Part 25: Demon's Tower

: You hear me, Chancellor? I'm coming for you! I'll...


: ... Wait, you're not the Chancellor.
: Uh, no sir. Are you sure you have the right place?
: Not any more... Maybe he's hiding upstairs?


: It might just be me, but I thought I saw a human figure mixed in with those creatures...
: They DID come this way! Thanks, sister, I owe you one.


: For it is said that a vicious creature inhabits a great tower upon that mountain...
: You mean Northern as in the direction those monsters went?
: Exactly! You have to be careful!
: Being careful won't get my wife back.


: Mountains, check. Tower, check. This must be the place. Puckle, Pierre, you're with me. The rest of you wait here.


The Northern Tower is easily the most involved dungeon dungeon to date. It's 10 stories tall, and full of multiple paths, traps, and extended detours for treasure.


This guy is chilling out in a little dead end off to the side of the tower. This is where you end up if you drop down the wrong hole in the tower.


: I heard that there's some awesome treasure hidden in the tower somewhere.


: Sire! The door!
: An ambush!


Not much of an ambush, though. This is just a regular monster, not special in any way, except maybe a surplus of vowels.


: It came in on this panel here. Maybe it leads deeper into the tower...


: Or to a treasure room! Well then!
: Rrrrlll...
: I agree, Sir Puckle. Should we not hurry?
: I don't know what's coming ahead. I won't risk leaving behind anything that could help.



: Uh, they can see us, right?
: Hey!


: Hmmm? You... You're! You're him, aren't you!


Another scripted fight with generic mooks. It's not even unusual to find these guys plus other dudes in a random encounter. Still, the occasional chat with the doomed helps to break up the monotony of the tower.


: That's just too obvious. I assume it's a trap.


: Woah! Those... came nowhere near me, actually. So, not so much a trap as a goddamn irritation.
This room's gimmick is spears that pop up when you try to enter their space. They don't hurt, so they're basically just invisible walls.


: My expectations for the master of this tower are dropping.


The stairs over on the right lead to a mimic that drops a small medal. I totally forgot to go that way. Oh well!


: What an ugly piece of armor!
Surprisingly enough, it's not cursed or anything. No one on our team is creepy enough to be able to wear it, though.


: Watch your step, guys, I don't like the look of those statues...


If you walk in front of a statue, it'll breath fire that does a LOT of damage, and can even kill you, unlike many other environmental hazards. It only reaches two spaces away, so careful walking gets you past these.


This hallway, on the other hand, is a little trickier.
: Let's just go upstairs and see if we can find an off switch or something.


You can push these rocks down the hole, and they'll turn up on the floor below. Well, except for this one, which gets grouchy when you shove it and attacks you instead.


With a little careful positioning, you can use the rocks to block the statues. The rocks are kind of slippery, though, and you have to be pretty precise. I've killed myself a couple times by being half a square off.


: Is this balcony on rollers? Who designs places like this?


: Too far to jump. Guess we have to find the mechanism.


: Welp.


Yet another generic monster ambush appears on that teleporter and attacks when you approach the lever. They don't even have the decency to chat first!


: That's one down, and I'll bet those monsters came from the other one.


: Yep! Predictable.


: We're getting close, I can feel it.


: You! What did you do with Bianca, you son of a bitch...


: I should never have made a deal with... creatures...
: That wasn't your mistake, you idiot. Your mistake was being more afraid of them than you are of me.
: And now... Granvania will be... I beg you... forgive...
: ...
: Lord Simon! Gwaah!


: ... Sire?
: ... Let's go.


: Well, your journey ends here, for if you wish to continue forth, it'll be over my dead body! Die!


Oh, my, level 20! It's not enough to save him.




: Another one. Figures.


: That woman that passed through just now looked delectable too, but Lord Jahmi claimed her before me...
: You filthy...
: So... I guess I'll just have to console myself with you! Kee kee kee!


This miniboss is also just a minor upgrade of a regular monster. A cut above those ambushes, maybe, but still no problem.


: But you're no match for Master... Jahmi... heh heh... Aaarrggghhh...
: If his minions are anything to judge him by, I'm not worried about this Jahmi fellow.
: Don't get overconfident, Sire.
: ... Another secret passage opened up. Let's go.


: Bianca! Oh, Bianca, are you all right?


: But maybe it would have been better if you hadn't come... Using the Chancellor to kidnap me, it was a ploy to lure you here. And after killing you, they would take the place of the Chancellor instead...


: You stay away from her!


: Enough of this pathetic conversation...
: I'll turn you into glue!
: So you're a King, eh? And where are your loyal subjects? What of your obligation to them? Instead you care of nothing but your own selfish pursuits!
: I'm my father's son. ... Wait.
: Righteous King or foolish child, whichever you are... you will not live to rule another day!

: ...


: I remember you, you coward. You couldn't defeat my father in a fair fight. Your master had to take little children hostage.
: Simon! Don't worry about me! You know I'm not helpless!
: I know, honey. We've got each other's backs, right?


Finally, revenge! This is the first legitimately challenging boss fight in the game, especially since I haven't been grinding. And didn't restore Pierre's MP before the fight. And also Jahmi cheats.


Here's a highlight reel of what fighting Jahmi is like. He does around 30-40 damage with each attack, sometimes hitting the whole party at once. There's nothing to do but try to keep ahead of the healing.

: Sire! This isn't working! That's the demon power! Only the legendary hero could break it!
: We can't give up!


: Like hell!
: Stop!


: That light...
The light pierces Jahmi's barrier...
: Now, Simon!
: This is for Papas, you son of a bitch.


OK, there's a little more than a one-liner involved in killing Jahmi, feel free to watch the boss fight video if you care.


: Th... That light... That woman... The blood of... the Legendary...


: What? Me? The blood of...
: Yes... and soon, you will give birth to the Legendary Hero of old... But that will never happen... it must... not... happen...
: What's he doing?
: I don't know, back away!


: Run!


: Augh..!


: Wa ha ha ha! You can watch the end of the world from your stoney graves, fools!

You should probably watch this video.



The treasure hunter from downstairs shows up with his tardy younger brother.


: Wow! Look at these statues! They're so life-like... Big brother... I think we can sell these statues to someone for a lot of money!
: Hey, you're right! Check out the jugs on the girl!
Asshole's lucky that Simon can't move or speak.


: Come on! Let's go!
: Big brother! Wait!


: We have agents all over the lands, my lord... but still...
: And that Chancellor! Where could he have gone to... What the hell is going on here?!


: What? Someone has seen him!?
: Yes, Sire!
: We must leave for the North at once! No stone must be left unturned! Every lead, no matter how small, must be followed! Now go, begin your search!

The soldiers file out of the castle.
: King Simon... Queen Bianca... I pray for your safety...


: Come now, children... I've never seen you two cry so loud before... Maybe the children can sense that something has befallen their parents...
: Silence! Don't say such things...
: You're right... I'm sure those two are safe... So Lord Erdrick... Lady Lola... you have nothing to cry about, little ones... Your mother and father will return safely. Of this I am sure... There... don't cry now...


: Hey, bring it out!
: Yes sir!


: You won't find finer craftmanship anywhere else! Bidding starts at 1000 gold! 1000 gold! Do I hear 1000 gold?!
: 1200!
: I got a 1200! 1200 gold! Any other offers?
: 1500!
: You got taste, geezer! We're up ta 1500! 1500, 1500, 1500!!
: 1600!
: Alright, let's keep the ball rolling! We got 1600! 1600, 1600, 1600! If ya don't hurry up and bid, someone else will! This is grade A workmanship, folks!
: 2000!
: 2000! Sold, for 2000 gold!
That's less money than Simon earns wandering around outside for a day.


: Have a nice day!


: Hmm? Big brother? But you didn't sell the other statue...
: Ahh, yeah. Well, this one here, I've got plans for...


: Wait for me!

The man that won the auction drags Simon back to his home. He seems to be fairly well off.


: Mistress! Your husband has come home!


: Hmm? Husband? What's that statue you've got with you?
: You like it? It's a beauty, ain't it? With Gigo being born and all, I figured we'd need some extra luck... and here he is!
: Oh, love... All you think of is Gigo... so where is my gift, hmm?
: Well... it... um... Wa ha ha ha ha ha! Darling, will you ever forgive me?


: Please, Mistress? You too?

Time passes...


: What is all this screaming about, woman?
: Look! Oh, look! Gigo is... Gigo is...!!
: Son! Gigo! He's walking! Oh! That's wonderful, son! Come on, Gigo. Show daddy how you walk...
: Oh Gigo... you're so good at walking now!


: Darling...? What's the matter? You're so quiet all of a sudden.
: It's... it's nothing. I just heard a lot of disturbing rumors lately... I just hope that by the time Gigo grows up...
: Don't worry, dearest... We've only had the best of luck since you bought that statue... oh, it must have been a year ago now...
: I... yes... I suppose you're right!

The years go by, and Simon is forced to watch another man's joy in the growth of his son. He wonders, each and every day, if his own children are growing up safely, and if they think about their mother and father as much as he thinks about them.


: Yay yay!

Suddenly, the sky grows dark, and monsters swoop down from the sky!


: Gi... Gigo! Quickly, come over to me!
: Who are you guys, huh?
: Gigo!!


: If we're wrong, then we've got ourselves another slave. If we've got the right one, then all the better for us. You know how much child slaves go for these days!
: No! No!!! Please, leave our child be!

Before she can reach him, the monsters fly away with Gigo!


: Hus... husband! Gigo... Gigo... some monsters! They took him away!
: Wh... what?!

Time passes...

: C... Cloud! You're back! Well? What news? Did you find out anything about Gigo?!
: Oh Master... well... I... I could find nothing...
: I... I see... Thank you... Cloud...


: M... Master! Please! Calm down!
: *huff huff*
: See, Master? You always forget your blood pressure... Come, Master... You should lie down...
: I... yes...


And so, Simon is left in the weather, forgotten. As much as it tortured him to watch Gigo grow up, he's even more heartsick now that he's gone. The seasons come and go...



End of Act 2