Part 26: ARC III: Part 4: My Lodite To Burn. (This 'joke/pun' doesn't even work or make sense on any level.)

ARC III: Part 4: My Lodite To Burn. (This 'joke/pun' doesn't even work or make sense on any level.)



Gladly.
Wake up!!



There's work to be done.

This place is nice... but why did you guys come here? There's nothing really going on.

Pearlton is not the reason we came. The Sacred River Monastery is. There might be valuable information there.

Right... the monastery. Sounds pretty boring to me.

Then go home.

No way!

Enough chat. We should get going. We don't know how long it will take for us to get there.

...


There's actually two paths north out of Pearlton, but we can't use the other, and this is the actual way to the Monastery anyway.





Aaaaaa of course not.

What's going on?

What happened?

CAPTAIN: Our base here came under attack yesterday. Travel to the monastery is closed until this matter is resolved.

What sort of attack?

CAPTAIN: A quick one. There was a large explosion that damaged the building, but nobody was hurt. Whoever was behind it was gone by the time the smoke cleared.

Whoa! That's hardcore!

Any suspects?

CAPTAIN: Well... there is a fire elemental who has been seen in the forest. Most of the guards suspect her, but I have doubts.

Really? Seems like a fire elemental would be a pretty obvious culprit!

CAPTAIN: Well, the thing is... although there have been people who have been burned by her in the woods, she has never been seen outside of them.
Why would she suddenly attack our base? Still... we really don't have any other suspects. Pearlton is normally so quiet. We may have to go after her.

When do you think the road will be opened again?

CAPTAIN: Hard to say. A few days, perhaps?

Understood. Thanks for the information.


...


So with the road closed we backtrack back to town and take the other path north. An 'Eagle Path'.



Nothing we can't handle.

Probably true... But in case we do run into any trouble, we should be prepared.
The party wanders into the trees to change.



gahaha



Mmmhm.



That Thing is not nearly grotesque enough to be The Thing. Anyway, this area actually has a fair amount of enemy types most of which drop an item we need for crafting. In terms of combat ability, none of them are anything special except for The Thing having lots of status inflicting attacks.







How are we going to bring that bridge down?

Leave it to my two best friends!

We didn't bring you along to let us do all the work!

I was talking about my guns, B-Man. Now stand back and let "us" work.



















So, these two bars move pretty quickly and flash green when you'd score a hit but you can't rely on that. Best to just adjust to the speed of the bars. Oh yeah, and you can't change your aim on the fly. So if you're having Finley shoot at a moving target and it moves, you have to cancel out and aim again.





Shooting those two posts lets the bridge come down.









As you probably guess, secret recipes are even more powerful. From ARC III on there's usually two per arc, I think. Also they tend to be costly. It takes me a bit of grinding just to get nine foxtails for one of these, let alone the other items we could make using them.... Also a Naruto reference I guess. I haven't watched/read Naruto but didn't he have a ninetail fox demon and/or kitsune inside him or some crap?



Shroud actually learns an ice type spell.





There's probably a damn nearby. Normally I don't think it would be so shallow.
Just a little further up the way...



Take it easy. There's no need to destroy this whole dam. We can use one log as a bridge.

What a waste of my talents. Oh well, let's do this.







A... guy appears from the depths of the river.

Those are lodites. Some live among the other races, but most of them hide out in places like this.

Why are they bothering to give us a hard time? We're not doing anything to them.

I'm sure they don't like that we're messing with this dam that they've made.

Let's tell them to back off! We need to get through here.

No use. These wild ones won't understand our language.

They'll understand bullets!



So, the lodites move up and down. The first few go pretty slow but the further along you go, the faster they get, until you get to the point you're placing the aim cursor a few tiles in head of them.



Good work, Finley. Let's keep moving.



This is actually an agility boosting move.

In the next area...



Looks like they're still angry. I'll have to bust some more caps.
The lodite disappears under water.

So much for that.

I won't be harassed by these fools. Come on.





So we make our way through a series of bridges. If you get hit by theres... water... bubbles? You start over at the start of the bridge you were on when you got hit. It involved a lot of waiting to learn the pattern of water/bubble blasts and timing.







Some of the patterns are quite tricky, like the one guarding the bridge here. But after a while, I make it.



Now they tell us.
That path to the left leads to the guard post as well, and the guards wont let us pass.









These guys blast away with such great timing on either side that its probably impossible to get by.

Talk about holding a grudge. These guys need some serious therapy.

In any case, we probably should look for another way across.
So I backtrack a bit and go through a clear space off to the east.



You know... for a second there... yeah, I did.



Great idea except you forget that this river is teeming with lodites.





They just make it slightly more interesting. If we get stuck in one I can time my wind magic to shoot us out of it.

If you say so. I just have a feeling this is going to end badly.



So, while in the whirlpool, the log spins. Slowly for the first few whirlpools, but as you go on you have to start worrying about timing more and more. Shroud propels the logs in the opposite direction of which he's facing too.





And you can nab optional treasures by going the wrong way.





When you hit the next screen, a cutscene starts.







Wow Finley probably just said a slur.

I doubt that. They're up to something.

Can't be anything good.



The lodites begin swimming around the log faster and faster.

The log's not gonna last if this keeps up... we're in for it now.

Everyone hold on!!















So, you use the WASD keys to dodge attacks for a while and after 4 or 5 dodges, one of the lodites will do one last attack and you have to press the arrow keys starting from left, anticlockwise, I believe, to make Shroud counterattack. If Stoic's hit four times, game over. After he's counterattacked all four lodites once each, they all rush in to attack him.



It does not go well for them.



"Looks like I am not too late."


...



... Yeah... cough... Sheesh... We almost bought it that time.
... He's not dead, is he?



I didn't know you cared, B-Man.

I don't! If you were dead then we would have to waste more time burying you! Now get up!

That was cold.

We got lucky that one of us doesn't need to breathe.

I'll say. I saw all my money flash before my eyes.

Thanks for getting us out of that bind, pal.

You're welcome. Now let's get back to the mission. There can't be too much trail left from here.



Ohh, shack with a crafting anvil...



You have this whole place all to yourself? Seems like you've done pretty well.

I don't take it for granted. I had to fight long and hard for what I got!

Fight? Against who?

The fairy government thinks they can just run a shoestring budget! There are some of us in the field who don't even have armor!
Damn fiscal conversatives.

No armor in a place like this? That's a death wish!

No kidding, my brother! That was how it was for me at first. Until that day when one of those foxes took a bite out of my wings!
After that, I went to the Fairy Armed Services Committee and lobbied hard for some real protection. They ignored me at first but I kept at it!
Eventually, they sent some workers out here to build this shack just so I would stop bothering them.

But what of all the other fairies out there? Stuck in dungeons without the armor they need? Outrageous!

No kidding, skelly. If the fairy government could just stop deficit spending, maybe they could find the money!

What's the world coming to? I've been going on adventures for centuries, and I always knew there would be a fairy close by if I needed one.
Now they want to pinch pennies by putting your safety on the line?! I won't stand for it!

You should contact the fairy representative in your area.

Some other time, perhaps. For now, we have plenty of other things to worry about.

I know, you warriors have more important things going on... but what can I help you with?
I ask her for boss info.



And with that, we can move on. By going south of where we washed up, we find we're past the blocked bridge and there's a path to the west into the woods that leads to...







Yes, it's just north of here. How on earth did you make it through the woods? This area's dangerous!

... Zala? Is that you?



Yes, it is Zala, of Seth's party in Clean Slate.

I'm Stoic.

Stoic... oh, of course! By Arcadius, I haven't seen you in ages!

Huh? I'm a bit lost. Who is this?

This is Zala. She and I fought in the wars against Gallia together!
Before you ask if Stoic's shown up in Clean Slate and I just haven't mentioned him, the answer is no.

Oh yeah! I knew that name was familiar! Wow, it's crazy to meet you! And Stoic, you fought in that war too?

Better believe it.

You both served under Arius Sherron, right?

That we did. Those were dark times, but at least we had our friends with us. Alko, Mina, Seth--

Seth? Which one was he? I'm a bit rusty on my history.

You know, she looks a little young to have--

Shh!
Zala was always a real hothead, Shroud could easily make her blow up saying the wrong thing.

Seth was a dragoon. The last of his kind. One of the most noble warriors I've ever known.

I did not have much of a chance to get to know him. He kept to himself from what I saw.

Oh, that guy! I remember him now! What a dope!
Of course, Finley is... Finley.

The calm forest music stops and is replaced with nothing.

What did you say?

That's odd... seems to be getting warmer around here.

He's the one that took on General Lysander by himself!

Woah! The General Lysander?

Yeah! That guy was ridiculous! Shroud, he would have taken you out with one blow! And Seth thought he could take him down alone... no wonder he got killed! If someone had bothered to teach him some simple common sense, he might still be alive today!
FINSTER, not content with simply upsetting Zala, goes on to spoil the Clean Slate VLP sub-lp.

Arrgh!! that's it!



What the hell?!

*groan* Finley, you stupid jackass!

What? It's true!

I really hoped to avoid this...

You knew she was a fire elemental?

Yes, but I wanted to approach the subject gracefully. If you haven't noticed yet, Zala has quite a temper!

Stop talking and start burning!!



So this is a pretty simple fight. Just have Shroud alternate between healing and using Blue Norther and have Finley and Stoic go all out with their skills. After a bunch of turns, a dialogue will start.



Yeah, she's like level 50 or some crap guy.

We've got to calm her down somehow or we're all going to be piles of ashes.

What if we--

Finley, just shut up! Don't open your mouth unless I say so! You've gotten us in enough trouble! Zala, you must stop!
Do you want this whole forest to go up in flames?!

He never stopped fighting for us! Even when they had taken everything from him! He kept going so that we could have the future he would never have! How dare you insult him! How dare you!!!

This isn't working...



I might have made a mistake.

Think so?

Giving up already, are you? I don't blame you. You're about five seconds away from being completely incinerated!

Zala, please stop! There's no need to react at all to anything Finley says! He's a complete moron!

Hey!

Finley, you can defend your statements later. Right now, we just want to focus on not dying.

I won't tolerate that kind of disrespect, Stoic! You should be helping me! You really want to let that little punk talk like that after everything we went through to make this world safe again?!

He's just ignorant! But Shroud and I, we've worked hard to try and carry on that legacy. To help people who are targeted by criminals and fanatics!
We could never forget what you or any of us did to bring Gallia down! Never!

I won't let him get away with that! I... I...






And that's that. This scene was just a curiousity the first time I played MOTW but... its much, much sadder to me now, having watched the Clean Slate VLP 1.5 times since then... Zala always got on with Seth better than the rest of the party. (she even seemed slightly resentful of Mina actually, and didn't seem close to Alko) I've always wondered if maybe she had some kind of romantic interest in Seth. Probably not, though.

Anyway, next time... We get to the Monastery, or rather, Cade does. While Stoic, Zala and Finley team up to investigate the guard post fire.

the end