Chapter 18: Shove Off!
"We'll restock and rearm once we reach Sal-Aldin," Doran tells you. "This could be our last chance to change our formation for a while, and I expect we'll be facing stiff resistance once we cross back to Valeria. Here's our current roster, let me know if we need to make any changes."
June (75) - Free Knight
Rain (73) - Pegasus Lord
Bud (56) - Warrior
Haley (59) - Paladin
Wendy (58) - Great Knight
Ferris (64) - Champion
Alyssa (60) - Whisper
Jessup (55) - Archsage
Syrene (58) - Hero
Agni (58) - Templar
Dan (54) - Griffon Rider
Walt (56) - Guardian
Jayce (59) - Marshall
Holland (58) - Sentinel
John (59) - Saint
Taika (55) - Thief Lord
Mary (61) - Shadow dancer
Fumiko (66) - Ninetails
Charon (55) - Rogue
Cynbel (56) - Dread Fighter
Doran (66) - Leader
Paen (69) - Baron
Claudia (61) - Dracolord
Saul (60) - Shadow Knight
Rosalin (56) - Warrior
Cecil (62) - Wanderer
Praven (62) - Archsage
Harrow (59) - Wolf Priestess
"Oi! Lemme borrow one o' them wyvern riders fer a bit, and this'll go a bit smoother," Rosalin announces as Doran begins assigning everyone their new roles. She grabs Dan the shoulder. I'll have this 'un run some directions to me crew, and they'll have everything we need ready ta go by the time we get there!"
"Er... Speaking of which, Commander Doran..." Dan begins hesitantly. "I'm not really comfortable switching off of Shard to some griffon I don't even know..."
"Yeah!" Haley chimes in. "I don't want to leave Fare, either!"
"Well," Walt says calmly. "I think I'm ready to ride again. If you think it will help our cause."
Wendy strokes her mount's mane. "Doran's just doing what's best for everyone with all this. I can't say I'm surprised he doesn't understand the bond between a rider and her mount." Her last few words are punctuated with a subtle venom.
Doran looks at you plaintively. You feel guilty throwing him to the wolves, so you intervene. "I made the final call," you announce. "Don't worry, we're not getting rid of your mounts or anything. You'll be able to change back if you find it impossible to change your fighting style, but I believe this will be an oppurtunity for you all to gain some valuable new skills."
"And don't worry about quality, the mounts and armor in Sal-Aldin are first rate, renowned throughout the world! You'll bond with yer new buds a'fore ya know it!" Rosalin adds. "Now take this 'ere list and bring it to me boys, tell 'em to pay from our coffers, we'll replenish it with all the loot we swiped from them bandits later." With that, she slips a scroll in Dan's pouch, and all but tosses him onto his wyvern.
"We've still got a good couple hours of marching before we reach our destination. The sun's already coming up, and things are going to heat up quickly, so let's get a move on!" Doran announces.
After riding in the cart for several hours, you force yourself onto Marth. Riding still hurts your ankle a bit, but it still feels better than sitting cramped in the cart. Harrow also leaves, marching near the end of the column in her wolf form. Within a few hours, Sal-Aldin comes into view. A familiar-looking pirate greets you a good ways ahead of the gate.
"Cap'n! Glad to see yer back!" he calls to Rosalin. "And all the rest o' ya, too."
"Sarv, ya dog. Ya didn't wreck the ship, did ya?"
"No, Cap'n! I came to deliver them horses and weapons what you wanted." You notice a small cart behind him loaded with armor and weapons, as well as several men leading horses, as well as Rain's pegasus. "We've offloaded the goods, restocked fer the return trip, and here's a samplin' o' the new crew members we hired."
Your troops begin changing into their new armor, getting acquainted with their new mounts. The old mounts are passed to the new crew members, who waste no time leading them towards the docks. "Glad we don't have to take any of them wyverns..." you here one mutter as he struggles with Fare.
"Aye, good work. And are we prepared to set sail?"
Sarv pops a hasty salute. "Give the order, and we'll be underway within 5 minutes! Er, but Cap'n, there's somethin' you ought know..."
You can sense the bad news about to hit. "What is it?" you ask. Realization starts to dawn on you. "Why did you not just load the horses onto the ship...?"
"Well, about two days after you set out," he begins, obviously not wanting to give the bad news himself, "another ship came in, passed out a couple o' wanted posters, and headed out again..."
"Wanted posters?" Doran asks.
"Aye, I've one here." He hands Doran a slip of paper. Doran looks at it for a few seconds, sighs, and passes it to you. It bears a crude likeness of Paen - not particularly good, but enough that you could recognize him. "They were offerin' a bounty fer you four" - he points out you, Saul, Paen, and Doran - "and anyone helpin' you."
"Well, that's just great," Paen sighs. "I'm sure everyone in town looked at these posters and told them there was no deal, right?"
Sarv shakes his head. "Most people wanted nothin' to do with it, but a few o' them mercenary types are combin' the streets fer ya."
(A) Disguise as best as possible, go to the ship
(B) Have some of your "unmarked" troops create a distraction (choose who, and how, if you want), then A
(C) Have Rosalin's crew meet you at a smaller village to the south
(D) Tactician: Smuggle yourselves aboard in the carts
"Are there any smaller villages where we could board within walking distance?"
Rosalin is thoughtful for a moment. "Aye, there's a village about half a day's march south with waters deep enough fer me ship's draft. Ravin's its name. Yer wantin' to sneak off and meet up there?"
"Exactly," you answer.
"By the way," Paen asks. "Where's Dan? Where is my loyal knight?"
"He'll be along in a minute, he was havin' trouble gettin' his wyvern to stay put on the ship," Sarv answers. As if in response, a griffon swoops in from the sky. Dan lands unsteadily beside your team as his griffon half-roars and half-squawks in your direction.
"Sorry," Dan apologizes. "This guy's not really... cooperative." The griffon snaps its head around and stares Dan dead in the eye.
"Well then," Doran suggests. "Since we're all together, let's head out. A half-day march in this heat will be rough, but at least we'll be close to the sea breeze this time."
(A) Have Rosalin captain her ship (choose up to 5 escorts)
(B) Take everyone to Ravin
The sun's heat is mitigated by a gentle, moist breeze that seems to blow constantly from the sea. The air is heavy, warm, and oppressive, but you still find it more agreeable than the dry heat of the desert. Fortunately, a well-made stone road makes the trip to Ravin much faster than your journey through the desert. Throughout the day, you pass a few merchant caravans returning to Sal-Aldin from various smaller towns.
You decided to have Sarv return to the ship by himself as you set out. By midday, you spy Rosalin's ship sailing past on the horizon; hopefully they'll be waiting for you when you arrive in Ravin. The sun is sitting low in the sky by the time Ravin comes into view.
Dan comes in from patrolling the rear, finally seeming to be bonding with his griffon. "June, there's a group coming from behind us. Horsemen. They've been slowly gaining on us for a while, but we should make it to the town well ahead of them." You look at the path behind you. A group of men is barely visible on the road far behind you. Ravin's about the same distance away, and it seems Dan's estimate is correct. So long as the ship's ready and waiting for you and you don't waste any time, you should be at sea and well clear of them by the time they arrive in Ravin. You can see Rosalin's ship pulling into the docks.
(A) Continue as if nothing is wrong in order to keep your formation together
(B) Sprint for the town as quickly as possible, having people arrive at different times should help load the ship faster
(C) Turn to face the pursuers here
(D) Set an ambush in the town
(E) Slow march, fight them near the village outskirts
You decide you'll need to fight these guys, but no point wasting time waiting for them. "Well, let's take a nice, leisurely march and fight them near the village outskirts. We'll keep them out of the fight as best as possible."
Your column repositions itself through the march, with your healers leading and your heavily armored troops in the rear. As the sun sets, the horsemen get closer. Doran gives you a quick analysis of the enemy: 5 paladins, 2 great knights, 3 dark knights. They form a simple line formation and attempt to break through your formation.
Paen takes point, and the first rider shatters his lance as they meet. Holland and Jayce attack the others as they pass, shrugging their way through the enemy's attack. Rain, Claudia, and Dan hover above them, hurling axes and spells as the enemies charge. A few riders break through your front lines, only to be cut down by your second wave of swordsmen and axemen. A barrage of arrows and magic sends the few survivors running, but you and the rest of your cavalry chase them down before they can escape.
Before you have time to celebrate, however, you hear yelling from your rear lines. Wiping the blood from your axe, you hasten to see what the commotion is. A small crowd has formed near the village. Many of them are speaking in Terran's native tongue, but a few are speaking your language.
"It's them! The guys on the posters!" someone is yelling.
"If we could capture them, all our money problems would be over..." one of the villagers is muttering.
"They look really strong, didn't you see what they did to those mercenaries?"
"They can't beat all of us! We could-"
"Be quiet, you fool! I want no part of this..."
Before you have time to respond, several members of the crowd dissipate. Some disappear into their homes and lock the doors. Others return with simple weapons, ranging from rusted iron axes to crudely sharpened logs. Some aren't even armed, but still form a wall to block your way. Your hope to diffuse the situation peacefully is shattered when one of the villagers hurls a stone, striking Charon in the head. He falls to the ground, clutching his head. When he pulls his hand away, there's a small injury; nothing life-threatening, but the other villagers, emboldened by the attack, begin to close in on you.
Paen charges to the front. "You just hurt a citizen of Carcina. Do you know what I do to people who hurt my citizens?"
The enemies here aren't that strong, but there are quite a few of them (50). If they were to gang up on your squishies, they might could take down one or two of them. Remember, you have 1 elixer. By the way, Anna and Jake boarded back in Sal-Aldin, so don't worry about them.
(A) Shove your way through to the ship, don't fight back unless absolutely necessary
(B) Attempt to disarm the villagers by force
(C) Kill a few, the rest will probably scatter
(D) Level the village
(E) Tactician: Have your stronger units "spar" with the villagers to create a distraction
You step to the fore, alongside Paen. "We're the two wanted, right? Worth more than the rest? Why don't you see if you can take the two of us alone before you bite off more than you can chew!?" This seems to give them pause for a moment. "Don't hurt them," you mutter to Paen.
"Don't hurt them, eh? This sounds like a fun challenge," Ferris says, stepping beside you. "Haley, why don't you join in, get some practice on that horse of yours?"
"Sure!" she chimes in. "We've just got to buy some time for the others, right?"
"Guess I'll stay, too. Got to teach these kids a thing or two about how to wield a weapon properly," Cecil adds, stretching his arms.
"5 on 50? This could be fun. No, Claudia," he adds as she comes towards you. "I stay. You go."
They all charge at once. Most stop to encircle your 5, though a few continue past. You are vaguely aware of the rest of your team forcing their way past them towards the ship, but most of your attention remains focused on the villagers in front of you. As the first steps forward to challenge you, you brace for the impact of his axe on yours as you deflect it... only to be surprised with how easily you swat his blow away.
A spear-wielding villager lunges at Paen. Paen grabs the spear with his free hand, and smashes his shield into the man. The man is knocked reeling back into the crowd, where two villagers drag him to safety.
A swordsman locks blades with Cecil, who merely guards against his onslaught. The aggressor begins becoming exhausted, and eventually backs off to let another take his place; Cecil steps forward to meet his opening slash. He calls to the young man as he walks away. "You need to - hey, I'm talking to him - you need to really commit to your blows, you lack conviction!"
Haley weaves her way through the crowd. The villagers back up at her approach, keeping their simple weapons between themselves and the horse. She seems to be making a game of it, treating the horde of villagers like a maze as she lazily swats away the few attacks that come her way. Ferris follows behind her, mainly to make sure no villager does anything to make Haley's mount lash out.
A villager brings an axe down on your shoulderplate. You feel the force of the blow, but shrug it off easily. The man's axe breaks against your armor, and he retreats with the rest. You spot a girl shakily aiming a bow at Cecil, and you take your hatchet to his bowstring. She's so startled that she actually screams.
After several minutes, Paen slams his axe into the ground, barely missing one of the villagers. "Enough of this farce!" he calls out. "Everyone else is on the ship. Let's go, June."
"H-Hey! We're not letting you go!" a man yells out, stepping in front of him. "We're... We're going to..."
"What? ...Stop me? How?" Paen grabs your arm and shoves the man out of the way. Cecil and Ferris follow behind you. Haley prances out of the crowd to the side, then makes a beeline to join you. Many villagers give you venomous stares. A few have the courage to try to stop you, but Paen swats them out of the way with the flat of his axe.
As you board the ship and haul up the gangplank, the villagers are dispersing with their tails between their legs. Rosalin spins the wheel, and you set out towards the sunset.
You expect Rosalin to greet you with her usual boisterous behavior, but she remains on the wheel. She almost seems to be... sulking? You climb the stairs to the wheel, and she greets you with a forced smile. "Ahoy, June. Glad to see you made it all right."
"Rosalin? What's wrong?"
"Me boy Sarv... 'e didn't make it back aboard. Marv told me some upstart merc rem'bered what ship we'd come in on, saw 'im climbing aboard. Grabbed 'im, gutted 'im, and dumped 'im in the sea. Marv an' the rest o' the crew shoved off right fast after that."
Doran, coming up from the deck, pats her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Rosalin."
"Ah, me boy... 'e's been with me from the beginning, one o' the few what followed me even after the others mutinied... Loyal wagtail, 'e was, and great with th' finances..." She begins wailing loud enough to rattle your armor.
Doran takes you by the arm. "We'll leave you to your grief, Captain." She nods slightly, before launching into a new round of sobs.
As you get enough distance between yourself and Rosalin to hear yourself thing, Doran informs you that there's a strategy meeting taking place now to determine the next course of action. "King Paen insisted on holding in in the stables for... some reason. He promised there was one, but refused to tell me what."
"That's fine with me," you answer. "I need to tend to Marth, anyway."
As you enter the large hold-turned-stable, you're greeted with the sight of Paen, Claudia, Cynbel, Saul, Rain, Harrow, Cecil, and Mary gathered around a small table covered in maps.
"That's it, then? Everyone we need?" Paen asks.
"Yes, I'd prefer to keep this meeting small. Let's begin by going over what we know," Doran says simply, walking to Mary's side. "Mary, have you finished reading through the tome we recovered?"
"The Goetia, yes. It listed several archdemons, but I'm convinced we face one known as Bune," Mary answers, flipping the tome open. "He has the abilities to make the dead rise under his control, and to grant richness and eloquence. I believe this could explain how members of this... cult... were able to gain positions in the high offices of both Valeria and Carcina, and perhaps other nations as well."
"I don't suppose that thing tells you how to kill it?" Cecil asks.
"I'm afraid not... It does describe his physical form as a three-headed dragon, but little more than that."
"Well, we know what we're up against, at least," Rain says. "And if it's a dragon, Falchion should be able to kill it."
"Of course," Saul says cheerfully. "This is wonderful news. Soon, we will be free of this corruption."
"You aim to stop the darkness?" Harrow asks, her tail wagging. "This... This is the perfect way to honor my fallen pack!"
"This is good news indeed, but where is it?" you ask.
Cynbel takes up a map of Meridia. "Here," he says plainly. "The high temple of Altos. I remember, the temple suddenly became sealed only a few months before Meridia declared its independence from Carcina. If I were a betting man, I would expect to find the monster here."
"So, our next course of action is to return to Valeria, fight our way to Antea, recover the Falchion, and set out for Meridia." Doran says plainly. "Any objections?"
"Aye," Paen answers. "I'm heading back to Tartan."
"What?" Saul asks. "Why would you leave us in our hour of greatest need?"
"Because..." he answers. "Eh. Claudia, show them."
Claudia gives a curt bow, then climbs onto her wyvern's back. Paen slides next to you. "This is what we were discussing a few days ago, by the way," he whispers as Claudia reaches under her wyvern's harness. She removes what appears to be a black wyvern's scale, except... larger. Harrow growls and retreats slightly. Everyone else cranes their necks for a better view.
"Behold," Paen announces. "The Shadow Emblem."
"Shadow... emblem?" Saul asks, cautiously approaching Claudia as she dismounts. He places a hand gingerly on the scale. "This is... What is this!?"
"As the Fire Emblem was carved from Naga's fang, so was the Shadow Emblem taken from Grima after his defeat by the Exalt."
Doran responds to the news much more quickly than everyone else. "So, if there's a Shadow Emblem, I'm guessing it has a sword counterpart?"
Paen smirks. "My, does nothing faze you? Yes. I'm sure you remember that blade I surrendered to you with, Girly?"
"That was..."
"Flamberge," Paen answers.
"So you gave it to your enemy?" Cecil asks with a sigh.
"I was counting on their not know its true nature. Flamberge, and the Shadow Seal... Their existence is a closely-guarded secret. I'm sure you understand, Saul, what would happen if the world knew?"
Saul bristles indignantly. "What is that to mean? That we would attempt to destroy them, just because they were crafted from... Grima's... corpse!?"
"Grima..." Harrow growls. "Even I know this name..."
"Enough!" Doran yells. "King Paen, will this sword enable us to defeat... What was the name, Mary? Bune?"
"It should," Paen responds. "It's every bit as powerful as the Falchion. Perhaps moreso, considering its design."
"Are we seriously considering using some dark dragon's sword to fight a demon?" Cecil asks.
"Why not?" Mary asks. "A dark tool, wielded with noble purpose..."
"I have no qualms," Rain says, placing a hand on the Fire Emblem on her forearm.
"So, we're decided. We'll split into two teams. One recovers Falchion, one recovers Flamberge. Then we meet in... oh, say, this town here," Paen says as he slaps the map of Meridia. Cynbel raises an eyebrow, but remains silent. "And then we proceed to... Altos, break the seal around it, and go kill this so-called 'Duke Bune.'"
Doran places a hand on his chin. "Well... We can't afford to waste time. Every day Bune is alive is a day the Risen continue to destroy. And it seems Horatio's sending assassins our way, as well, so splitting up may make their job a bit more difficult. Very well, we'll land on the border of Valeria and Carcina, in Mala. From there, we'll form two teams. Archbishop Saul, Rain. You'll proceed to Antea. King Paen, Claudia, you'll go south to Tartan. And we'll rendezvous in-"
"Yochi," Cynbel finishes with a nod. "Understood." With that, he steps out of the room.
"Er... Right, then. Dismissed, I suppose. Except you, June. We need to decide who's going where..."
"Right," you answer as the others file out. Paen gives you a slight nod as he leaves. Claudia remains long enough to replace the Shadow Emblem before leaving.
"Well," Doran begins. I suppose I'll lead one team, and you lead the other. Which way do you want to go?"
(A) Carcina with Paen/Claudia/Mary
(B) Valeria with Saul/Rain
Pick 10. Mary, Mary, quite contrary...
June/Wendy B
June/Syrene C
June/Agni C
June/Dan B
June/Jayce C
June/Walt A
June/Jayce C
June/Holland C
June/Mary B
June/Doran C
June/Rosalin C
June/Harrow C
Rain/Dan A
Rain/Walt A
Rain/Paen C
Rain/Doran A
Rain/Rosalin C
Bud/Taika C
Bud/Syrene B
Haley/Agni B
Haley/Holland C
Haley/John C
Haley/Mary B
Haley/Charon C
Wendy/Agni B
Wendy/Dan B
Wendy/Jayce C
Wendy/Fumiko C
Wendy/Harrow C
Ferris/Taika C
Ferris/Mary C
Ferris/Cynbel C
Ferris/Claudia C
Alyssa/Syrene A
Alyssa/Agni C
Alyssa/Holland C
Alyssa/Charon C
Alyssa/Jessup/Syrene X: For the Children
Jessup/Agni C
Jessup/Jayce C
Jessup/Mary C
Jessup/Rosalin C
Syrene/Charon C
Agni/Dan C
Agni/Jayce C
Agni/Praven A
Dan/Holland B
Dan/Taika C
Dan/Rosalin C
Walt/Holland C
Walt/Taika A
Jayce/Taika C
Jayce/Mary C
Jayce/Rosalin C
Holland/Fumiko C
Holland/Claudia C
Holland/Saul C
Holland/Doran A
John/Fumiko A
John/Taika C
John/Paen C
John/Saul C
John/Harrow C
Taika/Charon C
Taika/Praven A
Mary/Cynbel C
Mary/Paen C
Mary/Doran C
Mary/Cecil C
Mary/John S
Mary/Charon S
Fumiko/Charon C
Fumiko/Paen C
Fumiko/Doran C
Fumiko/Rosalin C
Charon/Cynbel C
Charon/Claudia C
Charon/Doran C
Charon/Rosalin C
Charon/Harrow C
Cynbel/Harrow C
Paen/Saul A
Paen/Claudia C
Paen/Rosalin C
Claudia/Doran C
Saul/Rosalin C
Saul/Praven C
Saul/Harrow C
Doran/Rosalin C
Doran/Harrow C
Rosalin/Cecil B
Cecil/Harrow C
Rosalin stays out on deck long into the night. The new crew is competent, for the most part, and she whips them into shape within a few hours. A few minor incidents pop up, including a tear in one of the sails and a broken rigging, but nothing she's never dealt with before. The waning moon is beginning to sink by the time she retires, stopping in the mess hall for a late dinner. She finds Cecil at one of the tables, polishing his blade beside an empty plate.
"Oh, there you are, Captain. I was waiting for you."
"Aye? What fer? Havin' trouble gettin' to sleep? If yer lookin' fer a bedtime story, ask someone else. I'm not in the mood tonight."
"I heard about your crewman. Marv, was it?"
"No, Marv's fine. Upset, but fine. 'e's got command of the 'elm right now. We lost 'is brother, Sarv."
"Brother? They were brothers?"
"Not by blood, mind, but they grew up together. We found the two of 'em... 's been years ago by now. Still lads, they were. They'd been out fishin' together, and they're boat sank. Found the pair floatin' on a piece o' wreckage, decided to let them work fer their ride. Gave 'em proper names an' all. 'Martin' and 'Samuel' ain't no names fer no pirates, yeah?"
"So, you knew him for that long..."
"Raised 'im like a son, I did,"Rosalin says, holding back a sob.
Cecil places an arm around her shoulder. "I know what you mean. I lost a daughter recently. I've lost so many friends in my years as a mercenary, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters all. Sometimes you've got to just grab someone and tell some stories about the dearly departed, y'know?"
Rosalin perks up a bit. "I'll get us some grog, this'll be a long night," she says as she stands. As she walks to fetch the brew, she stops. "That dastard, 'oratio, was it? 'e's the one what put out the bounty?"
"Probably," Cecil answers.
Rosalin nods as she walks away. "Then I'll stick with these 'un's 'til I've got 'is 'ead fer a candle holder..." she mutters under her breath.
Taika stands on the aft deck, leaning over the rail. She sighs deeply, before turning with a start as a hand appears on her shoulder.
"Oh! My apologies, Miss Taika. I did not mean to startle you," Walt begins. "I was just worried. It's late, yet you're still out on the deck."
"And what are you still doing up, Mr. Knight?" she replies haughtily.
"I was tending my horse. It's been a while since I've ridden, and I need to get back into the mindset. So, what are you doing?
"Ah, I'm just a bit homesick, I suppose. It was nice to see Terranus again, and to be leaving it again so soon..." She sighs. "I mean, I've quite enjoyed my time with your group, but home is home, right?"
"I understand what you mean. I was getting a bit sick of the heat, to be honest. I can't wait to return to Valeria's snowy forests," Walt adds, leaning against the rail next to her.
"I suppose I shouldn't complain too much," Taika says. "I'll be able to return to Terranus after all is said and done. I should spend more time enjoying my time with all of you," she says, turning to face Walt. "Once I return, I'm likely to never see any of you again..."
Walt looks down into the ocean, hiding his face. "Oh... That is... unfortunate. I mean... You won't have to leave right away, will you?"
"The temple can't be left abandoned for long. By the time we finish and manage to get back... Surely a knight like you understands?"
"Oh... Of course. Duty and all that."
"Still, I am going to miss everyone. Some more than others..."
You are awakened the next morning by the sounds of screaming coming from Doran's room. You grab your axe, and run to the door. Several of your fellows are emerging from their rooms in various states of disarray, some barely decent, some in full armor, all armed and running for Doran's room. As you slam open the door, a crowd forming around your back, you're greeted by the sight of Fumiko, her tail between her legs, standing before a very angry Doran.
"You... What have you done!?" he exclaims.
"I... I merely cleaned yo-"
"Cleaned!? It's a mess! Where... Where is everything? Oh, gods, it will take me hours to get everything back in its place...!"
As you look around the room, you see it is pristine. Everything is placed in neat stacks, the maps usually scattered around the floor are tightly bound and placed on the desk. Doran's coat is hung neatly from the wall. Doran makes a beeline for it, feeling among the dozens of pockets sewn into it.
"You even messed up my coat!"
"'M-messed up?' I merely organized it! I... I'm sorry, I only wanted to help!" Fumiko shoves her way past you, then through the rest of the crowd. You spot tears in her eyes as she passes.
"Wait...!" Doran calls after her. "Oh, blast it all... Fumiko, wait! Oh, excuse me..." As he chases after Fumiko, everyone stands in an awkward silence.
Slowly, everyone else begins to filter back to their rooms to dress properly, or to the mess hall for breakfast. You decide to follow Doran in case a bit of diplomacy is needed.
You find Doran standing outside of Fumiko's room. "Fumiko, I'm sorry! Will you... Will you please just talk to me?" The door opens a crack. "That's better..." Doran begins. "Fumiko, I'm sorry. You just really startled me this morning. And I know you just wanted to help, but I have everything organized a certain way, even if it looks really messy. But that's no excuse to have yelled at you like that. Can you forgive me?"
Fumiko opens the door wider. "Yes, I... I should not have broken into your room in the first place. It was improper. I will forgive you, it you forgive me."
"Yes, of cour- wait, broke in?"
By lunch, Fumiko and Doran seem to have patched things up, amicably joking about the morning's events. Holland wraps an arm around Doran and pulls him close. "Yeah, this guy's always been a real grump in the mornings. But he's cuddly as a teddy bear after he has his breakfast, let me tell you!"
"Teddy bear...?" Doran whispers.
"Shush, I'm helping you out," Holland whispers back.
"Helping m-" Doran begins a bit too loudly, before Holland silences him with a hand over the mouth.
"Let me tell you, little lady, about my man Doran here. Highest marks in the class. And quite the swordsman, to boot. And how many people can use swordsand magic?"
"My, that's quite the sales pitch," Fumiko responds with a sly smile.
"Holland-" Doran begins, before Holland slaps him on the shoulder.
"He's a bit rough around the edges, not really the social type, but he's got a big heart, even if he doesn't show it!"
Finally, Doran grabs Holland's beard and tugs. "Holland... You're embarrassing me..."
"Ow-ow-ow-ow! OK, OK! Message received!" Holland rubs his chin tenderly. "Still, can't a guy just innocently brag on his friend every now and again?"
"Holland..." Doran sighs. "Always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. At least your heart's in the right place... Even if you are a total numbskull."
"H-Hey, who're you calling a numbskull?"
Fumiko tries to hide her amusement as the two spend the rest of lunch teasing each other.
Taika and Agni spend the day studying in Praven's quarters. That evening, the trio emerge from the cabin. As the sun sets, they gather on the forward bow. Everyone is invited to attend; Agni and Taika explain that they haven't had a chance to mark the end of their journeys and their promotion to sagedom. Normally, a group of sages and mages from their school would form the audience, but, obviously, none are present.
As the sun sets behind them, Praven calls for quiet among the crowd. "We are gathered today to witness the ascension of Mage Agni and Mage Taika to the rank of Sage. As Archsage, I hereby recognize the completion of their journeys. They have seen much in their travels around the world, and I am proud to recognize them as my brother and sister sages. They will now share with you what they have learned in their travels. I present, Sage Agni."
Agni steps forward. "It is not necessary for two people to be able to communicate perfectly to understand each other." He takes his place at Praven's side. Praven smiles, nods, and touches his heart, before turning to Taika.
"I present, Sage Taika."
Taika steps forward with a slight curtsy. "If you wish to learn about somebody, don't expect them to simply tell you. You have to ask them!"
Praven laughs lightly as she approaches. "A simple lesson, but one we often forget. It is so easy to become too absorbed in ourselves..." He places a hand over her heart, then gives her a nod.
"My congratulations to both of you!" Praven begins. "Now, let us step forward together, to end this disaster that we may return to the pursuit of knowledge."
At dinner, Paen makes an announcement. "Two days from now... I'll be hosting a sparring tournament!" A murmur runs through the mess hall. Paen waits to allow the din to quiet, before continuing. "The prize will be a modest amount of gold." A roar goes through the crowd. Paen begins waving for quiet. "And of course, the chance to face off with our fearless leader, June. Or myself." The revelation that Paen plans to enter leaves a hush throughout the room. "Claudia's handling registration," he concludes simply, motioning to her before slipping out.
It takes you a few seconds to realize that Paen just enrolled you in the tournament without asking...
Aside: Why not let everyone see how their units stack up against each other instead of just against mooks all the time? Initial seeds are below. Voters chose which battles to have written, the rest were done off-screen.
Rosalin v Wendy
pirate v Claudia
Ferris v Cecil
Marv v Jessup
Harrow v Fumiko
Agni v Rain
Praven v Taika
June v Holland
pirate v Walt
Alyssa v Dan
Mary v Doran
Bud v Charon
pirate v Haley
John v Paen
Jayce v Syrene
Cynbel v Saul
Rosalin has you running odd jobs around the ship all the next day. Eventually, you bump into Wendy while you're busy mucking the makeshift stable.
"Oh, June. Busy with... your duties, I see. Are you prepared for the tournament tomorrow?"
"I suppose. I don't particularly relish the idea of us fighting each other."
"Oh, it's not about fighting each other! It's about building camaraderie, and gaining experience. As the commander, you should be excited for the opportunity to gauge everyone's combat abilities, styles, preferences..."
"You have a point," you have to admit. "I don't really get to observe all of that in the heat of battle."
"It's just a shame there's not enough room for our mounts to fight up on the deck," Wendy sighs as she pats her horse. "I don't have much experience fighting on horseback. A pegasus is completely different."
"It can't be that different, can it?" you ask.
"A horse and a pegasus?" You immediately regret your question. "For one, you have to adjust your fighting style to make sure you don't graze your pegasus' wings. It's a completely different method of mounting, dismounting, even sitting; falling from a pegasus is life-threatening. And of course giving commands to your mount is radically different. You have to be able to signal for takeoff, landing, leaping, all kinds of things you don't deal with on a normal horse. Aside from that, it's a different way of thinking, adding a third dimension. And on top of everything else, you have to be much more vigilant, because pegasus riders tend to be a bigger target, especially for enemy archers."
"That's... a lot to consider. You make it sound like riding horseback is much easier."
"In some ways, I suppose, but it has its own challenges." Wendy proceeds to tell you about those challenges, keeping you occupied for the entirety of your task. By the time you finish, she's gotten to discussing the differences in pegasus and horse leavings... You politely excuse yourself, saying you need to go see what else needs doing.
You don't make it far before running into Mary. "Oh, hello Mary," you greet her. You notice she's still wearing her new outfit - you had thought it was simply to help deal with Terranus' heat.
"Hello, June," she responds warmly. "Running from something?"
"Wendy was just giving me a lecture about the differences between pegasi and horses. She was getting into... It was time for me to go."
Mary can't help but chuckle lightly at that. "She is rather passionate about animals, isn't she?"
"Yeah... By the way, Mary, I've been meaning to ask you. What is that new outfit you're wearing?"
"Oh?" Mary asks, twirling to show off her dress. "I made it from one of my old robes and one of Charon's spare uniforms. He taught me a lot about dancing, and I quite enjoy it. I thought I could help everyone if I... you know, danced. But my old robes were too restricting. This isn't too revealing, is it?"
You examine her outfit carefully for the first time. A simple robe, with its sleeves cut loose, and its base cut to the knees, with a slit running partway up the thigh. The midriff is partly exposed, decorated with silk from Charon's outfit. Ribbons adorn her hair. "It's... more daring than I would wear," you admit. "But I think you look wonderful."
Mary beams at your praise. "I've gotten to experience so much since our journey began. I've learned so much, and I never would have even considered wearing something like this before." She seems to see something over your shoulder, and quickly excuses herself before you can say anything further.
"John!" Mary calls. You watch as he hastens down the hallway. She responds by sprinting after him. When he notices, he breaks into a run himself. "John...!" she yells again, anger rising in her voice. He turns a corner with Mary hot on his heels. A moment later, you hear a crashing noise. You decide to give them their privacy.
Mary picks herself up off of John. "Did you really need to tackle me...?" he asks.
"Well, did you really need to run from me? You've been avoiding me lately," she accuses. "Is this about that dark tome I've been reading?"
"No. Well, yes, I'll admit it is worrying to see you reading such a dangerous-"
"Are you still on about that? How many times do I have to tell you-"
"Mary..." he begins. "I will never trust dark magic." She tries to protest, but he prevents her. "But, I do trust you. Even if there are people out there who'll use dark magic for their own twisted ends, I realize you're... going to use it for the good of others. And I... respect that." John rubs the back of his head.
"Oh... John!" Mary wraps him in a hug. "That's all I ever wanted you to understand! It's not the weapon, it's the one who wields it... And I'm glad to hear that you trust me." John's face turns scarlet red, but he gingerly returns Mary's hug. She sighs and pulls him in tighter. "John, did you ever consider... Um... I mean, after we defeat the archdemon, would you like to..."
John pulls free of her grasp, staring her in the eye. He realizes she's blushing just as much as he for once. "Mary... Er... What are you asking?"
"Come back to the forest with me!"
"Um... Well, I-I don't see why not. Y-You mean to visit, or...?"
"Well... I'll leave that up to you, John," Mary says with a wink, before turning and running off, leaving him standing dumbfounded in the middle of the hall.
Syrene is walking to her room late that ni- "Mmf!" Something wraps around her face and she feels herself being drug into a room. Her assailant spins her around. "Oh... Ali! You don't have to grap- er, grab me, you can just call out for me like a normal person!"
"But where's the fun in that?" Alyssa says with a wink. "Anyway, Jessup and I wanted to talk with you."
"Hm?" Syrene notices Jessup for the first time. "Jessup! Come on, I expect behavior like this from Ali, but I expect you to stop her from things like that."
Jessup merely laughs and shakes his head. "Telling Ali not to skulk around is like telling a fish not to swim."
"Hey! I don't 'skulk,' I sneak. Anyway, that's not what we wanted to talk to you about. Jessup?"
"Right," Jessup begins. "Syrene, Ali and I are going to open an orphanage after this is done. In case anything happens to us, we wanted to make sure we had someone else we could count on to make sure everything goes well."
"An orphanage?" Syrene asks. "That's a... wonderful idea! But... don't talk about something happening to you, that's... er... bad luck, I think?"
Alyssa shrugs. "All I know is that I want to honor the memory of Voluth. Everyone there treated us so well, and I want to pass that on."
Jessup nods in agreement. "We figure that we'll have saved up enough from our wages by the time we finish this whole mercenary thing, at least to get something started. And we should have no trouble with permissions and forms and all those things, since we can go ask the archbishop in person."
Syrene pauses for a moment. "Oh... Well, I do need to speak with Agni about this. But I'm sure he'll be... I'm sure he'd love to help with something like this!"
One last thing before the fights start. June can grab a skill from someone she's close to.
(A) Bud: Bowfaire
(B) Haley: Lancefaire
(C) Ferris: Vantage
(D) Alyssa: Vengeance
(E) Paen: Pavise
King Paen announces the beginning of the tournament just after lunch the next day. Everyone has joined, either because they wanted to, or because they were pressured into it. A few members of Rosalin's crew have also joined.
The first match is Rosalin and Wendy. With her crew cheering her on, Rosalin comes out with an aggressive flurry of axe swings. Wendy retreats until she sees an opening, diving under a horizontal chop to slash upwards, catching Rosalin by surprise. Her crew falls silent for a moment, then begins to cheer for Wendy. As your healers tend to her, Rosalin pulls herself up, and pats Wendy on the back.
In the next match, Claudia swiftly smashes one of Rosalin's crewmen's axe out of his hand and across the deck. He quickly surrenders.
Ferris and Cecil meet each other for the third round. The two advance with their swords drawn. Ferris makes the first move, but Cecil easily knocks his blow aside and counters with a quick slash that grazes Ferris' arm. Ferris counters by quickly rushing in with five lightning-fast cuts. Cecil takes the first two, but manages to leap out of the way of the next few. He counters with a slash, but Ferris turns it away. Ferris continues his furious assault, but Cecil is managing to match his speed. Without putting much power behind his quick slashes, Cecil is able to turn them aside without much difficulty. Cecil cuts high, but Ferris matches him with a low stab. For a moment, it seems that he's won, but Cecil manages to keep his feet as he pulls himself free. "Time to end this..." he mutters, as he throws his sword into the air. Ferris raises his blade in expectation, eyes on the spinning sword. Meanwhile, Cecil quickly pulls the bow from his back, catching Ferris in the chest.
After the healers remove the arrow, Ferris glares at Cecil for a moment, before breaking into laughter. "You got me there, Boss. I never saw it coming."
Cecil sighs. "Ferris, what've I taught you time and again? If you get tunnel vision in the middle of battle, you're going to get killed."
In the next battle, Jessup attempts to keep Rosalin's first mate at bay with his magic, but once the axe-wielding pirate closed the distance, the fight was over in an instant, to the cheers of the rest of Rosalin's crew.
Harrow and Fumiko are the next pair to fight. The entire ship gathers to watch this match, even some who weren't around for the earlier matches; the pair had been receiving a lot of attention from many crew members who had never seen laguz before, even before the tournament was announced. Everyone seems to be excited to watch the match between the wolf priestess and the fox mage.
"I don't enjoy fighting," Harrow says. "But your pack leader asked me to demonstrate my skills. I suppose this is necessary for me to find my place in the tribe..." With that, she adopts her wolf form. Several members of the audience gasp at the transformation.
"Something like that," Fumiko admits as she adopts her fox form. "How about we show them the power of a laguz, hm?"
Fumiko quickly hurls a ball of fire at Harrow. Harrow charges through it, tackling Fumiko to the ground. The pair roll several times, but when they come to a stop, Harrow stands with two paws pinning Fumiko's chest, and her fangs around her neck. "Yield," she says simply.
"You win," Fumiko responds. The stunned crew cheers as the pair transform and Harrow helps Fumiko up.
Agni and Rain's fight is over as soon as Rain managed to close in. Praven defeated Taika in their fight. She surprised him when she attacked with a knife, but he regained his composure and forced her back with a series of wind gusts.
Finally, your turn arrives. For this fight, you chose to use...
(A) Lance
(B) Axe
(C) Bow
Holland levels his lance at you, but you charge in, knocking it to one side and cutting at his shoulder. You land a glancing blow before Holland shoves you back. He tries to keep you at bay with a flurry of rapid jabs, but you retreat, staying just out of his range. Finally, he takes a step too deeply, and you have a chance to rush him. You attack his lance, cutting its hilt. Holland steps back, staring incredulously at the broken shaft. Before he can make another move, your axe is at his throat.
"Hey... Watch the beard, young lady! Show your elders some respect!" He breaks into a laugh as he rejoins the crowd.
Walt easily defeats a pirate in the next round, while Alyssa manages to outmaneuver Dan in the round after. Doran defeats Mary in a magic-to-magic battle in the next round, his flames piercing her shadows. Bud overpowers Charon, while Haley dances around a pirate. Paen toyed with John for a few rounds, before defeating him with a gust of wind. Jayce and Syrene seem evenly matched, but he eventually manages to overpower her. Cynbel's newfound magic resistance gives him an edge over Saul, and he eventually manages to cut him down.
Wendy v Claudia
Cecil v Marv
Harrow v Rain
Praven v June
Walt v Alyssa
Doran v Bud
Haley v Paen
Jayce v Cynbel
After giving the fighters a few minutes to rest and heal, the second round begins. Wendy faces off against Claudia in the first match. Claudia opens with a sudden rush, catching Wendy off-guard as she barrels into her shoulder-first. Wendy stumbles back, clumsily hacking, but meeting only air. Before Wendy can fully recover from her daze, Claudia swings her axe, striking across Wendy's chestplate. Wendy winces in pain, but seems to recover from Claudia's sudden attack. She lunges, but Claudia steps to the side and chops again. This time, Wendy is ready for it, following through on her lunge and carrying her well past Claudia's cut. She turns to meet her opponent again, and they briefly lock weapons. Claudia kicks free, leaping back and clear of Wendy's cut, before suddenly cutting back in with an overhead cut. She stays her axe a hair's breadth from Wendy's skull. The judges rule her victorious.
Cecil and Marv follow them. Marv puts up a good fight, but is eventually exhausted by Cecil's powerful, accurate blows. Harrow and Rain face up next. Rain, having watched Fumiko's fight, doesn't bother with her magic, focusing instead on her sword. The pair fight for several minutes, attacking and retreating, dodging and parrying. You aren't sure who's going to win at first, but eventually Rain's ability to recover from injuries in the midst of battle allows her to tire Harrow. She lands a decisive blow, and Harrow falls. For a moment, she seems to have won; before her victory can be declared, Harrow struggles to her feet for one last attack. Her desperate charge knocks Rain to the ground, but she manages to disentangle herself, and Harrow seems unable to continue.
Your match is next. As the match begins, Praven gives you a polite bow.
(A) Return the gesture
(B) Remain in a guarded position
(C) Attack while he's vulnerable
This smacks of deception. You raise your axe in front of you and maintain a defensive stance, alert for any signs of aggression. Praven remains in a half-bowed position for several seconds, before straightening himself. He considers you for a moment before he speaks. "Perhaps you have seen too much, or perhaps you are merely wise enough not to give an enemy an opening. But you need not fear an underhanded attack from me, not during a friendly match. It's important to show your opponent respect and- oh, listen to me rambling when we're supposed to be sparring. I'm sure all these people don't care. I'll lecture you more later, young lady."
With that, he dramatically pulls out his tome and begins chanting an incantation. You decide the quickest, safest way to end the fight is to disarm him. He hurls a fireball at you, but you manage to dodge to one side. You swing for the book, but he realizes your target and manages to move his arm at the last moment. While focusing on your axe, he isn't fast enough to avoid your off-hand grab. You grab the book, and manage to wrench it free from his grasp without much difficulty. Praven staggers backwards. You expect him to surrender, but he quickly produces a wind tome.
The wind pierces your armor, and seems to strike your chest directly. He may look frail, but his magic certainly packs a punch... Still, you aren't going down that easily. You close the gap, swinging low. He steps back faster than you expected, but not quite fast enough. Still, his robe caused you to misjudge the distance, and you hit nothing but cloth. A gust of wind flies toward your head, but you manage to duck beneath it. A tinge of guilt strikes you for just a moment, but from this position...
You tackle Praven. He is caught off guard, and falls to the ground. He groans loudly as he impacts the ground. "Oh, alright, alright, enough... We're done here. Help me up." After helping him to his feet, he gives you another bow. This time, you return it. He responds with a smile.
Walt and Alyssa are the next to enter the arena. Walt opens the fight with a quick lunge of his lance. Alyssa barely manages to throw her knife up in time to catch the spearhead, barely letting it rake her cloak. She closes in and slashes, only to find Walt's shield already up. Walt whirls his lance around, catching Alyssa by surprise with the shaft. She staggers to the side, but not before slashing again. Her knife barely scratches Walt's armor. Walt follows Alyssa's retreat carefully, keep his lance extended. As soon as she makes a move to close the distance, he drives the tip into her chest, forcing her back. She clutches her chest in pain, blood pooling around the wound. Jessup yells for her to surrender, and she hesitantly throws down her knife as he runs to her side.
Bud elects to fight Doran up-close instead of risking his magic, but Doran's swordsmanship still wins out over his wild axe swings. Haley actually proves to be a challenge for Paen, managing to outflank his shield several times, but never to penetrate his armor. Eventually, he scores a solid hit. Jayce and Cynbel seem to enjoy their match. The pair seem evenly matched, but eventually Jayce manages to find an opening in Cynbel's new high-speed, high-power style.
Claudia v Cecil
Rain v June
Walt v Doran
Paen v Jayce
Claudia and Cecil start the last round of the day. The pair go back and forth for several minutes, both swapping among their weapons trying to gain an advantage. Claudia manages to inflict a few minor wounds against Cecil, but they seem to heal as he lands a particularly powerful blow against Claudia. A second later, however, he seems to be impacted by an invisible force. Claudia screams as she dives into the opening, striking with her axe to pay the strike back two-fold. Cecil barely manages to withstand her attack, struggling to strike her one final time. He sees a slight opening as she stumbles on a loose plank, and launches into one final attack. Claudia barely remains standing after the blow, but it seems to push Cecil past his limits. He collapses to the ground, and healers rush out to help him.
Next is your fight with Rain. You can't help be be concerned about it. Rain's been with you since the very beginning, and she's helped you through so much... All your concerns are allayed when she walks out with a smile. "Show me how much you've grown, June! I won't hold back, so you don't need to, either."
(A) Go in hard and fast with your axe
(B) Try to keep a bit of distance and focus on countering with your lance
(C) Force her to use magic by staying at a distance with your bow, switching to the axe if she rushes in
You decide to rush in with your axe. Just as you think your axe has hit home, Rain leaps into the air over your hack, bringing her sword down on your head. The first blow simply bounces off your armor, but her follow-up seems to cut right through your plate.
You stagger for a moment. Rain waits for you to recover. "Come now, June, surely you can do more than that?"
"I'm not done yet..." you mutter, charging in again. This time, Rain takes a defensive stance, waiting to turn away your attack. At the last second, you leap into the air, mirroring her attack. The sudden change from a charge to an aerial attack catches Rain off-guard, and she doesn't get her blade up in time to block. Your first blow wounds her, but the second sends her reeling. As she recovers, she suddenly lunges at you. You manage to brace for the blow, and it seems to do much less damage than you expected. You and Rain are both left badly wounded from the brief exchange, but you both refuse to surrender.
Rain tries to block your next attack, but your strike forces its way past her sword, still keeping enough force to punch through her thin stomach armor. Rain clutches at the wound, blood appearing around her hand. She looks up at you, surprised. After a moment, she smiles and drops her sword.
Walt takes the stage next, sparring against Doran. Doran takes advantage of their starting distance to hurl a ball of lightning towards Walt. Walt lets the attack hit, but then rushes in with his lance. Before Doran can even get his hand on his blade's hilt, Walt stabs him through the arm, driving the lance tip all the way through into his chest. Doran yells in pain, struggling to free himself. The expression on Walt's face is pure horror, as he watches his commanding officer tearing at the lance with his free hand. Healers rush in to help, and after several minutes, Doran is carried, unconscious and bandaged, back to his cabin.
Paen and Jayce take the last match of the day. By now, the sun is setting ahead of the ship, and several crew members have taken their leave - or been forced to leave to attend to their duties. To your surprise, Jayce holds his own quite well, imitating Haley's strategy of dancing around, but being more cautious with his attacks. Paen finally seems to grow weary of missing his spear thrusts, and sweeps low in an arc. Jayce tries to leap over the lance, but it catches his leg, and he falls on his back. Paen's lance bites into the deck inches from Jayce's head, signifying an end to the day's fights.
Clauda v June
Walt v Paen
How will you fight Claudia?
(A) Powerful axe attacks, try to end it in as few blows as possible
(B) Precise lance strikes, look for gaps in her armor
(C) Use your bow
After a good night's rest, the semi-finals begin early in the morning. Everyone wakes early, excited to see who wins, even some who were originally opposed to the tournament. Even Doran is up and about, though he avoids using his wounded arm. You have a simple meal, then do some warming up and stretching. The match is delayed so the ones cleaning up after the meal can join in on the festivities.
Claudia smirks as you come out, swinging her axe almost playfully in your direction. Her dark hair flutters slightly in the wind, and you can't help but notice her skin tone has darkened slightly. You take an offensive stance with your own axe, waiting for the match to begin. "Ready for this, June? I know I am," Claudia taunts.
As the fight starts, you both charge each other, your axes colliding as you pass. You turn around first, managing to score a solid blow against Claudia's hip. She yelps in pain as she shifts her weight to her uninjured leg. You manage to step back to avoid her next blow, but she sidesteps your counter. She quickly whirls around you, slamming her axe into your back. You shudder at the impact, but keep your feet. As you spin around to face her, she falters, lowering her axe a bit too low. You take the opportunity to hack into her flank just above her hip wound, and she falls to the ground. She starts to struggle to her feet, but a voice stops her. "Enough," Paen announces. "June wins."
"But, King Paen, I can still-" Claudia begins as she reclaims her feet.
"You can still stand and swing your axe, yes, but that's hardly going to be enough to win here. Besides, I was hoping to face her in the finals. The two of us have sparred hundreds of times, but June and I've never had a real fight before."
Claudia glares at you angrily. "Very well, milord," she mutters, hurling her axe overboard. She walks back to rejoin the crowd as Walt and Paen step forward. Jayce stops Walt and whispers something in his ear as he passes, and Walt shakes his head.
Paen waits for Walt to advance, but Walt remains still. "Come on, then," Paen calls. "Just because you screwed up in the last fight doesn't mean you'll end up hurting me, as well. Ha! 's more likely it'll happen the other way around!" Walt continues to stand his ground. "We don't have all day," he announces. "Well, I suppose we do, actually, though we'll be arriving in Valeria tomorrow night. Probably want to finish by then, right?"
Walt continues to stand his ground, not responding to Paen's taunts. Finally, Paen sighs and begins to approach Walt. As Paen steps just out of striking distance, Walt lunges forward, then suddenly drops his lance. Paen raises his shield only for the lance to clatter uselessly off it. Walt takes his flank, driving a sword up underneath Paen's raised arm. Paen seems to growl in anger, swinging his shield to catch Walt in the side. The blow knocks Walt off his feet. He gets up as Paen advances with his own sword drawn.
The pair lock blades, but Paen's strength proves the greater, and Walt is forced back. Paen follows up with a quick slash that badly wounds Walt. Walt counters with a strong overhead slash. Paen takes the blow, moving to the side at the last second so it strikes his shoulderplate instead of his helmet. Paen wraps his free arm around Walt, locking his arm in place. Paen releases his grip as he throws all his weight into a powerful body slam, sending Walt back several feet. Walt groans, and Paen declares victory by placing a sword at his throat before he can rise.
June v Paen
"Well then!" Paen calls to the cheering crowd. "The moment we've all been waiting for! The final round!" He points his axe at you. "I assume you're wanting to fight with axes, Girly? You better not hold back, because I sure won't! Prove you're worthy to be my queen!"
You'd expected Paen to make it to the final round, but you weren't expecting to be standing opposite him... Even with all the time since your last match, you still have no idea how you're going to beat him. No one else managed to so much more than slow him down. Though you did notice it was possible to score a hit, no one could penetrate that armor... Fortunately, your armor's none too thin, either. You decide the best approach is to go in, hit him hard, and hope it works.
As you charge in, Paen makes an overhead swing at your head. You sidestep, but he steps back as you counter. He tries a horizontal cut, but you leap into the air over the axe, dropping down on his head before he can evade, and following up with a quick rising slash. He grunts and steps back. "I've seen that move before..." he mutters. "It won't work twice!" He rejoins the fight with a quick hack that bounces off your armor.
For several minutes, the two of you dance up and down the deck, neither of you able to score a solid hit. The crowd opens and closes as you move, cheering all the way. Your continuous assault seems to be wearing Paen down, and he has more and more trouble slipping around your defenses. You notice blood dripping from his armor in a few places and realize he's hiding the extent of his injuries, refusing to give up - only later do you realize how many cuts and gashes you'd taken as well. Finally, Paen drops to one knee, panting. He raises back up and makes a futile hack for you, grabbing for you when he misses. He manages to get a hand on your shoulder, but is too exhausted to follow-up before you drive the butt of your axe into his stomach, the force of the blow ringing across his armor. He groans in pain, then slowly slumps to the ground.
Next, who gets to wield the Shadow Emblem? It offers def+2 and slightly increases skill activation rates. Any Carcinan can wield it - including Cynbel, since Meridia was originally part of Carcina, meaning he was born in Carcina.
(A) Paen
(B) Claudia
(C) Dan
(D) Charon
(E) Mary
(F) Fumiko
(G) Cynbel
Finally, what's June going to do with her prize money?
(1) Donate it to Alyssa/Jessup/Syrene's orphanage
(2) Give it to Bud to help rebuild Hearthstone
(3) Upgrade up to 5 units' equipment (+1 to all stats)
(4) Decide later
Your healers take several minutes to revive Paen. As they remove his armor, the extent of his injuries becomes more apparent - the fact he was still standing with as many wounds as he had is utterly staggering. When he comes to, he's a bit lightheaded, but within moments he's back to his usual self, slapping you on the back and hurling your arm into the air.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our champion!" he yells. "And her prize!" he adds, as Claudia brings a large bag from below decks. She hands it to you with a glare, then takes her place at Paen's side. "50,000 gold! So, what're you going to spend it on? Y'know, bride's supposed to pay for the wedding..."
You elbow him in the gut, a bit harder than you'd meant to. "My town was destroyed in the first few days of this catastrophe. This will be a good start towards rebuilding it..."
Paen closes his mouth, then pats you on the shoulder. "That's too like you. You can afford to spoil yourself a little... Well, do what you want. Now, I'm going to catch a nap before we arrive." He hobbles off. You feel a bit guilty, but he seems to have enjoyed himself, at least.
The crowd begins to disperse, several people stopping to congratulate you. You notice Saul follow Paen to his room. Eventually, only Bud remains with you.
"June, are you really going to use that money to rebuild the town?" he asks.
"No," you answer. You can't help but giggle at the look of shock on his face. "I'm not. You are," you say as you hand him the sack.
"Wha...? But..."
"Well, King Paen, that was an amusing little distraction. So, what was your real motivation?" Saul asks.
"Hm? Boredom, mostly. 5 days stuck on this ship with nowhere to go. Figured we could use something to keep us sharp, raise morale, all that. Keep our minds off what's to come."
"You make it sound like such a wonderful thing," Saul adds flatly.
"Is something wrong with a little sport every now and then?"
"You weren't worried about any hard feelings?"
"We're all friends here, aren't we?" Paen asks. "What're a few bruises among pals? Now, what did you really come to talk about?"
Saul sighs heavily as he takes a seat. Paen gives her a glance, and Claudia slips out of the room. After a moment, Saul begins. "I'm worried about my country. We've been gone for two weeks now. With all that was going on, who knows what's happened?"
Paen scratches his head. "Well, I'm sure the regional commanders have been taking care of things pretty well. I'm sure Carcina's fine. I mean, there've probably been some casualties, but I'm sure they were minimal."
"'Minimal?' Those are your citizens you're talking about!" Saul says in horror. "No death is meaningless!"
"Of course not!" Paen roars back. "But I can't save everyone, not in a situation like this. The best I can do is work with you guys to end this quickly and save as many as possible. You may think me heartless, but I'm just realistic. All I can do... is crush whoever has been murdering my people!"
For a few moments, all is quiet. Finally, Saul speaks. "I apologize. I did not mean to say you don't care about your people. I'm sure this weighs just as heavily upon you as it does on me. I should not have vented my frustrations on you."
Paen waves nonchalantly. "Water under the bridge. So, while we've got a few minutes alone, why don't we go over a few administrative things? Politics and all that."
End of Chapter 18
End of Book 3: Eastern Sun
Units were divided between the two teams.
Tartan: Paen, Mary, Claudia, Bud, Haley, Wendy, Ferris, Alyssa, Jessup, Dan, John, Charon, Rosalin, and Cecil.
Commander: June
Antea: Saul, Rain, Syrene, Agni, Walt, Jayce, Holland, Taika, Fumiko, Cynbel, Praven, Harrow.
Commander: Doran
So, which group's perspective do you want to follow first?
(A) Tartan team
(B) Antea team