Part 17: Chapter Seventeen: Full of Sound and Fury

Those brave souls working to save the land of Eden pushed ahead to North Grand, where a flooded bridge would have previously blocked their path. This tale has been full of odd encounters so far, but nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see.

Video- “PLF and Tangent”

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What’s going on here?

Obviously they had to stop and see what was going on.



Puni Eagle: We are the leaders of the Puni Liberation Front!
We are working day and night to foster a nation of the Puni, by the Puni, and for the Puni.
Wha…?
Puni Liberation Front?!
Puni Eagle: So, that’s it!
He has violated our paramount law!
And for that, the punishment is severe!
Ow! That hurts!
Hey hey, Beautiful. Can you help me out here?
Are you talking to me?
Yes! How can one with such beauty not help someone as cute as me?
……
Who else is ready to go?
What?! Aw, c’mon! Okay, I’m sorry!
If you free me, I’ll give you this recipe.
Recipe?
Yep. It says it’s for creating something called the [Uru Core].
Is it an alchemy recipe?
It looks like it…

His interest piqued, Felt decided to see what it would take to help the fairy.



Puni Eagle: Are you all up for a fight?
Sure.
Puni Eagle: Then, I have a favor to ask of you.
There is a rare grass that only grows deep inside Parnaky Cave.
Bring me the Pearlberry that grows from that grass and I will set him free.
What does berry picking have to do with fighting?
Puni Eagle: You’ll see when you get there.

As they took a brief rest, Viese headed to speak with Klavia again and see how she was doing.



Well, I don’t know if I’m getting better, but I feel a lot better.
That’s great…
Thank you, Viese.
I’m gonna keep practicing so that I can sing well.
Great. I’m looking forward to it.

When they set out again Felt discovered they may not have much choice but to help the Punis, as the way to Grand was blocked by Imperial forces.



Soldier: She’s a Simsiltian, so if you see her, report it immediately.
A redheaded Simsiltian girl…
It’s gotta be her.

And that wasn’t the only place where they had to deal with blocked paths.



Puni: That area collapsed in the quake a few days ago.
We’ll need a bomb to blast our way through.
Puni: We’ve received a report…
A girl with red hair has a book that describes how to make a bomb.
What?
Puni: She was last seen heading east to the Forest of Ocean Mist.
The Forest of Ocean Mist…
But, why do you have such detailed reports about useless things?
Puni: Well…
Some of our scouts just can’t tell what info is important.
So, they file all their reports as if they’re vital to national security.
Wow, your job is tough.

Noin was indeed at the Forest of Ocean Mist, which lived up to its name.

Video- “Getting The Band Together”

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Felt! Gray! I’ve been looking for you!
You look fine.
Oh me? I’m great! How are you, Miss Fee?
It’s just Fee. You don’t need the “Miss.”
Hey, I went to Altena Church. Have you found all the workshops yet?
Well, we’re still in the middle of all that…

They explained the situation to Noin.



I was hoping to find you guys at the workshop.
It should be around here, somewhere…
Alright. I’ll help you find it.
Are you sure?
Yeah. Max gave me some time off.
I want to help you guys out.
System Message: Noin has joined the party!

Feinne’s Fourth Wall Lectures: Formations
So, now that we have more than three people in the party let’s talk about formations real quick. Our order in combat actually does sort of matter, people in the front of the party do more damage but also take more. We can have three people out at any given time, and everyone else has to wait on the sidelines. We can switch back and forth on a character’s turn and if someone dies we have the opportunity to automatically swap them out for a waiting reserve character.

The rest of the report from the Punis proved accurate as well.



Max gave me this to give to you.
They found it in the base camp warehouse.
System Message: Received [Me Myself & Bomb]!
You now have the recipe for [Mega Flame]!
Mega Flame…
We should be able to blast through the cave with this.
Let’s see if Viese can Synthesize it for us.

They went further into the Forest and found something the Punis had missed.



Chaos…!
I’m going to take him out.
Fee, wait!
Let me go! I must destroy the Crimson Azoth!
We can’t now.
He’s right. There’s too many of them now and there may be more.
Ungh!
Let’s hide over here and see what they’re up to.

They stood and waited around for a while, but nothing changed.



Maybe we should just come back later.

They had to wait out while Viese prepared to create the Mega Flame.

Video- “Musical Bombs”

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Not bad, I guess.
You have the Mega Flame recipe, don’tcha?
Hurry up and make it, so we can blow things up!
Every boy likes to blow things up, it’s fun!
Oh yeah, well I’m a girl…

And together with Uru she succeeded.



Is it any different from the other one you made?
Of course it is. The Mega Flame is much more powerful than the basic Flame!
Why, I bet this bomb can destroy really big rocks.

Viese then heard a strange noise from outside.



Klavia and another Sound Mana were outside.



What’s going on, Klavia?
I’m confident with my singing now.
I bet. You have a beautiful voice now.
It feels like… your voice was gently wrapping around my heart.
The only reason I sing well is because of you…
By the way, who is this…?
This is Siren.
She’s been following me around ever since I sang at the Festival of Spring.
It’s true. Klavia’s singing moved me very much.
I was always afraid of making pacts, but after hearing her sing. I feel like I can do anything.
So, I decided to come all the way to Noir.
That’s great…
Hey, Viese, have you made a pact with a Sound Mana yet?
Would you like to make a pact with her?
Klavia? Is it alright?
She wants to make a pact, and you’re a trustworthy alchemist.

And so Viese made a pact with a Mana of Sound.



It would be my pleasure.
Mana, the father of power… the mother of life… The source of all nature…
I, Viese Blanchimont, have pledged to uphold the sacred tenets of Lilith.
In honor of that pledge, I have come to form a pact with Siren, the Sound Mana!
I’ll sing my best so that your soul may be at peace.
System Message: Received the mark of the Sound Mana, the [Sound Gem]!

Now that they had the ability to destroy the rocks blocking the way, Felt and his friends prepared to return to Parnaky Cave and find the Pearlberries the PLF had requested. Next time, we’ll see what they had to face there.