Well, let's continue onwards. First thing to do would be to restock at Troia. There's new shops open now. Both characters now have an identical setup; Great Bow, (Fire/Ice/Lightning) Arrows, Sage's Miter, Sage's Surplice and Rune Armlet. Screw that Ruby Ring we found.
Next stop, the Chocobo Village. Black Chocobos are now present here. We grab one, then some Baron soldiers run in.
Soldier: There they are! After them!
Too late. We take off and head towards the Lodestone Cavern.
Leonora: An airship from Baron!
Palom: They found us! Hang on!
Cue the explosions.
Palom: Are those idiots actually trying to hit us!? What are they thinking!?
We reach the entrance to the cavern.
Leonora: Thank you, chocobo! You need to get out of here now!
Black Chocobo: Kweh!
It leaves, but that means we're stuck here. This plan better work.
Leonora: This way!
Palom: Right!
In we go.
Palom: Whoa-ho! That is a serious magnetic field!
Leonora: Make sure that any metal items are unequipped from your body. Otherwise, you won't be able to move.
Palom: The soldiers are gonna have trouble with this, too, no doubt.
Leonora: Yes, that's the plan.
Palom: Well then, you ought to start back to Troia.
The chocobo's gone, there is no way back.
Leonora: What!?
Palom: Look, things are getting serious here. This is nothing like your training before.
Leonora: I'm ready for whatever comes my way! Besides, you're going to nee my white magic!
Palom: ...Is there a written rule somewhere that says all white mages have to be so stubborn?
Leonora: What was that?
Palom: ...Nothing.
All right, let's go. First floor contains nothing of interest. On the second floor, we find a Circlet. This is weaker than the Sage's Miter but gives an Intellect boost so Palom can use either just fine. I'll stick with the Miter, I knida want to keep damage low.
We continue down to B3. There's a Save Point and Challengingway at the beginning. We don't need any supplies right now, but we do want to save and heal.
We then continue south. First we find a treasure room with some consumables (including an always lovely Spider Silk), then further northwest to a healing pot and a Polymorph Rod. The Polymorph Rod has free casts of Pig. I don't like it, really.
Leonora learns Sleep just before we head down to B4. Palom learns Osmose soon afterwards. We head across the bridge, but then things fog up.
Palom: What the...
Leonora: This is a deception put up by the Epopts.
Palom: So where's the real path?
Leonora: This way!
Leonora walks over an invisible bridge.
Palom: Aha...
We follow her down to B5. First priority; head the wrong way and grab a Mage's Robe. It's better for Palom than the Sage's Surplice. Leonora learns Berserk as we go over a hidden path leading to a Soma Drop. We then go back up to B4.
The soldiers are catching up to us.
Soldiers: ...There they are!
Leonora: Palom...!
Palom: They must've taken off their equipment!
Like they'll figure out how to cross the bridge. Baron's military is kinda stupid. Anyway, Save Point here. We then head into the Crystal Chamber. The Earth Crystal is put in place.
Palom: Guess this is it for us.
Leonora: What?
Palom: Think about it. How many soldiers are after us? We don't have infinite magic, you know. If they storm us with superior numbers, we'll surely run out of energy sooner or later.
Leonora: ...
Palom: We've gotta face the facts.
Leonora: This is not like you...
Palom: Huh?
Leonora: This is not like you at all!
Palom: And what could you possibly know about me!?
Leonora: ...
Then the Crystal makes a noise. Thank you for the distraction from awkwardness.
Palom: ? Leonora! Get back!
We pull Leonora away from the Crystal quickly enough before... the Dark Elf appears?
???: Yes... My prison has been unlocked...
Leonora: The Dark Elf!
Dark Elf: I simply lost my body in the previous battle. Nothing more. But the Crystal has given me physical form once again! That horrifying noise is also gone... This time, I will finally acquire eternal life!
Well, we happened across him while the moon phase is pro-Black Magic. First level spells still don't do anything, so Leonora is stuck with arrow duty. Holy Arrows, mainly. We also equip Leonora with the Ruby Ring, as it protects against Pig, which he'll inflict a lot. Well, I guess it was useful after all. We also slow him twice, as the damage he can do is ridiculous. Eventually...
Dark Elf: This form no longer suffices!
He becomes the Dark Dragon, again. But now, our Black Magic is useless against it. And it resists weapon damage. Well, we're screwed.
Leonora: Palom!
Palom: Magic doesn't work!?
Then, someone casts Diamond Dust. The Dark Dragon falls.
Dark Elf: Ergh... The noise is gone, and yet... Where... where is my eternal life? Aaagh!
Well it ain't here, that's for sure. He vanishes.
Palom: Shiva! That must mean...!
I hate to break it to you, but Rydia's on the other side of the planet. This was the doing of the Mysterious Bitch.
Palom: Who are you!?
Mysterious Girl: Give me the Crystal.
Palom: ...You aren't from Baron.
Mysterious Girl: Didn't you hear me? Give me the Crystal.
Palom: What happened to Cecil?
Mysterious Girl: I don't need to answer that. If you won't give it to me, I will take it by force.
Palom: We'll see about that.
Mysterious Girl: For a specimen of an inferior species, you seem to have some measure of intelligence... But you fail to realize the gap between your power and mine.
Leonora grabs the Crystal.
Leonora: Palom!
Palom: (Give me the Crystal and get out of here.)
Leonora: (I-I can't...!)
Palom: (I'm your teacher, right? You've got to listen to me.)
Leonora: (But...)
Palom: (Don't worry about me. I've got the perfect plan.)
Leonora: (Really?)
Palom: (Yeah. Trust me.)
Leonora gives him the Crystal and he holds it up.
Palom: Now! Leonora, go!
She teleports out.
Mysterious Girl: Finally ready to hand over the Crystal now?
Palom: You said I was one of an inferior species, didn't you?
Mysterious Girl: Yes.
Palom: Well, you're about to be outfoxed by someone of that species... right before your eyes!
Mysterious Girl: What do you mean?
Palom: I mean this. Break!
He turns himself and the Crystal to stone. Okay, that was pretty ballsy.
We rejoin Leonora at the B4 Save Point.
Leonora: ...!? Palom...
After we save and head out of the room, we go back to the Crystal Chamber.
Mysterious Girl: Petrifying yourself along with the Crystal... What a fool. I'll just shatter your body and retrieve the Crystal.
Leonora: Wait! Don't you touch Palom!
Why are you here instead of running for it?
Mysterious Girl: All we want is the Crystal.
Leonora: I know that. Esuna!
Palom and the Crystal are restored.
Palom: (You idiot! Why did you come back here!?)
Leonora: (How could you do that!? What if she shattered you to pieces?)
Palom: (She was bluffing!)
Leonora: (You're the one who's bluffing here... You've always been that way.)
Palom: (What!?)
Then a flashback, to the ending of FFIV.
Palom: So there I was on the slopes of Mount Ordeals, when I cast an awesome Blizzard and...!
Then Porom shows up and hits him.
Palom: Owww!
Porom: How many times are you going to be late to training!? The elder is really angry!
Back to present.
Palom: That was you!?
So, Leonora was the girl that Palom was showing off to at the end of FFIV? Um... okay...?
Leonora: You've been that way for as long as I've known you. Bluffing and talking big... just to make others feel better.
Alternate explanation: He was 5 years old.
Mysterious Girl: I've had enough of this. Hand it over now.
Palom: I think you misunderstood...
Mysterious Girl: ...!?
Palom: Who said anything about giving you this thing?
Mysterious Girl: Giving up your last chance to live? I find such a decision incomprehensible.
Palom: Maybe so. You know, this girl here is no good as an Epopt. But as my partner, she passes with flying colors!
We learn Particle Bomb. Basically, Palom casts Blizzard, Leonora casts Fire, somehow this causes Stuff Blowing Up.
Music: The Eidolons Shackled
(Listen. It's awesome)
Okay, so we're fighting the Mysterious Girl. Best way to do damage is Particle Bomb, so may as well. She doesn't do anything to defend herself, though. A few rounds of that and we're done.
Mysterious Girl: Is that it?
Then she summons Shiva. We lose instantly. Crap.
Palom: L-Leonora...
Leonora: ...
The bitch steals the Crystal.
Palom: Wait... You can't...
Mysterious Girl: I am done with you.
She vanishes.
Palom: No... Nooo!!!
Palom collapses.
Meanwhile at Mount Ordeals, Porom and Kain are heading down. This isn't gonna end well.
Porom: !
Kain: What?
Porom: Palom!?
And so the tale ends. Well, next time is the Challenge Dungeon and something else. See you then.
Stats:
Leonora: Lv 23 HP:587 MP:151 Strength:22 Speed:11 Stamina:14 Intellect:18 Spirit:38 Attack:35 (3x80% Accuracy) Defence:22 (1x28% Evasion) Magic Defence:20 (1x27% Evasion)
Palom: Lv 25 HP:728 MP:268 Strength:21 Speed:12 Stamina:14 Intellect:38 Spirit:24 Attack:35 (3x81% Accuracy) Defence:23 (1x28% Evasion) Magic Defence:20 (1x27% Evasion)
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