Poor Anri seems to be getting no love. For those of you reading this, thanks; I hope you're enjoying it. I'm in the process of trying to get Anri added on to the character list for Fire Emblem x_x;;;;.... poor guy.

Anyways, review, please. With a story that's getting so little attention, I haven't the slightest idea what you all think.

~Marth~

I can't say my life has been easy. My father thought I was a weak heir; and did everything in his power to make me strong like a true price should be. I didn't hate him for it; how could I possibly hate my father? And I know that he loved me, even if he never said it. It was just one of those things that needed no words.

Then he… died. It was so sudden; so strange. I'd heard of things like this; people dying valiantly in wars and leaving their loved ones behind; but it was so surreal to me. I think it's because I wasn't there when it happened; I never even got to see his life deprived body. If I had, maybe my mind wouldn't have been so keen on the idea of rebuking the fact. I hadn't seen my father dead; so perhaps he was still alive.

I knew this wasn't so.

As soon as I got the word of his death, I should have ceased to be Prince Marth Lowell, and instead become King Marth Lowell; regardless of my young age. However, this was not meant to be; as my throne was taken from me, or was it my father it was taken from? I don't know. To be honest, all these formalities never meant much to me. I was born a prince; but that didn't mean I had to be ambitious for power.

Anyways, my father's throne was taken, my mother slain, my sister captured; and I was left alone to flee the country, my home, with only a few knights. Not all of us got away on that day; and it's all my fault; the enemy was after me.

There's no room for guilt in my heart. Guilt will only weaken me, when I need to stand strong for my people. Their lives and hopes rest upon my shoulders; and I will not disappoint them. I swear that. I am a prince before I am a son or a brother. I am a prince before I am anything else.

I can feel how sweaty my hands are right now; though whether in anticipation or in fear I do not know. Today will be the end of it. Today I face the enemy of Anri and all Akaneia. Medeus; and I'm the only one who can stop him.

That thought sends my heart racing. Now not only Altea, but all of Akaneia's hopes rest in me. If I fail, the world will fall to Medeus' darkness. But I will not fail. I will defeat the mighty earth dragon. I will save the world.

Anri-sama, lend me your strength.

Sometimes I wonder if he's listening to me. No, I'm sure he is. I'm sure because every time I feel close to despair, I feel something envelop me, as if telling me I'm not alone. It's Anri; I'm sure of it. Someday I hope to meet him; though that won't be today. I will not die this day.

I let out a shaky breath as I look at the door before me. The door that will hold my fate, behind which Medeus waits; I must do this alone.

Alone.

Oh Anri… wrap me in the comfort of your presence.

A hand touches my shoulder and I turn; Sheeda offers me a kind smile. I can see the weariness in her eyes. We all want this to end; but they're waiting for me. All I can do is nod; has Falchion always felt so heavy in my grip? No time to think now, I'm wasting precious seconds. It's time to move.

I yell something... "Onward!" or "Yaa!" or something of the like, but it all feels so surreal. Life is moving in slow motion around me, and every second ticks by at a torturous pace. My hands press against the door, it swings open, and there he stands. Medeus. The Medeus.

I can't tell if I'm shaking or not. It doesn't matter; I need to concentrate. My mind is a blur; I think Medeus said something. I don't know. Suddenly his body seems to be expanding and twisting; there's a sickening sound as bones lengthen and realign. It sounds painful; what am I saying, I shouldn't feel sympathy for my enemy.

I stand in a defensive position, starring at the enemy before me. It all comes down to this. This is where it ends. Medeus is huge, golden scales rippling over enormous muscles. Eyes like red orbs of blood staring into my soul. I feel something akin to ice in the pit of my stomach, racing throughout my body and sending shivers throughout me.

"MARTH!"

I don't know who yelled; I don't have time to look as a giant, clawed hand shoots out at me. I jump back, it misses me by inches. I need to focus! Anri, give me strength, I pray, and attack. Medeus is huge and powerful, but there's a lot of mass to attack, so it's not that hard to land a hit. And with Falchion, every contact draws blood from the mighty dragon. But in return, I too am hit; thrown around the room like a rag doll, only to jump back up and attack again. I can't see the others around me, I'm not even conscious of what they might be doing. I need to kill Medeus; and it's taking all of my energy to keep concentrated upon that fact.

I can see that he's weakening; his knees already beginning to buckle under his massive weight. Blood covers the ground; most of it his, some of it mine. I'm not sure what wounds I have, the adrenaline in my body suppressing all pain. Besides; if I stop to look at my own condition, I'll lose for sure.

Once more I attack, this time going for the fatal hit. Medeus is standing with his chest exposed. If I get close enough I can…

"UWA!" Pain. So much pain. It runs through my whole body so that I can't feel where the source is. Not that it matters; I can't slow down, I'm so close. My blade shoots out, Falchion sinking deep into the flesh where Medeus' heart is. And I collapse.

I don't know if it's minutes or hours before I wake. "Marth! Marth!" Sheeda's voice yells over and over. I can see her, a blur above me.

"Sheeda?" my voice sounds weak. "Sheeda… did I win?..."

"Yes… yes, Marth. Please, hold on. You're going to be alright."

Alright? What is she talking about? Im not hurt- suddenly pain rushes through my body and I writhe. Sheeda lets out a painful cry. Am I… dying? That would explain why everything is so fuzzy; why the edges of my vision are slowly filling in to black.

Heh… I'm dying.

But I won, I beat Medeus. I saved the world. And for some reason, I'm not sad. Death isn't scary, I'll get to see dad and mom. And Anri, I'll finally get to see Anri. I wonder if he's proud of me. I wonder if I was as strong as him.

No, probably not; otherwise I wouldn't be dying. Heh… why is this so comfortable? Death is… cold… but relaxing. Kind of peaceful.

"Marth?! Marth!"

Sorry Sheeda, I can't stay. I'll miss you… but maybe we'll meet again in the afterlife. Until then, I'll wat-

….

"MAAAARTHHHHH!!!!"