Stupid Sexy Hilda

We're at the Dreadnought, so let's bring it dread!

We walk in and see a knight guarding the path. He asks for our pass, which you should have picked up in Bafsk, and he steps aside. It's time for the guard change, so he then leaves, confusing Firiion. The first floor of this place can take you three different ways. The way down is towards a sleep blade hidden behind a secret wall. The second stairwell is to the jail cells, which we need to go to. Down here we will find Hilda and Cid in a cell that's far too easy to open. Hilda apologizes to us for getting caught. All she wanted to do was be by our side. Cid only says that he and the Princess will be waiting for us at his airship.

From here, we head deeper into the Dreadnought. Don't talk to the soldiers as it'll only trigger a fight with a captain, which we killed a bunch in Fynn. There's some good stuff in the final room, so, thoroughly, the second (or third) room with the captains. Keep going to the right and get the three treasures. Up the stairs takes us to the engine. Gordon tells Kirion to throw Egil's Torch into the opening. As he does, things begin to explode, and fires quickly start to burn the ship down. From the right of the screen comes the Dark Knight. He asks us what he did, and Maria thinks she recognizes his voice. Firion says we have no time to discuss it as the ship begins to blow up. We're automatically taken to Cid's airship. He takes off just as we see a blast goes off beneath us. Cid takes us back to Altair, and we return to HQ.

The King has taken a turn for the worst. Minwu did what he could, but age and injuries have caught up. We're all in the King's bedchamber as he gives us his final words of advice. He says that Gordon should be brave. He reminds Minwu of the ancient legend of Ultima. He finally asks us to protect Hilda, which we all promise to do. He then blinks in and out of existence and fades away. Hilda spent the entire conversation in her room and is only laughing now. I guess her father's death hit her strangely?

Gordon is now in charge, and he suggests we team up with another kingdom. Far to the west is the nation of Deist. Their dragoons soar through the skies on wyverns, which would be of great aid in the coming fight against the Empire. Head to Poft and find a ship to sail us there. The very first person we see is a woman who just so happens to be traveling that way. Maria thinks it's too convenient, but she's the only option we have. We follow Leila to her ship and ship off!

En route... Maria was correct. Leila's underlings surround us as she tries to steal our stuff. We're not gonna let them, so a fight breaks out. We're against eight sailors, who are weak and die quickly. Leila gives up the chase, but Firion offers her mercy. If she and her crew join the Wild Rose, then it'll all water under the bridge. She agrees, and we get control of the ship. The whole world is our oyster, but random battles do happen at sea, so it's a little annoying. But we can go anywhere even if we're not supposed to yet. I mingled with a few dungeons but didn't get far in. So head through the oddly shaped continent to the island on the upper east side of the map. Speaking of the map, I figured out holding O and pressing select brings it up! Rad!

Deist is a castle, but it's empty. A child blocks the way, and he tries to get us to leave, but we can follow him to the back. We'll see him and his mother tell us what happened here. The Empire poisoned the water supply, which killed off all the wyverns in the kingdom. Only one remains in the room behind them, but he isn't doing well. If we try to speak to him, nothing happens since Guy doesn't speak draconic. The woman outside tells us dragoons communicate with their mounts with a pendent. No one says this, but we can find a dead dragoon in the Deist Caverns to the north. Take the top path on the first floor and return to the wyvern. The wyrm will tell us what Elena, the woman who has no name yet, outside told us. He finally asks us to take a wyvern egg to the bottom of the caverns. This is the final wyvern in this world and will usher in a new future when it grows up. He then lies down, and we return to the dungeon.

This place sucks. Why is every fight an ambush? All three dungeons I got through tonight were like this, and it's terrible game mechanics. Mobs are already faster than us, so them getting two turns in before us is tedious. Especially if they have status effects! Let me play the game! And they're so boring. I mashed attack and held down the fast forward button for most of this. And it's a long dungeon with a number of paths. One of which can take you to the bottom, but we'd be on the wrong side of a wall from the lifespring we're searching for. It's a maze, and I've forgotten the correct course. Waiting for us at the bottom is a chimera. Curse procted, and so did Guy, so it's just a speed bump. I had enough MP to teleport out, which you should do because walking out would suck. If you didn't already, get the treasures in Deist. Nothing of note is here, plotwise, but the wyvern has succumbed to the poison. The kid and his mom are upset.

Return to Altair. Gordon asks us to talk to Hilda, still acting strange. Go to her room, and she'll ask to speak to Firion...alone. Hilda glides to her bed, lays on it, and wants Firion to join her. He's reluctant at first, but the room turns pink, and the music changes, so he ends up giving it a thought. Leila screams from just outside and implies Hilda is a snake. Hilda gives up the plot and turns into the Lamia Queen!

Finally, a tough boss! She loves charming our characters, which turns them against us. She can also put us to sleep. Guy really needed a nap, I think. Man, I really hope Furion doesn't curse an ally. Eventually, she'll cast blink on herself, so turning to magic would be wise then. This is luck based, so hope Maria doesn't get charmed or die. Her healing will be tantamount here. In time, Lamia Queen dies, and we return to Gordon. As we're about to wonder what happened, a soldier will enter the room and tell us the arena in Palamecia, the Empire's heartland, is holding a tournament. The winner gets Princess Hilda. So guess where we're off to? Gordon rejoins the team, and everyone gives Leila command of the army, which just makes sense. Cid doesn't take us there, so take the ship the long way around Mysidia. Go north from the desert as there's a mountain between the sea and the arena.

As we enter, we'll finally see the Emperor. He locks us in the pit, and a behemoth comes from its cage! Curse procted, and so did Guy. We'll approach the Emperor again, and he'll teleport away. As he does, three soldiers and the Dark Knight will surround us and throw us in jail. We're stuck here, but not for long. Our old pal, Paul, will distract our guard and knock him out. He'll say this was his way of repaying his debts from Semitt Falls and head off. There are a few items in various rooms, but they're not very good. The elixir might be, though. Most of the rooms are trap rooms, which is the greatest thing in Final Fantasy! No, I'm not being sarcastic! I love them!!! On the second floor is Hilda, behind another easy to open cell. Gordon will escort her out, and we're the supposed decoy. Nothing comes from this, so it's just a simple way to split the party. Once again, there are far too many ambushes here. And there is a monster type that inflicts debilitating status effects. Stone and instadeath are common, so I'm glad I can save scum. This was terrible. There is no boss, though, and we can just walk out.

If we return to Altair, the soldiers will tell us we're ready to retake Fynn for the rebellion. Head to Galtea, cross the bridge, and we can see Gordon and Hilda tell us the plan. As you'd expect, we're the plan. We'll be retaking our hometown...

...tomorrow!

I hate ambushes!