Absol-ution III

Absol-ution Part III: Absolution! is the third quest in the Absol-ution Saga.

Dialogue
«Scene: Outer space.»

Lanfiré: Warning: What follows is full of hackneyed puns, melodramatic emotions, overblown dialogue, and more exposition than Antarian Colonist Jordan Robert's Circle of Space series.

Lanfiré: Or, as a certain young shadowkitten might say, "Lots of talky bits ahead." You can listen or save yourself some reading, and sanity, by cutting to the chase and skipping to the action.
 * Play Part I!
 * Play Part II!
 * Continue!

Previously...

This flashback cutscene may be skipped at any time.

«Scene: Inside the D.E.N.N.I.E. Phantom, near its shield generators.»

Celestra: Shield generators online... shields holding.

Hollow: (over intercom) Prepare to Jump to Etherspace.

«Scene zooms out to show the Phantom traveling, preparing to Jump.»

Galrick: Etherspace entry in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

''The Phantom arrives in Etherspace. Scene shows the interior of the bridge''.

Hollow: Welcome to Etherspace...

«You»: Just like I never dreamed it would be...

Lkeas: Funny, it's exactly as I envisioned it would not be...

Galrick: Transit Ellipse has been set to the Kresh Nebula.

Hollow: Engage.

«The Phantom continues its travel. New Scene: Elsewhere, a strangely colored Nightmare Rook speaks to a silhouetted figure.»

Ascended Nightmare Rook: Lord, we have an incursion...

???: Your queen is getting more daring? How droll.

Ascended Nightmare Rook: No, my lord. This incursion comes from beyond the Nightmare Realm. The technology is unlike any I have ever seen.

???: I have tracked it.

???: Primitive... but potent. Magic and Technology combined. What is the origin of this vessel?

Ascended Nightmare Rook: If I were to venture a guess, I would say Lore is the most likely origin multiverse.

???: Aye. That seems likely. The ship's trajectory suggests a return to that multiverse, though outside the Lorian sector.

???: Well, Lorian interlopers... you and your world are about to learn who rules the Etherspace. Prepare to take Lore out of spacetime...

Ascended Nightmare Rook: Ready, Lord Etherseid.

Lord Etherseid comes into full color and focus.

Lord Etherseid: You have messed with the wrong NightMare. Do it.

A screen falls downward, showing the removal of planet Lore from spacetime. Flashback ends.

«Scene: In the Phantom, the crew watches as the same vision plays on one of their own screens.»

Galrick: Did Lore just... disappear?

«You»: That's what I saw.

Terul'sith: Do you think this is...

Celestra: Uncreation? That seems likely.

''All turn toward Ryuusei. Celestra raises her Gauntleted hand, magic flaring at its fingertips.''

Celestra: What is your game, you devilspawn?! You bring me here to make me watch as your father's master eats my home? I will end your life!

Teacher appears just as Celestra raises her sword to strike.

???: Stop this at once!

Everyone: !!!

Celestra: I... I can't move my arm! Let me be, stranger—I have a debt to settle!

???: No, Lady Celestra, you do not. Calm yourself and be reasonable—you of all people should know that this is not Uncreation. If you can still remember Lore, it is still within the realm of Creation.

Celestra: I... yes. You're right.

???: I will release you now, and you will cease threatening this innocent man.

Celestra: ... Fine. But you have some explaining to do.

She backs away.

Celestra: Who are you, exactly?

Teacher: I am the one who taught Absolix in his mental childhood. I am the one who caused the struggle between father and son.

«You»: Is Absolix here? We need to find Cartwright. Ryuusei is wasting away because of him.

Teacher: Yes, Absolix is nearby...

Gaiden: So we're in the right place.

Teacher: You are in the right place in your search, yes. But the method by which you came took you through a very, very wrong place indeed...

Hollow enters.

Hollow: Incoming! «You», on your guard! We have bogies!

Who will you battle with?
 * Gaiden!
 * Ryuusei!
 * Hollow!
 * Celestra!
 * By yourself!

Regardless of choice:
 * 5 BATTLES (Randomly selected)
 * Level 0-26 : Ethereal Arakkna (7), Ethereal BuumDang (7), Ethereal Hydra (7)
 * Level 27-46 : Ethereal Arakkna (27), Ethereal BuumDang (27), Ethereal Hydra (27)
 * Level 47-66 : Ethereal Arakkna (47), Ethereal BuumDang (47), Ethereal Hydra (47)
 * Level 67-86 : Ethereal Arakkna (67), Ethereal BuumDang (67), Ethereal Hydra (67)
 * Level 87-106 : Ethereal Arakkna (87), Ethereal BuumDang (87), Ethereal Hydra (87)
 * Level 107-126 : Ethereal Arakkna (107), Ethereal BuumDang (107), Ethereal Hydra (107)
 * Level 127-146 : Ethereal Arakkna (127), Ethereal BuumDang (127), Ethereal Hydra (127)
 * Level 147+ : Ethereal Arakkna (147), Ethereal BuumDang (147), Ethereal Hydra (147)
 * Full Heal after battles #2, #4 and #5

The room appears to be smoking.

Hollow: Good job fending them off, «You», but they did some serious damage before you took them out.

The Phantom shakes.

Hollow: Ladies and gents, we have dropped out of Etherspace, and we're going down...

The ship falls toward a planet in realspace.

Everyone: AAAAAAHHH!

The ship crashes, but everyone onboard escapes in parachuted pods.

«You»: Ugh, my head... Thank Lorithia for health potions. I'm going to give Lucretia a thank-you card when I get back home.

«You»: I hope the others are all right... I should look for them.

«''You begin navigating around the crash site in search of the others. Click on the arrows to maneuver yourself around. For each room (even if revisited), you will encounter 2 BATTLES (same as above), except for the Start zone''.»

When you find Terul'Sith, Gaiden and Ryuusei...

«You»: Gaiden, Ryuusei, are you all right?

Ryuusei: Yes, thank you, «You». We both managed to land unharmed.

When you find Lkeas, Galrick and Celestra...

«You»: I found you! Is everyone all right?

Lkeas: I believe so. These strange trees made for a soft landing.

After you have found everyone except the Hollow:

«Scene: The group marches along under strange trees.»

«You»: Glad nobody's hurt. Let's take a head count... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... uh-oh. Where's the Hollow?

Hollow enters, bringing a beautiful man and a strange black figure with him.

Hollow: You're all here? Good. Listen to what this man has to say.

Galian: Hello, all. My name is Galian, and this is my attendant, Abernathy.

Lkeas: My Lord. I am ever at your service.

«You»: You bump your head in the crash, Lkeas? That seems a bit of a strong response to a stranger.

«You»: Galian... Galian... that name sounds familiar. Have we met before? And where are we?

Galian: ... No, we have not met, but I feel as if I know you quite well. You are on an unnamed planet, in the Kresh Nebula.

Galian: The planet is inhabited only by my orphanage.

«You»: Orphanage?

Galian: Yes. I run an orphanage for the lost, the forgotten, the downtrodden. I selected this location precisely because it was so far from trouble.

Galian: That all changed recently, when one of my former residents arrived with his father...

«You»: Father? If he has a father, then he is not an orphan...

Galian: There are many forms of being orphaned, friend. The two men appear locked in mortal combat.

Gaiden: !!! That could be Cartwright and Absolix! Where are they?

Galian: Far away, I am afraid. This is a large planet. Absolix would not take the battle here, where the other orphans are at risk.

«You»: So it is Absolix... you knew that all along.

Celestra: Are you toying with us, stranger?

Galian: No, I am not toying with you. I was merely reluctant to put any of my children at further risk until I was certain of your nature...

Gaiden: My father needs to be found. My dad is dying because of him.

Galian: Normally, I could aid your dad, too, but...

Gaiden: But what?

Hollow: Hush, all of you! He knows what happened to Lore.

Celestra: Was it Uncreated? When I find that pompous floaty ball of light, I'll...

Galian: Heh, no, no, nothing of the sort, don't worry. Though it is in grave trouble. A very, very evil entity—a native of Etherspace—caught wind of your little ship's method of transportation.

Galian: Lord Etherseid doesn't like uninvited guests.

«You»: Etherspace has natives? I thought it was a construct.

Galian: And so it is, but a construct that has been in existence for a very long time. Long enough to develop life of its own. Etherseid is a leader among them and a source of great evil.

Galian: He is a NightMare.

«You»: I'll be the judge of that.

Galian: No, not that form of nightmare, «You», the equine sort. A flaming horse born straight out of Heck. He has set himself up in a region of Etherspace called Rein-Gnarok.

Ryuusei: Etherseid... the name isn't familiar. Gaiden and I did quite a bit of interdimensional traveling while looking for my analogue.

Ryuusei: As a result, I know quite a bit about the evildoers of many different worlds, and I've never heard of a Lord Etherseid.

Galian: And for good reason. He never has left Rein-Gnarok before now—he does not deign to enter what he calls "The Drab Realms." But rest assured that it is he who stole your planet.

«You»: "Stole"? What, he just put it in his pocket and walked away?

Galian: Something like that, yes. He plucked Lore out of time and space, placing it in a pocket dimension and locking it in a stable time-loop. Making it appear as an Uncreation was his little joke...

«You»: Some joke. When I get my hands on that pony, I am going to fit him for a bridle and bit...

Celestra: And spurs. Don't forget the spurs.

Galian: Lore is gone, but not unrecoverable.

Terul'sith: That's good to hear, my Lord.

Galrick: Galian... Galian... Ah. I see.

«You»: What's this Lord business? Terul'sith, what has gotten into you?

«You»: Galian, you will have to pardon us if we don't trust the word of a random alien we just met. How do you know so much about our homeworld, anyway?

Galian: I am no alien. I myself am Lorian. I know of your world because it is my home. Etherseid overexerted himself, causing considerable damage to the very fabric of Etherspace.

Galian: This tear is what freed the creatures that attacked your ships. They will continue pouring out of the gap until it is closed.

Hollow: And the only way we can get back there and close it is with the ship. But that's broken.

Galian: I can help you fix it, Hollow. The rest of you just need to stop Etherseid's minions from getting to me.

Hollow: Hahaha... yeah, you definitely look like the wrenching type. What about you, Ryuusei? This is your mission. Do we have your aid?

Ryuusei: You have my support, but... I don't know if I'll be able to help. I was weak before we left Lore... between the space travel, the invaders, and our crash landing, I can barely stand.

Hollow: You can hold the flashlight.

Gaiden: Be strong, father. Once we defeat Etherseid's army, we'll scour the planet with Galian's help. We'll find your analogue and his son, then use the ship to fix the tear and get back home.

Ryuusei: I am afraid we do not have enough time. I love you, Gaid...

He falls forward.

Hollow: ... Fine, someone else can hold the flashlight.

«You»: Don't worry, Ryu. We'll save you.

Galrick: And I think we have some extra help. Lord Galian, your name is Galian in the same way my own is Glenn, is it not?

Galian: Astute, Galrick, son of Glenn. Very astute.

Galrick: We can trust Galian... you have my word on that.

Terul'sith: I would trust Galian with more than my life.

Lkeas: I have already entrusted him with more than mine.

«You»: Has he somehow influenced the two of you, and Galrick besides? Just what do you know that I am missing? ... Wait... Galian's orphanage. My lords, could it be you...

Galian: No time, «You». No time...

«You»: That won't wash. You. It is YOU, isn't it?

Lkeas: It is. I knew it the moment I saw him. Then again, I met him in this form once before, long ago.

Galian: Lady Archivist, your candor is less than helpful here...

Galrick: Celestra! Come with me. Now!

Celestra: What? Why?

Galrick: We are going to find Cartwright. I have a history with him. I can track him. (And now is not the time to have you fighting our only help, either...)

Celestra: Oh... kay.

They leave.

«You»: The Orphanage. Galian. It took me a moment to place the legend from the old book. It has been a very long time since I read it, and much has transpired since then.

Gaiden: Transpired? You mean "happened"? You really have been spending too much time with Falerin, you know.

«You»: Hehehe.

Gaiden: What's going on? What do you know, «You»?

«You»: Allow me to introduce you, Gaiden. This is The'Galin, son of Galian. I am correct, am I not, Lord?

Galian: Sight. You are ever full of surprises, Chosen. Yes. I am he, as Lkeas has indicated. Lauren, you can come out now... there is no use pretending any longer.

Lauren appears, glowing.

«You»: Hope dwells within and without, it seems...

Lauren: In part. We are incomplete. When Lore was taken, it took with it much of our power.

Galian: And this planet is not ours. The orphanage was built here because it was outside the watchful eye of those who would use it to harm us. v «You»: Ah—I see. That's why you can't help Ryuusei, isn't it? This is not your planet.

«You»: You do not have influence here—just like Falerin did not have influence on Lore until recently. Does that mean that other deities have claim here?

Lauren: Yes...

«You»: So acting as a god risks a godwar. As dangerous as that sounds, Lauren, don't you think that sometimes risks are worth taking?

«You»: I know I would gamble my life to save Ryuusei's. I understand the principle behind the noninteraction rule, but...

Lkeas: I don't think it's that simple, «You». Risking a godwar is terrible enough, but if they take action in our affairs, it could cause even deeper repercussions.

Galian: Lkeas is correct. We are sorry. But regardless, we would not intervene here more than we already have. This is not our fight. My avatar's analogue is dear to me, too... believe me.

Lauren: But there are some things we cannot just do for you. If gods solved everything, if we could do so, then no one would work for themselves.

Lauren: This is the sacrifice that was made when I granted Lore free will. Sometimes the effects are not ideal...

«You»: Tell me about it. Well, let's get this show on the road. We need to act quickly, before it's too late.

«Absol-ution Part III shop opens.»
 * Play again!
 * Guardian Tower!
 * Leave

Weapons
Space Gun [L. 7]

Cosmic Space Gun [L. 19 G]

Cosmic Space Gun [L. 27]

Space Gun [L. 47]

CoZmic Space Gun [L. 51 Z]

Space Gun [L. 67]

Space Gun [L. 87]

CoZmic Space Gun [L. 97 Z]

Space Gun [L. 107]

Space Gun [L. 127]

Cosmic Space Gun [L. 147 G]