Part 31: Chapter #17: Warrior of Honor

Chapter #17: Warrior of Honor

Briefing



: We must stay close or we are sure to be decimated!
: I know! I know!

Interview



: I always like to do the unexpected, Bastion. It keeps people guessing...and keeps them talking about me!
: Live your life like the shining sun, Bastion. Burn bright and hot for all the world to see!
Sadly, Solar Hero Task Force Devlin was canceled after only three episodes...
: Andrew told me I could lose weight if I eat less and exercise. I told him to take a flying leap.
: Hey, Bastion...are you and little Milea thinking about marriage? I must admit, it seems like a great idea!
: The Vedocorban has always been my ATAC of choice, Bastion. Swift, sleek, and sexy...just like me.
: Bastion, I miss my daddy sometimes. Do you miss your daddy, too?
: Stay calm on the battlefield, Bastion. Your opponent's rage will invariably be his undoing.
: Bastion! The next King should start eating his vegetables if he wants to be strong!

Mission



: Attack!
: Come on, everybody!



Well, it's another match against Logan and the Nordilains. He has a few extra men this time, but not so many that it makes a difference. A few turns into the battle, though...



Imperials suddenly show up...



And surround the battlefield.

: Imperial reinforcements?! Damn it! We're already overwhelmed as it is!
: Why have these Imperials come here? I didn't ask for any assistance from the Empire!
: We're not here to help you, fool! We're here to kill the lot of you!
: What the...wait! Now I understand! Duke Logan, you've been tricked! Faulkner convinced you to fight us, and ordered these troops to attack when we had exhausted each other! Join forces with us, so we can defeat the Imperials together!
: I knew from the start that I couldn't trust Faulkner. That bastard always wanted to kill me anyway. I'm not fighting you because some Imperial fool, ordered it, Bastion. I am a warrior! I yearn to fight the strongest ATACs of the Continent, to test my skills and risk my pride!
: Whereas I yearn for a day when the fighting will come to an end.
: I cannot dream of a stronger group of enemies than you and the Dukes. This is my ultimate test! The battle will continue until one of us is victorious, Bastion!
But I already beat you once!
: You are an honorable fighter, Logan, but a foolish leader. Prepare to lose!



And here's where things get a bit hectic. Now, the good news is that both the Nordilains and the Imperials will pretty much leave you alone until one side or the other is dead. The AI is still coded to go after the weakest ATAC it can find, and your ATACs are, except for the Crimson, the strongest on the battlefield. The real challenge is preventing the AI from stealing too many kills.



After a while, the Imperials will probably finish off the Nordilains and turn on your troops. But, well, the Imperial ATACs still suck, and you've gotten stronger, so they aren't much of a challenge.



Meanwhile, Logan is making a beeline towards the team, annihilating any Imperial trooper that gets in his way.



They don't stay in his way long.



Oh, and Andrew learns Second Attack, meaning he can now launch two Turbulences a turn. This will come in handy in a couple of missions.



In the end, it comes down to me, Logan and the Imperial General. Of course, by 'me' I mean the entirety of my nine-person team, so, the only challenge left is killing Logan before he vaporizes anyone of my guys.



: A wise warrior should admit when he's outmatched, Logan!
: Allow me to wipe the conceit off your face, Prince Bastion!
One successful Soaring Dance later...
: So this is defeat! The foul taste of blood and bitterness! The scent of...humiliation...
Like tears....in the rain...a time...to die.



And then I kill the Imperial General to end the mission. His only regret? Being murdered by my team.

: Duke Logan is a good man...another victim of Faulkner's mad crusade.
Wait, I don't see how this one is Faulkner's fault. I mean, Logan made it pretty clear that he wanted to fight Bastion because of honor or pride or something, but nothing to do with what Faulkner was doing. Hell, if Faulkner hadn't sent in the Imperials, Logan probably would have been a much bigger pain to deal with. I just think Bastion blames Faulkner for just about everything.
: This milk...is expired! Damn you, Faulkner! Have you no decency at all?!
Anyway...
: He uses people and throws them away like so much rubbish. I will never forgive you, Faulkner! I will send your demonic soul back to Hell before I am through!



Sometime after the battle...
: Amazingly enough, we are.
: That battle was easy, Bastion! I could beat Logan WITHOUT an ATAC!
: Looks like you'll have a chance to test that theory, kid, because he's walking this way.
: Uh-oh.



: Well met, Duke Logan.
: We don't want to fight you again! Leave us in peace!
: You have no need to worry. I haven't come here to fight you.
Does that mean he's come here...to KILL us?
: I just wish to speak with you.
: Speak with us?! Do you think we've suddenly forgotten that you tried to kill us not long ago?!
: Calm down, Devlin. I really don't want to see you and Logan get into the world's shortest fistfight.
But what about me, Bastion? I want to...no, I need to see Devlin reduced to the consistency of hamburger meat.
: I was just making my point, Bastion, that's all.
: So you're Prince Bastion, mmm?
: Indeed, Duke Logan, I am.
: Well met, Bastion! You seem like a friendly lad, and I already know of your skills on the battlefield! It would have been an even greater battle if not for the idiotic intrusion of those Imperial interlopers.
And this conversation would have been ever greater if not for your asinine attempt at alliteration!
: I agree, Logan. It was a wonderful battle. You fight with honor, as did my father. What is your next course of action?
: My relationship with the Empire is obviously at an end, and I have no desire to enter this conflict again. Lord Alden, I declare a truce with Nordilain until the conflict between the Empire and the Kingdom is over.
Um....But aren't you the Duke of Nordilain? So...you just made peace with yourself, then?
: Do you, Duke Logan? Not to offend, but trust is something which I very rarely extend to anyone.
: I give you my word, Lord Alden! And if that is not enough for you, I swear upon my honor as a warrior!
Wow, he'll give his word AND swear an oath. If I were Alden, I'd hold out until he offered a promise as well.
: I can offer you no more than that!
: Very well, then. A truce.
: Excellent! All that remains now is for us to storm the Imperial Capital and rid the continent of Faulkner!
: It was a pleasure to meet you, Prince Bastion, and to fight against you. I would like to engage in combat with you again someday. Just you and me. How does that sound?
: I look forward to it, Duke Logan.
: Take care of yourselves, and fight with honor!



: General Faulkner has been acting all weird and stuff lately. Our spies don't know what's up at ALL. You better watch out, okay?
I guess the thing we needed to know is that no one knows anything. Great.
: Uh, thank you, ah...
: Claire is my name. And the only reason I'm helping you is because I want Daddy to beat you up, not that lame Faulkner! Later!



: Can we help it if we're the best?
: Unfortunately for Bastion, it was he who was chosen for a rematch. You do realize that Logan will never stop challenging you until he wins.
: Oh, really? I was hoping he would forget that he issued his challenge at all.
: I would be hoping the same thing, Bastion! Heh, heh, heh! But don't we have more imminent battles to worry about?
: Indeed, Reyna...the battle which will hopefully end this conflict once and for all! The siege of the Imperial capital!



: I have some bad news to impart. The Empire recently built a fortress to the east of here...
: Great! Just...great.
Even Bastion is getting tired of the shit the game is pulling to pad out the campaign.
: If we don't capture the fortress, we can't make it to the capital city. We knew this wouldn't be easy...

Next Time: Shit gets real, son.