Quesada's Swan

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According to one of the director's tweets for this game (posted and translated in English in this tumblr post), he mentioned one of the artists made an evolutionary line of the Moos, starting with an octopus-like Moo, which made a cameo in the previous level, frozen in a pilar of ice, but I did not see it in my playthrough...

Pamela drops us off at the foot of the temple. She apologizes for not going any farther. It's okay.

Someone pointed out on Twitter that Klonoa's the only video game character on record, from that person's experience, that thanks people for taking him on rides.

Pamela: "Klonoa... Be careful." With that, she leaves.

As Klonoa enters a pipe, we drop down in the next area.

The duo are a bit amazed at the temple.

Someone calls to Klonoa and Huepow, in a gurgling voice, like they're in an aquarium tank.

Other voices speak...

They've been asking us why we were slow to get here.

How do they know Klonoa and Huepow?

Solare and Soleil are the sun priests.

---

Klonoa and Huepow wonder the same thing I'm wondering...

Huepow asks about Joka without mentioning his name. Yes.

V'z trggvat ivorf sebz gur frdhry urer...

Solare: "An orb must be placed on each one to open the door to the altar."
Soleil: "Need orbs."
Solare: "But the orbs have all been taken by followers of Ghadius."
Soleil: "Without permission!"

So they ask us to bring back the orbs. Soleil is a bit more...frank about the situation.

Solare is begging, Soleil threatens us if we don't succeed...

Klonoa asks what our next move is. Simple, get the orbs back.

Where to start, though?

I decide on going after red first.

Here's a better close up of the bottom area of the pedestal room.

---

Exiting the nearest pipe first, we're now at the west wing of the temple.

Onto the platform, which takes us higher. We use a flying Moo to rescue our first friend above a pool of molten metal...

And make it to the tunnel leading to the red orb.

Collecting a few dream stones first before entering...

We jump onto another moving platform.

Knowing there's molten liquid below, I take it steady.

After pushing two metal boards down, we proceed.

Still proceeding gingerly, we rescue another friend!

Pushing the boards down made makeshift bridges!

And Klonoa slips and falls into the molten pool!

Back at the metal boards again, I worry that they're going to bounce back up if Klonoa stands there for too long.

After passing them, we make it!

Now to get out...the only way is up!

I miss a dream sprite challenge because of a spikey blocking the way!

Eternally spawning Moos are the next obstacle.

They follow a pattern, but how do I use them to pass the fiery spout here?

I throw the bare Moo at the checkpoint, and figure out how to hit the egg next.

With no luck, after some playing around, I use the bare Moo to get over the flame column!

First orb in!

Now for the blue one.

---

The blue orb's situated outside this time.

We encounter another new creature, a ball-and-chain wielder!

The iron bars make it hard to tell if the platform is flush with the beam.

Not before taking damage, I take out an armor from a Moo and throw him to rescue friend number three!

After a while, we get the blue orb and go back in the temple!

The temple has blacksmith and terracotta aesthetics. It feels like a foreshadowing of what I'm going to be seeing (or reseeing) in the next game.

We encounter the rotating spawning Moos again, jumping to and fro from the back to the front, along with a ball-and-chainer.

Fourth friend out!

And second orb back in place!

Now for the east wing!

I get too eager and Klonoa gets caught in one of the fire spouts!

One life gone, but not bowed out. Seeing a fork in the road at the top, we go right, avoiding fire spouts!

Now how to open that door?

After seeing a dead end forward, I backtrack, picking up a Moo to hit the switch enclosed by a brick wall.

That did the trick, as the way out is open!

There's the green orb!

All we need to do is open two more gates, and were done with this part!

---

After pulling off a neat trick that, if it failed, would've had Klonoa in the molten pool, we go in and open the third door.

Now that's a long drop!

I mistime the jump and fall down to the ground floor without rescuing the fifth friend!

A line of armored Moos march at us below!

With help from the mantarays, we get friend number five, and take care of the single file of armored Moos.

Now for the last orb...

We take the left path back in the room with the green doorways.

After avoiding losing a life from the ball-and-chainers, we face another challenge.

These dream sprites are getting trickier, as expected late-game.

Another snag.

We make it and a flying Moo spawns, then we fall!

Let's see if I gather all the stones this time.

I don't, but we rescue our last friend, and pick up the last orb!

The orbs shine as the central door opens up!

---

Now what's in this room?

Where does this platform take us? The music's gone silent too.

We activate the switch!

A pillar of light emerges!

Soleil and Solare commend us, in their own way, for opening the way to the altar. They tell us to proceed.

Klonoa's a bit nervous...

One of the flying messengers comes in, who whispers news for Solare: a solar eclipse. By Solare's reaction, that's not a good sign.

Solare suspects Ghadius, since he has the Pendant.

Yup, Ghadius has darkness written all over him.

Solare: "He has awakened from a 3,000 year sleep, and now seeks revenge."
Soleil: "In other words, Mr. Evil himself."

Solare tells us to beat Ghadius and his minions to the Sun Altar before they do.

Klonoa asks the priests how they'll fare.

Ha.

Klonoa jumps into the pillar of light!

The platform below escorts him up...

I noticed this before, but the more friends we rescue, the longer the song gets.