Edelgard sealed herself inside her room as she is seated near her desk. She stares at the dagger alongside the piece paper and ink

She took one long look at the window as she leans back "Maybe your right Claude...I should be doing the right thing" Edelgard sighed as she looked back at the dagger again as she examines it

She quickly let the dagger go onto the desk while she when through her drawer and opened something with a sound of a click as she pulled out a mask...the mask of the Flame Emperor as she examines the mask

She sighs as she took a deep breath before looking at the window "...no more holding back," muttered Edelgard as she put back to the mask, picks up the dagger and left the room

---------

Claude when into Marianne's room and started searching around 

"Marianne...why! Why do you have to die? There must be something here," muttered Claude 

He searched at least for hours as he continues to attempt to find something linked to Marianne 'suicided' 

"Ah!" Claude screams in frustration  "There must be something here...Marianne...your death will be avenged." Claude searched under her desk as he pulls the drawers open and started to search.  He moved a notebook and flipped to every page.

"Nothing..." Claude sighs as he nearly threw the notebook but instead, he just picks it gently puts it back where it belongs "There got to be something..." Claude heard some footsteps outside "Shoot, I better hurry...before they find her body," 

Claude took a look around the room until he noticed something odd "Hmm? This...Drawer," Claude started to search he drawer as he knocks on the bottom of the drawer

Claude started to smile a bit "Huh, A False bottom...she was hiding something but what?" Claude moves his hand over the bottom until he noticed a hidden switch

He opens it and picks up what inside "Well...what do we have here?" Claude asked as he stares at the notebook 

------------------

"Huh? Where am I?" Mercedes asked as she slowly woke up only to find out that her hands are tied alongside her legs. She looked around the room that she is held in what appears to be a dark gloomy room and right now she on the ground with her normal school uniform.

There was one door which is made out of steel as the walls are solid stone but it appears to be well kept and cleaned.

"How did I get here?" Mercedes tries to recall what happened earlier as she closes her eyes

------------

Mercedes finished placing the flowers she collected onto Ashe grave, however, she noticed a suspicious hooded figure near Ashe Grave after she left. She attempts to call out the hood figure out but that when a hand appeared covering her mouth and before she can react...her light when out.

-------------

"So...I was kidnapped," Mercedes frowned as saw the steel door opened as two people entered the room

The first one was the Death Knight himself causing her eyes to widen as she encountered him two during her time assisting the Black Eagles during their missions 

The second person is a hood figure as its faces covered in darkness alongside having a dark robe that covering the figure body 

Mercedes tries to remain calm as the Death Knight steps forward and straight her up

"...so...you are going to kill me?" Mercedes asked with a fearful look in her eyes as she tries to stare away from the Death Knight 

The Death Knight grabbed Mercedes by the chin and moved her head to face to face "...Mercedes leave the monastery," said the Death Knight

"Huh? What? How did you know my name?" Mercedes stood there shocked as the Death Knight appears to be...caring for her?

"You will be spared if you leave the monastery." The Death Knight let go of Mercedes as he walks back a bit 

Mercedes stared at the ground before looking back up straight at the Death Knight "...and if I don't?"

The Death Knight raises his Scythe "...You will die by my hands,"

"Then I refuse, I will not be leaving my friends behind...if you are going to kill me please...make it quick," said Mercedes as she smiles before lowing her head and she closes her eyes...the sign of accepting death.

"...Mercedes," He tightens his grip on his scythe "Very well by my hands you will die here," The Death Knight raised his scythe over her neck "Good-bye.....Mercedes." The Death Knight let his Scythe loose

Mercedes smiles as she knows that she be with the goddess now 

At least that what suppose to happen as the hood figure blocked the Scythe with a sword covered in black mist in a nick time

Mercedes opened her eyes and looked up

The Hood figure makes a shaking gesture to the Death Knight as the figure withdraws the sword under his black hood.  All she can see inside the hood figure is a void of nothingness...a void of black and grey like fog. 

"Why...why did you stop me?" the Death Knight asked as he turns to face the hood figure 

"...She is your ______. She will not die today nor in the future as long as you everything works as planned, " said the Hooded figure as it extends its hand of grey fog right in front of her 

"You are worthy of my challenge...Chaos," said the Death Knight 

"You require no problem Death Knight," Chaos stared at Mercedes as it hand reaches out causing a chill within Mercedes body  "Mercedes but you will forget whatever just happened here and now, goodbye Mercedes...we shall meet again very soon," Said Chaos as a black void consumed start to consume Mercedes  

Mercedes opened her eyes as she back where was...with flowers in hand, raining pouring and she near the graveyard. She looked around as she places her free hand onto her head for a moment before entering the graveyard 

Mercedes didn't speak a single word as she places the flower onto Ashe's grave.

"May your soul rest in peace Ashe...may you rest in peace with the goddess," said Mercedes as she begins to pray even in the heavy rain. 

The rain continues to pour onto her as her clothes become heavy and soaking wet as she suddenly gets a chill through her spine "...why do I feel afraid? Ashe...are you trying to tell me something?" Her only reply was raindrops landing onto grass, stone and plants 

Mercedes soon stood up straight and started to walk away where she encountered Sylvain who was also soaking wet 

"Mercedes, I been looking for you...umm..."  He put one of his hand behind his neck "You are soaking...wet," said Sylvain who is blushing bright red 

"Yes, I was praying for Ashe soul," said Mercedes as she just looks back at Ashe's grave 

"oh...I see, Ashe....yea," Sylvain sighs as he looks down "Its truly a shame that he has to die so young...he was trying his best to become a knight but...fate decided to become cruel and take his life...Ingrid won't stop crying as it the second time she lost someone close to her," Sylvain's face turns into sadness alongside Mercedes as they both stare at each other

Mercedes spoke up "Ingrid? Is...Ingrid doing well?" 

Sylvain shakes his head "No...she refuse to come out even if she has to eat..." Sylvain looks at the graveyard "I don't blame her, right now her mind is just filled with sorrow and sadness...we just have to give her some space to grief," Sylvain looks back at Mercedes 

"Sylvain, I agree with you, we should just leave her alone for a moment...Sylvain...I scared...what will happen now, I couldn't save Ashe...I couldn't save Ingrid," said Mercedes as out of nowhere Sylvain started to hug her

"Mercedes...if you need someone to comfort you then I am here until the end of my time, don't blame yourself...blame the person who killed Ashe," said Sylvain as he starts to smile a bit at Mercedes 

Mercedes just nods as she embracing Sylvain who is gently patting her back when Mercedes started to cry

"Man...it a bad time for rain isn't it?" Sylvain asked as he stared at the skies above 

"Yea...it is," Mercedes just continued embracing Sylvain 

They both make their way towards the mess hall, unknowingly they were being watched by a hooded figure as it makes its way towards the graveyard and right in front of Ashe grave

The figure rubs it foggy hand over Ashe's gravestone "Forgive Ashe...I need to place you onto a new bed where will be asleep for a long time," said the hood figure as the figure starts to dig up Ashe grave

-----------

Dimitri just stared at the rainy sky as he just enters the garden 

"...I...I failed my promise to prevent one more tragedy and now everyone is suffering thanks to my failures to save Ashe, I failed them as a prince...as a friend and as a classmate, I already failed once...I can't afford to fail again...not one more time...please...I promise you...I make sure that you be avenged, father...mother...Ashe, please give me one more chance, please!" Dimitri begged as he kneeled onto the ground 

"Prince Dimitri..." Edelgard revealed herself in the garden "...are you being haunted?" Edelgard asked as she moves closer to Dimitri 

"Yes, Princess Edelgard...I can't hide it anymore!" Dimitri shouted as he looks up at the rainy sky "The dead kept on speaking to me, haunting me in every turn..." his eye start to water as Edelgard just stared at Dimitri "Every night I feel their souls grabbing on me dragging me, their faces..." Dimitri silenced himself for a moment before turning around to face Edelgard "What can I do Edelgard? To silence the dead? What can I do?" Dimitri asked as Edelgard just looked down to the ground 

Edelgard stepped forward and grabbed Dimitri by the shoulder "I am sorry Dimitri but...I don't have to answer, all I can see is...I have been silenced for too long...I realized that..." Edelgard looks at the sky "I never asked myself if I was in the wrong...my motivation is in the right place but my methods aren't and in fact, are questionable. I realized that I was too much of a hurry to focus on what behind me or bother listening to other people that are just trying to help...I often shove them to the sidelines," said Edelgard 

"El...can you promise that those who lost their lives thanks TWSITD will suffer a painful death?" Dimitri tighten his fist as Edelgard just stared at him for a moment before looking back at the sky

"It can't grant it for sure but if it possible within our grasp then yes, they will suffer a terrible fate...but remember Dimitri, I don't have the answers...all I have is just words, but today...I am going to change everything...no more being used as a tool, no more lies, and after we complete everything then...we can all smile at each other in the future," said Edelgard who smiled a bit at Dimitri 

"If...if we reached that future, You know Edelgard...the future you are aiming for requires tons of fighting...fighting for blood, for our future and our ideologies, Are you willing to commit and continue on your bloody path?" Dimitri asked as he looks down at the ground with a defeated look on his face 

She closes her eyes and looks away "Yes...I already knew from the very start that the burden placed onto me might crush me, how we might start a war where soldiers will be fighting for what we believe in and as much as I disavow it...innocent people...the civilians are going to get caught in the crossfire no matter what either by us or the enemy we are fighting against," said Edelgard "We can't avoid this Dimitri, it either them or us that will light the flames of war," Edelgard opens her eyes to see Dimitri up to her face 

"Yes...more people will be joining the dead, but who will start the war first?" Dimitri asked "Us? The Church of Serios or..." raised her hand in front as she shakes her head 

"All of them...it just a race on who will start the fire first and which one of them will consume in the flames within...in which I have no plans of being burned alive by the flames of war and I can expect the same response from you Dimitri and Claude that you have no plans being burned by the same flames," Edelgard sighed as she pulled out her dagger for a moment and stared at it

"El...I need to tell you something," said Dimitri as Edelgard withdraw the dagger and switched her point of view towards Dimitri 

"Yes, ask away," Edelgard response in a quick like matter

"Professor Hanneman was excused from the Blue Lions...can you ask if Professor Byleth can merge our classes?" Dimitri asked  

Edelgard had a surprised look on his face "Hm? Hemannen got fired from his teaching position?" Edelgard asked 

"Yes, he got fired by Lady Rhea for the failure of protecting a student..."Dimitri sighed and looked to the ground "I don't think I have to explain the rest," 

Edelgard sighed "I think I know what happened to him, as for the merge...I will ask my teacher if we could merge with the Blue Lions...for now, you will have to just wait for a couple of days," said Edelgard 

"...please do...please do...we most likely have a free day afterwards due to the funeral and the need to give everyone a long rest...speaking of which...where Claude?" Dimitri asked as he looks around 

"Don't bother asking, for now, let just get inside the mess hall for some shelter from this rain and...you must be hungry," said Edelgard as she smirks 

Dimitri smiled a bit "Very well...lead the way Edelgard," Edelgard nods as they both exited out of the garden and into the mess hall