Part 49: Enigma-sensei

Entry 46: Enigma-sensei

As the party leaves the house by the sea, Edea catches sight of something.



Oh, that's steam from a natural hot spring. A vein of magma empties into the sea there, heating the water.

Wow, a real hot spring.

They say the waters work wonders on cuts and scrapes. Even burns.

And, uh... See that cape out there? That one's a mixed bath. Everybody in one big tub.

Ngh!?



Wow, he's nearly out of sight. Heck of a pair of legs on that guy.

Is it alright to let him go? We'll be hearing screams from the cape in no time.

Naw, it's fine. Nothing to worry about.

Around this time...ah, that's right. The mix oughtta be mostly valtoras in the bath right now. Bah ha ha!

Hey, now he's sprinting back this way. He's shouting something...

Sounds like, "I'll...get...you...Datz." Ah ha ha, and he's crying!

Ah ha...ha...

For reference, here's a valtora:



They aren't very friendly.



This is not at all how Ringabel imagined his hot springs episode.






No kidding. The party has to go half the continent's length south, then come all the way back north on the other side of the mountain range.



Once they turn inland, the terrain quickly grows inhospitable.



All are on guard as they walk one of the twisting canyon roads.

From somewhere nearby comes a barely perceptible metallic noise...



Everyone pauses.



I sense danger...

Watch out!



*CLANG*














Master...



As with Victoria and Victor, safe bet we are not prepared for this fight.



I wish it weren't so. I wanted to believe you were not capable of such a thing!

Tell me, Master! What business have you aiding the Swordbearers in their rebellion!? Was it your intention to plunge this peaceful country into war!?



I hear you have taken up with a vestal, and now you have released two crystals to run out of control. Foolish.

You always did have a habit of running with your emotions, and not seeing the big picture. You've not changed a bit.

What big picture!? You cannot be so deluded as to think starting wars can be justified!

You are still a child if you are only able to see war as right or wrong. You are yet naive.



Though you are my disciple, and the beloved daughter of a dear friend...

I will cut you down with my own blade if you continue this folly and expose the world to danger.



Hey Kamiizumi, maybe you could try actually explaining what you're talking about?

No? Too much effort?

In the nick of time, a minion runs onscreen.



What? Can they not understand such basic tactics? We have the vestal within our grasp... But we cannot let our allies be run down like dogs.



Yes, sir!

The minion exits, and Kamiizumi makes to follow.



Edea, are you ready to face the consequences of your decision? If you still insist on defying me the next we meet, I shall slay you where you stand!

Is this how you do tactics? No wonder your allies bailed on you.



What

no

Just... just tell Edea what's going on. She asked you straight out and you're just spouting poetic bull back at her.

Disciple of the blade, no more of your insubordination will be tolerated. Understood?



And Kamiizumi strides away.

First Einheria, now this.

Writing a failure of communication is hard. Realistically, it makes sense why the Eternians aren't bothering to explain things to Edea: they're always in a hostile situation, and even if the Eternian has the upper hand, they aren't exactly going to be able relax for half an hour to explain details with their sworn enemies. Doubly so since said Eternians are usually accompanied by underlings awaiting orders, have direct orders themselves to kill/apprehend the vestal and Edea, and have been flooded with propaganda about the vestal being a mind-controlling witch (with bloodthirsty companions -- wave hi, Tiz!).

On the other hand, making the player/viewer/reader sit through scene after scene of vague threats with no context is frustrating and ultimately adds nothing to the characters aside from making them look uncooperative and often downright stupid for perpetuating a dramatic problem when given the opportunity to solve it, especially since talking is so often a free action in overdramatic fiction.



With no clue why the Eternians are against them and a whole lot of concrete evidence showing the vestal's path is righteous while the Eternians commit human rights abuses, Edea isn't about to change her mind anytime soon.

For now, we leave the party to their journey and turn instead to a new location...



Where, a short time later, Edea's master has just arrived. Oh boy, what weirdos are we going to meet this time?



Commander, the ship thought to be harboring the wind vestal has been sighted in the waters near Grandship.

The wind vestal has already arrived in these lands. I spoke with her myself a while ago, Barbarossa.



No, we did not get the chance. Some of our forces were retreating, so we opted to aid our allies as they withdrew.



This will not do! If we leave the wind vestal to her devices, we shall only repeat out failures in Caldisla and Ancheim!

The wind vestal is here for the crystal. She is no threat while the way to the temple is closed. Given the state of the war, preventing losses is crucial. The vestal can wait.

And how does your task progress, Qada? I hear the cleansing of the East City is not yet even half complete.

I-I am doing all that I can. Things are going as...well as can be expected...

Very well, then. Moving on... What is the situation at the Eisen Bridge, Praline?

Oh, me? Um, nothing's really changed there, I guess.



Those Shieldbearers just don't know when to quit. They won't let us cross the bridge. I put on a smile and sang my best, but nothing. They're a bunch of sourpusses.

Oh well, if they can't appreciate my golden voice, it's their loss. Those poor, miserable Shieldbearers.

If you can keep the main contingent of the Shieldbearers pinned down, all shall go as planned.



More importantly, have we found a way into the Temple of Fire?



He's talking to you, Konoe.



Speak up for a change, Konoe! Your moping is starting to get me down!

It is your killing of the fire vestal that blocked off the way to the temple, after all.

Ugh. I cannot fathom how one so imprudent came to lead a covert force...









Thatisall.





We should follow up on Konoe's report. Was there any way into the temple by sea?

We looked at a number of landing points, but it doesn't look possible. The coastline there is sheer palisades.

All the low ground where a landing might have been possible was covered by lava. Not even I could bring a ship in safely there.

If we just sit idly by, the wind vestal will get there before us. Hm hm hm.

We must avoid that at all costs. Our objective at this time is to focus on finding a way into the temple.

I wish all of you good luck in your endeavors. That will be all. You can return to your duties.

Eternia: villainous anti-Crystalists or misunderstood Halloween costume enthusiasts?

We return to the party wiser to the eccentricities of our future opponents.



As the party continues their journey to save the world, they destroy more native species.



At this point we've seen most of the enemy models in the game, so here on out'll be a lot of recolors.



This would make more sense anywhere but the purportedly barren soil of Eisenberg. I'm beginning to suspect Eisenberg's soil is actually the most fertile in the world, and the natives refuse to admit they have zero idea how to farm.



Meet the sexiest scorpion.



It summons a harem.



DeRosa probably studied these.



When night rolls around, we meet undead.



Eisenberg has a lot of dead, and many with good reason to hold a grudge.



Thinking back on it, we probably only survived because he let us. He seems all calm and peaceful, but as soon as he draws that sword, he's a hurricane.

Just talking about it has all the wounds he gave me throbbing...

And that same swordmaster and commander of the mercenary Black Blades is our Edea's teacher.

I'm sorry. I guess that's another secret I kept from you... But I didn't want to believe the stories.

......

If it is too painful for you, you are free to walk away, you know.

No one is forcing you to join us in this journey.

What?

Agnès, you don't have to say it like that.

I fear I haven't the time to hesitate or the leisure to doubt. We must press forward.

......

Harsh. Then again, so far as Agnès knows, if she relaxes and gets herself killed, everyone's screwed.

On the other hand, Edea just saved Agnès's life yet again. No matter what her origin, Edea's a pretty damn effective bodyguard.


Next: War is terribly inconvenient.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Master and Disciple Reunited
The Disciple's Queries
The Black Blades

Party Chat:
The Shoreline Baths
The Swordmaster's Sting