Part 44: Demondor Pillar

Last time, Shane did something stupid and only the power of brotherhood could prevent it from becoming something deadly.
But the villain has revealed herself, and caused a disturbance out to the southeast.


Update 44: Asimov's first law - Don't Be A Whiner



As Shane said, the disturbance - the Demondor Pillar - is located at the end of the peninsula southeast of the colony.



MUSIC: Wings Ensnared with Rusted Chains

The creepy interior of the tower seems to mix biological and mechanical architecture. Pearl doesn't seem to care for it.

What the...? What is this, an organic machine, or a mechanical organism?
A structure that's half tissue, half machine... It's almost as if we're inside a demon...
I feel as if this place is trying to repel me... Pretty good observation for a Filgaia Sample, huh?
...
In any case, let us press forward to see what this place is all about.



We'll frequently come across spires like these. If they're cracked, a bomb is enough to break them. If they're not, they must be frozen and heated to make them crack, then blown up.



Wow this room is annoying.
We obviously need to use the changecrest to teleport over to where that white gem is, but neither of the nearby platforms are at the right height to hit it.



It takes some trial and error, but if you find the exact right spot on the stairs, you can blindly fling a changecrest at the right height to hit the gem.



By the way, there seem to be a LOT of Ambush and Danger! battles down here, and they LOVED picking on Billy. I don't usually spend points on Eagle Eye, but I gave him it just to stop the constant Danger! battles.



This room is fun. Moving platforms, and a number of floating white gems.



The platforms get much faster as you go, but if you have good timing you can easily cross.



Once in this big empty arena, we find the first boss of this dungeon.

BOSS BATTLE: GESPENST



MUSIC: Blood, Tears and the Typical Boss Theme

Don't know exactly what this is, but he's a decent battle.



Screaming Mad - a dark-elemental attack - returns.



Phantom Hazard's back too - also dark damage, hits all. You know, I think the last time I saw these two together was back with the Ring Keeper. Memories...



He also automatically heals himself when dealt physical damage, which can put a crimp in Doc and Billy's damage.

He has loads of elemental resists, so Dark Lucied might be powerful here. However he also has a weakness to Light Damage which we can fully exploit. He won't heal off of Light damage, so once it is Attached to Billy and Doc they can fire freely and bring him down quickly.

... and of course, there is an even easier and faster way to destroy him.

VIDEO: Gespenst Ganked



MUSIC: The Barriers Blocking Your Way

I can't imagine what would happen if these things were let loose all at once...
Yeah, even a rewriting machine like me might have some trouble taking care of these suckers...

You'd think the clone of an ENTIRE PLANET could have a bit more self respect. That's the closest thing to being a god you'll get in this kind of game.

Billy... Don't belittle yourself like that. We're a team... Your comrades don't think of you like that...
These suckers were created just like me. And we share a common trait. We have no memories of this planet.



Stop feeling sorry for yourself! When did we ever treat you like a machine, huh!? C'mon, tell me!



Pearl forces the two of them to break up.

At least you have a reason to fight... Beatrice used your brother as a pawn.
But what do I have? Nothing! I've tagged along with you this far without a memory of this planet, or a reason to fight!

And you are shouting at the others about this because...?

None of us had a reason to fight when we first started... But if fighting and living are synonymous, then everyone must have a reason. Filgaia's in danger... Isn't fighting for Filgaia, where you live now, reason enough?
Sorry... I don't know what got into me...
A reason to live might be hard to find on your own, but we might be able to find it together. Do you still remember when we promised to help find your memories? I'm sorry... I don't think we can keep that promise, but instead... we'll find you a reason to live. So let's get through this battle together...
Okay...



Absolutely.



Right now your reason to live is to throw a boomerang at this hidden gem so we can get into the next room. After that, you're on your own.



Snakes circle around these platforms, and you need pretty good timing to get past them without getting hit and knocked off the walkway.



The lower platform is too far away to just jump onto, but if Pearl Galecrests off the walkway she skips over the first part of the gap and then falls onto the platform. The chests contain a Gimel Coin and the Power Boost, gear that increases your damage when at critical health. Like most other SOS-type PS, I'm not too fond of it but in certain situations it's great - especially combined with Valiant.



Galecresting is used again to cross this gap - using the sneakers on the jump pad takes you the rest of the way.



MUSIC: Only You Can Cross Your Own Barriers

The next room contains this strange looking... face?

Could this be...
I was unable to confirm any type of control device up until now... But I believe this receives orders from remote locations to mass produce monsters automatically...
Then if we destroy it, we can stop the production of monsters!



Pearl aims her ARMs at the device, but Doc does not agree and steps in front of her.

Please, not so fast! If this is a receiving device, then the dispatcher must be the information library Hyades... We may still be able to extract the lost wisdom of Hyades, before we destroy it!
But we have to stop this now, or else new monsters will be unleashed all over Filgaia! We can't let that happen!
Yes, I understand, but...



Before he can finish, a pink barrier appears behind him and knocks everyone away from the device.




Phew... That was close... I didn't think you'd make it to the control device so soon. But thanks to your indecision, I was able to deploy the barrier in time. Now, no one can stop the Demondor Pillar.
I appreciate all you've done for me. Like getting rid of the prophets... and Siegfried for that matter... Thanks to you, my plan is running smoothly...
What is it that you want, and what are you planning to do!?
My wish has been the same over the past one hundred years... I want my own world... I don't wanna live inside the boring library any more... I want another Filgaia - one where I can live...

This doesn't seem like an unreasonable request. Unfortunately the method for making such a thing... not so reasonable.





Oh fu...
Forget about this guy?



Asgard walks straight past the Drifters and gives the barrier a mighty whack. It drops instantly.



He then reaches right past Beatrice and places a hand on the device, frying it.

How dare you, golem! But my plan for creation cannot be stopped by the destruction of one Demondor Pillar!

ONE demondor pillar? There's more?



With that, Beatrice teleports away.

Asgard...

Now, it's time to settle our score...

BOSS BATTLE: ASGARD



MUSIC: Crossfire Sequence

What are you doing!? You know very well there's no more reason to fight!

But there is! Fighting is my reason for existing!

In previous fights with Asgard, he's fought very defensively - using his skills to reduce and nullify damage.
Not this time. This time he's in all-out-attack mode.



Barrier Storm does a ton of damage - well over a thousand for everyone, and much more for Billy with his weak magic resistance. Though the damage can be very random.



Barrier Flood is also powerful, as it takes off 50% of all characters' current HP. Though it's not so bad as it cannot kill you, and he seems to use this the most often.

He can also instantly kill the party, so you might want those Fallen Wards.



With this in mind, I loaded characters up with SOS skills, including the new SOS Power Boost for Doc, and cast Valiant on everyone.



Not bad I guess. A little bit on the disappointing side.



To safely keep Doc at low health without needing to heal him, I had Billy cast Distortion. The shield it offers does not bring them out of critical or reduce the boost Valiant offers.

... looking at it in hindsight, I was really being reckless in this fight. He could have killed the entire party with a single Barrier Storm. Lucky...

VIDEO: Asgard



MUSIC: The Barriers Blocking Your Way

As a golem created to act as my master's shield... Not once did I regret this life... All my memories I have accumulated from battle... They may be nothing but simple battle data, but this has granted me a heart. These memories helped me to discover pride and joy during battle! I was able to feel alive! Because of these memories, I had hope for tomorrow.
Memories... That's what I lack... That's what makes me an oddity even though we're both creations...
You consider yourself an oddity, because you turn your eyes away from the truth and refuse to accept it. You say you have no memory, but you are just using that as an excuse.



Then... What am I supposed to do?
The answer should already lie within you. All you need to do is acknowledge and accept it. From one artificial life-form to another, let me ask you this; what is your purpose on this planet? What is your answer?
I... My reason to live is...



MUSIC: If You Relize the Strength to Break These Chains, then...

I have no memories... That's why I refuse to fight to protect the memories of this planet!
Billy!?
Chill out...
You know... I kinda had fun hanging out and travelling with these chatterboxes. I was able to experience disgust, shock, and anger, more so than when I travelled alone...

I have to give him credit, that is not a bad

But the thing is... it wasn't all that bad... So, I've decided to fight in order to make my own memories. And I wanna do it protecting this planet.



Alongside these chatterboxes... That's the reason I fight!
I would like you to weave memories over this planet in my place... Even a vacant heart can be filled with memories... Even an artificial life-form can discover a reason to live! I wish you godspeed...
Yo, wait a minute! You didn't come here just to tell me that! You came here to fight us, didn't you!?
Obeying <<orders>> is a golem's destiny.
<<Orders>>
Orders...? You mean you carried out an order to get beaten by us!?



That is untrue... My orders are to act as a shield to protect my master... However, I needed to find a way to follow my master to the netherworld, so that I may carry out his orders there... This was by my own accord... and the very reason I fought you. I knew you would be my ticket to the netherworld.
Yo! Do you even realize what you're saying!?
Worry not... By no means did I throw this fight. For as long as a golem is a golem, there is a fundamental rule he must follow. 'A golem must secure his own safety to the best of his abilities.' You are the true victors.

With that, he disintegrates.
Farewell, Asgard. In the end, you were a pretty cool guy.

(So you just give your spiel and run, huh? Gimme a break...)



You guys... mind if I continue fighting alongside you...?
Of course not! We've been fighting together the whole time!

Pearl puts out her hand to shake Billy's, and he almost accepts but...



he thinks he's too cool for her or something.



C'mon... Open up a little... Why do you always have to be so antisocial? Ahhh, I guess that's just you. But that's okay... We'll extend a handshake anytime! It's all good!

And so some of Billy's personal issues were resolved, but...



Doc doesn't seem too happy about something.



Outside, while the Drifters are leaving the pillar, the ground begins to quake again.

This tremor and sensation... The Demondor Pillar!?
I can't pinpoint the exact location, but... it's far northeast of here...
Northeast of here... Oh, no! Humphrey's Peak!?
Let's hurry!

Next Time: An obligatory joke about anal



One thing I'll cover though...

Why is Doc three levels above everyone else?

As of the end of the Asgard fight, Pearl is level 49 and almost 50, Billy and Boone are level 50 and Doc is level 53. How come?

It's all to do with the PS he has equipped. Every time a PS activates in battle, the character using it gets a 10% bonus to his XP for that battle. Doc has several PS that activate very frequently.

Depending on the situation and his level of Luck, there's a chance Weakness, Critical Hit and Def-Null can activate when he attacks. Auto Reload can activate when he runs out of bullets.
Most importantly, FP Plus will activate every time he earns FP without fail. And he earns FP every time he attacks or is attacked.

For that reason I end up with XP multipliers like this...



and he just runs away with the levels.



A Day A Day

Today is April 2, Pillar Day. Pillars are the most important part of buildings: psychologically, architecturally, and geomantically. That's why we must thank our pillars and give them a nice pat. The pillar in Baskar must be patted by many people today.