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Fam: That's...Gant!
Gant: So you've finally made it here! But I won't allow you to take another step!
Leon: Gant! Don't you know that Kaiser and Baruk have lied to you!?
Gant: And here I thought you were going to talk about something important...what nonsense. I don't care about that Baruk, but Sir Kaiser really does have the monsters' future in mind. I have no regrets, even if all I am is a pawn to him. Therefore, I must defeat you! That includes you, Lee-Ann!
Stage 20: Oath
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While I'm fairly sure this isn't the first battle where Petrified has shown up as a status ailment, it's definitely the first time I actually remembered to grab a screenshot. I left Brian unhealed for a while to see if any of the enemy units would do a follow up attack, but they left him alone (until it was possible to kill him in one hit) and he's no longer critical for frontline attacks, so he ended up as a fashionable lawn ornament for a while.
The hidden items on this map, in addition to sparkling in the sand, will show up as icons if you stand one tile next to them, so grabbing this 1980 gold pile also revealed more stuff to get. (This is probably a feature for all sparkling hidden items, given that something similar happens in the next map, but I'm not about to replay any old maps to test my theory.)
Treasure #2 is a weapon upgrade for Ralph.
Treasure #3, "Mithril Chainmail", exclusive to Leon/Brian/Marcia/Fam/Ophelia.
Finally, an 1850 gold cash infusion.
Ophelia hits level 20 and earns her massive AOE attack spell (this one being water elemental), but she also doesn't have enough MP to cast it yet.
Gant, who had been steadily moving forward to cure units eventually got into what the game considers "aggro" range. (No, I have no idea what that is.)
Gant: All that talk about humans and monsters coexisting [peacefully] was a lie! The only way for us monsters to continue living is to destroy you humans!
Leon: That's not true! We've made it this far by working together! That's why I believe everyone can do it [as well]!
Gant: It's all just an act! Sir Avi may have been respected by everyone, but in the end, he was just a human who didn't understand the feelings of us monsters, who have been abused to this very day!
Gant still hits like a truck, and he can heal injured minions, so eventually I get lazy and have Leon finish him off.
Gant: I...I've only lost to Sir Avi and Sir Kaiser..., but now...I can't believe that I'd lose to you [as well]...
Fam: ......
Gant: Go!...Go and uphold that justice of yours...
(As Gant fades out of view, there's the sound of him taking damage, suggeting that he dealt the last blow himself.)
Brian: In the end, he [too] upheld his own justice...a warrior, to the very end...
Video link
(Fade in to Fam standing alone over the battleground for a while; then Ralph enters.)
Ralph: What's wrong? Why are you still here?
Fam: ...Ralph?
Ralph: Why the long face? It doesn't suit you!
Fam: Well...
(Beat)
Fam: I have achieved vengeance for my parents and defeated Gant...
Ralph: Yeah. It was beatiful[ly executed].
Fam: Perhaps...but now that everything is over, there is quite the hollow sensation all of a sudden. I am not even certain if I continue to despise Gant...for someone that I am sure would not have shown their true emotions so easily to shed tears [before one such as myself]...
Ralph: Yeah...in the end, everyone was fighting to avenge people important to them...and the cycle of violence continues...
Fam: So have I been doing nothing more than adding to that hatred and revenge...? Thinking thus, a deep loneliness springs up in my heart...I possess neither a nation nor a people to protect...and neither is there a single knight to defend me...
Ralph: ......
(Ralph walks up to Marcia and kneels in front of her.)
Fam: H-hold, Ralph[, what are you doing]?
(Music stops and changes to the heroic tune)
Ralph: "I seeketh not that thou grant upon me a sword, but only that thou accept mine lifelong loyalty to thee...if such loyalty..."
Fam: That's...the oath of knighthood?
(Ralph stands up)
Ralph: "Such loyalty..." Ack! I can't do it! I've forgotten [the rest of] it! If I'd known I'd make a promise like this, I should've learned it properly from Pops!
(Beat)
Fam: "If such loyalty be in doubt, striketh me down with this sword; I prove mine dedication to thee with my life."
(Ralph kneels again)
Ralph: ...."if such loyalty be in doubt, striketh me down with thine sword; I prove mine dedication to thee with my life."
Fam: You have my gratitude, Ralph...but...that is not necessary.
(Ralph stands back up)
Ralph: You're right...it's not like me being a knight would be all that useful...
Fam: You have misunderstood...even though I have no knights, I have companions--and what wonderful ones--by my side.
Ralph: ......
Fam: Is something the matter? Do I [perhaps] have something on my face?
Ralph: Nah, it's just that when I first saw you you seemed kind of a brute, but you sure have changed.
Fam: Quiet! So what if I'm a brute who's not fit to be a princess!
Ralph: There we go! This Fam is the one I prefer; that's more like you[r real self].
Fam: Huh...? What...are you talking about?
Ralph: N-nothing...I just...
(Beat; Leon enters)
Leon: Ralph! Everybody says they're ready to go...
Ralph: Oh, no! We'd better hurry.
Fam: Hey! Wait a minute! Ralph!
Leon: You, too, Fam. We're all waiting.
Fam: What can I do about him? Heh.
Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
- In Japanese, Fam normally refers to herself as "atashi", which is less formal even for a regular person and would definitely raise eyebrows around her peer group, but in this cutscene she starts out with the "watashi" before she slips back to her regular usage. Hopefully "localizing" this as Fam initially not using contractions gets across the difference in register.
- Ralph's recitation of the Knight's Oath, meanwhile, gets rendered in KJV-style English because I am not a cunning enough linguist to come up with anything else.
- I decided to translate "nakama" as "companions", because "friends" didn't feel strong enough and "comrades" now evokes
more often than not.
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Welner: You're finally here...that mean's you've taken down Uncle Gant.
Lee-Ann: Weil! Let us pass! If we don't hurry, both humans and monsters might all die!
Welner: Really? Then...let's all die together.
Lee-Ann: Weil?
Welner: Don't you dare call me by that name! Only the old, nice Lee-Ann from before is allowed to do that!
Lee-Ann: Stop, Weil! We don't want to fight with anyone!
Welner: Shut up, shut up! Die! I'll bury all of you right here!
Stage 21: A Broken Heart
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Treasure #1: A weapon upgrade for T. T.
Treasure #2: Another Mithril Chain Mail.
Treasure #3: 2770 gold.
Welner taunts us with "Go freeze to death!" before he charges forward and starts casting ice magic on the party.
Welner's still not at all dangerous, but remains as annoying as ever. It doesn't take long to take him down.
Lee-Ann: Everybody, please don't kill Weil!
Leon: We won't.
Ralph: If we kill a kid, we'd have nightmares for the rest of our lives.
Welner: Do it. I am also a proud member of the vampire clan. Don't hold back just because I'm a "kid"; I couldn't care less.
Leon: We didn't hold back; we weren't planning to fight [you] in the first place.
Lee-Ann: Please, Weil. Let me go stop Kaiser.
Welner: Lee-Ann, why are you being so stubborn.
Lee-Ann: The day that everyone can live together happily will come, I'm sure of it, but if we don't stop Kaiser, that dream will never come true.
Welner: Then, can I come play with you again, Lee-Ann?
Lee-Ann: Of course!
Welner: All right. I'll wait right here, so hurry back!
Lee-Ann: Very well. It's a promise.
Video link
Lucia: So you've finally arrived...Marcia.
Marcia: Lucia! Listen to me! If we don't stop Sir Kaiser, both humans and monsters might all perish!
Lucia: Trying to scare me, huh? I won't be fooled!
Marcia: I'm not lying!
Lucia: Shut up! No matter what, I only believe Sir Kaiser! Your trick won't work!
Ophelia: If we can't negotiate, then we've got no choice but to fight!
Marcia: How can this be...
Stage 22: A Dream That Can Never Come True
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This battleground is designed to be extremely unfriendly to everyone who isn't Marcia--nobody can climb the cliff except by going the looooong way around, and we get showered with damage in the meantime. Fortunately our casters can return fire, and the dragons (who are capable of flight as well) can also come into melee damage range, and Marcia takes so long picking up treasure that I end up getting quite a few party members into action.
Treasure #1, an armor upgrade for Leon or Brian.
Marcia's lighting spell upgrades to a 13 square super-diamond; the other casters will eventually get to this size with their basic elemental spells (including Fam's healing).
Treasure #2, an item that either temporarily or permanently boosts magic defense by five points.
Treasure #3, armor for Leon/Brian/Marcia/Fam/Ophelia. It's been a while since Marcia's upgraded her armor, so I give it to her.
Being charmed is a massive pain in the butt: though I can still move a charmed unit, they can only target allies (at least as far as melee attacks are concerned; I have yet to check what happens to a caster's magic targeting when they are charmed); given how hard Leon hits I heal him right away.
All status ailments have a random chance of recovering at the beginning of a turn (potentially tied to one of the stats, but I have no idea which).
Treasure #4, another copy of the ring Karen is wearing; it'll go on her eventually.
The audio seems to have bugged a bit at Lucia's taunt message and played a bit of the post-battle cutscene audio instead.
Lucia: Let's see if it's you humans or us monsters that are stronger once and for all!
Marcia: Lucia!
Lucia's stats.
Because Lucia is also a fire mage, she's able to cast the best fire elemental spell that Karen has also learned but doesn't yet have the MP for. It summons a giant phoenix onto the field and carpet bombs a huge area.
Video link
Lucia (cough): I've lost. That makes you humans the winners.
Marcia: Lucia...you dummy...
Lucia: Perhaps...perhaps...Sir Kaiser...
Marcia: Lucia?
(Lucia fades out with the same "taking damage" sound effect as Gant.)
Marcia: LUCIA!
Lee-Ann: Why...did something like this have to happen?
Leon: We have to keep moving forward.
Ophelia: That's true. Things are drawing to a close; all will be revealed soon.
Store clerk: Welcome! Oh, it's the sad music again...
Lee-Ann: ......
Store clerk: And this customer looks even more depressing...
Lee-Ann: Where am I...?
Store clerk: Welcome!
Lee-Ann: Is this...a store?
Store clerk: It is! And this is the only one left. In order to not have greats, please don't miss this opportunity to shop as you please!
Lee-Ann: Regrets, huh? Well said! No matter how things end up, we shouldn't regret.
(This is definitely the last shop until the post game, so I load up on gear and stuff.)
Store clerk: Do your best! This is your last chance!
Lee-Ann: I will.
Thanks for coming.
(The store clerk fades away, and then the store does as well. Was this particular store staffed by a ghost? Or were all stores some sort of dimensional-hopping TARDIS selling supplies to our intrepid adventurers? 
)
Lee-Ann: It's time...
(Lee-Ann walks forward but stops when Helios enters the scene)
Lee-Ann: Sir Helios?
Video link
Leon: Oh, there you are, Lee-Ann! We were all worried about where you went.
Lee-Ann: Sorry...
(Flashback)
Lee-Ann: What are you doing here, Sir Helios?
Helios: I made a major discovery...I wanted to let you know first...
Lee-Ann: [Why] me?
Helios: A long, long time ao, there was a doorway to the demonic world buried under these ruins. I've heard that those who sealed the door belonged to the [von] Basil clan--your ancestors.
Lee-Ann: What...what do you mean by this?
Helios: The seal is [said to be] greatly affected by the strength of the blood[line]. If this is true, then the real reason that Baruk would bring Kaiser here becomes quite clear.
Lee-Ann: No! He can't possibly be planning to...
Helios: I'm afraid that he wants to use Kaiser's blood as a key to open that door, because he's not capable of doing it by his own power.
(Beat)
Lee-Ann: I must stop Kaiser!
Helios: Wait! You must remember that the important thing isn't just to prevent opening this door, but that you also have [von] Basil blood in your veins. Never forget this.
(Back to the present)
Leon: What's wrong? Did something happen?
Lee-Ann: No, it's nothing.
Ophelia: Looks like the mastermind himself has shown up!
Baruk: Not bad, making it all the way here. I underestimated you.
Fam: You...you...!
Baruk: What's wrong? So angry you can't even speak? So what? Everything you've gone through is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the humiliation I have been forced to endure.
Ophelia: Wrong. You're just too weak. All you've been doing is living in your past misfortune instead of facing reality.
Baruk: Weak? Me? I will make you pay for those words. Let us make an account of exactly how "weak" I am!
Stage 23: Underground Temple
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This map is the first one where I really start struggling with the un-rotatable isometric view; the portion of the map where the two initial branching paths meet up in particular drove me nuts because I kept mis-interpreting the terrain and how to traverse it.
Marcia's leveled up enough to cast her ultimate spell, so I grabbed a screenshot at a different part of the animation than the fan page.
On the left hand path is a ring that boosts defense and dark elemental by five points; I give it to Lee-Ann.
Game! Don't spoil yourself on the existence of the post game! Oh, well, serves me right for being addicted to going after shinies; that 2160 gold will serve itself well when I get a store to spend it on.
Treasure #3 is a weapon upgrade for Lee-Ann.
As we're heading up towards Baruk, he taunts us with "Come on! I'll cut you to pieces with my wind magic!" As before, he can paralyze us, but whatever, I still have minions to kill and stuff to pickup.
I finally used Fierce Blow in an orientation where the animation makes sense: Leon cuts the ground so hard the entire Fourth Wall gets chopped in half. (I also find out that this is one of the few attacks that can inflict friendly fire and accidentally murder two of my allies.)
Marcia picks up the last on-field treasure, what I believe to be the best armor in the game for Leon and Brian, and then I finish off Baruk.
Video link
Baruk: How...can this be...gack!
Ophelia: Your ambition ends today. I swear in my mother's name that I will not allow you to call that evil demon god back to this world.
Baruk: So you're the guardian's...heh...heheheh...I won't give up just yet!!
(Baruk literally just stands up and runs out of the scene right under the noses of our heroes.)
Ophelia: Oh, no! Go after him!
(Baruk walks into the scene and collapses into his injured pose.)
Kaiser: ...so you've made it just fine.
Baruk: My apologies. There's no time to waste. Come, summon our god...
(Kaiser turns around)
Kaiser: Very well. Let's begin the ceremony.
(Baruk stands up and raises his sword into the air.)
Kaiser: This is how you murdered Avi, correct?
Baruk: ....!?
(Kaiser turns around again.)
Kaiser: How sad that I'd listen to the suggestions of such a despicable, shameless, and petty person such as you.
Baruk: *roars with the effort of casting*
Kaiser (drawing his cape in front of himself): You fool!!
(Kaiser spins as Baruk casts, deflecting the spell back onto Baruk.)
Baruk: GACK!!
Kaiser: I would have been willing to sacrifice [anything] for the monsters, but this was the result...that's what I get for trusting in others.
Baruk: *heaves and chokes*
Kaiser: Make your [eternal] rest here...such a place suits you.
(Kaiser walks past Baruk out of the scene)
Baruk: You...think that I'd give up now...?
(Baruk walks forward as the scene fades out.)
Next time: The last two battles of the main plot