Part 5: Fire Emblem or, Crushing Disappointment

Chapter 5: Fire Emblem or, Crushing Disappointment

The period of mourning for Hector is over and Roy has put on his asskicking pants and found his resolve.


Roy realizes that the leaders of Lycia, his homeland, can no longer be trusted.

See how resolved he looks?



And that's all the narration we get.



Ah, the trees, the mountains, the open air... It smells like filler. We already had a bandit chapter, dang it!

Our boys just got back from scouting the village.

Then let's go get our tribute.

But Boss, something's different today. There's an army stationed real close to us! They say it looks like the Lycian Army.

Lycia? Then there's nothing to worry about. They were almost wiped out by Bern. We can handle a few battered soldiers.

You're right, Boss!

They've probably got some valuables on them too! Still, don't get careless.
Ready then? Let's mop up these losers, boys!

Wrong on both counts.


Hey, you wait just a second...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountains...



Yes. How may I help you?

Milord, I beg you! Please, rid us of the bandits terrorizing our village!

_^milady

Bandits?

There's a group of bandits that made their base in the castle near the cliffs.

Where are the castle guards?

They fled once they heard that the Lycian Army was defeated by Bern... We villagers were left on our own. Our days are spent in fear of bandit attacks.

......

We have no one else we can ask. Please, help us!

Lord Roy, we must keep our pace towards Ostia...

Yes, I know.
But we can't simply ignore people in need of help!

You're joking!

You will help us?! Thank you! Please use the gate to the west. It'll take you right to the castle.

Thank you.

I'll arrange for the gate to be opened when you give the signal.



Sigh... Youthful energy. Where does it come from?

Probably the asskicking pants. In one of the pockets, with the resolve.



Not a terribly big map, this time around. We could head left, kill the boss and move on, but there's a village and a vendor on top, as well as a whole bunch of dudes we can turn into experience points.



It's mostly straight-forward, but there is one thing that makes this fight a little different from the last.


The leader of a group of brigands in Lycia.

Dory has a pretty impressive strength score. But more importantly,



...he has this. Rutger was bad enough!

Let's do the math real quick. Bors is the toughest person in the party with 12 DEF and 23 HP.

Critical hits deal triple damage. Bors takes 36 points.

A one in three chance to one-shot the sturdiest person in the group from full health is not something you should take lightly, especially not after fighting the entire rest of the enemy force and being one guy from completion.

However, it is still only a 1-range weapon, so there's little reason to actually let him use it. Like Erik, he'll switch to a ranged option - in this case a hand axe - if engaged at 2 range, so we'll take our free round of chipping and then we can get up close and finish it once he's stuck with a much less dangerous weapon.



I see forts, and I don't want the enemy to occupy them.



While I do some thinking, Bors and Wolt will be handling the gate and Marcus will visit the huts and maybe do some tanking on the side if there's still enemies left when he's done.


The wyvern riders of Bern were terrifying enough... But then a dragon engulfed the Lycian Army in flame... Oh Elimine, please tell me it was a dream...

That sounds unpleasant, but, I'm guessing the bulk of the forces were first level soldiers anyway, so there's no need for us to be all that worried... right?



Okay, so I think I know what to do. First we'll get Chad up here. Then Wade will take the fort above and pick Chad up...



...and Clarine takes Chad and drops him on the other fort. Genius!



There's some risk involved here, but a sword user on a fort is kinda hard to hit for most axe users.



Now he's even harder to hit.



0% hit rate



There's only those two guys in range, so the rest of the round is just shuffling.



Meanwhile, in the village...

I will, Father Yoder.
But where did Saul run off to now? How am I supposed to guard him if he keeps disappearing?



Come now, don't be like that. We can sit by the fire in the dark of night as I soothe you with my calming sermons...

Is that what they call it these days?



Party pooper to the rescue.

Wonderful. Dorothy...

I'll take my leave now.


Oh my... Look what you've done now, Dorothy. That expression on your face scared her away.


Saul, you can't try to woo every girl you meet.

You make it sound like a bad thing! I simply offer my helping hand to any poor souls in need.




Did you have some good reason for interrupting my good work?

Oh, right. The Lycian Army is apparently somewhere around here.

Truly?! Is Princess Guinivere still with them?

Yes, if the reports from the St. Elimine Church are accurate.

Then we must make haste! Let us join them.

......

What's the matter, Dorothy?

You only want to join them because Princess Guinivere is said to be so beautiful.

Don't be ridiculous. Come now, hurry along.

Yes, let's go!



An archer and... another staffbot? Don't mind if I do! They seem like a fun duo to have around, too, even if one of them is inevitably getting benched as soon as-



...

Wait, what the hell? We were right here! Get back here and recruit yourselves, asshats!



Anyway, Lugh does away with the lowest fighter and Rutger gets a less awesome sword from Merlinus so he can...



...still crit this guy. Oh well!


That'll stop enemy reinforcements from showing up!

Marcus visits the next house.



And Wolt takes a shot at this guy.



After doing so, the gate opens!



"It's not as if I could see the fucking thing from where I'm sitting or anything!"

But hey, he's a Dory. I wouldn't expect him to be too bright.

Cunning little weaklings...

We just opened the thing. It was there all along. I... Okay I give up, let's just kill them.



I park Bors so he'll keep everyone from swarming Wolt and hitting him from inside bow range.



Sadly, just about all of them go for Bors, and no one manages to land a hit because the bandits all suck and Bors has a weapon triangle disadvantage against them. Wolt does the best he can with what he's getting,though, and gets a pretty nice level-up.



Oh, and this, too. I think it's the first rank-up this run. Wolt can now use c-rank bows, if only we could find some.



Marcus.


They can cross mountains and a bandit on a peak is a force to be reckoned with. Dreadful. Just dreadful...

Huh, Saul scared her all the way down here.

Bandits can mountain-walk, but very slowly. The big problem is that mountains give a huge defensive buff. It still doesn't make them better at hitting you.



Marcus gets up here and meatshields Wolt a bit. He's behind on Def, but he does have a whole lot more HP.



I've had Rutger attack thrice. He has landed three crits.

I have absolutely no complaints.



Can she do it?

...no she can't.



Marcus facetanks.



Shanna thinks she can do it too. She is wrong.



Meanwile, everybody manages to hit Bors this round.



Adding insult to injury...



And adding injury to injury.

He deserved it.



There were two of these guys.

Then they attacked Wolt, and there were none.



And Lugh gets... Oh, come the fuck on, what have I done to deserve this?



Okay Shanna, at this point I'm kinda pissed so either you do good or you die so I can reset, either way I don't care.



...

I think she performs better under pressure.



Mother of fuck why



The mage is dangerous and has to go. Fortunately (or unfortunately, since I'd be allowed to reset and try again if someone died) Wolt lands both hits, though he also takes a fireball.



Bors Vulneraries up.



Wolt doesn't have to.



Next round, Bors does it again. And this time, Wolt does it too. This group was tougher than expected.



There's nothing worth mentioning about the battle on the upper path. Chad goes to see if he can find some loot.


It was once wielded by a knight called Sir Gant. The stories say he bested many a foe with this lance!

If he bested many a foe, it can't have much durability left.



Who the fuck is Gant??



...no wait, that was Guntz. I'm stumped, then. Still, 50 uses? I'll take it.



Shanna hits the shops again. Door keys are cheap, so I get a couple. I don't remember using them a lot in 7, but hey, 50G is a steal and they usually put things like this in right before they expect you to need them.



NO DAMAG.

Wolt is at 96 EXP. So help me, if you fuck this up...



Moment of truth...!



Well at least something good came out of all this.



All the bandits prefer to attack Marcus, since I gave his sword to someone more needy, so this goes slow enough that the rest start catching up.



Strength, Lance. Do you know what "strength" means?



To my shock and horror, Allen seems to be becoming the better of the two, despite his... shaky... start.



Almost done...



Good thing we're in range to retreive another one from the convoy.



I'm just posting this because smears are cool. It not important or anything.



Roy gets a bow from Merlinus and ferries it to Wolt.



And Shanna finishes the last generic. Now for the big fish.


Hey, you. Wanna see why?

Not particularly, which is why I'm attacking from outside your range! Wolt only has a 58% chance to hit, and misses. The important bit is getting Dory to switch to range, though, and keeping Wolt where he's standing will accomplish that just fine.



Lugh does better, but Dory can one-shot him with the hand axe, so he can't stay there.



Yoink!



As expected, Dory goes for the weapon he can actually hit us with. Well, the weapon he could technically hit us with if he didn't suck so badly. And Wolt actually hits him this time. Finally, I let Rutger pick his killing edge...



...and kill!

_{Four hits. Four crits.}

Gah...! No... I don't wanna... die...

Should have thought of that before you started shit!



I...'m not sure what to think of this, it's not unexpected, but Rutger - much like Shanna - needs strength. That killing edge won't last forever.



That was a short, easy map, despite some minor hiccups with the gate.

A priest from the St. Elimine Church wants an audience with you... and Princess Guinivere!

He knew that Princess Guinivere was with us?

Yes. I can't imagine how.

Me neither... I'll see him alone.

Roy, I will be fine. I wish to meet this priest.

Princess?

Tensions between my brother and the church have worsened as of late. I do not believe they would attempt anything underhanded.

I see. Merlinus, allow this priest in.

Guess who-



No, of course it's him, I don't know what I was expecting.

I am Saul, an acolyte of the St. Elimine Church.

Pleased to meet you.

Oh... And you must be Princess Guinivere! You are as beautiful as the rumors say!

Pardon me...?

Ahem... Forgive me.
Your Highness, I wish to know the location of the Fire Emblem. You have it with you, do you not?

How did you know that?!

Bern's head church tells us the Fire Emblem disappeared from the Shrine of Seals. And you also went missing at exactly the same time.

......

I was sent by the church to confirm the truth. Why did you take the Fire Emblem?

...I wished to stop my brother.

Your brother... Zephiel, the king of Bern.

Yes.

Do you know what the Fire Emblem is used for?

"You put it in one of those little plastic things kids run around with these days and make little men run around on a grid."

...It's the key that awakens a sword that was used to slay the dragons long ago. That was what my father told me anyway. I am unsure how exactly the Fire Emblem or the sword work.

I think I might be able to guess as far as the sword goes. Usually, you stick them with the sharp end.

My brother seemed to worry abut the Fire Emblem falling into enemy hands.
...Extraordinarily so.

So you took the Fire Emblem to make the king believe it fell into enemy hands? All in an attempt to stop his conquest?

Yes... but the war continued anyway.

And what will you do now?

...Must I reveal my plan at this moment?

Ah, so Your Highness has a plan.

Yes. I have not given up hope of settling this war without further bloodshed.

I see. In that case, I will accompany you on your journey.

If Roy allows it.



He is learning!



Of course, Princess.

And with that, we are done. The chapter itself may have been filler, but this seems like it could potentially come up again or something.



Next, join us for hopefully not levels with only +HP.