#mod eirika

[gamequoteshowdown]

Quote 1: "You're just a corpse who doesn't know he's dead" - Valter, Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones

Quote 2: "Teammates!? Friends!? To hell with that! Why am I inferior to you!? I was extremely particular about my life, my grades, my public image! So someone would want me around! I am an ace detective! A celebrity! But you… You're just some criminal trash living in an attic!? So how!? How does someone like you have things I don't!? How can such a worthless piece of trash be more special than me!?" - Goro Akechi, Persona 5

Propganda

Quote 1: Valter has a lot of really fun lines but this one goes the hardest. He says it to Seth as Seth is fleeing with Eirika. Valter has the upperhand, he just invaded the capital and killed the king. It's such an excellent threat to two people fleeing from the horrors of war, especially because Valter actively hunts them. That is truly how he feels about Seth. Also because Valter is a cocky bastard. - Submitter

Quote 2: THE VOICE ACTING! MY GOD THE VOICE ACTING! Ok im gonna try and keep this short but this is by far my favourite Akechi moment in the whole game. Akechi is one of my favourite characters in all of Persona but I HATED him before this, like full out despied him. But this whole monologue changed my mind. He is so broken and just wants to have a normal life but that has all been robbed from him because of Shido. He has nothing. He is nothing. He is holding on to those last strands of his previous life because it was all fake so how could it be wrong? How could something he put so much work into being perfect not be right? Ok I gotta stop but PLEASE listen to the clip (link). - Mod Chaos

[theofficersacademy]

Happy August! TOA is now officially five years old. None of the mods had this milestone in mind five years ago, but now that we're here, how about another five years?

Housekeeping

Current Month in TOA: Lone Moon

This month is event month, so there will be no new mission board! But like last year, the June & July Mission Board will be extended to run through the end of August. The Unaffiliated requirement remains in effect for the Unaffiliated & Faculty-specific tasks.

The event will run from August 1st to August 31st. Signups are now closed - stay tuned for more information tomorrow at noon EST!

Our monthly submission limit on the site that hosts our event signups has been reset so everyone is free to take the quiz for fun now.

We will be announcing a second 5th-Year Anniversary activity on August 4th and another on August 8th. This will not require IC participation. Stay tuned for the details.

Please don’t forget to leave feedback on our feedback poll for this month! We do check the responses regularly, so if you have concerns during the event, the feedback poll is an appropriate place to pop in. Alternatively, the mods’ DMs are always open. We're wiping the Wanted List this month so our character wish list will be fresh for the new year.

Speaking of the event, stay tuned for noon EST for more information!

Important Updates

The requirements to master a lord class acquired for participation in an event have been updated. You cannot master the class with the same event that you acquired it, but any official event afterwards (Arena, Ethereal ball, etc.) can count for its mastery

We are changing our event schedule for all subsequent years: there will now only be ONE Arena event per year, not two, and it will be held in November. Originally, the biannual Arena design was implemented to rigorously test the combat manual, which was brand new at the time. Now that the manual is more or less stable, we've decided that two Arena events is no longer necessary. Because we already had an Arena event this year in June though, the next Arena won't take place until November 2025.

TOA runs a lot of events, and it makes it difficult for our members (and the mods) to have a life outside of TOA or reply to regular threads in a timely manner. Many of our members also have great ideas of their own and have expressed interest in running their own mini events during the year, but there just hasn't been a good time for them when TOA has a big event every other month. We hope that removing the second Arena will give everyone some breathing room.

Other

BIRTHDAYS

August Mun Birthdays: Axl (1st), Arden (9th), Penny (19th), Ren (20th), Harrow (25th), Maxie (28th), Kuno (29th)

August Muse Birthdays: Ephraim (1st), Eirika (1st), Natasha (6th), Laslow (7th), Alfred (8th), Patty (10th), Yuri (12th), Ares (14th), Dheginsea (14th), Edward (15th), Kliff (19th), Shiro (22nd)

MUN ANNIVERSARIES

1st year: none

2nd year: Kano (3rd), Havoc (30th)

3rd year: Birdie (4th), Vio (5th), Vivi (6th)

4th year: Soji (7th), Maxie (8th)

5th year: Ree (3rd)

MUSE ANNIVERSARIES

1st year: Naesala (4th), Henry (6th)

2nd year: Linhardt (3rd), Seliph (10th), Camilla (23rd), Lloyd (30th)

3rd year: none

4th year: Marth (7th), Farina (8th)

Muses who have been in the group for a solid year will also be granted an Academy Brooch to put in their inventory. It doesn’t do anything. It just lets others know your character has been around the block. These characters are also granted a new opportunity to change houses if they wish to do so.

- The House Leaders

[nintendo-rpg-characters-2023]

Here is the List of Competing Characters!!

The bracket itself isn't finished yet but the competitors are finalized (See below cut).

The bracket will be done by the end of this week.

Also I may or may not start messing with the pictures starting round 2, but it's undecided at this point.

- Mod Sky

(Note: there are no teams, the way seat 30 is written is to make it clear that they are both the same character)

Competing Characters (in no specific order):

Mythra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)

Edelgard (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Kumatora (Mother 3)

Tony (Earthbound)

Vivian (Paper Mario TTYD)

Doopliss (Paper Mario TTYD)

Lucas (Mother 3)

Rex (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)

Morag (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)

Alcryst (Fire Emblem Engage)

Twerkey (Miitopia)

Ike (Fire Emblem Path of Radiance)

Prince Peasley (Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga)

Alex (Golden Sun)

Mimi (Super Paper Mario)

Geno (Super Mario RPG)

Eirika (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Claude (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Dubious Mayor Dudley (Miitopia)

Besmirched Nobleboy Sonny (Miitopia)

Antasma (Mario & Luigi Dream Team)

Lin (Xenoblade Chronicles X)

Ringabel (Bravely Default)

Cynthia (Pokemon Diamond/Pearl)

Finn (Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War)

Eunie (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

The Dark Lord (Miitopia)

Zeke (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)

Alvis/A (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Mr. L (Super Paper Mario)

Mallow (Super Mario RPG)

Knoll (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Reyn (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Nina (GBA Mario Tennis)

Dreambert (Mario & Luigi Dream Team)

Espurr (Pokemon X/Y)

Lute (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Elma (Xenoblade Chronicles X)

Lucina (Fire Emblem Awakening)

Riki (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Duster (Mother 3)

Hector (Fire Emblem the Blazing Blade)

Dimentio (Super Paper Mario)

N (Pokemon Black/White)

Euden (Dragalia Lost)

Bobby (Paper Mario the Origami King)

Bow (Paper Mario 64)

Lora (Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna)

Sena (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

Porky (Earthbound)

Goombella (Paper Mario TTYD)

Great Sage (Miitopia)

Lillie (Pokemon Sun/Moon)

Felix (Golden Sun)

Fawful (Mario & Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story)

Dominic the Dragon (Miitopia)

Mr. Saturn (Earthbound)

Marth (Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon)

Count Bleck (Super Paper Mario)

Linhardt (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Robin (Fire Emblem Awakening)

Buzz Buzz (Earthbound)

Kammy Koopa (Paper Mario TTYD)

[iconicfewlwtournament]

Round 3 bracket. Beginning in this round, all matches will be posted at one time. Round 3 will be posted on Monday, May 8th.

Starting this round, the mod will begin reblogging propaganda to this blog.

Sharena's Harem VS Minerva/Palla

Byleth/Edelgard VS Hapi/Constance

Eirika/Tana VS Mikoto/Reina

Lucina/Severa VS Lissa/Maribelle

Marisa/Tethys VS Lapis/Citrinne

Edelgard/Dorothea VS Nephenee/Heather

Soleil/Ophelia VS Elincia/Leanne

Panne/Emmeryn VS Kris/Katarina

Lyn/Florina VS Eirika/L'Arachel

Sigrun/Tanith VS Marianne/Hilda

Tiki/Say'ri VS Sully/Sumia

Elincia/Lucia VS Celica/Mae

Sakura/Elise VS Emmeryn/Phila

Sumia/Cordelia VS Dorothea/Petra

Vanessa/Lute VS Alear/Ivy

Kagero/Orochi VS Fjorm/Laegjarn

[redwing2000]

雷の塔(セリカ) Bolt Tower (Celica) - FEH

[Reward] https://wingr.fanbox.cc/posts/5914404 https://subscribestar.adult/posts/903983 https://discord.com/channels/725318162207473764/1042333819119878144/1104836536803008512

This reward only provide hi res. I don't want to spent more time / open an new pool on the task list. AI mod (Naked, SFW) ver. are just optional things. This supposed to quick mod and able to share at social media only.

This head original built at 2020. At that time I have test output. But till now. I just release a Bolt tower picture only. It would be more content. But currently I have no plan on that...

2020 test image has 3 test (NTR) pictures. Celica, Eirika and Female Morgan (Mark)

P.S. FE girl head I have drawn Lyn, Eirika, Celica, Morgan, Corrin

So... we can make an FE girls orgy at anytime

此回FANBOX獎勵只有高畫質而已，這個我不太想花太多時間在這上面 / 又開新坑給自己跳... AI改圖 (全裸、衣著版)只是用來餵社交網站用，同時也利用回那枚側面的頭，不然又不知多久後才會再用這個PSD了。

賽莉卡的頭應該是2020年已作好，那時候只作了測試圖就收起了。原本可能是用來作HicceArs的額外漫畫用，但是現在已經不作HicceArs的套圖 (沒時間制作 ; 每回作這個最少都要用半個月時間，大型的更會用上3個月以上)。

結果這顆頭目前只作了這個雷塔而已。

而2020年的測試圖，一共3張不太NTR的NTR。就是給其他人幹他們而已。那3張分別是艾莉可, 賽莉卡, 馬可。

題外話，FE的頭我已經畫了 琳, 艾莉可, 賽莉卡, 馬可, 神威子

隨時也可以開P

★ Twitter - https://twitter.com/wingr2000 ★ ★ Discord - http://discord.gg/xtnWz4h ★ ★ If you enjoy my work, supporting me on ★ Fanbox https://wingr.fanbox.cc/

[beantothemax]

hey bean did I tell you I'm doing a seth solo run? Well I am and he's modded to replace eirika.

Chapter 15, He is now level 20

amazing stats of course

there has been one death so far because he got crit by carlyle but other than that, smooth sailing (except for ephraim dying in chapter 15) (REMEMBER VINNY DNI)

finally… fire sethblem. how the game was meant to be experienced.

[undertheflagrp]

SO LONG FOR NOW

hi everyone! if you've been keeping an eye on us you may have noticed we didn't have a queue on monday at all. this was actually totally an accident and just a case of me (admin eirika) being so busy that i simply forgot, but it served as a bit of a "sign" of a sort for me. i started a new full time job in november, and am taking a class that is a lot of work, on top of other responsibilities. it's left me with very little free time, so i have to choose what i spend that free time on wisely. i always said i would keep running under the flag as long as i was enjoying it and someone else was too. recently, though, doing the queue and daily updates has felt like more of a chore to me than anything else. it makes me incredibly sad because i love this universe and the memories i've made here. mod mercedes offered to take over doing the queue for me, but i don't think that would relieve the stress of me feeling responsible for a roleplay when i don't have the time or motivation for it anymore. so, with that, under the flag will be closing to the public, at least for now. the roleplay has mostly just been made up of a core group of friends for several months now anyway, so i'm making a compromise, and instead of just abandoning the under the flag universe altogether, i'll leave it as a private group. that means under the flag members can continue roleplaying here, as can anyone else that has my personal contact information <3 when i have time, i may still update the event and enemies blogs to advance the story for the few of us that remain, but otherwise, there will no longer be any public activity from the main starting now. i'm going to officially free myself of regular admin duties and let this entirely be a hobby, and i think it will be refreshing. if anyone was interested in joining us and feels disappointed seeing this, i'm sorry! thank you for your interest in under the flag, and thank you to everyone that has been a part of this roleplay's journey at any point since it began last summer. seeing people enjoy this place that i put so much work into has really made me so happy, and i loved being your admin eirika. maybe one day i will be again, but it's a title i'll retire for now and look upon fondly. thank you again for everything 💓

[fe-after-dark]

Welcome back, looks like you don't need to change the theme either. (Perks of going on hiatus during December last time you were here?)

Lol, that's exactly what I was thinking! That is definitely a perk. Changing the theme was more work than I actually acknowledged at the time, so I will likely make a more consistent theme after the festive season, but I'm glad Eirika's still here for us!

Love, Mod Lucina

[soft-femagines]

The Claude Cult is looking pretty good at the moment 👀

[gamequoteshowdown]

Quote 1: "I've been waiting for this!" - Akihiko Sanada, Persona 3

Quote 2: "You're just a corpse who doesn't know he's dead" - Valter, Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones

Propaganda (Possible Spoilers):

Quote 1: This line has been meme'd to death, and for good reason, but this line becomes incredibly sad after Shinji's death because it shows how Akihiko is struggling to cope with his best friend's death. brb gonna go sob uncontrollably - Mod Chaos

Quote 2: Valter has a lot of really fun lines but this one goes the hardest. He says it to Seth as Seth is fleeing with Eirika. Valter has the upperhand, he just invaded the capital and killed the king. It's such an excellent threat to two people fleeing from the horrors of war, especially because Valter actively hunts them. That is truly how he feels about Seth. Also because Valter is a cocky bastard. - Submitter

[theofficersacademy]

Hello! I'd like to put Patty, Eirika and Tharja on hiatus please!

Patty, Eirika, and Tharja are on hiatus until March 29th! Please remember to message the Masterlist once you return. Thank you!

- Mod N

[nintendo-rpg-characters-2023]

Welcome to Round 2!!!

Sorry that it's been a while so let's get going shall we.

Something to keep in mind moving forward is that the losers bracket is starting this round, all the competitors that lost in round 1 will go against eachother with re-randomized match-ups for the chance to compete in the finals. This will be run alongside the winners bracket and I have no intentions of bringing back characters that lose from here on out.

Round 2 will be released on June 7th at 11:00 am PST

Losers Round 1 will be released on June 9th at 11:00 am PST

Match-ups are below the cut as always.

- Mod Sky

Winners:

Left Side:

Cackletta (Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga) VS Mallow (Super Mario RPG) 

Geno (Super Mario RPG) VS Bow (Paper Mario 64)

Rex (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) VS Cynthia (Pokemon Diamond/Pearl)

Fawful (Mario & Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story) VS Riki (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Tony (Earthbound) VS Kammy Koopa (Paper Mario TTYD)

N (Pokemon Black/White) VS Dreambert (Mario & Luigi Dream Team)

Lucas (Mother 3) VS The Dark Lord (Miitopia)

Great Sage (Miitopia) VS Dimentio (Super Paper Mario)

Right Side:

Bobby (Paper Mario the Origami King) VS Mr. L (Super Paper Mario) 

Mimi (Super Paper Mario) VS Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Mr. Saturn (Earthbound) VS Elma (Xenoblade Chronicles X)

Dominic the Dragon (Miitopia) VS Duster (Mother 3)

Kumatora (Mother 3) VS Alvis/A (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Alex (Golden Sun) VS Claude (Fire Emblem Three Houses) 

Vivian (Paper Mario TTYD) VS Espurr (Pokemon X/Y)

Lillie (Pokemon Sun/Moon) VS Hector (Fire Emblem the Blazing Blade)

Losers:

Left Side:

Count Bleck (Super Paper Mario) VS Alcryst (Fire Emblem Engage)

Morag (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) VS Robin (Fire Emblem Awakening)

Eunie (Xenoblade Chronicles 3) VS Finn (Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War)

Lin (Xenoblade Chronicles X) VS Euden (Dragalia Lost)

Lora (Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna) VS Buzz Buzz (Earthbound)

Linhardt (Fire Emblem Three Houses) VS Dubious Mayor Dudley (Miitopia)

Mythra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) VS Eirika (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Ringabel (Bravely Default) VS Goombella (Paper Mario TTYD)

Right Side:

Felix (Golden Sun) VS Porky (Earthbound)

Doopliss (Paper Mario TTYD) VS Lute (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Nina (GBA Mario Tennis) VS Reyn (Xenoblade Chronicles 1)

Zeke (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) VS Knoll (Fire Emblem Sacred Stones)

Besmirched Nobleboy Sonny (Miitopia) VS Edelgard (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Antasma (Mario & Luigi Dream Team) VS Lucina (Fire Emblem Awakening)

Ike (Fire Emblem Path of Radiance) VS Twerkey (Miitopia)

Sena (Xenoblade Chronicles 3) VS Marth (Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon)

[fireemblemmobile]

Hey I hope the midtier arena is ready to know true fear and defeat

[redwing2000]

Eirika's Execution エイリーク公開処刑 (18P)

[Reward] https://subscribestar.adult/posts/1542559 https://discord.com/channels/725318162207473764/725318350544044052/1298954171210530837

Death of Princess Beautiful

This is trial of Conq's mod. I wait for this Guillotine for a long time. So try some girls on it.

…

I don't know do it has part2 Part 2 would play her body.

Maybe none. I just release the main part I wanted to show first.

This thing I did a rough ver. before when I done "death row prisoner" cape. https://redwing2000.tumblr.com/post/710318787083304960/

It actually is Gut's cape but wear twice or 3 on her with hood Now I have better Guillotine. Time to cut more.

公主處死 悽美

這其實是應用CONQ的新MOB 這個斷頭台我期待很久了，怎麼也要找些女孩來試飛一下

…

理論上是有下半部，那個只是玩身體 會不會作出來就不確定了… 或者就這樣完結，總之先把完成了的放出來。

這個你可能有既視感，其實早在之前試死刑犯斗蓬時已經有類似東西 https://redwing2000.tumblr.com/post/710318787083304960/

這個實際是格斯的斗篷，只是穿了2面還是3面然後再上一個頭套 衣服卡極端低完成度，就忘了它吧？你在STUDIO上自己組和上衣服卡再調整差不多時間而已

好了，漂亮的斷頭台 女孩們起飛吧

★ X - https://x.com/wingr2000 ★ ★ Discord - http://discord.gg/xtnWz4h ★ ★ If you enjoy my work, supporting me on ★ Fanbox https://wingr.fanbox.cc/

[undertheflagrp]

PLEASE WELCOME MOD CORRIN!

very exciting news! today, we're officially welcoming a new mod on board: mod corrin! mod corrin will be helping out with the daily tasks so we can ensure everything on the main is updated regularly, which we have admittedly been slacking on. life has been crazy for both admin eirika and mod mercedes, so we really appreciate mod corrin's help, and ask that you give them a warm welcome to the team. this will free me (admin eirika) in particular to not have to worry about the more monotonous tasks that come with running under the flag, which actually take up a lot of energy i don't have these days with everything going on in real life. mod corrin stepping in will let me get some rest guilt free, but perhaps even more importantly, this will let me focus on the more exciting parts of under the flag, like events and the overall progression of under the flag's plot. it's a big win for all of us, and mod corrin is excited to get started. so excited that they actually prepared their own message, which you can read below: hello everyone! as admin erika said, i'm super excited to be helping out! i really enjoy doing the more monotonous side of rp work, while events and plot progression still kind of scare me a bit, so this role should be perfect for me! for the record, she and they pronouns are both fine for me, and i'll be happy to help anyone who needs it! please feel free to reach out to me or any other admod and we'll be happy to help you with anything you need, just say the word! -mod corrin

[soft-femagines]

Once Friends

FE Three Houses Drabble

Word count: 1,454

   “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.”

   You didn’t object. The reality of the situation stopped you cold. You had just murdered the ruler of the Kingdom of Faerghus. War was imminent. thousands upon thousands of lives are about to be lost, and it’s your fault. Your heart sunk even further than it already was. You drew in a shaky breath, and began the trek back to base. This was only the beginning of a long, blood soaked path.