In case you're keeping up with it, the list of Warren Reports I started up earlier have been updated.
Nybbas Obderhode: Resident Gargastan. A supervisor in the Amorika region. It is said that most of his work is entrusted to his men and thus he rarely shows his face. At the fall of Amorika, he was on his way to Krizar.
I prepare to do some training, and I accidentally click on shop, when... whoah. Seems I was lucky enough to run into Deneb's shop.
◊ We can buy Orbs from her. Simply, they hurt all enemies on the battlefield. Of note is that I buy 3 Holy orbs. They'll do great damage against the final boss, if I remember correctly, as he/she (not going to ruin it!) is strong against Dark attacks and will change elements if you hit him/her with other elements. I also buy fire and water orbs for the hell of it. You can recruit Deneb if you buy a lot of stuff, but I'm not going to recruit her right now. If I decide to recruit her at all, I'm going to do some special stuff to make sure she comes with rare items.
I am now left with 72161 Goth. To repay some debts, I sell a bunch of my old equipment. Doing this boosts me to 101881.
Hmmm. I think it's time to start using two handed weapons. I give Guildus the Rosebud whip, Ozma's old whip (giving him a Fire Orb to replace his bow.) I give Belgger the fire blade and I give Haborym a desert blade, which Mildain had on him. Hopefully the loss of bows won't impede Guildus; Guildus now has a whopping 312 attack, making him the strongest member of our team. Rosebud also has a 2 attack range. I love you so much, Guildus.
Hmmm... it seems Belgger is starting to fall behind in attack compared to our other members. He's still good, but he'll probably be the first I dump if I want another NPC to join. After all, Terror Knights are pretty slow. If they aren't super powerful like Orcus is (he's our second strongest member), what use do they have?
Despite some problems, our squad is filling out pretty nicely. Orcus' warp boots allow him to ignore terrain, so thus he can pretty much replace Canopus in that aspect. Bruno is kind of our middle man. He has both good attack and decent speed, so he strikes a nice balance between the speedy swordmasters and heavy terror knights. Guildus and Aloser are monsters. Byan is a great mage, despite the things I went through to get him. Freesia is a great priest, and Basha is a pretty good cleric; once we get an NPC to replace her, our squad's effectiveness will become awesome. So overall, I'm pretty happy.
I train everyone to level 25.
You get an extra scene that's really important if you go to Amorika, so let's do it.
Seems Warren is a bit better.
◊
"So... Lans is not back..." he mutters. "I hope he's alright..." He coughs.
"Don't push yourself, Warren. You haven't completely recovered yet," Orcus tells him.
"Do not worry. It's not my time to die yet."
"...Warren... tell me something..."
"What is it, young man?"
"Tell me the real reason why you and the other Zenobians cam here."
"...What do you mean?" Warren asks.
"If your purpose is the same as Lodis, then I would have to send you all back to Zenobia. I do not want to be your enemy... but if you have a different reason, please tell me. I would like to help you!"
"We are just exiles," Warren insists.
"Warren!!!" we shout angrily.
"...Very well. I will tell you. As you have already figured out, we cam here under the order of our King." Knew it. "But our purpose is not to rule over Valeria. We are not like Lodis. Our purpose is very different..."
"Noble king, we shall leave," Lans H says.
This is Tristan. You helped him become king in March of The Black Queen.
◊
"...Forgive me. I know this is part of our plan, but to declare you exiles was not easy..." he says.
"The best way to deceive the enemy is to deceive your own people first," Lans H assures him. "This way no one will become suspicious. Besides, it is our own fault Brunhild was stolen. We really deserve to be exiled." Remember this scene. It is really, really important. "We shall retrieve Brunhild to restore the honor of the Holy Knights."
"I don't understand why Lodis would steal the sword..." Tristan mutters. "That is Zenobia's most beloved treasure. I have faith in you Lans."
"Yes, your highness."
Back in the present day, Orcus asks, "Brunhild?"
"Brunhild is not just an sword... whoever holds the power of the sword will have the powers of the Gods and the ability to talk to them. It's still just a legend an nobody knows if it's true. But it's still the most important artifact in Zenobia. We have to get it back."
"And the Dark Knights are the thieves, right?"
"Yes. We thought they brought it back to Lodis at first. But then we found out they brought it here. We didn't know that they plan to use it here..."
"Take it easy, Warren. Rest now," Orcus tells him. "Le us handle it. I won't disappoint you. In the meantime, I want you to focus on your recovery."
"Thank you, Orcus..." Warren mutters.
We go back to the map screen.
I level up everyone to level 27 and equip all my mages with balder staffs. We get ambushed at Vahanna. It's filler.
Uram: Orcus... how dare...! We get an aqua robe.
Before I go to Brigantes, I make sure to unequip all of Orcus' stuff. I send him in alone.
A berzerker asks us what we want.
◊ We say we have no intention; while the berzerker says we must be trying to trick them, the knight says we are a man of honor and believes us. The berzerker accuses him of being "one of them" and pulls out a sword before a woman comes out and tells them to stop bickering.
◊
"Forgive us. I am Olivia, a priestess of the Order," she says. "Our leader, Plancy, is waiting to see you." Our father is the leader!?
"Leader!? Plancy!?" Orcus shouts. "What's the meaning of this!?"
"He is your father..." Olivia mutters. "This way, Sir Orcus. We don't have much time."
"Why are you saying that?!"
"...Orcus, your father is dying..."
"No!"
"...When we found Plancy in the Valley of Death near Heigm... he couldn't even stand under his own strength."
"Valley of Death?"
"It's a small cave where people with fatal diseases are sent to."
"Fatal disease..."
"We did everything in our power to save him. But he just got worse and worse..."
Orcus bows his head. "...Did the Dark Knights do this to him...?"
Olivia nods. "Not only did they torture him, but they used drugs to get information from him."
"Father..."
"This way." She leads us into the castle.
...Oh boy.
◊ "Father! It's me! Orcus!"
"Orcus... I'm glad you're here... come over here..."
Orcus walks over.
"I need to tell you something..." he whispers.
"It's about Kachua..." I have a feeling they screwed up and meant for Plancy to say this.
Anyway, Plancy says, "As you may already know, Kachua is not your true sister... just like they claimed, she is the daughter of King Dolgare, Bersalia... Kachua's mother, Manafloa, was the servant of the Queen.
"Did you want to talk to me?" the Queen asks.
◊
"Noble Queen Bernarta, I am asking for your permission to leave..." Manafloa mutters.
◊
"Why!" the queen asks angrily. "You are the only one I can trust in the palace. You know that, don't you!? You didn't think I'd find out?" The queen turns to Manafloa.
"Please... I beg of you..."
The queen slaps her. "The King was originally from a commoner class. I guess he got nostalgic when he say a peasant like you!"
"Please forgive me..." Manafloa whispers.
"How can I possibly forgive you!? You're not going anywhere, Manafloa! You will by my slave! You will never be anything but a servant!"
Manafloa rubs her belly.
"Are you pregnant?! You!? No!" she shouts in despair.
The scene resumes on a rainy night, as Manafloa sneaks out of the castle.
◊
"Thus Manafloa left the castle and gave birth to Kachua..." Plancy mutters.
Whoah, why is Branta with Plancy!?
◊
"How's Manafloa?" Branta asks.
Plancy shakes his head.
"...I see. She was weak. So this is Bersalia," Branta says to the baby Plancy is carrying in his arms.
"Bersalia?" Plancy asks.
"This is the name the King chose. He said that if the child was a girl, she would be called Bersalia."
"Don't you think we should tell him about the child?"
"Queen Bernarta is due to give birth next month! This would not be the best time. It will be a secret between you and me."
"What about the child?" Plancy asks.
"You will raise her. Your daughter who died half a year ago... her name was Kachua, right? Call the child Kachua."
"...I am to keep the child as my daughter?"
"Yes. This will be better for Valeria's and the child's welfare. Don't worry. I will take care of the rest. Oh, here, take this."
Branta hands Plancy something. "It's a necklace. Sell it."
"What is this?"
"A present from King Dolgare. The blue one will be given if the child is a boy, a red one if it is a girl."
"I can't sell the king's present!"
"But you need money to raise children. Commoners like us need the money to raise her properly." Yeah, Branta is a commoner, he worked his way up to become part of the nobility. "Don't worry, Plancy."
Back in the present day, Plancy tell us Branta was lying. "He told the queen about Manafloa and the child. And he was made a Cardinal... I think I did the wrong thing... when Queen Bernarta's son died, I should have taken Kachua to the king. Then the war would have never happened... but I couldn't. I could not give up Kachua." If only you know the bitch she would grow up to be. "I could not give up the child who called me 'father' and trusted me."
"Father..."
"The dark Knights have been looking for Kachua ever since..." ...That's why they attacked Griate, isn't it. "But there purpose was not to make Kachua the queen. They have another purpose."
"What purpose?"
"Yes... making her queen was just one of the pieces of her plan... their ultimate goal is to get the treasure of the late King Dolgare..."
"King Dolgare's inheritance!?"
"...I don't know exactly what it is... but I know it's in the king's grave... now that they have Kachua in their hands, they are desperately looking for the king's grave..."
"You and Kachua are the only ones who know where the grave is."
"...No, Kachua doesn't know anything. But the only one who can break the seal of the tombstone must be a direct descendant of the king."
"So Kachua is being used as a tool."
"...Yes. When the treasure is found, Kachua will be..." Plancy coughs.
"Father, are you alright?! Slow down!"
"Orcus! Save Kachua! Go, my son! You are the only one who can save Kachua and Valeria!"
"Father!"
"...Find Moruba! Moruba used to be the Great Priest of Filaha... he will be able to help you..."
"Father, try not to talk anymore!"
"You are going to be the foundation of justice. Throw away your selfish desires. Take a good look around you and make the right decisions... you will be the leader of a new generation... that's it... that is your mission... do not forget..."
"Father! Hang in there!"
Plancy closes his eyes. "Orcus...forgive me...I..." Plancy dies.
"Father!" Orcus screams.
Outside, Orcus is anguished by the loss of his father.
◊
"...There's something I have to tell you," Olivia says.
"Is it about the commotion between the Liberation Army and the Order? Can't this wait...?" Orcus asks, head still down.
"No... it's about Branta and you."
"Branta and me?" Orcus asks, putting his head up.
"Your father and Branta are brothers."
"Branta and my father are brothers!? Wait...! That makes Branta my...!"
"Your real name is Orcus Mown. You are from Bacrum."
So Orcus is Bacrumese!
"That's not true! That's impossible!" Orcus shouts. What's with this game and referencing that Star Wars scene? "This is a joke! I don't believe you!"
"Please calm down. Remember when you were young, you once lived in Heigm with Plancy."
"You are making this up!!!" Orcus roars.
"You often visited Moruba's mansion."
"I'm not listening, Olivia!" Orcus shouts, and grabs her by the robe.
"There were four daughter of Moruba that became good friends of yours... you became close to a daughter who was the same age as you... one day, that little girl and you were playing by the ocean and almost drowned!"
Orcus lets her go. "Wait, how did you know that!?"
Olivia bows her head and says nothing.
"But the ones who nearly drowned were my sister and I," Orcus insists. "I thought it was my sister who helped me."
"That girl had a scar on her forehead." She lifts up some of her hair.
"You... you are that girl?"
"Selye helped us out. She was the eldest of the four sisters."
"Then who are you?"
"I am the daughter of the Great Priest, Moruba."
Orcus stammer incomprehensibly and crouches to the floor.
"Face facts, Orcus. You have to face reality. Get up, Orcus! Don't you want a world where people are not divided by their ethnicity or class!? Your ethnic identity doesn't matter. Even if you are from Bacrum, your beliefs shouldn't change! Or do you want a country where only Bacrumese can live happy, like Branta!? Do not forget what your father told you!"
Orcus stands up. "You're right, Olivia. My nationality has nothing to do with this matter." Orcus goes on to say that his race doesn't matter as long as his goals are noble. Olivia thanks him for understanding.
"Olivia!" Selye shouts from off screen. Selye and Sisteena run in. Olivia greets them happily. Selye asks where Moruba is, and Olivia says Moruba is not here and she doesn't know where he is. She explains he feels responsible for them leaving the Order, became depressed, and left without saying a word. Selye says he probably went to Banhamuba Shrine to help regain his faith. They agree they should head there.
"Where's Shelley?" Olivia asks.
"That's right..." Orcus mutters. "You have four sisters..."
"Shelley betrayed us and now works fro Branta..." Selye mutters.
Next time: more chapter 4!
