Shea and co. lead you to a small camp set up just a little bit away from the New Flight's own camp right outside the Ice Authority's capital.

Waiting there are a hardened-looking Ice Dragon (you never learn her name), some armored and tough-looking Icemen (Icemen and Icewomen are human representatives of the Ice Authority, typically answering to Ice Dragons in charge of larger regions, stereotypically viewed as little more than high-end hired muscle with a badge. These two men definitely look the part. You would soon find out from Gyo that that Nick fellow was the lover of an equally-gentle Icewoman who was killed, hence his personal actions against the Ymir Group), and a familiar childlike blue-haired Ice Dragon: Gyo!

"Ah, you're... Those humans who were caught up in Nicholas' efforts to rescue me. I wish we could've met under better circumstances, but how are you anyway?"

"Alright, actually! We joined those mercenaries for real," Leigh says.

"Marrius is dead," Une says, dampening the mood. "The people we're fighting killed him."

"I see. I hope you're not here out of petty revenge..."

You shake your head, explaining that General Yancy sent you to pursue them.

Gyo nods. "I see. A convenient excuse for revenge, then... At least expecting a paycheck at the end of this won't mean you'll do anything reckless."

The (MUCH) older manakete sighs. "Now's not the time for politeness, Gyo. We're here to rescue our leaders from certain death."

"I'm... Still uncertain about this, Kyure," Gyo admits, "but... it is my duty to protect our authority, black sheep of the representatives or not."

>A. Encourage Gyo to sit this out
>B. Agree with Gyo's sentiments
>C. No comment
>D. Write-in response

>>44048282
>C. No comment

>>44048282
>C. No comment

>>44048360
>>44048371
You stay out of this little discussion.

Kyure grins at the response, however. "Maybe this will give them a lesson in what value there is in a good person, Gyo."

Gyo nods yet again.

Shea is the next to speak up. "So our little group here isn't... Particularly large, as you can tell, but I don't plan on leaving without this Necromancer captured."

"Didn't you say THEY wouldn't let US leave?" Une asks.

"Both of these things are true. Now, I figure that all resistance in the city hasn't been wiped out quite yet..." Shea speculates. "So we'll need to act fast if we want to assist them."

"With all due respect, Princess Shea, we can't handle carrying out a full-scale assault. Perhaps we should wait for them to meet us here," old Yvette suggests.

"No, I think she has the right idea," Kyure says. "Humans go senile before dragons are even close to adolescence, if you think being sitting ducks is at all a good idea."

"If there's still resistance within the city, they won't send their full forces right away," Yvette responds. "They'll appear in smaller amounts, I'm certain."

"You have no way of knowing that!" Kyure responds.

"Hmm." Shea says. "Thinking about it... Does anyone else have any input?"

>A. Stick to plan A!
>B. Wait here!
>C. Write-in idea!
>D. Keep not having input

>>44048598
>send some inconspicious people into the city to search for the resistance. Figure out how powerful they and the Ice Authority are to determine whether to gather everyone up or start a full scale assault right away.
Or something like that.

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>>44048751
"Wait, so... You're planning this out when you know nothing of the situation inside the city? Send some scouts along or something."

"We're a bit... Undermanned," Jolie says, "as you can see. Are you volunteering?"

"I, uh..."

"I can go," Asra says. "I... Would do this sort of thing all the time, in the past."

"Asra," Yvette says, apparently recognizing her without introduction, "you're not going alone. At least bring someone similarly inconspicuousness-capable along to assess the situation."

Somehow, you ended up volunteered for the part, as does Une, sans spider (her bael would not only stand out, but leave Ansi without his glorified cushion when he's yet to wake).

So anyway, that's how you, Asra, and Une wound up in the middle of the city. A Wyvern Lord and her subordinate are arguing.

"And you let him get away."

"But... Risa, ma'am, we... That dragon was only leading people out of the city!"

"We get paid extra for every ice dragon we kill or capture. Don't be stupid."

"But..."

"No buts. Now, back to your patrols of the city. Don't let me catch you slacking off again."

The wyvern lord (Risa, apparently) flies towards a particularly large building while the subordinate sighs, her own mount walking the street menacingly.

Noticing this, you, Une, and Asra "happen" behind a corner.

"Do you think... We could get information out of her?" Asra whispers.

"No way," Une says, "you heard her boss. She's on probation. Not about to let morals get in the way when eyes are on her."

>A. It's worth a shot
>B. Une's right
>C. Write-in response
>D. Don't say anything

>>44049115
>A. It's worth a shot
Dissent on moral grounds from a non-boss enemy unit is a recruitment flag.

>>44049275
"Don't you think it's worth a shot?" You ask. "I mean... Marrius implied that the New Flight used to be way different, up until VERY recently."

Une sighs. "If this gets me killed, I'm holding it against you." With that and no further prompting, she goes over to the rider, opening up with the line, "er, excuse me, I'm... a bit lost. See, I was just looking for this tavern called... The Silver Wyvern. Would you be so kind as to show me~?"

You must say, you're surprised at how easily Une can pull off "innocent and clueless,' and the flustered rider certainly seems receptive. "Uh, well, actually it's right across the street..."

"Thank you. It's embarrassing enough to be drinking alone, let alone have no idea where to go..."

"Well, I... I mean, it's not that safe to be out alone, given our siege, but..."

Une quite literally pulls the rider down by the arm with a big fake grin. "Aw, you shouldn't have... Going out of your way to take a break for me..."

As Une leads the rider into the Silver Wyvern, Asra stops you from following.

"I... Think she can handle this. Come, let's seek out anyone else of interest."

>A. Alright cool
>B. Why not split up altogether
>C. One of us should cover her (specify who)
>D. We need to both have her back
>E. Write-in response

>>44049461
>A. Alright cool

>>44049637
You agree with Asra and continue to wander the town, simultaneously attempting to keep a low profile and snoop about. While going around the right being-directed-about crowds, you are able to hear some whisperings, and with you and Asra's abilities to blend into a crowd, you're able to slip just within hearing range of a hushed conversation between two young men.

"So what were you sayin'? I been a bit out of it, sorry. Something about Lord Sala and how many friends?"

"Yes, five of 'em still hiding out in that general store. Sala's gonna be having them go in an all-out attack on the New Flight first thing at dusk."

"But... They're outnumbered, goin' against that necromancer... No way they'll be able to survive that!"

"Keep your voice down, mate. The wrong people're gonna hear you."

"And wouldn't that just be SO unfortunate!"

"Now ain't the time for sarcasm, man. I get it, you're upset, but... Have some tact."

"You're right, you're right... What'll you be doing come then?"

"I mean, this is my home too. I think I'll help stand up against these bastards... Shit, wait, one of em's right in front of us." In a moderately louder tone of voice, he changes gears. "...so anyway, yeah, it was just... Frozen to him! Can't have imagined how painful it must've felt."

>A. Keep following them
>B. Say something (specify)
>C. Back off. You know what you need to now
>D.

>>44049937
Whoops. >D. is just the reminder that write-ins are almost always welcome.

>>44049937
>C. Back off. You know what you need to now

>>44050196
You turn and leave, not wanting to attract the attention of the upcoming wyvern rider.

"Through all of this," Asra warns as you leave, "we should... Be careful. Ymira could be any of these people. She was last seen headed towards the New Flight's camp just outside the walls, correct."

You nod. "If information leaked to the New Flight, it would be... Disastrous."

Asra's eyes slightly widen. "I'm going to go follow those boys again. Go check on Une."

With that, Asra hurries back towards the boys you eavesdropped upon earlier.

You don't even get a chance to ask what she's doing.

>A. Follow Asra
>B. Head to the Silver Wyvern
>C. Look for this general store
>D. Search the place on your own
>E. Leave
>F. Write-in?

>>44050358
>B. Head to the Silver Wyvern

>>44050461
You do as you're asked, discovering Une and the wyvern rider sitting at some table, the latter looking incredibly emotional and generally all over the former.

"We didn't used to be like this... These are my friends, and... A-and I don't... I-I won't just abandon them, but... Is so hard y'know?"

"Well, Kay, I wish you the best in all this," Une says. "Maybe meet up again later? How's that sound?"

The rider nods. "That'd be nice..."

"Alright, now go get some rest. Enough of the embarrassment of getting plastered in the middle of the day. Don't fly like that."

She nods and they leave, only Une really acknowledging you on the way out. "Where's the other one?"

>A. Not sure right now
>B. Checking on something important
>C. Following some guys
>D. Write-in dialogue
>E. Be silent

>>44050636
>B. Checking on something important

>>44050895
"She's... Looking into something important. Told me to make sure you were alright."

After Kay leaves, you ask what Une found out.

"There's about... 30 wyvern riders in the city, and the most 'important' surviving Ice Dragon they haven't caught yet is some old fellow named Sala. Aside from that, about... Eight are unaccounted for but believed to still be in the city."

You then explain that apparently there are at least five planning something at dusk, in as hushed tones as possible, and how apparently ordinary folks in the know absolutely plan on joining in. Also, that Ymira could be anywhere, potentially anyone.

"Comforting," Une remarks. "So, we getting back to report all this? Figure we've got about three, four hours tops until dusk."

>A. Yep
>B. Not yet!
>C. Write-in response?

>>44051016
>B. Not yet!
Not until Asra comes back

>>44051016
>B. Not yet!

>>44051241
>>44051252
"And leave Asra here?"

"She's escaped worse. Think she can manage."

"These aren't the same circumstances as running from an assassin cult."

"That's... Not quite how the Peshkatz work."

"How would you know?"

"Fair point." She shrugs. "Reports from folks who deal with them say they seem pretty secular, but there's a reason you never hear back from outsiders who claim they've discovered their hideout."

"This is a bit off the point, isn't it?"

"Admittedly."

You show Une to where you parted ways with Asra earlier, and from there the general direction those boys seemed to be headed.

This leads you to a rather unpleasant, abandoned end of the city. Ymira, in her "default" state, sits behind a wyvern lord on his mount. The young man who you overheard the information from lies bleeding against the wall of a shack, his friend presumably not having been who he thought. Asra stands between him and a pair of wyvern lords, Lupus, and about a dozen revenant. You recognize one of the wyvern lords as that Risa woman from before.

"So you survived once," the fair-haired half-garou says. "I'd put more manpower into his, but... We have to prepare for dusk. These two and the support of my friends here will do."

Lupus and the fellow ferrying Ymira take off towards that impressive building you noticed earlier. You get a strong feeling that he's an idiot, but none of that matters if his plan works anyway.

Une draws her sword, and you ready your tome.

"Urgh..." The wounded fellow says. "W-warn Sala... Leave me."

Asra gives no input, objection or otherwise.

"Guy has a point," Une says. "There's three of us and... A lot of them."

>A. Point taken!
>B. Insist you're both staying here
>C. You're staying here. Une does as she pleases.
>D. UNE is staying here. You're better-suited for the less-intense task
>E. Write-in!

>>44051551
>B. Insist you're both staying here

>>44051551
>B. Insist you're both staying here
One wyvern lord and a dozen revenants seems manageable.

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>>44051813
Two, actually.
>>44051721
"They've overestimated themselves, Une. Let's take them out quickly."

You notice the ends of Asra's lips curl upwards slightly for a passing moment when you agree to help.

"C'mon, you know I don't fly solo." Une groans and immediately leaps at a Revenant, slashing it into two.

The Wyvern Lord you don't know charges into her blind spot, but Asra quickly tosses a knife at him. He dodges, but the commotion therein requires him to double back and allows Une to hit his Wyvern where it hurts. Une is pretty damn good at critical strikes, and one Wyvern Lord is down his mount.

"Y-you..." He brandishes his Killer Lance. "I'll get you for that!"

You leave him to Une, considering the fact that from there on you and Asra are distracted by the Revenant+Risa.

Between you and Asra, the revenants' numbers go from eleven to eight pretty quickly, but Risa keeps striking from above with her Wind Sword. It... Complicates things, anyway.

You could probably take her down with you and Asra's assorted ranged techniques, but you'd need to focus on it, which could put you at risk of being distracted when undead roll up close.

That random guy takes a vulnerary, still cringing in pain by that wall and looking defeated.

>A. Focus on Risa!
>B. Focus on Entombed!
>C. Help Une out!
>D. Protect the random dude you don't know!
>E. Ask Asra to do something different from you (specify from one of the above)

>>44051998
>C. Help Une out!
Get that Killer weapon bullshit out of the living world, asap. Wind Swords aren't too accurate from what I recall, and they're mag-based, targeting resistance, so far lower risk to an assassin (high evasion) and a dark mage (high resistance) than a killer weapon is to anyone, especially since we still have Nosferatu for offensive healing. Once Une is freed up, she can watch Asra and Lloyd's collective backside while they ground Risa.

>>44051998
Vote time renewed. Surprised it took so long to happen.

>>44052242
Oh, never mind. Beat it by literally seconds.

>>44052242
Getting close to Asra, you quickly whisper, "oh my signal, attack the guy fighting Une."

You break apart when a magic attack comes at you both from afar, quickly turning your weapons on the opponent of Une. Asra reads "aiming Nosferatu at him" as "the signal," and the guy doesn't even know what hit him.

The three of you get close to each other, Revenant blocking your view of Risa. You soon realize that that's because she opted to take down the sitting duck of that one fellow.

Asra looks... Extremely sad, for a moment, but shakes it off, and you and Une don't really care. You kill a couple more revenant while waiting for Risa to take flight again.

"Cover us," you say to Une.

"You're asking so much for a greedy opportunist," Une says as she agrees without genuine objection.

Une standing between you and a bunch of weak, shitty enemies, your plan works perfectly. Risa takes to the skies for another round of Wind Sword striking, and you and Asra's magic and knives send another rider and wyvern crashing.

Needless to say, none of you has any trouble whatsoever with the few remaining revenant.

On her knees in pain and supporting herself with her sword, Risa struggles to get up, head bleeding and glaring viciously at all of you. "Th-this is... I won't... I won't disappoint the New Flight, no matter who's in charge!"

Une struts over with her Killing Edge, pointing it at your opponent. "Figured you guys would be a bigger challenge, honestly. Your boss is an idiot."

"Yes, but... H-he's our leader... None of us would ever turn our backs on a fellow member... Or be insubordinate..."

"Making you just as dumb," Une remarks before turning to you. "Long as we're in the habit of doing every damn thing you say, how do we deal with her?"

>A. Finish her off. We don't have time for this
>B. Try to capture/leave with her
>C. Let her be. We don't have time for this
>D. Say nothing

>>44052480
>B. Try to capture/leave with her

>>44052480
>B. Try to capture/leave with her
A little risky, but I don't want to kill her just for being stupid loyal (even if going after the noncombatant pisses me off, though that's more due to memories of IntSys' enemy AI), nor do I want to have to fight her again.

>>44052522
>>44052562
"She could be useful. C'mon, let's bring her back with us."

Une nods and knocks her out, hoisting her over her shoulder with one arm and sheathing her weapon. "Alright, I kinda stick out like this and it's still daytime."

By PURE COINCIDENCE, you recall a lesson from Irene previously unshown.

>Character limit, continued next post

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>>44052794
"...but know that a powerful hand does not equate to a powerful will. Another illegal type of magic amounts to mind control. It comes in many forms and levels of severity, but only the vilest of spell-slingers actually practice it. When they do, however, the results are... Terrifying. It can range from obvious to undetectable, and sometimes occur so thoroughly that it's irreversible, given enough time or magical skill. That being said, with more rudimentary forms of the art, there are... Certain spells that can be used to detect it similar to curses. If someone acts... Irrationally loyal to someone vile, it may be a good idea to at least check for them."

The words fill your thoughts as you carry the unconscious Risa to Shea's camp, and by the time you get there, you ask fellow mage Ansi to help you out with a bit of an examination on the captured rider. Neither of you has done it yourself, but have both learned to check for signs of mind control spells (apparently Irene considers it integral for all magically-attuned to learn).

Surprisingly enough, your hunch turns out correct, and you're able to correctly identify a crude mind-controlling spell. Seems to be homemade, but based on pre-existing ones. Getting RID of it, however, might be a bit more intensive.

Again asking Ansi for help with this, he obliges while everyone else heads off to beat the night to the capital and help Sala's crew. Gyo volunteers to be there in case something goes wrong, too.

"You know," Ansi says while you work out the counterspell, "I only agreed to hang back because Jolie would think it was noble of me, so if this gets her hurt because I couldn't protect her I'll kick your ass.

>To be continued next thread
This endpost went on WAY too long. I just wasn't sure where to end it, then realized there wasn't much more TO influence.

Thanks for playing, update Twitter/ask.fm are QMgrandflocto, I'll be around in-thread for awhile to chat.

>>44052827
>You can fucking try Ansi.
Thanks for running.

>>44052827
Thanks for running.

Is Lloyd leaning towards any promotion in particular?

>>44052859
He could probably do it at this stage. He's got light magic and he's just bigger than you in general.
>>44052870
Can't say for sure, honestly. The obvious choices are Spirit Charmer, ordinary Sorcerer, and possibly Necromancer, but that would require some pretty specific things to happen.

Again, thanks for playing.

>>44052827
Thanks for running. Hopfully we can snap Risa out of the mind control spell and kick some ass next thread.

>>44052960
I literally hit character limit again with the second part of the post, otherwise it would've ended on the note of them finishing the counterspell.

Funnily enough, Lupus is shaping up to be very Ephidel-esque. He's an early-midgame shit-starter who's too much of an asshole for his own good. But will the comparison follow through to its conclusion?

>>44052937
Is a Summoner class like Ansi light-magic only or can that be a class choice for Lloyd too?

>>44053039
I don't see why Summoning can't be learned by Lloyd anyway, and technically becoming a Spirit Charmer doesn't rule out any of the other classes (I'd probably call it "Dark Summoner," purely to differentiate).

Hell, in the one game with Summoners, it WAS a Dark Magic class, but what FE8 did with the Summoner class is just pretty much what Necromancers are here (while FE8's Necromancer was just a unique, more powerful Summoner).

Figure the relationship there is just... Spirit Charmer as a class is exceptional magical potential and a LOT of helpful little things one can do with it (such as Yancy's magic-arm), while the others are moreso "a powerful-ass version of x."

Still have to work out the kinks of what the process of spirit charming entails. Wish Radiant Dawn explored it better.