Part 83: Fortunes of War

Last time, the power of Plot just barely managed to save Childerich and about half his forces from my wrath.



He's not going to be so lucky this time. Lemme out! Imma smack a bitch!

Soldier: Then... who was that I just saw leave?

...what? No! Dammit, I've been waiting since update 18 to kill him, don't take this away from me!



But it doesn't matter how much I complain. (music)



Roy is going to steal my job.



He looked so noble I didn't even recognize him!



Damn you Kyle, let me through! My fight! Mine!

Roy's effort will be for naught if you go after him! Patience, please, Your Highness!

but I


I do hope this puts an end to all the senseless killing between our countrymen.

Roy hasn't even met Childerich before!

Let's just get this over with. Don't forget our deal.

...and he's a big, stupid idiot.

I swear to it. I swear to it on my honor as a Queen's Knight.

Let me list all the things that are wrong with this statement:

• Everything

...If you say so.

But Roy is an idiot.



And so the fight begins.













Watch this.

We had a deal. Now you're gonna pull your troops back.

Heh, heh!

What's so funny?!



Unghhh!!

(music)











Ga ha ha ha ha ha! Ga ha ha ha ha ha! "Honor"? Hmph. What the hell is honor?


Who do you think you talking to? We're Armes soldiers. We've got no need for the lofty ideals of the Falenan Queen's Knights!
Fire at will!





















(no music)






Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!

(music)









Hmph... Looks like... you're the idiot...







(no music)











---



(music)

Armes Soldier: It's the Feitas Dragon Cavalry! Dammit! We're in trouble now...

No! It can't be!!

This wasn't supposed to happen!


YOU!!! You were just stalling! I wish you weren't dead so I could kill you again!!!









---



We can't save Roy, but we can avenge him, so commence the avenging.



I need only the best for this.



Final Defence Battle plays through the second part of the fight as well.


Ga heh heh heh heh heh... No matter! With the rebel leader dead, this will be too easy!

Godwin Soldier: Sir Childerich! The traitorous rebel leader has been sighted among their main force!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!



Commander Sparna, wh-what's our move?! How can we hope to--

Get a hold of yourself! We still have them outnumbered! Drive them into the ground!


Now is the time! Time to show our allegiance to the lands and rivers of Falena!

The nation of Armes! The Godwins, who conspired with them! Wretches, all, whose very presence defiles Falena!

Let our mercy, as deep as the Feitas, and our authority, as powerful as the sun, be revealed to the entire world!



Fight! Fight in Roy's memory!

...And win!

You don't need to tell me.



This is a pitiful excuse for a battle.



Let's rock.



Dragon horses are beavers+. They will tear any other naval unit to shreds in seconds, and unlike the beavers they are fully functional as cavalry on land as well. Finally, Craig is the third - and likely best - A rank commander.



It is a massacre.



Even the generic unit Craig brought with him could probably solo all these ships.



Childerich runs a ship in this battle, and one without skills at that.



He doesn't stand a chance.



Although they no doubt planned it that way to highlight the power of your new allies, it's still quite satisfying.



Next, he tangles with Craig.



It takes him below half health.

RETREEEEEEEEEEEEEAT! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

And with that, the battle is over.



He can go to hell as far as I'm concerned! We're pulling out, too! Jidan, you bring up the rear!

Y-Yes, Commander Sparna!



The outcome was never in any doubt.



Although the reward will not fill the gaping, Roy-shaped hole in our hearts... or our stone tablet of promise.



But perhaps it's selfish of us to dwell on it. After all, did not over a hundred more soldiers give their lives for this victory? (music)

Crowd: Victory! Victory!

Crowd: Three cheers for the Dragon Cavalry! Three cheers for the Prince!

Given the numbers, and the accomplishments, involved, this should not be seen as anything less than a complete victory.

Soldier: We'll strike 'em right back!



---



(no music)

Your Royal Highness, one of my men found this boy on the field of battle, but he was already...

---



(music)



Y-Yeah... I can handle this.




Oh, Roy... I'm so sorry! That was so... sweet of you! You protected the Prince because I... couldn't...

No... Roy was... protecting you.

Huh?

It doesn't matter if you don't understand... Just promise me...


*crying*

---


Faylen's resting in her room...
...How about you, Prince? Are you okay?

Frey...



...doesn't answer.



And then we regain control.

Your Highness... I think we should be proud of this victory rather than be sad. And we should be proud of Roy!

Not everyone will comment on these events. But some will have opinions on it. Belcoot makes a lot of sense. We've lost a few hundred soldiers already. Roy was just the first one whose name we know. Perhaps we should have been paying more attention to what happens to those nameless, faceless soldiers.


But we cannot rest! So long as a Godwin draws breath upon this earth, he remains FIENDISHLY PLOTTING!

Others will just comment on how the war is going.

Instead of holding out so desperately here, wouldn't it have been better to flee temporarily?

Mueller is a whiny fuck who wants to drive home the fact that You Chose Poorly. But I based that decision on the knowledge that we had the strength to hold the castle, and that was what we did, and I could certainly have done it without the dragon cavalry (which took up two of my deployment slots anyway!) as well. Again, gameplay fails to convey the message the plot wants to send us. But this subject is starting to look a lot like a dead horse.



I wish he had been clever enough to dive into the lake after he took the first arrow to the shoulder. He should have noticed that it hurt more than the arrows he has been getting shot full of on a regular basis thanks to all those barrage buttholes we keep running into.

Oh, I'm so relieved! My magic never would've been powerful enough to get everybody out of the castle safely!

Somehow, this wouldn't have been as much of a problem as you might think if we had chosen the other path.

This is just as when your bodyguard was injured. That boy carried out the role of your double perfectly. Your duty now is to be proud of him! Sorrow, regret, and rage will only dishonor his death!

I'll give you regret, but I think Roy would appreciate a little rage on his behalf.

If you had taken Lucretia's advice and abandoned the castle, your double might not have had to die. But who knows what other problems might have been caused? Who else would have died? It's not worth thinking about.

You know, when you're not being annoyingly mysterious or hitting on Lucretia, you say some pretty clever things.


...No. Never mind...

Like Faylen says, it doesn't really matter if Lyon gets it or not. What matters is what we do next.

Childerich's very existence is a crime against humanity! To appoint such a man to the Queen's Knights shows how low the House of Godwin has sunk.

When a doctor wants to erase you from existence, you know you're a failure as a human being.

I made arrangements to have Roy buried with the respect he deserves. I want you to take care of the gravestone...

I guess if I find any more quality sake, I'll pour it for him.


That man isn't an assassin. He has no honor. He's just a monster who loves to kill...

I don't think "assassin's honour" is really a thing that exists.

Damn Childerich... He ain't an assassin. He's a killer.

But there is a difference between an assassin and someone who just kills.

I'll never forgive them...

An assassin is a precision tool. Someone like Childerich just swings and doesn't really care who stands in the way.

I don't want to exploit the death of somebody who gave his life in battle. But on the other hand, I'd be negligent if I didn't write about the fact that he saved this castle. Such are the dilemmas of a journalist...

Roy would have called you a "crazy-ass reporter" again.

Prince... That was really scary, wasn't it...?

Frankly, the scariest part is that Childerich still isn't dead. He'll keep causing problems until we manage to put him down for good.

This is... just not right.

I feel the same thing, but probably for different reasons.



But the important thing is meeting our new ally. (music)

We, the Dragon Cavalry, once again deeply and humbly apologize for joining the battle so late. I truly am sorry, Your Royal Highness...
The truth is... Godwin's men took control of the dragon horse lair. That was the reason for our delay.

Again, anyone who read the old book describing the cavalry probably figured that much out a while ago, but I don't think it's entirely a bad thing. It was perhaps a little too obvious, but there's nothing wrong with letting the player gather information and come to their own conclusions before things get spelled out.

The dragon horse lair?!

For us Dragon Cavalry, our dragon horses mean more to us than even friends or family. Godwin's men took the dragon horse eggs and foals as ransom. We had no choice but to remain silent.

So THAT'S what was going on...

However, we were saved by a gentlemen of the highest caliber. I believe Your Royal Highness knows him.



While we were busy...

Hey! Long time, no see.

...Georg Prime went and threw the Godwin army out of Gordius.

Sir Georg Prime slipped into the dragon horse lair and eliminated every last one of Godwin's men. With the threat extinguished, we, the Dragon Cavalry, were free to ride forth in Falena's name at last.

Craig is really fond of that "we, the Dragon Cavalry" line. You haven't seen it for the last time.

Aw, it was nothing. Just doing Lucretia a favor.

"It was nothing," says the man who single-handedly wiped out a battalion.



Of course, everyone's going to be too busy kissing Lucretia's butt to care.

So it all becomes clear.

Well... The man has a way of getting things done. I figured we might as well use him.

So that's it! That's why you kept saying we had to "buy time"! You knew that Georg would bring the Dragon Cavalry!

But please, forgive me. If I'd worked a bit faster, poor Roy... wouldn't have...



Enough.

Oh, Georg...



Ah, so Galleon must have told you.

No need for apologies, Miakis. It's my fault for not telling you myself. I can understand how you felt.

You've grown into a fine young woman, Miakis. And I'm proud to call you a comrade on the field of battle. But I'm even prouder to call you a friend.



And Frey as well.

Forgive me, Miakis... Your friendship means everything to me. I'll do whatever it takes to prove I'm worthy of it.



Georg may not be able to replace Roy, but... well actually never mind.

Your Royal Highness... We, the Dragon Cavalry, wish to ride under Your Royal Highness' banner. It can no longer be denied that Godwin is a curse, a cancer on the very lands and rivers of Falena. We, the Dragon Cavalry, consider it our duty to eliminate this cancer at the source: Lord Godwin himself. Please accept our most humble allegiance to Your Royal Highness' most honorable cause.

Our Royal Highness shall do exactly that.



Craig also brings with him Roog and Rahal's trusty steeds Lance and Flail, who join as Stars of Destiny as well. And with that, this episode draws to a close.

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