The Let's Play Archive

Shadow Hearts

by The Dark Id

Part 10: Episode X: Get Alice Elliot!



Episode X: Get Alice Elliot!


Music: Blow Up



Our adventures in the Plains and Zhaoyang Village have come to a close. Fengtian is our next destination. But if you’ll recall we have some business back in the Graveyard. So let’s hop over there for a spell before we properly depart.


Music: Graveyard Moon



Yep... Still a creepy graveyard. You may notice one of the gravestones is now glowing. Let’s take a closer look at that.



Since we leveled up the Wind Element’s Soul Power Level fighting jobbers back in Zhaoyang Village, we now have the option to go fight a Fusion monster and have Yuri claim a new transformation. These should always be a priority to go fight and claim as soon as they’re available.




Music: Brain Hopper



For the most part, Fusion monster battles are just stomp matches, especially early on in the game. This one is no exception. This Harpy looking critter is Tornado. All the Fusion boss battles have stats that scale with Yuri’s current level, which is why they’re mostly jokes early in the game. You can only scale that so high when linked with a guy who is barely breaking the triple digits in hit points.





Since Tornado is an Wind elemental, our old method of flinging rocks at foes will be all the more effective here. Indeed, only three casts and its days are numbered. But at least that’s enough turns that it actually gets to attack back more than once.



It decides to burn one of these available turns casting Falcon, which ups its Agility +15. You’re gonna have to spend those extra turns on doing some offensive attack, bub. Your time is quickly running dry, even with the boost...





Wind Shear is the only other attack Tornado managed to fire off. We’ve seen this a couple times already. But this version manages to at least do around 35-40 HP of damage. If it had done that twice in a row maybe that would be something to get worried about. Alas...





This fight did not end in Tornado’s favor. We’ll just be relieving you of your soul now, pal. Stealing souls is always a heroic effort.


Music: Graveyard Moon



You’ve received Soul of Tornado!





I’m glad they felt the need to have two different notifications we’ve ripped out that monster’s soul and claimed it for our own. In any case, we now have our Wind element Fusion. This one ups:
Not too shabby. Falcon is the closest thing we’ll have to a Haste spell for some time and Dancing Breeze can save us money on using consumables to fix some status effects. More of a utility Fusion than the straight offensive power ones we’ve gotten lately. But it will have its uses.



While we’re in the neighborhood, defeating bosses does yield a sizable amount of Malice. We’ve made it to Green Level following Yamaraja’s defeat. So let’s sort that out while we’re here and maybe test out our new Fusion.


Music: Brain Hopper



Evil 3 is our opponent for today. It’s a gross little snake demon gremlin thing. Much like the Fusion bosses, the Malice meter foes are also based on Yuri’s current stats and scale with ‘em. So they’re not too troubling, other than Fox Face.





No better time to give Tornado a spin. I didn’t intend that pun but I’m noticing it now and am deeply disturbed to see it has manifested.



A couple rounds of physical attacks are all we need to slay this jobber, even if Tornado isn’t the beefiest owl boy in town. I do like that it seems like Yuri has no idea how to control a big, cumbersome man-bird and is just flailing wildly and hoping for the best.



Evil 3’s only method of attack seems to be sliding over and attempting to bite Yuri. However his owl boy agility is more than a match for the wee snake lad’s poor accuracy.



It goes poorly for him. Thus our Malice is once more wiped away.



Our Malice reset reward this time around is a Seal of Speed. The description makes it sound as though it’s just an Agility buff or something but no. This is actually a rare, single use item that permanently raises a character’s Agility by one point. So we’re actually quite lucky getting this. There are only like three guaranteed drops of this particular seal in the game. We’ll probably give this one to Yuri since more punching soon is always good. Also Alice still has very low Sanity Points. So her gaining more turns a battle is a bit detrimental early in the game.


Music: Blow Up (Map)



All that aside, we can now exit the Graveyard and select our next location on the world map -- Fengtian. Keep in mind the distances between locations are... rather interpretive and not meant to be exacting. Otherwise it seems Alice and Yuri walked a couple hundred kilometers across the Plains to get to Zhaoyang Village before walking the same distance back to make it to Fengtian. I don’t think that was the case...


New Music: Army Tunes



We’re actually going to see very little of Fengtian during this update. Instead, we’ll mostly be checking on a couple of new characters who may or may not be future antagonists. Our first scene brings us back to the aftermath of the scene on the Trans-Siberian Express.



You there. What were they escorting, anyway? A man-eating tiger?
No, ma’am. Alice Elliot. Caucasian female. Approximately twenty years old.
<nods> Yes. That’s how I recall her as well. However, I don’t see a body here of that description. Am I to assume the girl killed all these men?
I… I never imagined a human being could… kill like this… It’s horrible…
That one soldier’s head was twisted around 180 degrees. That’s going to keep me up at night, ma’am...
<steps forward and inspects body> Major Tsuji… After your exploits in Changchun, did you ever suspect you’d captured a monster? Hmph. If soldiers of the Imperial Army can’t bring in one little girl, they don’t deserve to live. Sigh. I was so looking forward to bringing a worthy souvenir back to Tokyo for father. What a waste.
<look at feet> And now I need a new pair of shoes. What a mess...
<running in> Lt. Colonel! Lt. Colonel Kawashima! We have a witness!




What kind of man? Someone from the Anti-Japanese Movement, perhaps?
No, ma’am… It seems he was a Western gentleman.
He was described as, and I quote, “extraordinarily dapper.”
…
And there was another man, as well.
Another one, you say?
Yes, ma’am. A wiry youth.
Again quoting, ma’am, he had the look of a “Rude Hero” of sorts.
He seemed to be following the first man… Apparently, they both headed off in the direction of the salon car.



Does this mean he had help? A foreign gentleman and a youth… Hmm. A strange combination.
There were also reports of footsteps on the roof. But scuffles of that nature are a common occurrence on these train lines and it could be unrelated.
<looks up> There IS a hole in the ceiling here...
What are your orders, ma’am?
Take care of the bodies. Have them sent to the Capital. I recall the Major saying his six-year-old granddaughter couldn’t wait for Grandpa to come home… The girl will surely shed tears of joy when she finds out he’s returning earlier than expected.
<stands at attention> Yes, ma’am!
<stands at attention> That is really dark, ma’am.
I don’t believe asked your opinion on my tact, private...
M-ma’am!
Place troops in Fengtian and surrounding cities! Heh. We must use this chance to crush all the vile little termites that have infested our Utopia.
<stands at attention> Yes, ma’am!

The two soldiers march off.



Now I see why that wizened old demon in Shanghai was so hell-bent. Heh! Beware, old man… As the hawk in flight snatches its prey away from the wolf on the ground, I mean to have that girl! <laughs>


New Music: Misfortune - Psycho Temple (Hey it’s the villain boys theme! Listen to it!)



Speaking of a wizened old demon in Shanghai, we now shift focus to Villainy Pagoda, Shanghai where a Chinese sorcerer is clearly doing some dirt. He is interrupted by our old pal Roger Bacon warping onto the scene. Roger Bacon can teleport, by the way. It’s actually one of the more common powers he uses.



Heh heh, perhaps I’m getting rusty. Have I somehow summoned you here by mistake?
<turns to Bacon> …It’s been fifteen years, Roger Bacon!



Master Dehuai, Fallen Ruler of the Nine Heavens, Earth Sage.
<waves a dismissal> I see you are still wearing that pasted-on smile. You have too much time on your hands, you infectious plague. What brings you to Shanghai? Surely not simply to pay me a visit?
I’m afraid I’m all out of spare cots for unexpected guests to spend the night.
<laughs> …Heh heh. No, say nothing, I already know.
<shrugs> Indeed. I’ve found myself at a loss in this strange land, and I’m afraid I’ve made a slight blunder. An unforeseen meddler has entered the game, and my little bird is still outside her cage…
Quite the rude boy. I had to go acquire a new pair of gloves after our encounter.
Heh heh heh… How unlike you, to make excuses! You need not apologize for going behind my back and abducting the girl; indeed, I suspected you would.
<laughs> Come now, there’s no need to be so severe. I was merely indulging myself in a small divertissement. With your grand ceremony drawing near, you needn’t deal with minor trifles. I thought I’d lend a hand.
<steps forward> Hah! You jest!
Out of the goodness of your heart to aid an... old friend... you decided, on a fanciful whim, to raid a Japanese Army occupied train in the middle of rural Manchuria in the dead of night.
When my actions are laid out in such a manner it appears as more trouble than it actually was, I assure you.
Are you telling me you would have delivered me the girl upon her capture?
Why, of course. The progress of your secret ceremony is of great interest to me, Master Dehuai. If this girl called Alice truly is the key to the ritual, I will do everything within my power to help.
<shakes head> A sly old fox, you are…



<begins pacing> I’ve taken the liberty of sealing up the Protector of the North, the Black Tortoise of Zhaoyang Village. It would have stood in the way of the rituals… but that no longer matters. The Spirit Machine of Kuihai Tower is finally operational! I can now focus entirely on finding the girl!
Well, well. I look forward to seeing the great sage himself in action. So then, have you discovered the girl’s whereabouts?
I’m afraid we parted ways and I lost track of her aboard the train.
You teleported into this very chamber. Did that ability slip your mind then?
Perhaps it did. So the girl...?
<nods> Of course. I have eyes everywhere on the continent. Heh… Very well, I’ll tell you. …She’s in Fengtian.
Fengtian… Hasn’t the Japanese army set up operations there? Hmm… I can’t imagine how they caught wind of it, but it seems they lie in wait for the girl as well.



They present little threat, save for a bothersome fly named Kawashima that’s been snooping about. The girl is already mine. Heh heh heh…
Splendid. I’ll be off to Fengtian, then.

Are you for real right now? You’re not even going to try to deny your interference. Just blatant dickery?
Now, now. Language...
<shrugs> Please, don’t concern yourself with me. I haven’t got any intention of getting in your way, good sage. I’d simply like to observe your technique from afar. For future reference, you see. Very well then. <turns and begins walking away>
Hmph, do as you please…

Roger stops and turns back to Dehuai.



Even stranger, he’s a Harmonixer, a master of fusion.
Perhaps “master” is a stretch of the term. Still... capable enough of fusion...
What?! Fusion?! Are you absolutely certain?!
<nods> I’m afraid so. You yourself have substantial blood connection to the Harmonixer line, do you not? I’d rather not see a repeat of the events of fifteen years ago. Please, be wary…
<turns to leave> You wouldn’t want to lose the half of your body that remains. …Ah, that was uncalled for. Forgive me.



<warps out of the room>
Gah... What a DICK!



<turns to altar> Listen well, minions in Fengtian! That fraud of a warlock is headed for your city! Do not be outwitted!
You see a westerner old man that even vaguely could be described as “dapper gentleman” or “rich old dick” you attack immediately!
I shall be most disappointed should you fail to capture a single heretic girl! I shan’t allow anyone to stand in the way of the Demon’s Gate Invocation… Our success or failure depends entirely on that girl, Alice Elliot!!

Meanwhile...


New Music: Coffee With Bullet (That’s just a cool ass name for a song. Also it’s extremely chill!)



Ugh… Morning already? At least we got a little rest.
Zzz… Zzz…
<looks at Alice> Even after all that crap that went down, she walked all night. Pretty impressive… for a girl, I mean. …I think I’ll let her sleep a little longer.
I really gotta ask her if she’s got that narcolepsy thing or something. I have no idea how anyone can flop over dead asleep immediately on a park bench.

A puppy runs over and starts barking at Yuri.



Hmph. Y’are pretty cute, I guess, you dumb mutt.









…OW! What is it, you mutt?! <groggily stands back up>
<growl>



Why indeed? Tune in next time as we begin our time in Fengtian proper, pet a dog or two and potentially meet a new party member as Shadow Hearts continues!






Video: Episode 10 Highlight Reel





Tornado Fusion Render – The Owlboy has become an Owlman.