#vigilantflame

“ i am fine. ” a shake of the head, and tired eyes flitting up from the ground to look at the professor. ( there is no spark of life in them, just a pair of flat, brown stones. ) “ i have to be by myself. it is safer for everyone else that way. ”

   ‘ while there are no definitives in battle, professor, i find your confidence most reassuring. and witnessing you myself, i will be the first to say you are as capable a warrior as they come! just … please, leave certainty off the battlefield and keep your wits about you always. ‘

“ have you come to pray? ” a quiet voice, timid and gentle- something that easily could be swallowed up by the ambient noise of the cathedral. they don’t quiet wait for a reply, already expecting a reprimand and chastisement for merely existing. “ i will be on my way, then. i... i do not wish to get in your way, professor. ”

"  let  me  see  that  .  "  it's  not  a  question  ,  as  he  grabs  byleth's  arm  and  drags  it  toward  him  .  blood  seeps  from  a  tear  in  the  fabric  and  jeralt  bites  his  lip  .  carefully  ,  he  pulls  back  the  torn  sleeve  to  bare  the  cut  to  the  weak  sunlight  .  not  too  deep  but  enough  that  it'll  need  stitches  ,  at  least  until  they  can  find  her  a  healer  .  

     What had they called it, back at the academy? War games?

     Many of them had jumped at the opportunity, to take their places on stage like actors for a theater. Ingrid could see the pride on Dimitri’s face when he and the professor helped lead the Blue Lions to victory in these mock battles. Winning was something to flaunt, to parade over the other houses. It was fun to play pretend, to command a phantom army and relish in phantom glory, and to tease the eagles and the deer with a ‘better luck next time.’

     There’s no such gloating on Gronder Field this time. There’s no room for victory laps around this field of blood.

     “We’re older now,” Ingrid echoes, her throat dry and wilted. “This is what it’s really like, then.” Her spear weighs heavy in her hand, and it feels like her arm is stuck in quicksand. How did she ever manage to pull it out of the bodies she had pierced, the lives she had taken?

     Here, winning meant nothing. All they had won was this macabre scene, this haunting memory, forever etched into their minds. And this would be their reward every time, until they died.

FIRST FIVE ASKS GET A KISS (1/5)

    MERCEDES smiled at the professor as she approached her. The young woman couldn’t help but admire how hard the professor worked despite being so young. To think someone could be thrust into the position of professor and be capable at teaching in such an excellent manner. It was a little surprising to say the least, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

   “Good day to you, Professor.” The young woman greeted, a small nod of the head given in exchange of greetings. “How are you this fine day?”

   She began with a simple conversation, after all it was a good way to get to know one another a little better. While the conversation was indeed simple. it was still fascinating to hear the responses given by the professor. Mercedes couldn’t help but be fully engrossed in how admirable the professor was.

Visions of Magvel // @vigilantflame

“C’mon, Professor, you know I can take a hit…” He wouldn’t be up on the front-lines of every battle if he couldn’t. Still, he wasn’t able to deny that repeated skirmishes with little time between them to rest was starting to wear him down. Even a Beast as mighty as he had limits. Raphael allowed himself to crash down into a nearby chair, which buckled under his girth while he sighed. “I try to keep at it… but if I go down early in a fight, what’s gonna stop an enemy from rushing the people I usually keep safe..?”