In order to provide some more context, I've written a short prologue for this universe. It follows a lot of Fire Emblem conventions, and it's essentially the first four or five chapters of the hypothetical game. Enjoy!

Chapter Text

The nation of Otonokizaka is a small nation of peace. However, that small nation is not only populated by fertile land, its physical location allows it to be a trading hub for the entire continent. For centuries, its neighbors, though they may covet the land, have respected its citizens. Otonokizaka has never went to war. A small, informal militia is kept strictly for practical purposes.

All of a sudden, things have changed. The king of a large, neighboring nation has suddenly taken ill; his brother has assumed his duties while he recovers. But it does not appear as if the king is recovering. And the brother has violated the terms of a peace treaty with another nation by moving military forces through it. One fateful day, an unassuming letter is delivered to the Otonokizaka government. It is short, straight, and to the point:

"You have thirty days to surrender and allow yourself to be annexed by the Empire. At the end of those thirty days, if we hear no reply, we will take your land by force."

Though the government tries to keep the ultimatum under wraps, the details are leaked out and a brief panic sets in. Most of the people who have lived there have done so their whole life. They have never known war. Now, their land is under threat.

Sensing something suspicious is going on with the Empire, three young women mobilize, with plans to clandestinely cross enemy lines and infiltrate the castle before the thirty days is up. They include an untrained mage, a classically trained archer, and a pegasus knight in training. None of the three have any combat experience whatsoever and only the pegasus knight was even planning to be part of the militia--she is the daughter of one of the government officials of Otonokizaka.

Attempts to rally support and recruit more members for what appears to be a mission of no return fall flat as the three travel through villages. In order to gain credibility, they decide to seek out a tactician, and they hear of a prodigal mercenary in a small village just outside their own. She is icy and resistant to joining the cause at first. However, bandits (perhaps paid off by the Empire) attack the village during the visit, and necessity dictates that she take up arms. The four of them successfully defend the village and inspire two residents, a cleric and armor knight who have known each other since they were children, to join as well.

Along the way, they encounter resistance from two entities. One is an officer in the militia who travels with a mysterious dark mage companion. She lobbies the government to end their activity, but the government resists. They also encounter a mysterious masked swordfighter who derides them for supposedly being a "disgrace" to both Otonokizaka and the militia in general.

Boldly, the group decides to recruit the swordfighter and she acquiesces, anxious to make a difference. She had formerly been a member of the militia but had quit when she sensed no one took it as seriously as she did.

Seeing the support they are gaining and realizing that it might not be such a futile mission after all, the paladin and dark mage also join to create an army of nine. They take the name µ's, after the Nine Heroes of Otonokizakan lore. Strangely enough, those Nine Heroes too were made up of a mage, an archer, a pegasus knight, an armor knight, a cleric, a mercenary, a myrmidon, a paladin, and a dark mage ...

The informal militia doubles in size due to the rallying of µ's and remains at the borders in case the agreement is broken and the invasion happens before the deadline. But with three weeks to go, the government authorizes the operation in secret. µ's crosses the border and has a long journey ahead of them ...

[Support conversations unlocked!]