Ok. I've been meaning to write this for a while, and now that I've thought through what's going to happen completely, it's finally being written. But seriously, I've been planning this for a hell of a long time. Hopefully, I'll actually complete this (I have a problem where I plan out entire stories, and maybe even start some of them, but never follow through. I'm not good at writing long things), unlike Silver Rose (something I started and never wrote enough of to post. Maybe I'll work on that when I have writer's block for this story). Also, I have already planned a sequel, so all events are pre-ordained.

Disclaimer: I do not, have never, and likely never will, own Fire Emblem or anything related to it.

Warnings: Not much. A few themes, and disregard to one or two things in FE6. I'll elaborate on that later. Thank you for reading.

Prologue:

Mors Bestiae Gladiorum – Death of the Sword Demon

June, five years after the death of Nergal. On this particular day, if one were to merely glance at a certain section of the plains of Sacae from a distance, they would likely see nothing. If one were to observe this area from closer, they may see blurred shapes moving quickly back and forth. Even closer still and they would see two men partaking in what may seem to be a kind of dance. In a way, this would be correct. The two men were engaged in a dance. A dance of swords.

To truly understand what was happening, one would have to be one of these 'dancing' men; Guy, later to be known as the Saint of Swords (Sanctus Gladiorum to the learned Eturian scholars), and Karel, the famed Sword Demon. Five years ago during the War of the Fang, as it would be called, Guy had trained for a time under the tutelage of the Sword Demon. At the end of his training, Guy was promised a fight. A fight in which one of the sword masters would live, and one would die. Now the student was fighting the killer.

The pair circled around each other almost endlessly. Each knew that the fight would be finished in one blow: both were too skilled to inflict a superficial wound. At last, one of the two let out a yell and charged at the other. He was only a blur of blue and green. The other ran forward as well, a silent black and grey streak on the green plains.

Guy held his blade across his body, ready to attempt a wide horizontal slash at his master. Karel's sword hung loosely in his hand. As the two entered striking distance, Guy slashed outwards at his foe. Karel merely ducked underneath the swipe and came up behind Guy. He smiled his bloodthirsty grin and stabbed at the younger swordsman's back. A brief look of shock appeared on his face when his blade was met by Guy's, but his original smile soon reappeared and widened. This may be an interesting fight after all.

X---+---X

Hours later, the fight was still going on in much the same manner, though Guy seemed to be tiring in the face of his opponent. The two broke apart for another countless time, and Guy took a breath.

Looking at Karel looking back at him, he closed his eyes and prayed. This may have been too soon, he thought. I'm not ready. I'm not good enough yet, but that means I'll die but that means I'll never be good enough andFatherSkyI'mgoingtoDIE! Panicking, Guy opened his eyes. Karel wasn't there. His eyes widened and he cursed before spinning to the right and bringing his sword up to block at the last moment. Karel's Wo Dao was inches from his face.

Guy shoved at Karel to disengage and followed with two vertical slashes, both of which Karel easily sidestepped. He was getting desperate to try something as beginner as that. Guy jumped, the Wo Dao passing underneath him where his legs were moments before. Panting, he jumped to the left, Karel's blade cutting the blue fabric of Guy's tunic but not his flesh. He back stepped and lifted his blade, becoming heavier by the minute, to block an incoming uppercut. The force of the blow threw him back through the air onto the ground. A second later, the Wo Dao fell to the ground as well, barely missing Guy's throat.

Guy rolled into a crouch and was soon up to slash and drive Karel back. The two ran forward, and broke apart again, Guy's grip on his sword weakening. The young man caught his breath and, with a new fire in his eyes, charged at the older one. Guy leveled his blade at Karel. Karel raised his to a guard position. Forty feet away from Karel. Thirty. Twenty. At fifteen feet, Guy disappeared. Karel saw a blur to his left and turned. He heard something behind him, turned. By pure instinct he turned to his right in time to see Guy coming. He raised his blade. The two swords scraped against each other, but Guy's kept coming.

A sharp pain flowered in Karel's gut. He looked down and his mad smile faded. Guy let go of his swords as if it burned him and jumped back as Karel fell to the ground, dark hair flowing out around him. Guy slowly crept forward. Another smile played itself out on Karel's lips, this one not mad, but one of a man who has come to terms with his end.

Guy noticed that Karel was trying to speak to him and knelt beside him. "I knew…you had…potential," he moaned out with his last breath, and faded away. The sword fell from his fingers.

Guy stood, a smile slowly replacing the shock on his face. "I…I won," he said tentatively. "I won. I won!" he stooped over again and picked up the Wo Dao, then his own sword after a moment on consideration. He had finally won.

He defeated Karel.

What now?

So, here it is so far. I have a few notes now. Firstly, I hope to get the rest of the story started and posted very soon, though I have no promises depending on how the writing turns out. I may end up deciding it won't work as a multi-chapter and edit it together into one complete story once it's done. Keep that in mind. Also, I know there's no Priscilla yet, but this was a very important part of the story. Part of why I question whether this will work as a chaptered fic is because of how it will be broken up, but I can figure that out. I hope. Anyway, the whole situation of characters will likely be explained by me before the next chapter. Please review if you like or give me advice if you think I need it. I would like some advice on how I could improve very much. Thanks thanks.

Ouch, long intro and outro. Sorry.