This is a disclaimer…I honestly don't know why people even put these up. Yeah, yeah there's all that Copyright (BS) stuff but ITS OBVIOUS THAT WE FAN WRITERS DON'T OWN THE FREAKING GAME…….right?
In the beginning, the Black Fang was a league of chivalrous fighters, both renowned and feared for their skill. They were the legendary group of assassins, hell-bent on killing the corrupt rulers of the continent, and seen as mighty heroes in the eyes of the needy people. They did not kill for pay either, they got along by doing the honorable things, an alliance of the greatest warriors…perfect warriors.
Heh, it makes me laugh now when I think of it compared to now.
I was never a part of it…I lived only for the blood of my enemy, stealing the souls of others in futile hopes that I could find my own. I was feared for my skill even among my allies. And they were right to fear me. It had been that way for my entire life…until we came to the Black Fang. That's when things started to change, and that's when I found her...or, when she found me…
After all that time, it was her spirit and happiness that gave me the life that I was missing. I had no desire to even know her name until she became the first person to ever care for me. Had it not been for that girl…I would sill be a living corpse.
"Lloyd! Linus!" A laughing teenage girl bounded along the halls of a great fortress.
Two men, just outside of the fortress turned around to see her and greeted the girl with warm smiles of their own. As soon as she reached them, the girl bounced up into the larger man's waiting arms.
"You're back! Both of you!" She cried.
Linus, the larger man swung her around and tossed her gracefully onto his shoulders.
"That we are Nino," he said. "Well met."
Lloyd, the other, stepped forward and lifted Nino off of Linus's shoulders.
"It's wonderful to see you again Nino, it looks like you've grown since last we saw you!" he said measuring her with his hand.
"Uh-huh!" Nino nodded her head. "And you'll never guess what I can do either!"
Linus gave his brother a nervous glance. He knew very well that whatever his sister planned to show them dealt with magic. He was already educated in this way the previous year that caused him to loose most of his hair.
Lloyd only grinned and encouraged Nino to show him what she had to offer. Nino smiled devilishly and with drew a spell book from behind her back. Linus took a self-conscious step backwards. Lloyd, on the other hand, was fascinated with the tome and leaned in to read the scripture on the cover.
"Wait Nino, this is a book of Elfire!" he said aghast.
Nino beamed, "I told you I'd get better! Now watch this!" She directed her attention to a small patch of forest not far off from where they were standing.
Lloyd and Linus took an instinctive step backwards, and Nino began to utter the spell of Elfire under her breath. She started repeating the incantation faster and faster—forming a ring of fire around her feet. Then, she raised her hands to the sky, bringing with them two spiraling entrails of fire, which were then directed with her palm to obliterate the small clump of trees. The two brothers watched in admiration as the trees disappeared in a giant helix of fire.
Nino turned to them expectantly for some tips or advice, but to her disappointment, none came. The two brothers only stared at their half-sister with a blend of emotions that Nino couldn't decipher.
With as much effort as he could muster, Linus broke out into a loud applause, and his brother was quick to join him.
"Nino that was amazing!" Lloyd managed. "You've just barely come of age, and yet you have mastered Anima magic that requires superior ability to wield!"
Nino turned beet-red and buried her head into Lloyd's chest.
"Th-Thank you," She stammered. "I really wasn't sure if I could do it…I just got this book yesterday for my birthday. I wanted to wait for you two before I tried it out."
Linus gave Nino a knowing smile. "Well you did it, didn't you? And you took us completely by surprise…" he leaned in close and raised his hand to the side of his mouth, "…which will be out little secret okay?" He winked.
Nino laughed and nodded her head. "You should've been at my party too! Ursula is the one who gave me the book!"
The two brothers exchanged grins. Unlike her mother, Nino treated all of the Fangs with love and respect, and had become fast friends with many of the skilled people Black Fang had to offer. It was also she that ultimately brought the upper echelons of the Black Fang closer together more like a family…save for Sonia and her sadistic little servant, Jaffar. Though she tried to hide it, it was no secret that Ursula took a liking to Nino.
It was because of Nino that Lloyd and Linus suspected Sonia from the beginning. They could never believe that this happy, kind, green-haired child could ever be the daughter of that vicious, demeaning, golden-eyed whore. Had it not been for Nino, Lloyd and Linus wouldn't nearly have been as prepared for the events that would turn the Black Fang upside down.
"I swear these have been the best three days of my life!" Nino cried happily, ripping both of them from their thought.
Nino began counting the events on her fingers. "I had a wonderful birthday, both of you two arrived, I mastered my magic book and mother has spoken of a mission for me!"
Lloyd and Linus stiffened slightly and their eyes turned cold at that last bit.
"She what?" Lloyd asked, trying his best to sound remotely excited.
Nino looked down at her feet. "Well…I overheard her and step-father talking…"
Linus abandoned any cheer that he may have had and leaned in menacingly close to Nino, who started kicking the back of her heal in shame.
"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not going to lecture you for eavesdropping, I just want to know what you heard."
Nino lifted her head and took a breath. "Well, I was walking down the great hall when I heard Mother shout my name loudly. I thought she was calling for me at first, but she was only arguing with step-father."
The two brothers started walking away from the fortress and beckoned Nino to follow them.
"Continue," Linus said curtly after they were well out of earshot.
"Ok, um…It goes like this:"
"Sonia! Have you gone mad?" Brendan Reed, leader of the Black Fang stormed into the room.
Sonia was lounging in a chair at the far side of the room, idly reading some incantations from the Sacred Book of Fimbulvetr that her master had given her. She merely glanced at her husband out of the corner of her eye then continued reading.
"Peace my husband," she said soothingly. "What is it that makes you disrupt my reading?"
"Ursula tells me that you intend to send Nino on an assignment!" Brendan said vehemently.
"There is no need to worry beloved," came the nonchalant reply. "I find my daughter fully capable for the task. And I have called for Jaffar in case she needs aid. He will arrive shortly from his current assignment and then I will send them off."
Brendan's hands clenched tightly. He hadn't been overly fond Jaffar ever since he took Linus' place as one of the Four Fangs. However, he was fond of Nino, and the thought of those two together sent chills down his spine. With effort unaccounted for, he relaxed his fists and pulled a chair close to his wife, in which he sat backwards.
"Listen Sonia," he said firmly. "We both know that you despise Nino to no end, and I have recently found that you indeed have no reason to love her either…"
Sonia's golden eyes flashed out at the warrior contemptuously.
"You did your homework then?" she asked just as quietly, laying the tome across her chest.
Brendan's cold eyes affirmed the question.
"Well then," she said looking off. "At least that's settled."
Brendan's anger started to swell. "But we also know that I love her as a daughter!"
"Are you saying that Nino's incapable for this mission?" Sonia asked raising her voice.
"She has just come of age!"
"And she is well-learned in the art of Anima!"
Brendan struggled to form another attack. No matter how hard he tried, he could never win with this woman…or control her for that matter. Sonia, on the other hand, immediately took advantage of the situation. Both were oblivious to the door on the other side of the room crack open ever so slightly…
"I truly do not see why you are so resistant love! She is a woman now, she possesses skills apt for the job, and I have called Jaffar's aid for her protection! If you care for her so much, then you would know that this is for her own good!"
A silence passed after Sonia sealed the argument. Brendan closed his eyes and let the anger flood out of him. Calmly, he stood up and returned the chair to its former place.
He continued on to the door, and the golden eyes watched his every footstep. He opened the door and paused just short of the threshold to look back at his wife.
"I don't know what planning this time Sonia," he said just loud enough for her to hear. "But I will find out…count on that."
Brendan ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach as her shrieks of laughter haunted his every footstep down the hall.
Linus stared off into the distance. "So that's it?"
Nino nodded head proudly. "I only heard what she said to convince step-father to let me go, then I ran off, but I am sure they were talking well before that."
"So am I," Lloyd thought aloud. Suddenly though, he seemed to remember that the news made Nino happy, and he managed to change the subject.
"Well I'm sure that you'll do just fine when the time comes!" he said. "Oh! And I almost forgot! We have yet to give you your birthday present."
Nino's face lit up with excitement. "Truly brother? What is it?" she bounced a little in anticipation.
Linus recovered from the news as well and regained his brotherly countenance, then filled in for Lloyd.
"Well, we haven't really talked with father about it, but we were thinking about bringing you along to a skirmish with the local brigands…what do you say?"
Nino was at an absolute loss for words. She managed to squeak a little, and her brothers laughed.
"I'll take that as a yes," Linus said, once again hoisting her onto his shoulders.
And so the three siblings left and disappeared into the mountains. Only to return the next day to face a destiny greater than either one could imagine.
Though she tried to act her age around other people, Nino was always herself around her two brothers…carefree, and…happy. I never saw her act the same way around anyone else…except me…
Even though they did not share the same blood, those three shared stronger ties than even normal siblings…ties further reinforced every day by her. It was perhaps the first time in my life that I experienced emotion. When I saw everything that Nino worked so hard to build…torn down by hatred.
Wow…sappy huh? All right then, this is my first FE fic so constructive criticism is wholly accepted. I'm sorry if this is a little cheesy right off the bat but rest assured, the characters will grow up over the next few chapters. Oh yeah, and how old is Nino exactly? Anyone know? LoL Please R&R! :)