Eternal Poison Part #86 - Stratum 4: Sovereign Boss: ???

Part 86: Stratum 4: Sovereign Boss: ???

Heroes get remembered. Legends never die.

Hunter and Prey

After so many years, it’s finally over.

I finally got the chance to make him pay for everything he did.

Video- “Sovereign Lead Out”

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Now THIS is a guest I haven’t seen in quite some time.

Archmage Belfour…

It’s been awhile, my old friend.
Or should I be calling you the “Hero of Legend” now…?

The years haven’t been kind to you.

I heard rumors you were in Besek, hunting Morpheus… Ha, I’m surprised you’re even alive after all these years.

I’d think NOTHING could surprise you, these days…
Considering you’ve deceived your predecessor, the Valdian Knights, the Pope, and even the Majin…
You haven’t changed one bit.

Excuse me?

Do you think I didn’t know? Let me tell you a story, Belfour.

It was worth everything to reach this point.

It was a fierce battle.
We finally had him cornered, but then…
Then you decided to kill ME along WITH him!

…

I survived that day. The villagers tended my wounds and fed me.
It was a while before I had the strength to get out of bed.
And that was when I learned you’d returned and been proclaimed a hero.
Then I learned you told people you burned my body with Morpheus’s, so I went into hiding.
I’ve spent the past 25 years trying to find meaning for my new life, but now, I guess I shouldn’t pass up this opportunity…

Hmph, and here I thought I’d finished you off back then.
I should’ve known you’d be alive all this time.
You really weren’t here for Morpheus at all!? You came to Besek for ME!?

That’s right.

I mean if I cared about killing Morpheus I could have done it at any time.

But you should know, Morpheus is also looking for you.
Hope you don’t mind, but I brought him here with me.
I knew he was using me to get close to you, same as I was using him…
So I decided to play along. I’ve known it was him dressed up as the Count since the beginning.

The Count…!? Morpheus!? This is an outrage!

You know, I was glad to leave my old life behind. But then Besek appeared, and I knew you had a hand in it.
I came because you need to be stopped… and I’m the only one who can stop you.

And what can an old fool like you possibly do?

It’s true, I’ve aged. But I’ve gained something over the years.
The insight to see into your madness!

Hmph, the words of a dead man mean nothing to me. So full of regret and woe…
Allow me to end your life for good, this time! You AND that creature Morpheus!

But there was only one person I wanted dead.

Video- “Sovereign”

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Ally Team:
Same mercenary team as always. With the exception of some bonus videos of second run stuff this will be their last hurrah, so say goodbye to your favorites.

Enemy Team:
King Valdus is joined by a pretty nasty mix of Majin, a pair each of Garudas, Aquamotes, Unseelie, and Scytodida. Let’s look at Rondemion’s King Valdus.

This one is an Earth and Dark user, and is mainly vulnerable to Strike and Air attacks. His Malusphere is the main threat, we know its power from Thage’s Tale.

Deployment:

It’s like I always deploy on a flank because that’s the most logical place to do so on these maps. Crazy right?

Tactical Objectives:
- Regicide

Map:

You are much too ignorant to understand my powers.

I don’t want to understand.

Surely, such ghastly powers are not worth our time.

Duphaston!? You traitor!

Verily, I haven’t been quite the ally you think I am.
All relics of the past must eventually crumble to dust.

I’m feeling merciful.
To save you from letting people know your true form…
I’ll kill you right now!

Such bold words! Let’s see your skills in action!

I start pushing forward towards the near Unseelie. We want to pound every Majin we encounter quickly into the ground, no point wasting time.

This, from someone who’s joined flesh with the Majin.

Hahaha… You can use that excuse when you’ve lost!

We’ve got our buffs out and advance towards the Majin. The near Unseelie actually backed up after buffing which keeps us safe for a turn.

I’ll put an end to it all right here!

Hahahaha!
You couldn’t think of any better last words…!?

I push Rondemion up to draw in some Majin, he’s so tough they’ve got no chance of hurting him even if three come in.

Finally, I shall snatch you life away from you!

You lowly Majin! Begone from my sight!

It’s a shame we don’t get Morpheus in this fight, but we’ll make do. Unseelie drifts right into our trap after a buff, and we pound it to the ground with a greatsword slash followed by the Grand Design. We capture it, sensitive to the fact that the Aquamotes can Release and could come in at any time. We’ve advanced far enough for both Garudas to come in, and they hit our lines moderately hard. There’s also an Aquamote coming in, which is more of an issue because of its range and Release. The Garuda on our flank dies a swift and brutal death to Scars of Dis, which Curses it, and a Combo from Alexei and Rondemion. Curse is AMAZING when we land it and combine it with a Combo, by the way, because it basically guarantees both ends are crits. Velnor gets a level from the capture, again we’re worried about Releases. We’ve got both Aquamotes engaged now, so the other Garuda’s got to go fast.

What course of action do you suggest?

Hit him hard. That’s all.

Heroic Slash is required for this, Grand Design won’t do at all sadly. The Count levels from a stab on the Garuda, and since we now actually have both Aquamotes on us and casting it really needs to die.

Once I gain the might of Izel and become a god…
I shall rule the entire world!

Garuda falls to a brutal attack from Rondemion, and now we get started on the Aquamotes. The one ahead starts Bleeding after Nena hits it with her Aerosphere, and after an arrow from Velnor it’s pretty much in overkill range. I send the Count over to act as one end of a Combo, because why not.

It’s an amusing situation, don’t you think?

Your death will be more amusing.

The Aquamote then gets sliced and diced by a Combo from the Count and Rondemion. The big man levels up, and passes seven-hundred hit points. We quickly capture the Aquamote that’s bound and then drop the other with another Combo. Now we retool to charge at the King, and Rondemion of course leads to break the Demon Aura. We pour what we can into him, because the Scytodida behind him is going to give him a chance to run away when it joins the party, which it does as soon as its turn comes up.

Forget your useless plan and die!

And what of men who make sorrow their master!?
Allow me to rid you of your troubles!

The Scytodida needs to die, and even worse it avoids Rondemion’s attack on it.

Draw upon all the power left within your body.

I don’t need YOU to tell me that!

We hit it hard with the Grand Design, which won’t do much to the King anyway. He throws out a Malusphere at us and runs away, it’s no big thing really. We swat the bug with a Combo and then start hitting the King with everything we’ve got. Vivian levels up, she sadly just gets the now-useless Terra III. As we move people to the middle, the Unseelie from the other side starts moving in to engage us as well. I’m just planning on delaying it and the other Scytodida while I put Valdus down.

You cannot compare to someone like me.

Careful not to drown in your delusions of grandeur.

Your words are as ineffective as your skills in battle.

The outcome is never in doubt, though, and King Valdus falls to a Heroic Slash.

Death waits for those with envious eyes.

You’ve lost.

You’ll regret killing me! My soul will live on!

Hmph, you lost your soul long ago.
Die, Belfour!

AAAHHHHHH!!!

Battle Result:

Level:
Rondemion 26->27

Majin:
Garuda Lv 20 x 1
Aquamote Lv 19 x 2
Unseelie Lv 19 x 1
Scytodida Lv 20 x 1

Gold:
3700

And finally it’s finished. I don’t care what happens next.

Video- “Sovereign Lead Out”