Prologue: The Wheels of Fate Turns

"Chrom, we have to do something?" a feminine voice echoed.

Her concern was directed to an unconscious male lying asleep on the swaying meadow field. The male had long black hair partially covering his sharp facial features. Covering his long but oddly thin body was an oversized black cloak with purple trims and highlights, emphasizing the ominous eye shape patterns on the sleeves. Even when asleep, the mysterious male emitted an aura of warmth that drew her attention.

Unbeknownst to the female, her voice had startled the male from his strange dream. Slowly, his eyes flicker with life, allowing rays of warm light to pierce the veil of darkness over his pupils. Though the male's vision was blurry, he could make out two figures standing above him.

"What do you propose we do?" a deep masculine voice asked.

The male inwardly winced at the new 'unknown' voice. Why the person's voice carried an air of familiarity, he couldn't understand.

"Um, I dunno know." the female turned to face the larger figure next to her.

Bursts of colors illuminated the male's vision as his eyes gently fluttered open. Taking a deep breath, he could feel a soft warm breeze pleasantly brushing his face. Shuffling in the grass, the two figures turn their focus at him. Quickly, they leaned over him.

"I see you're awake now", the masculine voice belonged to a male with blue hair with gold-trimmed clothes to match in shades. Despite the small tatters at the edge of his white waist length cape, a noble spirited aura surrounded the male before him.

"Hey there." the feminine voice belonged to a female with blond hair styled into twin pigtail and yellow dress, her green eyes gazing into his own with wonder. When the male returned the curious look, her giggle chimed softly.

"There are pretty places to take a nap than on the ground you know." Chrom teasingly jabbed, directing the male's attention back to him. "Give me your hand."

Upon grasping his savior's glove hand, the male noticed a mark on the back of his own. The mark had a similar pattern to the sorcerer's book cover in his dream, its dark-purple highlighted eyes staring without remorse at him. The male's train of thought broke as his boot finally met solid ground.

Waves of nausea rushed through his body at the sudden movement but the male steadied himself from falling over. Dazed, the male observed his surroundings. To his disappointment, there was nothing but miles of grass and trees in the distance. Oddly, his eyes focused on another figure standing far away from the back of Chrom's right. The person was a male with brown hair covered in blue and silver colored heavy armor. Even from a distant, the male could feel the knight's glare directed at him.

"You all right?" Chrom motioned his companion in the back to approach.

"Y-yes…" the male's breath hitched. "Thank you, Chrom."

"Ah, then you know who I am?" Chrom's eyes flashed.

The male ran his cold fingers through his hair. "No, actually. I…it's strange…Your name, it just…came to me…"

"…Hmm, how curious." Chrom frowned. "Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

Mirroring Chrom's expression, the male ponder. "Umm, my name is…It's…"

Oddly, the male couldn't remember who he was no matter how hard he tried. The events in his dream were quickly fading. Every ticking second spent made it harder to remember. To the male, it was as if his brain deliberately hid the most important details about him. All he could remember was darkness and name of the man in front of him, Chrom. Everything thought was in complete disorder. Groaning, the male pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"… You don't know your own name?" Chrom's right hand slightly twitched.

"I'm not sure if…" the male's eyes wandered again to scan his surroundings. Concluding he had no answers to his saviors' questions, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but where am I, exactly?"

Surprised, the blonde girl chimed. "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!"

Letting the words hang unpleasantly in the air, the armored knight stepped forward. "It's called a load of pegasus dung."

Facing the male with eyes filled of open hostility, he continued. "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"

"B-but it's the truth!" the male tensed, the back of his hair were standing on edge at the accusing words.

Nothing made sense to him. He had woken to a strange dream only to find no memory. Chrom grind his left foot in the grass awkwardly, the dark looming atmosphere hovering over the peaceful meadow field was beginning to feel suffocating.

"…What if it IS true, Frederick?" Chrom faced his knight. "We can't just leave him here, alone and confused. Besides, what sort of Shepherds would we be then?"

The armored knight finally introduced as Frederick remained adamant. "Just the same, milord. I must emphasize caution." Quickly glancing to the robed male standing before them, he rudely continued, "Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock."

'He still has the audacity to say that while I'm here. I don't like this guy,' the male crossed his arms, returning the knight's hard look.

"Right then-we'll take him back to town and sort this out there." Chrom heaved with finality, receiving a nod from the stubborn knight and Lissa.

"Wait just one moment. Do I have a say in this?" the male rapidly glanced at the trio of people before him. He had just met these people only minutes ago and they were already deciding what to do with him.

Noticing tinged fear in the male's eyes, Chrom raised his hands in reassurance. "Peace, friend-I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come."

Sensing sincerity flowing from Chrom's words, the male sighed. He didn't want to wander a land where he lacked knowledge nor did he know where home was.

'Well, if I had one to begin with,' the male tread forward slowly with his 'saviors' to gods know where.

The four had been walking for couple of hours to a place called Southtown with the only noise coming boots shuffling over grovel road and the blonde girl's constant chatter with Chrom.

'Who am I? And what am I here for?' the man asked himself for the thousandth time, occasionally glancing around to remember anything that could identify who he was.

For miles on end, he could see trees, grass, and even more trees. Frustrated, the male ruffled his hair before catching the attention of Chrom and the blonde girl whose name he didn't know. "What will you do with me? Am I to be your prisoner?"

Halting, Chrom turn back with a hearty chuckle. "You'll be free to go once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse."

The male felt a familiar click at the strange name. "Is that where we are? Ylisse?"

"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick's mouth gap in disbelief, his tone made no effort to hide what the male sense as disrespect. "Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing…"

"Frederick, please." Chrom rubbed his face, clearly annoyed at his knight's antics. "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the Exalt."

Seeing how everyone was silent and attentive, Chrom continued. "I suppose proper introductions are in order…My name is Chrom-but then, you already knew that." Gesturing to the blond girl, his grin swelled. "The delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."

"I am NOT delicate!" Lissa puffed her cheek in annoyance before crossing her arms and turning away from her brother. Seeing the amused look of the male, a warm smile graced her face again. "Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes."

Seeing the male smirk, Lissa giggled. "But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"

There was that word again, 'Shepherds.' But what did it mean?

"Shepherds? You tend sheep…in full armor?" the male glanced at Chrom's sword and Lissa staff, now foolishly aware of the amount of weapons, armor, and gear surrounding him.

Chrom smiled at the question that never came to his mind. "It's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary here."

"A title I shall wear with pride." Frederick finally answered with a respective bow.

'So that's why he's so cautious of me…Still.' the male brought his right hand to his chin, mentally noting to limit any radical words or actions to avoid sowing further distrust of him.

"Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution." the male felt the cautious glare directed at him. "I have every wish to trust you, stranger but my station mandates otherwise."

Setting the rough confrontation beforehand, the male nodded. "I understand. I would do no less myself." As if his mouth worked faster than his mind, the male continued." My name is Robin."

An awkward silence permeated the air. Seeing the three stare at him, male quietly mumbled the entire conversation to himself. Upon reaching one particular word, his eyes widen.

"…I just remembered that. How odd." Robin frowned, awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I suppose that's one mystery solved."

"Robin? Is that foreign?" Chrom's eyes glittered with eagerness. Questions upon unanswered question were on the tip of his tongue but he no idea where to start. Before he could ask further, his sister's shaky voice brought his mind back to reality.

"Chrom, look! The town!" Lissa pointed at the multiple rising pillars of smoke and distant cries of screaming. Despite the distance, everyone could make out the figures of villagers running for their lives.

"Damn it!" Chrom yelled angrily. "Those blasted brigands, no doubt."

"Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!" Chrom drew a gleaming sword from the holster on his waist.

"What about him?" Frederick grunted, trotting his lord already mounted on his armored horse. The wary knight looked at Robin who continued to stare at the shadowy figures of fleeing villagers.

"Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom yelled. Without a word, the blue-hair lord race desperately towards the burning village.

Seeing the three figures growing smaller in the distance to deal with the brigands, Robin felt lost once more. Just as he was warming up to the group, they were gone leaving him alone once more. Even though he was given a chance to escape and find his own way back home, it was as if a voice rooted his body in place, constantly telling him to do one thing only: follow them. Despite not having a weapon but a book in his robe's pocket, he ran after Chrom and his Shepherds. He didn't care. It was now or never to get answers since his awakening.