All This Time

Ferdinand

"Ferdinand..." Byleth felt her breath catch in her throat. She hadn't really ever gotten close to many of the Black Eagle students, Ferdinand especially because he had always seemed so prickly about nobility. Yet, facing him on the battlefield was just...wrong.

His orange hair had grown out to his shoulders. Byleth could see the multiple knots in his hair from where she stood, but he still sat on his horse with a proud look on his face. Ferdinand held his lance tighter as they just stared at each other.

"Professor, Claude...I don't want to kill you. But..."

"Ferdinand, don't!" Dorothea blurted out, running out from behind the front line, leaving her completely vulnerable. Byleth winced; her body already ached from using Divine Pulse five times; she wasn't sure she could handle another usage. Dorothea pleaded with him as Ferdinand averted his eyes. "Please, Ferdie...You know that Edelgard is wrong. Don't do it for your house! You know that you'll be killing everyone...You're really going to fight against us...?"

"I have no choice," Ferdinand looked upset as he regarded the former Black Eagles student. "I have to restore honor to my noble name. Edelgard will tear me apart if I left. Besides, she can restore order to this world."

"No, Ferdie. You're wrong..." Dorothea faltered as Ferdinand held up his lance. "Please, don't..."

"I'm sorry. But I have to do this!"

Ferdinand charged forward, striking his lance out towards Dorothea. The songstress was in too much shock to move, she only stared in horror. Luckily for her, Byleth was quicker.

She jumped in front of Ferdinand, blocking his blow with her sword. She could hear it shuddering underneath Ferdinand's weight, and Byleth quickly rebounded to slice her sword diagonally. Ferdinand backed up, a regretful look placated on his face.

Still, no matter how much he regretted it, Ferdinand didn't stop moving forward. Claude glanced over, a panicked look on his face. He didn't want to kill Ferdinand, and neither did she.

But he was standing in their way.

"Please, Ferdinand," Claude shouted from where he was warding off another soldier. He locked his blade with them, quickly turning and running an arrow through the enemy soldier's shoulder. The soldier fell to the ground as Claude pushed him away. "Edelgard is going to bring a world to life using violence and bloodshed. You're willing to have your noble name remembered like that? It's not too late to redeem yourself."

"I promised Edelgard that I'd fight with her, until the bitter end!" Ferdinand declared. "I'm sorry. But this has to be done!"

In an instant, Ferdinand rode towards Raphael, who was stumbling backwards in pain after being hit by magic. Ferdinand raised his lance at Raphael, piercing through the burly man's back, and eliciting a loud scream from him as blood spurted out from the wound-

Time stopped.

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Byleth gasped out in pain as she reeled from using Divine Pulse. Her muscles ached, and she felt like she was about to pass out, but she still had to force herself forward. She weakly ordered her battalion forward, urging her troops to keep going. They overran Ferdinand, quickly occupying the man as Byleth struggled to stand.

Instantly, Claude was at her side, keeping her on her feet. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she coughed, a worried look on his face.

"Teach, what's wrong!?" Claude panicked, glancing around fearfully. She shook her head from side to side, holding her weapon with what little strength she had.

"N-Not now," Byleth managed to say, hoping she could hold out just a little longer. She had never used Divine Pulse so many times...None of it had been Claude's fault, it wasn't due to his plans or anything, but Byleth had been so focused on saving every single soldier's life that she was neglecting her own safety. "I-I'll tell you later."

Ferdinand was strong, but against all ten of Byleth's elite battalion, he didn't stand a chance.

It happened almost in slow motion as one of her soldiers slammed her axe into his leg.

The graceful noble fell to the ground with a thud and a loud grunt as his horse galloped away, in pain itself from being struck. Ferdinand grit his teeth, yelling as he hurled his javelin as far as he could.

Claude pushed Byleth out of the way, flipping in the opposite direction. Byleth stumbled, barely managing to catch herself from falling as the javelin sailed past them, digging itself into the ground behind them.

Defenseless, Ferdinand laid on the ground. He didn't try to struggle, he just laid there and accepted that he was going to die.

"Are you alright?" Claude questioned. glancing over to Ferdinand. She didn't want him hung up on her, so she nodded.

"Go," Byleth managed to say, weakly pointing her head towards Ferdinand. He nodded, gesturing over a healer for his beloved before standing.

"Ferdinand...no," Claude ran over to where the injured man laid, a distraught look on both of their faces. "We can heal you. Join our cause. We could-"

"No," Ferdinand declined, a sorrowful look on his face. "I'm sorry...Edelgard...I couldn't prove myself to you in the end..."

"No, Ferdinand!" Claude pressed his lips together in a thin line as Ferdinand grunted in pain. "Please. I'm telling you. You don't even need to join us, just leave..."

"I won't accept...your pity," Ferdinand replied weakly. His wound was extremely deep, and Claude was unsure if he could even have been healed at that point. "I'm happy...to see you all...one last time..."

"No, please, Ferdie," Dorothea sniffled, kneeling down next to where he laid. "I...I'm so sorry...I should have tried harder to convince you to join the Deer..."

"Shh..." He briefly smiled upon seeing her face. "It's...ok."

They had seized the Great Bridge of Myrrdin...but at the cost of so many lives. Claude cursed under his breath.

Edelgard, why...?

"Please, Ferdie!"

Dorothea's cries resounded across the bridge as Ferdinand's heart stopped beating.