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 The Point of No Return (Part 2)
Location: Swordhaven Castle -> Queen Victoria -> Quests! -> Convergence -> The Point of No Return (Part 2)
Requirements: Completion of The Point of No Return (Part 1)
Release Date: December 10th, 2022
Objective: As Warlic and Amadeus try to warn Queen Victoria of the impending danger, Jaania takes the next step in her journey to save Lore...
Objective completed: Alteon's got a lot of explaining to do.
Experience rewarded: 0
Gold rewarded: 0
Monsters
None
NPCs
Akanthus
Alteon / Bodyguard
Amadeus
Circe
Eirn
Jaania
Queen Victoria
Warlic
Rewards
None
Dialogue
*In Swordhaven Castle's strategy room, Queen Victoria—accompanied by her bodyguard, Eirn, and Circe—is meeting with Amadeus and Warlic.*
Queen Victoria: So let me get this straight.
Queen Victoria: The Rose— that is, Lady Jaania, has a trithril coated airship, most likely headed for the Fissure.
Queen Victoria: At the behest of Akanthus, on board that ship is an unimaginably powerful device of Doom.
Queen Victoria: A device that has been converted into a potential explosive.
Queen Victoria: And whatever Lady Jaania may have planned, Akanthus is plotting this behind her back.
Amadeus: That is correct.
*Silence follows as Queen Victoria processes this alarming information, and attempts to assess the potential consequences.*
Queen Victoria: ...What would happen if the device were to be dropped into the Fissure?
Warlic: I could not say. It may simply be absorbed. Or it may explode, shatter Lore, and end existence as we know it.
Queen Victoria: Either nothing, or an apocalypse. Wonderful.
Warlic: Or any number of unforeseen possibilities in between. Jaania must be informed of the danger.
Queen Victoria: I agree. She's currently tending to Brittany. We can head straight there.
Queen Victoria: Circe, Eirn, Yix. See if you can find some way to cripple the airship. Stop it from leaving the city.
Eirn: Can't promise anything. And we don't want that, uh, device going off either. So blowing it out of the sky isn't an option.
Circe: As the gnome says, there are risks. I'll do what I can.
Queen Victoria: Thank you.
*A nearby explosion—presumably from Jaania's attempts to cure Brittany in the Ivory Tower—sends a shock wave through the Swordhaven Castle.*
Queen Victoria: What was that?!
Warlic: There was... there was a massive shift in the flow of mana... But from where?
Warlic: ...To where?
Amadeus: I could hazard a guess. We need to move. Now.
*In Brittany's chamber, her soul—presumably cleansed thanks to Jaania's spell—returns to her body; Hesperrhodos disappears after the spell's completion, while Jaania has fallen to her knees from exhaustion.*
Jaania: ...
Jaania: You've been fighting so hard. For so long.
Jaania: Your struggle is over.
Akanthus: I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I cannot allow you to enter while Lady Jaania is occupied.
Queen Victoria: We know you're planning something, Akanthus. You can't lie your way out of this!
Amadeus: I lived. You, on the other hand...
Warlic: Hold on, Amadeus. We shouldn't risk collateral damage unless we have no other options.
*Jaania hears a commotion coming from outside Brittany's chamber; upon recognising Warlic's voice, her expression changes from exhaustion to exasperation.*
Warlic: Let us speak to Jaania, General. I don't want to have to coerce you.
Akanthus: You're welcome to try, mage. I will not stand down.
Jaania: It's fine, Akanthus. I'm done.
*Outside Brittany's chamber, Jaania joins Akanthus to speak with Queen Victoria and her bodyguard, Amadeus, and Warlic.*
Jaania: ...Your Majesty.
Jaania: ...And Spymaster Amadeus. Report.
Amadeus: General Akanthus is plotting to do something with an explosive device saturated in Doom, currently onboard your airship.
Amadeus: I suspect he means to detonate it in the Fissure.
Amadeus: I was coerced into destabilizing the device under the guise of increasing its energy potential.
Amadeus: When I refused, the General attacked me and I was forced to flee.
Amadeus: I found the Blue Mage Warlic, who confirmed my suspicions.
Amadeus: Whatever Akanthus' intent, it does not align with yours.
Jaania: Have you discerned a motive for these alleged actions?
Amadeus: I have not.
Jaania: ...Without a motive, it appears Warlic has twisted your perception of the evidence.
Jaania: We shall take our leave.
Warlic: Jaania, please, listen! Amadeus is telling the truth!
Jaania: Is he? And I'm supposed to trust your word, Warlic?
Warlic: I... I've made mistakes in the past.
Warlic: So many mistakes.
Warlic: But you have to believe us!
Jaania: I have to?
Jaania: You do not control me. You do not get to tell me what I have to do.
Jaania: I know you, Warlic. All I've ever known from you are your mistakes. Your manipulation.
Jaania: Akanthus has blundered, but he has never betrayed me.
Queen Victoria: Lady Jaania, please...
Jaania: I know what I have to do. What I must do.
Queen Victoria: I know you're going after the Fissure.
Queen Victoria: If the device is dropped in, even Warlic doesn't know what will happen!
Jaania: Even if this "device" exists, such an eventuality will never come to pass.
Queen Victoria: Lady Jaania! If you will not heed our warnings, as Queen of Swordhaven, I'm afraid I cannot let you leave.
Queen Victoria: For the good of Lore, The Rose is no longer yours to command.
Jaania: ...
Jaania: I have all that I need. Your support is no longer required.
Jaania: Come, Akanthus. It is time for us to depart.
*Unwilling to stand idly by any longer, Queen Victoria's bodyguard—a disguised former King Alteon—summons his blade and strikes Akanthus.*
Jaania: Ah.
Jaania: Your Majesty.
Jaania: In case you're wondering, my contract has been fulfilled. Brittany is cured.
Bodyguard: !
*Unaffected by Alteon's magic, Akanthus punches Alteon to the ground; the blow dislodges Alteon's helmet, exposing him to an oblivious Queen Victoria.*
Queen Victoria: Dad?!
Jaania: He was there all along, happy to watch you struggle to find your feet.
Jaania: All in all, My Queen, you're a better ruler than he could have ever hoped to be.
*Despite Alteon's failure, Amadeus also attempts to strike Akanthus with his blade, to no avail.*
Amadeus: Hmph.
Alteon: You will not threaten this realm, Akanthus!
*Alteon joins Amadeus in an offense against Akanthus, who surprisingly manages to defend against both blades with a single arm each.*
Amadeus: A... A little help here, Blue Mage?
Warlic: This... this confirms my suspicions...
Warlic: Jaania, surely you've noticed?
Jaania: Lore takes all types.
Warlic: Lore?!
Warlic: Akanthus is unaffected by magic! By... anything!
Warlic: He's not connected at all!
Warlic: There's nothing Lorian about this!
Jaania: And he has suffered much for it!
Jaania: I will see that suffering to its end.
Jaania: All suffering will end!
Jaania: ...Even yours.
Warlic: Jaania... Please. We're telling the truth. And if we can't stop Akanthus...
Warlic: What hope do you have?
Jaania: ...
Warlic: Are you truly so naive?
Warlic: Open your eyes to reality!
Jaania: ...
Jaania: I see more clearly than I ever have.
Jaania: General Akanthus, we're leaving. The airship awaits.
Akanthus: Understood.
*A single dagger bounces off Akanthus' pauldron, thrown by Queen Victoria in a futile attempt to thwart him.*
Akanthus: Shall I...?
Jaania: No. Leave them.
Jaania: I want them to see how wrong they were to doubt me.
Jaania: I want them to enjoy the new world to come.
Akanthus: ...As you command.
*Another assault on Akanthus—a fireball, cast by Warlic while Akanthus' back is turned—again proves fruitless; Jaania glances back at a helpless Warlic.*
Jaania: ...Goodbye, Warlic.
*After Jaania and Akanthus' exit, a visibly drained Amadeus, Warlic, Alteon, and Queen Victoria process their failure.*
Warlic: ...Jaania... If only... so many years ago... If only I weren't so...
Amadeus: ...
Alteon: ...Brittany...
Alteon: Brittany!
*Alteon runs off to check on his daughter, Princess Brittany.*
Queen Victoria: Wait—
Queen Victoria: This whole time...?
*Scene cuts to black.*
Complete Quest
< Message edited by DemonicDarkwraith -- 12/12/2023 14:09:05 >
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