Scenario:Gawain - The Strength to Carry On
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The Strength to Carry On
With the three-nation treaty officially signed, Gawain intends to climb a mountain before leaving Dalmore, and the crew insist on joining him. As they trek through the mountain, Gawain explains he used to follow his father's training regimen of climbing this very mountain every day. Gawain descends into a familiar gorge and gets attacked by monsters just as he planned.
A three-nation alliance now exists between Feendrache, Wales, and Dalmore.
But relations among the new allies weren't always so rosy. In the past, Dalmore broke a prior alliance with Wales.
That betrayal stuck with Wales, making it difficult to broach a new alliance.
It wasn't until Gawain and the crew thwarted a scheme perpetrated by an unknown cabal and Pete, the commander of the Dalmore knights, that talks of a partnership could resume.
Gawain's efforts won back the trust Aglovale had lost in Dalmore.
Realizing they shared a common enemy, it was more important than ever for the three nations to set aside their differences and join together.
That is how the alliance between Feendrache, Wales, and Dalmore came to be.
Gawain: I have somewhere to go before I leave Dalmore. Do you mind if I have a little more time?
Vyrn: Ah, visiting your parents, right?
Vyrn: Gotcha, gotcha. It's hard to leave home. Take all the time you need to say what you have to say!
Gawain: Hmph. You're jumping to conclusions. I already stopped by their graves.
Vyrn: Oh? If not there, then where?
The crew members follow Gawain's gaze to a steep mountain in the distance. They can hardly believe their eyes.
Lyria: You're going to—
Gawain: Yes. It won't take that long. Please wait for me aboard the airship.
Vyrn: You seriously gonna climb that thing by yourself? What if something happens?
Gawain: You're jumping to conclusions again. I'll be—
Vyrn and Lyria: ...
Gawain: Fine. Tag along if you want, against my better judgment.
Lyria: Huff... Puff... Are we almost there, Gawain?
Gawain: Unfortunately we still have some distance to cover.
Vyrn: Well, can we rest for a bit? I'm not gonna last if I gotta carry Lyria the rest of the way up.
Gawain: You should've listened when I said to stay behind.
Choose: How are you not tired?
Gawain: I know this mountain like the back of my hand. It's nothing I can't handle.
Vyrn: Gee... So he's got a mountain of stamina too.
Choose: Give me a piggyback ride...
Gawain: What! Pull yourself together, (Captain), and act like a captain should!
(Captain) grins at the agitated knight and says it was only a joke.
Continue 1
Gawain: Hmph.
Gawain thinks for a moment. He then squats down with his back facing Lyria and Vyrn.
Gawain: Get on.
Lyria: Oh, but—
Gawain: The sun will set if you keep dawdling, and I have no desire to tumble down a rocky mountain in the dark.
Vyrn: Hehe. Well, if you're offering!
After Lyria and Vyrn get comfortable on Gawain's back, (Captain) and Gawain continue up the trail.
Vyrn: Boy, you make mountain climbing look easy.
Gawain: A knight of Dalmore mustn't be defeated by the very terrain he's sworn to protect.
Vyrn: Hm, so are all the knights of Dalmore good at mountain climbing?
Gawain: Yes. Among the allied nations, no army can march through mountains like we can. Even then, I am by far the most experienced.
Vyrn: Yeah, you're pretty much the best all right.
Gawain: Don't flatter me. I had to work for it.
Vyrn: Hm, it's not like you to be all humble and stuff.
Gawain: Hmph... Being out here in the wilderness brings back memories.
Gawain: We all have to start somewhere, and at one time I was no different from the new recruits.
Gawain: After Father passed, Pete took over as knight commander. He kept in shape by participating in normal knight drills, and at first that was adequate.
Gawain: But he could never reach Father's standards. Even to my untrained eye I knew his combat proficiency and tactical competency were lacking.
Gawain: I soon understood why he'd never surpass Father: Pete's work ethic stopped as soon as he left the training grounds.
Gawain: Father was different though. On the few occasions I peeked into his journal, I saw his personal training regimen.
Gawain: Knight drills were already harsh, and apparently he trained even more before those drills.
Gawain: Wheeze... I'll never surpass Dad if I can't handle a mere mountain!
Gawain: Curse this body! I will not fail!
His father, Lot, devised his own regimen, and Gawain followed it in hopes of sharpening his physical and mental qualities as a knight.
It was so punishing that he almost felt like giving up halfway through, but he succeeded on willpower and guts.
However, there were consequences.
Gawain: ...
Florence: I know you want to get stronger, Gawain, but aren't you being too reckless?
Gawain: Nothing worthwhile comes without pain. My body will eventually get the message.
Morgause: You're following right in your father's footsteps.
Morgause: Once he latches onto something, he has to see it through—
Gawain: Guh...
Florence: H-hey! What's wrong!
Morgause: He passed out from overexertion. Let's get him to bed.
Florence: Ugh, he should try putting himself in our shoes for a change.
Gawain nods off into a deep sleep after receiving a dose of healing spells from his mother and sister.
In the morning, Gawain slips away for training before his worried family wakes up.
He stands at the base of the mountain and makes a vow.
Gawain: I yield to no one. Supreme might shall be mine.
Gawain: I shall become a knight who stands above my father's legacy!
Gawain: From that day forth I followed his regimen without fail until my body was thoroughly forged.
Vyrn: Wow, it's amazing how you stuck it out every single day.
Vyrn flips through a book containing Gawain's training regimen with a sort of awe.
Gawain: Hey! What are you doing with my journal!
Vyrn: You showed it to us while you were talkin', remember? I guess your mind was somewhere else.
Gawain: Tch...
Lyria: It looks like your training got tougher each day according to the journal. That's incredible.
Gawain: I had slumps as well, you know. Whenever my health failed due to burnout, I had to scale back for a while.
Vyrn: You're more of a go-getter than I thought. It's like setbacks don't actually set you back.
Gawain: My father often said, "Those who put in the work will have their day."
Gawain: Whenever those words ring true, I feel as if I'm getting closer to him...
Vyrn: That's deep stuff. You're pretty talkative today, Gawain.
Gawain: Hmph. I have thoughts and feelings too. Why couldn't you have stayed on the airship like I asked?
By the time Gawain finishes talking, he arrives at the edge of a gorge, which is partially concealed by a forest of trees.
Vyrn: Are we gonna be safe? This place gives me the creeps...
Gawain: Don't worry. It hasn't changed since I last came here.
Lyria: Huh?
Gawain: There was one flaw in my plan. Completing my father's training regimen only brought me up to his level, not above it.
Gawain: Then I found this place. I made it out alive, and I was reborn in every sense of the word.
With a hint of fondness, Gawain looks down at the gorge before carefully descending into it.
In an instant, the forest comes alive.
The trees shake violently as enraged monsters burst forth from their hideaways.
Monster: ...!
Monster: Urnk, urnk!
Monster: Grrr!
Vyrn: Yikes! What's with the stampede!
Lyria: Look out! They're heading straight for us!
Gawain: Heh... I see some familiar faces.
Gawain: Excuse me while I limber up. Stick to the high ground, and don't come down until I'm finished.
Vyrn: But those monsters look kinda deranged, and there's a whole lot of 'em...
Gawain: Yeah, that's why it's called training.
Gawain readies his weapon and welcomes the monsters' onslaught.