Part 7: Chapter Seven: A Goddram Load of Trouble

So now that we have Leona we immediately set off to-


Oh?


Ohhhhhhhh



Can't I EVER get someone at a half-decent level?

After a buttload more grinding, Leona is raised to survivability. We go back to Mylawn and check up on things.



Jill sells curative items. Don't ask me what the II is supposed to be. I honestly don't think there's a difference between these and regular items except that they're a bit cheaper. We stock up on a few Panaceas (recovers any bad status effect) and Restores.



Looks like Baz has found something interesting.

Baz: While plowing more fields, I found this strange rock...huh?

The ground rumbles and...



Morgan: I came out to this strange place...oh it's you...well, well, well...I see this is your town. I dug a tunnel here by mistake. You can go to another continent through this tunnel. Hang in there guys! See ya!

After going through the tunnel, we emerge in a new land.



No choice but to cross the ice. Fortunately, this time, we don't have to worry about getting hurt.





Thanks to Cody's Step technique, we're protected from damage. After traveling a little ways, we come to Box Town. No, it's not inhabited by boxes.



They're all crazy about their champion boxer, Andy, who has never been beaten in a fight. So who better to give him his first defeat than a preteen boy with no boxing experience whatsoever?



The weapons shop sells boxing gloves, which we'll need in order to be allowed to fight Andy.



Yeah, I'm still calling the cops.



What kind of cruel parents would give two of their kids normal names and the last one a weird name?



Andy: ...What do you want? Are you going to challenge me? [->Yes No] Finally, a challenger...come on!



A battle of honor, a true test of valor and might between men. Let us pay our respects to the fine art of boxing with a glorious duel.









Andy: ...It's my fault! I'll do anything you say if you forgive me! I lost!...so...forgive me, I'll do anything!

Forgive you for what, exactly? It was a (more or less) fair fight that I voluntarily entered. Anyway, by "anything", Andy means sit on his chair and mope, so we head to the next town, Sleepers.





Sleepers is a town of sleepyheads. Everyone complains about how sleepy they are. Even one of our old friends.



The whole point of coming here is to beat Arthur. He's chilling in a house here.



Arthur: You are ordering me to remove the rock? ...Heck! Don't boss me around!

Confused? Yeah. "The rock" refers to a large rock blocking the path a bit further up the map that we haven't visited, seen, or even heard about. Looks like someone forgot to place an event flag.



Arthur is basically Andy with (weak) magic, except he's even easier since it's all four of us instead of just Ray.

Arthur: You win. I'll do whatever you ask.

We leave Sleepers and head for Karappon.





Yeah, who wouldn't want to live in a town consisting entirely of two log cabins and a warehouse! There's no one here except for Uncle Save in one of the cabins and Arithree in the warehouse.



Arithree: Well...really? You defeated my brothers? [->Yes No] Great! Now we can get together.

So, wait, you guys decided that the only way you would ever reunite is if two of you got beaten up by a bunch of middle schoolers?

Well, it's cheaper than family counseling, I guess.



Ari Bros: Ray! We'll join you! Hey, before we go to Mylawn, let's move these stones! Sure! Yeah!



Ari Bros: Ok, now, we'll go on ahead.

Ari Bros joined you!

Andy and Arthur join the rest of the Kustera and Arithree sets up shop in our warehouse back home. We continue to head south.



Oh god that's creepy.



After some traveling and fighting off floating eyeballs and Cat Boos, we come to Codo, the last town before the desert. We rest up and upgrade our equipment.



Leona gets the Wildclaw while Ray and Cody get Warhammers (sorry, no "Brordswords" for us). There's also a disgruntled blacksmith named Gonta here who will become relevant later, but for now he just complains that he's tired of making pots and knives.



So basically we definitely have to go there.





...Those look like scorpions to me.

The desert is pretty empty and uneventful. After a while, we come to Lagoon, a 24/7 party town. The music here is pretty awesome.







The hell is a rimstera? Do I even want to know?



A strange town in the middle of nowhere where someone tells us to just relax? My foreshadowing sense is tingling.



So how much do YOU charge for a rimstera?



OK, seriously, how did this whole town get past Nintendo of America's censors?

After walking around town and talking to various people offering us this and wanting us to try that with her while he watches, we don't find anything of real relevance, so we leave.



...Or try to, anyway.









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdhhQhqi_AE

Dram: I'm going to Brasca to dispose of the last Aqutallion you seek.

Without so much as a goodbye, Dram vanishes. We leave town.



...Why hasn't the creepy music stopped?





Yep. If we try to go anywhere, we just end up right back where we started. There's only one way to escape the illusion, and once again I pity the poor kids who didn't have internet.



By alternating going down and left, we come to the *real* Lagoon.





The illusion is broken and we head for Brasca to try and cut off Dram.





God that was tiring. What I wouldn't give for a hot mean, a cold drink, and a nice warm bed. Wait, does anyone else hear that?



aw shit







Those bombs sure are good at destroying towns, but bad at killing people. The townsfolk are rather upset about being bombed and make various accusations at us and an old man living in a cave nearby.



Yeah just like with every other town we've been to.



After learning of the strange old man the villagers talk about, we begin our search for him via the well.



What, do the townspeople drink lava? Cody's Step spell comes in handy once again for crossing through the lava unscathed.





No! First rule of video games is you NEVER touch any switches, buttons, or levers!



Flipping the switch causes the lava to drain down from the upper area and fill the lower area.



We Step through the lava, flip more switches, and eventually come to the person we seek.



Old man: ...I thought you had been buried alive. ...What?! You are Aqutallion?! I didn't know that...four men have already come together, right?

Two of these men are girls, you know.

Old man: Show me your faces closely. Oh...each of you is the spitting image of your father. You are Cody...your father's name was Siller. He was a strong swordsman. Leona...your father's name was Roger. He was a bright and happy man. Tina...your father's name was Henry. He was warm hearted and always comforted us all. And you are Ray...your father was Aris. He led Aqutallion. All of your fathers have left this world. I am the only left alive. I am the prosperous Wiseman Bowy...when 4 Banalet and a prosperous Wiseman join, Aqutallion will be realized. But...I am getting old...I don't think I can fight with you any more. It's my only son Dan. ...My wife was lost at the hands of Homncruse.

Dram appears out of nowhere.



Dram: That is better yet. I can make them all meet their doom!

Bowy: It's Dram! Leave everything and run!

Bowy tries to fend him off, but is put down quickly.



Didn't he just have his turn?



Dram looks way more badass than his field sprite lets on. His battle music is also pretty awesome (the other 3 Great Followers also have the same music). Dram also has a "rapid attack", which is simply two attacks in a row. Other than that, Dram has no magic or special techniques. He's straight melee all the way. I have Cody use Power on himself to increase his attack, Tina use Fast 2 on Ray to increase his defense and speed and Slow 2 on Dram, Leona use Bolt to do 35-40 damage, and Ray uses physical attacks and Fire 2. Really not a difficult battle as long as you remember to keep everyone's HP above 50. Seriously, Garados should have been a Great Follower instead of Dram. He coughs up 4627 exp and the party gathers around the dying Bowy.



Bowy: I'm done for...please take care of Dan...never underestimate Homncruse's evil...never! Destroy the darkness that rules this world. First, become a Banalet quickly!! At that time, you will reach Aqutallion status...please!

Dram stumbles up and prepares to pull a Ganondorf.

Dram: Not...not yet...I'm not done yet...with my last power...yyyyyyaaaaa....!!!







This is about the most useful thing he ever does in the entire game.

Dan: Everyone must become Banalet as soon as possible...then Aqutallion will be ready...Ray!...the hour has come to find the secret of Homncruse...and annihilate him! Rise to the challenge Aqutallion, and bring hope once again to this land!

Dan became prosperous Wiseman! Dan joined you!

Being a Wiseman, Dan can't ever be upgraded and can't combo magic with anyone. He gets some pretty powerful Bomb spells but that's about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nb_mH4Q4mw



Great Followers: What a (shitload of fuck)...Homncruse has risen from sleep!...Homncruse has awakened to take revenge for Dram!...



So after god knows how long we finally get to see what he looks like. The little dude under him is Jaguar, his personal servant.

Homncruse: I was born to rule the darkness...have no mercy! Eliminate these Aqutallions! Crush everyone!

GFs: Yes, sir!

Jaguar: Friends of Aqutallions are hiding at the Mylawn, I hear. Let's destroy this town first.



Aw HELL naw. I gotta hand it to him, for being a generically evil bad guy, Homncruse pulls a pretty bastardly move right there. Now if only he could come up with bombs that did more than just destroy buildings...



Dynamite: That's...Homncruse's bomber!

Uncle Save: What!? Everybody run!



Tina: That direction...? Oh no! Something terrible happened at Mylawn?

Cody: Ray! Let's go back to the Mylawn!!

Oh horrors of unspeakable horrors! Things are looking bad for our suddenly superhumanly eyesighted heroes! Until next time...

See Ya!