!DOCTYPE html>

Chapter 14x: The Infernal Truth

Opening

narrator
In the hidden village of Arcadia stands an ancient temple.
Zephiel and company make their way inside the temple, hoping to find something valuable for their campaign...
sophia
The legendary weapon... Have you found it...?
soldier
Yes, but... It's an anima tome!
I don't believe we have anybody who can use this...
sophia
The dark cloud... it approaches... It's almost upon us...
Let me try it... Perhaps...
soldier
Sophia... Are you certain?
This magic, if used incorrectly... It could set you ablaze!
sophia
......
I have to try. The darkness engulfs us...
soldier
A-All right...
With luck, you won't need to use it.
We will fight our best to drive off these monsters!
(The soldier leaves.)
sophia
...The future... It is... grim...
zephiel
My... What is this? An entire temple underground...
There's got to be something important here.
Perhaps even a legendary weapon...
It was the right call to investigate this.

All troops! Conduct a full search of the place!
And kill any you find standing in your way!

Turn 2

soldier
L-Lady Sophia! The trap is not working!
The floors aren't sinking below them... Something's wrong!
sophia
...We must have broken something... while trying to unseal Forblaze...
soldier
It won't be a problem, though. We'll take care of them ourselves!
Believe in us, Sophia! We'll win this battle!
(The soldier leaves.)
sophia
...No... We won't...

Conversations

Debias & Slater

debias
Hey, you!
They say we're in this hole because of you!
You found the passage! Why would you do that?!
slater
It's not my fault! I tripped and fell, and...
Oh, forget it. Who even are you, anyhow?
debias
Ah, ergh... D-Debias, sir.
Knight of Ostia. W-Well, was! Naturally...
I'm now with Bern, though! Body and soul! I swear!
I was one of the rebels. I should've started there.
slater
...Truth be told, that means very little to me.
I've been completely out of the loop for months.
Even back with General Narcian, he didn't tell me anything.
It was always whispers with Flaer and Oates...
I don't get what they have that I don't!
Did he just like their facial hair better, or something?
Hmph...
debias
That's the lot of us lowly soldiers, I guess.
Doomed to follow orders like trained mutts...
slater
Right you are, man.
Sigh... Well, back to it, I guess.
Else it'll be the dungeon for insubordination.
We aren't high up enough on the ladder to laze around.
debias
You said it better than I could've.
Bah... Fine. Let's go.
Together? We'll do better together.
slater
Sounds good to me, pal! Let's go--
Oof!
(Slater and Debias bump into each other.)
debias
Whoa!
slater
A-Ah, forgive me...
I always keep bumping into people... Sorry...
debias
Mmph...

Randy & Sommie

randy
You there... You are the newest recruit, aren't you?
sommie
Arf!
randy
You look mighty indeed. However...
You are no match for the power of my sword.
My sword is unmatchable. Choose your death.
Will you die by the blade... or by its light?
sommie
Arf! Arf!
randy
Naturally, I will not fight you.
You are an ally. I only turn my blade on foes.
I only wished to impress upon you... my blade's prowess.
That you may always remember, you count a powerful ally in me.
sommie
Arf!
randy
You are a strong warrior.
It's an honor to fight by your side...
sommie
Arf! Arf!
randy
This has been most productive. My thanks.
The time for words has passed, however.
We must now turn to the ugly truth of war.
To kill, or be killed... Such is the way of man.
With my blade, I shall do only the former.
For it is unmatched in both grace and heart.
sommie
Arf! Arf!
randy
Good. To battle, then!
Hya! By my light brand!
(Randy charges off.)
sommie
Awww...

Mitan & Daniela

mitan
Oh...!
daniela
Hmm? What do you want with me, little girl?
mitan
Little...? I'm bigger than you, stupid.
daniela
Oh, really? You look quite tiny from atop my horse...
Like a small, insignificant bug, waiting to be crushed...
mitan
...Er... Y-Yeah, sure.
Name's Mitan. Who're ya?
daniela
(smiles) Daniela. Just a simple mercenary... Heehee.
mitan
(smiles) Please to meetcha, Daniela!
(serious) Hey... Mind if I ask, what's with the fancy get-up?
You a noble runaway or somethin'?
daniela
(frowns) Why? Do you intend to rob me?
(smirks) I welcome you to try. It'll be a fun time, butchering you...
Ha ha ha ha!
mitan
A-Ah, no, that's not... Not exactly what I had in mind...
daniela
(frowns) Hm hm hm hm... Oh, how positively disappointing.
If you must know, I used to be a member of Etruria's military.
I was in charge of protecting the border with Lycia.
mitan
Sounds like a mighty good deal t'me.
Why'd ya quit?
daniela
I got kicked out.
The imbeciles could not understand. I was SO bored.
All I did was... incite a little bit of excitement.
They told me I risked starting a war, nonsense like that.
So they reassigned me. To an even MORE boring post.
Pah. Well, what do I care. I am happier now. Free.
(smiles) Hahaha... Oh, it's truly a wonderful feeling, being free.
mitan
You just... kill for fun, doncha?
daniela
(serious) And why not? The weak were made for the strong to feast upon.
Any animal knows it. It's just human nature to question the obvious.
But I've decided not to do that. I follow my instincts.
(grins) And my instincts tell me to have fun until I am the one that's butchered.
All I hope for is a grisly ending, befitting of all the blood I've spilled...
Ahahaha, hahahahahahaha...!
mitan
Right...
(smiles) Y-Yeah! I think you got a point.
Haha... aha...
daniela
Aww, don't worry.
I won't butcher you yet. You don't look nearly interesting enough.
mitan
(frowns) Wha--

(Mitan fumes.)

You did NOT just call me boring, ya mad peacock!

daniela
(frowns) If you wish to get into a fight over it, I won't say no...
mitan
......
daniela
And there it is. that's why I think you're boring.
If you weren't, you would've took me up on my offer!
Hahahaha... Ahh, well. See you around, kitten.
(Daniela leaves.)
mitan
......
She's absolutely smokin', but... Sheesh.
Completely off her rocker. Better keep my distance...

Sophia

Combat

sophia
I foresee... a dark cloud... above all of you...
You will win today... but... your future... it is dark...

Combat w/ Zephiel

sophia
You... I see your future...
zephiel
Do you? And what do you see?
sophia
Darkness... without end... and... death...
Betrayal... by one you trusted...
zephiel
......
Thank you for telling me this. In return...
Your own death shall be swift!

Combat w/ Idunn

sophia
You... I see your future...
idunn
My future...?
sophia
Dark... So dark... Vast emptiness...
And suddenly, light... A warm breeze...
More darkness, but... different...
Hopeful... Perhaps.
idunn
......
I do as His Highness commands.

Death

sophia
My...future...holds no... light...

Ending

zephiel
What is this? A tome...
It resembles all I've read about Forblaze, the legend Athos's magic.
brunnya
The most powerful anima magic there is.
But that woman was a user of dark magic.
That she took up this tome against us...
It's a miracle that she wasn't consumed by its power.
She must have been truly desperate to stop us.
zephiel
And yet, she only succeeded in delivering it right into my hands.
Hmph... Fool.

[From here, the default ending of Chapter 14 plays out.]

Character Descriptions

Sophia
A shaman from Nabata who can predict the future.

Nabata
Guardians of the hidden village in Nabata.