Part 36: CH36: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Showdown

CH36: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Showdown





Nice of them to give us a teleporter out of here.



Skit: To the Archive of Wisdom


: Hey now, take it easy! Once we hit the Archive of Wisdom, all will be revealed.
: How are you doing, Sophie? You didn't seem like yourself when we saw Richard earlier. Is there anything you want to talk about?
: I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. I wanted to stop Richard because...we're friends.
: Well, okay. If you say so.

: Come. Let's get back to the Amarcian enclave.
: (Kurt... I wasted my life on half-measures, but no more. I will fulfill your dying wish. I promise you!)



Skit: Selective Memory


: It was approximately 20 years ago, and it wasn't just us. There was one more person involved in our plight as well.
: Really?
: Wait, wait, was it a girl?
: Yes.
: Okay, tell us everything about her!
: Ch-Cheria?
: Um, it's hard to say. It was...a really long time ago.
: He has amnesia too?
: Liar! I don't believe you for a second!
: I've never seen her show such interest in another man's past. ...You good with this, Asbel?
: Another man?
: Eeek!





The Archive of Wisdom is behind where the Overseer was earlier.

: The Archive of wisdom was a giant projector, mostly.


: I imagined that a place called the Archive of Wisdom would be more like a library...
: Oh, we're chock full of wisdom around here! We just don't store it on paper. Ohmigosh, I never actually thought I'd come here! I'm so excited! Okay, okay. Let's see what we can learn about this Lastalia.
: Hey, that looks like the machine where we saw Sophie's illusion.
: Yeah, it's pretty much the same. Which means if I just twang this thingie here...
: Wh-What is that?!
Is it...real?
: I can see right through it!
: Okay, lemme see... Lastalia... Lastalia...


: Got it! Hoo hoo! Okay, now lemme just... Oh, that's crazy. So the Lastalia really does exist, but it's different from valkines cryas.
: How so?
: Well, it's kinda like the basis for valkines.


: It also says that valkines exist to stabilize the eleth produced by the Lastalia! Oh man, this is heavy...
: There's something slightly...unnatural about the Lastalia and the valkines. It's like they were almost designed.
: I was totally just thinking that, Cheria! Great minds think alike.
: Okay, so that's what the Lastalia is. And Richard will go there next?
: Oh yeah. In fact, I'm more sure of it now than ever. Richard didn't care about the valkines; he just wanted the eleth.
: What happens if he absorbs the eleth from the Lastalia?
: Hmm... Well, since there would be no more eleth, I think the world would just kinda...die.
: That's crazy! I mean, that can't be what he's after! ...Could it?
: If the Lastalia is at the core, we'll need a way underground. How do we get down there?
: Lemme check... Aw, bananas! Not again! The records are so darn old... Come on, you! ...Okay, there we go.


: Anything else useful...? Hmm...
Lambda...


: There's that word again. What does it mean?
: ...Looks like it's the name of someone who went after the valkines a long time ago, just like Richard is doing now.
Oh, wait. Hold on. There's a... poem or something here.
: A poem?
: The seed of destruction from Fodra. Falls to the land of three lights. Sprouting its limbs to shroud the radiance. The savior of Fodra rises. To wither the leaves of destruction. Guarding the lights forever more. Okay, so are we supposed to know what any of that means? ...Because I totally don't.
Oh crud. There's another blank spot here...
: Yeah I got sick of people recording events and stuff in prophecies and poems like that. If they said something plainly, it might be too useful.




: I can almost remember... But my head hurts...
: You need some fresh air. Come on, let's go outside. I'll take care of Sophie. You guys stay here and learn what you can.
: Thanks, Cheria.
: Meh, this information is just too fragmented. I can only read little bits and pieces. I might be able to repair it or whatever, but it'll probably take some time.
: Do you know what happened to that Lambda guy after he attacked the valkines?
: It looks like someone jumped in and saved the day. I found a little bit about how he was stopped by something called Protos Heis. I'm guessing the seed of destruction in the poem is that Lambda dude.
: Which means Protos Heis would be...
: The savior of Fodra.
: It makes sense. For some reason, Richard is trying to recreate the events from that poem.
: I think we've learned enough. We should hurry to World's Eye.
: Agreed. I'll be damned if I'm going to let this world die.
: We'll stop Richard this time. We have to.





: Lambda... Seed of destruction... Savior from Fodra... I can almost remember...
: It's okay. Don't force it.
: It feels like I have to remember... Or something terrible will happen...
: Something terrible?
: But it's hard... I'm...scared...
: How are you, Sophie?
: I'm fine now. I'm sorry.
: We've decided to head for World's Eye.
: Okay.
: Don't push yourself if you're not feeling well.
: No. You must take me with you. Please.
: Okay. But let us know if anything's wrong.
We'll have to head back to Zavhert first. We can catch a ship from there.



Skit: Connecting the Dots


: King Richard's transformation has plunged our world into a spiral of disaster.
This same story came up again in the information from the hidden Amarcian archive.
: It seems that King Richard is behaving just like a creature known as Lambda, who went after the valkines long ago.
: So if we knew why that happened, we could totally figure out what's going on now! ...But we don't.
: There was another piece to the puzzle, right?
: Yes, that would be Sophie.



: Meanwhile...




: Honestly Richard wasn't holding up very well.
: Ungh...
Lastalia... Must get to... the Lastalia...


: We're the only ones...who can save this world...




Skit: What if He Knows?


: Yes. Why are you asking?
: So if Richard is trying to wipe out all of the world's eleth, just like this Lambda did...
Doesn't that mean that we'll need a Protos Heis on our side to defend against him?
: Yes.
: Do you think Richard knows that his actions are going to eradicate all life from our world?
: What if he does?
; Huh?
: What if Richard does understand? What would you do?
: Well, I guess I would have to... Have to...
(What could I do?)



Skit: The Missing Pieces


: I would assume that the Amarcians created them.
: The control units and ruins we've discovered are totally the work of Amarcians. But I don't think we're responsible for the valkines themselves.
: But then, who besides the Amarcians would even be capable of such an achievement?
: We JUST checked the Archive of Wisdom. There were records about valkines control units, but nothing about building a valkines cryas.
: Hmm... It seems we are still lacking a crucial piece of information.
: Indeed. And I suspect this missing information may prove critical to stopping King Richard.



: By the way if you know anyone like Pascal, and she suggests a shortcut, decline.


: I don't like this...
: Did you discover this area's famous ingredients, Annie?


: Then, I can get started?!
: Please, dear brother. Be my guest.


: How's the heat, Annie?
: Oh, it's wonderful!
: Mmm... Local ingredients make the best food.
: Right you are, Kaz! Only fresh local ingredients can make a truly special dish!


: I'm not sure if it was the haze, or the chemicals caused the party to lose color vision.
: You have to cook these fresh ingredients very thoroughly or you'll pay for it later. Back at the royal palace, I almost sent some guests to paradise from food poisoning. Can't make that mistake again!






: J-Joey... You have to stop... N-Now!
: Oh, h-hey everyone... Nice to...see you...again... We should be...able to...eat soon...


: Fortunately nobody suffered any irreversible harm there.


: I think Annie snuck us another boxed lunch...
: What exactly are they out to accomplish, I wonder?
: Let's just be glad we escaped with our lives.
: Heh...


This is in fact normal food.



: While following the shortcut we met someone else we weren't happy to see.


: Wait. That uniform... Hee hee! So they brought in reinforcements, eh?
: Who are you talking about?
: Are you referring to the soldiers in the woods? Why are they here in the first place?
: Ex-soldiers! They are soldiers of Windor no more! The pitiful fools threw their lots in with Cedric and now have nowhere else to go. Eee hee hee hee!
: Wait a minute... Isn't this...
: And what of you? Aren't you in the same position as all the other failures?
: Silence! How dare you lump me in with those fools! I'm not some ordinary commoner, you know! I hail from one of the most prestigious families in all the land! Do you see this? It's a crest of Windor! Only the greatest of men may ever touch one of these!
: He speaks truth. That's definitely a crest of Windor.
: Asbel? I think I know him...
: You too, Sophie? Yeah, he does look familiar...
: You guys know a lot of random crazy people or what?
: ...Wait. Did you say...Asbel? Hee hee! Eeeeeee hee hee hee!
: What in the...?
: It's him! It's him, it's him, it's him!
: Um, what's with this guy?
: I remember. He attacked Richard in the meadow seven years ago.
: What? ...BRYCE? Is that really you?!
: Eee hee! Asbel Lhant returns to me! Eee hee hee hee hee! Time to kill! Time to die! Eee hee hee!
: Ready yourselves!



Optional boss time!


This guy is no Kurt, but he's not easy either. Especially since I'm taking him on without Malik.


He will fucking constantly paralyze us. I really should have slipped in charms for that, but didn't


Hubert's got a new B-Arte.


You can turn the tables and paralyze him instead.


Dude claws like mad.


OK this is probably the hardest part of the fight, the fact that the AI won't run away from this.


And you need to move it.


I was behind him while he was doing it, and I took an unblocked hit. Look at those numbers. That is straight-up five digit damage.


Oh and he has a spell too.


It sends out two little "runners" of darkness.


Then they collide.


OK this is a problem.


I prioritized getting Sophie up here, since the guy might randomly one-shot Cheria no matter how much I healed her. Also I managed to accidentally switch to Cheria in my haste.






I'd really like Cheria to not die here.


Sophie gets off a heal, I toss a gel...


But she drops before either lands.


On the plus side, the game cancels the item timer since it never actually landed.




Have I mentioned I hate the AI sometimes?


This looked pretty bad.




I was able to get Sophie up without Cheria dropping though.


And that was that.


I fought Kurt like eight times. You sir are no Kurt





: THIS is Bryce?
: Did you know him, Captain?
: He disappeared seven years ago. It was big news amongst the knights at the time. He was the first son of a prestigious family, and he used that sway to gain a position as the young prince's personal tutor.
: Eee hee hee! They wait for me! Even now, they prepare a feast at the castle! Mmm...suckling pig...
: Um...is he okay?
: What's that, King Bryce? You want to make me a duke? Oh, you are TOO KIND!
: If I had to guess, I'd say he's been like this ever since we fought him at the meadow.
: This isn't your fault, Asbel.
: He's the one who refuses to accept reality. And only he can choose to shoulder that responsibility once more.
: I...I guess...



: They tried talking to him a little bit more, but the brain damage seemed irreversible.
: Ah, a miracle! Look at all the eleth! The children of today are the Turtlez of tomorrow! Eee hee hee!
Come, my friend, come eat this pig. The juice RUNS DOWN YOUR CHIN! Eee hee hee ha ha!



: Anyway eventually the party made up for lost time and got back on track.


Ship Captain: If you got the coin, I've got the boat. But I don't see the point. There ain't nothing up there!
: We have urgent business on an island in that area.
Ship Captain: Say, you must be the ones that government fella was talkin' about! Yeah, I'm s'posed to give ya whatever ya want.
: Sounds like the Overseer's pulled some strings for us.
Ship Captain: We can make sail whenever yer ready. Just lemme know, yeah?







: Can I...ask you something? Is Richard still your friend?
: Yeah, Sophie. He is. But not just me, he's your friend as well. Right? Remember the pact of friendship we made together?
: But last time we tried, we couldn't do it...
: Well then, we'll just make another pact once Richard is back to normal. As long as we care for each other, the pact can be remade.
: Can we still remake it... if I defeat him?
: Are you saying you're going to do that to protect us?
: If we do the pact of friendship with Richard again... Will it make these feelings go away? I have this feeling...that if I don't destroy him, I'll lose my other friends. But Richard is my friend, too. So why do I feel this way?
: You've done everything you can to protect us, Sophie.
There's no need for you to shoulder everything alone. Let me take care of Richard.
: He's a good person. I know he is. There must be a reason for what he's doing.
: Asbel...



A couple more post-battle chats.