Part 160: Underground Ruins 2

Welcome back!

Since the only way back involves those floating platforms again, let's head back that way.



Uh-oh.

: Justin, look!





So, this is the first time anyone in the party sees Baal in person.

Also, they've left Team Rocket behind. This bodes ill.

: Mullen! How long must I wait? Have you not found it yet?

: I have made all possible efforts, General, but we still have not found any trace.

: Perhaps the search would go more smoothly if you'd stop calling me out and having my squad stand at attention for a status report every half hour.

: That shrine's door was open. That means that the Chosen One is here. Wherever the Chosen One is, that is where the Spirit Stone will be! You know that as well as I do.



Uh-oh.

: With your permission, General Baal, let me point out that Lieutenant Leen is serving as my vital aide-de-camp. Without her, the search may be delayed.

: Mullen! Sometimes I wonder if you really want to find the Spirit Stone.

: What!? How can you say that, General?

: The Spirit Stone is essential to Operation Yggdrassil! I am FULLY aware of the importance of my mission!

: Good! Then continue your search. And you won't have any objection to Leen's assistance, will you?



: Continue your search for the Spirit Stone! Leen! We depart!

: Yes... yes sir, General Baal.



Mullen continues to look freaky when he opens his eyes.

: Find the Spirit Stone!



Seems like Blondie's finally realized his dad's the villain in a cliché JRPG, and is trying to get on the winning team.

: Are those losers still searching for the Spirit Stone?

: That man... wasn't he at the Tower of Doom, too?

: Baal? What is he going to do with Leen?

: Let's not get caught, eh? I think we should find another way around.

Not like we have much choice, with the floating platforms out of commission.

Also, if you missed anything in the first half of the dungeon, tough shit. It's gone forever now. This includes the Main Gauche and, for all practical purposes, any pairs of Warp Shoes.

Probably should have mentioned that before grabbing the medal, huh?



Thankfully, back near the Shrine, there's an obvious path forward.

: OK, I'll go first! Be careful everybody!



: What the crap, Rapp! I was gonna jump first!

: Shoulda spent less time talkin' and more time jumpin'!





Well, this room isn't at all creepy.



Upon entering, we're treated to a slow panning shot of the local mural.

: I don't like the look of those!

: I feel like some great force is looking this way... Is it just my imagination...?

: It's maybe no your imagination, bella. It's-a the fourth wall. Look! On those doors! THE GOLEMS! They are said to be in this Shrine. If they start to move, even the Garlyle Forces are gonna be history!

: Start to move? But they're just PICTURES!

: Right now, pictures. They have been sealed until the time comes. But hey, I only tell you what the legend say.

: Everyone? Don't you think we had better get going? The Garlyle Forces are behind us, and besides...

: I don't LIKE it here!

There's not much to this room. Just a singular pathway.



Oh, come on! How did that motherfucker get behind us? Did he climb the fucking wall?

: Mullen!

: Just hand over your Spirit Stone or I'll have to....



: Okay, this LOOKS bad, but we've still got that knife that's good against humans, right?

: Ehe. Funny story about that....

: What a PAIN you guys are! What is it with the Spirit Stone, anyway?

: It's for your own good. You don't know the danger you're really in.

: I'll ask you one more time. Give me the Spirit Stone, Justin!

: Ask all you want! You're the LAST person I'll give it to.

: You leave me no choice.

: If you won't give it willingly, I'll have to TAKE it by force!



: Is that so?



: Come and GET it then!

: All right! 500 gold on Blondie!



: But Feena! Work things out!? He's trying to take the Spirit Stone!



: The ground...? It CAN'T be...!

: No... he can't! If he uses them, many soldiers will die! Father, have you lost your senses?





: Next we'll deal with the Chosen One and finally obtain the Spirit Stone!

: Ha! Ha! Ha! Haaaa!

I do love the "flashlight under chin" lighting used for Baal's evil portrait here.

: Ah! Unh...! Oh... Colonel.. Mu... llen.

: Humph. Mullen, eh?



: But I'm afraid he is no longer useful. The Shrine will be his grave.

From this point on, Baal is just a green-tinted version of .

: Wha...? No... NO! Colonel... Mu... llen...!

: Hmm. You mean to disobey me?

: How interesting... and FUTILE!



: AAAAAAAH! Herr.. Herr MULLEN...!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL2kP8ZuS50 (Polsy link)
(You really ought to watch this.)

So yeah. This is one of those very memorable parts of the game. Not the least of which because it was literally impossible to avoid being spoiled about it.

No, seriously. That shot of Justin and Feena with the Golems was inside the case, for the Disc 2 side. Disc 1's image was Justin, Sue, and Feena standing on top of the End of the World. They, uh... kinda didn't want the player to miss this stuff.

.... Oh, and someone is sending out a Golem to crush their sister. Love, mace, etc. Figured I'd get that disappointment out of the way as soon as I could.



Yeah.... They, uh...

They don't get away.

: Ungh!

: Look out, Justin! It's crumbling!



: Mullen!

: Feena! This way, NOW!

: But what about Mullen!?

: You can't do anything! MOVE it Feena! NOW!



Even in-context, that's an awkward line.

: Yes... yes...!



Justin puts his pirate genes to good use to navigate the collapsing walkway.

: Hey, it's dangerous here too! We had better move it!



Aha, you thought you were done with random encounters and treasures just because you've got unstoppable magical automata wrecking up the caverns that support the most populated city in the hemisphere? Psh, that ain't how Grandia rolls.







We've got our penultimate Mana Egg, as well as the top-tier Howl spell and Rapp's final skill. I'll go more into detail on those two once we actually get around to using them.

Hmm. The only way out of here is a narrow bridge over a bottomless pit. Probably a good idea to make sure that nobody has anything unique or important equipped.



: What IS this? There's a Golem here too!

: But it isn't moving anymore. Run by! We can make it!

Too bad we don't even make it ten feet down the path.



: What is it, Feena?



Welp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnPomkZHb48 (Polsy link)
(Voice time again! You really should watch this, too. Video plays until the end of the update.)

: Ah! Aaaaah!



: Jus... tin... My body... so hot... can't take it. My body it's... burning!

: Feena! Oh, no! FEENA!

: My sis... ter... What...? Lee...n? Heelllppp!



: It feels like some enormous power is beginning to move. That can't be! Nothing can resist the power of the Icarians!

: Unless... there were... one more Icarian...?

: Aagh... oh...! Feena... FEEENAAA!

And here another FMV starts. Again, the video goes until the end of the update.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iBQ1oD0Gi8 (Polsy link)





Justin moves in to cover Feena some more. It's a slight movement, usually masked by the camera zooming out and the mysterious underground breeze flapping everyone's hair around, but it's there.



Of course, once Feena starts glowing, he promptly ignores the Golems.



I mean, I can't blame him for looking away from his impending doom. I doubt even our Justin could solo this fight.



Good thing we've got this green light on our side.



It hits each of the Golems in turn....



... Whereupon they all turn to stone.

You'd think that deactivating them would return them to wall-mural form, but eh.



And, as if that wasn't enough already, their heads start falling off.



And I think that's enough for today.

See you next time!