Part 39: Sidetracked (XIII) - Xasta Grassland

Our next assignment is a rather unique one.



Accepting it opens a whole new area that is actually otherwise missable!



They call it a grassland, and it certainly looks like one.



So... basically "defeat all enemy units".

Again.



There are some new enemies around this time! Well, actually not new because I killed several of these when I was grinding before, but I didn't show any of that off. (I did show them off when I met them in IV, though, so they should be familiar to anyone who's been with me from the beginning.)



We also have this bird thing...



...and this other bird thing, both of which I think are entirely new for this game.



Ostrich people are fast and reasonably hard-hitting, so they can fuck you up if you get careless. We're really at a level where I guess the game figures we should have gear from the next city, so these enemies have been cranked up noticeably from the previous ones.



Thankfully, this only hits once.



The females drop eggs; the males feathers. I don't think we have any further use for them, since we handed in those quests requiring them.



SPEED FOR FUCK'S SAKE WENDEL YOU LITTLE FUCK



Oh, and Nalkul picked up something nice on his last level.



Though the damage is nice, it does deal 20% backlash damage, but anything you hit with this isn't going to be in a condition to hit back.

The sprout drops a Savage Sprout Flower. Close, but no cigar.



This one's on native terrain, so Kika needs to bust out the nuclear option.



Still nothing! Well, there is a third one here somewhere...



Maxine doesn't care to go nuclear. Someone else can kill it.



Instant death spell: not shit!



Flare takes the sprout, and the prize...



...and this, which is nice!



Suddenly!



I could say the same, elf!



But we have a few more birds to pluck before the mercs get close enough, so let's get to that.



Champo is coming along nicely.



Kika isn't terribly threatened, but then again it's Kika, and she's on wind terrain.



Rita gets another crit!



And another level. Flare takes out the last bird, and the mercs are beginning to move in as well.



If you think the leader looks odd there in the back, it's because she has exchanged her water rune for a wind one on this map. Also OW.



Two can play that game, however.



Also, Kika can one-shot Blue Merc.



Lazlo has no idea what you're casting, but he doesn't like the look of it.



This looks a whole damn lot better.



Flare puts Shadow Weave to use and now Red Merc can't do shit.



Wendel and Yellow Merc exchange blows...



...and he comes out on top. (She's only very nearly dead.)



Champo does away with him. Still looking pretty good!



Lazlo and...



...Kika finish the red merc. Now there's just the elemen-



Come back here you little bitch!



A needlessly long chase later, one of our mobile characters catch up and dispose of it.



Still got the S-rank so whatever, I guess.



I'm counting on it!



The S-rank award from Xasta is more interesting than the one from Terana. This one also offers +30 HP, although at least in Lazlo's case you should never, ever need them.



We get 5000p and 800sp for this, which is pretty bad for something that involved.



I didn't see this before but apparently it's not new. We actually have one of these sitting around too, so have at it!



We get 1000 Potch and 1000 Skill Points... and a single serving of Salad. I'd complain about the shitty rewards, but it's kind of a quest anyway so I'm inclined to let it go.



But what the hell is this?



Something tells me this is even fishier than my inventory.



(You know, this inventory.)

Next up: an old area!