#fire emblem 15

[rainbowdonkee]

Full art for Ferdinand - Highborn Sipper

Artist: Sainosuke

[cosmicnovaflare]

Mila from Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

[manaketechar]

※ Permission to upload this work was granted by the artist.

外・・・伝・・・！！by てちとに

[bomb0some0dodongos]

Because Alm's birthmark is depicted on his hand in Echoes, at first, I instinctively translated the novel to match. ...However, Ozaki-sensei very clearly uses the word "arm" when describing its location on his body. And it didn't click that I was doing something wrong until I got to book 2, and there's a whole piece of art that was made to show exactly where it is on his arm.

One of the tricky parts of translation is to not let your brain turn on auto-fill!! You're never too good or experienced not to do it.

(I'm mostly making this post so I can remember later to go back and fix book 1's translation.)

...I also just learned that the localization translates aza to "Brand." That might be something I go back and change, too. I really should have read the localized Echoes script and taken detailed notes before I started translating the novel, lol.

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Book 2 Chapter 2 Part 6

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 2: Battle at the Border

Part 6: Crux of Fate

“Please let me make it in time!!” Zeke urged his sacred horse to gallop as quickly as he could. 

The pieces of his horse’s golden chest armor violently hit each other, clanging loudly. 

His five Paladins were not far behind.

Finally, he saw piles of Witch corpses strewn all around him, confirming to him that Alm had indeed gone to Nuibaba’s mansion. Their horses’ hooves crushed the bodies beneath them as they continued on.

-

Zeke had no idea how long ago Alm left the village, as he had passed out on the floor of the hut.

When he came to, he saw the familiar faces of five of his Paladins, all inside the hut with him. “Emperor Rudolf chose the five of us himself, and ordered that we do as you say, Sir Zeke.���

Their words made him cry as hard as he ever had in his entire life, moved by their kindness and friendship. Them being here also confirmed that Emperor Rudolf had known all along that the person with the Brand was Alm, and his order meant that Zeke was to serve Alm.

Zeke thought, ‘Emperor Rudolf, as an extraordinary talent in politics and leadership, must have decided that Alm is the one person who can unify Valentia. He intends to hand Rigel over to Alm. It is most likely that Valentia would become a republic, but regardless of the final form of the new government, the monarchy would be abolished. Emperor Rudolf is probably expecting Alm to become a great leader, both in the best and worst of times. Just as I have always thought, he values Valentia being at peace.

‘And this war is likely a sacrificial operation carried out on purpose to remove the small armies that have come to power across each region of Rigel, and purge Rigel of its corruption. Jerome is the perfect example of one such army. Like a surgeon performing a surgery, Emperor Rudolf has chosen Alm as the best candidate for a successful operation.

‘If all of this is right, then I have no reason to have any doubts. There is nothing more for me to think about. It is my duty to protect Alm until all of this is over. That is what it means to be loyal to Emperor Rudolf!’ This explanation for everything also cleared his mind of the fear that he was living a cruel paradox. He would even be able to hold Tatiana in his arms once more when they one day reunited.

“We march to Fear Mountain!” Zeke ordered his Paladins. He wrapped several layers of cloth bandages around his abdomen to stop his bleeding, then immediately left the village.

-

The decision to call Nuibaba’s mansion as such must have been a bad joke by someone with a terrible sense of humor. Or perhaps it came to be because the people envied him a bit, living a lifestyle free of society’s worldly trappings. Regardless, even if it was meant to be sarcastic, it was still not a good joke in the slightest.

Nuibaba’s abode was not a mansion at all, but a stronghold in every meaning of the word. The summit of Fear Mountain was a very steep cliff, and walls characteristic of a stronghold stood all around it. The passageway built to make it up and down the mountain was made of stone, and looked just like a castle wall. It was so narrow it would be difficult for two horses to pass by each other, and it was built into a very steep incline that led straight to the front gate.

They traveled with Alm as their vanguard; followed by Clive, Mathilda, and Gray atop their horses; and Clair flying high in the sky on her falcon. Behind them, Lukas and Forsyth formed a wall around Tobin, Python, and Delthea. Before them, Nuibaba’s subordinates did not stand a chance. Cutting them down was easy, and defeating them took no effort, but when everyone thought of Nuibaba waiting for them and how much his Medusa spell was to be feared, no matter how simple it was to make their way through the waves of small fry, it was all meaningless.

No one knew what kind of spell Medusa truly was, though that was to be expected. It was said to be such a lethal spell that no one who witnessed it had ever survived to describe it. With its true form unknown, they had even more reason to be afraid.

The prominent theory proposed that it is a mind reversal spell. It reverses all of the target’s values, senses, instincts, and psychology to its polar opposite. Those trying to live will die, and those seeking help will be killed. The spellcaster would then instantly turn to stone, protecting themself from the screams of agony and hell on earth now surrounding them. If world peace could be achieved and maintained, then the Medusa spell would reverse it all, and summon an absolute hell from which none could escape.

‘Absolute hell? Does such a thing even exist? Having control over absolute hell would make Nuibaba akin to a god. Just what kind of Arcanist is he?’ Once they finally tore down the stronghold’s gate and invaded the hall of Nuibaba’s mansion, Alm finally learned the truth.

There were no pillars supporting the high ceiling, making the inner hall a completely wide open space. It was so empty that it would not feel strange if stars started to shine within the darkness of the ceiling. Beneath it was an equally endless floor made of stone tiles. And sitting atop the stone floor on his knees, without even a chair to help support him, was an old man. He looked like a scrap of paper fallen on a desolate road.

“Are you Nuibaba?” Alm asked, more to convince himself than anything. 

The old man did not look at all like an Archanist, much less the Nuibaba of legend. He did not even wear a holy man’s robes, but a simple white, long cloth. The only outwardly trait he had of a religious figure was his bald head, without even a single hair upon it.

However, Alm should have known that a weak appearance does not indicate that a person is also weak on the inside.

“Wind, sweep away my enemies!” Nuibaba suddenly cast an Excalibur spell, without drawing its sigil, nor even moving an inch from his place on the floor. 

The spell sliced open both Gray and Python’s dominant arms; and because none of Alm’s army had any warning of what was coming, none of them could hold their ground.

“Curse you!” Shouted Delthea as she lept out in front. 

Nuibaba immediately noticed that she was a magic Unit, and first tested out the basic Fire and Thunder spells on her. But Delthea was a prodigy so talented she had already mastered Aura, even at her young age. 

He knew exactly how she was aiming her spell, and stayed completely still to judge the distance between them. It was the distance needed for him to be within the target range of an Aura spell.

The sigil Delthea drew was indeed that of Aura. However, she was unable to complete its chant because the words Nuibaba spoke when he opened his mouth for the first time were so unexpected. 

“Cast it! Cast the light that killed your brother!” He said, and every single one of the Knights of Zofia heard him.

His heightened magical abilities allowed him to sense that no one had told her, and she did not yet know the truth - that she was her own brother’s killer.

Everyone looked at Delthea as she became ghostly pale.

“Wind, sweep away my enemies!”

The moment she faltered and failed to properly draw Aura’s sigil, Nuibaba cast another Excalibur spell. This time, she was unable to dodge, and it sliced open her shoulder before she collapsed to the ground. Just as he was about to attack a third time, Clair’s falcon glided through the hall and scooped her up.

Clair wrapped her arm around Delthea’s tiny body, while Delthea grabbed ahold of her falcon’s mane. And Delthea stared straight at Clair as the thunderous sounds of Excaliber’s winds blew around them.

“What did he say? What did he say?” Delthea mumbled multiple times to herself before she finally screamed, “He said I killed my brother!”

All Clair could do was hug her. Huger tight, and tell her to forget what she’d heard. “Just forget he ever said anything!” 

It was a cruel order. Telling her to forget was certain proof that the thing she was supposed to forget about was undeniably true.

Then, from beneath the falcon’s wings, they heard Nuibaba chant another spell. “Light, shine down upon my enemies!”

He was casting Aura. Its shards of light were so scorching hot that they could even burn a falcon’s wings, causing Clair’s mount to crash head-first against the stone floor.

-

“So this is the power of Medusa?!” Zeke thought as he rushed into the mansion. 

Such a statement was far from unbelievable.

In the middle of the room sat an old man who looked as if he was meditating, and scattered around him as if they were garbage he had tossed aside, was every member of the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia. Even Alm was dyed crimson with his own blood.

“He’s breathing!” One of Zeke’s Paladins immediately jumped off his horse to examine the person nearest to him. It was Forsyth. Both his dominant arm and his back were sliced open, and his shoulders were heaving heavily. But he was alive, meaning that Nuibaba had yet to cast Medusa.

“You never see it coming… You move, and his magic will already be waiting for you…” Forsyth said. His face contorted in fear as he passed out, still gripping the Paladin’s arm.

“I will distract Nuibaba!” Zeke said. “All five of you will carry the Knights of Zofia out of here!” He gave his orders, then galloped his horse forward to stand right in front of Nuibaba.

If Nuibaba had acknowledged Zeke’s determination to fight him, he would have at least been the slightest bit shaken. Instead, he simply watched the Paladins carry off the Knights of Zofia as they desperately clung to their lives.

“I have come to confirm with my own body just what kind of spell Medusa is!” Zeke said as his sacred horse, fully adorned in the suit of armor bestowed upon the mount of a Gold Knight, snorted and smashed the stone tiles beneath them with his front hooves. I will survive your magic, so that none will be afraid of you ever again. I will prove once and for all whether or not absolute fear exists in this world. Prepare yourself!” Zeke gripped his horse’s reins.

Nuibaba did not move even an inch. He thought that Zeke was being quite honorable.

Nuibaba had plotted together with Jerome. Based on that, Zeke knew exactly what kind of person he probably was. However, Nuibaba did not ask a single question about why Zeke had switched sides; and now that they were facing off as enemies, he simply stared back, proving his reputation as the proud Arcanist general.

The moment Zeke’s horse took a single step forward, wind blew past them. His cheek was cut for the first time ever in his life. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a spurt of blood fly past him. His horse flinched. Zeke pulled his reins to reprimand him for doing so. 

“Do not insult me with a spell like Exaclibur!” Zeke shouted, and took another step forward. 

A ball of light exploded, signaling that Nuibaba had cast an Aura spell. It was a direct hit against his horse’s armor. The grating sound of thousands of light shards scraping against metal echoed through the air. He felt the back of his neck become hot. Half of his uniform’s collar blew away.

“Why won’t you cast Medusa?!”

By the time he spoke those words, Nuibaba was already directly beneath him. Nuibaba raised his head just enough to look at Zeke from the side. His eyes were mocking the Gold Knight. 

The sight of them made Zeke’s blood boil, and so he aimed and stabbed his lance at Nuibaba’s chest.

The tip of his lance felt dull. The moment he had extended it, he realized how reckless his action was. Knowing that he was cornered, Nuibaba must have cast a lethal Medusa spell that would hit him any second now. The reason why his spearhead felt dull was because Zeke feared that premonition.

Nuibaba moved. 

‘Finally!’ Zeke thought. ‘Should I keep my eyes open, or shut them as tight as I can? If I am going to die, then I want to see my final moments.’ He made up his mind, and kept his eyes wide open.

But he saw no sign that Nuibaba had cast a spell, rather, he saw Nuibaba standing up in the air, as if he was flying.

What he thought was not what had happened at all. His lance had stabbed through Nuibaba’s body.

It pierced his chest as easily as it would rotting hunks of fat and flesh, and slid through so far that it went past his waist. The spearhead had even stabbed into a stone floor tile.

“Zeke,” Nuibaba gripped the lance with both hands and stared straight at Zeke, his elderly face not even wincing in pain. “I have only attained the first few steps of enlightenment. The difference between Rudolf and me is like that of the sun and a grain of sand. I was never able to make much progress.”

Nuibaba paused to cough up blood. “Anything other than full enlightenment is meaningless. When I learned that you had switched to Alm’s side, I realized that Rudolf had attained full enlightenment. If he is closer to full enlightenment than I, then I am worldly trash.”

“Why didn’t you cast Medusa?” Zeke asked him again.

“Medusa? I cannot cast such a spell. I am worldly trash. Duma would never bestow Medusa upon trash such as I. I am trash, and I will die like trash. To prove to you how wordly of a person I am, Zeke, I will teach you one thing about life. Never attempt to cast away your love for a woman. Do not abandon in vain the love in front of you to chase your past. After I close my eyes and summon them, turn around. Tatiana and the Zofian Saint will both be behind you.” Those were Nuibaba’s final words before his chin fell. The proud Arcanist army general crumpled around Zeke’s lance like a piece of scrap cloth.

“Sir Zeke!” It was obvious who had called his name from behind him. 

Silque was standing next to him, but he cared not about what she might be thinking as he stared at her. He simply held Tatiana in his arms as tightly as he could.

-

Jerome’s soldiers had Nuibaba’s mansion surrounded. So this was indeed Jerome’s goal all along. If Nuibaba defeated the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia, that would be ideal, but even if he did not, they were certain to be near death when Jerome appeared before them.

Zeke ordered Tatiana and Silque to heal the Knights, then took only his five Paladins with him to the mansion’s front gate, his gold armor glittering as he openly revealed himself and awaited Jerome’s arrival.

“Do any of you have any friends among his army?” Zeke asked his Paladins. 

All of them gave the same answer - that they felt nothing but hatred for every single one of Jerome’s knights.

But it mattered not that none could be swayed to his side. The Golden General Zeke was accompanied by his five fiercely loyal Paladins Rudolf himself had personally selected. Though they were no match in numbers, Jerome’s knights were already no match for them

-

“So there’s no such thing as Medusa.” Forsyth said as he lifted his wine glass. 

Rigel’s border guard had been defeated, and the Rigel Plains were now under Zofian occupation. It was a major accomplishment, one mostly achieved thanks to Zeke’s efforts, but the Knights were relieved that this battle was over all the same. The villagers had been awaiting their return with a huge banquet prepared just for them, and were now showering them with their kindness.

Once the Knights scaled the Dragon’s Maw, known as a natural stronghold characteristic of Rigel’s rugged landscape, Rigel Castle would be awaiting them right before their very eyes, and all they would have left to do is take Rudolf’s head. 

“We turned a fear that did not even exist into a taboo. Perhaps most, if not all, taboos are the same.” Forsyth said.

Python continued, “Medusa was nothing more than Nuibaba’s bluff, and a secret he could not share with even a single soul, or else he would lose all of his power. Maybe Jerome knew that, and used it to blackmail Nuibaba into helping him, knowing that he was still very powerful.”

“I do not think that to be the case.” Zeke said as he cut into the conversation. Zeke was a full-fledged Knight of Zofia now, or at the very least, a heroic general who had declared himself one of Alm’s knights, and vowed his loyalty to his new lord. “I did say very confidently that Nuibaba was unable to cast Medusa. But now I am convinced that he could, and chose not to cast it.”

“Why not?” It was no surprise that question was on everyone’s mind.

“I think he knew Emperor Rudolf’s master plan. Alm,” Zeke said, and shifted his conversation to speak directly to Alm. “Emperor Rudolf is planning to surrender his country over to you, so that you two can restore peace to Zofia and Rigel together. I think that is why he ordered me to serve you.”

‘That’s impossible.’ Was Silque’s immediate thought, but Alm spoke up faster.

“Then why did Rudolf try to destroy Zofia? We can never forget his wicked plot to abuse the sluice. He used it to attempt to destroy the entirety of Zofia’s land. Zeke, your idea is too optimistic.”

If Alm was right, then he had once again lost his reason to serve Alm. But regardless, the moment the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia entered Rigel Castle, they would learn everything. ‘Rudolf will probably embrace Alm when they meet. It is enough for me to just serve Alm for now.’ Zeke thought, and spoke not another word.

As the conversation shifted from Nuibaba to the sluice, Delthea looked down at her feet as the color slowly drained from her face. Even as everyone continued to empty their glasses, the party could not become entirely carefree so long as they were worried about how she was feeling. Nuibaba had told her the one secret they were trying to keep from her, that she cast the spell that killed her brother.

“Cheer up, Delthea!” Clive said, and clapped a hand on her shoulder.

That was the trigger that made everything bottled up within her heart come spilling out.

“Please tell me the truth.” She said, starting out as a mumble that crescendoed with each word until she was nearly shrieking. “Was it me who killed my brother?! Did he die by my hand?! His body had scars on it that could only be caused by Aura. And I don’t remember anything that happened. I felt it, but I couldn’t believe it. Why did I kill my brother?!”

With each word that came out of her mouth, she felt more and more certain in her heart that she had done it. The more she became certain, the more she became aware of just how grave a sin she had committed, and the greater her grief became that he was gone. She started crying as hard as she would have bled if her tiny body was literally tearing apart.

No one could say anything. It would be meaningless to try to comfort her, because what could possibly comfort her? Nothing could bring her brother back. The only option left was to push her to accept the truth faster than she would on her own, but that was also the cruelest option of all.

“Delthea,” Alm stood up and hugged her. “You did not kill Luthier.” He said with full conviction. “The person who killed your brother was the Arcanist at the sluice. A Rigelian we have already killed. Please think of it this way. Even if the sun was to burn up or if rain were to wash away all the forests, nothing would make it any less tragic for those who share the same blood to kill each other. Please find your peace in the certainty that you would have never killed your brother.

“Nuibaba’s Medusa spell was not absolute hell. True hell is family killing one another. So long as Mila’s Blessing is bestowed upon Valentia, there should be no true hell in this world, and no members of the same family should be capable of killing each other.”

Delthea didn’t know what to think of Alm’s words, but they made Silque tremble in utter fear.

Alm was about to become the harbinger of this impossible, true hell he spoke of himself. The moment he cheered with joy that he had brought an end to everything, would also be the moment he killed his own father, realized his fate is to suffer in absolute hell, and learned that he himself would prove true hell had become possible in this world.

Silque could not hold back her tears. Everyone else thought that she was crying because she was so touched at Alm’s gesture to do whatever little he could to reach out and help Delthea.

-

The days before the Knights’ invasion of Rigel Castle passed by quietly. Delthea did not speak to anyone and was silent for a few days, until finally, she told Alm that she had decided to stay in the village and dedicate her life to rebuilding it. 

“You will grow up to become a godmother to all of Valentia.” He said, and hugged her tiny body as hard as he could. 

Silque went every day to see Tatiana, who returned to her hut in the village. Because Tatiana had decided not to participate in the final battle, Silque asked if she could teach her Physic, a high-level healing spell able to heal allies from afar; and Warp, a spell able to instantly teleport Units within the middle of an enemy’s formation. Part of the reason why the Knights decided to spend several long days stationed in the village was to give Silque the time she needed to master those spells.

Zeke was also always in Tatiana’s hut. To the two of them, these last few days before the Knights deployed was a fleeting moment of peace.

Sometimes, he would step out for a bit, and Tatiana would tell Silque stories of her memories with him.

“It was all part of the gods’ will for Sir Zeke to wash up in the village where I live, and for him to save me. I want to dedicate my entire body and soul to him.”

Silque immediately stared down at her feet. Hearing such a candid expression of love made her face turn bright red, proving that she was still a young woman who had yet to experience her own first romance.

“But, there is something that always worries me. And this worry may only deepen my love for him.” Tatiana said. “Sir Zeke lost all memories of his past, but he was probably a high-ranking vassal of another nation. As I nursed him back to health, he often cried out in agony. More times than I can count. But I remember the words he spoke very well. They were often an apology to a queen. Her name is Nyna…”

The moment she said that name, her face clouded over with sadness. “‘I am sorry, but I will not betray my homeland…’ He would say as he became drenched with sweat. When his memory returns, he will also return to his country. Sir Zeke is going to leave me on that day. I am certain of it.”

Silque held Tatiana’s hands to console her. 

Tatiana smiled, touched by Silque’s kindness. Then, she said, “I will stay in the village. As your army marches, even if Sir Zeke’s memories return to him, please do not tell me the truth. Allow me to believe that he left only because he fell out of love with me. Otherwise, I will not be able to completely give up on him.”

[kisukeronin]

※ Permission to upload this work was granted by the artist.

By ExLic

[nowis-scales]

Was poking around the Instagram page I have where I talk about games and stuff, and realized I made this little collection that could be fun to cross post here. So without further a do…

This is a “supports I would have liked to see in Echoes” list!

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Clair & Tobin

While I love the hilarity of Gray and Tobin competing for Clair’s attention as it becomes increasingly clear that Tobin… probably isn’t as into girls as he thinks he is, it does kind of seem odd that this relationship between the two of them is established without him having any real interaction with Clair. I mean, he even scolds Gray for the way he’s thinking about Clair before they even rescue her. So why not give Clair and Tobin an opportunity to interact? It would make more sense for their proposed relationship, and I think even if they don’t end up with any sort of romantic ending, it would be nice to see them forming some sort of meaningful relationship to supplement the canon Gray/Clair endings or the fan-beloved Gray/Tobin endings.

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Faye & Celica

If you don’t recruit Faye and Kliff as Alm, you can actually return to Ram Village and recruit them as Celica. What’s especially sweet about it is that, in spite of Faye’s affection for Alm and apparent jealousy at the beginning of the game when everyone is young, Faye is actually delighted to see Celica again after all these years. Since so many of Faye’s existing supports are Alm-centric, I would love to see a support conversation where she deals with her conflicting emotions surrounding Alm and Celica. She still clearly cares about Celica as her friend, but as Celica also loves Alm, she would be forced to confront what matters most to her. Can she have both? If so, how? I feel as if it would humanize Faye a lot more, and give her something a little bit more to work with as a character.

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Genny & Mae, Celica, and Boey

Not just Mae — Celica or Boey will do, too! It hurts me that Genny is the one character from this little foursome that has no additional support conversations with them. Why should she be left out?! She’s so sweet, too! I hope that she never felt left out when all of them were hanging out together over the years… So I’d really have loved for her to have a support or two where we got to see the nuances of her connection with everyone, how things came to be for her and them, and what she was doing when she found them. I’d love to see her gentle side match up alongside Celica’s, or maybe her shyness paired against Mae’s bounce, or maybe how she admires Boey’s steadfastness. Any of these would add a lot more power to the relationship between the group, and would be really strong!

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Valbar & Kamui

So we know why Leon hangs around Valbar, right? I may not have gotten to that point in their supports yet, but I can’t help but wonder why we don’t really get to hear why Kamui follows Valbar. What’s their relationship like? Why have they decided to travel together? They should be an important part of each other’s lives in some way, and even if their dynamic does include Leon, it’s nice to see how the two of them are informed of it otherwise. Even if the two aren’t particularly close, I would love to see them taking the time to learn new things about each other, and starting to recognize the other more for the man that he is. I just think it’d be really interesting to have the whole trio in on things, you know?

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Clair & Mathilda

That’s her sister-in-law!! How are they going to be canonically in-laws and have no supports? The fact that this is even a thing upsets me greatly. Considering the age gap between Clair and Clive, and the fact that they can’t support either, you could argue that the two of them just aren’t close. As a result, Clair and Mathilda don’t really know each other that well or haven’t had the opportunity… but at the same time, why wouldn’t they want to? They’re both family now, and according to Silque’s words in her support with Faye, there aren’t too many women fighting in the Deliverance. Wouldn’t Mathilda be a strong figure for Clair to look up to, especially with the way Clive talks about her? And wouldn’t Clair be someone that Mathilda would want to look out for, as another young woman in the war? I just feel like not giving these two a support is SUCH a missed opportunity.

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The Pegasus Sisters & Literally Anyone Other Than Each Other

Don’t get me wrong. The Pegasus Sisters all have supports with each other is really important — nothing bothers me more than when clear family supports are missed — but I’d have liked to see how the Pegasus sisters have their personalities measured up against any of the other characters in Celica’s army. Do Est and Mae connect over their cheerful demeanour? Celica and Catria over their feelings of love and longing? Palla and Conrad over the protective role they share over their younger sisters? Again, I feel like it would just be something that really enriches their characters, and so I’d have really liked to see one between them and some of the other units.

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Genny & Saber

I often hear and see it joked about that if Lukas is the babysitter to Alm and friends, then Saber is that to Celica and friends. And I agree, but I would love to see that in so much more of its entirety, because you can tell that he progressively grows to give a damn about what happens to these crazy kids. He’s always got Celica’s back when she needs it, and all she’s done initially is pay him. That’s why I think it would be really funny for him to have a support with Genny, because she’s one of the crew and she has a really sweet demeanour. She’s not afraid of a fight, and I think Saber would like that about her, and I could see the two of them having a sort of playful, uncle-niece relationship where he teaches her the right way to get in trouble. It would just be really silly and cute, and that’s why I’d like to see it. Pretty simple for this one!

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Alm & Lukas

Alm’s a very impulsive person, and Lukas seems much more chill in comparison. However, Lukas can and does express a more cut throat attitude, and I think it’s quite interesting to think about how it would be measured up against someone like Alm. He mentions seeing himself as sort of a teacher to Alm and friends, so it would be intriguing for the game to consider what kind of an influence Lukas has on them. How does his calm nature influence things, and how does his willingness to fight back do the same? What does this teach Alm? And in the reverse, is he learning anything from Alm? It could be an interesting confrontation of each man’s morality, which can always be fun to explore in a Fire Emblem game. That’s why I think it’d be really great to see what these two could have to say to one another.

[hapigairu]

Temporary character tier list for Fire Emblem Echoes

I'll probably change my mind in a few days, then change my mind again later, so...

[midgardianqueenreturns]

Does anyone know Takumi and Oboro’s ship name?

[urfavisproship]

Gray from Fire Emblem is Proship!

Antis DNI

[vibrantpuppeteer]

So...

We did a thing.

Before you roast us alive, let us explain "S T I N K Y" tier.

It consists of, in order:

An asshole

A sassy, lost child Promoted to Very Cool tier after reading the wiki.

Worst dad

Her only support is bro-con/sis-con, ew

A womanizer

And you might ask "If Virion goes there, why not Sylvain?". Our answer: Sylvain just wants someone who loves him for who he is.

[omgkalyppso]

Inspired by this dragon age version.

Hubert's window is closed and he goes to the wc any time Edelgard wants to look outside. Claude (bothering everyone), Holst (bothering Hilda) and Dorothea (talking to Petra, checking in on Bernie) are never in their seats.

[jagalart]

Hue 15

I feel I don't say this enough, but I absolutely love to draw fanart related commissions - especially when it's a franchise I really like too :D I was lucky to work on a few pieces like these this year, including this one - so thank you soooo much again for this, @havranil :D It was a wonderful gift both for your friend and me as well! XD

Hanneman is the best design in all of FE:3H, period.

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

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[bomb0some0dodongos]

I never bothered to buy a North American copy of Echoes back upon release, because I was living in Japan at the time, and knew Japanese plenty well enough by that point. I didn't need the assistance of an English playthrough to understand everything going on.

But now I'm translating the FE2 novel, and as much as I could read the game script online to learn all of the localized names and terms, it's pretty boring to read a game script totally detached from its game, so I couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus the scripts posted online won't include every little menu detail, and things like that.

Then one day a few months ago, I saw that copies of Echoes still go for a reasonable price, and picked one up. And now I've dusted off my trusty old Awakening-themed NA-region 3DS and started a playthrough!

I'm taking notes on localized terms and names as I go, and will revise the FE2 novel at some point where needed.

Impressions of returning to the 3DS in general: Thanks to the Switch and its vast library, and my investing in a Steam Deck, I haven't touched my 3DS in years. It took some getting used to tiny screens and lower resolution again, but once I did, I realized... I miss REAL handheld systems so much!! T~T The 3DS fits in most small bags and pockets... and isn't too heavy or awkward to hold for extended periods of time... I miss this feeling so much. The Switch and Steam Deck are amazing in their own right, but are really just a console and a PC masquerading as handhelds, in the opinion of my tiny little hands. Definitely going to find myself returning to the 3DS and my older handhelds more often.

Impressions of the localization: Currently, I am just playing the game through and ignoring the Japanese script. I wanted to see what the localization is like in its own vacuum. The script is so much fun! It feels like a lot of effort went into each and every line of dialogue and word choice, to give everyone a distinct personality no matter how brief their time on screen is. It really enhances the overall experience and fun of playing the game.

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Book 2 Chapter 2 Part 3

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

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Chapter 2: Battle at the Border

Part 3: Zeke, The Golden General

Upon receiving the news of Tatarrah’s defeat, Rigel’s border guard was forced to pull their main force roughly half a day’s distance away from the gorge, and into the Rigel Plains. Now that Alm’s army, understood to lack any spellcasting Units, had defeated Tatarrah’s Witch army and captured the sluice, the only conclusion the border guard could reach was that the Newly Reborn Knights of Zofia were far stronger than their current intel and analyses had led them to believe.

The general of the border guard, Gold Knight Jerome, set up a new camp on the plains. Alm had finally crossed the border into Rigel, so to intercept Zofia’s march, he deployed two of the border guard’s divisions on the front line. The first group was a combination of Witches and swordfighters led by a Gold Knight named Seazas, and the second was a group of spellcasters led by a Dread Fighter named Xaizor.

If they could keep the Knights at bay, that would be a huge boon, but Jerome really did not have such high hopes for them. They were meant to be pawns sacrificed to gauge the strength of Alm’s army. If Jerome could analyze just how powerful they were, then it would make the rest of the border guard’s job much easier.

Jerome was so strong because of this cruelty. He used people as sacrifices without even batting an eye. That was why he was so high in Rudolf’s favor, and chosen to be general of the border guard. However, the one thing Rudolf misjudged was the true reason why he was so cruel. It was not at all for his country, but because he was seeking a promotion. The second reason why he deployed Seazas and Xaizor was for them to lay down the foundation for his army to claim all the glory.

Jerome was currently in the central area of the border guard’s camp, warming his battle scarred face and earless head by the fire, its glow making him look like a red demon. The report he was expecting was late, and so he started tapping his foot, as he always did when he became impatient. As he glanced up from the fire, he saw a face that made him sick just at the mere sight of it, that of the Golden General Zeke.

He was a Gold Knight, and the second in command of the border guard. His luscious golden hair fell in waves from his head, and his pale, smooth cheeks had not a scar on them, despite his decorated combat history. His deep, black eyes were more befitting of a goddess than a man, contrasting his otherwise masculine beauty. 

Though Jerome had insisted it was unnecessary for him to have a second-in-command to support him, Rudolf personally picked Zeke for the role, as one of his strongest and most reliable knights. Jerome thought of him as nothing more than an obstacle in the way of his chances at a promotion.

The two generals sat on opposing ends of the fire, speaking not a word to each other, until a third figure approached them. He was the messenger soldier Jerome was waiting for, coming to tell them that Seazas and Xaizor had fallen.

“A mage has joined Zofia’s ranks. She can cast Aura.” The messenger whispered in Jerome’s ear.

“So Delthea has betrayed us, as expected. Looks like Tatarrah’s possession magic was not that strong after all.” Jerome muttered as he stood up, and motioned to the messenger that he could leave. “Only a fool among fools would believe that a person can be controlled through magic. The only true way to do so is through fear. Don’t you think so too, Zeke?” Jerome asked.

But Zeke did not look up, instead continuing to stare into the fire.

“You scared with your tail between your legs again, just like you were when you shamelessly withdrew from Desaix’s stronghold? I was shocked to hear that the Golden General was afraid of someone the likes of Alm.”

Zeke had already fought Alm once. When Chancellor Desaix of Zofia, who had plotted an insurrection and killed his king, was about to fall to Alm’s army on the shores near his stronghold, Zeke and his forces were deployed as his reinforcements. While Zeke had the upper hand, he was unable to land the final blow.

And that was all because he had seen the cross-shaped Brand on Alm’s right arm. It was the symbol that reminded him of Emperor Rudolf’s absolute order.

The person with the Brand was his true lord he must serve. He could never forget the exact words Rudolf spoke to him. “From the moment you meet them, you must not hesitate to devote yourself to them.” And it turned out that person was none other than Alm himself, the newly crowned king of Zofia, and general of its Knights.

Zeke was deeply loyal to the emperor, but this was the one order he could not immediately decide to follow. Rudolf told him he mustn't hesitate, but this person was the enemy general. Following this order meant he would utterly betray his lord. But to not obey would be disloyal to his lord.

Unable to determine his emperor’s true intentions, Zeke ordered his army to retreat. While he did so at first because he failed to save Desaix and win the battle against Zofia, though no one else knew it, it was more so because he did not know what other option there was for him to choose.

“I’m going to give you one last chance.” Jerome said as he pursed his lips. “I won’t tell you to kill Alm. Your army did not defeat him then, and I have no expectation that you will do so this time either.” His voice was filled with utter contempt. 

Zeke bit his lip, but still uttered a growl because he was so angry, he could not hold it back.

Jerome did not seem to notice, as he continued, “Listen up. You will focus only on Delthea. Do not get greedy and try to take out two or three of their other little vermin. Not until you and your knights have done everything you can to take her out first, at least. Even if it costs you your life!” He paused for a moment to cackle loudly. “Once they no longer have Aura, the rest will be easy. My knights will fulfill your dying wish. They will kill Alm, take all the glory, and I will rise to the top! Oh, but don’t worry. Once you’ve died in battle, I will personally ask Emperor Rudolf to posthumously grant you a promotion to the highest rank in honor of your great sacrifice!”

Zeke had never before witnessed such absurdity and inhumanity in all his life. The border defense force already no longer served Rigel, instead, it did not hesitate to support Jerome’s personal interests. While he was their sub-commander, all he could do was bite his lip and withstand Jerome’s violent words.

Jerome then said, “And I promise that when you sacrifice yourself to be my pawn, I will set Tatiana free. In lieu of placing flowers on your grave, I will undo her ropes!”

To force Zeke to follow his every order, Jerome had taken Zeke’s beloved hostage, a Saint named Tatiana. But his ultimate goal was to see Zeke dead.

-

“Trust me with your lives. We will deploy immediately.” Zeke said, and his Paladin army followed him without hesitation. First they had to fight as Desaix’s reinforcements, and now, they had to intercept the Knights of Zofia’s march through Rigel. And there was no sign of Jerome’s army either time, which did not feel right at all. And though they tried not to eavesdrop into Jerome’s matters, everything they heard him say was unbefitting of a knight. Yet because Zeke was their general, they still accepted every single command he gave them the moment he spoke the words from his mouth, proving time and time again that they were truly first-rate knights of Valentia.

Still, when Zeke turned around, he could feel the heat of their exceptionally angry stares on his back, each of them pleading with him.

‘Why do you let someone like Jerome get away with saying whatever he wants?’

‘If you wish for us to kill him, then we are more than ready to do so.’

It was obvious that his soldiers were waiting for him to announce that he was going to revolt against Jerome. Not that it was ever necessary at all for him to pick up on how they felt. Deep down, no one wanted to kill Jerome more than Zeke himself.

But he could never say those words aloud. He could not order his knights to turn against Jerome.

Was he worried about Tatiania? It was clear that he was still deeply in love with her. But those were his personal feelings. And if his reason was his worry for sending out his army alone to a dangerous battlefield where an Aura spellcaster awaited them, then he would be nothing more than an overly-sentimental person.

Tatiana’s safety was not on his mind at all at that moment. If his love for her ever got in the way of his duty, he was fully prepared to throw it all away. He was a knight and a commanding officer above all else.

Zeke’s true worry was the future of his knights. He had already decided that when the time came, he should be prepared to fully prove his loyalty to Rudolf by serving Alm. That was the final conclusion he came to after spending countless nights lying awake thinking about Alm’s Brand.

‘To serve Alm would be to betray Rigel. But to not serve Alm would be to betray Rudolf. To Jerome, Rigel is nothing more than a tool, and Rudolf is the member of the government who confers upon him his promotions. But what about me? What is Rigel to me? What is Emperor Rudolf to me?’

The night he had his realization, Zeke awoke from his sleep and shouted, “I understand everything now! To me, Rigel is Emperor Rudolf. It is foolish to compare betraying Rigel to betraying Emperor Rudolf. I must serve the person with the Brand!”

Following that logic, he could not get his knights involved in his betrayal. They thought of him as a general of Rigel, and had sworn their knightly vows because of their love for their country. 

They were all exemplary knights whose passion to protect Rigel burned brightly. He saw no other option than to return them to Rigel without a single injury, neither to mind nor body. The thought of hostility possibly arising between fellow knights of Rigel solely because of his trifling quarrel with Jerome was cruel beyond words.

As Zeke rocked gently atop the back of his sacred horse, his hand was hidden inside the breast pocket of his uniform, collar securely fastened all the way up to just below his chin, as always. When he opened his clenched fist, it revealed a small, black, perfectly round pill.

The pill was known as a Resurrection Seed. When he swallowed it, he would immediately experience a fake death. Four hours later, he would be reborn, but during that time, he would appear to be truly dead. Flies would even be attracted to his body.

“This is the best path for me to take. Today is the day that Zeke of Rigel will die.” Zeke whispered to himself, and returned the Seed to his pocket. To him alone, the sound of the horses’ hooves echoed in his ears as the footsteps of his funeral procession.

-

The two armies met atop a rocky mountain overlooking the Rigel Plains, creating a scene that could only be described as a composition so beautiful it must have been painted by the heavens themselves. Behind them stretched a deep blue sky without a cloud to be seen, making the outline of every single Unit in each army stand out clearly from their background.

Alm mistook the sand that danced through the air every so often as the scent wafting from Zeke’s hair. 

Zeke interpreted the wind blowing across the mountain’s peak as a chant summoning the gods’ to grant him the fortunes of war.

Until now the Knights had marched as planned, but when Delthea stepped forward and started to draw Aura’s sigil, Alm stopped her and said, “That Gold Knight is mine!”

When they’d fought the first time, Alm learned that Zeke was so strong, it was nearly a miracle. He sensed when they were enemies, but even more so now that he was to be their ally, that this man was his greatest rival. ‘He won that time. His lance pierced my throat. I was sure of it then, and I am even more sure of it now.’ He felt in his gut that he had to decide things between them here and now.

“So we meet again!” Alm said and took a step forward. 

Zeke reacted by tightening his grip around his lance and dismounting his horse. However, he did not take his own step forward. Instead, he called over the Paladin standing next to him, and whispered a few words in his ears.

It was clear to the Knights that Alm’s fight with Zeke would be a one-on-one duel, so they stood at attention far behind him. They watched the Paladin’s eyes widen as Zeke whispered to him, before his face sank in sadness, then finally saying, “Yes, Sir,” before retreating the rest of Zeke’s army to far off in the distance.

The Paladin couldn’t believe the order Zeke had given him. But it was his general’s direct order, so he had to obey it.

Zeke had said to him, “Whatever happens, you must not interfere. This battle will decide, and only decide, whether I defeat them all myself, or they defeat me. If you see me die, then you are to withdraw immediately, return to Rigel Castle, and inform the emperor of my death. He will then assign you to a new general, one even greater than I.”

Zeke fully intended to die here. Due to the paradox of serving the person with the Brand, simultaneously showing both loyalty and disloyalty to Emperor Rudolf, the only possible path for him to take required him to die by Alm’s hand.

And however this fight played out, the Resurrection Seed in his pocket was nothing more than a huge gamble. The moment he died, Zeke would disappear from Rigel. Zeke’s life would come to its end. If he won the gamble, he would be reborn, return to his body, and immediately follow Alm. He would abandon the name Zeke of Rigel, and adopt a new self to vow his loyalty to Alm.

That was the answer he had chosen. It was the only answer that could keep him from betraying Emperor Rudolf, allow his army to return to Rigel, and save Tatiana’s life.

But though that answer appeared to solve all of his current angsts, it did not come without him making a huge sacrifice. In the end, he would still be unable to escape his grief.

Whether he truly died, or even more so if he survived, he was already Alm’s knight. Whether he lived or died, he could never see Tatiana ever again. No matter how much he loved her, she was a citizen of Rigel. It was meaningless for him to wish that he could further reciprocate her love, allow his love to grow, and live together with her. Here and now, he cast her out of his life for good.

The two generals stared at each other for only a moment before Alm leapt into the air. Zeke held his ground, gauging Alm’s attack.

The battle was decided in an instant.

“Why?!” Alm looked down at Zeke’s corpse in utter shock. “Why didn’t you give it your all?!”

Zeke’s corpse was at Alm’s feet. Alm’s sword had sliced open his abdomen, now gushing blood in every direction, as if it did not know where to go, soaking into the boots of everyone around him.