Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon/Chapter 23

-_-_-_-_-_-_- Dark Pontifex [CHP23] _-_-_-_-_-_-_

"With the aid of the White Sage Gotoh's powerful Warp magic, Marth and company were transported to the faraway city of Thabes. Once, Thabes was an advanced civilization; but only its decay advanced now. The League traced the lifeless streets to the temple at the city's heart, somewhere within its walls Gharnef was waiting, and now, Marth must wrest Falchion and his sister, Elice, from the fiend's grip."

Before the battle, give the Iota Shield to one of your fliers (ie. Shiida). Then, give Starlight to one of your mages (ie. Merric).

Start the battle as normal.

DIALOGUE

Marth: The Temple of Thabes... He's here...somewhere...

????: Heh heh heh... Come to play, little Marth?

(????, aka Gharnef, teleports right in front of Marth)

Gharnef: 'Tis I, Gharnef. I have been waiting for you.

Marth: Waiting?

Gharnef: Oh yes. For you to dance around the continent, collecting powerful weapons and killing off my competition. Thanks to you, Camus and Michalis will trouble me no more. You have my gratitude, diligent prince.

Marth: You...monster!

Gharnef: Tsk, tsk, don't spoil the moment, now. You're about to do me one last favor... Die, Prince. Heh heh heh!

Marth: That's what you think. I have something else in mind.

Gharnef: Heh, is that a threat? If you mean to harm me, first you'll have to find me, boy.

Marth: And what is that supposed to mean?

(Malledus pops in)

Malledus: My prince! Several sorcerers have been sighted throughout the temple! They're...They all seem to be Gharnef, sire!

Gharnef: Heh heh! Fight, boy, fight! Wear yourself thin fighting puppets and shadows! But the only way you'll claim Falchion is by defeating the real me. Heh heh, ha ha ha ha!

(Gharnef teleports off)

END DIALOGUE

Just move forward the first round, and dialogue will appear.

DIALOGUE

Malledus: Sire, we've pinpointed where Gharnef is keeping the magical apparatus that gives him his power.

Marth: Where?

Malledus: The Tower of Thabes atop this very temple.

Marth: Then we don't need to fight Gharnef...If we find those apparatus.

Malledus: Gharnef's power- a great deal of power- will be sealed forever.

Marth: Then let's hurry and seize the entrance to the tower!

Malledus: A word of caution, sir. Stopping the apparatus will not undo Imhullu power- only Gharnef's. He still has Falchion in his keeping; if you want the blade back, you must defeat him now, before seizing the tower.

END DIALOGUE

You probably got attacked by an archer and a mage (with Swarm) last round. Just eliminate the archer and heal whoever got attacked.

NOTES ABOUT GHARNEF:

I have recently found on my second playthrough that Gharnef is randomly placed between the three Gharnefs. He may the first one your face, or he might be all the way in the back.

You know that you have killed him if you see the dialogue after and you get the "Obtained Falchion!" message instead of "Obtained Steel Sword!"

Note that you can easily beat this map if he dead fast because no reinforcement pop up.

Also, it doesn't matter if you kill him, the fakes are still there.

The goal on this map is to kill the three Gharnef first, then to take care of the boss. The first guy to kill is the Gharnef to the bottom. It might take a few turns because of the healers using physic and fortify, but Starlight will kill him.

*         o                + SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING ABOUT DAMAGING THE FAKE GHARNEFS***

It has been reported (by SuperArc) that using counter-attacks will damage the fake Gharnefs. However, only counter-attacks. Trying to damage them on your turn will not work.

The fake Gharnefs will drop a Steel Sword instead of the Falchion.

On turn 7, IF Gharnef is still alive, he will summon in some more enemies.

Now, the best way to approach the nest above is to use Beck to eliminate the mages and healers first. Some of them will charge you, and use Swarm to do damage. Others are just normal mages, but nevertheless, don't risk sending units forward to attack since there is at least one mage at the top who can pick you off with Swarm. Once they reach the staircase, it is OKAY to send other units to clear the mages.

By the time you clear the first wave of mages, Gharnef will cower out again (if he is dead already, then you will not see the reinforcements)

and decide to send yet another wave of reinforcements in. Do the same to them as you did the first wave.

After the second wave, Gharnef stops sending more mage reinforcements.

Now is the time to move your units in. Lure in the Swarm mage to attack Beck, then destroy him. Move the rest of your units in and kill the healers and other enemies.

Before you attack the second Gharnef, make sure to destroy all other distractions. Then, send in whoever has Starlight to kill the Gharnef.

Note that a good combo to kill the units on the top is Stonehoist then a Pachyderm to finish the enemy off. Strength needed to pull this off is 15.

The real Gharnef when attacked (for me it was the guy to the right of the throne) will say

DIALOGUE

Gharnef: Heh heh heh...You dare challenge me, fool? You must not value your life. Cower before the might of the dark magic Imhullu!

END DIALOGUE

Gharnef should be no problem if you have a decent mage using Starlight. The healer to the left is annoying, and he will prolong the life of Gharnef. But no matter, Gharnef will fall after a few turns (use your own mage to support your mage)

When he dies, the dialogue is as follows:

DIALOGUE

Gharnef: Agh! What... Where did you get...Starlight...? Still, you are a fool ...Your power is not enough to defeat Medeus...I shall be waiting in the pits of the inferno...for when he sends you to join me... Heh heh, ha ha ha!

(OBTAIN FALCHION)

END DIALOGUE

There is still one Gharnef left. However, feel free to put in a chapter save since the most part of this chapter is over.

Send in your mage again to defeat Gharnef, but first use Beck to kill the healer there.

The boss isn't anything special. Kill him with a weaker unit for great exp. He also drops a Master Seal.

Before seizing the gate, be sure to grab the chests way back where you spawned.

1) Bullion (S) 2) Tailsman

ALSO, check out the secret shop behind the throne. See [4D] for more details.

Seize the gate.

DIALOGUE

Marth: At last...Gharnef is finished.

(Ally soldier enters)

Allied Soldier: Sire! We found Princess Elice up in the Tower of Thabes! She's on her way to see you right- Ah, here she is!

(Elice runs in)

Marth: Elice!!!

Elice: Marth! Oh look at you. A man grown! [oh the cliche...]

Marth: Sister, I was so worried. None had seen you since the castle fell. I...I feared the worst.

Elice: I was prepared for the worst, if that was what it took to ensure your safety. But they did not kill me. Gharnef spared my life.

Marth: Why would he spare you?

Elice: Marth, have you heard of the staff of Aum?

Marth: The staff that brings back the dead? It was lost to the world long ago, or so the legend goes.

Elice: Yes, but Gharnef found it...in the Resurrectory.

Marth: The Resurrectory? What was it doing in a temple in the middle of Doluna?

Elice: I could not say. But that was why Gharnef kept me alive: he wished me to wield it. The staff of Aum's power can only be channeled by woman of royal blood. Marth, you are going to Doluna, are you not?

Marth: Yes. I must settle things with Medeus.

Elice: Then take me to the Resurrectory along the way to claim the staff. Aum works but once, but I will use it to revive a lost comrade.

END DIALOGUE