Part 21: Stratum 3: Anathema Part 1

Beware the fallen angels and their terrible leader, who seek to lure the faithful into the darkness! Only the light of faith can shine through their lies!
- excerpt, Valdian scripture

Fallen



We encountered a third huge gate deep within Besek. I started to feel… strange as we approached the area.

Video- “Anathema Lead In”

Click For Video

I don’t feel… right…
Are you okay? You don’t need to keep pushing yourself so hard…

I don’t remember anything of what happened next.



Ashley…?
Reyna, get back!
Something’s not right. I think she might be under some sort of spell.
What!? I thought that…
Insignificant Falsin…
What do you hope to accomplish with your sinful massacre? Why do you slaughter my kin?
Huh? Is that the persona…?
I think it’s something else. Something’s controlling her…
What gives you the right to murder other living beings? To trample life?
Whoever you are, we’re on a mission. The Majin we encountered were in our way.
We didn’t come here just to kill Majin.
Hahaha! What a way to talk with their blood still fresh on your hands!
Heed my warning.
You are not permitted to taint this place with your presence.
We aren’t asking for your permission.
The choice is yours to make, but know that one false step will bring your ruin.
Ashley!

It sure wasn’t pleasant, though.



Are you okay?
Y-Yeah… What happened?
Nothing, but if you’re alright, I think we need to keep moving.
Okay!

Video- “Anathema Part 1”

Click For Video with Commentary



Ally Team:
This is a large map with very sparse Majin presence, so I’m going to use my normal mercenary group here. Velnor might not be useful for anything but some buffs but at least he won’t disappear 1/3 of the way into the map.

Enemy Team:
We’ve got three of the ever-present Zerda, three Scytodida, and two high level Chiropteras. They’re all nasty physical threats, but luckily they’re very spread out.



Here’s the big daddy of Chiropteras, it’s like the level seventeen one but better in every way. Deal with it the same way you would that one.

Deployment:



We deploy all to one side, it doesn’t matter so much but we’d like to deal with the Zerda sooner rather than later and this gets us into them. We’re going to circle around the map and deal with the Majin in a cold, methodical slaughter.

Tactical Objectives:
-

Map:



Be quiet, or you’ll get us killed!
Maybe you’re worried, but I can take them down.
Hmph, we’ll see about that.
Stop your bickering!
Holy Atona, please guide and protect us.
Majin, say your prayers!
You will not disrupt the ritual!
We’ll see about that.
The Princess’s soul is ours now!

We start out pushing towards the near Zerda. For at least a moment we’ll be able to fight it alone, but we’re going to have a Scytodida soon as well. These Majin come in groups of about two, and the first is Zerda and Scytodida.



Ashley!? M-Maybe you shouldn’t be fighting.
No, I’m fine…
I just felt some. There’s a powerful presence here…
I can feel the presence too…
Are you afraid, Glynne?
I’m not like you.

God, Glynne is such a dickbag. We surround the Zerda and hit it with everything we’ve got to bring it down into Overkill range, and as expected the Scytodida moves in as well. I’m not too worried about it as long as I can keep it out of my ranged group. Velnor manages to level up, though he’s still pretty useless. We set up an Ashley/Ares Combo and Overkill our first Majin, which makes Ashley level up.



We quickly move on to the Scytodida and get it down into Overkill range too. We drag it down and then Overkill it with a Combo from Ashley and Reyna, which lets us start pushing towards the next Majin duo. This one is going to be Chiroptera and Zerda.



We aren’t your food.
You aren’t fit to eat dirt off the ground.

Chiroptera is really fragile compared to Zerda, so it’s an obvious first target.



Their master is getting closer…
Got it.
Understood.

Ashley moves up to both block Chiroptera off and Fractures it. We move on and start throwing everything else at Zerda, because now that it’s Fractured Chiroptera’s easy to deal with. We’re able to get some pretty decent damage on it with Reyna’s Pyro, we’re getting close to being able to seriously Overkill it with a spell. Ashley gets another action before the Chiroptera and Overkills it with a Punishment from behind. We throw a bunch of firepower at the Zerda and eventually it falls to a Combo from Ares and Ashley.



Eternal Poison? Never heard of it.
You Falsin spread nothing but lies and corruption!

Our third pair of Majin will be Scytodida and Chiroptera, which is by far the easiest group because they’re both pretty vulnerable to physicals. We start on Scytodida, Fracturing it with Ashley and weakening it, then pounding it with a Combo from Ashley and Reyna. This lets Reyna level up.



Reyna gains Pyro III, a Fire spell that does serious damage. He’s still not S rank in Fire, though, so he’s not quite as good as he could be. Chiroptera’s only now even reaching our party, and we rain blows on it as soon as it engages. We also managed to get close enough to start the last Zerda up, though that’s not much of a problem. Chiroptera falls to a Punishment just like his friend, leaving us with a Zerda and Scytodida. The nice thing is that this Scytodida is positioned such that we’d have to fight it and Zerda approaching from that side, so we can actually fight this Zerda without it engaging at all. We throw everything we’ve got at the fox and manage to bring it down to the teens.



Then, we will have no use for you anymore.
No use for us…? What do you mean!?
Your ignorance is pathetic!

Reyna burns the Zerda down with her new Pyro spell, Overkilling it.



Even Falsin should rejoice!
Somehow, I’m not so sure about that…

With just a Scytodida left, the rest of the map is a foregone conclusion. Glynne does manage to level up Comboing it down, though. Amusingly he advances to S rank Air magic, which is a kick in the teeth since he has yet to naturally get an Air damage spell.

Battle Result:

Levels:
Ashley 25->26
Glynne 20->21
Reyna 17->18
Velnor 12->13

Majin:
Chiroptera Lv 20 x 2
Scytodida Lv 20 x 3
Zerda Lv 20 x 3

And just as before defeating all of the Majin called the Guardian.



From that door there!?
Hmph, we’ll take care of this Majin quickly!
Fools…

But to think a Majin would have that name!



The sky will turn to ash, the land will crumble…
Your Goddess will forsake Alea and everyone in it…
For you are doomed.
I am King Bellion, the ruler of darkness!
When you are in my realm, you will bow to me.
(The angel Bellion, who fell from the heavens…?)
Izel, why do you wish to pass through here?

No time to waste wondering how this made sense, though.



And you would sacrifice us for this purpose?
If we need to survive, then yes.
What a foolish answer, Izel!
I’m not Izel!
Your sins run deep, Izel.
And you will pay for them with your life.
Sorry, but not today.

We had a fallen angel to purify.
- journal entry