The Dread Gate/Script

Before Battle

 * Gustav: Son.
 * Alfonse: Father... It has been some time since we have spoken. I am honored to be invited to this audience.
 * Gustav: And?
 * Alfonse: Er...
 * Henriette: Oh, Alfonse! Don't be nervous. He's missed you so much! It's been far too long.
 * Gustav: Henriette... Please, be discreet.
 * Henriette: My mistake!
 * Gustav: Alfonse, my son. I'm sure your mother has filled you in. Askr has been invaded.
 * Alfonse: Yes. She said that the soldiers are from Hel, the realm of the dead. I know little of it.
 * Gustav: To the west lies a desolate tomb... It is a gate to the realm of the dead. Twenty years ago now, I commanded a barrier be erected to seal it in.
 * Alfonse: And so?
 * Gustav: As you well know, we Askrans cannot close gates—only open them. All I could do to close off Hel was encircle the tomb with our strongest barrier... For 20 years, it has held them off. None have made it past. But now...that defense has fallen. The army of the dead has surged into Askr...
 * Alfonse: How terrible...
 * Gustav: We must stop them. No injury can befall our people. Do you understand, my son?
 * Alfonse: Yes, Father. I will not fail you.

(Scene transition)


 * Alfonse: We must lead the charge to the tomb. Let's go, Summoner!
 * Anna: Our scouts have already reached the gate. Our role is to gather information for the king's knights who will follow. This is of the utmost importance. Come on!

After Battle

 * Eir: Know this, Summoner... I will devote myself to you. No matter what order you give me, I will obey it.

(Scene transition)


 * Loki: The realm of the dead. What a perfect little mess! Wouldn't you say so, dear?
 * Veronica: You betrayed me, and yet here you stand, without a trace of fear...
 * Loki: Oh my, my, my. I helped you in the end, dear, didn't I? What a vicious look you have on your face! Please forgive me! Or kill me.
 * Veronica: I would if I could. But lopping your head off wouldn't accomplish anything at all, would it?
 * Loki: You do fuss so, Veronica. But rather than worry about my head, what of the locations of...other things? Your brother, the prince, still hasn't returned from his little quest... And what do you plan to do when Hel turns toward you, and Embla?
 * Veronica: If Hel destroys Askr, that is all to the good. But Embla must not be touched by this conflict.
 * Loki: The dead are enemies to all the living. It's only a matter of time, sweet girl. Hel makes an unrelenting foe. Alone, Askr stands no chance.
 * Veronica: Loki... This is your doing?
 * Loki: My dear! You wound me! To suggest that I'd be responsible for this... After all we've been through?
 * Veronica: Hmm...

After Battle

 * Anna: We're drawing near to that desolate tomb. We'll be able to sight it shortly. Use caution as you move forward. The enemy may be lying in wait.

Before Battle

 * Sharena: Sharena, reporting back! I've scouted the tomb. The enemy was easy to locate.
 * Anna: Not surprising. How many troops are there?
 * Sharena: Thousands... Too many to count. And they're on the march—south.
 * Anna: What's south of here?
 * Alfonse: There's a town less than a day's march.
 * Anna: This is not good. There's no way they'd be able to defend themselves.
 * Sharena: We have to help!
 * Anna: Think, Sharena! We can't stop an army of thousands by ourselves. We must dispatch a message to His Majesty at once and hope that his knights can get here in time. That said...
 * Alfonse: That said, they won't make it.
 * Sharena: Those poor townspeople...
 * Anna: No...we can't let them die like that. We have to buy some time.
 * Alfonse: Commander... We can bait the enemy.
 * Anna: That would get their attention. They'd stop and focus on us. At that point, though, we'd have to outrun them...or hold out until the king's knights arrive. Talk about dangerous...
 * Alfonse: It's exceedingly dangerous, but we don't have any other options.
 * Anna: You're right. Come on, everybody! We're going to have to rely on the element of surprise. We'll sneak up on them!

(Scene transition)


 * Alfonse: Stay hidden, and move in small groups. Spread out, and encircle the enemy from behind... Each group must do what it can to avoid the enemy while making it look like they're part of a larger force. Once we've got their attention, they'll halt. This should buy us some time, but not a lot. And when they see through it—
 * Sharena: See through it? They're here! Everyone—disengage! Retreat! Ohh... Can we make it?
 * Anna: It's too late to run, Sharena. We'll have to make a stand here—until the knights arrive!

After Battle

 * Anna: The king's knights have arrived!
 * Sharena: Oh, hooray! The enemy is retreating!
 * Alfonse: And if the enemy heads toward town, they'll be turning their backs to Father's forces. The townspeople should be safe. What a relief...
 * Gustav: Alfonse.
 * Alfonse: Father.
 * Gustav: I've heard about what happened here. Why would you take such a foolish risk?
 * Alfonse: The people...
 * Sharena: Father, we—we had to protect—
 * Gustav: I was speaking to your brother, Sharena.
 * Sharena: Yes, sir.
 * Alfonse: The enemy was on the march. The town had no defenses... We had to do what we could to stop them, so I came up with a plan.
 * Gustav: You thought you could face an army? Hardly. If you had miscalculated even slightly, you'd be dead now. Dead, Alfonse.
 * Alfonse: Yes, Father. That is so.
 * Gustav: I commend the Order of Heroes for its victory over Múspell. There is something you need to understand, however. You are not a Hero, Alfonse. You need not be amidst them, waving your sword about. Your place is elsewhere.
 * Alfonse: Father, I... I just—
 * Gustav: You are moved to save people. Is that it? But a king's duty is not to rescue those he sees in front of him... A king's domain holds thousands. Protecting each and every one of them—that is the duty of a king. I am not sure you are capable of that—not yet, at any rate.
 * Alfonse: I...I can't... No, I am not ready, so I... While you reign—I thought I could help the people.
 * Gustav: And if I die? You would be king. Are you ready to rule Askr?
 * Alfonse: I... No, I am not. Not yet. I am no match for you, Father.
 * Gustav: And if you died in battle, what then? The time I have left is shorter than you realize. I will die one day, and it will be sooner than you think. What will that day mean for Askr and its people?
 * Alfonse: I... They...
 * Gustav: Your life is not that of a swordsman rushing to the rescue. Your role is to lead this land and its people. If you can only comprehend the suffering that is right in front of your face... Then your compassion has its limits. You are far from ready to be king.
 * Alfonse: Father... I am truly sorry.

(Scene transition)


 * Henriette: Alfonse...
 * Alfonse: Mother? What's wrong?
 * Henriette: Can't a mother help bandage her little boy's wounds?
 * Alfonse: I'm all right, Mother. I am no longer a child.
 * Henriette: Is that so? Well...hearing that makes me a bit sad, too.
 * Alfonse: Father was not wrong. I need to learn to think on a grand scale, as he does...
 * Henriette: He'd be happy to hear you say that. This brings back memories. You're just like he was at your age.
 * Alfonse: I am? Really?
 * Henriette: He was always rushing out into the countryside to help the citizens or off exploring other realms... He was so reckless when I first met him.
 * Alfonse: Truly? It's so difficult to believe...
 * Henriette: He is a passionate man, and if we didn't keep an eye on him, well... There's a reason he changed, though—that he became so cautious. ...
 * Alfonse: Mother?
 * Henriette: Never mind all that, dear. Rest well, Alfonse. You've earned it. We will speak again tomorrow.