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Chapter Text

Alear was standing outside Lythos Castle, staring into the horizon.

She had told the others she needed just a minute alone. It was just so much, all of it, and she felt so spent and emotional.

Thirteenth Emblem. The Fire Emblem.

She had died protecting her sister, yet she still stood here. She had been reborn, somehow—as a pure Divine Dragon, the last vestiges of her Fell Dragon traits gone. Even her long hair had turned completely blue. The Emblems, Veyle, her allies, she, herself… they were all safe and alive. At least for the time being. They still had much to do, and nothing was guaranteed. She could hardly believe nor process any of it, feeling happy and exhausted to the point that she just wanted to cry.

Before long, Alear heard soft footsteps and smiled a little as Ivy appeared by her side, a worried look on her face.

“I apologize for intruding like this, Divine One, but… is everything alright?”

She liked the wary Elusian princess very much. Ivy was undeniably a very kind and caring person, even if she often tried to put up a more impassive and distant front, although less so, lately.

When it came to expressing her devotion to her, as a believer, she was surprisingly open and lavish about it—which, in itself, was adorably awkward at times, and all the more so as she kept stubbornly stating it had nothing to do with romantic interest. She wondered which one of them Ivy was trying to convince about it more desperately, and despite how tired she was, she smirked a little at the thought.

Maybe she should tell Ivy at some better moment that she could, in fact, sense her hidden feelings from the pheromones she kept releasing around her. She still didn’t know everything about being a dragon, but that was something that she had figured out on her own—in addition to how humans seemed to lack this ability with their stunted senses.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking. I’m just so… overwhelmed”, she admitted. “I…”

“Divine One?”

She heard the concern in Ivy’s voice and felt her hand on her shoulder.

“Could you just… hold me for a while?” Alear heard herself ask. With only the smallest hint of hesitation, Ivy wrapped her arms gently around the quivering dragon, and Alear held onto her, sobs racking her body.

Distantly, she felt the band of her own Emblem Ring around her finger, curiously warm and sending a tingling sensation through her.

She sniffled and buried her face deeper into Ivy’s soft chest. Maybe it wasn’t proper, but right now, she just didn’t care. She would apologize to her when she pulled herself together again.

There was a light breeze, then she heard a distant chime. Did it come from the castle?

Suddenly, she felt strange. The arms around her felt heavier, somehow, and the frame against her even taller, if possible.

Alear pulled back slightly, wiping her teary eyes.

“Ivy?”

“Err…”

She gasped at the deep voice and jumped backward, her eyes wide.

Wherever she was, it wasn’t Lythos, and the large human in front of her was definitely not Ivy.

It was another beautiful day at Garreg Mach.

Byleth walked calmly through the monastery grounds, nodding politely at the students who greeted her on her way. Even if it was her day off, she had already helped Petra with a linguistic misunderstanding regarding the latest assignment and sparred with Edelgard, who had wanted some feedback on her form.

The Imperial princess was quickly becoming better at using swords, and Byleth was genuinely proud of her fast progress. Even if she had nothing to teach her about the battle axe—her weapon of choice—swords required another kind of finesse, and she was more than happy to teach her brilliant student on a subject she knew so intimately. After all, her sword had kept Byleth fed since she was a teenager, having traveled all her life with her father and his mercenary band.

By the instructions she had received, she should be close now. According to Seteth, her father had been looking for her earlier, and of all the places, she should find him in the old cemetery. Byleth hadn’t even known there was a cemetery within the walls, but apparently, the monastery had later expanded, and the old graves had been left undisturbed in a secluded location.

It was as if her father had sensed her presence, the man turning and smiling at her as she silently walked down the stairs.

“Dad? I heard you wanted to see me.”

“Hey. I wanted to ask you to join me, but I couldn’t find you. So here I am.”

Byleth looked around her. The surroundings, including the greenspace, were well-maintained for an ancient, forgotten cemetery.

“Why did you want to meet here, specifically?”

“I was thinking we should visit… your mother. She’s resting beneath this humble grave.”

Her mother?

“Why is her grave here?”

“Hm? Oh. Of course you would ask that. I wouldn’t know where to begin… I suppose I haven’t talked much about her.”

Byleth glanced at the gravestone, not quite sure what to feel, to suddenly stand by the final resting place of her mother—or rather, the woman who gave birth to her. A woman without whom she wouldn't even be here, and still a complete stranger to her.

“No... You haven’t. So tell me. What was she like?”

Jeralt thought about that for a moment, a wistful smile spreading slowly on his face.

“She was gentle and smart. So smart. And a wonderful cook. Always kind to everyone. And… she loved flowers. Whenever I brought her back an unusual flower, her face would light up.  I cherish those memories. I can’t count how many times she made me happy just by smiling.”

Byleth rarely heard such tenderness in his voice, and it made her feel warm inside as she quietly listened.

“And she smiled the most when she was pregnant with you. She died right after you were born. She wasn’t able to spend much time with you, but she loved you with all her heart. That’s the truest thing I know… Never forget it.”

“She sounds like a lovely person. It’s a shame I never got to know her.”

Jeralt grunted softly and fished out something from a leather pouch on his belt.

“This ring is the only keepsake I have of her. In time, it will be yours. One day, I hope you’ll give it to someone you love as well as I love her.”

Byleth looked at the ring on his palm curiously.

“May I?”

“Of course.”

She picked it up and turned it over in her fingers, admiring the craftsmanship.

“It’s beautiful.”

Finally, she lifted her gaze and looked her father in the eyes, suddenly feeling strangely uncertain.

“I… feel like I should also tell you something.”

“Is that so? What is it, kid?”

Byleth swallowed.

“If… if I ever give this ring to anyone… it will be for another girl.”

Whatever Byleth thought her father’s reaction to that information might be, he just smiled at her gently and wrapped his big arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug.

“Then, whoever she’ll be, I know she’ll be a lucky girl.”

“Dad…”

Byleth closed her eyes and hugged him tighter. She squeezed the ring inside her fist, careful not to drop it. It felt warm and… a bit heavy?

A gentle breeze blew past them, and she heard a chime. Where did that sound come from?

Suddenly, she realized the body against her felt strangely soft and without the bulk of the familiar armor and muscle mass. Instead of leather, metal, and weapon oil, she smelled the scent of… fresh pine?

Alear stared at the large, armored man.

“Who are you? What happened?”

“That’s what I’d like to know as well”, he said warily, looking around them and then back at her, his large hand on the hilt of his sword. “I was just here with my daughter, and then you appeared out of thin air.”

Alear noticed the man’s eyes were keenly on her weapon, observing her every move.

“No, wait, I’m not a threat, I swear”, she said hastily and unclipped Libération from her weapon belt. She placed it carefully on the ground, not once breaking eye contact and keeping her hands up.

“My name is Alear, I’m—”

She hesitated. Until she knew more, maybe it would be best not to tell too much.

“Where am I?”

The man cocked his head, his weapon hand relaxing.

“You really don’t know, do you? You’re at the Garreg Mach Monastery.”

Alear was furiously racking her brain at the name. It sounded familiar. Where had she—

Then she gasped, finally making the connection.

“Garreg Mach… Monastery? But it can’t be right! It’s… Is this… am I in… Fódlan?”

The big man smiled crookedly.

“Have you hit your head on your way here? Of course, you are in Fódlan. Where else?”

Alear blinked. It didn't make any sense. She needed to find anyone even remotely familiar to her. Perhaps one of the Emblems who lived in here.

“Could you take me to Byleth? He’s teaching here, at the Officers Academy, isn’t he?”

The man looked at her weirdly.

“You have definitely hit your head.”

Byleth opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow. Her face was, indeed, between someone’s breasts, the arms around her not her father’s huge limbs.

Carefully, she untangled herself from the unknown woman and withdrew enough to look at her.

“Are you feeling any better, Div—”

The woman stared at her with big, shocked, purple eyes. She was maybe four inches taller than her and around her age. Clearly a mage, as she could sense the same presence of magic about her that was familiar to her due to working with the mages of the Black Eagles.

She was also very pretty.

Byleth noticed that the woman had yet to remove her hands from around her biceps, still appearing stunned.

“Y-you are not Divine One.”

“Whoever they are, I’m not them”, Byleth answered calmly. Despite the unexpected situation, she didn’t feel like she was in any immediate danger. She was still glad she had her Creator Sword with her, at least, should the circumstances need reassessing.

A sparkle of curiosity appeared in the taller woman’s purple eyes.

“However, you look… familiar, somehow. Like I’ve… seen you before.”

Byleth shrugged.

“I’m sure I would remember you.”

The woman blushed a little behind her fascinator and finally appeared to realize she was still holding the stranger by her muscled arms, clumsily removing her hands and clearing her throat.

“Oh, pardon me, where are my manners? This was all so very sudden. I’m Ivy, Crown Princess of Elusia. And you are?”

Elusia? Was it the name of… wherever she was? Was she just dreaming all this? The world around her looked so strikingly vibrant and colorful, somehow.

“My name is Byleth. Byleth Eisner. I'm…” A mercenary? “...An instructor at an academy.”

“You are B-Byleth? From… Fódlan?”

While the woman—Ivy—looked at her strangely, at least she appeared to know something of her, which was a relief.

“But... that cannot be right. You are a woman.”

Byleth couldn’t help smirking a little at the notion.

“At least the last time I checked, I was.”

She was quite sure Ivy’s eyes flitted quickly onto her chest, a pink tinge still present on her cheeks.

“Y-yes. Well. Perhaps it would be best if we headed over to that castle. I believe there’s someone who you should meet.”

“Very well, Princess Ivy”, Byleth said politely and noticed how the woman cast one more forlorn look around her before nodding at her and leading her toward the partly collapsed castle that had clearly seen better days.

Chapter Text

“You probably don’t believe a word of this”, Alear said, sighing, her face covered in her hands.

Jeralt just hummed thoughtfully, a mug of whisky in his hands. He had ushered them discreetly into Byleth’s quarters, wanting to hear what she had to say for herself before anyone else would start asking questions.

Once more, he offered a mug of whisky to Alear, who had declined the offered drink every time during the recounting of her story.

“No, still no, thank you, I don’t—you know what. Actually, thank you”, she finally said, resigned, and took the offered cup, downing the contents in one go.

“Huh. That wasn’t so bad. I—” She noticed Jeralt staring at her. “What?”

“For someone who hasn’t drunk alcohol before, that went down easily.”

Alear shrugged.

“Maybe it’s because of who I am. I also like food so spicy that no one else can even eat it. I suppose it’s a dragon thing. My mother died too soon after my awakening to have the time to teach me anything about being one.”

”Hmh. I see.”

Alear watched the man as he seemed to digest everything he had just heard. To think that, of all people, she had appeared right next to Byleth’s father. She could see the resemblance between them, too. The stolid look on Jeralt’s face, his intelligent eyes, measured movements, and calming presence—they were all something that reminded her of Emblem Byleth.

It was strange to think, however, that the Byleth of this realm was a woman, not a man, as she looked around the room. What did it mean, and how many of these universes were out there?

“Are there dragons in your world? Byleth never mentioned anything about it.”

“Dragons? Not that I’ve heard of”, Jeralt said, eyeing her. “Who knows, maybe there once were, and they’re all gone now? To be honest, I still find it a bit hard to believe you’d be one.”

“I guess I can’t really blame you. Since I can’t turn into my dragon form, at least not yet, I can’t really offer any proof of that. Other than… being able to sleep for long periods of time, I guess.”

Jeralt looked thoughtful.

“Maybe I’m just getting soft and gullible in my old age, but… all that you just told me…” He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. “It‘s such an awful lie that it must be true. If it’s indeed, as you suspect, and my kid’s in this world of yours now, I can only hope she’ll find her way back here. Meanwhile…”

He pushed his whisky mug aside and got up from the chair, walking to a large chest in the back of the room.

“What is it?”

“You shouldn’t maybe walk around looking… like that.”

“What’s wrong with how I look”, Alear asked, glancing down at her clothes, and couldn’t help sounding dejected.

“Your get-up is just too… unusual. Luckily, my kid’s about the same size as you. Her old armor should be stored here, so let’s make you fit in better, and then we’ll proceed to take the next step.”

“What’s the next step?”

A strange expression crossed Jeralt’s face, but it was gone so fast that Alear began to think she had imagined it, after all.

“We’ll… need to introduce you to Lady Rhea.”

Byleth looked curiously at the group of people she and Ivy approached. There were blocks of loose stone everywhere, and as the mage almost stumbled on one such, Byleth was quick to catch her reflexively. The taller woman glanced at her shyly and mumbled a thanks.

Everyone looked so different from what she was used to in her home world. Colorful, distinctive—a young woman with long blonde hair and a bell-shaped yellow dress with coral details caught her eye—extravagant.

They all looked at her as she walked in front of them. Then she noticed the ghost-like figures floating eerily nearby, and immediately Ivy’s earlier words made much more sense to her.

“I have so many questions right now”, Byleth said quietly, staring at her male counterpart, who looked as surprised, staring back at her.

“I believe it is safe to say that so do we”, said an older man wearing plate mail. “Are you, perhaps… Uhm.”

He glanced between the Byleths.

“Where’s the Divine Dragon? Didn’t you just go after her”, asked a young girl standing next to a boy who was maybe her brother, judging by his similar looks.

“We… don’t know”, Ivy answered the girl hesitantly. “My best guess would be that Miss… Eisner and Divine One… seem to have switched places, somehow.”

“Do you mean that Divine One would be in Fódlan”, the ghostly Byleth mused, then turned to look at his female counterpart. “What was happening in there before you left?”

Byleth shrugged.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. I had a day off, and I was visiting the grave of my mother with my dad. The next thing I knew, I was here.”

The spectral Byleth was quiet for some time.

“He’s still alive. So the war hasn’t broken out yet.”

Byleth felt the blood in her veins freeze.

“What do you mean, still alive? Dad? And a war? What war?”

“Emperor Edelgard will declare war against the Church of Seiros. It’s… inevitable. I only hope Divine One can return before that happens.”

There was a shocked murmur among the Divine Dragon’s allies.

“But this Divine One, if I understood correctly, is a dragon with god-like powers”, Byleth reasoned. “Wouldn’t she be a massive asset in preventing the whole war from happening?”

“My sister can’t yet assume her dragon form”, said a young, peculiarly dressed woman. “She has, however, other powers, especially now that she’s an Emblem, but…”

Emblems? Dragons?

“There’s another thing, too”, the ghostly Byleth added hesitantly.

“And what is that?”

“You are assuming that there aren’t dragons in the ranks of any of these armies already.”

“How does it look?”

Alear secured the last straps of her leather and chainmail armor with a few strategic plate pieces to shield her shoulders and forearms, then fastened the sheath of Libération on her sturdy weapon belt.

Jeralt hummed appreciatively.

“Way better. It isn’t chafing or squeezing you uncomfortably from anywhere?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Good. Let’s go then.”

Alear looked around her curiously as she walked alongside the large man. The monastery looked beautiful, but she noticed a stark difference in how people dressed and expressed themselves compared to Elyos. They preferred darker colors, for one, and while their clothes were tidy and elegant, there was much less personality and flourish in them.

Maybe it was because of the Academy regulations? Alear had, after all, never been to one herself. She had heard of the Academy in Elusia, but she had never thought to ask if they had some kind of formal uniforms in there.

She noticed Jeralt eyeing her and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

“Sorry, it’s just funny thinking that you’re, if I understood right, this religious figure in your world, and here you are, just casually strolling in this… holy place of ours.” He grinned crookedly. “I could never imagine Lady Rhea walking anywhere in a mercenary outfit.”

“I’m really curious about meeting her”, Alear admitted. “Along with some of the students. Do you know Edelgard, Dimitri, or Claude?”

Jeralt laughed.

“Everyone knows of them. But no, I don’t know any of them personally. I’m more familiar with their fathers through mercenary work, but that’s it. My kid is… uhh, was… the teacher of the Black Eagles house. The Imperial Princess, Edelgard, belongs to that one.”

“Oh. I see.”

There were many students about, but while Alear got many curious looks, she didn’t see the house leaders anywhere. It felt a bit disheartening, even if she was aware that they wouldn’t know who she was, and as royal heirs, they would also surely be suspicious of her if she acted too familiarly based on knowing them as Emblems.

As they entered the monastery and got closer to what Jeralt called the Audience Chamber, Alear began to perk up again. She drew a deep breath, discreetly smelling the air, feeling her skin tingle.

“So, this Lady Rhea is the most powerful figure here?”

“Well, yes, she’s the Archbishop, so she’s the highest-ranking member of the Church. In that sense, at least, I’d say she’s pretty powerful.”

Alear hummed thoughtfully, every nerve in her body feeling very peculiarly awake.

There were two people talking to each other in the Audience Room as they entered. A man with short, dark green hair facing them, and a woman with her back to them. She had long, light green hair, and she was dressed more elaborately. The man stopped talking as he noticed them, and also the woman turned around.

Alear’s eyes bore into mint green ones. There was something almost ancient in the gaze of the Archbishop, for lack of a better word. An exchange of something mutual passed between them. Intrigue. Reserved curiosity. Something intimate—bordering recognition, but not quite.

“Lady Rhea, I apologize for coming here unannounced”, Jeralt said and bowed stiffly. “I have some news, and it’s rather urgent.”

The woman slowly turned her gaze from Alear to the man beside her.

“By all means, Captain Eisner. What is it about?”

“My daughter... She has gone missing.”

Rhea appeared calm, but Alear could feel a massive pulse of distress emanate from her.

“M-missing? Are you quite certain of this?”

“I hate to say it, but yes. This is difficult to explain in any way that’d make sense, but I saw her vanish into thin air while we were talking by Sitri’s grave. She just… disappeared.”

“That… is most concerning indeed”, Rhea said and turned to the green-haired man, who was already on top of things.

“I’ll organize a search party”, he said promptly and was already on his way.

Rhea looked after the man, then closed her eyes for a moment, appearing to gather herself, and then her attention was back on Alear.

“And who might this young woman be? I believe we have not been introduced yet?”

Alear was still a little stunned by the sensory overload and was a little late to answer when she opened her mouth, Jeralt already filling in for her.

“Her name is Alear. She’s an old acquaintance from my mercenary company, looking for work. She arrived here just today and happened to be with us when my kid disappeared.”

Rhea’s mint green eyes were back on hers, clearly evaluating her.

”So, a mercenary looking for work, is that right?”

“Yes, Lady Rhea”, Alear said and curtsied politely. ”And please, forgive me for my earlier clumsiness; I was just momentarily stunned, being in the presence of the Archbishop herself, in the flesh. If you don’t mind me saying, the stories I have heard have not exaggerated your enchanting radiance, Your Holiness.”

“I am but a servant of Seiros”, Rhea answered humbly, but Alear could feel she was flattered, the atmosphere becoming slightly less reserved. “As for work… until we find our missing Professor, Manuela and Hanneman will have to fill in and teach the theory lessons to the Black Eagles. However...”

Rhea glanced at Libération.

”You have quite the impressive-looking sword on your belt, and since you have been a part of Captain Eisner’s mercenary company, you must know how to use it. How is your proficiency with other weapons?”

”Why do you wish to know, if I may ask?”

Alear’s skin tingled as the Archbishop looked her deep in the eyes again, palpable curiosity behind her gaze.

”Perhaps it is a mere coincidence you appeared here just today; perhaps it is not. Perhaps it is… divine guidance. Regardless. In Professor Byleth’s absence, the Black Eagles also need a weapons instructor.”

“But how are we going to get Miss Eisner on the Somniel”, Framme wondered, “since Divine One’s not here to bestow her blessing on her?”

“Right. That’s… a good question”, Vander mused. “Miss Eisner?”

“Oh. Excuse me, I was lost in thought. Let me try that portal. And just call me Byleth. Hmm. I think it’s wor—”

“Miss—Byleth? What? Did it actually work”, Clanne exclaimed. “How is that possible?”

“I’m not even surprised at this point”, Vander sighed, “but good. This makes things a little easier, at least.”

Byleth scribbled some more on the board and looked at it thoughtfully.

She had been situated in Divine One’s room since Alear didn’t need it in her absence. While it was far too elegant and elaborate for her tastes, it mattered little to her. She had a quiet space where she could think, it was the most important thing right now.

Without a doubt, she had had an unusual upbringing for a girl, traveling with a mercenary company, the only constant in her life her father. She began training with a wooden sword when she was three. She had killed for the first time when she was twelve. Fódlan was muddy, harsh, and unforgiving. Maybe because of all that she felt so strange in this bright, vibrant world, her new acquaintances so kind and sympathetic to her, a stranger.

After talking to everyone on the floating island and writing a pile of notes, Byleth had pieced together a rough idea of the world she was in and their current situation.

Elyos. What a peculiar place.

She was still scribbling on the board when she heard a knock.

“Come in.”

Byleth had expected it to be one of the Stewards, so she was surprised—albeit pleasantly—when it was Ivy instead, carrying a tray.

“Good evening, Miss Eisner. I… brought you tea and shortcakes.”

“Thank you. You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it. And please, just Byleth is enough. I have to wonder, though, isn’t delivering tea beneath the future queen of Elusia?”

“If Sombron wins, I’ll be governing over molten slag, provided I'm even alive at that point. I believe I can afford to bring you some light refreshments.”

Ivy placed the tray on the side table and glanced at the board that had all the information on it Byleth had gathered, neatly organized and categorized. The continents, the allies and their weapon proficiencies, the foes, a timeline with key events, a list of the Emblems and their skills…

“You seem to have done quite thorough work.”

“I have so little time and so many variables”, Byleth said. “I want to take as much as I can into account.”

Ivy smiled softly, her eyes still on the diagrams, lists, and little drawings.

“I can see that you’re a teacher. Do you like it? Being one? I imagine it’s quite the change after mercenary life.”

Byleth shrugged.

”I’d never thought of becoming one. The opportunity was quite sudden. But yes, I like it. My weapon training aside, I’ve always been a fast reader, and I used every chance between jobs to read books. I did it to sate my own curiosity about the world, and I never imagined I would end up using that knowledge as a tool.”

Ivy looked at her as if trying to see something she couldn’t.

“It’s hard to imagine you as a hired killer. You seem so… calm and sensible.”

Byleth smiled faintly at the woman.

“Thank you for your words. In fact, in my mercenary days, I was known as Ashen Demon. I did my work precisely, leaving emotions out of it. In the eyes of the others, that made me look like a mindless killing machine. A trained attack dog. My comrades admired me for my fearsome reputation, but it never sat quite right with me. I don’t want people to fear me. I don’t enjoy violence. When I took the offered position as a teacher at the Officers Academy, I suppose it felt like I finally had a purpose other than killing. Passing on all the knowledge and skills I had gained, helping others reach their potential.”

Byleth thought about all she had said for a while, then shook her head, amused.

“Look at me, talking your ear off.”

“Oh, I don’t mind”, Ivy said quickly. “It’s rather fascinating listening to you. You have seen so much already. Me? I have only ever had books and the halls of Elusia Castle. And... Hortensia, of course.”

“I’m sure there’s much more to you, Princess Ivy. And aren’t you here as well, fighting for the future of this world?”

Ivy appeared a bit flustered.

“What kind of a believer would I be if I didn’t stand with my deity?”

Byleth thought about that for a while. Gods roaming the mortal plains in the flesh. Dragons. And they even had a few on their side. What a strange thought. And they should fight against one? More powerful than their friendly dragons combined?

“May I ask you something, Princess Ivy?”

“Of course.”

“You and this… Divine One. Are you close?”

Byleth could see Ivy hadn’t expected the question by the way her eyes widened.

“Me and D-divine One? I uh… I do love her.”

Byleth just stared at the taller woman, not sure what to say to the blunt statement that, admittedly, took her by surprise.

“N-not romantically! I mean, in a way a worshiper loves their deity”, Ivy clarified, looking a bit deflated. “That… doesn’t mean I haven’t been quite taken with her, but… it’d be sacrilegious even to entertain those kinds of thoughts. Besides… I believe she doesn’t reciprocate whatever I might have felt for her.”

“I see. I’m sorry for prying.”

“No, it’s fine”, Ivy said, sounding sincere. Byleth noticed her wringing her hands a little. “So, what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you… have someone waiting for you? Back in Fódlan?”

“No, not really. I mean, apart from my students and dad, and…”

“And?”

Byleth shook her head.

“Nothing. And maybe it’s better that way, since there’s no guarantee I’m ever going back.”

“I’m sorry that you had to leave all that behind, only to appear here in the middle of a war”, Ivy said, sounding apologetic. “I cannot fathom how you can be so calm despite everything.”

“Bemoaning the situation would not help a lot in fixing it, would it”, Byleth reasoned, and Ivy smiled a little at her.

”I suppose it wouldn’t.”

The woman fiddled with her white gloves.

”I… should leave. It’s late and your tea is getting cold. So… goodnight, Byleth.”

”Goodnight, Princess Ivy. Thank you for checking in on me.”

They shared a look, and Ivy left for the door, opening it. Before she disappeared behind it, she glanced at Byleth once more.

“Can I ask you one more thing?”

“Yes?”

“How were you able to use the portal without Divine One’s blessing?”

Byleth really wanted to tell her, even if she didn’t fully understand it herself. After all, there had been stranger things going on lately than the presence calling herself Sothis living inside of her, calling Byleth her vessel, and granting her protection and inhumane powers. Something in the Elusian woman made her want to trust her, even with something as crazy as that. And maybe later, she would tell her. For now, however…

“I just… had a feeling it’d work.”

Ivy seemed to accept the answer, merely nodding at her and leaving.

For some time, Byleth stared at the closed door. Then she walked to the side table, picked up a shortcake, and returned to the board, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Chapter Text

“Enchanting radiance”, Jeralt scoffed and grinned crookedly. “You’re bolder than you look, I’ll give you that. The last thing I expected when I presented you to the pope was that you’d start flirting with her.”

“What? I was just being nice!”

“Well, she seemed pleased enough with your pleasantries, so at least your gamble paid off.”

Alear wanted to say it wasn’t a gamble, but then she reminded herself once again that humans weren’t as aware of pheromonal cues. She had a hard time thinking how it was even possible humans could form romantic relationships with each other, missing so much important information in their interactions, relying merely on spoken word and body language. Now, that seemed like a gamble.

Her thoughts back on Rhea, she had to admit that she could hardly wait for an excuse to meet her again—if only to learn more about her true nature. She wanted to ask Jeralt if he was sure Rhea was a mere human, but maybe she should investigate more before voicing these thoughts. Especially as he seemed to be wary enough of the Archbishop as it was. This was all the more peculiar because now, having met Rhea, Alear knew she and Jeralt were somehow connected. The presence of the Archbishop was very particular, and for some reason, a fraction of it existed within Byleth’s father.

The stern green-haired man, who seemed close to Rhea and was called Seteth, also emanated something Alear’s senses reacted to, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as with the Archbishop. According to Jeralt, he had a younger sister who lived somewhere in the monastery, and she was interested in finding out if she also possessed this same quality. 

She wondered what the rest of the faculty was like—especially the teachers she would be working more closely with.

“Professor Byleth has disappeared? Truly? The next moment she just wasn’t there, gone without a trace? Fascinating. I—I mean horrible. Horrible and unfortunate. But fascinating! I wonder if her crest could be playing a part in this. Oh, and nice to meet you! I’m Hanneman.”

“You have such gorgeous hair, I have to say! You’re clearly getting all your vitamins and maintaining a healthy lifestyle judging by the sheer volume of it! Is this blue your natural color? So pretty and shiny. Can I touch it a little? Yes? No split ends, either... So, what’s your secret? You know, I have recently thought about growing my hair out, so… Oh, right. Manuela. Pleased to meet you!”

“They seemed like nice people”, Alear said to Jeralt as they walked to the training grounds.

“Sure. Sometimes they bicker like an old married couple, though, but usually, it’s rather entertaining to listen to. Just wait until you meet Alois, although somehow I have the feeling you’ll just be laughing along out of sheer politeness.”

Some students were present as they arrived at the training facility. Finally, Alear saw someone familiar to her as she spotted a tall man with short, blonde hair. Before she could look around some more, a young man with his dark hair tied up in a bun appeared before her, blocking her way.

“I suppose you are the new instructor we just heard about.”

Alear was a little taken aback by the man’s confrontational attitude and the unfriendly, narrowed gaze but didn’t show it.

“That’s right. My name is—”

“Let our swords do the talking”, the man said, abruptly cutting her off. “If you’re here to teach, prove you have anything to teach.”

Alear glanced at Jeralt, who just shrugged his broad shoulders. When she turned back at the young man, she barely caught a practice sword thrown at her in time before it hit her face. The man himself was already holding one, his confidence overflowing.

“Alright then…”

Steeling herself, Alear breathed deep through her nose, assuming her starting stance. She was aware of more people gathering to watch them. A lot was riding on this, Alear realized—one mistake and no one would take her seriously. Byleth was known for her exceptional sword-handling skills, and the students would expect the same of her.

“Show me what you got”, the young man snarled and lunged at her.

Alear was a bit surprised by the fast, sudden attack. She started by blocking a fierce barrage of blows, carefully concentrating on anticipating his moves to get a read on him.

He was feisty and skilled; that much was certain. If he continued focusing on his training, it was only a matter of time before he would surely beat her in a fair fight. That was just it, though. Not only had Alear had her share of sword fights against dangerous foes who weren’t all human—and who had also wanted her dead—but she was still a dragon and an emblem despite her human form.

“You are stronger than you look”, the young man admitted begrudgingly after a while, creating some distance between them. Despite the rather rude first encounter, Alear sympathized with him. She could already see that sword fighting was his joy and pride, and she didn’t want to wound that pride too deeply.

Instead of ending the duel by simply disarming the young man the first chance she had, she let him have his fight, and soon, the merciless duel turned into something else entirely as the two of them danced around each other, showing off their swordsmanship. Finally, the young man stepped down himself.

“Fine”, he huffed, out of breath. “You have earned it. Felix Hugo Fraldarius.”

He even bowed a little.

“I’m… just Alear. Thank you for the duel”, she answered, smiling. “You are truly a gifted opponent.”

Felix seemed uncertain about how to respond. Finally, he nodded at her almost imperceptibly and returned to his classmates.

“So, you are our new instructor.”

Alear recognized the confident, articulate voice immediately. She whipped around, meeting familiar, intelligent, lilac eyes.

“I am Edelgard von Hresvelg. The house leader of the Black Eagles and princess of the Adrestian Empire.” Her smile was calm and reassuring. ”I have a feeling we shall accord most agreeably.”

How odd.

She noticed something that wasn't detectable in her Emblem form. It was fainter than with Jeralt, but also Edelgard seemed to have just a whit of Rhea’s essence in her.

Framme burst briskly into the Divine Dragon’s room.

“GOOD MOR—”

Byleth stared at her, a book in her hands as she sat on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, fully dressed.

“Oh! You’re… up already.”

“I have been reading for a few hours”, Byleth said, putting the book away. “Vander was kind enough to lend me some books on the history of this world of yours. If I can’t return to Fódlan… it’d be nice to continue teaching here. I heard there’s an Academy in Elusia.”

“Wow. You’re so… rational and composed all the time.” Framme sighed. “I wish I could be. I get yelled at so much for being too loud and clumsy when I get excited about something. And… I guess I get excited a lot.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. This is just what I have always been like, whether I want or not”, Byleth said, getting up from the chair. “I admit, though, that sometimes I’m a bit envious of expressive and openly emotional people.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I often feel like I’m missing out on this whole level of communication that’s natural for most other people. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.” Byleth smiled a little. “Just be you.”

Framme beamed at her.

“Oh! And there’s breakfast! Goldmary gets up early, too; she has baked some fresh bread and Clanne’s frying bacon and eggs. There’s also porridge because Vander is boring and wants that every morning.”

“Sounds good.”

Byleth followed Framme downstairs and gathered some breakfast items on her plate. Both siblings joined her at the table, excitedly asking her about Fódlan. In the back of her mind, Byleth couldn’t help thinking about their upcoming task: finding and breaking the Fell Dragon Shards that prevented them from going after Sombron. Luckily, Alear’s Fell Dragon sister had already confirmed that she could help locate them, so at least they had something to go on.

Byleth sensed someone near her before she saw them, picking up the scent of fresh pine in the air. She smiled gently.

“Mind if I join you, or am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all, Princess Ivy. Please, sit down.”

Byleth noticed Framme and Clanne glancing at each other as Ivy sat beside her, smiling a little shyly.

“We had that thing, didn’t we”, Framme said to his brother, who nodded vigorously.

“We did.”

“See you later!!”

“I wonder where they left in such a hurry”, Ivy mused, and Byleth shrugged, eyeing the Elusian’s plate.

”That’s a light breakfast.”

”I don’t usually eat a lot in the mornings, especially if I know we’re going on a mission, or if I plan to train with my wyvern.”

”You are planning to train then? I understood we should be going after the first shard tomorrow since Veyle needs to recover.”

”Yes. Do you have wyverns in Fódlan?”

”We do. I know that compared to pegasi they’re more temperamental and less maneuverable, but more suitable for long distances and high altitudes. Also ideal for spellcasters, because they won’t get agitated by magic the same way pegasi often do. That said, I have never ridden one myself.”

”Well… would you like to?”

Byleth looked at her.

”Really?”

”Really.”

”Sure. If it’s no bother to you, I’d love to.”

After breakfast, they walked toward the wyvern roost. On their way, Byleth politely greeted her new allies, having carefully memorized their names. There were so many new faces, but luckily, she noticed some patterns that helped her in her task.

The names of the Brodians were derived from different rock types, while the names of the Elusians were often adopted from local plants and flowers or were variations of them. As for the Solmese, curiously, most names were adaptations of desserts for some reason. While the origins of Firenese names had her clueless for a while, reading through the history books provided by Vander, she realized they were paying homage to respected artists and designers of the past. As far as Byleth was concerned, the peculiar naming conventions were quite charming.

“Good morning to you, girl; I brought a visitor", Ivy said softly, touching the scaly side of her wyvern. The beast cocked her head and watched Byleth curiously as she walked near her, offering something on an open palm.

The wyvern seemed curious and brought her snout close to Byleth’s hand, sniffing the offerings, then excitedly accepting them.

“Who’s a good girl”, Byleth murmured, fishing out some more of what she had given the wyvern from a pouch on her belt, the beast already cooing in anticipation.

“Are those juniper berries”, Ivy asked, sounding surprised. “How did you know she’d like them?”

“Apparently, our two worlds aren’t that different after all. The wyverns in Fódlan like these as well. One of my students, Petra, rides one who is very distrustful of people, and I learned of the berries from her.”

Byleth stroked the wyvern's snout gently, and the beast cooed again.

“She seems to like you already.”

“I love animals. I think they know that.” She glanced at the Elusian. “What’s her name?”

Ivy blushed ever so slightly.

“She… doesn’t have a name.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I just… never thought of one. It’s a bit silly, isn’t it?” Ivy looked at her shyly. “What do you think would suit her?”

“Oh. Hmm.” Byleth thought for a moment, then smiled a little. “Hedera.”

“Ah. I see.” Ivy smiled back at her. “Hedera. That’s clever. I like it. Do you like it, girl?”

A low, soft rumble sounded from the beast’s throat.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Shall we, then?”

Soon, they were leisurely circling in the sky, keeping near the floating island. Byleth had the reins in her hands, Ivy riding behind her. It helped a lot that she had experience riding pegasi and that the newly named wyvern was very tame and responsive, especially compared to Petra’s stubborn mount—seeing them finally trusting each other after their rocky start had felt rewarding, though.

She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the liberating feeling of flying on the back of the strong beast. Maybe she should get a wyvern of her own?

Also…

The ride itself wasn’t the only thing that felt nice, she had to admit to herself, as the gloved hands around her waist held her just a little bit tighter.

Chapter Text

Alear’s head was still aching and spinning with the information overload as she ate a late breakfast, her hair tied into a hasty, high ponytail. Even though she had slept in, she felt relieved she had awoken before noon at the very least. Luckily, all weapon training was happening after the other classes. She had to come up with something, though, how to manage her wake-ups in the future. It would be embarrassing for an instructor to sleep in every morning.

Thinking back to being introduced to the students last evening, she was once again grateful she had bumped into Jeralt first when she arrived in this world so different from hers. Without his crash course on Fódlan’s politics and the Crest system, she would have probably been already murdered in her bed by Edelgard’s tall, severe retainer simply for appearing too suspicious. He seemed to take the future Emperor’s safety very seriously and to be honest, Alear could totally understand and respect that.

The Crests still had her mystified. Apparently, they were inherited, were signs of noble blood, and granted some kind of magic powers to the people who possessed them. All the house leaders had one, although not all other students did. Where did these Crests come from?

Alear stuffed some more hot sauce-covered beans into her mouth, mulling over what she had observed getting to know the Black Eagles.

Edelgard was as soft-spoken and well-mannered as her Emblem version, but something in her eyes made Alear’s skin tingle. There was the kind of power and determination in them she wasn’t quite used to seeing in a human. Something was clearly brewing beneath that calm and collected exterior. She and Hubert seemed inseparable, but the exact nature of their bond was hard to determine. Whatever it was, she was sure Hubert would do anything to ensure Edelgard’s safety—and likely succeed.

Ferdinand was proud of his noble heritage but seemed to believe it came with a responsibility toward common folk. Bernadetta was also a noble, but wanted desperately to blend into the background instead. Surprisingly, Edelgard had said the timid young woman was very dependable in combat and a skilled archer.

Caspar was a lively one—a noble, but crestless. He was competitive and loud but had an endearing boyish charm and looked like his heart was in the right place. Close to Linhardt, who seemed uninterested in everything but Crests, which led to him and Alear not having much to discuss. He appeared to be chronically sleepy, however, so at least they had something in common.

Petra’s exotic appearance and speech immediately revealed she wasn’t a local. She looked athletic and tanned in a way that suggested she moved and climbed actively outdoors—an unexpected hobby for a royal—but she was also very enthusiastic about her studies and eager to learn.

Then there was Dorothea. Alear had to admit that she was instantly drawn to her bubbly and bright personality. She was the only commoner among the Black Eagles and a renowned opera singer who used to perform together with Manuela, but also a mage. It was an intriguing mix. She supposed that with her background, she must have worked hard to get in.

Byleth's disappearance weighed on the students, that much was obvious. She seemed to have made a positive impact on everyone, even students from other houses asking about her worriedly. If only she could figure out how and why this all had happened.

Alear was roused from her thoughts by the feeling of someone watching her. She turned her head and noticed a tall, older man approaching her. She recognized the insignias on his tabard. A Knight of Seiros. She swallowed down the rest of her spicy beans and stood up.

“I take it you are the new weapons instructor of the Black Eagles?”

“Yes. My name is Alear. Pleased to meet you, sir…?”

“Gilbert. I realize this is a bit abrupt, for which I apologize, but this is a direct order from Lady Rhea herself. The Black Eagles are to help in a delicate matter, and we should depart immediately. The students have already been informed, and they are currently gearing up.”

“Oh. I see. Well, I’m ready, so lead the way”, Alear said, her hand reflexively moving to rest on the hilt of Libération.

Together with Gilbert, Alear and the Black Eagles infiltrated the bandits’ lair in Conand Tower to get a legendary, stolen lance back. A Heroes’ Relic, they called it—Lance of Ruin. While Alear could understand the sentimental value of such a weapon, she was unsure why they were hurrying to get it back like this.

She noticed Dorothea starting to cast something. How could she move so graciously? It had to be because of her experience as a performer, but seeing her incorporate such elegance in fighting still looked… stunning.

Alear hadn’t even realized she was staring when Edelgard ran at her and grabbed her by her arm.

“Move further back!”

“Oh?”

After a few seconds, an enormous explosion took four bandits out, fire and molten rock raining down on where they stood just a moment ago.

“What was that?”

Edelgard smirked a little.

“Meteor.”

They had driven the bandits to the top floor. For ruffians, they were well-organized, a proof of their leader’s competence. Briefly, Alear wondered if this was a job for students, even if they possessed these Crests and trained for actual combat. Couldn’t this have waited until Alois and his knights returned from their mission?

More bandits charged at them from the rear flank, but thanks to Gilbert’s vigilance, they were noticed before they could surprise the students. The leader, Miklan, retreated a bit further back, avoiding getting caught by Hubert’s and Dorothea’s spells.

“This is our chance”, Edelgard said, determined, gripping her axe tighter. “Let’s get him and end this.”

Alear nodded.

“Sure thing.”

Edelgard’s size was deceiving. For being even shorter than Alear, she packed a punch. Likely, the Crest the Adrestian princess possessed helped her tirelessly wield her heavy axe, but Alear had also noticed her thick arms and thighs. Etie could probably outrun her, but Edelgard would throw her over the table in an arm wrestling match.

“You think you can take the lance from me, brats? I’ll kill you both”, Miklan boomed, engaging them and trying to skewer Alear, who sidestepped the lance. Edelgard took the opportunity to land a heavy blow against his weapon, hoping to make him drop it, perhaps, but the man regained his composure quickly.

Flailing dangerously with the lance, Miklan succeeded in herding Alear and Edelgard to a corner as they waited for an opportunity to strike back. 

“Hnngh, you’ll regret coming after me at all, I’ll… hnnhh.”

Alear gasped as she noticed black tendrils spreading from the round stone embedded in the lance. The man looked equally surprised, clearly having not expected whatever was happening with the weapon.

“What the hell?”

He tried to drop it, but the rapidly spreading black mass had already attached it to him, eating up his whole body and twisting his form, the man’s guttural cries soon dying under the ominous growth.

“Edelgard! Do you know what’s happening to him?”

“Unfortunately, yes”, the steadfast woman beside her admitted, and even in her hard, lilac eyes, there was a sliver of fear. “The Heroes’ Relics cannot be used without matching Crests. They will corrupt their users, turning them into demonic beasts.”

Soon, in place of Miklan stood a gigantic, crazed monster, roaring and salivating. It didn’t take long before its head cleared enough, and its attention turned to the cornered women, red eyes glowing.

There was no way they would get out of this confrontation alive by conventional means, Alear realized and made a very quick decision on the spot. She switched Libération to her left hand and offered her right hand to Edelgard, who looked at it and raised an eyebrow at her, confused.

“I know this is much to ask since you barely know me, but do you trust me?”

Edelgard glanced at her, biting her lip.

“I… I do, I suppose.”

“Good. Take my hand!”

The Adrestian princess hesitated only for a second before she reached for Alear’s hand, interlacing their fingers and squeezing tightly while holding her axe in her right one.

“Now wh—”

“FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE!”

Honestly, Alear had been afraid her Emblem power might not manifest outside Elyos. Seeing herself and Edelgard swimming in ethereal, blue mist, floating slightly above the ground, made her smile. Finally, something intimately familiar to her.

They could do this.

“What is this”, Edelgard asked, shock and wonder in her voice, her lilac eyes wide as she looked down at herself, then at Alear.

“I’ll explain later. Just let the bond guide you for now”, she said assuringly, looking the woman next to her in the eyes.

“Alright.”

Even the demonic beast had been momentarily stunned by what was happening, and as it lunged at them, Alear and Edelgard had already launched a synced attack at it, slashing at it with their weapons.

“I’ll strike you down!”

The creature roared in rage and agony as Edelgard’s axe connected with its head, black blood spilling out.

Colors swirled in the air, bright and vibrant. Alear felt a pleasant surge pass through her body as Edelgard’s power intertwined with hers, and for a moment, she felt almost overwhelmed by the intimacy of their bond as she could feel the raw, pulsating strength of the Adrestian princess in her veins. She concentrated all her energy on the demonic beast mewling with pain and rage, about to counterattack.

“Engage Blast!”

A crackling beam of red and blue tore through the monster, midleap, and then it was over. Its form crumbled onto the ground, the beastly form vanishing as the black tendrils released their hold and disappeared, leaving the lance and Miklan’s still body behind.

Edelgard turned her hands slowly around in front of her, watching the blue mist disappear.

The others finally reached them.

“Lady Edelgard? Are you hurt?"

“N-no, Hubert, everything’s fine”, Edelgard answered him, sounding admirably calm, even if Alear knew she must have had a thousand questions on her mind right now.

“We saw him turn, and for a moment, I feared that… My apologies. While I shouldn’t have left your side, I shouldn’t have doubted your capability, either.”

Edelgard glanced at Alear.

“To be honest… you should thank our instructor.”

“Hm? Is that so.” Hubert looked contemplative, his sharp eyes scanning her as if re-evaluating her worth. “In that case, you have my deepest gratitude.”

He said it as if there was still an unvoiced ‘but’ at the end of the sentence, but this was more than enough for now. Alear would take every hard-earned compliment from the man.

As they returned to the monastery, Rhea immediately summoned Alear to her, wanting to make sure no one involved would ever bring up the incident with the relic, turning Miklan into a monster—that it would only cause unrest and unfavorable rumors regarding the Relics and the nobles. It also finally explained why they were sent to retrieve the lance in such a hurry, as it had been the intention to prevent the transformation from happening. Alear had no choice but to accept the reasoning behind Rhea’s words.

She also showed great interest in how she and Edelgard alone had been able to defeat the demonic beast, but Alear had merely suggested it was a combination of luck, skill, and teamwork. She could tell Rhea wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but the Archbishop had still politely commended her for the successful mission.

“I heard you saved Edie”, Dorothea said as they ran into each other, Alear on her way to her private quarters.

“It wasn’t really like that. If Edelgard said that, she was just being overly polite towards me. She was integral to how things played out", Alear said, smiling at the brunette.

Dorothea giggled.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. You just genuinely seem so kind and humble, and… it’s rare. Especially among people who are as capable as you. Even if you’re as crestless as I am. You are lucky to have landed this position in here.”

“Crests don’t dictate everything”, Alear said solemnly. “I saw you out there. You were amazing, fighting beside your royal and noble classmates. You didn’t need a Crest to take out those four bandits all in one go. And you’re here, as well, aren’t you? On your own merit.”

”I… suppose that’s true, to some extent, although…”

Dorothea averted her gaze for a while, something sad flashing in her green eyes. She quickly shook it off, however, looking at Alear again.

”In any case, thank you for your words. I wish there were more people like you in Fódlan. I’ll… let you get back to what you were doing. See you later!”

Before the brunette got too far, she turned around, smiling.

“Oh, and I forgot to say earlier: I love what you’ve done with your gorgeous blue hair today. That ponytail really suits you”, she said and winked playfully.

Alear stared after her for a while, then walked back to her quarters, a little bounce in her step.

What a day.

She couldn’t wait to shed the plates and chainmail, fluff her pillow and—

The door wasn’t locked.

Alear blinked. Surely, she had locked it. Or hadn’t she?

She stepped inside the dim room carefully but saw nothing out of order. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and she gasped, whipping her body around. Someone was standing in the darkness. They waved their hand, and the lanterns in the room lit up.

“Hubert”, Alear uttered, uneasy. She should have seen this coming.

“The reason you aren’t already disposed of is quite obvious, I believe”, Hubert said, his voice calm and cold. “It doesn’t mean it is not subject to change, for I would prefer to remove any unknown quantities from Lady Edelgard’s vicinity. Not only do you conveniently appear when Professor Byleth disappears, but despite your lack of a Crest, you possess strange powers that can kill demonic beasts.”

Alear was horrified as she realized she couldn’t move.

“This isn’t whatever you think it is”, she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m not a threat to anyone. It’s a bit hard to explain, but—”

“Do try”, Hubert suggested, a dark smirk appearing on his lips, a vortex of magic slowly growing in size above his open palm, teeming with malevolent energy.

“Hubert, please—”

“You have time for approximately five words before—”

“I know where Byleth is!”

The little magic vortex died as the mage fisted his hand, tilting his head slightly.

“I mean… I—I think I know where Byleth is. Like I said, it’s… hard to explain.”

Hubert opened his mouth to say something, approaching Alear menacingly, when another voice sounded behind her.

“That’s enough, Hubert. Release her.”

“E-Edelgard?”

“But Lady Ed—”

“I trust her.”

“Ugh. Fine.”

The stasis around Alear faded, and Edelgard stepped into view, smiling apologetically.

“I’m sorry. Hubert takes my safety rather seriously.” Edelgard looked at her, her gaze soft and curious. Her presence made Alear feel comfortable despite all that had just happened. “What transpired at the bandit hideout… I would like to understand. I have never felt such power course through me.”

Alear glanced at the tall, severe mage near her.

“You might not believe me.”

“I’d like to hear it, regardless.”

"We better sit down, then. This might take a while."

And so Alear told them everything. From the moment she had awoken in the Somniel to when she had materialized in Jeralt’s arms, both Hubert and Edelgard silently listening.

“I believe that whatever happened, Byleth and I switched places somehow, and she’s in Elyos, now”, Alear finally concluded.

The silence felt heavy before Edelgard finally spoke.

“Hubert? What are your thoughts on this?”

“It’s…” He tried to come up with something to say, then shook his head and sighed heavily. “I cannot believe I am even entertaining the thought of believing any of that. It’s simply… ludicrous. And still…”

He stood up.

“I need to reflect on this. Lady Edelgard?”

“I’d wish to have a word with her first.” She raised one eyebrow meaningfully. “Privately.”

“Very well then.”

Alear watched Hubert leave, then turned her attention back to Edelgard, her lilac eyes warm and intense. She was surprised when the Adrestian princess took her hand in hers, then realized she was looking at her emblem ring, brushing a finger thoughtfully over it.

“Oh, forgive me”, she said then, releasing Alear’s hand and blushing a little. “I didn’t mean to—this is just… a lot to take in.”

“Trust me—it is for me, too”, Alear said, beginning to feel hopeful. “So, you believe me?”

“I’ll admit, your story sounds nothing short of fantastical, and I feel like I’d be a fool to take it all in at face value, but… I can’t deny there’s a… quality to you, something… not quite human. Something more than human. Compelling. Radiant. I do believe, however, that you are not a threat, and that said, I’m not sure what you’d gain if you were lying.”

“I guess I’ll happily settle for that, then”, Alear said and smiled.

“There’s also the fact that you saved my life by exposing yourself, and for that, I’m in your debt”, Edelgard said humbly. “I would like to repay it to you somehow.”

Alear was going to reject any notion of debt even without thinking, but then something occurred to her.

“You don’t owe me anything, but there is actually something I’d need help with. You don’t have to do it yourself, though. It can be anyone.”

“Sounds intriguing. What is it?”

“This sounds silly, I know, but… I’d need someone to wake me up in the mornings.”

Edelgard stared at her, clearly having not expected that.

“Pardon?”

“The human sleep cycle is not natural to me. I could sleep for days, probably even weeks on end if allowed to. It’s a miracle I happened to wake up today before Gilbert came looking for me.”

“I see. An unexpected wish, indeed, but that notion aside, I will see to waking you personally each morning from now on.”

“Thank you”, Alear said and smiled, relieved. “It wouldn’t paint a very good picture of me if I slept in every morning.”

Edelgard smiled back at her.

There was a knock at the door. Alear was sure it was Hubert, checking in on Edelgard, and was surprised to see Jeralt instead.

“Oh good, I found you, there’s—oh. Lady Edelgard.”

“I was just leaving.”

“As a matter of fact, it’s better that you’re both here.”

“Has something happened?” Alear asked.

Jeralt sighed.

“Seteth’s practically climbing the walls. It seems Flayn has gone missing.”

Chapter Text

Gradlon looked depressing and felt malevolent and uninviting. While Veyle tried to sense the first Fell Dragon Shard's whereabouts, Byleth was talking with her Emblem self.

“So, did you teach the Black Eagles, too, during your time?”

“No. I chose the Golden Deer house.”

“I see. The Deers seem like nice and bright people. Lysithea is probably the smartest and most hard-working student in the whole Academy, she never ceases to impress me. I was also surprised to learn Leonie and my dad have a history. She keeps challenging me for some reason, although she has gone easier on me after the ordeal in the Holy Mausoleum.” Byleth frowned. “Even if she still insists she’s my dad’s greatest apprentice. I think… I think she believes I don’t appreciate my dad enough for some reason, but it isn’t true. He’s the most important person in my life.”

Emblem Byleth smiles.

“I remember that. Leonie was so passionate and impulsive that she sometimes had difficulty reading me. I was so proud of her, though. She knew what she wanted and worked hard to get exactly that. She became a successful mercenary like she had always dreamed of, leading her own mercenary company. She also became one of my most loyal friends. After dad…” He fell silent for a moment.

Byleth bit her lip, feeling her chest tighten uncomfortably.

“What will happen to him?”

“It’s… perhaps better if we don’t delve too deep into what’s yet to come. It’s entirely possible things happen differently in your iteration of Fódlan, especially now that the Divine Dragon is there in your stead.”

“I wonder how she’s taking this all”, Byleth mused. “At least she got to meet Dad first.”

Emblem Byleth nodded.

“That is fortunate. Divine One is also a capable young dragon. I’m sure she’ll quickly accommodate to her new situation. I only wish I had imparted more of my knowledge of what happened there to her. She only knows bits and pieces.” He put his hand thoughtfully on his chin. “On the other hand… maybe it’s for the best she makes her own conclusions.”

Byleth turned her head, instinctively noticing Ivy looking at her, the crown princess blushing a little and quickly returning to the conversation with her sister and their retainers. Hortensia, appearing to have seen the little exchange between them, rolled her eyes.

“Did you have a… special someone in Fódlan”, Byleth asked her Emblem version suddenly.

“An… unexpected question. But yes. I did.”

“Who was she?”

Emblem Byleth gave her a little lopsided smile.

“Isn’t that assuming a bit much? Although I have a feeling you did that on purpose.”

Byleth smirked a little.

“You are right. My apologies. I just... had to know.”

“Despite everything, we are still the same person.”

“So it seems.”

Byleth noticed Veyle and Mauvier approaching them, everyone perking up.

“We’ve located the shard”, the young Fell Dragon said, looking uneasy. “Zephia and Griss are guarding it, and they have plenty of Corrupted with them.”

At least the Corrupted weren’t actually thinking, living people. Not anymore, in any case. It helped the task at hand as Byleth’s extending, razor-sharp blade tore through the hordes of the undead, destroying several of them with one carefully aimed swing.

“Did you see that”, she heard Framme shout.

“I sure did”, Clanne answered her. “I’m so glad I’m not on the receiving end of that.”

Carefully, they moved closer to the shard, watching out for the firebombs.

“Well, well! Who is this, and where have you put Lumera’s little divine whelp”, Zephia mused, a cold smile on her face. “Or actually, save your breath—I’m not really interested in knowing. You are merely an annoyance begging to be erased.”

Byleth whipped out her sword, but as she hesitated, trying to avoid hurting the wyvern, Zephia quickly flew out of reach. She left the Mage Dragon for the allies on flying mounts, concentrating on Griss instead.

“Fancy sword you got, a whip in the same package. Looks painful. I’ll have fun ripping it off your hands and wrapping it around you”, he threatened with a crazy look in his eyes.

“Unfortunately for you, only I can use this weapon”, Byleth answered calmly.

“Then let’s see if you got what it takes to punish me with it instead”, he cackled and engaged her. Byleth barely had the time to avoid the first blast of something bright and certainly didn’t expect Griss to launch another one straight after the previous one. The area the blast covered was sizeable.

Sudden dread washed over her.

What if she wasn’t able to use her Divine Pulse? Even if she had been able to enter the Somniel, Sothis had fallen into a mysterious silence straight after she had given her the blessing to access the sacred island in Alear’s stead. How she had done that, she had no idea, but Sothis definitely wasn’t responsive now.

“Die”, Griss yelled, laughing like a maniac as Byleth tried to outrun the blast, unable to tap into her special skill.

She felt herself flying into the air.

So this is it, then.

Then she realized the blast had gone off somewhere below her and that she was hanging against a wyvern’s scaly side, Ivy’s arm tightly around hers.

She is stronger than she looks, Byleth thought, though the Elusian did weigh a bit more, having a rounder and curvier figure and being taller than her. Still, Ivy wouldn’t be able to hold onto her forever, so she quickly climbed up in front of her.

“Thank you. That was daring of you.”

“I’m just glad I made it in time.”

Byleth glanced at the battlefield and noticed that Veyle and Mauvier were already on Griss, backed up by Citrinne and Lapis.

“What do you want to do”, Ivy asked.

Byleth soon located Zephia, who was currently kept busy by Hortensia and Rosado.

“Let’s fly closer to her. When we’re about ten feet from her, turn around so my sword hand has free rein. I don’t want to risk hurting either of your wyverns.”

Byleth didn’t particularly enjoy attacking her enemies from behind, but there was more at risk than just her honor in battle. By all accounts, Zephia was a dangerous foe who cared little of such things and needed to be stopped at the earliest convenience.

When they were close enough, Byleth whipped her blade forward, and it ripped through Zephia’s torso while her focus was on Rosado. The surprised Mage Dragon fell from her mount, hitting the ground unceremoniously. Moments later, Mauvier pushed his lance through Griss’s chest and Veyle shattered the shard, and it was over.

Veyle and Mauvier seemed to exchange last words with the dying dragon, and Byleth kept a respectful distance, carefully approaching Zephia’s wyvern instead. The beast looked at her disdainfully and let out a pained growl, lashing at her with a wing.

“I’m so sorry, girl”, Byleth said. “I know you must be angry. Maybe it'd have been easier for you to go with your mistress, but I just couldn’t do it.”

The wyvern stared at her with burning eyes, snarling, and lashed at her again, this time lunging with her snout, snapping her jaws threateningly.

“For a famed mercenary, you are so kind”, she heard Ivy say softly as she approached her. “I find it hard to imagine they used to call you Ashen Demon.”

“You are… Ashen Demon”, Byleth heard a pained, surprised grunt. Why did that name pique Zephia’s interest? She walked to the bleeding woman holding her arm over the gaping wound on her torso. If she were human, she would be in shock or dead already.

“What does that name mean to you”, Byleth asked.

Zephia chuckled, and then a coughing fit interrupted her, blood dripping down her chin. Laboriously, she wiped it away before continuing.

“That name was a part of a prophecy I once heard, citing my end. Naturally, I disregarded that notion then. A mere human striking me down, what utter nonsense. Maybe I would have confronted you with more respect if I had known who you were.”

Another coughing fit, more blood dripping down. The Mage Dragon was deathly pale.

“It doesn’t matter. I already provided Veyle with the means for you to continue on your quest. A parting gift. There is one more thing, though. There is an… artifact in Elusia Castle, sealed in a case made of unknown metal. We tried to open it many times, but it’s protected by magic. The engraving on the case… it mentions your name in an ancient tongue. I think you should have it. It’s at the back of the treasury… attached to a pedestal.”

“Do you know anything about this artifact”, Byleth asked her Emblem self, who shrugged his shoulders.

“First time I hear of it.”

Zephia said something, but her words were weaker and lost in more coughing.

“What did you say?”

“Thank you… for sparing my wyvern.”

The beast bellowed mournfully, pushing her snout gently against Zephia’s weak body.

Whatever were the Mage Dragon’s last words, Byleth didn’t understand them, and they were whispered to the majestic mount. She watched as Zephia’s hand went slack, sliding down the wyvern’s face before dropping lifelessly onto the ground. The beast bellowed again, and Byleth swallowed. The animal’s grief was so palpable it was painful to watch.

Something between a hiss and a snarl sounded from her throat, and for a moment, Byleth was sure the wyvern would attack her. She shrieked one more time and spread her wings, sparing one more look towards the body of her mistress. Then she took wing and flew away, far beyond the mountains.

Byleth sighed, turning to look at the broken bodies of the two Hounds.

“We should bury them”, she said, sheathing her sword.

“I'll do that”, Mauvier said somberly. “They were once my family, despite everything. Meanwhile, maybe you should go and see what this artifact is about. Perhaps it is something that could help us.”

“Elusia Castle, huh”, Byleth mused.

“I can take you there”, Ivy offered. “It is my home, after all, and I know how to get to the treasury.”

“Sounds good. I have to admit I’m curious.” She looked at the Stewards, who had also finally caught up with them, having fought a pack of Corrupted further back. “I’ll meet you later in the Somniel.”

Vander nodded.

“Sounds good. Be safe out there.”

“This is a beautiful place”, Byleth said as they walked the eerily silent halls of Elusia Castle, her voice echoing ominously. “It’s a shame it’s in such a state right now. I guess it will change when you can claim the throne.”

“When the war is over, there will be so much to do”, Ivy said gloomily. “Sombron has caused so much damage here, and not just physically, but politically. It will take a long time to clear Elusia’s reputation.”

“So you believe we can win, even though your… deity is absent?”

“I have to, if only to honor everything she has already done for Elyos. And while you might not be a Divine Dragon or… the Divine Dragon… you are still the hero of Fódlan. Maybe there’s a reason you’re here now. I only hope Divine One can find their way back here. Maybe when she’ll return, she won’t have to fight anymore. She has already given so much.”

Byleth wanted to say that she didn’t even know what would make her a hero. She was just a former mercenary, even if she had made something of a name for herself, who was teaching military history and battle strategies at an academy for people who could afford it. She turned her head and looked Ivy in the eyes, already opening her mouth to say just that, when she saw the gentle glimmer in them.

She set her jaw.

No. she wouldn’t be the one to dullen that hopeful sparkle. She would just have to try her best, taking it one day at a time, even if it felt intimidating that she was filling the role of an actual revered dragon, all these people trusting in her just because they knew some version of her.

They took a turn, walking down a staircase deeper into the castle.

“We are close. The treasury is at the end of—”

Suddenly, a shadow jumped on the wall. Ivy screamed and pressed against Byleth, grabbing her arm tightly with both hands. Byleth reached for her sword, her reflexes lightning-fast, but she quickly realized there was no reason to be alarmed.

“It’s just a rat”, she said softly, pushing her weapon back into its sheath and glancing at the embarrassed woman still holding onto her. “Are you afraid of rodents? There’s no shame in that. There’s a student in my class who can easily defeat bandits and sparring partners twice her size, but when she confronts rats, she just freezes.”

“Oh. It’s… more silly than that, I’m afraid”, Ivy said, looking mortified. “I’m… afraid of ghosts.”

Ghosts? The woman wearing funeral regalia as her casual wear is afraid of ghosts?

“I… I admit I wasn't expecting that, but I won’t judge anyone’s fears.” Byleth wondered if she was going too far, assuming too much, but… “If it makes you feel better, you can hold my hand. I won’t mind.”

“R-really? I, uh, h-holding hands?”

Why did I even suggest something like that?

”I’m sorry, Princess Ivy, I didn’t mean to—”

In the next instant, Ivy snatched her hand in her own, holding it tightly, blushing.

”I—I mean, if… if you really don’t mind…”

Byleth smiled and gently held the hand in hers, brushing her thumb over the soft material of her glove.

“I’ll have you know I’ve specialized in protecting Crown Princesses”, she said a bit cheekily and let the flustered Elusian lead her to their destination.

As they arrived in the treasury, they found a pedestal at the back and a small metal case on top of it—just like Zephia had said. As described, something was also engraved on the case, but Byleth had no idea what language it was in. She reached to pick up the case, then remembered that Zephia had said it was attached to the pedestal. Except it wasn’t. At first, it looked like there weren’t even any seams in the case, but then she could see faint lines around it, and just like that, it opened, revealing a curious item inside.

“What is that”, Ivy asked, looking over Byleth’s shoulder.

She took the item between her fingers, looking at it closely.

“It looks like a—”

Suddenly, the room around her disappeared, and she was in darkness.

“Sothis?”

Byleth turned around and felt relieved as she saw the familiar throne and the strange girl living inside her head again, stirring awake and yawning, then frowning at Byleth.

“Exactly how many times do we have to have this conversation? Staring at people when they sleep is rude and creepy! Ugh. Nevermind. Where were we?”

“We are still in Elyos. You fell asleep after you granted me the blessing to enter the floating island they call the Somniel.”

“Ah, that’s right. The interdimensional travel and attuning myself to the magic of this world must have been a taxing combination. I hope you have done well in my absence. I would hate to wake up and see my perfectly good vessel damaged.”

“I’m fine, but there is a strange artifact that apparently belongs to me. I don’t quite understand though… how can there be anything of mine in this world? I don’t even recognize this item.”

“Hmm. Let me see that.”

Byleth handed the case to Sothis, who looked at the engraved writing before opening it.

She lifted one eyebrow.

“Huh. Isn’t this curious, indeed.”

“What does it say?”

“‘To Ashen Demon. Love, your greatest rival’”, Sothis cited flatly and opened the case. “Strange… These words come to my mind…”

Sothis, the darkness, and the throne disappeared, and Byleth was back in the treasury with Ivy.

“Whistle of the Keen Mercenary”, she answered the Crown Princess, not even knowing how she knew that suddenly, more words coming to her from somewhere.

“Fight with us, Emblem of Hopes—Shez!”

Byleth and Ivy watched in awe as the treasury filled with dazzling lights and a human form descended in front of them from somewhere above. A woman with a striking, cocksure smile, her long purple hair covering her right eye, dressed in mercenary armor.

“I didn’t know you could summon Emblems”, Ivy said, staring at the woman in front of them.

“Neither did I”, Byleth murmured, wondering what in the name of Seiros had just happened.

“Finally out of that musty box, and who do I see? Ashen Demon! Long have I waited for this moment! Draw your sword so we can finally finish this!”

“Aren’t Emblems supposed to be on our side?” Byleth said, confused as she drew her sword.

“Who is this woman?” Ivy asked, equally perplexed, holding onto her Elfire tome.

Byleth assumed her fighting stance and shrugged helplessly as the Emblem transformed, glowing orange and purple.

“I have absolutely no idea.”

Chapter Text

Alear was sitting on the bed in her quarters, wearing a simple dress after a long bath. Her long, blue hair was still damp, hanging over her eyes as she was absent-mindedly reading through one of Byleth’s journals.

Someone knocked on the door, and she sighed, rubbing her eyes and putting the journal away.

“Come in. It’s open.”

It was Edelgard.

“There you are, I—”

She frowned.

“Is everything alright?”

Theoretically, everything was just that. They had finally found Flayn. They had even found a missing student who had mysteriously disappeared the previous year. Manuela was recovering. Rhea and Seteth were grateful to her. Rhea had even invited her to have tea tomorrow in her private quarters.

“It’s… unusual to see you so mirthless.”

Alear sighed.

“I’m sorry. Please, sit down.”

Edelgard sat carefully on the edge of the bed.

“It’s just so frustrating how little I know of everything. Of this world. Of Byleth… Of you. Even if I know the Emblem you. You were supposed to be a paragon. An exemplar of this universe, someone to look up to. Now I’m just… a little confused.”

”Alear…”

Edelgard looked like she was unsure where this was going. Or maybe dreading where this was going.

“At the tower, when we confronted the demonic beast, I asked you if you trusted me.”

“Yes... And I do”, Edelgard said. She sounded honest, looking straight at her, but…

“After I arrived here, I noticed something I haven’t since Queen Lumera passed. Certain people here… I can sense them. They have a very specific… scent, but not quite. It’s hard to explain.”

The woman beside her didn’t say anything, but a shadow crossed her face as she listened.

“This may be too much to ask, but I have to. Even if Hubert comes and strangles me in my sleep because of this.” Alear steeled herself, locking their eyes. “I have told you everything there is to know about me. I have nothing to hide from you. In all fairness, please, just help me understand. What were you trying to achieve, working with the people who took her?”

Edelgard was admirably composed on the outside, but Alear could feel that she was anything but.

“I…”

She reached and took Edelgard’s hand in hers, squeezing it, speaking hotly.

“Yes. I know you are the Flame Emperor. And no. I have no intention of telling anyone. But I need to understand. If I’m going to help you… I have to know to what end.”

Edelgard squeezed her hand in return, almost painfully hard for a moment. She was clearly making a significant decision then and there.

“I cannot believe I’m doing this”, the Adrestian princess breathed, and then the familiar determination returned to her gaze. “Maybe your fault is your honesty. Maybe mine is that I choose to trust in it. In any case, I suggest you get comfortable because this is going to take a while.”

And so Alear listened intently as the story of the woman who would be the Emperor of Adrestia began unfolding. The parts Edelgard chose to leave vague, she was glad for her doing so. What had happened to her and her siblings sounded nothing short of a living nightmare.

“For the sake of my family and for all the poor souls whose lives were traded for my existence… For their sake, I will build a world where such meaningless sacrifice is never again sanctioned. As emperor, I will change the world. I swear it.”

This wasn’t the first time Alear had heard Edelgard imply that too much value was placed on whether someone had a Crest or not and that people should be appraised on their own merits. Now, it had just turned out Edelgard didn’t simply want to make changes. She wanted a revolution.

“And you’d do anything to achieve that”, Alear said. “Even collaborate with the people who did this to you. Who abused you.”

“Yes”, Edelgard said, closing her eyes for a moment.

Alear felt a squeeze and realized she was still holding one gloved hand in hers.

“I will use everything I have, anyone I have, even my cursed twin Crests and those responsible for the experiments, as long as our goal aligns, my feelings aside. I am strong, but I can’t do this on my own. This alliance exists merely out of necessity, and I can only try and limit the collateral damage for now. Rest assured, when I have overthrown the Crest system… I will uproot and destroy them next.”

Alear was so deep in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize that Edelgard was looking at her expectantly. The question that had been implied was waiting for an answer.

“Thank you for trusting me with this, and… you can count on me.” Alear took a deep breath. “When I got to know you as an Emblem, I always thought there seemed to be this weight on your shoulders, a hidden burden beneath your smile. I guess I understand better now. I admit I was really upset with you today, but… perhaps I’ve been a bit naive. Maybe sometimes even heroes can’t avoid getting blood on their hands.”

Edelgard nodded.

“I’m afraid so. I’m… glad you understand.”

Alear was silent for a moment, then flashed a little, crooked smile.

“So… Should I expect to be murdered in my bed?”

Edelgard’s eyes widened for a moment, and then she chuckled softly.

“I will have a talk with Hubert, don't worry about that. In any case, I won’t allow any harm to befall you if it’s in my power to prevent that. To be honest, having a dragon as my ally… I’d be honored. And… it’s not just that. I…”

Edelgard leaned closer and reached with her free hand, stroking Alear’s face gently with her thumb, covered by her white glove. The young dragon’s mind briefly went to the blood reconstruction surgery the Adrestian princess had told her about, now knowing why every inch of her skin was covered from neck to toe. She stared into the lilac eyes, soft in the flickering candlelight. Suddenly, Edelgard appeared as if she had awoken from a dream, her eyes clearing. She pulled her hand back, giving Alear an adorably bashful smile.

“I just… there was a lock of hair getting in your eyes”, she mumbled and got up, the warm, gloved hand letting hers go. “I’ll let you get to sleep. I’ll come and wake you in the morning. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight”, Alear said, her cheeks warm as the door closed softly, left alone with her racing thoughts. She felt a sudden chill on her skin and realized the window was ajar. Quickly, she closed it and returned to the bed, soon falling asleep despite her restless thoughts.

“You are having tea with Lady Rhea? In her private quarters?” Jeralt shook his head. “Just be careful.”

“Careful? She doesn’t seem that intimidating to me”, Alear mused, ensuring her ponytail was secure. “What’s the history between you two, exactly?”

“Oh look, Alois is there. I just remembered I needed to talk with him. See you later, kid!”

“Kid? I’m one thousand and eighteen—”

Jeralt was already walking away from her, and Alear rolled her eyes.

It was evening, all the day's work done. While bows weren’t Alear’s specialty, she had still managed to have a good session with Bernadetta, showing her some things she had learned from Etie and Alcryst. In a way, the timid noble reminded her of the second prince of Brodia.

Thinking about her archer friends made her feel homesick. She missed them all so much. The Stewards who were always doting on her, the allies and friends she had made over the nations, and little Sommie. She hadn’t even had the chance to spend any time with her newfound sister, yet, and… of course, there was Ivy, one of her closest allies. No, not just an ally. A friend.

She knew the Elusian had a little more than just religious interest in her, but… despite how much Alear liked her, she found the worshiping aspect a little difficult. For a partner, she would want to be just… Alear. Not a deity. Also, the short lifespans of humans scared her a little. To lose a loved one so soon… The whole thought made her sad. She hoped Ivy had found a friend in Byleth, though. Based on Emblem Byleth’s calm and kind personality, she had a feeling the two might get along well.

Before entering the abbey, Alear noticed Dorothea with someone. Some nobleman she didn’t recognize, probably just visiting Garreg Mach. She was holding onto the man’s arm, her body language flirtatious. Alear frowned. Something in the scene bothered her. Soon, they disappeared from her view, though, and she walked into the monastery, heading to Rhea’s quarters.

Alear knocked on the door, breathing in, breathing out, trying to calm her nerves. She didn’t know exactly why, but she couldn’t help feeling anxious.

Soon, the door opened, and Alear’s breath catched. Rhea wasn’t wearing the full archbishop’s regalia that she had become used to seeing her in, but just a long, white dress. While there was nothing improper in the way she had dressed, the way her curves got highlighted in what she was wearing was incongruent with Alear’s mental image of her.

“Hello, Alear. You’re nervous, I can see, but there’s no need to be. Please, come in.”

“Thank you, Lady Rhea”, she answered, bowing a little and stepping inside.

They sat at a table, and Rhea poured her some tea.

“It’s crescent-moon tea, one of my favorites.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely.”

“Oh? You’ve never had it before?”

To think that Alear knew practically every tea blend there was in Elyos because of her chats with Céline, and the only one she could name from here was bergamot just because Edelgard had mentioned preferring it.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Well, I hope you like it.”

Alear glanced around her while sipping the tea.

“So. While Professor Byleth’s disappearance is truly… unfortunate, I have been pleasantly surprised that you are at least on a par with her regarding your combat skills. Felling the demonic beast, saving our dear Flayn, the numerous positive comments I have heard from the other instructors… Have you truly been a mercenary your whole life?”

“Y-yes”, Alear said and berated herself for not preparing for this in any way.

Rhea looked at her for some time.

“So, you know Professor Byleth, then?”

“Yes, I am familiar with hi—her.”

Alear bit the inside of her cheek. She was so bad at telling even half-truths. What made everything even worse was Rhea’s scent, which kept distracting her. It was all over the room, concentrated. Why had she agreed to come here? Not that refusing to come would have been an option.

Alear also realized the implication of being alone in the room with her. Even if Rhea actually considered her suspicious, she clearly wasn’t the least bit worried about holding her own against Alear despite her blonde, tanned bodyguard and her knights not being around her. She wasn’t just any helpless church official.

”But, uhm, since Byleth didn’t use to be that talkative, it’s mostly Jeralt I have been dealing with, personally.”

“I see.”

Rhea’s gaze was penetrating.

”Speaking of Jeralt, may I ask if he ever spoke of me to you?”

”He said you’re… f-frightening.”

Alear’s eyes widened. She hadn’t meant to say that. Something was wrong.

”My, but that does sound like something Jeralt would say. However, one would be remiss to not take circumstances into consideration. In order to rise to the role of archbishop, one must maintain an unbiased approach to judgment. It oft requires a certain… sternness of words and actions.”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed.

”Now tell me, who are you, really?”

”I’m Alear… I’m t-the… D-divine… Dragon.”

They both stared at each other. The silence that landed was so absolute that Alear found herself holding her breath, not to disturb the stillness. Rhea’s unexpressive mask finally fell from her face.

”W-what did you say? But it can’t… you’re—you’re lying!”

”But I can’t lie”, Alear exclaimed, frustrated. ”What is there in this tea!?”

Rhea stood up, and Alear stood up as well, uncertain what was happening. She walked backward as the archbishop approached her, a strange look in her eyes. Then her back hit the wall. Rhea walked before her, and Alear gasped as the taller woman cupped her face with both her hands.

“It has been such a long time, I almost did not recognize it anymore… that spark of light”, Rhea murmured, looking at Alear intently. “You must be her kin. How wonderful and bitter at the same time that I should lose my mother and gain something I didn’t expect to see ever again. This has to mean she did make it to Elyos. Is my mother there now, as well?”

Alear could hardly believe what was happening. Her hands were shaking and her lip quivering.

“You knew Queen Lumera. You…” She swallowed. “You're a dragon, too.”

Rhea sniffled. There were tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry that I doubted you like this, but… you don’t know how hard it has been—the sacrifices I have made. I had to take precautions. Me, Seteth, and Flayn… we are the only ones left.” She smiled at Alear through her tears. “And now, there’s you. Daughter of the Lightbringer.”

“Lady Rhea…”

Before Alear’s brain could wrap around what was happening, they were embracing each other, holding each other tightly. Rhea had to be hundreds if not thousands of years older than her, but she appeared so vulnerable and small in this moment, quietly sobbing, her body shaking. Alear stroked her mint-green hair unhurriedly, allowing the archbishop to calm down.

“My profound apologies”, Rhea said, finally withdrawing from her, her voice coarse. “This is just…”

“There’s no need to apologize”, Alear said softly. “I wasn’t really expecting this, either, even if I sensed all along you are more than human.”

“There is so much to talk about”, Rhea said, shaking her head gently. “I do not even know where to begin. This—”

There was a short knock at the door, and it opened, Seteth peeking in.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, but—oh.”

They still had their arms loosely around each other.

“At a better time, then”, the man said promptly and shut the door.

They stood in awkward silence, then finally pulled back a little.

“This is a lot to take in for me, too”, Alear admitted. “I haven’t been very long in this world yet, and everything’s so different here. Is it okay if we talk more tomorrow, or…”

“I suppose we are not in a hurry”, Rhea agreed. “Just tell me one thing… Professor Byleth… Is she…”

“I believe she is in Elyos now. That we switched places somehow.”

“And Lumera?”

“S-she…”

The Archbishop nodded somberly.

“I’m sorry. We’ll… talk later, Lady Rhea. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Alear.”

As she opened the door, she felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned around.

“And when we’re in this room… just call me Rhea.”

Alear walked out of the abbey. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that she had already ended up in a problematic position. The joy of meeting another dragon—someone who actually knew Lumera, too—was shrouded by what Edelgard told her about Fódlan’s structural problems and societal inequality derived from the Crest system. Edelgard hadn’t explicitly told her so, but Alear feared she was ready to go to war once she would rise to the Adrestian throne.

Her head hurt.

She would need to learn so much more, and her aching skull was swimming with questions, but first, she needed some sleep.

Suddenly, she heard strange noises and stopped to listen. Moving silently, she approached a more secluded area in one of the well-kept gardens around the monastery and was shocked to see two of Garreg Mach’s own guards harassing Dorothea.

“Leave me alone”, the brunette growled at them, cornered by the two large men, wisps of magic snaking around her fisted hands.

“Don’t be like that. You know you’ll be thrown out if you attack us. We know how the likes of you get in here, and we could use some, too.”

“Yeah, we’ll take good care of you.”

Alear blinked, appalled and bewildered by what she had just heard. Was there no end to the grittiness of this world? She scowled and drew her sword.

“You’ll step away right now, or I will take care of you both.”

The guards spun around, and Alear jerked her head to signal she wanted them to walk away.

“I advise you to leave while you still can. I’ve had a long day already.”

The men looked at each other, then slowly began lumbering away. To their misfortune, Alear also anticipated them attacking her when they had moved past her. Just before Dorothea could warn her, she had already blocked their attacks, and after a short fight, both of them were lying unconscious on the ground, the other one sporting a very painful-looking bump on his forehead, Libération's pommel having connected with his skull.

“Are you alright”, Alear asked the brunette, sheathing her sword.

“I am, but they’re going to feel it in the morning”, she chuckled quietly. “Thank you, Alear. I could have taken them, but… they were right. I would have probably been thrown out.”

“It was nothing. Let me escort you back to your quarters”, Alear offered, and Dorothea smiled at her.

“Gladly.”

They were quiet for most of the walk, the meeting with Rhea still playing non-stop on Alear’s mind.

“Are you wondering if they were right about me”, Dorothea asked suddenly.

“Oh?” Alear thought back to the incident with the guards, then shrugged. “It isn’t really my business how or why you are here. You have your reasons. I have had some lessons recently on how everything’s not as black and white as it seems.”

Dorothea smiled at her, and Alear felt her heart skip a beat. She looked so radiant, even after the horrible ordeal.

“You know, I met with this nobleman earlier this evening.”

“Oh. Right. I think I saw you. I had… business with Lady Rhea. What was that about?”

“I… the guards might have had some truth to what they said. Looks aren’t forever, and it’s all I have. Well, in addition to my voice. If I could at least marry well…” Dorothea shook her head. ”He was a potential candidate, but I doubt I’ll see him anymore.”

”How so?”

The brunette bit lightly on her bottom lip.

”He asked me for a quick… favor, but I declined.” She sighed. ”I don’t know anymore. I feel like if I let one more man touch me, I’m going to hurl.”

Alear shook her head.

This dark world…

They arrived at the door leading to the mage’s quarters.

”Dorothea… You should know that you are more than just a… very beautiful woman.”

The brunette subtly raised one of her perfect eyebrows at that, and Alear realized the effects of Rhea’s truth magic were still lingering. She tried to choose her next words more carefully.

“You are also smart, charming, brave, and gifted with magic. Edelgard, your future Emperor, is very fond of you. You’re studying here at the famed Academy and befriending many nobles just by being you. I just think… you already have what it takes to secure yourself a future. When it comes to courting… if I may be so bold, I suggest you should just follow your heart. You deserve someone who sees you as their equal and adores you for all your qualities, not just your looks or… quick favors.”

Dorothea was quiet for a moment. Her green eyes were so pretty when they sparkled like that. Alear felt her whole face go red when the brunette suddenly leaned close, wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and planted a tender kiss on her cheek.

“You are so sweet, you know that?” She smiled at her and looked like she wanted to say something more but didn’t. Instead, she wished her goodnight and disappeared inside.

Alear stood by the closed door for a moment longer, then she sighed and started walking toward her quarters.

“Had a rough day?”

Jeralt was lumbering in her direction.

“You could say that.”

“Same here, just got back. Wanna join me in the tavern? Grab a couple of drinks?” Before Alear could decline, he added: “So that you know, I won’t take no for an answer.”

Alear huffed but smiled.

“Okay then. But just one drink.”

She wondered what the knowing smirk on Jeralt’s face meant.

Chapter Text

The atmosphere in the treasury was nothing short of volatile as Byleth, Ivy, and the Emblem, her eyes glowing orange, were all standing tensed up, their weapons drawn.

”Shez? Is that your name”, Byleth asked calmly, positioning herself protectively between the rogue Emblem and Ivy. ”Are you my enemy?”

“Your enemy? I am your nemesis! I will not rest before the beast is dead!”

The Emblem sounded different after turning feral and drawing their blades. Like some other person than the woman before them was speaking.

“What beast? That doesn’t make any sense”, Byleth said, carefully withdrawing, creating more distance between them. “I’m just an ordinary human.”

The Emblem laughed.

“As long as you are housing the so-called progenitor god inside yourself, it matters little what your shell is made of. You have delayed the inevitable long enough. DIE!”

Byleth could feel Sothis stir at the words, but in the moment she had to concentrate on defending herself. And she was as ready as she could be, holding the Creator Sword confidently in her hands. Ready to—

“HEY! What are you doing?” the Emblem shouted unexpectedly, in her own voice again. It appeared as if she somehow managed to tackle herself mid-dash, landing gracelessly on her stomach in front of Byleth. “Ouch! Now listen: I’ve told you a thousand times already that you’ll need to stop with this nemesis nonsense, is that clear?”

Ivy and Byleth glanced at each other.

“Is she… talking to herself?”

“I’m terribly sorry, you know how Arval is sometimes”, the Emblem said to Byleth apologetically, getting back to her feet. Her eyes were clear and purple again, and the wisps of orange mist disappeared from around her, replaced by a gentle blue glow. ”Even if I was happy to get them back after that Zahras incident, this still happens sometimes.”

There was a strange, soft look in the Emblem’s eyes. She stepped closer to Byleth, taking in her appearance.

“It’s so good to see you again. I missed you. When did your hair and eyes turn blue again?”

“Shez… if that’s your name… I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about”, Byleth said helplessly.

The Emblem tilted her head.

“You mean like… no idea of… anything I said?”

Byleth nodded slowly.

“I have never even met you.”

She could see the flash of hurt in the woman’s gaze.

“Oh. That’s…”

The Emblem rubbed her eyes, and Byleth noticed a familiar-looking ring on Shez’s ring finger.

She swallowed.

“I’m sorry… Shez.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it”, the woman said, mustering a little smile. “We had fun. Those were good times. I guess that was a long time ago already, seeing that I’m like… this now. So. Who’s her?”

“My name is Ivy”, the Elusian princess answered, stepping forward. “I’m the Crown Princess of Elusia. This place is Elyos, and we’re facing a terrible threat as Fell Dragon Sombron is set on destroying entire worlds. We were hoping to gain an ally in you. The other Emblems have already been recovered, and they have joined the fight as well.”

Shez flashed a genuine smile at them.

“Fighting, huh? I’m always up for a good fight. Just call me when you need me, and I’ll lend my swords to you—you can count on me.” She was quiet for a moment. “Despite everything, it’s… nice to be back by your side.”

With that, the Emblem disappeared, the whistle in Byleth’s hand feeling warm. It was attached to a leather cord, so she put it around her neck, rubbing the smooth surface of the whistle absent-mindedly.

“Are you okay?” Ivy asked softly.

“Yes… but thank you for asking.” Byleth looked around her. “While we’re here, do you need to do something around the castle?”

Ivy shook her head.

“Elusia Castle will be here, waiting for the day we can start reconstructing what we have destroyed. Until that is possible, I have little need to linger here and keep reminding myself of all the things that have gone wrong.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. It was out of your hands, even if you disagreed with the court’s actions. At least you can build it all again from the ground up. I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful leader for your people.”

“You flatter me”, Ivy said, smiling bashfully as they started walking back to the entrance where her wyvern, Hedera, was waiting. “Regardless, if we win this war… I will most certainly put my everything into restoring Elusia. No matter how hard it is or how long it’ll take.”

“You won’t be alone in your task. There’s your sister, both of your retainers, and maybe…” Byleth shrugged. “Maybe even I could help you somehow.”

“That’s kind of you, although… Wouldn’t you be going back to Fódlan?”

“I’m not sure if it’s possible. But if it was… Yes, I guess I would.”

They walked in silence for a moment.

“What was that about… housing a progenitor god?”

Again, Byleth felt Sothis stir inside her.

“To be honest, I’m not certain, but there is something I’ll need to tell you. I—yes, Sothis, at a better time.”

Ivy looked baffled.

“Pardon?”

Byleth shook her head.

“I promise to tell you later. Is that acceptable?”

“Certainly.”

They were out again. As Ivy approached Hedera, the beast seemed to notice something in the sky and shrieked, flapping her wings anxiously and snarling.

The women turned to look and saw another wyvern landing near them.

Byleth recognized the beast immediately as Zephia’s mount. There was still a fire in the animal’s eyes as she screeched and lashed with her tail. Hedera, however, seemed to calm down, cooing and cocking her head a little.

The beast looked long at Byleth, crouching and growling. Then, she slowly settled on the ground.

Byleth glanced at Ivy, then carefully approached the wyvern. She still heard a soft growl, but the beast didn’t seem intent on attacking her. Byleth stopped right in front of the animal and reached out. The wyvern jerked at the first touch but let Byleth stroke her snout with one hand while she fished out some juniper berries with the other one. She smelled the berries suspiciously but accepted them.

“I have a feeling that this was Zephia’s wish. If so, you must be conflicted to honor it, but I promise to take good care of you in her stead if you allow me to. I’m still sorry for what happened, but I simply had no choice.”

The wyvern puffed air out of her nostrils defeatedly. The defiant fire in her eyes dimmed somewhat as Byleth continued stroking her and speaking to her soothingly.

“What are you going to call her?” Ivy asked.

“I don’t know. What do you think would suit her?”

“M-me? But I’m so bad at naming anything!”

“You let me name yours.”

“Y-yes, but… Uh, perhaps… m-maybe she would like something honoring the memory of Zephia? Like… Zephyr?”

Byleth smiled and stroked the wyvern’s neck.

“Zephyr. It’s perfect. Let’s go then, girl. I think you’re going to like your new home.”

In the morning, the hunt for the second shard continued, Byleth and her new allies back in unwelcoming Gradlon. To make it worse, the second shard appeared to be at the bottom of a lake. The enchanted crystal Zephia had created for Veyle before her death would supposedly bring the shard into reach, whatever it meant. The magic would only last a few hours, so they needed to be fast.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting this”, Byleth said after Veyle had activated the crystal, the whole landscape having reformed before their eyes. There was no lake anymore, only more snow and mountains. “Is everyone okay?”

“It seems so”, Vander said, looking around him worriedly. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure, but the shard is somewhere over there”, Veyle pointed. “I sense it’s closer now.”

They moved in the shard’s direction until they saw it in the distance. The whole place was crawling with Corrupted.

Byleth and her allies readied their weapons. The Corrupted did, as well, but didn’t attack them. Then they noticed the undead soldiers giving way to someone walking toward them. By the shocked reactions of her comrades, Byleth guessed the red-haired woman who stopped in front of them, flanked by Corrupted soldiers, was somehow familiar to her allies.

“Who are you?” she asked, her hand resting on the pommel of the Creator Sword.

“I’m Alear—daughter of the king of the dragons, Sombron. I sense an Emblem. One I have never sensed before. Give it to me. I need to take it to Father.”

“D-divine One”, she heard Ivy gasp.

Byleth looked at Veyle beside her, not understanding what was happening.

“She’s Divine One? Your sister? What happened? How is she here?”

“The shard took us back in time… this is during the War of the Dragons”, Veyle said, horrified. “A thousand years back in time!”

The red-haired woman looked at them, not showing any emotion.

“You make no sense. Just give the Emblem to me and stop wasting my time. I will not take no for an answer.”

“I disagree”, Byleth stated, drawing her sword.

“A pity. Then I will take it by force.”

Soon, everything was a flurry of clashing weapons, spells, and arrows flying in the air as the two groups engaged each other.

Alear was a surprisingly dangerous foe. Byleth reminded herself that she was both a dragon and someone who had been raised for one purpose only—to serve as a living weapon in her father’s army.

Byleth gasped as Alear’s blade suddenly swished so close to her throat that it made a shallow cut on her.

“Emblem Shez!”

The purple-haired mercenary appeared beside her, drawing her two swords, a smirk on her face.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

With their combined power, they started pushing Alear back, the dragon gritting her teeth together as she tried to gain the upper hand again. 

“You are just a human. You are no match for me, with or without your Emblem.”

Some of the Corrupted were running to Alear’s aid, massive battle axes in their hands. There were at least four of them. Byleth already felt sweat drip down her temple.

“Shez… there’s more of them”, she grunted.

The Emblem smirked again.

“Don’t worry, By. I won’t let anyone harm you.”

Byleth felt a surge of power inside her, so strong that it made her gasp aloud. Purple and orange lights were swirling around them, revitalizing her strength, pushing it past all limits. They were both glowing orange now.

“I’LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!”

Byleth wasn’t sure which one of them said it or if they both did, but after that, the Corrupted started falling like flies as she and Shez cleaved them to pieces.

Time seemed to slow and stop just before Byleth could knock the young dragon out with the pommel of her sword, and she found herself from the darkness of her consciousness by Sothis’s throne.

“Now, now, halt for a moment there.”

“What is it? I’m not going to kill her. Just incapacitate her.”

“You don’t need to explain the obvious to me; I know every stray thought on your mind, sometimes to the point I wished I didn’t. You are about to miss a unique chance.”

Byleth cocked her head.

“And what is that?”

“I believe we can manipulate this moment to relay a message.”

Byleth scrunched her brow.

“I don’t understand. A message to whom? To Sombron?”

Sothis rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.

“To present Alear, of course. Do I need to explain everything to you like I would to a small child?”

“But Vander already explained that Alear suffers from amnesia. She doesn’t remember anything that happened to her before she fell asleep after being near-fatally wounded by her father.”

“So you have been paying some attention, after all. Yes, that’s a challenge, but we can do better.”

Sothis extended her arms and summoned the Crest of Flames before her, the symbol burning brightly against the empty darkness.

“Emblem Byleth has been reluctant to tell me too much, though.”

“There is something he has let slip, though. Something important that can point this Divine Dragon in the right direction amidst all that scheming, don’t you agree? Let us hope she is not as thick as you.”

Byleth thought about that for a moment and nodded.

“I… see.”

She hissed as the symbol of her Crest suddenly disappeared and was branded on her palm instead.

“Good. And remember, you will have to be brief. Now go.”

Byleth was back in the snow, fighting Alear. She blocked her sword and grabbed her shoulder with her branded hand, and suddenly, the chaos of the battlefield was left behind.

It was so silent.

They were in a dim room, lanterns gently illuminating the space. Byleth turned around and saw a lone little girl in the room, sitting on her bed and holding a glowing, red rock in her hands.

Veyle.

Alear looked around her with big, wild eyes. She glanced at her sister, and for the first time, there was some emotion on her face.

“What—”

Byleth realized Sothis’s spell was waning fast, the edges of the scene already rippling.

“Listen, Alear. This is important. Everything’s not what it seems. There are people working in the shadows. People who’d benefit from pushing the Empire and the Church into war with each other, and what’s more, they have the ability to shapeshift and assume innocuous disguises. Please, be careful. And—”

The scene started fading and distorting faster, the magic fading at an increased speed as Alear was naturally trying to push Byleth out of her mind.

Fiercely, she tried to fight against it.

“And please… look after my students and Dad.”

Byleth grunted with pain as she returned to the snowy battlefield, ripped forcefully out of Alear’s mind just before the magic had run its course. She glanced at her hand, but the brand was gone.

“What did you do to me?” the dragon growled, her red eyes burning.

Byleth felt disoriented, and suddenly, the air left her lungs as Alear booted her in the stomach, sending her flying to an icy slope. She couldn’t take hold of anything, sliding down on her back.

“A-Alear”, Byleth uttered weakly as she saw the dragon stare at her from above, standing on the icy ledge.

“I make avalanches happen”, she said, her voice void of emotion again. “Even when they don’t want to happen.”

Byleth heard a foreboding rumble. She tried to Divine Pulse, but it was too fast after the previous one, combined with the straining memory imprint and the violent separation from the dragon’s mind.

She could only stare hazily as tonnes of snow came crashing down.

When Byleth opened her eyes, it was dark.

She was lying on her side and noticed the book pile on the nightstand. She was in Alear’s room. Or, for the time being, her room. She tried to flex her fingers under the blanket. They felt stiff and cold.

Right. The second shard. The avalanche.

Byleth felt immensely grateful. She was still alive, and assuming from lying in her bed, they had succeeded in breaking the Fell Dragon shard.

She tried to move her arm and found her other one, becoming slightly panicked because she couldn’t feel it at all. Then the fingers gently slid over the back of her hand and interlaced with hers, and she realized in her foggy mind that they were both right-side arms and the warm limb wasn’t hers.

“Someone had to keep you warm”, Byleth heard Ivy’s small, apologetic voice from behind her, hot breath pleasantly tickling her bare shoulder. “It wasn’t my intention to—I’m sorry. It’s just… for a while, I thought we lost you, too. We couldn’t find a heartbeat at all, but… there was a pulse, after a while.”

“I should be the one to apologize”, Byleth murmured. “I caused you unnecessary worry, and it couldn’t have felt pleasant being against my cold body.”

“We Elusians are used to the cold.”

“How did you find me from under all that snow?”

“It was, in fact, Zephyr who did. I think she smelled the juniper berries you always carry with you.” Ivy was quiet for a while. “How are you feeling?”

The warm body against her back was pleasantly distracting, but she could feel it tense up.

“I… This is a bit embarrassing, isn’t it? I—I should go now that you’re better.”

Byleth felt the mattress dip as Ivy propped the weight of her upper body on her left arm, but as she was about to pull away her hand, Byleth held onto it a bit tighter.

“W-wait, Ivy... You don't have to... I mean. What would you think about… staying here with me? Not that you have to! You’ve already been too kind to me and—”

“W-would you want me to stay?”

“You don’t need to, I don’t—”

“But would you want that?” Ivy insisted.

They were both silent for a moment.

“I… would”, Byleth admitted.

“Alright", Ivy breathed shakily, carefully settling down on her side again and pressing herself lightly against Byleth’s back. “Is this good? Are you comfortable?”

“I’m always comfortable when I’m near you”, Byleth said softly. Their fingers still interlaced, she bent her muscled forearm to bring Ivy’s hand to her lips, brushing a gentle kiss on her knuckles. She wasn’t expecting a kiss on her shoulder in return, and the touch made her groan dreamily, much to her embarrassment.

“I, uh… was that too forward?” Ivy asked, sounding flustered.

Byleth smirked.

“We’re in our underwear, spooning each other in my bed. I’d say you’ve nothing to worry about.”

“I still wouldn’t want to assume", Ivy said softly.

She felt sleepy again, enjoying their easy silence and shared body warmth.

“You were talking in your sleep earlier, and you mentioned this... Sothis again. Or rather… it seemed like you were talking to them.”

“Oh, was I? I’ll tell you all about it in the morning. Is that okay?” Byleth mumbled sleepily.

Ivy gave one more tender, lingering kiss on her shoulder, this time closer to her neck. Sighing contently, Byleth felt sleep coming for her fast, and this time, the shivers on her skin were not because of the cold.

Chapter Text

Alear walked out of the tavern with Jeralt, yawning. It was late.

“Remind me never to challenge a dragon to a drinking competition ever again”, Jeralt groaned. “I actually have to be at places in the morning, and you’re not even drunk.”

“I do feel a little… woozy? Besides, it was you who insisted.”

Jeralt grinned.

“Fair enough, kid.”

Alear had been surprised to meet the new Black Eagles student, Monica, at the tavern. The redhead hadn’t seemed interested at all in her when they first met, devoting all her spare time to Edelgard. Now, she was suddenly very keen on getting to know her, asking all kinds of seemingly harmless questions, but… she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with how the young woman acted.

Walking beside Jeralt, she was surprised to see all the three house leaders walking their way.

“Where are you all going at this hour?” Alear asked Edelgard.

“Oh, Alear, you’re still up. Claude said he noticed something strange and—” The Black Eagles leader first approached her, then pulled back a little. “Have you been… drinking? You reek of alcohol.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that”, Alear said off-handedly. “Jeralt wanted us to have a drinking competition, but it didn’t seem to have much effect on me.”

“I… see. One of your many special talents, then”, Edelgard said.

”I wonder what the other special talents are, and how Edelgard is privy to them”, Claude mused mischievously.

”Now, did you have something to show us or not?” the Adrestian princess said, her brow furrowing. Effectively deflecting the question aside, Alear did notice the slightest hint of a blush on the woman’s cheeks.

“All this, beneath Garreg Mach”, Alear said, wonder in her voice as she roamed around the Abyss. “How is this even possible?”

“I certainly wasn’t expecting this”, Edelgard agreed. “I wonder how far some of these tunnels go.”

The next time Alear had the chance to speak with Rhea, she’d have to ask more about this place and her stance on it. The library, especially, piqued her interest. Linhardt said many texts had been considered lost, destroyed, or outright banned—that it was practically a treasure trove. Apparently, he was going to stay reading all night instead of going to sleep, which was something in itself. To be honest, she would have loved to stay reading as well, but the tavern, the meeting, fighting, and getting to know the Ashen Wolves, discovering all this… She was so tired.

“I’m surprised Hubert hasn’t already arranged a search party for you”, Alear couldn’t help jesting as she and Edelgard walked back to their dorms.

The Adrestian princess smirked a little.

“He worries, but he knows I’m capable. And even he has to sleep sometimes, as inconceivable as it might seem.”

“I wonder if the sauna is still warm.”

“Excuse me? I thought you wanted to get rest as soon as possible.”

“After that fight underground and all, I’m quite dirty. I’d hate to go to bed like this.”

“I… admit a bath wouldn’t harm me, either.”

“Let’s go then”, Alear encouraged. “I think I’ve never seen you in the sauna, though?”

Edelgard looked slightly uncomfortable.

“That’s because I always make sure there’s no one around.”

“Oh”, Alear realized. “It must be because of… I see. Sorry. I didn’t think about that.”

“It’s alright.”

“Well, see you in the morning, then, when you come wake me up again. Goodnight, Edelgard.”

There was a pensive look on the woman’s face.

“W-wait, Alear.”

She turned around, looking at the house leader curiously.

“M-maybe… maybe I’ll come with you, after all.”

“You can go first”, Alear offered. “I can wait in the changing room until you’re ready. I’d hate to make you uncomfortable.”

“No. I’ll be the Emperor of Adrestia soon. It’s about time I start dealing with some of my… personal issues. I might as well start with the… external ones.”

“If you’re sure.”

They entered the sauna building, and Alear added some firewood to the stove.

“The stones are still a bit warm, this won’t take long”, Alear said, pleased.

They prepared the bathwater meanwhile, then started taking off their clothes.

Alear had always been comfortable with nudity, so she didn’t think much about being undressed around others. In the Somniel, they had a bathhouse similar to this one, and thinking back to it, Alear had probably seen every female ally in there apart from Ivy.

Edelgard looked as nervous as she imagined the Elusian would be if she were to partake in a public bath suddenly. The princess drew a deep, calming breath and squared her thick shoulders. She was clearly insecure about her body but tried to appear composed.

“So, now that I’ve come this far, you might as well take a good look”, Edelgard said resolutely as Alear tried to avoid looking at her directly. “I go to great lengths to cover this all on a daily basis, and I’m sure you can see why. I hate it. I hate how weak it makes me look. That I have allowed this to be done to me.”

It was easier to look at her as she already knew what to expect, but it was still a lot to take in. How much she must have suffered. 

There were sharply symmetrical and surgical scars all over her skin, accompanied by more crude scarring and old cauterization and stitch marks. Strange symbols were ritualistically carved on her skin. Alear supposed at least some of them were Crests. While the things done to her were horrible, there was something else, too.

Beauty.

Apart from her badly marred skin, Edelgard looked healthy—at least physically. Athletic and muscular, yet feminine. Her body proportions were balanced and powerful. She had small, perky breasts that fit the rest of her body and her impeccable posture perfectly.

For some reason, for all the women Alear had seen naked in her life, she felt her face flush.

“I… I can’t deny that it’s hard not to notice the damage your skin has suffered, but in all honesty, I see no reason to let it dictate the way you present yourself or think about yourself. I can understand that you see a permanent reminder of things that shouldn’t happen even to our worst enemies, but no… it doesn’t make you look weak. If anything, it makes you look like you could take on the entire world.”

Edelgard huffed a short, melodic laugh, a soft blush gracing her face.

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less from you. You are always so kind with your words. Nevertheless, hearing a dragon assess me so… it does flatter me somewhat.” Edelgard bit her bottom lip. “I’ll have you know I have… never undressed in front of anyone. When I’m around you, I just feel… strangely at ease. Like I can be just me for a moment.”

“I’m glad to hear that”, Alear said, still a little flustered. “Uh, so, shall we?”

They entered the bathing area and rinsed themselves quickly with some of the bathwater before heading to the sauna. Alear threw water on the heated stones atop the stove, and pleasant, warm steam filled the air.

“Mmh. It’s nice when it’s not too hot.”

“Yes. It is hot enough as it is”, Edelgard mumbled, and Alear wondered if she heard right. There was still a blush on the woman’s cheeks.

They didn’t spend too much time in the sauna, soon heading back to the bathing room.

She noticed Edelgard trying to wash her muscular back, the sponge in her hand not quite reaching all the spots.

“Would you like me to wash your back?” Alear asked.

“W-wash my back”, Edelgard parroted, glancing at Alear. “I, um…”

“I just—”

“W-well, actually… Yes, please. If it’s not any trouble.”

Alear chuckled.

“Of course, it’s not any trouble.”

She lathered her hands in soap, stepped behind the shorter woman, and massaged her deltoids.

“Wow, these are like rock. Does this feel good?”

“It… does”, Edelgard all but moaned, soon relaxing as Alear kept rolling her thumbs over the hard, thick muscles.

“I guess that big axe of yours doesn’t really move by itself, huh?”

“Mmm-hhmh.”

Alear smirked. After a while, she let go of the woman with her left hand.

“I’ll just push your hair over your shoulder so that—”

There was one more symbol on Edelgard’s body, carved on her upper back, previously concealed by her white hair, and Alear grunted as she saw it. It was as if it had burned straight through her eyes, and she felt a painful throb in her skull.

“What is it? Are you alright?”

“Y-yes, just a little—hnnngghh!”

She screwed her eyes shut and clapped her hands over her head as pain spiked sharply in her skull and an intensive, confusing scene pushed to the front of her mind. A woman she had never seen before, one with messy blue hair and big blue eyes, spoke to her urgently.

“Listen, Alear. This is important. Everything’s not what it seems. There are people working in the shadows. People who’d benefit from pushing the Empire and the Church into war with each other, and what’s more, they have the ability to shapeshift and assume innocuous disguises. Please, be careful. And—”

What? Who is this?

“And please… look after my students and Dad.”

Byleth?

The vision was over as soon as it had penetrated her mind, the piercing pain in her head subsiding as the vision faded.

“Alear? Alear! Are you alright?”

“E-Edelgard”, she gasped, “y-yes, sorry, I probably just pulled a muscle or something. I’m… better already.”

“Are you certain?” she insisted.

“I’m certain. Don’t worry.”

Edelgard didn’t look convinced but relented.

“I suppose I’ll just have to take your word for it.”

Alear finally paid attention to how close they were. Edelgard’s strong hands were wrapped around her shoulders, and their bodies were so close to each other that their chests lightly touched. She couldn’t look away from the lilac eyes that seemed unusually intense. A hand gently touched her face.

“Is there, um, hair getting in my eyes again?” Alear asked softly, her gaze lowering and staying on the other woman’s parted lips for a moment.

The Adrestian princess was about to say something; then they heard another voice.

A male voice.

“Lady Edelgard?”

It came from the changing room.

”It’s quite late. Is everything alright?”

Alear smirked.

”Don’t say anything”, the woman in front of her groaned, then cleared her throat to answer. “Yes, Hubert. We are just taking a bath. I’ll be right there.”

Edelgard looked embarrassed.

“My apologies.”

“I’m not sure what you’re apologizing for, exactly, but either way, apology accepted”, Alear said, smiling. They shared one more long look, then pulled away from each other, finishing their bath.

Hubert had politely left the changing room before they got there. They dressed wordlessly, Alear deep in her thoughts. The discovery of Abyss, the strange vision, the intimate moment with Edelgard… At the same time, she suffered from exhaustion and sensory overload.

What was Rhea’s involvement with the so-called Fourth House? She found herself wishing it wasn’t anything nefarious. There was something deeply broken in the Archbishop, she could sense it, and… she wished she could help her mend somehow. First, however, she’d need to know more, and a part of her feared how deep the rabbit hole went. Hopefully she would have time to talk with her the following day.

Then the vision, and the Black Eagles house leader… On the other hand, she wanted to tell Edelgard of the occurrence, letting her know that Byleth was probably doing fine for the time being and had found a way to reach her, but she needed to understand the message first. The Empire and the Church at war against each other… So she had been right. That was the future laid out for Fódlan unless something could prevent it. Alear shuddered at the thought. 

They walked in silence until they reached Alear’s quarters.

“So… I guess we’ll see in the morning, then?”

Edelgard didn’t say anything, didn’t look at her. It made Alear anxious.

“Are you okay? Have I done something? I swear I—”

“Can I… come inside for a moment?” Edelgard asked, cutting her off. “There’s something I wish to say to you.”

“Sure, of course.”

They stepped inside, and Alear closed the door, curious.

“I… am not very quick to trust people”, Edelgard admitted then, looking at Alear openly again. “Not usually. I have already been through so much and witnessed how people I thought were on my side twisted into monsters. Being the one to ascend Adrestia’s throne made me a target the moment I was the last offspring of my Father to survive the blood reconstruction surgery.”

Alear listened carefully, wondering where this was going.

“When I first met with Professor Byleth, naturally, I was wary of her, too. A notorious mercenary such as her, why would she care for more than her next paycheck? Maybe deliver me to someone who’d pay her enough while at it. However, truthfully… the moment she saved me from certain death during the very first hours we had met, she had already proven to me that she was someone I could, quite literally, trust with my life.”

”But how could you tell so quickly?”

Edelgard chuckled and shook her head.

“This will sound terribly sentimental and whimsical coming from me, but… I could see it in her blue eyes.” They looked at each other, Edelgard’s gaze loaded. “And… it’s something I can see in… your blue eyes, too.”

The Adrestian princess was quiet for a moment.

“Even if it’s selfish, a diversion from the purpose I have dedicated my life to, even I have certain… human needs. I already let her go, never quite bold enough to take things between us anywhere, to say anything to her. I would hate to make the same mistake again, never knowing if there could have been something more.” Edelgard averted her eyes for a second. ”While it’s still possible, in any case.”

Alear was quiet for a while, gathering her thoughts.

“Edelgard… it’s just… I—I don’t know if I will be here forever. Even if I were… you’d be long gone before the end of my days, and I don’t know how I’d handle that.”

For a while, there was a strangely sober look on the woman’s face.

“No one is here forever. Isn't that exactly what makes our brief moments of happiness so precious?”

Alear put her other hand on Edelgard’s waist and caressed her face with the other.

”You are so young, but the way you speak and look at the world... Are you sure there’s not a bit of dragon in you anyway?” 

Edelgard smiled wryly.

”Not unless Saint Seiros herself was a dragon, and I highly doubt that.”

They stood like that for a moment, Edelgard leaning lightly into Alear’s touch.

“I’ll confess… each morning I have come here, I have sat down for a moment and just... watched you sleep before waking you. You just looked so… calm and peaceful. It was as if your presence, even in your sleep, helped me find some tranquility as well. Does that sound weird to you? It probably does, doesn’t it?”

Alear had to suppress a giggle.

“Don’t forget I spent a thousand years of my life sleeping while people would come to me to do exactly that—watch me sleep, that is—so believe me when I say it doesn’t sound weird at all. That said…”

Edelgard looked expectant, but Alear had trouble finding the right words. Then again, maybe words weren’t always needed.

She felt nervous as she held Edelgard tighter by her waist. More nervous than a moment ago when they had both been naked in the sauna building, which was probably ironic. And yet, looking deep into the affectionate lilac eyes of the Adrestian princess, she found the courage to close the remaining distance between them, bringing their lips together.

Alear had never kissed anyone before, so she let her instincts guide her, trying to pay attention to Edelgard’s cues. It felt strangely intoxicating, she soon noticed. Intimate. Sensual. Something she couldn’t get enough of, igniting a fire inside of her.

The tip of Edelgard’s tongue touched her bottom lip, and she parted her lips, returning the gesture and earning a cute little whimper. Their tongues brushed, and the kiss deepened further, their bodies pressing tighter against one another. She felt Edelgard’s hand slide higher from her hip, against the side of her breast. Suddenly, she realized where this was headed fast.

”W-wait, Edelgard”, Alear panted, withdrawing a little. ”Do you, um, want to take this further already, or…”

The lilac eyes looking into hers appeared distracted and hazy, soon clearing as the woman seemed to realize what the half-voiced question meant.

”Oh! I apologize. It seems I got a little… carried away.”

The blush on Edelgard’s cheeks was adorable.

”Don’t worry about that, it felt… really nice. I just wanted to make sure you don’t do anything you might regret later.”

”I would only regret not choosing a better moment”, Edelgard said, smiling a little, then suppressing a yawn. “We should go to sleep. In our… own beds. Even if… a-anyway.”

They looked each other in the eye and shared one more tender kiss before bidding each other goodnight.

Alear watched as Edelgard turned around and walked to the door, about to open it.

”Can I ask just one thing before you go?”

”Of course. Anything.”

”What… are we to each other, exactly?”

Edelgard appeared thoughtful. Then she looked softly at Alear.

”I suppose that’s something we’ll have to find out, isn’t it?”

Alear smiled and nodded.

For now, that was enough.

Regardless of everything that had happened, it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. She dreamt of the burning Crest, the ominous warning, and the long, dark tunnels under Garreg Mach.

Chapter Text

“There sure are a lot of books in here!”

Alear lifted her gaze from the one she was currently reading, glancing at Monica absent-mindedly. She wasn’t entirely sure why the redhead had wanted to accompany her to the Shadow Library, as the Ashen Wolves called it. Then again, the young woman didn’t follow the same curriculum as the other Eagles students, already done with most of her studies, so Alear supposed she was just interested in having something new to dig into.

The vision haunted her—the urgency of Byleth’s message and the indication of a third party working behind the scenes—but she had absolutely no idea where to look. It didn’t seem likely the instigator would be the Kingdom; they were too religious to have a reason to rebel against the current system. The Alliance didn’t appear to have as close ties to the Church, but even if they might be agreeable to change, orchestrating a war seemed a bit radical.

Then there was, of course, the strange group of people that were helping Edelgard. She had called them… slithering in the dark something? However, it seemed they were just a small Empire-funded sect of dark mages researching Crests and some peculiar technology with questionable ethics.

Alear briefly thought about a room packed with dark Hannemans and smirked.

“The Feast of Decadence.”

Monica had strolled over and looked at the book she was reading.

“I wonder what Lady Rhea thought if she knew you were reading that.”

”If you’re that curious about her reaction, I can let you know how it went once I’ve asked her.”

”What? Are you serious?”

Alear giggled at that, then realized something.

“Wait. How do you know what this book’s about?”

Monica smirked.

“I have… heard of it. From Tomas. He has memorized many books that were later removed or banned.”

“Oh, right. You do hang out in the library a lot with him. I bet you know all the books by heart by now.”

“At least the most interesting ones”, the redhead said, picking up a book Alear had already leafed through and put aside on the table. “Oh, Romance of the World’s Perdition. This one’s my favorite. The author captured the mood so perfectly I could feel like I was there.”

Alear blinked.

“Really? It chilled me to the bone. I thought it would actually be about a romance.”

“I prefer more… darker tones, myself. Speaking of romance, though… You and Edel? You seem quite close.”

“Is that a question?”

“No. It’s an observation. You know… we used to be close, too, before I left for the Academy. Not that I resent her for moving on; we were just silly teens back then.”

“Uhhuh.” Alear turned a page, only half listening.

“Not that it matters if she has dalliances with girls, of course. She can still marry some man on the side just to help her produce heirs to the throne. Adrestian Emperors are known for keeping several consorts, you know.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to make me jealous for some reason”, Alear commented finally, putting down the book she had been reading.

Monica shrugged, unfazed.

“Just wondering if you know what you’re getting yourself into. Even if Edel didn’t care if you have a Crest or not, it’s not as if you two could knock each other up. Heirs will be expected of the ruler of Adrestia regardless of her preferences.”

“Um, are you sure that’s… not resentment? Because it kind of sounds like it.”

“No. You misunderstand. It… actually pleases me you’re on Edel’s side. Committed, in spite of all those insignificant little details. After all, the future Emperor should have loyal, capable people by her side”, Monica said then, looking thoughtful, and Alear couldn’t help the feeling that Monica was talking about something else entirely than her and Edelgard’s feelings for each other. “It’s… cute how tight-lipped she is about you.”

“I’m not sure what more there is to tell of myself than what we already discussed in the tavern the other day.”

“Must be that mysterious mercenary aura of yours, then”, Monica suggested airily.

”I assure you I’m a very boring person”, Alear said as she picked up Romance of the World’s Perdition again. ”I love sleeping, spicy food, and drinking tea with friends.”

“Is that so?”

Alear leafed through the book, searching for something.

“What are you looking for?”

“Since you said you adore this book so, maybe you could offer your thoughts on this one—ouch!”

Monica was quickly by her side.

“What happened?”

“I got a paper cut”, Alear hissed, dropping the book on her lap and grabbing her right hand with her left one. “From an old, tattered book! How is that even possible? Ahh, and it stings!”

“Let me get that”, Monica said, producing a napkin and quickly wiping the large pearl of blood off her finger. “Would be a shame to smear what’s left of the old book, right?”

”Right. Thank you, Monica.”

”So, what did you want to show me?”

”Uhh, so, this paragraph here…”

Alear walked toward the abbey. The monastery grounds seemed emptier than usual. Edelgard had said they would have several exams today, so with no weapons classes the whole day, Alear and Rhea had agreed to talk more over tea.

Thinking of Edelgard sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. The Adrestian princess had come to wake her as always, but this time with a kiss. After the kiss, there had been another, then another, and finally, they were both in her bed, making out. After their first kiss, Alear had already had a sneaking suspicion that Edelgard had at least some more experience than her, and now that she knew about the past between her and Monica, it made more sense.

They had lightly touched each other over their clothes. Their hands had stayed mostly in safe zones, although Edelgard was unabashedly interested in her feminine curves, tracing her hands around her breasts. It was sweet how she clearly tried her hardest to maintain some manner of modesty, but, to be honest, Alear wouldn’t have minded if she had been more forward.

“Ah. Here to see Lady Rhea”, Seteth stated as she entered the abbey.

“Uh, yes, we’re—”

“There’s no need to explain anything”, he said promptly, straightening his posture further, hands clasped behind his back. “I will make sure no one disturbs you.”

“Oh, thank you, Seteth. In fact, we do have some delicate matters to d—”

“No one will disturb you”, Seteth repeated resolutely.

“That’s… um, good then. Thank you.”

Again, Alear felt a strange tingling as she knocked on the door leading to Rhea’s quarters. She had half expected the sensations to have diminished since their last talk when the Archbishop’s true identity had been revealed. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.

The door opened, and she was greeted by Rhea’s serene smile and sparkling, mint-green eyes. She was again wearing the same stunning white dress she had the last time. 

“I have to say, Alear… just seeing you here, you have already made my day brighter than it would otherwise have been. Please, come in.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, Lady… I mean, Rhea”, Alear answered and couldn’t help feeling a little flustered.

They sat down at the small table.

“Where to begin?” Alear sighed, watching the steam rise from her teacup.

”We’re not in a hurry”, Rhea said softly.

Alear thought for a moment.

”I’ve come to an… assumption. I hope I don’t come off as… disrespectful if I present it to you.”

“Please, go on.”

“I have tried to study the history of this world, and…” Alear paused for a moment. “Can I… can I just be frank about this?”

Rhea nodded carefully.

“When I first arrived here, I could soon sense that you, Seteth, and Flayn are connected to each other. And, well, now I know why that is. Unlike them, though, Edelgard and Jeralt are humans. As are the knights and priests I have noticed bearing your essence as well.”

Rhea was quiet, her expression unreadable, and Alear continued.

“There is only one explanation since you have existed here for well over a thousand years. The War of Heroes I read about… you have actually witnessed it. No, fought in it. You must have. Right there on the Tailtean Plains. This saint, Seiros, to whom this church and this religion are dedicated to… She has to be none other than you. The Crest of Seiros Edelgard and Jeralt possess… it originates from your blood.”

Rhea was silent for a long time, her eyes downcast. For a while, Alear wondered if she was going to answer at all. Finally, she did.

“I’m afraid I… might not be ready for this conversation.”

Alear wanted to leave it at that, looking into the sorrowful mint-green eyes. Then she reminded herself of the urgent message hidden in the implanted second Crest the Adrestian princess bore. She feared she didn’t have much time on her hands. If they let this subject drop now, who knew if Rhea was ever going to open up about her past again.

“Rhea, please… I need to understand.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking.”

Rhea’s voice bore a hint of warning, but Alear refused to relent.

“I need to know the truth.”

“The truth? That I am the Seiros of the legends? Did you not figure that out already? Have you not already read the stories?” Rhea’s eyes narrowed. “What more do you wish to know?”

“Yes, I have read the stories from the books in Garreg Mach’s library, but I have also read the remaining banned books that have found their way into the library in Abyss, and something doesn’t add up. One of these books, especially, piqued my interest… Romance of the World’s Perdition.”

Rhea’s eyes widened, then blazed as she frowned angrily, her hands fisting.

“That filthy heretic text still exists”, she all but growled.

“Please, just listen to me, okay?”

Rhea didn’t say anything but allowed Alear to continue.

“I was a bit confused when reading it, at first. The author mentioned Old Gods, but also the False God, and something they refer to as beasts. At first, I thought they were talking about animals, some kind of dangerous predators, but… then I read further, and what they actually have to mean by beasts, is… dragonkin.”

“It would be a good time to stop now”, Rhea cut her off, her voice dangerously low. “You have no idea what happened. How painful it all was. You weren’t there.”

Alear could sense Rhea’s anguish, but she steeled her nerves.

“But Mother was. And for some reason, she either left this world or was forced to leave. As Lumera’s progeny, I have the right to know what happened.”

”I… suppose you do. It’s just… so very complicated”, Rhea sighed.

”I don’t really expect us to be able to go over a millennia’s worth of history over one cup of tea, but there are some things I find a bit, um, confusing, and I was hoping you could maybe shed some light on them?”

”I will… try.”

”From the Shadow Library, I found evidence of the church manipulating history. Not only did I come across things that didn’t match the official scriptures, but… There was a book that also suggested the church had actively pushed back Fódlan’s technological advancement, banning inventions and certain practices, clearly to… retain power. To exert more control over its subjects. Is that true?”

“Humans need to be controlled”, Rhea said, the sudden bite in her voice surprising Alear. “Give them power, and they will go mad with it.”

“Uh, right. That one book I mentioned earlier, it also referred to this False God as… Fell Star, indicating they came from the sky, as if a wayward celestial body had somehow crashed onto this world. And the mention of “Old Gods”? It can only mean that the “savior of the beasts”, Progenitor God, is, in fact, the one who invaded—”

“Enough”, Rhea said. There was a fire in her darkened, green eyes, and Alear found herself stunned by the stark change in her.

“But, um, I just mean, if Fódlan was already inhabited when the new goddess arrived, I guess it’s no wonder—”

“I said, enough”, Rhea snarled. “It was a genocide, and we did nothing to deserve it. We coexisted peacefully for ages before Agarthans turned on us in their arrogance and greediness, and when they couldn’t kill us themselves, the cursed cravens sent humans to slaughter us in their stead!”

There was pure hatred in the Archbishop’s eyes as she snorted derisively.

“King of Liberation, he called himself. Nothing but a filthy, common thief with borrowed power. The cowards killed my Mother in her sleep, along with everyone guarding her. Can you believe that? They plundered and defiled their barely cold corpses and turned their bones and blood and their very hearts into weapons against the rest of us, distributing them among themselves as if they were sharing bread!”

“R-Rhea—”

“ALL THAT IS LEFT OF MY MOTHER IS A WICKED… PERVERTED SWORD”, Rhea yelled, slamming both her palms against the table so hard that most of the tableware clattered to the floor. “A sword and a Crest Stone, neither of which are even in Fódlan anymore!”

Carefully, Alear stood up and approached the Archbishop. For a while, she was unsure how the woman would react.

“Rhea…”

“It isn’t fair! None of this is fair! I only wanted to bring her back again! T-to see her… at least… o-one more—”

Then she covered her face with her hands, and Alear realized the older woman was sobbing.

”Rhea”, she said soothingly and wrapped her arms around her, pressing her gently against herself. Soon, she felt arms around her, hugging her tightly, Rhea’s face buried in the crook of her neck.

“I’m here for you”, Alear cooed.

Rhea felt boneless against her, so she eased them down to the floor, gathering the woman tighter in her arms, gently stroking her mint-green hair. Soon, the sobs subsided, and they just held each other.

While stroking Rhea’s hair, Alear’s fingers grazed her ear. On a whim, she traced it and realized it was a different shape than hers. As she kept absent-mindedly caressing the pointy ear, she heard Rhea whine softly.

“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t thinking”, Alear apologized. “I just—”

“N-no, it feels… mmh.”

Encouraged by the words, she continued running her fingers along her ear and was rewarded by another soft whine. Suddenly, she felt Rhea’s lips brush against her neck, and she gasped, instinctively tilting her head a little to indicate she welcomed the touch. She felt the Archbishop press a kiss on her sensitive skin, then another one above the previous spot, sending pleasant jolts down her spine.

“Rhea”, she breathed and felt a hand pushing under her hair, on the back of her neck as the woman’s mint-green gaze locked with hers.

“Alear”, she whispered, leaning in carefully, observing her reactions. The younger dragon had every chance to stop what was happening if she had so desired, but instead, she met Rhea halfway, initiating a heated kiss between them.

It was as if she had been swept away by centuries of yearning as their lips moved sensually against one another’s, hungry and touch-starved, hands grabbing, touching, feeling. When they finally pulled away from each other for air, they were both out of breath, and Alear’s head was empty of all rational thoughts.

“I hope… I didn’t cross a line I shouldn't have”, Rhea said quietly, lightly touching Alear’s face.

“I… um, I was thinking about the same thing, so I guess we’re good then”, she answered, smirking a little. Rhea smiled bashfully, and they embraced again.

“Can I ask you something that’s not probably fitting for this moment?” Alear asked, holding the other woman against her.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Did you actually have a love affair with Wilhelm I?”

Rhea pulled back a little to look Alear in the eye. First, there was astonishment, then amusement in her green eyes.

“The Feast of Decadence?”

Alear nodded.

“I… suppose I did love him, but no, we weren’t lovers. Only warriors and comrades who had a great appreciation for one another. It is largely due to Wilhelm’s influence that I gave humanity another chance after the atrocities of the so-called King of Liberation and his accomplices. His passing brought me great sadness. It wasn’t unusual for my kin to have romantic affairs with humans, but…” Rhea shrugged.

”I thought for a while that maybe you and Edelgard are related, which… would have been, um, interesting, but apparently that’s not the case then.”

”It still amazes me you can sense even fragments of my essence, but the truth is that there are two ways of passing on a Crest. Normally, they are inherited, but they can also be implanted by direct blood transfusion, provided the blood comes from the source, which isn’t possible anymore in many cases. What comes to Lady Edelgard, she has inherited the Crest from Emperor Wilhelm, to whom I originally bestowed it upon. Some of the knights and priests have it due to a… secret initiation ritual. Jeralt, well… It's a longer story, but I once saved his life.”

”Oh.” Alear pondered all that for a while. “You said earlier that humans should be controlled. Did you really mean it? Is that why you founded the Church of Seiros?”

Rhea closed her eyes for a moment.

“I might have said that rather harshly, but I do believe they need our guidance. Humans live such short lives, forging on so passionately without the wisdom only time can grant, and sometimes, it causes them to act rashly and short-sightedly. Even to the point where they endanger everyone and everything near them.”

“I see. I have to ask… why did my mother leave Fódlan?”

“Lumera was perhaps the gentlest of my kind. Before the very first war we fought against the Agarthans, she could already sense the shift in the atmosphere, and it saddened her. She was very fond of humans and wished to watch over a young world yet uninhabited by any god-like creatures to avoid such a conflict that was quickly coming our way. With the help of Macuil, she found a promising world and left. We had no way of knowing if she ever reached it since the teleportation magic was very experimental, and even Macuil struggled to keep it stable enough. We only knew that if she reached her destination, she would name the world Elyos.”

Alear felt a lump in her throat.

“Oh, Mother. I miss her so much.”

“I’m so sorry”, Rhea said gently, caressing Alear’s cheek with her thumb, the younger dragon leaning into her touch.

“This reminds me of what you said about yours. You said she’d be in Elyos, now. How is that possible if she’s deceased, or did you just mean her… remains? The sword Byleth carries?”

Rhea sighed, withdrawing her hand.

“There is yet much you don’t know. I have done some… unsavory deeds. Clearly, you share Lumera’s kindness and fondness for humans, and to be honest… I hesitate to tell you everything. Everything I have done and… am capable of. I fear you might… despise me.”

“No one is perfect, Rhea”, Alear said, taking the Archbishop’s hands in hers. “You don’t know everything about me, either. It might not seem like that to you now, but I haven’t always walked this path. In the past, I have killed countless innocents. And not just humans, but… also my own kind.”

“T-truly?” Rhea looked genuinely surprised, even shocked.

“But… maybe this is enough for now?”

“I agree.”

They stood up, and Rhea looked remorseful as she glanced at the tableware on the floor.

”I apologize for losing my temper. It was unbecoming of me.”

”Don’t worry about that. Let me help you with those.”

After they had tidied the floor, there was a moment of silence, and Alear found herself doing the little shuffle she sometimes did when she was feeling nervous or bashful.

“Um, thank you for the… tea, Rhea.”

“The pleasure is all mine. I greatly appreciated this chance to… get to know you better. Hopefully, when next we meet, it will be a more… tranquil encounter. You could tell me more about your and Lumera’s world.”

“I’d be happy to.”

They moved closer to each other, and Alear wrapped her hands around Rhea’s wide hips. The taller woman smiled at her. 

”You have such a radiant smile... such beautiful, shining eyes. They are just like your mother’s”, the Archbishop murmured, caressing Alear’s face. ”Few know this, but, in fact… blue is my favorite color.”

Rhea’s soft, alluring voice was so pleasant. Alear found herself thinking she could listen to her recite mere grocery lists to her all day long as they leaned into each other and shared one more unhurried kiss. She couldn’t resist pushing Rhea’s hair back a little, gently running her thumb along one pointy ear. The Archbishop whimpered into the kiss, and Alear felt like melting, having drawn such a delicate reaction out of the older woman.

“I, uh... I should go”, she said thickly when they finally withdrew from each other. She didn’t really trust herself not to go further, so it would be the best course of action right now, regardless of what her addled brain tried to tell her. Rhea nodded, and she turned for the door.

“Oh, there was one more thing that almost slipped my mind”, the Archbishop said, and the young dragon looked at her curiously. “You might want to consider visiting Professor Hanneman.”

“Why is that?”

“He should be able to tell you more about your Crest.”

“But I don’t—w-wait.”

How obvious it was, and still, she hadn’t even considered it.

“Yes, Alear”, Rhea said, and there was reverence in her voice when she continued. “You are now the sole bearer of the Crest of Bonds.”

Chapter Text

Byleth looked up from the book she was reading. The skies were clear apart from the purple vortex looming above them, but despite its malevolent nature, there was a strange beauty in it, too. How could even the evil of this world look so vibrant?

She had spread a blanket on the grass and another thicker blanket over her shoulders. She felt an irritating tingle inside her nostrils and reached for a handkerchief just in time before sneezing loudly.

“Shouldn’t you be inside resting?”

Byleth looked over her shoulder and saw Céline walking toward her.

“Hello, Princess Céline. I just felt like I needed some fresh air.”

“And some heavy reading, it seems”, the Firenese princess noted, appearing to recognize the book on her lap just by looking at it. “Systems of Governance would not be the first suggestion on my mind for anyone, even if they were not down with the flu.”

Byleth smiled a little.

“I want to use my time here efficiently, and there is much I still don’t know about this world. I want to plan for the future in case I can’t return to Fódlan.”

“What might those plans entail, if you don’t mind sharing?”

“I’d like to continue teaching.”

“That’s an admirable goal”, Céline commended, nodding, then gestured at the blanket. “May I accompany you for a moment?”

“Of course.”

Céline sat elegantly beside Byleth and handed her a glass container filled with amber liquid.

“I came to bring you this. It’s cold brew iced tea with ginger, honey, and lemon. It should help alleviate the flu symptoms.”

“Oh? You didn’t need to, but thank you”, Byleth said cordially. She unscrewed the container and took a sip, making a delighted noise. “Mmh. It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad it’s to your tastes. Mother used to brew that for me and my brother whenever we had a cold.” Céline glanced around them. “To be honest, I expected you to have company.”

“Ivy is at the wyvern roost. She takes care of both of our mounts today.”

“If you don’t mind me saying, I think it’s wonderful that you two have bonded so effortlessly. I cannot even imagine how I would feel if I was suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar world. To find a connection with someone would surely feel like such a blessing.”

Byleth smiled fondly. Maybe her heart didn’t beat, but her chest still tightened as she thought about the Elusian crown princess and the night they spent together. The gentle arms around her, the soft body pressed against her back, the chaste kisses on her shoulder.

There was clearly something between them, but—

“Oh, please.”

Suddenly Byleth was inside her own mind again, Sothis rolling her eyes at her from her throne.

“Something?”

Byleth tilted her head a little to the side, blinking.

“Excuse me?”

“There is… ‘something’ between you? Do you think? Are you insulting my intelligence or yours?”

“But…”

“Wake up already” , Sothis exclaimed, jumping off her throne. ”At least you are both equally fatuous.”

“I just don’t want to presume anything only because she’s nice to me.”

“Whatever you want to call it. Perhaps, however, I should remind you of something while you still haven’t taken your infatuation further.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we subdue that self-important dragon plaguing this world, our priorities will change. Your princess will become a queen, busy restoring her war-torn nation while we resume finding our way back to Fódlan. And when we do, only the two of us will be leaving. No matter her feelings for you, the princess will not abandon her duties merely because of one misplaced mercenary.”

Byleth cast her gaze down.

“I… know. And I would never ask her to do that, either.”

She felt Sothis’s eyes on her, observing her for a while.

“Good.”

“—Byleth?”

“Oh. I apologize, Princess Céline, I—”

Byleth felt another sneeze coming up and managed to grab her handkerchief just in time, sneezing loudly into it.

“No, I should apologize. I should let you rest.”

“Don’t worry about it”, Byleth said, her voice raspy, putting the handkerchief away. “I’ve been reading here for quite some time. I should head back and try to eat something.”

“Sounds like a wise idea.”

Céline escorted her to Café Terrace, then excused herself as Prince Alfred wanted to speak with her.

Lunch had been served a good while ago, and there seemed to be no one around. Byleth cleared her sore throat and decided that some fruit would suffice for now, heading for the side door that led to the pantry.

The first thing her eyes landed on was not the fruit baskets, however, but Goldmary and Etie heatedly making out at the back of the room. The Elusian’s hands were fondling the archer’s muscles, while Etie’s hands—

“Don’t mind me. Just looking for some fruit”, Byleth said in a small, gravelly voice and reached for an orange. The two women didn’t appear to hear her.

“Hmm. Nice and round. The oranges in Fódlan seem a bit more squished compared to these. I wonder why that is.”

Etie let out a little delighted, muffled noise as Goldmary lifted her onto the counter, their lips never breaking contact.

“I’ll be going then.”

Byleth closed the door behind her and sat at one of the tables in the empty cafeteria. As she was peeling the orange, she saw Bunet entering the space, and they greeted each other politely.

“Hello. You’re on dinner duty today?”

“Yes”, Bunet answered, nodding. “It’s a bit early, but I was thinking of preparing something more refined since we have the day off, and the pre-preparations for the dish will take some time. How are you feeling?”

“All things considered, I’m fine, thank you for asking. Throat is sore, and muscles ache, but I’m sure we can continue the shard hunt tomorrow.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Byleth watched as the man took a few pans from the cupboard and headed for the pantry.

“You might want to wait for a moment”, Byleth suggested before Bunet laid his hand on the door handle. He looked a bit surprised but withdrew from the door. “The lunch crew is still finishing up in there.”

“Oh? Well, I could always sharpen the knives while waiting.”

As Byleth was finishing her orange and the tea Céline gave her, the pantry door opened, and Goldmary and Etie walked out. The former smiled sheepishly, fixing her braid, and the latter was blushing and awkward, effectively avoiding Byleth’s and Bunet’s eyes while mumbling a ‘hello’.

After disposing of the orange peels, Byleth considered going to her room to rest, but the weather was so beautiful that she decided to go for a little walk before that. Many of the allies seemed to be training, and she ended up sitting down near Citrinne and Alcryst to watch Lapis and Diamant’s sparring session.

The two Brodians had a considerable size difference, Lapis being a whole foot shorter than the broad-shouldered man, but that didn’t stop her from holding her own against him. Her arms and legs were thick and strong, and she handled her large practice blade effortlessly. Byleth couldn’t help falling into her analytical teacher role as she observed Lapis’s form and techniques. She had clearly worked hard under a demanding teacher.

She glanced at Citrinne and Alcryst. Somehow, it appeared as if the two of them were slightly more interested in ogling their robust friend than in the actual sparring session. It was a hot day, so Lapis was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and apparently, her flexing muscles were too distracting for both her lord and fellow retainer.

Suddenly, Lapis yelped, and the practice blade clattered to the ground.

“Whoah, I had no chance of blocking that”, Lapis panted, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“It was just a lucky swing”, Diamant said, out of breath himself.

“Just a lucky swing, huh? And what about when a Corrupted soldier sends a blow like that my way?”

“Do you mind if I show you something”, Byleth asked, then coughed into her forearm as raising her voice made her throat tickle irritably.

“Oh, Professor Byleth! I didn’t notice you there”, Lapis said, looking embarrassed. “Um, shouldn’t you be resting, though?”

“I’ll go to bed soon, don’t worry, but let me demonstrate something first. We are roughly the same height, so I could give a few pointers on deflecting a blow and counterattacking when you find yourself in a situation like that against a taller foe.”

Lapis shared a look with Diamant, then with Citrinne and Alcryst.

“O-okay. Just, please, don’t exert yourself too much just because of me.”

Byleth grabbed a practice sword and faced Diamant.

“Let’s emulate what just happened, shall we?”

“Uh, sure”, Diamant said. “What do you want me to do?”

“Raise your weapon. Let’s go through that move you did in slow motion. Pause when you make contact.”

“Alright.”

Diamant began lowering his practice sword just like he had done when he had managed to disarm his sparring partner.

“Now, this is what happened”, Byleth explained as the sword got closer, and she turned the blade just like Lapis had done, moving her body accordingly and stopping as Diamant’s sword touched hers.

“As you can see, it’s impossible to divert the momentum at this point. You’d lose either the hand or the blade even if you’d be physically stronger than your opponent.” Byleth paused for effect. “Or will you? Let’s do this again, and this time, a bit faster.”

Diamant complied, bringing his practice weapon down more swiftly.

“A bit faster again, and use more force”, Byleth asked, and this time, the blade nearly dropped from her hands as their weapons made contact.

Byleth nodded, pleased.

“As demonstrated, it’s already almost impossible not to lose control of your weapon since the opponent has the upper hand. Let’s try this again, and this time, don’t hold back.”

“A-are you sure, Professor Byleth?”

She smiled a little.

“Respectfully, Prince Diamant, I’ve been a mercenary all my life. If that's your concern, I’ve fought against foes bigger than you.”

“Right. My apologies.”

Diamant swung the practice sword down with full force, a stunned look on his face as his weapon clattered far beyond his reach while Byleth’s practice sword was still securely in her hands.

The Brodians around her gasped.

“H-how did you do that”, Lapis spluttered.

”I’d be happy to show you.”

“Uh, okay, sure, but only if you promise to rest after this.”

“I’ll promise.”

After the training session, Byleth walked toward her room. She felt sore and tired but was happy to have had the opportunity to bond with the Brodians. On the way back, she also met Timerra and her retainers, who gave her a healthy amount of beef jerky they had prepared to ‘ensure speedy recovery’. Or, jerky of some kind, at least. When Byleth asked what animal it was made from, all three had merely assured the meat was highly ethical, and she had left it at that.

She could smell something delicious simmering in a large pot when she arrived at the Café Terrace. Maybe she’d asked Bunet to save some leftovers for her in case she’d end up sleeping over the dinner.

Fogado was there, too, and they greeted each other.

“I’m going to rest for a while. Would you mind putting some aside for me in case I’m too tired to join for dinner?”

“Absolutely, Professor Byleth”, Bunet assured.

“Thank you.”

“What’s that you got there”, Fogado asked, nodding at the wrapped bundle Byleth was carrying.

“Oh, this. I met your sister and her retainers on my way here, and they were adamant this nutritious jerky would help me get better. There’s quite a bit of it, though. Do you want some?”

Fogado looked a bit awkward and chuckled.

“Oh, no, thank you. I know they did everything they could for poor old Aurora and that it’d have been a waste to just… get rid of her body or something, but… I think I just can’t.”

Byleth stared at the dark-skinned man with wide eyes.

“Excuse me? What meat is this?”

“Oh, it’s uh… Chloé’s old pegasus. The poor animal was severely injured sometime before you got here. I have… never seen that woman eat something and cry at the same time.”

“I… see. Thank you for telling me.”

“I know it’s hypocritical not to eat Aurora while I have no problem with animals hunted from the wilds. I mean, at least she had a good life. But I guess it’s just how we humans are. We know someone, and suddenly eating their corpse feels weird”, Fogado mused, shrugging.

“Yes… I suppose so.”

Byleth headed upstairs into her room, leaving the jerky on the side table. She was more tired than she had imagined she’d be, and sat heavily on the edge of the bed. She felt a tickle up her nose and pulled out another handkerchief, sneezing into it multiple times.

She heard a knock at the door.

“Yes? Come in”, she said in a hoarse voice.

Hortensia’s head peeked inside.

“Oh good! You’re alone.”

Byleth hadn’t interacted with Ivy’s sister much yet, but it was obvious enough why Hortensia would want to talk with her.

“Please, have a seat”, Byleth said, gesturing toward an armchair near the bed, and the Elusian took the offered seat. “What brings you here?”

“I know you should be recovering, but I won’t take much of your time”, the girl said.

“Take as long as you need, Princess Hortensia. Somehow, I suspect this visit concerns Princess Ivy.”

“Yeah…” Hortensia chewed on her bottom lip, then drew a deep breath and carried on, setting her jaw and straightening her posture, a serious look in her eyes. “I just wanna know… What are your intentions with my sister?”

Byleth was quiet for a while.

“I… I’m not really sure what to say to that. I like being around her, and I appreciate her companionship, and…”

Hortensia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“You ‘like being around her’? You… ‘appreciate her companionship’?”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“You’re talking about her like she’s a family dog or something! Why does my sister keep falling for girls like that?”

“Oh. I’m afraid you misunderstand, I—”, Byleth coughed several times, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She reached for the glass on the nightstand, drinking a little. “Sorry. What I meant to say is… In all honesty, I do feel more than just friendship toward your sister. I have to ask, though, what did you mean by her ‘falling for girls like that’?”

Hortensia sighed.

”She was so taken with Divine One, it was painful to watch. And don’t get me wrong, the Divine Dragon was nothing but nice to her, but that’s it—nice! She wanted to be friends, only without having the heart to explicitly tell her so because, you know, nice, and… If you’re here just to be another nice friend to Ivy, tell her that now!”

Byleth smiled. How lucky Ivy was to have a sister like that who genuinely cared for her.

“This reminds me that I had a little chat with Céline earlier this day.”

“W-what about Cél—I mean, d-don’t try to change the subject now!”

“Oh? It just seems you two are quite good friends as well, isn’t that right?”

“P-professor—”

“Or maybe something more? She told me of your… what was it again? Softness contest? It sounded cute. She said you were adorably blushing all the—”

“WAAAHH!”

In less than four seconds, Hortensia was out the door. Byleth shook her head, amused, and laid herself on the bed. Maybe she would close her eyes for just a moment, then have dinner with the others.

“Byleth?”

She jerked awake.

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to startle you”, she heard a familiar, soft voice. Ivy stood beside her bed, gently smiling down at her, her hand on her shoulder. “I just… wished to see you.”

“Princess Ivy…”

It was dim in the room. How long had she slept? She pushed her torso off the mattress and sat on the edge of the bed, wiping her eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better, actually”, Byleth answered, surprised that her throat didn’t feel that sore anymore. Maybe Céline’s cold brew tea was more potent than she had thought. She reached for the water pitcher, but Ivy was quicker.

“Let me get that for you", she said gently, pouring some water into the glass and handing it to Byleth. “I first visited you around dinner to ask if you’d join us, but you were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you. Bunet said he had already promised to pack dinner leftovers for you. Now that you’re awake, I could heat it and bring it to you. You must be hungry after all that sleep.”

“Oh. Uh, thank you. Even if I feel bad for having a princess pamper me.”

Ivy chuckled as she watched Byleth drink her water.

“I’d hardly call giving you a glass of water and bringing you food from downstairs pampering.”

“You took care of my wyvern, too. If this wasn’t wartime and you were in Elusia, wouldn’t you have a servant do that?”

“Despite my royal station and my late Father’s wishes, I have always cared for my mount—or, Hedera—myself. I don’t really have many hobbies worth mentioning besides reading, but spending time with these gorgeous beasts is something I genuinely enjoy. Also… I feel like I’m repeating myself, but I’d like it if you called me just Ivy. At least when there are no other people around.”

Byleth nodded.

“Okay then.”

Ivy smiled at her.

“I’ll be right back.”

She disappeared from the room and returned with the heated meal after a while. Byleth hadn’t even realized how hungry she was, every last crumb soon gone from the plate.

“That was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I’ll have to thank Bunet when I see him”, Byleth said, sighing contently as she placed the empty plate on the nightstand. Ivy was sitting next to her on the edge of the bed. “I must admit that I feel strangely bad eating in Divine One’s bed like a brute, even if it makes no sense. It’s not as if this room won’t be cleaned when… or if…”

Byleth still didn’t quite know how to feel about the uncertainty regarding her presence in this world. She had been pulled here so suddenly, seemingly without any explanation. Maybe she would be pulled back to Fódlan in the same manner when she least expected it, without being able to say goodbye to her new friends. Despite how much she wished to see her students and Father again, the thought of being yanked back there, out of the blue, was even worse than just having to remain in this peculiar, vibrant world.

She felt a hand on her knee.

“Byleth? Is everything alright?”

“I was just thinking about how much I’d miss you if I were suddenly sent back to Fódlan”, she admitted quietly, placing her hand over Ivy’s.

She turned to look at the Elusian, who cast her gaze down as soon as their eyes met.

“I… truly wish you could get back to your home world, that you’d be reunited with your friends and father again, but… I’ll be honest. There’s also a terribly selfish part of me that wishes… you could stay.”

Byleth felt her chest tighten again. A surge of something warm traveled through her, and she just acted, cupping Ivy’s cheek and gently urging her to meet her eyes again. Then she leaned in and, at the last moment, pressed their foreheads together instead.

“B-byleth?”

“Sorry.”

“W-why are you apologizing?”

“I wasn’t thinking. And… I don’t want to risk you catching the flu as well.”

Ivy pulled back a little, her purple eyes looking into hers fondly.

“Even if I already hadn’t contracted it when sleeping next to you and keeping you warm… maybe I wouldn't care if I caught it now?”

“Ivy…”

Then, just like that, the Elusian kissed her, her lips as soft and sweet against hers as she had imagined.

“I–I’m sorry”, Ivy stammered as she pulled away a little, self-conscious and blushing furiously, “I—I know I’m exceedingly inexperienced and—”

Byleth looked at her beautiful princess dreamily and silenced her with another kiss, looping her arms around the woman’s neck. Soon, Ivy’s arms wrapped tightly around her in return, and Byleth could feel the Elusian’s confidence increasing rapidly as their kisses deepened.

Eventually, they had to come up for air, and for a moment, they just looked each other in the eyes.

“You know… I have always wondered what this would feel like”, Ivy said, smiling bashfully. “If it’s really as magical as they make it sound in stories. For so long, I wished I could share my first kiss with Divine One, but then I finally realized she was looking for something else. And that… maybe I was looking for something else, too. She will always be my beloved deity, but you… In your short time here, you have already touched my heart in a way no one else ever has. And even if you would end up returning back to Fódlan… I’d rather have universes separating us than have never had the courage to see how far we can go in this one.”

Byleth smiled and gave Ivy another tender kiss.

“I guess nothing is forever, at least for us humans. Just know that as long as I’m here, I’m yours. Will you… stay the night?”

“I would like that very much”, the Elusian admitted shyly. “I should, however, get some things from my dorm room first. Such as a proper nightgown. I’ll be back soon.”

Ivy left the room, and Byleth stared after her, still smiling. She could hear Sothis groan somewhere inside her mind and scold her for her poor life decisions, but she didn’t care. It would be painful, but even if she woke up in her bed in Garreg Mach the very next morning, she wouldn’t regret falling in love with the enchanting Crown Princess of Elusia.

Chapter Text

“Fascinating… this is very fascinating!”

Alear glanced at Hanneman uncertainly, her hand still on the Crest reading device.

“Um, yes, you have said that maybe four times now, so I guess it’s kind of starting to sink in. Can I remove my hand already?”

“Oh, yes, yes, I apologize, I’m just so—”

“Fascinated?”

“Indeed! Yes!”

Hanneman fussed around the readings, drawing the Crest design on paper and scribbling some quick notes next to it.

“What do you make of it?”

“It’s hard to tell yet”, Hanneman said distractedly. “It’s something I certainly haven’t seen, but the design is… strangely nebulous.”

“Nebulous?”

“Yes, well… The shapes don’t quite follow the usual conventions, and the Crest symbol is also… well, for lack of a better word, blotchy. It might be a calibration issue, but even so, it’s highly unusual.”

Alear looked at the image on the device thoughtfully.

“Even though I’m far from a Crest expert myself, I think I can see what you mean. It looks much cruder than the ones I have seen.”

“Hmm, yes.” Hanneman turned around, his eyes lighting up. “You probably don’t mind if I take a quick flesh sample?”

“Flesh sample”, Alear repeated, staring at the man. “Is a blood sample not enough?”

“It would only be a tiny bit I require”, Hanneman assured her, “although… if I could get both a flesh and a blood sample…”

“Uh, fine. Take what you need. If it helps you decipher what that strange reading means, it’s all that matters.”

“Marvellous! Now, sit down here, please, and if you could reveal your forearm…”

Alear did as asked, removing her steel vambrace and pulling up the sleeve of her gambeson.

“I have to ask, what made you so interested in Crest research?”

“Oh. Well, Crests have always fascinated me, and the possibility of finding new or rare ones is always exciting, of course.”

Hanneman strapped Alear’s forearm onto the chair’s armrest and picked something up from a side table. She glanced at the hollow needle in his hands as he approached her and swallowed. 

“That’s… uh, bigger than I thought.”

“There is nothing to worry about, it will be but a little nip!”

“R-right. I was just wondering what you are trying to achieve with your research? I have heard some people criticize the Crest system, saying it’s, um, problematic, and—OUCH!”

“Marvellous, so few are willing to give the flesh sample. It didn’t hurt that much, did it? Then the blood…”

Alear hissed a little, her eyes watering.

“Is the… needle for that a little thinner at least?”

“Hmm, yes. What was it you just asked… ah! The purpose of my research. I am, in fact, trying to investigate a way to make Crests available for anyone who wishes to obtain one.”

Alear watched the needle neatly puncture her skin.

“I’m not sure what I expected you to say, but I wasn’t expecting that. Why would you want everyone to have one?”

“Contrary to what you might have thought based on my work, I am well aware of the societal problems and inequity the Crest system is causing. As you might know, even Crest bearers do not necessarily pass them on to their offspring. My very own sister is long gone now because of it, forced to produce children for her Crest-obsessed husband until she died, none of them manifesting a Crest.”

“That’s horrible! I’m so sorry.”

Hanneman pulled the needle out and pressed a piece of folded gauze over the puncture site, a wistful look in his eyes.

“Even if I couldn’t help her, I hope I could at least help others. Now… Imagine a world where anyone could be implanted with a Crest.”

“Oh... I see what you mean.”

Hanneman nodded and smiled at her.

“I will inform you when I have the results.”

The books in Garreg Mach’s library opened up in a different light to Alear as she read them now, knowing the true identity of Saint Seiros and how she had shaped the history of Fódlan. Alear was now hunting for clues as to what the Agarthans Rhea had mentioned in passing actually were, but the books offered little new insights as she leafed them through. It was clear Rhea had intended to make it appear as if these people, the original inhabitants of Fódlan, never existed in the first place.

While Alear had to admit that she found it discomforting how far Rhea had gone to mold this world according to her whims, she also felt compassion for her. The genocide of her people, losing all her loved ones, the gross pilfering and repurposing of the bodies of her kin…

Alear shivered with disgust. If someone had done something like that to her Mother, defiled and weaponized her corpse…

Now that she thought about it, Rhea had also mentioned her own mother. What had she really meant with wanting to see her again? How would it be possible? Some dragons, such as Sombron and Zephia, possessed powerful magical abilities, but resurrecting the dead sounded a bit much. Even her Father could only raise mere mindless husks. Surely, Rhea wouldn’t want to confront her mother again like that.

Another idle thought crossed her mind, and she wondered exactly what kind of relationship Lumera and Rhea had had before the Divine Dragon Monarch left Fódlan. Rhea had talked so fondly of her that they must have been close.

Alear was roused from her musings by the strange feeling of being watched, and her eyes lifted from the book she was browsing through. There was no one else besides her and Tomas in the library, however. The old man smiled at her and continued going through the pile of new study books that had arrived earlier. 

After a while, the door opened, and Monica entered the library.

“I see you’re busy reading again”, the redhead commented, walking to her. “Haven’t you read that book already?”

“I’m looking for something specific and thought I might have missed it earlier, but there’s nothing”, Alear explained, frustrated.

“And what are you looking for?”

“Oh hey, maybe you’d know. After all, you seem well-acquainted with many of the banned books.”

“Shoot me”, Monica said, flopping down on a chair near her nonchalantly.

“Who were Agarthans?”

The entire mood in the room seemed to change suddenly. The redhead obviously hadn’t expected the question, the name clearly meaning something to her. Alear noticed how the girl quickly glanced at Tomas.

”It is… surprising you are familiar with the name”, the man said then, instead. “That is not something many know of anymore. May I… ask where you have come across that?”

“Uh, it was in some book in the Shadow Library. I just can’t remember which right now. The name just stuck in the back of my mind, and I found it strange why I hadn’t come across it anywhere else.”

Tomas looked pensive.

“Hmm, maybe… perhaps there is a mention in that one”, he muttered to himself.

“Is there anything you can tell me about them?”

“There is little to tell, I’m afraid”, Tomas said apologetically. “Based on all I’ve read, I cannot say much beyond that they once existed and then disappeared, a long time ago.”

Alear thought about that for a moment.

“They… vanished? Just like that?”

“Yes, well—”

The door opened, and Manuela peeked in.

“Oh, sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but there’s another shipment of study books, and I’d need you to sign the papers for the courier.”

“But of course”, Tomas said and reached for his cane. “Excuse me, young ladies, we will have to continue this some other time.”

“Why are you so interested in that”, Monica asked once Tomas and Manuela were gone.

“I just find it curious how thoroughly any references to them have been removed.”

Monica scoffed.

“What’s so curious about that? As you can see in the Shadow Library, there are all kinds of things the church would rather not let its subjects learn about.”

Alear hummed noncommittally.

“True, but… I’m just thinking…”

“What?”

Monica sounded unusually impatient.

“I mean, surely that’s one of the reasons, but what if there’s more to it? What if these Agarthans themselves removed all traces of themselves?”

“And why do you think they’d have done that?”

Alear sighed and shrugged, frustrated. The conversation was going nowhere, and Monica and Tomas had been her best bets of knowing anything.

“I… don’t know. Maybe I’m trying to see something that isn’t there.”

“Yeah, maybe you are”, Monica agreed.

“There is likely nothing about them because they weren’t worth mentioning in the history books to begin with. Just another tribe unwilling to conform to the church’s ideals, their name lost in time as they were subjugated and merged into the new system.”

“The strongest mages to ever exist, more advanced than any of the beasts, would allow themselves to be made pawns of the church, are you kidding me”, Monica exclaimed, springing up from her seat, her outburst taking Alear by surprise. She seemed to realize her mistake right after, cursing under her breath. “Ahh, I mean…”

Alear just looked at the girl, waiting for her to carry on.

“Fine”, Monica huffed, sitting back down, her cheeks a little red. “The truth is…”

“Yes?”

“I’m… uhh.”

Alear tilted her head.

“I’m… researching them.”

“Oh? So that’s why you were so acquainted with the banned books! Why didn’t you say so?”

“It’s not something I should spread around here. The church doesn’t take kindly to matters they’d rather keep buried underground”, Monica muttered, spite in her voice.

“Then is there anything you could tell me?”

“Not much more than what Tomas just said. The research is going slow because so much of the source material has been destroyed or tampered with, but uh, I’ll keep you updated.”

“I’d appreciate that”, Alear said contemplatively. “So, the strongest mages to ever exist, huh? And more advanced than the others of their time?”

“Yes, well, yeah. But hey, please don’t mention to Tomas that we had this conversation, okay? He might know all kinds of stuff, but the old man’s still in the church’s pocket, you know. I’d hate him to… inconvenience me.”

“Oh, sure, right. Don’t worry”, Alear assured her. “You can count on me.”

She stood up and put the book away.

“Done for today?” Monica asked.

“It’s soon time for weapons training, I might as well get ready. Do you want to come and watch?”

The redhead shrugged.

“Might as well, I guess. I have something to talk about with Edel, anyway.”

As they were walking and Alear reflected back on their conversation, something occurred to her—an odd phrase Monica had used. Maybe the girl just felt some kind of compassion for these poor people she was researching, oppressed by the church and wiped from existence, but…

More advanced than any of the… beasts?

Alear and Flayn were sitting next to each other on a pier. The fishing contest Seteth had organized to cheer up her daughter had already ended, but the two dragons had stayed, just talking to each other.

“Now that there’s no one else around, I just want to say how happy I am for you that you have a father like Seteth", Alear said quietly, smiling. “He loves you so much, it’s so endearing.”

“That’s such a sweet thing to say”, Flayn said and smiled as well. “I’ll have to confess, though, sometimes it feels like Father still thinks I’m but a helpless whelp.”

“He… does seem a little overprotective from time to time, but maybe his behavior is not completely unfounded. You were only recently kidnapped, after all.”

“Oh, that was a horrible ordeal, indeed. We are forever indebted to you for saving me.”

“No, please, Flayn. We have already talked about this. The only thing that matters is that you’re safe. Besides, it was a team effort; I could have never managed to save you alone.”

“Say what you will. I might have been unconscious, but I heard the others talk about your heroic deeds. Even if you must feel homesick, I have to say it has been such a pleasure and privilege getting to know you. A dragon from another world! Who would have thought I’d get to meet someone like that one day!”

Alear smirked.

“It’s a shame I can’t introduce you to my sister, Veyle. I’m sure you two would get along so well.”

“A shame, indeed. To think there’s a whole world where dragons can live freely among humans!”

“I just hope the others have found some way to stop my Father. Sometimes I forget there was… or is… still a war going on in there.”

“Don’t worry, Alear. Professor Byleth is there now, and she is pretty amazing in a fight as well.”

“I’m sure she is.”

“I was just wondering… Does anyone apart from my Father and Aunt Rhea know what you really are?”

“I, uh… Edelgard and Hubert know because of… reasons, but I haven’t told the others.”

“I see.”

Flayn was quiet for a moment.

“What are you thinking?”

“Do you have tasty fish in Elyos?”

It was finally time for the long-awaited Battle of Eagle and Lion.

Alear felt excited to be allowed to participate in it under the banner of the Black Eagles, substituting Caspar, who had pulled a muscle in his arm during training. They had all been handed life-like practice weapons, and mages had been equipped with magic dampeners to ensure everyone's safety, but the blows and offensive spells would still hurt. 

Edelgard smiled at her, confident and dazzling. There was something especially glowy about her today that Alear couldn’t really explain, but it made her feel strangely excited. She felt a strong urge to wrap her arms around the Adrestian princess and kiss her, but there was nowhere they could sneak to do it discreetly, already moving to take their positions in the large field. She would have to settle for reminiscing the kisses they had shared that morning as Edelgard had come to wake her up again.

Church officials had gathered to watch the event as well. They were standing up on a hill right next to the field. Alear and Rhea’s eyes met as she looked up, and the young dragon felt another shiver in her spine. Even across the distance between them, she could sense the fondness and… something more between them. A gentle breeze was blowing, and Alear could actually smell Rhea’s scent, so overpowering that it dominated the scents of the other two dragons accompanying her.

Combined with feeling Edelgard’s body heat radiate near her, she felt a blissful sensory overload and allowed herself to bask in it for a moment. Why were her senses so heightened now? She groaned and shook her head. Edelgard’s pride as a house leader was on the line; naturally, she expected them to give their all today. She needed to concentrate.

“Is everything alright?” the princess asked, as if on cue, touching her shoulder warmly. Alear smiled at her. How gorgeous she was, always exuding elegance and power, those beautiful, lilac eyes looking straight into hers.

“Better than ever and raring to go”, Alear said breezily, making sure her ponytail was secure and all her blue hair where it should be, out of the way. At times, she still expected to see the odd red locks of hair and one red eye when she looked into the mirror, but honestly, she welcomed the change. It made her feel all the more as if a part of Queen Lumera still lived on in her.

Briefly, Alear wondered why Hubert wasn’t by Edelgard’s side like he always was, but then she noticed he seemed to be in the middle of some kind of a debate with Ferdinand. Petra was stretching her muscles like a cat, and Bernadetta was hugging her bow, her eyes darting around the field. Caspar was already cheering for Linhardt, who tried to tell him to be less loud before he would embarrass them both.

“Any last pieces of advice or words of encouragement?” Dorothea asked as she approached them, a charming smile on her face. “Edie? Bluey?”

“Bluey, huh?” Alear said, chuckling. “That’s a new one. Don’t you usually use diminutives of everyone’s first names?”

Dorothea smirked, her green eyes twinkling.

“Allie just didn’t sound right.”

Edelgard looked warmly at Alear.

“Of those options, I agree the former suits her better. As for words of encouragement… just be yourself, Dorothea, and we will surely achieve victory—even if you were the last Eagle standing on the battlefield.”

“Such flattery”, Dorothea giggled. “I’d better not disappoint my future Emperor, then.”

“How could you ever disappoint me, my dear Dorothea?”

Maybe Alear just imagined it, but it was as if the Songstress had blushed a little, and that didn’t happen too often.

“FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE!”

Alear and Edelgard leaped at two of the last three defenders of the Gronder Field, Dimitri and Dedue, the men taken aback by the sudden second wind of the two Eagles. Somewhere in the background, Dorothea was fighting off Ingrid, her magical reserves so badly depleted that she had opted to loot and use someone’s sword as a backup, dodging the pegasus knight’s tired lancework while looking for an opening.

Edelgard’s practice axe went brutally through the lance Dimitri tried to block the blow with, connecting with his chest plate and throwing him off balance, while Alear elegantly leaped over Dedue and lightly tapped his neck with the flat of her practice sword.

“Dead. Sorry, Dedue.”

Edelgard helped Dimitri up from the ground and was about to dash to help Dorothea, but Alear grabbed her by the arm.

“You trust her, right”, Alear panted, breathless after the furious fight.

“O-of course I do, but—”

“Don’t worry, we have practiced this”, Alear assured her, and begrudgingly, Edelgard took a step back.

Ingrid yelled and swung wildly with her lance, almost hitting Dorothea in her midriff. Her arms were tired, and frustration made her attacks sloppy. She swung again, but this time, Dorothea grabbed the lance’s shaft and pulled with all her remaining strength. Surprised and weary, Ingrid yelped and landed in Dorothea’s arms, practice sword lightly pressed against her throat.

“Dead”, Dorothea said in a low, sultry voice and smirked a little.

Ingrid stared at the brunette with wide eyes, then seemed to realize how close they were, grunted, and pushed herself off the other woman. Without saying a word, she stomped off, her face red.

The three women smiled at each other, and the horns sounded, concluding the battle.

“Congratulations, Edelgard”, Dimitri said sincerely, and the two shook hands. Also Claude appeared from somewhere to congratulate the Black Eagle leader. There was talk of a feast, and even if it really meant just the regular food in the dining hall, the thought of everyone participating in a relaxed get-together sounded more than welcome.

“Just add some more thyme in it, and it’s good to go”, Raphael commented on the meat stew Ashe was stirring. “Herbs are the best greens with meat, always use plenty!”

“In Brigid, we are often using wild marjoram with meat dishes like this”, Petra said, tasting the stew.

“Marjoram, huh? Isn’t that kinda like oregano?”

“Yes, but more sweet, more mild. It is not hiding the taste of meat so much and still adds a pleasing flavor.”

“I gotta try that the next time, thanks for the tip!”

Alear smiled at the people working together, the team spirit warming her heart. Everyone was doing something to get the feast ready. Even Hilda, who had been utterly reluctant to do anything, was sent by Claude to chop firewood with Alear. Despite all the complaining beforehand, they completed the task much quicker than Alear had anticipated. The young noblewoman was as skilled with a chopping axe as her battleaxe, her trendy clothes and vain demeanor hiding a strong and able body.

With so many people helping with the feast, all the tasks, except adding the finishing touches to the dishes, were done soon. While the others conversed around the tables, Alear watched Mercedes and Annette garnish little cupcakes. She was about to ask if she could taste the frosting just a little when a knight appeared in the dining hall and walked beside her.

“Lady Rhea wishes to speak with you.”

“Oh?”

She followed the knight into the abbey until he went his separate way. Both Rhea and Seteth were waiting for her in the audience chamber, and immediately upon entering, Alear felt a little lightheaded. Rhea’s alluring scent was thick in the room.

“You asked to see me?”

“Yes. First of all, we’d like to commend you on your excellent work in Gronder Field”, Seteth said.

“I can only call your deeds during the Battle of the Eagle and Lion… quite versatile”, Rhea continued, slightly raising an eyebrow but smiling. Alear had initially thought about not using her Emblem power during the battle, but she hadn’t wanted to lose, either, disappointing Edelgard.

“I’m grateful that you let me participate. During my time here, I have already become quite fond of the Black Eagle students, and it was my honor to fight for house leader Lady Edelgard. However, something tells me this wasn’t the only reason you wished to see me.”

Seteth nodded stiffly.

“Unfortunately, no. It has come to our attention that something strange… abnormal, even, is happening at Remire Village, and we’d want you to investigate the recent developments further.”

“Remire Village… Captain Jeralt has often mentioned it and speaks fondly of the villagers. What’s going on in there?”

“I have yet to ascertain the details, but it would seem the villagers have been acting strangely. The knights I dispatched to verify the authenticity of this information returned just recently, bringing one of the… affected with them. He’s currently at the infirmary. I suggest you begin by finding out what the knights and Manuela have discovered.”

“I will get to the bottom of this”, Alear vowed, bowing a little. “I owe it to Jeralt, too. He has been so supportive of me since I got here. I just have to ask: Are there any leads or anything more at all that you could tell me? The way you speak of this… it all just sounds so vague.”

“From what I heard… Shamir and Manuela seem to think whatever is ailing the people of Remire is caused by poison or dark magic. Perhaps the combination of both.”

“I see.”

“For now though, may you all enjoy your feast. You have earned it, and this can wait for tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Seteth.”

Alear turned to look at Rhea, who had been largely silent, just watching her. The Archbishop’s gaze was so captivating that she could just stare into the mint-green eyes. Her mouth felt dry.

“I, uhm. I will be leaving you two, then”, Seteth said, clearing his throat and exiting the room.

Even after he was gone, the women just stared at each other until Rhea walked closer to her. The Archbishop splayed her hands gently around Alear’s loins, and the younger dragon let out a little whine, her head swimming with the other woman’s scent and touch as she placed her hands on Rhea’s arms. 

“What’s wrong with me”, Alear asked suddenly, her voice husky. The words just slipped from her mouth.

“What do you mean”, Rhea asked softly, pressing a little closer.

“Everything smells so good, feels so good… You smell so good”, Alear murmured, sliding her hands up the Archbishop’s arms and then over to her back, lightly digging her nails in.

“There’s nothing wrong with you”, Rhea answered thickly, their faces so close to each other that their breaths mingled. “You are a young, spry dragon, and this is just a very normal part of your biology. It gets easier with age, even if it… never truly goes away.”

Alear wanted nothing more than to smother the alluring woman with kisses, explore her voluptuous body with her hands while biting her neck, and—

“Hmh. Someone’s coming”, she stated quietly, a soft little growl in her voice that sounded foreign to her own ears. Her heightened senses had picked up the sound of footsteps approaching the chamber.

“Yes… You should return to your comrades and enjoy the night. We can… talk… later.”

The way Rhea drawled the last words sent a warm sensation through her, and reluctantly, she withdrew. As she turned to walk out of the room, Catherine stepped inside.

“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t realize you had company, Lady Rhea.”

“Alear was just leaving. What was it you wished to discuss with me?”

As she passed the tanned elite knight who seemed to have a specific smile reserved only for the Archbishop, she couldn’t help feeling genuinely sorry for her. The pheromones emanating from the woman couldn’t have been more obvious, but Alear knew the knight’s feelings would never be reciprocated.

The cool air helped Alear clear her head, but the effect didn’t last long. As soon as she laid her eyes on Edelgard, her pulse quickened again. She still didn’t know many things about being a dragon and even less about being a Divine Dragon, but from what Rhea had implied to her, this was… hormonal. Apparently, dragons had an estrous cycle of some sort. Why did she have to figure out absolutely everything on the go?

The food everyone had prepared was delicious, but Alear was hungry for something else, too. Luckily, she wasn’t alone with her feelings. Sitting next to Edelgard, she could soon feel the woman’s strong hand touching her thigh teasingly under the table, her shin rubbing against hers.

At some point, when the others were distracted and laughing at a story Claude was telling, Edelgard leaned closer to Alear, her hot breath tickling her ear maddeningly.

“It won’t attract too much attention to us if you leave first.”

Alear felt her heart leap in her chest. She shared a look with Edelgard, the princess’s darkened lilac eyes shining with desire. Without further ado, Alear got up, thanked everyone for the lovely night, and headed to her quarters.

She felt like she had barely closed the door behind her before it opened again, revealing Edelgard with an almost feral look on her face.

They didn’t even say anything, just grabbed at each other, feverishly touching and undressing each other while kissing. When they only had their underwear on, Edelgard pushed Alear under her on the bed. If Alear had been human, she probably wouldn’t have stood a chance against the muscled woman, but being a dragon, she was surprisingly strong herself. With some effort, she managed to wrestle herself on top of the other woman. Alear latched her mouth instinctively on Edelgard’s neck, a delirious moan escaping the princess’s lips as the dragon bit and sucked on the sensitive, pale flesh, holding the human tightly under her.

When she had marked her as her own, she started moving down on the scarred, muscular body, but her courage failed when she was about to pull the princess’s bra off.

“Is something wrong”, Edelgard asked.

“No, uh, I just… I have never… you know.”

“Oh? You seemed to know perfectly well what you were doing just a moment ago.”

Alear bit her lip.

“I guess I’m just nervous if I don’t live up to your expectations since…”

Edelgard scrunched her brow.

“Since…?”

“Since you have already been with a girl.”

The Adrestian princess pushed herself more upright, a bewildered look in her eyes.

“How would you even know about that?”

“Monica told me.”

There was a pained look in the lilac eyes, and Alear felt confused, touching Edelgard’s bare shoulder gently.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. Monica just, she… she isn’t who… she used to be. Not anymore.”

“Well, she was held in captivity for a long time. I have heard some other students comment on the changes in her personality as well, but I can’t really blame her. What she went through must’ve been deeply traumatizing for her.”

“It’s… not just it”, Edelgard said, crestfallen. “It all feels like an unnecessarily cruel joke, if anything, although I understand it is also the perfect disguise. But why her? And now, seeing her here again, every day, knowing it’s not really her…” Edelgard wiped the corner of her eye. “Another sacrifice, and I certainly hope it won’t prove to be pointless.”

Alear’s eyes widened.

“Did… did I get this right? Monica’s actually…”

“She’s just a messenger. To keep me informed. Perhaps to keep me in line as well. The real Monica von Ochs… she is no more.”

“Do you—she’s one of the dark mages you’re working with?”

Edelgard nodded somberly.

“Wait. Just before the feast, I was summoned to the audience chamber. Rhea—I mean, Lady Rhea, and Seteth… they had some troubling news regarding Remire Village, and they also spoke of dark magic being the cause of whatever is happening there. You… wouldn’t happen to know about that?”

“Hubert has a spy keeping an eye on the village. I am well aware of what is happening in there”, the princess admitted calmly and quietly, guilt in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Alear. I did all I could to persuade them to limit their… experiments, but I cannot afford to lose their support as long as the church holds power and sustains the Crest system.”

“Experiments? You can’t be serious”, Alear exclaimed in disbelief. “Aren’t they the same Crestless commoners you vowed to protect from these very things that almost killed you?”

“If I could achieve my goals by negotiating, I would do that. Believe me. Enough innocents have been harmed already. However, if the options are having to wade through blood to reform this unjust world based on privilege or not doing anything at all, allowing this status quo to go on forever, my answer is clear.”

Alear sighed and rubbed her temples. Briefly, she thought back to Byleth’s message and wondered how on earth she was supposed to prevent a war from happening. How would she even get Edelgard and Rhea to talk to each other? They had many similarities, but their shared qualities would only make everything harder. How ironic that she had to have feelings for them both. 

“Our mission for tomorrow is to go to the village and help in any way we can. H-how bad is it… in there?”

The look on Edelgard’s face told her more than any words could have.

“The people of Remire Village are… beyond helping. The only thing we can help them with is to grant them a painless passing. I also have a… suggestion.”

“What is it?”

“Let me go alone.”

“Excuse me?”

“I let this happen. I should be the one facing the consequences of my actions. It isn’t right to ask the others to put down innocents.”

Alear swallowed. She couldn’t help thinking of the Corrupted soldiers her Father raised from friends and foes alike and felt her stomach turn over.

“We can leave the Eagles out of this, but I am coming with, and so is the squad of knights Jeralt is commanding.”

“Fine.”

Edelgard was quiet for a while.

“Alear… Do you think I’m a monster?”

“I’ll be honest. I could never make the decisions you have. Even if sacrificing the few for the need of the many was my only option, I just… couldn’t. But I’m not saying it would make me better or that you’re not right. So no. I don’t think you’re a monster. You’re just a remarkably strong woman who has both power and the will to use it for good. That’s rare enough as it is.”

“Thank you”, Edelgard said softly, taking Alear’s hands in her own as they sat on the bed facing each other. “I apologize for ruining the mood. I… quite enjoyed your touches.”

Alear smiled shyly. Her eyes landed on the purple marks on Edelgard’s neck, and the mere sight of the bruises she had inflicted on her human lover made her shiver.

“We could always… pick up from where we left off?”

“I would like that very much”, Edelgard purred. “I believe we were at… this.”

She reached behind her back and unclipped her bra, pulling the garment off and setting it aside, then helping Alear out of hers. The way the darkened, lilac eyes raked over her bare breasts…

Feeling pleasantly hazy again, the dragon crawled over the Adrestian princess, eager to continue devouring her pale skin. A mischievous smirk flashed on the human’s face, and she flipped them over, pressing Alear under her instead. She growled softly, frustrated and surprised, as Edelgard held her wrists against the mattress in her steely grip.

“It seems we are both intent on being in charge, but let me propose something. Since you were so worried about disappointing me, what if I take care of you first? Maybe that’ll give you some… ideas.”

“I like the sound of that”, Alear groaned, warmth coiling in the pit of her stomach.

“I’ll take it slow, and I promise not to do anything without your permission. If you want me to stop at any time, I will.”

“Please… just touch me”, Alear whined.

“Oh, I will”, the Adrestian princess assured, her voice dark and husky as her hand released one of the wrists, sliding down along the dragon’s arm.

During that night, Alear didn’t ask her to stop.

Not even once.

Chapter Text

Byleth was collecting breakfast items on two plates, deep in her thoughts. It took a moment before she noticed someone was standing right next to her.

”Good morning, Princess Hortensia.”

She noticed the girl looking at the plates critically.

“Uh-huh. Right. Yep.”

Byleth looked at the young princess, puzzled.

“Is something the matter?”

“Chocolate spread, orange marmalade and bacon. Only one person in this world would want all that mashed together on their toast.”

“Well, I asked Ivy what she’d want me to bring her and—”

“A-HA! So you are taking breakfast to my sister!”

“But… I never claimed anything else.”

“And you wouldn’t, by chance, happen to know where she was last night?”

“She was with me?”

“I knew I’d squeeze the truth out of you”, Hortensia proclaimed triumphantly, then pointed at Byleth with her index finger. “Just so you know, I’ll be watching you.”

She watched the girl strut away, still unsure of what just happened.

”Here’s your breakfast, Ivy”, Byleth said, smiling, as she approached the woman in her bed and placed the tray she was carrying on the nightstand. “I also met your sister downstairs. She asked me to say hi to you for her. I think.”

”Oh? And thank you. Although this feels a bit embarrassing”, the Elusian said bashfully, her voice hoarse. ”Having you… attend to me like this.”

”I'm just returning the favor. It’s the least I can do since you’re sick because of me”, Byleth said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Also, I don’t see how this differs from you having done the same for me.”

“But it differs a lot! Whether I want it or not, I’m the crown princess, and having my friends or my…”

Byleth couldn’t help smirking a little teasingly at the adorable woman.

“Girlfriend?”

“Y-yes, or my g-girlfriend serving me like some pampered, self-important royal—”

“Ivy”, Byleth said gently but firmly, placing her hand on the Elusian’s blanket-covered thigh. “This isn’t subservience. When people care for each other, they do favors for each other regardless of their respective stations. You’re down with the flu. You should rest. I’m happy to get to spoil you a little.”

”This is just so new to me”, Ivy said, smiling shyly before her expression became more serious. ”I suppose also my upbringing plays a part in this. My mother was very proud of her position in the Elusian court and rather… arrogant. I soon learned to just nod along and keep my thoughts to myself. If she had known I worship the Divine Dragon, it would have already been bad enough, but if she were here now and knew the person I’m courting is a commoner and… a woman… I’m not even sure which would have been worse. I often wished I had shared a mother with Hortensia.”

“Oh, so you’re half-sisters. I didn’t know. And I’m sorry to hear that you and your Mother weren’t on the best terms. I have never known mine since she died giving birth to me, but my Father has been my rock. Just before I ended up here, I told him I… prefer women, and he just smiled at me as if he had known that all along. It will probably never happen, but I wish I could introduce you two to each other.”

“Does that… mean you have never…”

“A mercenary woman, a bit older than me, traveled with us for a while. She took an interest in me, and we had a very short… affair, but then she just disappeared one day, and I never saw her again.”

“I see”, Ivy said, appearing slightly nervous. “As I implied when we… k-kissed last night, I haven’t…”

Byleth smiled and took one of Ivy’s hands in her own, squeezing reassuringly.

“Don’t worry about that. When the time comes, we’ll just figure it out together. I’m not exactly an expert either.”

Ivy smiled, then coughed, and Byleth handed her a clean handkerchief.

As they had almost finished their breakfast, Byleth surprised at how good the chocolate, orange, and bacon toasts tasted, she heard a hasty knock at the door.

“Come in.”

Vander stepped inside, looking troubled.

“I apologize for interrupting, but there is something that I believe requires immediate attention.”

Byleth and Ivy glanced at each other.

“Is it related to the last shard we are supposed to find and destroy today?”

“I’m afraid this is something else entirely”, Vander said. “It seems a strange… portal of some sort has appeared near the old well. Lady Veyle just informed me about it.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. Somehow, she could only think it meant one thing, and she felt Sothis stir in her.

“A portal? I’m coming with you", Ivy said, pushing the blanket off her. Vander immediately flushed and turned around, seeing that the princess only wore a skimpy nightgown.

“Right. I’ll wait for you… outside.”

“Where do you think it leads”, Ivy asked as Byleth and Veyle observed the peculiar portal. “Could it be it… might be the way back to Fódlan?”

“I have no idea”, Byleth said, not missing the dejection in Ivy’s hoarse voice. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

“Is entering this portal really wise? There is no certainty where it might take you or if you are able to return”, Vander said cautiously.

“We can’t just leave this unattended, either, in case it’s related to Sombron’s schemes. I’m afraid there’s no other choice; I have to find out what’s on the other side.”

“What if you… can’t come back”, Ivy asked quietly, and Byleth found herself helplessly unable to answer.

“I’ll go”, Veyle said calmly. All three turned to look at the young dragon. “I’ve caused so much sorrow to you all when Zephia was controlling me. Because of me, countless innocents have suffered throughout Elyos. Florra Port was destroyed, and Queen Lumera and King Hyacinth are dead. This is the least I can do.”

“You weren’t yourself. It was initially Sombron and the Hounds who twisted everything, killed my Father, and ravaged these lands. Without you, Divine One would be dead. I have already forgiven you.”

“Thank you, Princess Ivy. I still feel I’m the one who should do this. Even if it was Fódlan on the other side and I couldn’t come back… at least my sister would be there. We’d try to find some way to send a message to you, like the one you sent to her.”

“We don’t even know if she could unlock it since it was bound to the power of Crest of Flames”, Byleth countered. “Besides, we still need to find the last shard to reach Sombron, and we can’t do that without you.”

Veyle smiled wanly and glanced at Byleth, moving closer to the portal.

“The last shard is inside Gradlon Temple.”

Then, just like that, she entered the mystic gateway and disappeared before anyone could stop her.

For a while, they all just stared at the portal. Byleth had half-expected it to vanish, but nothing seemed to happen, and everything appeared to be the same as before Veyle had gone through it.

Byleth was just about to comment on the portal’s stability when Veyle emerged right back through it, taking them all by surprise.

“You are back already, Lady Veyle”, Vander said, relieved. “Where did it take you?”

“Oh, you’re still here.” There was genuine surprise in Veyle’s voice.

“What do you mean? You only just left. What happened”, Byleth asked.

Veyle glanced at the portal.

“This… might be harder to believe if Byleth wasn’t here, I suppose, but… it takes to, um, another version of Elyos.”

“Another… version?”

“Yes. After I entered, I arrived at Lythos Castle, and for a moment, I thought I was still… here. Soon, I realized it wasn’t the case. I met two dragons, Nel and Nil, twins. They said they created the portal in hopes of getting help. Their Elyos is… dying. My… sister existed there as well, but she’s, um, she’s already dead.”

Ivy gasped.

“D-Divine One… dead?”

Veyle nodded, a haunted look on her face.

“While I was there, I saw her… grave. I… wish I could unsee it. Their whole world is in such a terrible and sad state, and there are Corrupted everywhere, despite Father being dead as well. He and my sister… they slew each other in battle. After her death, the nations started blaming each other, and everyone, everything drifted apart. If that wasn’t enough, there is an unknown force, still loyal to Sombron, and the dragons I met are trying to stop it from destroying the rest of their Elyos.”

”That’s horrible”, Ivy exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, Veyle”, Byleth said softly to the young, shaken dragon. “That all must have been a lot to take in.”

“T-thank you.” She took a few deep, calming breaths before continuing. “So, um. Instead of Emblem rings, they have bracelets. Seven altogether, and the siblings asked for our help to recover them from the warring nations. Just like the Emblem rings, the bracelets, when gathered together, have powers that should not fall into the wrong hands.

“Before I could return, we were also ambushed in the castle, and I helped Nel and Nil fight off a strange hooded villain. They escaped, but we managed to get the bracelet they were carrying. Inside it dwelled someone named Tiki, a Divine Dragon herself, and she… looked like the corrupted Emblems do, except she could still talk. Nel put her back to sleep to ensure no one would exploit the bracelet since its corruption couldn’t be cleansed.”

“How strange. So these Nel and Nil are Divine Dragons, then, if they can summon Emblems”, Vander asked.

“Umm, actually… they’re Fell Dragons like me, but they opposed Sombron in their world, working together with my sister until her death.”

Byleth, Ivy, and Vander all looked at each other.

“So they’re technically your… and Alear’s siblings”, Byleth deduced, and Veyle nodded.

“What are you thinking”, Ivy asked, and Byleth realized she had been lost in her thoughts for quite a while.

“I feel like I have a responsibility to your Divine Dragon in her absence. She sounds like the kind of person who’d want to help, especially since it’s about her kin. However, we must be smart about this—we also have our own war to win, and this is not the best time to divide our forces to fight at two war fronts. Vander, let’s arrange a meeting in the town square.”

“Very well, Professor Byleth.”

“If Divine One’s family is in trouble, we have to help. She has already done so much for us. I’m coming with”, Alfred said, and Diamant nodded resolutely.

“Absolutely. It would be an honor.”

“Yeah, let’s skewer the baddies, then celebrate by skewering something juicier”, Timerra joined in cheerfully.

“Your loyalty to Alear doesn’t surprise me, but none of you heirs apparent are coming with”, Byleth said then, determined.

“What”, Alfred said, puzzled. “Why not?”

“If something goes wrong, your lives are too valuable to endanger like this with an unknown threat when Sombron still breathes and causes havoc here. All of you four will need to remain here. I can’t risk it.”

“Are you serious”, Ivy spluttered, then coughed into a handkerchief.

“Even if you weren’t sick, you’re also staying behind this time, Ivy”, Byleth confirmed, gently touching the Elusian’s arm. “It seems time passes much faster on the other side, which is an advantage considering the time we need to put aside from our main mission, but we can’t leave the situation here unattended. You four are the ones who command armies by birthright. Our Elyos needs its leaders.”

“Then have you decided who you will be taking with you”, Céline asked.

“I was thinking of a very compact strike team with a variety of strengths. Let’s start with a couple of plated shield-users who can protect others from heavy attacks. Louis? Goldmary?”

Both of them stepped forward.

“Good. Then, some fighters. Lapis?”

“Aye”, the buff Brodian said, her hand on the handle of her giant steel blade.

“And for mobility, Merrin, Fogado and… Chloé? I’d also want a couple of skilled archers. Alcryst and Etie?”

None of the five complained about being nominated, even if Alcryst mumbled something about his incompetence, Lapis immediately placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Last but not least, spellcasters and a healer. Veyle is already coming with, then… perhaps Framme and…”

Hortensia stepped forward, determination in her magenta eyes.

“I’m coming in my sister’s stead.”

Byleth glanced at Ivy, who sighed and gave her a resigned half-nod.

“It’s decided, then. Everyone coming should also equip one of the Emblem rings; I’ll stick with Shez’s whistle, myself. Let’s get ready and meet at the well in an hour.”

After the hour had passed, everyone stood around the portal, Byleth and her team ready to walk through.

“Don’t go too crazy out there”, Clanne said to his sister, and the two hugged.

Citrinne looked worried as she regarded Alcryst and Lapis, all geared up.

“Promise to take care of each other. There are some things money can’t buy, you know, and I’m not ready to lose either of you”, she said as she hugged her cousin and kissed her fellow retainer on the cheek, the brawny girl turning as red as her armor.

“Isn’t it nice that we both get to go”, Goldmary purred at Etie. “I’m sure you’ll chivalrously keep me safe on the battlefield.”

“Aren’t you supposed to keep me safe? Or did you polish that shield only to be able to check that your hair is fine while axemen and lancers are chasing me?” the ginger archer grumbled.

“Oh, please, Etie; I’m certain you’d outrun them all.”

“Aww, I’d have wanted to come too”, Timerra lamented to Fogado. “We’ll make sure to have something nice readily available for you when you return, at least.”

“Please, just… no more pegasus, okay?” Fogado said, chuckling awkwardly. “Please tell me you’ve eaten it all already.”

“All but the most savory parts I was saving for a special occasion such as, perhaps, my lady’s brother returning from an arduous quest in an alternate universe”, Panette said reverently, and Timerra’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, that’s right”, she squealed. “We still have the marrow bones!”

“Princess Hortensia, please reconsider—let me go instead”, Rosado pleaded. “Goldmary’s going, too! You should stay here with Princess Ivy.”

“You are not a mage or a tank, are you, so nope! I’m not so sure this world’s any safer than the other, anyway. Besides, someone’s gotta make sure the Professor returns alive, or I’ll never hear the end of it. I didn’t pack this rescue staff just for show, you know.”

“I hope you will all return in good health. It is such a shame I am not coming with you, for I could... Louis? Are you… listening to me?” Céline followed his gaze, which landed on Chloé and Merrin, standing nearby but completely engaged in some sort of mutual flattery that reminded her of a peculiar, elaborate courting ritual more than anything else. They were both surprisingly… touchy-feely, too.

Céline sighed.

“You are… going to be just fine.” 

Byleth and Ivy were a little bit further apart from the others, holding each other’s hands as they stood facing each other.

“I’ll be back before you know it”, Byleth assured, slowly rubbing the backs of Ivy’s hands with her thumbs. The Crown Princess just stood silently. “What are you thinking?”

“N-nothing. I just… Your hands. They are so rough and strong, but your touch is always so impossibly gentle. I have never met anyone as attentive and kind as you. W-well, maybe Divine One, but…”

Byleth smiled, and their eyes met.

“And I have never met anyone as lovely and sweet as you. Maybe you’re a little awkward or gloomy at times, but somehow, you’re so adorable even then.”

“You’re making me blush”, Ivy said, flustered, but smiling.

“I can’t believe I haven’t even left yet, and I already miss you.”

“I know what you mean. Be safe, Byleth”, the taller woman whispered, and the two kissed each other.

“Promise to go back to bed as soon as we depart. You feel feverish.”

“I promise.”

Byleth turned to walk back to the others, then reconsidered and turned around again, smirking and surprising Ivy with one more kiss. The affectionate look in her purple eyes…

She bit her lower lip.

“Ivy… I—”

“What is it?”

She swallowed.

“I… will come back to you. Meanwhile, concentrate on resting and getting better.”

“I will.”

“A-are you two… I didn’t know that—”

“Diamant? Really? They haven’t even done much to hide it”, Citrinne giggled as Byleth and Ivy approached them.

“And what’s the matter with you”, Goldmary asked Loius, raising one perfect eyebrow. “Have you never seen two women kiss each other?”

The man just smiled, then grimaced as Hortensia smacked his shield with her staff.

“Hey! That’s my sister, you pervert!”

“He doesn’t mean it like that”, Chloé defended her fellow retainer. ”He just appreciates beautiful sights and people-watching. There’s nothing wrong with just looking, right? We often do that together.”

“Uh-huh! Good to know! I’ll keep my eye on you, too, Miss Fried Gecko! And you! I would have expected better of your retainers, Princess Céline!”

“Pardon? What my retainers do in their free time is their business, is it not?”

“Okay, let’s get going”, Byleth said. “We’ve got another Elyos to save.”

Chapter Text

As Byleth stepped through the portal, she was starkly reminded of the day she ended up in Elyos, greeted by the same sight of partly collapsed Lythos Castle. At least she didn’t straight up land in the arms of an attractive woman, although there was one present this time, as well.

For a fleeting moment, Byleth felt very confused.

“S-Shamir? No”, she shook her head, “you must be Nel.”

The dragon looked at Byleth, her expression cool and reserved but also curious and perhaps a little hopeful, as the rest of the allies—including Byleth’s wyvern, Zephyr—entered through the portal.

“I’m Byleth Eisner. Veyle told us about your situation, and we’d like to help. I’m here representing the Divine Dragon.”

“Byleth? And you are the captain of this strike force? I’m surprised. Lady Veyle did mention you earlier, but I was under the impression you are a… professor?”

“In a war academy. Before that, I was a mercenary.”

“I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you. This is my twin brother Nil.”

“Hello, it’s so nice to meet you, Byleth.” His eyes quickly scanned her team. “Veyle’s sister… Divine One… she isn’t accompanying you?”

“Do you need Alear for something, specifically?”

Nil seemed a little startled by the counter-question.

“I assembled this team with certain things in mind. As Veyle must have told you, there is a war currently in our world, too, and we can’t afford to leave it defenseless while we’re here.”

Nel nodded.

“That is a wise decision. You seem competent enough, and we already witnessed Veyle’s battle prowess earlier. As you surely already know, we will need to gather the bracelets entrusted to the nations. We should start with a trip to Firene and meet one of our trusted friends there.”

Nel seemed to contemplate something, then turned to the young dragon.

”Before we go, I have to ask something. This Divine One of your world… Since she is your sister, she is… actually a Fell Dragon?”

“Yes”, Veyle confirmed. “We have different mothers, but unfortunately, Sombron is our father. Also in our world, both he and my sister struck each other down, but Queen Lumera managed to save her, healing her for a thousand years with her own life force while she slept. In the process, she finally became a Divine Dragon.”

“Sombron’s daughter… how awkward”, Nel sighed. “Oh well. Maybe it is for the best that she stayed behind. Let us be on our way.”

Byleth and Veyle glanced at each other, then followed the Fell Dragon twins out of the castle.

As they walked, Sothis stirred again.

“Wait… I feel an intriguing presence.”

“What do you mean”, Byleth asked in a low voice.

“Can you ask to see the bracelet?”

“Sure? Um, Nel?”

“Yes?”

“Could you show me the bracelet you have?”

Nel looked at her, then glanced at Nil, who just shrugged. Wordlessly, she handed the item to Byleth.

“What do you intend to do with it?”

Byleth rolled the bracelet in her fingers, not sensing anything peculiar within it. For all she knew, it could have been just a worthless piece of jewelry sold by some shady traveling merchant.

“How odd. Something comes to my mind. A… memory of sorts. Words. Let me take control for a moment.

Byleth’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean take cont—”

Suddenly it felt as if she had been watching herself from outside her own body. She saw a faint green glow around herself and wondered if the others could see it. Her fingers interlaced lightly around the bracelet, and she closed her eyes.

I wonder what Sothis is doing? Praying?

As promised, Byleth was fully in control of her own body the next instant, if only feeling a bit disoriented after the strange experience.

It took her a while to realize an Emblem was floating next to them, a familiar blue mist surrounding the form of a young-looking girl who looked as surprised as the rest of the group.

“A prayer! H-how did you do that”, Nel spluttered. “It was exactly like the Divine Dragon used to do it! Emblem Tiki?”

“Hello, everyone”, the Emblem said, smiling and stretching a little. “What a refreshing nap! I’m feeling much better now.”

Byleth noticed Nil looking at her oddly, but his expression disappeared as soon as their eyes met. Besides, she had more pressing concerns on her mind.

She has been with me all my life. And all this time, she has been able to hijack my body just like that? And is she…? Well, whatever she is, she and this Tiki surely look very much alike.

Despite what Byleth had already learned of the differences between their respective worlds as she conversed with Nel and Nil on their way to Firene while assuring them she was a human, she could hardly believe her eyes when the ally, Zelestia, finally presented herself.

“B-Byleth… that’s…”

“I know, Veyle”, she answered quietly.

There was some surprised and restless chatter, which died down as Byleth discreetly raised her forearm.

“We were just talking about you”, Nel said, finally a small smile appearing on her stern face as the Mage Dragon walked to them. “This is Veyle, the sister to the Divine One in their Elyos, and this is Byleth, the captain of the strike force sent to aid us. Byleth, meet Zelestia, the leader of the Four Winds.”

”Four Winds”, she heard Veyle repeat quietly in disbelief.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting for your arrival”, Zelestia gushed warmly, then noticed Byleth’s mount, an even more delighted expression spreading on her face. “Oh! Your wyvern… she looks exactly like mine! Can you believe it? What’s her name?”

“She’s… Zephyr.”

“Aww, what a cutie! ~Zephyr~! Can I give her some treats?”

“S-sure.”

Byleth watched mutely as the woman casually baby-talked and fed dried juniper berries to her wyvern. The beast also appeared confused, whining and sniffing at Zelestia curiously while chewing the tasty treats. Vivid memories of her extended Creator Sword tearing through Zephia’s torso kept flashing in her mind. This woman, however—despite looking like a carbon copy of the cruel Four Hounds leader—was clearly a person of her own.

If Byleth had thought seeing Zephia’s counterpart was shocking, she certainly hadn’t expected how the meeting with Alfred and Céline would go despite Nel’s warnings.

”I’d have never believed it if someone had said I’d one day lift my lance against her”, Chloé uttered through gritted teeth, torn, as another lightning strike went past her, Princess Céline and her Levin Sword out for blood.

”That is not the Céline you know, don’t forget that”, Byleth said. ”These are broken, lost people. We can’t fix them. We can only try to help the twins recover the bracelets and hope this world can begin healing one day.”

”R-right. It’s just so horrible to see Firene like this. I couldn’t imagine this stuff up even in my worst nightmares.”

Byleth, Chloé, and Merrin were without their mounts that had been stabled before the fight suddenly broke out, the three of them waiting for their moment.

”It seems the others have engaged King Alfred and the remaining troops”, Chloé said then, peeking over the hedgerow.

“Good. Let’s finish this. Attract her attention.”

Chloé drew a few deep, calming breaths, and Merrin touched the pegasus knight’s shoulder comfortingly.

“I know this is hard, but we’re almost done here. You can do it.”

“Okay… okay…”

She popped up from behind the bush fence, aiming her lance at the vengeful princess.

“Please, Princess Céline, don’t force my hand!”

“You dare point your weapon at me, you twisted ghost of the past”, the princess exclaimed angrily, then cried out with surprise as the tip of Byleth’s sword connected with her Levin Sword with brutal force, knocking the weapon far from her hands.

“It’s over, Céline. Your brother is already captured. Let’s all calm down now.”

It was the first time Byleth saw genuine compassion on Goldmary’s face. She observed as the Elusian sat beside Etie, her arm comfortingly around the archer’s shoulders. The ginger woman looked unusually pale and disturbed.

“He almost killed me… I almost had to kill him. I—I can’t believe he would—”

“It was not the Alfred you know”, Goldmary said softly, and the two embraced.

Byleth turned her gaze away from the women, staring at the mountain range in front of them.

“Does this world feel… strange to you? And I don’t mean only the changes in everyone’s personalities”, she mused quietly to Veyle. They were taking a break near the Brodian border, replenishing their strength after the fight against the Firenese. “Something’s not adding up.”

“I think I know what you mean”, the young dragon said, staring at her feet as they were sitting on an old tree trunk. “Even though it’s hard to explain what it is.”

“I didn’t quite understand the reasoning behind turning down Céline’s offer to aid us. Alfred, however… he was clearly… unwell. But it’s not just that. I have a strong gut feeling that there’s something the twins aren’t telling us.”

“Yeah…”

“What’s on your mind? Is everything okay?” Byleth asked softly.

“It’s just so strange seeing Zephia here, except she’s not really her.”

“Yes, Zelestia… She seems like a kind and gentle person, though.”

“Yes… And it’s not her fault that it’s all so unsettling for me. Even if Zephia did some really bad things… she and the Hounds were my only family for so long.”

“I know, Veyle, and I’m happy that you still have Mauvier, at least. I wonder if it was a good or a bad decision that I didn’t take him with us now, but maybe this would have been confusing and distracting for him, too.”

“This is a lot to take in for everyone. I can’t help thinking what we’ll face in Brodia, not to mention—” Veyle fell silent, but Byleth knew what she had been about to say. After all, there was an encounter waiting to happen that scared her, too.

They just sat quietly for a while. Then Byleth felt Veyle’s eyes on her and she looked at the young dragon inquisitively.

“How is it possible that a human can summon Emblems?”

Byleth shrugged. She wanted to tell Veyle about Sothis but hesitated. After all, she still knew so little herself.

“I don’t know. But once I find out, I promise to tell you.”

“Stand down”, Lapis growled, a strange mix of determination and desperation in her voice as she was holding her enormous steel blade against Alcryst’s throat, sweat dripping down her temples. The prince was on spread knees in front of her, his bow taut, the head of the arrow digging against unprotected skin where Lapis’s chest plate ended. The way the arrow was angled upward would likely kill her instantly if Alcryst released it.

“Y-you’re not really her; you’re only trying to guilt-trip me to—”

“STAND DOWN”, the brawny retainer repeated with surprising authority, barely controlling her shaking body, the blade in her hands accidentally slicing a shallow cut on the prince’s bared throat.

“I… I don’t wanna hurt you”, she whimpered, a tear rolling down from the corner of her eye. “But shoot that arrow, and I’ll make sure we’ll both die.”

Their own Alcryst jerked as if about to dash to help his retainer, but Byleth grabbed him and firmly held him in place. The last thing she wanted was to allow the situation to escalate further.

“F-fine”, the other Alcryst grunted finally.

Byleth and the others watched in awe as Alcryst loosened the bowstring and tossed his weapon away, slowly handing the bracelet to the woman standing in front of him.

“I’m… s-sorry, Lapis.”

She didn’t answer; she just walked away and pushed the bracelet wordlessly into Nel’s hands. She approached their own Alcryst, still looking shaken.

“Lapis! That was amaz—”

Byleth’s eyes widened as the normally inhibited and blushing retainer stopped right in front of the Brodian prince and pulled the surprised young man into a kiss.

”Would you start dating me even if I’m already kinda together with Citrinne?”

”I, uh—b-but, w-what would Citrinne say to that?”

”She encouraged me to ask you.”

”Oh, uh, a-alright then.”

Nel raised an eyebrow at Byleth and hummed, handing her the bracelet so that she could purify its corruption.

”I suppose that concludes our business here, then.”

They were walking toward a snowy territory, their newest and rather skittish ally, Gregory, having joined them in Brodia. As Elusia got closer, Byleth got more nervous. She wasn’t the only one, however, for Nil also seemed increasingly anxious.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t get the Divine Dragon for this one?”

“Will you stop asking for Divine One? We can manage perfectly well without her”, Nel snapped finally, seeming to regret it instantly. “Sorry, Nil. I didn’t… mean it like that.”

“Don’t worry about it, Nel; I should’ve been more considerate. I know it’s complicated for you.”

”What does that mean”, Byleth asked. ”It's not the first time I've heard that.”

”Oh, you don’t know? Lady Nel and Divine One used to be—”

“Zelestia!”

“What? I’m only speaking the truth. What happened to her was so sad, but at least you have good memories of her. You two were so cute together.”

“Wait a moment”, Byleth said, stopping in her tracks. “You were romantically involved? With your sister?”

Nel flushed, then scowled.

“And when have I said she was my sister?”

“But—”

“Why do you think I was shocked to hear your Divine One is actually of Sombron’s brood? To be honest, I would have preferred not to talk about this at all, but since you insist, I will make it absolutely clear—our Divine One was a purebred Divine Dragon who had no blood ties whatsoever to that monster. Yes, we were in love with each other, and yes, the most horrible day of my life was when I found her lifeless body lying in the ruins, and no, she was not my sister!”

An awkward silence landed momentarily, everyone just looking at each other.

“Now that this is all sorted and good”, Goldmary said then, pointing ahead of them, “who’s that?”

Byleth saw a young woman with a shield and an axe approaching them; then she heard Veyle gasp.

“M-Marni?”

“This is Madeline”, Nel said, appearing relieved for the diversion. “Madeline, these are Byleth and Veyle and the backup from their Elyos.”

“Pleased to meet you”, the blonde girl said politely, then her gaze fixed on something in the distance. “I also see that Mauvier is returning from his mission.”

“He is just… Mauvier, huh”, Byleth asked as she spotted the familiar-looking man riding toward them from another direction, and Madeline looked at her oddly.

“What or who else would he be?”

The fourth Wind halted his horse near the group and dismounted.

“Madeline, you are unharmed. What a relief. And it appears—” Mauvier stopped mid-sentence as he noticed the young dragon by Byleth’s side. “Lady Veyle? How… what… No, wait. You must be from… the other Elyos Lady Nel told us about.”

“Yes… I’m not the Veyle you knew”, the girl said apologetically, and after a while, Mauvier nodded.

“Regardless, seeing you again, and as an ally…” The large man smiled a little. “It gives me strength and hope for what’s to come.”

“What do you mean? I reckon it has something to do with why you’re suddenly here instead of gathering intelligence in Solm”, Nel said.

Mauvier’s expression grew serious.

“There is no reason to stay in Solm anymore. Queen Timerra is about to invade Elusia.”

”I can’t believe my sister would ever take enjoyment over something like this”, Hortensia said, appalled as they heard the Elusian Queen laugh after setting several Solmese fighters on fire, their armor pieces melting on them.

”She wouldn’t.”

Byleth climbed on her wyvern.

”What are you doing?”

”I’m going to confront her directly.”

”I’ll come with you!”

”No, she’s too dangerous and unpredictable. I have the means to protect myself. Stay back and help the others.”

Ivy had two bodyguards on wyverns floating near her, but they were easily taken care of. Neither expected Byleth’s sword to extend all the way to them.

”Oh, and who do we have here”, Queen Ivy said, not appearing the least bit concerned about what happened to her guards. ”What a peculiar weapon you have. I have never seen a sword like that before. It will look nice in the hands of… well, whoever will replace those incompetent guards.”

“I’m afraid I’m the only one in existence who can wield this weapon.”

“Is that right? You are… special, is that so? Perhaps this was merely a demonstration of why I should hire you instead, showing me how easily you disposed of those weaklings.” Queen Ivy gave her a quick once-over, discontentment in her eyes. “Such a shame you are a woman. After all, I prefer all-inclusive arrangements with my personal guards, and you have nothing more to offer me than your sword. I’ll pass.”

Byleth gasped as the Queen hurled a fireball at her without further comment, Zephyr barely dodging it.

”Oh? Didn’t you die already?”

Byleth had Ivy’s full attention as the woman began chasing her over the battlefield. Soon, she realized she had to come up with a plan. The fireballs the Queen was carelessly casting were hitting randomly both her own and the opposing troops. It would be only a matter of time before one would land on her allies.

Unexpectedly, Byleth steered Zephyr to do a circle backward, letting go and dropping directly on Queen Ivy and grabbing at her, tearing her off the saddle of her wyvern. Ivy was taller and weighed more, but Byleth was physically stronger, and soon, they both fell onto the ground and rolled around in the snow. Finally, Ivy got herself twisted off Byleth’s grip, and the two got onto their feet again.

Instantly, a fireball came straight at her from a close distance. Byleth was sure this was it when she suddenly felt pulled out of the way of the destructive spell.

“Hortensia”, Byleth breathed, cold sweat on her brow after the sudden brush with death. “Thank you.”

The girl smiled proudly. Before she could say anything, Queen Ivy did instead as she approached them.

“What’s the meaning of this? Do you know this woman? You should not be here. Can you not follow even the simplest of instructions, you pathetic excuse of a sister? I should have had you executed with the rest of my useless siblings.”

Hortensia was visibly taken aback by the seething woman and her hateful, clipped words. Byleth quickly realized she hadn’t been prepared for anything like this, either. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but this Ivy—aside from her resemblance—clearly had little to do with the awkward crown princess she had come to know and love.

“Is this really what you are, Queen Ivy? A cruel, cold-hearted warmonger”, Byleth asked, Creator Sword drawn.

Ivy laughed humorlessly.

“You audacious little sellsword surely do not seem to know in whose presence you are. Like you’d even have the right to address me directly. I’m Queen Ivy. I’m Elusia. That is all you need to know about me or my ambitions.”

“Just tell me one thing. Why are you trying to revive Sombron? What are you hoping to gain by raising the corpse of that… thing? He’s nothing but a world eater. Yours might be the hand he’d bite the last, but nonetheless, he wouldn’t hesitate to discard even you the moment he wouldn’t need you anymore.”

Ivy scoffed angrily.

“That heretic has filled your head with her nonsense, hasn’t she?”

”What heretic? Are you talking about Nel?”

”She has the honor of sharing her very blood with Lord Sombron, and how did she repay him for giving her the spark of life? By going to war against him! Rejoicing over his death! The death of her own Father, the god of all dragons and men! It’s a shame her precious Divine Dragon died together with him—I would have enjoyed ending her myself for her sacrilege.”

”I don’t understand. Didn’t you worship her, too? Weren’t you there with the leaders of the other nations trying to stop Sombron during the war?”

”Only because my so-called Father made me”, Ivy growled. “I have always been loyal to the Fell Dragon. King Hyacinth made a mockery of Elusia’s roots by replacing him with a false goddess, elevating her to Lord Sombron’s rightful place.”

“You can’t be serious”, Hortensia exclaimed, having found her voice and vigor again. “How can you be so horrible? What’s wrong with you? I can’t believe why anyone would’ve let you anywhere near the Elusian throne! Where’s Father?”

Ivy cocked her head, appearing confused, and laughed derisively.

“Poor thing… Did I break your mind so thoroughly that you can’t even remember? After all, I did make sure you had the front seat at his beheading.”

That was the last straw. Suddenly, Hortensia screamed in anger and surprised both Queen Ivy and Byleth by pouncing on the woman who so much resembled her sister and was anything but.

She whacked at her with her staff, but the Queen grabbed the shaft just before it hit her on the head, grimacing as the hard wood impacted with her hand.

“That was your last mistake, you little runt”, she snarled, ripping the staff from Hortensia’s hands and swinging it at her instead. At the same moment, Byleth tackled her to the ground, the staff flying out of reach as she straddled the Queen and pressed the Creator Sword against her throat.

For the first time, there was something else than contempt or arrogance in her purple eyes. A flash of fear. The first sign was that there was something human inside her.

“Please, Queen Ivy… just relinquish the bracelet.”

Byleth could see her eyes flash with defiance and burning hatred once again, the traces of anything vulnerable gone once again.

“Over my dead body, sellsword”, she seethed quietly.

Already, Byleth felt her strength and determination waning. She had no idea what to do with the stubborn, spiteful woman. There had to be some way to get to her. She refused to believe she was irredeemable. And most of all…

“I… can’t do this”, Byleth muttered helplessly, her hands shaking as she withdrew her sword and got up. “I just can’t.”

She felt Hortensia take her hand.

“She can’t just kill us… Can she?”

Ivy smirked as she got up.

“Sentimental fools. Luckily for you, I’m nothing if not gracious. In exchange for sparing my life, I’ll send you both to your precious Divine Dragon. You can tell that perversion of nature that her bed warmer will soon follow.”

Byleth just stood and stared at Queen Ivy as she began casting again, her muddy brain trying to work as quickly as it could. She could summon Shez and use Shadowflash, but she would only get herself out of danger. Maybe if she Divine Pulsed instead—

Suddenly, something enormous landed behind Queen Ivy and she stopped casting, whirling around.

“You…!”

It was Nel in her Fell Dragon form. Without pause, she crushed the Elusian unceremoniously between her massive jaws, viciously tearing her apart in seconds.

Byleth and Hortensia both just stared at the scene in front of them silently. There was no blood, no mangled body parts, no shreds of flesh. Time itself seemed to slow as they both watched in a dreamlike, slightly disturbed awe as Queen Ivy’s remains disintegrated into shining, red particles, drifting away like pollen with the gentle breeze that was blowing.

Nel transformed back into her human form, an apologetic look on her face.

“I am deeply sorry for compromising your lives like this. Please forgive me. We should… talk.”

Byleth opened her eyes, feeling a little groggy. Her head hurt. She was lying on the ground on her side. She grunted and looked around. What had happened? Where was she? Everything was in ruins.

Is this the Somniel?

She felt something warm against her back and craned her neck.

Nel.

She was still unconscious.

Memories started flooding back to her. After collecting Ivy’s and Timerra’s bracelets, Nel revealed that the whole world was already dead and everyone apart from her, Nil and the Winds, was corrupted. At this point, she only aimed to limit the damage to their world by collecting the bracelets out of the reach of the unknown threat.

Which had turned out to be none other than her own twin brother. Except he wasn’t really her brother. Or at least a twin.

Fighting a fight that was already lost, the love of her life dead, lied to and betrayed by the one that she had protected all her life… Byleth felt so sorry for Nel. She didn’t deserve this.

She wondered what had happened to the others. She had already been taken by surprise and captured by the treacherous Fell Dragon soon after they had claimed the bracelets, but, as it was, he had been generous enough to explain his master plans to Byleth even without being prompted to do so.

Nil had diverted the Four Winds to some location in Solm, claiming Nel and the bracelets they had collected had been taken there by the “mysterious malefactor”. Then he had diverted the Elysian forces to another location, some old temple that was in another direction, claiming Byleth had been taken there. Of course, both of these locations were filled to the brim with Corrupted Nil himself had raised.

Now, Nil had all the seven bracelets to grant him his wish, which was, apparently, to be able to turn into a dragon like Nel could and go on a power trip of his own following in his father’s, Lord Sombron’s, footsteps.

It made no sense to Byleth. Nil needed more power for… what exactly? To rule a dead, barren world? Maybe he wanted to attempt to invade other worlds. Maybe he had just lost it. There seemed to be one last little thing standing in his way, however—the final bracelet, tied to the fallen Somniel and locked with a ward the Divine Dragon of this world had placed on it.

“Alright, enough sleeping, get up.”

Nil grabbed at Nel and tore her up from the ground.

“You’re heavier than you look”, the dragon complained. He grabbed a dagger and pressed it against Nel’s throat. With his other hand, he pulled out the seventh bracelet and tossed it at Byleth, who was getting on her feet.

She grabbed it clumsily. Her head hurt so much that it was hard to concentrate.

“Well? Don’t just stare at it. Do your thing. Remove the ward.”

“Do not do it, Byleth”, Nel said desperately.

“Silence, sister. Do you think she’d let you die? She couldn’t even kill that Elusian bitch. Get on with it.”

Byleth turned the bracelet in her hands for a while, then looked at Nil.

“I… can’t open it.”

“Try harder”, Nil growled, and Nel hissed as the blade of the dagger pressed tighter against her skin.

Byleth stared at the bracelet helplessly, then turned it around a bit more, not sure what should even happen.

“I—I don’t think I can.”

Nil sighed.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. It was worth a try, at least. Go get the Divine Dragon. She placed the ward; she can open it. We’ll be waiting.”

Byleth looked at Nel, then back at Nil.

“I’m… afraid that’s not possible.”

Nel grunted as Nil grabbed her even tighter.

“Stall some more, and I’ll kill her on the spot. Go fetch your Divine One here. Now.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said? I can’t.”

“Stop playing games with me! You can and you will”, Nil spat.

“No, listen to me, Nil, or… whoever you are. I. Can’t. She’s not in Elyos. Even if I wanted to get her here through that portal, I couldn’t.”

Nil stared at her, her words apparently finally sinking in.

“What do you mean… not in Elyos?”

“It’s complicated to recount the whole story, but the real reason I’m here instead of Alear is that she simply isn’t available. She has ended up in a world called Fódlan.”

Nil stared at Byleth with glazed eyes as if trying to comprehend the true meaning of her words. Nel glanced at the man carefully over her shoulder, then glanced at Byleth.

“I’m sorry, Nil, but our Divine Dragon is in another universe. No amount of threatening to take Nel’s life is going to change that.”

“In another universe… another universe… but… do you have any idea… how long I tried to calibrate this portal… t-to open up in… another instance of Elyos… specifically…”

Slowly, the dagger slid away from Nel’s throat and dropped onto the ground. Nil withdrew from her, pacing around the ruins, mumbling to himself.

“All my work… the w-ward… an-another universe… b-but my ambitions…”

“Are you alright, Nel”, Byleth asked softly.

“To be honest… I am not.”

Her red eyes were dull and sad.

Again, Byleth felt Sothis waking up inside her. Feeling her insistence, she obediently let her take over. After the many purifications of the bracelets they had gathered, the interchange between their personas didn’t feel as uncomfortable anymore.

“The dragonstone you share is corrupted.”

Nel appeared a little startled, suddenly hearing Sothis’s voice.

“Byleth?”

“Who I am is not relevant.”

Again, as if she were a stranger in her own skin, Byleth watched from the outside as her body moved toward Nil, who was still prattling and muttering senselessly, looking like he might explode at any moment.

“W-what are you doing? Don’t touch me!”

Without saying a word, Sothis grabbed Nil by his shoulder and pressed her right hand firmly against the dragonstone on his chest. The Fell Dragon let out a surprised cry, his angry shouts soon turning into whimpers as he dropped bonelessly to his knees. It appeared as if he was trying to fight Sothis and push her away, but didn’t have any strength to do so, powerless before her.

The dragonstone glowed bright red, tendrils of black matter swirling inside of it, then disappearing.

Sothis smiled at the Fell Dragon at her feet, looking up at her with wide eyes. The green mist slowly dissipated, and Byleth already anticipated the curious feeling of gaining control over her body again.

Nil looked at both of them and burst into tears. Nel swallowed thickly and soon knelt on the ground next to the Fell Dragon she had protected as her weaker twin brother all her life, gathering him in her arms and holding him tightly.

Byleth just watched them mutely until she heard a commotion and turned to look. The Four Winds and her Elysian allies seemed to have escaped their respective traps mostly unscathed. Zephyr landed right next to Byleth and nuzzled her, soon rewarded with juniper berries.

“Nel! Byleth! I’m so glad you’re alright”, Zelestia said, dismounting her wyvern and then stopping in her tracks. “What happened? What’s wrong with Nil? Did you already catch the one who was after the bracelets?”

Byleth glanced at the Fell Dragons, Nel speaking soothingly to her… Twin? Brother? Step-brother?

Does it matter?

She sighed and looked around her. Everything was in ruins, and everyone apart from them was dead. The sky itself looked as if it might combust at any moment and cast down a last fiery tidal wave to consume the shreds that were left of this world.

“What would you say to a change of scenery?”

A hopeful glimmer appeared in Zelestia’s eyes.

”Do you mean…?”

”Naturally, the invitation comes at the cost of having to fight Sombron again, and truthfully, I wouldn’t mind having dragons as allies when that happens, so my offer isn’t completely selfless.”

“If there is another Elyos that can still be saved from the fate of this one, there is no question about what our answer will be”, the Mage Dragon answered happily.

“I can’t wait to introduce you all to Mauvier”, Veyle said with a beaming smile. Then she suddenly seemed to realize something. As if on cue, Goldmary bumped the young Fell Dragon with her elbow lightly, a complacent smirk on her lips.

“I can’t wait for you to introduce Mauvier to Mauvier.”

And so they began making their way back to Lythos Castle. Nil didn’t say a word during the whole journey, avoiding Byleth’s eyes, but the warm smile Nel flashed just for her made her smile, too.

Maybe this strange journey wasn’t without its scars, but she had a feeling they would all heal.

No, better—create something even stronger.

Chapter Text

The tunnels in Abyss seemed neverending. They were not very exciting, either, but the odd thing was lying around here and there. Even one of the banned books had peculiarly found its way deeper into the caverns. Once Alear leafed it through, she realized very soon why someone might not have wanted to get caught reading the said tome. She couldn’t help her eyes lingering on a couple of pictures and almost took the book with her, but decided to put it back where she found it. After all, she could sate her curiosity in practice now.

There was a sudden, unpleasant throb in the crook of her left arm, and she grimaced. For some reason, the first Crest reading had turned out too smudgy to decipher, so Hanneman had asked to get more flesh and blood samples of her. Hopefully, they would suffice and he wouldn’t have to repeat the procedures in the near future.

Trying to think about more pleasant things, she smiled as the memory of her night with Edelgard came to her mind. It was strange to think of the power and integrity the Adrestian princess exuded, and once again, Alear couldn’t help feeling sad that the strong-willed and passionate young woman was born a human, not a dragon. It felt like a waste of her potential that she only had decades of life ahead of her while Alear probably had millennia.

It had been one of the reasons why she hadn’t returned Ivy’s feelings to begin with. The Elusian was gorgeous in every meaning of the word; there was no question about that, but the thought of how soon she’d have to say goodbye to her, given how short human lifespans were… How could she ever deal with that?

And yet, I find myself involved with a human.

She still wasn’t sure what they were to each other—not that it bothered her. They had excellent chemistry; the rest would unfold when it was time for that with everything else going on. The reason she felt like wandering and collecting her thoughts, however, was not really Edelgard but Rhea.

Earlier in the day

“It sounds so wonderful. This beautiful world Lumera took under her wing. It saddens me to think that—” Rhea closed her eyes and shook her head. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears when she opened them again. “I’m sorry. Even if I haven’t seen her in such a long time, it is hard to think she is… truly gone. That I can never speak to her again, or…”

Alear reached over the table, taking one of Rhea’s hands and squeezing gently.

“I take it you two were close?”

“Yes… we were. Also, we… did not part on the best of terms.”

Alear raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Oh? What happened?”

“I would rather not go into details. Let’s just say I was quite young and rash back then, and the last time we saw each other, we fought. Or, I suppose… it was mostly me doing the fighting. I never heard Lumera raise her voice to anyone. She was… the kindest person I have ever met.” Rhea smiled at Alear wistfully. “You remind me of her so much.”

The Archbishop moved her hand from Alear’s right hand, placing it over the left one. Tenderly, she brushed her thumb over the Emblem ring on her middle finger.

“Lumera’s ring… Just like I remember it. You cannot imagine what it feels like to see it again after all this time. I am so grateful we had this chance to meet each other.”

Alear smiled back at her, then realized she had been smiling and staring at the older woman for quite some time, lost in her mint green gaze, and got up from the chair a little nervously.

“Thank you for the tea. I, um, guess I should go.”

“Are you in a hurry?”

The look in her eyes and the drawled words made her swallow thickly.

“N-not really, but I don’t want to keep you from your duties.”

Rhea got up, as well, and walked up to her slowly, her hips swaying enchantingly.

“I… hope I’m not making you uncomfortable”, she purred.

Alear felt something primal rear its head inside of her as Rhea’s scent filled her nostrils, and she couldn’t help but grab her by her waist possessively, making the woman gasp a little as she pulled her closer.

“How can you make me feel like this”, Alear growled softly. “None of the humans can—not this way. Why am I like this with you?”

“Aside from being in heat… Exactly because we are not humans”, Rhea said in a low voice, pressing closer, “and dragons are either compatible or they are not.”

“What do you mean”, Alear asked, her gaze flitting to the Archbishop’s ample breasts before landing on her inviting lips.

”You already know what I mean. When we saw each other for the very first time, we both felt it, even if it took some time to comprehend what it truly meant.”

“I still can’t believe you tricked me into drinking that weird truth tea of yours”, Alear grumbled but tightened her hold, her hands feeling restless around the wide hips.

“I had to be certain. After all, I haven’t lived this long trusting every pretty little thing walking through my door”, she said huskily, smirking a little, and Alear couldn’t control herself anymore. She crushed their lips together, further aroused by the delighted little groan, her blunt nails digging into the soft, alluring woman.

Somewhere in her hazy mind, she was surprised at how amenable Rhea was, allowing the young dragon to take the lead and push her onto the bed. The Archbishop had thousands of years on her. During that time, she had survived wars, conspiracies, and genocide. She had basically seized control of the whole continent. She had power. She was taller than her and probably stronger. She could turn into a dragon and cause mass destruction just by herself if she so willed. And now, this same woman was lying underneath her, surrendering to her and willingly baring her throat to her.

Suddenly, Alear felt deeply moved. The implications of what this all meant were not lost on her.

Rhea had made it clear she wasn’t interested in humans. How lonely she must have felt as the centuries passed, with no one by her side through all the incidents and troubles. Well, Seteth and Flayn had been there, of course, but no one intimately close to her.

Slowly, she dragged her teeth along Rhea’s neck, holding her down by her wrists.  The woman’s breath hitched, and she groaned softly as Alear’s left canine scraped her skin. Gently, she sank her teeth into the junction between Rhea’s neck and shoulder. Her head was swimming with her scent, the older woman’s dreamy moan making blood rush hot in her veins.

”Um, this is okay, right”, Alear asked, forcing a more lucid thought through the fog in her head—just to be sure—and was silenced by a hungry kiss.

”You want to go there, too? What a—nhh—naughty girl you are. Mmh, that feels so good… please, d-don’t stop… ”

A sudden, pleasant tremor coursed through Alear’s whole body as a vivid image of one of the intimate moments with Rhea, less than two hours ago, flashed through her mind. At least most of the bitemarks were where others couldn’t see them.

The last thing she wanted to do was to compare Edelgard and Rhea to each other, but for all their differences—starting with their race—there was at least one quality they shared in equal measure: their intensity.

It got darker, and Alear realized she had walked quite deep into the Abyss. She looked around and was about to turn back when the faintest, thinnest column of light caught her eyes and piqued her curiosity.

There was a concealed door, just barely left ajar. Curiously, Alear opened it, revealing a clean, dimly lit room, and stepped in. There wasn’t much anything inside apart from the light sources, but she noticed a doorway to another room.

She froze when she saw what was inside. A pedestal, or… maybe an altar, a still human form lying on top of it.

Alear swallowed and glanced around but saw nothing else in the room. Nervously, she approached the eerie form and clapped her hand over her mouth when she got a better view.

The person was a young woman and, without a question, dead. Alear could vaguely sense the magic keeping the body in stasis, preventing it from decaying. Even if that all was strange enough in itself, the most troubling thing was the woman’s appearance.

She looked almost exactly like Byleth in the vision she had seen. For a fleeting moment, she felt horrified. What if it was Byleth? What would it mean for Elyos? The woman’s build didn’t seem quite fitting, though. She looked much frailer and less muscled than she’d expect a woman who had been a mercenary all her life to look like. She had also heard Dorothea mention Byleth’s prominent biceps and abdominal muscles at least twice already.

Without further delay, Alear left. She knew exactly who she should show her discovery to. When she finally arrived at Abyss’s common spaces, however, there seemed to be something else going on as well. The Ashen Wolves and many of the Abyss-dwellers were gathered in the lobby, talking to each other urgently.

“What’s going on in here”, Alear asked as Yuri noticed her.

“It’s Aelfric. He has been kidnapped.”

“What?”

“Hapi found this message—or rather, this ransom note—in the classroom. They’re demanding the Chalice of Beginnings in exchange and are warning not to involve the knights.”

“But didn’t Lady Rhea say the chalice is useless? At least without the forgotten Crests of the Four Apostles. Why would anyone want a trinket like that?”

“Yes, well, perhaps there’s something you should know regarding that”, Yuri said, then cocked his head a little. “Where did you come from, anyway? From the tunnels?”

“Oh right, yes. I was just walking and clearing my thoughts, but then I… found something.  You wouldn’t happen to know anything about a, uhm, preserved corpse of a young woman down there?”

Yuri stared at her.

“A preserved what now?”

While the Ashen Wolves went to seek an audience with Rhea since she currently possessed the chalice that had just recently been found, Alear looked for Jeralt. As she was walking toward her best bet, she heard someone call her name and stopped.

Monica. Or at least the lookalike of Monica.

“There you are! I’ve been—”

“I’m terribly sorry, but I’m actually looking for someone else. Talk to you later?”

“Ugh, fine”, the young woman mumbled, and Alear continued to her destination.

Her first guess proved to be a lucky one. She found the man from the inn having a drink with a couple of other knights.

“Oh, hey, kid.”

“Jeralt, I’m a thous—uh, nevermind.”

“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Alear glanced at his companions and the cards they were all holding in their hands.

“Are you… busy right now? I need to show you something.”

”I wonder what you have possibly found in here that’s so urgent”, Jeralt grumbled. ”I was winning, you know. I could have looked at some musty tunnels another time.”

”You always say you’re winning, and then you just find another way to make someone else pay for your drinks”, Alear mumbled.

“You’re less naive than you look”, Jeralt grinned.

Finally, they arrived at the concealed door. Alear opened it, and they walked in, the big man looking around curiously.

“Huh. Wasn’t expecting that there’d be rooms like this down here. Doesn’t look that exciting, though. Must’ve been emptied ages ago.”

Alear gestured at the side door.

”It’s… or she’s… in there.”

Jeralt’s brow scrunched.

”There’s someone? In here?”

He walked to the doorway and suddenly stopped as if petrified.

”I found this… body and… I was hoping you could tell me who she is.”

“Hey! Wait!”

Jeralt was storming toward the abbey, Alear barely keeping up with him.

“What is this about? Who is she?”

The man didn’t answer her, and she felt increasingly nervous, not knowing what was happening as Jeralt marched straight toward the Audience Chamber. Alear felt cold sweat on her temples.

“Jeralt! You can’t just—”

He ripped the door open. 

“Rhea!”

Yuri, Constance, Hapi, and Balthus were still in the room with Rhea and Seteth. They all turned around to look.

“Seteth”, Rhea said calmly, “could you take the Ashen Wolves with you and retrieve the chalice for them? I will be with you shortly.”

Seteth glanced between Rhea and the seething knight, a concerned look in his eyes, but he nodded.

“Very well, Lady Rhea.”

As soon as the room emptied, Jeralt took a menacing step toward the Archbishop, and already anticipating trouble, Alear quickly moved between the two of them.

“Jeralt, please calm down.”

“Calm down? Not before I get a damn good explanation for what our dear Archbishop here has done to Sitri! Why is she on display like that? Why isn’t she resting in her grave? Who did you even put in there”, Jeralt demanded angrily.

Alear had a sinking feeling about the identity of the woman, but she had to hear it aloud.

”Who is Sitri?”

“She is… was… Captain Jeralt’s wife”, Rhea said, her eyes downcast.

“So she’s… B-Byleth’s…”

“There’s also another thing I finally want an answer to”, Jeralt said, his gaze hardening. ”All the things you have done, are capable of… Maybe I’ve been afraid even to know the answer before, but I don’t care anymore. Are you… the same kind as the kid here?”

Rhea glanced at Alear, her mint-green eyes wide. She was clearly surprised that she would have shared something she considered so intimate with him. Then again, they came from so different worlds. Alear still found it hard to comprehend that dragons had actually been persecuted and hunted in here, forced to hide among the humans.

”We can’t talk about such things in here”, Rhea hissed in a low voice, then sighed. ”Listen, I—”

There was a knock at the door, and Seteth peeked in.

“Oh. You’re still here.”

“Have the Ashen Wolves already departed”, Rhea asked.

“Yes. They just left.”

“Would you mind following them and keeping an eye on them? I have a feeling there is something sinister going on, and I am waiting for an informant of my own to arrive any time”, Rhea suggested, meeting Alear and Jeralt’s eyes apologetically. “I promise to tell you everything about… Sitri later.”

“Fine”, the Captain grumbled. “Let’s go, kid.”

As Alear and Jeralt went after the Wolves, they ran into Edelgard.

“Alear, I was actually looking for—oh, are you in a hurry?”

“Come with us? I’ll explain on the way. We might need the backup.”

As it turned out, Aelfric wasn’t as virtuous as he had seemed, not a hostage and not prepared to meet Jeralt, either. The turns were wilder one after the other.

Aelfric was in love with Jeralt’s late wife?

He had been visiting her dead body for over ten years after finding it in Abyss?

He was trying to resurrect her?

Yuri had been deceiving them all this whole time?

Soon after the fight against Aelfric’s accomplices, Rhea and a few of her knights also arrived at the scene. The Archbishop confirmed that Aelfric had everything he needed to complete the ritual to resurrect Sitri now since he had abducted the Ashen Wolves, who happened to possess the Crests to make that happen. However, where Aelfric had teleported himself and the Wolves with the help of some dark mages was a mystery.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Alear couldn’t help but feel a little distracted as she suddenly realized how odd and rare it was to be in the presence of both Rhea and Edelgard at the same time.

“—but where would he be looking to complete the ritual? There are many quiet places within Garreg Mach”, Edelgard mused. “How can we find him in time?”

“Oh, wait”, Alear exclaimed, suddenly remembering something. “When we were in the audience chamber, Yuri pushed a piece of paper into my pocket when they left the room. I didn’t know what it meant when I read it, but it said to meet him in the Holy Mausoleum after midnight.”

Rhea nodded.

“That makes sense. I will send the knights.”

“Let me and the Eagles take care of this”, Alear suggested. ”We don’t know what the situation will be, and we can move more stealthily than a group of knights.”

“I’m coming, too”, Jeralt said gravely before Rhea could answer. ”This is my wife we’re talking about. I’m going to make that bastard pay.”

”Very well.”

”And after that”, he added, his eyes narrowing at Rhea, ”we’ll talk.”

Alear noticed how Edelgard clearly filed the exchange between the two in the back of her sharp mind, but didn’t comment anything on it.

”Let’s inform the others, then, shall we”, the Adrestian princess said instead. ”We have some time to get ready, at least.”

Alear walked out of her private quarters. She had prepared for their late-night mission by resting a little and maintaining Libération and Byleth’s old mercenary armor that she was still using. She bumped almost straight into Monica—or whoever she really was—as if she had been waiting for her. It was a bit disconcerting.

“Oh, hey, uh, Monica. I wasn’t expecting to run into you this late.”

“I’m sorry if I startled you, I just happened to be walking by. But since you’re still up and our talk earlier was cut a bit short… I’d like to show you something.”

“Um, could it wait until tomorrow? I actually have to—”

“It’s a real quick thing. Promise.”

“Well, uhm, I suppose if it doesn’t take much time…”

“Halt.”

It was Edelgard.

“Monica, is this not quite late already?”

The woman scowled and looked behind her as if already expecting to see Hubert there in the shadows.

“We have some urgent matters to attend to”, the man said matter-of-factly.

”Yes. Whatever this is about, I’m sure you can discuss it later”, Edelgard concluded, then eyed both Hubert and Alear. ”Why don’t you go ahead to meet the others, I have something I need to say to Monica now that she is so conveniently here.”

Alear turned to leave, but her sharp senses still picked up the first part of the hushed, stern conversation.

”I have done everything to keep up my end of the bargain. We have an agreement, and she’s not part of it. Leave her alone.”

”It’s over, Aelfric”, Jeralt boomed as the last of his troops fell. ”There’s no one left to protect you. You can rot in a prison for all eternity as far as I’m concerned if that’s what the church wants, but Sitri will finally get a proper burial and that’s all that matters to me now.”

Alear was holding onto Libération tightly. Rhea and a few of her knights had also accompanied them. Edelgard was by her side, her battleaxe ready, the rest of the Eagles behind them.

Everyone Alear cared about was here, in the same room. The look in Aelfric’s eyes made her nervous.

“You would bury her beautiful, pristine body when she could be brought back!”

“You’re insane! She’s dead!”

Aelfric let out an inhumane roar. His body began twisting, changing, and growing in size, macabrely absorbing also Sitri’s body into itself.

“What is that thing”, Alear yelled, astonished.

“An umbral beast”, Jeralt said. “Be on your guard. They’re very dangerous and have powerful magical abilities. We should destroy it posthaste.”

“Right. In that case…” Alear grabbed the man by his huge arm. “FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE!”

Jeralt looked surprised when he and the young dragon were enshrouded by a soft, blue mist. Then he grinned, likely already feeling Alear’s Emblem powers coursing through him.

“You’re full of surprises, kid.”

“Hopefully, the pleasant kind.”

The Wolves, Eagles, and knights who had arrived with Rhea began attacking the enormous beast, with Alear and Jeralt spearheading the attack and trying to keep the monster’s attention. The beast bellowed and suddenly created illusionary Aelfrics to attack them, forcing some pressure off itself.

“Crafty bastard”, Jeralt growled and managed to impale one of the beast’s legs with his lance, making it roar angrily and swipe at him with its enormous claws. At least this time, the claws missed.

Alear glanced quickly around her. The others were still trying to destroy the remaining illusions attacking them. She didn’t see Rhea, but she noticed Edelgard near her, fighting one of the illusions by herself. Then, just like that, the beast disappeared, and magical bolts rained down on them. Blood red mist, smelling of iron, was thick in the air. The Adrestian princess moved a bit stiffly in her heavy armor, and one of the bolts hit her square against her chest plate when she dodged another. She landed on her back with a pained grunt, momentarily dazed.

“Edelgard! Are you okay?”

The next thing Alear knew was that the whole team was suddenly warped to random positions in the room. She felt disoriented for a moment, then quickly whipped around and saw the beast again. To her horror, she realized Edelgard was suddenly much further back, isolated from the others, the monster appearing right in front of her as she was still trying to get up from the floor.

The beast bellowed again and threw its whole weight on its hind legs, clearly intending to trample the woman beneath it.

“No!”

The remnants of her Emblem powers still lingered, and she dashed at the beast as fast as she could, but she was so far away. She watched, as if in slow motion, as the monster’s front legs came crashing down toward the future Emperor of Adrestia.

She would never reach her in time, no matter how fast she moved.

“Edelgard, no!”

Something else appeared in her vision, connecting with the woman before the monster could crush its weight down on her, and Alear’s eyes widened.

It was Rhea, barreling into Edelgard and rolling them away from under the beast.

With newfound determination, Alear jumped and sank Libération between the umbral beast’s ribs. Roaring with agony, it managed to shake her off, but the sword was stuck on its side up to the hilt. Immediately after that, Jeralt plunged his lance through the beast as well. After him, several others reached them and showered the abomination with attacks, efficiently overwhelming it. Confident in the combined efforts of her comrades, Alear went to check up on Rhea and Edelgard.

She was relieved that they both appeared unharmed and couldn’t help her cheeks warming guiltily as she watched Rhea push herself up, having been practically lying on top of a very embarrassed and uncomfortable-looking Edelgard.

Alear, focus.

The Adrestian princess got up on her feet, as well, wiping sweat off her brow.

They watched silently as the umbral beast let out a last pathetic growl and collapsed on the floor.

Alear and Rhea watched Jeralt leave the Archbishop’s chamber.

For a moment, neither said anything.

“Are you okay”, Alear finally asked softly, covering one of Rhea’s hands with her own as they sat at the table, everyone’s tea cold and untouched. “Does it bother you that Jeralt knows you’re not a human?”

“I know he has had his suspicions, probably since I healed him back to life… that I’m something else. It, in fact, bothers me less than I thought it would. After all, we have known each other for a long time, and I have come to trust him despite…”

Rhea fell silent.

“Despite what? What happened to his wife? The heart… replacement and the falling-out you had when Sitri died after Byleth’s birth? Um, how exactly, uh… I don’t think we have organ transplants even in Elyos?”

The woman squeezed her hand tighter.

“I… wasn’t completely honest to him. I just… couldn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

The Archbishop bit her lower lip, looking down at their joined hands.

“...Rhea?”

“Sitri wasn’t… born by conventional means. I… created her.”

Alear stared at the older woman, completely thunderstruck.

“Uh…huh?”

Rhea sighed heavily.

“Before her… I had created eleven others, using my blood and… other parts. None of them fit the purpose I had in mind, however, too sickly and weak to live. I had to… dispose of them all. And then, finally… there was Sitri.”

Alear swallowed, not sure what to say.

“But t-that’s… that’s horrible! Why would you do such a thing?”

“I know, Alear. I am sorry. It was all to resurrect my Mother… the progenitor god… and bring her back to this world. Ever since her death… that has been my only purpose.”

“S-so that heart you mentioned…”

Rhea nodded, a resigned look on her face.

“The Crest Stone of my Mother.”

“Wait. Now I understand. You said earlier that your mother is now in Elyos with Byleth. You didn’t mean the sword that was built from her bones. You meant the crest stone. And it’s… it’s still inside Byleth, isn’t it? It’s the thing that allowed her to live, and it’s why Sitri asked you to put her heart inside her baby. She knew she was carrying the stone, and she made the choice to have it planted in Byleth instead.”

“It was so strange to see her all grown up when she and Jeralt arrived back at the monastery after 21 long years. The very image of Sitri, except she was strong, healthy, and battle-hardened. I could hardly believe it—there it was, at long last, the perfect vessel for my Mother. And now, she’s gone again.”

Alear felt conflicted and drew her hand back. There was a rejected look on Rhea’s face.

“The Chalice of Beginnings, the creation of these… vessels, as you said… the whole purpose behind controlling this continent…” She shook her head, not able to keep the tinge of hurt from her voice. “Resurrecting this progenitor god, it’s… it’s the only thing you really care about, isn’t it?”

“That’s not tr—” Rhea fell silent again, then drew in a shuddering breath. “N-no. You are… not entirely wrong. I admit… it has been the driving force for me since I slew Nemesis and reacquired my Mother’s remains. To restore the goddess back to this world. At… any cost.”

“At least you can admit it”, Alear said quietly. “Agarthans destroyed nearly your whole race, and I can understand that something like that must be more traumatizing than I can ever comprehend, but… I can’t help but think this obsession, this open wound you refuse to heal, is consuming you alive. Everything, everyone… are they really nothing but tools? You have turned even the atrocities Agarthans committed into means to an end.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“The Crests. Created from the blood of your fallen kin by your very enemies… and you gave them, too, a new meaning. Allowed humans they were bestowed upon to subjugate the ones without them. Just because you benefited from the power structure that allowed you to control Fódlan in your Mother’s absence. You never cared about the humans, but then again… you never claimed you did, either.”

“I know there is not much I can say to defend my actions”, Rhea finally said, sounding tired, sad, and defeated. “After Sitri, however, I did begin to view humans differently, however late that was. She was, initially, an experiment, but… something changed in me with her. Suddenly, I didn’t see merely another broken vessel but someone who lived and breathed and had thoughts of her own and needed love and protection.

“For the very first time after the War of Heroes, after centuries of failed attempts, I finally gave up the thought of trying to revive Mother. In a way, Sitri had already begun healing the emptiness inside me, and for a while, I felt almost… happy. She was like a daughter to me, and I wanted her to be happy, too. Then she died, and much later, it all resurfaced with the arrival of Byleth.”

“And would you sacrifice her, too, in order to attempt to bring the progenitor god back once more?”

Alear looked into Rhea’s mint-green eyes keenly as she waited for the answer.

“I… N-no. I would not. Not anymore”, the woman said finally. “My goodbyes to my Mother are long overdue. Your unexpected arrival in Fódlan… Maybe it is fate. To be reminded so vividly of Lumera’s kindness and her love for all living beings under the sky when I had nearly forgotten.”

“Rhea…”

The woman leaned slightly forward and took the hand Alear had withdrawn earlier between both of her hands, gently squeezing.

“Even if I am undeserving and unable to change my past… I would be grateful if you gave me a chance. Allow me to show I can do better. Be better.”

Alear chewed the inside of her cheek, contemplating. There was one more thing bothering her that she had yet to voice.

“You do know that despite the similarities… I’m not Queen Lumera, nor will I ever be.”

“And I do not expect you to be. You are Alear. And, even if you weren’t her daughter… It doesn't matter, either. I care for you because… you are you.”

Despite everything, Alear couldn’t help but smile. The words sounded so honest and heartfelt. And it wasn’t as if she was without her own past haunting her. After all, even if she still had no recollection of it—and perhaps mercifully so—she had slain both dragons and humans in Sombron’s name before that fateful day when she had met Queen Lumera. Even her own sister had been Sombron’s pawn. Now she was fighting by Byleth’s side, and Alear was sure her sister was making her proud, too.

Everyone deserves another chance.

Before Alear left, they embraced, holding each other comfortingly for a long time. Then they kissed—and kissed again. Alear’s hands were getting restless.

“Stay the night”, Rhea whispered in her ear, and Alear felt a pleasant jolt run down her spine.

“Mmh. People will start talking.”

She felt Rhea’s hot mouth on her neck. The woman bit her gently just below her ear and sucked on her sensitive skin. Alear couldn’t help a delirious little groan from escaping her throat, and then there was that irresistible, husky voice again.

“Let them talk.”

Chapter Text

“Your girlfriend’s hot.”

Byleth turned to look at Emblem Shez sitting beside her as she cleaned her sword.

“Yes… Princess Ivy is really pretty”, Byleth agreed.

Shez laughed goodnaturedly.

“Oh gods, you two are such cinnamon rolls! I wonder if you ever actually get to… you know what I mean! My Byleth wouldn’t have had the mental restraint to settle for mere hand-holding if there was mutual interest with someone.”

“Oh?” Byleth thought about the comment for a moment. “Does that mean it would’ve been okay for you if she had extramarital relationships?”

Shez grinned.

“We were quite open about that stuff.”

“I see. May I ask you something… personal? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“Haha, now I’m curious”, Shez said, excited.

“How did you… die?”

The smirk dropped from Shez’s face.

“Oh. That kind of personal stuff.” She took a deep breath. “Sure.”

Byleth turned to look at the Emblem properly. She could see old pain in her purple eyes that had lost their previous glimmer upon the change of topic.

“Where to begin… Ah, well. By and me, we were Edelgard and Dorothea’s bodyguards, and when their twins were born, we kind of became their retainers. The Kingdom didn’t exactly agree to Edelgard’s reformations, and after having licked their wounds for a few years, another war broke out.

”One day, By was watching the kids in the Imperial Palace while I was guarding their parents during this meeting. Somehow, an assassin had managed to infiltrate the Palace, and… By died protecting the twins. She had been attacked from behind, and even if she managed to kill the assassin, she… died of her wounds soon after. The kids said they tried to wake her up, but she… didn’t.”

The anguish in Shez’s voice sent an unpleasant shiver through her core.

“I kinda… lost it after that. I always thought we’d die together in the end, fighting back to back until our last breath or something like that, you know? Instead, she passed away without me even knowing what was happening. The day after that, I left the Palace alone and ambushed their troops in a war camp nearest to the Adrestian border.

”There were so many soldiers, and I just kept killing them, one by one. Nothing mattered anymore. I must have felled at least two dozen of them before I felt an impact, and I remember dropping to my knees. First, it was warm and wet; then, this chill began spreading through me. I looked down and saw a lance head jutting through my chest. Then I just… closed my eyes.”

They were both quiet for a long time.

“Did… did you see who it was?”

Shez shrugged.

“No. I didn’t. And I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Hmmh.”

“So”, Shez asked after a few more moments, “have you ever even had sex with anyone?”

Byleth was a little surprised by the sudden change of topic but answered, unfazed.

“Do you know Shamir Nevrand?”

Shez’s eyes widened.

“No way!”

She continued cleaning her sword, then glanced at the Emblem, who was looking at her expectantly.

“Well?”

“‘Well’ what? Are you expecting me to elaborate?”

Shez raised one of her eyebrows and smirked a little. Byleth couldn’t help smiling as well.

“The other me… she must’ve been happy with you.”

A wistful look flashed across the Emblem’s face.

“She was. Of that, I have no doubt.”

When Byleth entered the cafeteria, no one was there except Céline. She was having tea, and at first, Byleth thought she was alone, but then she realized she was talking with an Emblem, as well—Edelgard.

“Sorry for disturbing you, I’ll just grab some tea quickly and go to my room.”

“You are not disturbing anything, Professor Byleth. Please, join us.”

“Yes, please do. I haven’t had many opportunities to speak with you”, Emblem Edelgard said with a smile.

“Alright then.”

Byleth sat at the table, a little nervous. If she was honest with herself, she had been avoiding the Emblem from her world upon learning that in her universe, she existed as herself and not the male version of her—or at least as close to herself as it probably was possible. 

Byleth noticed Céline look at her curiously.

“Is there something in my hair?”

“N-no, it must just be the way sunlight catches your features.”

“Huh. So, how are you?”

“Actually, we were just talking about how similar we seem to be”, Céline said, sipping her tea.

“I think I know what you mean”, Byleth admitted. “You both are determined and unwavering in whatever you set out to do, loyal to your nations, and your appearances obscure your real strength.”

“Such praise. You are exactly as I remember you, my teacher”, Edelgard said, smiling a little, her expression then becoming more tentative. “Or… maybe I shouldn’t call you that. I have a feeling my presence is making you… uncomfortable.”

Byleth shifted in her seat.

“If you would rather talk privately, I can—”

“There’s no need, Céline”, Byleth assured, then thought about what to say to the Emblem. “I have talked a few times with the… male version of me. He was hesitant to tell me too much of what transpired in his timeline since each of us seemed to have had it so differently. He was teaching the Golden Deer, and in Emblem Shez’s Fódlan, the version of me never became a teacher at all. Now everything will be different again because Alear is there in my place. I suppose it’s just unnerving for me, seeing you as an Emblem and knowing you have already seen the entirety of the path I was on before coming here.”

“I can understand that. You may possess an indomitable spirit, but this is a highly unusual situation. It would be much to handle for anyone.”

”I don’t really even want to know about the choices I made, but… could you answer just two questions?”

”Of course.”

”Did you really go to war against the church?”

Edelgard nodded.

”Yes. It was the only way to free Fódlan, and I do not regret it. Lady Rhea would have never been ready to merely sit down and discuss with me when the whole system was built around keeping her in power.”

Byleth still found the thought hard to accept. Rhea had been nothing if not sweet and empathetic to her. First, her Dad’s ominous warnings, then—

”Oh, and the other question. What exactly happened to my Dad?”

Edelgard sighed.

”Do you really wish to know?”

Byleth nodded.

”Before the war, there was a Demonic Beast attack just outside the gates of Garreg Mach. Only it was not the Demonic Beasts that killed Jeralt, but… a member of the group of dark mages I had made a pact with. I can only swear I did not know anything of their intentions. I only worked with them out of necessity, and in the end, I could exert little control over them as they advanced their own plans in the shadows.”

”So the other me was right… there is a third party who wishes to benefit from destroying both the Church and the Empire, then”, Byleth said quietly.

“At the very least, it is Divine One who is there in your stead, Professor Byleth”, Céline assured, touching her forearm comfortingly. “I’m sure that if anyone, she can think of something.”

“Yes. Although, not to underestimate the Divine Dragon, it is me and Rhea you are talking about, and we can both be quite… obstinate.”

An amused smile played on Emblem Edelgard’s lips.

“We had our differences, but in many ways, we were quite similar, too. Who knows if we had met some other time, under other circumstances…” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Well. It is pointless to speculate.”

“I do hope Divine One will be able to return, eventually”, Céline said, then looked at Byleth curiously. “I just wonder… would you even want to return any more?”

She shrugged helplessly, not sure what to say.

“Oh, I—I apologize. That was tactless of me”, Céline continued almost instantly. “I should not voice such assumptions.”

”No, it’s a fair question. There are many things I miss in Fódlan, but if I was given the chance to choose this time…”

Byleth fell quiet, leaving the thought hanging in the air.

“One day at a time, my teacher”, Edelgard said then, encouragingly. “We do not know what the future brings.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry for bringing up this weighty conversation while you were having such a good time.”

“You don’t need to apologize for anything, I assure you”, Céline said, “although you have made me curious now. This Rhea you mentioned, who is she exactly?”

“Lady Rhea, she’s—”

“That is surely a story for another time”, Emblem Edelgard cut in gently, clearly eager to change the topic.

Céline drank the rest of her tea.

“Mmh. Such delicious tea. A shame that it was all that was left.”

“Is it hard to obtain the leaves for this blend?”

“The other leaves can be found in practically all of Elyos, but the leaf that gives this blend its particular taste used to grow only in Lythos Castle Gardens, and it is now all in ruins. Chances are the bushes have all been destroyed in the process”, Céline lamented.

A thought began forming in Byleth’s mind. They would finally go after the last shard tomorrow, having rested after the trip to the alternate Elyos and introducing their new comrades to everyone and to their new world. Now, however, she didn’t have anything specific to do for the rest of the day, especially since Ivy was sleeping her fever away.

She could take a little trip to the Castle ruins and get her wyvern some exercise.

“So, what do these bushes look like?”

“How were you able to awaken those Emblems? How were you even able to grant me the blessing to enter the Somniel when we first arrived?”

Byleth looked around the ruins while she waited for Sothis to answer, but she hadn’t found any of the bushes Princess Céline had described yet. There were many completely decimated and burnt patches, parts of the garden buried under rocks.

“It pains me to admit I’m as much at a loss as you are.”

Byleth crouched in front of a bush, examining the leaves and getting up, continuing the search. 

“But how can you do all that if you don’t know what you’re doing?”

“Ugh, how many times do I need to tell you that I do not know? Stop pestering me about it.”

”There has to be something that’s prompting you to do what you didn’t know you could do”, Byleth insisted while she roamed the ruined gardens.

“My stubborn, stubborn vessel”, Sothis sighed. “Truly, all I can say is… there are just these words that come to me as naturally as you breathe or get that stupid look on your face when you are in the company of your wyvern-riding Princess.”

Byleth smirked.

“She has a name, you know? Why are you always so… weird about her?”

“I am not—”

Both of their attention was drawn to a strange pedestal up ahead. It was striking to see the unmarred, perfectly round green and striving garden area around it when the ground surrounding it had been completely burnt to crisp.

“It has to be protected by some strong magic”, Byleth mused as she approached the pedestal, squinting her eyes. “Is there something on top of it? One more of those Emblem rings?”

“I do not sense an Emblem in it, but…”

Byleth heard a snarl. She turned around and saw a Corrupted approaching her. Then the sound seemed to multiply, and more Corrupted crept toward her, emerging seemingly from nowhere.

She was surrounded.

“Emblem Shez”, she called the Emblem calmly, holding the Creator Sword securely with both her hands as the purple-haired mercenary appeared next to her, her dual blades already drawn.

They nodded at each other and engaged Sombron’s undead soldiers. The pair worked efficiently, cutting their enemies down, but just as they thought they had them all, even more Corrupted began pouring at them.

“Where are these all coming from”, Byleth grunted, gritting her teeth as she whipped her sword through one heavily armored one.

Shez was now surrounded by four of them, her eyes blazing as she shapeshifted in the same manner she had done when Byleth first met her.

“I’LL TAKE YOU ALL ON” , she yelled and became a whirlwind of death with her dual blades.

Byleth continued destroying the foot soldiers around her methodically. While they weren’t as skilled as she was, they had strength in numbers. She couldn’t help but feel uneasy when she saw twice as many approaching her determinedly when she thought she had dropped the last of them. There was more coming for Shez, too, and the strange orange glow around her, boosting her attacks, was already dissipating.

“I can’t go on like this forever”, Byleth grunted, feeling the first signs of soreness and fatigue in her muscles. “Maybe we should just take the ring and leave while we still can.”

She approached the pedestal but was stopped by an invisible barrier that sent blue ripples seemingly over thin air where she had bumped into it. Byleth frowned with annoyance.

“Of course. I should’ve known.”

“Let me take control.”

“Sothis?”

“Or do you have some better suggestions? After all, your demise would also be mine, and I find that outcome unacceptable.”

“Fine. Do what you must.”

The strange sensation of alienation overcame her senses once more as Sothis pushed her consciousness to the side and assumed control. She turned her gaze to the ring and merely reached for it, picking it up from the pedestal like there never was any barrier to stop her. She rolled the ring around in her fingers, examining it with a curious look on her face until suddenly a whole horde of Corrupted burst through the rubble.

Sothis just looked at them with contempt and squeezed the hilt of the Creator Sword harder.

“I have had quite enough of you, mindless spawn of the false god”, she said in a low voice. “Perish.”

Byleth watched, horrified, as Sothis leaped straight into the middle of the swarm. She kept lashing with the sword mercilessly and ripped the Corrupted apart without care, blindly tearing through them. It was as if the power of the Creator Sword was tenfold in Sothis’s hands, the extended blade connecting with their undead enemies with thunderous cracks, sending the Corrupted, the rubble, the dirt, the burnt tree trunks, and absolutely everything in its way flying through the air.

One of the Corrupted managed to hit her heavily with a club, and another sliced open the unprotected skin above her vambrace with an axe. Sothis, however, appeared ignorant of the bodily damage, which only seemed to fuel her battle trance. Soon, only she and Emblem Shez remained.

“Sothis?”

Sothis pulled the ring out from the pocket she had stashed it in before attacking the Corrupted. She looked at it again intently, a focused look on her face.

“Sothis? Could I have my body back again?”

Finally, she seemed to react to her, huffing and reluctantly surrendering the control to her.

“I am getting sleepy anyway”, she yawned, “so have at it.”

“That was quite the show”, Emblem Shez said, looking impressed.

“Yes”, Byleth muttered, pocketing the ring again and wiping sweat off her forehead. Her arm was bleeding, and she could feel the after-effects of Sothis having used her body in a manner that went past her natural limits. The wound itself felt surprisingly painless. “Let’s get back before more surprises walk out of that rubble.”

“We should bandage your arm first”, Shez said softly.

“I have packed a first aid kit in one of Zephyr’s saddlebags. Are you good at dressing wounds?”

Shez smiled wryly.

“I am not only good but the best at dressing your wounds since I’m both intimately familiar with your body and have done that so many times already”, the Emblem said flirtatiously, but her demeanor sobered straight after she had voiced her thoughts. “I’m… sorry. You’re not my wife.”

“Don’t worry about it, Shez.”

Hopefully, there would be warm bathwater waiting for her in the Somniel.

Byleth walked into her room, her hair messy and wet after her quick bath. The water hadn’t been exactly warm, but it didn’t matter. Rather cold and clean than sweaty and bloody.

“Is everything alright”, Ivy asked immediately as she saw her, putting away the book she had been reading on the bed. Her voice sounded almost normal again, and she looked much healthier than in the morning. Despite her weariness, Byleth smiled.

“I’m just a little weary. You look much better, though. How are you feeling?”

“I’m just fine, but don’t try to change the subject. What happened? You look like you have been run over by cattle.”

Byleth sat on the edge of the bed, and Ivy affectionately touched her thigh, stroking it with small, comforting movements.

“I went to the Lythos Castle Gardens to look for these tea leaves Céline talked about earlier to see if I could find any. In the middle of the rubble, I found a strange pedestal with a ring on top of it, protected by some magic Queen Lumera had supposedly placed on it. Then I got attacked by some Corrupted, and things got a bit hectic for a while.”

“You fought them alone?”

“Well, with Emblem Shez and… Sothis. I allowed her to take control of my body, and she destroyed them as if they were mere insects. While she saved me, it also put quite a strain on my body. Her power is… considerable. Inhuman.”

Ivy had a worried look in her eyes.

“But isn’t that scary? Giving away control like that? What does it feel like?”

Byleth shrugged.

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like watching myself from the outside while my body operates autonomously, and the only one I can communicate with is Sothis.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine something like that. What was that ring, then? Does it, too, house an Emblem?”

Byleth pulled it out of her pocket, handing it to Ivy.

“Sothis didn’t sense a presence in it, but I showed it to the Stewards when I returned, and Vander knew of it. He said it’s been in the gardens for as long as he can remember. Apparently, it belonged to someone Lumera was in love with, but who they were and what happened to them is unclear. She never told anyone, or if she did, they’re not here to tell the tale anymore.”

“I’ve never heard of Queen Lumera being romantically involved with anyone”, Ivy mused as she examined the ring. “I wonder what is this symbol carved on the inside of the band.”

That got Byleth’s attention.

“What symbol?”

“Oh, you didn’t notice it? It’s here”, she pointed and handed the ring back to Byleth.

“I… can’t believe it”, she uttered in disbelief as she stared at the symbol she now noticed.

“What is it? Do you recognize it?”

“This… this is a Crest.”

“But we don’t have Crests here in Elyos. Could it just be a design convergence?”

Byleth looked at the symbol again, turning the ring around in her fingers.

“If so, it’s quite the coincidence. This looks exactly like the Crest of Macuil, there’s no doubt about that.”

“Macuil…”

“Sothis? You are awake again?”

Ivy looked at her curiously.

“Byleth?”

“Mmh?”

“Is it possible for me to… speak with her?”

“With Sothis? I suppose I can ask her if that’s okay. Why, though?”

Ivy shrugged one of her elbows.

“She is inseparably a part of you, isn’t she?”

“Maybe I should warn you, though. She can sometimes be a little—I am no such thing, how utterly impudent! And should I be, it would be merely because—” Sothis fell silent and turned her head sharply to look at the hand on her thigh, then glanced at the woman next to her reclining against pillows.

“O-oh, right, the hand”, Ivy said, quickly withdrawing it. “I apologize. This is just new to me. T-that there are two people inside the same body.”

“Fret not, little Princess”, Sothis answered, a little hesitantly. “I am merely not used to being… touched. For what it is worth, it did not feel particularly unpleasant. You wished to speak with me?”

“Byleth told me about the battle against the Corrupted. There must have been more of them than she’s willing to admit to me, and I have a feeling she wouldn’t have made it out alive without your intervention. It must feel silly to you since it’s also about your survival, but I still wanted to thank you for taking care of her. She’s very important to me, as you must already know.”

Sothis considered the words and nodded.

“As you, yourself, stated, this is also about me—mostly about me. It would be counterproductive to my existence to let my vessel die, but… you are welcome, I suppose.”

Ivy smiled and leaned forward, brushing a light kiss on Sothis’s cheek. Both of them jerked backward as soon as the Elusian’s lips touched the other woman’s skin.

“Oh my, I will have to apologize again”, she chuckled nervously, blushing. “It’s hard to think you’re not her. I didn’t intend to make you uncomfortable.”

“Y-you are forgiven, little Princess”, Sothis mumbled, her face flushed. “Now, if you will excuse me!”

Sothis was gone the next instant, and Byleth shook her head, a little disoriented by the sudden swap.

“Hngh. That was quick.”

“I… hope I didn’t offend her by acting too familiarly.”

“She’ll just have to get used to us being together.”

Ivy ran her fingers slowly through Byleth’s hair. Then she tilted her head just barely, a pensive look in her eyes.

“What is it?”

“Your hair, and… your eyes. Have they… always been this color?”

Byleth glanced down at the still-damp locks falling over her shoulders. Her hair indeed seemed to have a green tint that wasn’t there before.

“Maybe it’s just some residue after letting Sothis control my… or our… body. I see her in my mind sometimes, and she has green hair and eyes.”

“Maybe it’s just that, then.”

Byleth could still sense Ivy’s apprehension. Not knowing what to say, she decided to act instead and wrapped her arms around the woman’s neck, tenderly kissing her until she felt the tension melt away.

“What would you say to supper? To be honest, I’m quite hungry”, she admitted as their lips finally parted. She could feel another kind of hunger between them, as well, but... this was not the right time. Not yet.

“That sounds like a good idea. Hortensia was here earlier and said Goldmary is cooking this evening. Whatever it is, I likely haven’t tasted anything better in my life, and despite her ego hardly fitting on this island as it is, I’ll end up saying that to her, too, and not just once.”

Byleth smirked.

“Whoever ends up marrying that woman has to really enjoy working out if they intend to stay in shape.”

She helped Ivy dress, and the two headed down the stairs to the Café Terrace, hand in hand. The mystery of the ring still bothered her, but no one would be able to provide much more information on it than Vander already had. Whatever the story behind the Crest symbol on the band, she just had to accept that she might never know.

Chapter Text

”Mmh, I needed that”, Edelgard sighed contently. Her strong arm draped over Alear’s midriff, and she kissed the dragon’s bare shoulder as they lay naked on the bed.

“Oh, just out of curiosity”, the young woman said then, as if suddenly remembering something. “Where were you in the morning? It was highly unusual not to find you in this very bed when I came to wake you.”

“Ah, right. I was at the abbey.”

Edelgard was silent for a moment.

“At the… abbey? At that hour?”

“I needed to discuss the Sitri situation with Lady Rhea and Captain Jeralt, and when we were finally finished with… everything, it was so late that I just stayed over.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I—”

“N-no, I apologize. I wasn’t trying to give you the impression that you are in any way accountable to me. As a matter of fact, the abbey might be the safest place for you.”

“Safest? ”

Alear turned to look at Edelgard.

“What does that mean? Am I in danger?”

There was a worried look in the human’s lilac eyes.

“It’s probably nothing, but… I have this feeling that something terrible is going to happen soon.”

“Aren’t you planning a war?” Alear bit her lip. “Sorry, I—I know it isn’t… I didn’t mean to—”

Edelgard sighed.

”It’s alright. Kronya was supposed to deliver me critical information at noon, but she never came. She may be a little… difficult and short-tempered, but she has always been strictly on time with her updates.”

“Are you worried about these… mages withdrawing their support? But why would they do that all of a sudden?”

“I wish I knew. I… didn’t want to worry you, but maybe I should just share this—regarding what I said about your safety. Kronya has been asking me strange questions about you for the past week or so. Or, well, not directly, but her poor attempts at subtlety did little to impress me.”

“O-oh.”

“Perhaps it is just genuine curiosity since she knows we are close, but… I would advise caution for the time being. They are… dangerous people, and I fear I may have made a mistake.”

“Thanks for letting me know. I doubt they’d be eager to act too rashly around the Monastery grounds, though.”

“I hope you are right.”

Alear felt uneasy. She still vividly remembered Kronya standing outside her quarters in the middle of the night, that odd look on her face.

“L-let’s talk about more pleasant things. So, uh, White Heron Cup tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“So, who’s representing the Black Eagle house? It’s Petra or Dorothea, isn’t it?” Edelgard didn’t say anything, but Alear noticed a little smirk on her lips. “Uh, Ferdinand? Caspar…?”

Alear watched, enraptured, as Edelgard moved around with surprising elegance.

“I had no idea she’s so good at dancing”, she said quietly to Dorothea, who was sitting next to her, her eyes never leaving the scene before her.

“You’re just so used to seeing her in her bulky armor, something pointy and heavy in her hands, but dancing isn’t that different from fighting. It requires strength and coordination as well, only no one dies at the end of it. At least, hopefully.”

She had never seen Edelgard wearing anything so gorgeously feminine as the dancer outfit she was wearing now, proudly representing the Black Eagle House.

Unlike the other contestants, she had covered her arms and legs to hide the surgical scars on her skin. Alear had seen the incisions often enough not to even notice them anymore, but she could understand why Edelgard didn’t want to draw any attention to them. Even if she was more covered than the others, the tight material hugging her muscular limbs only made her look even more impressive as she moved, shadows and highlights paying homage to the powerful, chiseled body of the Adrestian Princess.

”It’s a crime if Edie doesn’t win”, Dorothea said dreamily, and Alear could only hum in agreement. ”Maybe I shouldn’t say such things about the future Emperor of Adrestia, but I have to admit that it’s quite enticing to witness this more… passionate side of her for once.”

”Um, yes, it’s… nice.”

“I’ve noticed she’s had this sparkle in her eyes for the last few weeks. I wonder what’s the cause of it”, the brunette mused, Alear again merely humming for confirmation and staring at the enchanting human on the stage. “What are you wearing for the ball? Will I be seeing you in a nice frilly dress?”

Alear glanced at Dorothea, who winked at her.

“Huh? Oh, no, sorry. I’ll be on guard duty. Captain Jeralt said we’ll be wearing some kind of ceremonial armor for the occasion. In fact, after this, I’m going to get mine, so I’ll have it ready for tomorrow.”

“It’s a shame you’ll have to stand around in some stuffy armor all evening, but on the other hand, you’d look gorgeous in anything with that smile and that amazing blue hair of yours.”

“You are too kind, Dorothea. I have to say, though, that whatever you’ll be wearing, everyone’s eyes will be on you. You have such effortless, natural charm that just anyone would surely feel blessed to have your attention. You’ll have so many people asking for a dance you’ll have to give them queue numbers.”

Dorothea giggled.

“My, aren’t you smooth! However… To be honest, there’s just this one person I’d be happy with noticing me, and… I guess we’ll see.”

“Is that right? And who might that be?”

“I… maybe it’s better if I don’t say anything more for now”, the brunette said then, a sparkle in her green eyes.

Alear walked toward her room, carrying the ceremonial armor she had just picked up from the provisioner. She was surprised to see Jeralt waiting for her by the door, a grim look on his face.

“Has something happened?”

The man just nodded stiffly at the door, and they went inside.

“What’s going on?”

Jeralt sighed heavily and sat down on a chair.

“Do you still have that whisky bottle here?”

“You should know by now that I only drink when you want me to help you win drinking bets in the tavern”, Alear said, pouring the man a general amount of the amber liquid. “It tastes nice, sure, but there’s not much point drinking something expensive that doesn’t even really affect me.”

”I’m not sure if I’d be glad for that kind of tolerance or not”, Jeralt muttered, downing the cup's contents.

Alear sat down opposite him. Routinely, she filled his cup again and put the bottle aside, looking at him expectantly.

”What happened?”

”It’s about your… lady friend.”

Alear felt genuinely puzzled.

“Um, lady friend? Do you mean Rhea or Edelgard?”

Jeralt raised his eyebrows in surprise, coughing up some of his whisky and shaking his head.

“Now, I don’t know what all you’ve got cooking here, kid, but this is about Rhea. Someone just tried to kill her.”

“What!?” Alear sprung up from her seat. “Is she okay? Where is she?”

”Calm down, kid, she’s fine. A little shaken, but fine.”

Alear sat down, distressed.

”But… How could that happen? She’s surrounded by knights day and night!”

”I have no idea. One of the monks was one of those blasted shapeshifting mages.”

”What? Was he captured?”

”He would have been killed on the spot, but he managed to teleport away just before my lance reached the coward. One of the priests is dead, though. He noticed the assailant casting a spell at the very last moment and used himself as a human shield. I’ll spare you the details, but I won’t be craving cooked meat for a while, I can say that much.”

”T-that’s… horrible”, Alear murmured.

Tomas, Kronya, Edelgard’s warning, now this… Isn’t even the monastery safe anymore?

She drew in a shuddering breath.

”I’m sorry for the poor priest, but… Thank you for being there, as well, protecting Lady Rhea. I know it’s your duty, b-but—”

”Look, I wasn’t born yesterday. I have known for some time now that there is more than just… I don’t know, mutual conspecific understanding or whatever between you two. I also know that Rhea isn’t as pure and compassionate as she wants people to believe, and I’m still not sure how much of anything she says is even true, but… I’ve come to think maybe I shouldn’t know everything, either. Ever since she saved my life and… prolonged it and granted me a Crest on the side, I have known she is something more or… something else than a human. When I first met her, she didn’t even call herself Rhea yet; we go so far back.

“During the time I’ve known her, I’ve been grateful to her, impressed by her, scared of her, angry at her… but it all makes more sense now, understanding what she really is. She may have done things I disagree with, but I… ugh, I don’t know. What she did with Sitri’s body could’ve been a little less morbid, to be honest. And yet, I’m still here for some reason. Maybe I’m just cursed to be a Knight of Seiros for the rest of my life for accepting her mercy, and her blood, in the first place.”

“Jeralt…”

“You know, my kid really liked Rhea, too, for some reason”, the man said, an amused smile on his lips as he finished the whisky. “No amount of telling her not to trust that woman changed her mind about her. It’s a little funny because, in a way, you remind me of Byleth. Maybe you smile and talk a little more, but that something’s definitely there. I can’t believe I’m about to say something mushy like this, but… I also believe you might be just what Rhea needs in her life right now. Maybe she can finally find some peace of mind with someone like you there for her.”

Alear smiled at Jeralt’s words.

”That’s so sweet of you to say.”

Jeralt looked thoughtful.

“What was that you said about Lady Edelgard, though? Don’t tell me you’re playing the field.”

“I’m not… sure what that phrase means”, Alear admitted, a little confused. “The thing is, I’ve grown close to them both, and they both need something I’m happy to give them. It’s just as simple as that.”

Jeralt chuckled and smiled wryly.

“If not for that innocent face… Listen: I’m not familiar enough with the young von Hresvelg to speak on her behalf, especially as Adrestian Emperors are known for keeping multiple consorts, but I highly doubt Rhea is big on sharing. I hope you know what you’re doing, kid.”

Alear still wasn’t sure what the problem was but nodded carefully anyway.

“So, what about tomorrow? Is the ball still going to be held?”

“Yeah, but the security will be doubled. Since the knights and priests share a blood bond with our illustrious Archbishop through the initiation ritual, it’s basically impossible to infiltrate their ranks, and they are always a safe bet. The other members of the church, however, will be under more scrutiny. It’s perhaps unfair but not unfounded.”

“I… have to agree”, Alear confessed. “Let’s hope those people lay low for a while. Everyone has been so excited about tomorrow. It’d be a shame if they showed up to ruin the evening for everyone.”

“Mmh.” Jeralt turned his gaze and spotted the leather-wrapped bundle Alear had placed on the trunk. “Right, your armor set. While I’m here, I can show you a few things you should remember tomorrow when you put that on.”

“There are things I should… know about it?”

Jeralt grinned as they got up from their seats.

“Rhea might have made all this stuff up, but I gotta admit that she at least had an eye for details.”

“Greetings, Mistress Alear! Nothing to report! Ah, other than the legend of the Goddess Tower, of course. Have you heard the students talking about it?”

“I think I’ve heard it mentioned. What’s so special about it?”

“On the last night of the Ethereal Moon, on the same night as the ball… If a man and a woman go to the Goddess Tower and make a wish, it’s sure to come true! I have a wish, but I can’t find anybody to make it with me…”

“Um, okay. Does it… you know, have to be a man and a woman, specifically?”

The ceremonial armor felt awkward, but Alear reminded herself it was just for this evening. Besides that, she enjoyed herself and the atmosphere as she watched students from different houses mingle. Her long blue hair was in a loose, braided ponytail that got many compliments, and she really had no idea what to say to some of the envious girls asking how they could grow such long and luscious hair.

Uh, be a dragon? Sleep for a thousand years…?

“Alear! Don’t you look handsome in your party armor”, Dorothea said playfully as she walked to her. “I love what you’ve done with your hair.”

“Thank you, Dorothea. And you look as beautiful as always.” Despite the brunette’s cheery front, Alear could sense something else lingering beneath the surface. Before she could voice her observation, the woman took her by the hand.

“I know you’re here on duty, but… Could you spare a moment to dance with me?”

Alear was slightly surprised by the request and glanced inquisitively at Jeralt, who was standing beside her.

The man raised one eyebrow, and while he didn’t say anything aloud, Alear could lip-read him subtly asking ‘another one?’ before rolling his eyes and just curtly nodding at her.

“Uh, sure, I guess.”

Alear liked Dorothea. She was pretty, considerate, intelligent, and—she had to admit—always smelled good. They had often had tea together, and she knew of her difficult past. Alear had almost slipped so many times already to her what she really was and where she came from, but for the Songstress’s own safety, she didn’t. The fewer people who knew about her origins, the better, especially now that she had caught the attention of Edelgard’s dark mages.

Agarthans?

She pushed the unpleasant thought aside.

“So, how has your evening been? At least you haven’t had a shortage of dancing partners.”

“That, I haven’t”, the brunette sighed.

Alear cocked her head.

“I take it none of them have been that someone you were looking forward to noticing you?”

“You could say that.”

“Can I ask who he is?”

Dorothea chuckled.

“If it was a man, I suppose it’d be easier.”

“Oh. Sorry, I just… assumed.” Suddenly Alear’s eyes widened. “W-wait, do you mean—”

“You’re the cutest thing I ever saw, Bluey, but no, it isn’t you, either”, the brunette giggled, her eyes brightening a little. “Maybe it just isn’t meant to be. To be honest, I don’t even know what I was thinking, hoping that someone like her could ever be interested in someone like me.”

“Maybe you should just ask her? It isn’t the end of the world if she says she’s not interested, right? Then you’d at least know.”

Dorothea seemed to consider the suggestion, lightly biting her bottom lip.

“I… I don’t know. Maybe it’s for the best if she doesn’t ever know.”

“If I were you, I’d ask. Please consider it, at least. We only live once, and I have a hard time imagining anyone wouldn’t be at least utterly flattered having such a charming woman confessing their feelings to them.”

“You’re so sweet”, Dorothea said, smiling warmly as she kissed Alear on the cheek. ”I’ll… think about it. It won’t be tonight, in any case; I’ve hardly seen her all evening. But… thank you. Maybe I will.”

Alear walked to the courtyard, the cool night air refreshing after being confined in a space filled with people and their body heat while wearing her stuffy armor. She realized she hadn’t seen Edelgard in quite a while and had asked Jeralt for permission to leave the ball and go looking for her. Also Rhea had left early, but that didn’t surprise Alear, considering everything.

Somehow, she had a feeling she would find the Adrestian Princess in one of the towers nearby, and trusting her instincts, she climbed all the way to the top level, not even surprised as she indeed did find the young, white-haired woman. She was leaning against the stone fence, looking silently into the distance.

“Edelgard?”

The woman half turned and looked at her, her strong shoulders slumped, a glazed look in her usually sharp, lilac eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

The Princess was quiet for some time, then sighed.

“I went to Kronya’s quarters today with Hubert. There was nothing. It has all been for nothing. The deaths of my siblings, all my careful planning, all the horrid things I have turned a blind eye to, just to have them support me…” Her voice was weary. “But why?”

“I… I don’t know what to say”, Alear said quietly, feeling conflicted.

“I’m afraid that makes two of us", the Adrestian Princess replied tiredly, rubbing her temples.

While Alear believed in Edelgard’s cause, she had hoped to find a way—any way—to stop the upcoming conflict between the church and the Adrestian Empire that would tear Fódlan apart, to prevent the women she had grown so fond of from tearing each other apart.

Alear swallowed.

The women I’m in love with, she realized. And they are on the opposing sides, as far from each other as possible. An old, distrustful conformist. A young, passionate reformist. A dragon. A human. Ice. Fire.

How did this happen?

She had thought it would be enough if she could avert the threat of war, but she realized this outcome would solve nothing. Edelgard would only declare her war later to drive change against Rhea, who was unwilling to let go of the system she had built to protect the last remaining dragons of this world. And when that happened, Agarthans would surely crawl out of the woodwork with their strange, banned technology to finish them both and their war-weary armies.

Who knew how widespread their influence was with their shapeshifting abilities? The Adrestian court had long been infested with their presence as they had been able to experiment freely with the royal family. Maybe they had already infiltrated Faerghus and Leicester, too.

“I apologize, but… I do not think I am very good company right now.”

“I’m so sorry about everything. If you need me… you know where to find me.”

Dispirited, she began walking toward her quarters, but somehow, her feet took her to the abbey instead. Maybe talking to Rhea would ease her troubled mind. She hadn’t had a chance to make sure she was alright after the attack, either.

“No, Alear, just go to bed, you’ll feel better in the morning”, she muttered to herself. She already turned to leave when her sharp senses suddenly picked up distant… singing? Carefully, she walked closer to the door leading to Rhea’s chamber, and now she could hear the words clearly.

In time’s flow

See the glow of flames

Ever burning bright

On the swift river’s drift

Broken memories alight

When the song ended, she knocked softly on the door. Nothing happened for a while, but then the door finally opened.

Even Rhea looked strangely rueful and tired. Was there something in the air?

“Is everything alright? Jeralt told me about the attack, but I didn’t have a chance to come and talk to you earlier.”

“Come in”, the older woman said finally, and Alear entered the room. The atmosphere was all wrong. She could sense that Rhea was unusually distressed, and it worried her.

“What’s wrong?”

The Archbishop walked further into her room, then stopped. Her back remained turned at Alear as she spoke.

“I… am just very disappointed.”

“I’m not sure if I understand. In whom?”

“In myself. My lack of judgment. That I have weaknesses I allow to be exploited.” She scoffed. “As if I did not know better by now.”

Alear swallowed thickly.

“Rhea?”

“That song you heard me singing… What do you know of it?”

“Uh, it was beautiful, but… apart from that, I can’t say I know anything about it.”

“It was one of Lumera’s favorites. I find it hard to believe she wouldn’t have sung it to you like Mother sang that song to us.”

Alear felt like she had been physically hit. An unpleasant realization was crawling up her spine.

“W-wait… Rhea… y-you can’t seriously—”

“You appear here, seemingly out of nowhere, with bold claims about your origins. Suddenly, all these strange incidents begin happening: that miserable bandit turning into a Demonic Beast, the complete annihilation of Remire village, Tomas’s betrayal, the monk… your strange powers…”

“Rhea, please, that makes no sense! If I was one of them, how would—”

“I discussed with Hanneman today”, the older woman said sharply, cutting Alear off. “I asked him about the status of the research conducted on your Crest, and he told me he had to request new samples because his Crest reading device kept showing him gibberish.”

She finally turned around, hurt and betrayal in her darkened, blazing eyes.

“How it is still showing him gibberish. Because whoever you are, you do not have an ounce of Lumera’s blood in your veins!”

Alear gritted her teeth together as she fought back tears, too taken aback to argue.

“At which point did they replace you, or were you never who you claimed to be, to begin with”, Rhea demanded, her voice rising with her anger. “At which point did you intend to kill me? Or does it give you gratification enough to just toy with me while your accomplices destroy everything around me? To think I actually thought… that after all the centuries, that someone would—”

“Stop it”, Alear said as forcefully as she could, her choked voice betraying her. “How can you even say things like that? Do you really think—that I—” Her own sob cut her off, and she stormed out the door.

She pushed past a few of the night guards who had likely arrived to investigate the commotion, tears blurring her vision.

Nothing made sense anymore, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

She had no idea if Rhea would send the knights after her and have them arrest her or just simply kill her, but she didn’t care. She felt both extremely hurt and endlessly tired. If they wanted her, they might as well come and get her from her bed. It wasn’t as if she had anywhere to run to.

Alear woke up with a start as someone shook her urgently. Memories of last night’s events started flooding back to her, and for a moment, she was sure the knights had come for her. Her first instinct was to fight back, and she grabbed the large hand on her shoulder with all her strength.

“Hey!”

The large man looming above her was indeed a knight, but she soon recognized the familiar features and calmed down.

“J-Jeralt!”

“Finally, you’re awake! And damn, kid, you almost broke my hand! Come on, put your gear on; we need to move!”

“What’s going on? Rhea didn’t send you here?”

“What? I haven’t even seen her since she left the ball last evening. Now hurry up! There’s a Demonic Beast attack just outside the chapel, and there is more than one this time. We will need that special power of yours.”

It was very early, the dawn just breaking as they joined other knights, hurrying to the old chapel outside the monastery’s walls. Alear recalled Rhea mentioning some unusual movement around it lately, but the knights sent to investigate had found nothing.

“Where did all these monsters come from”, Alear asked, horrified, as she drew Libération out of its sheath.

“No idea. All that matters for now is that we get rid of them.”

Alear drew a deep breath and scrunched her brow in determination, taking Jeralt’s hand in hers and squeezing.

“FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE!”

A blue mist washed over the two, and they took the lead with the other knights backing them up.

Even with Alear’s Emblem powers, the fight was draining. There were still two Demonic Beasts left when her power wore off, and she felt like she could hardly hold her sword anymore because of the fatigue.

Suddenly, the air left her lungs as one of the monsters swiped at her viciously, tossing her painfully on her side, far from the others.

Alear blinked her watering eyes open, holding her badly bruised side and wincing. Someone offered their hand to her, and she took it without thinking. She was shocked to realize the person who pulled her up was none of the knights but some strange, tall man with sickly pale skin and white eyes dressed in black robes. She tried to push herself off him, but all her energy was spent, and his grip was steel.

“Finally we meet, little beast. I have wonderful plans for you.”

”Let me g—aah!”

She felt a painful stab in her arm, and the world around her started quickly fading out.

From a distance, she heard a voice that resembled Edelgard's calling her name just before teleportation magic enveloped her, and her consciousness was plunged into darkness.

Chapter Text

When Alear came to again, it was with a splitting headache and a dull ache in her side. Her hands felt numb, and she soon realized she was chained to a wall. While she had been unconscious, the cuffs around her wrists had chafed her skin so badly it was raw and bleeding. She pulled against the chains, wincing as the cuffs bore into her flesh. She felt unusually weak. Maybe they had given her something to keep her that way.

She looked around the cell and gasped as she realized she wasn’t alone. There was someone else, also chained. What’s more, she actually recognized the woman accompanying her.

“M-Monica?”

It had to be her.

The woman stirred, slowly opening her eyes. They were sunken and glazed, and she looked past her as if she wasn’t in the room at all. She had simple shreds of clothes on her, her skin pallid and marred. The girl was thin, and her ribs were visible. She had clearly suffered from malnourishment for quite some time.

“Kronya? Is that you?”

Alear blinked.

What?

“Kronya… I’m sorry if I made you mad”, the girl droned weakly. “I promise to be a good girl. Just please… don’t be mad at me…”

“Monica?”

The girl didn’t answer, not reacting to her in any way.

A loud metallic clang startled her, and she saw two black-clad men with beaked masks at the cell door. Too weary to fight against them, Alear let them release her from the wall and grab her by her arms. They left her hands chained and ushered her out of the cell. She cast one more look at Monica, but the girl was merely staring somewhere into the distance, her head hanging and eyes empty.

“Can you at least tell me where you are taking me?”

Neither of the men said anything.

On the way, she noticed a workstation of some sort, her sword lying on top of it. There was an easel standing next to the table, and she realized the sketch it was supporting resembled Libération but was altered in a manner that immediately reminded her of the bone lance they had retrieved from the crazed bandit.

Alear felt the blood drain from her face.

What is this?

Rhea’s words about the origins of the relic weapons rang in her mind, making her nervous, and she turned her thoughts to her peculiar surroundings.

Everything looked strangely alien. Vast, dark, sterile spaces. Unnaturally bright colors that only served to make the darkness appear deeper. Jagged, sharp shapes. It was like she wasn’t even in Fódlan anymore. 

She was escorted into a large space surrounded by four tall pillars. They activated as they walked past them, creating a large magical prison. The red beams traveling between them looked like something Alear definitely didn’t want to touch. She wondered why this all was necessary—after all, she was bound and unarmed, and even if she managed to escape, she would have no idea where to go.

The man who had taken her was standing in the middle of the room with another masked man who looked like a doctor of some sort. They stood by an operating table and a side table with strange instruments.

“It seems we are ready to begin”, the tall man said. “Tie it to the table.”

The two men beside her grabbed her arms tighter, but Alear had regained some of her strength and refused to move.

“What do you intend to do with me? Please, you owe me that much, at least.”

The man looked amused.

”’Please’? I owe no explanations to mindless beasts just because they can talk and assume the guise of a man.” He looked at Alear for a while. “But since you asked so politely... Maybe I will humor you.”

The man cast an illusion in the air before them, and Alear gasped. It was unmistakably the same blotchy, primitive design she had seen on Hanneman’s Crest reading device. 

“Thanks to the blood sample Kronya provided us, we were able to determine your true nature some time ago now. It was unexpected to see yet a new type of predator just when I thought we had cataloged them all.”

The man flicked his hand and the picture divided into two different parts, a more delicate Crest design appearing from under the bold, violent one.

“I have to admit that I am not surprised very often, but you are the very first beast we have encountered that bears twin Crests, and we have seen many. Now this other one I am not interested in, but I have never seen a Crest quite like this manifest itself, differing from all the others by its very nature.”

“What is it, then”, Alear asked, even if she already knew perfectly well what she was looking at. Now that the designs were separated, she could clearly see the smudgy Crest depicting three burning eyes and massive, open jaws.

“It has whispered its name to me”, the tall man said almost reverently. “The Crest of the Devourer. How fitting for a simple animal like you, excelling in a singular purpose. To think that I was merely going to create weapons of your blood and bones when I can first unleash you above the ground, sic you on your remaining conspecifics, and plunder your body after.”

“You’re crazy”, Alear said through gritted teeth. “Even if you could control me, I can’t turn into a dragon. I may be strong, but I’m not unstoppable. And I’m glad for that. I’d rather let my friends kill me than live as anyone’s puppet.”

The tall man chuckled.

“They will surely wish they could kill you. As for the other matter…”

He picked up an orb from the side table.

“Whether you want it or not, we will make you turn into your true form. It seems you lack the catalyst that allows the transformation, but with Kronya’s help, we were able to use your blood to create something like the Crest stones of the other beasts just for the purpose. Naturally, it also ensures that you will stay obedient and, to prevent you from misplacing it… we will plant it directly into you. Proceed.”

“What? No!”

The men tried to force her onto the operating table, and she felt a burst of adrenaline in her veins.

“You’ll be planting nothing inside of me”, she growled, shaking them both off her. “FIRE EMBLEM ENG—huh?”

She realized her Emblem ring was gone. Then she felt a needle painfully stab her arm again as one of the men quickly grabbed her, and she instantly fell on the floor, her knees giving out. Her body refused to obey her commands, and she could only watch as the two men who had escorted her roughly stripped off her armor and clothes.

Alear felt her strength returning to her faster this time, but by the time she had enough of it to fight back, they had managed to strap her bare body tightly against the operating table.

The third man approached her wordlessly with a scalpel, and Alear stared at the blade in horror, drenched in cold sweat, as she pulled desperately against the restraints.

“If I were you, little beast, I would stop with the flailing and thrashing”, the tall man instructed calmly. “He needs to go very close to your heart, and we wouldn’t want him to cut you somewhere he shouldn’t, now would we?”

Alear whimpered, finally realizing there was no escape this time. Even if she tried her hardest to hold back tears, she felt at least one roll down her cheek as the man with the scalpel silently offered her a piece of wood. She opened her mouth, more tears streaking her face as she resignedly bit on it.

She had no idea how much time passed after that moment. She closed her eyes and disassociated entirely from the present. Wherever her mind escaped, there was no pain, and she wasn’t alone.

She saw Queen Lumera and the Stewards of the Dragon. Her old friends from Elyos. The new ones she had made in Fódlan. She saw herself and Edelgard, enthusiastically kissing each other after a late-night training session when no one else was around. She saw herself slowly running the pads of her thumbs along Rhea’s cute, pointy ears, fascinated by the unreserved, vulnerable look in the woman’s mint-green eyes.

“Finally. It is magnificent.”

“Yes, Master Thales. It certainly is.”

When she finally opened her eyes again, she saw her own reflection on the glossy, dark surface of her underground prison, which didn’t seem all that spacious anymore. Her gigantic, cobra-like body was covered in pure white and blue scales, but a sickly magenta glow was outlining them.

S-Sombron…?

She tried to fight it, but she felt she was quickly losing herself, her memories and higher cognitive processes drowning out, replaced by something else. The pain in her crudely operated chest returned with a vengeance, and she let out an enraged, animalistic bellow as the robed men observed her from outside her prison, then left her howling alone in the dark.

Chapter Text

Byleth and Veyle were leading a team through Gradlon to finally destroy the last shard. They had no idea what to expect, but as Veyle had said earlier already, she was sure the shard was somewhere inside the old temple—probably protected by some elite Corrupted.

While they walked toward their destination, Byleth couldn’t help hearing Ivy and Nel’s conversation as they chatted behind her.

“So, you can turn into a dragon?”

“Yes, I have always been able to do that. Is that really so spectacular?”

“Divine One and Lady Veyle cannot. The only dragon form I have ever witnessed was that of Sombron’s, but… I have never seen a female dragon in their true form.”

“I am under the impression little ones cannot discern male dragons from female dragons, in any case. And why should you even need to know which sex a dragon approaching you is? All that should be relevant is whether they are on your side or not.”

“Well, I—”

“That said, I find it strange your Divine One cannot assume her true form.”

“The one in your world could? W-what did she look like?”

“You really are into this, are you not?”

“I—I…”

“At least some things never change. The Ivy from our world was much the same. In the end, she just chose Sombron. Is… Miss Eisner perhaps secretly a dragon, as well?”

Byleth smirked. She could practically feel Ivy’s blush warming her back.

She felt Sothis stir.

“Dragons, huh? I wonder…”

“You’re awake.”

“I feel restless. Shouldn’t… shouldn’t you be taking better care of your mate?”

Byleth raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Mate? Where’s that coming from? I suppose you mean Ivy.”

She glanced behind her. The Fell Dragon was still teasing the Elusian, a little wry grin on her lips.

“She’s just talking with Nel. Since when have you been interested in what she’s doing and with whom? It isn’t that long ago you told me quite literally to just forget about her and get back to Fódlan.”

“And since when am I not allowed to revise my opinions? I swear, there is no limit to your impertinence sometimes. At least the Crown Princess always addresses me with due respect. However, I suppose that should be expected of someone with a royal upbringing: manners and politeness. She takes commendable care of her… shall we say, quite pleasing appearance, as well. Would it hurt you to at least comb your hair properly every once in a while?”

Byleth shook her head, amused.

“I’m sorry, but ‘always addresses’? To my knowledge, you have talked once.”

Suddenly, Rafal appeared beside her, matching her stride. Byleth was pleased that she was on good terms with the dragon after everything that happened in alternate Elyos. Rafal had come to talk to her himself after the first night in the Somniel, expressing his gratitude for Byleth’s decision to keep the knowledge of his initial plans between them and Nel, even if he felt undeserving of another chance at life.

While Byleth understood that his actions were perhaps unforgivable, killing him would have accomplished nothing. After all, he wasn’t acting out of his own free will, poisoned by Sombron’s cursed dragonstone. He was also a valuable ally against their world’s Sombron; she felt much more assured going against him with as many dragons on her side as possible. Regarding his punishment, Rafal’s conscience would torment him enough for his atrocities.

Now, though, he appeared slightly annoyed.

“Everything alright?”

“I know this is unfair because I know she isn’t the same person I knew in my Elyos, but listening to Ivy and Nel just takes me too far back into memories I’d rather forget about.”

“Care to explain what you mean?”

“When Ivy still pretended to be on Divine One’s side, I… was involved with her.”

“Oh?”

“What I didn’t know was she was also briefly involved with Nel before she got together with Divine One.”

“I wasn’t expecting that. If anything, your Ivy appeared rather… homophobic, what comes to the brief discussion I had with her.”

“I think it was just a weird fetish for her. Though it doesn’t matter. She hurt both me and my sister, and of all the dragons she was drawn to, she chose to devote herself to the worst one.”

“See? I told you!”

“Sothis, please—I highly doubt Nel is going to make advances on my girlfriend only because she’s a nicer version of someone else she knew.”

Rafal looked at her appraisingly.

“You are talking to the entity who resides inside you?”

“Uh, yes, sorry. She is just so persistent sometimes.”

“Are you not worried about sharing your body with someone who has that much power? She can purify corrupted Emblems and remove curses placed by someone like Sombron.”

Byleth shrugged.

“I’ve lived all my life sharing my body with her. I don’t see why I should get concerned now.”

Rafal hummed thoughtfully.

“I’m… sensing something oddly familiar”, Veyle said as they stopped outside the temple. “And it’s coming from inside.”

“What do you think it is?”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to go in and find out.”

Byleth glanced at her team. In addition to Ivy, Nel, Rafal, and Veyle, she had Alfred, Céline, Diamant, Timerra, Panette, and the Stewards of the Dragon with her, as well as both of the Mauviers. Or she had intended to bring just one, but since they had both been adamant about protecting Veyle, who was Byleth to pick between them?

The old gate was busted, and they could just squeeze inside through a haphazardly boarded hole. It was concerning in its own right because it only meant the shard was so heavily guarded that Sombron hadn’t been particularly worried about them getting inside.

As Byleth looked around, however, there didn’t seem to be anyone. The whole temple appeared vacant.

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

“You do not sense it?”

She shrugged.

“I’m not a drag—”

She fell silent, and they all stopped in their tracks. They could see the final Fell Dragon Shard in the back of the temple hall, and there was a lone figure standing by it—a woman in an elaborate dress.

Byleth had no idea who it was, but judging by the shocked gasps and murmurs among her allies, they did.

“I’m glad my sister isn’t here to see this”, Veyle said in a small voice. “How can my Father be so cruel?”

“So many familiar faces”, the woman standing by the shard said, slowly approaching them. “So many, yet… I don’t see my dear daughter among you.”

So Sombron has raised Queen Lumera’s corpse.

“Where is she, and why is my murderer here instead?” She turned her hard gaze on the shocked Stewards. ”To see you, of all people, banded together with her…”

Lumera—or, at least, the corrupted version of her—looked straight at Byleth next, her eyes narrowing.

“Who… who are you?”

“My name is Byleth Eisner. I’m—”

“Sothis?”

“I know this woman from somewhere!”

“What? How is that possible?”

“How are any of these preposterous occurrences possible? I just know I have seen her before!”

“Even if you had, we still need to destroy that shard, and I have a feeling she won’t let us just walk over her. She’s a dragon and Sombron’s thrall. And yet, what worries me most is… I’ve heard the way the others talk about her. Queen Lumera was the gentlest being on Elyos, and everyone in this room loved her. It feels wrong that they have to fight her.”

“What if they need not to?”

“—here representing your daughter in her absence. I’d… like to challenge you to a duel.”

“What? No”, Veyle exclaimed.

“You’d challenge me, a dragon? To a duel?”

“Byleth, don’t do this”, Ivy said quietly, touching her arm.

“I have to”, she answered the Elusian gently, then turned her attention back to the fallen Divine Dragon Monarch.

“What do you say, Queen Lumera?”

The woman laughed derisively before her expression darkened.

“What do I say? You may be in a female body, but I recognize you now, Hero of Fódlan. You might exist as an Emblem, but you are only a human now, trapped in your soft shell of flesh, blood, and bone. What’s more, right now, you are nothing but an impudent interloper. I’ll tear you to pieces”, she snarled and began transforming while Byleth relinquished control over her body to Sothis.

“Stand back”, she commanded the others sternly, drawing the Creator Sword. Her eyes then fell on Ivy, who was the nearest to her. Her voice softened. “That means you, too, little princess. Is that clear?”

Ivy nodded and obeyed, Sothis turning to face the corrupted dragon, determination in her fearless eyes.

Byleth couldn’t help being impressed. Sothis moved incredibly fast, the extending sword biting through the temple structures, connecting with devastating, thunderous claps. At first, Byleth wondered why Sothis kept missing, but then she realized she was systematically forcing her adversary further away from her allies and keeping her from using her fire breath.

She supposed the situation would have been drastically different if Lumera had still been herself, but what was left of her, a reanimated thrall kept together by Sombron’s dark magic, a weaponized corpse… it was not quite enough against whatever Sothis truly was—which was terrifying in itself.

Finally, Lumera lost her patience and lunged. A short, fierce fight ensued, ending with the Creator Sword tearing through the corrupted dragon, who collapsed on the floor with a pathetic bellow, changing back into her human form.

Sothis approached the woman, still holding the sword tightly and eyeing her curiously. The others also gathered around the form lying on the cold temple floor cautiously.

“Is she dead”, Ivy asked quietly, standing beside Sothis and instinctively touching her shoulder. “Oh, sorry, Sothis, I—”

“There is no need to apologize, Princess Ivy. I do not mind”, she said quickly, placing her free hand over the Elusian’s.

Lumera stirred, opening her eyes and looking up at Byleth’s form.

“S-Sothis?” The fallen Divine Dragon Monarch appeared more lucid than earlier, speaking calmly and gently. A small smile appeared on her lips. “Mother? Is that really you?”

…Mother?

Everyone in the room stood in stunned silence.

Lumera chuckled softly, tears in her eyes.

”To think I would see you once again before the rest of me departs from this world.”

For once, Sothis was quiet, too.

“I have sealed a part of myself away from Sombron. I did it hoping to have one last moment with my child, but now I see that fate is even more mysterious than I could have anticipated. But I need to go soon… so why don’t we spend that last moment somewhere nicer? You can bring your partner, too, I’d like to get to know her”, Lumera added, smiling softly.

Sothis and Ivy glanced at each other, but the scenery changed before anyone could say anything.

At first, Byleth felt perplexed, as she was suddenly back inside her body again, but she could also see Sothis next to Ivy and Lumera. It must have been an effect of the Divine Dragon Monarch’s spell, allowing them all to coexist… wherever they were.

“Where are we”, Byleth asked, looking around her. Everything was so ethereally beautiful.

“In Lythos Castle Gardens”, Lumera said. “Or at least an iteration of it.”

“You called me ‘mother’”, Sothis said, regarding Lumera. “While you appear… familiar, I am afraid I have lost many of my memories.”

Ivy was looking at Sothis curiously. She clearly had not expected how youthful she looked in her own form.

“You have… lost your memories? I’m so sorry to hear that. But yes… You are Mother to all my kin. The Progenitor God who came to Fódlan, created the Nabateans and later revived humans and other life as well, after our coexistence with Agarthans came to a bitter end. When I left Fódlan, you had just gone to sleep after your hard work, and weary of fighting, I left as well, even if I had to leave my loved ones behind. Following your example, I found this world with the help of Macuil, wishing to create a home, a haven, for both humans and dragonkin. And look at us now… Invaded and torn apart. Perhaps Agarthans would see this as poetic justice.”

Sothis had a concentrated look on her face, and she closed her eyes tightly as if furiously chasing her memories.

“This… this awakens something in me. I can almost—”

Something unexpected happened. The green aura around Sothis got brighter until she was entirely engulfed by brilliant green light. Very briefly, Byleth thought she could even see the luminance take the shape of a giant dragon. She and Ivy shielded their eyes, but the light soon dissipated.

Sothis wasn’t hovering in the air anymore. She stood firmly on her bare feet as if she was real in every sense of the meaning and appeared much older. Her features were mature and well-proportioned, and her hair was a lighter shade of green, reminding Byleth of Rhea. She was also quite tall, around Nel's height, which made her a little taller than even Ivy.

Lumera didn’t seem to find anything strange about the sudden transformation or Byleth and Sothis being both present in their own bodies. Perhaps it had somehow been obvious to her all along. She noticed how Ivy stared at Sothis, measuring her from head to toe with wide eyes, then quickly glanced at her, blushing as if caught doing something she shouldn’t have.

Sothis looked like she was still processing everything she had heard, not even reacting to the changes in her appearance, so Byleth stepped in, fishing something out of the leather pouch on her belt.

“So this ring… it really belonged to Macuil?”

Lumera smiled fondly.

“Yes. Each of us three had one. We were inseparable for a time. Macuil said that if something went wrong, if I ever wanted to return… with the magic instilled in the rings, I could. But I only had two of them with me when I left. Not that I ever intended to use that power.”

“Return…” Byleth fell silent for a moment, and she could feel Ivy’s eyes on her. “The ring that was left in Fódlan… it wouldn’t happen to be this, for some reason?"

She pulled her mother’s ring out of her pocket and showed it to Lumera, who gasped with delight.

“I cannot believe it! Can I hold it, just for a while?”

Byleth handed the ring to the Divine Dragon Monarch, who held it lovingly between her fingers.

“It’s been so long since I last saw this. Please tell me, is she… is she still alive?”

“Who? My Mother? She died giving birth to me.”

Lumera smiled wistfully, raising her gaze and looking Byleth in the eye.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Your mother must’ve been important to Rhea if she gave her ring to her.”

“W-wait, Lady Rhea? This ring is hers?”

Lumera nodded.

“Uh, y-yes, when I last saw her, she was fine.”

“I’m glad to hear that. If you see her again, please tell her that… I wish she finally found it in herself to accept my apology. And… that I hope she’s happy.”

“I promise to do that if I have the opportunity”, Byleth vowed. “Just one more thing… The third ring? I suppose this means you have it somewhere?”

“Yes. I gifted that ring to my child.”

“O-oh. I see.”

“But… I have to ask: Why isn’t she here with you? Is she alright?”

“Something strange happened, and… Alear is in Fódlan now. Somehow, Sothis and I switched places with her. We were trying to solve this mystery while finding a way to defeat Sombron. How does the power of these rings work? Do you have any idea why this all happened?”

Lumera shook her head, a sad look in her blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, but… I ended up leaving Fódlan in such a hurry I never even had the time to ask Macuil the specifics.”

“I see. Don’t worry about it, Queen Lumera. You have been immensely helpful already”, Byleth said, bowing to the Divine Dragon Monarch.

Lumera nodded and turned to Sothis, taking her hands and smiling.

“I’m afraid our time together grows short, but it was wonderful to see you again, Mother. Please take care of these humans and guide my child back home. I’m certain your memories will return to you in no time, and even if they didn’t, it makes me happy seeing you create new ones.”

“I promise, young one... I will do whatever is within my power to save this world you once took under your wing.”

Ivy stood next to Sothis stiffly and awkwardly, not having moved an inch the whole time. Despite herself, Byleth smirked at the nervous look on the Elusian’s face when Lumera turned to her and put her hands on her arms in a familiar manner.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk that much, but meeting you was still such a pleasure. To think our Mother, our revered goddess, would end up courting a member of Elusian royalty! Of course, I knew not all of you agreed to worship the Fell Dragon blindly, but… that the Crown Princess herself had defected! I hope you can soon start rebuilding your nation again, restoring it to its former glory. I’m sure that with Mother’s help, the task will be less grueling.”

”T-thank you, Q-queen Lumera.”

Their surroundings began fading away, and the Divine Dragon Monarch looked at Byleth one more time, smiling at her.

“I know the fight ahead won’t be easy but don’t forget that Sombron has been beaten before. It’s unfortunate that my child isn’t here this time, but I’m glad that of all people, it is you who took her place. Good luck and safe travels, Hero of Fódlan.”

The dreary surroundings of Gradlon Temple emerged back around them, Sothis still in command of Byleth’s body as she had been before their trip to the imaginary garden. Tenderly, she brushed her thumb over the Divine Dragon Monarch’s cheek, who smiled weakly up at her and closed her weary eyes, her body disintegrating into red mist.

Sothis was quiet, staring at the empty space. When she got up from where Lumera had been lying just a moment ago, Ivy took her hand and looked at her empathetically.

“I’m so sorry”, she said quietly.

Sothis shook her head but squeezed the Elusian’s hand gently.

“Thank you, little princess. You are sweet.”

Without further exchange, she withdrew, relinquishing the control of the body she was borrowing.

“Byleth?”

“Yes, it’s me. Let’s… destroy the shard and leave. I’ve had enough of this place.”

“So Sothis is really a dragon? And… and not just any dragon, but the mother of dragons? And you have, for all your life, carried her consciousness inside of you?”

“It seems so”, Byleth replied. “I have always known she is some very powerful entity, but I had no idea what, exactly.”

She had a brief chat with Sothis as they left Gradlon Temple. Her memories were still blurred, and many details were missing. Byleth wondered if her younger form had been tied to the memories she lacked, the talk with Lumera having roused something strong enough for her form to change accordingly, reflecting her actual age. Whatever the case, she was happy the dragons had had one more chance to meet after everything that had happened throughout the millennia.

They entered Byleth’s quarters upstairs, fresh from the bath where they had discreetly used their own stalls as always. 

“I can hardly believe we’re finally confronting Sombron tomorrow”, Ivy said as they sat on the edge of the bed. “On the other hand, it feels like this all began just yesterday, and then again…”

“I know what you mean.”

“And… who knows what happens. Maybe we won’t make it. Maybe Sombron has grown too strong for us to defeat.”

“Yes. That’s a possibility we’ll have to accept.”

They sat silently next to each other. It wasn’t unusual, but the air around them felt curiously charged this time.

After the silence had dragged on for some time, they both turned to face each other at the same time.

“Um, this is—”

“I’m, uh—”

They both blushed.

“Oh, come on. Do I need to take over for this, too?”

Byleth could practically hear Sothis rolling her eyes at her.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Ivy looked at her, perplexed.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, sorry. It was meant for Sothis.”

“Right… I… forgot about her for a moment. So she…” The blush on Ivy’s face deepened. “She would… be present, too? I mean, if we…”

“When we switch places, the one not in control can only watch, not… feel anything the body’s doing, but I can ask Sothis just to go to sleep. She sleeps a lot. Thinking of what I’ve heard of your Divine One, I suppose that’s a dragon thing.”

Byleth could sense Sothis’s sudden nervousness, which was a bit strange since she had just quipped about her bashfulness so confidently.

“W-well… If… if you d-don’t mind… I don’t mind if…”

Byleth smirked and wrapped her arms around Ivy, pulling her into a kiss. The soft lips that pressed against hers were needier than usual, and she hummed with pleasure as their tongues brushed. She felt the Elusian’s hand shyly trace around her left breast while they kissed, so she gently grabbed it and pulled it over her soft flesh to encourage the Princess.

“Can I touch you, too?”

Byleth’s voice was thick. Ivy’s curious hand felt maddeningly good.

“Please, do”, came the husky answer, and soon they were lying on the bed, the kiss and the hands not enough, both desperate for more friction, more contact.

Byleth found herself pulled on top of Ivy, but she soon wrestled the curvy woman effortlessly on top of her instead. Barely breaking the kiss, Ivy rolled them around again so that Byleth was over her. After a while, Byleth turned them around once more, ending up beneath her royal Elusian girlfriend.

At this point, Ivy broke away from the kiss and looked down at Byleth with an uncertain look.

“Uhm. S-so, does this mean w-were both—I’m sorry, I think I just assumed that because you’re physically stronger and—”

Byleth chuckled and reached to touch Ivy’s face gently.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll just have to make some compromises.”

Ivy smiled at Byleth.

”So… How do we proceed?”

Byleth got on her knees on the bed, putting her arms around Ivy, a little smirk played on her lips.

”Well, first of all, we should probably lose these clothes.” She bit on her lower lip, deliberating if she should or shouldn’t tease the bashful woman a bit based on everything she had learned. She decided to risk it, pressing against the Princess while keeping their eyes locked. ”If you’d like it, we could put on a little show for Sothis while undressing you.”

”H-hey!”

Byleth was pleased that her gamble paid off as Ivy whimpered, her purple eyes turning darker.

”And w-what does she say to that”, Ivy asked, swallowing thickly.

Byleth listened to Sothis’s discombobulated strings of words—that lacked their usual bite—for a while and smirked. Then she leaned closer to Ivy and whispered huskily into her ear: ”Among… other things, she says that if we don’t get it on soon, she’s going to seize my body and just take you herself.”

Ivy was always so composed and temperate.

Byleth would never forget the almost ferally lustful look in her eyes.

Chapter Text

Edelgard ran her hand fondly over the bed she had just made. She had aired the room, put the clothes from the floor into the laundry bin, and picked up the chair that had fallen on the floor on its back. They were all small things, but somehow, the idea of preparing Alear’s room for her return felt comforting. She had clearly left in quite a hurry when the knights had been alerted to fight the Demonic Beasts.

It had only been a day since Alear was taken. Not knowing what they wanted with her and how much time she had to find her before it would be too late was constantly in the back of her mind. After all, she knew what those people were capable of. She wondered if they had somehow gotten wind of Alear not being a human. However, without her dragon form, her capabilities would be limited. Maybe they were interested in her peculiar Emblem powers, instead?

She briefly allowed a small, sad smile to form on her lips as she stared at the empty, now neatly made bed. If only she had arrived a little earlier. Then, ever the pragmatist, she steeled herself. She would gain nothing with pointless speculation and sentimentalism.

She had work to do.

“Edie!”

She stopped in her tracks and turned, watching Dorothea hurry to her.

“You are going to Hubert’s quarters, aren’t you? Please, allow me to come with you.”

“It might be better if you… spared yourself.”

“I want to get Bluey back as much as the rest of you do, and whatever is involved in that, I can take it.”

Edelgard sighed, then motioned for the woman to follow her.

“Just keep in mind that I did warn you.”

As the two entered Hubert’s room, Dorothea paled visibly and clapped her hand over her mouth, and even Edelgard couldn’t help wincing a little despite knowing what she would walk into. The setting was different from what she had gone through during the inhumane Crest-planting procedures at the hands of her former accomplices, but it still made her a little anxious. She had told Hubert that actual physical torture would be the last thing they would resort to, but they didn’t have forever to extract the information they needed.

At least their special guest had finally shed her disguise.

“Any progress yet?”

“It is only a matter of time”, Hubert answered calmly, dropping something from the pliers he held in his hands in a little dish next to various tools and some bottles.

“I will tell you nothing”, Kronya spat weakly.

“H-how many have you removed”, Dorothea asked, her voice slightly shrill as she stared at the bleeding hands bound tightly to the chair’s arms.

“Oh, that was merely the second one. There are still eight more to go.”

Kronya forced a smile on her face and shot Dorothea a glance.

“Does this shock you? Come as a surprise, what kind of animals your so-called friends are?”

Edelgard stiffened and realized she was genuinely curious to hear what the brunette would say.

“Y-you are right”, the Songstress finally admitted, “I despise all forms of violence, especially something as inhumane and vile as… torture.”

Kronya smirked smugly.

“That said”, Dorothea continued, fire lighting in her eyes and her brow scrunching angrily, “someone who’d agree with releasing a horde of monsters to kill innocent, unexpecting people purposefully and who’d want to hurt someone as kind and goodhearted as Bluey… maybe they deserve exactly that. So don’t mind me—I will, quite literally, just look the other way.”

“It doesn’t matter”, Kronya muttered, sweat on her temples. “You still can’t kill me.”

“Technically, you are dead already”, Hubert said darkly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Do you think your existence is of any concern to your accomplices anymore? It would seem to me you have already served your purpose.”

“That’s not true. I’m valuable. I got them the blood of that pesky little beast. They have me to thank for uncovering what she really is, allowing the capture to be a success.”

Edelgard noticed Dorothea perk at that, whipping around to face them again.

“Wait, what? Are we still talking about Bluey? What does she mean?”

“I promise to tell you the rest of it later, but… And I know this must sound crazy, but—”

“Lady Edelgard”, Hubert interjected hesitantly, “do you think it is wise to tell her?”

“I trust her. She should know.”

Dorothea looked at them both quizzically.

“Alear… she’s actually not a human, she’s… a dragon.”

The brunette’s green eyes widened.

“A dr—?” She shook her head. “I swear, Edie, if it was anyone else but you telling me something like this…”

“Now, with that out of the way, let us proceed”, Hubert said, picking up the pliers again.

“You’re playing with your lives, you wretches”, Kronya growled. “Once they rescue me—”

Hubert chuckled humorlessly.

“Rescue you? Oh please. If they will send anyone, it will be an assassin—and not for us. If it makes this easier, you can keep telling yourself whatever you want, but you are nothing but a loose end anymore.”

“N-no”, Kronya insisted stubbornly.

“Look now”, Edelgard said softly, stepping closer to Kronya. “You know what we’re capable of. We know what you are. We can protect you if you only choose to cooperate with us.”

Kronya huffed out a laugh.

“Protect me? From whom? The supposed assassins?”

“If you are that good of an informant, you probably know already that we are not the only ones who wish to get Alear back.”

The bound woman stared at her defiantly, but a sliver of fear had worked itself in her eyes.

“Indeed, we could just deliver you in the Church’s custody and let them do with you what they will. Lady Rhea has been quite upset about the Demonic Beast attack. Maybe you would rather take your chances with her?”

Edelgard walked alone through the Monastery grounds, going through everything they had just learned and talked about.

Apparently, the dark mages Kronya was associated with weren’t strangers to studying dragons, and their leader was interested in Alear specifically because of her unusual and alien biology. Whatever Kronya meant by harnessing her powers, Edelgard didn’t like it at all. A faded image of a rusted cage and chains, rats skittering around a grimy bowl of food scraps, flashed through her mind, and she forced the memory away. The thought of allowing Alear to go through the same hell that she had was unbearable.

After more convincing and threatening, Kronya finally revealed where their stronghold was—in the easternmost mountains of Hrym, deep underground.

Shambhala, she had called it.

Edelgard had, of course, been suspicious of the authenticity of the reveal, but Hubert had confirmed that the information Kronya provided aligned with his research on the matter.

With the location confirmed, Edelgard was tingling with both anticipation and trepidation. Anticipation because they almost had everything they needed to move forward. Trepidation because… of the ‘almost’.

“Now that Kronya is a traitor to her kind, we only need to move her away and keep her hidden for the time being. Although, if something were to happen to her…”

“Hubert, please. Despite everything, I intend to honor my promise of keeping her safe. After all, without her help, we’d have no idea where even to start looking. Besides, we might still need her later.”

“Fine, Lady Edelgard. How do you wish to proceed?”

“Firstly, assign Jeritza to guard and relocate her as soon as possible. I believe he is the best choice for this task.”

“Very well. What of our offensive? Our foes are a sizable resistance of mages and technology that outmatches ours. The army we prepared to raid the Holy Tomb as per our original plans, I’m afraid, will not be sufficient.”

“Yes, that is unfortunate, and asking for more troops would only alert the infiltrators we have within our current system. We need to avoid rousing suspicion and attack them while they are unprepared.”

“This… sounds to me as if you have thought of a plan already. I am most curious to hear what it entails.”

“I have, and… It might be something you would advise against.”

“Oh, now I truly am… W-wait. Lady Edelgard… surely you do not mean…”

“I mean exactly that.”

Edelgard stopped in front of a door. Then she drew a deep, calming breath and walked into the abbey.

“This is quite the surprise, although a pleasant one, young Hresvelg seeking my audience like this”, Rhea admitted as she closed the door to her private chamber. “I have to wonder, however, what manner of matter demands such secrecy.”

The Archbishop obviously did her best to conceal it, but Edelgard could tell she was lacking her usual poise and pomp, a dispirited edge in her words. 

“Forgive me for being frank, Lady Rhea, but… I believe you already have an idea of what I am here to discuss.”

“The… Demonic Beast attack, I presume”, the woman offered so half-heartedly that Edelgard almost wanted to roll her eyes.

“Alear.”

Upon hearing the name, the Archbishop perked up visibly, but her face remained unreadable.

“Alear… It is a shame what happened to her. Captain Jeralt said you and some other members of the Black Eagles rushed to their aid, but by then, she was already… taken. He told me you were close.”

Something about the way Rhea spoke of Alear was off.

“Yes, well, as our instructor and someone I work closely with, we have certainly bonded during her time at the Black Eagle House.”

“I do not intend to—” Rhea suddenly stopped in the middle of the sentence. “I apologize for speaking so candidly, but please tell me, young Hresvelg… How do you really perceive her?”

Edelgard raised one eyebrow subtly, uncertain why the woman would ask such a question or where this discussion was leading. It was almost as if she was accusing Alear of something.

“I think she is kind, brave, and someone you can depend on. That said… I would imagine you already know all that. I’m under the impression you two are close, as well.”

For a moment, she wondered if she had gone too far already, but Rhea merely shook her head, now an openly somber look in her eyes as she stared somewhere past Edelgard.

“I thought we were. To be completely honest… I am not that sure anymore if she even is who she claims to be.”

That was something Edelgard hadn’t expected, but it was something that explained the Archbishop’s odd behavior.

So this is what it’s all about.

“I… cannot say I’m sure what you mean by that. If she has flaws worth mentioning, maybe the most prominent would be being benevolent to a fault. We have both witnessed her in battle and seen how she is always putting the safety of others before hers.”

“As if that would not be something she would do to dispel the suspicions”, Rhea says, all but scoffing. “Even going as far as allowing to be tested for her Crests and buying time, knowing all along it would just show nonsense because her blood in itself is wrong.”

Alear might have Crests? Of course. Why hadn’t I even considered that?

“Lady Rhea… I assume you are referring to Alear’s mother and the Crest she would have inherited from her.”

The woman’s narrowed eyes flitted to hers.

“And what of it?”

“To be honest, I wasn’t aware Hanneman was studying her, and I apologize in advance for offering you mere uneducated assumptions, but… have you considered that Alear’s Crest readings might be affected by the fact that she was born as a Fell Dragon?”

The shocked look on Rhea’s face… Edelgard had to use all her willpower not to smile smugly.

She didn’t know.

“E-excuse me? What did you say?”

This is not the right time to gloat. Take a deep breath.

“I do not know the extent of what Alear may have already told you, but she was mortally wounded in a war that took place a very long time ago. Queen Lumera was her adoptive mother who nursed her back to health from the brink of death, transferring her own life essence into her. When Alear was born, however, she belonged to the brood of the Fell Dragon who invaded Lumera’s home world, Elyos.”

Edelgard paused for a moment, regarding Rhea.

“In conclusion, what I am trying to say is… maybe she also inherited something from her biological parents, perhaps too unique for Hanneman’s device to decipher.”

Rhea just stood and stared into nowhere for a good while, her eyes glassy.

“I—I knew I could still sense Lumera in her… I shouldn’t have… I just do not understand. Why did she not tell me about it? If only I had—”

Then she finally looked at Edelgard, scowling.

“Why would she tell all that to you but not to me? How close are you two, exactly?”

“We… are in a private relationship. Have been for some time. It was only very recently I found out that Alear is also… involved with you.”

Rhea looked like the world around her had crumbled, and Edelgard continued: “To be clear, she has never said a word about you. It was something I figured out on my own, and furthermore… it does not pose a problem for me. Perhaps my royal Adrestian blood is to blame, but who she wishes to be affectionate with when I’m not around is her business.”

There was a torn look on the Archbishop’s face.

“I cannot believe it’s happening again”, she muttered, bitterness in her voice, then quickly pulled herself together. “How would it be possible, in any case? Twin Crests? I have never even heard of such a thing.”

Interesting. At least, her reaction feels honest. But I need to choose my words carefully. If she were to learn of my connection to this group hunting her…

“Perhaps you should be aware then that there is a secretive sect of dark mages who have been researching planting Crests on commoners for years already, and… it wouldn’t surprise me if they had also experimented with planting additional ones. I… know of this only because they have been working with the court’s blessing, performing brutal operations on their subjects against their will. They call the procedure blood reconstruction surgery. The test subjects have rarely survived and never gotten any justice. All because of the current system that makes Crests so desirable and sought after.”

”But that would be insanity! I simply refuse to believe it! And this is happening in Adrestia, of all places? Who would even authorize such vile experiments?”

”With all due respect, Lady Rhea… What do you think? You wouldn’t believe my words? After Remire Village? After Tomas and the assassin set on you? Is that truly such an outlandish thought?”

Rhea closed her eyes and sighed.

”And what do these… atrocities have to do with Alear supposedly having twin Crests?”

”She never told me what Lumera exactly did to revive her, and I do not know if she knows that either, but is it not safe to assume she would have used her blood to spark that life again in her?”

Rhea swallowed, looking apprehensive.

”That… is not impossible. No… it is rather… more than likely.”

”Perhaps, your kind”, Edelgard carefully inserted her conclusion about Rhea’s true nature, ”can pass their Crests to each other in some cases.”

Rhea didn’t answer immediately, nor did she deny what Edelgard had implied, appearing distracted as she considered her words.

“You speak of experiments on blood, of many humans losing their already lives in pursuit of fleeting power. I cannot seem to comprehend it. Why would you impose such cruelty on each other?”

Edelgard felt genuine surprise.

“What a curious question from someone directly in charge of upholding the Crest system. The whole notion of nobility is based on Crested bloodlines. Born without one, you are already deprived of opportunities and rights regardless of your ability, even if you belong to a noble family. You are merely cast aside. Imagine where that leaves the commoners. Seeing as this whole continent revolves around nothing but Crests, I find it strange that you were not aware of all this already or… haven’t cared enough to make yourself aware.”

By the look on Rhea’s face Edelgard realized she had touched a nerve, the woman immediately turning almost aggressively defensive.

“In nowhere does the Church state that every heir must be Crested, nor have we given our consent to force lethal, Crest-endowing experiments on anyone! That is all the nobility's own doing!”

“I… understand that, but is it not one of the defining doctrines of the Church? The Crested bloodlines are divine. A divine mandate to rule. Imagine that kind of power limited to the same entitled bloodlines that have built an unshakeable status quo over the centuries. Power tends to corrupt, especially when taken for granted. These divine bloodlines can and will get away with everything, and nothing ever changes for the populace who have no means of affecting decision-making or rising in the ranks according to their own merits, forever doomed to be disposable pawns and servants to others.”

“What are you insinuating, exactly? Are you blaming the Church for the state of the whole of Fódlan”, Rhea asked, an angry growl in her voice. “You have no idea what you are talking about. If you really dislike this system so much, have you considered what there would be without it? Where would you be without it, young Hresvelg? Because of it, you can claim the throne of the Adrestian Empire and be the exemplary leader you so want to be for your people. Is that not enough?”

Edelgard was silent for a moment, then looked the Archbishop straight in the eye.

“No, Lady Rhea. It’s not nearly enough.”

“So. You at least admit to being as power-hungry as the rest.”

“I’m merely a realist. The power of the Emperor alone would do little to challenge continent-wide systemic oppression based on sacred bloodlines. We are talking about reformation, after all. Maybe Leicester would be willing to champion this cause, but the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus would simply be too religious and conservative even to entertain the thought. As for the Church of Seiros… I wonder if it would be willing to lessen its influence either, because that is what it is about for you, too, is it not, no matter how much you would wish to sugarcoat it? Power.”

Rhea looked suddenly weary, and Edelgard continued more gently. After all, her intention was not to rile the woman up.

“For what it’s worth, I’m not suggesting the Crest system was created with oppressing people in mind. As you implied, people need rules and structures. It gives them safety and purpose. It still doesn’t change the fact that it’s an outdated and rigid model for modern society, weaponized by the privileged. Most tragedies do not even have anything as fanciful behind them as experimental Crest-planting. In a sense, we are talking about something much crueler since the perpetrators are usually people you should be able to trust to keep you safe—your own family. Since the Crests do not necessarily pass on to nearly every child, women become breeding factories. Sexual assaults and incest, all in the name of producing Crested heirs. Do you find that acceptable, Lady Rhea?”

The Archbishop looked at her for a long time, not saying anything.

“Do you think Alear would find it acceptable?”

Rhea was still silent, then sighed.

“Somehow, I suspect this is also… personal for you”, she said finally in a quiet voice. “Dare I even ask?”

Edelgard breathed in deep through her nose and turned around.

Am I really going to do this? And in front of her, of all people? The Archbishop of the Church of Seiros… with whom I share a lover… who are both dragons.

Her hands shook a little as she removed her jacket and shirt, but the absurdity of the whole situation oddly calmed her. When she was only wearing her bra, she turned to face the Archbishop again, the mess of the surgical scars covering her entire muscular torso clearly on display.

“For me, it was the fanciful experiments.”

Rhea looked a little pale, then averted her gaze.

“Perhaps you guessed it already, but the official story of all of my ten siblings dying ravaged by the 1174 flu epidemic, leaving me as the sole survivor… well. I’m sure I don’t need to go on.”

Edelgard put her shirt and jacket back on.

“I do not know what to say”, the Archbishop said finally. 

“Then can I ask you something?”

Rhea nodded.

“Alear… do you love her?”

“Truthfully… it would be better if I did not. I am not so sure she wishes to even see me anymore, not after… what I said to her. Everyone I have ever cherished… I have driven away from me.”

“It seems to me we have a common enemy. An enemy intending to wipe out the Church of Seiros and destroy Adrestia from within. To what end, I do not know, but I fear. For my nation. For Alear. I… have my spy network, and I already know they have technology unlike anything we have seen. Their magical abilities are considerable, and they craft weapons with devastating powers from a strange material that resembles bone—as if they had found a way to replicate Heroes’ Relics.”

Suddenly, a strange look crossed the Archbishop’s face.

“We managed to capture and interrogate one of these mages—”

Rhea shook off her pensive expression that instant, scowling irritably.

“Pardon? You… you secured a captive, and… and you did not—”

“Please, Lady Rhea—let me finish. We have done some earlier investigation, trying to pinpoint where these mages teleport to, and we are now quite certain where the stronghold of this mysterious enemy is.”

Rhea seemed to forget about her annoyance immediately, and Edelgard took it as a promising sign.

“Very well. Go on.”

“It’s located in Hrym, deep underground. I have some Imperial troops available that are currently outside of Enbarr. However, by our estimations, our numbers will not be enough to mount an attack on their base. I would request more troops, but if I did, I would risk alerting the infiltrators and giving away our plans. If we were to combine our forces, however…”

Edelgard left the thought lingering in the air. When Rhea lifted her gaze and looked at her again, her mint-green eyes were full of emotion, contrasting starkly with the stern look on her face, her voice a cold and dangerous drawl as she finally spoke.

“So that you know, young Hresvelg… I will do anything… and I repeat, anything, to get her from the claws of Agarthans. Of that, you can be certain.”

Chapter Text

Somewhere in Fódlan
BCE

There was always that titillating feeling of freedom when she spread her wings and took to the skies, no matter how many times she had done it. She dove down into a gorge and spun around playfully in the air before she landed in a lush, narrow valley with a river streaming through it. It was one of the more recently created areas; one she had wanted to explore for some time. She sat on a nearby rock and watched the clear water and a school of fish swimming idly by.

The day was hot, and the river looked inviting, so she shed the white tunic on her, intending to go for a little dip. Just as she was about to pull off her bra, she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She yelped a little, grabbed the tunic she had placed beside her, and covered her chest with it.

Someone was approaching her.

“Oh, hello there! Forgive me, it wasn’t my intention to startle you like that! To be honest, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here either.”

It was a woman with the prettiest cobalt blue eyes, their color matching her long, partly braided hair. She was wearing a loose, sleeveless top covering her up to her mid-torso and a wrap skirt.

She was so stunned by the woman's bright smile that before she could say anything, the stranger continued.

"Wait, aren't you... Rhea?"

"Y-yes? Do we... know each other? I mean... I-I think I'd remember you," she replied, feeling a telltale little blush creep up her face.

“We have only met in passing, I’m afraid, and you wouldn’t probably recognize me wearing… this”, she admitted, gesturing at her clothes. “I have sometimes watched you train at the Academy between classes. Your instructor is a friend of mine and he has often commended your skills to me. It’s somewhat strange seeing you here, almost… shy and so… soft, and to think you are the best of his class at hand-to-hand combat.”

“T-thank you.”

“I’m merely stating the facts, although I have to admit that… it’s been quite enrapturing, watching you. You move so gracefully, yet you possess such raw power.”

Rhea swallowed.

“And what do you train in?”

The woman laughed softly.

“Oh, I’m… not a student but… an instructor. I teach swordsmanship. And where are my manners? I’m Lumera. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Lumera”, Rhea repeated, lost in the warm blue eyes.

The woman tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, and it piqued Rhea’s interest.

“I had no idea there were any human instructors at the Academy.”

Lumera looked perplexed for a moment, then seemed to realize what she had meant.

“Oh, haha. I’m actually a Divine Dragon. There aren’t so many of us and we don’t have pointy ears like the rest of the Nabateans, so I understand your confusion.”

“A Divine Dragon? I see. I have… heard of you.”

Lumera smiled at her, then seemed to remember something.

“But here I am, keeping you! I should let you carry on with your day and—”

“N-no, wait”, Rhea said hastily. “Or, I-I mean… if you’re not busy…”

The woman tilted her head a little to the side, her cobalt eyes shining, a gentle smile on her lips.

She patted the warm rock she was sitting on.

“Stay a while?”

From that day on, they were inseparable. In their free time, they soared the skies, explored the world the Progenitor God was slowly healing and recreating, talked for hours on end, and trained together. Rhea had always been interested in sword fighting, and outside the Academy hours, Lumera began teaching her.

Rhea turned out to be a fast learner, though her hotheadedness and tendency to use brute force sometimes got the better of her when she got frustrated, each such time only ending in Lumera disarming her—two of the times she managed to break her own sword.

"A-again… I’m so sorry. Perhaps… I'm just not cut out for wielding such an elegant weapon."

“Do not despair; you’re doing really well. Just remember that the sword is not an extension of your fist.”

One of Rhea’s best friends was Macuil, who was always absorbed in his magic studies. He mostly socialized only with her and Cichol, his other relationships slowly withering and dying as he rather spent his time documenting his experiments. Lumera, however, seemed to have a strange tendency to bond with others effortlessly, and she soon befriended the reclusive mage dragon as well. The three often spent time together, but Macuil still preferred to stay in his lair, although he sometimes joined their expeditions.

Rhea’s skills with the sword grew steadily until finally, the day came when she managed to disarm Lumera after a long and sweaty training session. They often practiced in the same valley where they had first met, and that’s where they were this time, as well.

“I am so proud of you, Rhea”, Lumera praised, and embraced the younger dragon warmly. “I feel like I should reward you somehow.”

“This session has been a reward in itself. It all just… finally fell into place”, Rhea said happily, then pulled back a little. ”You are a wonderful teacher, and a friend, and…”

Whatever Rhea was going to say next, she swallowed it down as her eyes met with Lumera’s. The air between them felt charged, and Rhea could only stare into the warm, blue eyes, her jaw slightly agape, as Lumera gently cupped her face.

“Rhea… May I—”

“Yes.”

Their lips met in a feverish kiss, neither of them willing to let go of the other. Later that same night, they made love to each other until they were too tired to go on, falling into peaceful sleep in each others’ arms. The night marked only the first of many others to follow, as their love for each other bloomed for years to come.

On their first anniversary together, Lumera brought her to the same valley and gifted her a blade forged by a legendary blacksmith now lost in history—a blade that would later be known as the Sword of Seiros.

The Progenitor God eventually finished her work. Tired after having spent ages mending the war-torn, drowned Fódlan, she went to sleep in a place that came to be known as the Sanctuary of the Dreamer. A place that would later be known by a more somber name.

Rhea felt sad, having had few opportunities to be graced by the Goddess’s presence. She had been born shortly after the war, and the Goddess had to use most of her time healing the ravaged lands.

She often asked Lumera what the world was like before the war. Lumera was always happy to tell her stories, but she avoided the topic of the war itself. Although she had been very young during it, she had still been forced to fight for her life, and the memories were too dark for the peace-loving dragon to share with her lover.

”I have begun to fear, Rhea”, Lumera said one night when they were lying in their bed. Her voice was quiet and anxious. ”It’s… hard to explain, but I can sense it lurking in the shadows.”

”Sense what, exactly?”

”Another war.”

“Are you—”

“I cannot do that again, Rhea—I refuse to”, Lumera said vehemently, taking her hands and squeezing them tightly.

Rhea observed her for a moment.

“You… are serious.”

Lumera nodded.

“Would you… leave with me?”

Rhea blinked.

“L-leave? Where could we even go? If there would be a war—”

“Listen… I have thought of a plan, and… it would make me really happy if you wanted to come with me. I-I know it’s much to ask, so of course, you don’t have to—”

Rhea held Lumera’s hands tighter, looking her straight in the eye with all her determination and the devotion she felt for her.

“No. Wherever you go… I will follow.”

Rhea could have never believed something like that was possible, but she knew Macuil. Magical research was something he had dedicated his life to. He would never jest about anything related to it, and he was proud of his achievements.

“All is calibrated as per your wishes”, Macuil said. “You step on the summoning ring, and it will find the nearest young world inhabited by lower races.”

“Please, do not use that phrase, Macuil. Humans and animals aren’t lower races”, Lumera said, a little upset.

“In any case, when you are standing in the ring barefoot, you will need to imbibe the contents of this vial. It will act as a catalyst, preparing your body and activating the runes. A portal will appear, and it will close soon after, so you mustn’t delay.”

“Is it really as simple as that?”

“It is now. I have worked hard to simplify all the elements, ensuring nothing will go wrong.”

Rhea noticed how Lumera exchanged an odd look with Macuil.

“And you are sure you will not be coming with us?”

The man shook his head.

“No… My place is here. I have many promising projects unfinished. It would take too much time to start from nothing in a primitive world. I’m… sorry.”

”I understand.”

”Besides, I have only prepared two vials.”

”Couldn’t you make more?”

”This is very delicate and experimental magic. Unless the contents are from the same exact batch—”

”You don’t have to explain”, Lumera said, touching his shoulder fondly.

Macuil nodded. He was even more quiet than usual today.

”Ah, one more thing. Should you ever wish to return… if anything goes wrong… Take this.”

Lumera took the small object, and Rhea looked at it curiously.

“It resembles our bond rings.”

“It’s made of the same material and enchanted with my blood. Think of it as an address… returning to the sender.”

“I do not mean to question your ability as a mage, but… How can you be so certain this portal works”, Rhea asked.

“Because I tested it myself”, Macuil revealed. “I would never send you two in danger knowingly.”

“What did it look like in there”, Lumera asked enthusiastically, and Rhea smiled at the glimmer in her eyes.

“I only took but a peak. But it was lush and verdant and teeming with simple life. I believe it is exactly what you requested.” Macuil seemed pensive. “Just to sate my curiosity… have you already thought of a name for this world you wish to become a guardian of?”

“Yes”, Lumera admitted. “I would like to call it… Elyos.”

“That is a fitting name. Hmm. What else was I supposed to say… Ah, yes. The enchantment tied to the three rings.”

“It is getting late, and since we are not leaving quite yet… Maybe we should go over the details closer to our departure”, Lumera suggested. “Rhea would like to visit the Sanctuary of the Dreamer and leave her farewells to our sleeping Goddess before we depart.”

“Of course. There is no hurry.”

As they returned to their home, Rhea could sense something was off. Lumera had been acting strangely for days, and after today, she was all the more certain that there was something she wasn’t telling. Just as she was about to ask, however, Lumera beat her to it.

“Rhea… There’s something… I need to tell you.”

Regardless of the smile on Lumera’s face, Rhea felt uneasy.

“I have sensed something is different. What is it? Have I done something?”

Lumera chuckled, and now she definitely sounded slightly nervous, making Rhea doubly so.

“N-no, love, you haven’t done anything. I…”

Lumera took a deep breath, then looked her in the eye.

“I’m pregnant.”

Rhea stared at Lumera with wide eyes. Everything was utterly still and silent for a long time as her brain tried to process the words she had just heard. 

“You… have to be… joking. Please… tell me… you are joking”, she all but growled in a low voice, hoping against hope that there had been some kind of a misunderstanding.

“I’m… not joking, Rhea. I’m so sorry, but—”

“You are sorry?” Her voice was hard, hurt, and demanding. “H-how… can something like that even happen? How—w-wait.”

Rhea forced herself to calm down.

“Unless… did it… did it happen without your consent? Of course. I’m sorry for getting so riled, I…” Her blood felt like it was boiling in her veins. “Who was it? Just give me the coward’s name because I swear… I. Will. Kill. Him. ”

Lumera put her hands around Rhea’s tensed-up shoulders, deep sadness in her cobalt blue eyes.

“No, Rhea… it… was an accident, but it didn’t happen against my will. I just… forgot to take the countermeasures this time and—”

“T-t-this time? Lumera, please, this is not making any sense! H-how many times have you…w-with whom…”

“With Macuil, of course. We have been intimate with each other for… I think about a year now?”

Lumera said it so casually. As if there wasn’t anything strange in it. As if—

“You have been… sleeping with him for a… year? And… and I didn’t…”

Rhea felt her head spin. This was beyond absurd. Surely this was a nightmare. Surely she would wake at any moment.

“You are upset”, Lumera said quietly.

“Upset? Upset? Because my mate has been fucking my best friend and gotten herself pregnant behind my back? What do you think!”

“Rhea, love, please, calm down! I agree that we should have discussed the possibility of pregnancy together before it even happened, because it affects us both, but otherwise… I’m honestly not sure why you are so angry with me. I didn’t inconvenience you in any way, did I? I have always been available to you, and Macuil’s needs are so different from yours. He enjoys his solitude, but sometimes he just needs a little warmth, and… I wanted to offer him that. I have enough affection for you both.”

Lumera tried to touch Rhea, but she quickly stepped further out of her reach and slapped her hand away with a sharp smack.

“Don’t touch me! What’s wrong with you?! Do I even know you anymore? Maybe I could have expected something like this from a human, but we are dragons! No one touches our mates! Macuil should know better! You should know better!”

Lumera swallowed thickly, tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at Rhea, looking lost.

“I… I don’t know what to say. M-maybe… Divine Dragons are different. I-I’m so sorry, Rhea, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please don’t—”

“I said don’t touch me”, Rhea yelled angrily, raising her fisted hands menacingly as Lumera took a step closer to her.

“Rhea!”

Suddenly, she realized just how close she had been to hitting Lumera. The mere thought made her feel sick. In her hazy mind, she knew she had to leave before she would do or say something she truly regretted, and she dashed for the door. However, Lumera got to it first, blocking her way out.

“Rhea, please, wait! I beg you!”

Something snapped in her head, and she punched her fist through the door.

”Get out of my way”, she snarled. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”

Rhea ripped the door open and stormed outside. She leaped into the air, turning into her true form and letting out an angry bellow that echoed along the mountain walls.

She didn’t know where she was going; she just needed to get away. On her way, she landed in a forest, tearing trees from the ground with her bare jaws and scorching everything around her. She screeched in fury and lashed at the debris with her muscular tail as small animals fled in terror.

Finally, she stopped and looked around her, as if slowly sobering up. A large part of the beautiful forest was now completely annihilated, with only charred remains of the lush oaks left.

Suddenly she felt immense shame. The Goddess had gone through tremendous trouble mending this world, once already destroyed, and now she was taking her anger out on her beloved creations like a spoiled, selfish child.

She let out a mournful bellow and turned back into her human form, slumping against a charred tree stub. Her white tunic was streaked with black and her right fist was bleeding.

Everything was a mess in her head: the beautiful years she had spent together with Lumera, their horrible last conversation, the unwanted images in her head in which she saw herself making love to Lumera, suddenly Macuil being there in her stead—her closest friend who had bred her mate. She and Lumera had never fought before. She felt terrible. Nothing made sense anymore.

And still, even after all that, she saw Lumera’s sparkling blue eyes clearly in her mind, filled with tears, apologetic and loving. Sincere and pure, despite everything.

Maybe… maybe she should let her explain, at least.

As Rhea finally returned to their home many hours later, having exhausted her rage and feeling sad and remorseful, Lumera was nowhere to be seen.

A terrifying thought crossed her mind and she hurried to Macuil’s abode as fast as she could.

”Please, no…”

She found the mage dragon standing forlornly by the portal summoning circle. The other vial was lying shattered on the floor.

”N-no…”

”I’m sorry, Rhea”, Macuil said quietly, not daring to look her in the eye. ”For everything.”

Rhea wanted to tear his whole laboratory down. Punch him until he was nothing but a heap of bloody pulp.

She did neither of those things, however, even if she initially lunged at Macuil. She grabbed at him but ended up burying her teary face into his robes. She held him against her in a crushing, desperate hug, her whole body shaking as she cried inconsolably—perhaps for the first time in her life.

Garreg Mach
Pegasus Moon of Imperial Year 1180

Rhea looked at herself in the mirror. It was stranger than she had thought, seeing herself again in the armor she had used when she had gone by the name Seiros a thousand years ago. For some reason, she had always believed a day would come when she would wear it one more time.

Her chest and hips seemed to have gotten quite a bit wider over time, the material of her light armor hugging her curves. It still felt comfortingly familiar, and more natural than wearing the bulky armor the knights did. She had always appreciated the freedom of movement over being able to take hits—ideally, her enemies would be dead before touching her at all.

Hesitantly, she began unwrapping a bundle of leather on her bed. The unmistakable, sinuous form of the sword that revealed itself brought so many nearly forgotten memories back to her mind, most of them bittersweet.

”I admit, that for a time, I just wanted to forget you”, Rhea said softly to the blade, touching its cool surface. ”Me and Macuil… we were never able to mend our friendship after you left... Not fully. I could not help feeling betrayed, and… I suppose I just wasn't a big enough person to forgo what had happened. Or, perhaps, rather see it the way you did.”

She sighed.

”And now, after all this time, a part of you has returned to me, in the flesh. Those eyes, that smile, the compassion… She is her own person, of course, but it is no wonder it was so easy to let her in my heart. And again, I face the same circumstance that tore us apart. How ironic that is. Unlike most of my kind, she also seems to find sharing her affection… unproblematic.

“While a part of me still finds that difficult to understand, I am also tired of being alone. She is young but wise beyond her age and a much better person than me. She makes me happy and makes me feel wanted, even with my flaws. Like you, I also drove her away from me, and now Agarthans, of all people, have her.

“If I can only get her back… if she still wants me… This may sound strange, but… would you give me your blessing? Could I succeed with her in what I failed with you? I… should have never let you go, Lumera. I should have been there for you and your… our child. I am so sorry. And whatever it is worth, saying it now… I hope you know I have forgiven you.”

A knock at the door brought her back to the present. She sighed and sheathed the sword.

“Come in.”

Seteth appeared, Flayn in his tow.

”Aunt Rhea! You really are wearing your old armor to the battle. Father did not believe me when I said you would.”

”This brings back memories”, Seteth murmured.

”I wish more of them were pleasant ones”, Rhea lamented. ”But… I will choose to concentrate on the good ones. I do wonder what these curious parallels with past events presage… Fighting at the side of Wilhelm I’s scion to save one of our own from our ancient enemies… one infused with Lumera’s essence, no less. History truly keeps repeating itself in most inconceivable ways.”

“That is something I have been wondering about myself”, Seteth agreed, looking thoughtful. “While I do not have many memories of Lumera since we were not that close during the time you were together, I should have immediately recognized those eyes and that hair. After all, Divine Dragons were uncommon even back then, and the only thing I really remember about her was how strikingly different she looked compared to most other Nabateans.”

“It was such a long time ago that even I did not think of it immediately. So much has happened after that.”

Apparently, she couldn’t quite keep the disquietude from her demeanor, judging by the empathetic and encouraging look in Flayn’s eyes.

”I know you are very fond of Alear and worried about her, but do not despair—we will get her back! I have also prepared my old battle garment. While I abhor fighting itself, I want to help in any way I can, and I absolutely refuse to stay behind.”

”In fact, I… have a special mission in mind for you, dear Flayn”, Rhea admitted.

“A… special mission?”

Rhea picked up an envelope from her desk and handed it to the young dragon.

“I will need you to deliver this to someone.”

Flayn looked at the unmarked envelope, then at Rhea, disappointment in her eyes.

“You… just want me as far from the battlefield as possible, do you not?”

“No, Flayn, that is not—”

“Please, Aunt. Anyone can deliver a letter. I can heal. The worst most of the humans that are coming with have ever seen is a bandit raid.”

Rhea put her hands fondly on Flayn’s shoulders and smiled at her.

“I know that. And back then, you were way too young to be even near anything like that, and I wished so badly you could have been anywhere but there. Still, despite your youth, you bravely saved many soldiers from certain deaths and proved yourself. I assure you, this matter is of utmost necessity, and I’m afraid you are the only one I can trust this letter to. In any case, I expect you to get to Hrym in time to aid us after you have completed this task.”

“Very well then… Who is the letter for?”

”Ouch! Shamir! What was that for?”

”Just… stop staring at her, Cath. You’re embarrassing us both.”

Rhea couldn’t help feeling self-conscious as she walked out of the abbey, everyone’s eyes on her, even if subtly. Then again, she couldn’t really blame them. None of the humans had seen her in anything but her Archbishop’s regalia.

When she arrived at the stables, Edelgard was already there. The look in her lilac eyes was telling, as she regarded her and then looked her in the eye, a spark of realization in hers. Rhea wasn’t completely sure Edelgard would keep the knowledge of her origins to herself, and it did make her a little nervous that there were now at least two humans who knew her obsessively kept secret, but at this time, she could not afford to mistrust.

Before meeting Alear, she couldn’t have even imagined letting her guard down like that—not even around Wilhelm I’s descendant or Jeralt Eisner, who had long since surpassed the natural human lifespan due to the generous donation of her blood. The very same Jeralt Eisner whose daughter carried the Progenitor God’s heart inside her.

As they left Garreg Mach, it was still very early, morning mist covering the roads. The march to Hrym would take several days. A week, if they were fast. Representatives of all houses joined the effort, and a mere token guard was left to watch over Garreg Mach. After all, it wasn’t likely the monastery would be attacked, especially since Rhea now knew she was the primary target.

While she was anxious to get to Hrym as soon as possible—in her dragon form, she could have been there by the end of the day—at least the long journey there gave her time to think.

She still found it hard to imagine Alear with Edelgard, but it was somewhat different from imagining Lumera with Macuil. After all, Macuil had been a very close friend to her. He should have known how Rhea would take the news. The fact that Macuil was male had also made her feel terribly insecure about herself, at least back then. He had something she could never have—could give a female lover something she could never give. She wondered if Alear was also attracted to males and if she was truly ready to accept and handle the Divine Dragons’ open-minded conception of love and sexuality.

Whatever the final answer was, her heart ached, knowing what kind of people had taken the gentle dragon. At least there was something she had learned since losing Lumera. If they got Alear back… no, when they’d get Alear back… the first thing she owed her was a heartfelt apology.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything, Lady Rhea? Maybe a blanket around your shoulders? Another cup of tea? It’s getting chilly.”

“Thank you for your concern, Catherine, but there is no need. I… am quite comfortable even with significant temperature changes.”

“Very well. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

Their diverse army would reach their destination the next day, and Rhea felt restless. Confronting Agarthans directly after all this time, not knowing what they intended to do with Alear…

She closed her eyes tightly and refused to think of the option that she might be dead already.

She left the campfire and paced around the camp. During their march, she had plenty of opportunities to talk with everyone and get to know them better.

Edelgard was reserved but polite and always ready for constructive, intelligent conversations. Her sharp eyes reflected her wit, and she constantly seemed to be evaluating her and dissecting her every word, which sometimes made her uneasy. It was extremely rare for a mere human to have that effect on her. She could still vividly remember the grotesque evidence of Agarthans’ experiments on the future emperor’s skin, most of her torso nothing but scar tissue on scar tissue. She had to be remarkably strong-willed to have survived all that and retained her sanity after losing all her siblings in the process. All because of Crests… She even reluctantly thought that if there had to be this one human truly worthy of being a mate for a dragon, it was at least rightfully of Hresvelg's bloodline.

Her retainer was always nearby. Hubert, she believed he was called. He was a curious young man, without any doubt fiercely loyal to Edelgard. To his credit, he was almost as intimidating as his lady, although in a different way, and interacted with her as little as possible to be considered courteous.

Jeralt was determined to get Alear back, blaming himself for her capture. During one of their conversations, Rhea had thought for a good while the man was speaking of Byleth, but it turned out Alear had already become like a second daughter to him. She hadn’t even realized how deeply the two had bonded during the stray Divine Dragon’s mysterious trip to Fódlan.

Some of the other humans she worked more closely with were clearly unsure how to be around her now that she was wearing her battle garments, a sword strapped on her waist. Before all this, she had already assured Cyril and Catherine, especially, that she wasn’t as helpless as they seemed to assume she was.

If they only knew I am more deadly with my bare hands than with the sword… in either form.

In her restlessness, Rhea walked further off the encampment, hoping the cool night air would help her sleep for at least a few hours.

Suddenly, she heard someone speak. It sounded like Edelgard. She walked closer and saw her conversing with that comely commoner student with an exceptionally beautiful voice—at least for a human. She had often stopped to listen to her when she sang in the church choir.

She turned to leave and took a few steps away from them just before she heard the most intriguing words, and her feet just refused to move further, no matter how hard she tried to tell herself she shouldn’t eavesdrop on people like this.

“Edelgard… To be honest, I want to confess something.”

“Oh my. Whatever it is, it must certainly be something serious.”

“W-why do you say that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You scarcely call me by my actual name.”

Now, Rhea was truly curious. The brunette sounded nervous, and Edelgard’s usually measured voice was unexpectedly playful for someone who was always so guarded and composed. Clearly, the two were very good friends.

“In fact, I have wanted to say this since the grand ball, but there was never a good moment, and then the Demonic Beast attack happened. I feel like this may be my last chance to be honest with you, for who knows what happens tomorrow.”

“Oh. So this actually is serious. You know you can tell me anything, Thea.”

“Look, before I say anything else, I know I’m being delusional because—no. I’m just going to say it.” She cleared her throat. “Edie. I… I’m afraid I have… developed feelings for you. In fact, I think I’ve been quite smitten with you ever since we first met since I want to be completely honest here. I know it makes no sense—I’m just a commoner and a woman, and you’ll ascend the Adrestian throne one day, but… I just wanted to get that off my chest before tomorrow.”

Rhea and Edelgard both seemed to hold their breaths.

“Thea… I… really do appreciate that you told me. It’s only that—”

“N-no, you don’t need to explain yourself, I just wanted to—”

“Wait, it’s not that. In truth… the feeling is mutual.”

”R-really? Edie… I-I don’t know what to say. I mean, I thought I imagined there was something, but…”

Rhea turned around and noticed that the two stood facing each other, Edelgard taking the other woman’s hands gently in hers. She surprised herself by thinking how gorgeous a couple the two humans would make.

”Right now, though, things are a little… complicated, and I’m not entirely certain what tomorrow will bring. After we defeat the… Agarthans and get Alear back… I would like to continue this conversation with you. Preferably over tea, maybe, or… otherwise in nicer surroundings.”

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course.”

“You and Alear…?”

“Like I said… a little complicated”, Edelgard said, and Rhea could see the warm, wry smile on her face.

“That’s what I suspected”, the brunette giggled, and the two began walking back toward the camp.

Rhea sighed softly and waited for a moment before taking a different route back.

Why is this so easy for everyone else?

Finally, their army reached a hidden mountain path, just as Edelgard said the captive had described. An elaborate illusion made it appear as if there was an impassable canyon, and when the path ended after a final bend that obscured their destination, they found themselves on a wide plateau surrounded by tall, sharp rocks.

The ground was covered by shallow snow, but something under the cold, white blanket still caught Rhea’s attention.

“I… sense something.”

“What is it”, Edelgard asked curiously as she watched Rhea dig something out from under the snow. “Wait, is that—”

“Yes… Alear’s ring. I would recognize this anywhere. It originally belonged to Lumera. I wonder what it is doing out here.”

She slipped the ring onto her finger, and carefully, their forces advanced toward the other end of the plateau, which, according to Edelgard, concealed the entrance to their enemies' underground city.

“Doesn’t anyone else think what a great place this would be to launch a surprise attack on us”, Claude asked, his bow already drawn. “All this open space, nothing to use for a cover except for the few large… What are those? Boulders?”

As if on cue, a loud whistling noise came closer. Suddenly, something that resembled a gigantic arrow crashed and exploded against the entrance to the opening, confining their troops in the plateau. Their only way out was now blocked with large, loose rocks.

“As you said, kid”, Jeralt grumbled and grabbed his lance. “Only it also seems our little precious cover is both hostile and mobile.”

The large, snow-covered forms began moving. Rhea had never seen anything like them before—metal-plated, humanoid-like apparatuses with shields the size of double barn doors and a gigantic sword to complete their intimidating and inhuman appearance.

Before the automatons did anything more than adopt defensive stances and shed the snow that had covered them, Rhea heard a voice across the plateau.

“What a pleasure to see such a massive turnout”, a pale man in dark robes boomed. “Welcome to the theater of your destruction.”

Dark mages appeared all around them, lining the rocky edges of the open area.

“At least they have cover”, Claude mumbled.

“Do you see that? Isn’t that Alear’s sword he is holding in his hands”, Edelgard said quietly, worry in her voice. “Except… it looks like one of the bone weapons.”

Rhea clenched her teeth.

“Agarthan scum”, she growled back at him. “If you believe for a moment that a few heaps of metal, no matter how big, are enough to stop me… you do not know me at all.”

The man chuckled.

“The Titanus are for the entertainment of your entourage. Fight fire with fire, like I have heard your parasite god’s pale imitations of the true children of men utter. Who knows, maybe even you will be forced out of your disguise.”

Suddenly, a dark shadow crossed the plateau, and something enormous landed behind the things dotting the middle of the battlefield the man had called Titanus.

Everyone stared at the creature in stunned silence. It resembled a cobra with wings and legs, its body covered with white and blue scales that crackled with unnatural magenta-colored bursts of what appeared to be electricity. The creature opened its massive jaws and screeched menacingly.

“Is… that a dragon, too”, Edelgard asked Rhea uncertainly, lilac eyes glued to the terrifying creature.

“If it is, I have never seen a dragon like that before”, Rhea murmured, concerned.

“I would offer you a chance to leave while you can”, the tall, pale man boomed across the plateau, “but since it seems you cannot go anywhere… I’ll rather test my new weapon on you.”

As Rhea quickly assessed the strange creature, she realized she would be smaller even in her dragon form, and the last thing she wanted to do was transform. She hadn’t expected this, but she knew she needed to calm her nerves and be methodical.

At least it is made of flesh, blood, and bone. It means it can be killed, no matter what it looks like.

Yes. She would just have to get access to its throat or head somehow and push her blade in from between the scales.

Determined, she addressed the troops: “Eagles, Deers, Lions, and knights—take down those automatons. Edelgard, you and your troops will engage the mages and their leader. Meanwhile… I’ll slay this Agarthan pet.”

Edelgard nodded hesitantly, then turned to face the Imperial troops, a determined look in her eyes as she lifted her battleaxe.

“You heard her! For the Empire!”

So much happened at that instant as both sides engaged each other, but Rhea’s only concern was the gigantic creature. She tried to use her speed and agility to her advantage and started by attracting the monster’s focus on her so that she could turn it facing away from the others. Almost immediately after Rhea had done that the creature screeched and swept its surroundings with a destructive beam of dark fire from its maw, only barely missing her.

If it were a dragon after all, as the fire breath suggested, it would need to recharge.

Without a pause, Rhea leaped and grabbed at the monster’s wing, using it to climb on its back. The creature bellowed and tried to shake her off, but Rhea had anticipated that and held on tighter.

Intimidating spikes lined its cobra-like hood, and she used them to climb up its neck swiftly. Time was of the essence.

The creature shrieked and tried to shake its large body and toss its head back, but Rhea had secured hold of the ridge on the top of its head. She pulled her sword out of its sheath, calmly lodging the sharp point of the blade between the scales.

A brief moment of sadness washed over her.

She had never killed a dragon before. It felt like she was about to commit a sacrilege. Regardless, whoever this poor creature had been before becoming a thrall of the Agarthans, she had little choice now.

She heard a strange whimper and noticed that the magenta glow had momentarily dissipated. The creature wasn’t thrashing anymore.

Rhea's breath hitched.

A clear, cobalt blue eye was looking up at her.

Abruptly the monster screamed as if in terrible pain. Rhea was stunned and horrified, falling to the snowy ground with a heavy thud. For a while, she was afraid she had pierced the creature’s head after all, and it was what was causing the agonized screeching, but her sword had dropped on the snow near her, clean of blood.

The sickly glow had returned, and the creature's eyes were glowing with the same electric magenta crackle as its scaly skin. It seemed to no longer recognize her.

“Rhea! Are you hurt?”

It was Jeralt, pulling her up from the ground.

“I’ll help you, together we’ll… What's wrong? Are you crying?”

“G-go inform the others. Tell no one to touch her. I will try to keep her occupied. Exhaust her. A-anything… I have no choice. Tell them not to come near either of us. Promise me.”

“Oh gods…”

With that, Jeralt took off.

Only one of the Titanus was yet felled, and the Imperial forces were struggling against the Agarthan mages.

“Please… Dear Mother, even though we are worlds apart... Please grant me the strength to see this through.”

Rhea roared with frustration, pain, and sorrow as she transformed into her true form. No matter the outcome, there was no returning to the life she once knew.

Chapter Text

Byleth had already woken up quite a while ago, but she had yet to make an attempt at getting off the bed. She smiled as she observed Ivy in her sleep, her arm loosely around the Elusian’s warm, curvy body under the blanket.

With a tenderness that reflected the love she felt for the woman, she traced circles on her waist, her mind replaying the vivid memories of their passionate night. A slight pang of longing tugged at her, a silent plea for more nights like those, for a future free from the looming shadow of Sombron. A future where it would be just the two of them, and—

“Should you not get up soon?”

She still wasn't quite used to Sothis' voice being so mature all of a sudden, even though it was more appropriate for a millennia-old dragon than what she had gotten used to over the years.

“I know. I just wanted to cherish this moment while I still can”, Byleth said quietly.

“You are not going to perish if that is what you are implying. Neither you nor the little princess. I will see to it myself.”

“Thank you, Sothis.“ Byleth stared at Ivy a few moments longer and smiled dreamily. “She is so beautiful.”

“Yes… she is.” There was a brief silence. “I… realized I do not really know what we are up against with this ‘Sombron’, and… I hope I am able to live up to the promise I just made.” Another brief silence, a yawn, and then one last mumbled sentence. “Maybe… I should have seized your body last night, after all…”

“I—What?”

“What?”

“What”, Ivy mumbled sleepily and opened her hazy eyes. “Who are you—oh, of course. Byleth… Sothis… Good morning to you both.”

Ivy’s soft smile made Byleth’s pulse quicken.

“Morning to you too, beautiful. From us both. Sothis just went to sleep.” She thought about something for a moment. “I think she has a crush on you.”

The Elusian’s purple eyes widened almost comically.

“A-are you serious?”

“Wouldn’t it be funny if you were involved with us both, and then we’d just have the same body but two personalities? One of a mercenary-turned-teacher in her early twenties, and one of an ancient goddess.”

“Y-yes. Funny.”

She flashed the Elusian a crooked little smile.

“At least you showed interest in me before either of us knew a dragon resides within me”, she continued her merciless teasing.

“Byleth, please”, Ivy said, leaning on her elbow, a serious look in her eyes. “I love you. I… would never…”

She touched the princess’s face gently, brushing her cheek with her thumb.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Although I have a feeling you’re not against this arrangement, either.”

“She’s an inseparable part of you, isn’t she? The more comfortable we three are with each other, the better.”

The princess was a little flustered and blushing, but Byleth decided it was time to let her off the hook and gave her a gentle kiss.

“That’s true. And I really appreciate it. Not everyone would be comfortable knowing there’s another consciousness inside of me. I’m so happy that we had the chance to meet each other.”

Ivy smiled at her, almost shyly, and stroked her hair.

“So am I.”

Byleth noticed that the Elusian suddenly seemed distracted.

“Everything okay?”

”Yes… It just seems that every time you let Sothis take control, your hair and eyes turn greener…”

”I suppose they do. Does it bother you?”

”Not really. Especially if it does not bother you. I liked the blue, but green suits you, too.”

The two kissed once more, and Byleth had to fight the urge to take it further after their wonderful night together. Hopefully, they would be able to defeat Sombron and soon have all the time in the world to indulge in these things.

As they dressed, Byleth decided to take Lumera’s ring with her as a good luck charm and threaded it onto the leather cord around her neck next to Shez’s whistle. It felt important, somehow, that it would be with her when she would finally meet Sombron.

She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, all the more certain of something she wished to do before they would meet the others.

“Is something the matter? You have been even quieter than usual”, she suddenly heard Ivy say and realized she had been completely absorbed in her thoughts.

“Before we go… I want to give you something.”

Ivy cocked her head ever so slightly, a curious look in her eyes.

“Oh? What might that be? If it’s a gift, I’m afraid I do not have anything to give you in return.”

“It’s… not exactly a gift. It’s a promise.”

She reached into the leather pouch on her belt and fished out something small.

“B-Byleth?”

The Elusian princess looked stunned as she realized what the item was.

“Ivy… w-will you accept this ring?”

Byleth had never felt so exposed and vulnerable in her whole life.

“It… it doesn’t have to mean… A-as a future queen, I don’t know if you even could… I just… want you to have this. Dad said… I should give it to someone I love as much as he loved my mom, a-and… if I don’t get another chance to do this…”

“Of course, I’ll accept it”, Ivy said, her voice choking with emotion. “In its truest meaning. Whether I’m the queen or not, you are the one I want by my side.”

Byleth smiled, feeling her nervousness dissipate as she took Ivy’s hand and slid the ring on her finger.

“I’m… sorry that I didn’t wait for a better, more romantic moment”, she said apologetically, tenderly running her thumb over Ivy’s knuckles. ”I’m not good at this sort of thing.”

“I assure you… it couldn’t have been more perfect than this. I don’t care for any grand gestures. I love you so much, Byleth, just for being what you are”, Ivy breathed, her eyes full of warmth. The two kissed long and deep, savoring their last intimate moment together before it was time to prepare for the final push.

The atmosphere in the Somniel was anxious and expectant. Since they had destroyed the Fell Dragon Shards, the floating island had begun its slow, foreboding ascension toward the ominous, purple hole in the sky above them, somehow mysteriously drawn to it. Jean had estimated that the Somniel would reach the portal before noon.

While it was convenient, it felt a little too convenient to Byleth’s curious and practical mind. Veyle, however, offered an educated guess that was reasonable enough, and she decided to go with that.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Somniel is situated below the portal. They are both almost directly above Lythos Castle. Queen Lumera must have chosen the castle's location for a specific reason. Likely something here helps power them all.”

“Do you think the Somniel existed here before Lumera arrived or that she created it afterward to safeguard Alear’s recovery?”

“Neither, exactly.”

“Why so?”

“From what we know, Lumera sought a world uninhabited by gods. This world likely had great magical potential, but it would have been unrealized. Even by the standards of what Elyos is currently, back then, a floating structure like the Somniel couldn’t have simply existed by itself.”

”But if Lumera didn’t create it—”

”Oh, no, I do believe Lumera created it, but for some other reasons, and only later repurposed it as a sanctuary for my sister. I believe this because with the magical seals and everything, creating something like this would have been a massive effort—something Lumera couldn’t have wasted her energy on at that time, already weary after the War of the Divine Dragons, my dying sister right there needing her immediate attention.”

“Right. That’s a good point.”

“The Somniel could have functionalities dating back thousands of years—maybe all the way to her arrival in Elyos. And wouldn’t it be likely she arrived here through that same portal Sombron has opened now? I’m just… speculating, of course.”

“Hmm.”

Whatever the case, Byleth also concluded that she, Ivy, and—by extension—Sothis weren’t the only ones who had made the most of the night before facing Sombron.

Goldmary and Etie were discussing something in the far corner of the cafeteria as Ivy and Byleth had breakfast. They looked strangely sober and quiet instead of their usual back-and-forth, and they were holding hands across the table. There also seemed to be several purple bruises on Etie's neck that didn't quite look like they had been inflicted by an enemy. Like everyone else, they were already wearing their battle armor: the Elusian, her heavy plates, her shield and lance leaning against one of the chairs, and the Firenese, her sniper gear. Etie seemed to notice Byleth’s stare and hastily wrapped her green scarf around her neck, Goldmary smirking softly at the blushing archer’s reaction.

As Byleth walked out of the cafeteria with Ivy in tow, she overheard Hortensia and Céline, who were finishing their tea, their battle tomes stacked on the table.

“Sooo… I know we’ll both be super busy if… I mean, when we defeat Sombron, with rebuilding our nations and all that, but… it’d be nice to stay in touch with you. You are okay, you know. F-for a Firenese, at least.”

“I quite enjoy spending time with you, too, Hortensia. I wasn’t sure if it was proper to suggest such a thing, but perhaps we could write letters to each other? Would you like that?”

“Really? I’d love that! I-I mean, yeah. Sure. Maybe I could drop a line or two to you, every once in a while.”

“Splendid! It is decided then.”

Byleth smiled and shook her head.

“It’s nice to see your compatriots get along with the Firenese so well.”

“It will certainly help improve relations after the war, having the Second Princesses of both nations get along so well”, Ivy agreed. “Firenese have shunned Elusians for such a long time. If there’s anything good in this war, at least it has brought the nations closer to each other. I can’t even remember a time when Brodia and Elusia were at peace, but with Diamant as Brodia’s new king we will finally be able to end the conflicts at the borders.”

Byleth wasn’t sure if such a remark was necessary, but she voiced it anyway.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like Diamant, and he seems like a good man, but I have gotten the feeling he would’ve wanted a bit more than just peaceful relations with you.”

”Oh. I… I suppose a political marriage between Brodia and Elusia would be beneficial, but it’s not happening, and it wouldn’t happen even if I had never met you. I’m not interested in men.”

”What about heirs? It’s not as if I could get you pregnant no matter how hard we tried.”

”I have not really thought that far yet”, Ivy admitted helplessly. ”Perhaps if Hortensia… no.”

Byleth smirked and took Ivy’s hand as they walked.

”Well, let’s remove Sombron from the picture first.”

”Do you really think we can do it?”

Byleth stopped and looked at Ivy. She was serious.

“At least I believe we can, but of course, nothing is ever certain.”

“Yes…”

“We have done everything we can. We have 12 Emblem rings and the whistle. We have the best fighters from each nation with us. We also have four dragons on our side, three of which are Fell Dragons themselves.”

The Elusian nodded but still looked despondent.

“We also have, um… we have two Mauviers?”

That made Ivy give Byleth a wry little smile, at least.

“I suppose you’re right… We are as prepared as we can be. It will have to be enough.”

"At least we know he can be defeated. Nel, Rafal, and the Four Winds faced him in their world and survived. Alear and Lumera have also vanquished him once already in this world.”

“And they all had to pay for it dearly. I wonder how much this will cost us.”

”Don’t forget that we also have Sothis on our side. You saw how easily she disposed of Corrupted Lumera.”

”Yes… I’m sorry, Byleth. Worrying about it will not help us. I just wish this would all be soon over with.”

They all gathered outside, watching anxiously as the Somniel drew closer and closer to the purple portal. The wyverns were uneasy, as well, Hedera and Zephyr shifting and growling nervously as the floating island finally reached its destination. It stopped at ground level, with the desolate, bleak landscape surrounding them as far as the eye could see, and it made Byleth realize the same thing probably everyone was thinking right now.

“Whatever this place is… the Somniel used to be a part of this. I wonder what happened here and how recent this change is. I don’t see a single living thing anywhere.”

“For all we know, time might pass differently here than in Elyos”, Veyle said, looking around. “Sombron may have worked for years here already, even if much less time has passed in our world since you arrived in this world, and since he opened this portal.”

“He must use the lifeforce of this world for his own means”, Nel said, “and it can’t be anything good. You saw what happened to our Elyos as Sombron’s spirit lingered in the cursed dragonstone.”

“I wonder what those monoliths in the distance are”, Ivy mused. "They seem to be the only intact structures around here, so they must have some significance."

“Let’s go and have a look at the nearest one”, Byleth suggested, and they all started making their way across the rocky wasteland.

As they got closer, it appeared as if there was a mirror as tall and wide as the large, rectangular rock slab, attached to its surface. Only it was reflecting something Byleth wasn’t familiar with. Some kind of a dark city, a lone fortress watching over it.

“What is that?”

“W-wait… I know that place”, someone said suddenly. It was Emblem Corrin, her Emblem ring equipped by Veyle. “It’s Nohr. I would recognize it anywhere… I lived in that fortress for 15 years after King Garon abducted me from my family in Hoshido.”

Byleth, Veyle, and Nel exchanged a look.

“If all these monoliths are gateways to other worlds… I wonder if Sombron is about to invade some other realm.”

“Of course he is”, Nel scoffed. “He is a world-eater, only interested in furthering his own goals. Now that he has what he needs from Elyos, there is no telling what he is planning next, but whatever it is, I can assure you he will stop at nothing as long as there is something he can corrupt and destroy.”

“What if he has already invaded one of these realms? How can we ever hope to find him”, Ivy asked, worried.

“No, he’s still here”, Veyle said. “I can sense him.”

Byleth nodded resolutely, her hand gripping the pommel of the Creator Sword tighter.

“Then lead us.”

“You are Sombron?”

It hadn’t taken them too long to find him, channeling the world’s life essence to a monolith that yet seemed not to have been activated. Byleth didn’t know what she had expected, but at least in his humanoid form, the dragon didn’t look all that intimidating despite his strange appearance.

“You are far from home, Hero of Fódlan”, the Fell Dragon snarled. The monolith’s giant mirror was yet showing nothing, but a black mass was swirling inside.

“You know who I am?”

“Of course, I know who you are. Now take your little soldiers and leave. This does not concern you. In fact, you should rejoice. I’m leaving your pitiful world behind.”

“You aren’t going anywhere, Papa”, Veyle said, stepping forward defiantly.

Sombron laughed.

“The youngest of my brood… how ironic that you still live. At least your sister was useful. Now leave, you little defect. I have more important matters than humoring you. I cannot stand being disturbed by whelps who should be bothering their mothers instead. Oh, right… you don’t have one, do you?”

“That monolith”, Byleth cut in as she saw Veyle’s hands ball into fists, nodding toward the slab of stone. “Where do you intend to go?”

"That place has no meaning for you, and I tire of this pointless interaction. I have allowed you to leave. Instead, you keep pestering me as if I had any reason to entertain vermin. As if I had not been gracious, offering you the chance to leave and save me the trouble of cleaning your remains off me.”

”You can save your graciousness for someone who will listen to you in the afterworld”, Nel growled, stepping forward, her lance pointed menacingly at Sombron. “You have once, already, deprived me of nearly everything and everyone I loved; there will be no second time!”

Sombron stared at her.

"Another one of my brood has survived? It doesn't matter. You have tested my patience the last time. Fell Dragon or not, you will die along with this swarm of insects you have allied yourself with.”

Sombron’s transformation was quicker than Byleth had anticipated, and in a whirlwind of dark scales, he turned effortlessly into his true form. Momentarily stunned by the sheer size of her formidable foe, Byleth was almost caught by his fire breath but managed to roll out of the way.

“YOU WILL REGRET COMING AFTER ME. I WILL DISPOSE OF YOU ALL.”

“Spread around! Keep your distance and take cover! There’s no point getting close to him”, Byleth yelled as the fire beam swept across their barren, rocky surroundings.

Etie and Alcryst shot a barrage of arrows at the dragon, but most of the projectiles were harmlessly deflected by its thick, black scales.

“Ivy, get everyone on flying mounts and try to distract him so that I can attack him with other close-range combatants. He will expect such a diversion, so just focus on distracting him and not getting hit rather than trying to overpower him.”

“Alright. Be careful, Byleth.”

“You too, Ivy.”

The Elusian bit on her bottom lip, looking like she wanted to say something more, but then merely nodded and hurried to gather the others. Sombron screeched with annoyance as the wyvern and pegasi riders surrounded him, the fireball Ivy cast impacting against his neck. Byleth reacted immediately, managing to whip her blade at his front leg and draw blood.  

“PATHETIC. IF YOU THOUGHT I HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE IDLE, WAITING FOR UPSTARTS TO SWARM ME LIKE THE INSECTS YOU ARE, THINK AGAIN.”

Suddenly, more forces arrived. They looked like Corrupted, but…

”Are those… Emblems”, Alfred asked, squinting at the grim, spirit-like soldiers approaching them.

“FACE THE DARK EMBLEMS, WHO ONCE PLUNGED THEIR WORLDS INTO DESPAIR.”

“Their presence is indeed familiar”, Emblem Marth said darkly. “Seems like he has brought the old enemies from our worlds into this fight.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to face them once more with the allies who have your Emblem rings equipped”, Byleth suggested. “You know them the best. The rest of us will concentrate on Sombron.”

The fight continued with each Emblem engaging a Dark Emblem from their respective home world while Byleth led the battle against the gigantic Fell Dragon, keeping her distance with her extending blade.

“WHAT A PECULIAR SWORD. ONCE I KILL YOU, I JUST MIGHT TAKE IT FOR MYSELF.”

Growing bolder, Byleth ran close enough to reach the dragon’s throat when Merrin and Panette managed to draw his attention. She was just about to whip the blade at Sombron’s exposed neck when she heard a sharp, pained howl and saw the dragon’s claws tear through Merrin’s wolf.

“Nooo!”

Byleth clenched her teeth. Instead of using her opening, she Divine Pulsed instead, aiming at Sombron’s claws and clipping two of them off, saving the wolf from a certain death.

“Are you quite serious? You just wasted a Divine Pulse on a mount?”

“Please, Sothis… Even you must know how Merrin adores him. He’s not just a mount.”

“Uggh, fine. Now concentrate.”

The fight continued, the Dark Emblems getting defeated one by one, but also the fighters getting increasingly tired. While inflicting little damage to the enormous dragon, they had to dodge his fire breath, remaining claws, and tail that would have swatted the air out of Diamant for good if not for Byleth Divine Pulsing to his rescue.

"YOU ARE MORE CUNNING THAN I GAVE YOU CREDIT FOR, HERO OF FÓDLAN, BUT YOUR LUCK WON'T LAST FOREVER. YOU ARE ONLY HUMAN, AND YOU CARE TOO MUCH OF THE OTHERS. IT WILL BE YOUR DOWNFALL.”

Sombron swept his surroundings with his fire breath once again, but this time, he targeted the allies on flying mounts, and to Byleth’s horror, his beam seared right through the other wing of Ivy’s wyvern.

“Ivy!”

Hedera wailed and dropped to the ground, and Byleth ran to the two immediately.

“I’m fine”, Ivy uttered, anguish in her voice as Byleth helped her up from the ground. She cast a sad glance at her pained wyvern.

“She’ll recover”, Byleth assured, quickly touching the Elusian’s arm. “Can you still fight?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

The battle continued, but fatigue set in, and the melee fighters had trouble getting close enough safely. Sombron’s hide felt impenetrable—even the Creator Sword barely sliced through his scales. Out of the corner of her eye, Byleth could see her male Emblem version and Lapis fighting the Dark Emblem associated with Fódlan, but she had no idea who the large, scar-faced male Emblem was. She noticed that he was holding the same blade as she and the other Byleth, and it made her nervous.

Sombron breathed another fire beam from his maw. It would have disintegrated Framme on the spot, but Byleth Divine Pulsed and prevented the dragon from spewing anything by a well-timed lash of her blade, clipping Sombron on his jaw and drawing an annoyed bellow out of him.

“Oh no… To your left!”

She saw the Dark Emblem again in her peripheral vision, its blade extending past Lapis and Emblem Byleth—directly toward Ivy, who was about to cast, unaware of the bladed chain of the Dark Creator Sword coming toward her.

Blood ran cold in Byleth’s veins as she dashed madly toward the Elusian, knowing she didn’t have Divine Pulse at her disposal so soon after the previous one.

“Ivy!”

She saw a flash of surprised, purple eyes as she pushed the crown princess unceremoniously out of the way, and at that exact moment, an excruciating pain ripped right through her.

“BYLETH! ”

Her consciousness faded to black before she even hit the ground.

“This weeping land… bathed in blood…
In a desperate need… of a savior…”

“No, no, no…”

Ivy fell to her knees beside Byleth’s body. Tears were blurring her vision as she turned the woman on her back, her midriff a bloody, pulpy mess, her eyes dim and vacant. She was aware of the battle raging around her, but it felt like it was happening somewhere else. That she really wasn’t a part of it. That it was as unreal as this moment, Byleth’s still, slowly bleeding body in her arms.

Sombron cackled.

"HOW IRONIC... DEFEATED BY THE VERY BLADE SHE HAD THE AUDACITY TO POINT AT A GOD AMONG YOU VERMIN."

Ivy didn’t have the strength to react to the Fell Dragon’s taunts, gently brushing a trickle of blood off the corner of Byleth’s mouth with a shaking thumb.

“This can’t be happening”, Ivy whimpered as she took Byleth’s limp hand. “This can’t be happening. It’s not fair. It’s not.”

Through her tears, she saw strange glimmering. The ring Byleth had given her and the one that had belonged to Lumera hanging from her neck… were glowing. They felt warm.

“W-what—”

Suddenly, Byleth’s eyes opened wide, blazing green. Ivy gasped and jumped, not having expected the abrupt change in the woman’s severe state. Otherworldly, green mist appeared from somewhere, shrouding her body.

“B-Byleth?”

As the woman turned her head and looked at her, however… she knew immediately it wasn’t Byleth. Ivy stared at her, completely stunned, as she stood up despite the gaping wound below her chest, turning her gaze defiantly toward the Fell Dragon.

“You maim my vessel, you threaten my mate, and you gloat and call yourself a god. There is only one god here, you overgrown worm, and it is me.”

Even Sombron had paused momentarily, his full attention on the bleeding woman covered by crackling, green mist. He cocked his head curiously.

“WHO ARE YOU?”

"I am Sothis. I am the Progenitor God, and I will be the death of you!”

Before Ivy could intervene, Sothis leaped at Sombron, the Creator Sword biting straight through the dragon’s scales with thunderous force.

“Begone from my rightful territory! Elyos is mine! This all belongs to me!”

Sombron roared in agony, spinning around and flailing wildly with his claws and tail.

“YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PEST! A PEST! PREPARE TO DIE!”

“Claw at me all you want, you fool—my wounds only give me more strength! RRAAAAHHH!! ”

Ivy watched helplessly as the two dragons fought against each other with wild abandon, tearing at each other like crazed, wild animals. 

“What should we do, Princess Ivy”, she heard a voice beside her. It was Diamant. Everyone else had gathered around her as well.

Why would the Crown Prince of Brodia ask her what to do? Why was everyone looking at her? Most importantly… what kind of queen would she be if she froze when others needed her?

She took a shuddering breath.

“If you are asking me… we have no choice but to intervene, no matter how violent that confrontation is. I do not know if Byleth is even... in that body anymore, but I refuse to stand by and watch it being torn to pieces as they slaughter each other. Sothis… isn’t herself right now. I worry for her, as well.”

“We will proceed with caution, then. Archers and casters, engage from maximum range, close-quarters fighters at the ready”, Diamant said, and everyone nodded.

”Right”, Ivy sighed, then felt a large hand touch her arm.

”We will get through this”, the Brodian vowed. “Somehow, we will.”

“Thank you. At least… I want to believe that.”

Before they could fully launch their counterattack, Sombron managed to swat Sothis further away from him and cast something at the monolith while she was momentarily dazed. A strange, malevolent landscape appeared in the tall, wide mirror—jagged mountains, streams of lava, strange creatures flying across a sickly red sky. 

“ENOUGH. I WILL SEE MY AMBITIONS FULFILLED.”

Had he been that close to opening the portal all along?

“Follow him”, she heard Diamant shout.

Where will it even lead?

Still, there was no choice. They had to see this through. They had agreed to. There was no stopping now.

For Byleth. For Sothis. For Queen Lumera and Divine One. For us all.

Ivy felt the ring again, warm and heavy on her finger. Glowing. She caught a glimpse of the ring Sothis was wearing around her neck as she got up and dashed after Sombron. It was glowing brightly as well.

Just before the Fell Dragon touched the portal on the monolith, the landscape it reflected changed form.

Whatever awaited on the other side, it didn’t matter, but at least now, Ivy saw an element she was more comfortable with than the flowing magma.

Snow.

Chapter Text

“SCREEECH! ”

Rhea wailed as she skidded on the snow on her back, tossed aside like a ragdoll.

Alear snarled and hissed in the distance, lashing her tail. As Rhea gathered herself from the snow, breathing heavily, she realized a part of the Divine Dragon’s tail was missing. Severed. It had to be causing terrible pain, but it alone didn’t explain Alear’s crazed, animalistic behavior. Even in their true forms, dragons could communicate and think as rationally as in their human form. Despite what the Agarthans called them, they weren’t just mindless beasts with magic at their disposal.

She had no idea how they had been able to force Alear to assume her true form and be their attack dog—she only knew the state wasn’t natural to her. Just thinking how they had violated the gentle, young dragon like this made her see red. They had to be controlling her somehow.

The brief look they had exchanged when her eyes had momentarily cleared of the magenta haze crackling over her whole body… To think she had almost killed her… and now she was desperately trying to stall for more time, and she wasn’t even sure to what end. She only knew she would do anything to get Alear back, even if they couldn’t continue as lovers. She owed it to her.

“Lady Rhea!”

She turned her head and looked down at Edelgard, who had appeared by her side. She was so small next to her dragon form. So human. How could she exude such strength and authority?

Like the picture of Wilhelm. Only in a female form.

“We have dealt with the mages on this side, but the metal apparatuses still keep your knights and the other students occupied. Will you manage here with… Alear if I go and pursue their leader?”

“I have no other choice”, Rhea simply answered. “She would kill the others. She would kill you, no matter how powerful you are for a human, or… how the real her feels about you. I believe this leader of theirs is somehow controlling her, so try to learn how he does that, if possible at all.”

The young woman nodded.

“I was thinking the same. Hopefully, we will figure that out sooner than later.”

"I have to be honest with you, Edelgard... she's strong. I'm not sure how long even I can hold her off."

Edelgard looked up at her intently, then glanced at the other dragon slowly approaching, hissing and snarling. Rhea could sense the raw emotion emanating from the young Adrestian woman, even if she hid it exceptionally well. The thought of Edelgard and Alear together… sleeping together… flashed unwanted in her mind, and she growled softly, annoyed. This wasn’t the right time or the place.

“I will go then. May fortune favor us all.”

With that, Edelgard left, and the dragons began circling each other again. Suddenly, Alear lunged—faster than Rhea had anticipated. It made her move so imprudently that she slipped ungraciously on the icy ground, and the possessed Divine Dragon managed to grab her and push her under her, her front legs pressing the Nabatean heavily down against the ground.

“Alear… love… please, do not do this”, Rhea grunted as Alear bared her fangs. She felt desperate. She’d have little choice but to—

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to a strange flash of light and a new kind of commotion somewhere behind them. All of a sudden, Alear let out a high-pitched wail and pulled away.

Rhea could hardly believe her eyes as she regained her footing. It wasn't even the black-scaled version of Alear that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the battlefield or the strange, non-uniform army of unknown humans, but the being shrouded in green mist, standing defiantly and fearlessly between the two dragons with the Creator Sword in their hands.

Mother...

All she had wanted for so, so long, right there… Only to be immediately darkened by the realization that everything had just gotten that much harder.

“Two overgrown worms, now, is it? It does not matter. You are both guilty of attacking my home and children. I will end you both.”

Ivy looked around her, not understanding anything. Where were they? For better or worse, Sombron seemed as clueless as the Elysian army was.

“I SEE ONE OF MY KIND, BUT IT FEELS ALL WRONG. WHAT IS THIS SNOW? WHY ARE THERE HUMANS? I… I MUST GO BACK.”

Sombron scrambled for the portal, then screeched with pain as the white-and-blue-scaled version of him sank their teeth into his neck and tossed him further back, preventing his escape.

“Why are there two Sombrons now”, Hortensia complained. “And what’s with the third one? Do we need to fight it, too?”

The three dragons and Sothis were now chaotically clashing with each other.

“I, uh…”

“We’re in Fódlan”, said Emblem Byleth, and everyone turned to look at him. “The white dragon is Lady Rhea. That has to mean the other one is—”

“You must be the Elysians”, Ivy heard a gruff voice and turned to face its owner, a tall man with broad shoulders, a scar across his stern face. Something about him felt strangely familiar. “To which one of you should I talk to?”

Ivy noticed how everyone else took a step backward, and she composed herself.

“To me, I suppose.”

She noticed how the man looked curiously at Emblem Byleth.

“So it’s true… In some world out there you were born as a boy, kid.”

“You are Jeralt? Byleth’s father”, Ivy spluttered and felt herself blush. “I… I am Ivy. Crown Princess of… Elusia.”

”Well met, Princess. Alear has told me much about your world, so I suppose the big guy’s her crazy dad, but what’s wrong with the kid? She shouldn’t be fighting in that condition—in fact, I’m surprised she can even stand, let alone fight.”

Ivy swallowed thickly. How could she tell him?

“Shortly before we arrived here through a portal Sombron opened, Byleth… sustained grievous injuries. I’m not sure if you knew, but… there is a spirit of an ancient dragon living inside of her, and… she’s in control of her body now. I’m… I’m not sure if… if Byleth…”

Jeralt grunted softly and closed his eyes for a moment.

“I see.”

“I’m sorry. I wish your reunion had taken place under better circumstances.”

“I guess I could say the same to you. After all, we have to stop Alear, too.”

What?

She heard her allies gasp.

“T-that’s… Divine One? What has happened here?”

“In short, she was taken by some group of mages who seem to be set on taking over the whole of Fódlan, and they have somehow made the kid turn into that creature, or, uh, is that offensive? Dragon? Anyway, they are forcing her to attack us, and on top of that, they’ve got all kinds of strange gadgets at their disposal. Edelgard went after their cult leader, but we still need to sort out the rest of their metal golems and those dragons.”

Ivy felt her hands shake, and she held onto her battle tome tighter. It seemed like such a tall order. To defeat all their enemies—Sombron included—while simultaneously keeping Sothis and Divine One from killing each other.

“Let’s get to it, then.”

It had been such a long time since she had last walked on Fódlan. What had happened to it? Creatures of metal, the treacherous mages who had betrayed them ages ago, and now two of those snakes, roaming freely and destroying what she had once recreated.

At least the Immaculate One was there, still guarding this world, and she could also sense Cichol somewhere nearby.

She had a lot of work to do. If only her vessel wasn’t disintegrating this fast.

Her vessel.

Something gnawed at the edge of her consciousness.

Her vessel…

She saw it travel on horseback, big protective arms around it until it was old enough to ride its own horse. It was taught to be quiet and stay hidden when needed, always curiously peeking at what was happening outside the safety of its hideout. She saw it train relentlessly with a sword, she saw the first time it swung the blade at someone. The vessel had still been small and so new to the world—at least by her standards. It never cried, never showed much emotion, never hesitated to strike its enemies down. It quickly earned a nickname, and it was feared.

The vessel wasn’t completely unfeeling, however. Sothis had felt its attachment to the large human male who had sired it and who, for some reason, was tied to the blood of her children. She had felt the rush of excitement when the vessel was complimented by a comely human female whose hand had teasingly lingered on its bare, muscled arm, and she had felt the disgust when a human male did the same, his fingers pressing painfully and demandingly around its limb, the confrontation ending with his severed head rolling into the bushes. She had also felt the unbridled passion when the vessel mated for the first time, spending its night with another female mercenary—one with sharp eyes and exceptional skills with more than just her bow.

Sothis shook her head and moved out of the way as the black snake targeted the white one with his fire breath.

It didn’t matter.

She mattered.

She was the Progenitor God. She alone had the power to rid her lands of these usurpers and betrayers, once and for all. The vessel would just have to hold until then. She would get a new, better one. Maybe she would take the body of the white-and-blue snake. Even if its appearance repulsed her, at least it wouldn’t break as easily as the current one.

She whipped her sword out, clipping the lighter-colored snake on its already damaged tail, making it roar wildly with anguish.

“Mother!”

She turned her head. The Immaculate One sounded anxious and distressed.

“Please… do not hurt her. They are making her attack us against her will.”

“Then stay out of the way, youngling. I do not know how this parasite has gained your sympathy, but these creatures are spawn so vile that they were banished by their very own. They know only death and destruction, and I will cleanse Fódlan of them both, with or without your help.”

Sothis held on to the hilt of her sword tighter and, regardless of the pleas of the Immaculate One, attacked again.

“And now, behold all that I have discovered…
at the edge of time.”

Rhea dodged another one of the deadly beams from Alear’s maw, but it managed to scorch her painfully on her shoulder blade near her wing. At least she had managed to direct the attacks away from the others, but even she was getting tired.

A few of the metal golems still stood, and the Imperial troops had the rest of the dark mages pinned down. Scars upon scars covered the Divine Dragon’s legs after being repeatedly lashed at with the Creator Sword, her wounds bleeding and raw. Sothis was luckily concentrating on the Fell Dragon for the time being, together with the Elysian troops.

Alear lunged at Rhea again, and she braced herself for the attack. Something unexpected happened, and the Divine Dragon crashed into her clumsily instead, a confused bellow sounding from her maw.

“Alear?”

The crackling magenta was gone from her body, her eyes clear, blue, bewildered, and… frightened?

The Divine Dragon screeched and tried to withdraw, spreading her wings. Rhea acted quickly, tackling her before she could take off, pressing her tightly against the snowy ground. Alear shrieked and tried to wriggle free, but Rhea had a firm grip on her, wrapping her wings around the Divine Dragon to both restrain and comfort her.

“Please, calm down. It’s me… Rhea. I will not let anyone hurt you, alright?”

Alear still struggled for a moment, then gradually stopped thrashing.

Something was still wrong.

Why didn’t Alear say anything? Why didn’t she transform out of her dragon form?

Rhea could feel the Divine Dragon's panicked heartbeat against her, and she desperately wished she knew what to do.

“How easily you switch sides, princess. It wasn’t that long ago you swore to destroy the church, and now you’re their lap dog, eating off the Archbishop’s hand. What really surprises me is that you even share the little beast with her. And here I thought bestiality was beneath Adrestian royalty.”

“Alear is not an animal, and I am no one’s lap dog. Maybe I will need to remind you that you betrayed me first.”

Thales smirked as he and Edelgard circled each other slowly.

“We both know you imagined you could conquer us both. In the end, you orchestrated only your own demise. How thoughtful of you to provide us with both the weapon and the perfect opportunity to end you all.”

“You are the only one who will end here”, Edelgard growled and attacked, swinging her battleaxe in a wide arc.

Thales had already drawn his sword, which looked like a perverted version of Alear’s Libération, and blocked the blow with a heavy grunt. He was clearly surprised by Edelgard’s strength—a mistake men often made despite her broad shoulders and the bulk around her limbs.

After the initial surprise, Thales gained his footing and traded blows with her. The sword looked like it had been enhanced with some shadowy magic, wisps of purple licking the bony blade. Edelgard felt strange every time she made contact with it, as if a sudden fatigue had overtaken her. It had to be the enchantment.

“Don’t feel all that brisk anymore, do you? Just keep those blows coming.”

Edelgard grimaced, squeezing the shaft of her axe.

“What is that thing?”

“Just a little something I created from the tail bones of your pet. I’d have preferred to use better parts, but I found it counterproductive to dismantle something I could use as a walking cannon. I can pillage its corpse when it no more serves any other use.”

Gritting her teeth, Edelgard swung at the man anyway, feeling weaker again as the axe struck the enchanted sword. While Thales was briefly lost in his smugness, she suddenly lunged at the man, ramming him and knocking him to the snowy ground. A device fell from his belt, and without pausing, Edelgard quickly smashed her gauntleted fist against it, then again and again, sparks flying from the broken metal shell.

“NO! What are you doing?” Thales boomed and waved his free arm angrily, throwing Edelgard far off him with a kinetic spell.

She landed on her back with a heavy thud but was back on her feet in seconds, the adrenaline coursing through her veins helping her fight the fatigue.

More mages appeared to help Thales. Edelgard felt so exhausted but defiantly lifted her axe again.

“Now, it’s time to—”

A massive explosion erupted where his backup had stood just a second ago, with only a crater, shreds of flesh, and an eerie mist of blood left behind. Edelgard smirked as the rest of the Black Eagles appeared by her side, Dorothea panting with exertion.

“You were saying?”

Thales grunted with annoyance and teleported away.

“That trick’s starting to get old”, Caspar grumbled.

“It would be useful if it could be calibrated to take you straight to your bed”, Linhardt mused.

“Shall we go after him, Lady Edelgard?”

“Yes… I suppose we have little choice on the matter. He needs to be stopped now. Did any of you happen to see Alear on your way here? I think I managed to break the device she was being controlled with.”

“It seems she ceased attacking, uhm, Lady Rhea just a moment ago, but she is still in her… other form”, Ferdinand said. “And then the other one arrived together with the strange army. I have to admit, suddenly fighting among all these creatures and—”

"Dragons, Ferdinand. Dragons… But that is a discussion we must save for later. These newcomers must have arrived from Elyos. Is… Professor Byleth among them?"

"I suppose she is, but it's impossible to tell for certain. As you can see, it’s total chaos back there right now."

Edelgard felt worried, but there was nothing more she could do for now, and Thales still needed to be stopped.

“Right. We should not delay anymore but do our part and stop the leader of these mages. According to our captive, that rock formation hides the entrance to their stronghold. I cannot promise we won’t run into unpleasant surprises down there. Are you all with me?”

“Until the very end”, Hubert said proudly, and Edelgard smiled as the rest of the Eagles nodded in confirmation.

Ivy felt an ounce of relief as she saw the dragon Emblem Byleth had called Rhea pacify Divine One, keeping her away from the thick of the battle. That was about it, however. Sothis was still recklessly attacking Sombron despite her numerous wounds, and the allies had difficulties targeting the Fell Dragon with their ranged attacks without the risk of hitting them both.

“Sothis! Please, you need to retreat! You’ll kill yourself!”

Ivy's pleas kept falling on deaf ears.

There was something else that worried her—the portal back to Elyos seemed to be getting smaller. At first, she thought she had imagined it, but now it was definitely noticeable, and it was happening faster.

Also Sombron seemed to notice it. He would need to go now if he wished to fit through it.

“I WILL NOT STAY IN THIS MISERABLE WORLD OF YOURS WITH YOU PESTS. GET OFF ME.”

He breathed yet another death beam out of his maw, sweeping the area surrounding the portal and forcing everyone out of his way. Before he managed to push through the opening, Sothis whipped the Creator Sword’s bladed chain around his hind leg and pulled, making Sombron shriek in agony and fall on his stomach on the ground.

“YOU HAVE HUMILIATED ME FOR THE LAST TIME!”

Sombron turned viciously and clawed at Sothis, finally disarming her of the Creator Sword and smashing her against the ground, trapping her under one of his giant front legs.

“IF EVEN ONE YOU COMES ONE FOOT CLOSER I WILL KILL HER”, he boomed, and everyone instantly froze where they were. Then he turned his burning eyes back at Sothis, who was stubbornly trying to tear herself free from the Fell Dragon’s grasp.

“I WOULD KILL YOU STRAIGHT AWAY, BUT SADLY, THE PORTAL NEEDS TO BE POWERED BY LIVING THINGS. NO MATTER. YOU WILL STILL BE DEAD SOON ENOUGH.”

Sothis screamed as Sombron began to channel her life force into the portal, which quickly grew back to its former size.

“HAHA, WHAT’S THIS? SUCH A SURGE. MAYBE YOU WERE A GOD, AFTER ALL.”

Ivy looked at what was happening helplessly. She had no choice. She had to intervene, no matter what happened. At this point, it would be better than doing nothing at all.

Then she saw a dark shadow, and suddenly something huge crashed against Sombron’s side, pushing him away from the portal and making him release Sothis.

A green-haired girl on a wyvern appeared in front of them.

“Well met, people of Elyos. My name is Flayn, I am Rhea’s niece. We had a brief chat with her just a moment ago. Macuil”, she said, gesturing toward the dragon who was keeping Sombron busy with his wind spells, “is not really a fighter, but he is a very gifted mage and could help with the portal. It seems to be highly unstable, and you will likely want to secure a way back home.”

Ivy and Diamant shared a look, and the Brodian nodded at her knowingly.

“Yes… Thank you. I’m Princess Ivy, this is Prince Diamant. He will lead the charge.”

“Very well. I am adept in healing, so I will aid you.”

”What of Divine One? How is she?” Ivy asked.

Flayn sighed.

”I am not sure. Aunt said she seems… panicked and strangely unresponsive, and she cannot communicate with her.”

“Maybe I should go check up on her”, Nel suggested, glancing at Ivy and Diamant. “With your permission. After all, she used to be a Fell Dragon, as well.”

“Let me go with her”, Rafal said. “Maybe we can help her somehow.”

“Please do”, Diamant agreed. “Join the fight if you can.”

As the others engaged Sombron, Ivy closed her eyes and clasped her hands for a moment, murmuring a short prayer. In a way, the dragon she was about to confront made her more nervous than any Fell Dragon ever could.

”I can’t believe something like this exists in Fódlan. It all looks so foreign and strange”, Dorothea wondered aloud and Edelgard glanced at Hubert.

”Y-yes. How very strange.”

She felt terrible lying to Dorothea but wasn’t about to tell her of her original plans now. Or that she had already been here once when she had been gifted with her Flame Emperor armor and made her initial pact with these people. She had been teleported, so she never knew where the underground city was located, but at least she was somewhat familiar with some of the surroundings and technology.

“W-why is everything so dark in here? Wait, what is that”, Bernadetta squeaked, stopping, as she saw a metal door slide to the side, revealing a small, sterile space. “A-are we getting into that little room? All of us? Why?”

“Do not worry, this is just a means of transportation here. A lift. It takes us deeper underground where their facilities are”, Edelgard assured.

“I have also never been traveling in a metal box before”, Petra said and cast a suspicious look at the compartment, but stepped in.

“You know how to operate this? You sure managed to pump a lot of information out of that Kronya girl, didn’t you”, Dorothea remarked.

Edelgard was expecting the brunette to bring up the torture, but she didn’t. It was a small relief—the implication of it was enough, as she felt like a villain already despite her noble goals. They had talked about the ideal Fódlan so many times, and even if Edelgard knew her dreams aligned with Dorothea’s, the Songstress would have never approved of how she had intended to achieve them.

Maybe she should just tell her if they got out of here alive. Maybe over the tea they had promised to have together—let her get acquainted with the real, ruthless Edelgard von Hresvelg she was and then let Dorothea decide whether she still was ready to take their relationship somewhere further.

As the lift neared its destination, her thoughts drifted back to Alear. She had tried to avoid thinking about it too much, but she couldn’t help but wonder what they had done to her to make her transform. The thought of them casually severing a part of her tail for materials while she was still alive… how utterly barbaric. It made her see red, and at the same time, she knew what a hypocrite she was, having allowed Kronya to be harmed physically.

No. She couldn’t think like that. Because of Kronya’s information, they had found Alear and this cursed place. The girl hadn’t been inflicted any more harm than what had been necessary. They had promised to protect her, even if she didn’t deserve it.

She felt a gentle touch on her arm.

“Edie?”

She noticed the lift had stopped, and that everyone was looking at her.

“Apologies… My mind was wandering. Let’s move out.”

They walk briskly onwards according to Kronya’s information and the crude map they had been able to put together. Finally, Edelgard saw something she was familiar with. The place where she had been teleported to.

“How do we ever find him from here?” Caspar asked, looking around them. “He could be anywhere.”

“Kronya said that they weren’t really expecting anyone to invade their hidden city, so it doesn’t have that many defense mechanisms. The summoning chamber, which is apparently equivalent to a throne room, is the most secure area, so he would have likely holed himself up there.”

“Lady Edelgard? We should be going the other way.”

“I will just take a quick look in here”, she said and walked into the armory.

The last time she had been here, she had seen something interesting on the weapons table. She had asked about it when they fitted her with the Flame Emperor's armor, and they said they had made it specifically for her. However, it still needed some finishing touches, so it would be delivered to her later.

Edelgard looked around the room, then smiled when she saw it on a wall rack. She reached out to pick it up, almost reverently. She tested its weight, and it felt just as balanced as she had imagined—as if it had truly been made just for her.

“There you are, Edie, we were beginning to wond—whoah, what is that?”

“Aymr.”

“It’s… big.”

“That is so cool”, Caspar gushed, and Linhardt rolled his eyes.

”Yes, very impressive”, Petra agreed. ”Like the mouth of a beast. Strikes fear in the hearts of your enemies.”

On the way to the summoning chamber, they came across operating tables, on one of which they found Libération, some casts, and large pieces of cleaned bone. Edelgard had to pause for a moment, so nauseated that she felt dizzy, unable to prevent vivid memories of the blood reconstruction surgeries performed on her from surfacing in her mind. Even Hubert had offered her physical comfort, wrapping his arm a little awkwardly but surprisingly gently around her shoulders.

”Lady Edelgard?”

”I’m fine”, she reassured after a moment, then sheathed Alear’s sword and handed the sheath to Dorothea, who looked a little surprised. “You should hold on to that for the time being. Who knows if it comes in handy? I know you are skilled in sword fighting.”

“It’s mostly by necessity rather than being my passion, but… maybe you’re right”, the brunette admitted as she strapped the weapon belt on.

Finally, they entered the space Kronya had referred to as the summoning chamber, weapons drawn.

“I was expecting a ‘chamber’ to be smaller”, Petra said quietly.

“This looks more like an auditorium”, Dorothea agreed.

Everything was black with neon-colored highlights and sharp, triangular designs. The back of the room was raised, with wide stairs leading up to it. A lone figure stood in the shadows and then turned around to face them.

“Thales”, Edelgard said with a clear, loud voice. ”It’s time to end this.”

The man stepped into the light.

”I agree”, answered a voice as cold as a grave.

Edelgard gasped as she saw what the strange, scarred, foreboding man was holding in his hands. It looked exactly like Miss Eisner’s Creator Sword but was dark in color.

“What are you?” Edelgard asked, lifting Aymr, and finally, also Thales stepped into the light, as did a handful of his henchmen.

“You brought your creator into this battle”, the man said, the meaning behind his words unclear to Edelgard. Did he mean Rhea? “Me? I brought your destroyer.”

“One man will not change the tide of this battle.”

“It’s a shame I didn’t have the time to revive the Ten Elites, yet, but let’s be honest here… it would have been an overkill. Let the King of Liberation himself finish you all off.”

Edelgard clenched her jaw.

"King of Liberation, you say? Of course. If you have been paying attention, there is a battlefield full of dragons above us—some of them not of this world. At this point, I would not be surprised if the goddess herself descended among us, so if I have anything to say to you, it's this: come at me. Give me your worst.”

Thales grimaced.

“Kill them all.”

Rhea watched two Elysians approach her as she was wrapped around Alear, the young dragon’s heart still hammering against her chest. She had just begun hyperventilating when the man and woman reached them.

“Hello. My name is Nel, and this is my brother, Rafal. We came to see if we could perhaps help Divine One.”

“Do you know what is wrong with her?” Rhea asked quietly, listening helplessly to Alear's fast, shallow panting.

“Has she transformed before?”

“N-no? She has explicitly said she has never been able to do that. This is the first time I have seen her like this.”

“I see. Then it makes perfect sense because it seems that despite her racial transition, her transformation is still tied to her Fell Dragon ancestry. And I do not mean merely the form she takes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t turn into a dragon like my sister can”, Rafal said, “but I have seen firsthand what happens when we Fell Dragons transform the first time.”

“It’s… true”, Nel confirmed. “It’s a painful and violent process, both physically and mentally, that tests the mettle of everyone around them. Rafal was lucky my bond with him was so strong that I did not kill him as well when I first transformed.”

“That’s the life of a Fell Dragon… constant fight for survival, so that the weak of the brood get weeded out”, Rafal said somberly.

"But why is she acting like this?" Rhea asked, deeply concerned. "They were controlling her before, somehow, but after the possession ended, she panicked and tried to flee. I am afraid her heart may give out if it keeps racing like this.

“Maybe that is the Divine Dragon in her… the two sides contradicting each other. Let me try something. Though I warn in advance, it may… look quite intimate, but I promise I have no concealed intentions toward her.”

Carefully, Rhea untangled herself from around Alear as Nel transformed.

Weary after her own long transformation, Rhea turned back into her human form as she observed what the two dragons were doing. Nel cooed, the sound reminding her of a pigeon, and nuzzled Alear, pushing her snout gently against her face and neck. Rhea had to admit that it did look awfully intimate.

“Don’t worry, she’s not going to steal her from you. Despite... everything. You are her mate, aren't you?”

“Uh, I… a-at least one of them, I suppose.”

“One of them? Surprising. In our world—” Rafal shook his head. “No… It doesn’t matter. In any case. What she’s doing to her is what a Fell Dragon mother would do to her distraught child. They just rarely get to because the fathers tend to separate the younglings from their mothers as soon as possible.”

Rhea sighed.

“That sounds like a harsh childhood.”

“You have no idea.”

Soon, Alear began to calm down visibly. The tension left her body, and she stopped panting. Her blue eyes looked around curiously. She even cooed back at Nel, which made Rhea's skin crawl with jealousy.

She forgot about it in an instant when Alear's eyes met hers.

“R h e a . . .”

Nel moved aside, and Alear’s form began to change.

It felt like such a long time since Rhea had last seen her like this. Was her blue hair really that long and shiny? Her eyes so bright? And how could she smile so sweetly after all that had happened to her?

She offered her hand to Alear, who took it and rose from the ground.

"I missed you so much," Alear admitted, her voice thick and emotional, not letting go of Rhea's hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything from the beginning, I—"

"Don't worry about any of it. I'm so sorry for all the terrible things I said. Please forgive me."

“I forgive you. Of course, I forgive you”, she said but winced, and Rhea was instantly worried.

“What is it?”

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I just... there's this awful pain in my lower back."

“Maybe it would be better for you to withdraw—”

“N-no, I’ll manage.” Alear looked around her, rubbing her back. “Is, um…”

Rhea sighed.

“The last I saw her, she was fine. She went after the Agarthan leader with the rest of the Black Eagles.”

Alear nodded.

“I see a portal to Elyos has opened… How strange that all my old friends are now here. I hope I didn’t hurt any of them. And somehow my Father is here, too. I should join the fight now that I’m myself again. I think… I was fighting against Byleth just a moment ago? Though…” Alear scrunched her brow, looking worried. “Is there… something wrong with her?”

Sothis pushed herself off the ground with sheer determination but noticed she was so weak and spent that she had to use her sword as a cane, heavily leaning on the weapon for support.

She looked behind her.

The Elysian forces fought fiercely against Sombron, who was also beginning to show signs of fatigue, his fire breath sweeping carelessly across the ground, longer pauses between the death rays. The troops kept him away from the portal and Macuil, whatever he was doing.

Her breathing was labored. She wiped the corner of her mouth. Blood smeared the back of her hand.

That arrogant worm. No one would stop her. Not his kind, in any case.

Her vessel was starting to break. There were tears and cuts here and there. It leaked blood. Where had that white snake gone? Not that it mattered. This would do until she wrenched the life out of that—

“Sothis.”

She turned her head and saw that woman approaching her. That woman who had gentle purple eyes, a soft, pleasantly curvy body, and who always talked to her respectfully. Unlike her unruly vessel.

No. The vessel… it had a name, too.

Ugh, inconsequential.

“What do you want?”

“What do I want?” The woman stopped a few feet from her. “I want this all to be over with. I want to return home and start rebuilding my nation. And do you know what I want the most?”

Sothis was quiet, leaning onto the sword harder.

“I want you by my side when I do all that. And when I say ‘you’...”

“...You mean my vessel.”

“Firstly, she’s not ‘a vessel’. Her body might house you both, but she’s a person, and she has a name. Byleth. Secondly… I mean you both.”

Sothis gritted her teeth together. It was getting harder to concentrate.

“I am the Progenitor God. I will not stop before I have my revenge, even if I have to sacrifice this tool to do that. Even if you would… hate me for that.”

“You don’t mean that”, Ivy said quietly and carefully took a step closer. “Are you saying you would rather destroy what is left of her instead of going to rest and letting us finish this? She has been with you for over twenty years. It has to mean something.”

“Do you understand nothing, human?” Sothis spat. “Twenty years. Twenty years! I have existed for millennia! Twenty years means nothing to me! While I have been sleeping, usurpers and false gods have come to claim my lands and kill my children, and you would want me to let that go unpunished?”

“No. I wouldn’t. But not at the expense of those who care about you. Especially since I know you do not really think like that. I don’t know what happened to you when Byleth began…”, Ivy swallowed, “dying, but… she is more than just some… vengeance vessel. She cares about you. I care about you. Please, come back to us.”

“Hngh…”

It had been there since her awakening. She had often been frustrated at it, but it always listened to her calmly, never raising its voice to her, even if… yes, well, maybe she had sometimes been a little unfair to it. She just didn’t always understand it. It stared a lot without saying anything. It wasted its time fishing and reading. On the other hand, it was exceptionally motivated to keep itself in good shape and train tirelessly with its sword. It soon became adept at using the tool she gave it, manipulating the flow of time at will. It pleased her. 

Then they ended up in Elyos, and a lot happened in a short time. Together, they figured out how the world worked, and uncovered its secrets. Since becoming a teacher, it stared less and talked more, and in Elyos, it quickly gained new close allies. Friends, as humans called them. And most importantly… it fell in love for the first time.

At first, it felt annoying, but then she realized why. She had also fallen in love. With the same human it had. A human who would only live for a few decades and wither away. It was insanity, but maybe love was just that. There was no reason; just emotion. And now the human she loved was sad because it was dying, and… she didn’t want her to be sad, and she didn’t want it to die, either. There was only one thing she could do, and though it felt daunting, the more she thought about it, the more it felt like the right thing to do.

She glanced at the battle against Sombron raging near them. The Elysians fought bravely against their formidable foe, more Fódlanese joining to help them as the last of the metal golems finally fell.

The humans were surprisingly persistent for such simple, short-lived things. Able to become something greater when they worked together, united for the same cause.

Maybe they didn’t need gods, after all.

Sothis felt her head clearing from the mist of her battle trance, and she felt so tired.

”Sothis?”

That gentle voice.

She felt the comforting weight of the human’s hand on her shoulder guard and smiled.

“I suppose it is time for me to go. I shall admit, it was quite delightful while it lasted.”

“W-what do you mean? I don’t… understand.”

“The only way I can save the barely lingering essence of your betrothed, and my dear vessel… is to merge with it— her .”

The human stared at her.

“And what does this… merging entail, exactly?”

“I will cease to be, at least in any form either of you can reach out to, and that energy will be used to restore its life force. The least I can do for it… her… and to you, little princess.”

Her pretty, purple eyes had turned misty.

“But… That cannot be the only way.”

"I have long exceeded my allotted time in this world, and I must say that the last few months have been a source of such unheralded joy. I do not have any regrets.”

The human sniffled, then threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Sothis let go of the sword she had been leaning on and buried her face in the crook of the woman's neck.

She smelled so good. Of pine and wild berries and lupines.

“Sothis”, the woman—Ivy—breathed, as she withdrew ever so slightly. Her name had never sounded so sweet before, spoken by anyone else.

Then Ivy pressed her lips against hers, and suddenly they were kissing, and it was passionate, tender, breathtaking, and bittersweet all at once.

“Thank you for everything, little princess”, Sothis whispered when they finally pulled apart, wiping a tear from Ivy’s cheek with her thumb.

She drew in a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, clasping her hands together and reaching out for her vessel’s consciousness.

“W-where… am I?”

“You are still needed. I apologize I made you wait.”

“Sothis?”

“Before I go… I know I have not said it often, but I am proud of you.”

“Mother?”

“I—’M-mother’?”

Sothis opened her eyes, confused. The Immaculate One was suddenly standing in front of her, urgently holding her by her shoulders. She could also see her vessel’s sire and some others gathered around.

“Please, after all this time, after all I have done… You cannot just…”

“But—”

"No. I understand, Mother, but... there is another way," the Immaculate One insisted, taking the dagger from her belt and slicing her palms open, then offering the dagger back to Sothis.

She stared at the Immaculate One, who nodded. Then, carefully, she took the dagger by its hilt, sticky with blood.

“For all the lives I have taken during my lifetime”, her child said quietly, “it is perhaps ironic that this is what I have been gifted with, but regardless… This blood has already allowed you to live once. Allow it to help you one more time.”

Byleth gasped as she suddenly felt again, and it was so overwhelming. She squeezed her eyes shut as the blinding daylight and shimmering snow assaulted her retinas after what had felt like a month in complete darkness. There was a dull ache under her chest, though the pain gradually subsided. Her forearms were raised in front of her, and she probably would have fallen to her knees if the fingers of both her hands hadn't been tightly intertwined with someone else's. Someone strong, whose very presence calmed her.

She blinked her eyes open and saw one of the people she had least expected to be standing in front of her.

”L-lady Rhea?”

Byleth almost didn’t recognize her at first. She had strange clothes on—something that looked like a battle garb of an ancient warrior.

”Is… is this a dream? Or… did I die? Did we lose? Are you dead, too?”

The fingers between hers felt real, though, and they squeezed her hands a little tighter.

”No, Professor Byleth. We are both very much alive. Welcome back to Fódlan.”

Rhea let go of her, and Byleth realized her hands were wet. No, bloody. Before she had time to wonder what it meant, someone big barged against her, lifting her off the ground and hugging her against them ferociously.

”Dad! I missed you so much!”

”Oh gods, kid; we probably don’t have the time for this, but I thought I’d never see you again!”

Being hugged by her Father after all this time…

A sudden, terrifying thought crossed her mind.

”Wait, if I’m in Fódlan again… I-is Ivy here?”

”If she’s the tall, pretty girl with purple hair, she’s right there.” Byleth smiled into her Father’s broad shoulder and held onto him tighter. ”It seems that you brought half the Elyos with you, and not just the friendlies. We’ve still got a job to do, kiddo.”

As Jeralt let go of Byleth, Ivy walked to her, smiling, with someone she had trouble recognizing despite being sure she had seen her somewhere.

”Hello. It’s nice to finally meet you, Byleth, even if I’m afraid proper introductions will have to wait for later. I’m the Divine Dragon Alear.”

So this was the enigmatic Divine Dragon she had heard so much about. The differences between her and the somber, red-haired past Alear she had met were so remarkable she could hardly recognize them as the same person. Byleth had to admit Alear looked striking with her impossibly long, shining blue hair and her dazzling smile. She immediately realized the dragon was wearing her old mercenary armor. Judging by the colorful and distinctive way Elysians tended to dress it was probably a more convenient and inconspicuous choice than whatever it was Alear normally wore.

“Pleased to meet you. I have so many questions right now, but I suppose we should defeat Sombron first.”

“Yes… He’s clearly tired and tries to distract the troops by raising the fallen to aid him, but our allies are tired, as well. Some of the elite fighters are also absent from this fight since Edelgard’s team is pursuing the leader of the Agarthans. This needs to be finished while we still can. I suggest we let the others deal with the horde of Corrupted and challenge Sombron together.”

“Sounds good to me”, Byleth agreed and nodded.

“Sadly, I have been deprived of the sword my Mother gifted me, but Lady Rhea borrowed me hers since she needs to rest after reviving both you and the dragon goddess living inside you. However, she was also able to reclaim my lost Emblem ring, so what do you say, Byleth—would you engage with me?”

Byleth had already forgotten that Alear was an Emblem despite her physical form.

“It would be an honor.”

Byleth untied the leather cord from around her neck and handed it to Ivy, pressing the mercenary whistle and the ring attached to it against the princess's palm, briefly squeezing the gloved hand between both of hers and looking her in the eye.

“Ivy… you should have this for the time being.”

“Alright”, Ivy said in a small voice. “I have to ask… How is Sothis?”

“I believe she’s fine, but she’s in a deep sleep. I doubt she’ll wake for a while.”

Ivy nodded and gently brushed Byleth’s hands with her thumb.

“And Shez, please; take care of her and my dad while you are warding off the Corrupted.”

Shez appeared at Ivy's side, grinning and winking, the backs of her swords resting lazily on her shoulders.

“You got it, beautiful.”

Ivy glanced at the smirking mercenary, slightly raising one eyebrow.

“And these… clichés worked on Byleth from your world?”

Shez shrugged a little sheepishly.

“Will you be alright?” Alear asked Rhea, and Byleth looked at the two curiously.

“I will. I am merely exhausted after the healing ritual”, the Archbishop assured the younger dragon, her voice unusually gentle. “Do be careful. I cannot bear to lose you again. And… what would I say to Edelgard?”

As Byleth hurried to rejoin the battle with her Father, Alear, and Ivy, she decided that she simply had to live long enough to hear what all that was about.

“FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE!”

This mysterious power… It made her feel instantly reinvigorated even after everything she had endured the past two weeks. 

She could only dimly remember the very first time they had forced her to transform. She had been scared, confused and so full of unexplained hatred and rage as she tore at her surroundings and herself until she was too exhausted to move. She remembered hearing them talk and enter her cage—then the excruciating pain as they had severed her tail. At least they had cauterized the wound, but the insistent ache drove her into agonized desperation for days.

They tested her abilities by siccing golems and Crest monsters on her all the while calibrating their controlling device. At the final test, they had commanded her to stay still for a time that felt like it lasted forever, a Titanus beating her until they finally allowed her to destroy the cursed thing, deeming their efforts a success.

Whatever had happened to the controlling device, she was eternally grateful for being free from its oppressive shackles.

“This power”, Byleth said, wonder in her voice as she looked down at her body, now covered in blue mist. “I have never felt anything like this before.”

"We've both had quite unexpected journeys, haven't we?" Alear said with a smile. "After all we've been through, I couldn't think of a more fitting companion to do this with."

Byleth smiled at her, determination in her green eyes.

It was time.

While Jeralt, Ivy, and Diamant led the attack against the newly spawned Corrupted, Alear and Byleth engaged Sombron directly. From the corner of her eye, Alear could see the dragon Rhea had called Macuil still working with the portal. How incredible it was to think that the two worlds might stay connected, even if the portal was situated less than ideally in the remote, snowy mountains of Hrym. Still, as long as she could keep Rhea and Edelgard in her life, it didn’t matter where the portal was.

Sombron roared and tried to target them with his death rays, but he had trouble keeping up with the Emblem-powered duo.

“I… REFUSE… TO DIE HERE. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DEFECT AND AN EMPTY SHELL FOR A PARASITE. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU CAN DEFEAT ME?”

“Is that what you think? Then here’s something to believe in!”

Alear saw Byleth run at the enormous dragon, sliding daringly under his fire breath. She whipped her sword around Sombron’s front leg, pulling viciously with her enhanced strength, and—much to Alear’s disbelief—tore the Fell Dragon’s whole leg off.

Sombron let out an angry roar, so loud and high-pitched that it grated on Alear's ears as he reeled.

“YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!! THAT’S THE LAST TIME THAT CURSED SWORD TOUCHES ME!!”

Sombron lunged at Byleth in a frenzy, surprisingly fast for having lost his leg. At the same time, Alear saw her chance and leaped at his head, focusing the last remnants of her nearly exhausted Emblem powers on the third eye on his forehead.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Sombron’s open jaws closing around Byleth’s sword arm.

Rhea’s sword sinking deep into the dragon’s skull.

Blood soaking Alear’s armor and clothes thoroughly. 

Byleth’s agonized scream.

Sombron’s death yell.

Snow swirling around them as the Fell Dragon's heavy body finally hit the ground.

Edelgard walked ahead of the others, her steps heavy and weary, as the Black Eagles returned to the plateau through the concealed entrance. They all stopped as soon as Sombron’s corpse came into view, staring at it silently.

“Ha, they killed the big black bastard!”

“Caspar, please. Regardless of everything… He was Alear’s father.”

She sighed as Caspar mumbled a confused apology. She was so tired. Aymr felt like it weighed a tonne in her hands. Her armor was covered in blood, some of it had seeped into the clothes beneath the plates. At least most of it wasn’t hers. Then she finally saw a flash of familiar blue hair and smiled.

“Edelgard!”

“Alear…”

The Divine Dragon ran to meet her, and the two embraced tightly. It felt so good to see her like this after two long weeks, alive and in her human form. Again, she remembered the things she had seen in the operating rooms and hugged Alear even tighter against herself.

“I’m so sorry… For what they did to you. I wish I could have prevented it somehow. M-maybe if I hadn’t—”

“Don’t”, Alear said simply. “I’m just happy that this is over and you’re all safe, too. I take it you… got him.”

Edelgard nodded and noticed how Alear looked at something over her shoulder.

"Oh good, you found her. I only spent the first night in the same cage with her, and even then she was quite… lethargic and delirious. Is she... um, still alive?"

"She is, though barely", Edelgard replied as Ferdinand walked past them, carrying the emaciated, motionless form of Monica in his arms. She looked so thin and fragile as if the slightest disturbance would break her.

“Has she been conscious at any point?”

Edelgard couldn’t help making a face.

“Only briefly, and even then she kept asking for… Kronya. I have no idea what they have done to her, but… at least she’s still alive.”

She noticed Rhea approaching them, and instinctively let go of Alear, not wanting to deliberately annoy the woman who had unwittingly become involved with both of them.

"Edelgard. I am glad to see you in good health. And you do not have to be so reserved around me, or... pretend that things are different than they are. Admittedly, this is a new and unexpected situation for me, but... I just have to accept it for what it is."

Alear smiled at them both and Edelgard nodded cautiously. For a brief moment, a whimsical thought crossed her mind, and she entertained herself with the thought of testing the Archbishop's resolve by kissing Alear right in front of her, but immediately discarded the idea. Of course, she wouldn't.

“Very well, Lady Rhea.”

She looked into the distance. Regardless of their banners, the allied forces were working together, helping the wounded, sharing drinks and rations, cleaning their equipment. Then she noticed a strange, old mage approaching them, eyeing her warily.

“I was able to create a portal that can take you back to Garreg Mach as you requested.”

"Thank you, Macuil," Rhea said gratefully. "This will help immensely in transporting the wounded."

“Hmph. Thank her”, the mage grumbled, nodding toward Alear. “I am only doing this to honor Lumera’s memory. However… there is a problem with the portal to Elyos.”

“W-what do you mean ‘problem’?” Alear asked, worry in her voice.

Edelgard glanced at the portal in the distance and realized there were strange cracks on its surface, as if on a broken mirror.

"I need to stay here for a while and do some tests. I will meet you in Garreg Mach later today when I have a solution", the old mage Rhea had called Macuil answered. "Meanwhile, you should take your wounded... humans and treat them while you can."

So he is a dragon, then, as well. I wonder how many there are left in Fódlan…

"That sounds good. Thank you, Macuil; I greatly appreciate your help in this matter. If there's anything at all I can do for you in return for your troubles, please don't hesitate to ask.”

There was definitely warmth in Macuil’s gaze as he looked at Alear.

“I will keep that in mind, young one.”

The mage retreated, and Edelgard realized that she had almost forgotten someone she had been eager to meet again.

“I should find Professor Byleth. I cannot believe she is finally back in Fódlan… There is so much I want to tell her.”

Alear and Rhea glanced at each other.

"Let's... all go together", the Divine Dragon said softly, and Edelgard knew immediately that something was wrong.

“What is it? She is alright, is she not?”

“She… will be, I’m sure, but for now, she has been put to artificial sleep”, Rhea said quietly. “That is why we asked for a portal to Garreg Mach. She cannot wait until we have marched back—she needs to be operated on as soon as possible.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Her arm”, Alear specified, “it’s… severely damaged. No, not just damaged. It’s nearly torn off.”

Edelgard swallowed thickly. She had worked hard for her strong, muscular physique ever since she had survived the blood reconstruction surgery. Not out of vanity, but because she needed to feel capable and in control, not to be overpowered by anyone ever again.

She couldn’t even imagine losing a limb.

Shaking the uncomfortable images from her head and drawing a deep breath to calm herself she looked at Alear and Rhea.

“So… A portal, you say?”

Chapter Text

"Aren't you a little young to be doing surgery?"

“I operated on the first patient when I was seven.”

“S-seven? A-and how old are you now?”

“10.”

“Oh, dear…”

“Necrosis has already spread far. Look at this.”

“My… This fast? It’s not… natural.”

“My thoughts exactly. You know what this means, right?”

“...”

“Professor Manuela?”

“Yes... I know what it means.”

Byleth opened her eyes. It took a while before her sight got used to the light, even if the room was dimly lit. She was lying on a bed, and she soon realized she was in the infirmary in Garreg Mach. She tried to move, and the bed creaked. Someone gasped and only then she realized she wasn’t alone in the room.

“Miss Eisner! You’re awake already! Let me get Manuela”, a nurse said and hastily disappeared. Byleth didn’t need to be alone for long before her fellow professor arrived.

“How are you feeling?” the woman asked softly as she walked beside her.

“A little groggy. Thirsty. And my arm feels weird.”

Manuela nodded carefully.

“What are the last things you can remember?”

Byleth furrowed her brow.

“I was… fighting. With Alear. Others were keeping the Corrupted at bay while we engaged Sombron. Alear turned into an Emblem, herself, and lent me her power. It was… incredible. I managed to sever one of Sombron’s legs, then…” Byleth swallowed.

Manuela sighed and put her hand on her shoulder.

“We thought we could have done more for you, but… then we noticed your entire arm was infected and… turning black. Whatever it was, it was spreading fast, so… we did the only thing we could to save you.” The woman closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath. “I am so deeply sorry, Byleth. I really am.”

Byleth was silent for a long moment, processing what she had heard. She could feel her right arm as if it was still there, but when she tried to move it…

“I’ll admit… I… don’t really know how to feel about this.” She swallowed again and glanced at Manuela, who looked utterly devastated and guilty. “But one thing’s for sure. I know it can’t have been an easy decision for you to make, so it must have been the only option. So thank you. For saving me and giving me another chance at life. When it comes down to it, I’ll rather be a cripple than dead.”

Manuela’s posture relaxed ever so slightly, and she nodded.

“You’re welcome. Now… if you’re feeling up to it, there are some people who’d very much want to see you, but if—”

“Yes, please. Are… do they… already know?”

“Your father does, and… also the charming young lady who is apparently your… fiancée? Congratulations.”

”T-thank you.”

Byleth couldn’t help smiling at the mere mention of the two most important people in her life. It also made her feel strangely relieved that they already knew what to expect. That she wouldn’t have to explain.

“They were both very insistent about staying here with you, but I promised to let them know as soon as you wake up.”

“I’d love to see them.”

“I’ll let them know, then. Meanwhile, I’ll have the nurse bring you some water.”

“I appreciate it.”

Byleth was drinking her second cup of water when the door opened again almost immediately after the nurse left. Ivy stepped into the room first, followed by her dad.

”Byleth… You look so much better already.”

”Good to finally see you awake, kid. We were worried about you, you know.”

They both looked at her affectionately. She had been afraid that their reunion after the incident would be awkward, somehow. She had no idea from where that thought had slithered into her mind. She should know them better, already—these people she loved and adored with her whole being.

“Dad… Ivy.” Byleth couldn’t help her eyes welling up with tears. “I’m so happy to see the both of you.”

They took chairs and sat beside the bed on Byleth’s left side, her dad taking her left hand and holding it tightly between his.

“Gods, I’ll never be able to repay my gratitude to Manuela.”

“My feelings exactly”, Ivy agreed and smiled. “Though I heard that Jean was also instrumental in helping her.”

“Who’s Jean? Surely you don’t mean that little guy?” Jeralt asked incredulously.

"I'm not surprised at all. He’s skilled for his age. And I'm grateful to both of them. Even though... a lot of things are going to change, and... I'm going to have to relearn how to do things that I took for granted before. I will…” Her voice broke a little, but she quickly composed herself. “I will miss being able to use my sword.”

She felt Ivy’s hand gently touch her shin over the blanket.

“I will help you however I can. Or at least as much as you’re comfortable with”, Ivy rephrased quickly. “I know how physical you are, and I do not want to intrude on your independence while you are… adapting.”

“Thank you, Ivy. It means a lot to me.”

“So, I guess I should congratulate you two”, Jeralt said with a proud smile.

Byleth looked at her fiancée softly.

“Did you tell him?”

“She didn’t have to. This sounds a bit mushy coming from me, but I swear, the first time I saw her look at you, I already knew. And that was before I noticed the ring.” His expression turned pensive. “Since she’ll be the queen of her land and has her duties, I figure this means you intend to stay in Elyos if the portal can be fixed.”

”Yes, I… wait.” Byleth glanced at them both. “What do you mean… if the portal can be fixed?”

“Interesting…”

Hanneman was scribbling notes hastily as Alear once more allowed him to examine her and use the Crest reading device on her. It still showed her twin Crests messily on top of each other, the bold Crest of the Devourer hiding large parts of the elegant Crest of Bonds under its crude design. However, with Alear’s help—as she described the symbols Thales had presented to her—Hanneman was finally able to separate the two.

“No wonder your blood work gave me such strange readings... Had I known I was working with dragon blood... How utterly fascinating!”

Alear just smiled at his enthusiasm, not bothered by his clinical approach to her.

“Usually, Crests enhance magical and physical abilities, but it seems this Crest of Bonds, as you have heard it called, works slightly differently. The symbol language in this one suggests a boon to diplomacy and charisma, whereas the other one is merely pure violence and chaos. Quite the interesting mix. And potentially a dangerous one. The fact that these dark mages were able to exploit the latter Crest sounds worrisome, but I doubt it’s going to actively affect you negatively. However, I’m afraid I do not have more for now”, Hanneman said apologetically.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m happy I could help you with your research. I'll excuse myself now; I have a meeting to get to.”

“Oh, but of course. Thank you.”

Alear winced as she stood up and walked out of Hanneman’s study. To feel phantom pain in a part of her that didn’t even exist in her human form… It was strange and inconvenient.

As soon as she had been able to take a bath upon returning to Garreg Mach, she had carefully checked and cleaned the injuries on her body. Her forearms and shins were littered with scars from the whipping she had been exposed to by Sothis’ rampage and the Creator Sword mercilessly digging into her dragon form’s legs all over again. The wounds had been healed and closed by Flayn’s white magic, and even if her skin was marred, she was happy to have walked out of that encounter with only cosmetic damage.

However, the horror of the forced surgery and the removal of part of her tail would stay with her for the rest of her life. There was an ugly, carelessly stitched scar between her breasts and another over her only human tailbone; at least the latter one was in a place where she didn’t have to see it constantly.

After her bath, she had a long talk with the ever-empathetic Emblem Corrin and the stoic but warm Nel, who had helped her calm down after her first transformation. She had only just met the Fell Dragon, and yet it felt as if they had known each other forever.

Alear felt troubled by the strange dragonstone implanted inside her chest. She had an irrational fear it might activate at any time—that she’d lose control again with catastrophic consequences. The fight against Rhea haunted her. She loved her, and she had still hurt her. Rhea hadn’t said anything about her injuries, but Alear knew.

Together, the three had ventured outside Garreg Mach, Emblem Corrin and Nel helping her tap into her dragonstone. Despite her fears, Alear found that she could successfully assume her true form while maintaining her lucidity, regardless of the stone's dark origins. Without the controlling mechanism, it was what it was; an artificially created dragonstone. She had even tried flying a short distance, but she had been too overwhelmed to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

It was a gift that had come with a high price, but she would accept it.

She was now a true dragon.

“You are serious”, Seteth said, and it was not a question—it was a realization.

“I am very serious”, Rhea answered solemnly.

Seteth looked thoughtful.

“We would really do this? Abolish the Crest system?”

“Technically, not we but… you.”

“What?”

“After what happened in Hrym, abdication is my only sensible choice. Humans do not want someone like me in a place of power after seeing my true form. You, however… the only humans who know about you are in this room”, Rhea said, nodding at Edelgard and Hubert standing next to Alear. “I have also... finally realized how blind I have been, allowing my personal desires to affect the fates of thousands. It is time for someone else to lead the Church, and take it closer to humans, especially the ones suffering from the current system… The ones without Crested blood.”

"Such a change would be quite drastic and would surely cause outrage among the nobles", Seteth said cautiously.

“We are well aware of that, and to accommodate that, the change would be implemented gradually”, Edelgard spoke confidently. “We have already sketched a draft consisting of the educational and socioeconomic reforms, legislative actions, adjustments to military and security, controlled demilitarization, and such.

"Of course, this gradual transition must be carefully monitored, as we cannot risk destabilizing our society. We must be ready to adjust our strategies as we go along. The Church would also have to lift its ban on technology, and we should focus on researching new inventions, primarily to improve the working conditions, health, and safety of people doing manual labor. Allowing commoners to increase their efficiency with new tools, buy and own land, start their own businesses, thus demonopolizing the market… That alone would be a huge step forward.”

”There is also the matter of remaining Agarthans that has to be dealt with”, Hubert reminded. ”We might have taken their stronghold under our control and severed the head of the snake, but its remains still slither in our court, even if disorganized and cut off from their resources. It is also likely they have secluded civilian areas since we only encountered trained military forces, but we hope to gain more knowledge by researching the Agarthan stronghold in Hrym.”

Seteth looked at both Rhea and Edelgard.

“Since I do not see any officials from Faerghus or Leicester around this table, I assume that the Church of Seiros would work closely with the Adrestian Empire. What of the other nations, though?”

“Leicester isn’t particularly religious”, Edelgard noted. "Based on the conversations I have had with Claude, I think they will welcome the changes, if anything. Faerghus, however, might pose a problem. I intend to have an unofficial meeting with Prince Dimitri, and I already have some ideas on how to appease the most conservative nobles, but if push comes to shove, I am prepared to see things through by any means necessary.”

“You are not the Emperor yet”, Seteth reminded her.

“My Father’s severely sick. I will be before long.”

Silence landed in the room, and Alear touched Edelgard’s arm. Then Seteth nodded.

”Very well. I suppose, then, that is all for—” A knock at the door. ”Come in.”

A guard entered.

”You asked to be notified immediately of Lord Macuil's arrival. He is here now.”

”Please, send him in.”

Shortly after, the old mage entered and looked at everyone in the room before walking further.

”Is the presence of the humans necessary?”

”Yes, it is”, Rhea said in a voice that left no room for arguing, and Macuil grunted softly.

”Fine.”

He walked to the table, an unreadable expression on his face.

“The portal to Elyos is… unusable. In simple terms, it’s broken.”

“What?” Alear exclaimed. “R-really?”

“I’m sorry, youngling. That interloper should have thought twice before trying to channel the life essence of a god into the portal.”

“So… none of us Elysians can go home?”

Macuil put a leather pouch on the table. The contents clinked.

"Not quite. I did what I could with what was left of the portal's components, and I was able to extract these."

He opened the pouch and pulled out something that looked like a shard of glass.

“There is at least one for each of you, but they will be one-way trips, releasing what energy they have upon use. I will distribute them to everyone returning to Elyos, then destroy the rest.”

“Why would you do that?” Edelgard asked, and Macuil looked at Seteth and Rhea as if silently asking for their permission not to address the human.

“Just tell her”, Rhea said tiredly. “I wish to know, as well.”

“Because someone might try to reverse engineer and recreate the portal, and I wish to prevent any further invasions on Lumera’s world.”

“That’s… fair”, Alear agreed, frowning. “Even if I’d wished…”

The Divine Dragon fell silent.

“How… how does the magic in the shards work?” Rhea asked, clearing her throat.

“It’s a very straightforward process. The shards are quite fragile; the user would release the energy contained within by breaking it in two. This would then warp the space very briefly between the pieces and bring the catalyst… the user… where the corresponding energy source exists.”

No one said anything, the mood in the room heavy, so Macuil continued: "If I may suggest, rest for now and say your goodbyes where necessary, but I will also say this: order should be restored to both our worlds as soon as possible. I will distribute the shards tomorrow at noon, then destroy what is left to ensure their power is not misused.”

“Thank you, Macuil”, Alear said, mustering up a smile. The old dragon looked at her empathetically and then shook his head. Alear shot him a quizzical look, and the mage sighed.

"You just… remind me so much of her, young one. Like she… had never left after all."

“You honor me with your words.”

Macuil still had a strange look in his eyes. Then he sighed resignedly.

“I suppose I should have a word with… Sothis.”

Alear looked at Edelgard and Rhea as the old mage left the room.

"I guess we should tell the others the news, but if there's nothing else for now... could I talk to you two for a moment?"

Rhea shut the door to her private quarters. She couldn't help but feel guilty, remembering the last time she'd been in this room with Alear—the night before the Agarthans had taken her after their fight. It felt like it had happened ages ago, but it had been barely two weeks. After that, she had talked with the future Emperor of Adrestia in this same room, learning that Alear had somehow become romantically involved with them both.

And now, all three of them were here.

"I... cannot stay here", Alear said then, sadness in her voice. "As much as I've grown fond of Fódlan, I must continue Queen Lumera's work in Elyos. All the nations have suffered in Sombron's wake, Firene and Elusia even more than the others. I spoke with the Elysian royals before our meeting, and the situation there is quite dire. Everything is in disarray; both political and physical structures must be rebuilt. The people are in desperate need of security and resources, all the while bandits and other opportunists plunder the lands amidst the chaos. I… don’t even know where to begin with it all.”

"I understand", Edelgard replied, sounding equally dejected. "As you already know, I cannot leave either. Bringing equity and development to Fódlan is all I have ever dreamed of, and it will take strong leadership to see through the dismantling of the crest system, even with the unexpected blessing of the Church. There are likely to be many armed conflicts, possibly even war with the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. I hope it won't come to that, of course, but I have to be realistic and prepare for everything.”

Alear nodded, then turned to face Rhea.

“What about you?”

“If it’s possible at all… I would like to come to Elyos with you.”

Alear’s eyes brightened.

“Really?”

"I know that Seteth will do his best to forge a better future for Fódlan together with Edelgard—a better future than I could ever have hoped to achieve. I see now that I am nothing but a relic of the past, and with the goddess finally revived, even if… in… another way than I had intended… A-anyway. But maybe… maybe I could still help you in restoring Elyos. And I won’t lie; the thought of living somewhere where I would be accepted in my true form, where I could soar the skies again… I know it’s more than I deserve, but..."

Rhea let the thought linger.

“I’d be happy if you came with me”, Alear said simply, and Rhea felt like her heart would burst with happiness. For a moment, she cherished the selfish thought of having Alear all to herself, not having to share her with the soon-to-be Emperor of Adrestia, but she felt guilty for the thought as soon as she saw the sadness on Edelgard's face and the longing look Alear gave her.

“Then… Could we at least spend my last night on Fódlan together?” Alear asked.

“If Rhea does not mind, I would love that, to be honest”, Edelgard said softly, taking Alear’s hands in hers.

"Of course, I... have nothing against it. You should definitely have the chance to do that."

Rhea almost felt like rewarding herself for showing such magnanimity to the competing female. Then she saw the strange way Alear was chewing on her lower lip.

“I… actually meant… all three of us?”

Rhea had no doubt that she mirrored Edelgard's completely astonished look as they shot wide-eyed glances at each other.

“Th-the three of us?” Edelgard spluttered.

“D-do you mean… t-together as in… we would all…”

Alear smiled bashfully and shuffled subtly.

“It’s just something that has been on my mind. It’d be nice if we all could be comfortable with each other like that. Still, I understand if that’s something you don’t want, and if that’s the case, I won’t bring it up again.”

Edelgard looked at Rhea for a moment, uncertainty in her lilac eyes, her cheeks a little flushed. She flitted her gaze across her chest and jerked it back up so quickly that Rhea barely registered it.

“I, uhh, I suppose—”

"N-no, sorry, I think you two should spend the night here together without me", Rhea said quickly before Edelgard could finish. "It would be too awkward."

Alear nodded and touched Rhea’s arm gently.

"I understand, and I’m sorry for even asking. It was greedy of me. I don’t want either of you to do anything that doesn't feel right to you."

“It’s alright”, Edelgard said then, clearing her throat. “It never hurts to ask, am I right?”

“Y-yes. There is no harm in asking”, Rhea agreed, still stunned and processing Alear’s surprising request even after her instinctive refusal. The image of Edelgard's muscular, half-naked—and undeniably handsome—torso flashed through her mind, and she quickly pushed the memory aside.

“I think I should gather the Elysians together now and inform them of what Macuil told us so that they can prepare.”

“Yes, that would be for the best”, Edelgard agreed. “I think I will go and check up on Professor Byleth. I heard just before our meeting that she has awakened, and I have a feeling that she will not be staying in Fódlan, either.”

“I figured that as well. Maybe I’ll come with you and see how she’s doing first.”

As the two left the room, Rhea stood still, staring after them for a long time. Then she went to the window and opened it, breathing in deep the fresh, cool air.

It was not even that hot outside today. Then why was it suddenly sweltering in her quarters?

Byleth was sitting on her infirmary bed, talking with Ivy, when there was a knock at the door.

“Alear… Edelgard. How nice to see you two.”

“I am relieved to see you awake and in such good spirits, my teacher... despite everything. I can safely say on behalf of the entire Black Eagle House that you have been sorely missed.”

Byleth smiled.

”I’ve missed you all, too. It’s a shame our reunion happened under such dramatic circumstances, but at least we all made it.”

”As Edelgard said, it’s good to see you’re doing so well”, Alear said. “Might I assume it’s partly due to a certain someone I heard you’re getting married with?”

“Did my dad tell you that?” Byleth asked, her green eyes sparkling as she held Ivy’s hand tighter. “I heard he took you under his wing when you appeared here.”

“I really don’t know what I would have done without Jeralt, and yes, he told me that”, Alear smirked. “Congratulations, you both.”

“Yes, congratulations, Professor Byleth. How wonderful that you two have had this unique opportunity to meet", Edelgard said, then looked warmly at Alear. "Although I know very little about you, Princess Ivy, I can already tell, just by seeing you together, that there is something very special between you.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Lady Edelgard”, Ivy said bashfully.

”Oh, before I forget”, Byleth said, “Lord Macuil just left before you arrived here.”

"Right, he mentioned that he wanted to talk to Sothis. How did that go?" Alear inquired.

“It was a bit difficult, because Sothis was asleep, and… he really wouldn’t have wanted to talk with me.”

“From what I’ve seen, he seems to despise humans on principle, so I wouldn’t take it personally”, Edelgard said.

“He was surprisingly polite toward Ivy, though”, Byleth pondered, then grinned mischievously. “She’s my dragon magnet.”

“Byleth, please”, Ivy gasped and blushed.

“I still have to wonder how this all happened”, Alear said.

“I thought Macuil might have said something to you since you’re one of his people, or… maybe Rhea, since you two seem to be close, too”, Byleth mused. “Though I’m not sure how much Rhea knows.”

“What does Rhea have to do with this?”

“Has she… told you anything about her past?”

Alear pulled up a chair and sat beside Byleth’s bed, Edelgard following her example.

“Um, I know that mother comes from Fódlan and that she, Rhea, and Macuil were all good friends.”

“Okay. And that ring you wear; what do you know of it?”

"It was my mother's, but other than that... not much. Except that it helps me channel my emblem powers."

Byleth nodded.

“So, Lumera, Rhea, and Macuil all had these… bond rings to honor their friendship. My mother’s ring, the one I’ve given to Ivy… It belonged to Rhea, originally, and this ring on my necklace was Lumera’s keepsake that used to belong to Macuil. Before he helped Lumera leave Fódlan, he had enchanted their rings with special spatial magic in case something happened and she wanted to return, only… before he could explain how to use that power, she had already left.”

“How do you know all that?” Alear asked, surprised.

Byleth glanced at Ivy.

“We had the chance to… meet Queen Lumera”, Ivy said.

Edelgard put her hand quietly over Alear’s as the young dragon stared at the Elusian with a shocked expression.

“B-but how? B-but I saw her… die.”

“She wasn’t really… alive anymore. It was just a… part of her she had left behind”, Ivy said, unable to look the Divine Dragon in the eye. “I’m sorry, Divine One.”

“She did send her love to both you and Rhea, though”, Byleth said empathetically, then continued: “Macuil saw the ring on my neck, and we had this conversation with him, too, but he couldn’t say why it all happened the way it did. We explained the circumstances just before the incident, and his best guess was that Lumera’s death might have triggered the magic in an unexpected way since you were also technically dead for a while and carried a part of her essence. I guess we’ll have to just settle for never knowing.”

Alear sighed.

“Maybe it’s not that important, be it fate, coincidence, or… whatever. At least both the threat of Sombron and Agarthans have been thwarted, and we have a way back home.”

“Oh, about that”, Byleth said as if she had suddenly remembered something. “I'm sorry, but... in your absence, Vander put me in your room, and we didn't have time to clean it up before we left. It's a... bit of a mess in there.”

“No worries, I was placed in your quarters, as well, although Edelgard did clean it quite thoroughly already after I was captured”, Alear said. “Although… I guess you won’t be needing your room anymore.”

“I’ll only get a few things from there before we leave.” Byleth's eyes swept over Alear and Edelgard's joined hands. “If you see the rest of my students, please tell them they can visit me any time. I’d love to chat with them a little, but I think Manuela still doesn’t allow me to leave the bed.”

“We will”, Alear and Edelgard said in unison, then smiled at each other.

Byleth couldn’t contain her curiosity anymore.

“Are you two…?”

“Yes, but… uhm. There’s… more to it. It’d take some time to explain it all”, Alear said, a rueful smile on her face.

“I have nothing but time”, Byleth encouraged, and the Divine Dragon glanced at Edelgard, who nodded at her.

“Alright then… Where to start…”

Veyle wandered the monastery grounds. She had just heard the news that they would be leaving tomorrow, and while she felt a little out of place among the Fódlanese, who all dressed rather uniformly and were a little guarded if polite around her, she wished they could have spent a few more days exploring this strange world.

“Hey!”

She turned around and saw a young woman approaching her. She had pretty green hair and sparkling eyes, and Veyle remembered seeing her healing their troops during the fight against her father on a flying mount. There were just so many new people that she could hardly remember anyone’s names apart from Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude, whom she had seen as Emblems.

“Hello?”

“I’m sorry if I’m mistaken, but… are you not Alear’s sister? Veyle, was it?”

Veyle smiled.

“Yes, I am.”

“Oh, marvelous! Alear has told me a lot about you. I have to say, your hair is as gorgeous as hers! And— ohh .”

Veyle stared at the girl, puzzled, as she stopped in front of her.

”What is it? Do I have something on my face? I just ate noodles and—”

”N-no, my apologies, I did not intend to come off as rude, your eyes, they’re just… the most amazing shade of purple I have ever seen!”

”Oh? They are?”

Veyle was unsure what to say to the unexpected compliment, and the young woman continued.

”If I had not guessed you were a dragon by your hair, I would have surely guessed it now.”

”Wait… you are also a—”

”Oh my, where are my manners today?” the woman interrupted her hastily, glancing around her, “I have not even introduced myself! My name is Flayn.”

”I’m pleased to meet you, Flayn.” Only then Veyle noticed the equipment the woman was carrying. ”Are you going fishing?”

”For tonight’s feast, yes! Would you like to join me?”

”Oh, sure, I’d love to.”

They sat on the pier by the bond and talked about everything, mostly asking about each other’s worlds. When their talk turned to Flayn, specifically, Veyle noticed how she kept casting wary glances around her and talking in a hushed tone.

“So you have had to hide who you are all this time?”

“Yes… ever since the Agarthans turned on us. You cannot imagine what that feels like… not being able to be proud of your heritage. Pretending to be someone and… something else.”

Veyle was silent for a moment, then sighed.

“On the contrary… I understand that a little too well.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t dragons and humans living together in Elyos?”

“Divine Dragons, Mage Dragons, Sand Dragons, yes… but I am a Fell Dragon.  After the War of Divine Dragons, I became despised and feared. Hunted. It mattered little that I was born of a Mage Dragon mother and without Sombron’s violent urges, or… that I was too young to even participate in the war. My… mother was killed just before it ended, merely for being one of Papa’s mates, even if she had turned against him. I wandered alone in the shadows avoiding everyone and looking for my missing sister until I finally found a safe place and just… slept for centuries.”

“Veyle… How horrible. I am so sorry.”

Flayn took her hand and squeezed it gently. It felt comforting, and Veyle returned the gesture, smiling a little.

”I have to admit, I was a little surprised that you chose this location for fishing. Inside Garreg Mach, I mean. Are there no bigger bodies of water nearby?”

Flayn sighed.

“You should perhaps know that while I am grateful to have a loving father, he can also be rather… protective of me. Oftentimes excessively so. He would not let me wander outside the monastery by myself. Maybe I could have asked for an escort, but it would have been such a hassle. He does not really want me to be around men, so the guards would have all needed to be women and—”

“Really?” Veyle asked, a little surprised.

“During the War of Heroes, when my mother died, I nearly did, as well. It was such a long time ago, but ever since, Father has been like this, and it can get… grueling. To him, I always seem to be that little girl on the battlefield that day.”

“My Papa didn’t care about me at all, and yours cares a little too much”, Veyle mused, staring at the bobber.

“We are quite the pair, aren’t we”, Flayn laughed softly, looking at Veyle with her sparkling green eyes.

“I suppose we are.”

“Do you like cats?”

“Of course I do!”

“Splendid! Our catch has been quite modest, so I was thinking that maybe we should take what little we have and feed it to the cats living in the monastery, instead. They might appreciate our efforts more than the students cooking for the banquet.”

“That sounds like a great idea”, Veyle agreed, and so the two gathered the fishing gear and headed to find Flayn’s feline friends while talking about all the kinds of animals they liked.

“Shamir! Hey, Sh—”

Nel sighed, annoyed, and turned her head as a tanned, blonde female knight approached her.

“You are not Shamir.”

“I applaud you for being so observant. Now please, leave me alone.”

“Alone? Aren’t you coming to the party?”

“I am not much of a partier.”

“Wouldn’t it be nicer to mope around food, at least?”

Nel considered that for a moment.

“Well… I suppose I am a bit hungry.”

As they got inside the mess hall, the knight at her side perked up when she saw someone sitting alone, their back at them.

“Hey! Look who I found!”

Nel winced at the holler right next to her ear.

The person turned around, and the Fell Dragon had to admit that the resemblance was curious. They weren't identical by any means, and their hair and eyes were a different color, but... enough features, right down to their expressions, were similar enough to give her an uncanny feeling.

“Catherine”, the woman acknowledged, but her eyes locked with Nel’s.

“Found your lost sister! Haha, there it is! That same, cute little pout! I—whoah! ”

Suddenly Alois appeared from somewhere, pulling the knight aside.

“Catherine! There you are; come! You’ll absolutely want to hear this! Sorry Shamir! Just borrowing her for a moment!”

Nel looked after them, then heard the woman they had called Shamir talk to her.

”I see you’ve gotten acquainted with my partner.”

”That loud, obnoxious woman is your partner? How can you stand her?”

Shamir gave her a wry little smile.

”Eventually, she just starts growing on you.”

”Is that so? I will just have to take your word for it.”

Nel eyed the platter in front of the woman.

“The meatballs are delicious. Provided you’re into spicy food.”

“What little ones consider ‘spicy’ is rarely something I can agree with, but… maybe I will try them.”

Once Nel had filled her plate with food items from the banquet, she found herself sitting opposite Shamir. She took a bite of one of the meatballs, looking surprised and humming with approval.

After an hour or so, Nel still found herself in the company of the Dagdan archer, but now they were sharing a pitcher of wine.

“Really? You used to date Byleth?”

Shamir shrugged.

“I’m not so sure ’dating’ would really be the right word. We worked together and slept together and… well, that’s mostly it.”

“Fair enough. I suppose it is somewhat of an interesting anecdote considering everything, but I have actually had something… similar with Princess Ivy in the past.”

”Is that so? So dragons and humans can have love affairs with each other? Be intimate with each other?”

”In our human forms, we do not significantly differ from little ones, at least outwardly. Many dragons still prefer to court their own kind. For… many reasons.”

”Such as?”

“Members of your species can barely live for a century and are easily crippled by diseases, while we can exist for millennia. It is the most prominent problem in such relationships.”

“If I may ask, what drew you to Princess Ivy, then?”

Nel pondered about the question for a while, diving deep into her memories, then shook her head.

“Let us just say that, for a human, she was very… aggressively determined to have me.”

“Really?” Shamir said, raising one of her eyebrows and taking a sip of her wine. “I’d never have guessed. Of course, I don’t know her like you or Byleth or the other Elysians do, but… Really?”

“The full story is rather convoluted and perhaps a bit fantastical.”

“Fantastical, huh? I’ve just recently learned that dragons are real and that my boss is one of them, which, by the way, hasn’t stopped my partner from drooling after her in the slightest, so—”

Catherine chose that exact moment to crash next to her colleague, pulling her into a crushing side hug.

“Shamir and Dragon Shamir”, she slurred loudly, some of the contents of her huge pint sloshing on the table, to which Nel wrinkled her nose in distaste.

“How many times have I told you not to let Jeralt lure you into drinking competitions?”

“I’m gonna beat him the next time”, Catherine swore, then turned to face Nel with a jerking motion that only served to spill more of her ale on the table.

“Oh hey! What would you, like, really, really appreciate? You know?”

“That you would leave me alone”, Nel grumbled, and to her surprise, the drunk knight only laughed good-naturedly.

“Haha, you’re so adorable when you’re trying to act all grumpy! That’s such a Shamir thing to do! But no, no, I meant like… what do dragons like? Is it some food or drink? Flowers? Rocks? Uh, weapons?”

Nel looked at the tanned, blonde knight, trying to determine how serious she was—apparently very much so. Then she looked at the woman who somehow reminded her of herself. Shamir appeared to be indifferent and aloof next to her drunk partner, but Nel still caught a soft look in her purple eyes as she glanced at the woman beside her.

“Listen. I am going to do you a favor and make a suggestion, Catherine: Forget about your dragon and pay attention to the humans close to you. I promise you will be much happier.”

Etie couldn’t help but overhear as a woman with pink pigtails talked to a more reserved woman with light blue hair.

“Geez, who’d have guessed Lady Rhea’s really a dragon, huh? Did you see the size of that thing?”

“Oh. Uhm. I think it’s… a nice thought that even if she isn’t a human, she still protects us and fights so valiantly, even knowing some people might think she’s just a… beast.”

“Well, now that you put it that way… I just can’t help thinking what this means for us humans and… what’s next, you know? Claude’s wyvern asking for their own barony or something?”

“W-wyverns can’t talk or change into humans, though?”

“And how can you be so sure? Maybe that’s exactly what Mister Wyvern wants you to think!”

“It’s so strange listening to all this”, Etie said to Goldmary quietly enough for only the Elusian to hear. “I feel bad for that Archbishop woman. All she did was protect everyone.”

“Just another magnificent thing Fódlan isn’t yet ready for”, Goldmary sighed a little dramatically.

“Let me guess, the other one is you”, Etie grumbled, to which the curvy woman beside her answered with a conceited little chuckle. “I swear, though; if I have to shoo one more of these drunk knights away from you—”

“There’s no harm in looking, though, is there? After all, it’s nice that all the hard work I put into looking this stunningly gorgeous is getting its due appreciation.”

“I… uh, sure, I guess.”

“That said, you’re the luckiest of them all for actually getting to enjoy the plump, succulent fruits of my labor.”

Etie groaned sufferingly as she blushed.

“Do you absolutely have to say it like that…”

They arrived at the banquet, and suddenly, the archer’s eyes landed on something interesting.

“Oh wow, look at that!” she exclaimed to her girlfriend, who looked a little bewildered.

“Look at what?”

“That guy over there, grilling meat! He is huge! I have to know his secret!”

They walked to a mountain of a young, blonde man flipping steaks and humming happily.

“Why, hello there! You’re them Elysians, aren’t you? I’m Raphael, nice to meet ya!”

“The pleasure is all mine. I’m Etie, and this is my girlfriend, Goldmary.”

“Cool, I remember you both from the battle. Really good form, nice lancework. Girls who fight together stay together, huh? I just bet the smell of perfectly seared beef brought you here. There was just a bunch of other Elysian chicks and their pet wolf here, and they emptied the whole grill, haha! Don’t worry, though; I have a fresh batch coming right up!”

“Uh, that’s great, but… I’m sorry, but I just have to say it—your body is godly! Even Boucheron isn’t that big! You must work like crazy for all that muscle!”

The man laughed cheerfully.

“A fellow bodybuilder, is that right? You got some real nice abs yourself!”

“Aww, thank you. I’d like to be fuller, though, like you. How do you maintain all that muscle mass? What supplements do you use?”

The man scratched the back of his neck.

“Uhh, supplements? I just eat meat, to be honest. Oh, and some veggies to go with it, but it’s the meat that makes the muscles grow.”

“Oh? Interesting. So what’s your routine like?”

“Nothing special, I guess? A couple of free days a week for the body to rest and grow, and other than that, I’m just circling through different muscle groups with free weights.”

“I see. And aerobic training?”

“What aerobic training?”

“Uh, running, for example?”

“Ahh, I see!” Raphael said and laughed. “Nah, it just burns the mass away and takes energy from lifting.”

Etie and Goldmary glanced at each other.

“Okay, girls, steaks are ready! These are a little big; one for each?”

“Gimme three”, Etie said, cold determination in her voice.

“Are you seriously going to eat all that?” Goldmary asked as she looked at the pile of thick steaks on Etie’s platter when they sat at one of the tables.

“Just watch me!”

“Oh hey, Etie, there you are! And hey, Goldmary” Alfred greeted them. “Wow, that’s a lot of steaks! Where did you get them?”

“Before you start going on about the godly muscle guy ”, the Elusian interrupted the Firenese, rolling her eyes, “has either of you seen Divine One? I had something I wanted to ask her, but I haven’t seen her all evening.”

“Now that you asked, I can’t say I have seen her either”, Alfred pondered and shrugged. “Then again, I haven’t seen her Fódlanese acquaintances either after they informed us of our departure tomorrow.”

“Oh well, it’s nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow.”

“It’s a bit late, I doubt they’ll show up anymore if they’re not here already. I’d imagine they might have some important meetings while they still can? And what godly muscle guy?”

“Who’s my little dragon?”

“Hnngh.”

Edelgard was straddling Alear on the bed, holding her arms against the mattress and kissing her neck, the flushed woman squirming beneath her weight. They were both still dressed; if this was their last night together, Edelgard was in no hurry to end it any time soon.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and they both froze.

“At this time?” Alear wondered.

Edelgard would have wanted to say that whoever it was, they could wait until the morning, but she didn’t. She was too responsible to suggest anything as flippant as that, even if the thought crossed her mind. It could be about anything.

”I suppose we better see who it is”, she said instead and moved so that the dragon could get up. 

Alear tried to make herself presentable quickly, and Edelgard couldn’t help but smirk affectionately. It would be obvious to anyone what they had been up to.

”Um, just a moment!”

Edelgard couldn’t have been more surprised as someone who had become increasingly familiar to her over the past weeks emerged inside.

”Rhea! What a surprise to see you here”, she heard Alear say happily as she stood by the door, her back to her.

She saw Rhea glance at her over the Divine Dragon’s shoulder, and her nervous green eyes told her exactly why she was there.

Hubert would be so scandalized. There was no point in not telling him; he’d find out about it one way or another.

”I thought about your request some more, and… unless you have changed your mind, I… would love to join you and take the opportunity to experience something… new together.”

”Are you sure? You don’t need to do it only to please me. We all have our boundaries, and to ask something like that was inconsiderate of me.”

”It’s not just about… pleasing you. I promise.”

Alear turned to look at her.

“What do you say, Edelgard? I never really heard your opinion on… this.”

Her throat felt dry as she gestured around her, voicing the only concern that came to her mind.

“We would need a bigger bed.”

“Are you sure you’re comfortable?” Ivy asked as she carefully snuggled up against Byleth.

“Very. One good thing in this is I don’t have an arm to lie on that will grow numb.”

“Byleth!”

She smirked and held Ivy tighter against herself as they lay on the bed in the infirmary. Suddenly, she felt something curious at the back of her mind and was once again in the strange, dark mindscape where only the two of them existed.

“Sothis… I’m so glad you’re awake again.”

The goddess was silently sitting on her throne, looking apathetic.

“I’m… sorry for first almost getting killed, then losing the arm when I got another chance. Now, you’ll have to suffer for my incompetence, as well. I know how you value it when I take good care of my body and skills, and now you are trapped inside this broken shell.”

Sothis finally lifted her gaze. Byleth had never seen her look at her quite like that before.

“No, my vessel… Byleth. You have nothing to apologize for. If someone here should apologize, it would be me.”

“Why?”

“It was because of my recklessness that I could not be there for you when you needed me. You could have easily used my Divine Pulse if I only had been conscious, preventing the dismemberment. Instead, I had thoroughly depleted my strength fighting the invader with such wild abandon I nearly destroyed us both.”

“The way I see it, I’m at fault for protecting Princess Ivy. Without taking that blow, you wouldn’t have had to take over.”

“I… would have done the same in your place.”

Byleth couldn’t help smiling.

“We have always made a good team, haven’t we?”

Sothis tilted her head ever so slightly as she looked at her.

“Always at our best when we combine our strength instead of fighting alone. You have been with me all my life, I… couldn’t even imagine being without you now. Maybe humans and dragons—even dragon goddesses—can sometimes make mistakes? At least we’re both still here.”

“I… suppose so.”

“There’s… really only one thing I’m concerned about.”

“And what would that be, my v—Byleth?” Sothis asked softly.

“You are the goddess of this world, but… I want nothing more than to stay at Princess Ivy’s side. To follow her to Elyos... help her rebuild her home… marry her. I’m sorry, but I have to be honest with you: It’s my greatest wish.”

Sothis looked at her for a long time, the expression on her face morphing into a wry little smile.

“You may have become dear to me, but it does not omit that you are still quite… thick sometimes, as the young ones say.”

Ivy looked at Byleth. Her green eyes were vacant, and even if those moments were brief, she already recognized what they were about.

“Is she… awake?”

“Oh. Yes, she is.”

“Can I talk to her?”

“Of course. In fact, she wishes to talk to you, as well.”

It was so strange. Even if the body next to her didn’t change physically, Ivy could still tell it was Sothis before she even said anything. 

“Hey, little princess.”

She looked at her so softly. She was so close. Ivy felt herself blush, even if it felt absurd. These two beings in the same body…

“Hey.”

“I want to apologize to you, too. For what happened out there. I should not have lost control like that. Byleth paid a high price for that.”

“You did, too, did you not? We shouldn’t dwell on that”, Ivy said earnestly. “It’s a miracle we all survived. Let’s be grateful for that. And to be honest… I was worried about you too, after what Sombron did to you. I am happy that you’re both okay.”

Ivy shivered as she felt Sothis' hand caress her face. The touch was so familiar and yet so new… so intimate.

“I should go back and rest. I am still so very weary. I just wanted to…” Sothis bit her lip. ”To hold you for a while.”

”Sothis…”

She leaned closer, but then she felt a telltale shift in the body against her.

”You two are cute”, Byleth said, smiling, and Ivy smiled back at her.

”You are cute”, she murmured softly and brushed a tender kiss on Byleth’s lips.

Rhea felt her heart beating faster as she closed the door to her quarters. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing or what was going to happen, but she didn’t feel too worried about it right now.

Alear and Edelgard kissed. It should have bothered her, but it didn’t. Then Alear wrapped her arms around her and kissed her, too. It was gentle and unhurried and eased her nervousness.

”You can still back out if you want.”

Rhea looked over her mate’s shoulder. Again, there was that intense look in Edelgard’s lilac eyes. Something seemed to pass between them, and Rhea nodded at the human almost imperceptibly.

Alear looked slightly surprised as Edelgard touched her shoulder, gently but firmly pushing her aside.

”Sit on the bed.”

A simple, soft-spoken command like that, and Alear followed it without question.

Rhea swallowed as Edelgard put her hands on her hips. Her touch felt foreign but not unpleasant. Slowly, the shorter woman dragged her right hand up the side of her body. By the time the strong hand stopped at her neck, caressing her jawline and teasing the underside of her ear lobe, Rhea’s whole skin was covered in goosebumps.

Edelgard pushed her hand to the back of Rhea's neck. She grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her down closer, almost pressing Rhea's sensitive ear against her mouth.

“After tomorrow”, the Adrestian princess whispered huskily, “we will never see each other again. We might as well go all out. What do you say, Archbishop?”

“I am… technically not the Archbishop anymore”, Rhea whispered back thickly, hyper-aware of the breath tickling her skin, the hand fisting her hair, the muscular body pressed against her curves… their mate watching.

“For tonight, you will be”, Edelgard stated, her low, commanding voice sending shivers through her body and making her whine.

How embarrassing.

She was a dragon. Thousands of years old.

What was this brazen human doing to her?

“That’s a good girl.”

Suddenly, Edelgard’s mouth was on hers, and Rhea found herself eagerly answering the demanding kiss of the young, dominant woman. She hazarded a glance at Alear, and the aroused look in her darkened, blue eyes made her whimper. She felt hands wandering over her body again, strong fingers pressing into her bottom before grabbing the fabric of her dress and slowly pulling up the hem.

She gasped as the hot mouth was on her ear the next moment. Edelgard dragged her tongue along the earlobe and grazed it with her teeth, and Rhea couldn't help but moan, no matter how embarrassing it was.

The intense attention of the confident human felt so overwhelming, but she clearly knew what she was doing. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising; after all, Edelgard already had experience with dragons. Maybe… maybe Alear had even mentioned something about her sexual preferences to the Adrestian princess. Somehow, the thought turned her on.

“Alear… why don’t you come here and help me disrobe our dear Archbishop.”

Soon, she felt another set of hands on her as her mate pressed softly against her back, her touch tender yet assertive.

Maybe… just for this one night… this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Everyone was gathered in the courtyard. High noon was nearing, and excitement and nervousness were in the air as the Elysians and Fódlanese exchanged last thoughts before the former would return to their home world.

“I’d… love to come with you, kid, but I’m afraid my place is here in Fódlan”, Jeralt said with a heavy heart.

Byleth stared at his father.

“But… Why? A-are you sure, dad?”

“Elyos sounds wonderful, but… I… I have a feeling that I’ll be needed here.” He grinned ruefully. “My daughter, a queen consort… who’d have ever guessed?”

“Dad… I’m going to miss you so much”, Byleth said, her voice breaking as she hugged her father, wrapping her left arm tightly around the big man.

After Byleth finally let go of him, he put his arms around Ivy.

“All the best for you both, princess. I know you’ll make each other happy.”

“Thank you, Captain Jeralt. It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet you, although…” Ivy pulled back a little, looking the man in the eye. “Are you… absolutely certain of this?”

Before Jeralt could say anything, another person joined in their conversation.

“What’s happening here?” Alear asked as she glanced at the three, Rhea by her side.

“Jeralt says he intends to stay in Fódlan”, Ivy answered on behalf of Byleth and her father.

“What? You’re not going to come with us?”

Jeralt scratched his neck awkwardly.

“Well, I, uhh…”

“Would you really want to miss your daughter’s wedding?”

“I mean—”

“Miss out on visiting her and Ivy in Elusia Castle whenever you want?”

“Uh—”

“Go to taverns with me and let me win all the drinking bets for you?”

“Heh…”

"Not to mention missing out on watching your daughter and Ivy's offspring grow?"

“What!?” Jeralt, Byleth, and Ivy exclaimed almost in unison, but Alear was unfazed as she shrugged.

“I’m not claiming to know how you’d be doing it, but Ivy would still need to produce an heir at some point… in some way. Wouldn’t you?”

The Elusian sighed.

“Yes… I suppose that much is true.”

Alear looked warmly at the big man and placed her hand on his forearm.

“If it's the routine you're afraid of missing, there's plenty of work to be done in Elyos, securing the peace and keeping brigands in check while we rebuild. And I have to admit… you’ve become something of a dad for me, too, during this crazy journey. We might not share blood, but I consider you family, and I’d miss you terribly, too.”

Jeralt sighed deeply, then looked at Byleth again. The resigned look on his face morphed into a huge, wry smile, and before he could even say anything, Byleth hugged him again, as furiously as she could with the remaining arm.

“Since I apparently have two daughters now and even a grandkid coming up… how can I say no.”

Edelgard was on her way to the courtyard when she noticed her Emblem version standing alone and stopped. For a moment, she considered just walking past the strange, ghostly version of her, but then the Emblem turned her head and noticed her.

“Your solution… it is quite different from mine”, Emblem Edelgard said as she approached her.

"I am as surprised as you are, in all honesty. I assume you… carried on with the mission during Pegasus Moon."

“Yes.”

Edelgard bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn’t resist asking.

“Did everything… go as intended?”

The Emblem stared into the distance.

”I won’t lie… The conflict that ensued after that day was draining. It lasted for years, and many good friends… departed. In the end, though… I achieved my goals.”

She thought about the words, both said and unvoiced.

“Do you regret any of it?”

The steely gaze mirrored her own, but the Emblem didn’t answer.

Alear looked around nervously. She still hadn’t seen Edelgard anywhere, and it was almost time.

Where is she?

Macuil arrived at the courtyard promptly and was already distributing the shards. After going through the Elysians, he finally turned to Alear, who was accompanied by Rhea, Byleth, Ivy, and Jeralt.

“So you all wish to leave, as well”, he said to the five of them, who all nodded. “So be it.”

Before handing out the shards, Macuil turned to look at Alear, appearing severe.

“One more thing… I have a request.”

”You have done us a great favor. If it’s anything I can do for you, I absolutely will”, she vowed, smiling.

”I have grown tired of Fódlan. In the light of these events… I would like to relocate to Elyos, as well, and live the rest of my life there, researching. I believe I could greatly help in restoring your world, as well, and… maybe it would be a chance for us to reconnect, as well.”

”Reconnect?” Alear glanced at Rhea, who merely shrugged, seemingly having no idea what Macuil was talking about. “I’m sorry, the word just struck me a bit odd. Wouldn’t reconnecting mean we’d have been in contact earlier?”

“Oh, you are right, youngling. It was perhaps not the best word choice to convey my meaning. But there was, in fact, something more, for—”

Suddenly, Gatekeeper ran to them with his fellow guards, appearing shocked.

“There is a Demonic Beast at the gates!!”

Everyone looked at each other, hands going to the hilts and handles of their weapons.

“A Demonic Beast? Now?” Seteth asked as he walked forth.

“And what’s the strangest thing, it speaks!” one of the guards exclaimed.

“Are you lot drunk?” Jeralt asked incredulously. “None of the beasts I’ve encountered have ever bothered to stop and chat with me.”

“What did this… beast say then?” Alear asked.

”It requested to speak with… uhm, T-the Wind Caller and Immaculate One? What kind of names are those? Maybe it wants to talk to some of those fancy purebred horses at the stables?”

Alear quickly grabbed Rhea’s hand, squeezing it gently and firmly to prevent her from saying anything she’d regret.

Macuil narrowed his eyes and grunted with distaste.

”Let him enter”, he said bluntly, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

The guards looked nervously at Seteth and Rhea, who both nodded. As they scrambled off, still looking shaken, Alear turned to Rhea.

”Do you know who it is?”

Rhea nodded.

”Someone I have not seen in a very long time.”

Soon, a large creature lumbered forth, and while Alear now realized why the guards had mistaken the being for a demonic beast, she immediately sensed the presence of a male dragon.

”This is Indech”, Macuil said then. ”As wise as he is old. He helped me in creating these shards. Indech, meet one more member of our family—Lumera’s daughter, Alear, born far away from here in Elyos.”

“Well met, young Alear”, the old dragon rumbled. “Forgive me for coming here unannounced like this, but unfortunately, I lost my ability to take a human form ages ago, and I had to reach you before it’s too late.”

“You took a considerable risk coming here in your true form”, Macuil said. “It must be important.”

“Important, but also selfish.” Again, the polite dragon turned his attention to Alear. “I understood that you are the ruler of this world where you are returning. Is that correct?”

Alear felt a bit flustered.

“Oh, I… suppose that as the last Divine Dragon, protecting Elyos is my duty now, although ruling it sounds a bit, um, much. What of it?”

“I humbly ask to join you. As the last of the Nabateans leave Fódlan, I wish to leave with my kin. Macuil told me that you will need to rebuild your home. I might be slow and old, but I can do my part. A world where dragons and humans can live together… I would like that.”

“You are welcome to join us”, Alear said, and just then, she heard a familiar voice.

“Alear… I apologize for being late”, Edelgard said, unfazed and unconcerned about Indech’s massive presence. “Could I have a moment with you?”

Alear looked at Rhea and Macuil.

“It’s alright, dear.”

“Yes… I will begin overseeing the teleporting process, meanwhile, so we can get finished with this.”

She allowed Edelgard to lead her behind the nearest building, curiously following her.

“What is it that y—”

As soon as the others disappeared from sight, Edelgard pushed Alear against the wall and kissed her feverishly. She felt fortunate for being held in place by the strong human because otherwise, her legs would have given out.

“Have a safe journey home”, Edelgard said when she finally pulled away, her voice hoarse as she handed a small box to Alear. She looked at her one more time, her lilac eyes shimmering.

“I…”

Edelgard put her shaking hand on the Divine Dragon’s cheek, brushing her thumb gently across her bottom lip, then turned around and strode away. Alear swallowed and held tighter onto the box in her hands, staring after the Adrestian princess until she disappeared behind the building.

Rhea looked at Alear sympathetically as she returned and took her hand.

“Are you alright?” she asked softly.

Alear merely nodded, not trusting her voice yet, grateful for the company and the tender touch of the older dragon.

One by one, the remaining Elysians vanished as they activated their shards, leaving a trail of magical glimmer behind, and even that soon disappeared into the air. Then Indech, Ivy, Byleth, Jeralt, Rhea…

“Your turn, youngling”, Macuil said, handing the enchanted shard to Alear.

“Yes…”

She looked around her one more time, hoping to see Edelgard somewhere, but she didn’t. There were plenty of others, though, and she flashed one more smile at the people who were gathered in the courtyard—Seteth, Flayn, Alois, some of the other knights, Shamir and Catherine, members from all three houses, and the Ashen Wolves.

“All the best to you, Bluey”, Dorothea said. “I’m going to miss you.”

Alear smiled at her.

“I'll miss you too, Thea. Take good care of her”, she said before the magic released from the shard, mutual understanding passing silently between the women as the Divine Dragon's form dissolved into the air.

Chapter Text

“It’s so strange to be back here”, Alear said as they reached the Somniel that was now seamlessly a part of the strange, lifeless portal world, sticking out like a sore thumb with its beautiful trees and gardens in the middle of the barren, charred surroundings. “How did this happen, though? Why is the Somniel here now?”

“Do you want the short version or the long version?” Byleth asked.

“If you are going with the long version, we should find a tavern first”, Jeralt suggested as he looked around curiously. “There is a tavern in here, right?”

“Well, we have a… cafeteria”, Framme said, “but there isn’t much alcohol in there. Maybe a couple of bottles of wine for cooking purposes, and even those have been imported from Elusia.”

“Oh, for the love of goddess”, Jeralt grumbled.

“There are some hops that grow on the outskirts of the Somniel, though”, Clanne mused. “We do also have a sack or two of unhulled barley in the pantry, I believe. Maybe you could brew your own ale?”

Jeralt grunted at that but appeared thoughtful.

As they reached the summoning circle in the middle of the Somniel, Alear heard a familiar whine and turned around, a huge smile on her face as she saw someone running at her.

“Sommie!”

The little creature jumped on her lap and licked her face, their little tail wagging excitedly.

“I missed you too, little buddy!”

Byleth smiled at them as she walked closer and carefully stroked the smooth coat of the peculiar animal, who seemed to love the attention.

“It’s so strange… This is the first time I have seen this little creature awake.”

“What do you mean?” Alear asked, looking confused. “Sommie’s usually very active around here.”

“It’s true”, Ivy said. “Since you went missing, Sommie has just been sleeping in their grotto. I was a little worried about that, but I’m glad there was no reason for concern.”

Alear put the creature back on the ground and watched it walk in the middle of the summoning circle. They closed their eyes, and a blue mist akin to the one around the Emblems shrouded their little body, gently lifting them and suspending them above the ground. Suddenly, the Somniel seemed to move ever so subtly, and Alear realized that the floating island was slowly descending again.

“Queen Lumera did always say Sommie was the guardian of this place”, Vander said solemnly as everyone watched the Somniel slowly sink away from the desolate portal world, leaving it behind. “I always thought she meant specifically the Somniel, but… I’m not that sure anymore. In any case, please forgive me—these are just idle musings.”

As everyone went about their business while the island slowly traveled downward, Alear went to her room, accompanied by Rhea, Byleth, and Ivy.

“Wow… there sure are a lot of books in here”, Alear said as she looked around.

“Unlike in Garreg Mach, there was no library here, so I ended up collecting everything I could find here”, Byleth said apologetically. “I’m a fast reader, and there was so much knowledge I had to absorb as soon as possible.”

“You have actually read all these? Gosh. And don’t worry about it”, Alear said as she looked at the flip chart supported by a four-legged easel in the middle of the room, filled with hasty scribbles and sketches. “I’m… impressed. No wonder it was so easy for you to slip into the role of a teacher after your mercenary upbringing.”

Alear walked to her bed—or the altar, as Vander would insist—and glanced at the nightstand filled with plates, tea cups, and paper wrappings.

"Right, sorry, I know it's a bad habit, but I often eat in bed while reading", Byleth explained with a slight grimace. "I should probably start distinguishing between a real bed and a bedroll in a mercenary camp."

Alear noticed something peeking from under the blanket and curiously picked it up. She realized too late what the piece of garment was as a blushing Ivy snatched it quickly from her hands.

“We’ll clean this all up and change the sheets”, Byleth assured her with a soft smile, and Alear smiled back at her, shaking her head.

“You don’t need to, really. Vander will just get upset if he can’t return to his steward duties, and moving all the books and such might be easier for… someone else.”

“No need to be so gentle with me. I still have one perfectly good arm left”, Byleth assured. “But if you insist.”

“I do; it’s no trouble at all.”

“So, what do you plan to do next?” Rhea asked Byleth and Ivy.

“As soon as the Somniel has descended, I suppose we ought to return to Elusia”, Ivy said. “We have much to do.”

“There’s so much I’ll need to learn of this world…”

“And I’ll be there for you every step of the way”, Alear promised, smiling affectionately at Rhea. “Even if being imprisoned by the Agarthans was the worst thing I have ever experienced in my whole life, at least there’s a silver lining to all that. Now that I can finally transform, we can soar the skies of Elyos together, since you don’t need to hide your true self from anyone anymore. You could help me get comfortable with my dragon form, and I could show you all the places I know and… I’m sure we’d find plenty of new… secluded places, too.”

She almost added something more suggestive but refrained since they weren't alone. She would show her.

“T-that sounds wonderful”, Rhea said, choking a little with emotion. “It would be just like—I’m… I’m sorry. It has been such a long time since I could do something like that, and… some very old memories resurfaced.”

“I promise to help you create new ones”, Alear vowed and kissed Rhea tenderly on the cheek. 

"I can't even remember the last time I was in my own bed", Ivy said as she lay down on the freshly changed sheets.

Byleth crawled beside her, draping her left arm across her waist. She found herself unable not to tease the woman a little.

“And the last time you were, you were hoping to lure a dragon in here with you.”

“You really love going there, don’t you”, Ivy grumbled at her playfully, then smirked a little. “I suppose that I merely did not dream big enough back then. After all, I ended up with a human and a dragon in the same package, did I not?”

“So you did.”

Ivy yelped as Sothis wrestled herself effortlessly on top of her in a matter of seconds, her muscular left forearm pressing lightly against the princess's upper chest, just below the collarbones.

“S-Sothis.”

A healthy blush seemed to appear on the woman’s cheeks from nowhere.

“You truly are delightful, little princess. I think it is curious that you and Byleth both seem to find being subdued during mating exciting.”

“M-mating…”

Ivy’s blush deepened.

“It is an unfortunate combination for partners of a species expressing attachment through regular copulation.”

The princess squirmed beneath Sothis.

“And do dragons not… express attachment in such a way?”

“Oh, do not misunderstand… we do.” Sothis smiled wryly. “To this date, I have merely not been interested enough even to consider partaking in such… activities.”

“But… now you are?” Ivy asked, almost panting already.

“Oh, and I did ask for Byleth’s consent, in case you are wondering if there is someone we forgot to ask. However, if you do not want to—”

Ivy surprised Sothis by grabbing and pulling her into a heated kiss, which the dragon eagerly returned.

“Yes. I want to”, the princess confirmed in her most serious if a little ragged voice, and Sothis smiled down at her. “Uhm, how about… with your arm, though…? We haven’t yet—”

“I do not need two arms to dominate one human” , Sothis answered huskily, making Ivy whimper. “One more thing before I quench that thirst within you, little princess.”

“W-w-what is it?” Ivy asked, her purple eyes foggy.

“You had concerns with producing an heir. Just so that you know… I have extensive experience creating life, including but not limited to humans. When you two feel the time is right, it is something to keep in mind. I am sure I could make the experience… highly unique and pleasurable for the both of you.”

With that promise, Sothis leaned down and kissed Ivy again, the snow falling gently behind the window.

Framme was on breakfast duty. There weren’t many staying in the Somniel now that the royals and their retainers had returned home, but that would only make her job easier. She would start by boiling some eggs and oats—

“Where… are all the pots and saucepans?” Framme wondered aloud, looking around in confusion.

She searched for them for a while, then decided to look into the pantry.

“Uh, what?”

All sorts of cooking vessels, buckets, and just about anything that could hold water were gathered on the table in the middle of the room. There were also tubs lined against the wall, all of them filled with water as well.

The pantry door opened unexpectedly, and Framme screamed and jumped, nearly pushing one of the tubs over as she peered into it, trying to discern what was immersed in the water.

“Take it easy, kiddo; it’s just me”, Jeralt said as he lumbered inside.

“What is going on in here?”

“I’m soaking barley”, the large man stated matter-of-factly.

“Uhhuh. And how long is this…”, Framme gestured around the room, “soaking going to take?”

“This part takes just a couple of days, then I can germinate the grain. I just gathered the hops, I hope you don’t mind if I use the oven to dry them.”

“Okay, that’s… um. Sure, I guess. M-maybe only after we get dinner prepared, though. I’d need a couple of pots for making breakfast, though.”

“Ah, right. Actually, I put some pans aside. Here”, Jeralt said and handed Framme the cookingware from a shelf. “And sorry for taking over in here. If this batch of ale comes out decent, I’ll think of finding better… facilities for this.”

“It’s no problem, I’ll just… try and not knock anything over in here meanwhile.”

“How about I’ll help with the breakfast?”

“Thank you, Mister Eisner”, Framme said gratefully, to which the man grimaced.

“Just call me Jeralt, okay?”

They walked out of the pantry, almost bumping into Clanne.

“Oh hey, there you are. And good morning, Mister Eisner”, the young steward of the dragon greeted cheerily, to which Jeralt let out a suffering sigh.

“Do you need something from the pantry? Because if you do—”

“No, actually… Have either of you seen Anna? I know she carries some of these spices we’re all out of, but I can’t find her anywhere.”

“No, sorry”, Framme said.

“You mean that little peddler, right? Haven’t seen her. I wouldn’t even know what her name is, but I had to ask someone, because, oddly enough, she looks a little like this merchant I know in Fódlan… who’s also named Anna. Quite the coincidence, wouldn’t you say?”

“Huh. Well, maybe she’s scavenging some ruins somewhere. Do you guys need help?”

“Could you make the bread rolls?” Framme asked. “Your bread rolls are sooo good.”

“You just say that because you hate kneading dough”, Clanne grumbled.

“True, but it doesn’t change the fact that your bread rolls are still better!” Framme beamed at her brother.

“Fine, fine…”

Soon after they returned to Elyos, a monument was erected in honor of Queen Lumera.It was a very life-like statue of her in her Divine Dragon Monarch regalia, and Alear thought it was perfect. It watched serenely over the Lythos Castle gardens, and that smile the sculptor had managed to capture…

“I can hardly believe it”, Rhea breathed as she carefully took in the lovingly sculpted, gentle features.

“I know what you mean”, Macuil said quietly. “It’s just like I remember her.”

”It’s such an honor to be here with the both of you today. Who’d have thought I’d get to meet my mother’s best friends from another world, and that one of them would become so dear to me”, Alear sighed happily.

”Friends. I… guess we were that, too, once upon a time.” Macuil looked like he wanted to say something more, and after a while he did. ”If I may say so… I did find it a bit… odd to learn that you two are mates, all things considered.”

”What do you mean?” Alear asked, genuinely surprised. ”I may be a millennium or two younger than Rhea, but—”

”N-no, I do not—Rhea, have you not even told her?”

”Macuil…”

”Told me what?”

”This is not the right time.”

“Is that so? Then what is? You mean to say she has no idea you used to be Lumera’s lover?”

Alear’s eyebrows shot up.

“And what if I were?” Rhea snapped. ”It doesn’t even matter because it was you who betrayed my trust, couldn’t keep it in your robes, and got her pregnant! You ruined it all!”

“I ruined it all? Do you honestly think I forced her to sleep with me?” Macuil asked incredulously. “It was ultimately her choice; I would never have dared to touch her otherwise. Besides, it was you who ruined it all for the both of us! Do not forget she wanted to leave with you until you drove her away with one more of your temper tantrums!”

Rhea’s hands balled into fists, and her green eyes blazed.

“I swear I will—”

“You will what? Hit me? After all, that is what you excel at, is it not? Did you hit her, too, when she told you?”

“SHUT YOUR—”

”W-wait”, Alear interjected, stepping between the older dragons. ”Let me get this straight; you have both been romantically involved with my mother? And she was expecting when she left Fódlan? W-why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

“Because Rhea’s always—”

“Not just Rhea”, Alear interrupted as Macuil’s voice rose angrily. “There’s two of you in this, and… I’d prefer if you could talk this out in a civilized manner. You can’t just be angry with each other for centuries on end over something like this. While I had no idea of your true connection with my mother, I... have no difficulty imagining Lumera as a person who naturally draws others to her and who, like me, feels she has a heart big enough to share her affection. Or… I mean, felt. I guess it’s still hard for me to accept that she's not here anymore.

“Regardless… none of us are perfect, and it sounds like each of you could have handled things better. It seems us Divine Dragons just have a different idea of… some things I’m guilty of, too, but I think it’s pretty clear Lumera loved and cherished you both. What if that’s just… enough? We can’t change the past.”

Rhea and Macuil seemed to calm down and muttered apologies to each other.

“You are right, youngling, and I apologize. I did not mean to disrespect your mate; it was imprudent of me. You are sexually mature; the choice of a partner is yours… whoever it might be. At least she’s a dragon.”

What?

”And maybe we cannot change the past, but I do tend to believe that everything happens for a reason. And what could be more meaningful than standing here now at the side of the progeny whom I thought I would never get to see with my own eyes?”

Wait, what?

Suddenly, Alear’s eyes widened as she realized what Macuil was implicating, and for a moment, she was so stunned she couldn’t even say anything.

“I know it’s late, but… If you let me, I hope we can still grow closer and compensate for some of the lost time. I know I—”

“W-whoah, wait now, Macuil, I’m not—”

“You don’t need to explain”, the old dragon cut her off gently. “Rhea told me about it in her letter, and I know this is very sudden for you… no, for us both, but there is no hurry. One step at a time, young one.”

Macuil put his hand on her shoulder, squeezed it tentatively, and then walked away.

Everything was dead silent for several painful seconds before Rhea finally spoke.

“A-Alear, I can expl—”

“W-what letter? Rhea, seriously… what letter?” Alear asked, trying her best to keep her voice controlled and steady.

“Before we departed for Hrym… I asked Flayn to deliver a letter to Macuil. You know how he despises not only humans, but many of his kin, e-especially me, I suppose, but… I needed to gather all the possible assets to help us face the Agarthans. I… I had to ensure he would come.”

“Rhea!” Alear exclaimed in frustration, glaring at the woman biting on her bottom lip guiltily. “You… you can’t lie to people like that—not about things like that! It’s cruel! You can’t claim to someone they’re someone else’s father just to make them do something, you just… you can’t! I— gahh! No wonder he has been looking at us so strangely all this time!”

Rhea shrugged sheepishly.

“I apologize, but… What is the harm in it? Your father is not here anymore. Maybe Macuil could give you something Sombron never could. Why waste this chance to make you both happier since the damage is already done?”

Alear felt helpless as she stared at the impossible woman before her, intently looking into her mint-green eyes.

She shook her head and sighed.

“What am I going to do with you…”

Rhea looped her arms gently over her shoulders, then carefully pressed her curvy body against hers.

“I am willing to suffer whatever punishment the Divine Dragon Monarch deems appropriate”, the woman whispered in her ear, drawing a soft, throaty growl out of Alear, who knew she had already lost this battle.

Edelgard smiled against the warm, naked back. She pushed the lush, chestnut locks aside and planted a kiss on the soft skin before leaving the bed.

“Edie? Is it even morning yet? Can’t you stay in bed a while longer?” mumbled a sleepy voice.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up, I’m just… a little restless. Go back to sleep, Thea”, she said gently and began dressing herself. Before she closed the door of the royal bedchamber, Dorothea was already fast asleep.

The night guards perked up immediately and stood at attention as she passed them on her way to her study.

She closed the heavy oak door behind her and walked straight to a cabinet. She unscrewed a bottle of whisky and poured herself a generous amount, then took the glass and sat down at her desk, sighing softly.

She stared at the painting above her desk for a long time, sipping the amber drink that pleasantly warmed her stomach. Edelgard had painted it herself; a woman with long, blue hair, attentive blue eyes, and a gentle smile. She had sketched it early in the morning, just before that woman had left her life forever. She had to do it right then when that smile was still fresh in her mind. It had to be exactly right.

Absent-mindedly, she rubbed the polished piece of bone hanging from her necklace between her thumb and index finger. It had taken all her willpower to order the tailbones Tainted Libération had been carved out of to be destroyed, but she had to, realizing she was beginning to have an unhealthy obsession with the morbid memento. No one kept their lover’s bones as a keepsake, and more importantly, she knew Alear would hate the thought of it. After she had given the order, she had, however, found a piece of her bone stuck in the folds of her clothes as she had been disrobing for a bath. It had felt like a sign—a silent approval to keep just that small piece of her dragon, and so she had.

To her surprise, she heard a knock at the door, bringing her out of her thoughts.

“It’s me… Lysithea.”

“Come in”, Edelgard answered. “You are here early.”

“I just arrived back in Enbarr, so I thought I’d come and see if I’d happen to find you here. Besides, it’s not so early anymore, and your message sounded curious. I just don’t understand why you had to send me a letter since I was coming back here in any case.”

“Yes…”

Edelgard swirled the whiskey in her glass, suddenly feeling a little anxious. How long had she been sitting here in her thoughts? She downed the rest of her whiskey, enjoying the pleasant burn, then pushed the empty glass aside and took a calming breath.

“This is going to sound a bit silly, perhaps, but I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t back out from doing this anymore. There is something I have been keeping to myself for quite some time, and you are one of the few people I can trust with this.”

“You know I'm not the most patient person, so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop killing me with suspense already.”

Carefully, Edelgard pulled open a drawer, took out a small object folded inside a piece of cloth, and handed it to the mage.

Lysithea glanced at her, raising an eyebrow in curiosity as she took the tiny bundle offered.

“Go ahead. Open it.”

“Hmm, something small, hard—” The mage gasped as she finally saw the item and snatched it between her fingers. “What?! How is this possible? W-where did you get this?”

“Let’s just say I was able to buy it. For a… hefty sum.”

“B-buy it? Who would even sell it?? And you have had it here in your room all this time?”

”Yes. I… simply felt better having it, knowing I could still change my mind. But some things have changed since then, and… there’s only one shard.”

“I see.”

Lysithea turned the shard around in her fingers, appearing thoughtful.

“Do you think you could uncover its secrets? Replicate it?”

“I can’t give you any estimation on how soon that would be possible, but yes”, the mage answered carefully. ”I’m almost certain I could.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because if Macuil had thought no human could do it, he wouldn’t have done so thorough work destroying every last shred of the portal’s remains. Trust me, I’ve looked.”

“Very well then. I will entrust this shard to you.”

“Don't worry, Edelgard... I know how precious it must be to you, and I promise I'll take good care of it”, Lysithea vowed. ”Just… don’t expect anything soon. To even understand, let alone create something like this…”

”I will keep that in mind. Thank you. Besides, I still have much to do. No matter how badly I wish to see her again.”

The mage gave her an encouraging smile.

“Remember, it has been three years, and we have barely scratched the surface of Agarthan knowledge. We may yet discover something that also helps decipher this shard. Who knows if even restoring the portal one day would be possible.”

“R-really?”

“I apologize; I got ahead of myself”, Lysithea said, still smiling—as she often did, these days. “Even if it were possible, it wouldn’t likely be achievable during our lifetime. Now that I'm not in a hurry anymore, I just sometimes feel like… anything's possible.”

As Lysithea left her study, Edelgard felt a little lighter than she had in a long time. Implementing the various reformations took a lot of effort, especially as the war against Faerghus had only recently ended, slowing the process up north. At least Dimitri was willing to talk, and the Central Church led by Seteth had kept its promise, standing by Adrestia’s side through it all.

She still found it somewhat inconceivable to think what she had originally planned and how it had all turned out—Rhea herself having made sure the Church would follow along with her reformist visions as she stepped down to follow Alear to Elyos. Edelgard found herself smirking, and she couldn’t deny that even after these years, the memory of sleeping with Rhea after that personal victory still felt strangely empowering—especially as she hadn’t expected the former Archbishop, the War Saint Seiros herself, to be so submissive in bed. The Church was truly thoroughly conquered that day and not at all as she had initially imagined.

Her smug little smirk soon vanished from her lips, however, as old longing tugged at her heart again, the memory of the Divine Dragon etched somewhere deep inside. She remembered everything so vividly, from the first time she had seen her dueling against Felix to their last kiss.

A lot had happened in the three years after that. At least she still had many good people around her who she trusted with her life: first and foremost, Hubert and Ferdinand, her faithful advisor Monica, fully recovered after her captivity, and the ever-charming Dorothea, with whom Edelgard shared her bed and whom she was planning to propose to. Of course, the brunette knew and accepted that a part of Edelgard would always belong to the Elysian dragon, and somehow, it only made their love for each other stronger.

Perhaps it would be for the best if something went wrong and the last remaining shard was completely destroyed during Lysithea’s research on it. Maybe it would be a relief if she could just give up all hope of ever seeing Alear again. And yet, she found herself unwilling to let go of the thought.

For now, however, she should concentrate on preparing for the meeting with King Dimitri. Hubert was expecting her in an hour with all the deeds and documents they would need to go through in detail before tomorrow. Even if she wished to leave, her work in Fódlan wasn’t done yet.

She touched the polished bone hanging from her necklace affectionately one more time, then sighed softly and stood up.

It would be a long day.