Part 17: Chapter XVI: To Assemble Forbidden Power
Since the whole plotline with Yumil gathering materials for making an artifact is tied into the central plotline of the second generation, we must begin posthaste with meeting the Yurle elder. He's a nice guy, I'm sure he'll be understanding. The future of the Yurle
I have been searching for a medicine to cure my brother's illness.
So you still seem to be attached to Rasta in some small way. He is my brother... You are in a position where you may one day have to assume the burden of leadership of the Yurle clan. To think you would wander off and leave the village. You need to pay more attention to your position. You and Rasta were chosen to bear the responsibility of leadership for all of the Yurle. However, now that he is ill, he is unfit to be either a leader or your husband.
Husband? Yumil, why have you brought these people here? I have asked them to help me search for a medicine that will cure my brother. So not only did you leave the village, you've lowered yourself by mingling with people such as these.
We took her commission so it can't be helped, right? We'd appreciate it if you could let it slide.This guy, letting anything slide? Fat chance.
You are a harbinger of death. Much like a poisoned blade, you take the lives of everyone you touch. Whose life do you intend to take next?Well, can't argue with that. We already have a pretty impressive body count going already, and we're nowhere near finished.
I have no intention of causing harm to you or the villagers. As long as you agree to let Yumil become Schwarz's property, that is. What? There must be others of your clan who can serve as elder. However, only Yumil can save the world. She's a -Maiden of the Pillar-, then? Have you any proof that your words are more than base lies? Would the annihilation of the Sera people be proof? Nnn... Do as you will. But remember this. The reward for those who lie in the name of the gods is not light, but eternal darkness.
Yes... I will take my leave now. ...
I feel pretty good today. Because I get to see you after such a long time. I'm happy I'm able to see you, too. So you are the ones helping Yumil.
I apologize, intruding on you with so many people. Please, do not apologize. I should be sorry for the cramped conditions and my lack of hospitality.
Don't worry, it's not like we were expecting any when we got here. I see... Please, wait just a bit longer. We've only found one of the materials, but I'm sure we'll find the rest. Then that one is enough to catch a glimpse of the light that faintly shines down. I'm sure that more dangerous journeys lay ahead, but for our future I leave everything up to you. Please, take care of Yumil. Yeah, I'll be taking care of her, regardless of whether you want me to or not. Schwarz, you shouldn't say things like that, you know? It's the truth, right? How about you tell him about us? About you...all? Yumil what does he mean? Th-That is... Have you heard anything about the location of the other materials from Danaos? You still haven't met with him yet? I was planning on doing so after visiting with you. Then hurry on to where Danaos is. It seems like he knows something about where the materials are. Really? Then I will go see him as soon as I can.
I would do the same for you as well. However, when I think about illness... I know, you're doing all of this for me. Once I am cured, I promise to return your feelings of... Sorry for keeping you so long. You should go meet with Danaos now. I'll...be back soon. Yeah... All right, how about you show us where this Danaos guy is. Yes, this way. ... ...The party shuffles out...
Does Danaos actually know where to find the remaining materials?
Who knows? I sure don't. When I was young, I once saw the woman that was in there. Gideon, would you know anything about her? You're a guardian, right? I'm sure you've heard about the -Maidens of the Pillar- before. It seems that your younger sister is one of them. What?! Why Yumil?! Yumil and I are to be together! Urg...! Don't work yourself up like that. If you let your sickness get to you, that'll be the end of everything. I'll head on over to where Danaos is, too. Take care of yourself until all of the materials are gathered. Urk... Yumil...!I don't see this all working out, not one bit. Well, since the game considers the above to scenes to be one, and this next one its own, who am I to argue? The remaining materials
Well met, Yumil. I welcome you all as well. Long time, no see. Jainus, you have not changed one bit. No, I've gotten oh-so-very old. Also, this one's grown like a weed. So this is your son. Seeing him reminds me of just how quickly time passes... You can walk down memory lane later. You needed to talk to him, right? You are... No, you are right. Let us leave our reminiscing for later. Yumil, you have obtained the xhosa-materia, correct? Yes, here it is. However, about the remaining materials... Yes, I have done a great deal of researching regarding them. And it appears that I was able to discover a few new details. Then, do you know where we can find the remaining items?! Yes, at least for the quicksilver and the rainbow shard.
Would knowledge such as that be recorded in guardian histories? I'd be grateful if you don't ask that again. I do have my status amongst my people to consider. I take it you've moved up in the world since we last met? A function of growing older, I guess. I assume you're aware of the circumstances surrounding my clan? Of all of my people, I have achieved the most success. Originally, it was not I, but Danaos, who was slated to become the next leader.
Should you become the elder, you will have my utmost support. I just hope what I am doing now is of some help to you. To call it merely -help- is being far too humble. My brother and I are causing you trouble... If you truly think that, then please save Rasta as quickly as you can. Yes. Now then, about those materials... You will be able to find the -quicksilver- in Fendias... Once you've made your way through Nenan's Flurry, you will find a lake filled with -quicksilver-.
I am familiar with Nenan's Flurry. However...
It's infested with demons. Exactly. Very few who have entered that place have returned unharmed, if at all. That is why no one has ever mentioned that -quicksilver- could be found there. Nenan's Flurry is due south of the Agnee Snow Field. It's a fairly extensive forest, so we should be able to find it easily. That won't be a problem. As for the demons, all we have to do is kick the shit out of any we come across. Where is the rainbow shard? The -rainbow shard-... It is a somewhat touchy subject. It's a complicated matter. The Lishius clan might know more about it than I. Wonderful... They can be really irritating. But we'll just have to deal with them. The only thing left on the list is the -meteor ore-. About that... Is there someone by the name of -Gordon- in the town you live in? I hear he is a superior blacksmith. That old man? He's there.
He may possibly know something. I see, that may be a way... Yumil, you will undoubtedly face many hardships during the course of your journey. However, I believe that you will overcome them all and succeed in all that you try to do. Try your hardest for the people of Yurle, and for Rasta. Everyone, please look after Yumil. You don't need to worry about her safety. We'll be there by her side, after all. Yes. It is very reassuring that you all are with her. So, where do we go now? We can head back to town and hear what Gordon has to say... We could go to the village of the Lishius clan... Or we could make our way to Nenan's Flurry. If we want to avoid any more pointless irritations, heading to Nenan's Flurry would be the best bet...
I'm not actually sure if this part of the game is nonlinear, but the way I'll be doing it is Nenan's Flurry -> talk to Gordon about Meteor Ore -> the Rainbow Shard and the Lishius. However, making this choice now increases Eva's, Vanessa's, and Jainus' affection.
The elder of the Lishius clan is Ordine... She's generally pretty flexible about most things, but this particular topic might prove troublesome. But before we start whining, I suppose we might as well at least try. It pisses me off just thinking about it. We should just cut through the lot of them. However, I believe it would be best to leave the rainbow shard for last. Yeah, arguing with guardians isn't exactly a good idea. Wel, there's no running from it. But we should try to avoid mistakes that'll restrict our movements. If you want to keep talking in circles, you can do it without me. Where are you going? Schwarz, wait! Danaos, we shall be off now. I wish you good fortune and I will pray for the gods to protect you.
If your information is accurate, then there's no way he'll refuse. He and I are very much the same in one respect; we are both fascinated by magic. Very well then... Outdated customs must be eventually cast aside. However, doing so requires a certain amount of pain. But the coming of a new age is something that cannot be stopped. Both Yumil and Rasta will be able to fulfill their roles in that regard... I'm certain of it...I dare say Danaos may be up to something... But what, you'll just have to wait and see. Back in town, there's a bonus Yumil scene. I'd cover it normally, but it's a pretty suggestive scene, even if there's no explicit content, and I think we all need a break from those at the moment. The real reason is there's not much plot content in it, and we've got plenty of ground to cover this update anyway.
Nenan's Flurry is located via a third entrance to the Agnee Snow Field we couldn't access our first time through. The enemies you'll find here are Green Mousses, Wind Spirits, Zombiewolves, Thunderbirds, and Dragnas. The first two are Wind-based monsters and absorb any and all Wind damage, including Blast Wing. However, that does NOT stop Bind / Stun from working on them. Otherwise, they're pretty harmless.
What you really have to watch out for is the Thunderbirds, because on top of annoying evasion, they're decently powerful. Also, they have a lot more HP than you might think, which makes Over Killing them a right pain in the ass, without a Finish Strike. You really want a Thunder Wing from them for a post-dungeon commission, so use Feat of Agility (you've seen me use it many times when I've had Jainus in a boss battle and I wanted to steal), or Heavenly Sense to increase your odds of nabbing it (it increases both steal rate and enemy drop rate, for a meager 1 SP. Li Ra-Lua can have it as her second EX Skill, but I was dumb and didn't remember that, so I ended up with a redundant Extinguish for her slot. Don't be like me, folks). The Thunderbirds are weak to Water, so that's another reason why Li Ra-Lua is awesome in battle.
But, without much trouble we're through. As you can see from the screenshot above the previous paragraphs, the Quicksilver lake is just outside Nenan's Flurry. Let's see who wants to mess with us this time... Quicksilver acquired
A crazed chicken. Alrighty then. I was pretty fortunate that Weiss survived the initial attack, because it allowed us to waste one of the chicken's buddies. The Mosuboh is vulnerable to Water (hence, why Li Ra-Lua's here), and takes 40% more damage in Stun. He has a physical counterattack, but the first order of business, without Unleash Magic on, is to take care of his buddies.
The Wind Spirit has extremely high magical damage, and you won't want to start attacking him until you have Hunter, Satori, or some other Accuracy-increasing EX Skill on. The Nagas are fair game, though.
Or you could just Original Skill him. That works too. Fun fact about Jainus' current weapon, the Pile Striker. It doesn't actually fire bullets, according to the description. It's a big ol' nail gun. Powerful little puppy, though. Definitely the most powerful gun we can have at the moment.
Goddamit. Just shy of being able to use Gospel. Anyway, let's take this bad boy down, boys.
Piece of cake, right? The Mosuboh didn't even get to fire off one of its Original Skills. Instead, the Wind Spirits opted to nail Jainus, and Jainus alone, with an Inferno twice. Even the icy cold grip of death cannot deny the God Killer the chance to kick some ass.
The second rare drop I got, the Galena, is the third mineral we can sell for 100,000 Gold. We're rolling in nearly 900,000 Gold at the moment, though, so money's not a huge issue.
Eva joins Schwarz in getting her second Original Skill at level 45 (Schwarz got his second, Dimension Crush, off-camera). There's a neat trick we can do with Original Skills once a character has both of their Original Skills (happens at level 45 for everyone), which I can demonstrate in the next boss battle.
Well, this is known to be a place where demons gather, ergo... But the numbers found here are far from natural. Thank you for waiting, everyone. Did you find it? The people who overlooked this must've been morons. What we took was just a drop in the bucket. I was born and raised on this continent, and I never knew that there was a lake in this forest. It's kind of mysterious how this stuff isn't frozen solid, considering how damn cold it is here. That's one of the supposed origins of its name. We've done what we came here to do. Let's get the hell out of here. Yeah, the cold has a horrible effect on the elderly. We should head back and try to warm up.Another boss battle, another round of commissions. The first is for 4 Thunderbirds, 10 Zombiewolves, and 10 Green Mousses. The Thunderbirds you may have to grind a bit for, since getting them to show up in the first place can be a bit tricky. The next is for 9 Wind Spirits and 2 Dragnars. After that, you have two money commissions, one being worth 50,000 and the other 100,000. Finally, 10 Spark Knights and 4 Mandrake Roots. Other than the last commission, all of those monsters can be found in Nenan's Flurry (the other two in Agnee).
As you might expect, we have another round of bonus scenes for all those commissions, so Another bonus video The last scene, with Vanessa and the incredibly sweet cookies, is actually a pretty fun watch, especially for Schwarz's eventual decision. There's two events I'll cover normally, one related to the Meteor Ore and the other an important scene regarding Fiona. Batters up. Pride of a blacksmith
Oh gods, not you again... If you're just here to interrupt my work, then go away. No, that's not why we're here. I know. You don't need to point it out every time. What do you want? By the looks of things, it's probably something troublesome and unprofitable.I'm glad our reputation precedes us.
We have a question for you. Do you know anything about -meteor ore-? Greers know of it from the moment we're born.Greers are basically the dwarves of the Agarest series, without being, you know, dwarves. They're a race that specializes in smithing and making stuff, from household utensils to weapons. The only female Greer in the series so far is Dana in Agarest War Zero, but Gordon, Gideon, and a playable character in the first game are also Greer.
Priscilla, from the bonus videos, is a Neeth. They're another pink-haired Agarest species that makes stuff. Priscilla's only the second Neeth in the series so far, with the only other being a playable character in the first game.
Are you telling me that -meteor ore- were your first words? What if they were? ... Just forget I said anything. So, what do you want to know about -meteor ore-? If possible, we'd like to know where we can find it. What if I was to tell you, -I don't know-? Then I will ask as many times as it takes until you tell me. And what would you do if I told you? There's no way any of you could possibly handle it. In fact, I can count the number of people who can safely handle it on one hand. We're not asking you to go get it for us. We just want to know where it is. And what will you do with the -meteor ore- once you're tracked it down? Artifacts are about the only things that can be made from it. We are searching for it so that we can create one of those -artifacts-. Hmph, it doesn't sit well with me, driving people away by lying to them. Then will you tell us?! There's not much to hide, honestly. It's something that most greers know. It's knowledge that only greers who are master blacksmiths can pass on, and only to those they trust. Being told the location of the meteor ore mine is the ultimate sign of a blacksmith's approval. Got it, we won't say anything. I promise that everyone here will take it to their graves.
Very well, if you're willing to risk your fool necks for something that you won't be able to use, have at it. Head for Aegisthus and the Groza Mountains. There'll be a cave somewhere in the area. Hold up, old man. That's not much of a hint, you know? Use your brains and put in a little legwork. You'll know the place as soon as you get there. Demons are drawn to the magic within the meteor ore like moths to flame. They'll be everywhere. So the material we need and the demons we don't come as a set, huh... Demons are able to absorb magic to strengthen themselves. That's why they're drawn to powerful magic. Considering that we need to somehow track down this stuff, that trait kind of works in our favor. Thank you very much for sharing this information with us. I will be sure to repay this debt. Don't worry about that. More importantly, keep the following firmly in mind. Do not even think about making an artifact. They always end up driving their users insane. Just having one is enough to set you on the road to madness. And waiting at the end of that road will not be hope, but only despair and destruction. Do not forget that. I will be sure to take those words to heart. Artifacts, huh... Both you and I have abandoned what it means to be greer... But don't forsake what it is that makes you human, Gideon...Well, onto another important scene before heading back to Aegisthus. We haven't been there much this generation. Birds in a cage
What, it's no big deal, right? Why are you all acting so uptight? But I think we still need to... Um... I have every intention of keeping my promise, but not until it is necessary to do so. Damn, what a bunch of prudes. If it wasn't for me, you'd all end up dying alone. That sounds a hell of a lot better than being stuck with your stupid ass. I'm almost positive that my brother would take me back without hesitation. I... Well...
O-Oh, okay! I-If you'll excuse me...! Man, what a drag! I wonder what's wrong with Vanessa. She seemed really angry, even for her.Well, no doubt what got Vanessa mad was Schwarz making some asshole comment that even she couldn't overlook. But hey, even if it's off-screen, I'm sure Vanessa would much rather spend time with her fellow Pillars than hang around Schwarz when he's acting like a dick, and hey, I can always appreciate a healthy friendship between women, just as a matter of course.
I mean, even the unflappably polite Li Ra-Lua had nothing nice to say in this scene.
Who knows? She probably got stomach cramps from eating a funny whelk or something. You said something horrible to upset her, didn't you? I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It's almost like an illness at this point. I didn't say nothing. Are you sure? Well, if you say so... Or could it be... You're in love with someone else! Is that why she's upset? Someone else? I don't -love- or -hate- women. They're meat bags there to pump out my kid, nothing more.Pretty sure that falls under the banner of hating women, buddy. But, I'm loathe to criticize him THAT much, for comments like this, since it's basically like someone throwing a big tantrum and saying a lot of things they don't mean. That's about the level of emotional development our pal here is displaying.
Not this again... Schwarz, I understand how you feel about all of this, but-See? Even Fiona's not taking it seriously, since she's likely heard this sentiment a thousand times by now.
Shut the hell up! You're not my mother, so don't act like her! How the hell could you possibly understand? Yeah, but I guess you have the right. In spite of your appearance, you're older than me. It must be nice, huh? Since you're a high elf, you'll get to live as long as you want. Schwarz... That's enough. Don't take your shit out on others, least of all her. Keep your mouth shut. You're in no position to tell me to do a single goddamned thing. Get out of here!
Fiona, just ignore him, okay? I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that I understand why you're going through without thinking... Oh man, don't look at me like that. I just, you know, well... I just want to say that Weiss and the others were- Don't bring up my father or the others. Just. Don't. ... My life may be my own, but I have no control over it. That's why I'm always so pissed. I want to at least have a say in when and how my life should end. Me, too... I'd wish for that as well... What was that? It was nothing. I think I'll go shopping now. What the hell was that all about...?
Eavesdropping I see. Wonderful. It's not eavesdropping when you scream and cry loud enough for the entire town to hear. At any rate, you seem to have this selfish, misguided notion that you'll be the only one sacrificed. I had no intention of telling you this out of respect for her wishes, but considering your boorish behavior, I should have told you long ago. Tell me what?
For she has been chosen as the vessel for the god to reside in. What the hell are you talking about?! No one said anything about this to me before. That is why I am telling you this now. Though you knowing ultimately changes nothing... Are you telling me that Fiona was sealed away just for this purpose? That she was basically put into storage in case my old man killed the god? I cannot tell you for what purpose she was sealed away for. Someone might have sealed her away near the end of the last war of the gods because she was the last surviving high elf.So, the plot thickens. The vessel, a high elf, being the most powerful non-god race in Agarest, would be an ideal body to reborn in. But, high elves have been extinct for a long time, so it's clear Fiona had to have been sealed during the last war of the gods, like Eva said. But by whom, and to whose benefit? Something is definitely going on behind the scenes...
... No matter the intentions of that unknown person, at least their efforts weren't for naught. That is what's important here. With her existence and eventual sacrifice, the world will be saved. I couldn't give two shits about the world at this point... If the world's survival depends on sacrificing everyone, then let the godforsaken thing die. Your pointless temper tantrums are hardly convincing since they're obviously not heartfelt. Well... Your attitude towards things means absolutely nothing to me as long as I get the results I want. So if fighting your fate makes you feel better, indulge yourself.See, that was a genuinely good scene. You get some character development for Schwarz, a plot hook, and Eva laying a massive truth bomb on Schwarz. Schwarz doesn't really have a huge humbling moment, I think. A moment where he really has to face facts and accept he is, in fact, not hot shit.
No, his entire life is his humbling moment. He can lash out as long as he wants, pissing off Vanessa, Yumil, Li Ra-Lua, Fiona, Jude, Jainus...doesn't matter. His life is ticking down, and there's nothing he can do to stop it or make a new fate for himself. But how will he face things when the moment finally arrives?
And that's MY plot hook. Well, I think we can get another material before we're done for today. I upgraded Eva's scythe to a Kamaitachi Arm, a significant improvement over the Photon Edge she's been using since I first arrived in Graccea in the first generation. Before we fight the next boss, though, we have to do some preparation, since she's actually pretty damn hard.
First up, the enemy is weak to Darkness, but absorbs Light. So, Dazzle Distraction is worse than useless against her. BUT, if you have a character's two Original Skills, you can highlight the first and switch which one is tied to each button. Remember Weiss, for example, using one Ultimate Point for Brave Storm, and two for Sacred Blaze in the first battle of the game?
Well, in Schwarz's case, Dazzle Distraction uses one Ultimate Point when tied to L1, and Dimension Crush uses 2 Points when it's tied to R1. By highlighting Dazzle Distraction and pushing X, you can switch them. Now Dimension Crush, which was previously Void, becomes a Darkness skill, and Distraction becomes a Void skill. Schwarz, being the most powerful party member, will really do a number with Crush, but this boss is still no walk in the park.
As for attacking skills, the enemy takes more damage while in Burst, but the only Darkness-based skills in Burst are Nightmare, Black Mist, and Dark Flame (Flame can only be tied to the Circle button). The latter two are magical attacks, the first is physical. Even so, I'd advise someone on the team having a level 2 Grand Cross (Darkness-based Downed -> Stunned spell), level 3 Blood Siphon, and level 3 Dark Matter. Both are powerful Darkness skills, and will do quite a bit in reducing her Break gauge. Weiss is taking up the Grand Cross, Blood Siphon, and Dark Matter, other party members have one or the other.
Once you think you're ready (seriously, un-equip all Light skills. You won't be needing them. You might want to switch Eva's Avilight Scythe with Regal Verite, though, to deal with one enemy. Verite is a Light skill), the cavern's not too far away. Let's mosey... Meteor Ore acquired
Alright, typical overview time. Both the Neo Freya and Stinger have physical counterattacks, and even if the Freya might seem more magically-oriented, she's mostly a physical attacker. As I said, she's weak to Darkness, while the Stinger is weak to Earth. Felenne's Original Skill is Earth-based, but she doesn't add enough to warrant putting into this fight. You can't let yourself get dragged into fighting the Stinger for very long. All your efforts should be put into getting rid of the scorpion as quickly as possible.
Here's an interesting spell. The Event Horizon, based on what level it is, deals up to 30% of an enemy's remaining HP (not total. Big difference) in terms of damage. It doesn't have a fixed amount of damage, see, and the cost for the level 3 Event Horizon is an absolutely enormous 40 AP. All the same, it did do 7300 damage, and we want to spare no expense in eliminating this foe. Just take note against bosses, this thing doesn't work at all.
Here's the lynchpin of my strategy: Weiss simply doesn't do anything himself, other than orienting the formation around him and contributing some bleh EX Skills. Weiss is far faster than anyone else on the team (as a result of pumping him full of Party Points so every random encounter and its brother doesn't move before my team), and as long as he doesn't do anything, his Wait won't go up. The reasoning of this is twofold: one, by having his Wait at 0, Weiss can quickly respond if the situation gets out of hand with Li Ra-Lua, Schwarz, and Eva. Next, by keeping him as formation leader, I don't have to waste SP to reorient the formation around the next character active.
For this turn, though, Weiss was able to preempt the Demon Eye healing the Stinger. I quickly annihilated it and could proceed onto more pressing matters.
Here's the weirdest thing: the Neo Freya was trying its damndest to kill Weiss, but she just could not bleeding connect with physical attacks. She just couldn't hit him, except with magic. I have no idea how that happened. Just after that attack, I wasted the Demon Eye with Eva's Regal Verite. 2 down, one to go.
You may be wondering why I continued to attack the Eye even after killing it. Well, as I've discovered, the AP gauge at the top left has three different colors: blue, pink, and green, corresponding to the states of damage. What this means is that while the enemy is Downed, for example, if you fill that bar up all the way you get an AP bonus. Then you can change the enemy to Stunned, and if you fill the bar with pink, you get another AP bonus. AP bonuses are awesome as hell, so make every effort not to change enemy's states too much if you really need some AP.
Also, Original Skills are incredibly good for building up AP gauges, so it's a good idea not to lead off an assault with an Original Skill.
Because the Freya takes 40% more damage in Burst, you first want to break the enemy's guard, then launch it into the air, then Dimension Crush. You'll really do a number on it, and as long as you don't get fancy, you should take this sucker out before too long. After this turn, I decided to switch out Weiss for Jainus, with the reasoning I really want the Freya's Blue Ribbon. It's the single best magic-enhancing item in the game (even better than the Divine Crest's magic increase, but without all the other stats), and I can't say no to such a powerful item.
With Weiss gone, though, things were a little rougher, but nothing crazy. I even got Li Ra-Lua to activate Gospel before finishing our foe off.
I was really not expecting such a great result, but hey, I'll take it. A fine performance by everyone.
Schwarz, are you all right? Mn...? It's nothing. Well, all right... With all the demons around here, no one in their right minds would want to excavate this place. Probably the only ones insane enough to do so are the greers. The amount of magic the ore is radiating is incredible. The demons probably did not originally have the power that they do now. My guess is that they have evolved due to being continuously exposed to the meteor ore's magic. Will it be okay for us to be walking around with this stuff on us? I can only tell you what I've read on the subject, but the magic shouldn't have an effect on humans. Greers play with this stuff often enough. We probably have nothing to worry about. Yeah... Um, Fastie... Do artifacts really have bad effects on people? Are you worried about what Gordon said about them? Yes...
That may be why there isn't too much written on the subject. Therefore, to be honest, I cannot completely say that they are perfectly safe. However, considering the fact that none of us have been adversely affected by Schwarz's artifact, it is my opinion that they are not as evil as they are made out to be. Yes...you're right... There isn't much point in worrying about it now, right? He can either die from his illness, or risk going batshit insane by using the artifact and dying that way. You're the client, so you get to call the shots. What will it be? You don't have a shred of compassion in your wizened little soul, do you? Hey, I just call it as I see it. And knowing the truth is far better than having false hope, right? I have to agree. While it is all right to have hope, you cannot let it blind you to the truth. And speaking of truths... Do not forget that reality is made up primarily of painful ones. For example, the fact that you three have been chose to be the -Maidens of the Pillar-. Now, let us go find the other materials. ... O-Okay then, let's head to the village of the Lishius clan. We'll need to discuss the rainbow shards with them.Yes, let's. Next update.