Chapter 114: The Prelude

"Do you suppose that we have had enough training?"

Goetia paused for a moment to think of an answer.

Then he turned to Caspar. "Did you wish for me to strike your skull more often than I already have done so?"

Caspar snorted and shook his head, amusement painted across his lips as he tightened up the vambrace on his right arm. "I think that I almost got you a couple of those times. Don't think that I'm going to stop until I finally beat you, though."

He raised a brow at the boy. "Your determination in the face of the inevitable is maddening."

A silence, then a blink of confusion.

Comprehension dawned a moment later, a flat look overcame his features. "You know, if you keep acting cocky like that, I'm going to get in a lucky shot and then it will be you flat on the ground. Just saying."

"Then perhaps you should hold your tongue." Goetia gave a dry retort. "Lest you say anything else that could be construed as foolish."

A chuckle cut their conversation short, the pair glanced as Edelgard paced towards them, pausing only for a moment to adjust her own armour and adjust the straps around her collar. "I am pleased to see that the two of you are in such high spirits before the battle. Certainly an improvement over concern."

A grunt escaped him. "It would serve no purpose to fruitlessly worry about the possibilities that exist in the future. Only when the choices are upon you can you truly make any real change. Besides, even knowledge of what is to come does not guarantee success…"

He paused, moving his left hand across and flicking dust from his shoulder.

"Perhaps that is a kindness, else you would be distraught when the promised vision fails to materialise."

Edelgard raised a brow, then hummed. "Then you would not truly know the future, would you?"

She spoke with such confidence because she did not understand, but he did not correct her either. It could well be that she was right. Yet all he had seen had truly come to pass, perhaps he had known the future and just ignored what he dismissed as impossible. If that were even a factor for him.

Regardless, he could see no visions of today's outcome.

It might well have been for the best, as he said.

For some strange reason, he did not wish to know the outcome before he had the chance to play the roll. For reasons that did not materialise.

"The others are already starting to wait for us, they have begun forming up with the assigned knights who will work under us."

A pause, Edelgard turned on him. "Most of us, I should say…"

"My method of leading would be ill-suited to what is necessary. Besides, assigning me to command is-"

A single hand raised itself up, the heiress nodded her head. "I recall."

Good, because he disliked repeating himself.

He disliked being interrupted almost as much, that was the saving grace of the Heiresses actions, whether she knew that or not.

Turning, he spared a final glance towards Caspar and Edelgard before he ventured past them, moving beyond the small room and out into the courtyard. As the girl said, already there was a group massing, separated into three distinct factions with familiar faces placed around each of them.

From the Golden Deer to the Blue Lions and finally the Black Eagles.

Goetia was just about to take the first steps towards his own group when he sensed the approach of a certain figure. His pride would never allow this encounter to pass him by, thus he stopped and turned before they could even get a word out in greeting.

Yet they remained unphased at him abruptly spinning around the face them.

Rather, the smile on their face just grew wider.

"Guess it's almost time to make good on that promise, huh?" The first words out of Catherine's mouth were a reminder of the objective that had hung over his head throughout the training.

She stepped close and folded her arms, looking at him with a sharp, challenging smirk, it was far from malicious and nothing in her posture indicated that she was doing this purely out of some form of dislike for him. A healthy competition, if he cared for such a thing. But that would imply he ever regarded this as a competition in the first place.

There was only one credible threat on the side of the Golden Deer.

And Catherine was not it.

"So it seems." He responded. "The passage of time has swept past with all haste, yet the outcome will remain just as set to me now as it was then. Whatever plans and training you have pulled the Golden Deer through will not alter the final end of this battle."

His eyes narrowed, he loomed with whatever ounce of height he had over the woman.

"And when this battle is decided, it shall be abundantly clear which of us is the superior trainer."

From the lack of fear or unease, it became clear that she did not grasp the full weight of her circumstances. Rather, with a loud and boisterous laugh, the woman bellowed out and brought up her right hand, jabbing it forwards and into his shoulder with a light shove. He briefly debated striking her back before he realised what the gesture was.

When he understood that, he settled for a grimace.

"I heard that the Black Eagles were being put through their paces, coming back limping all the way."

Arms folded once more, she looked him over with an appraising eye.

"You didn't hold back against them?"

"I held back enough." Goetia answered. "Their deaths would be rather unfortunate."

Her left hand came up, waving from side to side as if to try and sweep away his words that hung in the air. Her lip pulled into a small, almost approving, smile as her eyes locked onto his own. "I'm not calling you out. The way things have been recently, those kids need a little bit of tempering to make sure they can stand up to whatever is out there. Certainly made me feel like I need to pick up the pace for some of the knights around here."

Goetia angled his head, feeling his own lips match the smile on the face of the woman, at least it matched hers until she shifted into a bemused frown.

"Would this notion have come before or after one of them struck you?"

She straightened, then blinked. "How did you know about that?"

He hummed. "Despite what some might believe, I do have some positive acquaintances throughout the monastery beyond Professor Esiner."

"And the kids."

"...That should have gone without saying." He felt the need to speak up, but deftly ignored the addendum. "My compatriot spoke of what transpired - though he was not aware I was listening - and I learned of it. Either you vastly overestimate yourself, or you have become too comfortable with your seat of superiority and allowed those under you to exploit that weakness."

Catherine raised a brow. "Maybe…Lonato was a…"

She trailed off, twisted grimace shifting and then being banished away with a shake of the head.

"Nevermind that, just you wait, Goetia. You'll be seeing just how far those Deers have come with me at their backs every morning. Whatever training you put those kids in the Eagles through, I'll bet that I put my own through tougher."

He did not need to hide his dismissal. "I doubt that."

Because the Golden Deer did not need to contend with a shade of Siegfried attempting to strike them.

"She's not exaggerating with being a taskmaster."

"Von Riegan." Goetia turned, then gave the tanned boy a onceover before humming. "If your claims are far from exaggerations, then it would seem that you are a touch more capable than I would have initially believed."

A shocked sputter escaped the boy, he leaned back and was caught somewhere between a laugh and a gasp. "D-did you just-?"

"Naturally, it means that upon sighting you, I shall increase the power of my spells to ensure your swift expulsion from the battlefield."

"Ah, there it is." A wry smile on the face of the boy, his hands dropped to his hips and he shook his head from side to side. "Still cold, Sparkles. Mind you, she hasn't been the only one trying to whip us all into shape."

Jerking his head to Catherine, an amused smile spread across the lips of the Golden Deer, one that was soon matched by the knight. The older woman gave a chuckle from the base of her throat and inclined her head. "She's something else, alright. But I could tell she was a good sort, I have a nose for that type of thing."

His brows minutely furrowed, for all of a few moments.

Then they reverted back to their original location. "Lysithea opted to raise your current capabilities, did she?"

Slow nods of the head, one looked more pained and the other only grew in amusement.

"An idea I hadn't thought of until she was coming up to me, but I allowed it."

There was confidence in the eyes of Catherine, it gave him the impression that she believed this to be some manner of trump card. Perhaps she could well have been correct, Lysithea setting her mind to something produced fearsome results. It did not raise her threat level in the battle, but it would bring some additional need for countermeasures against the Golden Deer.

They would be more familiar with fighting mages, if his hypothesis was correct.

He did not inquire about it, for he knew he would receive no confirmed answer, but he would operate under the belief that Lysithea had been taking more proactive steps in the training. Certainly more so than he would have assumed she would partake in during the last time he walked in on the training.

He expected her to have improved reactions to incoming weapons, same with the others.

"We'll be seeing you, Sparkles." Claude gave a light wave of the hand as he turned, striding back towards the Golden Deers wearing that ever present smirk upon his lips.

Goetia and Catherine watched him depart, the latter turning to the former once the boy was out of earshot and shrugging her shoulders.

"That boy is slippery." A pause. "Not a bad thing, but I had a few problems trying to figure out what he was thinking. You ever have that problem?"

"I did not put in enough effort to play along with Von Riegan's schemes." He answered with a bored tone. "I have known wordsmiths with greater skill in that art than he, but he is young. Given time I am sure he will eventually become of the level of an amateur…as for his strategies, do not expect those to grant you an advantage. I have seen firsthand what he can achieve in a short span of time."

Catherine shook her head. "Oh no, I'm not planning on using any tricks to take you out. I see you out there…"

The smile she wore could only be assumed one way.

"You or the Professor…"

Perhaps she deserved a response. "Then perhaps I can spare a few seconds to entertain your challenge, if I should happen upon you in the field of battle. Though be sure not to cross my path too swiftly, it would be a great shame for the morale of your students if they were to witness you soundly defeated."

Catherine barked out another laugh, backing away and raising a finger to point squarely at him. "Right back at you!"

She turned on her heel, joining the Golden Deers.

Goetia swept his eyes over the assembled faces, briefly meeting those of Lysithea who had clearly been watching the exchange with rapt attention. The two of them gazed at one another without blinking.

Then he offered her a single nod of the head, a gesture she reciprocated without missing a beat.

The two of them had established an understanding.

The Eagle and Lion was for the rest of the students.

For them, the true meaning of the battle was to establish just how far Lysithea had come and just whether or not his expectations were going to be rewarded.

How curious, he thought.

Despite being unable to know the future, he was left with the surety of mind as if he still could.

Win or lose, he was firmly left with the impression in his mind that Lysithea was going to meet the expectations he had placed upon her.

His feet carried him forwards, past the rows upon rows of knights who had been selected to aid the students and serve as the footsoldiers during the battle. Armed with their blunted weapons and training gear, there was little chance of fatal injury and even if there were wounded through some act of clumsy handling, then the healers were on standby.

He knew as such from sensing Flayn and spying the mop of green hair darting between the ranks.

Drawing closer to the Black Eagles, he saw some turn and nod towards him, raising their hands in a show of greeting.

Dorothea and Ferdinand amongst the first, it would not have been an exaggeration to state that of the entire class. Those two were among the easiest that he could speak with outside of training regimes or magical related theory. The topics they discussed would range from the mundane life to invitations to some outside activity.

Yet as Goetia approached, he stopped and turned his head.

One of the knights facing him wore a familiar smile.

He would never call himself surprised, but for a moment he felt a brief pang of intrigue shoot through him as the familiar individual approached, smiling all the while. Only when they were close enough to clap him on the shoulder, their light hearted strike doing nothing more than ruffling his clothes, did Goetia acknowledge their existence with words.

"Harold. This is unexpected."

Harold's smile got a little wider. "Well, they were asking for volunteers to be assigned to the classes and I saw you were with the Black Eagles."

"How long have you known?"

"Half a month?"

Now that was unexpected.

Goetia straightened, then narrowed his eyes. "You concealed this information from me for such an extent of time?"

Rather than show any sense of fear, or even guilt for concealing this information from him, the knight looked rather more pleased with himself. As though Goetia's shock and accusations were somehow a prize he had been patiently awaiting the chance to receive. With that smile still stretching over his face, the knight puffed out his chest, hands falling to his hips.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

A surprise?

He had done this merely so that he could ambush him on the day with news that there was going to be another asset added to the ranks of the Black Eagles? It would have been beneficial for him to know beforehand. That way he would have arranged it for Harold to be 'conveniently' pulled aside for additional training, or so that he could have stopped by the barracks and spoken with the man in regards to such things.

It was too late to change anything regarding that now.

Harold's smile dimmed as the silence continued, the man inferring something from Goetia's expression and giving a faint wince under his helmet. "I…er…sorry."

"Do not apologise for it now." Goetia dismissed, feeling a brief throb stretch across his forehead, his left arm moving up to cradle his temples. A breath sneaking out from between his lips before he dragged the hand down, meeting the gaze of the man.

"It is hardly detrimental," He explained, "merely that I would have preferred a more complete roster of the assest that were at the command of the Black Eagles. Had I known you were also present, I would have been sure to inform Edelgard of your strengths so that you could be placed in the best position."

Harold's expression blanked. "Oh, right…uhm…sorry?"

"I just told you not to apologise." He reminded the knight, then turned his head and jerked it towards the direction of the Eagles. "For now, we can observe their plan as it is formulated. I will provide advice where needed and make suggestions for where you are best utilised."

He was moving before Harold could reply, but it was barely a fraction of a second before the knight gave chase, swiftly falling into a march by his side, he could feel the gaze of Harold on the side of his head, a searching gaze that was both intrigued and slightly anxious.

"I get the feeling you might be overestimating me."

To that, Goetia spared him a side-eye. "I assure you, I do not."

A brief pause, then a thought occured to him. "Did you request this position merely so that you could fight by my side?"

The questioning gaze intensified, "Yes?" Harold's reply came out as a slow puzzled drawl, as though he was afraid he was answering the wrong question. "You're my friend and I wanted to be there to help you."

Goetia hummed. "And the nationality of Miss Nuvelle played no role in this?"

He did not need to see Harold to know the reaction, the emotions burned off him like a bonfire. A sudden sense of shock and then came the embarrassment and surprise. He did not doubt that the man was seconds away from burning bright red like a lantern and from that, moments closer to choking on whatever retort would get stuck in his throat.

Of course, Goetia would hear no denial, but Harold would doubtless make efforts to distract him from an answer.

That was the sight that greeted the Black Eagles once he was close enough to speak with them, a knight of Seiros with his face burning bright red and himself with an expression that looked as though it had been carved from stone.

Dorothea, as expected, looked as amused as she was puzzled. That expectant look in her eyes as she eagerly awaited the explanation as to what had transpired.

Though he was not one to gossip, on this matter she would find herself disappointed.

"This is a close acquaintance of mine-"

"You mean a friend?"

He sent Dorothea a hard look for her interruption, she looked back wt him with the picture of innocence.

"...Close acquaintance." He repeated once more. "And is the current Sargent within the ranks of the Knights of Seiros. He is one of those who is aiding your class in the upcoming battle."

Dorothea blinked once, then twice. Then she turned on Harold and inclined her head. "Then it is nice to meet you, 'close acquaintance' of Goetia."

She smirked as she sent him a pointed look at the words.

He was bracing himself for the expected sentence.

"Yes, we've…we've met before." Harold replied with a polite tone, naturally Dorothea froze up and looked at him with growing shock. "It wasn't for very long and I don't leave that much of an impression, so it's fine if you don't remember me."

Dorothea looked rather guilty, then glanced at him and met his stone faced expression, she looked at him in suspicion before speaking. "You expected that."

"Given the frequency at which I have witnessed a similar conversation play out, I would be a fool not to expect it." He replied, then turned his head to the others.

"Edelgard will be along shortly, I would advise we complete any final checks on equipment and ensure that we are not on the verge of falling into slumber before battle. For I am not going to drag your unconscious bodies all the way to the battlefield. Nor will I drag them back either."

Harold leaned forwards and called out. "That's just Goetia telling you all to be careful and not take any risks."

His ears trained towards the soft chuckle, he glanced to the origin and saw Dorothea looking between himself and Harold with a growing sense of amusement.

"Close acquaintance' indeed." She mused with a shake of the head.

Ferdinand, meanwhile, stepped forwards. "In case we have met before, I shall offer my sincerest apologies that I have not been able to remember you. But if this is our first meeting, I am Ferdinand Von Aeir, I wholeheartedly thank you for the support you and the other knights will be providing us during the battle and hope that we can claim a victory."

Harold stared at the extended hand in surprise, then clasped it. "That's very kind of you to say, milord. I hope that myself and the other knights conduct ourselves in an exemplary fashion."

"Of that I have no doubt." Ferdinand continued onwards, ending the handshake. "And your name?"

"Harold."

"I shall do my utmost to remember it."

"It's fine if you forget, I'm used to it…"

Goetia let out a small hum, then leaned towards the knight and whispered. "And yet, Nuvelle remembers you well."

With a tight smile, Harold gave him another strike, this time with his elbow.

This one a bit firmer than before.

He showed mercy to the knight by not immediately laying a curse upon him for his brazen actions, but he did glance at the offending limb and considered responding in kind. Though he would prove himself to be the greater individual and refrain from engaging in such a base and childish display in front of the Black Eagles.

"So then, what is the general plan for this?"

"Win." Goetia tonelessly replied.

Harold's neck turned, his head creakily changing the direction it faced until it was looking right towards him. Goetia met the gaze with an unblinking stare of his own.

"...Win."

"Yes."

"...I see."

"Good." Goetia replied with a singular grunt, then turned away from him. "Because the plan is the responsibility of Edelgard. I will say and provide nothing if she does not ask for it beforehand, I expect the same of you and the other knights.

Byleth held herself firm, arms folded and eyes straight ahead.

She gave subtle glances for the other two houses on several occasions, but her primary focus lay with her own.

Dimitri's fingers drummed along his upper arms, a rapid tapping which seemed to come without pause. Yet it was a steady beat, one that betrayed excitement rather than a display of nerves. The blonde caught her eyes and inclined his head, speaking a moment later with a low voice.

"It feels strange to have this looming over our heads now, especially with all that has transpired. I would say that this is a welcome distraction from everything…between Rebellions and the Chalice…it is almost a relief to have this above us and yet…"

He glanced down, his eyes distant as if gazing at something beyond himself. His right hand pulled from his arm, his fingers held before his face as he stared at the tips. Byleth followed his gaze and saw the faint tremble in his hands.

"I feel a great deal more anticipation for this, a sense of unease that I had not felt before…perhaps it is because of who we face? What do you think, Professor?"

Bringing his head up, he looked to her with a tilt of the head.

"I do not suppose you're feeling nervous about the upcoming mock battle?"

It was a question that gave her pause, perhaps for the first time in her life. Did she truly feel nervous about the battle? Perhaps she did, but not in the way that Dimitri would have understood. She was no stranger to spars between allies, such things were common during her time as a mercenary.

Yet there was something more to this than just that.

Her standing as a professor in comparison to the others was hardly a factor, yet perhaps to top it off there was a faint sense of competition within her. It was an answer that she could spy in the corner of her eye, with hair glittering under the rays of the sun, gleaming in long flowing locks of gold.

Goetia.

There was something about this match, some underlying reason that she wanted to defeat Goetia but she could not identify the reason for it.

Something important, something that resided deep inside her gut.

"...Perhaps."

She muttered aloud, at first she did not realise she had even spoken a single word. It was not until she realised that some of those who had been in earshot of her were actually turning and looking that she realised her true thoughts had slipped out.

Quick as she could, she turned her stoney expression onto them and thought of an excuse.

"Goetia is troublesome, even handicapped. Lysithea is his student. Catherine is dangerous and the professors have knowledge. They are all dangerous."

It was an explanation that left them satisfied.

Felix grunted and glanced for the Golden Deer, the twitch of his lips making it clear he was on the verge of smirking, but not quite there yet. "Given that the Deer have been under the watchful gaze of Heroes relic wielder and the Eagles have been trained by some foreign mage with a seemingly endless stream of spells, I would expect them both to be unorthodox fighters."

They have covered as such.

Byleth would take no chances, not with someone like Catherine who doubtless fought exactly as she did. That was to say, the knight would have fully exploited the mind of Claude to craft up whatever traps she could think of.

Oddly enough, it was Goetia she could see being the more straightforward of the two.

Though with him, it would be motivated by a sense of arrogance and that the match had been concluded before it even began, all that followed was nothing more than them going through the motions of the foregone conclusion.

She glanced across, spying the tall form of Seteth moving through the crowd right to the front.

It was a plan that could be discussed later, but they had a general idea of what they would be doing already. Dimitri had brought forth general foundations and she had offered her own musings on the plan from time to time. But it remained his plan.

"If I could have your attention!"

The voice of Seteth brought her eyes to the man, he stood with his arms raised above his head and waved them down. The mutters of the others lowered until there was nothing, the man remained silent for a moment longer, then he spoke again, a deep strength to his voice, an undercurrent of power flowing through his every word.

She could feel them in her bones, he was doing something to strengthen his voice.

"Thank you." Seteth brought his arms down and continued speaking. "We shall begin our march to the field momentarily, from there we shall assemble as needed and then we will carry out the mock battle. Gather yourselves and prepare to move at a moments notice-"

There was a single beat.

Byleth felt it before she saw it, the rapid shift in the air, the feeling that something had just gripped the air and twisted. Then she saw the results, the space behind Seteth crumbled like paper between a clenching fist, rolling inwards and then pulling outwards, streams of light stretched over the gaping wound, the slash through nothing but reality opened up wider and wider.

It expanded further until it reached across about twelve shoulders wide.

The reactions were both immediate and alarming, those who had never seen the sight before hastily took steps backwards and let out shouts of alarm and warnings. Some fumbled for their weapons while others looked too shocked to even so much as move.

Byleth watched in silence, whereas Sothis opted to offer a single comment.

"He cannot resist a chance to show off, can he?"

On the other end of the wound, through the gaping maw that was the tear in space, she could see the grassy nulls and the edge of the forest. The land was familiar enough as the location she had been to once before.

The first training battle she recalled for her role as a professor.

It was a tear in space which led straight for Gronder field.

Byleth folded her arms and looked on with dispassionate eyes, her head turned and she looked over to where Goetia and the Black Eagles were.

She spotted Goetia immediately, at the forefront of the house, his outstretched hand retreating back towards his body with a lethargic pace to it. As if he had done nothing more than shoo away an irritable fly, than perform some great feat of magical prowess which would have put most mages to shame.

"Peace! Peace!"

Seteth's voice boomed louder than before, for a moment there was still the apprehension.

It lasted until another voice echoed from behind.

"Since when were the knights of Seiros so easily cowed?"

Despite being a tone no greater than a conversational one, the volume carried far above the crowd. It was further odd as the voice of Rhea met her ears as though the woman was stood before her, and not approaching from behind. Byleth turned on reflex, twisting her body about and staring towards the Archbishop.

Rhea stood there, flanked on either side by heavily armoured guards carrying not the training spears of those under the House command, but the true articles. Further back still, she could spy the awe filled face of Alois as he gaped at the magical display from Goetia and beside him was Shamir…who had her brows raised as the only evidence of her own shock.

Pacing forwards, Rhea turned her gaze over all those before her, showing barely an ounce of concern.

"We stand here in the home of the Goddess, were her words are strongest. Surely you know in your hearts that any who would attempt violence here would be met with the fiercest response possible, regardless of origin…"

She slowed and stopped, hands resting one over the other before her. "What you see before you is nothing more than the assistance rendered by one who has found their way into her graces. A demonstration that the Goddess continues to guide those of incredible power to the side of her faithful."

Rhea turned and looked towards Goetia. "And though I can understand his eagerness to aid the Church, I believe some prior warning would have been appreciated…but I believe such a thing can be forgiven in this particular instance."

Byleth gave an internal raised eyebrow at the explanation. It was far from the sort of thing that Goetia would be pleased with and she was impressed he could keep his words to himself, let alone keep a straight face during all of it. Yet he had managed somehow.

Sothis also have a wry chuckle in the back of her mind, fully aware that this would also earn some bemused reaction from Goetia as well.

"Words rarely capture the majesty of an event such as this." When Goetia did speak, it was in the same borderline dismissive tone as always. "Had I opted to warn the knights, I am certain that very few would have believed what I was capable of. Thus, to see what to believe."

Rhea nodded. "Perhaps, but all the same, perhaps it would have given those who do believe your words a chance to prepare their hearts and minds for the sudden shock? Even knowing you, it is still a surprise all the same…but such things are for the future, the present is all that should concern us now."

Turning back to Seteth, she brought out a hand and gestured towards him, a motion for him to continue.

Seteth, meanwhile, was still sending a thinly veiled look of disapproval towards Goetia before nodding his head, though he did not once look at the Archbishop during that time. Instead he stepped backwards and towards the veil of the portal and then, without delay, he pushed right trough it to the other side and turned around, gesturing to himself without words.

It was stone-solid proof that the way through was safe.

Byleth nudged her own class forwards, a single grunt and a jerked motion and then they were moving. It was easier for them, she figured, because they had already seen this sort of thing from Goetia before.

"When questioned about this, what do you suppose he will say?" Sothis asked, sounding a touch amused and intrigued.

A short and ponderous hum came next, then a snap of fingers.

"I believe he will make some remark along the lines of how he needed to demonstrate just how powerful he is so that everyone can understand the extent to which he has decided to limit himself to grace them at their level…that sounds suitable, does it not?"

She neglected to comment.

…But it did sound like him, she would admit.

"Does the word 'warning' fit into your vast lexicon?"

Goetia remained stone faced to the clear sarcasm, the tight lipped smile of Seteth and the closed eyes made it painfully apparent just how irritated the man was at the moment. Even without the swirl of emotions that bubbled within him, it was clear for that much.

He let the words hang in the air for a few seconds, debating whether it was worth answering them in the first place.

Suitable time passed him by, then he responded in a slow and measured tone.

"It does when the moment calls for warning." His eyes scanned the expression of Seteth as it spasmed rather suddenly and his eyes snapped open, but Goetia gave him very little chance to actually open his mouth and get out another word before he was speaking again.

"Did you truly wish to endure a long ride to Gronder field and then endure the same ride back with the added complaints of two dozen youths and as many doubtless injured knights?"

"That is not the point." With an extended sigh, Seteth brought his hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. A shake of the head and lowering the hand down, he wore an exasperated look. "Merely some warning so that I would not have to try and prevent the knights from starting a panic. I could have explained it was a complicated teleportation spell and that would have been the end of it."

Goetia paused, then hummed.

Perhaps it would have been better to inform others of his intentions, but he was trying something new.

And he was hardly going to ask for permission for his own ideas on the matter, especially if it made the current task easier. If there was a problem with his methods, then the obvious fault lay with the knight for failing to understand that he was simply making their lives much easier than they would have otherwise been.

On the outside, he merely replied.

"Hmph."

And that was all he said on the matter.

The eyes of Seteth lingered, long and hard with the further expectation of words. Yet when none came, the resignation swept through his face and he brought his hands up once more, this time to cover his features as he turned. The sigh that came next eclipsed all that had come previously. A drawn out sound, as if trying to expel all the air from his lungs.

"Father."

It was that word which heralded the arrival of Flayn to the impromptu meeting held before the amused expressions of the Black Eagles. Or so he assumed them to be amused, it was naturally the sort of reaction he would have expected them to have.

The poorly concealed laughter from directly behind him left little to the imagination.

"Perhaps we can agree that Goetia decided to be spontaneous and then we might avoid becoming overly stressed."

Seteth looked down at his daughter, grimaced and then closed his eyes. With a slow nod of the head, he turned and brought his hand up, then lowered it and pointed towards the portal which had been opened up.

"Knights! Move out!"

And with some small trepidation, they hobbled forwards.

Harold moved past him with greater speed than all others, sending a brief look over his shoulder and meeting Goetia's eyes. With a smile on his lips, the knight turned back around and strode right through the veil. Utterly unconcerned as to whatever imagined terrors might have plagued the minds of his fellows.

He marched forwards for perhaps a metre or so beyond the mouth of the portal on the other side, placed his hands on his hips and turned back around. Bringing his right hand up, he waved for them to follow him through.

Evidence they were not marching to their deaths spurred a more relaxed posture - but with tinged unease - as they made their way to the portal column after column.

"You know father was correct."

Neither he nor Flayn looked at one another, instead their combined focus remained solely on the space before them as they walked.

"In regards to providing a prior warning? Perhaps, but I will make no attempts to apologise for my behaviour."

With a short but marginally amused sigh, Flayn answered him back. "I believe the phrase asking for forgiveness rather than permission is utterly lost upon you. As is the opposite. If I were to guess, yours would merely be 'I do what I want, when I want.'"

There was another snicker from behind him, louder than before.

Goetia turned and looked over his shoulder, frowning towards Dorothea at her unconcealed amusement towards the mocking words of Flayn. Though the songstress took little notice of his expression either and instead laughed just a smidge louder.

He turned away and glanced down at Flayn. "Apt. Yet I made my point clear, I had no intention of making a gruelling journey there and back when I could have provided an alternative...Ignoring the fact I refuse to have those who are to be my allies fight while suffering from fatigue."

With a baffled scoff, Flayn shot her head up at him and raised her brows. "I am left gobsmacked, Goetia. One who does not know you might suggest you decided to rip open the boundary of the world for nothing more than the fact it would spare your friends some sore muscles and aching toes."

Then her expression changed, a smile formed on her lips and her eyes narrowed in a manner which might have been called teasing.

If Flayn were even capable of such a thing.

"Though I am sure I am mistaken."

"Of course you are." Goetia did not hesitate to correct her. "This is nothing more than a trivial display of my power so those who are to battle me understand the true extent to which I am holding myself back against them. It will stand as a reminder that even if I were to somehow suffer an injury in this battle, it is not because I am weak…but because I have opted to grace the students with a challenge, as opposed to a flogging."

"...That is a rather colourful analogy."

He answered with a grunt, then hummed. "And what of you? Beside the nature of the battle, I assume that this will be used as a chance for you to examine the Blue Lions so that you can properly identify your peers?"

Flayn puffed up her chest a little, a faint inkling of pride. "I will have you know that I have been sitting in on the Professors lessons for quite some time-"

"I referred to practical applications of those lessons."

She flushed, the pride dissipated. "O-oh, yes…uhm…I have been watching some of the training when the moment allows and I have been asked to provide healing when possible. It keeps me in practice and lets me build closer bonds with my classmates."

Once more, she perked up. "Like Felix! I have come to find him as a kindred spirit?"

Goetia spared her a glance at the words, passing through the portal without much of a reaction from either of them. "Does this mean you shall be hurling insults and comparisons towards animals in the near future? Am I to anticipate encountering you violent usage of the word mongrel?"

Flayn mustered up a glare, her hands balled into fists and firmly planted themselves on her hips. "That was not what I meant and I am certain you knew as such. What I meant was that we both have a dislike for the rather…high importance that is placed on violence and battle, rather than of peace and harmony."

Goetia said nothing, he allowed his expression to speak for him.

With the utter lack of respect Felix had shown to anything even remotely close to chivalry - something that was ingrained in the very culture of the Holy Kingdom - and when compared with his fathers nature, it became starkly apparent that despite his skill in the way of the blade, the boy disliked the manner in which war was viewed.

What truly surprised him was that Flayn had only just reached this conclusion.

She clearly inferred his thoughts as the glare only deepend and her frown turned to a pout, her cheeks puffed outwards with such force that they turned red.

It was a bewildering display and reminded him of some feeble effort of scaring away predators.

He watched her with disinterest, then waved his hand to some corner where he assumed the clerics would be gathering. "It would be best if we returned to our respective groups. I trust your presence will be needed within the next few hours."

Flayn huffed. "I sincerely hope that is not a promise, Goetia. I would rather hope my stay here to be a quiet and uneventful one."

"Then you are quickly going to find this day disappointing."

They numbered seventy two in total, excluding himself and Hanneman.

Goetia had suppressed a twitch at the number.

Each of them commanded eight soldiers in their respective fields, with the noticeable exception of Bernadetta.

"And this is your final strategy?"

Edelgard nodded her head towards him. "Though it will be considerably risky, I have faith that we have the capacity for it to end with a victory. Even if it does not work as envisioned, then I am certain the other houses will at least lose some of their forces when assaulting our position. Enough to even the odds."

He offered a faint inclination of the head. It was her plan and if this was how she wished to proceed, then he would have no objections.

"I will trust command of this to Hubert in my absence, he is knowledgeable enough and shadows me often. With the support of Hanneman, rooting out the defenders will be a challenge not lightly undertaken."

The latter of that was directed to the others in her class, already pacing towards the treeline and casting a long look towards the field in question. An open expanse with thickets of trees laced across the uneven grassland, at the epicentre lay a small null, the surface of which had been laid with planks of wood up to the centre and over.

The singular river which ran across the north of the field was marked with three wooden bridges allowing for crossing.

They had been placed south west, directly beside the stone structure which might have once been some form of temple, but had long since been abandoned. The pyramid served as little more than an observation post from which the battlefield as a whole could be observed.

With the Golden Deer to the north and the Blue Lions to the east, there was enough space between them that running into one would mean they would expose themselves to the other.

A three way battle.

Edelgard moved down the steps to where the troops had assembled themselves, a mixture of calvary and foot soldiers, with Bernadetta leading a contingent of archers, flanked only by himself as he stood beside the girl, it became noticeable she was trying her best to appear calm and controlled, though from the way she was shaking, it was clearly difficult for her.

He reached into his right side, opening up the cape and drawing forth Flauros. The bird cheeped and twitched, looking left and right as they were exposed to the world. His eyes came up, leaving the bird and landing beside Bernadetta.

A twitch of the hand, he subtly jabbed the finch to the air and watched it dart through the space before plopping itself down on the shoulder of the purple haired girl. The immediate reaction was a jolt of terror, whipping herself to see what had just touched her. But the concern was naturally short lived.

The moment she found herself eye to eye with Flauros, the terror all but evaporated from her face.

Bernadetta then tore her eyes from the bird, with noticeable effort, and towards him with a questioning gaze.

He stepped forwards. "I am assigning Flauros to you. Ensure that they remain unharmed and unpanicked during the battle. This is my one and only order to you on this battlefield. Understand?"

Bernadetta fidgeted then nodded her head. "Right."

Goetia briefly glanced at her and furrowed his brows. A small debate started within him about whether or not he should tell her that he had actually been speaking towards Flauros. Yet he quickly decided against it, letting her keep her misunderstanding in favour of not destroying what little confidence she had.

Reciprocating the nod, he retreated away from the younger girl and back towards the stairs, several steps higher he stopped.

With a breath, Goetia inhaled and then exhaled.

The world fell mute as he nullified his senses, rendering himself as no more aware than the average man.

"Did you ever say anything to Professor Eisner?"

He did not turn to Dorothea, but opted to answer her question.

"There is nothing to be said with words." He explained back to her, as only she would comprehend. "As with Fujimaru, there are some things that can only be discussed through physical means. I am certain if there is an understanding to be met, it will be met on the field."

There was a pause.

Dorothea let out a small chuckle as she moved down the steps and past him, casting a long look his way and a wry smile. "That's certainly one way of looking at it."

He was unsure what other way of looking at it there might have been.

Trumpets sounded off in the distance, Goetia turned to the overlooking cliff which allowed for a perfect view of the entire battlefield. He could just about make out the forms of Seteth and Seiros stood there, perched from high above and gazing down upon all of them.

It was the signal for the battle to begin.

"Our victory must be absolute."

Edelgard spoke, hefting the axe and raising it high, she turned from the front and faced her assembled force. He saw the burning fire in her eyes, the determination to achieve whatever goal she had set out for.

In this instance, it was the resolution to claim this day as a win, anything less would be a blow against her pride.

Perhaps he could empathise somewhat with that feeling.

"No matter what it may take."

She lowered the axe and turned about, looking over the uneven terrain to the far distance where the Blue Lions and Golden Deers were preparing themselves.

He felt a sense of trepidation, that uncertainty.

Even with all of his confidence, as he was now, there was a small part of him that now whispered of the chance of a defeat. That even his knowledge would not be enough and that somehow, they would lose.

He ignored that, not because of his almightiness, but because of the simple fact that he had gone through the effort this last month.

Anything less would render the entire experiment, the experience in training the Black Eagles, as nothing more than a waste.

He could not allow that.

Omake: Class of Clowns

Eagles of the Empire Group chat

Dorothea: Can we never put Gotie in charge of training again? Thanks.

Ferdinand: Far be it from me to disparage further training, but I am in agreement with Dorothea. Our latest effort was very concerning.

Dorothea: …Maybe Gotie has the right idea…

Ferdinand: What? But you just agreed with me?

Dorothea: But now I'm thinking about it.

Edelgard: Dorothea, please do not leapfrog between stances simply because someone you dislike agrees with you. As for the earlier remark, I am inclined to agree with you. I had not anticipated Goetia being as ruthless as he was.

Caspar: I thought it was pretty neat.

Linhardt: Apparently he has been struck in the head too many times.

Caspar: Hey! I only got hit once!

Linhardt: Yes.

Linhardt: But their arms were the thickness of tree trunks. I do not believe you need to be struck more than once to suffer brain damage.

Hubert: How would we ever tell?

Dorothea: Ouch.

Dorothea: Hubert awoke and decided he would choose the path of violence.

Edelgard: Hubert's words aside, I believe it would be best if we brought this up with Goetia directly.

Goetia: I am aware.

Dorothea: ?

Hubert: How did you get here?

Goetia: Through the same method that you arrived.

Edelgard: I demand more specifics than that. Who gave you an invite?

Goetia: Bernadetta.

Goetia: Though it was not my intention. I merely requested to know what she spent her time doing in her room.

Goetia: She explained swiftly when I manifested before her during the waning hours of the day.

Ferdinand: Was that what the screaming was? I thought that was a ghost.

Caspar: You mean it wasn't?

Linhardt: I would have argued that ghosts are not real.

Linhardt: But that would not be true.

Caspar: Yeah.

Caspar: Wait.

Caspar: If I kill someone and then their ghost comes back to haunt me, do I have to kill them again?

Goetia: A curious thought.

Goetia: But the answer would be yes.

Dorothea: And that is next weeks lesson.

Dorothea: The art of the double tap.

Hubert: Why stop at just two?

Petra: We do not hit prey with two arrows unless we need to.

Petra: It is the mark of an inexperienced hunter.

Petra: One well placed strike is all you need.

Goetia: Alternatively, using an attack which removes any chance of survival.

Goetia: So powerful that not even their residual thoughts endure.

Edelgard: Perhaps we can move away from whatever this conversation is and back towards the original point?

Ferdinand: Quite. Goetia. We need to speak with you about the difficulty of your training.

Goetia: What of it?

Ferdinand: It is too difficult.

Goetia: Nonsense.

Goetia: Fujimaru achieved victory against Heracles when he was stronger and had the ability to revive from death and gain immunity from previous attacks.

Goetia: By comparison, your own opponent is nothing more than a mere echo.

Edelgard: …I believe I would appreciate some clarification.

Goetia: On which part?

Edelgard: Everything that came after the word 'nonsense.'

Dorothea: I just zoned out when he started talking about his boyfriend again.

Goetia: I am not going to debate this with you.

Caspar: Goetia has a boyfriend?

Linhardt: Goetia likes men?

Ferdinand: Goetia's boyfriend is the person who tried to kill him? That is rather saddening. My condolences.

Dorothea: Lmao.

Goetia: Do you see what madness you have unleashed?

Goetia: Perhaps you are right.

Goetia: Perhaps your training does need to be re-examined.

Bernadetta: Pls.

Bernadetta: No.

Bernadetta: I beg you.

Goetia: Beg for help. Raise your lovely voice. It's time to drown in a sea of anguish! That is your only salvation.

Dorothea: …What?

Edelgard: Excuse me?

Ferdinand: ?

Petra: Is this the acting that Dorothea speaks of? Very convincing.

Goetia: Hmph.

Dorothea: Did you just grunt through text?

Goetia: No.

Caspar: So is the training being lowered or highered?

Goetia: You will fight a shade of Fujimaru.

Dorothea: Awwww.

Dorothea: Don't worry, Gotie.

Dorothea: We'll help you jump a fake version of your ex.

Caspar: So we're beating up Goetia's ex? Weird…I'm down.

Ferdinand: This is not how I saw my day going.

Hubert: Hmmmm.

Dorothea: Don't try and copy Gotie, Hubie. He's just different.

Bernadetta: Can I not do training?

Goetia: Then you are refusing?

Bernadetta: Am I allowed?!

Goetia: …Hmph.

Goetia is offline.

Linhardt: That seems concerning.

Caspar: I wonder what he's doing.

Bernadetta: Guys? Should I be scared? I feel scared.

Dorothea: You'll be fine, Bernie. Gotie isn't mean.

Bernadetta: Yes he is. He is mean. He is mean and scary.

Bernadetta: And he's

Edelgard: ?

Ferdinand: Bernadetta?

Bernadetta: I have elected to take control of Bernadetta's training personally. If she had prior engagements with you, consider them terminated.

Bernadetta is offline.

Petra: Did something happen to Bernadetta?

Petra: That read like Goetia.

Caspar: It probably was.

Linhardt: Indeed.

Edelgard: Most unfortunate.

Hubert: Do you wish to stage a rescue?

Dorothea: That sounds very kind of you.

Dorothea: So who are you and how did you get Hubert's phone.

Hubert: Wow.

Hubert: Is he really that bad?

Edelgard: Claude. Give Hubert the phone back.

Hubert: How did you know?

Dorothea: Magic powers.

Hubert: You can't say that. You are magic.

Hubert: And he's right next to me.

Hubert: He looks mad.

Hubert: Yeah. He's majiuvhiebfyuefb

Linhardt: Ah, yes.

Linhardt: We can at last see a visual representation of Caspar's thought process.

Caspar: You're just mad because my dad could beat your dad in a fight.

Linhardt: Only because he is a trained warrior.

Linhardt: My father is not.

Linhardt: But he is taller.

Edelgard: I feel as though I have lost control of this conversation.

Hubert: I apologise, Lady Edelgard.

Hubert: He provided me with his phone so that I could examine the Golden Deers.

Hubert: I regret to report that it was filled with nothing but images with text.

Dorothea: Man goes to the class of memes.

Dorothea: Finds nothing but memes.

Edelgard: Dorothea, please.

Dorothea: :)

Petra: I am confused.

Petra: Are we going to do something about Bernadetta?

Edelgard: Yes. We are.

Dorothea: Yes, Empress. Slay.

Edelgard: I am not going to kill anyone.

Dorothea: I'm screenshotting this and sending it to Claude.

Edelgard: ?