Part 120: We might not be able to do a hell of a lot, but times like this are when bracers have to step up.

-Crushed and Scarred-



When danger threatens the kingdom, muster the brute squad.



Where should we go first? Rolent or Ruan?
Hmm...Neither choice is better than the other, really.
All of the guildhouses need working phones, so all we can do is pick a direction and go.
Good point...
Joshua's got it, I think.
No matter which way we go, I'm bettin' we'll have our work cut out for us.
We must help those in need, after all.
Yeah...Okay then!

-Town Where The Lights Went Out-

The entire nation is under the effect of the Aureole's shutdown field, and no orbal technology will function. Normal art-casting is now impossible(although quartz's passive properties will all still work--shh, don't tell the Aureole).



Just look at those quartz circuits, all sad and dead.

Fortunately, Professor Russell has pulled off yet another miracle.



Estelle and company are in possession of four of his ZFG9000s, and wearing one will permit the use of arts. Poor little Tita uses orbal machinery for almost everything in combat and can't even attack without a Zero Field, although her Cannon Impulse minigun is gunpowder-based and fully functional. If Olivier was still here, I imagine he'd be in the same boat.



There are a few catches. Anyone using a ZFG has one less accessory slot available for ailment defense or stat boosts. More importantly, they aren't ours to keep--they're destined for the telephones in each Bracer Guild branch. Every time we stop in at one of the guildhalls in Rolent, Ruan, and Zeiss, we'll have to give up a generator, and we'll have to report to all three eventually.



So for the time being, I'll leave all the arts to Estelle. This setup gives her Zodiac, four flavors of AoE, and all the heals she can carry. Meanwhile, her loyal followers can all get by just fine on knuckles and steel.













Huh? What's going on? Why are all these people looking up at--
I see...
So that's it.
Ah!





The floating city?! It's so huge!
It's overwhelming, seeing it from down here.



We might not be able to do a hell of a lot, but times like this are when bracers have to step up. We gotta do our best to make this better and give the citizens some peace.
Y-Yeah!
Yes. Let's hurry.
Jacob: From here you can clearly see that island, floating in the sky. The moment it appeared, the lights all across the city went out. Just as we were recovering from the dragon's assault, too...What will happen to our Bose, I wonder?
Elegia: I mean, what IS that?! Any why have all the orbments stopped working? Oooooh, what's going on?! I don't understand!
Harry: This is kinda crazy...Wh-What should I do...?
Mina: That huge thing in the sky is so scary...Was the dragon just the start of things?



Receptionist Ted: We're trying to pull together some lodging for them, but you can imagine how much of a mess that is right now. The Company will provide lodgings for everyone! Yes, everyone! We're currently in the process of arranging it, so please wait a little longer!
Crew Mem. Nora: Our ship was stopped in dock before it could even take its first morning flight. There's some kind of severe problem, so we can't take off. None of the passengers were injured, thank Aidios. If this had happened after we took off, it really would've been a crisis!
Shaque: Hmmmm. Scheduled flights are canceled. It's not a surprise, I suppose, with orbments the way they are. Still quite an issue. Shipping will be impossible for the moment. I'll have to look for a buyer locally, somehow.
Cecilia Passengers: Apparently it's some kind of engine fault with a cause they can't determine. I've used these ships for years and this is the first time I've ever seen something like this.
The scheduled flights aren't running? Damn it all, just as I get off work, too!
Mmmph! How long are they going to keep us waiting here? I need to hurry to Ruan!
Oh, dear, oh, dear...I didn't think we'd be stopping here. My child is with me, too. How am I to get home?
Hey, what's wrong with the ship? Why isn't it going?



Captain Petrov: Hells! We had to operate the ramp via hand-crank. I do wish our passengers understood the theory behind orbal engines a wee bit more.
Lakely: I'm going over the Cecilia's engines, just in case. If she's been knocked out by the same thing that's gotten to the rest of the orbments, I'd like to know what the internals look like. Gonna take a good, close look inside and figure out what happened when it stopped.



The market doors are stuck open.



Buck: At this rate we're gonna hit shortages real fast. My product's life is its freshness. This's a serious problem...



Trayton: Honestly, I probably ought to be considering raising prices here, but...Once before, we took advantage of the situation to raise prices and ended up causing a lot of trouble for everyone...I can't really raise my prices so easily these days. I need to talk to Buck and figure out a good plan.
Carol: With the orbments stopped, lights and heating are all unusable. Once I'm done shopping for foodstuffs, I need to go look at sundries.
Emmy: With scheduled flights and transport stopped, things are really serious. Anyway, I'd better go shopping and stock up while the stores still HAVE stock...



Lyril: Even the fountain's tired...I wonder what happened.



Minuet: It's at times like this you gotta give people some courage...If it's come down to this, then maybe I should sell that new issue I've been keeping safe.
Libro: Hey, welcome. Minuet's well, but...the whole market's a bit down in the dumps. After all, just as everyone's recovered, now distribution's totally frozen. It's not surprising they'd get depressed.



Manager Lechter: Yet she still somehow manages to keep popping her head back here between meetings to make sure things are running smoothly. I tell her time and time again not to worry about the restaurant, but she won't hear a word of it, of course! She is so much like her father in that regard--always pushing herself too hard for her own good.



Orvid: Seems like the world's in a rough spot, but my business is going quite well. While the major suppliers are having trouble distributing, I'll be taking the opportunity to expand my markets.



Head Chef Ross: You aren't a real chef if you need some fancy equipment to whip up a decent meal.



Gwen: The head chef's waving it off like it's no big deal, but to me, it's a huge, HUGE deal! I've got to learn how to work an old-fashioned stove, and fast...Mmmm...I don't even know if I could even boil an egg well on a fire stove...



Father Holstein: The troubled citizens burst into the guild and mayor's house alike, and spent the entire night making quite the fuss. Mayor Maybelle's powers of persuasion thankfully averted further turmoil, but...I've come to realize the immense effect orbments have on our lives.



Butler Mayner: At the moment, we in Bose are facing a terrible danger. Please, give any aid you can to Mistress Maybelle and our city.



Miss Maybelle is currently as busy as humanly possible...Please, if you can aid her in some way, I would ask that you do so.



Hi, Maybelle.
...It's been a while.
It has indeed...You two look busy again.
No kidding. I heard it's been really hard on you, too, though, Maybelle. Lugran was telling us about it.
I was a little worried when I heard some citizens broke in.
*sigh* Yes, I had to spend the better part of the evening talking them down, and even then I only barely got them to return home.
I didn't really do anything to actually assuage their fears, though. I couldn't. Even I'M half-scared out of my wits. If this keeps up, I'm afraid there will be another uprising. A much more violent one.
It could happen, yes...So long as the real problem remains unresolved, people will be on edge and looking for someone to blame.
Right now, though, we just need to do what we can. Staring at the floor and fretting won't solve anything!
You got that right. No matter what comes, we'll do our duty as bracers.
I feel pretty much the same way about being a mayor. No matter how dark and hopeless the situation may seem, a mayor must remain with her city and protect it. Of course, I believe you will resolve things in the end, mind.
Ah...haha...Well, no pressure there.
We'll take those as words of encouragement.
Right now, all each and every one of us can do is our best. I believe that by combining all of our efforts we can overcome this crisis. For my part, I intend to have a long talk with all our major merchants. Their support in making sure prices remain stable during all this will be crucial.



Cornelius: I'm sorry you've come all this way, but we're currently not taking any business. None of our equipment is working, you see.
Ohhh, right.
Well, that's kind of a problem, isn't it? If we can't manufacture quartz or upgrade our slots, we're kinda in trouble.
It does seem a waste of our generators, not getting the most from our orbments.
True, but...I wonder.
Given the nature of our 'toys,' I think the solution may be right in front of us.
Really?
You think we can use the factory?
Well, can't we? Our ZFGs can restore operation to ANY orbal device, after all.
Right, of course!
Cornelius: Errr...Zee Eff Gee...? What are you talking about?
Let me explain.


Cornelius: That's absolutely incredible! Please, by all means! I'd love it if it worked!
Let's give it a shot, then.
Give me just a moment, then.


Cornelius: The equipment's working!
Awesome!
That worked well for the moment. Unless we leave the ZFG here, though, it won't fix the problem permanently. And given our mission...
Cornelius: We'd better hurry, then. So if you want to modify your orbments, now's your chance!



I probably don't need to, but I'll fully upgrade Estelle and Joshua's orbments here.

Cornelius: Whenever you want to use the workshop, just bring that device of yours along. You'll be able to use our services like normal if you do. It's been wall-to-wall customers since this morning, begging for repairs. And they refuse to leave, even when I explain nothing is damaged! Oh, Aidios, save me now!
Aldan: You can't repair it? What's that supposed to mean? This is just some kind of trick to sell me something new, isn't it?! HEY, OWNER! I am NOT MOVING until you fix my camera! GET IT?!
Kuwano: Enough talking. Hurry up and fix it! I have FISHING to do! Stop yammering and do something! Oh just fix it already, you pansy. Do you want me to sic my wife on you?
Lore: Those two at the counter are being completely unreasonable. I feel really bad for the store owner. Talk about a bed of needles! I actually came in for repairs too. I just can't bring myself to be THAT worked up over it all.



Most of the monsters in the world are unchanged from previous chapters.



The team is fast enough now to grab the first turns in combat even when you let them get jumped. Of course, they'll also only get 1 XP from most kills, so grinding is pointless unless you're desperate for sepith, provisions, or fishing lures.

Not everything has stayed the same, though.



-Obstructive Existence-



Deathblows. So many deathblows.



I might have just been unlucky, but the very first time I tried this fight, the Dooms dropped three party members with their first three attacks. That Guard Minion in the back will cast Shadow Spear too.









Even if you're protected against deathblow, they can still hit pretty hard.











'Critically strike' means 50% extra damage, just like the Critical turn bonus. This is probably the best out of all the hit effects, just because nothing will ever be immune.

This happens to be right outside the Amberl Tower. The interior is all back the way it was before, but up on the roof...



-Strepitoso Fight-



I did mention the bugs, right?





The Weatherseeds have heavy armor, but they're weak to arts.















Wanna see what I've got?!





Too slow!





Come forth! Wheel of Time!



Turns out I didn't need any rings at all for Super Estelle.







As you might guess, the top of each tower has one of these orbs and you don't want to miss any of them.



-A Cat Relaxing in the Sun-



Sophina: With so many crazy things happening, I can't help but be anxious...I barely slept last night, even! *sigh* Nothing makes sense anymore...



Oh, hi!
...Er, wait, what's a member of the Royal Guard doing here?
Sensor Operator Echo: We rowed out to the inn to pick up supplies.
Oh, okay...Oh, right! The Arseille is stuck in the middle of the lake, isn't it?
Even Professor Russell's struggling with this, I guess.
Ah, don't worry about Gramps. Leave it to him. He'll pull some miracle outta thin air, I'm sure.
Sensor Operator Echo: We certainly hope he does...Regardless, I have my mission, so...
Oh, right, sorry!
Give our best to Captain Schwarz.
Sensor Operator Echo: Back to the grind! Take care of yourselves.



Lenard: The Royal Guardsmen on board come by here to stock up every so often. Apparently they had a splash-down once everything went crazy. I'm amazed they made it through that okay!



Lloyd: What in the world is that island-like thing floating above the lake? Even the trouts and salmons aren't biting at all...I bet that thing about the lake is affecting the fish, somehow.
The Orbal Fishdown Phenomenon...it can't be...



Oh, hi, Lux.
Out shopping?
Helmsman Lux: Haha! You guys sure hear things awful quick. Yeah, unfortunately. Got dragged out here without any choice.
Ah, I get it.
Helmsman Lux: I was in the middle of some work, but got drafted to come help out here. Normally this'd be Leon's job, but he managed to get out of it, clever S.O.B...*sigh* I'm just easy to play, I guess. Echo sure is late, either way. How long does it take to pick up some foodstuffs, anyway? Man, this is why I didn't want to come along.





Sting: Ah, you all.
Heh, you're the same cool customer as always, Sting.
Sting: Heh. Just who I am. Actually. Sorry to ask this out of the blue, but...Mind taking a look at this?
Huh...?


Sting: It looks like a quartz of some kind. I couldn't use it in my orbment, though.
Joshua, isn't this...?
Yes, it's most likely an ancient Zemurian quartz.
Sting: Really? I'd heard talk about them, but I never expected to see one. I thought they were supposed to work with these new orbments we have, though.
I think so, but first, uh, a question.
Sting, where exactly did you FIND that?
Sting: About that. It was around the Amberl Tower. I fought this bizarre monster. It was like a living fossil, or...Anyway, it was strange, put it that way. I picked this up after I defeated it.
Wait a minute, that sounds like...
That sounds EXACTLY like the thing we encountered atop the tower.
Sting: Ah, so you found one too. Anyway, I only ever found the one. Haven't seen another since. Whatever it was, it was much, much stronger than your average monster. Wouldn't hurt to watch out for more of them.
Yeah, no kidding.
Sting: ...By the way. Not to pry, but your orbments seem to work. Mind fillin' me in on what's going on?
Right, sure.
Let's take it from the top.


Sting: So that's what's going on. Hm. Here, then.

What?
Sting? Are you sure?
Sting: My orbment's about as useful as a rock right now, so a quartz is pointless for me. But all of you are on a pretty important mission. What needs to happen seems obvious to me.
Wow...
Ah, just come out and say you want to help us already, ya lug.
Sting: You don't need to thank me. You just concentrate on accomplishing your mission.
We will! See you, Sting!
Sting: Everyone needs to do everything they can. If they do, we'll find a way out of this mess.

Man, he just handed over a top-tier quartz like nothing! Maybe I've been too hard on Sting.



Never mind.

Right now Estelle might actually have the perfect setup for this thing, if she does nothing but cast heals and buffs, but I want her to fight too. At least Sting gives you a hint about the Dimension Bugs if you haven't bothered to re-investigate the towers yet. That's something.

Next time, we'll finish patrolling the Krone Mountains and then turn back towards Rolent.