And so it begins...
Fire Emblem: New Emissaries
Ymarkteg
Prologue
Midnight
In the early hours before dawn, two people who have led extraordinary lives up until now sit together on a hill overlooking the quiet and beautiful city of Corelis. It was here that a band of Mercenaries from another far off land decided to settle after having lived in Ymarkteg for several months. Several still journey through the Southern Kingdom of Anondye in search of a valued treasure long lost to them.
However, in the time spent here and seeing the peace all around, several mercenaries desired to stop and for once in their lives…they wanted to live.
"Ike. Can I talk to you?" said a younger looking man with long black hair. The commander of the Greil Mercenaries turned to him and nodded.
"You never have to ask, Soren, what's going on?"
Soren opened his mouth to say something but stopped. Never in his years traveling with the Greil Mercenaries did he expect to say this to Ike, who had been there for him since the beginning.
"Soren? Hey! Are you alright?"
Snapping out of it, the tactician nodded and looked at Ike.
"I know that since we arrived here half a year ago, our goal was to find Alondite but…"
Ike raised his hand and let out a heavy sigh "I see…"
"No, Ike, I'm not-"
Before Soren could continue, Ike laughed, mostly to himself.
"Soren…you wouldn't be the first who left, you keep track of this…less than half of us remain and I completely understand it…I myself have been considering stopping as well…I don't want to dishonor the memory of Zelgius…but maybe he too would want us to live for once."
Soren nodded slowly "Are you certain Ike?"
To that, the blue haired leader shrugged "Mostly…I'll continue on for a while, even if I am by myself…but I firmly believe the sword and whoever holds it will come to me in due time…frankly, I just don't know how to stop…or what it means to just…"
The two turned to the setting sun, the rest of the group was setting up tents, as Ike said, the group which after Zatuo consisted of 16 warriors was down to 9.
Soren breathed heavily "Regardless, I don't feel to good doing this to you Ike."
Ike shook his head "Soren…maybe before, this would've been unthinkable…but much has changed since our years on Tellius…for one…you don't need me anymore."
"But do you not need me, anymore?" Soren asked quickly.
"When it comes to managing the mercenaries, I shudder at the thought of having to do it myself…but at the same time…we haven't had many jobs in a while…and seeing how peaceful this land is…I don't think the situation will call for us as much, and above all else, you have Mia. The two of you can do whatever it is you desire on your own…I may be able to hold you here…but not her. Remember when she left us after the Dawn War?"
Soren thought back to that time, many of the things he felt during those months made much more sense to him now. He smiled to himself then turned from Ike to the sun again.
"Ike…so you-"
Ike placed a hand on Soren's shoulder and smiled "If you want to go and you feel like you should…yes, I won't stop you. In fact…I'd encourage it. We've lived hard lives but nothing compared to you. You deserve this Soren for surviving this long."
Ike turned towards the camp, Soren followed his line of sight and they saw Mia standing outside her tent looking at them, she smiled and waved. Following their responses she went into her tent.
"Thank you, Ike, for everything." Soren said slowly.
The mercenary leader nodded "Don't mention it, Soren."
That was almost two years ago to this day, Soren continued staring out over Corelis as Mia rested her head on his shoulder.
The two left the Greil Mercenaries after that, following the earlier departures of Shinon, Uhnie, Zihark, Boyd, Mist, Rolf and Oscar.
Soren thought of Ike, Ranulf, Leah, Titania, Gatrie, Cadeera and Tyse Erent often after that. Not knowing even now if they continued to search or broke apart and settled somewhere in Anondye or the neighboring kingdoms.
"Soren…are you alright?"
The archsage turned his head as Mia looked at him "Yeah…I'm fine…"
She smiled and wiped a tear from his cheek.
Sighing Soren turned back to the city, things are nothing compared to how they were on Tellius, he has changed so much over the course of the six years and knows now more than ever that he is the person he always wanted to be.
"I'm at peace with my life and my place in this world."
Mia smiled at Soren's statement "So am I…things can only get better from here…right?"
Soren nodded and kissed the top of her head, as the hour of midnight continued the two remained there.
Things were going to change, whether it be for the better or worse remained to be seen.