SS Chapter 20 Ephraim Part 1: Misery Forest

Both of us got a Melkaen spawn? I think this doesn't get guaranteed, but neat. Still not bothering.

Ross gets the Speedwings from Rausten.

This picture of Ephraim contains no surprises. Ephraim is just that good.

His wife is still catching up in Strength (and HP, really), but on the other hand, she has wings while he's stuck on a horse.

Ross is the man. Pick up an axe and just smash it real hard. And also very fast and dodgy, in case his massive HP didn't make him survivable enough. Dozla who?

Artur is a bit of an unimpressive fellow after that lot, but you know, he gets triple might on everything, so who really cares? Luck's a bit low, though.

Joshua is a better Marisa, and he's got the better class to show for it, but it's not helping him much. There's a reason Swordmasters are looked down on compared to other classes.

I'd like to say Cormag fits in with everybody else, but he can't use that high Strength like Ross can, his Spd/Luck situation, while good enough, is worrying, and his defences aren't high enough to call him a wall. I keep telling you wyverns don't work right for me.

If Ephraim wasn't surprising, L'Arachel has even less news. She's about to cap Magic and Avoid, what else is new?

Gerik proving my point about Cormag by being better than him in nearly every way except Strength (which he can use axes for) and being an infantry unit. And this is supposed to be Cormag's superior route!

Knoll can shoot dark spells just fine, but with that Luck/Def and HP, he probably will be sticking to Summon and Staff. So much for the extra help. At least all that Magic is good for Physic.

Eirika has also capped Strength at some point. She continues to be strangely just as good as, if not better than, the Eirika that's my Lord.

Innes has the Strength to be a player-phase turret, but he's still somewhat concerned about his shaky other stats. He'll do just fine, but he is a prepromote facing the issues with prepromotes.

Tethys is here too. Less dodgy than on Eirika route, but good enough.

Into Misery Mire we go.

...Whatever.

There have been a few instances where Ephraim route got a scene with Lyon in it that Eirika has no Lyon, but this is the first real scene with Lyon that is a) on both routes and b) doesn't have the twins for Lyon to bounce off. Lyon is still wearing different faces based on which route he is on.

While Eirika route had the Demon King talk to Morva, Ephraim route introduces him to Lyon. For want of a nail, the two divergent takes on Lyon continue even when he's not trying to fool the twins. Although there's nothing more he can milk from that avenue.

And Morva actually treats him like a human, at least at first. Or on the surface. I highly doubt Morva is wholly ignorant to what lies beneath the surface, although I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the first crazy scholar he's had to point away from the actually dangerous stuff.

Yeah, if there was any doubt, now might be a good time to discard it.

Is that what we're going with this time?

Morva is able to tell exactly what's going on inside that head from the surface.

And he shares L'Arachel's opinion on how well this goes for Lyon.

His words are not threats to the Demon King, but warnings to Lyon. Like Eirika, he wants to see the man survive and learn his lesson for next time.

Lyon is committed to this path.

Morva is not feeling great about what he has to do next.

And also the fact he gets to listen to Lyon's backstory too.

...As best he could.

The Demon King hasn't blinded him... well, not that much. Lyon is in this because he thinks he can do better.

L'Arachel's warning was not, on the surface, true. The Demon King has not seized control of Lyon as soon as he opened the Dark Stone. He's done something far more insidious: Let Lyon believe he's in control, but warp his goals to ones the Demon King finds more suitable.

It really does take one hell of a man to break out of that. If Latona was any bit as hard-headed as L'Arachel, I can see how he pulled it off.

Can Lyon be sure Morva is wrong?

But Lyon is determined. His own stubborn streak is his undoing. Or rather, his insistence that he must win this day.

Lyon was never a man to say the death of one is just for the life of another. His goal is, and always will be, to save lives. But this Lyon has blood on his hands...

He knows that he's a goner.

And that only emboldens him further. If he can act at all, then he will die in peace. Assuming the Demon King kills him.

There can be no talking Lyon down. Eirika found that out the hard way.

And Morva has not yet failed by talking to him.

He must defeat Lyon.

If only so the thing that lies within cannot hurt another soul.

...Still going, Lyon? Maybe we should get a second opinion on whether L'Arachel would be any better in his shoes.

Even Morva's not particularly enthused about how far Lyon has fallen.

The conversation ends there, and I don't think there is any way to end that better than with that blink frame out of Lyon.

Morva exposition from Myrrh, and the battle begins.

This is unchanged, too, despite the fact this is a very Eirika-route solution.

18 spots, and once again, I'm bringing no backup but Myrrh. No Garcia, no Duessel. I feel like maybe I ought to have, in hindsight, but eh.

Like last time, the strat is that Tana, Cormag and Myrrh are going to handle the west while the foot units go north. I've only actually got three horses here, though, so maybe somebody could've been spared to show off the south path? It's not that great.

Aside from an extra Shadowshot Arch Mogall (...actually, it looks like two), nothing on the map looks all that different.

Morva has been upgraded to 38 damage a hit, but otherwise, he's not doing anything impressive with his hard mode bonuses. He's as scary here as he was before.

Riev, too, has merely marginal upgrades. The Japanese version of Riev laughs.

Heroes, march!

Help me, Phantom!

...Not close enough.

You can be bait.

L'Arachel's Boltings aren't as powerful as Lute's, or these guys are just stronger.

Ross is going to cross this mountain to show off. It slows him down a bit too much, though.

L'Arachel is in the lead. Gap in the road, but those guys are a bit far off.

Cormag is not going to dodge everything over here, and despite being stronger than the falcos, isn't oneshotting either.

Cormag's trying, OK?

This'll help, I guess. This side doesn't have any axes for the gargoyles.

Nor does it really need them anyway.

Myrrh'll catch up.

Riev is Riev.

Probably best Cormag didn't face-tank that one.

Fortunately, there appear to still be some pathetic wights.

That was to be expected.

Super pathetic.

I think the only reason she had a hit chance was because L'Arachel picked Anima tomes instead of Light.

Yeah, uh, Cormag is scared of that.

Right, you need to stop shooting at us.

Yes, this is a good use of Knoll, what of it?

...This puts Artur way too far out of position.

Let's move forward a little more.

And Myrrh gets a kill of her own.

...Cormag can handle himself, right?

...OK, fine.

(By the way, here's Ross not getting through this peak.)

You need to move.

There we go, that's better.

Oh yeah, you too.

...And that, I guess.

L'Arachel continues to go insane ploughing ahead. Perhaps it was saner to sit her next to Innes...

Joshua takes that spot.

There goes another monster...

Oh, you did get levels beforehand. That one's a pretty terrible one, though.

Tana's using her Javelin to prepare for something.

Well, at least they're working together.

Ooh, I love that smear. I've never seen the wyvern look that good.

Ross'll catch up, he promises!

(Shortcut my foot.)

Tana plunges bravely into danger.

Cormag is much less bold.

Myrrh's staying here to pop this one.

Yeah, I don't care about her that much on this run. Ironic, since this is her route.

Eirika can oneround a Tarvos still.

Innes is less capable.

Joshua takes after his mother. Shame about the lack of Wind Sword, but I have no solution.

Knoll has his plan.

BE MILDLY IRRITATING!

...What do you mean, the Phantom didn't help at all?

Looks like Ephraim had it covered.

That's more pleasant.

...Less so.

Only the Phantom is attracting attention.

Catch up! Although that didn't finish it off...

So long, bait.

No axes for wyverns in this game, sadly.

But thanks for your donation.

You call that a weapon?

Knoll's gotcha covered.

Yeah, enough out of you.

We'll get back to you.

...Now is convenient for me too.

You've gotta be kidding me, losing that avoid from Cormag cost me?

Yay.

Cormag, protect the princess at all costs!

Genarog asserts dominance.

Cormag does not.

Ross is off the mountain!

It happens to be time for a boost.

Get this to Tana as soon as possible!

All of a sudden, the random decision to have Ross mountain hike pays off.

Gerik discovers the cyclopes will require chewing.

Even L'Arachel isn't one-rounding.

Knoll finishes this one.

And Joshua pulls out the Killing Edge.

He needed both crits to get rid of this one.

It's like I've forgotten I need Innes/L'Arachel to hook up.

Artur is also behind.

L'Arachel can handle herself.

Caps!

Now this guy with a super-effective axe is unable to use it.

They couldn't exactly hit Knoll, it's not worth writing home about.

Didn't work the first time, ain't gonna work the second time.

Nutter.

Better effort.

Now Cormag is worried too!

...L'Arachel, less so.

Now that's why I'm less worried about Ross and Artur. They can pick these up.

...Tethys is stuck back here too...

Right, so this is the "avoid Riev" zone. I can do that.

We'll start with the bottom.

Better.

Yoink.

And Cormag takes a heal from Myrrh's Elixir.

Imagine if Artur could Physic from here.

Another one to go down.

Innes gets one too.

Ephraim pitches a Javelin to get one of his own.

Knoll melees.

And Gerik joins the crit club, not that he needed one.

He really wanted one of these.

L'Arachel takes point. Again.

Eirika has the last kill.

I think the melee Flux was so I could stay relatively back from these guys.

Return fire! (This is Knoll's crit.)

L'Arachel's "plunge into danger" is mostly for Anima.

...Well, might be time to hit something with Nosferatu.

More Speed.

Well, if Artur is running out of targets to heal...

He also gets Speed.

Artur readies his position.

And Ross is just about ready to catch up from his detour.

Innes will gladly take that.

You need to stop firing.

This is also taking its time getting cleared up.

Myrrh gets a good level.

And Tana gets her heal at last.

...Best set up for an offensive next turn.

Theme of this turn: Gargolyes missing!

Also this weirdo.

Another Gargoyle miss, but this time on Tethys.

L'Arachel left something alive!

...Ow.

Thank goodness that was a miss.

The missing is over.

Oh hey, the Tarvos had a friend in range.

Finally, our turn.

Artur will stay where he is and let the gargoyle come to him.

...Although Tethys is still in range. Ross goes for another peak, not having learned from the first.

Joshua taps this one.

And I think this is when I remember I need Innes/L'Arachel Support points.

Good opportunity for everyone else to catch up.

One goes down.

As does the other. No more Shadowshots!

Really got that one!

Imagine missing with the correct Reaver.

...I love that combination of images.

And that's Joshua taking an excellent level.

Tethys continues to be harassed.

Also Innes, but somehow I feel like no one cares about that.

Ross tosses an axe behind him as he walks over the mountain.

Phantom's turn.

The Phantom will bring Riev in.

Right, stop harassing Gerik.

...And give better level ups.

Dark rank!

Crit Bolting!

Somehow, L'Arachel catches that.

Time to withdraw for these guys.

Dang.

Right, we have Wights to take down.

...How is your HP that bad? Did Shadowshot do all that?

At least she gets something out of this.

L'Arachel is ready for her time to shine.

And only gets readier.

...Readier with treasure.

Knoll secures more heals.

And Ross just gets off the peak. He's not quite in Riev's range, and him baiting Riev would be bad news.

Not sure if that helps, but it can't hurt. She's so much stronger now than when she took the hit.

And sometimes she just doesn't even take the hits. Or she took a 0 from this guy.

Nosferatu time, and good thing to.

There can only be one person badass enough to handle Riev. (It's his only boss convo.)

L'Arachel didn't get the kill this time, but since she's an anima mage, her odds are somewhat better than in the Eirika run.

This is his general boss quote. I'm not actually sure why he says it to L'Arachel if he's already used his unique one, but it's a surprisingly fitting one for exactly that.

BURNING EARTH!

Next time: How on earth did I manage to stretch out to two parts with Riev in the middle?