All This Time

Run For Cover

Please, please, work. Don't notice us.

Byleth was dressed in her empire clothing, hoping and praying that they would be able to pass into the Impregnable Fortress. She had a helmet covering her bright green hair that had been braided the morning before they marched. Claude was in front of her, walking confidently.

"In a minute, we'll be attacked," Claude told them. "Rush towards the fortress, alright? We'll open the gates and be in."

"Attacked?" Byleth furrowed her brow in confusion, as did the rest of the Deer. However, she quickly realized he must have had something up his sleeve, and reassured herself and the others. "...Okay. We can do that."

"Okay. Ready...they're here! Go!"

Claude led the troops towards Fort Merceus, holding the Empire's flag above his head as they ran. The troops in charge of the gates looked at their fellow soldiers being attacked, and panicked.

They opened the gates.

Claude tricked them into not checking...

Everyone charged forward, and Byleth neglected to realize that Claude wasn't in front of her until she was inside the fortress. In a panic, she turned around, trying to fight the crowd pushing past her, and she could barely catch a glimpse of an arrow flying straight at Claude.

Her beloved easily twirled his Failnaught, quickly taking aim and firing. Much to Byleth's surprise, Claude's arrow perfectly clinked with the attacker's arrow, stopping them both. Claude charged forward, a determined look on his face as he withdrew his newly acquired Sword of the Begalta, jumping and meeting what looked like...an Almyran general?

Claude pulled away, and after a brief moment, broke into a smile. The Almyran general grinned as well, holding his sword high in the air.

"Just in time, Nader," Claude nodded, meeting the general in a formal handshake. Byleth's lips slowly drew into a smile as she turned around, confident in him to hold his own. "For the Alliance!"

For the Alliance indeed.

We will win!

———

The general of the fortress had fallen.

The Death Knight stumbled backwards on his horse, panting heavily. While his mask always made him look as if he was smiling, he was clearly not as composed as usual. He directed his horse, and they jumped off the fortress together.

Before Byleth could whip out her sword to stop him, he ceased movement and pointed behind him, towards the sky.

"Up there."

For some reason, Byleth looked, and the Death Knight retreated further away. But while she cursed it in that moment, it was a good thing she saw the giant...pillar of light coming from the sky.

"What the hell is that?" Byleth breathed, and she knew she needed to remain calm while everyone else began to panic. "Everyone, run. Now!"

She made sure her Golden Deer were in front of her before taking off. She wasn't quite fast enough, and Byleth shut her eyes as the javelin hit the fortress. Before she could feel the blunt of the blow, a pair of strong, toned arms wrapped around her. They flew several feet forward as the Impregnable Fortress blew up behind them, and the person rolled with her in his arms, protecting her from any harm.