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Scenario 18 
You filthy, halfie bitch!
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With the key to Langrisser's awakening in hand, the companions made haste in their preparations for the unsealing ceremony. As Langrisser radiated its pure light, the companions found strength to challenge the Dark Blade. But on the road to Castle Velzeria, a long girl lay in wait. Sonya met them - blazing with rage over her master B?ser's death, the Kaiser's theft of the Dark Blade and the loss of her brother. With a horde of monsters waiting to ambush on her command, she decided it was time to strike with the red-hot iron of revenge.
What does the Holy Rod actually do? It increases the range of spells by 2, the damage of spells by 1 and the MDF of the equipped unit by 30. So basically, it's a better Magic Wand and thus, it's going to Liana who has Earthquake. To increase it's AoE by 2... a wonderful spell for mass destruction through walls/siege warfare.
Here's our upgraded Langrisser - it's stats have been boosted (AT+3, DF+1) by AT+6, DF+1, A+3, D+1 to what you see in the image above. It's a considerable challenger to Alhazard for the title of best weapon in the game. 
Here's the map for this scenario - time for something new and fresh.
So key points are to hold the bridge against the Dinos and to engage any fliers that try to cross the river unopposed with either our Royal Flying Hit Squad or Lester, the not-a-court-jester. The plan is basically this same idea as seen below:
But with an emphasis on keeping Hein, L?na & Liana on the left side of the bridge to ward off any enemy reinforcements whilst their summons go on the offense. One thing to note, I think the yellow circles are secret tiles but I've been disappointed before... so let's just see how it all goes. Sortie go!
Video: Pre-Scenario 18 Skip to the large italicized rant if you watch this video.
Those demons will think twice before attacking us while we hold Langrisser, I bet!
Maybe so Hein, but you should never underestimate your enemies on the battlefield.
I'll have to remember that, Keith. But I doubt anything will happ-
Oh Hein, at least you didn't say Keith was two days away from retirement.
Upon the burning Demon Tribe blood of my birth Father, I will rend the flesh from your bones as revenge for my brother!
My dark brothers and sisters, hear me! The Descendants of Light will not see the sunset this day.
Avenge our Dark Prince, B?ser!
We won't fear the Descendants of Light!
So since we last met them in the mirror world, Esto gained control of a Succubus whilst Osto took over a Living Armor - a new type of monster commander that's comparable to the General, it's got a high DF focus.
It's that crazy demon-loving witch from the village we saved before going to Baldea!
Listen up, everyone! We can't go easy on Sonya, even if she is Rohga's sister!
Let's show them the power of the newly awakened Langrisser. Fight for our ideals.
Let's go!
This feels quite zealous coming from Fighter like, "I've got a sweet holy blade here and I need some heathen monster skulls to cut through. Oh... ideals and truth and justice and so on. You know that shit we're meant to stand for. Let's go." I don't know if I like Light Path Fighter so much... too much monotone - rationalizing that there's only one way, it's either us or them. Think for yourself man! Anyway, rant over, let's start the actual combat.
By actual combat, I meant moving everyone up to form a nice battle line along the river. Liana summons Valkyrie and that aids Lester in bush-beating his way to the river but otherwise, Turn 1 is complete.
Death to the putrid humans! Yes... tear them to shreds!
Just a bunch of movement and Sonya & casting Attack on their troops to no effect. Still, everything is now in range for a river crossing assault. Wunderbar! Now, let's start our attack from the bottom of the river up, so Lester, you have the floor. But after he moves into the river this happens:
Damn! Be wary near the river, everyone! Aquatic monsters can be quite powerful in the water. (CC:74)
Shit, I had forgotten about these guys. Cherie's going to have a "fun" time with them... though I guess we could always ignore them so that they beach themselves... Hmmm, could be a good move. Also, here's another new monster commander type - the Wyvern.
Just your basic flier, might have spells but probably doesn't. Now then back to the bro code taking out this Wyvern.
I'll show you the legendary power of the Knights of Kalxath!
Gaahhhh-
Since we had one Angel left, I took a potshot at an exposed Bone Dino, it pays off. By the way, Wyverns are way too weak for where we are at in the game - they are at best a tier 2 class and pose little to no threat at all against our forces. Well, I guess it makes sense if this is the last of the dark forces unbound to the Kaiser's will, that Sonya could manage to scrounge up. Moving on up now.
Let's go!
Return to your netherworld.
Level up! AT+1, DF+1
I won't lose!
This happens 3 more times... so, all those Dragoons are vulnerable but Scott moves in to finish off the two 1HP Master Dinos anyway. The EXP should make up for the losses.
Ooh...
Level up! AT+1
Time to feed L?na some kills with a well placed fireball after Liana softens up that remaining Bone Dino.
Grrrrr-!
Now then, here's a neat trick if you have one man in a unit free - Scott's men are looking to be in pretty dire straits... but he has one other Dragoon that has yet to move which if it moves up 1 square will be in Hein's cast range. Which leads to this, shown in following 3 images:
Viola! All healed up and it's all thanks to the way Force Heal2 works. Now, it's up to Cherie to rout some fish as I realized in their spawn point most of the enemies aren't actually in the water yet! So let's inflict as much damage as possible before moving on.
Level up! AT+1, MP+1
And with that, Sherry has maxed out her level. Unfortunately, out of every tier 4 class she gets only this one doesn't get a tier 5 class change which makes little sense to me since she seems to be a born flier but oh well. Might Rune Stone her and get her built up to one of the secret classes with some off-screen grinding or some such. And that is all for Turn 2.
Ugh... Gaaah!
So yeah... lost 3 Angels, that Attack & Witch combo is brutal. Rest in peace Michael, Gabriel & Uriel. That is until we mortals call upon your services again, possibly by blowing our brains out. Now since Cherie can't gain any EXP anymore, she'll be used to lure, box in and soften up the sea monsters to guide them to Hein, Liana & L?na's killing field.
Cherie does a number on their forces, Hein heals her unit up and now she just needs to lead them to Team HLL who are ready on the beach to receive them. Moving onto Team Bro Code down south now.
Level up! AT+1, DF+1
We also weaken another Witch, so they should be ripe for the picking next turn though there is still one full health Witch remaining that I worry about... well, we'll see I guess? Now to all the fascinating bridge action as we break their center.
Sweet! A new generic mugshot for the generic Living Armour and it's pretty menacing to boot!
V, very good...
So now that Fighter's thinned their lines of the more dangerous threats and softened up some commanders, Scott can now blitzkrieg.
Ug-
One downside to attacking both north and south with Scott's Dragoons - I can't really move Scott or else they'll lose his aura bonuses. Turn 3 has been good, let's see what Turn 4 holds for us.
A lot of pain but our counter should strike a decisive blow this turn. Starting with Keith.
Th, that's impossible!
Now back to Team Central Unit for the Nullification of the Threat or Team Fighter, as I like to call it.
Level up! AT+1, DF+1
Descendants of Light... Strong enemies...
Osto!
Level up! MP+1
Fighter has one Phalanx left, so we take a crack at the Wyvern itself.
Gah-arrghh!
Cherie picks off the annoyances that are Witches and also blocks the sea monsters from reaching this side of the beach.
That should hopefully keep them off out backs, giving Team HLL a chance to push in and take them out. Hein does summon up Freyja though, who joins the blockade. Turn 4 was pretty great, not much longer now though.
Don't tell me what to do, bitch! I only followed you in the past because of a direct order from B?ser himself.
Now that he's dead, I don't have to take any of your shit! Hmph...! We're gonna have a little bloodbath!
And you're cordially invited, you filthy, halfie bitch! (CC:76)
N, no way! You can't be serious... B, but we're friends aren't we...!?
We don't care about your selfish grudge. We want to kill the Descendants of Light!
Hmph, you'd better win, for your sake. Otherwise, it will be us and us alone, who will have the fun around here.
Holy shit, this encounter is what firmly put Sonya in my mind as one of the better characterizations in the entire game. Everyone has it out for her aside from Rohga and it does a good job of evoking the sense of what it would be like if you were a half-caste... for another good example of such in games, look at how the Branded are treated in FE9/10. Anyway, they begin to move.
Destroy everything! This is the will of B?ser...
No... no... Why!? This world hates me! Even my demon tribe allies turn against me!
What the damn hell? It seems the enemy has divided into two factions.
Level up! AT+1, MP+1, Protection 2 was learned!
A heal gets thrown out and Hein moves in to give Freyja aura. She gratefully accepts and racks up a kill. Now to clean up Esto. I choose you, Scott!
Ugh, strong...
Esto!
I'm sorry... Sonya...
Being a bit schizo there aren't you, Esto? You shouldn't have it both ways... though I guess, comrade-in-arms is a type of bond. Still fuck that Vampire Lord, I will crush him before Sonya's very eyes. Lester's up though and this map has been good for him.
That's all for Turn 5
Level up! AT+2, MP+1, Attack1 was learned!
So what we need to note is that the first Meteor was from the Vampire Lord but the second one was from Sonya and it hurt the 
's Elementals... ergo, they are fighting each other now though because Fighter and co. are the greater threat, so they focus us.
The plan is to heal up using Force Heals, attack with Lester, soften up with other people and then wipe them out with a well placed L?na-ball.
Grrrr...
Ahhhhh...
Level up! AT+1, MP+1, White Dragon was learned!
And she's most of the way to her next level as well! Go team! Now back to finish off the last two commanders, keep in mind if we let them fight it out Sonya will probably lose and the scenario would be over. Hence, the pressure needs to be kept on them.
Attack me if you will! I won't let you kill me. There's no way in hell I'll die here!
Gahh-! I've been hit... Cough... Cough... Scum...!
Level up! AT+1, MP+1
So all's well that ends well, I'm going to burn some turns testing out potential secret tile spots then just finish off Sonya when I'm good and ready. Well... it actually only takes the 1 turn, there are 2 secret tiles this time around and both are in range of our fliers.
"You... human... Will you please unshackle that chain? That bothersome metal has encircled me for so long..."
What will you do?
Be a dick, chop it off, Be gentle, remove it by hand, Nevermind, ignore the tree
Using your hands, you courteously remove the chain.
"Thank you... that chain was a burden these thousand years."
Obtained Gleipnir.
Gosh, Ledin sure screwed up not helping this tree out hundreds of years prior. Terrible protagonist right there. Keith, you're up.
"Would you, knowing what's in store, memory relegated to lore, choose this life once more?"
Yes No
The box opens with a satisfying squeak. You lift out the precious gem from within the box.
Obtained Rune Stone.
I like this little riddle - it makes sense given what a Rune Stone does. Scott finishes this map off.
Obtained Wizard's Robe.
Ooh...! This is wrong! At this rate, I won't be able to win against you... However, I'll never give up! Humanity and those treacherous demons will perish by my hand! To do this, I'll ask for power from my lord and master, the god of ruin - Chaos!
Sonya! If you summons Chaos, this world as we know it will disappear!
I don't fucking care what happens to this miserable world!
Humans hate me, the Demon Tribe I thought my friends now persecute me! My brother is dead because of this war.
I don't even have a home! I don't care for this world, I don't care if it's destroyed!
I hope you all die! I hope this world dies! (CC:77)
Level up! AT+1, DF+1
Level up! DF+1, MP+2
Sonya...
How sad to have your own people turn against you...
After what Sonya said... We have to go to Velzeria, but...
Maybe we should follow Sonya. If she awakens Chaos, Bernhardt and Alhazard won't even matter.
If Yes...
All right, to Velzeria! We will end Bernhardt's ambitions once and for all!
If No...
I am worried about the Empire's actions, but right now, Sonya's madness must be stopped.
That's all for this update, we've reached the final stretch of the game with three missions to go. No matter what we'll be fighting Sonya & the Empire, the choice merely determines the order in which we do it in. Still, it's an important choice, nonetheless, that we get for going down the Kill B?ser road which we don't get if we kill Bernhardt.
Anyhoo,
LAST IMPORTANT VOTE OF THE LIGHT PATH
It's time to settle this, who do you want to run down first?
A. The Empire, time to settle this shit - mano-a-mano, Light vs Dark, Langrisser vs Alhazard.
B. Sonya, put her out of her misery - it's really a mercy killing at this point, since the game's done a nice job fucking her over in the Light Path.
You have 72 hours as I'll be away over the weekend. Feel free to argue over whatever option you think is best - I do so enjoy seeing the rationale used by goons before an inevitable bandwagon effect occurs. Or maybe it won't, who knows?