The lost sibling

Chapter 10

Horsebow Moon, Garreg Mach Monastery

"How is your eye, brother?" Hubert asked as he came beside me while we waited for Byleth in the classroom. "I'll manage. Though not being able to spar is annoying me" I sighed in annoyance. "Are you able to use magic?" he then asked and I shrugged. At the same time, Byleth came into the classroom and we gathered around. "Flayn is missing, possibly kidnapped and we have been given the mission to find here" Byleth explained and I turned pale. "Just like Monica..." I said and everyone turned to me. "Last year, a student from the Empire, Monica von Ochs, disappeared before her graduation. We searched everywhere but no traces of foul play or any traces of her were found, no matter how much we searched" I explained.

I left the classroom shortly after and headed for the audience chamber. I met Seteth who was beside himself. "I promise you Seteth, we will find Flayn. I will not have a repeat of what happened last year. If I have to turn this Monastery upside down, I will do it just to find her, I swear it" I said as I looked him in the eyes. "That is all I can ask. Please, lend me your aid" he replied desperately. After leaving the audience chamber, I asked some of the other knights and monks, but they were at all loss. One monk in the Cathedral mentioned secret passageways that ran through the Monastery.

"Gathering clues too Leo?" I heard a voice say behind and I saw it was Byleth. "Yes, and I discovered something" I replied. We walked out towards the bridge while I explained what I had been told. We gathered in the Black Eagles classroom to discuss our investigation for the day. No results had been found and I found myself experiencing the same obstacle as I did last year, with having no clues or leads to go on.

After eating in the dining hall, I ventured to the training ground and met Felix. "What happened to your eye?" he asked and I sighed. "Battle injury" I explained as I grabbed my tome. "Didn't know you used magic. Guess you have a few surprises up your sleeve" he remarked. "I can't wield a weapon, so magic will have to do" I replied as I fired a fire orb against a target while Felix watched.

After training for a bit, I left the training ground and headed for my room when I met Hubert. He did not look happy and invited me to walk with him. "Something wrong, brother?" I asked while we walked. "Follow me as I need to speak with you in private" he simply said and we walked towards his room. Once inside, he locket the door and motioned for me to sit down. "So, what did you want to speak to me about?" I asked.

"What happened last year. You said that a student from the Empire, Monica von Ochs vanished without a trace. Elaborate on that please" he said. "Last year, just before graduation, Monica disappeared without a single trace. The Knights of Seiros searched the entire monastery from top to bottom, but we found nothing. I almost tore down walls with my magic just to find her. However, time passed and without any clues or leads, we had to end the search for her" I explained.

"I see. And, since Flayn has vanished the same way, you fear it will end the same way as it did last year, I presume?" he asked and I nodded. "With the way everything is going...I suspect something or someone is trying to make the Monastery their scene for something" Hubert said and I looked out the window. "You really think so?" I asked and he looked at me with the eyes that confirmed my thoughts. "As if I don't have enough problems..." I said and gritted my teeth. "Yes, I can't imagine your situation being a good ones. I got words from my spies that father is planning something that involves you" Hubert explained with a sour expression.

"Halfway tempted to go back to the Empire just to make him stop" I replied. "And how exactly do you plan to make him stop pestering?" Hubert asked and I looked at him. "The law is blunt on the subject of traitors. There is only one punishment. The sentence is Death" I said without holding my anger back.

"Me and Lady Edelgard have plans for the corrupt nobles of the Empire. As much as I want to help you, I must stick by our plan and if you went and something happened, that plan would be harmed greatly" Hubert replied and I nodded. "As the elder brother, what do you want me to do then?" I asked. "For now, rein in your personal feelings. When we deal with the nobles, I will make sure to let you know when we deal with our father" Hubert smiled which made me smile as well. "Very well" I nodded.

In the following days, we kept up the search for Flayn and despite the constant lectures I got from Byleth, I kept up my sword training. Near the end of the month, me, Byleth and Edelgard assembled in the Black Eagles classroom. "Still no sign of her?" I asked and they both shook their heads. Suddenly, Caspar came running into the classroom. "Come quick! I heard screams coming from Professor Jeritza's room!" he shouted and we ran out.

When we entered Jeritza's quarters, we found Professor Manuela unconscious on the floor. "Is she injured?" Byleth asked and I shook my head. "She is alive, but she needs medical attention. She has a stab wound on her body" I said as Professor Hanneman entered. While he and Edelgard carried Professor Manulea to the infirmary, we went to check the room she had pointed to.

We entered a underground corridor and encountered the same masked knight from the Rite of Rebirth. "One of us will die, the other will live. I will enjoy this dance of damnation" he exclaimed and a battle ensued with us against him and his soldiers. "Leo, that soldier has the gate key!" Byleth shouted during the fight and I was on the soldier instantly.

However, before I could end him, an enemy dark mage sent a Miasma spell at me, forcing me back. "Hubert, can you deal with that mage?" I asked and he nodded and started engaging the dark mage. After killing the soldier with the key, I opened the gate and was greeted by more soldiers, mages and an archer included. After dealing with them all, we regrouped with the others that had split up at the entrance and gone to a warp device and pushed our way to the masked knight.

"He's mine" Byleth suddenly said as she aimed the Sword of the Creator against the knight. While they were fighting, I ran over to the unconscious Flayn and the girl beside her and picked them up with the help of the others. Suddenly, a masked individual warped to us and told the masked knight to retreat. "I am the Flame Emperor" he said and then after saying we would meet again, he vanished.

After we came up from the underground chamber, I carried Monica to the infirmary with Hubert carrying Flayn behind me. After leaving the infirmary, I was asked by Byleth to join her as she went to report to Seteth. To keep Flayn safe, it was decided that she were to join our class. After leaving Seteth's office, I went to my room and after changing bandages on my eye injury, I fell asleep.