A/n: You guys probably already know the drill...

*NOT PROOFREAD*

This is the last chapter of the game but not for this story. There will be one more after this. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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The 1st of the Verdant Rain Moon...

Claude and Byleth met Rhea on the Star Terrace.

In her weakened state, the archbishop still managed to smile when she saw the men. "I am happy to see you two..."

"Sorry to interrupt your rest," Claude apologized. "But there are some things that we absolutely must ask you."

"It seems I do not have much time left. I do not intend to hide anything any longer," she confessed.

Byleth remained silent after hearing the shocking news.

Claude, on the other hand, needed the answers he sought before it was too late. "Rhea... I have to ask. You're the Immaculate One, aren't you? If what I'm thinking is correct, that's what the children of the goddess is referring to. In other words, you—"

Rhea interrupted. "I am the last child of the progenitor god. A long time ago, the progenitor god came from somewhere far away and descended upon this continent. She changed her form to resemble that of a human and gave her own blood to birth her children. To protect her children, she created the pterolykoses from the elements. The progenitor god and her children shared knowledge and skills with the people of the land while the pterolykoses remained hidden in the shadows to protect them if harm were to befall them.

Together, they built a prosperous civilization. But the humans turned their backs on the teachings of the progenitor god and engaged in senseless wars. Eventually people began to think of themselves as gods and challenged the progenitor god herself to battle. The land was scorched in the war that ensured and the majority of humans were annihilated. I believe that those who slither in the dark are the descendants of those who retreated beneath the ground during that time."

"So they had been waiting all that time for their chance at revenge..." Claude muttered.

"It took the progenitor god an astonishing amount of time to revive the ravaged world. But eventually, the continent found peace again, and the progenitor god, having fulfilled her duty, fell into a long slumber in the Holy Tomb. The children and pterolykoses who stayed behind built a settlement in Zanado to protect the Holy Tomb as they quietly lived out their lives," the archbishop explained. "But then...Nemesis and Acheron appeared, bringing tragedy along with them. Even now I cannot forget the sight...of that massive canyon, painted red with blood...

I was never able to forgive those who proudly wielded weapons crafted from the corpses of my brethren or armor forged from the bodies of our protectors. I was the only survivor of Zanado, or so I had thought for many years, and all I could do was wander across Fódlan clinging to my desperate desire for revenge. I called myself Seiros, fostered the founding of the Empire, and prepared to oppose Nemesis, Acheron, and their followers. It was only then did I hear of the surviving pterolykoses."

Claude was flabbergasted. "Unbelievable..."

"I put Zanado behind me to gather the remaining children and pterolykoses who were scattered across Fódlan... Finally, we killed Nemesis on the Tailtean Plains, and I took back the Sword of the Creator. Alas, Acheron had become too powerful from consuming the hearts of the pterolykoses. We combined our strength and sealed him away."

The duke had to pause for a second to wrap his head around the information. "Let me get this straight... Saint Seiros...is you?! You're kidding me, right?"

Suddenly, a Knight of Seiros enters. "Professor. Claude. There's something you need to hear right away..."

"If you have something to report, do so at once. There is no need to let my presence worry you," Rhea said.

"As you wish..." The knight responded. "We're receiving a constant stream of express messengers from cities to the east. They claim that an unidentified military force is attacking and that there have already been a large number of casualties."

"What?!" Claude gasped, eyes widening.

"The reports indicate that the cities and towns along the East Gronder Thoroughfare in the old Hrym territory have already been destroyed. Some villages were razed completely, leaving no survivors..."

"Dammit!" The duke seethed. "Did they come from Shambhala? Could it be that there were some remnants of that wicked group hiding there? Or is it...Acheron?"

Just then, Hilda and another Knight of Seiros enter. The knight was quick to share the information she knew. "I have a report! The unidentified military force has crossed the Great Bridge of Myrddin! Alliance forces met them in battle, but it seems they have already broken through!"

"They've already made it so far. Is Count Gloucester unharmed?" Claude inquired.

"The count is fine, but apparently my brother joined with reinforcements and was gravely injured by some weirdo in scary-looking armor," Hilda answered.

"That definitely has to be Acheron."

"I don't think it's just him," the warrior said. "They say one of the enemy generals has a weapon that resembles the Sword of the Creator. Even my brother was powerless to stop him..."

"The Sword of the Creator?" Byleth asked in shock.

"That's not possible..." Claude mumbled. He then recalled what Presea told him after their battle with Edelgard. "Wait a minute..."

"What is it, Claude?" Hilda questioned.

"Presea mentioned how the Hero's Relic Edelgard wielded was a mere imitation. Perhaps there are more copycat Heroes' Relics out there, and those who slither in the dark are the ones behind their creation."

"It would make sense," Byleth said.

"The enemy forces are flying a banner bearing the Crest of Flames as they continue their march west along the Airmid River," the knight stated. "We believe they're marching toward Garreg Mach. We are preparing to meet them in battle."

With their reports finished, Hilda and the two Knights of Seiros leave.

"A weapon that resembles the Sword of the Creator...  The Holy Armor of the Guardian...and banner bearing the Crest of Flames... There is only one explanation," Rhea began. "The one leading the enemy force...is Nemesis and Acheron. The brothers have reunited."

"Nemesis? That Nemesis? Do you really think the ancient King of Liberation has been brought back to life?" Claude wondered.

"Perhaps the seal was broken when Shambhala fell... An incredible power that we children nor the pterolykoses cannot hope to match dwells within the blood of the progenitor god. Nemesis obtained that blood, so it would not surprise me if that were the case. And Acheron... After so many years of consuming the hearts of the pterolykoses, he truly has become a powerful being."

"The blood of the progenitor god..." Claude hummed. "That's right, he and his brother did take the remains from the Holy Tomb, didn't they..."

"From the blood of the progenitor god, Sothis, he acquired the Crest of Flames. From her bones and heart, he crafted the Sword of the Creator," the archbishop explained. "And Acheron went to do nearly the same with the pterolykoses, possibly out of jealously because his brother wielded the Sword of the Creator. He too wanted to match Nemesis' strength and believed the pterolykoses were the perfect target."

"The Sword of the Creator is made from her bones and heart?" Claude asked.

Rhea nodded. "The heart of Sothis is the Crest Stone that was placed in the Sword of the Creator. The same is true of the Crests of the 10 Elites and the other Crest Stones... They were born of the blood and hearts of the progenitor god's children. Those who slither in the dark created them. Stole them. Sothis never gifted that power to the humans."

"The Crests of the 10 Elites, the Crest Stones, and the Heroes' Relics... So what Presea told us was all true. I didn't believe she was lying, but it was a hard story to swallow. But now, hearing it from you...I can't believe those who slither in the dark made them all. And after that, Nemesis used the Sword of the Creator to massacre all of the progenitor god's children and the pterolykoses in Zanado... In other words, the citizens of Zanado were killed by weapons made from the remains of their brethren, and the bodies of the pterolykoses were harvested by Acheron to forge armor simply because he was jealous... How atrocious. But I don't get it... The Sword of the Creator that Teach wields doesn't have a Crest Stone. So how is Teach able to wield its full power?"

Rhea gazed at the professor. "The Crest Stone of the progenitor god...dwells within your professor."

Claude gaped in shock at the revelation.

The archbishop continued. "After I battled with Nemesis and Acheron as Saint Seiros, I reclaimed the heart of Sothis. I wanted to use that heart to...resurrect her. Even though I had to do some...questionable things to achieve that goal, I wished to see Sothis...my mother...once more."

Byleth placed a hand over his chest. "You placed her heart in me?"

She nodded. "Yes. I believed that if I could resurrect my mother, I could regain all that had been lost..."

Claude managed to push the shock aside in order to speak. "So...that's the truth of it, and it also explains why Presea wasn't wary of you when we first met."

"I suspected that your body housed the consciousness of Sothis. Those suspicions were correct. And yet, she merely gave you her power and vanished... My dearest wish did not come true... But you did inherit the power of the progenitor god. Now, you must use that power to defeat Nemesis and Acheron once and for all. Fódlan's blood-stained history...must end," Rhea weakly said.

Rhea was escorted back to her room by a knight.

Claude pressed a hand against the side of his head. "So, Teach has the heart of the goddess and my fiancée is a descendant of those who protected her children. And now, some jealous maniac wants to harvest her heart and bones just so he can rival his own psychotic brother... I really have met some strange people in my life, but you two take the cake. A good strange, that is."

"Speaking of Presea," Byleth spoke up. "How is she?"

The duke smiled. "She's still unconscious, but she'll be fine. Now that our business with Rhea is done, I can visit her. See you later, Teach."

Leaving the Star Terrace, Claude headed to Presea's room. He entered her quarters and gently closed the door behind him. Even though he had heard the report from the knight, he needed to relax after what happened in Shambhala. He decided to take the day off and wait for his fiancée to wake up.

Taking off everything but his white dress shirt, pants, and shoes, he sat on the edge of the bed. Peering down at the sleeping woman, he noticed the tears cascading down her cheeks. Cupping her cheek with his hand, he wiped a single tear away and caressed her face with his thumb. "Don't cry, princess," he whispered. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

<————————————<<<<<

The following day, Claude attended a meeting to discuss Nemesis and Acheron. The moment it concluded, he returned to Presea's room. He checked on her before sitting at the desk to tend to some paperwork. He was so absorbed in the paperwork that hours had passed. His hand was beginning to cramp and he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open. With his fave rested against his propped-up hand, he fell asleep.

By the time he woke up, Claude felt the blanket that was placed over his shoulders. Wondering who had put the blanket over him, he turned to the bed to see it was empty. He then proceeded to look around the room. There was no sign of Presea. Figuring she had left the room, he stood up to leave.

Just as he went to open the door, someone pushed it open. He took a few steps back to avoid being hit. He wound up hitting his lower back against the desk, wincing from the small jolt of pain from the corner digging into his spine. He rubbed the sore spot as he saw who had walked into the room. "Well, it looks like the princess woke up. And here I thought a kiss from a dashing prince like myself would be needed to wake you up."

Presea, with a tea tray in hand, rolled her eyes with a smirk. "We are definitely not a fairy tale couple. And did you seriously just call yourself dashing?"

Claude smiled confidently, tugging at the collar of his attire. "I did. Don't you agree?"

"Someone has a lot of confidence..." She muttered. "But, that isn't a bad thing. I do agree. Dashing does suit you well." She set the tea tray on the small round table she had located by the window of her room. "So, is Prince Charming in the mood for one of his favorite blends, or should I send this back?"

"I am rather thirsty," he said. "Let's enjoy it together."

They say at the two chairs around the round table.

Presea poured two cups of tea before presenting the cookies she made. "The dining hall is quite low on a few ingredients, but I did manage to make some orange marmalade cookies."

Claude felt his stomach grumble when he saw the fresh-baked cookies. "It's like you know when I'm hungry."

"I figured you would be," she replied. "You've been asleep for a couple of hours, and you tend to be hungry when you wake up."

"Heh, you know me like nobody else, princess." Claude took a sip of the chamomile before eating a cookie. "And your baking is amazing as always. Let's not forget his you brew a mean cup of tea. I feel spoiled whenever you make me anything." He held up his arm to reveal the bracelet she made before gesturing to his earring. "You make me the most stylish man in all of Fódlan."

"They're only small gifts," she said.

"You might think they're small, but I don't," he remarked. "You made this bracelet and earring just for me, and I know you always put all your love into everything you make. That's just one of the things I love about you."

She kept her eyes focused on the golden deer bracelet. "I was surprised to see you still wearing the bracelet after five years. I thought you would've gotten rid of it, along with the earring."

"There is no way I would ever throw them away," he stated. "During those five years without you, I almost convinced myself that you were dead. Seeing this bracelet and earring always brought my hope back that you were alive somewhere. Every time that hope was reignited, I tried looking for you. Of course, I failed every time. You're very good at hide-and-seek."

"I would've gone to find you in Leicester, but someone had to watch over the professor," she sighed. "It was a difficult five years, but we both made it through."

"And now we're engaged," Claude smiled. "Once Nemesis and Acheron are dealt with, we'll finally have some time to arrange the wedding. Is Hilda really going to be the maid of honor?"

Presea laughed. "Yes, she is. I'll make sure she keeps her axe at home."

The couple enjoyed the cookies and tea.

An hour later, their tea time was interrupted by a knock. Presea was about to stand up and answer the door, but Claude insisted she remained seated while he delay with the person. He opened the door to find one of the Knights of Seiros standing outside. He knew exactly why the woman was here and handed over the paperwork he completed hours ago.

With a heavy sigh, Claude returned to his seat across from his fiancée. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair.

"Someone needs a vacation," Presea commented.

He opened his eyes. "A vacation does sound nice, but  I'll be busier than ever after our final mission. Reuniting Fódlan, returning to Almyra..."

"So you are returning home. I was wondering what you were going to do."

"I trust Teach to handle everything here in Fódlan, but I need to return to Almyra. Once all of Fódlan is reunited, someone has to keep Almyra in check. What better person than the king himself?" He shrugged. "Well, not king yet. I'll need to go through the coronation ceremony first, then I can call myself a king. Sometimes I wish we could push aside royal protocol and just skip the ceremony, but then I would miss the perfect opportunity."

Presea's brows furrowed. "What perfect opportunity?"

"To tell all of Almyra about my soon-to-be wife and their next queen."

She had been eating a cookie and nearly choked on it. She took a quick sip of her tea to clear the food from her throat.

Claude smiled as he watched her promptly pour herself another cup of tea. "You didn't think I would be leaving you in Fódlan, did you?"

She plopped two sugar cubes into her cup. "N-No. Even if you told me to stay in Fódlan, I would still follow you."

"You're part of my dream. I would never leave you behind." He reached out his hand and placed it over hers, squeezing it gingerly. "I need you by my side, and no one could replace you."

Presea entwined her fingers with his, smiling. "I need you too, Claude. Ever since that day you saved me, I've needed you. Out of all the people the goddess could have sent, she chose you and I am so grateful. I wouldn't have wanted it to be anyone else." She then grinned. "Even though you got me addicted to peaches."

Claude chortled. "I take full responsibility for that. I'll make sure we have plenty of peaches when we return to Almyra."

She giggled. "I look forward to it."

<————————————<<<<<

At the end of the month, it was time for their last mission. The Golden Deer and Judith were gathered in the meeting room to discuss what they would do once they confront Nemesis and Acheron.

"What's the plan, my friend?" Claude asked Byleth.

"We will defeat Nemesis and Acheron," the professor declared.

"I thought you'd say that. And of course, I'll be joining you. What about the rest of you? Our enemies are monsters of legend. As always, there's not a shred of proof that we can win."

"A foolish inquiry, Claude. I must finish what my father started," Lorenz said.

Hilda looked over at the man. "Started? Your father ran away before the battle even began."

Lorenz tried to explain his father's actions but couldn't. "I...well. All the more reason why I, as his heir, cannot flee now!"

"I'm in," Hilda claimed. "I need to get back at them for hurting my brother and Pressy. I'm not going to let them get away with it!"

Ignatz was taken aback by the warrior's determination. "Wow... Hilda's serious about this!"

Lysithea shared the same resolve as the fuschia-haired woman. "I too will fight until the end. I wish to protect Fódlan's future."

"I feel the same as Lysithea," Leonie confessed. "It would hardly be fitting for Captain Jeralt's apprentice to bow out now. I'll show them everything he taught me."

Marianne pushed past her shyness to answer the duke. "I...I will give it my all as well! For the professor, for Claude, and for all of you who helped make me as strong as I am now!"

Raphael pumped his fist. "I'm in too! And when we're done, I'm gonna eat tons of steak to celebrate!"

"I refuse to let Nemesis or Acheron lay waste to Fódlan any longer," Presea chimed in. "They must be dealt with and I refuse to stand on the sideline. I will fight for not only us but for all of Fódlan."

"This truly is the final battle..." Ignatz sighed. "At this point, you shouldn't have to ask, Claude. You know we're with you."

"I do know that, Ignatz. But I had to ask just to make sure," Claude responded.

Judith huffed out a chuckle as she glanced around at the members of the Golden Deer. "Heh. Look at how reliable you kids have become. You've trained them well, Professor. This Nemesis guy and that psychotic brother of his should be arriving soon. Is everyone ready?"

"It's finally time," the duke said.

"Let's win this... Together!" Byleth hollered confidently, sparking even more determination within his former students.

Claude smiled. "I'm on board with that. Let's all make it through this alive. Let's defeat these dusty old bandits and put an end to this history of lies. Once we've done that, there'll be nothing holding us back. A new and brighter age will begin. Let's go, my friend! Fódlan's new dawn awaits!"

With those final words, they left the monastery and marched east to intercept Nemesis and Acheron.

Along the way, Presea found herself gazing up at the sky while marching alongside her allies. When the entire army came to a halt to take a short break, she sat on top of a large rock. She peered up at the canopy, peeking through the leaves and branches to watch the clouds sail by. It was peaceful yet she felt concerned gnawing at her heart.  She was confident they would take down Nemesis and Acheron but couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen. She groaned, scolding herself for feeling such negativity.

"Is everything all right?"

The snowy-haired woman looked away from the sky and towards the owner of the voice. "Everything's fine, professor. I'm just worrying for no reason, as usual."

"About the upcoming battle?" Byleth inquired.

She nodded. "But I guess it's normal for worrying thoughts to plague one's mind when a dangerous mission lies ahead."

"It is," he replied. "Although this mission is our most dangerous yet, I believe we all will make it out alive."

"I wish I was as optimistic as you," she muttered. "It would help with the concerning thoughts."

"If there's any way I can help, don't hesitate to ask. I also know Claude would move mountains for you. If I were to speak honestly, I think he would move much more than that for your sake."

She laughed. "He really is my soulmate. The goddess couldn't have sent a better man my way. No offense, professor."

A rare smile appeared on Byleth's face. "None taken." He glanced to the trees behind her and saw the duke had been eavesdropping from the shadows of the foliage. "I would say to tell Claude that, but he already did."

Presea followed the professor's line of sight. Peering out from behind a tree was the duke himself. "Eavesdropping again?"

Claude emerged from his hiding spot with a groan. "You sure know how to blow my cover, Teach."

"I know you didn't intentionally eavesdrop," Byleth said. He took a step back towards where the others were resting. "I leave her in your capable hands, Claude. You're the one who always knows how to take the best care of Presea."

"Leave her to me," Claude smiled.

The professor left.

The duke made his way around the large rock to stand in front of the woman. He placed a hand on his hip with a sigh. "And here I thought Teach was flirting with you."

Presea scoffed. "You know he wouldn't do such a thing. Besides, I think he has his eyes on Lysithea. To be honest, I thought you had a small crush on her when we were attending the Officers Academy."

"Think it was because I described my crush to you as someone with white hair who knows how to use magic?" he asked.

"Exactly."

"Not once did you think it was you?"

"Nope," she answered honestly. "Lysithea was the first and only person who came to mind. She does seem perfect and I admire her skills in battle. I bet she could handle Nemesis and Acheron by herself with those amazing casting skills she has. I wouldn't be surprised if she could blow up an entire mountain..."

"I think you're both amazing, but..." Claude joined her on the rock and sat beside her. "Lysithea isn't the peach-loving, kind-hearted, selfless girl who saw me at my worst when I was a kid. She wasn't the one who tried to cheer me up whenever I screwed up or help me sleep at night when nightmares haunted me. That was all you. I'm surprised you never got sick of me."

"I could never get sick of you," she smiled. She held out her left hand to display the engagement ring. "I wouldn't have said yes otherwise. You are a man full of surprises. That scheming mind of yours has made my life ten times more interesting than it would've been if my family was still alive."

Claude smiled warmly as his eyes drifted to the canopy above. "Think your parents would be liked me?"

"I think the entire tribe would've loved you," she answered. "I probably would be having to fight them all off because they would be trying to steal you away from me."

"They may not be around any longer, but I want to visit the coast with you to see where you were born. I want to pay my respects to those who raised the beautiful, amazing woman I fell in love with."

"I'd be happy to take you," she replied. "When we get the holy armor from Acheron, I wish to bury the remains in Munira as well. I think they will be able to rest more peacefully in such a place."

"Munira..." Claude parroted the name. This was the first time she mentioned her village by name. He beamed when he knew what the name meant. "Bright, illuminating, brilliant... I bet such a place truly was beautiful and luminous."

"You could see the prettiest sunsets from the beach," she sighed dreamily.

"Now I really want to visit."

"We'll see it together after we finish this mission." Presea slid off the rock.

Hearing their names being called by Judith, the couple returned to the others. With everyone well-rested, they continued their march.

Soon, they arrived in a swamp.

Claude saw movement in the distance and spotted the two faces of the men they were hoping to find. "Nemesis and Acheron are here...and with more soldiers than expected."

Hilda glanced at the flooded landscape when she sensed something was off. "A swamp, huh? But there's something about it... It looks odd somehow."

"It also smells strange," Presea pointed out.

"I don't smell anything," Leonie said.

"What do you smell, Presea?" Ignatz asked.

"It smells foul... Almost like a toxin. A natural poison is odorless, but one creates from magic gives off a putrid smell," she answered.

"You do tend to smell things we don't," Claude commented. He looked over at the swamp just in time to witness an Agarthan soldier step into the shallow water. He grabbed at his throat with a pain-stricken expression before his body corroded into nothingness. The duke winced at the sight and looked away. "Never will I doubt your sense of smell, Presea."

Said woman scanned the battlefield. "The mage who poisoned the water must be somewhere among the enemies' ranks. We find them, we can purge the swamp of the poison. In the meantime, let's avoid the swamp."

"Is everyone ready?" Claude asked.

"Let's do this!" Raphael chanted.

"Then let this be the final battle before ushering in the new dawn!"

Presea accompanied her companions into battle. They made their presence known to their enemies and the battle was underway. She blasted through a couple of soldiers before her gaze locked on to Acheron in the distance. She saw him wearing the incomplete holy armor with a sinister smirk as he stood beside Nemesis. What shocked her was neither he nor his brother moved. It was as if they were both waiting for their prey to come to them.

Deciding not to engage the brothers, she joined Marianne in wiping out a few soldiers and mages. While she skewered a soldier with ice, the snowy-haired woman received a strong whiff of the poison. Wondering where it was coming from, she scanned her surroundings. She located a gremory moving between the trees not too far from her current position. She wondered if the memory was the source behind the toxic waters of the swamp and quickly pursued the woman.

Presea caught up with the gremory just as the woman rendezvoused with a dark knight. In the knight's hand was what appeared to be Areadbhar, the Hero's Relic containing the Crest of Blaiddyd. She wasn't surprised to see a copy of the lance after witnessing Edelgard using an Aymr replica. Although it was a duplicate, it was still powerful and a threat.

She set her sights on both of them. Smiting them with lightning, she caught them off guard and pushed them back. The dark knight yanked on the reins of his horse after he recovered and charged at her with Areadbhar at the ready. The gremory also targeted her with a spell. Sensing a familiar presence, she gave her full attention to the gremory. She dodged her spell and conjured her own. A large sphere of miasma surges forward from her palms towards the gremory, hitting her square in the chest. With a painful cry, the gremory fell to the ground and into the poisoned water. She gasped in horror and pain as her body corroded into nothingness.

Behind Presea, Claude fired a barrage of arrows at the dark knight. The assailant managed to slice through a few, but not all. The remaining arrows pierced his key and knocked him off his horse. The attack was just enough to kill him. Claude watched as the man's body disappeared. A strange black orb floated where the enemy once was. The duke was curious as to what it was and hopped off Albus but stopped when Presea yelled at him to not touch it. "What is it?" He asked.

"It's a dark enigma," she replied. "It's the same spell that almost killed me five years ago in Remire Village." She kept her eyes focused on the miasmic sphere for a few seconds before looking down at the replica of Areadbhar. The moment she bent down to pick up the fake Hero's Relic, the dark enigma surged forward in her direction.

Claude noticed the dark enigma targeting her and reacted quickly. He tackled her to the ground just in time. The dark sphere of miasmic magic collided with a tree and evaporated. He sighed in relief seeing it was gone. "Looks like Nemesis isn't the only one connected to these commanders."

Presea, with Claude's help, got back to her feet. "What are you talking about?"

"Nemesis has this strange connection with these commanders. Marianne believes Acheron has created them to protect Nemesis. They have some magical connection to him. With this one gone, only six remain. If we get rid of the remaining aux commanders, targeting Nemesis and Acheron will be easier," he responded.

She glanced at the ancient brothers. They still refused to move, believing they would not have to raise a finger just yet. "These commanders are just like those dark mages. They're puppets being controlled. It would be easier to go to the source of the spell than take out each commander, but..." Her eyes focused on Acheron alone. "It would be difficult to get to him since he is with Nemesis."

Claude turned her gaze away from the younger brother by placing his hands on her cheeks. He stared into her cerulean eyes. "We can't have another surprise like that dark enigma again. Since we don't know how many of the commanders possess one, stay away from them and focus on the other enemies. I don't want to lose you."

She could see the worry in his emerald eyes and hear it in his voice. "Okay."

"Claude! Pressy!" Hilda suddenly shouted. The couple looked over at the warrior as she rushed over. "We have a huge problem! Flying demonic beasts are flying in from the south!"

The duke sighed, his hands returning to his sides. "We get rid of one problem only to encounter another..."

Presea heard the screeches of the demonic beasts. In the distance, she saw them closing in on the battlefield. With a confident smile, she grinned at Claude and Hilda. "They aren't the only winged beasts around. I'll deal with them."

Claude nodded. "It'll also be a good way to keep the remaining commanders away from you. We'll do everything in our power to wipe out the remaining elites before they can get to you."

"All right. Be careful, you two." Presea transformed and took to the sky with a mighty howl. She flew towards the winged demonic beasts and conjured a spell. Two large fireballs manifested from thin air. Hurling them towards the larger beasts, they hitters marks. It wasn't enough to knock them out of the sky, but it did singe their skin and scorch portions of their wings.

Flapping her wings as fast as they could carry her, she flew directly toward one of the demonic beasts. She needed to tear off its armor to gain access to its weak spot. She rammed her body into its own and knocked it out of the sky. She flipped their positions to ensure its body would slam into the ground, not hers.

Its back collided with the ground with the pterolykos pinning its body down. The wolf slashed her sharp claws at the armor and managed to tear through it as if it were paper. She went to strike its now unprotected head to make quick work of the beast, but the second one swooped down and used its legs to kick her away. She whimpered when its sharp talons slashed the flesh and fur along her side as her body rolled across the ground.

Presea recovered with an annoyed growl. Conjuring a myriad of icicles, she hurled them toward the demonic beast that remained in the sky. The sharp icicles impaled its body and sent it stumbling backward. Its wings were shredded and it could no longer fly. It fell from the sky, crashing into the once toxic waters of the swamp.

She needed to focus on only one. If she count, she wouldn't be able to kill either of them. She returned to the first one she had pinned down. It was nearly back on its feet when she returned to finish it off. With a howl, a large and brilliant lightning bolt descended on the demonic beast. It pierced the top of its exposed head and traveled through its entire body, frying it from the inside out. With a final painful screech, it was dead.

The second demonic beast wasted no time attacking her after seeing its fellow beast killed. With tarnished wings, it stood on its legs and fired at her from a distance. The wolf dodged the attack and performed the same strategy. She tore off its armor with her claws and used magic to attack its weak spot. Within minutes, the second demonic beast was dead.

She heard a frustrated cry from a dark bishop not too far from her current location. She also heard the sound of another demonic beast approaching. She glanced between the dark bishop and the flying creature as it was heading straight for the battlefield.

"Claude!" She shouted, connecting to him. "Take out the dark bishop!"

He was almost halfway across the swamp when he heard her voice in his head. He looked in her direction to see her flying towards another approaching demonic beast. His eyes then trailed over to a masked man in black and gold robes. Grabbing Albus' reins, he commanded the wyvern to fly as fast as possible towards the dark bishop.

As Claude drew closer to the dark bishop, he raised failnaught and fired a single arrow. It soared through the air and pierced the man in the back directly between the shoulder blades. The arrow wasn't enough to kill him, but it did make him lose his concentration. The demonic beast he had called upon retreated once the magical connection severed. The duke fired another arrow. This time, it struck him in the chest when he turned around. The dark bishop gurgled as he fell backward. "Argh... Thales!" He cried out before dying.

After defeating the dark bishop, Claude witnessed the remaining Agarthan soldiers retreating. "Now he can't call any more Demonic Beasts. And the remaining forces of Shambhala have been defeated too." He lowered failnaught as Presea landed beside him. He smiled up at her large form. "Looks like I really didn't need to worry. You sure know how to take out the trash when it comes to demonic beasts."

"They aren't exactly the smartest creatures," she replied, he lips not moving.

The duke huffed out a chortle. "Okay, this whole telepathic link stuff is really going to take some time getting used to."

"You and me both..."

Just then...

"Professor! Claude! All the subordinates to Nemesis and Acheron have been eliminated!" Lorenz shouted across the battlefield.

Claude was more than pleased now that they would be able to approach the ancient brothers. "It took some doing, but now's our chance to face off against Nemesis and Acheron!"

Once regrouped, everyone charges towards Nemesis and Acheron. The two brothers prepared themselves for the upcoming clash.

Presea completely ignored Nemesis. Her sole focus was on Acheron and the holy armor he wore. Reverting, she dashed towards him with her palms set ablaze. Beside her were Marianne, Raphael, Lorenz, Cyril, and Ignatz. She was surprised to see all of them would be helping her deal with Acheron. She thought they would've been more focused on Nemesis, but she was overjoyed to have them by her side in this battle.

With all her strength, Presea manifested a large fireball. Morphing it into a flaming vortex, she sent it towards the younger brother. She was taken aback when the holy armor glinted and a strange but weak power emitted from it. The flame vortex she had created vanished.

She stopped her approach, surprised her magic was extinguished. She met Acheron's menacing gaze as he laughed sinisterly. She froze when Lorenz and Cyril ran past her. They attacked the man and nipped away at his health, but it wasn't much. He easily blew both her friends away with a gust of wind. Ignatz and Marianne kept their distance like her while Raphael tried to attack him head-on.

She watched Raphael stand strong against Acheron. As he fought, she tried to think of a plan. It didn't take long for her to figure out they would have to strip the ancient bandit of the holy armor. All she needed to do was to think of how to do just that. Once his armor was gone, she could strike.

Running towards Lorenz, she snatched the dagger that was attached to his horse's saddle. He caught a glimpse of her and gasped once seeing what she took. "What is the meaning of this, Presea?!"

"My magic is useless against him. We need to rip that armor off him!" She hollered back.

"I'll help, Lady Presea!" Cyril announced.

"I want to help as well!" Ignatz yelled.

"I'm all in!" Raphael shouted as he knocked Acheron back with a punch to the jaw.

"Me...too!" Marianne joined.

"I will not stand idly by! Let us combine our strengths!" Lorenz declared.

Presea smiled at her friends. "Then let's get this bastard!"

With the dagger, Presea ran towards Acheron. She dodged his spells by sidestepping and placing barriers around her and her friends. Lorenz, Cyril, and Raphael we're the first ones to strike the ancient bandit in quick succession. Marianne and Ignatz remained at a safe distance and used their attacks to stun the man.

Seeing the barrage of attacks was too much for Acheron, Presea ran towards him with the dagger. She managed to get directly in front of him and jam the blade into the bones of her people. She released the hilt and took a couple of steps back.

Acheron growled at seeing the dagger jammed into the holy armor. He batted her away with his hand, sending her to the ground with a shriek. Marianne gasped in horror while Lorenz, Cyril, and Raphael tried to attack the man again. However, everyone including Marianne and Ignatz was blown away and injured by one of Acheron's powerful miasmic spells.

The bandit looked around with a satisfied smirk when he saw everyone but Presea unconscious. He raised his hand towards the woman and created a dark enigma. "Now it is time for the holy armor to be completed."

Across the way, Byleth and Claude were facing off against Nemesis. Their other friends had retreated at the duke's command when he realized the Fell King was weakening. "That one seemed to work... We're almost done! Let's go, my friend."

Byleth rushes at a smirking Nemesis. The two clash swords and the professor dodges an attack from the ancient king. An arrow shoots at Nemesis, but he dodges the attack with ease. "You are a foolish child," he sneered, menacing eyes boring into the brunette.

"Tough talk from a guy who's lived too long," Claude remarked. "Allow me to fix that!"

Nemesis silently stares at the two. Suddenly, he attacks them by using his sword as a whip. Byleth and Claude dodge the attack. The professor then rushes at the man, clashing swords with him, which is interrupted by Claude shooting another arrow at Nemesis. It misses him as Byleth dodges a swing from his sword. "You are all pathetic weaklings!" Nemesis hissed. "You lack the courage to challenge me in lone combat. Not even my own brother could stand against me."

Claude readies another arrow. "Yet we have the strength to scale the walls between us, to reach our hands in friendship, so we can open our true hearts to one another!" He fires the arrow into the air. "That's how we win!" He charges at Nemesis with a war cry but is knocked down.

As Nemesis attempts to strike Claude, he is intercepted by Byleth, who charges with the Sword of the Creator glowing.

Nemesis, in turn, charges at Byleth with the Dark Creator Sword glowing. Claude, still on the ground, watches with a smile on his face.

As his sword is about to clash with Byleth's, the arrow Claude fired earlier reappears and pierces Nemesis' arm. Byleth uses his sword to slash the Fell King across the chest as the Dark Creator Sword is broken into pieces. The man gurgles as he knew he had lost. His eyes darted over to his brother just in time to witness him cast the dark enigma. With a weak yet menacing grin, he spoke. "I...may have lost...but my brother...has prevailed..." Nemesis falls to the ground dead.

Byleth lowered the Sword of the Creator at hearing the man's final words. He quickly looked over at Acheron and Presea just in time to hear the woman's painful cries. His eyes widen in horror.

Claude had also heard Presea's painful wail. His own eyes also widened with fear. His heart thrummed wildly in his chest as he pushed his injured body off the ground. He and Byleth tried to attack the ancient bandit but were knocked back.

Acheron cackled at the men. "You're too late. The holy armor shall be complete and I will be immortal!"

Lifting his head, Claude shakily tried to get to his feet. His horror-filled eyes fell upon Presea as she clawed at her chest. Fear paralyzed him as he helplessly watched Acheron stalk towards her. He reached for failnaught, but he was too weak. He gritted his teeth in frustration, clenching his fists tightly. "If you touch her..."

The ancient bandit stopped. He glanced down at Claude. "Watch me as I harvest the heart of the woman you cherish deeply, Duke Riegan. You shall know true pain once I finish her."

"Stop...!" Claude feebly shouted. He dragged his body across the ground a few inches before being unable to move any longer.

Byleth was in the same position as Claude. He was unable to stand and couldn't use the Sword of the Creator. He watched helplessly as Acheron stood in front of Presea.

Standing before the woman, Acheron grinned sickeningly. "There is no reason to fight the dark enigma. You will never be able to fight it." He reached out his hand towards her when her body slumped against the ground and her painful screams ceased. His hand hovered a few inches from her chest when it was grabbed. The man's eyes widened in bewilderment. "What...?"

Presea lifted her head to reveal her eyes as they turned gold. She tightened her grip on his arm, her nails digging into his flesh. Golden marks appeared on her cheeks, forehead, and other exposed parts of her body. Slowly, she stood up. "Did you really think you could try the same trick on me twice?" Playing her other hand over her heart, she extracted the dark enigma from her body. Holding it in her palm, she focused her magic and transformed it. The dark whisp changed into a bright white. "Have a taste of your own medicine, Acheron." Without wasting time, she jammed the light enigma into his chest.

Acheron gasped and grunted in pain. He stumbled back, grabbing at his chest. Cracks started to form along his body, light seeping through them. He tried to get away from her when she approached him. "H-How...?" he sputtered feebly, widened eyes focused on her. "Th-This power..."

Presea remained silent. She watched him struggle to breathe. Satisfaction slowly built up inside her as she witnessed Acheron's body begin to fall apart. The cracks continued to expand before shattering. Body part by body part, his being was shattering like glass. "Cursed...wolf..." Acheron muttered. Those were his final words before his entire body shattered into shards. The holy armor he once wore clattered to the ground.

Presea fell to her knees. The golden marks retreated and her eyes returned to normal. Her vision was blurry. She had not only exhausted her magic but her soul as well. She hung her head, only to witness her fingertips were transparent. Slowly, her body was beginning to fade.

"Pres!"

She lifted her head with what little strength she had left. A smile bloomed on her face at seeing the face of the man she loved. His body was littered with injuries "Promise to go see a healer, okay?"

Claude tried to grab her hands. It was at that moment he realized her body was disappearing. "Wh-What is...?" Her hands were gone, but that didn't stop him from trying to grab them. "Wait, hold on..."

Her smile never faltered. She was to touch him but couldn't any longer. "Claude, it'll be okay."

"How?" He asked, eyes never leaving her. "Y-You're...disappearing and there's nothing I can do! There has to be something I can do, right?! I can't lose you!"

She saw tears forming in his eyes but refused to let her own fall. "There is one thing you can do."

"Please, tell me," he choked out. "I need you and I'll do anything."

"Find me..." She whispered before her body vanished.

Claude stared blankly, his body petrified. Tears continued to trail down his cheeks. Her final words echoed in his mind like a bell ringing constantly.

The grand duke remained in his stunned state until Byleth walked over to place a hand on his shoulder. Snapping out of the stunned trance, Claude dried his tears and got to his feet. Only then did he hear the Alliance Army cheering victoriously.

"Claude," Byleth called the man's name, his voice just an octave above a whisper.

Inhaling deeply, Claude turned to the professor. He tried to not think of Presea as he spoke. "Future historians will refer to this day as the new dawn of Fódlan. Of that, I have no doubt."

Byleth turns around and tries to manage a smile, but he couldn't. Instead of saying anything, he reached his hand out to the duke.

"It's up to you now Teach. As for my path..." Claude grabs the professor's hand. "It takes me down a different road. My hands will be full for a while, but I trust that Fódlan will be in good hands."

"I will do everything in my power to ensure peace," Byleth proclaimed.

"I know you will." Claude turned to the holy armor that lay on the ground. Slowly, he walked over. Picking it up, he gazed at it.

Byleth also joined him and eyed the armor. "What will you do?"

"Do as Presea wanted—bury the armor in Munira, the village she was born in," he responded. "But first, I need to find my queen."