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Catalyst The snow trickled down, hitting the thin blanket of ice over muddy puddles. Talrega's weather was unpredictable and tumultuous. It was the last thing the townspeople needed. Here in the aftermath of Daein's tyrannical armies destroying businesses and residencies. General Shiharam Fizzart had no choice but to obey the orders of flooding Talrega. Petrine was cruel to issue it, but who was Shiharam to disobey her orders? When that would mean an act of opposition to King Ashnard? He found the idea maddening, to endanger the very home he raised his daughter in. Unfortunately, loyalty triumphed over his concerns. Haar was his biggest witness. Once, they believed they escaped corruption from leaving the aristocracy of Begnion. Those thoughts were mere illusions, Daein was no different. It would be Jill that revealed to him such truth. In the battlefield, in their own home. Going against her own father was her most painful and debilitating experience. She had chosen a different path… one towards unity and peace for all of Tellius. Princess Elincia of Crimea would be the beacon, and Ike of the Greil Mercenaries was the fighter. A complete turn from her initial reason for joining the Crimean forces. All her life, she believed the laguz were inferior to the beorc, sub-human. But Prince Reyson and Princess Leanne of Serenes proved to her they were insane ideals. None of it was true, the laguz were never the enemy. For Jill, she realized her original reasoning held no merit. The aim for glory and killing the race she once saw were monstrous and vile - worthless. Once clouded by hate and judgment… a symptom of Daein's corrupt influence on its people. Yet, enough for Ashnard to exploit such prejudice for his true intentions upon Tellius. No longer blinded by falsehoods of hate and fear… there was one other reason why she stayed with Crimean forces. In fact, if Jill hadn't met her… she would have left Crimea's cause and returned to Daein. She was the major catalyst. After recent events, Jill had taken a brisk walk. A huge pain rose in her chest every time she took a breath. Along with a small headache, she went to focus on her surroundings. The pine trees were covered in frost, with the snowy mountain range upon the horizon. Each step she made on the snow sang out a crunching noise. Her eyes were puffy and red. The moments of her fighting her father to the death haunted her mind. She was not far from camp, but she had to get away. Her talk with Ike in the aftermath of the battle further solidified it. Even if she understood his reasoning, the fact remained... Talrega was destroyed. Her father was gone, the world she once knew - dead. She had second thoughts, had she chosen wrong? Could she not have defected Crimea to join her father? He wouldn't have died if she did. She could have saved him, even if it meant becoming a foe. She could have laid her last breath for him and her country. But she didn't. Not when she was also there. She was not far when Jill flew toward to face her father. Mist begged her to stay safe. She would wave her staff to heal injuries she received from the battle. Behind Jill's fighting spirit, she had the support of a healing soul. Who she gradually became close to. The proximity brought some unveiled unprecedented feelings, opening of the heart. Whether making her supper or even talking to her… Mist was one of the few who reached out to her. Jill didn't feel she deserve it from being on the opposite side. She believed under her pessimistic thoughts, that she would be looked down on with scorn and disgust due to her heritage. Daein's reputation had plummeted, and her own hatred toward laguz caused problems with the Greil Mercenaries. More in particular with Ike, who viewed everyone as equal. How could someone spiteful as her even fit in? Mist didn't care, deep down her own feelings for Jill were favorable. That beneath her rough and hateful exterior was a sweet and strong person. Someone that could be changed. She wasn't afraid, she took the risk. Which brought Jill into a new territory she wasn't expecting to fall into. "Where's Jill?" Mist asked. Ike went inside in a tent to discuss with Soren and Titania about future battle plans. "Beats me," he replied, pushing the flap. "Maybe she's in her tent." He disappeared through, and Mist went out of camp. She had checked Jill's quarters before, no trace but her wyvern that was resting. Out of concern, she left. It had been ten minutes since departure. Mist ran through the snowy terrain. "Jill! Where are you?" Her worries increased. Jill had not been herself since the battle and she didn't blame her. Jill stood, looking up at snow dropping from the clouds. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes, tears formed. "Father…" "Jill! There you are!" Jill whirled around. Her eyes widened, and her heart pounded. Mist was smiling in relief, scurrying to her. "I found you – ah!" She slipped upon the ice. Mist felt Jill's arms wrap around her tight, taking the fall. She grunted in pain, and Mist was on top of her. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" "It's fine…" Jill mumbled, trying to ignore the ache radiating from her back. She released her hands from Mist to move out of the way. "Are… you okay?" "I am, thank you. But now you're hurt!" Mist attempted to get up but felt her balance slip again. Jill clutched her again, before slowly lifting themselves up. "Let's get out of this ice." They slowly walked to the right. Their feet onto soft snow. Mist walked behind, feeling Jill's back. She twitched. "Oh no," Mist mumbled. "We should head back to camp… let me treat you." "No Mist, it's okay. This is nothing…" "How can you say that?! You just got hurt from the fall! If I don't treat it you'll be sore, maybe worse!" Jill looked away. "I can handle it. After all, it's not like this day can get any worse." Mist blinked. "Is this about – what happened?" There was a brief pause before Jill made her reply. "Yeah, I'm... I don't think I feel the pain anymore." Her voice was cold, enough for Mist to detect her emotional state. "Jill, do you wanna talk about it?" Mist's own voice was soft, almost soothing. She was willing to offer help, something that Jill was hesitant in taking. Was it really in the right? To bring this kind and innocent healer into her brutish world? She had already done so much for her, how could Jill continue to allow it? The answer was in an emotional matter she kept secret. "I…" "Jill, please talk to me. It… hurts seeing you like that." Mist took her hands into hers. They were cold, but to Jill, they felt warm as a blanket. "I wanna help you." She couldn't escape, nor refuse. Not when she was this close to her. Jill's cheeks were close to turning red… but she snatched her hands away. "Look Mist, please… leave me in peace. I… need time alone." "Do you?" "What do you mean?" "Your eyes…" Mist touched Jill's face. "They're red. You've… been crying, haven't you?" "Mist…" "Jill, know that despite what happened… I'm sure your father loved you. And I want you to know… that you're not alone." Mist's own expression was saddening, and Jill slowly pushed away her hand. "I… I don't know if I can believe that." "Why?" "Because Father… I... deserted him…" She clenched her fists, trying to hide her pent-up resentment and rage. "….I didn't want to be the monster. I was raised to be just a soldier for Daein, a mindless machine. Following the orders of a mad tyrant… the destruction of what happened to Talrega. All those poor innocent people…" She broke down. "Why?! Why did it have to come to this?! I'm sure Father would have seen me as a traitor for this! I had to kill him for my own selfish ideals! Was it truly right?! Why did I have to go against him?!" "Jill! Your father would never see you as a traitor! You were only following your own path! I'm sure he loved you and wanted what was best! How could you doubt that?!" "If he loved me then he wouldn't have raised me into such a heartless soldier! I would have never been so hateful to the laguz! He… would have let me to a more righteous path…" Her sobs increased, and Mist struggled to hide her own. Her pain was heavy as the falling snow, and Mist did the most relaxing thing she could think of. It was swift, Mist had embraced Jill into her own arms. Even if she was a tad shorter, Mist wrapped her arms around Jill's neck. Jill was pulled out of her crying, taking this moment with a small gasp. Mist's own tears fell on Jill's left shoulder blade, a drop stained the pink armor. "It's okay. You're in a lot of pain… are you? You don't have to be anymore, Jill. I know it feels… to lose someone you love." For Mist, her own pain stemmed from losing one of Daein's greatest warriors to have ever lived. Her father. No one had expected it, to her and Ike at best. Both once stood at the grave of Greil once known as General Gawain of the Four Riders, letting grief consume them. There was no turning back, the loss of their innocence came when Greil succumbed to his wounds from Aldonite, which were stained with his blood wielded by the Black Knight. They were to carve their own path, without their father. In that aspect, Mist felt she and Jill were similar. Their fathers departed the world with their own intentions… leaving their children behind. Nevertheless, moving on was necessary. Even if neither felt they could. Jill cried harder, gripping Mist's shirt… crying into her shoulder. The snowflakes continued to fall, moving forward in time while the two stood still in their embrace. Eventually, they calmed down, and Jill broke away. "T – thank you, Mist. You've treated me so kindly. I know things are rough right now, but… I'll be okay. Father is gone… and I… have to move on. But… when I'm with you… I feel much better." She rubbed her eyes. Mist made a tiny smile, wiping her own tears. "I'm so glad I could help you. You're very important to me, Jill. I want nothing more than you to be happy! So, let's keep going, okay?" Jill appreciated that gesture, smiling on her own. She recalled the other major reason she didn't defect Crimea for Daein. And it was standing right here. The wyvern lord didn't want to admit it and never told her father. But she wondered if Shiharam had found out… what would he have said then? Would he have disowned her? Because it wasn't just a matter of following a path to peace and freedom, but to love. If it meant going against Daein's forces to stay by Mist's side, then she would do it. Jill smiled. "I will, for you."

A friend of mine put together a review for the narrative of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. I recorded most of the footage for this review and I also provided a voice for Soren. He'd really appreciate any feedback you have to help make his upcoming review of the sequel, Radiant Dawn, even better, so give it a watch if you have the time: Main review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asDxyhYIkfY Supplemental character study of Ike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joPOFHTItF0

After I had read some comparisons between Jill and Haar in different threads, I deliberated to start an own thread. Many people say that Haar is the best character in FE10. He's even banned in drafts. Imo Jill is overshadowed by Haar. Haar is only better in early game because of his excellent base strangth and defense. Jill is weakly and fragile, when she joins the Liberation Army. Her base strength is very low, so you have to invest in a forged iron axe and maybe an energydrop, if you want to train her. Though the investment will pay off! Her growths are great. She has great speed, luck and decent strength and resistance growth. However her defense growth is her only oneweakness for being a wyvernrider, but bexp. can fix it. And her caps are insane. She can reach 36 defense (only 2 less than Haar) and 35 speed, which means that she can double pretty much everything in the endgame except for a few swordmasters in E-2. I love using both, but Jill becomes to be more useful in the endgame especially because of her higher speed cap and the fact she's better in dodging.

I'm planning on doing a rather... interesting run of this game on normal where my endgame units will be: Ilyana - Rexbolt Tormod - Rexflame Heather - Baselard and Peshkatz (Because Sothe gets benched anyway) Mist - Alondite Elincia - Amiti Fiona - Wishblade Zihark - Vague Katti Jill - Urvan Laura - Valaura/Staff Tauroneo - Silver Greatlance Will I have an awful time with Ike's group with only long terming Ike, Ilyana, Mist, and Heather? I think I'll also use Oscar and Mia a little.