Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

Silent Sorrow

by Oribes

The medallion is gone. In panic, she flies through the little house, searching all the rooms. This cannot be. She knows that something horrible will happen if the artifact is not located. An ache in her abdomen causes her to stop. She leans against a wall to rest, knowing also that her second child will be coming soon. Her first child, her son, approaches her, worry etched on his young face. He does not know what is going on, but he can tell she is agitated. He draws closer, his arms slowly clasping hers. She smiles in reassurance, stroking his dirty blue hair, trying to tell him that everything will be all right. But inside her, a quiet terror is growing. She knows, she just knows, that something is about to happen.

-:- -:- -:-

The edge of town is already far behind them. He walks along, following the group, yet trying not to associate too much with the others. Yes, they are his neighbors, and maybe even his friends. Yes, they have willingly sheltered him and his wife in their village. But he cannot let anyone know his secret. He must hide his true might. He had once been a great warrior, but now to his former allies, he is nothing more than a petty thief and an outlaw. He had a good reason to run. His face darkens as he thinks of all the people that might be hurting under the new king's power. He cannot agree with the barbarous reign. But now, by running, he is making a new start, and perhaps he can one day go back to make things right. He thinks of his family, one son, and soon a second child. He has been able to raise them in peace. And it's all because these villagers have helped him, even if he is not one of them. They have done more than expected for him, and he feels the need to pay back at least a little. So when their town borders are threatened, he consents to help defend them.

All of a sudden, the intruders are in sight. He stops as he sees them. They are soldiers of his former country, no doubt coming to apprehend him. He grimly readies his blade as the men spot their group and assume battle formation.

-:- -:- -:-

A thought, then she gasps abruptly. She knows where the medallion is. Her mind goes back to a few days ago...

Strangers had been spotted near the town borders. Unsure of whom they were, her husband had prepared to go out with some others to investigate. She had decided to hide the medallion in case the unknown visitors knew of its real power. It felt heavy and foreboding in her hands as she slipped it into a cloth sack, stowing it under her bed...

She runs back to her bedroom and kneels on the floor, reaching into the dark back corners. But nothing meets her trembling fingers. No rough burlap, no round object. Terror seizes her as shakes her head in frustration.

-:- -:- -:-

The battle is not going well. He easily cuts down soldier after soldier, but reinforcements keep coming. And to add to his troubles, he must defend his neighbors as well, for they are not as suited to fighting as he is. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of light as one of the villagers loses strength and reverts from beast back to humanoid form. Three soldiers immediately bear down on the unprotected boy, leaping at the chance to murder a "sub-human". He is gripped with quiet anger as he drives them off, then rescues the panting laguz. As he runs, more soldiers strike. He retaliates the best he can, but it is harder now that he is a burdened with another's weight upon his back. Finally, he deposits the frightened boy at the edge of the battlefield. He pauses a moment, wincing as the numerous gashes on his body sting and trickle blood. He reaches for the pouch on his waist, knowing he packed a vulnerary there. His hand goes in, but instead of the little bag of herbs, he touches something else. He can only feel slight panic before the dark god takes over.

-:- -:- -:-

She can hear screams and shouts from far away. What she has feared has come true. She leaps up and darts out, leaving her confused son behind. She must stop the chaos, but she fears the worst. Perhaps it is already too late.

-:- -:- -:-

The bulk of the soldiers surround him, but they are no match for him in his altered state. He has only one thought, and that is to kill, to slay anyone in his way. Men yell as they are rendered lifeless in a single blow. The army is decimated in mere moments. But on the horizon, twenty more men are seen. They are not just common soldiers; they are of a higher class, trained as adept assassins. They reach the battlefield, sighting their target. But they too, do not stand a chance. They cannot get in a single blow before they too are slaughtered, weapons still in their hands. He whirls around, blood dripping from his blade as he charges at the frightened villagers. They are already running, having witnessed what he can do. He has turned on them, on the ones who had helped him. Now he feels no empathy as he overtakes a tiger that has reverted. The man lets out a scream as the blade plunges deep. A few others turn around, dashing back to help, but there is no compassion as his sword dances into their hearts. Bodies pile up around him, some half-transformed. The rest of the villagers continue to run and he pursues them. But just barely, through his haze of madness, he hears a call. Just barely, he can see her coming nearer. He hesitates. She runs to him. And that split-second pause is all it takes for her to snatch the medallion from his grip.

-:- -:- -:-

She smiles in relief as she watches the rage fade from his eyes. The medallion is in her hands again. What more, she is still alive. But she collapses in his arms, exhausted from her flight. Her eyes flicker across the plain, sadly taking in the number of the dead. And then, she hears more shouts.

-:- -:- -:-

He looks on in horror as still more soldiers come. They are advancing quickly, and he turns and pleads for her to go. Even if she has no energy left, she heeds his words and backs away slowly, the cursed artifact still clutched tight in her hand. His voice is urgent as he shouts her name, urging her to move faster. She turns and runs, tears streaking down her face. He faces the new legion of soldiers, putting himself between them and his wife, who is now fading into the distance. His hands draw up his sword and he readies himself once more. His own life will not matter anymore, so as long as she is safe.

-:- -:- -:-

She reaches the village, ignoring the fearful looks of the others. One hand still holding the medallion, she flings the door open. Her son is still there, sitting in the middle of the floor and watching her with frightened eyes. As calmly as she can, she tells him to get his things, and she begins packing. Now that the Daein militia knows that they are here, she must run. Hopefully she will meet her husband again, but for now she must leave him behind. They cannot stay here, for even if he manages to defeat all the soldiers, the villagers can never trust them again. She has seen how many of them were killed, and her heart hurts for them. Her husband will not be welcome here anymore, no matter how long he have stayed here. Her son comes back carrying a bag of things. Her own sack is full as well, and taking his small hand, they flee towards the forest together.

-:- -:- -:-

He has succeeded. All the men lie dead at his feet, adding to the body count. But without the medallion, he kills only out of necessity. He feels slight guilt as he surveys the scene around him. Death and destruction, they are the merits of war. Even though he is a warrior, he is disgusted. But now he must put this behind him and run. He must locate his wife at all costs. For sure, he cannot go back to the village. A twinge of regret pains him as he sadly walks away.

-:- -:- -:-

Weeks have passed. Each day, she feels herself becoming weaker. It is hard to walk, but they must constantly be on the move. Clangs of armor and the sounds of horses' hooves send her into a terror whenever she hears them on the road. Her son never complains. He dutifully follows her, but she knows he is hungry and tired too.

They have reached the capital of Gallia. This gives her some small comfort, as they are able to blend in with the crowd and find shelter in the dark alleyways. She slips in at night, leading her son to a dim corner of the city. No one is around, and she takes the moment to rest. Her son squats by her and accepts the small strip of meat she offers him. As she watches him eat, she knows that she cannot care for him much longer. Even though it hurts her, she must send him away, but where to send him to, she does not know. Then she has a thought. Her husband has a student living in Zarzi. Perhaps she should send her son to the young woman. That would probably be best thing to do. He must also take the medallion with him, as she will soon not have enough energy left to protect it. She rips a portion of her shawl and, using a nearby lump of charcoal, writes upon it all that has happened. Then she takes her boy's face in her hands and tells him what he must do. He is stubborn, refusing to go. But the more she explains to him, the more he understands. He still does not leave, though, and finally she stands up, putting her hands on his shoulders and pushing him away. She gently, but forcefully, tells him to leave one last time. He is nearly crying. But he nods and takes the note and the bronze disc, wrapped in a cloth, from her hands. She reminds him one more time never to touch it. Then, as he darts away, she calls to him, telling him that they will all be together one day. He looks back once more, and then he is nothing more than a figure in the distance. She slides down wearily against the wall and sighs, hoping with all her heart that he will make it safely.

-:- -:- -:-

The young boy runs through the night, his breaths coming fast as he tries to remember which house he is supposed to go to. He looks up and, on the second story of a structure to his right, sees light shining through a window. Immediately he ducks into the shadow of another building, remembering what his mother told him about hiding from strangers. Cautiously, he watches as someone comes to the window. He recognizes the outline. It is the girl his father teaches. She has come to their house many times before so he knows her face. He remembers that he is supposed to meet her, so her slides out into the light. The girl looks down. Surprise is evident on her face as she catches sight of him. He can hear her running down the stairs as she comes out to meet him. Before she can ask any questions, he gives her the note his mother entrusted to him. She reads it quickly. First shock, then sadness passes over her face. Then she takes the medallion from him and lifts him up, bringing him inside.

-:- -:- -:-

He has been pushing through the forest for weeks. It is a long and difficult journey, but the thought of finding his wife again keeps him going. Finally, he comes to the end of the woods. Before him, he sees a mountain range. If he crosses it, he knows he will reach the capital. Perhaps that is where he will find her. With the large crowds, it would be more likely for them to evade the soldiers there. He continues forward, getting ready to scale the rocky peaks.

-:- -:- -:-

Her second child is coming. She can feel it. Sharp pains course through her body, wracking her with agony. She cries out, then quickly stifles her voice. But it is hard to keep quiet against all the pain. This seems to go on forever, but finally, she has her baby, her daughter, in her arms. Something is not right though. The little body is not moving. In dismay, she realizes that the girl is not breathing. Anguish fills her. Her child is dead, dead before even having a chance to live. Tears trail down her face as she lies down, drained from the effort, clutching her stillborn child near her. Her eyes close; she can feel herself drifting away. The surroundings are spinning, everything is going black. With a final burst of energy, her last thoughts are of her husband and son. She dearly wishes to see them again. Someday she will. And then she thinks no more.

-:- -:- -:-

The boy is in her care, but each day, he is growing worse. The young woman watches with apprehension as the child only takes a few bites of the food she has given him. Usually he eats much more, and his listlessness is worrying. He misses his parents badly, she knows that. But she doesn't know where they are. She wishes she knew, as the boy looks so sad. She comes up behind him and puts her arms around his thin shoulders, trying to offer comfort from his grief. He returns her embrace, his tears gently falling.

-:- -:- -:-

He has made it over the mountains. It is evening and Zarzi is in sight. Unable to contain himself, he runs towards the city, but remembers that he is wanted and slows down. He stays on the outskirts, finding a way in that is not as densely inhabited. Carefully walking through the near-empty streets, he spots a figure in an alleyway. He comes nearer and realizes it is his wife. But any joy he feels is soon replaced with alarm as he notices the blood around her. He can barely believe this is happening. He calls to her, taking her in his arms. Her eyes flutter open, just a bit, and she whispers his name, smiling a little. Then her body goes limp in his arms, and he curses himself for what he has done.

-:- -:- -:-

Pushing open the door, she peeks into the room. The boy is lying there, motionless on the bed. She goes to him and places her hand on his shoulder, trying to wake him up. But to her horror, he doesn't respond. He is cold and stiff. She stumbles back, unable to comprehend this. Why has this happened? He looked fine yesterday, despondent, but otherwise all right. Now today he is gone. She shakes her head, fighting back the urge to cry.

She carries him away from the city. His body is light as she sets him into the grave she has dug. Moments pass; she fills the depression up. Finally, she places a stone over the site and runs her fingers over the words she has carved with her axe. Even if she is sad, she is happy that she at least had the chance to spend some time with him before he died.

Later, she slowly trudges through the streets, making her way back. But when she reaches her destination, she gasps in surprise. Men in ebon armor are sacking the building. She can see them through the windows, searching through her things. She runs up to her room and slams the door open. Papers and books are flying everywhere and broken glass is strewn on the floor. She shouts at them, and one man comes over. He sneers at her in a condescending tone, asking her if she knows anything about a bronze medallion. Her heart beats fast as she denies, but fear shows on her face. The man suddenly becomes angry, accusing her of lying. He grips her arm and pulls her in, demanding that she show them where it is. She refuses, denying once more, but he shoves her roughly. She falls to the ground by a chest of drawers. The man laughs cruelly and turns away, yanking the doors of her armoire open. When he is not looking, she slowly reaches under the drawers and feels the medallion, still bound in its wrappings. She grips it tightly and stands. Another soldier holds up a ragged cloth. On it she can see the faded black markings. That is it. It is all over now. The first man inspects the cloth. He turns to her, saying that they have caught her. For a fleeting moment, she mentally admonishes herself for leaving the note in her drawer, then she flees, running out the open door. The soldiers bellow after her but she does not heed their words as she makes it to the street, towards the forest.

-:- -:- -:-

He carries his wife in his arms, also carrying their daughter. He thinks of their son and of how, in a different life, they might have all been living together, safe and happy. Suddenly he hears running footsteps and he ducks out of sight. Then he sees his student. She runs past, a wrapped object in her hands. She is pursued by armored men, Daein soldiers. He wants to help her, but he cannot at the moment. She is a strong fighter, though, and he prays that she will be able to hold out on her own.

-:- -:- -:-

She is cornered. They have trapped her in the ruins of an old fort. A soldier throws a javelin at her; she jumps out of the way. An arrow flies past, she dodges again. She might not make it out alive, but for her teacher, she must protect the medallion at all costs. There is a strong river behind the fort wall; she can hear it rushing quickly. As the soldiers close in, she turns and throws the medallion with all her might. Part of the wrapping comes off midair and it catches the setting sun for an instant. Then it flies over the wall and disappears. She smiles in satisfactions as a loud splash sounds. There is a moment of silence. Then, in rage, the man who tormented her suddenly charges at her. It is over immediately. She drops to the ground, blood spurting from where his lance has pierced her. In her dying breath, she dryly wishes them luck in finding the medallion. Then her eyes close and she, too, is no more.

-:- -:- -:-

He had left his wife's body where he found his son's grave. The discovery has left him numb. Now both of them are gone. But he has no time to mourn as he follows the trail of the soldiers. He arrives at the fort just in time to see the cursed artifact soar away. Then a lance goes through his pupil's body. She falls, and his anger and sadness overcome him. Although this time he is aware of what he is doing, he does not hesitate in slaying every man there. By the time he gets to her, she is gone as well, her lips formed in a last smile.

-:- -:- -:-

A whole day has passed. He has worked hard to bury both his wife and his student. He does not feel raw pain anymore, only brooding sadness. He is alone in the world now. His wife is gone. His children are gone. His student is gone. The people of the village are gone. His old life is gone. He is the only one left. He places markers upon the two new graves. Then he turns and strides away, silent in his sorrow.