Disclaimer: I don't own the Fire Emblem series or in anyway present that I do. But I do own rights over all original characters presented thus far.

Author's Note: The story starts to pick up. Or maybe thats just what I think.


The Artefacts of the Ancients

Chapter 02:

The Artefacts of the Ancients


"This book looks like it might be the right sort of thing," Arashi decided out loud as she peered around the library of the castle with Asura, "'Ancient Magic and Weaponry'-"
"Wait. Arashi, I've found it. Look, that's the axe that Vireo was using. It's called 'Mercury's Revenge', so named because the warrior Mercury was said to have used it to seal away an ancient evil. It is imbued with the power of water, and its one of the four Artefacts of the Ancients." Asura read.

Looking at each other, they seemed to read each other's thoughts. Finding the other artefacts may aid their aim to stop Kezuro and his guard.

"We'll start tomorrow. There's a weapon of each element. The sword 'Jupiter's Wrath' is in Iuria. I know for a fact it's guarded in a room in the castle, so we should steer clear of that one for now. It all makes sense. My brother was desperate to use the blade, but it wouldn't accept him as the wielder of it. I guess either Vireo was chosen by the Mercury's Revenge, or somehow Vireo learned how to hoodwink the axe… I never realised that the blade my brother so guarded was an Artefact of the Ancients, and the blade the ancient warrior Jupiter himself used…" Asura explained.
"And the Mercury's Revenge is in Iuria now too. The earth-elemental weapon isn't named here... That's odd. Damn, there's no mention of the fire one either. Well, I think I'm gunna have a wash and then go to bed. What about you?" Arashi asked.

"I want to spend some time out walking around Akaseki. I haven't spent long in Akaseki before, so it should be nice. I'll be fine, don't worry", Asura added, noting Arashi's worried glance.

Asura walked out of the castle and through the streets of Akaseki. There were one or two people milling around, it was still midway through the evening and people were returning home. He decided to have a quick drink and then get back... He shouldn't stay long. However, he saw a Pegasus overhead… He knew that Pegasus. Riding it was someone knew from his travels out to the lush, green city of Ercia, which sat in the centre of a forest...

In the air, Kyari Akaro was being chased by three wyvern riders above the city of Akaseki. Tired of being followed, she pulled out her bow. Anything that flies is weak to arrow fire, she knew. Her first shot was sure. It knocked the lead wyvern rider almost off his wyvern.

" Now, let's try out this sword, see if it's worth the fighting against all those guards I had to do. I'm just lucky that the Iurian castle was attacked, or it might have been even more heavily protected" she said as she flew straight at the lead rider. As it was quite a heavy blade, she wasn't used to it and missed with her first attack. However, her second attack struck the rider himself, knocking him off the wyvern. As he fell from the sky, the wyvern turned tail and flew off. The two wyvern riders pulled away too and disappeared into the night.

"Hey! Kyari!" Asura shouted. Kyari heard the shouts and flew down.
"Asura! It's been a long time." Kyari said as she put away her sword.
"... Kyari... That sword. It's... Is that Jupiter's Wrath?"
"Oh, yeah. Someone decided to attack your brother's castle, and I needed a new sword. I'm sorry to steal from your city, but let's face it, it's not like you could use it."
"Yeah. Remember that time I tried? It only recognises one person as its true owner. You touched it and it glowed immediately but my brother forbade you from taking it. He must be so angry now. His brother attacked the castle, and his brother's friend stole the sword he hoped would one day recognise him..."
"What? You attacked your own castle?"
"Yeah, I'll explain later. A group of my friends are staying at the castle. I'll introduce you in the morning. Come on, I'll explain on the way." Asura said as the pair climbed onto Faera, Kyari's Pegasus, and flew back to the castle.

---

Arashi woke, and looked out of the window. She saw Asura flying back to the castle on the back of a Pegasus with a girl she didn't recognise. When she got ready and went downstairs, she met Asura and his friend, with some of the group eating breakfast.

"Hi everyone," he said, "I want you to meet my friend Kyari. We've known each other for years. We met up again last night when I saw her fighting a group of wyvern riders".
"Yeah, they were Iurian, so I was glad that Asura was here. He's explained everything, and I think I can be of use to you," Kyari continued as she pulled out her Jupiter's Wrath blade, "This is one of the four Artefacts held by Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Mercury, the ancient warriors who destroyed an evil mage who threatened this continent. I believe that a man you fought in Iuria used the Mercury's Revenge, an axe that has a similar power to this blade."

"Wasn't the Jupiter's Wrath heavily guarded? How come you got your hands on it?" Arashi asked.
"Well, you all helped me. Kezuro had been planning for ages to use it himself, but the blade only recognises one owner, and one time, Asura and I went there to see if it might recognise either of us... Turns out it recognised me. Kezuro wasn't happy, so he tried to kick me out of Iuria so I wouldn't go near it. That's when Asura first began to oppose things that Kezuro did." Kyari replied.

"Hey there. Are you gunna join us for longer? If so, we could get to know each other better…" Varlen asked.
"As it happens, I am joining your group. But don't think I'm going near you." Kyari replied coolly, which caused Rynna to laugh. Varlen glared angrily at her.
"Well, at least answer me this," he replied, "Is that your Pegasus outside?"
"Yes, it is. Her name's Faera. I hear you're a wyvern rider. I hope you're stronger than those I fought yesterday." Kyari chuckled.
"Hmm, now we have two people who can scout ahead." said Rynna, thinking of the practical use of two flying warriors.

The group continued to eat breakfast and decided to go their separate ways for a short time, and meet up later in Miran, near where Kyari had heard that the flame Artefact, said to be a lance, was apparently hidden. Kyari and Varlen would fly ahead to Miran. They agreed that Rynna would fly on Kyari's Pegasus and Blade would fly on Varlen's wyvern. Meanwhile Kage told the group that he'd go ahead of the group alone by foot. Having said that, he set left the group and began his trip, which he knew would take a lot longer. He knew, however, that it was something he had to do.

Separate from this, Asura and Arashi were to go north to the icy city of Aufero, the capital city of its own Empire, to warn the people there, who were mainly cut off from information due to the mountain range that spread across the land, between Auferian territory and the rest of the continent, of the dangers that Kezuro posed to the other Empires.

---

Kage, used to travelling long distances quickly due to his light weight and lack of baggage, was moving across the plains almost silently.

"I'd better take a break. I'm starving." He said to himself. He soon found a rock to lean against and took a small food package from his bag. Scoffing down the food quickly, he then began to move on, enjoying the strong sun and the calming, seemingly endless plains.

---

"So... Miran huh? It's been a long time..." Rynna muttered aloud to herself, simply. Their transport glided through the air, only picking up a slight breeze compared to how quickly they were travelling. Kyari tossed her head back over her shoulder.
"Anything you'd like to share?" the Pegasus knight offered, though it was promptly declined.
"No, I'm fine, thanks anyway though..." Rynna excused, trailing off and looking at the desert scenery below her. A seemingly endless stretch of sandy waves shifted beneath them with the wind, and the dunes blew over to reform anew.
"Well, if you ever change your mind, I'm right here." Kyari said politely, facing forward once more. The desert wind grew more on them, lacking any sort of current at all, when coupled with the heat of the blazing sun above, created a comfortable atmosphere.
"...I... I don't want to go back to this place." Rynna said aloud with a firm resolution, tinged with regret and sorrow. Kyari didn't feel the need to press the issue, and Rynna continued. "...Nothing but bad memories. Nothing but bad memories..." she trailed off, repeating herself without even realizing it. Rynna shut her eyes for a moment, lost in thought.
"...Rynna?" Kyari sounded, the air tense around them. Rynna snapped back into reality.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it." she excused, although, not at all convinced with her own words. They continued their journey through the skies, for only a short moment. A loud rumbling tremor surged beneath them, and the desert split open, sand falling into the abyss to signal the coming of a giant wormlike beast that snaked its way out of the ground.
"Hmm? Looks like it's moving to attack us..." Kyari mumbled, before her eyes opened wide in shock. "Faera, evasive manoeuvres, now!" she shouted desperately as the gigantic worm beast lunged forward, merely meters away, unleashing an earth-shattering roar that blew them with little effort downward, spiralling into the sand. Kyari hit the ground, rolling down one of the tall dunes at too much of a velocity for her liking, and Rynna landed into a shoulder roll, shaking the dizziness from their sudden freefall. She stood, staring at the towering eyeless monster, and brandished the Brillante.
"Grr... Come on Kyari, let's rock..."

Kyari climbed to a stand, and recollected herself next to Rynna, staring down their gargantuan opponent.
"So... erm... any idea on how to fight this thing?" she questioned, gulping a pocket of air, intimidated by their foe.
"We can't fight this battle from down here. Go, get Faera!" Rynna ordered, pushing Kyari aside with a forceful shove, and leaping into the air. The worm speared downward at them, crashing teeth first into the sand, Rynna landing unevenly on the beast's tough carapace. The worm drew back slowly for its size, although not quite to Rynna's liking. She collapsed immediately to a kneel, and, nearly slipping, thrust her blade downward into the creature, rolling off the side and cleaving a large incision across one full side of it.
"C'mon Faera, let's go..." Kyari mumbled, climbing back to a stand, and shaking the sand from her hair. She mounted the Pegasus daintily and they immediately took to the skies, heading in the opposite direction for a moment, before ringing around to see Rynna dropping downward towards the desert. Kyari pointed forward and they swept forth with a burst of agility, Rynna catching onto the Pegasus tightly, pulling herself up onto Faera's back, Kyari struggling to fly straight. "You alright Rynna?"
"Yeah, take me in for another pass. Straight down from above, right down the side there." she responded, instructing Kyari with a vague course of action. They swept up high into the sky, then, began a course straight towards the worm, which, looked straight upwards at them, and opening its gaping maw, jaws dripping with excessive saliva, lunged up with a snapped of its teeth. Faera dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack by centimetres at most. Rynna brandished her blade to the side as it rose, cutting into its jaw, running down the side of its mouth, and cutting a jagged bloody line across the length of the creature. Kyari yanked tightly on the reins, pulling away, and Rynna deposited herself into a roll against the sand. Something caught her attention though, that being that the sandworm split in half with a sharp shriek, but her blade didn't cut that side of the monster.
"Wait a second..." Rynna mumbled in thought, slowly turning from the beast, her eyes locking with that of Blade, who was turning his head towards her in the same fashion.
"You!" they shouted simultaneously, stomping towards each other, anger rising. They stopped, face-to-face, Rynna tilting her head slightly up to meet the inch or so of height difference between them. "You stole my kill!" they yelled both at once, however, broke off their glares as the earth shook beneath them, and the ground gave way into the mouth of another sandworm. Blade and Rynna fell into the gaping maw, Blade stabbing his swords into the inside of the beast's mouth. Rynna on the other hand, caught with one hand a vermillion-tinted fang. She boosted herself up into the air from her position, as the monster's teeth clenched shut. Rynna landed, each foot planted on two different teeth, the beast's maw opening slightly in one final cry of agony, Blade's infliction seemingly more lethal than expected.
"...Humph. C'mon." Rynna let out, reaching an arm down for him, and he took it reluctantly. Rynna pulled him out, falling backwards in the process only to be caught in Varlen's arms, as he recently parked his wyvern.
"Oh... soft." Varlen said aloud. Rynna jumped out of his grasp, preferring the sand's caress over his, as Kyari landed her Pegasus.
"Good timing guys. C'mon, let's get outta here before more of these things show up..."

---

Arashi and Asura began trudging to the north, at first making quick progress across flat, grassy land, before reaching a forest. They moved forward but couldn't get through particularly rapidly due to the density of the trees.

"I think we've nearly got through to the other side." Arashi eventually declared after a cold hour of walking between trees that all looked basically the same. She was right, as light finally began to pour through between the trees.

Having got through the forest, they decided that they should stop and stock up in a small town by the name of Andir. They reached the town hoping to rest, but were shocked to see that some of the houses were burning. In the distance they were shocked to see a dragon overhead. Running to it, they found that many of the villagers were fighting it, but it was in vain. The dragon had killed a vast number of the small population.

Asura climbed up the back of the gigantic dragon whilst Arashi began to charge a Demon Drain attack, which sapped a small amount of health from the dragon. Effortlessly, Asura ran between the dragon's wings and quickly struck the back of its head, angering it greatly. The first hit was linked to a string of attacks from his Blade Storm ability. The dragon roared, and breathed flames directly at Arashi.

"Arashi, get out of the way!" Asura shouted. As the flames cleared away, a shadowy figure stood in the way of the attack. The shadow shattered. Arashi had cast Shadow's Protection at the last minute, but the guardian couldn't take the effect of the fire attack.

Asura leapt onto the top of the massive dragon's head, which was just about large enough for him to stand on. He plunged one of his swords into the head of the dragon, piercing skin and touching bone. The dragon roared again in pain and shook its head, throwing Asura into the wall of a small shop. Arashi tried to help, but the dragon blocked her with a wall of flames. Hope was almost gone; they had as good as lost.

Arashi rolled from a claw attack and began to change another Demon Drain in the hope that she could use the power to call another shadow to help protect her whilst she escaped with Arashi. However, the dragon focused purely on her, and no sooner had she finished the health-draining magic, the enemy lunged at her again, sending its right claw forward in hope to strike her. She fell to the ground and the attack went over her.

Arashi got up, dodged another attack quickly and turned to check on Asura, only to see that he was standing. Not only that, but Kai was packing healing salve back into his bag.

"Arashi, don't worry. We can handle this. Asura, climb onto the head again. To destroy the dragon we'll have to be careful…" he smiled.
"How did you get here?" Arashi shouted.
"I've been following you the whole time, just in case." Kai replied, throwing himself to the side to avoid an attack before moving behind the dragon, launching himself into a Backstab attack, dealing much heavier damage and actually affecting the Dragon. Arashi cast Shadow's Protection, sending a shadow of a swordsman forward. It attacked doing very little damage, and nearly got trampled on, but it bought Asura the time to scramble onto the dragon's head and damage further the great wound Asura's Igni and Luce blades had caused earlier.

Once he had taken the dragon's focus, Kai leapt up to the dragon's chest and stabbed his Ra'keth dagger, a keepsake of the family, deeply into the dragon's hide. He ran back as the dragon finally fell.

"Wow, thanks Kai. We were nearly done for then." Asura beamed.
"What do you mean? He could have helped us so many times over... In Iuria, against Vireo. You said you've been following us the whole time! Why the hell didn't you help?" Arashi raged.

"Well, look at what you've achieved. Iuria's army has been cut down by about a third, if not more. Your attack got your Pegasus Knight friend one of the Artefacts of the Ancients, which honestly, I knew nothing about. Kezuro is thoroughly shaken by the fact you got so far. If I had have been there, you would never have been able to see what you can do as a team" Kai replied. Arashi could only accept this as the truth, as she knew he was right.

"Do you know anything of the Artefacts, Kai?" Asura asked.
"I know only their locations and the fact that they only accepted one owner. When the original owners died, that's Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus, they were put in secure locations, but they soon found their ways into the wrong hands. However, even to this day, they only accept one master until he or she dies. I have a theory now on why Kezuro wants them though. If he has all four, he can get his three strongest warriors to help. Look how powerful that one you fought was. You couldn't touch him. Imagine three men of that strength, and then Kezuro, who despite not being particularly strong, is extremely knowledgeable of earth magic. I take it you don't know of the Earth Artefact? It is a now well-hidden staff once held by Venus, which brings out a great magical power in the user, and I have a feeling that Kezuro will find a way to use it even if he isn't recognised by it as his owner. Now come on, I might as well join you full-time now, in the same way that I hear Vireo did for the Mercury's Revenge. Let's rest up now and finish the trip to Aufero tomorrow, and then see if we can get back to Miran in two days time." Kai said. As the party grew to three, they worked their way through the rubble to reach the inn on the far side of town, luckily untouched by the dragon's attack.

The following morning, the group moved on to Aufero, a trip that turned out to be uneventful. However, not far outside the city, they were greeted by a tall, muscular young wyvern rider, wearing regal clothes. He was probably around 27, quite young for a royal.

"You! You match the description perfectly. I am Bane, the Marquis of Aufero. I heard that you saved at least part of Andir, a local community that has good trade with Aufero. For that, I'd like to grant you a gift. What do you need for your journey?" he asked.
"Uh..." Kai said, shocked by the frankness of the Marquis, "Well, when we leave, we need to get to Miran very quickly. Could we get a ride on a wyvern? It'll take only a few hours compared to two days travelling that way."
"That is all? Well, that can be done. If you need to get there quickly, I must ask why you came all the way up here to Aufero."

"We have urgent news. Prepare your armies in case of invasion. There has been great activity and skirmish in Iuria, and we have reason to worry." stated Asura bluntly.
"Ah, but we have no reason to worry. We are allied with Iuria. We have been for a few months now." the Marquis said proudly.
"... We still think- Wait. Is that...?" Arashi gasped. Vireo was there.
"My master wants the blade the girl stole back. If you do not comply, I will destroy you and the rest of your group. This is your warning." he said, in monotone, before attacking Bane with a blow from the Mercury's Revenge.

He seemed to appear out of nowhere, and then disappeared as soon as he finished speaking. Angry in their powerlessness, they called to a soldier to take the Marquis to get help before taking the wyverns they were promised, and flying away, further realising how necessary it was that they became stronger to defeat Vireo, Kezuro, and stop the threat of Iuria.

---

Kyari lent Rynna a hand and pulled her up, as Blade dusted off his pants and Varlen's hands were still twitching in greed.
"Distractions, distractions," Blade muttered, putting his weapons away. "Anyway, now that the damsels in distress are safe, can we keep going?"
"Damsels in WHAT?" Rynna yelled, lunging forward, Kyari barely managing to hold her back.
"Oh yeah, my bad. I just didn't wanna see Kyari get hurt." Kyari let go of Rynna and turned her head away, stifling a giggle, causing Rynna to slam into Blade, knocking him down as she planted her white boot on his neck.
"So NOW you care about women!" Rynna asked menacingly.
"Need we go over this again-" Blade was cut off as her boot slipped lower on his body, causing him to curl up and shut up.
"Good." Rynna said rather pleasantly, and followed Kyari back to Faera. Blade and Varlen likewise mounted, and they kicked off, heading high into the air.

"Dude…she's so hot when she's angry," Varlen told Blade when they reached cruising height. "And that Kyari girl? Man, she's got something going on as well…."
"Shut up and get us to Miran," Blade finally let out, fed up with Varlen's immature comments.
"Damn it, you'd better start being nicer if you don't wanna drop half a mile down," Varlen threatened, causing Blade to let out a sigh and nothing more.

In a few hours, with the sun beginning to set, the four landed softly in a pleasant desert city resting on a plateau and decided to walk around. However, Rynna seemed slightly out of it, following the other three rather than taking the lead. "You all right?" Kyari asked again, remembering her previous conversation. Rynna didn't respond, just walking forward with her head down. "Rynna?"
"Huh? What? Me? Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit…tired. Worn out. Let's go," she said, putting on a smile and pulling Kyari forward into a side alley and beckoning the others to follow. They disappeared into some side door and into a surprisingly well-decorated building. It was, actually, a restaurant, and Rynna knew her way around, sitting them down in a side booth that actually had a window overlooking the desert. A waitress came over, wearing a tight skirt and sleeveless white T-Shirt.
"Welcome to Mirage, where our food is like a dream. So today, our special is…Rynna!" the waitress yelled out, finally looking up from her notepad.
"Heh, hi Lynne. It sure has been a while…"
"Yeah, it's been so boring these past years, I didn't know you'd come back!" Lynne replied, leaning forward onto the table. "How's it been going? Still travelling for riches?"
"Oh, it's been going well, back here on some business."
"Oh, it's that thing again?" Lynne paused and stood up abruptly, peeling Varlen's hand off her behind and delivering an open-fist slap to his face. "How do you manage to find such great company?"
"Just my luck, I guess…so how has the temple been recently, anyway?"
"That hellhole? Eh, temple. Yeah, not much for religion…anyway, it's been quiet lately. Please, do keep it that way? Anyway, sorry, what do you guys want? I'm sure it'll be free for you, Rynna."
"Don't worry about it, it's free for me anyway. Right Blade?"
"Uh, eh…Yeah," he responded, as Rynna picked up a knife and fork and glared at him. "I'll just have water though, and a burger."
"Blade, is it?" Lynne asked, and Blade nodded.
"Don't worry," Varlen smirked, looking at the waitress. "If this place is like a dream, then all I'd like tonight…is you."
Without even batting an eyelash, Lynne motioned to Kyari. "Nice to meet you, and who may you be?"
"Hi, I'm Kyari. I'll just take the same thing as Rynna."
"The usual?" Lynne asked Rynna.
"Yup, if you still remember. And throw Varlen over there a bone or something."
"No problem," she smiled.

As Lynne walked out with their order, the group continued to converse their plan of action, with Rynna talking about the secrets of the temple.

---

Being the only one never taught to fly, Arashi flew on the wyvern flown by Asura. They had been flying for a couple of hours when they finally saw the start of the desert that leads to Miran.

"I can't believe that we let Vireo get away again." muttered Asura bitterly.
"We couldn't have done anything, don't worry. I think that the best way to beat him would be to get all of our warriors, and the other three Artefacts. We may stand a chance. I can't see how he can get any stronger." Kai said.

Miran then came into sight, and the two wyverns began to swoop lower, until they hit the ground. The warriors jumped off and turned to watch the wyverns fly away.

"Now, let's find the others." Arashi said eagerly.
"You can, but I would rather go to the inn and sleep. You two go ahead, Kai can look after you." Asura replied, yawning.
"I don't need looking after, I'm not completely useless! Hey, if it weren't for me, the dragon at Andir would have killed you, come to think of it!" Arashi said.
"Eh, I'll leave you to it", Kai chuckled.

Asura left for the inn and Kai turned to follow him, but lost sight amidst the crowd. Sighing heavily, he turned back to accompany Arashi to rendezvous with the others. However, he turned to see nothing. Arashi had left while his back was turned. "Oh, they're good..." he muttered to himself in disappointment.

Soon the crowd thinned and Kai deemed it safe to move about now. Being a naturally stealthy person, Kai had no liking for large crowds especially when he was already on edge. He moved through the streets almost silently and without so much as brushing against a single person. After much exploring, he came upon a small food stand. The loaves of bread on the table caused him to remember that he hadn't eaten in quite some time.

Moving like any person browsing the stand would, Kai approached the stand. The baker was preoccupied with the oven which made this task much easier. As he turned to leave, he extended a hand from his cloak and took a single loaf of bread. The baker looked up, noticing the loaf was missing. By the time his eyes began searching the crowd for the thief, Kai had melted into the shadows once again.

Kai laughed as he slipped into a back alley to eat. "Just like old times..." he spoke as if there was another person beside him. As he ate, Kai's mind wandered into the past. Memories of his friend Kurisu floated back like a dream. "Ah...if only you were here, friend..." Kai sighed.


Some plot has shown itself... stay tuned for chapter 3.