Part 19: Gengai's Mission

Once they were ready to leave Archia, they headed out to the Garvelt Bridge to find Reverend Gengai’s camp. Garvelt, like Archia, was clearly added on to the Tower after its initial construction.



Feinne on Qoga: Garvelt Bridge
This is a long and kind of annoying place. The enemies are weaker than those in Archia Labs though, so it’s not like it’s hard per se. This is where I prefer to grind DP for this portion of the game, because you can kill things faster even if they’re not worth as much as a place we’ll get access to in a few.

Aoto got a chance to try out his new move, which greatly impressed Finnel.



You mean Land Pillar?
Yeah! I can’t believe that as soon as you stabbed the ground with your sword, the ground exploded.
Tell me how you did that.
How…? Well, it was actually more like I was throwing shock waves.
Stick the sword into the ground and fire a shock wave at an enemy target.
…Is it really that simple?
Well, I didn’t think I could really use this move in a real fight.
But I couldn’t back down at that point, so I took the chance and did it anyway.
And you really did it?
Yep. Human potential exerted in the face of crisis is truly amazing.
You’re probably the only person who can really do that.
I think we should change the name of the move, because it was really powerful.
Is it okay to make it sound even more powerful?
It’s alright. Well, uh…
How about Elmageddon?
That sounds like a villain’s final attack move!
N-no it doesn’t! I think you have to go over the top like that.

I don’t know what Aoto’s problem is, that was a truly inspired name. Anyway she was also getting worried about the way he was just picking up random things left behind after battles, some of which were very perishable.



Do you have any raw meat by any chance?
Yeah, I do. If you want to eat it, I’ll cook it for you.
No. Aren’t you aware of it?
What do you mean?
…It smells funny.
Really? But if I cool it, we can still cook it. It’s not that bad.
Well, you’re not supposed to carry around unfrozen, raw meat. It goes bad really fast.
I think you should keep it in a cooler or something.
Coolers are too big.
Even if it goes a little bad, we can still eat it if we cook it, so don’t worry about it.
…You’ll get diarrhea.

Midway up the creaky bridge, the Great Fang Militia was encamped.

Video Record- “Gengai’s Mission”

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Yo, young'uns!
I have been expecting all of you.
I didn't think this many people would show up...
Heck yeah! Aren't you excited? We're preparing for the upcoming extravaganza!
Extravaganza? What exactly is gonna happen?
We're going to surge into Clustania! This is the forward base of our army.
...I guess war doesn't tell us who's right; it only tells who's left...
Yeah...he's quite the champion.
Aoto, Luphan asked me to shelter you guys. What happened?
Actually...

They explained what had happened to Gengai. He was willing to help, but there was a condition.



I'm fine, because Aoto and the others came back for me.
But the Archians may have noticed your absence by now...
Don't worry. This is the Great Fang Militia's fortified outpost, remember? No matter who comes, we'll protect ya.
Thank you very much, sir!
So...as you can see, we have no problem harboring all of you. However, I do have a favor to ask.
What?
I want you guys to help us with the Clustania landing mission.
What!?
You want us to help you with that?
Uh-huh. There are a lot of parts of this mission that need to be done. I need the help of rebels like you.
Rebels... So, what kind of tactics are we looking at?
Uh…

Gengai explained the plan they’d come up with.



Slave District?
It's a district full of concentration camps. According to accounts, all purified humans are kept in this area.
But that's no easy meal. It's on the border of the Prome Wall, a barrier of ultra high-density plasma.
True, as long as they have the Prome Wall, it's impossible for the entire Militia to land on their soil.
First, my squad will go and temporarily drain the Prome Wall. Then, our comrades will surge into the mainland.
The Prome Wall is entirely powered by the Kniehar Signal Station, which is located a little higher up from here.
I will sneak into the Kniehar Signal Station and deactivate the Prome Wall.
We're the front-line squad. I'm calling it the GFSAS, the Great Fang Special Assault Squad. Will you join us?
...I'll go! This time, I will be fighting by your side.
Aoto…!
Besides, it'll help ensure Saki's safety after this is over.
You won't be the only hero, Aoto.
Then... I-I'm going, too.
Of course, you can count me in.
I’m game.
Saki's coming, too!

Aoto continued to be an idiot and not understand the first thing about anything for quite some time I understand.



But...why only Saki...!?
Because the Clustanian Army is after you. I can't take you with a special task force that's going into Clustania.
But, I can fight! I want to help you!
...Please understand. This mission is a lot riskier than all our other battles. This isn't gonna be pretty...
…
...Aoto, she will be lonely and anxious if you leave her behind. Why don't you take her with you?
…
…Aoto.
...No. It's way too dangerous. I'll be back soon. Please understand, Saki.
…
Alright, we'll carry out the mission tomorrow. Comrades, get your rest.

Aoto didn’t even get that Saki would have rather been in a bit more danger than be stuck there alone. It might have been, though, that he was worried about some other things.

Video Record- “Aoto’s Choice”

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But, what worries me the most right now is...

Feinne on Qoga: Choices
So, I talked about these a bit in the voting post but this is the first of our three choices that provide Heart Points. They also control what scenes we get in certain areas. Your best practice with these is to pick the first two the same and then leave the last one open, as that will make it easy to access three of the four true endings. Since Saki got blown out of the water in the voting, I’ll be going Finnel here.

Everyone was worried about Saki’s health, but Aoto was the only one in the group who even knew that Finnel was also not well.



Finnel, of course. About what Soma and Akane said...
Soma told me to take Finnel to Clustania. Her life is resting on my shoulders...
Plus, her conversation with Akane at Ciela Gate... Akane pretty much said Finnel won't be around much longer...
Does she have a serious illness or something? If that's the case...I want to do something about it.
Well, either way, I'll talk with her tomorrow.

Aoto wasn’t going to get as much rest as he’d wanted, though, because his terrible inability to understand how badly he hurt Saki by not leaving her behind again was about to walk into his tent.



Whoa! Y-you scared me. What's with that costume...!? Where did you come from?
...I have been...with you the whole time.
…?
I'm Filament...another one of Saki's personae.
Saki has another persona...?
Saki's mind plunged...so I came out.
Take me with you... I'm not Saki, so it should be fine...
You…?
I...must go to the Tower...and see the owner of the voice that has been singing.
Voice? I don't hear anyone singing.
I can hear... I've been hearing it from the beginning. Please...I have to see the singer. It'll save Saki...and us.
...It'll save Saki, huh? Alright, I'll talk with the the others about it.
...Thank you...Aoto.

The next morning, everyone else got a bit of a surprise.



So she's...Saki's other persona?
She is the multiple persona Reyvateil? That's fascinating...
Hmm...I can't believe my eyes. So, in short, this girl is...usually inside of Saki, but she's different from her?
Yeah, pretty much.
I can't believe such a Reyvateil exists, either.
I don't blame you. But from the results of my exams, I'm 100% positive that she is another of Saki's personae.
I wonder how many more are in her...
I'm curious about that, too.
In any case, she seems to be supportive of us. I appreciate that. Besides, she wants to enter into the Tower, right?
Yeah, that's what she said.
As far as I've discovered, the passcode to enter the Tower is kept in a terminal at the Kniehar Signal Station.
When I hack the database, I'll make sure to search for that Hymnos, as well as deactivating the Prome Wall.
Did you hear that, Filament? That's great news.
...Thank you...

Gengai went over the mission one last time.



First, Luphan, you'll sneak into the Kniehar Signal Station and deactivate the Prome Wall.
But, Clustanian soldiers are guarding the Signal Station. Aoto, I'm counting on you and your team tactics.
Fight poison with poison, Reyvateils with Reyvateils.
Aoto and Finnel, you two will lead the squad to the deepest part of the Station, alright?
Roger that...
Okay...!
Great, then let's start the mission...!

Their pace up the bridge proved too fast for Finnel, and she had to stop to catch her breath.

Video Record- “Filly and Filament”

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...What's wrong, Finnel? Are you out of energy?
N-no! I'm still fine... I'm doing okay.
Alright, but don't push yourself too hard.

It seemed Filament knew quite a lot more about the situation than she was letting on.



...Are you okay?
Filament...
...Your energy's plunging... You shouldn't abuse yourself...
…!
But I'm the same as you... So you can probably be saved by the same method as I can.
…Huh?
I'll climb to the top of this Tower to find this method... Someone who will save us is up there...
...Someone who will save us...?
Hey!
…!
Are you really okay? Let me carry you.
N-no! I'm really fine!
Are you sure…?
I am! I was just talking to Filament. Nothing's wrong.
...You're so stubborn. Okay, let's keep going.

Still, they took a short break, and Aoto was still worried about how pale she looked.



You look pale. Are you okay?
Y-yeah, I am! I told you I was just talking with Filament.
Are you sure? You don’t look too well, though.
Akane was saying the rest of your life had to be treasured, or something…
…Are you worried about me?
Of course I am. Who wouldn’t be worried after hearing something like that?
…
I know your personality too well. You wouldn’t tell me those kinds of things.
But when you’re really sick, you have to tell me.
…That’s all I wanted to tell you.
…Okay. Thank you, Aoto.

She, meanwhile, was sort of annoyed at the size of the Garvelt Bridge.



Garvelt Bridge is definitely abnormally high.
I agree. I think whoever designed it could’ve been smarter.
Especially those stairs. They’re obviously unduly long.
You thought so, too?
Sure. Not only climbing, but descending them is also hard.
I wonder why no one realized how hard it would be to use those stairs when they built them…
Oh, you’ve been wondering about that? You sure are an artisan.
If I had the time and the help, I would equip that place with an elevator.

I think that’s where we’ll stop tonight, children. Next time, I’ll tell you what happened when they reached the signal station.