Part 46: Prelude to Major Shit Going Down

Chapter 39: Prelude to Major Shit Going Down

All right guys, this is it. We've broken all the seals, and we're ready to assault Pentagulia. For those of you playing at home, if you've got something you want to do, aside from buying items, do it now. We'll be reaching a point of no return shortly.



Ronfar's possible grandfather tells you Pentagulia is "across the sea," but that's misleading. As I mentioned earlier, from Raculi you want to go north while hugging the coast.



For whatever reason they play a cutscene. It's just this image with a music sting. I don't know.


: I'm certain that Althena's imposter has closed the transmission spring by now. So, the only way to get back to Althena's Tower will be to break Zophar's seal. Once we arrive, I can try to use Dragon Power to break it. Hopefully there will be enough power... and then... ...oh, Althena must trust me, even if the result is...
: ...?

You know, considering we've gone this far with her, I do think Hiro is within his rights to-




Oh god damn it no one invited you to this party!

: Ha ha ha! My, my, my... You've been busy little beavers haven't you?
: Ghaleon!
: What are you doing here?
: Ah, but you see... Zophar's restoration is not quite complete and you've been making faster progress than we expected. Therefore, it's my job to create a little...crisis. Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"


: You have joined with Zophar to destroy this world!
: Me? Destroy the world? Oh dear, that sounds so, so... barbaric. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm... I love it. But, don't confuse my intentions, sweet child. I fully intend to recreate the world with Zophar once the impurities are removed.

I'm frightened to think what a Ghaleon created world would be like. So much ABBA...

: And, I've decided to start my impurity abatement program with you, Lucia. Wave bye-bye to your little boyfriend, dear. I sense a coming... chill in your relationship... Ha ha ha ha ha!

You're not sending us to the cooler, buddy!



Oh. Man, that wasn't ice of him.


: If he had minded his own business, he'd still be alive. But, now that he's out of the way, Lucia is all mine!
: Hiro?! ....Hiro!! NO!
: ...
; Hiro! Why did you...
: Ha ha ha! Poor, lost, little Lucia. You care for Hiro more than yourself. That's so touching. You know, there is a way you can save your true love. If you were to give me the secret of the Blue Tower's true power, I could...
: Ghaleon! How do you know about the Blue Tower's secret power?
: Ha ha ha. I know many things, my dear. I also know that you now control the destiny of your little Hiro. Go to Pentagulia and finish your mission, or return to the Blue Tower to save Hiro. It's up to you... hm hm hm hm hm... Stay cool, Birdboy.






And now we have a Hirosicle on our hands. This part of the game is a bit different in the remake. Many of the same story beats are there, but they've been shuffled around, certain lines go to different characters, that sort of thing. Hiro's cold shoulder, however, was removed in the remake. In the remake, Ghaleon just threatens the gang, Lucia protects them, he fucks off, and then you go to Pentagulia.


: Looks like our luck's taken a turn for the worse... damn that Ghaleon!
: If Ghaleon can change a human into crystal, who can stop him?
: Lucia has the power to save Hiro and stop Ghaleon... he said it himself.
: If I use the secret power of the Blue Tower, I can save Hiro... but that would...



Also absent from the remake? We're controlling Lucia now. As you might expect, we're severely restricted; we can't access the menu, for one.


: I owe you everything.
: Lucia, we have to hurry and get to the Blue Spire to restore Hiro.
: But, there's no time. Zophar is...

And we can walk around, talking to... wait, she's not seriously considering leaving Hiro to die?


: I know you're not that cold-hearted! You simply can't be...
: ...

She totally is.


: ...Ronfar, continue the course to Pentagulia.
: But that's the opposite direction of the Blue Spire! If you don't go there and restore Hiro, that will be the... end of... him...
: He was stricken trying to save your life! How can you turn your back on him now?
: Ruby, please understand. I must accomplish my task, or all will be...
: I'm not listening! La la la la...


: But I will not let Hiro die like this! I'm going to the port at Dalton. I can take him to the Blue Spire from there. Maybe I can figure out how to revive him. You can do what you want.
: Ronfar, you don't understand anything! If Zophar revives before Althena, he will seize Althena's power, and become the most powerful being in the universe, with the absolute power of creation and destruction. Once his evil is infused with this power, it will be the end of everything! This is our only chance to stop him.
: But, Lucia...
: I am Lucia, guardian of the Blue Star. I came here to save the world. I must continue my mission, regardless of the cost. Do what you must, Ronfar.




: ...



Can Lucia really do this? Is this really the end of Hiro?



What do you think?

: Now you can finish the mission at the cost of your only true friend.
: Yes, my mission nears its end. But, instead of joy, all I feel is pain... as if a burning knife twists within my heart, scraping away my soul... my life... ...
: Well, duh! Your pain is caused by the fact that you've abandoned Hiro.


: But, if I don't go to Pentagulia now, Zophar will take control, and the world will-
: Will what? Explode? Implode? Turn into a giant tin of sardines? C'mon Lucia! You're placing true love on the altar of trust and spitting on it! Show a little respect! You know what's right, so just do it!
: You don't understand... the danger is...
: ...still gonna be there when we get back, so let's go and revive Hiro now!
: Oh Ruby, I hope Hiro knows what a true friend you are. All right, let's go to the Blue Spire so I can resurrect Hiro.



You heard the lady. To Pentagulia!



Right, the barrier's still up. And to break it we'd need the Four... Dragons... So if Ruby doesn't want to we can't break through the barrier anyway. Clever girl.

So there's not really anything to do but to go back down.



Just keep going south until you hit the bottleneck, and Dalton's on the left. Go up on the ramp and head south then east, towards Larpa, then keep heading east until you hit the water.



Hello location we saw at the beginning of the game! We still can't do anything here.



Despite the urgency of our mission, the game still allows you to pretty much go anywhere and park, however the rest of the party won't join you. There's no point in doing it; you still can't access the menu, you can't buy anything (but you can enter towns and talk to NPCs) and if you get into battle Lucia will just run away.

We will, however, make one stop.



We broke your grandson. Sorry.

: What?! He was turned into crystal? Oh... lad! Why... how did this happen?
: I'm sorry Gwyn. It's my fault. He tried to save my life... But, I promise. One way or another, I will return the favor and revive him!

Anywho, back to the Destiny.



In other news, Ronfar is still kinda goofy.

Now the path to the Blue Spire via Destiny is not the same path you took on foot. And no, you can't walk to the Blue Spire. If you arrive at the Blue Spire on foot Ruby will just tell you to go back and fetch Hiro.



You want to go north from the Dragon Ruins (you know, where you started the game?) until you reach this flat land. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to find this, and I was using a map. (In my defense, this area is right on the seam.)


: If the world is destroyed because of my decision, you'll never forgive me. Before I met you, my thoughts were so clear. I had simply to come here and accomplish my simple mission. But now... Oh, Hiro! What shall I do? Nothing makes sense anymore... Regardless of what happens, know that I will always...
: Lucia! It's the Blue Tower! We're here! Let's get moving and restore Hiro!
: ...okay, Ruby. I'm coming.





It's time to walk through the first dungeon again, at least the first part of it. I can see why this part was removed, it slows the game down, but the remake missed out on my favorite part of this bit.





Hee hee hee... look at him go!

Anywho, they're nothing really going on until we reach the Spire, except for getting petty Jean-shaped revenge against slimes.


: It's where we have to take Hiro.



No Lucia don't do it don't destroy art!



Oh. Uh, okay.


: But humans are forbidden to enter... I don't know what will happen if you do.

Absolutely nothing.

: You could all die with Hiro.
: It's our only chance, we've got to try... for Hiro. You must be able to protect us somehow.
: I'm not certain, but I'll try. Come then. Hiro's time grows short.

Well, he's not getting any warmer out here. Let's go in.


: Whoa! This is fantastic! I've never seen anything like it!

Actually, yes you have.



: This has been collecting the magic of your world for many thousands of years. The power it collected was to be used to restore the Blue Star someday... and restoring the Blue Star is the reason for my being.
: You mean, your whole life is dedicated to restoring the Blue Star.
: ...

Now I'd like to interject that there is another pretty major difference in the English version here. Apparently, in the original what Lucia says is that Lunar exists to restore the Blue Star. Kind of a big change.

Of course, the alternative of Lucia existing for the Blue Star isn't unreasonable, although honestly one can deduce that. But then we're getting into Lucia's exact nature and ain't that a clusterfuck...

Although to it me it feels more like potential sequel bait. _{For a sequel that never fucking happened...}

: If we use some of the power that's collected here, it should revive Hiro. I'll transport him to the center of the circle.



He literally just glides up there. ...I find it funny.









Yeah, I don't know how you did that one either, buddy.

: L... Lucia? Where... where am I? What is this place?
: Hiro?! Oh Hiro! You're alive again!
: You had us all worried there for a while!
: Ya got eight lives left, kiddo.
: Whew! I was scared this wouldn't work and we'd have to face Zophar alone!
: We would have paid almost anything to get you back!

Almost.

: Now that Hiro is restored, we must go to Pentagulia immediately! Zophar may already have the power of Althena!

Now that the 5-minute crisis is over, to Pentagulia! Again. Let's leave the tower an-




: Nall!
: Time is short. If we don't hurry, Zophar will return! We must go to Pentagulia. The Blue and Black Dragons are waiting near there. We have to attack while Zophar is still weak. Let's go!



Thankfully, Nall saves us the trip.








: But, are you sure? Is it possible that he's already revived?
: Not completely. We may still have time, if we can find Althena. But, first we must summon the Dragons to help destroy the barrier. That will open the way to the Goddess Tower.

Well then, let's get this party started!


: Dragons of Althena, come forth!




: This is it! Let's go!


: Let's rock!







Fuck yeah!

Although now that I think about it, there were a lot of innocent people in Pentagulia.



Well, guess they're dead now.


: Mega cool!
: Read 'em and weep, Zophar!
: They did it! Pentagulia's destroyed!


: Yeah! This is it; let's go!


: We must find her before he can accomplish that. Time is running out. We must hurry!



In case you were wondering; no, we can't go anywhere in Pentagulia except for the Goddess Tower. Not that there was anything in Pentagulia, really, but there you go.



Oh hey. Look who survived.

: Oh Pentagulia... what has become of you? How in the name of Zophar have Althena's Dragons found release? Zophar... I must make Master Zophar hear my plea! Master Zophar... Master Zophar!!!



One would think that she'd be in frequent contact with her subordinates, and realize there was a problem when they stopped reporting in, but apparently not. At least when Ghaleon hired his subordinates, he got a pretty girl with brains.

Next time, we're following her into the tower.