Chapter 1
𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓘 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 ....
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𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓻?
Darkness. It surrounded him on all sides, stretching into infinity.And suddenly a prison cell surrounded with masked people with scapels. Then a burst of flame bodies all around burned, teared from limbs, left to bleed and the constant screaming. Then it was all dark again.
A silhouette was staring at him too dark to see properly...
''Where would you go?''
A pathway to the right appeared, on it were dead corpses littered on the ground.
''To the right where nothing is left...?''
Another pathway appeared on the left side on it were people on the streets crying, suffering from hunger, depressed and young nobles heavy burdens were place upon birth due to faith.
''Or to the left where nothing is right?''
Around him shard of memories were showed each more horrifying than the last then-
A sudden pain in his forehead.
Nacht shot up holding his forehead he felt sweat on his palm. Another nightmare? He looked above him and saw his eagle companion staring at him as if challenging him to say something back. Nacht shook his head a chuckle coming out of his throat.
''I hate getting disturbed in my sleep'' Still chuckling he stood up and stretched his limbs Fani approached him a cloak on his beak.
Behind him a door opened and Nacht without looking behind him grabbed his sword.
''I hate people who doesn't knock. You know that right?'' Nacht said a closed eye smile on his face.
''Sorry bou't that kid but bandits all around the village and some noble brats came looki'n for help we need to act fast.'' the mercenary said.
''...Focus on protecting the villagers and their homes. I'm pretty sure Jeralt and By are already engaging them I'll help them.'' Nach said not a flicker of worry or panic on his voice.
The mercenary nodded and left he knew he the young boss was the most skilled in their group even better than Jeralt an his kid.
Nacht dressed quickly and grabbed his gear, Fani perched in his shoulder he came out the same close-eyed smile on his face.
''Let's see what' the problem shall we?''
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Once outside, Nacht could already tell where the newcomers were, the bright colors on their fancy uniforms being a dead giveaway, especially in the darkness of the early morning. They must not have been able to hide from the bandits because of that.
He saw Jeralt sigh deeply, and Byleth as always stone-faced.
''What's the situation, Jeralt? Byleth?''Nacht approached like everything's fine.
''Bandits.'' Byleth said expressionless.
''Alright! How many are they?'' Nacht said his smile not faltering a bit and eyes still closed, question the middle one.
A boy with a blue cape and choppy, blonde hair with bangs, icy blue eyes stared out from under them.His uniform was clean and sharp, It was decorated with silver lining, a blue cape over his left shoulder. Nacht felt like he had interacted with him before.
"I was able to count ten bandits before we lost sight of them in the forest."
"Good graces. Wait, hold on a second... your uniforms, are you students at the Officer's Academy?"
''We are indeed.'' the blonde answered.
"Well, I can, I dunno about these royal highnesses over here though. I'm pretty good with a bow if I do say so myself," A new speaker piped up. The man was clad in a similar uniform to the blonde, though his was decorated with gold, and had a yellow shoulder cape instead of silver and blue. His skin was a rich sepia, a nice contrast with his emerald green eyes. Tousled black hair adorned his head, a rat-tail braid down his right temple. Nacht noticed a very slight Almyran accent in it.
"Claude maybe next time just say yes or no instead of ranting.''
Nacht looked at the new speaker. The girl's uniform stood out from the others in that instead of the black pants, she wore shorts, her legs covered by red tights instead. Her uniform jacket was shorter as well, ending just under her ribs instead of falling to the waist like those the boys wore. Decorated with gold like the boy in yellow, she possessed a red shoulder cape. Stark white gloves adorned her hands. Her amethyst eyes focused and body tense ready to fight. Her hair a bright white. 'Could she be...?'
"Alright, grab some weapons from our armorer, just tell her Nacht sent you and she'll let you grab some iron. Get back here as quick as you can, the bandits might retreat if they noticed their target gone.''
The three nodded and walk away in haste.
''Well let's hope when they get back the bandits aren't cleared yet'' Opening his eyes he unsheated his sword it's blade shining through the dark.
''Well now? Let's begin shall we...?
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Dimitri recognized him at first glance.
He will always remember him.
He was his savior and many other people to after all.
He remembered him saving him from a falling debris, supporting injured people, comforting people and...
He remembered when the invaders mages finding them...
And a bright green...
He defended them all with his head high, gaze unfliching, body not trembling.
''-princeliness!'' came Claude's voice.
Startled he almost dropped his lance and stumbled clumsily.
''You're princeliness? You alright?'' Claude looked worried for once.
''A-Ah, Y-Yes... I'm alright let's go!''
For the ghost of the fallen he will not falter.
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When the three house leaders returned they were amazed.
The two mercenaries stood back to back. The blue haired mercenary cut down enemies like they were air. While the white haired looked like he was dancing around the bandits. He attacked and blocked with grace. The two were perfectly synchronize. Their teamwork was beyond perfect. The three were snapped out by a eagles screech.
''Blue with me, Yellow behind us, Red watch our back and Nacht block their escape.''
The white haired mercenary took off in an instant and the three students acted on instict. Dimitri was beside her, Claude behind them bow ready, Edelgard behind them stance ready.
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''Gah!''
''Agh!''
''Grak!''
''Die-agh!''
Nacht cut down the bandits with a smile plastered on his face, he felt bad of course, but he doesn't have a choice he learned the cold, harsh reality for a long time now. He stopped when he heard a warning screech from Fani.
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"What?! The Blade Breaker?! What's a legendary Mercenary doing in some backwater village like this?!"
"You know, you really shouldn't be the one complaining. I have to clean up the mess you started," the paladin sighed, rubbing his fingers down the bridge of his nose.
Byleth only caught the man's gaze for a second before Jeralt charged him and knocked him down flat, plowing right past him and engaging his few remaining men cowering behind him.
One made the mistake of charging the approaching students, and Edelgard quickly sunk her axe into his chest.
The man collapsed in a heap, taking the axe with him. While the two boys carried on to assist Jeralt, Byleth observed the battlefield, not wanting to be caught off guard while Edelgard retrieved her axe. However, she failed to account for one thing.
She spun as the bandit leader leaped back to his feet and charged, right at Edelgard. Byleth let her instincts take over, only hesitating for a moment before darting forwards faster than she thought possible.
Still, it wasn't fast enough, that moment of hesitation had cost her dearly. She had just enough time to see the shock and pure fear in those amethyst eyes as she slid in front of the girl before the axe- ...stopped?
It took a moment, but eventually Byleth took notice of the pure black now surrounding her. The void, like... like in her dreams.
"Are you a fool!?"
A young childlike voice pierced through the darkness, Byleth twirling around as she attempted to locate the source of the voice, "Who-"
"No, shut up! I'm not done! What were you even hoping to accomplish with that little stunt?! It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool!" Behind her, she now saw, sat the young girl.
Her emerald hair was pulled into pigtails and flowed down to her waist. The waviness of it causing ends to poke out at random intervals down her hair. She kinda looked like a pine tree.
The thought flashed across Byleth's mind, the corner's of her lips twitching up slightly. The girl's elaborate dress gave off the impression of someone of great importance, though why a child would be held in such high regard, Byleth couldn't tell.
The dark blue fabric flowed down her body, a dancer's clothing coming to Byleth's mind. The whole thing was lined with golden thread. A similarly golden headdress wrapped around the girls head, intricate patterns inlaid with gems making her look rather regal, despite her young appearance.
Strangely, her ears were long and pointed, "Oh well, it can't be helped, after all if you don't know the value of your own life you're not going to protect it very well, are you?" The girl let out an absolutely delighted sounding giggle.
Byleth didn't like the sound of it one bit, "I guess it's up to me to guide you from now on!"
"Hold on-"
"You can call me Sothis. Though I am also known as... The Beginning."
''Sothis? Beginning?'' Byleth's mind were full of questions. Was she dead? Was the girl alright? Are her father and Nacht alright? Was she dreaming? Who is this child?
''I AM NOT A CHILD'' The child shouted face contorted in anger and annoyance.
Sothis scoffed, muttering, "It seems your face still needs to catch up to your words," She perked back up, looking down on Byleth with a hint of disdain, "As I was saying, I have halted the flow of time. Now we simply must figure out how to get out of this mess you blundered into."
"If you're powerful enough to freeze time at a whim, would it be possible to... turn back the hands of time?"
Sothis clapped her hands together in joy, "I've got it! I must turn back the hands of time!"
Byleth retained her unimpressed, deadpan stare. Sothis seemed unfazed, however.
"I will grant you this power, but I can only go back so far. And it's rather exhausting so," Sothis broke into a large yawn, showing off incisors much too long and pointy to be human, "Try not to overdo it by doing something stupid again."
''Understood, Thank you Sothis'' Byleth bowed respectfully.
A magic circle appeared and a snap, Byleth was thrown into memories of the events that had transpired just before she met Sothis, viewing it seemingly refracted through crystals, as it began reversing at high speed. With a roar like thunder in her ears, Byleth found herself back at the village, just as the Bandit leader leapt to his feet.
This time without any hesitation, she charged. Skidding to a stop in front of Edelgard, sword at the ready. This time when the bandit raised his axe, Byleth simply stepped forward and slashed him from hip to shoulder.
When the bandits attempted to run or help their leader, a pitch black circle appeared below them making them freeze, then arms made out of shadows appeared around them and pinned them down to the ground their faces full of fear. Byleth saw a flash of white.
''Oh~ It seems you still haven't learned~'' The words were full of venom.
Nacht came out of the trees, eyes closed, mouth formed in a smile, but his next words were filled with venom that sent a chill down of everyone's spine.
''Can I show you the true meaning of fear?''
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Nacht hates it.
He hates how these people decided that killing was the easiest thing to do to earn money.
Well, he is the same. But killing students? Stealing gold? Burning villages?
He hates it.
And in a snap of his finger the bandits were dead.
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Claude was scared, suprised, horrified, and amazed in that order.
He was scared when something black appeared out of nowhere.
He was suprised of how can someone smile so easily in this type of situation.
He was horrified that a single snap could kill them.
He was amazed, he never saw this kind of magic before!
It seems he found another interesting person in Fodlan.
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Nacht felt Fani land on his shoulder and he calmed down.
He felt three pairs of eyes on him. He turned to them and said in his usual tone.
''Are any of you injured?'' he asked cracking open his eye slightly.
They shook their head.
Jeralt approached the two of them. ''Hey all of you alright.?''
''We're fine Dad.'' Byleth said her face still stoic.
Nacht heard the sounds of armor clanking and a rather loud voice.
''The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut you down for terrorizing our students.'' a armored bearded man exlaimed loudly. Fani's talons dug a bit deeper on his throat.
''Wait! They're getting away! After them!'' the knight sounded a bit panicked. 'Are all knights this stupid?' Nacht deadpanned.
The knight approached and both Jeralt and Nacht wanted to keep their distance.
''The student seem unharmed. And who is this?'' The moment he laid his eyes to Jeralt however he looked like a child who received some candy.
''Ugh... Why him?'' Jeralt sighed deeply both Byleth and Nacht turned to him confused.
''Captain Jeralt!? It is you! Goodness, it's been ages!'' The knight shouted. And Nacht felt Fani get tenser.
''Don't you regonize me!? It's Alois! Your old right-hand man! Well, that's-''
Nacht tuned him down and slipped out of the coversation with Byleth and only walked only a few steps when they were surrounded by the three nobles.
"That was quite impressive, I've never seen a mercenary with such precise blade work before." the blonde said with so much innocence that Nacht wanted to get away.
Edelgard nodded, ''Indeed you two worked quite well together it was rather amazing to watch.''
"Oh come on, your highnesses, we just met the two and you're both already trying to butter them up!'' Claude shot them a smile. 'His smile is fake too practiced.' Natch thought.'
"I for one was going to at least wait until we had gotten to know one another and formed an everlasting bond of friendship before trying to ask favors." The boy barking out a laugh.
"As I was saying," Edelgard shot both boys a glare, "I would appreciate it greatly if you would consider granting your services to the Empire."
"Or the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus," Dimitri quickly interjected.
"Or you could ignore all that royal crap and join the Leicester Alliance, at least there you only have to deal with nobles. Like me," Claude added with a wink.
Nacht didn't like the sound of that and he glanced at Byleth and she was still stone-faced but he knew her enough to know that she didn't know what to say as he was about to speak though Alois interjected something in their conversation.
"So, you're Captain Jeralt's kids, huh? How would you like to come back to the monastery with us? I simply must show you around!"Alois exclaimed cheerfully.
Nacht muttered something.
''I hate loud people.''