Part 56: The Valmar thing

This update: Peak Angst and not much else. You can honestly just imagine a bunch of crushing despair and then skip to the last few screenshots if you're pressed for time.





Elena, it's no use... She's gone.

...

Ryudo. I worry about Roan.

Yeah... Let's go check on him.

I'm not one to chastise a robot for caring about someone, but didn't they barely have time to speak to eachother?



Your parents... are dead?

Soldier: [sob][sob] Why...? Why did it happen? Why all this...!?

Soldier: Why did they kill my... parents. Why did this happen to us!?

... This is all my fault. Everyone... I was wrong... Ohh...!!

I hurt... I hurt inside, Ryudo. Seeing all of this, now I wish I did not have my heart.

Both of you STOP IT! Stop all that moaning and whining. Crying like babies isn't going to win this battle! Focus and then FIGHT!

I'm also not one to question a hardened soldier's love for his parents, but doesn't that dialogue seem like it belongs to a child?



Citizen: Why is Lord Granas treating us so terribly!? Why!?

... ...

Elena's ellipsis here obviously represents the untold truth of Granas' demise, which does not escape her lips because all it would do is crush this poor woman's hopes even further. Be sure to remember that when, in a few cutscenes' time, she pretty much starts yelling GOD IS DEAD to passers-by.



Currently we have no idea how things will turn out.

Skye's right. We don't know what will happen next. Remain on your guard.

Soldier: Understood. No matter what happens, I will protect our land! You too, please be careful!



OK, calm down! Where did the monsters go?

Citizen: Across that bridge, toward the castle...

Ryudo, we must hurry... before they destroy the entire town!



ROAAAAAN!



Fill you in later! Little busy right now. You might want to start a bonfire, though. Going to be a lot of bodies when I'm done.

It is good to have you back!



Mandatory Valmar Young fight, whoopdy doo. We do get a woefully unskilled King Roan in our party for it, so I guess I'm glad the fight isn't hard.

MUSIC: Silence.



Ryudo, what is happening? What is going on with Valmar's Moon?

And what about Mareg? Where is he? I do not see him.

... A lot's happened...

...I see... Let's get to the castle. It is not safe out here.







Lord Granas is dead. Valmar has been reborn. Oh, this is the end of the world! My hopes... all I have believed in... turned to ashes...

I- I have no idea what I should do now.

It's not your fault, Elena. The Valmar thing was completely beyond our control.

No... It IS my fault. I was a servant of Darkness, acting at its behest!

Zera used you. He was the one who planned it all... You couldn't have known.

Oh, Lord Granas, please forgive me!



When we were with the People of Darkness, do you remember what you said? You said you wanted to help everyone. Was that a lie?

What - you ONLY help people who worship Granas? I don't think that's true. I think you meant what you said before.

We're all just people - regardless of where we're from or who we worship.

Who do I... serve...? I serve those who nee me. I serve the people I love... everyone.

Hell, you were upset when Millenia died. That's proof enough.



Er... Regardless, there must be SOMETHING we can do now. There is always a way...



C'mon, Elena.



Consul: But there is no other way! It is essential that Valmar be left just as he is. It is terribly unfortunate...

If that is... the only way... All right. You may go.

Consul: Yes, sir...

The consul leaves.

I cannot do that... How could this be!?



Seriously, they never spoke yet they have a rapport now?

Yes, I have found a heart... But, in exchange, I have lost something very precious...

Is this what it means to have a heart? What it means to become human...?

To lose a loved one is hard. When my mother died, I too thought it was the end of the world.

To be fair, this time it actually is.

... But, it is the pain that reminds you what is truly precious... In sadness, we find our humanity.

Roan, I still do not understand. All I can tell... is that my heart aches. I want to shut my heart down and sleep...

Tio... I think that we know pain... so we want to protect our loved ones. That is why we must fight!

... Roan, would that be correct?





Ryudo, we must decide upon the next step to take...

As far as I have heard, Valmar is still incomplete. My consul has made a proposal...

Mister Ryudo, for the time being, we must run away from Valmar.

You're kidding, right? As far as I have heard, Valmar is still incomplete.

From Roan, who just said that exact sentence. Also you literally have the missing piece.

i don't like this part of the writing okay

We must first keep Valmar incomplete. If he becomes complete, all is lost.

Should the Horns inside you be stolen and Valmar's body made complete, we would be able to do nothing except wait for the end.



Ryudo. You must not despair. Mareg and Millenia gave up their lives to save ours. We must NOT waste that gift.

Don't be so damned stupid, kid. There's nothing I can do now that wouldn't be a waste of my life. And theirs.

Just what did Mareg and Millenia... Just what did they... die for!?

The Day of Darkness has passed. Valmar is revived. The Granasaber is lost. Lord Granas will never come again...

Ryudo, to die without hope... is that what you call courage? I... cannot imagine losing you.

No, NO! I don't want anyone to die! I do not want to lose you!



You don't need to ask me to understand. I understand perfectly. Think about this, everyone: we can't stop Valmar from coming.

Whole or not, Valmar is awake, and the Dark God is not happy. UNDERSTAND? The only thing waiting for us is certain DEATH!

The only thing that can stop the Darkness are the Horns of Valmar, which happen to currently be inside me. UNDERSTAND?

Millenia and Mareg, they protected me - they gave their lives for me - because I'm the only one who can do battle with a god.

But... then... Ryudo, you will end up just like Melfice...

Ryudo, Mareg and Millenia did not die to protect a weapon. They died to protect your life. Would you throw that away?

If I do not do them honor... If I do not at least attempt to save our lives, I would disgrace their memory.



I... do not understand. You speak of our "honor," but... The way in which you use the word differs from how Mareg used it.

You would honor none but Valmar should you give your life to Darkness. Do not be deceived by power. Do not join with Valmar!

You're right... Roan... Besides, I don't know how to use the Horns, or how to get rid of them.

That is correct. The means of releasing the Horns of Valmar is completely unknown at present.

At any rate, let us leave this place... Valmar is certain to come here!





We have not lost to Valmar. Do your best. Protecting the weak is the duty of a Knight of Cyrum.

Soldier: None here are unscathed. If Valmar should descend on us, our resistance would be futile.

If you cannot hold out, then give up the city - only, protect the people. As long as they live, so will the Kingdom.

Soldier: Your Highness! What will become of you?

You must fight on no matter what... Do not abandon hope!

Since we're surrendering Cyrum to Satan, let's ruin everyone on the way out.



Citizen: There is no escape from the monsters; nowhere to run. What can we do?

There is no safe place in the world. I, too, do not know where we should go...

Citizen: The end of the world... There is no safe place for us now. It's hopeless.



Citizen: What should we do? Please give us divine guidance!

There is no god left to hear our prayers...

Citizen: ... Then what are you doing dressed up as a Sister!? Have we no salvation!?

... I wish I could offer you comfort, but I pray to a deaf god...



What is it, Ryudo?





VIDEO: Hi there (next few screenshots, keep the music)

















Dammit! Where the hell are they coming from?

Is this too... the power of Valmar?

What the hell isn't these days?! It doesn't matter! Move it!

Another fight ensues. I'll talk gameplay next update.

MUSIC: Silence.



It also said that Granas was sleeping, Elena. Forget that damn book! It won't happen - I won't let it happen!

Child: My mother... is she dead?

Dear, you must leave this place...

Child: But, I can't just leave my mother behind...

It is dangerous here. Come. This way...

Child: ...







Child: Stop it! Mother, Mother is...





... I'm sorry. There was nothing that could be done.

My brother... I am more like you than you believed...

Ryudo...

How many times... must we act out... this damnable... pageant... I'll never forgive them... nor Valmar!

It is dangerous for Ryudo to be here... We must leave this town.

There's actually two places we can go, but the other is optional and will be covered next update.





Is not the taking of lives enough? Must they violate the dead as well?

This is a mockery. Mareg did not give his life for this... I will kill them. I will kill them all.

Ryudo, you must not allow your heart to be filled with anger, or you will be as your brother was.

The heart is not meant for anger, but for... suffering.

Even if we want to destroy them, we still do not know how to release the Horns of Valmar.

If you were to join in battle, you would simply become possesssed by Valmar.

VIDEO: Valmar's Descent (next few screenshots)







You miserable human beings.



Witness the birth of your new god.



This is the time of judgement.









Where would we go? No... there is no escape.

There must be a way... A way to kill them... A way to bury them...

Bury... That's IT! Graves!!

Quick, get inside one and play dead, maybe Valmars are like bears!

What are you talking about?

The Cyrum royal family has a mausoleum that only those of royal blood may enter... And only during funerals!

I was there for my mother's funeral... It may be that the history of the People of Darkness rests there intact.

The record of the royal family who fought on Valmar's side... We may discover something we can use!

There is no time to spare. The royal mausoleum is to the south. We must hurry!


Next time, we fiddle while the world burns. Check out the world map now:



Perfect time for a bonus dungeon, don't you think?