Part 3: Magnetic Sand

When we last left off, we got framed for the assassination of the Emperor (“framed” being a bit of a stretch as it was something we were going to do anyway), and now we're on the run from the Dark Service, actual Imperial Soldiers, and...well, pretty much everyone.











ffuuuuck







And thus were our two jerkface underlings killed off by a random monster.


Wh...What is THAT?!

Don't just stare at it! It's coming this way! Sagi!





Video: The First Boss + aftermath.

Music: Poacher (listen to this!)


Welcome to our first boss battle. This...thing...is distressingly powerful and can easily wipe Sagi out of you aren't careful.







I haven't mentioned it yet, but if you take enough damage, you get knocked over. This interrupts and negates any attack you had queued up, and makes you wait a while before you can do anything. Some attacks, like this one, have an especially high or outright guaranteed chance of knocking the target over. So it's kind of a rude introduction to the concept. Fortunately, we can also knock down our enemies, though knocking bosses over can be tough to do.

Oh, and it doesn't help that Mountainmaker does 80+ damage to both Sagi and Guillo. Seriously, this is one first boss that does NOT fuck around.





My average attack string does about 50 damage, with Guillo adding 20-60 depending on what its AI decides to do. The boss has 600 HP, so it can easily kill me before I kill it if I'm not careful.





The good news is Guillo can use Low Potions to heal about 100 HP (or about a high end attack's worth from the boss) and I have a Low Potion in my own deck as well. These see a lot of use in this particular battle.




And finally, I beat the boss down to 0 HP...only for it to use Mountainmaker and knock both of my characters out. I guess this is one of those battles where no matter who wins, we lose. This is...not exactly the last time this will occur...


Music: Into the Spiral Tension


I – It's so strong! Nothing seems to hurt it!


Valara wanders onto the scene...

Awww. Looks like it's the end of the line, ghost boy. Would you rather die by my hand, or rot in that monster's belly? The choice is yours!

Dammit...Not now...I can't leave Mom and everyone back home...





Guillo then proceeds to flip the fuck out.













oh god it hurts







???: ...you all right?

???: HEY! Are you all right?!




Ngh...ugh..Is someone...calling for me?





Where am I? What happened to me?

It looks like you'll be okay...


These two are Seph (green clothes) and Thoran (red hair).


We were worried sick! All of the sudden you just keeled over!

Um...where am I? I don't believe we've met.

Ha ha ha! Listen to him! When did he get a sense of humor?

You shouldn't jest, Thoran. He might have hit his head when he fell.

What? Is that true? Hey, let me have a look.





Meemai! You're still there! Thank goodness.





You sure he'll be okay? He's talking to thin air.

Oh no, where's Guillo?...Um, excuse me, have you seen a puppet wearing a red hood? About yay tall...?


Just chiming in to say I would totally use this line if I woke up with a group of strangers.


OK, now he's just being weird. Seph, are you hearing this?

Thoran, we can't keep Pieda and Ven waiting.

I know, I know. If we don't hurry, another village'll disappear.





Don't YOU start in, Meemai! Look, I'm fine. Honest. For now, we may as well go with these people. If things get dangerous, we'll just look for a chance to slip away. It's all right, I can walk.

Don't be stubborn. I used to carry you all the time!

He's not a child anymore. Stop babying him, Thoran. Let's get going.


Well, this is a strange turn of events. I guess it's one of those dream worlds that happens now and then in RPGs, but this doesn't even have recognizable locales or...really anything that's making much sense.

Oh well. These guys seem nice and all but I think we should just-





Where are you going? Hurry up, it's this way.


Dammit!


Meemai...These people seem to have me confused with someone else. Oh well, let's go with them for now.





Music: The Knights' Cairn


All right, welcome to the Albali Sandhollow. Take note of the red rock near the spot I'm in right now. This is one of those places where you start right next to the exit but have to take a huge detour to actually reach the exit.








The wildlife here isn't exactly threatening. Sagi is alone again, and the enemies are appropriately weak to accommodate that. The bird enemies have an amusing supersonic breath attack that I think is silly.





Oh, and here's something cool. Sagi doesn't climb up and down ladders, instead using his wings to make the jump instead. It's another nice touch, utilizing wings to make things faster than the would be otherwise.











Thus begins the gimmick of this dungeon. The red rocks can draw sand towards them – so much sand packed so tightly that it can form a bridge or wall. By removing the Magnetite Waves from the red rocks, we can make the sand fall away and clear up paths – or, alternately, we can add Magnetite Waves to the rocks to create sand bridges.





This huge red rock has an infinite supply of magnetite waves, should we ever need more. I don't believe you ever need to use this, it's here just in case.





Our goal is to clear a path to the ladder to Sagi's right. Removing the magnetism of this rock should do the trick...





...Or not. Now it's moving to the rock on the other side and still blocking my path.





Fortunately, Sagi can traverse this new sand path. Heeey, is that bird carrying a treasure chest?





GET BACK HERE!







Hmm, not bad. Purple Beans heal 10% HP and also give Sleep immunity. I don't remember Sleep being a big problem in this game, but it's still worth remembering that I have these.





Anyway, taking the magnetism from this red rock over here finally frees up the path to that ladder I was trying to reach before.







Now I can push this boulder out of the way and return to the area where the ladder is.







Use magnetism, make bridge.







And here we are back at the beginning. One more use of magnetism, and I can finally put this place behind me! _{for now}





There's no need. He's already erased the villagers.

(that's Pieda talking)


We're too late...

Just by a hair. Rasalas has small children, too...Poor things.

We should search the village to be sure. He might not have gotten to everyone.

Good idea. Let's split up, then. We'll meet back here.

...I guess it can't hurt to hope...





Music: Ruins


This is a pretty place...but I still don't have any idea what's going on here. Perhaps our new friends can shed some light on the situation?


The people here don't seem to have any memory of their disembodiment. Maybe that's best, for their sake. Let's ask around the village for now.

Damn! It never would've have come to this if we'd only made it here faster. No, it's too soon to give up. We should at least check on all the villagers.


Guess not. Well, let's take their advice and look around. You have to talk to everyone in town to progress. Some of them are oblivious and just chatter on, but others have some interesting things to say.

















This place has a shop and a blue save flower. I didn't use either because this update has a lot going on, but I'll show them off in the next update.





I can sense people's feelings..Their thoughts, coming form the li-

Agh! Oh, my head...Ugh, not again!




















(is an assassination)

(guy who just left must've done it)

(What is THAT?!)

(Stop it, Guillo!)















Video: Waking up






You look worse than a pow in labor with a dozen calflets!

...Guillo? W-Where are we?

The Emperor's residence. Don't be dense.

That's right, we were attacked by that monster, and I passed out. Wait- what happened to the monster?

It's over there – dead. I think...that was my doing.


Um, do we really have time to stand around and chat like this? Wasn't Valara ready to kill us? Maybe she backed off when she saw Guillo kill that thing.


Hmm...I don't really know what happened, either. My body just started acting on its own. My mind was filled with images of how to kill that thing...They were so clear. “Kill it!” “Obliterate it!” ...That was all I could hear.

Oh...

What about you, Sagi? You went completely blank...if just for a moment.

Yeah...When the monster went down, I had a really weird...dream, I guess. The people in the dream knew who I was, but I'd never seen them before in my life. Then we went to a village...But there wasn't a single person. I think I heard a little girl crying...





Oh, there she is! Okay, guys, time to run.


Quick, she's coming! We can speak of dreams another time. For now, just think about running.

Right...sorry. Guillo, what happened to the others?

Forget it. They're all dead. We will be, too, if you don't hurry!

It's my fault they didn't make it...


That's not even remotely true. Please don't be one of those angsty heroes. Please? For me?


Save your regrets for later!

...OK.





Oh well. At least I got this thing to take back as a souvenir. If it's one of the afterlings everyone's talking about, then my future is looking very bright.







The group follows the man into a side passage. Is it just me or is he sort of terrifying?





Guillo takes a threatening stance...





Well, I'm gonna have to stop here. See you all next time!