For the past six hours a young woman felt nothing but pain, and fear. She has been giving birth to her child, and the delivery was very hard and extremely painful for her. Of course she had many servants to assist her in delivering the baby, but they were unable to reduce her pain in any way and, the woman had no more strength left, to fight for her own life. In fact she was nearly dead.

"Milady, please hold on, just a little longer." One of the assisting woman said.

"Push now." Another one told her.

The woman did what they said, and after a few seconds she could hear the screams of her newborn child. She gasped in relief, and she closed her eyes.

I'm alive - she was thinking, and she started wondering, if this is a good or a bad thing. This whole place and her whole life were like hell… But for some reason which she was unable to explain, she was happy that she's still alive.

"The baby…" She said slowly. "What about the baby?" She didn't know what happened, but she saw that all of her servants were excited over something. They were looking at her child, and whispering something in excitement.

" Is something wrong?" She asked them, worried.

The woman who was carrying her baby, smiled at her radiantly.

"Milady…" She answered her. "Your newborn daughter is the chosen one, she has the sacred mark!"

The woman couldn't believe her own ears, and she remained silent for a few seconds.

"It… can't be…" She finally spitted out. "It's just… impossible."

"But it's true!" The other, younger servant said adamantly. "Just look at her milady, it is on her right hand."

The mother took her daughter from the servant's arms, and she embraced the baby. The first thing that came to her mind when she looked at the girl was, that her daughter is beautiful.

She had short blonde hair in the color of sand; the same color as her mother's, her eyes was dark-brown as the eyes of her father. She had small snub nose, and adorable red lips. Her skin was bright pink.

The mother smiled gently at her daughter, but that smile quickly disappeared from her face when she looked at the child's right hand. The mother took her daughter's small hand with shackling fingers, to examine it accurately… and she saw it.

The mark of the Fell Dragon really was on her daughter's body.

"I can't believe it…" she whispered with a dull voice.

"That's wonderful news, isn't it? After so many years, the prophecy came true, and the chosen child is finally in this world! Aren't you proud milady?" The woman who announced the information about the mark said.

"…It's just unbelievable…" The mother said after a short while, as if she didn't hear the question.

All of the women, who were in the chamber to assist in delivery, looked at one another with consternation on their faces. Their mistress wasn't happy about it at all. More even, she was looking as if she was about to cry and her face became pale. The servants were unable to understand why this woman is acting in such a strange way. She should be happy, and most of all, she should be proud. After all, her daughter will become a god in the future, and her own status will grow up now. She will be respected, she will be known as the woman who delivered the precious vessel of master Grima to the world. So why is she in such pity state?

"Leave me alone…" The mother said with a broken voice. "I'm tired."

"Of course." They said, and one after another they started leaving the room.

One of the women approached her, and she was trying to take the baby from the mother's arms, but the mother stopped the servant.

"No." She said. „My daughter will stay with me".

The servant backed away from them, and right before she left the room, she said. "We're going to tell master Validar about this revelation immediately."

The mother opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but she gave up and she remained silent.

Soon, all the servants had left the chamber and the mother was alone with her daughter and her own grim thoughts.

After a short while, the mother started to panic.

"How is this possible?" She was asking herself over and over again. "This child is of my blood so, how could she possibly be the vessel of Grima? I'm not a real Grimleal; I'm not even a Plegian." She was thinking nervously.

It's true, the woman was originally from Ylisse, and in fact her family had very high status among the noble houses of the Haildom. From generation to generation her family members were serving, as the king's royal guards. There was a time when her father was the Exalt's right hand, his best warrior and his most trusted advisor.

She was just a little girl back then, she was happy and light-headed. But when she was just fourteen years old everything suddenly changed. The Exalt started a brutal war between Ylisse and Plegia. The ruler of Ylisse declared all Plegians as heretics, and he sent his finest knights to destroy the whole nation, to kill not only the enemy soldiers, but also civilians, even women, and children.

Her father was, of course against, such bloodies methods. And he was trying to convince his king to stop the war as soon as possible, but the Exalt hadn't listened to him. After some time of misunderstandings and arguing between the king and his advisor, the Exalt accused the man of collaborating with Plegia kingdom, and he declared him as a betrayer of his own country. And then he convicted him to death.

The man died, but his young daughter was sure that her father was innocent. She started to hate that war, the Exalt, and the whole Ylisse. That time, she was also serving in Ylisse army as a young recruit, and it was just too much for her… She saw wrack, war crimes and hearted everywhere around her. She was ashamed that she's part of it; she was ashamed of calling herself a Ylissean.

One day she left her siblings (her twin brother and little sister) and she went to the neighborhood country to serve as a soldier in the Plegian army. Back then, she had just two goals, the first was to avenge her father's death, and the second was to stop that war of madness. She wanted to crash the Exalt, and his realm.

When she was sixteen years old she was cooperating with the Grimleal who were strongly involved in the war for the first time. And, what scares her very much today, she found their lifestyle and devotion to their master fascinating. But the thing that she wanted from them the most was their unnatural dark powers.

She started learning from them, and soon she became a powerful dark mage. She was standing in Plegia's side on the battlefield many times, and one day she met her brother among the soldiers of the Ylisse army. When she found out that her brother is devoted to the Exalt, and that he is supporting his king's actions, she killed him without hesitation.

Soon after that battle she met her future husband, who was a younger son of the Great Priest of Grima. He was nearly normal human back then, and she liked him, he liked her too… It's hard to believe now, but long time ago understanding existed between the two of them.

After some time they got married, and the young woman was pregnant. Many Grimleal were excited about it, because there was an old prophecy that the child of the Great Priest will be marked out by master Grima, and one day by performing the Awakening ritual he, or she will be able to become one with their master. In other words that child will be the epitome of Grima himself.

The woman didn't believe in that prophecy of course, she didn't believe in any god on the first place. So she wasn't surprised, or disappointed when she found out that her first born son is absolutely normal human being.

But, what is more important when she became a mother she started to change, she withdraw from the war, and she gave up on her vengeance. She sacrificed her life to raise her beloved son.

Six years later she was a completely different person than she was before. She was calm, and quiet, and she was a good mother for her child. The time she has spent with him, was probably the most happiness in her entire life. So when she found out that she is pregnant again, she was even happier.

Even for one second she didn't think, that the prophecy might come true.

"But it is true…" She whispered to herself, and two big tears came out from her eyes. Her daughter is the vessel of Grima, his puppet, his pawn. The girl will never be able to be just herself. She will become the Fell Dragon, it's her fate. The Grimleal will brainwash her, and she will be as devoted to Grima as they are. And then she will bring destruction and death to the world…

"Is this a punishment for me, for all these sins I've committed in my life?"

The mother bowed over her crying daughter, and she kissed the baby on the forehead.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered into her daughter's little ear. "I'm so sorry about your fate…"

And suddenly she felt, that mutiny takes control over her mind.

No… - She was thinking. - I cannot allow this; I cannot allow this, as this child's mother there must be a way to stop Grima…

And then, she did something that she did not do for many years; she began to pray to Naga. She bagged the Divine Dragon for forgiveness for all these sins, and mistakes she ever committed, and she was asking and begging the goddess to save this baby from her terrible fate. After some time of praying begging and tearing, the woman could hear a cold laugh from some indefinite direction.

"After all these years…" The woman heard a jeering voice. "After all these crimes you've committed, after your betrayal, after you've killed your own brother, you still dare to bother Lady Naga…?" The mother suddenly saw the person in black robe with a big hood on their head. This someone was looking at her from the corner of the room. The person came slowly to the woman's bed without making any sound. He or she was somehow unreal, shadowy as if it was a ghost, or something like that.

"Your insolence really has no limit… Celia Maclir."

The mother held her breath for a moment. It's been a long time, since she heard her family name, her full name… The last time was probably when she was still in Ylisse, more or less eleven years ago.

"Who… are you?" Celia asked with a shaking voice. "How do you know my name?"

"I know everything about you…" The mysterious person said with a strange smile on her face. "After all I'm watching over you, your entire life…"

Now Celia was really scared. Could it be some Grimleal spy who is sent to watch her every move? If (she?)(At least this voice sounds feminine) heard how the desperate mother was praying to Naga, then Celia might consider herself dead.

"I said I'm watching you your entire life. And by this I mean, ever since the day you were born. Don't worry, I'm not one of those heretics."

"E-excuse me?!" This time Celia was absolutely confused. "I didn't say… anything."

"No, but I can hear your thoughts as well as your voice. In other words I can read your mind."

"H-how can this… be…?" The mother asked slowly.

"Well… I'm already a spirit, and spirits can do many things that living people can't even imagine..."

Celia looked at this mysterious person with great fear in her eyes, she didn't know what to think, or what to do anymore. This whole situation was like a dream and the person she sees before her eyes is unreal. Did she accidentally fell asleep? The mother didn't know, she just continued staring without any word.

"Are you afraid of me?" The person asked, but Celia was not able to answer. "Well, you probably should, because… Celia Maclir, I despise you... You are such a hypocrite. First you've betrayed your own country, than you involved yourself with these heretics, you served the Fell Dragon as if he was a god... and now when you gave birth to this little monster, when it's nearly too late to change the course of destiny, you decided to ask Lady Naga for help, and you think it would work?"

Celia just shook her head.

"I don't know but… I have no idea what else I can do… I know I'm a failure… I've wasted my whole life trying to avenge my father's death, and in the end I didn't… I was betrayer, and a murderer. I've killed so many people... my own brother among them… But it was all a mistake. I was able to understand it thanks to my son, but it was already too late to change anything… I can't turn back time… I can't erase these mistakes… And now because of all my actions this poor baby…" The mother wasn't able to end that sentence, because she suddenly breaks into tears. She has been crying with great salty tears, over the grim fate of her own daughter.

"That's right..." The mysterious person said." This little monster is in a difficult situation indeed…"

"Don't call her that!" Celia suddenly shouted. „I don't care if you are some ghost or servant of Grima, or Naga! You have no right to insult my daughter like this! After all, she didn't do anything wrong yet… she is still innocent. And if there is any monster in this room… it's me."

The person winced when (she?) heard those words, and (she?) was staring at Celia for a long while.

"You already love this baby very much… It's good. Love is a great power, one of the greatest in the world. So maybe there still is a chance…"

"For what?"

"For saving your daughter from her horrible fate, of course."

"What?" Celia asked in surprise. "So there is a way!"

The mysterious person sighed loudly. "You were praying for help weren't you? So here I am."

"You… But I was praying to Naga, I have no idea who you are…"

"I know you don't, and I think it is about time to finally introduce myself." The person took off the hood, and the face of a young woman appeared before Celia's eyes.

She had shoulder-length hair in the color of sand, big dark-brown eyes, little snub nose, and mouths as red as rowan's fruit, her skin was light pink.

Celia was staring at the woman in disbelief. She was like an older version of the baby, her hair, her eyes, and her nose. There were uncanny resembles.

"Yeah this girl resembles, me even more than her own mother, but it's not as strange as you think Celia… After all we are all relatives."

"Relatives…?"

"Yes, you see… The problem is, Lady Naga is not able to help your child, because this baby is contaminated by Grima's blood. And that's why I came here instead of the Divine Dragon."

"Are you… some other goddess?" Celia asked curiously.

"What…? No, not at all. I'm a human in flesh and blood… or I was, when I was still alive. In fact I'm your distant ancestor. I'm Lina Maclir, but this name probably didn't tell you anything because the world, knows me better as the Hero of Shadow…"

"The Hero of Shadow…" Celia repeated like an echo. "The Hero King's right hand... one of the strongest knights in the whole Ylisse history… My family founder... Are you really him…? Wait, you are a woman!"

Celia was so surprised that she lost all words for a while. When she was a little girl she heard many stories about the breve Hero of Shadow. After all, it was her ancestor, and all the members of Maclir family were always proud, that they are his descendants. But according to the legends the Hero of Shadow was a man as big as a mountain, as brave as a lion, and as strong as a bear. That was the loyal guardian of The Hero King. So Celia was always imagining him as a big man with great muscles, long beard, and very long unkempt hair, with many scares on his face, and with cold eyes.

But the person standing before Celia now, was first of all…a woman. She was a woman with beautiful face, without any scares on it, with radiant smile, and well-groomed hair.

The woman who called herself Lina just laughed. "You were thinking I'm a man, weren't you? Well, most people think so, because history books have no any precise information about me. Even my name is lost to the history… But, it's probably for the best; after all, the only one thing for which I lived for was my Liege's greater glory."

"Pay me no mind…" Celia finally said. "I'm just surprised because… because you are… a woman… beautiful woman in fact… and all these legends about you are so… so…"

"Exaggerated and beyond belief." Lina sighed. "That's right, legends are always like that, and that's quite funny you know…? I mean, when I was a young girl I believed in legends as if they were one and only true, and now… wait that's not the point! I didn't come here to talk about myself; I'm here because of Grima's vessel." Lina looked at the baby in Celia's arms.

The mother looked at the woman carefully.

"Could you do something to stop Grima from…?" She paused for a moment in searching for the right words. "…possessing my daughter?"

"Yes… and no… I mean… that depends…" Lina responded. "I can become her spiritual guardian, and I can make her will stronger if you allow me… Then she will be able to fight Grima's will inside of her mind."

"Stronger will…? Grima's will inside of her mind…? What do you mean by that?"

When Lina realized that Celia doesn't understand her speech at all she simplified her deduction. "I can give her very special power… and thanks to this power, she will be able to reject Grima during the ritual of Awakening, and then she will defeat him… But of course, there are some conditions… Many things depends on you too… The question is how much you're ready to sacrifice for the sake of this child?"

"Everything." Celia replied without hesitation in her voice. "I'll do absolutely everything to save this child from the demon dragon's influence…"

"Even if your life will be shorter because of that? Even if you will be all alone for the rest of your existence? Even if you'll lose your most important thing?"

There was a moment of silence between the two women. Celia gritted her teeth and she reverie for some time. She was unable to even imagine that her life could be worse than it already is. She had so many regrets, she was pitying herself so much, and she was already alone in this world. She had nothing to lose anyway.

"For the sake of my daughter…" She finally said."…I'm ready to stand all these hardships."

"This is the power of love indeed…" Lina said. "So you agree for my help I presume?"

"Yes… If there is even a small chance to change this child's destiny… then yes."

"Allow me to give a name to this child as well, then." The Hero of Shadow said.

"Why? Is this also necessary?"

"It would be easier for me to protect this girl, if I'll give her the right name."

"Then I agree… It'll be an honor to my daughter and me."

Lina bowed to the little girl who was sleeping calmly in her mother's arms. And for the first time, she looked at her with gentle eyes. She placed her hand on the little forehead, and for a few seconds the blue light flares the room.

"I'm granting you, the great power of will. From now on your will, will be even stronger than Grima's. Use it for the sake of the future… and also for your own sake…" Lina took her hand off the baby and then she said. "Your name will be Lina Maclir from now on. You and I will share the same name, I your family founder, and you… It's last heir. I'll also become your guardian, and I will stay by your side until the day of your death…"

Celia was listening to these words with growing amazement. She was holding her breath, and she was afraid to let it go. This moment was just so solemnity and it would be pity to ruin it. Her daughter received the same name as the legendary Hero of Shadow, and she will be able to fight against her fatal destiny…

"Yes, she can fight it but you can't make her to do so." Lina was reading Celia's mind again.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Everything depends on the decision she will made in the future. You and I too, are hopeing that she will reject Grima one day… But if she will decide to serve as the Fell Dragon's vessel, none of us could stop her… You can't enforce her to do anything nor do I… And if she will become one with Grima there will be no hope for humanity at all… Grima's power in connection with the power I just gave her, will make her, and also him unstoppable…"

Celia looked at Lina with a great fear. "If it's so risky, then why did you grant her this power…?"

"Because this is our last hope now… The vessel is already in this world, and she's the prey of the Fell Dragon. If I wouldn't do it, then she would be just Grima's puppet, a brainless fanatic just like the other Grimleal. But with the power I granted her, she would almost certainly revolt against Grima. He himself is and epitome of destruction and death, and he can bring nothing more than pain, and sorrow to the world. The Grimleal believe that their master will destroy the world and then he will recreate it, but it's just a great lie… The Fell Dragon has no any power of creation, because he is not a god… he's a demon actually. Powerful demon, but just demon… This is all true about him and your daughter have to reach to this conclusion all by herself. Then and only then, she will be able to reject him."

"How could she reach to such conclusion in a place like this?"

"She could and she will. And because of that, one day she will probably set her heart on escaping from the Grimleal… And when this time will come, you will be the one who will help her in escaping from this place. It will be the most important task in your life, so when it happen, you mustn't hesitate even for a second."

When Celia heard these words she set her eyes on her ancestor in disbelief.

"How, am I supposed to do that?! To escape… from here?! Believe me I dream about it… I dream about it ever since the day when my son was born… But it's just impossible. In these dangerous mountains…? With Grimleal spies, and assassins in every corner? This whole place is like a giant trap without an exit!"

"Calm down, I'm going to tell you exactly how you can escape from this temple full of heretics and murderers… and some other useful things as well... But in exchange, you must promise me, that in the day you will run away with your daughter you will also gave to her the gemstone which you stole away from the Exalt, right before you left Ylisse. It contains the power of light, and it will also be helpful in her fight against Grima."

Celia was dumbfounded at first, but when she reminded herself, that she has a ghost who can read minds before her eyes, she wasn't so surprised anymore.

Nobody else knew about it, but in the night when she left her home, she took the gemstone known as Argent with her. To protect the sacred orb, part of the Fire Emblem was her family duty for hundreds of years, so she knew exactly where they were holding it. For her, the word 'steal' was too much. She just took it from home and she buried it in her father's grave, because she considered Argent as her father's property. And besides she wanted to punish the Exalt for his crimes by that action… She was so young, stupid and full of hatred back then…

"So, what is your answer?" Lina asked her. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes…" The woman replied.

"Then listen to me very carefully now, Celia Maclir…"

Author's notes: Well... I know that my idea is a bit strange, and confusing. But I want to know what do you think about it anyway. (Just please don't hate me, and my bad English too much ok?)

Lina the Hero of Shadow, and the newborn Lina are my avatars from Fire Emblem New Mystery of the Emblem, and Awakening. That's why they looks the same and share the same name. I've always wanted to connect them somehow, that's the reson why I created Celia, and her live story.

Also I'm so sorry for every small, or big grammatical error on this chapter.

I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

I do not own Fire Emblem