Author's note: I don't own Dragon Quest IV
Battle For Glory
Prologue: The Wish
Airlia looked down at her game in despondent. The only escape she had from the dismal reality was that of her game… The only game that helped her to pretend for as long as reality would allow it was Dragon Quest IV. She had wished deeply within her heart that she could have helped the town where the hero had grown up to survive. That she could have prevented Rose's untimely death. Perhaps then, Psaro wouldn't have been on the path to destruction.
There was a banging on the door as she got up and shoved her dresser in front of it. "I'll never be free of this life… Of my abusive family… Truly never free…"
She went to the closet and withdrew a leather dress she had made in the fashion of her favorite game. It was sleeveless however, with an underlying pair of tunics for hot or cold weather. Tossing the dress on and a pair of boots that a friend gave her, she shimmied out of the window and ran deep into the woods.
Once she was sure that he wouldn't ever follow her, she turned around to look at where she was. Deep in the woods, she continued to walk until she found a deep cave she could hide out in. Making a firepit and finding a water source, she began to set up her new little hovel.
As she made a spot comfortable for her to sleep with help of the leaves and finding a few berries for her belly, she couldn't help but whisper, "I wish… I wish… I wish that I could be anywhere but here. I wish I could be at the village to try and protect it from being slaughtered."
She fell asleep, and a lone tear escaped past her eyes. It was the only place that she was safe from her daily nightmare. In the morning, she would have to flee again and try to find shelter elsewhere and maybe someone who would stand up to her family and keep her safe from harm.
Outside of her little cave, she had indeed been found and the man closed in to drag his prize back to his home… However, the moment he tried, lightning struck and she was gone…
Airlia groaned as she stretched her sore arms. Something was different… She wasn't on the bed of leaves as she was before. Standing up deftly, she found herself in a forest surrounded by mountains.
"Where am I now? Did he find me and dump me somewhere to die?" The brunette murmured as dove grey eyes roamed the trees. She could just make out the edges of a small village tucked into the hills that the trees shielded. "No… no way… Impossible…"
She ran full speed even as her muscles burned in agony from the run. Coming closer to the village, she slowed down to take in the scents, the wonder and splendor. "How did I get here? Do I have to ever leave?"
The smell of the grass, sweet and warming. The breeze from the mountains was cool and refreshing, while the trees shaded the area beautifully. The village was simple, mostly made from wood around a small water source. She approached the village and saw a man in a simple leather armor guarding the village. He was tall and stocky, with jet black hair and sapphire blue eyes. She approached the guard and gave him a frightened look. "May I seek shelter, for the night? Please? I fear there are monsters gathering at the edge of the mountains seeking to come this way."
He studied her. "Why should I believe you? We don't like outsiders in our little village."
Airlia tried again, "Please! It's important. I can't go that way until I figure out how to get around them. I'm not a fighter."
The man turned to another guard. "Richard, this girl wants to seek shelter for the night. She seems harmless enough but she brings warnings that monsters are at the southern edge of the range heading our way."
The guard was dressed in shining silver armor with silver leggings and a brown cape. "What's that Marcus? Seeks refuge? No outsiders!"
Airlia turned pleading grey eyes on him. "Please! I need your help! Monsters are at the edge of the mountains, heading this way!"
Richard seemed to consider for a moment as he raked a hand through dark brown hair, studying her. "We'll take her to the village chief and see what he thinks. He's fishing at the lake right now."
The brunette paled. "Did you allow anyone else in the village?"
The knight shook his head. "You're the first in eighteen years."
Airlia nodded, "A man shouldn't be long behind me, a day or two tops. Pointed ears, long silver hair, black leather clothing. He will be the harbinger of death because of how humans have treated the elves and monsterkind."
Richard stepped back. "Really… So he wants to kill the humans and he knows the hero lives here."
Well that's the answer to one question… Now the next… how was she going to save all of these people...
