Drakengard 2 Part #10 - Episode VIII: In Which There is an Execution

Part 10: Episode VIII: In Which There is an Execution

Episode VIII: In Which There is an Execution

Verse 5: The Captive - Music: Exploration

"She won't get away with this. Her crimes are great, and justice must be done."

"But, Eris! I agree, she did kill the lieutenant... Well, she caused him to die... But, it was for the sake of the people..."

"So it will be just fine for some to come up and murder me if it is for the 'sake of the people' then?"
"Well, no I wouldn't want that. But..."
"Or perhaps if a group ambushes and cuts you down while your guard is off? After all, you do have a dragon. That is a great asset to the Knights of the Seal. I suppose there is no harm in that if it is for a charitable cause?"
"Well..."

"While we wait for word from the general, we must search the ruins and clear them of the rest of these rebels."

"Yes..."

This next mission is basically just a great big batch of filler reusing the previous map for more mindless combat. A bunch of goblins and rebelling imperials are still scattered about the temple's tunnels and attempting to free Manah, so they all need to die now. They all seem to gather and reveal themselves at opposite ends of the map just to add a few more minutes to the mission length. Weird way to coordinate an attack, mmm?

In the central chamber of the Fire Fortress is a pair of Undead Knights just loitering about taking a breather. Should the party slay the zombie duo, a hidden treasure box will appear with a brand new weapon for the Nowe. From this point on treasure chests with weapons tend to get more and more esoteric in their location and requirements. I hope you've got a poorly written FAQ available regarding their whereabouts handy...

Drakengard 2 Weapon Story posted:

SILVER BUTTERFLY

History:
A lady was married off at a young age to a count in a nearby land. She was blessed with a kind husband and servants, but her life was a bore. She confided her malcontent to her husband, who suggested that she go on a journey. There were many things she needed to learn as a countess, he said. She appreciated her husband's understanding.

She heard many riveting tales from other travelers. There were stories of farmers whose lives changed with the seasons; of children surviving without their parents; of the betrayal and treachery of kings in foreign lands. After two eventful years on the road, the countess began the voyage home as she had promised.

When she returned, the countess found her husband confused and weak. The mansion was in ruins, deserted apart from her husband and his favorite servant. Suddenly she realized that her journey had been the servant's idea, a part of his scheme to take over the estate. "But surely a loving wife would notice such a plot?" he smirked.

The servant was arrested and executed, but the count never regained his health. He died quietly, leaving the devastated countess to mourn. She had his body cremated, and his ashes encased in a large sword. The butterfly engraved on the blasé was based on a mask the countess had brought as a gift for her husband during her travels.

Description: Adorned with silver butterflies.
Traits: Possesses hidden power and secret magic.
Magic: "Orion's Dart" - Arrows of light seek out and destroy enemies.

That's more like it. Treachery, execution, and illness leading to death. That said, I want my ashes encased in a sweet sword when I die. That sounds pretty metal.

Anyhow, this mission mostly consists of running from one end of the caverns to the other while running down Murder Meters at each location to trigger the next mob spawn point. It's rather ho-hum.

These two lines are said roughly ten seconds apart. It took Nowe ten seconds for his brain to process what that rebel had said and then reach this conclusion. Our hero, folks! He's never going to get any brighter...

He also seems to briefly get over his conflicted thoughts about violently crushing the rebellion around the point he reaches triple-digits in kill count of their ranks. But only ever so briefly.

"What do you think he will do with her?"
"..."
"You have met the general before, haven't you...? What do you think?"
<shrug> "He'll probably yell at her a lot. That's all I ever hear out of him."
"Yes...yelling... Sure..."

Anyway, that's about a wrap to this mission. Time to go check on the prisoner, I suppose. Good job, Nowe! You have killed more of the rebel alliance in a single mission than any of the subhuman tribal monster you had no trouble slaughtering the past several campaigns. Nothing says moral ambiguity like butchering a small village worth of people whilst doing so...

Some time later...

Eris must have been off taking a leak outside, since Nowe has been let into where they're holding Manah captive and is allowed to chat with her. No good can come from this... I've seen stray cats with less loyalty issues than this guy.

"It's precisely because the Knights of the Seal control the five districts that the people are suffering. Don't you see?"

"But..."

"Is it wrong to free the oppressed? To bring joy to their lives? The only thing your Knights of the Seal want to protect is their own privileged position."

"But, what of all those who lost their lives helping you achieve your goal and trying to rescue you after that."
"I did not force their hand. They came willingly."
"Oh...I didn't think of it like that..."

"I'd be careful of what you say. Remember that I am a Knight of the Seal."

"Those relics which the knights call 'keys' are actually locks of the chains which bind these people. I will not rest until they are all destroyed."

"..."

Eris storms into the room...

"Nothing. I was just keeping guard."

"Is it necessary to keep so close a watch?"

"Um. Why are you here, Eris?"

"General Gismor is on his way to deliver judgment on the woman. Sentencing will be carried out tomorrow."

The next morning...

"Lady Manah... Poor Lady Manah..."

"Not Lady Man...ah!"
"Great, now you get it right..."

"The accused destroyed the Soul Flame Dais, the key that protected these lands. She murdered our Lieutenant Zhangpo. Her crimes are very serious. The sentence of the traitor Manah will be carried out immediately!"

"Your judgment, General Gismor?"
"Do you really have to ask?"
"I was just being polite, sir."

"You see, we've given your cursed lot the right to vote. At least that's a small victory for you this day."

"I choose the slower death."

"It would appear a bit of good came of all this flame themed naming in this district."

Click to watch cutscene.

"..."

Eris tosses the torch onto the fire. I bet she's glad Manah didn't go with beheading or else gathering all this dry kindling from a damp, barren wasteland would have been quite the waste of everyone's time.

Eris herself seems to be really getting into the whole execution proceedings. I think I know why she hangs out with Nowe's dimwitted ass all the time. She doesn't like the guy. She's just a pyromaniac. And who better to satisfy that lust for playing with matches than a kid with a dragon? It all makes so much more sense now!

Unfortunately, Manah is kind of on the front cover of the game and just about every single piece of promotional artwork, so of course she's not burning to death the same chapter she's introduced. Zhangpo has already fulfilled the completely wasted character quota.