Part 71: Episode LVIII: I Am Alone

This section is technically its own chapter. But, well...


Music: Memories







......
......
*sigh* ...Great. You travel through time and what do you get? More... frikkin’... snow...
*looks around*



You know for a second there I was worried we’d just fall out of the sky or get teleported inside a wall or something... Are... we even *in* the past? And is this...
Nive Island?
Yes... I remember it all so well...
That’s nice... Are we actually back in time? Or did we just get teleported half way across the continent for some reason...?



Well, we should probably investigate. If nothing, this game is really pretty with sunset lighting. I’d hadn’t really noticed it’d been pretty much entirely mid-day or night depending on the area. Let’s see if we can’t get some directions towards the whole world ending entity on the loose...



After you leave the port, jus’ head nord-west, and you’ll soon see it!
I cannot tell if this is some ye olde time accent or just yokel speak...





Well, sure enough we’re on Nive Island. Unlike every other time we’ve encountered the overworld map, we can no longer save our game. Like I told you, the last save point was back in the Time Judge’s chamber. We’re on track for the ending now.



The best course of action would probably be wandering into Nive Village proper and seeing where in time we’ve ended up. Hopefully, it’s not something like last Tuesday evening while the Dark Samsara is a thousand years in the past.



As soon as we walk into town, Raishin is there to greet us just like he was when Endir wandered in the beginning of the game looking to murder Setsuna. Apparently that’s all that guy does with his free time when not being snippy with secret dads.



!
Beautiful scenery, warm people... It’s a wonderful place, this village. Please, stay as long as you like.
Really been working on that line for a while, huh?
......
? ......? Is something the matter?
*sweats* Oh... no. Nothing.
You’re not worried about the monsters, are you? If so, there’s no need to fear... I shall protect everyone, even if it costs me my life!
I feel safer already...
*shakes head* How unusual to see this many outsiders, though...
?
Oh, sorry... I saw a figure by the Falling Snow Monument earlier, you see...
Did this “figure” happen to be like... I dunno... 40... 50 feet tall, maybe? Real buff? Bone like tail...?
......
...No. What are you even...?
Don’t worry about it, guy. Falling Snow Monument... Got it... *starts walking away*
*stops* Err... If you ever see a guy with a mask like mine in the future, do me a favor... Go a bit easier with the fire spells, huh? Even if he's doing something that has you real steamed...
...O...kay...?
Thanks a bunch...
*turns to Endir and nods*



We’re free to explore past-Nive Village. The talk of the town is the sacrifice, Mana, having just had her departure ceremony for her pilgrimage earlier in the day. We just missed her! So we are ten years in the past and this is presumably the point where every time loop the Time Judge made started over things.



Beyond that, there’s nothing else of note going on in town. Sadly, we cannot destroy the universe by having Setsuna meet her younger self. Eight year old Setsuna is nowhere to be found despite her mom just going on a journey with no return and her father idling like a Wal-Mart greeter at the town entrance.



So a mysterious figure by the Falling Snow Momentum, huh? Well, that’s better than nothing to go on...







Raishin wasn’t kidding about telling the pair not to worry about monsters. Dazzshire Woods is completely devoid of any of the usual critters roaming around. So it’s just a brisk uninterrupted jog to...



The Falling Snow Monument. I suppose it’s fitting we end up here. At least it’ll be a pretty sunset...


Music: Ocean Ambience



Hmm... Yeah... Just a shadow boy hanging out at the monument to all the dead sacrifices. That’s not ominous or anything. Let’s go have a quick chat...



......
_{Err... What do we do here? Do I just stab it?
No! Say something first.
I think I should just stab it...
Endir. Please...
Tch... Fiiiiiiine!}
......
...Sup?





Ugh... I thought we were just gonna get its attention so it was a fair fight. I didn’t know it was actually gonna talk. Should have just stabbed it... *sigh* Not going with my gut instinct is how I got into this mess in the first place...
Human...
Human... form...?
*nods* Your emotions were channeled into someone else, and he cried...
You also transformed him into a dragon. That was weird... That was a weird thing to do to a guy...
So why...? Why can’t you remember those feelings?
Cried...?
This is a waste of time.
We just kill this guy and we’re done here. Like, I don’t even need a paycheck to motivate me to get this done...



Then maybe... just maybe...
What...? You want him to join our party too...? We’re here to kill this guy!



*steps forward* Help... help...
Help... stop...
*steps forward* Cried... with anger...
Cried... with hatred...
It really is just an angsty teen, huh...? You know, this explains SO MUCH about how Dingus turned out...
*steps forward* I... will...
*steps forward* I... will...
I’m not crazy about how it’s tip-toeing up to us like this.
Give him a chance...

The shade steps forward and collapses. Setsuna rushes to its side...



Hey, could you do me a favor and GET AWAY from the crazy world ending Teen Shadowlord, Setsuna? That’d be great!
Humans...
No, it’s fine, Endir. It’s just trying to ge—



BLARGH!
I’m always right and STILL nobody listens to me...

Endir sighs as he draws his katana to defend Setsuna.



He doesn’t understand.
He’s a stupid idiot shadow boy. It was dumb we even tried to talk to it. I’m gonna kill ‘em now, if that’s cool with you? And if it’s not, I don’t care. I’m still gonna kill him...
He was once human, too... and he hasn’t done anything wrong.
Setsuna, he JUST shot you with a fireball. Assault just literally happened on your person perpetrated by this idiot...
People exploited his love and kindness... They used him... He has committed no sin... so why must we defeat him?
......
......
Setsuna, don’t take this the wrong way. You’re a real sweet girl. Empathetic to a fault. And one of the stupidest people I have ever met...
*frown*
*sigh* You know what? You just hang back... This is all gonna be on me. You tried to talk me out of it. Made a good case. But I wasn’t hearing any of it being a big, violent mercenary jerk. It’s in my nature! I could not be swayed in my resolve. So I went and killed this idiot shadow boy, much to your protest. Which I’m gonna go ahead and do now... Alright? None of this is on you! It’s all me...
Endir...



So here is the final battle of I am Setsuna: The Youth. Dark Samsara was the final boss. This is a gloried cutscene battle.



The Youth speaks during this fight. He’s fully voice acted (in Japanese) and everything. He’s got a heavily digitized voice like some kind of rogue Japanese computer. There’s a video at the end of the update if you want to hear it.





This pale shade of Dark Samsara has exactly one attack: Inner Darkness, which just plinks a nominal amount of HP away from Endir. You could, in theory, fall here if you REALLY tried. But it’s incredibly unlikely. Conversely, ANY attack from Endir will one-shot the Youth. But... he does have a bit of dialogue and there is an achievement for listening to it all before ganking him. So...



Sad... So sad...
I want... to be loved...
So much... pain...
Everyone... is... against me...
Wanted to save... lives... save... the world...
Wanted to destroy... lives... destroy... the world...
Destruction... Only destruction...
Why...?
So much... sorrow...
Stop...



See? It’s what he wants! Hey, Dark Samsara... It looks like you’re...



OUTTA TIME!



Ha! Nailed it!
......
Aww... c’mon... That was a good line!
*frown*
Outta time... cuz ya know... we went back in time...?
*frown*
Tch... Whatever. Forget it...
*grumble* Nidr and Kir would have liked that...



Tune in next time for the final update of I am Setsuna...







Youth Concept Art - The saddest brain damaged shadow boy.



Endir and Setsuna Art - I know it's the weird shading and flesh color of her outfit but Setsuna really looks like she's only got a bit of cloth covering her boobs. And where did Endir get a cape?




Video: Youth Battle