Part 21: Storming the Capital or, Not Narcian's Day

Chapter 16: Storming the Capital or, Not Narcian's Day

Last time, we killed dudes! With names! And faces! Fuck yeah it was awesome. With our spirits high and our levels even higher after the pleasant outing where no one important died and all my deserving units prepared themselves for promotion, let us begin the next map.



I'm going to let you in on a secret: It's been days since I played the game last, and I'm about to fuck this up majorly


Aquleia is also the largest and wealthiest city on the continent.


the revolutionary forces are fortified in Aquleia.


the revolutionaries, forcing them inside the castle.
The St. Elimine church was founded by Saint Elimine, one of the Eight Legends.


Roy's attack on Aquleia is supported by the church. However, Narcian and his elite troops await Roy inside the castle...

Neither Narcian nor his troops are particularly elite. To make up for that, however, he has quite a few of them.



As you can probably tell, I will be feeding Roy the boots this map, finally having the space and enough peace and quiet to get it done. Also, we're going to promote three people, and as Fir will be among them, we're going to start bringing her dear ol' dad as well. Sadly, he's kind of crummy compared to our hand-raised units - but I don't really have anyone else who's desperately in need of those three speedwings I've been hoarding, so he'll be chowing down on those any time he's not axing questions.


A young divine dragon from Nabata.

Also, on to even more awesome things, Fae is playable now!



And what's that, an unbreakable dragonstone? For me?

(Because fuck having a character who's useable until their one weapon breaks. Although now that I think about it I guess I could Hammernenenen it? I don't know if that actually works, since, you know, haven't needed to try it out yet.)

What's not so awesome is Fae is level 1 and, even with her dragonstone bonuses, made of fragile. On the other hand, her growths are HP 130, Str 90, Skl 85, Spd 65, Lck 150, Def 30, Res 50, and she should be getting a lot of exp from the promoted or nearly-promoted enemies we're facing at this point - so the problem should be solving itself quite easily.



All right, on to the map. We're starting in two groups, and right up in the middle is our favourite scumbag Narcian, sitting on his wyvern, which is sitting on the throne. That has to be one huge fuck-off throne.

Let's see what he has to say.


How have they come so far?!


Head Wyvern General Murdock is here!

He is?! Th-then posthaste! Send an escort! Ensure he receives every hospitality...

He is already here...



S-Sir Murdock... What a pleasant surprise. What brings you all the way from Ilia?


I want an explanation for this embarrassment.



Then allow me to explain. Princess Guinivere has escaped yet again. Flaer, your lieutenant, has failed in the Western Isles and is dead. And finally, perhaps most egregious of all, you have neglected your mission to capture the village in Nabata, despite your specific orders directly from King Zephiel's mouth! This is inexcusable, Narcian! Explain yourself!

Goddamn just watching that is satisfying, I'm going to be sad when I have to kill Murdock.

Oh, th-that... Well, you see, sire, there have been many complications, so I took it upon myself to--

Hold your tongue. That's enough. I've orders from the king. I am to revoke your title of Wyvern General.

What?!

You are to be replaced by Gale.


Allow me one more chance!!

...The Lycian Army approaches fast.



Yeah, you had better be concerned!

Show your worth and stop them in their tracks. If you succeed, perhaps the king will reconsider.

Sir Murdock...

Narcian...

Why do I get this feeling like they're going to start making out any time now?

Don't fail the king, or me, again.

...Well, that or kill each other, either one works, I guess.


And I'm to be replaced by Gale of all people...! Never! I will not allow it!
B-but what is left for me to do...? No...! My status and reputation... Everything is crumbling down!

I'd almost feel sorry for him, if I wasn't watching this whole scene with a big, goofy grin on my face.



Silence! I know that already.
...Wait. Schwarth's younger brother is stationed in this castle... And Schwarth's the one who helped the princess escape! Ah-ha! I can say he was leaking information to the enemy! What a flawless plan! Hm hm hm hm...

I'm sorry General Narcian... What was that?

Hm? Oh. You know Schwarth's younger brother, don't you?

You mean Sir Zeiss?

That's him. Zeiss. I have reason to suspect he's leaking information to the Lycian Army. Bring him here.

What?! I can't believe Sir Zeiss would ever do such a thing...


Do as you're told and bring him before me!



And in another part of the castle, a slightly less repulsive heap of slime and refuse is hiding out.


If we're captured, we will be tried as traitors!

Only very slightly, though. With a face like that, is it any wonder he joined the red team? He's practically required to.



And speaking of slime and refuse, also a pre-promote I'm not allowed to kill, which is just about the same thing.


If you had eliminated the Lycian Army at the Isles as you were supposed to...

B-but Lord Roartz...! ...No! This is neither the time nor place to argue, my lord! We must make our escape quickly!

But escape to where...?

...Let us turn to Bern! This was all their plan to begin with...

Y-yes, of course! We have proved ourselves useful. They're sure to repay the favor.





Er... Well, Bern probably won't harm him. King Zephiel's mother was an Eturian, after all. Douglas, I suggest you flee as well...

And I suggest you shut your mouth. I only fought alongside you because King Mordred's life was at stake. I do not intend to go along with your plans to the end.

Hmph! Unbending as always. Suit yourself.
Arcardo, we escape now!



The two of them disappear downstairs, into a world we cannot reach...


Fleeing with their tails between their legs... I can't imagine it took much for Bern to seduce them. They'll meet their end at the hands of the Lycian Army before long...
When Prince Myrddin returns... Eturia will be whole again. But until then... I shall continue to fight for the king. My loyalty and honor as Great General depend on it!

I want to kill him so badly


Our information says that the revolutionaries are stationed inside.

I thank you for your help, Father Yoder. Thanks to the church, we were able to avoid a battle in the city.

A friendly and helpful church not obviously plotting the destruction of the known universe? Are you sure this is a Japanese game...?

No, it is I who must thank you. The church has been persecuted by the revolutionaries. Were it not for you, we would have been forced out already.

Persecuted? Why?

"Zephiel actually played JRPGs growing up."

"That explains everything."

That is most likely because of our investigation into Bern's dragons. Before she ascended to heaven, our founder, Saint Elimine, said these words:
"Allow not dragons to return to this realm, for that would bring suffering to many."
That's why we must do everything we can to send the dragons back to their world.

...The revolutionaries are with Bern, so that explains the persecution of the church.

Indeed.
We have discovered something interesting as well. The return of the dragons ins tied to the Fire Emblem, Bern's greatest treasure. We don't know yet how, so that's why I sent Saul and Dorothy to investigate.

Hmm.

Lord Roy, you must stop the revolutionaries. If you would allow me to give you one more piece of advice, try talking to some of the troops. I'm certain many of them were forced into the army against their will.

Of course. Thank you again.

Saint Elimine's blessings upon you, Lord Roy.

And with that, fucking finally, it's gameplay time!



I only have one person with the staff rank to make use of these things, but we'll let him have some fun this map.



Special delivery!



And before we run straight into the enemy, let's get started on those promotions.



Wanna know a fun fact? Swordmasters get the same crit bonus as berserkers. In Fir's hands, steel swords are now functionally killing edges. Actual killing edges are unholy abominations against the natural order of things. This is hilarious.



Her less awesome father, meanwhile, starts doing drugs in a vain attempt at catching up.



Ogier has finally found all the chaos emeralds.



And Dorothy has bought a... whatever the hell that is, I don't think it actually does anything, but if it makes her feel cool and confident I'm sure no one will object.



And then, there are chests.



The guy in the tower on the far right has a Bolting tome...



...and a bishop on the far left has a Purge, which is the light-type 3-10 range tome. Fortunately for Chad, it is relatively inaccurate.



And then, more chatter.

I'm here, Sir Gale. Is something wrong? Why did you summon me?

Zeiss, you must hide.

...What do you mean? The enemy is before us!

Listen to me. General Narcian has given the order for you to be taken prisoner.

What?! Does he think that I have betrayed Bern?!

He needs a scapegoat for his failures. He says that you worked with Schwarth to leak information to the enemy.

With my sister? I don't even know where she is.

Schwarth has apparently joined the Lycian Army alongside the princess.

Schwarth turned to the enemy?! I don't believe it for a second...

Ask her yourself. She is apparently here.
Would that I could go with you, but General Murdock ordered me to observe the outcome of the battle. Zeiss, get out while you still can. Talk to Schwarth.

Sir Gale! I...

I will not make a move until I hear Schwarth's story.



Zeiss hides in the corner.


A wyvern rider of Bern. Schwarth's bruder.

God damn. I totally called him being a wyvern rider, but if I had known he was Schwarth's brother, I could have done so much with him! So much! Ah, what a waste, what a terrible waste...

...as is the fact that he's a seventh level unpromoted unit, I've a good mind to run him through just for that.



Chad gets started on the enemies he can reach from here. It's a bit risky for him, but he has vulneraries.



And really shitty luck, apparently.

...Well, defence is good for those times that ludicrous speed can't save him, I guess.



The opposition on the left side is easily dealt with, there's nothing challenging here whatsoever.



However, we do get to fill out another fifth of Roy's support slots!

Oh, yes. You should...
...Um...

What's the matter?

Nothing. It's just that... It feels so strange giving you orders...

Why? You lead this army. Who else would give me orders?

Even so...

Roy, you mustn't go soft. If a leader gets soft, then so will the troops. You are a general leading an army, and I am your soldier. Be strict and assertive, as a general should be.

Y-yes, you're right.

Good.
Now, General Roy, what is my next move?

It's to stick next to Roy so he can get that B support with you as well.



The right side is a lot more interesting. Not only do we have the Bolting Butthead in the tower, we also have one very tiny dragon who needs to be spoonfed some nice nutritious kills.


What about my money? I haven't been paid yet!

And a curiously familiar-looking mage with a name and portrait!


A biologist hired by Eturia. Desperate for money.

He's not too terribly special...



...but he holds something quite special. Frankly, if you've been training your casters up until this point, that thing is probably going to be of more use than Hugh, but, well.



Three points over nine levels, I think he's going to cap that speed pretty easily.

Too bad about all the other stats.



And now, finally, it is time. Behold!



I

What even the fuck is this, dragons aren't supposed to... what. That may be the most adorable murder I have ever witnessed.



Okay Shanna, don't fuck this up-



that was very nearly a double up-fucking



Thaaaaaat's our Shanna!



Bartre gets one of these, too. Mmm, crunchy.



And Fir gets to demonstrate what she can do with the wussiest sword in the game.



You know what, Fae? I think we are going to get along splendidly.



And let's have Ogier get in on the murder, too.



It weirds me out that he only does the spinjump when he's going away from the enemy. Isn't that usually how he attacks things?



Marcus has been watching in silence from the bench through most of the game. But now, his time has finally come.



Don't worry, it's all carefully calculated!



Munch, munch.



That... wasn't all that useful.



Dorothy is killing paladins with just the basic iron bow these days.



...Wait, why is fucking everyone going to the right? I'll be opening those doors any time now, guys, stop running towards the wrong group of player characters!



Chad actually gets hit by Purge this round, what a loser.



This is worrying. I'm pretty sure I need Roy to recruit him, and there's a wall between them!



Let's continue to bulk Bartre up, though.



Now this could be fun.


Fiiirrr!

Wow, that was fast.



Ah, there you are, Fir! It's good to see you safe!

Father...

I hadn't seen you for a while. I was worried you'd disappear forever.

Don't be ridiculous, Father... We were just sparring not long ago.

We don't have many chances to talk one-on-one, daughter and father. Now is your chance, Fir. Tell your father anything that's on your mind.

F-Father... I'm sorry, but I have orders from Lord Roy.

Do you? Then I shall accompany you.

I'm grateful, but I need to do things on my own. Otherwise, I won't improve the way I want to. I'll see you again, Father.



Don't worry, your daughter isn't some kind of shrub scrub who'd get killed by this kind of opposition.



Hugh is annoying me and he already set fire to Marcus, so I'm going to play around some more.



Teleporting people is quite profitable! More mag means he can teleport people even further next time.


You lead the army that's attacking the castle, right? Do you have any need of an extra mage?

Huh? Well, I guess we could always use more...

You don't say! Then today is your lucky day. Here's a mage for hire. How about it?

You know a mage? Where is he?



......

Roy is just not buying anything this guy is saying, it's hilarious

Hey, don't look at me like that! I'm no slouch with a spell tome. I'm all yours for 10,000 gold!

10,000?! That seems pretty steep...

Come on, you're breaking my heart here! I need the money for my grandmother...

If he hadn't been purple-haired and wearing green while being named fucking Hugh I would have given him Castor's portrait from FE12 or something.

What? Is your grandmother sick or something?


Anyway, I need the cash. Come on pal!

...The personality isn't exactly a good match, but everything else was too good to pass up.

Anyway.



You betcha! She's so sick you don't even know. She always gets these headaches on her back...

Huh? Headaches on her back?


That's just one of her many symptoms, each worse than the last...
...OK, all the money seems to be here. You won't regret this. I know what I'm doing!



Roy status: Not Convinced, but hey, an actual mage who's not shit! What's there to not like?

Hugh's growths are HP 75, Mag 30, Skl 30, Spd 45, Lck 25, Def 20, Res 15... or at least that's what they used to be before some asshole boosted them by 20 across the board because why the fuck not, that's why!



For now though, this is a problem because I gave generals 6 move and I'm not allowed to kill him for his nice juicy experience. We'll just have to run away for a bit.



Chad's in a bit of danger here, the mage hits pretty hard, but I need to open these doors because I'm an idiot who didn't bring any door keys even though I have like a fucking ton of the things.



Hey, Douglas!



Really annoying being on the receiving end, isn't it?



And while it's lights out for Doug,



...let's have some patented WARRIORCOPTER.



Chad kills the one merc who was left outside the room he warped into, so now he can open the door to the left path next turn.



...Fae is not a horse!



Get bent.



And I remembered to use the boots, go me.



I actually have a chest key in Fae's inventory for these things, but again, no door keys.

Well, we can just snipe this guy through the keyhole, so.



Noah saw that +4 mag he got on promotion and decided he'd never need more... But I can't complain, he's still quite solid.



Chad opened the doors just in time for us to get at the reinforcements that start pouring out of nearly every staircase in the building.



Tasty, tasty reinforcements.



Hugh's palette is kinda... pastel-y.



More! MORE!



So much for Chad to do, I should have brought Cath as well.



We've been slacking off, so now Douglas is going to start moving again.



I'm using Ogier to keep him occupied. Two damage with the iron sword means they can go at this for a long time, but I'm afraid that's not going to be enough.



Nighty-night, Douglas.



Fae gets good levels, news at all the fucking time.



There was a time when Wolt had trouble with dragons.



Oh hey, another one of those. I don't think I actually need it.



The reinforcements aren't very bright.



Dorothy's first sniper level is not terribly exciting, but certainly effective.



Certainly more so than Cecilia's lame attempt.



Of course, neither of them holds a candle to The Wolt.



Spin! Spin!!



...Oh right, the new guy down here also had a bolting...



There's a reason I'm not showing the enemies here, it's because they all suck.



Eventually they run out, but now Douglas is awake again and he went after this group instead of Ogier who was right there god damn it Douglas you are making it so hard not to kill you for the experience points.



Another idiot making things hard is the wyvern knight in the corner, because he will happily suicide on anyone who gets close enough to attack.



I don't give him the chance, naturally.

Zeiss?! What are you doing here?

...I've been accused of betraying Bern.

Oh no...!
I feel... I am at fault for this...

Sir Gale said that you had joined the enemy. I couldn't believe it, but now I see it with my own eyes!

"The blue paint is barely even dry yet!"

Why?! Why did you betray Bern?

I never betrayed Bern. I have always served Princess Guinivere.

You threw away everything... Your homeland, your family... Even your beloved Gale... for the princess. For that... obstinate princess who betrayed her own brother!

Enough, Zeiss! I will not tolerate you insulting Princess Guinivere!

......

It is the princess, not the king, who works for the good of Bern.
At first I was angry and confused that she did not tell me more. But now that I am again at her side, I understand... She is not mistaken.

...Sir Gale was right.

What? Gale?

He said that he wouldn't move until he heard your side.

He did...?

I'm not sure yet if I agree with you... but I know I can trust you.

Zeiss! Does that mean...?

If the leader of the Lycian Army will allow it, I want to go with you. I want to see the princess that moved you so.

And then we had a second wyvern rider! Only a level seven one...



...hahahahano, of course not, who do you think is running this show?

I don't think he's going to be quite as good as his sister, but ten levels (with average growths at HP 80, Str 60, Skl 50, Spd 35, Lck 20, Def 25, Res 5) has given him pretty respectable attack and defence, so maybe he won't be instantly benched forever the moment this map ends. We'll see!



Imagine this repeated a lot.



This, too.



Ogier can now use the Durandal. Maybe he will, next map!



A long, long time later, Chad finally gets this door open. I'll spare you the pictures:

• 5000 gold I'll be putting to use shortly
  
• A Bolting tome Noah is going to have a lot of fun with at some point
  
• A Restore staff which I forget what it does and will have to check it out once I can access the caravan again
  
• A Recover staff which I also forget what it does
  
• And a Brave Lance which goes on top of the pile of like a dozen Killer Lances I bought last time we saw a shop.

Of all the times Ogier could have chosen not to gain strength... Now his damage against Douglas is up 50%. Damn it, Ogier.



But on the plus side, there's this!



Not pictured: Angelic robes and lockpicks. I... don't think I actually need any of this? So I bought a couple of robes because you can't really have enough stats, but I'll save most of the money I have.



Goddammit Douglas, so hard not to kill you for the exp. That's the last charge of the sleep staff... Well, it was very useful while it lasted.



Let's fast forward for a bit. Mine now!


One of Bern's Wyvern Generals. Led the attack on Lycia.

Narcian is nowhere near as big a threat as he was the first time we saw him, and not a very impressive 10th-level promoted unit.



He does come with a 1-2 range sword, though! And some loot we can't pick off his corpse, so we'll have to get it before ending his miserable existence.



It takes enough time that Douglas starts coming after us again.



But we're almost done.


And most importantly, I am right! Always!
...Me! No one else!

Someone is losing it. Let's end his suffering.



I

but

...

You know what, it worked, I don't care, next!

No... No...!! I will not be defeated...! Not by you... miserable... Gaahh!!



, nice level you left behind.



Speaking of behinds, let's get Roy's on the throne before Douglas does something we'll all regret.

My name is Roy. I am the leader of the Lycian Army.

My name is Mordred. Hm...

......

...I must ask another favor of you. Bern's soldiers have moved to the Saint's Tower.

The Saint's Tower... That is where Saint Elimine's altar lies...

Yes... It is a national symbol of Eturia. Please, recapture the tower.

I will do what I can.

I thank you. Please take anything in the tower that you may find useful.

Oh, you don't need to tell us that.



He must have been an easy target for Bern.

I wish I could help him... but I wouldn't know where to begin.

I could think of a few things.


When the time comes, I will make my return.

Hint, they involve this guy.



And with that, Douglas' life has been spared and the gaiden chapter unlocked.

Why do we call them "gaidens" anyway, we have a perfectly good English word for it. Fuck this shit, next, we do a sidequest chapter and maybe kill some more people with names and faces, so make sure to tune in then - same Roy time, same Roy channel.