Part 7: Biron Monastery

Update 7: Biron Monastery





Biron Monastery has a clever little idea; they've made a sort of makeshift airlock. Turning the fans off blows the mist out the entrance then seals the entrance door and unlocks the path forward.





Music: Biron Monastery


Monk: I rush out thinking that some Seru are up to no good, and I find human visitors! Well, then, come with me! I'll introduce you to everyone at Biron. I'm so glad you came. It's been a long time since Biron Monastery has had any real human visitors. I never thought anyone would come here while I was guarding the gate. You really surprised me! They're in the middle of training. When it's over, I'll introduce you to Master Zopu.





Good! We seem to have visitors. What a rare treat. That's enough training for now. You may now attend to your individual tasks.


The white-clad monks all wander off to various spots, while the blue and red ones stick around.


Well, well. Welcome to Biron Monastery Now, then, let me get a good look at you.





How dare you call Master Zopu “old man”!

Ha ha ha! This young lady means no ill will. Master Teacher, stand aside.

Yes, sir!


He leaves the room as well.


I see. Vahn and Noa. How do you do? I am Zopu. Hmm. Your eyes are keen. And you have Seru...Alright, then! We welcome you here. Tonight we shall have a party in your honor. Until then, you may make yourselves at home inside the monastery.





Hey, don't lie to me. I already know everything.

I'm not lying! This is no ordinary Seru! It's a Ra-Seru!

I see. A Ra-Seru, eh? I definitely want a Seru like that! I am Songi. Pleased to meet you. If you have an extra Seru, then let me have it! Ha ha ha ha!




...What a weirdo.


Agreed.





Ooh, nice. Now then, if we try to head upstairs...


???: Vahn? Is that you, Vahn?





Music: Mei's Theme


It's Mei's mother! She has a really bad habit of facing away from the camera; I apologize on her behalf.


That's right! I'm Maya from Rim Elm! Vahn, what a good memory! I'm impressed. You were still so young when I left the village. When Master Zopu told me a youth called Vahn had come, I hurried here. I knew it was you! I knew it right away! You look just like Val when he was young. I'm so happy. Because of the Mist, I thought I would never see anyone from Rim Elm again. You two are amazing! You must have had a hard time getting here. Oh! I almost forgot. I'm sorry, but Master Zopu asked me to help with the preparations for the party. I have to go now. There are so many things I want to ask you about, but that will have to wait until tonight. I want you to tell me about yourself, and about the village. Bye for now. I'll see you later!

So that's Maya, the one you've been looking for. Hmm. What energy she has. I couldn't get a word in. But I'm so glad I finally met her! So glad she's well!


Well, it's good to see she's alive. Let's see if we can help her with cooking or something.





Hmm, maybe that's why Songi is so enamored with the idea of finding a Seru buddy.





Oh, you're horrible! What are you looking at? I'm a woman! I'm a woman, so I can go in!


Noa barges in, leaving Vahn and the guard in her dust.


Monk...Umm...It sounds pretty lively in there. I can hear a lot of laughter. Maya is very loving and hardworking. She's such a cheerful person. The monks of Biron think of her like a mother. The Biron Monastery doesn't allow Seru or women... I guess the Mist has changed that rule.


Noa comes back out.


I like Maya too! She's a good person! But right now, Maya is too busy preparing for the party. She sends you her regards.





This is semi-hidden; the camera sort of pans to show it when you're towards the top of the room. Medicine heals all status effects. There are also shops here, and the weapon shop has a nice new body armor for Vahn, but it costs 1800 G versus the two or three hundred I have, so we won't be getting that for a while.





To allow Seru like you onto the sacred soil of Biron...


Jerk.





But if I can become stronger quickly, then you better believe I'm going to wear one! When I get one, then watch out, Master Teacher! Ha ha ha ha!


Tool.


We can talk to Zopu in his room to move on to the next scene.





Music: Sad Theme


Juno, he...He was killed by a Seru. …...So Vahn, you came all the way here for Mei's sake.

Maya, don't cry! Cheer up! It's not like you to cry like that!

That's sweet of you to try and cheer me up. Still...It's all so frustrating that I couldn't be by Juno's side. I loved him so! All along I thought I would see him again someday, and now it's too late. I'm so sad! I'm sorry, Vahn. I'm sorry, Noa. I'm sorry for crying like this.

Maya, come to Rim Elm with us! Mei is there!

I'm sorry, Noa, I just want to be alone now. I need time to think.





Maya runs off, finally giving me a good shot of her facing towards the screen. Yeesh.


When Maya's sad it makes me sad, too. Sad and lonely, Vahn.





Music: Biron Party


I don't know why I keep messing these shots up. I actually said no.


What? Not Seru but Ra-Seru? Don't be foolish. A Seru is a Seru. I don't like it. I despise those creatures and those who depend on them!





They say that a Ra-Seru sleeps inside something called a Genesis Tree. With a Seru like that, I'd show Master Teacher who's really boss. Ha ha ha! Anyway, don't you mind me.


Talking with these two is such a chore.





Such forthrightness! Ha ha ha! That is good. Young people should be frank. I, too, shall speak frankly. I have a favor to ask of you. I have heard that you used that Ra-Seru to revive the Genesis Trees in Rim Elm and on Mt. Rikuroa. You rid those places of the accursed Mist. Actually, there are two Genesis Trees near the Biron Monastery. Will you revive them as well?


Sure, why not? We need more Genesis Tree power to get to the Generator anyway, or something along those lines.


Ah, thank you both! Listen to me, everyone! They have just agreed to revive the Genesis Trees!


Person: Hurray! Hurray for Vahn!

Individual: A toast to Noa!

Once revived, the Genesis Trees will rid us of the horrible Mist. This is our chance! We must all help these brave visitors. The Genesis Trees are in separate forests north of here, in West and East Voz.





Uhh...well...West rhymes with Best, so let's go with that one? I dunno.

(it doesn't matter which you choose – you end up getting forced into going to West Voz first anyway)


West Voz Forest. I see. Yes, that forest is closer to the origin of the Mist. Yes, that is a wise decision. Master Teacher! Master Teacher, are you there?

Yes, sir!

Master Teacher, you will accompany these two to West Voz Forest!


Oh, what fun.


B-But...

Master Teacher! An elder's order is the same as a command from Biron!

Y-Yes, sir!

Master Zopu! Have you forgotten me?

What is it, Songi?

If Master Teacher is going to West Voz Forest, then I will go to East Voz Forest! I will go there to make sure that the Genesis Tree is safe.

Songi, it is so unusual for you to volunteer like this! But that is good! I will give you monks to command. I am counting on you, Songi!

Yes, sir!

Now, then. Night has fallen. Let the party end.










I'll get the Ra-Seru from the Genesis Tree in East Voz Forest! Ha ha ha ha! I can't stop laughing!


I don't think this scene was really necessary. Maybe it's just me, but Songi was already setting off the HI I'M EVIL alarm without it.












Thank you! Leave everything to me!


Songi and the other monks run off towards their destination.


May Biron also bless Master Teacher and out two visitors on their journey to West Voz! Vahn, Noa, good luck to you both!





What?

“Master Teacher” is a weird name.





It's not a name, it's a title!

So “Master Teacher” isn't your name? Then what is your name?

Since you are not Biron monks and need not call me Master Teacher, I will tell you. My name is...







Meet Gala, our third and final party member!


Gala...That's an interesting name.

Well don't get too friendly. I hate Seru!


He's a...um...welcome addition to the team.

_Prick.





Last night I was thinking. About Mei...About Juno. And about something else. I want to have a long talk with you, but now the Genesis Tree is more important. Let's talk later, after you return. Well, then. Good luck! I'll be praying for your safe return.


I don't see why you're so hesitant to go back and see your daughter. Well, whatever. Time to head past Biron Monastery and see what our new character is like!





Music: World Map







Gala is basically crap.

First of all, he's level one. To be fair, his stats at level one are pretty good compared to what Vahn's and Noa's were back then, barring his speed. But they're level seven now, and he's not, and the difference is really obvious. Also, Biron Monastery is remarkably lacking in any equipment for the guy who trained there, and so he's going into fights with no weapons or armor.

Furthermore, Gala is really slow. He's gonna be dead last in the turn order for a long time (and pretty much always behind Vahn and Noa even when he outspeeds enemies, though there are fixes for that). However, the bigger problem is his Arts bar. Spirited, he can just barley fit four commands (recall that that's the same length a level 1 Noa's gauge was WITHOUT Spiriting). Un-spirited, he can only fit two, meaning he's completely incapable of performing any Arts unless he Spirits for now.

He at least has high intellect and MP. Too bad he doesn't have a Ra-Seru to help him actually utilize those stats!





Complaining aside, though, there is one thing I like about Gala, and that's how this all ties in to the plot. Gala is basically a badass. He's been training at Biron Monastery for who knows how long and is the strongest person there. And despite that, he's getting completely outclassed by two random kids with Ra-Seru. In other words, I choose to believe that Gala's lackluster performance is intentional, to accent the increase in power that having a Ra-Seru gives a person. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's what makes sense to me.





As for enemies, there are ostriches (unremarkable), frogs (can poison but otherwise unremarkable), and...





...Lippians. They're the monster fighting Gala a couple screenshots up, and they're pretty annoying. Kiss of Death thankfully does not inflict Death, but it can inflict Numb, which can be really frustrating. Fortunately Noa can kill one with Tempest Break but that still requires a turn to Spirit first. Otherwise they're nothing special, but this attack is annoying enough that it warrants special mention.

It even has a smooching sound sound clip. Ugh.







I don't know why Gala says this since this is not West Voz Forest nor any particular place we were heading for.


The Mist is so thick! It's full of a warped madness and the presence of evil! The Mist is flowing from a strange castle beyond this valley!

This valley is the passageway for the Mist created by the Mist Generator.

Terra, can't we go any further?

I'm sorry, Noa. I know I'm a Ra-Seru, but I don't have the strength now...

I know! I'll find the Genesis Tree and make you stronger! Then you could get through here with no problem!

?...Who...W-Who are you talking to?

To Terra!

A Seru? You can talk to Seru?

Uh-huh! Terra's nice – she's a good Seru!

You're so strange. You give me the creeps – both of you! But no matter! Now, on to West Voz Forest, as Zopu instructed us!





The Ivory Book is an accessory that increases the odds a character will learn magic when they defeat a Seru. I put it on Noa for now.





At least Gala levels up pretty fast. I also want to show something a little past West Voz Forest before we go there.







There's nothing in the map but locked doors, so that's a bust. However, there are a couple enemies worth fighting...









All right, got two spells for Noa! Gimard is old news, but this is the first place we can learn Theeder. I only had Noa learn it but I might come back to get it for Vahn if I feel like it since he can probably use it to better effect.











Theeder's attack hits in an arc in front of it, and it's quite powerful as you can see. However, it's also pricey, at 24 MP. That's the equivalent of four heals from Vera, so I have to wonder if it's really worth it.


I also entered West Voz Forest very briefly to do one important thing. Don't worry, this is all I did for now.







All right, Noa can heal now!

Join me next time as we properly explore the West Voz Forest and find its Genesis Tree!