Hello everyone, good to be back; now, my long disappearance was mainly due to university stuff, let's leave it like that and well, these days of summer break I've been mainly resting and recharging myself, thinking of new ideas to write and all that, this for example. Now, this will be a collection of tales from the Fire Emblem universe, tales that may include sadness, sorrow, happiness, love, despair, and hope; obviously a bit more insight since the games is kind of, one sided or very plain how they put the battles and all that, be warned though, these tales contain violence, at times the descriptions of deaths will be quite graphic, at others, slightly. For now, I will start with one of my favorites, recently I finished Genealogy of the Holy War once again, a classic title in the series; this is the sad conclusion of the tale of Ethlyn and Quan, lovers, a young couple, in an ambush of Quan's rival and sworn enemy. Hope you like it and well, it is my first time trying to make up a tale with a sad ending, kind of.
Tale 1 - The Yied Massacre
It was just another day, or at least it started like any other one. The birds chirping in the distant trees, the wind blowing a bit drier than in last year's summer, all felt naturally calmed…far to calm for anyone's taste, after the ravaging war that ended up in the subjugation of the country of Isaach. But this was no ordinary day in the least; no, the peace and silence are far more like, the calm before the storm. Fate has already started to move, and today, blood would be shed like in no other day. This is a story of how a brave knight to the Granvale Empire, Sigurd, son of Lord Vylon, both framed traitors to the Granvale Empire after the death of Prince Kurth, allegedly his death blamed on them. As the sun rose to its highest point, the time for the battle was finally upon thee.
Far away on the dessert however, unexpected reinforcements were arriving in hopes to turn the tides of the war; it is here, that the first part of our story takes place, on what would later be known to everyone as the Yied Massacre; it all started with the Lance Ritter of Leonster, the toughest battalion of knights leaded by crown prince, Quan, wielder of the mighty Gáe Bolg, a weapon once used by one of the legendary Twelve Crusaders from ancient times of Jugdral, Noba; beside him, rode Ethlyn, sister to Sigurd and inheritor of Baldur's blood, one of the Twelve Crusaders as well, carrying their eldest daughter, a three year old girl named Altena, asleep in her mother's arms.
"Sir," Said one of the knights surrounding both Quan and Ethlyn "we have reached the limits of the Yied desert; going through it will be hard for our chivalry. We await your orders." He added, standing his position along his fellow comrades while reporting to their commander, the Brown hairedand veteran rider.
"Sigurd's army is on the other side of the desert. If we can only joing forces with him but" he said, taking into account that the hardest part of their journey was barely starting "our chivalry will be rendered useless while moving in the desert." He gave it a thought, stopping the reins of his horse, he seemed very uneasy, as well as the other horses of the rest of the Lance Ritter "Very well, tell the troops we're moving." He finally issued his order to the knights, as the still uneasy horses began to head into the desert, following their riders will.
The squad began galloping through the desert sands, little to nothing, their advance was technically very slow as their horses still whined and remained unrest, as if something would happen here, in these hot sands of a desert that held no life, the road to Lubeck; Quan and Ethlyn took the road ahead, leading their forces in hopes of helping Sigurd, until a strange wind blew, rising some of the sand "Hang in there everyone! Sigurd's troops are coming to the south, straight through the desert. We should be able to join them somewhere around here soon enough."
Ethlyn, still concerned of the decision, caught up with him "Quan, I am really sorry to put you through this." She said looking a bit down, holding on to her child "I am grateful you agreed to help my brother when you're father is so ill, but making enemies with a power like that of the Granvale Empire? Are you sure of this?"
Quan simply smiled at her, and reached his hand to Ethlyn's face, trying to calm her down "No need to be sorry my love. Leonster may be small, but it is a country of warriors. Is that right soldiers?" he asked, raising the morale of his troops as they rose their lances into the air, shouting and yelling for Quan; to further calm her down, Quan finally took out his trump card, he showed his young wife the Gáe Bolg "I have here with me the Gáe Bolg, there is no way I can lose and I will help Sigurd out one way or another."
Ethlyn smiled to him, as the little Altena cuddled up to her in her sleep "I know you will my love." She said, the horses once again got nervous and whined desperately as the knights began moving in a circle "This is it…we're already in Granvale, enemy territory." She turned to Quan, taking out her sword. Quan however, felt something more, his face turned serious as he moved a bit away of his fellow knights, taking Ethlyn with him.
"Ethlyn, this is enemy territory; I want you to head back to Leonster and stay there, the battle can start anytime soon." He added, looking straight into the eyes of his wife, as she looked rather surprised of him to say something like that; she shook her head and looked at Quan's eyes desperately, almost like asking his permission in a fashion to stay with him no matter what "But I want to see Sigurd again! Moreover, I couldn't bear to leave your side now! I know I" her words were cut short as Quan interrupted her, unaware his soldiers were now turning to them and his words got louder.
"No way! I allowed you to come all the way with us because you promised me one thing" his face turned serious, almost cold towards her "You told me you'd come with us, carrying Altena, to then return to my father's castle when we reached Granvale." He then turned his face towards the north, to the territory of Velthomer were it was said Lord Reptor, the one that actually murdered Prince Kurth, was waiting for Sigurd's arrival to silence him at once "What if we are attacked in the middle of the desert? What would you do then?" he asked her, intending to listen to her and see what she would reply "Tell me Ethlyn." She quickly brought up an answer, a bit innocent as Quan would know better that she would do so "I would protect her! I'll keep her safe with me and fight the enemy that we engaged!"
Quan shook his head, swallowing up a bit, he had to concede it to her, she was ass determined and stubborn as Lord Vylon and Sigurd, her family "Had I known your true intentions I wouldn't have brought you in the first place." Replied Quan speaking his mind and closing his eyes, feeling regret; he knew the true nature of the battlefield, the crude reality that was in the heat of the moment, the adrenaline of knowing a single mistake can cost the lives of many, even your own. Ethlyn began giving in to tears, not because of how Quan spoke, but because she realized that he cared for her deeply, that he was worried about her safety in the field "I understand Quan." She said sobbing a bit, as she began pulling the reins of her horse "I'll go back then." Quan stopped her once again before she could even get away, following her dear husband's request.
"I'm sorry about it love, I know how you feel." He said, recalling how he also jumped to the battlefield leading the Lance Ritter in his father's stead, since he was the champion of Leonster, their might and military strategist "It's just that, you also gave birth to Leaf, it hasn't been too long since that." He remained silent a moment, thinking about what could possibly happen and what should be done "Fin is in Leonster taking care of Leaf and my father, please go back and wait for me there."
Ethlyn nodded, hesitant obviously, she knew him better than anyone, she knew that he was worried about her safety and that, being in the battlefield with a little girl in her lap, and that possibly enemies could attack, if that could ever happen, she would have to count on herself, Quan would not be able to defend her at all times "Ok Quan…but" she murmured drying her tears and looking at Quan, feeling that it could be the last time if she ever fled and Quan's squad fell in this battle "Just a little longer, please Quan."
Quand sighed, recalling that stubbornness in Sigurd very well "Fine, but…keep it short." He said, as the knights finally moved, leaving the couple a moment for themselves "Listen Ethlyn, it is not that I don't want you with me; it is just that…" he said, looking up to the skies, trying to find the words to explain himself "I have a feeling in my gut, something bad will happen, and I don't want you to be caught up in the middle of it."
Ethlyn smiled cheerfully at him, as little Altena still cligned in her mother's lap "I understand my love; I won't be a burden for you in this battle." She said, sure, she had helped Sigurd in the early campaigns of this disaster, but that was just a bit of what war was truly; Sigurd and Quan were born fighters, they knew perfectly well how to react, how to attack, how to defend, but she? She was born as a princess and she didn't had a need to fight, true she learned fencing but that was mostly for self-defense, not to be a fighter or a soldier. The knight squad resumed moving through the hazardous sands, stopping as the horses got more nervous at each moment that passed; they were barely at a quarter of the long desert sands, leaded by their brave leader to fight for Leonster's honor and for the lives of the friends of their commander, but unaware that destiny had already played their part in this war, that this would be their last act.
High in the skies, at the edges of Belhalla, many shadows were moving in the sky, it wasn't far from where Quan and his troops had arrived, they were spying over them from the clear skies, stalking them, waiting for the right moment; among them, a man around Quan's age, with brown light hair and heavy armor was leading the rest of his squadron, it was none other than Trabant, ruler of Thracia, a neighboring kingdom of Leonster, along with a squad of 'mercenary' Dragon Riders of Thracia, he was smirking as he had his eyes locked on both Quan and Ethlyn "Finally the times has arrived." He said, turning to his fellow thracians, who seemed to be eager to fight "I don't see why we can't go down there and greet Quan." he said much to the dismay and surprise of his comrades; trabant then laughed, rising his lance "Yes, I said greet them, but greet them with the steel of our lances!" he said wielding the legendary Gungnir lance as his men then cheered for him "Today, we bring a new history for Thracia! For centuries we have been starving and ruined since the times of Noba and Dain, but today! Today we make history overthrowing the Masnter District and Leonster's most powerful knights!" he said laughing as his countrymen began rallying their formation of blitz "Quan made mistakes today, mistakes we're going to take advantage of! Bringing a woman with him, going into the desert with his knight squad, and bringing the Gáe Bolg! Le'ts bid them a fine farewell! Fight to the death! For Thracia's future!" with those final words, the dragons roared and began flying up ahead , right above the lance squad of Quan "Finally, it begins." He thought to himself, looking at Ethlyn and simply smirking as he leaded his dragon riders to the battle.
A change of the wind blows through the desert, lifting a lot of sand and moving the capes of the knight of Quan, their horses getting even far uneasy than before "What is keeping them so nervous?" asks Ethlyn, finding it hard to calm down her horse; Quan looked around the sand, thinking that they had stepped into a trap of Granvale squad "I don't know maybe-" he said, as a group of shadows posed over them, getting bigger and bigger, until Quan and his soldiers lifted their heads to the sky to see what he feared would happen, but not so soon, nor to them. They swooped down like birds of prey, trying to stab the knights in their horses, obviously managing to avoid killing Quan or Ethlyn as they knew that they would be the prey of their dauntless leader "Thracian Knights! Defend Prince Quan and Princess Ethlyn!"
"Damn it" said Quan, quickly putting Ethlyn behind him and his horse as his knights were barely fighting and standing their ground around the sand, one of the members of the Lance Ritter falling to the sand, his throat sliced up by a lance of one of the Dragon Riders that caught him off guard "Close your formation! Back to back, repel them with your lances when they approach! Aim to the dragons heads if necessary!" as the dragons began soaring, Trabanat stood atop of his dragon mount, watching how his men swooped down and surrounded Quan's men "So it begins hehehehe." He said to himself, readying Gungnir for his anxious duel.
Quan saw one of the dragon riders approaching him and Ethlyn, in a single movement out of instinct, he pushed Ethlyn aside, and managed to see how to strike down the dragon rider; he then spinned Gáe Bolg a bit, finally thrusting it hard into the knight as he was about to fly up again, obviously failing to do so and getting trumped and stabbed fatally by the powerful weapon "Damn it! Trabant came after us!" he shouted as two dragon riders fell on the sand, slashing through the mounts of two more knights, one of them unfortunately landing on the ground before his horse, getting crushed by the poor creature as it was dying from the wound; the other one fell to the sand, a lance deeply piercing his chest, blood dripping down of his mouth to his chin "Dang it…Ethlyn, go! I'll cover your escape! Now go!"
"But I can fight!" she said, as one of the man then yelled out, shrieking in pain; one of the dragon riders had swooped down on the horse, carrying it and throwing it off in the air, forcing the knight to roll "Quan, I won't leave you here all on your own! I'll fight with you!" that same knight later shrieked, as a rider stabbed him in the back, one more throwing a javelin that pierced his heart and dropped him dead to the sand; the battle was turning into a massacre; the Lance Ritter was being obliterated one by one, slowly as they rushed and started breaking their formation in terror to the supremacy of the dragon knights of Thracia; Trabant began laughing to the sight, knowing it was only a matter of time; Quan turned to his wife, the shout of two more knights assaulted by the dragons making him sweat worried "Ethlyn, they are like hyenas, they won't show mercy for even a child and you carry Altena with you. I'll make an opening for you, get away as fast as possible!" he turned back to the corpses of his fellow knights, as the remaining survivors managed to drop down a dragon rider throwing their fallen comrades lances at him and his mount "I've made a terrible miscalculation…"
"Quan, don't give up just yet!" shouted Ethlyn, swinging her sword and swinging it at one of the dragons, throwing him to the ground with his dragon following the rider "We can still take them on, together!" Quan looked at her eyes, shaking his head and then smiling as he knew that his wife was right, this wouldn't go down so easily for Trabant even if he wished to attack them himself "You're right Ethlyn, thank you." He added, swinging his Gáe Bolg and rejoining his squad, as another member was swiftly crashed by his left flank by a dragon rider "Everyone, rally around me and keep fighting to the end!" he shouted as Ethlyn and him began assaulting the dragon knights as they approached.
"Sir, we are heavily outnumbered and outmatched here!" yelled the captain, blood spilling from his head as he took his crushed helmet off his head "We stand no chance at all!"
"Hold yourself soldier; we shall show Thracia that the Leonster knights don't give up without a good fight!" replied Quan, as his horse whined and letting him slash with the edges of Gáe Bolg through one of the enemy riders as he was about to attack them. Quan looked around, it was useless to keep fighting, Quan and Ethlyn were on their mounts, watching how the dragon riders were sweeping down, diving from the azure sky and landing in front of the remnants of the Lance Ritter, tormenting and taunting them. Quan stood in front of Ethlyn, readying for the soon assault of the Dragon Riders, as the little Altena was scared, holding on to her mother's arms; it had been some time since she woke up and to the terrific sight of death, clinging on to her mother as she was calming the little girl.
A loud roar echoed through the desert, a huge black dragon swept through the skies, flapping its large wings and roaring as he was staring towards Quan and Ethlyn's position, a brown haired man standing atop the beast, grinning in contentment from the turnaround of events so far; as the beast landed, Quan got distracted a moment more, hearing the yells of agony of the captain; it was done, there was no apparent exit, no other chance, no escape; behind them, the sand was turning crimson red, with the bloody massacre that took the lives of the Lance Ritter, with the dragon riders loyal to Travant still flying in the sky, soaring it and readying for their master's orders; in front of them, Travant himself was laughing, taunting Quan to act "Fearsome indeed Quan of Leonster, fearsome." He said readying his lance "but futile, your resistance and hopes to join forces with Sigurd of Chalphy are nothing now, your army has been obliterated, and there is little you can actually do now to stop us or help your brother-in-law now." He said, as his dragon stood in his back legs, roaring fiercely as Ethlyn backed, more focused on protecting Altena rather than herself; Quan quickly drove his horse ahead, stopping between Travant and Ethlyn "Now, let us come to the battle that really matters Quan!" he shouted, pointing at Quan's face with the Gungnir.
Quan gritted his teeth in anxiousness, then smiling "Very well Travant, if you are really that crazy to claim my kingdom this way" he then pulled the reins on his horse, making a move ahead to fight Travant, until Ethlyn's shout stopped him; he turned around to see Ethlyn, crawling in the sand, protecting Altenna with her hands as two dragon riders were flying above of them "Ethlyn!" he shouted, as he tried to return to her, only to match his lance's edge with Travant as the latter laughed madly.
"What's the matter Prince? Is your head correctly put in your body?" he asked, taunting Quan, his advantage in the air allowing him to force Quan's right hand in a painful position, nevertheless still locking lances with Travant "Let me help you then!" said the malicious king of Thracia, swinging Gungninr to strike Quan, barely, but cutting part of his cape and landing a very slight cut in Quan's cheek, some blood starting to run from his wound "Hmm, seems you're too busy thinking of her for this fight, isn't it? If only she wasn't here…"
Quan immediately rushed and stroke Travant's arm with Gáe Bolg, forcing the black fierce dragon of Travant to fall back a bit "Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" stated Quan angrily, again rushing his horse backwards to stay near Ethlyn and swinging the Gáe Bolg to fend off the riders; this was it, Quan was fully armed, he tried to help Ethlyn on to her mount but to his surprised the poor horse had its neck snapped by the dragon as they landed and struggled with it "Ethlyn, stay close to me, we're going through this together!" he said, pointing the Gáe Bolg at the riders, Altena shivering in terror in her mother's embrace, Ethlyn staying sharp to her surroundings, readying to fight even if she carried her eldest daughter.
Travant laughed once more, high in the sky and looking at Quan and Ethlyn, his dragon focused on them again "And so, your last sight of the world of the living is this Quan" He said laughing between words, as Quan looked around him; the gruesome truth, it had been a suicide battle, the members of the Lance Ritter were laying on the sand, as it was turning red with their spilled blood, corpses of the knights and horses, filled with cuts from the sharp edges of the lances, some with a few dragon bite marks and broken lances still plunged in the dead knights and riders "death, the same fate for you Quan." said Travant turning at him and readying Gungnir "Farewell, prince of Leonster." shouted Travant standing, then ordering his dragon to fly towards the still fiery Prince of Leonster and readying to stab Quan in their duel.
Quan was about to move, brandishing the Gáe Bolg for this last strike, until he noticed something strange; Travan'ts dragon was starting to turn to the right, much to Quan's surprise, he wwas thinking that Travant would surely be lifting his lance and then slashing through him at the pose that Travant had, knowing his current position would render him defenseless for the deadly impact, or so he thought "But first, you must taste the bitterness and harshness of life! Know that you failed to protect your beloved one!" shouted Travant, fully taking a turn as his dragon was now going up, ready to land near Ethlyn.
In a simple reaction, Ethlyn knew that even if a slim chance, she could end all of this; she left Altena behind her and took her sword, pointing at Travant as the latter was flying towards her; in the midst of the battlefield, she finally knew that there was only one real goal for a soldier, survival. "Quan, Altena, I will protect you both. One way or another." She said, determined and aiming at Travant, who seemed rather astonished of her taking up arms, but still heading towards her "I will fight for those I love! With all I've got!" she shouted as Travant's dragon landed in front of her, with Travant swinging his lance and then thrusting downwards with the edge towards Ethlyn, as the young princess thrusted her sword upwards against the Thracian King.
...
A clash of metal was heard, and suddenly, silence; the Thracian knights looked at the two fighters with weapons locked, astonished, perplexed as their dragon mounts kept them in the air, stationary in a single point; Quan looked with his eyes wide open, he could feel his heartbeat increasing by each second but his mind was almost blank with only the well-being of his wife and daughter worrying him; a soft wind breeze crossed through the desert, with both Ethlyn and Travant looking at each other, then the sight of Ethlyn turning to Quan; below them, a puddle of blood was forming, Travant gulped hard, surprised of how in such a fraction of second she managed to lock his lance blade with her sword; Ethlyn looked at him, and then coughed a bit, blood dripping down her chin.
Travant flew apart of her, the edge of the lance piercing her chest, as Travant withdrew Gungnir from the fatally wounded Ethlyn, his left arm with a big cut induced by Ethlyn's sword. He simply looked at her seriously, as she fell to her knees, her pink dress and brown cape turning crimson red with her own blood "Quan…Altena my love…I'm…sorry…" she said collapsing to the ground, her eyes still open, but her life drained away by the savage assault of Travant.
"EHTLYYYYYNNNN!" yelled his lungs out Quan, gripping tightly on Gáe Bolg's handle, angry, furious; could it be that the Tragedy of Gáe Bolg's curse was real? It was said among the Leonster Royal Family that, the Earth Lance, Gáe Bolg, and the Heaven Lance, Gungnir, call each other out; this supposed curse, started up centuries ago in the times of Noba, Lady of Leonster, and Daein, Lord of Thracia, siblings and members of the Twelve Crusaders. After marrying a friend of Dain, sometime later Dain and his friend argued, causing a fight between both of them, until Noba decided to stop them from quarreling any longer, but instead accidentally killing her husband, terrified by this, she then took her own life and not so long after that, Dain passing away. Gáe Bolg brought up love for Noba, but also caused her sorrow when she took her husband's life accidentally. He stared at Travant, flying above the dead body of his wife, rushing in hopes of finding her grasping to life still, but instead, he saw the villain flying off, one of his men taking off from the horse and body of Ethlyn with something in his arms, it was his daughter Altena "Damn you Travant! Ethlyn didn't deserve to die like this, you scum!"
Travant simply laughed at him, his soldier grabbing Altena in his arms, she was crying while squirming in his hands; having her in his hands and control was having a human shield which made him untouchable and to persuade Quan of doing anything "I'll tell you what Quan, hand down the Gáe Bolg and maybe this 'scum' won't order anyone to harm your little child!" his soldier then took a lance and started to point at Altena, which was furthermore scared, her life now at risk "Now, what will you do Quan of Leonster? Will the father condemn his daughter also to die in this place? Answer me!" he yelled at last, taunting the only survivor.
Quan gritted his teeth, turning to the bloodied body of his beloved wife, closing his eyes in regret of getting her involved in this; it was all done now, there was no turning back and moreover, there was no other way out; there was no other way but to trust the murderer of Ethlyn and give in to his demands, in hopes of saving his little girl "Damn you Travant...Ethlyn, Altena…I've failed you both…this seems to be as far as I get…" he got off his horse, looking at Ethlyn's body, knowing Travant was giving him the time for him to make peace with this world. He sighed, Gáe Bolg still in hand, as he closed the eyes of Ethlyn and turned to Travant.
Quan looked angrily at Travant and readied Gáe Bogl, Travant saw him with admiration, and yet he was really surprised Quan would condemn his first child just to avenge Ethlyn; however, Quan threw the Gáe Bolg at Travant, which landed at the sand with the bladed side "There it is…you can have the damned lance but you better spare Altena!" he shouted, giving in to Travan'ts will, giving up his last hope. Travant smiled, landing on the sands and taking the lance, but rendered impossible to use it due to not being of the Holy blood that allowed the use of Noba's lance "That's good Quan, farewell then." added Travant, as he then plunged the edge of Gungnir against Quan, stabbing him and slashing his chest, his black coats and armor getting soaked in the blood that was running from his wound "This was meant to be my friend, destiny."
Quan, gasping and panting as he was bleeding to death, knowing it was the end of everything, did only one thing he could now; he turned back, kneeling beside Ethlyn and looking at her as he closed his eyes "I'm…sorry…" he then fell to the sands, blood running down his mouth "Fin…take care…of…L...ea…f…" he finally said, dying with his hand over Ethlyn's. That was the end of the young couple, Travant just laughing at the sight as his men proclaimed victory.
However, he turned to the young Altena, who was crying at the sight of his father's corpses, the rider holding her just grinning "So, what should I do with you now girlie?" he said, about to take his lance which scared Altena much more, she swayed her sight a bit, looking at the now serious Travant. She never saw anything, she thought the other riders were responsible and she closed her eyes at the moment of the death of his father, she looked at Travant, almost like begging him, like, pleading for his help.
Travant smiled a bit but then, he saw the face of Ethlyn, this got him confused; but at that moment, a new idea worked up in his mind, to which he got serious and took Gungnir once again "So Boss" asked the rider, before his throat was sliced directly by Travant, who kicked him down to the sands, dead, taking then Altena in his arms "I will take care of you." He said, as Altena kept sobbing and crying in Travant's arms, every now and then turning to her parents "Soldiers, go north and deal with the rebels of the Granvale Empire, don't let any of them escape. I will head back to Thracia to arrange a few things."
And so, Travant fled from Yied, Altena and Gáe Bolg in his hands; his men headed north to a battle lost from the very moment they were to deal with Sigurd, who also died the same day like her sister and best friend, at the hand of a new Granvale Empire, leaded by Emperor Arvis, and marked with an iron fist as he personally lead the Roten Ritter executing the last rebels in a shower of meteors and blazed by the flames of a new era casted by Velthomer's powerful mages; putting an end to the Battle of Belhalla, a bloody day in history of Jugdral lore. News of these events would reach Leonster in a matter of days, the King grieving the loss of his only son and daughter-in-law, the disappearance of his granddaughter, Thracia had showed a savage side, and just the beginning of what would end as a violent campaign in their peninsulas, and orphaned Leaf, and the strongest squad in the realm of Leonster, obliterated in a matter of hours.
Now, this is a question mainly for the fans of Fire Emblem, those who know much more insight in the events of the games, which should be the next one you'd like to read¡ So far, I've thought of the Battle of Talrega from Path of Radiance; the conclusion of this tale, the Battle of Belhalla from Genealogy of the Holy War as well; The Rise of Grima, from the recent title of Awakening. Send your requests or suggestions through a review or message, until later guys and thanks for reading this story! Questions or corrections are very welcome, reviews are more than welcome of course haha.