The Heritors of Arcadia

The Heritors of Arcadia (Japanese: アルカディアの継ぎびと Heir of Arcadia) is one of the ending themes of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, and the only one of those themes to feature vocals. The English version is performed by Bonnie Gordon, the voice actor for Silque, while the Japanese version is performed by Janis Crunch.

The lyrics of the song appear to be sung from the point of view of Mila, the Earth Mother of Zofia, following the end of the game's events. The singer refers to herself as "the earth", who will "sustain you year after year", and to having surrendered her life to allow her people's lives to begin anew, free of the influence of gods; with the creators of Valentia, Mila and Duma, laid to rest, the singer expresses her belief that their vision for their people's happiness can finally come to pass.

Lyrics

Japanese 星空の海渡る 穢れなき翼 傷ついた人々の 歩み出す未来 巡りゆく季節は 悲しみを忘れさせ うつむく者たちを 優しく包み込む 荒野駆く青き獅子 導きの光 目を覚ます人々の 約束の大地 この身体朽ち果てて 吹く風に散ろうとも 輪廻の果てまでも 見届けてゆきたい 辿りつく道の果て 同じ空のもと 交わした夢 巡りゆく季節を 那由多まで数えても 命が失われ 暗闇を彷徨うとも この身体朽ち果てて 吹く風に散ろうとも 輪廻の果てまでも 見届けてゆきたい

Japanese (Rōmaji) Hoshizora no umi wataru Kegarenaki tsubasa Kizu tsuita hitobito no Ayumi dasu mirai Meguri yuku kisetsu wa Kanashimi o wasure sase Utsumuku mono tachi o Yasashiku tsutsumikomu Koya ka ku ao ki shishi Michibiki no hikari Me wo samasu hitobito no Yakusoku no daichi Kono karada kuchihatete Fukukaze ni chirōtomo Rin'ne no hate made mo Mitodokete yukitai Tadori tsuku michi no hate Onaji sora no moto Kawashita yume Meguri yuku kisetsu wo Nayuta made kazoete mo Inochi ga ushinawa re Kurayami o samayotomo Kono karada kuchihatete Fukukaze ni chirōtomo Rin'ne no hate made mo Mitodokete yukitai

Japanese (translated The starry sky across the ocean Pure wings The injured people's Future to come ahead Through the passing seasons Forget the sorrows Of the people we look down on Enveloping them with kindness A blue lion impels through the wilderness As a guiding light To the promised land of The people who open their eyes This body to rot away Scattered by the blowing wind The endless cycle of life to the end I want to see it with my eyes Follow the road to the end Under the same sky A mingling dream Counting the endless passing seasons Even as lives are lost I wander the darkness This body to rot away Scattered by the blowing wind The endless cycle of life to the end I want to see it with my eyes

English On an ocean of stars, Lo, an angel they see, Untouched by the war that they waged. Lain low by their scars, A people wounded but free, Seek what lies beyond this dark age. The seasons, they turn, winter to spring, Dulling the pain and erasing the sting. The seasons turn, summer to fall, Time's warm embrace begins to heal all. On the wild at first light, The jasper lion will run. Hark, an anthem he drums, can you hear? The people, fresh from the night, Rise and listen as one; The land that they were promised is near. And though I am gone, just ash in the wind, One life surrendered so yours can begin, Courage, my children, this is your song. I am the earth, I will make you strong. A world riven by pride repaired at last. And now, its makers can be at rest, Our vision come to pass. The seasons, they turn, memory fades, But when my name has been lost to the grey, I will sustain you, year after year. I will protect you when dangers appear. And though I am gone, just ash in the wind, One life surrendered so yours can begin, Courage, my children, this is your song. I am the earth, I will make you strong.

Song credits

• Vocals: Janis Crunch (Japanese) / Bonnie Gordon (English)
• Lyrics: Toshiyuki Kusakihara (Japanese) / Brian Gray (English)
• Music: Takeru Kanazaki

Trivia

• In the games set on Elibe, The Binding Blade and The Blazing Blade, there is a location called Arcadia, though this song does not relate to it in any way, and the location does not share the name "Arcadia" in Japanese releases.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	The Heritors of Arcadia	Arcadia refers to an ideal of union with nature, and originates from the name of a Greek province bearing the name.
Japanese	アルカディアの継ぎびと	Heir of Arcadia
Spanish	Herederos de Arcadia	Heirs of Arcadia
French	Héritiers d'Arcadia	Heirs of Arcadia
German	Arcadias Erben	Heir of Arcadia
Italian	Eredi di Arcadia	Heir of Arcadia
Dutch	De erfgenamen van Arcadia	The Heritors of Arcadia