Chapter 24: A Hero's Sorrow

Opening

narrator

After defeating the remaining traitors, Zephiel enters the Dragon Sanctuary.
He searches for the young boy of Pherae, to kill him and recover the Binding Blade.
Blinded by victory and rage, he sees nothing but the foe in front of him.

However, his allies grow weary, their loyalty waning slowly but steadily.
Even the last one he would ever expect to doubt him...

zephiel

(ToggleSmile) This is the Dragon Sanctuary... The air feels strange.
I had never actually set foot here before.
Such a fascinating place...

(Zephiel turns to Idunn.)

Idunn, stay close to me.
We do not know what perils we shall face in this place.

idunn

...Your Highness...

???

...Hahahaha...

(Idunn starts.)

idunn

W-What is that... haunting laughter...?

zephiel

Hmph!
Reveal yourself this instant!

???

Father... So good to see you here...!
You... You'll help us? But, your illness...
Oh, you're cured?! That's incredible news!
Ahahah... Yes! I'm so glad you're here, Father!

zephiel

What lunatic is delivering this senseless rant?

idunn

Your Highness, enemies emerge! Look out...!

zephiel

Let them come. We have come too far to lose now.
Let us go, Idunn. Let us earn your world!

idunn

......

First Throne Seized

Eliwood Construct

Combat w/ Erik

erik

(smirks) Ha... Eliwood. Look how the mighty have fallen.
I outlived you and Hector, in the end.
What a shame, eh? Hahahaha...

Death

eliwood

It hurts... I am... falling apart...
I can't move... I can't... help.........
Everyone....... that I love............

idunn

We made it... Did we...?

zephiel

Not yet, I wager. It would be too easy...

???

...My lord! You've returned!
I knew they couldn't have defeated you so easily...!
You'll... you'll lead the Lycian army, yes? Yes!
Yes, yes! Ahahahahaha!

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by a construct of Hector.)

Second Throne Seized

Hector Construct Death

hector

Why.......
Why, no matter...... How much I search.........
I cannot find you... Lilina.........

zephiel

Idunn, can you give me an explanation for any of this?

idunn

The Binding Blade... I think...
It is projecting the images in its wielder's heart...
Images of his loved ones...

zephiel

That would explain the first foes we've met...
Very well, then. Throw your ghosts at us, little boy.
We shall cut through them, and then you!

???

Li...lina...
I'm so sorry, Lilina...
I wasn't good enough... I was never good enough...
Lilina... When this is all over, I...
There's something I have to tell you.
You'll... You'll hear me out, won't you?
Thank you... Thank you so much...
Ah...haha... Ahh...

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by a construct of Lilina.)

Third Throne Seized

Lilina Construct Death

lilina

I'm........ so scared......
Roy........ Help me........
Help.... me.......
HELP ME.........

zephiel

As pitiful in death as in life, these wretches.

...Idunn? You seem distracted, somehow.
Are you all right? Surely you have not been injured?!

idunn

N-No, I'm--

???

General...! I'm so happy that you came to our aid!
You've come to our aid, right?! You're here to help?!
We will... fight together? Like in the academy days?
They'll... They'll be sorry now! Hahaha, ahahaha!

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by a construct of Cecilia.)

Fourth Throne Seized

Cecilia Construct Death

cecilia

Concentrate....... Roy......
Do not lose focus..... Do not........
Lose yourself...... To madness..........

zephiel

How much further, Idunn? Can you tell me?

idunn

.......

zephiel

Idunn!

???

Queen Guinivere! You made it!
I knew it! Zephiel couldn't have killed you...
Maimed you... Eviscerated you...
Bathed in your blood! Hahaha! Of course not!
Go, go, go! Say hello to your dear brother now!
Ahahahahahaha!

(Zephiel starts.)

zephiel

What?!
What did he just say...?

idunn

Your... Your Highness... B-Be careful...!

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by a construct of Guinivere.)

Fifth Throne Seized

Guinivere Construct

Combat w/ Zephiel

zephiel

You...!
What is this sorcery!?
Begone! I will not allow myself to be haunted!
Least of all by you, my treacherous sister...
Family! Pah! Traitors all!
I am in the right! I know it...!

Death

guinivere

I loved you... Brother.......
Why....... Brother.........
Why......... WHY.................

zephiel

Grrr... That boy will suffer for this waste of time.

idunn

Waste... of time...?

zephiel

Idunn! Can't be much longer now, can it?

Idunn? Answer me!

idunn

I...
Y-You... you struck her down... twice... without hesitation...

zephiel

What? I didn't hear you... Speak up, Idunn!

idunn

...It's--

zephiel

Hush! He speaks again...

???

Wolt... My best friend...
My brother! How are you, Wolt?
Wolt, you've got to help us out!
The bad men are coming! The bad men are coming!
Fight them! Shoot them all down! Kill them!
Hahahahaha! Hahaha...!

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by a construct of Wolt.)

Sixth Throne Seized

Wolt Construct Death

wolt

Roy....... Roy, where are you.....
Roy, tell me...... Tell me you're okay........

(The next throne is revealed, guarded by Marcus.)

zephiel

...Another phantom?

marcus

I am not dead yet.

zephiel

Oh? Maybe not yet, but soon you shall be.

marcus

We'll see. Tyrant of Bern...
You do not remember me. But I remember you.
A long, long time ago... I met you only once.
You were a bright kid then. Strong, intelligent, brave...
You still are those things.

But back then, you had a glint in your eyes.
The glint of one who wishes to be not just a leader, but a good one.
That is what you have lost. Your eyes are hollow husks now.
I pity you, I truly do...

zephiel

I do not need the pity of some old fossil.
One whose name shall soon fade from the pages of history.

marcus

Is that all you have to say?

zephiel

To you, yes.

marcus

Then we continue our conversation with our weapons.

(Marcus leaves.)

idunn

......
Your Highness... S-Stop this...

zephiel

What?
I believe I have misheard you, Idunn...
Please, do not become distracted.
We have one more bug to quash...
It would not do to lose focus now, right before it's over!

idunn

......
Y-Your Highness...

Conversations

Lim & Trimier

lim

You are not of this realm.

trimier

And you... You are not human.

lim

That's right. I am a construct.
My body, mind and soul. Created for one purpose.

Not many could have known from a glance.
Tell me. Whence do you hail?

trimier

From a far, far away place...
Brought here by forces beyond our ken.
An army doomed to remain incomplete...
I was to bolster its numbers to completion.
I am the final piece in the puzzle of gods.

lim

...You defy even my comprehension.
I was created to be perfect in all things.
Yet my mind is limited, if I cannot understand...
I am compelled to be the one to unravel your riddle.
What is your name?

trimier

Though I never spoke my name, they know...
They gleaned my true nature, read into my capabilities.
I was not meant for greatness. But then...
None of us in this army were. This... This is all wrong...

lim

My creator would have been fascinated by you.
I am not capable of such emotion. I should not be.
Yet... I find myself enthralled.
But then, I should not know what that word means.
Maybe I am only hoping this is what it feels to be alive.

trimier

I beg your forgiveness.
One speaks through my lips and tongue, with my voice.
One much too pompous for his own good.
Be that I were given simpler speech to herald.
Alas... Mystery is my true name.
A mystery of the sagas... Unsolved evermore.

lim

......

Marcus

Combat

marcus

I am the last of Pherae's knights.
I've long lost count of the souls I must avenge.
But avenge them, I shall!

Combat w/ Galle

marcus

Ah, it's you. General Galle, was it?
Last we met, you ran like a coward.

galle

...I... I do not... I...

marcus

Hmm? What's wrong with you, lad?
You look positively mortified.
What happened to your confidence from before?

galle

...M-Melady... I... I betrayed her...
I wasn't strong enough... And I betrayed her...

marcus

Hmm... Could it be you loved that woman?
And even so, you tried to strike her down.
Had Merlinus not taken her place...
You would have killed her, then and there.

galle

No! No, I would not have killed her!
I-I meant to subdue her! To--

marcus

And then what?
Zephiel would've killed her for treason.
It would've been the same as killing her yourself.

galle

No...! No!

marcus

Pah. Enough words!
We have unfinished business, you and I.
Come! I shall avenge the noble Dame Melady!

galle

Avenge her... from ME!?
I... No!

(Galle shakes himself.)

NO!!

Combat w/ Lim

marcus

You... I remember you.
You shouldn't be here... How are you not dead?

lim

I do not know.
I was fated to die. I did not die.
I tried to die many times. I failed.
You cannot kill me. Nobody can kill me.
I will keep going... Perhaps, forever.

marcus

I shall try nonetheless.
The King of Bern must be stopped.
And so must you.

lim

...I wish you luck.

Death

marcus

An entire life I spent serving Pherae...
Three lords I had... And...
I failed to protect... each of them...
I am... a pitiful wretch...!

Ending

zephiel

That does it for the old man...
There are no more enemies in sight.
I expect the boy will be our final enemy...
Exercise caution, Idunn. He has the Binding Blade.

idunn

Your Highness...
May I... ask you a question?

zephiel

A... A question?
Idunn, this is unlike you...

idunn

What... would you have me do?
When I rule the world...

zephiel

What would I have you do?
No, no. Idunn, I am only human.
I have no right to tell a perfect being what to do.
You will rule unclouded by feeble human emotions, and create a perfect world without a trace of them!

I will simply stand back and watch...
Until I am no longer needed.
Then I shall leave this plane with the rest of my wretched kind.

idunn

......

zephiel

The boy awaits. Let us hurry!

(Zephiel leaves.)

idunn

Your Highness... Your... High...
You're so... cruel...!

jahn

At last you see it, Idunn.
It's okay. It took me some time, as well...

idunn

What... What do we do now...?

jahn

We kill that boy, and we take the Binding Blade.

idunn

But... That's...

jahn

We cannot save him. He's already gone...
But humanity will not let this stand.
Humanity is nothing if not stubborn.
They will rise up again... And when they do...
We can make sure the Binding Blade won't be lost.

idunn

...Jahn...
(smiles) Thank you...

jahn

Don't thank me.
I spent a millenium blindly stumbling in the dark.
You should thank the little girl who opened my eyes...

Character Descriptions

Marcus
A veteran paladin serving Pherae. Roy's instructor in combat.

Construct
A projection of a lost soul. Created by the Sanctuary's power.

Manakete
Manaketes that oppose the Demon Dragon for some reason.