Part 28: The Collapse

Update 27 - The Collapse





It's time to make our escape with our fairy friends. The Sun's King has clearly been completely corrupted, and we still need to meet up with Miriam. The Moon Fairy made a point of us going up to leave, so let's do that!













Ahh! Sweet freedom! Jeez I never thought I'd appreciate light like I do right now.





Oh hey! That was easy to meet up with her. I guess since we are at the castle, it wouldn't be difficult to meet up. Still, we should talk with her and see if we can go meet the Moon's Queen before she's too corrupted.




...you're leaving already. Did you meet the Overseer?

No... There were... complications! I'm helping these fairies escape!

Typical.

The castle got bad... it's full of evil monsters! And I think I saw the Overseer, but he was all haunted...

Where is there to escape to?

Um!... Well...



It's a portal out of the spirit world, but we can't reach it with our little wings...



Um!...

Ayup.

...

We should help them, Miriam! They're super nice! I promise!

...

_{Well alright...} Hang on tight then.









...Okay. Great! Now we can find



MUSIC: Collapse










You... LOSERS!!!

MIRIAM!!!

Do you have ANY idea what you've done?! Letting more creatures out of the spirit world...



Wake up, Miriam! Please wake up!

I'm so SICK of your meddling!! You're making everything worse!

Why would you do this...? Miriam didn't do anything wrong!

You aren't listening to me! Yes, she did! Do you see what's behind me?





...But I was there earlier, and... it was way further away...

The spirit world is collapsing! 3 out of 7 Overseers are dead now... Each one gone makes this world lose stability. It's all shrinking now. Everything is getting closer and closer together... and things are leaking out into our world. Or, getting squeezed out.



The dark ages that will consume our world...

I DON'T CARE!!!



How were we supposed to know not to do that???

That's exactly right. You don't know.

It's why you shouldn't even be here!

















WHAT IS GOING ON?!

It's the Overseers. Their personalities are dying... their forms are deteriorating... They're turning into animals, driven by instinct. We have to stop them getting out at any cost now.



Luckily I have just the thing...




...Uh oh...


Thanks again for getting me this. I knew it would come in handy!

Ummm!!!...















They're fighting over what little space is left...

















...They destroyed each other. Guess I didn't need that potion after all! Not much left here now. I guess you can still get your silly song thing, right?

It's going to get much, much, much worse from here. Just so you know. The spirit world is almost completely collapsed. I was supposed to kill all the Overseers before this happened... but it's too late now.








Audrey may be the hero, but she's still an ass. Though... she may be right. Things are starting to get bad... Especially if the Overseers are all corrupt now. There's going to be monsters all over and just generally awful for everyone. What can we do to stop monsters? We could sing against some of them, but we needed magic to take down another one.

Speaking of magic...Miriam... is she okay?




Miriam...?

...





MIRIAM!!! Are you okay???

_{no... I mean... I'll be fine. But... I'm gonna lay here a bit}


At least she's okay. She was getting a lot of character development this chapter... these things can worry a person.





Before we can head home, there's still the matter of the Earthsong to get. The name of the game this time is memory blocks. There's a light flashing for one of the steps, if we jump on it it creates a large beam of light, and helps the orb process for the Overseer. These lights will continue to flash until you jump on the first one, once you do that, you'll either have to know the rest of the pattern or guess. Failure means you start the current loop over.







Like so. We need to do this process about 4 more times, with the directions getting more complicated each time.











The only major thing to note here, is that you can step on the blocks all you want, you have to jump on them in order to activate it. So if you jump on the second set of blocks, if it's not the correct block, you'll have to start over. Same for going from the top blocks to the bottom blocks. It can be easier to get onto the top platform and jump down to the one you want to make sure you don't have to start over. Otherwise, it's simple memory matching... if you have a good memory.























Wow! Sure looks different. What do you think happened, Miriam?



Obviously not. Everything sucks right now.

Well... I can carry you, Miriam!

...








While carrying Miriam, we can barely go faster than a baby's crawl. So it's going to take us a while to reach the summit, then... I don't know where we're going to go. Especially if she can't even walk






Miriam? You're always carrying me around on your broom. But now I'm carrying you! Heh. (It's harder than it looks...)









Even in the midst of this crisis... is your passion for war so deep?



You came too. Don't act like you're better than us.

We thought there would be more of you...

We have our hands full. There's an outbreak of giant monsters, maybe you noticed.

It is our burden as well...







Barbarians...

No, we came because we knew you would. We're in a lot of trouble right now. The last thing we need... is a bunch of lunatic witches attacking us too!




Bard... both sides' leadership wants you in prison or dead. Jumping in between them and interrupting, especially when one is already on a war animal and the other is an angry witch, may be a tad bit dumb.


Stop fighting!!! What's going on???

BOSS!!!

Where did you come from??? You shouldn't be out here...

Hey... aren't you that peasant... that I threw in jail??

Um!...

You know this hooligan? They colluded against me with my daughter... My daughter who perished in YOUR kingdom...

We had nothing to do with that!



Leaving us alone against these monsters!

How dare you speak to me of lies...! You people love your filthy animals so much...



















VIDEO: Harmony

(video covers rest of update, screenshots continue with dialogue after song)
























You... you spoke with the voice... of all the people in our two kingdoms... How is that possible...?

More IMPORTANTLY



















I mean, I knew the war was hurting us... but I didn't realize how much. I thought it was good for everyone in the long run. But, I guess, in their hearts... nobody really wants it.

Hearing their voices moved me... we've failed those who needed us. Especially in this moment of crisis... We can't afford to uphold this conflict... There must be another way to settle our differences...

Yes!!!!! Y Y Y E E E SSSSS---



Miriam...?







MUSIC: Farewell




You can walk!!!

Barely... I just kinda... hobbled over here... I thought I was good to go again... but... I'm not. Listen, Bard. I don't think... I'm gonna make it with you from here.

Wha?

I'm in no condition to fly you. And I don't know if you noticed, but... things are getting... bad.

Bad?

The spirit world just collapsed. Monsters are spreading everywhere... It's... dangerous! The next nexus point will be the hardest yet. I don't think I can do it. And I'm worried about my grandma... I need to go home and rest.

Oh... that's okay!!!



Oh. You aren't... upset?

Well... yeah, a little bit... I wish you could come. But you're right! You need to rest! And I need to keep going! Because... we have to save the world!!! No matter what!!!





I'm really gonna miss you, Miriam.

Yeah. Me too.

...

Aaaaaaaaaaargh! I feel so useless... I came all this way, and in the end I couldn't make it. That stupid Hero... is probably right. I really am a loser.

Miriam!!! That's not even close. You're so much more than that!!! You can do a million things I can't, and even if you couldn't... you'd be special anyway.

Aw. Gross.



MUSIC: We're the Spell Squad




No.

YES!!! We need to fly!!!

SURE THING!!! Anywhere you wanna go, we'll take ya!

It's the least we can do!

Anywhere, huh?



I'll be okay, Miriam!

...

I think.

...

Okay... good luck on your magical adventure. I'm going home.

Tell your grandma I said hi!

Yeah.







MUSIC: Farewell





We are... not ready yet. There's a couple of people around here that we need to talk to, most of them being royalty, and one of them being our dear friend.




I wonder what Saphy will think, seeing me come home like this... I don't think she'd ever be disappointed in me... or at least, she'd never show it.

Why would she be disappointed?!

Because I failed. That's why.

No way! Without you we never would have made it this far! She'll be proud!

...


It's true, Bard hasn't just needed Miriam to fly to new places, but needed Miriam to give him a kick in the butt during Chismest. Our adventure would have ended after the Chaos Queen's death, were it not for Miriam. If we succeed, it's only thanks to her.


I remember when you got hit by the Hero's lightning... I had no idea how bad it actually hurt. I was guilting you for not helping more... and for moping around so long... Sorry.

It's okay!

Do you really think you're gonna make it without me? I don't know if you're ready for what's ahead. Mount Ichor is... really deadly... and now monsters are spreading everywhere... And you'll probably see the Hero again, too.



If it gets really scary, don't push it... OK?

Well... I'll try! But we have to do whatever it takes...Right?

I wish we didn't.

Okay, seriously... good bye. Get out of here before I change my mind.


Goodbye Miriam, we'll miss you!





Alright, time to talk to the guys who want to throw us in prison. Hopefully Bard puts his charm on to get out of any trouble that may arise.


Hmph. Maybe your little song did channel the voice of our people... but... it didn't speak for me... The witches are still a dangerous threat to us! We cannot just ease our guard against them...

But they're just normal people!

Hmph.

Besides, deep down in your heart... wouldn't it be better if you didn't fight?

No.

Really?

No.

Reeeaaaaally?







Alright, I see your point. Maybe yes.


There's a heart of gold in everybody...! Well, at least most people anyway. Lee had one, at least.


We have enough problems as it is!!! This is a cruel world we live in... threats from every side... we aren't prepared to deal with monsters like this. You and your witch friend posed a huge threat to our kingdom. How the Hero came to trust you is beyond me... but... today, you have helped us a great deal. I suppose. So I will not attempt to capture you... and take you back to prison, as I previously planned to.



Unless I ever see you again... Farewell, ruffian.


Note to self: Don't talk to Lee again anytime in the future. Instead, let's talk to the King! He never actually gets a name, he's just called King.


...

Yeah, so... Uh... sorry I threw you in jail...



Wait, no I'm not. You were really rude that one time.


Look, technically it was the dead princess of a rival kingdom who had possessed our body who was rude to you! That counts... right?


This is all a huge relief. Well... kind of... We aren't fighting Chaandesh... for now... but now there are giant monsters everywhere... We're not really better off...


You're not worse off though, which you would be if you were fighting Chaandesh. You gotta think on the positive side!


I always knew you were probably good... my qin seems really relaxed around you.



Just kidding... he's always relaxed... He's just a big furry lump. You are good though, probably.


D'awww

Too bad we can't pet the furry lump.




After all this time... I did not realize how deeply the war was hurting me... and my people, too...

...

Hala... wherever she may be now... I wonder if she can see this. I wonder if she is proud... of her foolish old mother...


I will miss Hala. She ended up being really cool to tag along with with and made Mohabumi a special place. Though the question of how she continued to be a ghost for so long, will remain a mystery I suppose.


There is so much pain we must heal... our kingdoms have suffered long together. I worry I won't see us restored in my remaining lifetime. But... I supposed that is my punishment... for using my life to wage this war, when I could have worked to end it... I hope my daughters will live to see a better world...


If that's your hope, then we need to continue on and make sure there is a world to make better! It's time... to head on out... without Miriam.




Ok!!! Here we go!














So ends Act 5... a very long and exhausting chapter. We stopped the war, but things may already be too late. Five Overseers are dead... will we get all the pieces before the last Overseer perishes? And can we do so... without Miriam?