Light and Darkness: A Fire Emblem Three Houses' Story

The Enemy Within, Part Two

Summary:

The Golden Deer students, along with Byleth and Gilbert, break into Miklan's hideout. The group manages to reach their enemy, who defends himself using the Heroes' Relic he stole, the Lance of Ruin. Miklan recognizes Ernest and suggests if the group even knows the boy's origins.

Miklan loses control of his weapon and turns into a demonic beast. Byleth is protected by Ernest, leaving her at the crossroads of whether to fight or help her loved one.

The battle had begun. The siege of the tower had been successful. In truth, it only took Byleth, Gilbert, and a few soldiers to break through. Surely the difficult part would be in the tower itself. Once they entered, the group was ambushed from the door by some thieves. Ernest was ready to repel such skirmishes from the enemy, together with Claude.

The coordination of the two colleagues was extraordinary. Claude began the attack by shooting arrows, and Ernest finished off the thieves from close range, once they were wounded or found it difficult to dodge a ranged attack and another melee attack at the same time.

Meanwhile, Byleth and Gilbert would have passed quickly, just as Leonie, Lorenz, Raphael and Hilda repelled the enemies that appeared from the sides. Gilbert, an armored knight, turned out to be a living battering ram, so the position in front, along with Byleth, made the group advance through the corridors of the tower without further delay.

Eventually, in the main hall was Miklan, defended by archers who repelled enemies from a distance, and swordsmen, assassins and axe-wielding warriors to defend themselves at close range.

At that moment the important confrontation occurred. The soldiers, officers, and students of the Golden Deer class engaged in battle against Miklan's units , while he faced Byleth and Gilbert, using the Spear of Ruin he had stolen.

"It truly is an extraordinary weapon," Gilbert said to Byleth, backing away a little." I fear the heat of this weapon will cut through my shield like butter."

"Don't worry, Gilbert," Byleth replied, glancing sideways. "We must be fast and precise when defending and counterattacking."

As the duo fought against Miklan and were limited to continuing to move, they noticed an arrow sneaking between them to attack the enemy. Claude and Ernest had arrived to join the battle.

"Professor, we come to turn the situation around," Claude said, with a brief laugh despite the seriousness of his face.

"Don't be pretentious, Claude," Byleth responded, then attacked Miklan.

The enemy repelled Byleth by setting his spear on fire. Something was changing in his face. Something was making the man look more and more upset. Miklan examined the group for a few seconds. He found Ernest further back. He couldn't help but recognize it. The enemy just laughed when he saw it.

"Ha, ha, ha," Miklan laughed, with a crazy look. "So, you brought him! Do you think it would be easier this way? I wish my brother and Dimitri knew about the friend they have at the Academy."

"I don't understand what this poor devil is talking about," said Gilbert.

"It's better that you don't know, you'll probably have a heart attack, old man," replied the leader of the bandits. "Better worry about taking him to an infirmary. Looks like he's going to give that kid a heart attack too."

Raphael, who had already advanced, observed Ernest, who froze after Miklan's suggestion. It seemed that the enemy's words had shaken him more than necessary. He took Ernest on his own initiative to protect him. Byleth, observing the situation out of the corner of his eye, had no time to do anything but fight. He used all his strength to defeat Miklan, between her, Gilbert and the students who were approaching, they managed to corner the enemy.

"You have no idea how much power I carry in my hands, you fucking old man," Miklan shouted, making the weapon burn with all its intensity.

At this moment, a strange glow emerged from that Heroes' Relic. From the stone which power flowed into the spear, a series of tentacles appeared and extended to surrounded Miklan . Everyone stepped back when they saw that these extensions were suffocating the man. Then, all that formed a mass that grew, until a demonic beast took shape and emerged from all of it.

"Damn! Miklan has been consumed by the relic!" Gilbert shouted.

"Everyone to their positions to fight beasts!" Byleth ordered, approaching the monster to confront it.

The group surrounded the creature in the way they had practiced with their teacher. Ernest, who seemed to come to his senses, joined the battle. He and Raphael attempted to hit the monster through its blind spot, managing to damage it and attract its attention.

"Confuse thar monster while you damage it!" The Professor ordered again. "Lorenz and Leonie attack his ribs with your spears! Claude and Ignatz, get their attention! Marianne, keep healing whoever needs it! The rest, pay attention! When the beast shows signs of fatigue, we will deliver the final blow!"

The monster put up a worthy resistance against the group. Many were injured on a couple of occasions, requiring care from Marianne and her white magic to continue. Ernest was precise and quick to damage the monster in its tendons, abdomen and neck, causing it to lose blood and restrict its movements. Suddenly, he saw how Byleth had attracted the attention of the beast, who would launch a poisonous attack.

When the monster was about to release its poison, Ernest stood in its way. The jet of that poisonous and corrosive liquid covered him. Everyone was horrified. It looked like the boy's torso had melted. Claude only pointed out that he would live. It was up to Byleth what to do.

Her heart wanted torescue Ernest, but her mind was fixed on the monster. She no longer knew if theenemy in front of her was stronger than the one she felt inside her, in herheart.