Part 12: Ka Dingel

Update 12: Ah, I see you've played Speary-Sparkley before!

Detour concluded, it's time to get Janus and our bullets better acquainted.



Riding vaguely south-west from Claiborne and searching eventually brings us to this tower.



MUSIC - If Tails, Despair if Heads, Hope

Obviously a pretty vertical dungeon, despite the plot buildup Ka Dingel's not too hard, even if I wasn't overlevelled by four levels.



Simple puzzle to begin with, using the blocks to create a path to the other side of the room.



Taking the time to make a path to the right platform first rewards us with two Lucky Cards. After that we can move the block over to the left hand side, return to the start and cross over it.



Long spiral staircases - a frequent sight in this dungeon.



The X is a switch that lowers this platform to ground level.



Turning the wheel lifts us up to the upper level.



Entering that door will require us to start the whole switch/wheel process again when we return, but inside that room there's some treasure chests with a Gimel Coin, a Duplicator and three Gella Cards.



No choice here but to leap down and hit that wheel. The platform just to the right of it is wheel-operated as well, and we can use it to reach the exit.

Of course, while we're doing this we're getting random battles too. The enemies are mostly recycled from previous areas, disappointingly.



Annaberge returns from the Ruins of Memory, in greater numbers now. Those greater numbers mean that I have more of a chance to find out it has a Toxic Breath attack which inflicts Poison - I always killed it too quickly before to find out.



A useful trick you can use when opening treasure chests - this chest is trapped to inflict poison if improperly opened, but since Doc was already poisoned I can have him open it at absolutely zero risk.



Large numbers of Pordage also remind me that they have an attack that causes Disease, that I never let them use before.

... at this point, Boone is the only one who can't 1-shot a Pordage with his ARM. Come on man, even Pearl can do it.



The only new enemy around here is Gagison, a flying demon of some kind. He's weak to Earth.



He has a regular attack, can cast Decelerate, and can use this move which also inflicts Disease.



Disease is definitely one of the weaker status effects. A diseased character cannot be healed by any means, not even after-battle VIT. Against powerful bosses or combined with Poison it can be nasty, but weaker enemies don't do enough damage to make it an issue at all. I usually just leave diseased characters diseased until I'm about to hit something tough. It's cured with Medicine.
But speaking of something tougher...



As we're crossing an empty room on the next floor, we're suddenly and without warning thrust into a battle!


BOSS - TRASK

MUSIC - Blood, Tears, and the Dried-Up Wasteland



Trask's outer shell is highly resistant to physical attacks.

Is that so? Oh dear. I'd better cast Fragile on him then, that'll do the trick.



Very good, now to dish out the pai...



I see. So it's going to be like that. On top of this formidable defence, he also resists ALL kinda of elemental damage.





He mainly attacks by poisoning the party. Luckily Billy has protection against that here.

I've got to find some way to crack his armour, that stuff is harder than steel! Wait a minute... didn't I read a book about forging steel a few days ago? Maybe I can use knowledge instead of brute force! Crazy I know, but it might work.



I start by casting Cremate. The damage is pitiful, but it seems to serve its purpose.

Trask's outer shell is gathering massive amounts of heat energy! It looks like red, smoldering steel.



Any time Trask takes damage, he counter-attacks with Bio-missiles or his normal Physical attack (Big Press) but they don't do too much damage.



The next step is casting Refrigerate.

As Trask's outer shell is heated and immediately cooled, you hear a thunderous noise like a boulder cracking open. Countless numbers of cracks run though the outer shell, and the sturdy armor finally breaks into a million pieces! A hard substance can be made brittle through repeated heating and immediate cooling, thereby inducing degredation of matter. Trask's outer shell was destroyed by the power of fire and ice Arcana!

... it would have been nice to see an actual animation of this or any visual change in his model, but I'm not going to complain.



Now Trask is very vulnerable to all kinda of damage - even his elemental resistances have changed. (all neutral)



Poison is still a threat if you let it run unchecked, but so long as you watch yourself you can take this guy down in short order. Trask is a pretty fun fight, though sadly not indicative of future boss battles. I like that you can do research on how to beat him before you meet him, but you'd still be able to stumble across the trick if you missed the book, and that quality doesn't really cross over into future battles so much.

Part of the reward is a Moonstone - a Gear that gives a Guardian the "Poison Ward" ability. I give it to Gale Claw, which Pearl is using right now, and she gains immunity.



This has appeared near the spot where we fought Trask.

A powerful and wicked presence emanates from the holographic archive. You sense something moving towards you from the darkness!

Now where have I seen that before? It doesn't seem to do anything for now, so maybe we should leave it alone...



The next floor consists of a few raised platforms and nets. Clambering from one to the next is simple enough, but if you want either of those treasure chests you'll need to drop down and start over after getting them.

There was never a treasure chest I didn't open, even if the reward is just a heal berry and two revive fruits.



The path splits at the end. Taking the left door heads upstairs, so better take the right one and check out the dead end downstairs first.



The normal treasure chest has a Blue Bracer, a gear that gives a guardian the Paralysis Ward PS. I give it to Aqua Wisp (Boone) on a whim.
The other one requires a duplicator to open, but it's well worth it - a Booster Kit.



Check out the Encounter Gauge in the top left - we can now skip 20 points of battles instead of a mere 10! White gems also recharge two points on the gauge now instead of one. Man, it sure would have been nice to have this in a certain labyrinth...

Heading upstairs, we finally come to the first non-obvious puzzle in the game.



Six platforms, some raised, some not. Lighting and extinguishing the flames on the first two platforms raises and lowers the platforms in a certain pattern. We just have to cross over them.

The tricky part is figuring out the pattern. It goes like this.

vA vB ^A vB ^B ^A

where ^ is a platform that is currently raised, and v is a platform that is currently lowered.

Extinguishing torch A will raise all platforms marked A. Lighting it lowers them. Same thing, different letter for B. Thus a solution goes...



Stand on the second platform and extinguish both torches.

^A ^B vA ^B vB vA



Stand on the second platform and light torch B.

^A vB vA vb ^B vA



Stand on the fourth platform and extinguish torch B.

^A ^B vA ^B vB vA



Job done.

Upstairs, we come across chests containing a Gimel Coin and a Mini Carrot. Looks like a boss is coming up. This is emphasised when we head for the centre of the room and the whole tower shakes violently.

Is everyone all right?
Yes, we seem to be fine, but...



What's goin' on up there?
Heh...Our situation never seems to get any better.

An elevator at the back of the room brings us up to the roof, where...

MUSIC - A Needle in the Heart, Broken and Washed Away



Oh dear.
I know these are our rivals too, but this does not bode.



How did you like our Trinity Avenger?
Th-That name is even more ridiculous than the attack! How can I be so disgraced and humiliated...?
Maya!



Heh heh... Looks like the stage is set. The Schroedingers have the Crio shield in their possession... Which means you must have the Andro shield, correct? Now hand it over and I just might spare their lives.
Don't do it! They're not just after it for the money... The Eternal Sparkle is used to...

There is a blast, and Maya keels over.

Ugh...!
I'm trying to work efficiently, here.

OK, this is a bad situation, but worse things have happened. the important thing is to not hand over the shield with the demon soul in it, because God only knows what Janus could do with something like that and...



CHRIST PEARL WHY

Heh heh heh... Hahahah... HA HA HAH HAH!

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS

All three shields are now mine... All mine! ... Do you believe that the Eternal Sparkle will grant unlimited power to the one who attains it? ... Wouldn't you like to see what the 'Spear that Destroys All Life' can really do?

You COLOSSAL IDIOT



B-Boss... What's gotten into you?
You ain't gonna blow off our mission, are you?



Heh... Once you're dead... It's all over. Just like the late Lucio... He's not one of us anymore... He's nothing.

It seems Lucio is this game's "Noodle incident"

Wouldn't you agree? I've been giving this a lot of thought lately... How can one live forever without decaying? But the thing is... eternal life doesn't exist. There's no such thing as immortality. That's why I've chosen a different approach in which to live on forever. To attain a force... a power so strong, everybody will remember me for it.

Oh man, Janus, you're fucked up. But at least you're not STUPID

I'm not going out as an average Drifter. I will overcome the boundary of time, and continue to exist within people's memories! With this power, I shall become the absolute ruler and engrave my name in history forever! Andro, Crio, Hieraco! The time of awakening has come! Grant me the Eternal Sparkle!



Lights fly out of the shield, and everyone takes cover.



A huge magic circle appears on the floor, and a violent wind sweeps around it, threatening to push everyone off the tower.



Why did you hand over the shield!?
He would've killed you! And, and... I wanted to believe I was doing the right thing! I wanted to hold true to my beliefs.

You were not doing the right thing!

Dario and Romero were too near the wind, and got dragged off.



Does Janus give a shit? No, he just ignores them.

B-Boss!
We don't want to end up like Lucioooooo...!



He's abandoning his own men!
Look!



The hell is that thing?
A strange feeling comes over the drifters...



Ungh!?
What is this pressure!?
It almost feels as if...
... the mediums are trembling in fear!?
That's the <<Eternal Sparkle>>'s true form... A symbol of power from ancient folklore - an artifact of the demons...

<<Eternal Sparkle>>

Its blue flame continues to sparkle in the eternal darkness. I hear that's how it got its name. But that light feeds off the souls of others and continues to glow... It's a symbol of death... The notorious lance that violates life... The Dark Spear!
That's a spear...? That thing?
I guess so... And all this time I thought the Eternal Sparkle was some kind of gem or precious metal...
You said there was neither good nor evil here, right? But all I feel is a dark and evil presence...
Then what do you suggest we do!? Summon a superhero to kick his butt? Tell me where we can find this defender of justice!
I'm sure there's a defender of justice out there somewhere. If not, then... I'll become the superhero!

Words words words, you just gave him the thing he needs to kill damn near everyone. You better be about to do something AWESOME or...



As Janus reaches out for the Eternal Sparkle...



A gunshot rings out, and it is suddenly knocked far away from him.



Well, I suppose that might suffice.

MUSIC - Ready! Lady Gunner!!

I ran into the wasteland knowing little, but I still considered myself a Drifter. Becoming a Drifter had always been my dream... A Drifter that would help people in need, and bring down evil. But that just wasn't the case... The actions of a Drifter speak neither good nor evil... This misconception almost robbed me of the will to fly...



I don't care if there's no justice... That's something I'll have to find on my own as I traverse the wasteland! Finding justice is my goal and is what keeps me going. I have found my answer! I don't want to see sad memories engraved in people's hearts anymore!



So... When I stab you with this bayonet, how loud will you scream?


BOSS BATTLE - JANUS (AGAIN)

MUSIC - Crossfire Sequence



You know, I like Janus as a character, but this battle is... well... the same damn thing again, only there's no Dario or Romero so he's not got Trinity and it's over even faster.

He will frequently counter-attack with Sniper Shark XR, and he'll use a Heal Berry on himself if attacked with magic.



His one new attack is Rising Nova, where he can knock a character into the air and shoot them as they fall. It's definitely his most powerful attack so far (twice the damage of Trinity actually) but not a real game changer.



Dammit... I was so close... I let it slip away from my hands... Heh heh heh... But it's not over yet. There's still much I want to do. I can't let it end here...I'm not satisfied!



The magic circle he was standing in collapses and he falls into the depths of the tower.



MUSIC - Walking into the Heart of the Sunset's Light

A little bit later, the group gathers around the rubble where Janus fell. There is no sign of him.

I see you found an answer. But it's really not... That was just your declaration of wanting to find an answer. In any case, you sure place a lot of value on something that's so unreliable.
Justice may be unreliable, but still... I want to make that my priority out in the wasteland. I stand firm on that belief.
I don't get you.
So, what's next for you?
I don't want to get involved with what just happened, that's for sure. I'm only interested in gems.



You better watch yourself, you hear? Someone as green as you shouldn't get involved in a cause as lofty as justice. You'll end up dead.
Okay...You take care, too.
We might be enemies the next time we meet...
Well, until then, let's be on the same side.

Everyone leaves. Shortly after they're gone, a piece of rubble starts to move.



Ughhhh...Dammit! My body aches all over...



Dario! Romero! You blokes here!? Dammit all!

Oh sure, NOW he wants the guys he allowed to blow away.

Suddenly, a strange noise is head in the distance.

Huh!? Is that you, Dario? Romero...!?



MUSIC - He Who Holds the Word of God

I don't know who these guys are, but the presence of three robed people in an RPG is never good news.

Oh... It's you blokes... Sorry... I screwed up... But I promise I'll complete my next assignment. I won't let anyone get in my way next time. I... I... Actually, it was Dario and Romero that screwed up... Not me...

Was it a mistake for us to manifest power to one who does not understand its true meaning?

Something swoops down from above...



HOLY FUCK WHAT

Whatever this... thing is, it has the Dark Spear.

Ugh...I see...So you had this watchman recover the Dark Spear from me, eh? How could I be so careless...
Yes, Balazs has reported everything. About your grand scheme, your actions...
How vulgar, boorish, and shameless...



This will be a fitting end for your reckless behavior...
No.. wait... Why did you seek the Dark Spear? For power...?
Y-Y-Yeah...

The Masked Man transforms the Dark Spear into its proper form.



This is the incarnation of power you seek... The Dark Spear... I deem you worthy. Accept.

He stabs down sharply.



... something tells me Janus won't be such a pushover next time we see him.

END OF CHAPTER ONE



Quick Bonus: This picture can be found on the back of the game box and all over the net as a publicity shot. Spot the obvious early translation mockup!