Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

I would have called this place the Nofbecgvba Tngr...

Laphicet: "That's the cave! I can feel a powerful earthpulse flowing inside it!"
Velvet: "It looks like we can reach the core from there."

I see a gold chest west of here, which has a Gloire des Mousseux Sash...

Into the volcano we go!

It's frozen solid inside...

Skit: Magilou asks about Velvet's plan to escape the volcano in any case if it ever erupts...

Velvet: "There is no plan."

Magilou overacts in crisis.

Velvet: "I'm not going to die."
Magilou: "Well, I'm super happy for you! But what about the rest of us!?"

Velvet: (smiles) "I'm sure you'll all make it."

Phi also thinks there's no eruption after we're done here since we're only pushing in souls into the volcano, which will not cause it to erupt...

Eizen however, mentions "a great shift in the earth" once the Empyreans wake up, and to be cautious.

Laphicet is very sure everyone will be okay.

Rokurou: "Hahaha! You're starting to sound like Velvet!"
Eleanor: "You look sure of yourself, but I'm still nervous."

Magilou thinks of writing a last will and testament before they proceed. Eizen's not letting her use his pen and paper.

Velvet's still confident about their chance of success.

Velvet: (to Magilou) "Besides, it's not like you have anyone to give a will to." Ohhhhhh! Owch!

---

We face off against more monsters: a Blood Heat (a fire bat), a Hundrepede, and a Freezillo!

Now the steep climb to the cauldron of the volcano begins...

The icy crystals here make the place so cold...

Oh my goodness, it's a long way, huh?

Magilou's shivering and almost falling asleep...

As we ascend the volcano's chilly caverns, we see more natural crystalwork...

The Hundrepedes are also nasty poisoners!

So much traveling to get through in this volcano cave!

Before the last part of the second area, Laphicet asks Rokurou about Shigure...

Rokurou has a question for Laphicet. He's serious.

Rokurou asks Phi about his time in the hot spring bath in Meirchio. Oh my god...this guy! I thought he had something serious to ask Phi.

Laphicet blushes.

Then Eizen steps in. Oh boy...

Poor Laphicet...

Rokurou calls this "resolve" question of Eizen's "like a test."

Phi went into the bath alone.

These two guys...oh my goodness. *smh*

Phi says that he "[doesn't] want Velvet treating him like a little kid." Understandable.

Rokurou laughs and congratulates him. Eizen tells Phi that he passed.

Rokurou and Eizen are amazed at Laphicet's character development in such a short time. In real time, it's been three months...

---

Phi: "If you're just going to pick on me, go away!"
Rokurou: (laughs) "We're sorry, really. But I really needed that. Laughter's good for the soul." No wonder why he sounded serious. He's nervous with his duel against Shigure...

Phi asks if he actually is nervous.

Rokurou: "You wouldn't think it, huh? But now I can fight like I always do. I owe ya, Laphicet."
Eizen: (to Rokurou) "Looks like the next test is yours." Yep...

Rokurou: "Laphicet, Eizen, watch me prove myself."

Let's hope this battle is one-on-one like last time. If it does, this checks the Tales game trope of a one-on-one duel before the final battle...

Aside: I wrote this without realizing that this game already had its one-on-one duel, way back at the ravine in Islegand.

Eizen: "Rokurou, how do you think Shigure will move against us?"
Rokurou: "He's not really the imaginative type. He'll be out in the open, waiting for us."

More slopes to climb...

Now we're outside again.

Eleanor points out this is a good place to get ambushed or surrounded by enemies...

Rokurou knows Shigure's more of the traditionalist battler. He won't pull anything like a surprise attack, and after Rokurou says that, I get caught into a surprise attack by Winter Wolves!

There's a lot of monsters bunched up on this ascent...

I see a save point at the entrance to the hot cave of the volcano, and stop here.