Technical difficulties ruined night one, but nothing stopped night two!
I retraced my steps from last night and got back to where it ended. I beat up the two spirits across the rail tracks, didn't crash, and kept on going! Xero, Enda, and Burns continued to the back of the cave, where we found an empty room. Or so we had hoped. Just as we were about to exit, the place started to shake. A hole erupted from the ground beneath us as a giant undead...thing attacked us!
Macabre is the skeleton of something I couldn't make out. It has an attack that deals massive damage to the entire team, so make sure you're near max HP. It can also counterattack, but it'll let you know when that happens with a message. I charged up TP and made sure we were healed when he did that. So it was a great relief. His basics aren't too scary, and I think this guy attacks on a rotation, giving you a good idea of what's coming next. I used my first max TP attack, but it missed. Thanks, Burns!
Xero thought it was pretty fun, but Burns immediately left. The screen went with him, and it comes back on a new day. Clare loudly awoke us again, telling us our next mission for Blaze was to investigate the south mountain range. However, Xero and Enda realized working here would get them nowhere. They decided it was time to split. They'd head to the city in the south, Altantia, and see if they can find where Garin is.
But before doing anything, we return to our home, Ellea. There's nothing here, so we head to The Spot. Xero mopes around, regretting that he took everything for granted and thought the idyllic, dull peace would always last. He begins to cry until Enda throws a rock at his head. She tells him that crying won't solve anything. She's going to fight to make sure no one suffers like this ever again and suggests Xero do too. She plays a bit of a trick on him to make him look dumb, but it's all in good fun.
We made our way to the mountain we were supposed to investigate to find it blocked to traffic. Why didn't we get a pass? Regardless, there's a side path to the left of the screen. We have to fight through some ferocious dogs, solrock Pokemon, and final fantasy golems, which can be quite daunting. I know charging can restore MP, TP, and raise your defense, but everything hits hard and multiple times here. I want to hit and run, not tank unnecessary hits, so I'm a bit worried about how the rest of the game is gonna be. Make sure to turn a golem and a solrock into a crystal with the shard thing you get at the HQ. The solrock one will be needed for a quest, and the golem one makes for good armor for Enda.
But we get through and make our way to Altantia. We've been here before, and it was exciting! Enda runs ahead to visit the shops while Xero takes his time to inspect the city. There's nothing here, aside from the quest mentioned above, in screen one, so head south. This is the fun area filled with new weapons, armor, shards, and a few other side locations. There's an empty theater, unassuming research lab, and the docks. Speaking of the docks, Slash is here. We, the player, saw what happened when he arrived at Maple Fort. He found out Garin left to investigate some small island far away. Slash is now here, at the docks, just looking around. Xero walks up to him to ask about his dad, and he finds out here. Slash tells the boy to ask the scientists at the lab as they're the ones who spurred Garin's mind to his current task. We head there and see a woman with long green hair. But not the one from the space scene.
This is Asera, and she knows who we are instantly. Something about lightning in the air... She quickly divulged that Garin was looking for three stones. These are said to be able to undo any single mistake of the user from the past. She didn't go into more details about that mistake, so I'm thinking a lot of bad things. Was Xero or Enda the mistake? Conspiracy! Garin already found one of the rocks and left it here for safekeeping; it's just on the shelf over there. She also tells us about her floating rock in the middle of the room. Suddenly, Slash comes in and tells everyone to head outside. We...eventually...follow him, but only after we take dad's rock. Slash is on the docks and tells us, who has good eyesight, what's on the water near the horizon. It's a strange boat with a rounded top. It's a dome! For those who forgot, or in case I skipped it, domes are tanks that fire charged shells of highly explosive magic. Quite dangerous! Slash tells everyone to evacuate while he heads for the Altantia dome to the west.
Xero looks around the whole town but can't find Enda. I don't remember if it's now or back at The Spot, but there was a scene that was quite charming. We flashback to Enda's "birthday." In reality, it wasn't, but it was the one year anniversary of her joining the family. Xero made her a flower necklace to celebrate. He would have gotten her a teddy bear, but she already had one. Enda was a bit silent, so Xero tried to save face by calling it dumb, but she ended up loving it. Does she still use it? Regardless, the scenes cut from the inside of the enemy dome and the allied done a few times. The enemies are charging their blast, prepared to end this in one shot. Slash commands his dome, but one of his subordinates turns on him, killing two soldiers in the process. There WAS a traitor in the midst! But now, there's not enough magic to charge our dome, as the traitor, presumably, also got all other soldiers preoccupied elsewhere, somehow. Xero returns to the south city to see four Tren soldiers enter the lab. He follows after them to see them stealing the floating rock. The Tren commander, Farrell, shoves Xero out of the way and leaves, but the three privates stay back. Asera asks for aid in the upcoming fight, and we provide that.
Use Asera's magic. I didn't and nearly died for no reason. They're not hard, but they can heal. Asera knows fire and ice and has access to a few devices that we'll get more of later. She can also poison a group (if they're close enough) with her weak basic attack. The soldiers are still alive, so Asera tells Xero to kill them. Xero can't bring himself to kill, despite already doing so in Ellea, so we simply let them to leave. The camera cuts back to Slash trying to fire his dome. But with no aid, it's all for naught. Slash can provide, but it would cost him his life... But then Enda shows up and provides enough power. After a bit of on-the-job training, she musters enough to charge a shot that hits the Squadome dead on! It damages something, so the enemies prepare to make a point black shot at us. Afterwards, we go after Farrell, who warns us that we can either chase after him or help the soldiers in the dome. As he says that, the Aquadome makes landfall directly in front of the dome Slash and Enda are in. The tips even touch. They fire, and all hell breaks loose.
To Asera's chagrin, Xero makes for the dome. She's more interested in the rock, but that'll wait. We get there in time to see Tren soldiers loading Slash and Enda into their dome, and we give chase. We now have to navigate our way through this place, which is pretty easy and straightforward. There are a few rats to worry about, which are scarier than the soldiers. There are also ladybug robots that are either immune or absorb all elements except the one they're labeled as. Lightning bugs should be hit with lightning attacks. This is where Asera's devices can be used to change Xero's attack into either earth or darkness. There's also a scene that explains Xero hasn't killed anyone as the soldiers disappear like monsters do. In time, we'll see Enda in a cell and beat up her jailers. She's out of it but in fighting spirits. But we can't back out yet as Slash is still here. Going deeper down, we come to another door. As we do, the dome gets attacked again. Maple Fort has gotten its dome powered and is counter attacking! Their blast rocks us, and the dome is about to fall apart. The girls think we should leave, but Xero is determined to find Slash. He tells Asera to get Enda out while he closes the door behind him and carries on. He comes to more docks and sees Slash on an escape boat. Captain Farrell, suffering from the blast, will defend the escapees and fights us.
Farrell is no joke. Don't be afraid to heal since Farrell won't attack quite often. Field injuries mean something in this game, and he's in too much pain to give us a proper duel. But seriously, don't be afraid to heal. I got down to 36 HP! Farrell's ploy works as the boat leaves, with Xero chasing after it until he runs out of dock. Another blast from Maple Fort hits us, and Farrell gives his last remarks. But Xero wants to help him. He tries to drag him to a remaining boat to no avail. Just as everything's about to explode, he shoves the dying man into the water and does the same for himself.
We cut to another flashback scene with a young Xero playing cards with his friends. One is upset because another has something that's OP. And then Enda sneaks in and gives everyone the creeps. Xero goes out to talk to her, and she says she wants to show him something. We leave the village, and that something is The Spot, but it's from before they build the bridge, clubhouse, and ladder. They remark that they can see everything on the continent from here! This was where Xero's mom found Enda, so it means something to her. Not only that but she thanks Xero for being the only person who's nice to her. She tries to hold his hand, which grosses Xero out because girls have cooties! She denies it, but we cut back to present Xero.
He's in a vast blackness with only a voice to talk to. The voice turns into a robed figure who warns him that General Barclyss, the guy who bombed our home, is going to destroy the world in a few weeks. Xero is the only person who can stop it. Xero asks why the robed guy can't, to which he says he's having control issues. Xero is very dismissive of him. Suddenly, Xero begins to shake, and the robed man says he'll talk to him at the next opportunity and asks him to have fun in Tren. The shaking is Enda finding him a beach at sunset. Asera is there, too, but she's brushed aside rather harshly, in my opinion. The two siblings share a moment until we're back in the lab. Asera laments the loss of her anti gravity research until Farrell enters. Xero doesn't trust him, but the girls do. Farrell comes up with a plan to help those who saved his life. They'll rent a boat, travel east, and find Slash. And we'll do that...
...tomorrow!
Man, a lot happened tonight. But I guess the plot kicking off will do that!
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