Hilda:
Felix and Hilda managed to make a surprisingly good team. In all honesty, she had never really worked much with the swordsman. He was known to have quite the temper and Hilda didn't really want to deal with it. She had known Byleth and Felix to be friends and was a bit surprised by it at times, her poor sweet Byleth being friends with such a fierce individual.
But maybe she had Felix all wrong.
"Thanks" Hilda mumbled as Felix terminated an Imperial soldier that had snuck up behind her and was about to land a fatal blow.
Felix simply nodded and continued onto the next fight.
What a strange man.
"Ah, I found where they keep entering from" Felix called out and Hilda jogged to catch up to him.
Hilda looked at what Felix was talking about. It was a gate, "We need to close it" Hilda declared.
Felix nodded, "My thoughts exactly" he said then rushed over to the lever, Hilda stood in front of the gate so if anyone tried to get in before the gate closed she would be able to stop them.
Felix pulled the lever and the gate slowly came to a close.
"Huh, that was easier than I thought it would be" Hilda said, "Well I suppose I shouldn't really complain about that though" she added.
"Our work isn't over yet" Felix said and pointed off in the distance behind Hilda, she turned and saw what he was talking about.
There were three soldiers blocking a certain area that led further into Fort Merceus.
Hilda frowned, "I bet that path leads to the Death Knight" she said.
Felix nodded his head in agreement, "I believe so" he said then went running at them while firing a thoron spell at them.
"Dammit Felix" Hilda groaned then went chasing after him, this man was going to get himself killed with that type of behavior.
By the time Hilda reached them one of the soldiers was already on the ground while the other two were fighting Felix.
To Hilda's surprise his attack worked splendidly, the thoron spells he fired at them really roughened them up and by the time Felix and Hilda reached them, they were no match. The last two of the soldiers fell, and now there was a clear passage.
Hilda continued onward climbing up this small stairway that led up to a higher platform in Fort Merceus. To the left and right side of where they came from there were Imperial soldiers manning ballistics. Hilda looked to Felix and he nodded, seeming to understand what she was about to point out and headed for the left side while she took out the archer using the ballista.
It was quick, archers never really had much power especially when faced in up close combat.
Once finished with the soldier, Hilda returned to the area that her and Felix had split up from, he was already waiting for her, "Come on" he said and began leading the way further.
Hilda stopped in her tracks, "There he is" she whispered to Felix, he nodded his head.
The Death Knight, his back was turned to them.
Hilda saw four figures soon approach them. Byleth, Claude, Dimitri, and that man who was at the Riegan estate.
Her eyes grew wide.
Isn't that an Almyran general?!
No, now isn't the time.
The Death Knight was cunning, and soon the area was engulfed with soldiers, Hilda hadn't the slightest idea where they came from.
But only one thing mattered at the moment.
Ensuring that they survived this fight.
Bernadetta:
Preventing reinforcements from getting into Fort Merceus was surprisingly easier than Bernie had expected.
Bernie and Sylvain had been positioned at the entrance of the gate to stop any Imperial soldiers from entering while Lysithea looked for the switch to close it.
"Found it" Lysithea shouted "Get away from the gates unless you want to get crushed" she yelled.
Bernadetta and Sylvain listened and immediately withdrew to a safe distance.
"Heh, glad we got that taken care of," Sylvain said.
Bernadetta nodded in agreement,"Yeah it could have gotten real ugly..." she murmured.
"Come on you two, our work isn't done yet" Lysithea said and pointed straight ahead from where they were.
There were two Imperial soldiers, a swordsman and an axe wielder.
Sylvain let out a chuckle, "Oh come on we can take them out easy" he said.
Lysithea frowned, "Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down" she scolded.
Sylvain stretched his arms, "Yeah, yeah I know" he said "Let's take them out fast then, that way we could find the others.
Fortunately the three of them don't have to get close in order to fight, since both Lysithea and Sylvain were able to wield magic alongside with their selected weapons. And Bernie... Well Bernie had her arrows.
She also knew how to wield a lance to some degree thanks to Sylvain's teaching, but she preferred to stick to a bow.
Bernadetta shook her head, now was not the time to be distracted.
The two soldiers ended up leaving their posts to attack the three of them, and the fight began before they even reached them.
Bernie began firing her arrows and Lysithea surrounded them in a black and purple light. Most likely a form of dark magic, she shuddered a little. Sylvain rushed forward and struck the other one with his lance, despite wielding magic he always used his lance to attack. Bernie would never understand why.
Both soldiers were now on the ground, Bernadetta didn't look at them. She couldn't bear to see what they did.
"Dammit, you guys brace yourself there is a ballista nearby" Sylvain called out as he swung his lance at some more soldiers that appeared, Bernadetta stayed a distance away from them and fired like crazy. She looked around Lysithea was nowhere in sight, Bernadetta's eyes grew wide, she feared that maybe she had fallen.
"Bernadetta calm down" Sylvain said, he must've seen the panic in her face "Lysithea just went to take down the mage working the ballista" he said.
"Right, of course" Bernadetta said while nodding her head.
Breath in, Breath out.
Bernie had finally gotten herself to calm down when she heard a loud roar.
"Oh, crap" Sylvain said, "Bernadetta I need you to calm down now" he said sternly "We need to focus there is a Demonic Beast heading our way" he added there was panic in his voice, this is serious.
Breath in...
Breath out...
Bernadetta nodded her head, "Alright" she squeaked out then raised her bow "Let's do this" she said softly.
Sylvain smiled at her, "We've got this" he said with confidence, Bernadetta couldn't help but be jealous of how self assured he was.
Bernadetta began firing at the Demonic Beast and Sylvain was casting a sagittae spell at it. To Bernie's surprise a spell was cast from the ballista, hitting the Demonic Beast.
"Told ya' she was fine" Sylvain called out and he ditched using spells to switch to his trusty lance.
It was a rough fight, but after a few minutes of fighting it was finally over. Bernadetta nearly fell over with exhaustion, Lysithea came running up to them "Are you both ok?" she asked and began casting healing spells on them.
"Thanks for that," Bernadetta said with a small smile.
Lysithea opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and was staring at something behind Bernie.
Bernadetta turned around to see what she was staring at.
The Death Knight.
But he wasn't alone, there were Imperial soldiers surrounding him.
Bernadetta would have normally been scared by such a sight, but... They weren't alone, almost everyone was there.
Felix and Hilda were fighting with their backs turned to each other. Byleth was swinging the sword of the creator at a nearby enemy and Dimitri was a few feet to the side of her. Claude was flying overhead firing arrows down at the enemies, and there was a man in green that Bernie had never seen but he was fighting Imperial soldiers so it was safe to say he was on their side.
"Come on let's not leave them waiting" Sylvain said as he took off running towards the fight, before Bernie could even think it through her feet began doing the same, she raised her bow and prepared to shoot.
Byleth:
The Death Knight.
He was staring at Byleth calling her like a beacon in the darkness.
She recalls every time they fought; he always made the same comment about one of them dying by the other's blade.
Byleth couldn't help but wonder, which one of the two would win. And why... Why her.
"Byleth" Dimitri called out, she turned to him, there was a dark expression on his face she felt goosebumps on her arms. "Please stay by my side," Dimitri said sternly.
Byleth frowned, "Dimitri..." she said.
Dimitri shook his head, "I'm sorry Byleth" he said cutting her off "But I will fight beside you, whether you like it or not" he added.
Byleth sighed, "Fine, but you know we cannot kill him" she reminded him.
Dimitri nodded, "Of course" he said.
Byleth lifted the Sword of the Creator and began heading towards the Death Knight with Dimitri on her tail.
Claude's Wyvern flew overhead to the Death Knight, but he must have anticipated that they would come for him.
Seemingly out of nowhere Imperial soldiers popped out and surrounded the Death Knight.
Damn.
Honestly, what did she expect though.
"How rude of him" Claude shouted from above her and began firing arrows at the soldiers.
"Don't you dare shoot us Claude" Byleth yelled to him, she heard a chuckle from him. Goddess she hopes Claude doesn't hit them on accident.
One of the soldiers came running at Byleth swinging a blade at her, she narrowly dodged it, then her senses kicked in and struck the soldier with her sword.
The sound of metal clashing together, the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
That's all she could think about.
Soon.
Here battle with the Death Knight will be soon.
Byleth's trance was broken by a shout overhead, "Hey, I see Felix and Hilda" Claude shouted.
Right.
Their allies.
Now isn't the time to get distracted, Byleth knows what she must do. She made a promise to Mercedes, all of them did. They had to try... They had too.
If she couldn't find a way to spare the Death Knight will she be able to find a way to spare Edelgard, or Hubert?
The thought chilled Byleth to the core.
"More allies coming to us" Claude yelled from above.
Nice, this fighting shouldn't take that much longer.
Soon...
Soon they'll know whether or not this whole plan of hers could work.
Byleth was engaged in a battle with an Imperial soldier when she heard the voice of the Death Knight.
"You dare stand between me and my pleasure?" The Death Knight said.
Byleth continued her fight, no... It must be her to fight him.
"Yes. I dare stand against you, Death Knight" Dimitri's voice rang out.
No, not Dimitri.
"Death is all that remains..." The Death Knight said.
Byleth's opponent fell to the floor.
"Death Knight" Byleth called out.
"Byleth what are you doing?!" Dimitri shouted; she couldn't see his face, but she was certain there was a frown plastered on it.
The Death Knight turned away from Dimitri and faced Byleth, "You're stronger now. Whether I kill you or you kill me, I'm looking forward to this!" he said.
Byleth lifted her blade.
She swung the Sword of the Creator, and it spread apart into the whip like thing, striking the Death Knight.
He let out a grunt, but he did not falter, he swung his scythe at Byleth, she narrowly dodged it.
Arrows fired down at him, Byleth couldn't tell whether it was Claude or Bernadetta, but it didn't matter.
"So, you wish to die" the Death Knight said to whoever it was that shot at him.
It must have been Claude since he lashed his lance in the air.
A high-pitched voice rang through Byleth's ears, "You're in my way" Lysithea shouted and the Death Knight was engulfed in Dark Spikes spell.
Everyone froze in their places; the Death Knight was hunched over, and he remained on his horse. "To kill, to die... to know one without the other would be maddening" he said.
Byleth walked up to him and offered her hand.
Silence fell over everyone.
A loud cackle came from the Death Knight, "You wish to reach your hand out to me" he said "How foolish" he added then paused for a moment "If you desire to slay me, follow. The appointed hour is at hand..." he said.
The familiar purple light fell over him.
No dammit he can't warp.
Not now, they are so close.
The Death Knight wasn't able to warp far from them, but he did have a head start and a horse, but they were determined.
"He's hiding something... It's annoying to do what he's telling us to do, but we really don't have a choice. After him!" Claude shouted.
Claude flew after him, and Byleth and the others began their chase as well.
"Emile!" Byleth stopped and turned to see Mercedes red faced running after him as well with Dedue and Ingrid on her tail. "Please stop running Emile!" Mercedes shouted.
The Death Knight faltered a little in his speed then stopped altogether. They were on the bridge that led into Fort Merceus.
The Death Knight turned to them, "It is coming..." he said "Leave now or all of you will die" he added.
"What's coming?" Dimitri shouted at him.
The Death Knight pointed up at the sky, Byleth turned around to see what he was talking about.
Byleth squinted up at the sky, there were circles forming in the sky? There was some sort of javelin like object falling through it, and they were getting lower and lower until...
A large explosion...
Dear Sothis.
Rubble flew everywhere.
"Run!" Sylvain shouted in the background while everyone stood dumbfounded at the explosion "We have to evacuate immediately!" he yelled.
"Claude use silence" Byleth shouted.
Claude's eyes were wide, but she saw him cast it at the Death Knight.
The Death Knight frowned as he tried to get a way "No" he whispered.
Dimitri lunged at him and knocked him off his horse. He wasn't moving, so he grabbed him and draped him over his shoulders.
Mercedes let out a cry.
"Guys! We need to leave now" Sylvain shouted once again.
More of those pillars of light fell from the heavens.
Oh crap, they all ran.
Byleth wasn't sure how long they had been running but they stopped once they reached a forested area a good distance away from Fort Merceus.
"What the hell just happened here?" Felix called out; his eyes were wild.
Byleth stared in silence, she felt numb.
"The fort, it's..." Bernadetta began "It's just... gone " she whispered, as they stared at the big hole in the earth that used to be Fort Merceus.
Byleth's stomach churned, what the hell did they just witness.