Edelgard stoked the small fire that sat in front of her with a thin twig. Shamir had insisted the campfire stay small to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention.

The knight towered above the students that gathered around the light, with her arms firmly crossed in front of her chest, she pushed away a few strands of her dark blue hair and tucked them firmly behind her ears.

Edelgard craned her neck and saw her teacher laying on the ground. Petra had gathered some of the softer debris from the forest floor where he now rested, though he seemed to be twitching and groaning in his sleep.

"But you're not with them anymore?" Shamir stayed standing, her eyes peered occasionally at her surroundings.

Edelgard shook her head as she stared into the fire, "there have been a lot of… changes this year that have made me reconsider my position. While I agree that crests have brought nothing but a dismal social system, Those Who Slither in the Dark won't stop until they're not only crushed from this world, but anyone who even remotely supports them."

"They are, indeed, ruthless," Hubert's face was as still as stone as he sat upon the ground. "You've no doubt witnessed their brutality first hand as Captain Jeralt was no mere coincidence."

"It was a message," Lysithea clenched her jaw. "The professor had been helping you, and they wanted him out of the way."

"Or just to pay," Leonie's face twitched as it scrunched in anger.

"If I might ask," Shamir rested her head in her palm as she took in everything she was hearing. "These sound like extremely dangerous people. Why will they simply not let you go about your business? Cut your ties and move on with whatever they have planned?"

Edelgard swallowed hard. At this point, the only ones who knew of her violated body were her teacher, Dorothea and Lysithea, albeit indirectly. She peered at Byleth again and thought about all he had shared. Though he maintained the Goddess's favor, he relied heavily upon his students and the Knight of Seiros. His first days at the monastery gave her the impression that he replied upon nobody, but perhaps she wasn't the only one that had an eventful year full of change.

"They…" Edelgard searched for the words to say, a lump formed in her throat. "They believe they created me."

"You mean like… in a research facility?" Lindhardt's interest was piqued.

"You might say that," she nodded slowly. "When I was a child, they were destitute to create weapons. So they… put many of their theories to the test by instilling a second crest in their test subjects."

In the corner of her eye, she saw Lysithea tense her body as she averted her gaze.

"I've heard of such experiments," Lindhardt rubbed his chin. "But I thought they were nothing but mere legends."

"They're no legends, or myths or even cautionary bedtime tales," Lysithea snapped. "It's all true."

"Lysithea…" Annette scrunched her brows as she gazed at the younger girl. Flayn sat beside her, unusually quiet and forlorn.

"If none of you have noticed," Lysithea continued, her nostrils flared but she still refused to raise her eyes to meet any of their glances. "Edelgard and I share very similar hair color, one I imagine you haven't seen very often."

Edelgard didn't want to leave the explanation of their torturous childhoods to Lysithea alone. She rested her twig upon her knee and held up both of her hands with their palms facing the sky. In her left hand, a light emerged in the form of a teardrop or a budding rose, "the Minor Crest of Seiros."

Her peers gazed upon her with curiosity as they watched her right hand begin to illuminate. The light outlined a complex and intertwining series of lines, "and… the Crest of Flames, just as our teacher."

Lysithea was the only one who showed no reaction.

"Incredible!" Lindhardt exclaimed as he scooted across the dirt to get a better look. "Two crests within the same vessel, I've never dreamed such a thing could exist."

Edelgard bit her tongue, she knew of Lindhardt's infatuation with crests that rivaled Professor Hanneman himself, but she had to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was unaware of the torture and violation it took to instill the second crest within her.

"I bear the Minor Crest of Charon," Lysithea didn't raise her eyes to Edelgard's crests. Her voice was agitated and Edelgard could feel the tension rise, "And the Minor Crest of Gloucester. And it wasn't 'incredible,' it was… the worst thing to ever happen to me in my life."

"As it was mine," Edelgard nodded in assurance. She and Lysithea had shared an experience that up until recently she tried to ignore and hide away from the world. Now she only wished for the younger girl to not feel alone. "Each of our siblings died during this experiments, leaving both of us the last heirs to our thrones and houses."

"Oh, Edie," Dorothea closed her eyes softly.

"With me ascending to the Adrestian throne soon," Edelgard continued. "I've no doubt Those Who Slither in the Dark would not be so willing to let their success slip through their fingers."

"If it wasn't so tragic," Ferdinand rested his arm across his knee as she gazed into the flames. "I would go as far as to say their hypocrisy is noteworthy. They claim to want to dispel crests, but yet they'll go to any lengths to use them to their advantage."

"Just one reason Her Highness had decided to part ways," Hubert spoke softly.

"One reason?" Shamir began to pace, her attention seemed to be in all places at once as she neared the students in one moment and walked the treeline in the next.

Edelgard didn't answer, she merely peered at her restless teacher once again.

"I know he has his own secrets," Shamir continued. "He said he would tell me of them all after we disposed of Captain Jeralt's killer."

"It doesn't seem right…" Edelgard trailed off. Her secrets were her own to do as she pleased, but it seemed like a betrayal to give away Byleth's without his consent.

"He's been touched by the Goddess Sothis," Flayn finally broke her silence.

Somehow her words didn't do his situation justice. Edelgard let her mind wander to the parchment in which she wrote upon, and how he was able to recall everything written on it without so much as looking at it. She remembered his descriptions of her peers falling to their deaths and the toll it took on his body to save each of them.

And of course, being 'touched' by the Goddess wasn't the only thing he endured. Sothis had dwelled within him, a twin being that shared the same vessel, thoughts and feelings.

"I can't hear her anymore, El."

Byleth's words before he collapsed rang in her head, as did the mournful look in his eyes after he emerged from the void.

"I have to ask," Shamir sighed as she rubbed her temples. "I know all of you continue to be impressed with Byleth's keen sense of awareness, his ability to deduce things that others couldn't fathom. I share many of his talents, though I don't boast about it. As a mercenary, you learn these things or you die."

Edelgard couldn't dispute any of her words. Though their relationship began rather tumultuously, she had come to respect the knight and her contribution to keeping Byleth safe.

"Flayn," Shamir continued. "I've always noticed you share your hair color with not only your brother, but Rhea as well."

Flayn readjusted her weight as she fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the subject matter.

"And now," the knight turned her gaze to peer at the young girl. "Byleth's own hair color closely resembles yours, though it is lighter."

"I am unsure of what you're asking me," Flayn was not her usual happy self. Her words quivered as she swallowed hard.

"I believe you also know more than what you're telling us," Shamir was cold in her answer, but direct.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly," Flayn shook her head vigorously. "I must consult my brother on such matters, and Lady Rhea, of course-"

"Flayn," Annette's soft voice interjected. "I know that I was not born into the Black Eagle house, but I chose it, just as you did."

"As well as I," Ingrid nodded slowly.

"Me, too," Leonie pursed her lips as she stared intently at the dying fire.

"I know that we're just in the Officers Academy, and that in just a few ethereal months, we're meant to go our separate ways," Annette scooted closer to the young girl. "We're meant to use all that we've learned to lead our kingdoms, empires, alliances and houses to a better future."

Flayn did not respond, her wide eyes darted to each of her peers.

"I don't know about you guys," Leonie tightened her lips. "But I've never really thought of the Black Eagles as just a house… I mean, I can't imagine just going our separate ways and only thinking of each other as people we used to know."

"Me neither," Caspar agreed. "It's a family. I mean, don't get me wrong, a really unconventional one, given the circumstances. People are trying to kill us, and I don't know about you, but I can't stand the thought of someone trying to hurt one of my own."

"I-" Bernie cut herself off short as she pondered her words. "It's only b-because of you all that I've been able… to… do what I've done. C-come out of my room, f-fight for my friends…"

"And we couldn't be more thankful, Bernie," Dorothea offered her a soft smile.

Edelgard was at a loss for words, she had expected to have to give a speech allowing each of them to back away from the situation before it progressed any further… perhaps, the time was now.

"They won't go after you if you're not a threat," Edelgard mustered the courage. "At this point, it's only myself… and now our professor. There is still a good likelihood that none of you have appeared on their radar just yet."

"Are you meaning for us to walk away?" Petra scrunched her brows as she narrowed her gaze on Edelgard. "After what we have been learning, I couldn't possibly have doing such a thing."

"She's right," Ferdinand sighed as he bobbed his head up and down. "You can't expect us to leave the situation as is. You've told us of one of the greatest threats to Fodlan and its sister islands and you can't ask us to ignore that. Crests or not, I feel responsible for the safety of the civilians and everyone else."

"Me as well," Ingrid added. "With this knowledge, we can't possibly walk away from this."

"They murdered Captain Jeralt," Leonie's muscles tensed as she clenched her jaw. "They tried to kill the professor… I think they've already made enemies of our entire house. We're a team, we've trained and fought as a team… as a… family. Am I wrong?"

None of her classmates vocalized their disagreement or shook their heads.

"They're called Agarthans," Flayn blurted out as she wrapped her hands around her knees, pulling them closer to her chest. "Those Who Slither in the Dark."

"Agarthans?" Shamir snapped her head to face her. "That sounds familiar."

"The Goddess's children, the Nabateans, were blessed with Sothis's affection and gifts," Flayn continued. "Or so it's fabled. The Agarthans became jealous of her children and recruited Nemesis to reclaim the land while the Goddess slumbered."

"The War of Heroes," Ferdinand nodded. "It's a well known story."

"It's not well known that the Agarthans are the ones that persuaded Nemesis to slay most of the Goddess's children and eventually, Sothis herself," Flayn didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular, instead she stared straight ahead with a thousand yard glare in her eyes. "It seems their objective was to turn Lady Edelgard into the next Nemesis."

"Wait…" Caspar furrowed his brow. "He actually slayed the Goddess? What have we all been praying to, then?"

"It would seem even a fallen Goddess has her ways," Edelgard added as she watched her teacher roll over as he grumbled in his sleep.

"I couldn't possibly say more," Flayn zealously shook her head. "I've already said too much."

Shamir let out a heavy sigh, "so what are we up against? How many do they have in their ranks? What weapons do they have at their disposal?"

They were the same questions Byleth had asked of Edelgard many moons ago. At that time, it was his way of acknowledging his support in helping her break away from Those Who Slithered in the Dark.

"They are many," Edelgard didn't have anything new to add since the time she divulged her secret to her teacher. "Several branches that have methods of communicating with one another."

"Smart," Shamir closed her eyes. "Keep the organization divided, makes it harder to track them down or to cut off the head of the serpent."

"The leader of the branch I know of is Thales, Solon and Kronya's superior," she continued. "I'm afraid I don't have much knowledge beyond that except that they're capable of awesome magic and ruthless measures."

"The blood magic Solon used," Dorothea added. "That was truly forbidden magic… I thought it was mere legend as well had I not seen it with my own eyes."

"No doubt they're capable of much more," Lysithea blinked slowly.

"I must ask again," Edelgard was uncomfortable with the thought of her friends jumping headfirst into a war they almost knew nothing about. "You've all seen what they can do, if any of you wish to-"

"I'm not going anywhere," Shamir interrupted. "I may be a… Knight of Seiros and a mercenary. Mercenaries don't exactly have a reputation for loyalty, but as you've said, this has been quite a year of change."

Edelgard watched as Shamir quickly glanced at Byleth.

"Me neither," Leonie lifted her chin. "I made a promise to Captain Jeralt before he… you know. And I intend to keep it."

"It's not only an honorable thing to do," Ingrid began softly. "But as it's been said before, our house is not merely a class, we are.. A family as someone had called us."

"That's right!" Caspar exclaimed.

"Sorry, Edie," Dorothea grinned. "It looks like you're stuck with us."

Her words came as a relief to Edelgard, it helped quell the guilt she felt each time they marched off to a new mission without knowing why they were fighting… or dying for. However, it didn't relieve all of her fears, the more allies she amassed, the more she feared losing them… especially her classmates.

"What can you tell us about Byleth?" Shamir's eyes darted to their surroundings. She was definitely on high alert and Edelgard couldn't blame her with their latest missions.

Edelgard swallowed hard, she didn't wish to betray his confidence but he did also promise to tell Shamir everything after he avenged Jeralt. But did that promise extend to the rest of the class as well?

"He's very… special," she couldn't bring herself to say more.

"That's a given," Shamir scoffed. "But it doesn't explain much."

"As Flayn said," Edelgard elaborated. "He's been blessed by the Goddess."

"I was never much of a believer, Knight of Seiros or not," Shamir rubbed her eyebrow. "But with what I've seen, I'm hardly in a position to dispute any of that. But what exactly does that mean?"

"She dwelt within him," Edelgard spoke without thinking.

"Within him?" Flayn's eyes widened. "He wasn't merely just blessed?"

"I don't know how," she continued. Her first few words were already a lie, with what she read in Jeralt's diary, there was a good chance that Lady Rhea had a large amount of credit to take for his… condition. However, she didn't wish to push her luck, especially with Flayn present. "But Sothis lived within him and shared his body. He was able… to turn back the hands of time."

"This is…" Ferdinand let his words trail off. "A lot to take in merely one night. Turn back the hands of time?"

Edelgard nodded. She had already gone this far, and in truth, she had felt a sense of warmth from her classmates' support that made her want to divulge more. After all, didn't they deserve it?

"Have you ever noticed our teacher seemed to be in all places at once during battle?" She began to elaborate. "He would always be there to deflect an attack, or tackle you to the ground to save you from an arrow or spearhead."

"You don't have to remind me," Caspar let out a nervous chuckle. "Keeping up with him on the battlefield prevented me from actually doing any fighting."

"He knew of my minor wound without even seeing it," Shamir seemed to be speaking to no one in particular.

"More than once," Dorothea nodded slowly as she recalled her own memories.

"It takes a toll on his body each time," Edelgard breathed in slowly. "The bleeding from his nose, his ears. But each time one of us fell in battle… he'd turn back the hands of time gifted to him by Sothis to undo fate."

"You mean to say…" Ferdinand's face scrunched. "That we've died?"

Edelgard nodded, "In another life or time, more than once for some of us. Myself included. Once, he moved Hubert and I several moments before the ceiling fell where we once stood. But with Captain Jeralt… I fear he overexerted himself because in truth, I don't know what effect it's having on his body. No matter how many times he tried… he couldn't…"

A silence fell between them. Each of her classmates kept their gazes forward as they pondered her words. Edelgard started to feel as if her words were a mistake. She was unsure if they were in disbelief or if they had begun to have second thoughts with the outrageous claims that were being made.

"He proved it to me," she continued. "I'm ashamed to say that at that time, I found it hard to believe to say the least. He had me write on a piece of parchment, whatever came to my mind and without so much as a peek at my paper, he knew of everything I already wrote. He knew that Professor Manuela would come in seeking glue for her shoe and what she would say-"

"H-he saved me from an arrow," Bernie stuttered. "I haven't been able… t-to stop thinking about it. I didn't even hear it and yet… if he hadn't pushed me to the ground, I-I would've been…"

Edelgard nodded, "more than likely because it already happened and he saved you from that fate."

"I-I died," Bernie wasn't asking a question, it was more as if she was coming to the realization that she had already been to the afterlife in another time. However, Edelgard couldn't help but to notice that her body wasn't quivering, she was still, almost calm.

"Our poor professor," Petra glanced at Byleth. "The things he must have been seeing, and not a soul he could have shared his traumas with."

"But now we know," Shamir didn't seem to question anything she was hearing. Perhaps, seeing was truly believing, or maybe she just had that much faith in Byleth to not question his abilities. "That means we have to be extra diligent so that he won't have to… turn back the hands of time anymore. Save his mind and body from any more damage."

"I'll do my part," Leonie sounded more determined than ever. "I'll protect him just as much as he's protected me, maybe even more."

"Agreed," Ingrid nodded. "It is the very least we could do."

Their words were met with a myriad of head nods and vocal agreements.

"It would seem…" Hubert began, his eyes searched the ground for the right words to say. "Lady Edelgard, that you did truly sense his… uniqueness before I. And for that, I apologize for any doubts I had expressed-"

"It is alright, Hubert," Edelgard interrupted. It's not that she wasn't grateful for the validation, but she knew the "uniqueness" she sensed was more than simply sensing his abilities, but rather something deeper. Deep within her heart, she knew that despite any of her teacher's abilities, she still would've been drawn to him.

"And his change of appearance?" Shamir piped in, disrupting her thoughts. "His hair, his eyes…"

Edelgard slowly shook her head, "before he fainted… he said he couldn't hear Sothis any longer. That they merged…"

"Sothis became one with him," Flayn kept her eyes down as she intermingled her fingers together.

"With blood magic that dark," Lysithea's demeanor didn't change, her muscles were still tense and her anger apparent. "It would've taken the power of a Goddess to return from the void."

"Did he mention what his intentions were regarding his… abilities?" Shamir seemed to be in full mercenary-mode as she bombarded her with question after question in her quest to gather more information.

"I think first and foremost," Edelgard answered. "He was concerned for our well-being. To train us and keep us alive."

"And after?" Shamir prodded.

"Well," Edelgard felt guilty. Her classmates didn't seem to dispute the claims she was making, but somehow it felt wrong to mention his promise to her and Lysithea. "With the experiments came… unfortunate side effects."

"Side effects?" The knight pushed.

"The burden of carrying two crests does great damage to our own bodies," Lysithea answered for her. "If you haven't noticed, I am barely able to keep up with the rest of you on a physical level though the professor has been incrementally challenging me. Our life spans… are not like yours."

"You mean, your bodies will fail?" Annette scrunched her brow as her eyes darted between Lysithea and Edelgard.

Edelgard nodded, "we still have some years left. I probably have more due to the care they used as I am meant to lead the Adrestian Empire."

"But either way," Lysithea huffed. "Neither of us have long."

"But Byle-" Edelgard caught herself. "Our professor, promised he'd find a way to remove our crests so that our bodies may return to normal… perhaps, we may even live as long as any of you."

"A noble endeavor, indeed," Ferdinand tightened his lips. "Imagine if he could do that across Fodlan… rebuild a world where we're not bred for our crests or where house leaders are chosen due to their competency and not what crest they hold."

Edelgard bit her tongue. In the Goddess Tower, he did mention that he believed he could find a way with Sothis's help to rid the world of crests altogether, but again, Flayn's presence made her a little uncomfortable. She knew there was a good possibility all of this would be reported to Rhea and right now she took a small comfort in knowing she could control at least some of that information.

"Well count me in," Leonie's tone grew more upbeat. "Whatever our professor is planning, I'll be there."

In the corner of her eye, she saw the blue-haired knight offer a nod to no one in particular.

"He's our professor," Caspar smiled widely. "I don't know about you guys, but he means more to me than that. I'll be there for him no matter where he leads me."

"Agreed," Ferdinand nodded. Ingrid let a small smile form from her lips as she bobbed her head up and down.

"H-he saved me," Bernie swallowed hard. "He's saved a-all of us. I'll… be there for him, too."

"It would seem turning back the hands of time isn't the only ability our esteemed professor possesses," Lindhardt threw his hand into the air. "Being able to acquire such devout loyalty is a highly sought after trait in itself. I am also curious as to where this path will lead us."

"What will our next planning of action?" Petra didn't have to announce her support. Her eagerness to find out their next move said more than words ever could have.

"I am… unsure," Edelgard let out a soft chuckle. "I suppose first, we need to see if our professor is doing well with his new… condition. After that, perhaps it's time we start to gather more allies."

"They wanted a war," Leonie clenched her jaw. "They'll get one."

"I can always write to my father," Ferdinand moistened his lips. "I know he'll offer his support."

"Mine, too," Caspar agreed.

"Let's not be hasty," Shamir shook her head as she approached the dimly lit fire. "We don't know how far the Agarthan's fingers reach or their ability to intercept communication. We don't want to put anyone in danger before we absolutely have to."

"This isn't a war between lands where we can simply amass the largest army," Edelgard agreed with the knight. "This is a war between the light and the dark, and shadows are everywhere."

"Tomas and Monica proved that," Leonie scoffed.

"Sothis?"

Edelgard snapped her head to face her teacher. He moaned and grabbed at his chest. She immediately rose to her feet and jogged to where he laid.

"My teacher," she put her hands on his shoulder as she knelt beside him. "We're all here."

She felt the presence of many of her peers towering over her. His eyes fluttered softly though his face twisted in agony.

Edelgard lowered her voice even more, "Byleth? Can you hear me?"

Several moments passed as his eyes fully opened, his eyes slowly moved around his surroundings. Edelgard peered into them, they were no longer a piercing blue, but rather a pale green. However, as she gazed into his eyes, she felt her heart skip a beat and it was at this moment, she knew he was still Byleth. Her Byleth.

"El?" His voice was weak and he no longer seemed concerned with who might overhear his informal address.

She rubbed his shoulder harder as she hoped he could feel her touch, "I'm here, we're all here and we're alright."

He didn't respond. Byleth's eyes began to swell with tears, ones she hadn't seen since Captain Jeralt had fallen. He blinked several times as he tried to fight them back.

"I can't hear her anymore, El," Byleth breathed heavily. "She said she'd always be with me and I can't hear her."

Edelgard opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She watched his face as she tightly closed his eyes and a few tears escaped and streamed down his temples. She knew what it felt like to lose people close to her, people she loved.

She spent years watching her siblings die one by one, subjected to torture indescribable by words. Yet, she couldn't help but to feel a sense of desire to understand what Byleth was feeling. After all, none of her siblings had dwelt inside of her. She never had anyone whom she could always speak with whether she was physically alone or not.

Edelgard leaned forward and draped her body over his chest, her hands gripped him tightly around his chest and waist, "she is still with you."

Byleth shook his head, "she won't answer me."

"That's because she's a part of you now," Edelgard felt moisture in her own eyes begin to form as she listened to the silence of his chest. She wished she could take away his pain, but she knew all she could offer him was… her. "You and she are one now, never to be a part."

"It doesn't feel like it," Byleth gasped for air, as if he had lost a lung.

Edelgard lifted herself from his chest and placed her hand across his cheek. She gave him a slight pull so that she could meet his eyes, "I may be a poor replacement for a Goddess, but I promise… you and I are one now as well."

He didn't answer her, his eyes searched for something within her face. After a few moments, his breathing began to calm but Byleth never let his eyes stray from her face and hair.

Edelgard took a deep breath, aware of her peers within earshot. "As with you and Sothis, you and I are also never meant to be apart."