#mod eirika

   “Teach... what should we do?”

   Claude’s voice rang out besides you, snapping you into the reality of the situation.

   An army, clad in gold, standing with you.

   An army, garbed with blue, ahead of you.

   An army, soaked in crimson, in a steadfast march. They would arrive in moments.

   You focus your gaze on the man standing a few paces in front of you, carrying a spine-chilling spear.

   “Dmitri!” You called his name. He flinched, ever so slightly, so small you may have imagined it. Was the Dmitri you used to know still in there? “What happened to you?”

   “I think the real question here,” he growled, “is what happened to you? Ever since you’ve decided to prance around with those Deer, you’ve gone soft.” He spat out the word ‘deer’. “I do not intend to hold hands and make friends while we are being oppressed. Justice must be obtained, and we will be the ones to take it!”

   A cool voice broke in, “Is that really how you see things, Dmitri? I would’ve thought you were smarter than this.” Edelgard and her army had arrived. “You know, it really is such a shame. Years ago, we stood here as classmates”, she sighed, “But now, you choose to stand in my way. All of you.” Her eyes trailed towards you and Claude. “And if you wish to achieve something, then it must be taken by force.”

   “As big class reunions go,” Claude shook his head, a heavy-hearted smile on his face, “This one’s got to be the worst in history.”

   ‘How did it come to this?’

   You heeded your surroundings, and your heart shattered. These were your beloved students, your family. You had fought beside, argued, and laughed with these students. You did everything together. And now, they were about to slaughter each other, with you at the heart of this twisted battlefield.

   The tension in the air held a vice grip around your throat. A slight creaking to your right told you Claude was drawing his bow. You opened your mouth for one last hopeless attempt at negotia-

   "Enough”, Dmitri split the silence, driving his spear into the air. “Soldiers, our time is now! Justice will be ours! KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!”

   “For the Adrestrian Empire!” Edelgard roared, urging her army to charge with her axe lifted into the air.

   You gasped, drawing in a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You shook yourself back to your senses. “Forces, Charge! Put a stop to this madness!”

   Metal clashed before you, arrows flying, blood splattering, fallen bodies being stepped over as the three armies collided. Screams of pain pierced into your heart from every side. War is so ugly. You incapacitate one enemy after another, trying not to look too closely at their faces. ‘I’m such a coward’, you thought. ‘I can’t even look my own students in the eyes while I’m cutting them down.’  

   Amidst the chaos, you see Dmitri, mercilessly thrusting his lance into anyone foolish enough to get to close. His eyes meet yours, his face harder than stone. He begins making his way towards you through the sea of bodies and steel. ‘I’ll have to face him head on, maybe I can get through to him!’

   He lunged towards you, his lance making a path to your chest. You deflected, startled by its ferocity. He was really trying to kill you. He stabbed at you again and again, and each time you deflected. Your arms burned. “Dmitri, you don’t have to do this! We can talk this out!”

   “It’s too late for that now!” He bellowed. “If you wanted to suck up to me, you should’ve done it five years ago!”

   You grit your teeth. “Damnit man! We used to be friends!”

   “Used to be, yes. But I refuse to be friends with one who stands by and serves our oppressors!”

   The crowd around you was already thinning, as soldiers dropped one by one. The battle wouldn’t last much longer. You were getting desperate to find a way to stop the fighting.

   “Dmitri, ENOUGH!” ‘Why am I doing this...’ “I won’t fight you anymore!” You threw your weapon down.

   This caught him off gaurd. “What are you doing?”

   “We want the same thing; for peace throughout Fódlan. It’s..” Your breath caught in your throat, desperation slipping into your voice. “It’s not right for us to be killing each other like this. Don’t you see? This is what the higher ups want; for us to wipe each other out so that there’s no one left to oppose them!”

   Dmitri’s eyes wavered. He is still in there!

   “Please, Dmitri! Just listen to me, listen to reason!” It was all you could do to keep yourself from bursting into tears.

   “You... Believe so?” He warily lowered his spear.

   “I know so.” You extended your hand. “Come with us, Dmitri. We’re on the same side!”

   Moments passed as though they were hours. The chaos around you had calmed; every eye was on the two of you, waiting to see if he would take your hand, ending the fighting.

   More excruciating seconds passed. Your heart was damn near escaping your chest. Finally, after the most painful staring contest you’ve ever been a part of, Dmitri threw down his lance, and strode forwards.

   Relief washed over you, the sickening tension and fear that had previously taken hold of you. Your face split into a smile, as Dmitri took your hand, accepting your offering of peace. Wow his grip is tight!

   ...A little too tight.

   You tried to pull your hand away. He held on, his grip made of iron. Panic started to wash over you. You couldn’t reach your sword. You didn’t have any other weapons!

   He pulled a knife from his cloak with his free hand and brought it over his head, his eyes pieces of ice.

   “I don’t make deals with traitors.”

   He brought the knife down. You caught his wrist, barely, and desperately tried to keep its gleaming tip from reaching your chest, but it was futile. You looked into his eyes, and were shocked to find that they had tears in them. He didn’t want this either. The knife shook, inching ever closer to your chest. You couldn’t move.

   “It doesn’t have to be this way, Dmitri, please!” You were begging for your life. He didn’t respond, only pushing down harder than before. A sharp, burning pain in your chest told you that the knife had begun to dig in.

   This was it; this was how you were going to die. Begging and pleading at the hands of a former friend. ‘Why did it turn out like this?’

   You felt something hot splatter onto your face. Your vision went red. The grip on your hand was released, the knife in your chest stopped pushing. Dmitri’s eyes widened; there was an arrow in his neck. He stumbled back, releasing you, gasping for air that wouldn’t come. You fell backwards. He dropped to his knees, his hand reaching for his neck.

   “Y-you...” Whatever he was trying to say, he didn’t finish it. He collapsed to the ground.

   You felt footsteps to your right. A hand reached out in front of you. You didn’t take it; you were too shocked, you couldn’t take your eyes off Dmitri.

   He was your student. Your friend. And now? He was gone.

   “C’mon, teach, stand up.” Claude gently grabbed your hand, pulling you to your feet on unsteady legs. “I’m sorry for what I did. But he was killing you, and it was the only way...”

   Tears welled up in your eyes. You couldn’t believe it. There was no way that one of your closest friends was lying dead on the ground in front of you, it couldn’t be true!

   The dam inside of you snapped. You started sobbing, tears pouring out for your lost friend.

   Claude didn’t say anything, just wrapped an arm around your shoulder and turned his face away. ‘Is he crying too?’

   The Blue Lions were retreating. They no longer had anyone to follow. The Black Eagles were nowhere to be found; they must’ve retreated earlier.

   One of your own soldiers shouted for your attention. “Should we give chase?”

   Claude answered, “No. We’ve lost enough. We’re going back to base.”