Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

I load my game from the previous save point, just after our pre-final battle moments.

The music playing here gives me the chills. Extra points in that the music is Velvet's theme.

I talk to the pirate who mentions the Class 4 Zone again, along with Grim, and listen in on Kamoana and Medissa's conversation again.

I edit the previous notes I wrote for these scenes.

I suddenly realize Grim might be hinting that Melchior could be a candidate for the therion of despair, or could it be Magilou?

I also go through the wellspring of feels between Kamoana and Medissa again...

I get the Mythril Daggers from the gold chest for Rokurou...

...and we're off!

I check out the Sanctuary. It's empty.

Now to the gates, where Laphicet wishes he could "seal Innominat" with his power. Rokurou comes by.

Rokurou: "Just don't be too eager to help, okay? You've got a bad habit of trying to play the good guy."
Laphicet: "Oh no, I'm not a good guy...I'm a selfish, wicked little boy!" Lol...
Rokurou: "Oho, is that so?"
Eizen: "But if you acknowledge your selfishness, then it's something you've chosen for yourself, right? Now all that's left is to follow your own creed. Only that."

Why isn't Eizen getting some glory for holding his own wheel?

Rokurou: "Besides, I'm a daemon. Even if you were the worst of the worst, I'd be like, 'Cool.'"

Laphicet: "Thanks Eizen. Thanks Rokurou."

---

Now the three girls talk...

Eleanor tells Velvet not to "give up on Laphicet.."

Looks like Eleanor's not as saintly as she claims to be, as Velvet knows she heard her and Laphicet's conversation.

Magilou: "Heavens! I never knew a praetor to be so utterly shameless!"

Velvet: "No matter how selfish you are, life's empty without anyone to share it with...more than anything, I don't want to give up. Not on myself."

Out the door we go, and we're now outside! Look at those geysers!

There's that flower that Melchior stepped on...

East of here is Mt. Killaraus...

Now I'm in control of Laphicet...

But I switch back to Rokurou after a battle...

Magilou's coughing at the hot steam from the geysers here. Eizen points out what I knew.

Rokurou: "Mt. Killaraus is melting the bottom of the glacier."
Magilou: "Of course, of course. The heat and the cold are engaged in a futile war. Just like someone I know." She means Velvet.

She also gets scorched by the hot water below the ice...

Oh, Magilou.

Rokurou: (laughs warmly) "Where's that famous apathy of yours today, Magilou?"
Magilou: "Who cares about apathy? Especially when I've got friends [...] as you?" Oh my god...

---

We climb a wall up to the cliff, heading back to the area before the west gate, but on higher ground.

We see the code red daemon there...

...along with lots of Katz spirits, a chest, and a Katz box!

After getting the treasures we fight against the Spectral Crystal! The Spectral Crystal has the lowest HP in this game: 765!

We try to strike the code red directly, no go! Our attacks bounce off of them...

They fire a range of non-elemental attacks: Void Sphere, Void Cannon, etc.

I decide to use the Spiked Shoes equipped on Rokurou and the Void Rings on other party members to bounce the daemon's attacks back on to them!

This monster's got the highest defense physically and magically!

How to fight this monster?

I decide to give up and run!

I grab the last chest here, which is a Mythril Garment!

After some enhancements back in town, I return and proceed forward.

Laphicet points out the Scarlet Night. He's awed by its "strange" beauty. But he tells Velvet "he's not happy about" seeing one.

This night was the moment where Velvet's life went down the drain...

---

Velvet smiles.

Velvet: "If you're worried about Laphi or Celica, you don't need to be. I was just wondering what makes the moon turn so red."

Eleanor gives her the exorcists' explanation.

Eleanor: "The crimson moon is a gate to beyond, and is proof of humanity's sins."
Rokurou: "A sign of sin, eh? Maybe the moon drinks up the innocent blood spilled by the wicked." Eeee...

Eizen gives the scientific explanation.

Eizen: "A Scarlet Night occurs whenever a full moon is in a certain position. The land and the moon pull at each other, and earthpulse energy spills into the sky, turning it red."
Magilou: "Yes...the amount of power [it exudes] is said to create enough mana to affect even an Empyrean."

Eizen adds that what Rokurou said earlier makes sense, mentioning all of the wars and bloodshed the earthpulse has recorded...

Rokurou: "A wild guess hits the mark!"
Eleanor: "Don't get used to it."
Laphicet: "It sure does look grim though."
Velvet: "Yeah."

I face off against the Spectral Crystal once again, and from reading the guide, I learn I can reflect the daemons attack using Rokurou's Vengeful Punishment when it tries to counter.

The first time I tried it, it worked, and the Spectral Crystal's taken care of!

We get a ventite that can set the battle difficulty up to Chaos mode!

So Vengeful Punishment works while Rokurou is hit while in Vengeful Stance mode...

After a battle we get an Aquamarine Waistcoat! Its description makes a nod to the blue or white-gold dress debate...

Aside: Nabgure fgengrtl V sbhaq bhg yngre jnf gb frg gur onggyr qvssvphygl ba Rnfl gb gnxr pner bs guvf pbqr erq.

I practice some more on Rokurou's Vengeful artes.