Original Records of the Lodoss War both anime series ended with happy endings. Lodoss is at peace. Parn got his answer and became a hero. He and Deedlit literally went to watch the sunset together. There is promise of new adventures together. But there is also the mystery of what happens next. Lodoss War Record: Deedlit in the Fairy Labyrinth try to come up with a possible solution. In doing so, it also gives an idea of how Deedlit’s life might change and how things might turn out as time goes on.
Editor’s Note: There will be bug fixes to the story for Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth below.
This is because of the obvious. Deedlit is an elf and Parn is a human. In Records of the Lodoss War anime, she’s 160. He was 18 years old when he first traded with the goblins that were pestering his hometown. There is a gap. We know she will outlive him. As Deedlit in Wonder LabyrinthTo begin with, it looks like this could be an adventure set not long after the adventures we know. Karla pays Deedlit a bargain when the adventure begins. We see her meeting the likes of Parn, Etoh, Pin and Slayn. She happens to be with spirits she knows and fights with. We see nostalgic enemies. It gives the illusion of familiarity.
But clearly something is not right. The game suggests that there is a wish that can come true if Deedlit overcomes these challenges. There are distorted moments. The screen flickers and vibrates. All with dream quality.
That’s when the twist hits. Parn is dead. This is not a new adventure for them. It was Deedlit about to face loss.
Deedlit, in her grief, has finally come to this world. She only remembers the truth when the player reaches the final boss. (Though before that, there were hints of what was to come.) It was then that the feeling of understanding and the heartbreaking nature of it all came into play. The stories we know represent an ideal. But it is one that cannot last forever. The adventure that Parn and Deedlit can have together is limited by his lifespan. Not hers. Meaning the whole adventure is a coping mechanism. It’s up to her to decide what’s next for her. (If anything at all.)
It means Deedlit in Wonder LabyrinthYour story must end in the only possible way, which is acceptance. After fighting through it all, she must part with Parn. She even admits how easy it is to forget, which she did for most of the game. Only when she moves on does she escape and wake up in her house. She stepped out and found Leaf, the half elf, waiting for her. The conversation then hints at exactly how long Deedlit has isolated himself after losing Parn. It even offers an explanation for it all, showing the Spirit of Loneliness behind it, and hinting that she will move on by composing a song.
It reminds me of another Japanese story about a goblin. Like Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, Frieren shows the journey of a long-lived elf years after her journey with human allies made her a hero. It’s another way of “how someone copes”. We still get these vignettes and memories. But in both, this represents what happens to someone who can live hundreds of years after their brief loved ones pass away. In each person, we get this sense of what they’re going through emotionally, how they’re dealing with it, and what they’re going to do now so they can move on.
As someone familiar with the series, it made things all the more gratifying for me. It will be easy to see what’s next for both Parn and Deedlit. There are plenty of logical adventures that both can go through. Going with one shows that Deedlit’s life as she knows it has changed, due to something we all know will eventually happen, has made it the best possible experience for me. .
Lodoss War Record: Deedlit in the Fairy Labyrinth available for Nintendo SwitchPS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.
