nightelf37: I know that I'm busy with three stories already (Kingdom Hearts Remake 1: Retcon Version, Shisno Chronicles: Friendship is Magic series, Equestria Fortress 2), but this plot bunny has been gnawing into my mind already and I couldn't help but post it. I know someone's accused it for being a ripoff, but I rehashed the details so it would be a bit more original.

Shisno Chronicles: Blazing Sword

Once, dragons and men coexisted.
They shared a peace forged in wisdom,
a peace that lasted many generations.
All that was lost when mankind disrupted
this balance in a sudden onslaught.
Man fought dragon in a savage war
that shook the foundations of their world.
This war was called The Scouring.
Defeated and humbled,
dragons vanished from the realm.
In time, man rebuilt and spread his
dominion across the land and
on to the islands beyond.
A millennium has passed
since those dark days ended.

FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB
(This stands for Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken; Blazing Blade)

Prologue: A Girl From The Plains

Mark Shisno. That was his name. The first thing he tried to recall was his appearance. He remembered that he had brown spiky hair partly due to not combing it at all. He also had fair skin and blue eyes. He wore a green cape, a black shirt, two red intersecting belts over his chest, black pants, a brown buckle belt, boots for traveling, and brown fingerless gloves. Once he remembered that, he decided to open his eyes.

He woke up with a start and realized that he was in a tent. He didn't own one, and he was pretty sure the bedroll he was in wasn't his. Neither he nor his sister brought tents with them. Speaking of which, where is my sister? he thought. As he started to feel fear and nervousness creep through him, he took several more deep breaths and thought things through.

Last thing he remembered was that he and his sister, Kat, were 'sent down' to one of the many plains in the region of Sacae. Some time had passed and both of them fainted from heatstroke. That was all he could remember.

He looked around anxiously and after a few seconds of frantic looking he saw another bedroll that had his sister. He calmed down a bit. Kat had brown hair (like him) that was at mid-back length and was around 11 years old (Mark was 18). She also had blue eyes and fair skin like him. As for her clothes, she wore a green cape, a black halterneck, a skort which was black on the skirt part and white on the shorts part, boots for traveling, brown fingerless gloves, and a green-and-white-striped bonnet.

Relieved that she was okay, Mark turned to the opening. The angle of the sunlight coming from the tent flap proclaimed that it was midday. Also, he saw that the weather was clear skies.

"I see you're awake," a voice said from outside.

Mark then saw a stunningly beautiful 15-year-old girl walk in (or was she 18?). The first thing he noticed, once he looked again, was her wide blue eyes. She had long green hair down to the middle of her back tied in a single ponytail. She wore a blue tunic-skirt, with long slits on the sides of the skirt portion to allow for easier mobility.

"I am Lyn, of the Lorca tribe," she introduced herself. "You're safe now. Who are you? Can you remember your name?"

"My name's Mark Shisno. My sister here's Kat."

Lyn gave a short chuckle. "What an odd-sounding name…" Mark and Kat just rolled their eyes. The name Shisno is odd. "But pay me no mind. It is a good name. I see by your attire that you are travelers. What brings you to the Sacae plains?"

"Sacae?"

"Let me explain…"

Just before she could start, Kat slowly woke up. Mark asked that Lyn continue, with Kat listening in, although she seemed to be a little uncomfortable. After explaining, Mark then made an explanation of why he and Kat were in the Sacae plains. Basically, they were lost and were on the verge of death had it not been for Lyn's timely rescue. Although they had a map, it was rather faded. Lyn took out a map of Elibe from somewhere in her tent. She opened it, and said that they were a few days travel from Bulgar, the largest city in Sacae.

"I see," Mark said after taking in this information. Just then, the three of them heard the thud of something hitting the ground.

"Hm? What was that noise?" Lyn asked.

"It sounded like a weapon landing on the ground," Kat guessed. "I'm thinking it's an axe."

This was followed by indistinguishable shouts.

"I'll go see what's happening," Lyn said. "Mark, wait here for me. Kat, stay with your brother."

Lyn took a peek and saw four bandits arguing about thirty-six yards away. The strongest one, presumably the leader, was gesturing to the north, while the other three seemed to want to go west.

"Oh no! Bandits!" she gasped then turned back to the tent's entrance. "They must have come down from the Bern mountains! They must be planning on raiding the local villages. I... I have to stop them! If that's all of them, I think I can handle them on my own. You two will be safe in the tent."

"Mind if we come with you?" Mark suggested as he took out two sticks from his back (concealed by his cape) and connected them into a staff. He then twirled it around to show his skill with it. As the two siblings exited the tent to join Lyn, Kat made a swift movement and two silver short blades appeared from beneath her sleeves. However, a closer look showed that these blades looked more like paintbrushes, although they were completely metallic. Kat called them dark judge brushes.

"I don't think your weapons would stand a chance against such axemen," Lyn said skeptically upon seeing their weapons.

"Perhaps not in the hands of mere laymen," replied Mark as he and Kat joined her as she stealthily approached the bandits. "But we were trained on using these things. I'm a tactician by profession and Kat is one, too."

"Well, we're both still learning," Kat admitted sheepishly. "Mark has more experience than I do."

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After a minute of arguing, the stronger bandit raised his axe, the steel glinting in the sunlight, and quickly smashed the blade down on one of his cohorts. Or at least would have had that cohort not jumped away, and then he seemed to concede with their leader's choice and went north. His companions followed, with the leader in the back, in case they changed their minds.

By that time, Lyn, Kat, and Mark were quietly stalking the bandits, using the bandits' inattention to their surroundings as cover better than anyone could find naturally. Lyn seemed to be a natural when it comes to stealth, and Kat fared quite well as she treaded lightly, taking an axe that fell on the ground (probably the one Lyn heard). Mark only managed to do average, snapping twigs once or twice, but he managed to avoid notice.

After a few minutes, the scum reached a small cluster of trees and stopped. The leader yelled at them for a minute and when they didn't move (they were probably tired), he gave up, marching ahead into the woods, shouting something that sounded like, "Three minutes!" The other three paused and spoke a bit, as Lyn and the two Shisnos slid over to their right flank.

After Mark analyzed the situation, he told Lyn, "We have only a short time before they start moving again; we'd best take down these guys before you go after the leader. No sense in outnumbering yourself unless you have to. I'd suggest you strike at the neck, since it's easier to hit than the heart. It'll take him down quickly and free you up to take on the others before their leader shows up." Although we'll take care of them for you.

"I can see from their expressions that they obviously don't want to be here," Kat added. "If we take them down all at once, with any luck, we would meet very little resistance. *sigh* If only negotiations were an option…"

Lyn nodded to Mark and Kat's advice and used the trees as cover to sneak up behind the bandits. She looked back and, to her momentary confusion, saw that the Shisnos weren't there. She pushed it to the back of her mind and got behind the bandit. The other two talking to him noticed her and was about to say something when she drove her sword into his companion's throat, causing a gurgle as blood bubbled out of the Brigand's mouth.

His companions stood dumbly for a moment, clearly wondering how she got the jump on them as Lyn pulled her sword out of the dead one's neck. The surviving bandits regained their composure and raised their axes, preparing to charge at her. At that exact second, Kat came from behind the left bandit and quickly jabbed his pressure points with her brushes, forcing him to drop his axe and fall over to the ground, paralyzed and unconscious. A second later, Mark did a few good whacks with his staff, knocking the other bandit's axe off his hands, and then pinned him to another tree, threatening to choke him should he move. Kat then moved to that bandit and struck his pressure points, knocking him out cold.

That was a little too…convenient, Mark thought to himself. Just then, he saw that Lyn was about to cut down the unconscious bandits. He blocked her off with his staff and hissed, "What are you doing?"

"Bandits don't deserve to live!" Lyn answered, anger clouding her mind.

"Are you really that underhanded, Lyn? To kill a person while they're down?"

"Why didn't you kill them?"

"Kat and I are technical pacifists," Mark explained. "We vowed as much as possible not to kill, but that doesn't stop us from fighting and knocking them about. Besides, I heard that while it takes skill to take down an opponent, it takes more to do likewise without drawing blood. Something along those lines."

"Yes, we did technically let you kill that first one, but—"

Just then, a throwing axe whizzed through the air and zipped past Lyn, making a cut at her stomach. She doubled over in pain and Kat and Mark turned around to see—

"Who do you think you are?" the bandit leader boasted. "You killed my men! They weren't much to speak of, but they were mine! Your tricks and stealth may have helped you against those fools, but you can't stand up to Batta the Beast!"

"Can you hold him off, Kat?" Mark asked his sister, who nodded. "I'll get Lyn to safety."

As he did just that, collecting Batta's thrown axe, Batta scoffed, "I won't go easy on anybody. Not even a girl."

"I'd be disappointed if you did," said Kat.

FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB

Once they were a distance away, Lyn said, "I'm carrying a couple of vulneraries in my satchel. They should heal me up. Would you get one for me?"

"I got something better," Mark said as he took out a blue bottle made of glass. "I hope this works…" He popped it open, and had Lyn drink it. A few seconds later, Lyn's stomach wound disappeared almost instantly.

"Whoa.", Lyn gasped. "What was that?"

"It's one of my personal medicines. I only got a few, so you should also let me know more about these vulneraries you got."

"Okay." Lyn got up, rejuvenated. "Let's get back."

"I'm with you."

FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB—FERnKBB

Meanwhile, Kat was finally wearing down Batta, who was recklessly swinging his axe at her as she dodged and 'poked' at his pressure points. For some reason, he didn't seem to be getting paralyzed from the hits.

"Come here, little girl!" growled The Beast. "Just hold still and I'll promise I'll make this quick!"

"Like that's gonna happen," Kat bantered as she saw Lyn come into view, who then slashed her sword into the muscles of Batta's back. The bandit leader made a pained noise, like a grunt mixed with a scream. Lyn sliced into his spine and then somersaulted over him as Kat backflipped away, driving her blade into the Beast's stomach. She quickly withdrew her sword from him and stepped back as Mark came over.

Batta fell to the ground mumbling, "Wha… How… did you?" before falling unconscious, dying quickly.

"Whew... That was a close one," Kat sighed in relief. "I didn't consider him having resistance to nerve attacks."

"Sorry for putting you in such danger," Lyn apologized. "I'll need to be stronger if I'm going to survive… Strong enough that no one can defeat me."

"Don't forget us," Mark added. "By the way, what is your reason behind such prejudice against bandits? Granted, they're an evil bunch, but nobody was so bent to killing them as you."

"My people—the Lorca—I am the last of my tribe," Lyn explained as she shed a tear. "My father was the chieftain. Bandits attacked six months ago, they came in the night, and slaughtered nearly everyone." Anger crept into her voice now. "They killed the elderly, the young, even the infants. When dawn came, at east ten of us were left; both my parents were dead… As the chieftain's daughter, I felt it was my duty to lead my people, but I'm so young, and my people were so old-fashioned. They wouldn't follow a woman. No one would follow me. They scattered across Sacae, I don't know where they are now, leaving only me." Another tear fell from her eyes.

Mark and Kat were discomposed by her response, along with a respect for the magnitude of her loss and while they hadn't gone through quite those circumstances, they knew the feeling of losing your whole world, seeing it all happen, and unable to stop it.

"I'm sorry for your loss, and that you had to explain," Mark apologized.

Lyn opened her eyes. "It's not your fault you didn't know. But I must be strong, for my parent's memory, for my people. I must be strong. Because of what they did…that is why I hate bandits so much."

"Well, bandits or not, they are still humans and nobody is beyond redemption, even though some may die as they get redeemed, or be redeemed by dying," Mark said. "The death of anyone is still a loss to the world. It should not be taken lightly, and neither should life."

"We respect our enemies, but bandits are foul scum, who show no respect to those they kill," Lyn argued.

"And to show no respect in return would make you no better," Kat countered. "You must not let your hatred consume you and deviate you from your respect for the sanctity of life.

"Or else, you'll be no better than the bandits you have sworn to slay," finished her brother.

Lyn nodded as she wiped her blade on the grass. As Kat then prepared to burn the corpse of Batta and the bandit Lyn killed, Mark moved the other two he and Kat incapacitated to one of the trees. After making certain they were still alive, they were left there.

As for Lyn and the Shisnos, then they moved their 'tent' a few hours journey closer to Bulgar, settling close to some trees. By that time, it was dusk.

"Kat, what were you saying earlier before that bandit interrupted us?" Lyn asked.

"Oh, that. About letting you kill that first bandit? Well, as tacticians, we needed to know a bit about your skills and that bandit was a prime target."

"Our pacifism is only limited to a personal level," explained Mark. "That is, we're okay with ordering others to kill. Us doing the killing, not so much. Yeah, it's a bit hard to comprehend. And it's been quite a day. We best go to sleep."

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The next day…

Mark and Kat awoke to the smell of tea and saw Lyn next to a small campfire, cooking some bird's eggs and strips of meat from one of the many animals that roamed the Sacaean plains. There was a pot of steaming tea next to the fire. Both of them stepped out of the tent and walked over to it.

"Good morning, guys," Lyn greeted. "Breakfast?"

"Yes, please," Mark replied as she was given a wooden plate. "It looks quite good."

Lyn put some of the eggs and meat on his plate and poured the tea into a cup. She did the same for his sister and herself. With a word of thanks, the two siblings accepted the tea and food, and began to eat, as Lyn did the same.

Mark chuckled. "You know, I never thought I'd actually enjoy tea back when I left home. Who knew warm tea could be so refreshing?"

Lyn chuckled, then asked, "Say, guys... I wanted to talk to you about something. I can see you two have some experience in the ways of war, being tacticians. Would you allow me to travel with you?"

"Shouldn't you get permission from—" Mark began to say.

"You forgot what she told us about her tribe yesertday?" Kat berated him.

"Oh, right."

"Mark, Kat, I want—I must become stronger, so that I may avenge my father's death!" Lyn said. "Yesterday's battle taught me something. I won't become stronger by sitting here alone. Tell me you'll train me, that you'll let me travel with you!"

"What do you think?" Kat asked.

"Why not?" Mark replied, then turned to Lyn. "Sure."

"You will? That's just wonderful! Thank you! Oh, thank you!" Lyn said with a smile. "We'll be better off working together, I know it. You'll be my master strategist, and I'll be your peerless warrior! We can do it! Right?"

"Don't forget me," Kat reminded her. "We're all in this together!"

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(O) - Priority 1
O - Priority 2
Δ - Priority 3
X - Priority 4

Mark Shisno
I'm Mark, the owner of this journal. Not much to say. Other than tactics, I also use the staff and know some martial arts. I also know a little magic, although I'm not about to show it yet.

Kat Shisno
I'm Kat, Mark's sister. Not much to say, either. While I'm less experienced in tactics, I use judge brushes for self-defense and quick stunning. I also know a little magic as well.

(O) Lyn of the Lorca
The last of the Lorca tribe in Sacae. She rescued us when we lost our way. While she may be a sweet girl at first sight, she has a personal hatred against all bandits.

X Batta the Beast
A bandit leader we encountered who came from the mountains of Bern. We stopped him and his band before they could head for town and terrorize the citizens.