Part 33: Castle in the Sky

Update 33: Castle in the Sky






Music: Mist Generator


Zora's Floating Castle is fairly straightforward, in contrast to the previous Mist Generators – the path is linear, with only a handful of dead-ends and even the treasures are usually right off the main path.





As usual, there are loads of Seru, including the newcomer Barra (which took me something like ten tries to learn, I actually had to run around outside the boss room and get into extra fights to pick it up)...







However, this Mist Generator is the first to have non-Seru monsters, if my memory is correct. None of them are particularly noteworthy, I just thought it was a surprise.







Hmm, interesting. I slapped this on Vahn for the rest of the dungeon but I can't tell if it ever actually did anything. I never got a message saying I successfully robbed an enemy, at any rate.





This little pipe is probably the longest detour in the whole place (and it's not very long). Heading through it leads to...





Just between you and me, that Zora is a real slave driver! We don't even need to guard a power unit like this, but she ordered us here anyway. Hmm. Wait a minute! Zora didn't say anything about new people coming. That means...You are those Ra-Seru wearing foes! You son of a...I'll teach you a lesson!





Puera is an interesting little creature.





Its special attack deals four cards, shows them, shuffles them, and makes you pick one.





Unfortunately for them, I'm good at shell games.

(I know I could have picked the Puera dies option, but I only saw the first two choices so I went with the healing one).





I love this description. Using the switch...





...gets us this book that I forgot to deliver. Maybe I'll remember to do it between this update and the next.





Now for more Pueras!





Oops.





I picked healing for the other one because I wanted to kill it with a physical attack to try and learn the magic. Sadly, Gala had the Ivory book and Noa wound up obliterating it before he got to take the kill. Oh well.





This looks like a boss room, but...


Vahn, I can hear it! That's the sound of the Mist Generator! But she's not here – Zora, the one who deceived Grantes. I thought she would be here...

You're right. This is the castle lord's room, but where's Zora...

I wanted to defeat her and get back the Ra-Seru Egg...


Meanwhile...





The Soren fly up into a crevasse in the giant rock that makes up the castle shell...





I guess that must be Zora, then? I wonder why she wasn't guarding her Generator?

(I don't think we actually get an answer to that question. I think the answer we're supposed to glean is that she's just not very good at her job).







This is one of the rooms behind Zora's throne. It's kind of neat looking but doesn't appear to have anything to interact with or collect.





And the other has this Water. I forgot my water-distribution system but I think Vahn is supposed to have these so I gave it to him.

If we try to leave the throne room the way we came...





Zora! Are you Zora?

And what if I am?

Give me back the Ra-Seru Egg you tricked Grantes out of!

Oh, little Noa! You are just as silly as I heard! Ha ha ha! I am loved and protected by Cort. Surely you didn't expect me to just hand you the Ra-Seru Egg! But don't worry – I will fight you. If you win, I will tell you where the Ra-Seru Egg is.





Music: Mist Generator Guardian

Zora is definitely the most difficult Mist Generator Guardian thus far. She's still pretty manageable and it's great to get a “normal” fight after the Delilases, but she's still tough and can still kill you if you give her the chance.







Petrification isn't a very common status ailment in Legaia, and like in most RPGs it's “like death, but not”.





Even a max level Vera won't cure it, so I had to resort to Medicine. Thankfully I've got several stockpiled since I've never had to use any before.









Zora can also unleash this nasty attack whenever she feels like it. It deals about a thousand damage to everyone (more like 300-350 to a Spiriting character). The good news is petrified characters take no damage from it.

Also, I haven't mentioned it in a while, but remember how this game's fights are voice-acted? I got quite tired of hearing Zora scream “aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA! DARKUNESS STERIKE!” every time she used this. At least the animation is nifty.





Her normal attacks can also deal quite a bit of damage. I found myself using two healers in a few turns.





Vahn's Miracle Art is so disappointing. I'm really starting to see what you all meant about him being the worst character. To be fair, though, my accessory setup on him kind of sucks while Gala and Noa both have great stuff that complements each other, so that's probably part of it.





One last thing about Zora – maybe it's just my levels, but I couldn't really predict when she would get her turn. Sometimes she outsped Noa, other times she acted last. This made healing really tense, since I had to worry about her effectively attacking twice in a row (by attacking last one round and first the next). Fortunately she doesn't use DARKUNESS STERIKE twice in a row, but she could still easily off one character if she wanted to.











Wow, Barra is STRONG. Kinda pricey, but not as bad as it could be.





Zora! Tell me where the Ra-Seru Egg is!

You silly fool, Noa...I used the Ra-Seru Egg...long ago...as an important component of the Mist Generator...

What? The Ra-Seru Egg is a component in the Mist Generators? Ozma, what does this mean?

What Zora says is correct. Mist Generators use both Ra-Seru and Ra-Seru Eggs...

Terra, why didn't you tell me before?!

I'm sorry, Noa. I was afraid you might get the wrong idea...that the Ra-Seru are creating the Mist.

Sorry to interrupt your little discussion...





Music: Songi's Theme


Songi! So you came to help Zora, eh?

Sorry, but I'm not interested in someone more than twice my age.







Sorry, but I've got business with the Mist Generator.

What? What do you want with the Mist Generator?

Ha ha ha!


Songi struts his way into the next room, and I quickly follow behind...









Wait, did Songi just...?





Could it be Songi? Could he have destroyed the Mist Generator?

You are indeed correct! Ha ha! I destroyed the Mist Generator for you. Gala, you're not that dumb after all.

Why? Why would you destroy the Mist Generator?

Oh, you are too much! The musclebound oaf is still as dumb as ever! I'll tell you why I did it. The whole Floating Castle was just a trap to lure you in and kill you. The Floating Castle's Mist Generator was just a piece of junk! Even its Mist was no good! I was going to destroy it and you with it after you finished with Zora.





Zora! You're still alive!

C-Cort tried to kill me...?

That's right. He used you as bait for that very important trap. Not even Cort would expect you to defeat the Ra-Seru!

But...Cort loved me...He said he loved me.







Cort said he hates pesky women, and hates bossy women like you even more! If this meddlesome woman hadn't opened her big mouth...You would have fell into the trap, and I wouldn't have had to destroy the Mist Generator!

Songi! What “trap'? What do you mean?

Ha ha ha! Stupid, simple-minded barbarian girl! Use your little brain and think! This castle used the Mist Generator's energy to float. Here's a tough question. What happens to the Floating Castle when the Mist Generator is gone?


The screen begins to shake violently...





...as the Castle begins to fall.


Vahn, it's going to fall! The Floating Castle is going to fall!

Congratulations, you answered correctly! Your prize is a rapid free-fall to the surface!

Songi, wait! If the Floating Castle was a trap for us...Then where's the Mist Generator creating the Mist in Karisto Kingdom?

Gala, you are a hopeless dimwit! Instead of the Mist, you should be worried about your own life! Only six minutes till impact! Bye! Have a nice trip! See you next “fall”. Ha ha!





Music: Escape!


Songi teleports out of here because he's a dick like that. Wait, maybe we can, too!





Crap.







Here's the next best thing. I could have equipped the Good Luck Bell also to lower encounters, but it wasn't necessary.





Like I said, the path is pretty linear so it's not too hard to get back out. I even noticed a side passage I had missed earlier and had more than enough time to check it out for this (Noa drank it).





They're gone! Luctes and all the Soren are gone!

They must have sought shelter somewhere.

What are we going to do? We got away, but we'll all die if we don't do something?

Is it my destiny to die now?





The dock detaches...





...and Noa careens off the edge of the platform...





But the game isn't over yet so Luctes pops up to save the day. I bet he waited on purpose to make himself look extra heroic.





I'm glad that didn't fall over a town. I guess we didn't have much control over that side of things...





Hey, it's all good. _Asshat.

The Soren fly us back to camp...





Music: The Soren Fly


The Mist Generator is a machine that uses Ra-Seru as a catalyst to make the Mist.

A Ra-Seru also has the power to take the life of other Ra-Seru. So far we have destroyed Mist Generators by killing the Ra-Seru sealed inside.

It must've been painful to kill a fellow Ra-Seru, even if to destroy the Mist Generators.

Terra, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize why you were so sad.

There was nothing else to do. But I am sure the Ra-Seru who died with the Mist Generators...are better off dead than living to serve evil.

It was a bittersweet victory. Even so...Songi said that the Floating Castle was merely a trap. If that's true, then where is the Mist in Karisto Kingdom coming from?





Cructes: But, if you are discussing Gala's question, I have already investigated that. Having now learned that the Floating Castle's Mist Generator is powerless...I ordered a reconnaissance team to find the Mist Generator generating the Mist over Karisto. They found it in the mountains of North Karisto! If only we could destroy it now. All of Legaia would be free of the Mist forever! The Mist Generator is near Conkram, which once fought a war with Sol. In Conkram, you may also find out about Noa's parents, as well. It is the Soren's duty to take you there! This I have already ordered Luctes to do.

Vahn, did you hear that? Conkram! We're going to Conkram! I finally get to go to Conkram, where my mother and father are!


Yyyyeah, I'm sure that will, um...be great. Yeah.





We'll do that next time.