Chapter 13: Dark King Paen
"Well then. As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted... Here's our strategy for attacking Tartarus. I've managed to find a small guard post on the side wall with a small door. It's a vulnerability, though it will be defended. Well... I've got a surprise for them. Lady June, you and I will be taking a small team in through this side gate. The rest of the army will be attacking the front gate as a diversion. Captains, this needs to look real, so get your men building battering rams and whatnot. This plan is dependent on the majority of the enemies being at the main gate.
"The attack will begin just after sunset. Lady June, your team is the most experienced with actual combat and infiltration, and you know them better than anyone. I think a dozen troops can get in without being seen - I'm going, you're going, and Captain Rain, as well. Plus, one of my men... So, pick eight troops. We'll be heading straight for the castle to take the king out while his army's away." By the way, you won't be able to bring your mounts, so... Account for that."
Ferris is now a Hero!
Alyssa is now an Assassin!
Syrene is now a Nomad! Syrene learned Canto! (There was a typo before where it said she knew canto - it should have been quick swap)
Jayce is now a Paladin!
Holland is now a Great Knight!
John is now a Sage!
Select the 8 units that you'll be bringing with you to fight ol' Paen. June and Rain are automatically going.
June, Rain, Alyssa, Walt, Bud, Wendy, Haley, Ferris, Mary, and Fumiko
Mid-afternoon, Horatio calls for a peace banner, and a small honor guard. You, Cynbel, and a few other knights you don't recognize fall in beside your general as he marches towards Tartarus' front gates. A black-clad knight appears on the ramparts and calls down to you. "What do you want?"
"We're here to accept your surrender!" Horatio calls back. "I trust you received our envoy?"
"Yeah, we received him. I was wondering when you'd come ask, and here's our answer." He waves to some men out of sight behind him. Two knights appear, dragging a third man between them. You let out a gasp of surprise, echoed by most of the knights around you, as they unceremoniously hurl him over the wall. He lets out a scream, and Horatio lets out a curse as he leaps clear. The man crashes into the ground with a sickening thud, ending his screams forever. You can't help but look at the pile of armor and shattered bones, and realize that this is - was - Ovid.
"...I see," Horatio calls up to the wall. Well then, prepare yourselves! We attack at sunset!"
Your forces take an early dinner. The air is somber, as many of your troops realize this could be their last meal. Charon does what he can to lighten the mood, but even his cheerful prancing draws an unusually laconic response. Dark clouds line the sky, glowing a deep orange as the sun sets. You can't help but be struck by how similar Tartarus looks to Antea, except built primarily of common red brick instead of white stone.
Finally, the time comes. The tiny sliver of moon rising in the sky is completely obscured by the thick storm clouds, and only the occasional flash of distant lightning provides you with light. You take your chosen team in a wide circle around around the wall towards the gatehouse Horatio mentioned, as silently as possible. You leave your mounts in the care of your army.
When you get to the gate, you approach as quietly as possible. Horatio watches you for a moment, then laughs and blatantly strolls up to the door. He knocks on it like he's paying a visit to an old friend. To your surprise, a distorted voice calls from the other side. "Who is it?"
"General Horatio."
"Ah, one moment." The door starts to open, then stops. "One second..." You hear someone dragging something heavy, then the door opens the rest of the way. A man in a simple tan tunic with a fancy golden cape opens the door with a bow. "I've been expecting you." As you enter, you see several dead guards throughout the room. Most are laying close to cups of wine. When he sees you glancing at them, he wags a finger at you with a smile. "Poison" He offers his hand. "The name's Filo."
You hesitantly take his hand. "I am J- Lady June."
"Enough chit-chat. We need to get moving before we're discovered. Did you prepare the disguises?" Horatio asks impatiently.
"Of course," Filo says, revealing a row of cloaks. Your troops slip into them, and you find they hide your armor and your weapons quite well. Horatio splits you into a few small groups, tracing routes for you on a large map. As you make your way through the town, you hear the sounds of battle coming from the north wall. Most villagers are huddled in their homes, but the few that are out don't give your small groups a second look, and you make it to the castle gate without so much as a second glance.
New Character!
Horatio
Class: Grandmaster
Skills: Ignis, Rally Spectrum, Focus, Shadowgift, Miracle
HP: *******
Str: ********
Mag: **********
Skill: *******
Speed: ******
Def: *******
Res: ********
Luck: ******
Items: Killing edge, Rexcalibur
Filo
Class: Trickster
Skills: Lethality, Pass, Shade, Healtouch
HP: *****
Str: ********
Mag: *****
Skill: *********
Speed: **********
Def: ******
Res: *****
Luck: *******
Items: Killing edge, Silver sword, Stiletto, Recover
Before you can question how you're going to get into the castle's outer wall, Fido's group arrives. He waves you over to the edge of the wall. "The majority of the castle guards were reassigned to defend the town's wall." He tugs on a rope. "Hope you're all fine to do some climbing."
It takes almost an hour to get your group on top of the wall, but fortunately a set of stairs makes the descent much easier. "Well that was surprisingly easy..." Horatio states. "Excellent work, Filo. So, where do we go from here?"
"Paen's in the throne room, if my contacts can be trusted..." He slips out a crudely drawn map of the castle. He traces a few paths, a thoughtful look on his face. He observes the sky for a moment, then announces his plan. "We should be able to avoid the patrols if we head this way, and we'll only have to deal with the king's elite guards... and Paen himself, of course."
(A) Go straight for the throne room
(B) Try to take out the patrols first (choose a second option)
(C) Raid the armory
(D) Tactician: Check the dungeons for captured Valerians
"Filo. You know the location of the castle guards' patrol routes?"
"More or less. There should be three groups of 5 soldiers, here, here, and... here. Why?"
"I think we should split up and try to take them out. The last thing we need is a patrol coming in behind us while we're dealing with Paen's elite guard."
"True enough. Alright, then, General, what do you think?"
"Hm... I have no problems with this plan."
You take a second glance at the map. "This spot, here... These are the dungeons?"
"Correct."
"Maybe we should send a group there, as well? They may have some Valerian prisoners or dissenters that may be willing to help us."
Horatio looks thoughtful. "We're already spreading ourselves a bit thin, and the longer we wait, the more of our allies will die in the diversion... I'm afraid we can't afford to devote many more people. All right, then. Give me a moment..." Horatio closes his eyes, thinking for several seconds, then nods. "Very well. Lady June, you'll lead one group. Captain Rain and I will lead the others. If you truly wish, you may select one person to investigate the dungeons - I doubt they will be heavily guarded."
June: Haley, Ferris, Alyssa
Horatio: Filo, Wendy, Bud
Rain: Mary, Fumiko, Walt
(A) Send someone to investigate the dungeons (choose 1) - Alyssa
(B) Just attack the patrols
(C) Send someone to the dungeons, and rearrange the teams
(D) Just attack the patrols, and rearrange the teams
You are now Alyssa.
"Alyssa... Think you can handle this on your own?"
You instinctively reach for your knife... Still there. Good. "Of course, Sis. Are you sure you can handle the patrol one man down?"
"I think we can handle it."
"Well then..." you say, pulling your cloak around yourself. "It's showtime!" Without another word, you take a quick peek at the map, then take off.
You run, half-crouched, silently. The others are still in the yard by the time you make your way to the front door. No, too easy... You look around for a moment, before seeing a small window to one side. Grinning, you slip a specially-made arrow out of your quiver, take careful aim, and fire. It flies through the window, dragging a rope behind it. When you give the rope a tug, it catches on the windowsill. You hesitantly test your weight, and, once satisfied, prepare to climb.
As you pull yourself through the window, rolling silently on the decorative rug, you find yourself surrounded by several pieces of armor and rows of lances mounted along the wall. Some kind of storage, you suppose. A quick glance doesn't reveal anything valuable that you can realistically take with you, so you slip through the door.
Nothing in the hallway... The fastest way to the dungeon is to the left, down two flights of stairs to the basement, cross another hallway, and down another staircase... One of the patrols will be sweeping this hallway in a few minutes, so you don't waste any time. At the top of the stairs, you stop to consider your next move.
You consider the layout of the castle for a bit, or at least the part you can access without worrying about the patrols. You think you can sneak into the armory in the basement, though if any of the dungeon guards come out you're liable to be caught - and you don't know anything about the dungeon guards. The staircase also goes rather close to the kitchen on the first floor. Filo's information didn't include movements of the castle staff... It might be empty this time of night, and you might be able to grab a disguise, or there may be a small army of chefs. Even if they don't stand a chance against you in a fight, chefs can still raise an alarm.
(A) Go straight for the dungeon
(B) Stop by the armory on the basement floor
(C) Go to the kitchen, continue on if anyone's there
(D) Go to the kitchen, sneak in even if someone's there
This isn't the time for improvising, best to stick to the plan. I'll pay the armory a visit once I've got a few prisoners to watch my back... assuming there are any prisoners...
You continue down the stairs. As you pass the landing on the first floor, you can hear bread baking, and a woman walks past you carrying a bucket of water. You slip into a shadow, making sure your cloak is covering your brightly-colored tunic. She passes by without even turning to look at you. You grin and continue to the basement.
The basement is lit by only a few flickering torches. Perfect for sneaking around, but luck is on your side and the area seems empty. You can see a faint glow at the far end of the main hallway emanating from a descending staircase. You make note of the armory as you pass it - the lock looks fairly standard, shouldn't take more than a few seconds to pick.
At the top of the dungeon stairs, you pause for a minute. You take your knife and slash off a piece of one of the torches, then toss the chunk of wood down the stairs. A voice answers from down below. "Oy, whazzis thing?"
"Iunno, mate, looks like a chunk of wood. Who cares."
"Wel-l-l-l, 'ow'd it get down the stairs, ya bloody dunda'ead? Wood don't just up and walk."
"Iunno, mate, prob'bly just a rat or somethin'. Our jobs to guard the dungeons, let the patrols squash it."
"I'm gonna go take a look."
"Wha'ever mate."
You duck into an open door near the stairs. The room is dark, so you keep it cracked and peek out. You can hear what sounds like a very large man coming up the stairs, and soon its source comes into view. He's not wearing a shirt, but thankfully he still wears fur-covered pants, and a ridiculous bull-horn helmet. This guy needs some fashion lessons...
He's only a few feet away, and you think you can reach him before he has time to react with his ludicrously oversized axe. Or you could give it a go with your bow - you may not be great with it yet, but you'd be hard-pressed to miss at this range.
(A) Wait for him to turn, and rush him with your knife
(B) Use your sword
(C) Fire your bow
(D) Tactician: Find something in the room to throw down the hall, and sneak past when he goes to check it
You finger the hilt of your sword... No, too loud, he might hear you drawing it. Besides, that stupid collar thing won't protect his neck from a dagger. You wait for him to stop peering stupidly in the darkness. Eventually, his friend yells some incoherent rambling at him from downstairs, and he replies with a gruff insult. He takes one last glance around, then turns to go back down the stairs. You take this chance, slipping out of the door and sprinting towards him, nearly silently. He never reacts before you make your move.
In one motion, you leap towards his back and draw your dagger. You grab his collar with one hand, driving your knees into his back as leverage to pull it back. He makes a muffled choking noise and grabs for his neck, but your dagger bites into the base of his skull. He falls forward, and starts tumbling down the stairs. Oops... You hold onto the collar, doing your best to steer your meaty bobsled down the stairs. Somehow, you manage to stay on top, and you roll gracefully off the corpse as it reaches the bottom landing.
You are surprised to find the dungeons lit rather cheerfully. You notice several prisoners standing in one very large cell on the far side of the room. More importantly, you see a very, very large general standing between you and your goal. He stares from you to his dead friend, back to you, back to his friend... With a sigh, you sheathe your dagger and draw your sword. Looks like Ferris' lessons are going to come in handy after all...
The general snaps out of his "thoughts" when he sees your naked steel, and he grabs for a lance placed against the wall. You take the free shot and slash at his arm, but it bounces off the thick plate. He grabs the lance and swings it in an arc, but you easily backstep to avoid it, then come in for another slash. Once again, it bounces off his armor harmlessly.
In a rage, he finally slips up with one overly-committed lunge. You roll to one side, but it catches your cloak. Perfect... After that incident with the bael, you rigged your cloak to snap off much more easily. It does, and ends up wrapped around the head of his lance. He starts muttering some incoherent curses and fumbling with your twisted cloak - you take this chance to charge into him full-strength with your sword. Unfortunately, your sword cracks, and you feel a jolt of pain shoot up your shoulder. He does stagger backwards with a grunt, though, and you take the chance. Running forward, you use your offhand to feel for a handhold on his shoulders. Catching a shoulder joint, you leap up, plant your feet on his chest, and kick off. You flip backwards, and he falls the other way, slamming into the cell wall.
"Why you..." he mumbles, starting to struggle to his feet. Suddenly, a hand reaches through the bars and grabs his shoulder. Another comes out and grabs his arm. Suddenly, half a dozen prisoners are holding onto every handhold they can find, pinning him to the bars.
"Now's your chance!" an oddly familiar voice bellows.
"Kill this dastard!" a deep voice answers.
You raise your bow, and take careful aim at a weakness you noticed in his neck armor. "Farewell..."
You are June again.
You wait outside the throne room. Ferris casually wipes the blood from his sword, while Haley sways back and forth. Both keep glancing at you, back at each other. You're starting to feel uncomfortable by the time the other teams arrive. It seems everyone took down their patrols with no difficulties. A good thing, too, as you suddenly hear what sounds like a chest tumbling down stone stairs from the basement. You look at each other in concern, but Horatio shakes his head.
"Open the doors," he commands. You turn, and start to push against the imposing oaken door.
Surprisingly, the doors open with little resistance. As you open the doors, you find yourself in a massive room. A dozen large pillars supporting giant braziers reach to the arched ceiling. A soldier stands before each, weapons at the ready - you count 4 generals, 2 sages, 2 sorcerers, and 4 unmounted wyvern lords, all wearing ornate black-dragon masks and dark armor. An ornate purple rug stretches from the door to the fall room, ending at the base of a set of stairs. A the top of the stairs sits a large, black throne, and on the throne sits a large, black suit of armor.
The armor begins to move, standing to face you as your group enters the room. The chestplate is massive, with an ornate dragon jaw carved into it. The dark shoulder-plates have rubies embedded in them, giving the image of large, glowing eyes, highlighted even more by the flowing, red cape. The black visor all but masks the man's face, but even at this distance, you can see two dark eyes surveying you. He looks at you each at turn, pausing at Filo, then moving on to Horatio. He reaches to his waist, and slowly draws a massive sword.
...Then tosses it disdainfully to the ground. It bounces to a halt at the base of the stairs. "Lower your weapons," he commands his troops. His voice is deep and commanding; though he speaks in a quiet tone, his words seem to carry more weight than most people's screams. "Let no more of my citizens' blood be spilt on my behalf. You are the Valerian commander?"
Horatio steps forward. "I am. General Horatio of Antea, deputized to act in the full authority of the Achbishop Saul."
"I am King Paen, King of Carcina. I surrender to you, general."
Horatio's grin shifts into a full smirk. "Well then, have your troops lay down their arms." Paen waves his hand, and his troops gently place their weapons aside, then return to attention. The room is silent, aside from the sound of the crackling torches. "Come."
Paen takes a step from his throne, then another. As he descends the steps, the clatter of his armor rings throughout the room. He reaches the bottom of the stairs, and glances at his soldiers. He lowers his head, and you think you see him smile, hear him laugh quietly. Horatio turns to you, and gives a subtle signal. He begins walking to meet him in the center of the room, and your group follows close at his heels.
When you meet, your dozen-minus-one group facing the dark behemoth, you are in awe of the man's sheer size - no normal man could stand in armor of that size, much less fight, or even walk. Horatio seems to be completely unfazed. "Kneel," he commands. Paen stares at him for a moment, then slowly lowers himself to one knee, then the other, and lowers his head. "King Paen of Carcina, you stand accused of inciting war with your neighboring country of Valeria. How do you plead?"
Paen glares at Filo for what seems like hours, then spits out one word. "Guilty." You hear him mumble quietly under his breath, one more word. "Traitor..."
"Then, on the authority of Valeria, I sentence you to death. Lady June, would you care to do the honors?"
Both Horatio and Paen look at you. Horatio, with a giddy, proud smile on his face. Paen, a solemn, blank stare; his elite guard, their emotions hidden behind their masks. You dare not turn to look at the others behind your back.
(A) Accept
(B) Refuse
(C) Pass the burden
(D) Question him
You return Paen's stare with your own. Before you can decide to kill him, you have to know. You have to know... "Why?"
He stares back at you blankly. Horatio looks like he has something to say, but you continue before he can speak. "I want to know why you attacked Valeria. I want to know why you've been controlling the Risen. I want to know why my father had to die, Lane, Vine, Ovid... All the others who I never got to meet. Entire towns have been destroyed. And now you seem to care about whose blood is spilt in your name? Tell me why!"
Paen looks you dead in the eye through your whole line of questioning. After you finish, he holds your stare for a moment longer, before looking sadly to the side. After a moment, he raises his eyes back to yours. His sad expression is replaced by a look of grim determination. "You know nothing, young knight. Do you really think this is the time or the place for a lesson of politics? Do you really think you can hope to understand? Ha... You're just some soldier. Your job isn't to think, it's to obey. Now do as your general ordered and strike me down!"
The ferocity of his retort actually catches you off-guard. Horatio looks at you expectantly. You know you need to decide now.
(A) Accept
(B) Refuse
(C) Pass the burden
Just the thought of killing an unarmed man leaves a foul taste in your mouth, but you can't reject a direct order from your general...
You adjust the grip on your axe as you approach. Paen stares straight ahead as you step beside him. From your new position, you can clearly see your friend's faces. They hold a wide array of expressions, but none appear happy. Aside, of course, from Horatio. "Any last words?" He asks Paen mockingly.
He turns his gaze on Filo. "...Do not think you have won," he says, his voice completely level.
You raise your axe, take aim, and swing at his neck.
"NO!" a familiar voice calls. You look up in time to see Alyssa, with five others at her back, all standing at the entrance to the throne room - but it's too late to stop your swing. Even as you try to halt it, your axe arcs towards Paen's neck...
But the dark king throws up a gauntlet, catching it as if it were a toy. His somber stare instantly twists into a disturbing grin. He stands, faster than you thought possible, and rushes forward. He grabs Filo by the neck, hoisting him into the air. "You want to know who's responsible for this war, Girly? This man... Right here!" He accentuates his accusation by hurling Filo towards his throne. Filo bounces a few times, then rolls, slamming to a stop at the base of the stairs. "I told you you had not won."
"W...What is the meaning of this!?" Horatio bellows, stepping back from Paen and reaching for his sword.
An unfamiliar woman steps forward. She wears a small black breastplate, an armored skirt, short boots, and very little else. Her long, dark hair and eyes only serves to accentuate her pale complexion and bright lips.
"Those guardsmen. They're impostors. You really think Paen's elite guard would just stand there while he was executed? No, that conniving little dastard there..." She raises an axe as tall as she is to point at Filo. "Took us in our sleep, has been holding us in the dungeon for weeks. Killed half of us. Threatened to unleash enough Risen on this town to wipe it from the map..." She slams the axe head into the ground, dragging it behind her as she slowly advances. "If my liege did not obey this dog's every whim..." A wicked grin appears on her face. "Please, give him to me... A few moments is all I ask..."
"Peace, Claudia," Paen says calmly. He turns to Horatio. "I suppose I should thank you for freeing me of that coward's control." Filo groans from the stairs, but does not rise. "I will gladly answer for my actions, but know they were not of my choosing. I had no desire for war between us, Valerian."
"This changes nothing..." Horatio spits. "Free will or no, you are responsible for the deaths o-"
"This changes everything, old friend," a deep voice says. A man steps into view from behind the others Alyssa brought with her. It takes you only a second to recognize him.
"Doran!" Rain shouts. She runs towards him, but he holds up a hand to stop her.
"The king's words warrant further investigation. Additionally, my angry friend here-" he points to Claudia "-just said that unconscious trickster down there claimed to be able to control Risen. Would you really kill one of the few people who knows the whole situation so hastily?"
"Blast you, Doran... You aren't robbing me of this victory..." He draws his blade, and rushes toward Paen.
(A) Stop him
(B) Watch
You step between Horatio and Paen, catching his sword with your axe. You can see his guardsmen - the real ones - moving closer. The fakes continue to stand immobile.
"What do you think you're doing, June...!?"
"I can't let you kill this man. Not yet, at any rate. Maybe he's responsible for the war, maybe not. But as Commander Doran said, we need to investigate, have a proper trial..." You try to keep your voice as calm as possible.
Horatio snarls in response. "Do you understand what it means to raise your blade to your commanding officer? This is treason - high treason... Get out of my way, or I'll see you hang...!"
"General! Don't talk like that. She's right, you need to calm down. Get a hold of yourself!" Rain rushes to your side.
"You, too? Tsk... Fine! If that's how it's going to be...!" Horatio reaches into his cloak with his free hand, keeping his blade locked to your axe. He begins muttering incomprehensibly, and suddenly electricity arcs down his blade. It flows across into your axe, then into your armor. All of your muscles give way at once. You regain control almost immediately, but the force of the shock threw you off balance, and you fall to the ground. Every bit of your body feels numb. Horatio seizes the opportunity to leap back as everyone else moves to your battle. Suddenly, Horatio is bathed in a golden light, and disappears.
"Enough of this farce!" You all turn, to see Horatio standing before the throne. Filo stands behind him, holding a rescue staff. Horatio scoops up the sword Paen threw down the stairs - an impressive, black blade, long and thick with one serrated edge. "Kill them! All of them! Let none escape!"
Suddenly, golden circles appear throughout the room, and at least two dozen Risen appear - assassins, berserkers, a few entombed. A pair of berserkers slam into either side of the huge, oaken doors, sealing you in the room. The king's "elite guard," who had been standing immobile throughout the entirety of the arguing, suddenly spring to life with a hiss. Only now do you notice their eyes glowing red, hidden behind the thick visors on their masks.
"Blast...!" Doran calls. "This isn't over, Horatio! There's always a way out... Everyone! We must escape and tell the others!" Doran pulls out a green tome, and Paen's elite guard - his true guard - fans out around him, brandishing a variety of weapons. Claudia places herself between Paen and Horatio, grinning from ear to ear.
"Catch!" Alyssa calls. She hurls a silver sword towards Paen.
He catches it effortlessly. "Well..." he begins. "This is not how I expected to spend my evening." The silence has been replaced with the rattle of weapons and armor, the hiss of Risen... Off in the distance, the roar of thunder can be heard.
Your friends are separated by the Risen. Doran, Paen, Rain, and yourself stand near the center of the room, the rest of your friends near the door, along with the majority of the Risen. The most dangerous-looking Risen, the "elite guard," are lined up on the columns throughout the hall. Horatio now occupies the throne, with Filo standing beside him. Victory conditions: defeat Horatio and Filo or Paen, Doran, June, and Rain escape. The door has 100 HP and 10 defense. Alyssa can pick it, but only if the Risen near the door are wiped out first.
(A) Have your friends try to hold, your party rushes the bosses
(B) Have your friends try to fight towards you, your party rushes the boss
(C) Try to fight your way to your friends and focus on the door
(D) Try to fight your way to your friends and focus on Risen
(E) Stand your ground while your friends try to fight to you
(F) Stand your ground while your friends try to break the door
(G) Custom - Have Doran hurl magic around the columns to force the "Elite Guard" to dodge and herd them into a position where they can be surrounded by June's team. Mary will do the same to the Risen in the back, doing their best to keep the Risen in control. Bud's team will help June's team enclose the Risen. If they can't fully enclose the Risen, then keep them at bay and have the two groups try their best to flank them. Bud and Wendy will prioritise protecting Mary while Walt, Alyssa and Ferris attack the Risen Sorcerers and Sages. When most of the Risen are gone, or at least all of the casters, Walt and Haley smash through to the throne while Ferris guards their rear. Walt and Haley will focus on killing Filo at first, then have Haley move to healing and supporting Walt and Ferris. Rain and Paen join them and Mary moves to full healing duty for the team fighting the remaining Risen. Walt and Paen will be the main fighters against Horatio, with Haley and Rain supporting them and Ferris as a safe-guard.
New Character!
Paen
Class: Baron
Skills: Rally defense, lifetaker, pavise, rightful king
HP: **********
Str: ********
Mag: ******
Skill: ******
Speed: ********
Def: **********
Res: ********
Luck: *
New Character!
Claudia
Class: Wyvern Lord
Skills: Vengeance, Counter, Lancebreaker, Quick burn
HP: ********
Str: **********
Mag: ***
Skill: *******
Speed: ********
Def: ********
Res: ***
Luck: ****
New Character!
Doran
Class: Grandmaster
Skills: Ignis, Rally spectrum, Charm, ?
HP: *******
Str: *******
Mag: *********
Skill: *******
Speed: ******
Def: *******
Res: ******
Luck: ****
Without hesitating, you begin barking orders. "Doran, use your magic to try to force those fakes guards together, then we'll pick them off! Claudia, send your guards to help the others! Mary, you have point for your team, use your magic to try to herd the enemies together. Bud, Wendy, cover her back; Ferris, Alyssa, hit their casters; Haley, Walt, Fumiko, work with Claudia's troops to surround the Risen and wear them down."
Paen turns and looks you up and down. "Hah! The girly's got balls, I'll give her that! Claudia, do what she says - but that dastard hiding behind the throne is mine!"
Bud shifts into position beside Mary, and Wendy takes point in front of them. Mary begins hurling fireballs, severely burning several of the berserkers. Bud finishes a pair of them as they charge her, but suddenly finds himself face-to-face with an enemy assassin that managed to slip past Wendy. Wendy turns to help him, but she can't make it in time. "Never again..." Mary whispers as she hurls a ball of shadow in front of the assassin. He charges straight into it, unable to stop in time. *"Behold the power of nature!"* Mary yells, as she hurls a wall of wind at him. The Risen twists and turns as the gale buffets him, then falls to the ground, dead.
Alyssa slips past the enemy's front line of troops; they hardly seem to notice her, instead focusing on Ferris. He holds his own, satisfied to play the role of distraction as he ducks axes and arrows. With the ferocity of the enemy attack, he has to focus on his defense, only occasionally getting in a counterattack. Alyssa has more luck, easily sneaking up on and dispatching the enemy sages and sorcerers.
Doran hurls a lightning bolt at one of the Risen generals; it roars in pain and halts, and you take the opportunity to hit it with an arrow. The others begin moving towards your group from all sides. As Doran turns to attack another, a purple aura surrounds him. Suddenly, he falls silent, though he continues to mouth as if he were casting a spell. He stares at his hand expectantly, but no glyph appears, no lightning arcs from his hand to the Risen general bearing down on him. He tries to cry out, but nothing happens. Filo waves a staff from the far end of the room. "Oh, no, no, no!" he shouts with a laugh. Doran angrily mouths several words in his direction as he rips a sword from his belt, meeting the general's axe.
Before you have a chance to surround the elite Risen, you find them surrounding you. Paen and Claudia stand side-by-side, and Rain moves to aid Doran with her magic. "Hey, if you aren't using that tome, give it here!" Paen calls to Doran. Doran tosses him the Thoron, and Paen responds by obliterating a pair of the wyvern lords. Claudia charges through the gap created, and brings her axe to meet one of the sorcerer's necks. As the other attacks her, you loose an arrow, penetrating its chest and killing it instantly. Paen roars with laughter, and Claudia echoes him with a high-pitched trill of a giggle. Rain and Doran hold the other generals at bay, while Paen leads a charge against the remainder of the elite Risen.
Haley, Walt, and Fumiko dutifully hack their way through the wall of Risen, as Mary drives them towards the center and protects their flanks. Haley, spurred on by the death of a berserker, charges into a breach in the enemy line, only to find herself surrounded by two more berserkers and an assassin.
Haley holds her sword level, shifting into a stance oddly similar to the one Ferris uses - it seems their training together has paid off. They would make a cute couple... No, now's not the time to be thinking about that. Focus on the battle. You stand alongside Claudia, each of you dueling a wyvern lord.
Haley easily dodges the first berserker's exaggerated swing, countering with a rising thrust through its chin. She jerks her sword free just in time to stagger backwards as the assassin charges. The assassin, surprised by her dodge, slams into the berserker. "Bye, now!" Haley yells, as she winds up, and cleaves them both in twain before they can recover. She takes a moment to celebrate her triumph. "June, did you see tha-"
The second berserker swings in a circle, appearing as a tornado for a brief second, before slamming his axe down on her head. Everyone turns at once. Rain and Wendy cry out, while Ferris slams into the nearest berserker, hacking through every enemy in his way until he reaches her side. Mary calls to Fumiko as she runs to Haley's side; Fumiko kills the final assassin before he can loose an arrow at her, while Bud and Wendy stop the remaining berserkers from interfering. Rain and Doran join the charge towards the berserker, but it meets its end from your axe, as you cleave its arm, its legs, smash its chest, before finally granting it death.
You find yourself cradling Haley in your arms. She managed to jerk to the side at the last moment, but the axe still sunk deep into her shoulder, penetrating her shoulderplates and several of her ribs. Blood pours from the wound, and you can see her struggling to breath. When she tries to speak, only air comes out, so she settles for smiling at you sadly. Mary's expression when she arrives tells you all you need to know before she speaks. "June... There's... nothing I can do..."
(A) Use elixer (stock: 1)
(B) Save it
Paen and Claudia took advantage of the confusion to move on the throne. All but a handful of badly wounded Risen are dead. One of Paen's true guards are dead, and another two badly wounded, but Fumiko and Walt keep the final few Risen busy and away from the rest of your group.
(1) Let Paen and Claudia attack Horatio and Filo (they'll focus on Filo first)
(2) Tell him to wait for assistance
(3) Forget killing them, just escape
"Doran, Rain, go help Paen!" you call while reaching for an elixer.
Paen obediently steps back, but Claudia continues to advance. Doran and Rain start moving, and Ferris and Mary move to take down the Risen they had been fighting before. "Hang on, Claudia, I'm coming!" Doran calls, his voice finally recovered. Claudia stops for a moment, then glares angrily at Filo while backing off.
The four of them begin to close the distance, Rain and Doran moving on Horatio, Paen and Filo closing on Filo. Doran and Claudia suddenly lunge between the pair, splitting them from each other, while Rain and Paen attack. Rain struggles to keep up with Horatio, but Doran harasses him enough to prevent him from landing a solid blow. Paen, on the other hand, has no problem landing several punishing slashes across Filo's light armor.
As the last few Risen fall, your troops filter towards Horatio and Filo, leaving Haley under your protection. Her wounds are stitching together, but with all the blood she lost she is unable to stand. When you look over, you see Paen grab Filo by the throat again, but this time, Claudia drives her axe into his spine. He yells in pain, and Paen smashes his helmet into Filo's head. Filo collapses to the ground, and Paen turns to Horatio. Horatio looks worried for a moment, but a sigil suddenly forms below him. Claudia calls out, and everyone turns in time to see Filo, collapsed on the ground, holding a staff.
Suddenly, Horatio disappears, and Filo smiles. "Looks like you've lost after all, Paen... All the pieces are in place for our lord's coming..." With those cryptic words, Filo closes his eyes.
"SON OF A WENCH!" Claudia screams, as she stomps on his corpse. "After him!" she calls to the rest of her group. Alyssa goes to work on the door, and has it open in a manner of seconds. Mary finishes patching up the rest of the guards, and they fan out into the castle.
Paen stops Claudia from following them. "I'm worried about what he said..."
Doran seems thoughtful for a moment. "Pieces in place... Horatio seemed completely focused on taking you down, King Paen... Oh, no... Do you think he's targeting the archbishop?"
Paen nods. "If he went after me... Well, there's only one way to be sure." He walks behind the throne. "We'll go check." He produces a large sack. "Warp powder. I don't have much, but I've got enough for 9 uses. Which means we can take 9 people. Or we can take 4, with enough to bring ol' Saul back with us."
"Warp powder?" you ask.
"A rare magical powder capable of transporting people long distances. It tends to leave people rather exhausted, though." We can't take Haley, then...
"Let's see..." Doran begins. "Eleven of us, not counting Haley... I vote for taking the smaller group. I'll stay here to lead the others, and I'd like Rain with me. We need to get out of here before Horatio can bring the army down on us."
"Well, I'm going," Paen announces, as he starts to remove your armor.
"T-To Antea!? My liege, I can not allow-"
"Calm down, Claudia, you're coming as well. Besides, most people won't recognize me if I leave my armor and just wear a cloak."
Doran starts rummaging through his pockets. He finally produces a map, and hands it to you. "June, go with them. After you've secured the archbishop, meet us at this port here." He points to a small town near the border of Valeria and Carcina on the eastern coast. "Just in case something happens, we'll wait a few days, long enough for you to make it on foot."
"So, the girly's coming with us? Well, that's fine. Who else?"
You look to Ferris, but see him stooped over Haley. "Don't worry," he says. "I'll make sure she gets out of here in one piece." He helps her to her feet, supporting her on his shoulder. He starts to hobble towards the door, when Haley says something to him faintly.
Select someone to bring with you.
1) Alyssa
2) Walt
3) Bud
4) Wendy
5) Mary
6) Fumiko
And, it's finally time to decide.
A) June/Ferris S
B) June/Haley S
C) Ferris/Haley A
Ferris chuckles slightly, and they both look over their shared shoulder at you. "Um... Something you two want to tell me?" you ask.
"No, no," Ferris answers. "We're just discussing some... mutual interests."
"She can be so... oblivious, can't she? But that's just part of her charm." Haley giggles.
"Hm... I never realized before, but that bubbly giggle of yours is pretty cute. I may have stronger competition than I previously thought."
"You aren't so bad, yourself. Got that whole mysterious, devil-may-care attitude that girls just eat up, and the whole sword-swinging thing doesn't hurt either. But I won't give up! I will win June's heart!"
"You can try, but at the end of the day, you're going to lose. I won't give this up."
"Well, remember that it's June's decision. Let's agree that whoever wins, there won't be any hard feelings, yeah? No matter what happens, we've still got a war to fight, and we don't need a bunch of... personal problems getting in the way."
"Fair enough."
"You hear that, June? Even if you pick Ferris, we'll still be friends."
Pick... Wait, does Haley...? "Um... Right," you stutter. "Um... Wendy. I want you to come with me. Sorry, Bud, I need to borrow your fiance for a bit."
"No worries, June. Just make sure ya bring her back in one piece, alright?"
You give him a nod, and Paen pulls you over to the side; he looks much smaller now, without his armor, but almost entirely made of muscle. Wendy joins you, and he passes out the bags, two for each person. He tosses the final bag in the air a few times. "So, who carries the bag for the archbishop... Eh." He eventually tosses it to you. "Since I'm traveling light, you've got the most armor." Admittedly, with their cloaks hiding the little armor they still wear, you can't tell Claudia and Paen are Carcinan. Paen gives a brief explanation of how to use the warp powder, and then seems to disappear. "We're aiming for the border of the town. Best not to suddenly appear in the middle of a town, especially if you're going to be sick."
You open your bag, when Alyssa grabs you. "June. There's a hidden passage in the main temple, behind the organ. It leads up to the council chambers, and out to the mountains." You thank Alyssa for the information, and hope you don't have to use it.
You copy what he did to the best of your abilities, and suddenly the world around you warps. "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything on this end!" Doran calls as you disappear.
When things start coming into view again, you find yourself in a snowy forest. You stagger backwards, then fall to one knee. Claudia is leaning against a tree, and Wendy is doubled over, vomiting. Paen holds his composure as best as he can, but is obviously uncomfortable. "Well..." His voice quivers ever so slightly. "Let's move on."
When you gather your bearings, you realize you are in the forest near Antea's main gate. You walk out, and approach the main gate. To your surprise, the gate is wide open, and you see no guards. The sounds of battle get your attention, and you draw your axe and run through the gate.
(A) Head for the sounds (down a side-road)
(B) Go to the guard station
(C) Head straight for the main temple
(D) Split up
"Wendy, take Claudia to the guard post. King Paen and I will go ahead to the temple."
"But-" Claudia begins.
Paen cuts her off. "It's fine, Claudia. I can handle myself, you know, and I doubt I'll be babysitting this one. Go have some fun."
"...Yes, sir."
Wendy readies her sword, and heads for the command post. You signal Paen to follow you, and slip down a side-street, making your way toward the temple. As you progress through the capital, you can hear several skirmishes throughout the town, and you maneuver to avoid them all. You aren't sure who's fighting who, but if you let yourselves get slowed down and something happens to the archbishop...
When you make it to the temple, everything becomes clear. Several Risen are being held at bay by a small team of knights. You spot a familiar face standing in the back, healing and barking orders in equal measure. Drawing your axe, you give Paen a nod. He grins, drawing his silver sword, and the two of you dive through the throng of Risen. Paen, without his armor, is a match for Ferris in speed and agility. You don't fare as well, but none of the Risen land a solid blow, and you come through to the other side with nothing but a few scratches.
The knights are surprised at first, but part to let you through quickly enough, closing again to block off the Risen - though only a few remain after your charge. Before you can catch your breath, Charlotte confronts you. "June? What are you doing in Antea!? You should be in Carcina... And who's this?"
Paen bows low. "King Paen of Carcina, at your service."
"Funny. June, who is he?"
"He speaks the truth. We came with some device called warp powder... We think Archbishop Saul may be in danger."
"Obviously! Surely you noticed the swarms of Risen attacking the capital? They just... appeared! And now you're telling me that you've brought the enemy's king right here."
"Paen is not our enemy, not right now. Where is the archbishop? Who is he with?"
Charlotte eyes Paen suspiciously. "He's with the other council members, upstairs. They've placed several wards, they seem to be preventing the Risen from teleporting in, at least. But I can't let anyone up there, especially the king of the Grimleal!"
You sigh. Everything could depend on this next statement... "Horatio betrayed us."
"What!? What do you mean?"
"He commanded several Risen to attack us, back in Paen's throne room."
"And you have proof of this?"
"No," Paen interjects. "Only our words. But if nothing else, tell yourself the enemy king has come to negotiate for peace." He places his sword in her hand. "Satisfied? Now let me speak with Saul, one ruler to another."
Charlotte bites her lips, then quickly starts frisking Paen. She finally sighs. "Very well. But June and I are going with you. Any funny business, and we're taking your head off on the spot." She turns to her knights. "Hold this line! Let no Risen pass." The slam their shields in affirmation, before returning to face the next wave of Risen.
"Oh!" Paen calls over his shoulder as you leave. "The captain of my guard should be coming along with one of your Holy Knights. Do be careful with her, she's quite delicate."
You enter the temple, and quickly ascend the steps. Charlotte pauses to knock on the door, but a slamming noise suddenly reverberates against the door. She immediately plows into it with her shoulder, and you and Paen follow suit. The doors resist for a moment, before flying open. Inside, you quickly size up the situation.
Several of the council members lay around their meeting table, sunken in their seats or fallen to the floor. Several empty glasses lay near their corpses. Two council members remain, startled by your sudden intrusion. They look to your side, and you follow their gaze to Archbishop Saul, doubled over in pain and struggling to stand.
The two council members start casting spells, but Charlotte dashes at one. "Traitor!" she calls, as she silences him with her axe blade. The second forms a ball of light over Saul. You tackle him out of the way, taking the brunt of the blow. Paen forcefully rips the book out of the man's hand, then proceeds to smash him in the face with it.
"Archbishop!" Charlotte pulls you off him before you can stand. "Hold on, please..." She takes out a staff, and begins healing him. He coughs several times, then manages to struggle to a knee.
"Poison... They have... antidote." Paen sifts through the dead man's cloak, then hurls a small, green bag to you. You unstopper it, and hand it to Saul. He drinks it, shakes his head, and rises to his feet.
"Thanks for... Wait. You're June. You should be in Car-" Saul stops in his tracks, staring at Paen. "King Paen. Oh, my. If I knew we were expecting company, I'd have cleaned up a bit."
Paen glances at the pile of dead council members. "No worse than my castle looks right now. We've got huge problems." Paen gives a brief explanation of Filo's threats, Horatio's betrayal, and their journey. Saul sits in silence, occasionally giving a slight nod.
"...I understand. For now, I'll have to assume this is all true... Horatio... I've always gotten a sour vibe from him, but the council liked him, and he was great at his job, so I couldn't touch him. Had to just smile and pretend to like him... Well. What do we do now?"
A voice from the doorway answers. "We get out of here. I don't know if you noticed, but this city is lost." Claudia steps in, covered in blood. Wendy steps in behind her, holding her sword arm at an odd angle. "Risen are picking off pockets of resistance, and making their way here. There must be hundreds, compared to a few dozen Valerians... The guard post has fallen, by the way."
"My Knights could turn back thousands of Risen!" Charlotte glares at Claudia.
Saul shakes his head. "No, we sent most of our experienced knights south in the Carcinan invasion force. These rookies..." Saul takes a moment to collect himself. "Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, but Antea is lost. Listen."
You realize the air has become oddly still. The sounds of battle have stopped, replaced by the sound of a wooden door being smashed. "Blast...!" Charlotte mutters. "Archbishop, stay behind me!"
"This isn't the time for fighting," Paen says as he reaches into his pocket. "I brought en... Oh..." He stares at Charlotte for a moment. "I brought enough warp powder to take myself, the ones I brought with me, and Saul out of here, but... Well, I didn't expect to be picking up another passenger..."
"So..." you begin. "We have to leave someone behind?"
The realization seems to strike everyone else at once. Charlotte recovers first, and turns to Paen. "Very well. Take my archbishop somewhere safe. I will gladly lay my life down for him, as have my brothers-in-arms."
Clauida snorts. "How noble you are. Go with your precious archbishop. I'll stay, my liege."
Wendy winces in pain. "As... As a Holy Knight of Antea, it would be my honor to stay."
"Wendy!" you ask. "What about Bud?"
She tenses at his name. "I... I can't fight, not like this. I'd only slow you down. Bud would understand, just tell him I-"
"Who's Bud?" Saul interjects.
"My fiance, your eminence."
"Well, that's no good. I'd rather stay myself than break up a happy couple."
Paen laughs at that. "Well, wouldn't that just defeat the point of a rescue. Sorry, but you're coming. I'd offer to stay, but I know Claudia wouldn't allow it."
"Well," Saul begins. "There is... another option. A secret tunnel..." You remember Alyssa mentioning it earlier. "After some of your troops used it during the siege, we reinforced the entrance, but there could still be Risen in there. And the other side comes out in the Freyn Mountain chain - it all but guarantees the enemy won't find you, but it also means you're liable to wonder lost for days, until you freeze to death, or something finds you."
"'Something'? What sort of 'something?'" Paen asks.
"Abominations, not like the Risen. Much more dangerous. They're content to stay north of the wall, but anyone who wanders into their home..."
"Great. So. We either risk everyone trekking through some mountains, or we leave someone behind to die. How fun," Paen begins.
"Leave me!" Charlotte reiterates.
"No, leave me!" Claudia responds, glaring at her.
Wendy tries to speak, but ends up yelping in pain, grasping her arm.
A splintering noise beneath you announces that your time to decide is running short.
(A) Leave Charlotte
(B) Leave Claudia
(C) Leave Wendy
(D) Leave June
(E) Risk the Freyn mountains
(F) Stay together and fight
New Character!
Charlotte
Class: War Cleric
Skills: Miracle, Renewal, Healtouch, Brace, Aggressor
HP: *******
Str: *********
Mag: ******
Skill: *******
Speed: *******
Def: ****
Res: *****
Luck: *******
New Character!
Saul
Class: Saint
Skills: Miracle, Healtouch, Radiance, Prayer, Corona, Ignis
HP: ********
Str: ****
Mag: *********
Skill: *******
Speed: ********
Def: *****
Res: ********
Luck: *****
You can hear crashing from below. It sounds like the Risen are inside... "Charlotte," you begin. "Are you sure about this?"
"Hey!" Claudia yells. "I told you, I don't want to be indebted to some Valerian holier-than-thou bi-!"
"Save it, Claudia," Paen commands. "Of everyone here, Charlotte has the best chance of surviving. She knows the area, and she seems pretty capable in a scrape."
Claudia glowers, then walks over to Charlotte. She suddenly pulls her into an embrace. "You better not die..." Charlotte's response is stunned silence. Claudia takes her warp powder, and disappears. Wendy and Paen follow, leaving you with Saul and Charlotte.
"Charlotte... I'm so sorry," Saul begins, as he opens the secret passage.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Archbishop. This is my great honor. June, I'm leaving him in your hands." Charlotte pauses for a minute, then hesitantly plants a kiss on Saul's forehead, before leaping into the passage. You find your mind wandering to Ferris, then Haley. No, this isn't the time to think about that...
Saul stares down the tunnel, keeping his back to you. He activates his warp powder without another word. You visualize where the town Doran told you to meet was, and follow him.
End of Chapter 13
End of Book 2: Southern Storm