Part 85: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
We're going into the dragon horse cave!
Aren't you impressed? The music seems familiar, almost as if I've heard it somewhere before...
There are no encounters in here, so we can just loot it at our leisure, although there's nothing all that interesting to find.
Oh hey, this reminds me of this other, much worse game I played a while back, but I can't quite remember what it was called, almost as if I've suppressed the memories of it or something.
Eventually we reach the top...
...and find the piles of scum we were looking for.
It's okay, they won't see us if we stand here; you all know you can't see anything off screen unless the camera pans that way.
Get to the dragon horse eggs and foals, and you've paralyzed the Dragon Cavalry... 
Rrrrrrrgggggh! I'll make 'em pay!Nick, you're level 15 and in the reserves, don't make me smack you.
This place must've been heavily guarded. How the hell'd they get in here?! Are they... who I think they are, Your Highness?I dunno. Why don't you tell me who you think they are? That would help.
...As I thought. Nether Gate. Only they could do this. Nether Gate?! If the rumors are true, they'd be more than capable of getting past the security here....You have security?
What's our plan, then? Nick, make Ax sing.
What's wrong? Oh, no, it's just--
Nick's been blowing off flute practice! Shut up, you snitch! I should have known... That wasn't uncommon when I was a youth, either. ...Not that I ever did it!I like how you're trying so hard to look like a responsible adult in front of the trainees. And failing.
This is bad! Ax won't sing to our flutes! Don't worry! I can play his flute!
Nick, lemme use your flute! All right, all right.
Dragon horses can hear sounds humans can't. They can also make sounds we can't hear. Our flutes allow us to give secret commands to our dragon horses right under the enemy's nose. Dragon horses normally only respond to their human partners, but if Yoran can get Ax to sing...
Well I can't hear shit, but it looks like they're doing something!
The other dragon horses (which are not foals, by the way, that looks just like the generic dragon horse model with saddles and all) start making an unholy racket.
Dragon Foal: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!Assassin: Huh?! What's going on?!
Assassin (2): I don't know! They just started--
Dragon Foal: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!Assassin: SHUT THE HELL UP!!!
Assassin (2): Settle down!
Now!
We're about to kill you all, that's what!
Highlights of the fight include Galleon getting Shrike Runed for single-digit damage, Levi casting the third level Pale Gate spell and shooting laser beams from his staff.
You know, the usual.
Eh, they were so-so.
*pant* *pant* Man, that was hard!You weren't even in the fight!
Okay, Nick, here's your flute back. Thanks...Dragon Foal: Gruuunk!
???: That's not going to happen.
Well-dressed scumbag out of fucking nowhere! (music)
Well at least now we know what Childerich meant about "why did he allow the Dragon Cavalry to..."
Ninja jump!
Damn! Another one of 'em?!
You're awfully impulsive. Aren't you worried about what might happen to these eggs? N-No! Don't you dare! He's outnumbered, Nick. Stay calm. You touch even ONE of those eggs, and we'll beat ya to a bloody pulp! No. I'm calling the shots here. One false move, and I'll smash as many of these eggs as I can. Damn... So we have a standoff, do we? ...Well, will we just stand here glaring at each other until one side collapses from exhaustion? No. I don't plan on waiting. It won't be long before... backup arrives. What?! "Backup"?! You have reinforcements coming?! Of course. We're dealing with the Dragon Cavalry, after all. We prepared for anything.Not quite anything, as we'll soon see.
You knew we were in here? That's why you sent for reinforcements?...after a fuckload more
, naturally. Your deaths will be a serious blow to both the rebel army and the Dragon Cavalry.Hey, at least capitalise fucking Rebel Army if you're not going to use our real, proud name. Asshat.
Oh, no... It's now... ...Or never... Sir Rahal?! You heard him, Sir Rahal! He said he'll smash 'em all up if we even move! We know that! But if we don't act now, things'll only get worse! Not you, too, Sir Roog... P-Prince! Please, say somethin'!Me?! It's your damn eggs! He can scramble them for all I care.
B-But...That's all we get for that option? Bah. I'm going back and taking the other one.
There must be another way!See?
Prince...! Your Highness, we appreciate your concern for the dragon horses. But unless we do something now, the Dragon Cavalry will never be able to ride out! And if that happens, we'll lose Your Highness as well! I cannot allow that! Either way:
Made up your mind yet? You'd better hurry up and kill me before it's too late... Of course, it's going to be a race to see how many eggs I can smash. Damn you! You'd better hurry up and decide. Not much time left.???: That's where you're wrong!
Oh boy, I hope this ??? is on our side!
???: The messenger who went to call for backup ran into a bit of... bad luck.
You cannot "prepare" for Georg Prime. Georg Prime just happens. (music)
Frey is shocked! Unlike our readers, who already knew he'd take care of this even without our help.
Georg...? The Queen's Knight?! Sir Georg Prime?! What?!
I tied up your messenger and handed him over to the Dragon Cavalry. I also told them what was going on. They were surprised, all right, but they reported the situation to Sauronix Castle right away. The Dragon Cavalry should be busy hunting down your "backup" right about now. ...I see.Not so smug now, are you
Give it up! Your reinforcements aren't coming! ...
Don't do it! Stoooop!
Nick blows his flute.
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!
The noise is deafening.
Owie, owie owie! My ears! Ow, ow, ow! The ringing! Urrrrggghh!
Kill him properly this time! Last time we tried, he got up again!
...damn, a near miss.
... ...He jumps away.
With Roog in hot pursuit. Uh, you should probably give up on that, Roog...
Wow! Nice work, Nick! Georg, I'm going after him! We'll talk after I return! Got it.And Rahal runs after them.
...What was that racket, anyway?
Nick's flute! He's such a lousy player that Ax and the others started shriekin' like crazy!
Grink! Can't help it! That's the only sound I can make!
Sorry, Sir Georg Prime...
Nothing to be sorry for! The dragon horse eggs are all safe, thanks to you. You should be proud of that! Right, Frey? ...Something wrong?
No matter which one we pick,
Hey, don't give me that face! Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh......Georg responds the same way. I'll let you decide for yourself which one is more appropriate.
Well, we have lots to talk about, but it'll have to wait for now. We have to get those dragon horses out right away. Yeah, let's hurry! Are you guys okay?!---
Well done! Thanks, guys! No, we should be thanking you, Sir Georg Prime! Me? I mean, if you hadn't come, our dragon horse eggs and babies would've been-- No, it was pure luck that I stumbled across that messenger. Well, let's get outta here. This is neither the time nor the place for a long chat...Frey agrees.
Nothing left to do in here...
...well, except for grabbing this thing at the back of the cave where the dragon horses were. "Ep" stands for Epic, and this one combines Vitality, Agility, and Incantation, which is an odd collection of skills and not terribly useful; fighters would rather have Triple Harmony (or Untold Clarity if they can use it) and mages will probably prefer something that boosts Magic.
There are now bats. I don't know why. There just are.
It just makes the trip outside that much longer. We can't even teleport. (music)
Raise a hand, anyone who's surprised by this?
Damn... it appears his "reinforcements" pulled back as well.You keep "saying" that as if you mean "something else." Did he have an "army of midgets" or something? Could you "speak up?"
Well, we chased them away from here, at least. That's the important thing. I guess... Sir Georg Prime... Rumor had it you'd left Salzburg Castle... So what brings you here?
I can't really get into all the details right now. It'd take forever. Let's just say that after I left the castle, I took on less... conspicuous tasks. I gathered mercenaries to keep the enemy at bay, oversaw civilian evacuations. Those kinds of things. Finally, I heard you guys were here, so I came to help. Thanks! Your timing couldn't have been better. We're very grateful, Sir Georg Prime. The Dragon Cavalry can at last fulfill its true duty. Your Highness, Sir Georg Prime, please return to your base and prepare for the counterattack. We'll head for Sauronix Castle. The next time you see us, we'll be riding out with the Commander in all our glory!I'll be looking forward to that, then.
I can't wait to see Lance again! Hey, and don't leave without us, Prince! Grunk!Hey, you have portraits. I'm not going to let you go that easily!
First though... stairs.
Things are a little more pleasant up top.
Not far enough! Unless it's an inch past.
Well, anyway, let's teleport home and
SON OF A BITCH
...
A lot of pointless running later...
Thanks, O omniscient asshat. (music)
And Georg, thanks for all of your hard work. No problem.???: Is it TRUE?! Did Georg REALLY come back?!
...Hello to you too, Miakis...
Miakis, you have nothing to apologize for!
But... I... I could've avoided the whole misunderstanding if I'd only spoken up sooner... 
You deserve the absolute truth, so here it is: I'm the one who killed your mother. You must hate me...
You are not getting the other dialogue option.
You... didn't?
...So, the Dragon Cavalry is ready to fight on our side now? Yeah. We've driven out every last of the intruders from Gordius. Nothin's stopping the Dragon Cavalry from riding out now. They should be setting out to meet us shortly.
We can finally strike back! Yes. First, we must take back our castle. The operation can commence once we call back our Raftfleet allies and the Dragon Cavalry arrives. You should get some rest now, Your Highness.
...next time, we'll see what that is.