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The year is 1185 in the fair lands of Fódlan, and Adrestia, Faerghus and Leicester were all at war with one another, fighting for the union under one flag. For the twenty-three-year-old Marianne von Edmund, it was a bit of a daunting task to fight against her homeland, but she was able to manage it for a time. The current battle was going well so far for the Adrestian Empire, but it would only be a matter of time before it would change.
"Out of the way!"
A familiar voice reached Marianne's ears. Oh no. She thought. From far off, she found a familiar shade of green hair, her heart dropping. After a blast of her thoron cleared a path for a man atop a horse to come charging in, stopping in front of Marianne, a bow in his hand.
At that moment, Marianne's worst nightmare had come true.
The man was her former classmate five years ago from the Golden Deer class when they both went to Garreg Mach Monastery. A memory from those five years ago with the man came to her- when she fled to the lighthouse seeking solitude. It was him who went out of his way to look for her, asking for a dance. Her heart had fluttered, unaware that she would have fallen further in love with him that same night.
"Marianne." His voice snapped her out of her thoughts, as she turned to look at the man. Despite her best efforts, even a brief glance was enough to make it impossible to look at him, despite his efforts to help this problem years ago.
"Ignatz... I..." Marianne stuttered. "I'm... I'm so sorry." She spoke, unable to say anymore. "I know, Marianne. I know you're sorry," Ignatz began. "Yet here you are on the side of the empire, fighting your old classmate as a result."
"We don't have to fight! We still have time to-"
"I don't want to fight you either," Ignatz said. "But this is war, Marianne!" He readied his bow. Marianne hesitated. Why did it have to be him? She wondered. Why couldn't they have been on the same side? Was there truly no other choice?
The man readied an arrow, aiming it towards her, only for him to be greeted with a thoron spell. It was enough to knock him off his horse, his breathing steady as he got up from the ground, as an arrow landed on Marianne. He began to charge at her with a sword in his hand. Marianne closed her eyes out of fear, unknowingly casting a spell.
"I'm sorry!" She said, the thoron landing once again. Her eyes opened upon hearing the scream of Ignatz before he fell to the ground. "I... I should have known... After the first thoron..." He spoke, staring at the sky above.
Marianne couldn't help but walk towards the man, sitting beside him. "... Are you willing... To listen to me still?" He asked. "Why shouldn't I?" She asked, unable to eye contact. "I wish... I could have seen more of the world," he said. "But... If I'm dying with you near me, then... Then maybe it's not so bad." He finished. "W... What do you mean by that?" Marianne questioned.
With the remaining strength he had, Ignatz held Marianne's hand. "Well... You are my world, Marianne." Ignatz said a smile on his face. Marianne's eyes widen, in terror, tears falling from her eyes. Goddess... Please tell me this is just a bad dream...! She thought.
"Y... You're not saying that... That..." She trailed off as more tears came. Ignatz's smile only brought Marianne more pain. "Your hand is a lot warmer than mine... I'm glad..." He said. "I love you, Marianne. I really do."
No... Marianne was speechless. The man she fell in love with years prior had just confessed to her. Why did it have to end like this? "Marianne..." He spoke again. "Let's meet again... In a better life."
His hand let go of Marianne's. "Ignatz...?" She asked. "Ignatz?! Don't tell me that...!" For the first time in a long while, her pleas would fall on deft ears, yet again. This can't be it. This can't be it. He can't be...! The sounds of the battlefield went silent as she sat there.
"Why...?" She questioned, hearing footsteps coming near her. "... Why couldn't you have lived a bit longer to hear a reply...?" How dare the world take him away so soon. Why did it have to be now? Marianne held his body close to hers. "Goddess... Why do you have to be so cruel now?" She questioned.
"Ignatz... I love you too..."