To Even More Unknown Lands!

We're not done with this side because Ys is a Metroidvania.

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"Duren and I returned to Casnan because we spied on Commander Leo. In our defense, the army is loud. We also had nowhere to go, so let's get out of the dirt.

We returned and saw the town filled with Romun soldiers. It seemed the army was moving. It didn't affect us, so we turned in our progress to Griselda. While there, she told us the army was in town because they were on their way to Altago. The Empire is still at war with the Afrokan kingdom and their dragon knights. We earned 7500 gold for our new contributions. We met Griselda's aide as we left, Gruda. He's smaller than I'd expect a soldier and commander to be. He's here to combine Celceta's army with the Romun'a proper. He had to meet with Griselda, so we saw him off and enjoyed some downtime.

We had no way to reach the Primeval Lands, so Duren and I split up to find information. I'll be honest: I didn't do much. There were a few new quests on the bounty board that I was more interested in. Before Duren and I parted, he wondered if it was even possible to cross the river. My broken memory of that tower led us to believe it was possible. I asked a few people around town if they knew anything about a tower. Maybe they had seen it on a very clear day? Gotta be better than asking about a random plot of land. Sadly, no one knew anything.

But there was quite the common towards evening. A woman climbed up to the top of the city's wall. The citizens were concerned she'd jump, so Leo was put in charge of stopping her. He tried his best but eventually delegated me to do it. But the townsfolk weren't having it. Their leader should lead! It took a horde of cheers and guilt trips, but the Roaring One tried to climb the walls too. He didn't get fall. The girl on top jumped off, but it turned out to be Karna! She gave me a big hug because she was looking for me.

We returned to the tavern and had a big meal. I don't know if the journey tired her out or if Peach laced her food with tryptophan, but Karna passed out pretty quickly. Before she fell asleep, she told me Asad gave her permission to leave the village to find Remnos. She's angry that her brother held back all these years and now plans to punch him...respectfully. Duren returned and was concerned about the scene before him. He's an idiot. Regardless, after we brought Karna to a room to sleep her exhaustion off, Duren told me he found something. A contact acquaintance of his found a notebook. It contained a map that indicated a tower was on the otherside of the river and a secret passage north of Selray. This was my notebook that I lost before I acquired amnesia. Apparently... In the morning, Karna joined the group, and we went to Selray to see if Ozma knew about the cave.

He didn't, but he'd join the group anyway. He needed to know the truth about god and the beasts they gave to the village. Karna understood him and welcomed him aboard!

The cave was at the end of a small peninsula north. It was well hidden, and we only saw a strange light puzzle that was its key. My notes indicated that we had to turn on the lights in a plus shape, but triggering a light would de/activate all those around it. Through random button pressings, I did it!

We called this the Underground Ruins, and it looked like a massive temple that was falling apart. Another winged statue guarded the entrance, but the monsters inside did a better job. Most of them looked to be a hybrid of monkeys and lizards, but there were also some plants. I tended to slay them before they did anything, but watch out for the massive bulbs. They can do something that makes us lethargic. Moving is a painful, sluggish action you don't want to be afflicted with in combat. Navigation is a combination of the Ancient Burrow and the Sacred Lair. We had to shrink ourselves and swim into deep water to reach all the precious treasure! Karna, Ozma, and Duren had to do their things too. Fortunately, there were no slates. But something blocked the entrance.

This was not biological. We were against a blue metallic centaur golem, Elvaron. Duren knocked it down to our level pretty quickly, and it stopped working momentarily. We went all out until it started moving again and set itself on fire. All of our attacks became pointless. Good thing Karna was here, though. She noticed the broken breastplate and started hurling knives at it, taking it down for good!

Light was emanating from a staircase behind it. It brought us to a graveyard!? It looks well kept, so is there a civilization nearby? Duren noticed Comodo Tree was across the river, so we must have gone beneath it! It could have been another tree, though... And then Karna screamed. She found a tombstone that said, "Here lies Adol Christin." But I don't remember dying! But there's no point in standing around!

We went north out of the graveyard and crested a hill. It was amazing. We saw a town across a small valley that might be more advanced than Casnan. And behind it was a massive tower shrouded in an eternal thunderstorm. It was just like my memory. I can't wait to check it out!

-Adol

PS: Dad, your travel journals stated all this. I remembered the first time I read them long ago. Thank you for the support."

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Adol having a personality is so much fun. Being snarky really makes him someone that fits into this universe. I kinda want all the games to be redone with that in mind. But please don't alter the story like has been done to IV. I liked Mask of the Sun!