Last time, a major antagonist returned by way of serious plot holes, and Hector's goal was revealed. Now, we've got to do what we can to save Yggdrasil. To that end, it's time to head to area 6-7: Divine Ray.
This is the single trippiest area thus far, consisting of blue-white crystalline fibers that we walk on. As we enter, Serene finally has a reaction to Malice reappearing, though I really think it should've been done better.
The first screen's empty, so I move on. On the second screen, the party runs into another group of bishies, including what I believe is the only group of large elementals in the entire game. As usual, I'm not too concerned with getting elemental orbs/crests/emblems from them (I know it's useful, but I honestly don't care about them).
On the next screen, Ein proves himself to be terminally stupid by revealing that he didn't know that Malice is a Grim Angel until she stated so. Yeah, because there's totally another race of black-winged beings who use Diviners and are from Asgard. That's honestly the only interesting thing anyone said outside of Serene's delayed reaction, and the last screen is totally empty, so I move on to area 6-8: Where Wisdom Lies.
This place, sadly, does not reuse the awesome Divine Ray background. Instead, it has the regular Yggdrasil backgrounds dyed blue. Ein claims that it's the domain of the gods, being the place closest to Asgard (you know, besides Heaven's Gate). The air itself is causing issues for the team, who are almost all mere mortals. Don't expect it to have any gameplay effect, though. That would be too Yggdra Union of it.
I move forward and encounter a mage and a dragon. Somehow, I doubt many people actually took the Dragon Eraser this far into the chapter, though if anyone knows how effective it is I'd certainly be interested. The mage has something very important for the upcoming boss fight: Southern Cross, the ultimate staff. For lack of anything better to get rid of, I drop the Blue Stinger. It has served me well for the duration of its presence in my inventory, but now I have no more use for it.
After the fight, I look around and encounter a fairy. She's looking for MoMo and LoLo, both of whom are currently travelling with the party. They speak up, and the new fairy, LaLa, requests that they all go home. Ein can either send them on their way, or have them join the team. I choose the former option, but if you choose the latter you actually do get a reward for having Ein carry all those fairies around in his pants for the entire chapter (you have no idea how hard it was not to point that out before now): they become the Battle Pixies, who will perform three slightly-inaccurate attacks for exactly 333 damage each. They only have 3 uses, though.
With that distraction out of the way, I move forward. Rose then brings up a rather interesting point: if Ein proceeds on his path, he'll be up against the whole of Asgard. After all, they don't know that Hector's gone nuts. Like many plot points in this game, though, we can expect absolutely nothing to come of this.
I then open the last chest in Yggdrasil, which contains a random elemental emblem. I got a Holy Emblem, which replaces the Elixirs; as predicted, they were never used in battle. Now, to master those items:
Ein:
- Southern Cross: Burn Bullet: Level 1, 4-hit magic fire-elemental attack, power of 151
Fia:
- Holy Emblem: Dark Resist: Level 1, raises everyone's darkness resistance
- Southern Cross: Magenta Missile: Level 2, 6-hit magic fore-elemental attack, power of 147, can't hit flying enemies
Cierra:
- Holy Emblem: Holy: Level 1, 1-hit magic holy-elemental attack for 25% of the target's HP, inflicts Purify
- Southern Cross: Calamity Flare: Level 3, 8-hit magic fire-elemental attack, power of 194, last 2 attacks hit all
I also win a Mage Ring off a practice battle to replace my Holy Emblem, because 160 Magic just isn't enough for what I intend to do to Malice.
On the next screen, Ein states his decision about this situation: he's fighting Hector. Riviera's just too important to him to let it become some sacrifice.
At any rate, the next screen contains the boss fight, so it is once again time for Script Mode.
- Malice: *chuckle* The final Aquarium... (She draws her Diviner) I shall destroy it!
- Ein: Stop it!
- Malice: (turning around) ............!? Punctuation! When simply having no dialogue just isn't dramatic enough! (Ein runs into the room.) So you made it all the way here. But it was all for nothing.
Cierra then pulls out Southern Cross and proceeds to roast Malice like the chicken she is. Except no, because that would be the sensible thing to do.
(Malice then flies up as nobody makes any attempt to stop her, and cuts the Aquarium to bits. The rest of the team then runs in.)
- Ein: No!! (Malice turns around, and we get another image showing her facing Ein.)
- Malice: Mow, all three Aquariums have been shattered. Ursula is now open to attack...
- Ein: I'm still here! I'll protect her!
- Malice: You speak big for an incompetent angel.
- Ein: I've sworn to protect Riviera and the sprites!
- Malice: Ideals without power are nothing but nonsense. Oh, you did not just go pseudo-philosophical on me! Well, you would never be able to understand...
- Ein: ...?
- Malice: Hmhmhm... This is the greatest feeling.
- Rose: (Ein, watch out! There's something different about this angel!)
- Malice: Hmhm... I'll play with you. But... Just don't die so easily, or it won't be any fun. Oh, I am so going to make you eat those words. (The encounter screen appears, then everyone draws their weapons in unison.)
- Ein: Here I come!
Ein: My Diviner's...resonating?
Boss battle: Malice
- HP: 6500
- Strength: 68
- Magic: 76
- Agility: 15
- Vitality: 62
- Immune to ice.
- Resists holy.
- Vulnerable to fire.
So, Malice is, as you might expect, similar to Ledah. She can hit things with her axe, and her Break Out, Trier, can inflict Purify. She can also use Angel Awakening, which changes her attacks and stats as it would have for Ledah if he had ever used it. However, she has a severe weakness to fire, and that high Magic of hers simply isn't going to help against Calamity Flare boosted with a Mage Ring. So, the entire battle simply leads up to using that. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring Lorelei into this battle for a bit of poetic justice, but I don't care, because Cierra did 4717 damage to Malice, ending the battle as soon as she was able to use Calamity Flare.
Results:
- Time to victory: 43
- Final attack level: 3
- Score for victory: 22600
This S-rank gives me the totally worthless Hair Ornament. Fia, Cierra, and Serene can use it to increase their Magic and gain some regeneration, Lina can throw it for a relatively powerful (120) unblockable holy attack against the back rank that removes any status buffs that the enemy won't have because they almost never use them, and Ein does a token "Throw" command for exactly 20 damage. Worthless. I could've obtained a better item if I hadn't S-ranked her, but I'll talk more about that later.
- Malice: (visibly worn down from the fight) Heh... Impressive...! (She stands up and points Skadi toward the party) But playtime's over. You die now!! ''I'm pretty sure that's not happening. We did just take exactly one attack from you before you went down, after all.
- Ledah: I won't let you! (He flies in to block Malice's attack. She cuts him.) Hnnnngh! Again, this is automatic.
- Ein: Ledah!?
- Malice: Most impressive! Still standing? Well, you did use a physical attack, and he does have far more Strength than you... (The screen shakes.) Well, it's about time... Come to the Maze of Shadows. I'll be waiting for you there! Hmhmhm... Haaahahaha! You know, evil laughs just aren't very impressive when they're transcribed like that. (Malice flies off. An image then appears of Ein standing over Ledah.)
- Ledah: It seems... I made it in time...
- Rose: (Ledah!)
- Ein: Ledah! Why!?
- Ledah: You are the most fit to carry out the mission. You have messy dark gray hair, thin noodly arms, and absolutely no personality. You're the perfect candidate! It's simple reasoning.
- Ein: But you shielded me...!
- Ledah: I understand now... Hector... is the source. Malice revived the Accursed... How? And Hector was the one that ordered it... So he could begin the Retribution. Honestly, I don't think they ever explain how destroying Riviera ties into Hector getting supreme ultimate power. By returning Riviera to nothingness, Hector plans on becoming the one and only god. We were deceived by him. I knew I shouldn't have taken Weak-Willed! I have failed... as a Grim Angel... Heh... Familiar, long ago... you asked me...... what I lost as a Grim Angel, correct? That which I lost... was my emotions... I have a lot to say about this sort of thing, but I'll save it for now. I'm not going to ruin the effect by stating my point too many times. Thanks to that... I could manage any mission easily.
- Ein: Ledah... Finally someone else talks! I was getting sick of that huge soliloquy.
- Ledah: You were nothing but a nuisance to me. Thinking, worrying, doubting... Watching you, I felt something similar to anger. And they screw up the whole "I sacrificed my emotions" thing in record time! But I realize now that that wasn't anger... I may actually have been envious of you. You, who was as weak as a newborn child... Oh, come on! I agree that Chapter 1 Ein's a wimp, but that's taking it too far. ...returned far stronger than thought possible. Ein... you might... You just might... be able to find it... The answer... I could not find... no matter how hard I tried as a Grim Angel... (The image zooms in on Ledah's face. There's a trail of dried blood coming from his mouth.) Farewell... Ein...
- Ein: Ledah!
- Rose: (Ledah!)
- Ledah: Live on... Ein... (He dies.) That was...quite the speech to make with a giant axe wound in your chest. Colour me impressed.
- Ein: Ledaaaaah! (The party leaves in silence.) This... is...!?
- Rose: (The essence of a fallen angel...)
We then cut to Ein, standing before Ursula.
- Ursula: I'm sorry, but there is no time to grieve...
- Ein: Ursula...
- Ursula: There is nothing left to protect Yggdrasil. You must do as Ledah told you... Travel to the Maze of Shadows and defeat Hector... Just as Seth, the Sealed One, and I are opposites, so, to, are the [sic] Yggdrasil and the Maze of Shadows. Plot points out of nowhere! If the Yggdrasil's [sic] powers have weakened, the Maze of Shadows must be weak as well. See for yourself. That is the Maze of Shadows. (An image showing a floating island with a giant crystal formation on top of it appears. The entire image has a purple tint to it.)
- Ein: That's the Maze of Shadows!?
- Ursula: Hector awaits. We will open the seal to the Maze of Shadows. (The image disappears, and Ursula is now surrounded by fairies.)
- Fairy: Ursula!
- Other fairy: Ursula!
- Ursula: Everyone, pray.
- Other other fiary: I understand.
- Fairy #1: For Riviera's future...
- Fairy #2: To give everyone hope... (The screen flashes white for a moment.)
- Ein: Where is the Maze of Shadows? Finally, someone asked it.
- Ursula: The Isle of Goriate.
- Ein: And... how do I get there?
- Ursula: You can get there through Heaven's Gate. More signs of a rapidly failing budget! Ein, I entrust my faith in you.
- Ein: Leave it to me.
- Fia: We shall accompany you. (The rest of the party shows up.)
- Serene: Well, of course.
- Cierra: Riviera is in danger, after all.
- Lina: Let's go! You see why I'm glossing over most of the dialogue?
- Ein: Everyone...! All of our futures... will be decided in this coming battle... Let's go! This is it!
So, with that done, my results are as follows:
- Turns taken: 72 (Rank S)
- Items left: 15 (Rank S)
- Pleased: 2 (Rank B)
- Score: 979500
- Starting TP next chapter: 7
Ein witnessed the death of Ledah and the emergence of a third Grim Angel, Malice.
The revival of Ursula's counterpart, Seth, who holds the key to the Retribution, was also unveiled...
With the destruction of the Aquariums, Yggdrasil is now vulnerable.
What will be the fate of those who can alter Riviera's future...?
So, I've got one last Elendia update, then we head to the final battle. Again, I hope the script format is turning out all right.
