Part 20: The end of the whole mess

Previously, on Let's Play: Paladin's Quest

It all started about eighteen chapters ago. Johnny the young lad pictured here accidentally activated Dal Gren, the ancient engine of destruction. The headmaster of his Magic school immediately tasked him with finding a way to destroy it. Johnny was overwhelmed by the scope of the job and wandered the world in search of an answer.

The first thing he did on his quest was rescue the young girl Mindy from kidnappers. Her background and appearance were eerily similar, so she joined him on his quest. Together they jumped from one corner of Lennus to another, searching for a means to destroy Dal Gren

They didn't always get along of course, but they stuck together through it all.

Eventually the two crossed paths with the evil Lord Zaygos, the ruler of Saskuot, the southern continent of Lennus. He constructed Noi Gren, a similar machine in the image of Dal Gren. Sacrificing the ancient items they had gathered to destroy Dal Gren. Johnny and Mindy destroyed Noi Gren, and disrupted Zaygos' plans

Needing another way to destroy the still looming threat of Dal Gren Johnny and Mindy learned of their true origins, and traveled back in time. With help from heroes of the past Johnny learned the ultimate magic. When they returned to the present Johnny and Mindy discovered the true nature of Dal Gren. It is a vast engine which gives physical from to the anger and aggression of the person who activates it. Further Zaygos had taken control of Dal Gren, and moved it to the apparently inaccessible Throne of the Immortals. This is where we now rejoin our heroes.

We can't land on the Throne of the Immortals, and rope network access is cut off. Zaygos probably thinks he's gotten things locked up pretty tight. But we know a secret don't we Mindy? You can access the Throne through the underground. Let's do this!

The headmaster moved from his spot. I don't believe it. Something beyond disastrous must have happened.

What's up high master donothing?

Yeah we know that. As usual you're completely worthless.

You're supposed to be the greatest spiritualist on the continent. You could have at least slowed him down. You know, heroic sacrifice to save the world and all that?

It wasn't at full power before? How many times are you people going to omit very important facts that I should really, really know?

I already found that. What do you only deal in stale information? Screw you anyway guy. Do you know ultimate magic. I thought not, you were a bad teacher, and you're a bad person.

This is it Mindy. We're going to our likely deaths. Nobody else on the face of this planet will even try to stop Zaygos though. So we've got to do something.

Looks like Zaygos knew we were coming after all. The robots in the underground have been upgraded.

Zaygos' reserve special forces have also flooded into the underground. Looks like it's going to be a fight the whole way.

Here we are. Jo-An the prophet is still alive. That's a big oversight on Zaygos' part. If I were evil I wouldn't have passed up the chance to kill someone like him. He just handed over the armor of Kormu to the heroes for crying out loud.

You guess you must help me? You guess? What an ass. Mindy, haven't we earned just a smidgen of respect from these people after all we've done? Further this only demonstrates what I was talking about. With him here to refresh us we can now assault Dal Gren at full strength.

This is it. Give it all you've got everyone.

Those conduits have power flowing through them now. The whole thing's lit up like it's a festival. This is probably not good.

Hey it's that broken bridge that didn't go anywhere. So that's what is for. Access to the core when it's docked with the Throne of the Immortals. There's someone standing there Looks like a kid. Odd, I'd better take a closer look.

Of course I remember you duchess. I'm glad to see you're alive. Have you been hiding inside Dal Gren all this time. That's actually kind of smart.

Yes and I remember someone screaming like a girl and running away.

The what now?

The hell is wrong with you? Though the insults are about on par for what you usuall come up with, Duchess.

If you know me so well, then you probably know how bad I'm going to trounce you if you keep this up.

Parade? What are you. Oh shit on a hotplate! You've got to be kidding me.

Duke was Zaygos the whole time! Wait a minute. You bastard! This explains everything. You took down all the "Warning: Do not press this button!" signs didn't you? I'm going to kick your ass so hard you'll burn up on reentry!

Yeah I did, and that's nothing compared to what I'm about to do to you.

I'm prepared to cause you the greatest pain you've ever known!

That's a neat robe, or armor or whatever the hell it is. It's a shame I'm about to cut it up, and burn it.

As a boss Zaygos only has a couple attacks, but he hits pretty hard. He's only really vulnerable to the Spriit spell. Regular attacks work, but not very well.

When you hit him enough he emits sparks and changes into a second, more elaborate form.

As you can see he's got ricer highlighting now. In this form he can only really be hurt by the spirit spell.

Which Johnny does repeatedly until Zaygos falls over.

Acknowledge me as the Ubermensch you substandard pile of genetic garbage!

Uhh, can he do that?

The black ooze apparently says he can.

And his shirt's off. He's got less chest hair than I do. That's one of the standard measurements of relative power. The lest chest hair you have the stronger you are.

There's Kaymat. I think we're in trouble Mindy.

Yes we are in serious trouble. His sudden pretty boy look contrasted by the hediousness of sprouting from Kaymat's forhead indicates his strength is beyond comprehension. Everyone evasive action!

Too late! I remember this move. This is going to hurt! Actually it didn't hurt as bad as last time Of course I'm sixty times stronger than I was back then.

Wait, you can't attack again! Shit he's become so powerful he can attack more than once a turn.

Buff up everyone this is going to be rough.

The Spirit spell works well, but nothing else does.

Here's his third attack. I call it the bigass claw.

Another swipe of the claw puts JRasav out cold. Hang in there everyone! The magic defense buff isn't working. What's going on? Yeah Mindy that makes sense. If his attacks aren't magical the buff wouldn't do any good. What? Yeah I guess if his attacks aren't magical then they have to be physical. Yes Mindy I was thinking the same thing. Try the Attack Back spell, it reflects physical damage.

Sweet we've got him where we want him now!

Keep up the attacks. G, try to keep us buffed.

That's a new attack, but it also counts as a physical attack.

This is turning into a real knock down drag out isn't it!

The giga bottle is a life saver. Though with only nine charges you have to time it's use carefully

Yeah that's right keep hitting us dumbass! With that final attack Zaygos actually beats himself for our heroes. Sealing his place in history as a total chump.

Mindy I can't believe it! We did it. It's finally over.

As is traditional with final bosses, the whole place starts to explode.

Poor Zaygos nothing. He was a megalomaniacal murderer with no heart Mindy.

That's a log run Mindy, but I agree we'd better get out of here.

Mindy are you sure you're okay. I think Kaymat might have punched you in the head one time too many.

Here's the exit. Is that Jo-An waiting for us by our floating time maching? How did it get here? Mindy did you give him the keys? Clever girl, but how did he land it here? I couldn't.

The tower's collapsing. I still can't believe we did it.

Hey Mindy now that we saved the world can I hold your hand?

She said yes! WooHoo!

To Be Continued

Even though Mindy and Johnny have triumphed over Zaygos and Dal Gren they still things aren't quite over. We've still got a chapter to go. I'll see you tomorrow with the next update.