Part 75: Chapter #16: Howling Duyere

I canceled the last challenge. It just wasn't working out. There will be no further discussion of that matter. Though, for obvious reasons, I cannot forgive Syncope for even the attenuated link he made between this thread and Personman's.

Chapter #16: Howling Duyere

Briefing



: Yes, Your Highness! Take care of yourself.
: I will.
: Are these Imperials again? Please don't tell me it's Zakov!!

Interview

: I can see that you are also burdened with sorrow, Bastion. I wish I could take away the pain you feel....
: We're finally going back into the Kingdom! That makes me happy...and very hungry!
: Bastion, I just realized how long it's been since I enjoyed the company of a woman! I may have to kill myself!
Hey, listen, Andrew, I know what you're going through. This game makes me want to die sometimes too.
: Have you noticed that Sadira seems to summon conflict to her as moths are summoned to a flame?
: I've never been in so many fights! Why do you think everyone keeps attacking us?

Mission



: This will be a glorious triumph for the Empire, and yet another disgrace for the Kingdom.
: Brother!
: Hmmmm? The Sylpheed? Is that you, Sadira? What are you doing here, and what are you doing in the company of the Kingdom Army?!
: I ran away from home.
: Excuse me?!
: I ran away from home, so I could do whatever I wanted with whomever I wanted!
Like treason!
: Unbelievable. It's unbelievable how selfish you are!
: I'm never going to be the Empress, brother, so it really doesn't matter how I act, does it?
: You've been like this forever, Sadira! You always think only of yourself! It's not fair!!
: I'm sensing issues.
: I'm sensing ridiculousness.
: I'm sensing sibling rivalry!
: Uh, Your Highness, don't you think you're being a little unreasonable?
: Shut up! You don't understand what it's like to grow up with a spoiled little brat for a sister! Sadira, I demand that you return to the Empire and take control! I would like to be selfish for a while!
: Sorry, Duyere, but as the eldest son, you're stuck with responsibility! What a pity!
This is why the Emperor drinks.
: Oh, sure, go ahead and laugh!
: Uh, Sadira, shouldn't you have tried to calm down your brother instead of riling him up?
: I was TRYING to be nice, I promise.
: I've had enough of your selfishness, Sadira! You're going to return with me to the capital, and you're going to do it RIGHT NOW!
: It sounds like we'll have to fight, Bastion. I only wish we could have avoided this.
: You know, I had a crazy idea that perhaps we COULD have, Sadira.
: Perhaps she was trying to stall, and give Thomson more time to escape with the townspeople. Or perhaps she really is a selfish, spoiled, thoughtless brat.
: I've dated enough of the latter to know you're right, Reyna.
: Maybe he'll cheer up if we give him a sweetie cake. I know that always makes me happier!
: I wish everyone in the world could be like you, Barlow.
: We're leaving, Sadira! NOW! And, uh, the rest of you should kill those Kingdom soldiers.
Oh, yeah, the war and all...
: Yes, sir!



Incidentally, this is the same map as the first mission in the Empire Branch. This mission is a bit tricky, as the enemy will come at you en masse, and the bodyguards are actually at a high enough level to know attacks like Flare Bomb and Earthquake, meaning you can't rely on the weaker troops to act as human shields to keep them at range.



The first step, as is usual, is setting your troops up in a superior defensive position. The enemy can only hit the front hex of everyone but Bastion and Milea, who have enough defense so that it's not a problem. In retrospect, I wish I had switched Reyna'a and Barlow's positions.



The bodyguards are tough, but very few ATACs in the game are capable of dealing with two Tidal Waves in a row.



Andrew gets Second Attack, allowing him to stall any one enemy a turn.



And Milea finally levels up and gets Blizzard Break, which is really useful in the next fight, and useless for the rest of the game. 80 AP is just too much.



As powerful as the bodyguards may be relative to regular troops, they're still using Einlagers. Also, notice that I've taken Reyna off of the line. One of the bodyguards knows Earthquake, and Reyna just doesn't have the stats to survive that for long.



And Sadira gets Spiral Dive, but her power is just too low to make it helpful, and I still have to raise her BAS to get her Second Attack before I can deal with that. Sadira is annoying on many different levels.



: Sorry, Duyere, but I don't want to pick up your slack! You have to work hard so you'll be a great Emperor someday! Nyah!
: You know, Father is right about you! You're never going to find a man who can put up with your attitude!
: What?! You take that BACK!
: It wouldn't bother you so much if it wasn't true!
And then Sadira Spiral Dived Duyere to death.
: Damn! You're not going to get your way, Sadira! I'm going to find you and drag you home on your butt!



Perhaps...but, to my great anguish....not today.



And then I crush the remaining few Imperials. You know, I kind of feel like 75% of the missions in this game are filler. It's also at about this point that it became clear that even in the Alba, Reyna is just took weak to contribute much of anything. She's hiding in the corner because I didn't want her to get killed, even though it makes no difference either way.

: ... ... ...The battle is over at last!



: You saved their lives, Prince Bastion, as well as mine. I pledge my eternal--
You know, Thomson, every time you show up, I get nervous. You are bad news. I feel like a ninja is going to come flying into the scene and decapitate you, or that you're going to spontaneously combust or something.
: You need not pledge anything, sir. We only did what was right.
: You are too humble, Your Highness. My loyalty is yours from this day on.
: Well, what about me? I'm the one who delayed the Imperial Army and gave you time to escape!
: You didn't do that on purpose. You were fighting with you brother.
: Oh, Milea! You're so silly! That was just part of my plan!
: What will you do now, Thomson? Will the Kingdom Army be sending reinforcements here?
: It is difficult to say, Your Highness. The Kingdom's resources are already being stretched dangerously thin. It is even possible that the Kingdom considers the citizens of Eiza to be...expendable.
There is nothing more expendable in a jRPG than a peaceful village caught between two warring powers. Hell, this very game started with a village getting torched. It's the only way to make a proper protagonist.
: I hope and pray that you are wrong, Thomson.
: Thank you, Your Highness...and farewell. Perhaps I will see you again soon.
: Indeed you will, Thomson.
: Good fortune to you.
: Thank you.
Thomson lives!



: His is the face of a man who has been at war for too long, Milea. A face I will soon see in the mirror if I cannot end this conflict soon.



Pharantis? That's a terrible name, even by the standards of video games.
: I suppose I've been gone for so long that Zeira has assumed control of the Kingdom Army in my stead.
: What are we going to do now, Bastion? More importantly, what are you going to do about ME?
I don't know, find a really deep well and throw you in, I suppose.
: Don't you have any manners, Sadira? This is hardly the time to be worried about yourself!
: Oh, I'm sorry. What are you going to do about me, PLEASE?
Oh, wait, forget the well, how about a re-enactment of The Cask of Amontillado?
: That's NOT what I meant!
: Enough, both of you. I'm so tired that all I can think about is taking a nap.
: That's a good idea, Bastion. All this fighting has wiped me out!
: I think walking up a flight of stairs would wipe you out, Barlow.
: Alright, let's meet back here in a few hours, after we get some rest.
: What are you talking about, Bastion? We can't rest for a moment! We're going to catch up with Duke Zeira and help him! We can't let him fight the Empire alone!
: You're right, of course, Milea. I'm obviously fatigued and not thinking clearly.
Yeah, it's probably super-safe to pilot a giant machine of death while you're half-asleep.
: There will be time for rest when the war is over, Bastion. If Zeira were to be defeated, the Empire could then sweep across the Continent!
: Unfortunately, that's true. Let's leave as soon as possible, before I make any other poor decisions in my tired state...



: Reyna, I'm starting to think that the only way I can end this war is with the Ultragunner.
: You may well be right, Bastion...but it's most likely being kept in the Imperial capital. And if we had the strength to venture that far into the Empire, we'd have no need for the Ultragunner!
: Ahhh!!
: What is it, Sadira?! Are you once again in need of some attention?
Everyone is tired of Sadira.
: I just picked up a Sharking on my scanners! It's within the town just ahead of us!
: What? I'm not registering anything.
: Are you sure that you didn't merely imagine it?
: Of course, Milea! Now hurry up! We have to stop them before they do any harm!
: Hold on! Wait up! Come back! ...Oh, what's the use?

Next Time: Even more Sharkings!