Okay So I really have no excuse for being down for so long other than self-criticism, a lot of harsh self-criticism. Some of it was well placed but most was poorly placed. This discouraged me quite a bit especially since I was the one criticizing.

So there I was thinking about if I should or should not scrap this project. That is until I got Gunlord500's review. Man I can't express my gratitude to you sir. (Assuming you are a sir.) That really dragged me out of my doldrums. Thank you, thank you, and thank you again! Just goes to show how far a few words can go.

However I'm sure the majority of you came to read the story. So without further ado Let us begin. (I don't own fire emblem or it's characters, it all belongs to Nintendo and Intelligence systems.)

Chapter 3: The Lea

"Solders we're approaching the Lea," Jagen yelled from the front of the convoy. "Prince Marth wants you all to get some rest before the battle begins," he continued. "We have an estimated 3 hours before the enemy begins they're charge. I suggest you get your equipment ready and rest while you can," he finished.

Thank Naga above a rest we've been walking for days. No literally three days of walking and not a single village was seen. Well it wasn't all bad I got to know a lot of other people. I've made a few new friends like Caeda, who by the way has an obvious crush on Marth. How does he not notice?

Navarre (who joined us during the battle in the ghoul's teeth) is pretty cool to. He has a strong sense of honor. Well for a merciless killer that is. He is quite but theirs just something friendly about him. I just can't place it.

She just has a way to start and keep a conversation that just makes you want to be her friend. The fact that she is quite pretty kind of helps too. … Anyways both her and Lena seem to really worry about me for some reason. Maybe it's the fact that I look like a kid.

"Levi," that's her now. "How are you holding up?" Lena asks sneaking up on me. Man what is it with me and getting lost in thought.

"I'm fine. Err why do you ask I look fine, don't I?" I look down at myself making sure I'm not injured.

"No you look fine, I was just worried, you know. Maybe you should sit out this battle." She says

"Hey just because I look like a kid doesn't mean I can't take care of my self. I can turn into a dragon for crying out loud." I complain

"Well technically you are a kid in manakete years." She responds.

I turn to her ready with a response but someone's shouting cuts me off. Curses that's the signal they're coming now.

"My prince," Jagen yells. "Here they come."

"Already?" Marth mutters. "Alright everyone you know your positions follow the plan, stay under your commanders watch and you'll be fine!" He yells.

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Right we went over the plan earlier. My position was to be under commander Ogma. His team consisted of Bord, Cord, Gordon, myself, and his right hand man Barst along with several other solders.

"Alright boys you may be wondering why there are no mounted units with us," Ogma Yells getting our attention. There are several grunts and muttering confirming what Ogma had suspected. "Well it's quite simple really. Marth and the main force will strike on the main road. This will distract the enemy and force them to assume that our strategy is a full frontal assault." As Ogma speaks my interest is sparked. My mind begins to work predicting what the real plan is.

"However that is not our strategy," Ogma continues. "The real strategy is us, we will be fording the river and attack from behind." There is muttering in the crowd as they begin to put two and two together.

Ah I see so that's why we don't have mounted units. It's because they would slow us down while crossing the river.

"Alright you've got your orders." Barst shouts. "Let's move out!"

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It takes us about an hour's worth of hiking before we reach our destination. Ogma allows us a five minutes break before crossing.

"Levi," I hear Barst call my name.

"Y-yes sir," I say standing up from the log I had chosen as my spot of rest.

"We're going to need your abilities to help us cross this river." He says "If you'll observe the river you'll notice that it is traveling at a fast speed, and it is very deep at this time of year. We cannot cross it unless you can use your dragon form to act as a kind of fairy across." He says.

"Uh yes sir but uh…" I trail off.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Well its just that um if I'm gonna do this it will take a while and I probably wont be able to fight if the need arises because of how tired I'll be." I say nervously.

"Ah I see well as much as your ability to fight is useful right now it isn't our might that's important it's our speed and surprise."

"Right sir," I answer crisply. "I will help you cross then but afterwards I will need to rest."

"Very well I will inform commander Ogma that we can begin." Barst says then he spins around and returns to his position at Ogma's side.

"Alright boys were ready to move breaks over!" Ogma shouts and with a few grumbles everyone is up and ready to go. "Levi when you're ready," Ogma nodes at me.

There are several mutters of surprise at the presence of a kid on the battlefield. Get ready to be blown away. I reach into my pocket and pull out my dragon stone. "Ready sir," I say confidently.

"Then let's go," Ogma says with a smile.

My hand tightens around my dragon stone. It begins to glow, softly at first then brighter and then brighter. Soon I'm covered in it's warming light and my body transforms into that of a fire dragon.

There are gasps of fear and surprise from the solders around me. I lower my body and get ready to have people get on. Ogma is first then Gordon and a few other solders. There are about 100 solders here and I can carry five to six depending on weight. This is going to take a while.

I wade into the water; I immediately feel the force of the water on my legs. I push forward into the rushing water. Wow this force is almost overpowering… Almost. I shove away from the shore and begin my trip across.

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About half an hour later there are only 12 troops left. Thank Naga! The remaining people are just a few solders and sub-captain Cord.

"Well well what do we ave here?" A gruff voice asks. Looks like a few sheepies ave lost they're way am I right?"

We turn to see about 20 bandits armed to the teeth with armor and weapons.

"You altians seem to ave killed off the soothsires. They was our best tradin partners they was." They're leader spat. "We think it's high time that you pay… With you're Lives." He pulls out his axe and his followers do the same.

"Blast!" If I just had more energy I could fight but I can hardly stand without my knees wobbling. The bandits begin to charge. Great we're out numbered, out matched, and we have no reinforcements.

The remaining solders get into a defensive posture and get ready for an attack. "This is it our last stand at least the surprise attack will work we may lose this skirmish but the battle is practically won." Cord yells. The remaining solders cheer at they're captain's words.

"Not so fast!" A cocky voice yells out. I try to look for who was talking but I couldn't find them. "Excalibur!" Just then the winds begin to pick up and several green blade like things fly through the air and into the bandit chief. The chief flies through the sky and into the river, blood flying after him, but it doesn't stop there the blades continue forward into more bandits leaving just about 14 bandits left.

"Now it's a fair fight." The same cocky voice says. I finally see the owner of the voice a man about the same age as Marth in a blue cloak and a blue fez like thing covering his green hair. He doesn't have very much muscle but from the cloak I can tell he is a mage and they aren't exactly known for there strength.

"Right men charge." Cord yells. Soon the sound of mettle on mettle fills the air. Cord confronts a bandit about a head taller than himself equipped with full body armor and a steel lance. The man thrusts his weapon at Cord who easily dodges the attack he spins around and using the momentum built up from the spin delivers a killing blow to the back of the mans neck.

Two solders confront a bandit wielding two blades. The solder on the right makes the first move thrusting forward with his sword only to be deflected. The solder on the left took his chance to strike. Raising his axe as he ran he begins to bring it down on the bandit, but he's too quick. He pivots on his left foot and using his right he trips him. The solder falls flat on is face. The bandit spins around and stabs his sword into the man's back. There is a cry of pain and then he simply dies.

"No!" The other solder screams. Now filled with a berserker rage the solder charges the bandit at a speed I didn't know a man could travel at. There is a cry of surprise from the bandit as he brings up his right sword to defend but it is knocked right out of his hand. He brings up the left to attack and it hits the man's right leg, leaving a large gash, but somehow the solder is still going. The bandit dodges a few more clumsy strikes and then attacks again. The bandit strikes the solder's side leaving another large gash, yet the solder seems unfazed.

The solder thrusts his sword into the bandit's chest. "N-no one can defeat Makarov the gutter… No-one," he mutters before death's cold embrace takes him.

The solder kneels down next to the recently killed solder. Blood was dripping down his legs and a large gash in his side reviled a rib sticking out. I looked away not wanting to see anymore.

I hear more noise and a solder gets taken down on my left. He screams as he hits the ground, He is still alive. I try to help him with my fire but only sparks come out. "All out eh?" A bandit laughs. As he rushes towards me axe raised above his head. "Your skull will look nice up on my." Before he can finish he is frozen in a block of ice.

"Ice magic you just got to love it." The green haired man said. Tiredness gets the better of me. I revert back to my normal form. The man comes up and catches me as I fall over from exhaustion. "Thanks," I manage to say right before I pass out.

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Colors dance around me as I drift weightless through the clouds of my mind. Soon shapes form and I'm in a room. In fact it's the same room as before in all my other dreams.

"Tiki why do you resist me so?" A raspy voice says behind me. I turn to see the same old man as before sitting on the same throne.

"I will never join you Gharnef. You and your master are evil and I will have no part in it no matter how much you torture me." The green haired girl that I now know as Tiki says. A determined look appears on her busied face.

Wait Tiki were have I heard that name before?

"Ah you may be right but it doesn't matter." Gharnef says calmly. "If you will not turn willingly I'll just take your will away."

W-what how is he going to do that?

I hear a voice coming from outside the room. No not outside the room. It's outside the dream. Curse it all someone is waking me up. The room dims and all the colors fade away.

…

I awaken looking up at my savior. "Hey thanks for the help. I say weakly.

"Oh don't mention it, I was just doing my part to help." The green haired man said happily. He must always talk like he's cocky. Well it suits him anyway.

In the distance the sounds of battle can be heard faintly. "It appears that our mission was a success." Cord smiles as he listens.

…

The remaining members of our group go back to the convoy to rest and get medical attention. I'm happy to be resting myself.

Not long after we returned Able, one of Marth's most trusted troops rides in to announce our victory with minimal casualties. With that we all begin to make our way to one of the surrounding towns to get some R&R.

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Ok I'm not one that goes to parties because of all the fanciness that happens at them, but our victory party is a major exception, Mainly because it had practically no fanciness what so ever.

Solder were drinking and singing songs through the night. I look around happily taking in all the excitement. Most everyone was cheerful and happy, and why not there were hardly any casualties plus moral was high.

"Hey there, felling better?" The same green haired man from before asked. Again? Someone snuck up on me again. Man you'd think someone who has better hearing then humans would be hard to sneak up on.

"Oh yeah." I say. "Uh I don't think I caught your name mister."

"What you didn't, But I was sure said it quite loudly." He said. Yep definitely the cocky kind of guy.

"No I think I was quite busy being past out." I say.

"Well I'm Merric, The greatest mage to train in the mystic art of wind magic." He says smiling broadly. "Surely you've heard of me."

"Um… Nope." I say.

"Ha-ha of course I mean I am pretty famou-." He begins. "What, did you say no?" He freaks out. "This is unacceptable surely you've heard of Merric the north wind!"

"What no." I respond. I knew this guy was cocky but vain to?

"Hahahaha I'm just messing with you." Merric laughs.

Ok Maybe this guy isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe this whole thing isn't as bad as I thought.

"May I have all of your attention please," Marth shouts from his elevated position. "I thank you all again for you effort and sacrifice. Tomorrow we will begin our march to Archania. Tonight however I wish for you all to celebrate todays victory." He finishes.

He comes down from his position and everyone begins to cheer his name. Wow Marth has the respect of everyone here. It's not that much of a surprise. I mean he is quite the inspiration.

The party continues but I return to my tent. I'm too tired for this right now. "Well good night then." I whisper to my self. I crawl onto my bedroll and fall fast asleep.

Ok excuses time! Many of you might be wondering why this chapter took so long for me to write. Reason 1 it is longer than the previous chapters. Reason 2 I was about 2/3 of the way done and I hadn't saved sense the half way point and the power went out so every thing after half way was deleted.

I hope you like my depiction of Merric as the kind of cocky fun loving guy I imagined him to be.

Please leave a review. It helps so much and it lets me know that you people are interested in my story. They can also give me motivation and I might even take some ideas from your comment. So if there is something you want to see happen just tell me and I'll think about it. Not guaranteeing that I'll take it but you know… I might.

Other than that I've got nothing to say. Hope you people have a grand day/night.