Prologue

The Verge of History

"Chrom, we have to do something!"

"What do propose we do?"

"I-I dunno!"

The voices of a little girl and a young man rang in her ears, waking her up from her long slumber. She didn't want to get up, but she could hear that the little girl was worried. She opened her eyes, and looked at the two people towering over.

The little girl's eyes widened and the young man smiled, and the two bent down to be closer to her.

"I see your awake now," the man said kindly. He smiled more.

"Hey there," the little girl said gently, giggling softly.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," the man continued, reaching out to her, "here, give me your hand."

Slowly and hesitantly, she reached up and grabbed thw man's hand. He smiled more and he gingerly pulled her to her feet. She looked at his face, and felt like she had seen him before, but she knew that she had never met him. The name "Chrom" continuously came to mind, so she assumed that was his name.

"You alright?" Chrom asked her, putting his other hand on her shoulder to make sure she was stable.

"Y-Yes," she said, smiling, "Thank you, Chrom."

He titled his head slightly. "You know who I am?" he asked.

Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know who he was. "Um... No, I..." she said, a bit upset with herself, "...It's strange. Your name... it just came to me ... um..."

"...How curious."

He should no sign of doubting her words. The only expression he showed her was worry.

"Tell me," Chrom went on, "what's your name? What brings you here?"

She scratched her head. "My name is... it's... hmm?"

"You don't know your own name?"

She looked around. Her surroundings where unfamiliar.

"I'm not sure if... I'm sorry, but where am I, exactly?"

"Hey, I know what this is!" the little girl said, crossing her arms. "It's called amnesia!"

"It's called a load of pegasus dung." An older man stepped forward. "We're to believe," he began, "that you know milord's name, but not your own?"

"B-But it's the truth!" she stuttered.

"And what if is true, Frederick?" Chrom asked. "We can't just leave her here, alone and confused. What sort of Shepherds would we be then?"

"Just the same, milord," Frederick said, "I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock."

"Right," Chrom said. "We'll take her back to town and sort it out there."

"Wait a second!" she broke in. "Do I have a say in this?!"

Chrom laughed. "Peace, friend-I promise we'll hear all you have to say when we get to the town. Now come."

He gestured for her to follow, and he, Frederick, and the little girl turned and began to walk. She loitered behind in fear, afraid of what these people were going to do about her.

"What are you to do with me?" She asked the second the little girl stopped chatting with Chrom. "Am I to be your prisoner?"

Chrom chuckled. "You'll be free to go as soon as you establish you are no enemy to Ylisse."

She had no idea what Ylisse was.

"Is that where we are? Ylisse?" she furrowed her brow.

"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick asked before laughing cruelly. "Someone pay this actress. She plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing..."

"Frederick, please." Chrom looked at him angrily, then turned back to her. "This land is called the Halidom of Ylisse," he explained. "Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the Exalt." He sighed and changed the subject. "I guess proper introductions and order. My name is Chrom-well, you already knew that. The delicate one here is my sister, Lissa."

The little girl stomped her foot and glared at Chrom. "I am not delicate!" she shouted. Then, she turned and smiled. "Ignore my brother," she said, "he can quite thick sometimes. But you're lucky the Shepherds found you! Brigands would be a rude awakening."

"...Shepherds?" she asked, cocking her head slightly. If she remembered correctly-and honestly, she wasn't sure if she did-shepherds took care of sheep. But these people where wearing armor, and Chrom and Frederick was armed. Was this territory that dangerous? "You tend sheep? ...In full armor?" Chrom chuckled again. "It's an a dangerous job," he stated. "Just ask Frederick the Wary here."

Frederick scoffed a bit. "A name I shall wear with pride," he said. "Gods forbid one of us keeps the appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, stranger," he said to her, "but my station mandates otherwise."

"I understand, sir," she nodded, "I would do no less myself."

She couldn't help but to smile to herself while she was talking, because when Frederick was speaking her name resurfaced in her mind. She had mentally repeated it over and over again, happy with herself.

"My name is Abigail," she told them. "I just now remembered. How odd... I guess that's one mystery solved."

Now it was Chrom's turn to furrow his brow. "Abigail? Is that foreign?"

Was it? She didn't think it would be, but then again, she had no idea. Maybe her parents-whoever they where-had an interesting taste in names.

"...Ah, well," Chrom cleared his throat, "we can discuss that later. We're close to town. Once we-"

"Chrom, look!" Lissa wailed loudly, pointing. "The town!" Abigail spun around to see where she was pointing, and gawked at the sight.

The near-by town was engulfed in flames. Thick smoke rose from the burning homes, filling the sky with dark clouds, and filling the air with a strong stench.

"Dammit," Chrom cursed, "the town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt... Frederick, Lissa, hurry!" Chrom and Lissa began to sprint towards the village, but Frederick lagged behind for a while.

"What about her?" he asked, looking at Abigail, who continued to stand and stare in fear at the flames.

"Unless she's on fire," Chrom shouted back, "it can wait!"

"Aptly put, milord."

"Let's go already!" Lissa cried, and at that, they ran off to help the town, leaving Abigail alone.

"Wait, but what about- hm..." she said to no one in particular. She looked down at the coat she was wearing. It was entirely purple and cold, and had strange symbols on the sleeves. She unhooked it, and opened it up to find that she was armed herself.

She had book, and an old sword.

Maybe I should help them save the town, she thought. Maybe that would establish that I'm not their enemy? And anyway, I owe them for helping me. These "brigands" or whatever don't seem being friendly, imagine being woken up by them!

She began to make her way to the town and stopped again.

Is this a good idea? she wondered. I don't even remember how to use a tome or a sword. What if I can't use them at all? Gods, that would be chaotic. Plus, if they wanted me, they would've asked me to come... right? She looked back down to the tome in her hands. I do feel like I've fought in a battle like this before... and maybe I can use a tome? But if I went into the battle and find out that I can't...

She sighed, but continued to walk towards the village, and after a while, she began to sprint.

The leader of the brigands, standing tall and proud, laughed maliciously. "Get to it, lads," he bellowed. "Take anything shiny and but the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types!" He turned and grinned darkly at an innocent young girl that one of his men held hostage. The girl trashed and screamed, but was unable to break free from the man's grasp.

"Stay away from me!" she cried. "Someone! Anyone! Help!"

Lissa looked up and the girl, absolutely terrified for her. She seemed about Lissa's age...

"Chrom, we have to stop them!" she said, her body beginning to shake.

Chrom gave her an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder. "Don't worry-after today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again..." he told her.

"Wait!" Abigail's voice cried out as she ran into the village and slid to a halt beside Chrom. She unhooked her coat once again, putting one hand on the handle of her sword, and the other on her tome so she was ready to pull it out in a moment's notice.

"Abigail?" Chrom looked at her, "You followed us? Why?"

Abigail swallowed hard. "I...I'm not entirely sure myself," she admitted, "but I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight. ...If you'll have me," she added.

"Of course-strength in numbers," Chrom nodded, "but stay close!

"Remember, Abigail," Frederick advised, "we face practiced theives and murderers. They will grant us no mercy. It is to kill, or be killed."

Abigail nodded, then scanned the battle field, looking at every single man-brigand-in her line of sight. There were about five of them, and she had a feeling that they were all equal in strength. She guessed that the tome would be more useful in a battle such as this, so she began to pull it out. Chrom looked at her again, his eyes falling to the hand that stayed on the handle of her sword.

"So, Abigail, I see you wear a sword," he said softly. "Is it-" he noticed the book she had just pulled out, and his gentle blue eyes widened. "Wait, is that a tome?" he asked in shock. "...You know magic?"

"I... believe so?" Abigail replied, a bit ashamed with herself for not knowing. "I suppose I should check..."

"Believe so?! Maybe I should stay a few steps behind you for the time being..."

"No, I'm sure I can control it..." she flipped it open and read over the ancient symbols. "Now, how did this work again?" she asked herself, as the memory came back. She smiled to herself. "Ah, yes."

Holding out her dominant hand towards the closest brigand, she muttered the words written in the book. As if on cue, lightning formed at the tips of her fingers, and was released at the brigand, and hit him in the chest. "It worked," she whispered to herself and Chrom rushed forward and finished the brigand off with a slash of his sword.

Abigail looked over his shoulder to see Frederick and Lissa chatting bit behind her. Lissa held a beautiful staff on her right hand, and had her arm crossed. An angry pout was on her face. Abigail heard her say once again, "I am not delicate!"

Turning back to the battle before her, she rushed to fight alongside Chrom as another brigand charged towards him. After deflecting the attack, Chrom swiftly attacked back and slashed down at the brigand. Abigail then joined in for the finishing blow.

That's when she realized that, when she felt that the brigands all had equal strengths, it was truth. She also noticed that she could tell how much a certain attack would hurt the enemy.

Chrom waved his hand in front her face, snapping her out of her unintentional daze. "Still with us, Abigail?" he asked.

"Mm," she replied softly, "it's strange. Here on the battlefield I can... Well, I can 'see' things."

"See things? Like what?"

She explained what she had managed to observe during that battle, then said, "I must of studied this somewhere."

"So, your saying you can size up an enemy in a glace?"

"Yes, it seems so... and perhaps more, if I apply myself."

As soon as she had finished speaking, a brigand attacked her. She managed to take a few steps back, as if to dodge, but his weapon still slightly cut through the skin on her cheek. She fought back almost immediately, blasting a bolt of lighting hard at his head. Chrom then ran in in nearly severed the brigand in half. He turned back to Abigail.

"You alright, Abigail?" he asked. "Don't rush into danger."

She wiped the blood off her face and nodded, for such a small cut would not affect her. "I'm fine, Chrom," she smiled, "don't worry."

"That's good," Chrom sighed. "You're lending us your strength, and that makes you a friend. Having an ally by my side gives me courage."

Abigail scratched her head as she recalled faint memory regarding fighting in pairs. "Thank you... but I think there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I think there's a tactical advantage when it comes to fighting side by side. It's fuzzy, but..." the memory fully resurfaced. "Yes: working in pairs improves strength, defense, and agility... yeah, I'm sure of it!"

Chrom smiled. "That's good to hear," he said.

Abigail saw the girl being held captive by the brigands, and after pointing her out to Chrom, rushed to her aid with the others at her heals. She felt a rush of adrenaline as readied her magic, and her attack hit the brigand with great force, electrocuting him to the point of death. She then began to free the girl from her bondages.

"Did they hurt you?" she asked, gingerly untying the knots in the roped used to handcuff the girl.

"A little, yeah..." the girl whimpered in reply.

"The young lady over there is a healer," Chrom directed the girl towards Lissa as soon as Abigail freed her hands, "she can get you fixed up."

"Thank you," the girl breathed, "thank you so, so much!"

"It was nothing," Chrom assured her, then her ushered her to Lissa, and turned to Abigail. "The leader's the only one left?"

"Yeah," Abigail nodded.

The man seemed to hear them speaking, for he grinned widely, and called out, "Here, sheepy, sheepy! Come to the slaughter!" Abigail and Chrom charged at him.

Abigail blasted a forceful amount of lighting, and it hit him in the head, angering him. He chucked his hand axe at her as hard as he could, and it seared through the side of her neck, leaving huge cut. She cried our in pain and pressed her hand against the wound. Now Chrom was angry, and took the first free chance he had to drive his sword through the brigand's chest.

They had one the battle. The people of the town had managed to dowse the fire as they were handling the brigands, and the town was now perfectly safe from harm. The girl had been healed, and was being consoled by Lissa and Frederick.

Chrom turned to Abigail, asking "How bad is it?"

"It's... unnh... really deep," she gasped, running her finger along the wound. Chrom pulled a small flask -a vulnary, she knew, which was a ointment to help heal wounds- and a small roll of bandages from out of his pocket. "Let me see," he instructed.

Abigail held her dirty-blonde hair out of the was as Chrom gently applied the vulnary to the wound, and carefully bandaged. "You'll be alright," he promised.

"You're good with medical stuff as well as sword fighting, huh?" Abigail smiled. Chrom shrugged.

"I learned most of the medical-related things from my older sister," he said.

The two of them walked back to Frederick and Lissa, and Abigail sighed with relief. "Well that's the end of that," she said.

"Yeah!" Lissa chirped. "Lucky to the town we were nearby!" She grinned. "And holy wow, Abigail! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery, and tactics! Is there anything you can't do?"

Chrom smiled too. "You're certainly no helpless victim, that much is for sure."

"Indeed," Frederick said, though he proceeded to eye her like she was some sort of criminal. "Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation of how you came here?"

Abigail still didn't know how to answer. "I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick," she said, "and I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me. But please, believe me. I have shared all that I know."

"You fought to save Ylissean lives," Chrom said. "My heart says that's enough."

"And your mind, milord? Will you not heed it's counsel as well?"

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Abigail's talents. We've brigands ans unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such an able tactician?"

Abigail scratched the back of her head, unsure if she wanted Frederick to trust her or not, unsure if she wanted to stay by Chrom's side and help him fight for the people of the halidom. But it wasn't like she had anything better to do.

"Besides," Chrom finished, "I believe her story, odd as it might be."

"Th-thank you, Chrom," Abigail smiled.

"So how about it, Abigail?" Chrom asked. "Will you join the Shepherds?"

He's so open and welcoming... she told herself, maybe I should stay by him, if Sir Frederick allows me to.

"I would be honored," she smiled.