Chapter 1: Bad News

It had been forty years since Shulk had defeated Zanza and created the new world that they all lived in. Within that time frame all four races had come together to live side by side in harmony while at the same time creating new technologies to help them rediscovery the world but with all the good that this new world had given them it also had its fare share of crisis from solving the ether crisis to finding new homes for the four races and Tyrea attempt to take control of the High Entia.

The road had been long and hard for everyone involved but for one person that road was now paved with nothing more than pain. As ruler of the High Entia, Melia Antiqua now had to deal with the knowledge that those that she had travelled with to avenge her family and to create this world were beginning to reach the end of their life span. Melia had already said good bye to two of her beloved friends, the Heropon Riki and the leader of the Homs, Dunban. Just remembering them always reminded her of how different the High Entia and Machina were compared to the Homs and Nopon.

Like any normal day, Melia would wake up hours before she needed to so that she could walk around the imperial garden and attended to it as she had done before becoming ruler of the High Entia. Melia did this every morning just to try and clear her head ready for the day to day running's of her people but unlike any normal day everything was about to change for her at breakfast. While eating at the breakfast table Melia would take this opportunity to read any personal letters that she had received and that was when she discovered a letter with Sharla's handwriting on it. Upon seeing this letter Melia opened it up and began to read the contents.

Dear Melia

Normally I would wait for your reply before sending you another letter but due to your past with him I believed that I should notify you right away. Shulk is dying...

At that very moment Melia stopped reading the letter and the spoon that she was holding fell from her hand and connect with the bowl below creating a clashing sound that alerted the maid. The maid stop what she was doing and made her way to the princess to see what was wrong but upon her arrived she could see that almost all of the colour from the young princess face had drained away as if she had just seen a ghost.

It had taken Melia a few minutes to come to terms with the fact that the one person that she loved the most was dying. Without realising that her maid was beside her, Melia got herself out from behind the table with the letter in hand and began heading to her bedroom where she would get changed without taking any notice of the questions that her maid was presenting.

Once Melia had changed into her official attire, she began to make her way towards the transporter pad at the other end of her home that lead to the Audience Chamber inside the Imperial Palace. While in route she quickly told her maid not to worry about her and to continue with her daily duties. As the princess got closer to the transporter pad, she mustard everything that she had to hide her true feeling from those that would cross paths with her as she didn't want anyone to see how vulnerable she was. The moment that Melia stood on transporter pad she was instantly transported to the Audience Chamber where she could see the minsters beginning to assemble for this morning meeting. As the princess approached the throne she could see that they were all looking to their watches to see if they had miss read the time but before any of them could question her about it, Melia had arrived in front of them all ready to tell them what was going on.

"Before anyone asks, yes I am early and second I am cancelling all of my meeting from now until my return to the capital. Any and all matters are to go thought my aid who will reschedule them upon my return."

The princess allowed a few seconds for her words to sink in before turning on her heels and heading back towards the transporter pad that she had arrived from. As Melia walked towards the pad she could hear the whispers of the minsters discussing what was going on but she did not take any notice of this as she was fully aware that she would explain everything to them upon her return.