Solace

Southward!

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

wip

Veritas

_{V E R I T A S F L O R A N / / E I G H T E E N}

_{Character Theme: Yutaka Yamada - Licht und Schatten}

_{"Stupid quote"}

_{[ ❇ ] O R I G I N}

---

Title(s): Prince, Crown Regent of Anarcas

Race: Beorc

Nameday: Year 597, Maeda the 25th

Birthplace: Kah Anarcas, Anarcas

_{[ ❇ ] I N F O R M A T I O N}

---

Class: Lord (Regent) ⇨ Bane

Regent — As the heir to the Anarcan dynasty by birthright, Veritas is very much unlike his ancestors. He wields dark magic and daggers as his choice of arms, possessing a volatile current of the Gift. Fleet of foot and strong, the Regent is a formidable battle-mage not to be tested. A variation between the Shaman and Thief classes.

Bane — Thriving on the bloodlust of battle, Veritas draws the life force of defeated opponents to restore his own health. The Gift allows him to cast dark magic without the use of a tome during battle. A variation between the Druid and Assassin classes.

Height: 6'0

Weight: 184lbs

Hair Color: Dark auburn

Eye Color: Yellow

Complexion: Tan

Body Composition: Fit

_{[ ❇ ] P E R S O N A L I T Y}

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[color=Silver][/color]

_{[ ❇ ] B I O G R A P H Y}

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Name Text

_{[ ❇ ] F A M I L Y}

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Father: Name — Status

Mother: Name — Status

Association: Name — Status

_{[ ❇ ] I N V E N T O R Y}

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Steel Dagger, Iron Dagger, Worm, Concoction

_{[ ❇ ] O T H E R}

---

[color=Silver][/color]

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

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Ursa

_{U R S A ' L A / / T W E N T Y — T W O}

_{Character Theme: Uppermost — Mistakes}

_{"Nothing speaks to me better than a bag of gold."}

_{[ ❇ ] O R I G I N}

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Race: Beorc

Nameday: Year 593, Skeitr the 8th

Birthplace: The Ibion Expanse

_{[ ❇ ] I N F O R M A T I O N}

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Class: Myrmidon

Height: 5'9

Weight: 163lbs

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Green

Complexion: Tan

Body Composition: Lean

_{[ ❇ ] P E R S O N A L I T Y}

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[color=Silver][/color]

_{[ ❇ ] B I O G R A P H Y}

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Name Text

_{[ ❇ ] F A M I L Y}

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Father: Name — Status

Mother: Name — Status

Association: Name — Status

_{[ ❇ ] I N V E N T O R Y}

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Wo Dao, Iron Sword

_{[ ❇ ] O T H E R}

---

[color=Silver][/color]

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

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Renvall "Ren" Protego

_{The Kingsroad — Outskirts of Port Sesta}

@LordVoldemort @Ambra

---

Renvall Protego considered drawing his sword to throw himself upon the blade if the Crown Prince were to continue talking his sanity away.

It had not been the boy's first journey beyond the walls of the capital, although it had been almost a decade since he had traveled to northern Estala. Ren could remember the musty smell of Port Sesta, the eight-year old clasping his mother's hand as he stepped off of the ship. They had left their cerulean shores for this land in the neck of winter, and Greymont was coated in a white mist that his mother called snow.

Ren had cycled between driving the helm and resting at the wagon during the four days of travel, staring down at his right gauntlet as the hand opened and closed a fist repeatedly. His dark hair fell to the side as his cheek lay flat against the other hand, his left leg and index finger tapping impatiently. The cool wind did not serve to air the heat from his black armor, some drops of sweat riding down his neck. While he rode with Maize and Eli, they were flanked by a second wagon, where a few soldiers of the crown followed.

"Five minutes," the knight called out from the helm, riding the horse beside Snowball.

Rolling his shoulders, Ren straightened himself for their oncoming arrival, his eyes wandering around. The welcoming winds of the sea were close, a look of neutrality about his features as his lips took in a healthy breath. "About time to shake a leg," he spoke to the Crown Prince sitting opposite of him, his look remaining at the Kingsroad leading to Port Sesta.

Something was wrong.

Looking above, the wings of a wyvern rippled through the air, leading the boy to wonder if Rhea was able to see more than them. "Bloody hell," one of the soldiers cursed aloud, both of their wagons coming to a momentary stop. Scattered groups of people huddled along the gates, their focus on something from within the walls. "What's goin' on down there, this time?"

"Maybe the gatekeeper's just being a cunt," Ren suggested, throwing his hands up as they crossed against his breastplate. It wouldn't have been a surprise if that was the case; the mandate did require the gatekeeper to search for contraband, and Port Sesta was always a densely populated hub.

Maize turned back to the wagon behind their own, looking past the two of them. "Let us continue," Ren heard a hesitation in the knight's voice.

---

Ursa

_{Port Sesta}

@Ambra @Poi

---

A woman with a sword at her belt was a rare sight. A woman who knew how to use the sword at her belt was a gem. "And a beautiful woman..."

Ursa hated drunkards. Pondering the will of the crown, she had been set to meet with the Dauntless in the backwater establishment, finding herself on the receiving end of a sailor's drunken serenade filled with pungent breath. It had been two days too much of residing in Port Sesta for the young woman. They must be enjoying their trip so much, she thought, her back against one of the taverns' pillars as the nuisance wobbled in a struggle to remain standing.

Sighing, Ursa kicked herself from the post as her arms fell to her sides, walking away and taking a seat at a vacant table. Over the time she had been in Port Sesta, there were no others that made it apparent that they were also waiting for the Dauntless to arrive, and it did concern her a little. She hoped that she was not expected to pamper the prince on her lonesome; Ursa was a sellsword, and she did not intend to earn her bag of gold through anything other than seeing the child to Rozel.

Her head turned to the entrance of the tavern as its door was kicked in with brute force. "Weapons to the ground, wench," Ursa raised a brow as the perpetrator waved an axe through the doorway first, scanning the room as he approached her. Her eye caught the flash of a sigil on their coat, realizing that it was an Anarcan soldier. The aggressor slammed his weapon through several of the wooden tables, inciting fear among the people around her. "You daft? Weapons to the ground, wench!"

Remaining seated until the soldier was a blade's reach, Ursa caught the man by surprise as she flipped the table towards him. His axe chopped through the wood with ease, but as the splinters came apart, the end of her sword interrupted his speech as the curved edge cut open the soldier's throat in a swift motion. His legs gave out and his weapon clanged against the floor, his hands coming up to cover his neck as he fell down.

"Stay in here," Ursa instructed the people within the tavern, returning her wo dao to its scabbard and drawing the sword from her back, instead. She had known about the amnesty between Estala and Anarcas, but in the confusion of the soldier's sudden entrance, it was obvious that they intended to wage war. "Find some place to hide," she added, stepping over the soldier's body. She looked down both ends of the corridor, seeing no signs of additional soldiers and hearing no sounds of a battle around Port Sesta.

At a loss for the situation at hand, Ursa looked around the tavern, keeping her sword ready as she was a foot past the doorway. "I'll come back when I find out what is going on."

Attack on Titan: Somnium

Reese Kestrel

@LetMeDoStuff @wolverbells

What Reese could first remember about the invasion of Shiganshina years ago... had been how much louder it was. Soldiers, children, all of the screaming as the massacre carried on. But they no longer lived in the infamy of that day; while the appearance of the Colossal Titan was certainly not expected, humanity was prepared to retaliate, and there was an objective to their deployment. The trip back to the headquarters was a silent trip; they all knew what was about to happen. Did they have any doubts? Any private, dreadful thoughts? Perhaps, but no one said a word. Not as they arrived at the castle, not when their orders were given, and not when they took their assignments. Not a word.

This was a moment that they had trained for. Wiping his uniform of the ash and dousing the burn on his arm with water from a canteen, Reese did his best to shake off the tension that caused his body to tremble, weaving through the formations around the courtyard of the headquarters. The disarray seemed to place some of the military in a hasty confusion, knowing to look for Jade and Grant in the middle of it all. With his closer friends in separate assignments, simple prayers for their safety were not enough to stop his nerves.

Hulking a container of fresh blades to set up another station for resupplying, Reese scurried to where Jade and Grant stood, placing it aside before joining them. "This is not how I imagined the first day after graduation," he bore a partial smile, their presence soothing him slightly but his rapid blinking betraying his composure. "I'm ready, how 'bout you?"

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

It is currently the Year 615, the afternoon of Hjorst the 4th.

As the Estalan retinue rides for Port Sesta, those outside of the crown wait for the company to arrive. Two ships flying the coat of Anarcas dock into the harbor, its occupants bearing the northern standard. Catching the militia off guard and slaughtering the opposition, they begin to occupy the city in an open act of war.

A dangerous pirate war brews along the Thanatian Sea, the threat expanding upwards to regional Estala and the Archipelago. The factions stand stark and powerful, with little to no resistance currently prepared for their forces. The Estalans have not yet enlisted support from the Island—Kingdom of Rozel.

There are unexplained shadows in the Gift.

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

Renvall Protego

_{R E N V A L L P R O T E G O / / S E V E N T E E N}

_{Character Theme: ginkiha — nightfall (short version)}

_{"It's not like I ever had a choice, anyway."}

_{[ ❇ ] O R I G I N}

---

Race: Beorc

Nameday: Year 598, Feltsa the 13th

Birthplace: The Island—Kingdom of Rozel

_{[ ❇ ] I N F O R M A T I O N}

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Class: Squire (Sword) ⇨ Gallant (Sword)

Squire — Young aspirants clung to the fleeting dream of knighthood, they are fierce swordfighters on-and-off horseback, and incur zero penalties to their fighting ability when dismounted. When mounted, they are affected by anti-armor and anti-cavalry weapons. When dismounted, they are affected by anti-armor weapons. A variation between the Sword Knight and Mercenary classes.

Gallant — Decorated knights with courage in heart and steel in hand, they are champions to none but the steed they ride, their ascension an echoing fable. When mounted, they are affected by anti-armor and anti-cavalry weapons. When dismounted, they are affected by anti-armor weapons. A variation between the Sword Paladin and Hero classes, lacking the ability to wield axes.

Height: 5'9

Weight: 170lbs

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Morning blue

Complexion: Fair

Body Composition: Lean

_{[ ❇ ] P E R S O N A L I T Y}

---

Sharp-tongued and quick-witted, Renvall is more an outsider to the grandeur that is the upper echelons of society, cynical and disillusioned with his path and the world around it. The young boy stands against the principles of tradition, loosely abiding the tenets of chivalry through his own core of beliefs as a human being. His choice of reticence, at times, may cause him to distance himself from others, where he would rather muse among his own thoughts. He is known to dislike optimism, preferring to view things from a realistic standpoint rather than cling to hope.

Where he does not pose a problem in socializing, Renvall is prone to speaking without a filter when his beliefs are thrown into the equation, preferring to be the approached when it comes to ordinary conversations. When it comes to women, he feels more open to speaking with them, where his playful side can be heard. That being said, he adheres to the common association in holding immense contempt for the Laguz, viewing them as sub-human savages and tying into his stubborn nature. While the boy may come off as impolite and disrespectful at times, his quiet demeanor speaks more of his deepest emotions; when his name is called, his heart will show.

_{[ ❇ ] B I O G R A P H Y}

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Renvall Protego had very faint memories of his earliest childhood moments. His father, only known to him from his mother by the name of Percival, was a Rozelian Islander, bound through an illicit union that led to his parents' mutual separation. Camellia Protego, a knight-in-service to the Island—Kingdom of Rozel, was his mother. He was granted her family name, as opposed to his father's.

Only two years of age during the War of the New Leaf, Ren only recalls witnessing the arrival of the suitors from other nations, and his mother's depature to escort Lady Ceiya to Anarcas. As the Island—Kingdom of Rozel chose to remain neutral in the conflict, Camellia Protego was called to arms as Cesadas launched a surprise attack on the Cilan Quay, to which the Rozelians were forced to secede the island in exchange for their ceasefire.

Unaware of his elevation in the status quo due to his mother's title, Ren was always looked upon in a peculiar manner, the child's choice of friends being that of the common folk outside of the palace. The court officials often criticized his lack of interest in 'noble manners' and the like, leading his mother to regularly scold the child into 'proper mannerisms'.

There came a time where the court marshals regarded Renvall's disregard for debonair behavior to be dishonorable, leading to his mother's dismissal from her service to Rozel. While Camellia did not blame the eight-year old for his wish of a simpler life, she viewed his refusal to listen as a failure, and would continue to place pressure upon the boy.

Being a known name around the continent of Aralea had its advantages, and Camellia Protego soon found herself sworn into the service of Estala. Even as Ren was thrust back into the life of the upper class in addition to a newfound responsibility as an older brother, he continually mingled with the commoners throughout his years, whether they were his everyday source of mischief or his solace from an inescapable life.

Ren continued his tutelage as a page to the Estalan family, albeit with disdain. One morning, within the company of his mother and half-brother, Walden, in the busy marketplace, a thief attacked Walden to the surprise of the crowd around them. When the thief revealed itself to be a Laguz of the Tiger Tribe and the bystanders refused to arm themselves in retaliation, the twelve-year old drew his mother's sword from her own scabbard instead.

With little expertise in swordsmanship, Ren could only direct the attention of the beast towards himself, the Laguz delivering a scarring wound before retreating. While this moment would spur the Estalan court to grant him a squireship, he felt that this would only set him further down a path that he never chose to walk, and for the years to come, this remained to be true.

_{[ ❇ ] F A M I L Y}

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Father: Percival — Unknown

Mother: Camellia Protego — Alive

Half-Brother (Younger): Walden Protego — Alive

_{[ ❇ ] I N V E N T O R Y}

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Steel Sword, Vulnerary

_{[ ❇ ] O T H E R}

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Goes by "Ren" for short. The name of his horse is Snowball. Growing up among the islands, Ren has a knack for fishing and enjoys being at sea, and dislikes extremely hot weather. He has a notable scar running down the right breast in the form of a tiger's claw.

Maize Bensen

_{M A I Z E B E N S E N / / T H I R T Y - F O U R}

_{Character Theme: Koven — More Than You (Unplugged Version)}

_{"For what it's worth, I felt sorry knowing that you didn't have a chance against me."}

_{[ ❇ ] O R I G I N}

---

Title(s): Sir, The Dauntless

Race: Beorc

Nameday: Year 581, Kreille the 20th

Birthplace: Blackwater, Anarcas

_{[ ❇ ] I N F O R M A T I O N}

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Class: Hero

Height: 6'1

Weight: 202lbs

Hair Color: Dark brown

Eye Color: Brown

Complexion: Fair

Body Composition: Muscular

_{[ ❇ ] P E R S O N A L I T Y}

---

As dauntless as his nickname may suggest, Maize can actually appear to be quite the opposite; in the warmth of his home and the halls of his kingdom, he is a loving husband and father to his wife and children, and a frequent jester to those who call him friend. He does have a casual swagger to his tone through the accomplishments that he has claimed, although he himself does not wish to reminisce of those times, showing a stout opposition to killing without a worthy purpose.

While Maize does enjoy fighting of all sorts, he judges the strength of the individual through their own morals and their actions beyond fighting. Like most knights, he holds himself to the code of chivalry, and respects honor and loyalty out of others. He will only use violence if it is to combat violence, not wishing to spill unnecessary blood over any matter. The knight has a habit for attempting to instill these principles and lessons on others, showing an immense care for younger children.

_{[ ❇ ] B I O G R A P H Y}

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Life was not all that difficult for Maize Bensen and his family; despite the inclement weather conditions, his father, Mael Bensen, was able to cover the expenses of their livelihood through his mercenary work, possessing many ties to the crown in Blackwater, Anarcas. He was the younger twin to Hassan Bensen, which would later lead to many feuds over who was superior over the other in whatever regard.

By the time the twin brothers were strong enough to hold a blade in their hands, Mael intended on grooming his sons to serve in the Anarcasi Army, putting them through questionably intense training throughout the tundras of Anarcas. They would accompany their father on their first mercenary work at the age of fourteen, and later that year, they were sent into the recruitment drive for the military.

Despite all of his father's emphasis on fighting as a career, Maize himself was not keen on the profession as a killer, and went through the process with many reservations. While he decided to go into the servitude as a squire towards knighthood, his brother would drift from his life momentarily after their separation. Wishing to uphold the law instead of committing what he considered to be barbaric, he sought to hone his swordsmanship ahead, becoming quite the skilled fighter and duelist by the time he turned nineteen years of age.

Watching the fever rise to a pitch between the warring kingdoms concerned Maize greatly, who had been known as a vocal conscientious objector to the war. He would later recount this conflict as 'nothing but a cesspool of selfish murder, the lives of countless people lost over some man's lust.' He holds a grudge towards all of the involved parties to the present day, including his own King Erigan.

As a protector to the realm of Anarcas, Maize was called upon to fight against the Estalans, though their efforts were crushed under the mystical might of the Archsage. While his liege lord fell in the melee that ensued at their castle's gates, he was but the sole survivor of this battle, forced to surrender his service to Anarcas. Within the palace, he would also be among the few to bear witness to the burning of Theodorus and Jaedal.

As shell-shocked and disturbed as he could be, the conflict would only take a greater toll on Maize as he attempted to search for his family, only to find that his mother and younger brother were missing, and his twin brother, Hassan, had slain their father, who had intended on surrendering to the Estalans. This caused the young man to cut down his twin brother, only to bask at his own hands; the hands of a kinslayer. With his dying breath, Hassan Bensen revealed that their mother intended to return to her tribe in Ibion.

While Maize was forced under the servitude of Estala for the remainder of his years to come, he would lighten to the once-hostile kingdom over the times of reparation, though he would remain a squire until his mission to Ibion in search of his mother. The journey would turn for the worst as they were ambushed by a raiding party of tribesman, crippling Sir Lunis, the knight that he was serving under.

In their captivity, Maize was thrown into an arena of sorts, forced into a pit fighting routine for others' entertainment at the expense of his and Sir Lunis' own survival. By the grace of the goddess, the swordfighter survived through the countless rounds of duels to the death, which would grant him his freedom. They rode back to the Estalan capital where Sir Lunis preached to the council of the young man's actions, his speech spawning the nickname, The Dauntless.

In addition, Maize was anointed as a knight of Estala at the age of twenty-three, becoming one of the youngest to ever be knighted in Estalan history. Since then, he has served the crown well, and has been appointed as the guide to Crown Prince Eli Estali in their mission to Rozel.

_{[ ❇ ] F A M I L Y}

---

Wife: Miranda Bensen (nee Leylal) — Alive

Son (Older): Maize Bensen II — Alive

Daughter (Younger): Amaranta Bensen — Alive

Father: Mael Bensen — Deceased

Mother: Su'lon — Unknown

Brother (Older Twin): Hassan Bensen — Deceased

Brother (Younger): Mendes Bensen — Unknown

_{[ ❇ ] I N V E N T O R Y}

---

Iron Blade, Hand Axe, Elixir

_{[ ❇ ] O T H E R}

---

His nickname is a not-so-safeguarded secret, and on occasion, he is formally addressed in futility as The Dauntless Sir Maize. Loves to eat corn, and dislikes storms. He has many scars along his arms and body, scattered slashes and cuts from battles long past.

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

@Ambra @LordVoldemort @Poi

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

War of the New Leaf

Until they vanished.

Only four years after the conclusion of the Scarlet Chapter, the three heroes of their world disappeared without an afterword. Only Erigan Estali and Wernthall Floran had left behind offspring to inherit their rightful thrones, but not yet come of age to rule, the Triumvirate all but dissolved without the greatness that had created the alliance. Without this union, the relations between Estala, Anarcas, and Cesadas began to deteriorate over the centuries, where pointless bickering and petty greed forfeited the potential for sound leadership.

The crown continued to pass from heir to heir, and as the world grew with the time that passed, the tensions only continued to persist.

For their ordinary subjects, they only wished for these roaring tides to calm, and for the promises of peace to be kept by their leaders. Yet, with his father bedridden from the Swarm, the people rode on the hopes that the young heir, Erigan Estali IV, would be the difference they sought. While he wielded the Gift as effortlessly as his ancestors had, he would prove to be nothing more than the same.

Year 600 — the turn of the century, and by calendar date, the New Leaf. The Island—Kingdom of Rozel issued a summons to court to the corners of the world for the hand of Ceiya Moro, where many lieges and knights would answer the call. Countless suitors traveled far and wide for the lady's hand, including Erigan Estali IV, but all would be turned down by the fair maiden. That is, until her final admirer, Jaedal Floran, approached. Black of hair and darkly handsome, the Crown Prince of Anarcas had caught the eye of many in the throne room. The King of Rozel, impressed by the noble's poise, chose to betroth his daughter to Jaedal.

Outraged by the choice of his sworn enemy, the court was shocked as Erigan Estali IV stepped forward, challenging Jaedal Floran to the death for Ceiya Moro's favor. The Crown Prince proved to be the better swordsman, easily defeating and mocking the young Estali. Enraged, he tossed the sword aside, threatening to torch Jaedal Floran alive with the Gift; in an unexpected scenario, the Chancellor of Cesadas intervened, stopping Erigan Estali IV just as the embers scarred the Crown Prince's face.

With the marriage of Jaedal and Ceiya to come by the next year, the royal retinues returned to their respective abodes, and unbeknownst to Erigan IV, Anarcas and Cesadas secretly formed an alliance, the first of its kind since the Triumvirate during the Scarlet Chapter. With counsel from his father to take what was rightfully his before succumbing to the Swarm, Estala would be caught off guard by a surprise declaration of war from Theodorus Floran. With the nation's rule falling into the hands of Erigan Estali IV, there was a division between the Estalan court on his ability to lead the country through the battles to come.

_{The War of the New Leaf had begun.}

As the Anarcan-Cesadan Army sacked their lands, Estala was already doomed to fall as the last bastion standing before the capital was Fort Rigane. Erigan Estali IV had opted to fight alongside his armies on the frontline, though he had been forced to the lesser magics, as repeated usage of the Gift would prove fatal. When their enemies began to lay siege to Fort Rigane, there was little hope for the Estalans. Knowing that there would be no other option of victory, Erigan IV tapped into the ancient power within his soul, calling the dormant hymns of the soil beneath and channeling the Gift just as his ancestors had.

Almost as quickly as the invasion had started, the Estalans broke the Siege of Fort Rigane and ousted the Anarcan-Cesadan Army from their lands. Newly ascended as the Archsage, Erigan Estali IV led his forces through the dense opposition, despite the alarming number of casualties on both sides. The Gift carried his sails across the icy sea, marching upon the shores of Anarcas where their enemies had retreated.

With most of its armies crushed on the Aralean mainland, the remnants of the Anarcan-Cesadan tandem opted to bolster its defense in the capital, leaving little resistance outside of the walls of Blackwater. The War of the New Leaf had turned into a massacre, as those who stood in the way of the Archsage would be slaughtered. This violence had no boundaries as even the ordinary people were treated as enemies. One commander after another fell to this terrible might, all but one lone squire was sparred from the Estalan's campaign. Erigan IV would take the young man as his ward, before laying siege to Blackwater.

When the castle gates finally broke open from the month-long siege, the Archsage marched into the halls of Blackwater, battling their path towards the throne room. There, Theodorus Floran, the wrinkling Regent of Anarcas, sat, with Jaedal Floran and Ceiya Moro in his presence. The lady fled from the melee that would ensue between Erigan IV and Jaedal, their weapons clashing evenly, much to the latter's surprise. With the prolonged usage of the Gift wearing heavily on his life force, Erigan IV was struck down by his foe.

"Forblaze."

In their folly of underestimating the Archsage, Erigan IV channeled the last of the Gift as he lay bloodied and dying, conjuring a storm of fire that seared the ancient frost of the throne room, consuming those caught within its fury. Slipping into the abyss of unconsciousness, the burning of Theodorus and Jaedal saw the eventful end to the War of the New Leaf, resulting in the Estalan victory. While the scars run deep inside his being, and he may never fly like the Archsage once had, Erigan Estali IV would awaken to the only asset that truly mattered; Lady Ceiya Moro.

The flames of war had finally burned out with the Anarcan-Cesadan surrender, yet only a small semblance of peace returned to the world. The unrest remained as Anarcas, with its bloodline in jeopardy, had lost its structure. Restoration was a long road for their former enemies, but for Estala, it did not concern them. As reparations panned and order was reinstated in the world, rumors of an Anarcan heir coming of age began to surface. The old tensions of the New Leaf had returned, but it would be the next generation to decide.

Fire Emblem: Weight of the World — Part I

The Scarlet Chapter

_{The realm of man is a quarrelsome abode.}

From the ascension of Nilonne, to the birth of humanity, the world was once taught with animation. Mankind expanded to the corners of their lands and across the narrow seas, forming the first semblances of order from the earth upward. It is said that in her right hand, the Goddess Nilonne conjured a storm in the ocean, creating the Beorc from the rippling water, and in her left hand, she drew the wind with blades of grass, giving birth to the Laguz. Many kept to the native mainland of Aralea, while others roamed the badlands of Norarus.

Each created their own society; with the Gift flowing in their veins, the magical attuned would call themselves the Estalans. Just a little north to the Aralean mainland, a colony was formed on the frozen beaches of a remote subcontinent; later on, it would become customary to swear the Oath of Anarcans upon taking foot on their lands. Those without the Gift sought simpler lives at the opposite end of the world, where the Cesadans would claim their territories.

The story of winged beasts, now a lost legend told at a child's bedside, had once been a reality. Dragons ruled the skies of their world, imposing their will upon the mortals below. Touched by fire, they were predecessors to the laguz, donning a humanoid form and the ability to transform at will. For many years, humanity would comply to the bidding of their dictators, their palaces claimed as a host to several emissaries from the draconic race.

Each society chose a leader to represent their populace at the Court of Scales; Erigan Estali, the founder of Estala and known as the Dragonseer, was said to have descended from the dragons themselves through his seamless flow with the Gift. The Regent of Anarcas, Wernthall Floran, would elect himself as the voice of his people. Across the sea, bands of Beorc and Laguz alike united under Cilla the Untamed, a warrior-woman who rode on the back of a lion in a union unlike any had ever seen.

But this collective of eminence had grown complacent of draconian rule. The Beorc and Laguz had long endured suffering and hardship since their inception, and thus saw the birth of an alliance between Estala, Anarcas, and Cesadas; Erigan Estali dubbed their unity as the Triumvirate. Withdrawing from the Court of Scales, the three sovereigns severed their ties to the dragon race, declaring their own independence as they dismissed themselves. Mosin, the First Dragon, viewed this decision as high treason.

With obvious knowledge that they had incurred the wrath of the dragon race, the Triumvirate each called to their banners, anticipating the war that would come. Armed with sword and magic, their bravery would be challenged by the mythical destruction that the dragons were capable of unleashing. Against all odds, the Triumvirate prayed to the Goddess Nilonne.

_{Against all odds, the Goddess Nilonne called to the Triumvirate.}

Millions had perished as the dragons set fire to the human race, locking the Triumvirate into the seven-year conflict that would be historically known as the Scarlet Chapter. Desperation weigh heavily upon their peoples' weary shoulders, but the Triumvirate refused to bend the knee. The Dragonseer remained resolute amongst his companions, continuing to shape his power through the ways of the Gift.

There were many battles of note that took place during the Scarlet Chapter, but to the very end, there was little hope for Beorc and Laguz to withstand the ongoing ire. Despite the concerns from Wernthall Floran and Cilla, Erigan Estali continued to search for an answer through the Gift, for a future where his children would know peace. It was then, after years of unanswered prayer, the Goddess Nilonne bestowed her favor upon the Triumvirate.

The human race took the war to the dragons themselves as the trio, possessing powers strengthened through the blessing, led their alliance in one final campaign. The sacrifices of men, women, and children would not go in vain, they swore. Erigan Estali wielded the Gift with peerless ability, as legends wrote that with each dragon slain, he continually increased his threshold of power by absorbing their essence.

Months drew on, and the Triumvirate had finally pushed the dragons back to their last bastion of control; the Court of Scales, where the First Dragon reigned. Sailing through what would later be called the Maw of Thanatos, the ultimate battle for humanity would draw the rage of a fearsome storm; the clashing powers had caused an imbalance in the atmosphere. As the fighting commenced, the storm continued to strengthen.

In the end, only the First Dragon remained as the last of the Triumvirate's opposition. Mosin, baffled by the strength of their former subordinates, was impressed by the Dragonseer's ascension, honoring Erigan Estali to a parley of single combat. The remainder of his armies returned to their ships, where they would watch from the seaside. Of equal power, the opponents continued to clash, their visions of an ideal world colliding. The wrath of the storm, now a greater danger than the First Dragon himself, threatened to consume everything beyond the island.

Erigan Estali would seize this momentous opportunity. Drawing the tempest towards himself, he sought to extract its fury to use against Mosin; however, the chaotic imbalance had proven far too strong for his mortal being to manifest. It was there that the three heroes of the Triumvirate gathered in unison, lending their own spiritual force to defeat the First Dragon together. Even as the Gift remained far overbearing, the Dragonseer was able to cast the final spell. Celestial arrows of energy poured from his palms, piercing the ancient armor of the First Dragon; as he fell to the earth below, the powerful gale swept the defeated Mosin into the storm, leaving no trace of the last dragon as it dissipated.

_{Peace had finally come to Aralea and Norarus.}

As the Triumvirate rejoiced in their triumph over their former oppressors, there was much reparation to commence. The magnitude of destruction from the final battle had separated the Court of Scales into four islands, and to the south of Estala, much of these territories had been abandoned. The Triumvirate, with the pooled efforts of their people, would rebuild their world into a new age. It would be many, many years before each nation could truly recover from the disaster, but under the leadership of the three heroes, the union was on the wings flying towards the dream coming to fruition.