Overwhelming Journey to the Truth

All of Aziel's efforts to make up for lost time in turning the tides of this war were not in vain, as they inevitably led to a letter from the Empire months down the line.'To Aziel ZaydYou have shown great talent in areas unforeseen, and you have done so across continents. You are truly a spectacle to behold.However, that ends now.Your display of talents has impressed people in high places, and we would like for you to consider joining our ranks. We seek your presence at Fort Bachea to formally introduce you into the Empire's military.If you are as wise as you are talented, we will be hearing from you.–Farys.'For a split moment, that letter meant everything to him. It lifted a massive weight from his shoulders, and broke him at the same time. His father had been tracking him and said nothing. As it looked, his father abandoned Almyra to join the Empire's ranks somehow, and said nothing to no one. The rumors, the suspicions—they were getting harder to ignore.He'd waste no time in making the trek to the fort, no longer caring for the arrangement he made. He wasn't thinking, he was being reckless. If this was a trap laid out for him, he didn't want his allies getting caught up in it as well. Upon making to the large gates of Fort Bachea in the deep of night, he flashed the emblem of the General, and was granted access. Eyes were on him as he entered, but it didn't matter to him. Immediately upon entry, he ran full speed into their barracks. Anyone and everyone spotted by him was met with a permanent end by his design. It helped that he had the upper hand with the element of surprise, but that wouldn't last for long. He had to manage his stamina better than anyone there. He turned the soldiers' attacks against one another. Focusing on evading their attacks and deflecting them onto someone else, he fought until he was struck by The High General herself. She slashed at his arm; sure to tell him that it could have been much worse if not for his skill and her own mercy. She was disappointed to see her subordinate's attempted recruit tearing through her forces, but even more disappointed when they were all slain by "a singular no named punk." This led to her opening her mind more to the idea. If you can't beat them, join them. In this case, her men couldn't beat the intruder. Why not offer him a chance to stand alongside her? He was given one final chance to join them, and he took it... just until her guard was let down. A sneak attack that was meant to render her immobile was only half successful. She was much stronger than everyone else he's met so far; incredibly so. He wasn't just evenly matched with her. He had a very reasonable chance at losing, even if he played his hand perfectly. In the end, he managed to take her down, but not without sacrifice. His weapons were shattered, and with no way to regain health lost, he was severely weakened.But his job was not done. He still had one soldier left—the strongest of her subordinate's, Farys Zayd. The father / son reunion that neither of them could have predicted just a few short years ago.Aziel kept things simple. He was already severely injured, and his tools were all but broken. He would like to avoid a fight if he could, but if he was told something he didn't like, he would be forced to swing. He asked for the name of his mother's killer, but received no answer. Instead, he was given a lengthy speech about how the "times were changing" and that it was nearly too late to make a difference. That eventually they would need to swim to the top or they would sink to the bottom. Farys sought a life where the three of them could live, not just at the top, but far above the peak of Fódlan's society. The research and experiments he conducted were the key to that, but Nadia wasn't buying it. She'd claim that it was too dangerous—inhumane. She wanted no part of it. He should have stopped it there, but he didn't want to. In time, crests would be the key to all salvation. Those with none to bear would be cast off to die like fallen leaves, whilst those with powerful crests will rule society. At that point, Aziel had heard all he wanted to hear. So while he aimed to defeat his father, Farys aimed for a different goal.He would force a man-made crest onto his son with his own method, and ensure that Aziel would rise to the peak of execution.His father had the advantage. He was full of energy, well-equipped, and completely unpredictable. His time away from his son was spent researching, experimenting, and training. The only reason he was given a place in the Empire's ranks is because of the exceptional skill he's shown in the magical arts. He was anointed under the previous Emperor's reign, and managed to lie low until he could guarantee this new Emperor could usher in the age of his theory. Not once did he need to show his true hand, and while Aziel was skilled, he had no way of knowing how his unimpressive father would grow into a fearsome mage in just a few short years. A few of the soldiers that were slain would rise once more, unaware of their actions, and the crest bestowed upon them. Each soldier that had risen bore a Minor Crest of Farys, yet none of them could truly say they were living.The battle looked unwinnable. Aziel believed this to be his final moments before becoming one of those wretched fighters, but his golden ticket out came around; reinforcements. His professor, as well as the rest of his class, would come to his aid and help him fend off the undead. While Farys kept tabs on his son, the others were irrelevant to him. He had no idea that Aziel would find people in Fódlan to care for him that much, and that was his misstep.But while their help was greatly appreciated, he couldn't rest yet. His stats were but a fraction of what they'd normally be, but he had to see this battle through to the end. He couldn't leave this up to his friends.This was his fight.With a final push, Farys would be defeated, unable to even move a muscle. There, Aziel willed his way over to his father for one final talk with him. Clarity. "Were you the one to kill my mother?" When faced with the bright lights of the afterlife, it is unlikely for one to lie. Mortal judgment would not reach him, it was the divine he'd have to fear. So he told the truth. He was. He sought to bestow the crest onto Nadia first, as she was his wife after all. She rejected the idea, of course, but he attempted anyway. With maximum resistance, Farys tried too hard, and Nadia paid the ultimate price.With that, the question was finally answered, and Aziel could cast the judgment he saw fit. Digging deep into the tank, he conjured a final spell to take care of his father. The pain he put his mother through incomparable to anything else, but he made it his mission to ensure that Farys could at least feel some of that pain.