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Mraaah! This wind's so strong, it's gonna blow me away! |
| It definitely sounds like howling. | You're too heavy to get carried by the wind, Grim. |
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A powerful wind blows from the Thunderclap Mountains through the narrow cliffs here. |
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Rgh... It's hard just walking. |
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As long as the wind's blowing, arrow shots and thrown rocks all fly wildly off course.
Not so for magic, though. This canyon's like a natural fortress for the fae. |
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Hm? I hear somethin' weird over the wind... |
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Something gargantuan is coming from beyond the canyon! Is that a rock golem?! |
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No... I smell iron and oil!
Get ready for battle, everyone! |
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Begone, you metal monster!
Hraaah! |
Ironclad A |
The armored excavator's destroyed! |
Ironclad B |
That excavator was made from iron, but they cut it down like it was nothing! |
Ironclad C |
We stand no chance without it. Retreat! RETREEEAT! |
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What WAS that iron golem?! |
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- huff, huff* It had some sort of digging equipment attached.
|
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The ironclads called it an armored excavator. That suggest it's a machine designed for construction work. |
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Mrah... Oh yeah, I think I've seen things like that at construction sites in town. |
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They built a contraption just to dig dirt out of the ground? How bizarre. |
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How long have they had these things? Just 20 years ago, they were digging up dirt by hand with wooden shovels.
If they dig through mountains with these, the Thunderclap Mountains will be stripped bare in no time.
Lady Maleanor must hear about this. Messenger, notify her at once. |
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I smell like iron and oil from head to toe. I need to rinse this stench off... Yech.
There's a small lake just beyond the canyon. Let's set up camp there. |
Briarland - Campground (Night)
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Ahh, I'm stuffed. |
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It freaked me out when Lilia tried to eat a frog he snagged at the lake. |
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At least we averted that by rushing out to catch some fish... |
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Don't you boys know anything? That frog wasn't poisonous. |
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That wasn't the issue...
Ahem! Anyway, Fa—ah, Sir Vanrouge. May I ask you something? |
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Hm? Let's hear it. |
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I've heard your guardsmen and the ironclads mention Henrick and the Dawn Knight. Could you tell us who they are? |
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Hm. Guess they're not too well-known outside their own lands.
Henrick is the leader of the Silver Owls. He's as greedy and crass as they come.
He likes to stay holed up in their eastern stronghold. He barely ever comes out of it...
But he did visit Castle Wildrose once, with a letter outlining a number of demands.
Lady Maleanor refused to speak with him, of course. |
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He dared to bring demands when his men are the ones repeatedly damaging Briarland?! The audacity! |
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As for the Dawn Knight—he's the commander of the Silver Owls' guard.
The Silver Owls like to sneak into dangerous areas in search of metal and magestones.
Like direbeast lairs in the Thunderclap Mountains, or Howling Canyon's western side, crawling as it is with certain fae "bandits."
So they hire skilled and combat-ready guards.
And the Dawn Knight is the strongest of the lot by far. |
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He's formidable enough for you to call him strong? |
Flashback Start
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- silhouette of the Dawn Knight*
|
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He wears white armor, and he has golden hair reminiscent of the light of dawn.
Plus, he guards the stronghold on Cape Sunrise, at the eastern edge of our continent. Hence his monicker...
The Dawn Knight.
He's a master swordsman that has roughed up many of our allies.
Even fearless nocturnal fae turn tail and run at the first glimpse of his shining white armor and golden hair. |
Flashback End
| Have you met him? | I'm curious to see him now. |
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He was with Henrick on his visits to Castle Wildrose, so I've seen him...
But he wore a helmet, so I never saw his face.
Rumor has it he's quite handsome, and that some diurnal fae gave him the gift of beauty. |
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Ooh, blond hair and a pretty face? Maybe he's like Vil. |
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HMPH. Who cares about beauty? Strength is all a knight should require!
And no one on this continent could possibly excel beyond Lilia, General of the Right, in that regard. |
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I'd normally agree, but I've never crossed swords with the man, so I wouldn't go making any sweeping claims.
He guards the eastern stronghold, which means he rarely shows up west of the canyon. I'd like to try my hand against him, though. |
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So once we reach the eastern stronghold, there's a chance we could fight this Dawn Knight? |
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Yeah, there is.
Raverne was the first envoy to bring Lady Maleanor's letter to the stronghold...
And it's speculated that he had a clash with the Dawn Knight himself. |
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Oh yeah, you've mentioned that Raverne guy before. Who's that? |
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Raverne, the Dragoneye Duke. He played a key role in our country's diplomatic missions.
He served as Lady Maleanor's eyes. He was her problem solver...and her consort. |
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So when she sent out that delegation that went missing... |
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Yes, he was the leader.
He was a nobleman, and you wouldn't find a finer envoy anywhere.
He flew off from Castle Wildrose, leaving his wife and their egg behind. He said he'd return swiftly... That was the last anyone saw of him.
Where in the world has he wandered off to?
Who does he think has to look after the princess and their egg while he's gone?
I'm really hoping this expedition will turn up a clue I can bring back to Her Highness... |
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...... *sniffle* *sob*
WAAAaaaAAAH! |
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Mrah?! Why're you bawlin' all of a sudden?! |
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How could I NOT?! When I think of how the royal egg and Her Highness must feel, having been left behind... Not to mention Lilia!
It's too much! Oh, I can't bear it! |
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Those are the times we live in. It's an all too common occurrence.
But who knows? He could just turn up on the castle doorstep again.
So I have to guard the princess and their egg with my life in the meantime.
That was the promise I made. |
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Father... |
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Hey, what did I tell you about calling me that? I'm barely 300, you know. |
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Oh, my apologies. It just slipped out. |
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This conversation's overstayed its welcome. Seeing you people reminds me too much of the past.
I'm going to bed. You should do the same. |
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...Have a good night. |
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