Entrusted Hope/Story

Entrusted Hope - Opening

Reginn	*huff* *puff* We got here as fast as we could, but we're too late...
The bandits got here first. And it seems they have done their worst. We were a moment too late...		Harken
Isadora	There's no trace of them. Did they finish their looting and move on?
Curses! Why couldn't we have been just a little faster?		Wil
Nino	Wait... There are villagers over there! Maybe they're all right!
Let us go and see.		Isadora
Nino	...
Is something wrong, Nino?		Reginn
Nino	There's something strange about this village. It's too quiet...
They were just pillaged by bandits. What do you expect?		Wil
Harken	No, Nino's right. Something is off. ...But what?
Oh! Children! There are no children!		Nino
Harken	The bastards not only took the village's supplies but kidnapped the children too...
We have to find them and get those children back right away!		Reginn
Isadora	I counsel caution. The bandits may well intend to ransom the children.
We can figure out where they're being held at the very least.		Wil
Harken	The bandits' hideout is in a cave halfway up the mountain, and it's a veritable maze. It will be difficult to navigate once we're inside.
No matter our move, we can't go ahead without serious consideration. This will not be easy.		Wil
Nino	I have an idea. I can pretend to be a child trying to flee and get caught by the bandits.
What? Wh-what do you mean get caught? What would you do then?		Reginn
Nino	Then I'll find where the children are being held, wait for an opening, and we'll all make a run for it!
Isn't that dangerous?		Wil
Nino	They won't expect someone who looks like me to work with the Order of Heroes! It'll be fine! If something happens, you can all come to my rescue. It hasn't been long since I was brought to Askr, but... None of you are strangers to saving me, are you? I trust you. Including you, Princess Reginn!
...Oh! Thank you, Nino!		Reginn
Harken	If you have faith in us, we have no choice but to try to live up to those expectations. I believe in you too, Nino. What say the rest of you?
...All right, Nino. We will leave infiltrating the bandit hideout to you. And if need be, we will bring our full collective strength to bear to save those children.		Isadora

Entrusted Hope - C

Wil	I hope Nino’s all right out there by herself. What if she’s been caught? Or tortured?
I’m sure she’s well enough! For now, all we can do is believe in her and wait.		Reginn
Isadora	We have to be ready to stage a swift assault on the bandit lair as soon as we get her signal. Reginn, you and Nino have to get the children somewhere safe. We’ll do the rest.
I’ll get it done! I can carry the kids on my Gullinbursti!		Reginn
Wil	Should I have gone with her? I’d only look like a normal villager to them... They wouldn’t think I’d have anything to do with an order of legendary heroes!
As an adult, you wouldn’t just get captured like the kids. Bandits aren’t going to be gentle!		Reginn
Wil	Hmph... W-well, in that case, I’ll start preparing my bow.
Nino was part of the Black Fang. She knows how to conduct an infiltration mission. But even if she was a member of the Black Fang, she’s also one of us—a Hero.		Harken
Isadora	Still holding a grudge against the Black Fang, are you, Harken?
...		Harken
Reginn	...If you don’t mind my asking, what’s your history with the Black Fang?
The Black Fang answers to a mage called Nergal. They’re to blame for the deaths of many of my comrades. I infiltrated these knight-slayers and waited for an opportunity to exact my vengeance.		Harken
Reginn	...And there are members of the Black Fang who serve under the Order of Heroes, right?
There are. But there are more important things than holding old grudges. For now, we ought to focus on saving Nino and the children.		Harken
Reginn	Right!
I will go it alone from here on. The rest of you need only follow the plan. We will meet again.		Harken
Isadora	Harken, give me your word you will not do anything reckless...
Of course. I won’t let anything get in the way of what we need to do. You need not worry, Isadora.		Harken

Entrusted Hope - B

Nino	Hm... Going well so far... They didn’t have to tie my bonds quite so tight though. Ouch. I’ve got a pretty good idea how many bandits are here though, so... All I need to do now is cut this rope and make my way out... ... ...Guh! This rope is thick! And tight! I don’t have what I need to use magic... Is there any other way I can cut this?
Sounds like my sword might come in handy.		Harken
Nino	Y-yes! Thank you! ...I’m free! Wait—Harken?! What are you doing here already?!
Shhh... Lower your voice. Infiltrating enemy camps and killing commanders are two of my specialties. I snuck in while the bandits were busy focusing on you. The honorable way to fight is face-to-face, head-on, but this isn’t for honor; I’m here to save an ally. I’ll choose stealth over honor if that’s what’s at stake.		Harken
Nino	Oh, thank you! I knew I could trust you, Harken! Now, I know where the children are. Let’s go save them!
The entrance I used is back this way. Once we’re ready to escape, you can signal from there.		Harken
Nino	Right! Let’s hurry!
The signal! There! That’s Nino’s signal!		Wil
Reginn	We see it! You don’t have to keep yelling about it...
It seems Harken’s plan worked... Now then—it is time to attack!		Isadora
Wil	They will witness the bow skills I’ve been granted through practices from the Manual of Knightly Prowess!
The...Manual of Knightly Prowess? ...What is that?		Reginn

Entrusted Hope - A

Isadora	In the name of the Order of Heroes, this banditry cannot be allowed to stand!
Here they come! We may be few, but we are strong! They will get what they deserve for ransacking that village!		Wil
Reginn	I’ll meet up with Nino and Harken and transport the children!
Be careful, Princess Reginn!		Isadora
Wil	I’ll cover you with my bow! Charge away!
I’m counting on you! I’m off!		Reginn
Harken	It seems the attack has begun. Nino, are the children—
All safe! We’re ready any time.		Nino
Reginn	Nino! Harken! Sorry for the wait!
Princess Reginn! Everything is ready to go now that you’re here! Everyone, to the metal horse thing! No need to rush, now. No pushing.		Nino
Harken	Nino, you go with Princess Reginn. I will watch your retreat. No one will pursue you.
All right! But don’t push yourself too hard. Let’s go, Princess Reginn!		Nino
Reginn	Hold on tight, everyone!
The brigands have noticed us and are preparing something, are they? I won’t let this plan fail here. Nino put herself in danger to make this happen... You bandits face a knight of Pherae!		Harken
Wil	The bandits stopped fighting... That must be the last of them!
The children got to safety, so what’s left?		Reginn
Harken	Is everyone all right? All the bandits have surrendered.
Harken! You’re safe!		Nino
Wil	Excellent! Victory is ours!
Everyone played their part well, and our strategy was a success. We had not a single casualty.		Isadora
Nino	Because we believed in each other to see the mission through. Legendary swords and tomes that command powerful spells are nice, but... they’re not worth much if you don’t have companions you can trust your life with.
Nino, I sense that you wield that weapon so effectively because of the value you place on comrades.		Isadora
Nino	E-effectively? I’m just...doing my best, like any other Hero. And I hope we can do even more together, side by side!
Nino! The mayor wants to thank you for saving the children!		Wil
Reginn	The children want to thank you too!
Really? I’m on my way!		Nino
Isadora	Nino is good. She’s direct, sure of herself... She can see what she needs to do in any given moment. She has...clarity. It may be the trust she places in her allies that allows her the freedom to be that way.
Hmm... She knows what she needs to do... She calls herself a Hero, right?		Harken
Isadora	She does. I did hear her say that.
The Black Fang are my enemies. But if they are fighting for the people who live here in Askr, I can overlook that... I have decided to call myself a Hero as well.		Harken
Isadora	If that is your decision, I will support it.
Harken! Isadora! Come with me, you two! Everyone wants to thank you too!		Nino
Harken	Shall we, Isadora? Let’s celebrate our moment of victory together with our allies.
Let’s. And let us also pray our bonds continue to be deepened, victory after victory.		Isadora

Scenario
Guiding Vision ←		Entrusted Hope		Hope Held High →
Harken	Wil		Nino		Isadora

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