Part 57: Conquer that seasickness with willpower!

After swapping some gear around and getting Bernadette's stuff up to scratch, it's time to tackle the lighthouse.



...after I loot the chests outside, naturally. Divine Right is Magic and Incantation, and we can actually use this right now! Or rather, we could if I had cared to bring Zerase for the training.

So in reality that's going to have to wait.



Then, it's on inside. Even the lighthouse has its own music, which plays while we're inside.



Can't see shit!



Zooming the camera in a bit lets us see the stairs we're supposed to take.



There are no encounters inside. Just a couple of stairs, and some new loot.



Formation skill: 1.2x dmg column attack. We'll use this right away! (I'll regret that in a moment.)



But just charging up the stairs at a bunch of pirates who have a million barrels of oils to throw down at us isn't the brightest thing we could do.

The pirates must be on the top floor. We don't want to aggravate them by going any higher.

Well, it could get kind of "bright" in a sense, but I don't think we'd enjoy it much.

Isn't there a ladder outside?

Yes. It's for repairing and cleaning the lighthouse.
...But, how did you know?

I'm gonna guess this was written before they decided to let us wander around looting the place before getting this far.

I know my way around this place a little.

Or before designing the lighthouse, even.

Does the ladder go all the way to the top?

I mean, it was kinda hard to miss.

Yes, it does.

How about we split into two groups? One will make their way upstairs and pretend to negotiate with the pirates. While they're distracted, the other group will climb the ladder, waiting for the right moment to rush in!
We'll need some light and agile people for the ladder job.

Why, it's almost as if you have some particular people in mind.

I'll climb the ladder, then.

Telling Lyon she can handle it gets us a point with her, but...



...she's not going off having adventures without me, dammit!

Frey actually ends up going with Lyon regardless, so this is mostly about whether you want Lyon to like you better for respecting her mad skills, or if you want Georg and Bernadette to like you better for not letting the little girl climb a lighthouse all by herself.

Prince, no! It's far too dangerous!

Hey, I lead armies and stuff!

It's dangerous either way. Even on the staircase, they could still spray us with oil and light us up like candles!

And what a lovely mental image that is.

You've a point there...

But, really, His Highness shouldn't be with us during such a dangerous mission anyway!

Too late for that now. This is sort of how we do things around here.



Huh?

Island Nations royalty have a reputation for being a little... reckless. Adventure seems to find them. Beats sitting in a castle all day, I suppose...
Okay, Your Highness, Lady Lyon, please be extra careful on that ladder, okay?

You be careful, too, Bernadette!

I will.

'course, first we have to climb all the way down again...



And conveniently,



...all the junk blocking access to the ladder before has miraculously vanished!



Sure is a tall tower.



What do Falenans have against guard rails?! It's not as if everyone's a RPG protagonist who's utterly incapable of falling off a ledge no matter how hard they try.



But we're finally inside, and the window is conveniently hidden behind some barrels so no one has seen us.

Pirate Captain: We be leavin' only when ye ship sets a'sailin'! An' only then, lass!

Bernadette: And how many times do I have to tell you that we're not trying to trick you? We want to negotiate!

Pirate Captain: We be pirates, lass! We be knowin' ev'ry last trick in the book, we do!

Bernadette: You actually think the Island Nations Federation would waste its flagship on a pathetic collection of pirates? You're not even worth the barnacles on her hull!

...we said negotiate, Bernadette. Not whip them into a blind rage.

Pirate Captain: Y'arr, lass! That be hurtin'! Comparin' pirates ta li'l ol' barnacles! Ye scurvy dogs'll be payin' fer that, ye will! Matey! Fetch me that oil, will ye? I'm gonna be givin' 'em a good ol' soakin'! Then we be settin' 'em ablaze, we will!

God damn typing this shit is hard as balls. I ought to kill you fuckers just for that.

Pirate Lackey: Aye-aye, Cap'n!

How about no.


Where ye be comin' from?!

Is that one of those metaphysical questions?

Pirate Captain: What ye be sayin', matey?!



Hello.

And soon, goodbye.

Pirate Captain: Who be ye landlubbers?! Come ta pick a fight with the finest fightin' men o' the sea, have ye?!

Well I did, but I can't find them anywhere. You'll just have to do!

No oil for you guys! In fact, now would be a good time to surrender!

Pirate Captain: Y'arr! Who do ye take me fer, lass?

Georg: You'd better take her advice. Give up now, while you can.



Face it, you criminals! It's over!

Pirate Captain: Criminals?! Curse ye, ye damn harpy! We be pirates, no mere criminals! Ye be tastin' a bit o' cold steel fer that insult! Mates! Get these landlubbers!

Pirate Brandeau this guy isn't.



So we'll have to dispose of them. Here's another callback to the previous game - the music that plays during this fight sounds awfully familiar!



This one-shots the captain.



Bernadette is a mage, mostly. Here she's showing off Shining Wind.



Damage and healing all in one convenient package!



Not terribly much damage. Well, she only has a B rank. I forgot to bring wind-boosting equipment.



Isabel has rad hair and no pants. She had pants, once, but then she forged them into a bigger sword. She comes with two open rune- and skill slots, as well as a 1.5x damage unite with Mathias, who, I'm sure, approves both of the bigger sword and the pantslessness.



Mathias has Mow Down, which makes an attack hit a cluster of enemies; it's probably the best weapon attack skill, but I'd still prefer to have the freedom to replace it with a stat-boosting one. He does get three rune slots eventually, but by the time he does, so will half our army. More importantly, he comes with a free Cyclone Rune, which I promptly confiscated and handed to Bernadette instead.



Archers tend to go for back-row characters. Frey's crummy DEF makes him a prime target, and having a formation that makes it even worse probably didn't help matters much. 'course, Lyon and Georg get pretty pissed when he faceplants, so the remaining enemies don't last long.



Bernadette comes with two open rune slots. She gets a third one when she hits level 40. She also comes with two free skill slots. Although not the most powerful caster in the game, she does have an advantage in versatility.



*sigh*

What's wrong?

Nothing...

I was just thinking that it's a pity you guys had to get wrapped up in this mess...

Don't worry. We were happy to be wrapped up in it.

Right, Prince?

Hells to the yes.

Well, at least it's over now, thanks to you guys. I don't think I could have done this without you, Your Highness!

Probably not with your starting gear. Fully upgraded, eh, I'd give you 50-50.

Let's go. Our soldiers will be up shortly. They can handle these criminals from here.

And that's that.



I certainly hope you weren't expecting otherwise!



Skald meets us outside, theme song and all.

...Oh, and Bern, I guess you were okay, too. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

*sigh*

Bernadette knows she can't win, so she's not even going to argue.



A quick fade later, Skald has dragged everyone with him back to the Lino. Possibly literally.

Admiral, it's an emerg--

Note the cannons! It doesn't look like Kyril's little crusade was quite as successful as he hoped...

Ah, save your breath, Lady Lyon! I already know exactly what's going on!
The Island Nations Federation sees the civil war in Falena as an internal issue. It's up to Falena to decide which side is the legitimate power. It's a Falenan issue, not an Island Nations issue.



What?!

Bern! Prepare the Lino En Kuldes to set sail! We'll sail all day and night! We'll sail till we reach Lord Godwin himself! We won't rest till the battle's won!

Are you serious?!

Father, no... You can't! If the Obel Maritime Council finds out, you won't get off with just a dismissal! Even worse, you might start a war between the Federation and Falena!

Nonsense, Bern! His Highness came all this way just to see us! Are you going to send him home empty-handed?!

No, I won't! I'll go help His Highness!

Now you're talking, Bern! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Wait...



*sigh*
He got me again!

You heard her, Your Highness! She said she wanted to help! Take her back and work her till she drops!

Sure thing, gramps!



Somehow, I get the feeling she'll consider our little war more or less a vacation.

*sigh*
I'll do my best for you! Your Highness Prince Frey, I'm with you till the end!



Hell yes!

Ah! Excellent, excellent!
But, Bern, I feel terrible that you're all I could send back with His Royal Highness the Prince!
Your Highness, just like Falena, the Island Nations have people of influence who are close to the Godwins. They hope to use the coronations ceremony as a chance to deepen ties with them. But I'll do as much as I can do hold them back and preserve our neutrality! And I'm not just helping you out 'cause I like you, Your Highness! The Godwins are a dangerous bunch!

Admiral, thank you!

Anyway, Bern here will pick up the slack for me! Don't hold back, now! Order her around to your heart's content! She's built even stronger than she looks! A veritable rock, she is! Isn't that right, Bern? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!



She doesn't even dignify that with an answer.



We were told to take our time, but to be honest I'm a little worried about leaving everything unattended like this. I mean. We didn't lock Kyle up or anything. Who knows what kind of trouble he'll get himself into while we're gone?

Thank you for everything, Admiral!



After all those mind games with me, Father, you're right! You don't deserve any thanks!

No, we really couldn't have done--

Well, let's get going!



Denied.



(music)

Back in the Island Nations, she's always got the stigma of being my daughter. Please, take good care of her, Georg.

You can count on me. You know that.



No, you don't have to say anything. He's a fine boy. Ferid must've been so proud of him...

The relationship between Frey and Skald is never spelled out. There will be some cute little hints that Bernadette remind people of someone except they can't remember who it is. I'll admit that I totally missed it the first time through, but there is certainly a family resemblance.



Just look at the hair.

Well, I'll do everything I can to help the boy out. You can count on it! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

The truth of the matter is that Skald is Frey's grandfather.

It's probably safe to say that if he had the freedom to do so, he really would have taken the Lino to Falena and shoved a rune cannon down Gizel's throat.



But since it's never stated outright, we can't be certain how much Frey - or even Bernadette - knows.



We are done with Nirva, for the moment. We'll be back in the future, but for now, we should return to Falena.



After a quick sweep through town to see if there's anything we missed, naturally.


She can take a lot of abuse, so feel free to work her as hard as you want! Ha ha ha ha!

She's definitely going to be in the party for the next couple of updates, at least!



And that was all.

Yes, let's go.

Crewman: Aye-aye, Your Highness! The Elmelark will be ready to set sail shortly!



And just like that, we're back in Estrise! Note the lack of anything remotely resembling ocean travel.



Boz has been standing here since we left, gazing longingly at the horizon.

Whoa, what happened to you?! You're all green in the face!!
And you... You too, Lyon!!



Boz, you lovable doofus.



Oh, right, right. So that's all, huh?

Well, compared to the trip over, the way back was a lot better... We're fine now.



...



I rather think you deserve it.


--



The glorious, glorious Egan family. Well, part of it - Skald also has six (!) other children we know nothing about.

...but to be honest, we probably have as many of them as we can handle.

(Fun game: let's play "spot the obvious, glaring error!")