Part 44: Breaking and Entering

Update 40: Breaking and Entering



All right. We've brought a family back together, fixed outer space, populated Noah's Ark, made generous donations, repented our pasts, learned some lore, proved our manliness, solved puzzles, and told an interdimensional misery parasite to go fuck itself.





There's no way we aren't ready for this.





Video: The Night Before

Music: Dusty Wind


Indeed not. Each nation's food and medicine supplies are running low.

Our soldiers are exhausted. They won't last forever. We have to do something.

Indeed. We have little time left...


The three witches walk in...


Our apologies for keeping you waiting. Preparations are complete. All nations are ready.

Then we have prepared in time!

You have a plan for attacking Cor Hydrae Castle?

You told us Melodia used the power of the five islands to release the End Magnus. I suggest we use that same power to counteract the power of the evil god, and to pierce the shield surrounding Cor Hydrae Castle.


I thought she used the power of our five non-Kalas party member to awaken the End Magnus? Still, she did talk about the five islands, too. I guess this could work.





it at the shield?! That would be folly! Now that the End Magnus have been released, each island is barely kept afloat by its remaining power...If that power was to be depleted, the islands could fall. That would be too dangerous!

We are all well aware of the dangers involved.

Unless we do something soon though, we'll all be doomed...We have to take our chances.


??? Then you will definitely need my help.


You came!






Music: Feudal Guardian

How could I hide myself when there's a battle to be won?

Wooooow, listen to him. He only agreed to help after some serious threatening on our part.

*awkward coughing*

The reason is unimportant. It is your presence here that counts.

By the way...What has become of the Empire? Who will take charge?

We can't expect too much from them. We will have them assume their positions, just in case, but now that Geldoblame is gone, there is no one to lead the people and bring out the full potential of that island.

I'm not sure how much we can accomplish with the power of four islands, but we must do what we can. There's no turning back.

This will probably be the first and the last time anyone attempts such a feat. Let us join together and give them something to remember!

As mentioned earlier, we will take care of the shield.

Wait for an opening, and storm directly in to the Cor Hydrae!

I beg of you, please save my Melodia...please, save her soul...

We will.

We'll do our utmost.

The final battle will take place tomorrow! The fate of the world is in our hands.


You know...I like the rulers of this game. They actually do stuff. Not so much in the first half of the game, but now that they realize how far being passive/neutral got them, they're more than happy to help out. The even came up with this plan all on their own, and said plan actually has them actively participating by breaking the shield. I find it to be quite refreshing.

Our group retires to one of the guest rooms...





Melodia and Malpercio seem to have somehow linked their minds together. Any ideas why or how?

Yeah...She used Geldoblame to unseal the five End Magnus and resurrect Malpercio. No doubt about that.

Maybe she was first linked with the End Magnus in Mira.


Isn't it possible that she's just completely batshit? I guess we're getting more and more evidence that the End Magnus can corrupt people, so it's perfectly viable that she used to be the sugary sweet girl she appeared to be. And I suppose she must have had some sort of contact with the End Magnus to have that semi telepathy sort of thing she has with Malpercio (or that he has with her, rather). Hmm.


That's a possibility. According to Giacomo, Dr. Georg had a special power, probably induced by the End Magnus in the Lava Caves...He devoted himself to his experiments as if a man possessed, until he created Kalas and Fee...

...

What's your point?

My point is that something tells me both Melodia and Dr. Georg were controlled by the will of Malpercio, whether they were aware of it or not.

Yeah, maybe.

Yet, if that were indeed the case, it would be quite puzzling. On one side we have Melodia and her cohorts, attempting to unleash the End Magnus and take over the world. On the other we have Dr. Georg, striving to create a being who could bring about Malpercio's destruction. If both are controlled by Malpercio, why would they be in contradiction?

Hmmm...that is weird, now that you mention it.

Dr. Georg's experiments were aimed at creating a Magnus of Life. This would be the exact opposite of the End Magnus, which are symbols of death and destruction. My point is that Kalas and Malpercio may have been destined to fight one another. In that sense, Kalas could be said to be a bad omen for Malpercio, a harbinger of the god's demise.

…

That's the way of the world.

Come again?

…





Music: Lull in the Wind

The desire to be sincere and loyal to others, and the urge to drop everything, lie back, and care about nothing...

Hmm...

We want to be free, but also want to feel secure...

…

We want to protect someone dear to us, but at the same time, we simply want to abandon them...

Oh...

We want to live on, but also want to give up and die...

…

Love, and hatred. Melodia, and Kalas. She is Malpercio's curse to the world. Kalas must be his prayer...

She's his curse...and I'm his prayer?


Well, technically Fee would be the prayer, with Kalas kind of inheriting the role on Fee's death.


Yes...I won't claim to know for sure what Malpercio thinks and desires, but something tells me that's how it is...

Kalas and Melodia...Us and them...There's no telling who will win. Hell, it may not even matter who wins. Is everything just a game, determined at the whim of some god enjoying himself at our expense? Are we just pawns, caught up in the mess whether we like it or not?

No...this is no game. This is Malpercio's will. It's his first and final decision, putting himself at stake. It's the final fight by gods who were destroyed a thousand years ago.





He's dead serious, believe me...




I really love this scene. In a game which up until now has had characters who are either pure as snow or baby eating evil (barring Kalas, Giacomo, and their “family”), it's kind of neat that they set up the wicked god as maybe not the purely evil monster we view it as, even if it's “good” part is perhaps reluctant and very small.







Hey, listen, Legion...This may be it for us. We've been through a lot together, and it was a hell of a ride, thanks to you. I owe you one, Legion.





I'm glad to hear that. We'd never have made it without you. That night, way back, in the Forest of Spirits...I'm glad it was you who came to me. Really glad.


Wow, Kalas...That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me. _{And it came from you!}


Anyway, it'll all be over by this time tomorrow. Whether we manage to stop them, or whether they end up killing us...Everyone needs to say goodbye someday, so before that time comes, let's go out with a bang! We can do this together, okay? Let's get going, Legion!





Back to Corellia's throne room...


Video: Storming the Castle (recommended viewing!)





Very well, all of you to your positions. I wish you the best of luck!

We shall give them our utmost!

Yes, indeed. Let us join forces and destroy the Cor Hydrae Castle!

To walk another day with our heads held high!


Queen Xelha, do you need us?

I'll be fine. Please stay and protect Queen Corellia.

Be careful, my Queen.

Good luck, Your Majesty!









Music Embark on a Voyage











Huh. I didn't realize the islands could be moved at will like that. I guess they didn't do it before because of the power draining thing.











How can they hear each other?





This effect occurs for each leader. I think it might be the same as our very own Distorting Wind attack, though I'm not certain.





Each world leader fires out a beam of their island's essence. Corellia shoots out light...





Ladekahn emits a beam of wind...





Rodolfo sends a stream of water...





And Calbren sends a currant of candy.





All right! I bet that shield breaks in no time!














I said -





The power of four continents weren't enough, it seems!


Monsters begin to rush at the world leaders...


Oh, no! Why now?

-

Damn! The shield is still up! They'll never get in!

It's not working? Isn't there something we can do?!

-

We have failed...

-

This is the end of the road, it seems...








The beams form each nation begin to fade away...


















???: Not so fast, people!





What is that?

It is coming from Alfard! The power of its End Magnus!

But who is it? With Geldoblame dead, who would be able to invoke Alfard's power?






Music: Brave Way




Aw YEAH!


Ayme?!

This island is in good hands. No need for worry.

Folon!

Stay sharp! The fight has just begun!

Azdar!

Geldoblame's men?

Georg gave us the power of the End Magnus. Don't worry, we can do it!

Yup, piece of cake!

Thank you. We are counting on you.

Rally yourselves, all of you! CHARGE!










Now or never!

Let's go!


We did it!

We're counting on you, Kalas, all of us...

We'll join you shortly!

Please be careful!


Yeah, this scene is another of my favorites. Between all the pretty stuff and Ayme and Folon finally coming around, I can't help but feel happy.










Welcome to Cor Hydr-





aaaaaAAAAuokay, wasn't expecting that. So, um, I guess these are our final dungeon midbosses?


Oh no...the gods...The ones they crafted the End Magnus with?!

What?! Ghosts of the gods? This just gets better and better.


The ghosts disappear, to be fought one at a time...





The Great Mizuti be invincible. Utterly. Totally. But not against ghosts. Not quite. Exception.

Don't worry. If we can hit them, we can defeat them.

You be sure?

Positive...I hate ghosts, too.


Everyone turns and stares.


What is it?

Umm...Nothing...

Heh.










Music: Survival from the Force (new!)

All right. I'm not going to go too far in this dungeon since we've already covered a lot in this update, but let's talk about enemies.







The angels and hounds are just beefed up versions of what we fought back in Xelha's sidequest. The angels attack twice in a row, which is annoying, but they're also notably weaker than the other enemies here so it's no big deal.





We've also got a Fadroh palette swap who can boost his attack power. Fortunately, his HP is low enough that he can be killed in one round without much trouble, and will go down in two tops unless the game gives you a truly shitty setup.









And then there are the bulls, which can and will wreck you if you aren't careful.

I have to say, I was getting pretty bored with the enemies lately, so I'm glad that the final dungeon provides some challenge, as well as some rarely used enemy designs.





Anyway, we want to activate this teleporter, but to do so we have to defeat the five ghost gods seen at the start of the dungeon. Naturally, each is at the end of their own little part of the dungeon.





So let's tackle that next time!



-

Decision Time!

There are five minobosses plus a sixth, more significant miniboss after that. The five minibosses are all quite similar, with the only major difference being their elemental alignments and status ailments they inflict. Would you prefer...

-All in one update

-The five minibosses in one update and the sixth in another

-Three and three.