This is the story. The story of the young child of Valla who met with its prince to save the world. Many stories differ on the child's intention, his motives, and why he was chosen to meet the fated Prince. Let us see first, however, the story of Valla itself. How did this country come into such despair? Where are its people? More importantly, who lives there now? This is the story of the Silent Dragon, and the lone fugitive who sought to escape.

"Everyone, flee!"

A mass outpouring of Vallite citizens flowed from every town, every village, every nook and cranny in the forsaken land. News of the king's death by the hand of the Silent Dragon Anankos spread like wildfire, as well as the escape of the royal sisters, Arete and Mikoto. Rumors had it that both Arete and Mikoto had managed to give birth to two young children, Arete's young daughter Azura, and Mikoto's boy named Corrin. These children were said to have escaped along with the exiled royals. Now all the citizens of Valla were scrambling to escape along with them, using whatever means necessary. Means of escape were rumored: lakes that transported you to other realms, bottomless cliffs that somehow exited into a dreary land, and the fabled astral planes. These plans were put to a halt, however, when the citizens attempted these measures. Townspeople drowned themselves striving in vain to find a portal, met their end in a resounding thud at the bottom of a canyon, knelt down and prayed, but in vain.

A nineteen year old adventurer, Emma by name, gripped her bow tightly. "Damn it all…" she growled, "There's nothing here...no way out." She watched as flustered townspeople shouldered each other aside, each selfishly searching for a new means to escape the trap "King" Anankos had set for them. Valla had always been a peaceful place, full of those who were courageous, kind, and helpful. Anyone brought up in Valla could tell you how closely bonded neighbors were, and how accepting they were of every person that found their way to the beautiful city. Then the news had arrived of the king's death, and all hell had broken loose. Emma wiped away a tear. Her own family, two parents and an older brother, aged 22, had been killed not by any forces under the new king's command, but had been trampled by crowds rushing to escape the city. Lost in thought, Emma suddenly roused herself when a shout of anger broke through her daydreams. She heard a commotion by the lake and turned to see what new issue had arisen in this desperate time. Approaching the lake, Emma took in the scene in front of her and angrily nocked an arrow in her bow, ready to fire. Cries of horror and anger were ripped from the throats of onlooking friends and loved ones as a group villagers carelessly shoved the floating bodies of the fallen aside to search for their own escape. It was of the deepest disrespect of the dead, and was inexcusable, even in desperate times like these. Finally, one young man laughed in triumph, perhaps thinking he had finally found a path. His triumph was cut short, however, by a longsword emerging from the water. Without even a pause, the sword penetrated the man's back, ripping through cloth, skin, and muscle to exit through his navel. The young man stood for a second, with a questioning look on his face as though he wasn't even sure he had been stabbed. Behind him, a shifting shadow of a man, masked in a purple haze, drew up while clutching the sword. Without hesitation, the shadow grabbed the young villager and thrust him beneath the surface of the water.

As the poor villager struggled hopelessly for breath, more invisible soldiers emerged from the lake. Cries broke from the group as the corpses of the other villagers were enshrouded in a purple cloud, and they too rose up, shrouded in the same purple cloud, and stalked towards the townspeople. By this time, the young villager had stopped struggling, and the samurai that had taken his life rose from the water.

"I AM THE FROGOTTEN DRAGON."

The voice seemed to come not from the samurai, but was rather reverberating throughout the entire area. Perhaps even the entire land of Valla.

"THE ENTOMBED GOD, THE BETRAYED KING."

Several soldiers gathered around the samurai, raising their weapons towards the group.

"IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF VALLA, I SENTENCE YOU TO DIE!"

Cries rang out from the villagers as they tried to flee the warriors. Those in the front of the group, those most selfish and eager to leave their loved ones behind, were immediately put to death. Emma cursed and ducked away from the rest of the townspeople. Pulling her hood up over her head, she rushed into the forest behind her without a second look. She scrambled over root, climbed over rocks, and even had to duck under branches that seemed to be bending down to her

Wait…looking out to the road ahead, Emma saw rocks shifting into place, roots rising to threaten falls, and branches hang down over the path ahead. Emma cursed the Silent Dragon again. All this power over the land of Valla…whose idea was it to let him hold onto it?!

She leapt off of the pathway, this time running haphazardly between trees, over ditches. Until finally, a clearing opened up, distantly off to the side of her. Gratefully, she sprinted through and found herself on solid brick.

"Hey, you!"

Emma turned to see a young man clothed in what appeared to be ninja garb. He was rather shorter than she imagined ninja to be, with short, light brown hair tied back in a bandana and olive green eyes.

"Nohrian, are you?"

Emma was taken aback. She had heard of the realm of Nohr, as well as its less than ideal political and martial practices. She held no resentment for any Nohrians, but to be seen as from there, rather than Valla…where was she?

"Not exactly, I'm afraid. Please tell me, where am I?"

The ninja smirked, and for a half second Emma thought the ninja would simply order her to be thrown into the dungeon. If she wasn't in Valla, or in Nohr, then…

"I wouldn't say you would have to be afraid of not being from Nohr. You got the right clothes, I'd wager. Right hair and eyes from what I can tell, too…" Emma self-consciously brushed back her blonde hair from her face. "but…the way you hold yourself is different. Those Nohrians walk so tall and proud, while you…you almost seem dogged. Don't worry, my lady. You've found yourself on the outskirts of Hoshido."

Emma took this chance to interrupt him. "That's just wonderful. My name is Emma, and I hail from-"

A scream interrupted her parley. Both she and the ninja turned around, only to be welcomed to the sight of purple mist rolling through the small town. The two reeled backwards in surprise, and the ninja let out a shout.

"Gods above! What is that?"

Emma could feel her face going deathly pale.

"Monsters…monsters from…my homeland…" For some reason, she could feel her mind instinctively telling her not to outright say where she was from.

"What? You brought them here?" The ninja turned on her, raising his dagger threateningly. "Call them off, or I swear I'll-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Emma smiled bitterly. "I suppose I brought them here, in a manner of speaking, but I have no control over them. I am a fugitive, fleeing from a usurper king."

"You had no right to come here then," the ninja growled, "no right to wander into a foreign country, to sacrifice the lives of so many townsmen!"

Emma bowed her head. "I understand," she replied meekly, "but perhaps…perhaps I can at least cause some lives to be spared."

Throwing back her hood, she boldly approached the Vallite soldiers. "My Lord, King Anankos, if I may so call you, I wish to plea for the lives of these villagers!"

"Emma, what…" Emma shot him a glare, attempting to convey a single message. Stay out of this.

"SPEAK."

The single word reverberated through the air with such power, many of the villagers fell to their knees.

Emma knelt on one knee as well, bowing her head in what she guessed was a symbol of respect. "My Lord Anankos, surely you do not wish to kill all the humans who cross you?"

"ALL ARE WEAK. ALL ARE MISERABLE WORMS BEFORE ME," the voice boomed, "WHY SHOULD I NOT CRUSH THEM, INSIGNIFICANT AS THEY ARE?"

Emma's mind rushed. "Have you no need for servants?" She called out, "What of those to tend to your castle? Those to give messages? Surely you would be willing to spare a few humans to do this menial work."

"PERHAPS." The Dragon's voice still seemed uncertain. "PERHAPS I COULD USE MY OWN SOLDIERS FOR SUCH WORK."

Emma shook her head. Suddenly, she had seen things the way Anankos saw them. She knew Anankos was sold on the idea. He was just searching for a reason to assert himself above the humans. She thought carefully. How to phrase it so that Anankos didn't feel as though he needed them, but so that they could be useful?

"Milord," she said, bowing deeply, "You are not wrong. Your soldiers could be of use, but only as an inconvenience to my Lord. They rely on your instruction all hours of the day, whilst we…we only need be told once what our duty is."

The voice paused for a moment.

"VERY WELL." It said finally, "You may have the immense honor of being placed as a servant of the king of Valla. But heed my warning." The voice growled fiercely, and suddenly Emma found it very easy to think of the voice as a dragon rather than human. "If I sense even the slightest hint of Rebellion, a touch of dissatisfaction with your position, I will end your pathetic lives. Painfully."

As one, the soldiers moved forward, surrounding the townspeople. Screams of terror and anguish filled the air as the Hoshidans were corralled together to be sent to Valla.

Emma turned back to the ninja. "I need your help"

The ninja glared back at her and sighed. "What is it that you want now?"

Emma pointed to the crowd. "We need to calm the crowd down, or else Anankos will grow impatient, kill the people here and find another group of people to enslave."

The ninja sighed and rolled his eyes. "I suppose you want me to thank you for saving our lives as well." He turned and moved towards the terrified Hoshidans. "I'm not sure it's much to thank, though, spending our lives in captivity."

Emma walked along with him, staff in hand in case she needed to heal. "Perhaps it's not what could have been, but you never know." She turned to the ninja, and a ghastly smile came to her lips. "I hear that the royals of Valla, Mikoto and Arete, escaped and are currently searching for help for our plight. Slaves we may be now, but for life? Perhaps we shall wait and see."

The ninja smiled at this reassurance, and together the two began to close in on the crowd, hugging distraught mothers, holding distraught children in their arms.

"By the way," Emma said nonchalantly, "you never told me your name."

If her eyes weren't mistaken, Emma could have sworn the ninja was blushing. "M-my name? I…never…what?" Emma stared.

"Azaki."

Emma let out a loose, clear laugh that brought smiles to many of the Hoshidans around her.

"Azaki. That's so…Hoshidan."

"And you're saying Emma doesn't sound Nohrian?"

"Vallite," the girl corrected. "Although I suppose we're all to be Vallites now."

The two looked at each other for a moment, feeling a mutual sense of camaraderie. Then the reality of the situation set in, and they, along with the Hoshidan townspeople, walked with the Vallite escorts to their new prison of Valla.