Update 87: Underground Spring Water

♪ Tactics ♪


Welcome back.

Ashe/Mercedes B.
♪ A Gentle Breeze ♪


Mercedes! What's going on?!
Agh, my eyes! I can barely breathe!
Oh! Ashe! I'm so glad you're here! My cooking's not going very well at all...
What did you put in there?!
I used some of this spice, that seasoning, and the herbs on the top shelf. Then I started frying it in oil.
That explains it. We use that herb for smoke bombs! Just turn the heat off and cover the pan!
Oh no! The people in the dining hall don't look so good...
Sorry, everybody! Could we clear out the dining hall for a few minutes, please?




It's a good thing no one mistook all that smoke for an attack. That could have been a disaster.
I'm so sorry. I always mess everything up.
No, it's my fault. I should have taught you which herbs to avoid.
Don't blame yourself.
I just need to figure out how to do it right for next time.
Next time? You still want to try again, even after all that?
Of course! If I didn't, that would just be a waste of everything you taught me.
I guess that's true.
If you quit every time you made a mistake, then you'd never learn anything, right?
That's a great point.
Ah! Maybe my mistake was frying the herb in oil. If I had boiled it instead, then there wouldn't be smoke. What do you think, Ashe?
Boiling, huh? Yeah, that'd be fine.
Great! I'm gonna get this right next time for sure!



♪ Tactics ♪


...An edible herb that's also used for smoke bombs? Weird.

Caspar/Raphael B.
♪ Funny Footsteps ♪


Yeah, Raphael. That's one way to put it.
Is something wrong? I thought you wanted to get bigger. Have you been training?
I haven't missed a day. The problem is that my body doesn't want to grow in the directions I want it to.
I was hoping to get a little taller, but I seem to just be growing...wider. I don't think your methods are for me.
Aww, that's too bad. I always thought the secret to getting bigger was lots of eating and training! You know what? You shouldn't worry so much about how big or tall you are. You're great, no matter what size!
What makes you say that?
Well, let's see... You can run faster than me. And you're really agile, which I'll never be. That's just about your legs though. Your other movements are quick too! You can dodge good, and swing a sword pretty fast. Oh! And your—
All right, Raphael. I think I see the problem now.
I thought I envied the size of your body, but I was wrong.
After hearing you say those nice things about me, I realized that I actually envy the size of your heart.
Huh? I think it's normal size, but—
That's right! I don't just need a bigger body, I need a bigger heart!
Once I have a bigger heart, then maybe, just maybe, my body will start growing too!
Yeah! Maybe...
Now how do I increase the size of my heart?
It didn't help with my body, but do you think eating will make my heart grow?
I have no idea, but I'm always up for a meal.
I really don't want to get any wider though... I'm so conflicted...
I guess there's only one way to find out. It's like you always say, "when in doubt, go to the dining hall!"



♪ Tactics ♪




Bernadetta/Yuri B.
♪ Respite and Sunlight ♪


Bernadetta, knock it off. How long are you gonna keep this up?




If you've got something to say, say it already. You've been shadowing me for ages. Think how I feel.
I mean, when we have missions together, you avoid me like the plague. Even the professor doesn't know what to say.
I know, but I... I... I just can't, OK?! I can't be around you, Yuri. It's just not doable! I know what my father did to you. It's all just too overwhelming! I thought you died...
You thought I had. But I hadn't. I was halfway to my grave, but I survived.
Half...way?! Then that means the half of you that survived is gonna seek revenge on me!
I was half dead, sure, but that really meant I was able to get out with my life.
If I was to seek revenge, it would be on the count—not you.
When I'm looking to make things even, it's all or nothing. You wouldn't be standing here talking to me right now if I'd targeted you.
If not here, then where would I be?! At the bottom of a ravine?!
I wouldn't push you off a cliffside.
Maybe you'll tie me to a big rock and drop me in the ocean! Is that it?!
You're gonna turn me into fish food! I knew it!
What are you going on about?


Kid's got issues...
Well, I guess I'd better tell her everything.



♪ Tactics ♪


Poor Bernie.

Moving ahead a week, oh yes, we're doing brigand Ingrid. Death Blow! Death Blow! Death Blow!

Since Dorothea already has Fiendish Blow... Fuck it, make her a priest, why not? Buffs up her Physic healing.

Ashe becomes an archer. The class, not the general designation of bow-users.


Caspar becomes a brigand...again. In hindsight, I think I'd have preferred making him a brawler, but oh well.


Priestsithea.

Archer Leonie.

Hapriest.


Yuri becomes a mage. Again, looking back, the hybrid attacker thing pretty clearly wasn't working well, but...

Adan also becomes a priest.

Phew, okay. Moving on, it's time for the map.
♪ No music ♪






Jeritza... Ah! The combat professor with the mask. He has always been rather suspicious. We must hurry!




Isn't that... Professor Manuela!

♪ Dark Clouds Gather ♪


Is she injured?
She's still breathing...but she needs medical attention immediately!
Look! Do you see Professor Manuela's hand? It's like she's pointing at something...
If you follow where Professor Manuela is pointing...


We must take her to the infirmary immediately. You! Don't just stand there! Help me carry her.
Of course. I'll return shortly, Professor.




Let's investigate.
It looks dark...uh...dark in there.
Aw, you've always been scared of dark places, haven't you, Annie? But don't worry! The professor and I will protect you.
There are sounds coming from within. If we're going to investigate, now is the time.
We'll be OK, I'm sure of it. Are you ready, Professor?



♪ No music ♪




Is it Flayn?
Yes, I see Flayn! But...who is this other person?
Professor! Someone's coming from farther in! That scythe... Is that the knight who attacked the Holy Mausoleum?

♪ Mask of Fire ♪


One of us will die, the other will live. I will enjoy this dance of damnation.



♪ As Swift as Wind ♪


Nothing new there.

The Death Knight's got the same thing going on that he had in the Holy Mausoleum—stat buffs and the ability to fully move from the start. If you're curious, his exact stat buffs are +3 max HP, +3 Str, +1 Dex, +3 Spd, +2 Lck, +1 Def, +1 Res, and +3 Cha.

We've got three additional armored knights scattered around the map, plus a priest with Nosferatu, Physic, and a magic staff. The most notable addition here is the armored knight that's blocking the chest with the march ring in it. Make sure you send a magic user up there!

Here's the people I chose to take along for this map. Lysithea is mandatory, I have to humiliate the Death Knight.
♪ No music ♪


Bring it.




♪ Dwellings of the Ancient Gods ♪




Stride: always useful.



First order of business: lock down the enemies in the center of this southwest area.



After that, lock down two more units, leaving only the archer to the west un-rattled.



Sylvain clears out that armored knight, and is rewarded handsomely for his efforts.


Get laser beamed, jerk.







Ouch, that's...not good.



Easy.










Over-the-wall potshots are never not fun.



Ouch.



Too close! Too close!



I swear, the AI is intentionally lining itself up for Assault Troop.






You can't line up four enemy units in a row and not expect me to Assault Troop it.









A massacre.





Sometimes, rarely, you appreciate gauntlets' brave effect not for the damage potential, but for giving you two chances to try to hit when your Hit isn't great.

Res?!






So, I don't think I've used this panel before.

It warps you right to this important panel room, and immediately spawns in the reinforcements.



"Whoops" is right, man, jesus.





Well, that was easy.



...


Let's pretend that level didn't happen.



Holy shit, a useful Crest of Indech activation!












Appropriate retribution for that potshot he took at Sylvain.

Def, but not Mag, sure, fine.

Thank you, Felix, I needed that.







+1 Mag, +1 Crit, and +1 Spd? It's like all my namedays have come at once.


Damn.



I'll happily take that level!


Ashe is fast enough that he's probably safe from getting finished off by that mage that's targeting him, so I decided to have him take out this priest.





Missing on a 0 Mt attack is peak pathetic.

Ashe is, indeed, safe.

Meh.



Later, man.

I will prove myself!


No need to show off, my boy, we all know how strong you are.

Sylvain rejoins with the main group, now that the reinforcements have been cleared out.


Dorothea could've gone for a one-shot with Thoron, but her Hit with it was poor enough that I opted for Thunder instead.


Instead, Balthus borrows Dedue's short axe, and gets the kill.





Bernadetta and Leonie are making for a very good bow tag-team.

I do not understand how your Str is almost equal to your Mag, Mercie.

There are several enemy phases on this map where...nothing happens.


...Huh. You know, I don't think I've noticed before now that the two dark mages on this map are Agarthans, not Flame Emperor soldiers.











Oh well.




One tile away from being able to kill the armored knight on this turn...


Nearly done with the map.




I have no further use for Hades Ω on this map, so why not immolate this man with it?

Skipping ahead a turn...



March Ring get!



heart eyes


Lotsa skipping ahead.



Big mistake.



Lysithea's making her way over to the Death Knight, with the march ring's help.


And now, it's just the Death Knight. (There's some enemies on the southeastern side of the map that I didn't take care of, too, but let's ignore them.)

Might as well snag the levin sword while I'm at it.

...Wow, I can't actually one-shot the Death Knight.

Good thing he has no answer for gambits.



Bye-bye, now.



Timely point of Mag there...

Anyway, the Flame Emperor comes in, both she and the Death Knight retreat, yadda yadda yadda.
♪ No music ♪


Where did they go? It doesn't matter. We need to get these two out of here.
Bring them up.



♪ A Gentle Breeze ♪


But that Death Knight person...feels so familiar.


She was unconscious at the end of that secret passage. We found the culprit too... but he got away.
No use dwelling on it.
I'm just grateful that everyone is safe. That's what matters most. I'd like to hear what transpired, but first we need to get these ladies to the infirmary.
Understood. We'll go at once.




I couldn't be happier with how things turned out. And I imagine no one will be more overjoyed than Seteth.
Hm? Hey, Professor. Can you make that expression one more time?
Like this?
I don't think I've ever seen your face like that.
Heh, I apologize. I've forgotten myself and come dangerously close to teasing you.
It's just...I've never seen you look so happy before. It's downright mesmerizing.
Ah, but this isn't a time for idle chitchat. We must hurry and share the good news with Seteth!


From there, Flayn joins our class, discussions are had about what transpired, etc.

Next time: Gronder 1, but on Maddening!

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