They are the only dragons on the continent (though there are a few dracozombies here and there), and are referred to as Dragonkin, just like other manaketes from both Elibe and Archanea, but they seem to share no similarities with the Elibian and Archanean manaketes. Myrrh is revered in Caer Pelyn, but otherwise isn't given too much mention about her draconic aspects. It's too bad there aren't more dragons to learn about what happened to them in Magvel.
Chapter 20 - Darkling Woods
◊: Finished.
Base: I sell any treasure and items that aren't worth keeping, to make room for some other stuff, and then get to equipping the party. I make use of the newly available shops in Rausten, and soon enough have reequipped the party again, notably giving Natasha a Physic, Mend, and Restore staff. Finally, stat boosters are distributed among the party to whomever needs them (Garcia gets a speedwing and a talisman, Franz gets a goddess icon, Neimi gets an energy ring and a seraph robe, and Natasha gets two secret books and a dragonshield). And with that, we enter the woods...
Eirika: Stayed hidden far behind the party to avoid any surprise attacks from Shadowshot Mogalls or any of the other crawlies creeping around here. Seized once all was said and done and the place was purged of all monsters with the gumption to come out and play.
Party: Traveled together through the swamp, each swapping out against different waves of foes, though everyone helped against everything here and there. Joshua dealt with the Gwyllgi's whenever he could, since they were too fast for the others to double. Garcia and Neimi targeted the Deathgoyle's and Mogalls primarily, Neimi's longbow and Garcia's hand axe letting them stop them whenever they appeared. Garcia also helped Franz and Amelia deal with Elder Bael's and Cyclopes, who sported large defenses that were hard to pierce through. Natasha stayed back, being the highest in level, and healed any wounds, eventually reaching level 20 in doing so. The party steadily advanced as the reinforcements appeared further and further in, and eventually they had pushed past the uppermost curve when the tide of foes really surged, Gwyllgis, Baels, Deathgoyles, and Maelduin's surging at them constantly for at least 8 turns. Once they ran out of those guys, the group continued their advance, now faster for lack of foes, and crushed the remaining visible foes. Joshua doubled back at this point to clean up a small group of foes at the southern part of the map (the area furthest south from the temple) that they hadn't seen before. He reached them while the party cleaned up the final group of starting foes, and ran through the hills to rejoin them. Eventually a few mogalls and deathgoyles appeared as a final line of defense, but they were systematically defeated until they too were slain.
Riev: Was provoked after Joshua accidentally stepped into his range, and missed his aura shot against him. Neimi took a couple shots at him with her longbow, and then Franz ran in and finished him off with his silver blade.
Morva: Fought Amelia after she retrieved the Dragonspear from the convoy. I let him attack first, and she stabbed him, and then critically hit him for the kill.
Vs Morva: After the long, exhausting effort of clearing out the monsters that rose to defend the forest, Amelia was not exactly beaming about facing down a final, stronger beast. Still, it needed to fall, and she could count on Franz and Neimi in case anything went awry, so with the inwardly hooked dragonspear, she prepared to face the new creature. She approached slowly, testing to see where it could perceive her, and what the best angle to attack from would be. She drew steadily nearer, until suddenly the creature turned and glared at her. She charged then, having closed enough distance to strike.
Before she had quite reached the beast, it opened its mouth and let loose a dull hissing sound, apparently attempting to roar at her. She anticipated some type of attack and sidestepped, but the beast only turned at her and continued its crippled roar. Confused, she stopped short, and suddenly felt a deathly chill beneath her armor. A rancid scent filled the air, and she realized what was happening. Whatever magic had reanimated it had replaced its natural weapon with some type of wretched air, and it need only roar to let the blast loose. Pain began to creep upon her, as her body began to feel the necrotic power of the dracozombies breath, and she redoubled her charge. She thrust the spear into the creatures throat, and felt the remaining bone and flesh give way as the spear pushed through them. She felt the creatures breath seeping through the wound, and quickly swung her spear vertically, tearing through bone and rotting flesh as she cut until she had split the front of the dragon open. A wave of the vile air exploded from the opened body as she struck the organ that produced it, and soon faded away into the open air of the swamp, the beast falling apart with its core destroyed.
She slowly walked back towards the group, looking for Natasha, knowing that parts of her were beginning to rot beneath her armor. The Valkyrie quickly ran over and healed her, and she felt her skin revive under the healing light of the staff, though some of the more thoroughly rotted areas simply began to flake off. The feeling was a wretched one, and she lamented the sad fate of the dragon who had died with that as their last experience.
Afterwards: Eirika and Ephraim continue into the temple, ready to face Lyon, while Myrrh mourns her father. Eirika comes and asks her about it, and she simply says she's seen her father, but that he couldn't see them, because it would be bad for him to meet so many people. Myrrh promises to do everything she can for the sake of her father, in order to stop the Demon King. Lyon meanwhile struggles once more against the Demon King, but is suppressed, only being spared enough consciousness to be able to witness himself kill Eirika.
Up Next: Sacred Stone, where we shall face Lyon in his human body for the final time.
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