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"Right, right... I think everyone could stand to explain themselves," Irene said just a moment ago. You, her, and the rest of your few allies who were able to warp into Gravern Keep now stare down Wes, memories recently awakened, and Empress Kia.

"Right... Explanations. You first. What brought you here?" Wes asks.

"Same thing as you," Ansi answers before Irene can get another word out, "teleportation."

"I... Meant more the 'why' than the 'how,' Ansi," Wes responds, his glasses shining for a moment, "and I was asking Irene."

"Well, I mean... We'd heard from Zlatan that you'd come here, and were curious..." Irene responds.

"Nothin' more to it than that," Riga adds.

"Nothing more..." Wes responds, frowning and pointing to Ellen in an accusatory manner, "then why is SHE here?"

"I... volunteered," Ellen says.

"And I know for a fact you would like nothing more to kill me," Wes responds. "After Lloyd and Leigh over there risked their lives to help me escape you..." He turns towards you and Leigh, clearly addressing you two with a hint of sadness. "Do you guys... Not trust me?"

>A. Let Leigh answer
>B. It wasn't your decision
>C. It was a lapse of judgement!
>D. His actions are suspect...
>E. Don't guilt-trip us
>F. Write-in response

what the fuck is a fire emblem

>>45803712
I don't think the titular artifact ever got a chance to appear. I feel like I've had a couple ideas for it that ended up being dependent on plot routes/points that didn't end up being developed.

>>45803678
Guess I'm not surprised that this happened after starting an hour early. Ah, well, guess I'll just have to be patient.

>>45803678
>E. Don't guilt-trip us

>>45803678
>F. I just want to make sure you're still the Wes I knew and could trust. You didn't finish explaining your revelation about what it means to live, or what your plans would be.

>>45804212
>>45804228
"Don't try to guilt-trip us, Wes. We never heard you finish your explanation about your new outlook on life back in Odo."

"Because she tried to attack me," Wes says, shooting Ellen a glance. "And she wasn't going to hesitate to kill either of you either. Leigh, not even a few hours ago, you would have been killed without that sword of yours."

"Grh... She just volunteered, alright?" Leigh says. "We didn't think anything of it!"

Wes sighs. "A shortsighted decision, then... Empress, it's your house. What do you say?"

"Just..." Kia groans. "Don't kill each other in here. My predecessor put a lot of effort into keeping this garden beautiful."

"So she has spoken. Empress, may we sit?" He gestures to an ornate-looking table.

"So long as you're all trespassing," Kia responds. "Shall I get the guards to bring you some tea, too?"

"That won't be necessary, Empress," Wes responds.

"I'm still getting the guards. Verifying your position or not, you can't just... Break into a castle!"

As Kia steps out, muttering frustratedly to herself and putting her ancestral lance back on her back, Wes chuckles and says, "I'd had the job so long, then lived in another castle... I figured that I could just waltz right in and take my old position back. Shall we finish this conversation someplace where we're not liable to be thrown out by the guards of the very nation you just trounced in a civil war?"

>A. But you just got comfortable!
>B. Why the hell not
>C. Where did he have in mind
>D. Refuse
>E. Let someone else answer
>F. Write-in response

>>45804506
>C. Where did he have in mind

>>45804528
"Er... Where'd you have in mind?" You ask.

"Well, there's someplace of... Personal significance to the lot of us, I think."

"I don't follow," Leigh responds.

"I first met all of you there, I believe..." He looks over to Ellen, again with a frown, "some under better circumstances than other."

"The Outrealm Gate? Bolse's house?" Irene asks.

"Yes, yes... He hasn't been back there since we all left, and he'd be far less likely than a stressed empress to attempt to spear us in the first place. I think I'll return and ask the Empress for my job back again once she's cooled down."

"Alright... Mind warping all of us?" Irene says, huffing a bit. "Lloyd's essence is still recovering from the Wampyr incident, and I certainly can't send seven people all the way to the Northern coast."

"Fine... Just don't make me directly contact Ellen."

As the eight of you warp to the northernmost edge of Tordo, Irene shivers violently. "Gods, I didn't think I'd need anything warm!"

"Right, right... Let's hurry on in," Wes says, rather nonchalantly summoning up a bonewalker to unlock Bolse's former front door from the inside.

>A. Follow him in
>B. Stand around outside
>C. Write-in response

>>45804796
>A. Follow him in

>>45804796
>A. Follow him in

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>>45804814
>>45805004
You follow him in, and the eight of you end up taking seats around a dining room table. The house's assorted lights are lit by bonewalker servants, nonchalantly called into existence for the sole purpose of warming the house.

"Now..." Wes says, "this is some ambiance. Where was I before Ellen so rudely tried to murder me, again?"

"You've gained a lot of clarity on life, used to drive yourself mad trying to raise the Gerxel..."

"Ah, yes! Thank you, Lloyd. See, I was... completely unable to think about the sole thing I had dedicated over two centuries of my life to. We humans aren't meant to last so long, and..." He sighs. "The years after the fall of the Gerxel weren't kind to my mind, or to the life I had lived in its autumn years. I had... forgotten all of what I sought to recapture in my age." He chuckles in a sad fashion, "gods, I still don't even remember what my name was back then, or the face of that person, what they were like..." He shakes his head. "Only memories of loss and regret buried at the very bottom of many centuries."

"So what's the point to all of this?" Irene asks.

"The point is quite simple... My mind has been renewed after so long, so I intend to return to Dain, guide it and its empress into the future." He looks off to the side, at no one in particular. "If things like those rebels are what she invests her country's resources in, I know she needs the help."

>A. Write-in response
>B. That sounds reasonable
>C. Something doesn't add up... (specification preferred)
>D. Be silent

>>45805149
Renewed.

>>45805149
>B. That sounds reasonable
My only real concerns are about where the Wampyr Staff got too (it should be destroyed) and if he'll resort to some of the more unsavory tactics of his old self in pursuit of aiding Dain. Other than that, I've got nothing.

>>45805149
>D. Be silent
I don't want him to go back to what he was doing

>>45805576
I'd rather he didn't as well, but as long as he's not going evil, it's ultimately his choice.

>>45805459
"Er... That doesn't sound too bad, actually, as long as you don't do anything crazy."

"Heh... I've done more than my share, I think," Wes responds.

"The... Wampyr staff," Asra suddenly interjects. "You will destroy it, yes?" She took the words right out of your mouth, albeit terser and quieter than you would have hoped.

"Ah! You remembered that." Wes adjusts his glasses. "I can understand the desire to destroy it, and aren't especially fond of its products myself, but..." He shakes his head, "The Gerxel Empire wiped out the civilization who originally used this sort of thing... Most of the traces of that culture were long destroyed when I was barely an adult."

"Are you really trying to appeal to history at a time like this?" Leigh asks, slightly incredulously.

"Look, Wes, I don't much care for it either, but..."

The sounds of a table slamming draw the conversation's attention to Ellen. "Why are we even entertaining this? I don't care how 'enlightened' he is now, I don't very much like the idea of this very same advisor taking control of Dain again!"

"I was wondering when you would speak up... You're not going to budge, are you?" Wes says, groaning.

"Hell no! That other realm's Empress Alexia and Lady Yvette, not to mention so many others both realms are responsible for..." And now she stares you down intensely. "You, Lloyd. Another version of you, a spirit charmer no less skilled at or fond of magic... The person in front of you stole that life, that identity, before my very eyes! Came to this world to destroy it after leaving another one a wasteland! How can you believe a word he says?"

>A. Ellen has a point
>B. Ellen's being unreasonable
>C. Be silent
>D. Look to the others' reactions
>E. Write-in response

>>45805685
>E. Because more death won't bring anyone back. It won't right the mistakes of the past. The dead will still be dead and the living will be one fewer, and everyone that life could've helped will have to go without. I said before that who you choose to be is more important than who you were, and I believe in that.

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>>45805877
"More death won't bring anyone back, Ellen. It won't... undo everything that's happened."

"Did I ever say that?!" She shouts. "I'm putting a stop to something, not trying to bring back the dead."

"But you're reducing the living," you respond. "His mind could be a great asset to the world, and you're throwing it away over paranoia? We're defined by our choices, not who we once were."

"And do you know what the sum of your choices are, Lloyd? What do we call that magical thing? Consequences. Countless MORE lives lost by this guy's hand, or his influence... NOTHING to indicate that he's doing anything but just spouting words, trying to tug at all of your heartstrings!"

Ansi clutches his forehead and swears idly to himself. "You got ANYTHING that can prove your trustworthiness? I just stood there and fucking took it when my shit-ass past caught up to me," he shouts, "and things were better for taking the consequences. Leigh and the rest here managed to help take Queen Eva down, and I got out anyway."

Wes shuts his eyes. "So... you want proof of my good intent?" He stands, raising up his scarred neck and smiling a bit. "Anyone who thinks that I deserve it... You get a free shot. Just promise not to half-ass it."

"Wes, what are you doing?" Irene asks in a slightly panicked tone.

"Gladly," Ellen says at the same time, drawing her sword.

Ansi just folds his arms and keeps a VERY watchful eye on Wes as he and Ellen stare each other down.

>A. Watch what happens
>B. Ellen, stop it!
>C. This is suspicious!
>D. Attack Wes yourself
>E. Write-in response

>>45806102
>A. Watch what happens

>>45806102
>A. Watch what happens
I can't think of anything we could do to stop it at this point. Just...be mentally prepared for anything to happen, I guess.

>>45806449
>>45806468
After a very... intense-seeming moment, Ellen takes a swing at Wes with her Azure Dragon Sword.

There's a flash of blue as its beam soars across the room, and everyone bar Ellen shuts their eyes out of expected gruesomeness.

"Shit, wait, the pendant!" Ellen shouts, noting a damaged wall (poor Bolse, whenever he gets back)... And no sign of Wes. Slowly, everyone's heads turn towards Ellen, seeing Wes behind her.

The spirit charmer makes a condescending clicking sound with his tongue as he holds up the Wampyr staff, Ellen growing somewhat paler. "Now, Ellen... I won't ask anything of you but for you to never raise your blade against me again. It's... quite hazardous to my health health and yours."

"Grrh... You..."

"What? I had to see if you would really go through with anything before you blindsided me. Now, why don't you set the sword down and leave me to chat with more reasonable people?"

"Grrh... Don't let him leave this house," Ellen says, a nasty look on her face as she mutters to herself and walks outside as per Wes' direct orders.

"Wes..." Leigh says.

"What? I'm not allowed to defend my life? The Staff of Katri is being delivered to the very city she calls home as we speak. This is only a very temporary inconvenience for lady Ellen."

Asra's fists seem to clench a bit, and Riga's body language is screaming "inflict pain." Ansi is just continuing to observe.

>A. It's honestly understandable
>B. That was entirely uncalled for
>C. And why should we believe that
>D. Write-in response

>>45806674
>D. That was too far, and it's not exactly making you look less suspicious...but it's not as bad as one of you killing the other, at least...

>>45806674
>C. And why should we believe that

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>>45806865
>>45806861
"That was a step too far, Wes. I've been trying to argue your case here, and all you've done is prove exactly what Ellen's been saying!"

"Ugh, finally!" Ansi says, as though relieved you're finally apparently siding against Wes.

"But..." You're cut off by very loud swearing from Ansi. "BUT... At least you resolved it with everyone alive and able to make it out of this."

"Lloyd, are you fucking stupid?! Oh my god, he's been bluffing this entire goddamn time!"

Irene pleads, "Wes... I want you to still be the good man you were earlier today. I've... seen what you have the capacity for. Spoken with you..."

"Irene..." Wes takes on a more serious look. "These are members of your company. Order them to stand down."

"I'm not!" Riga comments.

"I..." Irene looks uncertain.

"Irene. I know you don't like the way that I stopped the last person to try."

"Is that... a threat?" Irene says, shaking a bit.

"It's a fair warning." His glasses shine ominously. "I would certainly try my hardest, but it might be a bit hard to turn three people into Wampyr with the pressure on..."

"Wes..." Irene's face hardens. "I will have no one threatening Marrius' Group. Riga will not be someone else's hostage."

"Your words... They hurt, Irene." Wes says, shaking his head and looking down. "I thought better of you."

>A. Say something (specify)
>B. Attack Wes (specify if not with Fist tome)
>C. Write-in response
>D. Continue watching whatever happens

>>45807122
Renewed.

>>45807122
>D. Continue watching whatever happens
Just be prepared for him to teleport behind someone and be ready to attack if he tries to use the asshole staff again. I'm unwilling to shoot first here.

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>>45807736
You prepare yourself mentally, and notice Leigh staring at the sword Ellen left by the table at Wes' command.

Asra's eyes dart between Leigh and Wes, and Riga grits her teeth.

Ansi continues to keep his back to the wall, watching everything, awaiting a perfect opportunity...

Riga, however, looks to be fed up with waiting. "Ah, hell, someone's gotta do it!" She raises her killer lance and charges Wes' position, only for him to warp behind her, make that infernal clicking sound, raise his Wampyr staff...

...and be pounced at by a Mauthe Doog from behind where he warped. Biting at his neck from behind, the beast rips away the pendant and casts it out of the damn room. "Agh! Ansi, you..."

"One and only," he responds.

"So violence has broken out... I've been struck, even!" Wes says, struggling ineffectually to push the Mauthe Doog off of his back.

"So you'll submit yourself to questioning?" Irene asks.

"Eheh... Nah. Ansi's not the only one with pets here. Now let me show you what the focus of a spirit charming necromancer can wreak."

The neck-and-head sections alone of a Dracozombie appear from the ceiling, rapidly snapping the Mauthe Doog in two with its mighty undead jaws before Ansi barely leaps out of the way of its Deadly Breath, released the instant it opens its maw.

Seconds later, the partial dracozombie vanishes, and Wes scurries to his feet.

Asra draws a pair of daggers and seems to vanish into another room. Gods know when she'll turn up again.

Wes creates some distance from Riga by use of another partial Dracozombie, this one doing nothing but scare the shit out of everyone as he retreats to the foyer.

>A. Get away from any walls!
>B. Attack Wes!
>C. Instruct someone to do something! (specify)
>D. Give chase!
>E. Write-in response
>F. Stay here

>>45808036
>A. Get away from any walls!
>B. Attack Wes!
Fire at his estimated position using Fist of the Managarm, straight through the wall. Can't enter the foyer through the expected opening when fighting a necromancer of this skill level.

>>45808241
Wait...Ellen left the house, right? I wouldn't want to clip her with that spell if she's standing just outside the room, in the foyer.

>>45808276
Yeah, she left the house.

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>>45808241
You don't give chase, but you notice Riga and Ansi doing so.

Ansi, standing on the ground level of said foyer, summons up several Mogall, all of whom attempt to strike Wes just barely out of sync with one another... And it actually looks like it hurts him, just a tiny bit, albeit merely a chip beneath that immense resistance, and all easily blown away by a partial Dracozombie.

You line up Wes' approximate position after that glance, apologizing to Bolse under your breath for wrecking his house with his dead son's custom spellbook.

The debris distracts Wes and he gets punched into a handrail by it, but again it's only an especially nasty bruise.

"Ow... You know, I'm acting entirely in self-defense here."

Irene seems to have focused her time to watching from a very slight distance for any signs of a partial Dracozombie's imminent appearance, Riga keeping close and watching for the pair's immediate surroundings.

Leigh, meanwhile, examines Ellen's sword. "This thing's beautiful... Think Ellen'll mind if I borrow it?"

>A. Not at all
>B. She should stick with the Miracle Sword
>C. Write-in response
>D. Her call
>E. You're trying to focus on Wes here

>>45808504
>D. Her call
>C. Just...be careful if you do borrow it, since you won't have the Miracle Sword's healing as a fallback anymore.
At least, I think that's how it works? If it's not and just having the miracle sword will let it work it's magic without being wielded, then yeah, she should go for it. I can't remember the exact metaphysics of magical items, but Lloyd would.

>>45808577
>>45808504
This

>>45808577
"You won't have its healing to fall back on if you get hurt, Leigh... Just don't let the habit get to you."

"I know what I'm doing, Lloyd~!" Leigh reassures you.

"I know, I know..." Wielding the Azure Dragon Blade, Leigh steps out in front of and beneath Wes. "Hey, you! Recognize this, Mr. Can't Teleport Anymore?!"

"Oh, that is... Worrying. But you're not Ellen, so you shouldn't be able to cut through my undead like butter... and I certainly know you don't have the Miracle Sword's powers!"

A Dracozombie flashes before Leigh, seeming ready to end her in an instant... But is cut through cleanly instead, with her immediately following up with a sword beam.

"H-huh..?!" Wes is cut across his chest, clutching himself in pain. It's a very nasty gash that would've been far worse without him doubling back to the very edge of the blade's range.

Riga laughs. "Oh gods, Ellen didn't let you know?"

"No... That's not based on a Wyrmslayer, is it?" Wes says, suddenly realizing the true components of the Azure Dragon Blade.

"Oh, it is..." Riga grins, looking a bit proud as she rushes towards the bewildered Wes. "And you can thank the sacrifices of my family for that sword!"

You hear the vague sounds of Ellen laughing uncomfortably outside through a damaged wall.

>A. Stop Riga
>B. Distract Wes
>C. Attack Wes yourself
>D. Write-in response

>>45808793
>B. Distract Wes

>>45808793
>B. Distract Wes
Ordinarily, I'd try to keep as many named characters alive as possible while achieving our goals...but in-character, I think Lloyd would be mad about the dracozombie, self-defense or not, that would've killed Leigh. So he can take a killer lance to the face and see what happens.

>>45808820
"Hey, Wes! Look over here!" You shout, somewhat ineffectually, but full of anger and wanting to do SOMETHING after he straight-up tried to take Leigh's life.

"Hilarious, Lloyd," he responds, frowning heavily as he calls down a partial Dracozombie to force Riga to stop her charge. She seems to have anticipated this by the rate at which she doubles back before another of Leigh's sword beams strikes through the Dracozombie before it can choke out its Deadly Breath.

Wes, clutching his wound, glares at all of you. "I... I'm just... defending myself... You're... Y-you're all..."

Asra appears from the shadows above, firmly grasping the Spirit Charmer and preparing a dagger.

"Y-you! I forgot about you!" Wes calls, squirming to get free before cringing as his wound grows more severe, Asra holding her blade against his neck.

"That was... my intention," she answers. "Assassins don't do well if they stand out." Her eyes shut. "You've... lost. Any continued fighting beyond this is pointless."

"I... You..." Wes winces visibly. "Fine..."

The remaining five of you approach, very cautiously, still keeping a bit of a distance.

"So..." He says, "sorry I let you all down... I guess."

>A. "You guess?"
>B. NOW it's too late
>C. You thought better of him
>D. Why
>E. Write-in response
>F. Be silent
>G. Tell Asra to get it over with

>>45809043
>B. NOW it's too late
>C. You thought better of him

>>45809043
>D. Why

>>45809116
>>45809130
"Wes... I, all of us thought better of you. Tried to tell you that you could... be everything you tried to convince us you were."

"Heh... And then you all started trying to kill me..."

"What was this about, Wes?" You ask. "I remember how... afraid you were of this, months ago. And you even said you were changing your ways for the better."

"Lloyd, it's called a lie," Ansi quips very unhelpfully.

"Eh... I was afraid of this, wasn't I..?" He shuts his eyes. "I guess I was right back then... And Ellen just now. 200 years of experience... can't just be erased from your soul." He frowns, wincing a lot, losing quite a bit of blood. "But in all seriousness, this is... You all made the decision to try to kill me, using only your opinions and interpretations!"

"Hey," you argue back, "I went out of my way to defend you! Argued for you in front of everyone else, and all you did was prove them right after tricking Ellen into becoming your servant."

"Ah, but speaking of Ellen..." His head droops, and it takes awhile for his next words to get out, as though both pain and thought are stalling him. "No, no... You'd already saved my life once today. Damn shame I wasted it making an ass out of you, huh? Ehh... S-sorry about that. Honest."

He passes out.

>A. Have him finished off now
>B. Instruct Asra to leave him like this
>C. See if you can still heal him
>D. Write-in response

>>45809290
>A. Have him finished off now
Die monster, you don't belong in this world!

>>45809290
...Would it be outside of the realm of possibility for the mages to erase the Nameless Advisor's memories again? For good, this time, as opposed to accidentally?

I'm really reaching. Just executing him would leave a bad taste in my mouth, but...there's not much that could be done for him.

>>45809443
The hard part would be convincing them.

>>45809470
Well, Paula was the only one dumb enough to actively try for restoring his memories, and she's out of the picture, at least. The staff is going to be locked up extremely tightly as well. Other than that, I can't think of anything that could be said, and I'm not sure where erasing someone's memories to restore their happier, less crazy amnesiac self falls on the morality tree, thinking about it.

>>45809329
"Alright, Asra, he's done flapping his lips..." You take on the coldest tone you possibly can in an attempt to sound commanding. "Do what you grabbed him to do already."

"...understood," she responds, driving the knife through some vital something or another in his neck.

Irene, trying to put up a similarly strong face, can't help but look away. "I-I'll just... Go get Ellen," she says. "I am... c-curious what happens to a Wampyr if their creator dies..." and with that, Irene hurries over outside, despite the biting cold.

"Good fuckin' riddance," Ansi says. "Of all the bastards I used to hunt down..." He tips his hat. "This has gotta be in my bottom five."

"This is who Paula thought could help her take over the world?" Riga tries to lighten the mood with some boasting. "Man, you've gotta tell Duchess Devon about this one..."

"Devon..."

"Yeah, yeah, you heard me. C'mon, help me find where Ansi's dogs threw that Witch Pendant before Bolse's house falls apart."

And so Ansi, Asra, and Riga start looking as Leigh shoots you and Wes' remains uncertain looks. "He... sounded as though he'd finally started to learn, at the end there."

>A. Just more bluffing
>B. Then he knows he deserved this
>C. Who cares
>D. Did we just fuck up
>E. Write-in response

>>45809572
>C. Who cares
>We couldn't know for sure

>>45809572
>E. Maybe he was. Maybe it was just bluffing, or wishful thinking. Either way...nothing anyone can do for him now. Just hope his next life winds up being happier than this one.

>>45809623
>Addendum: Everyone is safe now, I can be sure of that.

>>45809623
>>45809650
"I, for one, would like for him to have remembered who he was for all these amnesiac months, but let's save the speculation for the historians and bards."

Leigh sounds more concerned as she adds, "over two-hundred years, and even with a revelation and months of innocence he couldn't let go of his evil..." She sighs. "What could the Nameless Advisor's first life have been like?"

"Again, that information's buried with him now... Least everyone's completely safe from Paula's conspiracy now."

Leigh responds, "er, speaking of burying, he... does deserve proper treatment. Should we bring him back to our hometown?"

"Sure... We need to make this quick, though. Irene's too upset to realize she's freezing to death out here."

Your light attempt at humor does alleviate the situation slightly, and you get a reluctant Ellen and Riga to help the rest of you bring Wes to the nearby destroyed settlement. After a very short burial and service, you discuss returning to Gravern-the city, not the castle you'll probably be arrested on sight in.

"We... still don't know if it's safe for Wampyr to warp around," Irene says.

"Like hell we don't," Riga says. "Thanks to your mentor's cat, remember?"

"Oh, right... Forgot about him," Irene says. "Guess we could've used the Witch Pendant to warp right to Odo awhile back..." She giggles a bit, still solemnly.

"Hey, worked out for the best that we overlooked it," Ansi replies. "Found out about Zlatan having this pendant, took out Disler Outpost on the way through..."

"...and I successfully tested innate teleporting!" Irene adds.

>A. Say something (specify)
>B. Cut ahead a bit

>>45809846
>B. Cut ahead a bit

>>45809846
>B. Cut ahead a bit

>>45809930
>>45809956
First off, Ellen has the group make a slight detour. "Alright," she figures, "at this point, from Odo, their route would lead them right... about... Here!"

And so, using the Witch Pendant, the seven of you end up in front of a traveling Zoe, Paula, and several Nobans.

"Uh... Surprise," she says, "good news and bad news."

"Ellen! You're back pretty quick... What did he want with Empress Kia?"

"Oh, that didn't pan out. Anyway, bad news, I was turned into a Wampyr..."

"W-wait, what?" Zoe responds, reasonably shocked.

"And good news! Good news! See, first off... Paula's with you right now! And secondly..." Ellen produces the wampyr staff before crushing it with her fist, tossing the halves into the air, and cutting it to bits with sword beams. "No one else is going to become a wampyr!"

"That's... Great! Really great!" Zoe says. "But, uh... How can we know Paula will-"

"I'll do it," Paula says softly from between two soldiers. "I... promise not to run or anything."

In short, Ellen ends up departing from the group right around there after you all witness Paula willingly comply and heal her, which causes a bit of initial concern when your lot intercepts Marrius' Group on the way up north from Odo's capital.

"...yeah, so she's. Not dead or anything, promise." Irene explains awkwardly to Lyeim and Sheena.

>A. Say something here (write-in)
>B. Hold back a little while

>>45810076
>B. Hold back a little while
I'm tired and going to bed, so let me say that its been fun and thank you Grandflaw and Octoling.

>>45810076
>B. Hold back a little while
I am enjoying these scenes, I just can't think of anything to say, really.

>>45810145
Epilogues will be posted right when the thread ends, for what it's worth.

>>45810145
>>45810148
"Eheh... Well, I'll be sure to give Duchess Victoria and Une your regards," Riga chuckles knowingly, "and councilor Zlatan, of course!"

There's a long few days of passing-by hellos and goodbyes, but in all honesty none of them really stick out in your mind bar a certain few.

Namely yours and Ansi's.

"Yeah, sorry," he says to Irene one day, shortly after you return to Elza Oasis, "but I've put off my love for Jolie long enough. My fiancee's rising through the ranks of the Neir knighthood, and I'm just sittin' around here with my thumb up my ass."

"You... Have a point, I suppose," Irene says. "Try to keep in touch, though. After the last time a friend vanished to Rakche..."

"Relax," he says, "last I checked, I'm not a 200-year-old shithead." He turns towards you next, offering a brusque handshake. "Lloyd... Move mountains, alright?"

After Ansi gives his farewells to his friends among the company, Irene turns towards you. "And... A departure we've foreseen since shortly after you began here. At least you'll still be in town..."

"And it's not like I'm going anywhere at all!" Leigh adds, arm wrapped around you tight, recently-acquired rings flashing expensively on either of your fingers. "I'm with you all the way, Irene! And as long as I am, Lloyd will be in spirit!"

"It'll be lonely without you here... Find us some silver wyvern eggs again sometime when you're not studying or enchanting or whatever, alright?" Yulea, also present with Yancy, asks. "I've got a few recipes in mind..."

"But we'll make do just fine without you," Yancy adds, twirling a Mend staff. "See, Yulea and I can carry this whole team on our backs!"

>A. You're sure they can
>B. You're sure they can (sarcastic)
>C. So are they like dating or what's the deal with them
>D. Write-in response
>E. Don't even respond

>>45810289
>A. You're sure they can
>C. So are they like dating or what's the deal with them

>>45810348
"Yeah, I'm sure you can..." You blink, "but, like, are you dating, or what? I mean it's been months and I never figured it out."

All four aforementioned girls make various exasperated gestures, Yancy snickering a bit. "Brilliant magical mind..."

Yulea gets in on the snickering too, despite herself. "Come on, Yancy, don't be mean!"

"Is that a yes or a no?" You ask anyone within hearing range.

"I'm... Pretty sure they are?" Irene answers. "Actually, I... never knew for certain either. I don't like to pry, and..."

Yancy continues chuckling. "Pfft... Th-this is rich... Still haven't figured it out after this long..."

Later on, over dinner with Leigh, you say again, "seriously, I have no idea!"

"Well, uh... I'll be working with them for awhile, so if I figure it out I'll let you know?" Leigh offers.

"Wait... Why were you laughing if you weren't sure?"

"Just... the way you worded it, I guess..." Leigh takes your hand. "But anyway, the point is that there's still a lot to go from here."

"Yeah, you're right... We've got a lot on our plates in the future."

"Yeah... And I don't wanna miss a second of the action!" Leigh says, sounding pumped.

Though this would go down in your book of hindsight as one of your more interesting stories, you and Leigh would continue working hard in Elza Oasis for a long time. It's... a bit cliche, but this is moreso how the rest of your life started than how you ended an international conspiracy, at least to you and Leigh.
>End of Quest
Yeah, I wasn't sure where to end this, but the epilogue says more than a bunch of cameo-size snippets could about the characters main and otherwise: http://pastebin.com/U01SHNSZ

Thanks for playing, everyone who has participated. Update Twitter and ask.fm still qmgrandflocto, I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile.

Hope to be seeing some of you whenever the prequel quest's ready.

>>45810487
Thanks for all the threads!

>>45810524
Always a pleasure.

I should probably tack on an epilogue about how Monique/Monica was healed and Ymira things, so... Gonna edit those in now.

>>45810544
Alright, epilogues updated to feature a few more characters. In the meantime, anyone not too tired to give a critique of this quest and/or the last? Things I did well, stuff that could be improved upon?

Or just questions about prospective prequel thread.

I took a bit of melatonin earlier, so I'm actively trying to fall asleep right now (damn good job, huh?), but if anyone has questions, they know where to find our ask.fm.