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Chapter 20Bx: The Tempest Bow

Opening

narrator
Zephiel heads toward the ruins in Sacae hoping to secure a legendary weapon.
However, scattered remnants of Dayan's rebels wait for him within...
old woman
The Etrurian Army has arrived!
lyndis
They come to paint our lands red with our blood.
old man
The plains will surely be crimson by day's end.
But whose blood will make them so? That remains to be seen.
We defend to the death. We will avenge our dead comrades!
lyndis
I will ask one more time...
Are you absolutely certain you do not wish me to stay?
Someone else can take Mulagir.
old man
We may be old, but each of us has decades of experience.
These are our plains. They will not burn this day!
old woman
Please count on us, Lady Lyndis!
As we will count on you, to escape with Mulagir...
lyndis
Be that I could stay and fight to the end with you all...
But I understand the importance of my task.
May the gods protect you all...
zephiel
So... What do you know about this place, Brunnya?
brunnya
Only what I was told by a peasant of Bulgar.
I believe Mulagir, the Tempest Bow, lies in these ruins.
The legendary nomad Hanon used it during the Scouring.
zephiel
It would appear they do not intend on giving it up easily...
brunnya
From what it looks like, nomads of a multitude of clans have gathered here.
They have come together to defend the legendary bow against us...
zephiel
And they will fail.
Come, Brunnya. We go to battle!

When the correct gate is seized

zephiel
No trap this time? This must be the place.
Wait! That altar, there...
Empty... This has to be where the bow was!
Blast! Did they take off with it already...?
(Lyndis enters from the northeast with a platoon of soldiers.)
lyndis
The battle still rages on...
We are losing. There is no doubt about it.
soldier 1
Lady Lyndis, is this wise?
We were told to leave this place with Mulagir...
lyndis
It would not make a difference. Did you not see?
Their wyverns circle the skies above us.
We could not escape unscathed.
But if we can take out the king... Perhaps, just perhaps...

Mulagir shall taste blood today.

soldier 2
You are a true warrior of Sacae, Lady Lyndis!
We are honored to fight with you at the end.
soldier 1
Aye aye! For Sacae!
lyndis
...May the earth and the sky watch over us...

Conversations

Maggie & Rose

(Rose drifts.)
rose
We sure have come far, haven't we, Maggie?
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
Oh yes, Rose, very far indeed.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
Aren't you afraid we'll die before the end, Maggie?
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
Only afraid of dying alone, Rose.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
I understand. I could never bear to lose you, Maggie.
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
That's why... I... I have something for you, Rose.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
Truly? Please, don't leave me in suspense, Maggie.
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
Take a look at this, Rose.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
What a pretty axe. For me?
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
For the most important person in my world.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
I-I don't know what to say, Maggie!
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
I can only hope you'll say yes.
(Rose drifts.)
rose
Of course! Of course! How could you ever doubt me?
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
I never did, but still... This is such a relief!
(Rose drifts.)
rose
Oh, Maggie!
(Maggie drifts.)
maggie
Oh, Rose!
(Maggie and Rose dance together. Rose receives the Axe of Love.)

Lim & Denning

lim
Denning. You still cannot talk?
denning
......
lim
Of course. You have not talked since our master died.
You were created for one specific purpose.
You fulfilled your purpose, but you survived.
And now you have none. Much like I.
denning
......
lim
I remember your creation.
The master was injured. He needed a message delivered.
Since he could not deliver it himself, he made you.
I do not believe you have more than the essential features.
You could speak your message. You could follow orders.
You can move and you can fight, if need be. But nothing else.
I wonder if the rest of your body even resembles that of a human.
That must be the reason for the cloak...
denning
......
lim
I would never dare to look.
It is easier pretending, if I do not know for certain.

You have not talked since our master died.
But I needed to make sure. Because...
You are the only one left. The only one like me in the world.
I need to believe one day, you and I can be friends.
That we will be able to laugh and cry.
That we can become real... More than mere constructs.
It is an irrational thought.
He called me perfect. He was wrong.

denning
......

This is a message from Lord Nergal.
"I await you on the Dread Isle."

lim
......
Those are the first words you have said in 20 years.
The only words you are capable of, and yet...
(smiles) I believe I understand.

Let us move on, Denning. There is more to be done.

denning
......
(Denning nods.)

Kel & Carlyle

carlyle
All this time, and still I've seen neither hair nor hide of him...
Not good. I want to believe he's alive, but... It's becoming hard...
I should firmly demand they let me see him!
...But I'm afraid of what I'll find... What a terrible dilemma...!
kel
Do they have someone you care about?
carlyle
...Leave me.
kel
Hey, maybe I could help.
I've been with this army longer than you.
Long as they pay me, I don't ask questions, but...
Well, I could be convinced to answer some questions.
For a price. Tell me, what's he look like?
carlyle
......
Blond. Pale. Skin smooth as the finest silk...
About yea tall... He's... such a beautiful thing...
kel
Ahh... I see.
Well, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone like that.
And I've been made to guard the prisoners a few times.
carlyle
They do not let me anywhere near them...
Likely they suspect I'd try freeing him, had I the chance.
kel
You sure they didn't just lie to you?
carlyle
If they... T-The alternative is that he has died.
I refuse to believe it! He has to be alive.
They have him, and if I fight hard enough...
They'll give him back. They have to. They have to!
kel
Tch...
You know, it may not be my place to say, but...
It sounds like you should try to let go. I know it's difficult, but...
Well, there's always a bigger fish.
(smiles) I, for one, think you're a very handsome man.
carlyle
...What are you getting at?
You dare test my devotion to my prince!?
I will rip your unsightly face off your skull!
kel
(frowns) No need to get violent. Have it your way.
carlyle
Hmph...
Well, what are you still doing here?
I'll pay your coin. I care nothing for money.
But first, give me results. I want to see him.
You will take me to him. Then, you get paid.
Until then, we have no reason to speak further.
kel
Fair enough. Good luck out there, sir, er...
What is your name? You never did tell...

(Carlyle leaves.)

...me. And off he goes.
Of course. Only I would think to try flirting among this pack of lunatics.
I'm lucky I didn't have to draw my sword. Sigh...

Flaer & Dory

dory
Nngh... Dangit!
Nobody told me dancin' could be so painful.
Argh, my poor ankles...
flaer
...Hey... Er...
dory
(smiles) Hey there! Flaer, right? What can I do for ya?
flaer
You know my name?
dory
'Course! I know everyone's names.
I want to know the folks I'm helping out.
flaer
Is that so? You are a good man, dancer.
dory
(serious) Name's Dory. Try to remember if it you like!
So, what did you wanna talk about?
flaer
...W-Well...
dory
C'mon, no need to be shy! Out with it, man!
flaer
......
Your dance. I am... rather fascinated by it.
Do you think you could teach me?
dory
Teach you?
flaer
F-Forgive me! It was a stupid idea.
I'll just be on my way--
dory
(smiles) Bwahahaha! There's nothin' wrong with that!
I was just a bit surprised that a hardened soldier would ask me that.
flaer
Yes, that's what I kept telling myself.
A man like me has no business learning how to dance...
I kept trying to forget these thoughts, but then I'd see you dance again...
dory
(serious) How long have you been thinking 'bout this?
flaer
...A while.
dory
(smiles) Hehe, well, no problem!
Dancin's all about goin' with the flow.
Or at least, that's what my own teacher told me.
She said, "don't be afraid of what others will think."
"Your goal is to put smiles on people's faces."
"If they laugh, you've still achieved that!"
flaer
(smiles) An admirable resolve. You truly are a good man.
dory
Aww, don't say that. That ain't true.
So, let's try somethin' simple!
Try to follow these steps. Hup! Hup!
(Dory dances.)
flaer
(frowns) O-Oh, I don't know... With my armor and all--
dory
(serious) C'mon, don't chicken out on me now! Try it!
flaer
Er...
(Flaer dances, but fumbles the last step and trips.)
flaer
Gwaaaah...!
dory
Oh, dear... You okay?
(Dory helps Flaer up.)
flaer
Unnh... Yes, that went about as well as I expected.
dory
Don't get discouraged! I did far worse my first time.
Yer a natural! You could go a long way, my friend.
Just keep practicing when you can. You'll see!
flaer
(smiles) ...Thank you, Dory. This means a lot to me.
Please, stay safe out there.
dory
(smiles) You too, Flaer!
Would be a shame if ya died before reaching yer full potential.
flaer
...My full potential, eh... Heh... Thank 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

brunnya
The wielder of Mulagir has been killed.
I took the bow from her cold hands. Here it is.
zephiel
Excellent... One less for them to get their hands on.

[From here, the default ending of Chapter 20B plays out.]

Character Descriptions

Lyndis
A Sacaen nomad with ties to the Kutolah.

Sacae
Veteran warriors of Sacae guarding Mulagir.

Deserter
Deserters from the Bernese army, now mercenaries for hire.