Part 20: Akzeriuth
We're over Deo Pass, now. Nothing stands between us and Akzeriuth.
Skit: A Kind Teacher
: “Dammit! Why does everyone keep making fun of me?!”
: “Luke... Perhaps we could have explained things a bit better, but if you're going to keep up that attitude...”
: “Stop preaching and shut the hell up you cold-”
: “Stop being so childish!”: “Shut up! Master Van never made fun of me! He was always nice to me! He always explained things if I didn't know them! He-”
: “So you're just a puppet who can't do anything without my brother around?”: “What?!”
: “Let me tell you something: you'd better start thinking on your own, or one of these days you're going to do something you cannot undo.”
: “Dammit... Master Van...”
: “Wh-what IS this...”
: “This is worse than I imagined.”At this point, Natalia runs off to go check on the people around.
: “Uh... um...”
: “I'm Natalia, Princess of Kimlasca. We've come to offer aid at the behest of His Majesty, Emperor Peony.”
: “Ah! A man named Grants told us you'd be coming! My name's Pyrope. I'm the local supervisor for the mines here. The mayor fell ill, so I'm handling things in his place.”
: “Where are Dorian General Grants and the rescue team?”: “Grants is inside the mine. He's attempting to rescue our companions who collapsed there.”
: “It looks like the miasma isn't quite as thick here as by the Fubras River.”
: “Apparently it's pretty bad inside the mine.”
: “Let's take a look around out here, then head for the mine. Luke!”: “Huh? Oh... right...”Skit: What I Can Do
: *Sigh*
: “Luke, come on! Think how everyone will feel if they see us looking depressed.”: “But I'm the ambassador... I don't have to do anything.”What.
: “Huh? There's plenty for you to do. Transport the injured, carry things...”: “But why do I have to do THAT? That's not my job!”Ugh...
: “Luke...”: “W-what?”: “You don't honestly think that, do you? Look around you. Use your head. Come on, let's go.”: But carrying them off one at a time would take forever! I can use hyperresonance to get rid of the miasma in an instant. But first... I've got to find Master Van.You know you've hit new levels of asshole when even Guy is sick of your shit.
There isn't much to do in Akzeriuth besides press on with the story, but there are one or two. This guy inside a nearby house will give you three apple gels, three orange gels, a life bottle and a panacea bottle. Not to shabby.
Skit: Tragedy
: “This is worse than I had imagined...”
: “People could be dying already. We've got to hurry!”: “All these people lying on the ground..and there are probably more still trapped in the mines. ...This is terrible.”
: “It looks like some of them are still in decent shape, but asking them to help would be rather harsh...”: “Should we split up?”: “First we need to assess the situation. We'll decide how to proceed after that. We'll have to go through the entire town...”: “Is that okay with you, Luke?”: ......
: “Luke! Are you listening?”
: “Y-yeah...”
There's also a makeshift in, and it's even free! Now I know what you're thinking: 'Seriously? The town is fucking covered in miasma and needs to be evacuated IMMEDIATLY, yet you can stay at the inn for the night?'
Yep. Not only that, the game gives you shit for it, too:
Skit: Resting at Akzeriuth
: “It seems our goodwill ambassador may not provide us much assistance after all.”
: “And just when we need all the help we can get! Grr...”: “he may just need time to get used to it. It's a first for him, after all.”
: “I'm sure within a few days he'll come to his senses and perform his duties as a noble and an ambassador. Until then, we'll just have to do what we can for the sufferers without him.”: “But if we stay in Akzeriuth too long, the miasma will begin to affect us as well. I would recommend against including the more useless members in our plans. Doing so will only cause problems later.”: “Oh, that's mean, Colonel!”: “It's the plain truth of the matter.”: “Yeah, perhaps it is...”Damn, even Guy agrees that Luke is worthless. We've hit rock bottom.
Skit: The Pain of Akzeriuth
: “Akzeriuth used to be part of Kimlasca, wasn't it?”: “Indeed, although this area has always been embroiled in conflict.”
: “The mining rights must be pretty tempting.”: “Undoubtedly. The raw materials from these mines can satisfy an entire country's needs with ease.”: “But to think of how the people living here must suffer from such pointless conflict...”: “And now there's this miasma to deal with as well... I can sympathize with the people of Akzeriuth.”
: “Good work.”
: “The Seventh Fonstone? Don't tell me it's been found?!”
: “We think so, but we can't be sure until we excavate it.”: “Tear, please go confirm the Seventh Fonstone's authenticity. I'll go with the others and catch up to the vanguard.”: “All right. Please take care of the villagers.”Once again: the Score? More important than the thousands of dying miners. Whatever.
Right, enough dilly dallying: let's head in.
So I know I said I really wasn't going to do these, but I wanted to include one this time around just to get across how obnoxious the camera is in this dungeon. I'm not going to even try to describe it, just watch a little of the clip above. Feel a little of my pain.
Skit: Into the Depths
: “The miasma is pretty bad in here...”: “Maybe the source is deeper in the mine.”: “So the farther we go, the worse it'll get...?”: “I know it's dangerous, especially without Tear, but there may still be people left within the mine.”: “Maybe we can do something about the source of the miasma, too. I guess we'll just have to go in.”
: The source... If I can get rid of that like Master Van said, maybe everyone will start treating me a little better...: “Luke, what's the matter? Let's go!”: “Ah! Right.”
This dungeon is a very straightforward linear pathway. Just follow the hallway down to the center of the mine.
Jade hits level 30 and picks up his first Mystic Arte, as a result. Speaking of which...
Skit: Jade, Back in Form
: “Hmm...”: “Jade? What is it?”: “Oh... it's just that I seem to be getting back into form. I've gotten a fair amount taken care of, though I'm still limited to about half my former ability.”: “You mean the fonslot seal? I'd hate to see those things in mass production...”: “I wouldn't worry about that. They're far to expensive for use in combat. Each one is close to ten percent of Malkuth's yearly budget. The Oracle Knights must consider the Necromancer a significant threat.”
: “...And you can say all that with a straight face? I'm impressed.”: “Why thank you.”
If you're curious, Luke has already hit level 30 and Guy will hit level 30 by the end of this dungeon. Tear is pretty close, too. Guy will unlock his mystic arte, but Luke can't get his until a later plot point in the story, unless you carry it over in New Game +.
The floor of the bottommost section of the mine is covered in miasma, and there are dying miners everywhere.
: “Something's wrong. I don't see the vanguard anywhere.”
: “Don't take another step!”Skit: Where's Master Van?
: “Those headaches again...”
: “Master, are you okay?”: “Leave me alone!”
: “Mieu...”: “There's still nothing for me to do... where is Master Van, anyway? If only he were here, I could get rid of the miasma...”Sick of hearing Luke bitch about not being able to find Master Van? Too bad!
Skit: As the Goodwill Ambassador
: “Where the hell is Master Van...?”: “Luke, let's take care of the people here first.”: “Well, Master Van's here helping people too. He'll know what I should do. I have to go find him!”: “Luke, the people here are counting on you, as the goodwill ambassador, to rescue them as quickly as-”: “I know, I know! You don't have to tell me!”: “I see... very well, then.”These dependency issues are really starting to be... well an issue.
With that, everybody has left our party but Ion.
: “I'm not letting YOU order me around!”
Hey, it's-
: “You finally made it.”: “Master! There you are. Where's the rest of the vanguard?”
: “...A Daathic seal. So this is another Sephiroth. I don't think opening this will serve any purpose.”: “It will. It's necessary for the revival of Akzeriuth.”: “Ion, please! Everything will be okay if you do what Master Van says.”: “...All right.”
This is a nifty little animation.
: “What are you talking about? I'm just gonna neutralize the miasma here.”
Here's where the game really shines in terms of design. The Sephiroth look the part of ancient technology, pulling off the mix of both sci-fi and fantasy at the same time. I really like it.
: “Luke. This way.”Skit: Master Van will Know!
: “I'm going to be a hero. I won't let Asch stop me!”: “Luke, don't you think we should wait for the others?”: “Master Van's here, isn't that enough? Besides, I'm going to save Akzeriuth right now. Who's going to complain about that?”: “What do you mean?”: “Just wait and see.”: …..
No monsters, no treasures. Only thing to do is press on.
: “Now, Luke, go down to that fon machine – the passage ring – and neutralize the miasma.”: “What are you talking about? Is that even possible?”: “Yeah, it is for me. I'm a chosen hero.”At that, we cut back to Jade and-
: “Colonel! The vanguard was wiped out! The Oracle Knights who captured the Tartarus ambushed them!”: “That explains the missing vanguard. They must be trying to stop us from saving Akzeriuth...”: “No, they were waiting here under orders from Van to take me away.”: “What do you mean?”: “I went to verify the Seventh Fonstone. It turns out it wasn't real. But I was nearly kidnapped by Oracle soldiers when I went there.”
: “Why you...?”: “It's my brother! He wants to protect me from what he's about to do...! Where is he now?! He's trying to do something horrible!”: “Hey! Do something about that dreck you call Luke, or we're all going to die!”
: “Van is-!”We cut back underground.
: ….
: “Wh-what the hell?! Something's coming out of me...”
: ”When I order you to release your power, you will open every fon slot in your body and unleash a hyperresonance. That same power you're using right now. The trigger phrase will be...”
: “Van is-”
: “Van...?”: “Damn! We didn't make it!”: “Asch! What are you doing here?! I told you not to come!”: “...Too bad. I also brought the sister you tried to save!”
: “I'd intended to save Ion with that, but now I have no choice. I can't afford to lose you.”
: “What about the people of Akzeriuth? The Oracle soldiers in the Tartarus? They'll all be killed!”: “...Mystearica, some day you'll come to understand the folly and ugliness of this world. I want you to live, at least long enough for me to see you come to your senses. You have the fonic hymns. Use them...”
: “Everyone, come close hurry!”
There isn't a
large enough.
: “Master! Thank goodness!”
That skit down there about sums everything up.
Skit: What Happened...?
: “Damn. What the hell just happened...? I used hyperresonance to get rid of the miasma in Akzeriuth, and then the mine collapsed... and then..? Dammit, what's going on?!”We can talk to everybody, but only Ion and Tear have anything interesting to say.
: “Is this the Qliphoth? I never imagined I'd come here like this... I'll explain in due time. Right now, I want to find as many survivors as we can.”: “It's too late now... I failed to protect Akzeriuth.”
: “There's someone there!”
: “Hang on! I'll save you!”
: “Then what can we do for that boy?!”: “Let's try healing fonic artes from here! They might reach!”: “He's sinking!”: “No!”
Dear god...: “Is this place going to break apart, too?!”: “Let's go to the Tartarus. The emergency buoy is operational, and it's managing to stay above the mud.”
: “There's a place called Yulia City here in the Qliphoth. It should be to the west. Let's try heading there.”: “You seem to know a lot about this place. I'd like an explanation once we're safe.”
We get 'control' of the Tartarus from here on out. Unlike the vehicles you're used to in other Tales games, you can't just carry the Tartarus around in your pocket like the Rheiards, or call it like Ba'ul. You can only dock the Tartarus at a port, and the only way to use it again is to go back to that port and get back on it.
Skit: Van's True Intentions
: “That poor child, we weren't able to save him...”: “There was nothing we could have done... if we had seen him just a little bit earlier, then perhaps...”: “...If only I had been able to stop Van, we could have saved him and everyone else in Akzeriuth...”: “What're you talking about?! Master van and I were only trying to get rid of the miasma!”: “...We were only... trying to...”: “It's too late for that now.”: “Tear...”: “I'm more concerned about Van's intentions. What does he gain from destroying the town?”: “I don't know... but I doubt the fall of Akzeriuth is the end of his plans. I'm worried about what may follow...”: “Whatever may come, it is our duty to stop it.”: “Yes... I will stop him next time, for certain.”
True to Tear's word, there's nothing out there but an endless sea of miasma. Still, we'll head due west.
: “...In a way. The place you live is known down here as the 'Outer Lands' – the world's out shell. It's a floating land supported by pillars called 'Sephiroth Trees' that extend from the Qliphoth.”: “I don't understand.”: “Long ago, the Outer Lands were here in the Qliphoth.”
: “Two thousand years ago, the miasma enveloped Auldrant and infected the land. That is when Yulia read the seven-part Score, finding a way to escape the destruction and bring prosperity.”: “Based on the Score, Yulia proposed a plan to raise the planet's crust using the Sephiroth.”: “And that was the beginning of the Outer Lands, huh... that's quite a story.”Okay, time out for a second.
So we just heard a story about how the crust of the Earth was raised up by magical glowing trees to avoid deadly poison. Yet would you like to know how fucked up my mind is? The thing that bothers me most about this plot point is the geometry: the world is not flat. We know this from the opening cutscene that showed Auldrant as a sphere. So if you raised the crust, that would make the surface area of the planet bigger, right? When you increase the radius of a sphere, you also invariably increase surface size. In fact taking into account how high up the bottom of the crust is from the bottom of the Qliphoth, the surface area would have multiplied several times over. So where did all that extra crust come from? Even if you just say it all went into oceans, there still has to be tons of new crust to fill in the gaps of the increased surface size, because the old shell of the crust would not be big enough to fill the newly increased surface area.
...Yeah, I have no idea why this bugs me so much. Yet this is the major sticking point for me. Giant glowing trees raising the Earth's crust without it somehow buckling under its own weight? I can buy that. Yet geometry kills my suspension of disbelief. There's something wrong with me. :sperg:
: “Yes, only maestros and above in the Order of Lorelei know. As do those born in the Qliphoth.”: “Then, you're form the Qliphoth, Tear...?”: “...At any rate, we've fallen down here. We were saved, thanks to Tear's fonic hymn.”: “Why did this happen? You said Akzeriuth was supported by a pillar, correct?”: “Yes, but... that pillar disintegrated.”: “How?”By the way, I suggest watching the video above for this scene if you're not. Yuri Lowenthall (Luke's VA) does a fantastic job in this scene.
: “He told me that if I caused a hyperresonance there, the miasma would disappear!”: “My brother deceived you. And you destroyed the pillar that supported Akzeriuth.”: “No! That can't be...”: “Van ordered you to stand next to the passage ring. Those passage rings are what produce the pillars... Tear is probably right. I was careless, I never dreamed that Van would make Luke do such a thing...”: “I wish Luke had at least discussed it with us beforehand. Neutralizing the miasma could have waited until the residents were evacuated... of course, there's little point in saying that now.”: “yes... Akzeriuth is gone. Thousands of lives, lost in an instant...”
: “It's not... it's not my fault! Master Van said... yeah! Master Van told me to do it! I had no idea this would happen! No one told me! It's not my fault! It's not my fault!”
: “I'm returning to the bridge. If I stay here, I'll just be irritated by some ridiculous ranting.”: “What's your problem?! I tried to save Akzeriuth!”: “Ever since you lost your memory, you've like a completely different person!”
: “Y-you all couldn't do anything to stop it, either! Don't just blame me!”: “You're right. I'm powerless. But still...”
: “Ion! Don't even bother talking to him. He's not worth it.”
: “I-It's Master Van's fault! Not mine! Right Guy?!”: “Luke... don't make me think even less of you...”
: “I was stupid for starting to think you had some good in you.”
: “Wh-why?! Why are you all blaming me?!”: “Master... cheer up.”: “Sh-shut up! What do you know?!”: “A lot of my people died because of me. So... I can understand what you're feeling, Master.”: “Don't compare me to YOU! Don't compare me to... Aah...”Skit: Responsibility
: “Did no one else survive besides us...?”: “I doubt it. They were probably all swallowed up by that sludge...”
: “Ugh... this is horrible...”: “It's my fault. If only I hadn't opened the door so carelessly...”: “You may have opened the door, but that doesn't make it your fault. It's Van and...”: …..: “Anise, don't bother. You're wasting your time.”: “Don't talk about Luke like that. We don't have time for that kind of thing now.”: “...You have a point. If we don't make it to Yulia City, we'll be in danger ourselves.”: “Dammit...”
Looks like we've made it.
: “Wow...! This is Yulia City?”: “Yes. The mayor's inside. Let's go.”
Everybody goes on ahead but Luke. There's a great moment where Tear stands with her eyes closed before going back to get him. You can tell she's really debating if it's worth it at this point.
: “...How long are you going to stand there? Everyone's gone to the mayor's hosue.”: “All they'll do is keep accusing me of stuff. I don't want to go.”: “You're even more pathetic than I thought, reject!”
: “...You! What are you doing here?! Where's Master Van?!”: “Hah! You still call him 'Master' even after he's betrayed you?!”: “...Betrayed me? Then, Master Van really did want me to destroy Akzeriuth?”: “Damn it! If I'd realized what Van was planning sooner, this never would've happened! And you! Why didn't you think before using your hyperresonance?!”: “S-so you're saying it's my fault, too?!”: “Of course it's your fault! Don't even try to deny it!”: “It's not my fault! It's not my fault! It's not...”: “Are all replica brains this defective?!”
: “You STILL haven't figured it out?! Is this someone's idea of a joke?”: “Wh-what?! What the hell are you talking about?!”: “I'll tell you Luke.”
: “Why do you think you and I have the same face?”: “...H-how should I know?”: “I'm a noble who was born in Baticul. Seven years ago I was kidnapped by a villain named Van.”: “You can't mean...”: “That's right! You're a second-rate copy of me! A mere replica!”
: “Stop lying!”
: “Get out of my way, replica!”: “Shut up!”
So: The Asch fight. If you haven't guessed yet, this is your standard Tales 'supposed to lose' fight. That is to say you can win, it's just stupid hard. Asch hits like a truck, loves to crit you on almost every hit, and chases you relentlessly. If you want to win, you're going to spend 90% of the fight free running away from him.
For the most part Asch has all your moves, but he also has a handful of fonic artes he throws into the mix. His fonic attack is fairly low so they don't do too much damage, but they'll certainly leave you open to one of Asch's deadly combos.
: “I... I am not you!”: “You're damn right you're not me!”What is fun about this fight is that if you trigger certain moves at the same time Asch does, you get a little scene.
Normally the pattern is to run around Asch in circles while letting him get in close. Once he attacks, dodge and then get behind him for a quick combo. Rinse repeat. The problem is that Asch has the same thing Luke does where he swings his sword in multiple directions, so timing the free run around him can be tricky. I get hit a lot more than I need to.
: “Damn, we keep using the same artes!”: “Because you're a replica!”I could keep at this...
But let's face it: Luke isn't strong enough to beat Asch at this point. Even if he were, he's definitely not in the state to do it. If you really want to see what happens if you win, check out the boss video above. It has a run where I beat Asch and also has the aftermath, though it's scarcely any different.
: “I don't want to acknowledge it either! To think that dreck like you is my replica! To think that trash like you stole my family, my home... everything from me! I'm going to be sick."
Next Time: Something completely different.
Synopsis:
Akzeriuth was full of miasma, with people lying on the ground
everywhere... What a dirty place. Everyone started talking about how to save
them--they weren't even worried about catching whatever those people had. I
just want to find Master Van--he'll know what I need to do.
Apparently Master Van headed into the mine with the vanguard. I'd better
hurry after him.
When we were about to enter the mine, an Oracle Knight came up and called
Tear back because he said they found the Seventh Fonstone. I keep getting
confused because there are good Oracle Knights and bad ones... All I know is
that Mohs and the Six God-Generals are enemies, while Ion and Master Van are
allies.
It seems like Tear's real purpose was to look for the Seventh Fonstone, so
Ion agreed and she left. What a relief not to have to deal with that
unsociable girl. Anyway, after Master Van!
When we went deeper into the mine, we found a bunch of people collapsed--
it looked really bad. And I still couldn't find Master Van anywhere. And then
I heard Asch's voice in my head, and he told me not to go any farther. Why
should I listen to a God-General, huh?!
We split up to check out the area, and I finally found Master Van at the
far end of the mine.
There was one of those weird-looking doors behind him like we saw in the
Zao Ruins (a Daathic seal, was it?). When I approached him, he told Ion to
open the door. Apparently there's something called a "passage ring" in there,
and if I use my hyperresonance on it, the miasma will disappear. Master Van
and I made Ion open the seal, and we headed inside.
We reached the passage ring, and with Master Van's help I caused a
hyperresonance.
There was a blinding flash of light and an incredible wind. I felt some
sort of power flowing out of me, and I couldn't stop it. The whole place
shook and started to fall, passage ring and everything. Just then, Tear and
Asch arrived too.
I don't understand what happened after that.
Master Van called me "replica Luke." Asch yelled at me, "that was why I
told you to stop"... Akzeriuth collapsed, disappeared, and I lost
consciousness...
When I came to, we were in some sort of underground world. Apparently
Akzeriuth disappeared--collapsed into the underground--but Tear protected us
with her fonic hymn. But Akzeriuth, and everybody living there, were gone...
Is it because I caused a hyperresonance...? No way... Better not to think
about it for now.
This underground world we fell into is called the Qliphoth. The land here
is like a bottomless sea of sludge, and the remnants of Akzeriuth, the people
who survived the fall, got swallowed up by that sea. The only thing left is
the Tartarus, with its emergency buoy. We fled to the Tartarus before we sunk
into the sludge as well.
Tear seems to know a lot about the Qliphoth. She says there's a place
called Yulia City west of here, so we started out to find it.
The Qliphoth really is empty...no matter how far we go, there's still no
sign of Yulia City.
While we were traveling, Tear told us something incredible.
The land we lived on was once here in the Qliphoth. Here, they call our
land the "Outer Lands," which were made by taking the land from the Qliphoth
and raising it up into the air.
About 2000 years ago, Auldrant became covered in miasma. Legend says that
the miasma was sealed underground with Yulia's Score, but in reality, the
crust of the planet itself was raised into the air, trapping the miasma
underneath it.
The Sephiroth were used to hold the Outer Lands up, by taking advantage of
the power that collects at those vital points. And it was the passage rings,
protected by Daathic seals, that controlled them.
So what I used hyperresonance to destroy was not the miasma, but the
passage ring and the pillar supporting the Outer Lands...
But I didn't know anything about it, so it's not my fault. Everybody keeps
on blaming me--it's not my fault! I didn't make this happen! Master Van said
to do it, after all. I was just trying to help! It's not my fault! Why is
everybody leaving me? It's not my fault...
Master isn't feeling well, so I'm writing in his place. Mieu!
Yulia City was behind a big waterfall.
When the Tartarus reached Yulia City, Asch was there. Asch said that
Master is a replica of him. Is that why they look the same?
Master got angry and said that he wasn't a replica, and Asch was really
angry about Akzeriuth, so they got into a fight.
After the fight, Master passed out. I can understand, with all the sad
things that happened. Poor Master.
Aww, Mieu finished our diary for us.
