Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem (wish I did though). Nintendo owns fire emblem. I only own this story.
Fire Emblem: The Path of a Mage
Etruria. Perhaps the grandest city in all of Lycia. Erk was walking through the bustling city streets towards the nearest inn. It was the Black Wyvern Inn, one of Erk's favourites.Erk had not long arrived in Etruria; he had just completed another job and was exhausted from the long and tiresome journey.
Erk walked inside the tavern; weaving in between the locals and customers towards the bar. The bartender was a big man, the sort that wasn't to be pushed around.
"I'd like a room for the night," Erk said to the bartender.
"It's our last one left, but you can have it. That'd be ten gold coins then,"
Erk handed over the money and walked up the stairs, towards the end of the corridor. His room was towards the right.Erk was a mage. He was still learning but he was already very powerful. Erk was a body guard of sorts. He escorted people to where they needed to go. Right now Erk had just accepted yet another job, he was to escort a young cleric; named Serra; to Ositia, the capital of Lycia.
The next morning Erk awoke to loud shouting.
"Erk! Wake up!" he heard a female voice shout from the streets below.
Erk walked over to the window to see who was calling him. He saw a young woman, holding a staff and dressed in what looked like cleric's robes.
"Surely this girl can't be the woman I agreed to escort. It doesn't help that she's also a chatterbox. Things just couldn't get any worse," Erk muttered to himself
Erk got dressed into his robes and went outside to meet her.
"Finally you're awake," Serra said.
"No thanks to you" Erk said under his breath,"How did you know where to find me?"
"Well, I am a cleric you know!" Serra said enthusiastically, "I would have thought that a mage like you should know about a cleric's power,"
"Well, shall we get going?" Erk questioned
"I think so," Serra answered.
Erk and Serra left the city behind and started on the road to Ositia.
"Are we there yet?" Serra asked
"No," Erk answered for the millionth time
"Are we there yet?"
"No,"
"Are we there yet?"
"NO!"
"What's the matter with you Erk? I only asked a simple question. So... Are we there yet?"
"Serra! Can't you be anymore annoying!?"
"Well, actually…"
"ARGH!!!!"
They spent the whole day travelling like this, they only stopped for meals. By the time darkness had fallen across the sky, their legs were exhausted.
'The less time we take getting to Ositia, the less time I have to put up with Serra's annoying personality,' Erk thought.
They spent the night in a clearing in a nearby forest. Erk leaned on a nearby tree, keeping watch, his red cloak and messy purple hair swaying in the light breeze that was coming through the trees. Serra was fast asleep, lying by the glowing remains of the camp fire.
Next morning Serra awoke to the sound of battle. She saw Erk by a tree, watching the fighting. She looked up and saw the dark sky; some stars could still be seen through the early morning light. Erk saw Serra wake up.
"And you said this was the correct path through the forest. Look what's happening!" Erk said and pointed at the people fighting.
"What's your point, Erk? What are you trying to say?" Serra replied.
"Uhh… I swear, you are NOT the woman I agreed to escort…" Erk said with an annoyed expression.
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Serra asked.
"I heard someone was needed to escort a frail Lycian priestess to Ositia…" Erk said.
"Yes, and I'm that priestess," Answered Serra.
"Frail? You? Serra, you have no need of any escort to protect you. Even the most hardened criminal would flee in terror after five minutes in your company. I'll return your money. Gladly. Now will you please go on to Ositia alone?" Erk pleaded.
"NO! You're MY escort, Erk! MINE! You're so clean and tidy. A noblewoman like myself can't be seen without a proper escort. Your personality's nothing special, but you're not bad to look at," Serra said whilst studying Erk's clothing: A red cloak with a blue top and greyish black trouser. His messy purple hair went well with his elf-like face; with a face like that he could pull off any expression he wanted too.
"I believe that's my line. And I have to take you all the way to Ositia? I only hope my nerves can endure the journey," Erk mumbled
"What are you mumbling about? You're so gloomy!"
As Serra said this she looked through the trees and out onto the battlefield. "Hm? Something's happening over there. Let's take a look!" Serra ran through the trees and out onto the edge of the forest to get a better look.
"Ah. Of course, the first opportunity to get involved in trouble and she jumps right in. No amount of money is worth this. Hoo…" Erk said to himself then ran through the trees to join Serra.
"Wow! A fight! A fight! Erk! Take a look! Fighting those bandits… It's a young girl!" Serra shouted.
"Fool! Keep your voice down!" Erk told Serra.
"Eh? What's this?" One of the bandits had overheard them talking and sneaked up on them. Erk and Serra turned around to see who had spoken, "You in league with that she-devil?" The bandit questioned, not waiting for an answer.
"Hm?" Serra said surprised.
"Ah… This is so wrong…" Erk muttered.
"Gyaaa! I'll take care of you with one swift stroke!" The bandit yelled.
"Eeeeeek! Eeeeeek! Eeeeeeeeeeeek! Erk! Help me!!!" Serra screamed.
"So… loud… Serra! Behind me!" Erk said, "You there! See if you can match me!" Erk shouted to the bandit, his ear still ringing from Serra's screaming.
The bandit took his bow from his back, took an arrow from his quiver, knocked it into his bow and fired at Erk. Erk tried to dodge but was a fraction too late and the arrow pierced his arm.
"Ahhh!! My arm!" Erk looked downwards towards his wound and saw some blood dripping from it. He stared up at the bandit and shouted: "You shall pay! FIRE!!!" As Erk said this his right palm glowed a pale red and shot a fireball at the bandit. The bandit was too slow to realize what was happening and was soon encircled by flames. The fire soon subsided, but all that was left was the dead, badly burnt body of the bandit.
"Wow Erk! That was excellent!" Serra turned from the bandit to Erk and saw his left arm red with blood.
"Erk! You're hurt!" Serra exclaimed.
"You don't say…" Erk said sarcastically.
"Hm… Well I suppose I could heal you, free of charge for saving me… Yes, I know I'm so generous aren't I?" Serra replied.
Serra withdrew her staff and said "HEAL," The ball at the tip of her staff glowed white as balls of light gathered round the top of her staff, before shooting into Erk's wound, stopping the blood from leaking out as his skin expanded across the cut. Erk's arm looked as good as new.
"Thanks," Erk muttered quietly.
"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that," a smirk appeared across Serra's face.
"I said thanks," Erk said again, a bit louder this time.
"Pardon?" Serra's grin grew even bigger.
"Grr… I said thanks!!" Erk shouted.
"That's better," Serra said, almost laughing.
A twig snapped behind them, Erk and Serra quickly spun round to see who or what, it was.
It turned out to be the young girl Serra had seen earlier. Upon closer inspection she seemed about the same age as them, wore bluey green clothes which looked distinctively Sacaen and had greeney blue hair and had the face of a noble. Erk thought she looked beautiful.
"Um, excuse me… Hello?" The Sacaen said.
"Hm?" Serra said in response.
"Why are you fighting these bandits?" The Sacaen asked.
"… It just happened." Erk was the first to reply.
"That's not true! Those ruffians thought that we were with you!!!" Serra shouted to the Sacaen, "You got us into a terrible situation! Now, how are you going to get us out?"
"Serra, if you'd not been so meddlesome, this all could have been avoided." Erk said to Serra, "My apologies. Please trouble yourself with us no more." Erk directed this to the Sacaen.
"But… If you're going to have to fight anyway, shouldn't we team up? It will end things faster, right?" asked the Sacaen.
"That's true. Yes! That's a great idea." Serra replied, "Erk! Go and help this lady!"
"But I… Fine!" Erk said.
"Very good. My name's Lyn. So tell me, will you join arms with us?" Lyn asked.
"Yes, we'd be glad to. My name is Serra. This is my escort, Erk. Be a good boy and go fight now Erk," Serra replied.
Lyn and Serra went into the battle.
"…Sigh… Why me?" Erk muttered to himself and went to follow Lyn.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot, this is our tactician, Mark," Lyn said.
"Hi Mark! My name is Serra, I am a cleric. I may not be able to attack, but I can use staves to great effect," Serra said.
"You are Mark? I am Erk. I'm not sure how I got into this mess. If I'm to fight however, I will show you the true power of magic!" Erk said
"It's nice to meet you both," Mark replied, "Ok, everyone gather round!
Author's note: well the very first chapter of my very first story is now up! I hope you all like it and please review it. I don't mind flames as long as they tell me how to improve.