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.

9. Chapter 8-Road of Embers

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first chapter of the new year. I'll admit this one comes a bit delayed since I've spent a lot of time playing Engage. Took me a while to reach a point I could stop at, which ended up being me completing my first playthrough. Definitely fun, but it took me away from my writing. Luckily, no more of that!

Here's hoping you all enjoy this chapter! It keeps the ball rolling from the last one, and sets a handful of new ones in motion!

I do not own anything.

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Silver Snow Revised

Chapter 8-Road of Embers

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As they walked just a little further out, Byleth mused how fortunate it was that his apparent sparring partner specialized in ice. Not only would he prove to be a good challenge for his fledging fire magic, he'd hopefully keep him from burning down a patch of forest. He'd been witness to such a thing several times.

The so-called Ashen Demon afraid of creating ashes, how ironic. Sothis chimed. She was up early, and it seemed she might be staying up. Byleth knew that was no doubt because he was going to be testing his magical abilities, abilities that ultimately were coming from her. She was just as curious as him to see how far he could go. Oh, and take the opportunity to provide her colorful commentary on things.

Where would he be without his divine overseer?

I'm trying to hold off on the collateral damage. Technically speaking, this is all still Church property. He answered back. Byleth cocked an eyebrow as a silent chuckle rose in his throat. Then again, perhaps I should be asking for your permission.

Then why do you not do so? After all, this is technically MY property, is it not?

Byleth made a show of looking up at the sky to mask the slight smile that tugged at his lips. It was all momentary as he was back to walking, having never seemingly lost his stride. Also, it seemed that Rémy seemed to notice. Alternatively, he might have, but just chose not to say anything. Perhaps he quietly enjoyed the sight of a rare smile on the Ashen Demon's face. Regardless, it disappeared as soon as it came to be.

The clearing that Rémy brought him to was more or less what he had in mind, and hoped for. At the end of his surveying, he looked back to Rémy, remembering that he possessed magical abilities as well, abilities that likely surpassed his. It would also be the natural counter he needed to push himself.

He held up his hands and generated a decent-sized fireball. The act caught the redhead's attention. "Well, you're faster along than some people that I've known in the past. They'd have struggled to create a fireball as big as that one. Big enough that it could take a man's hand off if you got off the right shot." There was a short pause as he stepped back, eyeing Byleth from head to toe. "Something that, frankly, I'm confident you could do if you wanted to." Sensing where the conversation was heading, Byleth raised an eyebrow. Wisps of cold air rolled off of Rémy's hand as he held it up. "Go on, take your best shot."

"Alright." Byleth casually said before hurling the fireball at the Trickster. His eyes promptly widened in alarm, his right hand rising to shield his face. The flames collided with the icy energy coating his hand, but it did the job in shielding his face. "So, what do you think?" He casually asked.

"Not too bad." Rémy answered, looking none the worse for wear. "You've got one mean fastball, Byleth."

"I've had a lot of practice. Not to mention I've seen a lot of these thrown about, including being thrown at me." With a slight furrowed of his brow, he conjured another fireball, of equal size and strength to the previous one. Thankfully for Rémy, he didn't immediately hurl it at him. Not before he got the go-ahead. "Ready?"

"Yes, come on. Throw as many as you can at me." The Seiros Knight confidentially declared.

Byleth did just that. The fireball was launched at Rémy's head, the searing light illuminating his face. Especially as it swiftly passed across it. Rather than blocking the attack, he'd dodged it, showing his speed. It enticed Byleth, who promptly started launching more flaming spheres at him. Icy energy gathered in his hands, which he used to parry the barrage of fiery spheres that the former mercenary kept on hurling his way. The explosions of steam quickly began to rise to the sky, continuously fed by the two young men. Only one of them wore a smile, but traces of amusement could be seen on the other's face.

Said face became illuminated by fire as he halted his attack. Between his hands burned another fireball, but this one was three times as big as those before it, almost being as large as his body. The sight made Rémy whistle in surprise.

"You're learning fast, Byleth." The Trickster called. Like his sparring partner, his face was also illuminated by the fireball. He could feel the heat rolling off it from several feet away; he had no intention of getting hit by it, yet he knew blocking it was going to take more energy than he'd been using. Knowing that, he poured more energy into his hands, causing them to glow with bluish-white light.

"All I have to do is pump more mana into the spell, and maintain it." Byleth explained.

"You do know magic." Rémy said, showing genuine surprise.

"I studied a lot. Namely how to take them down and how to break spells. Disrupt the flow of mana in a spell and you kill the spell. As for you though, you're using ice magic, so you're not disrupting the flow so much as halting it."

Rémy burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Alright, alright, I'll be honest, I've seriously underestimated you, Byleth!"

"You might have…and I'd advise you to stop before you get hurt." He coolly shot back. "So…you ready?" At his nod, Byleth's expression grew serious. As usual, he launched the fireball without a word of warning. It was surprisingly easy-for him, it was like throwing a punch. In this case, it was a punch stronger than any he'd thrown so far. It flew across the field, searing the top of the grass as it sped toward Rémy. Had he been a lesser sparring partner, he'd have panicked, and had no way of defending himself.

In a flash of icy blue, a wall of ice manifested from thin air. Standing at five-feet in length and three-feet in thickness, it managed to block the fireball, cracks forming all over it, yet it held firm. In the steamy aftermath, Byleth saw his attack had melted through a sizable chunk of the ice wall, but it'd held up against his attack. His analysis was cut short as he watched the cracks spread, the wall breaking apart. The shattered pieces of ice quickly reshaped themselves into dozens of sharpened icicles. All of them levitated at the ready, awaiting their creator's call.

"Ready?" Rémy called, practically echoing Byleth's earlier words.

His hands came together creating a singular fireball. It illuminated his face as he gave his sparring partner a firm nod. The collection of icicles came soaring at him a second later. Byleth immediately poured more of his mana into the fireball, causing it to grow. Once it reached the optimal size, he held it up in front of him. He didn't need to see the icicles vaporize on contact; he heard them. The familiar sound of ice melting into steam was one he'd grown used to, especially over the last five minutes. Based on the amount of steam rising from his offense-turned-defense, all the icicles had been launched. Byleth watched the fast blur moving to his left-that's where he launched his fireball.

Again, a wall of ice appeared out of nowhere, this one six-feet tall. It cracked and melted, but held firm. For the next five seconds. It vanished as Byleth launched two more fireballs, smaller in size but their speed allowed him to hit the icy shield and obliterate it in seconds. In the fiery aftermath, Rémy stood firm, undeterred. The redhead smiled in respect at Byleth amidst the rolling columns of fire and steam.

"You've got some pretty solid defense, and you're pretty speedy." Byleth called.

"Thanks. I prefer getting out of the way, but a good hard defense never hurts." The redheaded knight explained. "Since we're talking about defense…how do you feel about trying your hand at it? And I mean actual defense magic, not to say that your improvised fireball shield wasn't praise worthy."

"Thanks." Byleth responded before looking down at his hands. Conjuring a fireball was easy, straight forward, offensive magic came easily to him. Now he had to see if defensive magic would as well. The image of a shield was easy to imagine, the struggle came with shaping his magically generated flames into that. His brow narrowed in focus as that task took all of his attention. This is what training is for. Had this been a live battle, Byleth would have been under pressure to get the shield to manifest. As incentivizing as fly-or-die situations could have been, practice fields existed for a reason. Now tasked with teaching students, he knew that better than ever.

"The spell that I used was Glacial Shield. Elemental variants of it exist, and even all those developed from the singular Scutum spell." Rémy explained. "Picture a shiiii…never mind." He finished with a chuckle.

Directly in front of him swirled a mass of flames, a circular shield of orange and yellow flames that were just as hot as the fireballs he'd previously launched. "Rémy!" Byleth shouted. Both his hands were held out, without them he feared that the shield would falter. I'm still a long way from being able to do this one-handedly, or with no hands at all. If he had a physical medium like a staff or even an actual shield, Byleth knew this would be easier. That said, he thought that this was perhaps for the best. Learning how to operate on his own would help him for when he gained hold of a medium. Byleth was all but certain that medium was going to be a shield. His current one held up well against the barrage of icicles and ice balls that Rémy launched at him.

"Here comes a big one!" Shouted the redheaded Trickster. Behind his shield, Byleth felt the massing of mana, and by extension cold air. Moving his shield to the side, Byleth saw Rémy's weapon of choice was a giant ice ball. A direct hit would have him on his back and probably nursing a couple of broken bones.

Blocking it felt like stopping a rolling log-it took some effort, but far from the toughest thing he'd ever done. Once more, a column of steam shot upward, the hiss being the death cry of the ice ball. Byleth didn't let it distract him. He saw how Rémy moved in behind him, his ice magic taking shape for another attack. Knowing that another attack was coming, Byleth decided that he'd had enough of defense. The shape of a transformed into a spear, and that's the shape that his fire shield took. His hands gripped the flaming shaft of the spear, which he hurled with all his usual force.

"Gah! You're a little too good at that!" Rémy yelled as he jumped away. All it took was a single look to tell that blocking the spear wouldn't be a good idea. The sizable crater formed after the spear's impact furthered that theory.

Byleth held out his hand again, once more shaping the flames into a more detailed shape. "I am a warrior first, Rémy."

"Yes, thanks for the reminder. Now then, I feel like I must remind you that so too am I." Just like him, he shaped his element into a shape, in his case, a pair of short swords. Remembering how he'd been dressed the first time they'd met, Byleth guessed that those were his weapon of choice. It suited him.

Byleth kicked off the ground, the six-foot spear moving as a flaming blur that collided with the icy blades formed by Rémy. The ice didn't give out, nor did his flaming spear; both weapons had an equal amount of mana fueling them. After a brief break away, the elemental weapons were clashing against each other, releasing bursts of steam at every interaction. Not a droplet of water touched the grass, which alternated between hot and cold with every swing of the weapons. Those swings were little more than colored blurs, bright orange and whitish-blue.

KER-WHOOSH!

Rémy's eyes were wide with alarm as he felt the rest of his ice swords crumble from their melted tips. Byleth's eyes were calm, and really, they had every reason to be. The advantage was, something both he and Rémy knew, but the latter wasn't totally helpless. His eyes glowed with the same icy blue as his hands and ice had. Behind his stoic exterior, Byleth's sense of surprise rung like a bell. He sensed it, that unique mystical power-the same one that he'd used to track down Bernadetta when she went missing. Tendrils of arctic wind whipped around him as the glow extended to the rest of his body. It was the calm before the explosion.

The cold burst was intense, like a lone howl of winter in the throes of spring. Byleth's quick evasion put him on the outer rim of it. Though he'd managed to avoid getting caught in the flash freeze, he could still feel the chill on his arms. He was certain if he took the time to examine them, he'd find a miniscule amount of frost on them. It was nothing compared to the arctic wasteland that was the immediate area around Rémy. His bright red hair sharply contrasted to the whitish-blue ice around him. The air around him tinged with shards of ice, all of Byleth was certain were eventually going to be directed at him.

Simultaneous to him shooting his hands out, the cold wind accumulated, almost sounding like a human's voice-a very angry voice at that. "Boreas Bellow!" he shouted, launching the cold air at Byleth. Just as his strongest attack had scorched the ground, this one froze it as it sped toward him.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." He whispered, throwing his arms out and conjuring up another shield of fire. The pushback was greater than before, but nothing that he couldn't handle. Even as the wind grew stronger. Byleth pumped more of his mana into the shield, causing the flames to grow hotter, they had to in order to repel the beyond sub-zero air being blasted at him.

"Since you've proven yourself, we'll be kicking it up a notch, Byleth!" Rémy shouted. He immediately put his money where his mouth was, intensifying the arctic gale that Byleth was holding off.

Despite the searing heat of his fire shield, Byleth could feel stinging needles of coldness beginning to gnaw at his hands. Around the edges he saw some parts of his shield beginning to shrink. Knowing what he had to do, he once again pumped more mana into his shield, causing the shrinking to reverse. Rémy responded in kind, leading to the greatest and loudest rise of steam. With both men now putting in noticeable effort, the clash was growing more intense. On Byleth's side, the temperature sharply rose while on Rémy's, it was the opposite. Still, both sides were evidentially at a stalemate, albeit how long it would last was anyone's guess.

If I can close the distance, I'll be able to take him down. Byleth immediately thought, only to mentally shake his head in annoyance. Urgh, this is magic training, so I've got to at least add some sorcery into this. I could use another Fire Spartan spell, but… His eyes subconsciously drifted to his hands-his fingers curled in concentration as he maintained the Flame Shield spell. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, an idea born from several memories. Behind his flame shield, Byleth gave a faint smile.

Oh, whatever do you have planned to break this stalemate? Sothis questioned. Her spectral eyes widened as she felt the surge of magical power flowing through her host.

Rather than verbally answer her, Byleth simply let his actions speak for him. With a huff of concentration, a magical circle appeared amidst his fire shield. In the center burned a red flame-like symbol. From it surged power anew, giving his barrier greater might, enough to stand against the northern wind beating up against it. With that in mind, Byleth started to run, his right arm sliding back as he poured magical energy into it. That energy transformed into roaring flames, just as hot as his shield. Once he felt like he'd closed the distance enough, he shot his fist forward, not saying a sound. The giant-sized, flaming fist roared more than loud enough for him.

His fist shot through the magical circle, and from it came the enlarged duplicate, smashing and burning through the ground like a magma boulder. Ashes and smoke rose as the attack continued to plow through the earth, though there were no signs of a severely burnt or mangled knight to be found. Byleth saw him moving to his left, a set of icy knives held in-between his fingers.

Rémy's smirk changed into a grown of shock as the distance between him and Byleth shrunk. Even worse, the latter's hands-his fists-were on fire.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"Dammit all, how can you be faster with your fists!" Shouted the redhead as he found himself totally on the defensive, hectically dodging Byleth's punches. His cheeks were singed by the roaring flames that covered the former mercenary's fists.

"Remember," Byleth said between his punches. "I am a fighter first." Each word seemed to be punctuated by at least four punches. While Rémy dodged each one, he could feel the heat of them growing closer and closer against his skin. "You're a fighter too, aren't you, Rémy?"

THUNK!

Steam roared from the two hands, one filled with ice while the other was engulfed in fire. The latter roared as it attempted to power through the former. Knowing he couldn't hold out for long, Rémy jumped back, shaking his right hand in visible discomfort. Byleth didn't allow him any time to recover as he immediately lunged forward, unleashing a new barrage of flame-enhanced punches on his opponent. Out of reflex, Rémy raised his arms up to block the punches. Each one released a thunderous crack loud enough to dent metal, and a burst of steam that faded as quickly as it was created. Thanks to the speed at which the two were fighting at, that ultimately didn't matter.

WHOOSH!

Rémy's eyes widened as he felt the searing kiss of fire against his left cheek. Pure impulse took over leading his entire body to glow with the same cyan-colored radiance it had earlier. Mana amassed within his hands in such quality that they actually turned blue, becoming coated in layers of ice. He held them up, ready for the next onslaught of punches from the blue-haired man that had surprised him.

And surprised him again when he vanished from sight.

His eyes going even wider, he spun around, the ice around his fingers solidifying into claws. All they managed to cut though was air as they stopped mid-rotation. When it moved again, the redhead's body was flying in the opposite direction, a loud groan passing from his lips as he skidded across the grass. His left cheek hurt, both from the impact of a right hook and the burn of excessive heat. While it wasn't to the degree of a first-degree burn, the sudden exposure to heat threw him for a further loop. It was a short-lived one, as he literally jumped back to his feet. He did so just in time as Byleth was coming back at him, his fists still coated in raging fire. Rather than retreat in fear or silently bulk at it, Rémy decided that it was high time that he stood his ground.

Just as Byleth's fist was coated in fire, his left fist became coated in ice, releasing a cold blue aura as it was reared back. It shot forward simultaneous to Byleth's, Fire and ice collided once again, this time with more force than before. Both boys gritted as they attempted to overpower each other, their respective elements exemplifying that. The ground burned and froze, tendrils of polarizing air whipping at the sky.

Rémy's brow was furrowed while Byleth's was only slightly so. Even though he was trying, it was hard to tell just how hard he was trying, especially in comparison to his sparring opponent. The calmness remained for another second before it was replaced by a more serious frown. There were no words from the former mercenary, only a slight hardening of his face and a grunt as he pushed forward. The fire surrounding his hand tripled in size, practically engulfing his entire arm. It was more than enough to overpower the Trickster, who found himself caught off-guard by the sudden force. He was thrown back, skidding across the ground with his left hand ablaze. Knowing that his moment was now, Byleth slammed his fist into the ground, channeling the flames he'd manipulated into them.

As he had before, Rémy recovered quickly, pushing himself off the ground with his hands. In the spot where he once lay, flames converged into a ten-foot-high explosion. The flames had only seconds to rage as not a moment later they were completely snuffed out by another gale of icy air. It sped toward Byleth, stopping as it collided with his flaming right fist. The projectile attack kept on going until it slammed into a far away tree, sending it and those around it ablaze. The next several were all launched skyward, where Rémy hovered with a defensive ice barrier shielding him. Eventually, he mimicked the former mercenary in turning his shield into a magic circle, from which was launched an elemental punch of giant proportions. Seeing it, Byleth countered with one of his own.

The dualistic clash yielded an explosion that swept across the clearing, rattling the trees and bushes. Had the clash been more intense, they'd have caught fire or turned to ice as patches of the ground had from the men's previous exchanges. As they reeled their adjacent fists back, the possibility of that happening skyrocketed.

"Excellent! Don't hold back, either of you! Keep on going!"

As if by the command of the goddess herself, that possibility instead plummeted to the ground. Which Rémy nearly did, losing his balance on the sole ice platform he'd created to keep himself in the air.

"W-W-What?! A-Amira! H-Huh? Hey, Rhona, stop, I'm just fine!"

Quietly noting they had spectators, Byleth watched a burst of ice shoot forth, then up. It quickly connected with Rémy's platform and caused it to grow. No longer was he had risk of falling, but apparently his pride had taken a blow. Lowering his fists, Byleth followed the ice trail over to the sidelines. While he recognized Amira, he was surprised to find another person beside her. Even more striking was how closely her appearance mirrored Rémy's.

First and foremost, her bright red hair was much longer than his, stretching all the way down to her waist. She possessed two sets of bangs, the larger ones reaching down to her shoulders while the shorter set curled against her cheeks. Their brushing against her flawless skin gave her a dignified yet eye-catching appearance. Byleth would have also thrown in cute since she was smiling in good humor at Rémy. There was a twinkle in her similarly blue-colored eyes which stared back at him. It was just a hunch, but he guessed that the softness on her face was particularly reserved for friends and close associates, which Rémy undoubtedly was. He was family to this woman, likely a younger brother. To his surprise, that expression remained as she looked to him. She recognized that this was their first meeting and thus gave him a genuine, courteous smile.

Her clothing was casual, a simple navy blue tunic with white sleeves. She hadn't intended to be doing much on the weekend. Perhaps that included watching him and Rémy sparring with each other. In the bright morning sun, his eyes zeroed in on the shimmering necklace she wore. Even from such a distance, Byleth could make out the shape of the necklace she wore-the Crest of Seiros held on a leather string that looped around her neck. Coupled with her near flawless skin…she was indeed quite a beautiful woman.

Smitten, are we? Sothis coyly remarked.

I can acknowledge a beautiful woman without gawking at her. She's hardly the first one I've encountered. Byleth shot back. His focus moved from the redhead to the more familiar face. Amira caught his gaze and gave him a sheepish smile. "I suppose you rather enjoyed our sparring match so far? Did we give you anything to draw?"

"Plenty!" She shouted, not missing a beat at all. "Especially that final clash! Sorry, I just couldn't control myself! The only thing that would have made it better would be if it were Jaris you were fighting! Heh, no offense, Rémy."

Having climbed down from the icy pillar, the Trickster wagged his hands. "None taken, partially because I agree with you. For a minute there, Jaris is who I felt I was fighting. You throw punches pretty much as fast and as powerful as him, and you weren't even giving it your all."

He remembered the name, and the face. "He's a good brawler too?"

"One of the best in the knighthood. I'm sure if you're looking for a hand-to-hand sparring match, he'd give you more than a run for your money." The feminine redhead spoke. With her words, Byleth turned to her, giving her his full attention. Giving him a courteous smile and a slight bow, she confirmed his suspicions. "Rhona Margot Dynes, Rémy's older sister. Thank you for allowing my brother to spar with you."

"And not breaking his jaw." Amira added with a grin.

"Wow, I try to have a nice, sparring session with a newcomer and potential friend, only for this to happen." Rémy grumbled. "Even worse, you're at it again, Rhona! I was perfectly capable of landing on my own! I've pulled off much riskier landings!"

"True, but I suppose the older sister in me just couldn't help it. Even though this was just a sparring match, you were up against quite a tough opponent." Rhona defended with an apologetic smile.

Rémy gave his sister a frown, yet relented as he looked back to Byleth. "I'm no slouch in unarmed combat, but you, Byleth…"

"It's a…specialty of mine you can say. Besides swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat was my other passion, or shall I say is." Byleth remarked. "Feels counterproductive since this was supposed to be magic training."

"From what we witnessed it was. You certainly showed a great deal of proficiency in fire magic." Amira replied with a beaming smile. "Not to mention you mixed up magic with physical combat extremely well-you were practically a warrior mage out there! Say, how good are you with axes? Oh, and have you been keeping up with your faith magic?"

"You have the makings of a War Monk in you." Rhona clarified. "Hmm, I remember hearing that there was no weapon that you couldn't master, and that you were pretty good with an axe. Is that true?"

Byleth shrugged. "Yes, I've trained extensively with many types of physical weapons. While I wouldn't exactly say the axe is my favorite, I'm sufficient with it."

"It's always chilling to hear someone say they're better at fighting with their fists than they are with a weapon." Rémy remarked.

"You can do a lot more with your hands." Byleth immediately responded. The three Seiros Knights looked at him with varying levels of interest. None of them doubted his words, and they were all likely picturing exactly what that "more" looked like. He saw the brief but noticeable looks of dread on their faces, especially Rémy. "Regarding what you said, Rhona, I'd much prefer to stick to swordplay."

"Ah, a Crusader then. In addition to Jaris, you'd definitely love sparring with Catherine-"

"Sir Ophir." He immediately interjected. "I'm sorry, it's just…after seeing his match against my father, I'm eager to face him myself."

"Hahaha! I had a feeling you'd say that! Call it a hunch, but you strike me as the type of person who won't be satisfied until you've crossed blades with every noticeable swordsman in the order." Leaning toward him, her grin deepened. "That's what you've thought up, haven't you?"

He didn't look away from her gaze. It helped that she wasn't accusing him of anything either. "Amira, you're…not exactly wrong. I'm sorry, it's just-"

"You're a fighter, or more accurately, a swordsman. You have nothing to apologize for, Byleth. If you stay around Garreg Mach long enough, I suspect that you'll eventually get your wish. Our best swordsmen and women are themselves challenge seekers like you." Rhona offered. "If I remember right, you've been to Remire Village a couple of times, correct?" At his nod, she gave him a good-natured smile. "I do believe that they're holding the Steel Gladiolus Cup this year. On top of that, in Faerghus we have the-"

"White Steel Cup." He paused, slightly bowing his head and thus earning a short laugh from the other three knights. "Sorry, but I know of it."

"And you've wanted to participate in it, haven't you?" Rhona inferred. Her smile and playful tone might have been enough to make lesser men blush. "You'll have your opportunities then."

"Yes, I will." Even Byleth could hear the slight excitement in his voice. At least he didn't have to hide certain thoughts of his, or be judged on account of them.

"Alright, alright, enough talking about swords. We came here for magical training, remember!" Shouted the younger of the Dynes siblings.

"Not to be rude, but to give Byleth a proper magical education, maybe it's time we changed things up." Amira offered.

"We?" Rémy questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, we are here and we plan on staying for a while. Besides, we want to help out Byleth too, don't we, Rhona?"

"How powerful sorceress are you?" Byleth immediately questioned.

"She's undoubtedly the strongest person here. To be able to spar with you, that's a great honor, another which you've been bestowed, Byleth Eisner."

Amira, Rhona, and Rémy all acted simultaneously. Based on their reactions, Byleth felt inclined to follow their lead, but he made the split-second decision to wait it out. Unlike them, he didn't know who the voice belonged to, but based on how all three of them had their magic at the ready, it most likely wasn't someone friendly. That said, he detected a hint of genuine admiration in the stranger's voice when they described Rhona. All that came together into him going on guard, but not raising an arm up as he looked to his far right. His eyes narrowed as the air shimmered, much like a mirage. The mirage fell away to reveal the truth-a man.

He couldn't have been any older than he or Rémy, being in his early twenties at best. His jet-black hair sharply contrasted the varying colors of the rest of the group. In particular, his cool bronze brown eyes only briefly focused on Byleth; they served to the cold blue of Rhona. Looking at her, Byleth noted how the kind demeanor she'd had toward him had changed, like snow transforming into ice. The mysterious man was undeterred though, continuing to smile at them. Both of his arms were raised in a show of friendlessness as the three professional knights kept their hands trained on him. For all the arrogance he exuded, he was definitely able to read the mood, and likely his odds.

"And you would be?" Byleth finally said, his words doing little to break up the tension.

Just as the man opened his mouth to speak, Rémy beat him to the punch. "Arlenn Gourlay, a mage of the Northern Church."

"Heh, you know, Rémy, I would have liked to been able to introduce myself. I know that Sebastian didn't give off the best first impression of us of the northern sect." The now identified mage rather casually remarked.

"I'd say that's an understatement." Amira sniped. "If you came here for revenge then-"

"Amira, you know that I try to stay out of Sebastian's squabbles." Some of the casualness was lost. From what Byleth could detect, this man was being honest. Still, learning he was from the Northern Church sent up several red flags regarding him. The man called Arlenn looked straight at him, slightly bowing his head. "I swear on the Goddess, I did not come here to do you any harm."

Like many faiths, it was a sin to take the name of one's deity in vain. Byleth inwardly looked to the deity in question for confirmation.

Sothis had manifested beside him, a similarly stern and analytical look on her face. Having seen his memories of Sebastian, she too was wary of anyone from the Northern Church, even if they were her followers as well. Given their views, the green-haired girl would have liked to have had a word with them and how they'd supposed interpreted her word.

I believe he's telling the truth. She stated.

"He's being honest. Rémy, Amira." Rhona didn't know it, but she'd just confirmed her patron deity's words. Her words though, were what caused her younger brother and colleague to relent. Like her, they lowered their arms, the magical glow of their would-be attacks fading. That said, their expressions remained serious. "Why are you here though? I highly doubt you came to apologize on behalf of Sebastian."

"If I were, would you believe me, or accept it?" Arlenn questioned looking right at Byleth.

"Let me counter that with this, do you share the same beliefs as him?" The short hesitation that followed was answer enough. "I see, then I'd ask that you save it. If you're here to watch me, fine. But should you interfere with my training or strike at anyone here, you'll regret it."

His calm smirk fell, as did his hands. "I believe you." He said with flat calmness, showing that he really did believe him.

With that matter settled, Byleth turned to look at Rhona, and Rémy. The latter heaved out a somewhat comedic sigh.

"Between the two of us, you'll probably get a better workout with my sister. She is a certified archmage after all." The male sibling admitted.

"Not to mention division captain who's lauded as potentially the strongest sorceress in the Seiros Knighthood." Arlenn chimed, an amused smile returning to his face.

Byleth's eyebrow rose as he looked to the older sibling. She shot a somewhat annoyed glare at Arlenn. For his part, he gave a chuckling shrug. Meanwhile, Amira giggled into her hand.

"Oh, come on, Rhona, he was going to find out eventually." The blonde offered.

"Yes, just as he'd eventually find out that apparently, he's been quite friendly with two of the five division captains." Arlenn quipped. "Not to mention two of the best wielders of magic at that. If anything, I'd say you're either extraordinarily lucky, or the goddess has taken a shine to you, Byleth Eisner."

For the briefest of seconds, Byleth's eyes drifted to his left, where said goddess floated. Sothis gave a nonchalant shrug, leaving him to look back to Rhona. She nodded in acceptance of his unspoken request.

A moment later and the two were standing several meters across from each other. The wind blew, gently causing her bright red hair to sway. Even dressed in a skirt and sleeveless blouse, Rhona gave off an aura of dignity and refinement. As magical energy surged into her hands giving them a cyan-colored glow, the aura of might she possessed became greater. It became so great that Byleth could feel the cold shiver running across his body. In a moment, he knew without a doubt that Rhona was stronger than her brother, how strong though, he was about to find out.

Suddenly, the hairs across his body stood up on end. Acting on that sudden feeling, Byleth threw up his hands, crafting a shield of swirling fire before him. His arms twitched as he felt multiple objects hit the shield. A second later and he felt a cold breeze, and then his fire shield froze into a solid disk. Wide-eyed, Byleth chose to flee rather than try to revive it. In jumping to his right, he saw Rhona throw up his left arm, sending forth a wave of ice spikes toward him. Flames danced in his right palm, then shot forward as he thrusted his arm forward. The fire incinerated the approaching spikes, leaving a scorched path on the ground. In the fire's aftermath, he looked back at where Rhona was. She hadn't moved from her spot; Byleth had a feeling that she hadn't felt a need to. It was atypical of mages, especially those who knew they had the advantage.

Her hands came together, a blue magic circle akin to his appearing in front of her. Unlike his though, the design was themed around ice, right down to have a snowflake-like crest in the center. It flashed bright like a star in the night sky as Rhona's voice shook the clearing. "Boreas Leo!"

The echo of her voice was overcome by the booming roar of the beast that sprung from the magic circle. It flew at him like an arrow despite its size and weight. Realizing there wasn't any time to dodge, Byleth decided to make a stand, coating his hands in fire.

"Gaaah!" He grunted, feeling his feet sliding backward as he attempted to hold back the ice lion bearing down on him. Its front paws gripped his hands, the icy energy in them warring with the fire in his, and its strength against his. Yep, just as heavy as a real lion! And as strong, no, maybe even stronger! Byleth thought in alarm as he struggled to overpower the ice beast. "Not…too bad."

"Feel honored, even though that Boreas Leo isn't at full power!" Arlenn shouted from the sideline.

It seems like he certainly has a favorite to root for in this scuffle. Sothis remarked with a touch of annoyance. She looked back to Byleth, Well? Is this your limit, Byleth? Will this paltry construct be the end of you?

The beast growled at him, releasing a cloud of icy fog directly into Byleth's face. "Watch me." His frown deepened and the flames in his hands magnified. With a roar, he took a step forward, pushing the lion back, but only for a few seconds. What came after was a blast of fire from his hands, the two separate beams from his palms merging into one that completely consumed the ice lion.

"Impressive! Vaporizing that entire construct was no small feat!" Came Rhona's somewhat upbeat voice.

Silently, Byleth spun to his left, unleashing more fireballs. He'd pinpointed her voice and felt the pulse of her life force.

Each of his fireballs found a target, but it wasn't enough to slow said targets down. Byleth was temporarily surprised at the fortitude of the ice clones closing in on him. Even if their crystalline hide glowed orange, they didn't break.

"You'll have to try harder! Trust me!" Arlenn shouted again.

"Yeah, Rhona's constructs can be tougher than steel when she puts some effort into them!" Amira seconded.

The first ice clone was fast approaching him with a sword that he had no doubt would cut deep into his flesh if he let it. As for him, if he wanted to break it, he was going to need to put in some effort himself.

CRA-ACK! CRA-ACK! CRA-ACK! CRA-ACK!

One by one, the ice clones hit the ground, their shattered remains turning into melted puddles. Byleth wordlessly pressed onward, swinging his flaming fists at each duplicate. They shattered beneath his strength and melted under the intensity of his flames. He kept his sights on Rhona, who merely raised an eyebrow in amazement as he tore through her duplicates. As Arlenn had said, he needed to try harder, and that's what he'd done. In turn, she was going to have to try harder if she hoped to put a stop to him.

Like him, she did exactly that.

Stretching out her right hand, it flashed with bright blue light. What came out wasn't a blast of arctic air or a simple barrage of icicles, it was a massive, boulder of ice that shot toward Byleth like an arrow. Its hulking twenty-five-foot diameter dwarfed Byleth's own size. He heard the startled and even slightly panic-stricken cries of the spectators. He pressed on, undeterred.

Quite the confident one, aren't you? Time slowed to a crawl for Byleth as the miniature iceberg barreled toward him. If you're not strong enough, this chunk of ice will crush you like an insect.

Wouldn't be any different than before. The fact that I'm still standing here should you tell you how those previous encounters turned out, Sothis.

The goddess looked at the blue-haired man, yet he didn't look at her. Not once had he, his focus was entirely on the approaching attack. The dedication on his face, the determination in his eyes, Sothis could see it all from up close. She saw more of the human whose fate was apparently tied to hers. A smile graced her face as she decided that her of all the mortals she could have ended up with, Byleth Eisner was perhaps one of the best.

In accordance with his unwavering determination, the flames in both his arms exploded into prominence. He threw his left arm forward, plowing it straight into the glacial mass. First, it melted, the stronger-than-steel ice bending inward before it collided with Byleth's fist. On impact with his fist, cracks spread throughout the rest of the iceberg, multiplying into hundreds in under a second. With those two things, Byleth pushed forward, plowing through the icy projectile in its entirety. He looked through the flames and melting debris into the still-focused eyes of his opponent. She hadn't moved from her spot, even as her big attack had been defeated.

Small as it was, she gave him a respectful smile. The intent was clear-she hadn't been expecting him to beat that attack, but she was impressed that he had. On top of that…she wasn't finished yet.

Her right arm rose, silvery-blue light flashing in the palm of her hand. Appearing before her hand was another magic circle, and from it manifested a hexagonal shield of ice. It glistened against the glow of his flames. The shield was the immovable force to the unstoppable force that was his fist.

The two forces collided, fire and ice bellowing out in all directions with more intensity than before. It blinded the onlookers, even from several meter distance that they were at. Amira and Arlenn shuddered beneath the clashing heat and cold, while Rémy merely guarded against the heat. He watched with wide-eyes, knowing that fire of this intensity was strong enough to melt the enchanted ice that he and his sister commanded. That fact was also known by Amira and Arlenn, the former shielding her sketchpad as not to have it destroyed. Through their shielding, they all managed to look back at the clash. They saw how not just the ground was being marked by the struggle, so too was the sky. Flames shot upward while flakes of ice did the same, both still in competition with each other.

Dual beams of red and blue reached dozens of meters upward, becoming visible for miles as the gale force winds ripped through the forests. The contrasting light show continued until one force finally overpowered the other.

---

"I always had a feeling that I would find you here."

The words were flat and cold. Still, they failed to yield a reaction from the imprisoned knight. In a sense, the cold disdain he'd showed the day before was still there, albeit greatly toned down. He simply looked at the man behind the bars with equally cold and judgmental eyes.

"Tell me then, Capri, did you ever see yourself playing the role of my executioner? Would you at least give me the honor of death by combat?"

Capri's eyes narrowed in further disgust at the request. "You speak of an honorable death when you turned your ire toward children? What, pray tell, would you lead you to believe that I'd grant you that privilege? Better yet, what makes you think that the Archbishop would grant you such a thing?"

"Because I'd have carried out my duty to my late king, and I'd at least like to see my ancestors with my head held high." Shot back the swordsman.

Capri wasn't sure which excuse he'd hated more-the one Sebastian had just given him or him potentially hiding behind his family name. That said, the latter wasn't something that he did often; however, that wasn't saying he didn't do it at all. The Eccles Family was undoubtedly one of Faerghus' wealthiest, and it was one of the wealthiest backers of the Church of Seiros. It was thanks to his familial heritage that Sebastian was sitting here in a cell, having received little more than a tongue lashing and permanent barring from Garreg Mach instead of something more severe. The more he thought about it, the more his blood boiled. It especially did so as he glared back at the imprisoned Holy Knight. The rather light punishment he'd received hadn't changed him one bit, and really, why would it?

He's too dangerous to…no. No. If he steps over that line, I will be the one to do it. It took two deep breaths for him to get himself under control. Even still, laying eyes on Sebastian further tested his restraint. The same defiant will he'd used to argue with the Lady Rhea was still there, and it was staring him down, near challenging him. Thinking about his earlier words, Capri wondered if Sebastian was just eager to have a battle with him. He was the strongest of the Western Church's forces, and he was the strongest of the Central Church, it was inevitable that speculation ran wild over who between them was the strongest. Namely, which one of them would be the better enforcer of the Goddess' will.

If push came to shove, Capri was more than willing to assert himself as the one. But not today, not now.

"I will be the one to escort you back to De Goth." He finally said.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're going to escort me all the way back to De Goth yourself?"

"If you're going to act like an unruly child, then you shall be treated as one. If you wish to take some time off to repent, I'll be more than willing to wait up on you." Capri sharply responded.

The auburn-haired man shook his head. "An interesting proposition, but I've done nothing to warrant such actions."

"Lady Rhea begs to differ." Capri retorted. His eyes narrowed even more as he quietly shot a thin arrow of malice at the imprisoned knight. "Go right ahead, Sebastian. Give me a reason."

His silent hostility flooded the hallway, sending even the rats into a panicked retreat. While Sebastian was no rat, he felt the sheer intensity of the malice; quite well since he was the target of it. Still, to his credit, he refused to backdown, even as his arms were shackled. For all his faults, no one could ever accuse Sebastian Eccles of being a coward.

Composing himself, Sebastian seemingly reconsidered his choice of words. That, but not his intentions. "I…respectfully disagree with her on several matters, as I know that you do as well."

"While that may be true, there's a clearly a line between the two of us, Sebastian." Capri retorted.

"Yes, there is." The Faerghus-borne knight accepted. "I retain my will to act in the face of the heresy."

The bribe bounced off his stony exterior. "I can assure you, Sebastian, my will to act in the face of heresy remains as strong as ever." His aura flared, the celestial light filling the hallway, and heating it up to a considerable extent. "I'd advise you to watch your step, least you find out how strong it truly is." Sweat began to collect on Sebastian's brow despite his fortitude. Capri let that go on for several more minutes, silently remarking how strong his fellow knight remained beneath his ire. Slowly, he quelled his energy, bringing the dungeon hall back to an eerie calm. "You lot of the Western Church will be released in one hour."

"And you intend to escort us all the way back to De Goth Cathedral?"

"I did say that, didn't I?" Capri drily sniped. He knew that Sebastian suspected more. Tensions between the Central and Western Branches had been hot since the Tragedy of Duscur, and this incident had no doubt thrown more fuel onto the fire. There was no way that Sebastian, or any other member of the western entourage, were going to see his presence as anything but suspicious. There's nothing we can do about that. At the very least, everyone seems intent on holding off on open hostilities. How long that will last though…The blooming possibility was uprooted and crushed.

Capri turned his back to his imprisoned counterpart. There was nothing more left to say between them, at least now. That's what he believed, but three steps out, Sebastian revealed he had other ideas.

"Why? Why did you step aside for an outsider like Jeralt Eisner?" he called out.

Despite his common sense telling him to keep on walking, Capri stopped. "Isn't that obvious? Lady Rhea asked me to, and I stepped aside for a more qualified person."

"Do you really believe that, Capri?" Sebastian pressed. "That man's just a mercenary."

"He was the former Head Captain." The Bow Knight patiently retorted.

"Who abandoned the knighthood! Abandoned it to become a wondering sell sword! Fighting for nothing but money! You'd really step aside for such a man?! What, is this more of you misplaced guilt over Leva-"

"Sebastian!" He swiftly shouted. "I'm going to be frank with you. Do I have my doubts regarding Jeralt Eisner? Yes, I honestly do, but Lady Rhea trusts him. Lady Rhea, who looked to me to clean up my brother's mess. Lady Rhea, who I have faithfully served for sixteen years of my life made that decision. I won't pretend to know entirely why she did, but I trust her judgement. I trust that she asked me to step aside for a man who is just as capable, if not more so than I as Head Captain."

A heavy silence was left in the vacuum of his quiet but intense rebuke. Even the distant echoes from the other cell blocks seemed to fade away.

Capri knew he should have just left at that, but something told him that Sebastian wasn't finished. It would have been best for him to continue on his way, but he stayed. Maybe it was some sense of pride. Fueling it was the distant echo of his brother's voice, the very same brother who was currently in a situation somewhat akin to Sebastian's. By his hand.

No, it'd been Levanzo's own actions that had stranded him in his current lot.

"And what if she turns out to be wrong?" Finally shot the swordsman.

"…Then I will deal with the fallout, and press onward." He calmly responded while turning around half-way. "Sebastian, if you plan on testing Jeralt Eisner in such ways, know that my arrows will find you, as they have countless enemies before."

"Of that, I have no doubt." He spoke back, his own voice calm. "And you should also know that I will point my sword at the goddess' enemies as well."

The threat was clear, and Capri accepted it in the only way he could. "Noted." Finally, there was nothing more to be said. For now, at least. His footsteps became the only sound in his ears until he came upon the gates. He called out to the guard, who opened the door to let him pass. From there, it seemed like a short walk to the outside; the sunlight had never felt so good.

It felt like he'd spent hours talking to Sebastian in the darkness of the prison block when it'd only been a few minutes at best. A tense talk could make one lose track of time though, and make a little darkness feel downright oppressive. He supposed that made the late morning sunlight he was experiencing all the more enjoyable.

After several minutes of soaking up the sunlight, his mind turned back to business. "I wonder what Rémy's doing right about now." As he made his way back to the central building, he ran through the possibilities. In doing so, he remembered hearing some talk just the other day. Apparently, Rémy had been one of the first knights to meet with Byleth Eisner, Jeralt Eisner's son. While he'd met the father, he'd yet to meet the son, said to be every bit as skilled as the parent. He was also the current instructor for the Black Eagles. Capri hadn't quite decided on if he was sad that he hadn't chosen the Golden Deer to teach, then again he was aware that this year's crop of students were a…varied bunch.

That said, he was admittedly curious as to how the infamous Ashen Demon would have taken to handling an Almyran prince, especially one trying so hard to keep his cover up.

Many of the roads cutting through the Oghma Mountains were centuries old, actually a full millennium. Small settlements had existed in Renpet long before Garreg Mach Monastery had been built. After the latter's construction though, the number of roads through and around the mountains had increased. By the time construction of Fόdlan's Locket began, roads connecting Renpet to the three nations already existed, and had been in use for years.

Dourdan Road had been in use for centuries. It'd been built some ten years after the end of the War of the Eagle and the Lion. By then, the Holy Empire of Faerghus had been truly established as its own country. With it had came the setup of the Western Branch of the Church of Seiros. Construction of its headquarters, Du Goth Cathedral, had started not long after Dourdan Road's.

Like every knight of the Western Church, Sebastian had walked it many times. He'd been sixteen-years-old when he first treaded down its stone and dirt path. That was when he'd attended the Officers Academy as a member of the Blue Lions. He'd proudly walked the same path after one year of schooling, a proud graduate.

He was confident that his teenage self would have been aghast that he was walking that same path, now with an armed escort, and not in a good way. Then again, Sebastian would wager that his younger self would understand how such a thing came to be. The Garreg Mach Monastery that he'd so recently visited had declined so much from his school days. Even so, a part of him was truly saddened that he'd never be allowed to set foot back in Garreg Mach again. At least, not so long as Lady Rhea remained the Archbishop. Ultimately though, her removal from the position would bring more prosperous things than just the lifting of that ban. Those were the things that he had his eyes on.

Speaking of eyes, he felt another pair on him. Looking to his left, he addressed who they belonged to. "Arlenn, is there something you wish to say to me?"

The Dark Mage kept his eyes forward on the road. "Yes, actually. I'll go ahead and tell you that I spent the morning watching Byleth Eisner train alongside Rémy Dynes, and Rhona Dynes."

The first name hadn't caught his attention, but the second did. Sebastian's turquoise eyes looked away from the road to his fellow knight. "Rhona? Surely she was just there for her brother, though I have no idea why she'd entertain some sell sword."

"I'll be honest and admit that I thought the same, but he actually had Rémy on the defensive throughout their sparring session. When Rhona stepped forward, he managed to hold his own against her. His fire magic is rather impressive. He was able to destroy Rhona's constructs."

"Arlenn, was Rhona actually trying, or was she humoring the boy?"

"Heh, no. I was there, so I can tell you that she was actually trying, and so too was Byleth Eisner. He's a novice, but he's no doubt a natural at blending magic into physical combat. Watching him reminded me just a little bit of you."

Arlenn was one of the few who could withstand Sebastian's ire and not flinch from it. It was a trait of his that he was both irritated and amused by. Especially when he gave him that little chuckle and kept on walking, or riding in this case.

Turning away from him, the Blazing Knight refocused his gaze on the road ahead. It was going to be a three days' ride to the De Goth Cathedral at this rate. That was also counting on continued favorable weather. It'd undoubtedly change once they crossed over into Faerghus, albeit it wouldn't be too bad. Western Faerghus felt the embrace of spring more warmly than its eastern half. "I'll overlook that insult, Arlenn."

"You know, seeing him in action, I don't think you should take him so lightly. He parried your attacks, and I can tell you personally, you'd never know that you burned his hand just the other day."

"I'd attribute that to Garreg Mach's healing staff, and-"

"Sebastian." The change in Arlenn's voice was warranting his full attention. His face was serious, deadly serious. "You can downplay it all you'd like, but I tell you now, having witnessed it, Byleth Eisner is a powerful fighter. His martial skill is great, and at the rate he's going, it will receive quite a bolstering from magic. I watched him punch through one of Rhona's Hail Boulders, using just a single hand. Afterward, he used the other to cause a crack in her Glacies Scutum."

"…Only a crack?" Sebastian challenged.

Arlenn heaved out a sigh, quite surprising given his affection for Rhona. "Yes, only a crack. He failed to shatter it, but you know as well as I do that her Glacies Scutum isn't easy to damage. Its coldness can chill even your blaze."

He stared long and hard into his bronze-colored eyes. Though Arlenn may have been at times too lax for his tastes, the sorcerer was no liar, especially when it came to critical information such as this. As he'd said, Sebastian could have denied it as much as he'd liked, but if he said that Byleth Eisner showed promise…then he had to truly take it under advisement. "Very well, I'll…take that under consideration." His eyes swiftly darted from left to right, his senses expanding outward while turned up to their maximum. Seeing that they had a true moment alone, he whispered, "Do you believe he could be a threat in the future?"

The Dark Mage did the quick scan as him, with just as much subtly. "I believe there to be a possibility of it. He already has a negative opinion of us, and especially of you."

"That matters little to me. What does is if he will prove an obstacle to us."

"Well, from what I hear, he was more than willing to stand up to you for the sake of a bunch of Duscur orphans. This morning, I can tell you he seemed quite at peace with the Dynes siblings and Amira. While I can't say I was able to get a full read on him, I could tell that he's forming some attachments to the residents of Garreg Mach. If they're put in harm's way, I believe he will turn his blade on whoever threatens them-in other words, us."

"Then he is just another enemy to be cut down. With his moniker being that of a 'demon' it'd be fitting end for him." Sebastian remarked with all the casualness of a man describing the weather.

Arlenn looked to the side and chuckled. "Well, he's learning the art of fire magic well, suppose that adds to the dynamic, doesn't it?" Sebastian gave no verbal response, albeit he did slightly nod his head. It was indeed fitting for one who called himself a demon to learn to wield fire, more so when the nickname in question also referred to ashes. "He has courage, no doubt about that. To make such a brazen challenge to you, perhaps you've finally found a worthwhile rival."

With a dismissive grunt, Sebastian urged his horse onward. It did little to stop the amused laughter of the mage to his left. Even with this latest development he found it doubtful Arlenn would attend the Gladiolus Cup. He was a dedicated sorcerer with little care for physical combat. He was sure that the only reason he'd chosen to spy on Byleth Eisner's training was because it was magic focused, and the possibility of running into Rhona Dynes. Should she ever participate in a magical tournament or a magician's duel, then Arlenn would surely be there, cheering for her. Sebastian required no such support, even if he did appreciate it.

He pushed the image of the blue-haired professor to the back of his mind as he continued to ride along. There were bigger things for him to focus on besides some mysterious mercenary-turned-teacher. Even if he did have some supposed potential. How much he had, Sebastian was confident that it wouldn't be enough to amount to anything. Especially if he chose to stand on the side of injustice and heresy when the inevitable storm finally descended upon Fόdlan.

Alternatively, based on Arlenn's words, it was more like when he chose to stand on the wrong side.

Mercenaries. He thought with a shake of his head, finally pushing Byleth Eisner's vestige to the farthest corner of his mind. It'd return one day, he guessed when they at last crossed swords, and he showed him how wide the difference there was between a demon and a holy knight like him.

---

"Rhea, if I may, I will go."

She wasn't at all surprised that Seteth volunteered for the most pressing issue on their current agenda. To be quite honest, this sort of dilemma was the sort that her right hand was expected to do. Not only was he the chief supervisor of the Officers' Academy, he was still her official second-in-command, the vice-Archbishop if one would.

Rhea looked back at the letter and accompanying documents that had arrived from the Empire's Ministry of Religion. For the last two centuries, it'd been the substitute for the Southern Branch. Regular correspondence with it had became the norm, just as it had with the Western and Eastern Branches, albeit the former had proven…strained over the last several years. After the events of yesterday afternoon, that strain was no doubt going to magnify. Rhea wasn't going to hold her breath on things cooling any time soon. Regarding the Imperial Ministry though, she supposed there was hope, which had arrived in the form of these letters.

Placing a hand to her chin, she sat on what to do. The move, as well as her prolonged silence, drew the attention of her brother. "You're considering someone else, I take it?"

She met his eye, a slightly apologetic smile forming across her face. "I am, and I believe that you can guess as to who."

He could and he did. "Honestly…I'd prefer to go myself since we are talking about artifacts that haven't been seen in centuries. The reclamation of such things should be left in the hands of a Church official. If not that then at least a senior knight."

Seteth paused, letting his words sink in, as well as giving Rhea a moment to sigh in relief. Without directly saying it, he was conceding to her request, albeit he was also tacking on a condition. That condition was a chaperon. Rhea had no disagreements there. Not only was this matter serious, it was still official Church business, and a seasoned representative. She'd have to look at a list of those free for the coming week. Already a handful of names came to her mind.

"Then I'm glad we're on the same page. I don't expect this mission will take a week, but then again..." She trailed off.

"Provided we send the right people, it can be done with by Wednesday at the latest." Seteth affirmed. "Saint Macuil's day is coming up, and I would like it if the students could enjoy it." As he looked up at her, his gaze grew downtrodden as he noticed the sad smile on her face. Rhea didn't even try to hide it, not that she ever did around Seteth. She'd long since given up on doing that ages ago. "Honestly…I miss him too."

"I just can't help but wonder what he does at this time every year." Rhea admitted. Her smile gained just a small uptick in humor as she looked out the window.

"If you could ask him once more, would you do so?" Her brother questioned with a hint of humor in his voice.

He hadn't been with her when she made the decision to visit their wind-attributed sibling. Instead, she'd had a battalion of loyal knights. A given since she was traveling, and heading to the Faerghus-Sreng border, a rather dangerous place to be, especially for a native of Fόdlan. Regardless, Rhea had made the trip, and she was happy that she did…even if it ended in failure. Just hearing his voice again after centuries of silence had made the trip worth it. "Absolutely. You know, I can't imagine Macuil without his little snipes and critiques." She answered.

"Heh, neither can I. Admittedly, I long to hear some of them myself. No doubt if he attended the coming celebration, he'd have plenty to give. Competing for his praise would make for quite a competition, wouldn't you say?"

"Indeed, it would. Personally, it'd be interesting to hear the bards sing of it. Not to mention some of them would no doubt be aghast to see which old songs were true and which were false." She humorously stated. Oral tradition was one of the ways that history was remembered, albeit it at times wasn't exactly the most accurate. Her avian sibling had remarked how true history could become distorted for the sake of entertainment. While Rhea agreed with him on some level, she knew how to take some enjoyment in that. "Then there's Indech…"

Seteth reached over and placed a comforting hand atop of hers. Most people would have been too frightened by her position to make such an intimate gesture. Her right hand wasn't just her loyal attendant though, he was family, one of the last few family members she had left, not to mention her closest confidant. Rhea flipped her hand over and returned the gentle squeeze. Speaking of confidants, she knew that Indech was still Seteth's. Even now, after all the centuries, the bond they shared was still strong, that was something Rhea knew. Unfortunately, there was little she could do to bring them together.

She was sure that people would be amazed at all the things she was incapable of doing despite her position within the Church of Seiros. Even then, it wasn't like her power exceeded that of a handful of others on the continent. While she knew there were ways to reverse that situation, she was extremely reluctant to take them. There had been times she'd been tempted, such as the latest debacle with Sebastian Eccles. The man was prone to giving her headaches, but whet he'd done the other day had crossed a major line, for which she was finally able to cast him out of her home for good. She internally mused what could give her cause enough to excommunicate him from the Church and the knighthood. Granted, as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she pulled it back. Whatever that cause would be would likely come at too great a cost. Not to mention she'd have-

Two knocks on the door broke her out of her contemplations. At her behest, the door was opened and in popped a knight's head.

"Lady Rhea, Lord Seteth," she properly greeted them. "I've came to inform you that the Western Church convoy is about to leave."

"Good, any problems?" Seteth questioned.

"None so far, sir. But…well…the, ahem, Professor Eisner is there as well. So far there hasn't been an incident, but there is a foreboding atmosphere in the air between him and Sir Eccles." The knight explained, a slight tremor in her voice.

Rhea and Seteth immediately looked at each other. Based on her tone, that "foreboding atmosphere" might as well have been the calm before the storm.

Standing up, she gathered her ceremonial blue robe. "Thank you, I will be down immediately to see them off." The knight nodded and departed, the door softly closing shut behind her. Rhea looked to Seteth.

"For the record, I highly doubt either of them will cause a scene." He declared standing up himself.

"Yes, but just to be on the safe side, shall we?"

---

While the sky may have been clear, there were certainly storm clouds brewing. The blackest of them were between Garreg Mach's latest instructor and the knight who was now permanently exiled from its grounds.

Well before they came withing viewing sight, Rhea was listening in. While she occasionally heard Sebastian talk, his words were seemingly never directed toward Byleth. She never heard his voice…or felt the ordinary beating of his heart. That silence caused the old memory of his birth to temporarily return to her. Its presence in her mind was only temporary as Rhea shook it off. When she finally came upon the soon-to-depart convoy, she was reminded of how long ago that was.

Byleth stood tall and composed, albeit what caught her interest were the bandaged wrappings around his right arm. Taking note of Rhona, her mind quickly formulated a scenario of events; she'd see if she could confirm them later, after this matter was settled.

As she came upon the scene, Byleth's attention broke for Sebastian and turned to her. The tension on his face broke as his cobalt blue eyes met hers. Though he didn't smile at her, she could tell that he was just a tiny bit happy to see her. Surprised for sure, but there was a small flicker in his eyes. The positivity was much more noticeable on the two senior knights who'd stood by him. While Rhea was surprised to see Rhona with him, Amira was no shocker. She had after all been there the other day, demanding Sebastian stand down. She made no secret of the animosity that she held for the Blazing Knight; the former Adrestian noblewoman was still one of many. Once news spread of Sebastian's departing, she was sure that there would be much rejoicing, especially amongst the Garreg Mach's Duscur population.

The son of her former friend wouldn't be rejoicing though. He looked back at the man he'd confronted the other day before with cold focus. Sebastian returned the sentiment after shooting Rhea an aside glare. Whereas with Byleth there'd be joy, with Sebastian she rightly saw none of it. She saw only cold disdain for her. Such a feeling wasn't new, and Rhea certainly didn't hold back in showing her own feelings for the man, and the rest of his western brethren. Some of them shot Rhea looks of restraint ire as Sebastian had…while others were much more expressive.

Their anger toward her mattered little. "In the name of the goddess, I shall pray for you to have safe passage back to De Goth. I also pray that the trip will serve as ample time for some…reflection." Sebastian's stony façade didn't crack as she looked directly at him, singling him out. He knew as well as her that she didn't believe her own words. Still, as the Archbishop, she had to at least try. That's what she believed mother would have done.

Despite the metaphorical cloud of contempt that hung over his head, Sebastian stepped forward and gave her a bow of respect. While he may not have respected her, he still did give her position the respect it deserved. "Thank you, Lady Rhea, and may the goddess watch over you, as well as grant some insight as well."

Rhea considered it a good thing that Catherine was still making her way back to the Monastery from her latest mission. She'd have drawn Thunderbrand and attempted to cut Sebastian down where he stood. Actually, she considered it a good thing none of her more…serious followers were present-they'd have called for Sebastian's head. Still, she sensed that many around her wanted to do the deed themselves. That included Capri, who seemed to be attempting to blow Sebastian's head clean off with a glare. Given his Crest's power, he could if he wanted to, or knew how to. Amira and Rhona seemed ready to act if Capri didn't do it first. The two captains were far from the only ones restraining themselves. Even Seteth looked ready to call out the blatant swipe the Faerghus knight had just taken at her.

Only Byleth seemed an outlier, though Rhea hoped it wasn't because he didn't care. Instead of looking back at Sebastian, he instead looked to her. His expression hadn't changed at all.

So much like Sitri. Reading you is about as easy as reading stone, albeit maybe it's possible I haven't gotten to know you enough. She thought returning his neutral stare. Their ocular exchanged ended as quickly as it started. Rhea looked back to Capri, mounted on his horse. Her expression grew soft as she silently wished him and his men safe travels. The blue-haired archer's face softened as well. He looked around at the rest of the assembly.

"Very well, then, let us be-" He began.

"Excuse me." Byleth's voice was like the ringing of a bell, sudden and resounding. Once again, he drew all attention to himself, yet he remained undeterred. "If I may, there is something I'd like to say to Sir Eccles. Lady Rhea, Captain Alario, permission to speak?"

She and Capri exchanged surprised glances. He nodded, and Rhea did so as well. "Permission granted." Immediately after she said so, the storm clouds threatened to unload their payload. Rhea could practically taste the tension in the atmosphere as her mind spun with possibilities. Surely, he won't cause a scene. Yesterday's incident…could it have…what is he thinking?

"Two months from now, I'm going to be competing in the Steel Gladiolus Cup in Remire Village. I want to know if I'll be seeing you there." Byleth declared with a calm voice, but a serious face. As the wind blew, the previously accumulated tension was blown away with it. Replacing it was a chorus of chatter that Rhea was too stunned to tamp down.

Sebastian was surprised himself, but the shock quickly gave way to seriousness. "Oh? I hear that you've competed a few times, yet never emerged the victor. It's a shame that you won't be doing so this year, but I accept your challenge, Byleth Eisner. I too will be there, and if by the grace of the goddess we should square off, I will be more than happy to cross swords with you. Be sure to practice thoroughly. Even if you do not face me, you will be contending with true knights, not simply your fellow sell swords."

Byleth nodded, letting the flagrant jab bounce off him. Watching him, Rhea was truly reminded of his father and his mother in their prime. Both of them possessed a quiet, dignified strength that they'd seemingly passed onto their son. It made Rhea feel just a tiny bit proud.

"I understand, and I will do as such. I only hope you do the same, Sir Eccles. It'd be a shame for me to come expecting a sword fight, and all I get is a shiny but dull dagger." He replied, still maintaining an aura of coolness. That coolness sharped his words, which cut deep into his future opponent.

Finally, Sebastian's smug exterior broke. For the first time since yesterday, his brow darkened, thus showing the contempt he'd only mostly hidden. It was out in full force, and it was directed solely at the blue-haired bearer of the Crest of Flames. Byleth stood tall against it, and the collective wrath of the Western Church. Composure was lost on them as several began shouting at Byleth. Rhea was seemingly forgotten about as contempt for her newest employee exploded. On the other side though, Rhea heard the whispers of the residents of Garreg Mach.

It was quite telling.

"By the goddess, did he just call out Sir Eccles?!"

"What, you want him to do it again? Actually, I'd like it if he did, 'bout time someone put that dastard in his place."

"Wow…I heard the Ashen Demon was good, but is he that good?"

"I heard stories about how he's taken down whole fortresses by himself, I'd definitely say he's got a shot."

"Suddenly, the Blue Sea Moon just got a hell of a lot more interesting."

"Heh, as expected of Captain Jeralt's child! He's going to kick Sebastian's ass!"

"Yes, and I'm going to make sure that I'm here to see it!"

"Even though I doubt his ability, I gotta give him credit. He did what's needed to be done."

"Alright, now I really gotta take some time off for the Gladiolus Cup. This I can't mess."

"I'll bet on the kid just because he's got some stones. Don't think he'll win, but damn, does it feel good to see him standing up to Sebastian."

Rhea couldn't fight the smile that came to her face. She didn't even try to wipe it away as Capri and Seteth stepped in to reassert control. Everything finally fell back into line, albeit there was quite a bit of grumbling from the soon-to-be-departing Western Sect. Several of them shot Byleth malicious glares as they finally started moving, even turning around to do so. That included Sebastian, who craned his head around to give Byleth one hell of a terrifying glare. It was a promise of pain, a promise made on his honor as a knight of Faerghus.

Unfortunately for him, Rhea was certain that it was a promise that he'd never be able to fulfill, albeit it wouldn't be for his lack of trying.

Once the thirty-man convoy was gone, Amira immediately spoke up, clasping her hands together. "Lady Rhea, I humbly request time off come the Blue Sea Moon!"

Rhea let out a humorous chuckle while Seteth simply groaned. "Amira!"

"Please, I beg you! I'll do any work, take on any assignment! Just please grant me time off for-"

"Hey! I want to take some time off too!"

"W-W-Woah, w-w-wait a second! I seconded that! I-I mean third it!"

Before long, there was a quite clamor of commotion as everyone tried to get their word in. Or rather, everyone tried to plead their case. Through it all, Rhea looked at Byleth. She saw hints of embarrassment on his face, no doubt feeling guilty at the ruckus he'd caused. The small show was actually somewhat adorable to Rhea. Brushing those feelings to the side, she made a show of clearing her voice. That was all she needed to silence the commotion.

"Byleth, Rhona, since you're here, I'd like a word with both of you, if you'd please." She declared.

"Of course, Lady Rhea." They both responded.

Amira sighed, "I suppose that's the end of our get together for the day."

"Look on the bright side, you have quite a bit of material to draw, don't you, Amira?" Rhona politely offered.

"That I do, and it's all thanks to you, Byleth." The blonde Adrestian gave the blue-haired man a bow and a smile. "Thank you for allowing me to witness your training, and for letting me draw you. I promise, when the portraits are finished, you'll be the first to see them!"

"Thank you, Amira." Byleth said, a calmer and more upbeat look on his face.

"Heh, know this, come what may, I'll be rooting for you come the Gladiolus Cup! Even if we end up opponents!"

"You're a swordswoman as well?" He asked.

"Swordswoman, painter, knight, captain, and as of now, a firmer supporter and friend of yours." Amira declared while giving Byleth a bright smile. It seemed to stun him at first, but eventually she saw a greater lacing of his body.

He hasn't had much of that, people being so open with him, and perhaps even being so forward about being called a friend. Rhea thought with some dismay. She could only wish that people were like that were her. It was just a wish until she saw Byleth turn around and look directly at her.

There was a possibility that her afternoon might be a bit more enjoyable than she originally thought.

-O-

Throughout the walk back to her office, Rhea noticed how Byleth continuously flexed his arm. She'd long since deduced that he must have been doing some training with Rhona or even Rémy, and at some point, his arm had ended up frozen. Though she doubted things had gotten too serious, neither of the Dynes siblings were slouches when it came to the art of freezing objects. They knew how to wield the power of their Crest well, especially Rhona, who stood out as one of the top three mages within the Central Church. Even though Byleth was a warrior, sparring with Rhona had no doubt been an exciting and maybe even eye-opening experience. Rhea thanked her mother that such sparring had likewise made them acquainted with each other. They were going to be partners on their next mission.

"Professor Eisner, as I'm sure you've heard, there is no southern branch of the Church of Seiros. Instead, we work with the Imperial Ministry of Religion, and we have just received a request for aid from them." Seteth began. He stepped forward and handed them the letter that had been sent by Minister Varley. Rhona, being more knowledgeable of the Church and its associates, grew immediately displeased as she read it. She passed the letter onto Byleth, who read it just as fast as her.

"So we are to go south to Zellerfeld, pick up these recently discovered relics and see to it that they're safely returned to Garreg Mach?" Byleth summarized.

"Yes," Seteth affirmed. "A rather simple mission, albeit one that must be done so with a degree of haste. You see, Zellerfeld has something of an underground smuggling ring." Seteth further explained.

"And they've caught wind of these unearthed relics, which I'm guessing could fetch a hefty price on the black market. Including, according to this, two Heroes Relics that were also unearthed during the evacuation." Byleth looked between the two of them. "If I had to guess, those are the real prizes."

"While true, we can't let the other, non-special relics be stolen either. They too may hold unique powers that we can't afford to let fall into the hands of evil." Rhona added. "It makes sense as to why this request is urgent. There's a high possibility that the city's criminal underworld know about this too."

"Quite true, which is why Count Varley has taken extreme precautions in keeping the relics secure. Once you arrive, custody of them will be handed over to you, and you will escort them back to Garreg Mach, where they will undoubtedly be safe." Seteth completed.

"When do we leave? Tomorrow?" Byleth asked.

"Monday, actually." Rhea spoke up. She was sure that Count Varley would be popping a blood vein if he heard her. "I'm well aware that this matter is urgent, but we just received the letter and I believe that the Black Eagles will need some time to prepare." Of all three houses, it was decided upon rather quickly that the Black Eagles would be the ones to take the assignment. It wasn't that much of a departure from their previous mission. Not to mention they'd be going under the aegis of one of the Church's five divisional captains, and the strongest magic user amongst them. From multiple sides, it all seemed like a sound plan.

Byleth nodded, indicating he found it to be so as well. Odds were, he was also likewise thinking of his students. If he told them of their latest mission, they'd only have half a day to prepare. Not to mention she was sure that some would protest having to work on a Sunday. It was only the start of the year and she hoped she could ease them into such things.

"I'm assuming we can expect the cooperation of House Varley and the local forces?" Rhona asked.

"Yes, as always. I will personally write the letter myself and have it sent out later this afternoon." Rhea affirmed. "They'll be there to welcome you by the time you arrive come Monday."

"That gives me a day and a half to prepare everyone, including myself." Byleth murmured.

"I am assuming you mean familiarizing yourself with the terrain? If so, I can help you with that." Rhona offered. "I've been to Zellerfeld a few times before, and I know the route we can take."

"Are there multiple routes we can take?" He asked in response. "This criminal ring likewise knows we're coming, and they'll likely know the route that we'll take if there's only one."

Far from being dismayed, Rhona nodded in agreement. "There are a few. We can take the fast going there, and I believe that we can take a less con obvious route coming back. Roughly speaking, we may be looking at two days to complete this mission at the maximum."

Rhea smiled between the two of them. The son of her greatest knight who was displaying all the traits that made Jeralt who he was, and the strongest ice mage in the knighthood, and who herself was a capable leader. They would make for a good pair, and with the addition of one more, Rhea was certain that the mission would be completed with few incidents. Minus Count Varley's whining, but she considered that unavoidable, and tolerable.

"Very well then, Professor Eisner, I leave the duty of informing your students to you. Simply make sure that they are all ready by Monday morning. Likewise, Rhona, should you have any specific knights for this mission, do inform me. Lady Rhea and I discussed it, and we'd like to add Enrico Belden to your detail."

"He'll be perfect." Rhona confirmed with a smile.

Byleth, meanwhile, looked somewhat confused, no doubt because he had no idea who they were talking about. Seeing an opportunity, Rhea stepped in. "A wyvern rider who will be able to provide you good air support."

"I see, then we'll have everything we'll need for this mission, and hopefully be back in no time."

"That we hope." Seteth said. "With all that, I do believe we can conclude this meeting."

At the sight of that, Rhea felt a tiny spark of dismay. She looked straight ahead and found herself locking eyes with Byleth. It surprised her how much she wanted to talk to him. While he may have just been given the mission, he still technical had the rest of the day off. She herself had some free time; there was an intersection that could lead to…

"If I may, I'd like to discuss some of the mission details with Lady Rhea. Namely these relics we're being sent to retrieve." His statement was so smooth that Rhea found it hard to believe it was an excuse. In fact, a part of her genuinely wondered if he was being serious.

Thankfully, Seteth seemed to be wondering it as well, albeit she suspected he had his doubts. Rhona merely looked between the two of them with a gleamer of curiosity, but then quietly excused herself. Seteth looked between the two of them even more, but did the same.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to make such a ruckus regarding Sebastian." He began.

"Oh, no, no, Byleth. You have nothing to apologize for. The truth is, I have seen far more grandiose challenges issued over the years." That she had. In fact, Rhea would say she'd been witnessed to hundreds, and potentially twice as many actual duels. "In my personal opinion, I think you handled it incredibly well. You may have even found yourself a wellspring of supporters who will be cheering for you."

"I didn't know that Sebastian Eccles was that disliked." He remarked.

"Everyone has their admirers and critics, sometimes it depends on where you go. Here in Garreg Mach, Sebastian's martial ability is praised, but as you've experienced, his personal conduct leaves much to be desired. As you've noticed, I've opened Garreg Mach to all people from all walks of life. That has been a constant source of contention with the Western Church; Sebastian being their champion, he makes no secret he takes issue with it."

"I'd say that's putting it mildly. Amira told me that he's never gone this far though-being willing to attack children."

"I fear the Tragedy of Duscur may have exasperated his animosity. It has generally enflamed racial tensions. Unfortunately, I highly doubt that they will be cooling any time soon. Perhaps when Prince Dimitri takes the throne, hopefully then…" She trailed off, wanting to be optimistic but also wanting to be somewhat realistic. As with his father, Rhea supported the prince's open mindset. That said, she knew that he would encounter pushback just as his father had, and that especially went for the Western Church.

"Lady Rhea," Byleth called. She looked up at him, and took immediate note of the apprehension on his face. "I…don't want to sound whiny or that I'm asking for special privileges, but I'd like it if I could have some free time during the Blue Sea Moon so I could attend the Gladiolus Cup."

He wanted to ask me something else. She realized with quiet dismay. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, he pulled back on it. As much as she'd love to press him on it, she decided that perhaps now wasn't the time. Hopefully later though. With that decided, she put on an amicable smile. "I shall take it under consideration, but I think that'll ultimately come down to how these next two months go. For what it's worth, I shall pray that your schedule will be free. And should you and Sebastian Eccles cross blades, I shall pray for your victory."

While calling it a smile might be a stretch, Byleth was definitely uplifted by her words. "…You really don't like him either, do you?"

Letting out a humorous laugh, she leaned back, briefly imagining how good it'd be to tell him how much she really disliked Sebastian Eccles. "Let it just be said that I would be more than a little joyful to hear word of his defeat in the Gladiolus Cup. Or any other tournament for that matter." She caught the slight upward tick of his lips and nodding. It'd taken her a while, but Rhea liked to think that she'd mastered the art of subtle motivation. Leaning forward, she spoke to him with a slight twinkle in her eyes. "I heard Sebastian mention how you'd fought in previous tournaments before, is that true?"

"It is, but it is true that I've never won any. One time, it was father himself who defeated me. I was fifteen." He spoke with an air of joviality. "I'd like to a rematch in Remire. Heh, maybe one we can have it, one day potentially soon."

Remembering their previous conversation, Rhea gave him an affectionate laugh. "In that case, I wouldn't quite know who to root for."

"Both, just to be safe, and if we're up against any of the knights here in Garreg Mach, again, root for both." He replied in a casual tone. "Have you ever attended a Gladiolus Cup?"

"A few, though the last one I attended was some time ago, over ten years ago, I believe. Admittedly, I would like to attend one in person, and this current one sounds like it'll be quite the show."

"That might be something else you should pray for." After he finished, he held up his right hand, giving it another reflexive flex.

"I take it that you were training with Rhona?"

"Before her, Rémy. She told me that he was assigned to the Western Church escort. Training with me was how he spent his time before heading out."

"Yes. You see, he and Rhona possess a special ability called Minus Sense, one of the powers granted to them by their shared Crest. It allows them to sense negative emotions, a useful tool for surveillance."

"And bodyguarding." He added. Rhea shot him a sympathetic smile.

"Ever perspective." She noted.

"I appreciate what he did, and how he was willing to take the time out to train with me. Rhona as well. She's capable of conjuring one of the strongest ice barriers that I've ever gone up against. Actually, I'd say just the strongest magic barriers in general."

Trishula, you'd no doubt be proud to hear that. Know that not only does your power rest in worthy hands, it hasn't diminished in all these centuries. Rhea thought to herself. "Having sparred with her, I'm sure you'll find it a great boon to have her as an ally."

"That's true, but…"

"You want to spar with her again, especially now that you've seen a glimpse of her power." He nodded, a slightly sheepish look on his face. "Hehehe, a true warrior through and through."

"We were supposed to be practicing magic today, and we did, but I took a more…hands-on-approach to it." Byleth remarked.

"The Art of the Fire Fist?" Feeling whimsical, Rhea held up her own right fist, and with merely a mental thought, ignited it. Byleth's blue eyes sat on the flames swirling around her raised fist as if he were seeing fire for the first time. "I know the spell as well. Not only that, but I too possess an affinity for fire magic." What she didn't say was that such an affinity was deeply ironic. Like the Dynes siblings, she possessed an affinity for ice. If Byleth was impressed with their cyrokinetic abilities, what would he think of hers? It was a thought that she entertained before suppressing, as she had many others. Rhea dropped her fist and ceased the flames surrounding them. "You know, your father had an affinity for light magic himself. I believe that you may have inherited such a thing."

"Light magic, huh?" Based on his expression, Rhea guessed that he'd seen faith magic in use. If he chose to pursue it, she was certain that he'd find a natural talent for it. An extremely natural talent for it. "Would you-"

"Be willing to teach you?" She immediately inquired.

"Y-You would?" He asked with shock.

It hit her like a boulder. "I-I mean…if you have an interest in it. While most don't believe that faith magic to be as offensive oriented as reason magic, it still has its uses. That includes healing, which can be an infinitely useful ability."

She saw a flash of recognition in his eyes. "On that, I definitely agree with you." There was a story there, a memory that her words had inadvertently roused. "I may take you up on that offer, Rhea. I'll admit it feels…weird learning magic, even while applying it to physical combat. Maybe that's one reason why I'm hyper fixating on the Gladiolus Cup, even though it's two months away."

For a second, Rhea thought about telling him how his father was a Holy Knight who also supplemented his physical abilities with magic. She stopped herself remembering their last conversation, how they confined into each other over their feelings toward their respective parents. It hit her that maybe what Byleth needed now wasn't a comparison to his father, whom he loved and respected, yet clearly wanted to distinguish himself from. Rhea then found herself thinking of Sitri, his mother. She and Jeralt had truly been a matching pair, a holy maiden who wielded her magic in the name of healing the injured, and a holy knight who punished the wicked. What would Byleth feel being compared to them?

In a sudden flash of inspiration, Rhea decided on a course of action. "Originally, magic was my forte, not swordsmanship. Learning the way of the sword…took me some time. It took me some time to learn how to blend the two of them together."

"You too?" The twinkle in his eyes was like a polished shine. She took a second to bask in the sheer surprise on his face in learning that she knew how to wield a sword. It almost made her want to see his reaction to learning how well she knew how to throw a punch. And a kick…and put someone in a chokehold. "I…well…I'd…"

"Byleth," she began in a quiet, friendly tone. "Would you be against a spar with me?"

"A spar…with you?" He questioned. "I…"

"Next month." She spoke, half-hoping to save him some embarrassment. "This month, namely this week, there's Saint Macuil Day coming up."

"Saint Macuil Day." He murmured. "I've never celebrated a Saint's holiday before."

On one hand, Rhea felt a ping of sorrow. Jeralt really had told him nothing about the Seiros Faith, albeit it wasn't like he was obligated to. He certainly seemed to go out of his way to keep any and all details regarding the Church from his only child. There also seemed to the ever-growing suspicion within her that Jeralt hadn't taught Byleth much outside of the field of combat.

"Then this coming day shall be your first, your first of many to be precise." She declared in an upbeat tone. It certainly did the track in catching Byleth's attention, and even making his eyes widen just a tad in surprise. "While Saint Macuil Day is not a day for battle, it is a day that celebrates wisdom and intelligence, two traits that you've demonstrated in abundance. Not to mention it's also a day that celebrates the mystic arts."

"Really? Talk about funny timing." He was right. One week before Saint Macuil's Day and he begins to show an interest in magic. Macuil would have mused on the coincidental nature of it all. Or, knowing him, scoffed at it. "From what I've studied, Saint Macuil was quite a strategist…and a blacksmith."

Blacksmithing…Jeralt, did you at least tell him about his grandparents? She wondered. "I'm sorry that you'll have a mission cutting into your time to learn and prepare."

"It's fine. Not the first time something like this has happened to me, and…like you said, this is the first of many. It won't be my last time celebrating Saint Macuil's Day. Not to mention there are three more Saint Days in the year, right?"

"Yes, you're right." She affirming. Holiday planning was a common thing, but when it came to positions like theirs, it wasn't always easy. Still, Rhea had seen over the years how people adapted, and that included her. "Byleth, if you want, I could try to arrange for your father to have some time off as well. In fact, I believe he shall be returning from his latest mission-"

"Tomorrow." He interrupted. "I'd really appreciate that, Rhea. Just…"

"Don't tell him, yes, I know." She said.

"How did he celebrate Saint Macuil Day? I'm assuming as Head Captain he must have at least…raised a glass?"

A bubbly laugh escaped from her lips. "Every Saint's Day, he would drink. Most of the time not excessively, but, well…"

"That's what holidays are for." He finished for her, a faint smile on his face. Rhea laughed even more. It seemed that some things never changed. "Anything else? Did he have a favorite Saint's Day?"

"Well…after he met your mother, Saint Cethleann Day became a favorite of his. Saint Seiros Day was also…special to him." It was dangling bait for a fish, something she didn't like doing, but she also wanted to see how much Byleth knew. Or rather, how much he didn't know. The surprise on his face once again spoke volumes. Oh, Jeralt. I know losing her was painful, but at the very least…no, no. You have bear a considerable amount of responsibility for this as well. She told herself. It was a pain that Rhea knew wasn't going to go away, not until…not until the full truth came out. When that was, she didn't know, but…she wanted it to be sometime in the distant future. For now, she wanted to focus on more immediate matters.

"Saint Cethleann was the Compassionate Saint…and Saint Seiros was the Warrior Saint." Byleth mused. "I guess…that was the two of them, the healer and the warrior." She saw the makings of something on his face. An expression of joy mixed with…contemplation.

"You're a good mix of both." She impulsively spoke. "Just like how you can mix martial combat and magic, Saint Seiros did, and it was undoubtedly one of the reasons why she was the strongest of the Four Saints." Technically speaking, she wasn't just propping herself up. She really was the strongest of the four of them, and part of that did come from her capability in physical combat and magic, and mixing the two together.

Deaf to her internal musings, Byleth nodded, visibly showing that he was taking her words to heart. His blue eyes met hers, and in that moment, Rhea could actually read him like an open book. Shed' talked about his parents, one of whom he knew less about than he'd thought, and the other whom he knew next to nothing at all. The desire to know more about the latter was clear as day in his eyes. As for why he wasn't asking it…Rhea guessed it was the attachment he had toward the only parent he'd had in his life. Even if that parent hadn't been entirely honest with him, there was no denying the connection that Byleth had to his father. Rhea found herself hoping that a promise or agreement of some sort had been made between them. Or rather, that Jeralt had realized that he'd kept Sitri's life from Byleth long enough.

"Rhea," Byleth called. She looked straight at him, noting the slight shift in his mood. "I have a question that's actually about our up incoming mission." She nodded, giving him the go ahead to ask it. "Is there…anything that I or my students should be weary of meeting with Count Varley? I saw how Rhona seemed less than pleased that we'll be dealing with him. On top of that…given how Bernadetta is, I can't exactly say that I'm in a hurry to meet him."

Oh, you'd be lucky not to meet him at all. That was what Rhea thought and sorely wanted to say. The mention of his daughter made Rhea sour even more on this mission, but it had to be done. "He is…Count Varley is…let me just say that the quicker this mission is done with, the better it will be. Particularly, just focus on completing the mission and nothing else. Just ignore everything he says that isn't critical to the mission." He nodded, but Rhea could sense that he had more to say. "Byleth, you have permission to speak freely with me." She added with a slight smile.

"So, in other words, he's an asshole?"

She sat there, utterly stunned. All she could do was blink at him in total shock.

Evidentially, he took it as a bad sign. "I'm sorry. That was-"

"Entirely correct." It was amazing how she felt her lips curling into a true, jubilant smile. "Byleth, you are indeed correct about Count Varley."

He was immediately put at ease, even giving a slight smile himself. "I see. Thank you for the clarity."

"I am happy to provide it. Still, Byleth,"

"Don't worry. I won't be as crude with him as I was with Sebastian." He comforted.

"You know, between the two of us…I wouldn't mind it if you handled him as you did Sebastian." She spoke. If Seteth had been present, he'd have immediately stepped in to state that she had not just given him a free pass to disrespect the Adrestian Minister of Religion. As wrenched as he was, he was still a government official, particularly an official of a government the Church was trying to get back into the good graces of.

Luckily, with his next words, he showed that there was no need for such words. "I'll behave myself. I've dealt with his kind before, and I doubt he'll be anything different."

"Thank you, Byleth." Rhea found herself saying. She actually wished that Seteth or some of her other attendants were here. They all had their doubts about Byleth, but here he was putting them to ease. Her comfort was cut short as she remembered something. There were many things she loathed about Count Varley, but there was one thing that made her divine blood boil. She controlled it enough to speak somewhat cordially to the man before her. "Byleth, I want to apologize in advance for Count Varley. While technically speaking the Ministry of Religion is an independent institution, it still preaches the word of the Goddess. Or what they believe to be her word."

"Rhea, it's alright. If Sebastian wasn't enough to taint the faith for me, then I doubt Count Varley will. He's just one man compared to the many followers in Fόdlan who are far more pleasant. Including you." Rhea couldn't help but smile in joyful relief hearing that. While a part of her chided herself on the fear of a different reaction. Of course, he'd feel that way, and yet…

"I…I…thank you, Byleth." She repeated. Her head was bowed in heartfelt gratitude as her words overflowed with relief. "As Archbishop of the Church of Seiros, thank you."

"You're welcome." He kindly replied. Still not smile, but the ghost of a one. "Like I said, I'll try not to cause too much trouble. For your sake and Edelgard's…and Bernadetta's."

Rhea readied a kind remark about how close he'd already grown to his students when her superhuman ears heard approaching footsteps. She knew that they were heading toward her door and looked toward it. Sadness immediately stabbed at her realizing that her time with the young warrior was about to come to an end.

As the knocks sounded and she granted permission to come in, she was surprised as to who the visit was for.

"Um, Lady Rhea, is Professor Eisner-"

"Here." Byleth immediate answered. "Has someone asked for me?"

"Yes, one of your comrades. I believe the Almyran named Fizza Bakkal. She requested your presence." The priest answered.

"I see, I'll be right down." He stated. The priest quickly nodded, both to him and then to Rhea. Byleth turned to face her, now standing up. He knew as well as her that this marked the end of their time together. "Thank you for talking with me again, Rhea, and for…many other things."

His slightly jovial tone gave her cause to laugh. "As before, it was a pleasure, Byleth, and I'm glad I was able to provide some clarity for your next mission. I do wish you and the others the best with it. And I'm…looking forward to our next talk together." Already she was thinking about it, including the possibility of maybe having something for either of them to eat while they talked. She was feeling faintly hungry herself, and she wondered if Byleth was as well.

As she watched him go, it was a thought she'd keep in her head. It would sprout several inches when she finally satisfied her own hunger with her lunch. Rhea couldn't help but wonder what his eating habits were like. Perhaps next time she got the chance to speak with him, she could ask him.

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And so ends the first chapter of the new year. As I said, playing Engage delayed this chapter by at least a month, but I'm hopefully going to get back into a habit of monthly updates. Especially now that we're moving into some more adventurous territory in this story. A lot of that groundwork was set up this chapter, which I'll be honest wasn't quite my original intention.

The first third of the story I more or less filled with showing how magic is going to be used in this story. Being a longtime fan of magical series like Fairy Tail and more recently Black Clover, I can say those series have served as inspiration for me in some cases. Namely, Byleth being more of a combat mage who mixes fire magic with physical combat akin to Natsu from the former. His Enlightened One Class is practically a magic knight class, and this chapter he somewhat starts down the road toward that. I also got to show a couple of snippets of ice magic, which will be a recurring thing, especially since a certain someone will be heavily associated with it. This was the first time that I got to write a clash between fire and ice, but it definitely won't be the last time.

Boreas is the Greek god of the north wind, often associated with winter.

An adult male lion weighs between 330 and 550 pounds. Rhona's Boreas Leo (roughly meaning "Northern Lion") weighs the same, as stated in story.

This chapter was actually supposed to be one half of Byleth's training and the other half would see the start of the Black Eagles' next mission. As I wrote Sebastian's sendoff, I saw some opportunities and decided to go for it. Since so many of you took to Sebastian as I hoped, I decided to go ahead and make it official that he and Byleth will be squaring off in the future. Or shall I say, Byleth will get the opportunity to put him in his place. As fun as it was writing him throwing down the gauntlet, I did struggle with the dialogue. Hopefully you all enjoyed it, and the talk that I squeezed in with Byleth and Rhea. Originally, that sit down between them wasn't planned, but once I realized I could include it, well, I decided to go for it.

Next chapter the Black Eagles head off to their next mission, and Byleth will have his first "meet the parents" encounter…and find his ability to keep his promise tested. Until then, see you all next time!