Part 29: Chapter 5-7: In Want of Saviors

Part 5-7: In Want of Saviors


Music: In the Sea of Fire -Suelle-

Oh, up ahead! There’s a… village?

That’s not all there is!


Superheroes

A type of fairy or elemental? Seeing as we’re inside a painting, something the artist made up?

In any case, let’s try talking to it. Hey, you there! What are you doing?

What am I doing? Running away, of course! Hold on, humans? Humans!



C-Cooked? What do you mean?

You don’t know? The Fire Dragon from the depths is on a rampage, making all these volcanoes erupt! There’s nothing we can do now! This whole region is about to be swallowed by magma!

What?! That could really happen?

Don’t ask me! We just have to run for it! This is my homeland, sure but we still have to run!

What should we do?! It sounds like this world is about to end!

No, we can’t do that… We haven’t seen anything in here yet. And anyway… We’ve got people here about to lose their home! We have to do something to help them, Lydie.

Hahaha, somehow I knew you were going to say that. You, eh…

I’m not “you”, I’m Fuoco! Don’t you know how to use someone’s name, human?



Says the one calling us “human”! I’m Sue, and this is Lydie.

Sue and Lydie. Very well. What do you want, then? I really am busy running away at the moment!

Fuoco. You don’t want this place to be destroyed, do you? We’re going to help you with that.

Hehe, we’re alchemists, after all! You can leave this problem with us!

Alchemists? What does that even mean?



You need to stop just making stuff up…

Superheroes! Lydie and Sue, the superheroes! In which case, yes please! Help us! I can’t let you do all the work, though. I’ll go with you! Hehehe… after all… If this doesn’t work out, we’ll all melt in the river of lava together!

Uwah! That’s a bit graphic. Don’t worry, we won’t let that happen.

First, we need to investigate the area. Let’s carry on.



Tell me, Fuoco! Do you live in this village?

Yes! Or at least, I did until the Fire Dragon came.

Can you lead us to the Fire Dragon? We’re alchemists! We can save your homeland from it!

Please! Just go up the stairs to the northwest…

Sure thing! Toward… Alvaria Way?



Right that way!

Hehe, Fuoco!

What is it, Firis?


Breaking Bread and Boundaries

She’s got a gift, I’ll give her that. Meanwhile, over here…



Alt! Just don’t dissect poor Fuoco, alright?

What? Ah, of course not. I know the boundaries.

I’m not sure that you do… Ah, Fuoco, are you hungry? Do you want some sweets?

Sweets? What are those?

I guess you wouldn’t know, would you! The outside world is completely unknown to you, I suppose.

I could try to explain… but you’ll get it once you try some! Here, Fuoco, eat this.



Munch… slurp… Wow! Wow! Delicious! This is delicious! Sweets are delicious! Please, give me more!

Uwah, hold on! I’ve got some more, just stop tugging on me!

She’s one of the family now. Glad to see them getting along.

What happens when a creature inside a painting eats? Does it offer any nutritional value?

…Being passionate about research is fine, but don’t take it too far.

Hahaha! All this activity brings out so many memories. This is fun!



Uwah!



I bet that fire attacks will be really effective in this world!




Really effective!



Can you keep up?



Here I go!





Interesting… so Alt uses that book to summon weapons…



And that’s a wrap!




Wow, everyone! That was so cool!

Right? Now let’s get back on track!



This sky sure is something. It’s as ashen as the land we walk on.

It really does look like a world about to die…

But Fuoco trusts us to stop that from happening. So we have to press forward!



It’s impressive! And terrifying.

Hey Lydie, we keep seeing these pillars with writing on them. Can you read it?

Hmm… I have no idea what they’re saying.

I don’t recognize the writing either. Maybe it’s in a language the artist made up wholecloth?

Bah. Either way, we don’t have the time to dwell on it!


Charting an Approach

The Fire Dragon came “from the depths”, you said. Do you mean here?

Yeah! Just up ahead…



Gulp! Are you ready, everyone? We’re about to enter the Fire Dragon’s lair!

Hey, Fuoco. What can you tell us about this Fire Dragon?

Let me see. It’s big, for a start! It could swallow me whole! It’s also very violent, spitting fire everywhere! It’ll frizzle all your hair in an instant!

That last part makes it sound little worse than a bad barber.



Fuoco. Don’t worry. We’re going to defend this world!

Thank you! Thank you so much for all your help!

No problem! That said, what exactly should we do? Get the Fire Dragon to leave?

That might work, but maybe we should just defeat it? It probably won’t leave if we just ask.

Probably not. Drive it off, or defeat it, then. Those seem like our two choices at the moment.

We’ll leave the decision up to the two of you. Take whichever approach you think is best.



Go this way if you want to play it safe!


Plan A-Feed the Dragon

Uwah, it’s bigger than I was expecting! It’s going to be tough to defeat that.

Hmmm. If we don’t have what it takes to beat it, then… We need to find out what’s making it so aggressive.

What could it be? Lydie, what makes you simply go crazy?

Me? Let me think… When Dad wastes our money again?

That gets me angry too! But it’s not like money’s an object to the Fire Dragon. So… What else? When I’m hungry too, I guess?

Hey, me too! Maybe the Fire Dragon is hungry?

Fuoco. What does that dragon normally eat?

Good question. I’ve seen it eating rocks lying around here?

Hmm. The Fire Dragon eats rocks? Then if we help it fill up on some tasty stones…

Right! It might be satisfied and fly off somewhere else!

Interesting. I think I can help! Collect some stones and give them to me. I’ll go and spread them in front of the dragon. I’m very fast at running away, don’t worry!

In which case, we’ll go and collect some. Just wait here a moment.



So… Kaen Stones! We can find those in these molten rocks.

That dragon looks like it has a massive appetite. So we’d better fetch plenty!

After a real bug hunt for the Kaen Stones…


Plan B/C-Icing the Dragon

Uwah, so many? I’ll go and get started!



Hehehe, I ran in there, scattered them around and then ran for it! Well? What’s happening?



Oh dear. It looks like eating those stones has just given it more energy.

Uwah, I’m sorry, Fuoco. That plan was a complete failure.

N-No, no need to worry. Everyone fails sometimes.

Well said, Fuoco. Failure is just a step towards success in all things, be it alchemy or anything else.

OK! In which case, let’s try something else. How about trying to drive it off? It’s even called the Fire Dragon. It likes fire! In which case, we hit it with something cold!

Ah, that’s not a bad idea. Like giving something spicy to a person with a sweet tooth!

That’s the idea, anyway. We just need to do something it doesn’t like and get rid of it.

Lydie, great thinking! How do you come up with these plans so quickly? You can leave this to me, too! I’ll do something I’m sure that dragon will completely hate!



Try this, Fuoco!

Oh, this time it’s all cold! I’ll go and put this to good use!

Fuoco runs over…



Graaoooooow!

Phew. I ran back here as quickly as I could. Did it work?

Hmm. It seems to dislike it, but…

It simply wasn’t strong enough. We need to hit it with stronger cold, or even…

Stronger cold? We’ll need to think of some kind of a new item, then.

Thank you! I believe in all of you! Once you’ve made a colder item, bring it to me. Thank you so much for doing this!

The twins return to their atelier.



I got it! This should have the power to drive that dragon away! Double the ice bomb power, along with air, metal and hidden power… perfect!



Nicely done! Now to see see if it works…



These reaper-like monsters are real pieces of work… but we can take em!




Back on track!



I guess this is how you know we’re in a dragon’s lair… NOW, back on track!


Saviors

We can use this to drive off the Fire Dragon?

That’s right! This is our secret weapon to chase off the dragon once and for all!

I’m sure this will be enough to get the job done! Fuoco, now it’s up to you!

Very well. I’ll see you shortly!

Fuoco, good luck!

Go freeze his tail off!

With the Cold Wind Engine and the party’s best wishes in hand, Fuoco advances.



Take this! Taste all of our anger, and begone from this place!



Graaooooooow.



It… it worked!

Yes! You did it, Fuoco! The Fire Dragon has flown off!

Perfect! I’m so glad the item we made helped out. Congratulations, Fuoco!

Uwaaah! Now my homeland is safe!



Hey, come on. Heroes is one thing, Saviors is something else…

Haha, I don’t think so. You saved a world from destruction. That makes you Saviors, in my book!

He’s right. Seeing you both fighting so hard to save Fuoco’s world! You were so cool!

D-Do you really think so? Saviors! That still sounds a bit funny.

Hehe. I’ve got a gift for my two Saviors, then! My own personal treasure. I want you to have it!



Yeah! That’s our third set, then. Fuoco, thanks for this wonderful gift!

Surging Hell Fire Fragments received.

Phew. That appears to wrap that up then!

Yes. That should be enough for now. Shall we head back?

Sounds good. This world was a lot of fun too!

You’re all leaving? I’m really going to miss you.

Hahaha, don’t worry, Fuoco. We’ll come and see you again!

You will? Thank you so much! Do you promise?

Yes, we promise. We’ll see you again soon, Fuoco! Bye-bye!

Suelle has acquired the skill “Talent for Strategy”.
Talent for Strategy - Increase skill damage when acting as an Attacker.

Back in the gallery…

I’ll see you all later!

Ah, you’re all back! How was the painting?

Mathias and I can handle the debrief!

After all, it seems Alt wants a word with the twins.

The world in that painting was very interesting. Watching you two was very entertaining too.

What? Watching us was entertaining?

Yes. With your backs to the wall - or should I say, magma - you still didn’t back down.



I see… That almost sounds like a compliment?

It was. And I don’t give them often. I hope we can be friends. If there’s anything else I can do for you, I’ll happily lend you a hand. Anything at all.

Wow, are you sure? Thank you so much!

Think nothing of it. Observing you is going to be very productive for me too, I believe.

Observing… what, exactly? You’re going to get all weird on us, aren’t you?

Hey! That’s not what I meant at all!

Hah, so you’re all slimy as well, aren’t you, Alt? Why are all men like this?

No, I’m not! Listen! Please, listen to me!

That afternoon…


In Want of Saviors

Thank you. Let me take a look. Hmm… Wow, well, this is bad.

I know. A bit of a problem. Things are progressing faster than we expected.

Indeed. We’ll need to think of new steps we can take. Ah, I’m getting a headache already!

Sigh… we just finished staving off the apocalypse in the Great Cascades of Anfel, only to return to our own world and stare down an impending apocalypse here. Speaking of which, the girl who lives in that painting proclaimed the twins her “Saviors” for saving her world.