Moblin Major General

It's implied that Ostia had a tuberculosis epidemic, which and may have led to constant reshuffling of Uther's court, not to mention Uther is a very private Marquess.

^Rinkah's not a wimp! She's a JERK!

@blah: The Ottoman Empire relinquished it's holdings alongside the other European Powers and became Turkey. I mentioned Turkey on the Security Council, not the Ottoman Empire. I know that Versailles more or less created Turkey, but even if the Central Powers had won our World War I, I doubt the Ottoman Empire would've lasted far beyond it.

-Earthbound is a great game, but even early on some things that happen in it will probably make you cringe. -Two different games with little relevance to each other. You can play both independently -Super Metroid is HARD. Especially to 100% or any% speedrun. -Never played DKC or DKCR, but I want to. -Whichever one you want -Azure Gunvolt is made by Inti Creates, the developers of the Mega Man Zero quadrilogy. It's like Mega Man Zero or Mega Man X.

Henry was, iirc, more like Kyubey from Madoka Magicka than an always happy sociopath. He literally had no idea what it was like to feel.

^Because the Middle East has been the dominant force in politics since the dawn of history. Modern law comes from Mosaic Law, Hammurabi's code, among other things. Three of the most powerful religions descend from the Middle East, two specifically from the Levant. Christianity and Judaism are easy to persecute and/or parody because there is a pattern of persecution for both, especially in its native region, whereas Islam has been the dominant religion of the Middle East since its inception in the 500s A.D. Criticizing Islam would be like criticizing the Church during the Renaissance: you just don't do it. Christians haven't been players in international politics since the Napoleonic Era, whereas Islam did since the Ottoman Empire.

I think the HD version would definitely fix the darkness of the game, and the gritty textures that the Gamecube ran in. I too got that package, but it was from Amazon, which means if it shipped out today, it could be dropped by drone on my front porch any time now. Then again, I don't know if Nashville Area has the option for drone delivery yet, given there is an international airport within 75 miles of my house.

@blah:Taft was still President in 1906. Wilson did it because the fallout of her death created a rallying cry that within 5-6 years would've mandated such a change. He did it to try and get votes from them, but it backfired on him. Chapter 3: The Great War June 28, 1914. On the streets of Sarajevo, Franz Ferdinand, brother of Franz Joseph, was gunned down by Serbian activist Gavrilo Princip. Tension escalated between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, prompting Austria-Hungary to invade Serbia. Hearing of the assassination, President Hughes made a call to General John Pershing to begin landing troops in Belgium after being briefed on the factional divide in Europe. At the same time, Kaiser Wilhelm summoned Field Marshall Erich Ludendorff and Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg to discuss a plan to invade Russia. Russia soon moved against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, prompting Germany to invade Russia. The Ottoman Empire also began assaulting Russia's Southern Flank. This prompted France to enact Plan XVII, which was the French counterpart to the Schlieffen plan. However, the non-camouflaged French ran straight into American lines, whose superior firepower and enhanced tactics brought the advance to a grinding halt, and in fact pushed the French back into their borders. Pershing tasked a young First Lieutenant by the name of George S. Patton, and a captain named Douglas MacArthur to lead an advance into France. At the same time, The United Kingdom, a former ally of France's, condemned the employment of Plan XVII, citing their own defense pact with Belgium. As a result, France was cornered by 4 different armies at once, forcing a peace suit by December 24. On December 25, American, German, French, British, and Belgian troops all came together for Christmas. On the Eastern Front, however, the victory wasn't nearly as swift, even with the Italians coming in to complete the Triple Alliance Powers alongside Germany and Austria-Hungary, along with the support of The US, The UK, a token force of Belgians, and the Ottoman Empire. Propaganda reels depicted this overwhelming force staving off the Russian Barbarian. Britain's decision to back the Central Powers was controversial in that it was a well known fact that Tsar Nicholas II and King George V were cousins. At the same time, however, it was also well known that Kaiser Wilhelm and King George were as closely related. Of course, this had no bearing on the current situation in Eastern Europe. Each force was evenly matched, although a little British invention called the Tank easily swung the conflict in the favor of the Central Powers. By early 1917, as the Tsar faced almost open rebellion as well as the seizure of Moscow, he sued for peace. The date was March 7, 1917. 3 years of war were over, but problems with Russia would last until the early 1960s. The Treaty of Warsaw was profound and unprecedented. The Central Powers were aware that Russia had little to no money due to the incompetence of Nicholas II. So they seized the reparation funds in land. In the following years, all the land seized from Russia would become independent states, some forming states with Iran, others like the Caucasus becoming independent states, and others still deferring to Moscow on matters of state. In the month's after the surrender of Russia, the empire temporarily was a theocratic state headed by the Orthodox Church, a move seen as unpopular with King Emmanuel III of Italy, who was a devout Catholic. This was short lived, as the elections held in early November were heralded as the October Revolution, which saw former enemies of the state such as Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky ascend to positions in VKP, or the Russian Communist Party. Had the war lasted another 6 months, it was predicted that the VKP would've attempted a coup. Fortunately, the democratic system won out, and although the Bolsheviks were a considerable liberal movement in Post-Tsarist Russia, any potential plans for a coup were stopped by the election. France was spared a lot of destruction due to its swift defeat. Britain and Germany also wanted it to face stiff reparations, but President Hughes's Fourteen Points speech in the Treaty of Antwerp spoke volumes to what the goal should be for the world going forward. "If it is the war to end all wars, let us create a world where war would be no longer possible." With this, The League of Nations formed, with all belligerents being members, and having Britain, America, Germany, Austria, and Turkey at its head. However, as most countries lacked the manpower to hold many of their colonies in Africa and Asia, as well as the war almost bankrupting the Ottoman Empire, the powers that be relinquished most of their holdings the world over, with the exception of the British in India, the Belgians in the Congo, and the US territories of Puerto Rico and Hawaii. But what this would hold for most of the Old World remained to be seen.

Here are some Christian sects that could be seen as terrorists: The Templars: Invaded the Levant to further the spread of a specific type of Christianity that even the Christian inhabitants thereof didn't follow and held it under military rule for around 100 years, exploiting and purging the people around it. The Inquisition: As the fallout of the Reconquista, The Spaniards attempted to purge anyone who was not a Catholic, and although it was Church supported, it wasn't wholly adopted by the regency. The Conquistadors: Fundamentalist, white supremacist, modern, militarized hate group at the left hand of the Spanish Government and the Spanish Church. Mary Queen of Scots: A self-proclaimed leader of the British Isles that attempted to reverse the "reforms" of her father Henry VIII. Put down like OBL by baby Elizabeth. Japanese Christians: Adopted Christianity specifically to spite the Tokugawa Shogunate. Taiping Rebellion: See above. Ku Klux Klan: If this isn't a Christian Terrorist group, I don't see what is. Almost all members come from the most conservative of Southern Evangelism. They try to biblically justify their hate claiming that black people are the descendants of Cain. All of Cain's descendants died in the flood, therefore their argument is invalid automatically. Yet they cling to this belief as if the fate of the South rests upon their actions. As a Southerner, that's sickening, considering that most people here either don't really care, or just keep their prejudices to themselves. So yes, there are Christian terrorists. Every religion has terrorists and fundamentalists in them, even ones claiming to be peaceful, like Buddhism. I will play devil's advocate saying that not one of three major monotheistic religions ever claim to preach peace on the whole.

No spoilers. Also, while I know Wilson was a conservative bastard, I wasn't about to let him introduce the real 16th amendment like he had in history. That was legislated from the bench, which I view as illegal in all cases, regardless of how helpful it may have been.

Chapter 2: Reform The Spanish-American War garnered much praise for the then 38 year old William Jennings Bryan, clearing the way for a successful platform on which to take a second term, in which he declared his running mate to be none other than Theodore Roosevelt himself, stepping in for a sickly Arthur Sewall. This time, the pair ran up against Garret Hobart, the running mate of William McKinley. This time, Bryan won by a landslide. America was less of an imperial nation like Russia under Tsar Nicholas II or Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm II, but more following the Monroe doctrine and holding influence over nations rather than truly conquering them. But it almost was not. On September 5, 1901, President Bryan had been giving a speech to an open crowd in Columbus, Ohio. A would-be assassin named Leon Czolgosz attempted to shoot Bryan point-blank next to the podium. However, as he fired, Bryan was tackled by his former opponent, William McKinley. As Bryan was thrown to the ground, McKinley took 2 hits in his abdomen. Czolgosz was thrown to the ground and apprehended. 9 days later, the former Ohio governor succumbed to his wounds, but not before Bryan himself expressed his thanks, and his regrets. In the following days, Czolgosz was charged with attempted assassination of the President and murder in the first degree. Czolgosz was sentenced to the electric chair, although President Bryan later granted clemency to his assailant. Czolgosz spent the rest of his life the United States Disciplinary Barracks, assigned with the task of helping to complete the prison. Czolgosz died in 1928 at the age of 55. The fallout from the attempt lead to Bryan attempting to enact many reforms, including those suggested by Vice President Roosevelt, creating the Forest Service and National Park Service, as well as a comprehensive list of animals that were in danger of extinction, with a bill to protect these animals that invoked stiff penalties if violated. The lase measure managed to save species like the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Passenger Pigeon, and Red Wolf from total extinction. It also paved the way for the international ban on whaling. The successes of these reforms allowed President Bryan to be named one of the best Presidents in American history. The election of 1904 came, with Bryan, although still very young for a president, had enough with the office. The Democratic Party chose conservative Alton B. Parker, a safe choice, but rather underwhelming considering the previous 8 years. The Republicans, eager to expand upon the sphere of influence granted by the Spanish-American War, elected William Howard Taft as the nominee. Compared to the momentous 1896 election, 1904 was comparatively bland, with Taft winning the election. However, under Taft, the Americans started a project that was abandoned by the French: The Panama Canal. The Canal expedited travel between hemispheres. Other than that, the only other marked accomplishment of Taft's was the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands, something that many believed McKinley would have done had he been elected in 1896. In 1908, Taft lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Wilson introduced measures such as the 16th Amendment, allowing women to vote after the death of famous suffragist Susan B. Anthony in 1906. Other than that, Wilson also failed to do much in the way of anything notable. 1912, However, showed an evolving problem in Europe. Republicans chose Charles Evans Hughes as the nominee, and won the election by a close margin. Hughes went along the same lines as Bryan and Roosevelt, in that he wished to protect sovereign nations. As such, he signed a defense pact with Belgium's Albert I after Germany's rapid militarization. In response, Germany's Foreign Minister sent what was to become known as the von Jagow Note, which stated that Germany would sign a non-aggression pact with the United States, which secretly caused them to abandon the Schlieffen Plan, in which they had planned to invade Belgium in order to disable France, should a European war break out. However, with the US backing the vulnerable Belgium, Germany now had an effective buffer to prevent France from sending troops into Germany so that Germany could focus on a potential war with Tsarist Russia. To complete this mutual pact, President Hughes met with Kaiser Wilhelm II on June 28, 1914. Consequently, that's when IT started.

American Conservatism, at its finest. I am neutral while considering all of these things, because the worst part about the Civil War was that it was inevitable. The immigrants did have to work dead end, low paying, strenuous, and often deadly jobs that not only they could be fired from, but also barred from getting other jobs in other businesses that robber barons were running. They also faced violence, racism, and predatory politicians that didn't actually help them in any way. Compare that to having to work in the 100+F degree heat (40+C if you're European) 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, with no air conditioning, and abusive GMs that could beat you if you complained, even if you were in tremendous pain. Couple that with no salary and fixed living conditions (poor living conditions at that), and there is no comparison between them. I'll play devil's advocate in that Fort Sumter should've shut down once South Carolina seceded, being that the siege was inevitable otherwise, but other than that, the war was pointless and costly (in context, World War II claimed less than half the American lives that the American Civil War did, and it took over 100 years to match the casualties of the ACW in other wars). I say that if they don't want you there, you bug out. I wish Obama would follow that advice and let the Middle East fight it out for the next century, because I know what the alternative is.

I don't know how both me and my older sister watched as our cat was euthanized. I don't know how I was able to get over the loss of my Labrador. Both of them died in front of my eyes. Another cat of ours died while we were away for my mother's 20th reunion. That was sudden, and we got over that one quickly. I never hated anyone, especially not myself, although if my lab had died months earlier, I might never have forgiven myself for my own negligence.

I feel as though Hillary Clinton represents the unwillingness of American politics to experiment, and that both sides, regardless of what they champion, are conservative on many issues. If I were uneducated and had no idea about how bad electing Trump would be, I would vote for him because he's something the people haven't seen before. However, being that I am educated and liberal (an actual, rational liberal, not a neo-progressive SJW that doesn't understand how unfair life is and that angering bigots isn't going to change shit), I choose Bernie Sanders because his policies will attempt to regulate trade(let's be honest, free trade isn't free), tax the rich(1% with 90% of the wealth, I don't think so), and lower student debt, among other things. I would champion that post-secondary education is unnecessary, but that's a dead horse that most people in my camp would rather bury under the banner of "Everyone is Equal" when they fail to realize that equality needs to factor in one's personal perception. Even if we in America are raised "all men are created equal",that doesn't mean we all have to do the same jobs or even have the same level of education. Equality isn't equal if it expects too much out of one group or fails to challenge another.

Chapter 2: Shepherds I was able to analyze the remainder of the current Shepherds upon my visit to the barracks. Here are my thoughts on all of them. Vaike: A street brawler, and defensively lacking. I don't trust him to last very long in combat. Sumia: I hope she is more nimble and balanced on her pegasus, for she certainly is not on foot. an unnamed Knight: I heard voices coming from a static suit of armor. Either it is kept in fine condition by the armorers, or it houses a warrior I did not see. Stahl: Met us along the way, and keeps a cool head about him in combat. His mount just as promising. Our mission is to march up the Northroad to Regna Ferox. The undead we encountered, now referred to as Risen, were projected to become a serious threat if left unchecked, so we propose an alliance with Regna Ferox will remedy our situation. Unfortunately, they seem to have caught on to our plan, and now block the border bridge into Ferox. "Sully, to me. Everyone else, protect the princess and she will protect you." And that she did, save for Vaike. The sword cut deep into his unprotected Torso. He saw it coming, which some of us do, and others of us don't. Chrom rushed over to him, just as he lay dying, and told him to pass on the torch. Although I foresaw this outcome, I felt my war wrath coming out, and lead the charge against the remaining Risen. I personally plunged my blade into the chieftain, and watched him fall. It's only the beginning, and there is a headstone on top of the graves of thousands of others.

Chrom/Lissa: Marth (canon) Robin: most likely Kris Frederick: Any surviving Sable Order Knight Sully: Cecile Virion: Python Stahl: Rody Vaike: Barst Miriel: Linde Sumia: Est Kellam: Roger Donnel: Bord/Cord Ricken: Merric Maribelle: Nyna Gaius: Julian Cordelia: Palla Olivia: Feena Basilio: Ymir/Malice Flavia:Ogma Walhart: Alm Gangrel: Pelleas/Soren Priam: Ike(canon)

Chapter 1: Unwelcome change After the long day (and a delicious meal of bear meat), I had intended to sleep. But then I heard the earth shake, and the ground turn to fire. I then heard Lissa shriek loudly. "Frederick! We must go quickly!" "What's going on?! Where are milord and milady?!" "Somewhere west of here. Come on, they could be in trouble!" Frederick mounted and we headed west for a large copse. When we saw the field open, Chrom and Lissa stared down a large group of masked creatures. "Milord! Milady! Are you hurt?" "Frederick! Ares!" "Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?" "They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that." "No one is injured, then? Thank the gods..." "That masked man saved me! If it wasn't for him, I'd be... hey, where'd he go?" "We can worry about him later. AFTER we put these... things... to the blade. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy." We started combat. From the east, I see a warrior in which from which there is no brighter flame, and is a woman, no less. I feel as though she may have overcome great struggles to be as strong as she is. "Captain Chrom! Wait! I'm coming! Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em. All right you ash faced freaks! Which of you wants to try my lance on for size first? I know just the spot for it: shoved right up your-" Vulgar, too. I take it back, this warrior is no woman: She is a goddess. I once had a well-known affair with a goddess, but when we were literally caught by her husband, the gossip reddened my face in an entirely different way. While I was admiring her capability, a dandy of an artificer tried to wile her with his voyeur air. She responded by a kick to his face atop her chestnut mount. "Now is not the time for petty brawls! Save it for sharing the mead. Get over here and help us fend off these undead." The battle continues, with many close calls along the way.(One said close call was yours truly. I don't think I've bled from that many places before.) With the battle ended, a masked man appears. He claims to be Marth, a Hero King of ages past. What he doesn't realize is that Marth is the physical representation of the ideas in the minds of the hopeless which I gave form to. A Princess that stays behind to protect her vassals. A group of knights in exile on a faraway island, having no reason left to fight. A prince that lacks the means to resist beyond his borders. These are the reasons I created Marth, and why he is well known among these people now. This Marth heads on his way, leaving us all bewildered. So, here we are in Ylisstol, and I found out that Emmeryn is not only a woman, but is Chrom and Lissa's older sister. I am told that their father launched a long and bloody war, and that she took the throne when she was only a child. Now I can see why she is so opposed to war, but I fear she grossly underestimates the danger she puts herself and her people in by appeasing the powers that be, especially Plegia. Still, she puts me and Chrom at her left hand by appointing me Chief Tactician. I fear this may have dire consequences as a result, as I know that both Chrom and myself lack the deft touch of diplomacy. Oh well. I am laying about in a barracks, awaiting the rest of the legion to arrive. I hope they will serve us well.

I would give Generals the swords they should've been given instead of bows. Either that or the axes they used to in previous FEs. Also, branched promotions, like Mercenary>Horseman, Pirate>Warrior, and Myrmidon>Hero. Whether it would be optional or by character is unknown.

So, if the CIA is the treaty organization, than what is the intelligence bureau? Also, something about the word treaty you don't like? As for Trump filling the role of either Gorbachev, Yeltsin, or Putin has me very interested.

Sigurd, you dumbass! Once you steal from a noble, they'll think you killed the Prince...oh wait. I can't wait to see what sort of pairings you've devised.

That is a misnomer: The Communists were far more revisionist than the Nazis. Himmler was only a revisionist in the sense that he wanted to link Germany to ancient pastoral cultures that predated the time of Abraham. The Communists went to great length in an attempt to say that they were always in charge, or to paint the past as one that was grim without them. That isn't entirely false, as Communism led to the modernization of China, Vietnam, and many states in Eastern Europe (except Czechoslovakia, that was pretty modern pre-Warsaw Pact). More to the point, revisionism is necessary when things change, lest there become some radical leftist group that does it to such a degree that history is either entirely rewritten, or is discarded entirely for what is perceived to be a lack of pertinence. That is dangerous. However, I do not agree with religious revisionism, because it makes the text in question seem to be less relevant in the daily life of the devotee. This is exactly why I use an Old King James Bible, because not only is it the purest form of the English Bible, but because I can understand Middle English quite well. Also, if you read it in a southern accent, it would sound historically accurate.

Admit it, you left Dalsin just so you could go to 21x. I saw what you did there.

I am a Tordo blood bearer of Jugdral, most likely a Baron or Mage Knight. My allegiance is to Seliph and only such. Even though I bear no Major Tordo Blood, I know that any of my progeny might, especially if I marry either Teeny or Linda. My role is the steward of House Freege until a bearer of Major Tordo Blood appears, be it that Ishtar is alive, or my own child bears Major Tordo Holy Blood. My role is that of a puppet to start, seeing that Seliph cleaned house in Grannvale when Julius died. I serve alongside Seliph, Saias, Johalva, Corpul, and Eyvel, as well as Ares of Agustria, Jamke's son, Ced, Leif, Areone, and Altena. My weapon is called Zuess, a thunder tome said to rival Mjolnir in power. It isn't quite as powerful as Mjolnir, but I wouldn't tell my enemies that. My rule of Freege would mostly be about hunts against Loptyrians and support for Naga worship, to contrast Hilda and her enthusiasm for child hunts.

"Hold fast I almost have him." Gazzack throws his Hand Axe again.

Name: Ares Attributes:+Str, -Res Appearance: Rules: Hard-Classic Ironman (Risen encounters allowed, but not at the cost of gold) Premonition:Invisible Ties Who is this dark figure? Why is he fighting me, and who is the brave warrior who fights at my side? Whoever he is, I will fell him. He is fighting well, against me at least. No self-respecting god of war would turn down a challenge, or a cause that invokes violence. However, there must be warriors for a war, so your choice of allies should either be ones who win with impunity, or ones that keep themselves alive. I feel as though this Chrom I fight beside has done neither, as it is only me, him, and the magic caster who has bravely thrown himself into the fray. Let him know that he skirmishes against a warrior god. "Lead the charge, Chrom. It's only us and him." "Right. On my mark!" I decide that a tighter Phalanx would improve our attack power. He agrees, and we swing our might at the dark being. "Struggle as you might, you cannot change your fate!" As frail as the sorcerer seemed, I could not help but feel a sense of dread come over me. What fate? In what context have we taken up arms against him? I feel that once I wake up from this foreign dream, I will know more than I did before. Chrom charged and hit twice, but was struck himself by a blast of pure malice, or a magic that emulated it. "Retreat. I'll take him myself." I swing my steel into his chest. It seems as though it is over. However, I feel a chill run down my spine as I lift my hand and a thunderbolt is loosed from it. "Go! It isn't... your..." I somehow feel sorrow for Chrom's death. And contempt. Contempt that I betrayed a man I never knew. But it was a dream... right? Prologue: The Verge of History "Chrom, we have to do something..." A woman. How long it's been since I've heard a voice that sings like sirens. "What do you propose we do?" I know that voice. It is Chrom, the warrior I so easily felled in my dream. Yet how do I remember this, and not how I got here. "I... I dunno." Do nothing, woman. I am waking as you speak. I require no aid as of yet. No disrespect, of course. "I see you're awake, now." "Hey there." "There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." Seeing the lush grass around me, I extend my hand, seeing as though I might fumble if I attempted to rise by myself. Curiously, I see a brand on my right hand. That must mean something. Whatever the mark, it is most definitely not a coincidence. "You all right?" "Y-yes. Thank you, Chrom." "Ah, then you know who I am?" "No, actually, I... it's strange... Your name, it just... came to me..." "Hmm, how curious." "Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?" The latter I could not tell, even if I remembered. I know I am a god of war who cast off his ichor for human blood. I have a purpose, but I must find out for myself what that is. "My name is... It's... Hmm?" "You don't know your own name?" "I'm not sure if... I'm sorry, but where am I exactly?" "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!" The surprising enthusiasm of the holy woman is surprising, given that both final rights and healing wounds are grave duties in war. But she was right, there were no memories to speak of as of yet. Their retainer was far less convinced, however. "It's called a load of pegasus shit. We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?" "But it's true." "What if it is true, Frederick? We can't just leave him here, alone and confused." I understand Chrom's altruism, but he clearly doesn't grasp my combat skill. Then again, neither do I, at least I didn't quite yet. "What sort of Shepherds would we be, then?" Since when do shepherds wear armor and wield Bronze instead of livestock? Unless he is a lord? Which he well may be. "Just the same, milord, I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock." Prudent. This Frederick may very well serve to be useful, although his strength may take away from other warriors with greater potential. Nonetheless, I am in no position to assign roles to lords I am no use to as of yet. "Right then-we'll take him back to town and sort this out there." I take offense in that he made his mind up before I got a word in. No one, but no one, fails to seek my opinion on matters concerning me. "Wait just one moment. Do I have a say in this?" "Peace, friend-I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come." I feel as though I may have signed a death warrant, as much as a god can be slain. "What will you do with me? Am I to be your prisoner?" His comforting smile strangely unnerves me. "You will be free to go once you are found to be no enemy of Ylisse." "Is that where we are? Ylisse?" I know of Ylisse. I am not their patron god. In fact, I stand among many, although their main deity has no power over natural law or human ethics. "You've never heard of the halidom? Ha! Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing..." That, I believe, is worthy of a rebuke. I will hold my tongue, at least for the time being, "Frederick, please. This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the exalt?" Exalt? I can only hope this pontifex is anything like Chrom was, or is. "I suppose introductions are in order... My name is Chrom-but then, you already knew that. The delicate one is my little sister, Lissa." Oh no you did not. That could've been the difference between being healed and being mourned. "I am NOT delicate!...Hmph! Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes. But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!" "Shepherds? You tend sheep? ...In full armor?" If there were ever a time to put my foot in my mouth, it was then. Oddly enough, Chrom misinterpreted my ill-placed comment for humor. "Heh, it's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary here." The Wary? No wonder he was so prudent. And blunt. "A title I shall wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution.I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise." The very picture of duty and devotion, Sir Frederick doesn't let down his guard. "I understand, sir. I would do no less myself. My name is Ares. ...I just remembered that. How odd. I suppose that's one mystery solved." Why I failed to tell them until now is beyond me, and I have yet to actually show them why they should trust me. "Ares. Is that foreign? ... Ah, well. We can discuss it later.We're almost to town. Once we-" Is that smoke? Unless the town uses an acre a day to heat the homes, that doesn't bode well. "Chrom, look! The town!" Who dares to burn a church?! Blasphemy! They will pay in blood! My honor demands it! "Damn it! The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt. Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!" "What about him?" What about me, indeed. I won't shy away from a skirmish. Warrior's honor. "Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!" "Aptly put, milord." "Let's go already!" "But what about- Hmm..." The bandit chief sneers as he seals the church door. I have to free those people, even at my own peril. "Gwa ha ha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots to set an example for these Ylissean types! Ain't that right lass?" The poor young woman struggled helplessly as the boss put the axe against her throat. I could barely fathom what horrors awaited her if our group didn't move quickly against them. "S-stay away from me! Please! Someone! HEEEEEELP!" The Shepherds entered the fray before I. "Chrom, we have to stop them!" "Don't worry-after today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again..." Not if you get killed, Chrom. "Wait!" "Ares! You followed us! Why?" Come to think of it, there was certainly no rationale there. "I... I'm not certain myself. But I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me." I think I may have drafted myself, or enlisted. I certainly don't feel like a common conscript, though. "Of course-strength in numbers. Just stay close!" Player Phase. "Remember, Ares, we face practiced thieves and murderers. They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed." "Chrom, Form a phalanx. Frederick, put that massive lance into their skulls if they dare to move against you. Lissa, although you can't really fight right now, I think we will desperately need you in a few minutes." Chrom follows this plan, taking extra care to pull out a thin blade in lou of the bulky broadsword he had when I first met him. I can't help but feel as though I've seen that blade somewhere before, unless... a Dragon Fang blade? The enemy charged, but when I went to fight, I realized it was not my blade I drew. I see little use for tomes, but I at least admire my brother Zeus presenting me with a parting gift. Chrom seemed somewhat injured. "Lissa, Chrom needs help. Chrom, let's switch." That transpires, and I draw my bronze sword. Did I really not forge this before I left? Still, the sharpness is undeniable. They charge again, and I get clipped in my shoulder. Because I lack armor, it tears a hole in my bulky cloak. My experience with sutures ensures that I can fix the tear, much to my delight. "Heal, then switch." "Taste Falchion, ruffian!" Chrom swings the large broadsword across the brigand's lower torso and guts him. As gruesome as that is, it beats either of us being gutted. I thought things went well, but then we crossed paths with what I believe is their apothecary. He carried a Wind Tome, stationary bearing the seal of Aeolus, a minor god who I know as a free spirit. I never thought the wind could hurt like that. "Are you all right, Ares? Don't rush into danger." "I'm fine, Chrom, don't worry." "You've lent us your strength, and that makes you a friend. Having an ally by my side gives me courage." "Thank you. Let's continue on. Same thing, except no substitutions this time. Now, advance!" We feint at the center of their group, picking up some invigorating snacks out of a fruit stand. "and here's the 50 gold for the snacks." They didn't go for the center. I have to hit their flank, which I don't necessarily want to do. On cue, they all charge, with the swordsman to the left hitting Chrom, albeit not doing much. "HIt him, Chrom. Frederick, take care of the other one." Frederick's blow with the massive pike gores through the swordsman. The other Apothecary survives, and just happened to have my brother Zeus's same blessing. Needless to say, Chrom was going to feel that later. All that remains is the leader. "Chrom, why don't you eat one of those treats. The leader doesn't look like he's fooling around." Slowing to a parade march, I realize that in the short time I've known Chrom, he's taken all of my tactical advice. In normal circumstances, I would consider this unwise, but I have some of the best tactics training out of all my peers, save for Athena, Zeus's daughter. "Here, sheepy sheepy! Come to the slaughter!" Here is our defining moment: kill or be killed, and we certainly aren't going to be killed. And so he fell, he and all his cadre. "Well, that's the end of that." "Lucky for the town, we were close by. But holy wow, Ares!You were incredible.Sword, sorcery, and tactics! Is there anything you can't do?" "You're certainly no helpless victim, that much is for sure." "Indeed. Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?" "I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick. And I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me. But believe me. I have shared all that I know." "You fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that's enough." "And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?" "Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Ares's talents. We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such a valuable tactician? Besides, I believe his story, odd as it might be." "Thank you, Chrom." "So how about it? Will you join us, Ares?" "I would be honored." "Did you notice, milord? Those brigands spoke with a Plegian accent." "Plegian? What's that? "Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor. They send small bands into our territory, hoping to start a war." Plegia. Sound like plague. Anything associated with blight is certainly no friend, seeing as though more soldiers have been killed by both disease and poor medicine than actual combat. "And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer! Totally innocent, and totally helpless..." "They do have us, milady: Shepherds to protect the sheep. Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement." That advice only works in time of idleness, for instinct is paramount in combat. "I know, I know... Don't worry, I'll get used to all of this." Just after we finished, a middle-aged man walked up to us, imploring us to stay in town, even with the incentive of a feast. Frederick proceeded to add punctuality to his list of situational virtues. "A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your hospitality would be grand... But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol." "Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply-Wait, what?! We're not staying?! But Frederick, it's nearly dark!" "When night falls, we'll camp. Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like... I believe you mentioned you would be 'getting used to this'?" Sorry, Sir Frederick, I do believe that was rather cruel of you to say. "Frederick? Sometimes, I hate you." "You've quite the stern lieutenant there." "Yeah, well, 'stern' is one name for it. I can think of a few others!" "Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe." Ouch. I bet a great many knight under his tutelage would rather he do it literally. "Duly noted." *clears throat* "You do realize I AM still present?" "Oh, we realize." "Heh heh." "Milord remains amusing as ever, Now then, shall we be going?" "All right, all right. Ready to go, Ares? The capital isn't far." And so we embark for Ylisstol. I don't doubt there are fearsome warriors to be made in Ylisse, but I do doubt if they have any combat experience beyond bands of raiders. What i've lost will be far less than what I gain. Unfortunately, I know that where I go, death follows, and wars are waged for petty reasons or unobtainable goals. I revel in it, but Chrom won't, and judging by there no being a garrison in Southtown is a testament to the lengths that which Exalt Emmeryn will attempt to avoid war. I won't tell him how much I hate the kind of peace he promotes, that is, one without alliance or insurance that a nation won't turn against or tip the balance. All I know is that we have half a day's journey to the capital and are en route at dusk. Lissa was about to be proven right that we should've stayed in town that night. Chapter Clear The omissions and edits were to improve upon storytelling. And no, as much as Awakening's plot sucks, I will not be subscribing to either "sane man in the room" or "everyone is stupid." May not be as fun, but this is about a warrior and general, not about being a regular guy getting a job by being smarter than the average naive protagonist.