Shin Megami Tensei playlog

[Balcerzak]

Okay, so a couple of weeks ago I finally got around to playing SMT, due in part to Haze linking a video from SMT2 ("Everybody's dancing furiously) as part of his hosted mafia game, in addition to a longstanding "I'll get around to that someday" that started after I played Devil Survivor Overclocked (which in itself was mainly motivated by Chalis having been talking super excitedly in anticipation about it before its release). Nightmare had also mentioned Strange Journey a lot on IRC too, if I remember right, or maybe it was one of the other spin offs? At any rate, I finally got up the motivation to pop it in and start it up.

I wasn't initially sure if I was going to do anything special, or just play through the game, but I had the random idea inspired by the various pokemon logs I'd seen posted in FE4 thread from time to time where people named 'mons after forum members. I decided to do the same. The major downside is there are only a few nameable characters, but I would be damned if I let that stop me.

I posted logs that took the form of first person narration with some screenshots interspersed, and plopped them into the thread hither and thither randomly. The problem with just dumping into a massive thread is it's easy to lose track of things and such. Therefore to better archive my expedition, and to make it available to those people who may never step foot into that behemoth of a thread, I'll be reposting all of the logs I've done so far (full completion of the Neutral path of the game), and then update with the Law and Chaos paths as I complete them here in this thread.

Also, my first logs were a lot more sparse in terms of included screenshots, while I may have started going overboard with them near the end. Since I'm contemplating doing a similar thing for SMT2, I'll be soliciting feedback on the presentation and other aspects, if anybody cares to contribute. Actual logs will start in all posts following this one.

Edited January 22, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

What is this? Some strange dream? The walls are wavy, and I'm moving without exercising any of my own volition. How odd, some strange voice just asked me my name and told me I have latent powers...

I continue moving on rails down the passageways, until I am presented with the body of a man on a cross. The voice tells me this man's life has been consecrated to a higher power. He too is full of dormant power, and his name is Nightmar.

Onward yet again. I am introduced to one decried as weak, yet with not without at least some strength. His name is Ether.

My journey through the maze of twisty passages, all different, is not yet complete and I am brought before a naked woman bathing. Her name is Yuriko, and she claims that we are a destined pair, but something in my heart tells me the truth is otherwise. I am wakened from this odd dream by insistent naggings from my mother. How odd, I could have sworn she'd vowed never again to serve as my alarm clock...

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I do the first and most natural thing following having immediately woken up. I go over to my computer and log-on. Some user I don't recognize has sent out a tinfoil hat message about demons, and an attached file. Unafraid, due to my net-savvy, and my custom firewalls, I go ahead, download and install it on my portable arm-terminal. My mother's insistent callings finally rouse me from my computer, and I head downstairs. She wants me to go to the mall and pick up and order of coffee for her. Ughhhhh. There's nothing to be done about it so I do so.

While at the mall, I run into Ozawa and his gang. He's such a prick, and since he and his goons assume a threatening posture I decide discretion is the better part of valor and leave. On my way out, I bump into a fellow who's absurdly paranoid, waving a knife around and everything. I raise my hands, telling him I'm unarmed, not to worry about it, but that wild look in his eyes doesn't go away.

...Well, not until some absolutely bizarre creature called a Gaki jumps out of the shadows and tears out his throat. He collapses to the floor, knife skittering towards me. I pick it up to defend myself, and luckily don't take too much damage before the demon decides there's better prey elsewhere. Now frightened and confused, I wonder if that Demon Summoning App I got is actually legit. I head to the survival games store, and stock up on armor for every inch of my body before heading to the Cafe to complete my errand. There are rumors of murders and worse that abound, so my fears seem justified.

I get back home and my ma thanks me, and reminds me to pay more attention to our dog. I think "screw that noise, I'm not walking him," and go to sleep. Yet again my dreams are plagued by strange visions, and once again I am joined up with Nightmar and Ether. Yuriko tries to again assure me she'll be with me always, but I shrug her off and press onward. We enter a strange room where a bizarre ritual is going on. Some priests appear to be about to sacrifice a woman! My heart aches for action, and I spring forward, disregarding Ether telling me it's stupid, that they're better armed than us. Apparently it is enough, though, and the girl is saved. She introduces herself as Chalis.

I wake through some fog and haze, coming once again to myself, and back to the real world. Making my way to the computer again, I find there's been an update to the program, and some further instructions, both of which I eagerly make use of, as the situation is rapidly becoming dire. I check out the neighbors, to see if they're OK, and the girl next door is a bit peeved she can't go on her date because of all the police activity recently, but other than that there's nothing to worry about. Wait, she had a boyfriend? Ehh, not that it matters. I press southward, eager to check out the site of the murder rumors from yesterday, and have another bizarre dream, this time in the day! I'm climbing a tall set of stairs with my dream-fellows, and when we reach the top there's a fierce battle. We're almost totally wiped out by the boss's single area affect spell.

Resolving to grow stronger and gather minions, I wander around a bit, recruiting a Pixie, Brownie, Knocker, Kobold, and Weredog to my cause. I also intimidate a Yakuza into giving me his Beretta, but to my chagrin it was unloaded, and hence worthless to me. During my travels I stop by the neighbor's yet again, and it seems the girl-next-door has gone missing. Apparently she tried to sneak off to Shinjuku for her date after all. I should probably go look for her, but it's way too late for that today. Disheartened at the little progress I made, I resolve to head home, but to my surprise right in front of my house I am stopped by the police. They seem to think I murdered the man at the mall yesterday and drag me off to the... hospital? What the fuck? I've been thrown in a small room with another man. I recognize this man! It's Nightmar, from my dreams. He said he was searching for his girlfriend when the police caught him and dragged him here. We team up and decide to break out of this joint. We get our chance when a man shows up claiming its time for our "surgery", and we take him down together and break out. In the course of trying to get out of the hospital, we discover Steven, the man who sent the emails, and he provides another upgrade to my App, allowing me to maintain more demon minions at a time. After a pitched battle with the hospital director, we manage to unlock the security locks on the front door and escape.

We talk briefly, and I discover he's dating the girl next door. I suggest we stop by her place once again, as well as mine, just in case. We pass by the mall on the way home though, and encounter a bunch of thugs beating up on someone.

Nightmar absolutely can't stand for this, and I agree. It turns out the poor sod was Ether, and the thugs scatter when we approach, not wanting anything that might even resemble a fair fight. He recognizes the both of us from the dreamworld and joins up, eager for a chance to become stronger himself, and thinking this the best possible way.

An unpleasant surprise awaits me at home. A demon has eaten my mother, and despite her nags, I really loved my mom. After a pitched battle, the demon falls, and a keycard clatters to the ground. Absolutely exhausted, we rest at my place the night before going and checking out what it might mean, and continuing to look for Night's girl.

The next morning my dog, Pascal, is so rambunctious, there's nothing I can do but take him for a walk. As we're going though, he jerks the leash out of my hand and we chase him to the strange building in the park. It's full of strange machines and tubes, and barking excitedly he jumps at them. Brownie runs after him, trying to calm him, but there's strange buzzing and whirring. Tubes of goo, and a strange pentacle glows. Brownie and Pascal have disappeared, leaving the guardian of hell, Cerberus behind. Something of Pascal must remain in him, as he pledges his loyalty to me, however, so I swallow deeply and accept the situation. This may prove useful in the future, so I tuck the knowledge of this fusing apparatus in the back of my mind.

The keycard from yesterday belongs to the Echo building, and we climb to the top floor and do battle there with the man from my daydream. Cerberus destroys him, then jumps at a strange device in the room. A bad habit, my dog has. He disappears, but this leads us to investigate it. It's a terminal, which allows for matter transport between any linked terminals. We're not sure this one heads, but with the current area cordoned off my martial law and no other options, we grit our teeth and head through.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

[spoiler=Our Heroes' Stats]

Upon arriving at The Lab, for that was the name of the destination registered in the terminal, we had to again fight our way out. For a moment it looked like we could have avoided it, as a demon who spotted us assumed we were demons disguised as humans, having been summoned from Makai, but it realized its mistake. When we exit the lab, we find ourselves in Sendagaya. The first order of business was to check the perimeter. The military still have thinks locked down tight; martial law at its finest. We circle around Yoyogi, Ichigaya, Shinanomachi, Jingu Gaien, Akasaka, and Yotsuya. There's no way out. We head to Shinjuku, where there are the most buildings still accessible, and find Gotou broadcasting on the big screen.

With a face like that, it's hard to trust his rants about Utopia. Not to mention his leading the coup d'etat led to all of these problems, and are the reason why even the Americans are getting involved. Still, he does have a certain charisma to him, and it's not hard to see why some would follow him.

Leaving the big screen behind, we enter Shinjuku's mall, a huge sprawling thing that puts the one in my hometown to shame. We cover every inch of that place looking for clues, and also upgrade some of our gear while we're at it. My minions have grown to include the likes of Harpy, Sanki, Gamygyn, and Dryad in addition to those I negotiated with previously. At one of the bars, an idealist bartender grills me with questions. Giving him the right set of answers, he takes me into his confidence and he gives me a matchbook, which serves as the secret code to get into the Resistance hideout. The Resistance is a pretty noble group, who're aiming to oppose both the coup forces and the Americans, so I'm more than happy to pay the place a visit and learn more.

You can not imagine my surprise.

The leader of the resistance is the girl from my dreams. My heart first stops beating, the speeds up to triple time. She knows and trusts us, for saving her from the ritual, and asks us to join her cause. There isn't even the slightest hint of hesitation as I answer in the affirmative.

Things immediately take a sour note however. Somehow the security was breeched, and the other woman from my dreams, the shady bitch I really couldn't care less for, Yuriko, rushes in and takes Chalis hostage, before making good her escape, hostage in tow. Apparently that was her goal all along!

The members of the resistance all flood out looking for her and for clues. Yuriko seems to be working for Ozawa, who's recently started buddying up with Gotou's faction. That petty thug has some high ambitions and good connections! Me and my crew learn he's got a hideout nearby and we storm into it. On our way through the place, I press into service convince an Imp to join my party. Ether in particular is raging harder than usual, and I'm no happy camper myself. Night doesn't think highly of his cowardly tactics either.

He summons a demon to distract us and escapes while we're fighting it. How typical. We search the hideout, but find neither hide nor hair of the captured woman, nor of Nightmar's missing girlfriend. Dejected we head back to the bar. Whispered news has it that Chalis is scheduled to be executed though, and this galvanizes us back into action.

Racing to the government building we arrive just ahead of schedule and push our way to the front. Yuriko takes the time to lord over her success and taunt us. Well, me in specifically. I have no idea what her stalker obsession with me is about, nor do I particularly care for it.

Undeterred we fight through wave after wave of demons, zombie soldiers, guards, everything. Panting and pushed to exhaustion success appears to have been bought. Out of troops Yuriko is forced to retreat and Chalis is saved. What kind of barbaric execution did they have in mind for her anyway?!

We head back to the bar, which now that Resistance HQ had been compromised is the newer, safer place to stage a base of operations (stop looking at me like that, it's not my decision). Once we arrive Chalis thanks us again for rescuing her.

She then has information to share. While Gotou was looking for her, he rounded up dozens of other girls of similar builds, and with similar names, in an attempt to find her. She thinks it's plausible the girl next door may be one such victim, and gives the location of where they're being held. She also has information on the current wherabouts of Ozawa. Nightmar and Ether both leap at these opportunities, and the party splits up with each going their separate ways, leaving me alone with Chalis.

I cannot say that I am displeased with this state of affairs; no, not at all.

She has an idea. While the Resistance on its own doesn't have the men or the numbers to fully stop either Gotou or the Americans, with my Demon summoning program, we may stand a better chance. She suggests we go speak with each of them, and try to get things sorted out once and for all. I'm not sure we'll be able to get them to see eye-to-eye, but it couldn't hurt to give it a try, so I agree to the plan. But first I find a fusing machine at Shinjuku mall and strengthen up my demons. After a bit of work, I end up with a Ghoul, a Unicorn, and a Rusulka.

On my way through Gotou's lair I convince a Gaian Suicide Squad, a Forneus, a Cu Sith, and a Fachan that working for me has its perks. By the time we get to the top, I'm feeling pretty well prepared, all things considered. Gotou seems to be expecting us, and delivers a speech about how he's just trying to do the right thing. Apparently God is in cohoots with the American's and they've got some 1000 year plan, where there will be salvation but only for some. Shit reminds me of those Jehovah's Witnesses that always swing by door-to-door and annoy you.

I'm honestly not buying his tune, but he does have the decency not to force the issue. He says he'll be a gentleman and wait, while I go confirm things at the American embassy, and hear the other side of the story. I promptly do so. Ambassador Thorman has his own version of events. Gotou is a dangerous renegade, aiming to free Lucifer and the demons and that's bad. Something about his tone really doesn't rub me the right way, though. I doubt he's on the level.

I head back to Gotou and tell him I ain't buying it, and I'm not going to team up with him. He seems disappointed, but determined not to let me hook up with the Americans he sets his demons on me, and after we fend those off, attacks himself. He's no match for me and Chalis though, and he goes down. His last words are regret and lament, and he warns us for being short-sighted. Just what will happen in the wake of his death, he begs us consider.

We go back to Thorman, and he seems excessively pleased. He practically assumes we did it for him, and when I told him 'Hold up, I ain't buying the kool-aid with this 1000 year plan. The Resistance means to stop both of you,' he drops his disguise and reveals himself to actually be Thor. God from legends Thor. This was a huge shock, but there was no time to ponder it as he was on the attack. After fiercely defending ourselves, we manage victory. With his dying breath he tells us that "Thor's Hammer", a cluster of nuclear tipped ICBMs has been unleashed, and it will fall upon Tokyo. An alarm goes off, echoing 30 seconds to impact. That's... not much time.

Chalis and I book it to the try to at least get to the underground tunnel, maybe get some cover, but as things are turning out hopelessly, she has another idea for things. Using a magic spell I didn't know she knew, she teleports me away, just in the nick of time.

I wake up in a blue world, feeling strangely disoriented. My minions have all disappeared, though I don't know why. It's not like they were nuked, they should still be accessible from my armcomputer. I'm no expert though, and can't claim to fully understand the workings behind the summoning app, so I get to my feet and look around. There's a mysterious man here and a pair of demons. He tells me two of my friends are waiting for me in this place, and that I need to seek them out and then return. So, seek I do.

I have no idea how the two of them managed to show up here, and they aren't exactly telling. Nightmar is the same strong and reliable friend he's been, and Ether is trying to cover up his fear and relief with a bit of tsuntsun. I briefly imagine him saying "I-It's not like I was waiting here for you to find me. B-baka!" It helps to dull the pain of loss. As I continue to explore this strange new space however, other ghostly spectres of the past stab open old wounds and turn the knife. I meet my mother, who still worries after me. I see the girl next door. [spoiler=you're not the real chalis]

But worst of all. Chalis. Uttering her last words before she sent me away to this lonely place without her.

I barely have the heart to complete the series of fetch quests the old man sends me on: one for some spring water called Soma with the aid of my friends, and then another one by my lonesome collecting weapons from two spirits who each attack me for having a different worldview philosophy than their own. Throughout the course of the travels in this other-world I collect new demons to serve me, as well as finding a few of my old ones that still recognize their master in various nooks and crannies. I also do a bit more fusing action, and end up with: Tangie, Ghandarva, Worm, Kelpie, Kinnari, Nekomata, Tsuchi-gumo, and Apsaras.

Finally having satisfied the old man, and again rejoined by Nightmar and Ether, we plead with him to let us go home, and he grudgingly obliges. But the final test is defeating his two demon minions, right in front of the portal back to Earth!

It's a shockingly hard fight, but the sight that greets us upon our return is even more shocking. Everything has changed! The landscape is broken, blasted, and battered.

Even the currency has changed!

The exchange rate is not quite as harsh as the old beggar promised, but the hole this leaves in my wallet still stings sorely.

Almost in a daze, practically shellshocked, we wander to the "old familiar" Shinjuku Mall, barter our way to some updated equipment, and try to figure out where to go from here.

[spoiler=Our Heroes' Stats]

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

Having holed up in Shinjuku, in this strange future post-apocalyptic version of the world we knew, our next destination was particularly clear to me. Having already outfitted ourselves for success, it seemed natural to revisit the old Resistance base. Maybe Chalis would be there waiting... yes, the odds were against it, but without hopes, dreams, what is a man to do?

A Jaki Wendigo barred the way, stating that none could pass, save those with authorization from Ozawa. To be honest, I wasn't sure whether to take that as a good sign or no. Obviously it precluded her being here of her own accord, but she had been taken prisoner before, so that wasn't ruled out either.

In truth, the answer was neither. All we found at the old HQ was a sad old man, kept prisoner and forced to perform distasteful tasks against his will. Calling himself the Psychodiver, he was a tool helping prop up Ozawa's regime of terror here in New Shinjuku.

With a disheartened sigh, I turned to leave. On my way out though, Psychodiver called out to me, with chilling news and a warning. This... what could this mean? I had heard a voice, a woman's voice, shortly after we'd arrived in this world, and she had sounded like she was in need of help. Neither Ether nor Nightmar had heard, so I'd tabled that in lieu of making it to the safety of Shinjuku and establishing a base of operations. But now a justified worry ate away at me.

Despite the Psychodiver's warning, I had no leads to go off of, and Ether was chomping at the bit to deal with Ozawa here in Shinjuku. I can't say I blame him, as people everywhere were miserable, living in fear of the Private Police and scarcely disguised protection rackets. We didn't know where exactly he'd established himself, but rather than charge in half-cocked, I managed to convince Ether that we needed to collect all the intel we could. In the course of our investigations, truthfully somewhat surreal in contrast as the differences between the Shinjuku I remembered from just days ago my time with this new one, various rumors were uncovered. None pointed out Ozawa's location, although it did become clear he'd somehow made a pact with demons, forming the backbone of his power. That wasn't unexpected news to be honest. The rumors about life outside of Shinjuku actually caught my attention a little more. There were happenings in both Shibuya and Roppongi that needed investigating, and the case with Roppongi had conflicting accounts. One was that it was a city safe from demons, and that nobody had returned from their pilgrimages there because they never wanted to leave. Another was that there was a more sinister reason why nobody ever returned... The girl at Shibuya was my more immediate interest, however, for reasons I'm sure you can understand.

As a finally ironic blessing, I stumbled across an old collector with a fascinating desire for my old yen. He offered to pay me for them, and then in a euphoric daze stumbled away muttering oddly to himself phrases like "near mint condition!" and "hasn't aged a bit, could have been printed yesterday!"

We finally stumbled across Ozawa's location. It was in the old offices that the yakuza had been using prior to the world's destruction, in the corner of Shinjuku just right of the west entrance, on the opposite side of the fusion building. Pushing our way past one of his underlings we confront him and Ether decries the villany of his ways. He counters back that we need to "know our place" and that we remind him of a gang of fellows that gave him trouble thirty years ago. "Even look like they do," he muttered before siccing the big guns on us.

Ozawa's contract was with a powerful demon, and it managed to sweep in and catch us by surprise, getting a solid attack off before any of us were ready, doing nearly half-damage straight down the party line. Nightmar cried out with the obvious, and as we were making our escape Ether furiously bemoaned the situation. Some flash of inspiration struck him, however, and a desperate plan took hold in his mind and he refused to budge on the issue. Nightmar was understandably shocked, and argued against it, providing several key points, to which Ether's only rebuttal was "You wouldn't understand, you never had to live the kind of life I did." To be honest, I definitely would be siding with Night on this one, but it wasn't my call.

Hotfooting it over to the fusion building, Ether grabs one of my demons by the shoulder, luckily the easily replaced Momonufu I'd fused just a little earlier, not realizing it roamed the halls of Ozawa's den. That left Apsaras, Worm, Kelpie, Hakutaku, and Tangie safe, but just what was going to happen to Ether!? The usual fusion scene played out, and for a moment it seemed that everything would finish okay. Then strange flashing lights played and unhealthy sounds echoed out, and I feared that something had gone horribly wrong (with my rom). Yet when the dust had settled Ether was alright. No, better than alright; he'd taken a dozen levels in badass.

Nightmar was still aghast at his decision, but Ether had no regrets. He'd said a few things that got me thinking, had me a little worried about his past, and his stability. Just how much abuse, how badly bullied, had this poor man suffered? Now wasn't the time to find out however, as after flexing a little bit, and making sure he was comfortable with his new power, he rushed back to Ozawa's offices. Neither Night nor I were just going to let him charge in alone, so we all went as a group. Ozawa was less than amused, yet this time we were prepared. Rather than suffering a sneak attack as he summoned his demon, instead we turned the tables and got the jump on him instead. With Ether version 2.0 the fight was an incredibly one-sided one, slanted in our favor, and soon it was over.

Ozawa was looking weak, and begged for us to spare him. Nightmar went ahead and lowered his weapon, and after a second's hesitation I did the same. I wasn't really a killer, and despite his evils Ozawa was truly broken. Just locking him up in the cell he was keeping the Psychodiver ought to be enough. But Ether, Ether wouldn't have any of this. He just looked at the both of us incredulously and asked if we truly expect him to reform his ways. I was honest, I didn't see it happening. Ozawa was a punk then, and if 30 years hadn't changed him, I couldn't imagine anything we could do would tip the balance. This seemed to mollify Ether slightly, as he nodded, and figuring the discussion was ended, he was coming around I turned to start heading for the exit. That's when it happened.

Ether had in a blink raised his gun and put a bullet square between Ozawa's eyes. Then with grim determination, he stared down each of Nightmar and myself and lay out his thoughts. Our hesitation, our "softness" was a problem for him, flush and giddy with his new power. Despite our times together, and his previous reliance on our support to get by, it seems he had been only sticking with us out of necessity, and seizing on this new opportunity afforded him, he wanted to strike out on his own. How quickly did his loyalties change! Whithersoever the winds of good fortune blow, apparently, was enough for Ether.

Shocked, disappointed, hurt, and honestly feeling a little betrayed, my heart sank as I watch him saunter out the door, leaving Nightmar and myself alone. Still... there was work left to be done here, so after going and healing up we'd have to simply tackle the next leg of things on our own.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

The first order of business was returning to Psychodiver's cell and letting the poor man out. After expressing his relief at being free, and offering us his thanks he explains that he's going to go have a long awaited drink at one of the bars. That jogs my memory that one of the 'tenders had mentioned something about one of their regulars having disappeared or something. Anyway, basking in a good deed well done, Nightmar and I set off to explore the rest of this brave new world.

The Jumbo-tron is no longer showing Gotou, obviously, instead it seems to have been coopted by the Messianic sect. I'm still not buying what they're selling. If that was a test, then God is a horrible teacher and needs to read up on the most current effective methods for learning. Just saying.

I wander around a bit, trying to remember which way Shibuya was from here and failing, but not all is lost, as I recruit some better demons along the way. I do spot a promising building, and decide to check it out.

That was a mistake I won't soon duplicate. After having taken several steps in there, we have the struggle of our life against a single demon. Having fended it off, the Demon Analyzer app tells me its power level is high forties. Time to book it out of here. We don't quite make it out before another engagement, although this one yielded an unexpected item drop. It's like Christmas.

I continue on my way, finding a bizarre house isolated by the trees that I'm not exactly sure how I am supposed to enter. I resolve to simply remember that it is here, and come back in the future when perhaps I will have figured out a method.

Shibuya turns out to just be a little bit further to the south, and we enter with no problems. I hit up the fusion building here, and my current team is now, Yakshini, Stonka, Cockatrice, Worm, Kelpie, Berith. Following that and activating the terminal in this location, a full sweep of it for rumors, and trying to track down this Messiah girl, proceeds. One of the priests here cautions me not to go into that building in the west that houses a powerful demon. I question his timing, considering I barely escaped with my life from just such a mistake, and carry on. There are a few more hints dropped about Roppongi here, making it more certain than ever that it will likely prove to be my next destination, but for the moment there's more pressing matters here in Shibuya if my instincts and what the Psychodiver told me are to be believed.

I stumble across a television here as well, small-scale compared to the Shinjuku Jumbotron, broadcasting more of the Messianic propaganda. At first I'm not really paying attention to the broadcast, but when I realize that they're claiming credit for the things we've just accomplished, toppling Ozawa's ironfisted rule, and claiming that it was God's doing? Well that really gets my goat, and rankles me in ways I'm not particularly proud of.

In another section of Shibuya there are a pair of Messianic priests. One calls out about the glory that is to happen when their cathedral is finished, eagerly awaiting the things to come. The other bemoans the fact that the construction of this cathedral is falling behind and presses me for a donation. Still upset over the broadcast I decline. However what he says next is interesting. Their current lack of funding appears to be because their Messiah has fallen prey to a case of demonic possession. As I continue to proceed my way through the city, this rumor is repeated by many, one of whom also mentions that a psychic may be able to help.

I finally make my way to where this so-called Messiah is being held, and find her chained up for her own good. She's silent, and unfamiliar, but as I stand in front of her, I hear that same woman's voice, calling out to me and nobody else. My course is clear. Even if my suspicions are off base, I need to help regardless. I backtrack to Shinjuku to find the Psychodiver. He thinks the problem is either another psychic or a demon specialized in invading the mind, and he offers his services in helping us out in appreciation for our having freed him. We return to Shibuya and he projects us into the Messiah's mind. There is something dark, black, and evil lurking here, so the Psychodiver is afraid to journey with us. He is more than content to simply wait at the entrance, in the safety of shallowest part of her mind, ready to take us out whenever we return to him. I have no complaints, because it's as he says, if he were to fall in combat here, we'd all be stranded in her mind with no way out.

The woman's mind is a strange place, alternating pink and blue. At times it reminds me of that other world I was transported to at the last minute before the nuclear holocaust. At others it reminds me of the odd dreams I'd had, where I'd first met Nightmar, Ether, Yuriko, and Chalis. Winding our way ever deeper, we hit pockets of memories, some of which are especially surprising.

These old memories, of the first dream where we saved her, and then of the execution we spoiled have left me absolutely secure in the realization that this is somehow Chalis reborn, her soul found its way to a new body. Other memories are brand new to me, I've never seen them before. While I don't doubt for a second that she's special, an incredible person with the power to change the world, I bristle at the Nun imposing her own interpretations on this fact, rather than allowing Chalis to reach her own conclusions.

Working ever deeper, we finally reach the root of the black fog on her mind, her soul. As suspected it is a demon, woven tight into her psyche, nestled in the utmost depths. It puts up a bit of a struggle, but honestly proves no match for Night and me.

We backtrack out through the twisty maze of the woman's mind arriving again at the entrance for the Psychodiver to pull us out, and back to the real world. Once there he proclaims the mission a success and leaves us to sort out the details ourselves. The Messiah woman is fully aware now, and recognizes me at least, though she admits that most of the memories of her old life are foggy at best, gone at worst. Chalis has utmost faith in me; she's completely willing to abandon her role as the Messiah, choosing instead of her own will to follow me. As she promises to stick with me wherever my travels may take me, I tell her that I am more than glad to have her.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

The first order of business was to go back to that house with the high level demons and try to muscle our way through this time, now that we're significantly stronger, and have a six-man team again. Everything was going smoothly until we hit a magically sealed door that I could not figure out how to budge open. Discouraged we leave with nothing to show for our efforts but an increase in experience. After another round of fusing up, my current array of demons is small, but powerful: Lakche, Cockatrice, Phurski, and Ibaragi-Douji. We press onward to Roppongi, to sort out fact from fiction, and to begin to make headway on those rumors. When we arrive we do find that the city is under a forcefield barrier. We have to get in through an underground entrance, which manages to to a good job at segregating the place from demons, as encounters fall off nearly completely after we're inside. I am a little unsettled by some of what we find. The first buildings I headed to, the Armor and Weapons shops, were both standing empty, devoid of life. How bizarre. Yet it seems that it was an anomaly, as when I visit the disco there is indeed human presence in the city. To my surprise, they have a girl locked up in there, possessed by demons they say. We go to check it out, and you will never imagine my surprise...

It's the girl next door, Nightmar's girlfriend. Life had not been kind to her, having suffered the atom bombs and been turned into a Bodyconian, one of the mindless undead that apparently make up the whole of the population of Roppongi. Yet somehow she'd retained her memories, and longed to be put to rest, so she was locked up and kept apart from the others. Even without Night's pleading, I knew what I had to do. I'd seen a Rags store back at Shinjuku that specialized in trading items or demons for gemstones, and I was pretty sure when I'd checked out their list of what gives you what I had seen a Soul Incense on the menu. I quickly find the Roppongi Terminal and transport us to Shinjuku to pick up the needed goods, and then transport back. Swiftly returning to the Disco, I pass the Soul Incense through the bars. The neighbor girl lights the incense, and then as the magic begins to unbind her soul, there is not a dry eye in the room as she and Nightmar make their farewells.

With heavy hearts and lead in our steps, we continue to explore Roppongi. I found a promising stairway down to a basement level, and we went to check it out. It was a veritable mess of traps down there, poison needles, spear traps, fake treasure chests, you name it. [spoiler=One trap did so much damage our life meters wrapped around and we had more health than our maximum]

However, undeterred, I continued my quest to leave no stone unturned, and no square unmapped, leading to the eventual discovery of this strange treasure.

A little further on there was a room with rather elaborate finery and a well-dressed man inside greeted us. He introduced himself as the Black Baron, and told us that he, together with the Red Count, had created this town for a young girl named Alice, and that it had also managed to be a safe haven for everybody else. Knowing what we did from our run-in with Nightmar's girlfriend, however, suspicion lingered in the back of our minds, as we didn't fully trust him.

The basement having been explored completely we returned to the first floor, and soon ran into this Alice for ourselves. She actually was a rather delightful young creature, full of light, brightness, and innocence. She was excited to meet new people, and seemed to want nothing more than new friends, and to introduce us to her old friends, Mister Red and Mister Black. She scampered off to go prepare the way, and we continued our survey of the city, after making a brief transport stop to the healer at Shibuya to cure our poison.

There were a few interesting rumors of note, as one woman mentioned that she didn't have a particularly high opinion of the Black Baron and the Red Count, distrusting in their motives for befriending Alice, and one man mentioned something about a well-hidden, well-guarded important jar. Could he be talking about the same jar I'd already managed to pick up?

The ground floor now fully explored, we climbed the stairs to level 2, which also seemed to be ridiculously trapped. There wasn't much of note there, so we soldiered on to floor 3, where we again ran into Alice. She had prepared the way for us to meet with "Mister Red". He managed to spare some time from his busy schedule, and gave pretty much the same story that the Black Baron had given us previously. The two of them had built this city on rock and roll, all for the sake of Alice, and wished nothing more than to see her happy. They seemed to be on the level, if slightly creepy. Still, no harm done. After our introduction, the Red Count waddled off back to his desk to return to work and Alice tugged on my sleeve with a new request.

She wanted a Hiranya, which coincidentally enough I'd picked up one of at a Junk store awhile back. Alice was the kind of little girl with a personality that makes you just want to spoil her, so I couldn't really say 'no'. I passed her the item in question, and her face lit up with happiness. Now beaming at me, she gave me her next request.

"Could you please die for me?"

What the hell kind of request was that? Backing up suddenly several steps I took another look at her. Still the same innocent little girl, with nary a hint of malice in her expression. "No... Not a chance. I'm not about to die, not for you, not for anyone," I replied, perhaps with more force than was warranted. The effect this had was slow. First her lip started to quiver a little, and drops formed at the corners of her eyes. Then the dam burst, and the waterworks were flowing with full force. She dropped to her knees and bawled, rubbing the snot from her nose, and brushing her eyes. Between gasps for breath she called over "Mister Red" and choked out her side of the story, painting us as terrible villains.

To be honest, I wasn't feeling too good about myself either, it was like I'd just kicked a puppy. But the request she'd asked of me was just impossible. Surely she could understand that? If not her, then at least the Count would, right? He was an adult. After she finished her sobbing explanation he nodded with a gentle expression and reassured her. He would help her get her wish... Oh shit, this wasn't good.

Stepping towards us he transformed into his true form, the demon Belial. Yet by quirk of fate as soon as he approached, the gushing jar we'd found at the basement activated, and sucked him in, bottling him up with no harm done. This was lucky for us, as we'd neglected to heal up, and still poisoned all around things may have ended up going very badly for us. Alice was distraught at the disappearance of her beloved "Mister Red", and disappeared herself.

Our rejoicing at the fortunate turn of events was short-lived, however. Out of nowhere Yuriko showed up, as she was wont to do. First she congratulated me for being strong, smart, and resourceful, and after an undeserved barb about making little girls cry she then demanded I hand over the Belial Jar.

Knowing her for the treacherous bitch she was I naturally refused. However this refusal was short-lived as she simply cast a bind spell on the entire party, walked up and casually took it from me.

Now bound and poisoned things were really looking dire for us. I couldn't access my computer to check the automapping, and it was pretty much the limit of our abilities to limp along until we could get to the terminal. As we were about to leave the Count's office, the worst possible thing happened.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

As we were about to leave the Count's office, the worst possible thing happened: The Black Baron showed up. Perhaps he'd sensed what had happened with his magic or something, but he let into us, decrying what we'd just done. We had crushed the dreams of a young innocent child; we were horrible people and we should feel horrible. They had only wanted to see her happy, and had done everything for her.

At this point Nightmar burst in with a bit of a reality check. In hindsight this was probably neither the time nor the place, but honestly I can't find it in me to blame him. After all, we had just laid his girlfriend to rest, and she was a victim of the schemes of the Black Baron and the Red Count. If they hadn't turned her into the Bodyconian, they at least had trapped her here eternally.

As I alluded however, this wasn't the wisest move, and the Black Baron decided on a suitable punishment for us all, granting us eternal repose in peace and tranquility. Realizing his mistake and sensing the danger, Nightmar shoves me and Chalis backwards out of the way, as the Baron's huge hands snap forward in a visegrip. Due to his quick actions, he was the only one captured. Apparently the enemy decided that taking us out one at a time was good enough, as he left the rest of us, despite our mostly helpless current state.

Not willing to let Nightmar make a sacrifice of himself, we press on. After a fortuitous weak random battle, everyone has shaken their bonds, and we teleport back to a terminal and get healed up. The next order of business is to scour the city for Nightmar and the Baron. There was a suspicious magically sealed room on floor two, so we check it out, thinking perhaps the bottling of the Red Count may have opened it. Such was indeed the case, and as we entered, what greeted us there was disheartening. Nightmar's disembodied soul. He exhorted us to track down the Black Baron and defeat him, but this wasn't anything that wasn't already on the agenda.

Wracking our brains I remembered that we'd chanced across the Black Baron in the basement, prior to meeting Alice, and we immediately head off to confirm my hunch that he'd returned to that room. Our arrival proves bittersweet, as while we do find the foe we seek, he informs us callously of the disposal of Nightmar's body, as well as any hopes of reviving our dear friend. Then with threats of visiting the same misfortune upon Chalis and me, the battle is joined.

Much like the Count, the Baron too transforms into a high-ranking demon, Nebiros. We manage to stun-lock him using Chalis's lightning magic, and he goes down swiftly under our relentless assault. Upon his defeat he is as remorseless as every, continuing to maintain and validate his previous actions. All for Alice, for the one he loved. I'm sorry Nebiros, but serving the one you love doesn't give you the right to trample upon the loved ones of others.

Nightmar's soul then appears before us, thanking us for laying him to rest and then a messenger from heaven arrives to personally escort him to the holy realm, all the while boasting of glory to god and a righteous end. Maybe it's me, but I can't find it in myself to feel happy about the situation. Not yet at least, and maybe not ever.

It is with heavy hearts that we conclude our business in Roppongi. With the demise of the Baron and the Count, the protective forcefield has fallen, and demons again roam the streets, but perhaps more importantly, the way has opened to a passage northeast that had been blocked off by rubble. With nowhere else to go, no leads and no rumors, we make our way into the subterranean tunnels and cautiously proceed. Only a little ways in, an unexpected apparition jolts us, rubbing at the wounds still raw. It's Nightmar's soul, come bearing a final message of guidance for us, asking a final favor.

Advancing forward to the crossroads, fully intent on carrying out his last will, a slight confusion arises. Not only is there straight and right, but there's also a path to the left, with a small room there. Quickly ducking in to satisfy our curiosity I'm surprised to once again meet Steven! Chalis had never met the old man responsible for the Demon Summoning program, so I quickly explain who he is, while I puzzle at his good fortune to have survived the apocalypse. Once again he offers a sorely needed upgrade to the App, allowing us to have four active demons out at once instead of being limited to three. While this cannot replace the keen sense of loss at Nightmar no longer being with us, it will help to diminish the fighting prowess we have lost.

As we exit the room, we are surprised to encounter Ether. After some playful banter in which he acknowledges we've grown in strength and jokingly wishes to spar with us, he uncharacteristically sobers up, delivering a deadly serious warning. Apparently this left passage leads to Ikebukuro, and there is something seriously sinister or dangerous that way. He's rather tight-lipped on the specifics, but as he disappears Chalis and I decide to take his warning to heart. Until there's nowhere else to go, Ikebukuro is a self-imposed off-limits for the two of us.

We then head up taking the path from the intersection leading to the police building. However it's dark inside, confusing and disorienting. My automapping program works, but just barely, and it's a constant struggle to make headway. After navigating a few of the sub-basement levels Chalis and I arrive at ground floor, and stumble out the exit into the dazzling sunlight. Putting the investigation of the building on hold until I can find a flashlight or something, we decide to explore the newly available area. Tokyo Tower is still an impressive landmark even after armageddon, so we head that direction. It seems to be the central broadcasting station for the Messianic cult, responsible for the TV broadcasts we've been seeing. However nothing else of note is there, so we leave and continue to roam around.

We find a cluster of buildings that turns out to be Ginza, meaning we have taken the long way to get here. We comb the city, acquiring new weapons, armor, and fusing some more powerful demons: Barbegaz, Wyvern, Gorgon, Phurski, and Dakini now keep us company. There are a smattering of various and assorted rumors as well, regarding mysterious islands, apparently two different incidences unless I misinterpreted, the four Devas (was that whose house I entered over by Shibuya, I wonder), and the location of the headquarters of the Gaia Cult. Steven has also moved his residence here, and tells me that if I find a Memory Board I can further upgrade my Summoning App's power.

As our investigation of the city is on its final legs, we encounter a punk of a demon summoner who has taken it upon himself to be a sort of toll collector regulating passage to Shinegawa. When we refuse to cough up the Macca he's asking for, he sends waves of demons at us. Chalis and I have no problems dispatching them, and after we've won, the punk looks at us with repentence and awe. He swears he didn't mean anything wrong by us, offers us free passage, and asks if he can call me "Aniki". The hero worship is a little embarrassing to be honest. I'm reluctant to press on to new territory when I still haven't fulfilled Nightmar's request about the police station. It turns out that I couldn't find any item that would make it easier to navigate the building, so we turn back to it, resolved to muscle through by trial and error.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

Having reached a passageway to Shinegawa, just having failed to fulfill the request from Nightmar's departed spirit, I decide to head back. There was one final basement level to check out, in which I met a familiar old man. He had but a few words for me, reassurances with a hint of mystery, and he barred the way from further exploration. There was an aura about him that exuded sincerity, and I found I could trust him and resolved that if ever I was in a pinch, lost my direction, or doubted the path ahead that Chalis and I would return for further guidance.

When I returned to the police station, again wreathed in sections of great darkness, Chalis reminded me that she could use magic, and perhaps one of her out-of-battle spells would prove timely. This left me feeling completely foolish, as I'd also forgotten she could have cured our poison herself instead of necessitating frequent visits to the Kaifuku. With the aid of Mapper, things became a mite bit more manageable, and we soon navigated our way to the top of the building, putting down rogue robots at nearly every turn. The cause of all this ruckus turned out to have been a mad scientist, bent on foolish dreams of leading a robot army.

This has to stop, so I push him aside and go to destroy the central command console. This manages to trigger an alarm and a final defense effort on the part of the machines.

The defense system didn't even stand a chance. After having quickly wiped it out, while proceeding to destroy all electronics in the area to prevent a second occurrence, I find an intact Memory Board amid the smoldering rubble of what used to be the machine army and its central control matrix. Satisfied in having accomplished Nightmar's final request, I leave the mad scientist in the corner sobbing over the loss of his half-baked dream.

With no more regrets, it's time to push on into Shinagawa. I make a quick pit-stop at Ginza to see Steven and get him to upgrade my Arm-computer. With the ability to hold another two demons in my bank, this greatly enhances my ability to both plow through dungeons, by recruiting their most frequent inhabitants, and also grants additional flexibility in opening up more fusing options.

Shinagawa itself is another hotbed of Messianic faith, much like Shibuya was. One of the first rooms I stumbled into was a preachy sermon. I stepped out again as soon as convenient, staying just long enough to manage to not arouse any undue suspicions. The amount of self-sacrifice and utter obedience espoused was a little sickening. Life under God would practically eliminate free will.

While wandering around the city I meet many people sharing random rumors of various degrees of relevance. I had suspected that red house to the southwest was another trap, much like the one near Shibuya, with a magically sealed door, and the rumor about it being home to an Oni just confirmed that. There was also some righteous bragging about the Messianic Cathedral currently being constructed, as well a few completely inconsequential ones.

There were, however, an additional two pieces of interest that definitely caught my attention. The first was about traps designed to harm anyone of a specific alignment and how a Core Shield could negate the effects. This in particular made me a little upset, as I had just liquidated my stock of Core Shields to both free up inventory, and to afford some armor upgrades.

Another was a rumor about a Golden Apple in Ueno. I'll definitely have to keep this in mind when my path wends its way that direction, as it almost certainly will do at some point.

As I make it further and further inward, toward a more fortified section of the town, already having passed over a few of the aforementioned traps, and healing up the damage incurred, I come across something most interesting. There's a sort of square here, and in the middle of it a very peculiar statue!

Why? Why would Shinagawa have a statue revering my good buddy Nightmar? He died in Roppongi, well before we ever got here. It's unlikely they would have even heard of him, much less known details about his appearance. Chalis is right, if this is a coincidence, it's damn uncanny. Slightly shaken, we both continue on, and after a few more rooms we encounter someone who gives us confirmation of fact, explaining just what the circumstances are.

News of Nightmar's resurrection is strange and hard to swallow. We'd seen his soul taken by the messenger of God and ascend into heaven. We saw his ghost beckon us with a final plea. And now all of a sudden he was back to life? "God works in mysterious ways" has never been a more apt expression for me than right at that moment. Why Nightmar over anybody else? So many people have died in this conflict, this trial to "prepare the way for the 1000 year kingdom". And further, the Messianics in Shibuya had been so sure that Chalis reborn was the Messiah. Now all of the sudden they're changing their faith and hailing Nightmar? That seems almost... fickle.

Feeling more awkward than ever, we advance. Cloistered deep in the city, we find Nightmar himself, and he explains the situation in full. God had indeed returned him to life, and fully believing in Him and His plan, Nightmar has completely dedicated his efforts to wiping out the organized resistance of the Gaian church and the allied Chaos demons. He makes a lot of valid points about the suffering that would definitely accompany a "might makes right" society, but he also whitewashes the fact that rule under the Law of God would leave very little, if any, freedom. He pleads with me to put down one of the ringleader demons, Jashin Echidna, and I can't but agree. Even if I don't subscribe to his philosophy and his motivations, I do owe him my life, and that's a debt I will definitely see paid back. Feeling conflicted though, I promise myself and Chalis, who shares some similar migivings, to hear out this Echidna's side of the story before I put her down.

There's little else of note in Shinegawa. Further exploration turned up an interesting sword, which opens up a Sword Fusion option in the fusion hut, and I also encountered a hostile demon trainer who wouldn't let me leave without engaging in battle. He had a curious item with him, but my inventory was full, so I had to return later to pick it up. Some sort of four-door gem-key. I have no idea what it's used for, but I take it.

I leave Shinagawa better armed and armored, with a stronger assortment of demon allies (Barbegaz, Wyvern, Nagasune, Raja Naga, Dakini, Ni Chalong, Loa, Werewolf, Decarabia), and a new quest.

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

The peninsula that Shinagawa was on was, aside from the Oni building, devoid of other leads, so I had to backtrack back through Ginza to the underground intersection of Roppongi, Ginza, Police Station, and Ikebukuro. As I'd already explored all three other options, I had no choice but to ignore Ether's warning about Ikebukuro and proceed that way. No sooner had I come above ground but I was apprehended. Ether himself brought me before the court of Yama, to be judged for my "crimes".

My crime was simply using the Demon Summoning app. Apparently that was taboo? Nobody told me this, and if this was contrary to some "contract since time immemorial" that was the first I'd heard of it. Further, all of my demons I legitimately negotiated with, and they joined me of their own accord. It's not like I was capturing them while they were minding their own business in their own habitat, then keeping them bound as slaves, captive in little balls, and using them as my pawns in elaborate cockfighting games.

However, before he immediately sentenced me as guilty and laid out the punishment, he seemed willing to engage in a bit of "plea bargaining". He had something he wanted accomplished, and if I agreed to help him with it, he'd accept that my use of the of demons was for legitimate ends. The request was straightforward: I needed to oppose the efforts of the Messians and hinder their construction of the Cathedral.

Now, I don't much care for the Messianic faith personally, and on top of that, I really don't like being told what to do, or having people assume I'm helping them out when I really am only doing things of my own free will. That's part of what rubbed me the wrong way with Thorman, after all. It doesn't take much more than a silent glance between me and Chalis to see that she'll support me in whatever I chose to say, so I stand my ground and refuse. If I'm going to hamper the Messians it will be on my own terms, and after I've paid off my debt to Nightmar. Yama was predictably enraged, and we were hauled away to be locked up in prison.

We're hauled up to a rather solid prison with sturdy steel bars. Chalis and I try to figure a way out of here, but we're not making progress, and frustration is rising. After what seems like hours, my spirit is flagging, but she keeps encouraging me not to give up hope, and to keep thinking, and to try to come up with new ideas.

When we least expect it, there's a sound of footsteps approaching. Surprisingly the electronic lock disengages, and the bars slide open. Ether steps into view and chides us once again for ignoring his warning and for what happened. He releases us because he owes me one, for helping him out with Ozawa, but from here on, he says the slate is clean. He adds fervently that we must not go on to Ueno.

We wander around the prison levels, looking for a way out. In the meantime we run across all sorts of disturbing individuals locked up, nearly all from the Messianic sect. The extent of their extremism is in some cases absolutely abhorrent, in other cases it's just sad. I think the one that got me the most was the brainwashed little kid. Not even old enough to truly think for himself and question what he's told, he is roped into something so much bigger than him.

Finally we come across a Kishin guarding the stairway, and the exit to the prison. We dispatch him and make good our escape.

The next course of action was to find Yama, and to put him in his place. The Tenma was understandably upset at our having effected an escape, but his bark was worse than his bite. The scales of the confrontation dipped heavily in our favor, and we dispatched him back to the netherworld.

Apparently Ether had been watching, as he stepped forward with a look of awe on his face. This awe melted into insecurity, as he realized that if Yama could be defeated, then he and the Gaian and other forces of Chaos definitely needed to up their game.

We make a quick sweep of Ikebukuro, checking out the rumors before we leave it behind entirely. We still need to track down this Echidna demon for Nightmare, and she obviously wasn't here, so it looks like once again we'll be disappointing Ether and heading to Ueno. It looks like this time we need to pass through the Kishin shack to do so, but it's just a quick trip through, and despite me having progressed several places, the demons inside aren't any tougher than they were at Shibuya. I'm not sure what to make of the demon fuser at the top of the prison... as far as I know I made a clean sweep of the place, and didn't find a trace of him.

At any rate, defeating Nio and Yama definitely made us stronger, and we've recruited and fused up bigger and better demons yet again (now contracting with: Rakshasa, Basilisk, Narasinh, Kikuri-hime, Ni Chalong, and Sarutahi). If anything, Chalis and I feel pretty prepared for whatever we might find at Ueno.

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

After we pass safely through the northern Kishin's lair, we emerge on the other side and roam around. What everyone has so far been referring to as "Ueno" actually seems to be a large underground complex that spans between Ueno proper and Akihabara. I hadn't known this at the time, but after having entered the from the Akihabara side, it quickly became apparent. At any rate, this place seemed to be to the Gaian faith what Shinagawa was for the Messianics. Complete with the same type of alignment traps, presumably also avoided through the use of Core Shields. There were also followers who desired baptism, though this was the first I'd heard of it, and have no real idea what that would entail. Apparently it's a pretty exclusive rite, though, from the sounds of it.

Entering the main temple, I'm greated by a man who claims to have heard many rumors of my accomplishments, and though he would like nothing better than to welcome me as a brother of the faith, he had doubts that I truly believed. My taking down Yama at the prison complex was probably responsible for this, and as I had no real desire to join up with any organized religion, I honestly wasn't all that shook up about the rejection.

My main goal here was to look for Echidna, but I wasn't turning up any clues on where she might be, as her named never dropped during any of the rumors of the people on the streets. The main talk of the town was actually the Messianic's Cathedral: how the construction effort was nearing a completion, and how to either delay it, or to wrest it from their control following the completion. There was some other idle speculation on just how all the manpower and energy for its construction had been obtained, and how much energy it would take to conquer it.

One very interesting rumor took me by surprise. Apparently there was an angel at the Messianic broadcasting center at the Tokyo Tower. I actually found this a little hard to believe, considering that when I had visited, I had seen no signs of anyone other than the typical cult members and fanatics. Was there some place I hadn't gotten around to checking? I was pretty sure I'd done a clean sweep. As it stood though, there wasn't really any reason for me to go back and check. I had already given them a piece of my mind about co-opting our overthrow of Ozawa as part of their propaganda machine, but it hadn't made a difference.

During our investigations we stumbled across another demon summoner, who spoiling for a fight attacked us. After we resoundingly defeated him, in exchange for a safe escape, he handed us a Memory Board. I made a mental note to swing by Steven's once more when we next visited Ginza, before proceeding onward.

Another subject of frequent talk was "Destinyland". The theme park was currently cut off from our area by a fierce demon guarding the bridge. It wasn't just an ordinary demon, but one that had gone wild and lost its mind. The implications of this were not immediately apparent, but when I heard the next rumor, told by this old man about a beast in the sewers, I was reminded back to what I'd heard previously about a Golden Apple. I resolved to go down, hope that it wouldn't be too late, that somebody had already tried feeding the beast the apple. I would need it to progress to Destinyland, and I could most likely just defeat the beast on my own.

The battle was actually rather anticlimactic in the face of my new squad of demon recruits: Rakshasa, Basilisk, Chimera, Kikuri-hime, Incubus, Orthrus, Rangda, Lich, Marchocius, and Atlas. Golden Apple successfully retrieved, I was on my way out of Ueno when I ran into a rather peculiar fellow by the name of Louis Cypher. It sounded familiar to me for some reason but I couldn't place it. He claimed to be here with an acquaintance of mind, who wished to speak with me.

Intrigued, I acquiesced. I was really in no rush to move on, now that the Apple was secure. What was the worst that could happen? The mad demon would wander off by itself, allowing me free access to Destinyland? If only. The identity of the person who wished to meet me however came as a strong shock. When she showed her face, Chalis beside me blanched noticeably, and squeezed my hand. It was Yuriko, the woman who'd captured her and nearly executed her in her former life. She ended up giving a strange little apology that wasn't actually an apology, seeming all the while trying to work herself up to something, gather her courage perhaps?

The revelation was shocking. She turned into her true form, the demon Lilith, and started forward as if to attack. However before I needed to actually defend, a pained frown twisted across her face, and she retreated. She couldn't do it. She must actually love me, bizarre and twisted though that love obviously was, and she couldn't bring herself to hurt me. Reverting back to her Yuriko form she turned and left dejected, leaving the surprised Chalis and me still with Louis.

Louis professed ignorance to the whole thing, claiming to also be surprised by our mutual acquaintance, although I wasn't entirely sure if he meant regarding her true form, or her intentions with respect to me and Chalis. His parting comment was urging us not to think altogether too poorly of her, that while she was clearly a troubled and unstable individual, she was ultimately not an evil one. He then turned and left us to ourselves. Chalis stepped closer and gave me a tight hug. I squeezed back, and we shared a moment of wordless comfort before resuming our journey together.

Arriving at the bridge to the landmass Destinyland resided on, we found that it was indeed guarded by a feral demon. This one was quite familiar to me though, it was Cerberus. As we approached, the Golden Apple worked its magic, and the confusion fell from his senses and he too recognized us! It was the Cerberus that had come into being when my dog Pascal had been accidentally fused. It was a rather teary reunion, and it was with nothing but fondness when I opened a spot in my roster to accept him back into the team.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

With Cerberus brought back to reason and recruited to our side, the path to Tokyo Destiny Land (TDL) was no longer barred, and we entered it freely. Right at the entrance, as if waiting for us, was Ether, once again. It seems that sometime between when we last saw him in Ikebukuro and now he had managed to find himself a girl. While perhaps a bit surprised, he had seemed intently focused on powering up and making himself stronger, I couldn't disagree with his decision on principle. After all, here I was journeying with Chalis myself. However when he introduces her, she just smiles and says nothing. As she looks at me, I feel a shudder pass through my body unbidden, yet I know not why.

Putting aside the strange sense of unease about Ether's choice in women, I turn my attention back to him. After congratulating me on having made it this far safely he remarks on my inability to fully commit to either the path of Law or to the path of Chaos, alternately chiding what he views as my tendency to lean towards law, typified by my strong sense of loyalty and trustworthiness, and persuading me to meet the Chaos-aligned leader here in TDL to hear her out. His pronouncement that this was none other than Echidna, the quarry that Nightmar had sent me after, I was too surprised to do more than nod, and choke out a line about how I'd hear what she had to say. I do fully intend on letting her speak her piece, maybe even acting on some of her suggestions, but there was no way I could let slip to Ether that I was planning to kill her.

Seemingly satisfied, the two of them leave, Rie giving us both one last parting look. I had trouble reading her expression, and again my skin prickled, goosebumps quickly breaking out and then just as swiftly dispersing. Chalis turned to me and confessed that she was getting the exact same vibes from this woman. It was truly an enigma, but there was no way to solve it now, and no point in dwelling on it needlessly. After all, we had come here on a mission.

The main attraction here in Destinyland was the Fate Game, purported to judge how potent your luck was, and to give you the chance to alter it. The carnie trying to hawk the game was persistent, doing his best to get me to try it out, but I had neither the money to spare, having seen some very expensive guns for sale here and having blown too much on quickly outdated equipment in our recent stops. Beside that however, I had no wish to try to mess with fate, I was more than content with how things were currently unfolding, a boon companion at my side and walking the fine line of morality that I believed in. However, even after I declined to pay, he forced me inside, and I had to resort to having Chalis cast Toraport to get us out of there.

While wandering through some of the mazes and other attractions of TDL, looking for wherever it was Echidna was maintaining residence, a local demon summoner challenged us to a battle. Swiftly defeating him, he offered up a demon, releasing it from contract and allowing it to contract with me. I welcomed Majin Odin into my ranks, where he joined Rakshasa, Kinnara, Yamato no Orochi, Kikuri-Hime, Orthrus, Rangda, Lich, and Marchosius.

At length, we discovered Echidna's lair. She was... huge, for lack of a better word. Terrible and imposing, with a strange sense of... elegance? She recognized me, apparently the rumor-mill was indeed churning and news of Chalis and my deeds were spreading far and wide. After introductions and a little small talk, she jumped straight to the heart of the issue, trying to lay things out from her point of view. The first part of the conversation had her explain just what the true purpose of the Messian Cathedral was. I was a little surprised, having initially assumed it to have been just another place of worship, if perhaps an overly extravagant one. But to learn that it was intended as an instrument for summoning YHVH directly into this world? Given the undeniable presence of demons and angels, and the Devil Summoning App, such a story could not just be handwaved away.

Next Echidna offered a reminder of the outcome of just such an event: the Chaos doctrine's depiction of a world under Law. It wasn't too different from my own understanding of it, a rather bleak and freedomless place. Liberty exchanged for security, and failure or falling short of utter obedience to God being met with disproportionate reprisal in eternal damnation in hellfire. I couldn't but nod in agreement at the assessment that such a world would not be one I'd like to live in.

Further, she outlined her own personal history with the god of Law, having been subject to his abuses before as his followers had slaughtered her own, and she had been cast out from godhood and turned into a demon. Swearing that her story was not an isolated case, she explained how all the old gods and goddesses had suffered as she had, and that rather than a goal of establishing peace, YHVH simply wished for a world under his control. If anything threatened that, he wouldn't hesitate to take extreme measures. Echidna stressed that to refuse to oppose him was simply inviting tragedy.

Finally she returned to the immediate case she wished to present me, to stop the construction of the Cathedral, the course of which was actually built on countless laborer's being misled and sacrificing themselves for lies. Here her argument was infinitely more persuasive than when Yama had tried to present the case as a quid pro quo for letting me out of jail. It was with a sinking heart that I had to refuse her, and she was understandably furious. After a fierce fight to the death, as she lay dying, I promised to her that I would indeed stop Haniel, the angel in charge of the Cathedral construction effort, but that I had been obligated to fulfill a promise. I don't know if she fully understood, but I think I saw something resembling acceptance in her eyes before the great earth goddess closed them for the final time.

Obligation to Nightmar discharged, and upset at what we had learned about the truth behind the Cathedral, Chalis and I made our way back to Shinagawa, making a pitstop at Ginza for Steven to upgrade our App with the second Memory Board we had found. Upon our return, Nightmar is overjoyed we completed the task he had sent us on, and summons the angel Haniel. The angel he had never mentioned previously. The angel we had had to learn about from Echidna. I was not happy, and I was considerably less happy when said angel began to immediately make assumptions about our intentions, fully confident we were willing to act for the glory of God.

When I outright refused the angel, a look of pure disbelief crossed his face, before turning into rage at being spurned. Spewing vindictives and cursing us with a righteous fury, the angel quickly set upon us, determined to make us pay for our insolence. Despite this, though, we prevailed, and emerged from the fight victorious.

Nightmar was understandably confused and upset. In some ways I felt like I had betrayed him, but I had never made any additional promises, and I couldn't be responsible for his misunderstandings. I certainly bore him no ill will, and we both lay down our arms indicating we didn't want to fight him. Thankfully he wasn't in the mood for violence either, and with a few disappointed remarks, and chiding us for having "chosen a wicked path that would surely bring about our own destruction", he departed Shinagawa.

This left Chalis and I alone, and friendless. We'd pissed off both of the major factions: the Gaian church first by our exploits in the Ikebukuro prison tower and then by killing their major power player Echidna at TDL, and now most recently the Messians by snatching victory from them with the jaws of defeat, defeating their champion Haniel just as they had gotten the hope that all would proceed smoothly. We were adrift in the seas of fate, and there was no sign of a way forward, where to go next. Or was there...?

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

This post is the divergent point for the routes!

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

So there we were, adrift without any real ideas of where to go when suddenly something that had been nearly forgot worked its way back to the surface of memory, and at nearly the same time Chalis and I turned to each other and said, "That man in the lower levels of Ginza!" Yes, the old greybeard who'd advised us that we were on the right path, though it was less trodden and more difficult than others, and that if we'd lost our way he would have advice for us. Spirits brightened, we headed off to meet him immediately.

He opens with yet more affirmation that by refusing to side with either Chaos or Law that we are making the right choice. Those options would not lead mankind to true happiness. He doesn't outright tell us the answer, but simply expresses his belief that Chalis and I are the only ones who can make the right choice, who can prevent the tragedy of mankind being relegated to pawn status to either of the higher powers. He then points us in the direction of an underground tunnel straight to the contentious Cathedral itself.

Stepping forward into the Cathedral from the secret passage, we advance to discover Nightmar and Ether in a face off, having a heated arguement with each other. Each makes pleas with us to listen to their case, to try to persuade us to then in turn convince the other.

Stepping forward to hear Ether's case first, he admits to being frustrated, and a little freaked out about how blithely Nightmar just accepts the orders handed down from God. "It's almost as if he's stopped thinking for himself," comes the claim, which while perhaps harsh when applied to Nightmar is certainly something I'd found myself thinking about some of the other Messianics.

He relays the situation about how the Gaian church and the forces of Chaos successfully pulled off their infiltration effort, and levied their assault against the Cathedral just in the nick of time, while also making a few unfounded boasts about how things will be like once they've eliminated the opposition.

Following that, Ether has a proposition for me. He first asks whether I'm familiar with the Four Devas, and I shake my head, indicating my confusion. As he proceeds to explain however, I realize he must be talking about the four great Oni, or Kishin, that have been alluded to by the various rumors in Shibuya, Shinegawa, Ikeburo, and Ueno. As he lists them off by name, that also refreshes my memory and I start to nod in agreement. Ether seems to think these beings will be willing to help out, but also that they'd be a good test of power. That marks the end of his argument and then I turn to listen to the other side.

Nightmar feels like Ether has lost sense of his morality, and has sold his soul to the demons. In truth this is an opinion I've heard him express ever since the human-demon fusion Ether foolhardily rushed into, and I won't deny having a few doubts about the man's stability myself.

Still, there is a sanctimonious "holier than thou" attitude that he's giving off which makes his explanation and his case much less palatable.

Nightmar too has a proposition involving the Four Devas, only this time he wants to see them dead, as somehow they're holding God back from being able to implement his grand design.

Not exactly excited about rushing out to tackle the Devas immediately, before even deciding which approach we'll take towards them, Chalis and I explore the first levels of the Cathedral (F1 and B1). It's very large, and somewhat segmented in a not entirely mazelike fashion. After some hours of travelling around in near circles we find relatively close to where Nightmar and Ether are having their arguement a pair of towns set up. The Law Town was the first one that we had come across, and they welcomed us inside, promising that it would be a welcome respite, free from monster attacks. One of the Messians also proclaims how excited he is to meet God's Archangels who have descended from heaven to take up stations at various points in the Cathedral, defending against the demonic assault.

Also in Law town was a most curious thing. There was a temple set up and ready to sacrifice an octopus in the name of god. The octopus pleaded with me to save its life, and in compassion we undertook to do so. The Messian tried to convince me otherwise, but I was resolute in my determination, and he relented. The demon, now freed, remarked that though we looked extremely tasty, since we saved its life it wouldn't eat us, but would instead let us go. It even gave us an Octopus Whistle, to use to call it if we ever should need its help.

The Chaos town was on the same level, but on the opposite side, and was less structured and much more ad-hoc. It didn't have quite the levels of protection set up either, as wandering around the vendors one would occasionally be beset by a random encounter with a demon.

There were two tibits of information in the town that were very much worth learning. The first was that the Chaos faction had completely taken over all of the basement levels of the Cathedral, and that that had similarly epic levels of demons brought along in their ranks, presumably to rival the Archangel's on God's side. There was a rumor that Lucifer himself may even show up to lend a hand, but that was less well substantiated.

The final thing of note was a very curious shop. It claimed to have had a turtle for sale, but since nobody had been interested in buying it, the shopkeeper had cooked it and eaten it. This was truly baffling to me, and I cannot imagine what was going through his mind. Presumably if we hadn't wasted all that time arguing with the priest to free the octopus, I could have saved the turtle's life instead, but what's done is done.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

We began out venture to meet the 4 Devas by heading to that first house I wandered into, oh so long ago, just north of Shibuya. When I reached the sealed door that I had despaired at earlier, the four-door gem I acquired in Shinagawa flashed and undid the mystic seal. Inside was Zouchouten, who rather than aid me like Ether had suggested, decided to duel me, and lose horribly.

I then proceeded counterclockwise around Tokyo, encountering Koumokuten in the south near Shinagawa...

Jikokuten in the east near TDL,

and finally Bishamonten in the north. None of the Devas actually posed a challenge, and all fell before me. I started to get a bit concerned that I was inadvertantly aiding the cause of Law, but there was simply nothing else for me to do.

When I returned to report my success to Ether, we were interrupted by a terrible shaking of unknown origin and effect. Ether thought I should venture outside to see what had happened.

I had slightly different plans. I first went to talk to Nightmar, who made a few ominous insinuations about just what the God of Law may have done, and I was feeling like my earlier suspicions of being an unwitting patsy were dangerously close to the mark. He bid me go outside the Cathedral and see with my own eyes what I had enabled.

Water. Everywhere. As far as the eye could see, and nothing but. That lying bastard of a God who had promised to always put his bow in the sky after a rain as a symbol of his covenant with Noah to never again flood the earth had ignored his pledge and gone and done exactly that. Tokyo was wholly submerged under water. Walking up to the edge of the water I found that I could blow on the Octopus Whistle, and the monster I had saved from before would act as a ferry for me. Having played a few RPG in my youth, I wondered bitterly if this meant I was reaching the midpoint of my struggles, finally acquiring a "boat", and I half-heartedly prayed the airship would come soon. Rather than sail off into the blue just yet, I headed back into the Cathedral to report the extent of the devastation.

Ether was predictably pissed off, but managed to find the silver lining. If the forces of Chaos hadn't invaded the Cathedral, they'd all be underwater at the moment. However, apparently there was another source of bad news he had to reveal, and another favor he was planning to ask of me. I listened, despite my better judgement.

Apparently one of their high ranking agents, Ravanna, was managing to keep up a seal in the Tokyo Government building that managed to ward off God from making a divine appearance just yet, even in the void of power left by the Devas' absence. He was threatened by an old foe on the side of Law, however, and the struggle had come to a stalemate.

Nightmar's story was just the reverse request, though the details were the same. They had sent Vishnu in order to prepare the way, and without his victory God could not manifest himself in Tokyo. I shrugged, then with shoulders slumped Chalis and I left the Cathedral.

Rather than head straight towards Shinjuku and try to find a way into the Government Building we sailed aimlessly around what had used to be Tokyo, partly to give ourselves time to come up with a third way solution, and partly out of morbid curiousity to see what if anything had managed to survive the flood. There were a couple of landmasses uncovered, and a few of the taller buildings looked like they could still be entered. One of the landmasses held the spirit of an ancient hero who had become a demigod, watching over and guarding Tokyo. Now in its time of destruction he was despairing over the futility of continuing this task.

Sensing our strength, and noting the fact that we had defeated the Devas, his servants, but feeling that our convictions differed from those of the forces of Law and of Chaos whose bickering had wrought the destruction, he entrusted me with his sword, and professed his belief that we would manage to actually find a third way, a way to return Tokyo to the balance it had enjoyed many long centuries prior to the current conflict.

On another island, there was but a single building, which though devoid of physical presence, carried the eerie weight of a strong and powerful presence. Chalis felt it especially, but after she pointed it out, it was clear to me that she was onto something. We resolved to return at some point further in the future, but until then there was nothing we could do.

While we could enter Tokyo Tower, it was barren and devoid of anything of note, save a Terminal access point.

Likewise when we went to the Sugamo Prison in Ikebukuro, we were finally able to reach the top floor, where the rumoned demon fusion master had been alleged to be held. However, the only old man we found there swore that there was nothing he could do to help us, and so we left dejected.

Further travel by octopus revealed no other landmarks of note, and so we sailed up to the Tokyo Government building, entered, and prepared to carve our own path toward the future.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

The Tokyo Government building was kind of a unique construction in that it consisted of two tall towers that after a certain floor were inaccessible to each other. Harkening back to before the flood, way back, when it was just me, Nightmar, and Ether, before I'd even found out Chalis had been reborn, and we were still just toppling Ozawa's corrupt regime, I think I remember a rumor about two powerful demons waging war on each other from across the towers. This must have been what they meant, and if so, this stalemate had been a long one. I didn't know or care which demon was atop which tower. Chalis and I had come to the agreement that we would defeat both of them, and hopefully spoiling the plans of both factions once and for all. We weren't sure if it would be enough to bring the conflict to an end, but we had to try it. Ascending one of the towers at random, we arrived face to face with Vishnu at the top. He was not about to allow foolish humans to impede him, but fought us and lost. Truly his flaw was in underestimating his opponents.

It was no surprise then that Ravana awaited us atop the other tower, so we made haste to find him, and dispatched him with comparatively little effort compared to Vishnu. While pondering this oddity (how could it have been a stalemate with this disparity in power?) his son, Indrajit showed up to avenge his father. Ahhh, if they had fought as a pair then things would make sense. Well, while together they may have been strong, individually they were both weak, and handily dispatched.

Upon our return to the Cathedral Ether was less than pleased. He swore off our friendship and pledged that the next time we met it would be our last, that we would fight and settle things as enemies on the battlefield.

Nightmar wasn't happy either. He declared me an outcast and an infidel, and swore that if we ever crossed paths again he would kill me.

None of us were happy about how things had completely fallen apart and it was an utter shame that it had come to this, but we three were all too inflexible, and refused to back down. Everybody left this center vestibule, going their own ways. Advancing forward, Chalis and I were again greeted by the old man, who explained that much like the how the battle at the Government building had deadlocked, the skirmishes here in the Cathedral proper had also arrived at stalemate. Archangel Michael was chief of the forces of Law, to be found at the top of the 8th floor of the Cathedral while the Tenma Lord Asura who marshalled the forces of Chaos awaited at the bottom of the 8th basement level. Both needed to be defeated for the way of balance to succeed.

The path ahead of us was clear, and this really felt like the final hurdle. If we could accomplish this, this would have to be the end. In light of this we stopped at one of the Cathedral towns for some final preparation work. This involved finally figuring out the key demons necessary for the Sword Fusion of the Kusanagi no Ken, enabling us to rank it up to a masterwork sword. There was some fusing up of our demon members, resulting in a crew of Lakshmi, Oberon, Komokuten, Hanuman, Indra, Rangda, Lich, Hariti, and Abaddon, and we were all set to proceed.

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

In order not to disturb the fragile balance too much as we either ascended or descended, Chalis and I came to the agreement that we should clear out roughly as much of a path until the defeat of a major enemy commander in either direction, before turning around and going to battle the opposing forces. With this in mind we first ascended until we faced the Archangel Uriel.

Following that we descended to face the Demon King Surt.

Then we trekked back up to dispatch Archangel Gabriel...

before descending again to take out the Demon Kings Astaroth and Arioch.

By this point, we felt tired of the constant slog back and forth, and figured we had to be near enough to weakening both factions that pressing on and eliminating one entirely would no longer carry the risk of inadvertently delivering victory to the other before we could go back and smash them down. We headed back up, aiming to the top, to remove the threat of the ironclad rule of Law. Before we were able to reach Michael at the top there was another Archangel waiting for us, Raphael. He fell, still convinced of his superiority and the ultimate victory of God.

After this we were surprised to find an exit leading outside. There was a huge balcony level, encircling the whole of the Cathedral, providing one last resting point midway up the ascent. We took advantage of this, allowing us to use a combination of Toraport and Toraest to quickly return as needed without losing our progress.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

[spoiler=Our Heroes]

Demons: Ananta, Oberon, Cherub, Vampire, Indra, Hanuman, Rangda, Lich, Abaddon, Fleurty

After having run the gauntlet of high-ranking angels and high-ranking demons, Chalis and I had grown much stronger. We were ready to take on the world, to topple Michael and Asura, and to champion the path of balance.

...What we weren't ready for was having to kill our friends.

Nightmar stood in our path, blocking the way up, and gave a final lecture. Even now he lamented our refusal to bow to God, denied that balance as an ideal was even something worth striving for.

One again he asserted the fundamental worthlessness of human beings. Only but for the grace of God could they be redeemed, and only in service of God was use of power legitimate. I couldn't agree with his point of view, I knew it was wrong in my heart, but I couldn't convince him, and from his point of view we were the evil that needed to be destroyed.

Even for a close friend, a great friend like Nightmar, this was a no mercy fight. If we had held back in our strength at all, he would have ended us. Thus it happened that he fell with a mortal wound, far beyond the ability of Chalis's magic to heal, or of his own. I clasped him by the hand as he breathed his final breaths, realizing that he was dying for a second time, that the God of Laws had deserted him to this fate, that the proclamations of him being a Messiah were nothing but lies. It was a sad thing for all of us, those final moments.

With heavy hearts, we pushed open the doors to the room where Archangel Michael was waiting for us. He confronted us with an air of superiority, a smug self-righteousness, looking down on us as if we were beings on the level of ants. He didn't shy away from the chance to twist the knife in the emotional wound of our having to just watch the life of one of our closest friends slip away, from injuries we were responsible for.

For all his big talk, though, fighting Michael was nothing compared to fighting Nightmar. Chalis and I were free to go after him with clear conscious, and not even a flicker of doubt. The angel soon fell to his knees, expressing his remorse at his failure, begging forgiveness of God for his weakness. And then it was done.

The next destination was the Cathedral basement. However on the sixth level, quite to our surprise, we crossed paths with Louis Cypher once again. Noting our goal of defeating the Lord Asura, he recommended we go visit an island a little to the west. He assured us that what we found there would make the final battle easier. Chalis and I looked at each other, weighing the cost of such a detour, and then realizing that he was probably talking about the building that housed the mysterious presence, we decided that we would have to go check it out.

When we arrived, this time a voiced called out to greet us, followed by a form stepping out from the shadows. It was the Great Demon Lord Beelzebub, and he seemed... almost disappointed, as if he were expecting something... more from us. However he resolved to follow through on "his" request, and came at us with a fierce assault. By the time we had beat him back, his expression had changed to one of grudging respect, and he revealed that he had acted on the orders of Louis Cypher. Clearly something was afoot...

We made a beeline back to the lower levels of the Cathedral, hoping that nothing dreadful had taken place in our absence, that the forces of Chaos hadn't seized the opportunity to take full control. Chalis had just breathed a sigh of relief that they hadn't, and I was about to join her, when Ether stepped out in front of us, challenging us. Like Nightmar, he too bemoaned our inability to "see reason" and firmly insisted that balance as a goal was foolish. It was merely an unstable equilibrium, existing only for brief times before tilting one way or the other. It could never last, and to hope for it was betting on the longest odds.

This too was a dreadful fight to have to happen, and Ether's powers were considerable, straining the both of us to our limits. He swung his sword with precision strokes, and flung his fire spells with fury. After a long hard fight, the two of us were panting, winded, over his fallen body, as he lay bleeding out, wounded beyond repair. He cursed himself in his old habit of self-loathing, always finding more "weakness" in himself than others could ever see. At the end, after wondering if this had all just been a nightmare, he concluded that no, the time he'd spent with us, our friendships, at the very least if it were a dream, it had been a good one.

With fierce tightness in my chest, wiping back tears with the back of my hand, I stood up to press forward only to find, Rie, the girl that Ether had fallen in with that we'd met at TDL barred the way. Beside herself with disbelief she dressed us down for our callous actions, for murdering our dear friend. She then revealed herself as Lilith. It seems that Ether had actually finally found a yandere after all, though her focus was not truly on him.

She repeated her story from before, when we had met her via Louis at Ueno, about how she really was supposed to have been my eternal partner, not Chalis. How nothing had gone her way, how it wasn't her fault. This time, mad with grief she wasn't able to hold herself back, to stop from attacking, though Chalis and I managed to fend her off, and she left, dropping the Belial Pot and leaving it behind her.

Almost exhausted, but impatient to be done, we pressed on into the final basement, entering the chambers of Lord Asura. His mocking was perhaps worse that Michael's even, as not only did he jab at the death of Ether at our hands, but he laid our motive for it in the wrong place. Presuming us to be here as agents of God sent to depose him as a holy quest, rather then the true reason of removing all the higher powers from influencing man, setting humanity back on its own path to find the balance. They were stinging words, but they soon ended when he started his attack, seeking to stamp us out and remove the opposition of Chaos once and for all.

After his defeat, Asura gave a bitter lament. They had been just at the cusp, right at the edge of Lucifer's "utopia", only to have it snatched away. At this point there was no pity in either of our hearts for the demon, none at all, and after he faded away, dispatched back to hell, we moved onward.

There was a console here, a terminal. Where did it lead?

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

The terminal led to an observatory at the very peak of the Cathedral, even above the 8th floor. There we met the old man once more, and he straightened up his bent back, and seemed to reverse age, to a taller, black haired middle-aged man. There he congratulated us on our victory.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Balcerzak]

As some of the content here interweaves with the previously displayed route (Neutral), only unique screenshots will be presented. You're free to refresh your memory on what the contents were precisely by revisiting the tale previously told, but for the most part, I hope my brief text summary will be enough of a refresher.

The demoness Echnidna had outlined many key points, and issues well in line with my beliefs. I looked to Chalis here, seeking her opinion, but she just nodded gently, and told me to trust myself, and that she would follow. Nodding back, I turned to face the giant snake-woman, and indicated our agreement to her plan: To put an end to the construction of the Messian cathedral, no matter the cost. She was uncharacteristicly brimming with joy at this news, at least, judged on our little interaction that would be my characterization. Perhaps when I get to know her better in the future I will find that it actually fits in well. After she calmed back down, she solemnly thanked us, and bid us success on our endeavors.

We then returned to Shinegawa, to inform Nightmar that upon having heard both sides of the story, we simply couldn't continue to comply with our hastily made agreement with his prior request. An agreement that we pointed out had only been tacitly made. Our good friend, a bit taken aback, seemed to be considering how to try once again to sue his case, and solicit our assistance. When a disembodied voice chimed in, it was unexpected, but the message it delivered was frank and accurate.

Introducing itself as the angel Haniel it cut to the chase. I would not abide by our behaviour, and was taking our punishment for our unrepentent and heretical ways. I'm sure it was trying to figure out how to add blasphemy and a host of other charges to the list, but it cut that short and simply promised to cast us down into the fires of hell.

Dispatching the foolish angel, and leaving a shocked Nightmar behind us, we departed, confident in having dealt a severe blow to the Messian Cathedral efforts, and we reported back to our new demonic patron. Pleased with our achievements thus far, she had additional tasks for us to take on. To speadhead an effort to invade and wrest control of what had already managed to be completed of the Cathedral. Echidna completed her instructions with details, directions, and notes on how to proceed.

Crossing the bridge and arriving inside the Cathedral, we found ourselves in a hastily established town of likeminded Gaians. Much of the lower half of the building was already solidly ours, while the Messians still maintained firm control on the upper floors. The middle floors were in close contention and we found Ether and Nightmar facing off at the center, appealing to each other to see reason. Taking a break from their argument that was going nowhere, Ether recommended to us to seek out and fight the Four Devas at the corners of Tokyo. It would be good for a challenge, he said, and if we could best them, it was probable they might see fit to come to our aid.

Leaving him and Rie then in charge of organizing the efforts in our absence, we went out and did as he suggested. One by one, the Devas fell, and eagerly saw fit to organize under our banner.

Upon our return to the Cathedral to report our success to Ether, it turns out the whole proceeding had been an abysmal mistake. Without the Deva's guarding their posts, Tokyo proper was left undefended, and the God of Law saw fit to strike down a great flood. The Cathedral was spared, but very little else. I was in a bit of a panic, but Chalis saw fit to try to distract me. She suggested a shopping tour of the Gaian town here to better outfit ourselves as a way to take our minds off of the disaster. I was skeptical, but as chance, or maybe fate would have it, we did chance across something that took our minds off the current affairs. It wasn't gear, but a greedy merchant, and the plight of a turtle demon. The turtle promised to do anything we desired if we would only keep it from being turned into turtle soup.

It didn't take long for the two of us to agree, and we grabbed the beast and prepared to leave with it. This obviously attracted the attention of the merchant, and eager to protect his profits he moved to stop us. A wicked grin, and moving to unsheath my sword, while Chalis cocked her pistol and pointed it at the man made for a sudden change of tune on his part however. Apparently he suddenly remembered that we'd already paid him for this merchandise.

The turtle gave us a trinket in exchange, a bell made of shell, and a promise to arrive at the water's edge wherever we rang it, to convey us across the waves hither or thither, wherever we might wish to go. We didn't waste time taking him up on the offer, hoping to see what had survived the tide of destruction.

Ether had mentioned that Ravana, one of the higher up agents of Chaos, had been battling Vishnu before the flood hit. Worried about how things may have changed, and hoping his fortunes hadn't soured, we sought him out. We managed to find our man alright, and he was still well, but the struggle was nothing but a stalemate. With our muscle however, Ravana thought we might be able to tip the edge, and so he added himself to our ranks. After that, Vishnu simply wasn't an issue.

Our triumphant return back to the Cathedral with new ally in tow was met by somber news, however. Nightmar had activated the nuclear power core. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what that actually does, but anything with the name "nuclear" has got to be trouble. To make matters worse, Archangel Michael and a host of seraphim have descended, trying to perform a troop surge to retake the whole Cathedral and to summon God onto Earth.

Ether gets all hotblooded and charges up the flights of stairs, eager to put down Michael like the rabid dog of God he is, with his trusted companion right on his arm.

As for me and mine? Well, Chalis and I got waylaid on our way up by some of the other Seraphs. By the time we arrived at the door to the top floor, where Michael was undoubtedly waiting for us all, it was firmly sealed, and beyond Ether's power to open. He was starting to get a bit desperate, and Rie was doing her part to keep him encouraged. A few swapped explanations and some huddled pow-wows for ideas commenced, and we decided to leave Ether to keep trying here, while we would go seek out some assistance from our powerful demon compatriots in the basement.

We first come across Surt, who while singing our praises, starts preaching to the choir about the admirable qualities of humanity. How our passion, desire, and inner drive are amazing, and that freedom is far more important than any peace that could be gained by sacrificing any of those things. He also informs us to continue to descend, as Asura, on the bottom floor, wishes to speak with us.

Next is Astaroth, excited about our courage and our strength of arms. The willingness to stand up to God alone deserves to be praised, but the ability to do that and to actually win? The demon lord starts to wax contemplative on whether his foul curse might even some day be reversed with our aid. With a final, unnecessary, reminder not to give in to the philosophy of law, in whatever deceptive language it might be couched, he bids us continue ever downwards.

We encounter Arioch on the floor below, and he is most grateful for Chalis and my willingness to look beyond appearances. Most humans judge the demon "book" by its "cover", seeing a hideous appearance and immediately branding them and their cause as evil, and we are applauded for the vision to see beyond that, to appreciate the fight for freedom they embody and choose to stand with them.

Once again urged on downward and thanked for our contributions we drew ever nearer to Asura. Hopefully he will have some plan to crack the nut of a door keeping Michael ensconced away from our ability to strike at him, because so far, neither Chalis nor I have been able to come up with anything good along our way down.

[Balcerzak]

Shortly after having strolled past several of the lords of hell Chalis and I were greeted by an unexpected, yet familiar, face. One Louis Cypher, who we'd previously met―I believe it was in the sewers of Ueno? He'd been in the company of Yuriko/Lilith at the time, though feigned ignorance of her true nature. His nonchalant presence here, and the advice he just gave suggests that there is something seriously more than meets the eye to this fellow. What is he, a robot in disguise? Haha, bad joke from a pre-nuclear holocaust world I know, but if you can't find humor in a crazy situation, you may as well already be dead, right? Anyway, apparently we can collect some serious muscle for our cause if we take a small dip out of our way to that island with the creepy presence from earlier. If at first reluctant, it seems just name-dropping out to work on the fellow. This Louis must have some serious clout... Why doesn't he just help us out personally, I wonder?

We swing on over, and sure enough, the dude is a mix of reluctant and acceptant, but seems to be willing to follow through with Louis's request, and he joins up. A quick glance at his parameters leaves Chalis and I so upbeat about our prospects we're nearly giddy as we ride the turtle back to the Cathedral, and start the descent back down to see Asura again.

In the chamber right outside where we expect to find Asura, we run into Ether again. I'd left him trying to take care of the door to Michael's sanctuary, but he had apparently gotten stumped and during our side-trek of to Beelzebub he'd wandered down to come wait for us. He also mentions his girlfriend has something she wants to talk about, and I rack my mind trying to figure out just what it might be. She'd also struck me as fairly taciturn, and reasonably devoted to Ether but then again we'd hardly interacted that much, what with Chalis and I constantly off on missions for Echidna or whatever else.

Her revelation was a total curveball. It absolutely floored me. This bitch again? That said, she had mellowed out way considerably, and been acting almost like a decent human being. I actually almost feel like I can forgive her, despite what she did before the apocalypse. However, all this expositing comes well after the fact. At the time, all I could do was stand there like a dope with my mouth hanging open. I kind of wish I'd thought to pay attention and see how Chalis reacted, but hey, hindsight is 20/20 huh? Anyway, Rie...Lilith...Yuriko, whatever you call her shared her piece and then just left, never turning back.

I suppose there's one person's reaction who I haven't really covered who is heavily involved in this whole affair though... Ether's. He... tried to play off being cool, but it wasn't too difficult to see that deep down he was pretty badly wounded. Being played with, toyed around by a girl just so she could get closer to me? If that's not a kick in the nuts, I don't know what is.

We enter the chamber of lord Asura. He introduces himself as a heavenly demon, and explains his circumstances. Former god in his own right, when the God of Law turned him along with the other gods of old into demons he was exiled to the abyss. He's also the head general currently marshalling the forces of Chaos in this sector.

Next he outlines that the initial plans of the invasion have already been met and exceeded. The summoning of God into this world has been all but stopped, and with it the dire consequences of the Thousand Year Kingdom. Further, with control of the lower reaches of the Cathedral firmly in the grasp of the forces of Chaos, destroying the foundations and bringing the building down into a mountain of rubble can happen at any time.

With a success as great as this, what more could one ask for you may wonder? It actually doesn't take a genius to guess at the answer. Simply drive the rest of the forces of Law out, and take the fruits of their hard work. Convert it to a Temple of Chaos, not some Grand Cathedral, and let it stand as a monument to the friendship between mankind and demonkind throughout the ages.

The only thing standing in the way of this ambition is the Seraph Michael, and Chalis and I have got the nod for the job of taking him out, as like the other demons before him Asura cannot praise us too much. I'm starting to get a little worried that all this praise will go to my head.

We inform him that we would have ended the "Michael Menace" but long ago if we could have simply gotten to the bastard... though phrased a fair bit more diplomatically, and he nods and continues on. Apparently he does know of a solution to this problem. It involves constructing and then using a Devil's Ring. To do that, we need to revisit the three important demon lords we made acquaintance of, retrieve a relic, and then return to him.

(NB: By Belial Pot in the screenshot, he actually means Devil's Ring. The original TL is kind of fucked here, as you can see by the scripting errors and such.)

Surt is a little surly about giving up a claw, but realizes it's going to a good cause. The other two are considerably more enthusiastic about the affair.

A quick stop off at Asura, he makes the ring, briefly explains its use, gives it to us and we head off...

...except he actually has some very vital safety warnings to impart. If we overtax the powers of the ring it could prove very hazardous, even fatal.

A bit more somber, and will markedly less exuberance, we make the long march back up from the deepest depths of the Cathedral basement, up to near the top of its pinnacling towers, where the sealed portal to Michael awaits us. Ether appears to have recovered from Rie's revelation, excitedly see that we've brought the ring of power, and quickly, gollum-like snatches it out of my hands before I can put it on.

I don't even have time to warn him about what Asura said before he's going full out, blasting around with it, making force lightning like a Sith Lord, and whatever the hell he wants. The path forward is wide open now, but he's just wallowing in the crazy amounts of power flowing through him, and he's totally lost in the moment. Chalis calls out and tries to warn him, but the sinking pit in my stomach tells me it's already way too late.

As the forces of the ring finally overwhelm him, I can't bear to watch. I avert my eyes, and try to remember the good friend Ether I knew and respected. He must still have been shaken, and exposure to so much of the power he'd always longed for, such a forbidden fruit... could there have been any other outcome I wonder? Could I have been quicker, could I have held onto it or wrested it away from him?

We don't even have time to mourn. The blasted ring has barely stopped rolling after falling to the ground, having completely consumed its bearer when Nightmar strides out from beyond the portal now in shatters, and delivers his judgement. Hearing it from his mouth is like a slap to the face, even if some of the sentiments were vaguely similar to my own thoughts. Yet his manner is callous, and he places the blame in all the wrong places. Ether was smote because he opposed God? Bullshit, my friend. Bullshit. And we're next? Just keep on shoveling. I'm sorry it's had to come to this but you leave us no choice. Now we fight for real.

[Balcerzak]

As Nightmar lies dying, having been bested by us, he seems to slip out of the fevered devotion to God that had blinded him, overtaken him, and I grieve now for both my dead friends. There's now only one thing left to do. Michael.

Frankly, compared to the strain of what we just went through, any angel of God's no matter how powerful has nothing on that. We stride past his feathered corpse to a terminal at the very apex of the Cathedral, and are greeted by Louis Cypher... Lucifer, who congratulates us on our success, in our ushering in a new world of Chaos, as well as leaving us with a final enigma to ponder. What does it even mean, what does this portend for the future...?

[Balcerzak]

In an alternate plane of existence, a slightly different set of circumstances played out.

Echidna had gone down like the snake she was. No doubt her words were venomed, and only meant to lure Chalis and I into a sense of security. Her agenda was clear, and an agent of chaos almost by definition cannot be trusted. What are they loyal to, beyond personal freedom? When her whims changed, after she was down with us, I can only imagine what would have been in store. So we killed her, fulfilling our previous conversation and agreement with Nightmar.

Upon returning to Shinegawa, Haniel thanks us, and directs us enter the Great Cathedral through the newly constructed bridge, and Nightmar himself is overjoyed at our reunion.

Upon making our way to the cathedral we find a well-ordered and lawful town set up in one section. We stopped what appeared to be an ill-guided sacrifice to God (did the priest not remember the new covenant? There shall be no more sacrifices of blood. It is no longer pleasing in his eyes.) The grateful octopus gave us a whistle, and promised to reply if ever we needed his aid and should call upon him through it.

After Chalis and I made our way to the center of the cathedral, we found Nightmar and Ether facing off, each trying to convince the other of the promise of their path. Neither appears to budge, even though Ether's arguments were more than a little flimsy. Disregarding him for the moment, we took the time to talk with Night, who recommended we dispatch the four Devas, who were protecting Tokyo too vigorously, and keeping God from making his entrance. The task was almost too easy, yet when we returned a surprise found us. Almost as soon as we reached the Cathedral, a great flood began, enveloping most of this already ruined world.

Returning to Nightmar, he informed us that it was all according to plan, but further work was needed. An agent of Chaos was blocking the attempts to summon God into the Cathedral, though our man of Law in the towers, Vishnu, had locked Ravanna into a stalemate. I still didn't understand how the flood helped our cause, as it made travel to the towers difficult, and surely countless lives had been lost, but God works in mysterious ways and it is better not to think too deeply on the matter.

We made our way over, and worked our way up the tower, being greeted by Vishnu, who gladly joined our cadre of demons. Working our way over to the other tower, we faced off with and defeated Ravanna and his progeny.

Our return to the Cathedral, victorious, could scarcely have been better timed, for the forces of Chaos had not kept idle. No! On the contrary, Ether was activating the core reactor, undoubtedly for some fiendish scheme. The Tenma Asura had also marshalled the forces of Chaos into a successful fighting force, and claimed nearly all the basement levels.

This state of affairs is worrying the archangel Michael greatly from his position at the pinnacle of the Cathedral. We were advised to go defeat Asura and report back.

We delved downward then, with every intention of doing so, defeating Lords of Hell all along the way, but as we reached the lowermost levels, we found our path blocked, and forced to retreat, and head to the top levels to seek further guidance from holy Michael ourselves. Along the way we met several from the glorious Host, and they were overjoyed to meet the new messiahs, the second Adam and Eve, as they called us, and swelled our ranks of minions.

As we reach the door to the final flight upwards, Nightmar greets us yet again. He had a couple of long speeches prepared, reminding us of the true purpose and glory of the Cathedral. That God is ever loving, all forgiving, and that our path is just. That we must save this world from the chaos that resulted from its earlier destruction. Michael had also informed him that in order to breach the chambers of Asura, so that we could take him down once and for all, we would need to forge the Angel Ring, out of the three Seraphs that had joined us. It would be a most tricky fusion, and the ordinary Jakyo Manors would likely not avail us.

Thinking back long and hard, Chalis recalled the place we had visited on our search for Vishnu and Ravanna. The top of the tower where Yama had ruled, there had been an old man, who claimed to be a fusion master, I think it was? For lack of better options, we set sail to find him and sue for his help, even though last time we'd arrived he had turned us away. This time however, we presented a challenge that lit a fire under him, and he was more than eager to give it a whirl. The fusion was successful, and telling us he could do nothing further, he shooed us out the door after he had done.

The long trek back through the basement levels to finally dispatch Asura greeted us with an absolutely terrible surprise as we reached the area where the sealed door had stood. Nightmar had apparently gone ahead of us, for what purpose I could not fathom, but it mattered not. Ether was standing triumphantly atop his dead, battered, and broken body. And if that wasn't the worst of it, the cad was gloating. Seeking to lecture us from his own self-absorbed notions of might makes right, we fought, and delivered holy retribution upon him for the murder of a former ally, friend, and a messenger of God's will and instrument for his purposes.

With Ether dead, we spent a few minutes to pray for the forgiveness of his corrupt and misguided soul. He hadn't always been the foul and twisted man we found him to be today. Once he had been better, but the times had been harsh, and the demon fusion had changed him. This I truly believed, and Chalis agreed. Turning then back to our original purpose, the Angel Ring bathed the sealed portal in holy light, undoing the foul magics holding it shut.

We entered and dispatched with Asura, after enduring his tirade against us and God, and the fight was not nearly as hard on our hearts as the one just previous. Having fulfilled our tasks, we were beckoned to by an unseen voice, and told to advance, to step forward and walk into its presence. Just who could it be?

[Balcerzak]

It was a robed messenger from God. He informed us that Nightmar was with God now, happy and at peace, though our own work was far from done. Still, everything considered, I say it was an excellent start. Until the Thousand Year Kingdom becomes reality, Chalis and I will continue to work tirelessly!