LogFAQs > #962379802

Benwick is waiting saying the enemy is sending ships toward the Van Eltia, and Eizen demands to set sail. Because she wants to die, Velvet stays behind to stand around. There's no other logical reason than suicidal ideation. Eizen thinks she's insane, which she very clearly is. But Velvet wants to kill Artorius here and now, before he can perfect fusing with Innominat. Logical. Why wait until he's gotten so strong you can't kill him? Percy offers himself as a hostage. Well that's nice of him. Phi also notes how Velvet isn't thinking rationally... gee, ya think? He'll eventually have to make a decision about her... of some kind.

Just as everyone on the Van Eltia is relieved that they lost the Abbey navy, Grim realizes something awful about the book. Innominat is already... within Artorius? At the fortress, all hell breaks loose when Rokurou and Shigure start sparring - Rokurou getting to play with his new toy - and Artorius daring Velvet to kill him. Phi can't let her die here even though Eizen knows it's a trap.... and suddenly his voice changes and he tells a fellow malak that he's not a tool and nobody can stop him. And Artorius says Innominat will be facing Velvet. Like I said: She is suicidal.

AND THEN IN A HOLY SHIT CRAZY PLOT TWIST it turns out that Innominat... is actually Laphicet, and he recognizes her. HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. So the "sacrifice" was... to give Innominat a vessel!?!?!? He is now The Suppressor - the manifestation of evil that Artorius so badly wanted to summon.

I lose the fight in less than one second. The game lets me retry, so I just stall because I can already tell this is one of them unwinnable fights. Which it is. Turns out they needed eight "types" to awaken Innominat and not a specific amount of malevolence. And now, he will fully awaken by devouring Velvet. He breaks orichalcum - so much for that being so strong - and Velvet shanks him. He feels it, but he's not really in pain. He lies to her to obtain her powers. She goes from rejecting him as an illusion to embracing him, because she never wanted him to go away. She really believes it to be her brother. She is an emotional trainwreck. He says he never wanted vengeance... because that creates daemons. And he wants to make all the pain in the world go away. Or so he says. At what cost is that going to be at? Eizen thinks it's sacrificing free will, which it is. The Shepherd wants everyone in the world to be his sheeple, his brainless zombies. This is why he is the Lord of Calamity: He is bringing about a "new age" of nothingness that will lead humanity to ruin. Just so he can be in charge. Just so he can be immortalized. It's all about his own self-gratification. Fuck him.

Back on track, Laphi eats Velvet as per her wishes, and takes the rest of the party, too. He starts saying she's hurt so many people for no reason... uh, that's Artorius and his manipulation of everyone. But wait, Phi learns Force Field and... a warp arte? Out of nowhere? Talk about your Deus Ex Machina. And then a miracle occurs... yeah. I don't like those in my writing. Prince Percy calls out Artorius and is promptly taken hostage again. Great. Just great.

We jump into an earthpulse and Magilou says that Innominat is using the land as his vessel... well that's ten degrees of fucked up. Magilou and Bienfu seem to be alone, but Melchior is there to corner her. Great, just great. Magilou starts writhing in pain... apparently this asshole was her teacher? And he should've broken her heart more? Seriously, these villains are downright diabolical. Absolutely zero redeeming qualities in any of them. The alive ones, I mean. It makes me want to get to kill one of them now.

Instead Phi wakes up to see Velvet already turned into a zombie. When Phi says something, she snaps out of the trance and returns to her angry self, bemoaning that this Laphi is an impostor. No, he's not exactly... he's the vessel for the villain Innominat. Velvet has a memory appear from her, which she slashes because she can't take it. She can't stand to see herself happy with... someone who may be a traitor? I... she is MENTAL! She starts barking orders at Phi and Eleanor takes initiative to smack her. YOU GO, GIRL! Velvet calms down and returns to zombified. She... holy fucking word. I am speechless and not saying anything myself. She is so unhinged that she probably should just fulfill her deathwish. Her comb drops and Phi picks it up. Better not offer it back to her now. He doesn't. He expresses great concern and refuses to rest inside Eleanor. He wants to help Velvet. He wants to help her find her inner peace.

That is more than enough for tonight. To recap:
-This is off the fucking rails, just like Velvet
-Artorius is a piece of shit, but you already knew that
-I never expected THAT twist, and am still reeling (had to walk it off to calm down)
-The Oscar/Teresa scene was great, and it was nice that those two were humanized instead of being the OTTNN villains the rest are
-Weapon management is a big headache
-Did I mention this is absolutely bananas?
-And then a miracle occurs...
-GEEZ THIS WAS GREAT

This game was certainly a slow burn but the payoff was more than worth it. There was a lot of buildup and the party chemistry was solid (largely because Magilou) to get here, but it's finally past the point where it's good the entire way through.