[Byleth's tone was quiet, because he did understand what Shez was driving at. The fact that they had managed to bury the hatchet was nothing short of miraculous, considering how diametrically opposed they'd been in the conflict back in Fodlan. Jeralt insistence on keeping distance from the Church, and Shez's loyalty to Dimitri, meant they had come dangerously close to slaying each other numerous times...
...and when that was no longer a driving factor, otherworldly forces tried to compel them to slay each other: Sothis with him, Arval with Shez, uncaring of their own wishes and desires. This path they had walked together that had resulted in them clasping hands in camaraderie, rather than driving their blades into each other's breasts, was nothing short of miraculous in retrospect.
Yet Kenos carried its own dangers too. It preyed on doubt, on uncertaintly, squirming into hairline cracks to rip them into gaping fissues - where Fodlan and its dogged destiny had failed, Kenos was determined to succeed, to drive Byleth and Shez apart... or make them slay each other. In a way it had succeeded, if only by proxy, yet defiantly... that was not enough to break their bond.
Strain it, perhaps. But not break it.]
You're right. [he said this a little louder, more confidently.] It's only due to our own efforts that we're both standing here today, as allies, despite reality's best attempts to turn us against each other.
[He hesitated, looking at the duplicate whistle Shez was holding.]
Yet I can't help but wonder... is us being friends such an awful thing that fate itself keeps intervening? Or are we just cursed with a lot of bad luck...
no subject
[Byleth's tone was quiet, because he did understand what Shez was driving at. The fact that they had managed to bury the hatchet was nothing short of miraculous, considering how diametrically opposed they'd been in the conflict back in Fodlan. Jeralt insistence on keeping distance from the Church, and Shez's loyalty to Dimitri, meant they had come dangerously close to slaying each other numerous times...
...and when that was no longer a driving factor, otherworldly forces tried to compel them to slay each other: Sothis with him, Arval with Shez, uncaring of their own wishes and desires. This path they had walked together that had resulted in them clasping hands in camaraderie, rather than driving their blades into each other's breasts, was nothing short of miraculous in retrospect.
Yet Kenos carried its own dangers too. It preyed on doubt, on uncertaintly, squirming into hairline cracks to rip them into gaping fissues - where Fodlan and its dogged destiny had failed, Kenos was determined to succeed, to drive Byleth and Shez apart... or make them slay each other. In a way it had succeeded, if only by proxy, yet defiantly... that was not enough to break their bond.
Strain it, perhaps. But not break it.]
You're right. [he said this a little louder, more confidently.] It's only due to our own efforts that we're both standing here today, as allies, despite reality's best attempts to turn us against each other.
[He hesitated, looking at the duplicate whistle Shez was holding.]
Yet I can't help but wonder... is us being friends such an awful thing that fate itself keeps intervening? Or are we just cursed with a lot of bad luck...