What's the harm in a little reckless besieging? Let's Play FE: The Sacred Stones

More “trouble” with eyes.



Myrrh gets another Level Up dealing with these pests.



Eirika takes down the last one, and everyone else just waits. I don’t see any reason not to sap all the experience I can from these continual reinforcements.



Centaurs appeared on the bottom part of the map, and Colm deals with one.



Myrrh gets yet another Level Up taking out one as well.



More enemies come, and my troops just pick them apart.



A couple survived to attack on the enemy turn, but it doesn’t matter.



Myrrh Levels Up once more.



Guess how this turned out.



Colm turns into some sort of blurry Sonic the Hedgehog as he takes this one out and gets an excellent Level Up out of the deal.



Now a new kind of reinforcements show up: Giant Spiders. Marisa can’t kill them by herself, but she can put herself in danger if they actually have an attack connect.

A Level Up for Eirika as well, though it lacks strength, the one stat she could still help her out.



L’Arachel can’t quite take out a spider either, but she does get a pretty dang good Level Up.



Myrrh again. Blah blah Level Up blah.



Everyone else does their best to deal with the remaining enemies.



Another Level Up, this time for Gerik after taking out a spider.



Artur finishes one off as well.



Eyes doing their thing again.



Still just cleaning up reinforcements.



Yeah, you’ve seen this before.

Marisa gets a really nice Level Up killing another spider that showed up.



More team ups to deal with reinforcement spiders.



Artur gets a Level Up dealing with one as well. He has made a turn around here at the end, when I mostly brought him for his support with Lute.



Eirika needs to be careful with sword or she’ll put somebodies eye out.



This is getting repetitive. I am half doing this just to see how long the reinforcements keep coming.



Another turn, another three spiders. One goes down and L’Arachel puts the hurt on another.



And down goes another, with a Level Up for Syrene.



Cormag: I see. I can think of many reasons why a man would fight. Atonement, revenge, entertainment… For power… For fun… But I don’t know the reason I am fighting anymore.
Tana: Cormag…
Cormag: What more would you expect from a man who’s lost his faith? A man whose emperor has gone mad, whose homeland is collapsing?
Tana: …… What are you going to do when the war is over?
Cormag: I’ll help rebuild Grado, of course, but I’m not sure beyond that. I doubt that I’ll remain in Grado for long, though. They’ve branded me a traitor. I’ll find no home awaiting me there.
Tana: Then why don’t you come to Frelia? You can join us as an airborne knight!
Cormag: And what makes you think a traitor like me would be welcomed in Frelia?
Tana: You’re no traitor, Cormag. You’ve stayed true to your beliefs. That sadness I saw in you comes from your own country’s betrayal of those beliefs. Your sadness runs as deep as your faith in Grado once ran. I want your faith, your strength, and your passion to serve Frelia now.
Cormag: I appreciate the offer, but I cannot reforge the oaths I’ve broken. I’m sorry.
Tana: It’s all right. I understand your feelings. However, if you ever wish to serve your beliefs again, remember my offer.



Tana at least is direct with her interests. She sees something she likes and she goes for it.



Nothing going on here.

I do have L’Arachel heal up Myrrh before she takes out anther eye.



On the turn after that, L’Arachel gets another Level taking out a spider.



Eirika continues to promote blindness.



This Level Up for Artur is not so great, but he’s turned out decent enough at this point. With his class skill he might be worth taking in a theoretical Lagdou Ruins run.



These two can’t take out a spider.



The eyes still don’t do much.



My guys keep beating the monsters back. These reinforcements stop coming after this wave.



That middle shot is supposed to say “Level Up” but I screwed it up.



These two finish off the other spiders.



Yet another Level Up for Myrrh.



In chasing Eyes, Eirika has gotten a little too close to Riev, but no damage is done.

It is on my turn that the damage is done, as she stabs him in the face, but can’t finish him off.



Artur steps in for the finish. Riev doesn’t have any great death lines, just telling us that we can’t stop Lyon. We’ll see about that.



At least he got one more magic stat point out of the Level Up.



That leaves just Morva, the draco-zombie. I make sure Eirika is healed up before sending her against him. He is kind of disappointing, just a purple version of Myrrh.



Innes steps up behind her to finish the poor dragon off. You get a special scene if you have Myrrh fight him, but I wasn’t going to make her kill her dad, that just seems too mean. Before Eirika seizes the throne, there is time for one last thing.



Innes: First, just listen to me. Is there…anyone who lays claim to your heart?
Eirika: What? N-no… There’s nobody like that.
Innes: I see. Then let me speak frankly. Eirika, it seems I have fallen in love with you.
Eirika: Wh-what!? This is no place for jokes, Innes! Why would you say something like that?
Innes: This is no joke. I am absolutely serious. These feelings surprise me as well. I don’t know what to do. Fighting at your side all this time, the emotion just exploded within me. I love you. I could not bear to see you in the arms of another.
Eirika: P-Prince Innes! I… I…
Innes: No, Eirika. Do not answer now.



With how much L’Arachel seems to think about Eirika and how much Innes thinks of Ephraim, not to mention how close the twins seems to be, I suspect family get-togethers will be super awkward for these two couples.

Innes: With a man like him around, I can see why you show no interest in suitors. If I prove myself his superior, you will surely accept my hand. If I fail, I release any claim to your affection. But I swear it on the depth of my love that I will destroy that man. Eirika, I will expect your answer then. That’s all I have to say.



And that is true romance there, a man more consumed with fighting his love’s brother than being with her. That’s A rank for them.

Eirika seizes the temple, ending the biggest map in the game. This game in on the easy side for Fire Emblem and my team is pretty over leveled thanks to that trip to the Tower of Valni, but normally this map is a trial. It is long and filled with some of the most difficult enemies in the game. If you are a player who tends to reset every a character dies it can take a long time.



And with that, the team rushes into the Temple. There is surprisingly little wrap up to this battle, considering we are headed to the end of the game.



Eirika: Myrrh… What is it…
Myrrh: Um… I… I just met with my father.



Eirika: You saw your father… Then we must speak with him-
Myrrh: No… He told me he couldn’t see you. He said it wasn’t a good idea for him to meet so many people. As the tribal chieftain, he feels he should maintain his distance.
Eirika: Is that so… That’s too bad.
Myrrh:But he offered me words of encouragement and praised my efforts thus far. He told me in his kindly voice to come home to him safely. I will do my best to honor his faith in me.
Eirika: He sounds like a good father.
Myrrh: He is… Mistress Eirika… I’ll do all I can. For my father – and for all of you as well. I will help you, and we will defeat the Demon King.
Eirika: Are you sure you want to go with us, Myrrh… You had so wanted to be with your father
Myrrh:Yes… I’m sure. Once we are finished dealing with this evil, I will have time then. Let’s hurry, Mistress Eirika.
Eirika: Myrrh… I understand. Let’s get moving. The faster we can end this nightmare, the better.
Myrrh: From this building…



Poor Myrrh. Though this scene would have more impact if Myrrh or her father had been more of a character. The end of this game just feels so rushed and if you take Eirika’s route instead of Ephraim’s, a lot of things are left unexplained.



Evil Lyon: Your beloved Eirika is on her way.
Lyon: Eirika… Don’t… come. It’s… already…
Evil Lyon: Ha ha… Lyon, prince of frailty. To believe that a weak man like you thought to oppose me… You’re an arrogant little insect, nothing more. And now, you’re dead. I will devour you, and you will be lost forever.
Lyon: Urr… ugh… Uh! Grrraaaaa!!
Evil Lyon: Ha ha. Does it hurt… Are you suffering… Oh, but it does not end for you yet. Oh, no. I’ve left you this one shard of awareness for a reason.



The Demon King continues to taunt the little bit of Lyon he has left alive. AS much as they keep showing Lyon still alive in there, I keep expecting there to be some way to save him. I guess we’ll see how that goes next time.



Next up: the final showdown with the Demon King or maybe a slight detour to deal with some unfinished business.

You know, I really wish the series offered more incentive to finish the map in anything resembling a timely manner.

I don't think Sacred Stones even has any Gaiden maps, so there's no such incentive for any of its maps.

With how they do supports, the GBA games go the other way. You want to take your time and let characters get supports set up. That being said, there were only three maps in this game that took me thirty or more turns and most clock in somewhere around twelve. Here I really wanted to get that last support for Eirika and Innes, but I also just wanted to see if the enemy reinforcements ever stopped coming. They do after about 30 turns.

I actually looked up the reinforcement schedule. Apparently four groups are triggered after reaching a certain section of the map, and those send monsters every other turn over eight turns. There are also a few sets that just come on specified turns.

It's been a while, but I think this game also doesn't have a rank system? FE7 at least kept track of your turns and assign a rank based on your performance; here you have to count manually if you're doing a low-turn playthrough, iirc.

Anyway, a lot of FE8's characters didn't do much for me, but I really liked Lyon's arc and how his character dynamics with the siblings is portrayed differently between the two routes.

I like the actual content of support, but yeah, the mechanic to get there in the GBA games is godawful.

Do people want to see some support conversations that, thanks to poor planning, I wasn't able to get to during the course of the game? When I started out I made a pretty detailed list of supports, based on community suggestions and trying to make sure as many characters as possible could achieve an A Rank with somebody, but I didn't manage to get all of them finish. Some of them are finishing up pairings that I started, like Tethys/Gerik or Kyle/Syrene, and plenty feature Knoll, which actually give some insight into what was happening with the bad guys. These support pairings will be reflected in the character endings.

So, do I post them or not?

If the choice is between "more LP" and "not more LP," I think the answer is self-evident

Due to my incompetence and the start and stop nature of my work on this Let’s Play, I kind of failed to do a lot of the support conversations I intended to do during the course of the game. Near the end of the first part of the games, when I had to choose either Eirika’s or Ephraim’s route, I tallied up all the suggestions for supports and figured out who should support who to get the maximum number of A Ranks. Plenty of them I didn’t get an opportunity to finish, so before I went into the last map, I went back to the Tower to finish them up. While most of them are inconsequential character building stuff, especially if don’t use that particular character, some really help fill in the background about what is going one. By some I mean Knoll and whoever Knoll talks to, because he was right in the thick of Lyon fiddling with Grado’s Sacred Stone.

First up, though, is Gerik and Tethys’ A Rank conversation.



Gerik: This? I got this beauty when I had just started out as a mercenary. I was still a novice, but I was feeling pretty good about my swordsmanship. I got to a point where I was arrogant enough to believe no one could best me. Then one day it happened… It’s something I’ve never been able to forget.
Tethys: What happened?
Gerik: It was just another battle. I’d been hired on as another sword and then I met him. He was a knight from some country or another. I had fought knights on several other occasions and had beaten them all. Even though he was a bit tougher, I was sure I’d defeat him in the end. That’s what I thought. But… His strength was beyond me. I may as well have been using a broomstick to fight. I remember thinking, “What a tiny little world I’ve been living in.” He crushed me effortlessly, and the wound he inflicted became this lovely scar.
Tethys: I see…
Gerik: I was truly frightened. It was the first time I’d experienced fear as a mercenary. So this knight saw how scared I was and said, “Go.” He didn’t kill me. He let me escape.
Tethys: …
Gerik: I was humiliated and ashamed. My eyes were finally opened to my own weakness. It goes without saying I lost every shred of self-confidence. I still dream about it sometimes. It wakes me up every time. I’ve never forgotten that knight. He thought I was weak and pathetic.
Tethys: Chief…
Gerik: I was young and stupid. This scar is my punishment.
Tethys: But that knight spared your life. Because of that, good things and better things have happened?
Gerik: What do you mean, Tethys?
Tethys: First of all, Chief, you’re alive. If you had died, all the good times you’ve had since that day, and all the joy you’re sure to have from this day onward, wouldn’t exist. And another thing, because you lived, you made many friends and you met me. I also don’t think that knight thought you were pathetic. I think he saw a young man with his whole life ahead of him. That’s why he let you go.
Gerik: Tethys…
Tethys: Yep. I’m sure that’s it. So try thinking about it in a more positive light.
Gerik: Ha ha ha. You’re right. I was a lot calmer after that. And while I’ve had hard times, there’ve been far more good times. I guess you could say I owe my success as a mercenary to that knight.
Tethys: Yep. You’ve got your knight, and I’ve got my dancer. Thanks to the two of them, the two of us are here now. Say, Chief, why don’t we become like them? I think we should work at being inspirations to other people.
Gerik: Hm…good idea. Thanks, Tethys. I think I’ll sleep soundly tonight.
Tethys: Good. You know, Chief, I’m really happy.
Gerik: Yeah, me, too. I’ve got a life I enjoy and good companions. All that and a wonderful woman to love. Everyone should be so lucky.
Tethys: Oh! Chief!
Gerik: Whoa!



So their support ends with them flat getting it on in the middle of the battle. That seems like a good way to not get killed right away. These two are fun characters, though I have never found dancers and the like to be at all useful.



Syrene: Vanessa, you know you don’t need to talk like that when we’re alone.
Vanessa: But we ARE on duty.
Syrene: Let me put it this way, then. This is an order from your captain! When we’re alone, you are to speak to me as if we are at home.
Vanessa: Yes, ma’am!
Syrene: Vanessa. Sigh. Did you listen to a word I said?
Vanessa: Y-yes.
Syrene: Ha ha ha! Yes, that’s it! Oh, by the way, I have something for you.
Vanessa: What is it?
Syrene: Here you go. Father wanted me to give it to you.
Vanessa: But this is… The war god Fale’s amulet!
Syrene: Yes, this is a battle amulet. I received one before I left home, too. You were summoned so suddenly that Father didn’t get a chance to give it to you. And Mother wanted to tell you, “Never be apart from this amulet.”
Vanessa: But…
Syrene: She also wanted you to relax and do your best. And to get a good night’s sleep always.
Vanessa: Well, I do try.
Syrene: Maybe others don’t notice, but I know you too well, Vanessa. I know you don’t get enough rest when you feel overwhelmed with responsibility. But, to be at your best, you need to take care of yourself, OK?



Yup, the green haired Pegasus Knights are sisters. Too bad neither of them are all that interesting.



Forde: No! I– Well, yes. Actually, I’m not so much painting as sketching. I use this piece of charcoal to draw and shade, like this.
Kyle: You know we’re in the middle of a battle, don’t you? What if someone attacks while you’re distracted?
Forde: Calm down, calm down. I just like to keep a record of our battles with these pictures.
Kyle: You’re just rationalizing! You’re a cavalier–it’s time to start acting like one.
Forde: Fine, fine. I’ll stop. As you command, Sir Kyle, commander of the Knights of Renais.
Kyle: …Oh, brother. Do you have to make everything so difficult?
Forde: If you don’t want the hassle, stop telling me what to do!
Kyle: Then stop fooling around on the battlefield. Seriously, wasting my time on an idiot like you is just stupid.
Forde: Huh? Did you say something?
Kyle: Nothing! If you have so much time to waste drawing, let’s have a quick spar.
Forde: What! You want to spar? Now?
Kyle: Yeah, that’s right. I don’t waste time. I take care of my weapons, my horse, and myself. And not just that–I also make sure our morale is good and our men are safe.
Forde: You’re thorough, aren’t you?



These people do a lot of stuff in the middle of a battle that isn’t fighting for their lives. It is a wonder the lot of them doesn’t end up dead.



Vanessa: Huh?
Forde: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Vanessa: You have GOT to be kidding me! Sleeping while a war is waging? Bold warrior, it’s time to wake up! Hey! Lazybones! Get up!
Forde: Snargleblagh…hmph? Zzzzzzzzz…



The more of these I read in a row, the more thoroughly incompetent everybody seems.

Kyle: Stuffy? It’s accurate. Isn’t that enough? But that’s beside the point. I still can’t figure out what you were talking about.
Syrene: Oh, your homework? You’ve been thinking about it all this time? You’re so serious! I was right. You haven’t changed in the slightest. You’ve always been this way. Remember when I tried to show you around Frelia’s castle town? You said, “I’m here to do my duty. Not to sightsee,” and you went back inside. You went home without even trying Frelia’s fabulous seafood! King Hayden thought I’d been remiss in showing you our fair city.
Kyle: I’m sorry about that, Syrene. I had no idea… I was on a special mission to deliver a letter to King Hayden. I didn’t have any time for sightseeing, like I’d said.
Syrene: Are you seriously apologizing for that? It was so long ago!
Kyle: Ha ha ha… You’re right, you’re right. …I know I was only there for three days, but that was a memorable trip. I grew up in landlocked Renais. I’d never seen the ocean. Not before you showed it to me.
Syrene: You didn’t show any interest at all in local culture or cuisine. But when I asked if you’d like to go to the sea, you got so excited!
Kyle: It was intense. I felt so small, standing there, staring at the sea. Looking over the waves, I hoped that I could be that strong, that persistent.
Syrene: I think that’s the only time I’ve ever seen the real you. I know we only spent a half day together, but it was such fun.
Kyle: Really? I’m glad to hear that.
Syrene: Maybe sometime, we can do that again.



Is that a tiny glimpse of a personality to Kyle? Yes, but that is all there is, not that Syrene is much better.



Syrene: I’ve been meaning to ask you…
Vanessa: Yes?
Syrene: You don’t seem to have much appetite lately.
Vanessa: Well, I’ve just been–
Syrene: I told you, Vanessa, I know you too well. So, who’s the lucky guy?
Vanessa: What?! That’s just crazy! I don’t know what you’re talking about!
Syrene: You know I can tell when you’re lying. Plus, you not eating is a dead giveaway. I mean, when’s the last time you said no to a cookie? It’s not a criticism. One of your most charming qualities is how you can outeat anyone. It’s because of someone special, isn’t it?
Vanessa: Well, um…
Syrene: But, Vanessa, first and foremost, you have to take care of yourself. I’ll support you no matter what, but no one is worth losing your health over.
Vanessa: Thank you, I guess. I’ll do my best… Sometimes I think that if I were more like you–you know, a great knight, an attractive woman, and just all-around perfect– I’d have a better chance with him. … Hmmm. That didn’t sound as pathetic in my head as it did out loud.
Syrene: Don’t be silly, Vanessa. You may not know it, but I’m sure that person likes you for who you are.
Vanessa: Do you really think so? I’ve always wanted to be like you. You’ve always been my role model. But, I feel like whenever I finally catch up to you, you’re already gone. You’ve already moved on. I’ll never catch up with you, no matter how hard I try.
Syrene: I’m very proud of you, Vanessa. And as your older sister, I recognize your talent more than anyone else. You should be more confident.
Vanessa: I feel better after opening up to you.



A nice heart to heart between these two, who like the Cavalier bros just happened to be standing next to each other while I focused on other supports.



Forde: What are you so fired up about? You’re really ruining my nap.
Kyle: You have no sense of self-preservation, do you? What is wrong with you? You lack even the common sense of an infant, you know that?
Forde: Oh, you’re one to talk. When you were a baby, you were planning out strategies to take over the nursery. You were stuck up then, and you’re stuck up now. And STILL the ladies liked you!
Kyle: You leave them out of this! Women have nothing to do with it.
Forde: They don’t? Oh, come on! Isn’t it important to have an heir to carry your standard when you’re gone? Take your sister, Mia–she married into a nice Frelian family, didn’t she? I’m just curious who would ever settle for such an uptight knight as you. You ever think about that? You think you might meet her in this war?
Kyle: That’s not what I’m here for!
Forde: Ha ha ha ha. Of course not. But I bet you’re still a ladies’ man, huh? I know you–you’re a perfect gentlemen, always nice to the ladies. I remember when you were little, you were always the first to help when you saw a little girl crying. You would go running up to lend a hand. I still remember how impressed I was that you would do that. It was cool.
Kyle: I just could never turn my back on someone in need. It is what’s expected of a knight.
Forde: Yeah, but you weren’t a knight yet!
Kyle: Well, it’s…expected of someone who aspires to be a knight, too!
Forde: You’ve got an answer for everything! But, I have to admit, you’ve also got my respect. You’re a good guy.
Kyle: ……



Forde joined the army to impress chicks? That sounds about right.



Forde: Yeah, that’s right. Vanessa. I’m Forde. Nice to meet you. By the way, what do you mean by me being awake?
Vanessa: Just the other day, I was flying by and saw you lying on the ground. I thought you were hurt, but when I got closer, I saw that you were just sleeping! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was so disgusted that I just left you there. But then I started to worry about enemies spotting you, so I went back. By the time I got back to where you were, you were already gone.
Forde: I catch them off guard that way and then attack. That’s my strategy.
Vanessa: I seriously doubt that.
Forde: Ha ha ha! But anyway, thanks for your concern.
Vanessa: You really don’t stress or plan much, do you? So different from our prince…
Forde: The prince of Frelia? Ah, you mean Prince Innes. I think he’s almost 100 percent stress. But I’m sure he’s quite the ladies’ man. I bet you have a crush on him, too. You’re blushing, so I must have hit a nerve!
Vanessa: I-I don’t! I didn’t say anything!
Forde: A romance between a prince and his knight? What scandal! What intrigue! It’s all right, though. You can love anyone you like. You must have lots of competition, seeing how he is a prince. It’s much easier to date someone you can be yourself around. Someone like, say, me would be ideal for you. What do you say?
Vanessa: Um…



For being the second of their support conversation, Forde and Vanessa really haven’t interacted much.

Kyle: Hm. Looks like he’s got a wound here that hasn’t properly healed. I can fix this up for you. It’s nothing serious, but you might want to get him some proper care later.
Syrene: Thanks, Kyle. You’re a lifesaver. It was careless of me not to have noticed the injury.
Kyle: Your pegasus is smart. He may have hidden it from you so as not to worry you. It’s not your fault, Syrene. You shouldn’t worry about it.
Syrene: No, I’m just not fit to be a pegasus knight. I’m so pitiful. If you hadn’t seen that injury, I could have put us both in danger. I could have cost us both our lives.
Kyle: You’re being too hard on yourself. If you were in danger, I would have been at your side in an instant. I’m sure you would do the same, wouldn’t you?
Syrene: …Yes, gladly.
Kyle: We just have to help one another out if something happens. You and I have been friends for over ten years, after all.
Syrene: For over ten years?
Kyle: That’s right, Syrene. You did the same for me back then.
Syrene: …Back then?
Kyle: It was on the day I left Frelia. Near the border, I came upon some bandits harassing a poor merchant. I tried to help him, but I was outnumbered. Badly. When they saw I was a knight, they wasted no time surrounding me. I thought that was it for me, but then, out of nowhere, you show up. You and I drove off those bandits, and you saved my life that day.
Syrene: I see you’ve finished your homework.
Kyle: Oh, so that’s what you wanted me to remember! “Don’t be a hero” indeed!
Syrene: You’d left Frelia before I could give you a going-away present. I went out, hoping to catch up to you, when I saw you surrounded by bandits. You were fighting all those bandits on your own to save that merchant… I’d never seen a knight so dedicated to the protection of the innocent.
Kyle: Going-away present… You’re talking about this, aren’t you?
Syrene: The wooden pegasus I carved for you! …You still have it?
Kyle: Of course I do! After we dealt with those bandits, you said to me, “Keep this, and remember Frelia.” How could I possibly misplace it? I carry it with me as a reminder. As long as I have this, I feel like I’ll always have someone watching over me. Actually, I started collecting wooden figurines since you gave me this. But I always carry this one on me.
Syrene: I’m glad to hear it’s meant so much to you.
Kyle: I’ll treasure it always.
Syrene: …… …Kyle… When we’re all at peace again, won’t you visit Frelia once more?
Kyle: You know… I was thinking about that, too. I think I really missed out by not having Frelian seafood. This time around, I won’t miss it.



And that is A Rank for two dedicated but a little boring knights.



Vanessa: You’ve been working for me from behind-the-scenes, haven’t you.
Forde: Yes. But don’t worry. I’m used to that sort of misunderstanding.
Vanessa: Well…thank you.
Forde: Heh heh heh. You’re welcome, of course. So, how about all that other stuff?
Vanessa: What do you mean?
Forde: Am I too far a cry from a prince?
Vanessa: Um…
Forde: I felt an energy…
Vanessa: Energy? What are you talking about?
Forde: Everyone has a different type of energy. Some energies can heal hearts, others spread courage. When you first saw me sleeping, I was dreaming of running across a field. I felt this warm energy engulfing me, blowing across my face like a summer wind. It must have been your energy that made me feel that way.



So Forde is a full blown hippie? Fair enough. I enjoy both of these characters more than the other pair that just finished up, but this support pairing is kind of empty.



Myrrh: Um…
Saleh: May I help you?
Myrrh: Saleh, wherever we go, you’re always at my side. Don’t you ever do anything YOU want to do?
Saleh: I came from Caer Pelyn. I have been entrusted with the honor of being your escort. Protecting you, Great Dragon, gives my life meaning.
Myrrh: Great Dragon? Please, there’s no need to call me that. My father is the great one. I’ve done nothing. I’m not great at all.
Saleh: It is true, Great Dragon, that your exalted father once saved mankind. On that day so long ago, he shielded us from evil. He is our true savior. However, mankind has forgotten that most sacred debt we owe him. I do, as we all must, what I can to atone for that crime of neglect.
Myrrh: ……
Saleh: Great Dragon, does my presence bother you? If it does, please do not hesitate to tell me.



Time for a little glimpse into the life of the immortal dragon girl, who is shy and acts just like a little girl.



Natasha: But this is the first time we’ve ever actually spoken.
Knoll: I don’t know what it is, but clerics and mages seem to be like oil and water. And we mages can be an enigmatic bunch at times. Shadowy and sinister… Or at least, that’s how I’ve always imagined you clerics saw us.
Natasha: Oh, no! I never– Well, no. You’re right. We had few dealings with the mages. But that’s in the past. I have a question for you, Master Knoll.
Knoll: I think I can guess. It’s about the Sacred Stones and Prince Lyon, is it?
Natasha: It is. My mentor died…trying to warn us about the threat our Sacred Stone posed. I want to know the truth. What is Emperor Vigarde up to? What is Prince Lyon’s role in this?
Knoll: There are as many truths out there as there are people to tell them. Perhaps it’s best simply to choose the truth with which you are most comfortable.
Natasha: ……
Knoll: In the eyes of your mentor, I would imagine we must have seemed quite evil. He imagined our magical studies using the Sacred Stone were sacrilege. I suspect he quite loathed the ancient magics he called “dark.”
Natasha: You’re wrong… My mentor wasn’t like that at all! And isn’t this war the direct result of all your dark magic research?
Knoll: ……
Natasha: ……
Knoll: Hm… Well, I suppose you are right about that. Your magic stems from faith in the unknowable, the divine presence. In contrast, dark magic stems from knowledge, from understanding.



These two get into the differences between light and dark magic in this game, as well as touching on what exactly started this whole incident off.

Saleh: Yes?
Myrrh: There’s something I wanted to ask. You’re from Caer Pelyn. Do you know if my father has ever visited your village?
Saleh: He has. I myself have never seen his noble personage. However, I have heard that Dara met him once when she was young. Some monsters had wandered into Caer Pelyn, and the Great Dragon saved us.
Myrrh: Really? I wonder why my father chose to help you.
Saleh: That, I cannot guess. We poor humans cannot hope to grasp the thinking of the Great Dragon.
Myrrh: … My father has dedicated his life to protecting humans. For the longest time, I could not fathom why he would do this. But now, after spending time with all of you… I begin to understand how he felt.
Saleh: Great Dragon…



It is kind of sad that the Great Dragon didn’t feature more in this story. He is just a familiar Fire Emblem trope that doesn’t get at all expanded upon in this game.



Knoll: It’s true. We mages have triggered this age’s greatest calamity.
Natasha: But why? What was it all for? What did you hope to accomplish with the power of the Sacred Stone?
Knoll: All Prince Lyon wanted was to help people…and we are his servants.
Natasha: Help people?
Knoll: We read of a spell entitled the time shear. It causes, in effect, a hole in time. This spell warps time, punches a hole through cause and effect.
Natasha: ……
Knoll: We lack the knowledge to reproduce this ancient spell today. Prince Lyon, however, was convinced that we could unravel its secret. He felt we could use it to predict–and even prevent–future events.
Natasha: …Prevent…the future?
Knoll: Oh, we dedicated years to studying this spell. You see, the greater the disaster, the farther it sends ripples through time. We learned to read these ripples from the future, hoping to save lives. If we could know when a disaster would strike, we could evacuate people. We could save millions of lives.
Natasha: But… It seems so, so blasphemous. That worldly creatures should take control of fate, it–
Knoll: Are you saying that, knowing the future, we should do nothing? We should simply allow people to die in order to preserve “fate”?
Natasha: I…
Knoll: I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound hostile. Prince Lyon himself was troubled by these same doubts, you see. But we pressed on with our studies. We felt it was our duty, in the interest of all Grado’s people.
Natasha: ……
Knoll: Perhaps we were bitter that we receive no credit for aiding Grado. That we receive no accolades for our research, for the benefit it brings. I do not know. But we pressed on, nonetheless. The misconceptions linking the ancient magics to “evil” die hard and slow. Prince Lyon sought to change that. He wanted, as we all wanted, to prove that our magic had good uses.
Natasha: Prince Lyon would never–
Knoll: With our aid, Prince Lyon predicted a great storm rising in the south. He barred ships from leaving port, and, oh, how the people complained. But the storm came, and the seas raged. We saved countless lives. And Prince Lyon cared not at all if the people loved him for it. He only wanted them to be safe.



So Lyon was trying to set up the Minority Report with Black Magic. The fits with Lyon’s stated goals of trying to help people, but this is more of an explanation of how he intended to go about doing that.

Seth: I heard about what happened the other day. It could have turned out badly…
Natasha: I’m sorry to have worried you. When I see an injured person, I must help. I seldom think of the consequences to myself. I shall be more careful in the future.
Seth: Grado doesn’t know what they’ve lost, Natasha. You’re indispensable to us. If you were injured, our entire strategy could be slowed or lost altogether. Take care of yourself first, and worry about us later.
Natasha: Seth, you are the one who is indispensable, far more than I am. You race into danger, acting as a decoy or rescuing people alone. You’re the one who is reckless. I wish you would watch yourself.



I hadn’t done this pairing before and there really isn’t a reason to. Both of these characters can be entertaining, but they don’t make a particularly entertaining pair. I like Seth as the duty bound Knight in love with the Pincess, and Natasha works against the rough and tumble Joshua. Cliché they may be, but those clichés are executed fairly well. Together there isn’t a whole lot to hold onto. They are both straight men.



Knoll: My reason for remaining is gone…
Duessel: Knoll, I have something I would ask you. What exactly happened to His Majesty and Prince Lyon?
Knoll: …… Do you have the courage to hear that answer? I think perhaps that it will not be an answer you want to hear.
Duessel: What does that mean?
Knoll: Are you familiar with a certain foreign anecdote of comedic nature? It involves two starving men and a single loaf of bread. If they break the loaf in two, both men will die of starvation…
Duessel: Knoll, I’m not asking for a riddle. Let’s not waste any more time here. I’m ready to hear the truth. Nothing you tell me could surprise me.



Duessel is going to get right to the heart of things.



Saleh: Great Dragon… I know I’m being rude, but I’ve a favor to ask.
Myrrh: What is it?
Saleh: Would you please come to our village?
Myrrh: To Caer Pelyn? But…
Saleh: Dara and the other villagers would be overjoyed to see you. The village is quite spare, but we would do our best to entertain you. You could stay for as long as you wanted…
Myrrh: … Saleh, you made that request on my behalf, didn’t you?
Saleh: No, not at all. I apologize. I have been disrespectful.
Myrrh: No, I’m pleased. However… I doubt I should stay too long.
Saleh: Why is that?
Myrrh: It’s because I’m a dragon. My father explained it to me. We are both human and monster. And because we are both, we are also neither.
Saleh: ……
Myrrh: We have the power of dragons; therefore, we cannot live together with humans… We have the hearts of humans; therefore, we do not belong with monsters. We are outcasts in this world, never a part of either community. And so we live our lives alone, never to be understood by anyone.
Saleh: But there are humans whose actions make them monsters in the eyes of others. I do not think of you as such when there are many worse monsters among my own kind. Regardless, I believe the villagers would be most pleased to have you visit.
Myrrh: Saleh… Thank you. Your words have cheered me up a little. Please wait for my answer. When all of this is finished… When peace returns, I’ll give you my answer then.
Saleh: I understand.
Myrrh: And when I do return to Darkling Woods, I will not be sad.



Here we finally get a little insight into what exactly the dragons are in this world. What Myrrh talks about here is more information about how the dragons are viewed. It contributes to the game’s feeling of just being rushed.



Natasha: We had many wounded, and I drained myself healing them all. However, I rested well last night, and I am fully recovered. I’m sorry for giving you so much cause to worry once again.
Seth: Oh, boy… You and Eirika… What am I going to do about you? You seem hell-bent on throwing away your lives in this conflict.
Natasha: …Oh, I see… I always become a liability in battle. All I do is cause you worry and concern.
Seth: You’re always the first to race into battle to heal an injured person. Do you know what the others have started calling you?
Natasha: …They’re calling me names?
Seth: They’ve taken to calling you “the healing spirit.”
Natasha: …A healing spirit? Oh, no… I’m far from it. Why, I–
Seth: …When you first joined us, I was not sure I could trust my life to you. You’re from Grado, and we’ve seen the treacheries of which they are capable. But I’ve watched you, and I know now that I was wrong. I’m grateful for the kindness and compassion that you’ve showed us all. My men are right. You are a healing spirit, sent to rejuvenate us all. We’re fortunate to have you as our friend.
Natasha: …Friend…?
Seth: More than a friend. You are an irreplaceable asset to our cause.
Natasha: Oh, my… I’m sorry… …Please, return to the battle. And may you be guided to safety.
Seth: …Sister Natasha…



Other than a brief aside for Seth’s chauvinism, that was mostly a nice pump up of Natasha’s character.

Duessel: ……
Knoll: I should be more concise. Prince Lyon and I pierced the veil that clouds our futures.
Duessel: What? You…could see into the future? How is that possible? What magic is powerful enough to–
Knoll: Time is like the water of a river: it flows ever on, never stopping. Certain disturbances can cause ripples that speed swiftly downstream. If you can see the water, you can read the flow, the ripples, the waves.
Duessel: Hmm…
Knoll: It is possible, General. Possible and, at times, easy. Just think of it: If you knew a storm was coming in advance, you could evacuate everyone in its way. If you could see what was to come, you could help those who might have died. Prince Lyon explained this to us with much joy in his voice and heart. His power would, at long last, be able to help the citizens of Grado.
Duessel: ……
Knoll: We continued our work. There were ceremonies, rituals–such horrors… And then we saw it. In the near future, Grado would be ravaged by catastrophe.
Duessel: A catastrophe? Do you…
Knoll: No, it’s not the conflict in which we are currently embroiled. This event is still in our future. We saw Grado. We saw the earth crumble. We saw our people dying. We saw the shape our future would take.
Duessel: What? That’s madness… Idiocy! I’ve lived a long life, and I’ve never heard of anything like that. Not ever.
Knoll: I am not surprised that you do not believe me, General. We could not believe it, either. We tried to disprove what we had seen. But nothing could shake the vision. In this disaster, Grado would be destroyed. Countless would die. Those who died quickly would be spared the slow horror of starvation. This was when the emperor died, by the way. Lyon was shattered by despair. He devoted himself to research, and then came the Dark Stone…
Duessel: So that’s what happened? Is that when the decision to invade Renais was made?
Knoll: I don’t know.



More insight into Grado's motivation. It is pretty chilling to see that some people did know that the Emperor was dead all along, even as they paraded his corpse around as the leader of the country.



Seth: Yes, I’m fine. But it’s only because you’ve been beside me as I’ve fought. You were always the one to heal my broken body.
Natasha: You have that wrong, General. You’re the one constantly rescuing me. When I’m surrounded by enemies, when I’m separated from the others…
Seth: Sister Natasha… Do you plan on returning to Grado someday?
Natasha: …Yes. I must return to the temple. Our people need my services.
Seth: Is that…what you really want?
Natasha: …General Seth…
Seth: Could anything sway you to stay in Renais instead?
Natasha: … General Seth, what are you…
Seth: … I’m sorry. I’m– I’ll be more direct. Sister Natasha… When this war is over would you…come live with me?
Natasha: Oh! But, Seth… I’m a cleric. I’m sworn never to…
Seth: I know you’re a cleric. You’ve given your life over to a divine calling. But would the Everlasting not smile upon the love shared by its creations?
Natasha: …Seth, I– Yes, I believe so.
Seth: I vow upon the sacred oaths you have sworn that I will make you happy.



Seth talks Natasha out of her nun’s habit. A happy ending.



Duessel: You’re tired, aren’t you? Worn to the bone. I understand how you feel, but on the battlefield, this only invites death.
Knoll: You are probably right… And yet that might be best.
Duessel: What are you planning to do from here on?
Knoll: I do not know… I have lost my way. Perhaps I should have been executed in the capital.
Duessel: ……
Knoll: I once studied dark magic alongside Prince Lyon. He was such a gentle soul. You could see it–he was too kind to survive. Prince Lyon dreamt of finding happiness for all of Grado’s citizens.
Duessel: ……
Knoll: And now, Prince Lyon is no more. I have lost everything.
Duessel: I have also lost everything. And we have both lost our ways. We are dead men who have stayed too long away from our graves. But remember, Knoll… You cannot see the future, but you can look back at your past. Look and learn. And remember. What gave your life meaning, and what has taken meaning from you now?
Knoll: ……
Duessel: If you still hold the convictions that guided you in Grado, you can start anew. That… That is what I must do. We may be diminished by our shame, but we are not dead yet, my friend.



After talking it out, Knoll has maybe found some peace after the disastrous way everything has turned out.

Next time: Tomorrow (I hope) will see the final post of this Let's Play, wherein the forces of good gather together for one last fight.

One last time, Let’s Play Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones.



Okay, here we go. The last battle. And time for one last flashback.



Eirika: Yes… Thank you for everything, Lyon. I’ll never forget the time I spent here.
Lyon: Do you think we’ll see each other again…
Eirika: Yes, of course. My brother and you and me. We are friends, after all. Aren’t we…
Lyon: Eirika… Yep, you’re right. I hope your study of the Sacred Stones is fruitful. I know you’ll use the wisdom you glean to make your people happy.
Lyon: Thank you, Eirika. You know, you’re the only reason I was able to save that girl. There were times when I wanted to give up, to admit failure. But you were always there. You were always encouraging me to succeed. That’s what kept me going. I just thought of you.
Eirika: Lyon…



Eirika: Lyon, what do you–
Lyon: I guess this is it, Eirika. Hope to see you again someday. I’m going to focus on my work and do my best until that day. My research will progress, and my discoveries will benefit us all.



Does every guy Eirika knows have some kind of complex about Ephraim? I don’t think anything new is really brought forward with this last flashback. It emphasizes the relationship between Eirika and Lyon and his preoccupation with his own supposed weakness.



Eirika: Lyon… It is you, isn’t it, Lyon…!
Lyon: Yes… But I’m… I’m almost completely gone. Before I’m lost entirely, I want to apologize. I’m sorry, Eirika. This is all my fault. I was too weak…
Eirika: You’re not to blame, Lyon. It was the Demon King. He was controlling you…
Lyon: No, that’s not true, Eirika. When the Demon King reached into me from inside the Dark Stone…When he whispered he would see all my dreams and desires made true…I…I did not reject him. In the shadows of my heart, he saw jealousy…vanity…



Eirika: Everyone has weaknesses, Lyon. You’re not the only one. I do. I’m sure my brother does…Don’t hate yourself for having these feelings, please.
Lyon: Thank you, Eirika. You were always…so kind. The Demon King will claim my flesh as a vessel for his resurrection. Before that can happen…



Eirika: ...
Evil Lyon: Oh, please…Are you done turning your failings into some sad epic of personal tragedy… It’s time we started then. I have a ritual to complete…and some nuisances to kill.



Eirika: I won’t allow you to desecrate Lyon’s body any further. You will not return to this world. I will stop you myself if I must.
Evil Lyon: Ah, is that so… And do you honestly think yourself capable, wench…



Eirika is ice cold. Surprisingly little preamble to the last battle here. Lyon begs for death, which is terrible, but otherwise this is mostly ground covered in other recent battles. There is nothing new, just a confirmation of the goal.



Here is the map. It is not especially big, but all the monsters on it are the tough variety. There is also a pair of necrodragons to deal with as well. For a normally leveled party this can be a struggle, fitting for the end of the game. Not nearly the struggle that many Fire Emblem last maps can be, but still a struggle. My strategy will be to split my men in half and move from along both sides of the map, before splitting again with most of my men converging in front of Lyon and others hitting him from the sides.



Here is the split after the first turn, with the fliers, Eirika, Innes and Lute going one way and Ephraim, L’Arachel and the various others headed the other way.



The skeletons rush in to attack Ross, who deals with them in the usual fashion.



On the other side, the skeletons go after Colm, who takes the first one down and gets a L’Arachel-esque level up.



He dodges the next attack, but in a stroke of bad luck gets hit with the Medusa’s stone attack, stopping him for the next few rounds.



Myrrh lays waste to a skeleton and continues her rapid growth. It should be enough.

Gerik gets in on the action, taking out the first of the two remaining skeletons.



Ross follows behind him and continues my trend of great Level Ups.



Kyle opens up the door here with a key and L’Arachel heals up Ross.



Lute lays waste to the Medusa that got Colm and gets one more point in her magic stat.



Tana takes down a skeleton on the other side of the map.



On the enemies' turn, my troops do their business, with each of Gerik, Ross and Tana taking down enemies.



Luckily this Medusa both not using stone and misses.



Gerik rushes back down to take out the Medusa because he is the one carrying the chest key. The rest of the group moves up on both sides of the map.



Skeletons will never learn the danger of coming after Tana.



On my turn, Tana and Cormag team up to take down one of the dragons, though he takes a hefty chunk of HP off of Cormag.



Eirika gets another Level Up, though not a particularly good one. Not that it really matters at this point.

Cormag gets a crappy Level Up as well. 27 strength, though, is more than enough for anything.



I accidently moved Kyle too close the dragon, but he manages to dodge it. And Cormag would be in trouble if anything else could hurt him.



Myrrh takes a dangerous blow as well, but manages to take out the other dragon to get what will surely be her worst Level Up.



L’Arachel is right there to heal her back up. The rest of the team forms up to deal with the horde of eyes that has appeared.



Eirika takes out another skeleton and Lute puts her little used staff using skills to use.



Kyle takes some shots, but avoids them all.



Even more misses in the vicinity of Kyle, and one at Gerik just to change things up.



Colm has finally awakened, and he gets into the Medusa’s lair, finding a Master Seal in the chest. I can’t imagine needing it now, but if you have a character in need of class change, here is a catch all class change tool.



Myrrh does her thing. It is largely unnecessary with the big boosts she gets for her dragonstone, but I’d like to see her get strength with these.



And a Level Up for Kyle as well.

One for Gerik, too. These high level enemies give out a lot of experience.



Innes and Lute go to work one some Deathgoyles that came in the same time as the eyes on the other side.



I’d have to check to be sure, but I am fairly certain that Ephraim has already hit several of his stat caps.



Even these upper level enemies, my guys just tear through them.



One of Gwyllgi (the powered up Mauthe Doog) runs down to take a bite of Eirika, and she gets a pretty stellar Level Up.



L’Arachel heals Kyle and Eirika takes a stab at the giant spider. The rest of the group moves to the middle of the map.



Centaur charges down at Ross, but miss and pays for it. One of the Medusa’s in the middle misses a shot at Eirika.



Ross takes out his Brave Axe to deal with those tough spiders. Ephraim does it with just a critical hit. Eirika takes out her legendary weapon, Seglinde, to just obliterate a Medusa.



The B Team forms up in the middle as well.



More misses from the enemies.

More attacks that miss.



Myrrh starts the charge into the middle, and gets a typical Myrrh Level Up.



L’Arachel moves in to take one out and get an excellent one as well.



Lute takes out one of the skeletons.



Innes takes down one of the Medusas, and gets a great Level up as well. He actually turned out solidly useable.



Colm keeps the great Level Ups rolling in.



Gerik down a skeleton in style.



Ross adds a little strength that he didn’t really need.



And Kyle gets the last of the monsters, leaving only Lyon.



I send Cormag in first, and he takes a big hit. That forces my hand, now I have to kill him this turn or Cormag is done for.

Ephraim steps up to finish him off.



Of course he gets a Level Up for doing so.



Eirika: It’s all right. He’s Lyon. Lyon…
Lyon: Ei…Eirika…Is…that you…
Eirika: Yes, Lyon. It’s me.
Lyon: Eirika… You stopped me, didn’t you… I’m glad…
Eirika: Lyon…Lyon…
Lyon: Listen…Eirika… I never had the courage to tell you, but…



I like that the game doesn’t have Eirika echo him here. It is clear that she cared for him, but not necessarily to the extent that he cared for her. It helps build her character, as a compassionate person without making her character all about Lyon instead of her. His character is all about how he interacted with the twins, but Ephraim and Eirika have more going on.



Of course that is not the end of things. Lyon’s body disappears to reveal:












The Demon King, the final boss. I do like that ominous black screen. This is a fine final boss. He’s bigger than anything faced so far, with more HP than the game’s stat keeping is able to track. (Not really, but it looks that way)



Ephraim: Eirika.
Eirika: Brother…
Ephraim: Don’t be afraid, Eirika. I’m here. Our friends are here. We have the Sacred Stone, and we have each other. We will not lose. We will defeat him.
Eirika: You’re right, Brother!

This is the end.

Eirika: We must use its power against the Demon King, as in the stories of old!
L’Arachel: You must listen to me, Eirika. The stories are true; the stone does hold the power to stop the Demon King. However, the source of its power is human will, the desire for peace within our hearts.
Eirika: In our hearts…
L’Arachel: Yes, that’s right. We need not pray for the Sacred Stones to aid us now.



Our heroine, after letting the upstart prince and princess take center stage for a while, steps up to show why she is the greatest. Her country’s Sacred Stone was the only one that remained protected and didn’t get handed directly the bad guy.

Eirika: I understand, L’Arachel. Listen, everyone. I can never repay you for all you’ve done so far. Now, please, one last time…Lend me your strength. To defeat the Demon King! To restore peace to our lands! To take the peace we all dream of and make it real!

Here comes everybody to show their resolve.



I think this order must be the order they appeared in on my character select screen, with Eirika held deliberately until last.



Everyone gets their personality boiled down to one line. Innes is a dick, Tana is upbeat, Cormag has a death wish.



Ross is still desperate to prove himself better than his father, though they are arguably the best and worst characters in the game. Colm still likes to steal.



Here’s the good stuff. Lute is detached as usual and L’Arachel is on a holy quest. Oh, and Eirika’s here as well.

Demon King: Gaa…grrr… Abominable Sacred Stone… I will not suffer imprisonment again. How… You possess only one… Do not fool yourselves. You cannot fully imprison me…



So after all that, the Demon King’s soul is sealed with just one stone and a pep talk.

L’Arachel: We did it. The Demon King’s soul has been bound once more. But, Eirika, it’s not over yet. The Demon King’s soul rages against its prison. We must return it to its proper place–and quickly. But first, we must defeat the Demon King’s soulless body!
Eirika: That thing…
L’Arachel: Uh-huh…The real battle’s just beginning. Our ancestors paid dearly for their victory. A mountain of corpses…



Seth: We’re all prepared to do what must be done.”
Eirika: I have no desire to make any more heartbreaking sacrifices.



One stone and casualties, sounds doable. Those ancient heroes were wimps. We have L’Arachel.

On the first turn I move my guys up, but enemies appear on the opponent's turn.



I use L’Arachel and Innes to clear some out of the way so my stronger units can get to the boss.



Eirika does a pretty solid forty damage to hulking demon, Fomortiis.



Kyle hacks an eye out of the way.



That opened up room for Ephraim to step in and take his shot at the boss.



And finally Myrrh comes in to finish him off. And that is it. He is a tough boss for a team slightly less powerful than mine, since he does enough damage that most units can’t stand two hits from him.



Innes: No, we’ve done far more than the legends ever told. We’ve destroyed the Demon King’s body. He can never come back.
Eirika: That’s right. And we have you all to thank for it.
Ephraim: And another thing… In that ancient battle, it took the might of the five heroes to do what we did. We did not have their extraordinary power to draw upon.
Eirika: No, we didn’t. We conquered darkness and restored peace to the land, thanks to you. It was because you never gave in, you never stopped fighting. None of you, not once. Thank you…

And that is the end of that. Now it is just the wrap up.

The ending starts with a brief message from all the character, grouped by their place of origin.

Syrene: This means we’ve accomplished our mission! I must relay the good news to King Hayden at once.
Tana: Yes. I’m sure Father will be most pleased.



Innes: There’s no need to rush. I’m sure he knows. After all, we were together, and that ensured our victory.
Syrene: Of course, Prince Innes…



No one cares about either of you, moustache and sideburns
.
Moulder: Even so, the fighting’s over. And that’s something to be happy about.
Gilliam: Exactly.
Gerik: Well that took some doing, but we finally finished the job.
Tethys:We certainly earned our pay… Please tell me we’re going to enjoy it.
Marisa: Let’s go home, Chief.
Gerik: Let’s see now… Shall we head back to Jehanna… I guess we could stop in at the guild and get our next contract, eh…
Tethys: But the queen’s gone… I wonder what Jehanna will do now.
Gerik: I’m sure it’ll all work out.



Marisa: Let’s go.
Joshua: …… …Hm… Heads.



Joshua: Homecoming time…
Natasha: It’s over, isn’t it…



Amelia: I-I can’t believe that I was part of this whole thing…
Cormag: The war is over. But so much remains to be done. Our country lost this war. The road ahead will be long and hard.
Duessel: That’s true. And yet… It’s a road we must travel. That’s the burden survivors must shoulder.



L’Arachel: Dozla, Rennac. We’ve done it.
Dozla: Gwaa ha ha! And a job well done it was, Princess L’Arachel.
Rennac: Whew… It’s finally over. So it’s about time for me to…
L’Arachel: Hold it! I gave you no orders to leave! I am the princess of Rausten, lest you forget.



A hero can never rest. I weep for L’Arachel’s sacrifice.

L'Arachel: Come, Dozla, Rennac. It’s time to go!
Dozla: Gwaa ha ha! Wait up! Let’s move, Rennac!
Rennac: …Sigh.”
Myrrh: ……
Saleh: ……
Myrrh: The darkness… It’s gone.
Saleh: Yes. That’s the end.
Myrrh: I guess so…
Saleh: Let’s return home, Lady Myrrh.



Ewan: What… Hey, Teacher! Where are you going… Wait up. I’m coming with you.
Garcia: You did well, Ross. You’re a true warrior, my pride and joy.
Ross:But you’re still the best, Father!



Colm: Bah, I’m glad everyone’s so happy, but…



Colm: Right, Neimi…
Neimi: We all worked… together. Wasn’t that great…Colm… Sniff…
Colm: H-hey… Don’t start crying… Please…
Artur: O glorious light, were you witness to our victory… The foul demon has been purged from the earth.
Lute: The ancient Demon King was as powerful as the scrolls described. And yet, in the end, we were able to defeat him!



Too true, Lute.

Seth: Your continued safety is all that matters to me, Princess Eirika.
Franz: General! Princess Eirika! We can finally return to Renais, can’t we…



Forde: Ah, I’m exhausted. I’d like nothing more than to laze about a while… Alas, we’re not going to have that opportunity, are we, Prince Ephraim…
Ephraim: No. The reconstruction of Renais is going to keep us busy.



Kyle: We’ll be beside you through it all!



Eirika: Let’s go back to the people who are waiting for us…



L’Arachel: Oh, Princess Eirika… If it please you, I would be ever so delighted if you joined my tea club. I insist that you come. Oh, say you will, won’t you?

We drop off L’Arachel in Rausten, though she wants Eirika to come to her tea parties.



Hey, remember that Joshua is the Prince of Jehenna? He finally did. So along with the mercenaries he is going to rebuild here.

Joshua: I’ll start with what can be done and keep going from there. First, I must talk to Mother. She should know that we’ve won, so that she can rest easily.



Instead of seeing the Frelians back to their home, Eirika and Ephraim stop at home. They can make it by themselves.

Innes: If you have need of our assistance, you have but to ask. I seldom trust people who act from purely altruistic motives… But I’ll grant you that friendships are a worthy exception to my distrust.
Eirika: We’ve finally made it home, haven’t we?
Ephraim: Aaah. You must be exhausted after the journey. Shall we rest, Eirika?”
Eirika: That would be nice… But first we must seal this away… This stone banished the Demon King. With such power…



Maybe you could use it to change history. There could not be any ill effects. Also, why didn’t we leave the stone in Rausten, the one place to not lose their's in the first place?

Eirika: That everyone who died in this dreadful war could be–
Ephraim: Eirika.”
Eirika: I know, I know. Such things would be– I cannot wish for such things. No matter how it hurts, or rather because it hurts, we must learn to accept sorrow. We must take it into our hearts and tame our grief…
Ephraim: Eirika… Tell me, Sister… If Lyon were here with us, what do you think he would want?
Eirika: What he would want?
Ephraim: Yes. You see, I think I know. It was the reason for his studies.



Like the title!

Ephraim: Let’s take Lyon’s dreams and fulfill them in his stead. We can do that, can’t we? Without relying on any mystic power?
Eirika: You’re right, Brother, we can.



The end. I still like this game a whole lot, but it is no longer my favorite like it was when I first started. Sacred Stones was my first Fire Emblem, and a lot of the changes it made were for the better, it just isn’t that well made a game in quite a few ways. It feels very rushed. It also hurts it that Fire Emblem Awakening came a long and took all of Sacred Stones’ changes and did them better. Still, while it isn’t the best in the series, it is still a fine game all around.

Since I needed one more post to finish things up anyway, I saw no reason not to include all of these stills.



We’ve got Eirika, Seth and Joshua’s arm as they find his dead mother.



Here is L’Arachel and her faithful minions fighting monsters.



I believe this is Valter laying waste to a handful of green dudes.



The Cavaliers of Renais doing some sparring.



Here’s the Pegasus knights of Frelia relaxing.



Here are the mercenaries and mages hanging out.



The Sacred Stone



And the final boss.



Lyon: You’re Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika from Renais, aren’t you? I heard you were coming, and I’ve been waiting here all day. I’ve always wanted… I don’t have any friends my own age…



That is just a stinger on ths tragedy. Here is where it all began between these three. It has been so long since I've seen Ephraim's route, but maybe the story works better with a closer look at its tragic hero Lyon.



See, for the most part I stuck to about 15 turns, with little wasted time. I waited around a long time on Darling Woods taking out reinforcements and Queen of the White Dunes had the most frustrating boss in the game. Otherwise, I would say I was pretty efficient with this play through. With some work I bet I could cut close to fifty turns off of that total, but I don’t think I wasted too many. I said at the start that I would let characters die and that didn’t happen. Honestly, though, I didn’t ever reset for a death. The only characters I lost during the game were Eirika (several times) Colm (way too often) and L’Arachel (once). Otherwise, I only a had bunch of close calls.

These two didn't turn out as well as they could have, but both are in the running for MVP, with








Lute as a mother would certainly be an interesting thing to see. She comes up a close second for team MVP






Tana is the MVP, and that certainly feels right for how this game went. I also like that she just goes off and knights Cormag no matter what he wants. By and large there isn't a whole lot of the women in this game retiring to just be wives. There is some, but at least as many where the husband does the same.











“L’Arachel’s self-centeredness carried the day” sums up the whole game perfectly.



And Eirika is doomed to never escape guys that care more about her brother than her.



That’s all folks. I am treating the end of this Let’s Play like the end of a date, so I will apologize and slink away. Truly, this was fun, but I need to be better organized before I even think about attempting another one. The big sticking point for me was I think Chapter 13, when I lost my first couple hundred screen shots. It just killed my momentum. That helped contribute to this taking me more than four years to complete. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Thanks to everybody who read this and stuck with me to the end. Special thanks to Tanto and Papillonreel, in whose footsteps I followed. Of course, they did it in half the time and with twice the skill. Maybe I'll do another one of these someday. Probably something much smaller.