Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon: Backgrounds

[Descendant of Max]

I was wondering if anyone here has any save states or something where I could read everyone's background/story at HQ. I'd love to know em all, but I just don't have the attention span to play the game over and over again to hear them.

The only one's that I have so far are Narsha, Guntz, Hanzou, Musashi, Adam, and Bleu. I know there's something over at GameFAQ but that thing isn't anywhere near complete.

And also, I'm sure this has been asked before but what determines who gives the speech at the end after the castle sinks? It's a bit weird seeing Musashi do it.

[Balbazak]

And also, I'm sure this has been asked before but what determines who gives the speech at the end after the castle sinks? It's a bit weird seeing Musashi do it.

That part I can answer.

It's determined by whoever was added to the force as soon as they were available, and died the least during the entire game from that point onwards.
For me it's always Mawlock, but I've had Hanzou and Musashi as well.

[Jun]

It's determined by whoever was added to the force as soon as they were available, and died the least during the entire game from that point onwards.

What about tie-breakers? And then the first, second, and third place speakers?

I helped complete this one back on the FESS board; why don't we put up the conversations for each character? When we're done, we can ask Moogie or someone to make a separate sticky topic with all the conovos.

I'll add the ones I have later.

[Balbazak]

why don't we put up the conversations for each character? When we're done, we can ask Moogie or someone to make a separate sticky topic with all the conovos.

Sounds good, I too will add mine later.

[Descendant of Max]

I'm game.

Narsha:

I am Ramladu's daughter. I'll fight with all my might - have faith in me.

............ Max... actually, I... There's something I'm worried about... No,
never mind! It doesn't matter...

............ ............ Sorry. Really, it's nothing.

Well, actually... I'm a bit worried... I wonder if I'm being of any use to you
all? Mawlock helped me to escape from Runefaust. I just hope that I'm being of
some use to everyone in the Shining Force. That's all... I've come a long way,
but... I'm sorry. I'm not making much sense. I shouldn't ask people things
like that, I suppose. What's got into me...?

Everyone here really is so great... I'm so lucky. As Princess of Runefaust and
daughter of Ramladu... I was sure that everyone would hate me... But,
everyone's just so kind to me... I'm so glad I came here...

Max, the people of Guardiana took you in, right? That's... ...a bit like my
situation now... Don't you think?

There's so many fun people here, aren't there? I saw Lowe a while ago... and
he gave me loads of sweets. I don't really like sweet things all that much...
but Lowe was watching me the whole time... so I had to eat them. ... Hope I
don't get too fat.

Anri is a really nice person, isn't she? She'll be a great queen for Guardiana.
She's not only beautiful, but kinda and elegant too. I hope I turn out to be
as good a woman as Anri.

............ Sorry. I can't stop thinking about Runefaust. My father... my
father, Ramladu used to be a good man years ago. Runefaust was a small country,
but it was peaceful. But then Darksol came along. He expanded the army and
started invading other lands. ............ I wonder if Runefaust will ever
go back to being the peaceful land it once was...

...... Mae's a lovely girl, don't you think? If I'm honest, I was a bit scared
of her at first... But when we got talking, I realized she's really nice...
When Lowe was bothering me one time... she just shoved him away for me. I
want to become strong like Mae one day.

............ ............ Oh! Max! Sorry! I didn't see you there. The final
battle isn't far away now, is it? I was collecting my thoughts and preparing
my spirit so I can fight well.

Not long until the final battle now, is it? Everyone is still being as happy
and carefree as ever though! But I know they must be really nervous deep
down... ............ It'll be fine. It's such a great group of people.
Seal away Dark Dragon... I'm sure we can do it.

Well if you like... I could tell you what I said again, from the beginning?

~~~~~~

Guntz:

Hssss hssssss... My steam engine's fired up and raring to go!

Full speed ahead! Steam Suit Secrets, Part 1! The Steam Suit's full name is
Steam-Dynamic Heavy Armour! The built-in steam engine's power allows the
wearer to maneuver the heavy armor.

Full speed ahead! Steam Suits Secrets, Part 2! The heat source powering the
steam engine is a catalyst stone filled with Blaze magic. It's an incredibly
efficient energy converter, but there's a possibility of meltdown!

Full speed ahead! Steam Suits Secrets, Part 3! The armor is made of an alloy
called Asentium 66! Dr. Crock uncovered the ore used to make it in excavations
of ancient ruins.

Full speed ahead! Steam Suits Secrets, Part 4! The best feature of the Steam
Suit is its super strength! If I combine my strength with the Steam Suit's...
...a tug of war with even 100 Paopigs would be a piece of cake!

Full speed ahead! Steam Suits Secrets, Part 5! The steam Suit is super-strong!
But, it also allows fine control. The fingertips have sensors filled with a
special gel, and are even more sensitive than human fingers. So, it's no
problem to pick up an egg without breaking it!

Full speed ahead! Steam Suits Secrets, Part 6! The power of the steam engine is
transmitted through artificial sinews. These sinews are made from a very thin
wires. There are 780, 000 in the whole suit.

Rock 'n roll! Steam Suit Secrets, Part 7! There's a second model of the
steam suit, the Steam Suit Mark 2. Performance is increased, but it's more
difficult to use, so it's only for advanced users.

Rock 'n roll! Steam Suit Secrets, Part 8! The Steam Suit Mark 2 also has a
magic superconductor motor! Catalyst stones use Freeze magic to create a low
temperature environment with zero electrical resistance.

Rock 'n roll! Steam Suit Secrets, Part 9! The magic superconductor motor of
the Steam Suit Mark 2 also has Bolt catalytic stones. So the Mark2 is equiped
with 3 types of catalytic stones; Blaze, Freeze, and Bolt.

Rock 'n roll! Steam Suit Secrets, Part 10! The Mark 2's special feature, the
Roller Dash, is also powered by the superconductor motor! It wont go for
long periods, but it gives short bursts of speed - it's great in battle.

Well that's it! That's all the Steam Suit Secrets! But... If you want to
go over it again so you can revise... Well, I guess I could...

~~~~~~

Hanzou:

A ninja is a man of few words. We are content to show our strength in battle.

Some kind of fate is at work, meeting like this... Let me explain the ninja
art. Ninja Law 1: Sunlight The art of controlling the sun using a ninja's
hidden lens. Where the sun's rays are strong, it is possible to burn a hole
even in thick iron... There is but one drawback. This technique only works
during daylight.

Ninja Law 2: Moonlight Using the light of the night moon to control men's
will. Moonlight has a great effect on the human heart An enemy may be routed,
not through a fight, but by their own worries and insecurities.

Ninja Law 3: Flame The art of fire and flame that lies within a ninja's cloak.
An explosive for fortresses, smokescreens beacons of guns, gunpowder's uses
are varied. Be careful! Even if you are curious, you must be careful not to
touch me. This ninja suit has gunpowder all over it. Look out! It could blow at
any time!

Ninja Law 4: Running Water. The art of moving over sea, rivers, or lakes
freely. You may run unhindered over the water's surface with these Water
Spiders on each food. But, bear one thing in mind: Should you stop running, you
will sink where you stand.

Ninja Law 5: Shadow Trees. The forest trees and plants are your allies. Observe
his footprints, and stun your enemy with pollen. Hide between tree trunks. Make
medicine and food. Knowledge of plants is but one part of Ninja Law.

Ninja Law 6: Metal. Locating metal ore that lies sleeping underground.
Water-divining, the lie of the land, all are clues to finding metal ore. A
humble skill it is, but it is essential to our livelihood.

Ninja Law 7: Earth. Joining with the Earth to borrow her power in battle. But
this is no magic. It is the wisdom to know the land you fight on before battle.
Win or lose, fate decides. But knowledge of your enemy and battlefield can be a
charm.

Ninja Law 8: Empty Self. Amoung ninja skills, this is the most venerable. Empty
Self is the art of removing oneself from existence. Desires, fear, wrath. Banish
all these disturbances of the heart. That is the secret. It seems you... already
understand these things.

I have imparted all the secrets of Ninja Law. However, for your study it is vital
to go over them again and learn them well...


I'll stop there and let some other's join in though I do have Musashi, Bleu, and Adam to add later.

[Jun]

Nice, DoM. At some point, we might wanna decide in what order we'll put these convos in, me thinks.

Here's a list -- order taken from the card list -- that maybe you or I can edit into our first posts in this thread:
Knights
- Mae
- Pelle
- Ken ~ by JunXD
- Vankar
- Earnest
- Arthur

Dwarves
- Gort
- Luke ~ by JunXD

Mages
- Anri
- Alef
- Tao
- Domingo ~ by JunXD

Healers
- Lowe
- Khris ~ by JunXD
- Torasu
- Gong
- Narsha ~ by DoM

Archers
- Diane
- Hans
- Lyle ~ by JunXD

Flyers
- Amon
- Balbaroy
- Kokichi
- Bleu ~ by DoM

Others
- Guntz ~ by DoM
- Adam ~ by DoM
- Zylo ~ by JunXD
- Musashi ~ by DoM
- Hanzou ~ by DoM
- Zuika ~ by JunXD
- Mawlock


Domingo
Domingo! Domingo!
.....Domingo!
(He spins his feelers around in wild circles.)
.........
"I'm feelnig happy..." (is what he seems to be saying.)

.....Domingo!
(his body is slightly pink.)
...... (He seems to be a bit embarrassed.)

.....Domingo!
(He moves his feelers up and down in front of him as if hammering something.)
(It seems he's got work to do. Maybe that's what he's trying to say...)

.....Domingo!
(His whole body is a dim blue...)
(He seems to be scared of something...)

.....Domingo!
(He's vigorously scratching his head with his feelers.)
(He seems to be thinking something over.)

.....Domingo!
(His eyes are spinning round and round.)
(It seems like he's thinking over a difficult problem.)

.....Domingo!
(His whole body is shaking violently...)
(It seems like he might be hungry...)

Domingo!
(He's tapping his head with his feelers.)
(It's probably a sign that he wants to go to sleep.)

.....Domingo!
(He's puffing out his body like a balloon.)
(It seems like he wants you to play.)

.....Domingo!
(He's shaking parts of his body rhythmically.)
(He seems to have an itch.)

.....Domingo!
(One of his eyes looks sort of strange.)
(It seems like he's trying to remember something.)

.....Domingo!
(He's spinning his feelers around above his head.)
(Do you want to hear it again? It seems that's what he's saying.)

*well, that was enlightening... Thanks, Domingo.


I had an all-knight team that I just replaced the save file for my 4th-star run... Man...

[Descendant of Max]

Well I never thought this would turn into any sort of project to be honest. Just wanted to satisfy my own curiosity. I think it'd be most handy if it were organized alphabetically though, but that can be dealt with when/if this is ever totally put together.

Anywho...

Musashi:

Fear not! With this sword shall slay any evil that may rear its ugly head!

I have walked the path of the sword for as long as I can remember. I try, but
it is in vain, for I simply cannot tell tales like others can. ............
But, I may be able to speak a little about the path of the sword. If that
would interest you, then please come here when you have the opportunity.

The path of the sword... consists of a man's footsteps. No matter how long the
journey, if you take it step by step, you'll reach the end.

The path of the sword... is paved with dreams. Leaving behind one's conscious
mind and enterig the world of dreams. Therein lies truth.

The path of the sword... is trod by the fearful. Fearing the enemy and knowing
one's own helplessness. From this one can be enriched.

The path of the sword... is not without it's pleasures. Enjoyment that makes
one carefree like a child. That is the true spirit of the sword.

The path of the sword... does not require fasting. No skill is enough to
enable a man to win a fight on an empty stomach. ... Isn't that so?

The path of the sword... consists not of hate, but love. Loving people,
nature, and even one's enemy. This is the ultimate path of the sword.

I've told you all I can about the path of the sword. But it's probably too
much to take in all at once... Shall I tell you again?

~~~~~~

Bleu:

I'm getting stronger, don't you think? And I'll keep trying as hard as I can!

OK then, here's an old tale that my grandma told me ages ago. Long ago, the
gods created a dragon that would preserve peace on earth. This dragon was the
ancestor of our dragon god, right?

Why was the first dragon god born...? Well, he was born so that he could fight
Dark Dragon. Dark Dragon was really strong, and many soldiers died trying to
fight him. "We need another dragon just as strong if we're to have any hope of
defeating him..." That's what the gods thought.

So, the gods created White Dragon to confront Dark Dragon. Yep, and he's our
ancestor. But... White Dragon wasn't as strong as the gods thought. This is
because White Dragon had a heart. The reason Dark Dragon is so strong is
because he has no heart. Or does that go without saying?

Dark Dragon has no heart, so he will destroy or kill anything without a care.
The gods tried to avoid this with White Dragon by giving him a heart. But,
having a heart made White Dragon a gentle thing. And because he was gentile, he
couldn't be really strong. In spite of this, White Dragon fought a fierce
battle with Dark Dragon.

White Dragon fought a terrible battle with Dark Dragon... He did it because he
had a heart. "If I do not fight, many lives will be lost..." White Dragon
realized this. He felt it in his heart. But, WHite Dragon wasn't as strong as
Dark Dragon. It looked like the powerful Dark Dragon would succeed in killing
him.

But, then there was a miracle. The sight of the dying White Dragon, risking his
life to defeat Dark Dragon... This moved the gods, who had always been afraid
to pick up their weapons and fight. White Dragon and the gods fought together
and finally sealed away Dark Dragon. So, the fight ended well... But, White
Dragon had been so badly injured he would never be able to fight again.

The gods created the realm of Dragonia as a pasture for the White Dragon. He
had no strength left to fight, but in Dragonia be bore many children. They
became the dragon gods. The gods entrusted the protection of the world to these
dragon gods.

So, you see, it is our destiny to fight Dark Dragon. ... Soon we will be
confronting Dark Dragon, right? I'm a bit scared... But I'll do my best.

That's the end of my story... But if you want I can tell you the whole thing
again!

~~~~~~

Adam:

I was born to serve you. I will follow wherever you lead.

Master, I have travelled through the ages with Lord Kane and yourself. It
appears that you have not yet completely recovered your memory. ............
There is a lot I want to say to you about that period in time, but... 1000
years, plus the fight with Darksol, have had an effect on my memory too.
............ Most of the data from then has been lost... ............

Having said that, there is still some information in my memory. Let me tell you
the data I still have, Master. That's right! I can tell you about your mother
and father. ............ ...Pardon me. ...Ordinarily, I would have 3-D images
and voice recordings saved... But, most of that has been lost, I'm afraid...

I don't have any pictures or voice recordings, but... I do still have a small
amount of information concerning your parents, Master. Your mother and father
were both famous biological engineers of their time. They held influential
postings in the planning of Dark Dragon's creations. Your parents felt they
were to blame for their involvment in this. Having Dark Dragon sealed away was
what they wanted more than anything

Your father was a lot like your elder brother, Lord Kane. He was a scientist,
but he was there giving commands when the Dragon was sealed away too. His good
judgment ensured that Dark Dragon was sealed away, but... at the same time,
your father lost his life... The joung Kane and you, still a baby, were
leftbehind, It must have been very hard.

Your mother... My memory is damaged so I can't get a decent image, but...
That's right... In some ways... I think she was a bit like Narsha or Anri.
Princesses of the Guardiana and Runefaust royal families... The blood of
ancient people lives on, I'm sure.

As I feared, my memory is not as complete as it should be. I do not have any
more information I can give you. I can only repeat what I have already told
you. Shall I do so?



Since we're at this, would it also be good to throw in the speeches that you get at the end? Not so much what everyone says, just the one person who walks to the edge of the cliff there.

[Zeon-Darksol]

Sounds good, I wish someone would post all of mawlacs though im on my eight playthrough and sadly ive never gotten mawlac's card or about 20 enemy's cards lol, but i got the ones i need so it dont matter.

Anyways keep posting more.

[Descendant of Max]

Ok, I can't confirm if this is all of what he says, but the thing over at GameFAQs did have what seems to be all of his stuff.

*********
*Mawlock*
*********

I'm a card artist. I can help you with a myraid of different tactics.

It must be some kind of fate that has brought us together on our travels... It
seems like the perfect chance for me to tell you a bit about... the card. How
did that mysterious card come to exist in the first place...? That's where the
story begins.

Long, Long ago... there lived a man... A mage... No, wait. Since it's you I'll
tell it to you straight. He was a researcher, an incredibly clever scientist.
It was with his research that it all began...

The man was studying images and light, using them to record pictures of people
and scenery... This is what he researched. Why was he so determined to carry
out this research? There was a reason for this. He had a daughter he loved
very much. He was a widower, so she was all he had left. His daughter was the
reason he began his research...

The man's daughter was young and beautiful. But... She had a chronic,
incurable disease, and she had only six months to live. "If I can't save her,
then I shall keep an eternal memory of her beauty." This is what the man
thought. So, he began researching ways to record people's images.

The man continued his research day and night. He met with famous mages and
deepened his knowledge of light and spirit magic. The man worked so hard that
there was no time for sleep. But, he was getting nowhere. The one day, and old
man came along and game him some advice. No one knows who the old man was of
what advice it was that he gave him. One story is that the old man was the
devil himself... That's what people say.

After this meeting, the man somehow managed to complete his research. It was
three days before his daughter died. Although she was so close to death, she
was as beautiful as ever, shiming like a jewel. What the man had produced from
his research was a small card. By holding up his card he could recond images
of people and scenery.

The man used the card he'd made to capture the image of his daughter.
Reproduced on the small card, it was as if she was still alive. No, not as
if...In fact, his daughter really was alive inside the card.

The card that the man had made to capture not only the image of it's subject...
It also managed to capture the strange powars that exist in the essance of
people's souls. The man's daughter, living on inside the card, was able to
comfort him in this way. Even after his daughter died the man lived a happy
life with his beloved card.

Many years passed and the man grew old and eventually died. He had worked so
hard to make the card, but had only used one for his daughter. About 100 blank
cards were left when he died. They fell into the hands of many people. But,
none of them understood the power hidden inside the cards. Now that so much
time has passed, we don't even know where the cards are...

I found one of the cards myself and came to understand their hidden power. How
did I figure it out? Sorry, but I can't tell you that... What can you do with
the mysterious powers of the cards...? That's the question you should be asking
yourself.

......That's it. Now. I have told you all I can about the cards. If you want to
talk more, I could go over what I already told you...

[Jun]

[Ken, Luke, Tao, Khris, Zuika, Zylo and Lyle]

[Ken]
Now, I'll finally learn how to fight a good battle. Thanks a lot, Max!

If you want, I could tell you my life story.
My father was a knight at the castle, just like Mae's.
His name was Thomas. But, he passed away when I was small...

My father was second in command of the Band of Knights, under Lord Varios.
I was just a child, but to me he seemed a quiet man, more like a scholar than a knight.
Even in battle he was rarely at the front line - an adviser, rather than a fighter.
I was often teased by the kids of the other knights. "Your old man's a coward!"
It was hard...

When I was a kid, there was a band of thieves who roamed around Guardiana.
Known as the Wind Fang Clan, this group of former knights terrorized the populace.
The order came for our knights to get rid of the thieves.
Led by Lord Varios, the knights left the country. My father was among them.
It should have been easy. The Wind Fang Clan might once have been knights,
but now they were mere criminals. The knights were in for a shock, though.

The Guardiana knights closed in on the Wind Fang Clan in the western mountains.
But, this was a trap devised by the thieves.
There they had set an ancient super-weapons, the Laser Eye. It was a monstrous machine.
The terrible light from its massive pupil could reduce anything to ashes.

The Laser Eye's power was overwhelming. The knights could not approach the enemy.
But if they gave up, the thieves would use the threat of the Laser Eye and attack
the villages again. So, my father came up with a plan.
It went like this...

My father's plan was to use diversionary tactics.
A decoy would be used to distract the enemy so that the other knights could attack.
It seems there was a dispute over who should be the decoy. They all stepped forward.
But in the end, it was decided that my father would be the decoy.

My father volunteered to act as a decoy. Everyone was taken aback.
He'd always been more of an adviser - he wouldn't normally volunteer for dangerous tasks.
But, this time was different. My father was well aware of the danger.
So, he decided that he had to take on the role.

So, my father became the decoy.
Carrying a flag to make him stand out, my father charged right at the Laser Eye.
The Laser Eye aimed its evil light at my father and shot at him several times.
But, while this was going on, the main unit was able to get close to the Laser Eye.
The knights managed to defeat the thieves guarding the Laser Eye and destroy it.
But...

The unit destroyed the Laser Eye, but when they returned for my father,
all they could find was the charred remains of his lance.
His body had vanished without a trace, scorched by the Laser Eye's light...
.........

Shortly after my father died, Mae turned up at my house, out of the blue.
We knew each other before that, but we'd never really talked that much...
I didn't know what she wanted. She dragged me outside with a terrible look on her face.
I had no idea where we were going. She took me into the mountains behind the house.

Once we were in the mountains, she said,
"From now on, you will train here every day. You must never skip, not even one day."
From that day forward, she coached me every single day.
It was pretty hard going, and I ended up with cuts and bruises all over.
Sometimes I wondered if she was trying to kill me. But...

But as my daily training continued, I gradually came to understand.
Her methods were a bit rought, but that was actually Mae's way of being kind to me.
I'd just lost my father, and she was doing all she could to help me deal with it.
When I realized this, I made up my mind. I decided to be the best knight I could.
I still have a long way to go, mind you! Ha ha ha!

That's the end of my story. Do you want me to repeat it?


=====


[Luke]
Nothing to fear while I"m here! I'll be in the front line as long as you need me.

You know that I'm from the Guardiana Band of Warriors, right?
Don't you think it's odd that it's called the "Band of Warriors,"
when I'm the only member? Let me tell you why that is...

It was when Gort was still in active service, long before I entered the band.
There were 108 dwarf warriors in the band back then.
They were known far and wide as the strongest warriors in the land.
But then, one day...

An order came from the King to root out some pirates.
The pirates were attacking merchant ships in the waters off Rindo nearly every day.
With essential goods not reaching the port, both Rindo and Guardiana were in trouble.

The warrior dwarves set off from Rindo in a boat with young Gort as their captain.
For days they were tossed about by the sea, before finally finding the pirates.

The dwarves were at a disadvantage. But, they fought bravely.
The warriors drove their ship into the pirates' and boarded. The pirates were tough...
But, Gort and his men were tougher, making short work of the enemy. Nevertheless...

The Guardiana Band of WArriors had found the pirates and fought them bravely.
But, as the last pirate tumbled into the sea... the waves parted.
A Giant Kraken, the white demon emperor of the seas, attacked.

As you might know, the Giant Kraken is a huge squid-like monster.
Its mouth alone is big enough to swallow an entire ship.
And its tentacles are as long as half the Rune continent.
This monster sent both ships hurtling to the bottom of the ocean in an instant.

Escaping the monster's attack, Gort and a few of his men made it back to the port.
But of the 108 warriors, only 10 were left alive.
Gort took responsibility and resigned from his post. That was a long time ago now.

The Band of WArriors went on even after Gort left. But, the Band of Knights
harassed the members until they quit. In the end, not one was left.

This happened when I was a kid... I found a small bottle washed up on the shore. Inside was a letter.
"We are now on an island in the south," it read.

The letter I'd found was from the Band of Warriors.
Everyone thought all but Gort and a few other men had been killed by the Giant Kraken.
In fact, many were alive and well on an island somewhere in the south.

I showed the letter to Gort and the other men who'd made up the Band of Warriors.
But... maybe because I was a kid, they wouldn't believe me.
All the grown-ups said it was somebody's idea of a joke. Only I believed it was real.

The last thing written in the letter was this:
"The Guardiana Band of Warriors will never die! One day we shall return!"
So, I made a decision.

I decided that when I grew up, I would go to the castle and make my own band.
It's only right. When they came back from their island somewhere in the south,
it would be awful if the Band of Warriors were no more.

I told the King, and he granted me permission to form the Band of Warriors again.
Since then, I"ve been going it alone the best I can.
I'm praying that those on the south island will return.

That's everything I know about the Band of Warriors. So, now you know.
If you want, I could tell you it all again from the start. How about it?


=====


[Tao]

Am I being of use to you? As long as there's breath in my body, I'll keep fighting!

If you like, I could tell you about myself.
The reason I became a mage... It's a long story...
Before I became a mage, I was a maid at a castle.
The castle was way off in Pipory Village, in the west of Guardiana.
It's a small forest village, inhabited by elves.
My parents and I lived happily there in peace. Until that monster showed up...

A ferocious Cerberus started prowling around in the mountains behind the village.
When it got hungry, it would come down from the mountain and snatch villagers.
Not just grown-ups, but children, too. All were swallowed whole.
It seemed as though the popuulation would be wiped out before long.
At a village meeting, the elders decided to slay the Cerberus. But...

It was a village of elves, but not everyone was versed in magic.
There were only two mages in the village. They were my parents.
I was a trainee practitioner under my mother and father, but I was far from an expert.
My parents turned their efforts to slaying the Cerberus.
One cold morning, my parents said goodbye to me, and went off into the mountains.

Many days passed after they left for the mountains.
But however long I waited, my parents did not come back.
In fact...
they never came back.
But a short while later, the body of the Cerberus was found in the mountains.
It had killed my parents at the same time they killed it. Or so, everyone thinks.

I was still young when I lost my parents, so I was taken in by my uncle and aunt.
The child of the heroes who had saved the village... At first, I was treated well.
But after some years, a horrible rumor was started
that it wasn't my parents who had slain the Cerberus... A really awful rumor.

They said the Cerberus hadn't been killed, but died from an injury or illness.
They said my parents had fled, too scared to fight the monster.
That's why their bodies had never been found, why they didn't return to the village.
That was the story.
It made me feel awful. I tried to ignore it. But...
I would never have guessed who started the rumor...

The idea that my parents had fled from the Cerberus...
The ones who started that rumor were my aunt and uncle.
They were good people, so why would they do such a thing...?
I couldn't understand it.

My uncle and aunt had started the rumor...
Despite knowing that, I continued to live them.
I had nowhere else to go.
.........

But even with time, the rumor didn't die down.
The people of the village regarded me with cold eyes.
So, one day... I left.
I didn't know where I was going.
I went into the mountains and wandered for days.
In time, I became exhausted... and passed out.
As I lost consciousness, I thought to myself, "This is the end."

I had died... I was sure of it.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a beautiful person who I thought must be an angel.
But, it was a human. It was Anri.
She had isolated herself in the mountains to practice her magic.
I had a terrible fever. Anri stayed by my side and cared for me.
...If I had not met Anri, I would certainly have died.

I was delighted to have met Anri.
She was the kindest person I had met since losing my parents.
And she allowed me to work in the castle.
At last, I had found a new place to live. I was so happy...
But, depite her kindness, there was something I couldn't tell Anri...

There was something I kept secret from Anri for a long time.
I didn't tell her about my background, that I had been born with magic.
I had come to hate magic since losing my parents.
If they had not had magical power, my parents would not have died. So, I thought.
I swore that I would never use magic, ever again.

But, Anri said to me,
"Magical power is bestowed from on high. It must not be shut away because of pain."
Those words made me reconsider.
And, the very next day, I decided to practice magic alongside Anri.

Anri went to Manarina after that.
I was left in the castle, but I held her words dear, and continued to practice magic.
For everyone... For Anri...
If my magic could be of even a tiny bit of use to someone, I would be truly happy.
That's how I feel.

Well, that's the end of my story!
Want to hear it again? You're more than welcome.


=====


[Khris]
You've got to take care of even minor injuries. Tell me if you get hurt, OK?

Um...
.........
You've done so much for me, but I haven't really told you about myself yet, have I?
...How rude of me. If you like, I could introduce myself now.

I was born in a small village called Mimoor, not far from Alterone.
It's a quiet village inhabited entirely by Cantaul people like me.
I... don't know much about my parents.
I was brought up by a kind priest at a Mimoor church.
There were lots of other kids at the church who had no parents.
We all thought of the priest as our father, and we lived there happily together.

We didn't have much, but we had fun.
Oh! Let me tell you more about our life at the church!
Everyone got up early there. And as soon as we got up, we said our morning prayers.
After prayers, we'd all go out to work in the fields to help the priest.
And then, it'd be time for breakfast.
We only had bread and soup, but anyway...
eating together with everyone else made it taste great.

After breakfast, we'd all get back to work.
There was lots to do: cleaning the church, welcoming the people who'd come to pray...
After lunch, the younger children played outside, and the older ones would study.
We took turns making the evening meal.
We used home-grown vegetables, so it was always delicious.

After dinner, we had time to do whatever we wanted.
I used to read books to the younger children.
We didn't have many books, so I'd make my own. They weren't very good, but still...
Tales of kind witches, or the adventures of baby dragons.
And the tale of a town under the sea. ...I made up all sorts.

At night, we all slept together in one room.
In summer, it was a bit hot, but in winter, we'd keep each other warm.
It wasn't cold at all, and it was great fun, all of us together.
...Yes, it was so much fun living at the church.
Well, it was until...

One summer, a terrible disease came to Mimoor and spread throughout the village.
The weaker children got higher fevers and passed away.
Many children from the church got the disease and... died.
.........
There was a cure, but... it was so expensive, we couldn't afford it.
The priest and I were terrified...
More and more children were falling sick every day...

I was the oldest of the children there...
But, there was nothing I could do to help...
All I could do was will the dying children to live... and pray...
For days and days, all I did was pray... Then, one morning...
I was praying at the church... when suddenly...
[blank]

A blinding light shone through the stained glass.
I felt the light go deep inside my body.
.........
And in that instant, I had a realization - that I had a great strength within me...
I had the power of healing. I could help cure sick and injured people.
...It was a miracle.
With my gift, I was able to cure the children suffering with the disease.

But... My healing power had come too late...
Half of the children of the church had already died.
Why didn't the gods give me my power sooner, when there was still time...?
.........

The priest knew about my gift, and he told me this:
"Leave this church. Go out and use your gift to help as many people as you can."
In any case, it was time for me to leave the church and stand on my own two feet.
So, I did as the priest asked, and left the church to start work.
It was so hard to say farewell to everyone...
They were like brothers and sisters to me... No, even closer...

Having left the church, I decided to look for work in Alterone.
I wanted to find a job where I could earn a lot of money.
The church never had much money, and this made life difficult for them.
I wanted to send as much money back there as possible.
I managed to find a job as a maid for the Princess of Alterone Castle.

The pay was excellent, and I was able to send lots of money back to the church.
But one day, a letter came from the priest:
"Dear Khris, Thank you for all your hard work.
But, I cannot accept the money you sent.
The church has its problems, but we can get by without this money.
You should fulfill your promise and get a job where you can help people.
Look for that kind of work.
I believe that this is what's best."
Just after I got that letter, I met you...

Seeing you fight Runefaust while they tore up the town...
I finally understood... I finally knew the path I should follow...
It took a lot of courage to help you when you were captured.
But, it was a good thing.
I found my courage...

That's pretty much my life story.
Do I miss the church? Well, yes...
If I said I didn't miss it, I'd be lying. But...
Now, my friends are my home.
Still, I might go back and visit the church when the war's over.
I want to write books about the great things you've done, and read them to the children.

Um... If you like, I can tell you my story again...


=====


[Zuika]
You'll see my strength on the battlefiled. That's all I have to say.

.........
What do you want with me?
...Don't talk to me!

.........
I have nothing to say to you.
Understand?

......... I have...
Oh, never mind...
Don't expect to just start a conversation with me!

.........
You're a persistent one.
I have...
...no anecdotes worth telling you.

.........
I thought I told you...
I have no anecdotes. All I have is my duty.

.........
My duty...
is to protect the one who woke me, even if it costs me my life...
I do not know who gave me this duty. But...
I will carry it out.

.........
My duty is to protect Narsha, the one who woke me, wherever she may go.
.........
And when this war is over...
.........

.........
When this war is over, and Narsha is safe once more...
When that happens, I...
don't know...
what I will do...

.........
My duty is to protect Narsha.
Once I've fulfilled my duty...
.........

.........
...I don't know.

.........
Maybe I'll be given a new duty when this war is over.
If not...
no doubt I will sleep again until I am required once more.
*Just like you...

*I have no idea what he means by that, be it foreshadowing or some similar background in the game.

.........
Must I repeat myself?


=====


[Zylo]
We werewolves were born to fight. Being on the battlefield is what we love most.

......... Sorry. I don't have much to say.

.........
.........
I'm different from the others. Telling their life stories...
I'm not so good at that.

.........
.........
.........I'm not good at talking.
.........Really.

.........
.........
Honest.

.........
.........
OK. OK.
Maybe I'll talk to you a bit. But, give me some time to think.

.........
.........Sorry. You'll have to give me more time to think.

.........
I know. I could tell you my favorite color.
......... It's black.

.........
Hm? You want to know more?
.........
Hm, I told you my favorite color already, right?
......... It's black.

.........
...Really, you must understand.
I have no interest in anything apart from fighting.
I just don't know anything interesting I can tell you.

.........
.........
So, like I said, my favorite color is black.
That's all I have to say.

.........
Even if I had to, I couldn't find anything to say.

.........
.........
......... It's black.

.........
OK.
You win.
I'll tell you a secret.

.........
......... A secret.
I'm not quite ready to tell you yet, though.
Just give me a while, OK?

.........
You realy have worn me down.
I'll tell you my secret. You and only you.
.........Don't you dare tell anyone!
When I sleep... I sleep with my eyes open.
It's a real shock for anyone that sees me, because it looks like I'm dead...
.........Don't you dare tell anyone!

.........
I don't have anything else I can tell you.
.........It's true.
If you really want me to keep talking, I'll have to tell you the same things again.


=====


[Lyle]
Let me at 'em! I'll blast them all away with one shot from my cannon!

Guess you already know, but I'm the apprentice of Dr. Crock, the inventor.
Dr. Crock has come up with a ton of inventions so far. I'll tell you about them.
First of all... The All-Purpose Cuisine Machine!
Put in your ingredients, and with the press of a button it can make any food you like.
Pretty cool invention, huh? But, it didn't sell.
Dr. Crock has no sense of taste, and the machine made food using his recipes...
It was all gross!

Dr. Crock's next invention...
The Foolproof Alarm Clock! How's it foolproof?
It just is. Because it can't fail to wake you up.
An amazing idea, huh? When the alarm goes off, it can't be switched off.
Well, it would get you out of bed, right? But, the customers sent them back, furious!
The Doc's house was full of all the returned goods!

Dr. Crock's inventions... Oh, yeah...
The Horseless Horse-Drawn Cart! It really is amazing.
It's a cart that uses a steam engine, so no need for horses. Only thing is...
The steam engine's so hot, only the likes of Guntz can stand it.
In the end, everyone who rode it came away with burns... Those returns piled up too...

More inventions... There was...
The Dog Device! It really was fantastic!
It looked a bit like a collar, and you wrapped it round your head. Then...
You could understand what dogs were saying! And what's more, you could speak to them!
The problem was... You could speak to dogs, but not to humans anymore!
But, the effects wore off after six months or so... A lot of those got sent back...

Next up from Dr. Crock's inventions...
The Rocket Shoes! The high-grade gunpowder in them made you run mega fast.
I say run, but really it was more like flying in a straight line. But...
You probably guessed... There was no way to stop.
You could wait for the fuel to run out. That was the only way...

Dr. Crock's inventions. There was the...
Perfect Mechanical Guard Dog! It wasn't scared of any thief. A brilliant invention!
It was a machine, so it was completely reliable.
But, it barked and bit anyone whether they were a thief or its master...
A stack of them were sent back...

Some more of Dr. Crock's inventions. Next came...
The Time Machine! A miraculous invention! Doc mastered space and time!
Only the machine needed masses of energy, so you could only go forward one minute in time.
And it was just a prototype, so it took a minute to go forward one minute.
......... Don't ask me any more about that invention, OK?

That's about all of Dr. Crock's inventions, I think.
You want to hear about them again?

[Descendant of Max]

Come on, no one kept up with this? Bah! Here's a few more.

Gort:

Whaddya reckon? Pretty strong, huh?! I won't lose to any young upstarts in a hurry!

Hi, Max. Now seems as good a time as any to tell you my heroic tale. It happened back when I led the Band of Warriors. A long time ago now... There was an normous monster that struck fear into the hearts of all Rune Continent. It was called the Terra Whale, a frightening whale-like beast that lived on land.

The Terra Whale... In fact, it wasn't a land whale at all... It was a big... earthworm... You know what I mean, right? One of them. Its body was like a long piece of string. Exactly like a normal worm, but much bigger. Much, much bigger... Its size was incredible. Bigger than a town. So long that its tail disappeared over the horizon!

The Terra Whale appeared out of the blue one day in the land we now call Uranbatol. It had been sleeping for many years underground, but something had woken it up. The Terra Whale started to move east from there. Its mouth was bigger than a lake, and it gobbled up any plants or animals in its path.

Make no mistake, the Terra Whale was enormous. It gobbled up half of the plants on the Pao Plains. And it managed to cross that enormous distance in just five days. It was then that we begain to hear about the beast in Guardiana...

It was obvious what would happen if we just sat there and did nothing. The Terra Whale would come through Bustoke and Manarina, and end up in Guardiana. We held a council of war. Nova, Lord Varios of the Band of Knights, and yours truly. We must do something to intercept that thing immediately! Leaving the battle planning to Nova, I headed for Bustoke whith the Band of Warriors. It's hard for knights to fight around those mountains, you see.

When we headed for Bustoke, we finally saw the Terra Whale with our own eyes. It was unbelievable... It didn't look like a living thing at all... It was as if a mountain... no, a huge river, had come to life and started moving. There's no way we can defeat this thing... That's honestly what I thought.

But... Nova came to the rescue with an excellent plan. He called it the Hole in One Plan. It'd come from underground, so we'd send it back underground. That was the idea. As you know, we dwarves are excellent at digging holes. And the people of Bustoke gave us a hand too. We dug a gigantic hole north west of Bustoke, big enough to trap the Terra Whale. Then all we could do was wait...

We saw the enormous Terra Whale appear over the mountains. As Nova had predicted, it was heading straight for the hole we'd made. At the end of the day, he was just a big, stupid worm. We watched and laughed away... But when the Terra Whale reached the hole, he just slithered straight over. We panicked and ran away.

There was a reason why the Terra Whale didn't fall into the hole. It'd been eating all those plants and any Paopigs too slow to get out of its way... And the Terra Whale had gotten fat... That's how it was able to avoid our trap and not get stuck in the hole...

The Hole in One Plan didn't work, but Nova had another idea... The Whirlwind Worm Whirler Plan. Every spring in Bustoke, we always get a whirlwind. The plan was to predict where it would happen and try to get the Terra Whale whisked away. Nova studied the sky and made a prediction of where the whirlwind would come. But then we realized there was a bit of a hitch.

This whirlwind worm whirling business was all well and good, but... how would we attract it to the right place? Nova solved this one too with the Pal Plan. It wasn't as big as the Terra Whale, but we made an enormous, long, thin balloon. We dragged this balloon to where the whirlwind would be, hoping it'd follow.

The Pal Plan was a huge success! The Terra Whale followed our balloon! And then... just as Nova had predicted, we saw a huge whirlwind coming over the horizon. The Terra Whale was sucked up into the whirlwind! We all rejoiced! "We did it! We did it!" But... Then we couldn't believe our eyes...

The Terra Whale opened its huge mouth and gobbled up the whirlwind! And right before our eyes, its body doubled in size! Well, it was a monster. Plants and animals were just snacks. A whirlwind was a proper meal! The Terra Whale was now bigger than a mountain. It continued on its journey south. If we didn't stop it, Bustoke would be totally destroyed. But, we were powerless...

So this is it... We all thought that, not just me... But then the Terra Whale suddenly stopped moving. We couldn't understand what was going on at first... But then we realized that the Terra Whale's back had split into two! And guess what came out...

The Terra Whale's back had split open, and out came... A beautiful blue butterfly. So the Terra Whale was a caterpillar! And the butterfly... Oh, I say butterfly, but it was a mammoth specimen. When it opened it's wings, the entire eastern Rune Continent was in shadow. That's how big it was. If that butterfly went on the rampage, all of Rune would be reduced to nothing in no time. We were all doomed... I was preparing myself, when the butterfly flew upwards... It went up and up and up, flying higher and higher... Until in the end it disappeared from view. It must have gone to the see the stars. (I'm just typing what I see) Nova says it was from there originally and was going home... Maybe. I don't know if it's true or not, but... sometimes in the night sky... I think I see a huge butterfly flying between the stars...

Hmm... that's the end of my story... ...... But I love talking about the past. It really cheers me up. Is it ok if I tell it again?

Diane:

You needn't fear flying enemies as long as I'm around! I'll strike them all
down!

In Bustoke, where I was born, there are many families of Beastmen like Zylo.
While you're here, I may as well tell you what I know about them. Tales of the Beastmen, whose remaining numbers are few... Basically, the Beastmen are halfway between humans and beasts. They're sort of go-betweens for people and nature. A bit like spirits really.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Panthera. As their name suggests, these Beastmen were like big cats. They ran like the wind. They were fast enough in the forest, but on the plains even Zylo wouldn't keep up. They were an incredible race with formidable power but fighting is all they did. In the end, they died out.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Chamaelea... As their name suggests, they are like chameleons. They can disappear by changing color. They are not good fighters, but their ability to melt away has ensured their survival. Their numbers are dwindling now, so they're warier still. Nobody has seen one for ages.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Mus. These creature are like mice. They're the smallest Beastmen. One would fit in your hand. The Mus are a huge group - tens of thousands of them live in Bustoke alone. But very few people have ever seen one. They live their lives hidden away in burrows they make in the mountains.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Leporida. As you may have guessed, these Beastmen were like rabbits. They lacked fighting power, but the power in their legs meant they could escape fast. But, their strongest point was their ability to reproduce. They could give birth to dozens of babies in no time. But, this backfired... Their numbers became too great and this led to civil warfare between them. The fighting was so fierce that they were all wiped out. That was centuries ago.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Orcus. As their name suggests, these Beastmen are like whales. They're the largest Beastmen. They can't move well on land, so they live in the sea. Their numbers are few and they swim in the deep seas, so it's unusual to see them. You should keep your eyes peeled when you're out at sea. If you're lucky, you might see one.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Desmodus. As you may have guessed these Beastmen are like bats. They're nocturnal creatures, so people sometimes call them the "Princes of the Night". Because they live in darkness, their sight has deteriorated and they can't see a thing. But, they can make special sounds that allow them to explore and communicate. They're a very timid species and they hardly ever allow themselves to be seen. Particularly since Runefaust began its attacks. Maybe when the fighting ends you might see one in Bustoke some time.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Tigris. As their name suggests, these Beastmen were like tigers. Their fighting strength was unsurpassed, and they were the strongest Beastmen, but... They were at little dim... And very violent. The other groups made their own small but individual societies. Not the Tigris... They wouldn't form groups and they liked to live alone... So they died out in no time... Some people say that there are a few of them left deep in the mountains...

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Spina. As you may have guessed these Beastmen are like porcupines. They're a very gentile race who don't fight over silly things. But...... If you do make them angry, they're terrifying! The sharp spines all over their bodies become a horrific weapon. With their spines out, they roll up into a ball and charge at their enemy. Don't tell anyone, but... a long time ago when Zylo and I were out hunting... we got into a scuffle with some Spinus and they chased after us. There we were, the great Zylo and I, powerless to do anything but run away. ......It was really scary.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Talpida. These Beastmen are like moles. They live underground where they build their own towns. They're a careful race and they will never tell you where these towns are. They hardly ever show their faces above ground. Maybe they don't even exist... A kind of mythical race...

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Terrapa. These Beastmen are like turtles. They lived in Kiselen Lake in the north of Bustoke. But the winters in Bustoke are cold, so they had to hibernate in order to survive. While they were hibernating, their village was attacked so in the end... they left Bustoke. People say they left the Rune Continent and went south, where they now live in peace. ((Wonder if this has anything to do with Kiwi...))

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Felis. As their name suggests, these Beastmen are like cats. They have beutiful eyes, soft fur, cute tails. ...... They're so sweet. Er, anyway... Their beauty makes them very powerful creatures among the Beastmen... But they have kind of aloofness, a pride... And it stops them from being friendly to other Beastmen or humans. ......I'd like to make friends with them if only they'd let me...

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Ursus. These Beastmen are like bears. They're strong but gentle beasts. They dislike war and they love peace. Their gentleness was their undoing - they came under attack, time after time. Some decades ago... the war-hating Ursus left Bustoke in search of a more peaceful place to live. Whether they eventually did find the new land they searched for... nobody knows.

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ... The Castrida. These Beastmen are like beavers. They're a small breed, their height only about half that of a human. They live in a town they built in the Kite River, in the west of Bustoke. They're just a small group so their an easy target, but... if you make them angry, you'll be in a lot of trouble. They'll all come after you with their big sharp teeth bared, ready for attack...

Why don't I tell you about the Beastmen of Bustoke? ..... The Elephas. As their name suggest, these Beastmen were like elephants. They were the biggest Beastmen living on land. They were placid but enormous creatures. Bigger even than a horse and cart. Everyone knew better than to cross them in any way. But... their lifespan was short, maybe because of their size. And, because they were not well-suited to carrying babies they died out long ago.

I've already told you all I know about the Beastmen of the Rune Continent. But I don't mind going over it again if you want.

Earnest:

All I want is to defeat Runefaust. I'd give my life for that cause.

............ ... Ah! It's you, Max! Sorry. I was miles away! I was thinking of Balbazak... and the friends and fellows of mine killed by his hand.

... My father was killed by Balbazak too. I can never bring him back, but thanks to you I managed to avenge his death. I'm sure my father is happy now in heaven. Come to think of it...

A long time ago, my father told me a tale... Somewhere on this earth, there is a mysterious place called Dr. Bilan's Treasure House. It holds unusual things from the world over, including Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures. I'll tell you about those treasures if you want.

Let's start with the first treasure. The Goblet of Angel Tears. A small glass goblet. Although it's shut in a box, it fills up drop by drop every year. They say it's angel tears. And if you drink a full goblet of them... ... you live forever! That's the story of that treasure. Apparently it takes about 600 years for the angel tears to fill the goblet though...

The second of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... King Leen's Dream Pillow. This is a strange pillow used by King Leen of Asland who disappeared at sea. If you say what you want to dream of before going to sleep you will dream precisely that. Meeting a beautiful woman, or becoming King of the World. Any dream you like. But because the dreams are so fantastic... they say those who dream on the pillow never come back to reality.

The third of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... The Angel Chirico's Dress. The dress was sewn from the wings of an angel that fell to earth long ago. Lighter than a feather and more dazzling than a jewel, people would fight to own it. But... the dress is cursed and carries any who wear it into the sky. Whoever wears the dress can never come back to earth, no matter how much they want to.

The fourth of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... the Image of the Beautiful Rashik. The best masterpiece of the genius painter Narkander, made long ago in the land of Mizan. It is a portrait of Rashik, the wife of Narkander... The stunning beauty of the image made all those who saw it swoon... Some of them even died. So the King of Mizan ordered Narkander and his wife to be burnt to death. All of his painting were burnt along with him. However... the Image of the Beautiful Rashik I was talking about was spirited off by someone. It passed through many hands before ending up in Dr. Bilan's House of Treasures. It is shut away in an iron box so that nobody's eyes ever fall upon it. I'd like to see it but... I'm scared it would kill me...

The fifth of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... The Miniscule City of Siyule. It's a tiny city, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It's well made enough to be a treasure itself, but... it's said there are actually many thousands of tiny people living in it. A wicked mage cursed the town and put shrink magic on its buildings and people. When you're handling the Miniscule City of Siyule, you have to be very careful. Even a tiny wobble could cause as much damage as a huge earthquake in a little city.

The sixth of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... Loren's Heavenly Black Jewel. Once there was a farmer called Loren. In the middle of the night, something fell with a clatter onto the roof of his house. Climbing up onto the roof, he found lots of jewels, each about the size of a pea. Loren gathered them all up, and took them inside. Altogether there were more than 100 jewels, as beautiful as angel's teardrops... But just one of them was jet-black. All the other jewels were of such amazing beauty, Loren couldn't sleep for thinking about the money he could make by selling them. But the following morning... when the sun came up... the jewels rose into the air and burst through Loren's roof. They simply went back into the heavens they had come from... All that was left in Loren's hand was the single black jewel. Perhaps it couldn't go back to the heavens because it had no life in it. So Loren lavished this poor jewel with affection, and looked after it carefully.

The seventh of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... Landru's Ice Flame. The ancient great mage Landru unleashed the most almighty magic of the century... It is called the Ice Flame. It's a flame the burns pale blue, and isn't hot to touch. But... instead of being burnt by it, the part of you that touches it freezes. If you go from there to the extreme north or south, there are whole lands made of ice. People say they used to just be normal land. But they were touched by the Ice Flame, and turned into countries of ice and snow.

The last of Dr. Bilan's Eight Treasures is... Epyocathy's Soothsayings. A legendary book unearthed in the ruins of the old city, Epyocathy. It's said that it contains everything. In other words, it speaks of all events, not only in the past, but also in the future. But whatever happens, you mustn't look at the last page. The moment someone looks at the last page, that's when they say... the world will come to an end.

... Dr. Bilan's House of Treasures? Having heard all about it, you probably want to see it... How about we go off on a trip to find the House of Treasures when the war is over?

What's up? Ah, you're fascinated by the treasures... I can see it on your face. Right! Just for you, I'll tell you all over again, from the top.

Mae:

I'll take care of the enemy! If you leave me out of the group you'll regret it!

... What's wrong? Was I looking weird or something? ... I wasn't, was I? I hope not...

............ ..... Ah, Max! I didn't notice you, sorry. I was thinking about something. It's okay. Nothing to worry about.

............ To be honest, I'm feeling a bit down. My country... Guardiana... Leaving has made me a little on edge. I know what you're thinking! But it doesn't mean I've become faint-hearted... It may come as a surprise to you, but I've been abroad before for training... I was with my father back then of course...

What? I'm fine, I tell you! I've forgotten all about Guardiana now. Well, no, not exactly. How could I possibly forget about Guardiana?! In fact, I'm always thinking about it.... But right now Runefaust and the Legacy of the Gods is probably more important. So I will carry out my mission and then return to Guardiana. Until then, I wont waste time thinking about it anymore. That's all I wanted to say really.

Traveling all the time... It's tough, but maybe not so bad. It's a pity we're doing it because of a fight and not just for fun, but... Ah! Forget I said that! I'm a knight! I shouldn't be saying things like that.

When I talk to you, I start to feel a bit odd... I think I better try to avoid talking to you from now on... Sorry! Just joking! Don't take it seriously...

Max I've not really told anyone this before, but... I'm sure I can trust you. Do you want to hear something about my mother? She died when I was a child... Her name was Arisa. She was Guardiana's first female knight...

My mother Arisa wasn't always a Guardiana knight. One day she came to Guardiana from a country in the west. She was really badly injured and close to death... And my father helped her... My father Varios.

My mother... Arisa was saved by my father, but she remained totally silent... Days and days went by. Her wounds healed, but she still wouldn't speak... Then one morning... She sneaked out of the castle and ran away. But... My father followed her. When I asked him why, he went bright red! Ha ha ha! Funny, huh? It seems he'd fallen in love with her!

My mother had gone into the forest near Guardiana. It was dark in the forest and my father lost sight of her... After searching and searching all over, he finally found her... He managed to find her because he'd heard the sound of her voice... In the middle of the forest, was my mother crying... Next to her, the body of a Centaur. My father wondered if it was her lover. But that was far from the truth...

When my mother noticed my father there, she finally spoke... The dead Centaur had killed my mother's family. He was a vicious thief. My mother had been chasing him for a long time to avenge her family's deaths. When she turned up in Guardiana injured, it had been after a fierce fight with him.

While she was recovering in Guardiana, my mother had thought only of the Centaur. He had been injured too, so she knew he couldn't be far away. She sneaked out of the castle to go off in search of him... But when she found him, he had already died of his injuries. My mother was crying because she hadn't been able to exact a proper revenge...

And then! Well, my father! Rumor has it... that after this, an amazing love affair blossomed between the two of them... Although, if I ask him about it he wont tell me a thing! My mother Arisa married my father and joined the Band of Knights. As Guardiana's first female knight, she was really active. But... Soon after I was born, she got sick and she died...

So I have a goal. I do respect both my mother and father, but... I want to become an even better knight than my mother so that I can help my father. Well, that was what I thought when I was a child... But now that will never happen... My father's not around anymore... But this is what I think. I'll become a great knight, as good as them both together. And in Rune, I will make Guardiana's Band of Knights the best there is. An elite Band of Knights that will fight for justice and friendship. .... This is my dream.

It's not long now... Until we fight Dark Dragon... ... I'll do my very best. My mother and father are watching over me in heaven. I'll make them proud and put up a good fight.

Sorry, Max. I have nothing more to say. But if you don't mind hearing the same thing again...

Alef:

We must pool our strength to defeat Dark Dragon. That is our mission.

If you wish, I could speak with you for a while. I am one of the Vulpes race. We used to live in the woods to the west of Bustoke. Very few of our kind are able to use magic. My mother and father couldn't. But for some reason I was born with magical powers. I couldn't help feeling proud of that when I was a child. My mother and father sent me to the Manarina Magic School so I could develop my talents. I was just a child without a care, and I banged happily on the door to Manarina.

I'm really embarrassed about this... I had no idea about the real world and I thought I was some kind of magical genius... But when I got to Manarina I was in for a shock. (was that a pun?) The Master possessed a far greater magical power than I. In fact... all the mages had magical knowledge that easily surpassed my own. ... Many of them were odd, mind you...

The most skilled child magician in the world... that's honestly how I thought of myself, so I was shocked (again?) when I got to Manarina. Seeing mages so much cleverer than me, I was thoroughly put out. No matter how hard I study, I'll never be as good as them. I was just a child, and that's the way I saw things.

I suppose you could say I went off the rails. I didn't study any magic at all. The great people of Manarina. ... To me they were all just fruitcakes and they bored me. I was so misguided. But then Otrant took the time to talk to me about things. He patiently explained to me the essence of a mage. "The power of a mage is a strange power that is concealed in nature... The sky, the earth, the sea... A power that exists for the people that live there. People with magical talents must harness this power for the benefit of these people. If you want to become a mage, you must start by loving people and nature..."

Otrant's words were just what I needed. I turned over a new leaf and started learning about magic right from the basics again. The time passed really quickly. When I had been studying in Manarina for ten years, Otrant said this to me: "How do you feel about going to study in Prompt?" And so I set off for Prompt so that I could begin studying even more advanced magic.

When I was studying books of ancient magic in Prompt, I met Torasu. And he told me all about the era of the gods and how Dark Dragon may reawaken. And that's when I realized. My magical powers had been given to me for this reason. And so I decided to stay in Prompt and continue with my magic training. And now I know I did the right thing. A fight with Dark Dragon... I don't know how much use I will be to you... but I will put my faith in the powers I've been given and fight to the bitter end. ...... Let's fight this one out together.

There's nothing else I can tell you... But if you wish, I could repeat what I said again from the beginning?

[Okami]

Zylo's is funny lol he never says much.

[Reincar]

This thread should live until its purpose is fullfilled. Does anyone agree?

[Balbazak]

It would be cool to have a full list, but I'm pretty sure that 90% of this threads posters are away. And I can't really contribute at all anymore.
Something about the Ramladu Robots killing everyone but Mawlock and Max over and over at this level.

[Reincar]

Later then?

EDIT: Well, I guess it's up to me

Here are the rest of backgrounds. I also wrote down final speeches by everyone.

BACKGROUNDS

[Hans]
I'm begging you. Don't put me at the front. I hate getting thumped.

You know, I'm interested in fortune telling. I can tell your fortune in many ways. Let's try a few things and see what the future holds for you. First... Let's look at your Colour Fortune. Well... Your coat is blue.
Blue is the colour of hope, and the colour of growth. It can also signal failure. That is, in the future... you'll fail a lot, but you'll succeed too. S'pose it means "don't lose hope". Something like that.

This time we'll try your... Card Fortune. Here are 5 cards. Choose your favorite one. You've chosen, yeah? Okay... So you've picked *... Many bits sticking out, but also many indented bits... In other words... You've got many enemies, but plenty of allies too. You can't let your guard down, but no need to despair either, I guess.

This time let's tell your... Dream Fortune. Have any dreams last night? What? You haven't dreamed for ages? Hmm... That means... Well, it signals a fear of what the future holds. Don't be scared of the future. When you have choices to make, you should be bold!

This time, we'll try your... Face Fortune. Let's see. Hmm... Still a bit rounded like a kid's face, but with an adult chin. I see, I see. It shows the past and the future. Some kind of great destiny awaits. A great destiny. But don't let it overwhelm you. It's important to stay cool.

This time I'll tell your... Name Fortune. Er... Your name is...
...Max, is it? Give me a moment. I'm starting to sense something...
............
Wow, this is unusual! You will walk an exceptional path through life. It certainly won't be boring, but many hardships await. That's the sort of name it is.

This time, let's try your... Career Fortune. Would you let me take a look at the sword you use? Hmm... Yes, I see. You are a forward-thinking person. If you're going to change career, do it soon.

This time, let's see your... Jewel Fortune. Put your hand into this leather pouch for me. Then pull out a jewel. What have you got? Huh? A pink diamond? A speciality of Bustoke. That stone suggests that... you're "charitable but dispassionate". You're everyone's friend, but there's also a cold streak in you. Am I right?

Right, this time let's try the good old Colour Fortune. The colour of your eyes is a bluish green... No, a greenish blue? Oh, never mind! Let's call it green, shall we? Green is the colour of life, and the colour of well-being. But it also shows vulnerability. Hm, this is tricky. Don't let your guard down... That's probably what it means.

Now let's try your... Hair Fortune. Let me have a strand. Hey! Come on! It won't hurt that much! Now, which one shall I take? Your hair's very fine... Hair like yours is prone to... You're in danger of going bald! You should start doing something about it right now!

This time I'll tell your... Love Fortune. Let's find your perfect match. Close your eyes, and hold my hand. Yes, yes, that's the way. Okay then. I'm feeling everything in your heart now... Got it! Your ideal match is...
...a little selfish,
...fairly head-strong,
...occasionally sentimental,
...and stingy!
That's your perfect match! Remember what I've told you!

This time let's tell your... Money Fortune. Show me your palm. Hmm... Okay, got it! Put simply, you'll have money troubles. A lot coming in, but a fortune going out! Before you buy something, try to decide whether you really need it or not.

This fortune is the... Rust Fortune. Show me your sword.
...Hmm... There's no rust on this. That means... You look after weapons well. I guess that isn't really fortune-telling, though!

This time, let's try your... Monster Fortune. Imagine your favorite monster and picture it in your mind.
....Right, okay... I'm getting it now! What? You like Dire Clowns? Pretty cool! People who like Dire Clowns... are a bit shy, but love to show off! Well, am I right?

Phew, I'm exhausted! I've gone through my entire fortune-telling repertoire. Would you like me to tell your fortune again? It'll be the same though...


[Lowe]
I'm here so that you can concentrate on fighting! Don't you be forgetting that!

Aw! I'm starvin'! I could murder a Giant Bat steak right now. If that's not on the menu, deep-fried Giant Bat'll do. I'm right starvin', I am!

Aw! I'm starvin'! I wanna sink my teeth into an Alterone gourmet steak! If that's not on offer, some Manarina gruel instead. I'm starvin', I am!

Wow! I'm a-hungry! I could gobble down some Quick Chicken curry right now! If that's not on the menu, a Turbo Pepper fry-up! Oh yeah! I'm starvin'!

My belly's a-rumblin'! I could gulp down some of that Shellfish stew! If there's none of that, then some Conch marinade! I'm starvin' indeed!

Hungry with a capital H! I could polish off a Bustoke beef bowl right now. If that ain't doin', I'll settle for a Bustoke chop. Wow, I'm starvin'!

Phew! I'm starwin'! I wanna get some Waral watermelon parfait down me! If that's off, a Waral strawberry sundae'll do. Yup! I'm starvin'!

Wow! I'm a-hungry! I wanna get some Paopig pork down me! If there's none o' that, then some Paopig bacon'll do. I'm real hungry!

I'm famished, I am! I wanna munch on some Bustoke mountain vegetable salad! If that's not on the menu, I'll take some Bustoke nut salad. Wow, I'm starvin'!

I'm huuuungry! I could murder some Shade Abbey crackers! If there's none o' them, how about some Shade wafers. Oh yes! I'm hungry!

Wow! I'm starvin'! I wanna munch on some giant squid-ink pasta! If that's not on the menu, a giant squid seafood pizza. I'm real hungry!

My belly's rumblin'! I could polish off a Cerberus stamina bowl right now! If that's not on the menu, how about a Cerberus stir-fry? I'm ready to eat!

Well, I'm starvin'! I could gobble down a Waral seafood bowl. But if that's off, I'll go for a Waral crab sandwich instead. Gimme food!

I'm right starvin'! Gimme a Bustoke strawberry cake to get me teeth into! If that's off, I'll have a Bustoke strawberry dumpling! I'm starvin', I am!

Wow, I'm famished! ...Okay to talk more about food?!


[Gong]
Leave everything to me. I can fight and treat your wounds. I'll do all I can.

You could do worse than listen to what I've got to say. Although... Actually, I don't really have much to say... What's that? What's up? Oh, I see. You are wondering what I've got in my backpack... Very well. In that case, I'll tell you about that. I am a travelling monk. I have everything I could possibly need in here.
First of all, this bedroll attachment. It's specially made you know, with lining of Paopig skin. It's cool in summer, and warm in winter. With this, I can sleep in comfort anywhere.

I've got all kind of things in my backpack. Let's see... These little pills. They contain Medical Herb extract, so they're full of goodness. Just one of these, and you'll feel fine all day.

What else have I got in this backpack? Let's see... Some rope. It's thin, but made with the toughest of Paopig braid. One length of this, and I can climb any mountain, bind up my things, even make fire!

There are plenty of things in my backpack. Let's see... A change of underclothes. Keeping clean is the key to a smart appearance. Come to think of it, what do you do about a change of clothes?

I've got all kinds of things in this here backpack. Let's see... This little tin cup. Of course I use it to drink water, but... I also use it when I make soup, or to boil up Medical Herbs. When you're travelling, it's best to have things you can use for many purposes.

What other things have I got here... Let's see... Yes, this pot. In here I've got a panacea. This ointment is effective for bites and stings, cuts, burns, frostbite and other ailments. The only problem is... Ah?! Can you smell it? I'm used to it now, but... Some people pass out... It's too late now. The smell is on you already! There's no need to worry. After about ten days, you'll smell normal again! Ha ha ha!
...Sorry about that. I should have told you before...

I've got all kinds of things in my backpack here. Let's take a look... This white towel, for instance. Naturally, I use it to dry myself, but I also use it to keep the sun off my head. There's not much else up there to keep the sun off!

I've got all manner of things in my backpack. What else... Ah, this little notebook. I make sketches in here of the scenery I pass on my travels. And also... I like poetry, so I jot down poems I think up in here too. While you're here, why don't I read you one. It's called "Sun, Stars and Mother Earth".
"Oh sun, oh sun, your brilliance hides the stars and lights up the Earth"
"Oh sun, oh sun
When you go down..."
You're looking a little bored. So maybe I'll read the rest to you some other time...

I've got all kinds of things in my backpack here. Let's see... This is a map I made myself. It's indispensable on a trip. I made it bit by bit from places I've been and things I've seen. It's not just a map, it's a collection of memories from my travels.

There are many things here in my backpack. Let's have a look... This little mirror. Of course I use it to keep myself tidy, but... Look! By reflecting light, you can use it to signal to people far away.

That's all I've got in my backpack, but... If you want, I'll show you it all again...


[Anri]
Max, you're doing a great job. Take care of yourself, ok?

......Max
You're our leader and I think we should try to understand each other a little better...
............
...Where shall we start? I thought I could start by telling you more about myself... But I'm not really accustomed to talking in this way...
............
......Forgive me. Let's talk later.

......Do you know...
...what I really like?
Oh silly me! Of course you wouldn't know! When I was younger, I loved drawing more than anything. I couldn't seem to do it very well, but still...

I already told you about how I liked to draw pictures, didn't I?
...Yes, that's right. I did. Now why don't I tell you about the kind of pictures they were. At first, I would only draw scenery. Mountains, rivers, the sea. Any kind of landscape. But...... I got into a lot of trouble when they found out I was sneaking out of the castle.

I was forbidden from leaving the castle. So I had to draw people instead. My father, the King. Ministers. Maids. Knights. I drew them all... At first people were glad to be drawn by me. But I pestered them too much... And after a while they would all run away when they saw me coming. After that... I would just paint cats.

............
............
I am sorry, Max. When I start talking about my beloved pictures, I just can't stop... A subject other than pictures... Hmm, now let me see... When I was a child, I admired the knights so much that I tried to train like they do... It was a waste of time. I'm totally useless when it comes to anything physical.

......Max May I ask you something? Do you enjoy listening to me?
...... It's okay. There's no need to answer that.
......Surely I have something interesting to tell you... I'll give it some thought.

......Max I've done a lot of thinking, and I've realised this... My original idea wasn't to regale you with funny stories, but for you to get to know me. So in that case... In that case, what should I tell you...? Ummm...... My favorite colour is white.

............
My favorite food is...... I don't really have one. I'm the sort who'll receive any food gracefully. It's the way I was brought up.

......Oh, yes, I know! It's not that I dislike them as such, but... I'm not so keen on sweet things. The maids' children in the castle like to eat sweets and cakes, but I'm not such a fan. I don't mind sweets if they're not too sugary, though...

When I have some free time I often like to read books about magic. I started doing this back in Guardiana, but... in Manarina, I had more time than ever to read. It was wonderful because there were more books than I could possibly get through.

My dream... I know exactly what that is. Let me tell you... With the king now passed away, I must lead Guardiana, but... What if... If I hadn't been born into the royal family of Guardiana... I don't know. I've never considered it.

I've done a lot of thinking since we last spoke. If I hadn't been born daughter of a king... I could have been a mage...
...That's what I thought at first. But more likely an artist. I think that is the path I would have chosen. Whether I would have succeeded or not is another matter though... He he he

......Max I can only tell this to you... I find the idea of fighting truly abhorrent... I can't understand this idea of crossing swords and using magic against an enemy... How can anyone delight in it? But as Queen of Guardiana, I cannot voice this opinion. All I want is Dark Dragon to be sealed away soon so that the fighting can end.

......Max In the fight to seal away Dark Dragon... the final battle draws near. We must do our best, Max. As Queen of Guardiana, I too will risk my life and fight...

I have no more to say. Sorry for boring you with all my stories, Max. Although... If you'd like to hear them again, I really don't mind...


[Arthur]
I'm really grateful for the chance to join in this battle! I won't let you down!

...So, without further ado, Arthur's Trivia Corner! Now that you're here, why don't I tell you some unimportant, useless trivia?! First, Guardiana's speciality. It's the sweet, fruity-smelling Guardiana Carrot! On Guardiana farms, many tasty veggies are grown, but the carrot is number one.
Guardiana carrot juice
Guardiana carrot cake
Guardiana carrot puree
Guardiana carrot soup
Guardiana carrot noodles
Guardiana carrot saute
All of them have the finest, most mouth-watering taste!

...Here it is... Arthur's Trivia Corner! The name of the filthy rich Alterone King. It's not all that usefull, but-
It's Charles Granard Culprang Don the 4th! Isn't that a great name? A grand name doesn't guarantee a great personality. Just one more bit of trivia.

...So without further ado, here's Arthur's Trivia Corner! The name of the leader of the industrial town, Rindo... It's Mocha Doccha. He's very popular, and now he's in his tenth term as leader.

...Are you ready for Arthur's Trivia Corner?! Do you know the full name of the leader of the magical land of Manarina? It's Otrant Eismann, a.k.a. the All-seing Guardian.

...Time for another Arthur's Trivia Corner! The head monk of Shade Abbey is called... Dong. He's called that after the noise of the huge church bell.
...Actually, I made that up!

...So here we go with Arthur's Trivia Corner! Do you know the full name given to the King of mountainous Bustoke? It's Zylo Duun Munster. In the dialect of the Bustoke region, "Zylo, King of the Mountains". Straight from the horse's mouth!

...Time for another Arthur's Trivia Corner! The wagons which travel the Pao Plains are called the Pao Caravan. Know what pulls them? It's an old engine from about 150 years ago. It can be fueled by anything, but nowadays it runs mostly on Paopig dung. Well, I guess it's cheap, and good for the enviroment.

...Time for another Arthur's Trivia Corner! Want to know the origins of the sea world, Waral? Long ago, a Rindo fishing boat was washed up. Those were the people who settled the island. It's warm there, and the fish are tasty. The perfect place to set up home! They really got washed up in a great place!

...Time for another Arthur's Trivia Corner! Let me tell you about the biannual Fighting Tournament held in Guardiana. It's for normal townsfolk, not just knights and warriors. The biggest event in Guardiana!
And as well as the tournament, there are stalls and a circus. It's a really lively event.
...but of course, you're from Guardiana yourself, so you must know this already...

Yup! Even someone who knows as much as me can run out of material! If you didn't catch it all last time, I can go over it again...


[Balbaroy]
I'll keep fighting until these wings break! On the king if the sky's honour!

There is a story passed down among us Birdmen about a hero. The hero's name was... Vern, the Soaring One
Now is a good time. I will tell you about him. We are Birdmen of course, but we live on the ground. We only fly when we are hunting or going places. In other words... Flying is nothing more than a skill we use. But the man called Vern, he was different.

Vern was alive many hundreds of years ago now. From the moment he was born, he had unusually large wings. It's said that from the moment he hatched from his egg, he could fly freely. From when he was a young boy, Vern only ever thought of one thing.
Higher! Faster! He though only about flying.

Vern built up the strength of his wings, hoping to fly higher than anyone. But that was a difficult challenge. High in the sky the air is thin. There is a limit to how far wings can take you. Vern had many setbacks. He fell out of the sky, nearly losing his life many times.

Still... Eventually, he managed to reach a place higher in the sky than anyone had ever been. It was a strange world that no one else knew anything about. Where the sky changes from blue to black, Vern saw more and more bizarre things...

The first thing Vern saw were soft, transparent things like bubbles. He thought it was a gathering of spirits, like those that go up in the sky when people die. Led by the spirits, Vern went even higher. As it was getting harder to beat his wings, and difficult to breathe in the thin air... a huge thing appeared in front of Vern.

An enormous castle had appeared in front of Vern. A castle the size of which he had never seen anywhere on earth was floating in the sky. The group of bubbles went inside the castle, but Vern hesitated. The place where spirits go to heaven... Or it could be hell... Either way, it was a place for the departed. That was how Vern was thinking.

But Vern was exhausted and he could beat his wings no more. There was nothing he could do but just fall back to earth... So Vern made up his mind to venture inside the castle in the sky, for better or worse.
The castle was surreal. Without beating his wings, Vern floated in space. The rooms looked the same on all sides. He had never seen such a strange place.

Vern decided to explore the huge floating castle. It was so unfeasibly big that looking in all the rooms took days. Eventually Vern made it to a room deep in the very heart of the castle. It's said that a solitary old man was there...

According to the old man, the castle was a vessel for crossing the sea of stars. He said the spirits of our world were of great worth on his faraway planet. It was his job to collect the spirits and take them back to that faraway world. And then the old man asked Vern...
"Wouldn't you like to go and see such a distant star?"

After much thought, Vern decided to accept the old man's offer. After all, it was Vern's wish to go higher and further than anyone else. So he set off with the old man for the world of the distant star.

What happened to Vern in that faraway world...? Nobody really knows. We do know one thing. Vern did return to this world again. But he didn't show himself to us Birdmen. So where did Vern go? Well...

They say that when Vern came back to this world... Well, this is probably just a myth, but... They say Vern got some steel wings from that faraway world. And if you have those wings, you never get tired, and you can fly forever. They say Vern became immortal. And he flies with his steel wings alone in the sky where no one else can go. Even now. For all eternity...

What? Steel wings? Yes, I know... If there really was such a thing, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want some... But... I like things the way they are. I like the skies, but I like the earth too. I know the earth's always there for when I get tired and want to rest my wings.

That's the end of the Birdman legend.
...Still... Legends are meant to be told time and again. ...Don't you think so?


[Amon]
Leave airborne battles to me! With these wings, no enemy will defeat us!

............
I'm sure my husband has told you about the Birdman legend of Vern, hasn't he? In that case I could... Of course! Let me teach you some old Birdman spells. They work really well. First of all... the Battle Victory Spell. It's quite simple. Always make sure you're wearing pink clothes. Those clothes you're wearing, they're...
............
all you've got, right?

Some more old Birdman spells... The Don't Buy Things You Don't Need Spell. Here's what you say...
"Abracadabra! Withhold the gold!"
Chant this at night before you go to sleep.

Another old Birdman spell... The Love Comes True Spell. Ah! Was that a twinkle in your eye? Well, I suppose you're at that age, aren't you...?! So here's the spell... Take 16 bits of paper. Write the names of people you like. Every night, take one piece of paper and feed it to a Paopig at exactly midnight. When you've finished all 16 bits of paper, the spell is complete. Only, you must feed them to a different Paopig each night, okay? If you feed them to the same one, the spell won't work.

Here's another ancient Birdman spell... The Don't Catch a Cold Spell. When you get out of the bath, dry yourself well with a nice clean towel. And try not to stay up late. Get to bed early.
Oh... No, I suppose that's not really a spell, is it?!

The next ancient Birdman spell... The Get on Well Spell. This spell is really useful if you're in charge of a group. Cut a Bustoke Fern and put it in a bag. Before you go to sleep, put it under your pillow. If you dream of a red Paopig, it means the spell has worked.

Another old Birdman spell... The Don't Get Lost Spell. We Birdmen don't have a lot of landmarks when we have to travel long distances. This spell is indispensable at times like that. Pluck out one feather, and let it fall to the ground. Then beat your wings hard until the feather flips over.
...Ah!... Sorry! I guess that's a bit of a tricky spell if you're not a Birdman!

Here is another ancient Birdman spell... The Get Clever Spell. Find something of value. Even a small thing will do. Wrap it in a hankie and when there's full moon, make a wish and throw it in a river. If your treasured item reaches the sea safely, what you wished for will come true... It's not a spell for people who value their possessions!

Time for another ancient Birdman spell... The Fair Weather Spell. You must perform this spell the day before you need it. Make a doll from white cloth. This is called a Telling Witch, something descended from people of the east. If you hang it in the window, good weather is sure to come. But... The name Telling Witch is so sinister-sounding, I'm sure it's a dangerous spell. I've never tried it myself. I'm too scared.

Let me tell you another ancient Birdman spell... The Find Lost Things Spell. Go out of the house, and yank on the right ear of the first person you meet. If they get angry and ask what on earth you're doing, then it's failed. But if they smile and say "Feel free to pull on my left ear too," then it's worked. You'll definitely find what you're looking for!

Here's another ancient Birdman spell... The Know Your Beloved's Feelings Spell!
...Ah! That twinkle in your eye again! So you like someone! You don't have to hide it! You're young! It's only natural! Right then. This spell... Write the name of the person you like in white on some black paper. Put the black paper somewhere on the ground. If the writing fades away in the sunlight, the spell has worked. Then, in a dream, you'll find out what that person is feeling. But if the paper blows away before the writing fades, the spell has failed... That's how it works.

I'll tell you another ancient Birdman spell... The Don't Get Injured Spell. Great for people who fight! However many enemies you take out, injuries are inevitable. They can lead to your death... This spell will make sure that doesn't happen. You'll need some Dragon Ragweed from Dragonia. Mash it up and apply it to the place you want to protect from injury. Dragon Ragweed from Dragonia is pretty hard to come by, so if you can't get that... you could try using Kapeca Seaweed from Waral instead. But... it'll make you really itchy all over, so you should be careful.

Another old Birdman spell... The World Peace Spell. Wake up every morning and pray. Give thanks for the sky, earth and sea, family and friends. Pray for peace every day. If everyone does that, one day we'll have world peace. That's what I believe.

I've told you all of the spells I know. Do you want me to refresh your memory?


[Pelle]
Taking out the enemy is what I do best. I'll show you the power of a real knight.

As a hired Knight, I've travelled all over Rune... Max, you're quite something, but I've seen warriors stronger still... Yeah, this is a good time. Why don't I tell you about them?

The name of the first warrior was... Dracon, the Devil Double! Well? Pretty scary name, huh? His talent was phenomenal... Get this! He had this amazing trick of dividing himself into 7 people when in battle.
He wasn't a mage, so I wondered how he could do something like that... Maybe he just looked like 7 people because he was so fast. That's what I thought, but...

Dracon, the Devil Double... who could divide himself into 7... One day, I worked out how he did it... The man Dracon... He was actually 7 brothers... Hearing "Divide and conquer!", the other 6 brothers would appear. That's how he did it.
...It was so ridiculous, I had to chuckle!

The second warrior was called... King De Vower, the Guzzler! He was a king who had an appetite second to none. In one day he'd get through 1000 eggs, 500 chickens, 800 loaves of bread, 200 pieces of chocolate, and 99 bottles of wine. If this guy went into a town, he'd eat up everything and the place would be ruined. When all the food had gone, he'd gulp down water from the sea. The water level in the eastern ocean dropped because of him... So much that some new land appeared. It's pretty unbelievable... Maybe slightly exaggerated.

The next and third warrior was called... Bob, the Portrait Assassin! He had the smooth face of a child, and was quite sweet-looking... But he was a master artist. He sketched portraits of enemies he encountered. And because he was such a master, his portraits captured even the soul of his subject. Once drawn... the enemy would have their soul destroyed... And that was the end of them!

Next is the fourth warrior, who was known as... Miss Atoan, Singer of Ruin! As her name suggests, she was a singer. But... she was the worst singer in all history... Anyone who heard her sing would pass out straight away. Plants would wither... Water would go bad... Air would turn grey... Buildings would collapse... Some might say Wtshe's more dangerous than Dark Dragon!

Next is the fifth warrior, known as... Fastbil, the Master Carpenter! He was a genius carpenter. In the hands of such a man, any building would be finished in no time at all. It was a long time ago, but once Fastbil was summoned by a kingdom to build a fortress. And in just one evening, Fastbil finished making an enormous fortress. While the neighbouring country was still in shock, they used the fortress to invade. And then...

Er... What were we talking about before? Oh, I know! It was Fastbil, the Master Carpenter, right? The army would invade their neighbours, using the fortress as refuge if things got ugly. Those were their tactics. Taking territory bit by bit. But one time they tried to take refuge back in the fortress... and no trace of it remained. Fastbil hadn't liked the job he'd done... so after the troops had left, he'd taken it to pieces.
Fastbil... He can be useful, but he's fickle too. Don't forget that in a hurry!

Next is the sixth warrior, known as... Missaki, the Wild Pianist! Have you ever heard of a "piano"? It's an ancient instrument. Really big. A "pianist" is someone who plays the piano. So anyway, Misaki was a master pianist. The music he performed transported people to a land of dreams. You would feel as if you were walking on air, in a trance. But that's not all... Missaki's forte was not just playing the piano.
...He was also as strong as an ox. Having lulled his enemies with his performance... He'd throw the piano at them. Now, a piano is very big and very heavy. It would crush anyone. He was a really scary guy, that Missaki...

So next is the seventh warrior, called... Ovarakt, the Master Actor! Well, his name says it really. A genius of an actor. He could perform any role perfectly. I mean any role, whatsoever. So, for example... If he was to act the part of a master swordsman... he would actually become a master swordsman. He'd be able to wield a sword perfectly. If he was to act the part of a zombie, he would become one... If he was playing a goblin, he'd become of them, too. He was invincible. Fearsome. But he's no longer alive... An enemy of Ovarakt put on a play for him. It was about the world's greatest hero. The hero slew many dragons, but in the end he fell into a volcano and burned to death. ...And, just like in the play, one day they found Ovarakt's dead body. They say he really did throw himself into a volcano and his body was like charcoal...

That's the end of my tales about the 7 Warriors of Rune. Some of them are dead now, but some are still going strong. If you come across any of them on your travels... run for it! All in all, they're a scary bunch!

...Huh? I've told you all I know about the 7 Warriors of Rune. I told you about all 7, right? Do you want to hear it one more time?


[Yogurt]
...Er...

......Yakiniku!

......Koohii!

......Hirune!

......Hinata-bokko!

......O-furo!

......Tsubusu!

......Ippai!

......Sakana!

......Kutsu-himo!

......Nureta!

......Shio-aji!

......Asa-gayu!

......Lasuto!
......and Ripiito!


[Kokichi]
Ha! I just love to fight! Those Runefaust beasts? I'll make easy work of them!

My love of the sky... That takes me back to my younger years. When I was a lad, a travelling salesman would sometimes stop at our home. Old friend of my father's he was. And one day, he showed me something really strange. He folded a sheet of paper many times and made an odd triangle shape.
"Watch closely!" he said, as he threw the paper triangle. It flew dead straight, and disappeared down the valley. He he! It was a paper plane, of course! That was how I was first acquainted with... the sky!

After I discovered paper planes, I was hooked! I just wanted to fly. That's all I thought about every day.
Then one day it struck me. If I made an enormous paper plane, big enough for a human to ride on, I could fly! But that amount of paper isn't so easy to get hold of. Then I had an idea... I made a plane from animal skins I'd glued together. Took it to the top of a mountain, and with a running leap, I took off off in it!
...And then...!

I was a kid riding in an enormous paper plane!
............
But then... I suddenly plummeted down. I may well have been a child, but any human is too heavy for a paper plane! Anyway, I was really lucky, as the plane snagged on a tree. Probably saved my life. Then, I had another idea...

The plane made of skins was too flimsy. I'd learned that much. So I made a bamboo frame. And I gave up trying to ride on top, and decided to suspend myself beneath the wings. Then there'd be no danger of crushing the wings under me. And that worked a treat! From the top of a mountain I safely flew down
to the village.
...But that's not the end...

Sure enough I was flying... But I wasn't flying free like a bird does. To be honest, I wasn't flying, I was just falling slowly.
"Free! Like a bird!"
Free... like a bird? It suddenly hit me! I should be beating my wings just like a bird does!

Just like a bird, I'd beat my wings and fly freely! As soon as I'd had the idea, I started drawing plans. I should have a wing attached to each arm, and they should be able to move! I made the wings, and went out for a test flight.
...I was flying! Or so I thought, when I suddenly fell from the sky. I had to rethink...

Why did these wings not work for me? Well, because compared to humans, birds are so light! Humans are just too heavy! So the solution was simple! I had to lose weight. Realizing that, from the very next day I stopped eating and just lived on water. Once I'd lost a fair bit of weight, I tried another test flight. But...

I had lost enough weight, but with no food, I had no energy left. I didn't even have the strentgh to lift the wings on my arms. In other words... Humans just aren't strong enough. I thought of some other ways. I stuck fireworks all over my body and used their power. Well I certainly flew! But I couldn't control my direction, so I wasn't really "free". After thinking and thinking, I tried suspending myself under 100 Bustoke crows. I was sure 100 of them would be enough to lift one human... Or so I thought...
But all they did was fight amongst themselves, and they didn't fly anywhere.

With all these problems, I gave up on my dream of flying... But then, out of nowhere came someone to help. He was an inventor from Rindo called Dr. Crock. Dr. Crock showed me the steam engine he was working on, as a way to power my wings. I thought to myself... This is it! I asked Dr. Crock to show me how to make an engine. I was able to make one by myself, but... It was still quite heavy. I needed a light engine if it was to help me fly. From then on, I went back into a long period of research.

With Dr. Crock's help, I managed to make a small-scale steam engine. And... Well, you know what happened after that. I didn't make the wings for battle purposes, but if it'll help get rid of Dark Dragon... Anyway... Quite a bit of time's passed since then, eh...

I was just a kid when I first dreamed of flying. And now I find myself an old man... Even so... You're the only one I'll tell this to, so keep it secret... I still have a dream. I'm going to continue my research, and one day I'll fly away from this place... And vanish into the sea of stars. I don't know if that's possible in the time I have left... But I won't be giving up. As long as I'm alive and kicking, I'll continue my research. Ha ha ha. If I succeed, I'll take you to the stars too if you like. Just be patient, okay!

Phew! That about sums up my extraordinary life. I'd be happy to tell you again from the beginning if you like.


[Vankar]
Placing me on the front line? You have an expert eye. What a great leader!

Ah! If it isn't Max! Shining Force, right? Ah, it's great here! Fantastic! Beautiful women and unlimited supplies of Paopig milk. You keep up the good work, eh?

Well, you know... Life is a funny thing... Like a blossoming flower! People take notice of you for a while... then you fall to the ground and get trampled on.
...That's right, eh?

...Burp! Wooo... P'raps I've had enough Paopig milk... My stomach hurts...

...Hiccup! You know, life is... well, life... isn't it... Because it's life. Sorry, too full to think.

Max, I didn't really want to be, you know, a knight. Not at first. But my old man was a knight, you see.. The old dog's not around any more though... That's my ancestry, so that's why I'm a knight... But really I just run the business now.
...War! It's a waste of time! All that really matters...
...is love... ... and peace.

to be a knight. I wanted to do other work... Something to make people happy... What? What would make 'em happy...? You mean, what kind of job? Ah, yeah... Something like the circus. That's the sort of
thing. Entertainment. ...Yeah, the circus. What could I do? The flying trapeze? ...Nah... I don't like heights.

I know, Max! Forget about the circus. Some other kind of work... What would be good...? That guy who looks after Paopigs! He has an easy life. As much milk as you want! Imagine that! But I'd drink it all myself, have nothing left to sell! Not much money in that.

You're that... aren't you?
"That old guy's been going on for ages. It's so boring. I'd much rather be talking to Khris..." That's what you're thinking, right? That's what I'd be thinking if I were you.

...Lately I've been drinking a bit too much of that milk. Now the war's going to heat up, I'd better slow it down a bit, eh? Can't get too fat!
...Maybe just one more glass. Then I might call it a night.

...Last night I got out of bed to take a leak,
... came back, still half asleep, and mistook Anri for my pillow. Crikey!... She was really angry...! Phew!... Just thinking about it makes me tremble...

...Hiccup! I dunno... lately our enemies seem to be getting stronger. Ha ha ha ha... Pretty scary, isn't it? After fighting a tough enemy, hot milk really calms ya down.

You know, don't you... Soon it'll be the showdown! I reckon, anyhow. Better fill up now! Drink as much milk as I can...

... Won't be long now. The showdown with the Dragon. That's what I reckon. That's why I'm fillin' up on this full cream, gold-top Caravan Brand.

...Oh... don't leave me on my own! Let's talk some more!


[Torasu]
Try not to get hurt. I'm getting on a bit; too much spell-casting wears me out.

So then, shall I tell you something of the history of Prompt? Prompt was founded about 1000 years ago, according to my history book. Those left after the fall of the previous civilization set established a new state.

At first, the people of Prompt lived in obscurity, isolated from everyone. They were hiding from the demi-humans, who hated humans.

To avoid attacks from outside, they chose a location very carefully. In the depths of the jungle, by a volcano called Mt. Siglas, they built a town. They chose to be next to the volcano so they could use the earth's natural energy.

Siglas is an extinct volcano now, but back then it was alive with fire. Many of the old civilization’s records were destroyed by eruptions and earthquakes. Prompt Castle is underground now too, because it was buried in an earthquake.

There are quite a few traces of the old civilization in Prompt - especially machines. Although we know it would be useful to use them... We make sure that we do not. Because it was these that led to the destruction of the old civilization, long ago... After 1000 years, that is the best lesson we people of Prompt have learned... The truth that happiness comes from man living together with nature.

It was a rather long explanation, but that is the end of my history lesson. A man of my age likes to talk... Shall I recount it to you from the beginning?


FINAL SPEECHES

[Ken]
...
I always wanted to be just like Max... So when I found out I could go with him to the Gate of the Ancients, I was thrilled. Since then, I've tried my best to make Max proud of me... And now we've finally sealed Dark Dragon... Why did this have to happen?!
...Max!!!

[Tao]
...
I fought for Lady Anri because she accepted me as a mage. I was so proud... I didn't know it at first... but... It was you that I always looked to on the battlefield. And then I realised... I wanted to use my power for you as well as Lady Anri. And now it's too late...
...Max!!!

[Hans]
...
I'm sorry. All I ever did was complain about how I was no good at fighting... But still, you gave me the chance to prove myself. I... I didn't really hate fighting. I was just afraid. But I'm OK now. You taught me what courage was all about.
...Max!!!

[Luke]
...
You were our leader... You always thought of us, and you always fought bravely... You had enough guts to put even us dwarves to shame. You were a warrior among warriors, and I'll never forget you...
...Max!!!

[Lowe]
...
Why'd you have to go and disappear on me like that? I'm the one who found you washed up on the shore! I saved your life, pal! You owe me! So why'd you... Why'd you have to go and disappear on me...
...Max!!!

[Mawlock]
...
One day... the cards revealed to me... That I must guide the heroes who would save the world. One was the princess of Runefaust, Narsha Ramladu. And the other... was you. You travelled 1000 years, only to be separated from Kane and forced to fight alone... This was the man upon whom the fate of the world depended. But you fought splendidly... better than I ever imagined... It was your power that allowed Dark Dragon to be sealed. And that's why... I believe... That you are still alive... Somewhere...
...Max!!!

[Gong]
...
I was led by a star to a faraway land to meet you. I was lost... What I was supposed to do? What was I supposed to seek? Your courage and determination showed me the way. Your leadership allowed us to accomplish our great mission. For it to end like this...
...Max!!!

[Gort]
...
...When I close my eyes I can see it like it was yesterday. You reached out to me as a friend in that bar. Even with all the rage in me toward Runefaust, I couldn't have done anything by myself. But you gave an old man one last chance in life. I was so happy for it... And so I fought and fought as hard as I could...
And now we've finally got victory in our grasp... Why, Max, Why aren't you here with the rest of us?!
...Max!!!

[Mae]
...
Why'd you do this? Our long fight was finally over, and you had so much ahead of you. Everyone would have welcomed you with open arms when we got back to Guardiana... You would have been the hero of Guardiana... no, of all of Rune... But now... With their hero gone, there'll be nothing but sorrow...
...
And I... I wanted to...
...Max!!!

[Khris]
...
From the very first day I met you in Alterone, my destiny was changed forever. I had always drifted along from day to day, never thinking about tomorrow... But in that day, I was entrusted with a great and noble mission... To use the power Heaven gave me to protect people's lives. I finally discovered why I was put on this earth... And it made me so happy. But in the end... I couldn't even protect the one who mattered most...
...
...Max!!!

[Anri]
...
I can still remember... When I heard about my father's death, I didn't know where to turn. Were it not for your kindness, I might never have been able to face up to reality. It was all because you were there for me... I am princess of Guardiana, one entrusted with guarding the Gate of the Ancients... But it was your strength that enabled me to honour my father's memory in battle.
...Thank you. Thank you so much.
...Max!!!

[Arthur]
...
If I... If I'd never met you, I'll bet I'd still be an errand boy in Manarina. I would have kept on doubting my worth as a knight and running away from battle... It's all because I met you that I was able to reclaim my honour as a knight. I was gonna thank you properly after the battle was over... But now it's too late... What happened? You never gave me the chance to thank you...
...Max!!!

[Balbaroy]
...
When we were attacked at Shade Abbey, I thought I was going to die. I thought I was never going to be able to avenge the massacre of my brethren... I lost all hope. But then you showed up and saved me and Amon. You gave me a chance to fight again as the champion of the skies. I made a vow that day... That I would continue to fight until these wings were broken. I kept that promise. But you're not here. And there are no words to express the sadness I feel...
...Max!!!

[Amon]
...
When my husband was turned to stone, I fell into despair. I thought all was lost. But your arrival changed everything... So I made a vow that day. I would offer my life... and these wings... to help seal Dark Dragon. Everything went so well thanks to your strength, but now...
...I have reached a decision. As long as we live, my people will always revere your name. Your beautiful name.
...
...Max!!!

[Diane]
...
Ever since I was born, I've been raised as a warrior. Bustoke is surrounded by petty, squabbling nations. It has never known peace. I fought alongside Lord Zylo to protect my country. I thought that was the mission that I was fated to carry out. But when I met you, I knew I had an even greater mission. To protect not just a tiny kingdom, but the world... The land and the air... And the sea... And everything that lives... That's the true mission of all who have the power to fight. I pledge to continue to fight to uphold that mission when I return to Bustoke. And I'll never forget... The name of the great warrior who taught me the most important lesson of my life...
...Max!!!

[Zylo]
...
When I fell into Balbazak's trap, I lost control of the beast within me. I still remember how lonely it was... and how cold... I thought the only way to keep my honour as the Beast King...
...was to take my own life with these claws. I was deep in the abyss of despair... but then you came and saved my soul. I can't describe to you the joy I felt at that moment... I promised myself that I would fight for you until my fangs and claws were shattered!
...But what can I do now...
...Max!!!

[Pelle]
...
I... never even knew exactly where I was born... I took the road when I was a kid, and I've been in more battles than I can count. But no matter where I went, I always got the feeling... that I didn't belong there. So that's how I finally ended up joining the army of Runefaust. I'd sunk as low as I could get... I thought I'd be felled in battle, soon enough. That's when I saw you guys taking Runefaust on like you weren't afraid of anything. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning - this is my place! And I guess my hunch was right - we did something great back there. But now that fight's over, and I'm...
...Where am I supposed to go now, huh? Tell me that!
...Max!!!

[Yogurt]
...
...?
...?
...?
...Max!!!

[Kokichi]
...
You know, I had a dream. I wanted to keep studying flight until one day...I could sail off into a sea of stars. I wanted to build a spaceship and get off this blasted rock. I'd set course for a far-off star... And I'd take you along with me.
...
That settles it! I'm gonna make that spaceship! No matter how long it takes! So you better come back and see it, you hear? Or else I'm gonna go alone and leave you behind! You hear me?!
...Max!!!

[Vankar]
...
I was a mercenary... No, not even that... I was nothing but a hired thug. I'd fight for any rat as long as they gave me the green... That's how I lived. The only reason I joined you in the first place is because the queen of Pao told me to. But the more I fought with you, the more I realised... It's not just about money... there's something bigger to fight for. And I got to thinking, hey, this isn't so bad, either. And all those changes, well, I guess I owe them to you. So... As soon as the battle was over, I was planning on thanking you... But now it's too late! You disappeared on us...
...Max!!!

[Narsha]
...
Mawlock and Zuika helped me escape from Runefaust so that I could come and meet you. Before I met all of you, I was so frightened... Me, the princess of Runefaust, daughter of Ramladu... But instead of hating me, you welcomed me as a friend and comrade. After Darksol arrived at the castle, my days were filled with loneliness and despair. You don't know how grateful I was to meet you at the end of my journey... Even with such a heavy burden, you were always cheerful. It was your smiling face that inspired me to keep going...
...And now it's gone...
...Max!!!

[Zuika]
...
You came from the past...
...to save the future...
Life is full of irony. All your courage in battle will one day be forgotten. That's the way of the world. But... Even if everybody else forgets... I won't... The name of that brave hero...
...Max!!!

[Guntz]
...
...
Superconducting motor: off.
Steam engine: off.
...fffsssssshhhh
...Switching from Battle Mode to Normal Mode.
...
...fffsssssshhhh
...
What's this feeling? It's like my heart's getting shut down along with the engine. Fighting alongside you made my heart burn hotter than the hottest steam engine.
...Now it's so cold...
I wanna tear up the battlefield with you again...
...Max!!!

[Domingo]
...
...Domingo...
...
...
...Domingo...
...Domingo...
...Domingo-o-o-o!!!

[Earnest]
...
Ever since the day Balbazak destroyed my beloved hometown, I was obsessed with revenge. Finally, at the end of a long journey, I had him cornered. With your help, I was able to beat Balbazak. But when I did, I felt a huge hole open in my heart. Sure. I was happy that I'd beaten Balbazak... But... I felt sort of empty, too. Then I realized... Nothing good comes out of vengeance.
...And then... I found a new purpose - to help seal away the Dark Dragon... And that new purpose gave me hope... Up until then, I was fighting for people who were dead... But the battle to seal Dark Dragon was for the future... for living, breathing people. I'll never forget you... The brave warrior who gave me what I needed... A fight with meaning.
...Max!!!

[Hanzou]
...
...The shinobi's creed...
...is to approach every battle devoid of feelings... Even if he loses his friends, his parents, his brothers...
...he must not shed tears.
But now I... I will violate that creed. For once in my life... I will weep for someone... I will weep for you.
...
...Max!!!

[Lyle]
...
I really only joined you because Dr. Crock told me to. Sounds stupid, huh? But he said "go", so I went... That's all there was to it. I got lost along the way and joined up a little late... and now I regret it. I wish I could have met and fought with you earlier. Unlike our kin, the Centaurs, us Demi-Centaurs aren't really that good at fighting. That always held me back... But thanks to you, I feel like I could do anything. So I wish I could have fought sooner... and helped you out more than I did...
...Max!!!

[Musashi]
...
Once, I dedicated my entire life to mastering the sword. I revelled in testing my skills against ever stronger foes. And so I walked my own path, gaining power and prowess. Then, by a strange twist of fate, I met you, and fought against Dark Dragon... But there, too, I was only fighting in order to increase my own power.
...My wish was fulfilled!
...And yet!
I have but one regret... During my journey, I found one who was stronger than myself. That was you. I wanted to face you in battle... if only just once.
...Max!!!

[Bleu]
...
This can't be happening... I'm not a wimp anymore. I'm a real warrior now, right? I'm stronger now, right? It's all because you and Karin and everybody else encouraged me. But now what do I do...?
...
...
I'll be all right. I promised Karin and Krin that I'd never cry again. And I know somehow... that you're not dead. I know I'll see you again. So I won't say goodbye.
...
...Max!!!

[Alef]
...
I lost many friends in the battle against Runefaust... but I was saved by Prompt. I was so exhausted that all I could do was wait for a hero to seal Dark Dragon... you.
...
I should have rushed to your side and helped you any way I could, no matter the cost. Thank you. Even though you'd just met me, you trusted me and put me in the front line. Now, there's only one question on my mind:
Was I of any use to you?
Even though Dark Dragon has been sealed, Rune has not yet seen the last of its battles. I have reached a decision. I will use the power that the gods have given me to end the pain and suffering of war. So I ask you... to give me strength...
...Max!!!

[Torasu]
...
I cannot thank you enough... You trusted this old man and always put me at the front. In prompt, I was revered as an elder and a sage... But the truth is, my power was never much to speak of. I was simply older than those around me, and perhaps a bit more learned. I spent all my days reading books, and never once found myself in a fight. So when I first went to battle with you, in my heart of hearts, I was petrified... Was I of some service to you?
...
I suppose I shall never know...
...Max!!!

[Adam is absent from the final cutscene]