Catherine and her knights charged through the fog toward the direction of Kratos and Annette, where Kratos was shielding Annette with his body from the arrows whizzing overhead. The Church's knights maintained their speed as they passed the pair, swiftly closing in on the unsuspecting archers who recoiled in shock at the sight of spear tips aimed directly at them.

Meanwhile, Kratos kept a low profile while he continued to use his own body as a shield to ensure the terrified girl's safety. Dimitri, and the rest of the Blue Lions quickly caught up from the rear and rushed to their professor and classmate's side.

"Sir Kratos, we're here!" Said the young prince, as the students formed a defensive circle around the brigand. With this, Kratos quickly got to his feet and pulled Annette up along with him.

"Annie!" Mercedes cried out and embraced her best friend in a tight, albeit brief embrace.

"Are you alright, lass?" Mimir asked the girl from Kratos' hip.

Annette stuttered, who was clearly shaken by the close call. "Y-yeah, I'm f-fine."

Kratos, quickly assessing the situation and the immediate safety of Annette confirmed, turned his attention to the rest of the students. "Blue Lions, form up! We cover the knights' rear and flanks. We push towards the mage maintaining the spell!"

"Yes, sir!" The class said in unison.

Kratos's command had barely echoed out when Lonato's soldiers burst through the mist in a desperate counter charge to outflank the knights. The brigand reacted instantaneously, stepping forward to intercept the first attacker as he was swiftly cut down without any effort.

As he turned, his gaze swept over his students to ensure they were holding their own, until his eyes landed on Ashe. At first, Kratos had been concerned that the boy didn't have the strength or willpower to stand up against his own subjects, but Ashe's face was hardened with the determination of protecting his own classmates, evidenced by the fact that he stayed within close proximity to Annette along with Mercedes; nocking arrow after arrow without so much as a tremor in his hands.

Meanwhile everyone else was managing in their own ways. Dedue, unsurprisingly, was at His Highness' side as the two young men repelled the oncoming attacks. Ingrid and Sylvain, operating as a coordinated unit just as they'd practiced with Kratos, swept through the ranks of attackers with their lances. They moved in unison, each covering the other's blind spots; with weeks of grueling training put to good use against the uncoordinated strikes of Lonato's forces.

Felix, on the other hand, preferring to fight alone, sliced through the air with precision and speed. He took on multiple opponents at once, yet easily dominated his foe as he struck them down one by one, proving once again his prowess as a swordsman.

Mercedes had taken a supportive position beside Ashe, her bow in hand thanks to her recent practice under Mimir's guidance, firing on anyone who came too close or attempted to overwhelm their comrades. Marianne, with her sword drawn, positioned herself a short distance behind the Blue Lions. Despite the short month of training she had under Kratos, she'd refrained from engaging in combat, as this was her first real experience in combat and was overwhelmed by the ensuing chaos.

This formation was kept as the knights slaughtered their way through Lonato's ranks, with Kratos and his House following closely behind. However, eventually one church soldier had been wounded and fell out ranks, but the rest of the company continued to push forward without any regard for their fallen soldier. He lay there, clutching at a nasty gash across his side as he began to bleed out, calling and begging for someone to come and help him before the Blue Lions too began to leave him behind. Marianne, upon seeing this and hearing the man's screams, hesitated with a pained expression for a moment before rushing towards him.

Mercedes, seeing this just as she was about to fire off another arrow, called out to her. "Marianne, wait!"

Whether she'd heard her classmate and ignored her, Mercedes was not sure. The young blue-haired priestess proceeded to kneel at the injured man's side before laying her sword down next to her. "Shhh, I'm here now, let me take a look." She attempted to soothe him down, but the man continued to yell out in pain and begged her to make it stop.

Meanwhile, a loud neigh could be heard reverberating through the woods, followed closely by the sound of pounding hooves heading right towards them. From nearby, Dimitri looked towards the source of the noise, and could vaguely see a silhouette of a small group of riders through the fog heading directly towards Marianne and the wounded soldier.

"Marianne! Look out!" he shouted, and the young girl looked up to see a massive figure about to collide with her head-on. Her eyes widened in shock, and she froze. But just before impact, a pair of slim, yet incredibly strong arms wrapped around her waist and twisted her away. The impact with the horse sent her flying, but the collision had been softened by another body that had positioned itself between her and the horse, absorbing most of the shock and cushioning her fall, yet still knocking the wind out of her.

Her world spun, and Marianne was vaguely aware of the sound of hooves galloping away as she shook her head and she pushed herself up to her knees. As her vision cleared, she noticed Dimitri lying next to her. "Dimitri…?" He doesn't respond, his body unmoving. Panic surged through her as she realized that he was the one who shielded her from the impact. "Dimitri!" she called out desperately, her hands trembling as she reached to check his pulse, fearing the worst. But just as she touched his neck, Dimitri suddenly inhaled sharply, a large gasp of air filling his lungs after having it knocked out of him by the initial impact. Relief washed over Marianne.

"For Lord Lonato!" Marianne looked up to see another of Lonato's soldiers charging towards her, a spear aimed directly at her. However, a towering figure suddenly appeared in front of the students as Kratos intercepted the attacker; ripping the spear from the rebel's hands before knocking him out cold on the ground with a massive fist to the face.

"Marianne!" Mercedes ran up to the pair and knelt next to her fellow healer. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes, but, Dimitri-"

Kratos, holding his spear in one hand, extended the other to the prince. "On your feet!" he ordered. Dimitri grabbed it without hesitation. Once the prince was standing, Kratos asked, "Are you injured?"

The blonde shook his head. "Just had the wind knocked out of me- I'll be fine."

The Spartan nodded. "Come. The fight is not over." He said before looking over at Marianne. She met his gaze briefly and, though his expression held no contempt or disappointment, the realization of her actions caused her to feel incredibly small under his watchful eye.

Meanwhile, the mage and the soldiers guarding him began to feel the pressure as the sound of battle drew nearer and nearer.

"They know where we are!" One of the rebels said, not bothering to hide the panic in his voice.

"Hold them back!" The mage told them. "If I break this spell, we'll lose the only advantage that we have!"

Unfortunately for them, now knowing exactly where they are, Catherine took off with Thunderbrand in hand and began to carve her way through those foolish enough to stand in her way. The mage could only watch in despair as the captain of the knights made a beeline towards him, and all he could do was scream, "No… No! NOOOOOOOOO-" before being silenced as Catherine swung at his neck.

The mist had begun to disperse suddenly, and the battleground began to clear up more and more with every passing second. All fighting had ceased temporarily as realization dawned on everyone of what had happened, and could now see the full scope of their current situation. Once the fog had cleared up enough, a couple of armored rebels could see that they were now standing before the wielder of Thunderbrand. After initially recoiling from the shock of who stood before them, they attacked her but were cut down with little effort on Catherine's part.

The rebel forces regrouped and retreated, and Lonato's voice echoed again as he emerged from the dissipating fog on horseback. "It's you..." The Blue Lions rallied behind Kratos next to the Knights of Seiros, all eyes fixed on the rebel leader as his horse reared up. He spat out with venom, his daggered eyes focused on Catherine. "Thunderstrike Cassandra!" He levels his lance at her. "It was your wretched zealotry that killed my son!"

Standing before the Lions and her company, the knight's captain couldn't help but scoff. "The only name I answer to is Catherine." She answered with equal disdain as she too raised her blade at him. "And unless you want to taste the blade of one who serves the goddess, you will surrender; for you now face a Knight of Seiros!" She smiles wryly. "The fog has lifted, Lonato. There is nowhere left for you to hide."

Lonato snarled. "The only one who has been hiding was you!" He then began to breathe heavily with rage. "Ever since that day… Ever since you betrayed my son's trust! He would have defended you to his last breath… and yet you continue to run away from your mistake that cost him his life! But now… now you will face the goddess' judgment! You and the Central Church will pay for what you've taken from me!"

Catherine shook her head. "I have nothing more to say to you, Lord Lonato." She took a ready stance. "But if this is how it should end, then let's not delay any further."

"Lonato, wait!" Ashe broke away from the main group and took off before anyone including Kratos had the chance to stop him and put himself between both Catherin and the rebel leader. "Please surrender, Lonato! Whatever your reasons for doing this, we can still talk this out!"

Lonato hesitated. "Ashe…" He shook his head despondently. "There is no talking this out, Ashe. That woman who stands before you now is the reason for your brother's death. She condemned him just to save her own skin; and the witch she serves is an infidel who has deceived the people and desecrated the goddess! We have virtue and the goddess on our side!"

Ashe swallowed hard. "Even if that is all true…" He gestured to the uncertain men and women who looked at one another with uncertainty behind their lord. "What about them? Why drag the townsfolk into this? That isn't right!"

"They stand with me because they choose to!" Lonato barked. "I did not force them into this the same way you were not forced to come here. But if that is how you feel…" he leveled his lance at Ashe. "Then prepare yourself! I am putting an end to this—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a lance shot over the archer's head and impaled itself deep into Lonato's shoulder, causing the rebel leader to cry out in shock and pain. He yanked back on the reins, causing the horse to rear back so violently that it fell over with Lonato still on its back. Ashe's head snapped back around to see who it was that had thrown the spear, only to find that it was Kratos who'd been the one to do it as he walked up to the boy empty handed.

"Wha- why?" The ashen Blue Lion said in disbelief. "Why did you do that? We could have-"

The Spartan raised a hand for silence, his expression unreadable as he spoke in a low, resolute tone. "Ashe, there are times when choices must be made swiftly to prevent further bloodshed." Kratos said, his voice heavy with experience.

"But, Sir Kratos, was there no other way? Could we not have found peace?"

Kratos considered the boy's question. "In war, peace is a luxury often hoped for, but rarely granted. Lonato made his choice, and I made mine- to prevent more deaths, including yours."

With that, Kratos turned his attention back to the field. Lonato continued to yell in great pain as the spear remained lodged in his shoulder, and the remaining rebels who'd survived the skirmish up to this point were now at a complete loss of what to do next. Slowly, Catherine marched past the professor and student until she eventually stood over the defeated rebel leader with her hero's relic in hand.

"Lord Lonato," she said with authoritative finality, her hand firm on the hilt of Thunderbrand as it crackled with power. "In the name of the Central Church, you stand condemned for treason and rebellion. Your sentence is death, to be carried out forthwith." She paused for a moment as she watched the older man groan. "Have you any last words before passing judgment?"

Lonato spat. "That vile woman..." he choked out, his voice tinged with remorse. "Christophe... forgive me." With his last words spoken, Catherine raised her blade to deliver the final strike on the fallen lord.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Unbeknownst to Kratos, a torrent of emotions had been building up inside Ashe—not only from seeing Lonato in his current state but also from the final words he spoke to Christophe. Just before Catherine could bring the blade down on her sworn enemy, Ashe threw himself over his adoptive father, using his own body as a shield, despite knowing it would do little to stop her from executing both him and the man condemned to death.

"Ashe!" Some of the Blue Lions students yelled in worry and disbelief, but were held back when Kratos raised a hand for them to remain where they were.

Upon seeing the boy instead of the man who'd caused her so much grief in the past made Catherine stop dead in her tracks, and she gritted her in both frustration and anger before she was barely able to utter out, "Ashe… step aside. Now."

Ashe shook his head rigorously. "I can't. I won't."

From beneath him, Lonato spoke. "Ashe- cough- it's over. There is nothing here for me now. Don't- cough- don't throw away your life like this…"

The boy turned to face his adoptive father, and tears welled up in the archer's eyes as he said, "I can't just leave you to die like this, not without trying to make things right."

Catherine remained rigid. "Stand aside, Ashe. This is beyond personal grievances now. It's a matter of law."

Ashe's gaze hardened, and his expression resolute. "Then I will face whatever consequences come with defending him. I owe him that much."

Catherine's nostrils flared. "Ashe, don't make this harder than it has to be. If you will not move aside, then I will be forced to execute you as well. Is that really what you want?"

Amongst the rest of the Blue Lions, Annette looked for Mercedes' hand and gripped it tightly. "He's really not going to do this, is he?" She looked around at her other classmates. "Is he?!" Her question was met with somber silence.

Ashe took a heavy breath. "I am prepared to accept the consequences."

Hearing this once again gave Catherine pause for thought, as though she'd heard those words before. Her stiff stature began to shake, her emotions seemingly bubbling over before finally she let out a reluctant snarl before lowering Thunderbrand to her side. "Lieutenant ," she called out begrudgingly. "We're taking them in."

An ominous silence filled the air, as though everyone were still trying to process what the captain had ordered. "Um… I'm sorry, Captain?"

"I said," She repeated stiltedly before putting away her weapon. "We're taking Lonato and his soldiers prisoners."

Her Lieutenant was bewildered. "B-but, Captain! We were under strict orders to-"

"I know what the Archbishop said, Lieutenant." She glared daggers at her subordinate. "Do as I say."

Her expression made it clear that the captain would not tolerate any more insubordination, and the officer nodded rigorously. "Y-yes ma'am! You heard her, men! We're taking the rest of Lonato's army prisoner!" Ashe was quiet for a moment before letting out a deep sigh in relief. However, that relief was short-lived as Catherine gave him one last side glance, and what he saw in her face was one he did not expect- an expression of sorrow and guilt before she walked away from them.

Kratos eventually stepped into view, giving Ashe a nod to indicate he wanted to speak privately. Meanwhile, Mercedes rushed to Lonato's side to treat his wound and called out to Marianne, "Mary, I need your assistance, please."

The blue haired priestess stuttered. "Huh? Uh- oh! Right, right…"

As they tended to Lord Lonato's shoulder, with the rest of the Blue Lions assisting the knights with the prisoners, Kratos and Ashe stepped away from the ongoing activities.

"Well, lad," Mimir spoke once they were finally out of earshot. "That has got to be one of the most reckless bloody things I'd ever seen a kid your age do. And that is saying something."

"Mimir." Kratos chastised him.

"Oh, come on, Kratos. Am I wrong? Think about it- If not for the hair and freckles, I'd say he's one step away from being just like-"

"Enough." Mimir goes silent, and Kratos focuses back on Ashe. "Why did you endanger yourself like that?"

Ashe scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I… I remembered the story that you told me. Remember, back at the Cathedral?"

"I remember," Kratos answered simply.

"It's just that- well, I couldn't let him face his end alone, not without trying to change the outcome. Maybe I thought there was still a chance for a better ending."

The Ghost of Sparta observed Ashe closely. "And what of your own safety? Is the preservation of your own life also part of the point of that story?"

Ashe looked down, his voice a mix of defiance and uncertainty. "Yes, it is. But isn't part of being better trying to fix even the seemingly unfixable? If there's even a small chance to make things right, shouldn't we take it?"

Kratos considered Ashe's response and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Your courage is commendable. However, you are responsible not only for your own life, but also for those who fight beside you. Ensure their safety as well as your own. This is a lesson you must always bear in mind."

Ashe nodded. "I understand, sir. It won't happen again."

Kratos looked over the boy one last time before giving a satisfied nod in return. "Make sure it does not."