Part 82: Chapter Sixty: Pressure
Music: 21 – God of Decadence000.png)
Tiga, Claris and Ray are all dead, but the show must go on and Habalk must be brought to justice.
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This area counts as a dungeon, complete with random encounters. You guys know the drill by now.
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Assassins are fast fighters with a high critical hit rate and the ability to cast Weaken to lower your character’s attack. They will also very rarely drop Hardtacks, an item that completely heals all allies and raises defence.
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Dark Crusaders can be a pain. They have high defence that they can boost even higher with Shield, as well as the ability to heal themselves via Rejuvenate. They can also use Resist to lower magic damage. The upside is that they’ll spend most of their time casting rather than attacking.
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During the fighting Deis levels up and learns Inferno, and Bosch also levels up and learns Vitalize. Vitalize is amazing since it restores 120 HP to the entire party.
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: I raised him like I was his own father. Pitiful waste of flesh…I should never have bothered!
: You’re pretty much scum, aren’t you? It’s actually amazing how you don’t have a single redeeming feature.007.png)
: Hey! Come back here, ya dirty coward!!
: Wait! There’s a cell up here. It must be where Daisy is!008.png)
You have to have Rand as your party leader for this next bit. You can’t proceed if you don’t – luckily you can leave the Cathedral and go back to the Dragon Statue at the Inn to switch him in.
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: Rand! Make yerself useful and bust the darn thing down!:…Yes, ma.010.png)
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: Nice work! I knew that hard head of yours would come in handy someday!: Ma, I’m here to rescue you! Could you cancel the abuse-a-thon for a while?: Quit yer gibberin’ and get moving! 012.png)
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The chests in here contain a Gale Band and 1000 zenny. The Gale Band is a weak shield in terms of defence but it resists fire, ice and thunder.
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:…Hmm. I’m feeling it again. This place feels the same as the Rhode Chapel. There’s a strange power here. An old, old power, at once familiar and different…what could it mean?
: You say something, Deis?:…Just musing to myself. Pay it no mind, sweetheart.015.png)
: Let me handle this. Again.Rand knocks the wall down again.
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: Hell, I wouldn’t even need half strength to tear this whole place down!Suddenly the ground begins to shake!
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: H-hey…that rumbling can’t be good…I think we’d better get moving, and fast!: Don’t gotta tell me twice!018.png)
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: Wh-020.png)
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: Rand!!After a moment, the ground begins to shake again!
: Rrrrrrraaaaaggghhhh!!!022.png)
: Dammit! It’s a trap!: Shit! Okay, we gotta think of a way to get you out!023.png)
: Damn…what’s this thing loaded with?: Quickly, let’s help him!024.png)
: I’m…not good at this sort of stuff…I could blast the wall to bits, but it wouldn’t be very, uh, precise…: Don’t come any closer! You’ll get caught too!025.png)
: Thanks for everything, Ryu. It’s been one wild ride. You guys go after Habalk! And give him a good slug for me!: Don’t be so stupid! There’s no way we could leave you here!026.png)
:…Listen, guys…I don’t want you watching when my arms finally give out. I want you guys to remember me fighting alongside you, not as a bloody pancake. Now beat it!:…Damn. Okay, just hold on! There has to be some mechanism controlling this thing. We’ve gotta find it and turn it off. You just sit tight for a minute!Music: You Must Live
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: Thanks…you guys. It’s a nice thought…028.png)
: My arms are going numb holding this damn thing up…Almost wish I weren’t so strong now…Letting go would be a hell of a lot easier…029.png)
: Ma?! What the hell?: Idjit boy! What do you think you’re doing, playin’ around when the world’s at stake?030.png)
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: I don’t need you here right now, Ma! Do you wanna get crushed, too?: Land sakes! You can’t push a little picket fence like this, boy?: I can’t hold it open any longer, Ma! Get outta here!032.png)
: Let an old woman give you a helping hand!: Ma…033.png)
Daisy tries to push the wall away, but her efforts are in vain.
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: Nothin’ for it, then.035.png)
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: Dammit, my arms feel like jelly! What did you do that for?! 038.png)
: Go on! Your friends are waiting!039.png)
: You’ve still got a bunch of stuff to do before you call it quits. Me…this is the least I can do to help.040.png)
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The wall slams shut behind Rand, who turns away a split second before it closes. He pauses for a moment, then slowly walks up the stairs.
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: Oh fuck, did you hear that crash?: Goddammit, it’s all useless! There never was any kind of mechanism…044.png)
: Rand?!:…Don’t worry. I’m not a ghost…:…Are you alright?045.png)
: That bastard’ll just keep pulling this crap over and over unless we kick his ass, here and now!046.png)
Rand maintains his stoicism, rejoins the party and the player is given control again. Next time – we chase Habalk all over the damn place.