Last Scenario - Part 19
- Last time on Last Scenario, we got a BOAT~ And, uh. Decided to go back to the Ether Well. Yeah. Let's do that.
- It's about the same as last time, except the enemies are weaker because we're stronger.
Randolph: You said there were sentries in the previous room, yes? But there's nothing here for them to guard. That means there must be a passage here that leads further down.
- Clearly, someone needs to trip next to the far wall and accidentally hit a switch. Candidates?
Hilbert: It's possible. We didn't check very thoroughly.
Lorenza: Ah, there.
- ...that was disappointingly easy.
Randolph: Lorenza, can you compare the strength of the sensation here to what you felt back in Herzog? That way, we could estimate how far we are from the source.
Lorenza: It's... a bit weaker. It's probably still far away. But it's also slightly different. Beneath Herzog, I could feel many different presences. Here, there is only one.
Randolph: In any case, you can probably come along with us for a bit more. If it becomes too overwhelming, let me know.
Lorenza: Yes. I'll come. I'll be fine for now.
- And with that, the enemies become both palette-swapped and stronger. Dammit.
- Well, this puzzle is simple~
- ...oh. >_<
- Aaaall better~
- Now this room is interesting - if you walk past that window, the door closes.
- But there is an easy way to get around it.
- This looks like the last stop before... wherever we were going. Demon boss fight? :D
Hilbert: Are you okay, Lorenza?
Lorenza: I can't go any further than this. I'm not sure if I can stay in control if I get any closer.
Hilbert: It's nearby?
Randolph: We're nearly there, I think. Do you mind waiting here, Lorenza? We'll go take a look inside.
Lorenza: Yes, I'll wait. Go ahead.
Hilbert: We'll be back in a moment.
Hilbert: You'd better come look.
Lorenza: But I-
Hilbert: Don't worry about that. You have to see this for yourself.
Lorenza: O-Okay...
- A pile of rocks?
Randolph: Unbelievable... This whole wall, it's completely covered with...
Ethan: Biorite.
Hilbert: Forget about the wall. What is that!?
Hilbert: I don't get it. Weren't we supposed to find a demon down here? Who is this woman?
Randolph: More importantly, she's a...
Lorenza: A Havali.
Randolph: Did your father never tell you anything about this place?
Lorenza: No, I was still too young to...
- *GASP*
Lorenza: The Awakening!
Hilbert: The Awakening? What do you mean? That's supposed to be when the demons from the Great War come back to life. What does that have to do with this?
Lorenza: I just remembered what that woman we met at the valley said! 'The Awakening may free my people'... Now I understand what she meant!
Hilbert: I... I'm not really following you.
- *siiigh*
Lorenza: It doesn't make sense. We thought there would be demons sleeping here, but there's only a Havali woman here! And what about the other places? They're the same! I felt the same way when I was beneath Herzog! Didn't my people vanish from the land that's now the Empire? Maybe some are left in hiding, but... I think there are more of them, sleeping underground like this. That's what the Awakening means!
Hilbert: Hold on, you're saying that the Awakening has nothing to do with the demons?
Randolph: I think what she's saying is much more serious than that. I'm starting to wonder if there were such things as demons in the first place... Yes, it's true that my original theory was that the Havali were nearly wiped out by the demons before they turned on us humans, but... If you take the demons out of the equation, then...
Thorve: So that's what you meant... The war 300 years ago was actually fought between mankind and the Havali.
Matilda: Thorve!
Thorve: I'm sorry. That was thoughtless of me to say.
Hilbert: Lorenza...
Thorve: What I'm saying is, it seems like for some reason the Havali were branded as 'demons' due to the war.
Lorenza: I...
The room shakes
Lorenza: No... What is going on? What... What are we? I can't- I can't stop it.
There is a flash of bright light
Randolph: Look!
Havali Woman: You... are you the ones who freed me? Thank you. You've done me a great favor. I'll repay you in any way I can.
Hilbert: Who... Who are you?
Havali Woman: Hmm? You came here to release me, and you don't even know who I am? Doesn't the name Tiamat mean anything to you?
- This name is also sounding kinda familiar.
Hilbert: Do you know her, Lorenza?
Lorenza: I don't think so...
Tiamat: Haha... so after all that happened, I've already been forgotten?
Randolph: If you don't mind me asking, why were you sealed here?
Tiamat: Why? You don't know anything at all, do you?
Tiamat: What year is this? How long have I been sleeping?
Lorenza: Let me think... In Havali years, it should be... Fifth Cycle, year 677.
Tiamat: 677!? That has to be a mistake.
Lorenza: M-Maybe I'm off by a year, but...
Randolph: That long ago? Then... she was sleeping here long before the demon war took place...
Randolph: Can we go back to my last question? Why were you sealed? Who sealed you?
Tiamat: Hah. It's such a pathetic story.
Randolph: He?
Tiamat: That young man. The elder's son. He couldn't kill me, because he was in love with me. His name was... Barasur.
Tiamat: You... hgggg...
There is another bright flash
Hilbert: That was starting to get dangerous... Is she gone?
Lorenza: No, she's still nearby. Be careful.
Randolph: Do your people live that long?
Lorenza: I... I don't understand. We don't live any longer than you. My grandfather is old, but not unnaturally old.
Matilda: This isn't the time to worry about that. That woman didn't look all too stable. We'll talk about it once we're safely out of here.
Hilbert: Matilda's right. Let's focus on getting out first.
Lorenza: I... don't know. Honestly. I haven't seen him in fifteen years, but maybe... probably...
Tiamat: Haha... to think that after all this time, he'd still be around to suffer my wrath.
Lorenza: But you said-
Tiamat: He said it was an act of love, but he still had me locked up for three centuries. There's no one I hate more than him. Now that I'm free, I can finally get revenge!
Tiamat: You're welcome to try. No, I won't even give you the choice to run. All of you should die!
- Whatever happened to being indebted to us...?
- In any case, she's another of those people with her own boss music.
- She has a good healing item to steal. Unfortunately, she can also deal good physical damage and confuse your party members.
- On the plus side? Matilda's light-element spear does massive damage to her.
- Though it also does massive damage to Matilda when she gets confused and somehow stabs herself.
- Her all-hit 'Apocalypse' attacks are annoying if you don't have M-Shields up, but she doesn't have the highest HP.
Tiamat: Ugh... I've been trapped for too long. I'm not at full strength yet.
Lorenza: I'm Lorenza.
Tiamat: Lorenza... There's one thing I don't understand. What happened to Barasur? He couldn't normally have survived this long. Don't tell me... he was sealed too? The Elder of the Havali being locked away himself... no, that wouldn't happen.
Randolph: Of course! That would explain the sudden disappearance of the Havali 300 years ago! Lorenza, do you...
Lorenza: We were... Sleeping?
???: So it could be any moment now?
???: D-Dad?
???: Look! It's happening!
Meodar: Did you sleep well?
Lorenza: Mmm. I had a nice dream.
Barasur: So, she's finally awake too. I didn't expect that there'd be two months between my awakening and Lorenza's.
Barasur: That's the timespan according to Iore, yes, but we still have to go out to confirm it. But now that Lorenza is awake, that means more will follow soon.
Meodar: But only those of pure blood will wake up by themselves. How many will there be?
Barasur: A few hundred, maybe. There's no way of telling exactly. It may take several years for it to finish.
Barasur: I see. You already made up your mind.
Meodar: I know that it's selfish, but I don't want Lorenza to get involved in this. That man will definitely seize power as soon as he awakens. There is nothing we can do to stop that.
Barasur: I know it's more than just that. You're not sure if what he intends to do is wrong.
Meodar: Yes... if our people choose that path, then maybe we have no right to go against it. What the Valkiris army has done... even to my Siralda, is...
Meodar: As long as our people are asleep, they will be safe. And as long as we are gone, they will not awaken.
Barasur: It's true. Even if I am the elder, I am too old. I don't have the strength left to perform the Awakening. If I tried, it would only mean my own death. Futile as it may be, I will stay here and serve as opposition to Ortas.
Meodar: I wish you well.
Barasur: Meodar... I have a selfish request of my own. If you are leaving here, then...
Meodar: Yes, I understand. I will guard over her, and make sure her resting place is not disturbed.
Barasur: Thank you. I hope we'll meet again one day...
- Um, you kind of fainted during a really intense flashback.
Lorenza: I'm back home?
Lorenza: Oh, Hilbert? What happened? How did I get here?
Hilbert: Are you okay now? You fainted right after the battle, so we brought you here to recover.
Lorenza: Oh... I don't remember, but I feel fine now. What about that woman? Where did Tiamat go?
Hilbert: We don't know. She ran away, and we didn't pursue. I haven't seen her since...
Lorenza: I see...
Hilbert: Is something wrong?
Lorenza: I remembered... a little. Because of what she said, I recalled something I heard long ago.
Lorenza: I was maybe two or three years old at the time, so I have little recollection of it.
Hilbert: So... you were actually born over 300 years ago?
Lorenza: Yes, but like I said, I was too young to remember much about it. It seems like the biorite allows us to sleep for very long times without aging.
Hilbert: I remember Randolph saying his people found out that the stone had some kind of healing properties. I guess they have a lot more work to do.
Lorenza: Does it bother you that my people are the 'demons' that you were fighting against?
Hilbert: No... I mean yes, it does bother me, but not because I think your people are evil or anything. It's just that... it means that the legend of the demon war, the story that everyone knows, is wrong. If that's so, then what really happened? Did the Havali attack us? Did Alexander die not fighting demons, but your people?
Lorenza: I couldn't tell you.
Hilbert: I think there's still something important missing, something that explains why you were called demons.
- ...the fact that it was three hundred years ago?
Hilbert: And I think the same thing would explain what's going on in the world right now.
Lorenza: So... what do you want to do now?
Hilbert: Yeah, I was thinking about that too. The truth is, I don't really know. I'm thinking we should just go back to our ship, and maybe return to Herzog. We don't have to decide right away.
Lorenza: Yes, that's true.
Hilbert: Ethan? What's the matter?
Ethan: Look, it... it's gone far enough already. There's no point in keeping this up any longer. I did what I promised, but things have already gone beyond my expectations. It has to stop now.
Next time on Last Scenario, we learn... the truth. Dun-dun-DUNNN~