Part 26: CH21: Lance of Kresnik! What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing!

CH21: Lance of Kresnik! What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing!



: They'd arrived, but someone else had arrived first.




: Gaius!
: So, you defeated the Chimeriad.
: I cannot say I'm surprised you came to the battlefield yourself.
: Of course. It is my path.


: Rowen grabbed Jude so Milla could talk to Gaius one-on-one.
: Answer me.
Why do you want the Lance of Kresnik?
: With it, I will protect the people of this world. I shall gather all such sources of power and place them under my safe control.
: There is a fine line between protection and domination.
The Lance will become the bane of the very people you seek to protect. This path of yours will lead to ruin.
: Preposterous. I will never falter as long as I have this will to guide the weak.
: Yet you have overlooked one crucial fact.
: And that is?
: Despite your power and that will of yours, someday you will die.
Then what?
Can you guarantee that whomever inherits the Lance will share your vision and your will?
: ......
: Milla was totally right, and Gaius didn't want to admit it.
: Well, you said a reasonable thing. Congratulations. But don't think I'm letting you off the hook. I seem to recall a certain event...
: Eventually, those who follow will succumb to the Lance's unfathomable power. They will destroy your legacy, and themselves.
It's just human nature. Your history proves this.
: Then I will chart a new path for history.
: In the end, you, too, show yourself to be human.
: Hmph, of course.
And it's because I'm human that I yearn for a united Rieze Maxia.
But I suppose you see it as only greed and ambition.
: Gaius, for the last time, I will not give you the Lance. Will you stand down?


: I thought you might understand.
But regardless, the Lance of Kresnik must be destroyed!
: Yes. For the sake of future generations.
: We need to end this here and now!
: Yes, we can't stop now!
: We'll stand by Milla!
: I think you know what happens next.
: We will prevail!
: Show me your resolve!





So uh, anybody disappointed in the previous fight being too easy can get an eyeful of this.


Gaius has one hell of a mana lobe, with that giant sword laser thing. It's called Incineration Wave.


As this game's "evil protagonist" dude, he's got some Tales staples like Tiger Blade...



...and Beast.


Sonic Thrust is another Tales staple. Pictured: damage output.


Savage Beckoning surrounds him with fire that knocks you back.


Dragon Swarm is a series of sword slashes. I think it was an Arte in Vesperia? I never played that since I don't own a 360.


Swallow Fury teleports around you while slashing the hell out of you. It is nuts and is mauling me JUST A BIT. If he does it twice in a row a dude is gonna die.


Like that. He initiated the second one in the air and Milla got a life bottle.


Even with upgraded armor, Milla was getting clobbered. I didn't really want to turn this into a life bottle relay.


I'm not positive, but I remember this boss being optional. Also, I'm an idiot and forgot to quicksave after the Chimaeriad.


What's funny is that technically we're higher-level than him.


Cheatmode On. Also I apologize for the remaining length of the fight.


Of course, now my damage output against him isn't that good either. Xillia is probably the Tales game I'm the worst at, though.


Somehow touching his back during that attack is damaging me.


Blade of Heaven charges up the sword with light energy, then charges forward. It is an Arcane Arte.


That projectile is Demon Fang. Tales games fucking love their "evil protagonist" archetype.


And of course there's a Mystic Arte.










Yeah, he just slashed Elize so hard she exploded, then cut the explosion in half. That's something on the order of 3k damage, after resistances and All-Divide are factored in. So probably 10k-ish originally. At least its AOE is low.


Sorry if that took a little while.



: The battle was hard-fought, and hadn't quite reached a conclusion.




: You are quite formidable.
: And you are no less than I expected.
Nevertheless...
The Lance of Kresnik shall be mine!


: Mmm, that mana lobe.
: Uh-oh. I don't like the look of that.
: Damn it. Where is he?
: Anyway, that reminds me.
: Farewell!


: Who dares?!


: Ivar to the rescue!
: I'll give you a little credit for temporarily distracting Gaius. But...
: Ivar? Why are you here?


: What are you doing?!
: Haha! Pay attention, Jude! I'll show you what separates the handmaids from the boys!
Hiiiiyaaaaa!



: See what I did there, phony? It's called saving the day. Look it up.
: Oh we all saw it.
: Hey, it, uh...
: Now the power of the Four Great Spirits shall be revived!





: So yeah, the machine activated with the stored commands Gilland had set. OOPS! Mana drain galore!


: Even Gaius could feel it.


: The common soldiers of either side were in a pretty bad way.




: And then it used that mana.




: Something in the sky shattered and crashed to the ground.
: What... What happened?
: It can't be. It broke right through it all.
So... I was mistaken all along!
: And that means that the Lance was never a weapon at all!
: Milla?








: Wha...




: I tried to stop the fleet, but I only had enough power to get those in the tightest formation, around the opening.


: I got the opening closed up at least.



: Wh-What are those?
: Someone please cover my eyes! I'm scared!
: A fleet of ships that sail the sky?
: I've finally done it. Hehehe...


: Gilland! What is going on?
: You're telling me that's Gilland?!




: Were you the one who attacked Hamil?
: Yes. That was the handiwork of my spirit, Celsius.


: The Spirit Celsius? I've never even heard the name before.
: You dared lay hands on my people. For that, you will pay.


: Never bring a sword to an aerial bombardment fight.




: I don't understand. Who are these people?
Paratrooper: Are you Gilland of Exodus?
: Yes, I am.
That's the woman right over there.
: What? Exodus?
Were you the one who told Nachtigal about spyrix?!
: Heh heh heh.
Don't kill that woman. It would ruin everything.
Paratrooper: Mobile armored units, forward!




: Urgh!






: Were you not paying attention? Stand pretty and stay out of this.
: Miss Elize!


: Bring the brat along, too. A fine specimen of booster compatibility.
: Take your hands off of her!


: Why are you doing this?
: Go to sleep. You'll just complicate things.
: Gaius!
: We will settle our score later.
Maxwell is the one they're after. Take her and flee!
What do you think you're doing?! I told you to go!
: But, we can't just leave Elize!
: Rowen, Leia! Take care of Milla!
You all go on ahead!


: Your Highness!




: Come now, child. Open your eyes.
: Ugh.
: Ah!
: Ah! Hey! What's the big idea, big guy?! Let Elize go right now!
: I have a confession to make, and an apology.
It is about your parents. The bandit who killed them...
It was me.
: Huh?
: Elize!


: I'm afraid I will no longer be able to protect you. Forgive me, child. And live on.
: Jiao. Why not?
: I want you to protect Elize for me.




: You can't fight an army forever on your own. Even if you are Gaius.
: Thank you for your faithful service.
: Look after everyone.




: It's time for one last rampage.
Mana lobe... Full power!
Aaaaaaaah!


: Astonishingly he was still alive after that.


: Unfortunately he was in no shape to dodge an aerial cannon shot.




: Not that anybody else was having a great time with the cannons.





: Ah ha! Ah ha ha ha!
: You do know he's out cold.
Where's the fun in torturing someone if they don't react, you dolt?
: Agria.
: Y-Yes, sir.
: Hehe.
: Is Maxwell here?
: No, it looks like he's alone.


: They've already made it this far.
: We don't need this aggravation. Hide yourselves.
Soldier 1: Did you see Maxwell? She just looked like an ordinary human being.
Soldier 2: I can't believe that she could have created the schism.
: The schism?


: What's a schism? Spill it!
Ah ha ha ha ha!
: Yeah those guys were too dead to talk. Anyway around that time the ground started shaking.
: Urgh... Ugh...
: Stay back, or you'll be dragged in with him.


: He'll come to me if he survives. And when he does, he will serve me.


All right. That's more or less the halfway point of the game. I'll try and get another update out before New Years', but it's the holidays so who knows what'll happen. Merry Christmass and Happy Holidays and stuff.