Part 35: Blue Castle, part 2

Blue Castle, part 2


Back at Blue Castle, Keith opens the door we couldn't get in earlier.

Now we can climb the tower.


Inside, we start climbing the stairs to the tower. Although Keith warned us about powerful monsters, there's only one new monster in this area that's not in the rest of the castle. That's the Dead Knight, a slightly more powerful Hollow.


After three screens of stairs, we come to a landing with a door.


It leads to a prison room with a Pure Root hidden in one of the cells.


We climb up six more screens of stairs and come to another landing.


It's another prison with a chest in the right cell and a hidden item in the left.




There's another prison six screens further up.




Six more screens and we finally reach the top. Whew!

This aura belongs to... Yes! I'm sure of it!

He's inside...

Do be careful. He really did a number on me once.


Cheery place.



Yuri! You're alive!

He doesn't look very good, though...


I must hug you!

Wait, he's definitely not his normal self!

Spoil-sport.



Rnm...mn...

Not only know him... We've been through struggles of life and death with him. How on earth did he get to be like this?!

Um, 50-foot winged monster in Shanghai, swallowed Yuri's soul, blew stuff up... Any of this ring any bells?

Do be on your guard. He attacks very unexpectedly.

Yuri? It's me, Alice.

Nggnn...argg...unn...mmn...

He has every appearance of a human, but it's as if he has lost his soul somewhere. In his present state, he is nothing but a maleficent monster.

Come on, kid...

Did the Seraphic Radiance completely consume your soul...?



...You...You've come...to kill mom, haven't you...?

Well, at least he's speaking now...

Huh?

You damned monsters... You're here for mom, aren't you?!




We have to fight Yuri now.


For the first half of the fight, I conserve Keith's and Zhuzhen's MP. Alice is on healing duty. I also have her cast Gospel on herself and the others when she has spare time.


Eventually, Yuri transforms into Death Emperor. When that happens, I have Keith and Zhuzhen start using their best spells.


Once Yuri loses enough help to start to droop...


...the screen goes black.


Huh. This is an interesting development.



A graveyard?



This entire land mourns and suffers...



This must be...

We never hear the rest of Alice's thought, but we can examine the graves.

Wind:
A faint trust in one's companions remains within the consciousness living in the seal.

Light:
The spirit of a mother's warmth faintly remains within the consciousness living in the seal.

Darkness:
A longing for one's father remains within the consciousness living in the seal.

Earth:
A faint hope for tomorrow remains within the consciousness living in the seal.

Water:
A faint spirit of repentance remains within the consciousness living in the seal.

Fire:
A faint bravery in the face of adversity remains within the consciousness living in the seal.


This gate is shut to Alice just like it was to Yuri. I guess there's nothing for it but to talk to the Masks.



Ho ho ho! Who'd have thought she'd come all this way to the mind's darkness? You wish to sacrifice your body, your heart, your very life over to the lad?

Who are you?

Bwa..ha..ha..! Are you not frightened by us? My, you're brave for a little girl! We are the unconscious inside the boy. People call us Fear, Envy, Anger, and Hate!

Yuri is crowded.

Yeh..heh..heh..! The boy's soul you're searching for is seeking death, and preparing for it.



Seeking death?

Tsk, tsk, tsk! Yes, retreating to the memories of his childhood. He earnestly seeks the escape of death--a place with no suffering, where no one can hurt him.

Ho..ho..ho..! So cute... Those who come here can find peace. One can join consciousnesses of their dead mother or father. No need to continue life's hard struggles. The lad is mistaken. Running away isn't a bad thing. After all, each person cares about themself the most.

Bwa..ha..ha..! What's the matter? Your expression...are you upset?!



Yuri...

I won't let Yuri die.

Yeh..heh..heh..! What a silly thing to say. Would you drag a poor soul that's finally about to find tranquility back to the burdens of this life?

Tsk, tsk, tsk! My you're an interesting girl! May I ask? To this soul that was unable to obtain his father's protection or his mother's affection...

What exactly do you have to offer?



I don't know.

Ho..ho..ho..! The freedom of death--a resting place for a soul. Are you saying there is something more this lad desires?

I don't know what I have to offer Yuri. I just know that we can get through any hardship if we stay together.

Bwa..ha..ha..! And what do you want of the lad in return, for your devotion?

I want nothing in return. I just want to be with him.

Yeh..heh..heh..! You make me laugh. Unconditional devotion... No such virtue exists.

...On second thought, there is one. The incomprehensible behavior humans call "love." But you don't...not this soul?

Alice just nods without saying anything. D'aww.

Tsk, tsk, tsk! This gets more interesting by the minute!! To hear such a silly statement...

...Very well. If you're that determined, we'll open the Gate of Self. The lad's soul is inside.

The Gate of Self...

However!!

Set one foot in there...and you must bear the lad's karma with him. Even so, will you go? The Four Masks' curse is binding. In return for opening the Gate, we will one day come for your soul.

I don't care, as long as I can reach out to his soul.

Are you willing to risk your own soul to rescue him? If so, proceed...

Anything to shut you up.






There he is! What the hell is he doing?

Yuri!! What are you doing?


He's digging his own grave? That's so incredibly depressing.



Stop! Stop it right now!


Oh boy...

Heh, heh, aren't I a good boy? I've got to help dad any way I can!

This is no garden! You're digging your own grave! Don't you see?

Oh, c'mon, stop pulling my leg! I've got to seed the farm before winter comes. Now, move aside.

It's so sad when your friends go off the deep end.



Yuri...


I was wondering when he'd show up.



Who...!?

You put Yuri under a spell, didn't you?

Wow, wait a second here. He chose to dig his own grave. He failed to fuse with the Seraphic Radiance, and it devoured his soul. What's left of his consciousness is screaming to disappear! He wants to go away before the Seraphic Radiance inside him comes out and turns the world to ashes. I'm only helping him. Don't you see?

You're his father! Why do you make him suffer so?

I'm not making him suffer. He's scared and he's weak. He thinks all the monsters he has fused with will devour his soul...

"I don't want to turn into a monster!" he screams, every time he fuses. He thinks he might lose it and go on a killing spree if he keeps this up. He might even turn against his own friends...

Hmph! He can't bear the dark fate of a Harmonixer.



Deeper, idiot. Dig deeper!



_...Idiot...

You could not match your father. Didn't protect your mother. You're responsible for everyone's misery! So much regret... So many lies...

Poor boy... His fear attacks him like a monster. I'm the embodiment of his weakness.

Yuri is not weak! There's still hope and courage left in him! He's a fighter!

Ha ha ha! Look at him! He's a weakling! Don't you see? He can't face himself. He wants to escape, that's why he keeps digging. He doesn't want to fight the Seraphic Radiance. He wants to disappear! How pathetic!





You wouldn't understand! You can't believe in anything! What do you know?

Yeah! You tell that furry freak, Alice!



Ha! You cry for him?


That jerk!


At least it seems to have woken Yuri up a bit. He's finally thrown away the damn hoe.


He tries to help Alice up, but she falls down again.



What do you think you're doing?

No, Dad! Don't hit Mom!

He's still delusional, though.





Keep digging!


Foot beats fist!



...You're turning against me?

You...

You're not my dad...

Yay! He's waking up!

This is too funny! Let's do it, you weakling!






Yeah, take your beatings like a man! ...wait, what?

Don't give up. Don't grieve. Because...

You're still alive!

Damn. I was expecting a declaration of love.




Whatever. It still worked.

I'm not afraid of you anymore!



Yup. No problem! No matter how many times I lose, or collapse, or spit blood...

As long as I have my life, and as long as I don't give up...




This fight is so much easier than fighting him in the "real world" that it's not even funny. His attacks are much weaker, his HP is reduced, and he's much less likely to use his special attacks. The fight is over in a couple minutes.


And this time we're not cheated on the reward.




Fox Face's mask finally falls off, revealing...


Yuri?!




Yuri's shocked, too.










Long time, no see.

Yes.

I...

Yes?

Wasn't that stupid of me?

Yeah.



You weren't supposed to agree THAT easily, y'know...

Hmph!!

I'm sorry. Making you come for me in this place.

Not at all. I wanted to see you.



You know, that day...when I fused with the Seraphic Radiance? For a moment, I thought I'd won. I thought to myself, if I could control him, I could save Shanghai! But reality bit me in the butt. Its consciousness flowed into mine, and I could feel myself losing it...

I...I didn't know what to do...I was scared. Very scared.

That's why you wanted to die?

Because I'd much rather die than go on living with a dead soul. I didn't even have the will to fight. When I called out for help, that damn Fox Face showed up. For the longest time, I thought the God of Death was my Dad... But it was a manifestation of my weakness.

I was never scared of this graveyard or that fox. That fox is half of your soul...

A very important half.


I don't like the idea, either.

Heheh...Well, now the two halves are one. I'm not ashamed of being afraid, or weak, anymore.

Yeah. Let's travel together again.

Yeah.





Alice!! Are you all right?!



What in the world happened?!

Heheheh... How've you been all this time, pops?



Yuri?! Is it really the honest-to-goodness Yuri?!

Yes, Zhuzhen. It really is Yuri.

Now, why are you takin' that tone with me? You know I never was honest-to-goodness to begin with. You old adept-at-nothing Adept!

I've missed this.

So, it's really you, kid?! I'm not just seeing things? Choke...sob... Y-You gigantic knucklehead, you...

Ah, c'mon. Don't go cryin' on me now, pops! Now, c'mon! Stop it! You'll dry yourself out if you cry like that!

Aw, stuff it! Don't you know I've been worried sick over what kind of trouble you might be in?! That's why I came looking for you, you ungrateful son-of-a-bitch!! It just chokes me up! Can I help it if the tears come easy in my old age!

Hahah! Well, as you can see, I'm as chipper as a graveyard butterfly!

What does that even mean?

There's nothing to worry about anymore. You can retire from all this, pops. Leave the rest to us.

Aren't you funny! I have no intention of retiring as long as I live!! And who'd want a booger-picking kid like you to look after them, anyway?!

My goodness, it's hard to know whether these two are bosom buddies or sworn enemies... Which is it?

Oh, I guess you could say both.

Now, Alice, stop trying to confuse Keith. You know he's pretty clueless about humans.

You're from this castle, right? I'm sorry we caused you so much trouble.

Ha ha, not at all. Besides, it was your intense burst of energy which finally roused me from my sleep. And with the world changed so much in the 200 years I was asleep, I think I'm in a traveling mood. Which reminds me. You all seem to be on some kind of special journey yourselves.

Well, kind of...

You did what I asked you to do, so I guess you're finished here. But you have piqued my interest. If you don't mind, can I join in your travels? I promise not to get in the way.

We appreciate your interest, but...

the enemies we are fighting are no ordinary monsters. We can't possibly guarantee your safety. Listen. You'll have a lot more fun if you travel with that widow and her daughter from the village.

You DO remember that you're talking to a vampire, right, Zhuzhen?

Oh, no, I certainly don't expect guarantees! I'm just insufferably tired of all the empty hours. I just want to be freed from this endless tedium of nothing to do.

In that case, why don't you just...

Er...

Keith.

Welcome aboard Keith!

Yeah! Things are getting livelier on our European travels, too!

So, where are we headed?

Let's head back to Prague, Zhuzhen. Margarete might be there by now.

Good idea! We can plan our next move when we get there! Yeah! This is getting exciting again! Come on, then. No sense in letting the grass grow under our feet!



He's happy. He kept me going for the last six months.

Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you! I found it in Kuihai Tower.

You've received a brightly polished talisman from Alice.

...

Let's go!

Um, yeah.

Well, that was an awkward exchange.


As they leave, there's something sparkling on the floor where Yuri was sitting.


Back outside, something seems different.

Look! It was red, but now... It really IS a blue castle!

Farewell, dear castle. Farewell, my ancestors. Do not begrudge me a little bit of time to travel. And if I don't return, may you vanish again into the mists of time until a new master arrives.

Well, we're not quite done with Blue Castle yet.


First, it's back to the save point so I can get to the Graveyard.


Now that Yuri has conquered his fear, he can get the level 2 Fusions, and we're going to be getting them all at once.


There's also a new addition to the Graveyard. Hmm...


First, we level up the Dark fusion, getting Charon.




Fire gives us Ifrit.




From Water, we get Dragner.




Earth levels up to Mad Bull.




Light gets Baldo.




And Wind's new Fusion is Icarus.




Wind actually has enough souls for the final Fusion, but something is missing.

To break this seal and obtain the Soul, you need the secret stone that will release the spirit...

We can actually get one of these right now. We have to run back up to the room where we found Yuri.


This is what was shining on the ground when Yuri and Alice left. The Gravestones are also some of the most important items in the game, since they unlock Yuri's final Fusions. We can't use this one yet because we don't have enough Dark souls.


Next time on Shadow Hearts: bathroom pranks.


Blue Castle, part 2 on Viddler
Video 1 (Yuri fight)
Video 2
Video 3 (Fox Face fight)

NPC Scorecard