Screenshot Dakota's War Journal (Semiblind Fire Emblem Fates RP/LP) (Send me your castles!)

[Alastor15243]

Perhaps the Before Awakening freebie? Could be a fun bit of meta-interaction.

Perhaps. Or... perhaps it could be something else...

Anyway, I thought I'd give my two cents on how I personally think I did with this volume and what my experience writing it was.

I'm fairly proud of what I accomplished overall. I think I succeeded in telling a compelling story. However, were I to redo some things, I do have some self-criticism:

1: I feel I may have made the writing a tad too verbose at times, specifically at the wind tribe incident (which was otherwise one of my favorite chapters I've done) and that one or two of the speeches weren't sufficiently personalized to the speaker overly well, mainly with characters who didn't get that much focus otherwise, like Sakura and Ryoma.

2: While this was largely unavoidable since I didn't work out what I wanted to do until late, I didn't pace the exposition quite properly and that I crammed a lot of it into the final stretch.

3: When things started getting really really dark I feel like Dakota's monologues started getting a bit repetitive. I still feel that what I did during the wolfskin incident was my best moment of "despairing Dakota" narration, and I wish that a bit more inspiration similar to that came to me. But honestly the funk Dakota got herself into was at times kinda unpleasant to write through, largely due to lack of experience and practice with scenarios that crushing.

4: There were some plot threads from volume 1 involving the Awakening characters that kind of got flung to the wayside when the plot got derailed. I think I still have time to wrap those up however. In fact while I wish I had mentioned them a bit more in the second half of Conquest, there's also a benefit to leaving them all to the last volume so that Dakota doesn't wind up repeating anything she does to bring this stuff out now.

5: I honestly think that the second half overall would have worked much better if I had actually documented Dakota spending any time at all with the Hoshidan siblings in volume 1. As it stands we only have her word that she developed any significant affection for them that she didn't appreciate until she was put in this situation. Though I do have plans to make up for this and possibly use it to my advantage.

Aaaaanyway, those are my thoughts on how I did.

I'm still interested in hearing what everyone's favorite entry was though, and how it compares to their favorite entry from volume 1 :)

Edited August 24, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Prince Cavvy]

Realizing previous mistakes just means you won't make them again for the future ahead though, right?

Also, I liked Dakota's reactions to other avatars' castles, especially their reaction to making the "bond units".

[sirmola]

I really liked Midori's paralog for some reason. Not entirely sure why. Probably because it deconstructed a character who probably should not have been played for laughs in cannon. I hope you return to that thread in the third path. Honestly, the only one of your points that I really agree with is point 4. I think you are over-analyzing the rest of them.

[Alastor15243]

A fascinating glimpse into the writing process of Dakota's War Journal

Me: ...Ugh... this is infuriating... balancing the two sides' reactions is a massive hassle... Hm... nothing else for it, I'll have to play chapter 6 in advance. Maybe that'll give me some good ideas on how to tackle the siblings' behavior.

(Completes map, witnesses Ryoma and Xander's end-of-map behavior)

Me: ...Was I wrong then...?

...Aaaaaanywho, I've worked out what to do, and Entry 1 of Revelation should be released tomorrow. Fingers crossed, but I think this is gonna be a good one.

[Prince Cavvy]

Just out of curiousity, why does Dakota's castle keep changing, and why does it keep making it so I have to readd the card for the castle?

EDIT: Wait... I can have two Dakotas at the same time now? What is happening?

Edited August 28, 2016 by Knight of Shade

[Alastor15243]

Just out of curiousity, why does Dakota's castle keep changing, and why does it keep making it so I have to readd the card for the castle?

EDIT: Wait... I can have two Dakotas at the same time now? What is happening?

I started a Lunatic Nohr file and I updated my profile to get all of my visit and battle bonuses. Tomorrow, if I can complete this part on time, my Rev file should be the one you're downloading.

[Prince Cavvy]

Ah, that would explain it, then. I'll just wait until the official playthrough castle is up to visit it today, then.

[Julius]

Yesssssssssss

I've been waiting for this. I wish you good hunting.

[Alastor15243]

Book 3: Revelation

Entry 1

…

Dakota: Unnnnghhh... Ow... that... was a trip...

...Where... where am I...?

(Dakota picks herself up off of the ground)

Green grass... a patch of green trees... sunlight... I'm... not at the bottomless canyon? But that's the point where I'm supposed to go back! ...And I remember everything clearly, too! Where-

Dakota: ...Shit. (Opens up War Journal to current page) I almost forgot that you're back to your original form, War Journal. Damn it, I'm gonna have to go back to- (Dakota stops on the current page)

...Wait...

...You're still recording my thoughts, War Journal.

...And you're still dictating nearby actions. Did I... Did I bring Volume 2 with me!?

(Dakota flips through the pages)

...No. No, you have my pre-canyon entries from timeline one, only with me as a woman... and... a few entries from timeline 2... but nothing else. And especially not the all-important incriminating files, damn it all. Somehow... somehow your new magical properties... bled into your past counterpart...? Is that even possible? Did something go wrong with the time travel? Is this a glitch, or...?

...Wait...

...Where... where am I...?

...No.

No!

NO!

This is too late!

This is way too late in the timeline! I was supposed to have a few more days to plan!

I was going to explain the food crisis to the Hoshidans!

I was going to warn Takumi about the brainwashing attempt!

I was going to try and will myself to at least suggest a family picnic before Mother died!

Damn it... any second now they're going to make me choose...

...But what the hell am I supposed to do?

I need everyone on board this time.

I can't keep anyone out of the loop, and I can't alienate anyone.

But how!?

...Focus, Dakota. Calm down. It's simple.

You have volume 2 back at the time castle. You have the incriminating conversation, you have the catalogue of all of Garon's misdeeds. Two weeks are all it'll take to have access to that, and then you can peacefully convince all of your Nohrian siblings of his plot. Your Hoshidan siblings, on the other hand, need no such convincing that Garon is capable of something so evil. A few tidbits of future knowledge are all it'll take to convince them you're from the future. The choice is obvious. Side with Hoshido for now and have them help you buy time until you can expose-

...Wait...

...I'm... forgetting something here, aren't I...?

Something... really... important...

…

…

RIGHT! Leo told me what killed Sakura! He said it was... a “reflect cascade”?

Dakota: Leo.

Leo: What is it, Dakota?

Dakota: This is going to seem like a very strange question considering the circumstances, but I need to know, now: what exactly is a reflect cascade?

Leo: ...That's a fascinating topic, to be sure... but perhaps for another time. I'll tell you all about it after we've dealt with the Hoshidans and are back home in Nohr.

Dakota: Give me a quick summary. Now. Please.

Leo: ...Fine. If you must know, it's a dangerous form of magical backlash that happens when you attempt to cast an area of effect spell over an area where it's already active.

...No...

…No! It can't... that can't be...

No...

NO...

(Dakota falls to her knees in the middle of the Hoshidan fields, hands clutching her head in agony as she screams at the top of her lungs)

Xander/Ryoma: DAKOTA! What's wrong!?

Dakota: …

Dakota: I call for a truce!

Xander: A what!?

Ryoma: Dakota, you can't possibly be serious! After everything you've learned!? After everything that's happened today!? After they burned your mother to ash right before your eyes!?

Dakota: I know all of you are dead set on this, but you have to listen to me! This entire war is a sham! A conspiracy with motives more selfish and vile than you could possibly imagine! And no matter which side we're talking about, you have nothing to gain and everything to lose! I can explain everything, but I need time! If you can't agree to a truce, at least agree to a fifteen day ceasefire! That's all the time I'll need to show you all what's really going on!

Xander: Little princess... I don't know what lies those Hoshidan monsters put into your head over the last few days, but whatever you were told, you can't believe it! I resolved to shelter you from the true nature of this war... clearly that was a mistake. The sad fact, Dakota, is that we don't have the time for a ceasefire. Not anymore. Listen well! Our country is dying, gripped by a terrible famine! We begged our Hoshidan neighbors for aid dozens of times for six long years, and they killed every one of our messengers, messengers guilty of nothing but asking for food! And as if that weren't enough, when their vile king dumped their severed heads at Father's feet in Cheve, and our mother, Anastasia, tried to appeal to whatever decency that monster still possessed... she was cut down without warning by their heartless ninja!

Dakota: Xander, you have to believe me, that isn't true!

Xander: What!?

Ryoma: I can't believe you expected her to fall for such an obvious lie, Nohrian filth! You should have drilled it into her mind while she was still an impressionable child! It's too late now! She already knows the truth! King Garon called King Sumeragi to Cheve under the pretense of a peace treaty, only to have him murdered! And then he stole Dakota from us!

Dakota: ...Ryoma... I'm sorry... but that's not true either.

Ryoma: What... what are you talking about?

Dakota: There's no way that's what really happened. Or at least it can't possibly be the whole story.

Ryoma: How can you possibly say that!?

Dakota: Because it doesn’t answer one burning question! A question no account of that night I've heard so far has ever explained! The ultimate elephant in the room and the very first thing that any tale of that night’s events must address!

Ryoma: …And what would that be?

Dakota: What was I doing there in the first place, Ryoma!? Why was I, a six year old girl who couldn’t so much as lift a sword, cast a cantrip or heal a papercut... Why was I hundreds of miles away from home and in a potential war zone!?

Ryoma: ...What are you talking about!? Father brought you-

Dakota: Do you honestly believe that, Ryoma!? I know more about our father than you think I do. I know about our grandfather and his oppressive regime, the one that Hoshido has been guiltily living in the shadow of for decades. I know how Sumeragi finally overthrew him. Any man capable of that must have been a military genius, or at the absolute bare minimum, he must have been competent! How could you possibly believe such a person would ever do something so monumentally insane as to bring a defenseless child, their own child, no less, into a foreign, insecure land where she could be in mortal peril at any given moment!? What intelligent man, what loving father would dare do that!?

(Ryoma is stunned, unable to respond. He hangs his head down in thought for a moment, but, apparently remembering where he is, returns his gaze to the enemy. Xander, after a long silence, finally speaks up:)

Xander: Excellent point, Dakota. I don't know why he chose to bring you there, but it's as you say: no loving father would ever do what he did. And though I know it must be painful to hear... that's the answer. Your birth father was a heartless man who cared nothing for his own children. His reasons died with him, but he clearly didn't care if you lived or died. In fact you would have died, had Anastasia not used the last of her dying breaths to save you.

Ryoma: LIAR!

(Xander extends his hand, desperation in his eyes)

Xander: But little princess... please... believe me when I say that this changes nothing! I don't care who your father was, you're my sister! You're our sister, and not once have I ever let the shadow of your father get in the way of that! None of us have, and surely twelve years have been long enough to prove that to you! Please! Come back to us!

Dakota: ...Xander... I want you to know, no matter what happens next, no matter what I'm about to say... I feel the same way. Now please... be strong, brother... I'm about to say some things you aren't going to want to hear...

I have to tell them all here, War Journal.

I have no choice.

Fate has forced my hand.

Sakura: ...Um... Big Sister...? I... I don't understand what you're trying to say. Y-yes, Father bringing you to Cheve was... a little weird... but what does that mean? I mean you can't be suggesting that you weren't actually there, can you? Even the Nohrians are saying you were there, and how else would you have been taken to Nohr?

Dakota: ...Sakura... yes, I was taken to Cheve. But not by King Sumeragi.

Ryoma: What are you talking about-

Dakota: Ryoma, think back! Did you actually speak with our father the day he left? Did you ever actually hear him say he was taking me?

Ryoma: ...No... not that I can remember...

Dakota: See? And again, there was no reason for Sumeragi to bring me. In fact, I can only think of one reason why anyone would bring a child to a battlefield.

Ryoma: ...And that would be...?

Dakota: ...As a hostage, Ryoma.

Ryoma: ...What!?

Dakota: King Sumeragi wielded the mighty Raijinto. He was a swordmaster, and the army that Garon brought was mostly bowmen. With the proper guard stance partner, which he almost assuredly would have brought, it would have taken hundreds of bowmen or some ridiculously lucky shots to take down such a man, and even then it would have been a slaughter.

Ryoma: Dakota, how do you know all of this!?

Dakota: I'll get to that. The point is, it's extremely unlikely Garon and his forces would have won an actual fight against Sumeragi. And that's assuming his reaction to an ambush in enemy land wouldn't be to immediately retreat, which would have made killing him even harder. But if someone were to have me as a hostage... that's an entirely different story.

Ryoma: But nobody from Nohr could have possibly made it all the way into Shirasagi to kidnap you!

Dakota: Exactly.

Ryoma: ...Dakota... are you suggesting that someone from Hoshido... betrayed our Father!?

Dakota: Yes.

Ryoma: Who!?

Dakota: Who else could it have been!? Who was the the only Hoshidan survivor of that battle who was in any position to cover up what really happened!? Who did your father trust above all else!? Who is the commander in chief of all of Hoshido's spies, has gone on several missions deep into Nohr, and yet has told you next to nothing about Nohr's living conditions or motivations!?

(Ryoma, shocked beyond words, slowly turns around to stare straight at Yukimura, adjusting his glasses with a severe frown, his eyes obscured by his glasses' sheen)

Ryoma: ...No...

Dakota: Ryoma, please, listen to me very carefully. The people of Nohr are not your enemy, King Garon is. Nohr's people, and even its soldiers, are simply terrified, desperate people, starving because of a famine, one that King Garon himself caused. He's been lying to his people for years now, stirring them into a vengeful frenzy by making them think that you've been refusing to help them when in fact their pleas for help never reached your borders. All to start a war.

Xander: DAKOTA!? What are you saying!?

Ryoma: ...For what purpose?

Dakota: Garon has in his possession an amulet that will destroy this world and give him the unlimited power of a god, but to use it he needs to reap the souls of a continent at war!

Camilla: Dakota, stop! You... this... this is madness! You can't possibly mean any of it!

Dakota: But I was a fool to think he could have done it alone! Such a vast act of deception could not have been done entirely from within Nohr! King Garon needed powerful allies in Hoshido to help him keep the Hoshidans from learning about the famine, or a single offer of food aid would have ruined his entire plan! ...But that's not all... there was another reason why he needed Yukimura... with King Mitsurugi's imperialism and genocide still weighing heavily on your nation's heart, your people would never go to war with any even remotely sympathetic enemy! No, to get the brutal battle Garon required, to make the Hoshidans well and truly battle Nohr with all of their might, the Hoshidans needed to be convinced that they were fighting an objectively evil foe! And that's why Yukimura kept the truth of Nohr's motives from the royal family for all of these years!

Yukimura: ...May I speak?

Ryoma: ...Of course, Yukimura.

Yukimura: Thank you, my liege. Obviously these claims are utter madness. A magical apocalyptic amulet? Harvesting the souls of the dead? I don't even know where to begin. And how, I ask, if indeed even half of what she said is true, did she come by this information?

Dakota: ...Everyone, I didn't want to tell you any of this before I could prove it, but I have no choice: I'm from the future. Two futures, in fact. I've tried to stop this war twice now, and both times it ended in disaster! And I can prove it too! That's why I asked for two weeks! I have copies of my magical journal from the future stored away, and in two weeks I can show them to you without causing a time paradox!

Yukimura: Are you listening to this, Ryoma? She's just piling on absurdity upon absurdity. I don't know why King Sumeragi chose to bring Dakota to Cheve, but surely, surely you can agree it's less ridiculous than this drivel?

Ryoma: ...Then why didn't you tell us about the famine in Nohr?

Yukimura: Simple: Because there isn't one. I'm afraid it's just another elaborate Nohrian lie meant to prey on your compassion in order to lure you in and kill you, just like those monsters did with your father.

Ryoma: …

Yukimura: ...Still her words grip you. Then allow me to set your mind at ease. I am powerful and influential in Hoshido, certainly... but I'm sure that you must know I was not the one tasked with watching the young Dakota. Were there even a shred of truth to any of Dakota's mad ramblings, do you honestly think Dakota could have been kidnapped without anyone noticing?

Ryoma: ...No... no, that's absurd.

Yukimura: See? I trust that proves my innocence?

Ryoma: ...Of course. (Turns to Dakota) Dakota, I don't know what this mad game of yours has been in service of, but you've lost. Now stop being so foolish and come back with us!

Dakota: (Looks at Ryoma with a look of utter despair) …

Ryoma: ...What...?

Dakota: Ryoma... I am so, so sorry... But Yukimura's right. There's no way I could have been kidnapped without help. Someone must have assisted him in covering up my kidnapping. He must have had an accomplice. ...Or... more precisely... he must... (tears stream down Dakota's cheeks) ...He must have had a superior!

Takumi: ...No...

Hinoka: Dakota... don't... don't you you dare...!

Dakota: There's another piece to this puzzle. The true mastermind behind the Hoshidan half of this vile plot! The element of this whole conspiracy I've completely overlooked! The person who has been manipulating me behind the scenes all of this time!

Ryoma: Stop this madness at once, Dakota! You can never go back from what you're about to say!

Dakota: AND THAT MASTERMIND...

Sakura: (Screaming and crying) DON'T SAY IT!

Dakota: ...IS QUEEN MIKOTO OF HOSHIDO!

(All four of the Hoshidan siblings, as well as what Hoshidan soldiers Dakota can see, have a look of unmitigated shock plastered on their faces. Yukimura smirks with triumph.)

Yukimura: And like that, it all becomes clear.

Ryoma: You... how... how dare you... how could you possibly say such a thing about the woman who twice gave you life!? Have you already forgotten how she shielded you from your own sword's explosion using her own body!?

Dakota: Ryoma, think for one second! What was the point of such an elaborate assassination scheme!? Why didn't Garon just have his Mokushu allies assassinate her at that public event!? Why didn't he have those mysterious warriors just kill her with a normal weapon!? Why would Garon have sent me to Hoshido with such a weird and specific exploding sword and then have one of his assistants use it to kill her unless there was some reason for it!? Open your eyes, Ryoma, That weapon didn't kill Mikoto! It just severed her tie to the Fujin Yumi somehow! All so she could make herself a martyr and send all of the Hoshidans into a righteous fury!

(Ryoma is trembling with rage, tears streaming down his cheeks)

Dakota: On my second attempt at stopping this war, Sakura tried to re-cast Mikoto's barrier spell herself, only for it to backfire in a reflect cascade and kill her! Do you realize what that means!? It means that a spell that was tied to the caster's life force was still active, well into the war! And it never once stopped the Nohrians, Ryoma, I assure you! There is no barrier spell! There never was a barrier spell! It was just an excuse for Mikoto to paint herself as an incorruptible saint of virtue and further dehumanize the Nohrians by having the only enemy soldiers the Hoshidans would ever see literally be faceless monsters! Whatever that spell's true purpose, I assure you she lied to you about it!

Yukimura: Again with the claims of time travel, do you honestly expect that to count as proof to anyone?

Dakota: I told you, I can prove all of this, just give me two weeks and-

(Dakota narrowly dodges a blast of dark energy coming from behind her. She turns to see Xander, Siegfried at the ready, with a look of fury on his face)

Xander: I've heard enough. I don't know what on earth you're trying to accomplish by distracting us, and I don't know what sort of mind game the Hoshidans are trying to play with this charade of theirs... but I now know one thing without a shadow of a doubt... YOU... ARE NOT DAKOTA!

Dakota: ...Big Brother?

Xander: SILENCE! I can't believe I didn't notice it before. Your speech, your tone, your body language... you are not the little sister I bade goodbye to a week ago at Castle Krakenburg! The Dakota I know and love would never have said anything that you've said here today! She would never have spoken about our father in such a way! I don't know what you've done with my beloved sister, fiend, but I assure you I will get the answer out of you if it costs me my life!

Dakota: Xander, no! I know I've changed a lot, but you have no idea what I've been through in the past-

Yukimura: No, I believe the Nohrian prince has the right of it, actually. Ryoma, I hate to inform you of this, but mere moments before we arrived here, Dakota wandered into the trees back there and suddenly fainted. And then there was that ungodly scream we heard her let out, apropos of nothing, a few minutes ago. I think someone, whose motives I cannot fathom, has taken control of Dakota to try and manipulate us. (Adjusts glasses) Poorly.

Ryoma: ...Of course. I... I can't believe I actually thought my own sister would ever say such horrible things.

Dakota: RYOMA, NO!

Azura: ...Wait! If that's the case, bring her to me. If she's being brainwashed, my song can cure it.

Yukimura: I'm sorry, Azura, but I'm afraid we can't entrust that job to you. We have no way of truly knowing how effective it is at that. ...But there is a solution, my liege.

Ryoma: What!? Tell me!

Yukimura: ...The Hoshidan royal throne. It's imbued with ancient and powerful magic to ensure the leader of Hoshido is never brainwashed or replaced by an impostor. Any who sit on it shall, without fail, have their true form and mind restored. ...As a matter of fact... earlier today, the dear late Lady Mikoto attempted to get Lady Dakota to sit on it... and she refused. And she never explained why. And now I believe the true reason has become clear.

What...? What on earth is he getting at...? Surely he knows that lie won't stand up to a single sit-

Wait...

...Is he trying to get me to the Heaven Vein?

…

No...

Your future magic came back in time with me, War Journal...

Is it possible...

...Is it possible that my soul's kill count came back with me this time as well!?

CAN YUKIMURA SOMEHOW TELL!?

Xander: An excellent idea, Hoshidan rat. (Xander draws Siegfried and brandishes it at the Hoshidans) But I'm afraid we'll be the ones to enact it. The Nohrian throne has those very same powers. We'll be taking our sister, and whatever demon is possessing her, back home to Nohr where she belongs!

No...

Camilla: That's right. And if any of you even think of stopping us, I hope you're prepared to die!

NO!

Ryoma: NOT ON MY WATCH, NOHRIAN SCUM! YOU WILL NOT TAKE DAKOTA FROM US AGAIN!

(Xander and Ryoma both charge the bridge, with Dakota caught between them)

I...

I failed...

…

NO!

(Dakota suddenly triggers Dragon Fang, sprouts wings out of her back, and propels herself high into the air just as Xander and Ryoma get within inches of grabbing her. She can't control it, however, and soon starts careening headlong into the ground beyond the river's convergence upstream)

Dakota: AZURA! THE SILVERBIRD MUST FLY!

(Azura, shocked, runs across the river after her, using her powers to run along the surface of the water quickly)

Azura: How... how do you know that phrase!?

Dakota: You told me you'd believe I'm from the future if I told you that!

Azura: ...So... so it's all true...

Dakota: There's no time, we need to escape immediately! I know you know of a place they won't follow us! We're going there!

Azura: ...Right!

Xander/Ryoma: GET BACK HERE WITH MY SISTER, YOU FIEND!

(Jakob dashes over to meet Dakota)

Jakob: Milady! What on earth is going on? Why is everyone attacking you?

Dakota: I tried to expose a conspiracy to them and now they think I'm possessed. I can't go back to Hoshido or Nohr, or the world will end.

Jakob: The-The world!?

Dakota: ...I'm sure it sounds insane.

Jakob: Completely, milady. What are your orders?

Dakota: You're... you're with me?

Jakob: To the ends of the earth, my liege.

Dakota: Th... thank you...

Xander: Soldiers of Nohr, hear me!

Ryoma: Seize and subdue Dakota at once!

Xander: Bring her back, alive, at all costs!

Ryoma: We lost her once before, We will not lose her again!

Dakota: ...We need to take out the divisions being sent after us, and then run like hell for the bottomless canyon! Jakob! Azura! Get ready!

…

...Right. So... that's the situation, War Journal.

...This is the hole I've dug myself into.

And now there's nothing left to do but keep digging.

Not only do I have to defeat them before I can escape, but I need to buy time and ensure that no bloody battles happen and power up the amulet. But I can't add credence to the idea that I'm a demon either.

Just a few broken bones... Nothing lethal...

With the Hoshidan commander taken out, the remaining Hoshidan soldiers have been ordered to hold position for the moment. This gives me time to get Azura to safety before the Nohrian wyvern riders arrive.

Now!

Dakota: The way is clear!

Dakota: AZURA! JAKOB! RUN!

(Stop music)

Jakob: Milady, where are we going?

Azura: To the bottomless canyon. I'll explain when we get there.

Dakota: No, not just yet, if we go a little further I can teleport us out of here to the place I used to go back in time, and we can get some rest. But... it won't let me... which means somebody's nearby. Someone hostile.

(Dakota senses a disturbance in the air around her, and leaps out of the way just as a tree rises up from the earth beneath her feet, narrowly missing her. Dakota turns around.)

Dakota: ...Leo.

Leo: I'm impressed, “sister”. You managed to elude us for this long, on foot no less. But this madness ends now. I'm not letting you use my sister's body for your schemes a moment longer!

Dakota: Leo, you have to believe me, I am your sister! Everything I said before was true!

...Wait... that's it!

Dakota: Leo! The future “you” told me to tell you something!

(Leo pauses in the act of casting another spell)

Leo: ...I'm listening.

Dakota: You told me to tell you how... how we all finally managed to kill Garon.

(Leo's face twitches, but he says nothing)

Dakota: He got his hands on a set of indestructible armor powered by some kind of alien energy source, neither of light nor darkness, and we figured out that it could be neutralized by a chaos surge. We conspired to lure Garon onto the Hoshidan throne to use the Heaven Vein and some dark crystals to set one off. But we were betrayed, and the dark crystals were destroyed.

(Dakota gestures to her Yato)

Dakota: But thankfully your Brynhildr and Xander's Siegfried managed to activate the full dark power of my Yato, and I managed to thrust it into the heaven vein and make a chaos surge that way.

(Leo stares at her, completely speechless. His expression is inscrutable.)

Dakota: But you wouldn't explain to me why you told me to tell you that. ...Why did you?

(Leo draws his sword, absolutely livid)

Leo: WHY INDEED!? HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE I SAID THAT!? THAT I WOULD EVER BETRAY FATHER!? YOU... YOU... GET! OUT! OF! MY! SISTER!

(Leo lunges at Dakota, who is unable to fully dodge and gets cut severely in the side. Leo's sword is dripping with Dakota's blood)

Leo: PREPARE YOURSELF, DEMON!

Damn it...

DAMN IT ALL!

(Dakota fights back against Leo, fighting the pain in her side. Jakob joins in, and Azura assists from the sidelines however she can. Eventually, Leo is beaten back.)

Leo: ...You... you... you'll pay for this... I will have my sister back, I swear!

(Leo rides off)

...

...It didn't work...

Leo's plan...

...It... failed.

(The hostile presence gone, Dakota takes Azura, Jakob and herself back to the time castle)

Azura: Wh-what!?

Jakob: Milady, where are we?

Dakota: We're in-

(Dakota sees Lilith's temple, and freezes)

Azura: ...Dakota?

(Dakota stares at Lilith's temple)

Jakob: ...Milady?

Dakota: G... give me a second...

(Dakota, slowly, cautiously, approaches Lilith's temple... and walks inside)

…

...So... it's true.

You're... you're really gone.

You're... you're really... never... coming... back.

…

...Y'know...

Just now...

...Just now I realized... just how screwed I am, War Journal.

...I... I really am screwed, aren't I?

Lilith's dead.

Almost nobody believes me.

I can't go back to Hoshido or Nohr.

Garon and... Mikoto... and their minions... are completely in control of the situation...

The war will break out any day now.

...And no matter what I do... if they catch me...

...I'm already primed to start the apocalypse.

I have next to no allies.

Almost no way to gain more.

And now both kingdoms are out to capture me and unwittingly start the ritual.

Is there... is there... really any way I can stop it?

Is there?

...Really?

(Dakota draws Yato)

...Yes.

(Dakota grips it in both hands)

...There is one way.

...There is exactly one way to make absolutely certain the apocalypse never happens.

(Dakota places Yato over her heart)

...One way to make sure that Garon and Mikoto...

...can never use me...

...for their...

...ritual...

(Dakota lets out a half-hearted laugh)

...All of that effort to get me into the throne room...

...It's obvious, War Journal.

Garon and Mikoto...

...for the ritual...

...they need me alive.

...Well... you know what, War Journal?

FUCK THEM BOTH.

(Dakota stabs herself clear through the heart with the Yato)

...Game over.

...I win.

This... isn't exactly... the ending I would have asked for...

...But... it's... a happy one... isn't it?

For the world, anyway.

...Maybe not for everyone...

...definitely not for me...

...But... the world will survive.

...And besides...

...maybe...

...after everything I've done...

...this...

...is what I deserve...

...Goodbye, Xander... Camilla... Leo... Elise...

...Goodbye, Ryoma... Hinoka... Takumi... Sakura...

Goodbye...

…

...No...

NO!

(Dakota's eyes thrust open, full of fire, as she reaches out towards the concoction she was carrying that rolled along the floor when she fell)

What was I thinking!?

(Dakota drags herself along the floor, the Yato still pierced through her, towards the bottle)

WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!?

THIS ISN'T WHAT LILITH DIED FOR!

IF I GIVE UP HERE...

(Dakota reaches the bottle)

IF I LET IT END LIKE THIS...

(Dakota seizes the Yato with one hand)

EVERYONE I'VE EVER LOVED WILL DIE!

(Dakota pulls with all of her might, and yanks the Yato clean out of her chest. Blood gushes everywhere)

AND I PROMISED KANA AND VELOURIA THAT I'D BRING THEM BACK!

(Dakota grabs the concoction bottle)

I! PROMISED! THEM!

(Dakota chugs the entirety of the concoction, causing the wound to slowly, partially, close)

I did not come all this way...

(Dakota grabs the Yato again and, using it like a walking stick, forces herself to her feet)

TO GIVE THE WORLD TO THOSE MONSTERS!

(Dakota wills herself to limp out of the temple and out into the open. Jakob and Azura, alarmed, see her covered in blood and rush over to help.)

Azura: DAKOTA!

Jakob: WHAT HAPPENED!?

I... I can't stop... now...

(Dakota collapses just as Jakob, terrified, gets to work on Dakota's injuries)

I may be the only way to destroy... this world...

(Dakota's eyes close)

...But I'm still... the only way... to... save it.

...And save it I will, War Journal.

Somehow.

Whatever it takes...

I will save it.

Edited December 4, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Alastor15243]

A quick reminder: Please spoiler-tag any spoilery feedback regarding a recent entry's events. Please be courteous to anyone coming after you who might scroll down a tad too far.

[spoiler=Information on the my castle contest, please read latest entry before opening]

...So.

About that My Castle battle contest I mentioned earlier.

...This is what it was about.

In this continuity? Yukimura is a major villain. And while, yes, I know I fight him in chapter 8... that's really nowhere near satisfying enough for me. I want a bigger battle with him.

And I need your help in providing it.

So here's the deal: I'd like people to set up their castles, on a birthright file (since that's the only path Yukimura joins apparently), and have Yukimura be the boss. But I don't want this to be a pushover. And I have a very specific class in mind for him too, so this may take some work, if you're up to the challenge. I want Yukimura to be a ballistician, preferably with Point Blank and Wary Fighter, among other skills of your choosing.

The other enemy troops? Generic ninja and other hoshidan soldiers mostly would be nice, though... maybe time will tell whether or not there will be some others... wink wink...

Also, design your castle to actually be a compelling battlefield. Keep in mind that when I play this map, I'll be operating under a personal house rule that I'm not allowed to break any structures, so use statues and buildings as walls and such however you see fit to make things interesting.

This is going to be a very lategame map. Do not go easy on me.

Be as much of an asshole as humanly possible.

If you're interested, I'll let you know when the selection time comes near, and I'll tell you how to identify your castle as a contender for me.

Thank you for your interest in helping me make Dakota's War Journal as compelling as it can be.

Edited August 28, 2016 by Alastor15243

[blah the Prussian]

And this is where I leave you, as I must remain truly blind for my reactions thread.

[Alastor15243]

And this is where I leave you, as I must remain truly blind for my reactions thread.

You will be missed. But what is this reactions thread? I'd like to see it!

[blah the Prussian]

You will be missed. But what is this reactions thread? I'd like to see it!

Well my one for Conquest was such a big hit (it was something like me blindly cinemasinning Conquest's story) so I figured I'd do one for revelation.

[Alastor15243]

Well my one for Conquest was such a big hit (it was something like me blindly cinemasinning Conquest's story) so I figured I'd do one for revelation.

Ah yes, I eventually found and have been reading it. Holy cow that thread is massive. I'll admit I was initially a bit jealous until I realized just how much of that thread's bulk was people arguing with each other :)

But seriously, I've been having fun reading it, and several comments, including the "Its almost as if there is some external force guiding his movements who is also very clever and handsome" one, I could totally imagine being said in a cinemasins-esque voice.

Also, you haven't played Revelation yet? That's surprising, I would've thought that by now I was the only fire emblem fan who hadn't played it because of how long this project has taken me to get to it.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Prince Cavvy]

So, you say you want a Yukimura boss fight? You want an antagonist and not a hero?

Well then... Give me some time, you'll have your fight. Heheheh...

[Moblin Major General]

If Yukimura is the antagonist, how will you deal with him in Chapter 8?

[Alastor15243]

If Yukimura is the antagonist, how will you deal with him in Chapter 8?

All in good time.

[Prince Cavvy]

Is the castle's avatar and "semi-generic" units like Haitaka allowed or no? It's rather difficult to make a challenging team when most of the units are stuck with their base classes+skills...

[Alastor15243]

Is the castle's avatar and "semi-generic" units like Haitaka allowed or no? It's rather difficult to make a challenging team when most of the units are stuck with their base classes+skills...

That's a fair question. If you can't make the generics strong enough, bond units and loan avatars might be acceptable. The capturables too, but not haitaka, he's somewhat relevant to this canon.

Of course another option is to capture enemies from lunatic skirmishes at endgame, those should be plenty strong.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Prince Cavvy]

I mean, I really do honestly want to be the one to host this thing, but this... this is just frustrating. Every time one of them gets a level, guess what? They almost always get ONE point, usually in something they don't even need.

[Alastor15243]

I mean, I really do honestly want to be the one to host this thing, but this... this is just frustrating. Every time one of them gets a level, guess what? They almost always get ONE point, usually in something they don't even need.

That's why you should capture late game lunatic generics. Their bases vastly outpace their growths so the later you get them the better.

Lemme know how it goes and I'll see what I can do if it turns out to be too restrictive. I may be able to put in a justification for more variety.

At any rate, I'd focus on Yukimura for now; more details will be following soon.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Julius]

I would try to say something super encouraging and intelligent about your writing, but I suck at these, so I apologize in advance. You're doing a great job on this, and I watch this thread like a hawk every day for new chapters. I'm excited for how this story is going to go, and and I'm thoroughly impressed by how you incorporate literally every mechanic in the game while adding your own twist to them, like the multiplayer feature, the children and bond units, and the My Castle building. I also gotta give props for how you transformed these games' mediocre and at times garbage stories and plot holes into legitimately interesting, gripping and sometimes hysterical moments that I can't help but wish for when I start writing my own novels. I'm sorry that I can't help you with stuff like the visits and extra battles that you're planning. Although I'd love nothing more than to contribute, I don't have the capabilities to do anything other than posting these semi-uplifting (sort of?) posts. So keep on keeping on, my friend. Let us see how far you'll go to uncover the truth.

Also, quick question, how do I set these things as spoilers, so I don't piss people off later?

Edited August 30, 2016 by Julius

[Alastor15243]

I would try to say something super encouraging and intelligent about your writing, but I suck at these, so I apologize in advance. You're doing a great job on this, and I watch this thread like a hawk every day for new chapters. I'm excited for how this story is going to go, and and I'm thoroughly impressed by how you incorporate literally every mechanic in the game while adding your own twist to them, like the multiplayer feature, the children and bond units, and the My Castle building. I also gotta give props for how you transformed these games' mediocre and at times garbage stories and plot holes into legitimately interesting, gripping and sometimes hysterical moments that I can't help but wish for when I start writing my own novels. I'm sorry that I can't help you with stuff like the visits and extra battles that you're planning. Although I'd love nothing more than to contribute, I don't have the capabilities to do anything other than posting these semi-uplifting (sort of?) posts. So keep on keeping on, my friend. Let us see how far you'll go to uncover the truth.

Also, quick question, how do I set these things as spoilers, so I don't piss people off later?

This sort of thing is always appreciated, Julius. As for spoilers...

you do (spoiler) and (/spoiler) except with [ and ] instead of ( and ).

[sirmola]

This sort of thing is always appreciated, Julius. As for spoilers...

you do (spoiler) and (/spoiler) except with [ and ] instead of ( and ).

THis forum allows the use of BBcode so search "BBcode spoilers" for more info

[Julius]

Ohhhhh, okay. Thanks man, I'll remember to do that when I post later down the line.