Heavy rain pattered against the thick tarping of a war tent under which a woman clad in armored robes was planning her next battle. The tent was only dimly lit by flickering candlelight that made the shadows on the walls dance. A large map was placed in the middle of the tent which the woman looked over meticulously.
The entrance tent flapped open letting the entrance be drenched by the rain outside. The woman stared away from the map with fury in her eyes, which slowly faded when she saw it was just a messenger dressed in armor a few sizes larger than he was.
"S-saint Seiros" the messenger stammered "I bring news."
"What is it? Good news I hope" Seiros asked "Mother knows we need some" she muttered to herself.
"I'm afraid it's the opposite"
Bad news was never a surprise to the army, it was always bad news of some kind. Seiros sighed and walked outside, letting the rain pound against her skin. Thunder in the distance sounded like war drums, although there was a chance they actually were.
"I suspect that one of the Eleven Elites is among the approaching army ?" Seiros guessed.
"N-no none of the E-elites have b-been seen in the approaching army" the messenger replied with a stammer.
Seiros walked over to a rocky outcropping near the camp which led to a cliff where someone could see the eternity of Tailtean plains. Seiros quickly made her way up to the cliff outlook, easily clambering up the rocks. The messenger carefully followed behind her.
Seiros looked over the darkened plains which seemed to be moving in the storm. Seiros slowly came to the realization that it was not the plain that was moving but instead thousands of soldiers, a much bigger force than what had anticipated.
"Saint Seiros… their king is among the advancing force" the messenger panted, having just been able to catch up to Seiros.
Seiros stood still as she watched the 'plains' move. A wicked smile slowly crossed her face "What Are You Talking About? This Is Great News!" she laughed.
"What do you mean great news, have you gone mad? The Liberator will massacre all in his path!" the messenger said, this time managing not to stammer.
"Don't You See? We Finally Have The Chance To Win This Bloody War!" Seiros gazed at a distant blazing light that shone from the middle of the army.
Slowly that light started to take form as the world around started to fade leaving nothing but void. The world started to partially take shape again in the form of a wall-less stone chamber with an ornate stone throne located in the middle. The light settled down on the throne, finally taking the shape of a sleeping green haired girl.
Byleth was sprawled on the chamber's floor and slowly pushed herself up from the ground. Byleth looked towards the girl who also slowly pushed herself up, yawing.
The girl opened her eyes and looked right back at Byleth "Oh my, now don't you seem familiar" the girl said with a ting of annoyance in her voice.
The girl started to float ethereally around the chamber seemingly inspecting Byleth from every angle "It is most rude of you to interrupt my moment of repose" she complained.
The girl floated back to her throne and hovered back down onto the seat "What could have brought you here? Who are you anyway?" she asked Byleth.
"Me… I'm a demon" Byleth explained plainly without any hint of sarcasm.
"Do not deceive me" the girl scoffed. "You would be wiser to keep your wits in line" she warned.
"I did not lie" Byleth refuted "that's what people say I am"
"Very well demon… but you must have a name of some sorts"
"What is your name?" the girl asked more forcefully once Byleth did not respond.
"They call me Byleth Eisner, the Ashen Demon."
"Ah I see now… demon is simply a title" the girl realized out loud. "I will never grow used to the names humans tack onto each other."
Byleth could slowly feel the chamber melting into mist before them including the girl and her throne "It seems like it is your time to leave" the girl noticed "perchance we will meet again."
-)
Byleth slowly opened their eyes in a darkened dusty room which some of the townsmen offered as shelter for Byleth and the rest of the mercenary company. Byleth could see her father leaned down next to them, shaking her awake.
"Come on, time to get up" Jeralt explained, helping Byleth off of the floor. "I'll get out of your hair so you can dress" he said before leaving the room.
There was not much to dress, since Byleth had been sleeping in their traveling clothing, however her armor lay on a table near the cot on which they had been sleeping. Byleth first put on the greaves that did not entirely cover her leggings, then the vambraces, then the pauldrons, then chestplate, and then finally her black linen cloak.
"All right sir, ready to head out" Byleth announced walking into the main room of the house. Byleth pulled a fabric band out of her coat pocket and used it to tie her hair up.
Jeralt shook his head "I know that stare" he sighed.
"That stare?"
"Yeah you get this distant look in your eye (well more distant anyways) whenever you've had weird dreams again" Jeralt explained, doing his best impression of Byleth's deadeye stare. "So were you dreaming about a war or that little girl this time?"
Byleth shook her head "both this time…" she explained "although they were different than before."
Jeralt stroked his beard in thought "Maybe that means something, like a bad omen" he mumbled to himself "There hasn't been a war for almost three centuries"
"In anycase," Jeralt said aloud " just put that out of your mind for now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts. Letting your mind wander is a sure fire way to get yourself killed."
Jeralt walked towards the door which he opened, letting in the crisp dawn air "alright it's time to move out, the kingdom is a fair bit away."
"Of course" Byleth nodded, moving to walk with their father.
As Jeralt was about to exit, one of the smaller members of the mercenary crew bumped into Jeralt, sending the smaller man onto his butt on the ground.
"Watch where you're going next time" Jeralt advised, helping the mercenary off of the ground.
"Jeralt! Sir! Sorry For Barging In! Sir!" the mercenary rapidly apologized "I Have Urgent Information!"
"No need to shout, out with it"
"Hey, are you getting your boss?" a young man's nonchalant voice called from outside.
"Claude, that man has not even been gone for thirty seconds… are you really this impatient?" a young woman's voice berated.
"Now Edelgard, I'm sure Claude is just nervous like we are" another young man's voice reasoned.
"I am not nervous!" snapped the woman's voice.
"Oh geez, it seems we have some guests" Jeralt muttered, rubbing the back of his neck "if they need help I hope they brought gold."
Jeralt and Byleth walked outside into the dawn to see three people, two standing to attention when Jeralt came on to the scene, while the other was resting his back against a tree. Each one wore a different colored cape. The only girl of the three had a red cape, while the boy next to her had a blue one, meanwhile the boy leaning against the tree had a golden one on.
The young man in the blue cape gave a slight bow to Byleth and Jeralt "please forgive our incursion and know that we would not bother you unless we were in a dire need for help" he explained.
Jeralt looked over the group "what do a bunch of academy kids need at this hour?"
Byleth did not know what an academy was or how Jeralt knew that these young people were its kids, but Byleth thought that questions could wait for later.
"We're being stalked by an unusually well equipped crew of bandits. I can only wish for you to be as kind as to lend us your support" the polite young man elaborated.
"Bandits near Remir…" Jeralt muttered, looking out on the outskirts of town.
"It's true I'm afraid" the young woman in red confirmed "If you need a higher incentive to help us, I can ensure you will be paid handsomely" she assured.
Another member of the mercenary company came strutting to the group "Hey boss, There are a lot of bandits near the village" he warned "what should we do about them?"
"Damn It, they must have followed these kids here. I guess we have no choice" Jeralt realized." Do any of you kids know how to use a weapon yet?" he added.
"Yes, we are all proficient although in the hurry we did not have time to take up our own" the blue cape explained.
"All then, grab a weapon" Jeralt motioned to a small wagon outside the house which held a variety of arms "and try not to get yourselves killed."
Each of the visitors held their weapons with confidence that only someone who has been in battle before has. The young man with the blue cape chose a glaive, the man in the yellow cape chose a bow, and the only woman of the group chose an axe.
"I'm Claude by the way and those two are Dimitri and Edelgard" the man in the yellow cape introduced himself and then pointed in the direction of his comprates "you can decide which is which" he said with a wink.
"I don't see how I can decide which is which?" Byleth corrected.
"I believe Claude was making a joke…" Dimitri explained.
Byleth and the academy students followed Jeralt to the edge of town where they could get a better look at whatever was coming through the dawn air.
"Four Saints they're swarming like ants" Jeralt muttered looking at the dozen specs of torchlight which lit up the holders, a large brigade of brigands with their leader at the very back.
"All right we have to take out those bandits before they overrun the village" Jeralt ordered "Take down the enemies in the front, that should take the wind out of their sales."
"Me and a few of my guys will attack on their western flank. Byleth, you and the kids take the eastern one. Everyone else will stay back at the village to protect it if any bandits stray by." Jeralt continued "once we've taken their flanks, make a pincer maneuver and take them out. Got it?"
"Yes sir" Byleth affirmed
"Alright then, let's move out" Jeralt motioned for a few of his men to follow him, leaving Byleth in the company of just the students.
Byleth looked out to where the bandits were approaching. In effect they bandits were split up into two groups separated by a small hill. The bandit at the very back of the eastern flank seemed to be their leader. Byleth picked up a stick that was laying on the ground nearby and started to draw in the ground with it.
"All right, here's the plan" Byleth announced, starting to draw plans "Claude I need you to get to the thicket on that western hill and start taking shots at the bandits nearest that wooden structure." Byleth drew a bow symbol near the hill that separated the bandit crew.
"Dimitri I want you to attack the same ones as Claude but try to avoid the axe bandit, since that-" Byleth started to say, but was interrupted by Dimitri.
"Excuse me, but I'm not sure if I understand the order… axe bandit?"
"what do you not understand? Avoid engaging with the bandit using the axe since you'll have a tactical disadvantage with your pollarm" Byleth drew a polearm symbol and then multiple symbols next to it.
Claude gazed out into the distance "you can see what weapons they're using from here?" he asked.
"Yes it seems that is a talent of mine. This drawing is also a rough example of where the bandits would probably be."
"Anyway, Edelgard you head to the eastern hill and start fighting the bandits there, I'll join you after dispatching the one at the very front" Byleth continued, drawing more axes and swords. "I can't see what the bandits at the back are, but let's assume they are axe bandits."
"Is all of this clear?" Byleth asked.
"It is" Edelgard affirmed, starting to walk towards where the fight would be. The others soon joined her.
"May I just say we're very thankful and in your debt" Dimitri told Byleth.
"You will only be in my debt if we live…"
"Move out!" Byleth commanded.
Claude was the first one to act and quickly moved towards the thicket that Byleth had pointed out. Byleth herself charged towards the Sword Bandit nearest the front and swung her sword, however the bandit blocked the attack with their own. The Sword Bandit swung their blade at Byleth who moved out of the way, and jammed their own blade through the Bandit's side and out the other.
Dimitri was next and he went for the next nearest Sword Bandit to the one Byleth was fighting. Dimitri jabbed his glaive into the Bandit's chest. The Bandit retaliated with a swipe of his sword that Dimitri was unable to dodge, leaving a gash across his face.
"That was reckless of me" Dimitri grumbled under his breath.
Edelgard moved up the eastern hill where two Axe Bandits were waiting. One of the bandits charged at Edelgard as she approached. The Bandit swung and missed with his axe, leaving him open to retaliation from Edelgard who lopped the Bandit's arm off.
The Bandit witch Dimitri had attacked swung his sword again, however Dimitri was able to move out of the way this time. Dimitri then delivered a fatal blow against the Bandit by running his glaive through the Bandit's jaw. Seeing an opportunity the other Bandits near Dimitri rushed him. The Bandit with the sword missed his target, letting Dimitri plant a kick to the Bandit's chest, sending the Bandit sprawling on the ground.
The Bandit with the axe ready himself to plant the hatchet into Dimitri's skull, but fortunately for Dimitri, Claude's arrow found its mark. The Axe Bandit collapsed dead from the arrow now in his brain.
Byleth kicked the dead Bandit off of their sword, staining her leggings in blood. Byleth rushed over to where Edelgard was fighting the now one armed Bandit who Byleth then decapitated, sending blood everywhere.
"You certainly have a strange aura about you…" Edelgard commented "You say you're a mercenary, so show what more you can do."
Dimitri lunged at the bandit, like a wolf nearing its prey. Dimitri's glaive easily cut through the Bandit, splicing his chest in two.
Unknown to Claude a bandit was silently approaching behind him, brandishing a knife to put in the archer's back. The bandit never had the chance to attack, as a large spear went through his head. Claude looked behind him to see the figure of Jeralt which Claude smiled up at.
"You boys ok?" Jeralt asked.
"yeah if it weren't for you, I'd have my head spliced open." Claude said "Pretty fortunate we ran into mercenaries in some remote village." he looked down towards Dimitri.
"Yes" Dimitri agreed. "It wouldn't do to fall in a place like this."
"It's like the gods of fortune are smiling upon us" Claude added.
"Alright, let's wrap this up and move in on their leader" Jeralt commanded.
Byleth peered over to where her father was and then silently counted the number of still living bandits. "Only four bandits remain, and it seems Jeralt has joined us" Byleth informed Edelgard.
Edelgard attacked the bandit nearest to her head on, cleaving a wound into his chest. The bandit quickly recovered and swung his own attack at Edelgard, however she swerved out of the way and dealt a fatal blow to the bandit's side
"Fucking hell, why are there so many mercenaries in this village" the bandit leader grumbled "one of you deal with the girls on the hill while the other kills those boys" he ordered the remaing bandits around him.
The bandits left their leader's side to do what he told them to. One of the bandits charged at Byleth, however Byleth moved at the last moment causing the Bandit to trip over with a sickening thud on the ground.
The other bandit went to attack Jeralt and threw a hatchet at the mercenary "What The? Aren't you Jeralt the Blade Breaker? What's someone of your talents doing here?" the bandit asked.
"Getting into the mess you started" Jeralt grumbled, throwing his spear with such power that it caved in the Bandit's chest.
"Well this isn't good" the leader mumbled, trying to find a quick getaway but he found none. The bandit leader decided that it was better to die fighting anything else.
"Die Whore!" the leader yelled as he charged suddenly at Edelgard.
For a second it felt like time was going in slow momentum for a moment, during which Byleth shoved Edelgard out of the way from the Bandit Leader's attack. Unfortunately this causes Byleth to take the position to be hit by the attack meant for Edelgard.
Byleth felt themselves hit the ground, but not the ground of the battle and instead the floor of a stone chamber. Byleth slowly got up to see the same chamber from their dreams and the same green haired girl on the throne this time much more disgruntled than before.
"Honestly! What are you accomplishing with that little stunt?! It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool!" the girl complained.
"Get you killed?" Byleth repeated.
"Well, it's fine. After all, if you don't know the value of your own life, you're not going to protect it very well, are you? Of course not. Well then, I guess it's up to me to guide you from now on, right? You can call me Sothis… but I'm also known as The Beginning"
"Although I have no idea who used to call that," Sothis muttered to herself.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about!" Sothis floated right up in Byleth's face "hat look upon your face... Did you think of me as a child? A mere child who forgot her own name?! Phooey! That child just saved your life! And what does that make you?"
"I'm no mere child either" Byleth countered, backing away from Sothis.
"Ha!" Sothis laughed, floating back to their throne "Such arrogance. You look the part but are you truly an adult?"
Byleth looked down as Sothis continued "You threw yourself before an axe to save just one young girl. Yet all is well, as I have stalled the flow of time for now. You would have died had I not intervened."
"Might have died, I've come through worse" Byleth corrected.
"All the same I believe a 'thank you' is in order"
Byleth bowed, after all Sothis had just stopped Byleth from getting injured "thank you Sothis, but what happens now that you've stopped time?"
"When time begins again, the axe will tear into your flesh and one of us is proven right. Either way you'll be gravely hurt and I can't let that happen" Sothis explained.
Byleth pictured a stream in her mind. When Byleth was young she remembered playing in a lake with a tiny stream flowing through the shore. Byleth had plugged up that stream with her body, causing the water to flow a different path to the beach.
"You could stop the flow of time so perhaps you could turn it back?" Byleth offered.
A smirk crossed Sothis' face "I think you're smarter than first impressions would imply."
Sothis stretched as the stone chamber and the girl started to disappear from Byleth's view. Byleth felt like she was being swept away with a whirlpool of silty water and damp sand. Suddenly Byleth found themselves in the moments before the Bandit Leader did his unexpected attack.
"Die Whore!" the bandit captain yelled again as he went to kill Edelgard. Instead of pushing Edelgard out of the way, Byleth settled for letting the captain meet a kick to the face instead of either girl. The bandit captain tumbled all the way back down to the bottom of the hill.
"Hey Look Over There" Claude called out, pointing to something in the distance.
In the depths of the forest Byleth could see faint sparkles of torchlight while she could hear the clunking of armored warhorses. The bandit leader stood up in a panic dashed into the forest in the opposite way of the torchlight and horses. Jeralt, Claude, and Dimitri walked towards Byleth and Edelgard. Bursting through the forest edge was a group of warriors in heavy white armor, each riding a warhorse. The man who led the patrol had a large mustache and was brandishing a spear in the air.
"The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut those dastards down for terrorizing our students!" the leading man roared, before noticing that there were no living bandits in the area. The man got off of his horse and looked around.
"I see the students up there, Alois" a woman told the mustached man.
The man looked into the dark "ah there they are… but whose that with them?"
"Oh why does it have to be him?" Jeralt groaned.
-)
Soon the mustached man was embracing Jeralt, much to the disgruntlement of the latter. "Captain Jeralt it is you!" the man exclaimed "Goodness, it's been ages. Don't you recognize me? It's Alois! Your old right-hand man! Well, that's how I always thought of myself anyway. It must have been 20 years ago that you went missing without a trace. I always knew you were still alive!"
"You haven't seemed to change much… still loud as ever" Jeralt grumbled, breaking away from Alois' embrace "oh and stop calling me captain. I always thought it was bullshit"
"Anyway me and my crew have things to do" Jerald gestured to Byleth and then to a few of his men watching from afar "so we'll be on our way."
"Alright then, I'll get out of your hair… Wait! That isn't how this ends. I insist that you return to the monastery with me!"
"I should have seen this as unavoidable I guess."
"What was unavoidable?" Byleth asked.
"Going back to the monastery" Jeralt elaborated.
"Eh? Who are you?" Alois asked Byleth "the captain's kid?"
"That is affirmative"
"Haha, I knew it! it's great to meet you!" Alois grabbed Byleth's hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake "I'd love for you to see the monastery too!"
"Seems like you're not going to let me out this one, are you Alois?"
"What's troubling you, Captain? You aren't about to run off again, are you?" Alois clapped his hand on Jeralt's back and dragged the old mercenary to meet the other members of the platoon. Some of them didn't recognize him, some of them had the same reaction Alois had, and some others were about as enthusiastic to see Jeralt again as Jeralt was enthusiastic to see them. Which is to say none at all.
"They seem to be a formidable force" Sothis' voice whispered in Byleth's ear.
Byleth jumped in shock and started to scan everywhere for view of the green haired girl, yet Sothis was nowhere to be seen. "don't be so shocked I'm still here, after all I said I'd be guiding you from that point forward" Sothis explained.
Edelgard walked up behind Byleth "I appreciate your help back there. Your skill is beyond question. You're clearly an experienced mercenary. And your father...that would be Jeralt, the Blade Breaker? Former captain of the Knights of Seiros. Often praised as the strongest knight to ever live. Have I missed anything?" Edelgard listed.
Byleth shook their head "I don't know what the Knights of Seiros are, much less that he was the captain of them."
Edelgard seemed surprised although Byleth noticed there was some amount of satisfaction in Edelgard's voice "You haven't heard of the Knights of Seiros? The most famous order of knights in all of Fódlan?"
"Hey! You are coming with us to the monastery, right?" Claude clapped Byleth on the back and did not give her a chance to respond "Of course you are. I'd love to bend your ear as we travel."
Byleth raised an eyebrow "do you work at the monastery?" she asked.
"We are students at the military academy there and were out training when those bandits attacked" Edelgard explained. "we would have handled it better if Claude had not selfishly ran off"
"Oh you wound me, princess!" Claude did an over the top impression of being hit "I was not betraying you, only making a tactical retreat."
"Ah, so that's what you were thinking, Claude. And here I thought you were acting as a decoy for the sake of us all" said Dimitri.
Byleth could not tell if Dimitri meant it sarcastically or really meant what he had said. Something about his voice gave off the impression of both simultaneously.
"His intentions were as clear as day. You will prove a lacking ruler if you cannot see the truth behind a person's words" Edelgard berated.
"And You will prove a lacking ruler if you look for deceit behind every word and fail to trust those whom you rely on" Dimitri shot back.
"Oh, a scathing debate between their highnesses" teased Claude " I wonder how being completely predictable affects one's ability to wield power. Personally, as the embodiment of distrust, I'd say your little exchange smacks of naiveté."
"I'm naive?" Edelgard repeated with disdain "Tell me, are you actually incapable of keeping quiet, or is your lack of self-awareness a condition of some sort?"
"In any case forgive our interruption" Dimitri turned towards Byleth "I must speak with you, if you can spare a moment. The way you held your ground against the bandits' leader was captivating! You never lost control of the situation. It showed me I still have much to learn-"
"Your skill is precisely why I must ask you to consider lending your services to the Empire," Edelgard interrupted "I might as well tell you now. I am no mere student. I am also the Adrestian Empire's–"
"Hey are you kids done talking yet?" Jeralt called "It's time to go back to the monastery." Jeralt succeeded in keeping out the 'to home' he wanted to say, even if Jeralt himself despised the thought.
"We shall continue this conversion later" said Edelgard.
"as I shall too" seconded Dimitri.
Dimitri and Edelgard started to walk towards the knights, with Claude soon following. Byleth stayed back for a moment and looked towards the students. "So what's your first impression of them?" Sothis asked.
"Well, Edelgard seems like a refined young woman, but I feel as if she is evaluating the people around her."
"For that Claude, he smiles and openly admits to being a trickster but none of that reaches his eyes."
"And Dimitri…" Byleth paused trying to think of the right words "he seems sincere, but judging on how he fought in that battle there is a darkness learning beneath, and I wonder how much."
