That means a long time ago.
Evil flooded over the land.
Creatures awash in the dark
ride ran wild, pushing mankind
to the brink of annihilation.
That's not good. Nice use of a water metaphor though.
In its despair, mankind
appealed to the heavens, and
from a blinding light came hope.
THE SACRED STONES
Dun Dun Dun.
These five glorious treasures
held the power to dispel evil.
You don't say.
The hero Grado and his warriors
used the Sacred Stones to combat
evil's darkness. They defeated
the Demon Kind and sealed his
soul away within the stones.
Yay!
With the darkness imprisoned,
peace returned to Magvel.
Un hunh.
But this peace would not last...
Jeez, this opening is long. Let's just go to the cliff notes version. It is 800 years later. Everything has been all fine and dandy due to the peace and prosperity that has existed across the land. Those sacred stones are still floating around having been passed down through generation and now all the countries have one. There's Renais, Frelia, Jehanna, Rausten, and Grado. Carcino is also on the continent but it's not very important. Anyway, it's 803 and everything is all good till suddenly… Oh No! The Grado nation suddenly decides to attack Renais. With fewer soldiers, no expectation of an attack and a certain prince MIA, the troops easily make their way towards the castle's gates. In other words Renais is toast.
Prologue: The Typical Opening Chapter where the Good Guy's Home Falls.
A generic solider quickly runs through the halls of castle Renais. Even inside the sound of the ensuing battle can be heard as the walls shake from the attacks. Bursting into the throne room the generic solider, who from now on shall be known as Bob, calls out to the king.
"Your majesty, I bear bad news. The castle gate has been breached. The Emperor's forces are within the castle walls. The situation is much dire King Oswin."
King Oswin, a brown haired, older, serious looking man wearing the amour of a general gets up from the throne. "I see"
"The garrison has fallen. We lost contact with Prince Eliwood and we can expect no aid from his men. Your majesty, what are we to do?"
Oswin is silent for a few moments in thought pacing back. Finally he stops and looks directly at Bob. "…What else can we do? Order your man to lay down their arms."
A look of confusion appears on Bob's face. "Come again?"
"Tell the soldiers to stand down."
"But your highness, shouldn't we keep on fighting? Even if it is hopeless, we would be showing Grado that Renais never surrenders and we would all have noble and heroic deaths because we battled to the very end. Isn't this a better option?"
"No," Oswin simply replies, "Besides it is quite possible that the Grado forces have just come for a pleasant visit."
"Yeah sure," Bob mutters under his breath turning to leave.
As the solider leaves, a beautiful young woman dress in a cape, red shirt and white skirt makes her way in, her long green hair tied back behind her head.
"Hey Dad. What's up?"
"Lyndis. Technically, the more appropriate thing to say would be: Hello father. What is happening? But let us not worry about that for the moment. Tell me, are you wearing the bracelet I gave you?"
A surprise look appears on Lyn's face as she raises her arm showing a bracelet on it. "You mean the cheap trinket you gave me as a Christmas gift last year? Yeah, it's right here."
"Good. Marcus."
A paladin with purple hair and a matching goatee steps into view on horseback.
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Take my daughter and head for Frelia. The king is a somewhat honorable man. I trust he will keep you safe."
"Understood. And what of your majesty?"
"Me? I shall remain here." Oswin declares causing both Lyn and Marcus to gasp.
Oswin begins to pace again. "We have long held Grado among our dearest allies, yet now, they attack? I must know why. Am I somehow responsible for this? Have I erred in my leadership?
Was it a mistake for me to cut back funding on the military and devote it to other things like education and the arts?"
"Yes" Marcus says.
"Father, you can't do this. It's completely foolish! If your staying, then so am I!"
"No Lyndis. It is far too dangerous."
"Aww...but I really wanted to fight and kill some back guys." Lyn says pouting.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady. You can't always get what you want. Look at me. There is a good chance I could be dead within the next 10 minutes but you don't hear me complaining. Anyway, go now Marcus! Take her to safety!"
"Father!"
"Forgive me your highness"
Grabbing on to Lyndis, Marcus pulls her atop his horse rides off. Oswin watches them go sighing deeply as the enemy begins to move in.
"Lyndis, Eliwood, you must survive." Oswin then turns his attention to the entering Grado forces. "Good afternoon gentlemen. Would anyone like something to drink?"
-----------
Outside the castle, Marcus stands by another man on horseback, his facial features covered by a shaggy mop of green hair.
"General Marcus"
"Lowen, ride ahead and bring word of our coming to Frelia. A single rider has better offs of passing unseen by Grado's men. And if not, well you're a sacrificial pawn anyway. Convey to the throne all that has happened here and petition for rainforests."
"U...understood," Lowen says saluting. "I am on my way!"
Kicking his horse into a gallop, Lowen speeds off before colliding with a tree five seconds later.
"I'm alright" he calls out before heading off again.
"Now then princess Lyndis we must…quickly behind me!"
Descending from the skies are three Wyverns. The middle one lands the closest to Marcus and Lyn with the other two flanking it. Atop the beast sits a fully armored man with long flowing black hair and a look of evil in his eyes.
"You are the princess of Renais, aren't you? My blade…err I mean my spear hungers for your blood. Out of my way fool," he says to Marcus, "the wench is coming with me."
"Never!" Marcus screams charging in on the attack.
"I am Karel, the Moonstone and Grado's finest general! Prepare to feed my weapon's hunger as you become nothing but a mere corpse!"
Marcus swings down with his sword but Karel easily dodges and stabs him in the gut with his lance.
"Ahhh…No! Run Away!"
Marcus spins around and grabs Lyn again hurrying away. Karel looks on with a slight bit of amusement.
"You are weak. Pathetically weak. I do not hunger for such morsels. So fly away little man. Fly away. Try to become stronger so that some day you may become a worthy opponent for me and my weapon. Hahahahahahah!"
The other two Wyvern riders nervously take a few steps back.
-----------
In some forest area somewhere…
Marcus looks back at Lyn who is now walking besides him. "Princess Lyn! I cannot see any more of Grado's men! Therefore I believe we have earned our selves a short rest. Also, please forgive me for grabbing you so… brusquely earlier."
Lyn smiles sweetly at him. "It's alright Marcus" she says before lashing out with her hand and slapping him in the face hard. "Now I forgive you. So are you okay with that injury of yours?"
"Of course, I am fine. I cannot let a few broken bones and massive internal bleeding stop me from my duty. We must press on to Frelia and fulfill his majesty's wishes."
"Suit yourself," Lyn mutters putting away her first aid kit. "My father, I wonder how he is doing inside the castle on his own. And what of my brother, on the Grado front?
We've heard nothing from him for days."
"King Oswin and Prince Eliwood are both brave and valiant men. Even the Grado Empire could not keep them in check. Yes, I'm sure that they are both fine."
Back at the castle…
"Oh God! The pain!"
-----------
"Yes, perfectly fine. In any case, we most head for Frelia post haste."
"Yes, of course. You're right. Come Marcus, let us go."
"Once we cross that bridge, we will be in Frelia, near Border Mulan. Let us precede, Princess Lyndis. Your highness, I won't lie to you. This will not be an easy ride.
Please, take this rapier."
"A rapier?" Lyn asks blinking a few times.
"Is something the matter?" Marcus asks confused.
"Well, I really don't like rapiers. You wouldn't happen to have something cooler by any chance, like a Mani Katti?"
"No. I'm afraid not. Princess, we really must be going."
Lyn picks up the rapier studying it in her hands for a few moments before shaking her head. "Nah. I don't want it." she says before chucking it over her shoulder.
"You there! Renais Dogs! Where do you think your going?" O'Neill yells emerging from behind them with two of his fellow fighters.
- Swoosh -
The rapier flies down and impales itself on O'Neill's head.
"What? How?" he manages to get out before falling to the ground.
The two remaining fighters look at one another before turning around and quickly fleeing.
"Well that was rather anticlimactic," Marcus mutters.
"Yeah" Lyn agrees. "Oh well, should we be off?"
"Yes. Yes, we should." the paladin replies as he and Lyn head off into Frelia.
