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>>5595564
(oops forgot my name)

Your intuition screams at you that these “Mogalls” that Diogenes referred to are more dangerous than they appear. You can sense the faintest trace of magical resonating from them, and as you get a closer look, they don’t appear to be completely inert within the tubes they reside in. The Fenrirs are closing in on your position, but you decide to deal with these creatures nearest to you first. It’s fortunate that Diogenes has revealed that these beings are a variant of Demonic Beasts, because now you know you have an adequate tool to use against them. Meeting eyes with Uriel, you both unsheathe your Blessed Lances. You slash the tube closest to you in an explosion of glass and liquid. Despite having no mouth, the Mogall inside releases a piteous wail as it falls on the floor dead, nearly cut in half.

>20XP Gained! (20/100)

Across from you, Uriel has done the exact same thing, and his Mogall lies dead on the floor as well, which is now covered in the mysterious sticky and viscous liquid.

“Come now, Blair. Surely you were raised better than to go into someone’s home and smash up their things?” Diogenes says. You’re beginning to find whatever surveillance magic these Agarthans employ to be extremely annoying. “If you’d like to get a closer look at my Mogalls, all you had to do was ask, and I’d be all too happy to oblige.”

Just as the pack of wolves ready themselves to fall upon your frontline, the nearest set of tubes explode in a hail of glass, releasing the Mogalls trapped within.

The first line of Fenrirs are obliterated in a torrent of dark magic courtesy of Lysithea. Her dual Crests make short work of the beasts, but the second wave is then upon you. The first Fenrir launches itself forward only to slam into the unmovable wall that is Sebastian. The armored knight raises his shield and stops the creature dead in the air. As it flops onto the floor, he finishes it off with a brutal stomp. The vicious and bloodthirsty Fenrir looks like a mere pup against Sebastian’s weight. Next to him, a Fenrir bites onto Clay’s arm. The Hero winces as the creature snarls and tears before being impaled by his Runesword. Almost instantly, the wound he received is healed.

Utilizing the powers of her newfound Crest of Indech, Scratch punches her Fenrir out of the air before it can land on its prey. Next to her, Theo manages to cleave one of the dogs in half, though not before suffering some scratches from the beast’s flailing claws. Your frontline of soldiers are having their strength bolstered thanks to Mina, whose dancing has managed to greatly increase their strength.

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>>5595568
You sense dark magic pulsating around the Mogalls. The disgusting creatures open their one eye impossibly wide as they stare down your party. You, as well as everyone around you, feels a slight pain as whatever attack the Mogalls employ seems to drain the life out of you. The unfamiliar magic seems to be capable of targeting each of your party members at once. A prospect made even more dangerous now that you lack the healing magics of Elizabeth.

(-5 HP Entire Party)
(-5 HP Entire Party)

“We Agarthans have survived thousands of years in the harshest conditions, fighting for our survival each step of the way. I won’t allow gutter trash like you to step one foot near me!” Hypatia yells. The Agarthan Cleric, dual wielding her staves, lifts them both to the sky as she summons the power locked within them. Almost immediately, Sebastian slumps down to the floor. You fear the man dead at first, only to quickly realize he’s been rendered instantly unconscious by a Sleep stave, a rare type of staff capable of sending its target into a deep slumber. You prepare to shout a warning to your comrades, when you suddenly feel the effects of Nancy’s second stave targeting you.

You find that you’re having trouble voicing your warning, as if it was somehow caught in your throat. Though you’ve never experienced this before, you quickly deduce that you’re being targeted by a Silence staff. Hypatia is attempting to stifle your usage of magic. Your voice croaks weakly in your throat, but the magic has yet to take its full effect. Perhaps with enough willpower, you may be able to overcome the condition before it fully sets in.

You note that in addition to two more tubes shattering behind the first set of Mogalls, an entirely new pack of Fenrir have assembled at the end of the hall.

>A): Overpower the effects of the Silence staff. (RES Roll: Roll 1-44 to succeed.)
>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.
>C): Before you can advance further through the hallway, you need to sit still and defeat the enemies coming towards you.
>D): Write-in

> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)

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>>5595570
>A): Overpower the effects of the Silence staff. (RES Roll: Roll 1-44 to succeed.)
>Yes

>>5595570
>>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.
the mogalls do huge damage, too huge to ignore

>>5595570
>>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.

>>5595570
>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.
Welcome back

>>5595570
>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.
Holy powers be your demise

>>5595570
>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.
>No

Welcome back, Tree!

>>5595570
>B): You won’t need your magic for this. Cut a path forward with your Blessed Lance. There’s no time to waste.

This is riskier, but we're on a timer because of the Mogalls, as well as Hypatia. Berserk Staff incoming, probably.

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>>5595570
Try as you might, Hypatia’s experience with staves is far more than your resistance to magic can handle. Your voice, as well as your ability to access the spells at your disposal, is completely stifled as the effects of the Silence staff settle in.

>Blair Silenced (3/3 Turns)

Still, none of that matters. You need neither your magic nor your voice to make short work of these enemies. So long as you hold your Blessed Lance, you can cut a path forward and send these evil creatures back to hell. The first Mogall you fall upon hardly has time to act upon exiting the glass chamber it was imprisoned in. Your spear punches a burning hot hole through its eye, skewering the monster and sending it to fall in a head on the floor dead.

>20 XP Gained! (40/100)

With your voice muted, you’re unable to give orders to the rest of your party. Fortunately, they’re able to get the message well enough and push forward towards the end of the hall. Uriel once more follows your lead and plunges his spear into the second Mogall you had left behind. You’re able to effectively eliminate the second set of Mogalls before they’re able to inflict their area of effect damage on your party. Likewise, the third set of Mogalls that had been released are quickly dealt with thanks to Lysithea’s magic and a few well-placed arrows from Ashe. The Blackwings are then able to continue pressing further up the hallway to meet the incoming Fenrir. However, with Sebastian deep in slumber, you find yourself taking his place in the frontline.

Up close, the large wolf looks as though it could be as tall as you if it stood on its hindlegs. It jumps up and lashes at you with its sharp claws, catching you across the shoulder and ripping off one of your pauldrons in a spray of blood. Gritting your teeth, you take a step back and thrust your spear forward, catching the wolf in it’s open mouth as it attempts to take a bite out of you. The holy enchanted Blessed Lance tears through the Fenrir just as easily as it did the Mogall, and the creature all but disintegrates at the touch of your weapon.

>Blair -7 HP (39/56)
>20 XP Gained! (60/100)

Much like before, your comrades are able to make short work of the beasts as they continue moving forward as one cohesive unit through the cramped hallway. Corrine, you notice, has been forced to focus on restoring Sebastian back to consciousness, foregoing her ability to heal the rest of the group.

“Well don’t just stand there, Hypatia!” Diogenes’ voice echoes. “Do you know how long it took for us to make those Fenrirs? Not to mention finding enough suitable squids large enough to fit a Crest Stone in! Hurry up and do something! Show me that Agarthan pride you love so much!”

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>>5596684
Even from this distance, you can see the loathing on Hypatia’s face. Evidently working under this Sage is a taxing endeavor. Hypatia sheathes her Sleep stave to retrieve an additional unknown staff that had been strapped on her back. Summoning the magic from within her Silence staff, this time her target is Lysithea. The tiny girl can only utter a quick gasp as her voice is stolen by the weapon. Even with her dual crests, she’ll be powerless to act without the use of her magic.

The second staff that Hypatia raises to the sky is a crimson shade of red. Pointing it forward, you’re unsure what exactly it’s supposed to be, until suddenly Scratch screams and begins clutching her head.

“Hey, are you okay?” Clay puts a hand on her shoulder only to be thrown back into Theo by a single swipe from the bandit.

“I recognize this magic!” Damian shouts, panic in his voice. “She’s been berserked!”

That wasn’t good. You remember your last encounter with a berserked warrior. Mina’s dance had pushed that man’s abilities well passed their normal limit. Even the normally impregnable Sebastian had a difficult time contending with him. And now, not only was the victim in question one of your allies, but it was someone who wielded a Crest that allowed her to rip her enemies into pieces with just her bare hands. You move to shout to the others to stay away from Scratch, but the only thing that comes from your mouth is a horrible rattle as you’re still unable to speak due to the effects of Silence.

“S-stay back! I’m warning you!” Scratch swipes at invisible enemies only she sees as the others give her a wide berth.

“W-wait! I can totally get her to calm down!” Mina shouts. That’s right, she could. Mina possessed the ability to lull enemies into a slumber with a special dance she could perform. Allegedly, at least. You’d never seen it actually work yourself. In fact, the last time she tried to do this was the same time you’d ended up fighting that berserked mercenary. The girl had trouble concentrating under stressful circumstances, and right now you were struggling to think of how this could get any more stressful. Should she fail again, there was a possibility this situation could grow all the worse. She looks at you desperately for approval of her plan. You figure you’d better give her an answer soon, as behind you, you’re able to hear the sound of glass shattering and more Mogalls making their move.

>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
>B): Try and restrain Scratch.
>C): Attack Scratch and put her down.
>D): Write-in

> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)

>Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>Yes

There it is. Mina's Grace Super Berserks the target on a miss, but Scratch is already Berserked anyway. Though honestly, considering Scratch's stats and Crest, she's probably going to one-round someone either way unless we attack her. Thus, the best option is probably the gamble here-- Yara's Premonition is a good use here, I think.

>>5596686
>>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)

> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
> yes

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>Yes

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
>Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>Yes
So if Mina misses this does it mean that Scratch will become Ultra Berserk?

>>5596686
>>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
>>Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>>Yes

>>5596686
>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>Yes

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Rolled 79 (1d100)

>A): Allow Mina to use Mina’s Grace (60% Chance to Succeed)
> Use Yara’s Premonition?: (+20 to Success)
>1-80 means Success

>>5597615
WHEW!

>>5597615
...Not even close, baby.

>>5597615
Thanks Yara!

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>>5596686
Despite her readiness to volunteer herself, Mina looks scared, and rightfully so. She’s seen firsthand the danger that her magic could produce when utilized incorrectly. You begin to question the effectiveness of this plan when Yara lends a reassuring hand on the dancer’s back.

“Have faith in yourself, girl. The spirits tell me that this will be your most stunning performance yet.” The dark mage says with a smile. Yara’s words seem to reassure her, and Mina seems to regain some semblance of confidence. You give the girl a curt nod to go ahead and attempt to soothe over Scratch, while you and the others look towards taking out the Mogalls before they become a problem.

Mina’s movements, which you recall having once been awkward and janky, now seem to flow together more smoothly. She dances as if to a rhythm only she can hear, making sure to utilize the shawl that she received from Dorothea in her moves. Though nothing appears to happen at first, you notice that Scratch is no longer growling threats and curses at those around her. Her hands slowly fall off her head, and she begins to straighten her back, looking around her surroundings with evident confusion.

“Eh? Did I fall asleep again or something?” She says, completely oblivious to the effects of Hypatia’s berserk magic.

“Impossible!” Hypatia seethes, taking a step back on the platform she’d been standing on. The Mogalls move forward ready to attack, but you and Uriel are already there to meet them with your Blessed weapons. You once more thrust your spear forward into the disgusting creature’s large eye before it can attack the group with its unholy magic, while the veteran Knight of Seiros does the same. The two Mogalls once more go down with a single blow.

>20 XP Gained! (80/100)

While it may not seem it thanks to the effectiveness of your weapon, the Mogalls themselves are extremely resilient to mundane weaponry and magic. With Lysithea silenced, Ashe, Ava and Caleb are only able to take out one of the creatures before the other is able to use its magic to once more suck some life energy from the group.

>-5 HP (Blair: 35/56)

With the defeat of the second set of Mogalls, there is now nothing left standing between you and Hypatia. The priestess, who has been overlooking the fight from her platform, is now looking rather pale as the combination of Demonic Beasts and her magic has failed to stop your advance.

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>>5598986
“To think they’d have not one, but two weapons blessed by the Goddess!” Diogenes’ voice echoes. “I certainly could not have predicted an outlier such as this. I’m afraid things are beginning to look grim for our experiment, my dear Hypatia.”

“Lord Diogenes, you must assist me!” Hypatia pleads. “If I fall here, there will be nothing stopping these vermin from reaching you!”

“It’s always so tiresome, hearing you whelps prattle on about your superiority to these “vermin” while being unable to do anything without my assistance! Very well. I will summon the Elder Bael and allow you one more chance to salvage this mess. Let’s see if you can come out on top.”

The ground underneath you begins rumbling as before your eyes, a creature nearly the size of a small home burrows through the dirt, blocking your way through. With several legs and beady red eyes, you quickly deduce the monster before you is some sort of giant spider. Venomous drool drips from its mandibles and onto the floor, sizzling. It lets loose a horrible roar as it stands on its hindlegs and readies itself to attack. You and Uriel quickly stab at the creature with your Blessed weapons, hoping to destroy it before it can cause you harm. While you both successfully manage to wound the creature, you note that the damage you deal is far less than what you’d normally do against a Demonic Beast.

“This beauty is a personal project of mine.” Diogenes remarks. “You’ll find no Crest Stone inside I’m afraid.”

Hypatia meanwhile, having regained her composure, once more draws her staves. This time, she targets Corrine with her Silence Staff, while lulling Mina to sleep.

>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)
>B): Strike down the Elder Bael alongside your comrades.
>C): Heal yourself with an Elixir (2/3)
>D): Write-in

>>5598989
>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

>>5598989
>>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

>>5598989
>>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)
.Kinda funny the option to solo the Bael is a default option and not the opposite of having the party attack Bael while we personally attack Hypatia.

>>5598989
>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)
>>5599230
Hypatia: Nooooo you can't just have everyone gang up on me while you solo my backup! I'm the boss of this chapter!
Blair: What you are is annoying

>>5598989
>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

Man, all these status effects are annoying. We should give some offense staves to Elizabeth and Corrine at some point.

>>5598989
>>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

>>5598989
>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>A): Distract the Elder Bael and allow your comrades to run by and attack Hypatia (SPD Roll: 1-78 to Succeed)

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>>5598989
The Elder Bael has proven to be immune to the effects of your Blessed Lance. With enough effort, you’re sure that you and your allies can eventually lay it low. However, that would allow Hypatia to continue to harass you with her staves. Now that Mina and Corrine have been neutralized, any more status effects may prove to be deadly. Instead, you decide that you’ll distract the Elder Bael, and allow someone to sneak past it and take out the Agarthan sorceress. Despite still being silenced, you’re able to make eye contact with Ashe. Perhaps you owe it to the bond the two of you share, but your lover is able to make out your idea from a few quick hand signals and head nods. Hoisting your spear up, you charge alone towards the giant spider.

The Elder Bael immediately snaps its attention towards you, perhaps recognizing that you were the one that inflicted damage on it earlier and wishing to pay you back. Standing once more on its hind legs, it plunges down in an attempt to crush you flat. You swiftly dodge to the right as the spider’s legs crash into the floor, kicking up dirt and stone. You slash at its limbs, not looking to inflict any major damage, but simply hoping to continue to distract it so that Ashe and the others can corner Hypatia. The spider whips around and tries to snap at you with its disgusting mandibles, but even in these cramped quarters, you prove to be far too fast for the creature. The Elder Bael quickly finds itself tripping over itself as it focuses solely on you.

“Kill her! Hurry up and kill-” Hypatia begins shouting only to be suddenly cut off. Sparing a quick glance behind you, you see that Ashe and Milly have quickly climbed up to the platform and attacked the Agarthan. Both of them have drawn their daggers and now hold them to the cleric’s throat, having wrestled the staves out of her hand, effectively neutralizing her.

The spider once more raises its legs to attack you, only to stagger back in pain when an arrow launched by Ava lands directly in its eye. The creature roars and begins moving erratically as you take a step back. The Bael is then knocked to its side when Sebastian charges into it with his spear. The heavily armored general manages to send the creature onto its back, exposing its stomach. The spider’s underbelly proves to be far less durable than the rest of its body had been. Damian and Yara, working in tandem, manage to shred through the creature’s innards with their magic, killing the beast. While it lays there dying, as if on cue, you feel the Silence spell waning and your voice returning.

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>>5600315
“Let go of me! Let go! No!” Hypatia shouts. The Agarthan has been removed from the platform upon which she was standing, restrained, and brought towards you by Ashe and Milly. The others gather around as well, tending to the various wounds and status effects they received.

“Quite the mouth on this one.” Ava remarks. “Slit her throat and put an end to all that yapping.”

“No! Please don’t!” Hypatia begs. “D-don’t kill me! I can help you! You heard the Sage. Diogenes has abandoned me. Worse yet, he’d kill me for failing him! I have no more loyalty towards that fiend! Let me help you!”

“And what help could you possibly provide?” Ashe asks, holding the knife closer to her throat. “Haven’t you done more than enough as is?”

Hypatia stares you in the eyes, pleading. “Y-you’re no ordinary mercenaries. You’re here for the half-breed, aren’t you? We have her. She’s still alive, but she’s hidden underground. The tunnels down here go on for miles and are interlaced with magic of our kind. You’ll never find her without the help of an Agarthan. L-let me go and I’ll show you how to find her! I’ll even fight with you! Your group needs a healer! Please!”

The half-breed? Did she mean Anemone? Or possibly Eulalia? You’d seen no signs of either of them during your time down here, but Stormy seemed sure that Anemone was somewhere inside the castle. The Agarthan magic that Hypatia mentioned must be similar to the one employed by Anemone back in Edmund Forest.

“This woman’s done nothing but make our lives hell since we arrived.” Ava says, crossing her arms. “Kill her and let’s be on with it.”

“Your call, Blair.” Ashe says.

>A): Kill Hypatia
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.
>C): Write-in

>>5600318
>A): Kill Hypatia
Die monster! You don't belong in this world!

>>5600318
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.

Knock her out and tie her up. We can pump her for information later, and once she leads us to Anemone/Eulalia, we can decide on whether to get rid of her or not.

>>5600318
>>A): Kill Hypatia
1849374792284793 dead mole people

>>5600318
>A): Kill Hypatia

>>5600318
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage
She's incredibly more useful as an hostage for a myriad of reasons. Even if you want to kill her, killing her later with Anemone ought to prove more satisfying. Just make sure she's properly restrained, and that no one's getting sweet talked by the snake.

>>5600318
Goddamn this is a hard choice, I do like cowardly people like her but she is a snake and might backstab us if Dionysis forgives her... But I dont' see him doing that so maybe she won't betray us... Fuck it.
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.

>>5600896
We'll kill her later tho

>>5600318
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.

She's also a useful tool to prove that the mole people are real.

>>5600318
>A): Kill Hypatia

>>5600318
B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage

>>5600318
>>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.
She's not trustworthy, but this is Fire Emblem and Blair isn't completely brutal, so she gets one more chance

>>5601095
Remember in Fates Conquest route where you could execute Shura and you'd obtain his boots? Fun times

>>5600318
>>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.

>>5600318
>B): Leave Hypatia alive as a hostage.

B Wins. Writing!

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>>5600318
>“Leave her be. We’ll take her with us as our hostage.”

“What?! Are you daft, Blair?!” Shelley asks you incredulously.

Perhaps killing Hypatia here would be the sensible thing to do. You could certainly see yourself doing it easily enough in any other situation. But the truth of the matter is that you’re in unknown territory, fighting an enemy you know nothing about. Your only point of contact is missing, and the woman before you may be the only one capable of helping you find her. Hypatia would face justice, you’d be sure to see to that. But in the meantime, it may be prudent to keep her alive.

>“You heard Diogenes. That was her last chance and she failed. Seems the Sage has no more use for her. We might as well take advantage of her as we progress further within.”

Hypatia’s face lights up at the small glimmer of hope she’s been granted. “Yes! That’s right! He abandoned me to die here. At least let me help you so that I can get even with him!”

>“First, you’re going to heal all of the wounds we received during that last battle. Then, you’re going to tell us what lies ahead. After we kill Diogenes and retrieve the ‘half-breed’, we’ll decide what to do with you.”

“Y-yes! Right away!” Hypatia, having been deprived of the various staves in her possession, wastes no time in healing you and the others back to full health. Her aid allows Corrine to save the vast amount of energy she would have needed to expend to do the same. The Blackwings barricade the door to the next room to allow themselves a brief moment of reprieve. As Hypatia begins working on another merc, you decide to start questioning her.

>“This ‘half-breed’ prisoner of yours that you’re holding. How long have you been keeping her for?” You ask.

“S-several months now. Diogenes considered her too valuable to kill, and wished to utilize her as a test subject.”

>Months? So, then this must be Eulalia, the Arcadian that had been kidnapped previously. “You knew that I was here to save her. How?”

“We know all about you, Blair d’Rusalka. We were informed that you fought the Sage Odesse only a few months ago, coming to the aid of the half-breed village. Your timing here coincides with the arrival of the traitor, Anemone. We know that the two of you are working together, and then you’ve declared yourself our enemy.”

>“Good to know I’ve grown popular. You say you’ve seen Anemone?”

“Isn’t she with you?” Hypatia asks, eyes narrowed. “One of our own, Phaedo, encountered her but quickly lost the trail. When Diogenes found out she was here, he’d planned on killing our captive himself. But that brute Kendo interfered before we could act. It seems you arrived just in time.”

>Interesting. So, Anemone was found by this cell of Agarthans, but wasn’t captured? Then where was she? You decide to try a different line of questioning. “Tell me about what else Diogenes has waiting for us.”

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>>5601742
Hypatia shakes her head. “Nothing. You’ve reached the end. The next room is where we perform our ‘surgeries’. Beyond that is our sanctum, where Diogenes most likely is residing. There are other tunnels and passages, where we’ve kept various experiments and tools that we’ve used, but they should be empty now. We’ve depleted all our resources trying to stop you before you could reach the sanctum.”

>“That’s it? No more traps?”

“No. This place predates even us. It’s a remnant of our ancient civilization. A temple to our old gods, as well as our place of work. To layer it with traps would be counterproductive.”

>“One last question. Diogenes mentioned that our men outside were in danger. Is that true?”

Hypatia nods. “Yes. As we speak, those mercenaries are in battle with a slew of Demonic Beasts that we’d hidden within the city. They’re being led by Phaedo, our associate. If you don’t hurry back, it’s likely they’ll be wiped out. But only Diogenes holds the key to dispelling the magic he’s placed over the castle. If you were to try and trace your steps back now, you’d find yourself back where you started. The only way through is forward.”

You maintain your composure, suppressing the urge to kill this woman. There were 200 Blackwings currently camped outside the city, with very few captains to lead them. It would be up to Roxanne, Boleslav, and an injured Nero to hold the line somehow. This woman would pay for her part in all this. You’d see to that for sure.

“There…I’m all done.” Hypatia breathes heavily as she finishes applying healing to the last Blackwing, Sebastian.

You’re on a strict time limit, where every second wasted could mean the death of your comrades outside. With everyone back at full-health and ready to fight once more, you save the additional questions you have and remove the barricade you’d set up, proceeding into the “surgery” room that Hypatia had mentioned. As you walk inside, you’re immediately greeted by the horrific stench of blood and decay. The room itself is square, with various tools and instruments lining the walls. The occasional blood stain serves as some of the only decorations you see. In each corner of the room, there are four objects that look almost like pillars. You feel as though you’ve seen them somewhere before but can’t quite place from where. In the middle of the room is what looks like a bed, surrounded by various unknown contraptions. And sitting there next to it, is Diogenes, still in the guise of Wally the Cook.

“Blair! You made it! And I see you even brought along Hypatia with you.” He stands from where he was sitting, greeting you as though you were good friends. “Tell me, are you up for one more trial?”

>A): Rush in and attack Diogenes
>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.
>C): Write-in

>>5601743
>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.

And now in true fire emblem fashion, we're going to have to fight a mind controlled or monsterized Eulalia.

>>5601743
>>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.
Yeah knowing Diogene he's propably turned Eulalia into some fucked up beast 'It's a rare opportunity to turn one someone with the same blood as I into a beast' or something like that

>>5601743
>>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation

>>5601743
>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.

Hm. Heal, Silence, Sleep and Berserk... I was expecting a fourth combat staff, but Hypatia having a healing staff makes sense.

>>5601743
>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.

Don't want to pull an Ephraim here.

>>5600318
>A): Kill Hypatia
I call BS, she's absolutely going to betray us first chance she gets and I don't feel like giving her one.

>>5602083
God damn it too late, how do I delete this

>>5602086
Just vote again

>>5601743
>>B): Something seems off. Standby and observe the situation.

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Something about this situation seems off. Despite being outnumbered, as well as having his associates and various creations killed or captured, Diogenes hardly seems bothered. You understand the Seven Sages to be vastly powerful sorcerers. Had Professor Byleth not intervened, it’s likely that Solon would have killed you and several of your friends. And then there was Odesse, who seemingly had the ability to summon Demonic Beasts at will. You had no doubt that Diogenes was someone of equal power to those two, but could he really be so confident as to expect to come out of this unscathed? Instead of rushing in to attack him, you instead hold still, not allowing yourself to be sucked in by his provocations.

“I’ve been observing your battles here this entire time.” Diogenes continues. “Though I mourn the loss of my pet out there, it was fascinating watching how precisely you operate when backed against the wall. Still, don’t you want to get even stronger?” He pats the bed-looking furniture with one hand. “I could work wonders with someone like you. With my aid, you might even be able to surpass him!”

>“Who exactly are you talking about?”

Diogenes smiles. “I’ll tell you if you let me operate on you. Needless to say though, that bandit isn’t the only person I’ve gifted a Crest too. There are others. Others who know you well, and I daresay would love the opportunity to tear you into pieces if they found you within reach. You have no shortage of enemies, Blair d’Rusalka. And you won’t stand a chance against them the way you are now. But with my help, I can turn you into one of the greatest warriors in all Fodlan. All I ask in return is that you allow me to bend you to my will.”

>“Very generous, but I think I’ll have to decline. I have no interest in your poisoned gifts. Stand down and release the spell you’ve placed over this castle, and I promise to at least give you a swift death.”

“That’s right, asshole!” Scratch yells, stepping forward. “You better do what she says, cause I can promise you I won’t be so quick.”

Diogenes laughs. “Such a headstrong spirit you have. I believe that is the true secret to surviving the Blood Reconstruction. You’re not so different from little lady Lysithea over there. In any event, I may be outnumbered, but I don’t intend to give in so easily. I said I had one more trial for you, did I not? This entire exercise has been for the purpose of pitting my own Agarthan creations and endeavors against your own Human struggles. All so that I may finally find the answer I crave! Which of us is truly-”

“Lord Diogenes!” Hypatia cries out from within your grasp, interrupting the Sage and struggling to free herself. “Please! Save me from these savages!”

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>>5602684
“Hey, quit yapping!” Scratch says, pulling the captured Agarthan back.

“Hypatia.” Diogenes says. “I’d almost forgotten you were here. Of course, I’ll save you.”

The Sage extends one hand towards the trapped Agarthan, who suddenly vanishes from your hand. You instinctively take a step back at the sudden use of magic, only to see Hypatia reappear at Diogenes side.

“My lord!” She cries, getting on her knees and clutching at the Sage’s legs. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“You lying bitch! I thought you were going to help us!” Scratch yells out.

“Why would I ever help vermin like you?!” Hypatia spits. “We’re enemies! I hate you! I hate you so much it’s unfathomable! Humans are nothing more than our natural prey!” She gets to her knees and faces Diogenes. “My lord, I’m at your side. Let us vanquish these fools together!”

“That’s right.” Diogenes says. “I saved you from dying at the hands of these ‘vermin’ you hate so much. And now, you’ll help me defeat them.”

You almost think your eyes are deceiving you when you see Diogenes plunge his hand into Hypatia’s chest. The Agarthan cleric shrieks in pain as the memories come flashing back to you. You’ve seen something like this happen before. This is the same manner in which Kronya died. Those four pillars in the corner of the room. They were there when Solon killed her. And after which, he-

“I told you that I admired your devotion towards killing Agarthans, Blair!” Diogenes removes his hand from Hypatia’s chest as the cleric falls to the floor. Something pulsates in his hand, from which you sense a dark energy growing heavy. “Truth be told, it’s a pleasure we have in common!” Hypatia weakly raises a hand towards the Sage, who merely sneers in contempt towards her.

“I have no need for failed experiments.” Diogenes says. “And I have no need for failed subordinates either!” The room grows impossibly cold, as if a harsh wind is somehow blowing in underground. Everything around you erupts in a torrent of loud noise. You can barely hear the Sage over the hollowing winds, but you’re certain that yourself, as well as your comrades are screaming. “The Forbidden Spell of Zahras shall envelop you all!” A dark void that seems to be consuming the entire room appears between you and Diogenes, and it begins growing larger. When you peer inside, you can see nothing but pitch darkness.

>A): Try and attack Diogenes with your magic.
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.
>C): Stand still and let the void take you.
>D): Write-in

>>5602686
Rip Hypatia, your heals were pretty nice.
So I had to rewatch the scene where Solon did his little chain jerking spell and yeah we don't have Byleth's deus ex machina so let's back the fuck away.
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.

>>5602686
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.
This is what happens when we don't immediately kill Agarthans.

>>5602686
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.

Honestly, I really should've expected him to just yoink Hypatia seeing as he's been warping around right in front of Blair, never mind all of Blair's prior experiences.

>>5602686
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.

Hm. Maybe we should assume that all of the Seven Sages have access to this spell. Unfortunately, I think the only one who *could* possibly escape this is Clay, and that's banking on the idea that he's actually a dragon, but we won't know for sure.

Hopefully, not rushing in will help us avoid it. Short of plot armor or something else in the darkness, anyone who gets nabbed by this will probably permanently disappear.

>>5602686
>>C): Stand still and let the void take you.
It's harmless

>>5602686
>>5602724
>C): Stand still and let the void take you.
Changing my vote to this.

>>5602686
>>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.
I told you we should never trust em

>>5602686
>C): Stand still and let the void take you.

>>5602686
>C): Stand still and let the void take you.

>>5602686
>A): Try and attack Diogenes with your magic.
Yeah I see no reason why Blair would stand still. But I also don't really like retreat

>>5602686
>B): Attempt to retreat into the previous room.

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>>5602686
Upon staring at the void that is Zahras, you immediately attempt to retreat into the room you came from. You find however that your legs betray you. Zahras is a spell that consumes all, and you quickly discover it impossible to escape from its all-compassing grasp. Try as you might, you and your allies are slowly sucked closer towards the void. Hypatia had told you there were no further traps ahead. As far as she knew, that was the true case. She hadn’t been lying, she just never expected to be sacrificed by her own lord. You lead the pack amongst your allies being drawn into Zahras, and it’s all you can do to try and keep your composure. You struggle in vain, knowing that the Professor won’t be here to save you this time. Just as you near only a few inches away from your doom, you spot a figure suddenly emerge from behind Diogenes.

Diogenes himself also notices the figure suddenly appear and shifts his body around to face them. He manages to avoid what looks like a fatal attack, only to find the arm that was holding Hypatia’s heart severed from his body.

“You!” Diogenes hisses as he clutches the wound where his severed appendage had once been. With Hypatia’s heart having been dropped to the floor, the void of Zahras has immediately disappeared. The gravitation forces that had been pulling you towards it have vanished, as has the cold wind that had been harshly blowing. You fall to your knees exhausted, looking up and taking a good view at your savior.

“You’ve proven to be rather one-dimensional.” Alena remarks dryly. “You were so focused on your own worthless experiments, that you failed to notice I’d snuck into the castle and had been hiding down below. That Leicester soldier and Blair here had you sufficiently distracted. Enough for me to bide my time and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike you down.” Alena, or Anemone rather, wields the same Crescent Scythe she’d once stolen from you as she draws in closer towards Diogenes. “Opening a rift to Zahras…for a supposed man of learning you really are a fool. Our gods are dead and have long abandoned us. Poking around in their realm is nothing short of pathetic.”

“Remarkable!” Diogenes breathes heavily. “You people are full of so many unexpected surprises! But I’m not done yet. This trial will just have to take on a new form.” Alena swings her scythe where Diogenes had been standing only for the Sage to disappear and reappear behind her. He raises the one hand he has remaining, and you are greeted with the roar of several creatures coming from within the various tunnels that surround the room. “If you want me, come and get me! Though I suggest you hurry. I still have some pets standing, and they’d love nothing more than to come and say hello!” As the Sage retreats into the final door at the far edge of the room, you can hear the unmistakable sound of flapping wings coming from the tunnel.

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>>5603974
“Blair!” Anemone calls out to you. “Are you okay?!” She extends a hand forward to help you back to your feet.

>“Look who finally decided to show up.” You breathe out. “Have you been watching us this whole time?”

The half-breed shrugs. “I knew you’d have things under control. I figured it would be best to wait until Diogenes had made his move and then strike at him when he was at his most vulnerable. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish the job, but we’ve got him cornered. All we need to do is go in there and finish him off.”

“Easier said than done!” Corrine yells over the noise. The flapping of wings you note is getting closer. “What is that?!”

“Gargoyles.” Anemone says, nonchalantly. “Nothing we can’t handle, but they’re meant to buy Diogenes some time so that he may recover. Or worse, escape.” She turns towards you. “We need to act fast. Pick your strongest fighters and we’ll finish him off. The rest can stay here and cover our back from those creatures.”

>“Choose a few?’ You ask incredulously. “Can we really take him on with such small numbers?”

“We’ll have to try. Hurry up and choose! The longer we take, the more power he’ll regain!”

From one of the tunnels nearby, you get your first look at the “Gargoyles” Anemone had mentioned. The creature appears to be some sort of hybrid of a human and bull, sporting wings and a wicked looking trident within it’s hand. It stares at you, before bellowing loudly and summoning more of its kind from within.

>Choose five units to join you and Anemone

>Diana, Corrine, Caleb, Shelley, Milly, Theo, Ava, Sebastian, Damian, Yara, Uriel, Clay, Mina, Ashe, Scratch

>>5603980
Here are my suggestions.

>Shelly and Diana
The left and right wing. There are probably better choices out there, but they buff Blair's stats, and if we have the two of them, we can perform the Triangle Attack. If we can't use the Triangle Attack because we're dismounted, we should probably pick someone else though.

>Corrine
Powerful axe user and decent healer. A-Support is nice too.

>Ashe
Bows are super-effective against Gargoyles. Plus he should be able to handle himself in melee with a dagger.

>Uriel
His Blessed Lance and Slayer ability should make short work of the Gargoyles, and apparently, he's got Mend, which makes him a decent choice. Other alternatives I think would be Scratch, Clay, or Sebastian.

>>5603980
>Scratch, Shelly, Diana, Corrine, Damian
I'm picking these guys for these reasons, Scratch is strong and it would be nice for her to be here for the narrative, Shelly and Diana to make the triangle of course, Corrine to add axe and healing to the mix and finally Damian because of his rally magic, now I believe Diogene will use magic attacks so having people with high resistance for this is good and with Anemone joining us Damian's rally magic would really boost both hers and Blairs magic damage.

An alternative team is swapping Scratch or Damian with Yara so we can abuse her premotion even more.

>>5603980
>Scratch, Shelly, Diana, Corrine, Damian

Unfortunately, we already used Yara’s premonition.

>>5603994
Supporting

>>5603980
I think Corinne, Uriel and Ashe have to stay behind, Corinne to make sure our men don't die behind us, Uriel for his blessed lance and Ashe for his bow to kill the gargoyles.
Let's take:
>Scratch
So she can get her revenge
>Clay
He definitely has a crest, I believe it might he interesting to see what happens with him there, and he can handle himself.
>Damian
For the buffs and high Res
>Shelly and Diana
Well, I had two slots left, so...

>>5603980
>Scratch, Clay, Damian, Shelly, Diana

>>5604154
This

Shelly, Diana, Scratch, Damian, Corrine win. Writing!

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>>5603980
You quickly settle on the five mercenaries you wish to accompany you. Even accounting for your lack of pegasi, you have extensive experience fighting side by side with Diana and Shelley. Scratch has proven herself to be an extremely powerful warrior thanks to the addition of her Crest, and it seems as though she’d appreciate getting a chance to thank Diogenes in person for experimenting on her. Damian should come in handy should you require the aid of another magic user. And Corrine will be there to ensure none of you die prematurely. You bark out their names quickly and the group steps up ready to accompany you forward.

“You’re forgetting someone.” Lysithea says, stepping up as well. “I’ve waited for this moment my entire life. There’s no way I’m not going to be there when he’s finally done in.”

>You see no sense in trying to dissuade her. Rather, having another Crest user at your side only serves to fill you with more confidence. “Very well, you’re with us.” You turn to Uriel. “Think you can handle things while I’m gone?”

The veteran paladin nods. “Best of luck, Commander.”

“Get em’ Blair! We’ll be fine.” Ashe promises, firing an arrow off at one of the grotesque Gargoyles. The creature is sent crashing to the floor dead, only to be replaced by two more.

Knowing you have no further time to waste, you and your small party venture forth into the room that Hypatia had described to you as the ‘sanctum.’ You find yourself in a circular-like room that looks remarkably different than the ones you’ve seen thus far. Unlike the others which were stained with blood and gore and Demonic Beasts that were abound, this one almost resembles a place of worship. Instead of the pillars that were decorating the previous area, this room contains several statues, each depicting some sort of different humanoid figure you’re unable to distinguish. A stained glass window lines the back wall, bearing the image of some sort of strange, black figure that closely resembles that of a dragon. And in the middle of the room, waiting for you, stands Diogenes. He’s shed his human disguise for what must be his true form. The Sage, as ghostly pale as the others of his kind, has a shock of white hair with some sort of intricate markings strewn across the left side of his face. You notice that he’s somehow even managed to grow another hand in the short while since you last saw him. Once more, despite his current predicament, he seems as aggravatingly confident as ever.

>“You’ve made a costume change. I don’t care much for the new look.”

Diogenes laughs. “We’ve reached the climax of our experiment today. There’s no need for me to hide my true self any longer. Only one of us gets to leave here alive. Show me what the famed ‘Agarthan Hunter’ is capable of!”

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>>5605547
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ge5UHftWHo

Two weapons materialize within Diogenes’ hands. In his right, a strange looking curved sword, covered in runes and which looks to be made out of Agarthium. In the other is a large, ornate staff with wings adorning its tip. Diogenes clashes both weapons against each other, and before your eyes, appears to summon three additional copies of himself.

>Diogenes
>Level 40: Trickster
HP: 150/150 HP
STR: 28
MAG: 32
DEX: 28
SPD: 38
LUK: 10
DEF: 26
RES: 34
Weapon: ??? Sword (+10 DMG, Poisons foe on hit)
Rewarp Staff: (3/3 Uses, Teleports user 10 spaces away)

You’re unsure what type of magic this is, but the figures before you look real enough to give you worry. The Diogenes that directly faces you sports a wicked looking double-sided axe made from Agarthium, while the two behind him wield a similar looking sword and spear respectively. In the back, the “true” Diogenes, twirling his curved sword and stave, takes cover behind his “allies.”

“More of them? How fucking annoying is this guy?!” Scratch complains loudly.

>“Any idea what this is?” You ask Anemone.

She shakes her head. “Dark magic far beyond what I’m capable of. Those are no illusions. If they strike you down, you’ll be sure to feel it. Still, they’ll only be around for as long as Diogenes is standing. If we take him out, they should disappear along with him.”

>A): Leaving those copies up is too dangerous. Let’s strike them down one at a time.
>B): We only need to kill the real Diogenes. We’ll aim for him.
>C): Have your party members distract the copies, while you deal with the real Sage yourself.
>D): Write-in

>>5605549
>B): We only need to kill the real Diogenes. We’ll aim for him.

>>5605549
>B): We only need to kill the real Diogenes. We’ll aim for him.

>>5605549
>B): We only need to kill the real Diogenes. We’ll aim for him.
If this ability works like the duplication skill in Fates then harming any single one would harm all of them, but I doubt that's the case as it would be far too easy to defeat him, so let's just single in on the main body.

>>5605549
>B): We only need to kill the real Diogenes. We’ll aim for him.

I will admit that I'm a little worried that the copies are going to use the Rewarp Staff to mess up our formation, but that's pretty much a given, I think. Each copy (and Diogenes himself) has 150 HP each, as well, so that might be tough. I suppose we'll just have to rush him down and hope for some lucky crits.

>>5605549
>A): Leaving those copies up is too dangerous. Let’s strike them down one at a time.
Ignoring them is a recipe for disaster, especially considering he can whittle us down over time with the poison before just teleporting to the other side of the room.

>>5605549
>>C): Have your party members distract the copies, while you deal with the real Sage yourself.

>>5605549
>A): Leaving those copies up is too dangerous. Let’s strike them down one at a time.

>>5605549
>>A): Leaving those copies up is too dangerous. Let’s strike them down one at a time.

Switching...

>>5605636

to

>A): Leaving those copies up is too dangerous. Let’s strike them down one at a time.

I'm a little worried that the copies will snipe one or two of our fighters-- we didn't exactly bring our bulkiest lads. And since Diogenes has 150 HP, it's unlikely we'll burst him down in time (especially since Diogenes has enough Speed to prevent doubles from pretty much everyone).

This is slower, but we should hopefully be able to manage it.

>>5605549
>>C): Have your party members distract the copies, while you deal with the real Sage yourself.

A wins. Writing!

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>>5605549
>“They look powerful. We’ll play it safe and try taking them out before dealing with the Sage himself. Focus your attacks on the one in front!” You command.

“Fine by me!” Lysithea shouts. “I’ll blow them all away!” Activating her Crests, Lysithea begins the battle with an explosion of dark energy that engulfs the four enemies in front of her. As the spell subsides, each of the four Diogenes’ looks to have taken damage, though only the real one in the back shows any signs of discomfort.

>-20 HP All Enemies

>Crit Roll (1-46)
>26, 54 (First Hit Crits)
>28 STR + 10 (Killer Lance+) = 38 – 26 DEF = 12 DMG + 3 (Left Wing) = 15 (DMG x 3 = 45 DMG, 15 DMG)
>Diogenes D2 (70/150)

You charge forward and deal a devastating blow with your Killer Lance to the Diogenes wielding the battle axe. While the copy itself sheds no blood, the attack slices through your foe’s midsection in what would have been a fatal blow to any normal human. The copy makes no sound or indication that it’s hurt, and quickly recovers by trying to bat you away with its axe. However, you prove to be far faster when on the attack and avoid it, retaliating by slashing it across the face. Once more, it makes no sound or noise upon being hurt, but you can tell that piece by piece it’s beginning to break apart.

“Save some for me!” Scratch shouts, joining you at the front line. While her Crest does not activate this time, her fist finds itself flying into the copy’s side, and then once more across its face, delivering a crushing blow that pulverizes it in.

>Scratch: 35 STR – 26 DEF = 9 DMGx2 + 5x2 (Tormentor) = 28 DMG
>Diogenes D2 (42/150)

A javelin tossed by Diana lands squarely in the copy’s chest, forcing it to take a step back. Shelley follows up with a downward cut from her Wo Dao, continuing the assault.
>Shelley Crit Roll (1-40)
>Shelley (Crit Miss)
>Diogenes D2 (16/150 HP)

>Anemone
>Lv. 42 Dark Flier
HP: 72/72 HP
STR: 27
MAG: 40
DEX: 30
SPD: 47
LUK: 5
DEF: 20
RES: 39
Personal Skill: Hide (Less likely to be attacked by enemies if others are present)
Weapon: Crescent Scythe++ (+15 DMG, 15% Crit)

“It’s weakened!” Anemone shouts. “Leave it to me!” From the backline, Anemone begins channeling a vast amount of magic. A pillar of white moonlight engulfs the badly damaged copy of Diogenes. Recognizing the spell to be Luna, you watch as her target is instantly disintegrated by the resistance-piercing magic in an explosion of bright light.

>Diogenes D2 (0/150 HP)

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>>5608014
Continuing the assault, Damian follows Lysithea’s lead and unleashes an area of effect Bolgalone attack. Searing flames erupt from the ground and engulf the three remaining foes. Though his magic is not as potent as Lysithea’s, he still succeeds in managing to damage each opponent at once.

(-4 HP All Enemies)

With a flourish of his staff, Diogenes and his copies disappear from your view. Snapping your head to turn around, you see that they’ve warped themselves into the midst of your backline. The real Diogenes, wielding his curved Agarthium sword, chooses Corrine as his target. He slashes her across the abdomen, causing her to double over. Quickly regaining her footing, she tries to swipe at the Sage with her axe but finds only air. He dances out and around her before leaving a grisly cut that pierces through her armor and causes her to scream.

>Corrine (11/47 HP) (POISONED -5 HP a Turn)

The Diogenes that wields a spear chooses Damian as his target. He plunges the lance into the former noble’s chest before brutally ripping it out. Damian, being quick on his feet, manages to back up before he can strike again and bathes his foe in a torrent of flame. Though not strong enough to kill thanks to the copy’s high resistance, it still manages to inflict some damage.

>Damian (7/34 HP)
>Diogenes D4 (117/150 HP)

Lastly, the copy that wields a sword targets Lysithea for an attack. The girl shrieks as she takes a hit on the shoulder that causes her to lose all the feeling in her arm. She counters with a gout of Crest-empowered dark magic that engulfs her foe’s body, sending it sprawling back unable to counterattack her.

>Lysithea (6/30 HP)
>Diogenes D3 (97/150 HP)

Both copies take up arms and move to guard the real Diogenes once more. Having now seen them in action, it looks as though they’ll instantly counterattack anyone who tries to strike the real Diogenes in melee range, though they won’t extend the same courtesy to other copies.

>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.
>B): Take out another copy.
>C): Have your party members distract the copies, while you deal with the real Sage yourself.
>D): Write-in

>>5608016
>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

Doesn’t get better.

>>5608016
>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.
Why go for the copies? If we just focused on the real one this would probably all be over by now.

>>5608016
>>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

>>5608016
>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

>>5608016
>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

The real Diogenes is out of position, sandwiched between our fighters and our backline. Now's the time.

>>5608056

Seeing now that the copies instantly counterattack anyone who tries going for the true Diogenes, and learning that Anemone has Hide... I'm now a little convinced that if we didn't kill D2, either Lysithea, Damian, or Corrine would've been KO'd. Of course, this probably would've been fine if we were able to snipe the real Diogenes, but... he was all the way in the backline. Attacking would've provoked counterattacks and we might've lost someone.

Of course, I could be talking out of my ass, and just voted on the wrong play, but that's just how I see it.

>>5608016
>>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

>>5608016
>>A): Go for the kill on the real Diogenes.

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>>5608016
You find yourself growing enraged upon having seen Diogenes beating on Corrine. With one of the copies taken care of and the real Diogenes softened up by Lysithea and Damian’s magic, you decide there’s no better time than now to rush in for the kill and finish off the Sage. You give out the command to target the real Diogenes, ignoring the copies, and lead the charge with your Killer Lance. He grins as you rush in to approach him, and his copies move forward in his defense. You have no intention of stopping your charge though, even as the two of them lash their weapons out towards you.

>Diogenes D3: 38 - 23 DEF = 15 DMG
>Diogenes D4: 38 - 23 DEF = 15 DMG
>Blair: 26/56 HP

The copy that wields the spear stabs you in the left shoulder while the one with the sword manages a cut across your abdomen that draws forth a gush of blood. The pain is brutal, but you continue to plow on through, focusing on your target and swinging your spear with all your might.

>Crit Roll (1-46)
>7, 67 (First Hit Crits)
>28 STR + 10 (Killer Lance+) = 38 – 26 DEF = 12 DMG + 3 (Left Wing) = 15 (DMG x 3 = 45 DMG, 15 DMG)
>Diogenes D1: (66/150 HP)

Your first attack is perfect, and the glaive catches Diogenes on the side of his neck. Had this been a normal opponent, no matter whom, their head would have been sent flying from the sheer force of your swing. Whether the Sage is somehow defending himself with magic or just has a wildly different anatomy than you, his head remains on tight, albeit with a large spray of blood showering you. The Sage’s arm that holds the scimitar lashes out, cutting you across your breast and piercing through your armor. You’ve been completely blinded by your rage though, and refuse to let up on the attack. You catch him again with your backswing, slicing through his other arm.

>Blair: 11/56 HP (POISONED: -5 HP a Turn)

“Was that supposed to hurt?!” Diogenes taunts you, grinning and spitting blood. “You’re closer to death than I am you fool! Did you let your anger get the better of you? You’re nothing like him at all!” He raises his arm to deliver a killing blow against you, when he finds himself engulfed by twin sets of moonlight. He looks past you to find a badly wounded Lysithea, being propped up by Diana. Next to them is Anemone, both mages targeting the man with their own individual Luna spells.

“My parents…my siblings…all the people of Ordelia. This will feel like only a fraction of the pain you’ve caused them!” Lysithea declares, activating her Crests.

“For Eulalia.” Anemone says, gathering magic around her.

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>>5609578
The Sage, grievously wounded from your attack, is unable to dodge or warp out of the way. The two seasoned mages cast their respective Luna spells, and you back away from the doomed man at the last second. Diogenes is engulfed in two overlapping pillars of white light that grow white hot. You turn away from the scene, blinded by the sheer brightness of the attack. Though you do not witness the damage that it deals, you can hear Diogenes screaming at the top of his lungs and feel the heat emanating from where he was standing. The Sage’s copies begin disintegrating as the pillars beam down on their master, and when they finally dissipate, Diogenes is sitting on his knees, either dead or as close to dead as can be.

>Diogenes D1 (0/150)
>100xp Gained!

>Blair Weaver
>Level 37 Seraph Knight (80/100)
HP: 56 (90%) + 1 = 57
STR: 28 (40%) + 1 = 29
MAG: 25 (50%)
DEX: 25 (45%)
SPD: 39 (65%) + 1 = 40
LCK: 28 (30%) + 1 = 29
DEF: 23 (50%)
RES: 22 (40%)
CHARM: 23 (45%)

After witnessing the explosive display before you, you quickly fall on your back. Between your general exhaustion, blood loss, and now the poison coursing through your body, you haven’t felt so close to death in a long time. You momentarily pass out for what seems like a few seconds, only to open your eyes to see a bloody Corrine staring down back at you.

“Are you still with us?” She asks you, concern evident on her face even as she’s battling her own wounds. Her healing stave is clutched in-between her arms.

>“I must be. This doesn’t look like heaven.” Your sister lifts you up to your feet. Corrine must have restored you back to health in the brief moment you were passed out, as you can no longer feel the poison running its course through your body. Scanning the room, your allies are tending to the wounds they received using their vulneraries and elixirs. Diogenes is still kneeling on the floor, seemingly dead, steam pouring off his badly burned self.

>A): Explore the room.
>B): Inspect Diogenes.
>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles.
>D): Write-in.

>>5609580
>D): Make sure Diogenes is dead, then check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles.

>>5609580
>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles
I trust Anemone will make sure he doesn't fuck off with magic going all like "I was merely PRETENDING! haha"

>>5609580
>>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles

>>5609580
>>B): Inspect Diogenes.

>>5609580
>>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles.

>>5609590
Support

Edelgarde is a hoe

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Just a heads up that I will soon be in the woods for about a week with no real internet access. As a result we're going to go on a short hiatus until likely this Sunday, 3/26. Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves how this may be an Agarthan conspiracy until I return.

See you then!

>>5609580
>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles.

>>5609580
>C): Check up on the Blackwings fighting the gargoyles.

We can explore more once the area is secure. Also...

>“You’re closer to death than I am you fool! Did you let your anger get the better of you? You’re nothing like him at all!”

I wonder who Diogenes is referring to here when he said 'you're nothing like him at all!'. Blair's dad, maybe?

>“I must be. This doesn’t look like heaven.”

Hah, Blair thinks she's going to heaven. Clearly, we need to do more warcrimes.

>>5610503
No problem. Enjoy your trip, Tree!

>>5610699
>I wonder who Diogenes is referring to here when he said 'you're nothing like him at all!'. Blair's dad, maybe?
it's almost certainly Rex, he's been talking about and comparing Blair to another fighter, and since they're both aerial fighters and lots of Blair's achievements somewhat mirror Rex's early career, Rex is a very obvious rival or counterpart to Blair, as well as someone who I think would leap into getting a Crest

>>5610503
Oh fuck ThreeHouses is going snake hunting IRL, go get them champ!

>>5610859
Huh, yeah, that tracks.

>Rex with a Crest

Oh dear god, we're fucked. He's got one of the legendary spears, too. Hope we get the chance to reacquire one even though we missed the chance to nab it in the timeskip (worth though-- Beathan's life > legendary spear).

I wonder if Clay's offer for cresthood is still open...

With Clay and Scratch around, I wonder if Lysithia has a chance to actually survive after the war this time around. Perhaps she'll be able to find Diogene's notes as well.

>>5610503
Take care. Beware of the mole people and snake people.

>>5611344
I can easily imagine Blair being given a chance to do a quest or two for Lysithea to improve those odds
>>5611069
as the anon who suggested the name Beathan, yeah I don't mind saving our companion over a piece of loot that wouldn't even really be ours anyway

>>5611532

Good on you, anon. It was a pretty cool name choice!

>>5611344
Hopefully so. Unlike 3H canon, Lysithea has a greater access to this information than usual, so it'd be nice for her to make it out, for sure. I do wonder if she'll ever willingly perform the Crest Reconstruction Surgery on someone else, even if she ends up perfecting it and making it 'painless', so to speak.

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>>5609580
>“Can I trust you to take over from here?” You ask Anemone, motioning towards Diogenes’ unmoving body. As much as you’d love to investigate the Sage and his sanctum, right now you had allies in the other room who were still battling those Gargoyles. And they weren’t the only ones. If what Hypatia had said was true, the Blackwings that you had left behind were also in the midst of fighting for their lives.

She nods. “I can take it from here. He’s dead, there’s no doubt about that. His illusion magic faded the second his life was taken in that blast. I’ll search for Eulalia as well as any other additional clues that might help us. You should tend to your comrades outside. When this is all done, I’ll catch up with you and we can discuss what transpired here.”

With everyone having healed themselves as much as they could, you proceed into the prior room, where you’d left Ashe and the other Blackwings. The first thing you find is one of those monstrous creatures being sent flying in your direction to land splat against the wall, an axe wound fresh in its chest courtesy of Theo. The room is littered with the bodies of several gargoyles, and you arrive just in time to see the final few being put to the sword. Ashe holds the final gargoyle underfoot where it squirms, before planting an arrow right between what would pass for its eyes. He stares up at you upon noticing your arrival.

“Blair! You’re back! Did you deal with that villain?” He asks you.

>“He’s as good as dead. It looks like you all didn’t have any problems down here?”

“There were a lot of them, but it was nothing we couldn’t handle.” Theo says. He motions towards Uriel, who is finishing off a wounded gargoyle with a mercy thrust of his Blessed Lance. “Thanks to gramps and his fancy spear over there, they didn’t stand a chance.”

“Yes. We were fine, but I worry for the safety of our comrades who may have remained behind outside.” Uriel says. “They were not so fortunate as to have blessed weapons to defend themselves. Has that blasted Sage’s fel magic finally faded?”

“Our commander tells the truth of the Sage’s downfall.” Yara says. “I can no longer sense that foreboding presence that harried us during our stay here. We should be able to now leave the castle with no issue.”

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>>5616570
With the battle over, you and the others begin making your way out of the underground Agarthan laboratory and back above ground. Curiously, you notice that you reach the top of the stairs and the castle’s dungeons far quicker than when you had descended them. Diogenes must have somehow been using his magic to make it seem as though you were far deeper in the earth, but now that he’s gone, you’ll no longer have to contend with such tricks. The doors of the castle, which had previously been reported as being locked shut, now finally give way when your men push through. You’re greeted by the warm sensation of the sun beaming down on you. A feeling you gravely missed as you fought your way through that maze.

“Something’s wrong.” Clay says upon arriving outside. “Where’s our escort?”

Indeed, the group of Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Riders that had helped escort the Blackwings across the dangerous ruins of Ordelia were nowhere to be seen. Only your mount, as well as Diana’s, Shelley’s, and Ava’s, remained. There was also Stormy, meandering around the outside of the castle as it likely still sensed Anemone below. Not nearly enough mounts to ferry all of you across the city where hordes of townsmen turned into bloodthirsty killers were still meandering.

“We’d told Roxanne to come and lend us a hand if we hadn’t returned.” Shelley says. “It’s not like her to miss a fight. It seems that loathsome cleric may not have been lying after all.”

“So, what now? Are we walking?” Caleb asks. “Can’t say I’m too fond of the idea given the locals don’t exactly seem to be at their friendliest right now.”

“We aren’t completely bereft of transportation.” Ava says. “Those of us with our mounts remaining here can go scout ahead and find out what’s going on. We can even ferry a few people over ourselves. Though given that all we’re left with is pegasi, we’d have to leave behind our male comrades for now.”

“I can’t say I love that idea either.” Caleb says. “We’re already depleted from all that fighting down below. Splitting up to potentially fight another unknown enemy may not be the wisest idea. Perhaps we should just cut a path through. Surely Lysithea here knows the quickest path back to our comrades. It’ll take longer, but there’s strength in numbers.”

Lysithea looks exhausted. The girl’s clothes are in tatters, and she can barely seem to keep her focus even after having slain her long-hated enemy. “I can help…but I’m still not keen on having to cut through the townsfolk like that. Especially if there was a clue down below that might be able to help us in restoring their sanity.”

>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings
>B): Clay’s right. Strength in numbers.
>C): Write-in

Welcome back, Tree! Did you kill any snakes?

>>5616571
>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings

The way I see it, if they're still fighting, they need some assistance *right now*. It's a shame we can't bring the lads, but even Blair on her own can be an aerial bombardment unit, so it's worth going.

Alternatively, we could instead try pushing through the city, but it'll take longer, and we'll be even more worn down by the end of it-- even if we do have more bodies to support the Blackwings.

>>5616571
>>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings

>>5616571
>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings


They’re back!

>>5616571
>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings

>>5616571
>>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings

>>5616571
>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings

>>5616571
>>A): The few of us that can still fly will go ahead and find out what happened to the other Blackwings
We welcome you back into the world of the living

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>>5616571
>“We already know our allies are in trouble. We don’t have time to go running through the city now. Especially when danger is bound to be lurking around every corner. If we get into a fight, we’ll just have to take our chances. Lysithea, you’re with me. Corrine, Yara, Scratch, the three of you ride tandem with Shelley, Diana and Ava. The rest of you will have to wait here. Once we get to the bottom of what’s going on, we’ll come back and pick you up.”

Without wasting any more time, you and the others take your leave and begin flying over the devastated city of Ordelia. Looking down below, things don’t appear to have changed much in the few hours since you were last here. You can still make our shambling shapes meandering in the ruins, looking for the next victim unfortunate enough to be found. Lysithea seems to hold out hope that these people could somehow be saved now that Diogenes had been dealt with, but barring a miracle, you just couldn’t see how that might be possible.

“Blair! Up ahead! Do you see that?” Lysithea says from over your shoulder.

As you drew closer to the Blackwing camp on the other side of the city, you could begin to make out the unmistakable shape of something flying in the sky. It was far too large to be a pegasus or a wyvern, and as it began hurtling a spray of fire down below, you worst fears were confirmed. This was a Demonic Beast, and it was attacking your men.

“We’ve got trouble! Its spotted us!” Lysithea yells.

>“Good. I’ll knock that ugly thing out of the sky in one shot!” While you’re physically exhausted from the day’s events, you’ve only barely tapped into your magical reserves. The Demonic Beast draws closer towards you to attack when you notice that it’s bleeding, with several arrows jutting from it. In its current state, it easily falls victim to a single Aircalibur spell, eviscerating the creature and sending it careening down into the ground below.

>20xp Gained! Level Up!

>Blair Weaver
>Level 38 Seraph Knight (0/100)
HP: 57 (90%) + 1 = 58
STR: 29 (40%)
MAG: 25 (50%) + 1 = 26
DEX: 25 (45%)
SPD: 40 (65%)
LCK: 30 (30%)
DEF: 23 (50%) + 1 = 24
RES: 22 (40%) + 1 = 23
CHARM: 23 (45%) + 1 = 24

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>>5617712
Down below, the scene is absolute chaos. Several Demonic Beasts run rampant, battling against the Blackwing mercenaries. Even from your quick glance on high, you can tell that your men have suffered no shortage of casualties. An armored figure that you recognize as Roxanne charges forward on her massive horse against a Demonic Beast that resembles a giant wolf. Its claws meet her axe, only for the beast’s paw to be lopped off in a geyser of blood. As it howls and falls to the floor on its side, several infantrymen begin stabbing at it with their spears, putting an end to the creature. You spot several other Demonic Beasts also littering the ground, though there are still five of the wolf-like monsters fighting with your men.

>“This is madness! Who’s controlling these beasts?!”

As you scan the surroundings for any sign of Agarthans, your eyes come across a figure standing on a nearby hill, seemingly watching the battle ensuing below. From your position in the air, it’s hard to make out any discerning characteristics about this person, but they appear to be male. Moreover, they’ve since stopped watching the fight to stare directly at you from across the chasm of violence. He appears to look up at your pegasus for a few more brief seconds, before turning his back and seemingly walking away from the scene. Hypatia had told you that the Agarthan that had been maneuvering outside the castle was named Phaedo. Could that be him?”

“Blair, what’s the holdup?!” Lysithea yells. “Those guys are in serious trouble!”

Indeed, they were. A wolf had managed to snatch one of your archers within its enormous jaws, crunching through the poor woman while her comrades fled in terror. It quickly devours the remains, before heading off towards the direction of one of your carriages. You needed to help them, and fast. But if that man you saw really was Phaedo, could you really let him get away? You could potentially split your forces up, having your allies assist the Blackwings while you pursued the suspect alone. But it was possible that decision would not afford you victory on either front.

>A): Pursue the potential Agarthan
>B): Your priority should be coming to the aid of your men.
>C): Pursue the potential Agarthan, alone.
>D): Write-in

...Gah, tough choice. Blair's the only one who can provide aerial bombardment (on account of her ebon pegasus and magic skills), but the others are needed to relieve pressure on the ground forces too. If we had all our guys, I think a split would've been viable, but doing so now would leave our forces dangerously thin.

On one hand, we could let Phaedo go-- we've already killed the Sage and (most of) his assistants. On the other... he's 100% going to run off, report to the Agarthans, and be a thorn in our side later.

That being said, if Phaedo *is* controlling the beasts, killing him now will make things easier on everyone. Hopefully.

>>5617714
>C): Pursue the potential Agarthan, alone.

To be honest, I don't know if Blair can solo an Agarthan without support if he's anything like the other ones, but... Maybe we can snipe him with Bolting and finish him off with a lucky crit, I dunno.

>>5617714
>>A): Pursue the potential Agarthan

>>5617714
>B): Your priority should be coming to the aid of your men.

>>5617714
>C): Pursue the potential Agarthan, alone.
1v1 let's go

>>5617714
>>B): Your priority should be coming to the aid of your men.
Prudence stings

>>5617714

>>5617714
>B): Your priority should be coming to the aid of your men.

>>5617714
Shit, got it wrong.

>>5618712
Was me, somehow stuffed it.

>C): Pursue the potential Agarthan, alone.

>>5617714
>>B): Your priority should be coming to the aid of your men.
Power of friendship and all that

B's have it. Writing

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>>5617714
You grit your teeth. This was a cowardly assault on your men, perpetrated behind your back while you weren’t there to defend them. You’d love nothing more than to gut this Phaedo bastard, but as things stood now, you could not afford to shirk your duty. The Blackwings down below had been fighting without you to lead them for long enough. It was time that you come to their aid and drove these beasts back. You divebomb towards the giant wolf you saw that was headed towards one of your carriages, with Lysithea holding onto you tightly. A bout of dark magic hits the beast directly in the head, causing it to stagger in pain. In its current state, you find it easy enough to plunge your Blessed Lance into its skull, with the enchanted weapon burning a hole straight through to its brain.

>20xp Gained! (20/100)

“The commander is back!” A nearby mercenary shouts upon spotting you.

“Commander Blair!”

“Fight harder! Don’t disgrace yourselves in front of the commander!”

As if responding to the death of its kinsmen, another Demonic Beast turns its head towards you, howling loudly before charging forward. It never gets the chance to attack though, as both Diana and Shelley join your side on their pegasi. The three of you instinctively go into Triangle Attack formation, and while this breed of Demonic Beast seems to be both nimble and durable, it is unable to withstand your coordinated assault. It paws feebly at your two comrades, completely missing them and leaving itself open to a direct strike from your Blessed Lance that nearly lops the creature’s head off.

>20xp Gained! (40/100)

“She took it out in one shot!”

“Kill them all, commander!”

“Look who finally decided to show up!” Roxanne says as she trots her mount up next to yours on the ground. Her armor is badly damaged and she’s covered in gore, but otherwise looks to be in fine shape. “Did you do what you came here to do?”

>“We did. Our target is dead.”

“Good, because we’ve lost a lot of men here today. I hope all this was worth it.” She lifts her visor back up and turns towards the last Demonic Beast remaining. “Bastards popped up out of nowhere and caught us off guard. I’ll tell you all about it after we take this last one out.” She begins galloping forward towards the giant wolf, while you and the others follow.

The wolf stands its ground, and launches a large fireball from its mouth at the Great Knight, only for the spell to dissipate when it comes into contact with one of Lysithea’s own attacks. Roxanne lashes out with her axe, cutting deeply into one of the creature’s front paws. As it howls and stands on its hind legs, you thrust your Blessed Lance into the monster’s throat. It falls onto its back, limply kicking and thrashing its limbs, before finally laying dead on the ground, joining about a dozen or so other Demonic Beasts.

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>>5619747
“That’s the last of them, Blair!” Shelley reports.

>“Corrine, start tending to the wounded! How many Wyverns do we have left that can take flight? I want the others that we left at the castle brought back immediately!” You turn to Roxanne, who is now dismounting and removing her helmet to reveal a messy tangle of blonde hair, drenched in blood and covered in bits and pieces of what you assume are Demonic Beasts. “I’m glad you’re safe. We’d heard you came under attack, but were trapped inside the castle, unable to leave until we slew the mage responsible. What the hell happened here?”

“It’s as I said. We’d been sitting here twiddling our thumbs waiting for you to get back, when all of a sudden we had a slew of these beasts attacking us from behind.” Roxanne starts. “Haven’t the faintest clue where they came from, but they had air support in the form of those winged creatures as well. Boleslav did a great job of taking a lot of those ones down. Without him and his snipers there’s a good chance those things would have roasted us all by now.”

>“Where is he?” You ask, not having seen the portly bow captain.”

“Didn’t make it.” Roxanne says, shaking her head. “One of those creatures incinerated him and a few others right before you showed up. He went down like a true warrior.”

>You bite your lip. “What’s the loss of life like, you reckon?”

She shrugs. “Of the 200 we started with…I’d say we’re probably down to about 150. Not counting wounded of course. There’s quite a bit of those as well. Though if you hadn’t come when you did, I think things would have been a lot worse. The men were on the verge of breaking, and with Boleslav and Nero gone, I couldn’t keep them all under control alone.”

>“Is Nero dead too?”

“Don’t think so. He was in no condition to fight after that wound he took in the city, so he was hiding in one of the carriages. Surprisingly, the beasts never got to them. Seems they were focused more on taking as many lives as possible.”

>“Tell me, did you see someone nearby? Anyone that could have perhaps been shepherding those beasts?”

“Like back in Edmund Woods? No, I didn’t. If there was someone like that, they were making sure to stay well out of sight. In the chaos of battle, I’d have likely overlook them.”

This was a disaster alright. Try as you might, you can’t help but recall Yara’s words from before. Was this foul turn of events really because you chose to ignore the omen that she had warned you about? You shake your head. Utter nonsense. You have no time to worry about baseless superstitions. What’s done is done. Now you need to regain control over your company and lead them out of this blasted place.

>A): Assist with tending to the wounded.
>B): Attempt to raise morale amongst your troops
>C): Assist with ferrying the others you left behind at the castle.
>D): Write-in

>Boleslav's dead

Fuck, bros. He was cool, too. I wonder if this was because of the omen, or if it was a team comp issue.

>>5619748
>B): Attempt to raise morale amongst your troops

Treating the wounded and ferrying the others at the castle are all jobs for the grunts. We need to do our job as a leader and address the hard-fought victory the men have earned, and the bloody losses it took to achieve it. Who knows, maybe we'll be able to galvanize the men into joining our crusade against the Agarthans.

Personally, I'd be happy to pay the survivors a bonus, and send a bit of money back to the families of the fallen. Maybe even set up funerary arrangements here, if we have the time.

>so he was hiding in one of the carriages
>It quickly devours the remains, before heading off towards the direction of one of your carriages
nero was next. sucks we lost boleslav.
>>5619748
>B): Attempt to raise morale amongst your troops

>>5619748
>>C): Assist with ferrying the others you left behind at the castle.

>bite your lip
You're only supposed to do it in front of Ashe, Blair!

>>5619748
>Boleslav's dead
FUCK

>B): Attempt to raise morale amongst your troops

>>5619748
>A): Assist with tending to the wounded.
Nothing we can do about the dead but we can make sure no one else dies

>>5619748
>>B): Attempt to raise morale amongst your troops

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>>5619748
As you look around you, the situation is undeniably nightmarish. The Blackwings had been coasting on a streak of decisive victories for some time now. The life of a mercenary had its highs and lows. It would be foolish to think that you could continue to get by without suffering a major loss like this at some point. Still, that line of thinking would do nothing to ease the blow these men have taken to their pride and ego. The injured are being carried off to be tended to by the company’s healers, which seem far too few at this moment. You knew it was up to you to try and turn this situation around, otherwise all the other battles that still lay ahead of you would be that much harder. You spot a young man lying on the ground, cradling an injured leg. By the bow on his back, you take him to be one of the company’s archers. Likely one of the few survivors of Boleslav’s unit. Walking towards him, you lend a helping hand to bring the man back up to his feet.

“Commander!” He says, hissing through gritted teeth. Getting a closer look, his leg appears to have been broken. “D-don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine once Lady Elizabeth comes around. You have more important things to do.”

>You’ve never met this person before. With the Blackwings having grown to the size they are, it would be impossible for you to know every single member on an intimate level. Still, he looked much younger than his peers. If you had to guess, he was probably no older than 16 years of age. A boy that showed some promise with a bow and who likely lied about his age to join the company. How long had he been here for? “Nonsense. I can’t just leave you lying on the ground like this. Give me your arm and hold still.”

“C-commander!” The boy protests, but in his current state, can do nothing to resist your strength. You shepherd him onto your back and begin walking to the makeshift area where the wounded are being tended to. As you make your trek, you get no shortage of stares from some of the other mercenaries, many of whom offer to take the boy off your hands. However, you rebuff them.

>“It’s fine. As his commander, I’m happy to carry this warrior who fought so valiantly on my back. I’d do the same for all of you. Never before have I been so proud to call myself your leader.” You let the boy down gently on the grass near your carriages so that he may receive proper medical attention. When you turn, you notice a circle gathering around you, each sellsword within looking bloodied, defeated and tired.

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>>5620849
>“It is in these moments, when we’ve been pushed to our very brink, that I find myself thanking the Goddess for blessing me with this group of soldiers. A group that even when surrounded by abominations sent from the depths of hell itself, does not falter nor waver. Instead, you fight on with all your might, struggling tooth and nail to live another day and see your enemy stricken before you. And even with your lowly commander absent, you still manage to succeed. Because each and every one of you knows what must be done, and you see to it. Our mission today was accomplished. The monster that caused Ordelia’s fall was slain by our hand, and his twisted machinations utterly crushed before the might of the Blackwings. And it was all thanks to your ability to hold the line here today. Our wounded brothers and sisters will be honored. They will be buried, and their families will receive the pay that they have more than earned. This much, I promise to the souls of the fallen. As for all of you, I can only promise what I have so far. This war is far from over, and the battles we have left ahead of us may prove to be even more difficult than we can imagine. Stand by me, and I promise you riches. I promise you more death and destruction. I promise you vengeance, and the chance to avenge the fallen. And I promise that I will give you my all to ensure that the Blackwings succeed. If anyone wishes to leave, I will not stop you. You will receive your full pay and be sent with my blessings. But for those of you who wish to stay by my side, know that we’re hardly a simple mercenary company anymore. We’ve grown into something far greater. Our goal is the complete destruction and eradication of the force behind this resurgence of Demonic Beasts. We struck them a harsh blow today, and Ordelia still stands as a city because of your work here. If you wish to fight for something other than just gold…if you wish to fight for a meaningful purpose and to leave behind a better world, then this is one more thing that I can promise you.”

By the time you finish your speech, just about every Blackwing is staring at you and murmuring amongst each other.

“Well…the boss has done right by us so far…I ain’t leavin.”

“Commander Blair’s made me a rich man. Only right I pay her back.”

“Fighting for something other than gold? That sounds kind of nice, actually.”

The mercenaries continue to murmur and whisper amongst each other, unsure of what to do, when they suddenly clear the way for Roxanne, who steps forward. She’s cleaned herself up a bit, though still looks somewhat worse for wear. She walks towards you, before standing by your side and addressing the company.

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>>5620851
“I don’t know about you louts, but I know damn well I’m staying on! This is the best damn mercenary company I’ve ever worked with, and I say we give the bastards that did this hell!” She yells. The other mercenaries let off a loud roar of agreement. Though it’s still far too soon to say, you think you’ve managed to succeed in turning the group’s morale around.

You’re soon joined by the others you’d left behind at Castle Ordelia, who have now been ferried over by the company’s wyverns. Night is beginning to fall, and as it is still too dangerous to settle inside the city, you decide to set up camp outside.

“Blair.” Corrine starts. “Anemone has returned with someone in tow. I’m guessing it must be Eulalia.”

>“So, she’s alive? That’s good news.”

“She’s not the only one. The group we left back at the castle managed to find Count Ordelia and his wife while they were waiting. He’s with Lysithea now. Naturally, everyone is hoping to get a piece of your attention right now.”

>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.
>B): Meet with Count Ordelia and Lysithea
>C): Meet with your captains and debrief.
>D): It’s been a long day; you’d rather just retire to bed right now.
>E): Write-in

Have they checked the Count and Countess for infiltration?

>>5620854
>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.
Let Lysithea have some time alone with her parents.

>>5620854
>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.

>>5620854
>>C): Meet with your captains and debrief.
Eulalia was called a 'half-breed' by the whatsit with the staves, so I'd hazard a guess she's Anemone's daughter. Though that might be hasty to conclude
Regardless, Eulalia and Lysithea's parents probably both need lots of room to recover. But a proper debrief should occur as soon as operations pause, so that we know the status of our company and our own capabilities. A quick guess like Roxanne's is a baseline, but a proper count should still be done

>>5620854
>>B): Meet with Count Ordelia and Lysithea

>>5620854
>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.

Always happy to see Blair putting in the work to be a good leader. She's got the training and the real-world experience for having led people in the past. Good stuff, Tree!

>>5620854
>Meet with your captains and debrief.

If they didn't know that we're fighting a crusade before, they certainly will now.

>>5619763
>>5621346
Oh, and I'm this anon here. Looks like my IP changed.

>>5620854
>>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.

>>5620854
>>B): Meet with Count Ordelia and Lysithea

>>5620854
>>A): Meet with Anemone and Eulalia.

>>5620854
>>D): It’s been a long day; you’d rather just retire to bed right now.
BED AND BOY

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>>5620854
Hello everyone! After much thought and consideration, I’ve decided that I don’t care much for the direction this quest has been heading in. So, to shake things up a bit, I’m going to be retconning all of your decisions over the last year and REBOOTING the quest to show what would happen had Blair instead chosen to take up arms for the Empire and Edelgard. Seeing as how starting from the beginning again would feel like a drag, I’ll just pick up at where we’d likely be in the other route. I will not be elaborating any further, nor giving any additional context for where we’ll be picking up in our new story.

You may be asking yourself, what was the point of any of this if the QM was just going to force his will upon his players after almost two years of running this quest? Rest assured though, that this decision came after much labored thought, and that it can happen again at any time.

Thank you for enjoying Fire Emblem: Three Houses Quest on the /qst/ board of 4Channel.org!

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>>5622596
The siege of Arianrhod had been going on for several hours and was showing no signs of stopping. The “Silver Maiden”, one of the crown jewels of the Faerghus Kingdom, had earned its reputation as an impenetrable fortress city for a reason. Despite Her Majesty’s best efforts, combined with the sizeable military might of the Adrestian Empire, the knights of the Kingdom were able to withstand every assault thrown at them. Down below you, the endless sea of corpses clad in imperial colors could attest to that. You found yourself here today as Captain Blair d’Rusalka, leader of the 18th Adrestian Pegasus Knight Wing, otherwise known as the Blackwings. And, for better or worse, it was your turn now to enter the slaughterhouse.

>“Our mission is to deal with the Faerghus Pegasus Knights that have been attacking our men below.” You shout with authority to the women under your command. Boasting 200 pegasus knights and an additional 50 wyvern riders, yours was the largest wing here, and for good reason. With your education at Garreg Mach and the skills you’d displayed, you’d proven yourself as an elite tactician. There were those in the Empire that doubted your prowess. How could an up-jumped peasant girl have risen through the ranks of the Adrestian military so quickly? Some thought it was inappropriate for someone of your common standing to have a close relationship with the Empress. Still, none of them would ever dare voice their concerns aloud. After all, your victories over Faerghus, Leicester, and the Church of Seiros spoke for themselves. They’d even earned you a nickname amongst your enemies. Blair d’Rusalka, the dreaded Witch. “The cowards continue to attack us when we are at our most vulnerable, only to skirmish away before we can respond. Is this the famed Faerghus code of chivalry I’d heard so much about?!”

A crowd of boos and jeers shower you as the Blackwings begin hurling insults at the Faerghus pegasus knights that were hovering over the city. You sure knew how to get people going!

>“I grow weary of watching these third-rate amateurs flying around like overgrown pigeons! Come, let us crush them for the glory of Her Majesty and the Empire!” Thunderous applause showers you as you unsheathe your spear and point it towards the enemy. “All knights move forward! Wyvern Riders, to the front, prepare to engage!”

The commander of the enemy pegasus knights was none other than Ingrid Galatea, heir to House Daphnel and wielder of Luin, one of the 10 Heroes Relics. You and Ingrid had met once, back during the giant mock battle at the Academy. You’d manage to knock her out of the battle through the use of underhanded tactics, something that had caused her to gain no shortage of disdain for you.

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Back then, she was undoubtedly stronger than you were, and having watched her performance in today’s battle, there was no questioning that she now eclipsed your skill tenfold. You watch as seven wyvern knights are killed in a brilliant flash of light when Ingrid, leading the enemy charge, pierces through all of them using the power of Luin and her Crest.

“Blair d’Rusalka!” She shouts. Several wyvern knights surround her, only to be cut to pieces as Ingrid activates her Crest once more. Accursed luck, you thought, to have to go up against those damn Heroes Relics. “Quit hiding, coward! Face me so that I might plunge my spear into your wicked heart once and for all!”

“It seems she remembers you. How nice!” Corrine says next to you, riding her wyvern.

>“It’s always good to leave an impression. Are you and Kate ready for this? I’m putting my life in your hands, you know.”

Corrine beams and offers you a thumbs up. “You have nothing to worry about. Our blood is ice. If she steps within range, she’s as good as gone. Just don’t go turning tail when she draws in on you with that lance.”

Ingrid continues her wholesale slaughter unabated. Your men continue to bravely try and subdue her, but to no avail as her and her forces draw in closer towards your position.

>“It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Fighting in the vanguard is all well and good when you’re reading a story, but a Commander’s place is in the back. You’re the most important piece in the game, after all. If you fall, the battle will only turn south. I thought she’d have learned that lesson after the last time, but I suppose when one is able to rely on both a Crest and Heroes Relic, they tend to rely on it as a crutch.”

“Captain! She’s drawing in closer!” One of your aides shouts. Now was the time. To think you were about to entrust your life to this ridiculous plan of yours. It was enough to make you laugh.

Another dozen or so fliers were sent hurtling to the ground screaming thanks to Luin. Now, there was nothing left standing between you and Ingrid.

“There you are! You’re mine, Witch!”

>“Come and get me!” You shout, staying put and bracing yourself for impact.

Ingrid hurtles towards you, both Crest and Heroes Relic activated, poised to strike. Her forces are still a ways behind her, partly because their commander has overextended, and partly so as not to be caught up in Luin’s devastation. You’re close enough to feel the terrifying might radiating off that horrid looking, evil weapon. As she draws near, both Kate and Corrine, who’d been hovering at an altitude slightly higher than yours, spring your plan into action.

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>>5622608
Ingrid pulls her arm back, only to find two nets have fallen onto her from above. The Lady of Daphnel is caught in a tangle from the unexpected attack and slows down a fraction to try and remove the netting. Try as she might though, her situation only worsens as more of your men continue to drop nets on her, disallowing the woman from swinging Luin.

“W-what is this?! Coward!” Ingrid shrieks. You deliver a fatal thrust with your spear to her steed’s skull, killing the beast in one blow. As it begins to descend, several of your pegasus knights manage to grab onto the netting and pull it tightly, effectively binding Ingrid in place.

>“Ingrid Galatea has been captured! Her forces are nothing without her! Push the attack and slaughter these Faerghus wenches now!”

After several more hours of fighting, the Siege of Arianrhod has concluded. The Imperial Army was able to push forward and slaughter the Faerghus defenders down to the last man, thanks in no small part to your disabling of Ingrid. Heroes Relics were a terrifying prospect to come against. Even one could turn the tide of a battle completely. Still, your plan to disable it had turned out swimmingly. You always thought fishing with nets instead of rods was boring, but now you were grateful that Petra had shown you how. You and several of your knights were in the woods just outside Arianrhod, where Ingrid had been taken. The heir to House Daphnel still struggled against her binds, but there was nothing she could do. Red-faced and with tears in her eyes, she stared up at you with intense loathing.

“Have you truly no shame? No honor? You’re a despicable fiend, Blair. Kill me now so that I may no longer have to bear the shame of being in your presence.” She spits out. Luin was lying on the ground several feet away from her.

“We haven’t touched it with our hands, Captain. Just like you said.” One of your girls reports to you. That was good. The last thing you needed was one of them turning into a Demonic Beast. You’d have to send for Ferdinand or someone to retrieve the thing.

“Aww, I don’t want to kill such a cute girl.” Corrine whines. “At least not right away. Can’t we have some fun with her first? I don’t think Her Majesty will mind.”

Ingrid’s eyes widen in fear upon hearing Corrine’s words.

>A): Allow Ingrid the mercy of death.
>B): Mindbreak Ingrid like in that weird Almyran doujin Bernadetta showed you.
>C): Use a Pure Water (98/99)
>D): Write-in

>>5622614
>>B): Mindbreak Ingrid like in that weird Almyran doujin Bernadetta showed you.
VGH what could have been

>>5622614
>C): Use a Pure Water (98/99)

April Fools is always fun

>>5622614
>B): Mindbreak Ingrid like in that weird Almyran doujin Bernadetta showed you.

>Crimson Flower
>/u/

Worst timeline confirmed. Let's see how far we can go.

>>5622614
>B): Mindbreak Ingrid like in that weird Almyran doujin Bernadetta showed you.
We must go deeper

>>5622614
>D): Write-in
Keep Ingrid in the same dungeon you put all your cute boys and girls captives in

>>5622614
I definitely laughed reading this
>D): Write-in: Give her over to your best friends, the Agarthans. Her Majesty still had some misgivings about them but the more you worked with them the more you saw how right they were about everything

>>5622614
>B): Mindbreak Ingrid like in that weird Almyran doujin Bernadetta showed you
Lesbian mindbreak!

>>5622604
It would have been nice to be a knight

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>>5620854
You’re clearly at your limits here but turning in for the night when there was still so much work to be done would hardly be a good look. There was plenty you wanted to ask Anemone now that you’d have a second. You tell Corrine to bring the Agarthan and her charge to your command tent so that you may speak privately. You head there first, changing out of your armor into something more comfortable and fishing a fine vintage Leicester wine from the bottom of your trunk of belongings. After the day you’d had, you felt you deserved it. You lean back and close your eyes until you sense your tent opening. Anemone stands there, still in the guise of Alena, joined by a sad looking pale girl with white hair. Her shoulders are slumped, and you notice that she’s leaning onto Anemone for support. More telling is the scar running down her left eye, which looks to be fresh.

“Blair.” Anemone nods in your direction. “I must thank you for your aid. When I sent Stormy with that missive, I wasn’t sure he’d reach you in time.”

>“I must say, you weren’t particularly forthcoming with the details.” You speak your mind. “I thought we’d be coming in to lop Agarthan heads off. Little did I know we’d have an investigation on our hands.”

“The identity of the Sage and his comrades were as unknown to me as they were you. Besides, I had faith that you’d use that brain of yours efficiently.”

>“Lucky for all of us.” You turn to the unknown girl. “Is this Eulalia?”

Eulalia simply stares at you, not answering at first. Only when Anemone prods her and lets her know that you’re okay, does she open her mouth. “Yes, my lady. Thank you for your help in saving me.”

“Let’s start from the top.” Anemone says, sitting opposite form you and snatching the bottle of wine you’d opened. Did Agarthans have the same tolerance for alcohol as humans did? You’d have to ask her another time. “When I’d arrived to the city, I quickly concocted a way to sneak into the castle through the use of an old tunnel thought long abandoned. I’d been getting ready for my infiltration when, during one of the city’s holy feast days, chaos struck. As you’ve likely already deduced, the townspeople had been poisoned much in the same way those in Remire had been. I’d estimate at least half of the city had been turned into those shambling husks you’d seen before.”

>“Did you find anything in Diogenes’ possession that might lead to us curing those people?”

She shakes her head. “A few things. I’ve yet to have the time to fully go over my findings, but I don’t believe we’ll find a magic wand that can bring those who’ve lost their minds back to normal. If it’s any consolation, the human body is not conditioned to undergo that sort of drastic change for long. Most of those who drank the poisoned water are likely already dead, or if not, will be in the next few days. The fighting in the city should then subside.”

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>>5625133
>“Perhaps ‘consolation’ is a word your people have some different meaning for.” You snatch the bottle back. “What happened next? You popped up from behind Diogenes as if you had been standing there the entire time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the assistance. Had he finished casting…whatever that Zahras thing was, I imagine we’d all be dead right now. But why’d you take so long?”

“Just as I was sending off Stormy to you, I’d been found by one of the Sage’s men. He was in the guise of an Ordelian Knight, seeking their duke.”

>“That must be Phaedo. We didn’t kill anyone matching that description.”

Anemone nods. “I’d managed to avoid capture, and then spent the next few days scurrying across the city like a rat. I’d arrived in the castle just a few hours before you’d shown up. It seemed like everyone was being confined in the great hall, which gave me the opportunity to snoop around. I sensed that piece of Agarthan magic Diogenes had been using to conceal the underground area, and I made my way down. When I discovered an entire Agarthum sanctum, and one attuned to Zahras at that, I knew that Diogenes would not hesitate to use it if pushed to the edge. So I hid myself and my presence, and waited for the right moment where I could strike at him and disrupt the spell.” She grabs the bottle back and takes a swig. “I knew you could handle everything else, of course. My faith in you was not misplaced.”

>“You hid down there the entire time and Diogenes didn’t notice?” You ask, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ve been hiding from attention my entire life, Blair. From humans, from Agarthans, from anyone who might mean me or my people harm. With the proper spells weaved and knowledge of the surroundings, it’s a trivial thing for me to remain hidden. That’s why I’ve led the charge for dealing with the outside world on behalf of Arcadia. And why one would need many more years of training and diligence before they could think to emulate what I do.” She spits the last part out somewhat venomously, and Eulalia bows her head deeper than you’ve seen anyone do.

>“Are you okay, Eulalia?” You ask the girl, attempting to throw her a bone. However, the girl simply nods and does not respond.

“She’s not ready to speak with others just yet.” Anemone interjects, grabbing the bottle. “Other than Elias, she never had much practice in speaking with your kind before. It’ll be a while before she grows more comfortable. Still, she’ll be an invaluable asset to our mission. Eulalia here is something like our blacksmith at Arcadia. She has an almost preternatural understanding of weaponry, both human and Agarthan. The work that she performed on that Agarthan Scythe you brought me was better than Shambhala could ever hope to produce.”

>“That I brought you?” You ask, annoyed as the memory of you being robbed resurfaces.

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>>5625134
“Never mind that.” She waves you off, before reaching into her pack and retrieving what looks like a piece of paper. “Amongst the items I found on Diogenes’ person, there was this. It seems he had time to write us a farewell letter before we reached him. He was even kind enough to not write it in Agarthan.”

You accept the letter from Anemone, opening it and reading it aloud for the room.

>“Blair,

>If you find yourself fortunate enough to read this, it means that you have prevailed and that I am no longer amongst the living. While you may believe that this is an upsetting outcome for me, the truth is that I welcome it. Above being one of the Seven Sages of Agartha, I am a scientist. Progress is the only thing that matters to me. The fact is I’ve grown disgusted with my race. For all our claims of superiority, we’ve found ourselves entirely fixated on the past, unable to move forward or evolve. We’ve clung on to humans like a parasite, controlling them from the shadows whilst making sure they are unable to advance too far passed us. Even our very bodies, twisted by millennia living underground, have regressed from the beautiful forms we once knew. We’ve become a twisted mockery of the people that once ruled over vast cities and brought the Goddess Seiros to her knees. I have no intention of going easy on you. I fully intend to fight you with all my might, and failing that, I will send you into the inescapable void that is Zahras. To do any less would be a disservice to you and your kind.

>Still, should you come out on top, it will prove to me the theory I’ve held all along. That the Agarthan race is no longer fit to inhabit this world and should be eradicated so that humans alone may flourish and set the world back on its natural course of progression.

>Amongst my possessions, you will find information related to the study and implementation of Crests. Such work is my pride and joy, as I believe these Crests will be the balance breaker that leads to the utter ruin of my people. You’ll even discover the method to extract the Ordelian girl’s Crests, thus returning her lifespan. Though in my opinion, she’d be far more useful to you how she is now. The Arcadian girl that you’ve attached yourself to should be able to understand my work well enough. Allow my efforts to live on, so that I may contribute to the downfall of Shambhala.

>This will be the only form of aid I provide you, for I have no interest in making the game too easy for your kind. Know that the six Sages that remain will stop at nothing to see you dead, and they are not the only ones. I would very much enjoy to see how you struggle against the enemies that have yet to show themselves to you, but alas, my time on this stage is over.

>D"

>A): Ask Anemone what her thoughts on this letter are.
>B): Ask about Zahras
>C): Inquire about what your next move should be from here
>D): Write-in

>>5625137
>B): Ask about Zahras

I gotta say, this is an incredible boon for Lysithia, and anyone else who's been experimented upon. I wonder if Eulalia got that fresh scar from Anemone as punishment. As for Lysithia's crests, I wonder if she would be amenable to having them transplanted to someone else safely, or if she would just end up removing them, and then destroying them.

>>5625137
>A): Ask Anemone what her thoughts on this letter are.

Thanks for being a race traitor, Diogenes. You're a messed up scientist, but you're surprisingly sporting, all things considered.

Also, if Eulalia's a blacksmith, I wonder if she can upgrade our Blessed Lance. It's been super useful for a while and will only get more important as time goes on, so if we could slap some stat boosts on that thing, we'd be pretty well-off.

>>5625137
>>B): Ask about Zahras
>>D) Specifically, tactical implications.
given that this spell has promised to kill blair twice now without any recourse except accidentally being goddess blessed with the right allies in the right place to no-sell it or kill the caster, she might want some tactical info on when she should expect it, other more practical ways to defeat the spell, etc. there are seven sages. if they all do this shit and blair needs to beat the spell even twice more then she's doomed without a better method

>>5622614
Oh jesus these options, it's like reading a quest on Akun kek.

>>5625137
Man, Diogenes is one fucked guy being a race traitor for losing but he's also being a good sport about it? The minds of the slithers.
>A): Ask Anemone what her thoughts on this letter are.
Also we def gotta tell Lysethia about this as soon as we can, i wonder if she'll remove it now or wait until the wars over so she can use it to help in combat before getting her life together.

>>5625137
>>A): Ask Anemone what her thoughts on this letter are.

>>5625352
Supporting

A and B tie. Writing.

>>5625137
You aren’t sure what to make of the letter you just read. How in the Goddess’ name could you trust anything that man had to say? While it’s true he didn’t seem to think very highly of his Agarthan subordinates, the fact of the matter is that he still served as your bitter enemy up until the very end. How many citizens of Ordelia were now dead because of his machinations? Knowing full well what evil Diogenes had wrought, why shouldn’t you burn down what remained of his research and consign it to oblivion?

>“What are your thoughts about this?” You ask Anemone.

She leans back into her chair, thinking for a few moments before answering. “In the short time I had the pleasure of knowing the esteemed Sage, I can’t exactly say he gave me any reason to trust him. Still, I wouldn’t find it hard to believe that someone of his moral character would place priority on his pride and legacy over that of his own people. Besides, what he’s saying isn’t exactly wrong. The Agarthans of Shambhala are a lost cause, actively impeding Fodlan from moving passed the great war thousands of years ago. That line of thinking is the same as what led to Arcadia being formed. I’d hazard to say he’s probably not even the only Agarthan from Shambhala that feels that way.”

>“So, you believe you may actually be able to perform Crest implantation with whatever Diogenes left behind?”

Anemone winces. “It certainly seems that way. That bandit woman you brought on is proof enough he wasn’t lying about being able to implant a Crest without incurring a loss in lifespan. The question is, should we? I notice our Sage refrained from mentioning anything about a cost. In order for the implantation to work, there likely needs to be a source from where the Crest is coming from. We already know that he had a source for Indech, we just don’t know what.”

>“Bernadetta. She’s a friend of mine from back at school. She bore the Crest of Indech. Though I doubt it’s her. I’d seen her recently and she seemed in good enough health. Perhaps her father?” You think back to Diogenes’ words from earlier. “He’d also mentioned something about implanting me with the Crest of Maculi. It’s another Crest of the Four Saints, though it’s even harder to find than Indech. I’m not actually sure who bears that Crest. I never saw it at the Academy.”

“Harvesting blood from a Crest bearer is hardly the only ethical dilemma on our hands.” Anemone continues. “Your entire society is built around Crests. For hundreds of years, it’s how you’ve all decided your nobility. What happens if you can suddenly pick and choose who receives that boon? A perversion of that caliber could spell trouble later.”

>“You don’t believe what Diogenes said about Crests being able to topple the Agarthans?”

>>5626289
Anemone shrugs. “Helpful though they may be, they haven’t been enough to shake the grip the Agarthans have already had on your civilization for thousands of years.”

>“A fair point. Though every little boon we can grasp may provide us an advantage. Especially when there’s so much these Sages are capable of that we’re still in the dark about. Speaking of which, you seem to know something about that Forbidden Spell of Zahras. Twice now it’s almost spelled my doom, only for me to be saved by someone else. I can’t help but think my luck is bound to run out at this rate. What exactly is that thing, and how can I avoid it in the future?”

“Zahras is the home of the Agarthan gods. Perhaps you noticed their likeness, engraved in the sanctum walls underneath the castle? It’s a plane of existence separate from our own. In ancient times, the leaders of Agarthan society managed to travel to that forbidden realm through the use of a blood sacrifice in order to commune with their gods. Those gods are now long gone. They perished when they lost the war with your Goddess. Still, Zahras remains. With no inhabitants, it’s become a lifeless void. A place that those of sufficient rank can call upon to clean up their mess when pushed to the brink. There is no escape from Zahras. Once caught in its grip, you’d need a miracle to escape.”

>“So, there’s no beating it?” You ask. “At any point a Sage can use that spell and suck us all in?”

“The trick to beating Zahras is to not have to deal with it in the first place.” Anemone says. “To use the Forbidden Spell, one need be in a place where the lines between our realm and Zahras are at their thinnest. The Sealed Forest is one such area. It’s why your Church forbids outsiders from entering it. Underneath Ordelia was another. The Agarthan Sanctum that was built there was ancient, predating even the castle. Fortunately, these places are exceedingly rare. Do you recall those four pillars you saw in the room? They’re integral to the magic that is used to open the gate. Breaking just one will cause the spell to fail. If you’re unable to do that, remember that the blood sacrifice of an Agarthan of sufficient rank is also required. If you can crush the sacrifice’s heart before the gate is fully formed, the spell will also fail.”

>“I see. That’s helpful to know. If I ever see those pillars again, I’ll prioritize knocking them down with my magic.”

Anemone nods. “Returning to the topic of Crests, I’d like to know what you’d have me do. I’m happy to remove the Ordelian girl’s Crests should she so choose, though I believe further implantation in others may be a mistake. Still, the choice is yours. This effects your people far more than it does my own back at Arcadia.

>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests
>B): Destroy Diogenes’ research
>C): Write-in

>>5626294
>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests

I don't think Blair getting a crest is necessary, but it would be foolish to destroy information that could be used for the war effort. Information like this needs to be saved so that anyone else who was screwed over by the Agarthans can be saved, instead of being entirely reliant upon one person who literally lives in a hidden village.

>>5626294
>>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests
I'm not picking this for the power up but to help lysithea.

Hm, tough choice.

On one hand, I can 100% see Blair advocating against keeping it. After all, she believes in her own merit, and isn't fixated on Crests by any stretch of the imagination. She also personally knows people who have been affected by Crest Implantation (Lysithea), and is certainly against the use of Crest Beasts (Xavier and Martha). Destroying it means that it will probably take centuries for future research to come anywhere close to its current state, for good and for ill. Morally, this is probably the right option.

On the other hand... Blair is also probably the best candidate to know about this information. For the same reasons listed above, she'd keep these secrets well-hidden, and only really use it if she has no other options. There may be a time when we'll wish we had this knowledge, and not have it available. Pragmatically, this is probably the best option.

There's also the fact that someone may try to replicate these results and use it for evil eventually, but let's be honest, that's going to happen whether we keep it or we destroy it. This is a path to power that is undeniable, really.

>>5626294
C): Ask if Anemone is willing to hold onto it for safekeeping.

She's already going to study this information, so this is probably fine-- Anemone keeping the research notes in her illusory hidden village is probably safer than having Blair walk Fodlan around with it.

This way, we can still access the information if we need to, and it'll be safe from anyone who isn't already trusted by the Arcadians, which I think is a good middle ground. Of course, it may end up putting Arcadia in more danger, but that's why we need to keep our knowledge of this information hidden. If she ends up refusing, I could be convinced to switch to A.

>>5626294
>>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests
Blair the evil witch arc loading...

>>5626294
>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests

>>5626294
>>B): Destroy Diogenes’ research

Are we going to bank on the Hanneman save for our nukemage if we dispose of the crest research? IIRC its the only route-agnostic non-Byleth one where she lives

>>5627770
Hm, where is Hanneman at this point? Which houses leader was he and would have Byleth gotten close enough to him that he'll join her side if they meet again

>>5626294
>>A): Learn the secrets of the Blood Reconstruction surgery and how to implant Crests
yeah I'm down. knowledge is impotent until someone puts it into action

>>5626294
>B): Destroy Diogenes’ research

A wins. Writing!

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>>5626294
You could see the point that Anemone was making. The secrets that lay with Diogenes’ research were invaluable. Entire empires would likely go to war for the chance to grant themselves Crests. Even your own employer Claude would likely be unable to pass up such an opportunity. Perhaps it was better that it be destroyed. And yet, something was causing you to refrain from telling Anemone to do just that. You had no idea what the future held, and whether or not such a boon would be able to serve you well in the battles to come. You’d hold on to the mad Sage’s research, and have Anemone look into the secrets of Blood Reconstruction. It was a nasty choice to make, but so long as it was confined to you and Anemone, you could limit the harm it would do.

>“I think we should hold onto this. There could be something worth learning from it after all. So long as you and I are the only ones that know about it, we should be able to prevent this information from leaking out to those in the Empire and beyond who would wish to take advantage. And at the very least, we should learn how we can help Lysithea win regaining her missing lifespan.”

Anemone looks at you through squinted eyes. “Well, as I said. This decision affects your people, not mine. If you so wish, I’ll investigate the matter and see what I’m capable of figuring out. Provided you have no issues with it, Eulalia and I will be staying with you and your company for the time being. At least until we can fully decipher what Diogenes had left behind. With the heat that we’ve likely drawn from Shambhala with our actions today, it seems a safter bet than making the trek back to Arcadia.”

>“Does this mean I should consider you two as members of the Blackwing mercenaries?”

“Consider us your guests and nothing more.” Anemone says flatly. “We’re not about to go involving ourselves in your everyday, mundane battles. Should we encounter more Agarthans, you can rely on our aid. But if you find yourself up against the Empire or others, you’ll have to seek help elsewhere.”

>“Fair enough. Talk to Corrine and she’ll find a place to get you settled in.”

Anemone nods and both her and Eulalia stand to leave. As they make their way towards the tent flaps, Eulalia turns around at the last second and addresses you. “My lady. I…have much to catch up on. But Anemone told me that you avenged Elias’ death. Words cannot describe how indebted I am to you.” She bows deeply before you. “I will craft you a weapon. Something that you can use to vanquish your enemies. Something that will keep you alive, so that you may continue to do good.”

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>>5628614
>You nod. “Thank you, Eulalia. I would greatly appreciate that. One of my comrades is holding on to a spearhead that you might find interesting. Her name is Milly. Once you’ve settled in, perhaps she can show it to you?” You refer to the spearhead that Milly had retrieved after your battle with the Almyran Warlord, Jaswant. The item had somehow managed to survive a head-on Bolting attack, despite the rest of the weapon having exploded. Such quality was essentially unheard of, and you were curious to see if the spear could potentially be salvaged and turned into something resembling its former shape.

Eulalia nods. “I will do what I can.”

After the two Arcadians depart, you promptly climb into your bedroll and lay there. The day’s events are fresh on your mind, not to mention your body. You had been fighting more actively than usual, and a part of you begins to wonder if these constant battles will ever come to an end. Fortunately, you drift off to sleep before these intrusive thoughts become too overwhelming. You’re roused out of bed by Corrine the next morning, who is shaking you vigorously.

“Finally! By the Goddess, since when are you such a deep sleeper?” She complains.

>“What’s all the commotion?” You ask, groggily clearing your eyes. “Don’t tell me there’s more Demonic Beasts out there.”

She shakes her head. “There’s a messenger here for you. From Faerghus of all places if you can believe it. Says he’s carrying an urgent message for your eyes only. Bastard wouldn’t tell me what though, even after I said I was your second.”

>You groan. Surprises were the last thing you wanted to deal with right now. “What’s the situation outside? I’d like to deal with one issue at a time if that’s alright.”

“The injured are being tended to, though it may be another day or so before we can depart back to Derdriu. Survivors from inside the city have been pouring out all night. Seems it’s becoming safe to enter and leave that place now. Count Ordelia has been taking the reins. He’d still like to speak with you, at some point.”

>A): Meet with the messenger from Faerghus.
>B): Meet with Count Ordelia.
>C): Speak with your captains.
>D): Tell Corrine to handle it, and fall back asleep.

>>5628615
>A): Meet with the messenger from Faerghus.

>>5628615
>B): Meet with Count Ordelia.

>>5628615
>A): Meet with the messenger from Faerghus.
Might as well just get that out of the way first.

>>5628615
>>A): Meet with the messenger from Faerghus.

>>5628615
>A): Meet with the messenger from Faerghus.

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>>5628615
You decide to meet with this messenger from Faerghus first. You haven’t had any contact with anyone from the Holy Kingdom in over a year. The last time you’d had anything to do with them was when you’d been contracted by Rodrigue, the Duke of Fraldarius and Felix’s father, to free a group of prisoners belonging to the Knights of Seiros. Rodrigue had become the de facto leader of the Kingdom ever since Dimitri had seemingly fallen to madness. While he was a good man, you felt he lacked the ability to bring the Kingdom out of the poor situation it had found itself in. Their position as the weakest of the three factions was partially what led to you choosing to join up with Claude and the Leicester Alliance instead.

Corrine leads you towards where the messenger is waiting. He is clad in the traditional blue of the Knights of Faerghus, standing next to the wyvern he must have taken to find you. He seems to be observing both your men and the refugees from Ordelia with quite the amazed and confused visage.

>“Hello. I hear you’ve been looking for me?”

The messenger snaps out of his daze and turns towards you. “What in the Goddess’ name happened here?” He shakes his head quickly, remembering his duty. “Never mind that…are you Blair Weaver?”

>“I am. How may I assist you, good knight?”

He reaches into a satchel at his wyvern’s side and retrieves what looks like a letter. “Blair Weaver. I’ve been sent to find you by Duke Fraldarius, from the Kingdom of Faerghus. He bid that I ensure you receive this letter, and that no one else but you read it.” He gives a sidelong glance at Corrine, who makes a rude gesture back at him.

You retrieve the letter from the man and open it, reading the contents aloud so that Corrine can hear you.

>“To: Blair Weaver, Commander of the Blackwing Mercenary Company.

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>>5629685
I hope that fortune finds you well in these trying times. Word of your deeds against the Almyran army reached us even here in Fraldarius. I was glad to hear that you and your men had emerged triumphant over the foreign invaders.

I write to you this letter to request your services as a mercenary. His Majesty, King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, the True King of Faerghus, has once more resumed control of the Kingdom’s Royal Army. As we speak, the King martials his men to push against the Imperial menace. He plans to march soon at the helm of a large host, with his target being none other than the Imperial Capital, Enbarr. It is there that he wishes to strike a decisive blow against the Empress and put an end to her tyranny. Before that can happen though, both Imperial and Kingdom forces will likely clash on the field of Gronder. Though we understand you are under the service of the Leicester Alliance’s leader, we request that you join our forces. From your work at Charon to rescuing the King at Bulgar, you have always proven yourself a friend to the Kingdom.

We have been fighting a war on two fronts, against both the traitorous Dukedom as well as the Empire. All of our resources and manpower have been pooled into this final strike that must succeed. As a result, we cannot offer you much. However, should you choose to align yourself with us at Gronder Field, we can promise you a position of nobility within the Faerghus Kingdom after the war has concluded, as well as your own domain to rule over.

May the Goddess protect you and yours, Blair. We hope to see you soon.

Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius – Duke of Fraldarius.”

The Kingdom wanted to contract you again? For what sounded like a suicidal attack against the Empire, at that. Gronder was a significant battlefield in Fodlan’s history. It was where the Adrestian Empire had emerged victorious over the King of Liberation, Nemesis. Moreover, it was where the Battle of the Eagle and Lion mock battle took place each year at Garreg Mach. Only this time, it was to be the site of what promised to be the bloodiest battle in this war yet.

>“What do you think?” You ask Corrine.

Corrine ponders for a moment. “The last time we saw King Dimitri, he wasn’t exactly the picture of sanity, was he? I notice the dear old Duke’s letter fails to mention anything about how the King is doing. Given that he’s choosing to rush straight into Enbarr and leave everything else behind for the Dukedom to swallow up, I can’t imagine much has changed. Isn’t that right?” She directs her question to the Faerghus messenger, who blushes and turns away.

“Y-your decision, Lady Weaver?” The messenger stammers out. “I know that my lord is most expectant of an answer!”

>A): Tell Rodrigue we’ll be there.
>B): I’m sorry, but I must decline.
>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.
>D): Claude is my employer. I should consult with him first.
>E): Write-in

>>5629687
>D): Claude is my employer. I should consult with him first.

The shot at nobility is tempting, but unfortunately, we're already sworn to Claude. If he's cool with it, we should be too, but otherwise, we're bound by contract, such as it is.

>>5629687
>>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.

>>5629687
>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.
Telling him we're deferring to Claude is giving extra information for free, so if we're going to dilly dally it should be C over D.
Silver Snow Gronder is a meatgrinder that no one wins iirc, though that's not a guarantee of anything in-quest. The Blackwings are quite bloodied at the moment, and I don't really see Blair caring too much about nobility she already gave up once, let alone a mere promise of such. I'm inclined to decline on those grounds, even if my heart lives in Faerghus. But Claude is likely to send Blair to Gronder anyway, or at least retain her for another simultaneous mission. Her company is a significant and unmistakeable component of the Leicester air wing

>>5629687
>Dear Blair
>FUCKIGN KILL!
>You'rs truly, Dimitri
He has such a way with words.
So anyway I agree with the dude above me, I want Claude's opinion on this first before really making a decision but let's not tell the knight that.
>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.

>>5629687
>D): Claude is my employer. I should consult with him first.

>>5629687
>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.

>>5629687
>C): This is too grand a decision to make on the spot. I must think it over.

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>>5629687
You recall your father once giving you some sage wisdom. “One should never make an important decision on an empty stomach.” Choosing to align yourself with Faerghus again would have drastic repercussions for both yourself as well as the Blackwings. It was a serious decision you’d have to give serious thought to.

>You address the messenger and tell him just so. “Apologies, but this is something that will require further consideration and discussion amongst my officer staff. I cannot give you an answer here and now.”

The messenger balks. It seems as though he thought you’d be jumping head over heels to accept Rodrigue’s contract. An offer of nobility is a one-of-a-kind opportunity, after all. Little does he know though that you’ve already once renounced your noble status and have no real drive to regain it at this time. “V-very well. Though I ask that you don’t take too long. As we speak, the King and his men march towards Gronder. They’ll need all the support they can get, and you and yours can truly make a difference.”

>“I promise to get back to you as soon as possible.” Maybe. For now, you have other pressing concerns to deal with. Namely getting out of here and back to Derdriu without incurring the wrath of any more Agarthans. You head towards the middle of camp to assess how the rest of the Blackwings are doing, and if it will be possible to get back to marching soon. Along the way, you are stopped by Lysithea, who comes running over to speak with you.

“Blair! There you are!” She calls out. “They’re saying it’s okay to enter the city. It seems that those townspeople that posed a danger are… no longer an issue.” She says, grimly.

>“I’m sorry, Lysithea. There was nothing that we could do for them. At the very least, may we take some solace in that they’ve been avenged.”

“Not quite yet.” She says. “Diogenes may be dead, but there are still others like him, are there not? They too, must be destroyed. Nothing like this can ever be allowed to transpire again.”

“This must be Blair Weaver.” A man walks up to where you and Lysithea are speaking. He’s an older gentleman, appearing gaunt and tired, yet still having an air of nobility about him. “My lady, it is an honor to meet you.” He bows deeply in your direction. “I am Rudolf von Ordelia. From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank you for the aid you have provided to both my daughter as well as my domain. For years, Ordelia has lived in the shadowy grip of those who slither in the dark. Because of your actions here today, we may finally begin the process of rebuilding our home.”

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>>5630691
>“My lord” You politely bow. “Your thanks is appreciated, but not necessary. Hunting those snakes is what I exist for. I will drive each and every one of them out of the shadows. On that you have my word.”

Count Ordelia nods. “My daughter has been nobly fighting back against the tyranny of Adrestia, all while her cowardly father was subjugated in his own castle. My minister, Martin, had been entirely compromised by both the Empire as well as those Agarthan snakes. With the Leicester Alliance threatening to collapse, I knew I could no longer sit idly by and allow Martin to drive Ordelia further into the hands of the Empress. So, I’d gathered my most trusted knights, and planned a coup to regain control of the city. Little did I know that they already knew of my entire scheme. Cornelius, a man I’d placed the utmost faith in, had turned out to be one of the same snakes that had already caused my family and I no shortage of suffering. I spent the next few days evading his capture, all whilst traversing the hellscape my city had turned into.” He closes his eyes. “I fear that in the end, all I accomplished was bringing even further calamity upon my people.”

“That’s not true, father!” Lysithea cries. “You stood up against them! You have nothing to be sorry for!”

“Cornelius, or the man pretending to be him rather, was the one responsible for the attack on your men.” The count says. “As a knight, he was the strongest here in Ordelia. If you find yourself against him in the future, please exercise caution.”

“Blair won’t lose to a rat like him.” Lysithea chimes in. “For his sake, he’d better hope you find him before I do. Otherwise, I’ll ensure he meets a slow and drawn-out end.”

You remember the note that Diogenes had left behind. In it, he’d made mention of the possibility of removing Lysithea’s dual crests. Doing so would allow her lifespan to be extended, though at the cost of greatly depriving her of the power she’d learned to make use of. She was obviously a greater threat to the Agarthans as she was now.

>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.
>B): Keep the information to yourself. At least for now.

>>5630696
>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

She'll be searching for this information for the rest of her (short) life if we don't tell her. If she learns that she can regain her lifespan, and as such, decides to stop and live a normal life, that's her choice. Though something tells me she'll still have more than enough vengeance in her heart to continue her crusade as is.

>>5630696
>>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

>>5630696
>>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.
It's her decision to make and we shouldn't keep the information away from her.

>>5630696
>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

Got to do the right thing.

>>5630696
>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

>>5630696
>>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

>>5630696
>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.

>>5630696
>>A): Inform Lysithea you may have found a way to extend her lifespan.
Leave the choice to her

A wins. Writing!

>>5627814
I keep forgetting to answer this but Hanneman was the Blue Lions Headmaster. Right now, he'd be with Byleth and the rest of the Knights of Seiros.

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>>5630696
Not telling Lysithea of your discovery feels wrong. It was Diogenes who had said that she would be more useful to you with her Crests, and it’s not as if you were in the business of taking advice from him. While you were unaware of any other person that was able to make use of dual Crests like she could, you believed that if it came at the cost of robbing her lifespan, it was not worth it. You’d tell the girl the truth and let her decide her own fate.

>“Lysithea.” You say. “One of my comrades has begun the process of going over what Diogenes had left behind in his sanctum. Though she’s only been able to briefly study them, his notes mention the possibility of removing your Crests. My friend is well-versed in the type of magic these Agarthans employ, and I have no doubt she’ll discover the process soon enough. Once she does, we may be able to help undo the damage that Solon and Diogenes inflicted on you.”

“Eh?” Her eyes open wide as the gravity of what you just told her settles in. Even her father seems to be taken aback. “Are you serious?”

>You nod. “What do you think?”

Lysithea seems at a loss for words. She closes her eyes for some time before answering. “Thank you, Blair. I’ve only known you for such a short time, and already you’ve done so much for me and my family. If you’re able to assist in removing the scars those Agarthans left on me, then I would gladly accept your aid. However, not yet. Not until we’ve made certain that they’ve been wiped out, and that we can breathe easily that this will never happen again.” She looks at you with a determined look, and grabs both your hands. “Blair, I promise you’ll have my aid in those battles against the Agarthans yet to come. Together we’ll stop them. You have my word.”

>You Receive an A-Support with Lysithea!

>You hug your new bonded friend tightly. “Thank you, Lysithea. With your help, I feel much more confident in our future. Tell me, what do you intend to do now? After we’ve finished patching up our men here, we plan to return to Derdriu and report to Claude. The battle at the Great Bridge of Myrddin is likely over by now. I can’t imagine our leader’s plan has failed. Especially now that he’s working in tandem with the Professor.”

“First, I wish to stay here and assist my parents with bringing the city back under control.” Lysithea starts.

“Nonsense.” Count Ordelia interjects. “This is my charge to deal with, my daughter. We’re short-handed, and only a few of our soldiers remain, but we’ll manage. Your talents are needed elsewhere. Go to Claude and assist him with whatever he needs. Just promise me that you’ll return safely.”

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>>5632452
“But father-“

“I won’t take no for an answer.” He says softly. “If you want to help, put in a good word for us in Duke Riegan’s ear. Let him know we could use supplies and aid. It will be far more helpful than sorting through the ashes here. When this is all over, I’d like to try living together again. Like a normal family. After your Crests are removed, you’ll have so much more time. Time to do whatever you want and live life like a normal girl. So, make sure you come back to us. We have much to catch up on. And much to make up for.”

“Father…”

Sensing a sensitive moment between father and daughter, something you could very much appreciate, you politely bow out and excuse yourself, leaving the two alone.

A few days pass, and the Blackwings are finally ready to be on the move. Your company departs the ruined city of Ordelia with Lysithea in tow, heading for the capital city of Derdriu. Due to the number of wounded in your company, you’re travelling far slower than typically expected, and don’t expect to reach the city until at least the end of the week. As the Blackwings set up camp one night, you find yourself milling about.

>A): Choose a company member to speak with.
>B): Check in on Anemone and Eulalia.
>C): Chat with Lysithea.
>D): Think about the past.

>>5632458
>A): Choose a company member to speak with.

FIND ASHE. FUCK ASHE.

>>5632458
>C): Chat with Lysithea.

>>5632458
>A): Choose a company member to speak with.
Ashe

>>5632458
>A): Choose a company member to speak with
Ashe our boi

>>5632458
>A): Choose a company member to speak with.
Corinne, a lot has happened

>>5632458
>>A): Choose a company member to speak with
Yara. We need to find out what threads of destiny we have screwed up.

>You Receive an A-Support with Lysithea!

Damn, nice. We went from having no ranks at all to an A-rank. Makes sense though, considering we've basically chosen every option that would get her approval.

>>5632458
>A): Choose a company member to speak with.
Supporting the Yara option. While I don't like walking in to someone who will probably, absolutely say "I told you so", we should probably make it a point to listen to her advice more in the future.