So after clearing out every enemy in the area (because FREE ITEMS YAY) Zola asks if our weakness was just an illusion. Uh, excuse me? What? Are you saying I look weak? RUDE.
So apparently Zola runs away and we give chase. Avatar demands to know where the archduke is, and Zola says "I always have an escape plan!" He then proceeds to take Sakura hostage.
Avatar then tells Zola to let Sakura go and "Do the honorable thing!"
I'd comment on the 'do the honorable thing' part, but Zola does it better than I did.
Zola: Pfft to your honor! I'd rather win than be honorable! After all, the winner is the one who writes the history books! Now put down your weapons, if you don't, the girl--
Cue him getting Brynhildr'd. Which is also copied from Birthright... Actually, DID I beat that last chapter in Birthright? Uhh...I think I only just got to the battle prep screen, cuz I don't remember how the ending scene played out. I do remember Leo showing up and pwning the guy though.
Anyway, back to Revelation, Leo shows up and says Zola was the "Lowest of the low."
Leo: Hiding behind hostages--you disgraced the entire Nohrian army.
Avatar: I knew it! I knew it was you, Leo! Thank you for saving Sakura!
... *sigh* Okay, maybe my feeling of exasperation toward the Avatar here is brought on mostly by the fact that yes, Leo DOES show up in Birthright and yes, he DOES 'save the day,' but he's still an enemy because...reasons.
Leo: ...
Avatar: Leo... Will you join us? We could use your aid in the battle ahead. I don't plan to fight with Nohr; I've learned of a dire truth...
Leo: What are you talking about?
Avatar: After I refused to side with Hoshido or Nohr, I learned that King Garon... He is being manipulated by someone.
Leo: What? How do you know this?
At this point, this is going so well, I'm just waiting on the avatar to say something to mess this up. I mean, heck, this is the first time the avatar has actually been given a full chance to explain themselves without a "YOU'RE A TRAITOR" speech first. (Blind following, in the case of Sakura/Kaze/Rinkah, doesn't count.)
Avatar: Listen carefully. He didn't want to start this war with Hoshido. He's being controlled by our real enemy--someone hiding behind the scenes. This invisible foe is who we should really be after!
Leo: I see. Well then, tell me who is pulling the strings. Name the manipulator!
Avatar: I'm sorry, Leo... I can't say who it is.
Waitwaitwaitwaitwait.
Okay, so far as I know, the entire 'can't mention a thing' thing has been explained as the following:
"You cannot mention Valla or else you'll disappear."
Soooo...we can't mention Anankos? This hasn't been specifically stated before!
Anyway, Leo then says "Unsurprising. I don't know why I wasted time listening to your ramblings."
Yeah, of course it'd end up this way. I mean, we can't have such a high-leveled prepromote so early in the game, yes? That'd just break things
Avatar tries to say things to convince Leo but Leo pulls the "you're a traitor," and "I don't want to hear your excuses" cards before the Avatar makes a gasping sound (voice clip) and seems genuinely upset that he doesn't believe her. Well, I guess I can't blame her. He WAS leading her along.
Leo: Let me make this as clear as I can... You have abandoned our family, and I have extended to you the same courtesy. I no longer think of you as my sister. Got it? I only came here to clean up that vile mage. You and I will settle our differences some other time.
You say that, Leo, but I don't think you would have given her the chance to explain herself otherwise...
He then attacks but misses. Azura freaks out and Avatar says that she doesn't think he was aiming at her. "That door to the banquet hall has seen better days, though..."
Leo: Go on, Avatar. The real archduke should be inside. Along with the pathetic Hoshidan prince, Takumi.
Avatar: What? Do you mean--
Annnnd Leo leaves.
Then Sakura informs us that the banquet hall is filled with people that have been tied up. For some reason, the avatar finds this unbelievable.
So we free Izana, I guess. He's very happy to be free, and also very hungry, apparently. Avatar questions whether or not this really is the real archduke (to his face, no less) and he begins his greeting which Avatar immediately cuts off with "Sorry, archduke, but we've kind of already heard this..."
Izana: Even the hair part?
Avatar: Yes.
Izana: Awww....
Okay, I admit, that amused me a little. Anyway, then Sakura pops up and says that this one's even more informal than his imposter. Izana apparently doesn't care about (or didn't hear) that statement and says, "Ah, fair Princess Sakura. I believe your brother is around here somewhere. He was left in a situation similar to my own. I can only imagine how hungry he is now..."'
Really, food is all you can think about after being rescued?!
Sakura: Takumi really is here?
cue Takumi, who apparently doesn't have much to say. When he finally does say something, he's asking why Sakura, Azura and the avatar are here. Well, I guess that's a good question if the last time he saw the avatar was when she was fleeing. ASSUMING HE WAS EVEN THERE TO BEGIN WITH...
Sakura admits that she decided to fight alongside the avatar. Takumi naturally thinks this means she turned against Hoshido, but Sakura denies this. In fact, she goes further to say that nobody present has turned against Hoshido. "Avatar says there is something much worse than Nohr's aggression going on. She can't explain, but I trust her. Takumi, p-please--trust her too!"
Takumi: ...
Avatar: Takumi...
Of course Takumi calls this a "flimsy explanation" and that you'll have to excuse him for not finding it acceptable. "Sakura may believe in your story--I don't." Which...I won't argue. It is kind of stupid.
Izana breaks in here and says this won't do. This won't do at all! "You've got it all wrong, Prince Takumi!"
Takumi:
What are you talking about?Izana:
I'm not going to go into all the little details, but basically--join Avatar. That's what the gods are telling me! Just got some prophetic stuff from them!Takumi:
Huh? Something prophetic?! I can't believe that important prophecies just...happen all of a sudden like that.Izana:
Hey, who's the keeper of prophecies here, you or me? They come as they come. Would you really ignore directions sent down from the gods?Takumi:
You know, you say that, but... How can I choose to side with someone who won't side with her homeland? Of course I'm grateful they saved us, but... I just can't trust Avatar.Izana:
Jeez, you're one tough nut to crack. What am I supposed to do with you? I don't like breaking out the big bows, but if a little extra prophesizing is needed... Well Prince Takumi, that's just what you'll get!
So then Izana does something with a crystal ball and says, "
'Everything is not yet seen. The truth is far and hidden below. The one upon the water's surface, he who knows all is the true foe...' Whew, there ya go. The gods really want to speak to you, Prince Takumi! Princess Avatar is not your enemy!"
Uh... Man, what is it about prophecies that they have to be so stupidly vague that they're practically useless? That tells us nothing!
Takumi:
Then who is? What was Sakura saying a moment ago... That Avatar knows something about our supposed enemy?Avatar:
Yes. I can't explain it all now, but what the Archduke says is true. We came to Izumo hoping to find a way to defeat our mystery enemy. Izana:
Oh, that's right. You were going to ask me about the Seal of Flames. I'm sorry, but I don't know a thing about it. Avatar:
How could you possibly know what we were going to ask about?!Izana:
Premonitions! Prophecies! Haven't you been paying attention? Even though I can't help you with the Seal of Flames... My family does have a saying that's been passed down for generations. 'We will show she who shuns the light and the dark another way. So there you have it!
Um... I feel like I should say something here, but I really can't think of anything suitable. It's snark-worthy, but I just cannot figure out what I should pick on and why.
Azura:
What does that mean? Is Avatar the one who shuns the light and the dark?
No duh. We picked REVELATION for a reason...
Izana:
I think so! Thus, I need to show you a new path. If you'll excuse me, I'll go hold a little ceremony and ask an ancient god for help. Avatar:
Uhhh...right now?
Gonna agree with the avatar here. RIGHT NOW?!
Izana: Yep! Fortune favors the bold! Strike while the iron's hot! Carpe whatever! I want to get this little ceremony over with, in any case. Ancient gods aren't exactly easy on the eyes.
...Okay having already played through this game once, and knowing what a certain something looks like, I'm gonna have to agree. Not precisely something I'd be saying right before consulting a potentially all-knowing god, though...
So Izana leaves and Azura mentions that she hopes he comes back with something useful. Meanwhile, Takumi's still standing around going "..." at everything.
So then Izana comes back and apparently he looks exhausted. Enough to make the avatar go "ARE YOU OKAY?!" He then says this.
Izana: I had a chat...with an ancient god... But even I don't understand it... It's so short, too... "Go meet the dragon."
...Really? That. Tells. Us. Nothing. What kind of weird prophetic thing is that? 'Go meet the dragon' uuuuuuh well gee, that could mean anything.
Izana: I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually... I really really hope you do, too. After all, I think I may—owww ow ow... Yup, definitely gave my life for the message.
Izana collapses and Avatar asks how the heck this happened. He then says that the ritual he performed always required something, and this time it's his life. Honestly, I don't think a four-word sentence is worth killing a guy for. Pretty sure whatever god that was just decided to kill him for saying they're ugly.
Izana makes some dumb comment about wanting a bard to write a song about his "noble sacrifice" and then he tells Takumi to join us even though absolutely nothing convincing has been said this entire time. Takumi is reluctant, and then Izana says, "
What, you're still not willing? I'm dying here, and you're still unsure? Listen, if you don't...I'll come back as a ghost and haunt you. All the time. Boo."
Yeah, THAT'S going to convince him to join us.
Then Izana promptly expires. Everyone weeps and despairs over his demise. And Avatar says this:
Avatar: I'm so sorry... This is all my fault. If I hadn't picked this path, the archduke wouldn't have died like this... I didn't realize the cost of my goal, as right as I believe it to be...
Maybe not, hun, but more people would have died stupid and pointless deaths in his place. Because FEF apparently thinks that because this is war, SOMEBODY needs to die. Even if it's to random and stupid crap that really shouldn't be used in a story. Not sure if this is to counteract the fact that in Awakening, NOBODY DIED (except a small handful of "villains") or if they're just wanting deaths to make this game more dramatic. Protip: Spontaneous deaths of characters we've hardly known is NOT going to cause drama, IS.
So then Takumi joins us, if only because it was Izana's last wish. Then his retainers join us because--wait! They were here too? Nobody mentioned that before! Maybe y'all should have said hi or something, sheesh. Anyway, his retainers join and we go to the save screen. Joy.