Prologue: Beginning at the End
Since I started with nothing, I quickly came to appreciate what I had and came to have. I thought with all that life had given me, there was nothing I couldn't accomplish. That with all the support and power I possessed, there was no force that could bring me down.
I was wrong. More wrong than I could possibly imagine.
My life is a living hell. In a single moment, everything was taken from me, even my free will. If I could, I would end my life and free myself from this endless damnation. But the evil that claimed me, the Fell Dragon Grima, will never allow that. At every point he taunts me, mocks my failures, and gloats about what fresh tortures he has in store for me.
Now that your friends have all been eradicated, all that remains is to find your precious daughter. Once she is out of the picture, there will be no one left who can oppose me.
"You may have murdered my husband…claimed my son…but you will not have my daughter!"
Come now, I am not completely lacking in mercy. I will grant you the pleasure of seeing her one last time before she expires. Although I suppose she wouldn't want to see you, after what you did.
My heart burned with guilt and shame. I often relive that horrible moment when I drift near unconsciousness. But the worst part was, no matter if I kept my silence or showed any form of defiance, there was no secret he couldn't find, no weakness he couldn't exploit.
Wait…does she not know about you…about US…?
As I wept uncontrollably, he started to laugh. It was a cruel, sadistic laugh, completely lacking in mirth or compassion.
Oh, this is perfect! Once I track her down, I'll have you be the one to fetch her. Watching her hope and joy turn to complete despair, will be almost better than seeing her die!
I don't know how much time had passed. My dreams and reality have blended together into a horrible montage of destruction and death. If it wasn't the screams of the dying, it was the roar of flames and the maniacal laughter of Grima that filled my head. However, eventually, something did happen. The Fell Dragon let out a roar of rage that shook the very ground I stood upon.
Curse that Divine Dragon! Even without her Voice, she still opposes me from beyond the grave! This will not be allowed to happen!
Having discovered what had happened, that my daughter was even now seeking a way to defeat Grima and end this living hell, filled me with joy for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. So consumed with hatred was the Fell Dragon, that he didn't notice the ideas that were brewing in my mind. While I may have been broken beyond repair, I was and always will be a tactician, and this opportunity will not be wasted.
Grima brought me to a forsaken temple, where apparently the Divine Dragon Naga had devised and performed a ritual, allowing warriors-including my daughter-to travel to the past, no doubt in an attempt to prevent the rise of the Fell Dragon from happening. While I instinctively knew this wouldn't change the events that had happened in my time, I also knew any chance that could be taken to stop him from bringing the world to an end was worth taking.
No! Those insects already escaped! Well no matter. I will simply pursue them and make sure destiny follows its natural course!
As Grima had me step through the shimmering portal within the temple, I couldn't help but smile as the final pieces of my plan came together. The Fell Dragon finally took notice of me and was puzzled at the positive expression I wore.
Feeling nostalgic, are we? Perhaps looking forward to seeing family and friends once more? I must admit the thought excites me too. I wonder if I shall slay them all myself a second time, or let fate see itself through. Then again, I wouldn't want to deprive you or myself this little visit to bygone days.
"You know what your problem is? You grow too complacent; with your immortality, you never plan for things in the moment, which leaves you vulnerable. Fate is not set in stone, and you will be defeated."
Ha! With all the power and knowledge I possess, there's no hope for humanity now or ever! Besides, how do you, with all your genius and talent, think to defeat me, when you already failed once?
At that moment, power surged within me, a dormant power which I had thought lost to me but had bloomed anew with my last wave of hope.
Impossible! That power should have died when I claimed you as my vessel! This can't be happening!
"You may have conquered my body and mind, but you will never have my soul! I may not be able to kill you, but I'll make sure they can!"
If you do this, you'll cease to exist along with me!
"A small price to pay! May this be the last true fact you remember: anything can change!"
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
With my newfound strength, I turned my power inward, severed my mind and Grima's, and cast the thoughts they held into the ether before me, towards the past I hoped to save.
"You may not understand, but I know you'll figure it out. After all…you are me. May this…be enough…to make a difference…"
With that, my mind passed into the void, with the screams of a deranged Fell Dragon following in my wake.
Well, here I am, back from the dead more or less. Turns out moving to a new state is more stressful than I thought. Now that there is a piece of stability in my life again, I'm back to writing again, this time with another Fire Emblem story. This is a little preview to get back into the groove of things, I my hope is to finish my Luck be a Lady story in the near future. Only a few more chapters to go there, then I can focus on this one more consistently. Thanks and enjoy!