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Leon: It feels so much better to be at sea level.
Ophelia: It's been quite the climb, hasn't it? We've just passed the peak and Youku's [main] castle is in sight.
Ralph: Does this mean we have to say goodbye, Miss Ophelia?
Ophelia: Perhaps...but I am worried about something, so if you don't mind, I'd like to keep accompanying you.
Fam: You took the words right out of my mouth.
???: You people will never reach Youku.



Gant: I will use your blood to pay for the sin of killing our alliance leader Lord Avi!
Fam: Is there no hope for negotiations?
Brian: To them, we're just despicable assassins. Before things get cleared up, we have no other choice [except to defend ourselves].
Leon: Then we fight, I guess.
Marcia: That's "Great Earth Gant", one of Kaiser's elites. He's not someone we can overcome easily!
Ophelia: How do you know who'd win? We haven't even fought yet. Besides, it's not like he'd let us run away.
T. T. (thinking): Isn't it too soon [for a fight]?

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
Off the top of my head I don't remember what rank Avi actually had in Turuk, but Gant uses the "-sama" honorific to refer to Avi, which is pretty much the most respectful way you could address anybody, so I figured using "Lord" would work fine in conveying that tone.

Stage 9: [A] Strong Foe

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While far from useless, Midboss T. T. (element: earth) is kind of redundant: he can heal, but so can Fam and Marcia; though he can also buff physical defense, I've rarely used it as anything except to grind EXP for T. T.; though he can poison, as mentioned before that a borderline useless status ailment to give to someone (except maybe to distract a fairy, but I can shut them down with Mute or Paralyze if I'm not going to kill them); and given that he's the second wizard I picked up, I'm not going to think favorably of him even if he's on par with Karen in terms of damage; as if to acknowledge that he'd be better if he gained a few levels, the game even gives T. T. a spell that seems to be specifically geared to giving him a bunch of experience: "Command", which has a high chance of making everybody standing in the area of effect of the spell face in the same direction as him (and while facing does have a very minor difference in damage taken, it's not a big enough one that I've ever used this spell offensively).



Because I was more interested in feeding actual kills to the rest of the party, I completely forgot to use one of T. T.'s spells: "Vulture", which summons the vulture he used to run away back in the post Stage 2 cutscene to drop a rock on an enemy. It does more damage and has more range than "Stone Spike", but it's single target only and Stone Spike eventually gains more area affect, so I just loaded up a save and grabbed a quick screenshot of what the vulture looks like.



The on-screen treasure on the left side of the map is a ring that boosts defense and wind elemental by a bit. That goes on Marcia as soon as possible.



The one in the middle of the map is an item that restores HP and cures the frozen status.



(Called "Great Earth Gant", he exterminates his enemies with his massive wrist strength and seemingly endless stamina, as if he is immortal.)

Gant: How dare you murder Lord Avi! Up until this point you've always looked down on us 'monsters', but this time you actually had the gall to stab us in the back after welcoming us with smiles!
Leon: Please listen to us! We really didn't kill Sir Avi!
Gant: Shut the hell up! Even so, he was still murdered by humans, and therefore I will not stop until I've eliminated all humans, just as I did those humans in the castle!
Fam: No, it can't be...you...
Gant: That's right, I was the one who killed that nation's king!
Brian: No...
Fam: You...you...!
Gant: Hahahaha! Don't worry, you'll be joining him soon!

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
What Fam actually said was "Urasanai...urusanai!", the polite person's version of the worst invective's imaginable. Because if an offense is not forgivable, then that implies that the only recourse is a battle to the death.

While Gant (element earth) hits like a truck, all of the fronline units can survive a single hit from him, I've got two healers in range (Marcia having been sent off on expedition) and he can only target one of them at a time.

Gant: I was too careless...I thought that Baruk's defeat was an exaggeration.
Fam: Did we win?
Marcia: No way! This isn't anywhere close enough to defeating him!
Ralph: What?!
Gant: Ehehehe--*roars*
Leon: W-what now!?
Gant: I'm not so easily taken down by the likes of you!
Ophelia: You--you beast!
Marcia: Let's get out of here before he recovers his strength!
Brian: Everyone! Hurry into Youku castle!

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
Ophelia called Gant a "bakemono", which would more properly translate into "monster", but since I've already translated "mazoku" as monster, I decided to go for a different word.

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Gant: You little pests...do you really think you can get away from me just by escaping into Youku?
(Baruk teleports into the scene.)
Gant: Oh, it's you. Why are you here? To make fun of me?
Baruk: Nevermind those people for now.
Gant: What?
Baruk: Go ahead and let them flee to Youku. It's to our advantage that way.
Gant: Hmph...so our tactician has come up with some sort of strategy, has he? Very well. It was my own faul that I underestimated those people. I will follow your orders.

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4vgwM338RQ&list=PLHKv1i7hkngnSdlGlbkyfyOaojbkqminM&index=30&t=0s][/url]



Store clerk: Welcome! Oh, what an cutie we have for todays' customer!
Karen: Big sis said they wanted to talk about something and sent me out to play...
Store clerk: Did they? Well, then, let me take you shopping!
Karen: Really? Yaaay! You're the best!
Store clerk (thinking): I'll send the bill afterwards.

(You know how this goes by now.)

Store clerk: Did you have fun?
Karen: Uh huh!
Store clerk: Then be sure to come play with me again sometime!
Karen: Okay!
Store clerk: Thanks for your patronage!

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King of Youku: It must have been quite the journey for you, Princess of Barth.
Fam: I realize that it is quite rude of me to appear without prior notice, but given the circumstances I had no choice but to do so. Please forgive me.
King of Youku: And these circumstances that you refer to must be...?
Fam: Allow me to elaborate--Kaiser has declared war on all mankind. I have come to ask for help to stop this war.
King of Youku: I see. I understand Your Highness' concerns, but there's no need to worry. Kaiser is nothing before our military might!
Fam: Huh?
King of Youku: You came because you thought our kingdom would also be easily overrun? Relax! We'll take down all of the monsters at once, seize Barth back from them and return the kingdom to you.
Fam: That's not it! My intent is to reconcile the misunderstanding, avoiding needless battles...
King of Youku: Ah, you must be referring to having been framed?
Fam: I believe Sir Helios should be here. If he is willing to clear things up, it might be possible to prevent further tragedy.
King of Youku: Given that they've gone so far as destroying your kingdom, Highness, we as your ally would never let this insult pass unanswered even if the misunderstanding were to be cleared up.
Fam: Th--that's...
Brian: Your Majesty! Though the monsters be few in number, their magical power is far greater than we've imagined. If you go to war with them, you'll incur great fatalities on both sides!
King of Youku: Unlike Barth, we have more than enough military might to face the monsters. Just relax and watch from the sidelines.
Fam: Your Majesty, please reconsider! If you go to war now, it's very possible that things will spiral out of control...
King of Youku: Men!
(A soldier arrives on the scene.)
King of Youku: Her Highness must be very tired after this long trip. Escort her to the guest room.
Fam: But, Your Majesty!
King of Youku: Feel free to take a long rest, Your Highness.

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Ophelia: Karen, it's dangerous [up there]! Hurry up and get down!
Karen: But I'm bored!
Ophelia: Listen to me! Look at how rude you're being?
Ralph: I don't get what the heck that old fart's up to.
Brian: Isn't it obvious? They want to take this chance to seize Barth for themselves!
Ophelia: What a sly fellow, that king, pretending to be taking vengeance on Barth as her ally, but in reality...
Brian: And then, he'll station soldiers at Barth in the name of protecting a nation without an army, so even if Fam was crowned queen, all of the actual power would be in the hands of Youku.
Ralph: Wh-what the hell! It's because of scumbags like him that nobles are so corrupt!
(Beat.)
Ralph: Ah...! B-but not Barth royalty...
Fam: Forgive me! I got everyone tangled up in this mess...
Leon: It wasn't your fault! It's not like you had a better plan.
Marcia: Is there no good way of escaping from here?
Ophelia: Hey, T. T.!
T. T.: What?
Ophelia: If I remember correctly, you're an expert lockpicker?
T. T.: Oh!
Ophelia: Can you open this lock?
T. T.: All too easy!
(Beat.)
Ophelia: Well, what are you standing around for? Hurry up and do it!
(She hits him.)
T. T.: That hurts!
Ophelia: This isn't the time to stand around reading books!
T. T.: But there really are some nice books here!
Ophelia: Oy! Nobody cares about your opinion right now!
T. T.: Calm down! We're currently surrounded by soldiers. Even if we escaped, we'd get captured immediately. We have to calmly wait for the right chance.
Ophelia: You weirdo, being this calm at a time like this...fine, I'll do as you suggest.
(Time passes.)
Leon: It's already been three days and we're still here.
Marcia: I'm so bored!
Ralph: Me too! And I stink [something awful]!
Ophelia: I bet the only one who isn't bored is that idiot over there!
T. T.: Oh! This...hm hm!
Karen: Hey, hey! What's that over there?
Ophelia: Karen, you've climbed up there again...
Karen: There's a bunch of people and monsters with weapons coming this way!
Ralph: What did you say!?



King of Youku: ...so they're finally here, are they? Excellent! Time for our trump card. And bring me Helios as a hostage, hurry!
(The soldiers leave.)
King of Youku: What kind of treasures will that person bring me, I wonder? I'll be sure to take a close look.
(Dramatic pause.)
King of Youku (looking smug as fuck): And now, all of the land in Endorichy will be mine...ha ha ha...BWAHAHAHAHAHA...!

(All of the following happens on a black screen.)
Light infantry: There he is! Hurry up! Come on!
(There is the sound of something hitting flesh.)
Light infantry: Ack!!

(Back at the room where the party is.)
Ralph: Leon, can you see anything?
Leon: Sorry! It's hard to do that from here...
Brian: We don't need to see anything to know what's going on--the Turuk army must have started their attack. The king Youku's declaration that he intends to join in the war effort couldn't have been a more convenient excuse for Turuk to invade Youku.
Fam: No! Then what did we come all this way for?
Ophelia: No matter what, we can't meet this opportunity. Hey, T. T.
T. T.: Huh?
Ophelia: What do you mean "huh"? We have to get out of here, so hurry up and open the door.
T. T.: But...uh...
Ophelia: What! Spell it out already!
T. T.: Actually, I just checked out the door--it's designed so that it can only be opened from the outside.
Ophelia: T. T.! Why didn't you say something earlier!
T. T.: My bad...
Marcia: This is terrible. If we don't find a way out of here soon, this will let Kaiser's troops invade.
(Fade to black; there's the sound of a door opening, and after it fades back in, Helios is in the room.)
Fam: Oh, it's you...!
Marcia: Sir Helios!
Leon (thinking): Oh! So this is Helios...Turuk's...no, Enorichy's wisest sage!
Helios: Hurry up and get out of here. The king of Youku wants to destroy you all.
Fam: What? Why?
Helios: Though I am confined here, I have spies everywhere, so I know about your situation. My guess is that the king wants to use this chance to completely wipe out Barth kingdom's bloodline.
Fam: How awful...
Helios: Soon, Kaiser will breach the walls of the castle. If you take the chance now, you should be able to escape from the rear gate.
Marcia: But what about you, Sir Helios?
Helios: It might be useless, but I'd like to try stopping Kaiser. I suspect that someone is manipulating this series of events from behind, and Youku is just a pawn on the current game board.
Ophelia: Who would that be?
Helios: I suspect that it's...
(There's a loud sound and bright flash.)
Ralph: Woah! What the heck was that light and noise show about?
Helios: No! It can't be that the king of Youku used "that"...?
Leon: Just what is going on here?
Helios: There's no time to wait. If they really used "that", then the Turuk army must have been dealt a huge blow.
Ophelia: No..."Terrorhook", the forbidden spell?
Helios: There's no time to explain in detail. What's more important is for you to get out of here as soon as you can.
Leon: But where can we go?
Helios: Go see the elder of the Urukanos. Then, you'll know the truth.
Ophelia: That old grampa...? Sure, I'll lead the way.
Helios: Stay safe.

Stage 10: Strategy and Rebellion

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Ralph: Oh, no! The invasion's already started!

Despite the plot claiming that Turuk and Youku troops are fighting one another, the game engine only allows for one enemy team, so even if I lure the Turuk troops over to the Youku troops, they won't fight one another (though accidental spear friendly fire is still possible)--the Turuk fairies will even heal damaged Youku units. Since I don't want to have to fight a battle on two fronts, I carefully weave my way down the stairs and take on the Turuk units first before engaging the Youku ones.



Marcia's sent on a quick trip to pick up the on-field treasure--it's the same as what she's wearing, but since she's the only one who has it and I'm spending all of my savings on weapons upgrades until the store runs out of them, I pass it on to Leon.



Marcia is also the first of our spellcasters to get an upgrade in her AOE. I'm not familiar enough with the engine to have any idea whether that happens after a set point in the plot, when somebody hits a particular level, or when their base stats get to a certain point.



(Description: A high level officer. As expected, his swordskill is without peer, but he can also use magic.)

Leon: That guy must be the commander!
Ralph: Excellent! Let's hurry up and get rid of him!



I give the last blow to Leon, who hits level 12 and learns "Strong Blow", an attack that hits up to 8 squares in a straight line (though it stops as soon as it encounters any square not on the same height).

Brian: Quickly! Let's get out of here!

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King of Youku: Aren't you done yet? Why is it taking so long to mop up remnants as pathetic as these?
Light Infantry (from offscreen): Aaah!
King of Youku: Huh? What's going on over there?
(The two spearmen run offscreen.)
Light Infantry (from offscreen): Gack!



King of Youku: Y-you!?
Kaiser: I am Kaiser von Bazel. I presume you to be Herman the Third, King of Youku?
King of Youku: You're Kaiser? How are you still alive? Weren't you killed along with the Turuk army?
Kaiser: Thanks to you, our entire vanguard will wipe out. But don't worry, I'll make you pay the price for that loss.
King of Youku: W-wait a minute! Don't forget that Helios is still in our hands as a hostage!
Kaiser: Him? He's capable of getting out any time he wants. Give up!
King of Youku: WHAT!?



King of Youku: Despicable scum, you planned this from the start...gwah!



Helios (from offscreen): Kaiser!
(Helios walks into the scene.)
Kaiser: Are you really all right?
Helios: Kaiser...have you ever considered that it wasn't humans who murdered Lord Avi?
Kaiser: Perhaps.
Helios: Then...why? Wasn't maintaining a good relationship with humans our goal, in order to protect the status of monsters?
Kaiser: Are you suggesting that I destroyed a human kingdom in the heat of the moment, and then doubled down on that mistake with a second one?
Helios: ......
Kaiser: If we admit ourselves to be in the wrong, then we will be driven out of this island.
Helios: Kaiser...
Kaiser: There's no turning back.

(So remember how a couple updates ago I mentioned that I only transliterated "Turuk" because going with a cultural translation would be awkward as fuck? Brace yourselves, folks, because we're about to get bludgeoned with a massive reveal.)

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Leon: Huh? Isn't this the way out?
Ralph: There's a bunch of weird stuff stored here.
Leon: Woah!
Ralph: Wh--what is that!?
Ophelia: I see...this must be the secret to the forbidden spell.
Fam: Ophelia, what on earth is all this?
Ophelia: You must have heard even when back in Barth that the Youku kingdom often used monsters as slaves, haven't you? Additionally, there have always been rumors that he also used them in experiments.
T. T.: These must be the labs, then.
Ophelia: Here, hundreds of monsters were sacrificed in order to create the forbidden spell Terrorhook.
(There's a pause here as the game allows the player to process all that. Yes, the game writers really went there: fantasy racism escalated into fantasy genocide, using fantasy death camps to create a fantasy nuke. Our party might be fighting for their own survival in this mess, but in the eyes of the monsters, they are nothing more than the face of The Other.)
Ophelia: This must be why the monsters have gone mad [with grief]...



Evil Witch: Welcome to my laboratory. My, my...what rare guests we have here...so many wonderful materials for my next experiment. I couldn't have asked for better!
Marcia: What do you think you can do to us?
Evil Witch: Why, make you into a great big abomination, of course! It's such a pain to do it with regular monsters, I always need so many. But if it's just you two, that'll be more than enough!
Ophelia: Quite self-assured, aren't you! But if you try, you'll see that it's not that easy to cut us up.
Evil Witch: Hahahahahaha! Defiant to the end, I see. This is really getting interesting. Let me take good care of you!

Stage 11: The Forbidden Spell

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This battle is no big deal, though the orange jack-o-lanterns can cast AOE fire magic, so one does need to be a bit careful in positioning units.



Marcia picks up an item that completely restores HP and MP if used on a unit.



In the first go-round, I fed enough experience for Ralph to level up and learn "Lion Roar", his equivalent to Leon's "Strong Blow", but I promptly forgot to show it off. When I replayed the battle Ralph didn't get enough to level up in this battle.



Ralph also picks up an armor even better than the one I got in the last battle; however, since only Leon, Brian, Marcia, Fam, and Ophelia can wear it, Marcia gets it when she rejoins the party (in the replay, I gave it to Fam instead).



The hellhounds can breathe fire from up to four tiles away, and the flames hit all of those tiles.



(Description: Though she can also use a bow, what's really terrifying are her strong magic attacks.)

Evil Witch: How dare you kill my beloved pets! I'll show you! I'll turn you all into the ugliest creatures imaginable!



What Strong Beat looks like. This kills the enemy commander since she's just a squishy caster who can use a bow.

Evil Witch: How could this have...*death scream*
Leon: C'mon! Let's hurry on out of here!
Marcia: Shouldn't we destroy this equipment first?
Ophelia: The castle's about to collapse anyway. If we shuffle our feet, we won't be able to make our escape!

(Checking the battle again, it turns out I missed an on-field treasure in the far left corner: a really awesome bow for Ophelia. I'm not about to re-record just the entire battle for an item pickup, but I'm definitely overwriting my save file so I can go into the next battle with this.)

Stage 12: The Dragon's Mountain

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Leon: We're right back to where we started!
Ophelia: Far from it! This is much more dangerous compared to the road we just traversed; this is holy ground for the ancient dragons.
Ralph: Did you say d-dragons!?
Ophelia: Though wild dragons aren't sapient, they're very strong. Slip up even a little bit around them and they'll hurt you.

How dangerous the dragons are depends on how much the RNG hates you. All dragons have a ton of defense and magic resistance, the blue dragons have a 4-ish tile long freezing breath, and the silver dragon can paralyze.



One of the really nice things about all casters is that any of their spells that target more than one square distinguish between ally and enemy, so I never have to worry magic-based friendly fire. (The downside of this is that this makes the game even more brainless, but eh.)



Managed to get Ralph back to the right level to start using his Kamehamema Hadoken Lion's Roar.



Marcia picks up a ring that boosts magic defense; since Ralph has the least, it goes on him.



And Ralph picks up a rod upgrade for Karen.



Because I gave Marcia the last hit on replay, she leveled up enough to learn "Encourage", a single-target spell that allows any unit that's already used up their movement and or action to move/act again. It's this game's equivalent to the Final Fantasy series' "Quick" spell and besides healing spells is pretty much the only support spell I am certain to cast in every battle from here on out.



Finally, Ophelia grabs the last treasure, a 2850 gold infusion that will immediately be spent in the next shopping spree.

Ralph: Finally got rid of them all.
Ophelia: And look! There's Drago's house right there!
Fam: Who?
Ophelia: That's the elder who we're about to visit. I haven't seen him in a long while. I hope he lives for a long time.
Leon: I see...

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
The sharp-eared among you will have noticed that a lot of times the Japanese will have someone repeat some or all of someone else's dialogue in the form of a question (Metal Gear?!?) but I pretty much haven't translated it literally because most adult English speakers don't talk like that.

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Store clerk: Welcome!
Ophelia: Well, well! Since when did Drago open a store here?
Store clerk: Do you need something?
Ophelia: Yes...is Drago there?
Store clerk: Sorry, this store doesn't carry any products called "Drago".
Ophelia (thinking): Is this some sort of prank?
Store clerk: But we do have all of the weapons, armor, and medicine you could need.
Ophelia: Hm. Very well, it does make sense to buy some supplies for the long journey ahead.

(Upgrades time!)

Ophelia: Thanks! Please be sure to bill this to Drago!
Store clerk: Sorry, but I already told you, I don't know what a "Drago" is...
Ophelia: Fine, never mind then.
Store clerk: I'm very sorry. The next time you come to our store, we'll do our best to be in stock.
Ophelia: No thanks! I don't want any of that crinkly old codger!
Store clerk: Did you say something?
Ophelia: Just talking to myself. I don't have anything other questions. Farewell!
Store clerk: Thanks for coming by!

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Ophelia: Drago, are you there?



Ophelia: Drago?!
Drago: Q-quick...make your escape...this is a trap!
Leon (running in from outside): Miss Ophelia! There's trouble!
Ophelia: Why do you have your sword out? Did the enemy catch up to us?



Lucia: You humans sure kept me waiting! I am Fire Goddess Lucia.
Marcia: No! It can't be!
Lucia: Oh, it's you, Marcia.
Marcia: Stop! These are not the ones who killed Sir Avi!
Lucia: Marcia, that doesn't matter any more.
Marcia: Why?
Lucia: This whole mess with the king of Youku has finally made me realize that humans have no intention of co-existing peacefully with us 'monsters'.
Fam: That's not true! At least, the Barth kingdom was sincerely allied with you...
Lucia: Then why was Lord Avi murdered?
Fam: I...I...
Lucia: It is true that you have not abused my people as the King of Youku did with his horrific experiments...but you just stood on the sidelines, letting him do as he pleased and even taking pleasure in his actions, didn't you?
Leon: !
Marcia: Lucia, please!
Lucia: Marcia, in the past I may have gone along with you on all matters, but this time I refuse to step aside!
Ophelia: Psh, little brat, talking big like she knows what she's saying.
Lucia: What did you say?
Ophelia: Things are this way precisely because of people like you who quibble about "humans" and "monsters"!
Lucia: Aren't you a "monster", too?
Ophelia: Doesn't matter. I protect these people because I like them; it's as simple as that, get it? Enough talk, come at me [if you dare]!
Lucia: Very well, it appears that we have nothing more to discuss. Go ahead and die along with the humans!

Stage 13: The Fire-Evoking Black Wings

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The archers can cast both damaging and healing magic in addition to peppering us with arrows, but the dragons remain the real threat.



At level 10, Fam learns a spell that boosts ally magic defense.



Marcia picks up one of the on-field treasures, an item that heals both health and magic.

Because Lucia can fly and has the same movement range as Marcia, it doesn't take all that long for us to trigger aggro from her.

Marcia: Stop it, Lucia! Wasn't it our dream to be able to leave peacefully with the humans?
Lucia: And the dream of the venerated Lord Avi as well. But that's all it is--a dream!
Marcia: Lucia, don't you remember what you said before when you first started working with Kaiser--"Now, we can chase that dream together"?
Lucia: Silence! Unlike you, I'm no longer a naive little girl!
Ophelia (thinking): From where I'm sitting, you still look plenty immature...
Lucia: I won't let anyone get in my way! That includes you, Marcia!



Called "Fire Goddess Lucia", she uses her beautiful pitch black wings to freely roam the sky, sometimes using fire magic to attack.

While Lucia's fire attacks do hurt, I've got three healers on my side, treasures to pick up, and potential item drops to smack out of the piñatas enemies that hold them, so I just kite her around while I tidy up.



The second on-field treasure is the best (Leon, Brian, Marcia, Fam, and Ophelia only) armor that can be had; it promptly goes on Marcia.



The final on-field treasure is a ring that boosts defense and water elemental; it'll eventually go on Ophelia.



I let Marcia have the last hit again; she reaches level 16 and learns a spell that has a chance of adding Silence to everyone on the field, including allies. Given this downside, it's only worth casting if there's a bunch of enemy wizards and/or healers.

Marcia: Stop, Marcia! Why must we fight one another?
Lucia: You haven't changed at all, have you...hurry up and finish this!
Marcia: Everyone! Please, don't kill Lucia!
Ophelia: How could we possibly bring ourselves to murder Marcia's good friend?
Fam: I agree with Ophelia.
Leon: That's right! It's too cruel to make good friends be at each others' throats.
Ralph: And that's that, so get outta here!
Lucia: I can't believe a bunch of idealists could have survived so long. But I haven't given up on killing you! You'll regret letting me go!

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Ophelia: Are you feeling better, Drago?
Drago: Much better! What a terrible brute, that woman, hurting a old man at death's door such as myself...
Ophelia: Old? Please, you might be a few years more advanced than me, but...
Karen: Hey! Who's this grampa?
Drago: Hehehe, you talking about me, you adorable little girl?
Karen: Uh-huh!
Drago: Why don't you take a guess?
(Everyone sweatdrops.)
Leon (thinking): Who is this guy, anyway?
Ophelia: Still playing games at your age, huh...don't look down on Drago just because he looks like this, he's a Great Dragon who's lived for over a thousand years!
Ralph: Wh-wh-wh-whaaaaat?
Leon: No way! He totally just looks like some guy you'd pass on the street!
Drago: Heheheh! It's easier for me to keep this form, [especially since] I've already forgotten how to change back!
Marcia: Then you must be quite knoweldgable about magic!
Drago: Of course! But I musn't abuse it frivolously, or I'll face [divine] retribution.
Ophelia: Stop bragging! You don't even know any common spells.
Drago: Oh, shush!
Ophelia: Still, you aren't old to the point of senility, though with that blow to the head, maybe you've forgotten all the knowledge you've accumulated!
Drago: What are you talking about? Besides, it's all your fault that I was even attacked in the first place!
Ophelia: Oh, please! I was just teasing. Actually, the reason we visited was to ask you something.
Drago: Go ahead.
Ophelia: The forbidden spell Terrorhook.
Drago: Who used it?
Ophelia: The King of Youku, and he paid for his careless spell-slinging with his life. But who gave him the user's manual?
Drago: The reason it's called a forbidden spell is not only because it only targets monsters, but the more important issue is where all that energy goes after the monsters have been destroyed.
Ophelia: Please, do go on.
Drago: It's a spell to call demons back to this world. They are even darker than us monsters, and have an even more terrible power.
Marcia: How could that be! Why would anyone want to do such a thing?
Drago: The goal being to turn the world into [eternal] night. Legend has it that there had been several similar crises, but because men and monsters cooperated and fought together against disaster.
Ophelia: Oh, yeah! I heard about it, but I thought it was all just made up.
Drago: It's all true. You should know about the legend of Ark. Ralph's elders have had the legend of the Knights of Luceid for generations. These are the heroes of various ages who have risen up to stop the invasion of the demon realm.
Ophelia: That's been so long ago there probably isn't anyone capable of inheriting the title of Luceid.
Drago: Perhaps, perhaps not, who knows?
Leon: What are you two talking about?
Ralph: Sounds like really ancient myths and stuff.
Ophelia: Alright, stop posturing and tell me, who taught the king of Youku the forbidden spell?
Drago: From what I know, the only person who could use the forbidden spell is...
Ophelia: Who? Tell me their name already!
Drago: ...a former student named Baruk.
(Ominous thunder crackles.)

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes




Kaiser: How is the plan you proposed going along?
Baruk: Everything's going smoothly. The last step is just waiting for you, Lord Kaiser, to make your debut.
Kaiser: Is it? When should I be starting out?
Baruk: Whenever you like.
(Beat.)
Kaiser: ...up to this point, I've acted in complete accordance to your advice and you have not betrayed me...but have your suggestions really been helpful to the monsters?
Karuk: I would never do anything that is not beneficial to the monsters.
(Crackle of dramatic thunder.)
Kaiser: I'm going to depart from here first thing tomorrow morning. Make your preparations!
Baruk: I will...by the way, have you heard any news from Lord Helios?
Kaiser: I have not, but I also have no doubt that he would disagree with our methods. Therefore immediately order my elites to stop anyone who might want to draw near the ruins.
Baruk: Very well, but I have yet heard from Sir Welner.
Kaiser: Oh, him? I gave him another task. Communicating with him can wait until after he has completed his mission.
Baruk: I will.

(Back to our heroes.)
Drago: Baruk doesn't just hate the humans, but the monsters as well.
Marcia: Why!?
Drago: Ophelia, you should know, right?
Ophelia: Indeed I do! They've been discriminated against by the monsters, but because they're so incredily treacherous and terrifying, aren't they?
Drago: Perhaps...but in the end, what we monsters did was no different from what the humans have done.
Ophelia: Then what are we supposed to do?
Drago: I heard that long ago, there lay a sealed gateway to the demonic realm deepin Turuk territory. I believe they are planning is use that.
Fam: They're planning to open that gate?
Drago: I'd be willing to bet.
Leon: What'll happen if they open that gate?
Drago: I'm afraid that the world would be covered in darkness, and both humans and monsters face extinction.
(Beat.)
Marcia: We mustn't let them succeed!
Ralph: That's right! If they suceed, the world will fall into chaos!
Ophelia: Then we must stop them. But the enemy is strong!
(Heroic music begins to swell.)
Fam: We have to try for the sake of the people on this island.
Ralph: Me too! I wanna join in!
Brian: The duty of a knight is to serve his king[, after all].
Leon: I don't know how much I can help, but I'd like to lend a lend a hand.
Marcia: I want to save Lucia!
T. T.: I'd rather take things easy, but the women of the world are waiting for me to do my part!
Karen: .....I wanna help, too!
Ophelia: That settle's it. Let's go to Turuk.
Drago: Do as you like. I'm staying right here.
Ophelia: Go right ahead, and feel free to recover at my hot springs.
Leon: Miss Ophelia, I didn't know that you had hot springs!
Ophelia: Yeah, being a guide is just my side job, running a hot springs is my actual job. Actually, it's not that far from here. Why not we have a soak before we head out?

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes
Baruk refers to Welner with the honorific "-dono", which is how a Japanese samurai would address their feudal Lord. Since I have no idea of Turuk's actual hierarchy, and "Lord" already got assigned to "-sama", I just went with "Sir" to imply that there is some sort of rank difference going on.

Next time: More mood whiplash!

Characters introduced in this update:
Gant: One of Kaiser's elite commanders. Your stereotypical bloodthirsty barbarian type who sees all humans as puny and weak.
Herman III: The king of Youku, totally trustworthy and not at all suspicious an all-around scumbag who allows the enslavement and abuse of monsters and was planning to take over Barth for himself before Kaiser put a permanent end to his ambitions.
Helios: A mazoku renouned for his wisdom; was kept in Youku as a hostage until the king tried to put him in the direct line of fire.
Drago: An extremely old dragon who has locked himself in human form. Though he claims to have forgotten how to change back, he is well versed in ancient lore and magic. Baruk's magic tutor.
Lucia: One of Kaiser's elite commanders. Used to be Marcia's close friend until Avi's murder caused them to fall out with one another.