Part 10:  Chapter 9

Figures that the only route in the game would be the tougher (or at least more annoying) route. Not to mention we'll have to snag Lyn a few levels somehow. The good news: I get to hear the excellent Ephraim route theme for most of it, not to mention FE7's battle music is used whenever monsters or an FE5 map aren't around.



Another FE1 map! Or FE3? Either way this map's loaded with goodies.



But first: Tana. She has, of course, been captured, but she actually has a Steel Lance and two Vulneraries in her inventory. Would be nice if not for the fact...



...that there's no safety zone for her. And the Steel Lance is a heavy weapon, so unless you discard it both of those enemies can double her. The solution is to move her to the top-left corner so the mage attacks her and heal every turn until you take out the Archer - THEN she's safe.



The first enemy has a Killer Axe. So scary...



WHAT THE. She crit me. Wow. Wasn't expecting that.



Sigh, now it's slightly used. At least I have a Christmas gift for Echidna now.



Wait Guinevere that's the wrong way where are you going



A Steel Lance gets lifted on the next turn, and the enemy by the door drops another Door Key.



Lyn takes out a weaponless enemy and gets...this. Wow. There's hope!



This enemy suicides on Fiora and drops...a Heavy Spear. Those are about as useful as Luna.



The following enemies aren't much to speak of so have another round of Limstella failing to get MAG.



NOT ENOUGH STEEL BOWS IN MY INVENTORY



Darn it she was doing so well before.



Hey, I could use one of those. Yoink!



No there is no hope after all. Dammit Lyn!



Here's a shot of the Falcoknight healing animation, which...now that I think about it...I think I've seen this elsewhere? Can't be sure. Anyways, I mentioned Falcoknights can't equip staves, right? Well, if any other class used a staff, they'd equip it and be unable to counter on the following enemy phase because staves can't counter. Falcoknights can't equip staves, so they avoid this problem. It's a neat thing.



Priscilla starts work on the stupid Archer who doesn't move unless someone's in range.



Meanwhile Guinevere picks up the hidden Satori Sign, which unfortunately is not a Touhou spell card. This will turn any magic character into a Cavalier and any physical character into a Mage. There's a reason to do that but I don't think I'll be using it. Oh, and it also sets Lords, Dancers, and Manaketes to level 1. That's something.



Stop activating Big Shield when it's not even necessary!



Now that the Archer's gone we can get Tana to break out the usual way.



Free money? Free money!



Skill? Really? Well I guess if you get a status staff sometime...



Oh no. NO. NO. MORE OF THEM. MORE CAVALIERS. They seriously haven't run out of them yet.



And there's MORE of them from the other side, and these ones have Killer weapons!



The Mage gives up a Chest Key. What are all the Lockpicks I stole even for anymore?



The Cavalier problem gets solved by Wendy and Fiora blocking the stairs.



What'd you think I was going to do about the Killer weapons, let the enemy use them? Hahaha.



Limstella, I may rag on Lute a lot but at least she TRIES.



The defense is going all too smoothly.



Now if only you'd get some defense.



Now here's an interesting position: Enemies with no weapon will still move towards you to...I don't know why they do that but it stops the enemies with weapons from being able to hit you. I love grid-based gameplay logic.




Keep it up ladies. Except you Priscilla, you suck.



So with those guys cleaned up it's time to get more weapons for the pile. And hey, I don't have Elfire yet, I'll take it!



Wendy, it is your life's purpose to cap STR and DEF, don't disappoint me.



...This isn't gonna end soon is it.





You know maybe these chapters would be a little harder without the EXP flood.



Armor knight by the door has a Door Key just in case you can't break the wall somehow.



People still use Longbows?



Reverse Resolve!



Oh goody, Sleep staves. Don't see why you'd waste it on an expendable Doll, though.



Now if THAT had landed I'd be ticked.



Oh hey a Mage Thief. I'll probably end up letting her steal the chest stuff and then cut her off on her way out.



I'm in luck: There's a Knight Crest in the next chapter.



You are not the Lyn I remember.



Okay I distinctly remember Limstella having an entirely separate Sage class in FE7 just so she could break the 60HP cap. This is a disgrace by comparison.



Clarine: still untouchable.



Priscilla, stop dozing off in the middle of combat!



Tana takes a kill, then gets a dance from Ninian. Oddly enough Tana's the one that has to recruit Amelia now.



What'd you expect? At least the free Speedwing is nice. Maybe I will take her to the tower later.



The Mage Thief then steals...4920 gold? That's what's in there? That's a wierd amount. Oh well, we can't really get it back, not that we need to.



And...GOD DAMMIT those are MY Physics, stop wasting them! Durability is only restored if an item is dropped, not stolen!



This enemy had an Axereaver. Will I ever use it? Who knows.



The other chest has...a Restore? We can already buy those but okay.



Now just as long as those stupid Clerics don't use up the Physics...



She's gotten Magic TWICE in about ten levels.



I get that Thieves aren't built for combat, but just compare her to any other unit.



And now to cut off the other Thief's escape.



DAMMIT THAT IS MY PHYSIC WAND AND YOU er wait why is Fire effective against the healer...?



Hey, it's free money, why not?



There also happens to be a Hero Crest in the next chapter. Guess where that's going.



You know, aside from Limstella I don't really have a single notable Dark user. Do I care? Of course not.



Everything but the good stats, of course.



We get the Restore back...and...sigh.



I'm curious so I decide to see if Tana does any better. That isn't too bad.



Now, the Mani Katti seems to have an odd quirk to it. Notice how it's doing less damage than the Slim Sword here. Very odd.



Whatever it was, we steal a single-use Sleep staff which I'm probably just gonna sell and a Physic that has at least half its uses.



...of course, I make the mistake of stealing the Sleep first, which causes Physic to be equipped...ugh...



And...what the heck? Why did the Mani Katti's damage suddenly go down...? I know if Sleep is equipped your RES goes up by 2, but...huh...



Anyways, we steal the Physic and the other Cleric's Mend.



Lyn overkills one of them.



Echidna hits level 20 from the other one.



This chest waaay over here has another Master Seal.



Now then...the boss. Try not to imagine Gheb's head on the female Warrior's body, it's disturbing. Anyways, he...that is, she...fuck it, Gheb has a Killer Axe, Killer Bow, and what I believe is a Short Axe. However the AI never equips the bow, either because Gheb's bow rank isn't high enough or the AI is that dumb.



So there's no way to manipulate what item you get. Also, axe magnetism makes a comeback.




We chip at Gheb for a bit, Lyn profits nicely, and we close down the chapter with our heads still intact.

Coming up next: A former crap character becomes competent. Who'd have thought?

Tana's growths:
HP: 70%
Str: 45%
Skl: 45%
Spd: 50%
Luk: 65%
Def: 25%
Res: 40%

Amelia's growths:
HP: 65%
Str: 45%
Skl: 45%
Spd: 45%
Luk: 55%
Def: 35%
Res: 20%

...those are almost Guinevere's exact growths. Huh.