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Chapter 20B: The Silver Wolf

To access Chapter 20Bx, the chapter must be completed within 25 turns.

Opening

narrator
Pushing through Sue and her soldiers, Zephiel directs his troops towards a large manor on the edge of Bulgar.
Here, the Silver Wolf Dayan prepares his defenses for his last stand...
dayan
Sue... My sweet granddaughter...
You died a warrior's death. I should be proud of you...
So why am I instead filled with indescribable sorrow...?
soldier
...You have my sincerest condolences.
We all cherished Lady Sue.
Her death shall be avenged! Rest assured of that.
dayan
Of course it will be. I will see to it.
The Bernese will not be long now.
They will soon be here, to take our lives as well.
Then they shall feel the wrath of the Kutolah!
zephiel
The Silver Wolf lurks within these halls...
What can you tell me about this manor, Brunnya?
brunnya
This mansion's framework is big enough to hide troops and ballistae.
We won't be safe with our backs up against the wall.
zephiel
...That makes very little sense.
brunnya
Sacaen warfare genius at work, Your Majesty.
These people are masters of the craft of war.
zephiel
We are better. And today, we shall prove it.

Turn 10 (if Damas has not been recruited)

(Damas enters from one of the starcases.)
damas
Bulgar, huh? The biggest city in Sacae.
I heard it was sacked by Bern.
But now it's teeming with Sacaen guys...
(grins) Well, no matter!
I'm sure there are plenty of goodies just waiting to be swiped.
Hwahahaha!

Turn 26

(Lyndis enters from the south with a platoon of soldiers.)
lyndis
Mulagir has been secured...
Silver Wolf, I pray you are still holding out in here.

Conversations

Zephiel can advance Damas' recruitment chain if it was not completed in the previous chapters.

Nord & Slater

nord
(smiling) Heh heh heh...
This darkness feels homely to me.
As does this senseless destruction...
Yes. I am happy serving in this army. Heh heh heh...
(Slater stumbles in.)
nord
Ahh... Hail.
(Slater startles.)
slater
Gah!

What the-- Where'd you come from?
Blast this darkness... Are you an enemy?!

nord
Not necessarily.
slater
...L-Listen here, I am a lieutenant of Bern.
If I go missing, there will be no forgiveness for you!
nord
Heh heh... So quick to bend. But rest easy.
I, too, am a member of Bern's army.
You and I... We are allies.
The darkness I command is on your side.
slater
You command... Wait, is this darkness your doing?!
nord
Oh, no. This is natural darkness... The best darkness, in my opinion.
I merely utilize my darkness to steal the lives of others.
Some would call it unimaginative, but I've always been a simple man.
Heh heh heh...
slater
Gulp...!
nord
...Tell me, are you a noble?
slater
Eh? That's an odd question.
No, the only scepter my parents carried was used to dig furrows.
nord
I see... So your blood does not run blue.
Though, perhaps you are a descendant of royalty.
Sometimes that happens. Often, even.
The royalty of yore, today members of the peasant mob.
slater
W-What are you getting at?
nord
We cannot be certain what color your blood is.
(Nord advances menacingly.)
nord
Do you not wish to... find out?
slater
G-Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!!
(Slater runs.)
nord
Hah hah hah hah! Gutless fool!

That was an enjoyable diversion.
But the moment has passed. Back to work... Heh heh heh.

(Nord leaves. Slater slinks back into frame.)
slater
Phew... I don't think he's chasing me... W-What a creepshow!
And here I thought that priest I shared a cell with was creepy...
...Though, thinking about it, I think that guy may've still been creepier...

Damas & Tick

damas
(grins) Hwahahahaha! Look at this place!
Hoowee! Biggest building in this cesspool of a country!
Oughta have the biggest vault, too... Heheheh...
tick
Hold it!
damas
(scowls) Huh? A guard? Ya wanna square off?!
tick
I am a soldier of Bern.
damas
Oh! Well... Pleased to make yer acquaintance, sir, yada yada.
Now, may I get on with my business?
tick
Listen to me, and listen well.
I have been assigned by the king to keep an eye on you.
You are to surrender any yields of your... business to the army.
(Damas balks.)
damas
What!? Oi! You don't just demand a thief's hard-stolen treasure!
Who does the king think he is?!
tick
...The King of Bern.
You will comply, or you will face the consequences.
damas
Sheesh... Okay, okay! Okay. Hear me out, pal.
How 'bout, I take these here coins of shiny ol' gold, and...
(smiles) Whoops! I dropped 'em! How silly of me.
I sure hope nobody... takes off with these riches.
Eh? Eh?
tick
Bribery, eh? Very well.
Off to the dungeon with you.
damas
(frowns) Yikes! Relax, pal, I was just... kidding.
Totally. Yes. Of course.
I'll do my job and get the boss... "his" treasures, don't worry.
tick
You had better. For your own sake, be on your best behavior.
The king is not a merciful man, and he has taken a particular dislike to you.
Do not give him a reason to want you gone if you value your safety.
damas
...T-That a threat?
tick
A warning. I wish you no ill will, personally.
damas
Well... Thanks, I guess.
Guess I'll have to settle for the satisfaction of a successful heist...
...Though I really would prefer to keep the treasure.
tick
Yes, well, we all wish for things we don't get.
damas
What could a stick-in-the-mud like ya wish for?
A promotion? A raise? A better haircut?
tick
...Peace.
damas
Oh.
tick
......
Well? Is it so strange for a Bernese to wish for peace?
I don't like this any more than anyone else does.
damas
Right... Uh... Yeah.

Wow, this got awkward all of a sudden...
Say, I think I sniff some treasure over that way.
Think I'll go get it! You watch my back, 'kay pal?

tick
...Fair enough.

Pheros & Catalena

pheros
Catalena...
How much longer do you intend to avoid me, old friend?
catalena
Who are you?
I do not know any traitors to the faith.
pheros
Don't be like that, Catalena.
It was not an easy decision, to leave my faith behind.
But I have found a different voice to listen to.
I still thoroughly respect and admire Elimine's creed.
Are my actions truly so reprobable?
catalena
Reprobable? They are revolting, that's what they are.
You turned your back on the Goddess!
In Her all-encompasing faith, she has spared your life...
But rest assured. You will be smitten before long.
pheros
What happened to you, Catalena?
I recall back when we first joined the church.
You were a quiet, shy girl back then.
How did you turn into this...
catalena
This what, Pheros? Go on, finish that thought.
pheros
...this deranged zealot who would threaten her old best friend.
catalena
You call it zealotry. I call it enlightenment.
My life had no meaning before. But now I know the truth.
It was never supposed to have meaning.
Nothing has any meaning but the Goddess.
(smiles) Oh, how I exulted when I had this wondrous epiphany...
I now dedicate my life to the only true purpose.
Worship of the Goddess...
pheros
People like you drove me from the faith.
I had hoped, with my departure, perhaps you'd reconsidered things...
But I see you simply took to telling yourself I am some sort of villain.
catalena
(scowls) Filthy apostate. You dare imply otherwise?
Whose fault is it, then, that you turned your back on the truth?
The Goddess's? You would go so far as to indict Elimine herself!?
pheros
Your mind alone has conjured these accusations. I said no such thing!
catalena
Perhaps, but I can read it on your face, plain as day.
You'd do well to stay out of my sight.
I may not be able to contain myself if I see you again.
(Catalena leaves.)
pheros
Sigh... Well, that went about as well as I expected it to go.

Mieu & Mary

mary
Another day of putting my bow to the service of evil.
When this battle ends, another country will have fallen to us...
Sigh...
mieu
Mary... Are you all right...?
mary
Why are you asking me that?
I should be the one asking you, Mieu.
I can't believe they're still forcing you to fight...
Are you doing okay?
mieu
I... No, I'm not okay. I can't even sleep most nights...
B-But I have to be strong.
I have to get stronger... So one day, I can...
mary
Fight back against them?
mieu
...Uh huh...
mary
So little, and already you dream of being the hero of the tale...
mieu
I need to create a nicer world... A bright future.
Where nice people like Lot and Uncle Wade don't have to...
...D-Don't have to die.
mary
That's a fine dream. Your parents would be proud of you.
mieu
It's... all I can do to make it up...
To Lot, to Uncle Wade... To everyone I've killed.
...I will be the one to kill King Zephiel!
mary
...!
H-How can you say such things, Mieu?
Someone so young should not...
mieu
I-I've been made to kill so many, Mary...
What's one more? Especially one like that... that monster!
mary
...T-This... Oh, Mieu...
mieu
S-Sorry... I... Look, let's just focus, okay?
We can't die here. We have to live...
mary
...Of course. We have to survive.
So that, when the time comes...
We may fight the evil. Side by side.
mieu
Thank you, Mary...
(Mieu leaves.)
mary
...She's such a kind girl... A beacon in the darkness.
Be that I could share that pure-hearted innocence...
I... don't even know why I continue on...
Why fight for a world so rotten, it has turned little Mieu into... this?
Might as well end it all, and leave humanity to its well-deserved fate...

...But no. Not while Mieu yet draws breath...

Marla & Zephiel

(Zephiel starts.)
zephiel
Hmph!
You have done well to sneak up on me...
But your only reward shall be death!
marla
(smiling) ......
zephiel
Well? No last words?
Or do you believe I will be taken aback by your appearance?
I care not what manner of hellish fiend you are.
If you stand in my way, I shall cast you aside!
marla
Such a naughty child, lashing out at the world so!
You've earned quite the punishment...
But I shan't be the one to deliver it to you.
You have not a soul. I can see it in your eyes.
All I seek are souls to reap. For His sake...
zephiel
"His" sake? For whose sake?
marla
(ToggleSmile) Oh, you would not understand... He whispers to me in the night.
He has made me... powerful...
I need more... power... More... More...!

(Marla quivers.)

More souls! More souls to Him! He must have them...!
Then he will shower me with power! Ah, delicious, wonderful power!

zephiel
...Fight for me.
I wage war on mankind at large. Plentiful souls for the harvest.
Reap the souls of my foes, and obtain what you desire.
marla
Yes... That sounds like a fun time. Hee hee...
Come along, children! It's bedtime for all of you.
Let me sing you a lullaby... and rock you to sleep!
(Marla leaves.)
zephiel
......
Sure. Why not. She's not the strangest one we've picked up.
What does it matter? As long as the world is liberated...

Dayan

Combat

dayan
The sky and the earth guide my hand!

Combat w/ Monke

monke
Dayan! Today, I prove the Djute's superiority!
dayan
Monke... You traitor.
This disaster is all your fault!
If only you'd fought with us against Bern...
You broke the Law of Sacae!
monke
(smirks) Hah! Perhaps so.
But I will live, whereas you will die today.
I may be a traitor... But you are a fool!
dayan
You'll be a dead fool when I'm done with you!
For Sacae!

Death

dayan
I can...hear the wind in the meadow once more...

Sue... Sue, is that... you...?

Lyndis

Combat

lyndis
The Sacaen souls whose lives you took empower my blade.
Feel their wrath... As well as mine!

Combat w/ Batta

batta
You!! It's you...
After all these years, it's you!
The defeat I suffered to you tarnished my reputation!
You, the wench that took my eye...
Eye for an eye, as they say. Today, I have my vengeance!
lyndis
...Who are you?

Combat w/ Glass

glass
(grins) Well, well, well... We meet again.
How many years has it been, girlie?
Once, you believed to have humbled me.
But I rose from the ashes...
And today, I claim my revenge!
lyndis
...I do not know who you are.
glass
(scowls) You-- Who do you think you are?!
The gods fear my name, yet you dare forget it?!
Hmph! I shall have to teach you that fear...
The fear of Glass!

Death

lyndis
It ends... I join my... brothers and sisters now...
...And... perhaps now... I'll see you... Hector... Eli...w...

Ending

If the chapter was cleared within 25 turns

zephiel
That was a swift victory...
And yet, I doubt we were fast enough to reach Bern before my sister.
brunnya
If I may make a suggestion, Your Majesty...
We could benefit from a small detour.
zephiel
What manner of detour, Brunnya?
brunnya
Back when I was leading the occupation of Sacae, I came upon an interesting piece of intelligence.
I never had the chance to act on it, but maybe we could do so now.
I believe a legendary weapon is hidden at some ruins nearby.
There is a good chance they have been unable to secure it yet.
As you said, our victory here was swift.
zephiel
Reaching Bern is the utmost priority.

...And yet, being struck from behind with a legendary weapon...
It is too dire a possibility to ignore. Brunnya! Lead the way!

brunnya
Yes, Your Majesty.
[Chapter 20Bx begins.]

Default

zephiel
That takes care of that. This country is ours again.

And now, to Bern... Murdock! Brunnya!
What do you know of the situation in Bern?

murdock
Princess Guinivere made a proclamation but days ago.
She announced the establishment of a new Kingdom of Bern.
She intends to return our conquered territories to their rightful rulers.
Help with reconstruction, pay any and all sanctions they deem fit...
She will bow her head and beg forgiveness of the world, it seems.
zephiel
That's all well and good, but how will she make it a reality?
brunnya
It would seem many in Bern agree to her vision.
Or, she has somehow earned their favor.
Either way, a majority of the army stationed in Bern answers to her.
Rather catastrophic losses, to be entirely forthcoming...
zephiel
Filthy traitors...
murdock
...It would appear they gather at the Shrine of Seals.
They have the Fire Emblem, my liege. This bodes ill.
zephiel
We have our first objective, then.
We must eliminate the traitors before they take the Binding Blade!
For it to fall into enemy hands... It would be a disaster!
Our dragons would mean nothing in the face of that sword's power!
The world's liberation would slip through my fingers...

(Zephiel vibrates with anger.)

No! I refuse to allow it. We will kill them all if we must!

(Zephiel leaves.)
murdock
......
brunnya
...Such are our orders.
murdock
To see him so easily condemn dozens of Bernese men and women...
brunnya
Do not continue, General. Such words will put you at risk...
murdock
Sigh... I know. I know...
It is our duty. We must follow the king's orders.
As we always have...
brunnya
Indeed...

Character Descriptions

Marla
A sorceress who sacrificed her humanity for power.

Dayan
Known as the Silver Wolf. Chieftain of the Kutolah clan.

Lyndis
A Sacaen nomad with ties to the Kutolah.

Kutolah
Warriors of the Kutolah clan who oppose Bern.

Sacae
Nomadic warriors of Sacae.