Speaking of unification, the end of FE3/12 was so disappointing. FE1 ended with each country still being independent, which was perfect. But no, the sequel had to do a 180 so that Marth could rule over all of Archanea.
Especially since it comes with a...disturbing trend of putting female rulers back in their place: Minerva, Nyna, Sheena...
Like you would seriously want me to believe that Minerva would be happy to settle in a convent? But guys, she wasn't competent T.T. She couldn't rule like Michalis and it ended in an internal crisis.
But Sheena didn't want to rule. She just wanted to live as an "ordinary happy girl" UwU. Yes, Archanea gave us the wonderful Shiida, but Kaga's sexism shines here.
The worst thing is Michalis' ending in FE12. They wanted to keep him alive, fine, they did the same with Camus/Sirius after all. But he either gets to rule over Macedon again (so it means that there were no consequences for his actions unlike in the original game) or conquer another continent.
Perhaps they wanted to show that it realistically made no sense that an ambitious man like Michalis would give up on his dream, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You can kill your father, be a tyrannical ruler, but don't worry, you will get your throne back or you will either get to conquer a whole new land. Yeah!
I would have made more sense if Michalis was the one to give up on everything and perhaps become a monk if they wanted to show that he was trying to atone. After all, he dies in the original version. It could have shown that the old him was indeed dead and that he was now going on a different path, thanks to Maria.
Yeah :/
The sheer fact that Michalis wasn't kept dead in the remake sort of pisses me - why keeping him alive after kind of saving Maria ?
Was it to have a "good end" where no one dies, or because you'd feel uwu for poor Michalis who :
Murdered his dad, had his youngest sister kidnapped, fought against another sister etc...
And as you said, what kind of message this leaves that he gets to survive to conquer other lands, after the mess he did in Archanea? Was it a joke or just to piss on the original writers ?
So between Kaga's sexism and the "but earl grey" nonsense from the "modern" devs really did a number of FE3/12 to me lol
The only character I can "realistically" see abandoning her throne is Nyna, because of the guilt she must feel regarding Hardin's fall but then I'm always reminded at that person @crushednugget found that said Nyna is responsible for the war in FE3/12 and I'm just...
I tried my hand at expanding on and reimagining the detail's of Julian and Lena's first meeting. Part of the Archanea Chronicles.
The heavy iron door of the cell slammed shut with a dreadful clatter, but Julian could barely hear it over the ringing in his ears.
Hissing in pain, he rolled over onto his back on the cold, hard floor, the relief he felt at no longer lying down on his broken arm negligible at best. This is what happens when you betrayed the Soothsires, after all. You get beaten until you're black and blue, and are thrown away to rot.
"Bastards..." he growled under his breath once he had heard his former-allies-turned-captor's footsteps retreat a good distance, "I knew they were a bunch of animals, but they didn't even have the decency to kill me..."
"Are you in need of healing?"
If he were in better shape, Julian might have jumped out of skin at the sudden realization he wasn't alone. Seeing that he wasn't, he just twitched at the voice coming from his right, lolling his head in that direction with considerable effort. He couldn't get a great look at his cellmate due to the sideways angle and probable concussion he had, but he could make out a staff in their hand.
"Yeah, but why bother?" he replied, letting out a huff of air that was supposed to be a sigh, but was more of a pitiful shudder, "They'll just beat me again tomorrow."
"And I will heal you again tomorrow."
He diverted all his energy to focusing his vision in order to really see his companion. Red hair, white clothes, a staff... it was that girl! The girl who was the reason he was here in the first place.
She seemed tired of waiting for an answer, because a flash of light illuminated the grimy cell as a warm feeling washed over him. As a bandit, he was rarely on the receiving end of healing magic, so he silently marveled at the feeling of bone reconnecting and flesh pulling back together. It wasn't painful, but it was definitely... odd.
As quick as it began, it was over, and he was good as new.
Well, he felt more gently used instead of on the verge of death, which was good enough. He still ached, but he was able to sit up now. After doing that, he scooted backwards until his back rested against the wall. Feeling more human, he was finally able to see her properly. Despite having been in here for a week longer than him, the only things that seemed to be wrong with her were impressively dirty robes, and tired, tired eyes.
At the same time, she was appraising him as well, but with medical curiosity, "Are you feeling better?"
"Much," a beat, "Aren't you worried about what they'll do to you? They might be idiots, but it'd take more than an idiot to not figure out what happened here."
She shook her head, brushing some hair aside to reveal a small cut, "When this happened, your leader was quite angry with the man who did it. I am more..." her expression, which had previously been impassive, grew bitter, "...valuable, if I am undamaged."
Yeah. He knew exactly what she meant there.
"That's probably true. Never scuff up the merchandise," he said the last word with venom, "That used to just mean jewels and trinkets, not people."
Setting her staff aside, she cautiously moved closer to him, stopping an arm's length away, "Kidnapping women is not something you did before?"
"No!" he shouted defensively, forcefully snapping his jaw shut to regulate his volume, "No. We did plenty of unsavory things- we stole and we killed, sure, but we had our limits. But then Hyman took over. Bastard has been pushing those boundaries day by day. But he finally crossed the line when he," he gestured towards her, "You know."
She nodded, "Is that why you are here? You objected to your leaders actions?"
"I just couldn't let it continue. It'd have been bad enough as it is, but you're not just any woman," he pointed to her staff, "You're a cleric! A holy woman! A healer!"
Her face softened into a smile, and it softened his heart, to see something so beautiful in this setting. She closed that final distance between them, laying a hand on his forearm- her hands were small, but the skin was rougher than he expected, "You have a good heart."
While she had been on the money before, now she was as wrong as could be.
His shoulder was still tender, but he shrugged her off, "You don't know what I've done. Not being alright with selling people isn't anything special."
"You chose to stand up for what you believe in. Most sit back and watch, no matter how much they object."
"Look, lady-"
"Lena."
He looked at her like she had grown an extra arm, but her smile only grew, like a flower emerging from a crack in the cobblestone, "My name is Lena. What is your name?"
More than a little lost at the direction this interaction was headed, all he could do was blink numbly as he replied, "Uh, Julian. I'm Julian."
"Well, Julian, there is something you need to know. The other staff I have is Warp. It is very rare and valuable, worth much more than my life."
"Why-"
"If you are truly so blackhearted, you will call for one of your associates and tell them this. I'm sure they would let you go free if you did."
His eyes drifted over to where she had been sitting before, and true enough, he saw a staff that was much more ornate than what she had used on him. From there, his gaze moved back to her, a serene smile still gracing her face (which he was increasingly noticing was quite lovely).
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You stood against your comrades for my sake. I believe I owe you the honesty."
What a strange woman.
Seeming content that she had accomplished whatever her goals were, Lena moved back to the side of the cell she was originally in, sitting all too calmly for someone in her situation.
If she noticed him staring at her in bewilderment, she said nothing.
---
When their guard arrived later that night, he beat Julian within an inch of his life once more. True to her word, Lena healed him again.
He didn't utter a peep about her staff.
---
Julian really couldn't tell you why Hyman didn't decide enough was enough and just kill him properly, even as the days ticked by. Maybe he just lost interest. Maybe he thought that being in a cell next to a beautiful woman, unable to do anything with her was punishment enough (he would think that, the pig).
Or maybe, just maybe, he was smarter than Julian gave him credit for, and knew that his former subordinate was growing more attached to the cleric the longer they were imprisoned together, which would make her eventual fate hurt him worse than any torture.
It would be tough not to notice.
They never brought any food or water just for him, but Lena always offered him some of hers. He had turned her down.
On day three, his stomach had triumphed over his mind.
After that, he let the arrangement slide, so long as she agreed to eat more of it than she gave him. He was used to being hungry, after all.
On day five, they started to talk. The time before hadn't been entirely silent, but that had been most out of necessity, like asking for privacy when relieving themselves. It was the fifth day that she, almost speaking more to herself than him, began to recount her life story. The granddaughter of a nobleman who gave away all his time and money to help those who needed it, she chose to follow in his footsteps, renouncing her title and leading the life of your average cleric.
That was selling her short, actually. She walked paths hardened warriors refused to tread, such as traversing the Ghoul's Teeth to treat those who lived in the border villages, those who everyone else had abandoned as fools or unable to be saved.
"I am simply doing what I must as a cleric. I am no better than any of my sisters of the cloth."
He couldn't help but see her as much, much more than that.
So moved he was, that when she asked about him, he was more honest than he ever was to himself. He told her about his father, who on his deathbed had tried to impart good values on his boy. Telling him to protect those who need it, to be kind and fair to everyone around him.
He also told her how he, an angry sixteen year old boy at the time, had disregarded those teachings when a tough looking older man had taught him how to pick locks. There was no remorse in his voice when it came to him stealing to survive, nor was there any judgement in her eyes.
The regret came later.
It came in the times when he had stolen from those who had less than he had. When he has participated in raiding the nearby villages. The nights when he heard young boys cry out for their fathers amidst the flame and he didn't sleep.
On day five, he cried. As the tears came, she placed a soothing hand on his shoulder and let it linger.
---
On day six, he asked her if she could absolve him, as a holy woman.
"You can only find absolution through your own actions, Julian. Your soul is in your own hands."
---
On day seven, he asked how exactly the Warp staff worked. She said it couldn't take the wielder with it.
Later that night, they overheard their guard mention to another brigand that they finally found a buyer for their "prized merchandise".
---
On day eight, he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "We're getting out of here, together."
