Part 34: Episode 33: While I'm Away I'll Write Home Every Day

So last we left our group we had been by a newly awakened, and very cranky, Divine Dragon. As usual, life can never be simple. Merely taking on a pissed of Wingly was not enough.

So now its our chance to hit up the latest in our line of monarchs we need to do drudge work for. And hang out in this sweet Crystal Palace.


You can tell that the famous library in town has lead to one of the best spoken populaces in all of Endiness.


There is a lot less crystal inside this palace than advertised. I’m demanding a refund.


Up and to the left we have a room where the Knights are hanging out. Most of them are shitting their pants over the possibility of fighting the dragon. This guy is pretty gung ho about it though. And on the left edge of the screen is a Holy Ankh accessory. Like the armor Shana got way earlier it has a given chance to revive the character using it. I, uh, have never used it. Also my characters very rarely die. So I’m not sure how effective it is. I honestly haven’t had a team member go down since I tried to bring Shana to the Kongol fight and she got one shotted.


Heading back to the north path we get to the throne room where a meeting about the dragon is already in order.

Commander of Holy Knights: "Nothing can stand against us!"

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Have you ever seen the monster?"

Commander of Holy Knights: "According to the briefing by my man, it is bigger than a cloud and faster than our horses! It's impossible for such a creature to exist!"

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Where does your confidence come from!?"

Commander of Holy Knights: "It is impossible for such a creature to exist."


Miranda decks the head of the Knights and drops him to the ground. Miranda is kind of awesome. If a bit of a hair trigger.

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Talking about the enemy based on mere assumptions! Are you going to expose your men to such danger!? You are dismissed, Commander of Knights!

Commander of Holy Knights: "Yes, ma'am!!"


About this time our party rolls in with the two Sacred Sisters we’ve already met.

Queen Theresa: "Calm down, Miranda. You are in front of guests. Luanna, Setie, I'm glad to see you came back safe."

Second Sacred Sister Luanna: "You've never changed, Sister Miranda."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "He doesn't understand the current condition. Who are these people?"

Second Sacred Sister Luanna: "I brought them in order to save Mille Seseau from the intruder."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "You said to 'save'?"

Second Sacred Sister Luanna: "If we do not take action, it will attack us again. And next time, it might attack us directly."

Queen Theresa: "Do you know anything about the monster?"


Damn it, Rose. You are losing your touch.

Queen Theresa: "The Divine Dragon!? You are...talking about...that monster sealed in the Mountain of Mortal Dragon."

I’ve always thought that was a horrible name for the place. Since its pretty safe to say the Divine Dragon is either immortal or close enough to it for it not to matter.

Second Sacred Sister Luanna: "Yes. The King of the Dragons, sealed in by the ancient Winglies. The Divine Dragon came back to life."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Are you sure of that!?"

Queen Theresa: "Please relax, Miranda. You...said... You will save this country. Is it possible for us Humans to defeat a Dragon?"

Dart: "We don't know yet. However, we might be able to stop it."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "What confidence you have."


Dart: "There is nobody but us who can stand up to him."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Are you saying you are the hereoes from the Dragon Campaign? The Dragoons!?"

Second Sacred Sister Luanna: "I was surprised too. However, I don't see any falsehood in their heart."

Queen Theresa: "It means.... May we request your help in vanquishing the Divine Dragon?"


Now this is the Rose we know and love. “Well, you can ask us but we reserve to the right to tell you to shove it.”

Rose: "But, we have a favor to ask, Your Majesty. There is one thing we need in order to cross swords with the Divine Dragon. It is said that Winglies made two weapons in ancient times to fight against Dragons. One is a sword to kill Dragons, namely the Dragon Buster."


Everyone turns to look at Meru, who waves her hands around furiously feigning innocence.

Meru: "Oops. I didn't say anything."

Shana: "Wait a second. Isn't that the sword?"




Rose: "Therefore, we have no choice but to count on the other weapon."

Queen Theresa: "What could that be?"

Rose: "The Dragon Block Staff. As the name implies, it is a magic staff to block the power of Dragons."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "And, where is the Dragon Block Staff?"


Meru backs up towards the exit with her hands in front of her, once again going(badly) for the ignorance route.

Meru: "W, what are you talking about?"

Shana: "Do you know about it?"

Queen Theresa: "Please tell us. For the sake of this country!"

Dart: "Why are you hesitating?"

Meru: "Okay!! Okay!! I'll tell you guys, all right!? I think it's in the Forest of Winglies!"

Dart: "Forest of Winglies? Where the heck is that?"

Meru: "Um, it's in the northern part of the Evergreen Forest."

Queen Theresa: "If so, are you saying that Winglies still live."

Meru: "Uh huh."

Queen Theresa: "It seems that the myth of fairies in the Evergreen Forest area was true."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Queen Theresa. I am heading to the Forest of Winglies with these people in order to borrow the Dragon Block Staff."

Dart: "Are you coming too?"



Because if seven legendary warriors can’t handle things one Sacred Sister is going to swing the difference.

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Besides, I want to see how far you Dragoons can go. If you really have the power as described in legend."

Queen Theresa: "I beg you people, please save Mille Seseau from the Divine Dragon."

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Now, we are heading to the Forest of Winglies! No time for procrastination!"


And with that everyone heads out to meet the Winglies. ...Except for Shana who stays back and looks towards that stairway.


Her absence is luckily noticed right away. Of course, it’s not by her boyfriend but from Albert. Some guy you are, Dart.

Dart: "Where did she go?"

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "What timing. Let's go look for her. We have no time to waste."

She hasn’t gone very far. You COULD wander the palace and the staff will be like, “I dunno, didn’t see her.” or you could be smart and wander right back to where you left her and follow her up the stairs.


This doesn’t bode well. Bad things always seem to happen when Shana goes into a fugue or otherwise starts getting creepy. There better not be a Virage tucked into this palace.


Dart: "Shana! Are you all right!?"

Shana: "Where...where am I? When...did I come here?"

Dart: "What happened?"


I’m assuming she means the giant glowy thing, but she’s doing a terrible job of using pronouns by not specifying and burying her face in her hands.

Dart: "Miranda, what is this room for?"

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "This castle used to be a fort for Winglies. I heard this room used to be a chamber for a ceremony to seal something. But it was more than 10,000 years ago."


Albert: "In other words, he is trying to work off his hatred against Winglies."

Dart: "Why did you come here alone? Were you called again, like the time with the Virage?"

Shana: "No, it was different this time. I woke up and I was here. I feel hot. It's gone. My...."


Oh god damn it, Shana. Can’t you go more than one disc without something going horribly wrong? I told them you would be useful and now here you are losing your Dragon Spirit.


Thankfully for all involved the Dragon Spirit doesn’t go far and floats right back down onto Miranda. The game is not a dick enough to rip away one of your dragon spirits again. So far.

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "What is this!?"

Shana: "I cannot manage it anymore. I don't feel the power of the White Silver Dragon."

Dart: "You.... You are a Dragoon too!?"

Dart continues to be the perfect boyfriend and ignores Shana while she’s basically having a mental breakdown right next to him.

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Me!?"

Rose: "Dragoon Spirits manipulate fate. Hmm."

Shana: "I can...no longer...."


And then Shana drops to her knees and passes out. I wasn’t joking back on disc one when I said Shana spent half the game kidnapped or sick or something. Curse you useless love interests!

First Sacred Sister Miranda: "Hey! What's going on!? What is this stone!?"


Shana: "I...see. I passed out."

Dart: "Are you all right?"

Shana: "Yes, but I don't think...I can go with you anymore."

Dart: "There is nothing you can do in your condition."

Shana: "I knew it, from the day I looked at the moon in Furni. I was sure this would happen to me."


Meru: "Lighten up!"

Haschel: "I will work hard for you Shana!"

Kongol: "Kongol too."

Albert: "It won't be long. Dart will be back with you soon, Shana."


Good to know Shana has a healthy sense of what her role should be in a relationship.


Everyone heads out but Shana stops Miranda.

Shana: "Miranda. Please take care of...the rest..."

Miranda: "I know."


Well that certainly ruined the good mojo we had running for the start of this disc. You know what would cheer everyone up? A quick jaunt to Neet. Some good memories there.

We need to head back to the forest towards where we first ran into Kamuy. Earlier the east exit was blocked by a hunter who didn’t want us moving in on his territory and chance to get the bounty on Kamuy. Now we are free to head out it to the path to Neet.


And in gameplay terms this is the only reason we need to visit here. We’ll never be back here again. But since we are here...


Ah an uplifting end to our update.

Bonus! Miranda concept art.