Author's Note: Some of you may have heard of a person who went by the name of Dark Conscience, a person under this account. She made the story The Fire Emblem Intelligences Test that you may, or may not, have read. Well, I am here to announce that…

I am not her.

No! Wait! Don't turn around and go just yet! Just because this is the first fanfic I've done in the Fire Emblem section doesn't give you any reason to resent it, does it? Come on, give it a shot. I'd be very grateful.

For those curious, I go about under the alias Alley Cat. Dark Conscience and I used to share this account, which is why we have pen names within our fanfiction username. However, some time ago, Dark Conscience grew…bored of the whole writing business and, well, dropped off the face of fanfiction – or any fiction at all at that. Therefore, I'm practically completely in control of this account now – not that it's a bad thing I guess.

But, let's get back on topic, shall we? I seemed to have stalled you long enough.

I hope you enjoy this story, even if it's only the prologue right now. It means a lot to me when people read my work, but it means even more when people tell me what they think about it.

So, please, read.

Enjoy.

And drop off a review if you feel like it.

Prologue: The Cost of Imperfection

Limitless. Does the word even belong in our vocabulary? Limits are always there as a reminder of our imperfection, a haunting on our very being.

Everyone – and everything – has a limit. There is a limit on the strength of any strong man, a limit on the mental capacity of any living thing, a limit on the talent and skill of any person.

Everyone has their limits. We don't deny it. While some limits are pushed or extended, others are hindered or impeded upon. Some people are born with limits that seem never-ending, while others feel as if theirs are right in front of their noses. There are those who run toward their own limit with blinding speed, and there are those who might never reach them.

But what if that's wrong? What if we're simply looking at the wrong examples? Could it be that, in our mad rush to find our own limits, we've completely overlooked the other possibility? What if our only real limit is that of our psychology? Could it be that we've thoroughly convinced ourselves to believe a complete lie just to satiate our own desire for knowledge?

If the latter is true, then there must be some proof of it.

Can a star always exist in the night sky, glowing as proudly as ever?

Can love last for all of eternity, even past the limits set by death?

Can a person run forever if they tried hard enough?

Can a creature always survive through every hardship, no matter the physical or mental obstacle?

If things are truly infinite, how are we able to label anything?

If things are truly infinite, how are we able to have such a thing as death?

If things are truly infinite, how are we able to keep ourselves sane while storing such a large amount of knowledge?

If things are truly infinite, how are we able to find a meaning to continue living?

Just as the bird is limited to how high it can fly, so are we – as humans – limited to how far we are able to reach – with our hands and with our minds.

But what happens when this limit is met? Do we thrash about in our misery, attempting to unsuccessfully break this boundary? Do we accept our fate and stay inert for the remainder of our lives? Do we choose death over life?

What happens when we are simply at the limit?

Author's Note: I understand the prologue's short. I also realize that it is not Fire Emblem-oriented at all. However, please hold off your flames. For now at least. The first chapter will be up fairly soon and will tie the story into Fire Emblem.

Don't feel obliged to review this short segment though, for it is only a prologue. If you don't feel like commenting on it, you don't have to. In the meantime, I'll work on getting the real chapter up. I have it written, I just need to upload it.

Thank you for your patience, and thank you for reading!

-Alley Cat