{ === + === }
Insert us humming the Fire Emblem Main Theme here.
All rise, for the National anthem of the Fire Emblem.
Anyhoo!
We're totally not gonna do this epilogue justice.
Since when have we done anything justice?
…
{The Countries}
[Ylisse]
Following what would later be referred by historians as the War of the Gods, Ylisse would enter a period of incredible wealth and financial development, becoming a major center for the arts and hosting visitors from across continents. Most historians attribute this as a combination of the post-war economic boom and its close relations to the ruling house of a new power on the continent.
[Ferox]
As Ferox underwrote much of the human cost of the War, they entered a period of stagnation during the times of peace…until basically enough babies were born, and then things went pretty well again.
[Plegia]
The ruling parties of Plegia, who all tend to be Grimleal in nature, saw their power base collapse at almost the same time as the giant meteor came from the sky and smushed the Grima Golem. This meant that Plegia collapsed as a nation entirely, with warlords snapping up the pieces as they saw fit. Ultimately, its territory would be split between Ferox, Ylisse, and the Islands.
[Valm]
Per its agreements, the Valmese Empire dissolved after the war, with the Valm core territories integrated into the Phoenix Empire. At first, everybody saw no difference…and then Walhart walked onto the scene with his I Love NY T-shirt, which got a lot of people confused. The Valm Branch would become one of the richest countries of Valentia under his leadership and guidance.
[Rosanne]
As it was a newly independent country once more, the people rejoiced. With great reluctance they re-accepted their ruling monarch, and (along with an alliance to the Phoenix) went on the steady road to recovery.
[Chon'sin]
After regaining its independence, Chon'Sin immediately allied itself with the newly minted Phoenix Empire per Say'ri and Yen'Fay's joint orders.
[Rest of Valm]
Sadly, what many considered as Rosanne and Chon'Sin's knee-jerk alliances would prove to be a result of foresight. After the Valmese Empire dissolved, the other nation-states on the continent of Valentia caught their breath, looked at each other, and immediately restarted their old conflicts. While the lack of infrastructure and general poverty stopped all military action from becoming an actual war, the fact remained that life outside of Chon'sin or Rosanne (or the new Valm Branch) was incredibly difficult.
[Island Nations]
The Rise of the Phoenix Empire, along with its incredibly fast and versatile ships, would seriously cripple the trade-based Island nations to the point of obscurity…or at least, it would have had the Islands decide to unanimously become a part of the new nation. Though historians debate on the actual political reasoning, the fact remained that the islands became an economic force to be reckoned with, and would act as the de-facto gate where Akaenia and Valentia interacted with the rest of the world.
[Phoenix Empire]
Per Ash's agreements, the Phoenix Empire was born with territories captured from the Islands, Valm, Ferox, and Ylisse (the last two being ceded in perpetuity as trade post/diplomatic centers). Through its technological supremacy and reputation, it became a gathering point for Outrealmers (which would further boost its technology and reputation) and would eventually become the focal point of the world finally moving beyond its medieval stasis.
…
{The Important People}
[Chrom – Sumia]
Chrom returned to Ylisse and continued to serve as the captain of the Shepherds. He would eventually become the Exalt of the nation after Emmeryn abdicated the throne at the age of [redacted]. As a man of great character and connections, he was beloved by all (if only begrudgingly by some).
His wife Sumia retired from the military to become his…what, full-time wife? And a well-beloved queen of the nation. She also went into business, specifically the art of Pegasus rearing…so that's a thing.
…
[Fredrick - Cordelia]
Fredrick continued to serve as Chrom's bodyguard and later the supreme commander of the Ylissean Knights. His fitness hour became an Ylissean martial staple, to the dismay of all who had the misfortune to experience it.
Cordelia served as a knight, then commander, of the bolstered Ylissean aerial knight corps. Through Fredrick's urging, she would give Ylisse the edge in air-to-air combat that would be nearly unrivaled for a hundred years.
…
[Lissa – Stahl]
Lissa opted to abandon her claim to the throne, a decision she referred to as a 'no-brainer'. Instead, she served as the first official ambassador between Ylisse, Ferox, Plegia, and the newly minted Phoenix Empire.
Stahl retired from being a knight to become Lissa's official bodyguard. Though he would see little active combat, the mark of the green shield became synonymous with hardiness and…starvation?
…
[Sully – Vaike]
As the commander of the Far Riders, Sully patrolled the corners of Ylisse and rid the lands of brigands and other malcontent. She would stay away from the shared border with the Phoenix Empire because, as she put it, "there's never any action there."
Vaike, who loves fighting but definitely not to Sully's level, nevertheless happily accompanied his wife on her long patrols. His sense of comradery and surprising gift for negotiation among the malcontent meant that many situations would be solved before Sully could bring her lance to bear. Jury's out on if she liked that or not.
…
[Maribelle – Ricken]
As the title holder of Themis, Maribelle naturally became its ruling lord. She worked tirelessly to reform the legal structure of Ylisse, drawing her laws from both the country's cultural heritage and the legal minds from the Phoenix Empire.
Ricken, despite his best efforts, gave in at last to his curiosity and enthusiasm, and became a full citizen of the Phoenix Empire some years after its establishment. Per literally the urging of everyone who knows him, he became a technological bridge of sorts between Ylisse and the Empire, and brought immense benefits to Themis and Ylisse.
…
[Miriel – Gaius]
Miriel's unquenchable thirst for knowledge drove her towards the Phoenix Empire about five minutes after it was established. She would become a member of the Research and Development staff of the Empire's scientific division, and would be instrumental in all projects devoted to improving the lives of the people.
Gaius swore off being a thief after being threatened at gunpoint. Instead, per Ash's urgings, he would become one of the world's most premier candymakers, and would be beloved by all children, loathed by all parents, and worshipped by all dentists.
…
[Kellam]
Who?
Nah, just kidding. Kellam becomes the chief spymaster of Ylisse, and becomes something of an urban legend among its people. Later historians would debate on the accuracy of his actual existence, and whether if all of the accomplished made by him were actually just urban myths attributed to a mythical composite character. After all, nobody's that good at hiding…right, Kellam?
…
[Lon'qu - Olivia]
In peace, the two continue to serve Khan Basilio. As his right hand man, Lon'qu represented the West Khan in its dealings with foreign powers…though admittedly he was way better at stabbing his problems away than talking.
That task would be better left to Olivia, who—with a combination of shrewd diplomacy and captivating sparklies—ensured that the Ferox government would continue to have strong relations with its local lords for the unforeseeable future, and ensured that Ferox would have a strong presence on the world stage once that time had come to pass.
Plus she looked damn good in a suit.
…
[Panne - Donnel]
Donnel became a folk hero, a tale to be told to children about the value of never giving up despite being (comparatively) insignificant. The real Donnel, meanwhile, would take his experience to heart and become one of the best fighters Ylisse has ever produced. Men produced from Donnel's small countryside village would boast of talent unseen by the rest of the world…and they could back that statement up, too.
Sadly, not everyone took to Panne as well as the Shepherds did. They endured, but eventually the family moved to the Phoenix Empire. Though the initial reception was frosty, the strength of the royal family's presence and well-dictated laws meant that Panne—and all other otherwise non-human beings—were treated just the same as everyone else.
…
[Nowi - ?]
Nowi, not exactly content on returning to being alone, joined the Phoenix Empire shortly after its establishment. She—to the surprise of many—is the official representative of the Manaketes within its government, and despite her deceivingly childish antics is surpremely effective in getting what she wants, provided that she could be convinced to go to the meeting in the first place.
…
[Gregor – Tharja]
Tharja, now intoxicated by the combined might of the Avartars of Grima and Medeus, cheerily joined the Phoenix ranks…or as cheerily as she could manage. She eventually finds gainful work as a researcher in the department for applied enchantments, much to her own surprise.
Gregor would have briefly sunk into a life of excess had the development of the Phoenix Empire's homeland been so tumultuous. As it were, he spent an excessive amount of time touring its front line and imparting his experience and wisdom onto the recruits.
…
[Libra]
Oooh fuck I forgot about Libra entirely.
He opened an orphanage or some shit. Next!
…
[Henry]
Dude went around cursing people. Next!
Ahem.
Ah, fine. Henry, underrepresented as he is, becomes a mercenary in Valentia following the War. His curses, as fearsome as they may be, were often credited with saving more lives than ending them, and he became a fast fixture in Valentia's eventual reformation.
…
[Virion - Cherche]
Virion would return to Rosanne with nothing but the promise of giving his people a better future. An alliance with the Phoenix helped secure that future, and as Valentia burned around them, Rosanne returned to its former glory. However, not content on merely being "as he were", as soon as Rosanne became stable he offered as much support as he could to both pacify and rebuild the continent.
Cherche and Minerva became the head of the Rosannite aerial corps. Stories were constantly swapped on who would be superior: her, or that ex-Valmese captain flying the Phoenix skies. Cherche herself devoted her time to ensuring that the borders of the country were safe…and that new batches of cute little Wyverns hatched without a hitch.
…
[Basilio – Flavia]
The West and East Khans got married, to almost nobody's surprise. Through their joint efforts (and a little outside help), they managed to bring Ferox to a level of power it had never seen before, and when they retired they had left it as a definitive world power.
Sadly, the country itself would have other ideas…but that's would not be important for another two hundred years.
…
[Yen'Fay - ?]
Shortly after returning to Chon'Sin, he was crowned.
Shortly after he was crowned, he abdicated the throne, giving power to Say'ri.
He disappeared shortly afterwards, and no-one knows of his whereabouts. Except maybe Say'ri who keeps writing to him and getting letters back for some reason.
…
[Say'ri - ?]
Say'ri becomes the head of Chon'Sin, and utilized her connections with the Phoenix to build up her country against the tumultuous situation on Valentia.
Under her leadership, Chon'Sin would bloom and turn from an otherwise minor state to a major world power…and absorbing many smaller nations around her as a result.
…
[Walhart – Pheros]
As the Valm Branch CEO, Walhart exhibited a surprising levity that he had never shown as a Conqueror. With no more need to worry about wartime production, Walhart quickly reorganized Valm into a major production center, and created vast wealth for the nearby unassociated villages. Eventually, the Valm branch would assimilate many of the liberated independent towns and villages back under its control through sheer economic impact.
Pheros…just wanted to be a wife? Much like some other couples we could mention, she was basically the reason Walhart had children.
…
[Priam]
Priam would join the Phoenix Empire as a mercenary, and would eventually come to train another Hero of Light on some distant continent.
…
[Emmeryn - ?]
Emmeryn's return was met with much jubilation in the Ylissean court, and she would see to the rest of her reign while facing next to no enmity from the lords in her lands. With her capable subordinates, Ylisse, though not as massive as Ferox, would come to match it in international prestige.
…
[Anna]
The Annas aligned themselves with this new Phoenix Empire and became a major trader in no time. After all, there was money to be made.
Our Anna joined the Phoenix on a contractual basis, as she loved adventuring far more than economics—which is saying something.
[Hawk]
Hawk joins the Phoenix Empire and manages the Island branch as its CEO.
He's damn good at his job, and you wouldn't be able to tell because of how heavily he dotes on his children.
[Morgan, Kite]
The two Morgans (in a way) would become partners for the Ylissean Branch of the Phoenix Empire, helping to run its day to day operations. Rumors abound of their feelings for each other, but as they're basically sibilings/the same person they just go 'ew' and move on with their lives.
[Lucina]
As the CEO of the Ylissean Branch of the Phoenix Company, Lucina got to enjoy a closeness with her parents and the distance with her other self that she in most other circumstances would have shunned. Though she was by all accounts not as familiar with the workings or as adaptable as some other branch leaders, she did know how to let her employees do their jobs and was a fast learner to boot.
[Literally all the other future Children]
Ash convinced them that sharing names with people wasn't a cardinal sin. All of the future children opted to enter the Phoenix Empire payroll and hold various offices and positions within the company. In particular, Severa, Owain, and Inigo would become rather important for a future conflict.
…
[Amelia + Husband]
Amelia would become the first Colonel of the reformed Phoenix Air Force. Her Hauteclere and daring speed would set an unsurpassable bar for all knights for generations to come. When not pushing the boundaries of human limits, she loves her tea, and could be seen in constant company with the royal family.
…
[Just about all of the Phoenix Company Girls n' Boys]
Since they were soldiers belonging to Ferox for the most part, the disbanding of the Phoenix Company and its reformation into the Phoenix Empire meant that these soldiers returned back to their nations of origin. For many, their love of flying and the intoxicating effects of the Cruise Engines meant they quickly resigned from service and migrated to the new Empire.
The hefty pay didn't hurt.
…
[Tiki]
The Avatar of Naga became the Empress of the Phoenix Empire, and was mostly responsible for the diplomatic face it presented to the rest of the world. Like Pheros, she's basically the reason that Ash has children.
In many of the Phoenix Empire's future conflicts, Tiki would be instrumental in either defusing them before they could begin…or spinning them just right to give the Phoenix everything it wanted without being seen as the offending party.
…
[Robin]
Following the War, Robin returned to Ylisse to formally resign as the Shepherd's strategist. Though she was granted an official pardon for her hostile actions against Ylisse, the people of the nation were not nearly as pleasant, and she was jailed almost immediately upon her return.
Per Emmeryn's orders, Robin was released, and was informally exiled from Ylisse despite the pardon.
Even so, a mob of nobles were not so content that Robin was alive at all, and tasked themselves with the "honorable" duty of eliminating this threat against what they considered as all the good people of the world once and for all.
As Robin made plans to retire to a simple house in the Ylissean countryside, these nobles found the house and slew her, before burning down the house as a symbol of their victory.
…
…
"Hmm."
We lean back on our chair.
"Do you see a problem with this? I see a problem with this." I comment.
"Why? Sad endings are immensely popular, right?" Robin replies quizzically.
"Well, sure." I concede. "But there's a pretty obvious discrepancy."
"So?" Robin laughs. "It's not like people will fact check."
Lady you are literally in the same room as us, people don't need to fact check.
"Ow." Robin suddenly mutters.
"You ok?" I ask as I return to the writing table.
"Yeah, this little guy bit me." Robin boops her nursing baby on the nose. "Awfully nippy for a little thing with no teeth, aren't you, Morgan?" She coos.
She is nursing little baby Morgan.
"Like her mother, he's rash and impulsive." Tiki says cheerily. "He'll grow up to be a fine tactician."
"I feel vaguely insulted." Robin laughs.
…
[Robin, Actually]
Long story short, Ash happened.
The instant Robin was jailed, Emmeryn sent a message through her spy network right on over to Ash with the details.
Not exactly chuffed at having lost Robin for the dumbest of reasons, Ash mobilized himself, armed with a single Thor, and set out for Ylisse. With the power of Bullshit Avatar Magic He arrived in Ylisstol within six hours.
At this point, the nobles had worked themselves into a fervor trying to place a face on the misery they had suffered in the past few months, and were about to march into the dungeons to deliver their own brand of justice.
Naturally, the presence of a literal god put a bit of a damper on that, and so against Robin's vehement disagreement, Ash abducted her.
Robin knew full well she couldn't die as an Avatar but could feel pain, and had planned to wander the earth for the next 10,000 years as some kind of 'atonement' for what she felt she did.
Yeah no. Through the next few months Ash and Tiki did they their level best to get her out of that mentality, and Robin, though still harboring reservations, reluctantly joined the Phoenix's royal family as either a Queen or a Mistress. Tiki has a tendency to switch the titles around on a whim, so nobody was ever really sure.
In the end everyone just decided to address both as "Her Highness (insert name here)" or "Empress (name)". It was easier that way.
While her joining of the royal family wasn't exactly unexpected, the fact that their new ally now had what was considered public enemy number one in their did not sit well with many of the nobles within Ylisse and Ferox. Though they needed the Phoenix's technological edge far too much to simply cut ties (among other reasons) tensions between the three countries would simmer for centuries to come.
…
[Ash]
Ash was unpleasantly surprised that the first major event on his royal calendar would be the birth of Robin's son, which everyone and their mother knew was a bastard. Then, to the surprise of everybody except those who had a good grasp of who he was, he just shrugged and adopted the boy on the spot.
As the head of the Phoenix Empire, Ash would reign as its emperor for the better part of twenty thousand years, and would-either directly or indirectly-be responsible for the world's transition from a medieval society with oddly frequent apocalyptic scenarios to a respected power on the interplanetary stage.
But that's neither here or nor there. At the present, he's just interested in making entirely far too much money with his godly powers.
It's still a step down if you ask me.
.
.
.
{ === + === }
Words:
Aaand this marks the absolute finish.
Warning: stream of consciousness below.
Thank you all for being such wonderful audiences, such wonderful people, and for…uh, really liking this.
Like seriously guys I was amazed. Totally amazed.
…Well, I was amazed I managed to close out the story in a way that came just a little close to what I had envisioned, but eh, learning process, and all that…
Uh…I should talk about things?
Yes.
So I first started to work on this story literally because I was disappointed that Awake stopped. Like holy shit I loved that story.
So we copycatted it.
Copied it down to a T, except the T's worn down and second-hand and is just not as good as the original. Either way, for a work that came out on a lark and had basically next to no planning or foresight, I say it held together well.
Fun fact: I had originally planned for this work to have been finished at around the same time Fates came out.
BOY did that not pan out as expected.
CONFETTI! CONFETTI EVERYWHERE! WOOOOO!
Uh…
Right, so.
After this (at the time of this chapter's publishing) will be a short, 4-chapter work on us getting Nino home, and then we can move on to Fates. Nino should be done pretty fast, since I have a solid idea of what the entire story is gonna be.
Fates…it's gonna be weird. I think. I have some chapters clearly mapped out, but no way to connect them. Either way, Fates is gonna be me tearing up the default storyline because I just thought it was *so* bad.
In other words…?
It's not a lot of fun killing family members if you don't give two shits about those family members. Doesn't matter now though, since it doesn't exist yet.
Who knows, who cares, 'cuz we're DONE~
See you guys on the next one, if you, y'know, are still coming.