Part 5: A Fantastic Boat Adventure and a Boss Fight?!

Chapter 4: A Fantastic Boat Adventure and a Boss Fight?!

Last time, we-



Oh right. Wait, you expected this? Why didn't you say anything?!

: Look, Hiro! The guardian's awake! Now we'll have to fight to get out!
: Are you kidding, Grandpa?! Look at the size that thing's flail! It'll pummel us into sewage! Uh, uh. No thanks. There's got to be a better way...
: Ruby, I wish there were, but there's not. We've just got to outsmart it.

By outsmart, he means "smack it a lot." Can do!


Boss Tunes

So we're already at the first boss fight of the game! Didn't take us long; in the first Lunar game, we didn't see a boss until the third dungeon! (Depending on what you counted as a "dungeon.") So. The Guardian. He has a really scary looking flail.





And it does a lot of damage. He will also never use it again.



For the rest of the battle he's just gonna punch you. It's nothing that bad.

So there's nothing to say about this fight. Only Hiro's contributing any damage, but even then it's piss easy. Oh, speaking of contributing nothing...

As you might suspect, Lucia's lost all her fancy spells. All she'll do is defend.



It's kind of inevitable. At least she won't be stealing our EXP. So... thanks!



In any case, it ends quickly.



Hey, they're giving us half-decent money from boss fights. Finally.



And it does seem like Hiro stops getting those crazy wisdom gains. I was legitimately wondering about that.



Well. That wasn't too bad. But let's not stay any longer.

Fortunately, it's a straight-shot out of here, and even if it wasn't we've gained enough levels that we'd be fine. So it's smooth(ish) sailing from here.



The people who build this tower are fucking dicks.

: Uh... oh... trouble! What are we going to do, Hiro? We can't beat three more of these things!

We don't a choice. Well. One was piss easy. Three shouldn't be too bad. Right?

Although it would have been nice if I thought to top off after the first fight. OH WELL.



So. Guardian. Again. Well, they are actually rather slow, so if you're careful, you don't need to take all three flails to the face at the same time, unless you're a slut like that.



Hell, you could get lucky and have Hiro just flat out dodge the flail. Wasn't expecting that.



Even Gwyn decided he wants to help out. Actually, this is odd quirk of the defend function. You still can't tell the character where to run to when they defend (unlike the remakes), but if they run across an enemy along the way, they'll smack 'em one. Kinda nice, I guess.

Well, this'll be a slog, but if we take it carefully and persevere, we could pull through.



Or GIANT ASS LIGHT BEAM FROM NOWHERE.



That works too.

Who could have saved us? Lucia's out of commission, so that could only mean...



It's Leo! And his bitchin' theme.


: With the Goddess Althena providing the power, this ship is invi... but, I have better things to do than brag about my ship. Althena has sent me to capture a destroyer that has come to our world. And I don't intend to let her down!
: I still don't see how or why a destroyer would come here...

I don't how or why, but you were there when Zophar did the zappy-zappy to Lucia! You know for a fact there's a destroyer here!

: ...

Yes, exactly!

: N... no... it's not right... It must be some sort of mistake...
: You have no authority to doubt me, old man. This destroyer I'm looking for is in that tower... I bet my life on it. It's my job to smoke it out and deliver it to Althena. And, if it resists, Althena has given me authority to eradicate it. You're out of your league here. Just go home.
: Of all the... I can't believe how rude he is! He works for Althena?



Fine, fine. You have fun in the Blue Spire. We got shit we gotta do.




: And you seem to be sick... what has made you weak, girl?

Huh. This is an awkward situation. Wait, since she arrived at the Blue Spire Leo might think... well, that's silly. We saw- er, we heard Zophar. If anything's a destroyer, it's that. Hell, Lucia couldn't destroy a crippled kitten. If we explain this to Leo, maybe he'll understa-


: We barely escaped. If you hurry, you may catch it!

Or we could do that. That's cool too.

: Ha! Exactly as I suspected! The destroyer is in the tower! C'mon men, let's go!



: He he he! He fell for it! That was close...

Man, when Leo gets out, he's gonna be pissed. well, unless Zophar's still there. In which case... Leo may not come out.

: Hurry kids, we must get Lucia back to the house, she's weakening... maybe then she can tell us exactly why she needs to see Althena... And, more importantly, how she expects to find her...

Frankly, I don't think she knows that last one. But still, Gwyn's got a point. Let's head back.



I'm thinking we should avoid Leo and his buddies for a while. Just a thought.

Fortunately, it's not much a trek back.




: Ah, this will do nicely! Okay Hiro, you stay here with Lucia. I'll go downstairs and see if there's a book that says how to break the curse.



So, uh... want some juice or crackers? That's about as much as we can do here.

: I... ahh.... nooooo...!
: Hiro, Leo says that Lucia is a destroyer. Do you think she really is?
: ...

Well, no, he didn't really say that at all. He said there was a destroyer coming to the Blue Spire, which is of course how we met our cursed friend, but that doesn't mean that Lucia is strictly speaking that same destroyer. It's of course, possible, but possible does not been definitely or even likely. After all-


Oop, my bad. Cutscene time.

: Ugh... Zo- Zophar... you can't...
: Hiro, she's having some kind of nightmare. Poor thing...


: Lucia?
: Listen carefully. I must find Althena as soon as possible. Zophar- aaah! Zophar is... the essence of evil. If he regains power, your world will be destroyed. His strength grows by the second. I came... to stop him... aahh!
: Then Leo is wrong! Lucia came to save our world!

Or she's one hell of a liar.


: ...this world will cease to exist if Zophar... is... not... stopped... for the sake of the humans here... I... must... stop him...

Although if she's a liar, this is some confusing and contradictory determination to her lie.

Oh, I'd like to mention that in the remake, the little anime cutscene with Lucia on the pillow is cut. She still says the same lines, but it's done in-game. Not sure why they cut it, but whatever.

: Humans? Lucia, why did you say that? Y... you mean to say you're not human?

Yes. We have established this. How humans do you know float?

: ...I... am.... unghh...

Well, I thought you were Lucia, but nice to meet you, Unghh.

: Hiro, it appears that this curse is beyond anything I can cure myself.



Oh hi Grandpa! Forgot you were still in this scene.

: We're going to have to find a priest with special training to dispel it. I think that there's a priest by the name of Ronfar in the village of Larpa. Used to know his father. He's a good kid. Maybe he can help us. You must take Lucia to him, Hiro. Since Larpa is on the other side of the sea, you'll need my boat. I've got everything ready. Meet me outside.



Wait, you could jump on that thing? What actually is that thing, now that I think about it.

We can ponder that later. Time to get sail-

: Okay Lucia, just so we're straight on a few things, I'll tell you this: Hiro is helping you out 'cause he's a nice guy, but he's all mine. Got that? I don't want you moving in on my territory.

What. Uh, Ruby. I think there's a bit of basic biology that no one has ever taught you...

: ...what... what do you mean by that? I... I don't understand...
: I mean you shouldn't get too close to Hiro, because you'll set yourself up for a fall.
: Oh... Does Hiro... trip people that... get too close? I'll remember to... walk ten paces... behind him.
: No no no! That's not what I'm talking about! You're so dense, you can't possibly be a threat to my love for Hiro. Let's just go!

Not pictured: Hiro's reaction, which I like to imagine is plugging his fingers in his ears and yelling, "LA LA LA."

Anyway, let's go meet up with Gwyn. And no, we can't jump on that.




: Hopefully you'll be able to find a way to help Lucia.
: But, Grandpa Gwyn! Aren't you going with us?
: Lord no, little one! I'm just too old for this sort of thing now.
: But Grandpa!
: No 'but's' about it, young man. I can't make the trip!

But as they sail away Hiro suddenly convinces Gwyn to come with them, and Gwyn makes a dramatic lea-

No that doesn't happen in any version of the game. Don't be silly.

: You'll do fine. I've taught you well, and you're a bright boy. Besides, I've got a million books to catch up on... now get moving!

Gwyn's excuse for not helping us cure a fatally cursed girl and help her on her world-saving quest: fuck you I've books to read. Cold, man.



But whatever! We've got fantastic boat adventure time now! Let's go.









And that was the fantastic boat adventure.

Now that we've sailed across the desert (Try not to think about it too hard; geology was never the Lunar series's strong point) time to head to Larpa. It's a pretty short jaunt, but long enough for us to get attacked by-



Oh you fuckers again! At least this time they didn't hide you in some far away corner where no one would ever see you. Let's hope they give out decent EXP for once.



The Death Worms will actually attack you... but it's strangely rare. I think you have to be positioned just right. Otherwise they'll just keep sucking you in, and that does no damage.



Other than that, not much to say about the trip.



Not as exciting as arriving in Meribia for the first time, I must say.

While this is a bit short, we've had enough excitement for today. Next time we hopefully cure our red friend!