Part 68: Stratum 1: Undying Part 1

Very little is actually known about the final battle between the Hero and Morpheus at Westmoor, except that both were laid low by the end.
- excerpt, The Saga of Rondemion

Westmoor Revisited

This damned place keeps bringing up old memories.



Never thought I’d see Westmoor again.

Video- “Undying Lead In”

Click For Video

(So my next battle’s here, huh? Same place where I fought the Devil himself…)
(Besek sure has bad taste.)
Rondemion, I don’t like this place…
Quiet, Eriel… I need to listen to him.
R-Rondemion?
I said be quiet!
S-Sorry…
If this is Westmoor, then he must be here…
Where are you!? Morpheus!
I’ve returned! I’m right here, you bastard!

I could almost feel Morpheus’ glare on my back…

Video – “Undying Part 1”

Click For Video with Commentary



Ally Team:
As requested, I’m using Alexei as my main melee support, with Vivian and Stein providing offensive magic, Velnor archery, and Komori and Yuri healing.

Enemy Team:
We’ve got a lot of familiar Majin at new levels here. There are two Apis, two Cancer Gigas, two Caprus, and a Pyromote. Let’s look at what’s new.



This Apis is a pretty obvious transition from the totally skill-free ones we saw earlier and the strong ones in Forest. It’s got some weak passives and isn’t much of a threat.



Here’s the intermediate Pyromote, it’s got Pyro II and is therefore a pretty decent threat. You can’t do much with Strike attacks so don’t even try.

Deployment:



We deploy in position to handle incoming from the middle or the left. I’m not sure what direction we might see Majin from on turn one so I’m going to hedge my bets.

Tactical Objectives:
- Levels
- Chests

Map:



He’s close. He’s hiding somewhere!
Faaaaaalsin!
Vasai… Tuum deleo!
I don’t have time for you vermin!
Begone!
I never though I’d be back here again.
So many memories…

I try to pull people back from the middle quickly enough to not attract the middle Caprus, but he comes in anyway. I send Vivian up to cast on it in response. Since the Caprus has engaged, I want to make sure I don’t get the Cancer Gigas as well. Luckily, it won’t engage if it can’t move and attack in one turn.



Cibus estis!
Enjoy your last laugh, creature.

So with the Cancer Gigas having a sit down, I get ready to swing Rondemion and Komori back towards the real front, the middle.



Get out of my way!
Mors tu hic est!

The Caprus from the middle spears Vivian, but this puts it into range for a rather brutal cast of Sacra from Yuri. And now it’s time for it to die.



Vivian joins Rondemion in a Combo against the Caprus that sees it off quite brutally. We push towards the middle with Rondemion in the lead, and this pulls in the Apis from the left once we reach the top. Velnor takes a shot at it in reply to its first strike. Unfortunately for us, Pyromote has also decided to get in on the show and hits Alexei with a brutal but fortunately not lethal Pyro II. This gets Alexei a level, getting him that Desperation skill that increases his power while he’s Bleeding.



I send Rondemion to Bleed the Pyromote, which will nicely set it up for defeat. Vivian casts on the Apis, which gets her a level and the Somnus spell. Apis keeps attacking her, which isn’t so much of a problem as long as we don’t let her get too low. Pyromote bleeds itself to one casting on Alexei, who’s still hanging on despite also attracting the Caprus on the other side of the barrier south of him to start spearing him.



I’m not your food.
Get out of my sight!

Before the Apis can attack again, we splatter it with a Combo from Velnor and Rondemion, which gets the big man a level.



He gets Physical Resist II this level, so he’s now pretty damn hard to hit with Phys status. While I’m trying to set up a Combo on the Pyromote now, I realize pretty quickly that it’s not to be and just cut it down with Rondemion. Since the Caprus is standing in range so that it can stab through a barrier, I throw some magic from Stein at it. It’s going to take some trickery, but I am confident I can get Stein and Yuri both levels this time. Velnor also shoots an arrow at the Caprus, I want it to be ready to go when we get the melee around there. The chest behind Pyromote has a Shell Mail in it, it’s a nice upgrade for Rondemion until we get some really good leather for him. Velnor levels up from our hilarious antics with the Caprus, which is pretty nice. I then put Stein in position to be stabbed, because it’s free experience for him.



He’s lurking in the shadows. The coward.
Hey, you! You plan on showing yourself!?

We’ve spent a bunch of time maneuvering, and we get Alexei in to lure the Cancer Gigas in while we set up a trap for the Caprus. When Caprus comes in to stab Vivian, it gets itself dropped by a Combo from Vivian and Rondemion. Cancer Gigas gets weakened by a Sacra from Yuri and a Pyro from Vivian, then falls to a Combo from Rondemion and Alexei. We then let Yuri and Stein capture it for the free experience. While I’ve been doing this, Velnor has been shooting the other Apis to weaken it down to Overkill range. After a long and boring effort to get our team swung back around to deal with the last two Majin we finally get them engaged. The Cancer Gigas is Fractured by Rondemion’s Terra II, which negates the only real threat left on the map. Apis falls to a Combo from Yuri and Rondemion that gets both levels, and Cancer Gigas falls to a hilarious Combo from Stein and Rondemion that gets Stein a level and Aqua II. Map over.

Battle Result:

Levels:
Rondemion 9->11
Alexei 5->6
Stein 5->6
Yuri 5->6
Vivian 4->5
Komori 6->7
Velnor 6->7

Majin:
Apis Lv 6 x 2
Caprus Lv 7 x 2
Cancer Gigas Lv 6 x 2
Pyromote Lv 7 x 1

Morpheus wasn’t there, though.



How dare you intrude upon my sanctuary.
Impudent Falsin, your own ignorance shall be your doom!

Just some dog who needed to be put down.





I was born from the darkness to be protector of this land.
Then I’ll make sure you’re buried here!
I have no quarrel with you, Falsin.
But in violating this land, you must be punished!
When two forces clash, one will inevitably fall.
Are you prepared to meet your fate?
Of course.
Very well then…
I challenge you to a fight to the death!

Not going to let any Majin get in my way.
- unknown