Part 75: The Bloodied Legacy of Braev Lee

Entry 72: The Bloodied Legacy of Braev Lee

Trapped in her childhood prison, Edea reflects.



"Why doesn't he get my murderous rampage is more justified than his?"



Right, all ready. It's quite a way to the dungeon, but I'll manage.



She runs offscreen.

Hrngh...!

There's a sound of a door creaking open and closing. Then, silence.

Some time later...



Alternis runs into the conference room panicked and out of breath.

Forgive me, Lord Marshal! Is Edea here with you?

No, she is not. She was supposed to be confined to her chambers.

Yes, Lord Marshal, she was...but she suddenly disappeared.

What's this? Were not the sentries vigilant?

They claim never to have stepped from their post. Her chamber door was never opened.

Then how could she have...

Ah, her father's daughter, indeed. She acts from the same sentiments; those sentiments you once held for the Crystal Orthodoxy.

How could you know that? Have you not been away from this land these fifteen years?

Was it not you who drove me to exile? Well, be that as it may.

Just an interesting sidenote, Edea was 15 in the Japanese version. Several other events in Eternia happened 15 years ago as well. In either case, Edea's young enough to not remember Eternia's past.



DeRosso continues rubbing the whole immortality thing in Braev's face.

So it is I can understand what both father and daughter are thinking, simply by watching.

......*sigh*



DeRosso joins the list of Eternians asking for plot exposition.

Crystalism, Anticrystalism... The quarrel between you and your daughter is but a proxy for that clash of ideas.

Open your heart before it is too late. The very future of this world hangs in the balance.

You truly have not changed, have you?

Is that so? Well, you must forgive me. But lest you forget, it was you who appointed me archduke.

A short time earlier...



Edea jumps out of a dusty secret passage and into the prison basement, 50 floors below her bedroom. She hasn't done all that battle training for nothing.

*cough cough cough*

No one had used that secret passage in a while, which makes sense considering even Braev and Alternis didn't know about it.

...I know the dungeon key is around here somewhere.

She looks around, spotting a rusty old key on the nearby table. Someone's going to get fired from guard duty.

Found it! Now to free everyone.

Meanwhile, just before Edea's arrival...



Fit as a fiddle.

I am unharmed as well!

Augh, rude! What's the big idea, leaving me out!?

Ahh, sorry!

...Wait! Edea isn't here!

What!? Where is she, then!?

Think about it. This is her home. She has friends here. Family. Right about now, she--

You can't think this was all a trap!?

Edea is not the sort of person to commit such deception. I will not believe it!

She's right, me neither!

And me least of all! I'm saying she's in more danger than all of us! We're only enemies of the state...

What, and Edea isn't!?

With her, it's personal! She betrayed them, Tiz! People here must bear a grudge against her!

So you suspect she is bieng subject to an especially cruel punishment!?

Ringabel, your journal! What does it say? Anything about getting out of here!?

I'll have a look...

Rrgh, no luck! I suppose even miraculous tomes have their limits.

Then let us send Airy as a scout.

What? Airy as a what, now?

You can pass between these bars. Please, go and have a look around the area.

Nice thinking, Agnès! She may be able to track down the cell keys!

But...but what if someone sees me!?

Do you think I can just muscle through like you all? Do you see any muscle on me? At all!?

If we all remain here, we'll get no closer to the Earth Crystal.

Or to Edea! At least see if she's being held here in the dungeons or not!

Oh, fine... You want me to go, I'll go. Wouldn't want Edea harmed...

Not that anyone cares what happens to ME. *sniff*

Thank you, Airy. I shall be praying to my pendant for your safe return.

I expect I'll need it. Anyway, here goes nothing...

Shh! Wait! I hear something!

Eeek! What do I do!? Someone's coming! I've got to hide! Gotta hide!

What's with all the noise? I could hear you guys from outside.

That voice--Edea!

Sorry to keep you waiting! I found the keys to this place.

I'm just glad to see you're safe!

The four heroes, reunited! Now to rescue them before Alternis and Braev think to check on the prisoners.



As you might have noticed from the above conversation, the three others are being held in different cells. They can be rescued in whichever order you choose. The entrance to these cells are indicated by the open-ended paths on the map at the moment.



Edea's bestie Agnès is first.



I am now that you're here, Edea. I'm glad to see that you are safe and sound, too.

Me?

Well, the Eternian Forces do view you as a traitor to your homeland.

I feared they'd have some unspeakable punishment awaiting you.

You needn't worry about that, ha ha.

My father is not so draconian as that.

And yet...on second thought...

At least no harm has come to you.

I'd like to thank you, too, Edea. You saved me from having to search this entire dungeon.

Airy, do you think you could've carried this key around? You're so little, after all.

It does look really heavy. I'd rather not think about lugging that about.

There's nothing to worry about now that I'm here.

Well, I better lead the way. With your poor sense of direction, Agnès, who knows where we'd end up?

Now hold on! My sense of direction has improved, at least somewhat.

Isn't that simply a matter of having Airy and Tiz lead the way?

Well, that may be, but...

Ha ha ha. Don't take it so hard. Now, come on, follow me!

If you say so.



Once Edea rescues Agnès, Airy rejoins as well.



Edea's other bestie, Tiz, is next.



Tiz, for the sake of your dignity, you'll get a new outfit almost as soon as possible.

You're quite welcome! But it was really nothing.

After all, I was raised within Central Command's walls. I know every nook and cranny.

Were you able to speak with your father?

Huh? Wh-what does it matter to you?

You have family you can talk to. You ought to, you know.

You would forgive my father? Grand Marshal of Eternian Forces, head councilor of the Council of Six?

You've seen how much Agnès has suffered because of my father's orders.

True enough, but...

You need not worry about me. We need to focus on awakening the Earth Crystal.

Alright.

As they walk on, Edea and Tiz briefly leave Agnès to go scout ahead.



Hey, Tiz...

Tiz, how do you feel about Agnès? Be honest!

Wha-- Whoa! Wh-where is this coming from!?

Never mind. It's written on your face.

My face? And hey, keep it down, would you!?

Don't worry, she can't hear us from here.

And you can't keep hiding your feelings, anyway. Go tell her.

Tell her you like her.

What!? No, I don't... Well, I mean, I... The crystals come first! This is no time to be--

Heh, I didn't mean right this second. Some time, when it's just you two.

You tell her, take her hand, and walk your path together, side by side. I mean it, Tiz. You're not going to find anyone else like her if you pass this up.

Not ever! Never ever ever!

Look, would you please keep it down!?

They've had their rough moments, but these three have become fire-forged friends.



You can attempt to leave the prison at any time, but Edea refuses to leave without her friends, and also Ringabel.





Why wouldn't I be? I mean, I knew you'd come. All I had to do is sit back and wait. And, well, here you are! I'm the luckiest man alive.

You're my savior, my goddess! Let me thank you with a big kiss!

Ringabel moves towards Edea...



...And promptly backs away when she gives him a death glare.

Ringabel, are you coming or not? I can leave you here.

O-of course, let's go...

Before the two return to Tiz and Agnès, Ringabel strikes up another conversation.



And a gentleman always pays his debts. Debts to ladies, I repay tenfold!

Ugh, here he goes. It's always this!

If you would have me do something else, milady needs but ask.

Alright then, Ringabel, how about you go out with me!?

...!?

Er, that's very, um... M-might I ask what provoked that?

If you were my boyfriend, where would you take me? Where is tonight's date?

T-tonight!? Er, let me see. I need time to prepare a--

All this time, and you never once stopped to think what to do with me if I ever said yes!?

W-well, you see...

Pffft, ha ha ha! I'm only teasing you!

You can dish it out, but you can't take it at all! Oh, but this is useful information.

Wha--!?

You've been treating Tiz like a little brother this whole time. And every time you get the chance, you tease poor Agnès.

So... Who do I tell this to first?

...Is neither an option? I vote neither.

Then you owe me twice the hush money!

Ah ha ha...

Chapter 4's big reveal: Ringabel is a smooth operator who is neither smooth nor operates much.




One of the cells can't be unlocked using the key we have. Taking hidden passages around to the inside lets us get whatever piece of junk the last prisoner left behind.



"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of all England." King Arthur is a hero of the British Isles, most famous nowadays for wielding the legendary sword Excalibur.

Depending on the adaptation, Excalibur is either the forementioned sword in the stone or Arthur's second sword, given to him during his reign by the fairy/sorceress Lady of the Lake. The sword and its sheath are both magical; the sword essentially being a holy weapon and the sheath healing wounds taken by the swordbearer.



Now that the party's regrouped, we can get out of here.




There's one more prison floor to get through. Apparently Eternia heard the legend of the minotaur's labyrinth and said "hey, we've got a bit of room for that in the basement."



There's a cast-off Crystalist relic lying in one of the dead ends. Whoever left this behind probably never escaped.

At the far end of the maze, the party finds a locked door. Beyond is the stairway leading up out of the prison.



Edea tries using the key in the lock. Eventually she turns back to the others.

......It won't... It won't open.

Are you sure? Do we need a different key?

I don't understand. I'd thought--

A figure walks down the stairs behind her:



Who's there!?

Sage, is that you? What are you doing here!?

What am I doing here? I could ask you the same. As for me, I'm right where I belong.

Right where you...?



And that would make me your enemy.

I don't...understand.

I've been sequestered in Yulyana Woods ever since that templar Braev Lee seized power. But the fact remains I still count among the members of the Council of Six.

You were acquainted with my father? Then you must've known who I am! Why didn't you say so, you miserable old lech!?

Ho ho ho! I saw little need, being that I was in seclusion and no longer attending the council.

This cannot be. You were a...a trusted friend to us. A teacher-like figure who rendered aid...

And to now hear you say you serve Eternia? The people who killed the earth vestal, the fire vestal, Olivia... I don't understand. Who are you really?

Who indeed? I am but an outsider looking in.

What do you want with us?

An old friend has risen from a long slumber, so I came to see him. While I was here, I thought I would deliver a warning.

A warning?

Then you yet serve the duchy's forces and mean to stand agaist us?

You are not entirely wrong there. This world is not so clean and pleasant as you may think. I suspect your journey this far has taught you as much.

Malice is not the only enemy. The road to ruin is oft paved with good intentions. With action comes consequence. The joy of some may be the misery of others.

To decide one way is to abandon the other. Knowing this, will you continue upon your chosen road?

Nothing could stop me.

You mean "us."

Right, us. We've come so far together.

Is that so? Well, then... Have the courage to think and act on your own.

That! Those words! "Have the courage to disobey."

Well, now, you do remember.

Sage...

Step back.

Edea steps away from the locked door.



The sage casts a magic spell...



And there goes the door!



And the sage?

A moment later, his voice echoes from out of sight:

Know that ever shall I be watching over you.

Agnès bows.

......



Up the stairway, the party finds themselves back in the Command Center's main hall.



The last random encounter enemy type in this region is a buff demon man.



I had bad luck and ended up doing a fair amount of grinding around Eternia trying to get him to show up.



Now's our chance to get through before the Eternians notice the party's escape.



This time, the way is open to the northern end of the Command Center. Just need to get through this door!



Oh, okay.

Wait, what?

That's right. The party's now going to overthrow the Eternian government on their way to fix the last crystal. You know, just as a little detour.




We've got a few things to check out before we do that. First, after breaking out of jail, we unlocked a helpful side passage.



It leads to an airship landing field for easy access to Central Command. As a bonus, the Eternians have panicked enough to stop manning their anti-air artillery over here, so we can park our ship whenever we want.

There are also a couple of conversations we can find.



The first is back in Gravemark Village. Edea can now ask the chatty old man some new questions.

About the templar...



Thirty years since the templar joined the Crystal Orthodoxy and his true talents emerged.

The templar!? You mean my father joined the Crystal Orthodoxy!?

What!?

Hrmm... So this is news to you? Why would he not have told his own daughter?

He rose through the ranks quickly, but suddenly abandoned the faith--the year after the Great Plague struck.

Then did he join a group preaching Anticrystalism.

He went from Crystalism to Anticrystalism? Why would he do such a thing?

Hrmm, some say he abhorred the Orthodoxy for forsaking our village, abandoning it to the ravages of the plague.

But until you ask him yourself, you will never know for certain.

What we do know is it was winter fifteen years ago that a great host led by the templar invaded this land.

He had secretly gathered like-minded allies to his side and seized power from the founder of the Anticrystalist group.

So it was he usurped the very group that had taken him in, and used it to invade the land of his birth.

He attacked the Temple of Earth and seized the Earth Crystal. Then he destroyed the Orthodoxy's head temple and occupied his conquered homeland.

The templar restored the Duchy of Eternia, the nation that once ruled these lands, and named himself grand marshal.

......

All were astonished at the speed of his onslaught and at the duchy's restoration, but none spoke out in condemnation.

For the people of this land and for those who ventured here with ailments uncurable, his rule was the very definition of virtue and justice.

Dark rumors abound, but they may be no more than the shadows cast by the blazing light that is the templar.

The templar has a dedicated fanbase. But at least we can rest assured that any leader who wins via a show of army might and appoints himself unquestioned leader until further notice is working in the world's best interest and beyond fault.

About fifteen years ago...



You might even say it was the root of the tumult across our land and, indeed, all of Luxendarc.

What tumult?

It was twenty years ago that villages throughout this land met their ruin, you know.

For that was when the Orthodoxy ordered all roads be blocked to spare the city of Eternia from the approaching plague.

And Everlast Tower and Eternian Central Command that yet stand there in the city? They were once the property of the Crystal Orthodoxy, you know.

Everlast Tower was the Temple of Earth, and Eternian Central Command was the Orthodoxy's head temple. Hmmm, yes, that was what they were once called.

They were the reason the Orthodoxy sought to stem the plague's spread before it reached the city.

And yet that meant the Orthodoxy sacrificed countless lives in outlying villages to save what they held sacred.

Hrmm, perhaps the templar, ever concerned for the people, could not forgive that.

The day he invaded, he attacked the Temple of Earth straightaway, the very place his former masters sought to save. But the people saw his actions as heroic.

For it was he who ordered the energy welling forth from the Earth Crystal be fused with white magic and used to advance medicine.

So it was that death by sickness has been nearly vanquished from our land. We can now live without fear of an untimely demise.

But is he a hero who freed us from the terrors of sickness? Or a usurper who brings terrors unto the world?

It all depends upon one's perspective, I suppose.

Those last lines seem out of place for a native Eternian who's presumably never traveled far from his village. Is he caught between parroting pro-Duchy propoganda and having honest mixed feelings about the situation?

Braev was cunning enough to overthrow his former leaders and gather his own army behind the scenes. It makes sense he understands the importance of maintaining strong public favor. However even with the best of intentions, his army probably caused mayhem when they took over Eternia.

Eternia's public likely only knows a whitewashed version of Eternia's actions overseas, but for older folks such as this fellow, they might still harbor some deep skepticisms about their leader given the lengths he went to during his local takeover. Skepticisms which are well-founded, as the party's witnessed firsthand across the world.

But that's enough politics for the moment. Let's go examine Braev from a more personal aspect.



Mahzer has finished her checkup since we stormed Eternia's three passages and broke out of prison. Given some time to think, she's now more open to talking.

I don't understand what Father is thinking.

Alas, he is a man of few words.

Please, tell me, Mother; in your eyes, what sort of man is he?

Well, even in his youth, before he rose to his current standing, he held lofty ideals.

He is kind to others, yet hard on himself. Sincere yet stern, both fair and impartial--a truly hard worker.

And ever is he willing to risk his life for the right person or cause. That one such as your father would take me as his bride, I could not express the joy.

But one day I found that he had changed. He has ever after been a man driven by results.

Just like that?

It was the day I suddenly fell ill. His concern for me hastened his pace down the road to the ideal world he dreamed of building.

But his grand and perfect plan for his ideal society left no room for even the tiniest divergence.

If but one gear were out of place, the entire contrivance would slowly descend into disorder. That is Eternia at this moment.

Your father, no doubt, knows this in his heart. To place the world back onto the narrow path towards his untainted ideals seems beyond even his abilities.

......

Ever I wonder... Were I not his wife... Were I not racked with illness...

Perhaps Luxendarc would've become the ideal world, glorious and resplendent, he had sought to forge.

I believe the gulf between his ideals and the realities he must face bring him great anguish.

Mahzer begins to break down despite her efforts not to cry in front of her daughter.



So, Mahzer is fully aware of all that's going on and how screwed up things have gotten in Eternia. Unfortunately, it seems Braev is a man ultimately willing to listen to no one but himself.

Mother, you mustn't say such things.

Though it's but a glimpse, I feel as if my eyes are finally starting to open to Father's true feelings.

Surely the ideals he taught to me as a child were not wrong. I fear it is his bonds of obligation that have him chained.

If we could but sweep away all that holds him in place, then perhaps...

Edea...

I know what I have to do.


Next: We've studied our opponent. Now it's time to put knowledge into action and put an end to this mess.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Edea Escapes
Like Father, Like Daughter
To the Rescue!
Out of Danger
Family You Can Talk To
Are You Coming or Not?
Yulyana to the Rescue

Sub-Scenario:
Father Has the Key
Gravemark Village (Continued)
A Mother's Sorrow

Party Chat:
Four Birds in a Cage
Glad You're Alright, Tiz
Glad You're Alright, Ringabel