Alex and the group move slowly away from the Evil Forest, which now resembles a ghostly, gray petrified forest. Zidane suggested they try their luck with a cave that might lead them above the mist, and Alex knows he's right. It's the only realistic route. The only other option would involve forcing their way through the North Gate, which would mean fighting countless soldiers and sparking a conflict not just with Alexandria but with Burmecia as well.
Alex, with his game-related OCD and natural inclination toward min-maxing, despises the idea of skipping over things. "If something is there, the developer intended people to find it," he firmly believes. He recalls his times playing FF9, a seemingly wide-open world at this point in the story, though it essentially leads straight toward the Ice Cavern, which is exactly where Zidane suggested.
But he remembers that there's one optional stop they could make: the Alexandrian side of the North Gate, Melda Arch. In the game, you could buy medicine there and even find a few hidden chests.
There's also that quirky side character, Ragtime Mouse, who appears randomly in forests to quiz players on the game's lore, though Alex doubts he'd actually encounter something that random here. But with nothing to lose, Alex turns to the others and suggests, "You sure it's not worth at least checking out North Gate? Melda Arch might even have some extra supplies we could use."
To his surprise, Steiner immediately nods and agrees. "Yes, let's go there! There are soldiers stationed there who could lead us right back to the castle. Perhaps they can call an airship or, even better…"
"Steiner!" Garnet interrupts, "I'm not going back."
Steiner's face twists in confusion. "Why, Princess?"
"I'm going to Lindblum," she states firmly. "You can go back, but I won't."
Zidane smirks. "You heard her, Rusty. You can leave if you want. We'll do fine without you."
Steiner clenches his fists, glaring at Zidane. "Damn monkey thug! One day, I swear I'll strangle him with his own tail."
As the group navigates toward their destination marked on the map, the journey proves more challenging than expected. Detours are frequent, as they avoid clusters of monsters, small forest patches, and steep hills.
For Alex, though, this rough terrain is nothing he can't handle. His stats, putting him roughly 40% above the average human in every physical aspect, combined with the enhancements from his high-quality gear and basic skills make the hike feel effortless. In fact, Alex is starting to feel a bit bored, as Garnet and Vivi slow the group down, Garnet, unused to walking anywhere outside the castle grounds, is clearly experiencing her first hike, while Vivi's small legs struggle with the pace.
Yet Alex's boredom vanishes as they encounter the first wave of monsters. Surprisingly, he finds himself smiling. With his [Sword of Pluto] and [Shield of Pluto] in hand, he feels every bit the knight he's trained to be. With each clash, his Alexandrian Royal Swordsmanship lvl 0, despite only being at level 0, makes him feel like he's wielded a sword and shield his whole life. Dispatching a few goblins, Alex moves with a natural agility, skillfully dodging, parrying, or blocking their attacks. As he bashes his shield against one goblin's head, stunning it, and then executes a powerful slash that beheads it, a surge of adrenaline rushes through him. The savage thrill of battle is something new, a feeling he hasn't known for long.
You have dealt 16 damage to Goblin
You have dealt 46 x 3 = 138 damage to Goblin
You have killed Goblin
You have received 50 gil
With his new skill, Alex feels like he's fighting against total amateurs. His high-class equipment and gold-ranked skill almost feel like a cheat to him. Most players would only have access to basic white-tier swords that do less than a third of the damage his [Sword of Pluto] does, and they'd be limited to beginner-level skills like Basic Close Combat Prowess. But Alex? He's on a completely different level.
Against low-threat enemies like Mu and goblins, Alex allows himself to experiment, pushing his limits while gathering as much gil as possible. Although Steiner's training gave him plenty of experience dueling other humans, he has little practice with striking down beasts, and he makes the most of these encounters.
When pythons finally appear, however, Alex shifts his focus. These tougher enemies demand a more disciplined approach, so he coordinates with the others, taking down the pythons in a steady, calculated fashion alongside Zidane, Steiner, and Vivi.
Even Garnet is eager to get some real combat experience, though her rod barely scratches the enemies. However, her white magic spells are invaluable, allowing her to keep the group's HP up and save on their costly medicinal items.
The group takes about two hours to finally reach the cave, and Alex can't help but smile as he counts the extra 800 gil he's earned along the way. It's not much, but Alex feels a sense of satisfaction at any bit of progress. He's fairly certain that even if he can't use the money directly, it will get converted back into FC at the end of the mission. "80 FC isn't a lot, but if I keep missing out on 80 FC here and 50 FC there, I'll basically cripple my own future bit by bit," he thinks. "Do that ten times, and I might be short on funds to upgrade a skill, buy a healing item, or snag a good deal." Alex reflects on how, back in the real world, he often missed not only small opportunities but major ones too. Here in the Fantasy Realm, however, he's determined to make the most of every advantage.
Finally, the group arrives at the cave, where they not only feel but can actually see a cold, blue wind flowing from its mouth, almost shimmering with magical energy. Vivi calls the place the "Ice Cavern," explaining that his grandfather once told him about it. The others recognize the name as well; it's a place covered in snow and ice, with a path that carries travelers above the mist.
Zidane beams, "Exactly where we need to go! Once we're past here, Lindblum is bound to be close!"
The scene at the entrance is strikingly beautiful, with clusters of frozen flowers that look like delicate, colorful crystals. Garnet runs ahead to inspect them, while Steiner follows anxiously behind her, cautioning her.
"Captain, these flowers are just frozen," Alex says. "I don't think there's anything to worry about here."
"You never know, my fellow knight," Steiner responds, shaking his head. "Caution is the first duty of a knight!"
Alex shrugs, feeling the chilly wind and briefly considering switching back to his old fur-lined gear, which would suit this climate better. But his current armor allows him to wield his powerful sword and shield, and besides, the cold here is still manageable.
Alex, ever the completionist, takes a moment to search the area near the cave entrance, expecting to find a chest, unsurprisingly, he finds nothing. "Why does the Fantasy Realm cut out the fun, if unrealistic, chest placements that show up in those type of games?" he sighs.
Zidane suddenly calls Vivi over and asks him to melt a small wall of ice, revealing an item behind it, tucked near the remains of a fallen adventurer. Zidane holds it up, and Alex sees a system prompt:
[Ether]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Light Green
Effect: Instantly recovers 10 MP when used and 15 MP when used during an intense battle.
Note: Did you expect it to have one more "0"? Very naive!
"Damn, an Ether," Alex thinks. "Ten or fifteen MP isn't a lot, but MP recovery is rare." He hadn't seen items like this yet, even inside the Fantasy Realm.
Zidane shows the small vial to Garnet, Vivi, and Alex, commenting, "You three can use magic, right? Anyone want it?"
Vivi shakes his head, saying he already has one, and Garnet, who hasn't used much of her White Magic yet, also declines. Alex, trying to hide his eagerness, says, "I could use it. It's nearly enough for a full grenade!"
"Take it, then!" Zidane tosses him the Ether.
You have obtained Ether
"Thanks," Alex says, grinning. Ever the item hoarder, he feels a sense of glee as his inventory fills up. Even with his MP fully recovered, the Ether is a valuable asset.
The group continues through the cavern, a place both beautiful and desolate, yet filled with dangers. They encounter creatures like Wyerds, Cave Imps, and Flans. The Flans look like wobbling vanilla puddings with bright green eyes, and Alex has to resist the urge to underestimate them. Goblins are one thing, but these monsters require caution. Getting reckless would be a surefire way to waste healing items or, worse, end up seriously injured, or even dead.
Along the way, they find a few more items: a Mage Masher dagger, which Zidane decides to take, and a Leather Wrist that Vivi tries on for better protection. Alex considers taking them for himself but ultimately decides against it. "Better to let Zidane make the call," he thinks. "If I take these items by force, they'll be weaker, and I need them strong for the rest of the journey." So he lets Zidane distribute the equipment without interference. No point in alienating the group over a few items.
He'll need their strength for what's ahead.
At one point, they even manage to free a frozen Mog. Alex thinks, "Too bad I can't save my progress here," feeling a twinge of apprehension about the boss he knows lies ahead.
As they move deeper into the Ice Cavern, the group finally arrives at a section where the stone walls pull back, revealing an opening along one side of the cavern. The rocky ledge they stand on stretches out beside a sheer drop, offering a sweeping view of the misty basin below. The cave ceiling arches high above, but to their right, a long gap runs along the wall, letting in a burst of icy wind and an unobstructed view of the blue-gray sky.
The cold air nips at their faces, a sharp reminder of the altitude they've gained as they've climbed through the winding, frozen pathways. Frost clings to every surface here, from the walls to the jagged icicles hanging from the rocky overhang above. They're close to the cavern's exit now, nearing the end of the frigid journey that will lead them up and out of the mist-laden basin below and into the world above.
Just as in the game, Vivi, then Steiner, and finally Garnet start to fall asleep. Alex, however, barely feels the effects of the invisible sleep spell. With his Basic Meditation lvl 1 and a solid SPR stat of 12, he can easily withstand the spell's influence. "This sleep spell is pitiful," he thinks. "I could probably resist it for an entire day!"
Seeing the rest of the group asleep, including Zidane, Alex sits down and pretends to be asleep as well. Soon, a faint bell sound rings, and Zidane stirs awake. After checking on the others, particularly Garnet, he quietly leaves to investigate the path ahead.
Alex watches him go, thinking, "He's fallen for her hard, hasn't he? I guess I get it…too bad Garnet's still so young. Not interested in spoiled teenagers. Then again…"
Somehow, the scene sparks an unexpected longing in Alex, bringing back memories of life in Alexandria and, especially, of Jaine and Neira. He wonders how they'll fare in the coming war, a sense of dread threading through the thought.
Snapping himself back to reality, Alex follows Zidane carefully, formulating a cruel plan to take down the first of his three targets, Black Waltz No. 1. As he sees Zidane speaking to the menacing figure, Alex slips to the side of the cliff, crouching low behind a frozen rock. He watches intently as Black Waltz No. 1 summons a formidable creature, a beast much more powerful in battle than the Black Waltz himself.
Sealion is a massive entity, covered in jagged ice shards that glint dangerously in the pale light. Beneath the frosty armor, bits of bone fragment can be seen around its head and chest, where a large magic stone pulses, shifting from blue to yellow and then finally to red as it grows more dangerous with each stage. As its color changes, it gains access to more potent abilities, the icy gleam in its eyes intensifying as it prepares to attack. The creature has long, limb-like wings, the edges studded with razor-sharp ice spikes, and it's classified as a Flying-type monster due to these winged arms.
While Sealion's power is intimidating, Black Waltz No. 1 himself is simpler, a basic black mage with only Fire and Blizzard spells at his command. As Zidane's battle begins, Alex notes his struggle. Zidane barely manages to evade the beast's sweeping attacks and hasn't landed a single hit; his voice echoes against the stone as he shouts, "HELP! I COULD REALLY USE A HAND HERE!"
In desperation Zidane throws out a grenade at Sealion which does a bit of damage and grabs the attention of both enemies.
Seeing Black Waltz No. 1's confusion, Alex silently rises from his hiding spot, his face twisted with a vicious determination. Covered by the ongoing snowstorm, he moves forward, edging closer to the Black Waltz, as his cruel plan takes form.