Part 115: The Asterisks in Use
Entry 106: The Asterisks in UseIn a departure from chapters 1-4, the Braev of this world somehow knows the party well enough to not bother sending an invitation to Eternian Central Command.
Sorry, he had to pay his karmic dues for creation of the lolicon character.
After a brief rest in Eternia City, it's imperative we go beat up the Eternians right away. Because.
The party makes their way towards our boy Braev as our scene shifts to him.
Among you are those who have swallowed their pride to follow my command to abandon their posts. Those willing to fight for the duchy and all of Luxendarc, though it goes against long-held convictions.Convictions such as "actively sabotage everyone in Luxendarc who isn't an Eternian"?
Now might be a good time to apologize for putting knowingly corrupt fellows in positions of authority with no oversight. No? Okay.
You are all of these, but I bid you now, forget your differences this day! Keep to the battle lines I've drawn and we shall strike a blow against the vestal's forces! But remember this. We do not fight for wanton slaughter of our enemy!...Braev, as in every world, remains the blissful idealist regarding his army's actions.
Anyway, the good news: they won't try to kill us on purpose!
I will assign a leader to each company and confer orders detailing my plan of attack.They're just going to beat us up in a meticulously organized manner.
He's looking at you, Heinkel. And Einheria. And Kamiizumi. And... Almost everyone else here.
I'll hear any complaints after the battle. Readying to face the vestal is your sole concern now! That is all. May you be victorious in battle!The forces split and take up positions just as the party arrives at the gates.
*action music*
Also Edea's got her "screw you Dad, I'm going my own morally grey path and wearing a bikini in sub-zero" outfit on.
The party does a slo-mo entrance while we our first opponents go over their plan:
Braev's choice here is of the quality we've come to expect.
My name is Erutus Profiteur. And you, eldest of the Venus sisters, you are ze valkyrie, er...
Einheria Venus. Proud to serve you, sir! Even in Ancheim, I hear good things of your work in leading ze Bloodrose Legion. You give me too much credit, sir. Our captain is Fiore--
At least with Khamer's carrot/stick hanging over Profiteur's head, Profiteur's going for the honey rather than vinegar approach to dealing with his fellow soldiers.
And zen we have Jackal. No introductions needed, hm?
Whatever floats your boat. So, what were the grand marshal's orders? Let me guess. Moneybags here supplies the BP, and me and you burn through 'em quick as you like. Correct. And as in all things, a good start is key. Drive ze vestal and her people into ze ground before zey know what hit zem! Yes, sir!Einheria shifts, her dress poking into Jackal's leg.
What are those anyway, some kind of blades? What're they doing dangling down by your legs? Oh, these? They are for delivering maximum damage when I dive down on my enemies. Well, save it for them, will ya? I'm an ally in case you've forgotten. Apologies. "Apologies"? That's the best you can do?
This team doesn't even need Profiteur's misbehaviour to be a wreck.
I'm very sorry! That won't cut it, wither! I want to hear you say it like you mean it! For us thieves, speed's everything. I'm good as dead if I take one to the leg, follow!? Please accept my apology! And to ensure no further trouble, I...I will be standing by overhead! *JUMP*
But Einheria does not appear to hear him.
Despite the limits of being inside a building, she is far, far above, reaching heights in her embarrassment that would put even Kain Highwind to shame.
...... ............ ...Hellooo! Jackal, on the other hand, is so impressed he's already forgotten his rage.
A short time later, the party finds Profiteur's group waiting just outside the elevator leading to the upper floors.
And so we're starting the first of our Fanfiction: The Final Gauntlet battles.
This one has simple strategy. Profiteur buys BP for the other two...
...with an ability using what looks like a stock image graphic...
...and Einheria and Jackal are able to use big BP draining abilities every turn.
Dialogue-wise, these Central Command battles are simplified compared to the previous ones, with only critical health and KO dialogue, no 1/10 lines.
Other critical health lines:
I'm still in this one! See, I'm fine! Zese rats are more persistent zan I had expected.KOs:
Bah, zis is no place for children!Einheria and Jackal, with his newfound respect:
Nngh! ...They're formidable. I must withdraw! Hurry up and get back, frills!Profiteur and Jackal, who continues to give Profiteur the respect he deserves:
Aaagh! Zis cannot be... Ugh, Profiteur! That was pathetic!Last, the solo KO lines:
Heh. It's always me alone in the end. You've grown strong, Edea. I almost forgot it was you.Afterwards, Profiteur's team moves out of the way.
Leaving us free to take the elevator up. Meanwhile...
Our second team has time to chat. About what else? Battle.
It was fifteen years ago we met. I've competed against you for glory on the field ever since. In a sense, we have been fighting together the entire time.
Heh heh heh, you have a point there. And you. Holly, wasn't it? You were there as well, weren't you?
Yes, swordmaster. We were in different units, but I joined you on that day fifteen years ago. I was only a medic-in-training, but I served as best as I was able.From the records: Kamiizumi was with Braev assaulting the Temple of Earth (Everlast Tower) while Heinkel led the charge at the Orthodoxy's head temple (Central Command). Holly was stationed in Eternia City.
Kikyo, in contrast, is a mystery.
So, what is the grand marshal's plan? Precisely what it looks like. We are to be an iron wall to neutralize the enemy's attacks.Every job combination we face in Central Command will be unlike any faced before in the game.
One of the strongest points of Bravely Default is its flexible battle system, so plot issues aside, this is a perfect set of challenges to set to the player.
Indeed. We'll make a formidable line, though timing will be key. Braev was slow to act, but it seems a fire's finally been kindled within him.Thanks to the asterisk system, we know the Eternians are using roughly the same jobs we now have access to. It creates fun situations like these where we can see some different combos as used by the game, and turn their own jobs against them.
As the party approaches Kamiizumi's group, Holly tries being social with the other woman on the team.
..................... ..................... ...Try to put your thoughts into words on occasion, Kikyo. ..................... ..................... .....................
Same as other worlds, Kikyo the ninja can only speak while in disguise.
It's breaking with the game, but I'm going to go ahead and separate her words here for readability's sake:
silence while out of disguise to those who do not know the reason places a burden upon the captain, which pains me. Hence I have held my tongue, but I apologize if I've given any offense. *POOF*
Oh, boy! Get a load of that! ..................... Far from mocking, Holly seems genuinely impressed.
..................... *POOF*
I came to loathe my own languid speech and soon stopped speaking altogether, though I found that I could speak at a rapid clip if I was in disguise...*POOF*
Well, that would explain it. You poor dear...
The Black Blades did nothing to ease this poor girl's troubled soul!?*POOF*
did not scorn me for or grow frustrated at my speech... Save one enormously fat, useless slug...*POOF*
No need to keep speaking if you don't want to, Kikyo. Isn't that right, swordmaster? ......... ......... Well, I for one would like to hear a little more.Getting the sadistic streak out of Holly apparently makes her into a great person.
Anyway, this lovely moment of budding friendship and sisterhood is ruined by the party arriving.
.................. ..................! Don't worry. No one will laugh, I promise. .................. .................. ..................!Finally, after another long pause:
Amazing what a little moral support can do.
The vestal of wind's party of four! All formidable opponents! There, you see? That was lovely. Well, boss, Kikyo just sounded out the warning! Indeed. Thank you for that, Holly! To arms, one and all! Time to meet the vestal and her followers in battle!What a heartwarming welcome to us getting beaten up.
Or, more likely, us beating them up. But one thing we won't touch is Kikyo's newfound courage.
The gimmick here is finding a way to attack. Heinkel will tank any single-target hits on other teammates, while Holly keeps reflect up on both teams to discourage magic use.
On the offchance you get through the defenses of those two, Kikyo will take evasive actions and Kamiizumi has a chance to deploy a nasty counterattack.
Other critical health lines:
...I will fight to the end for those who accepted me...! What joy! Your growth far outstrips what I had imagined. You people would get all hot and bothered over this!KO exchanges:
Stand back, swordmaster. I'll take it from here!Heinkel and Holly, who seems lackadaisical at a glance but does actually take her job seriously:
Aaagh! The iron wall is broken! Fall back, Captain! I'll make these scum pay!Holly and Heinkel:
Just lovely... Looks like I slipped up.
Kikyo and Kamiizumi, her sympathetic commander:
...............!! Kikyo, retreat! I'll tolerate no needless death!And finally, the solo KO lines:
Heh heh. A brilliant victory on your part! Phew, it's finally over. You lot aren't half bad. Go now, Edea, and never look back!As the party continues on after the battle, the third group prepares.
A polite argument is underway.
Gah heh heh! Nonsense, Alternis Dim! What better leader than a member of the Council of Six, says I! Besides, the matter's settled. The grand marshal named you the man for the job.Alternis is clearly being trained up for a leadership position, so it'd be surprising for him not to command his own group.
Barbarossa works better as a first mate, regardless.
Ha haaa! Can't say as I understood any of that, but why not have Alternis lead us?
I totally, completely, supremely agree! So, what's the grand marshal have planned for us?
It's actually quite simple. He wants us to-- Beat 'em to a pulp! Chop them into mincemeat! Sing their eardrums out!
Alternis's enthusiasm never shows the way the other Eternians do. It's not until he becomes Ringabel he really shows his personal flair.
It's a shame our Ringabel lost his Dark Knight asterisk somewhere along the way. You'd think he'd have kept it close, considering how powerful and rare it is.
Does that mean there's some fisherman out in Caldisla running around with dark knight powers? Or a goblin? It's nice that the asterisks are explained in the plot, though the way they must work ingame is...kinda inscrutable.
Now, my hearties! Let's-- Give 'em a serious thumping! It's show time!Barbarossa isn't leader but can't help backseat-leading. Suleiman must've been one hell of a patient guy.
This is similar to the first Central Command battle, with one BP battery supplying a bunch of heavy damage dealers.
Despite having one more person, it's easier to manage than the other fight, because Alternis's dark damage can be nullified by a spiritmaster and the other two only do single-target attacks.
Other critical health lines:
Together we fight! Rally to me! Rraaagh! Do you see these pecs!? They're on fire! Watch out! I still have songs to sing...dances to dance!KO exchanges:
There's been no sign of this world's Edea.
Eek, are you alright!?Barras and Alternis:
Huh!? What am I doing on the ground? Barras! Fall back for now!Praline and Barbarossa:
Aww... I was almost to my best part!
Barbarossa and Alternis:
Gah hah hah! A fine mess I made of that!
And some of the solo KOs:
Let this be the momentum that moves you ever forward! Oh, yeah. Nothing better than fighting to your last breath.
The third battle of central command is finished, but we aren't to the top yet. Hope Braev's got a crossword or something to do while he waits.
Next: The Final Move of the Eternians.
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Event Viewer
Sub-Scenario:
The Battle of Eternia
Brave Points Galore
Showdown: Brave Points Galore
The Iron Wall
Showdown: The Iron Wall
The Powerhouses
Showdown: The Powerhouses
D's Journal: Jackal the Thief posted:
The elevator to the 47th floor of Central Command was guarded by Eternian vanguard forces, led by Erutus Profiteur, Merchant of Death. We faced a tough fight, as he used his wealth to provide the Jackal and the valkyrie Einheria with ample BP to execute their powerful attacks. However, we exploited the slight gap in their teamwork to win the fight.
D's Journal: Profiteur, Merchant of Death posted:
Profiteur, the Merchant of Death, led an Eternian vanguard force guarding the elevator to the 47th floor of Central Command. He used his wealth to buy BP for Einheria and the Jackal to unleash countless attacks, creating a force of terrifying power. We exploited small gaps in their teamwork to eke out a hard-fought victory.
D's Journal: Einheria the Valkyrie posted:
The elevator to the 47th floor of Central Command was guarded by Eternian vanguard forces, led by Erutus Profiteur, Merchant of Death. He gave the valkyrie Einheria and thieving Jackal abundant BP, and their attacks were merciless. It was a tough fight, but we exploited small gaps in Einheria and the Jackal's teamwork to prevail in the end.
D's Journal: Holly the White Mage posted:
The 48th floor of Central Command was guarded by a formidable defense under Swordmaster Kamiizumi. The ninja Kikyo warned of our approach, her hand gripped by the white mage Holly, who seemed close to tears for some reason. She looked truly ravishing. (Grr! -Edea) We won the battle that followed, and everyone seemed in good spirits.
D's Journal: Heinkel the Knight posted:
The 48th floor of Central Command was guarded by a formidable defense under Swordmaster Kamiizumi. At first the mood was light, but in battle the dark sword flashed, wielded by the former commander of the duchy's elite guard... We emerged victorious, but that is one fight I don't want to repeat. (Agreed... -Edea)
D's Journal: Swordmaster Kamiizumi posted:
The 48th floor of Central Command was guarded by a formidable defense under Swordmaster Kamiizumi. He had the complete trust of Braev the Templar, and assembled a stalwart team who he could rely on to carry out his orders perfectly. All those there fought without a care for who won or lost, desiring only to battle on.
D's Journal: Konoe the Ninja posted:
The 48th floor of Central Command was guarded by a formidable defense led by Swordmaster Kamiizumi. When we arrived, a calm atmosphere seemed to surround the ninja Kikyo...but I was too quick to judge. She unleashed fierce attacks in the battle that followed, holding nothing back. It seemed as if she was fighting with newfound vigor.
D's Journal: Barras the Monk posted:
The 49th floor of Central Command was protected by an elite melee force led by the dark knight Alternis Dim. With the melee attacks of Barras and the axe blows of Captain Barbarossa enhanced by the songs of Praline, Diva of the Battlefield, each strike landed with pummeling force. We bested them after a harrowing battle, and they duly let us past.
D's Journal: Alternis the Dark Knight posted:
The 49th floor of Central Command was guarded by a melee focused unit led by Alternis Dim: my former self, who concealed his identity to serve under the templar... With each sword strike, my memories of the past became clearer. We both sought the same thing--to protect those we love. Thus, I defeated one who shared my goals, and vowed to continue on.
D's Journal: Captain Barbarossa posted:
The 49th floor of Central Command was guarded by an elite melee force led by the dark knight Alternis Dim. Barbarossa and the other melee specialists were powerful enough on their own, but they came at us with their abilities enhanced by the songs of Praline, Diva of the Battlefield. We prevailed after an intense struggle, and our spirited opponents let us pass.
D's Journal: Praline, Diva of the Battlefield posted:
On the 49th floor of Central Command, we faced off against an elite melee force. Alternis, Barras, and Barbarossa, stalwart members of the duchy's forces, were filled with power by the songs of Praline, Diva of the Battlefield. Praline shone in the spotlight, doing her part for the defense of her homeland.
(Note: This is the unaltered aspect ratio of the picture in the artbook. Unsure whether the stretched proportions are intended.)