0. Our two favorite mercenaries were supposed to be [cdb]leading the charge. So where are they?
1. It's strange that we haven't heard from them yet. I can't imagine they'd fall for a Kingdom ambush, [cdb]but...
2. We have a problem, Your Majesty.
3. A group of mysterious mages has appeared just ahead. It looks like they're preparing to intercept us!
4. Mysterious mages?
5. Are we dealing with those who slither in the dark [cdb]again? What objective could they possibly be [cdb]pursuing now?
6. Not a clue, but we should hurry. If it's a fight they [cdb]want, we don't have much choice but to oblige them.
7. Your Majesty! I've spotted the mercenaries among [cdb]the enemy force!
8. And they appear to be fighting each other.
9. I don't know the details, but it seems as though our [cdb]commander attacked the Ashen Demon!
10. What?! Don't tell me...
11. Have our fears come to pass? Was our friend truly [cdb]part of those who slither in the dark all this time?
12. It's too soon to say for sure. We know the enemy [cdb]is capable of both controlling and impersonating [cdb]people.
13. He's right! Back at the academy, the person we [cdb]thought was Tomas was really Solon all along!
14. So for all we know, our friend could actually be [cdb]somewhere else entirely.
15. Whatever the case, we have to keep going after Dimitri. That'll take us right through where the two [cdb]of them were sighted.
16. We'll drive off those fiends, try to grab our friend—or [cdb]whoever's impersonating them—and figure out what's [cdb]going on afterwards. We can afford to do that, right?
17. We can't afford not to.
18. It would be an unspeakable loss if we slew the alleged [cdb]imposter, only to learn we had inadvertently killed [cdb]our friend.
19. Then it's settled. We'll stop them and get to the [cdb]bottom of this!