In the Wind and the Light
(A/N) I'm so happy! ^_^ Someone liked my story! Low confidence and immature behavior aside, I have decided to, at the behest of a reviewer, list what of the canon I am bending. First off, at the start of the last chapter, it was set two years after the war of shadows (FE 1/11), but the war of heroes (FE 3/12) hasn't happened yet. Despite canonically happening one year after the war of shadows. Marth is hero-king already too, and that didn't happen till after the war of heroes as well. Second off, as this chapter points out quite clearly, Chris, the 'My Unit' from FE 12 appears. Even though he never was technically here during this time slot. Just think of him as an OC, I guess. Thirdly, characters will die, and their importance to the story will have an effect on how everything goes down. But that hasn't happened yet...
Ok, I'm done ranting again. Enjoy!
Chapter two
The Fane of Raman definitely showed its age. The bricks were faded and chipped; the tapestries hanging from various places were torn and frayed. Despite its age, some say over a thousand years, it had held up surprisingly well.
Merric cautiously walked down one of the dimly lit halls. He and his team had yet to meet any of the enemy forces.
"Are you sure we're going to find Gotoh's magical spheres here?" Merric muttered to his team's leader. The red-haired youth shrugged causally, continuing his march forward. Merric let out a sigh.
Chris. How the young man, tactical genius or not, managed to make it into the League was beyond him.
Chris gave a low whistle, causing Julian to run up to his side. He tapped on the wall, causing it to ripple. A moment later, the illusion fell, revealing a heavily locked door. Julian smiled, proceeding to work his trade.
"How did you do that?" Merric said, approaching Chris.
"Hm? How did I do what?" He said back, clearly knowing what the green haired mage meant, as he had a wide smile on his face.
Merric ignored the kid's attitude. "How did you find that door? It was totally hidden. Even I couldn't feel its enchantment."
Chris shrugged a behavior that was quickly getting on Merric's nerves. "You just aren't as attuned to dark magics as I am, I guess."
That was a bit concerning.
Before he could say anything else, Julian popped up between them, holding the large broken lock in his hands. "Got it." He said with a wide grin.
Merric shrugged, before proceeding to enter the now unlocked room. Chris' hand hit him in the chest, stopping him cold and nearly knocking the wind out of him. The wind mage shot a rude glare at the young tactician, who just placed a finger over his lips to keep him quite.
Chris slowly pushed the door open. A heavily armored man stood over a thief, watching him as he worked to break through a magical vault. A moment later, a low click was heard, and a dimly glowing orb dropped into the thief's hand.
Merric took a step back, reading a Bolganone spell, the flames licking around the base of his cloak. Cord kicked down the door, just as the large fireball sailed through the air. The thief didn't even see it coming. He was dead before his charred corpse hit the ground.
The warrior, however, was more fortunate. His armor was slightly charred, but that didn't stop his axe from doing its job. Merric ducked as the warrior's axe soared over his head. A loud ring of steel cried out as Cord's axe met his enemies own.
Chris and Julian took advantage of the moment, as the warriors recoiled from their exchange of blows; both of their swords met their opponent's chest. He gave a last gasp, before collapsing next to his deceased companion.
Cord looked questioningly at the bodies. "I don't recognize this symbol. Who were these people?"
Merric kicked the warrior's body over giving a clear look at the sigil adorning his armor. "These are the men employed directly by Garnef." He snorted. "He is probably here himself to insure that we don't get our hands on the spheres."
Chris, Julian and Cord all looked skeptically at the wind mage. "Wow. Sounds like you really don't like Garnef." Cord said after a moment.
Merric was about to retort, when Chris came up between the two of them, a deep blue sphere, with flecks like stars adorning it, in his hands. The slightly pulsing light it gave off left the room in a calming glow.
"Let's just hope the other team found the other sphere…"
The four men walked cautiously through the halls. The sun was starting to set outside, and what little light was making it through the Fane's stained glass windows left for limited visibility.
Chris pulled a torch off the wall, lighting it with a quick elfire. A dim orange glow enveloped the area around them.
"So… What are we doing now?" Julian quipped.
Chris shrugged again. "Just keep a look out for anyone. Just make sure you don't cut up any allies."
"Uh-huh…" Julian muttered, pacing quietly around the field of their vision.
Cord stood close to Chris, his Devil's Axe glowing slightly in the dim light. Merric stood near Julian, his trusty and light Excalibur tome gripped tightly in his hands.
A faint glow in the distance caught their attention. Another torch was approaching them. Merric and the others quickly rounded a nearby corner, shielding them from view.
"Who do you think it is?" Cord asked, pulling a small hand axe from his side.
Chris thought for a moment. "Look, everyone. I'm going to toss an elfire over the guy's head. As soon as you get a good look, I want you to either kill them or signal that we aren't hostile."
Everyone nodded. Merric started summoning his tome's magic, just in case.
Chris jumped out, tossing a quick fireball down the hall. Merric and the others soon followed, weapons raised.
Before anyone could react, an arrow flew through the air, catching Cord in the shoulder.
"That was a warning shot. Now get over here so we can see you clearly." A familiar voice called out. Merric ground his teeth together in frustration as he work furiously with a small heal staff to keep Cord from bleeding out. He knew that voice. He also knew only one person who could nail a shot like that in the dark.
"Damnit, Jorge! Get over here!" Merric yelled. They were soon joined by the blonde-haired archer, as well as Lena, Astram and Midia. Lena wordlessly went to Cord's side to help Merric, but not before giving Jorge a withering glare.
Merric felt a dark presence behind them, chilling his bones. "Lena, Astram. Get Cord to a safe place." Merric whispered, his voice telling of his fears. The others looked at him questioningly. Chris seemed to feel it too. "Really. Get him out of here." The young tactician added.
Astram grudgingly obeyed, hefting the heavy warrior over his shoulder. Lena followed close behind, still channeling healing energies from her staff.
Merric and Chris took the lead, quietly walking through the maze like halls of the Fane. The sun had completely set now, the only light coming from the torches carried by Midia and Julian, who flowed closely behind.
As the dark presence grew stronger, a faint voice was heard, hollow and raspy.
"Tiki… Tiki… Princess-that-was of the Devine Dragons… Do you here my voice?"
Merric and the others came to the end of the hall, a pair of torches lighting the far wall. Garnef stood under a large stained glass painting, a small olive-haired girl stood next to him. She looked slightly dazed, but still clung to the withering mage like her life depended on it.
"M-hm." She muttered.
"Defilers have entered the fane. Despoilers! They must be punished." Garnef hissed. Tiki slowly nodded her head.
"Defilers… In the Fane… Punish… Them.
An evil smile crossed the dark mage's face. Garnef sat the small girl down on a throne-like structure that sat beneath the glass. "Remember, Tiki. Your divine dragon kin perished long ago, and Bantu has abandoned you...I alone am protecting you from Medeus. Remember..."
Tiki nodded again. "You alone... Are protecting me… Punish… The defilers…"
Garnef walked away into the shadows, his presence fading as soon as he was out of sight.
Merric shook his head. If ever he got a chance, Garnef would pay for his defiling of Kahdien. Merric looked to his sides, motioning for the others to follow him, when he noticed...
Chris wasn't there.
Merric gaped as he saw Chris casually walking up to the dragon girl. The wind mage held Midia and Julian back as they tried to retrieve the young tactician.
Tiki's eyes widened as she saw Chris approach. "N-No… Please… Come no closer."
Chris smiled kindly at the girl. "Hm… Seems Garnef has placed you under a spell of some kind. Peace now. Awaken."
Chris put a gentle hand on the girl's head, a light flash shining through the room.
Tiki rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn. "Ban-ban? Is that you? Where am I? What happened?"
Chris rubbed the back of his head. "Ah… No. My name is Chris. I came here with some friends to help." He said hesitantly.
"I had a terrible dream. I was all alone, and it was dark, and…" She said, swaying from side to side sleepily. She finally opened her eyes, looking with a frightened sadness up to the boy. "I don't want to be alone again... I hate being alone."
Chris gave a knowing nod, wrapping the girl in a gentle hug.
Merric and the others hesitantly joined Chris, looking with amazement as he cradled the Devine Dragonling.
"Will you... Take me with you?" Tiki asked, looking up at Chris, her eyes glistening with unshed tears in the torchlight.
"Of course, Tiki. If that's what you want." Chris said back. Tiki jumped out of his arms, giving a joyful squeal and spinning in circles, viridian hair flying around her.
"Yes, yes it is! Oh, thank you, Chris-san!"
Everyone looked at Tiki. Chris shifted uncomfortably.
"Am I not allowed to call you that?" Tiki said, looking to the ground shyly.
"N- That is... Er... If you want?"
Tiki jump back into his arms, smiling happily. "Thank you, Chris-san!"
Chris motioned for the others to continue, staying behind himself with Tiki.
Apparently she was quite afraid of the dark.
Merric let out a sigh. Their team was beginning to get outrageous. No, scratch that, He thought, It's been outrageous for a long time.
Julian tapped his shoulder, catching his attention. Merric whirled around, seeing the thief with his ear against another door.
"What is it?" He whispered. Julian gave him a harsh shush, before going back to listening. Midia drew her lance, reading herself for whatever was in the room.
Julian grabbed the head of her lance, easing it back down to her side. A smile on his face as he opened the door and casually walked in. His head was nearly taken off as someone leveled a sword to his neck. Julian didn't flinch, instead giving a light chuckle.
Merric and Midia entered the room, just as Marth was re-sheathing Mercurius. The blue-haired prince looked past the thief, glancing happily at his mage friend. Or, rather, the night-blue orb in his hands.
"Good. You found one of them." Ogma said from behind Marth.
"You wouldn't have happened to have found the other one?" Julian piped. Marth regrettably shook his head.
"We haven't found the Lightsphere, but we did find this." Marth said, holding up a turquoise orb. "I believe I heard some of Garnef's men call it the Geosphere.
Merric nodded, before turning to continue exploring the Fane.
"Yes. I remember that day..."
Est sat in the window sill of Merric's study, glancing up ant the crescent moon that hung in the sky as the mage continued his story. "There wasn't enough room for a pegasus or dragon in there, so me and my sisters had to stay behind." She said with a light chuckle.
Merric let out a sigh. "I wonder what Chris is doing these days..." He wondered aloud. He hadn't heard from him in over a year.
"He's fine." Est said, jumping down from the sill. "Last I heard, he was traveling with Etzel. They were in Macedon just recently. It may be they are still there."
Merric gave a tired nod, looking out to the night sky. "It's getting awfully late. You should probably be heading home. Cain is likely getting worried."
Est gave a sad smile, nodding to Merric. He gave a nod back, slumping into his desk. He tensed up as Est wrapped her hands around him in a warm hug. "Don't shut everyone out. There are people here who still care deeply for you."
Before Merric could say anything back, she had left.
Merric sat there, quietly mulling through his thoughts, before pulling a couple of books from the random piles on his desk. Moving through the throng of books, he eventually made it to what had been serving as a makeshift bed for him.
Pulling out a small leather-bound book, Merric read through the pages as he slowly drifted into another dreamless sleep.
The night air was surprisingly warm, signaling the coming of the new season. Merric walked out of the Fane, Starsphere in hand as he made his way towards the small camp they had set up outside. Nyna broke from the camp, running up to Marth as he and the other's approached.
"Marth. Tell me, do you have the spheres?" She said hopefully.
Marth looked to the ground, a defeated expression on his face. "No. We were not able to find them both." Nyna's face fell at the news. "Oh... I see.
"But... We can't afford any more time searching here. For all Imullhu's power, there has to be some other way to thwart it... We'll have to place our hopes on that..."
Soon, everyone was gathered around the campfire, the group's leaders nearby planning their next movement.
"Were is Chris? This is kind of important..." The exasperated Malledus said as he poured over a map of Grust.
"You know what else is important?" Chris said, pushing his way into the circle, a sleeping Tiki cradled in his arms, the girl's arms wrapped tightly around his neck . "Is what we are going to do with her."
Bantu noticed the dozing girl, and was immediately at Chris' side, further upsetting the density of the circle of people. Merric forced his way in next, holding up the dimly pulsing Starsphere.
"Um... The sphere is reacting to something." He said, before noticing a similar light coming from Tiki's hands. Bantu noticed it as well, removing a yellowish white stone from her grasp. Tiki stirred slightly, but was quieted by Chris' hushes.
Bantu handed the sphere to Merric. As soon as both orbs were in his hand, they emitted a blinding light. When everyone could see again, they were met with the flickering image of Gotoh. "Ah, I see you have gathered both of the necessary spheres." He said in his usual cryptic voice. "When you are done in Grust, bring both spheres together again, and I shall aid you further."
And then he vanished. Merric stared in amazement at where the image had once stood. Truly, the White Sage's power was far beyond his own.
Malledus cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention as he motioned back to the map. Chris nodded to the elder tactician, then to Bantu. The fire dragon understood, and went to pick Tiki up from Chris' arms.
At least, he tried. As soon as Bantu touched her, she simply muttered something and tightened her grip around the crimson-haired tactician's neck. After some work, Chris managed to convince Bantu to just let her rest where she was.
Merric let out a light laugh at the girl's behavior, before walking away from the rest of the crowd. He took a seat at the edge of camp, staring up into the clear night sky. He loved the stars. Tracking their movements, mapping their constellations... Especially back in Kahdien. On desert nights and a new moon, the stars shone with a incredible brilliance.
Pulling out the Starsphere, which had still been stashed in his robes, he gave into the dancing dots that permeated the whole orb. At least he understood why it was called the Starsphere now. He could just make out the patterns in the lights. There was Sagittarius... And Capricorn, and Gemini, and Virgo, and-
"You know, in the dark like this, those things make you stick out like a manakete in Talys." Cord said from behind with a laugh, startling the wind mage.
"I really wish you would stop doing that..." Merric muttered back, sliding the Starsphere back into his robes.
"Relax, friend. I'm just joking around. I didn't mean it to anger you." Cord said, rubbing the back of his head. "Either way, I do believe there is someone else who wants to see you..."
Cord stepped aside, Linde's smaller form emerging from behind the larger man. She smile sheepishly at the azure-clad mage, slowly making her way to his side.
Cord left with a wide smile. In a war like this, everyone should seize what happiness they could. That was the least he could do for his friend...
(A/N) Thanks for reading! If anyone is willing to give me some pointers, on my writing skill or how well I'm implementing my own will on the Fire Emblem universe, I would happily accept it! On another point, I am well aware of how my interpetations of the characters often comes off as... Not very Fire Emblem-ish. Which is to say... Not medieval enough... Or something.
Cheers!~