Part 77: The Shrine of Baction, Part 2

So last time we got Dein Nomos from Duke halfway through Baction. Let's finish this dungeon.



A few rooms in we get a cutscene.

Watch the PS3 version of this cutscene! (Japanese voices)





Yuri, you can become the emperor!
This is just for decoration. I wouldn't wanna be the emperor even if I could.



Oh! So Duke's doing the same thing as the Entelexeia?
Maybe so.
That sword...it produced the same phenomenon as Estelle did. Maybe the Rizomata Formula was already worked out once before? But then, why was that information lost? Maybe it's related to the cataclysm, like the way that the blastia was lost? Why did that become an Imperial treasure?
There are tons of things we don't know about this sword, but let's wait to figure them out until we've settled things here. Right now, rescuing Estelle is our top priority.
Right. Let's hurry!






Continuing on, we eventually reach this room:



The idea is that this room is dark and you have to hit the lamps or whatever with your sorcerer's ring to light it up.





However, it's very easy to just traverse the room with the lights off, making this entire gimmick pointless.

That said...



Ack... We fell...!



Probably a precaution to keep out trespassers.
I see... No wonder it's so dark in here.
Let's stay on our toes so we don't run into another of these.

If you fall down you get a cutscene. Alright, sure, why not, a little bit of flavor text is always nice.



So let's go back and...



Fall again!



And a third time!



How many times do we have to fall in these before you're happy?!
It's the fault of these stupid paths for being so narrow!
I can't take it anymore... Just a second.
What are you doing?
This wouldn't be happening to us if we could see properly. So I'm going to give us some light.
Huh...?
Alright, there we go.



Wow, that fast?
How'd you even manage to whip up something like that?



Oh, it's so bright. We should be just fine now.
All right, let's go.


This is a dick move, game! You might think "Oh, that's not a big deal, it's just a help for clumsy players.", but remember that there's a Collector's Book to fill. If you don't fall down here three times, you'll never get that lantern. You can't even go back for it either, if you try and fall after completing this dungeon no cutscene happens, from what I remember.


The lantern automatically turns on all lights in the dark room:





There's also another short scene in the game files about falling again after getting the lantern, but I couldn't get it to trigger.

...We fell again...
Argh! What the hell?! Having a light to see by doesn't make a damn bit of difference, does it!
Maybe we're just trying to take things too fast. Let's relax and be more careful.


Anyway, after that, we just have another stairway and a room with a save point to go before we catch up to Alexei.







Remaining notable loot from this dungeon:


Super Chain 5: Able to link altered to arcane artes.









Watch the cutscene!



Astal. How does it feel to face your last moments in the very temple built to worship you? Hah hah hah.



Enough! Alexei, please stop this!
Hah. If you are so eager to free him from his suffering... Why not use your healing artes to comfort him?
...
Hah hah hah hah! You're utterly powerless.



I'm sure you understand that now.



Estelle!
You again. What stubborn, misguided fools you all are.
Yuri! Everyone!



Humph. You are incapable of saving this princess. I am her only hope for salvation.
Spare me!



Even the poison of this world can be a blessing, if used correctly. And only I can do that. Now Princess, come with me. Without me, I am afraid your power...



Aaaaah!



Judith!





Stop it!! Let Estelle go!
Oh, how disappointing. He's dead.
But how can that be...?









Aaaah!
Ugh!
No! Please stop this!!





He gave this to us before he took off. And he didn't seem all that worried about you.
...What irony. That which I have searched for all these years... That it would arrive at my feet only when I no longer have a need for it...
With the Child of the Full Moon, the apatheia, and my knowledge, Dein Nomos means nothing to me.



Heh. Are you certain that is what the Princess wants?
Estelle?!
...
Estelle! What's going on?! Estelle!
I...I don't know.
What are you talking about?



But... I want to be with you! I just don't know what I should do!
Forget about that, Estelle! Get over here! If there's something you're unsure about, we'll work it out together!
Yuri...!







Now now, Mister Yuri Lowell. Such brash behavior does not befit a young lady's escort. Not very gentlemanly of you at all.



That sword is nothing more than an annoyance now. I will rid myself of you here.



Alexei leaves, taking Estelle with him. A couple knights come in instead.



Get out of the way!





The knights salute and leave the room again.

Who's he?!



I thought you always let your knights handle things for you. What's with the change?
Woof woof... Woof!
What is it, Repede?



...
...That voice... Wait...Raven?
...This doesn't look like a joke.



Huh, so that's what was going on.
Wait! But what about the Don, Raven...?



Raven...!
We're in a bit of a hurry, so let us through. Wait, you're not really thinking of trying to stop us, are you?



What the hell?!




Watch the battle! (same video as cutscene)



Listen to the full conversation!

Sorry, I'm not gonna go easy just 'cause you're old.
I would be honored to fight with everything I have.



Raven, why? Why?!
I will tell you again. I am not Raven.




I-- I hate you!
Heh. Many people hate me.



I'm so sorry that we have no choice but to fight you now.
I'm sorry I have to fight such a beautiful lady.
You should be like that all the time!
Sorry. This is the last time you'll see it.



Dammit, I really liked you, Raven. I couldn't tell you before, but if my dad were--
How unfortunate. Raven isn't here.



I can't let this go. I won't let you do this!
I would expect no less from an opponent.
You... do you intend to die here?
I am always ready to die in battle. So I fight with everything I have.
Grr, woof!
I will face you with the utmost respect.



(no idea what happened there with the background)


So, Schwann -- Or, indeed, Raven. Who saw that twist coming? There's actually a couple hints about it if you look for them.

Anyway, this battle can be pretty hard, especially on a first playthrough. Schwann hits hard and has a couple rather nasty attacks, some of them being artes or variations of artes that Raven uses. Such as:








Apocalypse Toll here plants a mine on you, and if you're not blocking when it explodes it'll cause a bit of damage and throw you into the air.


But hey, we just got a Special skill on Dein Nomos, didn't we? Let's try that out.








This ends now.




Oh brilliant blade of coldest steel,




rend the infinite darkness,




and crush my enemies to nothing!









Ah, that was nice, wasn't it?



Of course, it might not actually be a good idea to do this, since as soon as you've done a Mystic Arte,



once Schwann gets into Over Limit himself...





Burn this life to punish my enemies!








Ouch.



Although, if you're going for Secret Missions, you'll have do let him use this.



Because, hitting him while he's recovering from it...







The rest of the battle is more of the same.




I was playing this on Hard, so it took a bit longer than it probably takes normally, but this is a pretty fun fight.





Eventually, you'll get him.





Schwann drops a Force Ring and, if you get the Secret mission, the Imperial Prestige.





















Hey!
Heh...I would have thought such a blow would be the end of me...of this cursed body.



...It's his heart. Or rather a blastia that has taken its place.



Ten years...you mean in the Great War?
I lost my life during that war. But Alexei saw fit to give it back to me with this.
...So that must be a Hermes blastia as well. Why did Ba'ul not notice it then...?
I would imagine that is because it isn't powered by aer, but by my own life force.
...A blastia powered only by human vitality? No way...

The entire temple shakes.

What was that?





Whoa, hold on. Even with you still in here?
He couldn't pass up a chance to dispose of that sword, now that it's of no use to him.
So he was using Estelle to lure Duke here. This guy is even more twisted than I thought.
Hey, old man! This is no time to be standing around!
The end has finally arrived for me.
You...never intended to leave this place alive.



Even if all your travels with us were just some joke to you... Are you trying to tell me your anger at the Don's death was just an act, too? I thought the guilds never quit until the job was done... Wasn't that his dying wish?! You go on living until the end!







However, the explosion seems to have caused the already brittle temple foundation to become unstable. After a lot of shaking, the ceiling collapses.







No! If you use your blastia like that in the condition you're in, you'll...!
I can't keep this up forever... Get outta here.
Old man!
Alexei's headed for the capital. There he'll implement the final stages of his plan. The rest...I'll leave in your hands.



...Karol, come on.
But!



...













Ooh...Raven...
That idiot... So he really was one of us, after all. Damn it... You idiot!
Look alive, we've got a princess that needs rescuing! Now step to it!





...It's nothing. We are actually in a hurry.


Watch the cutscene!



Just like Raven said, they must have left for Zaphias already.
Y-Yuri Lowell?! What are you doing here?!










I have had no word from him since he joined the operation of His Excellency the Commandant. I simply cannot comprehend the Commandant's recent actions. We have searched everywhere, but were brought here by a report that Heracles had been seen...
Alexei is on his way to the capital. In Heracles.
Ah, we just missed him, then! And what about Captain Schwann...



Ooh, did he now?! So then, he's aboard Heracles as well?
...He's in the shrine. The deepest part.

Rumbling can be heard from the shrine.



What...?





You! Tell me what happened! I want to hear it, Yuri Lowell!
We almost died thanks to Alexei!



Alexei apparently has some sort of secret plan for the empire, and it can't be good. We're going to make sure he doesn't get the chance to carry it out. If you're any kind of knights at all, you won't stand in our way.







Skit: I'll Save Estelle
I'll save Estelle next time, I swear it...
I couldn't stand seeing her hurt more than she already has been.
Rita...
It's Estelle who's suffering. So then, why do I hurt so much, too?
We'll get her next time.
...Yeah. We'll save her. I've had enough of seeing her used as Alexei's puppet.






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Achievement/Trophy:

Secret Mission 13 (360) / Secret Mission 14 (PS3)