Breath of Fire IV Part #30 - Chapter XXIX: This Game Hates Everything You Hold Dear

Part 30: Chapter XXIX: This Game Hates Everything You Hold Dear

Today, we finish Act II. Let's get back to Chek.

Oh great, now there's going to be trouble. Thanks, Cray.

Hey, Ershin's alive!

He's not looking too hot...

Go help him you assholes! And yes, the armor itself is referred to as male.

Listen to this music. Do it.

: "What!? You mean...what happened to the people in the village!?"

: "I was able to get them to hiding before the soldiers came, but Ershin...he stayed behind to protect me."

: "He's used up almost all of his power reserves...that's what he gets for trying to show off!"

: "Isn't there anything we can do to help him?"

: "Well, if I went back inside of him, that would give him enough energy to move around again...but there's no way you're getting me back in there! I've had enough of being trapped inside that tin can!"

: "Does...does that mean Ershin will...die?

: "Die? How can he die!? He's just a piece of armor - he wasn't even alive to begin with!"

: "How can you say that!? How can you be so...so cold!?"

: "Ershin is....correct....I...I am but a suit of armor...I received my power from Ershin...I am glad I had the chance to experience life. Ha ha ha...thank you, Ershin. Ha ha...ha ha ha ha.........was that...an appropriate time to laugh?"

I'll just...I'll just let you go look at pictures of kittens and flowers to get your mood back up. Come back whenever you're ready.

: "It's probably a good idea if we hightail it out of here ourselves."

: "You mean...you think the Army might do something to them?"

: "We should probably go check on them in the morning. It can't hurt, and we can leave after that."

A night's sleep later...

: "Everyone should be in the abandoned village in the mountains to the north. The Army commander said they were looking specifically for the Yorae Dragon. Even if it means leaving the villagers behind, you should make sure they don't capture you. Just remember to be careful. Ryu may be a dragon, but he is not whole. You cannot count on his power to save you, understand?"

Guess how much of that last bit's gonna be accurate.

Hint: not much.

Let's go mountaineering!

Yeah, it's just a twisty path with some items, nothing to get excited about here.

Two new enemies, though. The Yaen is the first of a new enemy family, and I guess it could be seen that these are Ilgor's assassins still trying to kill us. He must have millions of the little bastards, though. They use Chlorine to poison you, and then Rest repeatedly. The Crawlers are more interesting because they have Air Raid. What's Air Raid, you ask?

They leap way into the sky and bodyslam you, of course. It deals damage and has a chance to stun. Note that Nina just learned this move.

FALCON KICK

My GOD that never gets old.

Anyways, once we get to the end, the group stops for the night to camp.

: "At this rate, we should get to the abandoned village by tomorrow...I just hope the Empire hasn't found anybody yet..."

: "I know you might think this is a little harsh, but...you've got to remember that Ershin is...was nothing more than a suit of armor to begin with."

: "What does that mean, Cray? Does that mean the Ershin we knew never existed? I can't believe that...I don't want to believe it..."

And suddenly ruminations on the philosophy of what it means to be alive. This game.

: "I'm sorry...what am I talking about? We've got the people from the village to worry about..."

Since it was requested that I do this more, I'll show off the dialogue you can get here in camp!

: "Looks like Nina's getting a little worked up...I guess I can't blame her. I kind of know how she feels, I guess."

: "D-During the w...the war, a l-lot of people died...there was no t-time to g-grieve..."

: "I wonder...where did the Ershin we knew go? Is it a different place from where we go when we die?"

We go into the tent and rest, and the scene cuts back to Chek.

: "They hate each other...they kill one another...they do horrible things to themselves and their fellow human beings without a second thought...and yet...they feel compassion and sympathy for this...animated suit of armor - something that shouldn't even be alive."

: "Perhaps...perhaps it is because we know that it too will pass...it is because everything must come to an end that it can be said to be beautiful."

Christ, I can't get a break, can I?

Back at camp the next morning, Ryu wakes to hear Nina scream.

RYU TO THE RESCawww fuck.

Imperial music starts playing.

: "I am Ursula, of the Fou Imperial Army. We know you are the Yorae Dragon. You will come with us - now."

No relation to the one that looks like Divine.

: "What's happened to the villagers!? What have you done with them!? Did you torture them to find out about us!? Huh!? I swear, if you've harmed even one of them, I'll..."

: "What are you talking about?"

: "Don't play games with us! Just look at what you did to Ershin! That tells me all I need to know about you!"

: "Please...listen to me. If you follow this trail, there's an abandoned village. That's where the people from Chek are hiding. Just let us go there and make sure they're all right! Please!"

Ursula pauses, but nods.

This screen fills me with dread. It's the first time an area is preceded with one like this, and the lack of capitalization gives this incredibly creepy air to it for some reason. It's also typed out very slowly.

Holy shit, Scias is in a cutscene! Oh wait, we're captured, tense moment, right.

Oh God.

: "Ursula!? I don't believe it! The Yorae Dragon! You were able to get away from me, but not Ursula, eh little dragon?"

: "Hoooo~! What's that tone I hear in your voice, Captain Ursula ma'am? Feeling a little superior because we found the dragon first, are we? What am I doing here? Isn't it obvious? Looking for the dragon - as per orders!"

: "I have been told that there are people somewhere here in these ruins...have you seen them?"

: "You would use force against innocent women and children!?"

: "What is it to you if I do? They don't matter...their lives mean nothing."

And thus, Rasso comes screaming from behind to catapult to neck-and-neck with the rest of the pack for title of "Most Horrifically Evil." For now.

Dude just butchered a village of children. For fun. The fact that this is only temporary competition for the title should tell you something.

: "Every life is important! Every life has meaning. How can you say such a thing!?"

: "Ha ha ha! How touching, Princess. How compassionate, how caring...how dross. Who are you to talk to me in such a way? Just because you got lucky once, don't think you can talk down to me like that."

His performance in the running is hamstrung at the last minute by a sudden bout of suicidal idiocy, sadly. Did we really expect anything else, though?

: "Come on, boy...Don't be afraid - show me what you can do."

: "What are you doing!? Our orders are to find the dragon and return with him to the Empire!"

: "You don't have to remind me what our orders are! They don't say he has to be in one piece, though. I figure we can make him a little more...cooperative, if you know what I mean!"

Rasso blatantly disregards the spirit of his orders, turns around, and a giant suit of armor floats down.