All This Time

Edelgard

"Edelgard, please, stop this.."

Even through everything Edelgard had done, Claude's first instinct was to try and plead with her to stop. Byleth pressed her lips together in preparation, aware of the very real situation that one of them would not leave alive.

"I can't," Edelgard shook her head from side to side. She almost looked like a ram, which were known for being stubborn creatures. It certainly fit her description. "The Crest System must end. You don't have the knowledge to rule this world. Only I do. I will prevail!"

"If you would just tell us, then this would be a hell of a lot easier!" Claude huffed. Edelgard ran towards him first, ignoring Byleth and their call for peace, and she hurriedly swung her sharp axe. Claude went spiraling sideways on his wyvern to dodge her blow. He held his Failnaught up to blade, the weapons clashing ferociously and loudly. "A world built on secrets is doomed to fail!"

Claude flew upwards as she swung at his wyvern, and he gracefully flipped further away. Byleth tensely watched Edelgard from where she stood with her sword drawn.

"My teacher," Edelgard addressed her with a determined glance, and Byleth grimaced at the term of unwanted endearment. Claude tensed up from where he stood. "I had no wishes to fight you, but I will not stand down."

"This doesn't have to end like this," Byleth sighed, knowing her words were futile. Her bottom lip threatened to tremble, but Byleth refused to break down. If Edelgard was strong enough to fight her friends, Byleth would have to be too. Even if she didn't want to kill her. "Please, don't do this..."

"No one will stand in my way. Not even you!"

Edelgard rushed at Byleth, her axe raised. Byleth held her Sword of the Creator to meet Aymr, and she could hear the weapon grind between their weapons. Edelgard brought her arm back to swing her axe once again, forcing Byleth to jump over it. Skillfully, Edelgard raised her axe to block Claude's volley of arrows, somehow managing to hold them both off.

A cloud of purple swarmed Edelgard, and Edelgard gasped in pain as her parts of her armor broke off. Lysithea smirked from afar, casting another spell. Edelgard staggered backwards, but quickly regained her senses as she held her axe to block off Lysithea's next stream of magic.

Her axe slammed into the ground in front of her after guarding, sending giant shockwaves and forcing Byleth to stumble backwards slightly. Claude flew at her as Edelgard swooped towards Byleth, flipping off of his wyvern so that Failnaught could block Aymr from slicing Byleth in two. He skillfully weaved and dodged her attacks, occupying her attention as he managed to shoot at her quickly.

He flipped away from her, and while he was upside down, he shot an arrow at Edelgard. She flung it aside with her large axe, rapidly approaching Claude.

With the lack of distance, Claude couldn't really gain a substantial hit on her. There wasn't enough time for him to unsheathe his Sword of Begalta, so his arrows merely plunked off of her heavy armor. Even so, she knew that he wasn't really trying to inflict giant amounts of damage.

He was trying to be a distraction for her.

Claude turned, his foot stepping out to the right as Edelgard unexpectedly swung from above. Mid dodge, Claude's beautiful emerald eyes widened in horror as Aymr dug into his chest.

Sothis no-

Claude fell to the ground, his dance around Edelgard ended. Blood splattered on the ground as Edelgard sunk it into his chest, and Byleth felt a rage running through her.

Claude-!!!!

Time stopped.

!!!!-edualC