Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

We talk to Eleanor in front of a passable sailing ship. She asks us if the ship's okay for sailing.

Velvet: "You're surprisingly into this." Ikr?
Magilou: "Maybe you've got a criminal streak in you, after all."

Eleanor denies it. Velvet asks Eizen for his input. He gives the ship the okay!

Off to Lionel Island once again!

We make plenty of stop-overs before we meet up with the crew in the middle of the ocean before Endgand.

The ship's compass is very sturdy.

Eizen: (to himself) "If only my inner compass held as steady. From the first moment I laid eyes upon that daemon... I think I knew it was Aifread." So did I. But Eizen denied that daemon was captain and friend.

Laphicet: "After all, he taught you that the Reaper's Curse was part of you. Part of your creed."

Eizen tells a story about the captain and him being lost at sea for twenty days.

Eizen: "And all he [said was], 'You sure know how to liven up an adventure!'"

Phi considers him "incredible." Eizen compliments Phi for being Velvet's moral anchor.

Phi: "Only because you taught me how Eizen." Awww...

Phi: "'Your wheel is yours to hold', right?"

And we made it to Lionel Island, where the Van Eltia's docked!

---

The pirates didn't make it!

There's Kurogane and Benwick KO'd!

Kamoana and Medissa are still alive!

She tells us about the daemon Aifread!

Grim's also here too. If it wasn't for Zaveid, the crew would've been finished!

Phi's healing the crew...

Eizen: "This is all because I hesitated."

Zaveid and the daemon Aifread are fighting at the marsh.

One near-conscious pirate's happy to see Eizen...

Benwick's still wounded. He knows who the daemon is, but he tries to deny who...

Kurogane's up, along with Dyle. Kurogane mentions the daemon has "no style at all" in his fighting.

Kamoana's crying, telling Dyle not to leave her...

One pirate calls that daemon "the meanest foe they've ever faced!"

Medissa mentions that the Van Eltia was lured to Lionel Island by a coded message that only Aifread's crew knows.

I save before heading into the marsh.

---

So Zaveid and the daemon are at the second dead end, not where Teresa and Oscar are...

I get into a dangerous encounter...and I manage to survive!

At least the Abbey's barriers are gone...

I turn around and get some items and equipment from the Turtlez here.

Phi asks if that daemon's actually Aifread himself. Rokurou thinks Eizen only knows.

Eleanor thinks Aifread's strong will should've prevented him from being fully daemonic. It's probably because of what Innominat did to him on Hexen Isle...

Rokurou: (broods) "Even if you don't lose yourself, a daemon is a daemon. When you change, you're no longer human. I don't remember how I felt as a human, but I bet the human me would've thought I'm a real monster."

Velvet wonders if Aifread, if he were human, was obedient to the Abbey.

Magilou doesn't think so. Knowing Aifread, he's strong enough to resist malevolence. In Magilou's opinion, Melchior did something to manipulate Aifread.

Phi's worried about Aifread and Eizen.

Skit: Phi tells us to hurry up to go to Zaveid. Rokurou thinks Zaveid will probably "protect Aifread." He still wants a fight with him...

Rokurou:** "He's a daemon now. He's not Eizen's old buddy anymore."

Phi's still trying to think of a way "to make him...himself again."

Rokurou's resigned to Aifread's fate.

Rokurou: "The old Aifread's gone."

As for how Eizen's going to take him on...

Rokurou's expecting a fight with the daemon Aifread. He tells Phi to prepare for that outcome...Phi's still looking for alternatives...

On the way, I get more treasures such as a Con Fuoco for Eleanor, and a Francois Rabelais Sash for Velvet!

---

There's Zaveid and Aifread!

Rokurou asks how Zaveid is.

Zaveid: "Stop. I know these fists. This is Aifread."
Eizen: "Why didn't you fight back?"
Zaveid: "...He pulled me back from the brink. I owe him. This time, it's my turn to bring him back."
Eizen: "A daemon can never be human again."

Velvet looks away, at Phi.

Zaveid don't care.

Zaveid: "So what? That supposed to make me change my creed? What do you think, Aifread?"

Before Zaveid could power up, Aifread shoves him away!

Zaveid lunges at Phi, his fist flaming!

Eizen stops him!

Eizen: "Benwick and crew risked their lives by your side. Zaveid [...] stands by his beliefs. I won't let anyone trample their creeds [...] even you!"

Aifread uses Siegfried to power himself up!

Eizen: "I owe you everything, Aifread. And now, it's time to pay it back."

The fight is on!

Velvet asks Eizen about Aifread. He's fine.

Magilou: "He's a sturdy birdie!"
Eizen: "Damn right he is! And that's why I've gotta do this!"

After cutting his health down below half, Aifread unleashes his Mystic Arte: Bone Skewer!

Now we finish Aifread off. I wish I finished him off with Rangetsu Heron, though...the conditions to activate that move are super tricky...

---

Velvet: "End of the road."

Aifread charges again! Eizen tries to hold him, but no good!

Aifread's still focused on his given task to take care of Laphicet! He now has him! No...

Eizen: "Taking hostages now?"

Phi apologizes and tells everyone to leave him!

Phi: "I'm prepared for whatever happens!" No...

Eizen accepts it. He flips his coin.

Eizen: "You're grown. You're a man now. Family, friends, everything I ever tried to hold onto...All of it trickled away, fell from my grasp...But [someone] once told me, 'If you can't hold something in your hand, then make a fist and take it by force!' This fist will take everything back! Just like you told me to!"

Eizen charges! Phi headbutts Aifread and punches Aifread in the gut!

Aifread: "I know this fist...it's you...Sorry...caused you a lot of trouble, didn't I?"
Eizen: "Don't worry about it. We're friends right?"

He's about to fall, but Eizen stops him.

Phi unleashes his flames! Aifread's cured of daemonblight!

Magilou and the rest of the party can't believe what Laphicet just did!

He heals Aifread.

Aifread: "Forget it. It's too late."
Phi: "I'm sorry...if I only knew...how to use my power..."

---

Phi heals Aifread again...

Phi can't believe Aifread's gone...

And Eizen and the crew looked for him for over a year too...

Aifread points out Eizen being "soft."

Aifread: (to Phi) "I'll let you in on a little secret...your power comes from being part of Innominat." Already knew that.

Aifread: "...If you can seal off his domain, you actually got a chance of putting up a good fight...the four elemental Empyreans, sleeping in the earthpulses...If you can rouse them from their slumber... Hurry...the Shepherd and Innominat are getting ready for some 'Ceremony of Suppression'. It's now or never, kid. I'm just sad I can't go with you...it sounds like a goddamn blast..."
Eizen: "I won't apologize."

Aifread puts his fist to Eizen's chest.

Aifread: "You shouldn't. I'm grateful. You always kept things from gettin' dull. If we ever meet again... let's raise some hell...Eizen."

He's gone.

Eizen: "Yeah, we will. See you, Aifread."

He was too awesome for this game...why?

Zaveid's up, and walks away.

Eizen: "I owe you one, Zaveid."

Zaveid: "We had a chance to bring him back. But you went and killed him...next time I see you, we'll settle the score. Between me and your 'creed'."
Eizen: "See you around, Zaveid."

We get a Bottomless Denore Bottle!

Back at the docks...

Now our next move is open to us: awaken the four Empyreans. But how to do it?

Magilou suggests "tickling their divine footsies with a feather."

Benwick knocks them both out! He asks what happened to the horned daemon...

Eizen explains. He then orders the crew to get Grim and get info from her about the four Empyreans...

He escorts Benwick out.

Phi asks Eizen if he's sure he wants to go with this. Eizen says yes.