The Let's Play Archive

Shadow Hearts

by The Dark Id

Part 63: Episode LXIII: We'll Use Science!

Episode LXIII: We'll Use Science!



It seems like learning Albert Simon's true name was the only thing holding him back from reverting to a cackling dingus bent on the destruction of the world for vague nihilistic reasons. Oh well. Not much we can do about that now that he's chilling out in a flying castle that's hanging out in the stratosphere. We automatically retreat to Roger Bacon's abode to see if he has any ideas about what to do next.


Music: Callback from Jesus



She’s resting at the London Rats hideout. She’s in better shape than I thought.
<nods> I’m glad to hear that, but… Well… Our trouble is just starting, I’m afraid.
You don't say!?
Hey Rog! What is that big, castle-lookin’ thing anyway?
It’s one of the legacies left behind by beings who visited this planet long ago. It’s Neam.
...
That doesn't explain anything.
It's a great big flying castle in the sky. What more do you want out of me?
When you say “one of the legacies”, do you mean there’s still some others out there?
<nods> Oh, definitely. About a hundred of them, I’d guess.
That many?!
I am probably lowballing it, if we're being honest.



It’s just like the renowned Tower of Babel. It’s not something that can be easily controlled by humans.
That Albert guy, he said the gods would fly from the depths of the sky, but what is that Neam machine?
The mean Neam machine...
<nods> It was he who said that Neam means “float” in the ancient tongue of Ebi. Do you know what a float is?
Like when you drift off the ground?
No, not that one.
The big gaudy thing in parades?
Not that one either.
A government grant of a fixed amount of land not yet located by survey out of a larger specific tract?
CERTAINLY not that one!
A soft drink with ice cream in it?
That doesn't sound bad...
The hell is a "soft" drink?!
Mmm... I could go for one of those. But no!
It’s the thing that bobs when a fish bites while you are fishing. Once the float goes up, God will home in on it from the M72 nebula, some 4,800,000 light-years away.
You mean God lives that far away? That doesn’t sound right somehow.
Calling it God is something humans dreamed up themselves. More precisely, it’s an “alien organism”.
So God is an alien, eh. I always thought he sits on this leaf, with his hands like this…
That’s Buddha! Listen… if you saw a human with the eyes of an ant, they would seem overwhelmingly huge, right? You wouldn’t want to fight them, would you?
<cracks knuckles> I'd give it a go!
Not the brightest bulb, are you?

Ants may not understand it, but humans could almost be their god figure for them.
So are you saying that to this organism from space, we’re the same… just like ants?
<nods> That’s correct.



<looks at Yuri> Why does that hurt you so?
<steps forward> Something too overwhelmingly powerful for humans to deal with is coming to this planet. I suppose if that happens, Earth, and everything on it, will be wiped out.
Assuming its intent is hostile destruction immediately. For all we know, it could arrive only to decide to take a nap on Australia.
Or blow up the moon?
I... suppose that too is a possibility. There's no way to know the intentions of such a powerful being. Albert is really winging this plan. He hasn't changed since his days as a student...

What’s wrong?
<turns to Alice> Well, that’s what we gotta fight, right?
What!? You actually intend to fight!!
Isn’t there any way to stop it!? Is Albert really going to bring about the destruction of the world!?
There is a way!

We’ve got to destroy the float inside Neam before the God homes in on it!
<shakes head> Can it really be done?! But it’s floating in space!!
How are we gonna get up there? Get shot out of a cannon? A trebuchet? I don't think that's gonna work.
Hee hee hee! And that’s where the Instantaneous Matter Transporter will come into play!


Roger walks onto the central platform.



Everyone knows the only thing that can match an aliens' tech and a dark god from the cosmos is cutting edge SCIENCE!



Get on top of it and run!
Get on top of what? The wheels? Why are they covered in SPIKES!?
No, the platform there, you fool. It'll move when you run on it.
If you say so... What's with the creepy statue on the end?
It's not creepy! It's a relic recovered from the ruins of the monastery.
The haunted evil ass monastery?
That's the one.
...

Yuri steps on the treadmill and starts walking cautiously.


Music: Bacon's Juice



Yuri starts running. The Sacnoth statue at the head of the treadmill starts spinning.



Huff! Huff! Maybe... I should... rethink... wearing this... coat... Huff, huff...
Whooaa!!





Man, it'd be the worst to be doing exercise and suddenly get hit with a Judgment Wheel or a QTE mid-session. I'd never go back to the gym.



All right! Here we go!





Huh, he’s gone…?!
...
I... uhh... we didn't accidentally like... vaporize the old geezer, did we...?
I DON'T KNOW!
...Maybe.
Aww, geez...



The sound of some falling from a great height and thudding on the ground is heard.



Good news, everyone! It was a success!
Thank goodness.
Why are you smoking?
Science!
Did you see that? You saw what my teleporter is capable of, right? You can go anywhere using my teleporter.
Yeah, it’s pretty amazin’, but didn’t you almost get killed there?
We were a little worried you got... vaporized...

Roger Bacon dashes surprisingly swiftly down to the lower level.



Pretty great, huh? If you set the target to Neam’s specific coordinates, it flies right it!
How do you know Neam's coordinates?
...
......
Let me worry about that!
No offense, but you smell like burnt toast and are still smoking a little bit.
There must be another way.
There is none!!
<nods> Well, okay then.
Man, you're easy to convince when it's anybody but me...
<laughs> Hee hee... Come on! It doesn't matter if we go up in this machine or if god comes to end the world! So why don't we just let fate decide!?
You really don’t trust me, huh? I can’t believe it! You speak that way about my greatest invention…
<shakes head> No, I didn’t mean anything!
Yeah, that’s right, Rog! We love your machine, so take us to the stars!! NEAM!! Here we come!!
Use your beam to get us to the Mean Neam Machine.
It's not a beam! It's an Instantaneous Matter Transporter!
Gonna be real, Rog. I ain't gonna remember that.
<nods> Trust me! I’ll make sure to get you there safely! I promise, promise, PROMISE! Since we’ve made our decision, I’ll get ready. Please get ready for departure too, everyone!
Should we go back to the hideout, too?


Music: Callback from Jesus



Man, I'd be down as shit with a device that could just teleport pizza into my hand. Unfortunately, it's going to take a while for Roger Bacon to work out the kinks of his teleporter.



Well, not really. But we do need to go attend to some other business first. So let's depart from Nemeton Monastery for now.


Music: Atmosphere - Blow Up



We're technically at the end of this chapter right here. But... we're also not allowed to go embark on Seven Days of Sidequests before the end of the world until we return to London for a scene. So let's get that out of the way right now.





Specifically, we need to return to the London Rats' Hideout and go to the top floor where we met Halley for the first time.


Music: Don't Cry My Vampire



Regardless of our party composition, Halley is up here now with his mother. Turns out Koudelka came up with that stupid saying, I guess. Where she picked it up in the last fifteen years is anyone's guess.

Halley rushes up to his mom.



<nods> I know, but I’m okay. After three years, we’re finally together.
<shakes head> I’m so sorry, Mom. I wanted to go see you sooner.
<shakes head> It’s okay, Halley. It must have been very difficult for you. You’ve done a great thing here.
Heh heh… It’s all thanks to the little ones. I’ve gotta protect them!
Yeah... we need to have a discussion about the collection of powerful mage orphans you've collected here.
What are you talking about?
The little girl with the pigtails and her demon summoning. Or the boy with the running nose who seems to be binding souls to random objects...
Mom, you sure you don't still need some rest?
…...
How you’ve grown, Halley…

Halley turns away from Koudelka.



<nods> What is it?
I’m going to fight until the end with Yuri. Will you be okay with that?
Well, I suppose it is the end of all life on the planet if they don't stop Albert Simon, so...
As long as you promise to come back to me. Like your father did…
Oh, I misspoke. I meant don't be like how deadbeat father just took my horse, rode off into the morning mists and never came back.
You’re beginning to look a lot like him.
Don't start wearing a backpack. You'll look like a damn fool...



Yes. Your father always kept his promises.
...Would be a lie. So don't be like that, sweetheart.
Thanks to your father, I’m here with you now.
...
......
Is Yuri my dad?
WHAT?! NO! Oh sweetie, no! Of course not! He's in his mid-20s. Think about that for a moment... No, your father is an idiot who went to America to "make a name for himself" and... that's the last I heard about him in ten years ago...
I promise, I’ll be back! Let’s go to America together! We’ll take a boat with Chris, Sharon and Joshua and meet Dad!
Halley…
Talking to your father again in the first place is a big ask. Taking all of your little friends along too, well...
That’s what we’ll do. Right, Mom?
<nods> Ok. All right. I promise.
(We're all going to die in a week anyway.)

Music: ENDS. Alice and Yuri wander onto the scene.



Sorry about that. Is it a bad time?
No, it’s okay.
Great timing, in fact. I needed the subject changed immediately.



Music: ICARO - Beated Version



Yuri, I don’t know how to thank you. Thank you so much for coming to see me.
<laughs> C-c’mon. Yer embarrassin’ me. As for me, I can’t believe that damn voice, er, I mean that “mysterious voice” was an actually a beauty like you.
Yuri, please stop hitting on my mom. After we beat Simon she's going back to America with me to see Dad.
...That right?
He's getting ahead of himself.
Also, I wanna thank you for savin’ Alice at Kuihai Tower.
Yes, thank you. A week of torture was rough... I don't know if I could have held out without your help.
It was no problem. Though Yuri, I'm still a little confused why you and the others saw it fit to go to Hong Kong instead of going straight to Kuihai Tower.
...You all did WHAT!?
Hehehe... Yeah, umm... Hey, Koudelka! Question!
But how come it was only me who’s head hurt when they heard your voice? Was I being punished?
That’s because all the monsters fused inside you became terrified. Like bats fear the sunlight…



I hope it wasn't too unpleasant.
Ehh... ya know, at worst I was only a LITTLE worried my head would pop like a melon. No big deal...
Oh... s-sorry...
Water under the bridge. But... if you could, like, never do that again unless 100% absolutely necessary... that'd be super great!
There’s nothing to worry about. You’re protected by a greater spirit. A spirit so strong that even Albert fears… Look deep inside yourself. You’ll know who that soul belongs to.
<nods> I know, Koudelka.
I mean, not really... That's super vague. But, I'll take it under advisement.
<turns to Alice> Alice…



<shakes head> No… it’s just because of all the help I got from everyone.
I can see the burden you carry for the sake of your loved one. You’re scared, right? Just don’t ever give up hope. You have Yuri now. The curse may be strong, but he will protect you. All right?
<nods> Yes, that’s right.
(Oh CRUD! Right... I TOTALLY blanked on that curse thing with everything that has been going on. Should probably look into lifting that...)
I can’t do anything anymore, but I’ll wait here for your safe return.
You sure? You still seem pretty strong.
I'm in my mid-30s. That's one foot in the grave in female protagonist years. I'm afraid you're on your own, kids...
Roger will help you with the rest. Now, go…


Music: Babysitter is Old Nurse



And that's the end of Koudelka's role in this game's plot. Which is not to say that's the last we'll interact with her going forward. She may be involved in a side quest we'll be seeing in the near future. Even though it seems like Roger Bacon's house would make more sense, the party has seen it fit to spend the end game hanging out in the London Rat's squatting digs for the duration of the endgame if they're not in the active party. With that in mind, we can go talk to everyone who is not currently active. They're all chilling out at varying parts of the building.



Good news, Zhuzhen! You actually are going to be coming out of retirement, however briefly. We'll need you to trigger a couple of quests along the road.



Just gonna get sloshed for this whole thing, huh? I can respect that.
Cheers.



I'm pretty sure that little pipsqueak is eyeing my wallet again and I cannot be held responsible for where bullets might be discharged if he makes a move.
Please don't shoot a buncha orphans.
I make zero promises...



How far a walk is that?
...A walk?
To America. Everything is so damn spaced out 'round here.
It's across the ocean.
Like so you'd have to take a boat?
Most likely.
No thanks! Count me out!
You weren't invited...



Yo.
...
Something up?
Oh, uh... nothing...
Just, you know... Still a little cursed. I know we've got a lot on our plate, but...
<rubs neck> Yeah... we should probably sort that out...
Y-yeah... That'd be... nice...





While Sharon and Joshua get nifty occult powers, Chris just gets... the ability to switch party members. Kind of the short end of the ability stick, huh? We'll be shuffling our party far more often than we had been for most of Europe in coming updates.


Music: Atmosphere - Blow Up



But for now, thus concludes Chapter 20: Nemeton Monastery. A world state change has occurred now that the Neameto Float has arisen and almost every single location in Europe now has new content in the form of a ton of sidequests such as:
And much more in Chapter 21: Doomed World! Stay tuned for the end game!





Well that was certainly a full chapter and we've got a nice helping of new entries in the Library.

MONSTER:



Look, bird and man I could be OK with but plant added in too just makes it weird.



Welsh does indeed qualify as a strange language, so that checks out.



So does it have intelligence or act purely on instinct? You're giving me mixed signals in this thing that has a gaping maw where its head should be.



It can and WILL shoot a Level 1 adventurer in the face with no hesitation. It's here to commit murder ass murder!



Weakness: Pans dropped on its head.

NPC:



Koudelka's entry updated to a more dignified version of her model now that she's free from Albert Simon's bullshit.



He has not been seen except by that tailor who clearly fitted his suit.





Koudelka Iasant Portrait - Age really gave Koudelka a strong jawline...