Eirika's Alternate Epilogue


    Later, after the formal announcement of the engagement, at which there was much cheering - Innes even condescended to clap - Pontifex Mansel called us together. "I have news for you. To the south, there are some ancient ruins, that used to be a castle known as Lagdou."

    "I know, Uncle. They became infested with monsters."

    "Well, it has come to my attention that there is a strange spell surrounding both the Ruins and Frelia's Valni Tower. I would like to send you to Frelia to investigate. You may take the Sacred Twins with you."

    "We'll go," said Innes immediately. Tana was jiggling up and down with excitement. "We'll break this... spell. Thank you for all your help."

    We set off the next day, and went by sea - Ephraim told me that the ghost ship L'Arachel had been warned about had been defeated, by him. King Hayden greeted us warmly, as I expected, and sent us off to the Tower after a welcome lunch with him.

    The Tower contained only weak monsters, so we killed them all easily. But, we had an awful shock when we reached the front gate again...

    "Caellach!" yelled Joshua, charging at the figure in the gateway.

    The figure approached. "Hey, now, Joshua, enough of that. I'm on your side now. Not much left of the other side, is there? Anyway, I want to tell you that it's different."

    "Sure it's different! How are you going to answer for killing my mother right now? I just have to kill you again, don't I?"

    "Well... hey, how 'bout this. After you killed me, I was informed that the Demon King was... using some of us. Now, I don't pretend I didn't join him because I wanted to. I did. Gave me lots of chances to kill stuff. Hey, why don't we go outside where it's not so cold?"

    We exited the Tower and marched to the closest grassy area, where we sat down and made ourselves comfortable. Caellach continued. "Okay. Seems this spell means... That's not right. Okay. The spell makes it so that... well, there're a bunch of souls trapped in this Tower of Valni, and also at Rausten's Lagdou Ruins... so you have to kill all the monsters a bunch of times and then you'll free them."

    "Do you know who else is 'trapped'?" asked Ephraim.

    "No. And, I don't know anything else either. The others might."

    "Then, let's get back in there!" The army grinned at each other, though I heard some of the more skeptical of the group, such as Colm, muttering. "What if we get some more 'converted' bad guys, huh, Neimi? What then? And if they kill all of us..."

    "Shut up, Colm! We just have to see." I was surprised. Neimi had gained spirit and strength from our great quest.

    We killed all the monsters again - Heaven knows where they came back from. This time, Orson waited at the door. We collected him, explained what was going on. He was rather out of it, poor man, but at least he was sane again. Seth, Ephraim, Kyle, and Forde all talked to him to make sure of that. He seemed dazed, but willing to fight.

    The next time we killed the monsters in the Tower, the one awaiting us was...

    "Riev!" cried Deussel. The bishop muttered something and turned away. He was just as creepy as before, with his sunken eyes and diseased skin. We encircled him, recalling how easy it had been to kill him before.

    He rounded on our leaders. "Heh heh, you think you can kill me? Think again, pitiful fools! If you kill me..."

    "Well?" growled Innes. Saleh stepped forward.

    "Lady Myrrh and I have been studying this spell. It appears that the souls appear in a chain. If the chain is broken, then not only will we lose the chance to free the others locked away, but those we have already gained will vanish as well."

    "Hmph." No one was happy about this, but we accepted Riev into our ranks. Deussel took charge of watching him.

    "And what happens when all the souls are free?" asked Artur. "Are they still locked together... like that?"

    "No," said Saleh, though not confidently. "I'll keep researching that."


    "Mother!!" screamed Joshua as we exited the Tower for the fourth time. He ran to the slender, red-haired woman and caught her up in his arms. "Mother! You're alive!"

    Ismaire stroked her son's face. "Joshua... you were successful? I'm so glad. I was worried. Oh, Joshua, I only saw you for a few minutes after an absence of so many years - I'm very glad you're back! You can tell me all about the things you've done, and introduce me to all your friends."

    "Just after we finish this little quest, we'll go home to Jehanna. I won't leave you again."

    "That sounds nice. But, Joshua, I must ask... may I retire?"

    "If you wish it, Mother, I will take the reins. That's why I left... to get to know the people. I think I'm ready now, at least as ready as I'll ever be."

    Joshua's mother smiled, illuminating her lovely face. "May I fight with you?"

    The prince grinned. "Yeah, sure. That'd be great!" He turned to the rest of us. "Hey, everyone! Did you know my mother's a deadly swordmaster?"

    "Like you?" asked Gerik.

    "Well... whatever. I'm a swordmaster, she's a swordmaster... she inspired me. Anyway, she's fighting with us!"

    There was a grand cheer. Then, I saw Joshua take Innes aside and mutter something to him. Then, he grabbed Natasha's arm and took her to introduce her to Ismaire.


    For the next few conquests, we found no new allies. I had a chance, therefore, to watch our new fighters. Caellach flung himself whole-heartedly into any conflict, any jumble of monsters, without hesitation, causing L'Arachel no end of annoyance when he emerged again and demanded healing. Orson fought with the other Renatian knights, fitting in perfectly. A charge from the Royal Knights of Renais always sent monsters flying, trampled, or scurrying into some dark recesses where someone like Ross would later go and smash them. Riev cast difficult light magic on anything he bothered to look at, cursing all the while. Ismaire fought fluidly, with a level of grace that no one in our army could match. I made a private resolution to train harder.

    At last, we exited the tower to see not one, but two people, both on horseback. King Hayden, with a quiver across his back and a sword at his side, sat talking quietly to Selena, the Fluorspar of Grado. Innes, Tana, Deussel, and Cormag hurried forward.

    "Father?" demanded Innes in half disbelief. "What are you doing here? What about the castle? Why?"

    The king of Frelia smiled aimiably at his son. "Innes. I decided to leave the affairs of the kingdom up to the ministers for a few days while I took a holiday helping you with that spell you described. I see you have been quite successful."

    Selena bowed from the waist. "I thank you, sir." She dismounted and gave Deussel a hug. The old knight was almost weeping with joy.

    "Now we're two thirds of the way to the old Imperial Three!" cried Cormag happily. He half sobered, realizing who the last member was.

    "No, Cormag, we are now complete. Are you not the new Sunstone?" asked Selena.

    "I will never replace my brother," Cormag said thickly, turning away. Generog whined and thrust his nose towards his master, who stroked it.

    "And we're also two thirds of the way towards the new Imperial Three as well," Caellach pointed out.

    Ephraim's head whipped toward him. "And if we're lucky, that trio will never be completed."

    "Excuse me!" Saleh called for our attention. "It seems that the spell has been dispersed around the Tower. We had better head to Rausten."

    "Are you sure you want to come with us, Father?" asked Tana.

    Hayden nodded emphatically. "I'm taking a holiday, whether you like it or not, dear daughter." Tana giggled.



    We arrived in Rausten three days later. Hayden took one day to visit with Pontifex Mansel, and the rest of us to relax and restock our weapons. Soon, we set out for Lagdou Ruins. The monsters here, we quickly found, were much more difficult. There were many more cyclops and elder baels. Innes found that his Brave Bow was powerful enough to knock down crumbling walls with two, rapid shots.

    We penetrated about three compounds in to the ruined city-castle, where the sun still shone brightly overhead, and where green growing things still flourished. As we descended the next stairway, we entered the greatest building, I suppose the ancient keep. Here, we found a nest of gorgons.

    We also found an enclosed area that had no door and no window. There was a snarling noise in the room within, and thumping. Genarog growled at the wall. Cormag frowned.

    "What's wrong, boy? Something smell funny?"

    "Cormag..." Selena told him, "don't you hear anything?"

    "Eh?" Cormag turned around in time to see Lute blast the wall with Elfire. It cracked and crumbled, and someone chucked a javelin in the chamber inside.

    Someone inside gave a shout. "Whoa! Please, don't try and kill me again. I just found myself alive again, and I don't want to..." The speaker trailed off. "Cormag!?"

    "What? Glen? Brother?!?" The two wyvern knights ran at each other and enfolded each other in a warm, brotherly hug. Behind, Glen's wyvern, Caldig, crawled out of the confined prison. Cormag tried to talk several times, but couldn't, tears pouring down his strong, tanned face.

    Glen was more self-contained. "Well, I'm glad you're happy to see me. What's happened? The last thing I remember was Valter killing me..."

    "I knew it!" Cormag shouted. "Don't worry about him. I killed him myself. The Demon King took over Prince Lyon, and I joined Eirika because the load of tosh Valter fed me when he brought your body back to Grado didn't make sense - he tried to say that she did it - and when I met her I figured it out. So, we wandered around, trying to find the Prince, and we ended up in Darkling Wood and fought the Demon King, but Prince Lyon died, and then Pontifex Mansel told us about this weird spell on Frelia's Tower of Valni and Lagdou Ruins here, and here you are. And look at all the people we have back from the dead! Queen Ismaire, a Renaitian knight, Selena..."

    "Yes, I'm glad to see Selena and Deussel again. What, wait a moment. Selena died?"

    Selena dismounted and walked over. "Yes, unfortunately. I'm unwilling to share the details at this time, but..."

    Glen smiled. "No, that's all right. We're fighting together again, and that's what matters." He winked at her, the most uncharacteristic - or unguarded - thing I had ever witnessed him do. The mage knight's cheeks were tinged with pink.

    "Yes, the Imperial Three, reunited!" cried Deussel. Most of the army, with Innes and Ephraim, had already left, but I stayed behind. I wanted to talk to Glen.

    "General Glen..."

    "Ah, Princess Eirika." He slid out from under Cormag's arm and bowed. "I'm very sorry about that day in Carcino. You were utterly correct."

    "No, it is I who should apologize. Valter..."

    "You couldn't have done anything about that worm. It's my own fault for... for not... ducking fast enough."

    Cormag frowned. "I know you. You would have been on your guard, and sometimes he was inhumanly fast. It's not your fault at all. It's his."

    The other wyvern rider nodded his shaggy blonde head. "I'm grateful you were able to kill him, little brother. Where are the others? Let's go! I want to help!"

    "Yes!" the younger knight cheered.


    We fought our way through chambers that leaked poisonous airs, complex layouts with dark canals and underground rivers, great halls and vaults, and impossible catacombs that seemed to consist entirely of little rooms with half-broken walls. The monsters steadily grew stronger the further down we went. Somehow, there was an eerie light that filled the entire castle. There was a lot of treasure lying around, which kept Rennac and Colm happy.

    After we had killed another nest of gorgons, there was a rasping rustle from a corner, and then a familiar, chilling, high-pitched laugh. I saw those from Grado, as well as Ephraim and Seth, grow tense. Glen's knuckles grew white as he grasped his sword.

    The long-haired monster moved into the light. "Hello, there. Long time no see! Can I kill you?"

    In a flash, Valter had just about every lance, sword, and bow in the army pointed at his throat. But it was Joshua, surprisingly, who intervened.

    "Um, hey guys, if we kill this nutter - and I do know he seriously needs killing again - then my mother will die again too. And I don't want that. So, please, let's just talk to him. I'm not saying relax!" the king of Jehanna went on as a grumble went up. "I'm saying let's see what's gonna happen." He turned to Innes and whispered: "Ten thou he joins us."

    "You're on," whispered the sniper prince back. "Ten thou he kills someone instead."

    The others were arguing. Valter was giggling. "No, I won't kill you. I want to kill... and I don't care about me... but right now I think the odds are too much against me."

    "How do we trust you?" asked Deussel stiffly. "Your past is against you. We do not trust you. I can't watch you myself, either, because I'm watching Riev."

    "Ah, Riev! Good old Riev. He knows what I know... pain is lovely. So is Princess Eirika..." He cleared his throat. "However..."

    "We'll take charge of him," Glen said grimly. "If he kills me, he dies too. That's my compensation. Even if he doesn't care."

    With both good and evil Imperial Three in our midst, we descended the next set of stairs. We found ourselves in a dungeon so low in the depths of the earth that there were mighty chasms in the ground through which we could see lava churning far below. The ground was hot, and sometimes painful to walk on. I saw one bonewalker step onto a spot that erupted and blew up the skeleton, which collapsed in a pile of burning bones. There were many cyclops, but they were all inaccurate. I remembered a line from a fairy tale: "If they were aiming at us, I'd be a lot less worried." Then I had to concentrate as Aureola and I leapt forward to battle one, Seiglinde blazing.

    The bottommost floor was frighteningly cold, despite the heat we had just come through. There were... thirteen zombie dragons! We left the more delicate of our group on the upper level and cautiously advanced. Zombie dragons are slow, but their breath is deadly. Innes' found his bow excellent for fighting them, since with three swift arrows he could take them down very fast. Saleh and Natasha were busy with staves.

    We took out the three in a cluster at the further end of the cathedral-like chamber. L'Arachel's light magic lit up the room brilliantly, notwithstanding the torches that burned fiercely along the walls. The dragons roared. Myrrh roared.

    Zombie dragons must be short-sighted, because none moved but the ones we attacked. However, when one of us - Ross, I think - moved into range of another one, it came swooping at him and he had to duck and roll quickly with his heavy axe, Garm. Tana and her pegasus bounded overhead and stabbed Vidofnir into the dragon's skull.

    We finally killed them all and began the weary, long, relieved march back to the surface. Saleh, Myrrh, and L'Arachel stayed behind momentarily to study the dragons' room; they said it reeked of old, dark magic.

    Outside the front ruins, a figure clothed in wellmade green armour sat on a fallen log. He had green hair and a beard. A lance was leaned over his shoulder, an axe was slung across his back, and a sword was belted to his side. The old general made no move at our noisy, exhausted approach. Then, he turned his head.

    "Faatherrr!!" Ephraim and I shrieked, running to him. He stood and let us throw our arms around him, bearing our weight sturdily, smiling warmly down on us. I buried my face in his shoulder, forgetting that I was a princess, just happy to have part of my missing family back again.

    After a few moments, we all let go of each other and composed ourselves. King Hayden rode towards us and dismounted. "Fado! Wonderful to see you again."

    "Hayden? So, you joined our children's merry band?"

    "Just for this last day." He smiled. "I can barely keep up with them."

    "I will join too. Ephraim! Introduce me to everyone. Eirika? Tell me what's been going on."

    "Oh, Father," we said adoringly, and turned to do his bidding.

    After we had mostly finished, Ephraim finishing extolling the virtues of Nidhogg - out of Innes's hearing, of course - Saleh and L'Arachel approached. "Lady Eirika, the spell is still intact on the Ruins... we'll have to go back in."

    Several people within earshot groaned. "No!! Wah! We're exhausted!"

    I nodded. "We'll go back tomorrow, or perhaps the day after. We're all very tired, Saleh."

    We headed back to Rausten, where the kings, and Ismaire, all got together to talk about the future of the continent. The old Imperial Three joined them, to represent Grado.


    Two days later, we headed back into the Ruins and prepared for a long, hard battle. It took all day, and as usual, we were dead tired as we exited. The zombie dragons did not improve upon acquaintance. They were worse than the rest of the castle's dungeons combined. Having Father there was a tremendous help.

    At the gate, a slender, robed figure stood with his back to us, his lavender head bent in silent contemplation. We halted. Then, I ran forward.

    The youth spun to face me, and fell at my feet. "Eirika!"

    "Lyon! Oh, Lyon, how are you? Please, get up!"

    He climbed back up awkwardly. "I'm all right. I mean, I'm... I'm finally myself again, and it feels wonderful. I still want to apologize..."

    "No, no more of that. You're our friend."

    "...but I knew you would say that." Finally, he grinned at me. "So, how are you?"

    "I'm fine," I said, smiling back. "I'm a little tired; we were fighting zombie dragons."

    "That's too bad. I have a physic staff..."

    "No, that's all right."

    "That wasn't really my question anyway."

    "Oh." I blushed. "Oh. Well, I'm engaged... I'm sorry."

    "Don't be sorry! That's perfect! It's fine, really! I... You'll say I'm wrong, because you're so nice, but I'm not good enough for you. Where's Ephraim?"

    "He's here, naturally." I waved my twin forward. Ephraim shook Lyon's hand, and then pulled him into a friendly hug.

    "We've missed you, Lyon! Yah, you here to fight with us? I bet there's lots more monsters scattered around the continent." Ephraim kept up a friendly stream of chatter as he led Lyon over to be with the Imperial Three. They bowed, and Lyon flushed slightly. L'Arachel came to tell me that the spell was now gone. I stared at her.

    "Lyon was the last one... oh, he's free! I'm so... overwhelmed. The Demon King's last hold on Magvel is gone, is it not?"

    "Yes. He has truly lost now! And, Eirika, I'm so glad about your friend. He seems like a nice person, but very shy. I want to get to know him. It's good that I wasn't completely right about what I said before! You know, about St. Latona being the only one to escape. Well, we helped these people escape. Yes, the sage says that they're not chained together anymore. Now, where did Rennac go?"

    That evening, Lyon was officially elected the new ruler of Grado. Poor Lyon, he looked so scared. In the hall before he went out to dinner, to be seated with the other kings - Mansel, Hayden, Joshua, and Fado - I patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry tonight, Lyon. We'll all help you get settled in. And, you know, Deussel and Selena and Glen and Cormag are going to be right there, always, helping you."

    "I'm so nervous, Eirika. I'm not strong like you or Ephraim... I'm terrified there'll come a day when I can't figure out how to solve a problem. It's not just tonight."

    "Lyon! Lyon, that day will never come. There will be hard decisions, but first there will be the rebuilding of the country, and that is utterly positive. Don't be depressed, especially tonight. Go on."

    He smiled at me, like a little dazed boy, and walked out to be seated - the new Emperor Lyon of Grado.

    Seth and Ephraim came up behind me. "Has he gone in?" Ephraim demanded.

    I nodded. "Yes. He'll need all our help in the days to come, but he'll be fine. I know it."

    Seth laid an arm over both of our shoulders. "I still wish you two hadn't 'lorded' me." We gave him an extra title as an early wedding present. Lord Seth of the District of Pender...

    Ephraim fixed him with a hard stare. "Seth, just how old are you again?"

    "Er... twenty two, Lord Ephraim."

    "Just wondering. You're so proper, I didn't think you had the nerve to initiate... a group hug!"

    After a brief tight embrace, we three of Renais stepped out to take our places at the tables of peace.


Back