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Continuing from where we left off...
There it is. Edward?
Yes, Finn? You said you wanted a closer look. We're here.
Ah, yes. I remember now. 
Brr! There's a frigid draft coming down those stairs. ...
Edward...?
Emptiness.
What?
That's what it feels like. There's an emptiness above us. I try to reach out but the closer I get the stronger the desire to look away.
That sounds ominous.
That sounds like something is hidden up there!
*distant voice* Do not look... at me.
Ok, we can seriously turn around now. *scared laugh*
No.
What?
We're going up.
Sir Samson?
We came here to find Captain Domino. Finn, if you want to be a knight of Marion you have to learn to face fear. *gulps* Ok. I'm going up the stairs.
8th floor
Prince Edward try to focus.
Y-yes. I shouldn't let myself get distracted.
There's light up here.
At least we'll be able to see whatever is trying to kill us.
We must be near the top. Sunlight is slipping in through the ceiling.
I smell *sniffs* an unknown human... and blood. Be careful, Finn.
In the next chamber the team finds a figure sprawled out on the ground in front of a pool of water.
Somebody's hurt!
Finn steps forward to check on the prone figure.
Hey! Hey! Can you hear me? Finn! There's something in the water!
Wha...? Oh, oh crap! 
What, more visitors? It seems like I'm going to be busy today.
...
Cat got your tongue, child? Hrmph. You must be here for the same reason as the pirate. Another pitiful soul trying to follow a myth to the Tower of Arawn.
...
I didn't think that anyone would actually fall for this trap! Shutat will be pleased to hear that I dispatched all of you. Come on! Show me your feeble power! Show me why Shutat wants you dead so bad!
Sh-Shutat? That guy from Bandore?
I don't think it's in any mood to answer a bunch of questions, Finn.
Thus begins the first boss battle of the game.
A water, amorphous, monster, thing. I'm not hallucinating am I?
Praa. If you are, Finn, then I am too. Rude children! You know I can hear you! Bwa?
Us? Rude? You're the one boasting about killing everyone.
We've walked right into the trap set by the Water Demon, the first boss in Beyond the Beyond. Some rpgs have a warm-up boss or two but not this one. The Water Demon isn't just an introduction to how bosses operate in Beyond the Beyond but is one of the harder bosses in the game due to how early it appears. (I'm not counting the optional Ramue fight which is designed to be unwinnable.)
I'm going to proceed with this fight carefully because every time I've played the game at least one character has died (and usually two - take a wild guess which two). The Water Demon doesn't really have any nasty tricks up its sleeve. It just hits hard and we don't have any way to heal the entire group. As strange as it might seem it is possible to ambush the Water Demon and get a free round at the start but unfortunately that didn't happen this time. That would have given us a nice buffer round.
Sooo what's our game plan? Hit it until it dies or runs away?
It's a water... thing, hitting it might not do anything! You never know until you try!
Try, he says! Annie I don't suppose you have any tricks up your sleeve you've been holding back because now would be a really good time for that sort of thing.
Uhh, I've still got all this stuff in my pack. Give me a second. I'm waiting!
Well you can just keep on waiting.
Maybe this? Whatever!
While Finn prepares to attack and Annie rummages through her pack the rest of the team takes up a defensive position. I'm going to fight the Water Demon like I fight most bosses in Legend of Legaia - with a rotating attacker. That means at any point in this battle we minimize the number of characters getting hit for full damage.
Ok here goes! Do something to help us!
Annie opens the fight by using the one Counter Orb we have. I don't know if this boost is permanent like the Resist Jewel but counterattacks can help. Unfortunately it does nothing for this fight because (spoiler alert) no one on the team ever counterattacks the demon. Naturally, of course, it counterattacks us several times. Figures! (Again, the game lags when I'm recording which messes with the APS and actually makes the game a bit harder.)
That... was less spectacular than I had hoped for. Hmm, let me see if I have anything else in here.
We still don't have a plan, do we? Nope.
When have you ever needed a plan, Finn.
Point taken. Hitting the water thing it is. Take this!
The Water Demon has a respectable amount of defense so Finn's attacks don't do much. Obviously attacking with Tont and Edward would be pointless since they would never deal more than 1 damage.
Wait, she says. Impudent human I'll rip your worthless head off! You'll do no such thing. Besides, you missed.
Don't worry, Finn, I've got your back. Appreciated!
PERISH! Ow, that stings a little, but I have no plans to die today.
The Water Demon's physical attacks are lackluster but that only provides a false sense of security. It also helps that I knew to upgrade in Luna when we had a chance.
Tont is going to be entirely on support in this battle. His Summon line is way too random for this and his Firedrake spell is not an efficient option against one opponent. He could use it but he would burn through his MP quickly and the Water Demon is not weak to fire magic. Instead Tont will be periodically raising Finn's attack power and tossing out herbs.
We won't lose! We can't lose!
Going from 11 to 19 damage isn't that much help but Finn's got a good chance of making a double attack or a critical hit - or both. If he doesn't Tont's Attack spell is a bit of an MP waste compared to Firedrake but it still keeps him from chain-nuking which isn't a good use of Tont's time at this point.
You try my patience, humans. Do you really think I'm so weak to be felled by a couple of sword blows?
...Yes? Praa. Finn's a big believer in false hope.
HAHAHA! Then let me show you why I am master of this shrine!
AAGH!
The Water Demon's physical attacks can largely be ignored. Those Ice 2 spells cannot. They hurt. A LOT. Since Finn is currently attacking he takes the full 17 damage. Annie's on healing support but has been attacking to get some extra damage in before her spells are needed and gets it halved down to 8 thanks to that Resist Jewel. Samson, Tont, and Edward are spared the full power solely because they were defending. Despite being cut in half this sort of damage still adds up in a hurry. We definitely do not want to be eating multiple Ice 2's for full damage to the whole team or things will turn grim quickly. Still I am thankfully that's not Ice 3 or we'd have a repeat of the Marionette from Shining Force 1.
Ok, that could have been worse. Finn, how are you holding up?
Ow, ow, ow. I can't feel my hands.
Time to put my skills to use then.
Finn's attack power boost is short lived with only a three round timer. He gets two attacks for 19 and a third for a mere 13 thanks to how the effect degrades.
Sir Samson are you ready?
Yes.
We'll see how long you last against my might!
Fortunately Samson gets to take immediate advantage of the attack boost. Dealing 32 damage versus Finn's prior 19 is encouraging.
Still, the Water Demon easily shrugs a blow like that off. Those yetis who could take a beating have 40~ish hit points. The Water Demon has 800 hit points. It is not going to die any time soon. It's a good thing the team didn't try this fight after being drained of nearly all their MP. I've done it before and... well, let's just say it turns into a bitter war of attrition where you hope you have someone, anyone, still standing afterwards.
I can't keep everyone alive at the same time!
I'll heal myself. You look after Sir Samson, ok sis?
All right.
Miss Annie's got her work cut out for her.
I'll live.
Thankfully it is rare that the Water Demon decides to Ice 2 twice in a row so the mages in back can pitch in with herbs.
I've hit you over and over again. Why aren't you dying?!
Pitiful human. Is that the best you can do? How have you even survived this long?
Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!
Hit a nerve, have I? You will all die for the glory of Shutat!
You mentioned him earlier. Do you work for Shutat?
Gladly! What the hell do you want?
As if you humans would understand what Lord Shutat is trying to accomplish. Hmph.
Smug, aren't you?
Smug? I know my own strength. I've fought hard to attain it. When Lord Shutat sees what a good job I've done I will be rewarded with even more power.
As the fight drags on the Water Demon suddenly swaps from Ice 2 to Ice 1. This doesn't mean they're out of MP but they are getting low.
What's wrong? Not as tough as you claim to be?
Silence! I am merely using precisely the amount of power necessary.
Yeah sure you are. Samson you holding up ok?
The pain is bad but I can handle it.
What's wrong, human?
*grimaces in agony*
A curse? You're just killing yourself faster!
You talk tough but I know you're hurt. I won't fall to one insignificant demon. Insignificant? *growls* How dare you. HOW DARE YOU! I hope that curse eats you alive! Keep dreamin'.
The downside to boosting Samson's attack power is that curse retaliations tear him up something fierce. For a nice 52 damage critical Samson takes 13 damage himself which puts him in range of being groggied by Ice 2. It's a nasty combination. Thankfully since he acts at the end of the round and Annie acts first there's never any time gap the Water Demon can take advantage of.
Sometimes being slow is useful!
Even so he could be groggied from full health on his own turn if he want critical (relation) - critical (retaliation) - Water Demon counter attacks. The possibility that could happen was always in the back of my mind.
It's weakening. This probably won't do much but I'll add my fire to our offensive.
Once the Water Demon uses that one instance of Ice 1 I become more aggressive. Tont takes on some of Edward's Attack buffing since he has more MP. Meanwhile Edward himself throws in some Fire 1s. They don't do much, 12 - 13 damage per cast, but it helps make up for the rounds where Samson is paralyzed, and they only cost 2 MP each.
Your life is about to end! You can still flee if you think you can run. Run? I won't. I can't. If I fail Lord Shutat he...
He'll what? Kill you? What a great leader to serve.
I haven't lost yet!
Hey no fair. You can't heal yourself!
When the Water Demon is near death it uses a Healing Potion to restore... 27 hit points. Yeah, that's barely a speedbump for Finn and Samson to kick over. The fight has already been decided for half a dozen rounds because the Water Demon has run out of MP.
Come on, fall! RAAEEERGH! *heavy breathing* Holy hell, finally. Pryaa! Hitting it with your sword did work after all.
Although it's hard to see because of the statue blocking the view the demon is in the middle of the "tear into pixels" death animation. There is no special death animation. Amazingly despite being active the entire fight Annie ends up being the only character who wasn't groggied at least once. Resist Jewels are just that awesome. Everyone will walk away from this fight in one piece although Tont and Edward had to each use a Mage Potion on her. It wasn't until the Water Demon ran out of MP that she could afford to stop chain healing.
No! I don't believe it. I've been defeated by a group of children. That's right! You were beaten by four kids *quickly looks at Samson* a-and Sir Samson.
*stretching* I'm flattered, Finn.
I helped too!
Before Finn can amend his statement the demon explodes in a bright white flash.
*blinks several times* Whoa! *holds his head* What's wrong? The magic in the shrine... There was a great rush to fill the void that collapsed as the demon died. Hopefully the monsters will leave the island now.
This was all just a trap. I - this is all hard to believe.
This Shutat person, he's quite ruthless isn't he? What does he want? Obviously he wants to keep everyone out of the Tower of Arawn. What about this fellow here?
He's still alive.
...Uh, uhh...
He's not going to turn into a demon or something is he?
Not if I can help it. Ugh!
The man gets to his feet as the group waits, watching him.
Where, where am I? Who are you? That monster... *pause* oh no! The Vase of Life!
Alarmed, the man checks the vase.
Good! The vase is all right!
Then he turns to them.
You, you must have defeated the monster and saved my life.
You're welcome.
I'm grateful, really I am. Are you Captain Domino?
Are you the ones who have been looking for me?
You've heard of us?
Sort of. I heard someone was asking questions about me in Luna. I figured you were just another one of Shutat's goons trying to find me.
I take it Shutat doesn't like you.
Never met the man, honestly, although the Bandore navy isn't fond of me. *grins* I have no idea why. As for Shutat, well... For some reason, Shutat doesn't like me trying to get to the Tower of Arawn. [sic]
He needs to find a new hobby.
Pryaa. I think this is his hobby. I suppose you were trying to find me to get the Vase of Life. Are you trying to return the vase to that greedy merchant?
Hell no! Screw that guy!
Actually a friend of yours in Luna asked us to find you. He's worried about you.
Ahh, yes, Marcus. He's a good man.
You're lucky to be alive.
That beast got the drop on me, I'll admit, but I wasn't dead by a long shot.
How long exactly have you been in here? Your crew returned to Luna some weeks ago.
Cowards, the lot of 'em. If they'd have stuck around we could have killed that monster and... well it doesn't matter now.
Mission complete, I guess.
*looks the group over* Four kids and a little dragon... You're rather heavily armed for just taking a tour of Luna. Did you really come all this way just to find me?
We... have our reasons but I assure you sir we came here to search for you.
Well to be honest we had heard about the vase and the whole eternal life thing.
That human's probably still crying about it. *claps hands together* I thought so! You're searching out the old legends. Then you must also be trying to enter the Tower of Arawn.
Well, no, not really... uh...
*puts hand on Edward's shoulder* Edward... *looks to Domino* I don't think you're in any position to be asking a bunch of questions.
*smirks* Cautious, aren't you?
Domino approaches the group
Ohh, I see. You are from Marion. Edward, Edward... You wouldn't happen to be Prince Edward, would you?
*nods* Yes, if you must know I am Prince Edward of Marion. This is...
Sir Samson of the Marion Knights. And the rest of these kids must be squires.
Not me! I'm from Simone!
Finn and I aren't squires but we had our reasons for leaving Marion. The invasion, yes, Marion has been conquered by Bandore. You must have come here because of the legend. *pauses to think* Then the bean! You must have the Magic Bean!
You know about that? It's part of the legend. The bean was entrusted to the Marion royal family to safeguard until the tower returned.
Where in the world are all these legends written down at? We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble!
*laughs loudly* Then we're here for the same reason. I don't suppose you would want to give the bean to me?
No way! I'd never hear the end of it if I did. *chuckles*
Ha Ha Ha! I didn't think so! Since you saved my life, I will give you the Vase of Life. Uh, ok. What are we supposed to do with it?
I became a pirate so that I could find a way to avenge my family. During my travels, I sensed that something immense was about to happen... I sensed the upcoming destruction of the world. *raises an eyebrow* You sensed the impending destruction of the world? Perhaps I am exaggerating a little bit but there are signs for those who go looking for them. I've been all over this world. Monsters roam the land and sea. Thick, dark clouds permanently cover the Great Barrier Mountains in Aridia. Strangers gain the ear of the emperor and quickly dispose of all opposition. Then Bandore invades Marion...
Ok, so the world is going to be destroyed or whatever. What is one vase supposed to do about that?
I understand your surprise. Well, we're on the same side. Go and open the path to the Tower of Arawn. Now you have the Vase of Life, and the Magic Bean, and the vase is full of nature's water. Those are the three legendary components. Climb the tower before it's too late. You're just going to give up the vase you spent so long getting your hands on and risked your life to fill? Yes.
Don't disappoint me.
With that Domino leaves the shrine.
And now I understand why his fellow pirates think he's weird.
No weirder than anyone else we've met on this trip, Finn.
Key item Vase of Life got!
Next time on Beyond the Beyond - back to Jonowan! Hey, this time we're going back having actually accomplished our mission. Strange, I know. We've been stonewalled, disappointed, redirected, and otherwise stymied so many times the notion of actually winning feels weird.
