Part 54: Let's get nasty!

-Labyrinth of Shadows and Light-

















There's another path split just past the Star Door. Take the nearby teleporter first. It's a short branch--just an Arch Devil and a chest.











Looting isn't stealing! That's silly.







Ahahaha! DIE!



Ahaha! Enemy terminated! ♪











The higher-level templar swords grant Ries a ton of ATS--more than anyone else's weapons.























Doesn't look like there's anything standing between us and it, either. Time to make a mad dash for the--
Wait.

-Silence-

What's up?
I can smell the distinctive scent of the underworld. And it grows stronger by the second.
What?!



Are we gonna get surrounded by magic circles, then?!
No. This isn't going to come from a circle...
It's coming from above!

-Genuine Devil-



Spider devils, spider devils.



Guarding the end of the spider levels.



Wh-Wh-Wh-Wha...?!
Spiders?!
Aww. How cute. They're trying so hard to be intimidating for us, aren't they?
These are the gluttonous Arachne sisters, kin of the seventy-seven devils featured in the Testaments!
They weave nightmares and consume the souls of those who wander into their labyrinth!
So this is what real devils are like, huh? They sure look the part.
But they're not gonna be enough to stop us! Let's get nasty!
Right!















Evros should be left for last.















The Star Door 7 fight and the chest with a Mirage Ring were actually big flashing warning signs, which I failed to notice.







Ahaha! Ready or not, here I cooome! ♪
HA! Got you!











Most of the Arachnes' strongest attacks are magic attacks, so the Physical quartz is not a great idea.















And this is why you should save Evros for last.







Zig Momma has stronger versions of most of her daughters' moves, plus one or two even nastier tricks of her own.







hellspider blood all in his hair





Don't settle for half measures against Arachne Zigma. She will hurt you.





But then sometimes she will literally take a turn to just spin around and wave her ass in your face.



Wanna see what I got?!
*irrepressible yelling*
Too slow!



*yelling proceeds*
Come forth, Wheel of Time!





Zigma I'm really going to need you to stop countering my S-Breaks









She can also use Graia's Curse Eye--but hers is a small AoE.









-This Is Our Real Power!-



Teehee! Later, corpsies.





Gee those might have been handy.

-Labyrinth of Shadows and Light-



*pant*...*pant*...
What was up with that last one? That was so unfair!
That must have been Zigma, the three sisters' mother.
And even she was not able to stop us, thankfully.

*SSHHEEEEEE*



...What?
Th-That looks like...!



Another sealing stone, huh? I honestly figured Renne's was gonna be the last.
Huh... So I was in a pretty stone like that when you found me, too?
I feel like a princess in a fairy tale.
Ahaha... You kinda were like a little princess, actually.
...
I think this one may actually be different. The other stones had a strange sense of warmth when you held them. Not so for this one.
Really?
Is it 'cause it has something bad in it?
No... Instead of the usual warmth, it seems to have a cool, almost divine feel to it. Almost as if it might contain the Goddess Herself within.
Man's Voice: Heh. Sharp as usual.



-The Lord of Phantasma-



He's here...
Who's that?
So you decided to show your face again, did you?
Haha. The priest is still unconscious, I see. What a shame. I was rather surprised to find out that he can only use his Stigma's power against heretics. Even power of that magnitude is meaningless if it's so limited and has such repercussions... I almost pity him.
...



To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting you to reach this point so quickly. Your final piece is inordinately capable.
Oh? Might you be referring to me?
Thanks to you, I ended up having to make my appearance sooner than I was expecting. I suppose I should have expected no less from the host of Grancel's finest tea party.
Teehee. That's very true.
Regardless, I came to fulfill a duty, and fulfill it I shall. Think of that stone as a gift for gathering all the pieces scattered throughout Phantasma. It contains not an additional piece, but a rule book of sorts that you may find beneficial.
A rule book?
That certainly explains why it feels different compared to the others.
Could this mean that you're finally ready to face us head on rather than continuously taunting us?
Whether that time comes is entirely up to you. For now, all I will say is this: On the next game board, all of you will find yourselves face to face with a number of trials to overcome.



He's escaping again!
W-Wait a damn minute! Is that all you've got to say? What kind of trials?!
Heh. A variety in all shapes and sizes. Even I will be one of them.
You?
...Really, now?
I eagerly anticipate seeing whether you are able to overcome them all and make it to me.
Don't disappoint me, now.



-Silence-



...
It's almost as if he can't help but try to taunt us.
He stays just long enough to say something cryptic and then leaves before elaborating every single time.
Oh, I just love those types...
...
Is something wrong, Estelle?
Oh, it's nothing.
Anyway, we might've got nothing but cryptic teasers out of him, but we do have a new sealing stone to unlock. I think we should head back to the garden and get to it.
I agree.
I'm quite curious as to just what this 'rule book' is as well.

-The Hermit's Garden-



The way it glows is pretty different compared to all the other sealing stones.
You're right... I wonder who's going to appear out of it?
...
Kloe?
Is something wrong?
No, it's just...
The light radiating from it feels somehow...nostalgic.
Huh?



-Recluse Cube-







It's her...
What?!
She looks like...!



Ghost: ...



Ghost: I'm so glad I can finally communicate with you like this. Heehee... I wonder how many hundreds of years it's been since I was last able to hold a true conversation?
Y-Your Highness...? Wait...
Y-You aren't...are you...?



It's a pleasure to have the chance to meet one of my own descendants. And allow me to extend a hand of welcome to all of you, visitors to my garden. My name is Celeste. Celeste D. Auslese.
called it