LAST TIME: We saved Mustadio's papa, but learned that the Cardinal was doublecrossing us the entire time. Now we're going to try and head back to Lionel Castle. But first, have some more plot, on the house!
It's
NeoGaffgarion, and he's cracking wise again!
Delacroix plans on using the princess as bait in order to get that Zodiac Stone. It's way too important for us to have around, and from the looks of it Ludovich is not on Delacroix's good side.
And another zinger from Gaffgarion! If only he fought as well as he taunts.
Gaffgarion leaves, and Ludovich is none too pleased. Unfortunately for him, Delacroix is even less pleased with Ludovich.
And that's the last time anyone ever heard from him again. Well, apart from the bloodcurdling scream.
We make our way through a river in order to reach the castle, when all of a sudden we chance upon someone we know all too well!
It's another protection mission! Unlike the last ones however, Agrias is more than capable of holding her own. As an aside, this is actually one of my favorite maps to fight on.
Agrias confirms what we all feared: the princess and her WERE in danger, and only Agrias managed to escape. In order to keep the princess alive, we have to slay these nobodies and head back, post haste! Our destination changes once the battle is won, though. Instead of heading immediately to the castle, we take a slight detour and go to an execution site known as the Golgollada Gallows.
It's not a very exciting entry, but we'll take it. Prof. Beef, world renowned princess saver!
Prof. Beef, the ever-gallant fool! Seriously though, nothing ever goes right. I wouldn't mind showing up somewhere and having the bad guys lay down their weapons. At the very least, it would make stealing easier...
The speech bubbles are a bit backwards, but that's how the game prepared them. After some good ol' fashioned boasting, we finally do battle. Gaffgarion has a lot of good equipment in this fight, and he still has the potential to end your party's run right there, despite his levels being much lower than ours. That's one of the dangerous things about this game, actually. Even though my party members are at higher levels, they can still be taken out in a turn or two by really good attacks. They don't even have to be particularly strong attacks, just enough to make me worry. Stats aren't as important in this game compared to other FF games unless you're trying to min-max your entire squadron to have 999 health and mp, for example. The explanation to it is fairly simple, but the process itself takes AGES. It's truly what separates the hardcore from the rest.
And no, I am not min-maxing everyone. The only character who comes close to getting that treatment is Dark Schala, and that's only because of the ridiculous requirements to become a Dark Knight!
I take my time with this fight so I can level up Mustadio and steal from Gaffgarion. Once I'm done with the latter (since the former is a consequence), he retreats and we're back on our way to Lionel Castle. Before that, we get to see a special scene that explains where the princess is.
They certainly do enjoy talking down to--wait, come again?
Well ain't this a kick in the head. Princess Ovelia gets thrown for a loop with this bit of news, and rightfully so. Nobody likes someone revealing to them that they're a phony.
All that to displace the Queen? She must be one stone-cold bitch.
...hey, c'mon now. Let's not go insulting butchers. They do good work.
It's always unnerving when the villain(s) are either in the right, or make a damn convincing argument. This time is no different. Ovelia's world is crumbling in front of her; she is being hunted by an army, the Queen wants her dead, she's locked in a castle, and she just now found out that she's a pauper...or whatever the female equivalent is...if there is a female equivalent term.
With that, the three of them leave to let Ovelia collect her thoughts, numerous they must be. There is one more scene after this, and it involves another familiar face...
It's Weigraf! And in case you were wondering, this IS the same map where we fought and killed his sister. I thought it was a particularly nice touch. Anyways, while Weigraf is paying his respects, he gets an uninvited visitor.
Intentional or not, I found that hilarious. Way to kick a man when he's down!
At this point, it's easy to feel sorry for Weigraf. He lost his army, lost his war against the nobles, and lost his only family. He's well within his rights to assume the worst when a shady guy in an overcoat wearing armor walks up to you and insults you in the middle of the night.
...right?
The knight knows just what to say to get Weigraf's ears to open up. He's the spitting image of those revenge tropes.
-END SCENE-
Crazy good manipulator he is. Although it's less impressive when you remember that Weigraf has nothing to lose.
NEXT TIME: THE CHILLING CONCLUSION TO CHAPTER 2!