Drakengard 2 Part #9 - Episode VII: In Which We Squash the Rebel Scum

Part 9: Episode VII: In Which We Squash the Rebel Scum

Episode VII: In Which We Squash the Rebel Scum

Verse 4: The Insurgency - Music: Formidable Enemy

"Poor you. So, that's the price you paid? You entered a pact, and now you can't eat or taste food ever again."

"Shut up! Thanks to that pact I have grown powerful! Look at me! Look at how strong I am! Don't you pity me! Don't you dare pity me! I will not be pitied!!!"

"But I do pity you. The finely roasted meats you'll never taste again..."

"WILL...YOU...STOP...talking about food in my presence!? There's more to life than food, you know! You're going to pay. You're going to pay slowly and painfully!"

"No. You have tortured your last victim. You will never torture again. Because, here, today, your life will end."

Meanwhile, Nowe, Eris, and the rest of the knights are stuck dealing with a full blown rebellion by the imperial remnants. I'm not sure those four guys in that last room managed to push them out into the antechamber of the Flame Dais. But, details...

"The boy there isn't fighting back. Quick! Slit his throat!"
"Take off his head!"
"Bend him over and run a conga line on his supple young arse!"
"..."
"What...? It's been a while..."

Nowe's pleas for a pacifistic resolution to this conflict and the actual gameplay of this mission are somewhat at odds with one another... But hey, at least he's finally popped his human murdering cherry. I think Caim was nearing a four digit figure by this point in the first game. But at least it's a start.

After the first round of insurgents is slaughtered, another one charges into the room. Perhaps the Knights of the Seal should have checked to see if the martyrs they had for the Districts were stockpiling swords, shields, and axes. Just a thought.

You need to clarify what you're saying here, Nowe? Do you mean the Knights of the Seal? Well, then it's probably because they've given your ingrate ass a home, shelter, training, food, and clothing for the better part of your brief, worthless existence. If you mean the rebels then...I have no idea...

Seeing as they're more than happy to stab you, your best friend, and all your comrades to brutally to death. I wonder if nobody explained what this strange "self preservation" business was all about.

After the previous murder meter is depleted, yet another wave of imperials storms the chamber. Maybe those non-Nowe and Eris knights should consider barring the gates or something. I mean, Nowe probably still has the key for it in his pocket.

"Defending yourself against an angry mob attempting to kill us, you imbecile!"
"But...they're just regular people..."
"With sharpened knives and axes ready to bring them down on your head. Get with the program, Nowe!"
<pout>

Yet another wave and yet another murder meter. Nowe whining omitted this time because goddamn, shut up kid.

About half way through the brawl, a pair of ogres and back up Shaman Goblins lumber into the battlefield to pick a fight. Welp, I see this wasn't just an opportunistic uprising going down here. The ex-imperials are still in league with their subhuman allies and this was a coordinated terrorist action. Not that Nowe will ever put those facts together and stop being all wishy-washy about this incident.

Shaman Goblins have shown up in the last couple of stages, but I've not really had a chance to point them out since the lighting is godawful there and you could barely tell them apart. Shamans are annoying little buggers. They can cast healing spells and power boosting buffs to their allies in the middle of battle. Should Nowe or Eris attempt to take them out, they're turn tail and run off, dropping bombs out of a satchel behind them. Since nobody in this game is particularly agile and the bombs are small enough to be difficult to notice, it's quite easy to get blown up by them while pursuing the enemy.

Anyway, when the ogres and the rest of the rebels are defeated, the room fills with poisonous gas and a pair of undead knights rises into the chamber. Okay, now they're using the undead and chemical weapons to attack. Someone needs to slap Nowe if he keeps feeling sympathy for these jerks.

A pair of dead zombies later...

And that's a wrap for this mission. Nowe, you murdered 87 of the poor, downtrodden rebelling folk. I think your right to feel conflicted about what you're doing is revoked when you get over two dozen kills. Anyway, let's go see how Zhangpo handled Manah, shall we?

Click to view cutscene.

Uhh... I guess the answer to that is "not very well at all"... I suppose abandoning the lieutenant in order to go fight a bunch of poorly armed peasants wasn't the best idea in the end.

Eris and Nowe rush into the chamber. Well, Eris does at least. Nowe just sort of strolls slowly behind and wipes all the blood and guts of those poor, poor rebels from his sword as his superior officer bleeds out.

Welp, you folks saying that Zhangpo was definitely going to end up being a boss fight are out of luck. The good lieutenant bursts into flames and disappears into a shower of light. That unlucky Ifrit pact partner of his has been an unused monster design in two Drakengard games now. Someone picked the short straw in the monster pool.

"If you were referring to your little lackeys who came with you here, I'm sorry to tell you that they are all been brought to justice. Permanently."
"Oh...drat."

And with that Manah faints. I guess dodging a short, stocky man flinging an axeshovelsword for fifteen minutes or so can really be rather taxing.

"Lady Manar has been defeated!"
"For the last time, it is Lady Manah! There's an 'h' at the end, not an 'r'!"

So nearly a hundred of them were willing to throw their lives away to defend Manah before, but as soon as she's in trouble they all collectively go "fuck this noise" and cheese it. Classy.

"This should be too hard to parse together. But, I forgot who I was talking to..."

"When a district key is destroyed, the guardian lieutenant is destroyed along with it. And then the Knights of the Seal lose control of the district."

"Are the districts that important to the knights?"

"They're important to the whole world!"

"Why are you referring to the knights as a separate entity from yourself?! You've been a part of us for half a decade now. Did you fall off your dragon during one of your rides and didn't inform anyone? That would explain so many things."

"Isn't it obvious? She is an enemy of humanity! She's trying to destroy us and throw the world into chaos! Now, let's take this woman and get out of here. Help me, Nowe."

"Yes, alright."

<pout>