Previous Chapter: Chapter 13: The Price of Ambition      Next Chapter: Chapter 15

Masaki: So, do we know where Kirkus is?

Xenia: We’re searching, but we don’t have any information yet. Not all of Kirkus’s forces have surrendered, so there’s still fighting going on.

Masaki: As long as Kirkus is alive, there are people who will continue to follow his orders, huh.

Xenia: Outside the capital, the situation is still a bit messy. We can’t check in on of all the squads, and there are people summoned from the surface that we haven’t found yet, either. Further, we’ve received information that the Shutedonias forces may be returning to the continent in this confusion.

Carla: Do they still want something from Langran?

Xenia: They probably want to pick up the soldiers they left behind…. And it’s possible they’ll use this confusion to cause destruction.

Irm: … By the way, when can we return to the surface?

Xenia: Soon, the priests will leave the shelters and converge in the city, and with their power we can open a gate.

Masaki: (Shelters, huh. I wonder if Wendy is okay…)

Excellen: …. Masa, who are you thinking about?

Masaki: Eh? N-no one in particular….

Excellen: Hmmm? How suspicious….

Masaki: Anyway, that Ing kid did well. Is he going to continue fighting with us?

Rai: That’s what Captain Viletta plans, anyway.

Yuuki: I wouldn’t say he acted suspiciously, but the fact that he was able to handle his mech so well in his first fight….

Masaki: Aren’t there a lot of people like that in the Steel Dragons?

Yuuki: …It’d be great if he was just a prodigy.

Viletta: Everyone, take your seats.

Tetsuya: Lord Feil has issued new orders. A Shutedonias battalion has been spotted in Troiya, and fought with the units stationed there. After that, they went into hiding near Grimold Mountain, it seems.

Xenia: (Grimold Mountain…!)

Masaki: The fact that we were given orders… means that the folks at Troiya couldn’t handle it.

Tetsuya: Exactly.

Tsugumi: Is there something important at Grimold Mountain?

Tetsuya: I heard that there are Orichalcum mining points there.[1]

Mio: Orichawhat now?

Tytti: A special metal found in La Gias. This Pendant was made from Orichalcum.

Mio: Oooh, pretty!

Tsugumi: It’s so shiny![2]

Xenia: Orichalcum is light and strong, and it responds to spiritual energy, so we use it in the frames of Elementals.

Rai: It might be related to the Zol Orichalcum in SRX….

Xenia: I’ve only seen the data and not the full mech, but it does seem like you’re using La Gias’s Orichalcum. Maybe Kristoph brought it up to the surface….

Rai: (Which means…. He was involved in the SRX plan, too…?)

Xenia: Also… Here, when a man proposes, he gives the girl an Orichalcum pendant.

Shiro: Just like Masaki did.

Masaki: U-uh…

Excellen: Wow! Masa Proposed to someone?

Masaki: N-no!

Carla:  It’s suspicious to get so worked up over a joke… Does Lune know about this?

Mio: Oh ho? I wanna hear this, too….[3]

Masaki: Gah! This isn’t the time to be talking about that!

Tetsuya: He’s right. Stop the personal chatter, you guys. Feil believes the enemy’s objective is this hard-to-find Orichalcum, but he isn’t sure if that’s what they really want from Grimold Mountain.

Aya: Is there something besides the Orichalcum mines?

Xenia: It’s rumored that Grimold Mountain is where the evil god Sarva Volkruss sleeps.

Yuuki: An evil god… You’re saying something like that exists?

Tytti: We don’t know much about Sava Volkruss, but there’s an extremely powerful psychic force that’s been there since long, long ago…. Something like a ghost, we think.

Xenia: Or a soul with lingering psychic energy from one of the Giants.

Irm: The ancient race of Giants, eh? I guess this is a world where the supernatural is real.

Excellen: Does this remind anyone else of the Einst?

Yuuki: In any case, it’s a rather unbelievable story.

Tytti: But there are people, like Louzorl, who believe in Volkruss. And since the Harmonious Barrier isn’t working right now…. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were working to revive the evil god.

Masaki: And that might be what Shutedonias is after. But this time they’re really going beyond the pale.

Excellen: So instead of praying to god, they pray to this evil god? And can Volkruss be controlled by humans like that?

Tytti: I don’t think so. So it would be bad for Shutedonias, too.

Ibis:  How would you go about reviving Volkruss, then?

Xenia: I guess we have to go see for ourselves.

Masaki: …. Is there a shrine to Volkruss near the mountain?

Xenia: Earlier, when my brother ordered me to investigate Volkruss, I didn’t find anything suspicious … There was nothing about ruins or shrines written in the investigation reports from before construction of the mines…. but because of what’s been happening recently, I wasn’t able to conduct a detailed investigation in person.

Masaki: I guess we’ll find out when we go, then.

Tetsuya: Indeed. We’re going to Grimold Mountain. We set off at 1400 hours. You’re dismissed.

*At the mountain, in the bridge*

Eita: We are 5000 meters from the first mine. No enemy readings.

Tetsuya: Put the mine on the main screen.

Eita: Roger.

*it’s… a mine*

Tetsuya: It looks like a battle broke out.

Eita: Yeah… And you can see the wrecks of multiple units that appear to be Elementals.

Tetsuya: So something hit them out of the blue? The Hagane will wait at the mouth of the cave. Tell all units to deploy and explore the inside.

Azuki: Understood.

Tetsuya: It’s likely the enemy will try to ambush us. Be on the lookout for surface to air ordinance.

Chapter 14: The Fomentation of the Evil God

Mio: What a large cave. Even Elementals can easily move around in here.

Tytti: It was made large to fit the mining machinery in it.

Xenia: But this mine was abandoned due to a huge cave in. In other words, the enemy’s objective isn’t Orichalcum….

Masaki: Are those Shutedonias idiots really planning something with Volkruss…?!

Freki[4]: Something’s wrong, Lady Tytti. There appears to be no spiritual energy at all in this cave.

Tytti: ….!

Presia: *Sniffle*[5]

Masaki: What’s wrong, Presia?

Presia: It feels wrong in here… what is this place?

*OH SHIT IS THAT GUY*

Louzorl: So you’ve arrived.

Masaki: Louzorl!

Xenia: If he’s here… Then this place IS a shrine to Volkruss!

Louzorl: Indeed, such a place exists inside this cave.

Tytti: Are… Are you trying to revive Volkruss there?

Louzorl: Indeed. But to be more correct, it’s a substitute body for Volkruss.

Tytti: Do you understand what will happen if you do this?!

Louzorl: Did you forget what they call me? The devil priest, the one who serves Lord Volkruss’s darkness. It may just be a substitute body, but because I entered into a contract with Lord Volkruss, I am easily able to control such power…. And with that power, I will plunge the world into chaos… that is my intention.

Torres: What are you saying…?

Ing: …

Louzorl: (They seem stronger than before, but I do not think they aren’t going to be useful for Lord Volkruss’s resurrection…)

Masaki: Don’t move, you bastard. We’re gonna get you!

Louzorl: Impatient as always, I see.  I suppose I can let you play for a bit.

*Baddies oh noes*

Irm: That’s the Shutedonias battalion….

Masaki: You bastard, you’re working with them?

Louzorl: Well then, I will take my leave. Major Kanzort Jog, I leave the rest to you.

Jog: I told you not to use my full name!

Louzorl: So you did.  Good bye.

*and away he goes*

Masaki: Wait, Louzorl!

Jog: Sorry, you’re fighting me now. I’m not going to let you go any further.

Tytti: Stop this, all of you! Do you understand what will happen if Volkruss gets revived?!

Jog: Yes. Langran will be destroyed, and our country will no longer be threatened. Pretty good, if you ask me.

Tytti: You’re being deceived! Do you really think you can believe that Louzorl?!

Jog: You’re saying the same thing as him. Right now, we don’t have any other methods.

Tytti: if you do this, Shutedonias won’t be left unscathed!

Jog: As long as Langran is damaged, that’s fine by me. Begin the attack.

Chapter 14: The Fomentation of the Evil God

Victory: All enemies are shot down

Defeat: The Hagane is shot down

SR point: None.

*Masaki V Jog*

Masaki: You're just gonna let yourself be used by Ruozorl?!

Jog: Heh, he's the one being used! To bring down Langran!

*Tytti V Jog*

Tytti: If Volkruss is revived, many will lose their lives!

Jog: And how many have died from what the people of Langran have done?

*Mio V Jog*

Mio: Doesn't this seem like a pretty petty reason to use an evil god?

Jog: What are you saying? We're just following our orders!

*Shoot down Jog*

Jog: Grr, now you’ve done it! But we’ve bought enough time! Retreat!

*Rest of ‘em*

Eita: All enemy signals in the cave are gone!

Masaki: We’re not done yet! Let’s hurry to the shrine further in!

*Said shrine has SECOND DEPLOYMENT ZOMG*

Aya: This is a shrine to Volkruss….!

Masaki: Louzorl!

Louzorl: My, my, I would have liked if Major Jog would have bought me more time…. But if they’ve come this far, I don’t have a choice. I’ll have to hurry and remove the seal.

Masaki: We won’t let you!

Louzorl: I should mention one thing. When I said I could control Volkruss, that wasn’t the whole truth.

Mio: Eh?!

Louzorl: I said that so the people from Shutedonias and surface people would help me. As soon as Volkruss awakens, he will destroy everything.

Ibis: !!

Louzorl: This shadowy facade of Volkruss has no intellect. It simply has the impulse to destroy.

Carla: And you’re going to revive that kind of monster?!

Louzorl: All things are equal in death. I enjoy this ultimate, unavoidable truth.[6]

Viletta: So your goal is to destroy everything?

Louzorl: … In any case, please be a suitable opponent for Volkruss’s facade. I’m afraid I must be getting along now. There are so many left to revive… I’m so very busy.

*poof*

Gold: Did he say he’s going to revive more of them?!

Rio: He doesn’t care what happens after Volkruss takes physical form?!

Ryoto: His real goal was breaking the seal. The substitute appearing is probably just a side effect of that.

Presia: M-masaki… I’ve got a really bad feeling…

Masaki: You said that before too. What is it?

Presia: I don’t know…

Mai: Ugh…. There’s a strong physic force… building…

Masaki: It’s coming!

*Gross it’s a crabscorpionskull man thing*

Rio: Th-that’s Volkruss…!

Excellen: Yup, that’s an evil god all right.

Irm: Well, yeah. I’d be more surprised if something cute suddenly appeared.

Masaki: If that gets out of the shrine, it’ll be big trouble! We have to do something!

Ibis: B-but can we even kill something like that?

Xenia: We have 3 Elemental lords, so we have a chance!

Masaki: Yeah, let’s give it a shot!

Viletta: Don’t be reckless, and fight safely. But if we hold back at all here, we’ll lose.

Masaki: I know enough to not be shot down in a battle!

Part 2:

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies

Losing condition: any allied unit is defeated

SR point: Destroy Volkruss’s 3 bodies on the same turn.

*After one turn*

Eita: We’re picking up the readings of two Elementals inside the shrine!

Tetsuya: Don’t tell me it’s that squad from earlier?

*Nope they’re cool*

Rai: It’s Shutedonias units!

Masaki: These guys don’t know when to give up!

Rodney: That’s Volkruss! Where did that Louzorl go!?

Mio: Oh, it’s that old guy!

Masaki: The one we encountered way back in Troiya….

Rodney: Oy, Masaki Ando. Do you read? This is Rodney Jesuha. I’m helping you take down Volkruss.

Masaki: Wha?! Seriously?!

Elis: General Jesuha!

Rodney: I’m no longer a General. It’s Colonel now, after that demotion.

Elis: Don’t wiggle out of this one! They’re our enemy!

Rodney: You moron! If that monster gets out, it’ll cause problems for our homeland, too! I came here to beat some sense into that lughead Jog, but he’s already skedaddled.

Ellis: …!

Rodney: And Troiya’s where I was born. I don’t like it, but I’ve got to help them.

Ellis: Roger. I spoke too harshly. Sorry.

Rodney: It’s fine. So, Masaki Ando, just this once, we’re teaming up.

Masaki: Yeah, I got it!

*Excellen V Volkruss*

Excellen: Now let’s defeat these monsters and rescue the princess! Wait a minute, there’s no princess, is there?

*Masaki V Volkruss*

Masaki: That’s no god! It’s just a monster! I’ll rip it apart!

*Tytti V Volkruss*

Tytti: That’s not a god, it’s a Yotsenheim Giant…. How disgusting.

*Mio V Volkruss*

Mio: God, it's so gross! Get it outta here!

*Presia V Volkruss*

Presia: A-are we really fighting that? It's so creepy...

*Xenia V Volkruss*

Xenia: The manifestation of ancient malevolent thoughts, from long ago... We need to investigate this thoroughly to find the truth.

*Rodney V Volkruss*

Rodney: That big ol' mess ain't gonna take care of itself! Lets get 'em!

*Elis V Volkrus*

Elis: Volkruss... That ominous monster there is supposed to be a god?!

*Irm V Volkruss*

Irm: Well, I guess it's to be expected that this kind of world has this kind of monster.

*Yuuki V Volkruss*

Yuuki: Given the kind of world we're in, of course there's monsters like this...!

*blow ‘em all up*

Eita: We’ve destroyed all the Volkrusses!

Rodney: Whew… that was rough.

Masaki: We still need to restore the seal. Tytti, please.

Tytti: I got it. Goddess, sealing mode… Prana density, 7.8. Beginning high energy transfer.

*pretty lights*

Tytti: The seal is complete. I used Gragios’s sealing techniques, so Louzorl shouldn’t be able to unseal it again.

Rodney: Well, that’s settled. I’m off. Next time we meet, we’re enemies. Though it’ll be hard to hate ya.

Masaki: I guess so. Stay healthy, old man.

Rodney: Who’s an old man!?

Gold: Lord Masaki, can we really let him go?

Masaki: Yeah, they did help us, after all. Besides, we don’t have the resources to start another fight.

Rodney: Same here. But don’t call me old man.

Masaki: Whatever. Just get outta here.

Rodney: Yeah, you did good, kid! See ya!

Mio: He’s a pretty likable old guy, huh.

Tytti: Indeed. We don’t stop to think about the people we fight when we fight nations… It’s a shame.

Xenia: In any case, we should contact my brother, and put some security around this area.

Masaki: Yeah. And put those fragments of Volkruss down.

Xenia: Ah?!

Masaki: Seriously! I’m betting that monster could regenerate from even a small part of its remains!

Excellen: Yeah, just like the Einst.

Xenia: I... I know that. I just wanted to learn more about Volkruss’s real body.

Tytti: Just to be safe, lets burn this entire area with napalm.

Masaki: I’ll do that. If I use Cy-flash, it’ll make ruins out of this place.

*Hagane*

Carla: So if those were just substitutes, where’s the real Volkruss?

Xenia: Who knows… We’ll have to search.

Rai: According to what Louzorl said, there are substitute Volkrusses at other locations.

Masaki: If Shu’s working with them… I just can’t see him not being involved in this.

Carla: Does that mean Queen Monica and Lord Terius are safe?

Xenia: I’m worried about them, but there’s just too little information. I’ve tried finding out what Kristoph’s doing, but there’s no information anywhere.

Masaki: (Shu… What are you planning?)

Previous Chapter: Chapter 13: The Price of Ambition      Next Chapter: Chapter 15: Feil's Darkness

[1] MORE LIKE WORLD OF SRWCRAFT AM I RIGHT

[2] Bitches be all about the bling, ya’ll. Tyutti’s gonna be knee-deep in snatch.

[3] This is the face of Satan.

[4] Jesus I forgot she had wolves. That scared me.

[5] I’m not writing U, uuu…. Fuck that shit.

[6] He actually says to please enjoy this truth, I think.