Heath

"As it turned out, I could be neither a knight of Bern nor a mercenary"

- Heath in his A-support conversation with Vaida

Heath (ヒース, Hīsu) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken. He is a proud Wyvern Rider of Bern who is honorable with a strong sense of justice and morality.

History
Heath once served Bern as a Wyvern Rider under the command of Vaida. Among his wingmates were Isaac, Lachius, and Belminade, none of whom ever appear in the story. As he reveals to Kent in a B level support, his unit was sent down to suppress an uprising. What they found, however, was a group of unarmed peasants who fled at their approach; a general had drummed up a false rebellion in order to further his military career. When ordered to kill the peasants, his unit refused and tried to stop other Bern forces from harming them. For this treason, they were branded traitors and to be hanged. The general responsible for the false rebellion also spread a lie that the unit had killed innocents, while the opposite was true. Vaida served as a decoy as the rest of the unit fled to cross the border, but was seriously injured in the resulting battle. However, his former wingmates, save Vaida, are now all dead because of their desertion from Bern.

After fleeing Bern, he falls in with Eubans's mercenary group to make a living. In Hector's Story, he appears with a division of it during the chapter Talons Alight and reports that he secured a route of retreat as Eubans ordered. He then leaves. He later appears in Kinship's Bond with the mercenaries. He will surrender to any of the lords if they speak to him and thus be recruited.

His wyvern is named Hyperion.

Personality
He voluntarily defects to Eliwood's side after the leader of his mercenary squad orders him to kill women and children — something that compromised his sense of personal honor. This indicates his high respect for chivalry, much as his refusal to kill innocents in Bern does. When he converses with Sealen during Talons Alight, he tells him to "watch himself" and ensure that he is not hurt, despite their having no close relationship, indicating that he cares deeply about those who he fights with and does not want to see his allies hurt.

While he claims in his B level support with Kent: "Bern is nothing to me... I have no love for a country that slaughters its own," in his final chapter quote he states: "For Bern, land of my birth... May I return to it soon!" indicating that he misses his country. His A level support with Vaida best compromises these viewpoints as he expresses that he wants to protect Prince Zephiel, who he believes will be a just ruler. This would hopefully end the abuses of the people that Bern saw under King Desmond and make Bern a country Heath can serve with pride.

He can develop feelings with Priscilla, but when he learns her position as the adopted daughter of Count Caerleon of Etruria, as a deserter from Bern he has no choice but to leave her. Alternatively, he can renew his loyalty to Vaida and depart with her to Bern to aid Prince Zephiel.

Normal Modes and Eliwood Hard Mode

 * Wyvern Rider
 * GBAThunder.gifer
 * 7
 * 28
 * 11
 * 8
 * 7
 * 7
 * 10
 * 1
 * 7
 * 9
 * Lance.gif - B
 * Axereaver Javelin Mine
 * }

Hector Hard Mode

 * Wyvern Rider
 * GBAThunder.gifer
 * 7
 * 32
 * 13
 * 10
 * 9
 * 7
 * 12
 * 2
 * 7
 * 9
 * Lance.gif - B
 * Axereaver Javelin Mine
 * }

Growth Rates

 * 80%
 * 50%
 * 50%
 * 45%
 * 20%
 * 30%
 * 20%
 * }

Promotion boosts
 * HP + 4
 * Skl + 2
 * Spd + 2
 * Res + 2
 * Con + 1
 * Mov + 1

Supports

 * Kent
 * Legault
 * Louise
 * Priscilla
 * Vaida

Overall
Being the only non-promoted Wyvern Rider in the game, Heath is a particularly powerful flier, having a high strength and speed at the expense of the wyvern's second weakness: Resistance. Like all fliers, Heath also takes critical damage from bows. He comes with an Axereaver, one of the few Buster weapons obtained. However, unlike the other playable Wyverns in the GBA series, he strangely does not get near his defense cap, but instead sports above average defense.

Even with these weaknesses, he is still a good unit to have because of his high mobility and his ability to wield heavier weapons than the other fliers in the game. Once promoted he gains the ability to wield swords, which gives him a nice advantage over axe-wielders later in the game. He is a good front line fighter, but be sure to avoid high level magic wielders, especially druids because of their high attack over sages and bishops, as they can easily kill him.

Death Quote
"I fought with honor... I can ask nothing more..."

- Death Quote

Battle Conversations
Eubans: You are a traitor, Heath. You know nothing of honor! Heath: I... No. I simply must live a life of which I am not ashamed. Commander Eubans... It is not too late. Give the order to stop. If you do... Eubans: Ha ha... You're so naive! You're no knight. And you're no mercenary, either, you dolt! You know nothing! You can carry your precious morals straight to the grave!
 * Vs. Eubans in Kinship's Bond (Chapter E21 or H22)

Vaida: You! Heath: Commander? Commander Vaida! It's me, Heath!!! Vaida: The deserter? By what right are you back in Bern? Heath: You first! Why are you working with the Black Fang? We swore to serve only House Bern... Vaida: I don't see anyone from the royal family around, do you? Heath: Commander Vaida... Vaida: Prepare yourself, Heath!! You were a novice when you reneged on your vows. Have you improved much since you turned your coat? Heath: Commander! I... I do not want to fight you. Vaida: No more talk!
 * Vs. Vaida in Unfulfilled Heart (Chapter E24 or H26)

Possible Endings
Heath - Wandering Knight

Heath moved to Ilia and became a mercenary knight of some fame. He fought not for country, but for people in need.

Heath and Vaida

After paying her debt to Eliwood, Vaida returned to Bern. Though no longer an official knight, she sought to aid the prince from the shadows. Heath followed her home to Bern to support her.

Heath and Priscilla

They fell in love amidst conflict, but Priscilla was a noble and Heath was a deserter from Bern. Their differences were too great. When they parted, Heath told a weeping Priscilla he would someday return.

Trivia

 * Heath and Vaida were originally siblings, but this was dropped in the final version of the game.
 * In Heath's second support conversation with Priscilla, he has a line, "I'm fine. A few cuts and scratches won't kill me." But there is a typo, and the word "kill" is spelled "killl".
 * Heath is the only male flier in the game.

Etymology
A 'heath' refers to either a wild, uncultivated field or moor, or the shrubs and heather commonly found on a heath.

Hyperion is the name of the Greek sun titan, the rulers of the world before the rise of the gods, and also the eighth moon of Saturn.