skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 70 of 70

All good things...

...must come to an end.

This is it!

When you step on the Sky Scroll, you'll encounter Fuhrer Flatski, Princess Fillet and Capricciola. When Flatski tells Capricciola to take Lumina, Capricciola turns on Flatski. Turns out it's Jon, and he was in disguise the whole time. Turns out Jon is the Prince and true heir of the Thirstquencher Empire, and that Flatski murdered his parents, who were the King and Queen. When Jon tries to shoot him, Rootrick shows up from behind and shoots him. Yes, Rootrick is somehow still alive from being knocked off the edge of a cliff (or being squashed by a boulder, depending on how you beat him last time). Also, Rootrick is Flatski's son.

Musashi surrenders Lumina to Flatski, and Flatski pushes Princess Fillet. When Flatski uses Lumina on the Sky Crest, instead of getting special powers or taking over the world, Flatski unleashes a large demon. This is Dark Lumina, the Wizard of Darkness. When Flatski commands Dark Lumina to kill the Princess, Musashi and Jon, Flatski is instantly flattened by Dark Lumina's foot.

A fatally wounded Jon explains that Dark Lumina was not sealed by Lumina, but within it, which explains why the Musashi of legend had Crest Guardians protect the Scrolls. Jon tells Musashi to take care of Leno as he is crushed and killed by Dark Lumina, and Musashi and Princess Fillet escape. Before Musashi can high-tail it out of there, the sword Lumina returns to him. Musashi is bewildered by the whole thing.

The Wizard of Darkness

Dark Lumina

You'll be in control as soon as you start escaping. Head to the left and don't get caught on the bridge segments or platforms when they're dropping down. When you make it to the end, you'll meet Kojiro, who's kidnapped the Princess again and is more preoccupied with a duel that the current situation at hand. Dark Lumina catches up and absorbs Kojiro, and the Princess is knocked into the sky to land somewhere far away. Dark Lumina then transforms into a deadlier green, lizard-like form.

You'll be doing some more bridge and platform hopping, and this time it'll be in 3D. You'll then be jumping from one platform to the next on the side of the tower, and you'll want to be careful when you double jump from one platform to another, as it can be all too easy to slide off the edge and fall to your death. You'll also want to be fast too, as Dark Lumina will try to smash himself into the side of the tower and destroy the platforms that are around him. If you see a light green shadow, you know he's coming.

At the end, you'll find Princess Fillet. She's fine, and Musashi heads onto a block platform for the final battle.

Dark Lumina

Part Two

Jump over Dark Lumina when he spins around and swipes his tail, and jump straight up to avoid his grab attack. If Dark Lumina grabs you, he'll toss you away and he may toss you off the top of the tower. Use a jumping Lumina slash or Rumparoni-SP to hit the orb on Dark Lumina's head until it turns red. When that happens, step back a bit from him and stay away from the fireballs. After a few fireballs, Dark Lumina will be tired. Whack the orb on his head with Lumina in order to damage Dark Lumina.

Dark Lumina has another attack where he will stomp the ground and produce shockwaves. Double-jump over them to avoid being knocked off the edge of the tower. In case you do fall off, it's not instant death, but you will take some damage.

When you beat Dark Lumina, a bright white core will be in his place, sucking away everything except Musashi. Lumina will then be a fluorescent white being with two red eyes and a red jewel on his forehead.

Dark Lumina

Finale

Dark Lumina's attacks in his final form are based on the Scrolls. He'll glow a certain color depending on which attack he's using. Red will be fire.

Whenever Dark Lumina becomes white again after performing an attack, he'll return to the center and stand still for a few seconds. When that happens, Assimilate him and fill up the Lumina gauge. When you fully Assimilate him, Dark Lumina will turn into a white core for a brief amount of time. You'll want to hit him with Lumina while he is a core in order to deal damage. Once you hit him, he will try to suck you towards him. Keep running away from him so he doesn't get you, and he'll turn back into his humanoid form after a few seconds.

Here's all of Dark Lumina's attack, and they always occur in this order:

When Dark Lumina glows red and the screen turns red with him, he will send a red starburst into the air. Stay on the move so that the fireballs don't hit you.

When Dark Lumina glows pink, you'll want to move around him in a circle and stay a fair distance away so that the two projectiles - the trail of fire and the flying wave - don't hit you. That also keeps you from being slashed by Dark Lumina's sword arm.

When Dark Lumina glows green, equip the Wind Scroll and use it to keep yourself from being blown off the side of the tower.

When Dark Lumina glows light blue, he'll make five copies of himself. Stay on the move so they don't all damage you. 

When Dark Lumina glows yellow, jump over the shockwaves that he creates.

When Dark Lumina glows dark blue and the screen turns blue with him, stay on the move so the water droplets don't hit you. It's the same as the red screen fire attack, except the water doesn't stay on the ground.

When you beat Dark Lumina, you'll beat him for real this time. Dark Lumina is sealed within Lumina again, Princess Fillet will be safe, and the new legend of Brave Fencer Musashi must be told if Dark Lumina is never to be freed again.

You'll finally meet Princess Fillet's parents, King and Queen Allucaneet. Fillet and Ribson hide the fact that the Thirstquencher Empire tried to take over the world away from them. We also see Musashi speak one last time at the end, and this time we see his mouth move with the speech very, very well for a PS1 game. After that, the credits finally roll, complete with hand-drawn art of certain parts of the game. You'll also see Musashi return Lumina to Spiral Tower before being teleported back home.

After the credits roll, you can save the game again. Do so, as you'll be able to start the game again with all your stats and everything you had, minus the Sky Scroll, which you'll have to earn again. Use this as your opportunity to get all the things you missed.

But with that, that will wrap things up for this one. It's been about nine months of me slacking off and just desperately willing myself into finishing this one and three years of waiting due to other things to show it all. Thanks for reading. Until next time...

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 69 of 70

This is it...the final battle draws near!

In the next section, you'll see Capricciola on an elevator with Princess Fillet. Go up the spiral stairway. Thankfully there are not enemies in this area. When you reach the end, you'll come across a huge purple tower and you'll immediately start floating as if you were using the Sky Scroll. Turns out the Sky Scroll activated itself, and you'll keep floating during this entire battle.

Crest Guardian

Tower of Death

Hold X to ascend, and release it to descend. You'll need to fly around and stay away from the walls as you look for the flashing green eye. When you find it, approach it, face the eye and hit it with Lumina before it closes. Each eye on the tower will only flash once, and once you hit it, it will never flash again. You will have to hit every eye in order to beat the Tower of Death.

After you hit a few eyes, the walls will start producing electric force fields that alternate between the top and bottom of the tower. You'll want to steer clear of those.

When the Tower of Death is down to half health, the walls will retract and some of the eyes will open up to fire lasers at you. You'll want to stay away from the lasers and keep a good elevation while looking for the glowing green eye. After this, the rows on the tower of death will spin in the opposite directions.

You'll then deal with one last attack where all the eyes open and pay attention to your location. Keep flying around, and when the eyes close, you'll want to look for a safe spot where some of the eyes don't re-open. The ones that do will fire some sort of red laser that you can't avoid unless you're in the safe zone.

When you beat the Tower of Death, you'll liberate the Sky Scroll and find the Sky Crest in the base of the Tower.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 68 of 70

After the battle with Topo, you'll learn that the aim of your entire journey is anything but...

When you beat Topo, you'll find out Leader's Force led you on to getting the Five Scrolls so they could their hands on Lumina for Colonel Cappriciola without facing the Crest Guardians. Topo will tell you the Sky Crest is right here in Soda Fountain.

Get on the stage and you'll be able to get out of here. After this, you'll find out that Topo broke her legs after the battle. How this part makes any sense is beyond me.

If you need healing items, there are two C-Drinks in the next room. You'll be able to save at this point.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 67 of 70

It's time to finally face Topo, but the battle with her is not like those with Ben and Ed...

Destroy the green cryonic tubes to find some power-ups as well as a few enemies. Destroy the computer mainframes if you need even more. After that, you'll be climbing up some stairs taking on flamethrower soldiers and walkers. After that, you'll deal with another door with laser turrets.

The missile silo will shoot at you with lasers and missiles. Jump over the laser when it spins around three times, and watch the shadows to see where the missiles will land. They usually land in a square-shaped formation. Attack the small visor with the eye that the laser comes out of to damage it and ultimately destroy it.

You'll then take a ride on an escalator platform. Watch out for the walker and smash one of the legs in order to destroy them.

After another turret door, it's time to face Topo. Unlike the other two Leader's Force, this is a dance-off. Topo will dance. Watch with buttons she leaps on, then wait for her to start dancing again. You'll have to tap the same buttons to the beat and keep up with her. If you go too early after the example or if you mess up, you'll be knocked to the back of the room into a force field and take damage. After three successful sequences, you'll beat Topo.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 66 of 70

It's time for more Soda Fountain surface destruction!

Believe it or not, you can destroy the fountains if you want. The fountain at the top of the next section will turn into an elevator which sends some blue walkers at you. They're basically the same as the red ones, but they can shoot fire slightly further.

When you're done with the enemies at the end of the garden, take the elevator down. You'll enter the inside of Soda Fountain. Watch out for the steam coming out of the platform when crossing the pit here.

The door at the other end shoots a 7-way shot that moves towards and spreads out. Attack the panels where the cannons are to get some health and BP pick-ups and continue on.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 65 of 70

We're now on the ground of Soda Fountain itself...time to destroy!

In the third section of Soda Fountain, you'll be above ground. The brown robots will shoot homing missiles, and the blue one's shoot three-way shots. You can Assimilate their respective abilities and use them whenever necessary.

The Homing ability will make quick work of the helicopters here.

The Fuhrer Flatski statues will give you health replenishments if you destroy them. They can shoot lasers at you that are similar to the laser cannons you'll meet fairly soon.

The green robots will drop bombs that will do quite a bit of damage if you step on them.

Use Homing on the laser cannons at the gates to get rid of them if you need to. From there, keep attacking the gate doors and you'll bust it open. Just step out of the way when the laser guns home in on your position. Destroying the doors first will get rid of the laser turrets next to them.

The red walkers will shoot a closer-range flamethrower if you're in front of them. Walk circles on them and keep attacking from the side or behind in order to finish them off.

You'll want to be very careful in this section, as there are few opportunities to heal yourself.

You'll then enter a maze. The red robots here have swords. Make quick work of them with the Shish Kebab attack. When you do enough damage to them, they'll drop their sword, allowing you to go after them rather easily due to the fact that they'll run back to their sword and pick it up when disarmed. The bad news about them (and the rest of the robots here) is that they re-spawn when killed. At least they can't attack you through the wall.

Despite the size of the maze, it is pretty easy to find your way through this maze and just as easy to memorize the twists and turns to the finish as well as where the power-ups are.

Once you make it out of the maze, the sun will be setting and you'll be meeting the same enemies that you did at the beginning of the section. There's a nice twist here: some of the bushes open up and turn into laser cannons much like the ones near the gates.

The laser generators that move up and down the walls can be destroyed easily, causing the laser that can hurt you to be deactivated.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 64 of 70

Now that we're done with the flying stuff, the confusing part begins.

You'll be in what looks like an empty room. After heading to the right, the screen will flash. The Fire Scroll symbol will be on the other side of the door. Go through it.

From here, you'll see multiple doors. The Calendar will tell you what the order you're supposed to go through this.

Go right. Skip the first door, then enter the second. Equip the Earth Scroll, then use it to hit the switch and create a bridge across the water. At the wall, hit the column that has the top that looks like the switch that triggered the switch. After lowering that column four times, the wall to the right opens up. Enter the door there.

Go right, use the Sky Scroll to float over the spikes, skip the first door, then float over the spikes until they disappear. Enter the door in front of you.

Swing up the poles to get to the next door.

Light the torches to the right with the Fire Scroll, then hop onto the top of the crusher and head left. Enter the door in front of you.

Use the Water Scroll to extinguish the torches to your left. Use the Water Scroll to land on top of the water below, then go right and enter the next door.

Go left, then enter the next door. Equip the Wind Scroll, activate it, and jump the pit while you're spinning to get to the final door.

Get to the platform below you, then use the Sky Scroll to go right and float over both the spikes and the water. Head to the left and you'll face Ed of Leader's Force. Ed tells you he's the leader before you fight.

Walk around in a counter-clockwise pattern to avoid the fire blast that Ed shoots out, double jumping over it when you need to. When he gets tired, whack him!

Ed will then teleport. The orange balls will split into giant fireballs that go in eight directions. The purple ones let him teleport. If you can hit him before he can teleport again, it will make this battle a bit faster.

After beating Ed, take the elevator. You'll be able to save your game at this point.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 63 of 70

We finally face Leader's Force as we begin to storm Soda Fountain!

Once you enter Soda Fountain, equip the Sky Scroll. The chest at the beginning is a Memory Box. Charge up the Sky Scroll, then press and hold X to float. You have until the charge meter runs out to get to the next piece of dry land before falling and hitting the electrified water below.

It won't be long until you have to avoid rotating spiked walls and electrified walls. You'll have to be quick as well as accurate to avoid taking damage and being knocked out of the air and make it to land.

Don't worry about the items in the chests if you've well-stocked with good healing items, as you won't find any useless items in them that you'll have to choice but sell to the pawn shop in this area.

The next section is a rotating tunnel with spikes. The first part isn't that hard, but it isn't until you meet the helicopter enemies and the spiked walls. Use the Sky Scroll when you need to.

You'll then meet Ben, one of the two bell thieves from earlier, who says that he is the leader of Leader's Force. Ben will fly around with the helicopter blade strapped to his back and throw bombs. There are a few safe spots, but you can also use the Sky Scroll or stay on the southern end of the room. Not only do the bombs land in the same place, you also get the same safe spots and the bombs explode in the same order every time.

After the bombs explode, he'll drop to the ground and throw shurikens and axes at you before going in for a dashing sword slash. Use your advanced techniques on him to do more damage, as Ben will be vulnerable when he is on the ground. Get in a few hits, then back away and stay on the move to avoid each attack, then get one or two hits in with Lumina. When he returns to the air, his attack pattern will repeat.

Once you beat Ben, you'll be able to continue and save your game.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 62 of 70

Once you use the Wind Crest in that one part of the forest near the village, there's no turning back...

Head to the part of the forest where all those pipes were. There is a climbable wall you made with the Earth Scroll that takes you a Wind Crest. Climb up that wall and head to the Wind Crest. At 7:00 on Skyday, use the Wind Scroll on the Wind Crest.

No turning back now.

You'll be a beautiful sky fortress of sorts. This is the Tower of Sky. The water that drops down from tthe fountain at the bottom explains why it rains (maybe). Equip the Earth Scroll, then use it to hit the four Earth Scroll switches. You'll have to jump back to the spinning platform in order to reach all four of them.

After hitting all four Earth Scholl Switches, you'll open a door at the base. Use the Water Scroll to get into the door, then equip the Fire Scroll and light up the bases with the Fire Scroll symbol. At the top, you'll find the Sky Scroll, which allows you to fly in the air for a limited amount of time. (In Musashi's Book of the Five Rings, this was Air.)

After getting the Sky Scroll, you'll reach the Thirstquencher Empire's Soda Fountain. A pipe will latch on to the Tower of Sky, and you'll be greeted by Colonel Capricciola. The Colonel wants Lumina, but Musashi refuses to give it to him. Capricciola asks him if he'd rather lose either Lumina or Princess Fillet. He leaves as Musashi tries to go after him, and the pipe that latched on to the Tower of Sky sucks the Binchotite out of it, causing it to completely lose power and crash land in the forest. Musashi travels along the pipe to enter the inner workings of Soda Fountain.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 61 of 70

This is it. We've finally reached end game.

There isn't much left to do in the land of Allucaneet.

If you talk to the Maid after rescuing her, you'll learn Dashing Pierce. When running, press Square to stab your opponent. You'll be running when dust clouds follow you when you move. (You can get it that quickly, but skorch82 didn't get it until now.)

Talking to CookA (Cook Mary-Nade) after saving Bailiff Jerky will allow you to grow rice, which makes rice available at the grocery store. This in turn will allow you to buy rice at the grocery store, talk to CookB (Cook Chiffonade), and make rice balls available.

Farmer McRice is the guy with the tall hat, the scythe, the green shirt, the brown pants and the sandals. Talking to him will give you a clue: there is a part of the forest where it only rains on Skyday. Hmmmm...

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 60 of 70

The final chapter is about to begin!

Chapter 6: The Sword of Luminescence

You'll be outside of the mine and in the forest after this. Leno (remember Leno?) will wake you up, and you'll meet Jon for the first time in a while. Jon will give you clues on how to find the Sky Scroll: a pillar of wind...day of the sky...tears of God fall on the forest...prodigious tree.

Now that Jon has done his job, he says goodbye. He warns you that once you get the Sky Scroll, there's no turning back. Musashi notices something about Jon as he leaves.

Head back to the castle, and Musashi will tell Steward Ribson about all that has happened so far. 

Talk to KnightD (Knight Rumparoni) to learn Rumparoni-SP. Pressing Triangle after the double jump will cause you to do a diving attack with both Lumina and Fusion.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 59 of 70

It's now time to take on the fourth Crest Guardian: the Queen Ant!

When you make it to end, you'll find a bunch of health pick-ups as well as a Memory Box. Use the Wind Scroll on the broken earth here to take on the fourth and final Crest Guardian...the Queen Ant.

Crest Guardian

Queen Ant

Jump over the claw swipes. When the queen leans forward, strike her in the face with Lumina. Once she is stunned long enough, use the Wind Scroll to destroy the crystal that appears within the poison-tipped tail. Keep moving towards the queen so that you don't get blown off the edge and take damage, taking you back to the queen's body.

Destroy the larva, and avoid the spikes and the poison cloud at the tip of the proboscis. When segments of the queen shake a little bit, jump off of them so that you don't get hit by the spikes.

Stand between the four fireballs that come down when the green fireballs show up. Avoid the non-scythe arms when they try to grab you by double-jumping over them or away from them. If they grab you, you'll be dragged into the spiky cavity in the Queen's chest.

Some of the larva will carry herbs that you can pick up if you're Poisoned. These can be used to cure you of the Poison status ailment in case you suffer from it during the battle.

As you do more damage to the core of the Queen Ant whenever it pops up, the faster the spike attacks will launch out from the Queen's body.

After three Wind Scroll strikes to the core, you've won. Use the Wind Scroll on the Wind Crest to head out of the mine. This starts the final chapter.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 58 of 70

As we go further into the mines, we take on another 3D ride section...

As you continue to the left, you'll have to swing from pole to pole while avoiding the ants. Use your double jump if you need to.

When you make it to the cavern at the other side, you'll find Knight Rumparoni. He's the last person you'll have to rescue. Go see him at the castle to learn a new technique.

Break the cracked ground here with the Wind Scroll. You'll be back at the elevators, and this time they'll be running. Take the bottom path and head back to the mine cart. The lights here are green and lit up. You can finally ride the mine cart.

Use the D-Pad to swing left or right to avoid obstacles. The cart will break after four hits, so try not to run into any ants or rocks. At least you'll hear the ants coming. The steel grates will take you by surprise if you're not paying attention, as will the rocks (though those are less likely to do so as you can still see those coming), so pay attention to the on-screen action! If your hand-eye coordination isn't the best, this will definitely take a few tries.

There is a continue point halfway through. Don't give up!

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 57 of 70

We've finally found all the Minkus in the game! 

Well, you could, but not just yet.

Go back, then take the entrance about that area. Use the Wind Scroll to get past the wind, and assimilate the Hop ability from the flower to climb the slopes and cross the spikes. The next room has a Minku, and you can also get the Antidote ability from the worm enemies here.

Congratulations! You have now found all thirteen Minkus and reached the maximum HP value of 500!

Climb up the wall with the fan, then strike the switch with Lumina. Go to the left as the fan blows you upwards.

Continuing to the left leads to more ants. You can assimilate their abilities, but their abilities are harmful. The blue ants are particularly nasty, as they shoot acid bubbles from their posteriors for some nasty damage. If you can make it far enough to the left, you can rescue Conductor Scores.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 56 of 70

We're going back to the mines this time around!

When you look around, you'll find out that the two kids in the village are jumping up and down near the diner. When you talk to them, you're going to find out that there is a giant ant trying to attack the Gondola office to eat the pea soup and syrup. If it stays there, the gondola won't be able to come down. Musashi has an idea, and it involves heading back to the castle.

Do it. Head back to the castle and take the gondola. The gondola will strike the giant ant, causing it to break a hole in the top of the metal grate above the office. You'll have to climb up to it and go down the hole.

When you drop down, you'll find out the ant is dead and that the path to the right has some poisonous purple clouds. If you go to the left, you'll approach a dead end. If you head down here late at night, you'll find another Minku.

Now that you're done with the Minku, it's time for that poison gas. Walking into it obviously poisons you, so you'll want to charge up the Wind Scroll and blow that gas away with your spin slash.

You'll soon head to a fork in the road, with the left path containing the blue mushroom enemies from the mine. Take that path so you can rescue Cook Chiffonade. Talk to him at the castle, and you'll be able to get Rice Balls at the store.

The path to the right contains the Rip-off enemies from the mine. You'll also see a spike pit you won't be able to jump across. There is, however, a bunch of boulders in the background near the pit. Use the Earth Scroll to break the background walls and make a bridge out of the boulders.

Grab the narrow wooden rods on the weights to continue. Watch for the enemies that drop down the gaps.

The next area has a bunch of halted elevators. You'll want to avoid touching the black parts where the elevator platforms are supposed to come out of, but also the liquid bincho pit at the very bottom.

The OddBone is a Baton. It's useless.

Drop down to the bottom and take the path to the right. You'll soon see a cart that you can ride...

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 55 of 70

So if you're trapped in a Bincho Field, how do you stay alive? Is it because of the Bincho? At least we know that the people trapped in the fields aren't stuck in suspended animation, but still...

Climb up the nearby wall with the L-Brace and you'll be able to get the Wind Scroll. This Scroll allows you to create cyclones, spin slash at enemies and dig holes in certain places.

Since you won't be able to go back down the way you came, use the Wind Scroll on the floor. You'll drop down to the floor...and fall unconscious before overhearing Bubbles and Gingerelle. When they try to take Lumina, Musashi wakes up and startles them. Bubbles accidentally shoots Musashi with a Bincho gun, and they teleport out when Bubbles threatens to tell on Gingerelle to Fuhrer Flatski. They have you captured, but since it's difficult for the Empire to break Bincho Fields, they don't even bother taking you to the Empire themselves. That's competence for you.

Press Triangle to break out when they leave. Your maximum BP will go up by 50. Now that Musashi is aware of the Thirstquencher Empire's desire for Lumina, it's time to continue on. Head south to leave. You'll be back in front of the entrance to the forest maze, so assimilate Hop from the nearby flower enemy to leap over the spikes.

When you head to the village, you'll find out that the music has changed.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 54 of 70

Finally, we no longer have to turn any valves in Steamwood. Now to get on with the rest of the game...

Once you turn all eight valves again, you will never have to deal with this Steamwood stuff ever again.

When you exit Steamwood, you'll meet the Mayor, who now knows what's going on with the whole fake Princess deal. Musashi will also give the profits back to the mayor.

Head back to the mine and take the left path on both forks. Go back into the well and use the Water Scroll to go all the way to the lower-left corner of the cavern. There is a small island with a chest on it. Open it, and you'll get the Legendary Vest (L-Vest), which increases your attack power and decreases the amount of time to charge the Lumina gauge.

Now that you have the Fire Scroll, head down to that cavern in that dried-out part near where the Water Crest was. Travel to the end and use the Fire Scroll on the Fire Crest. This will blast a hole in the ceiling, allowing you to climb out of here by using the L-Brace on the nearby wall.

You'll pop out in a new area. If it's 10 PM, you'll find a Minku near the hole.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 53 of 70

Why.

When you talk to the storekeepers, you'll find out that the Princess has stolen all their money from them as she escaped.

Head back to the castle and talk to Steward Ribson. Not only will Steward Ribson find out what's going on, but you'll also find out form him that you can take the gondola as it is now fixed. You can now select it when you're outside the castle to go straight to the village.

When you return to the village, you'll find out that steam is traveling around in the air again. Climb up and take the shorcut to Steamwood. Fores is down. Talk to him and he'll give you Handle #0 and tell you he locked the Princess in Steamwood. She ordered him to take her to Steamwood, then beat him up. In revenge, he locked her in. Now Steamwood's gone berserk, and as soon as you stop taking to him, you have a 24-hour timer.

In case you didn't get that last part: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN. It's the same pressure gauge as last time, so if you remember how you did it here, you'll be able to do it again the second time around.

When you go in, you'll see the Princess talking to herself. Her voice is clearly different. When Musashi confronts her, he finds out she has a tail and pulls on it. It's Topo from Leader's Force of the Thirstquencher Empire, who was behind this all along. She teleports out, leaving a bag. Inside is the profits from the village shops.

This time around, you'll have to look around the place for some of the handles in addition to turning off the valves. After all, Valves 1, 4 and 8 are missing, and how are you going to turn the valves off if the handles aren't there?!? At least the geography of the place as well as the location of all eight valves hasn't changed.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 52 of 70

Now that we're done in the Frozen Palace, let's head back to town...

When you leave, you have a choice of going back in or heading back to the village. Go back to the village.

You'll get a cutscene where Colonel Capricciolla talks to Ed and Ben. Gingerelle and Bubbles are now going to deal with Musashi, and depending on how well Topo does, their plans may have to change accordingly. Also, it looks like the Colonel can't stand either of these two guys.

Chapter 5: The One That Nests Underground

When you head back to town, the music is different...again. The Mayor tells you something is up, but to get more info you'll have to head to the shops and talk to people.

Better yet, head to the castle. Steward Ribson will tell you that the Princess has disappeared. He asks that you report back if you learn anything.

skorch82 plays Brave Fencer Musashi - Part 51 of 70

It's time to take on another boss! Hope you've brought plenty of Cheese before heading into the Frozen Palace!

Equip the Fire Scroll, then jump up and light the torches with it.

You'll enter a room with a fresco on the ceiling. Go up to the statue and strike the crystal there with Lumina. You'll drop down a trap door. Use the Fire Scroll to melt the spikes and continue. You'll eventually meet the next boss: Frost Dragon.

Crest Guardian

Frost Dragon

Whatever you do, do not let this guy touch you unless you are currently using the Fire Shield. He'll freeze you if you're not.

After some time, you'll be able to head further down the path. Use the Fire Scroll to melt the ice spikes, and double jump over them when they're low enough. You'll have to be quick so the dragon doesn't destroy the path while you're crossing it.

When the dragon comes out of the ground, avoid his face slam attack. Move around to avoid the ice breath projectiles, then run to the other side of the room to avoid the ice beam. After firing it, he'll be tired out. Use the Fire Scroll to weaken him as he lays down, and eventually he'll rise up and drop back down again with his core exposed. Whack the core with Lumina.

After two hits, he'll sweep the floor with his body and then fly up before going back down into the hole. After three, he's destroyed and the Fire Crest will be liberated. You'll teleport back to the lobby of the fortress. There's nothing more to do here, so head out of here.