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FE2 Novelization Translation - Book 2 Chapter 1 Part 1

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Chapter 1 - The Second War

Part 1 - Mila, Lost Forever

Mae, all alone now, ran as quickly as she could through the dense forest that surrounds the Temple of Mila’s like a baby’s nightgown snuggles around their body. Even though the temple was located in northeast Zofia, a remote region made up of only desert and rocky ground, it was rich with water and greenery. As it was the dwelling of a deity, it was cut off from the rest of the rest of the area by its sacred peace.

Mae’s shoes, standard attire for a female mage, were made from the stomach of a wild goat, sewn shut and then adorned with black thrush feathers. Though she was only kicking up the forest’s soft underbrush, her frantic pace tore open her shoes, and her toes were covered in blood.

But she had to tell Celica as quickly as possible about the tragedy that had happened at the temple. All Mae could think about right now was her duty. The intensity of the anxiety in her heart made her forget all about the pain in her feet. But sometimes her body acted on its own. To prevent her from further wounding herself, her instincts would cause her to trip over her own feet. The undergrowth’s softness cradled her entire body as she fell.

Through a patch of small four-leaf clovers, Mae saw something white move. She thought it was the wings of a falcon.

“Palla!” She called out the Falcon Knight’s name.

Palla was another member of Mila’s Restoration Army, who should be escorting their leader, Celica, back to the temple right now.

However, the shadow in the shade of a tree was nothing more than that of a giant white baboon climbing across a branch, searching for berries to eat for its lunch.

…………

If the Temple of Mila on the northernmost tip of Zofia was the Mila Faithful's mecca; then Novis, the island off the southern tip of Zofia located as far south as one could go from the Temple, was the central location for their clergy units to train and study. Celica was raised there at Novis Priory. The day that she decided to set out on her journey to restore Mila to her rightful place was also the night she transcended to Priestess at an exceptionally young age. Priestess was the highest class of all clergy Units, proficient in both the sword and magic.

Alongside Celica was Boey, a mage who specialized in combat magic and trained at the priory alongside her; Mae, another mage, who was currently separated from their army due to an unavoidable circumstance; and Genny, a Cleric skilled in healing magic. The four became the founding members of Mila’s Restoration Army, who were now currently marching towards the Temple of Mila.

…Many days had already passed since Mila’s Restoration Army left their home of Novis Island. Mila’s revival was not a task that could be completed within a day or two. From the beginning, they knew that their goal was far off. Because it was an undertaking so great it would carve their names into Valentia’s history, they no longer knew just how many days had passed. All they could do was trudge forward as quickly as possible.

Thanks to the efforts of the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia, led by General Alm, Zofia was enjoying a period of temporary peace. However, when Celica first embarked on her journey, the violence of Desaix’s coup-d'etat was suffocating. And to make the situation even more dire, followers of Brigand King Grieth were freely running around pillaging and slaughtering innocent people. They even once crossed paths with a Necrodragon, a guardian beast of Duma himself, in Zofia.

Considering all of those factors, it was due to several strokes of luck that they were able to safely cross through the destruction occurring across the mainland, make it to the northeastern region, and now be just a short distance away from the temple.

Their first stroke of luck occurred as they were traveling from Novis Island to the Zofian mainland by boat, when three powerful Units joined them. One was the swordfighter Saber, who had since transcended from Mercenary to Myrmidon, then from Myrmidon to Dread Fighter. The second was the tactician Valbar, a Baron Unit who fought with a lance in a full suit of armor, now serving as Celica’s main staffing officer and strategist. And the third was the Sniper Leo. The muscles in his dominant arm were twice as thick as those in his non-dominant arm from his experience wielding a crossbow.

Their second stroke of luck was their chance meeting with three Pegasus Knight sisters on the Zofian mainland, and their agreeing to add their endless strength to Mila’s Restoration Army. The sisters were aerial soldiers from neither Rigel nor Zofia, but the faraway land of Archanea. They had wandered from their homeland to Valentia, and were experienced soldiers. Out of appreciation for Celica’s efforts in rescuing their youngest sister Est from Grieth, all three of them vowed to serve as members of Mila’s Restoration Army. The eldest sister Palla and middle sister Catria had transcended from Pegasus Knight to Falcon Knight, Units who fought from the skies atop a one-horned horse.

Units. It is perhaps necessary to explain a little bit about that word.

Those who are already fated to fight from the moment they are born are called Units.　They believe with all of their heart in the path they walk, and continuously fight, not once ever compromising with those who would block their path. It is a pure, genuine way of life, and people honor that purity. That is how those who fight became known as Units, from unity, as they unite people together.

While it holds great meaning, revering them as absolute and perfect human beings, sometimes, that definition is also filled with the sadness of their utter loneliness.

Units are the children of the two gods that founded the continent of Valentia in ancient times, Earth Mother Mila and War Father Duma, polar opposites of each other. Their devotion is the foundation for their strong bodies, combat prowess, and sometimes even their abilities to control sacred beasts.

Their great power is Mila's will for them, and their lust for battle is Duma's. Each Unit's will becomes one with that of the gods, and they undergo a transformation not unlike a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly. In a ceremony performed in front of a Mila Statue, through the prayer of a member of the clergy, Units complete the process of “transcendence.” Because the process means instantaneous growth of not only their mind, but also their physical strength, it comes with great physical pain.

That is the basic nature of their transformations into higher beings, which they also interchangeably call “promotion.”

Their desire to transcend is a defining trait of Units. Whether they become enemies or allies, they all hold the same belief in the two gods. And that belief is the basis for their desire to transcend into higher beings, and for the hard work they devote themselves to every day. When taking that in consideration, it may seem as if Mila and Duma should have already unified within the depths of each Unit’s soul. Yet Units still must fight against each other. Whomever you ask the reason why to, they will have only one answer to give. Though they do not understand the phenomenon themselves, history has always divided them into those who kill, and those who are killed.

Celica was a Priestess, a class considered amongst the highest level of all Units due to their combined skills of both clergy units, such as mages and clerics; and sword-wielding units, like Dread Fighter and Baron. Because of her, the bonds within Mila’s Restoration Army were strong, and their journey had been able to make it to the moment just before Mila’s return to her rightful place.

And it is also essential to mention that while Alm, general of the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia, is a Fighter, he is not a Unit. He learned of this when he came before a Mila Statue with the desire to transcend. It told him that he could not, as he was a being above transcendence. In other words, he was a Fighter above and beyond even Units, already freed from faith in Mila and Duma, but it was also certain proof that he would inevitably suffer a tragic fate.

“Alm…”

Celica whispered his name without even realizing it, proof of just how deeply she was lost in her worries. But her whisper did not reach Saber nor Valbar, flanked on her left and right to protect her. Only the Cleric Genny heard her, as she was walking right next to Celica. Though Celica was undoubtedly a Priestess and general of Mila’s Restoration Army, who turned into a fierce warrior the moment she stepped foot on a battlefield, Genny suddenly remembered what her heart was going through right now, and was hit by how difficult it must be for her. She took Celica’s hand and smiled.

Celica reciprocated Genny’s kind smile, but her heart was in a far off place, still thinking of Alm. ‘We have heard word that Zofia is freed completely from Desaix’s clutches. But right now, I must hurry to the Temple of Mila. It is my duty as a Priestess to confirm that Mila is safe, and save her from Duma’s control. Then when everything is over, that is when I can go straight to Zofia Castle for the first time. Alm has already completed the preparations necessary to restore the Zofian royal family to power, and should be waiting impatiently for its one remaining member to return home, and make the rebirth of the Kingdom of Zofia truly official. And that one remaining member of the Zofian royal family is…’

“Your mother, Lady Liprica, was a kind and beautiful person, Princess Anthiese.” Said the attendant, traveling behind Genny, having noticed that Celica’s walking pace had subconsciously slowed. She was not a Unit, but had once served at Zofia Castle. Brigand King Grieth held her captive alongside Est, the youngest of the Archanean sisters.

Their original reason for overthrowing Grieth was to rescue Est, but they were also able to save the attendant. She was the wife of a priest who currently served at the Temple of Mila. Celica and her army had a deal with the priest that in exchange for rescuing his wife, he would open the innermost room of the temple, Mila’s crypt. The priest was so desperate for his wife to return home safe that he resorted to dirty bargaining tactics, and also took Mae hostage. Mae was to wait at the temple for Celica and the others to return, and that was the reason why the group was hurrying as quickly as they possibly could to return to the temple.

“Please forgive my husband for his sins.” The attendant had apologized multiple times already as they traveled, tears pouring from her eyes.

Celica hugged her every single time, but it did nothing to console her.

The attendant had once served the late King Lima IV’s first queen and Celica’s mother, Lipricia, as her closest aid; and had protected the Zofian royal family’s circlet all these years so she could one day return it to the princess. It now glittered atop Celica’s head, and she would serve Celica, whose true name was Princess Athiese, as her closest aid.

“Lady Liprica’s beauty and kindness were like that of a field of flowers. She loved embroidery, and when she asked about how to make embroidery patterns from the countryside, I taught her myself. But because her heart was so gentle, her luxurious life at the castle made her more and more tired each day, and she passed away soon after you were born. Though knowing what I know now, I am happy that she was at least able to avoid falling into Chancellor Desaix’s clutches.”

To save her from Desaix’s wicked plot to exterminate the entire royal family, soon after Celica was born, Holy Knight Mycen, who also served at Zofia Castle, took her away from the castle, so she did not have even a single memory of her mother. And for the sake of her survival as the one remaining direct descendant of the royal family, Mycen had only surrounded her with people who knew nothing about the secret of her birth, so the attendant’s stories were the first time she’d ever heard about her mother’s personality. Her heart overflowed with happiness.

“You really do look just like your mother, Princess Anthiese. At Grieth’s Castle, I thought I was witnessing a miracle, and Lady Liprica had been reborn.”

The attendant talked and talked but never ran out of things to tell Celica, and Celica never got tired of hearing her. She spoke proudly of her memories of Liprica.

Sometimes Celica would interrupt her stories to say things such as, “I have not formally ascended to the throne yet. It is still too early to call me Princess Anthiese. Right now, I am the general of Mila’s Restoration Army, so I want you to call me Celica. Just Celica.”

It was certain proof that Celica was determined not to return to Zofia Castle until Mila was restored.

Celica and her army finally finished crossing the desert and rocky wasteland. All they had left to do was enter the deep forest serving as strong protection for the Temple of Mila.

…………

Thinking that if they were torn up, they would only get in her way, Mae took off her shoes, which looked more like tattered cloths now, and tossed them into the underbrush. She assumed having bare feet would make her body lighter, but it only did so temporarily.

Her toenails being ripped off did not cause her much pain. What seemed to be gradually slowing her pace over time was not the injuries her legs sustained as she ran, but the sharp cut that had torn her mage’s robe, and likely the flesh underneath as well. The characteristics of the wounds covering her body irrefutably matched the scars of an attack from a gargoyle’s nails. And such a gargoyle was summoned by the spells of a Cantor.

“Celica cannot step foot anywhere near the temple!” Mae whispered between ragged breaths, but she was no longer running. As she moved, the moment before she would have fallen over, the trunk of a tree supported her every time. This repetitive process had finally taken her vanishing consciousness.

…………

Because there was no way a winged sacred beast could fly through the twisted branches of the forest, the Archanean sisters’ two falcons folded up their wings and began to walk.

The falcons were so white against the green of the deep forest that it hurt one’s eyes to look at them. Palla and Catria rocked rhythmically, sitting with perfect posture atop their mounts, resting regally on the long lances they held to support themselves. The sight was the perfect representation of the nobility of Mila’s Restoration Army, whose members served the princess of a nation.

Est’s pegasus followed along modestly behind the two falcons. However, the way she hung her elegant neck was far too much to simply be modest. But more so than that, it was not like her at all. And it was all because her master was not riding atop her back. Behind her folded wings, Est was nowhere to be seen.

So where exactly was Est? While Celica was in the front of the group, flanked by Saber and Valbar to guard her, Est was bringing up the rear, stumbling over her own feet as she walked. At her sister’s orders, she had been forced to dismount her pegasus and carry everyone’s supplies.

“Do your best, sister!” Palla, the eldest, said to her.

Catria, the middle sister, turned around to look at her in the very back, and said with a bit of mean-spiritedness in her voice that was entirely intentional, “You shouldn’t have been chasing after a man! This is your punishment for wandering off!!”

The man she set her sights on was now the Mercenary King of the desert, so her tastes were arguably not that bad. But Jesse had still been nothing more than a vagabond when they first met, yet she flung herself into his arms, only to be separated from her sisters and held captive in Grieth’s stronghold as a result.

But in actuality, Palla and Catria were merely disappointed that Est was the only one among them who was still a Pegasus Knight. To help her promote to Falcon Knight as quickly as possible, her body needed to become strong enough to withstand transcendence, so they would not allow her to ride her pegasus.

The sight of her master, carrying a mountain of supplies and drenched in sweat like a martial artist training in the mountains, made Est’s pegasus turn her elegant neck back over and over again as she walked. Even the rest of the group, especially because they were each supposed to be carrying their own supplies, felt sorry for just how much Est was struggling.

The Sniper Leo in particular offered to lend her his arm every chance he got, but every time, Est grit her teeth and said, “My sisters are just jealous! That’s why they pick on me. All it takes is one look at me to know I’m the prettiest!”

Turned off by Palla and Catria’s strong wills, Leo had shifted the recipient of his love to Est, but now that he’d witnessed that her will was even stronger, he started to rethink things, and was coming to the conclusion that it was in his best interest not to pursue any of the sisters.

As they continued on, the forest became thicker, the underbrush grew higher, and they could no longer tell exactly where the path was. Celica decided that speed was more important than Est’s training, and redistributed the supplies back to their rightful owners.

“Let’s take a break.”

The moment Celica uttered those words, Est, now free from everyone’s supplies, sat down where she stood, then began to stretch her stiff shoulders and rub her neck.

Happy for her master to finally return to riding her back, Est’s pegasus nuzzled her face, adorned with her full mane that fell around her like fresh snow, against Est’s cheek, still full and round like a child’s.

As Est let her pegasus’ downy hairs rub against her cheek, she plucked a single pink dianthus flower from near her knee to give to her mount, when just past the mane hairs shaking in the air, she saw someone approaching her.

“Who goes there?!” Est shouted, and stood up. Though she was the youngest of her sisters, she was still an experienced soldier, and readied her lance in a flash.

Saber unsheathed his sword, and Valbar also raised the sword he still kept at his waist to cut down any thick tree branches in their way.

“Mae!” Boey shouted excitedly, forcing his way past the other three and rushing towards her.

Her clothes were in tatters and her face was covered in dried blood, but there was no mistaking that it was her.

Seeing her childhood friend’s face here also finally put Mae at ease. Her knees gave out underneath her, and she collapsed, unconscious atop the underbrush. Celica ran up from behind Boey and picked her up.

Genny immediately took Mae’s hand and assessed her current condition. “She’s alright! Her wounds aren’t lethal!” She said.

Mae once again opened her eyes from within Celica’s arms, and smiled for a brief moment with the knowledge that she had made it in time, before her face froze. “The Temple…” She managed to say before coughing up blood.

Everyone waited with baited breath for her next words.

“The Temple has fallen into Cantor Mikhail’s hands.”

Mae’s words made the attendant, traveling in the very back of the group, begin to wail loudly.

She knew everything. That he was one of Duma’s most powerful priests. That the Temple of Mila was a stronghold of faith, built on the shores that established the border with Duma’s territory to the north, the Rigelian Empire, protecting it from invasion. That Mikhail appearing at the temple when he should not, signaled that an all-out war between the two religions had broken out. And from the sight of Mae’s unusual wounds after running all the way to meet them, she had no doubts about what news would await her upon her return to the temple - that her husband was already gone from this world.

He’d wished so deeply for her safety that he had taken another person hostage. By the way she cried her eyes out, her love for him was just as strong.

Celica held the attendant against her chest and said, “The least we can do for you is vow that we will avenge him. Please return to the desert, and wait at Jesse’s castle. When the time comes, we will take you to Zofia Castle.”

“Mila will be lost forever.” Celica said to her army, conveying to everyone that they must hurry to the Temple of Mila. Est dismounted her pegasus to let the injured Mae ride her, with Genny following alongside, repeatedly chanting healing spells.

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