In Times Flow

Into the Abyss:

It was dark and cold.

The floor felt slippery, Byleth couldn't tell if it was from water or sewage and quite frankly... She didn't want to know.

All her mind could think of is how she roamed these tunnels as a child with Glenn and Sylvain.

And how there is a ghost...

Supposedly.

If she believed what Glenn told her, but she didn't that was ridiculous there are no such things as ghosts.

"Byleth?" Dimitri called out softly.

Byleth jumped a little, "Y-Yes?" she replied, she could have sworn she heard Sothis snickering in her head.

Dimitri smiled softly, "My apologies, I didn't mean to frighten you" he began "I just wanted to ensure you were alright, you appeared to be lost in thought".

She felt heat rise to her face, "I was not frightened" she said sternly "You just surprised me is all" she concluded.

Dimitri's smile grew wider, "Is that right?" he asked "Because it didn't appear that way" he laughed.

Byleth frowned at him, "I was just thinking is all" she sighed.

Dimitri tilted his head slightly, "Of what?" he asked.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" Byleth asked.

Dimitri's face fell.

Did she say something wrong?

"I- I Suppose so" Dimitri murmured, "Why do you ask?" he questioned.

"Glenn told me once that there was a ghost under here" Byleth replied.

Dimitri frowned, "How would Glenn know?" he asked.

Byleth looked away, "Well, that's simple we-".

"Do you guys hear that?" Claude called out and silence fell around them.

Byleth didn't hear anything, "Ugh" Hilda groaned "This place gives me the creeps" she sighed "You know my Brother used to tell me stories about this place, that it's where people live" she began "Supposedly there's a whole city underneath, hmmm what was it called again?" she murmured.

"The Abyss" Byleth replied.

"Ha! one point for you both" A loud voice called out.

Dimitri looked around, and a large dark-haired man came into view "Identify yourself" he commanded.

Why... Did he look so familiar?

"I'll be asking the questions here" the man said, "Now what brings you surface dwellers to the Abyss?" he questioned.

"We are tracking someone who has been wandering the monastery late at night" Claude called out "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?".

"Enough Claude" Edelgard said sternly "Our business is no concern to them, now let us pass".

A cackle sounded from behind the man, "I Constance Von Nuvelle cannot let you pass" she began "You are here on behalf of the church, which cruelly plots to eliminate us" she concluded.

Byleth frowned at her, "There has been no such motion in the church" she began but was cut off by the man.

"Quite frankly I don't care" he replied nonchalantly "I'm ready to fight".

"I'm not certain this is a wise endeavor" Dimitri murmured.

Claude chuckled, "I was thinking the same, I would say it's time to make a strategic retreat then".