Empire of Flames: 1-9 Endgame

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Empire of Flames

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Reza ventures into the dungeon to rescue Asha, but unexpectedly overhears her praising him. He offers to help Asha awaken the Manticore, but finds it difficult to face her grateful gaze...

Info

Style: No dress-up component Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Mold of the Creator

Mold of the Creator

Dialogue Choices

I make sure it's safe before stepping closer to the cell. Without warning, something lunges at me. I—

• Dodge
  • Story effect only
• Don't dodge
  • Story effect only

Reza: No, Asha. It's because—

• Bad things have happened before
  • Story effect only
• I'm afraid of being exploited
  • Story effect only

Asha: Yasmin is in danger. We need to help her, Reza.

• Help Yasmin
  • Minor ending [Conspiracy Exposed]
• Take the chance to persuade Asha
  • Story effect only

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Guard: Everything is going according to plan, Lord Reza. We’ve dug to the core area directly beneath the volcano in the mine.

• Reza: I understand. You may leave.

• Guard: Yes, sir.

• King Hassan looks out the window quietly. I don’t know if he’s looking at the palace that once belonged to him or the people who once served him.
• Or perhaps he’s watching Saruwa Volcano, eagerly anticipating the final destruction of everything in our final act of revenge.
• Walking up to the king, I kneel down and bow to him.
• Reza: Your Majesty, I apologize for making you wait for so many years. Everything is ready now.

• King Hassan: I promised you a country without evil. Do you remember that, Reza?

• Reza: Yes. You promised me when we first met. It was a day I’ll never forget.

• King Hassan: The citizens of the Persian Empire, deceived by Darius, turned against their only king…

• King Hassan turns to look at me. His eyes burn with anger, like hungry flames threatening to engulf the empire.
• King Hassan: Our empire must be purged of all evil and crime!

• I head to the palace dungeon to rescue Asha. I need her to control the Manticore.
• I thought she would stay with the Manticore until it woke up.
• I never thought Yasmin and her would secretly investigate and uncover the truth about Javid capturing villagers to work in the mine. They’re now imprisoned by Darius and awaiting execution.
• Reza: (I didn’t think Asha would probe so deeply into this matter. I underestimated her.)

• Reza: (She would defy even Darius to protect the Maticore. I see now that she won’t take “no” for an answer.)

• Reza: (Asha was bound to discover the truth about the villagers. It’s only a matter of time.)

• ???: Since you think that person can be trusted, go to him.

• I hear voices coming from the prison cells at the staircase landing. Quickly, I duck behind a corner to observe them.
• Asha: Yasmin, wait.

• Asha: Sorry, I changed my mind. Let’s not look for him.

• Reza: (Asha? Did she escape from the prison cell by herself?)

• Reza: (Who is she looking for?)

• Yasmin: Why? Are you worried he’ll betray us?

• Asha: No, I trust him. He would never do something like that.

• Yasmin: Then why?

• I peek into the cell, where the only source of illumination is Asha’s torch. She doesn’t seem any worse for wear.
• She shakes her head slowly. I recognize that expression on her face. She has her mind set on something, like when she rescued the Manticore from the cave.
• Asha: Reza has a lot of valuable knowledge. Many people will need to rely on his wisdom in the future.

• Asha: I can’t ask him to risk his life and deprive the empire of a talented individual because of my own selfish reasons.

• Reza: (Is she talking about me?)

• Only King Hassan has praised me like that. Darius only wanted to use me to craft his Elixir of Immortality.
• Little did I know that, in her eyes, she doesn’t just see me as a friend but truly believes in my abilities.
• A mess of emotions well up within me. I know I have to proceed with my revenge, but it pains me to think of what lies ahead of Asha.
• Reza: (She’s indispensable to my revenge. What a pity. She could’ve been spared…)

• I make sure it’s safe before stepping closer to the cell. Without warning, something lunges at me. I –

Dodge

• I instinctively dodge, but I suddenly remember Secretary Reza is just a clumsy scholar. He wouldn’t react on time.
• Reza: (Oh, no…)

• I pretend to flinch and fall to the ground, losing my balance.
• Reza: Argh!

• Asha: Reza? Are you okay?

• Asha drops the tray she was using as a weapon and rushes over to help me up.

Don’t dodge

• Reza: (Asha or Yasmin?)

• I could’ve dodged the attack easily, but as the clumsy Secretary Reza, I can’t do that. Instead, I turn slightly to avoid being hit on my head. Something hits my back instead.
• Reza: Argh!

• Asha: Reza?

• Asha drops the tray she’s holding and rushes over to check on me.

• Asha: I’m so sorry, Reza! I didn’t know it was you! Are you all right?

• Reza: I’m fine. It’s a relief to see you in such good spirits.

• Yasmin: What are you doing here, Reza?

• Reza: I heard you were being held in a cell. I came to help, but I see you’ve already escaped.

• Yasmin: Were you going to break us out of prison? You’ve more guts than I thought.

• Reza: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. My hands are still shaking right now…

• Of course I’m afraid. Not of being caught or punished, but if my plans were to fail. I deliberately left it vague so Yasmin wouldn’t catch on.
• As expected, she doesn’t notice anything wrong and just raises her eyebrows at me.
• Yasmin: Why did you do it, then? Aren’t you afraid of getting killed?

• Reza: Asha is my friend. Leaving her in harm’s way would be worse to me than death.

• Asha: Oh, Reza! Thank you…

• Yasmin: You two really are true friends. Asha wanted to keep you out of danger, but you came of your own accord anyway.

• Reza: Don’t worry about me, Asha. I may have limited capabilities, but I want you to know that you can always count on me if you need help.

• Reza: Hurry! Let’s leave.

• Reza: I need to awaken the Manticore before Darius digs out its heart…

• Asha: Corey…

• We rush back to Asha’s room. The Manticore is still lying on the bed, showing no signs of waking up.
• Yasmin: The Manticore is so big that not even the three of us combined can move it.

• Reza: I know a way awaken the Manticore, but…

• It’s a bit suspicious if I suggest something, so I hem and haw, waiting for Asha to probe me.
• Asha: You do? How?

• Reza: Asha, I’m sorry. There’s something I haven’t told you…

• Reza: Actually, I have a gift. I can connect with people on a deep, spiritual level. I think maybe I can awaken the Manticore using this method.

• Asha: Reza, you have a gift?! Why did you hide it from everyone?

• Asha: Is it because you trust me, or…

• Asha: …because I don’t have one, and you were afraid I’d feel inferior?

• Asha lowers her head, disappointed.
• Reza: (How can I explain it without lying so Yasmin won’t realize something’s amiss?)

• Reza: No, Asha. It’s because –

Bad things have happened before

• Reza: Because my ability caused some bad things to happen, and…

• Reza: …and I don’t know if it still works, so I chose to keep it secret.

• Reza: I hope you can understand…

• Asha takes my hand comfortingly. She thinks I’m feeling guilty for keeping it a secret from her.
• Asha: Everyone has secrets they don’t want to divulge.

• Asha: I’m the one who should thank you for being willing to reveal yours to me in order to save Corey.

I’m afraid of being exploited

• Reza: Being able to connect with someone’s mind means I’m privy to their secrets.

• Reza: I’m afraid this ability will be exploited, so I didn’t dare to tell anyone.

• Reza: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hide it from you…

• Asha: Your concerns are not unfounded. If someone found out about such a powerful gift, they’d definitely try to take advantage of you!

• Asha: Just like everyone wants to make use of Corey!

• Reza: (The person who wants to make use of the Manticore is right in front of you, Asha. Me.)

• Asha doesn’t know what’s going though my mind. She pats my shoulder comfortingly.
• Asha: Reza, you were right to hide it. You don’t need to apologize at all!

• Reza: Thank you, Asha.

• Yasmin: So, are you going to connect with the Manticore’s mind to awaken it?

• Reza: Yes, but in order to do that, I need Asha’s assistance.

• Yasmin: Who’s there?!

• Yasmin draws her scimitar and throws it at the window. A dark figure dodges the attack and jumps through the window.
• Reza: (Not again! Yazdan is always getting in my way!)

• The assassin lunges towards the Manticore on the bed. Luckily, Yasmin reacts quickly and intercepts him.
• Yazdan: Out of the way!

• Yazdan always seems to anticipate his opponent’s moves. Somehow, he never fails to block Yasmin’s attacks.
• Reza: (Yasmin is one of the best fighters among the guards, yet even she cannot best him.)

• Reza: (Does Yazdan really have the ability to see the future?)

• Asha also seems to notice that Yasmin is losing ground. She nervously grips my hand.
• Asha: Yasmin is in danger. We need to help her, Reza.

Help Yasmin

• Reza: (She can’t hold on for long. It would be disastrous if Yazdan were to attack the beast while I’m hypnotizing it.)

• I draw out the small knife coated with paralytic poison. I was going to use on the Manticore, but I’ll ambush Yazdan with it while he’s fighting Yasmin.
• However, Yazdan anticipates my move as soon as I lift the small knife. He deftly kicks it away.
• Reza: (Drats!)

• Yazdan presses his hands to his eyes, as if he’s concentrating on something invisible. He anticipates my escape route and grabs me.
• Yazdan: I see! It was you all along!

• Yazdan: You’re the one I saw in my vision. You’re planning to destroy the empire!

• I never expected Yazdan’s foresight to kick in at such a critical moment.
• I give up hypnotizing the Manticore with my revenge plans exposed. Quickly, I leap off the balcony, escaping from the palace.
• My years of preparation have come to naught. I have no choice but to find another way to avenge King Hassan.

Ending [Conspiracy Exposed]

Take the chance to persuade Asha

• Reza: The only way to stop the assassin is to wake the Manticore.

• Reza: There is a way, Asha. Do you trust me?

• Yazdan: No! The empire will be destroyed! You must not wake the monster!

• Reza: (Yazdan still doesn’t know I’m the mastermind. It seems there are limits to his gift of foresight.)

• Reza: Asha! He’s just stalling for time to kill the Manticore. Don’t fall for his tricks.

• Reza: Trust me. Let’s wake him up together.

• I extend my right hand to her.
• My years of planning, my boiling hatred, and the fate of the entire Persian Empire now lie in Asha’s hands.
• My heart hammers intensely as I wait for her response.
• Asha: I will always believe in you, Reza!

• Asha takes my hand without hesitation and beams at me trustingly.
• I can’t bear to look at her, but I force myself to meet her eyes. All this time, I’ve been making use of her kindness, deliberately getting close to her to get the Manticore. Unbidden, memories of our time together flood into my mind…

• Reza: Stop lying! How could you possibly get in by yourself? Tell me the truth!

• Reza: Who is it? I’ve seen you hanging out with Reza lately. Did he bring you here?

• Asha: No! Reza would never do that! He’s a kind and gentle person.

• Asha: He’s more loyal to the country than anyone else. He would never betray Your Majesty!

• Asha: Reza, it’s okay. Corey and I will just go by ourselves.

• Manticore: Awoo–

• Asha: If people realize you helped me escape, you will also be punished.

• Asha: You already took a great risk the last time you accompanied me to the study. I can’t get you involved again…

• Asha: Reza has a lot of valuable knowledge. Many people will need to rely on his wisdom in the future.

• Asha: I can’t ask him to risk his life and deprive the empire of a talented individual because of my own selfish reasons.

• Her unconditional trust in me fills me with mixed emotions.
• Her clear and sincere eyes, for some reason, remind me of the old King Hassan.
• Reza: (Righteous, honest, confident, resolute, fearless… That was my initial impression of King Hassan.)

• Reza: (But after being betrayed, His Majesty’s eyes have become clouded with darkness. They’re filled with nothing but hatred.)

• Reza: Do I really want to let her clear eyes be tainted by the shadow of betrayal?

• King Hassan: Reza!

• King Hassan roars angrily as he observes my turmoil. Suddenly, my surroundings turn pitch black.
• King Hassan: Reza! Are you giving up on revenge?

• King Hassan: Darius betrayed me, my citizens rebelled against me, and my country abandoned me.

• King Hassan: You’re the only one I can trust! Are you going back on your promise, too?

• When I come to my senses, I find myself still in the room, covered in cold sweat.
• Reza: (King Hassan is right. I can’t break my promise.)

• Reza: (If even I were to betray his trust, King Hassan would have no one left in this world…)

• King Hassan: …

• Without King Hassan, I would have starved to death by the roadside when my parents abandoned me. I wouldn’t be here now.
• I owe my life to King Hassan. I can’t stand by and watch him be tormented and haunted by betrayal, unable to find peace.
• This is not how I should repay his kindness.
• Asha: What’s wrong, Reza? You look pale.

• Reza: I’m fine.

• Taking a deep breath, I compose myself and steel my resolve.
• I won’t allow anyone to betray King Hassan, especially not myself.
• Reza: Asha, do you believe me?

• Asha: Reza, I will always believe in you!

• I grip Asha’s hand. She’s the key to my long-awaited revenge.
• Reza: If you trust me, please close your eyes and surrender yourself to me.

• Reza: When you wake up again, you will see the Manticore…