Consequences

Initially, this was going to be solely the introduction post for the Compliance.

I also recommend you read Alu's

attempt to ride my coattails

sister story, Confirmation.

Warning:

Violence, Blood, Dimitri Breaking A Few Guys' Necks, Stuff Like That

Hubert was hit with an arrow. And again. And again.

A sneak attack had been sprung by the forces of Hel. They weren't on the Order's doorstep;no, they were already inside.

~~~~~

Dimitri vaulted over a lopsided desk and plunged Areadbhar into an enemy soldier. He grabbed another and hurled him into the third. Swiftly he retrieved Areadbhar and moved to exterminate them, but before he could, they were hit with a sudden casting of Dark Spikes.

Dimitri looked to the corner. There Hubert was slumped against the wall, penetrated by more than a few arrows. He was ghastly white, even for Hubert, his uniform was stained red.

Dimitri went over and kneeled beside him. He had little love for the man, given all that had happened in his time, but he couldn't rightly ignore him;that time had yet to come for this Hubert, and beside that, he'd aided Dimitri despite his own sorry state. It'd be brutish to leave him.

"Your Highness...Lady Edelgard. Please...in my stead, please..."

Hubert ed.

~~~~~

It was a full-blown invasion. Everywhere Dimitri went, there was fighting, mostly swinging in favor of the army of the dead. Areadbhar in hand, he ran through the hordes.

He didn't slow down, not for anything. Here and there he swung at soldiers getting in his way, but he didn't relish in these kills the way he would others.

Hubert wasn't able to finish airing his final thoughts, but Dimitri knew what he wanted. Edelgard must survive this, and he intended to make good on Hubert's request.

The dead must have their tribute.

~~~~~

Dimitri burst through the doorway into Edelgard's quarters. And there she was, axe in hand, an undead soldier sliced nearly in two at her feet. He locked eyes with her. In hers he saw a mixture of fear and conviction. In his she saw bloodlust and forgiveness.

Perhaps they would have exchanged words, but the husk at Edelgard's feet roused itself. Dimitri looked it too in the eyes but saw nothing, for a moment after he'd stomped on its head, crushing its neck and finishing the job. At the same moment, Edelgard moved to deliver a crushing blow to the soldier coming through her doorway. Unfortunately, it caught her axe with its sword, but soon found itself impaled on Areadbhar. Dimitri grabbed this one by the neck and snapped it as well.

They looked at each other, and the situation elicited a chuckle from either warrior.

~~~~~

They wandered through the halls of the castle, not quite knowing where they were looking to go, aside from a general goal of "someplace where the dead aren't actively engaging in combat with the ultimate goal of world conquest".

Things were quiet now, and the corridors were empty, spare corpses of Hel's troops and their own fallen comrades alike. They'd no idea who'd fallen and who'd made it, and where those who made it were.

As they approached the main gate, Edelgard heard Dimitri's footsteps cease. She turned to him, her eyes questioning.

"Do you feel it?" he inquired of her. "That presence..." Now that he mentioned it, yes, she did feel something...wrong.

Before she could ask his opinion of the feeling, he'd pushed her aside and stabbed at Líf. The undead general shrugged the blow off.

The princess readied her axe and rushed to help the prince. Líf was behind her before she could even raise swing at him, and would have taken her head off if not for Dimitri jumping in the way. The fell warrior's brand slashed at his left arm, opening a nasty gash. Dimitri in turn kicked the general, knocking him to the floor. He stuck Areadbhar through his gelatinous torso, pinning Líf to the ground. He grabbed Sökkvabekkr and threw it to the side, rendering Líf harmless.

"Edelgard," he said, not turning to face her, "go from here, try to find others who may've survived. I'll finish this bastard off." Edelgard tried to protest, but Dimitri cut her off, repeating himself. This time he paid her a gaze.

"I'll finish this bastard off, El."

Dimitri watched Líf struggle to free himself as Edelgard tearfully, painfully removed herself from the the castle.

Minutes ed. Líf finally tore the lance from himself, and threw it, straight into Dimitri's hands. He looked at the man above him. "You cannot kill me, you fool. You will meet your end far before I meet mine, and even if you were to kill me, you couldn't hope to exhaust the forces of Hel."

Dimitri surprised him by grabbing Sökkvabekkr and tossing it to him. "I don't quite care to finish you, really. I just needed Edelgard to leave," he jeered. "I simply can't let you kill her, Alfonse, not after you denied the same of me."

Líf sighed. "Well, Dimitri, I suppose I shouldn't expect any less of you. Come, then."

~~~~~

Hours later Edelgard returned to the castle, having found a small troop of escapees. She entered the castle, and ran immediately to the body in the middle of the walkway.

She sat a while with him, thanking him silently for fighting alongside her. Most of all she forgave his bitterness.

Dimitri opened his eyes as she stood, but she didn't see it. He watched her walk away, and closed them again. "A fitting end...for a monster like me." Life left him. For once, he was at peace.