Chapter Text
Bold text is Arval/Sothis or transformed character. It could also be a character who is possessed speaking. Italics are flashbacks or dreams or for emphasizing.
I don’t own any of the images or characters in this fic. All rights go to their respective owners. Gameplay you see was recorded by me.
Shez sighed as he was led to the archbishop. He had to admit, Garreg Mach was beautiful, though it paled in comparison to the architecture of his home world. Well, Fodlan was his home too, but he still held some love towards his past home, despite everything that happened there.
Shez and Alois walked through the door to the audience chamber. Alois introduced Shez to the rest of the occupants in the room, although Shez was already familiar with one person in the room. Shez simply said. “Lady Rhea.”
Rhea smiled warmly at the grim reaper. “Shez. It has been months since we last saw each other, has it not? How have you been since those days?”
Shez shrugged his shoulders. “Pretty well, unless you count my encounter with an old enemy.” He still needed to find Hazama, but he made a promise that he wasn’t going to use the power of the azure for big things unless absolutely necessary. Besides, Hazama could lead him into a trap if he did that.
Seteth, Rhea’s advisor from what he knew, was the one who addressed the elephant in the room. “You speak of Hazama Honoka, correct? You seem to know him personally” Seteth observed. Rhea had told him about Shez’s power, and the students and knights at camp said that Shez had even more power in reserve. If Hazama was able to match the grim reaper, then he needed to be accounted for.
Shez sighed. “Look, Hazama is MY enemy. Trust me, it’s better to stay out of the way” he said. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to reveal too much.
Rhea’s look shattered Shez’s hopes. “Shez, if this Hazama is a threat to Fodlan’s peace, then I implore you to tell us anything you may know.” She dropped her motherly façade and wore the look of an interrogator, something that Shez never expected from her.
Arval took this time to chime in. “You have to give them something. They’ll just keep asking if you don’t tell them. Besides, with the central church backing you, Hazama and Relius could be found easier.”
Shez considered Arval’s words before sighing. “What a pain in the ass…” he muttered before looking at Rhea. “Alright, but the story is very long. Besides, a lot of your students probably won’t stop bugging me unless I tell them too, so I’d rather tell everyone at once so I don’t have to repeat myself again” he said, as he hated long-ass stories.
The occupants in the room looked at each other before Rhea nodded. “Very well. As for my other request…”
About 30 minutes later, Shez is sitting in the chapel. Many students are sitting and waiting for the reason they were all called here, but what stood out was the fact that Shez was wearing a student’s uniform alongside his red jacket. Shez mentioned that it had personal value, so he was allowed to wear it over his uniform.
Many students were wondering if the grim reaper was now a student. Their questions were answered when Shez took center stage. “Alright, I’m not one for speeches, so I’ll cut to the chase. I’m Shez the Bloodedge, the Grim Reaper, and now a student at the officer’s academy. I have joined the black eagle house” he revealed.
Gasps and murmurs ran rampant. None were expecting the grim reaper to become a student. The black eagles were especially excited to have Shez as a member of their house. Edelgard couldn’t believe it. ‘This is too perfect. I now have much more time to get him on my side’ she thought.
As the noise quieted down, Shez spoke up once more. “I’m sure most of you are wondering who Hazama is and how he knows me. Because I know that most of you won’t stop asking until I tell you, I might as well tell you.”
This was good news for a certain group of people. Shez sighed. “Hazama is a…vessel. He’s human, but a different kind of human. He was specifically created to be a vessel for another evil maniac, Yuuki Terumi. Both of them are from a land far from Fodlan’s reach.” Now, Shez was NOT going to go into all of Terumi’s history, let alone reveal the fact that he was a god. That would mean revealing the boundary, his past, everything. He had to get a bit creative.
The idea of another land outside of Fodlan caught everyone’s attention right away.
Shez used the azure to visualize what he was describing, showing off Terumi and Hazama. “Terumi is pure evil. He’s a vicious monster, but he’s also powerful and cunning, just like Hazama. Terumi is basically an evil spirit that had to create a body for himself, but he had allies create vessels like Hazama as backups should his original body be destroyed. Of course, those vessels have somewhat different personalities.”
The audience could tell Terumi was evil just by looking at his psychotic grin. Bernadetta was absolutely the most terrified, but the fact that Terumi was technically a ghost also scared people like Lysithea.
Shez continued with his story. “Hazama is similar in personality to Terumi, but far less psychotic sounding. Hazama hurts and kills others because, as a vessel, Hazama cannot feel pain, so he decided to inflict it upon others. He’s very manipulative, able to influence political figures to do his bidding. He’s a snake.”
‘Sounds very similar to a certain group’ Edelgard and Hubert thought, hoping Hazama was not allied with them.
“Hazama also wields a Nox Nyctores, Ouroboros.” Shez noticed someone raise their hand. “What?”
The person who raised their hand was Sylvain. “What is a Nox Nyctores?”
Shez facepalmed. “Damnit…now I have to make the story longer.” He sighed. “Alright, listen well. The people of this other land were far more advanced technologically and magically than Fodlan, and their government was different too. They don’t have things like crests. If you want to lead, you have to earn your position by vote or prove yourself as a war hero or something. They didn’t decide their rulers by blood, they moved past that.”
That last part shocked many, but also gave some a lot of hope. For Edelgard, this world was basically what she wanted. ‘A land without the crests or the crest system…perhaps I can ask Shez to take me there’ she thought. “So, the concept of nobles and commoners…” she said.
Shez shook his head, “That’s outdated in their eyes. They don’t use that system anymore. Anyone can rule or get a political position with hard work, no matter what their social status is.”
He didn’t realize it, but he had given Edelgard a lot of hope.
As Shez showed off some of the technology and magic, he continued to speak. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was definitely peaceful. Their cultures were diverse, but people were accepted regardless of whatever they believed in” he said.
Claude smiled. ‘That’s good to know. I should ask the guy to take me there’ he thought.
“Everything was peaceful up until the dark war” Shez said. Shez showed off a giant multi-headed monster emerging from a city, destroying everything in sight. The audience gasped as they saw the monster.
Rhea was stunned. In all her years, she had never seen something like that. “What…is that?” she asked.
Shez sighed. “The Black Beast. It’s a monster that doesn’t distinguish between friend or foe, it only seeks destruction. The Black Beast existed outside of the natural world, so only magic could affect it. Unfortunately, not many humans were able to wield magic. So, the beast rampaged for years.”
The devastation of the black beast brought a few to tears, while also terrifying many. The thought of such a monster existing in Fodlan was something equally terrifying. Dimitri raised his hand. “Shez, by end of the dark war, how many people were left?” he asked, almost dreading the answer.
Shez gave him a grim look. “The war lasted 10 years. By the end of it all, about half of the land’s population was wiped out.”
A stunned silence ran throughout the chapel. “H-Half…? That’s…unbelievable…” Seteth stuttered.
“Not even the war of heroes was that devastating” Ferdinand said, shaking in fear.
Unfortunately, Shez had more surprises for everyone. “That’s not all. The Black Beast had a pretty terrifying power, just like mine. When the black beast kills someone, it consumes their soul, meaning they don’t get an afterlife” he said. (A/N: I don't remember whether or not this is actually a thing, but I'm gonna say it is. The azure grimoire Ragna has can take souls, and the black beast is basically a failed version of the blazblue's (azure grimoire's) evolved form.)
Many were now terrified that something similar would happen to them. Rhea and the faithful were saddened that so many would never find peace with the goddess. Thankfully, Shez brought some good news. “Don’t worry, the beast is gone. Thanks to the sacrifice of a man named Bloodedge, the Black Beast was frozen for an entire year. During that year, a sage known as Nine promised to make a way to kill the Black Beast.”
When an image of Nine was shown, many men in the room couldn’t help but stare, much to the annoyance of the women in the room. Although, seeing Nine’s body made a lot of the women in the room feel inadequate, especially Lysithea.
Shez glared. “Would ya quit staring perverts?! I have more to say!” Shez’s threatening voice snapped everyone out of it.
Shez sighed. “Anyway, Nine created a way for normal humans to use magic, known as Ars Magus. She went a step further and used the souls of a few willing participants to create Nox Nyctores. Think of Ars Magus as sacred weapons, while the Nox Nyctores are the Heroes’ relics. Of course, both Ars Magus and the Nox Nyctores far surpass the sacred weapons and relics.”
This shocked many. Weapons that surpass the Heroes’ Relics? That’s simply unheard of. Linhardt was now VERY intrigued. Raising his hand, he asked more about Ars Magus and the Nox Nyctores.
Shez sighed, annoyed that he had to explain more. “Alright, fine. Ars Magus are usually called Grimiores, but that doesn’t mean they are books. They can take on many forms. Ars Magus come in two types. Most Ars Magus are referred to by that name, but combat-level Ars are referred to as Ars Armagus” he said, showing off a few Ars Magus vessels and some Ars Armagus.
“As for the Nox Nyctores, they were on a whole different level thanks to being powered by souls. The first is Gigant: Takemikazuchi” Shez showed off a giant humanoid monster. “This thing would be able to wipe out an entire city with ease. If it were still around, you could wipe out Adrestia, Faerghus, or Leicester without a second thought. Thankfully, it was destroyed after the war.” This wasn’t technically a lie as he did help destroy it.
Many were glad that such a weapon was no longer around. Edelgard breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness. If twsitd got their hands on such a weapon, the damage would be severe’ she thought.
Shez shows off his brother Jin using another weapon. “The second Nox is Mucro Algesco: Yukianesa. Its blade is made from a special ice that can’t melt no matter what. Using the water in the air, it can freeze opponents.”
Some notice that Shez stares at the man using Yukianesa for a moment, but they don’t push the issue. Shez then shows off a pair of guns, but he first has to explain what guns are. After that, he explains Bolverk. “Arcus Diabolus: Bolverk. This weapon can form attacks at will, even if you’re blocked by a wall.”
As this weapon was shown off, the archers in the room were jealous. Shamir muttered under her breath how cool Bolverk is. Shez shows off a mechanized doll the size of a human. “This is Deus Machina: Nirvana. Essentially, it’s a puppet that can attack people.”
Shez shows off a cat using a strangely shaped sword. Before anyone asked, Shez told them everything. “Yes, animal people are a thing. That’s Jubei, one of the six heroes of the dark war, but I’ll get to them later. Mucro Somnio: Musashi. It’s a sword that can cut through absolutely anything as long as the wielder is strong enough.”
Many swordsmen admired the skill Jubei showed off. Felix took some notes about how he fought, thinking of ways to improve his own skills.
Shez showed off someone in pretty interesting armor. He was wielding an unbelievably long sword. “That’s Hakumen, another one of the six heroes. It’s made from a special metal that is capable of nullifying the effects of Ars Magus. Hakumen is strong not just because of his armor, but also because of the power of order.”
When he saw the confused looks, he sighed once again. “The power of order is an absolute will. It counters anything that threatens the order of the world. The bigger the threat, the stronger someone with the power of order grows. It can also grant people certain abilities. For example, someone with the power of order could completely nullify the effects of a crest or even remove a crest should crests start to become a threat to the order of the world. It basically keeps the world in check.”
Many doubted that crests could ever become a threat to the world, but people like Edelgard really wished they had this power. ‘It would make my goal much easier’ she thought.
Dimitri wasn’t blind to how much crests are valued. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if things do indeed go that far. I hope someone out there is worthy enough of this power’ he thought before raising his hand. “How is someone selected?”
Shez shrugged. “Well, the power of order isn’t good or evil, nor is it always used in the name of justice. It’s just there to keep the balance. Meaning if there was too much good, the power of order would create an evil force to counter the good and vice versa. It just chooses people that are most suited for the role.”
Shez sighed and showed everyone a woman using a long staff. “That’s Trinity Glassfille, another one of the six heroes. She’s using Arma Reboare: Muchorin. It can summon many things.”
Shez showed off Hazama again this time with a Nox Nyctores. “That’s Geminus Anguinum: Ouroboros. It has snake-like blades at the end of the chains, allowing its wielder to latch onto almost anything. This also causes damage to someone’s mind, so it can potentially drive people insane. That’s one of the reason Hazama’s a threat.”
People shivered at the thought of a weapon that can drive people mad. Many hoped to never encounter Hazama again.
Shez shows off a ninja using another Nox Nyctores. “This is Phoenix: Rettenjo. It’s not only a good weapon, but it can also destroy the other Nox Nyctores.”
Many were impressed by the speed and agility of the ninja. Petra wished to meet this man so she could learn how he got to such a level.
Shez showed off the final Nox Nyctores, showing a cybernetic woman using it. “That’s Lux Sanctus: Murakumo. It turns into 8 other swords that can be used in terrifying ways, including long-ranged combat.”
Many raised their hands, but Shez shot them all down. “Trust me, it’s better if you never find out anything about that girl. She’s been through enough, trust me.” The look he gave them all let them know to drop the subject.
Strangely, while looking at the cyborg, Edelgard’s eyes changed. She didn’t move, and her eyes turned lifeless. Hubert noticed something was wrong and shook Edelgard. “My lady, what is wrong?” he asked.
When Shez stopped showing the woman, Edelgard returned to normal, confused as to what happened. Edelgard’s head hurt. “Sorry Hubert, I am fine” she said. She didn’t understand why she blanked out. (A/N: To those of you who read the original version of this story and played Blazblue’s story modes, congrats for figuring it out. Also, the info about the mod nyctores is from the in-game glossary, which is very long.)
She returned her attention to Shez as he continued with his story. “With Ars Magus and the Nox Nyctores, Nine, Hakumen, Jubei, Trinity, and Valkenhyn, who is a beastkin with the power to turn into a wolf, joined together to face the black beast, but they still needed more power. So, Nine cast a spell on Terumi that would force him to ally with them. After defeating the black beast, these 6 would be known as the six heroes. There was a lot of damage after the war, but they would rebuild, and things were pretty peaceful.”
Claude was the first to call out the obvious issue. “That was until Terumi broke free, right?”
Shez nodded. “Yeah. Terumi broke free and escaped his homeland, taking his vessel Hazama with him. Terumi and Hazama escaped to Fodlan alongside another one of their allies, Relius Clover.” Shez does not miss the flinching of Edelgard and Lysithea when he says Relius’ name. ‘Those two know something’ he thought.
Showing an image of Relius, Shez details the genius and evil of Relius Clover. “See that thing with him? That’s his wife that he turned into a robot to mimic Nirvana. He’s just the worst” Shez said, still pissed at Relius for everything.
Many in the room were horrified and angered that someone would do that to their own wife. Many of the women felt a lot of sympathy for Ignis.
“Hazama, Terumi, and Relius make quite a good team, I’ll admit that. Their plans are usually pretty solid, but also plain evil. Terumi’s a spirit, so he doesn’t exactly age, Hazama’s a vessel, so the same goes for him, and Relius no doubt has some technology keeping him young. From what I know, they’ve been around for quite a long time, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they were behind some of Fodlan’s tragedies” Shez said. He was tempted to believe that Hazama and Relius were behind the tragedy of Duscur. It sounds right up their alley to manipulate people.
Hubert raised his hand next. “How do you even know all of this? Have you been to this other land before?” he asked, as he was still suspicious of Shez.
Shez nodded. “Yeah, I was summoned there by an accidental spell. That’s where I met Jubei, who told me most of what I know. He’s the one who gave me Aramasa, the sword that Bloodedge used as well as his jacket. He’s also the one that trained me. I adopted the Bloodedge monicker to honor the man, as Jubei said we had a lot in common with each other.”
Seteth asked a question of his own. “Terumi, Relius, and Hazama are still out there, correct?” he asked, wanting to know how many threats he needed to account for.
Shez sighed. “Terumi was taken care of already. I killed him about 2 months before I met all of you. Relius and Hazama are still threats though.”
Seteth nodded and turned to the audience. “Well, I believe that is the end of our story time. All of you can return to whatever it was you were doing, but please treat the grim reaper with respect.” Seteth turned to Shez. “Perhaps you should get to know your new classmates” Seteth suggested.
Shez nodded and walked through the crowd of students and knights, with many giving him strange looks. He gave glares to those that looked at him weirdly.
“So, what do you think of Shez’s story?” Dorothea asked everyone. Shez’s story was so insightful that it could become one of the best operas ever from her point of view.
Linhardt hummed. “I must say, I wish to visit this other land someday. The research possibilities are endless.”
Caspar sighed. “Of course, you would only care about that.” Caspar suddenly became excited. “But did you see the way those guys fought?! That was awesome! I wanna meet those guys!”
“Sorry, but I have no clue how to get back there” Shez said, startling all of them with his sudden appearance. Shez crossed his arms. “Plus, they’re still recovering from the dark war. Everyone is already occupied with something else.”
Edelgard sighs. “A shame, I would truly wish to learn more about it. Still, that was quite the interesting story you told Shez” she said. She did believe what Shez was telling her, but she also knew that Shez was omitting a lot of information. She would admit, Shez was good at it.
Shez wasn’t too focused on her. Instead, he pointed towards someone he hadn’t met. “What’s with the fainted girl?” he asked.
Dorothea noticed where he was pointing. “Oh, you mean Bernadetta? She fainted the moment you showed off the Black Beast.”
Shez sighed. “Great…well whatever” he said before turning to Edelgard. “Hey, would you go out with me for a bit?” he asked.
Edelgard, and a few others, took this out of context. Edelgard was pretty shocked by what Shez was asking her. “Shez…I truly am grateful that you saved me, but a date with me is not necessarily a reward I want to give you” Edelgard said, trying not to let him down harshly. Maybe if they spent more time together, she would consider it. Of course, if it came down to it, she was considering seduction as a way to gain his allegiance.
Shez groaned. “I’m not looking for a date with you, I just want to ask you and Lysithea a few questions” he said. He wasn’t interested in dating anyone right now, even though his teenage body found Edelgard and many women around him pretty attractive.
Edelgard nodded as the two left to find Lysithea.
Lysithea was contemplating everything she heard. She blocked out any noise to try and comprehend everything. “Such magic is possible? If I were to go there, could I be cured of my condition…?” she muttered. That’s when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Shez.
“Hey, I need to talk with you and Edelgard about something” he said, with Edelgard by his side. Lysithea nodded and followed Shez and Edelgard out of the chapel and to a more secluded area. Shez made sure the three of them were alone. When he was certain, he turned to Lysihtea and Edelgard. “Alright, how the hell do you two know Relius Clover?”