Chapter 8: Sparkling Shrine

Welcome, heroes, to the Sparkling Shrine! This chapter presents a unique challenge, focusing on defense and strategic monster medal usage. Prepare for waves of enemies and a formidable boss encounter.

Objective: Protect the Orb of Light

Your primary goal in this mission is to defend the Orb of Light from incoming monster hordes. The Orb's health bar is displayed prominently; if it falls to zero, it's game over. Utilize your monster medals wisely to establish defensive perimeters.

Initial Setup & First Wave

Upon starting, immediately head to the central platform where the Orb of Light is located.
Monster Medal Strategy: Place a strong defensive monster, like a Golem or Stone Golem, directly in front of the Orb's main approach. These tanky monsters will absorb a lot of damage.
The first wave consists mainly of weaker enemies like Slimes and Drackies. Focus on clearing them quickly to prevent them from overwhelming your defenses.
Item Location: Look for a chest near the eastern edge of the central platform for a Mini Medal.

Mid-Mission Waves & Reinforcements

As the mission progresses, more powerful enemies will appear, including Hammerhoods and Great Sabrecats.
Character Selection: Consider having a character with strong area-of-effect (AoE) attacks, such as Jessica or Kiryl, to manage larger groups of enemies.
Monster Medal Strategy:
- Deploy ranged attackers like Archdemons or Killing Machines on elevated positions around the Orb to provide covering fire.
- Use offensive monster medals like Saber-toothed Tigers or Gryphons to intercept enemies before they reach your main defensive line.
Item Location: There's a hidden chest in the northwest corner of the map containing a Seed of Skill. You'll need to defeat a small group of Metal Slimes to access it.
Periodically check the Orb's health and use healing spells or items if necessary. Don't be afraid to use your Coup de Grâce if you're feeling overwhelmed.

Boss Battle: Gigantes

After successfully defending against several waves, a powerful Gigantes will appear as the boss. This massive cyclops is a formidable foe, but with the right strategy, you can overcome it.

Gigantes Strategy

Weak Point: The Gigantes' primary weak point is its single eye. Aim your strongest attacks at its head whenever possible.
Attack Patterns:
- Ground Slam: The Gigantes will frequently slam its club into the ground, creating a shockwave. Dodge roll away from the impact zone.
- Spin Attack: It will sometimes spin its club in a wide arc. Keep your distance or block if you can't get out of the way.
- Rock Throw: The Gigantes may pick up and throw large rocks. These can be devastating, so prioritize dodging.
Team Composition: A balanced team with a strong melee attacker (like Luceus or Aurora), a healer (like Kiryl or Jessica), and a ranged damage dealer (like Jessica or Maya) works well.
Monster Medal Usage:
- If you have any remaining Golem or Stone Golem medals, deploy them to distract the Gigantes and draw its aggro, giving your damage dealers free reign.
- Offensive monster medals like Liquid Metal Slimes (if you're lucky enough to have one) can deal significant damage.
Focus Fire: Concentrate all your attacks on the Gigantes. Don't get distracted by any minor enemies that might spawn during the fight.
Coup de Grâce: Save your Coup de Grâce for when the Gigantes is vulnerable or when you need to burst down its health quickly.

Once the Gigantes is defeated, the mission will conclude, and you'll have successfully protected the Sparkling Shrine!