Intro Notes (The prologue follows after the postscript): I have intended to write several stories in the hopes of publishing them on this website, usually merely for my own recreation. Unfortunately, I have never been able to finish any of them, as is evidenced by the only other work that I have posted here, which hasn't been updated in several years. I still don't know if I'll ever get around to it. Finally, after so many false starts, I decided I would try to write a novelization. If I had something to use as a base, I might be able to actually complete a story.

I decided to go with Fire Emblem for the Game Boy Advance, the first one that was released to us here in the U.S. With a compelling story, a diversity of fleshed out characters and enough leeway for several creative liberties, it felt the easiest and most interesting story for me to work with. I have yet to beat this game, and as such this story, in and of itself, will cover only the first 10 chapters, the story of Lyn. You will notice that I have tried to stay as true to the game as I possibly could (in fact, I encourage anyone who wants to if they can find any quote in the game that I have not incorporated into the story word for word, if out of order).

Still, no author would enjoy writing such a story if he was not given a method of expressing his own abilities. I chose to use the nameless tactician as my breathing space (known as Mark, by default). As the game is almost entirely from his point of view (he being you, the gamer) I felt that his lack of backstory left a lot of room to flesh him out without having to worry about any contradictions to the main story. As such you will notice that he has a much expanded role in my version, and seems to have a story of his own. This story will slowly be revealed to you as the book progresses, but it is still a secondary story nonetheless. It will not be completed by the end of these first 10 chapters that will comprise this particular work, but hopefully, if I get enough positive feedback from this one, I'll feel the desire to complete the remaining chapters of the game in the form of a second story. Thus far, I've only posted the prologue and the first chapter (which likewise follow the chapters of the game). If I receive enough positive feedback, I will continue to upload the remaining chapters that have already been completed, spacing them out with enough time to let me finish the others.

I will admit that there are moments of pure corniness, pure cheesiness, and utter awkwardness, especially in trying to feasibly fit the tutorial elements of the game into the written word. Consider yourself warned, but I think I've managed to pull it off believably enough.

Nevertheless, I'm having fun with it. Hopefully, you will too. Progress may be slow, especially with school about to start up again, but I hope to keep updating steadily. May you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

Thanks!

-Heatwave.

P.S.: Don't be afraid to point out any typographical or grammar errors. I do hate seeing them in my writing, and they WILL get fixed

The plains were cold that night. With no moon to guide him he had long since lost the trail and had spent the last several hours fumbling blindly through the long grass. Had he taken time to think about it, he would have marveled at the fact that he had not yet taken a bad step and twisted his ankle. At the moment, his footing was the least of his worries. His thoughts were turned inwards… turned towards the recent events that had left him in this deplorable position. Even now, his spirit screamed at him to go back; to aid in what little means he could, but his body wouldn't listen. Instinct was a powerful force, and the instinct for immediate survival was at that moment his only intention.

…but that didn't stop the tears.

It's probably too late anyway. His mind tried to reason with him even as he fought the reality of it all. There wouldn't be anyone left, not anymore. As the thought crossed his mind its full meaning finally sank in. He stopped short, only now beginning to feel the effects of running flat out for nearly twenty minutes. His strength finally gave out entirely and he sank to his knees, his body shuddering with sobs.

They… they're gone. They're all gone; and I… I did nothing. I ran like a scared child while they died around me! The thought was too much and he collapsed to the ground. The convoy was surly gone by now. It didn't matter that they had been pursued for the last three years. It didn't matter that they had plead for him to run while they remained behind; willingly giving their lives that he might escape. He didn't even know why they felt he was so important; they hadn't gotten around to telling him that. No, none of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was that he was alone. There was no one left to fall back on anymore.

The sobs came more powerfully now. Exhausted from his flight there was little more he could do than reflect upon his situation, and the hopelessness of it all quickly began to consume him. What's the point? I'm only an apprentice! Why were they so willing to die like that just for me! It's not fair!

"It's not fair!" he screamed into the night, pounding the ground. The cruelty of the world falling upon his shoulders was more than he cared to bear, and he was tired, so very tired.

"Yeh ought to know better'n ta scream when yer hidin', boy. Yeh never know who might be listinin'."

In a moment his thoughts collected. No… it's not possible! He jumped to his feet instantly, his fatigue forgotten as the instinct of survival once again took control. He got two steps before the hilt of a short sword slammed into the back of his head, dropping him back to the ground.

"This 'im boss?"

"Oh, yeah… this is him, and we're gonna make it big tonight boys. They paid us well to slaughter this group, we mustn't be disappointin' them now, must we?

He slowly got back to his knees, rubbing the back of his head. "Y… you monsters! What do you want with me?!"

A large man, apparently the leader of the group grinned down at him. "Oh 'taint nothin' personal, lad. We're just simple folk. People pay us to do a job, and we get it done. Simple as that."

"But… why! What evil have we ever visited upon anyone?"

"I don't ask questions, I just do what I'm told. Yer the last one left, so once we finish with ya we'll be set for some time to come. Think of all the lives you might be savin' 'cause we didn't hafta go out and earn our keep! At least that can help you rest peacefully."

Their intention was clear; he wasn't going to be making it out of this alive. His eyes went wide with fright. He had no weapons; he wasn't even instructed in the ways of the sword. No, he specialized in strategy, in a combat of a different sort. Soldiers were his weapons, but here he had none. The dagger he kept in his boot for self defense was the only tool at his disposal, but he realized it would be a wanting effort.

The leader apparent of the group saw the boys fright and grinned again. "Oh, don' worry lad. Accept it as fate. I promis' yeh now you won't be feelin' a thing." He nodded towards one of them men, and once again the hilt of a sword cracked into the back of the young man's head and he collapsed into darkness.

The group of five stood around their quarry until one of them ventured to speak. "I be wonderin' what they want 'him fer. He couldn' be more'n nineteen years."

"Like I told the boy, we don't ask the questions."

"It just don't feel right to me, is all."

"Quit complainin'. We'll be set fer life with this job."

"But do we hafta kill 'im? He could be one of us. Who knows?"

"Enough! They were insistent that we take out every last one of 'em. 'Specially the young'uns. The others are probably done by now, so we just needs ta kill this one. Have yeh forgotten how much we're earning for this job? I'll kill the boy meself if you babe's ain't got the meat fer it." The men grumbled, but obligingly cleared the path. Their leader stepped forward, unsheathing his blade. He looked upon the young man, a single pang of pity crossed his face as he raised the sword over his head. "Sorry, m' boy. Nothin' personal."

"My thoughts exactly!"

With a sharp expletive, the big man whirled around, only to catch the tip of an extended blade across the back of his wrist. It was only a scratch, but it was enough to provoke a reaction. With a cry he grasped the wound, dropping his own blade to the ground. A lone figure stood facing him, but in the dark it was too difficult to see a face.

The man snarled as his companions took a step backwards at the unexpected turn of events. "Who're you?"

"I'm the guardian of these plains, the plains you will soon be vacating."

Upon hearing the voice more clearly, the man burst out laughing. "Y… yer no more'n a young lass," he breathed amidst his laughter. "Run along missy. This is no business of yours."

"I'm prepared to make it my business. Now if you gentlemen will be so kind as to let the boy go, you won't be cut down where you stand."

Still chuckling, the leader took another look at the intruder. She was obviously a young woman, judging by her voice and posture. Her silhouette, the only thing visible in the night, was sleight, but athletic. With the confidence that she had shown by even making her presence known, he didn't doubt that she could put up a good struggle in a fair fight, but he had seen his own share of battle, and knew his men to be experienced marauders. Besides that, fighting fair was the last thing he intended to do.

"There's no joy for us in takin' the life of the young lad, you can rest assured of that, but a job's a job, and we mean t' get ours done." Leering at the young woman before him, the man displayed another sinister grin. "Th' future pleasure of your company now, that'd just be the perfect thing t' comfort our pain." The men behind him began to snigger, knowing full well the intent of their leader. "Just when I thought things were already perfect," with a wave of his hand the big man gave the expected order. "Have at 'er, boys, but don't be too rough. She'll be the prize fer tonight."

The group started forward as one, expecting to easily work past the girl's defenses and disarm her. The first came in with his blade in an overhead cut intended to occupy her weapon. She deftly twisted to the side to avoid it, turning a full circle as she stepped towards the man. Planting one foot in front of the man's own, she gave him a shove, using his own momentum in the swing to topple him to the ground. Quickly dropping to one knee, she slammed her own sword hilt into the brute's head, knocking him out instantly. The other four were so shocked by her movement that they hadn't even gotten the chance to complete what had been meant as a combined attack. Before they could regain their composure a second man had joined the first on the ground, downed by a quick jab to the neck and another hard bonk on the head. The two left took a hop back to get out of her immediate range.

"She's fast boss," one of them stated worriedly.

"Just keep her busy, then," the leader snarled, as he retrieved his own blade from the ground where he'd dropped it. "I'll kill the boy and we'll be on our way, we don't need to waste our time with some devil woman!"

At the bandit's proclamation the girl leapt into action, jumping between the two remaining henchmen, she rolled across the ground, coming up on one knee just past their leader in a defensive position between him and the boy on the ground. The man's own lunge was cut short as the tip of a blade caught his hand, turning away his attack and causing him to once more drop his weapon. Even in the miniscule light of the night there was no mistake of the fire in her eyes as she knelt before their quarry.

"I won't let you harm him!"

With a roar the leader lunged forward bodily, pushing away the girl's blade with his injured hand. Caught by surprise the girl suddenly found herself enveloped in a great hug. She gasped as the man began to squeeze, forcibly removing the breath from her body. Her sword was useless, pinned with her wrist in an awkward position. Quickly taking into account her situation she began to explore other options, finally deciding on the tried but true method of slamming her knee into the man's groin with all the strength she could muster.

His eyes went wide as the sudden pain made its way through his nervous system, and he was helpless to stop himself from releasing his hold and curling into the tightest ball he could squeeze into. She dropped to the ground coughing for air, but regained quickly enough to end the poor man's misery with another well placed bash to the head.

As their leader dropped to the floor, the remaining men stood transfixed, unsure what to do next. She glared at them both and raised her sword, extending it towards them. "If there is any sense left within you, you'll leave now." She coughed again, still trying to fully recover from the pressure of the hug. One of the remaining band took a tentative step toward her. "You're companion's treatment of me may not have been very gentle, so rest assured that if you attack me now, I cannot afford to be as… delicate… as I was with your friends."

Upon the final warning, both men stopped their approach and glanced at each other. In one motion they turned tail and fled, intending to get as far away from that location as possible. Once convinced that they had gone a fair enough distance the girl dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. She tried to calm her racing heart, surprised that she had been able to pull off such a daring maneuver.

That was more luck than anything else, she thought to herself, if I hadn't caught them off guard like I did that could have turned out a lot differently. She'd been hoping that the superstitious brigands would back down without a fight …but I guess that was too much to wish for.

She turned again to look upon the young man she had risked her life for, a man she had never met before in her life. He seemed about her age, dressed in a simple traveling garb covered with a large robe and scarf, obviously a wanderer, used to the ways of travel. She wondered how someone so acquainted with the road could be so vulnerable to attack, but chose not to dwell on it long. She had long since sworn that she would never stand by while someone needed her help, no matter the circumstance. With considerable effort she managed to lift the prone figure onto one of the bandit's horses and started for home. She'd probably turn the animal loose once she got there. It'd be best that there was no trace of her when the rest came back to finish their work.