Part 20: Update 18

Update 18

So last time, we learned that the church is evil. Everyone act surprised. Today, we learn more about what they want.
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: Ugh...where are we? Where's Colette?!

: Totally fucked.

: ...Dammit!
: Lloyd, do you remember this place? We're in Triet Desert. Remember? This is the base where you were captured before.
: ...The Desian Base?!
: These guys aren't Desians.
: What? What do you mean?
: So many things happened at once...I'm confused, too.
: Then why don't we go over everything we know about the situation as it stands now. First, our current situation. When we were about to be killed in the Tower of Salvation, we were rescued by the organization on this base that resembles the Desians. They call themselves the Renegades.
: Uh, so what you're saying is that the people here are called Renegades and not Desians? Okay, I really don't get it, but go on.
: It seems that the Renegades oppose the Desians. They probably have a reason for intentionally trying to look like Desians.
: All right, I think I get it now. We were saved by an organization called the Renegades that looks a lot like the Desians. So then who was that angel guy...Yggdrasill, or whatever? And what about Kratos?...
: Do you remember Yggdrasill's words? This is just pure conjecture, but Cruxis, holy beings worshipped by the Church of Martel, and the Desians may in fact be the same organization.
: ...Whoa, wait...what?! How could that be possible?!
: Lloyd, hear me out. If we think of the Desians as a part of Cruxis, or perhaps their pawns, everything makes sense.
: I remember one of the Desian Five Grand Cardinals said that their boss was Yggdrasill.
: And Yggdrasill said that he was the leader of Cruxis and the Desians when he appeared before us.
: If the Desians and Cruxis are the same, well then what about Kratos? He obeyed Yggdrasill's orders. That means...
: ...That's right, he's our enemy! He deceived us! He admitted it himself. He's one of Cruxis' Four Seraphim!
: Kratos is likely a subordinate of Yggdrasill. He probably joined us to make sure Colette didn't stray from the journey to regenerate the world.
: ...So we were deceived from the very beginning. By Remiel, the Cruxis, even Kratos!





: You're finally awake.
: Are you...the Renegades?
: Correct. We're an underground resistance dedicated to fighting the Desians...or rather, the Cruxis.
: So Cruxis and the Desians really are the same organization!
: Correct. Cruxis controls the Church of Martel in the open, and operates the Desians from behind the scenes. The Desians are a subordinate organization within Cruxis.
: The Church of Martel is nothing more than an instrument created by Cruxis to rule the world. Those who call themselves angels are half-elves, who've evolved by using a special type of Exsphere called Cruxis Crystals. They aren't gods or anything of the sort. Of course, the Church of Martel and the Chosen know nothing about that.
: They're half-elves, too?!
: You have something against half-elves? Wait, that's a stupid question.
: Yes. Some of the Desians, as well as Cruxis and ourselves, are half-elves.
: ...What is Cruxis trying to do? Are they doing all of this just to rule the world?
: Do you intend to have us explain everything? How about using your own head a little.
: Do they wish to revive the Goddess Martel? They send oracles to those of the mana lineage and control their marriages to create Chosens who become the vessel. It seems meaninglessly drawn out and complicated.
: Well, well. I am impressed.
: Given how Remiel wouldn't SHUT UP about it, that's not a very hard deduction.
: There is another world beyond Sylvarant that competes for mana.
: Tethe'alla.
: Yes. And the one who created this twisted world was Cruxis' leader, Yggdrasill.

: Create a world? That's ridiculous! No one can do that!
: Well, he did have a little help.
: If that's what you believe, then our conversation ends here.
: ...Wait. If Yggdrasill was the one that created the two worlds himself, what can you possibly hope to do against someone like that? And that's not all. You tried to kill Colette and me. You're certainly not on our side. Yet for some reason, you saved us. Why?

: Excuse me?!
: ...Our goal is to stop Martel's revival. Therefore, the Chosen, who would become her vessel, was an obstacle.
: Unfortunately, the Chosen completed the angel transformation. The Chosen is now a lethal weapon whose only goal is self-preservation. We wouldn't dare lay a hand on her. But now we have the key to stop Martel's resurrection. We no longer need the Chosen!

: What we need is you, Lloyd Irving!
: ...Me?! What's so special about me?
: That's none of your concern! Get him!


: Lord Yuan!
: No! It's his wound from Hima!

: Kratos cockblock #11.
: Wound from Hima? Are you telling me the one who attacked Kratos was?...
: Lloyd! What are you doing?!

: That thing covering their retreat - it's an artificial summon spirit...




First order of business is to use the vending machine to get back some of the resources we blew on those fights in the tower.



Skit #186: Lloyd Humiliated

: You must have gotten a lot stronger than before.
: That couldn't have been his full strength....He was holding back on me! Damn him...just toying with me....




So we switch the Sorcerer's Ring to fire balls of lightning again.



Skit #185: Betrayer Kratos

: I had thought there was something strange about him....But in the end I couldn't figure it out in time. I hate myself for being so naive.
: ...Damn him! He'll pay for this, I swear.
: Lloyd...




So we've got three blocks. First, you move the two on the floor into place so we can push the block on the platform off.

Then we use them to get to those treasure chests.



Skit #184: Yggdrasill's Aim

: Yes. Most likely, the sleeping goddess, Martel, is a symbolic entity, while Yggdrasill actually executes their plans.
: And Kratos was really one of that Yggdrasill's subordinates.
: What is he trying to do by turning Colette into Martel?
: ...More importantly than that, I want to know why Martel requires a body to be her vessel.
: Ah, right. In other words, that means she doesn't have a body.
: So...wait, if you don't have a body...if all you have left is your heart, can you still live?
: ...Colette is currently living despite having lost her heart. Perhaps the opposite is possible as well.
: I suppose when you put it that way...
: If we can find out why Martel lost her body, we might be able to find out what it is that Yggdrasill is trying to do.
: You're pretty good at this Raine.




Treasure acquired.

Now we place the unique-looking block into the blue switch, opening that panel in the upper left and giving us a stairway down.

By the way, Colette is still in our party and can still fight. She's completely silent and her portrait never changes expression. It's a nice touch, but they really should have given her a purple eyes portrait.

Before we go down, we want to put those blocks on the panel here like so.

Downstairs, we charge up that pillar (which is in the WATER, so I imagine the OSHA inspector would have a heart attack.

It powers this terminal.

That platform I put the blocks on is an elevator. We can now cross the water at the bottom.


Now that the water's been drained...


This lowers the gate.

Charging that pole there (while STANDING IN THE WATER WITH IT, where the HELL is OSHA) opens the door.
This is probably the last time I'll go into this much detail on puzzles, since nobody responded to my inquiry above about puzzles to indicate that they cared.



We need a plan or something.
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: Those Renegades need to hurry up and make up their freaking minds about whether they're our enemies or not!
: Lloyd, what are we going to do now?
: ...We've got to save Colette somehow. She's going to die if she's made into Martel's vessel.
: But what can we do?
: ...Sheena, where did you get your Exsphere?
: Huh? Well that came out of nowhere. I got this before I came here. They attached it to me at the Imperial Research Academy.
: Is it normal for people to equip Exspheres in Tethe'alla?
: No, not at all. The technology was originally brought over by the Renegades. Nowadays Exspheres are mainly attached to machines.
: Wait a second. So Tethe'alla and the Renegades are on the same side?
: I'm not sure if you could say that. But the Renegades were the ones that brought us information about the nature of the two worlds. And the plan to assassinate the Chosen was their idea. They talked the King and the Pope into it. "If you desire for Tethe'alla to prosper, kill the Chosen of Sylvarant."
: That's horrible!...
: Lloyd, I suggest we go to Tethe'alla.
: Why Tethe'alla?
: Don't you remember what Yuan said? Angels are half-elves that evolved using special Exspheres called Cruxis Crystals.
: ...Oh, I get it! Colette's current condition is caused by the Cruxis Crystal!
: Since Tethe'alla is studying the Exspheres, they may know something about Cruxis Crystals as well.
: That's a good idea. I'm pretty sure that they're studying the Cruxis Crystal that belongs to Tethe'alla's Chosen at the Imperial Research Academy.
: There's a Chosen in Tethe'alla, too?
: Of course. The world regeneration ritual is carried out in Tethe'alla as well. The Church of Martel exists, too.
: ...But if they've been carrying out the regeneration that many times, why hasn't Martel's vessel been completed already?
: I'm curious about that myself. Perhaps those corpses lined up in the Tower of Salvation were... No, never mind.
: You know, but you're not willing to lower morale over it since you can't do anything about it.
: Yeah. There are too many things that we don't know: Cruxis' objective, the Renegades, the method to save Colette... So let's just start with what we can do now.
: So we're going to Tethe'alla?
: Yeah. That's the only lead we have right now. And this time, I'm going to fulfill my role. I'm not going to let Colette bear the burden all by herself anymore.
: Wait a minute. That's great and all, but how are we going to get to Tethe'alla?
: I'm sure Sheena knows how to get there, correct?
: My understanding is that you can travel to Tethe'alla by passing through a distortion in space. As far as I know, crafts called Rheairds are the only things that can do that.
: Where are they?
: The Renegades should have them. They should be somewhere on this base.
: Okay then! Let's get going!



Grand Theft Airship.
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: Hurry! They'll catch up to us!







: I don't know, it just suddenly...
: Look! The fuel gauge is empty!
: So that's it! Since you've the seals in Sylvarant, there's not enough mana in this world!
: And that means?!
: We're gonna fall!!
: Ahhhhhhhhhh!
: Ahhhhhhhhhh!




: I think we managed to avoid destroying them completely...
: But they're useless unless we get some fuel.
: What's the fuel? Coal?
: Coal?! Oh, geez...how do you guys manage to actually live in Sylvarant?
: Then magic, I assume. Perhaps the lightning that Volt produces?
: Then all we have to do is have Sheena summon Volt, right?
: I...haven't made a pact with Volt.
: Oh. Then I guess we'll just have to leave these here.
: And here I thought magitechnology was infallible.
: Hey...What's that?

: Of course. The Tower of Salvation appears in the flourishing world. The Tower also appeared on your side after Colette received the oracle, right?
: Two worlds. Two towers... What about the Holy Ground? The Church of Martel is also over here, correct? Is the Holy Ground called Kharlan?
: Yes. The place where the Tower of Salvation lies is the Holy Ground of Kharlan. The same as your world.
: The Holy Ground of Kharlan is where the peace treaty was signed to end the Ancient War! There can't be two of them!
: Are you sure yours isn't a fake? We have records in our museums that depict how the Hero Mithos called the two ancient kings to the Holy Ground of Kharlan in order to forge a peace treaty.
: And such records exist on our side as well. Instruments used to sign the treaty can be found in the Palmacosta Academy.
: ...So either one side is fake...or maybe they're actually both real.
: Lloyd, that's not possible!
: IT makes the impossible possible.
: Don't get mad. I was just...kinda...saying stuff. ...Anyway, let's get going.
: It's true we aren't gonna get anywhere by pondering about it here.
: Wow, it's our first adventure in Tethe'alla!
: ...Genis, this isn't a field trip.



Skit #012: Don't Give Up

: Ah, nothing...It's just...I hurt the people of Iselia, and this time I couldn't protect Colette, either.
: I thought I had gotten a little stronger, but now I think I haven't progressed at all.
: Lloyd...but you've always tried to do the best you could.
: You didn't give up, and now we've made it all the way to Tethe'alla. You're not like the other humans. ...And so, that's why...I like you, Lloyd.
Ho-yay ahoy.
: ...Thanks, Genis.
: Okay, then. We've come all the way here and all. We're not going to give up now. We're going to find a way to save Colette and the world!
: Yeah. Let's do it!
: Yeah.



: I wonder when they'll realize that Noishe came along with them to Tethe'alla. I wonder if they'll even realize how.