A Farewell Blow

Campaign: Trek to the Aquapolis

Chapter 7 / 5-3

A Farewell Blow

Previous Quest

Pursue Emile!

Next Quest

The General's Stratagem

Summary

Despite cornering Emile, the prince is unable to finish him off. Ranzal then steps in to do the deed, but ends up staying his hand as well. When they move to capture the coward instead, they are confronted by a strange interloper.

Dialogue

Eeeagh?! The fiends are slain already?! B-but there were SO MANY OF THEM! There's nowhere left to run, Emile! Now tell us why you're here. Curious are you? Heh heh... Aaaah ha ha! If you want answers, my dear brother, you need leverage. And as we both know you won't lay a hand on me, you have none! You'd be powerless to do a thing regardless, given the backup at my disposal now. But even without it, you'd no sooner kill me here than you did in the mountains of Dornith. Do you think me fool enough to be intimidated when you're clearly harmless? Rrrgh... Euden.

—Flashback—

Think on it. Think on what you—and only you—can do in this situation.

—End Flashback—

(Maybe the old man ain't completely off the mark...) I'll do it. Ranzal?! No, I won't— Yer too nice sometimes, ya know that? Almost kind to a fault. Brother or no, ya gotta be prepared to do what needs doin' in order to protect what's important in this life. And if ya can't...I'm here to do it for ya. Consider it my parting gift to ya. And my ticket back into Saint Lotier... Back into... Wait, WHAAAAAT?! You can't seriously intend to desert Euden! It was wrong of me to team up with him in the first place. I got a lifetime worth'a dirt on my hands. Which means there ain't no harm in gettin' 'em a little dirtier now before I make a clean break of it. ...Got any last words, Emile? Wh-what?! No! You can't expect to get away with this! Yeah, but I will. That's the thing. I'm the heir apparent to Saint Lotier, and the Aquapolis stands with me. And it's got no mercy to spare for a petty villain like you! ...HRAAAH! Eeeeeeeeek! Ack! Aren't you going to stop him, Euden?! ...No. I trust Ranzal. Stop, stop, STOP! Please stop! Aaaaaaah! Mercy! MERCY, PLEEEEASE! ...Huh? ...... ...Damn hand's gone soft on me. The old me wouldn't have hesitated. But now I can't bring myself to kill a guy that won't put up a fight. ...Guess a certain somebody's rubbin' off on me. *sob* I'm saaaaved! You did the right thing, Ranzal. Eh, it ain't nothin' so pretty. Just a passing whim is all. Eeeee...ha? HA! AAAAAH HA HA HA HA! I knew it! The cowardly prince's men are every bit as spineless as their master! Easy there, chump. I ain't killin' ya, but that don't mean yer walkin' away from this. I'll let Saint Lotier deal with ya. Enjoy living out yer days in a dungeon. We got a cell waaaay down at the bottom; I hear it's wet pretty much all the time. What?! A prison cell? ...ME?! I'd sooner die than suffer such humiliation! I won't have it! I REFUSE! Shut your mouth and show your hands. We'll tie you up and march you back to— You've gone far enough already. Now kindly let Emile go. Oh, I know he's a hopeless fool... But he's still my brother. What?! Who's there?! Heh heh. It's been quite some time, Euden. You...!