Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem. Nor do I own the game this was inspired by, Xenoblade Chronicles. As well, I do not own any other game that I took inspiration from, which includes (But is not limited to), Final Fantasy, Hyrule Warriors, The Last Story, Kingdom Hearts, and The Legend of Zelda. I don't own any book that this fanfic took inspiration from, such as Mistborn or the Night Angel Trilogy. And lastly, I do not own the fanfic from which I came up with this idea, Welcome to Fire Emblem by Jedi SSJ.
『』
Final Emblem: Dawn Over an Old World
『』
There were two gods at the beginning of time.
Grima, god of destruction.
And Naga, god of creation.
Two halves of a whole. Together, they created Mira, a world for them to rule.
And for a time, peace existed.
Eons passed, and unrest spread. Creation could not exist alongside Destruction in harmony.
So Naga attacked her counterpart in hopes to destroy him and be the one and only god of Mira, the loving mother of creation, goddess of Mira.
Little did she know, that without Destruction, chaos would reign.
Plants never died.
Animals never died.
Humans never died.
Life endured. Life suffered.
Grima, knowing this, used his power to restore order to the world. But he did not stop there.
Grima used his power fight Naga back.
The two engaged in a timeless conflict. They fought for the future, the Avvenire. And for the past, the Prima.
On Mira, those of free will were torn between which god to worship and follow. And as is natural of those who have free will, the opposing sides went to war with each other.
The two gods were not ignorant of this. To their respective side they granted unimaginable powers to stop the other.
Two swords were forged. One sword of the future: the Avvenire, and one of the past: the Prima. One for each champion on each side.
Battles were fought. Wars were waged. And the conflict never died. For how do you crush belief when you know your god exists?
Both sides found no easy victories. Until Naga finally struck down Grima and sealed him away.
She couldn't destroy him, for she needed the power of Destruction for balance in Mira.
And for the next several millennia, life prevailed. It forgot everything that had happened. It forgot all but their god, Naga.
But life would not be so easily subdued. For there would come a time, when those of free will would challenge those they called gods...
『』
Chapter 1
Seize Your Destiny
『』
Matthew lounged on the elegant couch and sighed in relaxation. The room was lit by the sun streaming in through the windows. Fancy furniture and rugs ordained the room. The guild's headquarters were spared no luxury.
Across from the couch, a woman leaning against the wall gave him a look, "You know Anna is going to yell at you for laying on that couch, don't you?"
Matthew shrugged, "Yeah. That's why I'm enjoying it while I can."
The woman, Cath, only chuckled and went back to staring out the window of the second floor. Matthew eyed her, studying her closely. His sister seemed bothered by something.
"You alright?" Matthew asked.
"You really shouldn't antagonize her so much," Cath spoke quietly. "It's thanks to her we're even alive today."
Matthew nodded. When Matthew and Cath had been ten and eight respectively, they were orphans. Anna took them in and raised the two like her own family.
The two turned as footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Leila opened the door that was adjacent to the common room the two siblings were in, "Anna sent me to fetch you two. We've got a client."
Cath stood up first while Matthew groaned in frustration about having to give up his comfy spot. Cath was quite short compared to her brother, and other women to that matter. The orange haired woman wore a white and green tunic that stopped at her thighs. Around her neck was a worn blue scarf that hung loosely. "Quit complaining, Matthew," Cath said. "We haven't had a client in a while. Our guild needs this."
"Yeah, yeah," Matthew mumbled, standing up. Matthew stood taller than most with a common color of brown hair. He had a red cloak that's collar extended upward to the chin, as well as a green sleeveless shirt that was only covered by a belt on his waist.
"Oi!" shouted a voice from down the stairs. "We don't have all day! Time is money, and you're wasting both!"
"I'll go let her know we're coming," Cath said as she practically flew down the stairs. Matthew figured one of these days she'd fall and Anna would have to heal a broken bone.
"We really don't have all day," Leila smirked. Leila stood shorter than Matthew, a good six inches at least. A pale green cloak of sorts covered her shoulders, but only reached down to her thighs. She wore a purple shirt with short sleeves that also exposed some of her cleavage. She had tattoos running down her right arm of swirls and shapes that meant nothing to the average eye, only to her. Her red-purple hair was what Matthew found most striking about her.
"Can't blame a man for trying to relax," Matthew grinned.
"You really haven't done anything today that warrants relaxation," Leila frowned. The two began to walk down the stairs towards the main floor of the building where their guild was housed. Matthew shrugged and didn't answer.
The main floor was a receiving area for clients who came to request their guild's services. It was furnished similarly as the upstairs was, giving an impression that the guild was well off. Anna's guild was smaller than most, having only the four of them. But the fact that half of them were Mantled meant all the difference. Guilds were usually made up of Mantled and regular people, and they existed so people could hire them to perform tasks. The more Mantled a guild had, the more expensive.
"Finally!" Anna said, more than a little annoyed. Anna was the only woman Matthew had met who was exactly as tall as him. Her red hair was tied into a ponytail that reached her mid-back. She wore a simple red dress that reached her feet. It was Anna's clothing of choice when she didn't need to seduce a man into doing something.
The four took their seats in the four posh chairs that were arranged to face the one chair that clients would sit in. Anna sat in the most regal of the four, and the remaining three were for the others. In the client's chair, a man dressed in armor sat nervously. His brown hair slightly obscured his baby face. At his belt, a sword was sheathed. It was a commoner's sword, and the man was a common knight.
"Start off by telling us your name," Anna instructed.
"I'm Stahl," said the man with surprising conviction. He seemed to startle himself with it.
"And why are you here?" Anna continued.
"Something of mine was stolen," Stahl began. "Actually…it wasn't really mine. It was my mother's, but she can't do anything about it due to her age."
"Who stole it?" Leila inquired, leaning forward.
"A tax collector," Stahl said, his hands forming fists. "My mother had the proper amount of gold, but the collector took a fancy to a jewel necklace and took it instead. Not only was it worth more than she owed, but my late father had given it to her."
"Do you know where it is?" Anna asked.
"The royal treasury," Stahl said, a tinge of hopelessness entering his voice. "I know that it seems like an impossible task—"
"We'll do it," Anna said quickly.
"What?" Stahl said, taken aback. "Y-you're agreeing that easily?"
"Our Mantles make us uniquely suited for an infiltration task," Leila said, a slight grin. Matthew allowed himself a small smile, and he saw Cath grin just the same. Neither meant it though. The two of them didn't possess Mantles. Not everyone was so fortunate to have an incredible power.
"You guys really have Mantles? I know they say the members of guilds have them, but it's a little hard to believe," Stahl said, scratching his head. "No one in my division has one, of course. All I've heard are stories."
Anna shrugged, "It can't hurt to give you a bit of an explanation. I'd estimate that probably one percent of people in Mira have a Mantle. It makes sense that no one you know has one, since they're rather uncommon."
"Is it true that some people can get a Mantle after age thirteen? They manifest at age thirteen, everyone knows that. But one guy in my division said that even after the age you can get one," Stahl asked eagerly. It was natural for someone to be excited for the prospect of getting a Mantle. If someone had a Mantle, they were guaranteed success in life.
"It is," Anna said, nodding in confirmation. "They're what we call Snap-Mantles. Sometimes the Mantle is buried inside of a person, and only severe stress or emotional pain can make you Snap. You'd get your Mantle, but chances are you're close to dying or someone close to you is dead."
"Ah," Stahl said, looking less excited.
"No one knows where Mantles come from," Leila mused. "Some say the Mantled are the chosen of Naga." Matthew inwardly rolled his eyes at that. He wasn't a big believer of religion. "Others say that long ago a group of people had the power and now their blood runs through the veins of today's Mantled."
"What are your Mantles?" Stahl asked, curiously. When he saw the four exchange a look, the knight became flustered, "That is, if it isn't impolite to ask."
"No, it isn't," Anna said slowly. "But generally we choose not to discuss our Mantles in case the guards come after us. What we do is illegal sometimes. Though because you're our client, it's understandable you want to know."
"And we can always hunt you down and kill you if you talk to the wrong people," Cath said cheerfully, leaning back in the chair.
Matthew hid his laughter with a cough. Anna sent a chiding glare towards Cath and Leila rolled her eyes at Matthew.
Anna turned her attention back to Stahl. She stared at him for a moment, making sure he was watching. Then she vanished.
"Holy—!" Stahl said, jumping up from his chair.
Anna reappeared, "They call my type of Mantle a Ghost. I can turn invisible."
Leila piped up, "I'm a Nightwatch. I can see through the dark as if it were day time."
"Amazing," Stahl murmured. He turned to Cath and Matthew, "What are yours?"
Matthew shook his head, "We don't have Mantles." Matthew couldn't help but inwardly feel depressed. He often imagined what it would be like to have a Mantle, and Cath probably did too.
"Anyway," Anna said, standing up. "It has been a pleasure. We'll contact you when we have the necklace. Payment upon delivery."
"Here's a sketch of it," Stahl said helpfully, handing a piece of paper to Anna. He bowed slightly to them, and left through the front door of the building.
"Grab your weapons," Anna ordered. "We're going to take care of this tonight. If we get in without a hitch, I may even let you guys pick out something you like from the treasury."
Matthew and Cath cheered. Leila only shook her head, though a fond smile was on her face.
『』
Ylisstol.
The capital city of Ylisse possessed a simplicity to it while still being beautiful. The majority of the houses were made out of grey stone, and the roofs and everything inside were typically made of wood. Ether lamps lined the city, and you could never escape their light unless you were in one of the grassy parks or in the alleys of the crowded districts. The castle rose above all the other buildings significantly, serving as a comforting signal to the people of Ylisstol.
The streets themselves were busy. At any time of the day, men and women walked to and fro going this way and that way. Ylisstol was never silent.
"Why did you agree to this job so easily?" Matthew asked, keeping up in stride with Anna as the four of them walked towards the castle. "That man, Stahl, can't pay us much. You of all people should be concerned with that."
"I need to get into the treasury," Anna stated firmly.
"Why?" Cath asked from behind Matthew.
Anna looked at the three of them hesitantly, "There's…something I need to get. Something that's locked away into the treasury that shouldn't be."
"Okay, what is it?" Matthew asked impatiently.
Anna remained silent and shook her head. Matthew sighed and let the matter drop. Their boss usually was secretive with certain matters. She'd eventually tell them, and Matthew had learned to let Anna tell them in her own time.
"Do we have a plan of entry?" Leila asked, speaking up for the first time.
"Yes," Anna smirked. "And you're all going to hate it."
『』
Emmeryn looked out the window, lost in her thoughts. She knew what today meant. It was the day where everything would change.
The Queen of Ylisse only hoped she had prepared enough.
Emmeryn wasn't short, especially compared to some of her guards. She wore a regal robe that graced her shoulders with cover and extended down to just above the bottoms of her feet. Her long fair blond hair extended to her mid back and came down in matching braids of sorts to her breasts on her front. In the center of her forehead was a tattoo of the mark of Naga backed by her pale skin.
The Queen reached over and grabbed the staff that stood next to her bedside. Emmeryn took one last moment to appreciate her room. Crimson carpeted floors, silk drapes over the windows, a bed made of the most expensive wood…
All of it would be gone before the day ended. Gone for her, at least.
Clutching the Warp staff tighter subconsciously, Emmeryn took a deep breath. "I can do this," she whispered. "I am Queen. I am no peasant quivering under the burden of their duty."
There was a knock at her door and a man spoke, "Milady? Are you ready?"
Emmeryn took one last mourning glance around and sighed, "Indeed, I am ready."
The door opened fully and Lloyd looked in and asked, "Is everything alright, your highness?"
"I am fine, Lord General," Emmeryn said as she approached him. Lord General Lloyd was much taller than her. With that, his brown hair, and light stubble, Lloyd looked several years older than his actual age. Lloyd's overall black attire sent the message he wanted sent, that he wasn't someone to trifle with. The longcoat clung to his body tightly, the high collar obscuring some of his face when viewed from the side.
"As you say, milady," Lloyd bowed.
Emmeryn and Lloyd walked towards the throne room. Lloyd stood at attention as he walked and Emmeryn stared at the floor lost in thought.
Was she ready for what was to come?
The Queen truly did not know. But she knew what was in store for her, her Mantle had shown her that much.
『』
"This was your idea?" Cath said as the four faced a circular well in the alley way that broke off from the street. Said alley was littered with trash and grime.
"We're going in through the sewers," Anna reiterated. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Besides the fact that it's disgusting? No problem at all," Matthew said sarcastically. Anna pried open the metal grate that covered the top of the well. Thankfully, the stone was not anywhere close to good condition, and it crumbled away easily. Anna tied a rope to a heavy stone she pulled off and anchored said stone next to the well. Anna then jumped down the hole first, followed by Leila.
"There has got to be another way," Cath said, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
"Unfortunately, even if there is, I doubt we're going to go there now," Matthew said lightly.
"Way to be a pessimist, brother," Cath muttered darkly.
"Love you too!" Matthew chuckled as he climbed into the hole and dropped down.
His vision was immediately met with darkness. Thankfully, he had landed on a dry surface, or at least something that wasn't submerged in water.
Behind him, Cath jumped down and the echo of her boots hitting the ground resonated throughout the sewer tunnels.
Anna drew an ether torch out of the small pack she had on her back. She brought a hand up to the ether crystal mounted on the top and whispered an incantation. The tip of the torch glowed brightly, shedding red colored light on the setting.
"Leila, lead the way," Anna said. Leila walked forward confidently without paying any attention to the torch. Her Mantle let her see in the dark. She described it as seeing the world as if it were constantly the middle of the day. Shadows didn't exist to her.
The four walked in silence, three of them using the torch to ensure they didn't miss a step. They trusted Leila to lead them the right way, but the other three could still fall victim to slipping or tripping.
Something skittered at Matthew's feet. He looked down and through the torchlight he could see a rat running across his feet.
"I do not understand how that doesn't bother you," Cath said, visibly twitching each time a rat crawled near her.
"They're just rats," Matthew shrugged. "It's not like they're Fiends."
"I'm just glad we have the city walls to keep Fiends out. Imagine if they began running amok in the city!" Cath said, laughing slightly.
"Then all the guilds would have a payday," Anna chuckled. "We'd all get called out to protect to civilians. We would become united and fight as one."
"Like that would ever happen," Leila called back to them.
Anna sighed, "It could work. If the guilds united and became a singular guild, think of all the opportunities! There'd be no interguild wars or questions as to where a Mantled could and should work. We'd finally achieve what the guilds were meant for, helping the people."
"The big guilds do well enough as they are. They'd never work together," Matthew reminded her.
"Besides," Cath argued, "we've got a great reputation comparative to some guilds. This is how competition works. Some people value paying higher and getting more out of their gold."
"We're here," Leila said, interrupting their conversation as she stopped.
In front of them was a ladder. It was worn and rusty. Clearly, it hadn't seen much care over the years. Or at all.
"Up there is the castle," Anna explained. "Once we get inside, I'll get oriented and guide us to the treasury."
Anna knew the layout of the castle quite well. With her Mantle, she could go anywhere she wanted. She began to climb the ladder, "I'll be back in ten minutes. Be ready."
『』
Emmeryn walked into the throne room, trailing behind Lloyd. The room was a long hall, grand doors at one end and a regal throne at Emmeryn's end. The Queen broke off from Lloyd's side and sat on the throne.
Lloyd stood on Emmeryn's left, standing in front of the steps that elevated the throne off the ground. To her right, was Emmeryn's other body guard, Marisa. The two of them kept her safe in place of a score of men and women. The Queen felt safer with these two than any number of men. Marisa had a Mantle and Lloyd was the best fighter in the kingdom who didn't have a Mantle.
"My Queen," Marisa said and knelt as Emmeryn took her position. Where Lloyd was the Lord General and commanded Ylisse's armies, Marisa was the Mantled General. She had the highest rank a commoner could attain, a Mantle, and was one of the most powerful people in Ylisse. Marisa's job was to be a personal guard to the Queen as well as directing armies. The Mantled General also served as the Queen's adviser about Mantles and Mantled affairs.
"Rise," Emmeryn commanded with a small smile. The Mantled General was taller than her liege. A good quality to have, for a bodyguard and General. Her battle attire, which she wore every day, was a longcoat much like Lloyd's. The coat was clean and in better condition than Lloyd's, and was left hanging open, exposing the General's legs. A wicked Flamberge hung at her side, waiting to be drawn.
"Lord General," Emmeryn spoke, turning to Lloyd. "Find Baroness Lowell and bring her here. And alert the Hands that I wish to speak with three of them."
"As you wish, milady," Lloyd bowed. He turned and left, the sound of his boots growing smaller as he neared the large doors leaving the throne room.
Emmeryn sighed and slouched in the throne. If anyone were to see her, they'd have a fit. Except for Marisa, she never said anything critical towards her Queen.
The Queen's mind was in turmoil. She wanted to tell someone, anyone about what was to come. If Emmeryn could warn the guard, or the parts of the army within Ylisstol, perhaps they could save lives?
Yes, lives would be saved. But Emmeryn had seen what was to come, as well as what might come to pass if she made certain choices. And this needed to happen. Unfortunately.
"Marisa, do you have a report from the Ruins of Animas?" Emmeryn asked, hoping to take her mind off the inner conflict occurring within her.
The Ruins of Animas were located on the Plegian border, the country adjacent to Ylisse. The Ruins were a sight of battle where a holy battle had been fought for the Goddess Naga. History had no account of who Naga was fighting, but the effects of the battle were great. It had left the entire area scarred with chasms and canyons.
The Ruins were also the sight of the current war between Ylisse and Valmese occupied Plegia. Valm, the continent across the sea, had invaded Plegia nearly two years ago. After a bloody war, the Valmese finally ascertained control over the desert nation. And now they pushed east into Ylisse.
"General Hugh says that they are at a stalemate," Marisa said in a quiet but firm voice. "He thinks it could still go either way, milady."
"What's your opinion on the situation?" Emmeryn asked, leaning forward and folding her hands.
"Permission to speak freely, your highness?" Marisa asked hesitantly.
"Granted."
"General Hugh is a pretentious idiot," snarled Marisa. "He thinks he can win by whittling down the Valmese numbers. Hugh doesn't have the capability or skill to fight in a location like the Ruins. I think we should send either myself or Lloyd there. Then the situation would be resolved while the Valmese are still busy putting down resistance and dealing with Ferox."
Regna Ferox was Ylisse and Plegia's northern border. It was bigger than both of the countries combined, and known for its snowy climate and brutal warriors. The Valmese planned to invade there next while a token force distracted the Ylisseans at their border.
"While their main army is massing in northern Plegia, we should strike through," Marisa continued. "We could take the capital Carestia and unite with the Plegians and fight Valm."
Emmeryn nodded, "We will speak of this later today with General Lloyd. I am tempted to agree with you."
Marisa bowed respectfully, "You are most wise, my liege."
The silence between the two would have continued, but Lloyd interrupted them as he opened the grand doors. They squeaked loudly as the opened, causing Emmeryn to cringe. She'd have to get someone to oil them.
"Milady, Baroness Heather Lowell is here to see you," Lloyd said and stood out of the way.
Heather's golden hair descended down her shoulders. It would have obscured parts of her face as well, but Heather wore a white strip of cloth around her upper forehead to keep the hair out of her eyes. She wore a high collar, long-sleeved tunic. At her neck, wrapped snugly around, was a blue scarf that extended down her back and wafted in the wind, had there been some in the throne room.
Emmeryn watched closely as Heather approached the throne. The woman was her favorite vassal. "Your highness, long is the day that I do not get the opportunity to gaze upon your beauty," Heather said as she knelt in front of the throne.
The fair haired Queen smiled at Heather's compliment. The Baroness was always willing to give compliments to women, especially Emmeryn.
"General Lloyd, General Marisa, Heather and myself shall be in the private counsel room. We are not to be disturbed, understood?" Emmeryn said, making eye contact with the two of them. "Alert me when the Hands show up."
"Of course, milady," Lloyd said.
『』
"Come on," Anna said. Matthew heard her voice before he saw her. The redhead reappeared, her head sticking down through the square opening that the ladder reached down from.
"Is it far?" Matthew asked as he scaled the ladder, noiselessly leaving the sewer.
"Not too far," Anna replied as Cath reciprocated her brother's actions. Leila followed shortly and replaced the square tile that Anna had displaced. Leila put out the ether torch's light.
Anna began to walk quietly. "This way," she said, creeping down a hallway.
The castle, or at least the part they were in, was not too impressive. White stones lined the hallways and mounted torches served as light due to the lack of windows. But the walls were dusty and the floor was marked with dirt. Clearly the cleaning staff didn't frequent the area often, or ever.
The three followed her down the corridor. Before long, Anna stopped them at an intersection. She gestured down one of the hallways. A large door was on the further wall from them, and two guards stood watch outside the door.
Or at least, they would have had they not been lying on the ground, unconscious.
"A maid delivered them a meal," Anna explained. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity, so I drugged them." She looked pleased with that fact that she took advantage of the opportunity.
The four approached the door. "Matthew, do your thing," Anna commanded. Matthew walked up to door and examined the keyhole. Understandably, it was quite complex. The brown haired man drew a thin knife out of the back of his belt. He stuck the blade inside the keyhole and moved it around.
Satisfied with what he heard, Matthew sheathed the knife and removed a lockpick set tailored for the type of lock Matthew deduced it to be. Fiddling around with the anchor and pick, Matthew began to work.
Three minutes later, Matthew had the lock open. He stood up from his crouched position and nodded to Anna. The red clad woman pushed open the dual doors.
Cath gasped behind him, and Matthew didn't blame her.
The room was glowing. Ether torches were mounted on the walls, and the light reflected on the gold and jewels in a blinding way. In no way was the room similar to the rest of the castle Matthew had seen so far.
"Now this isn't the main treasury," Anna said as she walked inside. "That is filled with gold coins and worthless valuable treasure. This is where jewels, artifacts and anything magical goes." Anna stopped in the middle of the somewhat large room and continued, "Leila, find the necklace. Cath, Matthew, follow me."
Leila set off with the drawing Stahl had given them. The siblings trailed behind Anna as she walked to the back wall of the room. Once Anna got there, she began to feel the wall, specifically its stones.
Cath and Matthew exchanged a look, each of them wondering if their boss had gone mad.
"There!" Anna exclaimed, pressing a stone that touched the ground. Matthew heard a strange sound as the wall began to slide apart. Their boss had apparently triggered some sort of mechanism that opened the secret door.
The small alcove that had opened revealed a dark room. There were no torches in this room, only dust and darkness.
Anna raised their torch and let the ether crystal glow bright with light.
Matthew now could see a sword mounted on a pedestal. The elegant blade was something out of a story. The blade was a ghostly white. The only vibrant color on the sword was the red gem mounted into the guard. Said guard was curved upwards, similar to waves on the ocean.
"Take that sword, Matthew," Anna commanded. "I'm going to go check on Leila."
Matthew grasped the hilt of the sword. Immediately, he turned cold. It was as if his blood had turned to ice. The red cloaked man gasped audibly as he tried to release his grip on the sword, only to find that he couldn't.
"Matthew?" Cath questioned, confused.
He was in another place completely.
Everything was cold, as if all the life had been sapped out of the scene in front of him. Color was almost non-existent, only faint shades prevailing through the vaguely blue filter Matthew's eyes seemed to have.
Matthew focused on the image in front of him. The brown haired man was standing in the biggest street in Ylisstol. Except where there should have been life and people mingling, there was only flames. Houses, shops, everything nearby was consumed by the blaze.
Soldiers garbed in unfamiliar uniforms marched up and down the street, engaging in fights here and there. Some civilians tried to run, but they were cut down by the soldiers. Ylissean soldiers tried to fight them off, their blue uniforms meeting the red in battle. But it was no use as they were killed everywhere.
Matthew was abruptly in a different place. He now stood in a grassy clearing within the city. Flames still rose from some of the buildings around him. They even began to reach the park that Matthew was currently in.
The brown haired man was fighting the kind of soldiers he'd seen earlier with Cath and Leila. Anna however, was dueling a man in blue with long black hair. Matthew turned his head so as to get a better look at what was happening around him.
Anna stumbled back after the two clashed swords again. It seemed as though they had been dueling a while. The man spun his red sword in his hand and stabbed Anna in the chest.
Matthew froze, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Then everything flashed blue.
"Matthew?" Cath repeated, staring at him with a puzzled expression.
He gasped, coming back to where he was at the present moment. "What just…?" Matthew said, feeling out of breath even though he had plenty of breath in his lungs.
"You zoned out for a moment there after you grabbed the sword," Cath said. "It was only for a second, but you looked startled."
"I…have no idea what happened," Matthew responded honestly.
"Did the sword shock you or something?" Cath asked, rolling her eyes.
Matthew nodded distractedly. What was that he saw? It had been vivid enough that he remembered every moment of it. But why had he seen it? How could Ylisstol be in flames? And Anna…
The brown haired man shook his head roughly, surely it had all been him imagining. The dust in the room probably got his mind muddled.
Then Matthew glanced at his hand. On his right hand, he had a tattoo of a square turned on its point with four pointed shapes branching out from each corner.
That hadn't been there before.
『』
"I thought you hated this room," Heather said as she closed the door behind her Queen.
"I do," Emmeryn breathed. "But it has its uses besides being the place where people are free to insult me as they wish." Emmeryn and Heather each sat in a simple wooden chair within the small room.
"Do you at least insult them back?" Heather asked. The counsel room was traditionally where kings met with other kings and nobles and were free to discuss without formality. King Marth had had it built thousands of years ago, and his word was law, even to this day.
"No, I am a Queen. Not a damn harlot, as they like to call me," Emmeryn said, a touch of bitterness entering her voice.
"Who said that?" Heather growled. "I'll make sure they never say that again, mark my words."
"Don't worry about it," Emmeryn waved the topic away with a gesture of her hand. "We have more important things to discuss."
"Such as?" Heather leaned forward in her chair.
"First, I must know something. Are you willing to follow my words without any form of proof that what I say is true?" Emmeryn asked.
"Of course, Emm," Heather said, reaching out to grasp the Queen's hand. Emmeryn smiled at the nickname that Heather addressed her by. Only Chrom and Lissa did that anymore.
"I am one of your Hands, after all," Heather said indignantly. She reached up to the scarf that was wrapped snugly around her neck and pushed it aside. On her left breast, directly over her heart was the same tattoo that was on Emmeryn's forehead. Only it was pure black, and carried a much different meaning.
The Hands were Ylisse's most devoted servants. A league of spies, thieves and assassins, they served only the one on the throne of Ylisse. Each generation of rulers had their own set of Hands, and each Hand served with absolute loyalty. Incorruptible, deadly and devoted.
"Indeed," Emmeryn said, a smile on her face. "Then of course, I shall trust you will do as I say."
"By my life, or my death, it will be done," Heather swore.
"I am a Dreamseer, as you know," Emmeryn began. Dreamseer was a type of Mantle, and with it Emmeryn's dreams were visions of the future. She'd Seen this day for many years. The fire, the soldiers, she'd Seen it all. "Later today, Valm shall launch a surprise attack on the city. They will crush us."
"How?" Heather asked in disbelief.
"Some form of warp magic," Emmeryn said. "They've figured out how to send groups of people at unimaginable distances."
Heather nodded, accepting her Queen's word. "What will you have me do?" Heather said.
"Many people need to escape the city today," Emmeryn said. "You are one of them. Go to Mount Prism. Inside the mountain is a weapon. It is a sword of awesome power. Wait at the village before going in until the man in red comes. He will escort you through the labyrinths of the mountain. Then you are to return to Ylisstol."
"As you command, my Queen," Heather said. She stood up and knelt in front of Emmeryn.
"Are you ready to go right now?" Emmeryn asked, gesturing to her Warp Staff.
Heather's eyes widened. But she nodded none the less, "I am always ready for your commands."
"This will get you outside the city. I trust you can make your way from village to village on your own," Emmeryn said.
The Hand nodded again and let Emmeryn raise the staff in front of her. A circle of white runes appeared around Heather's kneeling form. Then a bright flash of light appeared.
When Emmeryn's eyes cleared, Heather was gone.
『』
"It's called the Avvenire," Anna said as Matthew handed her the sword. Anna looked as if she were about to say something else about the sword before she went on to say, "Leila's got the necklace, so we better get moving."
The four left the treasury and shut the door behind them. With some quick work from Matthew and Cath, they managed to relock the door and make it appear untouched. It was as if they had never even been there. With Leila in the lead, the four traveled down the dark corridors towards the sewer passageway.
"So why did we break into the castle to steal a sword hidden behind a wall?" Cath asked.
"The sword is extremely valuable and important. It'll fetch a pretty price," Anna explained, though hesitation clouded her tone.
Matthew shook his head, subconsciously taking a glance at his now tattooed hand, "Liar. We didn't walk through a sewer and break into a treasury simply because we could sell this thing. There's something you're not saying, I know you well enough to know that."
Anna stiffened, but regained her composure almost instantly, "I'm not lying."
Leila shrugged, not caring, "As long as you tell us eventually."
"Agreed," Cath said, itching to get her input in. Matthew shrugged, complying with the other two's comments.
The four got to the tile they had displaced. Thankfully Leila had excellent memory to remember where it had been. One by one, they climbed down the ladder and began to make their way to other end of the sewer.
Little did they know, that when they emerged, everything would change.
『』
The Queen of Ylisse emerged from the counsel room alone. When she received the questioning stares from both of her Generals, she replied, "I sent Baroness Lowell on a mission. I merely warped her out of the city."
Before either General could reply, the great doors to the throne room opened. Three black clad figures walked in, their faces obstructed by the hoods of their cloaks.
The Hands.
Like Heather, each Hand had a tattoo over their heart of Emmeryn's forehead tattoo. That was the only way to identify them as Hands. When they reported for assignments, they masked themselves such as they did now. Their identities were their defense, and only Emmeryn knew them.
The three knelt in front of her without saying a word, as per usual. Emmeryn was about to open her mouth and begin issuing orders when a strange sound touched her ears.
A siren.
"So it has begun," the Queen whispered to herself.
Through the open doors, a guard came running. He looked absolutely shaken, scared out of his mind. "Your majesty," he shouted. "We're under attack! They showed up from out of nowhere!"
"What?" Lloyd asked, flabbergasted.
"Some form of warp magic, m'lord," the out of breath guard said.
"Milady," Lloyd drew his blade and stood near her.
"We need to leave. Now," Marisa said in an authoritative voice. "If they showed up out of nowhere, they might get here too." She drew her flamberge.
The three Hands all drew knives, one in each hand. They began to form a rear guard for Emmeryn before she stopped them, "One of you is to go make sure my brother Chrom is escaping. The other two must go save Lissa, she won't be able to get out on her own."
The three black clad Hands bowed and raced off.
"They should be protecting Ylisse's Queen," Lloyd said quietly.
"Enough chat," Marisa said. "Let's go."
The two longcoated Generals stood in front of Emmeryn as they began to move out the dual doors. Even though the fighting wasn't in their vicinity, they could hear the clashing of swords. "Naga almighty," breathed Emmeryn. "They've got precise enough methods to get inside a building with warp magic?"
"Clearly," Marisa said, bluntly.
They took a left from the doors and began to run as fast as Emmeryn could. Unfortunately, that wasn't all too fast. And then as they turned a corridor, they encountered a group of red decorated soldiers.
Valmese.
The ten soldiers let out a loud war cry and charged forward. Due to the corridor, they were forced to approach in rows of three.
Lloyd had no such problem.
Holding the sword in one hand, Lloyd stood in front of Emmeryn and Marisa. One soldier charged ahead of the two next to him and swung his sword in a downward diagonal strike. Lloyd's blade met the Valmese's steel and forced the man backward.
While the man was regaining his footing, Lloyd quickly slashed through his crimson armor at the section where the helmet met the breastplate. Blood shot out as the sword passed through the man's larynx.
The nine remaining men stopped charging, startled with their comrade's death sudden death.
"If you want our Queen," Lloyd said, holding his bloody blade aloft, "you must go through me."
One of the men decided to try his luck and stabbed at Lloyd with a spear. The black longcoat fluttered as Lloyd spun a full rotation and used the momentum to decapitate the soldier.
The Lord General no longer waited for the Valmese to come to him. He flung himself forward and executed a series of complex maneuvers, deflecting every attack sent towards him. One by one, his sword met a soldier's neckline. And one by one, the men fell to the ground, dead.
Soon, the last man remained standing. He hadn't attacked Lloyd yet, not because he was more careful, but because he was scared. The man was actually a boy, probably no more than sixteen years old.
Lloyd stared the boy down, "Will you run?"
With a cry, the red clad boy stabbed at the General with his lance. Lloyd parried the attack with a swish of his sword. The lance in the boy's hand hit the side of the corridor and Lloyd struck him in the neck, just like the nine previous corpses.
Taking the red rag from his belt, Lloyd wiped his sword down. "We need to go," Lloyd said.
"Understood," Emmeryn said, feeling queasy at the brutal efficiency of the killing.
The three ran down the corridor and arrived at the courtyard. Thankfully, they were on the second level of the castle and were looking down at the courtyard from above. The grassy area had turned into a battlefield. Magic flew back and forth as Ylisseans and Valmese fought to the death.
"Your majesty, we can't linger," Lloyd said, lightly grabbing her arm. Emmeryn nodded and began to resume her pace.
It didn't take them long to reach their destination. The warp room was a simple commodity spread throughout Mira. Every city had several, some large towns had one, and every castle or fort had one.
"We'll watch the door," Lloyd said, taking a position next to the door alongside Marisa.
Emmeryn strolled to the wall. There were several Warp staves mounted on the wall. The Queen selected one and said, "You two, come here. We're escaping together. In case we end up apart, we are all to make our way to the front of the war at the Ruins of Animas, understood?"
Lloyd and Marisa exchanged a look, nodded, and came to the center of the room. They stood on the white circle made of runes and other circles. The magic insignia allowed for warping over massive distances. It was the only way to get from Plegia to Ylisse in a matter of seconds.
Until evidently the Valmese found a different way.
Emmeryn held the staff aloft. A circle of runes surrounded Lloyd's feet, and he disappeared.
"What are you doing?" Marisa said, her voice turning hard.
"I must do as I have seen," Emmeryn said. She pointed the staff at Marisa.
Marisa vanished as well. Emmeryn was on her own.
The Queen sighed, her job being done. Now that her friends were gone, she had new hardship to face. Emmeryn had Seen it, after all.
Selecting a Rewarp staff from the wall, Emmeryn tried to visualize where she needed to go. The Queen didn't know the exact location of where she had to go.
"There she is!"
"Don't let her escape!"
Emmeryn turned towards the door just in time to have an archer's arrow strike her in the shoulder. The Queen screamed in pain, but managed to retain enough sense to warp herself away.
Emmeryn vanished, just like Lloyd and Marisa.
『』
"Do you hear that?" Matthew asked as they approached the well they had jumped down hours before. The other three fell silent and craned their ears.
"It sounds like fighting," Leila muttered. "I'll go first."
Without even waiting to hear the others' opinions, Leila grabbed the rope and climbed it with startling efficiency. Once the redhead was out of the sewer, Anna began to climb the rope as well. But just as she started, a body fell down through the well.
The armor of the man hit the ground with a clang. His red blood blended with his red armor, making Matthew unsure as to where he'd been stabbed.
"You guys better hurry up," Leila said from above. "Something weird is going on. That guy just jumped me."
At that, Anna leapt up the rope with as much ease and speed as Leila had done. Matthew took longer, and Cath took longer still.
What they saw, they could not believe.
The city was in flames. Groups of red clad soldiers ran up and down the streets, fighting Ylisseans every ten paces. The only light in the night sky besides the flames were the ether lamps, but even those were becoming blocked by the thick black smoke.
"What the hell is happening?" Matthew said in disbelief. It looked just like that vision he had. Could he have seen…the future?
"Valmese. We need to move," Anna said. "We'll make for the central clearing, then escape the city through the west wall."
"Understood," three voices echoed in affirmation.
Before they could continue out of the alleyway, three Valmese soldiers ran past the alley and happened to look in their direction. They pointed at them, and charged with swords raised.
Leila took point, drawing her rapier. The silver blade flashed as it parried several strikes from the three. Cath drew a knife and held it in front of herself in defense. Matthew did the same, though he tried to get close to Leila to fight alongside her.
He never got the chance. Anna reappeared from behind the Valmese and cut the three of them down with the Avvenire.
"We go. Now," Anna declared, and began to run into the street. The three others needed no further encouragement as they met her pace and ran with her.
Due to their time as a guild, the four knew the streets well. That prior knowledge helped them evade most of the Valmese, who seemed to stick to the main roads. The few they did encounter, Anna dealt with them like the three earlier.
So it only took about fifteen minutes to reach the central clearing. It was a clearing within the center of the city. About half a mile wide, it was where the city's occupants frequented when needing to relax.
Now, it was wreathed in flames. The grass no longer green, but a brown or black. Trees were alight with fire, like torches in the night.
"Excellent, excellent," a voice called out. "I have been waiting for you to come here, Anna. I knew you would. You always were so…predictable." A man walked out of the smoke and flames. The man in blue had hair longer than any Matthew had ever seen. It complemented the man's crazed expression well. He wore a blue longcoat. It was Arulian make, judging by the style. He wore no undershirt, the top of his coat parting to expose a slight V of his chest.
"Karel," Anna said in disgust.
The tall man, Karel, walked forward in front of about twenty Valmese soldiers. At his side stood a woman. She had deep blue hair that complemented her purple attire well.
"The two in the back, the one with brown hair and the one with orange hair," the woman said, squinting at the four.
"Really? Ursula, it seems today luck is on our side," Karel said, drawing his sword. It was a blood red color.
Anna brought the Avvenire up to a fighting stance. Leila, Matthew and Cath followed suit with their own weapons. As they were about to stand side by side with their boss, Anna held up a hand to stop them
"Karel is a foe beyond any of you," she said gravely. "Leave him to me. Take care of the regular soldiers."
"I sense a challenge," Karel grinned. "And I would be very happy to soak the metal of my sword in your blood. I wonder if it is as red as your hair? What do you think?""
Anna leapt at the man, swinging her blade with a war cry.
Matthew and the other two members of the guild attacked the twenty enemies. Even though they were outnumbered, the three didn't back down.
Part of the reason why they didn't die was Leila. Her Mantle allowed herself to see at night, and is was night time. Even though the fire illuminated the area, it was not complete visibility.
Matthew blocked a man's sword with his long knife. But before either of them could retaliate, Leila's rapier sprouted out the man's chest with a hiss.
Without even pausing, Leila was already on the move, fending off three other soldiers. Matthew and Cath weren't skilled enough to fight several people at once, but they could fight them off until Leila could deal with them.
Slowly, but surely they did so. Both exhausted, Matthew and Leila collapsed to the ground onto their knees. Leila remained on her feet, watching the fight between Karel and Anna.
Matthew had never seen anything like it.
When two Mantled fought, generally it was certain one would die. And Matthew couldn't help but think that when he saw Anna and Karel fighting.
Anna flitted in and out of sight, vanishing from sight every few seconds. Matthew had never seen someone fight as hard as she was.
But Karel somehow knew where every attack would happen. Even as Anna swung her sword, disappearing and reappearing behind Karel, the man in blue knew. He would spin and block her strike or lean out of the way.
"How is he doing that?" Matthew muttered aloud.
"It's his Mantle," Leila said, a touch of uncertainty in her voice.
"But what is it?" Matthew replied.
His question went unanswered. At that moment, Anna reappeared and Karel struck, smashing his blade into hers with crushing force. The redhead stumbled backward. Matthew blinked, the action reminding him of something.
"I've seen this before," he whispered.
"What?" Cath asked, not taking her eyes off the battle.
"Anna!" Matthew shouted. "Watch out for—!"
Karel spun the blade in his hand and stabbed towards Anna with it. The red sword plunged into the red clad woman's stomach.
Anna's body tensed. She screamed, but they were silenced as Karel whipped his sword out from her body and stabbed it into her neck.
"NO!" screamed Matthew and Cath.
"Weak," snarled Karel. "Weak and pathetic." Anna's body fell to the ground, unmoving.
The brown haired man couldn't speak. The woman who had practically raised him and his sister, dead. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. But…it was. Matthew saw it, and had seen it before when grabbing the sword.
Make them pay.
The single thought encompassed Matthew's mind. It burned through all other thoughts, emotions and senses. A single purpose in mind, Matthew stood up. Karel had begun to walk away as Matthew reached Anna's body and picked up the Avvenire.
"Are you looking to die, kid?" Karel sneered.
"We will kill you," Matthew said. For a moment, there was an influx in his voice, as if it had become laced with magic. A cold feeling rushed through Matthew's veins, causing him to gasp.
His vision crackled, blazing with gold light. Stunned, the thief fell to the ground, gasping for air.
"You can't even stand and you expect to fight me?" Karel said. "Very well, my sword always hungers for more. Even pathetic weaklings give some satisfaction from killing." Matthew stood up, more slowly this time. He had a feeling he knew what had just happened.
He'd Snapped.
Matthew charged Karel, the Avvenire held in his tattooed hand. He swung the blade at Karel, who blocked like he knew it was coming.
"Idiot, did you see nothing from my duel with Anna?" Karel smirked. "I'm a Timeseer."
"Shit," Matthew said, not realizing he said it aloud. Timeseers could see five seconds into the future. Constantly.
The two began exchanging attacks. Matthew surprised himself, he'd only had basic sword training, and here he was holding off a man who killed the best fighter he knew in a matter of minutes.
The thief stumbled back, just like Anna had done. Matthew focused on a spot behind Karel without realizing it.
Then Matthew was standing where he had focused at.
Karel swore and spun on the spot, his blade streaking across the night. Matthew held up his sword. Their blades met and the two held at a stalemate.
"You damn Vanishers," Karel grunted. "I hate fighting you."
"You won't have to worry about it for long. You won't be alive much longer," Matthew snarled.
"We'll see about that," and with that, Karel jumped back. Matthew expected the blue clad man to slash at him with his sword, but instead he received a kick to the stomach.
There was a flash of light behind the two. From the ground, Matthew looked over to see Leila on the ground, twitching. The woman, Ursula, was holding her hand high as it crackled with electricity.
A bolt of lightning hit Cath, sending her to a similar state as Leila. "Karel," shouted Ursula, "we have what we came for. We must leave."
The man in blue nodded and turned to Matthew, "I hope you have an awful life, kid. Remember, you could have beaten me. That is, if you weren't so weak." He strode over to Ursula who had Cath in her arms. Reaching to a pouch on his belt, Karel grabbed a powder out of said pouch.
"Cath!" shouted Matthew, springing up from the ground as he ran towards his sister.
The powder fluttered in the air as Karel let go of it. A white circle surrounded his and Ursula's feet. And in an instant, they vanished.
『』
The next morning…
The next morning, Matthew sat on the couch he had lounged upon the previous day. No longer was there mirth or cheer in his expression. Only pain, and anger.
Anna was dead. Cath kidnapped.
"What are you going to do?" Leila asked, leaning on the doorframe. "You'll have to decide quickly. The Valmese haven't taken full control of the city, but they will soon."
What would he do?
Make them pay.
The thought that had caused him to Snap the previous night returned. Revenge. And saving Cath.
"I'm going after them," Matthew swore. "I will kill Karel, even if I have to chase him all the way to Valm."
Leila smirked, "Sounds like a plan. We'll need to get moving."
"You aren't going to stop me?" Matthew asked, surprised.
"Anna was my friend too," Leila said. "I may not have known her as long as you or Cath, but she was one of my only friends. And we cannot leave Cath to whatever fate awaits her in Valm."
"Will you help me with this too?" Matthew asked, vanishing and reappearing two feet away.
"I'll do what I can. Now, are you ready to hunt some Valmese scum?" a feral grin appearing on Leila's face.
Matthew drew the strange sword, the Avvenire. He had seen the future yesterday. It was the only possibility the Vanisher could think of. He would figure out how and why, so he could prevent it next time.
"What was it Anna always used to say?" Leila asked after Matthew nodded.
"Seize your destiny," Matthew said without hesitation.
"Indeed," Leila nodded. She tied the short cape that was in her hands around her neck. "Let's seize our destinies."
Author Note: I suppose I should mention that I know my descriptions need work with their subtlety.
EDITS (12/22/15): Cut down on descriptions and improved grammar.
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