Chapter 15: Shifting Sands
A few moments later, everyone has assembled in Doran's room. The room is not exactly small, but with all your troops, it feels rather cramped. "So," Paen begins. "What did you learn?"
Doran hesitates for a moment. "Nothing important," he announces. "The records of every other Risen outbreak only speak of Grima."
"Well, I can tell you Grima had no hand in this," Paen begins.
"Yes, I would assume not. Seeing as he was killed centuries ago. So, I have no idea what's causing the Risen to... well, rise."
"All right, well, where do we go now?" Saul asks.
"I have no idea," Doran says plainly. "Perhaps another library would have more information, but likely not. I mean, if the world-renowned Sal-Aldin library is useless..."
"Bah," Paen announces, stepping forward. "You've secured a map of the area, I assume?" Doran slides it out of his pocket, spreading it out on his bed. "Here," Paen announces, planting a finger on a point in the middle of the desert.
"Here?" Doran asks. "There's nothing on the map except desert..."
Agni and Taika exchange a glance. "Perhaps not..." you hear Taika whisper, though no one else reacts.
"Yes. That is where we must go," Paen answers.
"Er... How do you know?" Saul asks.
"Because Grima told me," he replies simply.
"What do you mean?" Saul asks, raising his eyebrow.
"After Naga was slain, her spirit lingered, guiding her chosen. Well, Grima was just as powerful. His spirit also remains, and he speaks through his Voice, as Naga speaks through hers."
No one speaks for what seems like a small eternity. Doran bows his head. Several others have expressions ranging from confusion to shock to anger. "You're... the Voice of Grima?" Saul eventually asks, forcing his voice to sound calmer than you think he is.
"He is indeed," Doran answers, glancing at Paen accusingly. "And I asked him to hide that fact."
Paen snorts. "Bah. They'd have learned soon enough, and if they really want to piddle about who worships which gods while the world is burning, then they need to re-evaluate their priorities! Now, are we going or not?"
"Can we really trust a god that tried to destroy the world?" Saul asks, a bit less calmly.
"'Destroy?' He merely tried to create a new world."
"A world created from the destruction of the previous is not-"
"Enough!" Doran shouts. "This is neither the time nor the place! Paen! Do you trust this information?" Paen nods. "Good enough for me. I'm going. Anyone who wants to stay, stay." Doran dismisses everyone besides Paen, Saul, and yourself from the room; Claudia stays until Paen signals for her to leave.
"This is why I asked you to hide your identity..." Doran begins, shaking his head.
"It is not my intent to spread discontent," Paen apologizes. "If you would prefer, I will leave."
Saul closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them. "I am willing to bite my tongue and work with you, Grimleal. There are bigger things at stake. Though... I worry others may not be as accepting."
(A) Suggest Paen leaves
(B) Let him stay
(C) Suggest he stays behind on this mission, and allow him to return if his information is correct
(D) Find out how everyone else feels first
"Well, I'm fine with Paen coming along. I trust him, whatever he is." Paen tries to hide a slight smile. "But I'm worried about everyone else... Let me speak with them before we do anything rash, all right?"
"Fair enough," Paen responds with a nod.
"I need to lay down. If you'll excuse me..." Saul wanders out of the room with a dazed expression. You follow behind him.
Claudia is the first one you meet. "So, Claudia... Did you know about... About King Paen?"
"Yes. Though, there are very few who know, even among his higher-ranking officials. So don't feel too bad if he didn't just up and announce it to you."
"I see... So, how do you feel about continuing to travel with us?"
"I will do as my king commands. But I would advise against traveling with so many Nagists, it only takes one deciding the world would be better with one less Grimleal..."
"None of the Holy Knights would kill an ally in cold blood!"
"I pray you are right, June. Now, don't you think you have others you should speak with?"
You excuse yourself and go to find others. You try to remember who seemed the most upset, and instantly decide to make a beeline for John's room. Inside, you find him pacing back and forth. Mary sits with him, attempting to calm him.
"We're traveling with... With the closest thing to Grima there is...! He is... he's the embodiment of evil! How can... How can we...?"
"Calm down, John," Mary says calmly. "A good mage stays in control of their emotions. When we fail, people get hurt by our magic. Aside from the people we try to hurt."
"Yes, you're right," he says as he begins calming down. He takes a deep breath. "...Oh, June. I didn't see you come in."
"Are you alright?" you ask.
"I was... upset. But I'm fine now, I think." You notice Mary give you a wink over his shoulder. "If Archbishop Saul is willing to... work with Paen... Then I will, as well."
"Good," you say. "And Mary, how do you feel?"
Mary shrugs dismissively. "Grima, Naga, it makes no difference to me. There are many gods aside from them, I try not to play favorites."
Many other gods? If Grima has the power to create Risen, then others must, as well... The thought sends a chill down your spine. You'd rather not fight a god... Well, who to speak to next?
You find yourself searching for Rain. When you wander into her room, you find her and Holland on sitting the bed. Rain greets you as you enter. "Ah, June. Did you need something?"
"I wanted to ask how you felt about traveling with Paen. Since he's Grima's voice, and you're... well, you know."
"I don't particularly care, as far as my blood is concerned. I am a bit worried about that man, though. He seems... Are you sure you can trust him, June?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know... I just get a strange feeling from him. The way he looks at people. He's intimidating, I suppose."
Holland laughs. "Indeed he is! Though I suspect anyone that strong with that much armor would be intimidating. Even if he were an adorable little bunny!"
"I hope you're right, Dear..."
You have no response, so you simply thank them and excuse yourself. You can't think of anyone else who looked particularly upset about Paen's announcement, so you decide to leave it at that.
When you wake up the next morning, you get dressed and head downstairs to breakfast. Doran is overseeing the final stages of loading equipment onto your caravan. Everyone else is sitting enjoying their breakfast. The events of last night seem largely forgotten, though Taika and Agni are still acting a bit strangely. You consider asking them what's wrong, when you notice one of the other other inn guests eyeing you from across the room in the commons. He appears older, judging from his grey hair. You can't help but wonder what he's looking at, but eventually he stands up and heads upstairs. Why does he look familiar?
After you put your armor on, retrieve your mounts from the stables, and prepare to set out, he makes another appearance. This time, he is wearing a dark green tunic. What really catches your eye, however, is the massive claymore strapped to his back. He stands among the crowd, staring at your group, arms folded across his chest.
(A) Watch him
(B) Confront him
(C) Ignore him
(D) Send someone else to speak with him (choose who)
You guide Marth towards him. "Excuse me... I noticed you've been staring at us... Can I help you with something?"
"Aye. Are you from Valeria? Perhaps around the town of Trine?"
"Er... Yes. Why? How did you...?"
"A few weeks ago, you hired some of my mercenaries. I had a previous contract I had to finish, but your commander hired me anyway, told me to catch up as soon as I could. Well, by the time I got back to Trine, you were all gone. I've been tracking you guys ever since."
"Wait, so... You're a mercenary?"
"Yep, and Doran hired me almost a month ago. By the way, we need to discuss the terms of my contract. I spent most of my fee trying to catch you guys."
"What's going on?" Doran asks. "Oh, Cecil. I was wondering when you'd catch up."
The man gives a slight bow. "At your command. By the way, where are-"
"Boss!" Ferris calls as he walks up. "About time you caught up. Getting slow in your old age?" The rest of your group is beginning to crowd around you.
"Ferris, you layabout. How are you still alive?"
"You know I sleep with one eye open, Boss."
"Aye, fair enough. Now, where's the rest of my crew? Where's Lane?"
"She... She didn't make it, Boss."
"What!? Lane? Is she...?"
"She distracted a swarm of Risen so the rest of us could escape..." you answer. "I'm sorry. I couldn't get back to her in time." You notice Walt looking off to one side.
"Well... Such is the life of a mercenary. At least she died fighting." You notice he's trying to hide the sadness in his voice. "Well. Let's get going," he announces as he falls in near the end of your column. Ferris stands near him, catching him up on everything he's missed.
New Character!
Cecil
Class: Champion (tier 3 hero)
Weapons: Sword, axe, bows
Skills: Armsthrift, Patience, Sol, Swordfaire, Veteran, Slow burn, Heroism (reduces incoming damage for every enemy within 3 spaces)
HP: **********
Str: *********
Mag: ***
Skill: ********
Speed: *******
Def: *******
Res: *****
Luck: *****
Items: Silver blade, tomahawk, steel bow, concoction
"Before we set out..." Paen announces. "I have a present for all the girls," Claudia shoots him a dirty look. "The guys as well. Anna?"
You notice that Anna's replaced her normal outfit with a white outfit that covers her almost entirely. The red-head sweeps a cloth from her cart, revealing... a pile of cloth. "Tah-dah!" she exclaims. "Doran and the king had me pick up hot-weather gear for everyone! Can't go out in the desert without it! Well, we'll have to stop and pick up another outfit for our new friend, but we've got plenty for everyone else. We even sized it to fit over your armor! We've even got some for your horses. And pegasi. The wyverns should be fine, though."
By the time everyone finishes getting into their protective gear (and Cecil has purchased a set), the sun is climbing into the sky. Agni checks everyone's gear, while Taika double-checks your supplies. Doran checks his map one last time, and you finally set out towards the spot Paen indicated.
The heat is utterly unbearable. The trees are few and far between, and offer no appreciable shade. Even when the wind blows, it's so warm and dry it offers no relief. Agni and Taika are constantly remind everyone to drink plenty of water. If nothing else, the road is well-made, and your horses have no trouble navigating it - though you keep reminding yourself that eventually, you'll have to go off the beaten path to reach your destination.
The shifting sands and blistering heat start to hypnotize you. The shifting of the sands is actually quite lovely, the dunes forming and disappearing in the distance under the wind's gentle guidance. The repeated clip-clop of Marth's gait along the path...
You are snapped out of your reverie by Agni. "We are approaching a small oasis, if I am remembering correctly. A small town is built around it; we can restock on supplies if we need. But I advise we continue moving through the night, it is much more easy to travel when the sun is setting. Come, the town is just over this hill." You realize the sun is starting to get a bit low in the sky.
As you crest the hill, you are surprised by the appearance of the town. Instead of a few dozen houses, you see only three large tents, with a handful of smaller tents. A large well is visible in the very center of town, the sun reflecting off its clear surface. But... Something's not right here. "Where is everyone?" you ask.
"Probably inside," Agni answers with a shrug. "It's hot, yes? Why waste water being outside in the sunbright? Er... sun... light?" Agni cups his hand to his hands, and shouts something in his native tongue. A single head pokes out of one of the tents. It quickly withdraws. Your group slowly advances on the town.
When you arrive, an old man emerges from one of the tents, struggling to hold a sword much too large for him. He yells something in Terran, trying to point his sword at you. Taika shoves her way in front of you, answering him in kind. The two go back and forth for a moment, before the man lowers his sword. Taika turns to translate.
"This village was attacked by bandits... They took most of the villagers back to their hideout. They hurt anyone who resisted..." Taika slides the tent flap open, revealing two men, badly wounded, being tended to by an old woman. She's bandaging their wounds and dabbing their heads with water. "They stole most of the village's food, gold... everything they could carry... This is horrible..."
Doran steps forward. "I don't suppose they know where the bandits came from?"
Agni answers. "Well, I assume they're part of the Verun bandits... There are rumors about where their base is, but nothing being solid. It's only a day's marching from here, but... Let me see the map." He and Doran consult the map for several minutes. "Yes, it is not on our way."
Doran shrugs. "It may be worth taking the time to attack them. I mean, what if they start getting in our way later? I'd rather hit them in their base while they aren't expecting it. Plus, I'm sure the villagers would appreciate it."
"Perhaps we can leave someone to tend to these men?" Rain asks.
"Well, we'll have to come back to this town on the way home, but... Well, what if something happens?" Doran seems hesitant.
(A) Head to the bandit fortress
(B) Continue on to your destination
(C) Leave a healer behind to tend to the men (choose who, as well as another option)
(D) Leave some of your supplies behind (choose another another option as well)
Your available healers: Haley, Jessup, Agni, John, Taika, Mary. Technically, you could leave Charon as well, since he has Bonds...
"We need to take out that fort. We'll be a lot safer without them around, and I'm sure the locals will all benefit from it." You turn to the old man. "Taika, tell him I'm sorry there's not more we can do for him, but we'll see if we rescue any of the other villagers."
Doran nods. "Very well, then. Agni, show me where it is again..."
You spend the rest of the day and early night trekking along the road. Eventually, you see a small ruin far off in the distance, well away from the path. The night is much cooler, almost painfully cold. The waxing gibbous moon provides plenty of light. "Agni," you ask. "Is that the place?"
"If the rumors are to be believed," he answers.
You can't see any movement, but you're fairly sure you can see some light coming from the fort. Looking at the fort, you can see that the walls are all intact, about two stories high, except for four tall towers on each corner. It looks like there's no ceiling in the center, only over the walls themselves. "There..." Doran says. "In that window. I saw someone moving."
"Windows?" When you look closely, you see some small holes on the second floor. "Well, then this is probably the place..."
Doran nods. "So, I suppose we should send a scout. Air or sky?"
(A) Send a flier (choose who)
(B) Send a ground troop (Ferris)
(C) Move together to attack the front gate without losing the element of surprise
By the way (unless you pick C), what will the scout do? You can choose all of these, but each one increases the risk of discovery. The odds of success/discovery vary between options.
(1) Observe/count troops
(2) Search for captives
(3) Open main doors
(4) Lower ropes through windows
(5) Search for alternate entrances
"Ferris, you're up. See what you can find out about how many bandits there are, and where they're keeping the villagers. And if you can find another way in... Well, that'd be icing on the cake."
"Me? Well, this could be a fun change of pace... Do I have permission to kill any that get in my way?"
"Well... If need be, but remember that if you get into a fight, you're almost definitely going to be discovered, and we lose the element of surprise," Doran muses. "Good luck."
"I don't need luck!" Ferris says.
"Well, take some anyway!" Haley exclaims.
"Ha ha... Alright, then. If you insist. I'm off!"
With that, he disappears over a dune. Doran moves your forces as close to the fortress as he dares, keeping them hidden among the rolling sands. Anna's caravan is left on the road; you offer her a guard, but she refuses. "Jake and I can handle ourselves!"
You watch the fort and wait. For a few minutes, there's no sign of Ferris. Finally, you notice him creeping up on the fort from the side. He reaches the wall, and presses against it. No sign of movement from the fort. Ferris creeps around the edge of the fort, vanishing from your view again. Eventually, he makes his way to the other side. He only glances at the front gate before running up a wall and leaping into a window on the side.
Several minutes pass. Ferris doesn't reappear. There's no movement within the fortress. Fumiko cocks her head. "June..." she whispers. "Something's not right. I hear it, faintly. Fighting."
"Oh, no..." Haley mutters. "Jessup! You've still got that rescue staff, right? Let me borrow it! I've got to go get Ferris! June, I'm-"
"Wait, Haley!" Rain calls. "We can't afford to make things worse. Let's stay calm and think for a minute..."
(A) Send Haley over top with a rescue staff
(B) Move in on the gate in force
(C) Send in another person/small team (Fumiko, Alyssa, Cecil)
Also, what's your first priority?
(1) Rescue Ferris
(2) Rescue villagers
(3) Make sure no one else is hurt
"Alyssa, Fumiko, get in there and help Ferris!" you call.
"I'm going, too..." Cecil states, checking his silver claymore.
"Very well, just be careful," you tell him.
"Wait!" Agni runs up and hands an arrow to Alyssa. "If things go badly, use this to signal at us."
Alyssa and her group move towards the fort as quickly as possible. When they arrive, Cecil boosts Alyssa in through a window, and she drops a rope for the others to clamber up. For a few moments, nothing happens. Then, an arrow launches into the air, leaving a flaming trail behind it. "The signal..." Agni mutters.
"Alright, everyone, let's move!" Doran calls.
Your team advances on the fort. Just as you arrive, the doors are thrown open and Fumiko comes running out. "This way!" she calls.
Once inside the fort doors, you quickly size everything up. There are several bandits in the center of the fort, mostly warriors and berserkers, with a few rouges and sages. There are doors into the inside of the walls to either side of you; the walls themselves are wide enough for 3 troops to fight side-by-side comfortably. There are a few places where the wall juts out to form a large room, smaller structures probably used as barracks and storage. Cecil is standing in front of the door to one such building, surrounded by enemies and hacking away.
"The villagers and Ferris are in that storage room," Fumiko tells you, pointing at Cecil. "Alyssa is guarding the door on the inside. They're fine, but not if we don't hurry."
Berserkers: 8
Warriors: 15
Sages: 5
Rouges: 10
Doors into the wall (possible reinforcements): 11 - 2 on the front gate's wall, 3 on each other wall
Available units: June, Rain, Bud, Haley, Wendy, Jessup, Syrene, Agni, Dan, Walt, Jayce, Holland, John, Taika, Mary, Charon, Cynbel, Doran, Paen, Claudia, Saul, Rosalin
You need to split your group among 5 possible areas (mounted units will have to dismount to enter the walls). You can designate specific leaders for the groups, but if you don't, I'll pick the most experienced/highest ranked in that group.
- Central arena
- Far barracks
- Inside the wall (left)
- Inside the wall (right)
- Main gate (prevent enemy from escaping)
Oh, and the center is a mixture of desert and plains.
Group 1 Far barracks: June, Paen, Doran, Rosaline, Cynbel (leader: June)
Group 2 Center arena: Rain, Holland, Wendy, Bud, Haley (leader: Rain)
Group 3 Main gate: Claudia, Dan, Walt, Jayce, Jessup, Taika (leader: Claudia)
Group 4 Right Wall: Saul, Agni, Syrene, Charon (leader: Saul)
Group 5 Left Wall: John, Marry, Fumiko, Cecil (leader: John)
You start splitting people off into groups and barking orders. "Claudia, guard the gate. Charon, Jessup, stay here and support the attack force. Taika, Dan, Jayce, pick off any that try to run. John, take Mary and Fumiko and take the left path, we'll send Cecil your way soon. Saul, you're in charge of clearing the right side, take Agni, Syrene, and Walt. Rain, you're in charge of the center team, do what you can to thin their numbers. Holland, Wendy, Bud, Haley, with them. Everyone else, you're with me. We're going to rescue the villagers."
Initial attack survivors:
Berserkers: 4
Warriors: 9
Sages: 3
Rouges: 6
You charge in, slashing at the bandits who get in your way as you carve your way towards Cecil. He seems to be holding his own well enough, seeming to increase his morale every couple of sword strokes and ignoring several gushing injuries. You hear Paen clanking his way through behind you, and Rosalin roaring in rage as she smashes a sage's skull for hitting her with a fireball. Doran is reciting spells as he runs, but Cynbel struggles to keep pace with you, his horse occasionally slipping in the sand.
As you reach Cecil's side, he runs a bandit through. "Think I'm just some old man!?" As he pulls his claymore free, he attempts to greet you. Before he can get a word out, golden rings appear above him. He vanishes in a pool of light. When you turn, you see him, confused but unhurt, back with Jessup. You leave Paen, Cynbel, and Rosalin to guard the outer door, while running in with Doran to size up the situation.
Alyssa is pressed against the door on the far wall. A large amount of blood is splattered across it; for a moment, you think it's hers, but you can't see any injuries. When you continue sizing up the scene, you realize it belongs - belonged - to a pair of warriors. A half-dozen men and women sit crowded in one corner, huddled around... Oh, gods, Ferris...
Alyssa shouts at you as you run to his side. Doran runs over, slamming into the door beside her. "He was fighting a whole bunch of them when we found him! The idiot got himself caught!" An axe bursts through the door between her and Doran. "And there's a whole bunch of them still trying to... ungh... Get in!"
"Oh... June?" Ferris says, struggling to sit up. You can now see the gaping hole in his stomach. The villagers have been doing what they could with the supplies around them, and the entirety of his concoction is smeared around the gash, but it's still gushing blood. "Sorry... Saw these villagers. The bandits were about to... kill... gah... Had to do... something... Is Haley...?"
Use elixer?
Current stock: 1
(1) Yes
(2) No
Doran and Alyssa are clearly unable to hold the door for much longer as it shakes more and more under the attacks coming from the other side.
(A) Put defenders by the door, and let the bandits open it
(B) Same as A, but call in reinforcements from the outer door guards (choose 1)
(C) Continue trying to hold it shut, hope the teams inside the walls get there in time
Whose perspective do you want for the left wall team?
(W) John
(X) Mary
(Y) Fumiko
(Z) Cecil
Well, if those guys want through that door so badly, let's make them regret that decision. "Here..." you say to one of the villagers tending to Ferris, handing her an elixer. "Try this." You raise your axe. "Paen, I need you!"
A moment later, Paen walks in, wiping the blood from his axe. "You called?"
"They're breaking through the door. We're going to be ready for them. Alyssa, Doran, join the others on the outer door."
"That won't be necessary," Paen says with a shrug. "The bandits are much more interested in the pegasi ripping them into shreds. You should have seen that move Wendy and Bud just pulled... Anyway, you two stay and watch our backs." He takes out his elwind tome with a flourish. "You should step away from the door now. June, you can take point."
"Right," you say, as Alyssa and Doran step away from the door. Without their weight, the door now quakes under the bandit's assault. You ready yourself.
You are now Mary.
Your adoptive mother smashes through the door into the wall, and John follows in close behind her. You take a glance back over your shoulder at the other teams. June's group seems to have broken through, and Jessup's rescuing Cecil now, so he should be right behind you. Just as you're about to go in, a voice makes you pause.
"Ready, Bud!?" You turn to see that over-sized archer - Bud, was it? - riding double with his wife - no, standing on her pegasus' back? What is he...?
"Yeah! This is it...!" he responds, as Wendy charges directly at one of the berserkers. Bud fires an arrow, and Wendy causes it to surge forward with a gust of wind. The arrow strikes the berserker, and he staggers backwards. Wendy doesn't break her charge, waiting until the very last second to launch her pegasus skyward. Bud leaps off its back, slamming into the berserker. The pair slides several feet, but Bud manages to ride on the bandit's chest, his bow inches from the bandit's head. "Yer mine!"
Sounds of fighting from inside remind you of the task at hand. John is summoning a ball of light, launching it at a berserker as it bears down on your mother. You echo his attack with a ball of darkness, sending it through the floor. John's light ball drops down, and yours shoots up, slamming into the bandit simultaneously. The light and darkness mingle together for a moment, then shatter into a glimmering explosion of twilight. The berserker is slammed backward by the force of the blast - he doesn't get up - and the pair of warriors beside him are dazed. That was pretty cool. If we could figure out how to do that on purpose... One of the warriors interrupts your thoughts, screaming as his throat is ripped out.
"What'd I mi- whoa." Cecil says, as he comes through the door. You mother perks her ears up as he arrives, distracted for a moment. "Hey, watch out!" he yells, in time for her to leap out of the way as an enemy sage comes around the corner with a fireball. You notice he still has a few wounds. As he runs past you, you raise your heal staff, and most of them stitch shut.
As you finish off the last of the enemies in the opening hallway and move around the corner, you see several about to proceed through the doors into the central yard. Looks like a good chance to cut off the enemy reinforcements.
Enemies in the wall with you:
3 berserkers
2 warriors
2 sages (wind)
1 rouge
Enemy boss (reaver - vengeance, wrath, colossus; killer axe, tomohawk)
(A) Stay and fight
(B) Retreat
You instinctively send a plume of flame tearing down the hallway. Without enough room to avoid it, one of the warriors screams in pain as John grabs you by the shoulders and pulls you back around the corner.
"Ah... What do we do here? That one looked absurdly strong..." John seems to be pondering what to do. You leave him to his hesitation, and step back around the corner. An arrow whizzes by your face. You retaliate by hurling a ball of wind down the narrow hallway. With only a few windows to escape from, the blades of wind tear into several of the enemies.
The ridiculously muscular one covers his face with his axe, roaring at you as the gust dissipates. "WHO DARES ATTACK BALADEVA!?"
"Oh, dear. I suppose we're fighting, then?" you mother asks, stepping in front of you. Her ears are back and her tail is bristling. You know that pose - she's deadly serious. Cecil takes point, charging at the horde with his claymore. Mother stays behind him, occasionally darting out to pick off a bandit who oversteps his charge. John stays close at your side, focusing on healing while you stay on the offensive.
One of the sages hits Cecil with a gust of wind. When he tries to fire a second, you hit it with one of your own. Yours is stronger, and it slashes straight through his wind blade. Your mother takes advantage of the opening to pounce on him. Before she can retreat, their boss... Baladeva swings his axe down at her. She tries to jump, but it's too late. The axe seems to stop in mid-air, clanging against Cecil's silver sword, inches from her head.
Your mother leaps backwards, reverting to her human form. "Thank you," she says to Cecil with a slight bow.
Baladeva roars in anger as he turns his rage on Cecil. Cecil meets Baladeva's blade with his own, and the two lock into a shoving match. The last of the berserkers tries to interfere, but you, John, and your mother all launch spells at him at the same time. Cecil and Baladeva seem to start evenly matched, but Cecil seems to be moving faster and faster with every passing second while Baladeva's swings become more powerful with every wound he takes.
As Cecil fights, the three of you support him as best you can, healing as rapidly as possible. Finally, the reaver gives Cecil an opening. Cecil lays into Baladeva's flank, but that was exactly what he wanted. Baladeva smashes him with the blunt of his axe, and he gets knocked back into John. "Tch... We need to finish this, Mother!"
"You're right..." she says, changing into her fox form. "Try to keep up!" She dashes forward, leaping towards the bandit's head. The berserker falls for her feint, swinging high as she returns to the ground. She darts between his legs, biting down on his hamstring and ripping. Baladeva roars in pain as he falls to one knee.
"You... stupid..." He writhes to turn and face her. She's already reverted to her human form. She simply walks past him as he flails at her uselessly. Baladeva snarls uselessly, struggling in vain to reclaim his feet. He finally seems to regain enough composure to remember his tomohawk.
"Mother, watch out!" She turns, surprised to see the bandit raising his throwing axe. Before he can throw it, an arrow strikes him in the neck. He drops it, grasping at his throat. Finally, the behemoth falls over, dead.
Cecil lowers his bow, staggering slightly before John catches him. "That was... quite a workout. Oh, I'm not as young as I used to be..." he mutters as he takes a knee.
Your mother approaches him, and... plants a kiss on his forehead? "Well, let's continue," she suggests, leading the way down the hall.
Cecil stares after her at her in stunned silence, before leaping to his feet. "Yeah, let's..." He certainly seems to have perked back up.
You are now June.
You shove the last of the bandits off your lance. They smashed down the door, but you managed to hold them back long enough for Saul's team to fight its way to their rear. The bandits never knew what hit them.
Everyone starts to gather back in the center of the fort. Teams have already swept through the fort, and none are left alive. Your gate guards confirm no bandits managed to get past them, and the wall teams tell you they didn't see any try to escape through the windows.
You destroy most of the corpses, but Doran insists on leaving one intact. "I wish to see whether it will become a Risen," he explains. "I want to know if they're isolated to Valeria and Carcina, or if this is happening world-wide." It takes much longer than normal, but the corpse eventually stirs. It moves much slower than any you've seen, and falls to the first volley of arrows. "Well... It appears whatever is creating the Risen has limited influence in this realm..." you hear him muttering. "Is this the extent of its power, or is it still awakening...?"
Before you can ask what he means, the villagers emerge from their prison, supporting Ferris. Before you can speak to him, Cecil grabs his shoulder. "What happened, sonny? I thought you were sneaker than that!"
One of the villagers jumps to his defense. "He saved me!" Cecil stares him up and down, then sighs, patting Ferris on the shoulder. He turns at the sound of fluttering behind him - lucky for him, as Haley tackles Ferris to the ground.
"Oh, Ferris! You big, stupid, stupid-head! Don't scare me like that...! It's not fair..." she exclaims, tearing up, and pounding on his chest.
"Gah! Easy, easy... Now you see how I felt... when you..." he mutters as he pulls her into his embrace. "Ah, nevermind. Let's just lie here for a while..." She sighs contentedly in response. You decide to give them a bit of privacy.
Anna and Jake have brought the convoy in, and begun loading the stolen goods. Most of the villagers help with the loading, but one comes over to speak with you. "I can't thank you enough for this, whoever you are. And rest assured, these bandits deserved everything you gave them, and then some. But... If it is possible... I have one more request. Please, we are simple villagers. If you can spare just a few of your soldiers to make sure we get back to our village safely..."
"Hey, you'll have Jake!" Anna says, feigning offense. "I'm already giving up my boyfriend, what more do you want from us?" Before you can ask what she's talking about, she pulls you aside. "Doran doesn't want to backtrack. Jake's going to carry their goods back in his cart, and I'll be carrying your supplies in mine. I really would appreciate it if you sent a few guards with him, just to be safe. We'll pick them up back in Sal-Aldin after we finish with this wild goose chase."
(A) Send one escort (choose who)
(B) Send a pair of soldiers (Jayce and Cynbel)
(C) Send three guards (choose who)
(D) Send half the army (choose a leader and 10 units)
(E) Send no one
"All right, Anna. We can't spare too many, but Jayce and... Cynbel. Their horses seem to be having trouble off the road, so it may be for the best to send them back if we're pressing out into the desert."
Anna gives you a wink. "I owe you one."
Jayce and Cynbel depart as soon as the supplies are loaded, with Jake and the villagers between them. "Catch you later!" Jayce calls as they set out into the night. Cynbel merely gives a respectful nod.
Doran orders everyone to scavenge the rest of the fort for anything valuable. The bandits had quite a stash of weaponry, but most of it is damaged or poor quality. You do find one very impressive lance hidden away in a chest. When you present it to Doran, his jaw drops. "Why did they have this..." How could they have gotten this spear?"
"What is it?" Rain asks him.
"This is the Gae Bolg... A legendary spear said to release a shower of barbs when thrown. This is... amazing. I'm sure it will help us in the battles to come."
While you decide who will wield the lance, Agni points out that the sun is beginning to rise. "We should be waiting here until twilight to set out. If I am guessing right, that will make us arrive early in the morning, before it is heating up too much."
"Very well," Doran tells him. "Tell everyone to search for some shade and stay cool for the day. That should save us some supplies. Anna, dump any empty water barrels, they're just dead weight."
Note: The Gae Bolg deals a very large amount of damage with high accuracy, but must be retrieved between uses, taking a full round to extract; if the enemy survives the attack, it must be killed before extraction. It has an unlimited number of uses. Here are your units that can currently wield it:
(A) Haley
(B) Wendy
(C) Walt
(D) Jayce (choose a character to wield it until you reunite)
(E) Holland
(F) Cynbel
(G) Paen
(H) Save it for later
Pick... 10, I guess.
June/Wendy B
June/Alyssa A
June/Syrene C
June/Agni C
June/Dan B
June/Jayce C
June/Holland C
June/Mary B
June/Fumiko B
June/Paen A
June/Doran C
June/Rosalin C
Rain/Dan A
Rain/Paen C
Rain/Doran B
Bud/Taika C
Bud/Syrene B
Haley/Agni B
Haley/Holland C
Haley/John C
Wendy/Jayce C
Wendy/Agni B
Wendy/Dan B
Ferris/Taika C
Ferris/Mary C
Ferris/Cynbel C
Ferris/Claudia C
Ferris/Cecil B
Alyssa/Jessup S
Alyssa/Holland C
Alyssa/Charon C
Jessup/Agni C
Jessup/Mary C
Jessup/Rosalin C
Syrene/Charon C
Agni/Dan C
Agni/Jayce C
Agni/Taika B
Dan/Taika C
Dan/Paen C
Walt/Holland C
Walt/Taika C
Jayce/Taika C
Jayce/Mary C
Jayce/Cynbel C
Jayce/Rosalin C
Holland/Fumiko C
Holland/Claudia C
Holland/Saul C
Holland/Doran B
John/Taika C
Taika/Charon C
Mary/Cynbel C
Mary/Doran C
Mary/Cecil C
Mary/Charon A
Fumiko/Charon C
Fumiko/Paen C
Fumiko/Doran C
Fumiko/Cecil C
Charon/Cynbel C
Charon/Claudia C
Cynbel/Jayce C
Cynbel/Dan C
Paen/Claudia C
Paen/Rosalin C
Doran/Rosalin C
Rosalin/Cecil C
"Agni!" Taika calls. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting married!?" Taika asks, clearly annoyed. "Maybe your best friend wanted to be there, hm?"
"Oh, Taika... I am sorry, I did not think..."
"You're darn right you didn't think!" She punches him playfully in the shoulder. "So, spill! How's it feel being married?"
"Ah... It is wonderful. Like a huge weight being taken from my chest, one I did not even know was there. So much horrible has happened, but it is also means I got to meet Syrene."
"Oh, it's so romantic... Travel to a foreign country, rescue a damsel in distress, travel with her, fall in love, marry her..." Taika giggles playfully. "I wonder if my future husband's around here somewhere?"
"You do not seem to be getting along very well with the others, Taika. I notice you are not making too many friends..."
"Oh, well... Oh! Tomorrow, we'll be back home, won't we?"
"You are changing the subject..."
"I've really missed everyone. Do you think the others are back yet? If nothing else, at least we'll get to see Master Pravin!"
"Are you ready to meet him? As equals, I mean?"
"Don't kid yourself, Agni. Even if we've got enough experience under our belts to be called sages, we aren't anywhere near his level."
"True. Perhaps... Excuse me. I wish to prepare for tomorrow." With that, Agni turns with a flick of his cape, searching for a quiet corner to meditate. Taika shrugs and wanders off in search of-
As she turns a corner, she barrles into Walt. He's barely knocked back, but Taika finds the floor. "Oh! My apologies, Milady," Walt says as he offers her his hand.
"Oof... Don't mention it..." Taika says as he helps her up. "Seriously, don't. It's kind embarrassing. And I don't need Agni scolding me for not watching where I'm going."
"You really should," Walt retorts. "Though I suppose I should, as well. Are you unhurt?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks. You are... Walt, yes? Jayce's... partner?"
"I suppose you could call us that, we are close. We've known each other since we were children. Honestly, I don't know how he'd survive without me holding his hand..."
"Oh... So, you are... 'partners.'"
"Oh... Oh! No, we're not..."
"Hehe... Relax, I am merely joking. I've seen the way Jayce looks at some of the girls. And I've noticed your eyes straying from time to time, as well..."
Walt is becoming visibly flustered. "What? I don't... Er..."
Taika tries to hold back her laughter. "My apologies, I should not tease you so much. Goodbye, Sir Walt. And I'm sure your partner is fine with Cynbel watching his back."
"Ferris," Cecil begins.
"Oh, hey, Sarge," Ferris answers, sitting up from his nap. "Is something wrong?"
"Tell me more. About what happened to Lane."
"Oh... Boss, are you sure?"
"She was like a daughter to me. Please."
Ferris closes his eyes and sighs. "Very well, then. It was when we went to warn Antea of Cacina's invasion. We were riding double, and ran into a Risen ambush. We tried to breakthrough. Well, most of us made it, but Walt's horse reared up. He managed to get it under control, but Lane lost her balance. She'd been wounded the day before, and wasn't at the top of her game... The Risen just started pouring out of the trees, we couldn't get back to her."
"I see... Did she at least go down fighting?"
"She died with a Risen on her sword and a curse on her lips."
Cecil closes his eyes and smiles slightly. "Well, at least... Thank you, Ferris. If you'll excuse me..."
"Yeah."
Holland unceremoniously throws open the door to the armory. "Doran! Are ya in here? Come on, I've been looking all day!"
Doran steps out from behind a large crate. "Yes, Holland, I'm right here. Just going through the bandit's supplies, seeing what we can do for dinner."
"Ah, great! I'll give you a hand going through all this stuff."
"No, that won't be nece-"
"I want to! Two years, I don't see you, and this is the first chance I get to speak with you one-on-one. You really need to learn to make time for old friends."
"With all due respect, I don't really have time to be socializing while the world is burning around us."
"That's all the reason to be socializing! You can't lose sight of what you're fighting for, y'know? Besides, the bonds of friendship strengthen a unit's fighting capability or... something. I remember you mentioned something like that to me a while back. So, tell me, how is it, being the commander of an entire garrison?"
"It was... stressful. Trine is a major market town, and where there's a lot of trade, there's a lot of bandits. We were always on duty, never got a good chance to rest. Never enough troops, time, or training. Once the Risen started, we were pushed past our limits." Doran sighs. "Gods, I feel like such a failure. Who knows what's happening back there right now? The area was always a hotbed, but without the knights around, and no central government to establish a new garrison..."
"Hey, calm down Doran. This mission comes first. If we fail here, it won't matter how many villagers you saved or didn't save."
"You're right, Holland. Thanks for putting things... back in perspective."
"Don't mention it! Now, as far as dinner goes..."
"Hey, June!" a voice behind you calls.
You turn around, looking for whoever just called for you. You don't see anyone, just an empty hallway. After a few seconds, you shrug. I must be imagining things in this heat... When you turn back around, Alyssa is standing inches from you, a smug grin on her face. You jump back in surprise, reaching for your hatchet. To your surprise, it's not there.
"Hey, no need to be so defensive," Alyssa says, raising her hands in mock surrender. "We've got a commanding view of the surrounding area. Besides, who's going to attack us here?"
"You have a point, Alyssa. So, need something?"
"Not really, I was just... Well, it's about Jessup. Does it seem like he's been avoiding me lately?"
"Hm? I can't say I've noticed anything, no."
"Well, it's just... How do I explain it? Every time I try to talk to him, he seems to suddenly remember some urgent area. At dinner, he won't even look at me. And he keeps blushing! He's got some secret, I'm sure... I was hoping he might have told you something. You don't think he's mad at me or something, do you?"
"Why would he be mad?" you ask, confused.
"I think... I think he had a crush on Syrene, and he's upset that she and Agni... Maybe?"
"That wouldn't be a reason for him to avoid you, would it? Alyssa, for someone who seems to see everything that goes on, you sure are oblivious sometimes."
"Oblivious? What do you mean?"
"Oh, you'll figure it out. Look, just go confront Jessup. Corner him somewhere. Tell him how you feel about him. How you really feel."
Well, this is rare... Alyssa actually starts to blush. "How did you... I mean, are you sure I should?"
"Trust me," you say confidently.
"Alright, I will! Thanks, June!" As she runs off, she stops for a moment to call back to you. "By the way, Anna wants to see you!" She disappears around the corner.
You decide it's best not to keep Anna waiting. And since your axe is missing, she's the one to ask.
As you pass under one of the four guard towers, a voice makes you stop; you think that it belongs to Charon. It's accompanied by an oddly rhythmic thumping noise. "Come on, faster! Harder! Don't stop just because it hurts, or you're getting tired! Push yourself to your limits, and then some! Come on, it's time for the big finish... Come on... Yes! You did it!"
You creep up the narrow staircase as quietly as possible. Mary is standing in the middle of the guard platform, panting and covered in sweat. Charon is standing with his back to you, clapping. "Great job, Mary, that was beautiful! I knew you could do it! But seriously, you're a really fast learner!"
"Ha... Well... I had a great... teacher... Whew! I don't know how you manage to... dance so much, especially in this heat!"
"Well, for one, I'm wearing an airy dancer's outfit, not some heavy witch robes. Second, my dancing spirit keeps me cool in the heat, warm in the cold..."
"Ah, here it comes again. Asking me to wear the dancer's uniform. Well, a deal is a deal, I suppose, but I don't see why you're so obsessed with-"
"Hm? Oh! Mary, I was joking about that! Seriously. All my dancing uniforms are for men, they wouldn't even fit you!"
"Oh... Ha... Well, to be fair, it's still less revealing than what many modern dark mages wear. Though I've always preferred the traditional robes..."
You sneak back down the stairs; the pair doesn't notice you. As you leave, you think you hear Mary. "How about we do a duet sometime?"
Mary has unlocked the dancer class! It will be available the next time your army reclasses.
Doran gathers everyone for an early dinner. Agni and Taika have prepared a traditional Terranus dish. Most of your army looks at it hesitantly at first, but once a few of your braver troops start eating, the rest join in with gusto. Your favorite is the spiced bread - spiced to perfection, compared to the searingly hot meat. Agni explains to you that in order to preserve food in the intense Terranus heat, they rely on using a lot of spice and salt in their dishes.
You notice Dan and Paen conversing at the far end of the table. "So, you're Dan, aren't you? Claudia was speaking of you the other day. Not many Carcinans in our little party, are there?"
"No, Milord."
"Don't talk much, do you?"
"No, Milord."
"Bah, stop calling me 'Milord.' No point standing on ceremony. Just 'Paen' or 'Your undeniable eminence' will serve. So, your mother was Valerian, was she not?"
"Yes, Mil- sir."
Paen sighs. "Close enough. So, how'd you end up in the Carcinan army?"
"My mother moved to Carcina after marrying my father, though we occasionally went to visit family up north. I had several younger siblings, so I had to get a job to help support our family, especially after..."
Paen waits for several seconds. "Well? After what?"
"I'd rather not speak of it more, Milord. It is not pleasant dinnertime fare."
"Very well. But I want to hear more, later. I've several questions about the opinions of the common soldier."
"Yes, M- sir."
After dinner, you follow Paen. You find him climbing the stairs to the guard platform. "King Paen!" you call after him.
"Ah, June. Come, talk with me for a while," he says, continuing up the stairs. You follow him. "Something on your mind?" he asks you.
"I... noticed you asking Dan about 'the common soldier' earlier."
"Yes?"
"Well... I wanted to ask you. What's it like to be... y'know...?"
Paen studies you for a moment, eyebrow arched, before throwing his head back and laughing. "Why the sudden interest, Girly?"
"No reason, I'm just curious!" you say defensively.
"Well, it's usually rather dull," Paen admits. "Sit in a chair, pass judgement on a few cases the court sends your way, sign papers, have people kiss your arse all day... It gets old fast. I'll admit, I've been having a blast these last few days. A chance to actually get out and flex my muscles a bit. Can't let my skills get too rusty, you know? Plus, I can't very well rule my people if I'm not willing to fight for them. And it's good to get some perspective of what my troops are going through."
"Oh, I meant... what's it like to be the Voice."
"Oh, that! For a minute there..." he shakes his head. "It's kind of like having an imaginary friend, I suppose. Or being insane. Grima's usually pretty quiet, but I occasionally hear this great booming voice warning me about some impending disaster or something. Even Grima didn't predict the Risen, though..."
"But I thought Grima hated humanity?"
Paen shrugs. "Maybe he feels a bit penitent? Perhaps he gained some respect after humans managed to kill him? Honestly, I think he probably just doesn't want to let anyone else destroy the world, he wants the pleasure of doing it himself, or perhaps one of his tribe."
"His tribe?"
"Well, there aren't exactly a ton of dark dragons left, but they aren't extinct. And a handful of people still bear their blood, descendants of dragons long dead. I have a few drops of Medeus' blood, for example. Not enough to make me a manakete, but enough to make me stronger than most. Anyway, it looks like it's near time to march. Come, Girly."
Fumiko finally catches the scent she's been searching for. "Ah, here you are," she says as she steps into the armory. "I've been searching for you. You weren't at dinner, so I wanted to bring you some of the leftovers."
"Oh, thank you... Sorry, I just wanted some time alone."
"Ah, I see. Well, I wanted to thank you for the other day. I let my guard down too early."
"Yeah, that'll get you killed. It's not the enemy you see that gets you. I've lost more comrades to backstabbing than anything else, I think."
"Oh, my, is your line of work really that dangerous?"
Cecil shrugs. "I kill people for a living. Only natural that some of those people, or their friends, would want me dead."
"Do you have many enemies?"
"None that I could name, which makes it all the worse. If I knew who to watch out for... Then I'd probably be so focused on them, that I'd forget to watch out for anyone else. Can't afford to get tunnel vision, a mercenary must always remain vigilant. Know what and who is around you, at all times."
"That sounds like a wise philosophy, though a tiring way to live."
"It can be. That's why you need a few people close to you that you know you can trust with your life. I recently found out I lost one of those people..."
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Fumiko stares into the distance. "I know how you feel... If you'll excuse me." With a slight bow, she steps out of the room. "Oh, and we'll be leaving soon!" she calls back.
"Thanks!" Cecil shouts back. As soon as Fumiko leaves earshot, she sighs heavily. She can hear Cecil doing the same.
Jessup searches desperately for his knife. He finally finds it laying beneath one of the guard towers. "Oh, thank goodness... I was afraid I'd lost it." As he slides it back into its sheathe, a noise behind him makes him turn as he pull it back out. "Oh, Alyssa! You startled me...!" he says, sheathing his knife.
"And you went right for your knife. Just like I taught you. Good, little bro- Jessup."
"I asked you not to call me little brother anymore, Ali..."
"Sorry, force of habit," Alyssa admits. "Look, I wanted to talk to you about, well, us. Is something bothering you? I feel like you're avoiding me lately, and it... hurts."
"No, I'm not...! It's just, well... I was thinking about what you said. About needing to be strong to protect the ones you love. I'm terrified, so terrified, every time we fight. But I have to, because I want to protect everyone. But I'm not, I'm not strong enough, not even to protect..."
"Protect what?" Alyssa asks.
"To protect... you!" Jessup yells, his face turning bright red.
Alyssa nearly chokes. "Protect... me?"
"I love you, Alyssa! But until I'm strong enough to protect you... Will you... Will you promise to wait for me to get stronger?"
Alyssa pauses for a moment. "It's a two-way thing, Jessup. You have to be strong enough to protect me, and I have to protect you. And you do protect me, just by being with me. I feel so much stronger having you around, someone I love watching my back."
"Someone you... love?"
Alyssa grins knowingly as she reaches into her pocket. She glides forth, slipping a ring on Jessup's finger before he can react. She offers him a second ring and her ring finger. "Yes. I'll make you a promise, if you'll make one for me. Stay with me, Jessup. Now, until the moment we die..."
Jessup laughs lightly as he slips the ring on. "Til death do us part..." he mutters. Alyssa interrupts his thoughts with a kiss. Jessup reacts with surprise before leaning into her embrace.
End of chapter 15
Before you set out to march, you remember that Anna wanted to speak with you. You find her trying to cram as much of the bandit's ill-gotten gains into her cart as possible. "Anna..." you begin. "You realize most of these things are probably stolen, right?"
"Yes, but I didn't steal them! Er... And what I'm doing now isn't stealing, either! It's looting! I think..."
"Right, well. Since we don't have a way to know where these bandits stole everything from, and we definitely don't have a way to distribute it, I suppose you may as well take it. Better than leaving it to rust, I suppose."
"Exactly, June! I knew I liked you. Oh! That reminds me. I borrowed your hatchet; Jake and I had a look at it before he left. We sharpened it up for you, and Jake added some extra weight to it. It should be more effective against armor now."
June's hatchet has been strengthened!
June's hatchet now deals 1.5x damage to armored units!