*: Arcadia was (and still is) the name of a Greek province. In Antiquity it was renowned for its forests, mountainous terrain and sparse population, and the name eventually became synonymous with idyllic, unspoiled wilderness. In Greek mythology it was said to be the home of forest god Pan, of his host of dryads and other nature spirits.
It may be a bit presumptuous of the Mesians to call their experiment by the same name... but it is much nicer than anywhere else.
The church building nearby is exactly the same as the others in Valhalla and Factory, down to the floor layout and the Terminal. At least they're consistent.
I'm not sure where to go next; I guess we'll just explore. Like, say, to the northeast.Well ain't that just downright posh.
: and it's all thanks to Lord Nathan!
:
Lord Nathan? Wow, now I'm not sure I even want to remember him.
: Lord Nathan is truly our Savior.
Okay, I wasn't sure I was completely okay with this "I'm the Savior" business, but now that someone else is cramping my style I have to admit I'm a little miffed.
: Lord Nathan is in the mansion at the end of the path that runs through the trees.
*: Huh. Where the people of Valhalla were lucky to have a single-tile room to call home, that girl has a whole mini-dungeon to herself.
In the next house over...: This is truly an ideal world!
: That's easy to say when you don't have to deal with giant demonic snowmen and poison chickens and angry cows.
*: That's it for this path. Let's go southwest now.
The MNN jumbotron still broadcasts our return to civilized society.: worrying about any of the tragedies in the outside world. However, we still cannot escape death.
...I don't like where this is going.
: If we can find the secret to immortality, then we will have nothing left to fear.
Wow, that cannot end well.
: we can live here happily in complete freedom. However, there are still some people here that crave immortality.
: Yeah, that sounds a bit selfish to me, running after immortality while everyone else outside your little green bubble is being eaten by demons.
: Humans sure are greedy! They always want something more. Me, I'm pretty happy as I am.
: I'm just glad there are still some of you in here who know how lucky they are and how much they have.
*: Hmm, wait. I've been everywhere. Except for...
Hmm.
Of for... Gah! It's not even that the entire forest is passable; this is just a thin invisible trail. I guess that's what that woman meant by "the path that runs through the trees". At least it didn't take me ten minutes to figure it out this time, and there aren't any random encounters.: It's been quite a long time, Hawke. It's me, Nathan. Do you remember me?
: I heard your voice in a virtual battler somehow, but... no, I don't.
: So, what do you think of the Arcadia Area?
: Well, it's, ah, certainly pretty.
: While you were gone missing, I was put in charge of this area, and have built it into a microcosm of a future utopian world. As I'm sure you already know, Millenium is trying to bring the Thousand Year Kingdom into reality. The Arcadia Area here is an experimental test case in an isolated envoronment, to see what kind of world we can create once the Thousand Year Kingdom becomes reality. So far it's been a great success.
: As long as you don't pay attention to the egomaniacs hunting for eternal life.
: Here there are no demons and hence no need to fight, and interpersonal conflicts between individuals have been eradicated as well... Everyone lives in peace and harmony. Once the entire world has been made like Arcadia, we really can say that the Thousand Year Kingdom has come!
: I'll believe it when I see it, but... I suppose that would be an improvement.
: Hawke, if you like it here, you can come back whenever you desire.
: Okay, it is a great vacation spot, I'll give you that.
: You are always welcomed here in the halls of Arcadia. All right then. Please go back to the Center and tell Samuel that Arcadia has been an overwhelming success.
: Alright then, see you when I see you.
We leave.
: Elise, did I hate this guy? I mean, you know, before.
: Not that I know of. Why?
: Ehhhhh... I'm not sure. Never mind. Let's go back.
*: We warp back to the Center.: I've been gone for like a couple hours, and you people have already dropped the ball? What is it now?
: I haven't got time to explain, go talk to the Bishop!
*: He's not kidding, we have an angry red and yellow encounter gauge on the main floor. Fortunately we don't run into any fights yet.: The demons have finally managed to break into the Center! And what's worse, the Anti-Messiah has also shown himself!
: The Anti-Messiah? There's a damn
Anti-Messiah?! Why does no one tell me these things? That sounds like some pretty damn critical information to me!
: This false savior is deviously manipulating the innocent populace! If we let him continue, Millenium will surely fall into a state of utter chaos! We have been receiving reports of the Anti-Messiah's activity from both Holytown and Valhalla, but we don't know exactly where he is at the present time. For what reason is he claiming to be the Savior? Please, try and find out.
: Fine!
*: Let's try and find out any information we can here before we go.: They say that the Savior went to Valhalla.
Lv20 Youjuu Nue
They now have Media and a new "Tobi-Gel(?)" physical attack.*: That was harder than I'd have liked, so I call back Unicorn and Dverger.
At the bar...: This is awful! A false Messiah has appeared! And of all the times to appear and start causing trouble, now, when the Center is being overrun with demons!
: Ain't that a coincidence, huh?
: I can't believe that the demons managed to break into the Center.... No way I'm sticking around here to get killed by them!
: Like anywhere's safe right now.
: Well, there's Arcadia...
: No one knows how to fight there, except maybe King Muscle, if he even counts. If the demons broke in, it'd be a massacre.
*: On a hunch, I go to the weapons lab on the second floor. Maybe they'll let us take out a prototype now.: stolen. It was the Stalkers that took them!
: Gah! Assholes! Damn but I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when I get my hands on them!
*: And in the bio lab next door...: A mob of demons invaded the lab and stole all the items we were developing!
*: We're not getting anything useful here, it's time to go. I'm kind of tempted to put our destination to vote, but it's not like we have a lot of info to go on, and the LP is already going slow enough as it is. I'll keep that for more important decisions I think.
So, Valhalla or Holytown... Heck, I don't know anyone in Holytown, and there can't possibly be more people there now than in Valhalla. Let's take care of our old hood.
We warp there and run into Zombies and Garms right away. Maybe this isn't so bad yet. Let's see how Okamoto is doing.: Call me whatever feels right, old man, it's no big deal.
: What's this I hear about you stepping into the ring again!?
: What?
: Where did this decision come from all of a sudden...? You could have let me know....
: This is bullshit, I'm not...
Wait a minute... In my flashbacks, there was another...
It's gotta be him. These Mesian idiots have manufactured their own antichrist.
: Sit tight, coach, I gotta make this right.
*: I could go to the Colosseum right away, but I'll check out the rest of the town to make sure everyone's okay.This place is really going to hell, isn't it?
: Even though there are demons about, there is nothing to be afraid of. The demons cannot raise their hands in violence against those that believe in God!
: Elise, do you believe in God?
: Of course!
: Have you been wounded by demons lately?
: Um... yes?
: ...
: Yeah, sit on that and let it stew, man.
: Hawk! They say you're going to fight again!?
: You say that like I ever stopped fighting.
: Even though demons have been cropping up around Valhalla lately, I'm sure that Lady Madam will do something about it. With her around, we don't need any Messiah or anything!
: I hear that the scientist that ran away from Madam's manor is responsible for all the demons that have been popping up in Valhalla.
*: At the bar...: All the buzz in Valhalla these days is about the upcoming special match in the colosseum. The Messiah, Janus, against the Champion, Hawk, or Hawke as he's called now!
: I knew it!
: It's going to be one hell of a fight!
: That Janus guy sure has it out for you! Beat him down but good, Hawk!
: All right, so just who is the real Messiah? You, or this Janus guy?
: Whoever crawls out of that pit with the most organs intact, that's who.
: If you're looking for Janus, he already went to the Colosseum.
: You guys have no business here! Get out!
: I'm Yousei Jack o'Lantern! Don't forget it!
>Jack o'Lantern fled!
*: Apart from that, nothing has changed. Even the Disco's the same, and Madam is still too busy to meet us. Only one place left to go!
We get another earthquake on the way. These are becoming more and more frequent.
Oh hey, there's a new MNN show.: There have been a great many reports lately of a hero running throughout Millenium, saving the people and performing valiant deeds. Many suspect that he may be the Messiah. He is currently at Valhalla Colosseum, and hopes to fight Hawke, also rumored to be the Messiah, in order to prove that he is indeed the Savior of prophecy.
: That son of a bitch is cheating in on my glory! He is getting such a whupping!
I hoped I'd never have to be back here, but now... Now it's personal.
*: I take the time to go through the Hall of Champions, just to see if they got me in yet, but nothing seems to have changed.
...except...: ...
: ...
*: ...: I'm gonna fix the hell out of this god damned mess even if it kills me.
: Where's the impostor at?
: You're gonna fight Janus here in the ring. You know all about it, right?
: Yeah, I haven't lost my memory again.
: All right then, go on in. Janus is already inside waiting for you.
: Come out! Come out now and get your ass kicked! Where the hell are you?
(Voice): How dare you deceive the people the way you have, extending a false hand of salvation to the people!
: I'll show you false! Come out!
(Voice): Just like the prophecy foretold, you are indeed the Anti-Messiah!
: I don't give a shit who's the Messiah! Come the fuck out!
(Voice): For the fate of the world, and the fate of humanity...
: You damn drama queen windbag! Shut up and fight me!
(Voice): I cannot let you live!
: These walls won't save you for long!
*: We have the exact same map as before, and it doesn't look like the chests have been refilled. We should be able to go straight to the fight, apart from the random encounters.(Voice): The false savior, the Anti-Messiah!
: We'll see about that!
: Hmm. You look different.
: Maybe I'll listen to you. Go ahead, tell me what you want!
: You should remember how strong I am. Join me or get out of my face.
: Don't be ridiculous! Geez, this is a waste of time!
: Whatever. I got bigger fish to fry.
>Betelgeuse left.
: when you could have run like a scared dog so easily.
: I'm the damn champion, slayer of King Frost, Basilisk, and Betelgeuse. I'm not in the business of running away.
: But it is God's will that you be struck down! Prepare yourself, Anti-Messiah!
*: Elise puts him to sleep, while we pile on the buffs. He falls in two rounds.: I don't care if you are!
: In the name of the Messiah, I shall defeat you!
: You want more? Come and get it!
*: We have to fight him again. He gets in a fairly powerful shockwave attack once, but he still goes down in two rounds.>Janus unleashes a brutally powerful attack!
*: Hawke is taken down to 23 HP.: You're pretty tough, but this ends here!
: ELISE! NO!
: Y-you BASTARD!!
:
: I'LL
END YOU!
*: We're at a point where Janus can easily one-shot Hawke. I spend three turns defending while my allies pile on Taru-nda and Raku-kaja so I can survive long enough to use an Orb on myself; my HP gets cut in half every time, so this isn't exactly overkill. I wish I could call on Earthies to heal up but I can't not defend even just once. I end up at 4 HP, but Janus hits Unicorn and this gives me the time to get back in the fight. By the time we manage to off him, he was only dealing about 4 damage per hit, so the rest was smooth sailing.
Damn that was scary.: I'm supposed to be the savior, yet I lose... How can it be......?