Part 77: Episode LVII: In Which There is a Volatile Reunion

Episode LVII: In Which There is a Volatile Reunion



Music: Iniquitus

Update: Significant anomalies have been observed in the group of singularities centered around Zero. Mikhail, meant to be the group's harmonizing factor, has devolved and demonstrated other anomalous behavior.



Both the Intoners and their disciples seem to be entering unstable mental and emotional states. I shall continue my investigation, keeping an eye out for any signs of a Full Collapse.
M5110_E0020_DM: Begin Recording.

Verse 4: Madness
Music: Descendus



At last we have escaped that blasted sand trap and returned to Notspain for a proper endgame of this Branch. Yep, this is another short one. Much like the original Drakengard, the B and C ending routes are brief wet farts of side stories with a few cool bits but mostly forgettable and all the effort went into the fourth route. For reference, Branch D is longer than Branches B & C combined.



But that's all is later down the road so simmer down. We've still got a cursed dragon and band of fanatic soldiers to deal with here in Cathedral City.



We begin in the Outskirts. Better known as the opening prologue map. Zero and company have somehow managed to infiltrate into the heart of the city with little problem. Indeed we're first tasked with climbing some rubble leading straight up to the bridge heading directly to One's Cathedral. But unfortunately Zero and pals are still caught in a never-ending curse of walking through all maps backwards. So we'll be heading the opposite way through this map in hopes of locating Two and handing her the crown of Intoner killed most often on screen.



Yeeeeehehaaaauuuuggghaaa!
Daaarrrrrggghhhhaaaahhaaaahaaaa!
Maaaaahhhhrrrrrrudeheheheaaaa!
These guys are hopeless.
I know. I can't even make fun of 'em.
Such a pitiful sight.
Commoners so often pick the wrong person to devote themselves to, you know?
Zero! Huggh! Zero! Graaaaaahhh! Aaaaarrrrrrr!
Hrrggghhhhhggghhhhggaaaaa!
Ho ho! This is quite the conundrum. It's hard to come up with a pithy retort when you can't even understand what they're saying.
These things... keep... Twooo... Gwaaaah... <snarl>
Heheheahahahahoha! Kill yooooouuu yooooooouuu aaaaaahhhhhhhaaaa!

So all the soldiers in Cathedral City have lost their shit. They're all still fighting like normal soldiers but just drooling and mumbling incoherently thanks to whatever sorry state Two has found herself in this time around.





But the brain fried soldiers are not the only threat. Just a few blocks away from where we begin there is a gray cerberus and some imp pals waiting to gnaw on Zero. There are also a few sand ogres here and there along the path that have apparently followed Two's entourage from the Land of Sands. Or they just don't give a crap about enemy placements making much sense in this route. Either is a likely candidate at this point.



One of my sisters must be big into dogs.
Ugh. Disgusting.

Zero clearly has no patience for cerberus fights. So once more Mikhail can be called in for support. Probably a good idea for him to get some grinding done now. He's clearly under-leveled for heading into the end game.



Good. Just... uh... try not to push yourself.
Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I'm gonna try double hard! I'm gonna try double hard like I always do!
Come here, mutt! I got a doghouse for ya... in hell!



Dito, you on the other hand need to work on grinding out your combat taunts. You've had a piss poor showing this chapter.

A dead cerberus and a block full of slain lobotomized soldiers later...



And when I do, sweet sisters, I'm gonna tear you both apart!



Well, no sense in delaying the inevitable, eh? Continuing down the path we eventually wind up in a large open area. It's not particularly noteworthy in appearance. But, it does have a slight bit of significance as it is the very same area we started the very beginning of Drakengard 3's gameplay.

And would you look who we find back where Zero began her story...



Two! Get that fucking curse off my dragon!



Two seems to have gotten past the giggle fit phase of her anime mind shattered madness. Let's see what symptom of the crazies she's found herself in during this timeline...



...Two?
You must... die...

Music: Registance ~ Battleground



So I guess we're having a rematch with Two for this Verse's finale. No disciple Cent around for support/an easy alternative victory this time around. Indeed...



I... I must go to her...

This time around Cent tags himself in as Zero's mandatory co-pilot to help defeat Two. So that's certainly different. On the other hand... it's still a disciple AI helper and Two could not give crap one about Cent existing on the field gameplay wise. And Cent himself has forgotten all his boss fight techniques like wave dashing and competently targeting enemies in this timeline.

Oh well... Just try not to switch sides mid-battle and kill half your teammates, eh?



Lady... Two...
She's been consumed by her song.
Ugggh... This is all my fault. If only... If only I hadn't left her...
.....
Nnngh... I suppose... I can at least end her misery...
Ha ha ha! This isn't like you at all, Cent! Never thought I'd see you sympathizing with a whack-job Intoner! Welp, I guess one weirdo attracts another. Aaah ha ha ha ha ha!
Dito... Damn you!

Dito, you're a little shit. But let's be honest here, Cent. You did kind of kill him for doing what you're doing now in another timeline. He does have a cause to clown you this redo.





Since everyone is on-board with standing orders to murder the shit out of Two, Mikhail isn't conflicted and confused by shifting allegiances and rapidly escalating situations. So he is free to help aide in this version of Two's boss battle with some choice aerial bombardment.



I want him back, and I want him back NOW!





Two hasn't changed from her previous encounter. Well other than maybe having more overall HP now that she isn't sharing a boss battle with Cent. It's just a matter of diving in, getting some good licks, and diving out of the way of her counter attacks. Two might parry occasionally and get some free hits on Zero. But there is honestly fuck all that can be done about that. If Two wants to parry Zero she'll just do it out of nowhere instantly and adios to chunk of Zero's HP if she follows up with a decent combo.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE UPCOMING SCENE (You might wanna just watch this.)



Music: Silence

Either way, keeping up the pressure will quickly bring this battle to a decisive end. Cent doesn't seem as keen on summoning a nerve gas filled space spider with the Power of Love this go around. Perhaps this will go smoother than our last murder attempt.



Following the battle, a very rough sounding Two stumbles her way over toward Zero...



...and...





...SWERVE! She's actually more interested in seeing Cent.



Cent, I swear to god if you decide to get all mushy lovey-dovey with Two and switch sides ag--





Oh... Well, nevermind. Drakengard 3! A tale where all roads lead to someone getting stabbed in the back. Literally and figuratively. But mostly literally.



<twists sword> Could you die now? I mean, like, really die?





As it turns out, Two is not actually that keen on dying for a third time. Go figure! Maybe if all you backstabbing idiots aimed for the heart and not the lower guts or lungs, we wouldn't have this problem. Even that idiot Brone, whose solitary job he practiced every single day of stabbing Zero in the back through the heart, managed to fuck that one up. Sheesh you people. It's like you've never murdered anyone during a cutscene before!



So... Decadus? Octa? You gonna jump in here and help the kid that weighs about 120 lbs wet against the crazed eldritch magic fueled girl with the anime hulk strength...?





There you go. Good to see everyone finally working together as a team. Mostly...



Gaaaaah!
Tell us...
How's this feel, hmmm?!
Grrrrrraaaaaaah!



Apparently, three disciples stabbing Two still isn't enough to take her down. Sheesh, Decadus how did you cutscene solo Two in Branch B? Did you leave that magic cutscene only Intoner slaying sword back in the forest or something?



So Zero, I know you did the heavy lifting already and fought the boss battle against Two and all. But this is supposed to be your gig and you're kind of doing a rubbish job overall at the sister murdering game. Feel free to chip in at any time to help as well. C'mon! Get in there!





No, Zero! Taking two steps forward is not helping! I thought you were supposed to be all gung-ho about killing Two and getting your dumb baby dragon fi--



Oh...



Oh... Welp... I guess that is one way to break up with your significant other...



Lady Two...





What is this?



It's a trap! Run!



Was this... always her plan...?
What divine punishment...
Don't act so goddamn happy, freak!



Cen...t...



Yes. I'm here now.









Welp... That just happened...



The sudden death of 66% of the party is enough to open the path to the end of the mission. So that's nice.

Music: Voidscape



Zero... B-But everybody's... They're all...
Killing Two didn't break your curse. So I have to kill One. I have to kill all the Intoners.
But... But I can be okay like this!
Like hell you can. One's going to pay for this.
...For everyone.
Zero...



And a quick stroll out the gates and around the corner brings this penultimate mission of Branch C to a close. Turns out being turned back into flying rats really was the best outcome for being a disciple. Before we go, there is a rather rude weapon located literally right next to the gate past the arena were fucking everybody died. If Zero moves a few too many steps past it the mission automatically ends. Nice of 'em to do that.


See? Now there's a weapon history that is actually useful. This sucker starts ringing and your ass is about to get ganked! Dito could probably use one of these over that weird research report one he was us--oh... Right...







Video: Branch C Verse 4 Highlight Reel
Skip to Final Cutscene (You should at least watch this.)