouldn't. "You are a foreigner, but I believe strongly that you would probably fit perfectly with the Knights. You still have a lot of training to do, but I believe you could become one of us if you wanted to. One day." Again, this offer. "What would that entail?" Sasuke asked her, wanting to know what it would cost him.

"Well, there are many things you will be serving under the Archbishop. You will receive additional training that you would not normally get, and --she paused, then continued--. You will be given resources that most wouldn't have; it would make things a lot easier for you to hunt down that scum if you had the resources that we have, plus the training we would offer you."

He knows she has ulterior motives, but then again, it probably isn't her; it is the Archbishop herself. Sasuke doesn't care; anything to avenge his family. This mission only reinforces his resolve: Itachi must die if he has to join the Knights to make it happen; so be it."

"I've considered your offer and I accept it gladly." Sasuke said with no hesitation. "Excellent! When we return, we will start your training. I warn you, though; I am a very harsh teacher. I expect a lot from my students."

Sasuke remembered Kakashi's training; how hellish it was. If he can go through that, he could survive anything.

"If I can survive Kakashi's hellish teachings, I can survive whatever you throw at me." The woman smiled as if she were given a challenge. "Oh, you may not say that when I'm done. My training will be hell." Again, it didn't faze him. "I look forward to it, Catherine-sensei." Sasuke said with respect. "Sensei, now I feel honored to be called such title. My student I order you to some sleep. You'll need all the rest you can get for tomorrow." Sasuke went to bed. He thought about everything they had been through for the past 3 months: the meeting of his friends in the Blue Lions' Mercedes; he doesn't know what his feelings towards her are, but he feels an intense longing for her and he doesn't know if he likes it or not. He puts that aside and goes to sleep.

Ashe hugged his brother and sister, who didn't want him to go, but he had to. "I don't want you to go, brother, please!" said Lisa, the girl, who was 12, with short brown hair and wearing a white dress, which was common for commoners of her class. "Afraid? My mission is over, and you're not old enough to go to the monastery." The girl gave him a bear hug.

"Please be safe, big brother," she said to her other sibling, who was 10; he was trying not to cry because he didn't want to look weak in front of his sister.

"Now that I'm gone, you're the man of the house; you better be good. Don't cause your sister trouble." he said sternly.

"Of course not," Brent said, trying to look strong. He had short brown hair just like his older sister; his eyes wear the same color as hers: blue.

"Don't worry, we will treat them as if they were Lord Lonato would have wanted."

He didn't hear any hatred or bitterness in her voice; why did she not hate him?"

How can you even stand being around me? I killed your lord."

The woman looked at him with kindness the same that he saw when he first met her."

He knew he was going to die if anything, dying by your hand is something he would have rather have than dying by anybody else. He loves you like a son."

Hearing that made him feel worse.

"Thanks for everything"he said to the woman and left. He didn't want her or his siblings to see his tears. He wiped them; he did not want his friends to see him cry.

Barely any words were said; he still couldn't help but think: could there have been another way? It did had to end with his death; he can't help but replay that final moment from his mind.