Prologue: Shifting Tides

The night sky was black around Tellius. A thick fog encased all of the countries in its cold and chilling embrace, blinding the eyes of anyone who tried to traverse through it. The ground was damp, and the moon did very little to illuminate the area. Danger was imminent in all directions.

But there were some people that were willing to try; even the thickest fog could not hold them from their responsibilities.

From out of nowhere, a lantern with a burning flame emerged from the darkness, cutting through the heavy fog. The person waved the lantern around back and forth to clear the path of the thick vapors. For a moment, the road ahead was clear.

The individual was male, and from what was visible, he was a beorc. His attire consisted of armor, a shield, a lance, and the lantern, suggesting that he was some type of soldier. Rank and class were unknown, nor was the country he served.

"This way," he called from behind his shoulder.

At his command, approximately fifteen or so men followed as he led the way. They were all soldiers of different types and stature; each wore different clothing that bore crests of the beorc countries of Tellius. The group stopped when they saw the lantern come to a halt. The guide swung the light a few more times to rid the air of the fog and continued to march, the soldiers following behind him.

"We're almost there. Just a few more paces," said the guide to the others. He glanced at the lantern and noticed that the flame inside was beginning to fade. Not wasting a second, the guide reached into his satchel and took out a bottle of oil, filling the lantern with the contents. The flame was now brighter than ever, and the group continued their long march.

"We're here!" announced the guide, forcing the squadron to stop. In front of him was a door made of wood and a metal knob, both in reasonably terrible condition. The walls holding it together oozed green mold, which was made worse due to the fog.

The guide inwardly cringed at the sight, but did not make any other movements. Mustering up all of his courage, the man grabbed the doorknob and turned it slightly until he heard a click. He gently pushed the door open and entered, gesturing for the others to follow. Once everyone was inside, the door slammed shut, and the fog obscured it from the world's view.

-.-.-.-.-

The room was dimly lit and revealed very little of what was inside. In the center stood a mysterious figure whose appearance was shrouded in shadows; the only clear object that was able to be seen were the person's rectangular glasses.

"Any minute now," said the man casually. He walked over to a counter and opened a drawer, searching for what he was looking for. After rummaging through various knick-knacks, the man took out a pair of gloves and put them on.

The man gazed at the counter as he shut the drawer. On top of it were numerous empty jars that went all across the wall. On the wall were cabinets of the same thing, empty jars that filled the entire piece. In the center of the room was an operating table that was recently cleaned and polished, ready for another life-saving operation.

But there was one oddity inside the room that did not seem to fit. On the left wall of the room stood something that did not blend with the décor (if there was any). It was an upright piano that was kept in the same pristine condition as his operating table. How he managed to get such a heavy object inside was anyone's guess.

The man gazed at the instrument with complete bliss in his eyes. He imagined what lovely sound he was going to play when his work was done. These thoughts made him more impatient than he already was, but he managed to cope with the wait. Then, as if on cue, a knock was heard at the door, disrupting the man from his thoughts.

"It's open," he said to the person outside. The door creaked open and large man entered carrying a heavy burlap sack with him. The person was heavily armored, but nothing else was noticeable due to the lack of lighting.

"Ah, finally," said the man as he walked towards the person at the door. "I was wondering where you were. I've waited for such a long time."

"Well your wait is over now," responded the second one. He presented the burlap sack to him, which he gladly took. Something seemed to be squirming inside, as if it were trying to escape.

"My, my, what a feisty one," said the first man setting it down on the table. He undid the ties that kept the sack shut and slid it down to reveal the head of a person. It was a woman with lavender eyes and dark brown hair. A cloth tied her mouth shut to muffle her screams for help.

"Ah, a cat laguz, eh?" said the man, "and a beautiful one at that." The man strode over to her and stroked her cat ears gently. "Yes, so beautiful indeed." The laguz's eyes were completely terrified as the man continued to stroke her ears.

"I hope you like this one. It wasn't easy to get her while avoiding Gallia's watch," said the armored man to the first.

"I bet it wasn't. You have my gratitude for such a fine specimen," responded the first. A grin etched onto the man's countenance, his bare teeth showing a smile of sheer brutality.

The door opened yet again and another soldier entered. The man who had brought the laguz turned to the door and greeted the soldier; it was the guide that led the group of fifteen men. The armored man nodded to the soldier and turned his attention to the first.

"The others are here. I have to go now," he said.

"Have fun then," replied the first man, who was an arch sage. The second man, a marshal in black armor, exited the room and shut the door behind him, leaving the arch sage alone with the laguz.

"Guess it's just you and me now," he said stroking the female's ears once more. Her eyes shut and her body trembled in fear as she whimpered muffled breaths. The man removed the rest of the burlap sack and revealed the woman's naked body. Her hands and feet were tied in a knot by a tight rope, making escape impossible.

The arch sage stared at the helpless woman with a smile plastered over his visage. What he was thinking was left to anyone's imagination, but all were very wrong. The man strode over to a drawer and took out various tools and cutting utensils and placed them on the counter. He took a scalpel and turned to the cat.

"Don't worry. I always take care of my subjects," he said sadistically, ". . . rarely."

-.-.-.-.-

The soldiers lined up inside the meeting room of the building. The room itself was not in a good condition by any means. The walls were chipped, floors were damaged, and the ceiling was crumbling with every minute. The entire house actually was completely dilapidated and run-down.

But the location was necessary to carry out their plans. It was the only place that was in such a bad state that not a single person dared to go near it. The nobles or any construction workers did not even tried to renovate it, so the building remained abandoned.

The door opened and in entered the same marshal, who brought the chattering inside to a complete stop. The soldiers looked behind them and faced the man. He had dark orange eyes and slicked turquoise hair. His face was very well defined and his body was draped in black armor. The marshal walked over to the front of the room and faced the soldiers.

"Are all of you here?" asked the man to the group of fifteen soldiers in a commanding tone. They all replied with a "Yes sir!"

"Good. Now, you already know why we are here," he started. "We are here to stop the madness that is plaguing the continent of Tellius; a plague known as peace!"

The soldiers cheered when the man spoke. The leader continued his speech when the excitement subsided.

"Yes, the nobles want to abolish war and all fighting. They think that they are weapons of mass destruction, but what has peace done for us? Did peace stop the raid of houses and villages from bandits? Did it prevent the genocide of countless tribes and religions? Did it ever once join people who fight for the same morals and values! No! And they want to take it all away!

"What we stand for will prove the corruption and dishonesty of the aristocrats. They think that just by signing a piece of scratch paper will stop the invasion and destruction of their country. Well we're here to prove them wrong!" Several soldiers nodded vigorously at his statement.

"Come, let us march and take every country one by one and liberate the world of this madness! Let us make a world where war is a form of peace, and a world where only the strong prevail! Let us rewrite history!"

The soldiers in the room erupted with cheers and hollers as their commander finished his speech, raising their hands and weapons in the air as they did. Every soldier had bloodlust and power in their eyes, each waiting to unleash it on the world. Their goal was set, their weapons were sharp, and the fate of Tellius was about to be twisted once again.