Previously onNiko And the Sword of Light...
Lyra: I've trained dozens of champions to fight,
and every time, they have failed.
And every champion used a sword such as this?
You're each born with a different weapon.
That's enough.
Who's that?
It's no one.
The Ovoid of Delphinus,
directly powered from the Pools of Destiny.
The Pools will make me into the champion
I am destined to be!
Nar Est: Those brats are uncomfortably close
to the Pools.
But they have no idea
what's in store for them.
I am Niko, and this is my Sword of Light!
I am here to free my people
and defeat the darkness forever!
Finally we're almost there.
Will the Pools of Destiny make me
the most ultimate champion?
Maybe. The waters are supposed to change you
into what you're destined to be.
How great a warrior will I become?
Will I be as big as a hill giant,
powerful as a rhinosaur?
Are the waters cold?
Are they even water?
Are they drinkable or for external use only?
We'll have all the answers by dusk tomorrow.
Ahh-- [gasp]
There's magic here--
old magic.
I feel it, too.
I feel--
- [twitter] - Oh! Flicker.
Again with the bumping?
[twitter]
[twittering "Uh-oh"]
Something lurks in the shadows.
- I will find it. - Niko, wait!
Huh!
[shouting]
Niko!
- Hah! - Mandok: Another human?
I see her, too, but that's impossible.
Stop, kinswoman.
Lyra, Princess of Carondolet, commands it!
- Uhh! - Ghostie?
Aura!
Ohh!
Ha! Are you flesh and blood?
[chuckle] You don't look half bad yourself.
This is Aura, my best champion--
uh, past champion.
This is impressively confusing.
They're almost there.
The Pools of Destiny might remake the runt.
Humanity's pathetic last gasp
could become the most formidable champion yet.
[squawk]
We have to stop him.
And it looks like you're running out of minions.
Hmm. So hard to find good test subjects these days.
[snarl]
No matter.
My dark hooks are sunk deep
into all sorts of useful creatures,
especially in that valley.
Let's send our little champion
a welcome gift in the meantime.
Rasper, you moldy old albatross,
you're up.
Yip!
Some of the filth from between your claws,
if you please.
Phew. Oh, that. Heh. Sure.
Rise, my sporewing!
Rise!
There!
A thing of mold and mire's mud
that can annihilate a hundred champions
by dawn.
Now fly! [laughing]
Aura: He came out too soon?
Right. The Chrysalis was destroyed.
Havoc.
Very austere place you have.
Bare bones, literally.
Ah, it's no castle, but it's kept me safe.
This whole valley is protected by the magic of the Pools.
Excuse me! I have many questions.
Aah!
Uhh!
If only there were time to stay
and finish Niko's training.
You want to optimize him at the Pools?
- Aura! - That's best, don't you think?
Hmm.
Uh,
do you like bread melon?
I do. And nectaroons and water slides.
And I bet you do, too. [chuckle]
Little brother, we champions
are all born of the Chrysalis
and very much alike.
[chuckle] You were the first to like bread melon.
I was? Well,
every new champ adds something to the stew.
But a kid?
Now I've seen it all, Ghostie.
I guess I can't call you that anymore.
Of course you can, Aura.
We're battle sisters.
Oh, you should have seen us.
[twittering]
For three glorious years
we beat back the darkness.
Mandok: Wowee, you fight like a gorilladok.
Niko: Impressiveness.
Aura: We took the fight all the way
to the gates of the Cursed Volcano.
[chuckle] Remember that giant tusk rusk?
Red eyes, fangs the size of towers.
And I fired 20 shots right between the eyes.
He takes a step and drops.
Huh! Yes! You must have won
a great many victories, big sister.
Almost all of them.
Aura fought a tremendous battle
with Nar Est, Niko.
I thought he'd finished you.
Not quite. I woke up alone.
Guess you'd grabbed the Shard and gone home.
And me, all injured and beat,
I must have rolled down--
[gasp] Down the side of the Cursed Volcano.
I never knew.
I must have landed in a river,
and the current swept me into this valley.
And then--
And then the supreme power
of the Pools of Destiny healed you.
Whoa-- Oof!
That's right. The Pools healed me.
You were alive this whole time.
I could have used your help.
That's just it. Without the Shard,
I can't leave the Magic Valley.
The power of the Pools is what keeps me alive,
just like these trees.
Oh. Whoa!
You've been stuck here for 200 years?
Heads up.
Something draws near.
[snarling]
[screeching]
- Uch! - Uch!
What is that?
Looks like an uggamonk's breakfast
after breakfast.
Dark creature of grossness--
Both: Your evil cannot squash us.
Battle stations, everyone!
[twittering]
[screeching]
Behold, Aura. Lightning star!
Unspeakableness!
Our crafty enemy has triplicated.
How does Nar Est even know where we are?
Whoa!
[screech]
[twittering]
Flicker! Oh, woe!
[grunt]
[screech]
Normal weapons won't work on this thing.
Yeah, I think I got that.
Firefly!
Your evil goopiness does not faze me, strange creature.
[coughing]
[gasp]
Aura, catch!
I am Aura,
and this is my Bow of Light!
I am here to free my people
and defeat the darkness forever!
Darkness destroyed!
[screech]
Darkness destroyed!
Darkness--
- Yaah! - ...destroyed!
[gasp] Aura. You are remarkably remarkable.
Huh. She got us further than any of them.
That really took me back.
Never drop your weapon, brother.
It's your most precious asset.
A real champion should know that.
Hey, Niko is a real champion.
Yes. Soon the Pools of Destiny
will grow me into the champion
that I was meant to be.
Eh, about the Pools,
that's a bad strategy, brother.
It is?
Suppose he's destined to fall off a cliff.
The Pools might reduce him to a pile of--
[coughing]
Niko: Goo?
Destiny is wily indeed.
We've come all this way, and the Pools are no good?
Well, they might change Niko
into a full-blown champion like me, or--
Or we could be skimming Niko chum
our of the Magic Waters with a switchball racquet.
We can't take that chance.
I suppose it's a huge risk,
but do you have any other choice?
Eureka! Aura, we already have
a full-blown champion like you.
We have you!
Me?
Are you sure about this, Niko?
I must be.
The darkness must fall.
We're all set.
And you, Niko,
should have everything a boy needs:
water slides, trees to climb.
Stay away from the Pools.
Eat whatever isn't lying on the ground,
listen to Mandok,
and do everything he says that doesn't seem shifty.
Ah, well put.
We'll be here when you get back, Princess.
Mandok swears it.
And make sure to check on Flicker.
[twitter]
My big sister champion will vanquish our enemy.
Witness my joy!
Let's move.
Back soon. Mmm!
Wish me luck.
I await the glorious day you return victorious.
You know, that's very big of you,
giving up your champitudiousness.
Selfless and heroic.
Oh, woe. Oh, haddock.
The word is "havoc."
Mandok, I sense--
I do not know what I sense.
I feel strange and sad.
[sniffling]
Come on, Niko.
Let's go find one of those water slides.
- The champion! - Oh, boss!
I thought he was shorter.
A quick stop for provisions.
Honeywillow sap is good food,
and it keeps for days.
The Migratory Tattleslingers
tell of your great heroics.
- Oh! - Aah! Aah!
We ask your aid fending off a dark war beast
that keeps eating our cones.
- Soon we will be extinct. - Aah!
These things are noisy, huh?
Aren't we going to, you know, help?
Why? If we stop
to rescue every plant, animal, and bug,
we will never reach Nar Est himself.
Mandok, what route will they take?
What lands will they see?
- Mandok? - [clatter]
Homemade cup, homemade knife, homemade bowl.
This girl lives as simply as a crustroach.
Is that writing?
Yeah. It says "Shadows, mind me,
Darkness, find me."
What is this, Mandok?
[gasp] Put that away!
Nar Est: Aura, is it done?
Do you have the Shard?
Mandok: Uhh! Aah!
[panting]
Why do people always write down
their secret magic words?
[muffled] Aura? What's going on?
Walloping wildebeests!
The Princess is in danger.
That voice. That is--
He?
Yep. That's Nar Est.
I mean, it must be.
And Aura's working for him.
She tricked us!
Niko: Treachery! We must warn Lyra.
Yeah! No, wait.
Aura's full grown and then some.
That lummox would cream you both.
But I am Niko!
Right. And if you without a weapon
fight you with a weapon,
then the you with a weapon wins.
And that's her. She is a you.
So even Lyra and I together will be outmatched.
Then I have no other choice.
- I must risk the Pools. - What's this now?
Whether I'm destined to be mighty or mashed up,
I must know it now.
Perhaps then Lyra and I will have a chance.
Are you completely goomba beans?
Remember what Aura said about the Pools?
[gasp] Wait. The goomba bean is me.
I see no bean.
Don't you get it?
Aura was the one warning us off of the Pools--
- Aura. - Exactly.
And no matter the risk--
Niko, to the Pools!
To the Pools!
That way?
That way.
[Mandok's voice]
At last, something works.
I heard that weasely creature's voice.
Aura has visitors.
Soon she'll be on her way here with the Shard,
by my order.
I told you.
I've got my hooks in all sorts of creatures.
[laughing]
[squawk[ Yes, Lord.
Uh, but what about that little half a champ?
Aura has the Shard.
He doesn't matter.
Go on, Aura.
[gasping]
Ha. Ha ha!
[laughing] Hoo!
[laughing]
I'm out!
[sigh] I've been waiting 200 years for this, Ghostie.
Ah, the whole world's open to me.
Ha. You did it.
Oh, I don't know about you,
but I am up for some travel.
Aura, the Volcano is that way.
You know, the Cursed Volcano?
Oh, that?
The most importantly important thing ever?
Mm, nah.
What?
You're--
You're betraying our mission?
[panting]
Our mission?
You betrayed me when you left me to rot.
You just moved on to the next champion.
Nar Est rescued me.
Nar Est?
Oh, lighten up.
He's not getting the Shard, either.
You're lucky my freedom
is the most important thing to me.
This is my Bow of Light.
I never really knew you at all.
Well, how could you?
You'd just fly back to your castle
till the next champion hatched.
But we can now. Come on.
As long as we keep one step ahead of the bad guys,
we can have some fun.
None of you would have helped those honeywillows.
Just Niko.
I am lucky that Carondolet finally has a real champion.
Well, here we are--
the Pools of Destiny.
Are you sure about this, kid?
Yes. I must fulfill my destiny,
no matter what I may become.
Ohh.
Niko's the one who cures darkened creatures
instead of destroying them,
and makes friends,
and cares about people--
not just me or humanity,
everyone.
Uhh!
Please, Lyra.
I don't want to hurt you.
I've made a huge mistake.
Niko's the real champion.
Uhh! Huh?
Huh!
Aah!
Uhh.
Uhh! Give it back!
[panting]
Champion! The Thor Beast!
Aah!
Rude.
[gasp] Niko?
The Pools.
Niko! Niko, don't do it!
Don't change! I need you just the way you are!
Princess, you might want to look away.
It's depressing.
Niko: Lyra?
I believe these Pools are broken.
I am the same.
Ha!
They aren't broken.
You just didn't change.
You're already the champion you're destined to be.
I am? Whoo-hoo!
- Huh? - Aura: Lyra!
Aah! [whimpering]
Aah!
[gasp]
[grunting]
That Shard belongs to me!
Niko!
Aah! Hah!
Let me at her, little brother.
Lyra is my sister, not you.
Force blast!
Never lose your weapon.
You are no champion.
You think I don't sense that?
I was born to do one thing, and I failed.
[grunt]
It's not too late.
Leave her alone!
Aah!
Huh!
Aah!
Hah!
[grunting]
Aura!
Aah!
[gasp] I will crush you all!
Hyah!
Aah!
[panting]
Shockwave!
Hah!
Force blast!
Aah!
Huh-aah!
Aah!
You are only a child!
That is so,
but you are the one throwing a tantrum.
Aah!
Let me...help you.
After all I did?
We are of the Chrysalis, Aura.
That is our bond.
Don't ever grow up.
You've got to defeat Nar Est.
Uhh!
Aura!
[echoing]
She's gone.
I will defeat Nar Est.
Lyra, look.
The Cursed Volcano.
It is so close.
Yes. But first we have to help
some honeywillows that I met.
Niko?
Agreed.
And then that is where we must go next:
- to the Cursed Volcano. - [thunder]
Mandok: But before that, how do we get down from here?
Chirp.