Part 54: Getting the Good Ending

Getting the Good Ending


You have to follow a lot of steps to get the good ending in Shadow Hearts. We've made those steps easier by getting the Oath Grail and reading the inscription on it. Now, we have to get the Malice level to Red so the Masks start showing up. It's easiest to beat them in order, so we start with Grail Mask.

Wh-What is that cup?! M-My strength is...?!


If we hadn't read the Oath Grail, we would have gotten a negative and unblockable Ring Effect here (like Tight Ring).


Grail Mask is easy. He can be harmed by Physical or Special Attacks, and his only Special Attack is SP Lowering. He's down before we have to worry about that.


You get a ton of XP and cash for defeating the Masks, and each one gives you a different ring. Rings cut damage from certain elements in half, like the Pearl Ring we got from Margarete.


For an easier fight, Gold Mask is next on our hit list.


Gold Mask can only be harmed by Special Attacks. Right now, he's being turned onto a popsicle by Egil's Dragon Cry. He responds by casting Strike, but it's too little, too late.




Next up is Staff Mask. They're not getting any less cocky.


Staff can only be hurt by Physical Attacks, and, like Grail, his only Special Attack is SP Lowering.




And we save the most annoying of all, Sword Mask, for last.


He's another one that can only be hurt by Special Attacks. Sword Mask attacks with Shock Barrage.


All the Masks are defeated now, but if you want to finish the monster library, you have to hang around with full Malice until you defeat all the Masks for a second time.








Not that it's hard. The Broken Masks only have 1 Hit Point each. Once that's out of the way, we go to the Graveyard to clear Yuri's Malice.

This is important: at this point you have to look at the small gravestone in the Graveyard. Even if you've looked at it before now, you need to do it again once you beat the Masks.


That's definitely what's carved on the tiny tombstone.


Now, we go talk to Roger.

Please have some rest. Everything is going to be done before you all get up.

Everyone goes to sleep, and...


...Alice wakes up in Yuri's Graveyard.



It's that graveyard again...

Until this point, I never realized that Alice had Multiple Personality Disorder. She hides it so well.



It's almost as if this entire world was waiting for me...




Just like last time, Alice senses things from the gravestones. The description for each stone is the same, just replace Earth with Fire, Water, Light, etc. The interesting part is what it says next.

Earth:


Water:


Fire:


Wind:


Light:


Darkness:



You can also have Alice examine her grave. If you're a sadist or something.

That's exactly what's carved on the tiny tombstone.

My own grave...


Well, we're not getting out of here without talking to the assholes. At least we can laugh at them because Yuri's stomped them into pieces.

Ho..ho..ho..! It seems our spell has finally taken you!

...

Bwa..ha..ha..! What's wrong little girl? You struggle, but your soul's fate lies here.

Yeh..heh.heh..! If you could, you would die for your love, hmm?



...

Tsk..tsk..tsk..! Go now to the depths of the evil dimension. As per the contract of your divine soul, you offered your life to us in return for your request!









Voice of Executioner: Hmph... Do you fear me?

Oh, you?!


...the hell?!

I am Atman, the executioner of spirit sacrifice. I bring death to your soul.

Hoping for someone to come and save you? Unfortunately, you're all alone here. No one is coming to your rescue, you're quite alone. Do you have any regrets about dying for that man?

No, I have no regrets.



Such a courageous girl. How delicious your pure, unsullied soul must be...

Ew...

Come. The final wedge has been driven into the Judgment Ring. You'll become one with my darkness...

!?

Just when everything seems lost for Alice, there's loud THUD off-screen and the music begins to swell with pure awesomeness.

Hold on!





Sorry I'm late. Those masks outside slowed me down a bit.

Impossible! You forced the door to the Dark Side open and entered the Curse of Death yourself?!

She's my woman. You're not takin' her. Never!



You plan to break a contract for a soul? To disrupt an ancient and holy ceremony?! Don't make me laugh. Have you lost your mind? You're throwing your own precious life away!

Maybe I am, so ya better watch it! Dumb-ass!

Yuri always says the sweetest things.



Very well. If you think you can break my contract for this soul, give it your best shot!


Now there's a face that not even a blind, senile mother could love.


For my opening move, I fuse Yuri into Amon, and give Atman a face full of Demon Rays while I have Alice buff herself with Gospel. Atman is going to be focusing his most devastating attacks on her, so the extra defense is needed.


Alice also needs a Willpower equipped, because Atman's favorite spell to use against her, Eradication, will cause massive SP loss otherwise. Gee, I wonder why?


As long as Alice has that Willpower equipped and you keep an eye on both of their Hit Points and Alice's MP and SP the fight is a pretty straightforward "smack him until he stops twitching" affair. Eventually, Atman suffers a major seizure and dies.




We get yet another ring, and Alice gets to level 48, which means she learns her final spell, Advent!


Believe it. If Yuri can't punch it into submission, he hasn't met it yet.



No! Don't say anything. I promised, didn't I? That I'd protect ya.

...

C'mon, let's go. I wanna say goodbye to this nasty place!


They walk away, and suddenly Yuri is waking Alice up in Roger's house, seemingly completely unaware of anything that happened.

I'm okay. It was just a scary dream. I'm fine now! You were here by my side the entire time?

Huh!? Umm... I guess so.

Is it just an act? It's hard to tell with the naturally born stupid.

Thank you, Yuri.


Tiny...

Alice: I'm not sure when it was that I started to feel the way I do about you. You can be so short-tempered and foul-mouthed sometimes, and yet...so graceful and strong and pure.



Alice: Would you be surprised if I told you that I sometimes wished that our journey together would never end? I don't know where that journey will end. ...But I'm frightened when I start to feel it coming. You've survived so many hardships since you were a child...


D'aww...

Alice: ...Overcome such pain. I'm certain it was because your mother and father gave you so much love when you were small. And that's why...even if you don't put it in words...you're always teaching me just exactly what love is. I'm so grateful that I met you. So truly, truly grateful.


Next time on Shadow Hearts: Loose ends.


Mask Fights on Viddler
Atman Fight - Win on Viddler
Alice's Thoughts on Viddler (voice-acted scene)


NPC Scorecard