Part 18: Stratum 3: Havoc

The Majin deep within Besek are said to have been powerful beyond measure, but fortunately such creatures require incredibly magical surroundings to survive.
- Legends of Besek, Vol III

Army of Darkness

The Majin are getting more powerful and more numerous at the same time.



Still, they’re no match for us.

Video- “Havoc”

Click Here for Video with Commentary



Ally Team:
We’ve got our normal group of allies this time. I’m kind of thinking of bringing a Majin in place of Velnor in the future because Glynne has a lot of casts of Accelero and Velnor’s very bad.

Enemy Team:
We’re up against a huge group of Majin here. There’s three Chiroptera, two Heeflers, two Caer Lumen, a Thiefler, and three Zerda, reskinned Velox.



Zerdas are really nasty pieces of work. They’re nearly immune to status effects, they’ve got huge amounts of Bleed Attacks, and they’re very resistant to most physical attacks. Fire and Light are your best bets against them.

Deployment:



We deploy in a very aggressive formation here, allowing us to cut right to where the Thiefler will go and kill it before it can steal a chest. The only Majin we care about here is Zerda, so we can afford to just trash anything else if it comes to it.

Tactical Objectives:
-Capture Zerda
-Maybe capture Thiefler, it’d be nice
-Get items

Map:



He should be further ahead…
He rules over death and decay and lives in darkness.
Doom Shade hates the light, so we’d find him in Purgatory.
He has the power to steal souls.
That’s his judgement upon those he considers sinners.
You better be telling the truth.
I don’t care whether you believe me or not.
Hmph.
Stop it, both of you! I’m getting tired of this!
Holy Atona, please guide and protect us.
Majin, say your prayers!

We push hard towards the near Chiroptera right from the start. We want to get it engaged and down as soon as possible to ensure we catch the Thiefler.



Your dream…?
IZZZZZZZZZEL!

Chiroptera engages, so we start getting him surrounded so we can get some heat on him as soon as possible. The Majin are pretty chatty early on in this one so there are a lot of interruptions.



He awaits sinners in the deepest darkness.
Are you a sinner?

Chiroptera annoyingly manages to dodge an attack from Ashley, but its fate is sealed by a Bleed from Ares. We quickly manage to drag its health to critical levels.



The further in we get, the stronger the Majin we face.
Yeah, so don’t let your guard down.

The Chiroptera ends up bleeding down to one HP, allowing Ashley to Overkill it with a Sacrasphere and push on past it to the main drag of this side of the map. This engages the next Chiroptera, who we also Bleed with Ares. The first Zerda and Heefler also engage as we move up. Zerda Bleeds Ares, and Glynne catches fire from the little guy. Chiroptera attacks Ares and brings her pretty low in health, but then makes the costly mistake of moving next to the Heefler. I heal and cure Ares up and then pound both Chiroptera and Heefler with a Sacrasphere, killing the bat and Confusing the Heefler. Ashley then runs over to meet the Thiefler coming for the nearest chest.



So now I’ve got a few ‘fronts’ to deal with. I have the main front, where the current Zerda is soon to be joined by a Caer Lumen and a second Zerda. I also have this side, where a confused Heefler is about to be joined by Thiefler’s attempt to steal the near chest. Heefler’s a liability right now, so I start Reyna on the task of just killing the damn thing. Ares and Glynne are currently set to deal with the Zerda while Ashley does the Thiefler, but it manages to Evade an attack from her.



Unless you wish to die, stand aside!
You’re the ones who will stand aside! Bow to us!

Reyna kills the near Heefler, leveling up. No new skills, but his stats are getting pretty impressive. I send Ares over to spear the Thiefler, taking it down to half health and causing it to withdraw and go for the other chest. Velnor ends up taking one for the team and getting shot down by both of the Zerda in Yuri’s place. Ashley starts moving in to smash through the now significant clot of Majin that has developed. We burn the Zerda with Reyna’s Pyrosphere, getting our first real start on them. Ares scoops up the first chest, which has a Staff with a skill on it that’ll be nice. Reyna is currently acting as a decoy for the Zerda, because he can Evade arrows and is easy to keep healed honestly. All three Majin have grouped up and we are about to show them the error of that. Before that we spear two with Glynne and start moving to pass them and get to Thiefler.



I’m not Izel, and I’m not your beacon of hope!
Holy Atona, please help these wanderers find the truth!
Evil Majin, disappear!

Ashley throws down a Sacrasphere, weakening all three of the Majin significantly. We continue weakening enemies so we can Overkill a Zerda, but we end up in a really bad position. Yuri gets shot and almost killed by one, though she’s able to run away. Reyna also gets nearly taken out by the other Zerda and Caer Lumen, but he barely survives. Glynne catches up to the Thiefler and Overkills it with a Crow’s Beak. We follow up by killing the Caer Lumen and Overkilling the first Zerda with a Sacrasphere. Suddenly our position is looking much rosier. Reyna runs back, and healing him gets Yuri a level.



Yuri hasn’t gained any new skills, but she’s getting better and better each level. We capture the Zerda and Thiefler and pull Glynne back to support the rest of the team. The last Zerda still has some fight in it, but we Overkill it too with a Combo. Now we’re down to just a few Majin on the map, and are overall in a great position. Even better, Ashley levels up too.



Ashley’s becoming tougher and tougher, and thanks to her passives from armor she’s nearly immune to most common forms of magic with a magic defense buff. We push ahead to deal with a Chiroptera that has been chasing Glynne since he dealt with Thiefler. Throwing everything we’ve got at such a Majin pretty quickly leaves it reeling.



I guess she must be free of that persona then.
Let’s hope so…

We Overkill the Chiroptera with a Combo while Ares goes and recovers another Staff from the other chest. The two Staves each have a rare skill, one has the defensive buff Rock Wall and the other has Metasphere.



Accept your inferiority and become our food!
I’m sorry we can’t oblige that request!

Now we start pushing forward for a two-pronged assault. Glynne’s going to deal with the Heefler while Ashley and Ares deal with the Zerda and later Caer Lumen. Reyna will be a floater, helping whichever front he’s near to and which needs his help. We start wearing them down, and send Irina to help keep Glynne healed up.



Please give me the strength to carry on.
Majin, stand aside, or I’ll cut your lives short!

Reyna and Glynne are teamed up against Heefler. Meanwhile, we’re dealing with Zerda shooting at our support crew and Caer Lumen getting ready to engage as well. I split Ashley onto the Caer Lumen and Ares onto the Zerda. Our first Overkill is the Heefler, to a Combo from Glynne and Reyna. Then we try to Overkill Zerda with Ares’ Blade Dance, but end up just killing it. A Punishment from Ashley Overkills the Caer Lumen, ending the map.

Battle Results:

Levels:
Ashley 23->24
Reyna 15->16
Yuri 13->14

Majin:
Chiroptera Lv 17 x 2
Heefler Lv 18 x 1
Caer Lumen Lv 17 x 1
Zerda Lv 19 x 2
Thiefler Lv 16 x 1

Gold:
10900

Refugee:
Fungus

I’m still feeling just as bad as I did before defeating that persona.

Video- “Havoc Lead Out”

Click For Video

(I knew it…)
(Suppressing my persona did nothing to cleanse my curse. Master Leto was right.)
Ashley, do you have a moment? I’d like to tell you more about Doom Shade.
Please, go ahead, Reyna.
They say there’s another Majin there too, and we need to defeat him to draw Doom Shade out of the darkness.
If you know so much about him, how come you don’t know exactly where he is?
Do you have to critique everything I say?
I just want you to admit that you don’t really know as much as you act like you do.
You’re entitled to your own opinion.

Reyna stormed off, Glynne has a real way with people.



Hmph, I don’t see why I should bother trying to get along with him.
Glynne…!
Anyway, it’s good we got a chance to talk. I had something to ask you.
What is it?
What’s your relationship with Princess Lenarshe…?
For being an old acquaintance, you two seem awfully close…
I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.
That’s okay…
Well, I promised I wouldn’t ask you about your past…
I’m sorry. Forget I asked.
Thanks, Glynne…

I just can’t tell him about that. It’s nobody’s problem but my own. Anyway we returned to Isapolis once more.



Pata: Uoy evol lla ew! Anook!

Increasingly I wonder what the story behind all these people in town really is.



Basil: I’ve been acting as caretaker of this town under orders from the Count.
It’s been wonderful to meet so many new people like you and the refugees.
This experience has been so fulfilling.
I’m very grateful to Master for giving me such a special opportunity.

Stein’s interested in how the Count manages to keep this place safe.



Stein: This town is inside Besek, and yet the Majin do not attack it.
I heard the Count uses strange magic to repel them.
If it’s indeed so powerful, then I must look into it further.
Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to comprehend any of this.

Everyone’s been acting stranger and stranger.



Leon: I’ve especially noticed all the pretty girls, hehehe…
I like Nena! She’s real classy, and has such an innocent and caring face.
Ares is just plain stunning! You think she’d be into a younger guy like me?
Huh!? We’re the same age!? She seems so mature… but I like that!
I love how Vivian looks in her uniform! She can order me around anytime!
Irina’s tough… I bet she’s a challenge! And Yuri’s so cute and quirky!
But you know who I think is the cutest…? Er, ummm… I think you are!

It’s a shame that not everyone’s been as ‘lucky’ as we have with their goals.



Vivian: An ordinary man wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving out here, not alone.
If we haven’t found him here by now, then he’s probably dead…
Or perhaps he was a Majin disguised as a human… No, that’s a silly theory…

I have heard a rumor about a Majin who could do that but I didn’t even catch the name of it. Anyway like I said stranger and stranger.



Muse: Komori seems like a really great guy, but he has a kid already…
And I think Velnor’s really cute! I wonder if I’m into younger guys?
What!? He’s older? That’s a surprise!
Alexei acts very macho, but I think he has a kind heart.
Stein is so cool and handsome! I love how I can’t tell what he’s thinking!
But you… you like Glynne, right?

The Count is no weirder than usual, which is to say he’s pretty strange.



How did your latest Besek excursion go?
I wish my Koona scouts were as competent as you.
They never return with anything useful… if they even return at all…

Talking with Yuri makes me think we’re doing the right thing trying to reform the Church.



Yuri: Well, even though I’m a priestess right now, I’m starting to have doubts.
I don’t agree with how the Church is being run, you know what I mean?
It’s way too strict! There are so many things I want to experience!
And all those rules really limit how much I can help people.
If I can’t do what I truly want to do, there’s no point in being a priest!

I think the fortune teller knows I’m hiding something. I don’t know how she knows.



Shivan: I see two lights drifting apart.
The truth you have hidden in your heart will bring them back together.
The key lies within you.

Everyone seems to be leaving, as though they can feel that things are about to get bad. Keiko found a way home finally.



Find anything new?
Keiko: Guess what!
Uza-pops at the shop found a way for me to return to my world.
Looks like you hit the jackpot!
Keiko: Jackpot?
Oh, uh… It’d take too long to explain that. Go on with your story.
Keiko: The Koona tribe uses this method, apparently…
If I perform the traditional Koona dance on the full moon, I’ll go home!
Something doesn’t sound quite right…
Keiko: He said it was guaranteed to work!
So… I’m gonna do the dance tonight, under the full moon!
You’re really going to try it?
Keiko: Of course!
Well, I need to go get ready! Thanks for everything, Ashley!
Take care, Keiko.



Feinne’s Notes: Revenant’s a male only longsword, we’ll probably need to transfer it to another party to make use of it.

For me…? How thoughtful.

Nolstein also left, his people finally arrived.



I heard you’re leaving…
Nolstein: Yes, my servants have finally arrived to escort me home.
Now I can be liberated from this tiny room.
I have never seen such a humble dwelling. It’s the size of a bathroom!
You commoners must enjoy small spaces.
I guess when you’re used to luxury, it’s hard to live like your side does.
Is that your way of saying thank you for the hospitality…?
Nolstein: Hahahahahahaha…
Ashley, this is for you.



Feinne’s Notes: Flail is a male only mace, it’s not great.

Are you sure?
Nolstein: Of course, I have no use for such things. Farewell, Ashley.

Shanglon’s still a bit hurt. Seems he’s looking for a Majin as well.



How are you feeling?
Shanglon: Better, but I’m still not ready for battle yet.
Well, take your time and don’t strain yourself.
Tell me, Shanglon, why did you come to Besek?
Shanglon: I’m a Dragonslayer, and hunting down dragons is my duty.
So you came to Besek to hunt?
Shanglon: I heard a rumor that the Shade Dragon, Penumbra, lives here.
I entered Besek to find him, but the Majin were too strong for me.
Are you going to continue searching once you’re better?
Shanglon: Of course!
I may be a failed hero, but I’m still sticking to my mission.
“Hero,” huh…?
Shanglon: Well, I think I need some more rest now. I’ll talk to you later.

That Fungus guy left almost immediately, no clue what his deal was.



Hi, Fungus. Everything okay?
Fungus: Y-Yeah…
H-Here, th-this is…



Feinne’s Notes: Aristocrat is an awesome accessory that makes a character super fast and gives them a huge amount of Evade. It’s great.

Oh, for me? Thank you!
It must’ve been tough for you… getting lost in Besek and all.
How’d you get stuck there in the first place?
Fungus: U-Umm…
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. You probably don’t want to talk about it.
So where’s the rest of the Fungus family? That’s an odd name…
Fungus: A-Are you making fun of me!?!?!?
Hm, must’ve been something I said…

I think we’re getting close to Doom Shade. It’s just a feeling, but…
- journal entry