Part 71: Chapter Fifty Two: Wings of Destiny
Music: 04 – Dungeon000.png)
The first part of the basement can be accessed with the full party, although Nina will eventually have to go the last leg of it alone. Naturally a new dungeon means new enemies to fight.
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Here we have two new enemies, the Royal Guards, along with an old one, the Lord Slug. Lord Slug is the same as ever. The Royal Guards on the other hand are purely physical attackers who can hit fairly hard, although they have a tendency to randomly run away.
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Valkyries are Harpy palette swaps and are actually fairly dangerous. They have Combo Attack and each hit generally deals around 40 damage, but their most dangerous feature is the ability to cast Tornado and hammer the entire party for over 80 damage.
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Gargoyles tend to appear alongside Valkyries and can use Fire Breath to damage the entire party. They can also heal themselves for 100 HP via Rejuvenate, which can make them a pain to deal with.
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Ahead lies a fork in the road. North leads to a series of winding, maze-like paths that eventually lead up to a treasure chest in the main castle.
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The Storm Ring is an excellent weapon for Nina and will help immensely during her upcoming solo segment.
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But to actually proceed we need to take the stairs.
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:…Guardian. I wish to obtain the Winged Seal.010.png)
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: I do.
: Good luck, Nina.
: Come back safely, you hear?
: We will be waiting here for your return.012.png)
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From here on out Nina is on her own. Enemy encounters are still present, so it’s a good idea to try to get this done quickly to minimize the risk of getting dogpiled. The good news is that every enemy here is vulnerable to the Death spell. If things get too hairy you can return to the previous level by talking to the central statue.
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As you walk around this place the boulders will move in a set pattern in order to block you. They only move when you do, so it’s possible to get around them once you know their patterns.
You can also talk to the other statues here for some morbid details about the transformation.
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There’s a chest with a Wind Brace above this statue. More Vigour is always a good thing.
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There’s also a chest with a Wind Robe in the upper right corner. More armour for the solo squishy mage!
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That’s the last statue.
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: To do that, I need the power to cross the heavens…to fly to distant lands.028.png)
:…Yes.029.png)
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:…I can try. I will protect this world and everything that is precious to me, or perish in the attempt!031.png)
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Music: 29 – Dramatic Battle
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The Guardian shouldn’t be a tough fight unless you really mess up. Its physical attacks deal around 50 damage, and it usually opens the fight with one. If the fight drags on for too long the Guardian will bust out a round of debuffs, including attack, defence and speed. If the fight drags on even longer it will try to Silence you. Honestly though, it shouldn’t last that long since the Guardian has less than 300 HP. It should go down in two or three spells, and as long as Nina’s over level 30 there’s not much excuse for losing.
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Suddenly the Guardian begins to glow!
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:…You…?
: Congratulations, Nina. Allow me to introduce myself. I am…your ancestor.037.png)
: A…ancestor?038.png)
: Please…explain.: You see…it is my fault that the power of the Great Bird vanished from our people. It is my sin…039.png)
: I fell in love with a man who was not of Wyndia.:…What? But why would that matter…: His clan’s bloodline was very strong. Stronger even than ours.040.png)
: Our wings diminished in size, and our legacy – the power of the Great Bird – vanished into myth and legend.: To think that it happened because of something so simple…041.png)
: And so now you know the truth.042.png)
: Of course.043.png)
: You are quite possibly the first Wyndian in generations to be worthy of this power…Your heart is strong, your will adamant.Nina’s ancestor flies up towards the top of the screen…
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: By choosing a man who was not Wyndian, I sacrificed the powers of our people and changed our fate forever…046.png)
:…Of course I do. It is not a crime to love someone. Clans come and go with time – it is the natural way of things. You have nothing to apologise for, ancestor of mine.047.png)
: Good luck on your journey, descendant of mine. And farewell…048.png)
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Annoyingly, you still have to walk back to the first statue in order to get back to the rest of the party.
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: Nina! You’re back! Did you get it?: I did. It was difficult, but I managed it. Quickly, let us return to the castle. There are preparations to be made and rituals to be performed.There are, but they can wait until next time.
So yeah, the revelation in this update is a huge bombshell for those who played the original game. We get a reason for the conspicuous absence of the Great Birds and the implication that the original Nina may have hooked up with the protagonist of the first game. It would also explain why Nina has black wings and why she knows attack magic instead of white – she inherited original Ryu’s asskicking genes. Of course that’s never outright confirmed, but it’s fun to speculate.