Part 10: The Plot is in Another Castle

Update 10: The Plot is in Another Castle



I haven't mentioned this before, but every time you want to go across the sea between Shusoran and Rysel, you have to spend about 30 seconds staring at the boat as it makes the trip. The boat even has its own music, which has time to loop twice before you get to the other side.



There are new cyborgs around Rysel, but they're nothing special. Dogbots have a weak Foi technique and die in a couple of hits.



The Layan palaces still kick us out even though Ayn is half Layan and was raised in Layan society. Guess we're not going to be able to use them without Laya's pendant.



Hey, while we're here, why not head back through the cave to Landen and pay Rhys's old family a visit?



Because we can't, that's why not. Lune's army is blocking this cave. This would be confusing as hell if we hadn't already done Nial's path, because Ayn's path doesn't really have anything to do with Lune at all.



There's nowhere else to go on Aquatica, so on we go through the cave to Aridia!



More cyborgs, and they're starting to get a little stronger now. Seekers are a lot like Dogbots but slightly tougher, while Agribots have a weak Gra technique and a fairly strong physical attack.



Once we get out onto the surface of Aridia, we face Stixes and Lazrbots, which both have fairly powerful Foi techniques (about 10 damage a pop).



"Since we're trying to find out where this army of killer cyborgs came from, why don't I ask around at a town full of cyborgs? Nothing can go wrong with this plan!"



"They have the Twins' Ruby, the key to Landen."

Try not to think too hard about why the Twins' Ruby is in the hands of the Layans in Ayn's path and Ryan in Nial's path; just be glad these cyborgs aren't trying to kill us.

The cyborgs also tell us that Lena's daughter has a gem called the Power Topaz, which is needed to travel from the eastern world to Satellite! Sounds like we'll want to head to Landen and pay her a visit at some point. For now, though, let's go see our family.



They're in the same cave where Rhys found Wren back in the first generation. It's due west of Hazatak, in case you'd forgotten.



Lyle's been wounded in battle again, and this time his people aren't sure if he's going to recover. Also, his daughter's been kidnapped. Do we have to go around and rescue everybody in this game?



"She has been taken to the east by our enemies. The key to the eastern world is in this chest. The Dragon's Tear will unlock the cave."



A chest mysteriously appears in front of us, and we collect another gem.



"You are our last hope. Be brave, Ayn."

It doesn't look like Ayn's parents can do much to help him right now, so we may as well get moving.



Our destination is more or less due east of Hazatak, which means we have to walk all the way across the world from the cave where the Layans are holed up.



This is the first new dungeon we've seen in this chapter so far.



For some reason, whoever is building these cyborgs decided it would be a good idea to model some of them after Chirpers. They appear in large groups and can attack with Foi techniques for moderate damage. Eh.



Anyway, this dungeon is straightforward enough, although getting all the treasure requires a long detour or two. Head straight up, then all the way to the right for a Force Ribbon (headgear for Mieu). Head back to the entrance, then south, east, turn north at the first chance you get and follow the path for a Laser Shot. After that, just head all the way south, go west for a Ceramic Helm for Ayn, all the way to the east, and north to the exit.



"We have now arrived in the world of Draconia."



Just from the world map, you can already tell that we're going to be doing a lot of walking from one end of the world right around to the other.



The first town we can visit on this world is Lensol, and it's some way to the southeast of where we entered.



"They may have tales of Satellite."

Looks like we've got our next lead on our quest, if only we can find a way to get to that island.



We can also get some new body armour for everyone in our party. Oh, and the Force Emel is another of those items that can be used for unlimited healing, if you need it and can spare the cash.



I wouldn't recommend buying any new weapons yet: there are better ones in the next town.



Which is, as it happens, where we're headed next! Our destination is the town of Endora in the far north of the world, across those big land formations that look sort of like dragon heads.



Along the way, we meet... giant clockwork-powered houseflies. They hit fairly hard and can also poison you. There are also Demonflies, which are exactly the same thing only green and with more HP, so I'm not going to bother posting a screenshot of them.



"... cross over the sea. The Engineers live there."
"You say that as if crossing the sea is the easy part."



"... princess is held against her will."



"That place is infested with powerful monsters. I opened the castle gate but I couldn't get in."

Yeah, that's right: we have to head here, on the opposite side of the world from Lensol, in order to find out that the castle gate in Lensol is open (it was closed before), so that we can go back to Lensol, enter the castle and rescue the princess.



This is why I told you not to bother buying weapons back in Lensol. We can now one-shot almost everything just like we did at the end of the previous generation. Hot tip: pick up a pair of Laser Slicers while you're here. You'll thank me later.



None of the stuff in the armour shop is particularly useful to us, so it's time to trudge back to Lensol.



Lensol's castle isn't too complicated, although there are a few paths that lead nowhere. Go north until you're almost at the throne room, then turn east and follow the path around to the stairs leading down.



Along the way you'll run into Chirpbots, because apparently one robot modelled after the weakest enemy in the game just wasn't enough. They're the same as Warblbots but even weaker.



Anyway, once you're in the dungeon, head south for a Trimate if you can be bothered, then go back to the room with the stairs and head east. You'll soon reach a room with a Monomate; from the room after that one, go north and follow the path to another set of stairs.



From here, it's easy: just head south until you reach the stairs leading back into the dungeon, then follow the south wall all the way to the east.



"So you're the princess I'm supposed to be rescuing -- hey, wait, it's you!"



"I have the Twins' Ruby; it should come in handy. Please take me to my father right away!"

Now let's review what we've just learned here. Thea was abducted by an army of cyborgs who held her prisoner in Lensol Castle, apparently without the people of Lensol knowing anything about it at all. However, the people of Endora, on the other side of the world from Lensol, somehow managed to find out about all of this.

I give up. It's not worth trying to understand this game's plot any more.



At least we've now got a new party member! Her preferred weapons are slicers, which hit an entire row of enemies, and she learns Melee and Heal techniques (although she's not particularly good with them). Once we level her up enough to not die in one hit, she'll be pretty useful.

If you followed my advice and picked up those Laser Slicers when you could, equip them on Thea now: they raise her damage output enough that she can often wipe out the row she's attacking in one round, especially with help from Wren's Ceramic Shot. If you didn't buy the slicers, well, you'll have to walk back to Endora and buy them now, won't you?

Next update: we head back to Aridia for a family reunion!