All This Time

The Battle at Gronder

"This...this is so wrong.."

They had finally reached Gronder field after a march. Byleth could see the Adrestian Empire from where she stood, and she kept her steely gaze ahead. Claude stood slightly in front of her, his lips pressed together in a firm line.

As Claude had announced previously, this was the most appropriate place to fight Edelgard's army....and it had also served to provide them with awful memories. Byleth remembered how Flayn had joined, so eager to lend a hand. Lorenz had charged ahead while everyone had to bail him out. The last time they'd fought here, it had been for fun.

Now, they would fight to the death.

None other than Edelgard herself stepped out from behind her armored troops, immediately attracting attention due to her bright, crimson armor. As soon as she appeared, a man with long, raggedy hair and a long blue cape stepped out. He had an eyepatch covering one of his eyes, and he held a spear with ferocity. Subconsciously, Byleth reached forward and squeezed Claude's hand. He looked just as surprised as she did.

That...that can't be...Dimitri, can it?

It looks just like him...

"I thought he was dead," Byleth whispered in confusion, her voice cracking. Oh, Sothis, thank you. Now we can save him...! Claude could only shake his head in surprise.

"I thought so too...Teach, we need to pursue an alliance with him. Now."

Before any movement could be made, a catapult of seething, raging fire flew past Claude's makeshift base, and his soldiers scattered to avoid the flames. Yet still, as the ground burst into flames, people were screaming in terror and pain. Claude rushed to an Alliance soldier who had been struck, a distraught expression on his face as he tried to quell the flames. Fire had always been Edelgard's favorite tactic, and today was no different. There was no time to try and discuss with Dimitri; they were in the middle of a battle! Byleth quickly hurried to Claude's side upon seeing the pained look on his face.

More flames fueled everyone's panic, and fire came so close to Claude he could feel the searing heat of it. Byleth quickly pulled him upwards, dragging themselves away from the fire. The ground erupt into a blazing inferno behind them. Byleth glanced over, watching Claude's face desperately try to remain calm. For the first time in...ever, really, she was witnessing him mad. His lip quirked upwards every now and then. Byleth could scanned the area, her eyes widening as Edelgard caught sight of her.

"My teacher," Edelgard acknowledged her presence, and Edelgard looked surprised that the she was alive. Byleth could only stand there in shock. She didn't hate her student, but...this girl...this foolish girl... Claude instinctively stepped in front of her protectively before Byleth could react, and Edelgard sneered. "I thought you were dead."

"Don't talk to her," Claude snapped before Byleth could respond again, a deadly look in his eyes as he stared down Edelgard. Byleth had never seen him so threatening before. His joking tone was gone as he glared at the Emperor of Adrestia, the cause of this foolish war. "You don't deserve it."

"Edelgard!" The feral man that Byleth assumed to be Dimitri bellowed the Emperor's name, a look of rage in his once calm eyes. "You will die. Know that I will tear your head from your shoulders! The dead must have their tribute."

"...as big class reunions go," Claude subconsciously reverted back to his joking nature as he drew his gaze away from Edelgard. He needed to remain focused...but Byleth worried for him. She knew this broke his heart... "This one's gotta be the worst one in history."

"Years ago, we fought here as classmates," Edelgard replied elegantly, her steely gaze never leaving Byleth. She held the handle of her sheathed sword tighter, feeling uneasy. Edelgard suddenly looked regretful as she continued to watch Byleth. "...But not today."

A silence overtook the area as the three former house leaders stared at each other. Byleth could tell that Claude wanted to reason with both of them, but they both knew he would get nowhere. The determined expression on Edelgard's face and the animalistic, inhumane look that consumed Dimitri was enough to tell them that he'd be wasting his breath.

Behind him, Byleth readied her sword. She knew he needed her to be stalwart, so she expertly unsheathed her powerful blade.

We have to end this war.

For the Leicester Alliance.

For my Golden Deer.

For my Claude...

I have to fight.

There was an unsheathing of a blade, revealing Dimitri's long and piercing lance. It was followed by his feral battle cry as he exclaimed;

"Kill every last one of them!"