Chapter 1: Blood of the Plains
Lyn hummed cheerfully to herself as she made her way back home, the spoils of the day's hunt held in her right hand. It was another peaceful day on the plains as she steadily approached her dwelling, the gentle whistle of the wind and brushing of the green grass being the only sounds accompanying her on her journey home.
Home…
It was enough to silence her, the memory of…that night still raw in her mind and heart. The groans of pain that quickly became screams, the blood that desecrated the plains, the triumphant cries and laughter of those monsters as they slaughtered everyone that she held dear…!
Lyn took a shuddering breath, steadying her breathing and relaxing the tense grip she had on the rabbit she had caught for dinner. Hopefully, she would have an opportunity to practice her swordsmanship today before retiring, if only to forget the pain, the loneliness, the screams that still haunt her even now, as if they were…
Lyn's steps ground to a sudden halt as she listened intently. The screams she believed to only echo in her mind were, in fact, echoing across the empty plains in the direction of her dwelling, specifically from the neighboring ger. Breaking into a sprint over the upcoming hill, Lyn gasped at the sight she beheld.
Her dwelling, thankfully, was yet untouched, but the nearby ger was not so lucky. Cries rang out in the distance, Lyn's aghast expression quickly curled into a sneer at the axe-wielding individuals strutting about the area. "Bandits," she spat bitterly. Dropping her catch, she dashed down the hill to a nearby brush, her hand already at the hilt of her sword.
Surveying the surrounding area, she deduced there were only two bandits, one standing in front of the ger's entrance and the other patrolling the surrounding area. Taking a deep breath, Lyn steeled herself for what she resolved to do. Eyes narrowing, she lunged like a predator assailing their prey, sprinting across the plains toward her target. The bandit in front of the dwelling – most likely the boss - noticed her approach and shouted to his compatriot. However, by the time the other bandit turned to face the coming threat, Lyn's blade had already raked across his torso, staining the emerald plains a vibrant crimson.
With one bandit felled, Lyn took a breath and surveyed her handiwork. Even staring at the corpse, she found no pity in her heart for the life she had taken.
"Who do you think you are?!"
Gripping her sword tightly, Lyn turned to see the other bandit stalking toward her, a fearsome snarl on his face. "You think you can stand up to Batta the Beast?!" Without even dignifying the brigand's words with a response, Lyn growled as she leapt toward the man to allow her sword to speak for her.
To her surprise, the bandit narrowly avoided her initial strike and retaliated with his own, causing Lyn to yelp in pain as the man's axe sliced at her side. Despite the pain, however, Lyn rolled with the blow and lunged again, her strike connecting this time by piercing the brigand's right thigh. Howling in pain, the bandit launched a kick with his good leg that connected with Lyn's midsection, sending her coughing across the grass, though her grip on her sword remained strong. Sputtering, she shakily got to her feet as she glared at the bandit, who had leaped in the air to land overhead blow with his axe.
Ignoring the sharp stinging in her side, Lyn hopped back as the bandit's axe crashed into the ground where she was previously standing. Taking a deep breath, Lyn focused her gaze, her entire being, on the enemy in front of her…and lunged.
The bandit saw her coming with wide eyes, hastily wrenching his axe free and swinging horizontally at the same time, intent on decapitating Lyn as she approached. However, with the swiftness of a passing breeze, Lyn ducked under the bandit's attack and shot passed him, leaving the bandit in momentary confusion…as well as leaving him wide open.
Skidding to a stop a few feet behind the stunned bandit, Lyn shot forward once again, this time cutting a deep gash into the bandit's exposed back as she passed. Pivoting on her foot, Lyn delivered another slash the bandit's chest before he could even cry out from the first strike, though he wouldn't get a chance at all as Lyn finished him off with a final thrust of her sword into the man's gut, her emerald eyes glaring fiercely as she quickly withdrew her blade from the man and sheathed it in one smooth motion, watching as he crumpled to the floor in disbelief.
"Gh-! Wh-what…? How…how did-?"
With a choked gasp followed by a dull thud, the bandit collapsed onto the earth, unmoving. With a sigh, Lyn relaxed her body as she closed her eyes and took a moment to collect herself. Now that the bandits were dealt with, she could go check on the inhabitants of the ger to see if they were safe…
"Well, now. That was some fine swordplay."
Opening her eyes immediately, Lyn spun toward the source of the voice, her body instantly tensing as she withdrew her sword again in preparation for an attack. Instead, she saw a handsome young man holding up one hand defensively in a show of nonaggression, though his other hand was resting preemptively on the pommel of his sword.
"Whoa, careful there! I'm not here to fight." Lyn watched as the stranger retrieved a vulnerary from his person and offered it to Lyn. "Here, take this. You're wounded." Still cautious, Lyn gingerly took the vulnerary and drank it, already feeling its healing properties taking effect.
"Thank you…," she breathed.
The man smiled as he removed his other hand away from his weapon, his body shifting into a more relaxed posture. "You're quite welcome, although I should be the one thanking you. You certainly saved me the trouble of dispatching these rogues myself." The stranger then regarded Lyn with a look of concern. "Should a lass your age really be out here picking fights with brigands?"
Lyn scowled as she sheathed her own blade before addressing the stranger. "They were attacking innocent people. I wasn't going to stand by and let them get away with it."
The man held her gaze before shrugging, a relaxed smile returning to his face. "Good answer. You certainly seemed to hold your own quite well. With a little more practice, you'll make a fine swordswoman. In any case…" He turned and began walking towards the nearby hill. "It's about time I return to my mission."
"Wait!" Lyn called out, causing the man to turn back with a raised brow. "What do you mean? Who are you? What is this 'mission' of yours?"
"Ah, well, perhaps 'mission' is too strong a word." The man hesitated, as if debating whether to elaborate further or not. Finally, he spoke, "My brother and I were just returning from an…assignment in Ilia and are on our way back to Bern."
"Ah, you are a mercenary then." Lyn surmised, to which the young man chuckled.
"I suppose you could say that." With a somber expression quickly overtaking his previous chuckle, he continued, "We figured we take it upon ourselves to root out some local bandits active in these parts while we made our way home. Keep our skills sharp and help some folks at the same time. From what I hear, a group known as the Taliver Bandits have been causing trouble in these parts."
Lyn froze at the name of the bandit group. "Did…you say the Taliver Bandits?"
"Hm? You familiar with them?" The man asked.
Lyn's head dipped down, unshed tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "My…my parents…my tribe…were attacked by them…"
The man's eyes widened, his attention now fully directed toward Lyn, who continued speaking while taking shaky breaths.
"It was…six months ago now. They…poisoned my tribe's water supply, rendering everyone extremely ill. Then they came…and…" Lyn sniffled, her head dipping low as if physically weighed down by the awful memories. "My father…the chieftain of the Lorca…he put me on a horse to save me, while he and my mother remained. They…they didn't survive, along with so many others. I…I have been on my own ever since."
Silence reigned as Lyn fought to stifle the sobs wracking her body, the mysterious man not saying a word.
When her breathing calmed, the man finally spoke. "I am truly sorry. No one should have to suffer through what you described." When Lyn finally managed to look up, she noticed the man's whole countenance had changed. Gone was the casual air around him, replaced by a tempered ferocity unlike anything she had seen before. "But take heart. Soon, your parents and your tribe will be avenged, and the dastards who caused your suffering will repent with their lives. You have my word." With that ominous declaration, the man once again turned to take his leave.
"L-Let me come with you!"
The man paused and turned back once again toward Lyn, not believing what he had just heard. "What…?" He asked, as if to confirm he had heard correctly.
Lyn stared back at him, her eyes blazing with determination and vengeance. "Y-You are going after the Taliver, right? Then, I want to come!"
"Look, I understand," the man began whilst shaking his head. "But from what I've gathered, these are not your run-of-the-mill brigands. These are blackhearted villains." However, Lyn was undeterred.
"I don't care! I will be the one to avenge my parents and my people!" Her sword hand balled into a tight, trembling fist as she continued to speak, her words thick with a barely contained fury. "I swear that I will find those savages and break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves!"
The man regarded her with a hard stare and Lyn met his gaze unflinchingly. Finally, the man sighed with a resigned shake of his head. "Well then…we had best get going." He announced before walking past Lyn toward the nearby ger.
Lyn's eyes widened at his words. "R-really...?"
The man nodded as he turned his head to look at Lyn. "I can hear the resolve in your voice. Better you travel with my brother and I then to charge headfirst into danger alone."
Lyn smiled with relief. "Thank you! Ah, but please allow me to retrieve some supplies from my home. It's just over there."
The man nodded once more, his casual smile from before once more on his face. "By all means. In the meantime, I'll be speaking with the good folks here to see if I can glean any more information on our foes." Lyn nodded as she sprinted off toward her dwelling with renewed vigor, the man watching her as she went. "That girl…" He muttered to himself as he made his way to the now liberated ger and its inhabitants.
After ensuring the safety of the ger's occupants and gathering what little information he could, the man exited the dwelling to find Lyn dressed in fresh attire and carrying a small bag with her, her sword strapped to her side. "Well, shall we be off?" Lyn asked expectantly.
Chuckling, the man nodded. "We shall. Don't want to keep my brother waiting any longer. He can get a bit…reckless when left to his own devices." With that the pair started off, the young man taking the lead.
"By the way…" Lyn spoke up, catching the man's attention. "You never gave me your name."
"Ah, you're right. My apologies." The man replied with a charming smile. "My name is Lloyd Reed. And you are…?" Lyn smiled as the pair walked side by side, renewed confidence brimming in her eyes as she answered.
"My name is Lyn. Lyn of the Lorca."
As the duo walked off, the inhabitants of the ger – an elderly man and woman garbed in nomadic attire – watched with matching concerned expressions. "Those two…I hope they know what they are getting into," the woman murmured to the man. "Especially that child."
Beside her the, the man laid a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. "Well, nothing we can do about it now, except pray to Father Sky and Mother Earth for their protection." Inclining his head toward the ger, the man said, "Come, dear. We should tend to our own matters. After all, that man wasn't the only stranger to appear before us today."
"Ah, you're right!" Following the man and entering the ger, the woman retrieved a vulnerary from a nearby shelf. "It was quite kind of that young man to share some of his supplies with us to help treat our poor guest. Hopefully, this will do some good." Pouring the medicinal liquid into a bowl, the woman turned to a third, unconscious individual laying in the couple's cot…an individual with disheveled brown hair and garbed in a pale green cloak.
"Here we are."
Lloyd grimly surveyed the fortress before him, an otherwise unremarkable stone structure consisting of a surrounding stone wall with a weathered entry gate, a lone tower residing within the center. Unremarkable, that is, aside from the cutthroats occupying it.
Beside him, another young man with short hair sniffed in disdain. "So, we finally found the rat's nest, have we? Took us long enough to get here."
Chuckling, Lloyd patted the young man's shoulder. "Now, now, Linus. I'd say our little detour on the way here was quite productive. Wouldn't you say, Lyn?"
Receiving no response, both brothers turned their heads toward the third member of their party. Lyn stared straight ahead, her emerald eyes focused on the Taliver Bandit's stronghold, her sword hand resting eagerly upon her newly acquired blade. The Mani Katti, the hallowed blade revered by the plainspeople of Sacae, now rested at her side waiting to cleave into its wielder's foes. Lloyd still recalled how the blade came into Lyn's possession.
After departing from Lyn's dwelling, the pair had rendezvoused with Linus at a nearby village. Following introductions, Lyn insisted on visiting a nearby shrine to pay homage to the Mani Katti, as was customary of her people for those embarking on a long journey. However, upon arriving at the shrine, the trio found it beset by bandits attempting to steal the blade and vandalize the shrine, with the residing priest nowhere to be found. It was no trouble for Lloyd or Linus to dispatch the ruffians, but the pair of brothers were surprised at the ferocity with which Lyn threw herself into the battle, especially when she challenged and prevailed against the lead bandit all on her own. Their surprise escalated further when the shrine's priest – who had taken shelter at the beginning of the attack – declared that the Mani Katti had chosen Lyn as its wielder.
Now, here the three of them were: two veteran assassins and a girl from the plains wielding a holy blade, ready to assault the stronghold of the most notorious, vicious group of bandits in the region.
"Lyn." Lloyd repeated louder, causing the girl to finally snap out of her trance.
"A-ah, pardon me. What were you saying, Lloyd?"
Smiling, Lloyd shook his head. "It's nothing, pay it no mind."
"Geez," Linus muttered. "Best keep that head of yours out of the clouds if you want to keep it on your shoulders, girl."
Lyn, in response, shot Linus a heated glare. "Perhaps you should worry about your own wellbeing."
"All right, that's enough you two." Lloyd said in a placating tone he usually reserves for just Linus. "Now, let's get down to business. Linus," he began with his brother. "Take out the patrols along the outer walls. No alarms, no survivors." Linus flashed a wolfish grin as he nodded.
Lloyd then turned to address Lyn's expectant gaze. "Lyn, you're with me. You and I are going to take out the bandits within the interior. Stay close to me, understand?" Lyn paused before giving a resolute nod in affirmation. "Good," Lloyd responds as he turns his attention back to the fortress, his hand resting on his silver sword. "When Linus finishes clearing out the bandits on the outside, the three of us will storm the main fortress together. Remember, leave no survivors."
Linus chuckled as he hefted his own silver blade, an eager grin on his face. "Alright, let's go hunting!"
Beside Lloyd, Lyn freed Mani Katti from its sheath, her eyes alight with the fire of retribution. "Everyone…today, I will avenge you!"
Nodding, Lloyd drew his own weapon. "Ok, let's go!"
For all the rumors of their brutality and cruelty, the Taliver were unprepared for the onslaught that assailed them from seemingly thin air. The two bandits guarding the entry gate were the first to fall as Lloyd and Lyn shot toward them with near blinding speed, any cries of alarm quickly silenced by the bite of their blades. Seizing the opportunity, Linus rushed around the right corner of the fortress' outer wall, proceeding to tear into the unsuspecting sentries with the savagery of a rabid dog.
Meanwhile, Lloyd and Lyn effortlessly dispatched the bandits on the ground within the inner court, making use of the various crates of plunder and the shadows of the walls to ambush their prey. Only one bandit, the one guarding the main entry doors to the building, was fortunate enough to let out a cry of alarm before getting run through by Lyn. This also drew the attention of the last remaining bandits on the ground from the other side of the main fortress, but despite their numbers and outrage, they were woefully outmatched by Lloyd's swordsmanship.
"Huh, thought they'd put up more of a fight than that."
Lloyd turned to see his brother striding towards him with a cocky grin, despite the various scratches and bruises he now sported from his skirmishes with the Taliver sentries. Lloyd chuckled as he rolled his eyes.
"What, are you complaining that this should be more difficult?" Lloyd joked.
Linus chuckled before surveying the area, his grin soon slipping into a frown. "Hey, where'd that girl go? She was with you, wasn't she?"
Eyes widening in sudden realization, Lloyd spun around as he searched for any sign of Lyn, whom he had lost track of during the fighting. He was about to call out for her when he noticed the main entrance to the fortress was slightly ajar, a bandit's corpse propping the door open. Standing beside him, Linus followed his brother's gaze and, as usual, eloquently summarized what they were both thinking.
"Aw, hell."
There was no hesitation, no distraction in Lyn's mind as she tore her way through the main stronghold. No emotion, save for an unbridled rage directing the swinging blade in her hands.
One by one, the bandits fell to her, though like Lloyd warned, they were nothing like the bandit she slew on the plains. This lot was stronger, and decently coordinated. However, Lyn was more agile than even the most battle-hardened of these beasts, not to mention a bit cleverer. While the Taliver had the advantage of home turf, Lyn was still able to use their own hideout against them, leaping off crates of loot to outmaneuver and confuse her opponents and using other items strewn about like rope and broken pieces of stone as makeshift tools and weapons.
Of course, she was not prevailing unscathed; one bandit got a lucky slice with their sword that grazed her cheek, and a couple bandits managed to get in some stray punches to her torso and face. One had even gotten close enough to grab her by her ponytail at one point, and it was only thanks to the bandit's reveling in his catch and a nearby stray arrow lodged in a wooden crate nearby that she was able to escape and send the scum assaulting her to the grave with an arrow through the eye.
Panting and fueled by adrenaline and vengeance, Lyn finally managed to reach the main room of the stronghold, currently occupied by a hulking brute of a man wearing slightly less dirtier clothes than his compatriots and gripping a killer axe. The man – no doubt the leader of the Taliver – sneered at Lyn from behind his grimy beard. "What, is this some kind o' joke? You tellin' me my boys are gettin' roughed up by a wee lass?"
Upon entering the room, Lyn stopped and glared at the individual in front of her with all the hatred she had in her. "You…" she spat venomously.
"Hmph!" The man grunted as he bared his axe – and his scraggly teeth – threateningly. "You have any idea who it is yer dealin' with, girlie?"
Lyn took a step forward, and then another. "Yes," she answered coldly. "You killed my parents. You killed my people. You desecrated my home." Tensing up, Lyn snarled. "In the name of the Lorca tribe, you die now!" And with that, she sprinted for the man who was responsible for taking away everything she had ever known and loved, a primal cry escaping her.
With a snarl of his own, the Taliver leader met Lyn's charge head on, his axe clashing with Lyn's blade with a resounding clang of metal. Within seconds, the room echoed with a cacophony of shouts and shrieks of metal, each combatant fighting with the fury of beasts.
Ducking narrowly under her opponent's axe stroke aimed for her head, Lyn pushed forward and slammed the pommel of Mani Katti into the bandit leader's gut, stunning him enough for her to score a subsequent shallow gash to his side as he stumbled back.
The Taliver boss roared in anger and brought his axe crashing down to where Lyn was previously standing, burying the weapon in the stone floor. However, instead of attempting to free said weapon, the burly man lunged forward and grabbed Lyn's sword arm before hurling her across the room. Lyn gasped as she crashed into a collection of wooden crates, her arm throbbing in pain from being jerked around.
As she lay stunned, the Taliver boss managed to wrench his axe free and stalked toward Lyn with a triumphant grin. Rearing back as he lifted his axe to finish her off, the man left himself wide open for Lyn to desperately throw a random hunk of armor from one of the crates directly at her opponent's head. Stunned, the man dropped his axe as he clutched his face, giving Lyn the opportunity to shakily get to her feet and rush toward the man, sword poised to pierce his gut.
Amazingly, the bandit boss still managed to evade, albeit clumsily. So instead of running him through, Lyn struck another glancing blow across the man's stomach, tearing the tattered shirt he wore as well inflicting a shallow wound to the flesh underneath.
"That does it!" The Taliver boss howled, capitalizing on Lyn's overextension by grabbing her ponytail and yanking back hard. Lyn cried out in pain as she was pulled backward, landing hard on the stone floor as she flailed her sword wildly. She was rewarded with a brief yelp and a curse from the bandit as her blade struck something, only for her victory to be short lived as the bandit once again yanked hard on her hair, causing her head to hit the floor.
"You think you can just barge in and make a fool outta the Taliver Bandits? Outta me?!" Waving his injured hand briefly, the boss grabbed Lyn's hair once more, forcing her head upward. "When I'm through with you, I'll mount that pretty head of yours on my wall!"
Fighting through the dizziness, Lyn quietly tightened her grip on Mani Katti before moving. In a flash, one hand flew backward and punched the bandit in the face before grabbing the base of her ponytail. With one swift stroke, Lyn brought up her sword hand and sliced through her hair, freeing herself from the man's grasp. With a yell, Lyn got to her feet and sent a solid kick to bandit's sternum, knocking him onto his back with a groan.
Spitting a bit of blood onto the floor and taking only a moment to regard the severed locks of her hair near the bandit's feet, Lyn stalked toward her opponent with grim determination. Standing above the fallen man, Lyn mercilessly grinded her heel into the man's wounded stomach as she raised Mani Katti above her, it's point bearing down on the stricken man.
"Die," Lyn spat as she prepared herself to thrust down.
However, before she could, Lyn was stunned from a surprise blow to the back of her head, causing her to stumble off her prey and drop her sword. A blow to the back of her inner left leg soon followed, forcing the girl to kneel to the floor, where an arm snaked around her neck followed closely by the sharp point of a knife lightly poking her throat.
"I got her, boss! I got her!" The bandit holding Lyn hostage cried victoriously, having snuck into the room while Lyn focused on her opponent.
Grunting, the Taliver boss slowly hoisted himself up before glaring at both Lyn and his lackey. "Took you long enough, you rat!" Lyn, meanwhile, struggled in the other bandit's grasp as she watched the Taliver boss make his way towards his fallen weapon. Retrieving it, the larger man smirked as he made his way back to Lyn, the table's once again having turned in his favor. "Now, then. Hold her steady, less you wanna lose yer head too!"
Lyn looked up helplessly as the boss reared back, angry tears stinging her eyes. "Father…Mother…forgive me." She thought bitterly as she prepared herself for the end.
"Guhh-!?"
Lyn felt the grip of the bandit holding her unexpectedly slacken, her surprise mirrored by the Taliver boss in front of her.
"What the…? Who're-?"
Lyn seized her chance.
Reaching up and grabbing the hand that held the knife to her throat, Lyn managed to wrench it free from its owner's grasp, who surprisingly offered little resistance. Pivoting on her heel, Lyn used the newly acquired knife to slice through the neck of the bandit previously holding her, causing him to stumble back in shock.
Following through with her momentum, Lyn sprung forward towards the shocked bandit leader before plunging the now bloody knife straight into the man's heart. Looking up, Lyn glared balefully at the Taliver boss, who could only stare in shock at the knife currently buried in his chest.
"Wh-wha…?"
Gritting her teeth, Lyn pushed forward with all her might, burying the knife deeper and forcing the dying man onto the floor once more. Upon doing so, Lyn wrenched out the knife before plunging it back in, repeating the motion two more times in blind fury.
As she raised her arms again for a third stab, a firm pair of hands stopped her. As she prepared herself to struggle again, a stern, familiar voice stopped her.
"That's enough, Lyn."
Recognizing the voice, Lyn blinked as her tear-streaked face turned to see Lloyd standing behind her, a stoic expression on his face. Behind him, Linus could be seen entering the room as he stooped down to retrieve the hand axe buried in the back of the other bandit that was holding Lyn moments ago.
"It's over." Lloyd stated as his head gestured to the Taliver boss' corpse beneath Lyn. Gently taking the knife from her hands, Lloyd slowly led Lyn away from the body to the center of the wrecked room.
Immediately, Lyn's body was hit with a wave of exhaustion and emotion, her senses no longer dulled by rage or adrenaline. As the full weight of what transpired crashed down upon her, Lyn slumped against Lloyd, fresh tears falling from her eyes. Lloyd allowed a small smile as he patted Lyn's shoulder comfortingly.
"Come on, lass. Let's go."
The trio camped out on a nearby hill overlooking the battle-torn fortress, none of them having spoken a word since exiting. As Linus busied himself by sharpening his blade, Lloyd kept his eyes fixed on Lyn, who was staring intently into the fire they had prepared for the evening. Fearing the worst had happened during the battle, Lloyd was relieved Lyn had made it out of the fortress alive, though certainly not unscathed, as he took note of the various injuries adorning her person as well as her now shortened hair.
Finally, Lloyd decided it was time to breach the silence. "So, lass. What now?" Gaining her attention, Lyn looked up from the fire with curious, slightly misty eyes. "You avenged your parents and your tribe, albeit with some help." Leaning forward, Lloyd reiterated, "So, what will you do now?"
Lyn considered Lloyd's words before quietly replying, "I…suppose I'll go back to the plains. To home."
Raising an eyebrow, Lloyd questioned, "You won't return to your people?"
Lyn shook her head. "Everyone's scattered. No doubt they've already joined up with neighboring tribes." Lyn's arms wrapped around herself comfortingly, a stark contrast to the fury she displayed earlier. "My tribe honors our traditions. Even if we were to reunite, they wouldn't follow me – a woman – anyways, despite being the chieftain's daughter."
Lloyd took all this in silently, his mind coming to one conclusion. It wouldn't be an easy request to make, but maybe…
Glancing at Linus, Lloyd gave his brother a nod and a confident smirk. Looking between Lloyd and Lyn, Linus groaned as he realized what his brother was about to do. Chuckling, Lloyd returned his attention to Lyn, who was watching the exchange between the two curiously.
"Well, lass, it'd be a shame to part ways. Not to mention, your skill with a blade can't be ignored." Leaning forward with a serious expression, Lloyd asked, "So how about coming back with us? Our organization would love to have someone of your skill."
"Your…organization?" Lyn repeated slowly, her curiosity aroused "You mean, your mercenary group?"
Grinning, Lloyd shook his head lightly. "Not quite." Getting up from his seat, Lloyd made his way to Lyn and extended a hand, his eyes fixed intently on hers.
"Have you ever heard of the Black Fang?"
Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Hope everybody's week is going well so far! If not, I hope it gets better!
Now, this story. This story is one I've been waiting to share for a long, long time. It's no exaggeration when I say this story has been in the making for years, over two to be exact. For those of you who are new around here, FE7: The Blazing Blade is my personal favorite entry in the Fire Emblem franchise, one of the two FE games I was introduced to (the other being Sacred Stones). It's because of these two games I was drawn into the franchise, and I loved the story and characters of Blazing Blade. So, when FE7 was announced to be released on the Switch, I was thrilled...and I also felt now would be a good time to share this story with you all.
This story was heavily inspired by 'Marvels: What If...?' series, the concept for this story coming to me while watching 'What If...?' when the first few episodes came out. As you've already surmised, this story will follow Lyn if she had met with Lloyd on the plains instead of Mark; as I wrote and edited this story, I came to realize that the dynamic Lyn shares with Eliwood and Hector could be easily translated to Lloyd and Linus (Eliwood and Lloyd both being level-headed, while Hector and Linus are more brash, with Lyn being the in-between/mediator).
While I only plan for a few chapters of this story, I hope you all look forward to how this tale plays out. I know I will! Until next time, have an awesome day!