The Dark Executioner

A Fire Emblem and NCS Adventure

Chapter 2: Strike of the Warrior.

By: Davis(Davis3 on FFN)

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the official characters but I do own Amber(the Rogue Pegasus Knight) and Dark Warrior(aka the Dark Executioner)

A few hours had passed since Dark Warrior left Amber's tent to begin his mission. He rode across Ilia's countryside on horseback, but he was deep in thought over some of the things that she had spoken to him about.(Start Flashback)



" It just occurred to me that I never asked you where you hail from," said Amber.



" Where I hail from? That is of no importance to anyone, not even myself. I am not even from this world of yours, no. Rather, I come from another place known as the Earth, and I travel between the two from time to time as a means of seeing what is available." Dark Warrior said.



" You're….from another world," said Amber softly.



" It is another concept that you modern people cannot grasp. It is best that you forget that I ever mentioned it to you, for it will no doubt plague your mind, when in truth, your mind should be focused on revenge on Ilia, am I right?" asked Dark Warrior.



" I suppose so," replied Amber.(End Flashback)



" That child is young, and has much ahead of her to look forward to. If she were to try to figure out what I said about coming from another world, it would only confuse her, making her more confused than ever before. Ah, such frailty from these modern times. Back in my day, centuries past, we never thought along the same lines as this lot do. We were a much more proud race, not a care in the world about things that were beyond our reach and understanding. But, from what I have seen and gathered over the last few hundred years, the human race has evolved and changed. Now, they try to make sense of things they do not understand, and for what reason? To become superior to it, to master it! They will find out in time that there are some things they were never meant to control, never meant to understand and in the end, it will be their inevitable destruction….I can sense the three Pegasus Knights I am to kill….they are close to my location….due north for a few miles."



" Come on sisters!" cried Farina.



" Why must you push us so hard?" Florina asked.



" Because if we don't train hard enough, when it comes to that big job we have to do, we'll end up failing it miserably, thus not getting any paycheck," Farina replied.



" Ah, of course." Fiora began.



" What?" asked Farina.



" With you, it is the paycheck that has you the most interested," replied Fiora.



" That's not true," said Farina.



" Judging by the way you speak and by the way you think, earnings are what is on your mind right now." Fiora said.



" Okay, so maybe I do take getting paid a little too seriously, but it doesn't hurt to stress it a little bit now. We need the money to support not only ourselves, but for our future," said Farina.



" You stress it a lot," said Fiora.



" So?" Farina asked.



" But, that's the kind of person you are," replied Fiora.



" It's no wonder I can't stay mad at you," said Farina.



" This training was my idea, so if you really want that paycheck, come the end of the day, we'll all need to work extra hard. Flying from here to Pherae to see Lord Eliwood, pick up the delivery he has for us and bringing it back here is no easy task," said Fiora.



" For us sisters? Ha! It'll be easy," said Farina.



" You'd like to think it would be easy, but no it isn't. We have to fly non-stop for this mission is of the utmost importance," said Fiora.



" My kind of job." Farina grinned.



" You are impossible," said Fiora. As the three sisters resumed their flying maneuvers, they were unaware of the presence of their assassin, whom they know nothing about. " So, there they are, practicing. Such fools, not knowing the true danger that comes their way. It is best for me that I allow them to carry on with their routine, and make my move later. They are strong physically, as they are graceful knights of the sky, but the way they argue proves that their minds are not as strong as they would like. Hmmm….the nervous one seems to be at ends with what to say to her sisters….she'll be my first victim."



" Florina, what is wrong?" asked Fiora.



" Um…." Answered Florina.



" You don't have to be nervous around us you know. Farina and I have been known to argue a few times when our differences clash," said Fiora.



" I know that sister, but I feel so left out of it," said Fiora.



" You'd like to get involved with our arguments?" asked Fiora.



" No….not those…but in more gentler conversations," replied Florina.



" Why did you not say so in the first place. I'll make sure you get to speak to both of us more often," said Fiora.



" Thank you," said Florina.



" Florina is it? So that is her name," said Dark Warrior.



" Hey you two! We ought to head back to the castle and finish our training there," suggested Farina.



" Good idea," said Fiora.



" They are leaving….no matter, for I will follow them. The girl Florina, she is just as timid as she was the last time I saw her when she and her sister along with the Lady Lyndis and another were battling that servant of darkness. They used the power they had within themselves to ensure victory; a power that is useless to them now." Dark Warrior laughed as he urged his horse to follow them. By the time he reached the castle, the sun had fallen and the sisters were once again training by a forest just west of the castle walls. " The night….it is so young and peaceful….the perfect time to perform a killing!"



" Okay, so why are we outside at night?" Farina asked.



" We have to get used to flying after the sun goes down, for as I said, we have to fly non-stop and that includes flying by night," replied Fiora.



" I was just asking," said Farina.



" Florina, why don't you fly first around the castle and back here?" asked Fiora. Florina nodded her approval and took to the skies.



" She is still timid," said Farina.



" Give her time sister," said Fiora.



" She is doing rather well, for being so timid," said Farina.



" Florina must be trying to keep her mind focused on the mission at hand, and I must say that it appears to be working well. She's flown around the castle in record time. Sister, you can come down now," said Fiora. As Florina got her Pegasus into a decent, something from the corner of her eye caught her attention. She had no time to react to what was coming her way. She moved her head to the left just as a bright flash of silver whizzed by, clipping her hair, curving in an arc and disappearing into the forest.



" What was that?" asked Farina.



" I'm not sure, but it came from the forest," answered Fiora.



" Should we go take a look?" asked Farina.



" Our priority first is to help our sister." Fiora answered as she ran towards where Florina landed. " Florina, are you alright?" Florina was unable to answer due to the sudden shock of nearly being hit by something that moved so fast.



" Is she okay?" asked Farina.



" She's in a state of shock," replied Fiora.



" I was barely able to see what it was that tried to hit, but I am certain that is was a Silver Axe that disappeared into the forest," said Farina.



" Impossible!" exclaimed Fiora.



" What is?" asked Farina.



" That you saw a Silver Axe. That weapon is much too heavy to move at such a speed, let alone being able to be thrown such a distance," replied Fiora.



" Then you tell me what you saw," said Farina.



" All I saw, was something fast, missing our sister, curving in some kind of arc and then going into the forest," said Fiora. Florina took the time to recover whilst her sisters argued about what it was that nearly hit her. She felt her hair to notice she it had been clipped and blood trickled down the finger she used to feel her hair for it was now sharp. As she stared at the blood, she breathed a sigh of relief that she was able to survive such an attack, but at the same time was frightened that it happened to her while airborne.



" Florina!" exclaimed Farina.



" Are you alright?" asked Fiora.



" I am fine. Whatever it was up there, missed me, but managed to clip my hair with deadly accuracy," she answered as she regained her composure.



" That's the markings of an assassin," said Fiora.



" The accuracy?" Farina asked.



" Yes," replied Fiora.



" Why would anyone want to kill me?" asked Florina. Before she could get a response, the same bright flash of silver shot out of the forest and was aiming at both Farina and Fiora. They both managed to duck for cover, but not before being clipped by it and seeing it curve in a boomerang style of arc and heading back into the forest. " Then again…."



" That was a Silver Axe!" shouted Farina.



" You may be right about that," said Fiora.



" But, I do agree with you that it's impossible to use one like we just saw….unless whoever threw it was a master of the axe," said Farina.



" It seems that we're all being targeted by an assassin, and one who has deadly aim! But, we must remain strong and not let this get us down. We still have a mission to do and we'll all do our best to make sure we complete it," said Fiora.



" And watch our backs while we're at it," added Farina.



" Can we go back inside now?" asked Florina.



" Of course. I think we all need a good night's sleep to shake off what just happened," said Fiora.



" Good idea," said Farina. As they walked back to the other Pegasi and took off towards the castle, from the shadows of the forest stepped Dark Warrior, holding his Silver Axe in his right hand.



" That went much better than I had hoped. They are now split on focusing on their lives and keeping an eye out for their assassin. I intended to miss them anyway for it is better to strike the mind rather than the body. Their bodies are strong, but their minds are frail, easily distracted by other things, and easy to hit. Such is the frailty of the human mind. By attacking them mentally from time to time, they will break down into quivering masses and become unable to defend themselves when the time finally comes when they shall die by my hand! My Silver Axe has served me well this night. Heh, they think it impossible to use one of these weapons this way, but soon they will wish they had believed. I will camp here tonight and wait for them to take their leave in the morning to Pherae, for I shall follow them and make them suffer even more. They will not survive the onslaught I shall perform on their minds."

TO BE CONTINUED…

Next Chapter: " The Long Road to Pherae – Fraught with Danger"

The next part features Eliwood briefly, but he has a bigger role in Part 4, and a guard does get killed, just to warn you.