Part 24: The Heavy Blade Agate

Welcome back. Last time, we received a waylaid package and letter from our dear old missing dad. The letter was addressed to us, but the package was sent from a mysterious K to Cassius, and contained an unusual black orbment. Afterwards, we decided to tour around the country, aiming to get recommendations from every branch and becoming senior bracers.

Oh, and Olivier is a secret agent.







I wonder which route we should take to get there.
About that...so you're really not planning on using an airliner?
You remember what Schera said, right? We need to walk and actually see the places we protect first. Or was it Dad who said that?
Well, I guess since we have some time on our hands, it wouldn't be a bad thing to head there on foot. We could save the money it would cost to use an airliner.
Great idea! We can use the money we save to go shopping at the Bose Market! After all, we didn't have the time to spend shopping around leisurely during the whole Sky Bandit mess.
And then we could leave after that. So what do you think?
I don't care either way...but try not to waste too much money.
Just so you know, in order to enter the Ruan Region, we'll need to go through the Krone Pass to the west. Once you're done shopping, let's leave through the west gate.
Okay. The west gate, right?



First things first: We found some neat stuff in the Sky Bandit's Base, which lets us complete some last minute sidequests.

Launa: Yes, that's right. Is there something I can help you with?

Actually we found a ring that looks something like the one mentioned in the job request at the guild. If we could, we'd like to have you take a look at it...



Handed over Jeweled Ring.

Launa: Oh... Who would've ever thought this would have come back to me like this...

So there is no doubt that this is the ring that was stolen?

Launa: No, this is the one that was stolen all right. It was a memento from my mother. I would know it anywhere.

I see... It must be really important to you then, right?

Launa: I had almost believed that I would never see it again. I don't know how I can ever repay you for finding this...

Tee hee, I'm just glad we could help. So I guess our work here is done, unless there's something else?

Launa: No, that's all. And once again, thank you for finding this for me.

Well then, if that's all, we'll leave you to your business.
Launa: Have a nice day.

We did a good thing





Next, we need to go to the prison of the Haken Gate, which is totally a place you would go at this point in the game without a walkthrough.

_{(It's not )}

Provost Guardsman: It would be in your best interest to start talking now. It would be in your best interest to start talking now. Because it's only a matter of time until we find some evidence against you.



You may remember Nigel as the guy at the Orbal Factory who was obviously up to no good.

Nigel: If I'm suspected of something, then prove it! But you can't, can you? Heh heh heh...



Provost Guardsman 2: Huh? Oh... Actually, this man is being held on suspicion of scheming to take over a factory that didn't belong to him. The only bad news is we haven't been able to find any decisive evidence linking him to a crime. We can only detain him for so long and after that we're going to have to release him.

Hmm, so you're looking for some material evidence, are you?
... Hey, Estelle...
Hmm?
Do you remember that black book we found in the Sky Bandits' hideout?
Black book?
Oh yeah, that one... You mean the one that was hidden inside the vacuum cleaner, right?

Here's how you finish the sidequest finding the black book starts. Like I've said, it's an incredibly easy diversion to miss.

Provost Guardsman 2: A book inside a vacuum cleaner? Would you mind letting me take a look at it?

That depends: Do you mind slipping us a couple hundred

Nope, we don't mind at all. Here you are.

They actually pay us a couple thousand, so they can see all our notebooks as far as I care.

Handed over Black Notebook.



Provost Guardsman 2: Ah HA! This is what I was looking for.

Excuse me?

Provost Guardsman 2: This.There is no doubt about it. This is his secret account ledger for the factory. Hey, Nigel! Take a look at this! Look... familiar?
Nigel: Th-this can't be happening! That was taken along with my vacuum by the burglars...



Provost Guardsman: Any bracer who can do work like this is a good bracer in my opinion. With this notebook, we should easily be able to establish his guilt. I'll make sure we send you an official payment through the Bracer Guild sometime in the near future. Once again, I appreciate your help.

We returned a memento, put a criminal behind bars, and wet our beaks in the process.

All in all, a good day.






Before we leave for Bose, we can say some quick goodbyes to the colorful characters we've met throughout the chapter. We'll meet some of them again, I'm sure. Even if we don't want to.

Yeah, we're getting ready to leave.
We appreciate your help.
Hmm-hmm-hmm. I should be the one saying thank you. It would certainly be great if we had bracers like you in Bose all the time.
I-I think you're giving us a little too much credit.
And I'd like you to let me thank you on behalf of the citizens of Bose. I am really grateful to the two of you. Well, I guess it wouldn't be right of me to keep you any longer.
We will. You take care of yourself Mayor Maybelle. And don't work too hard either.
I'll try and be more careful.
I hope we'll meet again sometime, but for now it's farewell.





Goodbye maid. I remember the time you told Nial to

That was pretty cool.



Yeah, thanks for everything, Lugran.
We really appreciate everything you did for us.
Don't mention it. I'm going to really miss having you guys around. If you ever happen to be in Bose again, don't forget to stop by.
You're always welcome here.
Thanks. Anyway, we'd better get going now.

Not quite yet. We've got someone else to say goodbye too, even if we don't want to.



Wait, not her. Anelace is cool.





Why are you here? We have nothing further to talk about. I'm busy dealing with paperwork and other reports are the incident.

He's about as happy to see us as we ever were to see him.

At least we didn't arrest him.



In the middle of the Nebel Valley, we find this friendly little hermit.



If we choose to Share a Meal, we learn how to make an Abaddon Potluck.



It's an interesting dish!

If you still remember the prologue (remember, in Rolent? With the farm and the tower?), you'll notice the recipe uses the firefly fungus we needed to find for a sidequest. Apparently it can be used in cooking!





Anyway, eventually we make it to the Krone Gate. We've already been, way back when we escorted some chump and got ambushed.



Once we pass through this checkpoint, we're supposed to be in the Ruan Region, right?
Yep.That's supposed to be what's on the other side.
But unfortunately...it's almost sundown. Maybe we should ask them to let us stay here for the night.
I guess we could do that... But we've also got the option to hurry down through the pass and rest at an inn at the foot of the mountain, right?
Crossing through the pass at night would be dangerous. With our field of vision limited, we would be on bad footing. There's also the possibility we could fall off a cliff if we were attacked by nocturnal monsters.
I wouldn't recommend it.

Meh, night only falls during cutscenes, we'll be fine.

You're right. I guess it could be pretty dangerous. It looks like all we can do is explain our situation to the soldiers at the checkpoint.



Cutinger: Did you get lost hiking along the trail?

You have a very weird name.

No, not exactly. We're bracers, just so you know.

Estelle showed the soldier her Junior Bracer Emblem.

Cutinger: Wow, I'm surprised to see that someone your age is a bracer. So are you here with work then?

No, actually we're traveling around the kingdom to become senior bracers.
And so we figured we'd travel on foot to get in some training instead of using an airliner.

Cutinger: You're going to travel around the whole kingdom on foot?! Maybe it has to do with being young, but kids are certainly fired up these days.

Tee hee, maybe that's a bit of an overstatement.

Cutinger: But I'm going to have to tell you that trying to head down through the pass now would be suicide. Recently, we've had an untold number of monsters appearing in the area. It's quite peculiar really. We've got a rest stop for travelers, so it would be best to stay there for the night.

Sweet! Thanks a bunch.
This will really help us out a lot.

Cutinger: Don't mention it. Just talk to the sergeant when you're ready to hit the sack. He's in the guard station, straight ahead.



We apologize for intruding at this hour. But we were actually wondering...

Joshua explained the situation and asked if they could stay the night. Estelle tried to make her eyes as large and yearning as she could in the hopes of scoring some free food, as well.



Zelste: I see. Well that's no problem. I can see from the emblem that you're bracers. Feel free to use the room next to here.

We really appreciate this, sir.

No free food? Sorry Estelle, your puppy dog eyes just weren't good enough

Or maybe the drool was an unnecessary touch.



Yeah. Let's get that fireplace on, shall we?



Mmmm...but y'know, wood stoves just feel so much more cozy than these things.
Yeah, I agree. Orbment stoves may heat up quickly, and they're certainly efficient, but they can't compare with the feel of a real wood-burning stove.
True, but these ones are much easier to use.

Trails in the Sky: Serious discussion on the merits of wood fireplaces versus gas fireplaces.





Serose: If you need anything for dinner, we'll be happy to share what we have with you, if you'd like.

Free food!

Really?
That would be wonderful, thanks.

Serose: No worries. After the airliners went into service, the number of travelers coming through here drastically decreased. Honestly, with all the free time we've got, we welcome any guests coming through here.

Tee hee. Well in that case, we'll really make sure to eat up!

Serose: All right then, give us a little time to get supper in order. And, uh, full disclosure here: I think it's Usher's night to cook, so I hope your stomachs aren't delicate.



But there are quite a few nice soldiers once you start to talk to them on a personal level.
Yeah, that's true.
Although, I think Liberl is probably about the only place you're going to find nice soldiers.

They make up for it in stupidity.

Huh? What do you mean by that?
Don't take me too seriously, I was just thinking out loud...in the meantime, let's put our bags down somewhere.







Although they said not to expect much, the food was pretty good, didn't you think?
Y-yeah. It was, uh, certainly like nothing I've ever had before.

Estelle's fork also went mysteriously missing.

And part of her plate.





...Yes, thank you.

Serose: R-really? You must have taste buds of iron, too...I mean, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Anyway...we've had another guest arrive, so if it's not too much trouble, could you two share the same room?

Another guest...in the middle of the night like this?
They must have some serious guts to be hiking around in the mountains at this hour. But no, we don't mind. It's not like we're paying to stay here either.

Serose: I really appreciate that. Anyway, since he's in the same line of work as the both of you, I'm sure you'll get along fine.

Huh?
The same line of work?

Man's Voice: Hmph...I knew I'd seen you two somewhere before.



Y-you're...
The [Heavy Blade] Agate...

Still a [Stupid Name]

Serase: Oh, so you know each other already, huh? By the way, Agate, what do you plan to do about dinner?

I appreciate the invitation, but I had something before coming up here. All I need is somewhere to crash for the night.

Agate is a good guy. Crashes at your place for the night, and doesn't eat all your food. Maybe I've misjudged him. Let's see!

Serose: Understood. Go ahead and divide up the beds amongst yourselves. All right, good night.



Schera returned to Rolent. Now it's just the two of us traveling together.
We're thinking of making our way around the kingdom in order to become senior bracers. We're going to see the places we want to protect and train so that we can do just that.
Senior bracers? Traveling the entire kingdom on foot? You two are really a bunch of carefree brats, aren't you?

Nope, didn't misjudge him, still kind of a dick.

What did you just call us?!
There's no way the two of you are going to simply become senior bracers. Use your brains and think about it for a moment.
Say what you want, but we helped in the arrest of the Sky Bandits! And we've even got some recommendations, so quit treating us like we're a bunch of kids!
Oh, that? I heard all about it from old man Lugran. Let me ask you this... Suppose you had been the only ones there. Do you still think you would have succeeded? Just you two alone, without Scherazard's help.

Probably!

W-well...
It would've been a lot tougher, definitely.
I should think so. You two are newbies. And little brats, to say the least. Not to mention you're lacking in strength and experience.You don't have the ability to make quick, sound judgments. If you get all caught up in yourselves and forget that, one of these days you're going to get the rug pulled out from under you.
We-we're not all caught up in ourselves! How about yourself, Mr. Macho Man? What were you thinking trying to hike through the pass at this hour of the night? You're either plain careless... or maybe that bandanna's just a little too tight?
Watch your mouth, brat. I'm not like you amateurs. I'm trying to hone my skills out here.

That's different how?

And besides, I'm here for work. Don't try and compare my actions with your tourist-training.
Work? You mean a guild job?
Yeah, that's right. The work your old man forced on me...
Huh...?
Dad pushed his work onto you?
...
Forget about it. I've got an early day ahead of me, so I need to get some rest. You two quit talking and get some sleep, too.



Well, he did drop a tidbit about Dad. That's something, at least...
Enough already, you two! Just shut the hell up, and let me sleep! And you better stop poking around where you shouldn't or you're gonna get burned. Instead, why don't you get your behinds over to Ruan, and do some jobs off the bulletin board? That's...*yawn*...far better suited for the likes of you...



So Agate. He's kind of a jerk (what a shock!), but generally the game handles him pretty well. He's never as bad as he is here again, and so while he can be a dick, it's less "Ugh, Agate, what an ass", and more "Haha, Agate, you're such an ass."

Or less jokingly, the writers know how to balance him out so that he just comes across as somewhat abrasive but ultimately an okay guy, instead of an unreasonable jerk.

H-hey...
It looks like he's asleep...and just as quickly as someone I know.
Don't you even dare suggest that I'm anything like this jerk!
What's his deal anyway?! It seems to me like all he's trying to do is pick a fight...
Relax, Estelle. It's true we're still just novices at this. He's probably just worried about us, and doesn't know how else to express it.
... Do you really think so, Joshua?
I wish I could say for sure, but I don't know.
He was right about one thing for sure, though: we SHOULD turn in for the night. We've still got to hike down through the pass tomorrow.
I'm all riled up now, but I guess there's nothing to be done about it...
Unless...we doodle on this jerk's face and then go to sleep. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't wake up with the way he's snoring.

Also, Agate can be a jerk all he likes because it just opens up another way for Estelle to be the best.

Don't even think about it...



Hey look, it's the terrible cook!

Cutinger: It really makes me wonder if anyone really needs to stand guard with nobody coming through here. Don't you think it'd be better if we just kept the gate locked all night?
Usher: Unfortunately, rules are rules and it's our job to follow them. We just got over the Sky Bandit mess and now things seem to be going downhill...



Cutinger: What's the matter?
Usher: Did you hear something? It sounds like some rustling leaves...
Cutinger: You sure it's not just the wind?

It's never just the wind.





In this case, the "wind" is a pack of wolves.

Usher: You've gotta be kidding me!



Sounds like something's going on.
... I'm going to go check it out. You two stay here.



I think we'd better go see for ourselves, just in case.
Of course that's what we should do!



This is bad news! We'd better hurry and back them up!
Hey! Forget it, you kids!
Wh-why are you trying to stop us from helping? And you call yourself a bracer?!
Don't get me wrong, it's just that it's the army's job to protect the checkpoint. NOT yours. These guys are well-trained, so they should be able to take care of them in no time. You'd just be getting in the way.
But I'm pretty sure we could...



Zelste: It's just like he says. This is our job!
Serose: Now get back inside, you two!

B-but...







Wh-What the heck's going on in here?
Estelle, the other side. It seems like something's happening on the Ruan side of the checkpoint.
What!?











They're even more ferocious than the rumors suggest!



Ha, so you intend to surround me, huh? You're pretty clever for a bunch of mutts!

Estelle: We've got you covered!



Hey! Get back inside!
Hmph! You can't stop us from helping you out.
We'll try to help you out without getting in the way.
Fine, whatever...
Just make sure not to get caught beneath my heavy blade!

ugh, you're just the worst







We're up against 5 of the so-called wolves, which are actually apparently Dobermans. Anyway, I like this fight, since it's less of a real fight, and more of a nice bit of gameplay/plot integration to show that Agate is kind of a wrecking ball. (Just look at that max HP!)



Agate's pretty fun to use, as unlike the various all-rounders and mages we've had so far, Agate is all about heavy physical offense. His Crafts reflect that quite well. Wild Rage consumes 30% of his max HP from his current HP, in exchange for giving him 50 CP. Flame Smash attacks a small area for strong physical damage, and Beat Down beats down. As you can tell, Agate is largely about building up CP fast to deal heavy damage. Fun!



Agate opens by killing two, and our heroes quickly dispatch another.







Good job team!





Whew...it looks like we managed to take care of them all.
Yeah... There were a lot of them, and they were pretty formidable.
Hmph...it looks like you handled yourselves better than I would have expected. But then again, maybe it's only natural if you learned the basics from your old man.
Huh?

Things you learn while LPing a game: Estelle combines this face and "Huh?" a hell of a lot. I wish I could un-notice it.

Don't get me wrong. I mean, you did well, for newbies. You're still a heck of a long way off from becoming senior bracers, though.

Zelste: Hey! Was everything okay over here?!



How's your injured guy?

Zelste: Luckily, he just suffered a few minor cuts and bruises. I'm just glad that you happened to be here.
Serose: I should have expected as much from the [Heavy Blade] Agate.

I didn't do much. And these kids didn't do a half bad job either.

Like I said, the writers know how to dial Agate back so he doesn't become unlikeable. It goes a long way towards that when he basically admits he underestimated Estelle/Josh at first.

Serose: Is that so...? Well, thanks to you too, then.

Uh, sure...

Zelste: Well, we intend to patrol the area just in case. How about you guys get inside and get some rest?

We'll do that, but you be careful.



We shouldn't have to worry about any other dangers tonight, so you two be good kids and get some sleep.



Ha! Am I imagining things or did he just give us a compliment?
He may have recognized our ability. Maybe he's a lot more straightforward than we made him out to be.
Um...I don't know about that.
But he certainly talks big, that's for sure.



Next time: Lighthouse Sharks: A growing concern.