Part 92: Episode LXXXVI: The Final Sidequest!
Episode LXXXVI: The Final Sidequest!
98% Quest Completion... Almost there... Just one more to go and I am free of post-apocalyptic menial tasks! Though, the question is...where the hell is the missing 2% of sidequests...?
Welp, that's what Devola's List is for, isn't it? If we return to the (no longer singing due to endgame mood change) barfly twin, she will reveal one final listing in the want ads.
The Forest of Myth...? That is a...different place for a quest. Sure, whatever... The Forest of Myth it is!
Traveling...
Sure enough, a woman has appeared by one of the tree stump houses just near the town gates. Let's get this crap over with. Hopefully with minimal textual interludes...
Final Sidequest: The Magical Stone
"Well, I had this sudden brainstorm a week ago that the REAL money is in the fortunetelling business! So I'm trying to set up shop."
"Fortunetelling, eh?" "You know it! And once I get my special gazing stone, people will be flocking in from miles around! But..." "...But?" "The stone was supposed to be delivered, but it hasn't come. No stone means no customers. And no customers means I'm eating dirt tonight! ...AGAIN!" "Can't you just get another stone?" "Well, they're pretty rare. I think Popola knows something about them, but she and I aren't really that close, so I don't want to bug her." "She's a friend of mine. Let me ask." "Oh, would you? That'd be great!" "Besides, I'm behind on my quota." "Your...quota...?" "My bugging Popola quota. Been busy all week. Haven't had a chance..." "Wh...why do you have a...bugging Popola quota...?" "Long story..."Returning to Popola... You know she's got to be wondering what in the hell Nier is still doing in town taking odd jobs when he could go rescue Yonah like a week ago...
"Oh, you mean the Eye of Power? And yes, I know it's a funny name, but that's what they're called. Why do you ask?" "Doing a favor for someone. You have any idea where I can get one?" "Hmmm... Well, there used to be some on the roof of the Lost Shrine. I suppose they're still there." "All right. I'll give the Lost Shrine a shot." "Please be careful..."Off to the Lost Shrine...
You know it's really silly to be both taking this job at this point AND traveling to the Lost Shrine for it while passing up just going off to the Shadowlord's Castle. I think Cavia realized this and probably just thought it was funny to make the player do the whole slog up and down the tower twice.
Since it is technically the end game run up the tower, the whole place is absolutely filled to the brim with Shades. We're talking about a half dozen and above popping up every twenty feet. With three mini-bosses, one on each floor. Oh well... Duty calls! Odd job duty.
All we have to go on from Popola is this magical stone is...somewhere...on the Lost Shrine roof. The roof is a pretty big area to cover. Running along the regular path to the Hansel and Gretel boss fight arena yields no results. So, what then...?
Well, just as Nier gets to the top of the tower, there is a broken wall with some jagged rebar that is slightly shorter than the rest of the crumbling walls. There also just happens to be a pushable crate nearby.
Now, there is no way to know what is over that jump or even any indication that is anything other than another part of the scenery. But, making a leap of faith will allow Nier to travel around the eastern edge of the tower summit (doing more block pushing and flying blind leaps along the way.)
When the gang makes it to the edge of the roof, yet another one of these blasted moon faced, long-limbed energy ball spewing Shades shows up for a battle. Ugh...I killed two of these just getting up here! And like six of 'em over in Facade and the desert. Knock it off, game!
A dead overused mid-boss later...
"This must be an Eye of Power."
"Oh my gosh! I can feel magic just pouring out of it!"
"I must say, I'm impressed. Telling one's fortune with such a powerful stone could produce rather accurate results."Alright, let's take this thing back to the client and get this business over with, mmm?
Returning to the Forest of Myth...
"This work for you?" "Yes! That's it! Oh, thank you! Oh, and while you're here... Hey, how about a free reading? Come on, it's the least I can do!"
The fortune reading is optional and the quest completes either way. But, we definitely want to opt to take the fortunetelling lass up on her offer.
Music: Snow in the Summer ~ Battle
Ah shit... What the hell?! Weiss, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. And it's a bit snowy to be over the rainbow...
"Shades!" "In our dreams? What cheek!" "Dreams?" "I cannot believe that we were simply whisked off to some alien land!" "Yeah, I guess..."
So yeah, we've somehow been whisked back to the summer of 2049 to re-fight the big brawl Prologue Nier and Grimoire Noir had defending Yonah. Our 3366 Nier is currently at the same level the old world Nier was by the end of this fight. He also has all the Sealed Verses instead of just a few random ones, additional party members helping out, and a much meatier weapon than a rusted pipe to defend himself. As such, this battle is pretty much cake.
It is also very fun, since really....who doesn't enjoy absolutely dominating a few hundred members of a low-level mob? This battle has so many enemies spawning in constantly that it is one of the very few times in the entire game where you can pull off the Two-Handed Swords' special ability. You know how Two-Handed weapons are heavy, unwieldy things that Nier needs to really put his back into in order to swing around? Sounds about right...
Well, guess what? After doing a 30+ hit combo chain (read: you must strike enemies solely with melee attacks 30+ times in succession. No using magic), Nier will hulk the fuck out and start swinging his gigantic slab of iron just as fast as a one-handed sword. At this point, he basically becomes death incarnate with a murder output of about 12 Shades a second. It is extremely satisfying and awesome as hell.
That said, Nier really does need to stay his blade briefly during this fight for a little side trinket. Remember where Yonah was camped out during the Prologue? Let's take a look back over there.
Our daughter from 1300 years ago has been replaced with a brand spankin' new weapon. The very last one-handed sword in the game:
Prologue Nier's Iron Pipe! It isn't a particularly good weapon seeing as it is...well, it's a rusted bar of iron tube... But hey, it's nice to come full circle with our killin' instruments. I've got a weapon story for it too... Yes, makeshift weapons from pieces of plumbing even have woeful tales...
Grimoire Nier posted:
IRON PIPE
May 21st
All the money is gone because of the food inflation caused by the war.
A lot of injured people helped me out at the church.
Yonah is slimming down. I want to get her something good to eat.
July 15th
Some nice old ladies were able to get some food.
They are homeless people like us, we can join any countries' salvation groups.
They decided to let me go with them as well. Yonah is looking very lively today.
August 1st
The nice old ladies were turned into black monsters from that book.
I ran in fear.
That old lady isn't human anymore.
They were all lying.
We can't get any money from them, nor could Yonah get any examination for her sickness.
This city is barricaded by the high walls and there is no way back out.
I shouldn't have come here.
August 5th
It's very cold today. Summer is a lie. There is a winter atmosphere.
I decided to lose the monster and hid in the supermarket.
We ate some left-over canned food, but those are gone too.
Yonah kept on coughing. I am getting a bad feeling.
Hmm...
At this point Nier is free to bludgeon the rest of the berserk Shades to death with his pipe and complete the battle. The Iron Pipe just has to be collected prior to the completion of the fight or else he'll miss out (and need to re-do the fight to try again.)
You'll know that the Prologue Battle Redux is nearing its end when the mid-boss Shade crashes out of the sky. We've fought this joker a half dozen times too. This one is probably the highest level we've faced out of the lot. But, it lacks any armor enhancements. No sweat.
"....." "...What was that?" "I cannot say, but I doubt it was a mere daydream if all of us experienced it as one." "I think I've seen that before..." "Wow! I don't know what happened, but you guys look a little shaken up." "Yeah..." "There is a deep, inner meaning behind this fortune! ...Er, but I'm not really sure what it is. Sorry. I guess I need more practice. Anyway, thanks again for the help. Stop by anytime!" <Nier receives 10,000 gold> "Actually, I think I'll pass for now..." 
"I don't know, but it gave me some serious déjà vu." "Déjà...vu...?" "Like I had been there before or something. That kind of thing. But at the same time, it felt like something was pushing down on my chest." "...Well, it was just a dream. Best to put it out of your mind."Welp, that was all pretty weird... But, more importantly...
QUEST COMPLETION 100% BITCHES!!!! CAVIA AIN'T GO SHIT ON ME, SON!!!! HAHAHA!!! 
Fortune Telling Quest Banter