Silver Snow Revised

by Cosmic Sky

When Byleth Eisner came to Garreg Mach, he brought an unexpected hope with him. It was a hope Rhea knew she had to nurture, never suspecting that things wouldn't quite work out as she expected. Byleth would show her that wasn't a bad thing. Likewise, she'd become something unexpected but precious to him. This is the story of the silver studded path they walked together.

4. Chapter 3-The First Flight

Hello and welcome to the third chapter, everyone. I'm happy to see the positive reception continues. Last chapter I skipped the houses' first mock battle as not to overstuff the chapter. Doing so robbed you all of the chance to see in detail how much work Byleth did with the Black Eagles. This chapter will be showing that as the Black Eagles will be taking their first mission, and Byleth's stint as an amateur detective begins! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

I do not own anything.

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Chapter 3-The First Flight

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Fighting the other houses had given Byleth a rush, one that still lingered within him as they made their way back to the Monastery. That's how good battles were for him. Those battles were the best kind, even if he couldn't go all out. The Blue Lions and Golden Deer had put up enough of a challenge that he was able to test himself and test his students. As they walked away with a victory, Byleth recognized the feeling bubbling within him, satisfaction.

The spirit beside him suspected that he had one more feeling inside of him. Hmm, are you sure you're not the least bit relieved as well? After all, you did spend a moment last night freighting over rather or not you'd trained the younglings enough for them to win this mock battle?

Sothis was right. The truth was Byleth had been a little worried about the Black Eagles heading into the mock battle. He'd gone to sleep accepting that they might lose, but he was going to do his damnedest to make sure they didn't. In the end he'd done that, and so had they.

Had you failed, do you believe it's possible they'd have redacted your teaching position? Sothis asked as she walked beside him.

Byleth kept his gaze straight ahead, his stoic gaze not giving a thing away. His stoicism sure was coming in handy when he had these little conversations with the goddess in his head. Seteth might have attempted that had we lost. He doesn't like me.

Doesn't like you? Why no, what on earth could give you that idea, Byleth! Cried the goddess.

He has a right to be untrusting of me, even though I have no intention of causing trouble around here.

Do you now?

Why on earth would I want ton cause trouble here? If I did that'd reflect poorly on my father and the others. There's a chance we'd be ran out of Fόdlan entirely. If you want to question me, fine, but try to keep your inquiry within the realm of reason. Truth be told, Garreg Mach didn't seem like a particularly bad place to be. Over the past three days while training the Black Eagles he'd familiarized himself with a couple of locations. There was still more for him to discover though. The Monastery was actually the size of a small city; with that in mind it was no surprise there was a forest large enough to host a half dozen students in a mock battle.

Cain's's Clearing, apparently named after a knight from ages ago. He dedicated his life to training future knights at the behest of the Church. Some claimed that his spirit, a scarlet-colored bull, would occasionally roam the land, observing the performances of academy students and aspiring knights of Seiros. Of course, it was an open question if such a tale were really true or not. Surely someone would have noticed such a thing throughout the years, right?

Suppose I should have tried to contact his spirit while the battle was going on, do you? Sothis questioned having been privy to his thoughts. These were the ones he wasn't exactly trying to hide from her.

If he wanted to hide something from her, he knew he was going to have to put a little more effort into it. Did you sense anyone else there? Perhaps the souls of some students who accidentally died in these mock battles? Or perhaps Sir Abel himself? Looking to his left the goddess stubbornly crossed her arms and turned her nose at him. Byleth looked back at the path they were on, the path they'd take them back to the Monastery's central interior. I'm going to be coming back here. It's a good place for training.

For yourself or for the students? Her supposedly sour mood hadn't lasted long.

Both. I like a good training spot. They're…my places of peace and solitude. Answered the former mercenary. He supposed it was natural. When he first heard of Abel's Clearing, he wanted to see it for himself, and he did so. The day after he learned of the mock battle's due date, he walked down this path to get a view of the place for himself. Not to mention he wanted some tactical knowledge he could use to build a battle plan around. It had all came together rather well.

Gazing up at the afternoon sky, Byleth found himself coming back to the same feeling he had several minutes earlier-satisfaction.

"Professor? Professor Byleth? Are you still with us?"

Looking straight down he saw the green eyes of Dorothea, a whimsical smile on her face. "Sorry, you were just really quiet and staring off into the sky. Might you perhaps have been thanking the goddess for today's victory?"

Fully aware of said goddess smirking beside him, Byleth gave her his honest answer. "I wouldn't quite say that. Today's victory was entirely thanks to you all. You fought and you won, which I'm proud of."

"Yeah, we did, but I'd say only thanks to your and Edie's leadership." She declared with a smile. The brunette took a step forward, leaning in to whisper into his ear as if she didn't want her words getting out. "Frankly, your teaching helped a lot. That spell you taught me, Humus Ignis, came in real handy!"

"It will in future battles, both practice battles and real ones. It'll also be handy if you're ever being chased by someone, and you know where they're coming from." When he explained the concept of "land mines", Bernadetta had practically jumped out of her seat as if one of them had been right under her. Thankfully, Dorothea, her self-appointed big sister, was much calmer. It took her several tries, but she eventually got the spell down. His eyes flickered over to Edelgard; she was talking in a whispered voice with Hubert. Ferdinand was staring quite intently at them, no doubt looking for a way to jump into the conversation. "I noticed that a handful of the fighters on the field knew you, and that made them hesitant to attack. I'm glad that you weren't the same regarding them.'

"Oh, well, thank you, Professor." She actually looked a little surprised at his compliment. Odds are she hadn't been expecting it. "Um, are you…sure that's the sort of thing you should be praising me for though?"

"If they're smart, those boys will use this as a lesson, don't let a pretty face distract you on the battlefield. I've seen it happen quite often on the battlefield. They're lucky this wasn't a real battle." Byleth explained.

"Well, I suppose you have seen that since you're the one with battlefield experience. Lots of it from what I've heard. Tell me, Professor, has that ever happened to you? Have you ever met a pretty face on the battlefield that gave you cause to hesitate?"

"No." Dorothea's face fell completely. "Were you expecting me to say yes?"

"Um, well…uh, I…a bit. I mean, sure, real battles can be scary, but have you ever saw someone who just…took your breath away? If only for a second?"

"No." Byleth repeated in the same emotionless voice. "While I will admit I have encountered some women on the battlefield with good looks, I never let that stop me. A handful thought their looks and maybe some prior history would give me a moment's hesitation. It didn't." He could see that this wasn't quite the story Dorothea thought it was going to be. The Adrestian brunette actually looked a little shaken to hear of his lack of hesitation in cutting down someone he found attractive or might have had some sort of prior history with. "I've never been interested in romance."

"Hmm, maybe you just haven't met the right woman, Professor." He had to give her credit, she rebounded fast. Byleth was a little grateful she wasn't getting entire unnerved by him, or rather he was glad that he'd managed to course correct before he frightened her off. "If you don't mind me asking, what sort of woman would you be interested in, Professor Eisner?"

Byleth raised his eyebrow to give the question some thought. He felt a presence on his mind and body, specifically his shoulder. Sothis apparently just as curious to hear his response as Dorothea was. A quick look around and he saw it wasn't just her. Byleth inhaled through his nose and spoke rather plainly, to all of them. "A strong one."

Dorothea laughed. "Spoken like a true warrior. Well, I guess that's no surprise. You seem like the type of man who'd want a woman who could handle herself."

"If someone's able to hold their own in a fight, they'll be worthy of my respect as a warrior." He could tell that her next question was likely going to be directed at herself and her classmates. She'd have asked it if a few of her classmates hadn't pulled her away for their own conversation. Byleth was perfectly fine with that. Sothis, he called.

First, he heard a yawn. She'd stayed awake long enough to see the mock battle, which had been the point of interest for her. Now that it'd passed, she was no doubt ready to take another one of her naps. Not one for romance, are you? Well, you certainly give off that impression, but I do wonder about what she said. Perhaps you just have not met the right woman.

Maybe I haven't, but I don't expect that to change here at Garreg Mach. I didn't come here looking for love. I never go anywhere looking for it. I'm a warrior, the only "love" I think I know is fighting. It was a statement he'd repeated numerous times, often to the dismay of admirers and just anyone with a curiosity in him. At least those who didn't share his passion for battle.

What passions do you possess outside of battle though? I've noticed that you are quite the…book…worm. There may be…an…opportunity there. With those words Sothis dozed off completely, leaving Byleth's head empty with just his own thoughts. She tried to go to sleep after giving him some sort of parting words of wisdom, food for thought really. Most of it he'd filed away to the back of his mind, particularly…social matters like this.

Byleth looked back at Cain's Clearing one more time. Yes, he'd definitely be coming back here to train; looking forward to see the backs of his students, he reaffirmed that they'd probably be with him, partaking in the training as well. Deep within him, Byleth realized there was a small part of him that was actually looking forward to those future moments.

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"That was excellent work today, Professor. Though our victory should come as no surprise, the Black Eagles have always been a mighty house, a mirror to the empire itself. Our odds of victory were never in any doubt."

"I wouldn't say that; the Blue Lions put up quite a fight, and the Golden Deer were trickier than one might have thought. Claude saw through our deception."

"Yes, he did, but in the end, it made no difference. All trickery falls before enough raw power."

On one hand, he had to admit Edelgard had a point, but on the other hand that wasn't always the case. Deceit could just as easily get the edge over pure power. He knew that from personal experience. Byleth supposed he was going to have to teach Edelgard the same. The girl seemed to have a preference for the direct approach. In this case, her approach was perhaps what they'd needed to complete their victory. He'd watched her all but completely smash through the Golden Deer's line and take them out, one after another until going for Claude himself. Even though Byleth had been focused on his own battle, he'd paid attention to Edelgard's performance. It was nothing less than what he'd expected from the future leader of a country.

"The power that we displayed out there on the battlefield, we have you to thank for it, Professor Eisner. It was thanks to you I was finally able to master the Humus Ignis spell; as you said, it will no doubt come in handy in the future, as will many of the other lessons you taught us." Admiration, that was the word that summed up Edelgard's face, or rather, her feelings toward him. It was the first time that Byleth had seen it so openly. Over the past three days Edelgard hadn't looked at him in such a way. It was easy to see her as not thinking him worthy of such admiration, but that had changed. "You're qualified to lead the Black Eagles, perhaps a touch more qualified than I originally thought. Honestly, I was worried that we wouldn't have a teacher with real combat experience, and it would hinder us. You've laid that fear to rest."

"I for one actually agree."

Professor and princess looked back to see the rest of the Black Eagles coming toward them from the other end of the reception hall. They amassed on either side of Edelgard, all of them looking at Byleth with the same expression of gratitude, mixed with a little bit of awe. Including Hubert, who'd called out to him earlier.

"We actually won." Bernadetta whispered. Her hands were laced together in trademark nervousness, yet she too had a smile on her face. A small one, but a smile none the less.

"Yes, and you actually contributed to it. Quite a surprise, a miracle even."

Bernadetta bristled while Dorothea shot Hubert an aside glare for his words. All the greasy-haired teen did was chuckle and move on. Frankly, by this point Byleth had gotten used to the shadowy teen's barbs. It was only a question of it Bernadetta would grow accustomed to them as well; Byleth wasn't particularly holding his breath for that. He just hoped that they'd remain on the low end instead of getting nastier. Hubert seemed like the type who could spew enough verbal venom to fill a pond.

On the more positive side, he was incredibly capable. So were the rest of the Black Eagles.

The sting from Hubert's words quickly dissipated from Bernadetta as she found herself on her clasping her hands together with a genuine smile on her face. It was a much better expression than the nervous frown and borderline screams she let out when terror and anxiety had a grip on her. She was second only to Edelgard in being subdued in the victory celebrations.

All that said, he seemed to have directed his attention toward Byleth, and that attention wasn't exactly negative. Unlike his classmates, Hubert was very much a no-nonsense person in contrast to many of his classmates. That said, he had his…quirks. Ultimately, Hubert seemed to respect those who were worthy of it. Over the past three days Byleth had seemingly earned some from the aspiring dark mage.

Petra spoke up next, her voice a gentle gust that pushed away the darkness that Hubert had cast over them. "That was impressing, Professor! I mean…impressive. We gained a victory because of your great leadership."

"We certainly did. We all tried our best, but we couldn't' have won without you." Dorothea added, back in good spirits.

"I shall admit, I was…remiss that I did not get to see you combat our entire class earlier. It left me with quite a hunger to see your combat ability with my own eyes." Ferdinand's words got a small chuckle from a handful of the students, including Hubert. His immediate knockout against Byleth had became something of a joke amongst the Black Eagles, and even a couple of the other houses. For the most part, he'd taken it in strides. "I'm glad I was able to see it, and it didn't disappoint!"

"I try not, especially when I know I'm being watched." Byleth casually declared. "What you all saw today still wasn't anywhere close to my full power."

"You do know the more you say that the larger an image you're creating, correct?" Linhardt remarked. "Still, you were undoubtedly the most skilled combatant on the field. You were able to battle Prince Dimitri and defeat him, and I could tell you weren't using your full power. Perhaps when that day comes it will indeed be a sight to see."

"It totally will! We all saw you out there! You were right there with us! It was awesome fighting alongside you! Heh, a little better than you fighting us." That last remark undoubtedly earned a chuckle from the collective group, even Bernadetta. It went without saying that the students certainly preferring fighting alongside him than having him for an opponent. "Your full power, it might even be on par with my dad's."

"Caspar, you really shouldn't be so eager to face such a thing." Linhardt casually warned.

"But you know I've always wanted to fight him! After today, I'm sure Professor Byleth will be able to help me get to that level! And the rest of us too!" A sudden pause put a short stop to the blue-haired boy's energetic optimism. "Um, sorry about that. I know I'm supposed to call you Professor Eisner."

A thought struck Byleth like an arrow. "It's alright if that's what you want to call me. Professor Eisner or Professor Byleth, either one will do." He felt a familiar feeling rising within him. It pushed past the icy hold of his stoicism and made him speak out. "Your father, Caspar, he's the head of Empire's military, right? That means he's strong, correct?"

"The strongest in the whole country!" The short but spirited brawler declared. Byleth felt a spark of emotion in seeing his reaction. That emotion was joy…intermixed with a little bit of envy. Just a smidgen.

"Amongst the strongest, yes, but still subservient to the emperor." Hubert chimed in. "Speaking of which, we all owe Lady Edelgard a certain amount of gratitude as well. Without her, our Professor's strategy would have fallen apart."

"True, but I'd say we owe more to our professor." Linhardt countered. "For that battle, she was only a soldier following our professor's command. Sure, she was an incredibly powerful soldier…"

Either Caspar knew his friend was riling Hubert up or he simply had good timing. Either way, he threw an arm around the drowsy yet intelligent mage. "Don't worry about it too much, you guys. The important thing is that we won! The Black Eagles took home the first victory of the school year!"

"I'm all done with being on the battlefield, okay? Can I just sit the next battle out? Actually, there aren't going to be anymore battles, are there?" Bernadetta called. Now that the thrill of victory had left her she was seemingly back to her ordinary withdrawn self.

"You all are as ridiculous as always." Edelgard bemoaned, putting a hand to her face. Her dismay was short-lived as she looked up with a bright smile. "We only managed to win because we worked together."

Lightning might as well have burst through the ceiling, striking them all on the head. Rather than some divine deity it was Edelgard who'd thrown it at the Black Eagles. They all looked at her with such shock.

She took immediate notice of this. "Was it something I said?" Edelgard spoke. "Is it so odd, me talking about togetherness? If so, that perception must change. In fact, I'm canceling the festivities so we can discuss this topic further." Caspar, Dorothea, Linhardt, and even Bernadetta gained looks of varying degrees of shock to outright horror. Byleth himself raised an eyebrow. "I'm kidding, of course. Come on, everyone! We've earned this celebration."

On that, everyone, including Hubert, seemed to agree.

Byleth did so as well. They had indeed earned a celebration.

"A feast I suppose?" He inquired getting the teens' attention. "Unless any of you have something else you'd rather do for fun." Byleth knew perfectly well there were things people did for fun besides reading or training like he did.

"Yes! I heard the cooks go a little all out for whichever house wins the first mock battle." Caspar said. "Granted, it's nothing for the house that wins the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion."

"Woah, now, Caspar. Let's enjoy the victory we have now. No need to look that far down the road." Dorothea cautioned. "I think a feast sounds like a lovely idea! And not just a feast with a main course, think about dessert! Wouldn't that be great, Edie?"

"Dessert?" Byleth questioned with a raised eyebrow. For the first time he saw Edelgard blush. She made a silencing motion to Dorothea like the brunette had just revealed state secrets. He had to admit, he found it a tiny bit amusing. "I'm assuming that the dining halls' chefs have are good with desserts?"

"So we've heard. I have had stories told of the Monastery's cooking staff. So far, I've found their reputation to be quite well-deserved." Ferdinand said. "To the dining hall, eagles! We have a victory to celebrate!"

"That honor is Lady Edelgard's, Ferdinand." Hubert softly growled.

His words were lost as the teenage students began to move in unison, excited chatter filling the air around them. Edelgard looked back at Byleth as they all moved as one. If she was expecting him to contribute anything, she was disappointed. They may have been expecting him to get chattier once they got to the dining hall. Byleth believed there was a possibility he would be. Odds were he might get a little more talkative, if only to hold some conversation with his students. He looked to each of them as they made their way from the reception hall to the dining hall.

The Battle of the Eagle and the Lion, I'm…sure a couple of months and you all will be stronger by then. All of you have already gotten a little stronger, stronger than you were three days ago. The Ashen Demon thought with a sudden softness. It was a strange feeling that tickled him like a feather.

---

"To Professor Eisner, who led us to victory!" Edelgard shouted, raising her goblet and having it met by her classmates, at least those around her. Practically everyone at the table did so, some of them doing it so fast their drinks spilled.

There was a difference between the toasting of harden mercenaries and the aspiring warriors that were the Black Eagles. Byleth had been around the former his whole life. He'd been fifteen-years-old when he was first allowed to join in such celebrations. Even then, his liquor had been toned down since he still wasn't old enough to drink…according to some. None of the students he sat with were old enough to drink either. He'd caught a handful trying to sneak in some alcohol, but he'd caught them, along with the cooking staff. It was no surprise that they'd had a history.

"Wait another year or two." He'd simply said when those students had attempted to butter him up so he could let it slide.

With all eyes on him, he stood up, raising his own goblet. "I may have led you all to victory, but you all deserve most of the credit. Black Eagles, you went out and showed your talons, sharper than the claws of a lion and quick enough to fell a swift-footed deer. It was a sight to see watching you all do so, it made me…happy to be your teacher." The table rumbled with glee and excitement. Byleth hadn't prepared this speech; it was all coming out second by second. He didn't give speeches, that was his father's thing. "Still, as good as you all were out there…you all have the potential to be better. You have my word that I will do my best to make you all better. To make you soar higher, fly faster, and strike with the force of lightning." Byleth knew speeches like this were supposed to be inspirational. Did the second half of his speech sound inspirational?

Based on how loudly the entire table cheered, the answer might have been yes. Byleth was a little taken aback by how loud the response was; it seemed they were shaking the entire dining hall. A quick look around and he saw they were creating a scene. Contempt was evident on the faces of some members of the opposing houses, but none of the knights, teachers, and clerics. Byleth guessed those that were clapping with them must have been Adrestians. A little bit of national pride at play.

Sitting down, he took a seep from his drink, a signal for the rest of the eagles to start eating. A handful dove into their meal with gusto. One bite of the Gronder Meat Skewers and he was doing the same. His taste buds bloomed like spring flowers. Byleth happily chewed down on the first skewer then turned his attention to the second. Five skewers may not be enough for him.

"Professor, I must say that was quite a rousing speech. Quite Inspirational." Came Ferdinand's voice, unmuffled by food.

Byleth swallowed and paused in his eating. "I came up with it off the top of my head. Speeches have never been my thing."

"You're a man of few words when they're not needed. Still, when you do speak, it seems like it's something to behold." The Adrestian noble remarked. It certainly wasn't an insult, just an hones evaluation. "With all due respect, I believe you will be giving more such speeches in the future, particularly during the Wyvern Moon when we emerge victorious during the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion!"

"That seems to be the fight that everyone's looking forward to."

"It is the true test of skill for us students. The battle marking the halfway point for the school year, as well as the accumulation of all that we have learned for the months before." Ferdinand's eyes held a certain glitter in them. Was he already looking that far ahead? Envisioning himself performing admirable on the battlefield. "House Aegir has led the Black Eagles in that battle for the last two hundred years."

"Which means that this year will be the first time a member of House Hresvelg will be leading the house." As Ferdinand sat on his left, Edelgard was sitting on his right. She was engrossed in her own conversation with Hubert. "Ferdinand, is this rivalry between you two going to be a problem?"

He didn't seem dismayed by the point-blank question. "Not at all, Professor Byleth. In fact, our rivalry will be one of the winds that spurns the Black Eagles onto greater heights." When the former mercenary raised an eyebrow, Ferdinand took that as an indicator to elaborate. He was more than happy to do so. "Competition always breeds greater infectiveness, especially when one such as I, Ferdinand von Aegir, am one half of it. Surely my performance on the field today spoke for itself."

"That it did. If I were to make a list, you'd probably be amongst the top five most skilled students in my class." It'd taken him all of ten minutes to realize Ferdinand had a rivalry with Edelgard, a one-sided rivalry at that. If it evolved into something more remained to be seen, but he could see that Ferdinand had a drive to surpass the imperial princess. "You weren't afraid to clash with Dedue, something that everyone else shirked from."

"I place no stock in those stories of Duscur boogeymen. He is a man, granted an incredibly large and powerful man, but a man none the less. He was quite a worthy opponent."

It was his encounter with Dedue two days before in the greenhouse that first introduced Byleth to the Faerghus prince's retainer. He was the complete opposite of Hubert, but skilled in a different way. Whereas Hubert was an aspiring mage, even dark mage, Dedue was a physical warrior. A tower of strength and muscle that flattened almost everything he came across; Ferdinand proved to be the immovable object to the dark-skinned man.

"They both were, the Blue Lions and the Golden Deer." Byleth whispered. "They're going to get stronger, especially the Blue Lions."

"Yes, they promised as such, but just as you said, we will get stronger as well."

Maybe some of Ferdinand's boundless optimism was infectious. Maybe it was his own ironlike resolve that always pushed him through. "Yes, we will. Just don't expect that road to be easy."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Worry not, Professor Eisner, I, Ferdinand von Aegir, will never shirk from an adversity-laced road!"

"Yes, that is you, but I shudder to think how the rest of us may be dragged down that road." It was easy to forget that Linhardt was sitting right beside Ferdinand the entire time. He'd been content to happily eat his meal in quiet, but the orange-haired noble's declaration seems to have gotten a rise out of him.

"You could learn something from Ferdinand, Linhardt. Life isn't always going to be easy, not even for nobility." Byleth coolly remarked.

"I know that; I'm just saying the road he's walking should be one he treads on his own." The green-haired teen explained.

"It's not like he'll be walking down it alone. I'll admit, I like the thought of training hard to get strong enough to defeat someone I admire. I feel that way about my dad, and…" Caspar's voice trailed off as he looked ahead of him to the white-haired girl who was his house leader. He'd been one of the ones deployed to the Golden Deer front instead of the Blue Lions. As such, he'd witnessed Edelgard's strength up close and personal. "Come on, Linhardt, it'd do you a world of good to be a little more motivated."

"I'm motivated plenty, in my own interests. You all have yours and I have mine." The wind mage calmly retorted.

"And if those interests were to intersect?" Byleth called. "Do you think your level of commitment would be on par with Caspar and Ferdinand's?" The question was asked with no hostility or open curiosity. The latter could only be found in Byleth's eyes, his cobalt-blue orbs stared intently into Linhardt's sagely green. They were the ones he was looking at, not Caspar or Ferdinand, both of whom seemed curious to hear the mage's answer.

"I…honestly don't know. These two are like boulders rolling down hill, they won't stop until they hit the ground. Or in their case, the top."

"…Then that's something you'll have to learn as the year goes on, Linhardt." The former mercenary simply said.

Just before going back to his food, he noticed a curious look on Linhardt's face, it quickly settled into a smile. "I suppose I will, Professor Byleth."

Part of teaching was supposedly getting your students to think. Byleth would have liked to believe he'd gotten Linhardt to think a little about his future. There was some talent in the boy, he just had to learn how to harness it. As his student, Byleth knew it was his responsibility to do that, even if he'd never done anything like it before. Maybe just as he had some success with turning the Black Eagles into a fighting force, he was having some success with turning the lackadaisical Linhardt into someone a little more…motivated.

---

Audience Chamber…

Byleth had been expecting to be called to meet the archbishop, and her right hand. The latter in particular Byleth was somewhat eager to see. What would his reaction be to him having led the Black Eagles to victory? Would Seteth's skepticism of him vanish? Odds are, it wouldn't, but Byleth wanted to think he'd stop questioning his capability to teach, at least when it came to battle.

The mock battle had been a small but perhaps needed boost to his confidence.

Seteth still looked at him with skepticism, but they held each other's gaze for a few seconds. In it, Byleth saw a slight lighting of his opposition toward him. Just as he thought, it wasn't much, but it was a start.

As for the archbishop, she was practically beaming at him. For whatever reason, she was perhaps his more steadfast supporter. Her reasons were a mystery, but Byleth took a small bit of comfort in that. He'd been on his own, but it was better to have someone in your corner.

After giving the two of them a slight bow he spoke. "So, how did I do?" Were he a more…talkative person, he'd have asked if he still had his teaching job.

"If we were to give you a grade, Seteth and I agree you would receive an A for your work with the Black Eagles." Hearing Lady Rhea say that made him look to her right hand for confirmation. Surprisingly, Seteth gave it in the form of a nod. He looked to Byleth with clear respect that affirmed he'd started the long journey to potentially earning his trust. Seeing that Byleth looked back to the archbishop. "Your work with the students was remarkable to behold. I can see that Jeralt trained you quite well, which is nothing less than what I'd expect from him."

"If there was one thing he made sure of, it was that I knew how to swing a blade. Not all of the Black Eagles may be swordsmen, but I did my best."

"Your best was enough for the Black Eagles to secure victory. More than that, I do hope you used the occasion to bond with the students."

The past three days flew through his mind as if they were tied to an arrow. Training the Black Eagles had been different than training militia. He spoke of that difference in his response. "I…did. They're a colorful bunch of kids, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. All of them have their…quirks, which can come together or be brought under control for the sake of the objective. Off the battlefield, those quirks can make them…interesting to be around." By the time he was finished speaking Byleth wished he could take some of his words back. Surely there was a better way to phrase it.

Regardless of his minor discomfort, the archbishop seemed pleased with his answer. Her right hand seemed content with it as well. "I am happy to hear it. Nothing pleases me more than if you used the coming year to grow closer still."

"Of course, the mock battle was merely practice. The true test of your abilities will come on the month of the Wyvern Moon. At the-"

"Battle of the Eagle and the Lion." Byleth sounded off. "I know. The students have told me about it, and I'm…looking forward to it."

Seteth didn't seem upset about being interrupted. It was brief, but Byleth saw him fix him with a slightly impressed look. Was he expecting him not to know what the Battle of the Eagle and Lion was? Given how he was a complete newcomer to the academy and its traditions, probably so. Still, he could hear. "Well, you are far from alone. Every year, emissaries from across Fόdlan travel to witness it in person. You are expected to train your students as not to humiliate the academy during the long-held tradition that is the up incoming battle. After today's performance there will be high expectations for you and the Black Eagles."

"Which I will rise to meet alongside them." Byleth verbally responded. He didn't mention humiliate myself, then again, I don't exactly need him to tell me that. In learning about the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion, he learned a handful of nobles attended the battle. It came roughly at the half-way point for the school year, and it was the biggest showing for the students. And the teachers, as he learned. The image of his father appeared in his mind, the backside that he'd always admired, and chased after.

"I called you here at this somewhat late hour to inform you of your class's first mission for the month. It is a local one so you will not be traveling far, in fact, you will not be leaving the Monastery's territory." Lady Rhea informed. "Your class is to dispose of some bandits lurking nearby. We believe these bandits are the same ones who attacked the House leaders outside of Remire Village little over a week ago."

That caught Byleth's attention like a fish on a lure. Those bandits? They're still in the area? "When are we to set out? I certainly hope it's not the end of the month as they'll likely be gone by then."

"Your assessment is correct. To ensure that they do not escape your class is to deploy to the designated area within two days. We are aware that may seem like a small window of time, but any longer and we fear we may lose them and given the current state of Fόdlan it's ill-advised to let more bandits roam free." Seteth explained, never once missing a beat. "As I have just done, I shall do so again, for every mission you and your students are assigned. I hope that you will remember this, as I detest having to repeat myself."

"Then I'll keep my ears open to dutifully listen to every detail when you do." Byleth retorted. He hadn't meant for it to come off as sarcastic, but it undoubtedly did so. Archbishop Rhea, who up until now had been a paragon of composure, let her lips curve in a feminine giggle of amusement. Her finding his response funny was unexpected, but welcome since…she looked a little more human. The spontaneous burst of emotion oddly made him a little more at ease around her. As for her close attendant, thankfully he had a strong spine, or perhaps he was used to people answering him with sarcasm. All he did was squint his eyes, but his composure by far and large remained. "Lady Rhea, Mr. Seteth, where exactly are the bandits holding up?"

"They are held up in a sacred ruin known as the Red Canyon." The green-haired man explained. "It is almost a day's travel from the Monastery, so it'd be best for you all to leave in the morning."

Byleth couldn't help but squint his eyes. The Red Canyon? I haven't heard of that place. I guess I'll be hitting the library again.

"Lastly, even though this will be your first official mission, precautions will be taken. A few Knights of Seiros will be accompanying you, albeit they will only intervene should the circumstances prove dire enough." Seteth added.

At first Byleth didn't verbally or physically respond. At first. "…I see."

For a hot second the archbishop looked to her attendant as if she meant to say something, but her willingness to speak died when she saw a hardened look on his face.

"That will not be a problem, will it?" The blue-garbed man questioned.

"Not at all. I only ask those knights you assign to us will not hold a grudge."

Seteth's brow bent in confusion. "For what?"

"For being forced to listen to the cowardly begging of brigands as they plead for their lives while staring down death." The Ashen demon answered with nary an expression on his face or a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Still, the attendant raised an eyebrow, one in naked accusation of his remark. It was devoid of pride, so it wasn't a boast; Byleth had stated it as if it were a soon-to-be fact, like rain beneath graying clouds. "Before I go, I have a few questions. Is the death of every bandit required or will I have the authority to detain them should they surrender?"

His question caught both green-haired individuals off-guard, completely off-guard. They looked between each other in explicit confusion, silently debating what answer to give him.

"W-While you are out on assignment, you are henceforth an agent of the church." That was good to know, but Byleth still didn't have an answer to his question. "Your-"

"Your judgement will be trusted, as such if you believe enemies are better off detained and brought back to the Monastery for trial or interrogation, so be it." Seteth looked to Lady Rhea with slight apprehension that quickly scattered like dust in the wind. Turning his gaze back at Byleth, he nodded, signaling his agreement with her declaration.

But he still had his own piece to say. "With that said, you will be held responsible for any mishaps that come about from doing so."

"I understand completely." The blue-haired swordsman affirmed with dead seriousness.

With praise from the archbishop, Byleth turned his back and began to walk out of the audience chamber. As he walked, he felt a familiar presence in his mind. Glancing to his right he saw a childlike figure floating along beside him. She hovered just above the ground enough her vibrant green hair didn't touch the ground, albeit the ribbons on her hands were a different story.

Sothis fixed him with another curious stare. Those were quite some words and declarations, Byleth. Curiously, you spoke of what would happen to the bandits with confidence, not arrogance. Why?

Because, Sothis, bandits are a cowardly and two-faced lot. For most of them, they'll turn on their own if they think it'll spare them a cell or the executioner's axe. The black-armored man calmly answered as if it were another classroom question. I'm hoping I can use that to my advantage.

That attack that you and your father thwarted. She began.

I don't think it was just a coincidence. No, I'm certain of it after three days of being here. Byleth affirmed walking out the doorway and down the hallway. On the outside he stared up at the evening sky, now the color of flames rapidly being overtaken by the darkness of the night. If I'm wrong though, all the better, but if I'm not…I have a feeling I was in the wrong place at the right time.

---

Evening of the Next Day…

The monastery library was perhaps one of the biggest libraries he'd ever had the privilege of exploring. To say it was huge would have been an understatement. Its size was matched only by its impressive collection of books from historical to leisure literature to picture books of all sorts.

Unfortunately for Byleth, he was able to find incredibly little on the Red Canyon, which was one of the most iconic landmarks of the neutral territory that Garreg Mach occupied. The most he'd came across was a name sparsely mentioned a handful of times in a few different accounts, Zanado. Apparently, an old name for the place now known as the Red Canyon. What shocked him was that Byleth could count on one hand the number of illustrations that existed of the place. He'd searched through a mountain's worth of atlases hoping they'd have a layout of the area, but he had no such luck.

If Byleth didn't know any better, he'd assume that information about the canyon had been scrubbed from historical records.

With a sigh he leaned head on his right hand. A thought occurred to him seconds later, what if all information had been scrubbed. If so, then who had scrubbed it? The Church of Seiros? Seteth had said it was something of a sacred site, but why?

I'll only find out if I explore it myself, or if someone tells me. Of the two possibilities, he felt more inclined to go with the first one. It was undoubtedly more fun, but it would also pose a little more risk to him. If he went poking around, there was no telling where he'd end up, or what the consequences could end up being.

A slight breeze caught his attention. The familiar tingle of magic enraptured his attention, he followed its direction to find a small whirlwind floating toward him. Riding atop of it was a scroll. Byleth immediately noticed how the tiny whirlwind was so delicately holding up the scroll, a sign of immense control over the wind. It was a level of precision that he hoped Linhardt might someday reach.

As it came within arms' reach, Byleth took it and unfurled it. To his surprise and gratification, he found a somewhat detailed drawing of the Red Canyon, or at least part of it.

"Sorry for keeping it from you, but I was curious about you. I wanted to see if you were as intelligent as you are combat savvy." Byleth's first guess was that he was a member of the Knights of Seiros, even though he wasn't dressed as such. No, it was the sense of magic that rolled off of him. It was something he'd simply learned to detect over the years; even if he hid it, the former mercenary could feel it through his sixth sense. His dark blue eyes stared into the dark green of the mysterious mage. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Alphonse Colvin Bressette. vice-captain and a proud bookworm. Can I say the same of you, Byleth Eisner?"

"I suppose you can. How long have you been watching me, and how long have you been keeping this out of my sight?"

Chuckling, the redhead took a seat one chair away from Byleth. It was an obvious show of respect, especially given this was their first-time meeting face to face. "Like I said, I was curious as to what type of person you would be. No offense, but I've already met some members of your father's mercenary band, some of the more…brutish members. No love for a good book or foresight. I heard whispers you were different, and indeed you are."

"I see, well…I suppose you must be happy that I turned out to be different."

"Quite so." Alphonse admitted. "I will be one of the senior knights overseeing your mission. For the record, so long as I'm not witness to displays of complete idiocy, I won't be holding a grudge."

"Good to know." Byleth simply said without even looking at him. He was scanning the illustration with an analytical eye. Every detail of the map was absorbed into his brain. The knowledge would be temporarily stored away, then called upon in in two days. "I take it you're not going to lift a finger to help unless the situation absolutely calls for it."

"That's the idea. Assuming your reputation is all it's cracked up to be, I will merely be there to observe, nothing else."

"Then that's what you will do."

"Quite confident, aren't you."

"I have every reason to be. I've been slaying bandits for years. They're the lowest of any possible foe…but they're probably the best starting opponents for the Black Eagles. This will be a real battle with no heralds watching and ending things before someone gets hurt. This is something that they have to go through if they're going to stay here at the Officers Academy."

"I agree, but…be weary. Word is Count Varley's daughter is-"

"Withdrawn." Byleth knew others would have used the word coward. He might have, if he didn't feel a sliver of empathy for the purple-haired girl.

"She's…not had a good home life from what I believe. Count Varley of Adrestia isn't what one would call the best father in the land."

That got Byleth to look up and stare at the mage. His face showed emotion, concern. That concern turned to surprise as Alphonse realized he wanted to know more.

It appeared the mage was willing to inform him. "I don't know the finer details, but Count Varley is not well beloved amongst Adrestian nobility. He's a capable ruler, but stories abound about how he's a wretched man. Based on what I've seen of his daughter, I'd say the stories might be true. Not too surprising, the Empire is full of unsavory nobles."

"I'm assuming you aren't from there, are you. Based on your name and the power rolling off you…Faerghus, perhaps a graduate of the Royal Sorcerers Academy."

His lips curved upward in a slight smile. "Exactly. Quite a perspective set of eyes and a brain to wield that sword of yours."

"In my line of work, you don't survive long without them."

"That's contrary to some of the mercenaries that I've met. Is the Ashen Demon of a different breed?"

If by "different breed" he met skilled, then Byleth would say without a doubt he was. Boasting wasn't something he did, but if he felt a challenge to his pride, he'd rise to defend it. If his curiosity was piqued, well, he'd been called a dog with a bone. Alternatively, he'd also been called the dog's more aggressive and wilder relative. "How eager would you be to find out?"

After throwing his head back in laughter the redhead looked at him with amusement. "You sound like a good friend of mine, perhaps you've heard of him, Caden Hopley?"

"The Scarlet Needle? You two are friends? What's he like? Is he really as strong as I've heard?"

He was amused by the rapid-fire questions that flew from Byleth's mouth. "Yes, that same one. Been friends for twelve years. Best and craziest years of my life. He's a brutal bastard who you really wouldn't want to be fighting…but for people like you, I'm assuming that just makes him all the more appealing as an opponent, right?"

Byleth shrugged his shoulders. "It does. I've heard he's one of the ones who wants to fight my father the most. Not for the title of captain general, just to see how strong he is. I know the feeling."

"I figured you would." Alphonse chuckled.

"I'm also curious as to how strong you are. I've fought my share of mages before."

"And you've won?"

"I'm sitting right here in front of you, aren't I?" He chuckled at his sly retort. "I'm patient though. If you'll accept my challenge, I'd be honored, but first comes this mission to the Red Canyon."

"Yes, it will. I'm not expecting much from a group of common bandits, but I'll be watching you. There's been stories told of you Ashen Demon." As he stood up Byleth noticed a stack of books that he levitated using another small whirlwind. He raised an amused eyebrow watching him leave. Alphonse knew he was watching as evident by turning in his direction and smiling. "As sharp as your blade may be, I look forward to finding out if it's sharper than the wind itself."

As he departed Byleth found himself wrestling the temptation to train himself so he was ready for that supposed clash of blades. A glance back at the map and that urge was squashed. His full attention was given to the depiction. The hand drawn depiction was almost artistic, as if the creator had been attempting to capture the place's spirit more so than provide an accurate layout of it for future references. Based on what he was looking at, perhaps the canyon would be something to see when he took his students out for their first official mission.

---

There was an early morning chill that for better or worse helped set the mood. As they rode out east from the Monastery it grew chillier before it got warmer. The spring sun hadn't yet reached its zenith in the sky before they began to encounter the first of the many ruins that dotted the area known as the Red Canyon.

Byleth was observant of them as they rode. Ironically, the overgrowth surrounding ancient stone gave him an idea of how old a place they were heading toward. The lack of vegetation was also a sign of what sort of place they were heading toward as well.

Barren, rocky land came to dominate the land as far as the eye could see. Though plant life was present it seemed there were some areas vegetation refused to grow. That was a troubling sign to be taken note of.

Something had torn through the expense of land called the Red Canyon, something powerful. The ruins grew grander, yet their decimation was also seemingly magnified. Byleth recognized ancient ruins having been through a few of them himself. Passing by always invoked a sense of desolation, once splendid architecture reduced to skeletal remains. What they passed seemed to be pushing further than that, skeletons on the verge of turning into dust. He didn't know why but he felt a chill going up his spine; Byleth eagerly pushed it down and kept his mind logical. His blue eyes continued to look around, observing how the ruins grew beyond a few pillars and remaining building.

It was nothing compared to the ruins that lay beneath, in the canyon part of the Red Canyon.

Byleth felt a spontaneous tightening in his chest as he looked out over the canyon. The size was truly breathtaking, but that wasn't what caught Byleth's attention. What did was the sense of…familiarity. Where was it coming from?

Beside him Rémy took his awe as being all there was. "It is quite a sight, I know. Everyone, including some of the most stone-faced people, tend to be slack jawed at its size. Not to mention what occupies the canyon floor."

He definitely had a point about that. Even so high up and so far away the ruins of buildings were clear to the naked eye. Byleth knew he was looking at the remains of a city, an ancient city that had been carved out in the heart of this canyon. How long ago had that been? Definitely a couple hundred years, maybe even a thousand? What had it looked like in its prime?

It doesn't matter. The logic and task-oriented part of him quietly whispered. It soothed the raging curiosity and questions within him. "Everyone," he called to his students. Collectively they snapped to attention at his voice. "Our targets lie down there; they're hiding out amongst the ruins. This'll be your first live combat exorcise, so take it seriously. This is not about glory, this is not about honor, this is about survival. If they come at you, do what you must to stop them, be it killing them or subduing them. If you can't do that on your own fallback and call for help." While speaking he'd dismounted from his horse. There was no way they'd be able to fit through the path they'd be taking. "This is a real battlefield, make a mistake out there and it'll cost you your life, or it can end up costing someone else theirs."

Bernadetta had the most visible reaction. She was the last to dismount from her horse. She was clinging to the horse like it was a security blanket, or that it'd somehow save her from going down there. The short-haired girl did eventually dismount, clinging to her steel bow as she did so. Nervously biting her lip she joined the rest of the group.

Having been watching her out of the corner of her eye Edelgard took the opportunity to speak up. "Professor, we're ready."

Byleth met each of their eyes. "Good, then let's go."

"Best of luck, hatchlings!" Alphonse called, still strode atop his horse.

"Hatchlings?" Caspar whispered while looking back at the two Faerghus men who were overseers to their mission.

"It's a fitting nickname. That's what the lot of you are-hatchlings." Byleth called from the front of the group. "Consider this your first flight."

There was little more chatter as the group descended from the hilltop. The younger of the two knights put his hands together, creating a crystalline snowflake before them. Through it they'd watch the Black Eagles' first mission. Depending on their performance, the two veterans would have a story to tell when they got back to the Monastery, rather it was a glorious or embarrassing one lay in the hands of the teens and their mysterious professor. For the latter, it was perhaps fitting as he was leading them into one of the land's most enigmatic locations.

-O-

Inevitably, walking through the ruins provided a better look at the civilization that might have once inhabited the Red Canyon. Instead of just columns and rumble there were buildings, the remains of buildings. Even though it was irrelevant in the long run, he couldn't help but wonder what they might have been in their prime.

The ruins they passed matched up with the descriptions he'd read about. Still, always, seeing them with one's own eyes were a different story. There were unlike anything that Byleth had seen in his years prior. They cast massive shadows over him and his students, who continuously gawked and awed at them. Even the normally reclusive Bernadetta was filled with amazement at the surroundings despite their ruined state.

As they walked along little things began to stick out at Byleth, things that a life of fighting had engrained into his being. Some of the buildings looked like they hadn't simply been dismantled, they'd been destroyed. Some of them even looking like they'd been cut apart.

His ears twitched as he heard the faint but undeniable gasping of a human. Faint footsteps inevitably followed. "Heads up, everyone. They know we're here, and we're coming for them." The blue-haired warrior called the teens behind him. Without looking back, he heard a handful of them drawing their weapons.

"Bernadetta, you are not notching correctly your arrow." Sounded Petra's voice.

Looking back, he predictably saw Bernadetta looking like the arrow in her hands was about to drop to the ground. Byleth felt if he were a harsher person he'd have scowled in disgust, but he'd been expecting this. He'd tell Bernadetta to give Petra her bow and quiver if the girl wouldn't be left defenseless without them. Then again, a lack of willpower could make the mightiest weapon as useful as a twig.

As one unit they advanced deeper into the ruins. Byleth took note how some arch ways and roads spontaneously grew in size. Were they built to accommodate wagons the size of boulders? Or perhaps occupants whose normal size exceeded that of humans. It was certainly a possibility…and it meant that they at least wouldn't be so boxed in trying to eliminate these bandits. At his behest the Black Eagles moved further out, several of them hearing the gasps and shouts of their targets. They grew louder as they drew closer to them. The first arrows came flying at them from afar.

"Linhardt!" He shouted and signaled to the green-haired mage. Magical energy swirled within him then expanded outward, shaping the wind into blades that flew straight at the arrows. The group kept on moving as the split pieces fell to the ground. "Stay at the ready! And stay on your guard!" Byleth called to him. He'd tracked the trajectory of the arrows and ascertained their origin. They came from over twenty yards away, across a guarded bridge over a small chasm. His eyes narrowed at the four bandits that stood atop it.

"Professor, I hear there's a back road to the west. Why don't we split up and attack from both the west and the front?" Edelgard offered running beside him. "I leave the ultimate decision making to you."

Looking in that direction Byleth could make out a somewhat transferable path that would loop back to the bandit's stronghold, a ruined multi-story building of some sort. Byleth assumed that's where the archers were, and if they could take them out it'd make their job much easier..

Simultaneously, he and Edelgard cut down the first duo of bandits, his sword and her axe cleaving into their flesh with little resistance. The remaining two briefly flinched at the sight of their comrades' deaths, but charged forward, perhaps eager to avenge them. Once more, they moved in unison, their steel weapons spilling blood onto the bridge's stone surface. Edelgard twirled her axe, wiping the crimson essence away.

Just as she did another rather burly bandit came charging at them. He actually had a great sword raised and ready to take a crack at them.

BLOMP!

"Gaaaaahhh! Aaaaaahh!" As with the rest of him, his sword distengrated as it tumbled to the ground. His body fell soon after, the dark magical acid eating away at his body.

Byleth's nose wrinkled at the foul spell. Even after three days of training with Hubert, the odor of his dark magic was still…strong. He'd internally braced himself for the possibility it'd only get stronger as he got stronger. "Hubert, nicely done." He called.

"Naturally." He chuckled. Apathy was the word to describe his feelings toward the dead bandit. Hubert looked no more at it than a bug that had been swatted on the wall. "Lady Edelgard, allow me to clean this rabble up for you."

"Tempting, Hubert, but this isn't just about us." Responded the white-haired teenager.

"Quite so." As he spoke he swung his sword skyward, unleashing a pressurized blast of arrow that bisected several arrows. "Everyone, form up!" Looking back, he saw the Eagles assembled behind him, ready to heed his command. "Caspar, Edelgard, Linhardt and Ferdinand are with me on this side. Hubert, you take Petra, Bernadetta and Dorothea through the western road. Everyone got it?"

A round of nods answered him, including from the seemingly reluctant Bernadetta. They came just in time as a new wave of bandits came at them. With dual shouts of bombastic glee Ferdinand and Caspar ran forward, meeting their opponents head-on. The former impaled an approaching bandit through the chest then twirled into slashing two more bandits. Simultaneously, Caspar rammed his steel gauntlets into the body of one bandit then uppercut the other. Even with the knuckle blade withdrawn the impact still hurt. The bandit would no doubt be nursing a broken jaw while missing a couple of teeth. Neither of the boys expressed dismay at their first kills; they dashed forward eager for more combat. Byleth, Edelgard, and Linhardt followed after them while Hubert's group broke off to do the same.

They still had some of their magical weaponry, just as Byleth expected. He clashed with an electrified sword that he maneuvered out of its owner's hand before cutting him down. Looking to his right he saw Edelgard doing the same, except ending with a decapitation.

Unfortunately, Linhardt was watching, and he nearly lost his breakfast at the sight.

Which happened at the worst possible time.

"Linhardt! On your left!" Byleth shouted, his legs already carrying him toward the green-haired noble. His sword was pulled away as the force of magnetism gripped the sword. He looked at the electrified spear of one of the bandits, a wide grin on his face. In seconds Byleth realized he had to take this one down, he was smarter than the others. Byleth dropped his sword, allowing the bandit to throw it aside. In that timespan he closed the distance between the two of them and delivered an uppercut of his own. A knee to the gut, two kicks to the side, and finally a spin kick to the face sent him down. Spying Linhardt stumbling back as a bandit continuously swung at him with an axe. A killer axe.

Where the hell did they get weapons this good? Someone supplied them! His musings came to an end as he heard the familiar sound of arrows whistling through the air. Looking up he saw multiple arrows coming at them. Instead of throwing the lance he used it to intercept the arrows.

"Linhardt! Linhardt! Hang on, I'm coming!" Caspar screamed trying to get to him. He was tangled up in his own battle, fighting another axe-user who was doing a damn good job of keeping him occupied. "Guys! Linhardt!"

"We know, Caspar, we're trying!" Like Byleth, Ferdinand was trying to hold onto his lance in the face of an electromagnetic pull. His muscles were bulging beneath his uniform as he fought to hold onto his spear in the face of an opponent using his own.

Edelgard was presumably no better; instead of lightning though she was dealing with fire. She fell back to avoid the wild flailing of the fiery sword her opponent wielded. He pumped all his strength into the sword causing the flames surrounding the sword to intensify around the sword. Edelgard couldn't afford to take her eyes off such a weapon least it mortally cost her.

Byleth shouted over the resulting explosions born from the explosive arrows detonating overhead. "Linhardt! Kill him! If you don't he's going to kill you, then try to slay the rest of us! Do it!"

He had a sphere of wind swirling in his hands, a spell that could turn the tide of his situation in a second. The problem though was the same as Bernadetta's, he didn't have the will to use it.

"Linhardt!" Caspar shouted while still engaging his opponent. Gritting his teeth, he rammed his fist forward catching the bandit off-guard with the gut blow. It didn't stop him though as he rammed his head forward, smashing his against Caspar's.

Seeing that triggered something in the green-haired mage. Maybe it was seeing his best friend getting hurt was enough to rouse his willingness to kill.

SWOSH!

Blood gasped from the bandit's mouth as his guts spelled out from his stomach. His axe dropped from his hands, though it never hit the ground. Linhardt grabbed at it with his wind magic and hurled it toward the battling duo.

Seeing it made the bandit break off from Caspar to deflect it. The short but feisty brawler seized his chance; both blades were out as he drove them into his target's abdomen. Caspar didn't think twice as he repeatedly drove them into the bandit. He eventually dropped down, life leaving him in seconds.

Instead of dwelling on it, Caspar rushed over to him. "Linhardt, Linhardt, you okay? Are you hurt?"

"N-N-No…I-I-I…I…" His hands were trembling, and his face was ashen white.

Retrieving his sword, Byleth recognized symptoms of first-kill jitters. They were rarely pretty sights to behold. "…Linhardt,"

Looking up at him, he managed to find his voice. "I-I'm fine. I-I can still go on."

Byleth looked around at the rest of the group. Ferdinand was carrying two spears, one his own and the other the thunder-infused spear he'd thrown at the bandit he'd been fighting. He was nowhere near skilled enough to fight with both, but his throwing ability meant it could still be useful.

"Let's go."

They were back on track, making tracks beneath the early afternoon sun. To the west where Hubert's group was he'd noticed a hail of arrows flying, some of which were intercepted by lightning and others by blasts of dark magic. The former had flown across the sky to hit the sender of those arrows. Acidic explosions ate away at the buildings, yet miraculously Byleth saw some of them proved sturdy enough to withstand the dark magic. He momentarily looked around the ruins and wondered if their sturdy construction is what had allowed them to withstand the wear and tear of time. Far in the back of his mind that thought led him to another question, what could have been strong enough to cause such destruction?

Suppressing the thoughts, he led his group onward, through more ruined buildings to the center complex. It was there he saw what he believed to be the last of the bandits. With a quick count, he came out at…eleven. A pretty high number considering the small dozen that they mowed through on their route and the dozen that Hubert's group might have encountered.

Speaking of encounters, he recognized a familiar face, and that face recognized his as well.

"Y-Y-You again! W-W-What the hell is this!" His face contorted in fear but turned into false rage seconds later. He stood up straighter and raised his axe, a flaming axe, he was seemingly trying to rally his surviving comrades for a last stand. "Sending brats instead of knights after me, so, they're underestimating me! Big mistake!"

Byleth kept his sword at his side as he calmly walked toward him, his stern yet stoic expression never wavering. "I'd say the only big mistake was agreeing to this." Two of the bandits were archers and had their arrows trained on him. They were ordinary arrows, no special properties. "Someone put you up to this."

"W-W-What?" The supposed leader gasped.

That reaction told him that he'd hit the bull's eye. Raising a hand to his students he glared at the bearded brigand. "I'm talking about who put you up to the attack on Remire Village. I know you had help with it."

"T-The hell if I did!" He predictably snapped back.

One of the bandits beside him let his eyes widen. "K-Kostas,"

"Shut up!" The now-identified bandit yelled. "Don't you go getting cold feet on me now!"

Instead of backing down, the brigand grew angry. "Like you did when that masked bastard cut us loss? Threw us to the goddess damned wolves! Face it, we're fucked!"

"Yes, you are, but you can make it out of this alive." Byleth said. He could feel the raised eyebrows of his students and hear their shocked whispers. Raising his left hand, he silenced their dissent. "Someone hired you to attack the students at Remire Village, in fact, someone fed you the information, right? And I'm guess supplied you with weapons like that axe." Even though Kostas was trying to stay silent he was confirming Byleth's words with his facial expression. "Whoever that person was, they've left you for dead, haven't they? That's why you're here, facing down death."

"I ain't facing down nothin' except a bunch of spoiled brats!" Kostas defiantly screamed.

"Your dead cronies would beg to differ, not to mention your still living ones look like they're ready to wave a white flag. We'd be willing to accept it." Byleth casually declared. He felt the eyes of every one of his students lock onto him. The gaze of his imperial pupil in particular bored into him.

"Professor Eisner, this is…are you sure this is alright? Do you even have the authority to do this?" Edelgard heatedly whispered into his right ear. "How can you trust a word these vandals say?"

"Because they've been abandoned by their backer and they're no doubt pissed off about it. Wouldn't you be interested in knowing how someone got close enough to nearly kill you?" He calmly retorted.

Looking back, he saw Kostas had lowered his axe. His offer was having an effect, he just needed another push.

"You'll probably end up in a cell, but at least you can rest knowing the person who burned you will pay for it. A little revenge can go a long way, right?" The former mercenary said, hoping he sounded convincing.

Kostas' face fell completely. He knew he was at the end of the road. Either he fought and died here accomplishing nothing, or he gave up his employer and hoped he'd be either dead or sharing a cell with him. Those were his options, there was no third choice. Second by second, Kostas realized that he preferred one over the other.

"Al…alright. Fine, the guy who's employing me is-"

Thunk!

"Gaah!" Suddenly shouted one of the brigands stumbling forward. An arrow was sticking out of his back, one end buried deep in his spine. He hit the ground, taking his last breaths.

"W-W-What the hell?!"

"Don-Donovan!"

"The hell is this! It's a fucking set up!"

"No, it isn't!" Byleth shouted. Where the hell did that arrow come from?!

I don't know, but you must act now! Your hatchlings are in danger! Shouted the divine spirit housed within him. She'd been watching the scene unfold with eagerness, but the show had taken an unexpected turn.

Looking between his fallen comrade and the rest, Kostas reneged on his decision. Snarling in fury, he raised his axe and pointed it at the Black Eagles. "Kill 'em! Kill 'em all!"

"Eagles, attack!" Byleth immediately shouted. As soon as he finished the words he dashed straight for Kostas. Once he went down the rest would scatter. He easily deflected Kostas' first blow, and his second, and his third. "We didn't attack you."

"Shut up! I won't believe a damn thing outta your mouth! Besides, you're about to be dead in a little bit so it doesn't even matter!" Shouted the dark-haired brigand wildly swinging his axe.

Byleth easily held him at bay. Kostas may have had a decent weapon, but his skill with it was pathetic. Fending off his strikes he looked around to get a glimpse of how his students were doing. Edelgard was the closest, so she was the one he saw first. As expected, she was easily dominating her opponent, bringing her axe down onto his face and spraying herself with his blood. She was totally unfazed. Ferdinand was the same, albeit his death blow was...cleaner, being a simple thrust to the heart that killed the bandit immediately. The orange-haired noble moved swiftly, actually taking aim at the bandit closest to…Linhardt.

Ferdinand, the former mercenary mused. Just as Ferdinand moved in to cut down the bandit before Linhardt, the lackadaisical boy fired a crescent-shaped blast of wind at his opponent, slicing into his left shoulder. Ferdinand stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widened in shock. Not just him as even Caspar appeared shocked at his friend's aggressive move.

On the other side he saw Hubert and Petra were being the most proactive. Based on what he saw, he was sure that they'd done most of the fighting on their side. Petra's blade was sleek with blood, and it gained more blood as she sprung into action. As for Hubert, he was lobbing blasts of magical acid like it was second nature to him. Melting bodies littering the ground, the foul odor riding the wind.

When it came down to the last bandit, Dorothea shot a bolt of lightning at the last bandit, striking him in the chest.

Hubert cocked an eyebrow at the cap-wearing brunette.

"I told you that I wasn't going to let you and Petra do all the work! Besides, this is…going to become a common thing I guess." She defended.

"Hey! Keep your eyes on me, you arrogant bastard!"

Looking back at Kostas, Byleth narrowed his eyes, practically glaring at him. "Last chance to surrender. You're the last one left."

"Go to hell, you bas-"

SLASH!

His flaming axe fell to the ground, the fiery glow dying now that its handle was no longer being gripped. Kostas gasped for air as blood bubbled up within his throat. He stumbled back, his hands going to the diagonal cut across his body. Byleth watched him hit the ground on his back. His eyes stared up at the cloudy but still sunny sky.

"Should…have…never…li…st…"

Byleth stared at the corpse, practically watching the bandit's soul leave his body. He honestly had no idea how many lives he'd taken at this point, but he knew the number was likely high, high enough if his students knew they'd probably look at him differently. They'd have every right to.

So much for your hope to interrogate them for information. You can not squeeze information out of a corpse. The disappointment in Sothis' voice was genuine.

No, I can't. What happened? Where did that arrow come from? I didn't see it or hear it until it was too late. Byleth responded. His blue eyes suddenly widened causing him to look straight up. While his students mulled around him, his attention focused on the ghostly girl before him. Sothis, that power, Divine Pulse was it.

The spectral girl's face was one of pure surprise. She immediately knew what he was thinking. Do you believe you can stop the arrow? Do you believe that the lives of these men are worth taking that risk?

I believe getting down to the bottom of what happened at Remire Village is worth it. The voices of his students might as well have been background noise to him. They practically were as his mind was already set on a course of action. Sothis stared at him before nodding her head. Closing his eyes, he reached deep within him. Doing so he saw a fire, a bright green flame that sat amidst the darkness like a torch or a candle. Byleth reached for it, feeling a strong pulsation first in his arm, then the rest of his body. The flame suddenly sprung forth, rushing into him and feeling him with its power. It built within him, then at his command it fanned outward.

All around him the colors of the world inverted. A sound reminiscent of glass shattering filled his ears. With a thought, Byleth commanded time to roll backwards, and that's exactly what happened around him.

---

For the sixth time Edelgard looked up at the sky half-expecting to see a familiar of some sort watching her. When there was nothing of the sort, she felt more worried instead of relaxed. To be feeling anxiety like this, it made her feel frustrated to the point of anger. She was almost grateful that they were heading into battle.

Said "battle" was one she'd been looking forward to for the last two days. It'd been nothing short of good fortune that the same bandits they were assigned to dispose of were the same ones she'd hired to assassinate Dimitri and Claude. Their failure meant that they had to die as she couldn't afford any loose ends. Not to mention she would have very much liked to reclaim the weapons that they had been loaned out to them.

Even with Adrestia in a rather disorderly state she hated the thought of taking her nations' precious weapons and loaning them to common ruffians. Ultimately though she made the sacrifice. Compared to all the others she'd made and would make in the future, it was minor. Kostas and his gang would die not long after they accomplished their objective; as for the weapons, they'd either be destroyed or retrieved. It wouldn't take much to create a cover story. In this case, the empire's subpar state would work to her advantage. Yes, there would be outrage over the weapons killing the prince of Faerghus and heir of the Alliance coming from Adrestia but framing it as a tragic mishandling wouldn't be too difficult. That had been the plan.

And that plan had gone up in smoke and ashes thanks to Byleth Eisner, the mysterious mercenary who was now her house's professor. He'd also saved her life from her own assassination attempt, a fact that quietly annoyed Edelgard, yet she was able to suppress that annoyance. She was annoyed, borderline angered, at how her carefully crafted plan had been disrupted, partially thanks to the mysterious mercenary, but those feelings rarely rose to the surface. It helped that not only was she able to salvage the situation somewhat, she was beginning to think that Byleth Eisner would be useful to her plan, and maybe personally useful to her.

He was an odd man. So far, he'd lived up to his reputation as the Ashen Demon. A demon of the battlefield he certainly was. At Remire he'd made quick works of the bandits she'd hired. While that was to be expected, she was flabbergasted to find that she'd practically faired no better against him. He'd even knocked out Hubert with absolutely no effort. Even her attempts amounted to little more than that!

When it came to training, he'd shown to be an effective teacher. She had to admit he was indisputably the reason why they'd won the mock battle. His training and tactics had allowed them to secure victory. Speaking of which, he triumphed against Dimitri. Even if the Faerghus prince hadn't been using his full power he was still trying to win. But that wasn't enough to overcome Byleth, who she could also tell wasn't using his full power.

With such strength she felt reassured that all evidence of her transgressions would be wiped away. Not that she planned on leaving it all to the professor. Edelgard felt safer in tying up loose ends herself when presented with the opportunity.

She certainly had that, and she didn't let the moment pass her by, nor let the opportunity to better train herself slip by either. Really, despite her initial plan being disrupted she was adapting and rebounding quite nicely.

So why was it she felt an incredibly uneasy with every step she took? Why did she feel like she'd…seen all this before?

Every bandit that came at her, she cut down, yet their death cries seemingly possessed an unexplainable echo. Even her own moves felt…odd. As her steel axe cleaved into flesh, she could have sworn she knew how the blood would splatter and how the bodies would fall.

What was going on? Was she under the effects of some kind of magic? If she were, surely, she'd have sensed it.

Her unease was like a second layer to her, the first being her apparent engagement with the battle. It was going well, perhaps better than she could have imagined.

Professor Eisner was…well, she could only call him incredibly insightful. He issued tactically sound orders, including incorporating the advice she gave to him about the western road. On their own path, he charged forward after ordering them to stay back. He went for one of the staff wielding bandits, throwing his sword and continued on with his bare fists. As she'd seen, with a weapon or without, Byleth Eisner was a dangerous fighter. The bandits found that out as even after batting his sword away, Byleth disarmed the lance-wielder, taking his spear and using its electromagnetic field to cancel out those of the others.

Edelgard was silently speechless. H-He…he knew. He knows the rules of electromagnetism! B-But how! He's just a mercenary!

He shouted for them to advance, and her fellow Adrestians did. Smashing into the disoriented bandits like a flock of angry birds. Edelgard had to admit, though she still felt confusion over what was happening, cutting down the enemy made her feel good. Ferdinand and Caspar expectedly lost themselves in the exhilaration of their first real battle. For once, she could perfectly understand what the two of them were feeling. Linhardt was the only outlier. She had her doubts about him. He'd rather nap or bury his nose in a book. Normally, she'd have no problem with that, but this was a battlefield. The first of many they would be facing.

She couldn't afford to have him slowing the rest of them down, not to mention if push came to shove…she might need him for her plans. Said plans might involve bloodshed that he'd need to be ready for.

A few bandits remained, now utterly disoriented and on the verge of retreating given the circumstances.

"Linhardt! She shouted to him catching his attention. "This is a battlefield! Either fight or begone from it!" He looked as stunned as one could be. She had a feeling it wasn't just him, but the imperial princess kept her eyes on the green-haired mage, eager to see his response. Would he rise to the challenge or not; she felt she couldn't wait any longer than this.

Professor Byleth was shouting at her, yet her eyes remained locked on the heir to House Hevring. He was looking at her like a mouse would a hawk about to swoop it up. Edelgard had no use for mice, they had no place in the Black Eagles.

Something changed within him, something snapped, or was born. Putting his hands together he amassed a blade of wind which he then fired at an approaching bandit. He thought he could attack while this unexpected drama was unfolding, atypical of bandits. Linhardt's wind-composed blade cleaved into his chest and ended his life near instantly.

"Edelgard! What…what was that?" Ferdinand called.

Finally, she looked back to her self-imposed rival. "Me doing my duty as leader of the Black Eagles, and future Emperor of Adrestia." Turning away from Edelgard, she marched forward as all the enemies before them had been defeated. A quick glance to her left allowed her to see a volley of dark globs of miasma sailing across the sky. As expected of you, Hubert. She thought with a mental sigh of relief. Sometimes she thought one of the reasons he took to dark magic was because of its destructive potential to the human body. There were some spells that could leave nothing but bones of the target; sometimes not even those were left behind. Even if the building withstood his assault, the bandits wouldn't.

They'd die with her secret, just like their leader would.

Edelgard could admit she was a little eager to get to Kostas. She'd just barely restrained herself from killing him a day ago when she contacted him. Contacted him to tell him she was cutting him loose for his failure. Predictably, he'd been upset about it, but he really should have known this was coming.

Then again, banditry and intelligence generally didn't go together.

Provided he survived Hubert's barrage, she'd kill him herself. Her foiled ploy would finally be put to rest and the trail-

"I'd say the only big mistake was agreeing to this."

Those ten words stopped her blood cold. She looked to her professor with newfound alarm. As he kept on talking that alarm grew. He…couldn't know, could he? There was no way he could have known they were hired! He was just a mercenary!

No, calm down. He may have deduced someone hired them, but he doesn't know who. Not to mention Kostas doesn't even know I'm the Flame Emperor. No one in his little band does! Contrary to her words she felt her heart beating several ticks faster within her chest. Edelgard angled her head to her left to look at Hubert. Her faithful retainer caught her eye for a second before looking back at the unfolding debacle.

They had to do something to stop this. Kostas didn't know anything of major importance, but he could set the Knights of Seiros and the Church down the path to her. She couldn't afford to be discovered, not yet.

Hubert knew that as well, so he did what had to be done.

At some point he must have enchanted an arrow using his magic. It flew straight toward one of the brigands. If it struck they'd no doubt believe that Professor Eisner's words were a ploy to get them to let their guard down so they could kill them. They'd-

"Get down!" Again, the Ashen Demon surprised her. Suddenly, as if knowing the arrow would be launched, he ran forward, pushing the bandit out of the way while slicing the arrow with his sword.

Edelgard was utterly stunned, as was Hubert. No one knew that arrow was there lying in wait. No one, yet somehow Professor Eisner had!

I have to do something! Now! The thought of Kostas telling what little he knew hung over her head like an executioner's blade. How could this be happening? Resolve bubbled up within her like lava within a volcano. No! I can't let this happen! Her mind spun with the velocity of lightning. Setting sight on Kostas she quickly ran the odds of him throwing the professor's olive branch out the window if she attacked him.

Her choice was made within the next second.

"You! Vile dastard! Do you know the gravity of the crimes you've committed! Attempting the murder of Fόdlan's future leaders!" Edelgard did not pray, not since those dark days that had led her to her current path. She dared not hope…but in that moment she sincerely hoped she sounded convincing enough. Perhaps the actual outrage she felt toward Kostas was helping her; the man did after all come close to actually killing her. "You'll be lucky if you end up in a cell with a cot!" For added effect she raised her axe at him.

Edelgard was internally relieved when his face whitened in fear then contorted in rage.

"L-Like hell I'm going to rot in prison! No way!"

He was right, he wasn't going to rot in prison, just the eternal flames. She easily twirled out of the way of his axe then buried her own in his neck. The blade stopped short of completely decapitating his neck, though Edelgard could have done so if she wanted to. His fire-infused axe fell to the ground, its dying glow representing his life force.

Looking back at her housemates she pondered if she held back on account of them. Bernadetta was of course looking away as was Linhardt, who seemed to have gone white as ash while Dorothea looked slightly dismayed. The two of them met each other's eyes; she saw disapproval there, but it was quickly brushed aside. She heard a story about how she'd almost been kidnapped by a fanatical fan, so perhaps she could sympathize with her seemingly harsh approach to rogues.

Finally, she looked to her professor. Edelgard wouldn't say she was scared of him, but a part of her was a little…unsure how he'd react. His expressionless expression was quite unnerving; she had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.

His attention turned from her to the fleeing bandits. "…Everyone, sheath your weapons, we're done for the day."

Caspar was the first to speak. "W-W-What? But, Professor Byleth, they're-"

"Not a threat anymore, Caspar. After this, I highly doubt they'll come anywhere near the Monastery. I'm aware we're probably passing them off to someone else, but there's been enough killing for today." She saw how he looked between Bernadetta and Linhardt, the two clearly the most shaken by the battle. Afterward, he looked back at the fleeing bandits. "Today's goal was to drive out the bandits and get you all some real combat experience, both of those goals have been met."

Such calm and even humane rationalization, Edelgard was honestly surprised. The stories she heard were of a ruthless killer who'd cut down the enemy to the last man. Was this really the same person?

"Lady Edelgard, are you alright?" Came Hubert's calm voice. The simple statement held a message she received and answered.

"Yes, Hubert, I'm fine."

Indeed, now everything was fine. Perfectly fine.

---

Garreg Mach Monastery, Late Night…

"I hear your trip to the Red Canyon was…somewhat exciting. I trust that the rats have been disposed of?"

Edelgard sneered in contempt at the seemingly feeble old man who frequented the Monastery's library, being known as one of its regulars. That's the persona that everyone at Garreg Mach knew, everyone except for her and Hubert. They knew the truth. They knew that behind the supposedly kind disguise lurked a monster far worse than any bandits.

Only they knew though, just as only he knew the two of them weren't academy students as the rest of the Monastery believed them to be.

"Solon, would we be meeting here if that had not been the case?" Hubert spat with his trademark scowl.

As usual, Solon was more amused than intimidated by Hubert's response. Like him, she looked forward to the day that smug grin could be wiped off of his face. Alas, to reach that day required patience, and tolerance. Edelgard wouldn't say she had both things in great abundance, but she'd been forced to accumulate them. Without them her dreams would be out of reach, just like the stars above.

Solon gazed between them with his false eyes. "So then, you're worthy of praise for cleaning up your mess."

"You know as well as me that there were unforeseen complications." She hated this feeling of having to defend herself. The only thing that would have made it worse would be if it was Thales she was speaking to instead of his second-in-command. Speaking of which, she was certain that he'd hear about this eventually. Edelgard just hoped he didn't bring it up when they next met. "The loose ends have been tied up, so there's no need to dwell on it."

"Are you sure about that? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Behind her mask Edelgard felt a bead of sweat develop. The feeling of…reminiscence, she'd experienced it twice. The feeling of her body performing actions it already had, her voice saying words that she'd already spoken. Even now, hours after it happened, and the mission ended it gnawed at her. She was suddenly grateful she'd chosen to come in her Flame Emperor guise, especially her mask. If Solon got one look at her face, there was a chance that he'd detect something was wrong.

Perhaps sensing her inner turmoil Hubert spoke up. "There was nothing else, Solon. As Lady Edelgard said, the matter is done with."

A sliver of the monster beneath the disguise appeared. "I was asking her, not you, mongrel." He didn't linger on Hubert's sour glare. It's not like he hadn't been on the receiving end of it dozens of times. The pale-skinned sorceress openly told him he found it more amusing than frightening. "Was there anything else? You know how delicate-"

"This all is, yes, I know. I know more so than anyone else." The frustration in her voice was on naked display. "I made sure there were no loose ends, personally killing Kostas myself before he could say anything useful. No one suspects anything."

Solon was quiet. Edelgard and Hubert could practically feel him trying to ascertain the truth, no doubt through his oversized right eye. The nearest they could tell it could track magic and see through illusions. It seemed to be an extreme mystical augmentation, the sort that some could only dream of applying to themselves. Of course, Edelgard wondered if anyone would be alright with the physical deformity that went with it.

Thankfully, he couldn't see through Edelgard's white lie.

"Very well. Then our plans will be able to proceed without hindrance. It may be too risky to go after the prince and the alliance heir. As for the beast's disgusting spawn…"

"Her time will come eventually." Edelgard affirmed. "What is our next move?"

"We will inform you in a few days' time. For now…wait, and try not to make another mess." Again, he paid Hubert's steaming glare no mind as he walked down the cobble stone pathway. As usual, no one would notice him as he seemingly made his way back to the room belonging to Tomas. If by chance someone did notice him, he had a few ways to get out of such an unlikely situation.

Likewise, Hubert had a few similar methods on top of being naturally stealthy. He was equal parts dark mage and equal parts assassin.

"My lady, are you…sure he won't be a problem."

"Hubert," Edelgard said. "Solon-"

"I am not talking about him, I mean the professor." The black-haired man clarified. His tone wasn't accusing, it never was when addressing her. That didn't mean that from time to time he wasn't above questioning some of her decisions as politely as possible. "He's a tad smarter than we gave him credit for. More than a mere sell sword it would seem."

She nodded in agreement. "So it seems. Perhaps that woman indeed had something in mind when making him a professor."

"He is the son of the former captain general of the Knights of Seiros. He's a potential danger." Hubert affirmed. Whatever respect he might have built up for Professor Eisner was secondary to his dedication to his lord's vision. "There's so much we don't know about him."

"Indeed, we don't, but we must remember he has his uses. For starters, he has the combat experience we could use to better ourselves." Hubert said nothing, but his focused gaze spoke for him. "He is our teacher, and he can teach us. Based on what we've seen, he can teach us much, don't you think, Hubert?" There was something amusing in his reluctance to admit that, but she could see him on the verge of relenting. "We can do this, Hubert. Even if he picks up the scent, we'll stay one step ahead of him."

"Yes, we will." His characteristic smugness returned, as did the smile that normally went with it.

"And he could be useful beyond that."

His smile fell. "Milady?"

"He could be a potentially valuable ally, if we can open his eyes to the truth." The masked girl explained. "Even with his background, perhaps he can see the ruinous state that Fόdlan exists in, and who is to blame for it." She could see how skeptical her long time guardian and supporter was of her optimism. Edelgard could admit it wasn't unwarranted, but she would have preferred Professor Eisner as an ally instead of as an enemy. His sharp mind and combat ability had intrigued her. He was the type of person she wanted by her side, the type of person she wanted to uplift.

Hubert sighed into the cool nightly air. Today's events hadn't been too taxing, especially since they'd happened in the morning, but he was perhaps ready to call it a night. Edelgard felt the same. He recognized that and decided it was time to end this late-night meeting. Solon had called it in the first place, and he'd walked away satisfied with their report. Likewise, she was satisfied with how things had gone.

It would be with a sigh of relief that she returned to her room, discarding her armor and putting it away. Undoubtedly it was her most precious secret, so she took to protecting it quite intensely. Two protective spells that sealed the chest, and that chest was hidden away in a secret compartment only she knew about. Her secret was safe.

And that's how it would remain for the foreseeable future. No surprise no matter how unexpected would dislodge her plans for the future.

---

Originally, I planned a little more for this chapter, but I decided to end this chapter on Edelgard's point of view. There was one more scene with Byleth planned, particularly involving Sothis getting a piece of her memories back but I felt that would make this chapter longer than I would like, not to mention it'd be a little too soon for that.

From the mock battle's aftermath to the ending of "Familiar Scenery", that's what I wanted this chapter to cover. There were a few things between them I included such as Byleth's reading up on the Red Canyon so he knows what he's getting into. As a little shoutout to the fact Fire Emblem is a tactical RPG, he's going to do this every mission. I'll say I'm one of those players that'll sometimes spend twenty minutes double-checking to make sure I have everything ready before deploying.

Cain's Clearing is a little callback to Cain, the original Red Cavalier from Marth's games. Figure maybe I can have some fun with some minor locals named after characters from past games. Now that I have a practice field named after Cain, I'm thinking of giving Garreg Mach some sort of romantic spots named after Abel; just some world-building thoughts I may or may not go for.

As many of you no doubt realized, this is what I saved Kostas for. In the end I stuck with canon and had him make his last stand at the Red Canyon. It felt like too much of an opportunity to slip up, especially since I always wanted to work Byleth using Divine Pulse for the first time into it. On top of that, I wanted to show Byleth's more intellectual side. He likes a good fight, but he's canonically against senseless bloodshed, even if it's against bandits. Once he saw they'd lost the will to fight he was willing to call it a day. Not to mention he didn't want to keep on seeing Linhardt's (and Bernadetta's). There's something I have planned for the two of them to further flush out Byleth's character. Lastly…I managed to work Edelgard's point of view into this chapter.

According to the developers, Edelgard was originally supposed to be able to cancel out Byleth's Divine Pulse via her own Crest of Flames. That would have been an interesting feature, but she wasn't encountered enough as the Flame Emperor for it to be of any real use. I'm honestly debating if she'll do it here, but what I am going with is she can sense when Byleth's rewinding time. It's another way I plan on building the tension and rivalry between them. While writing I was tempted for her to use the phrase déjà vu like a normal person, but I kept on reminding myself the phrase probably doesn't exist in Fόdlan.

Since she's leading a criminal conspiracy, she can't have Byleth getting too close to it. I'm sure you all know what that means. The question is how far will she be willing to go to keep her secret? And how close will Byleth come to it?

Kudos to those of you who caught the Batman reference during his conversation with Rhea and Seteth! I'm a Batman fan and couldn't resist since I'm having Byleth dip his toe in detective work. Not to mention he's something of a dark knight himself given his appearance and personality. And coming soon penchant for beating criminals senseless.

The next chapter will move the attention back to Garreg Mach and Rhea, who's going to be presiding over a certain event. Likewise, Byleth and several others will be a spectator to said event where everyone will learn a couple of new things. Not to mention Byleth and Rhea's first support conversation will be happening! Until next time, take care and leave your thoughts in the reviews!