Fire Emblem Sacred Stones: Change of Fate
A/N: I don't own Fire Emblem. This in no way derogates any legal rights that the owners of Fire Emblem have over their materials. Crystal the tactician belongs to me. I'll try to follow the storyline as close as possible.
Chapter 1 The Sunstone and the Moonstone
"Glen. Where do you think you're going?" asked Valter, menacingly but with an innocent air. As he and his troops snuck up behind Glen's own troops.
"Valter..." Glen bit back the rest of his reply. He only hoped that Valter had not noticed the two that just left.
"Tsk, tsk. What am I to make of this? Those little birds I saw flitting away into the mountains looked vaguely familiar. What do you suppose would happen if it were known you let Eirika escape?" Valter replied. So he had noticed, Glen thought, there's nothing to hide then. I'll just have to ride this through.
"Do as you will. I'm returning to the capital. I have questions for the emperor. Clear the path, Valter." Glen ordered. He saw that Valter's eyes changed for a split second, he looked as if he was going to comply, but then…
"Hold on now. No reason to rush off, is there? After all, this is where you're going to die. See?" Valter stated the bald faced threat there and then.
"...What are you babbling about?" Glen replied, feeling that something was definitely wrong. If he hadn't questioned his Emperor's choices before, he certainly did now. And Valter, this one was a madman.
"Heh heh...We were a grand trio--the Imperial Three: You, Duessel, and me. But my place among you was stolen, and I was exiled from Grado," Valter answered, as his two troops continued to circle around. This is not the time for this Glen thought, I have to get out of here and soon.
"You slaughtered people who had no intention of fighting. The emperor's punishment was just and warranted," Glen explained, intending to leave. He pushed his way away from the two troops but was stopped as Valter imposed himself and his men between Glen and freedom.
"Heh heh...heh heh heh..." Valter's creepy laugh began to trouble Glen, "After my fall from glory, only desire kept me alive. Desire for revenge. My hatred burned so fierce that I was only barely able to keep my sanity. That hatred keeps me warm still today. Oh, how it burns..." This man has lost his mind, he cannot surely mean to murder me here and now. That would be treason of the highest degree. "Hear me, Glen, wyvern general of the Imperial Three. I live for battle. I crave it. I have no need for peace. That is why you must die," Valter continued. He hefted his lance to attack.
"Cur! You're mad!" Glen replied, as he raised his own lance to defence himself.
"A battle between generals...Sends the spirit soaring, eh? Come, Glen! Entertain me!" With that Valter attacked, cackling as he hefted his Killer Lance swooping down. Glen managed to block the blow with shaft of his own lance, but it shattered on impact. He hefted another lance and quickly attacked, stabbing out at Valter. "This is crazy, Valter," Glen tried to reason, as he jabbed his own lance forward, knocking Valter's out of the way, grazing his armour. However, this only served to infuriate Valter further, who swung around and attacked again.
Glen was beginning to tire as he had to also be wary of Valter's two troops that surrounded him who would no doubt attack. When they did, he would be outnumbered, three to one, not good odds at all. The three enemies now co-ordinated their attacks, and then, he saw it coming too late, Valter's lance hit home, stabbing him through the stomach. His wyvern screeched as it flew straight towards the ground, landing. Glen felt the blood flow out of his body, as he was roughly thrown from the saddle by one of Valter's friends. A pool of red blood spread beneath him. I'm sorry, Cormag, he thought as he saw Valter heft his short spear up to impale him through the heart, a finishing blow. "And so it ends," Valter laughed evilly, as he began to bring the spear down Glen saw his life flashing before his eyes.
Suddenly, a voice whipped through the clearing, "Moonstone," the voice said. Obviously something happened, as Valter's spear stopped in mid-air. Glen saw nothing more as he slipped into black unconsciousness. Valter looked up and saw a young woman, with piercing blue eyes. No, not her, Valter thought, not that girl. His two companions stopped as well. "I'm going to kill you," Valter screamed.
"Not likely, Moonstone," she replied tartly. "I doubt you would win, especially as my troops are arriving just now," she continued. Sure enough, Lady Eirika and her companions began to arrive. Prince Innes drew his bow and prepared to fire.
"Damn you to hell, Crystal," Valter replied as he fled, knowing that he couldn't win. You are going to die one day.
Crystal ran over to Glen, as soon as she saw that Valter was fleeing. Calling the powers of light to herself, she applied one of the special magics that she had been given, the ability to Lay Hands (ie. heal all damage). She knelt down next to Glen's prone body, and held her hands, one over the other above his stomach wound. Light began to glow, through her whole body, as the wound began to close. She kept on drawing deeper, as her own memories came back to her.
She remembered when she was younger, six years ago, as a teenager just before her mother died. She was in Grado, in the capital watching the Emperor's parade, in the press of bodies, she stumbled, out into the path of the parade. As she was about to be crushed by the troop galloping along the ground, a wyvern swooped down and saved her from her fate, causing the horses to rear.
She looked up at her saviour. He was a young wyvern rider, with corn yellow hair and striking amber eyes. It was Glen.
So now, she poured all her soul, all her spirit into repaying the favour that he had done her a long time ago. The light grew in intensity as she continued to give all her strength. Lady Eirika and her companions kept a watch out for unfriendly troops but they all seemed to have left for now. As the last wound knitted itself shut, Crystal collapsed, from exhaustion, next to Glen.
When Crystal awoke, she was back in her tent, back in the camp. She knew she had exhausted herself from using her ability to Lay Hands. Glen she thought, as she shot upright and moved, even though she was aching. She saw that Lady Natasha was next to her. "Are you all right," the blonde haired woman asked softly. Crystal gave a hurried yes, as she rushed out of her tent. "If you are looking for Sir Glen," Natasha called after her, "he's currently in main tent, in the sick room. Artur is healing him."
"Thanks, Lady Natasha," she replied as she rushed over to the main tent, past a surprised Prince Innes, and Lady Eirika. She pushed the flap open and marched straight to Glen's side, where Artur, the newly promoted Bishop was applying the magics from a heal staff.
"Tactician Crystal," Artur greeted, "You are better I see."
"Of course, I am," she replied hurriedly, as she brushed past him, "I'm fine, how is he?"
"He will be fine," Artur replied. "Your ability to heal does astound me though. Where did you learn it?"
"I can't tell you, because I don't know," Crystal answered, "It's just an ability that I have, but as you can see, it's quite restricted. You can heal many people in a day, I can only heal one."
"I will be back later," Artur said. "I think that General Seth is having trouble with the wyvern," as he exited the tent, leaving Glen and Crystal alone. Crystal sat down in the main tent next to Glen's bed and waited for him to awake. She reminisced some more as she sat there.
She was sitting on top of a wyvern, one of Grado's riders. She felt so free, nothing felt as good as flying through the air on a wyvern. The wyvern flew over to the next street which was empty, and Glen let her off. 'Thank you, Sir Wyvern Rider," she remembered herself saying. "You don't need to be so formal, and the name is Glen," she remembered that he replied. "Thanks Glen," she said, as she found her way back to the next street, the parade and her mother.
She saw the Emperor riding on his royal horse, for some reason, she was disturbed, she saw her mother's face curve ever so slightly, but she knew something was up.
Glen blinked, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light inside the tent. He had expected to be dead. "Hello Glen," the girl said, "I hope you are better, that wound was almost fatal," she continued. He saw that she was smiling.
"Thank you Lady," Glen replied, "but I must get back to Grado and the Emperor."
"I'm no Lady, I'm just Crystal," Crystal replied. "And I don't need thanks, I'm just returning a favour."
"Thanks again, Crystal, for saving me," Glen answered, not knowing what she meant right now. "But I really have to go." He tried to get up and remove the sheet that lay over his body, but Crystal stopped him.
"You can't go back to Grado, no doubt the Moonstone would have moved against you, already," she replied. "I won't let you go. You would be executed on the spot."
"Cormag," Glen exclaimed, "Valter's going to take his anger out on him. I have to go back."
"You can't," Crystal insisted. "We will all go, when the time is right. And the augury says it is not now. You have to be realistic, we can't get to him in Grado now. I can only hope that Valter does something stupid. Meanwhile, you have to get better, and stay here with me." Glen looked at her and then, he remembered, he realized what the favour he had done for her had been. It was the same thing that she had done for him. He had saved her life, and now she had saved his.
The party continued to travel towards Rausten, passing through Caer Pelyn. Climbing up the mountain slopes was beginning to take their toll on everyone Crystal saw, but she pushed on regardless, knowing that arriving at the town would probably bring rest. She and Glen were at the back of the column, riding with the supplies. He was still slightly weak from the wound that he had taken, and one could never be sure where Grado spies would be. Crystal thought it was best if they kept a low profile for now.
At the front of the group, Seth and Lady Eirika were being guided by Saleh towards Caer Pelyn, "Master Saleh, is it much farther?" Seth asked, as he saw that Lady Eirika was getting tired.
"We're close. It's only half a day ahead," Saleh, the sage replied.
"I would ask for a moment's rest before continuing. We are all exhausted. We can go no farther today," Seth said.
"No, Seth. I'll be fine. We must not be delayed by my weakness," Eirika interjected. That was the Lady Eirika, always so self-sacrificing, Crystal thought. She could see that most of them were tired.
"Whew... Hah...I didn't realize we'd be climbing so high," Innes interrupted, wiping sweat off his brow and sucking in deep gulps of air.
Eirika almost lost her footing, as she stumbled on the ground. "...As I warned you before we set out, the footing here can be treacherous," Saleh cautioned, as Eirika recovered and continued, though clearly now getting exhausted. The mountain air just didn't suit her at all.
"Do you people truly live in this place? These barren crags seem unfit for human habitation..." Prince Innes asked Saleh, as he joined the head of the column again. Saleh explained the philosophy of his village as they continued up the slope.
Suddenly, a bunch of monsters appeared out of no where and swooped in to attack the front of the column.
"Ah! Princess Eirika, watch out!" Seth shouted, as the group began to unpack for a quick skirmish.
"More monsters...Master Saleh, do these creatures normally inhabit this region?" Eirika asked, as Seth slew a monster with his Steel Sword.
"No... Those things come from Darkling Woods. It's been a long time since they've wandered this far a field. It's as the elder says...Evil omens take many shapes," Saleh replied, smiting a monster with a Elfire spell, the flames consuming the monster.
Lady L'arachel had joined the front, along with Crystal, "It looks like those fiends have noticed us as well. We should move, Eirika," she said, as they arranged themselves in battle array. Saleh expressed concern for his pupil Ewan who had gone ahead, and volunteered to lend his capable magic to the group.
Crystal gave out her orders, as the troops arrayed themselves to fight. When Glen went to join them, on his wyvern, Crystal gave a resolute no, saying that he was not well enough yet. "I need people at full strength out there. Not the walking wounded," she reasoned, "it's recklessness like that that gets a soldier killed." In the narrow hills, Crystal could only afford to deploy eleven fighters at one time otherwise things would get too cluttered on the narrow hills. However, everyone else was prepared, for a quick substitution if things didn't go their way.
She deployed her usual formation, strong units up the front, since horses weren't useful on the narrow hills, she used Sir Gilliam in the middle, with Ross, Garcia and Gerik rounding out the close ranged fighters. Behind them, Staggered behind them she had, the two swords masters, Marisa and Joshua, ready for a quick strike. Master Saleh, Artur and Natasha would be her attacking mages, since the majority of enemies were weak against light magic. Moulder and Lady L'Arachel would be the healers. She kept her mounted units in reserve, ready for a quick charge if needed. The rest of the group she gave the job of protecting the supplies.
The battle began as the monsters started so stream down. Crystal marched her troops forward in formation. Saleh, Artur and Natasha, began to chant, firing Shine and Divine spells at three incoming troops. The first two enemy monsters reached her staggered line, probing with an attack. Marisa flashed forward, as did Joshua, and two monsters were down. Her front-line staggered again, almost a turtle like formation in the narrow pass, using the natural cliffs to prevent attacks from the side. Her front line absorbed damage, as the healers used their heal staff. Her simple turtle formation shattered the disorganised monsters. As monsters appeared from behind, she sent her reserves at them. The mounted units made quick work of the small amount of monsters that faced them.
Soon enough, Saleh reached his pupil Ewan, who had been hiding in one of the houses, and the battle was done. The troop packed up all their things, and entered Caer Pelyn, where Master Saleh, Prince Innes and Lady Eirika went in to talk to the leader of the village, Grandmother. Crystal remained behind to arrange the supplies and to plot more strategies, for the coming battles ahead. She could safely rely on Lady Eirika and Prince Innes to handle this type of diplomatic work. She was more for the battlefield.
Inside Grandmother's humble house, Prince Innes, Saleh and Lady Eirika greeted her, "Saleh? Is that you, Saleh? Tell me, is the Great Dragon well?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, Elder. I searched to the west, but I found nothing," he replied. The journey he had made had not been entirely without reward though, as he thought
"Is that so...Hm? Who's that with you?" she asked, as she squinted.
"I am Innes, prince of Frelia. The circumstances of our journey have led us here. We would like to pass through," Innes replied, formally, as if he was addressing another similarly ranked figure. Diplomat speak, Crystal called it. Eirika added her own plea.
Grandmother thought out loud, "Hmmm...We of Caer Pelyn have turned away from the world outside. The Great Dragon alone holds all our honour and esteem. In this place, princes and pauper are equals. Do you have a problem with that?"
"...No. I understand," another formal answer from Innes.
Grandmother took another long sigh, "Well then, be welcomed as guests in our homes. I see some of you are injured. You should use this rock moss. We have little beyond what we need, but we will prepare food and bedding. You can rest as long as you like."
"We've no wish to trouble you. We'd just as soon pass straight through," Innes replied.
"Don't let your pride drive you to foolishness. That girl there looks like she's ready to collapse at any moment. She's ill from the height of the mountain. Saleh, prepare some tea for the lass," Grandmother ordered.
"Thank you, Elder..." Eirika answered. The tea would hopefully do wonders for her. Saleh went off to make the tea in the small kitchen in the house. "Uh... Grandmother, may I ask you a question? This Great Dragon..." Eirika continued.
"Ah, the inquisitiveness of youth. Come, lass, listen to my words. The Great Dragon is...a blessing, one that watches over all mankind. Why, in days long past, when the Demon King appeared..."
"Demon King? Are you speaking of the legend of the Sacred Stones? The hero Grado used the power of the five Sacred Stones to defeat and seal away," Eirika asked, recalling what she had heard as a child in Castle Renais.
"No, no, that's not right at all. Ah, how quickly did mankind forget its debt to the Great Dragon. To hear the story now, one would think humans alone brought about victory. That is a gross mistelling of the tale. Only through the Great Dragon's strength could the Demon King be sealed away!" Grandmother interrupted. She launched into the long story about the real truth of the Great Dragon and the Demon King. She concluded with the reason she had sent Saleh out into the world, and the foul energy she felt from the south.
"Myrrh said something similar to this, too. Is the Great Dragon you speak of...one of the Manakete?" Eirika interrupted.
"Manakete?!? How dare you speak so of the Great Dragon!" Grandmother replied, indignant that this woman would use such a term. Eirika's quick apology placated her.
"But if you've seen the noble Myrrh, perhaps I can proceed more quickly. You see, our Great Dragon took the form of Mistress Myrrh in her travels. And you tell me that you have seen the Great Dragon yourself, lass?"
"Yes. Myrrh was with my brother."
"What?!" Grandmother was shocked. "Where is this brother of yours!?"
"He leads a force of men against Grado. Myrrh rides beside him," Eirika answered.
"Saleh, this is urgent! You must leave for Grado at once and rescue the Great Dragon!"
"Understood. I will..." Saleh replied, as he came back in with the tea.
"Oh, where are you off to? If you're going to Grado, the swiftest route takes you through Jehanna. It would be to your advantage to join us in our journey for a time. It's far safer then being on your own," L'arachel said.
"You have a point...Mistress Eirika, protecting the Great Dragon is my duty. Please allow me to travel with you on the road ahead," Saleh replied as they exited the house.
Meanwhile, Crystal and the others were outside, with the clerics and others stocking up on vulneraries and other supplies. The clerics dealt with all the minor scrapes that the troop had sustained in the last fight. Luckily, for Crystal there weren't any major injuries that required her to use her Lay Hands ability, for it was really draining. Today, she hadn't been on her tactical best, and so had just gone with a traditional formation that had worked well.
She and Glen walked around Caer Pelyn, taking in the sights, making sure he had his proper exercise. "Maybe by next battle, you'll be well enough to fight," she said, as they walked into the armoury.
She flashed back to her teenage years again. After being rescued by him, Crystal had started to have what could be mildly termed as rescue syndrome, she couldn't think about anything but the young wyvern rider who had saved her. Even though her mother had forbidden her to go near Keep and the barracks, she couldn't help herself. She took every opportunity to observe the troops. It was there she saw a young Valter as well, a man she would later remember very vividly. To the teenage her at this time, he was nothing, it was Glen, Glen and Glen in her mind.
She saw herself walk into the training yard after everyone else had left, and walk up to her young wyvern rider. Glen was busy tending to his wyvern when she tapped him on the shoulder and blushed like the teenager she was. Back in the present, she gave a small laugh, startling Glen who just gave her a grin, she remembered what happened next, she gave him a small adornment for his wyvern saddle that she had made, and he had just accepted it. After that, they had continued to meet in his spare time and just had a great time talking. He would talk of his younger brother, Cormag, who was still a teenager like her. Then had come the fateful day he was reassigned, away from the capital, when he bade farewell to her, she had leaned in and kissed him. He returned the kiss she remembered. Meet you again when I get back he had said, the last time. Of course he had become the Sunstone general, whilst Crystal had had her own journey to travel.
Coming out of the flashback, Crystal saw that Glen had guided her back to the tent. "It's time for me to rest," he said, as he lay down in the tent to sleep. Crystal agreed and went out of the tent leaving him. Whilst Glen slept he dreamed, of times ago.
He remembered that first kiss, yes, it was his first, and completely unexpected. Every time he looked at the adornment, he was reminded of her. The battles were few and far between as peace reigned. Usually there were only bandits and pirates to deal with. Sometimes there was some small insignificant rebellion, or two nobles feuding with each other. Glen often preferred a solution through words rather than fighting, but when needed, he was a fierce fighter. It was a combination of these two factors that had earned him a promotion to the Imperial Three. For that he could return to Grado Keep, and hopefully see Crystal again.
However, when he had returned to Grado, he found that she was gone. No one knew where, except for the fact that she had left after her mother had died. Glen felt a certain sadness tug at his heart. After all she had promised to see him again. There were whispers that her mother had been murdered but no one had any clue who it was. Glen decided to immerse himself in his duties, and began to travel widely, hoping to see her again. Whilst in Grado, he found that his younger brother Cormag had joined Grado's wyvern riders, following in his footsteps. And then, Valter had been promoted to the Imperial Three.
The next morning, when everyone was ready to go, the villagers of Caer Pelyn came to see Lady Eirika's troops off. "We are in your debt, Matron," Innes said.
"Not at all. All of our guidance comes from the Great Dragon. Saleh."
"Yes, I know. The road to Jehanna lies here," he pointed to the road ahead. Eirika gave her thanks to the village of Caer Pelyn.
"I know you'll help the Great Dragon, but please look after Saleh as well. He's not very personable, but he's the only grandchild I have," she replied, as the troop began to take the path towards Jehanna.
Please review. And more author comments
1. This fic will be Glen x Tactician (Crystal), Tana x Cormag, other pairings are open to voting. I don't write shonen-ai or shoujo-ai. So only male-female pairings will be written
2. This covers Chapter 11 and 12 of Eirika's journey in the game
3. Next chapter will cover Chapter 13.
Preview for Chapter 2
Valter flew back to the castle in Grado border, where he knew Cormag would be. His two companions lay dead by his hand, they were worthless failures, not fit to live so he had disposed of them both. As he landed, a nasty plan formed in his mind. After all, that wound was probably fatal anyway. He strode into the castle and went directly to Cormag. He composed himself as he greeted Cormag with the 'bad news.'
What is the 'bad news' that he has?
Why was Valter so scared of Crystal? What does it have to do with her past?
What is her past? What does it have to do with Grado?
Tune in for the next chapter.