We follow The Party as they travel deeper into the Nightlands, moving towards Akhine Temple
Thanna: How far is it from where we currently are?
Vaniel: Not too far
Neve: I can’t wait to meet the other Pionin?
Cynthus #1: I imagine it must be quite the shock for you
Cynthus #3: Thinking everyone likes you died only to learn that some live here must be the shock dontcha think?
Cynthus #2: That would make me want to die
Neve: Woah
Armei: Head 2 is crazy
Cynthus #2: So are YOU
Vaniel: Ah shut it
Erhan: So Vaniel, why exactly are you opposed to Kutakahra
Vaniel: He’s a self centered asshole who stole Phote’s army using something called Eclipse Mist which corrupted them and turned them into his own personal army. He’s been Misting villages to further grow his strength
Armei: We need to take him out with Phote if the Nightlands are to see peace
Cynthus #3: I really want things to go back to normal so I can go back to living my life
Cynthus #2: I want my enemies to DIE DIE DIE DIE
Erhan: Well, I can’t argue with that
Vaniel: The real question is why are you guild members here? You’d have no real reason to enter?
Iris: Something had corrupted a prism in our world so we investigated and broke open a portal to this place
Armei: The mist is spreading to your world?
Vaniel: That could be bad…
Neve: Kutakahra was serious about conquering our world huh?
Thanna: I don’t suppose this isn’t the least bit awkward based on what happened last time the Guild and Nightlanders interacted?
Vaniel: One of yours did kill my uncle but in the end, My Dad sacrificed himself for your realm so he believed in the guild, even if it was only in death. Therefore I can’t be mad
Thanna: I suppose that’s one way to look at it?
Neve: Now where are we going?
Cyntus #1: We’re actually not that far away but we need to go through something called Nightmare Valley in order to get to Akhine Temple
Erhan: Nightmare Valley sure isn’t an ominous name at all
Armei: I think it’s pretty ominous
Erhan: Sarcasm, learn it
Armei: What is this “sarcasm” you speak of?
Iris: It’s a Human World thing
Vaniel: We have sarcasm here too she’s just dense
Cynthus #2: Yeah she’s a real bright one
Armei: Thanks
Cynthus #2: It was an insult you stupid fucking idiot
Cynthus #1: Nobody likes you
Cynthus #2: Nobody likes YOU
Thanna: Alright break it up heady
Iris: Let’s go through this valley and just get on with our lives
Vaniel: At your request
Begin the descent into The Valley of Nightmares
When you’re 33% down
Vaniel: It looks the concentration of eclipse mist down there is a lot
Cynthus #3: Luckily we got just the thing for that!
Cynthus creates a flaming shield around the party
Iris: Ay nice
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Thanna: Alright, let’s go forth and advance
Resume
When you’re 66% down
Neve: I keep seeing things like Pionin artifacts just scattered on the ground
Vaniel: A lot of people died down here
Neve: Darn
Iris: That’s so reassuring to hear, that a lot of people died in here
Armei: How is that reassuring?
Cynthus #2: Sarcasm you DOLT
Cynthus #3: I think me and the other head are the brains and you’re just the grump
Cynthus #2: I’m smart too asshole
Resume
When you’re finally inside The Valley of Nightmares
Neve: Ok, now what
Vaniel: We should be safe from the mist unless circumstances change
A ringed hand then suddenly flies at the party
Kutakahra: Hello, I’m circumstances change
Armei: Alright asshole come get it
Kutakahra releases a torrent of mist at the attacking Armei
Armei: AAAH, GRAAAH
Cynthus #1: What the hell is this!
Kutakahra: To attack me, she had to leave your pesky flame barrier
Armei leaves your party
The darkness around Armei begins warping, cloaking her figure in the mist, her eyes turn red
Armei: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Kutakahra: Your friend is now my puppet oh no whatever shall you do
Suddenly a spear of light pins Kutakahra to the ground
Phote: Hello pretender
Kutakahra: Hello conqueror
Kutakahra and Phote begin to fight each other
Thanna: What the hell do we do
Iris: I got a plan
Iris picks up the discarded Light Spear, it begins affecting her body in a strange way
Iris: Oh, this thing sure has heft
Thanna: How is that gonna help
Iris: I now got a weapon
Armei begins circling the party
Vaniel: Can we save our friend from the mist?
Cynthus #2: If we could, we would have done it already
Vaniel: True…
Armei growls and snarls at the party
Neve: We should probably book it
Erhan: Alright gang lets run away
Erhan creates an auditory illusion that distracts Armei as he runs away with the rest of the party
Begin Nightmare Valley
When you’re 20% through
Thanna: I wish I had an actual weapon, I can’t really do much with my fist
Erhan: Don’t sell yourself short
Thanna: Well regardless of what you think I want a weapon
Neve: I got you
Neve goes over to what looks like a Pionin artifact and pulls the thing up from the ground, the artifact turns out to be a crossbow that fires bolts of light.
Neve: Here you go
Neve tosses the weapon to Thanna
Thanna: Thanks
Cynthus #3: Alright, now let’s keep on keeping on
Erhan: You could just say let’s hurry up and leave
Cynthus #2: Oh hey I like that one more
Resume
When you’re 40% through
Vaniel: Why is this place called Nightmare Valley again?
Cynthus #1: Because things so monstrous happening here long ago that could only be described as straight out of a nightmare
Vaniel: Thanks for reminding me
Cynthus #2: I wish the air service was active that way we didn’t have to go through the valley on foot
Vaniel: Yeah
Erhan: Sounds like you guys had quite a life before the mist fucked it all up
Cynthus #3: We really did…and now we don’t even have our friend
Iris: We’ll get through this all the same
Thanna: I don’t doubt you will
Resume
When you’re 50% of the way through
Thanna: Do you guys hear something?
A low guttural growling is heard and something emerges from the mist
Armei: GRRRR
Vaniel: Oh crap she caught up to us
Cynthus #2: God dammit we need to go
Neve: What do we do
Cynthus #1: Maybe this can hold her
Cynthus fires a cage of flame from his box, containing Armei inside
Vaniel: I hope it does, I don’t want to fight her
Erhan: Fighting your friends can never be easy
Nevei: I bet it’s not
Cynthus #3: It sucks but we gotta go and leave her behind for now
Resume
When you’re 60% of the way there
Thanna: I keep seeing my own fears reflected in the ground
Vaniel: Me too, it’s probably a mind altering property
Erhan: I bet
Iris: It’s probably some kind of prism that reaches into our memories and then places them into the ground for us to see
Thanna: I wonder how that’s possible?
Cynthus #3: I think it has to do with the psychic energies exuded by every single one here that are then reflected into the rock
Thanna: That kinda implies that we have similar brains?
Cynthus #1: The result would most likely be the same if you used a small rodent or large livestock animal
Resume
When you’re 80% of the way there
Neve: I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking about what to say when I finally meet the other Pionin
Iris: It’s gonna be a big moment for you
Thanna: I wonder how we will get our abilities back?
Iris: It will most likely involve some kind of ritual
Thanna: Perhaps
Iris: I think I may have to put down the spear?
Thanna: Huh?
Iris: I feel my soul being torn apart by it
Thanna: In what way?
Iris: I feel like I need more than just myself?
Vaniel: LIke being split into two?
Iris: More than just two…
Cynthus #2: Well regardless the solution better work or we’re all gonna die
Iris: It better
Resume
When you’re finally out of Nightmare Valley, The Party sees Akhine Temple not too far ahead
Vaniel: Akhine Temple!!
Iris: Let’s finally go inside
Thanna: I’ve been waiting for this
Suddenly, that growling voice can be heard again
Cynthus #1: Oh no
Iris: It’s time we end this continual chase and retreat game
Vaniel: No, let-
Armei jumps out of the shadows slashing her sword near Vaniel, he dodges expertly
Cynthus #2: She’s too far gone dude
Erhan: Only so much we could do to prevent this outcome
Vaniel: When I face Kutakahra, I’m gonna make him pay for this
Armei: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Fight Armei
When she’s at 25% health
Vaniel: Goodbye old friend
Armei: GRRRR-GRA-GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWRRRRRRRRRR
Cynthus #3: We’re gonna miss you
Resume
When you win, Armei staggers back and falls slightly
Erhan: It hurts to say goodbye doesn’t it
Vaniel: It does
Iris: Then I’ll make this quick
Iris throws the spear into Armei’s neck, it lodges in there, blood begins pouring out, Iris walks over and removes the spear, wiping the blood off it with her bear hands
Iris: I’m sure in another life we could have made great friends
Thanna: Now let’s go…we have vengeance to reap