Fire Emblem: Three Houses of Hope

Prolouge Part 2: Garreg Mach Monastery

It's been six months since Shez's fight with the Ashen Demon, Byleth. She got herself acquainted with a mysterious being in her mind who goes by the name of Arval. And right now, the two are spending the night in the forest, but Arval has awoken Shez.

Arval: How many times must we do this? Wake up already!

Shez: Ah?! I thought I told you not to sneak up on me like that!

At first, it would seem Shez is talking to herself. But Arval can only speak to her, as the mysterious being has no body of her own.

Arval: As if I have a choice! Do you know how many times you would've perished without my interventions? I'll tell you! 22! The three times you jumped off a cliff to quote-unquote "Get tougher"? Saved you. The five mad attempts to dispatch a horde of monsters by yourself? Saved you! I would name more, but I think you get the gist already. And tonight, despite my repeated warnings, you continued to take wrong turn after wrong turn, and ended up having to sleep on a bed of leaves.

Shez: Yes... I know. This was my fault, and I'm sorry.

Arval: How strange... While you are clearly in the wrong, I feel as if somehow I am instead... I need to remember this tactic. Anyway, the point is, we all make mistakes. And by we, I mean you. And by a few, I mean far, FAR, more than average.

Shez: I get it, okay? So why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?

Arval: Ah, right. I woke you because I could sense some commotion coming this way. Look, let's say...over there.

With Arval's direction, Shez spots a group of three teenagers. A white haired girl, a blonde male, and a tanned male. They seemed to be bickering, but then notice Shez's presence. Now detected, Shez steps up to them.

Shez: I'm no bandit. I'm a mercenary.

Tanned Male: Oh, wonderful. That makes things a lot better.

White Haired Girl: A sellsword is far more in place in these woods than bandits, at least...

Blonde Male: Yes, well, if that is the case, then we should introduce ourselves.

Tanned Male: Yeah, I don't think being pursued by bandits is the most appropriate time for introductions.

Shez: Yeah, those can wait. You clearly need every blade you can find, and my pockets are have been feeling awfully light lately. What do you say?

White Haired Girl: I suppose it would be for the best. Rest assured, you will be rewarded handsomely for you assistance.

With that little exchange out of the way, the four make their way through the bandits, fighting tooth and nail in a difficult struggle! Just kidding, Shez's battle experience was making quick works of the hordes of bandits, while the three teenagers were doing wonderfully as well. However, looking from up above, a male was watching.

???: Hmm... They found a mercenary, it looks like. But will one be enough? Two, four, six, I count about a thousand up ahead... I hate going off rumors, but I hear more mercenaries are in the town just over there. I'll ask them for their help as well.

The male reigns in his dark Pegasus, and descends down to the ground level and toward a village called Remire. There, he spots just who he was looking for. A man on a horse, and a woman with dark teal hair.

???: Ho, friends!

The male calls out to the man and lands his Pegasus. The man he was speaking to was Jeralt of Jeralt's Mercenaries.

Jeralt: Hold on, excuse me? Were you just...on a Pegasus? You are a male, correct?

???: Yes, I am. But that's not important right now. I came to ask you for help.