Tales of Vesperia Part #62

Part 62: Belius

Watch the cutscene!

Yeah, security looks normal even with all the commotion after the tournament.

It did sound like they had their hands full with the monsters that managed to escape.

Yeah, but it's too quiet. Especially compared to the checkpoints back at Cados.

But it looks like we can stay in town, as long as we don't stand out.

Let's stop by the inn ta freshen up, and then go see about meetin' her. I'm finally gonna be able ta get rid of the Don's letter.

Hmm, I wonder if Flynn's already here somewhere.

Do you think?

When we finish up all our business here, I've got a few things I want to ask that guy...

When you do...take me with you.

Not much else to do but rest.

At night...

...S-sure...

You're shaking, Karol.

Confrontin' the big cheese of a major guild about his involvement with the Great War is pretty intimidatin'.

Come on, he's a normal person, just like us. There's nothing to be afraid of!

B-but...

...I'm just doing my best to be strong...

You don't have to come if you don't want to, Estelle.

I can't back down anymore. I don't want to. I want to know about myself. About who I really am.

Sounds like you're ready to go.

So then, let's go see Belius.

Everyone except Karol starts walking towards Belius' room.

...Just my imagination...?

Karol follows.

Watch the cutscene!

You're... Oh, weren't you the emissary sent by Don Whitehorse?

Yup. It's a bit urgent, so if ya wouldn't mind lettin' me through.

You may enter...

What?! But why?

Are you trying to say we can't be trusted or something?

I am afraid that is what it amounts to.

But...

Duce! But I...
Belius: I have spoken.

Now that's more like it.

...Yes, Duce. I ask only that you not speak of anything you see here to anyone.

Not speak of what we see...? Why not?

This is one of Palestralle's guild laws.

Okay, then. We promise.

Our leader, Belius, is waiting just ahead.

After a fairly long set of stairs and running past the Nordopolica Warehouse, we reach and enter Belius' Room.

Watch the cutscene!

Everybody still here?

Woof.

Yo.

Yes.

Yeah.

A-a monster...!

And here I had secret hopes we'd get a gourmet meal out of this. Wasn't expecting a trap.

This isn't a trap. She is...

Belius?

Didn't see this comin'.

So you can speak our language, as well.

You encountered Phaeroh some time ago, did you not? I would not think, then, that our ability to use your tongue should come as a surprise.

That is so.

Th-then the ancient race that built this city was...

My brethren and I.

...Good old Don. How nice of him ta keep me in the dark on this.

And who might you be?

A humble servant of Don Whitehorse. I've got a letter for you from him.

Raven hands over the letter.

I've known that old badger too long ta be surprised by who he knows, but just how're you connected?

I am indebted to him for his assistance during the Great War.

Heh, well, I did participate in the war. However, I never exceeded that which my duty as an Entelexeia required. I was not a mastermind of anything.

The Great War was fought against the Entelexeia...

At any rate, my acquaintance with the Don dates from those times. I have long lamented that a man of his talent was not born instead as one of my race.

That's the first I'd heard the old man had anything ta do with the Great War.

It is a subject he takes little pleasure in discussing. The Don has requested my mediation in the current trouble with Phaeroh. It would seem that even a man of his strength cannot stand against my brother's assault upon his city. Such a request can not lightly be brushed aside. I shall offer my assistance for the time being.

Glad ta see you're so reasonable.

So some of you tear down cities, and some of you run guilds. You Entelexeia are definitely...interesting.

The same might be said of you humans, I would imagine.

Is it, Child of the Full Moon?

You know about Estelle...?

We Entelexeia can sense the Child of the Full Moon.

My name is Estellise.

Phaeroh called me an "insipid poison." But what does that mean?

Hmm. I know not whether your fate may be swayed by such knowledge, but...

Judith...?

Hmm. Is there something of which I should be aware?

Phaeroh is...

Sounds of a struggle can be heard from outside.

What the hell's all that racket?

Tison! Boss!

Well if it isn't Karol and friends. You've got some twisted tastes, hanging out with freaks like this.

Keeping monsters to use in your coliseum? You're an enemy of humanity, and now you die!

Wh-where's Nan...?

Curious, huh? She should be leading the raid on the remaining monsters in the coliseum about now. We Hunting Blades give no quarter to any who would obstruct the justice we mete out, humans or no.

Clint and Tison charge at Belius.

It seems these men will be not stayed lest I take arms against them. It is asking much of you, but please, help Natz.

What about you?!

Gotcha. Let's get outta here!

Good luck.

Skit: What They're After

I thought the Knights were the ones who had business in Nordopolica.

I never woulda guessed we'd end up runnin' into the Hunting Blades.

What are they all doing here...?

Don't know, exactly, but you can be sure it's got to do with Belius.

Could it be that the Knights--I mean Flynn--came because of Belius as well?

We'll have to ask the Duce. For now, though, we gotta see if we can get things under control.

There's a couple Hunting Blade members on the way back down. I don't think they're unique but it's probably a good idea to scan them anyway.

During those few fights, Karol and Raven learn an Arte each.

Karol gets Roaring Revolution, where he curls up and rolls towards the enemy,

and Raven gets Falling, where he jumps into the air and shoots an arrow that knocks down enemies downwards.

Once we reach the area we talked with Natz in before:

Watch the cutscene!

This is awful... Could Nan have done this...?

Man: ...Natz has...gone to defend the coliseum...from the Hunting Blades... Please... You gotta help him...

W-wait, I'll...

Yuri stands up and shakes his head.

If only we'd come sooner...

This is not the time for regrets.

We've got to go help that Natz guy...!

Yeah. ...Which means going up.

Watch the cutscene!

You know that fights between guilds are strictly forbidden by the Union!

What?!

Hey...isn't that someone from the Union we met in Dahngrest...?

That's the Don's grandson, Harry.

The Don's grandson...?

Just what in blazes is goin' on here, son?

You're under the same orders from the Don yourself, right? To locate apatheia?

Sure, but what does that have ta do with all the commotion here?

Come on!

Yuri and co run towards Natz.

Damn it! I wasn't done with him...!

Wait! I thought I ordered you to withdraw!

Raven is with them, and he's an ally. Let them be.

Nan...

...

W-we're Brave Vesperia!
Hunting Blades Member: I don't care how brave you are. Death to those who side with the monsters!

A fairly simple battle, nothing special. The mage in the back can be annoying if you ignore her, though.

Yuri actually learns Azure Storm here, which means I can now set and use it as if it were any other arte, without having the Chain skill equipped.

And Estelle learns Healing Circle, a healing arte that heals quite a bit in a certain radius. Useful, but not as useful as another healing arte we'll get fairly soon.

Watch the cutscene! (same video as before)

...Oooh.

Looks like we got here in time.

You must be a healer. You've saved me.

Just at that moment...

...Belius falls into the arena.

Duce!!

You would yet challenge me, humans?!

The root of evil? Belius? You've got it all wrong. Just...look!

All monsters serve evil...! They must be hunted down... It...it is up to us...to the Hunting Blades...!

You...you monsters are all alike...!

Tison runs towards Belius, and is intercepted by Judith.

Meanwhile, Belius collapses onto the floor, clearly exhausted.

Duce!!

She reacted to Estelle's formula...? But this is...?

I was too late...

What have I done...?

If this keeps up, it'll bring down the coliseum!

B-but there's got to be...!

Estelle!

Y...yes...

We've got no choice but to try and stop her with force!

But we're dead if we hold anything back against someone like this!

I can't believe this...!

Belius...

Estelle, wake up!

Right...

Here she comes!

Watch the battle! (same video as before)

Listen to the full conversation!

Kill or be killed, huh? Well sorry, but I'm not getting killed here.

Kill... me...

Was I wrong?

No, you weren't. You were... uuugh...

What is my power? The poison that Phaeroh talked about?

You gotta be kiddin'... I can't believe we gotta put her down...

Kill... me...

I-I don't wanna do this... Do we really have to?

I won't hold back. That's the only way, right?

Grrr... Woof woof woof!

Belius isn't that hard of a fight, although I suspect that I was a bit overlevelled for it this playthrough. She's got a few different physical attacks with her tail and head tentacle thingies, can stop you with her feet,

can shoot out schockwaves of two different sizes (the small ones she can shoot in quick succession which can hit you a bunch of times in a row),

can dash ahead,

and of course use Over Limit.

You may have noticed some large candles standing around in the arena. When you get her down to half health...

she puts them out and creates a double, who is a bit weaker than the original but certainly not someone you want in the battle. You can either kill it as you would any other enemy,

or you can light the candles again, which gets rid of the double and is this battle's Secret Mission. Your first idea will probably be using Rita's Fire Ball to light them, but this is actually harder than it sounds since not only can Fire Ball miss fairly easily or get blocked by a Belius standing in the way, the candles also burn out again after a rather short time.

It's much easier to just run up to them with Yuri and use Destruction Field -- which is fire-elemental and thus works just fine.

Two...

Three...

And four!

After that, the battle proceeds pretty much the same as it did in the first half. Just keep beating on her until she falls.

Is it over?
It's... my fault...

The Secret Mission reward is an Ice Coffin, a weapon for Estelle:

Belius also drops this lovely accessory, which you want to put on anyone who quickly burns through TP in random battles:

Achievement/Trophy:

Secret Mission 11 (360) / Secret Mission 12 (PS3)

Watch the cutscene! (still part of the same video, but if you want to skip over the battle or something)

Duce, no!!

What now?

Worry...not... You were...thinking only of saving me...

...Oh, I'm so sorry. I just...

Power corrupts... But you, you are different. Never lose that kindness...the compassion you so readily show to others... Now, go to Phaeroh... If you would learn of your destiny...

To Phaeroh?

Natz, there is much I owe you. Do not harbor a grudge toward these people.

W-wait! No, I beg you! Don't go!

Belius... (Farewell...)

This is... Is this the same as what was in the case from the ghost ship...?

An apatheia...

Convey my soul--this cyano ciel--to my ally, Don Whitehorse.

So this must've been what Harry meant.

Is this what you guys were after? Hope you don't think we'll just let it go.

Then...we'll just have to pound on you until you do.

Damn, look who's here.

You... Take anyone still standing in the coliseum into custody!

But we haven't done anything to warrant being arrested!

I don't think they'd have any trouble cooking up a reason to put us behind bars!

You're right. Escape is our best option.

Okay, we're getting out of here for now.

My power... It really is a poison... I thought I could help her, but I only brought about her death. I couldn't save her...!

Yuri cuts himself.

Wh-what are you doing?!

There. You saved me, didn't you?

What...? Ah, but I...

Let's move.

...Okay.

Skit: Belius' Death

Belius... How could something like this happen...?

There was still so much we needed to ask...

...Yeah. Think of all the knowledge that only an Entelexeia would have.

Not to mention her perspective as the Duce of Palestralle.

Why couldn't we have meet her sooner...?

Yuri...

We've no choice but to go out through the harbor, then.

But what if the harbor's blockaded, too?

Well, the Weasand of Cados is blocked off. If we have to get out of here, I'd say breaking out through the harbor is our best bet!

Ah, escaping by sea might be better, yes.

Exactly.

Hey, where's the old man...?

You don't need to worry about him. He'll turn up soon enough.

Right. He's the sort of guy who shows up as soon as you start to feel relieved he's gone.

...But I, I...

The Fire Balls collide in midair in a flash of white.

Alright, now to make a beeline for our ship and we're outta here!

Nearly there...

...Uh.

Watch the cutscene!

Looks like we can't put one over on this guy.

Return Lady Estellise and the stone.

...Flynn, what do you want with the apatheia...?

So the Knights are trying to get ahold of this thing, too.

That's why the Hunting Blades were here...

Whoa, is he serious?

Using the military to get control of the city? That's taking things a bit far. Maybe you're carrying out your "duty," but you can't just go around doing everything by force.

I thought you were with the Knights to change things like that. I don't know why I'm the one who has to be saying this stuff. You know it full well yourself.

...

Cat got your tongue? I mean, how's this any different from what I've come to expect from the empire? Are you gonna follow Ragou and Cumore's examples?!