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Rene hasn't said a word to anyone for much of the trip East from Gravern. The Gerxel Empire whose orphanage was her childhood, whose oldest and most esteemed Director took her in and raised her as his own, has been toppled by the very same woman who left her with nothing. Conrad is dead, Felix has convinced Sara to abandon ship, and there's no way that Cicero hadn't lost his Witch Pendant upon his capture...

Rene buries her face in her hands, curled up tightly. There's no way Ximeno's plan will work now, and she still doesn't know where Veiz is...

"I... I swore that I would," Veiz, heart full of guilt and regret, says to Alfred, burying her head in his chest before confessing, "and no one else has told her yet, so I might be the one to, but... Gods, I can't build up the stomach to face her."

"I... can only advise you to take your time," the Swordmaster responds, quiet as usual, "but... if you need someone's company when you tell her the truth, you know I'm always at your call."

Dyrus, sitting and trying to be in high spirits, cannot help but overhear this, reminded again of the paradoxical nature of the concept of a 'good war.' People sing and swear to its glory, but gods... All he can do is focus on rebuilding his life alongside his mother, nay, alongside the rest of Teege.

Lazare and Samson are both thinking of one another, father and son increasingly hyped up to meet again as the war draws to a close. It's been an arduous road of loss and sacrifice, but one that Samson hopes means finally bringing a close to this chapter in his life, banishing it to paper for all eternity. Raleigh, Marion, Oswald Dory, Knut, Hera... He's mourned the losses of friend, family, and foe alike, swore to honor them in death with his continued living.

But which of these young survivors, scarred and molded irreparably by revolution, might you be?

>A. Samson
>B. Dyrus
>C. Rene

>>48198181
>C. Rene
;_;

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>>48198238
You are now Rene, continuously watched over as you're transported back to the former Gerxel capital... They're thinking of renaming it to something or another now, but hell if you know what. Or care.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4GPp5H5Duc

Hauteclere visits you often, tries to speak with you, but you turn away and refuse to hear from her every time.

"Rene... I'm sorry, for everything that's happened to you. You've grown into a bright, beautiful young woman, and despite our differences," the woman calling herself her mother pauses, "I'm proud of all you'd achieved."

You'd spent so many years wondering what horrible situation could have brought about the circumstances of your early childhood, sympathized at times with your imagined true mother, but reality hit you hard. Hauteclere's been a well-off noble all her life. Poverty or illness couldn't have been what separated you. It had to have been some sort of... Societal status thing. Dyrus said that your mothers are the same, but mentions nothing of your biological fathers. And given how old she would've been at the time of your birth...

Yeah, absolutely a status thing. Not tarnishing her family's name with your... Existence.

That old man, Darren, her father-in-law, approaches you one day. "I know, you're angry, you probably hate every single one of us with a passion, but... If there's anyone who you should resent for your abandonment, it's me. At her most vulnerable, my daughter-in-law came to me, and I coldly made her give you away. She wasn't the same for a very long time afterwards..."

>A. (Continue this defiant silence)
>B. Why should you care?
>C. How does that make her any less to blame
>D. You'll keep that in mind
>E. Write-in response

>>48198454
>D. You'll keep that in mind
sarcastically
Quiches and Pizzas aren't pies, Google.

>>48198602
I mean, pizza pie. I agree but there's logic there.

>>48198602
"I'll keep that in mind," you say, your tone telling the man exactly how much of a difference it REALLY makes.

"...I made a lot of regrettable decisions in my time as a loyal servant of the Empire," Darren starts, still trying to get through to you, "and confronting that was one of the hardest things I did in my life. I was already a grandfather for over a decade at the time, but you're young. If I've been able to do... relative right by the world, there's still hope for you. You're in the prime of your youth. Don't let my mistake govern your actions to the grave."

You say nothing. There's nothing more you can say to get through to him, even if this is the first time anyone's gotten two words out of you. People like him, unable to handle the losses every human being must go through in their life, are why the Empire fell.

You've been kept away from your friends, for the most part, and your blood boils knowing that whatever good-for-nothing monster betrayed you is probably roaming free, celebrating your incarceration and getting paid handsomely for their crimes. Is this what you get for refusing to act, to hunt down whoever was doing it until it was too late?

The coward hasn't even shown their face to you. You wouldn't be surprised if they've already skipped the region to a cozy little retirement in Holmstead or something.

Darren gets up, shaking his head and gesturing towards a pair of guards. "I'll see myself out. Consider my words, Rene."

>A. Someone else tried to talk to you (choose someone from Samson or Dyrus' parties)
>B. ...and then this backstabber finally visited
>C. Write-in?

>>48198809
>A. Via tried to talk to you

>>48198809
>A. Via tried to talk to you
Curious if backstabber refers to Marduk, Hal or Veiz though, since all of them did betray Rene. Poor girl, always surrounded by traitors.

>>48198935
It would be Veiz, yeah. I'd use less vague wording if it was someone she knew wasn't her ally (I mean, she doesn't technically know about Hal, but suspecting he's alive and bailed on them sort-of counts).

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>>48198915
That maid traveling with Dyrus everywhere he goes... You'd always pegged her as the reserved sort, hardly outgoing.

So naturally, it's quite the surprise when she visits you one morning, with a frankly delicious-looking breakfast tray (they've been feeding you and the other prisoners well, yes, but still, this looks specially made). It's an impressive spread, coupled with what looks to be a glistening glass of... wyvern's milk, you think.

"I... Absentmindedly made an extra portion while preparing for the royal family this morning," Via admits, "so I thought to bring it to you instead of let it go to waste." Why does she sound so sad discussing such a slip-up...

Oh.

Anyway, despite her sad tone, you can't help but look skeptical at the sudden special treatment. Yeah, the queen is a bit obsessed with you, but you're being suddenly offered something so too-good-to-be-true-looking, from a Peshkatz-trained maid no less? "How do I know that this isn't poisoned? You could kill me easily by slipping some in, or at least make me seriously ill..."

Smiling chillingly, Via shakes her head. "Oh, no, don't worry. Your mother would never let me do such a thing... She's entirely convinced that you can be rehabilitated."

"Rehabilitated, right... Brainwashed, more like it."

The tray plops down on the ground, its contents miraculously undisturbed and within your reach. The maid's smile grows even more chilling as her eyes strike a nerve even in you. "I would strongly prefer you not speak of my queen like that. There isn't a single member of your family whose actions haven't been motivated by concern for you. Now, if you won't be eating this, please tell me now so I can give it to someone more interested. While it's still hot, please."

>A. You'll take it
>B. Decline it
>C. Throw it out of spite

And...

>D. Ask her something (specify)
>E. Say nothing more
>F. Write-in dialogue

>>48199302
>A. You'll take it
>D. Ask her what are the plans for her and her group?

>>48199379
"...I'll take it," you say, pulling it closer.

Via's smile becomes a bit less terrifying, but she makes you no less apprehensive for it. You're entirely wary of this transparent effort to pull you into the circle, so to speak, but hell if this isn't amazing. Could use some belhara juice to really bring out the flavors, you suppose, but other than that...

"What are your plans from here on out?" You ask. "I mean... with your group?"

"What sort of a question is that?" Via asks, "I mean... we'll return to our new home, Queen Hauteclere will get more ruling done, and I'll serve her family as I always have."

"And as for us?"

"Hauteclere very much wishes for you to accept this future without the Gerxel's influence," Via says, "but... The lot of you will still have to answer for your crimes. Complicit in aiding bandits in the demise of Laurise... Even if your mother denies the likelihood of your direct involvement, she... Your sister, if it's yet to set in... She would not be dead were it not for your timely intervention. Director Chiffon would not be dead. I'm certain your mother will fight to see to it that your sentence is lenient if you cooperate, but no matter what happens, there would be a riot if she was to let you off the hook completely."

"That... Makes sense." Veiz has even told you that the version of events Darren has learned claims that Conrad alone fired every shot that killed Laurise, that it would be for the best if the extent never got out, but...

Your arrows pierced Laurise just as often as Conrad's did, allowed him to overwhelm her when it looked like he might lose. You and your companions know the truth, that you were just as responsible for Laurise's death as he, if not moreso given the circumstances.

You killed your younger sister, effectively, and even if you refuse to associate yourself with your biological relatives, that fact remains.

>A. Speaking of younger sisters, guess who visits next!
>B. Write-in dialogue

>>48199784
>A. Speaking of younger sisters, guess who visits next!

>>48199784
>A. Speaking of younger sisters, guess who visits next!

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>>48199839
Later that day, your eyes light up at your next visitor. "V-Veiz..!"

"Rene..." Your adoptive sister is quiet, barely able to look in your direction, and around her neck is that pendant. Did... Cicero pass it along to her? Then she must be here to...

"Veiz, I'm so happy to..." Wait. The guards don't seem to react to her presence, though. And by the way she can't bear to look at you... You realize the truth before she can say another word. "Oh, no. Veiz, no, not you. Tell me it's not what I think..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNGVO8uShsw

"I... I'm sorry, Rene," Veiz says, clenching her fists and keeping her eyes shut. "I've... Wanted to be the one to tell you. I swore as much to Cicero in the castle..."

Your voice goes unreadable, barely audible. "Tell me why, Veiz."

"I... This whole chase, this whole war, your dedication to the Empire above all else... It's destroying you as much as it is everyone else. I've had my doubts about... All of this since the Isle of Wyrm, when you had to put on a strong face as we slew Alfred's men, and again in Holmstead against King Augustus... You're trying your best to be an infallible pillar, and it's killing you!"

"Veiz, have you learned nothing about the values of the Gerxel, letting something so personal drive you? You've undermined the welfare of the Empire for the sake of my-"

"Maybe I didn't want the Gerxel to regain power anyway!" Veiz snaps, startling even the stalwart guards. "I've seen every corner of the Gerxel Empire in our travels, Rene, and everywhere, EVERYWHERE, I saw nothing but corruption, rot, cruelty. Even in the region we grew up believing our father would never let decline so long as he lived, he turned a blind eye the very bloodsport he conquered the land to outlaw! When I noticed that dusty old journal in Xerxes' room, I knew immediately that its contents meant the Empire had a future, and I wanted to make certain it NEVER came!"

>A. You have no words
>B. How vile
>C. Write-in response

>>48200140
>C."The Empire...was the reason why I had a true home and people that I was able to call a family. To get a father and a sister. Without it, I wouldn't have all of those things. You think I wouldn't want to protect and preserve the very thing that made it all possible?!"
Or, "You have no words" if it's too dramatic or something.

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>>48200339
"This Empire... It's thanks to their existence that I was able to find a home, a family, a father and sister. An Imperial director raised me as his own, donated so much time and money to people who grew up like I did. Veiz, you've witnessed a lot of things... Maybe a lot of things that you didn't deserve to see. It's been a war, horrible things happen on either side. Remember when Omar was butchered in cold blood by the same boy he worked tooth and nail to escape with beneath Velouria? Or how the Tarvosians are pushing for the Wolfskin to be treated even worse in the aftermath of this war? The side you've chosen is hardly saintly, and I've done nothing but fight to preserve and restore the wonderful place I grew up knowing and loving. We wouldn't be having this conversation right now were it not for them!"

"I... I'm... If you never find it in your heart to forgive me, that's fine," Veiz says, sounding ready to sob before storming out.

You, too, fall onto your back and let the tears flow free for awhile.

Doubtless Alfred is in on things too if Veiz was behind all of this... So that's two more of your number who've betrayed you. Marduk, Alfred, you've heard talk of Hal being alive and well in Samson's group...

Veiz still hurts the most, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqOYw76jaXE

You're still thinking about it as your groups begin to pass through the deserts. Apparently, Dyrus insisted Samson and his group come with them to the capital to celebrate the war's conclusion, and only Sir Jovan declined out of the whole bunch (it's reasoned that they could be returned home quickly enough with the Witch Pendant after).

Still, though, Veiz... Veiz, Veiz, Veiz...

>A. In your reflection, you came to loathe her
>B. You're confident she'll come back around
>C. You still love her, but you've never felt more utterly defeated
>D. Write-in opinion

And...

>E. Talk to someone else (specify)
>F. Write-in action

>>48200675
Whoops, there was supposed to be a
>G. Advance plot

>>48200675
>C. You still love her, but you've never felt more utterly defeated
>E. Talk to someone else (Lazare)

>>48200675
>C. You still love her, but you've never felt your heart so heavy.
>E. Talk to someone else (Lazare)

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>>48200817
You could never stop loving your sister, even after what she's done, but... You thought you were hurt when you had to fight August, or when Marduk betrayed your cause.

You've never felt this... Downtrodden, hurt. It almost makes you want to give up.

Eventually, your spacious, barred-up prison-carriage is visited by a man you don't recognize.

"Another person trying to talk me into turning over a new leaf?" You ask, preemptively, skeptically.

"Er... Hello," he says, awkwardly. "I'm Lazare... I've heard talk that you objected quite vocally to my apprehension at the hands of your comrades, and I just... Wished to express my gratitude for the attempt, even if that Kristina went over your head anyway."

"So you're that... Samson person's father," you remark.

He nods. "Er, yes, that would be me."

"And you're the pacifist who wanted nothing to do with this, but was hauled in so many different directions..."

"So it... I stood out to you, then?" Lazare smiles a bit. "Yes, yes, I can't stand fighting... I tried it for a short while, and absolutely hated it. Couldn't live with the guilt of taking lives, so I stopped."

"Even though it meant one less pair of hands to help your son's rebel forces?" You ask, cocking an eyebrow. If it were you, hating fighting but being stuck in a rebellion anyway, you would've kept on fighting.

"Yes," he says, not even a twinge of guilt for such a standpoint, "the people who fought, they fought so others didn't need to devote themselves to military regimes and taking lives. I was content to be nothing more than, well, a father to my son."

>A. How selfish
>B. You wish you had that same luxury...
>C. Sounds like his son's a more admirable person than him
>D. Reminds you of something Hera said to you...
>E. Write-in response

And...

>F. Say more to him (write-in dialogue)
>G. Advance Plot

>>48201068
>D. Reminds you of something Hera said to you...
>G. Advance Plot

>>48201068
>D. Reminds you of something Hera said to you...
>G. Advance Plot

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>>48201178
"It reminds me of something Hera said to me once... That the worst thing to be on the battlefield is someone who can't enjoy a fight."

"A solid few people have claimed that Hera and my son had a sort of... Mutual understanding and respect, despite their opposite stances," Lazare says, "and that it started even during our brief return to Holmstead before Fort Dalshin."

"Yeah, Hera was a very likable person," you muse.

The conversation sort of peters out from there.

Late one night, you hear a bit of a commotion outside your mobile cell. Rubbing your eyes, you make little of it...

Until a ring of dark magic crashes around the walls of the carriage, busting a hole in it just large enough for you to fit through. At the bottom of it, the body of one of your guards.

"What in the..!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh_mUVcZzWc

"H-he-" The other guard begins to call for help, only for an eyeball monster to split his head in two before your eyes with that same dark magic.

There's a pair of them in front of you now. "K-Kristina..?"

The eyeball monsters blink idly, before heading off in some direction. Right, she can't exactly hear you through them. It doesn't look like anyone's noticed the attack yet...

>A. Maybe you should just stay here...
>B. Of course you'll follow them!
>C. Go off in some other direction for some reason

>>48201321
>B. Of course you'll follow them!
What a twist!

>>48201321
>B. Of course you'll follow them!

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>>48201383
You don't hesitate to follow them. You're unarmed and have no armor at the moment, and these things just busted you out.

Quietly, you sneak after them, wondering what Kristina has in store right now. Of course, as a summoner, she's the most apt to fight without weapons! At the same time, though, you don't doubt she's being kept under the highest security over that same dangerous status.

Accompanied by a bael, you see Saye, sneaking around like a lost kitten. She smiles at the sight of you, bounding over, only for you both to freeze up. "Huh? Wazzat..?"

It's that blond archer dating Felix's aunt, Duran or something, carrying with him a Silver Bow. He begins to shout. "H-hey! Aw, fuckin' hell, no! Everyone, we got a prison break!"

Shit. "Run," Saye urges you, the both of you accompanying the spider-monster as the floating pair of Mogall hold off the archer.

The two of you are quick to locate Ludwig next, simply holding up a hand in greeting as a Mauthe Doog guards him. "Oi. Mom said she would sit this one out, but I can't very well abandon you all."

Hidden in his cloak are a beat-up looking bronze bow and flux tome. "My mother and I didn't have very good guards. This was all they had." He hands the bow to you, and you take a moment to get used to its weight, balance, whatnot.

"So what's the plan now?" Saye asks. "The whole camp is waking up now..."

>A. We bail. NOW.
>B. We take some of them down
>C. We find Cicero and Kristina and flee
>D. We try to find our shit
>E. Write-in option

>>48201513
>C. We find Cicero and Kristina and flee
Our people are more important.
Viez, you naive girl.

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>>48201577
"Cicero and Kristina... They're the only ones not here, and also the ones our enemies will have the sharpest eyes on. Since monsters have started appearing in the camp, they'll be trying to kill Kris in particular. We find them, and we get as far away from here as possible. If we move through the desert quickly enough, we could lose track of them for awhile, and... You get it, let's go."

Hurrying along, you try to keep out of the way of crowds as you seek out the remaining prison carriages. One, you find, has a guard who's had their neck cleanly snapped, doors unlocked by keys, plain and simple. So you figure Cicero was able to get away on his own in the commotion, is possibly searching the premises for you guys right now.

Eventually, though, you come across Kristina, constantly backpedaling out of the ways of two swordmaster girls, one of whom is blonde and eyepatched, the other rather plain-looking and accompanied by a hapless-looking halberdier, who's moreso focusing on keeping the monsters off the other two. "Hey, the summoner is over here!" He calls out. "Calling for backup, she's giving us a run for our money!"

Kristina shoots the three of you a quick look, only to focus back on playing defense against the nimble sword-fighters. They've cut through her more than a few times, but none of her wounds seem quite life-threatening.

>A. Attack pirate-girl
>B. Attack the plainer swordmaster
>C. Attack the soldier covering their backs
>D. Just focus on anyone else trying to help
>E. Write-in action

>>48201717
>C. Attack the soldier covering their backs
The monsters be able to distract the swordswomen long enough to defeat them.

>>48201717
>C. Attack the soldier covering their backs
Please nobody die.

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>>48201911
"Focus on that guy," you whisper to Ludwig, the two of you aiming your weak bow and flux tomes at him and striking him.

"O-ow!" You... appear to have miscalculated how deadly these severe downgrades of weapons are, since he wasn't killed instantly like your Brave Bow or Ludwig's Verrine would have. "H-hey! There's Rene and the rest..!"

Still, though, the man's fresh wounds leave him being non-literal bael food (last words: "R-Riley..."), the plain girl calling out, "Jack!" Glaring at you and Ludwig, she growls. "You... I'll kill you all right here!"

As the woman rushes towards you, the monsters pursue her, her soon meeting an identical end.

"No..!" The blonde girl clutches her Wo Dao, looking between the lot of you, trembling, and running away. "Forgive me..!"

"Sh-shit..." Kristina clutches her chest, looking a vulnerary off of the felled swordmaster, Riley, and chugging it down. "I knew this was a gamble, but fuck if that wasn't close..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fir3-YOSb8

"You!" Oh, boy, and now a man on a horse is speeding towards you. Sir Jovan, by the looks of things, holding in his hand Belinda's Berserk Lance, upon which he's skewered multiple rapidly-fading Mogall. But why is he approaching alone..? "You're fighting a useless battle! Surrender here or die!"

Kristina, in turn, summons up a massive cyclops and two mogall, having them stare him down and block his path to you.

"Once I've accessed this lance's strength, I'll be more than powerful enough to slaughter you all in an instant," the man warns, the weapon seeming to... Glow faintly. "This is your last chance to get out of this with your lives!"

>A. Attack him anyway!
>B. Lay down your weapon
>C. Just see what he does
>D. Write-in response

>>48202083
Vote time renewed.

>>48202083
I don't suppose we could whisper to Kristina to curse our arrow to summon a monster right next to Jovan?

>>48202330
Y'know what, it's a bit asspully, but I like it.

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>>48202330
You whisper something on the spot to Kristina as you hold up your bronze bow. "What? That's not even how it fuckin... Whatever, magic is innovation and we're pretty much fucked anyway."

Kristina strikes a summoning post, and you deliberately shoot your arrow out of the way of Jovan as he strikes down one cyclops. "Hah! Wasting your time with warning shots?! I'll rip your throat out for that!"

Before he can, though, another cyclops appears from behind him, smashing into the side of his neck with its axe. "I... This monstrous thing... I only attacked alone for everyone's safety..."

So... By the sound of things, the berserk lance is an immensely powerful weapon that, if "activated" somehow, leaves its user in a frenzy for a time...

Better in your hands than theirs, you suppose.

And then a woman approaches on a wyvern, brandishing Iote's Shield. Behind her, a Dracozombie, upon which you can see Alfred riding. Is... Veiz taking part in your suppression as well now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX8ZNoZm9X4

Pointing her staff forward, Hauteclere lands and dismounts, Alfred doing the same and standing next to her with his Killing Edge remaining sheathed and umbrella at his shoulder. Strapped to his back is an imposing-looking bag.

"Rene, please..." Hauteclere stares you down, more soldiers appearing behind her. "You know this can stop you in an instant anyway..."

"Uh oh," Ludwig remarks, biting his lips. "This looks bad, boss."

"I concur," Saye adds.

>A. Try to run
>B. Attack the queen! (specify with bow or your new lance)
>C. Give up
>D. Stand there defiantly
>E. Write-in response

>>48202525
>A. Try to run

>>48202525
>A. Try to run
Sandstorm if anyone can make one.

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>>48202729
You begin to back away, turning to break into a sprint, only to be brought to your knees by the Staff of Katri once again. Saye and Kristina hurry to help you up, as more of Kris' monsters are slain by archers backing the queen up from either side.

Your mother walks forward, a sad look in her eyes. "Rene, please... I'm doing this for your own- Agh!"

A throwing knife pierces the queen's hand, leading her to drop her signature staff.

"Qu-queen Hauteclere!" A random person shouts.

"I'm fine... Cicero must be in that direction," she says, gesturing with her head, prompting a few people to run that way. Attention back on you, Hautclere reaches down for her staff... Only to see that it's gone. "What in the..?"

Alfred is bolting towards you, and the dracozombie takes a swipe at your biological mother. She dispatches it easily, but she's still more than a little shocked.

"Ma'am, there's no sign of the assassin over here!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb1KZ58Y0N8

A flurry of shining arrows and knives strike them from their blind side, only for a familiar butler and white-haired archer-mage to appear before you, the latter also hoisting with her a ton of stuff.

"Veiz..?"

"I thought a lot about what you've said," Veiz quickly explains.

"She'll tell you more when we're not here!" Cicero adds, looking about as full of disbelief as you are.

"Everyone get close!" Kristina says, pulling up a wall of Mogall to try to guard from the approaching knights.

"Veiz, you're better than this!" A young man's voice calls through the approaching soldiers. It sounds... Tired, but it's not one you recognize, and she seems to ignore it.

You're warped a long ways to the East, a small desert oasis.

"Is everyone here?" Cicero asks.

"Mother elected to stay behind," Ludwig explains, "but other than that."

"We're should be three full days away from Hauteclere's forces," Veiz says, "so we can afford to take a night here."

>A. Why is... What...
>B. ...
>C. Write-in response

>>48202860
>A. Why is... What...

>>48202860
>A. Why is... What...

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>>48202901
"I... What... Why..." You're at a loss for words, shaking off your magically induced fatigue.

"Seeing what I had done to you all, for the sake of these people, that I'd defied our promise to make it through this mess together over what the Gerxel used to be... The guilt of that ate away at me far faster than anything I'd ever done in the name of the Gerxel." Veiz gives you an earnest, apologetic look. "I'm... Sorry, Rene, for all that I've done, thinking that I was somehow protecting you by sabotaging you. It was... Impulsive. From now on, I'll place my utmost faith in you."

"V-Veiz..." Close to crying again, you throw your arms around her. "Together... We'll see this mission through."

"I'd always known you would come around," Cicero says, smiling and tearing up himself. "It's... Beautif-ow!"

Kristina's slapped him across the back of the head. "That's for setting ME up to take the fall for Veiz!"

"You what?" You ask.

"It's a... Long story," Cicero says, "but... The Staff of Katri that Alfred has just stolen will be a valuable asset in our mission. Veiz, you say you know who the heiress to the Gerxel is? By now, Hautclere does too, so we have no time to lose finding her and returning to the capital to rouse Xouide."

"That's... I think you were wondering about this earlier," Veiz says, "how I knew about Rene's mother already... Well, I don't remember the exact wording, but Xerxes wrote about Hauteclere by name, described her quite vividly."

"I... So what you're saying is..."

"...you did always have a big sisterly vibe to you, I suppose," Ludwig remarks, pushing up his glasses. "So, we're in this for the long haul?"

Among the things in Alfred and Veiz' bags are Saye's beaststone, Ludwig's Verrine, and your Brave Bow, among various survival essentials, some gold, assorted weapons.

"You're gonna need basic knowledge of summoning to raise Xouide when we get there," Kris says, "so lemme show you some."

>A. Write-in dialogue
>B. You're speechless

>>48203063
>B. You're speechless

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>>48203200
"..." You try to form words, but nothing comes out.

"Neir's main forces are all just West of us," Cicero notes, "the only people to worry about are the Tarvosians, and most of them are going to be patrolling a valley and a mountain range away from the capital."

"So... We can really turn this around," Saye says, joyously. "I was thinking so much about how, after we were all captured, I would be seen as nothing more than the wolf that helped sabotage Director Chiffon's peacekeeping efforts, murdered her own mentors... That's not what I want my life to amount to!"

"I spoke briefly with my former crew member while we were traveling, the sole survivor among their ranks," Alfred remarks, "and... We have grown worlds apart. I wish I could have persuaded him to join us here, but his loyalty is to Noba now."

"My grandfather was a bit of an old shit, but he didn't die so we could just roll our bellies over," Kristina says, "I was ready to take as many of those fuckers down with me whether help was coming or not."

"So... This is one of those 'as long as we stick together, nothing can stop us' moments?" Ludwig raises his glasses again. "Though I suppose I am a sucker for those..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3OPy9mrwWc

"H-hey! These people have some pretty valuable-lookin' stuff!" A Vautou notes, pointing you out. "Let's get 'em!"

"Hah, I think I recognize a few of them! You were the Imperials who were slaughtering us at Hawk Oasis! But I don't see those good ones who saved our lives anywhere... Chief Paisley'll be pleased as punch when we bring back your heads, truly avenge Corduroy's brigade!"

"...let's get this out of the way so we can get some sleep," you remark, raising your brave bow.

>To be continued next thread
Veiz' most recent step in her character arc is actually quite a tragic turn. But it's fun seeing Rene think it's good.

Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter/ask.fm are qmgrandflocto, I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile.

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>>48203339
Thanks for running, Octo. What a turn of events.

>>48203339
Thanks for running.

Sad Jack and Riley died, and a little sad we managed to escape for that matter.

>Veiz' most recent step in her character arc is actually quite a tragic turn.
Not necessarily. It really depends on what sort of Empress Rene decides to be.

>>48203375
Rene, queen of wolfskins, when?

>>48203355
This was my envisioned endgame for Veiz' character from the start, I just never imagined that it would be reached like this.

>>48203375
>little sad we managed to escape
Yeah, the way that certain events can seem wonderful to some but horrific to others is one of the cooler aspects of the triple-POVs.

The seemingly-random voice Rene didn't recognize saying Veiz was better than this was supposed to be Samson, by the way.

Next thread'll probably be Sam's perspective on the same general point in time, give more hectic monster fighting. Can't exactly NOT have him reunite with his father onscreen, while it'd be redundant to do a Samson and a Dyrus chapter for this.

Always a pleasure, to both of you, though.

>>48203425
Seems unlikely, seeing as she isn't one to begin with. Unless you're implying that she should marry into the position, but she's a bit... spoken for for that.

>>48203447
Don't necessarily need to be a wolfskin to rule over them.

I honestly expected a reveal of Cicero being half-Wolfskin at some point since it seemed like that was being hinted at heavily, and especially after Saye brought up questions about what happens if a wolfskin and a human have a kid back when Baker was still alive.

>>48203447
Cicero shall climb to top the ladder.

>>48203475
>>48203511
My idea was always just "he was a hairy, fuzzy kid with sharp teeth and people bullied him for it because kids can be cruel," while Saye's comments were more of a reference to Generically 2, where the first truly noteworthy-sized generations of half-woof populations were coming into adulthood as a worldbuilding detail. God, Gen 2 was a clusterfuck of half-used ideas.

I feel like I had something in mind for the murders of his parents that sent him into Rene and August's lives, but I forgot what it was long ago.

That being said, I don't dislike the idea, it just probably wouldn't be relevant to anything.

>>48203578
Just imagine his super-assassin bullshit with the raw power and speed of a garou behind them.

>>48203578
So tl;dr "sure, why not, it's a thing now." That's part of the fun of quests, the readers/players having good ideas the QM didn't even think of!

>>48203599
Which reminds me of another idea that never went anywhere. At one point, I wanted Saye to insist that Veiz fuse her beaststone with her like Methodius did Cashmere's. Ended up figuring it'd be out of character. Saye respects her old master too much to let herself end up like she did.

On that note, Cashmere was going to turn out to just... genuinely be every bit as monstrous as she pretended to be during her fight with Dyrus, instead of just egging him on for a suicide by fight situation.

>>48203663
I think that suicide-by-lord Cashmere worked better as a concept than genuine-monster Cashmere would've. Especially after all those scenes of her getting belly rubs.

>>48203686
Yeah, her connection to Chiffon ended up feeling too genuine for me to "it was all a lie" it upon betrayal.

Feel like it also helped establish Methodius as a meddlesome, corrupting influence over the faltering Empire.

Another little thing I dunno if anyone caught, speaking of suicide-by-lord Cashmere. Cashmere allowed herself to be poisoned by a bael shortly before her first fight, and a certain character with summoning powers was traveling around with a close associate of Cashmere's...