Part 44: Beneath a Clouded Sky

Entry 41: Beneath a Clouded Sky







It was meant for the both of you. How irritating.

Olivia, please no! Olivia!

Let this be a nightmare...



Oh, bother.



Another!?



So you have. Our purpose was to be the capture of the vestals, but I fear you've overdone it... Not that it especially matters.

Ha ha, you know how I detest holding back. Temperance is so dull!



Remember the summon battles, where the goal was to survive for a turn? Edea wasn't kidding about Victoria and Victor's power. Unless you're playing new game+ or are overleveled, you aren't going to win this fight. Instead, our goal is to survive for five turns.



They're like little dolls. One good twist, and off pops their head!

You are ever demanding of your toys, Victoria.



Victoria's basic move is top level black magic.

At the end of the first turn, Tiz speaks up.



Victor, were we to bring back the vestals, plural?



Then I think I'll go ahead and kill the wind vestal. Yes, that sounds rather lovely.



Victor uses a spell called Fairy's Aid to support Victoria and himself.



If Edea's knocked out at this point, she'll resurrect with one HP to deliver the line, which can be a nice bonus.

Hmm? Ah, it's the grand marshal's girl. I was too distracted by the vestals to notice.

Has my father truly performed such brutality all this time!?

Quiet your wailing. He was calm enough when he cast you off.

Indeed, I see no issue with terminating her here.

That went well.



And this is where Victoria pulls out the stops.



The next turn, she uses a spell called Exterminate, which is aptly named.

RIP party.

Let's rewind and pretend Edea had a vague feeling everyone should equip anti-poison accessories.



Victor demonstrates the top level offensive white magic spell.



Lastly, Victoria uses Corpse, which in all but name is the good old-fashioned Final Fantasy Doom spell, with a countdown to zero ending in death.

Eventually...



Then shall we conclude?

Ha ha, erase all but the water vestal.



...!? Victoria? Victoria!

Nhh...ahh...nh...aah...aaagh!!

Of course it would have to be now...



Victor exits, taking Victoria with him.



No, they let us...go?



For anyone curious, if you take in an overleveled party and beat them up, the "I grow bored" scene triggers early and things progress as normal.

With Victor and Victoria gone, the party exits asterisk space and presumably attempts to heal Olivia, to no effect.



Nnh...ahh... You were...always quick to tears... I need to keep close watch... I'm sorry... As you say, we'd just... After so long...



I can't! I need you, Olivia. I can't do this alone. I can't do this...

You can... You will. I know... You can... Only you... Only...



Olivia! Open your eyes! Please, open your eyes...!! You're the only one. My only friend... Don't leave me... Please, don't leave. I need you...



Earlier, people were discussing whether the party could've saved Owen with healing, and here we've got another example.

Victor's lines imply he planned to bring Olivia back to Eternia alive, so there are ways to save people when they're beyond the reach of cure or phoenix downs. As you might have already guessed, we'll find out more about that later. Unfortunately, the party's just not good enough to have access to those more extreme methods.



Why did this have to happen? It's not right!

...It's too cruel... It feels like my heart's been torn up into ribbons... It's too sad.

But...where do we go from here? You're the only vestal left, Agnès.



So I'm asking you. Awaken the four crystals, before the world is swallowed completely. It's what Olivia wanted. She said you could do it. Only you.



Olivia lies dead because of me. The same as the Acolytes of the Temple of Wind the night the darkness struck.

Why do they all hurry to leave me so? Why is it always me left behind? They're all leaving... Everyone I ever knew, vanishing forever.



Agnès... I don't know the words to comfort you... But I want to say this, at least.



...... I...

I will do it. There's no one else left.

This, then, is the culmination of Chapter 2. A moment of happiness taken away by a force outside our control. Before, Agnès had hope of the other vestals stepping in should she fail. Now, she's lost not only her friend, but the last person she could truly depend on, so far as she's aware. How would it feel to have the life or death of the world and everyone in it depend on you alone, no second chances? Especially when the one person like you, stronger than you, better than you, had just been killed with so little effort?




The village has been abandoned.

Before leaving, let's take a look at a couple items stolen during the Victor/Victoria battle.



This was worn by Victoria. Sounds fancy.



This was worn by Victor. Sounds priceless. Both items offer substantial stat bonuses.



Victoria uses black magic, but here we find where she gets the rest of her spells: arcanist.



Victor, her counterpart, similarly uses white magic but is primarily a spiritmaster.

Pretty powerful looking jobs, weren't they? But we probably won't be seeing them again for a while. Victoria was in pretty bad condition, and it's hard to imagine Victor showing up without Victoria.

The party starts back to Florem.



Agnès is beyond downhearted...

I wish I knew what to say to her. It's my fault. I should have remembered who Victoria was sooner.

The two vestals shared a bond closer than I can begin to imagine. For now, we'd best just give her space.

......

Of everyone here, Tiz can relate most to what Agnès is going through.



Before going to the Temple of Water as the plot demands, we're going to make a quick stop by the Matriarch's to let her know what happened.



We'd always hoped her absence would end. No vestaling was chosen to succeed her...



Lady Vestal, pray, tell me. What ought I do? What can this nation do?

......

For being an organized religion running over a couple millenia, the Crystal Orthodoxy really was terrible with record-keeping. They made the effort to adopt the vestals. You'd think someone along the line would have documented their practices.

If the Bloodrose Legion is not defeated at this point, the matriarch says nothing else. But if they are defeated:



But confusion still remains. I fear this old woman alone cannot set this land aright...

If the matriarch were capable of wielding any great influence over the people, the Bloodrose Legion wouldn't have allowed her to stay. There's no easy change for the culture here. Hopefully once all the toxins and hallucinogens are out of everyone's systems, things will start to calm down naturally.

The party exits onto Florem's streets, seeking a minor distraction before setting out again.



Huh? Oh, sure. So, there's a base special move for each different weapon type.

Ohh, it's by weapon type?

Right. So you might want to try out a bunch of different weapons and see what works. And you can shout whatever line you want while performing them.

He he, I'll have to think of something really amazing.

"This one blow will be your last!" is an old favorite of mine.

Yes, that's quite imposing!

Yeah, but then what if they survive it? Don't you look like an idiot?

Hmm, then what about, "This will probably defeat you, maybe!"

Hmm, that's not really better. In that it's worse.

Perhaps just, "Gosh, it would be great if this defeats you!"

Not much of a battle cry, is it?

"Prepare for mild to severe discomfort!" maybe?

Ha ha ha, these are all terrible...



Before we finish, there's one more new item from Norende.



Every part of this database entry is amazing in its own way.


Next: An alternate meeting with Einheria and a visit to the Temple of Water.

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Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Like Dolls
Olivia's Final Hour
All Lights Fade

Sub-Scenario:
The Vestal of Water is No More

Party Chat:
Agnès's Anguish
Norende's Special Moves