Author's Note: Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo.

Fire Emblem:

Blazing Sword of Justice

Chapter 4: Mercenary Band

The scream of death echoed over the roaring flames that surrounded the village of Mida. The smell of burning human flesh and hair hung heavy in the air, black smoke from the flames marred the pure blue sky above. Blood spattered the streets like raindrops, the village men of whom it belonged to falling dead to the ground in the red puddles. Screams from women and children rang out as burly bandits chased after them. From his hiding place in a house that was lucky enough to have escaped the fire, the archer grimaced as he watched through a broken window as one of the muscled armed brutes grabbed a woman roughly around her midriff and hoisted her over his shoulder. He cackled evilly and turned around, his back exposed to the archer, obviously not feeling any danger around him.

The auburn haired archer quickly notched an arrow on his bow and drew back the string. His brown eyes narrowed in concentration, ignoring the childish whimpers from behind him and the soft voices' comforting words. Moving his fingers ever so slightly, he released the deadly missile that cut though the air and sticking the bandit in the back of his neck. With a groan of surprise, he fell, dropping the woman as he died. The archer turned back to the inhabitants of the house, scanning their faces. It was mostly filled with dirty children that had hidden around the village that he rescued. A few women and elderly people hung in the back, staring at the archer worriedly. He smiled a comforting smile. "I must go fetch your neighbor. I shall return. Do not," He said emphatically. "Do not leave this house."

Turning back, he slipped out the broken window, staying hunched down in case the bandits were around. He winced as a pain shot up through his leg, but did his best to ignore it. His off-white pants were already stained with dirt and blood. A cut on his leg from a previous bandit encounter had opened up again...he would need to properly bandage it. He wiped the mud from his gloved hand onto his dark blue tunic, also covered in dirt and ash. He'd worry about how he looked later.

His bow clasped tightly in his left hand, the archer slowly made his way over to the young woman who shivered on the ground, curled up in a ball. He placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, which caused her to look up with a start. "Ah!...Master Wil! It is you!"

He placed a finger over his lips, smiling as he shushed her. He pulled her up, indicating that she should stay hunched down like him. He pointed with his bow to the house he had come from and whispered, "Some people are there. Get there and stay there." She nodded and thanked him in frantic whispers. Notching another arrow upon his bow, he nodded for her to go. He scanned the area quickly. The bandits had made a mess of everything. The debris and bodies should prevent them from seeing her. The woman crawled, shaking in fear even as her hands fell upon the stone house sanctuary. Three pairs of childish hands reached out from the window and with effort, pulled the woman into the sanctity of darkness.

Wil let out a sigh of relief and scooted against a broken wall. He ran his free hand through his wild red-brown hair, mingling ash with dirt. It was only two days ago when he reached the village and last night, those cutthroats attacked it. Demanding women, money and anything of value, they rampaged until this morning. Many of the men had perished in the slaughter, a few escaped to get help, but Wil held no hope of those ever returning.

He held his breath as he suddenly heard angry shouting from behind him. Clasping his bow and arrow tightly, he rose himself ever so slightly to peek over the wall. He held in his gasp as he saw a young girl and a Pegasus. They were far away from Ilia, what was a Pegasus knight doing here? Wil slipped back down out of sight and breathed silently, listened to the words that exchanged between them.

The bandit leader known as Migal towered over the orchid-hair girl. He smacked his dirty lips greedily, pushing his greasy hair to the side. "Well...this one looks like quite a catch, eh boys?" The sound of guffaws and snickers put a smirk on their leader's face. The young girl shivered and backed away to stand in front of her white Pegasus, her legs visibly shaking under her short white dress. Simple blue body armor covered her shoulder and chest, the ends of her long lavender hair lay heavily upon her shoulders. Her light blue eyes shivered with fright. Finally, a tiny voice emerged from her lips, stuttering fearfully.

"I...I...I'm...s-sorry.." She managed to get out, one hand on her Pegasus for strength. "I saw...the fire and thought to help..."

Migal sneered at the girl, waving his axe around. "You want to help, right girly? You can help by letting us sell you and your winged steed. A mountain of gold will give us enough for the trouble you caused by stepping into unwanted territory."

"No!" The girl's voice suddenly gained strength at the mention of selling her Pegasus that Wil dared a peek over the broken wall again. The girl was still shaking, but in her right hand held a slim lance, her other blocking her Pegasus protectively. "I...I won't let you take her!"

Migal looked at his bandits behind him. Five men stood behind him, cackling evilly. With him, that made six. Six was sure to be enough for one measly Pegasus knight. "Wench...you just made it harder on yourself." As he raised his axe to strike the girl, she put up her lance in front of her, looking away from the blow. Wil panicked and stood up, exposing himself as he aimed the arrow at the boss. Unfortunately, one of the underlings saw Wil and shouted to his leader. Migal ducked just in time for Wil's arrow to sail harmlessly over his head.

Wil groaned silently, backing up as two of the bandits neared him. Another pain shot up through his leg, and he cursed himself for being careless earlier. Not even the two of us can take all the bandits on our own...we're done for. He thought despairingly.

"FLORINA!!!!"

A shout of a name came from Wil's right. He rolled out of the way of the first bandit's axe strike and quickly notched another arrow, sending it sailing into his gut. The orchid-haired girl looked around frantically for the owner of the voice and cried out happily when her eyes fell upon a emerald-haired girl. She embraced the girl tightly. "Oh, Lyn!!"

Lyndis stood there with one arm around Florina, who shook with fright, and held the Mani Katti threateningly toward the leader of the bandits. "What do you think you are doing?!"

Four horses rode up behind Lyn, one missing its rider. Sain and Kent galloped ahead and each plunged their sword into the nearest bandit. He fell to the ground from the double blows.

Migal growled and backed from Lyn, holding his axe up as a shield. Lyn moved Florina to stand behind her, stepping toward the bandit with anger. "You did this...you killed all these people, didn't you!?" Migal stayed quiet, only glaring in anger as his comrades dying yells filled the air, courtesy of Sain and Kent.

"Lyn! There are survivors!" Faren's voice called out. Wil glanced over at the young brunette, who had found the house that he had been hiding in. She held a child who cried, sobbing about his parents. She looked over at Wil, glancing briefly at his bow. "Archer! Please! Help us rid this village of these bandits!"

Wil didn't realize he had been frozen this entire time, but he jumped to his feet. "Of course! These people cared for me, I have to repay them!" Notching an arrow, he fired it off to his right, the arrow finding its mark in the throat of a bandit that nearly cut off Kent's head. Kent called back to the archer. "Many thanks!"

Lyn meanwhile was fighting Migal, lunging for him and dodging his swings. Between her panting, she snarled at the bandit. "Damn Taliver! Must you destroy everything?!"

"Taliver!?" Spat Migal back as his axe barely missed Lyn's shoulder. "We aren't those cruel bastards. We are of Ganelon and I are--" His speech was cut short at the sound of an arrow hitting flesh. Looking down at his stomach, an arrow was lodged deeply in. Lyn took this opportunity and leapt into the air with a yell. Migal looked up helplessly as she brought her sword down on his head, killing him instantly. He fell to the ground with a loud 'thunk'.

Lyn panted and looked at Faren, who nodded her approval. She turned back to Florina. "Florina...why...why are you here!?" Florina looked timidly at Lyn before opening her mouth. Before she could say a word, Sain's voice called out. "Lady Lyndis! The neighboring village has sent reinforcements! And there are survivors over here as well!"

Wil fell to the ground with a sigh and a slight chuckle. "Well, who would have thought..."

It was night time now, the fires of the village of Mida having been put out. The survivors, the small numbers of women and children left with the reinforcements that had come from the neighboring village of Isela. Lyn's group decided to stay in the ashes of Mida, just in case there were some bandits still lurking about that needed to be dealt with.

Around the fire, everyone sat, exhausted from the day of bandit fighting and caring for survivors. Faren sat next to Wil, bandaging a cut on his leg. He winced slightly but smiled gratefully at her. He looked over at Lyn. "Lyn...is it really alright if I travel with you? My money was stolen so I can offer no gold...Ah!" He winced as Faren patted his injured leg after tying the knot. Lyn laughed and nodded.

"Of course, Wil. Your archery skills are amazing. We'll need someone who can hurt from long distance...and our journey will be easier with you." She turned to the orchid haired girl next to her, who clung to her arm. "And Florina...what happened to your training?"

The timid girl spoke up, eyeing Sain and Kent from across the fire like a rabbit eyes a predator. Sain had said something stupid again, for Kent was hitting him upside the head. "Ah...I...have to find work with a mercenary group for a year...before I am able to attend the knighting ceremony of Ilia..."

Lyn looked worriedly at Florina. "But...you fear men...and most mercenary groups are filled with men...". Florina looked down. "I...I know...but...I figured...it would...work...s-somehow...".

Sain jumped up so suddenly, causing Kent to fall backwards onto the ground. A mischievous twinkle was in his eye. "Milday Lyndis! I have a spectacular idea! Why not have modest Florina travel with us!" He jumped to the side as Kent took a swipe at him as he stood up. "We are so not unlike a band of mercenaries...you have your brave knights, myself and of course Kent...We have you, our beautiful and strong leader...and our enchanting tactician over there," He gestured to Faren, who smiled. "And with the addition of Wil over there, we're getting to be a rag-tag group of freelance evil-smiters!"

Florina looked around at everyone before staring up at Lyn with doe-like eyes. "Lyn? You're with knights...?" Lyndis chuckled nervously. "I can give you the details later, Florina...but...will you travel with us? Sain has a point...and we could use your talents."

"Oh! Lyn!" She threw her arms around Lyn. "I would be so happy!" Faren smiled at the sight. Lyn looked at Faren. "I guess we have two new people to help us, Faren!"

"Yup!" A groan from Wil caused her to pull her hand away and look at him in concern. "Wil, is something the matter?" Wil, who edged away from Faren who had unconsciously grabbed his injured leg again. "I think we should find a proper cleric for Lyndis' Legion...you're too rough with your patients!"

Faren pouted while everyone laughed. She looked at Lyn who was laughing also. "I guess I don't have that healer's touch after all, Lyn!"

"Ah, I am most welcomed to your touch anytime, Lady Faren!" Sain called from the other side of the fire. A loud slap was Kent's response, causing Faren to giggle. A soft whinny came from behind her. Renegade nudged Faren gently, who patted him on the head. "Well, I suppose being the tactician for Lyndis' Legions will satisfy me for now. Right, Renegade?"

Slash89slash & SandyCaesar: Thanks for your reviews. :) I guess you two are going to become the only ones that make comments on this story. I appreciate you taking the time to do so! Yeah, Faren didn't seem to have amnesia when I first started...there's a small reference to a foggy memory in the chapter where Sain and Kent appear I believe, but other than that, no hint. She didn't do much in this chapter, but I wanted to start it a little differently than the others and do a little something with Wil. When I started writing, I knew I wasn't going to make Faren into a drill-sergeant tactician that most writers do. It would have made it boring. :)