Part 24: We're gonna go into this schoolhouse, punch the ghost in the face, and drag him back to the guild!

-Under the Moonlight-

Mmm...



Estelle, you're awake!
Oh, thank goodness...How do you feel? Are you hurt?
No, I...think I'm okay.



Wait...This is the girls' dorm, right? Why am I--



And then it...
*sigh* So you really did see a ghost.
Estelle...What did the white shadow look like?
W-Well...
It was a man dressed in old-fashioned clothes, like an opera get-up or something, and wearing a mask...He danced in circles, and he was glowing...He flew off toward the old schoolhouse.
Whoooa! What a neato ghost!
I'm going to hazard a guess that this matches the description you've heard before, right?
I figured the old schoolhouse would have something to do with this.
...Screw it.
Bwuh?
I dunno if this is a spook or a dude with an airship in his pants or whatever...If he's gonna run around, looking crazy and scaring people and making them faint...
I'm going to beat him to a pulp once and for all!
Beat him to a pulp...?
Oh, Estelle, do ghosts make you angry and afraid and stuff?
I WAS scared of ghosts because I wasn't sure if they existed or could rip my soul out or something! Now that I've seen one, I ain't afraid of no ghost! Not at all! If I see it again, I'm going to polish my staff with its face!
I'm...not sure if this is courage or if she's gone off the deep end...
Heehee...Oh, Estelle.



Thanks, Hans!
I'm glad you're fired up, but...you sure you're okay?
Of course I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be okay? When have I ever given the impression ghosts paralyze me with fear? That's silly! We're gonna go into this schoolhouse, punch the ghost in the face, and drag him back to the guild!
Uh...If you say so...
Heh heh. We're finally entering Estelle's element, it seems.
Well, then. Let us begin our test of courage. Monsters may have taken root in the ruin, so only those skilled at the art of combat should enter.
Good thinking. (For once...)
The camera girl can come, but the others should stay behind.
Yeah, I know. We'll leave everything to you big, tough fighting-types.
We'll be waiting here in case something happens.
Um...Agate? May I...accompany you?
What? Uh, excuse me, Princess. Isn't this a little dangerous for the possible heir to Liberl?
The children at the orphanage have seen this...whatever it is. I cannot simply let it be.
I've also been inside the old schoolhouse on a few occasions...I think I may be able to help.
Tch...Fine, okay.
'Course, thinkin' about it, I figure you're skilled enough to help us out anyway. Just be careful and don't overdo it, okay?
I'll be careful, I promise.
Okay, then! Let's head into the schoolhouse and catch us a ghost!
Yeah!



Kloe, will you be going, too?
Yes. I know it best out of all of us, so I'd like to help.
Hm, I see. Very well. Everyone, take care of Kloe, won't you?
Yeah, leave her to us.
There may be monsters hiding in the old schoolhouse. Do be careful.

-Peace Bestowed By Twilight-





Heheh...Now we're getting somewhere. I can feel my blood begin to sing with the terror of it all!
Hee, I'm getting gooooosebumps!
Yeah, you two sure seem terrified, all right.
Oh...
What's up?
Estelle, on the door...



Let's see what's written on it...






What the hell?!
Oooooh, maybe it's spontaneous combustion! I've heard that happens with spooooky poltergeists...
Heh...What a provocative little ghost we have here. Attempting to riddle us, is he?
Ooooh! It's ON now! I'll teach him not to mess with real, living people!
Well, long as you can keep the bravery up, we'll be okay.
But...'the hollow flame shall guide thee'...The hell does that mean...?
I'd be willing to guess the 'great room' is the big entry hall just beyond. We'll need to investigate it.
Right! C'mon...!





This is the only one that isn't lit...Let me take a look.






Waaaa-aaaah!
W-Well, at least the answer was right.
So, a classroom this time?
And a 'south-facing student' in an empty school...
If I remember correctly, there are four classrooms total in the left wing--two on each floor.
All right, then. Let's check them out and watch our compass.



And it's pointing exactly south. This is probably it.
Lemme take a look...






Yeow-owww!
Well, that was right, at least, but where's the next one?
The fallen neck in the garden...
A metaphor, clearly, but for what? What marvelous mystery!

A metaphor for...sepith?



Hmm, probably not.



This matches the requirements, in a way.
Yeah, this looks like it. Look...




That's the end of the riddles, I think. I hope.
I hope 'thine curse is realized' is just a metaphor, though.
Heh, regardless, he wishes us to use the key.
Let's find a lock it might open!





This statue's been here for as long as I can remember. Apparently it's carved in the image of a dragon who used to reside in Liberl.
Hmm. Something's off about this.
Lesse if there's any kind of trick here...



*click GRAAAAAANNKT*



Heh...Not a bad little plan. This is getting quite exhilarating.
Yeah! Someone's really trying to make this fun! If this was a touristy-trap place, I bet it'd get a looootta tourists!
But...you know, something about all this seems weird. Like, beyond what you'd expect. Like, those cards. Doesn't that seem weird for a ghost?
Yes, it would seem difficult for an incorporeal spirit to do all this.
Either way, we're up against something that isn't gonna go easy on us. Keep it together. We're going down.

-Visions-







Aw, hell...Here we go!

-Obstructive Existence-







This pulsating Freudian nightmare can inflict Blind, or steal health. It can also cast arts, but everyone here except Dorothy has an Impede attack.







Unfortunately Kloe's seven levels behind right now, and it'll show until she can catch up. She gets close in this dungeon, but not quite there.







-Visions-



So this place...is some kind of underground ruin?
Yes, it seems so...The architecture is similar to buildings from the Middle Ages. I had no idea a place like this was so close to the academy...
Hmm...The monsters in this place are as thick as Hopper Chiefs in a wine cellar.
This ruin must be the 'trial' mentioned in the card, then.
Yeah...No way we can bring any unarmed civvies with us any farther.
Yo, camera girl.
Huh? What's up?
You heard all that. This place is a deathtrap for someone like you. Go back to that room we were just in and wait for us.
No, take her with you! You can't win without her!
Awww, but but but...! I wanted to get some awesome ghost pictuuuures...
Hey, don't worry, Dorothy. We'll come back if we find anything, okay? You can get your awesome pictures then. Right?
Welllll...if I gotta. Be careful, okay, guys?
All right, let's move out. Keep an eye on the monsters. They're tough mothers, so let's only fight the ones we need to.
Right!
Of course.
Naturally.



I'd looove to take a picture of a ghost!















Prevents Faint. Nice to have against these little toy horses.



Shield quartz boosts ADF, at a slight cost to ATS. ADF is not an important stat this early on. Not many enemies bother with arts, and it's easy to have lots of impedes at your disposal. In later chapters, ADF becomes more useful as more enemies start using attacks that count as arts.





Just look at that little dork.







































Definitely saving this one for a special occasion.





Put on some anti-Faint and anti-Blind gear before you head through this door.



-The Enforcers-





So just who the hell are you?!
Man: Hm-hm-hm...



I receive you with open arms. Your host will not disappoint, I assure you.
A...mask?
He's exactly as you and Polly described him, Estelle. So, then. You are the 'ghost' who has been disturbing Ruan?
Indeed I am...Princess Klaudia. It is the greatest pleasure to meet you in person at last.
How do you know who Kloe is?!
Ha ha! My pet, there is nothing, no item or secret, on this plane or above...which I cannot take! Ah, but I am uncouth, and have not introduced myself to my guests! Allow me, then...



Ah...That is to say, the Enforcer No. X...of the Society of Ouroboros.
O-OUROBOROS?!
Aw, hell...!
Hm hm...Such murderous, withering glares! I assure you, they are not necessary...today. I am merely here to perform a simple, trivial experiment. Not even the slightest hair on my body has any intention of conflict with you.
An experiment?



That's the Black Orbment Colonel Richard had! The 'Gospel'...!
Quite. Except...unless my eyes deceive me, that one is even larger than the last.
Interesting...It is as he said, then. You already know of these. The Gospel I hold is a new model, developed for the purpose of experiments such as this. It has proven quite the aid in my tests over the past few days!
Tests? What tests?
What indeed! As they say...a picture is worth a thousand words. Allow me to show you...in person!



No, it seems to be a...projection, of some sort, cast into the air using that device. I've never heard of such a device being invented.
Naturally not. This is a hologram projector that we developed. Of course, the projector, on its own, can cast images little farther than this, but...With the power of a Gospel, one can do things such as...this!



Aaaah!
Holy...!



Five hours later:



Hmhm...The good citizens of Ruan received a once-in-a-lifetime performance! They should be thrilled.
Tch...So this was all just a bunch of bullcrap pranks, then.
Tut! Pranks! Such an insult to my performances! Hmph. 'Twas a gift of enjoyment and distraction to a city suffering the stresses of a heated election! Can you not see the beauty of such a gift?
Okay...I kind of get WHAT you're doing...I think. But...
Tell me! WHY did you do all this?! Why did you scare so many people?! What do you people...What does Ouroboros have planned?!
Ah, but it is not my place to speak the mind and purpose of the Grandmaster. Forgive me. Why I myself am here, assisting in the plan, however, is simple. I have come seeking an audience...with you, Princess Klaudia.
What...?
Your beautiful pride, which was on such magnificent display when you brought justice upon the old mayor...I agreed to participate in this plan...to claim that beauty for my own. Oh, I have awaited this day on pins and needles for months! You cannot imagine my joy.
Wh-Wha...? I...
'Justice upon'...You mean what happened with Mayor Dalmore!
Wait, how the hell do you know about that?!
I was a fly on the wall for that little event. Or perhaps a 'shadow'? Like...this, for example.





You were in the Dalmore mansion...



Princess, your pride...has stolen my heart. Indeed, you have stolen the heart of a phantom thief!
Ah, what sweet humiliation this is! My pet, how do you intend to atone for such a slight upon me?
U-Um, I...don't really...
He's so full of himself he's about to fall over...Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Oh, I beg you, do not compare me to...that.
So you're an agent of Ouroboros...You aren't what I was expecting, but...
If you're going to try and hurt Kloe, I'm DEFINITELY gonna stop you!
Estelle...
Right. In accordance with the Bracer Guild, you are hereby under arrest and charged with intrusion, theft...and a buncha other junk. We got a whole lotta questions for you--that Gospel being just the start. So come quietly, or we break your teeth.
Tut. How boorish. Arrest? Me? While it would be invigorating to have a little fracas, I did choose this place for a reason...I shall allow him to be your opponent, I believe.
Huh?

-Silence-



*snap* *KROOOOOOOM*



Hmm...I would say I have a bad feeling, but somehow, I feel it's too obvious...







-Pinch!!-



WE HAVE POLYGONS



I REPEAT: WE HAVE POLYGONS



Some kind of...armored...CENTAUR machine?!
Quite! It seems he was once the guardian of this place. The poor chap was half-broken when I arrived. I repaired him out of the kindness of my heart, you see. Since he's here, I think he could serve as a worthy opponent, don't you?
You have to be kidding!
Here it comes!

-Great Awe-





Sieg! Take 'em down!









Thanks, camera.





My love I give to you!
I was hoping this would cure Kloe's Blind, so she could keep on Kaempfering. Welp.



As it is, at least Storm Bringer and his Puppet Fraggers bunched up nicely, closing in after he blasted everybody back into the wall.





Letting the big guy get that Death Throes bonus is certainly a risk, but two buffed enemies are a better time than seven non-buffed. Sometimes he'll call in more Fraggers instead of attacking, as well.





I'm sure this would be something nasty, but again: four impedes.











whoops hang on everyone's about to die





Now!



Light of the Heavens, heal these battered wings...



RADIANT PFLASH!
Kloe's S-Craft is an emergency heal: up to 3500 HP, or 500 and a revive, along with curing ailments. At 200 CP, it also grants a 50% DEF boost.