One Fear vs. Another

Making the Leap

At the initial assault on Garreg Mach following the Holy Tomb, Hubert's carefully laid strategy built on the full Black Eagle house joining their ranks moved smoothly. It would have been just as successful without them, of course, but at a steeper cost. Bernadetta and Dorothea devastated enemies from afar while Petra and Caspar tore through their front lines. Linhardt kept everyone well enough to move their troops forward, pressing onward to where Edelgard and the Professor would challenge the head of the Church of Seiros in a blaze of legendary glory.

As always, in every strategy reviewed by Her Majesty, Ferdinand and Hubert were placed close together. They were accustomed to one another's fighting styles due to it and remained vigilant for the areas where their ally was habitually less than attentive. Even Hubert had his blind spots, and of course, his strategic weaknesses. Ferdinand knew many of them, but there were still those he remained fortunately ignorant of. It was one matter for Byleth to know about Hubert's aversion to heights through the advice box at the monastery, but Ferdinand?

Conjuring another spell, Hubert took out an archer aiming for Ferdinand and smirked. No, it was better he didn't know. Their friendship had grown out of intense animosity to something perhaps defined as more than friendship... Particularly after talking out numerous personal matters in private when they returned to their base of operations. Throughout the evening after the retreat from the Holy Tomb, they remained in one another's company over the last meal before the siege on Garreg Mach.

At present, they focused their joint efforts on clearing the area surrounding them of enemies, and Ferdinand strode up to him with energy to spare despite the long battle. His horse was likely behind the front lines for safety—he spoiled that beast rotten in Hubert's opinion.

"Hubert," he called unnecessarily, but it was a relief to hear something other than his own orders and the cries of the battlefield for a moment. "Have you seen Edelgard? Or the Professor?"

"They've led the attack on the archbishop ahead." For them, that was communication enough. They made their way to the heart of the monastery, where Byleth and Edelgard fought alongside one another to defeat the leader of this false religion.

They only barely arrived in time to see a flash of green light, which Hubert recognized solely from studying forbidden books on the Immaculate One. "She's about to change form," he explained to Ferdinand, harsh and curt. There was no time for anything else, and already, the demands of battle were making themselves known through the invigorating haze of adrenaline.

Raising up her long, serpentine neck, the Immaculate One reared up. Her voice, distorted by her new form, resonated in his chest and shook the stone around them. "You will not be forgiven!"

"Hubert? What is—?"

"Professor!" Edelgard cut off Ferdinand unknowingly, reaching out for Byleth as the first stones began to fall. "Look out!"

"The castle is crumbling," a soldier cried out, pushing his helmet down over his head further as if that would spare him as he fled. "We must escape!"

"Everyone, take cover!" Hubert ordered, lamenting the debris already piled up between him and where the Professor stood with Her Majesty. They would have to fend for themselves, and knowing they were perfectly capable of that did little to comfort Hubert as he grabbed Ferdinand's forearm to pull him into a west-facing archway of the monastery.

"Professor!" Edelgard's desperate shout followed him as if chastising his choice. A true vassal to the Imperial throne would find a way through, over, or around the debris. He knew that was foolish. Hubert likely would've died trying something so brazen, but still, his grip on Ferdinand tightened while he followed his tactical retreat.