Aether

**-NOTICE-**
This page is currently
**incomplete**.
You can  help the *ASTRAL CHAIN* Wiki by expanding it!

Aether is a Secret Boss, acting as the final challenge of File 12 in *ASTRAL CHAIN*.

In order to unlock this boss, you must have completed every single one of Olive’s Cases in File 12.

## Appearance

Aether’s appearance is similar to that of Astral Chain’s Final Boss, Noah Prime. A humanoid chimera with a slender build and a masked face. Unlike Noah Prime, it’s body has a cream and gold color to it, as well as having three heads (similar to Noah: Soul of Ambition), and six total arms.

## Gameplay/Strategy

### Phase 1:

Icicles: Summons a spiral of icicles from the ground, centered on the player. The icicles can inflict Freeze.

Lightning: Summons a series of lightning strikes, followed by two pillars that stay in the ground. The lightning bolts can inflict Paralyze. The pillars will damage the player, but can be thrown by the Arm Legion.

Tornado: Summons a tornado that follows the player, that can inflict Stun if it hits.

Targeted Fireballs: Summons many fireballs over his head, then rapidly fires them at the player. The fireballs can inflict Burn.

Fireball Barrage: Fires many fireballs over an area. The fireballs can inflict Burn.

Eruption: Causes a line of cracks to appear in the ground that then explode.

Energy Lines: Causes five lines of purple energy to appear in the ground, which then explode.

Laser: Hovers in the air briefly, then fires a long laser. Aether is immune to Stun during this move.

Vortex: Summons a vortex that sucks the player towards it. If caught, the Legion will be forcible deactivated. Damage will bypass Blue Shield, and INSTANTLY KILLS THE PLAYER. Only evadable by using the beast legion to run away.

Grab: Summons a clone to grab the player. If the grab succeeds, initiates a combo that bypasses Blue Shield.

Clones: Summons two clones, each with limited health but Aether's moveset. It is possible for this attack to be used multiple times, resulting in more than three enemies appearing on the screen.

Teleport: Teleports across the map.

Jump Kick: Jumps high in the air, followed by a kick on the ground.

Melee Combo: Up to three melee attacks.

Melee Combo - Backflip: A melee combo that ends with a backflip kick.

### Phase 2:

Elemental Storm: In order, summons two tornadoes, lightning strikes (but not any pillars), fireballs, and icicles.

Vortex: Summons a more powerful vortex that attracts the player and bypasses Blue Shield if the player becomes trapped, and INSTANTLY KILLS YOU. Aether can move while this vortex is active, and hit you into the vortex (pain) or make the beast legion dodge its attacks by jumping into the vortex (OMEGA PAIN). Can only be avoided by riding the beast legion and escaping its pull for long enough.

Eruption: After a roar that can cause the player to stumble, causes an area around himself to erupt.

Energy Explosives: Fires many purple drops of energy in an arc in front of himself that explode after a brief period.

Energy Barrage: Jumps high in the air, then fires a barrage of homing energy bullets, followed by a giant homing ball of energy.

Quick Step: Aether can quickly phase all around the boss arena.

Lunge: A long distance melee attack in a straight line.

Melee: Aether has multiple melee attacks, including a three hit combo that ends in a jump and a rapid six hit combo.

### Strategy 1: Howl

The crucial part of this strategy is having Howl on the beast legion; the other components can be modified as needed. While this strategy is slow, it is fairly consistent, which is important against Aether's relentlessness. It is highly recommended to fully upgrade the Legatus, X-Baton, and all legions; completing the prerequisites to unlock this mission should offer plenty of material codes and gene codes.

#### Setup

* Sword Legion: Skills: Power Charge, Hit Rush; Abilities: Attack Up
* Arrow Legion: Skills: Slow Shot, Hit Rush; Abilities: Attack Up
* Arm Legion: Skills: Power Charge, Hit Rush; Abilities: Attack Up
* Beast Legion: Skills: Howl, Speed Star; Abilities: Slow Attack
* Axe Legion: Skills: Blue Shield, Crash Bomb; Abilities: Quick Cooldown

#### Phase 1

The goal for this phase is to build Fusion Meter via sync attacks. Sprinting and well-timed dodges can avoid most of Aether's attacks. Between attacks, use Power Charge and Hit Rush on a Legion that has the abilities charged. Legions in Hit Rush will not drain the player's health bar when taking damage, can interrupt Aether's attacks, and sometimes draw Aether's attention. On Sword and Arm, use Hit Rush when it is available. For Arrow, use Slow Shot, then Hit Rush, then immediately switch to Beast and use Howl. Usually, Aether will be stunned, allowing one or two quick sync attacks (melee attacking up close with Beast legion or the charge shot on Gun mode X-Baton both offer quick sync attacks). Switch to a different legion before the stun wears off and activate a Hit Rush while waiting for Howl to recharge. As necessary, use Axe legion to apply Blue Shield, which can defend against most attacks.

While most attacks can be avoided normally, there are a few that require special care. The Vortex will bypass Blue Shield and is usually an instant kill; sprinting away from it prevents it from capturing the player, and it does not affect Legions, so launching them for an attack will gain extra damage. The grab attack is very difficult to dodge and will also bypass Blue Shield for an instant kill; however, Aether rarely uses this move, and only does so when the player is in range. If they are not interrupted, the lightning strikes will end with pillars being placed on the field. These stay out for a long time; make sure to avoid them, and it is not worth the effort to throw them with Arm Legion. Aether's clones can pose a problem, but the offspring clones do not have much health, and dealing enough damage to the main enemy will also defeat the clones. If Howl is charged, Howl into sync attacks will usually destroy the clones.

#### Phase 2

After Aether transforms, spend essentially the entire fight riding Beast Legion. Beast Legion is fast enough to outrun many attacks, and will also automatically dodge everything except the Vortex. However, automatically dodging uses Legion Meter while manually dodging does not, so try to manually dodge when possible. Do not let the Legion Meter run out; it is usually safe to dismount during the Eruption and Energy Explosives attacks. During the Vortex, remove the lock-on from Aether; he can and will attack while the Vortex is active, and camera movements could direct the player into the Vortex. Attacking while on Beast Legion is generally safe (although it does not do that much damage), but sync attacks on Beast Legion are unsafe and not very effective.

During the Energy Barrage attack, dodge under the giant energy ball and use Howl right as Aether lands. Done correctly, Aether will be stunned, allowing for a Sync Attack, a Hit Rush, and possibly a Blue Shield. Dodge his other attacks, wait patiently for the Energy Barrage, and slowly whittle his health down. Only use items when Aether is stunned, as he is capable of attacking very quickly. When the Fusion meter is full, use the Fusion after stunning Aether so that he does not attack during the transformation. Fusion does a lot of damage, and the mission offers a Resomax to effectively offer two uses of fusion, but be careful when the fusion ends. For this strategy, patience and consistency will eventually defeat Aether.

## Trivia

* In Greek mythology, Aether is the personification and deity of the "upper sky", representing the air that gods breathe, as opposed to the air that mortals breathed.