All This Time

The Downsides of Divine Pulse

"Teach, are you alright?"

Claude eventually had to get up and away from Ferdinand's body in order to signal that they had won the battle. Immediately, the Leicester Alliance's flag rose high into the sky, along with an order to surrender. Wisely, the Empire's soldiers all laid down their arms; their lives would be spared now.

As all the corpses were carried away, Claude slowly turned to his Teach. She was trying to carry a strong expression, but he could tell she was hurting. He pushed aside his sorrow for Ferdinand and rushed to her, holding her up as she collapsed into him.

"I...I told you how I can turn back time, right?" She gasped out between breaths, struggling to keep herself upright. Claude nodded, a worried look on his face. "Well...that power doesn't..just come without a price. It takes a toll on my body, but I'm normally fine. I just needed to use it...more than I'm used to today."

"Teach.."

"It's not because of you," She quickly blurred out upon seeing the distraught look on his face. "Your plans were brilliant...It's just that I was trying to save everyone. Sacrifices are inevitable, but I just thought that I'd try.."

He nodded quickly, swiftly lifting her into his arms. She closed her eyes as Claude held her, resting her head against his chest.

"Don't push yourself that hard," Claude chided her sternly, an upset look on his face. "I'm glad you tried to save everyone. I really am. But if you go down...it will all be for nothing, you know that. Only take what you can handle."

"I will," She responded, and he continued onwards. A figure in front of them looked extremely worried and sorrowful. It was Ingrid, with her verdant cape and blonde hair flowing in the wind as she looked out into the distance. Claude called out to her, concerned.

"Ingrid, are you alright?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. I was just thinking of something Dimitri had once told me..." Ingrid turned around, immediately cutting herself off once she caught sight of her injured professor. "Oh, pardon me. I should help you get our Professor to safety. I shouldn't be mourning anyways."

"No need," His Teach stopped Ingrid, gesturing to Marianne, who was running towards them. Instead of looking relieved, his Teach had a look of confusion on her face. "Mourning?"

"For his Highness," Ingrid sighed, making his Teach gasp loudly. Claude looked away. He hadn't realized that she had no idea that he had passed.

"How!?" She demanded to know, unconcerned with her own safety. Even as Marianne began to heal her, his Teach wouldn't stop questioning. It was obvious that she was hurting from the news. "I won't believe that. Dimitri is smarter than that-"

"He was captured and executed by the Empire," Ingrid responded when Claude remained silent. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about it. Perhaps if I had been there, I could have saved him..."

"Edelgard helped kill Dimitri!?" His Teach growled, immediately fighting her way out of Claude's arms. Not expecting her to move, Claude almost dropped her as she stood. "How the hell could she do that to a classmate! As if starting this war wasn't enough, she had to execute someone who she knew!?"

"Look at what you just did to Ferdinand," Ingrid sighed. At this, both Claude and his Teach winced. They had tried so hard to recruit him... "Do we have a right to speak like that?"

"We had no choice," Claude responded, still upset over Ferdinand's pointless death. Dorothea had to be comforted by Hilda and Lorenz as they dragged her away from the noble's body. "He wouldn't stop fighting us as a result of this bloody war. The war that Edelgard started."

"How could she do this!?"

Claude really felt where his Teach was coming from. When he had first found out about Dimitri's death, Claude had raged and cursed out Edelgard's name again and again. Now, enough time had passed to where he could talk about it, even though it still infuriated him. But even though he was mad, he had to be strong for his Teach.

"It's alright," Claude hurriedly wrapped his arms around her, half to comfort her, and half to make sure she couldn't hurt anyone. "I mean...it's not. But we're going to avenge him. We're going to end this war so that no one else can get hurt."

"What will you do if one of us is killed, Claude?" Ingrid questioned, her lips pressed together in a thin line. "I will die for our cause. If I need to die for us to succeed, so be it-"

"No," Claude took a deep breath as his Teach's breath hitched in her throat. "We aren't losing anyone on our side. I promise. Not again."

"...I will cut down anyone who stands in our way," His Teach concluded, a solemn look on her face. She had already decided that no matter who stood on the other side, she would end them. "No one is going to stand against us..."

"No," Claude disagreed with her as well. She flashed him a look of surprise. "We will always offer mercy and surrender. If we fight her with the same ruthlessness, we'll be no better. I doubt anyone will take us up on our offer, but...We need to try."

"...Okay," He could tell his Teach wasn't thoroughly convinced, but she obeyed simply because she trusted him. Ingrid nodded as well, but his Teach had to voice her concerns quickly. "But are you sure, Claude?"

Claude nodded.

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Not just the people we knew and will had to fight, but everyone."