Chapter Text
The girl woke up from her sleep, yawning, before she noticed the man standing before her. "I wonder how you got in here..." she mumbled.
When he didn’t respond, her brow furrowed slightly. "It is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose. Very rude indeed."
She beckoned to him. "Now come to me. I wish to have a look at you."
The man walked up the flight of stars leading to her throne.
She looked him up and down. "Hmm... I have not seen the likes of you before. Who are you, anyway?"
"I'm a mortal. Nothing all that special about me." the man responded.
"I see." the girl responded. "Then you must have a name of sorts. Go on."
"My name is Byleth." he said.
The girl almost chuckled. "Huh. I shall not ever grow accustomed to the sound of human names."
She went on. "You must possess a day of birth as well. Beneath which moon and on what day were you born to this world?"
"Day 1 of the Wyvern Moon." Byleth responded. "Why?"
"Well, wonders never cease!" the girl said, surprised. "It seems we share our day of birth! How strange!"
Now it was Byleth's turn to be surprised. "Excuse me?"
"Hmm. It all feels so...familiar. I think it may be time for yet another nap..." the girl said, yawning.
She managed one last sentence before falling asleep. "It is almost...time to...begin..."
"Hey. Time to wake up." Byleth heard.
Byleth opened his eyes to his father Jeralt lightly shaking him awake, a serious look in his eyes. Then again, Jeralt always had a serious look in his eyes.
Byleth rubbed his eyes and stood up.
"Were you having that dream again?" Jeralt asked.
"Yeah..." Byleth said, rubbing his head. "It's that young girl again..."
"You've described her to me before. I don't think I've ever met anyone like that." Jeralt said. "In any case, just put that out of your mind for now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts."
"Risking your life is part of the job for mercenaries like us." he continued. "Letting your mind wander is a sure way to get yourself killed."
Byleth nodded, and Jeralt seemed partially relieved. "OK, time to get moving. Our next job is in the Kingdom. I told you before, it's far from here, so we'll need to leave at dawn."
"Of course." Byleth agreed. "Can't exactly do our job when the bandits have already retreated, can we?"
"Hm?" Jeralt said.
He glanced out the window. "Good grief, everyone is already waiting for us outside."
One of the other mercenaries entered the inn. "Jeralt! Sir! Sorry to bother you, but your presence is needed."
"What's happened?" Jeralt asked.
"Please forgive our intrusion. We wouldn't bother you were the situation not dire." the blonde-haired boy said. He appeared to be no older than nineteen.
Jeralt seemed to groan inwardly. "What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?"
"We're being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you will be so kind as to lend your support." the boy continued.
Jeralt was somewhere between surprised and confused. "Bandits? Here?"
"It's true. They attacked us while we were at rest in our camp." the white-haired girl next to the young man said. It seemed she was a little bit older than the blonde boy, despite being shorter.
Byleth couldn't help but stare, but at least tried to make it subtle. He prayed inwardly that nobody could see his entire face turn pink.
"We've been separated from our companions and we're outnumbered. They're after our lives, not to mention our gold." the dark-haired, tanned boy said. He was easily a similar age to the other two.
"I'm impressed you're staying so calm considering the situation. I..." Jeralt was suddenly stopped when he noticed their outfits. "Wait. That uniform..."
Before he could elaborate, the mercenary from before came up. "Bandits spotted just outside the village! Damn... There are a lot of them."
Jeralt sighed. "I guess they followed you all the way here. We can't abandon this village now."
Jeralt turned to Byleth. "Come on, let's move. Hope you're ready."
Byleth nodded, then followed them to where the bandits had been spotted.
Byleth could see the incoming bandits from a large distance.
"Let's take care of those thieves before they overrun the village." Jeralt said. "Take down the enemies in front first. That should take the wind out of their sails."
Byleth surged forward with the girl and the blonde boy while the dark-haired boy stayed a little ways back with his bow.
The blonde boy went ahead, easily laying waste to the bandits in front of him, but didn't notice as one made his way past.
The girl looked at Byleth. "You have a strange aura about you..."
Byleth looked at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" He was very careful not to sound snippy.
"Nevermind." she responded. "You say you're a mercenary, so show me what you can do."
"I'll give it my all, miss, if it means you'll be impressed." Byleth responded.
She couldn't help smiling. "As much as you probably want this conversation to continue, we do have a battle to get to."
Byleth nodded, then turned and faced the incoming bandit. Two quick slashes followed by a stab, and the bandit was dead.
As he wiped the blood off his sword with his sleeve, the dark-haired boy approached him. "It's because of you guys that I'm not dead right now. Thanks for that!"
"You're welcome." Byleth said. He may have been given a rather bad first impression of him before the battle started, but that wasn't stopping Byleth from being nice.
"I didn't expect to run into mercenaries like you in some remote village. The gods of fortune must be smiling on me!"
More bandits approached, and Byleth could sense Jeralt approaching on his horse. "We'll advance while protecting ourselves from the enemy. Take up position inside the forest."
Byleth nodded and made his way to the trees, where he encountered the blonde boy.
"Thank you." the blonde boy said. "We are in your debt. It wouldn't do for us to fall in a place like this."
Byleth nodded. He could hear the chivalry in his voice. "We're just mercenaries. No debt needed."
The boy nodded in return. "Please, lend us your strength. Let's work together to drive out these thieves!"
Byleth saw Jeralt looking at him from a small distance. "Yes, good. If we're in the forest, we can sustain their attacks without losing the advantage."
Byleth and the blonde boy met up again with the girl, and with the dark-haired boy unleashing a volley of arrows behind them, they were able to make quick work of the bandits in front of them. Despite this, more still showed up.
"This is a fine opportunity. Use the combat arts I taught you!" Jeralt said above the noise of battle.
Byleth saw the bandit in front of him. He wasn't going to survive an ordinary slice of his sword, but he decided to try out Wrath Strike anyways. He wasn't above overkill. As expected, the bandit in front of him flew several feet, dead before he even hit the ground.
To his side, Byleth noticed the girl using an axe combat art that he'd only seen a few times from the other mercenaries, Smash.
He shook his head, trying to focus on the battle, when he saw who he assumed to be the leader of the bandits.
"Damn." the bandit leader said. "Why are there mercenaries in the village? Guess we'll have to deal with them too."
Byleth and the three kids worked their way around the tower that one of the other mercenaries had spotted the bandits from, and the dark-haired boy slowed down the incoming bandits with a Curved Shot.
The other bandits seemed to fall back slightly, but the leader seemed completely unfazed as he approached them. "I'm gonna kill you where you stand..." he said with a snarl. He raised his axe and charged at the dark-haired boy, dealing a significant blow, but not quite enough to really harm him.
Just as Byleth was about to take on one of the other bandits, Jeralt caught up to him.
"Attack when an ally is nearby, and the enemy will be intimidated, making them easier to hit."
"Got it." Byleth responded. He went to the bandit engaged in a duel with the blonde boy and leapt off a rock, sword above his head.
The bandit turned toward Byleth and screamed as the sword plunged through his body, killing him instantly.
"You went for an intimidation factor to make your attack easier." the blonde boy noted. "Even though I would have handled it easily, I thank you."
"Yeah." Byleth said. "Why a bandit with a sword thought it was a good idea to go up against a lance, I'll never know."
He noticed the dark-haired boy move away from the bandits a little, then noticed the girl running past so fast she was almost a blur. Using Smash again, she dealt a hefty blow to the bandit leader, but when he tried to strike back, she nimbly dodged out of the way.
"She's cute, strong, and fast..." Byleth mused.
The blonde boy finished off the other bandit, leaving only the leader.
The leader tried to go toward the girl, but Byleth stood between them.
"Hey, you with the blank stare!" the leader yelled. "Outta my way."
Byleth rolled his eyes and raised his sword.
Too late, he remembered the bandit that went against the blonde boy.
He tried to block the leader's axe, but the sheer weight of the blow nearly caused him to tear his own head off. He twisted to the side, falling to the ground, but easily rolled back onto his feet.
"Too easy." the leader said, then charged at the girl.
While she successfully drove him back, which ended up having him trip over a rock and fall onto the ground, it resulted in her axe handle breaking.
"Really? Now?" she said disgustedly, dropping the halves.
The bandit leader sprang up to his feet, axe still in hand, and charged at the girl again. She pulled out a dagger, the only weapon she had left.
Byleth knew she wasn't going to survive. He ran up to her and protected her with his body, his eyes closed tight.
"You'll die!" the bandit leader yelled as his axe came down on Byleth.
Byleth was fully prepared to die right then and there, but suddenly everything was frozen. He could feel the axe just barely poking his back.
He opened his eyes, and he was back in the world of his dream.
"What the... Where am I?" he asked.
"Honestly!" a voice said behind him.
He turned around. It was the girl from before.
"What are you accomplishing with that little stunt?!" she ranted. "It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool!"
She sighed. "Well, it's fine. After all, if you don't know the value of your own life, you're not going to protect it very well, are you?"
Byleth scowled. "My life is my own to decide what to do with."
The girl rolled her eyes. "Course not."
She giggled as she stood up and clasped her hands together.
"Well, then. I guess it's up to me to guide you from now on. Right?"
"I'm sorry, what?" Byleth asked.
"You can call me Sothis..." she said. "But I'm also known as 'The Beginning.'"
Byleth didn't know how to respond.
"Hmm..." Sothis said as she put her hand to the side of her head. "Sothis... Yes, that is it. My name is Sothis. And I am also called...The Beginning. But who once called me that?"
"Um...Sothis?" Byleth asked.
"I was not able to recall my name...until just now. And just like that, it came to me. How odd."
Byleth raised an eyebrow.
"That look upon your face... Did you think me a child? A mere child who forgot her own name?! Phooey! That 'child' just saved your life! And what does that make you?"
Inside, Byleth was rather impressed. She had managed to piss him off in sixty seconds flat.
"I'm no child!" he snapped.
"Ha!" Sothis responded. "Such arrogance. You look the part, but are you truly an adult? You threw yourself before an axe to save just one young girl."
Byleth cleared his throat. "One cute young girl."
Sothis facepalmed, groaning. "Skirt chaser..." she muttered under her breath.
She regained her composure. "Yet all is well, as I have stalled the flow of time for now. You would have died had I not intervened."
"Hold on, what?" Byleth asked. "You stopped time?"
"Hm." Sothis grunted. "I do not hear your gratitude. Perhaps I should force you to leave?"
Panicking slightly, Byleth bowed. "Thank you for stopping time and saving me from a gruesome death."
"There now." Sothis said, calming down. "Is gratitude so much to ask? I did deem you worth saving, after all."
"Though it is only momentarily, time has stopped." she continued from where she left off. "However did I manage that..."
"Um...what now?" Byleth asked. "What will happen when time resumes?"
"When time begins again, the axe will tear into your flesh, and you will surely meet your end."
Byleth was taken aback.
"How rude of you to drag me into this!" Sothis said.
"Even if I meant to put myself in that situation, I didn't think you'd stop time like that!" Byleth countered.
Sothis sighed. "Now what to do..."
"If you can stop time, maybe you can reverse it. Turn back the hands of time." Byleth suggested.
"Of course!" Sothis said. "I must turn back the hands of time!"
A complicated magic spell appeared in front of her. "Yes... I do believe it can be done. You really are quite troublesome."
"Thanks?" Byleth said, confused.
"I cannot wind back time too far, but all is well. You are aware of what's to come, which means you can protect yourself this time."
Byleth prepared himself to be transported back to the village outskirts.
"Now go... Yes, you who bears the flames within. Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek..."
His vision distorted into several shades of blue and purple as he closed his eyes.
When he opened them back up, he was back in the village outskirts. The bandit leader was still on his back.
"Really? Now?" the girl said disgustedly, dropping the halves of her axe.
The bandit leader sprang onto his feet, axe still in hand, and charged at her again. She pulled out a dagger, the only weapon she had left.
Byleth took off sooner than last time and stopped in front of her, sword firmly in hand.
"You'll die!" the bandit leader yelled as his axe came down.
Byleth unleashed a Wrath Strike and not only sent the axe flying, but also the bandit leader flying with it.
Byleth and the girl caught their breaths.
"Hey--over here!" they heard.
They turned and saw the two boys come down the small hill, their weapons still in their hands. The dark-haired boy's bow was still in relatively good condition, but the blonde boy's lance looked like the tip was going to break if he used it again.
Jeralt came up on his horse. "Hey... Did you just..."
Three men in heavy armor arrived from the trees.
"The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut you down for terrorizing our students." the middle one said loudly.
The remaining bandits fled the area.
"Hey, the thieves are running away! Go after them!"
The two men in armor by his sides took off after them while he came up to Jeralt.
"The students seem to be unharmed." he said. "And...who's this?"
"Ugh..." Jeralt groaned. "Why him?"
"Captain Jeralt?! It is you! Goodness, it's been ages." the Knight said. "Don't you recognize me? It's Alois! Your old right-hand man! Well, that's how I always thought of myself anyway."
He exhaled heavily. "It must have been 20 years ago that you went missing without a trace. I always knew you were still alive!"
"You haven't changed a bit, Alois. Just as loud as ever. And drop that 'captain' nonsense. I'm not your captain anymore. These days I'm just a wandering mercenary. One who has work to do. Good-bye, old friend."
"Right... Good-bye, Captain."
Jeralt and Byleth started to turn to leave for the Kingdom.
"Wait! This isn't how this ends. I insist that you return to the monastery with me!"
"Are you kidding me?" Byleth muttered. "We don't have time for this."
"Garreg Mach Monastery... I suppose this was inevitable."
"And how about you, kid? Are you the captain's child?" Alois asked.
"That is correct." Byleth said, nodding.
"Is that so?" Alois said. "Well, physical differences aside, your mannerisms do remind me of the captain. I'd love for you to see the monastery too. You will join me, won't you?"
Not thinking of anything to say, Byleth only nodded.
Jeralt sighed.
"What's troubling you, Captain? You aren't about to run off again, are you?"
Jeralt shook his head. "Even I wouldn't dare run from the Knights of Seiros."
Byleth watched them go.
"The Knights of Seiros... They do seem rather skilled."
Startled, Byleth looked around but saw no one.
"Ah. It seems your presence is required. Get going!" the voice prodded.
Still confused, Byleth followed Alois and Jeralt.
"I appreciate your help back there. Your skill is beyond question." the girl said.
"I told you I'd give it my all if you'd be impressed, didn't I?" Byleth asked.
"True." the girl said. "You did say that. You're clealry an experienced mercenary. And your father...that would be Jeralt, the Blade Breaker? Former captain of the Knights of Seiros. Oft praised as the strongest knight to ever live. Have I missed anything?"
"Honestly, it feels like I was the one who missed something. I didn't know he was a captain."
"How curious." the girl said. "I'd wager the explanation for that is fascinating indeed."
"Hey! You are coming with us to the monastery, right? Of course you are. I'd love to bend your ear as we travel." the dark-haired boy said. "Oh, I should mention that the three of us are students of the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery."
"That explains the similar outfits." Byleth noted.
The dark-haired boy nodded. "We were doing some training exercises when those bandits attacked. I definitely got the worst of it."
"That would be because you ran off." the girl scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Too true." the dark-haired boy responded, not missing a beat. "I was the first to make a strategic retreat. Everything would have worked out if these two hadn't followed me and ruined everything. Because of them, every single one of those bandits chased after us. Utterly ridiculous."
"Ah, so that's what you were thinking, Claude." the blonde boy said. "And here I thought you were acting as a decoy for the sake of us all."
"His intentions were as clear as day." the girl said. "You will prove a lacking ruler if you cannot see the truth behind a person's words."
"I actually agree with her point." Byleth added, gesturing to the girl. "Believe everything you're told and everyone walks all over you."
"See?" the girl said to the boys. "Someone agrees with me, Dimitri."
"Hm." Dimitri said. "You will prove a lacking ruler yourself if you look for deceit behind every word and fail to trust those whom you rely on."
"Oh, joy. A royal debate between Their Highnesses." Claude said. "I wonder how being completely predictable affects one's ability to wield power."
"Shut up." Byleth snapped.
Claude completely ignored Byleth. "Personally, as the embodiment of distrust, I'd say your little exchange smack of naivete."
"I said shut up." Byleth snapped again. "Do you really think she's naive?"
The girl suddenly realized what Claude had said. "Me? Naive? Tell me, are you actually incapable of keeping quiet, or is your lack of self-awareness--and your lack of ability to listen to simple commands, I might add--a condition of some sort?"
"In any case, forgive our digression." Dimitri said, trying to diffuse the situation. "I must speak with you, if you can spare a moment. The way you held your ground against the bandits' leader was captivating! You never lost control of the situation. It showed me I still have much to learn."
"Well, there was one particular moment when the blow of his axe made me nearly cut my own head off. I had to twist out of the way to avoid that and fell to the ground."
"Understandable." Dimitri said. "Nobody is incapable of mistakes."
"Regardless, your skill is precisely why I must ask you to consider lending your services to the Empire." the girl said.
"I'm interested." Byleth said. "Do continue."
The girl smiled at hearing Byleth's interest. "I may as well tell you now. I am no mere student. I am also the Adrestian Empire's-"
"Halt, Edelgard. Please allow me to finish my own proposition." Dimitri said.
"You didn't even start a proposition." Byleth said. "All you did was praise me."
Dimitri sighed. "Can I continue?"
Byleth crossed his arms, knowing his personal decision was already made. "Go on."
"The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is in dire need of exceptional individuals like yourself. Please, do consider returning to the Kingdom with me."
"Whoa, there! You two sure are hasty." Claude said. "Trying to recruit someone you just met. Tactless, really. I was personally planning to develop a deep and lasting friendship on our journey back to the monastery before begging for favors."
Claude turned to Byleth. "But it seems there's no time for niceties in this world. So, capable stranger, let's get right to it. Where does your allegiance lie?"
"Hmm. It seems one's place of birth is quite significant to them. Yet they are so impressed by you, that you may take your pick." Sothis said. "Well?"
"The Adrestian Empire." Byleth said. "Always and forever."
"A wise choice." Edelgard said. "Though the Empire has fallen from its former glory, the other regions are merely offshoots that pale in comparison."
"All right, that's enough with the small talk. It's time to head back to the monstery!" Alois said as he walked up.
"Looks like we'll have to pick this up another time." Claude said. At that, the four of them walked away.
"My, my. They are in such a hurry." the voice from earlier said.
"Um...Sothis?" Byleth ventured a guess.
"I'm surprised you recognize my voice already." Sothis said. "You know... Each of those three is most unique."
"Edelgard...she is a refined young woman... But I feel as though she is always evaluating me..."
"An interesting thought." Sothis said.
"Dimitri...he seems quite sincere... But I sense darkness lurking beneath..."
"I can sense it too. He's hiding something..." Sothis mused.
"Claude...his easy smile is striking... But that smile doesn't reach his eyes..."
"Yes, I thought the same." Sothis responded.
She yawned. "I am so sleepy once again..."
She tried to manage one last sentence. "I may be sleeping...but I..."
After confirming to himself that she fell asleep, Byleth caught up with the students.