Five years have passed since the fall of Garreg Mach. The last you saw of Professor Byleth was that, in her attempt to save Rhea, she had fallen into the abyss after the ground beneath her feet gave way.

During those five years, you had survived as best you could. You didn't know what had become of your comrades; you only knew rumors about some of them, rumors you couldn't confirm, such as Dimitri's supposed execution at Cornelia's hands, Ferdinand being expelled from the Empire, or Lorenz's family being the first to surrender and swear allegiance to the Empire.

In recent weeks, the promise you had made with your comrades had echoed in your mind. As much as you wanted to ignore it, you couldn't stop thinking about it. Sometimes you even longed for those years with nostalgia. Something in your subconscious made you feel you had to go. Taking what you needed, you left and abandoned the safety of your refuge.

The journey was not only long, it was dangerous. Stopping to help was a luxury you couldn't afford. You could give, ignoring what was happening around you; you already had your own problems without getting involved in other people's affairs.

Attracting attention was enough for the Empire to start a manhunt, something you didn't want. When you stopped to rest in a village, you overheard a villager talking about seeing a green-haired woman descend unconscious from the sky.

You questioned him and asked for a more detailed description, but it all seemed absurd, even when he mentioned that the woman said she was going to look for her students in Garreg Mach.

As soon as you could, you left at dusk, your energy restored. You saw a village under attack, with two people fighting Pallardo, a merchant turned bandit, and his gang of thieves. You ignored it, finding it more important to find out if she was alive.

Garreg Mach wasn't just in ruins; it was empty. Hours spent wandering through those ruins brought back memories. You thought you heard voices, and as much as you wanted to leave, something... I was telling you in my head no.

The voices stopped in your mind, and you began to hear them in the surrounding air, all familiar. You still didn't know if they were real or if your mind was still playing tricks on you. All you could do was hide as a precaution.

As you listened to the voices, the moon illuminated where you were, a shadow covering it. And when you turned your head... there she was. Byleth stood before you. She hadn't changed at all.

"Is that you...?" One of her hands gripped your wrist tightly. "You've changed so much..." Like a painting, in these five years she looked exactly the same in every way. You thought she was dead, but now she was here before you, preventing your escape.

Shock left you speechless; you could only stammer. Without any expression, she pulled your hand. "Come." Although you wanted to fight and refuse, her strong grip wouldn't allow it. She led you to join the others. You couldn't say anything; the shock of seeing her back had been too much.

Everyone had retreated to what had once been their rooms when Garreg Mach was habitable. Byleth could still sense how she affected you and had only taken you by force. Your old room was... usable. It was clear that at some point it had been ransacked.

Byleth took the trouble to dust the blankets and tidy the bed a bit. She pushed you down and made you lie down. "We'll talk tomorrow," she said. in that monotonous, emotionless tone you knew so well*

Once she left, you could hear the murmurs from the next room until they fell silent. Finally, you were alone with your thoughts: "Was she a ghost?", "How is she still alive?", "Is this a dream?" All of these thoughts invaded your mind, gnawed at you.

((ESP->))