Chapter 1 – Visitors

"Ah...I'm going in circles..."

The heron was alone. Clad in signature white and sporting signature blonde hair, he had ended up in the perilous Desert of Death, a name that lived up to its reputation. The sun was harsh. The air was dry. And the heat...the heat only made it all the more painful.

"I...must...ah..."

He looked pitifully at his once pristine wings. They drooped and it caused him great pain to move them. Flying was out of the question.

"The forest..."

He soldiered on, desperate to get back home. He didn't know if any of his kind still lived, or even his dear brother and sisters, but he had to find out.

"The forest..."

But when he woke up, he wasn't trapped in an unforgiving desert, on the verge of death. No, a quick look around reminded him that he was in the same place he had flocked too for years now, with the laguz he called his Queen.

"Good morning."

Queen Nailah.

"Good morning...ah, I hope I didn't wake you up. Was I speaking in my sleep again?"

She was everything he was not – strong, powerful, even more graceful than his own form, despite being a heron. And yet, she smiled at him.

"A little, it was quite endearing. But I've been up since dawn."

"Dawn?" Prince – no, was that technically the right title now? - Rafiel looked down at his robes. He knew he wasn't reliving his nightmares but he always liked to be sure. No tears, no rips, and it smelled fresh. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked endearing, didn't you hear me?"

Rafiel smiled back at her. "That's not a very practical reason. I enjoy the early morning."

"Are you nervous?"

"For what?"

Nailah propped herself up on one elbow. She was a wolf, much more capable than a simple bird, but her tone was as gentle as ever. "They're supposed to be arriving today."

"Ah yes...will they be alright?"

"Rafiel, you've pondered this same thought for weeks now!", she said in teasing astonishment. "They're with many of our comrades, and Volug vowed he would not return without them."

Rafiel looked to his wings yet again, only now pleasant memories were coming to his mind. "It has been a while since I've seen them...I hope our land can give them a warm welcome." He heard Nailah's quiet laugh. "What's so funny?"

"You said our."

"Well...yes, is it not the land where we have a home?"

Nailah leaned forward, just enough that her face was a mere inch from her husband's. "My home is wherever you are, Rafiel. It is only happenstance that it is Hatari."

"Y-You flatter me..." the heron murmured, his cheeks turning pink. But his Queen only laughed and pulled him closer, for a kiss.

For centuries, Hatari had been cut off from the rest of the continent thanks to its desert, and Nailah was one of the few that could claim to traverse it to the other side, the other being her trusted servant, Volug.
"Are we getting any closer, Volug?"
He was a laguz of few words, but he obeyed Nailah's command with no hesitation. And she had instructed he escort their wartime allies to Hatari.

["Volug."]

Now the wolf stopped in his tracks, looking at the people following his path. Some weren't laguz, admittedly, and he had to remember they lacked the innate ability to just "find their way".

["It's not too far now. All of you are doing well? We can stop if you want."]

["No no, Ike was just wondering. Continue."]

He had difficulty speaking in the Modern Tongue, but luckily there was another that shared his plight, and she was gently flying alongside her brother. The irony was almost amusing; their own brother had collapsed in the same desert not too long ago, desperate to find them, and now, they were going to him.

Of course, they weren't alone, and for good reason: neither Tibarn or Naesala would permit them to go without sturdier companions (much to Prince Reyson's dismay). Their guides, protectors, allies, were made up from lands across Tellius.

After all, this was a diplomatic meeting, was it not? The kings, queens, and apostle had selected their most trusted envoys to accompany Reyson and Leanne. To top it off...

"What did she say, Reyson?"

"It's not too far, apparently. You know, this is a perfect time to learn the old tongue, just so I don't have to play translator all the time."

Ike, Leader of the Greil Mercenaries, a.k.a, the Radiant Hero, shot an annoyed look at his heron friend. "Shouldn't it be backwards, then? Leanne's the one trying to learn."

["Oh, I..." ] Leanne cleared her throat. "I...sorry...Ike..."

"Sister, don't apologize," he replied, but his face turned brighter. "I am excited to see this land, though. And Rafiel, especially."

"Yes...I...miss...too..."

It was not too long ago that a full-scale war had engulfed the continent, the sinister plotting of the Begnion Senate forced Daein to join with them against their Laguz enemies, and Crimea was sucked into the vortex. The memory of the Goddess herself, Ashera, awakening and turning the world to stone still haunted Ike and his companions.

But that was the past. The world was finally at peace…..although the cost of victory was high.

"Hey, Ike?" Mist, Ike's sister, had grown up since their father's passing, but she still looked to his guidance when the time came for it. "What do you think Hatari is like?"

"Me?" He recalled the contents of the letter. "Queen Nailah said it was a nice place."

"Ugh!" Mist pouted (reminding both who the younger sibling was). "You have no imagination, brother. We're crossing a desert to get there! It has to be amazing!"

"These people have been isolated from the rest of the world," said Soren, "There's no telling if the definition of amazing gets a little warped."

"Ever the optimist, aren't we, Soren?" remarked Titania with a sly smile.

Although they were technically centered in Crimea (for the time being), the Greil Mercenaries were invited to come along as well. Some took in stride, one was less than amused (take a guess who), and while Soren himself had some curiosity about it, he trusted Ike's judgement.

Then, Volug stopped again.

"Volug? What's wrong?"

His sharp eyes looked westward, unrelenting. ["Like I thought. We were followed."] Leanne appropriately gasped and looked around. ["Don't worry, there's only 10 of them."] Two tiger Laguz emerged from the spiraling sands, and their flunkies huddled around them.

"Well well, we got a big pack today, bosses! Who should we hunt first? The birds, right?"

While the herons backed up, Janaff scoffed and spread his wings. "Man, you guys really aren't smart. Don't make this more painful than it has to be."

"Shut up!" The one the left, Hell, growled out. "Where is she?! That white-haired human that beat our cousins!"

"White-haired…." There was only one person that fit that description, and she had sent Jill, Zihark, and Pelleas on this journey. Queen Micaiah.

"Yeah! So where is she?!"

"Don't forget that punk with the knife, brother!" said the other, named Death.

It was only after defeating Pain and Agony that Micaiah and Sothe got to meet Volug, so the wolf began to close the distance. ["This won't take long."]

["Y-You're not going to kill them, right?"]

Volug shook his head. ["They're not worth it."]

Back at the Royal Palace, Rafiel was looking over the letters the other monarchs had sent, to express their desire to make diplomatic ties. More importantly, he would know which people would accompany his siblings.

"Ah…."

"You sound disappointed."

Rafiel shook his head. "It was naïve of me to think she would accompany them, but she has much work to do, in fixing Daein. It's….suffered too much."

"Ah, yes…." Nailah leaned back and searched her memory. "First was it was defeated by Crimea and abandoned by its selfish king, then Begnion used it as a puppet for its whims."

"Those horrid senators did, to be precise."

Nailah stared right at him before asking: "You still think about him?"

"…..from time to time. All of them deserved their fates…..even him. Although I'm not sure if that strange man was a part of it."

"Guilt by association. He still enslaved your brother."

Rafiel stiffened. "Y-Yes." His own past as a slave was still a bitter memory, and even the word made him very uncomfortable. Seeing this, Nailah put her hand on his.

"Cheer up. We have much to show our companions, and I do hope you'll join me in welcoming them."

"But of course, my Queen."

"Rafiel."

"Yes?"

The wolf queen looked out the open window, where a gentle breeze was coming through. It was a beautiful day, and Rafiel was enjoying the chirping of the birds outside ever so. "You know I asked the Greil Mercenaries to accompany the envoys."

"Yes, they're all good people from my recollection. The war wouldn't be over without their help."

She turned back, face serious. "I actually have a contract for them."

FIN

Ending notes: Does it feel good to be back. This idea sprouted into my head soon after I had finally finished my Hard Mode run of Radiant Dawn, and even now replaying Path of Radiance, the world of Tellius is fresh on my mind. And really, I'm a big fan of Nailah and Rafiel. Their dynamic, their designs...they have such a wholesome relationship, y'know?

So, a new story begins. Don't worry, I do intend to finish ABA, and this can take its spot when it's finally complete. Just something to get the gears turning.