Part 54: Final Boss pt1

Last time, our level 80-90 wonders defeated the optional dungeon and its two bosses.

Remember those level 80-90 wonders? Well, forget them.
I'm going back to the level 50s I had when I defeated Tiamat for the final stretch. Have to give Beatrice a chance, right?

(we will not give Beatrice a chance)


UPDATE 54: Teenage moms must take responsibility



MUSIC: If you Reach your Dream...

In the passageway behind where we fought Tiamat, we quickly come to this door.

A gorgeous door inlaid with roses. There's a small keyhole in the center.

Beatrice... I will put an end to your twisted scheme, no matter what!
The guardians are raging inside me...We have to kick the dream-demon's behind for their sake, too!

Use the Dream Key to open the door.
We're not ready to fight yet.

What lies beyond this door? The end of a nightmare, or the end of reality? The darkness engulfing Beatrice extends before your very eyes... Would you like to save your memories onto a Memory Card (PS2) before you step through the door?

Yes
No

Beatrice is trying to steal my memories from my memory card! My Guitar Hero records, Soul Calibur 3 characters and Mascot dresspheres! We have to stop her!
... actually, she can take the FFX-2 stuff.


Eww, no!

Inside...



MUSIC: Succubus Princess
VIDEO: Confrontation with Beatrice

Were you held up by the Disasters? I was getting sick of waiting. The preparations are almost complete. This time for sure, I'll create my own Filgaia from people's memories.
You really think you can create another Filgaia? Just like that time when you used the Yggdrasil System!? The Yggdrasil's generator has been destroyed, and you don't even have enough energy to...
But, I do... I'm the one who ripped the Yggdrasil generator out from the System... And as for energy, I'll just blow up the Nightmare Castle and appropriate the energy generated from the blast.

Apparently destroying one castle generates enough power to create an entire planet from scratch. Who knew?

It didn't really matter to me whether you defeated the Disasters or not. I just wanted the most powerful life-form to offer in place of the Surge of Gaia, so that I can apply its energy to my creation.



Starting with the construction of the Yggdrasil System, which paved the way to my first attempt at creation... You defeated the boorish prophets, who tried to expel the humans, and also rid this world of Siegfried... Oh, and how can I forget... Lamium obeyed all my orders to excavate countless artifacts necessary for my creation...



Even... Lamium...?
As long as humans cling to even a little bit of hope, they can be taken advantage of quite easily... Lamenting over the decaying Filgaia, I must have appeared as a saint to Lamium...



People don't rely or depend on others just because they're weak! It's because we strongly believe that we can accomplish something much greater if we support each other! It's a bond built upon trust and support! There's nothing lower than taking advantage of people's trust!
You're so arrogant... I don't need to hear your lecture! Now let me show you a deep sleep beyond your dreams!

BOSS BATTLE: BEATRICE



MUSIC: Losing the Inescapable Nightmare, an Unending Reality

Holy crap kid, that's some makeover.

In this dream world, I am a tangible entity, where you can hurt me as you please... The opposite also holds true. I am capable of ripping you to shreds!

She talks big, but aside from one trick she's not so tough.



She can cast Feeble Mind on everyone, lowering our magic resistance. Unfortunately she puts a lot of priority on this ability, to the extent where she will keep recasting it even if it's already applied.
But in theory, once she has this on everyone she moves on to her other abilities.



She'll also cast Dark Matter on everyone. Hilariously, both this and Feeble Mind can be reflected back onto her, so you can completely negate two of her abilities with one Extended Reflect.

The biggest trouble she can cause is Nightmare.



The camera zooms out rapidly, to high above the surface of the planet.



Where Beatrice takes it in her hands...



And gives it a tender hug.



This does damage, apparently! More importantly, it sends everyone to sleep. Fortunately everyone except Boone is protected against that.

She has no elemental affiliations and is vulnerable to magic, ARMs and Weaken, so as long as you can withstand her attacks (not hard) it's up to you how you bring her down.



Can you hear it? Filgaia is beating within me... The seed of the planet sleeps inside my body... Yes... I shall soon become the Mother of Filgaia!

That's... pretty creepy, coming from you.



MUSIC: Death Wire

All there is left to do now is to blow up this Nightmare Castle, with you in it, to generate the energy needed for creation. The birth cry of my new world can be heard at the Ark of Destiny. Heeheehee... Enough talk... This is it... I must put you and Lamium out of your misery... How does ten seconds to destruction sound? Will that be enough time for you to escape? I think not... Heeheeheehee...



Ten seconds? Ten seconds! Crap, countdown in the bottom left says just eight now...
No sense in running. Into the inventory?



There! The Exodus Orb Shane gave us! Quick, use it!



Everything fades to white as the castle explodes.



Everyone seems to have got out OK, but are shocked to see Halle and Shane lying on the ground.



Shane! Come on, Little Brother! Wake up!
B-Brother...? Huh...? What is going on?
Where am I...? Why am I here...?
Are our memories being devoured...?
It appears so... But not all of it just yet.
You mean we still have time!?
That's up to us! C'mon, let's go!!



Outside, the world is deathly quiet. We cannot save either - Gimel coins have been disactivated.
We're free to go anywhere in the world. All dungeons are open, but no monsters will attack. Florina won't garden for you, Gunner's Heaven is not open. If you go to town, shops are available. But the people...




Suddenly, everything went dark... Have I been alone my whole life? Living by myself this whole time? When did I start shivering at this overwhelming sense of solitude?

Ahh! I don't remember! I can't remember a thing! I don't even know why I suffer!

What could this be? I used to have something precious, but I can't remember what it was. This emptiness has robbed me of any desire to go on.

I dreamt of a girl in black... Who could she have been? What was taken from my consciousness? And who am I, anyway?

Do you know what it's like to lose what you believed in? Where did it all go? Do you know how terrible it is to walk in the darkness unaided?
<<Beep>>... G-G-GOODBYE...

It's not quite a catastrophe yet, but things don't look good. We should get to the Ark of Destiny right away.



Things seems pretty much deserted over there...

This sensation... Are we too late!?
If the Yggdrasil generator attached to the Ark of Destiny is creating a dream-demon's Filgaia, then yes!
Let's hurry!! This planet, and Lamium are in danger!!



MUSIC: Living, Loving and Fighting
VIDEO: The Ark of Destiny (recommended)

The drifters run for the main corridor, just as monsters start to teleport in.



They scramble down the passageway as a constant stream of monsters appears behind them...



and Pearl only just catches herself as they rush past Maya.


You don't have to turn around. All you have to do is look forward.
Maya!? What are you doing here?
I've found my next target... It's a monumental gem that sparkles blue like none other... One day, I will return this planet to its blue state, and make it mine... I've decided to become the first president of the United States of Filgaia!



Oh Maya, how I wish you were the final boss. That would be awesome.

Oh, come on, Maya... That can be taken as an act of aggression.
So, what's your point? Are you going to do something about it as defender of justice?
We'll stop you.
Fine... Then just make sure you come back alive. I mean, you're the only ones who stand a chance against us.
Thanks, Maya...



The drifters run off, and Maya's crew walk in from whatever magic offscreen dimension they were in during that scene.

Hmph! Have they no manners? They're in the presence of a future ruler, here!

Milady! This is a perfect opportunity to repay them for their honor!

Yeah... I'm sure sis thinks so, too, but...

She's too stubborn to admit it.
Oh, be quiet! Put your skills where your mouth is! Schroedingers... Prepare to go all out!!

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Ark of Destiny...



As the drifters run up the stairs, Lamium leaps in front of them.

There is a bang.





Lamium, why did you shield us...!?
I... too... have now... finally... seen the truth... I was... deceived... and... used... by the dream-demon... Everything... I have done... worked for... my ideology... has been... disgraced... Even so... I still have... hope... for the future...
Lamium! Come on, Lamium!!





Lamium will always be an ignorant man... If he didn't shield you, he would have lived on, dreaming...

The background fades away into darkness.



The electrical field of the 25th dimension is the dream world of humans. In other words, a world of eternal darkness, deep within your mind... That world is where I rule... It's easy to control reasoning...

You don't understand a thing!!



Eternal darkness might exist deep down within people's hearts... But... There... Though it may be small, you'll also find a sparkle of relentless hope!!
Impossible! How did you escape the cage of darkness!?
Lamium... The man who was most worried and troubled about the future of this planet and its people, opened a path with his ray of hope! It was a very faint light that eventually disappeared, but I will do my best to honor his memory that lights the way to the future!



So, you wish to avenge his death? Or ignite the flames of hatred for all life on Filgaia? Heeheehee... Are you going to swallow me and destroy me inside the darkness that fills your heart?



I will not let you become anyone's memory!!

BOSS BATTLE: BEATRICE REMATCH



Beatrice again!
She's exactly like last time!
Go read the description higher up if you want a breakdown of what she does...



She is easily defeated...
but the battle is just beginning.

Heeheehee... I see... So you'll fight for all life living on Filgaia... To protect their memories... That's fine with me... [My Filgaia], born from life on Filgaia, will eat you alive! I will become the Mother of Filgaia!



MUSIC: The Beginning of the End

The hell is this thing?

Next Time: The hell this thing is


MEANWHILE, ON FILGAIA


JOLLY ROGER


How strange. I can't seem to laugh at all. It's like... I've forgotten how. Now, it's more like... was anything ever funny?

I can't remember a thing. When did I start wearing this striped, old-fashioned uniform, anyway?
My name's Roykman. And you're... Pearl, right? Normally, names just pop right out... but these days I really have to pause and think about them. I wonder what's happened to me?

Hmm... Uhh... Huh? How many brothers did I have...?

Gosh, durnit... I forgot what I was gonna say...


LITTLE TWISTER


Why do I feel so refreshed? Why have I been so unsatisfied and discontent up until now?

Why is it that you remembah all the worthless, insignificant, trifle stuff? Maybe important memories aren't as dear as ya think?

I feel like I've just woken up from a good night's sleep. I wonder if it's okay to feel this invigorated and fresh everyday.

: Wh-What have I been doing? Why have I been putting up a front and showing off...? It's not like I was being honest with myself by doing so...

Why am Ah here? That fateful day, five years ago, Ah was taken away from town by a man in a black coat... Why did my parents cast their eyes aside when Ah was taken away? Did they not want me no more? Ah just can't remember... Why must Ah live alone like this?
I believe I made an important decision here. However, I'm unable to recall what that was... My heart stirs everytime someone approaches me, wanting to buy an item...
<<Beep>>... P-P-P-PLEA...


GUNNER'S HEAVEN


You'd better believe it! Um... what was I talking about?

I've forgotten what it is I believe in. No, wait...Did I even have that? What's happening? I can't bear this sense of loss. It's like a gaping hole in my heart.

Who am I? And why am I so handsome? Surely I must be of noble birth. Perhaps a baron, maybe...? Yes, that will do nicely.
Yaaaahwn... Oh, excuse me. I almost fell asleep. Guess I really need to rest.

What have I fought all these years? The past is shrouded in mist, and I know not the roads I have traveled. But listen! Warm blood flows within my veins! Time may heal the wounds of combat, but it touches not the memories within!


THE SECRET GARDEN


No flower can bloom if it's forgotten why it wanted to. If all life were to forget the meaning of living, then life itself has no future.


HUMPHREY'S PEAK


Which way am I facin' and where am I goin'? Why are we sailin' without a destination?

All my fears and anxieties are gone. It's like I've lost something in order to reach nirvana.

Future generations should learn from past memories. Once you lose that, however, people will lose themselves in the present and blemish their sparkle of life.

I feel as if my heart has frozen over with fear and insecurity. Like something important has been eaten away from within...

Wh-Who are you? I'm not allowed to talk to strangers.