At the end of the moon, You go and meet up with the Blue Lions in the cardinals' room. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.
Seraphine: We're going to have a lot on our plates involving House Schweighen this month… I have a bad feeling about all of this. I suppose that we're just going to have to see how it all unfolds. I hope that nothing happens to cause us too much damage. I don't want to see Professor Schweighen upset about it either.
Seraphine halts in her speech as You arrive at the cardinals' room to see the rest of the Blue Lions already there and waiting for You.
Reese: Here you are. We were about to send a search party out.
Nora: Forgive him, Professor. I think that he's just nervous about the mission that we're taking on today, though I can't say that I blame him in the slightest.
Aestlyn: There's really not all that much to our attack today aside from simply charging in there and getting the job done.
Magnolia: Schweighen soldiers have been attempting to provoke nearby territories for quite some time. I can't say that I'm surprised given the history that the house has, but…
Illona: The point is that we're going to have to take care of them one way or another.
Kyle: Maybe this will be something that we can actually figure out without anything else getting in our way.
Cassia: That's what I'm hoping for as well. I don't like leaving so many things unresolved the way that we have been recently.
Falon: I don't see much of a reason to stand around here any longer than we have to. Why don't we get going?
Karim: I have to confess that I feel the same way. Everything should be ready for us to set out.
Luciana: Without further ado then, let's take our leave.
The Blue Lions leave the cardinals' room behind, and the journey to Schweighen territory begins. You spend quite some time making your way to the target of the day's battle, and the journey passes in mostly silence for You. Your thoughts drift to other matters such as Magnolia and Reese, but You aren't able to do anything about your concern for either one of them, able to see rather clearly that they aren't in much of a talking mood.
When You finally arrive in Schweighen territory, You stand with Magnolia on top of a notable hill near the main building of the estate. You can see the guards circling the building from afar.
Magnolia: Alright… Here we are. We're going to have to rush in as quickly as possible.
Luciana: I agree. We've chosen to strike at this point of the day because our informants have led us to believe that the soldiers that regularly guard the estate of House Schweighen are leaving to take care of other business. This is the best time for us to try and reclaim the building.
Reese: Of course… I bet that my uncle has sent out fighters to cause problems in the name of gaining more power. He's always been like that, loathe as I am to admit it.
Karim: Yeah… I can't say that you're wrong about that. I've heard many things about his short temper in the past.
Illona: Armadi das Schweighen… I've come across quite a bit of information about him in my time as well.
Cassia: We know what we have to do, and we have a narrow window of time where we can accomplish it. I think that we should lash out now before anything can happen.
Falon: I agree completely. If we take too long, reinforcements could start to stream in, and that would make our fight much harder.
Aestlyn: We need to do everything we can in order to keep from being boxed in on two sides. We need to move quickly but not hastily.
Kyle: If you ask me, it sounds like we've got a plan about what we're doing. Let's put it into motion.
Nora: The guard shifts appear to be changing now. Let's use the element of surprise to our advantage.
Magnolia: Blue Lions, we move! The battle begins now!
You and the Blue Lions move into place for the coming fight. You survey the battlefield carefully, and You see that there are many soldiers scattered around the region, but many of them remain close to the building itself. The land in front of the estate is rather wide and open, but the space close to the mansion remains heavily guarded and difficult to break through, so You make a mental note to proceed with caution. There are no signs of Armadi das Schweighen, but You have no doubt that he will appear soon enough.
When the battle begins properly, the following dialogue plays out.
Magnolia: I don't see the lord of this territory yet… I'm sure that he's going to show his face soon enough.
Reese: He won't be able to resist. The idea of taking out the queen of Faerghus will be too great a prospect for him to ignore. I know how he works.
Luciana: He won't find such a task to be as easy as he's hoping then. Allow us to show what the Blue Lions are truly capable of here and now!
Magnolia: She's right. We won't stop until we've reclaimed the Schweighen territory!
The battle rages around You in the minutes that follow, and the Blue Lions once again show how far they have come in the past five years. You begin to surge closer to the estate, and You begin to feel as if seizing the building is within your grasp.
At the start of turn three, the following dialogue plays out as perspective shifts to the inside of the Schweighen manor. Armadi stands with a soldier and a young woman: Raina.
Soldier: Sir! A group of soldiers led by the queen are here!
Armadi: Queen Magnolia is here…? What a curious development… What do they want?
Soldier: They're calling for the removal of your power due to your alliance with Malice!
Armadi: I didn't think that the queen would be so bold as to something like that… I'll take to the field myself then. She has no way of defeating me in combat.
Raina: What should I do, Uncle?
Armadi: Stay inside, Raina. Don't let anyone see you, understood?
Raina: Of course.
Raina leaves, and Armadi turns his attention back to the soldier.
Armadi: Let's go and show them why they shouldn't even dare to cross into Schweighen territory ever again.
Soldier: Of course, sir!
Armadi takes to the field. The following dialogue plays out.
Magnolia: There he is… Lord Armadi das Schweighen! Surrender at once or face the full might of the Faerghus Knights!
Armadi: I'm afraid that giving in is not an option for me. Forgive me for continuing this fight.
Reese: Don't mask your intentions with pretty words… We know that you don't want to back down no matter what happens. You're in this for power and land, and that's all there is to it.
Armadi: …
Luciana: Magnolia, what are your orders?
Magnolia: We're going to keep fighting. That's all there is to it. Don't stop until we've reclaimed the building!
The battle continues, and your forces press toward the building once again. You are steadily advancing on success as the minutes crawl on, and You can tell that Armadi will be defeated soon.
At the start of turn six, the following dialogue plays out as reinforcements spawn in from the back end of the map.
Magnolia: Enemies are starting to return to the area… We can't afford to hold this off for much longer if we want to keep from getting overwhelmed. Get closer as soon as possible!
Your forces finally start to close in around Armadi, and the battle's end is within your grip. You can tell that You will only need to defeat him in order to seize the building and end the fight once and for all, so You surge forward with all the force that You can muster.
If You initiate combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Armadi: You're the tactician of this group, it seems… You won't be able to find a strategy that helps you to escape this situation. I refuse to allow you to break through. I've fought for my place in this world, and I won't yield it to someone like you!
If Magnolia initiates combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Magnolia: You've been causing enough trouble over the past few years, and I'm not about to let it continue.
Armadi: I didn't expect the queen of all people to come to my humble territory…
Magnolia: Save it. I don't want to listen to you talk like that when there's so much that hinges on this fight.
Armadi: Rather prickly, wouldn't you say?
Magnolia: I didn't come here to get judged. I'm here to try and save the people who you've brought nothing more than pain and misery, and you will feel the consequences here and now!
If Karim initiates combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Karim: I was hoping that I wouldn't have to see your face anymore…
Armadi: You're the leader of Faren lands.
Karim: You keep on attempting to cross into my territory, and I'm not going to stand for that. You've caused the people living in the border villages to fear for their lives because you're hungry for power. I'm not going to tolerate something so disgusting if there's something I can do to stop it.
Armadi: You talk quite a bit, though I suppose that is a talent for many nobles… But will you be able to back it up with anything?
Karim: Oh, you'll wish that I was only talking about all of this when I'm finished with you. That much I can promise.
If Reese initiates combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Reese: Oh, Uncle… We haven't seen each other in quite some time.
Armadi: I was hoping that you had died somewhere along the way… I wasn't as lucky as I was hoping, it seems.
Reese: You act like I'm the one with my foot halfway in the grave right now. You're the one with those issues as far as I can tell. After all, you chose to cross me.
Armadi: You're just as feisty as you always were. You were hardly fit to rule over a territory one day.
Reese: ...Where's Raina?
Armadi: That won't matter where you're going, my sweet nephew.
Reese: We'll just have to see about that!
If Luciana initiates combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Luciana: Well… We sure are finding ourselves in quite the interesting situation, hm?
Armadi: Luciana Daphne Arellan… We've met a few times.
Luciana: You could certainly say that… But I would prefer it if you kept from using your flowery words with me.
Armadi: Oh? What could lead you to treat me with such hostility?
Luciana: I've had access to quite the large amount of information in the past few years, you see… My home territory of Arellan fell when there was an uprising because of the commoners lashing out against my mother. She had a stranglehold on the territory and all of its people. She would have known if anyone was trying to start a rebellion… Unless there was an outside person who happened to instigate such violence.
Armadi: Do you truly mean to accuse me of such horrible things?
Luciana: I do. Your lands are adjacent to what was once Arellan territory. You were looking to expand your influence, and you took advantage of my mother's weak rule to do it.
Armadi: She was never powerful enough to look over such a grand territory.
Luciana: My opinions on my mother's rule are irrelevant right now, but I do know that you caused many people to suffer in your wishes to instigate a rebellion. You hurt too many people along the way because you wanted power and were willing to do anything to get it. I'm not going to stand for something of that nature.
Armadi: You think that you'll be able to defeat me when your mother didn't even get the chance to try?
Luciana: I do, as a matter of fact. Make peace with the goddess… And perish.
If anyone else initiates combat with Armadi, the following dialogue plays out.
Armadi: If you had been smart, you wouldn't have crossed into my territory. I don't exactly have a reputation for mercy regarding those who violate my rules. Still, you made this decision… And all I can do is carry out the given punishment.
When Armadi is defeated, the following dialogue plays out.
Armadi: It… It wasn't supposed to end this way… Faerghus… It should have been…
When the battle draws to a close, You stand with the Blue Lions in the entryway of the Schweighen estate.
Magnolia: It appears that everything has been taken care of now… Luciana, set up our remaining soldiers in a defensive front to ensure that the remaining fighters from Schweighen lands don't try to reclaim this area.
Luciana: Of course. We should take any supplies from this area that we believe would be useful to our coming cause.
Nora: Then let's start to sweep through the building to see if there's anything that we can take with us when we head back to the monastery.
Reese: Before we divide… I want to say that we need to be on guard. You never know what could be hiding in the shadows of this place.
Kyle: Let's look around in groups if we can then. I'm sure that would take at least a bit of the risk off.
Reese: There is one more thing… I believe that there's another member of House Schweighen hiding in this area.
Illona: I know who you mean… You're talking about the heir to the territory, aren't you? I've heard of her. Raina, I think her name is.
Aestlyn: That's right… I've heard about her too. I don't think that we fought her during the last fight, so she's probably around here somewhere.
Karim: What do you think that we should do with her then? I don't have any ideas on how to handle any of this territory, and she's a mystery within that.
Reese: Let me handle it. I'll do what I can to try and figure things out. If you find her, bring her in my direction.
Falon: I understand… If there's anything that we think is related to her, then we'll be sure to show you as soon as possible.
Reese: Thank you all for your understanding.
Cassia: Of course. It's the least that we could do. Now, let's go and take care of everything that we need to get out of the way. We don't want to stay here any longer than we need to.
The Blue Lions divide to take care of their respective tasks. You trail after Reese upon noticing that he is acting distantly, and You decide to ask him what is on his mind.
Reese: If I'm being honest, I think a little bit of everything is. I didn't expect for things to go this way, and I didn't think that Raina and I would be meeting this way. I had been hoping to never have to interact with my uncle again, that he would just buzz off and die somewhere so that I didn't have to pay attention to him ever again. Still… I suppose that I've been looking forward to seeing my sister again for a long time, and I guess that now is as good a time as any to close the gap that many years apart has created between us.
You ask him what his sister is like.
Reese: I… I don't know. The last time that I saw her, she was still a young child, no more than a few years old. I always wondered how life treated her, but there wasn't a way for me to come back here. My uncle killed our parents and used her Crest to rise to the top of the pecking order when our family was suspected to be wiped out. Many have suspected his dark activities, but without any evidence, he was simply allowed to keep moving on as he wished to. Besides, Faerghus was still being rocked by the death of the previous king, and no heir had been decided at the time. Times have changed since then, but it's just been too chaotic for anyone to do anything about him… Until now, I suppose.
You tell him that You will be there regardless of what happens with his sister.
Reese: Thanks for that, Professor. I really do appreciate it. I have no idea what to expect when it comes to seeing Raina again… I'm sure that she's around here somewhere. Who even knows what pack of lies my uncle has fed her over the years since we've been separated? Nearly eighteen years have passed since I last saw her now. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to seeing her again.
You hear something shuffling nearby, and You decide to investigate. Reese trails after You, and You find yourself in a small room with him and a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to your coworker. You assume that this is Raina.
Reese: You… Raina?
The woman takes a step forward and holds up a knife shakily.
Raina: Stay back! I'm not afraid to use this!
Reese: Look, alright? My hands are in the air. I'm not going to hurt you. Please… just let us talk for a moment. This is important for you to hear about.
Raina: Who are you? I don't understand why you're here at all. My uncle is-
Reese: We know. Give us the chance to explain everything. I'm not going to hold back in telling you the truth, alright?
Raina: Give me one good reason that I should listen to you.
Reese: We have the same Crest. How does that sound for a reason? I'm being completely honest with you when I say that we have a connection, and I want to tell you everything about it. For one, I already know your name, and it's not as if your existence has been as publicly advertised as most other nobles' lives. That has to count for something as a point in my favor, right?
Raina: ...Let's say that I believe your story. What is it that links us? I won't be tolerating any foolish behavior, so if I think that you're going to hurt me-
Reese: I understand. I won't do anything that could hurt you. I promise. Please… Listen for a moment.
Raina: Fine. You have my attention, but please make it quick, alright?
Reese: My name is Reese das Schweighen, and I was once the heir of this house. Many years ago, almost two decades now, my parents were murdered by my uncle, and my younger sister was used as a pawn for him to rise to become the leader of the house that had nearly crumbled to pieces under his influence. You are the one who was taken in by my uncle, and I know for a fact that we share a common Crest: Charon. I remember as such from when you were young.
Raina: Why should I believe this? I have no reason to-
Reese: Do you want to see proof? I have it.
Reese displays his Crest of Charon.
Reese: I know that you have this Crest as well. I can also ask other noble houses for records regarding the lineages of various families, and I'm sure that they would back up my story as well. I want you to understand the truth. This isn't just for my benefit. I want you to know where you come from and everything that happened in order for us to reach the place where we currently are.
Raina: I… I don't know what to say about all of this…
Raina drops her knife to the floor, and You lean down to pick it up while remaining as open and cautious as possible.
Reese: You don't have to offer me an answer right now. I know that it's a lot of me to dump on you all at once, and I'm going to respect your wishes if you want to hold back for the time being. Just understand that I'm not trying to hurt you in the slightest, and if you ever want to learn more about where you come from… I'm here.
Raina: ...My uncle always said that my parents died in an accident, and that was when he took over the house. Nobody ever spoke to me about it. They said that it wasn't something that I should need to hear about.
Reese: I can't say that I'm surprised… He's always been a bit of a slippery man when it comes to matters such as this. I didn't think that he would be honest, and I'm seeing now that I was completely right in assuming that he would do something like this to you.
Raina: What am I supposed to even think about all of this?
Reese: I can't dictate what you do or don't think about what I'm telling you. However, I can say that I'll be more than happy to back up all of my claims with evidence as soon as I get the chance to do so. I know that me coming in here and telling you everything like this isn't going to persuade you easily, so I'm telling you that I'll put in as much effort as I have to so that we can one day be happy together… Not even that. I just want you to understand what happened in the first place. You deserve that much. Even if we never speak again afterwards, at least you'll know what happened.
Raina: I… I'm going to need some time to think about all of this. I don't know what to do.
Reese: I understand. I'll do what I can so that you're comfortable from here on out. This is a lot to hear about at once, but… I'm going to try and find you a place to stay in Fhirdiad. You'll be safe there, and I'll come back to see you again after the war ends. I promise.
Reese moves to leave the room.
Raina: Um… Reese, was it?
Reese: Yes?
Raina: You and I… We do look rather similar, wouldn't you say?
Reese: Yeah… We do.
Raina: Somehow… I think that I know you're telling the truth. I don't know how to describe it, but something about what you're saying just feels right to me.
Reese: Truly?
Raina: Yeah… I'm going to try and think about all of this while we're apart. Maybe we can become closer after the war ends…
Reese: I… I would love that.
Raina: I'd like it too…
Reese: I hope that you stay safe until then. I'll make sure that you're accommodated properly within Fhirdiad. I came with the queen, and she'll be able to help me.
Raina: Queen Magnolia is here?
Reese: She is. We won't be able to stay for long, but… I don't think that it's a good idea for you to come back with us. You'll learn more about our past if you're in Fhirdiad and have access to the records there. Plus, I can tell that you aren't much of a fighter. The way that you were holding that dagger earlier made it clear that you're not experienced in combat.
Raina: You would be correct in your assumptions.
Reese: I figured as much… One day, things will be different for the two of us. That much I can promise you confidently.
Raina: Thank you… Thank you for all of this. I don't know what to say.
Reese: We can work that out when we see each other again… How does that sound?
Raina: Of course. It sounds perfect.
You leave the room with Reese, and Raina leaves to go to other parts of the mansion. You ask how he is doing.
Reese: Honestly… I feel on top of the world. I don't know how I expected that to go, but it ended well. I can finally see her again… After all this time, I'm going to be able to see my sister again. When the war is over, we'll be together. That much I'm sure of.
You ask if he will be alright spending time away from her over the next few months.
Reese: Of course. We were separated for many years as it was, so what's a few extra moons?
You nod your understanding.
Reese: Besides… I have something to look forward to after all of this is over now. One day, the war will end, and when it does, I'll be back with my sister for the first time in many years. I'm sure that it's going to be beautiful when the time finally comes.
You say that You agree completely.
Reese: I suppose that we should meet with the others now… I'll tell Magnolia about Raina, and she'll be able to take care of everything. I'm sure that we can send a small faction of our forces back to Fhirdiad to make sure that she arrives safely… From there, we'll just need to head back to the monastery.
You tell Reese that You are happy today ended as well as it did.
Reese: Yeah… Me too.
In the hours that follow, You and the rest of the Blue Lions finish gathering the necessary supplies from the Schweighen estate, and You make your way back to the monastery itself. Raina is sent back to Fhirdiad along with a small group of soldiers. Night has fallen by the time of your return, and You can see the other Blue Lions getting ready to turn in for the night when You cross paths with Magnolia. You approach her and ask how she is faring in the aftermath of the earlier battle.
Magnolia: Ah, Professor… I'm doing fine, thank you for asking. I suppose that I'm a bit exhausted from everything that we had to endure today though.
You say that such a reaction is understandable.
Magnolia: I'm glad that Professor Schweighen was able to reunite with his sister though… His heart already seems much lighter than before. I'm hoping that the two will be able to properly reconnect when the war draws to a close.
You tell her that You feel the same way.
Magnolia: …
You ask if something is on her mind.
Magnolia: A lot is happening… That's all. I'm a bit worried about Raina, if I'm being honest. Fhirdiad isn't as safe right now as I was hoping for, but… Part of me thinks that she'll be fine. Maybe Fhirdiad simply isn't a safe place for me.
You question if it has anything to do with her being queen.
Magnolia: That's part of it… Not many people would want someone like me to be sitting on the throne, and I understand the risks of being in my current position. I hope that Raina doesn't have to go through something like that. Then again… I suspect that her current predicament has little overlap with mine. She might be a noble, but… She isn't the same as I am, and that has to count for something.
You say that Magnolia is speaking of her Albinean heritage.
Magnolia: Just as bright as ever, Professor… But I don't think that now is the time to be discussing such matters. I need to get some rest, and you do as well. Luciana isn't going to be happy if I stay up much later and push myself too far. We've won a significant battle, but the war is far from over. There's still a lot for us to accomplish, and we have to be ready… I hope that we can speak again at a later point, Professor.
You say that You feel the same as Magnolia leaves. You watch her go before making your way back to your room, Seraphine speaking to You all the way.
Seraphine: There she goes again, trying to hide things from us… We're going to figure it all out soon, I'm sure. It's just a matter of time before the truth comes to light.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: She is right about one thing though… It's getting late, and we should get some rest too. I'll see you in the morning.
You settle down for the night as Seraphine's voice vanishes from your mind. You wonder if You will be able to hear the truth from Magnolia soon, and You find yourself thinking back to what she said about Fhirdiad being an unsafe place for her. You wish Raina safety and take solace in the fact that Reese's dark history is finally being laid to rest. You vow to do everything in your power to end the war as soon as possible for the sake of everyone involved, and You fall into slumber with thoughts of peace and the joy that the war's victims will feel once the fighting has finally drawn to a close.
Next week is chapter eighteen, and you know what that means: promotion!
-Digital