Part 20: A grave, red flowers, and the rest of Ehmead Hill

Just around the corner where we beat Gattuso, we can find another cutscene. I don't really like this scene, as it always kind of felt out-of place to me.



Watch the cutscene!



It's beautiful...
This is...



Look, Yuri. It's the ocean.
I can see that. ...The wind feels great.



I've seen pictures in books before, but I've never seen it up close like this.
Well, people don't usually travel outside the barriers. If we keep going, we can see all sorts of things, like the jungle or the City of Waterfalls...
There are so many more things we could learn...if only our journey would continue...
I guess it's true... I really was living in a small world.
That's a rare moment of sincerity, coming from you.
It's your first time seeing it too, right?
Well, yes, but...
Aww... You must've had such a lonely life, tied to your research like that.
Having you pity me makes me want to jump off this cliff.
This water has traversed the world's oceans, and has seen all there is to see. The ocean binds the lands of our world together...
Here she goes again. It's really just one big puddle, you know.
Whatever. You were pretty moved back there, too.

Rita prepares to slap Karol...



...but doesn't.



So this is the world as he sees it.
Yuri?
Flynn must have stood on this spot earlier, and looked out at this same scene.
That's true. His duties do take him to many different places.



Nor Harbor is just around the corner from Ehmead Hill. We'll catch up to him in no time.
That's not what I was talking about.
Huh? What do you mean?
All right, let's get moving before Leblanc and friends show up again.
Just follow the ocean road to the west after leaving here to get to Nor Harbor. We can't miss it.
We'll have plenty more chances to see the ocean. Your journey will continue for as long as you want.
...
It's all up to you. You've made it this far, haven't you?
...That's true.

Last one down's a rotten egg!
You're gonna fall if you don't watch out.



Gyaaaah!
Idiot...


On the cliff here, we can find and examine some kind of tombstone.




Is it a...grave, perhaps?
A grave? In a place like this?
Actually, this is just the type of place I'd expect to see one.
What do you mean?
You know, like the grave of someone who plotted against the empire...and failed. If you wanted to bury somebody and keep it quiet, you'd want a place like this with no one around.
Huh, wonder if that's what I've got in store for me.
Don't say such things...! That isn't funny!
I wasn't exactly kidding. It's just a fact of life that some folks from the lower quarter never get a funeral or a proper burial.
What happens to them, then?
They get cremated and have their ashes scattered over a river or a field, usually.
Are you telling the truth...?
...How did we get started talking about this, anyway?
Cause we're trying to figure what a lone grave is doing in a place like this.
Yeah. So, just who does it belong to...?


And now, we'll go...





...back to Halure! Because those people appeared:


Man: They say there's the remains of some monster in the ground about halfway up. The story goes that this monster was as long as the trunk of the Tree of Halure. Big, right?
Woman: Not long ago, I caught sight of a gallant man on my way home from the port city. He was tall and slender, with silver hair. But he was headed into the mountains, and nobody's seen him since. He was far too handsome to be a hermit... I wonder who he could have been...


I don't think talking to them actually does anything for a sidequest or something, but it's some interesting info.

While we're here, if we go back to Halure's tree, we can find the mayor again.





What's the matter, Mayor?
Oh ho. You're back?
What about something being red?
Oh, it's just that this year's flowers are an especially deep shade of red, so I was thinking that the curse of the caged emperor's bride must be particularly strong this year... But... I'm just joking, of course.
Who's this caged emperor's bride supposed to be?
"About 300 years ago, the emperor at the time, Brimstone the Fourth, planted a tree on the perimeter of Halure's barrier. He lived all of his later years shut up inside his castle, so people took to calling him the caged emperor."
It's always so educational to have you around, Estelle.
But what does the caged emperor's bride have to do with this tree?



The tree gets its red color from the murdered bride's blood, which its roots absorb.
Wha... What the hell...
It's really nothing more than a legend.
Of course. There's no way a tree could keep sucking up someone's blood for centuries, anyway.
Yes. But I'm worried that this macabre tale will spread and drive potential visitors away from our town.
U-ummm...then don't you think it's a bad idea telling it to travelers like us?
I...uhh... Oops. Okay, forget all about that story I just told you, could you?
How are we supposed to forget something like that?!
If you don't forget it, the caged emperor's bride will hold a grudge against you...
C-cut it out...!
There you go again! You're just reinforcing the legend.
Oops...
...There's no way that story's true...


Going back to Ehmead Hill, I stop by the weapon shop to synth myself:


Critical Guard: Forward while guarding to dash towards enemy.
Defend: Defense +5%
Guard Plus: Decreases damage taken while guarding.


Recover: You should know this by now.
Strength: Attack +5%
Evade: Speed +5%




We can also stop by the broken blastia, since Rita hasn't gotten a chance to actually examine it yet.



How come?
This is where that broken blastia is.
I know that.
Come on, let's go back. If the knights find us we'll get in trouble.



...I'm just going to look.
You might get caught!
I'm not that much of a klutz!
Rita...!
Hey now...



Ekaterine... ...She named that blastia, didn't she?
...
All set?
Yes. There's...nothing that I can do for her... It's just too cruel...
I mean, I understand that blastia are very valuable items, but...
It's not about how valuable they are. Countless people have given their lives to make human civilization what it is. And blastia have been living together with mankind all of that time. They're more than just a simple tool that we use.
...Well, it's certainly clear that blastia are very important to Rita.
Yes.
If you're all finished here, we should be on our way.
Okay.




Alright, finally back to where we were. The rest of Ehmead Hill is pretty straightforward and short, with only one side path/area. While exploring that, Rita and Karol learn artes:





Spread Zero is our first darkness-type spell.





And with Destructo Pain Shot, Karol attacks with his bag, dealing damage and decreasing the physical defense of the enemies it hits.



At the exit of this dungeon, the party discovers a camping set someone left there. Don't ask me who or why.




Oh, that's a camping set! With this, you can set up camp and sleep without having to go to an inn!
Oh, that's nice! Now you can go off and play nature boy whenever we sleep at an inn, and we'll save money, too!
Wh-what are you talking about? Camping sets are single-use only!
Rita, don't be so mean!
Hmph!
That sounds really useful, Karol.
Yeah, they're essential when you're on the road. In addition to camping sets, you could also sleep on mats. But camping sets are really the best thing to use. You can't get a better night's sleep with anything else!
What wonderful timing! All of you look so exhausted from climbing...
...You look pretty pooped, yourself.
Yeah, we've got a ways to go before we get to town, too. Maybe we should set up camp here?
Alright, I'll get everything set up! Oh, once you've camped somewhere, you won't be able to camp around there for a while afterwards.
Why's that?
After camping at a certain site, the basic barrier that's included in the camping set will stop being effective for a while, so long as you're near that site.
Basic barrier? What's that? There's no blastia like that.
It's not a blastia, actually. It's just something that gives off a smell that monsters find unpleasant. That's why they call it a "barrier." It can keep the monsters at bay for a night, but after enough time passes, the monsters get used to the smell, and it won't keep you safe anymore.
Hmmm... That makes sense...
Well then, we'll leave the setup to you, Karol.
All right. Let's set up a camp a little bit further.

Short version: You can use Mats or Tents on the world map to recover HP and TP. Once you use one, you have to fight a battle before you can use another.





Back on the world map, we just have to follow the path here and we'll eventually arrive at Capua Nor. Estelle learns Photon, a light-based attack magic, on the way, finally giving her something to attack enemies effectively with.





And there we are, Capua Nor.



Next time, we'll enter the town and meet some interesting people.