3rd Person POV
Tailtean Plains, Imperial Year 91
In a dark and stormy field, several soldiers run across a battlefield, trampling over flowers blooming from the ground. From above a legion of pegasus knights charge forwards. From below, several cavaliers charge forward, and an army clashes with their enemy.
On one side, an army of holy knights ride off towards another army of rough and rugged soldiers, most of them likely mercenaries, charging into combat with the knights. The two armies collide with each other as they attempt to overpower their opponents. Suddenly though, something comes from the sky, a strange sword suddenly falls from the sky, crashing down on the soldiers below.
Mounted Knight: Huh?
A sword falls from the sky and lands in the center of the battlefield. An explosion destroys the army. In the blaze that followed, a lone, hulking figure rises up from the fire. A single man with a thick beard and blazing, almost glowing eyes. This man was easily one of the most formidable warriors on the battlefield...
King of Liberation: Nemesis
Charging headfirst into battle, the holy knights all prepare to battle against the hulking warrior. Suddenly though, all over the battlefield, several bright red lights started emerging across the field.
As the armies clashed with each other, on the knight's side, a lone woman stood on the field. This woman wore an elegant battle uniform, complimenting her long bright green hair and eyes. A warrior lunged at the woman, attempting to strike her down with a sword. Luckily another soldier jumped in front of the woman, blocking the attack, fending off the oncoming threats that attempted to harm the holy woman. Unfortunately, lives were still lost on the field, one soldier ended up falling right beside the woman, calling out to her as he perished from his wounds...
Soldier: Lady Seiros...!
The green-haired warrior, the fair Lady Seiros, stares down the field, the clouds in the sky starting to clear, revealing the full extent of the warrior's beauty as she and Nemsis both stared down at each other from down the battlefield...
The two primary combatants finally stare down each other. On the side of the holy knights, there was Lady Seiros, the legendary warrior herself. On the other, was Nemesis. The Fell King. The King of Liberation, and one of the most ruthless combatants that has ever walked the planet.
Reaching for his sword, Nemesis shows off one of the capabilities of his powerful weapon, that being its unique ability to break apart and act more like a chained whip than an actual sword. The sheer force of his strikes ended up knocking back the vast majority of Seiros's army. Seiros in turn reached to draw her sword from her sheath, Seiros glares at Nemesis, hatred filling her eyes as she prepares for battle with her archenemy.
Charging forward, Seiros and Nemesis engage in a heated clash with each other. Each of them being completely evenly matched. Through the fight, Nemesis was able to knock Seiros back, forcing her to kick up some mud from her boots as the warrior was knocked back.
Refusing to give up on her assault on Nemesis, Seiros rushes back into combat with him, blocking his strange sword with her shield and even attempting to land a kick on her adversary, to little success. The two of them lock blades with each other, Nemesis smirking in Seiros' face, confident that he'll be able to win and continue his reign as the supposed "King of Liberation", completely unphased by the pure anger and hatred in Seiros' eyes.
Knocking Seiros back with a devastating knee bash, Nemesis transforms his sword into a whip again, sending it straight toward the holy lady. Luckily, Seiros manages to dodge the attack by the skin of her teeth.
Retracting his sword to prepare for another attack, Nemesis sends his whip towards Seiros again, hoping to actually hit her this time. Unfortunately for Nemesis though, Seiros is able to roll under the whip, forcing Nemesis to turn the blade back towards the warrior again. However, this was all a part of Seiros's plan; as the sword comes down on Seiros, the warrior uses her own sword to wrap the whip around the blade, keeping Nemesis trapped in place.
Too shocked to attempt to pull his sword back, Seiros takes advantage of Nemesis's shock and takes the opportunity to throw both her sword as well as Nemesis's sword off to the side. Running up to Nemesis, Seiros shows that she's capable of fighting without a weapon as she lunges at Nemesis and punches him square in the face. Jumping up in the air, Seiros then proceeds to kick the King of Liberation in the face, sending the hulking warrior to the ground.
Upon knocking Nemesis to the ground, Seiros jumps on top of the warrior, rage filling her eyes as she brings a dagger down to Nemesis's throat.
Seiros: (Seething) Tell me, Nemesis, do you recall the Red Canyon?
Once Seiros brought up the events that took place at the Red Canyon, Nemesis's eyes widened from shock, however, that soon wouldn't come to be the least of his shocks... As well as his last. Soon after, Seiros plunged her dagger deep into Nemesis's chest, shouting repeatedly as she brutally stabs Nemesis in the chest.
Seiros: (Stabs Nemesis repeatedly) You'll die for that! Die! die! You took... Everything... That I loved!
Stabbing Nemesis one last time, Serios finally stops stabbing Nemesis, finally satisfied with ending the life of her enemy once and for all. Looking off to the side, Seiros watched as the sun started to rise before looking over at the soldiers, all celebrating the defeat of Nemesis, finally bringing a long war to an end.
Looking down at Nemesis's bloody sword on the ground, Seiros picked up the weapon and held it close to her as she seemingly comforted someone who had long since passed on, now believing that she could finally be at peace...
Seiros: He's gone now, Mother...
The long battle finally came to an end, the death of Nemesis was finally able to put many lost souls to rest. The holy knights, led by their holy lady, were finally able to complete their long-awaited conquest to overthrow Nemesis and end his reign once and for all...
Timeskip
Enbarr, Imperial Year 1180
Suddenly, a strange bright flash of light appears in the middle of an alleyway in the city of Enbarr. From that flash, a young man was left laying on the ground, coughing up a storm, likely from the strange travel he just endured.
Slowly climbing back to his feet, the man was revealed to be rather tall, likely just above average height, and have bright spikey blonde hair. The man also had a sleeveless shirt, baggy pants, and a pauldron over his left shoulder, likely to help the man draw his weapon... A massive broadsword that laid on the ground next to them.
The man rose to his feet and attempted to gain his bearing, oddly though, the man started to feel around the ground, almost as if he was trying to feel the planet and see if he could understand his surroundings. In turn, the man started muttering to himself, trying to make sure he's able to understand who he is...
Spikey-Haired Man: (Feels the ground) (Mumbling to himself) Okay... Where am I...? Who am I...? My name... Cloud. My name is Cloud Strife. That's odd... The earth feels strange... I can't feel the Lifestream either... Strange... (Looks around) Well... Guess I'll figure out where I am later... Time to find some work, I guess. The place must have uses for a mercenary...
The man, now known to be renowned mercenary Cloud Strife, walks out of the alleyway and sets out on a journey to find some work to do. In order to do so however, Cloud had to make his way out of Enbarr so he could find the work he needed to make money.
Making his way out of the city, Cloud ended up making his way towards a small remote village somewhere in the middle of the countryside. Fortunately, since it was dark out, no one decided to bother Cloud as he made his way across the country in search of answers to his strange new world. Unfortunately, no one coming to bother the mercenary meant that his chances of getting answers were also none-existent.
However, thankfully, Cloud's luck would soon turn around as the elder of the village came out on the street to confront the mercenary, shaking slightly, almost as if he was in fear of the man.
Elder: Y-You... Are you... A mercenary...?
Cloud: I am.
Elder: Oh, thank the goddess! Please, sir. you must help us! Thieves have been coming into our village for weeks now. They've been raiding our homes, we're barely able to make ends meet. Please, you have to help us. Can you drive them away?
Cloud: Does the job pay?
Elder: We don't have much... But we'll pay you however we can.
Cloud: Good enough. You can pay me with information. I'm not from around here, and I don't like being left in the dark. So. Here's the deal. I take care of the thieves, and in turn, you tell me about this place... And point me to a good bar.
After a while, the elder had told Cloud about the location of the thieves, to which, the mercenary immediately set out to search for the location of the thieves so he could get the information on this new place he found himself trapped in.
Upon arriving at the location, Cloud found several men brandishing their bows and swords, preparing for another raid. Unlucky for them, Cloud was agile enough to jump down from a nearby tree, ambushing the thieves and catching them off-guard. Many of the men attempted to grab their swords and charge Cloud to throw him off, however, they made the fatal mistake of underestimating the mercenary, as Cloud changed his stance, entering into what he calls his "Punisher Mode".
In this Punisher Mode, Cloud sacrificed a good chunk of his movement in exchange for a dramatic increase in physical strength. Using this mode, Cloud sweeps all of the thieves off their feet with his massive buster sword, sending them all to the ground. Following this, Cloud reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small green orb. Reaching out his hand, suddenly, Cloud launched a ball of fire towards the remaining thieves, defeating them instantly.
Cloud: Well, my Materia still works at least. This is a really strange place... Wish my Phoenix Down's and potions still worked too, though. Ah, well. It's fine. At least I'll get my Gil.
TImeskip
Arriving back in the village, Cloud met with the elder again, where he pointed him to the local tavern so he could grab a drink and a bite to eat after all his hard work. There he was told to see someone who was also from out of the country, a woman with short black hair apparently.
Walking into the tavern, Cloud sat at the bar and started to take a sip from his drink, enjoying it, but not exactly the same kind of liquor that he was used to back from his home.
Cloud: (Sighs) Tifa's definitely not going to enjoy this stuff...
???: You Cloud Strife?
Cloud: Depends on who's asking?
Turning around in his chair, Cloud looks off to his side, and finds a woman looking at him. A woman wearing a dark greenish-blue jacket and boots, featuring a leather corset and leggings, all of which were armored. What's more the woman had a quiver filled to the brim with arrows for the bow wrapped over her shoulder.
Woman: Hey. Told I was supposed to meet a guy with spiky blond hair. You certainly fit the bill.
Cloud: And I was told to meet a woman with short black hair. Seems your my contact.
Woman: (Extends her hand) Shamir.
Cloud: (Extends his hand back) Cloud.
The woman, now known simply as Shamir, sits down next to Cloud, ordering a drink of her own and proceeds to explain the country they're living in. The strange world known as Fódlan. The way this world works with the three nations, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the Leiscter Alliance, and the Adrestian Empire. And most of all, the system and use of Crests.
Cloud: I see... So in this place, Crests are what define your status, huh...? Heh... Rather different from back home where I'm from.
Shamir: Heh. I could say the same. Where are you from anyways?
Cloud: Uh... Far away.
Shamir: Well, that's vague. I'll tell you where I'm from if you tell me.
Cloud: You won't know, but fine... Nibelheim.
Shamir: You're right. I don't know. But fine. Dagda. You're an interesting one, you know?
Cloud: You're one to talk. You a merc?
Shamir: Yes. Are you?
Cloud: Yes.
Shamir: Maybe we'll get some jobs together then.
Cloud: Let's hope so.
The two mercenaries clinked their glasses together, hoping that one day they would be able to work together on a few jobs together. But until then, the two mercenaries could simply kick back and enjoy a nice drink until they could find some more work, and hopefully be able to earn some gold together... Since Cloud just realized that all of his Gil was useless...
Timeskip
A couple months later, things were starting to look up for Cloud. Traveling all over Fódlan, Cloud managed to find a lot of work to do, since shockingly, the living conditions of the people were rather poor as thieves were rampant all over the three nations. However, across a lot of his jobs, he kept hearing things about how he would save people a lot of money now that he arrived before the other mercenaries they hired.
But disregarding the apparent other mercenaries that were being requested in the other villages. Cloud had decided to take some time off and go fishing while traveling in-between towns. Unfortunately though, it appeared as though he was about to have some rather uninvited guests...
Cloud: (Sighs) I know you're there... Come out now, and we might not have a problem... (Gets back to his feet) (To himself) So much for having a nice fishing session...
Grabbing his sword, Cloud turned around and saw two people standing before him, one, a tall man clad in worn brownish heavy duty armor with a large lance and long brown hair tied in a braid over the back of his head.
Beside him was a small young woman, with bluish-green hair and dark armor that... Left little to the imagination... Wearing tight leggings and a large black coat, the woman was beautiful by all standards, however, there was an ominous air around her, almost like she was detached from the world...
Cloud: Well, to what do I owe this pleasure?
Soldier: Are you Cloud Strife?
Cloud: That's going to depend on who's asking. (Mumbles) Seems like everyone's asked me that since I got here...
Soldier: Right. I'm a mercenary. We both are. And you've been taking our jobs.
Cloud: That's not my problem.
Woman: In that case, I suppose we do have a problem...
Rushing forward, the woman attempts to cut Cloud down with her sword, however, the spiky-haired mercenary was able to backflip out of the way and pull his own sword from over his shoulder. The two then engaged in a brief battle with each other, neither one of them were able to get a clear advantage over the other.
The two continued fighting each other for a long time, however, they would soon, thankfully come to a stop once the soldier, presumably the woman's father, stepped in to break up the fight by calling out to the two of them.
Soldier: All right! Both of you, knock it off!
Both mercenaries stop dead in their tracks as they both turned their heads over to the man mid-sword clash, both of them turning over to see why he decided to just interrupt their match for seemingly no reason.
Soldier: Okay, that's enough energy for you two. (Puts his lance in the ground) Okay, boy. How about we just talk real quick. Both of you put the swords down and let's just talk.
Cloud: Fine then... (Stabs his sword in the ground) Start talking. Both of you.
Soldier: Well then, allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Jeralt. People around here call me the Blade Breaker.
Cloud: "Blade Breaker", huh? Hmph. (Grabs his sword's handle) I'd like to see you try and break my sword.
Suddenly, a dagger came to Cloud's neck, looking off to his side, Cloud saw the woman holding the dagger to his neck, a dead serious expression on her face. Despite the fact her face was unnaturally blank, making it almost impossible to read her expression. Not that Cloud was really one to talk.
Woman: If you try to harm my father... I'll kill you.
Cloud: Calm down. I don't intend to fight your old man. And you are?
Woman: (Sighs) Fine... (Sheathes her sword) Byleth.
Jeralt: Apologies for my kid. Now then. How's this going to work? We can't have you keep taking our jobs. But it seems like you've been down on your luck for a while, and you appear lost. How about this? Why don't you come and join my mercenary band? Feel like we could use you.
Cloud: (Crosses his arms) That's going to depend on how much I get paid.
Jeralt: A fair amount.
Left with little to no other choice lest he want to get into another fight with the two of them, Cloud nods his head, agreeing to the offer. To join the ranks of the legendary mercenary Jeralt, the Blade Breaker, and his daughter, Byleth. The Ashen Demon...
TImeskip
In a strange and dark void, a young sleeping girl with long green hair slowly stirs herself awake while sitting on a throne. Upon waking up, the strange girl looks down a massive flight of stairs. From beneath her, a lone figure stood alone in the darkness...
Strange Girl: (Yawns) Oh my. What could have brought you here?
The girl looks down the stairs, confused by the figure standing below her. However, though the girl was confused, she was most certainly not fearful of the strange figure in the darkness.
Strange Girl: I wonder how you got in here... It is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose. Very rude indeed. Now come to me. I wish to have a look at you.
The figure walks out of the shadows, and shockingly... The figure is revealed to be Byleth. Through some unknown means, Byleth was transported to this strange dark void, standing before this strange young girl...
Strange Girl: Hmm... I have not seen the likes of you before. Who are you, anyway?
Byleth: I'm... A mortal.
Strange Girl: I see. Then you must have a name of sorts. Go on.
Byleth: My name... It's Byleth.
Strange Girl: Huh. I shall not ever grow accustomed to the sound of human names. You must possess a day of birth as well. Beneath which moon and on what day were you born to this world?
Byleth: My birthday... It's... The Twentieth of the Horsebow Moon. Imperial Year 1159.
Strange Girl: Well, wonders never cease! It seems we share our day of birth. How strange! Hmm. It all feels so... Familiar. (Yawns) I think it may be time for yet another nap... (Grows drowsy) It is almost... Time to... Begin...
The strange girl slowly drifts off to sleep, leaving the entire area to go dark once again... Slowly, everything fades away, leaving Byleth with a strange feeling about who that strange girl was, and what her purpose is...
Scene Transition
Remire Village (Empire Territory)
Great Tree Moon
In the darkness, slowly everything became clearer. More specifically, a voice calling out to Byleth to apparently wake her up from a strange dream.
Jeralt: Hey. Time to wake up.
Waking up from her sleep, Byleth gets out of her bed and heads to the main room where Jeralt and Cloud were standing, waiting for her to wake up so she could get ready to set out on another job request.
Jeralt: Were you having that dream again?
Byleth: Yes... I was... Dreaming of a war... And a strange young girl...
Jeralt: Massive armies clashing on a vast field, right? There hasn't been a battle like that in over three centuries...
Cloud: And you've described this girl to us before. But I don't think we've met anyone like that. Not here, and I don't recall anyone like that from back home.
Jeralt: In any case, just put that out of your mind for now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts. Risking your life is part of the job for mercenaries like us. Letting your mind wander is a sure way to get yourself killed.
Byleth: (Nods) Right. I know.
Walking away from the group, Cloud heads over to the desk, and grabs his sword and bag from the side, filling it up with his materia and other healing and combat items. After grabbing his weapons and tools, Cloud walked back over to the group and put his sword over his shoulder, ready to get back to work as a mercenary.
Cloud: Okay, time to get moving. Our next job is in the Kingdom, yeah? He told you before. From what I've read, it's rather far from here, so we'll need to leave at dawn.
Byleth: Oh right... Who put you in charge, again?
Cloud: I didn't put myself in charge of anything. And quit complaining. This is what mercenaries do. We travel to get the job done.
Byleth: Yeah, yeah...
Jeralt: (Looks out the window) Hm? Good grief. Everyone is already waiting for us outside.
Grabbing all of their weapons and materials, Byleth, Cloud, and Jeralt all run outside the inn, where one of their mercenaries was waiting for them to arrive so they could inform the three about the new information... And the strange arrivals that they just found...
Mercenary: Jeralt! Sir! Sorry to barge in, but your presence is needed.
Jeralt: What's happened?
Running over to the side, the three mercenaries were greeted with a very strange sight. Three young adults. Likely just late teeagers. Two young men were standing before them, one was a tanned young man with messy dark black hair tied in a braid with a yellow cape draped over his left shoulder. The second man was taller than the first, he had short and neat blonde hair and a blue cape also draped over his left shoulder. Finally, there was a short young woman with long white hair and purple eyes, like the two before her, the girl had a red cape over her left shoulder.
Blond Man: Please forgive our intrusion. We wouldn't bother you were the situation not dire.
Jeralt: What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?
Blond Man: We're being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you will be so kind as to lend your support.
Jeralt: Bandits? Here?
White-Haired Girl: It's true. They attacked us while we were at rest in our camp.
Dark-Haired Man: We've been separated from our companions and we're outnumbered. They're after our lives...not to mention our gold.
Jeralt: I'm impressed you're staying so calm considering the situation. I... Wait. That uniform...
Mercenary: Bandits spotted just outside the village! Damn... There are a lot of them.
Jeralt: I guess they followed you all the way here. We can't abandon this village now. Come on, let's move. Hope you two are ready.
Byleth: (Nods) I'm ready.
Cloud: Sure. Long as they pay us.
Everyone runs towards the outskirts of the village, lining up in formation, luckily the three strange kids seemed to be aptly prepared for combat as the girl wielded an axe, the young man with the golden cape held a bow in his hand and the last young man had a mighty lance ready for combat. Byleth and Cloud went ahead to lead the three kids into combat against the bandits. From behind them on horseback, Jeralt prepared his lance for combat while also providing guidance to everyone so they could make it out of this battle alive.
Jeralt: Let's take care of those thieves before they overrun the village. Take down the enemies in front first. That should take the wind out of their sails.
Splitting up, Jeralt, the young man with the bow, and Cloud all went off to one side of the village, ready to provide support while Byleth and the other two kids ran off near a forested area of the village.
Jeralt: We'll advance while protecting ourselves from the enemy. Take up position inside the forest.
Following her father's orders, Byleth leads the two kids into the forest so they could take up a defensive position to hopefully catch the bandits off guard. In the midst of the chaos though, the kids managed to find a moment of levity so they could talk and express their gratitude to the mercenaries.
Blond Man: Thank you. We are in your debt. It wouldn't do for us to fall in a place like this. Please, lend us your strength. Let's work together to drive out these thieves!
White-Haired Girl: You have a strange aura about you... You say you're a mercenary, so show me what you can do.
Byleth: Fine. Then watch me.
From the other side of the village, Cloud and Jeralt both readied their weapons for melee combat while the tanned young man with the bow stood atop a small hill to prepare his bow to act as a sniper.
Dark-Haired Man: It's because of you guys that I'm not dead right now. Thanks for that! I didn't expect to run into mercenaries like you in some remote village. The gods of fortune must be smiling on me!
Cloud: If that's what you want to think. Show me what you got, kid.
A few bandits start running towards the party, leading Byleth to jump out of the forest and work on the "Combat Arts" that Jeralt had helped her learn, allowing for her to knock the bandits back, preventing them from even landing a scratch on her.
Soon after, the bandits started dropping like flies, the blond man was highly proficient with his lance, taking down droves of bandits with mere swipes of his lance. From slightly above, the dark-haired man was able to snipe the bandits with his bow, dropping them to the ground with just one arrow. And lastly, the young girl managed to chop down everyone in her way with her axe.
From across the battlefield, the bandit's leader, Kostas, was left in complete shock as he watched all of his men be decimated by a bunch of kids. To someone like him, who considered himself to be one of the most fearsome bandits in all of Fódlan, it was downright humiliating.
Kostas: Damn. Why are there mercenaries in the village? Guess we'll have to deal with them too!
Charging forward, Byleth rushed Kostas, sword in hand and prepared to face the bandits leader head on without hesitation. Unfortunately, that didn't mean that Kostas was intimidated by Byleth charging towards him. If anything, he was just annoyed about it.
Kostas: Hey, you with the blank stare! Outta my way!
Running towards Kostas, Byleth used one of her Combat Arts again, swiping at Kostas and sending him flying back. Luckily, the white-haired girl was waiting on the other side of the field, ready with her axe to send the bandit flying into the ground.
Sadly, it wouldn't be enough to keep Kostas down. As soon, the bandit got back up, enraged that he was being beaten by the mercenaries and those strange kids. Leaping back to his feet, Kostas grabbed his axe and started charging straight for the white-haired girl, prepared to kill her with a single strike.
Kostas: You'll die!
Shoving the girl aside, Byleth throws herself in front of Kostas's axe, preparing to take the hit for her. However, once the axe comes down on Byleth's back, something strange happens. Suddenly, a strange energy surrounded Byleth, almost as if time itself stopped in its tracks from moving forward...
Suddenly though, Byleth once again found herself in that strange black void... With the same large set of stairs leading to the throne in the void... And sitting atop that throne... Is the same strange young girl...
Strange Girl: Honestly! What are you accomplishing with that little stunt?! It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool! 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?
Byleth: I'm very capable of protecting my own life, thank you.
Strange Girl: Course not. (Stands up.) 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".
Standing up from her throne, the strange girl, now known as The Beginning, or rather, Sothis, sits back down on her throne, looking down at Byleth and pondering what she had just said... It was almost as if Sothis didn't feel confident about her words.
Sothis: Hmm... Sothis... Yes, that is it. My name is Sothis. And I am also called...The Beginning. But who once called me that?
Byleth: What...? What are you talking about? Sothis?
Sothis: I was not able to recall my name... Until just now. And just like that, it came to me. How odd. That look upon your face... Did you think me a child? A mere child who forgot her own name?! Phooey! That "child" just saved your life! And what does that make you?
Byleth: Uhm... Less than a child...?
Sothis: Correct! Glad to know you understand! 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.
Byleth: Huh...? You stopped time? How is that...
Sothis: Hm. I do not hear your gratitude. Perhaps I should force you to leave?
Byleth: O-Oh, right... Uhm... (Bows) Th-Thank you.
Sothis: There now. Is gratitude so much to ask? I did deem you worth saving, after all. Though it is only momentary, time has stopped. However did I manage that...
Naturally confused, Byleth looked around the void, confused as to what she was supposed to do now. Was she just stuck in this strange weird void for the rest of time? Was she just going to die here...?
Byleth: Well... (Looks around the void) What now? What'll happen once time resumes?
Sothis: When time begins again, the axe will tear into your flesh, and you will surely meet your end. How rude of you to drag me into this! Now what to do...
Byleth: Well... If you're able to stop time... Then... Surely, you can turn back the hands of time.
Sothis: Of course! I must turn back the hands of time! Yes... I do believe it can be done. You really are quite troublesome. I cannot wind back time too far, but all is well. You are aware of what's to come, which means you can protect yourself this time. Now, go... Yes, you who bears the flames within. Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek...
Suddenly, everything went dark once again, the scene just before Kostas could bring the axe down on the white-haired girl. The scene played out just as it had before Byleth threw herself in front of the girl.
As soon, the bandit got back up, enraged that he was being beaten by the mercenaries and those strange kids. Leaping back to his feet, Kostas grabbed his axe and started charging straight for the white-haired girl, prepared to kill her with a single strike.
Kostas: You'll die!
Once again, Byleth rushed in front of the white-haired girl, however, this time, Byleth didn't choose to just shove the girl off to the side, instead, she stood in front of the girl, her sword at the ready and prepared to defend the girl from the bandit.
Kostas brings his axe down on Byleth, preparing to kill her and end this humiliating battle. However, this time Byleth was able to use her sword and send Kostas flying back into the ground, successfully protecting the girl, Byleth puts her sword away, and just in time as the two other kids run down a nearby hill with Cloud, coming over to check on her to make sure she's okay.
Dark-Haired Man: Hey-Over here!
Cloud: Hey, Byelth. Did you just-?
Suddenly, a bunch of strange knights ran out of the forest, the man leading them wore an extravagant white suit of armor with a very thick mustache, as well as wielding a mighty axe over his shoulder.
Knight: The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut you down for terrorizing our students. Hey, the thieves are running away! Go after them! The students seem to be unharmed. And... Who's this?
Jeralt: (Slightly irritated) Ugh... Why him?
The knight runs up to a less than pleased looking Jeralt, ecstatic about seeing the mercenary again. Almost as if he was an old friend of the mercenary, like they hadn't seen each other in such a long time.
Knight: Captain Jeralt?! It is you! 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 twenty years ago that you went missing without a trace. I always knew you were still alive!
Jeralt: You haven't changed a bit, Alois. Just as loud as ever. And drop that "captain" nonsense. I'm not your captain anymore. These days I'm just a wandering mercenary. One who has work to do. Good-bye, old friend.
The knight, now known as Alois, simply accepted the truth that "Captain" Jeralt needed to get back to work as a mercenary, and now had to let his old friend and mentor go once again so he could get back to work.
Alois: Right... Good-bye, Captain... Wait! That isn't how this ends! I insist that you return to the monastery with me!
Jeralt: Garreg Mach Monastery... I suppose this was inevitable.
Alois: (Turns to Byleth) And how about you, kid? Are you the Captain's child?
Byleth: Yes. That's correct.
Alois: Is that so? Well, physical differences aside, your mannerisms do remind me of the captain. (Turns to Cloud) And you? Are you the Captain's child, too?
Cloud: Something like that.
Alois: Ah, never mind. I'd love for you two to see the monastery too. You will join me, won't you?
Cloud: We're not going to have much of a choice, are we?
Byleth: We'd be glad to.
Once Byleth decided that the three of them were going to this strange place called "Garreg Mach". Cloud ended up letting a sweatdrop fall from the back of his head, while Jeralt just let out an exhausted sigh, something which tipped off Alois to Jeralt being hesitant about coming back to this monastery.
Alois: What's troubling you, Captain? You aren't about to run off again, are you?
Jeralt: Even I wouldn't dare run from the Knights of Seiros.
The two soldiers walk off, to catch up with each other, leaving Byleth and Cloud behind to think about what just happened. However, Byleth had little time to process everything as a voice soon called out to her from inside her head.
Sothis: The Knights of Seiros... They do seem rather skilled.
Byleth: (Startled) Gah!
Cloud: What? What is it? (Turns to Byleth) Are you hurt? Did you get injured in the battle?
Byleth: N-No... I'm okay...
Cloud: You sure...? I can heal you if you need it.
Sothis: Who is this man to treat you like a child!? So insulting. Ah. It seems like your presence is needed.
Byleth: (Shakes her head) Ngh... Come on. I think we should talk to those kids. There's something strange about them.
Though unsure as to whether or not Byleth was okay, Cloud walked off with his sister-figure to check on those strange kids that somehow managed to hold their own in a life or death battle between actual bandits.
Walking back off to the sidelines, Cloud and Byleth met up with the three kids, all of whom seemed to be eagerly awaiting their arrival to congratulate and thank them for their assistance in the battle.
White-Haired Girl: I appreciate both of your help back there. Your skills are beyond question. You're both clearly experienced mercenaries. And your father... That would be Jeralt, the Blade Breaker? Former captain of the Knights of Seiros. Oft praised as the strongest knight to ever live. Have I missed anything?
Cloud: Sorry, Knights of Seiros?
Byleth: I didn't know he was captain.
White-Haired Girl: You haven't heard of the Knights of Seiros? The most famous order of knights in all of Fódlan? (Turns to Byleth) How curious. I'd wager the explanation for that is fascinating indeed.
Dark-Haired Man: Hey! You two are coming with us to the monastery, right? Of course you are. I'd love to bend your ears as we travel. Oh, I should mention that the three of us are students of the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. We were doing some training exercises when those bandits attacked. I definitely got the worst of it.
White-Haired Woman: That would be because you ran off.
Dark-Haired Man: Too true! I was the first to make a strategic retreat. Everything would have worked out if these two hadn't followed me and ruined everything. Because of them, every single one of those bandits chased after us. (Sighs) Utterly ridiculous.
Blond Man: 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.
White-Haired Girl: His intentions were as clear as day. You will prove a lacking ruler if you cannot see the truth behind a person's words.
Blond Man: Hm. You will prove a lacking ruler if you look for deceit behind every word and fail to trust those whom you rely on.
Claude: Oh, joy. A royal debate between Their Highnesses. 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.
White-Haired Girl: (Irritated) Me? Naïve? Tell me, are you actually incapable of keeping quiet, or is your lack of self-awareness a condition of some sort?
Blond Man: In any case, forgive our digression. I must speak with you two, if you both can spare a moment. The way you both 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.
White-Haired Girl: Your skill is precisely why I must ask you to consider lending your services to the Empire. I might as well tell you now. I am no mere student. I am also the Adrestian Empire's-
Blond Man: Halt, Edelgard. Please allow me to finish my own proposition. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is in dire need of exceptional individuals such as yourself. Please, do consider returning to the Kingdom with me.
Claude: Whoa, there, Dimitri! Geez, you two sure are hasty. Trying to recruit people you just met. Tactless, really. I was personally planning to develop a deep and lasting friendship on our journey back to the monastery before begging for favors. But it seems there's no time for niceties in this world. So, capable strangers, let's get right to it. Where do your allegiances lie?
The three kids, now known as Dimitri, Edelgard, and Claude, all of which seemed to be holding considerable positions of power within the three nations of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the Adrestian Empire, and the Leiscter Alliance respectively. However, there was now the pressing question that Claude had asked the two mercenaries... Where did their allegiances lie?
Sothis: Hmm. It seems one's place of birth is quite significant to them. Yet they are so impressed by you, that you may take your pick. Well?
Byleth: I'm... From the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus: The Land of Noble Knights
Dimitri: Understood. Faerghus is a noble and distinguished kingdom that has always valued chivalry. (Turns to Cloud) And you?
Cloud: I'm not from around here. My allegiance doesn't fall to any of them.
Claude: Well that's an odd answer. Never heard of someone with no allegiance to the lands.
Suddenly though, Alois walked back over with the three kids, ready to lead everyone back to the monastery so they could get to work on bringing Jeralt and the others back into the ranks of the Knights of Seiros.
Alois: All right, that's enough with the small talk. It's time to head back to the monastery.
Claude: Looks like we'll have to pick this up another time.
The three kids walked off, leaving Byleth and Cloud to think about the three kids... Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Princess of the Adrestian Empire. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, the Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. And Claude von Riegan, Heir to the Leiscter Alliance.
Sothis: My, my. They are in such a hurry. You know... Each of the three is most unique.
Byleth: Edelgard... She is a refined young woman... But I feel as though she is always evaluating me... Dimitri... He seems quite sincere... But I sense darkness lurking beneath... And Claude... His easy smile is striking... But that smile doesn't reach his eyes...
Cloud: Edelgard... She's a strong fighter... Reminds me a little of Tifa in that sense, however she's a bit too skeptical for her own good... And she's definitely hiding something, could be worth looking into later... Claude... This guy's a joke. His tactical mind is there, but it's hidden behind that stupid smile and sarcasm of his. But I do see great potential from him... He's got something cooking up there.... Wonder what his goal is...? And lastly, Dimitri... That guy's too honest for his own good. He's definitely going to get himself in some trouble later. But it seems like he's hiding something too... They're all unique in different ways... But he's different... And that look he gave Byleth was strange... I'll definitely need to keep an eye on him... What an odd bunch...
As the two analyze the strange group of kids, Sothis calls out to Byleth one last time, commenting on the analysis that Byleth made on those three noble kids that they just rescued.
Sothis: Yes, I thought the same. I am so sleepy once again... I may be sleeping... But I...
Brushing off Sothis suddenly becoming drowsy once again, Byleth starts walking off towards the lords, Alois, and Jeralt as they all start heading off towards Garreg Mach Monastery. Lagging behind just a little bit, Cloud looked up at the night sky, the starry night illuminating the land below Cloud, as he prepared for his new journey.
Cloud: (Looks at the ground) Looks like the world is still in need of a SOLDIER... (Looks to the stars) Please... Watch over me... Aerith...
Putting his sword back over his shoulder, Cloud marches off towards the others, ready to join up with the others and head off towards the next adventure... The next chapter of the story was about to begin for Cloud... The story of a SOLDIER at Garreg Mach Monastery...
A/N: And here it is, folks! After an... Embarrassingly long wait... My new story to take over for the conclusion of Frozen Flame! The SOLDIER of Garreg Mach! I'm so, so, SO EXCITED to start working on this! As longtime readers from me might know, my first ever story was a Persona 5 story, and I haven't touched a video game since I canceled that. So as you guys can expect, I'm a little nervous about getting into this, but I'm excited regardless. I love this game and the story to death, and I hope you guys will stick around to the end cause I've got some interesting things planned. Well, see you guys later, hope you guys enjoy the story!