CHAPTER 2

Time went by. In a nearby woodland area in the Crimean countryside, grunting was heard. Two people, a father named Greil was training his seventeen-year-old son, Ike, into getting into the life of a mercenary. However, when Ike fell on his back, Greil asked if he has had enough of training with him. Ike never gave up, and continued to use the wooden sword-like stick on his father. Then, a girl called out for the both of them. It was Mist, Ike's sister. When Greil turned around to see Mist, Ike then raised his stick into the air, and attempted to strike down his own father. Greil took notice of this, and knocked him out cold.

"Ike, no!" Mist yelled.

"What have I done now…?" Greil asked himself.

"Can't you just give my brother a break, Father?" Mist asked Greil.

"No, Mist. Your brother needs to grow up big and strong." Greil said. "I've got a feeling that he needs to become a great warrior like me during my days in the army."

"Hmph. Fine Father." Mist said. "Whatever you say. Sheesh…"

A half hour later, Ike woke up. When he heard humming in the distance, he assumed it was his sister, Mist, who loved humming a lullaby sung by her late mother, Elena. Mist later asked if Ike was alright once noticing him.

"Nngh… I'll be alright, lil' sis." Ike said. "Don't worry about anything."

"So, little boy blue wakes up finally, eh?" Greil said as he walked over to his children.

"I just can't believe it, Father." Mist said. "How could you possibly go so rough on Ike like that?"

"It's all apart of proper mercenary training, Mist." Greil said. "Ike needs to learn the basics of mercenary life if he wants to be a strong warrior like me. Now, if no one minds, we are going to get back to training!"

"Father, no!" Mist yelled. She later let out a sigh.

"Mist, I'm doing well now. I'm not giving up on Father. Don't let it get to you." Ike said. Soon after, a green-haired axe fighter named Boyd came over to check up on the family, as Mist never came back with Greil like Boyd expected her to. When he noticed Ike, he wondered what happened.

"You had just missed it, Boyd." Mist said. "Knocked out cold, all frozen solid."

"Sissy!" Ike hollered at Mist. "I wasn't even knocked out cold."

"Blah, blah, blah. It's always something out of you, Ike." Mist said.

"That's enough, everyone!" Greil said. "Let's get back to our business. Boyd, how about you join us for this training session?"

"Um… okay." Boyd responded.

"Boyd's… joining me….?" asked Ike to his father.

"I want a clean, good fight before I take the stead, people." Greil said. "Boyd, you listen. If you lose, I will be the final task for him. Got it?"

"Yes, sir." Boyd said. The training later began. Ike swung his practice sword with all his might, winning against Boyd in the process. Then, Mist was ordered by her father to give a vulnerary to Ike. At first, Ike never knew what a vulnerary was.

"It's recommended that you use it before you fight Father." said Mist. "I remember he knocked you out silly."

"Yeah, and you made a huge joke about the situation." Ike said.

"Alright, enough, you two." Greil said. "Ike, allow me to step forth and show you everything there is to know about being a mercenary." Ike stepped forth to his father, and was ready to give it his all.

"Let's just keep our fingers crossed about how Ike's going to fair in the Greil Mercenaries." Boyd said to Mist.

"Ross and his little sister Samantha seemed to fair just fine." said Mist to Boyd.

"Well, you are right on that…" said Boyd. "Even though Samantha was the one who didn't give it all her all."

"Oh will you shut your trap, Boyd?!" Mist asked in anger.

Meanwhile, with Ike and Greil, they were still fighting. However, as soon as Ike knocked Greil's practice sword out of his hand, Greil almost broke a sweat and fell on his back. Mist and Boyd wondered how he did all of that.

"It's called free practice Mist." Ike stated. When Greil got back up on his feet, he walked straight over to Ike.

"Ike… see me in my office later so we can talk about your skill." Greil said.

"Wait, what?!" Ike asked.

"Don't worry, Ike." Greil said. "You are not in trouble."

"Then why does he still have to see you, Commander?!" asked Boyd.

"Now, now, Boyd, there's no need for questions like that. I was just… impressed by Ike's skill." Greil said.

"Can I go at it again with Ike, then?!" Boyd asked. "I oughta show him the king of the axe!" Boyd said.

"No, Boyd." Greil said. "I oughta make a proclamation. Tomorrow, Ike starts off as a fully-fledged mercenary ready to take on a job for the company. However, if I think that it's too much, he's back to trainee status. Ike, you had better be a trooper and work hard for me."

"I will, Father." Ike said.

Soon afterwards, a young mercenary named Ross and his younger sister, a mage named Samantha, showed up to find the group.

"Commander Greil!" Samantha shouted. "Have you finished training your son yet?" she later asked.

"Samantha, you'd be happy to know that he is finally in the company as a full-fledged mercenary." Greil said.

"I was the one who knocked him out cold." said Ike.

"Ike!" Greil shouted. "We've talked about your constant joking like that!"

"Hah, sorry." Ike apologized.

"Well, at least Ike is the newest member of the Greil Mercenaries now." Samantha's brother Ross said.

"Hold your horses, Samantha. He may be the newest member, but he still has to see me in my office." Greil said. "Now let's walk back to the fort. We could all use some rest."

Everyone remained silent on their walk back to the fort of the Greil Mercenaries. Several statements were later made to Ike by siblings Ross and Samantha.

"Ike, I feel like you're going to feel like family to everyone." Samantha said.

"You think so, Samantha?" asked Ike.

"Of course, Ike! Take my sister's word for it!" Ross said.

"You know, this really is the Greil Mercenaries in a big nutshell." Boyd said.

"Cut it out, everyone!" Mist said. "Whatever Ike does, he'll be the best soldier in the company."

"Don't get your hopes up on that, Mist." Greil said to his daughter. "It's not like he's going to go out to war in his near future or anything like that."

"Father, you never might know if I could grow up to go out to war like the real soldiers do." Ike said. "I mean, remember I used to read all those stories about Crimean soldiers going out to war?" Ike later asked.

"...Yeah, don't even get your hopes up for that." Greil said. "There would be no possible way that you yourself can get involved in a huge war. Besides, you're just getting started." Everyone later continued walking until the fort of the Greil Mercenaries was finally in everyone's sights. Ike's career as a fully-fledged mercenary was just about to begin.