Part 55: Episode 5: Part 11: Tying Up One Old Loose Thread.

Episode 5: Part 11: Tying Up One Old Loose Thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9wDFdI3OSg



"Sorry, but Tetzel isn't here."

Tetzel fled this fortress long before dissension began here.
There is a civil war being waged among The Guided as I'm sure you've noticed.

Are you a loyalissst or a rebel?

Neither.

Then why are you here?

I can't answer that, but I can tell you where Tetzel has gone.

Heh, probably out of his mind.

Close. He's gone to the End of the Way.

The End of the Way?!

Heh, the End of the Way you say? Heh.
There is no such thing! Heh.

That's just one theory, Dirk.

I am about to go there now. If you like, you can try to keep up with me.

Or you can try to find Tetzel on you're (SIC) own.
It's your call.

I don't trussst him. he wasss sssnooping around in Essstrana with the loyalisssts not too long ago.



I agree. (Gaius is acting different though...)
This is actually the first time since Episode 2 that Rhue has spoken to Gaius.

What will it be then?

I'll come along.

Me too, heh.

Ashkt...
Sssso be it.

Follow me.


Gaius pushes a switch or something. There's a clicking sound and we find ourselves in the next area.






YAWN!


Gaius has this odd, unusuable XLIFE. The circumstances you can use this in never come up and I'd wager that he was intended to be with Rhue in whatever was planned for Episode 7, where this might've been used, but who knows.





Anyway, the cave is otherwise devoid of anything. I think it soley exists to enable you to absorb the large collection of notch items you pick up in the Fortress. I do manage to absorb every single one.


Hey! This looks like where we started!!!





We get challenged by a boss fight so soon after the last one for some reason. This thing is immune to prone. Goddammit! It's kind of easy anyway though. Just ebat on it while healing. It does freeze and bleeding-3 which are nasty but just make sure Gaius can cure all conditions and its fine. Except you don't even need to worry about that too much since it has fuck all hp compared to most bosses.





Aionsluh will eventually become the overall best sword aura by virtue of having no weak points and having that nice passive effect rise to 20% with even more status effects I believe. Statistically, its the one thats middle of the road for everything. Illuminati being the one with excessive XL Gain, Pandamaare being defensive and Hatassasar being offensive.



I switch to this one now.



Not you again...

(Rhue... The last time we met... He said something about... No. A coincidence. It has to be.)

I see you are accompanied by your usual band of misfits and thieves...

Now why would you say a thing like that?

For one, only people with something to hide wear masks.

Then why aren't you wearing one, Ssslade.

...

I have nothing to hide. I've upheld justice my whole life.

Yessss, but at what cossst to otherssss?

...

What about your poor sssistersss...

Leave, before I kill you.

It wouldn't be the firssst time.



Our party leaves Slade to his thoughts.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps6FxDfAidI


DAUGHTER: Mother...

MOTHER: Shut your mouth you stupid whore! Slade caught you in the very midst of inappropriate relations with that boy!!
This is inexcusable!!
I will NEVER be disgraced by you again!



The daughter screams.



"Perhaps you will finally develope (SIC) some morality."

DAUGHTER: You... you... you witch!!!


She gets up and hits her mother.



"Slade, throw her into the Pits!!!"


...



(I trusted mother's judgements, I trusted the Council's judgements, but why?)
(I went against my own conscience in order to fulfill orders I was given.)
(Orders to enforce one person's code of morality on another.)
(My intentions were "righteous" yet I feel only remorse.)
(A blind follower. An enforcer of baseless principles... Baseless punishments. A fraud of justice.)
Slade's lost something of himself that was vital to continuing on as he always had. And now he's turned sullen and introspective at last.



(I'm tired of young ladies dying at my feet.)
(I'm tired of the falsehood of my life...)
(I've done more harm than good. I can't help anyone...)




We fade out and hear a small splash over the black screen, but...



You can see a shiny red object towards the bottom right there. It moves from right to left.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMux3MyusJ4









(He went through so much... Never gave up on me...)


(It was like he was always there watching out for me...)

(But now he doesn't care about me at all. He's off to find his precious Serena.)
(And she's probably dead.)
(She must have been perfect though. I've never seen any one so insanely in love as Rhue is.)
(He's a crazy fool. But now I kind of wish he was a crazy fool for me.)
The music cuts out here.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7YtvbiM1Hk



That's because I am well. Now get lost.

Now is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?

Sorry, I guess you're right. Thanks for helping me out.

Now get lost.

Fiesty. You must not know who I am.
I'm the grand champion, and soon to be Pharaphalyn of the Way.

If you're so great, then why did you run from Rhue?

Oh, blue boy wouldn't have been any problem for me to take care of.
But if I had stayed to fight I might have lost track of the object of my affection. You.

I'm not an object, I'm a person you dirtbag.
And since you've told me who you are, I'll let you on my little secret as well. (This is how it's phrased in the game)
I'm Dancing Violet, and if you don't leave me alone I'll be inclined to dismember you piece by piece.

You don't say?

How about a little bet then.

I'm listening.

We take the plunge, and whoever emerges victorious gets what they want from the other person.
If I win, then you become my servant.

Then if I win, you have to leave me alone, and make someone else the object of your affection.

Who would that be?

Her name is Scatha. She was the person wearing that mask when you ran in to "save" me from Rhue.
lol. What. How do you intend to enforce this.

Eww...

Are you withdrawing from the bet?

I think not. There's no chance that I'm going to lose to you.

Then let's get started.





I believe the phrase is "fresh mountain air".

Really? I've always preferred the smell of swampy forests to mountain air, heh.

You would...

I hope you know where you're going Gaius.

Ashkt, he probably knowsss exsssactly where he'sss going. Right into a trap...
Long pause...

We sstill have a ways to go, but we'll get there soon enough.

(Soon enough for what?)


So this forest is full of annoying encounters. These things have way too much hp and do too much damage.


The Shroom can sleep and confuse party members!



See this brown patch?


Thanks Lun. At least there was SOME indication this time.



Grrr


Horn Jaws ALSO confuse partymembers and have a porwerful attack that also poisons.




Back to Illuminati, so we can get (Draw XL+2) which will be damn nice.







BLUE SCARVE: Maybe, but there's three of us and one of you.

Good point, hah.



Kloe runs away and the bandits follow.


Ashkt.
Dirk, Scatha and Gaius all follow.


lmfao what. Uhm.... well, okay!


Who's there?









This is a Step 2 Injury for us...




Single pass victory again.







It's not made clear here, but Kygar either dies of his wounds later, or he's already dead.





Uh...


Then she quickly runs by Rhue, back the way we came.

...

Did I miss something? What's with Kloe?

Our "guide" doesssn't want her around.

What? That's crap. I'm going to go and get her.

Do not do that. It's better that she not be with us.

Okkk...
uh.

Let's be on our way.

Clashing of swords...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oquad3rnZSI ... Sacrifa's theme...


"And we both know what that means!"


Huh?!



Lyrra, you're spattered with blood! What are you doing with that sword?

Stay right there and I'll show you!

(I'm out!)


Strata flees and Lyrra pursues him.


You always scrape by on the skin of your teeth, Cetsa.

the end