Part 12: Just how long does this place go on for?
BACK TO THE DUNGEON WITH YOU
-Jade Corridor-
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It's so strange, too... The shadow towers were weird enough, but even they made a lot more sense than this does.
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...
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Is something wrong, Ries?
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What'd you go all quiet for?
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Well...I was just wondering what that is.
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What what is?
...!!
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Wh-Wh-Wha...? What's the Arseille doing here?!
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You recognize this ship?
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Uh-huh... It belongs to the royal family of Liberl. We used it to get on top of that floating city.
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Interesting...
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Do you have any idea how something like that could've possibly ended up here?
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Maybe it was sent here the same way we were?
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I don't think we'll get anywhere speculating. Could've come in our way. Could've come in some other way. We just don't know.
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The best thing for us to do now is to see what the guys inside have to say.
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This is like that monument in the area we started in. Though it's not glowing like that one is...
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The one in that garden had no glow in the beginning, either.
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Kevin, do you want to give it a try?
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I was just thinking the same thing.
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Oooh!
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I suspected as much.
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When we activated the first monument, it said, 'Release my brethren...'
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I guess now we know what it meant.
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Then... Then do you think this monument might have the same power as the other one?
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Most likely. It should come in handy, at least.
Just like the monument at the center of the Hermit's Garden, these mini-ments let you heal up and buy stuff. Check out all our convenient locations.
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Most of them have new items for sale, and activating them will update the Garden shops. You can also teleport to them with the cube.
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We've got another sealing stone to find.
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The head bone's connected to the...head...bone?
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This upgrade adds AT-Delay and longer attack range.
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Instead of hidden book series, this time we have Trails in the Chest. I'll have to compile these somewhere; I hope I can get them all.
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pff nope
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That's the end of this path. Let's take the other.
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I imagine it's a picnic compared to having your insides rummaged through.
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confirmed: Trails and Popeye take place in the same universe
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These little guys are like Slime Lumps, except they like to get in at least one nasty hit before they flee.
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Heehee. It's not just pretty, either. It's got really high specs, too!
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Last I heard, its top speed was raised to 3,600 SPH.
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3,600 SPH? That's even faster than a Merkabah.
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What's a Merkabah?
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Oh, it's a kind of airship the church uses.
You know, for assassinating enemies of the faith and such.
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Anyway, never mind that now. Something's up here.
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It doesn't look like there's anyone inside at all.
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Y-Yeah. You're right... And the orbal engines don't seem to be on.
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We ought to be on guard inside.
boing
-Primal Grounds-
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There are no signs of life in here at all...
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This ship must have been abandoned for at least a few days, if not more.
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The orbal power seems to be completely down, too. Makes me wonder if there was some kind of problem with the engines.
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Hmm... Well, we're not gonna figure anything out standing here. Let's take a look around.
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There might be some kind of clue around that'll help us discover what happened.
Learned the recipe for Easy Paella.
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Yep. It's the area where the maintenance crew does all of their work. But...
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...there sure isn't anybody here right now.
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This is bizarre... Just where did everyone go?
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That's right. The eight state-of-the-art XG-02 engines that serve as its main engines are stored in here.
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I'm going to go take a look at them!
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I'm not even sure why they won't work, either...
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Hmm... I see.
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Well, we already know that this place more or less has its own laws. It wouldn't be unusual if one of those caused machinery of all kinds to become nonfunctional.
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I wish I could help you out more...
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Still, I was at least able to secure a backup orbal power line.
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So that computer over there should be good to go.
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Really? That's plenty of help, Tita.
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Let's check it out and see what it can let us do.
And love is eternal, I'm told.
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Wow... It's so pretty... What is it, though?
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It's called a sealing stone.
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This is just like that stone you were imprisoned in, as it so happens.
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It was this pretty?
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It's still weird to think about, but at the same time, it's kinda nice, too...
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If that idea we had about not being able to proceed without freeing whoever's in these is true, there's only one thing to do.
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Ready to head back to the base and unlock this little guy?
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Of course.
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O-Okay!
-The Hermit's Garden-
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Oooh! Is this the part where someone comes out of it?
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Given past precedent, most likely so.
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Whether it's someone completely different or a second Tita remains to be seen.
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A-A second me?!
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If you've jinxed us and we really do get a second Tita, I hope you're ready to be her new mom.
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Naturally. I'll love her like my own.
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A-Ahaha...
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...A military uniform?
OMG is it Cassius?!
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W-Wait. Isn't that...?
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I knew it.
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The stone being inside the Arseille did make me wonder if it'd be someone related to it, and I was right on the mark.
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Ugh...
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...What? How the...?
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U-Umm...
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You're probably feeling kind of confused right now, but it's good to see you again, Julia.
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Father? Tita?
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Before greeting all of you, I would simply like to ask...
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...is this a dream or illusion? Or reality?
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To be honest, all of this is a little hard to swallow, but it's clear I have no choice but to do so.
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Thanks for being quick on the uptake.
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Do you happen to remember what happened to you before you found yourself here? Were you also surrounded by a white light last night?
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It feels closer to mere moments ago rather than last night, but I'd assume so.
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I was on my way back to Leiston Fortress after finishing an airborne training exercise when it happened. I was sitting in my usual chair on the bridge when the white light you speak of appeared, and then...well...
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I have no memories between that and finding myself here.
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That about matches up with us, then.
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All of us were drawn in here in roughly the same circumstances and at roughly the same time...
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Might you have any idea what happened to the rest of the ship's crew?
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I'm afraid not... I would be somewhat relieved if I were the only one drawn into this, but I have my doubts.
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Seeing as the Arseille itself is here, could the rest of the crew have ended up here, too? Or is it possible it was just you?
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We really don't have enough to go on to be sure either way at this point.
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All we know is that there was no one else in the Arseille when we found it. The only sealing stone there was the one Julia was inside of, too.
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...
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Father Graham.
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The two of you have started to investigate this peculiar place, have you not?
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That's right.
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We haven't been doing it for very long, so we haven't made much progress yet.
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Then please allow me to assist you. I'm concerned about the safety of my subordinates, and I want to know why the Arseille became non-functional. And I think cooperating with the three of you will be the fastest way for me to answer both of those questions.
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I'd LOVE that!
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Believe me, you won't see us complaining. We'd have to be nuts to turn down the help of the Royal Army's finest up-and-coming swordsman.
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Haha...I fear you are overestimating my swordsmanship, but I appreciate you allowing me to accompany you all the same.
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Well, in that case, we should get started as soon as possible. It's my pleasure to fight alongside all of you.
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Likewise.
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We're happy to have you!