Part 114: You really haven't forgotten, have you, Scherazard?

-The Hidden True Form-





Sapphirl Tower is just one long corridor, with occasional clots of robots and loot.





*RINGGG*

Wha...
Just now, was that--
GET DOWN!

























Good...good effort, guys.





























*RINGGG*

More of them!
Here they come!















































*RINGGG*

Here they come!
Let's clean them up!





























She finally ran out of pets.









Some more Sleep and Confuse-proofing. Right behind the exit. Hint, hint.



Get some more earth arts ready, too.



-Silence-



Luci...

-The Enforcers-





And Joshua. It IS good to see you again, and safe. You were gone for far too long.
Luciola...Why are you, of all people, working with Weissmann? You and he never seemed that close.
This land is a nostalgic place for me, I suppose. We came here so often in our travels.
I suppose you could just call it a whim of mine.
'Nostalgic place,' my ass! Why are you hurting it so much, then?! Are you even thinking about how Schera feels abo--
Estelle. Enough.
Words alone won't get any answers from Luci. We have to prove we've enough skill to be worthy of an answer.
Oh, my. You really haven't forgotten, have you, Scherazard?
Just like when you were teaching me to perform, all those years ago...
So, Luci...promise me.
If I can prove my worth, tell me why you're supporting the society!
Hmm hmm hmm...Very well.





What in the...
I recognize those. They're bound spirits, in the forms of the guardians of light and darkness from the Eastern lands!
Yes, I added my own touch to the charm arts of the East.
Scherazard. Show me. Show me what you gained in this land after you left me.
...All right.
Don't look away, then! Or you'll miss the Silver Streak!

-Fateful Confrontation-





These jokers again.













As flowers bloom and wither...
Spin!



Perish!





Tempest Dance!





Mist Storm is only a bit weaker than Tempest Dance, and it's all Jubokko will use. He's definitely got to go.





Zaqqum, on the other hand, was never much of a threat.





Heed the bell...





Firestorm can hit a good-sized area. Luciola could have flamed Estelle, Joshua, and Schera all at once instead of Zane.





-The Enforcers-



You learned much from the Divine Blade, it seems.
Haah...Don't...doubt us! *pant*...
Well, Luci? Is that enough for you?!
Hmmhmm. Yes, you have earned your answer, I think.
I joined the society...to better understand my own darkness.
And it looks like she learned Weissmann's question-answering strategies while she was at it.
Your...what?



How the leader of our troupe perished falling from a cliff?
Of course I do! How could I forget?! That accident caused the Harvey Troupe to...
Yes. It caused the troupe to disband and go our separate ways. No one could ever figure out, however, why he went to such a lonely spot all on his own...
Why do you think that was?
I...I don't really...

-Silence-

You can see the answer, Schera. Acknowledge it.
The troupe leader was not alone on the cliff side. I was with him. And I was the one who pushed him off.

-In My Heart-

. . . What...are you...saying, Luci?
Hmhm, were you not listening? I killed Harvey with my own hands.
Ah...ha ha ha. Luci, come on, there's no need for dark humor or trying to 'sound' evil. I mean, that's impossible, you...
After I pushed Harvey to his death, I returned to camp, feeling almost nothing. No one questioned my calm face. And then I used my bell to create an aural illusion of his scream for all to hear.
Really almost trivial, with my skill.
Stop...STOP! YOU killed Mr. Harvey? You? No. No! Impossible! IDIOTIC!
You were like parent and child...no, even closer!
Yes. So we were. And that is why I couldn't forgive him. I couldn't forgive him for planning to leave us...
What...?















Why was that barrier even here in the first place? What is the society trying to do?
I'm afraid I wasn't given the details, love. I am simply doing as the professor indicated I should.
Admittedly, I have a pretty good idea after seeing the hidden truth of the tower's bones.
Hidden truth...?

*RINGGG*



WAIT, LUCIOLA! You haven't finished answering yet! Why did you have to kill Mr. Harvey?!
He was so kind...He was the nearest thing either of us had to a father!
Hmm-hmm. I am sorry, Scherazard, but that is all for now.
The next time we meet, I will tell you everything. Be a good girl until then.

*RINGGG*



LUCI!



Um...Schera?
Schera...
...I'm fine, don't worry. I'm one step closer to the truth behind Luci.
For now...that's enough.
Scherazard...
That's...that's three of the four towers down. Let's return to the Arseille and head to the last one.