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Well, who's up for more Entertainers?
Mozart's #10 Dance Tune
Let's see, we were about to head into Drakenvale, right?
Yup. Here we go!
Huh. Golem as the first encounter? What're the odds?
Anyway, that minor surprise aside, I take a little side-trip into the first cave I see for some pocket money.
And in the next tunnel I run into these guys. That's a Requiem, by the way. Really nice damage, AND perfectly reliable (so long as the target's undead). Nice addition to my arsenal!
I have no idea how they fit this in a box, but oh well.
Hello again. Please stop punching my face. Anyway, a couple screens later I decide to heal up with Potions (since I've got 'em anyway, so I might as well use 'em, right?).
Ah, yes, THIS room. How many people have gotten stuck here due to not realizing that you have to jump in a hole in the square I'm facing (which you can't even see)?
There's more money at the bottom. The top door just leads back to where we just were, so we want to go the other way.
: What's this do?
: Dammit, Galuf, just because it turned out well LAST time doesn't mean you should play with ALL the switches we see!
I don't have a "before" screenshot, but trust me when I say that little bridge wasn't there before. Anyway, NOW I go through the backtrack door (which slams behind me, but no loss since I'm done down here).
In the next cave, I find this and a Wind Slash down the left passageway, and a Phoenix Down and progress to the right.
Save point. Probably getting close to the boss.
Before I deal with that, though, Golem needs an exorcism. I have trouble seeing why I should help you after you punched me the last two times, but might as well- I mean, I've gotten all the boss summons thus far, might as well go for the full set.
Besides, Requiem makes it easy. I don't think this counts towards Bosses since I was never in any danger (I mean, Golem isn't hostile this time, and the dragons would've targetted Golem first if they'd gotten a turn and, on top of that, are randomly encountered around here anyway!).
Meh. I just did it for completionism anyway.
Now that I've bailed Golem out of the trouble he got himself into by randomly punching things in the face, I head back to the save point for a nap before the boss. I feel like I've already used more Tents than I did in my last playthrough...
: Right, now let's harvest it and get back to the castle.
: ...That's not supposed to happen.
: Those aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, actually.
: Somehow my opinion of wind drakes' combat ability has gone into the negatives.
: To be fair, they were probably already wounded when they ran into this stuff.
Time for weeding, I guess. Dragon Pod (or rather, the Dragon Flowers it spawns) can be pretty nasty to an unprepared team.
Too bad for them that they're not prepared to deal with Romeo's Ballad; they continue the trend of bosses lacking Heavy resistances while being vulnerable to Stop.
After uprooting the minions, all I have to do is start hitting the Dragon Pod itself. Two consecutive Sword Dances tends to cut down on boss lifetime.
Easy, if time-consuming due to its 12,000 HP. Like Purobolos before them, the Dragon Flowers failed to even act. It drops an Elixir, too; apparently the game's trying to apologize for my dependence on them in World 1 by drowning me in them.
Boss Deaths: 
Total Boss Deaths: 5
Other Deaths: 1
: Most tedious harvest ever.
: You know, I've heard of music soothing the savage beast, I've heard of people singing to their gardens, but I've never heard of anyone combining them.
On my way out I grab something I missed. Unlike you solo runners, I doubt I'll ever have a reason to use this, but if I find one it's there now.
I am never coming back here again- there are exactly ZERO worthwhile encounters in Drakenvale, with the possible exception of Golem (the dragons have too many HP, the cats show up too many at a time, EVERYTHING does too much damage, and nothing gives decent rewards).
Come to think of it, maybe my problems had something to do with the fact that I forgot to upgrade my armor... Well, it probably wasn't much considering Mozart's using a cloth class at the moment.
Back at Castle Bal now. Galuf demands entry...
...but is denied because the guards can actually follow orders (ironic, isn't it?).
: Saw this coming.
: Maybe you should've come up with some sort of password to let them know it's really us...
: Race you to the moat.
: Let's see, the switch was over that way, right?
: Yup.
: In we go.
: To be fair, your orders WERE to shut the gate and not open it for ANYONE. I can't see any reason to punish you for following orders.
: Uh, yeah, what he said. (
smile:
After restocking my Potions, I chat with the guards before climbing the tower with the dragon grass.
: Please tell me she at least got someone to care for the wind drake for her beforehand...
: Wait, that goofball?
: The clown's dangerous? Huh.
: I think he's more of a kabuki actor, really, but who's counting?
: If we had troops to spare I'd send them to support him...
: As soon as we get Krile's wind drake fixed up we can go in person. We seem to do better than any army anyway.
Before we go treat her dragon, Galuf wants to check in on Krile.
She is delirious.
: Who the heck is Ghido?
: Fair assumption that he's not human, then...
: He's not. He's a turtle.
: ...That's different.
: I'm more inclined to believe him after meeting a talking chocobo.
: If you were expecting it, why'd you use them to seal Exdeath?
: The prophecy came after we sealed him.
: We've gotta see the wind drake first, Galuf. If literature has taught me anything about sages, Ghido'll be living in some remote location.
: A cave on an isolated island to the northeast, to be exact.
: Not literally, but I'm sure it'll be more than enough to fix him up.
: Obviously. We've come this far to help you, we won't back down now!
: You've certainly changed, Mozart.
: That's what happens when I decide I like someone.
At the top of the tower, Lenna attempts to administer the Dragon Grass...
...but the wind drake's scared of it.
: C'mon, it's fine- we already killed it, so it can't attack you.
: Like, today?
: Like, less than an hour.
Upon being told of the urgency, Lenna decides to coax the drake into eating it by taking a bite herself.
Lenna's self-preservation instincts: Still missing.
: God dammit... That stuff's toxic to humans, and here she is poisoning herself... How're we gonna get her out of this one before she dies from it...
Lenna ignores them in favor of feeding the grass to the drake, which, upon realizing that it LET her take a bite out of it, eats it willingly enough.
: Damn that works fast.
: So it does.
As everyone crowds around the collapsed Lenna, Krile comes out.
: What, you just happened to have an antidote for dragon grass poisoning handy?
: It pays to be prepared.
: Physically, at least. Mentally, you've pretty much proven that you aren't.
: Mozart! 
: Sorry. I... errr... don't think there's a good way to say "your lack of survival instinct is so bad that it almost makes me think you WANT to die."
: There isn't.
: Besides, you said it first.
: Unlike you, I'm allowed to question my family's mental health.
: We've all gotten on her case for this before, and it doesn't seem to have sunk in.
: (Hmm. Maybe guilt tripping would work... but then, it didn't when the Chancellor of Tycoon tried.)
: Translation: "Go to bed, young lady. You're in no shape to be moving about."
: I didn't mean right here.
: Saying that sorta thing just makes people worry more. Off to bed with you.
: What he said.
: Lenna, you really need to practice not getting into trouble like this.
: Or at least learn to get out of it on your own.
: Actually, I think Lenna's opinion on that is "we save the drake, you let us borrow him." It's certainly mine.
Anyway, Krile finally starts to head back to bed while we mount up.
And we have the dragon back! 
...Well, technically it's a different one, but it's functionally identical to the one we got in World 1.
Hmm... what do we have here?
It's Dawn Warrior #4's territory!
When we try to hit the switch to open the door, the guards try to stop us until their commanding officer chews them out. Said officer also tells us that Xezat's off commanding his fleet, but we already knew that.
I was planning to do that anyway, but being invited to do it means I can't even get in trouble for it!
: Why, thank you! Don't mind if I do.
This guy tells us how we'll be progressing the plot later.
: I'll leave that to you two- I don't know how to get a wind drake to listen to me.
While selling the crap I picked up along the way that I can't use, I find that the Dragon Fangs that the zombies in Drakenvale were dropping are worth a LOT. The Wind Slash, on the other hand... not so much (only 50).
I find this up the bottom-left staircase.
: Come to think of it, I've never been as nimble as I was since he stopped...
: That's because this song magically enhances a person's mobility.
: So THAT'S the secret!
Top-left leads onto the walls; I'll skip to when I find something interesting.
A couple floors later, we get drafted into putting books away in the library.
Top row, central shelf.
Center row, far right shelf.
...Wait, why's there a book about a civilization we found ruins from in World 1 in World 2? Anyway, this goes in the bottom row, left free-standing shelf.
Our reward for that busywork? More castle to explore.
: Well, they DID say we could take anything useful.
: If they didn't want us raiding their treasury they should've been more specific.
After a brief trip outside, we go back to the basement to pick up another spell I'll never be capable of using.
And there's nothing left of interest in Surgate, so it's time to go visit Ghido.
...or not. As soon as we set foot on the island, Exdeath sinks it with an earthquake.
: You said he was a turtle, right? Hopefully he's a sea turtle.
Just for the record, here's Pao Island, northeast of Exdeath's Castle. Yes, it still has Paos, in case you didn't get enough Tents the first time.
Next stop, Xezat's fleet! We'll have to land the dragon on the flagship, which is this big one I'm currently hovering over.
Well, good to know SOMEONE recognizes us as the protagonists!
After the pleasentries are over with, Xezat inquires about the rest of the party. Incidentally, the wind drake decided to take a nap as soon as we landed.
Xezat's reaction to being introduced to Mozart is MUCH more understated than the reaction when he first revealed his father back in Quelb.
: Me, a lady? HA! That'll be the day!
: Sorry about Faris- she was raised by pirates.
: Uhhh, that's not exactly reassuring...
: You sure you aren't a bard? We found that song you used to go faster.
: Errr... I, uh... Nobody said swordsmen can't play music!
: In other words, you're embarrassed and call yourself something else you think is more dignified?
: Sounds about right. He was never a very GOOD swordsman- he just relied on being so much faster that his opponent couldn't keep up.
: Galuf! Don't tell them that!
: Like I'd address him that way anyway.
: Yeah, you're even more irreverent than I am.
: Whatever you say, Your Royal Kinginess.
: Ignore him- that's how he addresses royalty.
: Uhhh...
After Galuf asks about getting into Exdeath's castle, Xezat starts bragging.
: I hope you don't mean literally- fire on a ship is a very bad thing.
We're given control at this point, which I use to chat with some of the soldiers. Talking to the dragon, incidentally, will allow you to go somewhere else to do whatever (for example, I saved after that scene so I wouldn't have to go through it again- I feel like this next bit's gonna hurt).
: Well, I guess that's a good thing, so long as we destroy that tower we're targeting beyond repair. Saves a lot of effort.
: Isn't using your entire fleet as a decoy terrible military practice? I mean, what if Exdeath just sinks us?
The game won't progress until you rest on the ship, so I do so.
We are awoken by a crash that knocks everyone out of bed... and Battle On the Big Bridge. Guess who showed up to bother us!
Up top, we see the dragon flying over a ship that's pulled up next to us (I have no idea if it's port or starboard, since not only do I not know which way this ship's facing, but I can never remember which is which), but not much else.
: Kinda hard to sail secretly with a fleet.
: I'll take your word for it- I don't know much about sailing.
: Bold words...
: Oh ye of little faith.
Xezat grabs one of the enemy commanders and drags him off to the ship on our right. Then everyone starts running around like crazy.
Talking to one of the goblins starts a fight with this guy. The usual strategy takes care of him easily.
Killing them all prompts Xezat jumping to another ship before hitting the goblin that had been chasing him with lightning. For a guy who calls himself a swordsman, he's not very swordsman-y, is he?
Too bad for him the enemy commander can fly.
: Definitely a kabuki actor- he's too melodramatic to be anything else.
: If he's a kabuki actor, he's not a very good one- he keeps breaking character.
Gilgamesh round 3, go! This one's a bit more complicated than the last two.
First thing I do is mass Hide in order to wait out his MP so I don't eat any Missiles or Death Claws.
: Damn you, cowards! Come back and fight like men!
: Look who's talking, Mister Excuses!
And he's out. How does Hide even work on a ship, though? 
Further complicating matters, Gilgamesh summons a teammate to attack us with. In addition to being another reference to the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu here has a wide array of Blue Magic, all of which is problematic (Aera, Vampire, Missile, Web, White Wind, and Dischord). Incidentally, Mozart is currently singing Swift Song; I smack him out of it real quick so I can go wait Enkidu's MP out in safety.
Ouch. Good thing Gil decided to try a Missile instead of attacking after Enkidu's Aera- otherwise that would've downed Mozart.
: AGAIN?! Dammit, you REALLY need to learn when to stand and fight fairly!
: I already know, though.
: Yup. "Never."
: Exactly.
Now that that's accomplished, we can actually start the fight for real! First thing on the agenda: Hi-Potion for Mozart.
Must go faster!
Well, that's Gil down. Mozart got Webbed, incidentally, but it doesn't seem to be holding me back much.
And since his HP are terrible, Enkidu falls not long after.
Boss Deaths: 0
Total Boss Deaths: 5
Total Gilgamesh Deaths: 0
Other Deaths: 1
Of course, Gilgamesh is a sore loser and attempts to drag us with him as he falls overboard.
But we manage to grab on to the... what the heck is that thing called, anyway? Not pictured: Everyone else is hanging off of Galuf.
: I warned you this would happen!
Gilgamesh is upset at this development.
His impotent rage is muted by a mouthful of water as he's swept away.
: The hell you gonna do- sing at us?
: God dammit Galuf, have a thought for the people hanging from your legs!
: You're part of the problem.
Wind drake to the rescue! Can't really call this Deus Ex Machina, since he was at least right there this time.
: Not what I expected, but I'll take it.
: At least there's room for all of us to grab on this time.
After dropping us off back on the ship, the wind drake goes back to the ship it's been flying over since we woke up. Dammit, I wanted to go save!
After going a round with Gil and his buddy, I think a nap is perfectly justified before following Xezat.
Not like I've got a choice, since the dragon's hiding from me.
: I suppose...
Huh. When I decided to double-check, the NPCs went back to their pre-battle locations, which means I can fly off to save.
Which I do on the nearest bit of land suitable for the dragon (after restocking my Hi-Potions). I should probably grind up a level before the next dungeon- I'm pretty sure Lvl 5 Death shows up there...
Next time: Submarine warfare, sort of!