He opened his eyes and breathed in deeply as the musty smells around him assaulted his senses. Dust and cobwebs greeted him in a flurry of white and gray as he stood up. Rubble and debris fell from him as he rose and clattered around him, echoing against the walls of what appeared to be some sort of ancient ruin. He glanced around his unfamiliar surroundings. Arrows littered the landscape many snapped in two or more pieces. There were torn strips of fabric, shattered swords, broken axes, snapped lances, and small scraps of metal everywhere. He turned behind him to see what appeared to be an imposing gate that had been sealed with a single slab of green hued stone. This appeared to be an altar of some sort. He turned around again and realized he was just a small distance from a grand staircase that descended a great distance. He stepped forward, intending to see down the staircase and kicked a translucent stone as he did so. It bounced along the ground and tumbled down the stairs echoing against the walls with each collision. Something in him spurred him to action and he chased the stone blindly. Racing down the steps with surprising ease he caught up to the stone quickly. He kicked it up into the air and caught it with both hands and drew it in close to his chest. Now at the bottom of the stairs he rolled to disperse the momentum he had built. He collided with a skeleton wrapped in red and black robes. He stared at it for a moment thinking that he should know whoever this had once been. Though the name escaped him, some deep seated reverence welled up inside him.

"Master Nergal, who did this to you," he shouted suddenly. His voice echoed against the cold, stone walls of the ruin and did nothing to stir the skeleton. He felt as though he was losing his mind. How could he say the name of who this skeleton once was, when he did not yet remember it? He looked down at the stone he clutched in his hands. It was cold and lifeless, just like everything else he had seen. He had to keep this stone safe, something in him commanded him to. He stood up swiftly and ran. He dashed out of the ruin and soon found himself in a forest. No matter where he went he found what appeared to be the remnants of a great battle from ages past. He ran for hours, untiring, unfaltering, unthinking. When he reached what he assumed was his destination he finally allowed himself to ask what his destination was. He had no answer to give himself save for what he saw in front of him. He was standing on the shores of a beach. Behind him was more of the dense forest that covered the land. There was little to tell him where he actually was. In frustration he shouted into the wind and waves.

"Where am I? Can anyone hear me," was his frustrated cry. Again there was no response. He stared out at the ocean for what felt like an eternity. His mind wandered. Who was he, what was his purpose, why had he even run here. He struggled in vain with the strange thoughts inside his head. He looked down at the stone he was holding. It hadn't changed. He reached his arm back, preparing to throw the stone into the ocean out of anger. He held it back for a few moments before he finally decided against throwing it. He chuckled coldly at himself as he relaxed his arm and let it fall to his side. He sighed and sat down in the sand as the waves gently lapped against the shore. As he gazed out at the horizon he became aware of what appeared to be a large ship materializing out of the fog. He stared at it and then became aware that it was docking near a small alcove. He ran over under the cover of the fog and watched as wooden planks were lowered onto the land. He huddled under a nearby cliff and stared up, hoping to hear or see who was coming. Several figures in heavy armor stepped across the planks, causing them to creak.

"Oy, did I not tell you lads to step lightly? Look at this crack, now we'll have to get a different plank," shouted a gruff voice. The plank was withdrawn and a new one was lowered. Another person walked across the planks. He was dressed in light armor colored blue. He had a cape hung around his neck that was blue in the back and red on the inside. He had short red hair. A rapier hung at his hip in it's scabbard. A knight rode in behind him in purple armor. He was covered head to toe so he couldn't make out any of the knight's features.

"Eliwood, how are you feeling," the knight asked.

"I am fine Marcus, thank you. It is strange. It's only been a few years and aside from the overgrowth, the dread isle seems to be frozen in time," the person with the red hair replied. He assumed this person was Eliwood. Something about that name tugged at his mind. It was another name he felt he should know. More soldiers exited the ship until there were some thirty men standing on the alcove. Eliwood turned and looked toward the ship.

"Thank you Fargus, we won't be more than a day or two," Eliwood shouted to the ship.

"Aye lad, I'll be waiting for ye when you return," replied a gruff voice. Eliwood nodded and began walking down the slope. From the base of the cliff he could see where Eliwood would be once he reached the bottom. He decided to meet him at the base of the slope and ask some questions. Eliwood was now at the bottom of the slope. If he was going to ask then now was the time.

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me where I am," he called out. Eliwood and the knights around him spun around quickly. The knight in the purple armor, Marcus, leaned over and whispered something in Eliwood's ear. Eliwood looked over at him and nodded.

"You are on the dread isle, Valor, stranger. It is not a good place to get lost," Eliwood said.

"It is a rather unusual place to get lost, stranger. Did you shipwreck, how many of you are there," Marcus asked him.

"Shipwreck? No sir, the first thing I remember is being covered in dust at a ruin far that way and finding a strange stone. I've been alone this whole time," he responded. Eliwood raised an eyebrow.

"Stranger, please lower your cowl," Marcus said. He felt his head, sure enough he was wearing a cowl. He pulled it back and there was a collective gasp as he did so.