(See the end of the chapter for notes .)

The Blue Lions Battle the Black Beast, then later on a new discovery is made.

Chapter Text

< Third-Person POV >

The giant Black Beast that used to be Miklan roared wildly as the students of the Blue Lions battled against it. The skin of that monster was still able to take a lot of hits, despite being attacked on all sides. Gilbert and Dedue guarded the archers and healers in the back, while the offense was still struggling to make a scratch on the thing.

“Ugh, why isn’t this working?!” Saki said as she switched to her axe and swung it into the beast, which responded by hurling a large chunk of debris at her. She barely dodges the hit, but her axe is broken in the process.

Byleth switched from a steel sword to the Sword of the Creator and swung it at the Black Beast in its whip form. That manages to stagger the beast, at least for a bit, as Dimitri and Felix strike at the same time from the right & left. Tae then proceeds to bite down on the tail of the beast, causing it immense pain.

Lily cheers on the beast battlers by jumping up and down shouting “You can do it! You can do it!”.

Dimitri rubs the back of his head awkwardly and smiles, before jumping back into the fray.

The Black Beast then begins to glow with red energy, getting ready to charge up a devastating attack.

“It’s vulnerable, but not for long! Attack on all sides to break its guard!” Byleth gives the order as his students surround the beast.

They strike hard, not letting it unleash its deadly attack, managing to crack through the armor-like skin.

“It’s weakened! Someone finish it!”

Unexpectedly, Sakura rushes in with her lance. She leaps forward and thrusts the tip of the lance into the stomach of the beast. It roared out in pain before beginning to collapse, but Sakura was still under it. Sylvain quickly rushes over to her side and tackles her out of the way of the fallen beast.

“Graaaargh!” the Black Beast let out as it died, dark energy leaving the lifeless body of Miklan and the Lance of Ruin.

“Goddess… The beast is gone, yet Miklan and the Lance remain.” Gilbert looks on in shock.

Sakura looked over at the body of the thief leader, paralyzed where she was, with tears in her eyes, “It’s just like back in Remire… I had to…” .

Dimitri then walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, “It’s over. Let’s retrieve the lance and leave this place.”, He tells everyone.

Sylvain, stands up, still feeling the effects of his rescue, and walks over to pick up the Hero’s Relic. “Miklan… my brother…” the redhead softly says to his perished sibling as he walked over to his class.

STAGE COMPLETE!

MVP: Sakura

Sakura’s motivation is maxed out!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

“WHAT?!! HEROES RELICS CAN TRANSFORM PEOPLE INTO MONSTERS?!!”

Tatsumi was holding another meeting between him and Franchouchou, and he was taken aback by what he was told.

“Glad I managed to drop that staff thing before it could make me as ugly as that guy…” Saki looks back to when they were transported to Fódlan.

“Hey, I know he was a bad guy, but try not to speak ill of the dead! That’s especially true for us!” Sakura yells, surprising the rest of the girls.

She sighs before getting up and walking towards the entrance to the library, “Sorry, I need some time to myself for a while.”, she departs, leaving the others worried.

“Hm, I’ll go check on her.” Ai gets up and goes out the door.

Saki then decides to leave as well,“Tch, I was the one who provoked her, so I might as well apologize.”.

Tatsumi shakes his head as he continues discussing what happened with the rest of the group.

The Heisei Idol and Dorami Member look around the Monastery for a bit, since it’s nighttime there're not many students out.

“I’m kinda getting some deja-vu here with the way she’s been acting…” Saki states before stopping to notice something.

“Huh, isn’t that Edelgard?” Ai sees their friend talking with the future emperor of the Adrestian Empire.

Saki puts her arms behind her head and leans back, “She’s probably giving her some kind of pep talk, just like we did back when she got her memories back. Let’s just give her some space, that’s what she wanted, right?”.

Ai narrows her eyes a little before pondering if the princess is trustworthy. Edelgard then spots Byleth, Dimitri, and Claude calling her over for some reason. Curious, Sakura asks if she could come along with them, her professor agrees and she is brought along.

“What are those four doing up so late anyways?” Ai wonders.

“It’s gotta be something serious, maybe they’ll need help.” Saki says as she sneakily follows.

“But, didn’t you say that Sakura coul— ugh, never mind.” The flower gal just followed too.

They snuck behind the five of them until they saw that there was a hole in a wall near the dormitories. The house leaders, Byleth, and Sakura debate whether or not to bring more people along with them, almost on cue Ashe, Hilda, and Linhardt walk up from behind them.

“Hey, you two! Don’t think we can’t see you back there! You feel like coming too, right?” Claude laughs as Ai and Saki have just been caught.

“Agh, found us out, huh? We were just wondering why you all are still awake this late and then after hearing about an intruder…” Ai started.

“I’m raring to go against some baddies, can’t let MORE dangerous guys into this place, can we?” Saki finished with a grin on her face.

“Ha ha ha, you’ve got some fire in those eyes. I’m starting to like you, how ‘bout you Sakura?” Claude asks.

“W-well, if it’s okay with all of you, sure! I’ll help take down whoever trespassed, but uh, let’s just question them ok?” She says.

“You have our gratitude. Now then, let us be on our way. Ready, Professor?” Dimitri asks Byleth

“The more the merrier, I suppose. Let’s just hope we’re not all marching to our doom…” Claude says as he enters the dark passageway underground.

Unbeknownst to them, however, four individuals have heard news of a group heading down to their turf. And they’re getting ready for a fight.

END OF CHAPTER 18

“I am Ferdinand von Aegir” count x3 (no change)