The Bright Star [Fire Emblem: Three Houses AU]

A Voice (Byleth)

The sun had barely awoke, coloring the sky an orange color. When the sky turned a midnight blue, Rhea was there to make sure that Byleth was alright. Rhea would come at any time of the day to check on him.

Byleth had not shown any signs of complete recovery so far, looking nearly the same as he was the previous day. He had gotten somewhat used to the feeling of his pounding heart and was regaining some of his strength, but not enough to where he could live his daily life again.

Rhea wondered if this was a sign that Byleth was truly ready to awaken his power. Maybe he needed another day, but she could take him to the Holy Tomb an begin the process of his true enlightenment. Rhea walked into the infirmary where Byleth was resting, bringing in a tea kettle. "Good morning," she said to him. "Do you want some tea?"

"I'd appreciate it," Byleth said to her. "What teas did you bring with you?"

"Chamomile and Angelica."

"Chamomile, please."

Rhea poured Byleth a cup of Chamomile tea, setting it on the small teatable next to the infirmary bed that Byleth was resting on. "Please let me know if you have any issues, Byleth," she said. "I'm here to make sure that you're alright." She kneeled down next to the infirmary bed.

"I need some time to recover," Byleth insisted, looking at her. "I'll most likely have to spend the next few days resting."

"Would you like for me to leave you be?"

"I don't mind if you stay or not. I just probably will be resting and won't instantly respond to you."

"Whatever you say, darling. Your tea's on the table." Rhea left the room to leave Byleth to himself.

Byleth began to zone out as he closed his eyes almost instinctively, allowing his mind to clear before he were to take a sip of the tea he was given. But before he knew it, instead of his mind imagining himself in a completely dark place with no distractions, he could see a green light. He decided to go closer towards it, feeling as if he were in this almost jet black room. Before him sat a girl on stone throne, who was asleep but woke up sometime after he noticed her presence. Her dark hair was long and puffy, and she was adorned in jewelry and blue clothing. She woke up with a yawn, and turned to face the one who stood before her. "Oh my," the girl said. "What could've brought you here?"

"I just closed my eyes, almost asleep, and all of a sudden I was here," Byleth said to the girl. "Is this a dream?"

"Do not be deceived," the girl replied, staring. "If it were a dream I wouldn't have woken up to stand before you." She sat up formally as she continued to stare at Byleth. "And what are you?"

"I am a ghost," Byleth said. "I don't know how I'm here. I just suddenly came after closing my eyes and resting from an injury. Perhaps I am a ghost, and this is what the afterlife prepared for me."

"This is no afterlife. We are all conscious, living, and breathing beings. In the end, both of us are most certainly alive."

"Then I must be a demon. I, Byleth Eisner, am the son of the greatest knight of Fódlan, Captain Jeralt Eisner of the Knights of Seiros. He is training me to be a knight, and I must have learned well from him, as the knights sometimes call me a demon."

"Do not dehumanize yourself. I know you do not possess powers that those beings have. Now, if we were not here and you were to wake up as yourself, what are you?"

Byleth sighed. "I am a mortal."

"I see." The girl didn't seem very surprised at Byleth, but he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

"In this case, who are you?"

"Who am I? That's a question I ask myself. Perhaps there's much more to figure out about myself."

"How did I get here? Can you tell me the truth?"

"I don't know how you got here, but I feel like I just came into this consciousness a bit ago, and then now you showed up."

"How long do you think you've been conscious in this realm for?"

"Not sure exactly, but I would guess maybe about a day."

"That's odd. Rhea performed that spell on me yesterday, and I only recently am beginning to recover. Maybe her spell put you here?"

"I don't know who this Rhea is or who you're talking about, but perhaps she's the reason why we're here. I would suggest you investigate on your own."

"But what if—" Byleth was woken up before he could respond, losing his consciousness in the realm he was in, returning to his own.

"Hey, kid," Jeralt called. "Are you doing alright?"

Byleth woke up slowly. "I am," he said.

"Lady Rhea told me things aren't looking all that great for you," Jeralt explained. "She didn't say that in a way as if you're about to die, though. I think you just need more time to recover. It's a shame that your training would have to be halted for a little while, as I think you're almost ready to join the Knights."

"I am?" Byleth asked. He sat up to take a sip of the Chamomile tea Rhea brought him.

"Yes, of course," Jeralt said. "Your abilities in weaponry and battle are extraordinary, and the little knowledge of magic you have is a great skill to have as a member of the Knights as well. I think you'll be a great addition to the Knights of Seiros, whaddya say?"

"Of course I will, Father," Byleth said. "I'll finish my training and join the Knights as soon as possible. I just hope that my recovery will be quick."

"If not, it's not a problem. I'll be here to train you whenever you're recovered, as long as it all works into your own schedule. Lady Rhea told me to check up on you and make sure you were alright while she was finishing some things, then she's going to come back to you. I've got to leave for another mission in a bit. Catch you later?"

"Catch you later, Father," Byleth said, closing his eyes again to enter the realm he was once in. Once he relaxed himself, he found himself in this realm once again with the green-haired girl.

"There you are," Sothis said. "I was wondering when you'd come, but along the way I learned that I can also see through your eyes as well."

"You can?" Byleth asked, slightly shocked. "Who are you anyway? What are you?"

The girl stood from her throne. "I am Sothis, but you can also call me The Beginning."