3rd Person POV
Opening up on a new canvas, several women were in the fields, weaving together ornaments made of garland, meanwhile from above, the sun was hidden behind large stormy clouds, while over in the seas, ships were sailing in with new products, welcoming in a new season for the season to begin.
Narrator: When the warm winds blow from the sea to the south of Adrestia, residents of Fódlan know that the rainy season is upon them. Before the heavy rains take their toll, young women hurry to pick the last of the white roses. The ivory buds are woven into garlands and given as gifts to close friends or potential lovers.
Scene Transition
At the beginning of the month, as usual, Byleth and Cloud were both called to the audience chamber where Lady Rhea and Seteth were both providing the two professors with their tasks for the month, which, judging by their tones of voice, seemed to be particularly serious this month.
Rhea: Professor, I have a new mission for your students.
Seteth: We have received reports that Lord Lonato has rallied troops against the Holy Church of Seiros.
Byleth: Lord Lonato? Who's that?
Rhea: Lord Lonato is a minor lord of the Kingdom. He has been showing hostility towards the church for some time now.
Seteth: A vanguard unit from the Knights of Seiros is already on its way to his stronghold, Castle Gaspard. Lord Lonato's army is nothing compared to the knights. It's quite possible the rebellion has already been suppressed.
Rhea: Even so, I would like for your class to travel with the knights' rear guard to deal with the aftermath.
Seteth: War zones are unpredictable. We do not expect you will have cause to battle, but be prepared for the worst.
Knowing that the Blue Lions would likely be walking into an extremely dangerous mission, Rhea had called upon one of the major Knights of Seiros to help them in their goal to suppress the rebellion against Lord Lonato. One of the strongest members of the Knights of Seiros' army...
Blonde Woman: Excuse me. You sent for me, Lady Rhea?
Rhea: This is Catherine. She will be leading the knights whom you will be accompanying.
Catherine: Nice to meet you. We've heard a lot about you two. If you guys need anything, just ask.
Rhea: She is one of our bravest knights, and that is no small feat. Only an exceptional few have what it takes to join the Knights of Seiros. This mission should prove useful in demonstrating to the students how foolish it would be to ever turn their blades on the Church...
Seteth: As for you, Cloud, your class will be dealing with any reinforcements that come their way. Do not let any of Lord Lonato's supporters through to provide assistance.
Cloud: Got it. (Glances at Catherine) I hear they call you Thunder Catherine... I'm interested in your skills. (Heads out) Join me for a spar sometime, yeah?
Catherine: (Chuckles) Ha! Okay, I'll take you up on that offer sometime. And in return I assume you'll treat me to dinner one day?
Cloud: I'll pass.
Byleth bows in respect to Rhea and Seteth, turning around to follow behind Cloud as they both head off to prepare for their missions to stop Lord Lonato and whatever his plans for the Church of Seiros are...
Timeskip
The days go by and the two classes are informed of their missions for the month, something which Ashe didn't feel comfortable with, especially with Lonato being his adopted father, the person who got Ashe into the academy in the first place. Naturally, things were a lot more rough for the Blue Lion's than usual, however, there was thankfully a small little break in the tension as the students of the Blue Lion's class celebrated Sylvain's birthday.
But, alas, the brief levity ended, and it was time for Byleth to head out on another exploration period to try and get everyone ready to prepare for the coming battle. Waking up in her room, Byleth went over to her desk, and prepared a few certification tests for some of her students, preparing for them to change their classes for the coming mission.
Sothis: You have spent quite some time in here, engaging in such idle chatter. Do you not know that we do not have a moment left to waste?
Byleth: Yeah... I know. I should have listened more intently.
Sothis: You should try harder from now on.
Knowing that she needs to get to work on the day, Byleth heads out of her quarters and prepares to make her way to the training grounds for a nice training session to wake herself up before she gets to work on preparing more tests and lessons for her students.
Meanwhile
Scene Transition
In the cathedral, a lone young woman was busy with her morning prayers, providing her offerings to the goddess. As the woman, soon revealed to be Mercedes, continued to pray to the goddess, Dedue walked up to her from behind, seemingly with something on his mind.
Mercedes: Dear Goddess. Please protect us...
Dedue: (Walks up to Mercedes) Mercedes.
Mercedes: Oh, Dedue. Was there something you needed?
Dedue: His Highness sent me to collect you.
Mercedes: I see. I'll be with you in just a moment. I'm almost finished here.
Dedue: You were praying.
Mercedes: I was. Praying for everyone's safety. And praying for good desserts tonight. And that my next exam goes well
Dedue: The Fódlan goddess will accept prayers of any sort.
Mercedes: It's true. I've thought the same thing myself. That reminds me, Dedue. Weren't you born in Duscur?
Dedue: Yes.
Mercedes: Do the people of Duscur pray to the goddess too?
Dedue: Duscur had a very different view of religion.
Mercedes: Oh?
Dedue: In Duscur there were many gods. The sky had a god. The earth had a god. We made offerings to the war god for victory in battle. Held feasts for the sea god to calm the waves.
Mercedes: So your people prayed to different gods depending on what they needed?
Dedue: Correct.
Mercedes: Your beliefs sound so different from ours! Tell me more.
Dedue: Why? Duscur is a ruin.
Mercedes: Duscur may be gone. but you're still here. Would you tell me more about it the next time we meet?
Dedue: If you insist.
Mercedes: Really? That would be great! I'm looking forward to hearing more soon.
Scene Fade
Mercedes and Dedue have attained Support Level C!
Meanwhile
Back with Byleth, the young mercenary walked over to the training grounds, and ended up coming across Cloud and Catherine, both of whom had finished a sparring match with each other.
Catherine: Here to train? You really are as hardworking as they say.
Byleth: No, that's an understatement. It's just me.
Catherine: Spoken like a true hard worker.
Byleth: Oh, by the way, who won?
Cloud: I did. Obviously.
Catherine: Turns out he's not just all good looks. By the way, you know how to get this guy to treat me to dinner?
Cloud: Not gonna happen.
Moving away from Cloud and Catherine so they could continue sparring with each other, Byleth walked over to the side where Felix was intently watching Catherine's moves as she fought with Cloud, almost as if he was studying her to try and figure out how to fight like her and potentially defeat her.
Felix: Catherine, hm? Her skill is impressive, I'll admit. So is her sword. But I think she's hiding something. Nobody knows anything about her past. You should spar with her. She's strong. Stronger than you are, I'd bet.
Byleth: I doubt that. If Cloud beat her, then I can beat her too.
Leaving Felix to continue studying Catherine and Cloud's moves, Byleth moves over to a corner where Edelgard and Hubert were discussing another one of their plans, strangely, they seemed to be rather private, almost as if they needed to discuss something that they didn't want others to hear about...
Hubert: Hello, Professor. Something about this situation doesn't feel right. Why would a minor lord raise an army against a foe he cannot possibly hope to defeat?
Edelgard: Lord Lonato must know that his efforts are futile... Yet he can't help but fight. If I were in that situation, I would do whatever it took to ensure victory. You can count on that.
Byleth: As would I. And I'm not sure what he's planning, but I don't think this could be anything good...
Deciding that it would be best to leave everyone in the training grounds to their actions, Byleth leaves the area and heads out near the classroom area where she sees Leonie looking out over the edge of the railing, watching the wyvern's and pegasus's fly around and patrol the perimeter of the monastery.
Leonie: I'm studying here so I can be the best there is, just like Captain Jeralt. Do you think I've got it in me to be a top tier mercenary, Professor?
Byleth: You really want to bring in the money, huh...? Well, that just depends on how hard you work.
Leonie: I do! Though, it's about so much more than being rich. It's about honor. And you better believe I'm going to work a lot harder than all the fancy nobles around here, I can tell you that.
Leaving Leonie alone to continue drafting her plans to become a great mercenary, Byleth walks over to the Black Eagles's classroom where she sees Ferdinand standing in front of the chalkboard, trying to figure out a strategy on the board to help with their mission for the month, but he soon quickly turned over to talk to Byleth.
Byleth: Need any help there, Ferdinand?
Ferdinand: Ah, Professor! No, thank you. It's a noble's duty to figure out a strategy this basic. Oh, I heard about your class's assignment, by the way. Good luck subduing those treasonous nobles!
Byleth: Well, I'll try my best.
After giving Ferdinand a few helpful pointers about his strategy, Byleth heads over to the Golden Deer's classroom where Claude was looking through some old textbooks to try and find some kind of pattern to figure out why Lonato would want to raise an army to attack the Church of Seiros. But unfortunately, it didn't seem like he was having much luck.
Claude: First that bandit business, and now a noble rebellion? Are we ever gonna do anything but find and subdue people? Well, if we're just going to tie up loose ends, at least it'll be pretty safe. I don't mind stretching my legs for this one. And if Catherine's going, too, there's a good chance we'll get a look at her Relic in action if Chief manages to get us over there in time.
Byleth: A Relic...? Hm... I'll have to ask the others about that...
Grabbing a book from the Golden Deer's bookshelf, Byleth heads off towards the reception hall where she finds Annette and Mercedes talking with each other about their plans for the coming battle, as well as some plans for afterwards with making some sweets and celebrating.
Mercedes: I've heard whispers about Lord Lonato. They say he is a very kind and gentle lord. Why would such a kind man suddenly raise an army? Oh, Professor. You were working late last night, weren't you? You shouldn't overdo it. A ghost might rise up from the well to get you if you stay too late! Or so I'm told.
Byleth: R-Right... If you say so, Mercedes...
Annette: Oh, Professor, we're going on a mission with the knights, right? I wonder if... Oh... Sorry! It's nothing. I was just wondering if someone I've been searching for might be among them.
Byleth: You're looking for a knight? Well, I hope you find whomever you're looking for.
Annette: Thank you. I'm definitely going to find him one of these days!
The three talk with each other for a while, until it was time for Byleth to head out again, however, before she could exit the reception hall, Byleth ended up bumping into Dorothea, who was standing by the door, flirting with one of the knights by the gates... Again...
Dorothea: Oh, Professor. Are you going to fight alongside the Knights of Seiros? Hmm... Let me know if you meet anyone I might be interested in, okay?
Byleth: Uhm... Right... I'll see...
Shuffling off to the side and leaving Dorothea to her likely unsuccessful attempt at love again, Byleth exited to the side near the knights hall, where she saw Lorenz doing his usual poses and noble actions, however he gave Byleth his full attention... And as usual, launched into a speech and lecture about the actions of a noble.
Lorenz: It's a noble's duty to protect the common folk, not to endanger them by rallying armies in such a feckless and improper manner. Abuse of that kind is no better than slavery. A proper noble must guard the people from such a fate, wouldn't you say?
Byleth: Yes, I absolutely agree with you.
Lorenz: Precisely why true nobility is well respected.
Leaving Lorenz to his usual antics, Byleth heads over to the knights hall where she found Dedue sitting by the fireplace, brandishing his axe in preparation for a training session he was likely going to have with Dimitri and the others later.
Dedue: His Highness is strong. But on the front lines, anything can happen. Losing him would be devastating for Faerghus. I hope the church understands that.
Byleth: I'm sure they do. Don't worry, I'll look after him.
Speaking of Dimitri, the crowned prince walked over to the bookshelf in the knights hall, looking over some new battle tactics that he could use to fight back against Lord Lonato. Seeing this, Byleth walked over to the prince to see what he was doing, judging by his facial expression though he seemed to be lost in thought about the whole situation with Lonato.
Dimitri: (To himself) Doubtless, there are times when one must take up their blade, even if there's no chance of winning. But this... It's downright senseless. Lord Lonato knows better. If he had enough allies to back his rebellion, it would be a different matter...
Byleth: Allies? How so?
Dimitri: Ah, my apologies. I was just thinking aloud. This whole situation is a bit too strange for my liking. Even with the necessary preparations in place, there is always a chance that something unexpected will occur. Please be ready for anything, Professor.
Byleth: As should you. Be careful, Dimitri.
Spending a little bit of time training in the knights hall, Byleth heads out towards the entrance hall, where just outside of the entrance hall, the professor finds Sylvain standing outside, getting his hair ready to try flirting with some more girls... Which would likely lead to little success... As per usual.
Byleth: Hello, Sylvain... What are you doing?
Sylvain: Oh, hey, Professor. Have you seen Felix around? I swear, as soon as you take your eyes off him-poof-he's gone.
Byleth: Felix? Oh, he's at the training grounds.
Sylvain: Ah, of course he's there. Sorry for bothering you, Professor. Thanks!
Waving goodbye to Sylvain as he runs off to the training grounds to find Felix again, Byleth went off towards the entrance hall to make her way into the market area so she could pick up some more supplies for the coming mission, but, as usual, she ended up bumping into the friendly gatekeeper who was here to provide Byleth with some useful information.
Gatekeeper: Greetings, Professor! Nothing to report! Have you talked with Catherine yet? If the knights are the cream of the crop, she's the cream of the cream. Oh, and that Relic of hers! I hear it's nothing short of amazing.
Byleth: People keep mentioning this "Relic" thing... I'll have to ask Seteth or Lady Rhea about it...
Heading into the market, Byleth went over to some of the market stands and bought a few extra potions for her students as well as a few shields to help everyone with their defenses.
After her shopping though, Byleth found Hilda doing some of her own shopping, to which she soon went off to a nearby table to relax and do her nails and make herself look more presentable to the boys.
Hilda: Professor, your clothes are a bit dirty. I'd have expected you to be more careful, seeing as how you're a professor and all. I hate when my clothes get dirty. That's one of the many reasons I find it best to train as little as possible.
Byleth: I'm not sure Cloud would like that... But if you say so, Hilda. (Looks at her coat) (Mutters to herself) I probably should wash this old thing...
Making her way over to the stables to tend to the horses, Byleth found Marianne had already started tending to the horses before she got there. Walking up to her, Byleth wanted to see what the shy young maiden was doing, and strangely... It seemed as though she was talking to the horses... Like they could actually understand each other.
Marianne: Oh. Hello, Professor... Um. Was there something you needed?
Byleth: I was just coming to see the horses,
Marianne: Oh! You like horses? I like them too. They're such kind creatures.
Spending a little time with Marianne and the horses, Byleth made her way towards the dining hall, heading off to grab some lunch to energize herself for the rest of the day so she could get to some faculty lessons from the other teachers.
However, once Byleth entered the dining hall, she found Lindhart sitting at a table, holding his hand over his mouth and gagging. Upon approaching the sleepy student, Byleth soon found the cause... Caspar...
Linhardt: Professor, I feel I must speak to you about Caspar's eating habits. I've never seen the likes of it. He inhales entire plates of food in mere seconds.
Byleth: He must have a healthy appetite... But it's probably unhealthy.
Linhardt: If that is a polite way of calling him a goat, I'm inclined to agree. And hence my mentioning it to you. Good luck with him.
Glancing over to Caspar, who was finishing another meal, which he had also completely devoured like Lindart said, Byleth nervously approached the short ruffian, wanting to check on him and see how much he exactly ate...
Caspar: Ah, today's meal was delicious! Linhardt keeps bothering me about eating too fast. Says I'm gonna choke or something.
Byleth: While I do think you should slow down some... When you're busy, there's no real alternative.
Caspar: Absolutely! I knew you'd see things my way.
Moving away from the two friends, Byleth walked over near the counter where she found Seteth scanning the dining hall, almost as if he was searching for someone... And upon approaching him, Byleth soon found out the reason why he was so stern and uptight again today...
Seteth: If you have a moment, I would like to have a word. It has been brought to my attention that certain individuals have been making advances towards Flayn. Have you witnessed any such behavior?
Byleth: Hmm... No. Not at all. That I know of at least.
Seteth: If you see anything similar in the future, please inform the perpetrators of their peril.
Byleth: (Slowly backs away) Please... Try not to kill anyone...
Backing away from Seteth, Byleth accidentally bumped into Hanneman, who was pinching his eyebrows together, seemingly exhausted by something... Or, more accurately, he was exhausted by someone...
Byleth: Oh, I'm sorry, Professor Hanneman.
Hanneman: No, it's okay. Look, I'm sorry, but I must vent to someone, Professor. You're familiar with Manuela's slovenly behavior, yes? That woman! She borrowed a book last week and returned it with stains of unknown origin on the cover, and several pages either folded or torn. Just now, she dropped a sandwich on the floor, picked it up and kept eating. When she saw my shock, she said simply, (Does a brief imitation of Manuela) "Three second rule." Ugh!
Byleth: U-Uhm... Right...
Awkwardly moving away from Hanneman, Byleth went towards the greenhouse to check on the plants she had planted last month, however just outside of the greenhouse, Byleth found Raphael holding his stomach with one hand and his arm with the other, showing that there was some kind of pain going on inside of him.
Raphael: Hey, Professor! Do you happen to have any food on you? I'm starving! No matter how much I eat before I train, I'm always so hungry after. My muscles must be going through a growth spurt!
Byleth: I think that's just because you've worked up an appetite...
Giving Raphael a small portion of her sandwich from lunch to hopefully tie him over for a while until he could have lunch at the dining hall, Byleth made her way to the greenhouse where she saw Petra looking over some of the plants, writing down a few notes in her journal.
Petra: This flower is one that is eating insects. Is that factual too? I am wondering who watches over the plants in Fódlan...
Meanwhile just a little further in the greenhouse, Flayn looked over the plants on her own, admiring how beautiful all of them are, something Byleth agreed with one-hundred percent.
Flayn: If the flowers within the greenhouse are removed, they will soon wilt and wither... Is that not so, Professor? I feel I can empathize with them... The flowers. Flowers that thrive-despite their environment-are truly inspiring, are they not?
Byleth: Absolutely.
Heading out of the greenhouse, Byleth heads over to the pond for a little spot of fishing, where she ended up coming across Jeritza looking out over the pond, upon approaching him, as usual, Jeritza was just as anti-social as usual.
Jeritza: What...? I desired fresh air...
Byleth: U-Uh-huh... That's not much like you.
Jeritza: True...
Having successfully been unnerved and creeped out by Jeritza again, Byleth made her way towards the living area again, where she soon started hearing a strange humming sound coming from one of the dorm rooms... And of course, it came from Bernadetta's room.
Bernadetta: (Humming) ♪Hm hm-hm hm-hm...♪ (Stops) H-huh?! Um, is someone there? What do you want?
Quickly running away from Bernadetta's room, Byleth made her way towards the bridge leading to the cathedral, where she would take care of a little job she had gotten from Mercedes, however, on the way, Byleth found Ingrid standing on the bridge, overlooking the scenery from above.
Ingrid: Why does His Highness take the side of the people of Duscur? I just don't understand it. Only four years ago, they murdered our king and slaughtered the soldiers and knights who were with him, all of whom were innocent. Even if he can forgive them, I can't-not ever. What they've done is against all codes of honor and ethics.
Byleth: Hm... Maybe so. However, I think you should learn to open your mind more. Spend some time with Dedue, he might be able to help you.
Leaving Ingrid to think about Byleth's words to try and move on from the Tragedy of Duscur and forgive its people, the professor walked into the cathedral where she saw Ashe sitting on a bench, holding his head and trying to comprehend the mission they were given this month.
As expected, Ashe wasn't taking the news that Lonato had raised an army against the church very well, he had been trying to make sense of the whole situation for the whole week, and unfortunately, as the month went on, his need for answers only grew, and the fewer answers he was able to find.
Ashe: Ngh... Please, Professor, there must be some mistake. Lonato would never raise arms against the church. At least... He never said anything to me about it...
Byleth: I know, Ashe... We'll figure it out.
After comforting Ashe to try and make him feel better about the situation with his adopted father, Byleth went a bit further into the cathedral, where she found Alois standing guard in front of a giant door that led further into the monastery.
Byleth: What's this door for? Where does it go?
Alois: Past here is the Holy Mausoleum, where the saints of the Church of Seiros slumber. Sorry, but only a select few members of the church are allowed entry. It's open to the public on only one day of the year, for the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth.
Nodding and knowing that she can't go any further, Byleth turns around and heads off to the side of the cathedral where she found Lysithea looking over the edge, quietly seething to herself about something which annoyed her... Again...
Lysithea: Ah, Professor. It would seem that a minor lord in Faerghus is raising an army... This poses a threat, obviously. But not one for the Kingdom-for the church. I mean, Faerghus doesn't even have a king at present. There's something... Unsettling about this army. You had better ensure your class is fully prepared.
Byleth: Don't worry, I'll be sure that we're all ready. And I'll make sure Cloud gets you guys ready as well.
Lysithea: Good... And also, I think the monastery grounds are far too spread out. Feels like it takes hours to get from one area to another. And, no, that's not because I'm getting lost. I'm a fully capable, mature person! Who never gets lost.
Deciding it would be best to just nod and move on from Lysithea, lest she wanted to get a massive blast of dark magic to her face, Byleth crossed back over the bridge and went further upstairs where Byleth could find Rhea and the rest of the professors to see if she could get some more information about Lonato and his army.
When heading up into the audience chamber, Byleth was rather surprised to find that Rhea wasn't in the main chamber as she always was, instead, Ignatz was in the room, looking over some of the paintings in the room, admiring the artwork of the amazing painters that made these pieces.
Ignatz: This place has so many breathtaking works of art. I feel like I'm living in a museum. Each piece can teach us about styles and techniques from a thousand years ago!
Byleth: It does. Do you like art? Or know a lot about art?
Ignatz: Oh yes, very much. I'm from a family of merchants, so I've been able to see a lot of art, but I won't pretend to be an expert.
Allowing Ignatz to get back to his admiration of the artwork, Byleth went off to the side, where Rhea's office was, and there the archbishop was, looking over some documents and trying to figure out the plans for how they could counter Lonato's attacks, hopefully in a peaceful manner, but unfortunately, it seemed that the time for peace has long since passed.
Rhea: Pointing a sword at the Holy Church of Seiros is akin to pointing a sword at the goddess herself. Meting out appropriate punishments to the sinful... It is a sacred duty with which we have been entrusted. As a member of the church yourself, I hope that you will take that to heart.
Byleth: Right... I'll keep that in mind...
Leaving Rhea to her plans, Byleth left the audience chamber to head off and talk to the other professors, to which, Byleth paid a visit to Manuela in her office, who was preparing some medical equipment for when it's time for the classes to head out and battle against the rebellion caused by Lord Lonato.
Manuela: Did you hear? There's news of someone in the Kingdom raising an army. The Kingdom, the Empire, the Alliance... They do love a good war, don't they? Spilling the blood of young men and women... And for what? Just to enjoy the horror of it?
After having a little discussion, Manuela gives Byleth some faculty training in some faith magic so she can learn to heal her allies on her own without the use of potions, and also giving Mercedes an extra hand so she doesn't have to heal everyone on her own and can have some more assistance.
Leaving Manuela to her medical equipment, Byleth heads off to another room where Jeralt was standing, working on his stance and training with a lance while also reflecting on the strange situation that everyone in the church had found themselves in with Lord Lonato.
Jeralt: Castle Gaspard, eh? I've been there once before. Many years ago... It was by request of the son of that family... Christophe, I think it was.
Byleth: Cristophe? Hm... I might have to ask Ashe about him...
After a quick sparring session with Jeralt, Byleth went off to the library to look through some more books on Faerghus's history so she could find a way to better understand Ingrid's hatred of the people of Duscur, as well as any possible links to Lonato and his reasons for raising an army against the Church of Seiros. However, while she was studying, Byleth failed to notice Tomas coming up to her to talk to her about the coming mission that she was going on, and more importantly, the special person she was going to be working with.
Tomas: Professor, I heard that you may battle alongside Catherine. Even among the knights, she is something special-a holy knight who is able to wield a Heroes' Relic. Still... She can be a mite difficult.
After finishing up her research, Byleth went down into the kitchen where she and Cloud both got to work on preparing dinner for the rest of the monastery, to which concluded Byleth's day, as the final bell for the day rang, signaling it was time for lights out.
Heading back to her room, Byleth went back over to her bed and tucked herself in, preparing herself to train her students to crush an insurrection, caused by the people from their very own kingdom, and for Ashe... Against his very own adopted father... The road ahead was certainly going to be a rocky one, but it was time to get to work, time to train the students to become soldiers once again... On the dawn of a new day...
Timeskip
As the weeks went by, Byleth and Cloud both did their best to prepare their students for the coming battle, everyone was doing really well with their training, and there was even a lot of improvements from both classes, with Ingrid and Ashe both improving on their lance and bow skills respectively, while in the Golden Deer, Claude and Marianne were both working hard on their bow and faith magic skill respectively.
Following this, Byleth and Cloud both took their students on multiple new training sessions to quell small insurgencies and bandit camps nearby. With all this useful training that everyone's been doing, Byleth passed out a few certification tests so everyone could change their classes to one's that would be more useful for their missions.
The weeks continue passing, which leads to everyone growing much stronger, not only in their skills, but also with their bonds with each other, allowing for everyone to become much better fighters and partners with each other, so much so that Byleth was able to convince Anna to join her class and become a member of her party..
Scene Fade
In the library, Ashe was busy sitting down at one of the desks, intently reading a book, one about a legendary knight from Faerghus. As he was reading though, Ashe failed to notice Ingrid walk up behind him to see what he was doing.
Ingrid: Hi there, Ashe! Here to do some reading as well, I take it?
Ashe: (Doesn't notice her) ...
Ingrid: Uh, Ashe? (Taps his shoulder)
Ashe: (Startled) Ah-Ingrid! You gave me a start! How long have you been standing there?
Ingrid: Not too long. Apologies for startling you. Must be a great book, for you to be so deeply engrossed in it. What has you so captivated?
Ashe: Oh, ah, it's quite an old book. One of the really old legends of Faerghus.
Ingrid: Aha, it must be the "Sword of Kyphon," then, yes?
Ashe: Oh, so you know it!
Ingrid: Oh, yes. I know it quite well. I read it often as a child. In fact, I read it so much that my personal copy fell apart. I brought it everywhere with me. I adore that book. The tale of the warrior Kyphon, whose devotion and loyalty enabled his best friend, Loog, to become king. He went to great lengths to see things through.
Ashe: Exactly! I love the image of him charging forward into the fray, ready to take on any obstacle in the name of his king!
Ingrid: Indeed! He was the very picture of the perfect knight. In my opinion, the best chapter is right around the middle of the book...
Ashe: Ah, the part about the War of the Eagle and Lion? That's my favorite part! (Quotes the book) "In a flash, Kyphon's sword flew from its scabbard. The knight parried the assassin's blade mere inches from the spine of his king."
Ingrid: (Finishes the quote) "Kyphon's blade hummed like the wind, slashing the enemy's throat. In mere moments, their forces lay vanquished-decimated by his mighty blows." Hehe, I can recite the entirety of it, if you like. I never grow weary of that tale-the pinnacle of knighthood, with all its struggles and glory.
Ashe: I know just what you mean! I never get tired of it.
Ingrid: Some people laugh at me for reading these old tales, but I'll never outgrow them.
Ashe: I'm glad to find someone who shares my enthusiasm!
Ingrid: I'm glad of it as well. Tell me, what other books do you enjoy, Ashe?
Ashe: Well, the first one I ever read was Loog and the Maiden of Wind.
Ingrid: Ah, you have fantastic taste! That story is another favorite. The final chapter makes me tear up every time...
Ashe: I know! When I first read it, I just couldn't get that ending out of my head.
Ingrid: It seems we have much in common. I look forward to chatting again sometime.
Ashe: I'd love to! Yes, let's!
Scene Fade
Ashe and Ingrid have attained Support Level C!
Timeskip
At long last... The day had arrived, it was time for everyone to gear up and prepare for battle against Lonato and his insurgency. Everyone in the Blue Lion's House had all been dreading this day, but knew that it was time to move out and prepare for the battle. Heading out into Castle Gaspard territory, Cloud and the Golden Deer had gone ahead and started battling Lonato's allies to prevent them from interfering with Byleth, Catherine, and the Blue Lion's class.
Speaking of which, Byleth, Dimitri, and Ashe were all gathered around Catherine, discussing the battle and the anticipation of being able to fight alongside Catherine. The prince in particular seemed to be rather excited to be fighting alongside her, especially considering the legendary Heroes' Relic that Catherine possessed.
Dimitri: I have to say... It's a real honor to accompany such a brave and distinguished knight. None other than Catherine, wielder of Thunderbrand!
Byleth: Huh? Thunderbrand? What are you talking about?
Pulling her sword out of her sheath, Catherine revealed her unique and powerful sword, a strange sword with an almost bone-like texture, what's more, there appeared to be a bright red Crest Stone in the middle of the sword, pulsating as Catherine held it out to show everyone. This was her weapon of choice, the weapon that earned her the name of Thunder Catherine, Thunderbrand!
Catherine: You mean you don't know? My weapon is called Thunderbrand. It's one of the Heroes' Relics. A long, long time ago, the goddess bestowed divine weapons upon ten heroes, which were passed down to their descendants. It's an honor to wield, but I'm afraid there won't be any chance for that today. Our mission is to help clean up the aftermath, not to fight.
Ashe: Why would Lonato incite such a reckless rebellion?
Catherine: You should know more about that than any of us, Ashe.
Ashe: Well, I don't. Lonato never mentioned anything of the like to me.
Dimitri: He probably didn't want you getting caught up in his own personal vendetta.
Byleth: Ashe, what's your relation to Lonato?
Ashe: I'm Lonato's adopted son. He raised me as though I were his own blood. He was always so kind. I don't understand... I guess it has to do with Christophe.
Byleth: There's that name again. Christophe. Father said he's Lonato's son. What happened to him? Does this have to do with this supposed vendetta?
Catherine: How much do you know about the Tragedy of Duscur, Professor?
Byleth: I've heard of it, but I don't know much about it.
Catherine: It's when the king of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was... (Pauses) Was murdered by the people of Duscur. It happened about four years ago...
Concerned about Dimitri's well-being, given that the Tragedy of Duscur was a very touchy subject for him, Catherine looked up at the prince, looking to see if he was okay with her sharing the information about the tragedy. Luckily, Dimitri seemed to be okay with it.
Dimitri: It's okay, Catherine. Please, go on.
Catherine: Right. Well, Lord Lonato's son, Christophe, was accused of being involved in that whole awful affair. He was executed by the church.
Byleth: The church executes prisoners?
Catherine: Speaking from the church's perspective, we simply passed judgment according to our doctrine in place of the Kingdom, which was in complete chaos.
Byleth: I see... But why was the king targeted then?
Dimitri: (Looks down) ...
Catherine: King Lambert was attempting a major political reform. Needless to say, he had many enemies. Whatever the truth behind that incident may be, Lord Lonato has harbored resentment to the church ever since. Well... To be more specific, his grudge isn't only against the church. It's also against the one who turned Christophe over to them...
Church Soldier: Report! The enemy is approaching! They can't be avoided. Their numbers are far greater than we predicted. They used the fog to slip past the knights' perimeter!
Catherine: It looks like our mission just changed, Professor. Everyone, prepare for battle!
Everyone nodded and grabbed their weapons, as predicted, there was no time for peaceful negotiations, all that was left was to take up arms and prepare for battle once again. Charging off into the battlefield, Lonato would soon be joining his son in the afterlife for raising an army against the Holy Church of Seiros...
Timeskip
After grabbing their weapons, the Blue Lion's class and Catherine, along with a few other soldiers head off onto the battlefield, in which they are met with a strange sight... Somehow, the entire battlefield was covered with a thick layer of fog, it was almost supernatural with the thickness of the fog.
Catherine: With this fog, it's impossible to tell where the enemy might be... Or how many of them there are. The enemy could be trying to surround us, but they shouldn't have enough soldiers to form a tight circle. Take down anyone who breaks through the fog, and let's push through!
Everyone heads out onto the battlefield, all prepared for their coming battle that they were walking into. Upon reaching the field, Dimitri could hear multiple people already fighting within the fog, signaling that the battle had already begun.
Dimitri: Shouting from within the fog... It seems the knights are already battling.
Byleth: I guess Brother and Claude have already started fighting the reinforcements.
Catherine: Proceed with caution! Wait for them to enter your field of view.
Following Catherine's orders, everyone started running towards the fog, cautiously making their way through and defeating every soldier from House Gaspard that they came across. At the same time, they fought alongside Catherine, who allowed them to see the might of Thunderbrand in action, watching her slice through anyone that came her way with her Heroes' Relic.
However, as the Blue Lions and the Knights of Seiros advanced through the fog, suddenly, multiple people came from the side, what's more, they didn't appear to be soldiers from House Gaspard, but instead just regular people, a militia that Lonato had presumably organized to help him fight off against the Church of Seiros.
Militia: You would think we're just gonna do nothing while you try to kill our lord!? Lord Lonato doesn't deserve such sadness and anger... Now it's your turn to suffer!
Rushing towards the army, the militia attempts to take down the knights, but unfortunately for them, Ashe was able to snipe them from a fair distance, putting a quick end to the militia, Dimitri also had to step in with his lance and cut down several members of Lonato's militia, something which didn't sit well with either of them...
Ashe: Why, Lonato? Why did you drag so many others into this?
The soldiers all continued marching forward, continuing to kill any members of Lonato's army that they came across, however, they soon ended up coming across a stranger... A mage that appeared to be wearing a dark robe and a beak-like mask.
Gaspard Commander: I won't let you anywhere near Lord Lonato!
Defending himself, the mage starts shooting dark magic towards everyone. Rushing in to deal with the mage, Felix and Dimitri both charge forward and cut down the mage, defeating him instantly.
Suddenly, the fog started to clear. As soon as the mage died, the fog lifted and allowed everyone to see everything again, signaling that the fog wasn't natural, it was caused by a mage, and now that he's gone... The fog was leaving as well...
As the fog fades away, two of Lonato's knights gasping in fear as they see Catherine's silhouette in the fog, slowly approaching them. A close up on Thunderbrand's Crest Stone glows red causing the knights to gasp in horror once again. grabbing the handle of her sword, Catherine draws out Thunderbrand and slashes away fog. She jumps up and slices one of the knights, killing him. The other knight makes an attempt to fight back, but sadly misses his attack and gets sliced by Catherine, killing him instantly like his allies.
Lonato: (Offscreen) It's you.
Catherine looks up and sees Lonato as the fog lifts, beside him are more of his soldiers, a couple of fighters, and myrmidons. Catching her attention, Catherine looks up to the treacherous lord, smirking in confidence.
Lonato: Thunderstrike Cassandra! It was your wretched zealotry that killed my son!
Catherine: (Laughs) The only name I answer to is "Catherine". Prepare to taste the blade of one who serves the goddess. Now you face a Knight of Seiros!
Catherine points Thunderbrand in Lonato's direction preparing herself for a battle, this time, Lonato wouldn't be getting away with his plans like back then. This time, Catherine would finish the job, and send Lonato to join Christophe in the afterlife.
Retreating back to a destroyed fortress, Lonato finally reveals himself fully, showing his full appearance and armor, along with all of the men he brought alongside him. The men all spread out and readied their weapons, preparing themselves to defend their lord until their dying breaths.
Lonato: The fog has cleared. There's nothing left to hide you or the filthy Central Church from the judgment of the goddess!
Seizing a potential opening, the militia that Lonato had gathered hoped to be able to take the church soldiers by surprise and take them all down before they could reach Lonato. Unfortunately for them though, Felix, Annette, Ashe, and Dimitri were all able to take them down very easily Dimitri even landing the killing bow on the leader of the militia with his lance.
Militia: Lord Lonato... Please, don't die...
Dimitri: I am sorry... But did you really think you would get away with this?
Pressing forward, suddenly, some more troops started coming in from the side, meaning that the reinforcements had managed to break through, signaling some bad news for the rest of the Blue Lions.
Byleth: Oh no, guess Brother and his class failed to keep them busy.
Luckily, it seemed Byleth was wrong, as suddenly, Cloud and the Golden Deer class came rushing towards the reinforcements, finishing them off with their combined skills, namely Marianne and Lysithea's combined magic skills, allowing the rest of the Blue Lions to continue pushing forward and charge Lonato head-on.
Lonato: (Notices Catherine approaching him) You! I will be the one to kill you, no other!
Catherine: You have lost all sense of justice. You want to fight me? So be it. I'll send you to meet your goddess.
Several of Lonato's soldiers started charging towards Catherine, hoping to take her down in service of their lord. However, they were soon cut down by Felix and Dedue, allowing Mercedes to step in and heal Catherine of her injuries. In doing so, Ashe, Dimitri, and Byleth all approached Lonato, preparing themselves for a brutal battle against the lord.
Lonato: Stand down, Ashe. I must destroy these evil-doers by any means necessary!
Ashe: (Hesitantly draws his bow) Please surrender, Lonato! Whatever your reason for doing this, we can still talk it out!
Lonato: Rhea is an infidel who has deceived the people and desecrated the goddess! We have virtue and the goddess herself on our side!
Ashe: Even if all that's true, dragging the townsfolk into it like this isn't right!
Lonato: Enough. If that is how you feel, prepare yourself! I'm putting an end to this!
Charging towards his son, Lonato prepares his lance, fully intent on killing Ashe for standing in his way, however, thankfully, Dimitri was standing by and jumped in at the last second and blocked the lance from piercing Ashe's body.
Lonato: I apologize, Your Highness. It is regrettable that we should cross swords like this.
Dimitri: Lonato, I sympathize with your position. I really do. I have no wish to kill you, but I am afraid you have left me no choice. Please... Forgive me.
Lonato: Your Highness... I cannot stop here. For my child, and for the people of Fódlan. If you will not stand aside, then I have no choice but to cut you down.
Solemnly raising their lances against each other Lonato and Dimitri both charge at each other, leading to a one-on-one showdown between the lord of House Gaspard, and the crowned prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. The two appeared to be evenly matched with each other, but it wasn't like that... After a while, Dimitri continued to press down with his lance, until... Snap...
In an instant, Dimitri broke through Lonato's lance and killed him instantly with one fell swoop of his lance. The battle was decided instantly... Dimitri had managed to win the battle for everyone, allowing for Lonato to finally fall and be reunited with his son... And the goddess...
Lonato: That vile woman... Christophe... Forgive me...
Ashe: Lonato, I...
Catherine: I never thought I'd see Lonato meet this fate. Well done, everyone. Let's gather our troops and go.
The battle was finally over... Lonato was killed and brought back to the goddess... Along with his son. For now, there was peace once again... But victory... As is most cases with battle... Was bittersweet... The fight was won, and yet not a single soul felt any sort of happiness about the victory.
Timeskip
After the battle ended, Byleth, Dimitri, and Ashe all gathered around each other, finished with their battle and buried the dead bodies. Soon after Cloud and Claude joined them, having wrapped up things on their end, dealing with the bodies of the reinforcement units.
Ashe: Why... Why did this happen? Lonato was always such a kind man... Everyone in the village was... Was so nice to me. And I... I killed them... I killed them all! I had to, I know I had to... I know that! But still... What does that make me?
Dimitri: Please, don't beat yourself up, Ashe. We did what had to be done.
Ashe: I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you. I'm... I'm going to check on the town. I hope my brother and sister are okay...
Ashe quickly walks off, very visibly rubbing his eyes and he walks away from his friends as he goes to check on his family, leaving Dimitri with an extreme sense of guilt in his heart. Which he needed to let out as soon as he could, in a vain attempt to lessen the burden.
Dimitri: That... That was my first time killing civilians too... Those who I'm sworn to protect.
Byleth: That's the reality of war. It's what we have to do.
Dimitri: Are you insane?! Those weren't knights or soldiers, but fathers and sons! We... We shouldn't have killed them. We should have found another way...
Dimitri pants heavily after his outburst at Byleth for her nonchalant attitude about killing so many innocent people, calming down with a reassuring pat on the back from Claude, Dimitri looks down and laments the situation, realizing the twisted system everyone, and especially him once he becomes king, will be forced to uphold.
Dimitri: I... I'm sorry. It's not fair for me to blame you for the circumstances. I know that if we hadn't... Done what we did, even more civilian lives would have been lost. At least, my mind understands that. But... My heart... Professor... Those in power, no matter the era, always claim they fight for a just cause. That they take life to protect it. But... Is it truly okay to take any life you please, all in service of some implacable "just cause"? Lord Lonato didn't take up arms out of a lust for power. He simply believed his cause to be just. Who's to say it wasn't? Maybe we didn't have to cut him down like that. Maybe we could have reached a mutual understanding... Found a path of peace. I... I have to believe that. Perhaps the notion sounds laughable to you. Mere lip service to naive ideals. But I can't believe otherwise.
Cloud: Take it from me, kid. If you want to be king, lord, emperor, or anything like that, you're going to have to get used to killing. Your heart will ache, but you have to keep moving no matter what. And don't get mad at her for her bluntness. She's always had some trouble with emotions.
Byleth: I simply don't see much use in them.
Cloud: You'll figure it out.
An awkward tension was left in the air after Byleth and Cloud had a little talk about Byleth's lack of emotions, and Cloud's jaded personality towards war and killing. To try and break the tension, Claude tried to shift the topic towards Catherine, and more specifically, Thunderbrand.
Claude: (Clears his throat) Ahem... Anyways, nice work, Chief. You too, Teach. Still... I agree, that fight left a foul taste in my mouth. That aside, did you see how Catherine fought?
Byleth: She was really impressive.
Cloud: I'm still stronger.
Claude: Agreed. I thought the power of the Heroes' Relics must be exaggerated, but I was clearly wrong. Makes you wonder about that legend... Ha! You know, I love the confidence, Chief. But you're no match for the Heroes' Relics. They're on a whole different level.
Byleth: What legend?
Claude: Oh, it's nothing. Just the usual fanciful nonsense. An ancient Relic that once cut a mountain in half with a single swing. That's what they say, anyway. But as amazing as Thunderbrand is, I don't think it fits that description. Apparently, Relics can harness tremendous power for those with a compatible Crest. Though you can technically use one so long as you have any Crest at all. I dunno. Long story short, I'd like to try cutting a mountain in half someday.
Cloud: You'd be cutting mountains?
Overhearing the conversation, Hilda walked up to Byleth and the others, wanting to speak to Claude about the great fortune he would be preparing to inherit later on in his life.
Hilda: Ooh! Are you talking about Relics? You'll be able to wield one soon, Claude! I just know it! After all, you've already been selected as the next head of House Riegan!
Claude: Easy there, Hilda. I don't know how apt "soon" is. My grandfather is still unbearably healthy. Oh? Is this news to you, Teach? Yours truly was recently recognized as a legitimate child of House Riegan. They possess one of the Heroes' Relics too, though I've yet to see it.
Cloud: Just recently? You haven't seen it yet?
Claude: I officially joined House Riegan only last year. Before then, I lived with my father. House Riegan is on my mother's side of the family. When I learned that my mother was the daughter of an Alliance noble, I was so surprised I thought the whole world was pulling a fast one on me for a week.
Hilda: So that means your mother is Duke Riegan's daughter, right? Where is she now?
Claude: I can't say. My mother's currently living in a different world than the one she grew up in and has no desire to return home.
Hilda: Um, okay. You sure have a lot of secrets, don't you?
Claude: I'm just keeping a promise to my parents. Make of that whatever you will. In exchange for my so-called secrecy, I'm free to do as I please, which is why I decided to see what the other side of my family was like. That's how I found out about this strange Crest I bear...
After wrapping up the conversation, Leonie and Ignatz both walked up to the group, informing them of the knights impending departure, having wrapped up everything with all the cleanup from the battle.
Leonie: Professors, Claude, Your Highness. It sounds like the troops will be withdrawing soon. We should return as well.
Ignatz: We won. We should be celebrating. Instead, we're heading back with heavy hearts...
Claude: Whoa there! What's the matter? You look as sad as a kitten without any yarn. If we hadn't done what we did, the rebel army would have followed this road all the way to the monastery. And they would have crushed all the little villages along the way. We stopped that from happening. You should be proud.
Cloud: Agreed. Battles will always be hard for you guys, but take pride in your victories. There will be a day where you may find yourself in something really serious, Take pride in the little battles. Trust me, you'll miss skirmishes like this.
Walking up to them after finishing their conversation, Catherine had a rather serious and concerned expression on her face, and for good reason too, in her hand was a small scroll, a note of sorts, one which obviously told it held anything but good news for everyone.
Catherine: Sorry to intrude, but this incident may be more serious than anticipated. I found this on Lord Lonato. It's a note that mentions a plan to assassinate Lady Rhea. We can't tell who sent it, so the source is suspect, but the content is too disturbing to ignore. We must report this to Lady Rhea right away. I hope that it's nothing...
Timeskip
Back at Garreg Mach, Byleth and Cloud both arrived at the audience chamber where Rhea and Seteth were both standing ready, prepared to hear about the report from the battle with Lord Lonato and his men.
Rhea: I am glad to see that you both have returned safely. The goddess is gracious with her divine protection. But it was not only her divine protection that shielded the both of you, was it? You two are just as skilled as I had hoped.
Byleth: My students deserve the praise.
Rhea: I am not so sure. I heard some of the students were... Hesitant about fighting militia. However, we must punish any sinner who may inflict harm upon believers, even if those sinners are civilians. I pray the students learned a valuable lesson about the fate that awaits all who are foolish enough to point their blades towards the heavens.
Cloud: So you say... I'm more curious as to why a church needs to execute people who see things differently.
Seteth: Our real concern is what Catherine reported. The secret message that was in Lord Lonato's possession. It contained a deplorable plot to target the archbishop on the day of the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth. The plan seems unrealistic at best, but a threat is a threat. We must maintain constant vigilance. To that end, I would like for you and your students to help with security on the day of the ritual. Both of you.
Byleth: We won't let her down.
Cloud: Yeah, you can count on us.
Rhea: That is most reassuring. You have my gratitude.
Seteth: The Rite of Rebirth is of paramount importance. It is when the Church of Seiros and its believers unite to pray for the return of the goddess. The archbishop and I will be confined to the Goddess Tower once the ritual begins. Of course, the knights will be on high alert as well, but there aren't enough of them to keep watch on every corner of the monastery. It is far from ideal to be forced to mobilize students, but the gravity of this situation requires that we all bend to avoid breaking.
Rhea: While there is no need to fear for my safety, we cannot turn a blind eye to those who would blaspheme so heinously.
Seteth: With any luck, this will all be for naught. Still, be on your guard.
Nodding, the two professors make their way out of the audience chamber and head off to prepare for the next month, the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth, And the supposed assassination attempt on Lady Rhea herself. However, while Byleth was planning what they should do now and how to prepare for the coming event and assassination plot, Cloud had even more questions on his mind... Why would Lonato raise an army against Rhea? What was his end goal? And most importantly... What is Rhea hiding...? Just who controls this world...? And how can Cloud find a way to stop this...?