So, to recap this plotline:
- The Undines, who are basically just mermaids, live in the nation of Embellia.
- They do not reproduce. They reincarnate through the use of an artifact known as the Transmigragem. There are several things wrong with this, but I'm not going to apply logic right now.
- One Undine fell in love with a human man, because this always has to happen in stories about mermaids no matter how ridiculous it is.
- The man in question asked her to steal the Transmigragem for him. Because she was an idiot, she agreed.
- After realizing what anyone over the age of 4 would've right away, she committed suicide. The Undines, at a loss as to who to punish, chose to banish the girl's sister (again, don't ask how you can have BLOOD RELATIONS in a species that DOESN'T REPRODUCE).
- The Undines then heard that they could create an elixir of life using human blood, because humans totally become immortal after biting their tongues.
- Somehow, the Empire is behind this.
With that out of the way, on with the show!
Battlefield 07: Elise, the Water Capital
Shore of Florand: Check Point!
- Yggdra: So... That's Queen Emelone's Aqua Palace...
- Milanor: How are we getting there? It's not like we can just swim...
- Durant: Can we secure the bridge?
- Milanor: Looks like we'll have to...
Bridge: Check Point!
- Undine: General Ishiene! It's those humans again!
- Ishiene: Fie on them! Do they intend to pass through here...? Under no circumstances will we let them through! Queen Emelone is our last hope... We shall protect her with our lives!
- Undine: Yes, Ma'am!
Victory condition:
- Secure the bridge to Florand! (Move an ally to "Bridge Tower")
Defeat condition:
- If Yggdra or Milanor dies...
- If you use up all your cards...
All right, time for the last map of the Undine arc. Milanor eats a Medallion first, though, because he took a bit of a beating in that last fight.
Also, this is the last fight where Yggdra will have her Silk Corset and Milanor will have his Silver Moon.
For my card selection, I take Steal, Bloody Claw, Shield Barrier, Revolution, Mind Change, Sanctuary, Banshee's Cry, Ace Guard, and Refreshment.
- Milanor: We have to beat the enemies guarding the bridge! Let's go!
All right, time to start this. The Undines actually became much less threatening with this map, because they'll use Diamond Dust. This freezes all the water on the map, removing the advantage the Undines had against us. It's not going to do much damage, either.
In the GBA version, it's actually very easy to reach a situation where Diamond Dust is literally worthless, because only Milanor has any chance of being damaged by it.
Anyway, my opposition consists of four Undines, plus Ishiene as usual. Emelone is watching from the safety of her palace (surrounded by impassable spaces).
Ishiene is packing a Brave Ring this time, and if I don't steal it her morale will recover some when it drops below a certain level. So let's steal that one.
Using Steal's twelve spaces of movement, I send Milanor right up to Ishiene.
- Ishiene: I won't let you pass!
- Milanor: Outta the way!
...Yeah.
I also send Nietzsche into the union, then move Durant up a bit with the remaining movement.
For whatever reason, stealing involves Milanor throwing his axe-thing at the enemy, after which it returns like any good fictional boomerang, bearing the stolen item. It also takes a year and a half to charge up (I got the Brave Ring, though).
Also, Diamond Dust was used twice during that battle, and as expected it did the Undines more harm than good. They get 50% Geo Defense from water, which is replaced now by negative 10%.
On the enemy turn, two Undines commit suicide on my union. The remaining non-Ishiene one then steals a Medallion.
For my action, I have Durant move into the union using Banshee's Cry, then I kill the last free Undine (I also move Yggdra around a bit so she can feel like she's contributing).
On Ishiene's turn, she attacks us. It doesn't go well, aside from a critical hit against Durant. I respond by using Bloody Claw to strike her.
Milanor and Durant do a fine job of ending Ishiene's last stand, with Milanor inflicting a critical hit. A shame I'll have to keep him out of the action for the rest of the map, but I guess that's life.
- Ishiene: Queen Emelone... Please forgive my weakness...
Slain! -A warrior has fallen.-
- Ishiene: You... for the sake of the Undines... I wish you luck... I'm sure you can tell where this is going already.
I then proceed to move Durant north a space, then I send Nietzsche to take the fort Ishiene was on (which was also weakening her...).
Bridge: Check Point!
Occupy! -Siezed control!-
- Nietzsche: Now we can cross the bridge!
Strategy Succeeded! -Successfully lowered the bridge!
- Yggdra: Let us proceed! Oh no you don't, Yggdra. You're sitting this fight out.
Aqua Palace: Check Point!
- Undine: Queen Emelone! The Royal Army has reached the sandbank!
- Emelone: So, they have come...
- Yggdra: Queen Emelone! I am Yggdra of Fantasinia! Please lay down their weapons! This battle is meaningless!
- Emelone: Princess Yggdra... I expected you would say that. Here comes the hurricane. You use justice as a shield to excuse your actions against us. But we Undines act according to our own sense of justice. So murdering innocents because a suspicious stranger told you it'd help with your mortality problem is just now? Tell me... Is there anything that separates the two of us?
- Yggdra: You slaughter the innocent! I seek only peace between us.
- Emelone: You humans stole our treasure. Our lifeblood... Our only means of survival... As royalty, you should understand full well. A leader has a duty, a sacred trust... ...to protect one's people, no matter the cost. Which justifies killing people who did nothing wrong how?
- Yggdra: B-But...
- Emelone: That child, Ishiene... Her only wish, as she told me... "I will save you... and everyone!"
- Milanor: Ishiene... You mean the one we just...?
- Emelone: She was a kind girl who thought of nothing but her own people. Why does nobody mention the little fact that Ishiene ordered her soldiers to kill civilians? Why does nobody mention that said civilians included CHILDREN? She is not the only one. I cannot let such people perish... It would be unjust.
- Yggdra: But I...!
- Emelone: ...We have talked around the matter for too long. As Queen of the Undines, my decision is final. Now come, humans.
Victory condition:
- Defeat Queen Emelone!
- Milanor: So much for negotiations, huh? Looks like we've got no choice.
- Durant: The Undines have everything to lose. They cannot surrender.
- Yggdra: Is fighting... the only way...?
- Durant: We, too, must fight for our survival, Princess. For the sake of the people of Paltina!
- Yggdra: ............
- Milanor: Here they come!
Yes, dreadful business what happened to Ishiene, but it's hard to feel sympathy for her given that her stated goal was to kill people. Note to writers: If you're writing a character who's supposed to have a sympathetic goal, and reaching said goal involves committing war crimes, you're doing it wrong.
For that matter, why did they have to resort to murder first? Why not just ask for blood? It's not like losing a bit kills you, after all. Hell, there's an actual medical process that involves intentionally bleeding
(albeit a largely ineffective one).
Whatever. I've got a battle to win. Emelone is glued to her palace, and she's got a force of five other Undines. Looks like I've got my work cut put for me.
I open with Revolution, which is used to send Nietzsche across the bridge and up to the first Undine.
- Undine: How can you side with the humans? We're meant to be like a family!
- Nietzsche: ...Nietzsche's sorry!
Unfortunately, Durant can't get close enough to help her fight this turn. Fortunately, Nietzsche proves that she doesn't need help by winning two fights and levelling up. Void Ice is awesome here. She repeats the performance on the enemy turn, killing her foes.
On my next turn, the ice finally melts. Of course, the Undines will just freeze it again, but I guess there's nothing to be done about that.
I use Bloody Claw to move Nietzsche south into a mess of Undines, also allowing her to get a Medallion. Durant also moves to support her, and Yggdra moves north a bit for no reason. I then kill of an Undine directly south of Nietzsche, but not before she freezes the lake again.
The Undines proceed to attack again with all their remaining forces. I win all three fights, and Durant levels up from the experience.
After the Undines end their turn, though, two more foes arrive on the mainland...
- Durant: Princess, someone is approaching from the rear!
- Milanor: Those aren't Imperial troops... Who the devil are they?
- Bounty Hunter Boss (Hunter): That's the Royal army the Empire's got a bounty on, hun? Meet Mizer. He's going to be showing up to ruin our day several times.
- Bounty Hunter (Bandit): Now's our chance, Boss! We're in for a fat payday!
- Mizer: Sounds good to me! Come on!
So, Mizer. He'll show up on a few maps, along with his bandit sidekick. He's always got something to steal, in this case the Winged Sandals.
The problem with Mizer is his card, Thunderbolt. It does Tec+1, which means it also has a status effect. In this case, he'll shock your troops, preventing them from moving.
He moves right up to Yggdra.
- Mizer: Hey, are you the Princess? Finally, a bit of luck!
- Yggdra: Are you with the Empire...? If so, I shall strike you down!
Mizer's troops proceed to make an improbable series of critical hits that bring Yggdra's morale down quite a bit.
- Mizer: Stand still, Princess! If I can catch you, I'll be rich!
- Yggdra: No... The battle is far from over...!
On my turn, I move Yggdra so that she can form a union with Milanor, by way of Steal. I then move Milanor next to Mizer.
- Mizer: What the... Who're you? You're not from the Royal Army.
- Milanor: Never mind me, who're you!?
Unfortunately for Mizer, Milanor cuts off over half his morale with his charge (in addition to taking his shoes). Yggdra, meanwhile, chops down his backup.
- Milanor: How do you like that!
- Mizer: ...Ouch! That really hurt!
I then move Yggdra to where the bandit was (he had a Medallion) before having her hide behind Milanor. Nietzsche, meanwhile, moves east a space.
Treasury: Check Point!
- Nietzsche: Ah... This is...! (Item get: Aquarius) An Aquarius gem...
She then moves east two, to where one of the dead Undines was. This nets me a Medallion. I then move Nietzsche back to where she was at the start of the turn, and end the thing.
The Undines do nothing, but Mizer shocks Milanor. I respond by having him and Yggdra strike with Banshee's Cry. He shocks Yggdra too, but it doesn't help because she proceeds to deplete the last of his morale.
Pull back! -Time to regroup!-
- Mizer: ...Crap, I'm outta here!
Mizer would've retreated if I simply dropped his morale below a certain point, but there's a valid reason to win this fight by depleting all of his morale.
Anyway, Nietzsche then checks out a bit of land due south of Emelone's position.
Garden of Cure: Check Point!
- Nietzsche: Ooh... These are good for you! (Item get: Elemina Mint) *sniff* It smells good, too!
She then moves a south of the last non-Emelone foe on the map, who is slain on her turn.
On my turn, I begin actually attacking Emelone. My initial card of choice: Mind Change.
The ice thaws again, and Milanor is healed. I move Nietzsche next to Emelone, still in the water.
- Nietzsche: Your Majesty...
- Emelone: Good Nietzsche... I can see the resolve in your eyes. I do not condemn you... If the path you walk requires you to defeat me... So be it.
- Nietzsche: Nietzsche will find that gem! I'm so sorry!
I then move Durant to support Nietzsche, while moving Milanor toward the fight. The first round of combat goes to my forces, thanks to their immunity to ice damage.
- Nietzsche: I didn't want to hurt you!
- Emelone: There's no need to hold back, child... Always do your best.
While Emelone is able to defeat Nietzsche in the first battle of her turn, she loses the second against Durant. My new weapon of choice is Ace Guard.
Ace Guard work quite well, allowing my forces to defeat Emelone on both my turn and hers. Unfortunately, Durant finishes her off, preventing me from getting her item (Gungnir, a weapon for Nietzsche that doubles the duration of O-type skills).
I also forgot one hidden item on the map. Dammit!
Justice Prevailed! -Water Queen Emelone annihilated!
Aqua Palace: Check Point!
- Emelone: ...Ahhh...! Princess Yggdra... We have injured so many humans... All... for what...?
- Yggdra: But you and the Undines are not at fault!
- Emelone: Haha... You are so kind... So quick to forgive... Do not... let your kindness become a weakness... ...The weak are the first to perish...
Slain! -A warrior has fallen.-
- Emelone: We are fated to die... As their queen... I shall lead the way... (Emelone dies, not dropping her item because I was an idiot.)
- Yggdra: Queen Emelone...! No...
- Durant: I suppose... this solves the problem of the Undine attacks...
- Milanor: Yeah... It's a real winner of a solution.
- Yggdra: ...I was told as a child, and have believed ever since... "Justice lies with the Holy Sword." But this... Is this justice?
- Durant: Princess...
- Milanor: ............
Aside from some stupidity on my part near the end, I did great. Nietzsche wins MVP. gaining 2 Tec. There were also a total of three Medallions on the field.
In addition to that, I got Thunderbolt. I wouldn't have obtained it if I hadn't defeated Mizer here.
- Durant: Our supplies are restocked. We can leave anytime, Princess.
- Yggdra: Alright... Thank you.
- Milanor: So, where to next?
- Durant: I had thought to go north, over the Lenessey Mountains.
- Yggdra: Right on the border of Paltina...
- Durant: The mountains are known to be steep and very dangerous. Consequently, the Empire won't expect an attack on that front. Their defenses are sure to be insufficient to stop us.
- Milanor: Catch 'em off guard, huh?
- Yggdra: ...The people of the Capital are waiting. To the north it is!
New Card:
- Thunderbolt: Lightning damage to enemy, paralyzes them.
- Movement: 7
- Starting power: 1550
- Ace type: Bow
- Skill type: X
- Power: Tec+1
- Status requirement: User's Tec must be greater than or equal to the target's Gen
- Requirement: None
- Notes: This won't be usable for a long time. I've got time to power it up, though.
New items:
- Aquarius: A spiral jewel that gives the wearer a bond with water.
- Stats: Gen+4, Luk Up
- Ability: Geo Card in water
- Duration: 3 maps
- Used by: Nietzsche
- Notes: I may or may not give this to Nietzsche now. I haven't decided yet.
- Brave Ring: Ring with a powerful insignia that gives the wearer courage.
- Stats: Gen+6, Atk+4
- Ability: Morale Up when low
- Duration: 2 maps
- Used by: All
- Notes: This seems like a pretty solid item.
- Elemina Mint: A mint that dissolves in bathwater for smoother skin.
- Stats: None
- Ability: Eat: Tec Up
- Duration: 1 map
- Used by: All
- Notes: If the description didn't give it away enough, this is the item that gets you the game's bath scene. It's just for Yggdra, though, and the item you get for it is rendered obsolete by one of the PSP-exclusive characters, so I'm going to give this to Nietzsche once her Tec hits 3.
- Winged Sandals: Stylish sandals with small wings on the ankles.
- Stats: Tec+2, Luk+6
- Ability: Geo 0%
- Duration: 2 maps
- Used by: Not Horse/Swim
- Notes: Geo defense is only negative on gimmick terrain that almost never appears, so this isn't worth using.
Now that our heroes have learned a valuable lesson about the morals of war, what do you think they'll do with it?
Comments
