#(Kliff doesn’t interrupt her this time because he wants to delay this as long as possible)

[jakiphyr]

Jak (re)plays Gaiden  [Part 03]

→ Previous installment: Yo, Alm!  Listen to this guy! (3x)

That rescue sure went silky smooth.  ]/steals joke from @azebraslife ]

—

[Game]

I’m heading on inside the Thief’s Shrine now to beat up some fruity exp bandits and recruit this holy plot importantz lady.

If Tobin goes archer in this playthrough, then I’m going to be happy because he’s going to need that SKL to flippin’ hit stuffs.

Awesome!  Kliff’s shaping up to be surprisingly—

What the froggy fuck?  Again?  Twice in a row?

Is this game trying to bless me or make my life harder down the road...?

Alm gets Role Model points for continuing to be an aspiration for the sweet kiddo.

I’m not quite sure how to train/deal with Kliff as a unit yet, but I’ll level him decently for now.  At least he can promote at this point.

Alm and Luckas both get luck.

The last squeezed in level ups from the first dungeon encounter.

Only two whole lines and the author gave her such a huge, important role in the story, god damn.  I find that vastly impressive.  I sincerely wish we got more of her angle in Shadows of Valentia in one manner or another.

Just for funsies, I decide to go up to the Mila Statue and see what the game’s RNG first class picks suggested.  I got: Mercenary Kliff, Cavalier Tobin, and Soldier Gray.  

Now it’s hellbent on Merc Kliff, Archer Tobin, and Mage Gray after 5 more times of talking to the statue-thing.

Anyway, I stop goofing around since I didn’t confirm any classes for them — least not juuuust yet.  I will only proceed after I dig out what the novel has them promoted into...

—

[Novel]

Chapter 1 - Liberation Army Part 1-3: Mysterious Girl Silque

[ Warnings for mild blood. ]

Clair’s capture and Mathilda’s disappearance following it are still unknown to Lukas, that it may be too much to bear once learned.  Escaping from Mycen’s eyes, they set to march from Ram without waiting for dawn, not getting any sleep.  They stop to rest north of the woods because Lukas’ legs were sore and the three villagers were starting to lag behind, Alm was able to keep up the pace without delay.  Straight north is the coastal cave and they felt an evil aura from it.  Alm explains the burglary problem, which was why he accused Lukas of being one, since their hideout was so close by.  Within moments, shadows dart out from the bushes and surround them.  The thieves put up a fight until screams were heard, two bandits were killed the remaining four grew cowardly and ran away in the direction of the cave.

Lukas, Alm, Gray, and Tobin take off after them.  Kliff watches then talks to himself in a quiet yet heavy voice.  “I know Alm’s tragedy, no one can change his destiny.  It will be a huge tragedy that will impact the world.”

Kliff heard stones falling from inside the cave and he went in the rift, the cold, damp air was felt in the darkness and he could not see, Suddenly there’s a flame in close proximity from a torch held by a hand. The first thing he saw was a girl’s face being illuminated, and there’s a bandit holding her hostage with an arm around her neck, threatening to kill the priestess if he took another step. When Kliff did hesitantly move a little, the bandit makes a display by pressing the dagger’s edge to the girl’s throat that he was serious about the death threat.  Immediately, Kliff drives his sword into the bandit’s thick arm, forcing him to let go of the poor priestess who then hid in the dark and ran away.  The torch’s flame blew out as the burglar and Kliff got engaged in a fight.  The thief slashed his dagger into Kliff’s stomach giving him a deep cut and at the same time Kliff manages to knock the enemy down, disarming him.  Ignoring the pain and the bleeding, Kliff went over quickly to slam the hilt of his blade against the back of the bandit’s head to dispose of him, then Kliff collapses on the ground.

The girl comes back out, rushing over to Kliff’s side.  She says her name in a prayer in the service of Mila and to get Mila’s protection upon the injured villager to heal him.  A ball of light surround Kliff and he was surprised to see no scar remaining on his belly after Silque was done with her white magic. The others show up after defeating the bandits from where they were and went to thank Silque for her assistance.  Tobin says helping a priestess is the highest honor.  She volunteers to go with them as a Sister of Mila which was met with refusal from Lukas who warns her that liberating Zofia is their mission, that if she doesn’t want to lose her life in the conflict, it’s best to stay out of it.  He also brings up that she may also be an enemy. Gray grabs at Lukas, hoisting him off the ground with his strength, yelling at him they should bring her along because she helped heal Kliff and she would be a valuable vitality to the team.  

Silque politely interrupts, thanking them for their thoughts and concerns, she explains that she got there due to the Mila Shrine deep within the cave and she was visiting to do her duties as a priestess.

She guides them further inside to an area dimly lit by sunlight through the small peephole through the rocky side.  The morning sun’s light sweeps in softly like snow, illuminating a Mila statue and two springs by the base.  Silque goes over to the fountain to turn the hand knobs and calls Gray up to be first.

Gray decides on the battle path of a knight and cleanses his hands in the fountain water as per the ritual.  Silque starts the rite with a chant - in power and will, may Gray rise as a knight in the blessings of Mila and Duma.

(Yes, Duma. 「ミラとドーマ」is in there in the text.)

Threads of light begin to wrap around Gray like a yarn ball until it looks like a full cocoon.  There are faint screams and the underside of the light cocoon gets stained with blood. One of Gray’s muscle tendons were cut as a mid-process side effect of taking in the blessings (it gets fully healed afterward).  Silque summons a horse.  Gray comes off the stage with a more beefed up body fitting of a knight’s stature. 

(Don’t ask me what the bloody hell happened with Gray.  I thought he was getting turned into a centaur while reading it...)

Tobin and Kliff both get up on the stage after Gray, going into the rituals one after another.  Tobin decides on the bow style, blessing him the way of an archer.  There’s a tormented feeling going high-speed in his dominant arm’s muscles that only last some moments.  Kliff wishes for magical ability and prowess, making him a mage.  Cliff gets a sharp headache that was difficult to bear with until it was over.  They step away from the stage to get a feel for their newly adjusted bodies and group hug each other and celebrate in joy.

Lukas puts his hands together to pledge in silence, sending a prayer where he swears to free Zofia.  Silque cleanses her hands for the fourth time and looks over to Alm, asking him if he will also volunteer for the promotion.  Alm does not answer as he and the statue stone are having a staring contest, and he feels it deep within his gut that it is not that time yet.  He wasn’t fascinated by the pain of the promotions, and he doesn’t fault his friends for their desperation [on wanting to gain power and will]. Alm believes that initiation came from either the Mila’s servant or the Goddess herself, so he listens to it and tells Silque this.  

The morning sunlight gets blocked from the outside from falling rain.  Silque has some symbolism monologue about rain equating either the heaven’s joyful tears or the rain of sadness over Alm’s future and believes it may be the latter. She reminisces on the reason she swore herself as a Sister of Mila - it is to protect Zofia and the Mother.  She then tells him, “Sir Alm is a special person, I vow to serve him for life.”

Kliff watches Silque’s expression with unease, he casts his gaze downwards and chews on his fingers.  In the cultural custom of Ram Village, it is a behavioural sign of jealousy and troubled love.

—

[Game]

I’m going to cheer on for Kliff becoming a strong boy.  He hurt a damn man.

Okay!  So I’ll go promote Kliff into Mage, Tobin into Archer, and Gray into...

. . .

?fuck the What.|What the fuck?

But.

Wait...

This knight... 

Freshly Buff Binch On Mila Steroids gets a horse.

Stay tuned on: How long will I use him as a unit for when Mathilda and Zeke exist?

The being in pain from getting promoted thing makes some sort of sense when you factor in the gameplay stat gains, so I guess that’s what’s going on there.

Doesn’t look like stat booster springs were used, so it’s freedom of my choosing.  I won’t use them yet until I pick up Clair and do some grinding.

For their promo gains:

Mage Kliff gets +1 SKL, +2 SPD, and +6 HP.

Archer Tobin gets +1 STR and +1 HP.

Knight Gray gets +1 SPD.

Posting these stats for reference to compare for when I go grind.

—

＊Note: Chapter 2 covers Celica’s departure, so I’ll be skipping it to Chapter 3 where it starts with Clair’s rescue.  I’ll get back to Chapter 2 for Act 2.

 → Next installment: Rescue Clair  [coming soon]