Part 59: Episode LV: Old Man, Hold Hand

Episode LV: Old Man, Hold Hand


Music: Spiritualization ~ Holy Land of God



Once you feel ready for this trial or whatever it is, just tell Bishop Jovis.
Yep. We were there. And you were not, so I'm a little confused why you're informing us of this...
Spycraft, my boy.
...Right.

If that transition to Lawrence seemed abrupt from the last scene. Naw, it's literally just him walking up and having this dialog the instant the previous cutscene ended.



The most confusing thing about the post-Jovis scene is... he clearly left out the way we entered at the end of that last update, right? And told Yuri and Karin to come to find him, right? So you'd figure you needed to find him in an earlier point in town, right?



Right... nope. Actually, the game wants you to go into this corner door that was at no point visible in the previous scene and no indicator given it was a path in the room. Sure, Shadow Hearts 2...



Oh yeah, before we head forward. Hey, it might be prudent to just strip all the good accessories off the rest of the party and load Karin and Yuri up with the best stuff. Also, a Pedometer. We need them Steps. That sidequest is still in play... (There are so many sidequests in play, good lord...) This whole "trial" business might be an exclusive, one-time dungeon and maybe we would like to kit up the only two characters that are going into it optimally. It also may be wise to give Karin some supporting Magic Crests. Particularly, we definitely want her to have Cure and Arc-Cure.

Music: ENDS



So, Jovis is on the opposite side of this ritual pit we've got going on here. You'd think to go run over and talk to him now.



But you would be a fool! Because you know what is to the right side of this room? The most important sidequest of the game! It's your boy, Ring Soul!



......
...Nothing to say?
Um... yeah... Listen, I've been thinking, and... I was outta line before. I didn't realize it was so hard on you, being the Ring Soul. I just wanted to be friends.
...No, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm embarrassed I lost it like that.
I slept like crap the night before and I got a flat tire on the way to work so I was late coming in. I was just having a bad day and snapped, alright?
Don't worry about it. Just do what you do! Like normal!
Oh, okay! Um... Ahem, ahem! Uh... I am the Ring Soul... The will of the Judgment Ring, the administrator of all fate... The world drowns in its own history... And in this time, you must carry the burden of fate...
Jeez, you can talk, though!
Huh?
Um... nothing! Nothing at all! Please continue!
I can see it...I can see your future... This I entrust to you...



We've actually topped out on all our mainline fighters getting extra Attack Boosts. Karin and Blanca both have a limit of four-hit strings. I guess, I don't know, Anastasia can take this one.



Ha ha!
The power to command the Judgment Ring. Such power will help you carve your way through destiny... I will appear to you again, to bestow upon you more power...
Boy, this really is a long spiel this time, huh...
Eh?
Nothing! Nothing at all... Continue...
But beware! I am always watching... Watching to see if you are truly the one to command destiny...
Hey, Ring Soul!
What is it?
So what's your wife's name, anyway?
What the heck, Yuri?
Hey, I'm trying to be sociable here, sheesh!
M-my wife's name?! What's that got to do with anything?!
Just tell me! We're friends now. right? Is she cute?
She's called... She's called Miyabi. She's very young and very beautiful.
Oh, Miyabi, is it?! And kids?
J-just one... Aya. She just started to call me papa!
She just had her third birthday, you see.
Aya! Great name! Sounds like the name of a star! Maybe she'll be a singer or something when she's older?!
Maybe opera or something. I dunno.
Miyabi and Aya, huh?! Say hello to them for me, okay?
Sure, okay. See you then!

Ring Soul vanishes.



Ring Soul S-Link -- Restored!



Ready as ever!

This is the point of no return before starting the next dungeon but we already have Yuri and Karin sufficiently kitted up. So let's get to it...





Just having a normal one gazing at the moon in Turkey while lying on some sort of stone mattress as an old man we just met gives us a sermon.



My children, all I can give to you is my prayers. May God grant you strength.
I am now going to call upon dark satanic arts to transport the two of you into the inner souls. God forgive me for the arcane sins I am about to craft.
Just do the magic crap already, old man. If your god gets pissy about it I'll punch him out too.
Let the heresy commence.

Music: ENDS



<starts chanting mystical incantations>
Karin, there's still time. Give it up!
Oh, c'mon. It's too late.
Are we just going to get up in the middle of this and call it off? Bishop Jovis is really getting into it.
<chanting intensifies>
Yeah but, Karin, you don't really wanna see the inside of my heart.



Something embarrassing there?
Bite me.
It's just a shadowy, unpleasant place. One might even call it a shadow heart.
That's lame even for you.
Bite me.
<smirks> Maybe you just... wanted to hold hands with the old man?
Bite me.



Praise the sun!






Music: Holy Mistletoe ~ Graveyard



Yeah. Welcome to the inside of my soul! It's really screwed up, huh?!
I call it the Graveyard. It... used to look more like an actual graveyard and it had hills and stuff. And evil mask spirits that were total jerks. And my dad's ghost until I beat him up.
Your dad's ghost...? That you beat up...?
Well, it was actually a manifestation of my self-doubt holding me back represented by my dad wearing a fox mask who would show up to kick my ass if I didn't do filler fights in my soul. It was dumb.
...I see.
Though my dad's actual ghost might be in here somewhere. I was never clear on that.
That's a lot, Yuri.
There's also a dark god summoned by an evil Chinese sorcerer that killed my mom skulking around in here somewhere still. I... never really resolved that on my last adventure... Hopefully, we won't run into that while we're here either.
......

Karin turns and notices the cursed tree with a Yuri growing out of it.



Hey, that's you growing out of that thing!
Yup. Ever since I was stabbed by that Mistletoe thingy. Looks like he's sleeping, huh?
Yeah... He's alive... Looks like he's having a really good sleep.
It's pretty creepy, huh? I threw a rock at it once and it gave me heartburn for a day. Bad idea...
Wow. Geez, I didn't realize you were that ripped...
<shrug> Punching monsters for a living is a good workout.
Like, dang... You are cut.
Y-yeah...
Okay, let's go!



So remember how in our original tour of the Graveyard there was a section behind the cursed tree with nothing but locked, ominous-looking gates? Yeah, we're heading there now! I'm sure it'll be fine.



Nice to meet you! ...But I guess we've met once before.
You know, when I was still alive...
<steps forward> Y-you're...!
Jeanne, from Domremy. You're Karin, right?
...Y-yes, that's right.
I hear a lot about you hanging around in here.



Aww, heck. I totally forgot about her hanging out in my soul too. Geez, it's getting crowded in here...
Well, she's a curious little ghost. She says she's looking for something here in my heart.
Wait, when... how did that little girl die?
<shrug>
Yeah... I cannot say either. Just popped up here. Dead.
OK, Yuri. Maybe your soul is a little messed up...
I am literally the first one to tell you.
A while ago, I heard this big rumbling sound coming from that creepy tree. And then I heard a horrible scream.
Maybe that was when Rasputin was putting that spell on you?
...Yeah, probably.
Or it could be when that lady told me about the ghosts haunting me...
S-Sorry...
Oh, no. No, not you. You're cool, kid. I may have other ghosts haunting me. So look out for that.
...Will do. But, I don't think I have seen any yet.
<turns to Jeanne> Hehe. I give up. I don't think there's anything I can do about that curse...
......
You're going to get Amon next, right?
<nods> Yeah.
<steps forward> Good luck! And I'll try to find out more about that creepy tree, maybe find a way to break the curse.
Yeah, that'd be swell. My current leads are jack and sh—
Yuri! Language!
...Shhhut down?
You can say shit. It is fine. I'm a ghost. My ghost parents aren't going to be mad or anything.

Jeanne starts walking away.

Jeanne!
Yeah?
...I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say about your village...
I understand.
Did they all die or... what...?
I... don't know... I got knocked out and dragged away from town.
I got cursed and knocked out too. Blanca and Gepetto are alright, at least. I should probably ask them.
Oh, that's good! Tell them not to miss me too much. I'm fine being a ghost.
_{Yuri, did you tell them this little girl died?
Crud... I've been meaning to! There's just a lot going on...
Yuri!}
Hey, what are you all whispering about?
Oh, nothing. Adult stuff. Again, I'm really sorry to hear you died.
It's OK.
You're trying to find a new way to live too, aren't you? I just know you're going to find it! Your true path...

Jeanne teleports away.



Alright, then. We actually want the big spooky gate to the north. Don't worry, will get to the other one eventually...



Pretty thick door.

The gate swings open and Yuri immediately falls to his knees.




No problem! Just a little tightness in my chest...
Because we're trying to go against the curse, right?
...I guess. Hehe. At least the weird headaches haven't started yet.
And no weird psychic gypsy ladies have started yelling in my head either. That's probably a good sign...
You really need to stop saying random crap like that without any context.
<stands up> Yeah, I know, I know...



We still technically are in the confines of Gerome Valley. As long as you don't count that massive Solomon Trials sidequest that will eat several hours of my life later this year... Tune in next time as we Inception further into Yuri's Mind Palace to an actual... Mind Castle as Shadow Hearts: Covenant continues to just wing it.






Video: Episode 55 Cutscene







Goreme Valley Concept Art - Well, at least it's not another cave dungeon.