Earning our JRPG black belt - Let's Play Legend of Legaia!

Yep, another instant-death spell. Unlike Nighto, however, its other effect isn't confusion; should Final Blast fail to kill its target, it will instead deal tons of damage. Not quite as much as Kemaro, but it's certainly up there. The only problem is that Aluru costs 90 MP to use, so it's not an attack you'll see often, if at all.

But anyways, now I'll demonstrate the somewhat less impressive Gola Gola.



Stupid bee blocking my poses. =/

...Yeah, that damage isn't too impressive, and probably wouldn't be even if Blue had the spell. Therein lies an unfortunate problem with attack magic I wish this game didn't have: beginning sometime after Berserker, it gradually loses its usefulness. I mean sure, at higher levels it can do all kinds of nifty things like lowering enemies' stats, but by then it's faster to just kill them normally anyways. The fact that attack magic has been getting ludicrously expensive the farther we go on doesn't really help matters; I mean seriously, are you really going to waste 90 MP for a beam cannon when you could a) heal your party members instead for way less MP or b) just have your party focus on the enemy?

Don't get me wrong, I like the attack magic in this game; the spells we have are all really cool in their own way. I mean, where else are you going to find a one-wheeled monster truck-monster that makes hot-rod noises, or a demonic dog that shoots a giant spike out of its mouth? It's just... kind of a waste of time, compared to healing magic or good old-fashioned pugilism.

But enough about that; we still need to find Sol.



♪♪Barren Fields of Mist♪♪





Hmm... seems like that might be it. Let's get a closer look.





Yep, definitely a giant tower in the middle of a pit. Let's hope that some form of civilization has survived.



♪♪Buma in the Mist♪♪

*Ruby trips in her haste to run ahead. As she sits up, she stares at the massive tower before them.*







Wow, indeed.

*Ruby is stunned into silence for a few seconds.*

Umber: This must have been built with the power of the Seru of long ago. The flying trains... The city itself... Truly a pre-Mist civilization!
Ruby: Let's see what it's like inside!
*Ruby runs off.*
Umber: Ruby, wait! Don't go in alone!



*Ruby runs into the tower. Umber turns to Blue and shrugs.*
Umber: Ha, ha, ha! There's no arguing with Ruby! Come, Blue! We're all going inside!
*Blue nods, and the two of them run into the tower as the screen fades to black.*



♪♪A Town Enveloped by Mist♪♪







Umber: I heard Sol was a big place, but I never imagined it was this big.
Ruby: But it's engulfed in the Mist...
Meta: Wait! I sense human thoughts. There are survivors in there!
Ozma: The Mist doesn't seem to have reached the upper parts of the city.



Ruby: Blue! Umber! Let's be careful!
*Blue nods.*
Umber: Warrior-monks of Biron were sent to Sol. I hope they are still alive.

Alright, up we go.



It's probably a good idea to explore on the way up, to get a better idea of how this place is laid out.



Well that's weird... probably something to look into later.



Poor guy... I get the feeling this might be his apartment we're walking into.



It certainly seems like it; there's even multiple floors to the place. But who's this Sage person, and why are his/her treasure boxes different from regular ones? Something to ponder as we go on, I suppose.



This is in the downstairs section of the apartment...



While the upstairs seems to connect to a bar or restaurant.



Um... no thank you. >_>



Heading back outside the apartment and upstairs leads to what was probably once an armory.

Here's the treasure in the place; the other Sage's treasure chest had a Miracle Water, if memory serves. I haven't been using any of the items we've been finding in the Sage's chests, mainly because I can't recall if there was a consequence for doing so or not.



Heading back outside and further upstairs leads to another Memory Statue next to a locked door. Maybe we'll find out where the doors lead if we can free this place from the Mist.



This leads back to the bar from earlier, so we'll keep going.



Hmm... another apartment, maybe?







More goodies. I suppose now would be a good time to go over the enemies in the tower.



♪♪Brand of the Holy Knuckles (Ver. 2)♪♪

Unlike what their name suggests, Spoons aren't actually made of silverware (though what they are made of is a mystery). They're certainly one of the more unique enemies in the game, due to how they're animated; when they attack...





They actually shoot parts of themselves out at your party members before reforming. When walking to whoever they're attacking, they strut (though I couldn't get a screenshot of this). When knocked down...



They actually fall apart before reforming. Spoons are, uh, really weird, to put it more succinctly.



They can also heal themselves and buff their defenses, so you don't want them hanging around for long.

Compared to Alurus or Gola Golas, Spoons are relatively easy to absorb. You'll want everyone to get one, too; Spoons are the next healing spell, and a damn powerful one. Here, check it out:



















For 45 MP, Spoon provides a heal-all spell that's substantially more powerful than Orb, with the status-healing at higher levels that are standard with non-Aluru Light Seru. All in all, pretty damn awesome.



Oh right, the other enemies here. The Ghost Knight is a vicious little bastard that comes with the V-Windhash from its previous incarnation, as well as a new attack:







Needless to say, you don't want that happening. Take the thing out as quickly as you can; Tempest Break is a good attack for this, along with Neo Raising.



Finally, we have these guys. They can still use Fatal Decision and Curse, respectively, so you don't want them hanging around very long.

But enough about all that; I believe we're getting close to the upper floors of this place.

♪♪Mist Covered Town♪♪

*Ruby cups her hands to her ears.*
Ruby: I hear something! I hear someone fighting!
*The music fades out.*
Umber: Yes, I hear it, too! The sound of a monster roaring, and the sound of a sword!
*The camera pans upward to a nearby door.*



*The sound of a sword striking something can be heard, followed closely by a monster's roar.*



♪♪Attack♪♪

Ruby: Blue! Let's go help!
*Blue nods, and the group begins running up the stairs.*



Umber: Whoever it was must have been killed by the monster.
*The group bows their heads in silence. Suddenly, the clanking of armor can be heard.*



*The old man stares at the group for a few seconds before jumping back.*



Armored man: Grotesque beasts from Hell! Pack of Seru demons! Prepare to meet thy doom. Thou shalt die by my Astral Sword!
*The old man begins inching closer to the group.*
Umber: Hold it! Old man! Calm down! We're not Seru monsters!
Ruby: Yeah! We're human beings!
*The old man looks back and forth between the group for a few seconds before dropping his combat stance.*



Armored man: Thou art indeed human, as I detect no madness in thine eyes.
*The music fades out and goes back to "Mist Covered Town" as the old man takes off his helmet.*



Gaza: Forgive me and my incivility, as I live in such a defiled land. But this demon's lair is no place for woman nor child! Hmm?
*Gaza suddenly notices something about Ruby and steps closer.*



*Gaza shakes his head.*
Gaza: No, of course not. Mine eyes doth deceive me. Mar is no longer of this world.
*Gaza begins walking down the stairs.*



Gaza: I take leave of you now.
*Gaza resumes walking down the stairs, armor clanking all the while.*
Umber: That old man, Gaza, now there is a true swordsman! He does not drop his guard for an instant! But his eyes... His eyes showed no emotion at all. They were lifeless, cold eyes. Very disturbing...
Ruby: That old man talks so funny... I couldn't understand him. But when he looked at me and called me Mar, he seemed so nice!

Well, that was certainly a strange encounter. Something tells me that won't be the last we see of Gaza... but we'll worry about that later. For now, we should continue heading up.



♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Looks like Meta and Ozma were right. I think some socializing is in order.

Man: Below is Hell. Above, Heaven! That's the town of Sol! Go upstairs and have a ball! This is a fun town!
Girl: Oh, you must have come from below... Just like Gaza!
Boy: Daddy and Mommy told me not to go below the 3rd floor, 'cause the Mist is there.



Fun fact: There are handy signs telling you what these entranceways lead to when you pass by them.



I'd bet, with a name like that.



Can't say I have, no.

*Blue shakes his head.*
Worker: Ha, ha, ha! That's a good one! I like you! You'll have a good time in this town! So cut loose and have a good time!

Er, thanks... I think.



Cozy.

Maid: When the town was attacked by the Mist, people were crying and screaming. It was utter chaos. But within a year, the people began indulging in debauchery, as a diversion, they said. Drinking, fighting, dancing. But after a few years they became bored with those diversions. The people here are like ghosts -- not living but merely existing out of fear of dying. {Uh... that was quite a rant, I guess.}
Maid: Oh, you're new here! Do you want to hear about when the Mist came to Sol? {I suppose; we need all the information we can get about the Mist, after all.} It was right in the middle of the long, long war with Conkram. The war had been raging for over ten years, and we were beating Conkram's army. "We're about to win! Soon the war will be over," everyone thought. We were about to win, when a strange castle appeared in the sky, and Mist started flowing out of it! As long as the Mist is here, my family and friends will be possessed by Seru. Victory was close yet too far to grasp. That's the real tragedy of Sol.

Good grief, these maids are depressing. Let's get out of here...

Cara: Start acting like a man!
Ruby: It's Cara! Blue, that's Cara's voice!



Ruby: Let's go see! Blue, let's go inside!
*Ruby runs into the bar.*
Umber: *shrug* That Ruby is always poking her nose into everything! Come on, Blue. Let's go.
*The two of them walk into the bar.*



♪♪Cara♪♪

*Blue and Umber go to stand beside Ruby.*
Umber: That man next to Cara! It's...



Cara: I just want you to get back on your feet! I want the Grantes of ten years ago, before the Mist!
*Grantes bows his head in silence.*
Cara: Everything I did, I did them hoping that someday, you would get back on your feet. I was a no-good thief! I used the confusion to steal from people! *bows her head* I did things that would make my parents cry, if they knew. *looks up* Me! A woman! I did all those things. Don't you feel anything?
Grantes: I'm grateful. I'm sorry...
Cara: Grantes! You're a sorry excuse for a man! Living off a woman... You're no better than a pimp!



Oh my god, I completely forgot the game did this. This is amazing.



Well I guess the second option is certainly one way of putting it.

Blue: He's a man who lives off a woman.
Ruby: Wow, Blue, you know everything! Now I get it! A pimp is a bad person!



♪♪Brand of the Holy Knuckles (Ver. 2)♪♪

I think I might have blocked this scene out of my head, because I'm starting to cringe a little... I mean I know this is a 1998 localization we're talking about here, but still.

Ruby: Grantes is bad! I hate people who are bad!
Umber: Wait, Ruby! Don't be so hasty!
Ruby: I'm going to get Grantes 'cause he's bad!



*I missed it, but Ruby just jumped in the air and kicked Grantes in the back of the head, over the bar, shattering several bottles of booze, complete with sound effects. Good grief, this scene keeps shifting between awkward and fantastic.*



Ruby: Grantes is bad! Pimps are bad! I hate pimps!
*Ruby jumps on top of a nearby stool.*
Ruby: That's why I won't let Grantes get away with that.



*The music stops and goes back to "Cara".
Cara: He's not bad. I'm the one who's bad. It's all my fault. So, please, don't hurt him. If you want to hit someone, hit me.
*Ruby jumps off the stool.*
Ruby: Why should I hit you, Cara? Grantes is the one who's bad!



It's a bit late for that...

Ruby: But I didn't do anything wrong! Grantes is the one who's bad!
*Cara begins helping Grantes to his feet as the scene fades out.*

I recorded this scene on the off-chance that you guys would want to watch it in action. I'd say it's worth watching at least once, purely for Ruby drop-kicking someone over a bar.



♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Ruby: Why? Adults are humans, too! And I'm a human! I'm a human just like them! Oh, I don't understand! Umber, tell me why!
Umber: Oh, brother.
*Cara walks out of the bar, head bowed. She ignores the group as she begins walking downstairs.*
Ruby: You're so strange.
Umber: Come on, Ruby! You want to go to Conkram, right?! You want to see your parents in Conkram, right?
Ruby: Y-Yeah, I do. OK, Umber. I'll take care of Grantes later!

Okay, that was, uh... certainly something. Let's move on, shall we?



♪♪The Sol Jazz Club♪♪

And by moving on, I mean we're totally going back in there!

Man: That foxy lady at the counter knows some pretty important things, they say. But it takes a lot of cash to find out everything she knows!
Man: That guy Grantes over there, he never talks about himself. And he's always sighing. About all he does is argue with some girl named Cara, who brings him money sometimes.
Foxy lady: Oh, hello, Mister! The drinks are 30G a glass. Do you want one? {No thanks.} Oh. Well, I won't push it on you, but you'll never find anything as good for you as this.
Worker: Dreams and hope? I barely remember the words.
Red-faced worker: Now I think... I think you should never -- ever! -- forget dreams or hope no matter what happens! People can dream anywhere they want, and find hope in whatever they want. I dream here, and I find hope. That's what I do.
Man: Genesis Tree? Yeah, the Genesis Tree... I remember some guys up on the roof having one of those. {Fantastic! We'll be heading up there later.}
Foxy lady: All I know is a silly fairy tale, but will you keep me company? {Sure, I guess.} Oh, good! So you'll keep me company. Why don't you buy me a drink? It costs 30G. {Ugh, fine.} Oh, I'm so happy! Mmm, this tastes good! Now, you know the Soren, right? The ones with Seru Wings? They fly through the sky, not obeying anyone. They're very proud.



Grumble, grumble...

Blue: OK.
Foxy lady: (Gulp! Gulp!) Oh, that was good! Now where was I? That's right! I was talking about the Soren who risked his life for forbidden love. Soren Law forbids them from loving anyone who doesn't have Seru Wings. In other words, they can't fall in love with surface-dwelling people. Isn't that terrible? There are a lot of nice girls who don't have Seru Wings... like me, for instance!



I'll admit, this is interesting, especially since the Soren are where I got part of my username from. But that's another story for another time, and I'm not sure you guys would care to hear it, so let's just hear this lady out.

Foxy lady: Thank you! One day, a young Soren was flying. He had a Soren Flute, which is more valuable than even their own lives. But he droppped it and it fell to earth. He looked everywhere for it, but couldn't find it. After searching so long, he was frantic. Then he heard a song being played on a flute. He could tell it was his Soren Flute, but he had never heard that melody. He followed the sound.

Damn it, lady, G doesn't grow on trees! Ugh...

Foxy lady: Oh, you're so nice! Anyhow, the young Soren found a girl playing the flute in Buma. He watched her for a long time, listening to the melancholy song. Without realizing it, he had walked right up to her. She saw him, and the flute fell out of her mouth. They stared at each other. And they fell in love, right then and there. Just like that!



This has been interesting and all, but we have other places to be. Some other time, perhaps?

Blue: Why don't we call it a night?
Foxy lady: Oh well. Too bad for you.

'Kay then... let's talk with the rest of the patrons and leave.

Singer: Love is born and dies too soon... But there's no need to cry
Crying won't bring her back
And forgotten dreams don't return
Pianist: A good tune, don't you think? If you have any requests, just bring me the music! {I think this guy acts as a sound-test, if memory serves. Damn if I can remember how to get him to play anything, though.}
Lady bartender: I see you've been going around asking lots of questions. Well, this is a place for people to relax. So, kids, don't ask too many personal questions.
Bartender: Want something to drink? {Nah.}



This place is a font of information, it seems. I hope I'm not boring you guys!

Blue: Do you know about Gaza?
Bartender: You watch out for that Gaza! He lives only to kill Seru monsters that live downstairs. Get in his way at the wrong time, and he'll mow you down!
Blue: Can you tell me about Grantes?
Bartender: He's one of our newer regulars. He's been coming here since the Mist invaded the area downstairs. He's a good customer -- always pays his bill and mostly keeps to himself.
Blue: This is a nice place.
Bartender: Thanks.

I think we've had enough of the Jazz Club for one day. How's about seeing the rest of the tower, eh?

*Just outside the bar...*
Woman: Oh, the decadence! The depravity! Good children should stay clear of the cafe!
Woman: Be careful when you go into the cafe! I heard a rumor that a crafty thief named Cara goes there sometimes.



♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Ah, so these are elevators. Pity the ones on the lower floors are out of operation...

Boy: Um, you know, the Mist is heavier than air, so it can't get up this high!



Muscle Dome? An arena, perhaps?

Man: To fight at the Coliseum, you have to be either very confident or very stupid. You're not thinking of fighting at the Coliseum, are you? {Uh... maybe later.} Oh, so you're an unconfident coward, are you?!

Man, whatever. Might as well check it out while we're passing by.

*As Blue and co. walk in, the sound of a referee counting to 10 can be heard.*



♪♪Wild Declaration♪♪

Referee: A colorful finish in only 1 minute, 47 seconds. The contestant in the blue corner has won a record victory.



The place certainly has atmosphere, I'll give it that.

Worker: I'm tired of this game. But I don't have anything else to do.
Boy: Shucks! That Songi bastard came out just when I was doing good. {That's a strange arcade cabinet if Songi is on it...}
Woman: Tee-hee! One bonus round after another! I just can't lose!
Worker: Ugh! I know the secret is to press the button when you see the seam on the reel, but still...

We'll mess with all the minigame nonsense here later. For now we'll continue our ascent.



Woman: Maybe I'll get a Seru somewhere, put it on and go downstairs. If I turned into a Seru monster, at least the madness wouldn't be boring! It might be better than being a lifeless shell here. {Does Legaia have therapists? This lady needs to go to one...}



And here I thought disco was dead. Interesting...

Dancer lady: Oh, you've got a cute little girl with you. You should take her to the dance club!
Dancer lady: I'm going to go to the dance club and enter the Dance Contest!

Hmm... checking this place out couldn't hurt, could it?



Uh... can't say I do, no.

Blue: No.
Bouncer: This is a members-only establishment. Please acquire a Gold Card and come again.

Bummer. By the way, there's a new track playing here, but I'll save it for when we can actually enter the place.



Yep!

Blue: Yes.
Man: Then you must have seen the castle in the sky. It's called the Floating Castle. The Mist covering the Karisto Kingdom comes from that castle.



There's a Broadway here? Damn, Sol has everything!

Man: That's the Sol 3rd Street Theater. It used to be called the Capital of Comedy... But now they call it the Palace of Yawns.
Man: Hey... You, the big fellow there. You look just like Pig, the comedian.

Time to head inside.



♪♪Wild Declaration♪♪

This must be the lobby. Also, I'm not sure who the people in these pictures are, but something tells me they're part of the development staff. It would be cool if that were true, anyway.

Worker: You guys... Don't tell me you want to come in this theater? {Well, yeah.} Well, I guess you can do whatever you want. Some people are so different!
Woman running the counter: Admission is 10G per person. There are 3 of you, so that's 30G all together. Do you want to pay 30G to go into the theater? {Seems reasonable enough.} Go on in.

Sure thing.



Sol-Far: Hi, I'm Sol-Far and this is Sol-Mar.
Sol-Mar: And I'd like to say...
Sol-Far: I'm a Sol man! Get it? Sol man? Soul man!
Sol-Mar: Hey, stop joking around, you moron!
Sol-Far: (Grumble, grumble)

Oh jeez, that was awful.

Worker: Zzzzzz... Zzzzzzzz... ZZZZZZZZZ... Hey, leave me alone! I was sleeping! Don't wake me up!
Woman: Oh, darling! Your love is everything to me! *blushes*
Man: Oh, Pippy! The world may be engulfed in Mist, but I'll never let you go!
Owner: Frankly, the way things are, I should just shut this place down, but... If I did that, all the people here would have nowhere else to go! That's why I keep the place open and let them perform here. I guess you could call it a kind of volunteer work!
Sol-Far: I keep doing comedy because I don't have anything else to do, but it's so depressing, really. Oh, I want to hear the audience laugh just once before I die!
Sol-Mar: A long time ago this theater was really popular, and there were girls all over the place.



Huh, I had forgotten there was a scene here.

Mon: Since then, I haven't been able to find a new partner. Hey!

said the pot to the kettle

Mon: Eh!? Your name is Umber? Umber, you look just like Pig!



Oh, this should be good.

Umber: Yes.
Mon: What? You'll go on stage with me? Oh, thank you! Alright, the stage is this way. Let's go! What are you worried about? Just deadpan it up there and I'll do the rest. I heard that you're a great straight man! So don't worry, let's go!
*The screen fades out; soon after, the sound of laughter and clapping can be heard.*



What? Man, what a copout.

Mon: I forgot how wonderful it is to see people smiling and laughing!
Umber: N-No! It's not what you think! Blue! Ruby! Don't get the wrong idea! I-I was just having a serious conversation! Even if a Biron warrior-monk did perform in a... comedy show... *facepalms* No, I mean... The rules of Biron forbid laughter! So, even if I, a Master of Biron, I mean, I would...



Mon: Hey! Umber, what's wrong? Your act was just great, so what's the matter now? That line wasn't very funny.
Ruby: Wow! You're great, Umber! You're not just strong, you're funny, too! I wanna go see all the people laughing. I'll be back in a minute.
*Ruby runs off.*
Umber: Wait, Ruby! Blue, stop! Stop looking at me like that! I... It's just that... You know! Oh well. That Ruby went on by herself. I guess we should follow her!

Well, that was fun while it lasted. Moving on!



♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Ooh, a bakery! We could go for some donuts right about now... assuming donuts are a thing on Legaia, anyway.

Woman: There are all these weapons and armor for sale... But nobody is buying them to use in battle. Except Gaza, that is.



Seems pretty nice. I wonder if they have pastries?





The chef guy sells this bread, while the merchant dude sells items and accessories. I can't remember what Soru Bread does, to be honest, so we'll pass on it for now - at least until we get some more money, anyway.

Woman: Soru Bread is very good, you know. The Sages just love Soru Bread. That's why everyone loves it so much. But it's so expensive! I wouldn't buy it, either!
Man: Do you know who Cara is? {Indeed I do.} Why would such a nice girl like Cara fall for such a no-good guy like that? He's always getting into fights and causing trouble. What a bum!
Man: I know a way to get Soru Bread cheap. Want to know? {Does it involve thievery?} Go to Muscle Paradise if you think you're tough enough. They give out Soru Bread as prizes. {Oh.}



Sweet, an armory! Always helpful.



Nice selection.

Seru-wearing man: He, he! So, you all like Seru, just like me, huh? {You could say that.} So, we like the same things! Then I guess you know about Uru Mais, right? {Vaguely.} I knew you would! After all, Uru Mais is a Mecca to Seru collectors! When the Mist clears, I want to go to Uru Mais and get myself a custom-made Seru. With a powerful Seru, I could enter fighting contests and become famous! {Good luck with that.}



There's some very nice equipment for sale, including this weapon here. Not that we can afford it or the Hero Boots at the moment... I buy the Royal Crown for Ruby, and sell two of the Wonder Elixirs we've picked up. We'll have to wait a little while before upgrading anymore, it seems.

It occurs to me then that I haven't stayed at an inn in a while, so I run back downstairs and do just that.



♪♪Noa's Dreams♪♪

Oh hey, haven't seen one of these in a while.

Ruby: Father? Is that you, Father?
*A light appears in front of Ruby.*
Ruby... There is something I must tell you.
Ruby: What?



Ruby: Mother?
Something we could not undo. That mistake is what has devastated the world... It is also what has kept us separated for so long.



Ruby! You must undo the mistake that led to this devastation! We can give you the power to change fate!
Ruby, come to us, so that we can atone.
*The lights begin flickering.*
Ruby: Where are you? Where should I go?
In Conk... You can... change... fate...!
*The lights combine into one and slowly disappear.*



Changing fate? What do you think they meant by that? Something to think about, I guess.

♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Boy: And, um, Grandpa went into the mist to look for Mommy and Daddy. And my, um, big brother went into the Mist to look for Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa. Now I have to go into the Mist to look for everyone. {Damn, kid...}



A warehouse? Maybe we can find some loot here.

Worker: Oh, well. It takes all kinds, I suppose. {No, I don't really know what he's on about. A small error in localization, I guess.}





Wait, is Blue seriously 14? That's actually kind of awesome, considering everything that's happened so far. That is not the correct response, however.

Blue: I am not a poor kid!
Kid: So, you have money, eh? Well, this is our hangout. If you have money, go inside and buy something.



Wow, seriously? No thanks.

Blue: I don't want anything.
Girl: That's it.



Sounds pretty sweet. Sure!



Huh. Didn't think I'd be haggling with a child anytime soon.

Blue: That's too much. Lower the price!
Boy: Hey, we have to make a living at this, you know!



Damn, though, that's still too much. More haggling!

Blue: Make it half -- 30,000G!
Boy: What? Are you crazy? A Life Grail for 30,000G?! Uh...



No way, kid.

Blue: Do you think we're stupid?
Boy: Yeah, I do! Hmmf.

I guess we'll have to come back later.

Worker: It's sad... These are just little kids and they're so hardened by the cold world...



I think we're almost at the top, but I'm going to stop here for now because seriously, this update is way too huge as it is. I'll try to get the next one out quicker, because Important Stuff (tm) is coming up soon.

Next time: The top of Sol Tower... and other things.

Man, you have no idea how much I wish I could think of an Escaflowne joke to make right now... :P

Uh... that's an anime, right? I've never watched it (I could count the number of anime I've watched to the end on the fingers of one hand), so any jokes would fly right over my head. ^_^;

As for today's update, it was going to be even bigger than the last one, but in the interest of better pacing and not scaring off any readers, I've cut it in half. I'll post the rest of it a couple of days sooner than I usually would, to make up for that.

Chapter 20: A Closer Look at the Muscle Dome



♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Let's continue making our way up Sol Tower, shall we?

Old man: It's all over. The world is dead! This is heaven. A paradise of despair!



This isn't really much of a Community Hall...



On the other hand, free stuff!

Old woman: The Mist is the real villain. Gaza vowed to himself and his sword to kill Seru and perfect his swordsmanship.
Old man: What'll be really frightening is when the Mist disappears! When the Mist disappears from Sol, the Seru will disappear. When that happens, Gaza will lose his reason for living, and his spirit may die.
Old woman: I told him that the Seru he kills may have been human once. That he may be killing his own friends and townspeople. But he wouldn't listen.
Old man: That Gaza, what a sad fellow. He used to be so educated! Now his heart is dead.
Man: Gaza sometimes stops here after he returns from the lower levels.
Old man: Mar? Is that you? No, of course not. Sorry, I thought that young lady there was someone I knew once.



Sure. Maybe we can learn something about Gaza from it.

Blue: Yes.
Old man: Gaza had a son named Theodore and two grandkids, Mar and Belde. One day, in the Mist, in the lower levels of Sol, right before Gaza's eyes... The Seru monsters killed Gaza's son and grandkids. That's what made Gaza run mad. All he had left was his sword. His only reason for living was to kill Seru monsters and perfect his swordsmanship.

Well that was... enlightening. And kind of messed up.



Huh. Haven't seen one of these since Jeremi. Do you think they have lattes here?



This place is pretty cozy.

Worker: I collected Seru samples in Uru Mais under orders from Emperor Etora VIII.
Afroed man: Emperor Etora VIII of Sol was engulfed by the Mist while commanding the front-line troops.
Old man: Yeah, the Genesis Tree. In the deepest cavern under Sol is Warrior's Square. There was a Genesis Tree there. But they say the Genesis Tree is gone now. {A Genesis Tree at the top and bottom of this tower? Interesting.}
Woman: Now I remember: I did hear of it, several years before the Mist came from the Floating Castle... I heard that some strange mist had appeared in Conkram during the war with Sol. But thanks to the brave deeds of three strange travelers, that mist disappeared. I wonder if that mist in Conkram has anything to do with the Mist today. {That's... kind of an odd story. We'll keep it in mind whenever we find Conkram ourselves.}
Woman: I heard from a girl who works at the cafe... that a young Soren man had a tragic love affair in Buma before the Mist came.
Merchant: Because of the war, the arms dealer downstairs has a better selection than they do upstairs.

That was certainly an interesting place. Onward!



Old woman: Genesis Tree? Now that you mention it... I heard that in the era of Etora IV, the Genesis tree in Warrior's Square died and was moved to the roof.



Huh. Didn't think there was an education system here.

Worker: *grumble grumble* Uh, how annoying! I wish they'd stop saying "Sir! Sir! Sir!" all the time! Those Biron monks... What are they, idiots? {Heh. Seems like they're alive after all.}



I don't know if you can tell, but those pots in the corner of the screenshot are actually steaming. I love little atmospheric touches like that.



Ah, the joys of free loot.

Girl: North of Sol is Dr. Usha. He is sooooo smart!
Boy: I don't need any father, I don't need any mother. I just need the lady who can take care of us!
Girl: I hope Cara comes back soon. Cara is really nice to us.
Teacher: Oh, hello there! Welcome to Kiddie House! We take care of children who are all alone now. Some have parents on the lower floors.
Boy: You know what? There are people called Soren, and they have Seru, and they can fly!
Teacher: The townspeople are complaining about how sad they are or about how empty they feel, but... But here with the kids, I'm too busy to complain or feel sorry for myself.
Boy: Um, Cara? She always brings us lots of presents!
Teacher: Do you know Cara? {Indeed we do.} I know she calls herself a thief, but... She's really a gentle person. Besides, there are reasons she goes into the Mist to steal. One of them is to pay the operating expenses here. Another reason... Oh, I don't know if I should tell you this, but... Cara said she steals so that she won't regret the love she had. I don't really understand what that means, but it sure sounds complicated and deep. {Nope, didn't make that last sentence up. Way to go, translators. =)}



♪♪We Are the Biran Priests♪♪

Oh hey, we've finally made it to the roof of this place. Also, Biron monks!



A Memory Statue? Why does that make me uneasy...?



Ah well, I'm sure it's nothing. Yoink!





Mmm, delicious loot. Let's talk to the monks while we're up here - I'm sure at least one of them knows about the Genesis Tree that's supposed to be here.

Monk: Sir! The Seru madness can only be defeated through unlimited discipline and mental training.
Monk: Sir! I came to learn the teachings of Sol after losing hope in decadent Sol.
Monk: Sir! Please do not interfere with our training.
Monk: Sir! That is Biron Temple. Only a Biron monk may enter.
Monk: Sir! We have been training like this for over ten years.
Monk: H-Hello. Are you searching for Arts? {Super ones, actually.} Ah, just as I thought. Before the Mist, we wrote a book of the secrets of many powerful Arts. But I left it in one of the lower floors. The book's title? P-Please, don't ask. It's too embarrassing. {Hmm... something to keep in mind.}

Well, that's all the monks. Maybe the Genesis Tree is inside the temple? I'm sure if we explained ourselves we'd be let in, at least for a while.

*As Blue and co. walk towards the temple, an old man walks out of the entrance.*

Old Deez: None but the followers of Biron may enter. Let alone those wearing the despised Seru on their person! Go away! Now!



Umber: I am Umber: I embraced Biron and studied under Master Zopu. Please listen to what we have to say. Please!
*Old Deez turns around.*
Old Deez: Zopu? So, you speak the name of Zopu! He certainly is of Biron... But...
Umber: Please forgive my impertinence!
*Umber jumps in the air and does a few poses, too fast for me to properly screenshot them.*
Ruby: Wow! Umber, you're so cool!
Umber: Biron Martial Arts, seventh degree. What do you think?



Old Deez: Those could only be the secret arts of Biron, taught by Zopu himself! Having seen your skills, it would not do to turn you away. Come with me.
*The three follow Old Deez into the temple.*



Old Deez: Your tales, Umber, Blue, and Ruby... The Ra-Seru and Genesis Trees... To witness such miracles! I am indeed impressed! I apologize for my rudeness earlier. Yes, there is a Genesis Tree here. However...
*Old Deez walks around to the side of the statue and picks something up.*



Ruby: Hey, Blue! That's only a...
Umber: That's... A seedling! This tiny, frail-looking Genesis Tree is going to help us?
Old Deez: Correct! This is a Genesis Tree seedling. That is what we call it. One hundred years ago, the wilted Genesis Tree of the underground Warrior's Square was transplanted here. Amazingly, it transformed itself into this seedling. The prophecy of the Holy Emperor Etora IV says that when the time is right... the Genesis Tree in Warrior's Square under Sol will come back to life. I now entrust you with this Genesis Tree seedling!



Thanks a lot, guy! But, uh... what are we supposed to do with this thing? Take it down to Warrior's Square and revive it there somehow?

Umber: *monk-salute* I am honored, Master Deez.
Ruby: Blue! Umber! We did it! Now we can drive the Mist from Sol!
Old Deez: Good luck to you. And may Tieg smile on Sol.



I guess now we'll head to the bottom of Sol and see what we can do. But first, a bit of talking.

Monk: Sir! If you are tired, do you wish to try the secret medicine of Sol and Biron? {Free healing is always welcome in my book.} Hee, hee. This works wonders! *heals us* Forgive my presumptuousness!
Monk: Sir! Warrior's Square is located under this town. However, the only way there is through Sage's Gate, which is tightly sealed!
Monk: Sir! The secret to opening Sage's Gate is in the treasure chests in the lower floors of Sol.
Monk: Sir! To think that there are Biron warrior-monks wearing Seru like Umber does... There must be many things beyond our imagination in the outside world now that the Mist is gone! {Well, not quite. But we're working on it.}
Old Deez: Open Sage's Gate and go to Warrior's Square. The Genesis Tree seedling should revive. Good luck. And may Tieg smile on Sol.
*As Blue and co. walk out of the temple, the music stops and a familiar clanking is heard.*



Oh, hey there, Gaza. Uh... how ya doin'?



♪♪Attack♪♪

Um... beg pardon?

Gaza: This I have vowed on my honor, and on the mighty Astral Sword! No one who would prevent me from keeping that vow shall be spared! Now put down that Genesis Tree seedling! Do not resist me! Lest thou die by my blade!
*Gaza dons his helmet.*



*The monks around Gaza rush towards him; there is a flash of light.*



Oh, crap.

Gaza: Fools!
*Gaza inches toward the group.*
Gaza: Fear not, that was just the back of my sword! I do not take life without reason. I am Gaza! I bear thee no ill will. Yet if thou doth seek to drive away the Mist and with it the Seru... Then I would be forced to stop thine evil scheme by taking thine lives. Now, how dost thou reply?



Uh, Ruby? Maybe calling the psychopath in armor a weirdo isn't a good idea.

Umber: There's no reason for us to fight, Gaza! The awakening of the Genesis Tree and your vow... They are the same thing! That means you, old man, and we share a common goal! There is no reason for us to fight. We are not sworn enemies!



Gaza: The grounds where my sword holds the power of life and death is the demon's lair below! I exist to fight there! My sword was forged to slay the demons! I live for carnage!
Ruby: Power of life and death? Demon's lair? Carnage? Ooh! I don't understand what that old man is saying at all!
Umber: Ruby, the gentleman seems to think if we revive the Genesis Tree and drive away the Mist... then he won't be able to practice his swordsmanship on Seru in Mist anymore.
Ruby: That's too weird! That's just too weird! There's something wrong with this old guy!
Umber: The Mist can twist people's minds with its very existence.
Gaza: Enough idle talk! Let thine steel do thine talking!





Boss Battle 9: Gaza

Gaza may be an old man, but make no mistake, he'll tear you to pieces if you let him. He only has two attacks (neither of them multi-target, thankfully), but they're both incredibly powerful.

His first is to beat the crap out of you with the Astral Sword, which is more like a giant pair of elbow blades in practice. Even if you're blocking or using Spirit, these combos hurt like hell; the one above was probably the least-damaging one I saw.

His other, far more damaging move is much deadlier.









Yeah. Unblocked, Astral Slash stops just short of killing a character from full health. He enjoys alternating between this move and regular combos at random, too, so you'll never be sure what's coming.



It is crucial to keep your party healed up. You're best off using an item or, if necessary, casting Spoon after every attack from Gaza; otherwise you simply won't be able to keep up with the massive amounts of damage he'll dish out.

The good thing about this fight?







Gaza only has 12,000 HP. Compared to Dohati (who had around 17,000), this fight is a rather short one. You'll have to make it a short one, too, if you want to stay alive.







Once you start knocking Gaza down, wail on him with everything you have; there's no reason to drag the fight out if you don't have to.

Bosses defeated by Umber: 7

I'd be ashamed of beating up an old man if he wasn't trying to kill us. He almost succeeded, too!

*The music fades out.*



Umber: Such a senseless fight! Why must human fight human?! Blue, the old gentleman still lives. We must treat his wounds, quickly!
*Blue moves to help the old man up.*





♪♪Songi's First Appearance♪♪







What... what is that thing? When did Songi get portal-opening powers? Where the hell has he been?

Songi: My, my. Umber, do you realize what you've done? You've killed a human being! You're all a disgrace! Your cruelty puts the Mist's henchmen to shame! Bloodthirsty beasts! How could you murder this poor old man just because he was a little eccentric? Oh, the horror! Just watching it sent a chill down my spine!



Songi: Hey, wait! Wait, you simple-minded muscle-bound oaf! I will save the old man! After all, I've taken to him... And unlike you, I am a merciful person. Ha, ha, ha! I'll heal him, and help him recover! So stay alive long enough to see him get better! So long!











"Songi is a dick" count: 4



Ruby: Blue, is the old man going to be OK? I'm worried about him.

I don't know, Ruby. We can only hope Songi doesn't do anything terrible... but, given what we know about him, that's not very likely.

But we'll worry about that later. For now, we need to head to the bottom of this tower and make our way to Warrior's Square. Let's have one last talk with the monks before heading on our way.

♪♪We Are the Biran Priests♪♪

Monk: Sir! Where on earth did Gaza disappear to? I hope nothing bad happens.
Monk: Sir! Gaza caught us off guard. We must train harder.
Monk: Sir! If you succeed in reviving the Genesis Tree, we will be able to see everything through this atrium.
Monk: Sir! The Sage's Gate was sealed by Dr. Usha before the Mist came.
Monk: Sir! To get to Warrior's Square, you must open the Sage's Gate!

♪♪Sol Tower♪♪

Before heading for the lower levels, I decide to buy a Soru Bread to see what it does. I also buy several Healing Flowers, because we'll probably need them. I'd buy a new piece of equipment, but honestly we're pretty set right now.



♪♪A Town Enveloped by Mist♪♪

Okay, we'll start at the entrance and make our way down, exploring where we can. Sound good?



Seems like a warehouse.



Ah, we've already been here. I guess we'll be passing through, then.



Ouch. Poor guy...



I wonder what this place is...



He who seeks the Warrior's Square must sate the Sage's hunger. Then the Sage's Gate will open. There are eight more hungry Sages!

Huh... one of the monks said that the Sage's treasure chest and the gate were connected somehow. Maybe we should go back to that chest we passed by and investigate.

Of course, we'll learn a couple of Super Arts along the way, just for fun.



♪♪Brand of the Holy Knuckles (Ver. 2)♪♪







I think that Dragon Fangs is the first Super Art we've learned that hits more than once. It's used by combining Lizard Tail, Swan Driver, and Acrobatic Blitz.







Super Ironhead is used by combining Flying Knee Attack, Headsplitter, and, of course, Ironhead. Somehow it's taken a manly headbutt and made it even manlier.

With that out of the way, we'll return to the Sage's chest.



I can't display it with screenshots, but the chest actually moved a bit.

Do you wish to give the Soru Bread to the Sage's Treasure Chest? {If it's the only way to move forward, then yes.} Blue put the Soru Bread into the Sage's Treasure Chest!

Awesome! Only... seven more to go. And Soru Bread costs 6,000G a pop. Either I'll have to grind for a while or sell the stuff I found in the chests.

Wait a sec - didn't some guy in the bakery say something about easily acquiring Soru Bread?

To the Muscle Dome!



♪♪Wild Declaration♪♪

Sign me up, bunny lady!

Blue: I want to enter the Tournament.



Uh... crap, we don't have any. Might as well see how the tournament works while we're here.

Blue: Tell me how to play the games.
Bunny girl: This is an elimination tournament. Each contestant must fight one-on-one against our powerful monsters alone! The more bouts you win, the more tokens you get. There are three levels in the Tournament. The first is Beginner. You have to fight eight monsters in sequence as you would in a normal battle. At the Expert level, a contestant must fight eight monsters wearing only a Seru. As for the Master level, I will say only that you must fight more than eight monsters. After each bout HP automatically increases or decreases depending on how well, or poorly, you fight. It should also be noted that no items whatsoever may be used during a bout. There are three ways to leave the Tournament: by winning, losing, or running away during a bout. However, running away is considered forfeiting, and no prize money is awarded.

That was pretty comprehensive. I think I know how this works - fight dudes, kick ass, get prizes. Sounds good! We should probably buy some tokens so we can participate.



Come to think of it, there are other games here... we'll mess with them in a minute.

Blue: Tell me how the arcade works.
Bunny girl: We use tokens here. You have to buy a token to play the games. When you're finished playing the games, you can exchange the tokens you won for prizes. Prizes are available at the opposite counter. You can't exchange the tokens you have for money. But, we will hold on to your tokens until your next visit.
Blue: Tell me the types of games.
Bunny girl: We have a total of three types of games in two zones. First, the front of the arcade is the Amusement Zone. Excitement guaranteed in successive bonus rounds! The newest in slot machine action -- Wild Card! Win tokens in successive rounds! Fighting game -- Baka Fighter. Enjoy either or both! Proceed directly to the game you wish to play after purchasing tokens. In the rear is the Coliseum Zone! Register to enter at the special sign-up counter. Anyone confident in their fighting abilities can enter the Tournament held at the Coliseum!

Alright, time to buy some tokens.



Coins are 100G a pop?! Crap, we'll barely have enough to enter the tournament. I hope we win...



Hmm... I think Blue would be our best bet. It seems like a good idea to enter the most well-rounded character into this type of thing.

Bunny girl: Very well. I will now register Blue for the Tournament.



Definitely Beginner. I'm hoping the token payout will be enough to either a) get enough Soru Bread for the chests, or b) allow us to enter the tournament several times, if need be.



This line is fully voiced, by the way. In English, even!



This, on the other hand, isn't.



But this is!



♪♪Brand of the Holy Knuckles♪♪

Wow, a Piura? This should be a piece of cake.



Easy.



Psh, come on.



Aw yeah.



This screen goes by pretty fast, and I missed it the first time.

Round 3 offers a token resistance.



Alright then... wasn't expecting that.



Two turns, not counting one where I used Spirit; Caruban's Fire Breath did 30 damage. Man, that felt awesome.



Round 5 proves uneventful. Also, you don't appear to be able to absorb Seru here. Kind of a shame, that.



Man, I hope that coin total starts skyrocketing soon, or we have some grinding on our hands...



...Huh. This could be challenging.



Or not! I didn't even have to heal (though I did come close).



Round 7 is kind of a breather in comparison to fighting Zeto with one character. I wonder what Round 8 will bring?



Um... on second thought, maybe I shouldn't have asked.









It's a close match, but eventually I realize...



That I simply don't have enough MP to keep myself alive long enough.



We'll have to be at a higher level before we'll be able to win the Beginner tournament (or get really lucky).

Getting impaled by a bull horn and punched out of the air will do that to you, yes.



Crap, we didn't even get enough out of that to buy one Soru Bread! Ugh... at least we can get the Gold Card.

Okay, so that wasn't the best idea. Maybe we'll have better luck with...


This is hilariously voiced; the announcer goes "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak Fighteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!!" I'll have to record a bonus video of me playing it so you guys can hear it.

♪♪Wanna Wanna♪♪

I love this track. I don't care how out of place it is with the rest of the soundtrack; it's goofy, infectious, and catchy as hell, and that's all right with me.



Hmm... well, Blue got us pretty far in the tournament. Maybe this palette-swapped version of him will fare well.



Basically, Baka Fighter is like Rock-Paper-Scissors turned into a fighting game.



Simple enough.



This Black Piura has a tendency to press X a lot, though not always; spamming the Square button will get you through just fine.



Well geez, that's not very much. Let's at least try one more round.



This Gobu Gobu has a tendency use nothing but O; accordingly, spamming the X button will net you a quick victory.



6 coins? I think one more match should be good.



Like the first two matches, the Skeleton presses mostly one button, in this case Square. The O button is your friend here.



I think we'll call it here for now; I remember some of the later matches being pretty ridiculous (I distincly recall Xain showing up, for instance).





Here's what the other characters look like in action, by the way. I get the feeling that these palette-swaps are homages to fighting game characters, but the only one I'd recognize would be Umber as Paul Phoenix from the Tekken games.

Hmm... we've reached an impass here. We could either money-grind in the lower levels of the tower, or play Baka Fighter over and over, and both of them seem kinda tedious, to be honest. That leaves selling the items we found in the chests... but they're all stat-boosts and Elixirs!



On the other hand... these stat-boosts are kinda piddling. ATK +4? HP +16? MP +8?

I'll compromise; I'll sell all our Elixirs, stat-boosts, our last Incense, and a couple Magic Fruits. That should be enough to buy seven pieces of Soru Bread, but just in case it isn't, I'll get the rest through Baka Fighter.



Okay, 6 is a good amount. 100 coins isn't too much to get; 'scuse me while I go do that.



On a whim, I decided to try Stage 4. Alternating between Square and X seems to work pretty handily.



I, uh, forgot that Xain showed up right after Stage 4. He's pretty tough, but not impossible; whatever button he presses, he'll do so three times in a row. So, for instance, if he uses O, you can use X to get two free hits. I'm not sure, but I think Xain also uses the buttons in a preset vertical order, from X to Square. I'll have to test that out to be sure.



Mmm... that payout is tasty. If only I had bothered to try that before selling all that stuff... ah, well, you live and learn. Besides, I've went this entire game without grinding and min-maxing, and I'm not about to start now.

So ends the first part of the update I chopped up; like I said earlier, I'll post the rest of it in a couple of days. See you guys then!

Next time: Opening the Sage's Gate.

I remember that old guy Gaza gave me a lot of grief back then, just like Berserker. I also think I spent way too much time on that Baka Fighter mini-game.

....For some reason, I can't really remember anything past this point (although I can't tell if it's the fault of the game for not being memorable enough, or just me getting senile). How far are we in the game?

We've entered the last third or so of the game, but there are still a few Important Things that happen after we're done with the Karisto region. Trust me, we've got a ways to go yet (with a fair few memorable events in the meantime).

The last thing you should be worrying about is scaring off readers. I'm pretty sure everybody is eagarly awaiting your updates regardless of size (I know I am) because this LP is awesome.

I had vague memories of stopping somewhere around here when I tried to do a second play-through of this (probably around 2006). In retrospect, I suspect it was the need to grind to buy Soru Bread AND new equipment that stopped me.

And I realize it's totally insane on my part, but the idea of selling off items that I'd never use anyway? That's crazy talk! I might need those someday! Like, against a final boss where they'd be useless anyway!

Oh wow. I remembered that the one time I made an honest attempt at playing through this game, Sol Tower was where I stopped progressing. I always assumed it was because that's where the minigames are (and I have a tendency to do that with RPGs), but that is an insane amount of grinding/money necessary.

Ah, shucks. =)

Yeah, I can't really defend the whole Sage's Chest puzzle; it's kind of poorly designed! Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of it; pretty much every video game ever has taught me that opening treasure chests leads to Phat Lootz(tm), so designing a puzzle around putting stuff back in the chests strikes me as rather clever.

On the other hand, why make that specific item so goddamn expensive, or why eight chests? Halve the number of chests to put Soru Bread in or make the bread really cheap (like, say, 1,000G instead of 6,000) and it wouldn't be so bad.

It's not a total wash, though! Baka Fighter is very, very exploitable; the button pattern of a given opponent is always fixed, so once you've learned the patterns you can rake in a ton of coins. And since Soru Bread is only 100 coins each, it shouldn't take very long.

It's taken me a very long time to unlearn my item-hoarding habits; I've only recently felt comfortable using more than one or two healing items every once in a while, no matter what game I'm playing. I'm not sure why I started item-hoarding in the first place; I know this game didn't give me the habit, but it had to have come from somewhere...

Regarding the update, I would've posted it today, but I ended up spending the day out of the house, so I'll post it tomorrow. See you guys then!

I know two reasonably good cures for item-hoarding: speedrunning (where you plan out which items you'll get and when you'll use them); and roguelikes (where hoarding items typically gets you killed).

I suspect item-hoarding is encouraged most by text adventures, where the gameplay resolves around discovering where each item's "official use" is to avoid making the game unwinnable. (And some moral equivalents, like choose-your-own-adventure books.)

Hey, everyone! Sorry for not updating earlier in the day, but I couldn't find the time. In any case, let's get this show on the road.

Chapter 21: Gaza's Redemption



♪♪A Town Enveloped by Mist♪♪

Time to put some Soru Bread in these chests.







The screen trembled after feeding the last one; hopefully that means the Sage's Gate is opened.



*Steam begins shooting out of the pipes, and the ground starts shaking.*
Ruby: W-What should we do? Something weird is going to happen, I know it!
Umber: Calm down, Ruby! Listen! I hear something!
*Everyone concentrates.*







Huh... so the Sage's Gate is more of a giant statue we can't get around. Good thing we moved it!



Uhhh... Yeaaa... ! Wooooo....hoooo!
♪♪Usha Research Center♪♪



*The image of an old man comes into sharper focus.*



Usha: Dr. Usha! I am pleased to make your acquaintance!
Ruby: Hi, Dr. Usha!
Dr. Usha: Don't be alarmed. This is a mechanical device. It is not the real me!
*The image blinks out for a second.*
Dr. Usha: I know not whether I will still be alive by the time you hear this message. I recorded this message just after sealing the Sage's Gate. This I did to protect the Warrior's Square from the approaching Mist and its cohorts. If I am lucky, I will survive the Mist long enough to meet you.



*The image blinks out, and the music goes back to "A Town Enveloped by Mist".*
Ruby: Dr. Usha... He disappeared!
Umber: Blue! How did Dr. Usha know we were here? We should take the Genesis Tree seedling to Warrior's Square, like Dr. Usha said.

This Dr. Usha fellow must be a pretty great scientist if he has hologram technology. Maybe we'll run into him during our travels.



♪♪The Calling of the Relics♪♪

For now, though, we'll continue making our way to Warrior's Square.



I know I wasn't using it, but I kinda miss our stockpile of Elixirs. Ah, well, nothing for it but to build it back up.



Huh... didn't expect a library down here.

On the bookshelf are all ten volumes of Keem's "History of Sol." Amid the "History of Sol" books is a vulgar, garishly covered book!

Mary? Who's that? We'll find out later, I guess.

On the bookshelf are three volumes of Kooch's "Topography of Sol."
On the bookshelf are eight volumes of Iny's "Legends of Sol."
On the bookshelf are five volumes of Naba's "Theory of War."
On the bookshelf are two volumes of Zono's "City Planning."
On the bookshelf are three volumes of Tornay's "Legaian Animal Life."
On the bookshelf are all 25 volumes of Nayko's "The Prince."
On the bookshelf are two volumes of Kuda's "Sol Mythology."

Too bad we can't read any of these...



♪♪Brand of the Holy Knuckles (Ver. 2)♪♪

The new enemies in this place are pretty tough. The Mage is immune to Low attacks and enjoys hitting you with random stuff - things like cymbals and claws. The Warhalf likes spamming Ultrasound, which is pretty damn annoying.



I believe this renders accessories useless for a particular character for the duration of a battle. I can't be sure since it didn't work this time, but it's a safe bet. Mages can also use White Shield, making them even more annoying.



Can Medusas Stone you? Probably. Not that I gave any of the ones I ran into a chance.





Moving on from the library, we come upon a storage area, as well as a nifty accessory that prevents all negative status effects.



This is found amidst a stockpile of weapons. The Golden Book increases the amount of G you get from battles by 25%. In a game rather stingy with cash, this is rad as hell.



The construction of Sol began in the age of the legendary Emperor Etora I. It is said that Etora I chose this site because of the Genesis Tree. Since mythical times, the Genesis Tree has been considered the guardian tree of Sol. For some unknown reason, the Genesis Tree withered in the age of the Holy Emperor Etora IV. Etora IV moved the Genesis Tree to Biron Temple in keeping with the prophecy of Hari. This monument is dedicated to the memory of the Genesis Tree.

Fascinating... we'd better use that Memory Statue; no telling what's ahead of us.



Incidentally, it turns out you can run into these guys here! It doesn't happen very often, but the possibility is still there if you want to absorb them.



♪♪Buma in the Mist♪♪

*Blue and Umber walk into the room.*
Umber: The air is stale from being sealed in here for so long.



Umber: That must be the Warrior's Square that Dr. Usha was talking about. The Square must be behind those stones.
Ruby: Ooh, I want to see the Square! I want to go through the stones!

Alright, let's see what we can do.



A lever puzzle, eh?



It's not really much of one - just pull the colored levers as you go to pass through the corresponding gate. You can still encounter enemies here, though, so stay on your toes.



It shouldn't take more than a minute or so to reach the other large lever.



Umber: Blue! Hurry! I'm worried about Songi and Gaza.
*Blue nods, and the three of them descend the stairs.*

*Songi leaps out of the portal.*



♪♪Songi's First Appearance♪♪

Ruby: Songi! What did you do with the old man, Gaza?
Songi: Well, well. How touching! The barbarian girl is fond of the old geezer!
Ruby: Ooh! I'm steaming!
*Songi spits on the ground. There's a sound effect for it, just like last time.*
Songi: If you want to see him that much, then go ahead! Gaza! Come out, Gaza! We have visitors!
*Another portal appears; Gaza leaps out of it.*



Songi: In fact, I like him so much that I gave him a custom-fitted Sim-Seru!
*The Sim-Seru in question appears beside Gaza.*



Songi: Now then... I'll leave you to the geezer. If you'll forgive me, I must be going. I'm so busy now! I would wish you good luck, but that won't do you any good!



*Songi leaps through the portal.*

"Songi is a dick" count: 5



♪♪Attack♪♪

*Gaza stares at the group in silence.*
Umber: Ruby! Stay away from him! He's possessed by a Seru!
*Speaking of which...*





Uh... this doesn't look too good...



Ruby: He's being destroyed!
Umber: He's in a frenzy. There's nothing to do now but fight him!
*Blue nods.*
Gaza: T-Thou wouldst hinder my path of carnage. You must die! Prepare to die by the steel of the Astral Sword! Prepare to meet thy doom!





Boss Battle 10: Gaza

This fight is basically like the first Gaza battle on steroids. You'll note that the Astral Sword is actually a sword now. This... this is bad. Very bad.







Apparently that Sim-Seru he's wearing has given him telekinetic powers, because he floats everywhere and tosses the Astral Sword around like a giant, pointy purple boomerang. It hurts a lot!

This has replaced Astral Slash as his single-target special move. It also hurts a lot, unblocked, though a Healing Flower should take care of most of the damage.

If you'll recall, there were two good things about the first Gaza battle: one, he didn't have much HP, and two, he didn't have a multi-target attack. Both of those have been fixed, unfortunately.







He now has around 15,000 HP. While still not quite as much as Dohati, you could be in for a long fight. This is... kind of a bad thing. Why?



This is why.













Christ. Stone Circle has nothing on Neo Star Slash. If you aren't using Spirit and don't have full HP, there's a very real chance that it could kill one of your characters. Hell, if your party is weak enough, it could cause a full wipe.



Use Spoon (and possibly Orb as a followup, as well) as soon after a Neo Star Slash as you possibly can; Gaza doesn't really have a pattern to him, so you'll never quite know what to expect. The only saving grace is that Gaza never uses an attack twice in a row.