Fire Emblem: Veriasian Battlefields
Chapter One: The Eccentric Thief
It had been a full two years since Prince Marth of Altea, now Emperor Marth, had defeated his friend Hardin, who had been manipulated, his soul having been twisted. The years that followed were peaceful, but once more, an ancient darkness began to raise its ugly head.
Medeus, the dark dragon, who proclaimed that he lives as long as there remains darkness in the human heart. Marth had continually put the manakete in his place, and the dragon seemed to be gone for good.
…or was he? A country overseas by the name of Verias has been mobilizing. No one knows much of this distant chain of isles. The Veriasians have never once set foot upon any other soil than their own. In return, no foreigner has set foot upon the soil of Verias.
So why has a fleet of Veriasian war ships began to move towards Altea? The story about to be told tells of a new group of heroes. A new generation of men and women, and in some cases, children have arisen to protect the land, unified by one man. Because of Emperor Marth, rivals who would have killed each other on sight can now become steadfast allies.
A new story has begun. Let us introduce our first hero. He did not start off as a hero, but it was his destiny that unbeknownst to him, he was to be thrown into the center of an oncoming war. It all started near the Samsooth mountains, also known as the Ghoul's teeth. At the foot of the infamous mountains, a rather curious holdup was taking place…
"W-what do you want from us? We have no coin to spare!" A merchant and his wife begged the figure in front of them, a rather short figure wearing a dark cloak. The figure had stopped the two in the middle of the road, blade in hand. The elderly couple had no way of defending themselves against a brigand…
The figure shook his head, and lowered his hood. "My apologies, good sir and lady, but I am not after money" He said, his blue eyes glimmering with expectation. He had blue hair as well. He was just a young lad, barely the age of fifteen. He lowered his sword, looking up at the wagon the merchant and his wife were driving. The merchant's horses towered over the young man.
The merchant looked at his wife, who looked at him in confusion, then in horror. "P-please! Do not kill us!" They cried out, their hearts pounding in their chests.
The young lad tilted his head to the side, and then sheathed his blade. To be honest, he looked as horrified as they. "K-kill…? Why would I ever kill you two kind people…?" He replied in a stammer.
The merchant glowered. "Then what the bloody hell DO you want?" he growled, feeling braver now that the young kid had put away his weapon.
"Parchment" The kid replied honestly, without a moment's hesitation. The jaws of the merchant and his wife dropped slightly. Holding up a wagon…for parchment?
"Parchment?" The merchant's wife echoed, incredulous.
The young lad nodded an affirmative. "Yes, parchment. I am in desperate need of some parchment at the moment. Please tell me you have some…you are the third wagon I stopped this afternoon…" The kid slumped his shoulders, looking forlorn. He looked up, his blue eyes wide. "I-I'll pay you…"
The merchant laughed. "You are the sorriest excuse for a thief I've ever seen!"
In one swift movement, a book appeared in the boy's hands. His eyes narrowed angrily. "Say that again, and I'll burn your wagon to ashes." The boy stated calmly. As he said that, distant screams could be heard, drawing the attention of the merchants and the thief.
A man, a woman, and a child were running from a group of ruffians. The young thief ground his teeth. "Pirates" He spat angrily. He turned to face the merchants. "You two, go help the ones being chased!" His book was gone and he drew his blade, the steel glinting in the sunlight. The merchant and his wife nodded, and turned the wagon toward the man, woman, and their child. They urged the horses forward in earnest, and the horses broke forward at full tilt. The thief clung to the side of the wagon, the wagon moving faster than he could run.
A moment later he let go and jumped off the wagon, hitting the ground hard and rolled to his feet, his cloak billowing behind him in the wind. "Hey you idiotic wretches! Or is the correct term wenches?" He yelled out. The group of four pirates halted, angrily shouting back at the thief and began to toward him. The thief smiled, and then looked over to the wagon out of the corner of his eye. The ones who were being chased had climbed into the wagon. He nodded and turned his attention toward the pirates. Sword in hand, he waited for his foes to draw closer.
A few seconds later, the fastest pirate came near enough for the thief to strike. Dodging a strike from the pirate's axe, the thief countered by two swift strikes with his blade, dispatching the pirate. He hardly had any time to gloat before the next pirate swung at him, wielding a large heavy hammer. The thief looked at the hammer. It would probably fetch a good price at an armory or a vendor. He ducked under the hammer and flipped the blade in his hand, feeling that he had momentum on his side. He dashed forward and slashed clean through the pirate, who fell to the ground in two separate thuds.
His blade felt oddly lighter and unbalanced. The thief looked down and saw that most of the blade had broken off, only the hilt remaining. He hurled the hilt at the closest oncoming pirate and jumped back as the pirate distractedly swatted the useless piece of metal out of the way. By the time the pirate came, the thief was ready. Book in hand he held out his free hand, an orb of red flame forming. With a flick of his hand, he sent it straight into the pirate, who didn't stand a chance. Engulfed in fire, the pirate screamed and fell to the ground, trying with futility to put the flames out. The pirate soon was stilled.
Panting for breath, the thief barely had time to avoid the last pirate's axe. He jumped back, out of the way. The pirate, however, seemed to be expecting this and hurled the hand axe. The thief felt the axe bite into his right shoulder and fell to the ground, the force of the thrown axe catching him off balance.
The pirate walked over to the thief and yanked the hand axe out of the thief's shoulder. The thief yelped in pain as the pirate did so. He tried to get up, but the heavy foot of the pirate held him down. The pirate grinned darkly, raising his arm, axe glinting scarlet with the thief's blood. The thief winced and closed his eyes, awaiting the final blow.
The blow did not come. The thief opened one eye suspiciously and was confused as a shaft of an arrow seemed to have run through the pirate's neck. The pirate's eyes had gone wide with shock and rolled up as he fell to the ground, the man's axe landing blade first into the ground right between the young thief's legs. The thief thanked his ancestors whom he did not know that the axe did not hit him in his manhood.
He felt dizzy and weak. His vision blurred, but he fought off the feeling as he looked around for the one who had saved his life. A man with pale red hair ran over to him, bow in hand. His olive eyes looked shocked.
"But-! You're just a young lad! And you took down three of those pirates?" The man exclaimed. The man appeared to be barely into his twenties and was dressed in the attire of a Grustian archer. Behind him a young cavalier caught up quickly on his horse. He has the same pale red hair as the archer. He looked a lot like an older brother of the archer. He was dressed in Grust attire as well. "When I say stay, I mean STAY! I swear if you do that one more time, Jeremy, I swear…" The cavalier threatened.
Jeremy, the archer, knelt beside the thief. "Oh shove it in a bucket, Eric! Can't you see that there's a kid bleedin' to death over here?"
Eric, the cavalier, looked down and saw the thief. He pointed his lance at the thief. "Is this the one who fended off the pirates?" He asked his voice incredulous.
The thief got in a standing position, with help from the archer. The thief looked at the cavalier. "I took down three of the pirates, if that's what you're asking"
"But your clothing…aren't you a Soothsire?" Eric demanded.
The thief tried to shrug, but his right shoulder wouldn't cooperate. "I washed my hands of those fellas ages ago. Could you help me out here? Like that guy said, I'm bleedin' to death here!"
Jeremy laughed. "You're a pretty arrogant kid, aren't you?"
The thief glared, the edges of his vision darkening once more. "I am not a kid! I am Elias the Thief!"
Eric and Jeremy looked at each other. They obviously had heard of the name before. "You're Elias?"
Elias the thief nodded. "Last time I looked I was"
Jeremy's eyes widened. "You stopped the attempt of a bunch of archers who were plotting to assassinate a Macedonian Noble!"
Elias nodded. "I stole their bow strings while they slept. It's not that big of a deal"
Eric grinned. "You stopped a ballistician from shooting down one of the Whitewings!"
"So? I just stole the bolts that he would have used"
Jeremy tilted his head to the side. He had heard of a Thief by the name of Elias, famous for stealing things that other thieves would not even think of to steal. He had stolen the whetstones from a marauding group of brigands, stolen wheels from the wagon of a known illegal items salesman, stolen the lock of a chest, but leaving the valuable contents where they lay. It was later found out that the contents of the chest would have exploded upon opening without the correct key.
And books. Countless books had been stolen by this mere kid. But had he ever injured a single innocent person? Not a one. This thief was quite eccentric, compared to other thieves.
Eric sighed, coming to a decision. "I'll take you to a curate, but only on one condition, Elias"
"Name it. It better be something' interesting, because I don't want to bleed to death or somethi'"
Eric laughed. "You will become a member of the Grustian army"
Elias chuckled, wincing at the pain that that caused. "That's it? Fine, I will! I thought you were gonna make me return all I stole or something'"
"Well, my superiors might ask that of you later, I suppose…"
Jeremy helped Elias onto the back of the horse the cavalier was riding.
It was halfway to the Grust camp when Elias cursed aloud. "Damn! The merchants never gave me that parchment!"
Eric looked over his shoulder at the thief. "What in the Dolhr are you talking about?"
On a Veriasian ship…
"And once you make landfall, leave neither man woman nor child alive until you gut the Altean known as Marth"
"…father, why destroy the lives of the innocent?"
"fear not, daughter, with this black blade that I have aquired, there will be no need for such mercy"
A young girl looked at the Veriasian king, the sea wind flowing through her pale green hair. Her chocolate brown eyes were filled with incredulity. A blade washed in on the shores of Verias, and ever since her father, the king, had gripped its hilt, he has gone on the war path.
"But what about the Law?" she asked.
The King's eyes glinted red in the light. "Do you doubt me, Princess Ashel?"
The girl looked at the deck of the ship, not meeting her father's eyes.
"…no, father."
a half hour later...
"I simply cannot allow this, Ashel! Archanea has done nothing to us that warrants us to go to war!" A man ranted angrily, pacing within his sister's room aboard the flag ship of the Veriasian King, King Larsen. He was in his mid twenties, and dressed elegantly in green clothing, with an equally green cloak. His lavender hair stood out in the dim room. His deep indigo eyes showed his resolve. He looked at his younger sister, Princess Ashel, who sat upon her bed, listening to him with a concerned expression on her face. Wearing a white dress, she looked even younger than she was.
"B-but Adrian…Father wants us t—"
"Exactly! He has not been himself! Do not tell me you have not noticed" His expression when he looked at his sister immediately softened. "If he was his old self, he would not have brought you along. He would not put you in such danger, dear sister…"
Ashel looked into her lap, where her hands were wringing themselves nervously. Her pale green hair fell about her face like a veil. A sob found its way up her throat, almost choking her. "H-he hasn't let me leave my room since I asked him why we were going to…"She sniffed sadly. "…war"
Adrian nodded. He knelt in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. He shook her gently. "Do not worry, Ashel. A few men aboard agree with my opinion and are wanting me to lead a rebellion aboard the ship. Sister, I've come to ask you a very important favor. The fate of Verias may be decided today."
Ashel looked up, her brown eyes wide. "But brother! He'll hurt you!" she gasped, grabbing at her brother as if she were trying to stop him from fading away.
Adrian nodded. "He probably will, sister, which is why I've got a favor to ask of you. Do you have your Warp staff?"
Ashel nodded. "I do…"
Adrian grinned happily. "Brilliant! Now listen carefully; I want you to warp me and two of my men to the shores of Archanea. I will warn the people there of the King's plan. We could stop the war before it begins." He said, his tone dead serious. His little sister, her eyes wide, barely nodded. "What will I tell Father if he finds out you're not here?"
"Tell him I forced you against your will to do as I said."
"But he'll brand you a traitor!"
"If being a traitor means doing what's best for Verias, then I gladly accept the title, dear sister"
"…alright, brother. Where are the two you said would go with you?" Ashel gave in, letting go of her brother and wandering across the room to a chest. She opened it and a staff was in her hands a moment later.
Adrian smiled tenderly then called out to the hall in an urgent whisper. "Orrin! Rey!" A middle aged man entered the room, an eyepatch covering his left eye. He had stringy black hair that stopped at his shoulders and sported a well maintained goatee. His pale blue eye glinted, showing his excitement. He hefted his iron axe with a grin.
"G'day, l'il lass! Yer a brave l'il one, well worth yer salt!" He chuckled, even with his rather frightening appearance, his voice, despite his gruffness, was gentle.
A young man about Adrian's age walked in, garbed in red. He closed the door behind him hurriedly. His hair was a fiery orange and his eyes a burgundy red. He looked rather disturbed. "I'm afraid there is little to be had, sire. The king has sniffed out our plan and intends to have our heads"
Adrian nodded. "Understood, Rey. Then we must act swiftly. Ashel, are you ready?"
Ashel nodded anxiously, her hands shaking. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard nearby.
Adrian nodded. "Then I shall go last. Rey, you're up first. You understand the Archanean language better than all of us."
Rey hesitated, but nodded reluctantly. Ashel held the staff above her head. Rey became enveloped in light, and then vanished within a moment. The footsteps were beginning to get closer, and shouting also began to be audible.
"Orrin! You are to go next!" Adrian stated, drawing his blade and facing the door.
"what ye say, boy? If there's to be fightin 'ere, then I should stay! No way I'm gonna leave you 'ere!" Orrin growled, stepping forward.
Adrian looked at Ashel. "Now!" Ashel raised her arm, and despite curses and complaints by Orrin, he soon vanished as well. The door burst open and a soldier charged in, only to be pushed back into the men behind him by a well aimed kick by Adrian.
A soldier pushed his way past the fallen one and thrust his spear at Adrian, who tried to dodge, but the right side of his face was sliced open by the sharp edge of the spear. With barely a grunt, Adrian whacked the soldier upside the head with the flat side of his blade.
Ashel lifted her stave up in the air once more and Adrian began to be enveloped in a bright light. In desperation to stop her from helping her brother escape, another soldier lunged at her, slashing at her with his blade. Adrian's eyes widened and he reacted instinctively, jumping in front of his sister, his back to the soldier, his arms wrapping around her in an iron embrace. He cried out in pain as the sword slashed across his back, but upon seeing the expression on his sister's face he smiled tenderly, kissing her forehead. The light grew brighter and he began to fade, the spell taking hold. "Dearest sister…remain strong…I will see you again"
"Promise?" Ashel demanded, her lower lip quivering, as if she were about to break into tears.
Adrian nodded and smiled beautifully, saying as he vanished "Of course I promise. I'm your brother, since when have I ever broken a promise to you?" The light brightened and he was gone, leaving her alone in her room, surrounded by soldiers under her father's command.
King Larsen stormed into the room, black blade drawn, and his expression livid. "WHERE ARE THEY?" He roared wrathfully. His eyes gleamed crimson
"T-they warped away, your majesty" The soldier who got hit upside the head by Adrian replied dizzily.
The King whirled around and slashed the black blade clean through the neck of the one who spoke. He turned to Ashel, his anger not yet abated. "And YOU let them go?"
Ashel trembled, whimpering, clutching her staff to her chest. The King sent her to the floor with a back handed slap. "How DARE you!"
A young woman dressed in the attire of a soldier rushed forward, standing in between her and the King. Her hair was raven black, as were her eyes, which burned fiercely. Her hair was pulled back and tied by a piece of spare twine. Still, her hair reached her waist. "Pardon me, sire, but she was forced to warp them. Adrian had her at swordpoint, right men?" She looked sharply at the other soldiers, who mumbled an agreement and nodded, not meeting the King's wrathful eyes.
King Larsen glared at the woman. "Captain Sari, you will be the only one to care for the girl. No one else, save me, shall ever lay eyes on her. She stays in the room at all times." At that he wrested the warp staff from Ashel and broke it over his knee mercilessly, throwing the pieces upon the ground. At that the King and the soldiers, save the woman, left the room. One man remained to drag out the corpse of the soldier decapitated by the King.
Ashel began to tremble violently, her face in her hands as she began to sob. Sari knelt beside the girl and sighed. "Adrian's really caused some trouble this time…"
Ashel sobbed louder at the thought of her brother. Sari's shoulders slumped. "You're going to make me cry too if you keep bawling like that…" She warned with a threatening sniffle.
Ashel looked at Sari. "My brother's hurt…I-I think he's not coming back…"
Sari looked ghostly pale for a second, and then shook her head. "He promised to come back, so he will!" She grinned. "And if he doesn't I'll find him and give him a thrashing!"
"NO! You mustn't hurt him!" Ashel gasped.
Sari pouted. "Fine, I won't" She chuckled, trying to bring the princess' spirits up. This was hard to do for she was just as worried about Adrian as Ashel was. "I'll thrash Rey, then!"
"Nuh-uh!" Ashel shook her head vehemently.
"Whyever not?"
Ashel blushed and played with the hem of her dress.
"So you've got a little crush on him then…?"
Ashel hid her face in her hands. The right side of her face was beginning to throb and she whimpered once more. Sari gently touched Ashel's chin and lifted her head, after coaxing the girl's hands away from hiding her face. Her expression hardened at what she saw. "I've half a mind to go thrash your father right now!" She hissed. The right side of Ashel's face had begun to swell. "Here now, get off the floor; you're going to catch cold." Sari led the girl to her bed.
As Ashel lay down, Sari pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. She ran a free hand through the princess' pale green hair, soothing the girl until she fell fast asleep. Sari sighed, shaking her head. "Adrian…I hope you know what you're doing…you better not break your sister's heart…"
Adrian arrived at his destination flat upon his back literally at the water's edge. The sting of salt water and sand getting into the wound on his back made him growl. He sat up, and felt wetness on his right cheek. He put a hand to it and when he looked at his hand a second later, it was glistening red with his own blood.
"Sire…? Sire!" Rey's voice called out. By the time Rey reached Adrian's side, the prince had staggered to his feet. Rey bent over double, trying to catch his breath while trying to speak at the same time. "…ire!...lookin…ver…or…you!" He wheezed, coughing.
Adrian chuckled. "Catch your breath, then try again, Rey…"
Rey took a few deep breaths and seemed to be able to breathe properly. "Sire! I've been looking all over for you!"
Adrian stumbled and the sorcerer caught him by the shoulders, keeping him standing. "Sire…? What happened to you?"
"You know…just another typical scuffle with the King's soldiers"
Rey looked quite cross. His eyes narrowed. "Just my luck! My Mend staff just HAD to break when I arrived! The only thing I have now is my Subterre spell book. I guess we're going to have to find a local village and hope that there's a Curate…"
Adrian nodded in agreement. "The wounds aren't that deep, they just keep bleeding. The soldiers must have held back; they didn't truly want to kill me. If worse comes to worse and a battle is to be fought, I'll be able to hold my own for a little." He looked around. "Where's Orrin?" Usually the Pirate would be laughing his head off at their situation, but there was only the sound of the waves and the seagulls crying out above.
Rey shrugged his shoulders. "The Warp spell is not accurate when transporting people great distances. He could be anywhere, to tell the truth."
Adrian heaved a sigh. "Greeeeeat…he can't even speak the Archanean language, let alone understand it!"
"I know, I know…I arrived on the cliff's edge over there. Literally on the edge; I almost fell to my death if it weren't for the training you made me receive."
The two began to make their way up the beach until they came across a road. They looked over at the horizon, and saw the outlines of buildings.
Out of nearby bushes jumped three rough looking men. The leader was a rugged thief, blue hair that silvered at the temple. He was flanked by two mercenaries who wielded wicked looking steel swords.
The thief called out to Adrian and Rey in a tongue that Adrian did not know.
"Umm…Rey? Care to translate?"