Part 7: Part Seven: Back to Normal

Part Seven: Back to Normal


Now that we're done with the Djinn, we have to head back to the castle, and look who's there to greet us.


Sara probably thought they were all dead or something. That seems like the rational conclusion when people disappear in front of you like that.

: Lady Sara... I am glad to see you are safe.
: Now we must cleanse the ring in the blessed spring, and that should lift the curse.

I'm glad that someone here knows what we're supposed to do. I don't think these kids would have figured that out on their own. What was that light back in the Sealed Cave, anyway, if it didn't lift the curse?

: The blessed spring flows below Castle Sasune. Let us hurry inside!

Oh yeah, we have stuff to do. Let's do that stuff.


So everyone runs off.


And the scene cuts right to that pool in the castle's basement. This must be the blessed spring. I, uh, I kind of figured it was just the swimming pool.



The picture captions itself, see? I couldn't get it without the text box starting to pop up.


So, yeah, we had to throw the mythril ring into the blessed spring to break the curse. I'm still not clear on why, though, but whatever.


Everyone just leaves Sara down there.


And now we're talking to the king! We rescued him, so he's probably going to make us really rich now!

Except Golbez, who kinda-sorta lost the princess. Golbez is probably gonna be executed.

: Thank you, sire...but we must go. We've been chosen to be the Warriors of the Light.
King Sasune: Warriors of the Light, you say!? Golbez, are you leaving as well?


Golbez is all broken up about this one.

: Yes, sire...

Now, he's supposed to be sad because he's leaving home, but honestly, Light Warrior sounds like a pretty shit gig to me. There has to be a 90% chance of horrible death, at least.

King Sasune: I see... Then I bid you all well. Know that our hopes go with you, young champions!

How about some of your knights go with me? I'm sure they'd be handy in, you know, sending these teenagers to face evil.


But whatever, I guess they're not concerned.

King Sasune: Take this with you. It will surely prove itself useful during your journey.


The knight on the left actually did the presenting, but close enough. Now we have a small folding boat.


And we're dumped out of the scene and into the throne room. Let's talk to people.

King Sasune: Now go forth on your journey--and may you return safely once you have fulfilled your task!
: A ship that can fly... Just who is this Cid guy, and how could he build something like that?

I think that Cids just naturally build airships in these games. A Cid is born and raised, then when he's left alone long enough, it just happens, you know?

: I wonder if the earthquake had anything to do with the Djinn's seal breaking...
: Thank you, Warriors of the Light! The curse is gone!

You're welcome.


Downstairs, we can hear this. How come the other guys just sealed the Djinn away? Why does nobody in the past ever finish the job in these games?


We can also talk to the other guy guarding the stairs. It's all just flavour text around here. At least they're not all just welcoming me to the castle.


The outer part of the castle is also populated now. Before there was only one ghost hanging around out here.

: Sir Golbez! The king has been worrying about you since you left.

This would make more sense if we hadn't just spoken to the king, but making two lines for an unnamed NPC like this guy?

: Sir Golbez! Do not worry about Princess Sara. We will protect her with our lives.

Why should I worry? We dealt with your story arc, dudes, you're safe now. Well, unless something ends the world or whatever, but there's nothing I can do about that.

: Red mages are warriors who have mastered both the way of the sword and magic. Every soldier in Sasune aspires to become one.

That's not quite accurate, but anyway, the jobs you take up actually do exist in the game's world, as opposed to these kids being the only White Mages or Thieves in the world or whatever. I guess the crystal's power just gives you some quick knowledge of the thing.


Over here is one of Golbez's sparring buddies. He's obviously not as favoured, because he has to wear a helmet and full armour and all that.



There's also this lady. Sara and Golbez are supposed to be pretty close, I guess. I figure it's because they're about the same age and probably have similarly sheltered upbringings, but on the other hand, Final Fantasy III is a JRPG, so it's probably a little love story. It's not very prominent, nor is it really relevant to anything, but there you are.


We can head up to Sara's room right now to hang out with her and this old guy.


We can also talk to Sara to trigger a little scene between her and Golbez.


She can't even look at him. It's not a big thing in the game outside of this scene, though, and this scene is optional, so a less observant player might not realise they're supposed to be close.

: Now you've...made me...cry...




: Sara...

And that's the end of the scene. We're done in the castle for now, but when I try to leave:


Someone decides to holler at us.




This whole castle scene is pretty long for this game. I don't think anyone else in the game has quite as much to say about the party leaving.


After exchanging their farewells with Sara, the party starts to leave. Golbez hangs back a second, but then he follows them out of the scene, and we're done here.


The next thing we need to do is cross this lake and get the airship back.


We couldn't do this before because we didn't have a boat or anything, but the canoe the king gave us will do admirably.


And we're airborne again! We can't go anywhere new, though, so let's hit Kazus and see what it's like now that the curse is lifted.



As soon as I enter town, a scene comes up with a guy pacing back and forth.


Then he hangs his head in resignation, probably because his daughter ran off when things were really dangerous and he figures she's dead by now. Something like that, anyway.


And here's our party, showing up just in time.



Kuja goes to her father, who couldn't be happier to see her.

: Don't cry, Father... Everyone's looking!
Takka: It doesn't matter! I was so worried about you... Now, let's go home!


Then Takka runs off towards his house, with Kuja in hot pursuit.


The rest of the party is just left to stare. Maybe someday I'll be able to go into Kazus with a full party.


Now that the people aren't ghosts anymore, they're very eager to get back to the backbreaking labour that I'm sure mythril mining is. You know, in a little area like we're in now, I would expect that mythril, as the only resource around, would be more prevalent than it is. Did everyone in the castle have mythril equipment and the king just thought it was funny to make Golbez run around with a little knife and leather armor?



: But there's a big rock blocking the way now. My grandma lives in Canaan, but there's no way I can go see her...

This kid tells us about the big rock blocking the valley, and gives us a little bit more information about what exactly qualifies as Sasune.



: I heard you can find it in the corner of the first room. I'd go look for it...but that place gives me the heebie-jeebies.

This guy is right about the mythril mines having a secret passage. I don't know why anybody would feel the need to put a secret passage into a mine, but I figure it's probably just so that whoever put it there could trap miners inside.


And then there's this guy, who's so happy that he's not a ghost anymore that he's going to get completely blitzed. You won't enjoy your mortality long if you ruin your liver, guy.


Upstairs, there's some narcissistic lady hanging out by the beds.


The beds are still free, by the way. There's also only two of them. I don't think this inn's practices are exactly sustainable in the long term.


We can also pop by Takka's place right now to see him and Kuja working on something.


Takka doesn't have the time for us, but let's see what Kuja has to say.



Yeah, it sounds like she's stuck here. Of course, she's also still wearing her Warrior outfit and there's an empty slot in my party, so I think we all know what's going to happen.

But, that whole thing will have to wait until the next update, when we'll finally get out of this area. Probably.