Fire Emblem: Realm of Darkness

Chapter One

Many thanks to Schizzar for betaing this chapter!

Enjoy reading!

Dark clouds stretched across the sky as rain fell from their bellies, drenching the dry earth like a welcomed drink. Wind weaved its way through the trees and brush, fluttering the black and gold cloak of a tall figure that walked through the muddy earth, head bowed to shadow the face beneath. Stepping into the cover of the forest, the figure crossed over a fallen statue only to stop at the edge of a lush clearing that was covered by the canopy of tree growth above.

Turning his head to the side lightly, the figure saw another person step out from the shadows. After a moment, cloaked forms began appearing from the dark forest as if materializing out of thin air. Once all were accounted for, the figure in the semi gold cloak nodded to the one at his left which was wearing colors of dark green and black.

"It is time," the deep voice rasped," for us to act out the will we were entrusted with. Have you done your assigned duties, my comrades?"

Hooded heads of different heights and sizes bobbed up and down to show agreement, but one. Turning his head towards the small shadowed one in gray, Green and Black grunted angrily.

"What is keeping you?" he demanded, anger at the edge of his voice. The others around glanced at the young figure whose smile could barely be seen from under the shadows of his hood.

"I will need more time. I'm sure you understand my situation considering I have been given one of the harder tasks in this mission. Surely you have not forgotten!"

Without a thought Green and Black growled and stepped forward only to be pulled back by a strong hand on his broad wet shoulder. The figure in semi gold had stopped him. Ignoring being intercepted he stared down the young one from under his hood.

"You are no friend of mine, vermin. Just because you were his pupil does not mean-"

"Exactly!" the young one chirped, spreading his hands out from under his cloak. "And as such I think you're forgetting who is really in charge of our assignment right now. We all understand your reasons so please be patient. Soon our cause will be glorified the way it was meant to be."

Sneering, Green and Black pulled away from the hand that restrained his shoulder. "Just get your part done and then we will see if your Master's plan will work. I want my revenge."

The young one's lips lost their smile and his voice turned icy. "King Ashnard was a regrettable loss to our cause but at least my Master managed to have a back up plan instead of being rash and overconfident. Hopefully you will surpass your father in those traits, and I do say hopefully."

The young one was met with silence but he could practically feel the man's anger from across the clearing. Turning away, he curled his hands into a few complicated signs while muttering in a soft voice. All those near the clearing watched as a circle with a large pentagram surrounded by symbols appearing at his feet, and began to glow red.

"I will continue my task but until then no one is to act. Such actions will only be paid for by your very life, am I understood?"

Low murmurs of agreement circled around the gathered cloaks and the young one disappeared.

Soon the figures melted back into the shadows of the forest as if they were never there, muddy footprints disappearing under the heavy rain, never to be discovered. Ancient chains of ambition began to move over the rusted gears of time as they began to warp fate for their own gain.

"Twenty-seven..."

"Twenty-eight...twenty-nine," stated a young girl in a bright red shirt and pants as she watched her brother look south for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Beside her, a large blue cat was resting at her side with half lidded eyes that also watched the young solider. Ike, once great General and Lord of the famed army that was gathered by Queen Elincia years earlier was standing in a shallow part of a stream, a sharpened stick in hand poised over his head to strike at the fish swimming beneath the surface. Yet his attention was directed elsewhere. Every so often, after spearing a couple large silver fish from the stream, the young Valkyrie would watch as her older brother's gaze was pulled to the direction of the south where the land of Crimea was located. Eyes softening slightly, she reached to her side to stroke the large cat's fur that in turn leaned into her touch with a contented purr.

"I still can't believe it's been five years," Mist mused to herself, gazing down at her blue haired sibling who was stabbing at the water with jerky movements, pulling out two or three fish every so often.

Not long after the defeat of King Ashnard and the liberation of Tellius, the new Queen had invited Ike and his company to stay at her castle for a while until they could get organized again. For quite a few months, Mist had experienced the noble life. Meals every day, fresh, clean clothes and a warm place to sleep. Every so often she would find herself wishing she were a noble but good things didn't last and her brother decided to leave the castle. According to Soren, Ike didn't want to stay a noble or move up in the army ranks. Something about being too rich and letting others do your work for you just did not sit well with her brother. In other words, a weak life. Mist never saw noble life that way but did not object to her brother's decision. Yet after five years, they had never returned to Crimea, only corresponding to letters from Titania every once a blue moon. The younger sibling began missing the Queen and her caring nature, but even more, her mercenary family that they had left behind so quickly.

"I wonder what everyone is doing now, huh Ranulf?"

"Talking to yourself again, sis?" came a gruff voice from below, stirring Mist out of her thoughts. Looking down the grassy slope she was sitting on, she glared at her brother.

"I was talking to Ranulf, you big jerk!" she replied, yet couldn't help but smile. Her brother nearly slipped several times as he climbed up the grassy hill with bare, wet feet. Placing the large basket that held the horribly skewered fish near his sister, Ike nodded to the large blue cat and wiped away the sweat that covered his forehead.

"Yeah yeah, I'm a big jerk who worked an hour away to gather your birthday dinner. Some thanks that is! No wonder you can't get a boyfriend, you boss the poor blokes around like there's no tomorrow..."

Standing up to brush off her red skirt, Mist placed her hands on her hips angrily and flicked her long, wavy hair over one shoulder. "I can't get one because you keep scaring them off! Not to mention the only other beorc here besides me are you and Soren! It's not my fault you decided to come live in Gallia while the rest of the company stayed in at home!"

Raising a brow, Mist clenched her hands as Ike looked over at Ranulf who stood nearby, stretching out his great limbs and forepaws. "That came out of nowhere. Is she on her time of the month or something, Ranulf?"

Outraged and embarrassed, Mist clutched at her hair. "Ike! How dare you ask him THAT!"

"Heh. Looks like our little Mist is suffering from homesickness, Ike," teased Ranulf who now transformed into his human form. Light blue hair spiked up from an orange headband the revealed sparkling blue eyes. Ranulf was a fellow servant of the beast king and was known to be very powerful.

"Homesickness?" asked Ike, frowning at his sister who was shaking from restrained fury. Backing away, he looked uneasily at the young girl whom was glaring daggers at her older sibling.

"And no Ike, she's not fer-"

"Graahhhh!" screamed Mist as she whirled to the basket of fish beside her and leaned down to reach into the basket. Ike watched in horror as his young sister began hurling fish down the slope to toward the stream. All his hard word, being thrown away right before him. Ranulf stepped forward to calm down the light haired woman only to get a fish in the face.

"Ike, I think she's lost it!" exclaimed the blue furred laguz, pulling the silver fish off his face to stare at the young enraged girl in front of him. Ike merely walked up to his sister and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, restraining her flailing arms.

"Mist, that's enough..." he murmured into her ear, gently trying to soothe her.

"No! It's not enough! I like Gallia and everything but I want to be with everyone again! I'm tired of living here and not being with them! All because you're so hung up with Elincia!" she screamed, now struggling against her brother's hold but failing miserably.

"It isn't about Elincia. Mist if you would just calm down, I have something to te-"

"No!" she screamed again, clawing now at her brother's wet arms. "I miss Titania! I miss Elincia! I want to go home! Don't think I haven't been counting how many times you've looked back home other then thinking of her! You've looked at least 20 times!"

"Funny," murmured Ranulf as he sniffed at the fish he was hit with. "I counted 32."

Glaring at the laguz from over his sister's flailing arms, Ike sighed in frustration and let go of the struggling girl. Mist fell from his grasp to land on her knees in the grassy earth, wrapping her arms around herself as tears began falling down her cheeks. Looking up at her brother, she bit her lip then shrunk in on herself while sniffing between breaths.

"Ike, I..I'm sorry. I didn't mean...well I just...I want to go home."

For a moment he didn't answer looking south again for a moment before facing back to his companions.

"Does it mean that much to you, Mist?" he asked, ignoring the wind that began to pick up and toss his shoulder length hair.

For a moment she didn't answer then gave a muffled sound that he could barely make out as a yes. Sighing heavily, Ike turned around to look at Ranulf only to find the laguz tearing open the belly of the fish and began chewing at the bloody insides. Shaking his head, Ike offered a hand down to his sister, which she took shakily.

"Ranulf, would you mind informing King Caineghis that I'm headed to Begnion? I have some old friends to see."

Ranulf looked up from his fish that was now smeared across his mouth and blinked. "You're leaving?"

Mist looked at her brother, eyes hopeful as she wiped away her tears. "Ike?"

"Tomorrow just happens to be the Anniversary of the Tellius Liberation and it's hosted at Begnion by the Apostle. I received an invitation the other day to meet with her and catch up on "old times". Sounds like a get together to me. Would that make you happy, Mist?" Ike asked, looking away from his sister as she began to smile happily then felt her hug him tightly around the waist.

"Yes! Yes that would make me happy! Oh brother, this is the best birthday present ever!" the young brown head exclaimed, nuzzling her brother's chest to try and dry her tears. Chuckling, the young mercenary leaned down to pick up the basket as his sister let him go, twirling around in place with joy.

"Oh! I'm going to go tell Soren the good news! Yes, Crimea here I come! Oh what in the Goddess am I going to wear?"

Ike watched his younger sister skip towards the Castle of Gallia, home to the mighty king of beasts, King Caineghis. He was grateful to the king for letting him stay in the country he was born in but because of his sister, he was now going to travel to one of the countries that changed his life forever.

Sighing, the young warrior began to walk towards the castle as well when he remembered Ranulf. Looking over his shoulder, Ike opened his mouth to call for his friend only to find the laguz once again gnawing on the fish. Glancing up from his snack, Ranulf blinked at his beorc friend's appalled expression and pulled the fish from his mouth to offer to him.

"Fish?"

"Have you informed King Caineghis of our upcoming departure?" asked a dark haired man with red eyes. Dark, ebony colored hair the length of three feet or so cascaded down the tall back of the man. Wearing a dark purple robe over a black shirt and pants, Soren looked very much like he did years ago but was now a very skilled and accomplished mage. He could very well summon tangible elements for a time and even use wind currents to float in the air. Yet due to their somewhat secretive occupancy in Gallia, his skills were not well known.

Hands tucked into the folds of his large sleeves, the mage stared out toward the vast landscape of grass and trees that was Gallia. A gentle breeze curled through the window slipping over his narrow shoulders and into his hair.

"I was not aware of how strongly Mist felt until today. I myself have had urges to go visit our company in Crimea but could not bring myself to do so. I am sure you know the reason. Also, to refuse the Apostle's own personal invitation would be a very bad insult," answered the young man, as he pulled a cloak over his chest and sat down in a wooden chair. Reaching up to pull the sash that was wrapped around his head, Ike glanced over at his friend through now lengthy, blue locks.

"Okay, I'm ready Soren. Be gentle will you?"

The ruby-eyed mage turned towards his friend who was ready for his monthly hair trim. It was amazing the length Ike's hair grew in just a few weeks. Pulling out a well sharpened knife, Soren walked over to his friend and took the near six inch length blue hair into one hand and frowned.

"Are you sure you don't want me to use a fire spell? I've learned to manipulate spells really well thanks to Bishop Sephiran."

"No thanks, my friend. The smell of burning hair is not a scent I would want to remember for the rest of the day. No offense."

Narrowing his eyes, Soren tightened his grip on the blade as he arched it carefully along the back of Ike's neck in order to make sure he cut the right length of hair.

"None taken," murmured the mage as he began mouthing a fire spell to heat the blade for the hair trimming. Ike closed his eyes and took deep breaths to relax his muscles. The young ex-general's mind began to wander towards a young women with deep emerald hair, green eyes and a cute orange dress that contrasted with her appearance more then it complimented it. The young princess who he had protected and aided, Elincia. The one who took it upon herself to gather forces again Daein, the one who struggled with herself to stay strong. The one who smelled like burning hair...wait. Burning hair?

Eyes snapping open, Ike found he couldn't move because of the tangible thunder binds crackling around his wrists. Gripping the arms of his chair tightly, he realized that Soren had used a fire spell despite his displeasure in the idea.

"Soren!"

Arching the blade along while trimming small sections every so often, the mage ignored his friend. "Oh hush, this is the quickest way. Besides, Mist is almost ready from what I hear through the walls."

Pausing, the young solider sank back into the wooden chair.

"Are you still getting used to it? Tapping into your laguz senses I mean."

For a moment, Ike thought he felt the small knife pause along his scalp but it was moving again. Hair of a dark midnight blue fell along his shoulders and nape.

"I did not know Branded or Hybrids were able to use such senses. But coming to Gallia I was able to tap into them. Unlike in the war, I would barely even notice the slight changes when I got really angry or felt intense pain. But it seems when I feel extreme emotions, my vision becomes clearer, my hearing becomes sharper and my nose takes in all that's around me enough so that sometimes I can even taste it. I don't know what part of laguz I am but I'm determined to find out. It's just...disturbing at times now that I am more aware of these abilities."

Ike didn't say anything. Both Sephiran and King Caineghis had over the last four years tutored Soren in both beorc and laguz ways in order for him feel more confident about himself. Ike knew his best friend was half human and half laguz and was judged by what he was from many in Gallia. But it was from that prejudice and disdain that made Soren accept what he was, and forcibly make him slowly get over his own personal distaste for laguz themselves. He later developed a strong determination to prove he was more then a half-breed, but a creature worth living in this mortal world of beasts and humans.

As Soren continued to trim Ike's hair, the young solider glared at the binding rings of magic around his wrists, flinching as they shocked him every once in a while. Was the mage getting back at him for trying to teach him how to swim during a light thunderstorm? Who would ever know what goes on in the young scholar's head...

Growls and purrs rumbled through the hall of Gallia Palace. The great king himself stood at the bottom of the steps leading to his throne, dark eyes watching as the trio of Beorc walked up to him. All three brought their right hands to their left shoulder simultaneously then stood in front of the beast king. It was the sign and gesture of immense respect the Gallians used in their human forms when saluting their superiors and rulers. Nodding to Ike, Caineghis raised his hands to silence the sounds of his people as they voiced their wishes of luck, health and strength. Ike wasn't good at understanding laguz grunts and growls but did know their body language and expressive eyes. Mist and Soren spoke the Gallian language better then he did.

"Good beorc friends, may the goddess watch over you on your journey towards her city. Is there anything else you wish to ask before you leave?" asked the massive red tiger, gleaming fangs poking out of his grin as he smiled down at the three young ones before him. Ike shook his head and smiled back.

"No, I'm sure we will be able to take care of ourselves. Anything I should relay to the Apostle or other lands for you?"

"Do tell the Apostle to keep watching over her people and keep them close."

Nodding, Ike turned again performed the salute to the king before turning on his heel and walking towards the front entrance. Mist and Soren soon joined him on either side, purring and nodding to fellow Gallians while keeping their pace with the young adult between them.

"Ready sis?" asked Ike as he secured his traveling cape around his shoulders. While descending the stairs, they saw that there were three large horses at the bottom, already saddled and bridled.

"Yup!" she chirped, swinging her leg over the large animal and grabbing the reins. "Thank you brother, for doing this."

Nodding his head, Ike returned the smile that his sister gave, her's shining with obvious happiness she was feeling. Soren then reared up near his side and glanced at him for a moment, a small ghost of a smirk on his thin lips. His best friend also was happy.

"All right then, onward to Begnion!" announced the young man, urging his mount forward then turning southeast towards Begnion. Mist and Soren followed soon after, the young cleric waving at the Gallian beasts all the while steering her mount steadily behind the only family she had for the past years. Ike and Soren.

To be continued. Please leave a review and thanks for reading!