A few days after the events that transpired at the chapel, Byleth found himself reading Jeralt's diary. As he flipped through the pages and read various entries, he heard footsteps and closed diary. Turning around, he saw Claude enter his father's room. The professor could see the terrible toll Presea's death had taken on the house leader. There were bags under his eyes, his clothes were wrinkly, and his hair was unkempt.

Regardless of his appearance, Claude forced a smile as he placed a hand on his hip. "I thought I might find you here, Teach. Not the type to wallow in solitude, eh? That's a relief, let me tell you." He took note of the item in Byleth's hands. "So... What were you reading?"

The professor held up his father's diary for Claude to see. When the brunette saw what it was, his eyes widen in surprise. "Is that Jeralt's...?"

"Diary," Byleth said.

"So it is. Hey, maybe this has some entries from when Jeralt left the monastery."

"It does."

"Is that so..." Claude looked down at the ground before meeting the professor's gaze. "He was the captain of the knights, but something made him leave the monastery in a hurry. If it has something to do with your birth, knowing what happened may get us closer to knowing what secrets the church is hiding..."

"It would be tremendous help if my father's diary did contain such details," Byleth said.

"Teach..." Claude bowed his head. "Would you mind letting me read that diary? I know how important it is to you, but I'm not asking lightly. Please, allow me to borrow it. While it may contain what we're seeking, I also wish to read it to...distract me."

The professor, after hearing the house leader beg, nodded and handed the diary over. "You may borrow it, Claude."

A weak smile appeared on the boy's face. "I'm forever in your debt, Teach. If you'd refused, I would've had to sneak in here in the dead of night. I wasn't looking forward to the prospect. Anyhow, let me fill you in on what's been going on lately, and not just as thanks for pointing me to that diary. Rhea dispatched the knights to various locations in a frantic search for the enemy. There's a rumor that she's already secured some information. Something big is gonna happen soon. That had me wondering... If you find out where the enemy is, what will you do about it?"

"I could ask you the same question, Claude," Byleth retorts. He couldn't even bring himself to say Presea's name, knowing it would cause the brunette to shut down mentally. This was the longest the professor heard Claude talk to anyone after Lady Rhea formally announced the girl's death alongside his own father's.

"I know Pre-" Claude cleared his throat, catching himself before he could enunciate her name. "I know she wouldn't want me to seek out revenge. When we were little, she always told me revenge was never the answer. I don't want to forsake what she taught me, but there's a part of me that wants to see the person who struck her down feel the same pain she did. But what about you? If you ask, I... No, scratch that. All of us students would gladly lend a hand. Even if that means going against Rhea's wishes. Don't forget it."

"Claude..." Byleth felt the same way about Jeralt. There was a part of him that wished to see the annihilation of his father's killer, but there was another part that told him revenge wasn't the answer.

Claude, once again, forced a smile. "Now go. Everyone's worried about you. You'd better show them you're in good spirits. I know I can't..." He whispered the last sentence to himself. The professor nodded and left the captain's quarter. The house leader remained behind, staring down at the diary in his hands. He gripped it tightly with a grimace before leaving the room. Unbeknownst to the boy, the one person he missed dearly was hidden in the infirmary down the hall.

<---------------<<<<

(A/n: I hope this next part isn't confusing😰)

Inside the infirmary, Presea sat on one of the beds. Lady Rhea, Seteth, and Flayn stood a few feet away. She looked between the trio in bewilderment, having only awoken a few minutes ago. "How did I get here?"

"Claude carried you from the chapel to the infirmary," Seteth informed her. "You've been unconscious for four days."

"What happened during the mission? All I remember is saving the students from the demonic beasts, but after that... It's blank."

"Jeralt was murdered and you were struck down by magic that hasn't been seen in over a millennium," Lady Rhea explained. She held out her hands, revealing a globe of light entrapping a dark wisp. "Though you had no pulse, we were able to extract this from your heart."

Presea reached out toward the orb and tapped her finger against it. The wisp began surging around inside the orb in a desperate attempt to escape. "What is it?"

"It is known as a dark enigma. Its purpose is to consume the heart of its victim and kill them in order to inhabit their body. I have only seen one person use this spell," the archbishop grimly claims.

"Acheron..." Seteth said.

Presea was even more confused than before. "Acheron?"

"The younger brother of the King of Liberation, Nemesis."

The girl's eye narrowed in Lady Rhea's direction. "You've been rather secretive since Claude and I approached you about the Holy Armor of the Guardian. It wouldn't happen to have to deal with Acheron, would it? That would explain why we came up empty-handed. Tons of books mention Nemesis, but none of them even mention him having a younger brother."

Flayn glanced at Seteth and Lady Rhea. "We should tell her the truth about us and Acheron. It would be for the best."

Lady Rhea sighed, knowing she had no other option. She stared into Presea's eyes and warned her. "What you are about to hear must never be heard by human ears."

"Hold on..." Presea's eyes widen, her gaze bouncing between the trio. "What do you mean "human ears"?"

"Lady Rhea, Flayn, and myself are not humans. We are known as Nabateans," Seteth said.

The snowy-haired girl gasped. "That means you three are..."

"Children of the Goddess," Lady Rhea finished the girl's sentence. "When we learned who you truly were, we were overjoyed. After defeating Nemesis, we searched for the Pterolykoses that managed to escape the battle at Zanado. Eventually, we stumbled upon Acheron. Known as the Bloody Huntsman, he dedicated his life to hunting down your people to create the Holy Armor of the Guardian."

The cerulean-eyed girl was frightened but also curious as to why he targeted her kind. "This armor... What's it made of?"

"Just as the Heroes' Relics are manufactured from the bones of the Children of the Goddess, the Holy Armor of the Guardian is constructed of the remains of Pterolykoses," Seteth answered in Lady Rhea's stead.

Presea felt a chill creep down her spine. Her body grew cold after learning the truth. "D-Did you kill Acheron?"

Lady Rhea shook her head with a regretful frown. "We were only able to imprison him."

"Why couldn't you kill him?"

"In the process of assembling the Holy Armor, Acheron consumed the hearts of the Pterolykoses he captured. Such a vulgar act gifted his body with the formidable magical abilities of your people, making him impossible to kill," Seteth replied. "Lady Rhea was still healing from her wounds, but with what little strength she had left, she imprisoned Acheron in a hidden temple deep underground."

"Solon mentioned the Holy Armor during the attack on Remire Village. Could this mean...someone has freed Acheron?"

"It is highly possible," Seteth stated. "It would also explain why you became a target alongside Flayn. If Acheron knows you're alive, he will be able to complete the Holy Armor and become even more powerful."

"And where does this dark enigma come into the story?" Presea inquired.

"Acheron used a spell of his own creation to subdue his targets and prevent them from fighting back. This made claiming their hearts and bones a simpler task. Fortunately, your will to live was stronger than the enigma. This granted us the time to remove it from your heart."

"And the strange man who attacked me at the chapel knew such a spell. If Acheron is the only one who knew of such an incantation, we can confirm our enemy is working alongside him."

"It seems my worst fear has come to light," Lady Rhea said with a horrified expression. "We must act accordingly and cautiously knowing such an adversary has allies."

"In the meantime, you are to remain here," Seteth ordered the younger girl.

"What?" Presea gaped. "Why?"

"You are still recovering from the extraction. And also...your classmates have been informed of your untimely passing."

Presea flew to her feet, her anger flaring. "You told the people I cared about the most in the world I was dead?"

"Presea, please, calm yourself," the archbishop said. "When Claude brought you to the infirmary, your heart was no longer beating and the entirety of your class were pale with shock. In order to keep them from prying, I announced your passing and Jeralt's."

The girl shook her head frantically. "No! You could have told them about the dark enigma and left out the rest! Instead, you told them I was dead!" She felt tears of frustration and anger stream down her cheeks. "I-I can't even imagine what emotional turmoil Claude's facing, especially after what we shared the night of the ball..."

Flayn looked away, guilt-stricken. "I'm so sorry, Presea."

"No," she sighed with a shaky breath. "It's not your fault, Flayn."

"What will you do now?" Seteth pondered.

"Set this straight. I want you both to explain to my classmates and the professor why you lied. Tell them about the dark enigma and nothing else. My lips will remain sealed about everything else, as well." Presea marched toward the door and reached out to open it. When her hand wrapped around the knob, she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "I do have one more question."

"Please, do not remain silent," Lady Rhea urges her to continue.

"I fell into the same trance again, but the only Hero's Relic that was present was the Sword of Creator. Tell me... Is Byleth another Nabatean?"

The archbishop shook her head. "No. Your professor is quite special, though. Upon his birth, I placed the Crest of Flames inside him to save his life as per request of his dying mother. The Crest missing from the Sword of the Creator is the one residing inside the professor. The mother was a vessel intended host the spirit of Sothis through her Crest of Flames. Once the Crest was placed in the child, he was given life."

Seteth's and Flayn's eyes widen. They hadn't known the truth until now of Byleth's nature. "Lady Rhea, you..." The man began, but his voice trailed off.

"That explains why his scent is the same as yours," Presea concluded, not hearing Seteth's words. "It's weak, but it's there."

Lady Rhea's eyes widen. "Is this true?"

"Yes."

"Oh, this is most wondrous! When the professor was able to wield the Sword of the Creator, I was still apprehensive if our mother truly resides within him. But now, I am most positive." The archbishop walked up to Presea with a smile. "Please, bring your classmates to the audience chamber within the hour. I will share the truth of what transpired at the chapel and formally apologize to them."

"Thank you," Presea smiled back. She opened the door and ran to the Golden Deer classroom. It was only a few minutes past the time Byleth began his weekly lectures and knew she would be able to find everyone gathered there.

When she reached the classroom, she saw the doors were open and nervously stood in the doorway. She scanned the classroom and eyed the students and professor, whose backs were facing her. From where she stood, she could feel the heavy atmosphere surrounding the Golden Deer. Urging herself forward, she stepped into the classroom and nervously spoke up to grab everyone's attention. "U-Um, everyone?"

A collective gasp resounded throughout the classroom as the students and professor turned toward her. Now that they were all looking at her as if they'd seen a ghost, she wasn't sure what to say.

The first person to react was Raphael. He leapt from his seat and ran toward her, scooping her up into his burly arms and hugging her tightly. "You're alive!"

"Ugh..." Presea groaned in pain from how tight Raphael was holding her. "I-It's good...to see you...Raphael."

Everyone flew out of their seats and rushed over. Lysithea stared wide-eyed at the girl. "How is this possible?"

"You were...dead," Hilda said. "Y-You had no heartbeat!"

Raphael released the girl, allowing her to speak. "Lady Rhea has summoned you all. She wishes to explain and deliver a formal apology."

"Then we best head for the audience chamber. I am intrigued by what Lady Rhea has to say," Lorenz stated.

"Then we better not keep Lady Rhea waiting," Leonie said.

As the students shuffled out of the classroom with their professor, the only two who remained were Presea and Claude. When they were alone, she bit her bottom lip and rolled it between her teeth before deciding to look at him. When she saw he was still in shock and hasn't budged an inch, she immediately looked away. "I don't even know where to start..." She clasped her hands together, fiddling with her fingers. "Well, maybe I do. I could-"

Suddenly, she was pulled into a warm embrace. She could feel Claude's arms shaking as he held her. Slowly, Presea lifted her arms and hugged him in return. She wasn't sure why, but her eyes began to brim with tears. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his uniform, crinkling the material along his back.

"You're real, right?" Claude finally spoke. "Or am I dreaming right now? This has gotta be a dream. I'll wake up and you'll be gone."

"You're not dreaming, Claude," Presea softly replies. "I'm right here, and I'm sorry for what you've gone through these past few days."

"What happened?" He asked, pulling back slightly to stare down at her. Presea explained what Lady Rhea had told her about the dark enigma. Claude, after hearing the explanation, was even more puzzled. "So this "dark enigma"... Where is it?"

"Lady Rhea has it trapped. She wishes to learn more about it before destroying it."

"I don't know..." Claude expressed his doubts. "Keeping it alive sounds more dangerous than trying to learn what it is. It almost killed you."

"I don't like it, either," the young girl responded. "But if we're able to find out more about it, maybe I could learn how to protect myself from it. For now, let's head to the audience chamber."

"Before we go..." He muttered, which Presea heard.

She tilted her head slightly. "What is it?"

Claude kept an arm wound tightly around her waist as he cupped his finger under her chin. He tilted her face upward and leant forward, placing his lips on hers and kissing her amorously. The kiss lasted for only a few seconds before the couple pulled apart from one another.

With a tender smile, Claude placed his forehead against hers and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "Hope you're not sick of me just yet because I'm not allowing you to leave my side."

"Oh, please," Presea huffed with laughter, grinning from ear to ear. "We've been together for thirteen years. If I haven't gotten sick of you by now, I doubt I ever will."

The house leader chortled with a closed-eye smile. "Good to know because those four days without you were the worst days of my life."

The girl's smile fell. The guilt she felt earlier returned. "I'm sorry, Claude."

He opened his eyes, shaking his head as he pulled her into his arms once more. "It's not like you asked for your heart to be consumed by a dark enigma. But I do want to find out more about this weird trance you experience to prevent it from happening again. I don't think my heart could handle it. Seeing you rush in and be struck down is still an image I can't get out of my head."

Presea wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head on his shoulder. "I wish I knew how to control it. What frightens me the most is my missing memories. Am I choosing to forget or is it a side effect of the trance?"

"Don't worry about it," Claude said, entangling his hand in her snowy locks and combing his fingers through. "For now, let's go see Rhea. There's so much I want to say, but I'll hold my tongue this time. And then, you and I are gonna be spending a lot of time together. After all, wallowing in grief these past four days have taken years off my life."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Presea giggled. "You're pretty resilient."

Claude leaned his head against hers, grinning as he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "I try to be, but when it concerns you... Not so much."

"I'll make it up to you in anyway I can. Just name want you want. I'll do anything."

One of Claude's brows quirked up. "Anything?"

"As long as it's reasonable," she clarifies.

"I'll have to think about it for a while." He broke the embrace, took her hand, and escorted her to the audience chamber.

<---------------<<<<

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Presea had spent every day with her fellow Golden Deer. She spent most of her time with Claude, who took her out on the town a few times to get away from the academy for a short while. As per request from the house leader, they even ventured a little ways outside of Garreg Mach to enjoy the beautiful scenery that was blocked by the towering walls. They'd found a large tree on an island in the middle of a gleaming lake and watched the sun set before returning to the monastery.

The next day, the couple was invited to tea. Byleth wanted to spend some time with them and decided to do so over a warm beverage and sweet pastries. The students noticed their melancholic professor seemed to be returning to normal little by little as the days went by. Presea tried to cheer Byleth up with a joke but wound up causing Claude to laugh and choke on his tea in the process. She patted his back as he was consumed by a coughing barrage, which resulted in a smile to blossom on the professor's face. Seeing the smile, the girl knew she achieved her goal.

When the day of the mission arrived, Claude and Presea were enjoying some alone time together when they overheard one of the knights mention spotting Solon and a few others in the Sealed Forest. The two exchanged glances before rushing off to search for Byleth. They located him in the entrance hall where they promptly informed him of what they overheard.

"Teach!" Claude shouted, grabbing Byleth's attention. "Tomas... I mean...Solon and his lackeys. Their whereabouts have been discovered. Apparently they're lurking in the Sealed Forest, not too far from the monastery. Rhea has called back all of the knights who were out searching to round them up. Seems like it could take some time for them to make it back here...but she didn't ask for our help."

"It is rather suspicious behavior on Lady Rhea's part," Presea spoke up.

"Why keep it a secret?" Byleth pondered.

"Perhaps to prevent you running headfirst toward revenge?" Claude shrugged his shoulders. "It's only natural that you would leap at the chance for it. Anyone would. I know I would've if I hadn't learned Presea was actually alive."

Then, the trio was interrupted by the archbishop and her chief aide. Rhea stared at the students and professor with a scrutinizing gaze. "No. I will not allow it."

"This discovery comes just when the knights are at their busiest," Seteth said. "It is all too likely that our foes revealed themselves to lure you out there. They are the ones who took Jeralt from you and nearly claimed Presea's life, as well... I know you must despise them, but I must ask you to rein in your personal feelings for now."

Byleth grimaced at him and the archbishop. "You can't stop me."

"Please, Professor," Lady Rhea begged. "Do not act carelessly. I ask that you leave this to us. Losing you so soon after losing Jeralt would be unbearable."

"Listen, Rhea. Erm..." Claude quickly corrects himself. "Lady Rhea. This move is the most strategic. The military strategy I'm devising will soon echo across Fódlan's history. I'm sure of it."

"You are rather confident and excited for your idea, Claude," Presea commented.

The house leader nodded with a smile. "You know I am. Just think about it. Most of the knights are still far away, and we can't afford to have Seteth and friends abandon the monastery. So the only person who can take action now also happens to be our best commander. It's Teach, and wherever Teach leads, we'll follow. And since you've taught us that this sort of thing is always a possibility, we're already prepared for battle."

"With our combined efforts, we'll be able to buy the knights more time," Presea chimed in.

"And not for revenge, but for a defensive attack on behalf of the monastery," Claude added.

Lady Rhea eyed Byleth after listening to the two students. "Professor... Do you agree with this strategy?"

Byleth nodded, trusting his students. "I do."

Lady Rhea closed her eyes for a split second before opening them with a faint sigh. "Understood. I will give you the order."

Presea's eyes widen with hope. "Does this mean...?"

The archbishop nodded. "Yes. Destroy the enemy that is hiding in the Sealed Forest. You have the protection of the goddess on your side. Whatever happens, you shall overcome."

Claude grinned with satisfaction, turning his gaze toward Byleth. "We have our orders, Teach. Now all that's left is to pull out a miracle."

"I'll gather the others and then we'll depart." Presea left the entrance hall, gathered the remaining Golden Deer, and regrouped with Byleth and Claude before departing from the monastery.

<----------------<<<<<

The trek to the Sealed Forest was void of chat. The Golden Deer was solely focused on the mission, none of them exchanging banter with another as they journeyed toward their destination.

On arrival, the students gathered around their professor. Claude glances into the foggy forest before looking around at his classmates and teacher. "The Sealed Forest is up ahead. Visibility is awful there, so everyone needs to be extra cautious."

"You seem to know a lot about it," Hilda observed. "It is just a forest, isn't it?"

"Have you been there, too?" Claude asked before realization hit him. "Oh... Never mind. Listen, just like I told the archbishop, this is not a war of vengeance. It's a riddle, so to speak. Those guys are undoubtedly planning something terrible. We need some kind of clue as to what. The attack on the Holy Mausoleum. Flayn's and Presea's kidnapping. The foul business in Remire. The demonic beasts at the chapel and the attempt on Presea's life... It can't go on. We need to figure out their objective and stop them from achieving it. That's our mission."

"So, we have our mission now. We had better not fail," Lorenz said.

Lysithea nodded in agreement. "It is a difficult task, but we will succeed."

"It is time to repay the kindness of the professor who saved my life!" Flayn announced, smiling.

Ignatz grimaced slightly. "An enemy whose objective you don't understand is a frightening prospect."

"We're gonna destroy 'em!" Raphael pumped his fist into the air confidently. "It's our mission!"

"I will have my revenge, whatever it takes," Leonie swore. "On that, I will never budge."

"Leonie... You will have what you seek," Marianne stated.

"I'll admit, vengeance sounds pretty nice. But don't forget that we're here for information," Claude said. "Luckily, we can easily find what we're looking for while getting revenge for Jeralt. Right, Teach?"

"Yes," Byleth stoically responds. "Let's proceed forth."

"We're with you, Professor," Presea reassured him.

The Golden Deer entered the Sealed Forest with their weapons drawn. Presea transformed, her fur standing on-end as she could see the enemies looming in the distance. Alongside them were a couple of demonic beasts. Claude grasped a single arrow in one hand and his bow in the other, analyzing the large creatures. "How kind of them to welcome us with some demonic beasts. They're not playing around."

The wolf by his side growled, baring her sharp fangs as the feathers on her wings were ruffled. She casted a protective barrier around everyone as one of the demonic beasts stalked over accompanied by a handful of men and women cladded in armor and robes. The large creature roared before slashing at the protective barrier. Its claws scraped against the barrier, a small crack forming from the impact. The other assailants surrounded the barrier, casting spells and swinging their weapons in an attempt to destroy the barrier.

When Hilda tried to step through the barrier and swing her axe at one of the enemies, Claude stopped her. "Leave this one to Presea. I've a feeling this isn't just a barrier."

"Then what should...?" Hilda fell silent when the barrier flashed from green to gold. A gasp escaped her lips when the barrier shattered like glass and the shards ricocheted outward, impaling the enemy. The adversaries, including the demonic beast, cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground and their bodies vanished.

"Well, that reduced their numbers significantly," Lorenz said. "Shall we proceed forth?"

"Yes," Byleth replies. "Let's."

The group delved deeper into the Sealed Forest and deal with any enemies that emerge from the woodwork. None proved to be too challenging for the Golden Deer as they annihilated each and every assailant with their combined efforts.

In the forest, they came across a young girl with a crazy and bloodthirsty glint in her crimson eyes. She giggled maniacally when her gaze fell on Byleth. "You're a fool to be so brazen. You'll never avenge your father at this rate." Raising her blade, she readied herself to fight. "I'll have to kill you, too! With my own hands!"

Byleth readied the Sword of the Creator and waited for Kronya to strike. When she did, he blocked her sword and pushed her back. Leonie, Raphael and Lysithea joined the fray while Lorenz, Ignatz, Hilda, Claude, Marianne, and Presea kept another demonic beast at bay.

Kronya, unable to withstand the barrage of attacks from the four members, was forced to retreat. She ran through the forest with Byleth hot on her heels.

Emerging from the forest, Byleth chased Kronya to the ruins. While trying to escape, the girl tripped and fell. She quickly recovered and turned around to face Byleth when realizing she couldn't escape. Raising her blade, her voice shook slightly as she expressed her disbelief. "But how? How could I really lose...to a lowly creature like you?"

As Kronya starts shaking in fear and Byleth raises his sword, a figure appears right behind her. "Well..."

"Solon!" The girl gasped in shock, swiveling on her heels to face him. "Don't just stand there and stare! I need your help!"

"Yes. You most certainly do." Solon walks up to Kronya, closing the distance between them.

"Huh?" Kronya took a step back, confused at what the man's intentions were.

Solon extends his hand and pierces Kronya's chest, grabbing her heart as Byleth gasps in shock. Gasping in fear and pain, she couldn't fight back against him. "Have no fear, Kronya," he said, "Your sacrifice will help to rid this world of the filthy vermin that have long infested it."

Dark flames consume Kronya and the four pillar corners surrounding the ruins. She cries out in pain, while the eerie flames surround Byleth as he stood in the middle of the ruins.

"Solon... Stop this!" Kronya begged through her agony.

However, the man refuses to listen and rips out her heart. "The time has finally come...to unleash the Forbidden Spell of Zahras upon our enemies!" He crushes Kronya's heart in his hand and casts the spell as her body falls to the ground.

She extending her hand out to Byleth while begging for mercy. "Please...help me..."

Solon's spell consumes both Kronya and Byleth in darkness. Standing outside the ruins by himself, he smiles eerily after witnessing his successful annihilation of Byleth. "Begone with you...Fell Star."

The students of the the Golden Deer house, having caught up with their professor, watched in horror as he disappeared.

"Wh-what was that? Where did you go, Professor?!" Hilda bellowed.

"He was swallowed by the mystical darkness of the forbidden spell. An eternity wandering in a void of darkness, never to return to this world... To think we almost had the Sword of the Creator..." Solon replied.

"I don't believe anything you say! Our professor is still alive!" Lysithea shouted.

"That's right! Our professor is no ordinary human!" Flayn added.

"I refuse to believe that Teach would die in a place like this!" Claude hollered.

"It is possible that death has yet to find your friend. But there are worse things than death. Drifting through the darkness with no chance to escape...Overwhelmed with hopelessness... It must be torturous," Solon taunted the teens.

"Hey, all I hear is good news. Teach is still alive. And if that's true, then there's only one thing to do. Defeat you while we wait for Teach's triumphant return!"

Leonie spun her spear around and readied to face off against Solon. "Prepare yourself. We will avenge our leader here and now!"

"How trite. But if you wish for pain, I shall oblige. If you prefer it so, you shall also be added to the ranks of the dead!" Solon announced.

Presea, feeling a familiar sensation wash over her, tried to fight against it. Morphing back into her human form, she stumbled backwards, but she wasn't able to keep the sensation at bay. Her mind went blank as her eyes began glowing brightly. Creating a dagger from ice, she headed straight for Solon.

Claude spotted her strange movements and saw her current state. He acted quickly and grabbed her before she could take another step. When feeling her resist, he secured both arms around her from behind and kept her from moving forward. "Sorry, Pres, but I'm not going to lose you again."

Presea lifted her hands and tried to pry Claude's arms from around her. She raked her fingernails across his hands before piercing his flesh and drawing droplets of blood. He winced, but his grip didn't budge. "That's a little rude, don't you think?"

Suddenly, a glowing fissue appears in the air in front of Solon. He was slightly perplexed at the sight. "So the Fell Star consumes even the darkness itself..."

Byleth emerges from the fissure and stands up with the setting sun behind him. His hair and eyes were no longer a deep blue but a mint green.

The students eyed their professor in shock. Claude was the first one to speak. "Teach... You are Teach, right? I always believed in you... I knew you could cut your way out of anything." His attention was drawn back to Presea when he felt her body go limp in his arms. He noticed her eyes were no longer glowing and wondered if she was okay. "How're you feeling?"

"A little lightheaded," Presea answered. She noticed her form and eyed herself in confusion. "When did I transform?"

"You wound up in that weird trance again," he said. "You didn't miss much, though."

Presea felt a warm sensation on her hands and lifted them up. The tips of her fingers were tainted with blood. When realizing she was uninjured, she examined Claude and saw the scratches on his hands. Her eyes widened in fright as she assembled the puzzle pieces. "O-Oh, goddess... I-I'm so sorry, Claude."

He smiled widely at her. "Eh, it's no biggie."

She quickly healed his wounds and glanced toward Solon as he said, "But this is not the end... Thales will carry out our mission, somehow and Acheron shall rise to the top..." He vanished, leaving behind no trace.

Claude sighed in relief, releasing Presea. "I guess this is still far from over..."

Presea's eyes were glued to the spot where Solon once stood. When hearing Acheron's name, a chill crept up her spine and goosebumps formed on her arms. "So it's true..."

Seeing her horrified expression, Claude's brows furrowed together in confusion. He gently placed a hand on her back. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? You're really pale."

She nodded, her voice shaking as she spoke. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine..."

"That wasn't very convincing," he sighed. "It has something to do with what Solon said, doesn't it?"

Presea promised Lady Rhea she would keep the truth a secret, but she desperately wanted to tell the person she trusted and loved the most. "Can we talk about it later?" She whispered for only his ears to hear.

He nodded. "Yeah." Taking her hand in his, he tugged her forward slightly. "Come on, let's go see Teach."

The couple walked over to Byleth. Claude called out to him as they made their way over. "Teach! We won! I'll be honest-when I lost sight of you, I broke into a cold sweat. But Jeralt's killer is dead. All's well that ends well."

"That's true," Byleth said, sheathing his blade.

Presea sniffed the air, eyes widening when recognizing the professor's scent had become much stronger. "This smell... It's..." She glances over at Flayn before quickly redirecting her gaze back at Byleth. "What happened to you, Professor?"

Seeing no reason to hide the truth, Byleth crossed his arms. "I will tell you..." He told his two students about Sothis and her presence within him. He then explains how she gifted her abilities to him and how he used them to escape the dark dimension Solon banished him to.

Out of the two, Claude was the only one who had issues believing him. "You mean to tell me...that an entity who claims to be the goddess was living inside your mind? And it's been that way since you were a baby? And this goddess entrusted all of her goddess-like power to you and then vanished..."

Byleth nods with a sigh. "I know how this sounds..."

"It's a difficult story to swallow, Teach. But the way you look now... I guess I've got no choice but to believe it. How could something like that happen? There must be a clue in Jeralt's diary. If you believe the diary, there's a high possibility that Rhea did something to you when you were born. That's likely when all this began. What in the world happened to you as a baby? And what was Rhea after?"

"I may be able to shed some light on this," Presea confessed. "Once we return to Garreg Mach, meet me in my room once you're ready."

<---------------<<<<<

Back at Garreg Mach Monastery, Presea returned to her room and waited patiently for Claude and Byleth. She sat on the edge of her bed, eyeing the floor as her thoughts raced back to the earlier battle and to what Lady Rhea and Seteth told her when she awoke from her coma.

All of a sudden, she heard knocking and shot to her feet. She opened the door and allowed Byleth and Claude to enter her room. Before closing the door, she made sure no one was around. Seeing the coast was clear, she sighed in relief. Once the door was closed, she pressed her back against it. "Thank you for coming."

"There's no way I'd miss this," Claude said. "So what can you tell us, Pres?"

"How familiar are you both with the Heroes' Relics and the Crest Stones?" She inquired.

"They're the weapons gifted to humanity by the goddess, yes?" Byleth asked.

"Not exactly. The truth behind the relics is they're fashioned from the bones of the children descended from the progenitor god. The Crest Stones which are needed to wield the weapons are the hearts that belonged to the Children of the Goddess. Without the correct Crest, one will be consumed and transformed into a demonic beast." Presea focused her gaze solely on Byleth. "The reason you are unaffected by the Sword of the Creator is because the corresponding Crest resides within you. It's what gave you life, Professor."

"How do you know all of this, Pres?" Claude asked.

"The day I woke up from my coma, Lady Rhea told me everything about the Heroe's Relics, the Crest Stones, Acheron, and the Professor," she explained.

"Acheron?" Byleth parroted.

"The younger brother of Nemesis, the King of Liberation, and the one who forged the Heroes' Relics. He's the one who slaughtered my people and used their bodies as a way to create the Holy Armor of the Guardian. He even ate the hearts of my people to gain immense power and immortality. He was sealed away, but I'm afraid someone's freed him. I think the Death Knight might be working for those who freed Acheron."

"And the reason why you were captured was because this armor isn't complete," Claude deduced.

"That's what Lady Rhea believes."

Presea pushes herself off the door. "You both have to promise me to not mention this to anyone. I promised Lady Rhea I wouldn't tell any of you, but...I couldn't stand keeping you both in the dark any longer."

"My lips are sealed," Claude grinned.

"This will remain only between us," Byleth reassures her.

"Thank you..." She sighed in relief.

Claude placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile. "We should be the ones thanking you. Everything's so much clearer now."

"We really do appreciate the information, Presea," the professor said. "For now, we should get some rest. It's quite late." Taking his leave, Byleth left the room and headed to his own sleeping quarters.

When Claude didn't budge an inch, Presea questioned him. "What's wrong, Claude?"

"You're still keeping things from me," he groaned.

Her eyes widen. "I'm not..."

Placing his hands on her cheeks, he tilted her head up so he could peer into her cerulean eyes. "I know you're scared of this Acheron guy. I could tell when you were talking about him. There's no shame in being afraid."

"I know," she said.

"No matter what, I won't let anyone touch you."

She smiled gently, feeling her fear wash away. "Thank you, Claude."