A Brad episode.

Yesterday, we met Kanon in Quartly, where she told us to help clear out ghosts in the Sleyheim Castle. After scouring the salt flats for...ever, I finally stumble upon the place in the northeast.

Kanon isn’t here yet, so we venture in alone. As we make our way through, we see visions of Brad’s history during the Sleyheim Rebellion. We see him, Billy, presumably, and another man be chased into the castle, have a heroic last stand in the basement, and successful win in the other basement. We learn that it was the Sleyheim leader who turned the area to salt. He broke his countries own treaty, The Iscariot Treaty, by using a forbidden weapon called The Angel Halo. Billy tried to stop him but was unsuccessful. Brad has been holding something of his ever since. There are several secret items hidden around, including an amazing accessory for Illia. You need an Adult Mag to get it, which feels really out of place. After we’ve blown up a floor, fixed a painting, and knocked down many pillars, we finally meet Kanon. We’re out of places to explore, so we return to the entrance. The short story is, Kanon calls Ashley the ghost, and it is her goal to exterminate us. She’s not working with Odessa, so there’s no connection.

She’s pretty hard but manageable. Her attacks can hit for 1300 damage, so Illia will be on heal duty the whole battle. I had her cast Protect on everyone when she had the time, which helps a lot. Kanon also has a team wide move, but that does just over 500. Use Illia’s Mystic Ability with the Heal Berries to negate that damage.

After the fight, she says she let her guard down and promises to see us again. Out of leads ourselves, we return to Quarterly. We contact Valeria, who tells us about a freak reading from the desert. He believes it is tied to Odessa.

We walk around the regular sand flats, and we find the Alchemic Plant. We, the player, see a scene where Valeria and Antenora discuss the future as we begin our stealth assault. They also share some romantic feelings between them. We weave our way through robotic sentries that cause mild annoyance. They’re all faster than Ashley and Brad, and they’re resistant to all magic. They have low HP, so the defense doesn’t matter. I wonder if there’s a reason they look like a transformed Ashley? Eventually, we come to a control panel. I don’t remember why, but Brad stays back to manage it. Ashley wonders, again, if Brad is the spy but decides to trust his friends.

Ashley, Illia, and weak Tim carry on. Our next task is to wander aimlessly, trying to open a voice controlled door. This took me longer than it should have. The plan is to walk the circuit and use the call option in the menu. Doing so allows us toi listen in on Odessa communications. After four circles, for me, we finally unlock the room that contains the recorder. Use it on the first room on the right, and then use it again on the door. Inside is Antenora. She talks about how we’re bad and how Odessa is great. Despite being surrounded by soldiers, she fights us alone.

I had Illia healing for most of the fight, mostly because I entered with low health. Since Tim was around, I might as well as used summons. Tim did 2000 HP, which was the high point for battle, and maybe ever. Ashley should have kept attacking. Ultimately, it’s a regular boss fight.

When the dust settles, Antenora informs us who the spy is. One of the soldiers takes off their armor to reveal himself to be Brad! But not the real Brad. More soldiers reveal themselves to be Brad, telling us they somehow cloned Brad. The real Brad shows up and convinces Ashley to trust him. Ashley throws him the bomb Illia gave him, Eat My Dust, that we planned to use to blow up the Odessa base. Instead, he uses it to blow a hole in the room. Brad then tells everyone he’ll use the bomb implanted in his neck in prison, sacrificing himself to end Odessa. Ashley tells him to survive. Everyone leaves, and we see a massive mushroom cloud in the desert.

Valeria allows us a short time to mourn before he tells us we’re to protect the Guild Gillad Master's son as he returns home.

Character deaths seem like a good place to end.

I have so many questions. Cloning? Why did this come from nowhere again? No side scenes of multiple Brads in odd places? If the Eat My Dust barely blew up a room, how could it blow up a power plant? Why was Brad wearing such a destructive bomb? Did his jailers not think he would likely be in public?