Semper Fi

*Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light...**This article is about The Dark Pictures Anthology's third installment,* ***House of Ashes***
***.***

## Chapter Guide

**Semper Fi** is the sixth chapter of Act 3 in *House of Ashes* and the twenty-second overall.

The player controls Jason (Theatrical Cut) and Salim (Curator's Cut) as the former is tested with his loyalty. If Eric, Rachel, and Nick are dead or cocooned, it is a cutscene and has no gameplay.

## *Unknown Structure, 0522 HRS, 3444 FT.*

* If only Jason and Salim are alive and present, they will arrive at the elevator early before ascending in it.
* If Eric, Nick, and/or Rachel is/are alive, Jason and the others will climb up a platform. Jason comments how the explosives are effective in blowing up the structure, before noticing gunshots from the distance. Remarking it's Salim, Jason calls him through a radio, in which the latter states he's surrounded by vampires. The others advise Jason to leave Salim behind, to which Jason can do so or rescue Salim.

* Abandon
* Rescue

Jason will go to the elevator with the others. The others persuade Jason to ride the elevator, to which the latter can do so, leaving Salim behind, or wait at the elevator. Meanwhile, Salim will fight a vampire, in which he must complete two QTEs to kill the vampire. (Failing either QTE will give out another QTE. Failing the QTE again will result in Salim's head being crushed). After killing the vampire, Salim will have to complete a QTE to throw his stake at an attacking vampire (failing it will result in Salim's instant death).

* If Salim dies, but the Americans wait at the elevator, several vampires approach them as they fire back before escaping on the elevator.
* If Salim makes it and the Americans wait at the elevator, the latter will cover Salim by firing at the vampires. The protagonists then escape on the elevator.
* If Salim makes it, but the Americans leave him behind, he will fall onto his knees and lament about Jason showing his true colors and being a fool to trust them. As the vampires are about to maul Salim, the latter bids farewell to his son.

Jason makes it clear that marines don't leave their own comrades behind, before going on to save Salim. Jason eventually reaches Salim attacked by a vampire, in which both characters can complete several QTEs. (Failing the QTEs will result in Salim's death.)

* If Salim dies and there are two other protagonists alive than Jason, a vampire ambushes Jason from behind and crushes his head. A vampire is seen crawling through the passage to the elevator through its point of view. The Americans fire at the vampires before retreating into the elevator.
* If Salim dies and there is another protagonist alive than Jason, a vampire attempts to ambush Jason, but the other protagonist fires at the former, which saves Jason.
* If QTEs are completed, the vampire will be impaled.
	+ If no QTEs are failed, Salim will jokingly ask Jason if he has come to join the fun.

Jason then fires at the vampires continuously, after which he reloads his rifle and can complete a QTE to reload his gun. Either way, a vampire approaches Jason from behind, to which Salim can complete a QTE to throw his stake.

* If QTE is completed, the vampire will be impaled as Salim finishes it off.
* If QTE is failed...
	+ If Jason completed QTE to reload, he will fire at the vampire, causing the latter to fail its ambush. Before the vampire is able to strike again, it will be struck by a lightning.
	+ If Jason failed QTE to reload, the vampire hits Jason before mauling Salim, after which it immediately crushes his head (the same scene will play out afterward as if Salim was killed by the first vampire).

Both Jason and Salim make a break for the elevator.

* If The Ancient One is still alive, he will follow Jason and Salim from behind. As The Ancient One throws his spear at Jason, Salim notices, to which he can complete a QTE to push Jason aside.
	+ If QTE is failed, Jason will be impaled by the spear.

Both Jason and/or Salim arrive at the elevator, who is/are covered by the other protagonists. All of the survivors then ascend with the elevator.
While ascending on the elevator, the following scene and dialogue will play out:

* If Jason saves Salim, the others will praise Jason for being a hero. Jason then boasts about how they fight those vampire. Jason gives an encouragement to the others, after which the Americans yell out "oorah". Salim can also enthusiastically yell out "oorah" or remark he'd never thought he'd be relieved surrounded by Americans. Either way, Salim laughs.
* If Jason waits for Salim, Jason will tell Salim he knows Salim is a tough person when he laid his eyes on him (low relationship) or he's glad Salim makes it (high relationship), after which Salim can say that no evil is going to stop him from seeing his son or call out Jason for abandoning him. Jason gives an encouragement to the others, after which the Americans yell out "oorah". Salim can also enthusiastically yell out "oorah" or remark he'd never thought he'd be relieved surrounded by Americans. Either way, Salim laughs.
* If Jason is dead, Salim will tell the other Americans about how Jason gave the former his life. However, the Americans take it unpleasantly.
	+ If Salim killed Eric, Rachel will ask Salim how could they know if Salim didn't kill Jason. Salim tries to convince the vampires killed him and that they are their true enemies, but Rachel points her pistol at Salim, asking if that's what Salim think when he shot Eric. Salim can be authoritative or defensive.
		- If he is authoritative or Rachel and Salim are the only survivors left, Rachel will punch Salim, remarking that it felt good.
		- If he is defensive and Nick is alive, Rachel will shoot him in the head before kicking his body out of the elevator. Rachel then exclaims that the Iraqi deserved worse.
* If Nick is dead, Jason will say, "*Rest in peace, Nicky*".
* If Salim is dead, Jason will lament about him letting the Iraqi died and talk about how Salim has a son. Jason then claims they've buried enough people and no one will ever die underground.
	+ If Salim killed Eric, Rachel will state that she doesn't mourn him as he's the reason why she lost Eric, much to Jason's anger.
* If Jason and Salim are dead, Nick remarks that at least both soldiers die together. Rachel then tells both Eric and Nick that she need both of them for anything on-board as they aren't free yet. Eric claims that he's going to write a report about the creatures, but questions who will believe it, after which Nick answers that people will believe once they get out. Both Eric and Nick fist bump.
* If Eric and Nick are the only survivors left...
	+ If they have a high relationship, Nick will encourage Eric, before both fist bump and yell out "oorah".
	+ If they have a low relationship, both Eric and Nick will argue in the elevator.

## Deaths

### Determinant

Salim

* If Salim or Jason fail too many QTEs while fighting the vampires, Salim's head will be smashed against the ground.
* If Jason does not go back for Salim, orders the survivors to leave immediately, and Salim successfully fights the vampires, he will be stranded underground and be mauled by more vampires offscreen.
* If Salim killed Eric in The Truce, Nick told Rachel about it in The Assault, Nick retreated and survived in The Vault, Jason is killed by The Ancient One after going back for Salim, and Salim is defensive when Rachel confronts him, she will shoot Salim in the head.

Jason

* If Salim is killed after Jason goes back for him and at least two other protagonists are alive, Jason will have his head crushed by a vampire.
* If Salim is saved after Jason goes back for him, The Ancient One is alive, and Jason/Salim fails the QTE when The Ancient One throws a spear at him, he will be impaled.

Two vampires

* Salim can complete QTEs to impale two vampires.
* If Jason goes back for Salim, completes the QTE to reload, and Salim fails the QTE to throw the stake, the vampire attacking Jason will be struck by lightning within the ship.

## Trivia

* This is the first chapter in which Jason and Salim can die.
* This is the fourth and final chapter in which Salim can kill vampires to get the "*Slayer*" trophy.
* This, The Ancient One, and Reflection are the only chapters in the anthology that can either be playable or a cutscene depending on past choices.