Chapter 1: To Sofia!

Inside Rahm Village

Mycen:
Alm, take a rest.
Your sword training is over. Run off and play now.
However, don't go outside the village.
Mountain bandits have been loitering around this area recently.

Villagers:
Yo, Alm. You've come just in time.
You come listen to what this guy has to say too.

Luka:
That infamous General Dozer has finally initiated a coup.
Sofia's castle has been captured by Dozer's troops. The king's been killed as well.
Dozer is a cruel man. Many people are suffering every day.
We formed a liberation force to fight against Dozer, but unfortunately, it's not going too well.
Because of that, we came to ask General Mycen to lend us his strength.

[Upper left]
Villager:
Ehh, so your old man used to be a general?

[Upper right]
Villager:
Hey, Alm. The people of our country are in trouble. Let's go help everyone out, yeah?

[Lower right; entrance after talking to Mycen]
Villager:
We'll wait right here, so you go try asking your old man.

Mycen:
What? Join the liberation forces?!
Absolutely not. I won't allow it!!
You must not go to war. All you'll get from it is sorrow.

(Recruiting Luka)
Luka:
No good, was it? ... Too bad.
Sir Mycen, too, has grown cowardly in his old age.
To think that he was once esteemed by all the kingdom as Sofia's greatest hero...

Alm:
Wait -- I'll join the liberation forces in place of Gramps.

Luka:
Eh! You'll come in General Mycen's stead?
Thank you. My comrades will definitely be pleased as well.
Well then, let's go together to the liberation's secret base.

~ Soldier Luka joins the party ~

[Upper left]
(Recruiting Cliff)
Cliff:
Me!? ... What should I do...
Weeell, all right then, I'll go with ya.
But if I get in trouble you've gotta help me out.
We're not like you. We're not good at fighting yet, y'know.

~ Villager Cliff joins the party ~

[Upper right]
(Recruiting Robin)
Robin:
Alm, you're our leader, aren'tcha? Of course we're not gonna let you go alone.
Let's go take back Sofia's castle together.

~ Villager Robin joins the party ~

[Lower right; entrance after talking to Mycen]
(Recruiting Gray)
Gray:
Alm, I'm going too.
After all, this village of Rahm is bound to get attacked too at some point.
In that case, let's go beat up that Dozer or whatever first.

~ Villager Gray joins the party ~

Inside the Thieves' Shrine

(Recruiting Silk)
Silk:
I'm Silk, a priestess in the service of the goddess Mila.
I was captured by bandits and brought to this shrine.
Please, take me away from here.

~ Sister Silk joins the party ~

Inside the Southern Fortress

Claire:
Thanks. You've saved me. I'm Claire of the knights of Sofia.
I was captured by Dozer's soldiers and imprisoned here.
Clerbe, the leader of the liberation forces, is my older brother.
Since I'm returning to the base too, why don't we go together?

~ Pegasus Knight Claire joins the party ~

Inside the Liberation's Secret Base

Paison:
This is the secret base of the liberation forces.
Suspicious characters aren't allowed to pass.
Eh, you're new recruits? In that case, head on into the room inside.
But be careful, demons show up in the caves.

(Recruiting Clerbe)
Clerbe:
Ah, so you're Alm? Thanks for taking care of my little sister.
As expected of General Mycen's grandson, you're a brave one.
Well, Alm. I've got a favor to ask of you.
From today on, won't you act as our leader?
There's no one we can depend on now that the royal family of Sofia's been destroyed.
That's why we went before Sir Mycen, the great hero of Sofia, to tell him of our desires and beseech him to become our king.
But for some reason, the general refuses to step up.
Therefore, I would like you to command the liberation forces in his stead.
That will enable the rest of us to fight to our heart's content.
So, Alm. I'm counting on you.
Please save Sofia.

~ Knight Clerbe joins the party ~

(Recruiting Fols)
Fols:
It seems that Dozer's requested aid from the northern power Rigel.
Sofia's forces can't compare to the might of the knights of Rigel.
If the Kingdom of Rigel makes a move, we won't stand a chance.

Alm:
But the "Pact of the Gods" upheld by Sofia and Rigel means we shouldn't come to blows, right?
Our guardian, the Lady Mila, would never permit such a thing.

Fols:
Yeah, but see... There's a rumor, it seems, that Lady Mila's disappeared.
Hey, hey. Don't be so surprised. After all, it's been kind of weird lately, hasn't it?
Around here, the crops have been failing, and all that's showing up are a bunch of strange demonic creatures.
You can't help but wonder if the powers of Lady Mila, Protector of the Earth, are waning.
Well, if you go to the Temple of Mila, you should be able to find out if this rumor's true.

~ Soldier Fols joins the party ~

(Recruiting Paison, if you've recruited Clerbe)
Paison:
Eh, where's everyone going?
What? We're finally marching on Sofia Castle?
Then I'm going too.
Let's go for it -- for the liberation of Sofia!
However, Dozer's troops are pretty powerful.
It'll be dangerous if you don't watch out in particular for Slayder, the captain of the guards.

~ Archer Paison joins the party ~

Sofia Gate

(Opening)
Dozer:
Worms of the rebel forces!
You think you can defeat me?
Slayder, command the cavalry to scatter those bastards!

(Fighting Slayder)
Slayder:
Die, rebels!

(Upon Slayder's defeat)
Dozer:
What!! Slayder's been downed!?
Shit! Rebel bastards, I'll remember this.
I'm retreating. You men! I'm leaving this to you!!

~ Dozer runs away ~

(Upon Dozer's defeat)
Slayder:
Hehehe... Foolish bastards. What you just defeated was Lord Dozer's double.
Lord Dozer has already returned to his own lands.
I'll pay you back in full for this someday. Until next time!!

~ Slayder runs away ~

Inside Sofia Castle

[Center]
Woman:
You have my gratitude. Thanks to you all, Dozer's rebel army abandoned the castle and left.
They've probably fled to their own fortress in the forest to the west.

[Upper left]
Man:
It seems that Dozer's requested aid from the Empire of Rigel.
If that guy's fortress doesn't fall before the Rigelian army comes attacking, there'll be trouble afoot.

[Top]
Man:
You're General Mycen's grandson?
But the general shouldn't have had any kin...
N-no way, that rumor was for real!?
N... No, sorry. I don't know anything...

[Upper right]
Man:
Dozer is a blackheart. He secretly had all the children born to the royal family killed.
Sir Mycen, who tried to stop him, was instead charged with the crime and driven from the castle.

[Right]
Woman:
All the members of the royal family were murdered by Dozer.
Assuming she still lives, there remains only the princess whom it is said Lord Mycen took away with him immediately after her birth.
At least that girl...
If only Princess Anteze were still alive...

[Lower left]
Man:
Dozer escaped with the valuable "Royal Sword."
That was a gift sent by the Kingdom of Rigel as a sign of friendship in the past.
No normal person can use it. It's a special sword.

[Lower right]
Man:
If only you had this Ridersbane, you'd easily do away with enemy knights.
But since it's a lance, no one but knights can handle it.

[On the roof]
Mycen:
Alm, so you came...

Alm:
Ah, Gramps!! What are you doing at the castle of Sofia?

Mycen:
Fate is a cruel mistress. No matter how I struggle, destiny cannot be reversed.
That being the case, Alm, it's best if you follow the path that you believe in.
Release this land of Valencia from its cursed fate.
That is, you... as well as the red-haired girl who will soon visit this castle...
Perhaps that is the fate allotted to the two of you...