When the day of the mission arrives, You wake up and start to move to the cardinals' room. As expected, Seraphine speaks to You on the way.
Seraphine: I guess that we're going to be defeating the assassins that have been causing so many problems as of late now… It's not going to be an easy fight if they're really as strong as we've been led to believe. Assuming that they were truly involved with the assassinations of many years ago, we're certainly going to have our work cut out for ourselves if we want to defeat them and prevent them from causing any future issues for our army.
You say that You have no intentions of failing for the sake of the Blue Lions.
Seraphine: You're just as determined as ever… Though I suppose that you do have a personal stake in all of this. You're protective over the kids, and you don't want to imagine that anyone could go after Karim or Falon for their connections to the houses that are being targeted at present. Plus, there's the matter of Kyle being targeted potentially due to his connection to the fallen nobles.
You confirm her suspicions.
Seraphine: You know, it's sweet to know that you care about them so much, but I'm not going to object in the slightest. After all, I feel much the same way… I suppose that we're not going to be able to talk for much longer though. We should go and see how everyone's doing at the moment. What do you say to that?
You nod, and Seraphine's voice falls away from your mind as You arrive at the cardinals' room. You see the Blue Lions gathered inside as You anticipated.
Magnolia: Good. It's nice to see you here, Professor. We were just finishing up our final preparations for the coming battle.
Luciana: As far as we can tell, the assassins are unfortunately planning on moving in the direction of Chevalier territory. We need to get there as soon as possible to protect the lady of the house.
Falon: I hope that nothing happens to my mother while we're there. Then again, I suppose as long as we're fighting with all of our might, we should be alright.
Karim: We're going to make sure that nothing bad happens. Consider that a promise. I'm not going to let anything happen to her.
Kyle: These assassins have been allowed to cause issues for far too long, but I'm not going to allow them to roam free any longer.
Illona: We shouldn't stand around here any longer than we absolutely have to. If they really are targeting Falon's mother, we have to get going as soon as possible.
Reese: I don't know why I'm even surprised that these assassins are causing so many issues for us… Of course they are. It's just our luck that this would happen.
Nora: We'll simply have to wipe them out before anything too bad can happen. If they insist on causing problems, then we'll show them the consequences of their actions.
Aestlyn: We should be about ready to head out as it is. I can't think of anything else that we would need to take care of.
Cassia: The other troops are already prepared to march on our destination. I made sure of such before I came up here to meet with you all.
Magnolia: I'm glad to hear it. Now, let's go and show them what we're made of!
The Blue Lions leave the area, and You find yourself staring at Magnolia from afar, once again recognizing that something is on her mind. She is still acting strangely, but something tells You that the truth will be coming out soon enough, and when it does, You will be ready for the answers that come your way.
Over the course of the next few hours, your team moves in the direction of Chevalier territory. When You finally stop moving, You have taken up defensive positions near the outside of House Chevalier.
Luciana: Alright, everyone. We're going to do everything in our power to keep our foes from reaching the building. We can't let them slip through the cracks.
Reese: They don't know that we're aware of their intentions. House Chevalier doesn't have the largest military due to being a smaller house.
Nora: In other words, they're going to think that they can simply march inside and defeat their target, so they won't be expecting to run into us.
Aestlyn: Hopefully we'll be able to use that hubris against them then. Imagine how incredibly satisfying that's going to be.
Falon: We can't afford to take any unnecessary risks. If anything happens to my mother… I don't even want to imagine it.
Karim: And you won't have to, because we're going to make sure that everyone who gets even close to the estate's entrance is taken care of.
Cassia: Forming a defensive line while still going out of our way to attack the oncoming forces will be our best strategy here.
Kyle: I agree. We can't afford to slip up, but we'll have to lash out when we get the chance to keep from being overwhelmed.
Illona: We're a relatively small battalion, so I agree that this is our best bet at success… Ah! Look over there!
Illona points to a nearby hill, and You see a large force of enemies dressed in dark armor moving closer. You recognize them immediately as belonging to Malice.
Magnolia: It seems to me like our foes have arrived. It's time for the battle to begin. Stay safe, everyone! We can handle this as a team!
You examine the enemy forces that are steadily advancing and settling into position. It appears as if there are many reinforcements, though they don't appear to be as powerful as You were anticipating. They seem to be far closer to the skill level of your forces as opposed to being the grisled assassins that You had been expecting to see. You choose to take this as a temporary blessing as You prepare for the fight at hand.
The enemy forces are still arriving when the battle begins properly. You and the Blue Lions fight with everything that You are capable of to keep the enemies as far away from House Chevalier's estate as possible, and You manage to make significant progress in fending off your foes.
If an enemy gets too close to the point that must be defended, the following dialogue plays out.
Magnolia: Everyone, close in around those soldiers! We can't allow them to reach House Chevalier!
When many of the enemies have been dispatched, You turn your attention to the commander leading these forces. He is a young man who clearly lacks experience, and he goes by the name of Ludgir. When he speaks, his shrill voice pierces your ears mercilessly, almost giving You a headache in the process.
If You initiate combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Ludgir: You must be the commander of this little army here… You're going to regret raising your blade against me! Step away or face my fury!
If Magnolia initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Ludgir: I didn't expect to cross paths with the queen today! I thought that you were spending all your time holed up in your castle!
Magnolia: Plans have changed, and I'm going to be dispatching of my foes personally from here on out.
Ludgir: How disappointing… Though it certainly makes our jobs far easier! Maybe I can even go home with the glory that comes with toppling a queen!
Magnolia: I'd like to see you try.
If Kyle initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Kyle: You… You aren't the one that I'm looking for.
Ludgir: What are you talking about? Have we met before?
Kyle: You're so much younger than the people that could have…
Ludgir: Stop speaking in riddles and be upfront!
Kyle: ...Forgive me. I'm afraid that there has been a misunderstanding. Regardless, I have to carry out my duties to this army, and I intend to follow through no matter what. It ends here.
If Karim initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Karim: You're awfully bold for thinking that you would be able to get away with something like this.
Ludgir: It should have been a simple operation… The queen shouldn't have found out about all of our plans!
Karim: You should be aware by now that the queen of Faerghus is far better at determining things like this than you realize. Then again, you must not have been thinking if you were planning on following through with this without hesitation… It doesn't matter now, I suppose. I'm just going to make sure that it all ends here and now.
If Falon initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Falon: You were able to come this far, but I'm not going to be allowing you get any closer than you already have.
Ludgir: You're the daughter of House Chevalier… You're the daughter of a traitor.
Falon: I see… House Goneril has been cooperating with Malice, and since you have been as well, the connection is clear as day.
Ludgir: The lady of the house has made many claims about you.
Falon: Unfortunately, I care little for her opinions at the moment. I simply want to protect the one person who looked after me when House Goneril abandoned me so readily, and if that means that I have to slice through you in order to do it, then so be it!
If Luciana initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Luciana: Your brazen confidence is appalling to me. It will not find you victory here today.
Ludgir: Those are bold words for someone who follows the queen around like an irritating lapdog.
Luciana: We have different ideals as far as loyalty and honor are concerned… But I am not obligated in the slightest to discuss such with you. I came here to end this fight, and I won't allow you to get in my way now!
If anyone else initiates combat with Ludgir, the following dialogue plays out.
Ludgir: It should have been a simple operation… I don't know how you heard about our plans, but I'm not going to allow you to leave now! I'll find a way to win this battle no matter what you try!
When Ludgir is defeated, the following dialogue plays out.
Ludgir: It… It wasn't supposed to end this way…! How could you have known…?!
After the battle, You stand with the Blue Lions outside of the Chevalier estate.
Magnolia: That should be the last of them… None of our enemies were able to breach the estate's borders. It means that we succeeded in our mission.
Kyle: I don't know if I would say that we completely won… That wasn't the group that we were supposed to be fighting against if we were looking for the assassins that killed my parents.
Illona: Kyle's right. The people that we would have expected to see there would have been far more experienced, and they would have been older too.
Karim: If you ask me, our enemies likely thought that this would be an easy fight, so they didn't bother sending their best fighters in our direction.
Nora: None of them knew that we were going to be coming by here to defend House Chevalier. It isn't too surprising that they didn't send out their strongest fighters.
Falon: If this was a surprise attack like they had been planning, then they would have found a way to win today. My mother is a powerful fighter, but I doubt that she would have been able to mobilize her troops fast enough to fend off an attack like this.
Aestlyn: It's a good thing that we heard about it in time then. We don't need to waste time thinking about what could have been given that we got through it with our forces intact.
Cassia: Even if we still have a few other assassins to pick off in the future, we can consider this fight a temporary triumph. We may not have come to combat against those we had been anticipating, but we were still able to protect Lady Chevalier. If you ask me, that's victory in and of itself.
Reese: I feel the same way. We accomplished something great here today, and we need to keep that in mind as we move forward. For the time being, we should head into the building and perhaps speak with Lady Chevalier about what has transpired here today.
Luciana: I agree. I believe that it would be best that she was made aware of what happened. She had no way of knowing that today would end this way, after all.
Magnolia: Alright. In that case, let's go on and take care of it.
You watch as most of the Blue Lions walk inside, but Magnolia stays behind. You ask if she is doing alright.
Magnolia: I'll be fine. I just… I wish that it didn't have to be this way. All of this conflict is happening because of Faerghus and its rocky connections to Albinea. If my ancestors hadn't tried to assert power where they didn't belong, we wouldn't be in this situation. The fighting among the noble houses now is because of the outside relations with Albinea… It truly does make you wonder what nobility is meant to amount to if this is truly all that the nobles of Faerghus care about.
You watch as Magnolia walks away before trailing after her. Seraphine speaks to You briefly as You approach the mansion.
Seraphine: I suppose that offers us a small inkling of what's been going on in her head, but… I don't know. I wish that she would stop speaking in riddles so that we had an actual way of understanding what was happening. It would certainly make things easier on our part, but I guess that we really don't get a say in that. All we can do is be patient and wait until she's ready to start talking about it.
You nod, and Seraphine stops speaking to You as the Blue Lions find a place in the entryway of the mansion of the Chevalier estate. A woman with blonde hair stands nearby, and the soldiers of House Chevalier are around her. Even with the arrival of the Faerghus army, she remains attentive.
Cliona: Your Majesty! It's a pleasure to see you… I didn't realize you were coming, but I take it that your forces were responsible for fending off the recent invasion that we heard whispers of a few hours ago.
Magnolia: You would be correct in your assumptions. Forgive us for not being able to pass on such information to you. We only recognized that there was a plot of this nature before we began to march, but by then, it was too late to pass on the message. At least the battle ended with everyone alive and safe.
Cliona: Thank you for your help here today. I truly do appreciate it. House Chevalier will continue to support your efforts in fighting back against Malice in the moons to come. I'll remain by your side until we have reclaimed Faerghus.
Falon: Just make sure that you don't get yourself into a situation like this again…
Cliona: There's truly no need to worry about me, Falon. Besides, you're arguably getting yourself into even more trouble than I am at the moment.
Falon: I… I wish I could argue with you on that.
Karim: If you hear about anything else that you think we should be aware of, don't hesitate to send a message our direction.
Cliona: Of course. I'd be happy to offer some funding towards your cause as thanks for everything that you did here today. Give me a moment to grab some gold.
Luciana: Actually… I believe that it would be more helpful if we had other weapons. Our stock could most certainly use the assistance.
Cliona: I understand. I'll return shortly.
You watch as Cliona leaves before turning your attention towards the other Blue Lions.
Reese: It looks like it's back to gathering information for us until we can figure out where Malice is going to strike next.
Illona: Us being able to save Lady Chevalier is important though. I don't even want to imagine what could have happened if we were too late.
Nora: Luckily, we don't have to. We'll focus our attention on the next place that Malice chooses to lash out in. How does that sound?
Aestlyn: I believe that's our only option at this point anyways… We're going to figure out the truth about what's been going on though. That much I'm confident in.
Cassia: Kyle… I can tell that you're disappointed with today's results, but know that our battle is not over yet. We may still find results.
Kyle: I know… Thanks for saying that though. I really do appreciate it.
Cliona returns to the room with many weapons in her arms.
Cliona: I hope that these will suffice. I have an incredibly powerful sword, lance, axe, bow, and dagger along with a pair of gauntlets. Ah, and there's a shield and staff in here as well. I do hope that this is enough to make up for your assistance here today.
Magnolia: This is more than we could have ever asked for… I don't know if we can accept all of this.
Cliona: Consider this my way of giving back to the war effort. I'm counting on all of you to end the fighting. Take it as a generous gift.
Magnolia: Thank you… We'll do what we can to ensure that Malice doesn't cause any issues in the future.
Cliona: I have full confidence in your skills. If you ever find yourself passing through Chevalier territory again, all you need to do is come my way, and I'd be more than happy to house your troops for a brief while.
Magnolia: I appreciate the offer… We had best be getting back to the monastery now, but we'll be sure to send a message if we ever plan on returning here.
Cliona: Of course. Falon… Be sure to stay safe out there, alright? I'm counting on you to come home safely after the war is over.
Falon: I will, Mother… I'm going to come back here soon enough.
Cliona: I trust you will… Until we meet again, everyone.
You offer a curt nod in Cliona's direction before leaving behind the building. Seraphine speaks to You as You go.
Seraphine: Falon's mother truly is a generous woman… The weapons that she gave us will surely be useful to our most experienced soldiers in each weapon type. We'll have to be careful about who we distribute them to.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: Today, we won an important battle… There's still a long way yet for us to go, but I'm still proud of the progress that we've made.
You say that You feel the same as the journey back to the monastery begins. It is a lengthy quest, and when You eventually arrive back, the sun is on the verge of setting. You watch as the Blue Lions fan out to take care of their respective duties for the night. Seraphine speaks to You once again.
Seraphine: I'm happy with how all that ended… We did a lot of great things as far as I'm concerned. House Chevalier is going to be helping us out a lot more than before, and I'm glad that we were able to secure their assistance… I just wish that I knew where we were going to be shifting our attention to next.
You say that You will likely hear of such when the next mission arrives.
Seraphine: You're right… Given how late it is, I doubt that we're going to be meeting up with the Blue Lions. I believe that we discussed enough regarding our success when we were at House Chevalier anyways. Besides, it's not as if Magnolia is going to want to talk to us about everything that's happened… It feels like she never does these days… Let's go on and get ready to crash for the night. I can tell that you're exhausted after all that, and there's still a lot of work ahead of us.
You nod your agreement, and You make your way back to your room in silence. As You settle down for the night, You find your thoughts drifting to the assassins that You encountered. You wonder if there will come a time when You encounter the true targets of your ire who sent the forces of the most recent battle after House Chevalier, but You decide to put such curiosities aside. As You drift off to sleep, You wonder what the next moon will bring, and You pray that the coming mission is just as successful as the most recent one was…
And there we go!
-Digital