Part 18: Chapter #10: Kaidul's Revolt, Part 1

Chapter #10: Kaidul's Revolt



First, as a preliminary matter, I give Reyna the now-vacant Alba. I guess I could have given it to Barlow, but Reyna's defense is lower. And Barlow will get his eventually... 

Briefing



: But, who's leading this revolt, ...and why?!

Interview



: Look, Bastion! A bottle of vintage Avalonian wine! Don't make me force you to have a few glasses with me!
: Oh, Bastion, I shouldn't have gulped down that ice water so quickly! I'm suffering from brain-freeze!
I...great.
: Andrew told me about something that feels like warm apple pie, and you wouldn't BELIEVE what it is!
Hey, it was 2000, American Pie was big...I guess you had to be there...
: My OWN soldiers warring against me, Bastion! I still can't believe it...
: Milea will be found, Your Highness, and she will be safe. Do not worry.
Aren't you supposed to be at a castle dozens of miles away from me? Why do I still have to talk to you?
: Bastion, my friend, the only thing a woman likes more than a good kiss is a good spanking. Trust me.
Um...yes. Very good, then. I think we're done here.

Mission



: Or are you too cowardly to show your faces?



Yep, Zeira has decided to move away from the rest of the team into an area that I will colloquially call 'The Ambush Zone.'

: Sergeant Kaidul?! YOU'RE the one leading this rebellion?
Not Kaidul! Wait, who's Kaidul?
: Have you taken leave of your god-given senses, man?!
: Sergeant Kaidul is responsible for this? Ione's own father is attempting to seize control of Avalon?!
: What?!
: I'm not insane, Zeira. Maybe you are the one who's gone crazy...
: What are you talking about?!
: I have many questions for you, Duke Zeira. It's hard for me to decide what to ask first.
: Then I'll go first. If you just wished to talk, why did you take this city hostage?!
: Because I needed your full and undivided attention, Zeira! And I certainly have it now! Forget the questions, Zeira. Let's get straight to my demands. I want you to cease your alliance with the Kingdom.
: Why should I do something so very foolhardy?
: Avalon has already been devastated by war, Duke Zeira. We can barely afford to fight our own wars, let alone get involved with the battles of others. We need to start worrying about our own people, Duke Zeira! The Kingdom riffraff don't matter.
: You seem to have conveniently forgotten the many times our country has been helped by the Kingdom!
: Of course not, Zeira, but the Kingdom now has Ultragunner, and the power to defeat the Empire. They no longer have any need of the Avalon Corps.
: One ATAC is not enough to win the war, Kaidul, let alone enough to wage it. If the Imperial Army launched a massive strike, there'd be no way for the Kingdom Army to stop it. And if the Kingdom is crushed, Avalon is most certainly next.
: We should negotiate with the Empire instead of fighting them, Zeira.
Kaidul promises peace for our time!
: A treaty is the only way that we can assure the safety of Avalon! Why do you fail to see that?
: You haven't considered what a great threat the Empire really poses!! And you don't understand what kind of man Faulkner is! He'd sooner kill us all than sign a treaty!



The Ambush Zone strikes again!

: What are you doing?!
: We're going to slay Duke Zeira! What does it look like, fool?
: I didn't order THAT! Get back!
Man, who could've guessed an armed mutiny would turn messy?
: Didn't you hear me?! Get away from Duke Zeira immediately!!
: Kaidul, your way is not the best course. We have decided there is a better way. We are going to seek asylum within the Empire in exchange for the head of Duke Zeira.
: This is outrageous! You promised that you would harm neither Duke Zeira nor the people of Avalon!
: We did. And we lied. You're of no use to us anymore, so why don't you leave before we claim your head as well?
: I will kill you all for this betrayal!
: If you attack us, Kaidul, you assure the painful deaths of all the hostages we have taken.
Kaidul...isn't so good at this whole 'mutiny' thing.
: Is that what you want?
: Damn you! All of you! Duke Zeira, I was a fool! This is all my fault! I deserve to die for my stupidity, and I pray you will be able to forgive me in time. I would do anything to take all of this back...anything at all...



Goodbye, Kaidul, I'll always remember you for....who was Kaidul again?

: Now then, Duke Zeira. We hope you will die more honorably.
: Don't forget his companions!
: Duke Zeira!
: They have me surrounded, Bastion! All hope is lost!
At this point, the enemies will start to attack, and, because of the hostages, you just have to stand there and take it.
: There must be something we can do to help Zeira! Zeira! I won't let them do this to you!
: Don't worry about me, Bastion! Save yourself! Flee! You mustn't stay to see what they do to me. I'm pleading with you! GO!!!



: Duke Zeira! I'm sorry that it took me so long to find you! I've managed to rescue all the people who were taken hostage!
: It is the countenance of an angel I behold! Superb timing, Ione. You heard what she said, Bastion! These scum have no hostages to negotiate with anymore. Now they shall enjoy a taste of their own medicine.
: Your words are music to my ears!



And the good news keeps coming! The AI would probably lead Zeira to his death by having him hold his ground against four rebel ATACs. This would kill him. Fortunately, we finally have control over Zeira, and can use his superior range to evade the rebels and rendezvous with the rest of my troops via going through back alleys.



The enemies surround you, but, well, that just means that you can limit their ability to attack any particular member of your party. At this point, the weak sister on the team is apt to be Barlow, but with good maneuvering, you can make sure that only one enemy can hit him per turn.



Beyond that, this battle is pretty easy. The ATACs of the rebels are Glaives and Barazaphs, two of the weakest in the game, and they're simply aren't enough of them to prove to be a threat. The only trick to this battle is making sure that Zeira doesn't get surrounded and killed at the beginning. Beyond that, there's not much to it.



Zeira leveled up three times in this battle. One more level and he'll be...ready.

: I believe it's...over.

Next Time: Child Soldiers: Path to a Brighter Tomorrow!

Challenge #6 is still open. Participate or be labeled an agent of the counter-revolution!