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Byleth opened her eyes. What day was it? Where was she? She looked around, confused.
All around her, people were fighting. They looked so young.
That’s right. I’m a teacher. These are my students. Byleth blinked several times as memories started flooding her brain, but something felt off.
“Let’s go, Teach! We’ve got to save these students before it’s too late!” Claude cried, charging past Byleth. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
“Wait.” Byleth said calmly. Her head was still fuzzy, but she got the feeling something bad would happen if Claude took another step forward.
“Teach, I appreciate the concern, but really we’ve got to-” Claude was silenced as he and Byleth were knocked back by an explosion of dirt and rock. They tumbled and bounced together for several yards before sliding to an uncomfortable rest. “Ow. Ok, I owe you one.” Claude groaned, standing up to inspect his bow. When he was sure everything was in one piece, he nodded to Byleth, then made his way more carefully toward the front lines.
Why did I stop him? Did I know that was going to happen? Byleth shook her head. She didn’t have time to wait for her memories to come back. She picked up her sword, which had flown free from her grip in the explosion, and charged forward behind Claude.
“Help!!!” A shrill voice called. A monstrous beast was bearing down on a defenseless student to Byleth’s left. In an instant, Byleth vaulted over a fallen tree, rolled, and impaled the beast, watching crimson drip down her silver blade.
“Are you alright?” Byleth asked the scared student. The girl nodded, shaking nervously. “Good. The path behind me is clear. Go.” Byleth didn’t wait for a response. She took off further into the forest. Her heart was beating unusually fast, and she felt a sense of urgency, but couldn’t remember why. Come on, memories. What am I missing?
“Marianne, here!” Hilda shouted in the distance. “This student is hurt!”
“C-coming!” Marianne called back.
“These beasts are no joke. Raphael, finish this one for me!” Leonie’s voice came from Byleth’s right, and she heard Raphael grunting, probably from the effort of pummeling a monster with his bare fists.
As Byleth kept running, she started to remember things little by little. She dodged an arrow here, a claw there. Stabbed an enemy in the throat on pure instinct. Then it hit her. Sothis! That’s right! If I overuse her time manipulation it becomes harder for me to remember what I needed to change. But why would I be overusing it?
Before Byleth could remember everything, she ran into a small clearing. The fighting was dying down, and she saw her father.
“Oh, hey kid!” Jeralt said. He sounded like they weren’t fighting hell beasts that were attacking innocent students. “Hell of a fight. This area is all clear, though, so it looks like we’re good to-”
“W-wait, please!” A girl’s voice called from behind a cluster of nearby trees.
Don’t wait! Just go! Byleth’s head hurt, her own thoughts piercing her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut to suppress the noise.
“Hm? Someone is still here?” Jeralt walked toward the trees. “Come on out, you’re safe now.”
A redheaded girl peeked out from where she was hiding and looked around. When she was sure the area was monster-free she ran to Jeralt and hugged him. “Oh, thank you! I was so scared when those monsters appeared.”
Jeralt laughed. “Don’t worry, my daughter and her students did most of the work. You’re in good hands. The way back is clear now, so run along.”
“Alright! Thanks for all your help, sir!” The girl said.
NO! Byleth squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the girl’s voice in her head. It kept saying that phrase, over and over. Even now, as her memories came flooding back, she couldn’t count how many times she had seen this sequence unfold.
“Father!” Byleth opened her eyes, but she was too late. Monica held a bloody knife, and Jeralt was on the ground, bleeding. Byleth threw her sword, but she knew it wouldn’t hit it’s mark. A pale mage appeared and deflected her blow, then grabbed Monica and vanished.
Jeralt coughed up blood as Byleth raced to his side. “To think… the first time I would see you cry… It would be for me.” He smiled and reached for his daughter’s face, but before he could reach he went limp. Byleth watched her tears fall on his face. She knew she had done this countless times. Re-lived this moment. Still, she couldn’t help but think that if she was just one step faster, if she tried a little harder, maybe she could make it.
Byleth… I’m sorry. Sothis said, trying to sooth Byleth.
“Send me back.” . Byleth said.
You’ve gone back so many times, I can’t-
“ I DON’T CARE!” Byleth screamed. She stood up and gripped her sword. “Send me back, now. This time I’ll make it. This is a race I can win. I have to win. I will win.”
Sothis exhaled heavily in Byleth’s mind, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that the goddess would agree to send her back. Byleth squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to stop crying. This time, no mistakes.
Byleth opened her eyes. What day was it? Where was she? She looked around, confused.
All around her, people were fighting.