Chapter Text
(Imperial Year 1180, Garreg Mach Monastery)
It had been a few days since Byleth and the Blue Lions emerged victorious in the mock battle against the Black Eagles and the Golden Deer. The battle was intended to allow Byleth to demonstrate his skills and abilities. Rhea served as a spectator for the mock battle, and she was very impressed by Byleth's performance.
Byleth clearly possessed a strategic mind. He managed to flank the Golden Deer and swiftly eliminate Lorenz, Ignatz, Hilda and Claude. Hanneman put up more of a fight, but he was no match for Byleth's combat prowess.
With the Golden Deer defeated, Byleth and his class prepared to face the Black Eagles. Edelgard's group were on the backfoot and resolved to attack Byleth and Dimitri head-on. Byleth and his Blue Lions took shelter in the forest and set a trap for the Eagles. Edelgard and her group fell for it, though Hubert remained a safe distance. Dorothea had already been defeated by Byleth earlier when he was facing Lorenz and Ignatz. Ferdinand, eager to prove his worth, rushed headlong into the fray and was quickly taken down by Dimitri. Edelgard proved to be more of a challenge, but Byleth and Dimitri worked together to defeat her.
Hubert was the only remaining Black Eagle, but he hoped he could at least take down Byleth or the Crown Prince of Faerghus with a few blasts of Miasma…
Except, he noticed something. There were meant to be five enemies, yet he only saw four… Byleth, Dimitri, Annette and Mercedes… So where was Dedue?
Dedue was actually behind Hubert, and quickly struck the Vestra heir with his axe. Hubert had been so preoccupied with trying to find an opening to attack Byleth that he failed to notice Dedue approaching from behind. Hubert was knocked down and quickly yielded. That one blow from Dedue was strong enough to force Hubert to call it a day. Manuela was quickly bested afterwards, though she managed to attain a small victory. After Byleth and the Blue Lions were declared the victors of the mock battle, the new professor made a point to personally tend to the wounds of those who wished for his help. Manuela, alongside Hilda, Mercedes, Annette and Dorothea, quickly asked for Byleth to tend to them. Manuela took the opportunity to flirt with Byleth again.
"Professor… I could get used to you caring for me like this every day… What do you say?~" Manuela spoke with a smirk.
Byleth responded casually whilst tending to Manuela. "Of course, Manuela. If you ever need me, I'll always be here for you."
Manuela responded with a blush and a wink. "Well then, I'll hold you to that, Professor~"
It was clear to Rhea that Jeralt had taught Byleth well. The former mercenary proved exceedingly capable in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. From how well he managed to direct his students, it was evident that he would be skilled with leading battalions, too.
Byleth didn't seem to have deficiencies in any fields of expertise. He wasn't as skilled with lances, axes or bows, but Byleth was willing to learn. Magic was something that Byleth was not used to utilizing, but Rhea sensed he had potential, particularly in the field of Faith.
Byleth never really travelled on horseback or on a wyvern, but he did take well to animals. He particularly liked caring for the cats and dogs around the monastery, and he even smiled when they were happy with the food Byleth gave them. If Byleth got along with them, he shouldn't have much trouble with horses and wyverns.
As for Heavy Armour, Alois had already agreed to teach Byleth how to travel whilst wearing it. Training in heavy armour was said to be rather difficult, but Byleth would face the challenge with all he had.
Edelgard approached Byleth with a confident stride and an air of superiority. "Professor, You injured me as well during the battle. Can you please tend to my wounds? I believe it is only fair."
Byleth could practically feel her arrogance emanating from Edelgard. He was still wary of her…. But he decided it was only fair. He didn't want to come across as biased and unprofessional.
With a nod, he tended to Edelgard's injuries. Edelgard couldn't help but notice how soft and tender he was with his hands.
"I'm sorry. For hurting you, I mean." Byleth said quietly.
"Hmph. You really shouldn't be so apologetic. You gave it everything you had in the mock battle. It was expected of you." Edelgard responded dismissively.
"Yes, that's true. But I am sorry all the same. I don't like the thought of causing grievous harm to any of you." Byleth insisted.
"Don't worry yourself… Though I must ask what you hope to gain from this. I'm not in your class and I never will be." Edelgard spoke haughtily.
Byleth felt like reminding the Imperial Princess that she was the one who asked to be healed. But he decided to respond differently.
"I don't seek to gain anything. And, even though I teach the Blue Lions, I am still able to care about others, including yourself." Byleth said.
Edelgard felt her cheeks burn as Byleth said that. She looked away from him to hide her blush.
After a few more moments, Byleth finished applying the bandage to Edelgard's hand. "There. All finished."
Edelgard cleared her throat and regained her composure. "Thank you for your assistance, Professor Byleth."
"No need to thank me. If you require my help again, you need only seek me out. That goes for the rest of your House, as well." Byleth said.
Edelgard simply nodded and walked away, flipping her long pale hair.
Sothis decided to share her thoughts with Byleth. "Hmph. I must say, that girl is rather full of herself. She really ought to know better."
"True enough… though perhaps she's been through a lot. I suppose it gives her a rather bleak worldview. As long as she treats the other students with respect or doesn't put them in danger, I won't say anything." Byleth replied to Sothis.
"I see. Well, in any event, I still sense something rather unpleasant about her… like she's hiding something. For the sake of your flock, I would suggest being wary of her." Sothis suggested.
Byleth agreed with the girl in his head. "Duly noted. I'll watch out for her. But my main priority is the Blue Lions, especially Dimitri. They need me."
Speaking of Dimitri, he and Dedue approached Byleth. "Thank you, Professor Byleth. I daresay we would not have won that battle without your leadership."
Byleth shook his head. "No need to thank me, Dimitri. I'm just glad I was of help. That being said, you, Dedue, Annette and Mercedes… you all played your part. You should be proud of yourselves."
Dedue spoke next. "Professor, I would like to make a meal for everyone to celebrate our victory, and to thank you for your guidance. His Highness did not suffer any significant injuries, thanks to you."
Byleth nodded. "I'm sure everyone would appreciate that, Dedue. Thank you very much."
As everyone returned to the Monastery, Byleth and Dimitri had a conversation. Byleth wanted to let Dimitri know about his plan to recruit more students to their house. "Dimitri, how would you and the others feel if I convinced some members of the other Houses to join us?"
Dimitri thought for a moment and smiled. He did like the idea. "I, for one, am not opposed to that, Professor. It would certainly make our classes more lively. I only ask that you do not neglect the core members of The Blue Lions. I say this not for my sake, but rather for the sake of the others.
"Of course, Dimitri. I'll guide and protect all of you. You can count on me." Byleth assured the prince.
(Harpstring moon)
With the mock battle behind him, Byleth prepared for the month ahead. Seteth and Rhea had briefed him that, in a few weeks, Byleth and his class would be sent to finish off two groups of bandits. The first group, speculated to be led by a man named Kostas the Iron King, was somewhere near Zanado, The Red Canyon. Byleth didn't know why… but for one reason or another, he felt he had met Kostas before. The second group of bandits, which had likely split off from Kostas at some point, were tracked to a fortress along the Adrestia-Faerghus border (Though the fortress was, more specifically, bordering Count Rowe's lands.)
Originally, Rhea intended for Byleth to only deal with Kostas' group at this moment in time, but since Byleth was teaching the Blue Lions, it was deemed pertinent for the class to deal with matters to do with the Kingdom. So, Byleth and his flock resolved to deal with the fortress first, especially since the group of bandits there were apparently holding a prisoner (A group of Jeralt's Mercenaries, who scouted the region for the Knights of Seiros, overheard a conversation between bandits revealing that information). Assuming that was the case, rescuing said prisoner was deemed a higher priority. Kostas could be dealt with after that around the month's end.
After a few days of preparation, Byleth and his Blue Lions left for the fortress. Sothis in particular felt that something, or someone, important would await Byleth there.
As Byleth left his quarters to meet up with his class at the Monastery gates, Leonie approached him with a confident stride, lance in hand.
"Hey, Professor! You're about to head for that fort, right?"
Byleth tilted his head slightly. "Yes. Did you want to spar? I'm afraid that I need to postpone for now because-"
Leonie shook her head and furrowed her eyebrows, placing a hand on her hip. "Not that! I want to join your class, and you better say yes, because I won't accept no for an answer!"
Byleth agreed with no hesitation. "Okay."
Leonie's eyes widened. "Wait, really? Just like that?"
"Yes. I take it you're coming with us, then?" Byleth asked.
"Well…. Yeah! So let's go, already." Leonie replied.
Byleth nodded and left for the gate with Leonie in tow. He had thought that Leonie would be a challenge, but he wasn't about to question good fortune. It was likely that Leonie wanted to join the Blue Lions due to her rivalry with Byleth, and perhaps due to her connection with Jeralt. Hopefully, Byleth could forge a strong bond with Leonie during their time together.
Byleth and Leonie met up with the rest of the class. Dimitri was the first to greet them. "Hello, Professor. Ah, I see that Leonie is joining us… I presume she's joining our class?"
Byleth confirmed it. "That's right. Are there any objections?"
There were none. In fact, a certain Blue Lion was quite enthusiastic.
"I see what's going on here. Gonna recruit the ladies first, Professor? I'm glad you've got your priorities right!" Sylvain smirked with a thumbs up.
Ingrid sighed. "Pay Sylvain no mind, Leonie. He's been like this since we were children."
Felix interjected. "Enough chatter. I don't care who joins us, as long as they can fight. We've got bandits to kill, so let's go already."
"Come now, Felix. Surely, we should give our new classmate a warmer welcome than that?" Dimitri encouraged Felix with a smile.
Felix scoffed. "I don't need any lectures in manners from you, Boar."
Dedue glared at Felix. "Do not insult His Highness, Felix. I won't warn you again."
"Hmph. You don't frighten me, lapdog." Felix went on ahead without another word.
Dimitri sighed and addressed Leonie. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Leonie. Felix is… quite brash, as you can see. He means well, though. I promise."
Leonie nodded and turned to Byleth. "Shouldn't you… Go talk to him?"
Byleth thought for a moment. "It might be wise to give him space for now… but I'll try and speak with him."
As the Blue Lions left the Monastery, Byleth approached Felix as they walked. "Felix, Can I speak to you for a minute?"
"... Fine. But If you're going to lecture me, make it quick." Felix replied.
"You seem to hold a lot of anger toward Dimitri… Can you tell me why?" Byleth asked.
…
"Do you really want to know?" Felix replied.
Byleth nodded.
Felix explained himself as they travelled. "The Boar- Dimitri and I grew up together, as you know. For years, we were inseparable… He was my best friend… Do you know about the Tragedy of Duscur?"
Byleth shook his head. "No. I don't."
Felix's expression was one of pain. "A few years ago, Dimitri's father, King Lambert, went to Duscur. It was something to do with negotiations between Duscur and Faerghus. Lambert…. Never came back. He was killed… and so was Glenn.
Byleth spoke. "Glenn… He was-"
"My older brother. He was also Ingrid's betrothed, and a good friend to Dimitri. He… He died keeping Dimitri safe. I miss him everyday ..." Felix said.
Byleth listened and waited for Felix to continue.
The heir of Frauldarius took a breath before continuing. "I still remember the day Glenn's armour was returned to us… It was all we had left of him. And then my father decided to say his piece…"
Felix grimaced as he repeated what his father said with a snarl. "He died like a true knight."
Byleth knew about Rodrigue, Felix's father. Dimitri had referenced the Shield of Faerghus on one occasion. From what Byleth knew, Rodrigue was a good and honourable man. He had raised Dimitri like his own son.
Felix continued. "I've hated my father ever since. Him, and the whole concept of knighthood and chivalry that everyone in Faerghus goes on about. There's nothing glorious about pointlessly throwing your life away… or dying so horribly like Glenn did."
Byleth kept listening as Felix recounted his memories. "Anyway… Dimitri was the only one who made it out of that nightmare alive… Well, he and Dedue, anyway. Something about Dimitri… changed that day. It always seemed that he was looking past all of us… Like his mind was always somewhere else. Some nights, I'd hear Dimitri talking to someone… but there would be no one else there. Whenever he fell asleep, he would wake up in a cold sweat, tears rolling down his face. I tried asking him what was going on, but he never told me. Then, two years ago, Dimitri and I suppressed a rebellion in Western Faerghus… That was when I saw it…"
"... What did you see?" Byleth asked.
"When Dimitri killed the leader of the rebels… I saw him smile, and viciously at that. His eyes were manic and full of glee as he did. That was when I realised… The Dimitri I once knew died in Duscur with Glenn. Because who I saw that day wasn't Dimitri… It was a boar." Felix finished with venom lacing his words.
One would be forgiven for assuming Felix hated Dimitri and Rodrigue… But Byleth knew better. In regards to Dimitri, It was more so that Felix hated what Dimitri has become. Someone who could become vengeful and vicious when pushed. Nonetheless, Dimitri truly was a good man… but he was suffering from a form of guilt. Likely for being the only one (aside from Dedue) who survived, whilst wishing he did more to save all those who died.
As for Rodrigue… Maybe his comment was ill-put, perhaps, but Rodrigue likely meant well. Glenn giving his life to save Dimitri, tragic as it was, was incredibly selfless of him. Byleth could understand the sentiment. He would gladly put himself in harm's way if it meant saving those he cared for, which included his students. And so Rodrigue wanted to honour the memory of Glenn by acknowledging his selflessness.
Of course, Byleth knew that not everyone thinks the same way. From Felix's perspective, he had just lost his brother, and it seemed that his father was fine with that. To Felix, the concept of knighthood and chivalry got Glenn killed.
Naturally, the actual situation was far more nuanced, but Byleth didn't begrudge Felix for how he was feeling. But Byleth didn't feel it was right of Felix to keep holding such animosity toward Dimitri and Rodrigue, either.
Byleth finally decided to speak. "Felix… May I speak freely?"
Felix sighed. "You don't need permission from me, Professor. Say your piece."
Byleth spoke. "Please forgive me if I'm overstepping, but… I don't think you hate Dimitri or your father. I think that if anything happened to them, it would destroy you. What I would suggest is that you speak with them when you next have the chance. I think you need to have an honest conversation with them. I can tell that you deeply regret how strained your relationships with Dimitri and your father have become."
"..." Felix pondered Byleth's words. Admittedly… Felix missed the days where he and Dimitri would play games and joke together. He missed the days when Rodrigue would carry Felix around on his back when Felix was younger.
Felix remembered when he struck Rodrigue for what he had said. He was far too upset and angry to apologise at the time… but truly, Felix regretted hurting his father.
"Heh. If Glenn were alive, I'd imagine he'd think I was being childish." Felix thought privately. Then, he turned to Byleth.
"I… I'll consider what you've said, Professor Byleth. Thanks." Felix replied to Byleth.
Byleth smiled, something he didn't usually do. "No need to thank me, Felix. It's my duty as your Professor to guide you, after all."
No more words were said as the Blue Lions ventured to the fortress… but the tension between them all had disappeared.
(Fortress in Count Rowe's territory, Adrestia-Faerghus Border)
After a few days of travelling, Byleth and the Blue Lions had arrived at the fortress where a group of Kostas' thieves had fled. Their objective was simple: Rout the bandits and rescue their captive.
Byleth gave his instructions to everyone. "Dimitri, you and the knights will focus on seizing the fortress. Dedue, Felix, Sylvain and Ashe, you will work with Dimitri on this."
Dimitri assented. "Understood, Professor. We will emerge victorious."
Felix couldn't help but smile, and spoke with no malice in his words. "I suppose the boar could use my help. I just hope he doesn't slow us down."
Dedue smiled in turn. Dimitri spoke with him, and he now knew better than to take Felix's words personally. He decided to retort. "I suspect it will fall to His Highness and I to keep you from getting injured."
Felix raised an eyebrow, but his smile never left. "Hmph. If you say so. Just try not to worry about me too much… Dedue."
Ashe chimed in with his trademark enthusiasm. "I'll help out however I can, too. You can rely on me!"
Sylvain, as usual, made a lighthearted quip in regards to Ingrid, Annette, Mercedes and Leonie. "Hey, Professor. Does that mean the girls are sticking with you? In that case, I'm kinda jealous, not gonna lie."
Byleth responded. "I will lead a force to the dungeons. I suspect that's where the hostage is being kept. The remaining Blue Lions will accompany me."
In fairness, there was logic to it. Mercedes could heal the hostage if they had any injuries (which was likely). Annette could attack from a distance with her magic. Leonie and Ingrid were skilled combatants who could support Byleth if they encountered foes.
Ingrid ignored Sylvain's comments and addressed Byleth. "It will be an honor to fight alongside you, Professor Byleth."
Leonie smirked with her hands on her hips and boasted. "Byleth is the one who should be honored. I'm Captain Jeralt's first and greatest apprentice! He could learn a thing or two from me."
"True enough. I am truly honored to have all four of you by my side. If things become perilous, stay behind me. I'll protect you all with my life." Byleth replied with a genuine soothing smile, though he was slightly puzzled by the blushes he saw.
Indeed, Leonie, Annette, Mercedes and Ingrid were as red as tomatoes. Nonetheless, they composed themselves. They needed to complete their mission, after all.
Soon enough, the battle began. Dimitri's group, along with the knights, managed to dispose of the bandits' main force with ease. Meanwhile, Byleth's group chose to skirt the bandits and used an alternate pathway to approach the dungeons. There were a few bandits along the way, but it was nothing Byleth couldn't handle.
Byleth's team entered the dungeons in the basement, and dispatched the bandits guarding the cells. Once the area was secure, Byleth and the others searched the cells and found the prisoner. She was a young woman with short red hair and red eyes. Her clothes were slightly torn and she appeared to have bruises. She was also quite pale, likely as a result of her captivity. Byleth released the woman from her shackles and carried her in his arms, bridal style. He gave the girl some water whilst Mercedes healed her wounds.
"Thank… Thank you." The girl said. She was incredibly grateful that someone had come to her rescue. Perhaps, the Goddess hadn't forsaken her just yet.
"It's alright. You're safe now. We'll take you back to Garreg Mach Monastery. Is that alright with you, Miss?" Byleth asked, whilst speaking softly.
"Garreg Mach? Yes, that's fine by me, thank you. And… My name's Monica, sir." Monica said.
"It's good to meet you. I'm Byleth. Okay, let's get you out of here." Byleth said to Monica as he carried her.
Byleth and his group rejoined Dimitri and the others in the courtyard. As predicted, Dimitri's team had no issues dispatching the bandits.
"I'm so glad all of you are alright. And it appears you found the one those ruffians captured. Thank the Goddess we made it in time." Dimitri expressed relief.
"As for us, we handled the situation well enough. I was expecting more of a challenge from these fools." Felix remarked.
"Personally, I'm just glad we made it through in one piece. I can't say I'll get used to it easily… Killing, I mean." Ashe reflected.
"We did what we had to do, Ashe. If those bandits hate us for it, that's on them." Sylvain replied with a serious expression on his face… which was rather unusual for him… but even Sylvain knew when to not take certain matters lightly, Byleth supposed.
Annette spoke next. "Well, now that we've completed the mission, we should head back to Garreg Mach now. Mercie and I can bake sweets for Monica!... Oh, wait, do you like sweets, Monica?"
Monica shook her head slightly. "I, well… Not really. Sorry…"
Mercedes giggled. "Hehe. Don't worry, Annie. I'm sure we can treat Monica to a meal she likes when we get back to the Monastery."
As the Blue Lions and the Knights went to leave the fortress, they found themselves coming face-to-face with two individuals… And they weren't going to let Byleth and the others leave.
One of the individuals was a man with ashen hair and purple eyes. The other was a younger man with blond hair and yellow eyes. The former of the two was slightly pale and relatively tall, whilst the latter of the two was somewhat shorter, more youthful, and had sharp teeth.. Both of them clearly expressed hostile intent.
The older man spoke. "I am afraid none of you will be leaving here alive."
The younger man chimed in. "We've got plans for Monica. Plans that you all can't get in the way of."
Dimitri stepped forth. "Identify yourselves, now!"
The first man introduced himself with a bow. "Legion, of the Archons, at your service."
The one next to Legion introduced himself as well. "Hi there. My name's Mammon. Pleased to meet ya, and I'll be even more pleased to kill ya! Hehe!"
Monica shivered in Byleth's arms. She whispered to Byleth. "It's them. Those two kidnapped me… Please don't let them near me."
Byleth reassured Monica. "Don't worry, Monica. I'll never let anyone hurt you again."
Byleth wielded his silver sword with his free hand, whilst holding Monica close with the other.
Mammon rubbed his chin whilst looking at Byleth. "Hey, hold on… You've got blue hair and blue eyes, and a blank look on your pretty face. And that armour… You wouldn't happen to be a guy named Byleth, right?"
"..." Byleth didn't answer. He didn't need to.
Mammon flashed a toothy grin. "Hehe! You ARE Byleth. Hah! The Boss told us you might be pals with Rhea now, but I didn't think we'd meet ya so soon!"
Byleth raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Your leader… Have I met him before, by chance?"
Legion stepped closer. "It's not for us to disclose details about our master. Now, if you would just hand over Monica, we might just let you go in peace."
Felix scoffed. "Nice try, but it's clear that you're lying. Even if you weren't, there's no way we'd just hand the girl over to scum like you."
Mammon's expression darkened. "Oh? You think we're scum, huh? I'm gonna make you scream for that, boy."
Mammon wasted no more time. To the shock of the Blue Lions, Mammon had transformed from a boyish young man into a… A Demonic Beast? How was this possible?
Mammon, in his Beast form, spoke again, his voice deep. "I'M GONNA GRIND YOU MAGGOTS INTO DUST FOR INSULTING ME!"
Legion sighed and addressed his foes. "Yes, Mammon can do that. I suppose I would be remiss to not demonstrate my own power. Fight me with courage, and you may die with honor, Byleth."
Legion sharply inhaled and clasped his hands together, as if praying. Then, at that moment, there wasn't just one man named Legion… There were seven of him. Six of them wielded a different weapon (sword, axe, lance, bow, gauntlets and magic). The seventh and final Legion transferred into a wolf. Legion's wolf form wasn't as large as the wolves that roamed Fodlan, but it was still deadly in its own right.
Byleth knew that he and the Blue Lions had a difficult battle on their hands. Byleth didn't want Monica to get hurt, so set her down and assigned the Knights of Seiros to guard her.
Byleth, Dimitri, Dedue, Felix, Sylvain, Ashe, Mercedes, Anette, Ingrid and Leonie readied themselves for battle. They knew that they would have to combine their strength to win.
The battle proved to be incredibly grueling. Legion and his clones proved to be quite a handful for the Blue Lions. Meanwhile, Byleth faced off against Mammon in his Beast form.
Nonetheless, The Blue Lions prevailed. Dimitri overpowered the Sword Clone with a tempest of strikes (and finished the clone off with a punch to the face). Dedue crushed the Lance Clone by smashing in his head. Felix used his superior speed to dodge the Axe Clone's attacks before running him through. Leonie and Ingrid flanked the Bow Clone and overwhelmed him at close range. Ashe sniped the Gauntlet Clone from a distance (thank the Goddess that Ashe knew how to perform curved shots). Mercedes and Annette were evenly matched with Legion's Magic Clone, but he was so focused on fighting the two that he failed to notice Sylvain's attack from behind.
As each defeated Legion Clone vanished in a cloud of smoke, Dimitri realised that the real Legion was still alive. As a matter of fact, Legion (in his wolf form) was fighting Byleth alongside Mammon. Legion likely decided to back up his fellow Archon during the chaos of the battle.
Dimitri and the other Lions moved to assist Byleth, but as it turned out, Byleth was fine. Mammon and Legion were good fighters and did injure Byleth, but Byleth was better. He exposed Mammon and Legion's weak spots and focused his strikes in those areas. As a weakened Mammon charged at Byleth, the Ashen Demon punched the Beast square in the face.
Mammon and Legion reverted back to their human forms, defeated and wounded quite badly. Byleth stood triumphant over the two defeated Archons.
Mammon groaned in pain. "Ow! That hurt, you bastard! You'll pay for that!"
Legion was slightly more dignified. "I admit, your reputation precedes you, Byleth. Our situation is now quite worrisome."
Byleth intended to have the two Archons captured, but he didn't get the chance. In the blink of an eye, another mysterious individual appeared in a flash of light. Before Byleth could react, Mammon, Legion and the third Archon had immediately warped away.
Byleth sighed and sheathed his silver sword. He hadn't expected that, but at least the battle was over, and Monica was safe.
Monica, despite still being weakened from captivity, found the energy to hurry to Byleth's side. Ingrid, Leonie, Mercedes and Annette surrounded Byleth as well. They each checked him over for wounds and expressed their concern.
"Professor Byleth, are you alright? Goddess, you must be more careful! You could have gotten badly hurt battling those two by yourself!" Ingrid scolded her Professor… almost like how a wife would scold her husband.
"Geez, you can't just worry us like that, Professor. I couldn't face Captain Jeralt if something happened to you." Leonie also scolded Byleth, whilst not noticing how close she was.
"Professor, you were so cool! Those bad guys didn't stand a chance against you!" Annette couldn't help but gush over Byleth.
"Thank the Goddess that you're alright, Professor! Don't worry, I'll take good care of you and bake some sweets for you when we return to the Monastery." Mercedes tended to Byleth with a sweet smile.
"Byleth… Thank you again for saving me. But please, take better care of yourself. I couldn't forgive myself if you… died because of me." Monica admitted quietly.
Byleth gave a smile of his own. "It's alright, everyone. I'm okay. I just wish that we managed to capture those two villains, that's all."
Dimitri approached Byleth. "I understand how you feel, Professor. I have a feeling that this will not be the last we see of those fiends, but we have emerged victorious today, and Monica is safe, thanks to you."
Byleth nodded. "I appreciate that, Dimitri. But, like with the mock battle, it was a group effort. You should all be proud of yourselves. That includes you, Leonie. I'm glad to have you with us."
Leonie beamed at Byleth's praise, but retained a smug smirk. "Well, of course! I'm the greatest apprentice of the Legendary Blade Breaker! You SHOULD be glad! Still, I do appreciate you saying it, though."
Byleth lightly chuckled. Meanwhile, Dimitri gently addressed Monica. "I am sorry that you went through such torment, but we mean you no harm, I promise. Your name is Monica, right? I am Dimitri, Crown Prince of Faerghus,"
Monica greeted Dimitri politely. "Pleased to meet you, Prince Dimitri. If I may, I would like to properly introduce myself to everyone."
Monica waited for the rest of the Blue Lions to approach. Then, she cleared her throat and formally introduced herself. "Hello, everyone. I am Monica Von Ochs. I am the eldest daughter of the Adrestian Empire's Baron Ochs. Lady Edelgard knows me quite well. I would like to express my eternal gratitude to you all for rescuing me… If you hadn't arrived when you did… Well, I would prefer not to worry about that."
Sylvain bowed to Monica. "Hey, don't mention it, Monica. The Blue Lions are always ready to save a damsel in distress. Especially one as lovely as you."
Dedue interjected. "Sylvain, I do not believe now is the time for that. But we are glad to have helped you, Monica."
Ashe spoke hesitantly. "Forgive me for asking, but do you know who those brigands were, or what they wanted with you?"
Monica, using her perfect memory, recalled what she could. "Those villains were Legion and Mammon. They were the men that kidnapped me. Apparently, they're members of a group called the Archons. I'd wager that the Archons are mercenaries. They seemed far more skilled and organised than common thieves. I don't know what they had planned for me, but I imagine it would not have ended with me being alive and well… They also mentioned someone named Kronya. I don't know if she was affiliated with them, but it seems likely."
Byleth and the Blue Lions pondered what Monica had told them. The new professor decided on the next course of action. "Alright. I'll report this to Lady Rhea. For now, let's return to Garreg Mach. Monica has been through a lot. I'm sure she, as well as all of us, would like a nice meal and some rest. If Monica knows anything else, she can share it later."
The Blue Lions agreed. They and the Knights of Seiros all made ready to return to the Monastery.
(Meanwhile, elsewhere on the outskirts of the fortress)
Mephisto was a man who, despite being 85 years old, would insist that he was 19 at heart (and in appearance). He had grey hair and magenta eyes. He wasn't quite well-suited to the battlefield as the majority of his fellow Archons were, but he believed himself to be the most logical, rational and intelligent of the lot (though perhaps Iblis was a close second). He was more suited to performing experiments, both on himself (which contributed to maintaining his youth) and on others, all in the name of progress and research, though he found the suffering of his "subjects" to be quite fascinating… though he would have found it preferable if they didn't writhe and scream as much.
Mephisto was formerly a scholar who lived in Morfis, the "City of Illusion". Ever since his youth, Mephisto was obsessed with knowledge and experimentation… as well as immortality. He believed that nothing should stand in the way of himself and possible discoveries and breakthroughs… which, unfortunately for his victims, meant disregarding any moral or ethical constraints. When his experiments became public, Mephisto fled Morfis and made his home in Fodlan. He eventually crossed paths with Balrog, who took notice of Mephisto's intelligence and invited the scholar to join the Archons, in exchange for being able to continue his research. Mephisto decided that this was a perfectly logical agreement.
Today, he had been on a tiresome errand that surely another Archon could have accomplished. That errand was to rescue Legion and Mammon from certain doom. Mephisto didn't feel emotions… but if he did, he would have expressed great frustration at these events.
Mammon and Legion followed behind Mephisto. Of the two, only Legion expressed gratitude for Mephisto's assistance. Mammon, meanwhile, childishly insisted he could have handled the situation himself. Mephisto would have stated that Mammon's words were categorically false, but the scholar knew there was little use in arguing with him. His efforts were best focused on research, not inane squabbles.
Legion decided to ask Mammon an important question. "So… what do you suggest we tell Lord Balrog?"
Mammon replied quickly. "I don't know… but I know I'm letting YOU give him the bad news. And YOU, I might add, are taking the blame."
(Remire Village, Archon encampment)
Shez, The newest member of the Archons (which is what Balrog's Mercenaries preferred to call themselves), followed her new captain and his "retainer" to their encampment outside of Remire Village.
"I imagine you're curious to find out more about us. Quite logical, since you wish to join our group." Balrog made conversation with Shez, whereas Bael remained silent.
Shez replied. "Sure. Just how many of you are there?"
"We have around 4,000 members, give or take." Balrog stated casually.
Shez was astonished. The Archons clearly outnumbered Jeralt's group, then. But it meant nothing if they didn't have skill. Shez wanted to inquire further.
"What tactics do you specialize in? How strong would you say you are?" Shez asked.
Balrog was pleased by this. It would have been foolhardy for Shez to not ask these questions at all, since she was going to be working with them for the foreseeable future.
"We're strong enough to have survived this long, I'd say. We do whatever it takes to get the job done. Pincer movements and even sabotage, in some cases. Whatever the situation calls for. I'd say we match Jeralt's team in skill and strength, if that's what you're wondering." Balrog explained.
"Huh. I see." Shez said. She wondered why Balrog hadn't killed Jeralt and his son already, but then concluded that nothing in life was ever that simple.
Balrog wanted nothing more than to find Jeralt's Mercenaries and obliterate them. He was confident he could beat them, as well. Alas, for several reasons, he couldn't do that. One reason being that if the Archons openly attacked Jeralt's band outside of a contract without cause (settling a personal vendetta would not be a sufficient reason), it would jeopardise his employer's plans.
Besides, since Jeralt was at Garreg Mach, Balrog and his group would essentially be openly picking a fight with the Knights of Seiros. Even if they managed to kill Jeralt and Byleth, The Church would call for Balrog's head. His mercs would be hunted down and killed, as well.
And even if Jeralt's Mercenaries weren't at Garreg Mach, the Blade Breaker was smart enough to never remain in one place. He was notoriously difficult to track down.
The Archons' best course of action was to be patient. If all went to plan, Edelgard would soon destroy the Church, Kingdom and Alliance and rule all of Fodlan. Under the Adrestian Empire's rule, Balorg and his mercs could act freely and with impunity (that was the agreement Balrog and Edelgard had) In the event Jeralt and Byleth were still alive, Balrog could find and kill them with little trouble… and without consequence.
But Balrog didn't quite plan to stop there. Eventually, he would find the opportunity to dispose of Edelgard and Hubert. With them out of the way, Balrog could seize the reins of the Adrestian Empire… and perhaps rename it as the Archon Empire. This Empire wouldn't just include Fodlan, but also the lands beyond it. The entire world itself would belong to Balrog.
Balrog, Bael and Shez arrived just outside of the Archon encampment. They stopped and the oldest of the mercs turned to Shez.
"Anyway… Are you ready to meet your new comrades? I assure you, you won't be disappointed. And you have nothing to fear. They're… unique, but they won't harm you. You're one of us now, after all." Balrog assured his new recruit.
"I'm ready. Lead the way." Shez replied.
"Trust me, they can be irritating bastards, but they get the job done." Bael decided to say.
With that, the trio walked into the camp. They arrived at the center to find the lieutenants and core members waiting for them.
"Well now, our illustrious leader has returned with a fetching young recruit. What brings you here, fair maiden?" Said a young man with long red hair and crimson eyes. Shez gathered that he thought of himself as a smooth-talker, but he really just came across as insincere. This was Lucifer, a 20-year old young man who was actually once Duke Gerth's adopted son.
From a young age, Lucifer always had a gift for both magic and political acumen. He had influence in the courts of Adrestia from the age of 14 (though it was mainly thanks to Gerth). That came to an end when, at the age of 18, he had an affair with Duke Gerth's fiance. He was cast out of House Gerth and wandered Fodlan, looking to rise up in the world. He eventually heard of the Archons and attempted to defeat Balrog in a duel for leadership. Lucifer lost… badly. Balrog spared his life and offered Lucifer a place in the group as a strategist. Lucifer accepted, but he never forgot the humiliation Balrog put him through. Lucifer vowed to surpass Balrog one day, destroy him, and take his rightful place as the leader of the Archons.
Of course, everyone knew about Lucifer's shameless ambition, but no-one took him seriously.
"This is Shez. She's joining us with the intent to destroy Jeralt's lot. And I highly doubt she's interested in you, Lucifer." Balrog said, sporting a rare smirk. If nothing else, he found Lucifer to be amusing on occasion.
Lucifer scoffed. "Well… I knew that! Anyone who so quickly falls for my charms is unfit to be in my company! Hmph!"
"Hehehehe…. Is Lucifer being funny again? Hehe…." A strange man appeared from behind Lucifer, causing Lucifer to cry out.. Shez guessed this man was in his mid to late twenties, making him slightly older than Lucifer.
"Uh…. who's that?" Shez asked.
"Oh, that'll be Beelzebub. He's…. He's an absolute weirdo, I can tell you that much." Bael spoke whilst shrugging. Beelzebub had teal hair and green eyes. He was quite slender and had sharp teeth. His skin was quite pale and he had a rather manic expression on his face.
"Hehe! That's me! Beelzebub! Bub! Bub! BUB! HAHAHAHAHA!" Beelzebub raved.
Lucifer smacked Beelzebub over the head in anger. "Gah! You cursed, sneaky bastard! One day, you shall pay for humiliating me like that!"
Beelebub just giggled like a child. Two more Archons approached. One with raven hair and blue eyes, the other with ashen hair and crimson eyes. Both were fairly well-built. It would appear that they were twins.
The twin with blue eyes spoke softly. "You must be a new recruit. I am Abel of the Archons. I specialise in interrogation and torture. There is something quite magical watching a human squirm, wouldn't you say?"
"..." Shez was at a loss for words.
"Ah, yes. That's not how conversations usually begin. Perhaps we may discuss more appropriate topics over tea. My treat, of course." Abel offered.
Abel's brother, Cain, chuckled and addressed Shez. "Yeah, my big bro does like to kill the mood, huh? Anyway, my name's Cain. You need someone in a fight…. I'm your man."
A rather tall and brutish Archon appeared next. He was incredibly muscular and around seven-feet tall. This one was called Goliath. His voice was quite baritone. He pointed at Shez. "Is she new? She seems small and puny. How can she help us?"
Balrog addressed the titan. "Shez here managed to survive a fight with Byleth, which is more that can be said for most. I say she has a place here and you will respect that. Do I make myself clear, Goliath?"
Goliath nodded his head. "Yes, Lord Balrog." Goliath sat down and read through his…. Novel. It was a story of a star-crossed romance destined to end in tragedy, between a man of common birth and a noblewoman.
"Goliath here can go from reading books in one moment, to ripping you in half in the next. Believe me, I've seen it. You do NOT wanna piss him off." Bael warned Shez.
"Indeed. But whether he kills you or not, death comes for us all eventually." An eerily soft voice spoke behind Shez.
"GAH! WHAT THE HELL?" She screamed as she turned around and drew her swords. She found herself facing a man in his early thirties. Even with a sword pointed his way, he retained a miserable expression.
"Hahahahahahahaha! Balrog, did you see that? Shez nearly jumped out of her skin! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Bael laughed.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! Jump, jump, JUMP! Hahahahahahah!" Beelzebub also cackled at Shez's outburst.
Balrog folded his arms and glared at Bael and Beelzebub. The two stopped laughing and looked down. Balrog calmly turned to Shez. "I apologize for that. Dirge has a tendency to not make his presence known when he should. You're sorry, aren't you, Dirge?"
Dirge sheepishly mumbled. "Yes, I am sorry, Shez. You may also take my life, if you wish. I do not mind."
"Uh… It's okay, uh… Dirge. No one needs to die… You just took me by surprise, that's all." Shez reassured Dirge.
"Oh… alright." Dirge grumbled.
Balrog introduced his morose subordinate. "This is Dirge. He wasn't born with that name, but it's what he calls himself. No one knows his true name, as he does not speak it. To be frank, Dirge loves the very idea of death itself. Whether he delivers it onto others, or is faced with it himself, Dirge talks about death as if it were his soulmate. He also loves to write poetry about the subject. Apart from that, he's a miserable bastard. I've only seen him express a modicum of joy when talking about dying. To Dirge's credit, he knows how to instill fear in others, and use it to his advantage. He's an expert in utilizing black magic and dark magic whilst atop his wyvern. He likes to call it, 'Death From Above'. He also knows how to control himself… Unlike Bael here."
In truth, Dirge was a child born to a cult dedicated to worshipped pagan gods, who were said to have been the true rulers of Fodlan before being cast out by the 'False Deity' Sothis. None of this was true, of course, but Dirge and his parents did not know or care. They hated Sothis. Dirge remembered that much. The gloomy Archon did not recall much else of his childhood, however… or how he joined Balrog's group. He knew his parents were dead, though. He was certain of that.
Bael chuckled nervously whilst scratching his head. "Yeah, well… Anyway, shouldn't we introduce Shez to Iblis?"
Balrog nodded and explained to Shez who Iblis was. "Iblis is our intelligence officer and primary strategist. Lucifer is cunning, to be sure, but he could not possibly hope to match Iblis. You'll find him to be an… interesting man, I'm sure… and also very reliable."
"Oh, and just so you know, Iblis talks like this… whenever he's not staring into your soul." Bael added, whilst imitating a monotone, emotionless voice.
The trio entered Iblis' tent. Iblis was a young man who didn't speak much. When he did, he usually spoke to Balrog, and only 'says what is necessary to say.' He did have a creepy laugh, however, according to Bael.
Iblis wore a mixture of dark blue and purple robes. He had long hair like Lucifer (Though Iblis had raven hair, whereas Lucifer's hair was crimson) and had a boyish charm (in Shez's opinion), if you could forgive Iblis' personality.
"Lord Balrog." Iblis greeted his leader, in a voice that was emotionless and monotone as Bael said it was.
"Iblis. This is Shez, our new recruit. She will accompany us on our next mission, if it's alright with her." Balrog spoke, whilst directing the last part of the sentence to Shez.
It was actually an offer, not an order. Shez could refuse, if she wished, without fear of punishment. But of course, Shez jumped at the chance to prove herself to her new allies.
"I'm in… Oh, and nice to meet you, Iblis, sir." Shez spoke.
Iblis nodded curtly, and then explained the situation. "One of our supply depots was raided by bandits. We must intercept them and retrieve our supplies."
Balrog nodded. "Of course. And let me guess… You've already found their hideout, and have studied it for the best plan of approach."
Iblis nodded. Shez then noticed a raven appear from a corner of the tent and landed on Iblis' arm. The raven was named Regis, and was one of Iblis' four 'familiars' (or pets, as Bael would call them). The other three were Beowulf (A wolf), Iago and Hans (two miniature clones of Iblis who he thought of as his children).
"Iblis, superior. Lucifer, inferior." Iblis remarked with a smirk. He did enjoy demonstrating his skills when it undermined the Archon's self-proclaimed Sky Commander.
Balrog smiled back and turned to Shez once more. "There are three other Archons I would introduce you to. They are Legion, Mammon and Mephisto. Alas, they are temporarily away on other business, but they'll return shortly. In any case, the plan is to recover our supplies from the thieves. Once that is done, and once our aforementioned brethren have returned to us, we shall head back to Adrestia. We'll discuss our plans concerning our mutual nemesis there."
Shez smiled. "You got it, Bal- uh, Lord Balrog. You can count on me."
Balrog smiled, but there wasn't much warmth behind it. "Excellent. We will leave once we are ready. Why don't you go rest for now? We have a few spare tents. I'll send for you when it's time."
Shez nodded and headed for an empty tent nearby. Once inside, she rested on the bed. Arval spoke within her mind.
"So, what do you make of these "Archons?" They seem an odd bunch and rough around the edges, sure, but most mercenary groups are. I'd say we can make use of them, at least for now." Shez's partner in destiny said.
Shez didn't object to that. "You've got a point, Arval. As long as they help me beat Byleth, I don't care about much else."
Arval… wasn't sure what to make of that. She did long for Byleth's defeat as well, but she never expected Shez to be so fixated on that objective… It almost feels like an obsession (Not that she judged Shez. Admittedly, she became quite obsessed with Byleth herself).
Shez, meanwhile, started to fantasize. A while ago, Shez merely thought about crushing Byleth into nothing… Now it was something different… almost sadistic, admittedly.
She thought about their eventual rematch. How she would overpower Byleth, and pin him down. How she would gloat and boast of her victory. How she would taste Byleth's blood on her lips… and how Shez would like to taste his own lips…
Yes… Shez would take great pleasure in breaking Byleth down… and reducing him into a submissive, docile mess.
Shez closed her eyes and imagined herself and Byleth together in many scenarios… Under the stars, by a river… in a bed together, after removing articles of clothing…
…
…
WAIT, WHAT THE HELL? WHERE DID ALL OF THAT COME FROM?
Shez blushed as she reflected on her fantasies… Why was she thinking this way? Surely her primary motivation was to kill Byleth, right?
…
Well, it was… at first. But Shez, in that moment, started to wonder what she truly wanted… She wanted to beat Byleth, yes… but kill him? The thought… made her feel hollow. Perhaps, It would be better to… dominate him… conquer him, reduce him into a plaything.
Shez supposed that her obsession with Byleth (she and Arval did, admittedly, think about Byleth during every moment of every day) had developed in the past six months into something deeper than a lust for revenge. She started to wonder how soft his hair was… How his voice would sound whilst whispering sweet nothings into her ear… How toned and muscular his body was and how it would feel to touch it… She thought about how his piercing stare could make her weak at the knees…
Of course, Balrog (for his own reasons that Shez didn't know yet) wanted Byleth dead… and Shez had no doubt that, if she tried to object to killing the Ashen Demon, Balrog would kill her as well.
But Shez didn't plan on sticking with the Archons forever. Maybe… when the time was right, Shez could strike out on her own… And since Arval only hummed in response, she seemed fine with the idea, too.
Arval wasn't sure if Shez's thoughts affected hers, or if Arval's thoughts affected her partner (or perhaps it worked both ways), but she didn't quite mind dominating Byleth, either. A part of her did want Byleth dead, but… it felt less like a part of Arval… and more like another person entirely… whispering to her, manipulating her…. Well, no matter. Arval was her own person. If Shez didn't mind sparing Byleth, then neither did she.
Regardless, Shez shook her head and lid down on the bed. She would need rest for the upcoming mission… whatever her intentions were regarding Byleth, they could wait…