File: Myunit.png (109 KB, 360x162)

109 KB PNG

Samson pleas for the end of the fight between Rene and Dyrus, if purely because neither he nor any of his companions has any desire to die this day. At this point, fighting Xouide is just so... It's left all of them numb.

Prince Dyrus, along with his mother, Queen Hautclere, and the rest of their army advances on their home castle, intent on taking it back from Dyrus' elder sister whatever it takes. The Empire needs to die, and Rene's warp pendant-wielding sister has gone through all the trouble of bringing all of its remaining fighting-able supporters into one place for the truest final stand of the Gerxel. Swinging his axe around in practice under the watchful eye of his elderly grandfather, Dyrus grows ever more resolved to see this through to the end.

Rene, tending to matters in her new home, receives a report from a pegasus-mounted scout. "Empress," the person says, "Xouide's advance is... Behind schedule, significantly. We think it's meeting resistance in the mountains South of here."

"It will overpower them in due time," she says, more than a little annoyed with the fact that someone is continuing to give her all this trouble, "what about Hautclere?"

"She and her son are... About a day away from the city," the scout says, "and they've brought an army larger than our own. Should you... recall Xouide?"

"No..." Rene shakes her head, "even if I had it return now, the battle would be long decided by the time it showed up with reinforcements. Our own manpower will have to suffice."

"Don't worry, Rene, we can turn this around!" Saye reassures her, pumping a fist.

"I'm all the monster-making we'll need to kick the shit outta these troublemakers," Kristina declares.

Ludwig simply flips another page in his tome, while Cicero, Veiz, and Alfred share resolute looks.

"All of you..." Rene nods, raising the Staff of Katri to cheering. "The Empire does not die here!"

>A. Rene
>B. Dyrus
(chosen perspective WILL impact the ending)

>>48393437
>A. Rene

File: reneportrait.png (4 KB, 164x89)

4 KB PNG

>>48393623
You are now Rene, reflecting in the still-undisturbed chambers of your biological father.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wTIrwav0Ek

A lot of people have fallen in your path, you recall. People who you should have called... Close. August, the honorary elder brother who kept you company in your formulative years. Thinking of him, you remember his resolve, how he built a kingdom from nothing over little more than a decade, left no heirs, but still managed to create a stable enough state that it's survived much of a war without him. You make his ambition your own.

Laurise, your actual, biological younger sister. That Darren fellow spoke once of his granddaughter's gifts, that she never once let her ordinariness prevent her from achieving brilliance, defying a fate of being the lesser twin. Even naturally brilliant Dyrus would sometimes bemoan himself as unable to live up to her example. You make her brilliance your own, planning to utterly defy the fate that has spelled out the Empire's death.

Chiffon, an honorable Director whose means to an end ran an unfortunate clash with your own. His only desire was to ensure the future of his people. In honor of him, and for the sake of your friend, Saye, you named the Garou Valley the first site of Xouide's conquest.

People will call you evil for all you've done. They already have, and some still do.
But you've known your priorities all along. Those who don't understand can get out of your way or they can DIE.

Tears stain the pages of one of Xerxes' old novels as you recall the father who raised you, Waldrick. You recall your aunt-figure, Hera. You remember kindly Omar, and late Emperor Ximeno, going out of his way to tutor you (neither of you could have known about your blood relation, and yet he treated you like his own. You miss Lyka). In their memory, you will take back every bit of Imperial soil your wretched mother has stolen!

>A. Talk to someone (specify)
>B. Skip ahead
>C. Switch to Dyrus [LAST CHANCE]

>>48393918
>A. Talk to someone (Veiz)
Is Rene actually able to get any use out of the Staff of Katri, or does her class not being a staff-user prevent that, bloodline be damned?

>>48394080
She can use it, though not as well as Hautclere or even Dyrus would be able to due to her lack of training/generally low magic stats. Blame it on her abrupt class change in the pastebin if you want.

She could use it to focus all of the strength deterioration on a single stat for a single opponent, like luck or magic or something, and use it as a fantastic staffbot because it's just that great for healing, but that's about it.

File: ArcherDS.png (2 KB, 72x73)

2 KB PNG

>>48394080
Looking out over a balcony, Veiz turns to her sister as she approaches, a frown on her face.

"What's ailing you, Veiz?" You ask, looking at her with concern.

"I just..." She rests her elbow on the railing and chin in her palm, looking back out over the city, "I still think we're in over our heads. An Empress at twenty-one..."

You shake your head. "August... King Augustus, he set off to become king of the independent territories when he was just sixteen, and had succeeded by the time he was only a few years older than me."

"But Rene..." Veiz turns towards you again, a serious expression on her face, "we killed him, remember? With overwhelming numbers?"

"...and that's where the two of us differ," you assure her, "I'm not going to underestimate the might of our opponents enough to rush out to my death without proper preparation."

"Do you think, maybe, it would be wise to abandon the castle for now, remain close to Xouide? We'd be invincible then, and..."

"No," you shake your head as you respond to your still-quite-shaken sister, "we've run enough. This is when we remind the rebels of their place."

"Of... Of course," Veiz says, detaching herself from the rail, turning to face you, and bowing towards you, "forgive me, sister. I've sworn to follow your will and word, and yet I keep questioning you like this..."

>A. Just don't do it again
>B. So long as nothing comes of her doubts
>C. Remind her that she's on thin ice
>D. She has a point, even if you disagree
>E. Write-in response
>F. ...

And...

>G. Say more to Veiz (write-in dialogue)
>H. Talk to [specify who else]
>I. Skip forward

Also, fair warning. Though obviously chances of victory are slanted in the favor of the POV character, there will be opportunities to fuck up immensely and lose things for them anyway. Would've given this warning sooner, but character limit stopped it from being in the starting post.

>>48394443
>E. "There's nothing to forgive. Empress or not, you're still my dear sister and I'll always welcome your counsel, even if I won't always agree with it."
>J. Sibling hug

>H. Talk to Cicero

>>48394692
Fucking rogue backspace ate the post while I was shaving it below character limit. Lovely.

File: GarouPortrait.png (48 KB, 256x256)

48 KB PNG

Alright, gonna give a quick version of the post so we can move onto important things.
>>48394692
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGwNdWkGpK4
You assure Veiz that there's nothing in need of forgiving, that, regardless of your Imperial status, regardless of blood, she's your sister, and that you treasure her advice, even if you don't necessarily agree with it.

Veiz begins to ramble on about how insecure she is about whether or not she's truly been forgiven, or even warrants it, and you give her a reassuring sisterly hug.

You remind her that she's proven her redemption by bailing you out awhile ago.

Nodding, she suggests that she take some time to scout the enemies out more thoroughly with her witch pendant. You warn her to be careful since it's likely she'll not receive a terribly warm welcome from the rebels she turned away from.

After Veiz leaves, you exit the balcony, soon encountering Saye sparring with Cicero, throwing her fists at him as he dodges dutifully, concluding in his hopping on her giant, transformed hand before pointing out your presence. This prompts Saye to revert to greet you, only to fall onto her face from the pressure on her suddenly-shrunken hand.

Cicero goes on about how he can't help but address you as "your excellency" out of his excitement for you having reached the position, only to pull himself together and ask if you required him or Saye for something.

>A. Just thought you'd say hello (Skip ahead)
>B. Just passing by (talk to someone else)
>C. Yeah, for Cicero: [write-in dialogue]
>D. Yeah, for Saye: [write-in dialogue]
>E. For both, actually! [write-in dialogue]

>>48395084
Vote time renewed.

>>48395084
>A. Just thought you'd say hello (Skip ahead)
Alright, I guess we can get to the big fight for the future of the continent.

File: Wyvern_riderGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 80x69)

2 KB GIF

>>48395333
"Just... Thought I'd say hello," you say, "we're heading out to fight soon, and I want you both to take care."

Cicero and Saye both nod, the wolf-girl offering a thumbs-up. "We'll do our best!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aHlvwGjmUM

Soon enough, the next day rolls in, and with it the expected invaders. Veiz filled out a report after her warp-based scouting mission, from which she recites once more over war cousel. "The enemy is led by Queen Hautclere, a wyvern-rider with a powerful axe, and is... Somewhat larger than our own forces. Other leaders of their group include tactician Felix, mercenary leader Fortune, prince Dyrus, and... General Marduk."
>character limit, continued next post

File: samsonbygrandflaw.png (6 KB, 290x200)

6 KB PNG

>>48395742
Marduk. His name makes you tense even still. Regardless, though, you keep paying attention as the topic shifts Southward.

"Word around Hautclere's camp is that General Taniel is the one leading the force that has been opposing Xouide for... Days on end, I think. Word is Sara is far from here as well. From only the briefest of surveys of the Southern Pass earlier today, Xouide was still fighting."

"The same people have been holding Xouide up for DAYS?!" Kristina, incredulously, asks, "the fuck are Taniel's knights made of?!"

"I... Think there's a simple explanation for that," Veiz says, "like I said, I didn't get close enough to the battlefield to conclusively identify anyone, but now that I think about it more... If a small group of soldiers has been holding out against Xouide for this long, there must be some sort of motivational, invigorating magic at work. This could only mean Samson."

You can just tell that making that fact known sent a chill down Veiz' spine. Ludwig, however, beats you to the punch by a breath. "Something the matter?"

"It's just... Samson and his crew," Veiz says, "none of them should have gotten involved in this. None of this was their fight, yet they were pushed along from place to place, left with no choice but to fight... It would leave a poor taste in my mouth for them to perish stalling the inevitable."

"...you say our draconic sister is out there fighting?" Ludwig asks, "then I agree... And I mean, wouldn't it only be prudent to get them out of the way of Xouide so it can move on?"

"We don't have the time to be rescuing enemies who are most likely dead by now," Cicero says, somberly, "I'm sorry, Veiz, but... What you're insinuating we should do is simply a wasted effort."

>A. If she thinks it's worth it, you'll allow it
>B. Cicero's right
>C. Maybe we should send someone to dispose of them

As for you...

>D. Every named character hold up in the castle
>E. You'll head out to meet Hautclere's forces
>F. Write-in plan

>>48395768
>A. If she thinks it's worth it, you'll allow it
>D. Every named character hold up in the castle

File: SwordmasterDS.png (2 KB, 72x73)

2 KB PNG

>>48395939
"Veiz..." You sigh. "Do you think it'll be worth the effort of saving them? You do realize that they could be dead, right?"

"I..." Veiz holds her arm, looking down. "I understand. I'll put it out of mind."

"You didn't answer my question, Veiz," you point out before repeating, "do YOU think it'll be worth trying to save them?"

Veiz nods, slightly.

"Then... I'll allow you to do what you will. Leave General Taniel to his fate, but beyond that... Use your discretion as to who you offer your kindness to, if anyone."

"If Veiz is entering Xouide's effective range specifically to seek out people fighting to stay in it..." Alfred juggles his parasol in one hand. "I wish to be involved as well. Besides, one of my former crew members is among this Samson's entourage. We've grown distant with time, but... It is not a bond I would like to coldly forsake."

"As for the rest of you..." You look to Saye, Cicero, Ludwig, and Kristina, "stay in the castle with me. My uncle, as much as I respected Emperor Ximeno, made the mistake of seeking honor and glory in his final battle, instead of remaining where he was safest. The five of us and the newer, more loyal castle guard will protect and support one another."

"Sister..." Veiz gives you a serious look, looking as though she wishes to tell you something, before shaking her head, "no, never mind... I swore not to doubt you, and begging that Alfred and I won't return to your corpses sort of defies that point."

With that, all you could do was wait, get used to the weight of your new lance, and make sure your archery was no weaker than it was.

Honestly, you would have liked to head out and meet your mother at the start of battle, eliminate her quickly, but... You can't afford to risk your life. If the sole consequence to your death was, well, your death, you would fight proudly, but you're the only person alive who could control Xouide.

>A. You eventually went out there
>B. Eventually, they got through the gates

>>48396151
>B. Eventually, they got through the gates

File: Archmogall.gif (15 KB, 45x47)

15 KB GIF

>>48396178
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCv69W-EGIs

"The rebels' numbers have been thinned slightly by forces within the city, but several Lords of Chance have broken through, with Hautclere's forces not far behind!" Cicero reports to you, slightly panicked in tone, "at this rate, they'll be in the castle's front halls in mere moments!"

"Then let them come," you proclaim, "we've prepared for this..."

You step out into the entry hall, arms folded as you're flanked by your companions and several loyal guards. You give a passing glance to the area surrounding the gates, seemingly wrapped in shadows, as heavily-armed knights step in front of Ludwig and Kristina to hide their looks of concentration.

As about two dozen big, buff mercenaries rush in first thing, busting down your perfectly nice door, a horde of floating eyeballs emerge from the shadows, wrapping the Lords of Chance in several rings of dark magic and cutting many of them into mincemeat.

"Get down!" A man shouts through the commotion before arrows and light magic begin flying at the horde of Mogall, disposing of them quickly.

When the dust settles, Fortune, Doran, and Felix are all on the ground, held down by the foul-mouthed archer as he bleeds slightly from his back. About a half-dozen other mercenaries just sort of happened to survive by, well, chance, but are more focused on the horrors of their comrades' bodies than anything else, let alone that all of Kristina's mogall and a few of the guards at your side were killed in the commotion.
>character limit, continued next post

File: Devil_Sword_(Artwork).png (147 KB, 394x1002)

147 KB PNG

>>48396443
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJt3PLlWojQ
"How lucky am I to have you~?" Fortune asks the archer, standing up and reaching for her sword.

"Yeah, yeah, hit on me later," Doran says, notching an arrow and looking between your crew, some of the surviving Chance Lord lackeys getting between, "for now, we got shit to be takin' care of."

"A lot of good men just died, your insufferableness," the woman, around your age, says, stepping forward, pointing her devil sword at you, "but... Those of us still here, we're just luckier then our friends." She steps forward, swerving out of the way of attacks from both Cicero and Ludwig. "I've been meaning to pay you back for watching my nephew for awhile, Rene... I insisted I get the first crack at you for it, in fact."

"Expect no mercy from any of us," Felix declares, "even though you're my older sister, technically... You've been dead to me since the day we met."

At Felix's declaration, his aunt hurries towards you,

>A. Duel her with your new lance
>B. Just try to shoot her
>C. Use your new staff..? (specify how)
>D. Have [specify] fight her in your stead
>E. Write-in repsonse

>>48396536
>C. Use your new staff..? (Drain Fortune's Luck)
The sword turning on her won't reasonably be enough to take a high-level Hero out of the fight, but it'll shake the opposition, particularly the surviving mercs, and give us the upper hand while preventing her from striking us, which is more than worth it.

File: herocrit.gif (34 KB, 115x110)

34 KB GIF

>>48396669
She's so confident in that sword... it gives you an idea. With your limited knowledge of the Staff of Katri's workings...

Oh, shit, she's coming.

You raise the staff quickly, which elicits a laugh from Fortune. "You're getting desperate! It's not like we can't seal Xouide away with or without your staff if Ximeno could do it!"

Rushing past you before anyone can react, she slashes across your midsection with critical strength, grinning to herself and sheathing her blade as she looks to you. "I've seen this trick before, where it takes a second for the cut to really... Cut. Gives me time for a one-liner, like 'you're already-'" Her grin cracks into a shocked one as her eyes widen, bleeding from the left end of her chest to the right end of her waist, mimicking the cut she thought she gave you. Feebly, she asks, "what?"

"A-Aunt Fortune! Get away from there!" Felix calls out, desperately, as he tosses some sort of blast of light magic your way, Doran joining him in firing at your group.

"I... It's never... never, ever..." Fortune chokes out as Saye rushes close, drawing her sword just in time to slash across the transformed wolf-girl's chest, giving herself another deep cut and collapsing into a nasty uppercut, sending her into the ceiling with a sickening crack.

"Aunt Fortune!" Felix has a... decidedly different reaction to what he'd witnessed than before, him and the rest of the Lords of Chance rushing your men with extreme prejudice, only for Doran to pull him away.

"Since when are you stupid, Felix?! I'm just as pissed as you, but we need to get the FUCK outta 'ere!" The archer begins to drag Felix away towards the entrance as the rest of your allies work on the mercenaries blocking them from being pursued.

>A. Try and shoot Doran
>B. Try and shoot Felix
>C. Just focus on the mercs attacking your lot
>D. Write-in action

>>48396854
>C. Just focus on the mercs attacking your lot

File: Wyvern_lordGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 80x69)

2 KB GIF

>>48396889
You opt to focus on the mercenaries attacking the lot of you, giving Doran a chance to slip away as Felix grows despondent again, only for them to be lost in another crowd of rebels led by none other than Marduk himself and his sisters.

"...gods, we're too late," Marduk says, forlorn, as he looks over the Fortune Company members, including its founder, before drawing forth a Killer Lance. His sisters, by his sides, pull out a Silver Blade and Spear, going down by age.

"So now you've come," you say, stepping back, "it's... Been awhile."

"So it has," Marduk answers, "you've been renovating?"

"Just putting the Imperial colors back up," you answer, "some of us take our duties to the Gerxel SERIOUSLY."

"Rene, you know exactly why I left," Marduk answers, giving you a very grave look, "and now... My sisters and I have new lives to live. We WORK here, Rene."

"Rene, please," Nia urges, "we want you to come quietly... Your brother, your mother, they still believe in you!"

Winona looks contemplative, but attentive of her surroundings nonetheless.

More and more men are piling in behind them, and by your side more of the guards stationed in the castle, as well as a new wave of bael from Kristina.

>A. Attack one of the wyvern siblings with your bow (specify)
>B. Have your men charge theirs
>C. Write-in action
>D. Try to convince them to return to the Empire (dice+1d20, plus write-in dialogue)

>>48397146
Vote time renewed.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>48397146
>D. Try to convince them to return to the Empire ("Much as I'd rather avoid fighting you three, surrendering - letting the empire die and abandoning everyone that believes in the Empire, in me - isn't an option. Still, I can sympathize with doing whatever you have to to protect your sisters, especially after the...less-than-perfect way that the situation was handled. I'll give you three one last chance to return to the Empire or quit the field, otherwise I'll be forced to defend myself.")
I'm rolling for it, but it seems really, *really* unlikely that any of them would even consider betraying Dyrus at this point.

>>48397456
Probably the most appropriate result, I'm not even mad.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>48397146
>>48397456
+1

File: axelord.png (16 KB, 148x125)

16 KB PNG

>>48397456
"As... Much as I would rather avoid fighting any of you, I can't surrender here. I can't just let the Empire die, abandon everyone who believes in it, believes that I can carry its spirit on." You point to yourself, before gesturing to them, "Marduk, Winona, Nia... I can sympathize with your plight, and even Director Belinda herself could admit that the situation was handled awfully. I considered you friends once, peers, and because of that... I'm want to give you one chance to return to my side. If you don't..." You point out your bow, your companions, "we will, of course, defend ourselves."

The siblings just sort of... Exchange awkward glances, but the one to outright refuse on the trio's behalf is Winona, the impulsive wannabe heroine. "Why would we ever side with you?! You... it's your fault I lost one of my best friends!"

"Honestly... Given who she's talking about, you have a LOT of nerve talking about sisterly love, Rene," Marduk adds, "c'mon, let's just finish this fight."

"Honestly, there might have been a time when I would have agreed," Nia admits, "but... I care too much about everyone here to even entertain a future with you, Rene!"

The wyvern siblings and their allies begin to rush in, only blocked from charging you directly by several of your own guards.

"Your excellency!" A soldier declares, appearing from a stairwell behind you, "Queen Hautclere and her son have broken in from above!"

"Oh, dear," Cicero says, "who's with them?"

"A falconknight and a maid, but the four of them have already cut through most of our guards posted in the Northernmost tower, and..."

"Ah, shit..." Kristina curses, directing her monsters at the dismounted fliers, "alright, I'll take care of shit down here. The rest of you get upstairs and handle that. There's more than enough with me around to at least hold these shitters off."

>A. Right, do that!
>B. You're staying here!
>C. Write-in response

>>48397660
>A. Right, do that!

>>48397660
>A. Right, do that!

File: dyrusportrait.png (4 KB, 128x158)

4 KB PNG

>>48397701
"Don't die," you tell Kristina before hurrying upstairs, in the direction the messenger ran in from.

A room about three-quarters through the tower, eerily quiet before you step in, proves to be the location of the reported quartet.

"...I don't assume you've come to hand over the staff," Hautclere says, standing up and facing you from the opposite end of the room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziDfl6w8_QU

"A reasonable assumption," you tell her, looking behind her.

Dyrus steps up next to his mother, Via and Belle hurrying to their lieges' side, and Cicero, Saye, and Ludwig come up next to you.

"Your quest is a futile one, Rene," your so-called mother says, "I... know it's too late to change your mind about that, but it's true."

"I don't know if my masters could bear the grief of losing you so soon after princess Laurise," Via says, chillingly cool in tone, "but... I'm prepared to help them make that sacrifice if they must."

Belle has no words for you, simply readying her silver sword and staring you all down.

"...I feel like the odd man out, strength-wise," Ludwig admits, "but... I'm not going to quit while you're still fighting, sister. Maybe I'm a sucker for peer pressure?"

"Nor shall I," Cicero says, eyes locking with Via's as they both draw blades.

"I'll be honest, I hate having to fight you," Saye says to Dyrus and his crew, "but... That's how it is, for... What's it, the third time now?" Transforming, she points at him, "just know that I do like you, princey. Don't think it'll lead to me holding back at all, though!"

The moment is tense as the eight of you stare down.

>A. Fire your arrows at someone! (specify)
>B. Strike [specify] with your lance!
>C. Try to use the Staff of Katri (specify on who and how)
>D. Write-in action
>E. Say something cool (write-in dialogue)

>>48397851
>B. Strike Belle with your lance!

File: FalcoknightGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 76x72)

2 KB GIF

>>48397932
"Do you recognize this lance?" You ask Belle, running at Belle with it.

"...it belonged to Director Belinda. What of it?" Belle asks, her left cheek being split in two by her barely managing to swerve out of its way.

She's severed her familial connections even harder than you have, huh? That, or her nerves are strong as hell in general, given how little she's acknowledging the fact that a lance just went through her cheek. She, in turn, manages to swing forward at you, sword striking your breastplate and sending you back a ways.

Via, locked in a stalemate with Cicero, is momentarily distracted by thoughts of whether she should intervene with healing or keep watching the butler, only to be met with a knife through the chest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oiwAmk9NeY

Saye holds off mother and son at once, only to eventually slip up, be cut to the ground by both, looking like she's barely breathing. Ludwig takes aim at them with his Verrine, only for Dyrus to outspeed him quite significantly, easily slapping his hand with the blunt end of his axe, knocking the book through an open window.

"Well... This is certainly a dilemma," he says, walking over towards and looking out the window. "Yeah, sorry, can't fight without that. I legitimately want to, but I can't."

After he and Dyrus look at each other for several awkward moments, the axe-touting prince whacks the dark magical prince, knocking him to the ground wincing.

Belle, in the meantime, has taken to standing defensively over Via, trying to hide the pain of her face having been opened up by a lance seconds ago.

Cicero's aim at Belle is thrown off by an axe-swinging courtesy of your mother, throwing off his aim and leading to yet another non-instantaneously-lethal knife-throwing. It gets them out of the fight, anyway, and if no one heals them before too long they'll probably still die anyway, so it's all good.

Speaking of which.

>A. Hurry to heal Saye
>B. Attack Hautclere
>C. Write-in action

>>48398153
Character limit stopped me from adding it to the post proper, but after knocking Ludwig to the ground Dyrus walked over to Saye and crouched over for reasons unknown.

>>48398153
>A. Hurry to heal Saye

File: Hand_Axe_(TS_Artwork).png (19 KB, 176x174)

19 KB PNG

>>48398190
"Get away from her!" Running past Cicero holding his own against the queen, you raise your Staff of Katri to heal Saye.

Ludwig, from his curled up position on the ground, calls out, "Rene, wait, he's-"

It stops you dead in your tracks to notice Dyrus already taking a Mend staff of his own to her wounds, and you back away a bit, but he reacts with a similar quickness, tossing that hand axe of his towards your, well, hand.

Barely, you dodge out of the way of the attack, and directly into a swing from Hautclere, burying an axe in your hand this time. Naturally, this startles you enough to drop the staff inside it, and Hautclere is quick to seize it.

"I imagine you've caused some trouble with this..." Your mother shakes her head, "does it make me a bad person... That I don't think any less of you, after how many people you've hurt?"

>A. It does not
>B. She'd already passed that point long ago
>C. Let her know your involvement with Laurise's fate. Maybe it'll startle her!
>D. Write-in dialogue

And...

>E. Try to hit her with the lance
>F. See how quick you can pull back and hit her with the bow (dice+1d20, >12 succeeds before she can debuff you)
>G. Let whatever happens happen
>H. Write-in action

>>48398306
Vote time renewed.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>48398306
>D. "Does it make me a bad person that I can't bring myself to hate your son, even though he killed my father?"
>F. See how quick you can pull back and hit her with the bow (dice+1d20, >12 succeeds before she can debuff you)
Aim for the arm/hand holding the staff, not a killshot.

>>48398588
"Does it make me a bad person that I can't bring myself to hate your son, even though he's killed my father?"

Before Hautclere can respond, you dart back, fighting through the immense pain in your hand to fire at the hand holding the staff. Cicero, meanwhile, tosses his at the hand tossing the axe, only to be knocked out himself.

Naturally, your second arrow dedicates itself to Hautclere's other hand. Honestly, it means nothing to you if this woman dies, but Dyrus is less injured than you right about now, so a nonlethal takedown that gets your staff back, you feel, is the wisest course of action. Otherwise, he'll have little reason to hold back against you.

"R... Rene..." Hautclere's hands go limp, her weapons falling to the ground as she walks over to her son.

While he takes care of his mother, you slowly make your way around the room, healing up the various incapacitated warriors of either side. As a courtesy for Dyrus going out of his way for Saye's sake earlier.

Trying to keep her breaths steady (and still without the use of her hands, apparently, Hautclere sits by Ludwig, the two barely acknowledging each other as you and Dyrus stare one another down.

"I... Really don't want to do this," you tell him, uncapping and downing a vulnerary to at least stop your most immediate wounds."

"Neither do I!" Dyrus shoots back. "So just... Set your things down and come quietly!"

"I was about to ask you the same thing..." You grin, closing your eyes. You feel like crying, to be honest.

"You're hurt," Dyrus says, concernedly, but switching back to his axe from his healing staff.

"Not too much to win," you respond, steadying your bow.

>To be concluded
It's quite sad, that neither sibling has any desire either to fight the other or to back down. Expected this fight be over at this thread's end and epilogue would just be epilogue stuff.

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

>>48398815
Thanks for running, Octo.

We'll probably still manage to wrap everything up in 51 anyway, 52 at the most if the epilogue winds up covering everything to a certain degree of detail. I can't see the rest of the Dyrus v. Rene going on for too long unless plot intervenes.

I'm feeling really bad for Felix too. Poor guy had his waifu killed by his half-sister, then the same half-sister killed his aunt, or, well, made his aunt nearly kill herself through hubris to subsequently be thrown into the ceiling by a werewolf, at least. Really, Ludwig is the only person related to Rene that isn't suffering some level of physical or emotional trauma as a result of this.

>>48398815
Thanks for running

>>48398903
Always a pleasure, and yeah the pacing's fine, just this one ended up running late as hell. The final real battle going on for a little too long shouldn't impact things too heavily.

Yeah, though, being Felix is suffering. Then you account for the kidnapping and crippling shyness in his backstory. Didn't even mean to put him through so much, the story just sort of happened like that.

I'd totally put more blame on Fortune's death on Rene than on Saye, though. Wouldn't have been able to deal that killing blow without Rene's luck-drain.

At least Conrad deserved what was coming to him and Sara's only real loss over the course of the story was backstory, not counting how excruciating the Xouide fight must be. It's actually a little funny how Ludwig just sort of showed up lateways in to slightly-more-determined-than-most-teenager his way through the endgame.

>>48398908
Also always a pleasure.