So, let's get this mission started by heading into Mythril.
Biggs: Your mission in this trial is to obtain the Knight's Emblem housed deep inside the Adamant Isle Grotto. But there is one condition, boy! You can't enter the grotto until the moon is at its fullest. You'd best get yourself ready before then, mentally and physically.
Ceodore: Is there any reason why I have to wait for the full moon, sir?
Biggs: Hah! So you don't know about that either? This is gonna be a long day, I'll tell you that.
Hmph. Maybe Wedge will tell us something.
Wedge: The light from the moon casts its effects upon all the creatures on our blue planet. No monsters can escape from its influence, and neither can you, Prince Ceodore. Black magic, white magic, even physical attacks are all affected by the phase of the moon. But remember this! The moon cycles between phases with the passage of time, my lord. You will need to adjust your battle tactics with the current phase to survive on the field.
Ceodore: What happens during a full moon?
Wedge: Black magic becomes stronger, but physical attacks are half as powerful. White magic is unaffected.
Ceodore: So our swords become a liability during a full moon?
Wedge: Not necessarily. Our attack power is halved, but that applies to monsters as well. What's more, my lord, you are gifted with white magic from Queen Rosa... If your tactics match the current moon phase, then you will never be at a true disadvantage in battle. Now then, perhaps we could stay at the inn until the full moon arrives.
Well, according to the menu, the moon is waxing so it shouldn't be too long until the full moon.
Let's look around town. There's a few items scattered around, including a Ruby Ring. A pig in town is looking for such a ring, apparently, so we give it to him for some money. With this money, we can get outfitted in some gear, as Ceodore seems to have forgotten to bring a helmet. Or a decent sword.
Inn's free for tonight, so we use it and the moon becomes full. Let's go.
Soldier: Captain Biggs is waiting for you at the grotto. Please hurry.
Yeah yeah, I'm going! The grotto's on the other side of the island, a short walk.
Biggs: Late even to your own mission? Man, what a worthless squire they stuck me with.
Hey, I got here as fast as I could.
Biggs: We're about to journey into the Adamant Isle Grotto. Not to repeat myself, but your orders are to obtain the Knight's Emblem. If you want to cut and run like the spoiled little prince you are, now's the time.
Ceodore: ...
Biggs: Oh, did that hurt, boy? Well quit pouting and go get your provisions from these chests!
Just some consumables, nothing fancy.
Biggs: Finally found some resolve in you, huh, boy? Get on with it then!
Biggs and Wedge then join us. Biggs knows some Black Magic, Wedge knows Cure and Cura, they don't earn experience, that's all there is to say about them. Let's head in.
Biggs: Heh! Here we go, Ceodore!
Ah, a scripted tutorial battle!
Wedge explains the moon phase stuff he already told us again.
Another tutorial happens, and Wedge explains Bands. In short, Combination Attacks. To learn a band, you have to Search for it, which just means select the people involved and what command they should use. For example, Biggs using Attack + Wedge using Attack = Vibra Edge, which attacks all enemies. First use is free, then it'll cost some MP to use.
We reach the second room of the dungeon.
Biggs: Okay, Ceodore, it's all yours from here.
Wedge: Don't worry, Prince Ceodore. Remember, you have the blood of King Cecil and...
Ceodore: That has nothing to do with it!
I agree, stop bringing that up EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Wedge: Prince Ceodore!?
Biggs: Looks like you've got at least half a backbone in you. Get back here alive or forget about making the Red Wings.
Ceodore: Yes, sir!
A save point immediately follows, and we heal up. Moon's now waning, which is bonus to Attack, penalty to special physical moves.
Ceodore learns Libra at level 5. Not useful, I'll save all of his MP for Cure.
We find a few spell casting items around here around here. Unlike FFIV, spell casting items can actually be worth using.
Last chest of the area is a pair of Iron Gloves, so now Ceodore is fully equipped.
We find another save point, and using it to heal changes moon phase to new. With a boost to special physical moves and a penalty to White Magic, it is quite often a garbage moon phase.
Next room contains a chest.
Ceodore: ! The Knight's Emblem!
Of course, said chest contains a trap. Boss fight time!
The Sand Worm hits hard. Not much else. But eventually, it uses Whirlwind, and knocks us down to 1 HP.
Biggs and Wedge rush into the room.
Wedge: Prince Ceodore! Are you hurt!?
Ceodore gets up.
Ceodore: Stay back... please!
Biggs: !
Ceodore: This is... this is my battle to fight!
Wedge: You don't have to push yourself so hard!
Ceodore: My father... and my mother... have nothing to do with this...
Actually, they haven't been brought up yet this time.
Ceodore: I... I... I'll get through this... by myself!
Don't be stupid! You're still at 1 HP!
Ceodore's latent potential has awakened!
Wait, what? Ceodore uses something called Awaken, which heals him to full. And he now hits a lot harder. The Sand Worm dies quite quickly after that.
Ceodore learns Awaken after the battle. It fully heals him and boosts his stats for 3 turns, but then his HP drops to single digits.
He then collapses.
Wedge: Prince Ceodore!
Biggs: Wedge!
Wedge: Cura!
Ceodore gets back up.
Ceodore: Thank you very much. Sorry about that.
Wedge: I knew you could do it, Prince Ceodore. You have amazing powers hidden inside you!
Ceodore: ...
I don't think Wedge quite got the 'do it on my own' part there. He just had to explain it away with super special magic powers. Way to build self-esteem, man.
Wedge: Now you're a full fledged knight, my lord!
Biggs: We're leaving. Our work here is done.
Biggs and Wedge join us again. Let's get outta here.
Ceodore: Um... Wedge? Captain Biggs? Thank you... Thank you for everything.
Biggs just leaves.
Ceodore: Captain Biggs...
Wedge: I expected nothing less from you, Prince Ceodore.
Ceodore: Huh?
Wedge: We must hurry to the airship. We'll get an earful if we're late again.
We leave. That's all for now. Next time we, head for the airship I guess? We haven't really got anything else to do.
Stats (I'm only putting stats down for major characters, so not bothering with Biggs and Wedge):
Ceodore: Lv 11 HP:255 MP:67 Strength:10 Speed:12 Stamina:9 Intellect:5 Spirit:11 Attack:24 (2x87% Accuracy) Defence:14 (1x20% Evasion) Magic Defence:1 (0x1% Evasion)
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