Hello everyone! And- Wait a minute. Which franchise am I this time? …Oh! It's Fire Emblem!
I may not be the best at the games as my strategy is usually playing on baby mode and grinding my characters to hell and back. But! I do enjoy playing them. And this time, we have a… well… an original story based within the world of Fates.
As for how this came to be? You'll have to see in the Author's Note below!
But for now? Enjoy!
Fire Emblem Fates – Absolution
Chapter 1
Arc One – The Rise of Alcatraz
The King's Redemption
…It was a normal day for the little girl as she yawned and walked through the large library with a frown. "…Stupid. Why is everyone so busy? Can't they see a cutie like me is bored?"
The girl was young girl with sky blue hair, wearing a simple cute dress with cute shoes and a headband. She was walking with big steps and puffy cheeks as she frowned. Currently, everyone one within the large castle was busy. From her parents to her brother.
With a frustrated expression, the girl kicked a nearby bookshelf… before grabbing her foot in pain with teary eyes. However, a book would then fall from high on the bookshelf onto the floor, catching the attention of the young girl.
Picking it up, the girl would blink as she read out the title. "…Alcatraz, the Unity of Yorvezda?" Opening the book, she would raise a confused brow. "The Fall of Hoshido and Nohr… …what's that?" Continuing to explore the book, the girl wouldn't understand many of the words as she reached a page that caused her eyes would widen. "Hey! That's Mama and Papa! And uncles! And aunts! And all my friends parents!"
On the page was a list of many different individuals, all looking young and standing for poses as the girl would then blink in confusion. "But… why do they look so different?" Closing the book, the girl would rub her chin before smiling. "Why, it must be a MYSTERY! And a de- a detect- a mystery solver needs a partner!"
Grabbing the book, the little girl would run off, bumping into a maid before picking herself back up and running off. "Sorry!"
The blonde maid would blink before she sighed with a shake of her head. "That girl… how her parents can put up with her energy, I have no clue." Walking away, the Maid would sigh.
…
After a bit, one would find the scene change to a room where another young girl would be standing on her bed as she held up a picture with a grin. She had red hair and what appeared to be a strange crown with a jewel on her head as she was also wearing a cute dress. "B-By the nights of- no… How does Daddy do this?"
However, the girl would squeak in fear as her door was opened by a smiling sky-blue haired girl from before. "Ophelia!"
"Wha!" The girl would fall backwards off her bed, stumbling onto the floor as she picked herself up… looking at the little girl who burst her way into the room with slightly teary eyes. "S-Soleil! Why did you scare me?"
"Because I got a mystery!" Pointing to the girl with a grin, she held up a book. "Look at this!"
Rushing over to the girl, she opened to the one page and pointed on the page. Ophelia was confused until she saw some familiar figures when they were younger. "Mommy? Daddy?"
"Yeah! Mama and Papa never talked this Hoshido or Nohr place!" She then frowned as she crossed her arms. "But why? They always told me and Shigure about their past…"
Ophelia would blink at the pages before she gained a curious look. "…isn't your Mommy and Daddy looking different?" She then stopped and looked at her own parents with wide eyes. "So are mine!"
Soleil would look in confusion as she stared at her mother's photo. One that she recognized… but something did catch her eye. "…She's not burned?" Sure enough, there was a picture of a young Azura who stood there with unmarred skin and the smallest of smiles on her face.
Looking at the pictures, the two girls turned to one another with curious and uncertain expressions. What secrets were they missing? However, Soleil's eyes would widen. "Wait! There is someone we can ask!" Seeing Ophelia's confused look, Soleil continued. "Uncle!" Seeing the other girl's continued confused look, she specified. "The one who is in charge of everything."
The young red haired girl's eyes would widen as she nodded. Together the two would rush out of the room with the book as they were on a mission to head through the large castle to a massive door. Once there, the two girls would give a knock as the doors would rumble and open.
The room itself was a large throne room with a massive throne beside two smaller thrones. The decorations was a combination of what seemed to be two different cultures as sitting directly on the larger throne was a tall man with wild red hair and a black eyepatch over left eye with his right eye being sharp like a dragon's with blue scales under his eyes and around his neck. His hands were draconic in nature with them being dragon claws, similar draconic legs, sharp teeth, and a set of large dragon wings.
His outfit was that of a noble with a cape that held a familiar symbol. One that appeared to be a combination of two different symbols. And within his hand was a large axe that he held with might. Staring down at the two girls with a gaze that would cause many men to flee in fear, the two girls gave big smiles and waved as Soliel spoke up. "Hi Uncle Aloysius!"
The man would gain a soft smile as the two girls approached the man. "Hello Soliel. Ophelia. You normally never visit during the day." He would say this as he patted the two girls on the head with his draconic hands.
"That's because they understand to not interrupt you during your duties." Approaching from the side Azura, sitting in a strange rolling chair with a pink haired lady pushing her, as half of her face and parts of her body was covered in burns. The little blue haired girl would smile and wave to her mother who waved back. "Though it is a surprise to see Soleil so energetic."
"That's cause we have a mystery Mama!" Holding the book up to Aloysius, she smiled. "Here! Can you help us solve this mystery uncle?"
Aloysius would take the book and stare at the title. "…Alcatraz, the Unity of Yorvezda…" Hearing the title caused Azura's eyes to widen a bit as Aloysius sighed with a somber smile. "I guess it was only a matter of time before they wanted to learn the history of it all."
Azura would give a somber smile of her own as nodded. "True. Though, I along with the Laslow and the others won't be able to help with the story much. You would need to talk to the select few." She would take a glance back at the pink haired girl assisting her who would give a nod back.
The king would nod and turn to the two girls. "Now, I want to be clear. This story is not one story. I can only share my side of things… but…" He would give a chuckle. "Perhaps that's part of the mystery?"
Ophelia's eyes would widen with sparkles. "A collection of tales, spun into a tape… tapes… tapestry of unity!" The king would chuckle at the girl's antics, while Soleil was nodding along.
"Yeah! This is exciting! There's so many questions!" The little blue haired girl was smiling up at her uncle. "Please tell us!"
"Then… who am I to refuse." Aloysius would give a nod. "I guess I will start from my side of the story. How Alcatraz came to be and what led to it." With that, the king would sit down with sigh as he started to speak. About the beginning of his side of the story.
…
…
…
Before he was the king, Aloysius was the hidden away prince.
Long before years of battles and hardships formed him into the stern king he was today, he was a young and almost innocent boy. Who grew up unknowing of the real world around him. Unknowing of the truths behind the wars between the two kingdoms.
Back before Yorvezda was a thing, there was two different kingdoms. The Kingdom of Hoshido and the Kingdom of Nohr. Trapped in what appeared to be an endless war with no end or chance of unity in sight. The only way people believe the war would end was when one kingdom finally conquered the other.
The young prince believed he was born of the Nohrian royal family, as that was all he understood. With his siblings Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise along with his closed off father Garon.
Unknowingly, he was actually taken by Garon from the Hoshidan family with the assassination of King Sumeragi. Through a series of events allowing the young prince to finally leave his fortress, he was taken to the Hoshidan capital and introduced to Mikoto… his birth mother.
There he also met the rest of the Hoshidan family in Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura. Additionally, he met a princess from Nohr who, in retaliation of his kidnapping, was kidnapped herself. And what was supposed to be a time of connection and reunion turned into a time of loss. For the blade bestowed upon the young prince by his father was a weapon meant to detonate.
The sword flew from his hand and exploded into the flurry of shards, killing all around and aimed to kill the prince as well. That was until Queen Mikoto rushed in front, protecting her child with her own life.
What followed was a blur, but Aloysius was filled with so much sadness and rage that, for the first time, he transformed into a dragon. A trait that he would not know but would later define into his character through the trials and tribulations.
Once calmed in his rampage, the young prince would be gifted a new blade in the shape of the legendary Yato. A blade of legend.
However, he wouldn't have time to understand the blade as he was then thrust into a battlefield. One where his two families were fighting one another, demanding that Aloysius make a choice between which family. …So, the young man chose the third option.
He picked neither side.
With nothing but his maid Felicia and his new sister Azura, the trio was forced to flee. Branded as traitors to both kingdoms.
But through this, Azura would bring the young prince to the realm of the true enemy. The enemy pulling the strings behind the war itself. Valla. A place unable to be spoken outside of Valla as any attempt to do so would cause the speaker to fade away into non-existence.
Through trials and tribulations, the young prince would slowly gather soldiers from both sides of the war. To reunite with his family and to make bonds. There was loss however… as the king of Izumo, Izana, perished with a spiritual reading to assist the young prince as well as the Rainbow Sage of Notre Sagesse perishing to power up the Yato…
Truthfully, by the time they reached the Bottomless Cavern, the prince believed they were ready to face Anankos. …He was wrong. So wrong.
The clouds were stormy as the red haired stood there, hand shakily grasping onto the legendary sword as his once hopeful eyes were shattered at the sight before him. The once happy child stood there with eyes filled with hatred.
Before him was a laughing Garon who stood proudly before the young prince. "Don't you see Aloysius? You cannot defeat Lord Anankos."
By his side was a grinning Iago and Hans. With his two loyal soldiers by his side, Garon stood with a powerful laugh as the field before them was littered with Aloysius' allies and friends. Each one was slashed or burned from the axes and magic flung at them.
And at Garon's feet was none other than Xander and Ryoma. The mad king slashed down his own son and the royal Hoshidan who moved to protect him.
It was but an instant when it happened. They had defeated Hans and then Iago as they prepared to head forward into the realm of Valla… when Aloysius would have to dodge an attack from Gunter.
Gunter, one of his longest allies, one of his trusted servants… attempted to stab him in the back. As an attempt to get revenge on Garon for killing his wife, child, and village. Aloysius would notice the glow of Anankos around the man as he attacked. The army would see this glow as he rushed forward, being blocked by Scarlet's axe.
However, the resistance leader was then knocked off her wyvern as the possessed Gunter stabbed it through the heart, killing the drake. This small crack was all that was needed. This small break in trust and formation was what was needed for Garon to appear with a healed Iago and Hans.
The Iago and Hans from before were but decoys as they were in truth laying in wait to strike. What followed was a blindsided attack from Faceless and Stoneborns. Attacks to weaken the disorganized army before Iago, Hans, and Garon would strike. Aloysius was almost struck down too if not for a blast of magic stopping them from being hit by Garon's axe.
But that didn't save the others as Garon continued to strike them down. And right now as Aloysius held onto his injured arm, he could only watch as the man grabbed Gunter, the traitor who started this all and laughed. "To think that instead of being the one who would bring me down, you instead brought victory to my and my lord's grasp!" With a mighty slash, the old retainer was slashed down with a mighty blow.
Like a burst of emotion, the child's eyes grew with hatred and anger. "…GARRROOONNN!" With hatred in his voice, the man would try to move, only to be stopped by a barrier from Iago. It was over… Garon had succeeded in stopping Aloysius.
"Till we meet again… failed prince." With that, the three men would jump down the Bottomless Canyon as the skies shifted over… Aloysius' army had failed.
Valla was closed off. For how long, they did not know. But for now, the army was wasted. Struck down by mad king as the young prince snarled with almost a draconic growl. He would then rush up to the downed man… the traitor that caused this… with pain and betrayal in his eye as he found the old man with tears.
"I… I am sorry Milord. I am the biggest failure of a retainer." The man coughed up blood as he looked up at Aloysius. "When I fell in that canyon… Anankos… he played at my weakness. My hatred for Ganon. And made me his puppet."
However, the man then shook his head. "No… that's not fair. I was already a twisted man. Garon may have slayed my wife… my child… my home… but I was the one who attempted to use his own child for my use. I wanted revenge so badly that I ended up causing my own downfall. Truly a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Aloysius would look down at the bleeding man with tears. Despite the betrayal, despite it all… Gunter had been a part of his life. "I forgive you."
That brought a small smile to the man's face as he cried some tears. "That… is more than I deserve Milord… but thank you." And with that, Gunter would draw his last breath.
It was all too much as the prince let out a draconic roar of sorrow and pain. One that echoed through the canyon. However, he would stop as he turned his head when he heard someone approaching.
Turning to the dark blue-haired Kinshi Knight and the white & black-haired Adventurer that approached, Aloysius' eyes softened a bit. He wasn't the only one standing thankfully. However, the two would look into the eyes of the prince and see the change that had occurred. The innocence that was once there was long gone. Now, a scarred soldier remained.
"Reina. Shura." The prince spoke in a stern and determined growl. "I vow that when the gateway opens once more… When all is said and done…. We will end this war." His eyes then gained a fire of hatred. "And when we come face to face with Garon? I'll end his life myself."
"For now… we need to recover and recoup. Call both the armies and healers you can." His eyes stared off into the distance. An uncertainty within them as he sighed. "We need to figure out our next steps." He then turned to the downed form of Gunter with a face of sadness. "And prepare a burial…"
…
…
…
The return back was brutal. Both sides of the war were damaged as the King of Nohr attempted regicide against his own children and how a third party has been pulling the strings, one that came with a curse.
How did they know this? Simply put, Anankos decided to prove his might over the victory. A shadowy figure appeared in the sky as he taunted the prince in his failure. How the masses over the world learned of the Kingdom of Valla. Of how HE was the one true ruler and vowed to destroy both Nohr and Hoshido in his rule.
He then taunted the young prince. How his blade was but a sham and how it would never be enough. Finally, the evil dragon decided to just remove the blade itself.
What Aloysius wasn't expected was the blade he had trusted through his journey to start glowing with shadowy flames within his hands. The blade would start to chip away as it started to spread to the prince, the people screaming in fear. However, in an act that would be remembered throughout history, the prince's dragonstone would glow and start to absorb a small blue flame from the blade.
In a loud roar, the prince would start to change as the stone started to glow and crack. A pair dragon wings would sprout from Aloysius' back as blue scales would start to form around his eyes and neck. His visible eye would sharpen like a dragon's as his teeth grew sharp. His arms would slowly grow scales and turn into claws while his legs also started to shift into draconic legs. Finally, he would grow in size, becoming larger than most at an astonishing eight feet tall. The prince would still grasp onto the sword… before a glow would occur as the sword shattered.
The shadowy flames split into two as the prince's claws glowed. His right claw would glow a burning red and felt like it held burning fire similar to the lands of Hoshido. His left claw would glow a chilling purple and felt like it held the cold shadows similar to the lands of Nohr. Finally, unknowing to him and everyone around him, water would start to appear and form around his feet… similar to a certain dragon.
Standing in his new draconic nature with his head held high, the prince would speak from the top of his lungs in a roar of a voice… challenging the godly dragon in a speech that would go down in history along with the event beforehand.
"ANANKOS! You may view humanity as weak. You may believe that you can rule us with an iron fist. But you're wrong! We refuse to back down! We refuse to fall! So mark my words, it may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. But one day your reign of terror will end! And everyone will finally experience a period of peace!"
"I swear to be the defender of the people! I refuse to allow you destroy! So from this day forth, I will protect the people of this world with all my might! THIS I SWEAR!"
In that moment, the projection would disappear as the people stared in awe. With the royal families in such disarray, there was a need for a ruler. The Queen of Hoshido had perished and the King of Nohr had turned his back on the people. But in front of them was a man, a dragon, willing to face off against a literal god for their sake.
So, turning back to the people, Aloysius would be shocked to see everyone kneeling before cheers would come from the crowds. "LONG LIVE KING ALOYSIUS!"
He wasn't sure what would come, but he wasn't going to waste this chance.
…
"Wait! You were human before!?" Soleil and Ophelia were sitting and listening as their eyes were widened. They felt some nervousness with the story as it sounded like their parents were really hurt but… the story of their uncle becoming the dragonoid king they knew their entire lives? Was so cool!
The king would just give a chuckle that sounded like a dragon's growl. "That's right. I used to be human just like everyone else. Though… technically I was always a little different." Seeing the curious looks, the man would sigh. "All the royal family has dragon blood within their veins. Mine was just stronger than anyone else's because I had a direct connection. As for what that is… you'll have to find out."
The girls would give a groan as Azura and the pink haired woman with her laughed. "What? You two are the ones that want a mystery." This would make them stop their groaning, but the two girls still pouted. Aloysius just chuckled and shook his head. They were still children after all. "Anyways… shall I continue my part of the story?"
After some processing and discussion with the citizens and the nobles, a decision was made. Aloysius was made King. And his first action in the face of this new threat was unity.
For the first time, Hoshido and Nohr were no longer at war. But with it came issues. Was this land of unity Hoshido or Nohr? Like with the choice before, the final decision was one that he had made before. He would be neither.
For the first time in a millennium, Hoshido and Nohr would become one. A new country of the Starry Night… Yorvezda.
Once things had settled down, sitting in room separated from the others, Aloysius stared at himself in the mirror and then down at the shattered dragonstone in his hands. Well, claw. The newly reigned king stared at himself as he brought a claw to his face.
To go from a human to this was jarring. Even the normal transformation of the dragonstone was a lot. To go from what he was used to… to this monster.
Despite saying positive things, his senses became stronger than ever before. There were whispers from the people about his appearance. About his failures. About how his siblings were harmed so a monster like him could become king.
All he saw in the mirror… was a monster as he reared his claw back and smashed it into the mirror. As it fell to the floor, the door would slowly open to reveal Reina, standing there with some bandages. She stared at the distressed Aloysius who gave a sigh before giving a sad smile.
"Hey Reina…" The woman would nod and approach the man as he stood well above the woman. He looked down as she placed a hand on his clawed hand as he saw the ring he proposed to her with on her hand. However, his heart felt hollow as he had heard…
Reina's parents had come to her… and seeing she was alive requested her to leave the army and return home to get married to a 'normal person' rather than a 'dangerous monster'. He remembered the smiles and missing emotions when he had asked them for their daughter's hand in marriage. They truly missed their daughter. And part of him knew they were right. He wasn't normal anymore. He was this massive hulking beast.
Looking up from her hand, he would see worried eyes looking at him as he gave a weak smile. "So… I guess it's no longer a dream but a nightmare, huh? If you wish to leave, I understand-"
However, the dragon king was silenced as Reina stood on her tiptoes and kissed Aloysius on the lips. Releasing the kiss, she smiled with warmth. "I'm still yours. No matter how you look."
The king would smile weakly as he held his wife close. Yes, wife.
Before the final trek, he asked Lilith to help bring him to Reina's parents house to ask for her hand in marriage. They gave their blessing back then and before they left, the two would marry as there was worries about what was to come. It was a beautiful time… with Gunter acting as the priest.
Together, they would be the first married couple in the army and was even blessed with a daughter. However, due to the dangers ahead, the two parents kept little Kana in a deeprealm to protect her. Every time they visited, she seemed to be older and older.
But now, everything was just messed up. "Are you alright staying with me?" Before she could respond, he continued. "You'll forever be judged as the Queen of the Failed King… the monster's bride…"
"I will admit. I am nervous." Aloysius frowned as he heard that. "Nervous about being Queen that is." The man would blink for a moment before looking at his smiling wife. "But I don't care if you're king or not. You're my husband and I'm sticking with you every step of the way."
A soft smile appeared on his face as he felt Reina place a comforting hand on his cheek as he placed his hand overtop of it. "I don't know what I did to deserve a woman like you."
"Simple. You were yourself."
Through the moments together, the two had a serene connection. Two souls trying to find their place and their own paths. And now… the two of them were forced to lead the kingdom.
A knock would be heard on the door as standing there was Shura, bandaged slightly as he looked at the two of them. "Apologies Lor- I mean… King Aloysius. Queen Reina. But I come baring news about the others."
Seeing the grim expression, Aloysius steeled himself. "…How bad is it?"
"To put simply your highness… but pretty bad." The ex-thief held a stern look. "From what could be gathered… most have been damaged from the conflict. And the damage seems to be so severe that there is a high chance that they would never be able to battle ever again."
Aloysius gave a growl in frustration. He was frustrated at himself as Reina placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. However, the retainer turned queen would stop for a moment before turning to Shura. "Wait… you said most?"
This made Aloysius stop as Shura nodded. "Yep. Most."
"…How many?" Aloysius turned to the man. "How many are still standing?" A small flicker of hope returned in the king.
The thief gave a frown in response before sighing. "…Three. And barely." And in an instant, the hope almost died… almost.
"Who survived the attack?" Aloysius' mind was running a mile a minute as he tried to gather an understanding of the situation. "Can you bring us to them?"
Shura would nod and motion for the king and soon-to-be queen to follow. Heading through the palace's corridors, they entered a room where three individuals were sitting. A white-haired outlaw, a brown-haired farmer, and a blonde-haired revolutionary without her trusty wyvern
She would turn and look at Aloysius' new appearance with slight shock as the man gained a faint smile. "Niles… Mozu… Scarlet…"
…
After some time, the three were caught up to speed on the situation… However, Scarlet wished to remain alone for a bit to mourn the loss of her precious wyvern. Meanwhile, Mozu was struggling with the idea of loosing another family. Finally, Niles was frustrated with himself… for failing his friends and his liege.
Stepping outside, Aloysius would clench his fist as Shura sighed. "What a shitstorm." Turning to Shura, the man turned to the king. "We're most likely going to have to deal with the loss of soldiers. I mean, it's not like you can find any random person. You would need to find those skilled enough in combat. If you can't fight a criminal, then you're as good as dead as a fighter."
Aloysius would nod somberly as he turned and left. However, the smallest of ideas started to form. Once everything was accounted for and stated, the three headed to a meeting room where Aloysius, Reina, Shura, Niles, Mozu, and Scarlet were joined by Yukimura, the Hoshidan council and the Nohrian council.
Yukimura would look down at the parchment with a grim expression. "Out of the soldiers we have, the elite guard of Hoshido and Nohr are… rather damaged." He turned to Aloysius as he glanced at the remaining three. "Of the unharmed, there was Lord Aloysius, Lady Reina, and Shura. As for those who were able to survive the attack, we only have Niles of Nohr, Mozu of Hoshido, and Scarlet of Cheve."
The advisor turned to the king with a stern expression. "With the kingdoms in disarray and currently working on now uniting under one banner, our army is split all over. Even then, a large majority of soldiers have been harmed in the war between Hoshido and Nohr. Put simply… if an attack was thrown towards us… we would surely fall."
The councils were whispering and discussing with one another as Aloysius was silent. However, feeling a comforting hand on his, he would see Reina giving him a caring expression that made him sigh and look up. "As stated by Yukimura, a grand attack would leave us vulnerable. However, an attack from Anankos seems unlikely as of right now. But for how long that will last is unknown."
Standing up and facing the council, he held a stern look. "However, I have ideas… give me some time to finalize them before presenting them to the councils."
With that, the dragonoid king would turn and leave the room, his mind grasping at straws on what to do next.
…
The two girls stared as their uncle sighed. It was an unpleasant time for the king as Soliel looked at him with a curious expression. "Was it really that difficult Uncle?"
Aloysius nodded as he patted the two girls on the head. "Of course. Instead of a single kingdom, it was two. Two that became one. Which means nearly double the people to care for… double the territory to protect… there was so many things I needed to care for and little time to figure it out."
"If we were awake, we could have helped…" Azura stated with a sombre tone. "However, we had yet to wake up from our injuries."
Aloysius nodded. "I cared more for your safe recovery than for you to be thrust into the chaos that I was placed in." He then sighed. "Not to mention budgeting and money handling. The sad truth about being an adult…" Taking a glance at the two girls, he smirked. "You can buy whatever you want but you have to work for it and pay with your own money. No allowances."
The two girls had looks joy at the idea of being able to buy whatever you wanted… before it shifted into looks of absolute horror. No allowances!? How could one possibly survive!?
Aloysius withheld a chuckle as he saw Azura and her pink haired assistant struggling to not burst into laughs as well. The king shook his head as he looked at the two girls. "How about we move past the boring adult stuff and focus back on the story, shall we?" The two girls immediately nodded.
…A month. A month had passed since the council meeting. Facing the facts, Aloysius had to be coronated as king of Yorzveda while also factoring the unity of the two kingdoms. To say it was simple would be the understatement of the century. Following this, Aloysius was struggling to figure out how to manage the different aspects of the kingdom.
Now that the two united, food distribution is being properly handled. Hoshido had a surplus of food and was almost wasteful with it compared to the struggling Nohr. On the other hand, Nohr had more in armoury and weaponry that Hoshido could not match. Together, it was a better blend… except for the mass population needing protection.
Which brings us back to the dilemma of the one council meeting… how to grow the army And since then, all of the concepts Aloysius considered all faced issues. Conscription wouldn't work as it would force the people into a role they have no wish for. Recruitment wouldn't work that well either as it was slow process to train random civilians into trained soldiers.
However, one idea kept coming back to him which he tried to ignore. Surely it wouldn't work… But he didn't write it off until that one faithful day.
It was another day of working on the proposal for the councils when Shura would appear. "Lord Aloysius." Over the past week, Shura would show more of his Kohga heritage with appearing in and out like the ninjas of Hoshido. So much so that Aloysius had accepted Shura as his personal retainer.
Turning to the man, Aloysius gave a smile. "Yes Shura? Does something need my attention?"
Shura nodded. "Remember during the battle against Garon? Where a blast of magic saved you from a blow?" The dragonoid king would raise brow before nodding. "We found the mage that fired the magic my lord."
This would cause Aloysius' eyes to widen. "Lead the way then."
Following the thief turned retainer, Aloysius would find himself approaching a prison cell door. Upon opening the door, the king's eyes would widen as he stared at the individual. "…Leave us be for a moment Shura."
Shura was hesitant but nodded as he closed the door behind Aloysius. What passed seemed like an eternity, but after some time, the door would open once more. And exiting the room was Aloysius… a burning fire in his eye as he stood confidently and determined. "…Shura… call a meeting within the hour. I have our solution."
…
…
…
Gathering into the meeting room once more, Aloysius would enter with Shura and what appeared to be a handcuffed Nohrian mage. "Councils… I thank you for your patience with myself when coming with a proposal." Taking a seat at the lead table, he would have a determined expression. "What I am going to present is a solution to gathering a brand-new army of trained individuals beyond what anyone has ever seen."
One council member would look at Aloysius in confusion. "How could one possibly accomplish that?"
"Through Project Alcatraz." They turned to the king as he gained a stern expression. "A location that doubles as a training facility for the recruits…"
Yukimura would stare at the king with uncertainty. "You seem to avoid stating something of importance… who will these recruits be?"
Aloysius stayed silent as he closed his eyes. With a deep breath, he would open them and stare at everyone within the room. "Criminals." His eyes stayed stern as he continued. "Crooks, bandits, raiders, you name it… the plan is to capture them and convert them into an army."
The councils grew silent… his own allies except for Shura grew silent… But the king stayed strong and continued. "Project Alcatraz would be a specialized prison. The location has been sorted out personally. Captured criminals will be provided a chance at redemption… either take the opportunity or will serve their sentence. Should they complete the training and improve while vowing their allegiance to Yorvezda, they may join the main ranks of the army."
"Criminals take care of the issues we face. Their payment is their chance at freedom. Their skills are already present. They are trained fighters, skilled in tricks and trade, and overall… some may wish for a better life… a life without crime." The king would look determined. "I know the dangers of this method. Betrayal and infiltration. Manpower and order. That's why I want to be methodical about this. We can't afford to spend time creating a new army by scratch. We can't force our citizens to become soldiers."
"Additionally… Some have already shown their determination to join our cause. A chance at redemption. There are skilled criminals we need to keep an eye on." Aloysius would turn to the Nohrian mage. "…Especially if one was the one who saved my life from Garon. You can reveal yourself now."
Suddenly, the mage would seem to glow in a magical glow as their appearance shifted back into a lanky blonde-haired mage with a hat similar to a sleeping cap. The Nohrian council looked shocked along with the others. But of all the members of the room, Niles was the one who stood in shock and stared at the mage.
"Zola!? He's alive!?" Sure enough, Zola, the retainer of Garon, was standing there nervously.
…
"EHHHHHHHHH!?" Soliel and Ophelia were starring absolutely gobsmacked. Aloysius nodded as he waited for the two to calm down. After all, they would learn how Alcatraz truly was sooner or later.
Aloysius held some regrets. The project, while laced with good intentions, was a struggle and filled with issues. So many of his now trusted companions came from stained backgrounds, a sore spot for everyone.
Ophelia would be the first to recover as she turned to Aloysius. "B-But… Uncle Zola is a master of magic! One of the most regarded members of the Yorvezdian army! The royal Tactician! He was a criminal!?"
"Indeed… if fact, many of the army are ex-criminals." The girls were shocked once more as the king continued. "Zola was one of Garon's personal retainers… a master of illusions who was terrified of King Garon. In fact, there was an infiltration invasion on Izumo. They were still dealing with the aspects of the 'winter spell'. As for Niles' reaction… before this all occurred, he was a retainer for my brother Leo who believed he had killed Zola with his magic in Izumo."
Aloysius gained a strained look. "…Project Alcatraz gave people like Zola another chance. Some took it well, others not so much."
Azura would nod herself as Soliel was sitting on her lap. "Your father, myself, and the others woke up much later… and not everyone reacted positively." She sighed and shook her head. "It led to conflict but… we slowly grew to respect one another."
Soliel and Ophelia were silent as Aloysius gave a small smile. "How about I finish off this tale and then we call it a day?" Getting nods from the two little girls, the king leaned back in his throne and continued.
…
Returning back to the cell before the meeting, Aloysius stared in shock as Zola sat there nervously. "H-Hello L-Lord Aloysius…"
"Zola." The king shook his head and stared at the mage. "It's a surprise to see you alive considering you were blasted with Leo's Brynhildr while holding a dagger to the neck of my sister Sakura."
The mage flinched as the king's words were filled with slight venom. To say the man was forgiven would be very incorrect. However, Aloysius would take a deep breath and sit down on the chair near the door. "However, I've heard that you were the mage who saved my life that day on the battlefield."
Aloysius had looked back to that fight multiple times. From how he could have prevented Gunter's forced betrayal, to how he could have prevented his family and allies from their grievous injuries. But one fact evaded him, and that was who launched the magical attack that prevented Garon from striking him down. By that point, all the mages in the army was stuck down… and there was no way Iago would betray Garon at that point.
Which meant an outside influence was near the battle and protected him. Considering how strong of a spellcaster Zola was, especially with his illusions, it made sense how someone was able to sneak onto the scene and protect him.
"Y-Yeah…" Zola looked away afraid as he scratched his arm in nervousness. "I just…" The mage took a minute before speaking out loud. "I'm a coward."
"I'm a fucking coward!" The mage raised his voice as he gripped his hat in frustration. "I used an illusion to hide! Prince Leo thought he killed me, so I stayed hidden! I… I wanted to rejoin Garon because I was afraid that if he found me I would perish! B-But then… I found that battlefield… and I saw you nearly attacked and I just… I reacted!"
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Zola frowned. "The Hoshidans want me dead. The Nohrians want me dead. I… I just want to belong somewhere without fear! Is that so wrong!?"
Upon hearing his words, Aloysius' mind would stop. Truthfully, he was hesitant to trust the mage. After all, what if he was like Gunter? And then… it finally clicked in his mind. Why the one idea seemed appealing.
To say Aloysius was unscared from what is being called the "Fall of the Bottomless Canyon" would be incorrect. He didn't notice it at first, but there were moments where instead of his once innocent and trusting self… he was hesitant and skeptical. Betrayal was not easy to forget. And Project Alcatraz… that idea tempted the line. It was giving individuals a chance to join and betray him. A chance to backstab once it was all done.
…But then again, why were they different from Shura? Shura was a thief on a quest of vengeance. Aloysius and his army had defeated his target of vengeance, and he joined their cause. What was stopping him from lashing out? From striking his back? The answer he wasn't sure. But he gave him a chance.
Aloysius would stand up and walk towards the terrified mage… before holding a clawed hand out to the man. Zola looked in confusion and shock as Aloysius held a calm smile. "Then… allow me to help."
…
Aloysius stood determined as everyone stared at the handcuffed Zola and him. "I don't expect everyone to be on board with this. And I know how difficult it is to trust… but…" He clenched his fist. "I refuse to lose myself completely. And I want to believe in people."
Tensions were high as Niles stared Zola down. However, the outlaw would sigh and sit back down into his chair. "Alright. Fine. I'm willing to give it a shot."
The councils were shocked, but Niles continued. "I swore allegiance to Lord Leo. His word is what I follow… and it was by his words that he placed his trust into Lord Aloysius." Turning to the king, he gave a stern expression. "I am still hesitant, but I understand the direction. I'll do my best to aid but… what follows is up to you."
"Of course." Aloysius would turn to the others as he gains a smile. "Project Alcatraz will begin. I just need to finalize the location. But we will begin in creating a new future… for a better Yorzveda."
The meeting would slowly dissipate as all that remained was Aloysius, Reina, Shura, Niles, Mozu, Scarlet and Yukimura… along with the still handcuffed Zola who was fidgeting nervously. Aloysius would walk over to Zola and slowly take off the handcuffs as he smiled and held a hand out. "Well… it's a pleasure to properly meet you Zola."
The mage gave a sheepish grin and took the reached-out hand, though it was awkward due to it being more a claw, as he nodded. "A pleasure as well y-your highness."
From there, Aloysius would leave Zola into the care of Shura and Yukimura. For now, he had to go to the Astral Plane…
To see Lilith about turning the plane into the location for Alcatraz.
…
…
…
"From there, we went our separate ways. Zola was still watched over by the others as he wasn't fully trusted, but Zola expected it." Aloysius nodded with a fond smile. "That was the first step though to the idea many called crazy. But to me, it was the first step towards regaining my old self. The young man who would offer a helping hand to anyone in need and stay positive…"
Aloysius then sighed and shook his head. "Of course, I could never truly go back to how I was. Growth and experience changes you as you age. Wisdom is gained, you mature more and more, and you face each day with a new outlook." Patting the two girls on the head, he smiled. "Let this be a little lesson."
The two girls were silent as Aloysius sighed and turned his head. The sun could be seen setting through one of the windows as he turned back to the girls. "Well, it seems that it's reaching the day's end. If you want to learn more about what happened next, I recommend talking to someone else tomorrow." He tapped his chin for a moment before nodding. "Preferably Lilith as she was involved with what came."
Azura would smile and nod as Soleil was sitting on her lap. Ophelia was sitting down on next to her as the two girls looked at one another. A determined expression was within their eyes. This mystery was growing into much more.
What happened with Alcatraz? What happened that led to the prosperous kingdom they know today? The girls had those questions and much more.
But for now… the day had reached it's end. And they learned the first tale. The tale… of the King's Redemption.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
Hello everyone! Void here!
So… context? Context.
See, this is actually the first time I created a fun fanfiction idea off of a challenge run idea. Yes, this is based off a Fire Emblem Fates Challenge Run.
The challenge run itself was my "Fire Emblem Revelations Alcatraz Run", where I could only use specific units/capturable units. The idea was a 'prisons of war' turned into heroes challenge run which somehow popped into my mind and made me …And this story was based off the Redux second version!
Yep! Beforehand, I had a story with a bunch of OCs as my first run was a LOT different. What I had originally conceptualized this story as was a story based around criminal OCs telling the story from a sideline perspective.
However, with just how I am, I realized I wanted to go even further and finalize it… which resulted in me creating this story! Which somehow ended up with me creating my own twist in the story with aspects of the story while also sticking to the game as much as I could.
Even though the game can be a bit of a hot mess, I love this game. Maybe I'm just weird but I enjoy this game a lot more than Awakening, Three Houses, and the other games. Is the main story trash? Oh absolutely. The story is pretty much hot gar-bag-e.
But that just motivated me more to write this.
This story is going to be a bit more of a snippets tale… following the tales of the different characters and how they came to join the army. As for how many chapters this will be… OH BOY! If my main plan goes as it is… it' may be a minimum of a FUCKTON.
This chapter was the beginning of Aloysius' story as well as the explanations of the world in general.
If you didn't get it, Hoshido (Along with Igasato, Kohga, and Mokushu) and Nohr being combined into one country known as Yorvezda (Which is a combination of Yoru in Japanese and Zvezda in Russian. Those being Night and Star. So the idea is that the country is known as the Starry Night country) which later then combined with the remains of Valla into one large. As for the remaining locations… Izumo, Nestra and Notre Sagesse are neutral territory for those who don't want to live in the main country.
Now for the character of the chapter… Aloysius, the King. Yes, each character will have a title like that.
Aloysius, or Corrin if you want to be specific, was named that after James Aloysius Johnston, the first warden of Alcatraz. Aloysius' character is playing off the idea I had which led to the Alcatraz Project in the first place.
Aloysius is a man destroyed and broken to the point where he would use whatever is necessary. I mean, his family and friends are struck down, he's forced to lead the kingdoms as it's sole ruler, he's become a "monster" as a dragonoid human… and so on.
So Aloysius is going to be a mixture of a stern leader like Xander and Ryoma while trying to regain the joyous nature he once held.
As for the next chapter, we have another character. Who will it be? You'll have to wait and see.
…
Finally, as a side note: The pairings of the usual cast. I know that everyone has their own opinion on Fire Emblem pairings. The games are literally made around the concept that any pairing can be a thing. And that makes sense with this game as well.
However, because of the partner seal, I tend to pair of characters that (at minimum) give a brand-new classes. So for example, I don't go for a pair like Silas and Selena because Silas gets no classes from the pairing… Even if I find the pair cute.
And let me tell you… IT ANNOYS THE HELL OUT OF ME! But that's okay. I'll go over my picks as time goes on but… here's the current pairs selected for the usual cast.
First is Laslow x Azura. Truthfully, their pairing was always one I loved. While I didn't go with pink haired Soleil for this story… I don't care. This pair is probably one of my favourites. I love this duo a lot. However, honestly, like all the pairings, I could go so many different ways with it.
Laslow has a lot of pairings I enjoy from him and Peri, with Nyx, with Selena… it all depends on the angle you go at. However, out of all of them, I truly believe I love Laslow with Azura. It just has that right feel of dancer and singer. Two artists creating a true masterpiece together. As for Azura, there are other pairings that felt right but none quite like Laslow as well. I thought about Arthur as their pairing is cute too… but nah. A true dance of love.
Honestly, out of all the pairs, this was one of the easiest. And probably why I had Soleil as the main character for this story. Because it was just that easy to click with.
As for the second pair, Odin x Selena. Now this one is a bit of a twist as most stories tend to go with Laslow and Selena rather than these two. And I can understand why. But I enjoy the fact that Selena is the straight man to Odin's antics while also having a close bond.
Also, yes. I know many pair Selena with Subaki and get Caeldori as a daughter… but… like I said, I like to have the pairings give the max amount of classes. So having Selena get absolute fuck all? Nah. I'm good. Plus… their support was rather cute in my eyes and truly a pair I enjoy so I chose to go with it. And with the headcanon I have for Odin's parent (which will come up later)
Like with Laslow and Azura, this pair was actually another one that came easily. Their support is one of my personal favourites so going with them was an easy pick. Plus, if anyone can reel in Odin and Ophelia, it would be Selena.
Finally, we have the pairing of Aloysius and Reina. So, for those wondering, I am in the band/camp of going for 'Avatar-sexuals'. For those who don't know, there is a bunch of characters in some games that only pair up with the avatar character. Like Anna or Tiki in Awakening going for Robin.
Or in this case, we have those who go for only Corrin. For Male Corrin, that leaves a couple of options.
Now, run wise and option wise, for Revelations there is four options. Those being Flora, Scarlet, and Reina. Anna is an option, but because she's DLC, I'm not inclined to pair her with the Avatar. Out of them, there was a bunch of reasons for each but in the end, I prefer Reina for Revelations… and Reina in general.
Speaking of which, obviously there is spoilers in this story. But big spoiler here if you never played the game… Scarlet fucking dies. You get her in Chapter 16, are automatically put into Chapter 17… and then it ends with her dying in the cutscene before Chapter 18. Meaning that the only time to really support and pair with her is in-between the two chapters.
Which honestly? Kinda sucks. Because if it was Birthright and Scarlet was an option? OH BOY! It would make the running even harder. Scarlet and the Avatar have a good relationship and Scarlet finding peace as a mother is adorable. …But yeahhhhh, the whole murdered thing stops me.
Next option was Flora, who was actually the first option I went with when I did Revelations. I just find her cute and I always liked to picture the avatar being more of a fire-based dragon then a water one… which makes the dichotomy of fire and ice very fun.
And her supports with the avatar and Kana are both good… but what stops her? Well, it's a case like with Scarlet. The game REALLY does not go well with her. What I mean is that the game is 27 to 28 chapters. And when do you get Flora? Chapter fucking 23. Not only that, but you also need to have, I believe the Fireball Tower, at max level. So if you don't have that? Tough shit numbnuts.
So yeah, really plays against her.
Which leaves us with Reina. And this is where we get into the main pair… Aloysius (Avatar) and Reina. Which, due to Revelations is honestly the best pick by far game wise. But with the story as well… I found myself enjoying it. Reina's support gives a lot of background to her character which helps build her up more. A female soldier who left home to follow her dreams, even if it meant going behind her parents backs.
Despite the disconnect, the parents and the daughter truly are grateful and happy for one another… even if their lives don't connect. But that makes me enjoy Reina's support with Kana even more. Because it makes me feel like Reina is trying to be that supportive mother even if she is not used to a peaceful or domestic life. So out of all the options, this is my favourite. And honestly, I think even if game wise the others were good… I would probably still go with Reina for Aloysius.
…
But… that's all for now! Until next time! See you all later!
VoidRebirth signing out!