Part 56: Graduation
Music: "Beyond Divinity"
(Click here to download) (thanks to Grawl)
Chapter 50 - Graduation
VIDEO: High Elder Anlokar (You should probably watch this.)
There was a ghost waiting at the top of the stairs.
Damian… I don't know… why you failed to leave… I have no explanation…
Anlokar… my second "foster father". 
What do you mean? No reason to become angry, Damian… we didn't withhold any information… we told you all that we know…
Save your breath. He won't hear you… He's also reviving an old discussion with Damian… No, no, no… not the protection crystal… it's our only protection against the demons… I know… the imps attacked the crystal… I've heard the accusations… I don't believe that you could have anything to do with it. Everything is right… you are the most talented student ever… you should be able to leave from here… I will try to find the reason… it will take time… Damian: try to redo all the steps… get your wand, get your book and practice opening and closing rifts in the rooms of this level. Talk to the instructors. Who are you? My name? But you know me… High Elder Anlokar… it was I who found you… healed your wounds… after your arrival… Damian… you are like one of my own children… What about the protection crystal? The protection crystal? … It isn't the reason for your failure, Damian… the crystal… closes the border between this dimension… and the demonic dimension… So I should try to open another rift? Yes, try again… there are three aspects of Rift-running… get your wand… get your coordinates… open and close rifts… what more can I tell you? What do I need the wand for? You need a wand to open and close your rifts… talk to the instructor, he will get you a wand… What about the coordinates? You need the coordinates of the place where your rift should lead to. Speak with the instructor, he will give you a book so you can fill in all the coordinates you need… Tell me about closing a rift. It's very important… your wand can open and close your rifts… you should learn how to do both…
Ah, Damian… you've come to finish your training… on the art of opening rifts to other worlds… First of all you need a wand to control the rifts… It's something that helps beginners to concentrate and focus their thoughts… Where can I find a wand? Go to the west room… there you will find your wand… Bye.
Mort and D.K. went to the western room of the level.
BOSS VIDEO: Samuel (You should probably watch this.)
Oh, FUCK!
FINALLY I'VE FOUND YOU… THIS TIME THERE WILL BE NO ESCAPE. THIS PATHETIC WORLD WILL BE YOUR TOMB… Not you again! I WILL FEAST ON YOUR HEARTS… PLAY WITH YOUR INTESTINES AND SCATTER THE REST OF YOU ON THE GROUND FOR MY MINIONS TO FEED UPON!
"About the BOSS" posted:
Samuel
No escaping it this time. Our final boss is Samuel the Arch-Demon. Technically, he has 1800 HP, but realistically, he's got a heck of a lot more, since he as a 90% resistance to everything. I don't just mean a 90% resistance to elemental damage, he has a 90% resistance to all damage, including that from normal weapons.
Thankfully, despite being built like an Arch-Demon, he doesn't hit all that hard. He does have a lot of attacks, but his favorite sends out four homing balls of elemental energy. It doesn't do a whole lot of damage, but it's got a very long range.
For this fight, out of character comments will be in (bracketed italics).
Stay there, I'm going to lay some traps! Don't get yourself killed, you idiot - I'll die too!
My arrows are just bouncing off him! I'm switching to power arrows!"About the Game" posted:
Ouch, those traps are only doing 14 damage per hit on him, thanks to his 90% Resistance. And Samuel is surprisingly hard to lure into traps, thanks in part to his super-long range barrage of homing elemental missiles.)
Power Arrows are the strongest variety of arrow, they add a lot of damage. This should help a bit. Watch as Mort's piercing damage goes up to 94, pretty good given Samuel's resistances.
(A shot of the "Hammer" skill missing a moving D.K.. If it had hit, it would have hurt a bit, and more importantly it would have stunned him for a few seconds.)
Finally it was over. Samuel staggered back, pulled the arrow out, looked at it with astonishment as the light faded, then he collapsed.
Good riddance to his interference. Here, human - I think this is the rift wand.
You were gone an awfully long time, Damian. Did you find your wand?Mort and D.K. looked at each other.
Yes, I found the wand. Great!The teacher gave Mort a short lesson on how to use the wand to focus his thoughts and open a rift. Then he handed him a book.
Here is your coordinates book… I've written down your first rift coordinates in it, and I've circled them. Open a rift to those coordinates and go through and come back! It's as simple as that…There were many pages of coordinates in the book already. Most had notes in faded Raanaar writing which was difficult to read. Mort entered the practice room.
Let's see…Mort focused on the coordinates, and used the wand. A glowing blue rift appeared.
Hmmm… well, I better see if this worked…He stepped through the rift.
The air at the destination was quite stale.
It worked. Great job, human, let's go back now. Shouldn't we find out where we are first? We won't go far, and it seems safe enough…
There's something written on this statue… It's in Rivellonian - I can read it!
The tomb of Hark Ferol, the executioner of mages… He was killed by assassins during his 2nd year of rulership… now he is protected by 4 loyal men… from beyond the grave… Hark Ferol? That was an ancient king of Ferol - We're in Rivellon! Come on, let's see if there's a way out to the surface!
This wall is weak - I think we can break through here!
Damn… just a dead-end. Hmmm… 5 chains… what did that statue say? Pull the second and 4th chains, human! OK…
The walls slid down, revealing angry-looking skeletons.
Uh-oh…
Why is the hourglass...Mort flipped the hourglass and the skeletons froze. The sand was quickly flowing through it. With only seconds, Mort placed some traps between the skeletons and himself.
I think that's enough exploring. Let's go back.
Welcome back! Now it is time to close the rift you just opened! How do I close the rift? Simply command the rift to close using your wand!Mort closed the rift and returned to the teacher.
Excellent, you have completed your training! The High Elder is waiting for you! Why is the High Elder waiting for me? He wants to speak to you. Bye.
Mort and D.K. headed for the High Elder's office.