Part 30: Bride of Chosen Palace

30: Bride of Chosen Palace

Welcome back! Before we plunge back into the mouth of madness, let's take a look at what we scored from Kaleb.



Achilles Heel is identical to Corgan's Observe power - it shows us the name, level, health, and time bar of one enemy. It's not all that useful.



Affect All, however, is :hellyes: in card form. Attached to any spell, it will spread it to all enemies or all allies for an additional 10 core.



So you can do things like this.



Or this.

Affect All will be a staple of our casting for the rest of the game, and in a little while we'll get the cards needed to have even more fun with it. For now, though, let's check out the freed Wind City.



Sadly, most of the NPCs still have the same dialogue. You can find out that Layla is the cathedral, and that there are earthquakes.



It's a paint sprayer.

We'll need this much later.



Queen Layla?
Not quite, dear Corgan. The Abbot and I are working on a new system of government for our people.

How are the people? Safe at last I hope?
From the Chosen, yes. But, the Curse of the Graveyard grows in power daily.

Really, Wind City's populace aren't that interesting even after they've been freed from Chosen oppression. We aren't done here yet, though...



...because the shops have gotten a major upgrade. For the next little while, this is where you get the latest and greatest gear.

$110,000 later, it's time to find out where to go next, in our usual fashion: talk to Azziz.



Your father was Emperor Aspertine?
Yes, may Marduk watch over his soul.
Perhaps our guests can help; they have been searching for you, Maya.
Yes, Lord Gunnar spoke highly of you. We need your help, and perhaps you need ours. We have news of Doskias, and the movements of his fleet.
He sails to Shell 6 to raise a segment of that continent to the upper Shell. He plans to use the technology he took from Ankara.
We believe Doskias is acting on the riddle that was delivered during the Conjunction...'When the land shall rise to form the runes.'
When the land shall rise?
To solve the Legacy and attain the Gift of the Creator, one must raise pieces of the World Shells to the upper layers.
Any land masses?
No, specific ones that when raised, will form some sort of Rune on the face of the planet itself. But we know not what pieces.
But Doskias does. He'll use the Doomsday device to raise them, in hopes of attaining the Kingdom of Heaven, and saving the world from destruction.
But-
But he has no care for the people that live on these continents, and they will be decimated, like Jinam. The first targeted area is on Shell 6, a small town called Pranno.
I know it well.
Maya, we must stop Doskias. Later, when it's safe, we may complete the Legacy ourselves.
We'll use our remaining fleet to draw Doskias' forces away from the target area, and stall his plans. You must find a way to stop the Doomsday device.
Here is a key to the sewer system of the Chosen Capitol. In the Palace, you will find the blueprints for the Doomsday device. Bring them back so that Azziz can devise a way to stop it.
Perhaps Layla and the Holy Guard can help us...
I will send word to her. Now go...and let us pray we are not too late.



Alisa tosses us the key to the Shell 1 sewer system, and we head back to Shell 1 to sneak back into the Palace.



The sewers are just a linear path with enemies in it.





At least we get to try out Badu's new SonicStrike ability. It's not very effective...



This looks familiar! Run around, kill Chosen, flip levers, open doors.



There's some captive monks here, but if we try to talk to them...



...they turn out to be Chosen ninja in disguise.



I don't think I can emphasize enough how much of a pain in the ass these guys are. They don't hit that hard, but the combination of Cloak, Barrier, Haste, and Stun means every fight with them lasts forever.



There really is nothing interesting here, nothing we haven't seen before - the areas are new, but the decor and enemies are the same. But while we're here, let's do a little detour.



BULLSHIT



MARDUK



SUMMON



OUT



OF



FUCKING



NOWHERE



AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK YOU HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW

Ok, I'm done now.



A new area has been opened near the throne room. Same rooms. Same enemies. Nothing to see here.



Anyways, the goal of all of this running around is to get the Green Palace Key, which lets us back into the throne room. As we enter, we get cutscened.



The intruders will not leave here alive, my lord.
They should never have gotten in here alive.
I apologize, my lord...
No matter. Balcaam will make sure that none tamper with my plan.

Doskias as barely stepped out when Maya et al arrive.



Give me the plans to the device and I'll let you live.
You see, that is the difference between peasants and lords, my dear. We do not offer life as an alternative!



Why do they come to me to die?




Now that we have All, this is the opener for pretty much every boss fight for the rest of the game.




And a good thing too. Kaleb actually hits pretty hard.



The fight mostly consists of Lobo and Badu stabbing him in the face while Maya heals.




Also, since we have All, Mirror, and Slow, we can caste Haste All now - albeit at a ruinous cost.




Kaleb leaps to freedom, but he leaves something behind.

The doomsday plans...



We run back to Azziz with the plans, to find out that events have progressed.

Azziz, Doskias has fired the Doomsday device!
Just in time, Maya has returned with the plans! Fascinating...the device generates a wave from a bio-organic brain at its center.
That will be its weakness then.
We should form two attack squads, and find a way to kill it.
Two?
In case one fails.
Maya, take two of your companions to Shell 6 and find a way to get underground to the brain.
I will lead the other group. Corgan will fight by my side.
I shall pit my fleet against Doskias's. We shall try to give you a clear opportunity to attack while his forces are occupied elsewhere.
When the window of opportunity is right, Doskias will attempt to raise the Shell! We haven't much time. Off with you!



Buckle up; we're finally done with the Palace, forever, thank god, and things are about to get heavy.

Who do we take with us into the Rift? Bear in mind that Corgan is unavailable, so your choices are any of two of: Grubb, Runner, Led, Selina, Araym, Badu, and Lobo.