Mordiaga/Stories
As a fire sprite wreaks havoc on a village, Mordiaga patiently waits for the villagers to come begging for help. He secures an antique lamp as a reward before sending his water sprite Gianini to do all the work. Once the fire sprite is defeated, Mordiaga traps the sprite in the antique lamp, excited to sell it for a high price as a magical item.
Gianini: Master! Master, wake up! The village is on fire!
???: Huh? Oh, that. Relax, will you? The villagers'll come crying soon.
???: You have to let them sweat it out a bit, otherwise they'll cheap out on the reward.
Gianini: Ugh, you're a nasty piece of work, Master...
Villager's Voice: Lord Mordiaga! Are you here?!
Mordiaga: Hehehe... There they are. Time to get to work.
Mordiaga: A fire sprite, you say? How truly awful...
Villager: Yes. It's burned through our food stores. If this goes on, our village will starve!
Mordiaga: I hate to hear it, but well... I'm a busy guy.
Mordiaga: Gianini, what's my schedule like today?
Gianini: Your... what? You don't have any—gah!
Mordiaga: What's that? I have to clear out golems in an ancient ruin and escort a noble lady? My day's looking packed.
Villager: L-Lord Mordiaga, please don't abandon us in our time of need!
Mordiaga: If you're that desperate, then I'm sure you know what to do.
Villager: Of course! We'll give you anything you want!
Mordiaga: How generous of you. Let's see... Give me that antique lamp.
Villager: You want that old thing? By all means, take it!
Mordiaga: Now that that's settled, let's get to work, Gianini!
Gianini: Y-yes, Master!
Mordiaga: What a bore. That was too easy.
Gianini: Wheeze... That's because I did all the work...
Villager: You looked so heroic putting out the fires, Lord Gianini!
Mordiaga: Enough with the cheap flattery...
Mordiaga: You, fire sprite. Loser's got to do what the winner says, eh?
Mordiaga: Hehehe, it's an offer you can't refuse... Welcome to your new home!
Mordiaga: Heh, and there we have it—one magical item containing a sprite.
Mordiaga: An old lamp like this fits the part too. This'll sell for a pretty penny.
Gianini: That's what you were after? Ugh, I can't believe I thought you were doing something kind for once! You tricked me!
Mordiaga: You're an idiot for thinking it in the first place. Come on, we're done here.
Mordiaga: Hehehe, thanks to the power of sprites, my life's turned from a desert into an oasis.
Mordiaga: Gianini's lamp will stay with me for a good long time. Be stupid to let such a useful tool go to waste, after all.
Mordiaga, hearing from Gianini about a gathering spot for sprites, hatches a plan to trap them in old antiques and sell them. A sprite comes asking for help and begs to be put inside an old mirror in Mordiaga's possession. He happily obliges, but much to his horror, the water sprite grows in power and drags Mordiaga into the mirror, believing him to be one of the mortals who stole its vessel.
Gianini: Master! Master, are you sure about this? You still have time to back out!
Gianini: You've always been an ass, but if you do this, you'll actually slip to the dark side!
Mordiaga: Shut your trap. You follow my orders, not the other way around.
Mordiaga: Catching sprites, trapping them in old antiques, and selling them off...
Mordiaga: You think I'd give up easy money like that?
Mordiaga: Hehe... Before long, I'll finally be living it up in the lap of luxury, just like I've always dreamed of.
Gianini: *sigh* I should've never let you know where the sprites gather...
Gianini: But as slippery as you are, karma WILL catch up with you!
Mordiaga: That's enough antiques for now. Just gotta find some unlucky sprites to grab...
Water Sprite: Hey, listen...
Mordiaga: Well, looky here.
Water Sprite: Help me...
Mordiaga: And what can I do for you?
Water Sprite: Put me... in there...
Water Sprite: I don't want to melt away...
Gianini: Some of us sprites need a vessel to persist. So, what's it going to be, Master?
Mordiaga: Need you even ask? Let's see, which antique shall we stuff you into...
Water Sprite: Put me... in that mirror...
Mordiaga: You're good with that thing? All right, suit yourself. Get in there.
Water Sprite: Hehehehehe... Ahahaha!
Gianini: Master, I have a bad feeling about this! That sprite's power levels are climbing dangerously high!
Mordiaga: What are you playing at?!
Water Sprite: I'm back... I'm home! My precious mirror...
Water Sprite: Mortals took it... Mortals will pay...
Mordiaga: N-now hang on! I didn't steal your stinking mirror! Bought it at an auction, fair and square! Your burglar's somewhere else!
Water Sprite: Die... Die... Die!
Gianini: M-Master!
Alk and Light agree to help Gianini rescue his master, and the water sprite possesses Mordiaga's body in order to connect them to Mordiaga's dream. Inside the dream, a younger Mordiaga is attacked by a water sprite, who drops a lamp from which Gianini appears. Seeing this restores Mordiaga's memories, and he leads the way home, back to the real world.
Light: I knew that Mordiaga was a villain, but not that he was a fool.
Alk: Well, that explains why he's always sneaking around.
Gianini: Please, please! You have to save my master!
Alk: As if I could say no to you, Gianini. We'll help him.
Mordiaga: Th-thank you!
Alk: Whoa, you're awake?!
Gianini: It's me, Gianini. I'm borrowing my master's body for a moment.
Light: I see... With his soul trapped in that mirror, Mordiaga's body is no more than a vessel.
Gianini: Yeah, and one that's rotting fast! We need to get his soul back sooner rather than later!
Alk: Okay, but how?
Gianini: I'll use my master's body to connect us to the dream world he's trapped in.
Gianini: We can squeeze in there and remind him he belongs with us!
Mordiaga: And here it is. I'd say this sword hardly qualifies as "hidden" treasure.
Mordiaga: But the minister will be overjoyed to see it. I expect he'll be quite generous with his reward...
Alk: Is that Mordiaga over there?
Light: A version from his younger days, I imagine. Wait, what's that?
Mordiaga: A greater water sprite?! You must be joking! This wasn't in the job description!
Alk: Hey, we're here to help! Just hold on!
Mordiaga: *pant* That was no joke... I almost kicked the bucket...
Alk: It's always one thing or another with you, huh...
Mordiaga: Today's just not my day, that's all!
Greater Water Sprite: Mortals... May your every breath be cursed!
Mordiaga: Pfft, as if a curse'll scare me at this point.
Gianini's Voice: (Grab that lamp at your feet and get out of there!)
Mordiaga: Huh? Did you guys say something?
Alk: Wow, Mordiaga. That lamp at your feet looks like it could be worth some money.
Mordiaga: Good catch. A wanderer like me is always in need of funds.
Mordiaga: It's quite old. Might sell as an antique.
Mordiaga: The design looks familiar for some reason... That's it! I found this lamp when—
Gianini: Master! You remembered!
Mordiaga: And YOU'RE late. Let's go.
Light: Where are you headed?
Mordiaga: Isn't it obvious? Home, now that I know where I belong.
Alk: Huh?
Alk: We're back!
Mordiaga: As much as it pains me to admit it, I owe you my gratitude. Thanks. There, gratitude given.
Light: Have you learned nothing from your trials?
Gianini: That's Master for you. He's like a bad habit I can't shake.
Gianini: Master, you do realize it's MY power that's keeping your curse contained, right? Some more sincere appreciation wouldn't hurt.
Mordiaga: Less yapping and more moving, Gianini. We're out of here.
Alk: Wait, is THAT why Mordiaga's always carrying the lamp?
Mordiaga: Hey, if you snooze around I'm leaving you behind!
Mordiaga: It's treasure hunting time! I'll treat you all to a drink after!
Light: It seems there is no curse in the world that can cure him of his character.
Alk: Eh, stick by him, and maybe he'll surprise us one day!