Fire Emblem Three Houses: Wanderer

Breakdown

Arrows flew past him as Byleth charged at Claude, who's face twisted into a mix of confusion that Byleth is here but relief Byleth is alive. Both of which, upon Caspar's realization that Byleth was charging with his blade drawn, turned into rage at Byleth's betrayal.

Byleth's mouth formed into a twisted, broken smile as thoughts rushed through his head.

Edelgard was gone and, he believed, despised him with all her heart. There was no going back.

Food had lost all flavor so he could no longer distract himself with such pleasures any longer.

Rhea was trying to kill him. His friends from the church wanted his head.

His father had died.

He had no leads on those who killed his father.

He falsely thought that his poor health made him a burden to his allies.

He wanted only for his suffering to end, and he believed, hoped even, Caspar would provide him that end.

Hilda looked in shock as Ashe charged, shooting a mage that was planning to scorch Hilda alive with fire.

"Ashe is it really you?" Hilda demanded, "It's good to see you! Is that the professor? Has he lost his mind?!?"

"I don't know probably!" Ashe exclaimed, "But I'm glad your OK. Where's Claude?"

"Getting back up," Hilda explained, "But the professor..."

Hilda watched in horror, unable to intervene as Byleth charged, unhinged, striking down a paladian with his blade before dodging an arrow from an archer who survived his rampage. He extended his blade as Caspar sighed, "I'm sorry it had to be this way. I'll miss you, professor."

Caspar threw a nasty uppercut that grazed Byleth's cloak, ripping it and missing him by an inch as he countered, stabbing Caspar's knee.

"Rhea is our enemy," Byleth pleaded, "But Edelgard is not an ally. You don't have to do this. I..."

Byleth broke down, crying, "I can't kill you."

"I'm sorry," Caspar sighed, "But I have my orders. I do this for the greater good!"

Caspar charged to kill Byleth, only to be hit by an arrow in the head, killing him.

"Professor!" Claude cried out joyfully as he lowered himself to the ground from atop his wyvern in the skies above, "It's been to long friend!"

Byleth couldn't speak. Wouldn't speak. Seeing his old friend Caspar dead on the ground, the thoughts that made him desire death, the strain on his body from lack of nutrition, and finally, looking into Caspar's lifeless eyes cause Byleth's physical and mental state to collapse entirely.

Byleth vomited from stress, the bile a pinkish red color that mixed into the pool of blood from Caspar's corpse. The horrid stench of blood and bile caused Byleth to vomit again, now he wept and laughed hysterically, unable to react properly to the all consuming despair he felt as his vision blurred. Everything began to become hazy and it became hard to think.

Claude caught his old friend, saving him from falling into the blood, staining his pants in the process, "Hey hey, easy buddy. Breath. Breath."

Claude turned and yelled, "Hilda! Get a doctor!"

Hilda began to comply before Ashe replied, "I'm faster! You guys tend to him!"

"Breath," Claude pleaded, "Breath. In and out. It's OK."

Byleth's eyes closed.

"You have to be kidding me!" A voice exclaimed as Byleth awoke in a dark but familiar place, a girl's voice echoing, "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Byleth conceded, "I don't even know anymore."

"Fooey!" She cried out, "We have to stop my daughter! Wake up!"

"What if I just..." Byleth sighed, "Didn't?"

Why wake up?

What was the point anymore?

To be a useless burden?

A freak with no heart beat.

A useless parasite who would never avenge his father.

They would be better off without him.

All of these thoughts are blatantly lies from his depression. Not one of them is true.

"Byleth..." the voice begged, "Please. I care about you. Wake up. Please wake up..."

Edelgard sighed, standing on the Alliance border with the Black Eagel Strike Squad. Petra informed her, "Caspar did not have the victory. Caspar has left us."

"He's..." Edelgard asked.

Petra nodded.

"Begin plans for an assault," Edelgard replied, "And if we run into the professor, we take him alive. Understood?"

Petra nodded and left.

Edelgard sighed, looking at an old picture of Byleth she drew.

"Shall I tend to the matter Edelgard?" A grim voice inquired.

Edelgard, flustered, hid the photo, "Hubert! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I asked shall I go receive your little boyfriend myself," Hubert inquires, "Kidnap him and return your little boy toy to you?"

Edelgard slapped Hubert in a rage, "How dare you imply this is only about sex! He's not my boy toy! He's my equal! He's the man I love!"

Hubert rubbed his face, which was sore from the slap, "My apologies Edelgard, I did not realize your love for him was true. I see now you truly do love him as a person. Shall I bring him home then?"

"Yes," Edelgard sighed, "You are to sneak behind enemy lines, and bring home the future emperor of my kingdom. I wish for Byleth to rule by my side as my equal."

"Then he shall," Hubert replied, walking away.

Hubert muttered as he was now alone to think, "So she truly does love him. Would've been easier to just kill him if he was a tool to her but this is a deep, true love. Not lust. Killing him is not an option. Then again, I already knew their love was true, but it would've been much easier to kill him."

Hubert chuckled, "Such a shame. I suppose I must return him alive. At least it shall make things interesting..."

Finally, as all these events transpired, Rhea glared at Dimitri and demanded, "You will tell me where Byleth is this instant!"

"You know what?" Dimitri growled, "I don't need you. You stay away from my friends, and you stay away from me. You're on your own Rhea."

Dimitri clenched his fists as Rhea cried out, "This means war do you hear me? War! The church will destroy you!"

Dimitri ignored her and left, leaving Rhea in a rage. She blasted the wall with an intense beam of magic, shattering the bricks.

Catherine entered, "Lady Rhea? Is everything alright?"

"Dimitri betrayed us," Rhea growled, "Tell the others. You certain it was Byleth?"

"100%," Catherine replied.

"Then tell the others to prepare for war," Rhea demanded...

End of Part One: Drifting Allegiances

Start of Part Two: Emerald Skies