Part 29: Three-Way Split

Update 29: Three-Way Split


First things first. As per the Rabbi's suggestion, I checked out the ruins of Uru Mais and found something delightful.





This delightful little thing refills 20 MP per turn for Gala. I don't know if it's fixed or percent based, but what I DO know is that Gala can now spam Orb without ever running out of MP, meaning my team is almost effectively invincible. Suddenly I feel a lot better about that awful moment that's rapidly approaching.

Anyway...





Music: Usha Research Center


Time to visit Dr. Usha and get our bombs that destroy not only time but also space! (or something)





You came back with the Fire Droplets! Tell me! Tell me about Uru Mais! Tell me about your dreams! About Tieg! About the Fire Droplets!

Scientist: Doctor! Dr. Usha!

What?...Yes, I suppose you are right. We have no time to waste if we are to free the world from the Mist! Now then! Give me the Fire Droplet!


Vahn hands it over.


So this is the Fire Droplet, the mysterious treasure! I feel such powerful energy!





For some reason I am infinitely amused by Dr. Usha not calling his assistants by name. It's like he recognizes that they aren't important enough to the game to deserve them.


Standby radioactive reactor! Set temperature to 8400!

Assistant: Temperature set to 8400! Reactor heating smoothly! Standby complete!

Begin heating once the imperial solvent is ready!





I'd drink more water if there was a bottled water brand called Dragon Water.


All set? We're going to insert the Fire Droplets into the Imperial Solvent!

Assistant: Flash protection ready! Fire extinguishing system ready!

Insert!

Assistant: Inserting!





Assistant 1, Assistant 2, good work! We're all finished. Sometimes I even impress myself! Ha ha ha! Here they are, the TimeSpace Bombs!





Why four TimeSpace Bombs? There is a reason. Listen! One is for blasting open the entrance to Nivora Ravine. Place it in front of the block of ice at the entrance and press the switch. The bomb will explode three seconds after you press the switch, so find shelter quickly! The other three must be set off simultaneously. In Nivora Ravine, the road splits into three tunnels. Thunder Tunnel, Fire Tunnel and Wind Tunnel. You must each enter a separate tunnel!


Is it just me, or is tunnel a funny word? Tunnel.


Each tunnel leads to Koru. When you all get there...you must all set off the TimeSpace Bombs at the same time! Koru can only be destroyed by the combined blasts of all three bombs! Good luck! I know you can do it! You can melt the ice of Buma!





Well, it looks like we're finally ready to tackle...the...um, the thing I don't want to tackle. No choice but to press onward!







Oh, and Mrs. Usha gives us another one of her dumb quizzes, but she hands over a nice haul of items for getting everything right so I'm okay with it (especially since we're officially reaching the point where I might actually USE items instead of just hoard them).





Nivora Ravine is just a short trek north of Buma.





Music: Mist Infested Area


Oh, goodie Goodie! There's gonna be a BIG explosion!

I'll set the TimeSpace Bomb. When I press the buttons, I'll give the signal. When I do, run and find shelter!

Gala, it explodes in three seconds, right? In three seconds Nivora will change! In one, two, three!


And here I thought Vahn was supposed to be the pyromaniac. I guess bombs aren't quite the same.

Vahn and Noa rush off while Gala fiddles with the device.

















Dr. Usha, you liar! I counted right! I counted one-two...

Was it defective? Why did it explode so soon? Is everyone all right? Well, there are no doubts about the TimeSpace Bomb's power. Look at the entrance!





If the TimeSpace Bomb is so powerful, why didn't they use it on the Genesis Tree in Buma? Then they could have melted the ice on the Genesis Tree right away.

No, no, you can't do that! Now listen, Noa. A powerful bomb like that would destroy the Genesis Tree – and Buma and everyone there!

Oh...I guess the TimeSpace Bomb is too powerful...


We gain control and head up a steep slope to the summit. It's uneventful and I didn't even get into any fights. At the top...





Luctes: Now that the Genesis Tree of Sol is revived and the mist around it is gone...

Winged Man: This is our change to charge the Floating Castle!

Luctes: Quiet! Someone's coming!







Luctes and the others fly off. I wonder what the deal is with these flying men? They were in Noa's dream also, weren't they?


Ah, the summit. So not even the Mist can make it to this great height. Is something wrong, Noa?

That's strange...I thought I saw someone nearby.

I don't see anyone.

Never mind! Vahn, Gala, let's go!





This accessory allows the wearer to randomly counterattack. I haven't used it before but I'm kind of curious to see how it works. I assume it just gives you one “hit” as opposed to one attack string, so it seems like it would be rather trivial, but perhaps I am underestimating it.





And this is the save point before the three tunnels.

This is the final save point between now and That Time That Fills Me With Fear. I just want to point that out.





This must be the entrance to the three tunnels. We'll have to split up here and make way on our own. I'll take the Thunder Tunnel on the right, and head for where we'll set the bomb.

I'll take the middle tunnel. That means you have the left tunnel, Vahn.





You've probably seen this sort of dungeon before. Each character is on their own, and their paths don't directly intersect, but each character has roadblocks that another character needs to remove. This dungeon also has some delightful equipment to be found. Let's look in that little alcove nearby...







Oh YES. This is going on Noa and may well never come off.







The enemies here can be kind of scary. None of them are just overwhelmingly dangeorus, but they can provide a decent fight against one character. Lucy here is probably the worst of the lot.





Now Vahn's stuck, so let's switch over to Noa.





Increases defense against all elements. Pretty nice, but I'm not quite sure I'm prepared to sacrifice anyone's accessory slots for it. Maybe Vahn.







Vahn can push the pillar while Noa is standing on the sigil, creating a path forward for both characters...





...but gets intimidated by a spike pit and won't continue forward.

The thing about characters making ridiculous jumps in games is that it makes roadblocks like this seem ridiculous.







Meanwhile, Noa raises a gate somewhere...









...and Gala passes under it, while stopping to grab a great mage accessory. This will work wonders with the Magic Grail I found at Uru Mais.





Gala pushes a snowball...





...which covers the spikes so Vahn can cross safely.

And that's about it for the assorted teamwork moments. Now to progress to the center!









What took you, Gala? The bombs! We have to push the buttons on the bombs! Hurry!
























The Mist is salvation! The Mist is eternal, perfect harmony!

A millennium of Mist and followers is our goal! That is what we promised Lord Zora!

Swine! You are enemies of Lord Zora and therefore our enemies! You shall die!





I'm Gi Delilas, expert at fatal blows to a killing point on my opponent's body!


Yeah, that line hasn't gotten any cooler since last time.





I am Lu Delilas! I strike with lightning speed!


I can see your nether polygons.





I am Che Delilas! Brute strength and chaos are what I am about!


I...don't have a snide comment for Che.







Gala speaks for all of us here.





Fight me! I will show you how strength is used!