New Blood

A/N: Ok I know I'm already in the middle of a Fire Emblem story, but I know this guy who knows a guy who has a cousin that had this awesome dream (just kidding, it was me! Teehee!), and I just had to write it down! For those of you who haven't yet, check out my other story "Father's son".

Regular

Regular shouting

thoughts

thought shouting

EMPHISAS

P.S. if the names of people, places, or objects come up that are found in any game OTHER than Path of Radiance of Radiant Dawn, it is purely coincidental. If I use one please comment and I will find another.

Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own Fire Emblem.

Chapter 1

Someone was pounding on the door. "Rider, up and at am sleepyhead!" yelled a young girl's voice. "Crusia wants you to meet her in the library!"

Rider groaned. "Thanks Heaida, I'll be there in a minute."

"All right," she replied, "but you better hurry! Oh and don't forget my birthday present!"

He sighed, wondering how on Tellius he could forget with her reminding everyone that her tenth birthday was coming up every few hours. He was glad she was enjoying herself, but she was annoying the heck out of everyone. Well, I had better see what Crusia wants. She probably just wants to tell me how much of a screw up I am, he thought with a scowl.

He got out of bed and walked over to mirror. Staring back at him was a well-muscled boy of about 16 with long ragged jet black hair and coal colored eyes. He had a light tan and scars across his chest and back from the ten years he had spent training as a mercenary under the tutelage of Crow and his wife Crusia.

He had lived with them ever since his parents had been killed in a bandit raid. He still had dreams about that night. He could remember the flames that blazed across the rooftops, the screaming that filled the air, the blood that stained his hands.

It was then that Crow arrived and killed off the raiders. When he found Rider he was laying in the dirt, cradling the bodies of his mother, father, and sister while tears streamed down his face. He had offered to train the boy so that something like that would never happen to him again.

He had accepted.

He was the second of Crow's pupils, joining three years after his comrade Skiffast. He had sent every day since that raid training with the older boy to become a warrior.

He had succeeded.

He threw on a black tunic and dark grey leggings, pulled on his leather boots and gloves, one which the fingers had been cut off just below the joint. He then strapped his steel sword to his waist, and pushed his massive iron blade, which he used to battle heavily armored enemies, into its sheath on his back.

With that done he headed off to the library. The library was one of the largest rooms in Fort Ganda. It was a perfect square, with a roof several meters above him.

When he entered, he paused to marvel at the many books that had been accumulated over the years. There were old books with tattered pages, new books with clean covers, children's books, and every other kind of book imaginable! He had spent years reading them all and reading them to Heaida, who he considered a baby sister.

Looking around he saw a woman in her late forties with pale skin and magenta hair and eyes. She wore a green dress that revealed her shoulders and golden earrings and a blue book in her lap.

When she noticed the young swordsman had entered, a smug look crossed her face. "Well look who decided to show up! Still weak from that battle yesterday? You know; the one where you screwed up and Dirk had to save your sorry excuse for a butt? Well it all worked out in the end, eh?"

"Why did you want to see me?" he asked with a monotone. His face was a scowl.

She smiled evilly, knowing she had angered him. "There is a small town, Caldea, if I remember correctly. The people have asked us to help drive off a group of bandits that have been terrorizing them. You are to take Hetha and go help. Skiffast is taking Sam, and Dirk is taking Kury and Ren to deal with the other missions. Try not to mess up," she added with a smirk.

"Why isn't Crow giving me my orders?" he asked confused.

"My husband isn't feeling well today," she replied with a shrug. "Until he is well you'll be taking orders from me. Now go! Every second you waste is another second we could lose the life of a potential employer!"

He left and headed down to the mess hall where he knew his friends would be, grumbling something about a money hungery witch. He entered and found his five closest friends sitting around a table, eating and laughing.

The first was Dirk. He was a short boy with big muscles. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a sleeveless blue muscle shirt with leather shoulder pads and brown shorts. At his side was his trusty battle axe. Dirk had been a childhood friend from before the raid. After Rider had served Crow for two years he had sought out his old friend and convinced him to join the company.

To the axe man's right was Sam. He was a very tall boy with short brown hair and eyes. He also sported a sleeveless muscle shirt with shoulder pads, but the shirt was forest green. He had long brown breeches adorning his legs. Across his back were an unstrung bow and a quiver full of arrows. Sam was part of a mercenary company that had a… misfortune. He was the only survivor. When Rider met him he was able to convince the archer to join the Crow Mercenaries.

On the other side of the table was Ren. She was a slightly tall girl with long black hair and silver eyes. She had a light pink long sleeve shirt that traveled just passed her waist and light purple leggings. At her side was a long lance with a dagger length blade as the tip so it could be used by swinging it at her enemies. She was very good looking and had long been the most admired by the village boys. She was a noble's daughter that Rider and Crow had once escorted. After seeing their valor and skill she decided to join their company and become a warrior.

Sitting next to her was a slightly younger girl named Kury. She was about fourteen and had crimson hair that ended at her shoulders and matching eyes. She wore navy blue robes and had a tome in her hands. She was the Crow Mercenaries resident mage. She was sitting next to her older sister Hetha.

Hetha looked similar to her sibling, but her hair went half way down her back and over her shoulders and she was two years older, making her the same age as the rest of the group. She had on a short sleeve grey shirt and dark red leggings with a killing edge attached to her side. She and Kury had run away from home when their father went into a drunken rage and killed their mother. They had been living on the street for three years before Rider found them and brought them to Crow. Rider then proceeded to teach Hetha the way of the sword and they became sparring partners.

Dirk looked over and noticed their friend had walked in. "Well looks like the legendary Shadowblade decided to wake up and join us mere mortals!"

Rider frowned at the sound of his nick name that the people had deemed fitting for him. "No time for playing around guys, time to get serious. Crow is ill so we have to pick up the slack. Hetha you're with me. Sam, you need to go find Skiffast. Dirk, you're taking the rest."

They all nodded but Sam wasn't very pleased. "How come I always get stuck with that arrogant little stuck up snob!" He was silenced by a glare from Rider.

"If that's all, then time to move out, Crow Mercenaries!"

End of chapter

A/N: Whew! That took a while! If you liked it please review! Constructive criticism wanted! Also, I tried to use the village from level 1 of PoR but I've… misplaced my game. If anyone knows the real name of the village please PM me so I can fix it!