Wrath of Fate
Chapter the Twelfth
Forgotten Stories
Eastern Ivalice
Raven sat on a collapsible wooden chair near the campfire. The sun had just settled behind the mountains. Cloud's mercenaries had surrendered quietly after their leader had fallen. The majority of the soldiers were preparing dinner or fixing the equipment. Some were making reports to their superiors. Others were just sharing stories or playing games. Thanks to the series of victories they had been having the group's morale was considerably high. This added greatly to the fighting efficiency of the army.
Raven was trying on his new equipment. His arm had been broken in the previous fight so he couldn't use a shield. It had been tended to by the healers, though so he could still use copper bracers. He had chosen a lighter sword from their stock, as well as a sheath to go with it. It was clasped around hi upper body dangling from his back. He had taken a coat but had taken the sleeves of so it allowed smoother movement.
He practiced drawing the sword and resheathing it. He was still getting used to its lesser weight. Someone approached him from behind.
"How are you feeling Raven?" Lyn asked moving beside his chair.
Raven got up to allow Lyn to sit down. "I'm fine my lady. Please sit down." He said quietly.
"You seem…more lofty than normal. Are you sure everything's alright?"
"It's nothing, really…" Raven said looking at the ground.
"Are you sure? Perhaps in the next battle you should stay here, at the camp."
"As the sun's blades of light strike the demons of the darkness so shall I rise to smite my enemies." Raven said.
"It's so confusing when you talk like that." Lyn said walking away. "If you need anything come to my tent."
The Imperial Frigate, Obsidian
Fiora flew aboard the ship. A number of finely clad admirals and some rugged sailors stood on the ships deck. They were gathered in an arc, obviously expecting her.
She dismounted her Pegasus and brushed her hair back. She bowed to the admirals then stepped back.
"Greetings, admirals of the New Lesalian Republic of Ivalice. I am Fiora, grand marshal of the wing fleet of Ilia." Fiora said.
"Yes. Lady Fiora, grand marshal of the wing fleet. We have heard of your impressive achievements. All these heroic deeds and you are still in you mid twenties? A fine hero Ivalice now has in its service." One of the admirals said. "Let us proceed below deck where we can deal in privacy."
The admirals lead Fiora below deck, to one of the many cabins there. There was a table with four chairs around it. In the center were two documents. One was ancient, cracked at the edges and its ink was beginning to wear off. The other was nearly blank.
One of the admirals picked up the older document. "Lady Fiora, I am quite sure you've heard of the alliance of the Obsidian. Can you tell me what is contained in this particular document?"
"It is a treaty, signed on this very frigate. It states that in time of need, Ilia would go to the defense of the Empire of Ivalice." Fiora said.
"Correct. But, as I'm sure you know, the Empire has disintegrated. In its stead the new republic has been formed. We are calling on your aid, your countries' aid."
"Our pact was with the empire, not some shady and unstable republic."
"But our country still sends supplies to your frozen frontier! Surely you acknowledge that?" The admiral screamed.
"Surely. That is on your own decision however." Fiora said resolutely.
"Perhaps there is something we can do to change your mind?" another admiral suggested.
"My decision is not important here. It's the decision of my superiors that counts. I will see what favor we might ask of you in return for our military aid." With that, Fiora rose and left the cabin.
Eastern Ivalice
Raven pulled back the flap to the tent. Lyn sat on a collapsible bed reading a book. He entered quietly, trying not to disturb her. He stood near the opening waiting for her to acknowledge him. Lyn continued on reading, though, entirely oblivious to his presence.
Murond, dark city
Zephiel walked up to the loft where Vaida's vicious wyvern was. It was a ferocious but knew Zephiel to be a friend. Zephiel observed the crumbling city around him. He raised his sword. Soon the fighting dulled and stopped. He raised his voice so those near him would hear. Most had already reached there anyway. The resistance had been silenced soon enough. They realized that their hopes were lost and now were being dragged off to the main Biran encampment.
"Soldiers of Biran, warriors from Ivalice, mercenaries from many lands, we now have in our control one of the seven major cities historical of Ivalice and one of the three left standing. We hold in our hands a symbol of might and sovereignty. We are now done with the first part of our invasion. Under my iron hand and between the fangs of the wyverns, long our faithful steeds, shall this land be made new. We shall usher in an age of peace and unity born from the powerful nation of Biran. Elibe shall see its first empire! The Biran Empire!" Zephiel shouted the last two words as loud as he could. The crowd cheered and waved weapons, reveling in the moment.
Zephiel spoke again, his tone loud but more moderate. "Now the road shall be long, and the challenges numerous. Our goal is far from us but we shall prevail. Do not be enticed by the peace of death or the silence of eternal slumber. Rather, be invigorated with life, love and passion! Live! For yourself, your goals, for Biran, for those you love!"
Eastern Ivalice
Raven cleared his throat after waiting for around twenty minutes. Lyn faced him, apparently a bit surprised.
"Yes, Raven?"
"Well, you asked if there was something disturbing me…We're friends now so I guess I can say it. Today is the day I was separated from my sister…You all found out anyway. You know it's Priscilla."
"Yes. You told most of us. Just not Hector, Matthew and Oswin."
"Yeah, well…that's all." Raven said, turning to leave.
"Wait, Raven. It's just, we're friends so…if you don't mind, could you tell me how it happened?" Lyn asked putting her hand on Raven's shoulder.
"Alright. But don't tell anyone else." Raven said. "Sit down, it's not something you can hear in a few seconds."
Lyn sat down on her bed and Raven sat on a chair.
"Alright let me begin. It happened in the early morning. I was barely awake and Priscilla was probably still sleeping peacefully. While I was putting on my day clothes I heard hard knocking on the manor's doors. I could hear my father's heavy steps and his clanking armor. Suddenly, I heard the door hive way. Sounds of battle reached my room on the second level. Then, my mother screamed for me to open the door. I did so and she came in.
She told me to flee the manor and to go to our uncle's countryside villa. It was a distance off so she told us to rest at the pond along the way. She said she would come for us when it was safe to return.
So I took Priscilla with me. We took a young horse from the stables and rode off. Soon we got to the pond and we stopped to rest. However, we didn't notice that some of the assassins had trailed us from the manor. I realized it would be futile to fight so I surrendered. They would have none of that though. They beat me and left me to die, bringing Priscilla off with them as some kind of trophy.
A group of warrior-monks soon came upon me. A young acolyte had spotted me and alerted the rest of the group. However, they possessed no healing abilities so they simply gave me first aid and brought m to a nearby abbey. The acolyte who spotted me stayed with me. There I recovered to full health, having suffered no permanent physical injuries.
Soon, I got word of what happened to Priscilla. A group of sages from Etruria had come upon the bandits and slew them. Priscilla was rescued and brought back with them. Seeing as she was safe I decided to settle some other matters first.
I returned to Caelin, to my uncle's house. Here I learned that my father had been killed and my mother was taken away. The house had been plundered but thankfully, our servants were spared.
I sought them out, trying to get as much information on the assassins as I could. From what I gathered I established that they were Ositians, hired by someone my father owed money to.
Thus I went to Ositia to ask for aid from the marques. The guards at the castle gate turned me down, though. I insisted and finally they let me through. However, when I did get inside I was met with the same rejection from their marques, I pleaded many times but they just turned me down. Several of the young nobles mocked me and my family. Angered, I began the hunt on my own.
I pursued the assassins and in one brutal night, slew them all in their hideout. It was accomplished only by good luck as they only had a few left there. The others I killed upon their arrival. It was then I realized that the assassins did not have any of the family heirlooms. They were all with the man who hired them.
Thus I returned to the abbey where I had recovered to rest for a few months. I befriended the acolyte who had been with me before. His name was Lucius. After I told him of what had happened to my family, he offered to help me in my plight. After having agreed on what to do, we set out once again.
We went to the house of the nobleman and demanded he return my family's treasures. He scorned us and suffered us no more time. He bid us depart and so we did. The next day, in the early morning we broke into his house and slew him and his family in their sleep. We killed the guards as well. Then we took the family treasures and left hurriedly. Not a moment too soon. As we left I could here soldiers rummaging through the house.
We stored the treasures in Araphen then returned to Caelin to try and revive the family's name. I approached the marques, then newly recovered from a grave illness. It was then that our stories converged, lady Lyndis. That was the day when you found me and Lucius in the castle."
Raven rose and left the tent, leaving Lyn to think about his story.
Notes:
I have just acquired a copy of FE: Seima no Kouseki. Anyway…I hope this was a good chapter. I invented all that stuff bout Raven so don't get mad or anything if the support conversations hint to other events. :D