Part 32: 1st Anima Dungeon

1st Anima Dungeon


Elly: This facility was built by the Solaris Ministry. It was created to implement their 'no waste' plan. Such facilities were to convert mutated humans into weapons that were used as tools for their ambitions, just one part of their overall plan of racial purification.


Sophia: you can avoid absolute death. But is that human life? Even if you are the only one left, if you're devoid of a heart, what does it all mean?


Elly: By ourselves, we are lonely, so we try to draw together to live. That's what it means to be human. That's how people live. A single hand cannot clap.
Sophia: To relieve your pain, I'll give however much of my flesh you need. Therefore, don't throw away your dignity as humans. Don't let go of your human heart...

Elly collapses

Fei: Elly! Are you okay? What are you doing?
Elly: You think I am doing something foolish?
Fei: No...
Elly: I only did what I could. Maybe I'm a hypocrite, a well to do 'have'.
Maybe it's only pity for the 'have-nots,' but if I can know the joy of giving out a little of the life within me then maybe someday it may just be possible that one human can truly give love to another. People can do it; I truly believe they can. That's why...
Fei: Elly...



[The pic changes to nuns caring for mutants.]


Fei: Unfortunately, there were some that had such accelerated symptoms, that their treatment was not as promising. Trying to bring them back to a form that resembled humans was the best that could be done. However, mysteriously, they no longer fought for survival as they did when they were held by the Soylent System. Of course, their recovery from the physical pain of the mutation had played a factor, but it wasn't only that. The majority of the people received by Nisan were those that had been admonished by Elly and regained their humanity.


Fei: She was the very image of the woman who created Nisan, 'Mother Sophia.' It became a rumor that Elly was a reincarnation of a second advent of Sophia. Go to Nisan and you will receive salvation. The news spread further about and people came from all over to be saved, both physically and spiritually. Free from the supervision of
Solaris, the surface dwellers began to unite in one place.


Gazel - Red 3: As before, the humans are gathering in Nisan. At this rate...
Gazel - Blue 4: Not to fear, this might actually be helpful to us.
Gazel - Red 4: The time is near, should we not prepare for those who are to become the fleshly body of god, and those who will awaken god?
Gazel - Blue 3: The time has come to activate the 'Gaetia Key'.


Gazel - Blue 2: Cain!?


Gazel - Red 3: Cain! What are you doing?
Gazel - Red 1: Without the resurrection of god, our purpose cannot be fulfilled!
Gazel - Blue 2: Or are you planning on perishing with god, Cain? Without fulfilling our purpose...
Emporer Cain: Your purpose? You were fated to it from your birth. Why haven't you realized that it does not arise from your own free will?
Gazel - Blue 3: I've heard enough.
Gazel - Red 2: Yes. This is the end of our own volition.
Gazel - Blue 1: If you still insist on opposing us...
Gazel - Red 3: Guuaaaaaaaah!
Emperor Cain: Have you forgotten? You are my subordinates! I can destroy you if
I so desire.
Gazel - Blue 3: Nnnuuuuuuuuhh...
Emperor Cain: We have already done our part. It is time to pass the helm to the next generation. The people will not perish...


Fei: We then began to search for the 'Anima Relics,' the catalyst to transform Gears into Omnigears. In the past, ten Relics had been recovered. It is said about half of those are in the hands of the Ministry. According to Zephyr, there should be several more Relics hidden in the land. We knew then that Solaris would most certainly be searching for them. There was no way we could allow Solaris to have them. We visited the place where, using archaic records, Zephyr and her people had been able to get clues on the whereabouts of the Relics. Following the information we obtained from there, we headed towards the ruins of what seemed to be an ancient civilization.

The Anima Relics are named for the 12 tribes of Israel


We start in a giant complex

This is Shopkeep Johnny, he has a bitchin' inventory

We have to abandon our gears to enter the tunnels. Note, I've taken Citan and Emeralda because there is no member specific text in this dungeon. Citan kicks ass and I need to learn Emeralda's lest two 7AP deathblows.

Also, nanomachines are heavy apparently

I have to find a fuse to activate the computer and unlock the doors.

This looks like a control room, but it's really just a hallway. Tricky bastards.

More computers

Giant elevator

Secret lower elevator

These doors blow out these giant bolts, it's pretty cool.

Oh look an Anima Relic, notice the similarity to Xenosaga's Zohar? Oh snap, no I didn't!

Billy and Elly walk in


Billy: The Anima Relic

Billy: I don't know. I don't know. What should I do? You were waiting? For me?
Fei: Billy?

Billy: Did you see that? It looked like my Gear? I didn't get a screen shot fast enough for this
Fei: Maybe something has happened to your Gear. Let's head for the exit and see if any change has taken place.


Billy: Elements!
Dominia: I see you've gained a new Gear that has been aligned with an Anima Relic.
Kelvena: You know that we should have been the ones to have it. We need stronger powers for Commander Ramsus to realize his long-cherished desires.
Tolone: Yes, for the building of our ideal country, we can't allow you to take it.
Seraphita: So, c'mon, let us have it!
Fei: You knew what Solaris was doing to the surface dwellers, and you know what the situation is like now on the earth. And yet you...
Dominia: What the -Gazel- do or whatever happens to the Lambs, are not my concerns. Each of us have our own obligations to fulfill. We don't have time to deal with affairs concerning you weak and inferior people.
Elly: Dominia, do you truly believe that?
Dominia: Yes. Look at yourselves, for instance. You, the strong and superior, were the first to preserve yourself without any mutations. Is that not right?
Fei: Power and ability have nothing to do with it. It was pure coincidence we didn't mutate. Well, that's not quite true
Billy: People are people, nothing more or less. I admit that there are the weak and the powerless. But that's no reason for us to forsake them. We are all the same human beings.
Dominia: So, you wish to give a hand to those who would be saved?
Seraphita: You're so ni~ce and ki~nd!
Kelvena: How commendable. But is that really what's best for mankind?
Elly: You were all once surface dwellers. Weren't you all forced to live under the oppression of Solaris? I KNOW that you know how it feels to be a 'have not', so why do
you...?
Kelvena: People must be able to stand on their own in any circumstances they are in.
Overprotection only stunts the will to be independent. This stunts the growth of the people of the world. We've experienced that first hand. Live by one's own strength, stand on one's own feet! It's sad but true that the weak will be weeded out... But we cannot look back. That is the providence of human existence.
Elly: That is just the providence of those who are the haves!
Dominia: Hmph. So be it then, show me this providence of yours that wishes to save the meager 'have nots'! Here I come!


Look, Kelvena's Eyes are open


Seraphita looks like she taking a shit, this is her "defeated" position.

The fight is pretty easy though. Emeralda 1-shotted Kelvena and Seraphita. Tolone took 2 hits and Dominia 4 or 5.

Dominia: Hah, we may have fared poorly when we fought in the flesh, but we will finish you off in our Gears! Come! Follow me!
We really need to institute a "no letting the enemy flee policy


Fei: What meaning is there in fighting again?
Dominia: Silence! Now we have no choice but to fight. Now we will show you the true powers of the Elements! Get ready, because here we come!


Dominia: Elements in Union!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...775485837006416
Video of the transformation and the fight (Wee! New gear abilities in action, I recommend original size)


Elly: But weakness does not make them servile. It's because they are weak, that they can develop kindness and never look down on people. That is where real human interaction comes from. Everyone has weaknesses. Even you did at first. Your weakness drew you to each other and made you grow strong. Never forget those feelings. When you all lived together side by side...

Our party begins to leave

Dominia: Wait! Are you trying to show us mercy? Or are you just trying to show off?
Elly: You've got us all wrong, Dominia. Our paths may be different, but our goals are the same. That's why I can't fight you anymore. There's no reason for me to, that's all.

We leave


Dominia: Hmph...




Gazel - Red 1: Yes. He dares to go against our objectives. Just like the other one.
Gazel - Blue 3: We can still activate the key.
Gazel - Red 2: We must do something about the one who stands in our way. We must eliminate Cain.
Gazel - Blue 2: But, we can not stand up to his power.
Gazel - Red 3: Only 'Cain' can destroy 'Cain'.
Gazel - Blue 1: So 'Mother', will you do it for us?

Gazel - Blue 4: Something concerning the potential energy as a countervailing existence with everything focusing on a single point...
Miang: I see, but Kahr is still shaken up by yesterday's defeat against Fei. We are almost ready. I need a little more time.
Gazel - Blue 1: Then we'll wait. We'll wait till the time is ripe.


Dominia: That Miang, what's she up to? I had better warn the Commander!


Ramsus: That bastard! I'll hunt him out myself!
Kelvena: Please calm down, Commander!
Tolone: We'll make care of him and his friends!
Ramsus: What could you fools do? Imbeciles! Only I can beat him! Only I, who transcends all other humans, can possibly take him down!

He exits as Dominia enters

Ramsus: Move!
Dominia: Commander! Wait!





Elly: Thanks to the nanomachines, the treatments were becoming more and more successful and the day when everyone would regain there original bodily form was approaching.


Elly: A trembling, there was a sudden explosion in the city of Nisan. Within the burning fire stood a gold Omnigear; it was Ramsus. He assaulted Nisan so that he could defeat Fei. His purpose of existing was at stake. The Nisan and Shevat militia, even Renk and his friends from Solaris who now served to protect Nisan, could not thwart the assault. The people were evacuated into the Cathedral. Continuing to search for Fei, Ramsus put the militia to rout and pressed on toward the Cathedral. He was ruined. He had his mind set solely on getting at Fei. I stood before him.



Elly: So please, stop this meaningless violence!
Ramsus: You, yes you will do.


Margie: Elly!
Renk: Boss...
Elly: Keep back.
Ramsus: Not coming out, eh? Have it your way. Then from tonight on you will be crying with this woman's dead body in your arms!
Elly: Uuuuaaggggg

There is a flash


Margie: Elly!
Renk: Are you okay!?
Ramsus: H-how could I... to the likes of you? N-not only to him, but I am also inferior to you? Me!
Elly: What happened to you, Ramsus? Why are you caught up with Fei so much? Why are you bothered by who is more superior?
Ramsus: I was originally created to be the integration of all human abilities. To be able to align with all of the Anima Relics, I was created to have the powers equivalent to those of Emperor Cain. You could say I was to be the ideal form which all people strive to become. However, once he was born, I was rejected. I was given life in a pile of
Trash, born in the dark, cold abyss of worthlessness...
Ramsus: But I was able to crawl out of there! I was able to survive on my own strength! In order to get back at all those who have forsaken me! Despite all of that, I was able to get this far! I was able to provide myself with the warmth that I required to continue living! But, he had to come back and intervene in my life one more time! He tried to take away from me again! As long as he exists, I don't belong anywhere.

Elly: I think I know why you are so fixated on Fei. You do not really know what you should be doing with your life right now. You're simply trying to protect yourself by attacking Fei. By attacking others, you are confirming your own existence. That's why you strive to be above everyone else, because, otherwise, you'd be enveloped by a void, because you yourself would disappear, because that emptiness within your heart will only grow, because you want to hang on to love.
Ramsus: Silence! Even you are trying to take it away from me! That warmth! That very warmth I've finally obtained!
Elly: Ramsus, no one is attacking you. No one is trying to take away what is so precious to you. No one is threatening your existence. It's all in your mind. So don't hide your feelings that are in your heart. Don't fear love.



Ramsus: Y-you! Now you... Aarrrgghhh!

Ramsus leaves




Gazel - Red 3: Trash.
Gazel - Blue 2: Reject.
Gazel - Red 2: Why even bother existing?
Gazel - Red 4: Defect.
Gazel - Blue 4: Be gone.
Gazel - Blue 3: We have no use for you.
Gazel - Blue 1: Hah! Trash is of more worth to us than you.

The SOL-9000 shuts down

Ramsus: ...
Miang: Kahr, don't worry. I'll always be by your side. No one knows you better than I do. So don't...
Ramsus: Miang! Is this, is this all I can do? Is this the extent of my strength and abilities? I couldn't beat him, and in front of that woman, I couldn't even do a thing. Is this the limit of my existence!? My abilities?


Krelian: An archetype that surpasses all humans. I made you in the same way, but he is the one who is preventing you from fully releasing your powers. Divided powers, that man was your original form, the primordial superior being. If you could defeat him, then you would be...
Miang: Yes. Even with your superior constitution, the existence of the original being hinders you. If you could eliminate the divided power, then it would all be yours. Don't you agree Kahr?


Fei: They were units that merged with the inorganic. Of course, we had no idea what purpose these ancient Anima Relics were created for, but the fact that they played some kind of role as weapons was blatantly obvious. Eventually their true power will be released and we cannot allow this power to fall into the hands of evil. In order to obtain the final Relic, we headed for a ruin that is believed to be almost 10,000 years old. The remains of the first civilization on our planet and a reunion with an old 'friend' awaited us.