Tears of the Orphan - Nino
Time and fate were the essence of existence... a mystery that no one could understand. They were very much different, but intertwined tightly, like the wooden shards used to make a wooven basket. Time could do so many things; change, heal, destroy. Fate could also change, heal, and destroy. And so it was now, as the battle raged on near the ancient building. The young girl had her blue eyes set on the sight before her; the Shrine of Seals, but within it, the man they had to slay to retrieve the item they needed... her own, last living, dear brother. Father and her other brother were dead... though not her real family, she still saw them as such. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision, but she rushed forward, casting elfire magic at the sword user before she continued on into the building towards her brother. "Brother, no! Why must you make as fight you," she screamed at him, completely overwhelmed with dread, fear, and sorrow.
He gave her an answer, but not one that she could accept. He remained loyal to the cause of avenging the death of his brother, even though it was evident that it was not Eliwood and his company who did it, but someone else entirely. No matter the logic and reason against his cause, he would not budge; he forced them to fight. Nino stood back, wanting to turn and run from the scene, but she could not. She could not even look away. Her dear brother battled some of sword and lance users of Eliwood's army, all of them weakening him. The tactician called for a distance attacker to finish him off, before he could destroy one of the units. Nino did not move, frozen still with the realization... she was the only one within distance.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she quickly recited the words and made the motions necessary to cast her magic. She kept her eyes closed until just before she had to unleash her power at her dear brother. She saw his eyes; angry, embittered, sorrowful, confussion, and yet... a sense of peace. Her flames wrapped him in a passionate, hungered coil, silencing his cries of pain, and easing him into eternal slumber. Nino rushed forward as his body began to fall, and she caught him in her arms, just before he hit the floor. She stared into his face, fresh tears coating her sleek cheeks, and running down to drip from her face, and onto her clothing, and that of her brother. She gazed upon his face, realizing he was still breathing... but she knew his time was almost up. "...I'm coming... brother... wait for me..."
This caused her to choke up a sob, and burry her face into his chest, clinging to him for dear life as he took in his last breath, and his heart beat its last. The sunny days that her brothers would take her to the meadow to pick flowers, have picnics, and just enjoy life... the times her father would tuck her into bed, read her stories, and call her "princess"... the hopes of one day making her mother, her false mother, happy... all those days were gone. And so were the people she loved most. A deep feeling of sorrow, loss, and grief filled her insides, an emotion that was familiar to her by now. Her real parents, she would never meet. Her adopted father was gone. Her adopted mother turned out to be an evil woman, and she was gone, too. And her brothers... one died in battle, and the other, by her own magic, her own hands. She cried and sobbed into his chest, as a comforting hand was placed onto her shoulder. Her shoulders trembling with sorrow, she merely whispered in great despair, "It's not fair..."