=== Chapter 20 The Kingless Castle ===

(Elusia Castle)
After recovering two rings from
Marni and Mauvier, the party
reaches Elusia Castle at last.

--- OP ---




[Zephia]
What?
You let them take two of our rings?
[Mauvier]
I apologize.
[Marni]
See, we...we figured if we stole a couple rings,
you'd be proud of us...
[Griss]
There's no point stealing theirs if we keep
losing ours, you morons!
[Marni]
I'm sorry, OK?
But Lord Sombron will understand. We're his
favorites, after all.
He's not gonna scold us for losing a
couple rings.
[Zephia]
Marni.
[Marni]
Yes?
OW! Aw, that hurt!
[Zephia]
You should have done as I ordered─no more
and no less. I cannot protect you this time.
[Marni]
Me? It's your fault we lost the Ring of the
Holy Knight!
[Zephia]
I was following Lady Veyle's orders. Do you
mean to suggest she is at fault?
[Marni]
Well... No, but...
[Mauvier]
I will not make excuses. If punishment is due,
give it to me.
[Zephia]
You?
[Mauvier]
Marni was merely seeking your praise. I am
to blame. I should have stopped her.
[Zephia]
What a selfless display. To see you show care
for a fellow Hound... I'm touched.
Or perhaps you fear what I'll do to Lady Veyle
if I'm angry.
[Mauvier]
...
[Zephia]
Alas, it's too late. I've already cast the spell.
[Mauvier]
What?! You promised to wait until our return!
[Zephia]
I meant to, I really did. But then the defect
awoke. I had no choice.
And don't speak to me of promises. You have
broken your vow to Lord Sombron.
As the head of this family, I must punish my
children when they misbehave.
[Marni]
Punish? What are you gonna do?
[Mauvier]
Marni, run!
[Zephia]
I don't think so.
[Marni]
AAAH!
[Mauvier]
Argh!
[Marni]
[Mauvier]
[Griss]


[Griss]
Look at that. Both out cold. Seemed painful too.
[Zephia]
Stop your salivating. You have work to do,
and I'm leaving.
[Griss]
What should I do with them?
[Zephia]
Oh, they'll come crawling back. They have
nowhere to be but at my side.
I trust you won't be distracted from the task
I gave you.
Even as they inflict pain upon you, pay
attention. There mustn't be the slightest doubt.
[Griss]
I know. I've got to see if that loser is Lord
Sombron's kid.




[Ivy]
Here we are. Elusia Castle.
[Alear]
Sombron is likely within those walls. Veyle too.
[Ivy]
Yes.
[Alear]
I hope she's safe. But there's a chance she'll
face us as an enemy, not a friend.
Be vigilant. At the first sign of danger, we
should retreat...
...
[Ivy]

[Alfred]
What's wrong?
[Alear]
Those words─they're Marth's.
That's what he told me at Destinea Cathedral,
before...before I lost him.
We still haven't recovered from our defeat
that day. What if it happens again?
[Alfred]
It won't. We're stronger than ever before.
You've really stepped into your role of divinity.
[Alear]
You really think so?
[Alfred]
Yes. That's why I know we'll get the
Emblems back.
[Alear]
That's the highest praise you could give me.
Let's go.




[Alear]
Is Elusia Castle usually this quiet?
[Ivy]
No. I would at least expect royal soldiers to be
standing guard.
[Diamant]
Maybe Sombron...dealt with them.

[Timerra]
You mean, turned them into the Corrupted?
[Alear]
No...
[Alear]

[Ivy]
[Diamant]

[Timerra]


[Griss]
Who needs those boring soldiers when you
can have me?


[Alear]
Griss.
[Griss]
Been a while, Divine One! Welcome. You must
be tired after that long journey.
Oh, and look, the long-lost princess!
Got homesick, huh?

[Ivy]
...
[Griss]
I gotta hand it to you─two more rings in your
pocket. Not bad.
But for the complete set, you'll need more.
Like...this one.
[Alear]
The Ring of the Caring Princess!
[Griss]
It's the real deal too. I'll prove it.
[Celica]
...
[Ivy]
[Alfred]
Celica!
[Griss]
I'll give her back. All you gotta do is beat me.
[Alear]
What is this?
[Griss]
Nothing. What, you think Lord Sombron's
gonna show up?
[Alear]
It's one against many. We'll crush you.
[Griss]
Mmm, you know just what to say.
Relax. No one's coming. If I'm wrong, I'll bite off
my tongue and choke on my blood.
[Alear]
What is this about?
[Griss]
You want answers, you'll have to whack 'em
outta me.
[Alear]
Fine. I don't know what you're after, but we
won't let this chance pass us by.
Get ready, Griss. We'll make you give back
that ring.
[Griss]
Now you're talking. Make me, dragon!
Tear me limb, from limb, from limb...


--- ED ---





[Alear]
The ring! We got it back!
[Griss]
Hehehe...
[Alear]
What are you laughing at?
[Griss]
Me? Nothing.
Better summon her. Want to free her from
Lord Sombron's power, don't you?
[Alear]
I know.
Care for us, Emblem of Echoes!
[Griss]
...

Default


[Celica]
I thank you, !
[Alear]
Emblem Celica, it's such a relief to have you back again.
[Celica]


[Griss]
Haha... Ahahahaha!
[Alear]
...
[Griss]
Hahaha... Oh man. Ain't this whole thing just
a laugh-riot?
Zephia, that little hunch of yours was so dead on!
[Alear]
I think it's clear you've lost your mind.
[Griss]
Look at you, acting all high and mighty.
[Griss]
"It's clear you've lost your mind." Yeah, that's cute.
The real question is, have you lost yours?
You're playing up this whole thing like you're a god.
But you're fighting on the wrong side.
Why're you staring at me with that stupid look on
your face?
You think you're a Divine Dragon? Lemme set
ya straight.
You are the child of the Fell Dragon!
[Alear]
I am his child? No, but... How?





[Vander]
How dare you utter such slander! Such lies!
[Griss]
If the dragon doesn't remember it, how the hell
would you know anything?
Were you there a thousand years ago? Hmm?
[Vander]
...
[Griss]
I'll tell you how I figured it out. Divine and
Fell Dragons can both summon Emblems, right?
But they don't do it the same way. Divine
Dragons pray. Fell Dragons, though...
They use invocations.
[Alear]
...
[Griss]
That's how you summoned Celica. That's how
you've done it all along, isn't it?
Which means you're─say it with me─the
Fell Dragon's child.
[Alear]
But then... I don't understand. Why did Mother
call me her child?
[Griss]
How should I know? You'll have to ask her.
Oh, wait.
[Vander]
You blackguard!
[Griss]
Hahaha! Sticks and stones, buddy. Anyway,
now I've got what I came for.
Too bad it cost me a ring. But I was told to buy
time, and I did.
Lord Sombron and Lady Veyle should be
long gone by now.
[Alear]
You mean...they were here after all.
[Griss]
Whoops. Didn't mean for that to slip out.
Ah, well. Your Divine Dragon's a fraud.
Take your time falling apart.
Will you scatter to the winds? Cut each other's
throats? So many options!
See ya.
[Griss]

[Vander]
Halt!
[Vander]

[Alear]
I'm... I'm the Fell Dragon's...

[Alfred]
He was lying, Divine One. I don't believe a
word of it.

[Ivy]
We can't be divided by the enemy. We must
be calm.
[Alfred]

[Diamant]
Saying Sombron isn't here may have been
another attempt to mislead us.
[Ivy]


[Timerra]
Let's look around and make sure.




[Timerra]
Well?
[Diamant]
This place is well and truly deserted.
[Ivy]
Yes. Sombron is no longer in the castle.
[Timerra]

[Alfred]
What should we do now?


[Alear]
...
If what Griss said is true, I should leave.
[Ivy]
[Diamant]
[Alfred]
What do you mean, "leave"?
[Alear]
The night Mother died, I had a nightmare where
I was surrounded by flames.
My hair and eyes were red. Now I see...it wasn't
a nightmare. It was a memory.
[Alfred]
One bad dream doesn't prove anything.
[Alear]
Maybe not. But this will.
Emblem Sigurd.

[Sigurd]
I am here.
[Alear]
You knew me a thousand years ago, didn't you?
Answer this.
Was Griss telling the truth? Am I the Fell
Dragon's child?
[Sigurd]
...
You are.
[Alfred]
...

[Vander]
How can this be?
[Alear]
So it's true.
[Sigurd]
I apologize. With your memories lost, we
thought you could be happy living this way.
That is what Lumera and I agreed upon the day
you awoke.
[Alear]
Why did Mother call me her child?
[Sigurd]
Sombron had turned his back on you. Your life
was in danger...
Both you and Lumera wished, above all else,
to be a family.
That is the fullness of my knowledge.
[Alear]
That's plenty, Sigurd. Thank you.
I'm sorry, everyone. I'm not a Divine Dragon.
I never was.
[Vander]
You have nothing to apologize for.
[Alear]
Only a Divine Dragon could imprison Sombron
as Mother did.
What chance do we have now of surviving
this war?
Without such power, there's no hope of
stopping Sombron.
[Vander]
[Alfred]

[Sigurd]


[Sigurd]
Why would you assume you lack the power of a
Divine Dragon?
[Alear]
...
[Sigurd]
You have Fell Dragon blood, yes... But you
forget your own abilities.
Think back to Florra Port, when my ring was
returned and you summoned me.
[Alear]
But I used an invocation.
[Sigurd]
Emblems summoned through a Fell Dragon's
power cannot communicate.
[Alear]
...
[Sigurd]
Think back upon Emblems summoned with the
Fell Dragon's power. Could they speak?
[Alear]
No... When I called out to them, they
didn't answer.

[Vander]
Please explain further, Sir Sigurd.
[Sigurd]
A Fell Dragon's invocation robs an Emblem of
their free will. Their service is compulsory.
With a prayer, the Emblem keeps their free will.
A Divine Dragon would wish nothing less.
You use both invocation and prayer.
[Alear]
You mean...I do have the power of a
Divine Dragon.
[Sigurd]
Precisely.
Your hair and eyes prove the fact eloquently.
At one time, both were red...
The blue is proof that, through Lumera's love,
you have inherited a Divine Dragon's power.
Lumera shortened her life so that you could
succeed her as the Divine Dragon.
[Alear]
Mother...
[Sigurd]
We Emblems fight alongside you of our
own volition.
We could only deepen our bonds with you
because you have the power of a Divine Dragon.
You are the one intended to carry on
Lumera's legacy.
Will you still leave, after hearing this?
Is that your wish, ?
[Alear]
No.
I want to stay.
I can't change that I'm the Fell Dragon's child.
I know that.
But I would like to continue on as the Divine
Dragon...if you will have me.
[Sigurd]

[Vander]

[Alfred]
Of course we will!
[Alear]
Oh, Alfred...
[Alfred]
Sure, first we came to you because we needed
your help. But now I care about you.
Fell or Divine or whatever else, we need you.
So no more talk about leaving us.
[Alfred]

[Diamant]
We'd never have made it this far without you.
I will follow wherever you lead.
If you have only half of your power, so be it.
We'll make up for the other half.
[Diamant]



[Timerra]
What matters to me isn't how you were born.
It's what you do with the life you're given.
If you choose to live as a Divine Dragon, then
that's what you are!
[Timerra]


[Ivy]
Conflicted as I might be, I am made resolute by
the terror I feel at losing you.
Because, to me, you are the Divine Dragon.
Your leaving would not change that bond.
[Ivy]


[Sigurd]
Everyone agrees. After all, you are what
connects them.
You are, and always shall be...the
Divine Dragon, .
[Alear]
Thank you, everyone.
There's much I don't know. I may have made
choices in the past that I can't take back.
But for now, I'll continue on this journey
with you.
[Sigurd]
We Emblems will follow you. Completely of our
own free will.



[Mauvier]
Divine Dragon.
[Alear]
Mauvier, it's you.
[Mauvier]
I overheard your conversation about being
Lord Sombron's child.
If that is true, then I urge you to help
Lady Veyle.
[Alear]
What? You're not here to stop us?
[Mauvier]
All this time, Lady Veyle has been sustained by
a desire to meet her sibling.
If she sees you, she will be saved. I know it.
[Alear]
I'd like to support her like my friends here have
supported me.
Veyle─the true Veyle─has been a friend to us.
But we don't know where she is.
[Mauvier]
She is traveling with Lord Sombron to the
land of Lythos.
[Alear]
Lythos? But why?!
[Mauvier]
You will have to trust me. I can explain on
the way.
[Alfred]
What do you think?
[Alear]
Let's go with him.


--- EV ---

[Griss]
Let's keep the fun going. I'm gonna make you
work for it.


[Alear]
He vanished! Griss must be using Emblem
Celica's power.
He's probably hiding in the shadows.
Be careful, everyone.


[Alear]
Again? Where did he go?

[Griss]
Tired of playing hide-and-seek? Me too.
Let's get vicious.

[Griss]
Oh, Celly! You're all fired up, aren't you?
Let loose!

[Griss]
Hahahaha! This feels good! So good! I'm gonna
kill you! All of you!


--- MOVIE ---


--- BT ---

[Griss]
So, what's the plan? You gonna stab me?
Mash me? Shred me to ribbons?

[Griss]
How do you like to be hurt, Divine One?
I'm a people pleaser.

[Alear]
Hand over the ring, Griss.
[Griss]
Haha! Ignoring me? Aw, that hurts my feelings.
Fine, I'll give you the ring. As soon as I've
gotten my fill!

[Griss]
Hahaha! That's the good stuff right there...


--- DIE ---