Toggle Background Color
Video link
Karen: Look at how big this boat is, grampa!
Brian: K-karen! Watch your step!
Ophelia (thinking): Yeesh, these people...
(Ophelia turns around.)
Ophelia: Hey, T. T.! What are you skulking down there for!
T. T.: To catch you in my waiting arms should you fall, of course!
Ophelia (sarcastically): Really? Thanks!
T. T.: After all, one should be gentlemanly.
Ophelia (scowling now): If you dare look up from there, I'll kill you!
T. T.: I--I wouldn't!
(Beat.)
Ralph (referring to Leon and Lee-Ann): Wonder what those two are planning.
Leon: Well, what'll you do now?
Lee-Ann: I...would like to go with you, to stop Kaiser. But, I lied to you...
Ophelia: Leon! Lee-Ann! We're about to set sail!
Ralph: If you two don't hurry up we'll ditch ya!
Leon: Come on, Lee-Ann!
Lee-Ann: Uh-huh!
(Must...resist...boat...jokes...)
Ralph: So this is Turuk...
Fam: What a desolate[-looking] place!
Lee-Ann: It may be so, but this is where the monsters can live in peace and happiness, without fear of any threat.
Leon: Why can't everyone just get along? Is it really that hard for humans and monsters to co-exist?
Marcia: It is. Not just the humans, but the monsters, too, have endless things to fight over, so...
Ophelia: Right now our priority is to protect the island for everyone. Let's go!
Stage 17: Magic Holy Ground
Link to full battle
Let's hope we're not beating up the local populace, because that would be a supremely tone-deaf move from the developers given what's been revealed.
Heavy armor for Leon/Brian/Marcia/Fam/Ophelia; since the first three already have better armor, it goes to Fam.
And 2780 gold.
Video link
Brian: Now we can finally continue forward.
Lee-Ann: Indeed! This is...
Leon: Something the matter?
Lee-Ann: If we continue along this road, we can get to the home where Father used to live.
Leon: Sir Avi's home...
Lee-Ann: But no one lives there any more...
(Lee-Ann turns around.)
Lee-Ann: Oh! Uh...
Leon: Yes?
Lee-Ann: If there's time, can you stop by my house? There's something important I'd like to tell you...
(Beat. The music changes to the chipper shop tune.)
Fam: Hey, hey! Did you hear that?
Ralph: Oh, yeah! Loud and clear!
Marcia: That must have been a love confession, right?
T. T.: My, my! Girls these days sure are straightforward!
Ophelia: And when she's a teenager, too! Ah, how nice to be young!
Leon: Excuse me! What are you guys going on about?
(Everyone turns around to look at Leon. He jumps.)
Leon: *gasps*
(Everyone except Leon and Lee-Ann circle up to talk amongst themselves again.)
Fam: Leon's not the clueless type, is he?
Ralph: Well, he has been pretty childish all his life.
Marcia: How terrible! Miss Lee-Ann finally worked up the courage to tell him how she feels, too...
T. T.: Perhaps I should teach him a bit about the ways of men and women?
Ophelia: No way! We shouldn't disturb [those two lovebirds]!
(Beat)
Leon: You guys, stop it...
(As Lee-Ann speaks, the music stops again.)
Lee-Ann: It's about your father.
Leon: My father? He passed away...but, why would Lee-Ann bring this up?
Brian: ......
Lee-Ann: You'll find out once you come with me.
Video link
Leon: This is...
Leon: This is...when Lee-Ann was little...? Your mother sure looks pretty! She's got a mysterious aura about her, too...
Lee-Ann: I believe humans have always seen vampire clan women thus.
Leon: That so? Oh! Wait a minute! You said you're born of a vampire and a human...
Lee-Ann: That's correct. My father is a human. He changed his name to Avi in order to hide his identity.
Leon: What? Then...
Lee-Ann: Glenn...was Father's human name. Surely you've heard of it?
(The music stops and changes to a more ominous tune.)
Leon: Glenn...
Ralph: What're you talking about? That's...
Brian: Glenn...he was once the most courageous warrior of Barth, but mistakenly believed to have perished in a great battle 17 years ago.
Leon: That's...impossible...
Brian: Leon...Avi is your father.
(Beat)
Lee-Ann: Leon?
Leon: That can't be true...
Brian: Leon, the reason I've been hiding this from you until now is...
Leon: YOU LIAR!
(Leon runs out of the scene.)
Lee-Ann: Leon!
(An off-screen door slam is heard, and the music goes back to being sad)
Ralph: Woah, Leon! Wait for me!
Brian: Let him run!
Ralph: Pops! Why'd you keep something this important from us for all this time!
Brian: It was Glenn...no, Avi's request. Leon will understand someday. So, let him be for now...
(From how it's presented, I believe that this, and not the Fantasy Genocide, is what the narration considers to be The Major Reveal of the game. The foreshadowing's been there since the very beginning: when the party first met Avi and Brian "introduced" Leon to him, there was his unusual reaction; then, Avi approached Leon and Ralph to talk to them, asking a question that would otherwise be considered too personal for a stranger to be concerned about; if you miss all of those, there's also two name hints--Lee-Ann, whose name is basically a female version of Leon's, and Avi himself, whose name is Hebrew for "father".)
Fam: Leon hasn't said a word to anyone since that day.
Brian: If only I can clearly get across why Glenn would dedicate himself to the monsters...
Marcia: Now that I think about it, nobody knew about Sir Avi's past, and he had appeared so suddenly...everyone was passing around the rumor that he was from the mainland, but even I couldn't imagine that he was a human...
Ophelia: We'll figure something out. The important thing right now is to fight off the enemy in front of us.
Stage 18: The Heir
Link to full battle
Marcia picks up a thunder element weapon for Fam, but since Fam already has a staff with higher attack power and the elemental rock-paper-scissors aspect of this game is minor enough to not worry about, I sell it for cash.
More money (1180 gold). Now that I think about it, I wonder why the game didn't bother to localize the word "gold"...
Another armor upgrade, this time exclusive to Leon and Brian.
While I had Marcia running around grabbing these two last stacks of gold (1760 and 1550, respectively), I checked everyone's levels and, seeing that T. T. and Karen were behind, decided to feed them the rest of the experience.
Video link
Ophelia: How come it was just a bunch of minions? This is worrying.
Marcia: If we keep going, we'll reach the Turuk camp. Are they lying in wait with an ambush?
???: Relax, there isn't.
(Helios walks into the scene)
Marcia: Sir Helios!?
Helios: I don't know how to thank you for coming all this way...unfortunately, Kaiser has already left with his troops. The camp is now empty.
Ophelia: He's set out...no!
Helios: They're planning to summon the demon god using the temple that was sealed a long time ago.
Fam: It can't be...then we're too late?
Helios: No, the summoning ritual has to be held at a specific hour. There's still some time.
Brian: Is that so...?
(Beat)
Helios: From everyone's expressions, I take it that Leon now knows the truth about himself?
Leon: So you knew all along as well...
Helios: Avi...or, rather, Glenn, was an old friend of mine. Before you chase after Kaiser, why not rest a while at camp? This is a good opportunity for Leon to understand his father as well.
Leon: What's there to understand? He's just a man who abandoned his wife and child! Besides, he's already dead! What else do I need to know about a person like that!
Lee-Ann: Shut up! Stop talking bad about Papa!
(Leon walks further away from the group)
Leon: Sorry, but...I can't forgive him, no matter what. Though I barely remember what my mother looked like, but she passed away all alone, when father wasn't there...
Lee-Ann: Leon...
Leon: If he had been alive [back then], why not return to Mother? If he had been there, maybe Mother would still be alive...
Brian: Leon...please listen to the whole story.
(As the screen fades to black, Leon turns around and walks forward.)
Helios: It all began with that great battle 17 years ago.
Brian: At the time, both Barth and Youku wished to put an end to the war over control of the island.
Helios: Indeed. And because of that, the fighting was especially intense, especially the campaigns lead by Glenn, leader of Barth's knights.
Brian: But Youku wasn't willing to show any weakness, and our troops were routed as a result, leaving Glenn deep in enemy territory...
(Flashback)
Glenn: Is this place to be my grave? At least let me see my wife and child again...
(Elena walks onto the scene as it turns black.)
Helios: A monster woman named Elena von Basil saved him...Kaiser's elder sister, and Lee-Ann's [eventual] mother. At the time, Youku claimed that they would finish off Glenn, perhaps to deal a blow to Barth's morale...but, because of the difficult terrain and weather, neither side was able to push forward. Had a normal person received such a wound, they would have already perished, but Glenn was able to move about after convalescing for a few months at Elena's old mansion. But after such a difficult recovery, the first news he received was tragic...
Brian: Indeed...as soon as I was told that Glenn was still alive, I hurried over to Turuk as soon as I could. Though I was glad to be able to see my good friend again, but I also had a heavy heart, because his wife--Leon's mother--fell ill due to grief over receiving news that her husband had died in battle, and never recovered...
(Back to the present)
Leon: If what you're saying is true...Father didn't know that Mother had passed away?
Brian: Exactly...when Glenn heard the news, he was so overcome with sorrow that he was like a corpse...[that's why] I took you [home] with me at the time. It was a way to make up for my deceased friend.
Leon: I still don't want to believe that's how things turned out...
Brian: At the time, as soon as I told [Glenn] the news, I'd left Turuk. As you could imagine, his psyche took a huge blow from this.
(More flashbacks)
Kaiser: Why, sis? Why would you keep that person here?
Elena: Because he's in pain...I can't just leave him to die.
Kaiser: Sis...are you...?
Elena: Even if I'm just being stubborn...please...
(Fade to black.)
Helios: Everyone understood why Elena would look after Glenn, and as Glenn recovered, he was drawn to her as well. It didn't take long for this union to bear fruit...
(Flashback again, and a baby's cry is heard)
Maid: Congratulations, congratulations! It's a very healthy girl!
Gant: That's great. Since she's Elena's child, she's sure to grow into a smart and beautiful woman.
Kaiser: Gant! Would you be willing to do me a favor?
Gant: Well, well! It's not every day that the great Sir Kaiser is like this. I'm all ears.
Kaiser: Please protect my sister...Elena's child. We may be headed in a new direction from here on out; undoubtedly it will be a difficult road [to traverse].
Gant: Was that Glenn's...my apologies...Lord Avi's request?
Kaiser: ...it's strange, isn't it. I'm not sure why, but I've grown to respect him. Whatever he speaks of, it doesn't seem impossible.
Gant: ...very well.
(Another fade to black)
Brian: But five years after giving birth to Lee-Ann, princess Elena became much weaker, and passed away due to illness when Lee-Ann was five--perhaps it was the price she had to pay for giving birth to a human's child...I paid Glenn another visit.
(Flashback mansion ahoy)
Brian: It's been a while...what happened? You're wearing a mark like a monster.
Avi (using the portrait we've seen before): Indeed. My name is Avi now.
Brian: What's going on? Leon's already 10 years old now. Shouldn't you be heading back already?
Avi (turning away): Not yet...I can't...
Brian: Why not! You don't have any reason to stay here any more!
(Awkward silence ensues as Brian remembers that Lee-Ann exists.)
Brian: ...I apologize. Still, if you persist in your current action, what about poor Leon?
Avi (turning back around): Brian, I'd like to build Turuk into an independent nation.
Brian: Wh-what are you talking about?
Avi: The monsters on this island have long been abused and mistreated by humans...but [since] they have saved my life and taken such care of me, I'd like to return the favor.
Brian: Glenn...
Avi: To build Turuk, so that monsters can co-exist with humans on this island...this was Elena's wish as well. Before I achieve this wish, please take care of Leon for me. I know it's a difficult request, but the only one I can rely on is you...
(Brian turns to walk out)
Brian (as he's about to leave): Leaving such a wonderful child behind...if you don't succeed, you won't be able to face him!
(Back to the present)
Helios: Leon, I'd like you to inherit your father Glenn's...rather, Avi's path.
Leon: What!?
Helios: I don't ask because you're Avi's son, but because after experiencing this war, you should understand both how the humans and the monsters feel.
Leon: That's...impossible.
Helios: Without Avi, it'll be very difficult for us monsters alone...after this war is over, please help us.
(Beat; Leon turns away and walks to the wall)
Leon: No matter what the reason, Father still abandoned me. To him...I'm completely extraneous...
Lee-Ann: That's not true.
(Lee-Ann walks to Leon.)
Lee-Ann: Take a look at this.
Leon (from offscreen): A pendant?
Lee-Ann: Father was holding onto this when he died...
(For a moment, the image flashes to a bloodstained hand holding onto the same picture)
Lee-Ann: Look closely. Whose portrait is in this pendant?
(Close up of the pendant. A smiling Glenn is looking over his wife, who is holding baby Leon in her arms.)
Leon: This...Mother...and...me?
(Beat while we fade back into the room)
Leon: Give me some time to think about it...at least...until after the end of this war...
Helios: Understood...though I have neither strength nor magic, I can still help you nonetheless. Please prepare whatever you need before you go!
(
Holy guacamole! 20,000 gold! Have I even spent that much money during the entire course of the game so far? Where'd Helios get this kind of money???)
Helios: No matter what, please come back safely.
Leon: I will...and thank you.
Marcia: Lucia...
(Cue flashback sepia tint.)
Flashback Lucia: Hey, Marcia! Did you hear? I've been selected as one of Kaiser's personal bodyguards!
Flashback Marcia: Haven't you always looked up to Sir Kaiser? Congratulations!
Flashback Lucia: Thanks. Haven't you been selected as a messenger for Barth? That's awesome.
Flashback Marcia (giggles): By the way, the Princess [of Barth] was born not to long ago...I think her name is Fam? She's quite adorable!
Flashback Lucia (chuckles): You still sure love kids, don't you? You haven't changed a bit.
Flashback Marcia: But I have to go back to Barth tomorrow...I won't be able to see you for a while, Lucia...
Flashback Lucia: No way! I'm sure we'll meet again soon, and the next time, it could be in Barth! Take care of yourself in the meantime.
Flashback Marcia: I will! You too, Lucia!
(Flashback Lucia fades out, along with the flashback sepia tint.)
Marcia: Lucia...if only things could go back to the way they were...
Store clerk: Welcome...huh? Why does the background music sound so sad?
(Goodbye, Fourth Wall...and hello, mood-whiplash-induced neck pain...)
Marcia: ......
Store clerk: E-excuse me...do you need anything?
Marcia: Lucia...what can I do to bring things back to the way they used to be?
Store clerk: Uh...weapons, armor, medicine...? We have plenty in stock...
Marcia: But...if we meet again, are you willing to listen to me?
Store clerk: Um...would you please pay attention to me as well?
(Beat)
Marcia: OKAY!
Store clerk: *gasps*
(Music is back to the good old upbeat shop tune)
Marcia: I can't chicken out now, I have to go see Lucia right away. Miss! If you have any awesome weaponry, please show it to me!
Store clerk (thinking): I...don't get what's going on. I don't get it at all!
(Shopping time! That humongous cash infusion burning a hole in my pocket goes to upgrading weapons and armor for every party member if the shop has something for me to buy; I even have cash left over to get an accessory for Karen and some extra supplies!)
Marcia: Oh! I have to hurry and meet up with everyone!
Store clerk: Please come again! (thinking) Maybe I should quit this job...
Link to full battle
Lee-Ann: Once we go past this valley, we'll see some large ruins.
Ophelia: That's where the summoning will take place.
Ralph: Things are getting more and more urgent, huh.
Leon: ......
Brian: Leon, worry about things later, after everything's over.
Leon: Okay...I get it.
Stage 19: To the Ancient Ruins
Decked out in our shiny new gear, we are ready to chew gum, kick ass, and (of course) pick up on-field items.
At level 20, Leon learns "Fierce Strike", a 40 MP move that when used, causes his next regular attack to do Massive Damage. I promptly forget to show it off because I am a derp.
*ETA: Mis-remembered! Fierce strike is an upgraded version of "Strong Strike" which ignores height differences.
At level 20, Ralph learns "Chaotic Dance of the Destruction God", his version of Fierce Strike.
At level 20, Marcia learns a spell that costs a whopping 80 MP (which is more than what she's capable of even having for a couple more levels) that is an AOE summon spell. I'll do my best to feed her enough experience in order for her to cast it, but if she doesn't, the Chinese fan page has a screenshot.
Ralph's newest skill in action. It definitely looks badass, and does triple digits worth of damage, but it's not really worth the one turn wait unless I have nothing else for him to do.
Marcia grabs a rod update for Karen.
Ralph picks up another copy of the intelligence/light magic boosting ring that Fam is wearing, so that one also goes to her.
Lee-Ann picks up an armor that is strong against ice spells but weak against fire. I don't want to bother with juggling armor based on what enemies I'm facing so I just well it for cash.
While Marcia is slowly making her way back to the party so I can pick up the enemy drop in the screencap (she's the only one who can get there), Ralph grabs one gold pile, worth 1980, and Lee-Ann the other, worth 1450.
Lee-Ann: We're about to reach the entrance of the ruins.
Ophelia: Kaiser's elites must be lying in wait! Everyone be careful!
Next time: The Elite Four Boss Rush
Characters introduced in this update:
Glenn: Avi's human name when he was a renowned Barth general; severely injured 17 years ago in the Barth-Youku War and presumed dead, he was actually nursed back to health by Elena, but by this time his wife had passed away, so he remained there and even adopted a new identity, fathering Lee-Ann in the process.
Elena von Basil: Kaiser's elder sister and Lee-Ann's mother. Passed away due to plot JRPG Protagonist Orphan Syndrome the stress of childbirth.