One Step Behind

One Step Behind

Quest giver

Backrix

Location

The Dravanian Hinterlands (X:21, Y:18)

Quest line

Alexander Quests

Level

60

Experience

 0

Gil

 3,573

Previous quest

Toppling the Tyrant

Next quest

A Gob in the Machine

Patch

3.2

“

In the absence of a better option, Backrix seems ready to go along with Mide's rescue plan.

— In-game description

Rewards

Unlocks

• 
  Alexander - The Burden of the Son

Steps

• Enter the Burden of the Son.
• Report to Backrix.

Journal

• In the absence of a better option, Backrix seems ready to go along with Mide's rescue plan.

• Though Backrix is troubled by Mide's bizarre belief that the soul of her beloved lives on in Alexander, he agrees to go along with the treasure hunter's plan for Roundrox's sake. However, he warns you that the Illuminati have been tirelessly ferrying supplies to their sunken home, likely for use in new weapons. Be ready for anything as you attempt to break through the Illuminati's last line of defense on your way to the second core.

• Despite the best efforts of the Illuminati's foremost machinists, the path to the core of Midas is now free from obstruction. Press on to your destination.

• You push through to the heart of Midas, and Mide quickly disables the core powering Alexander's left arm. Before you have time to savor your victory, however, Quickthinx Allthoughts appears on a hovering platform, flanked by a group of underlings. The Illuminati Grand Master duly indulges in his characteristic cryptic remarks, before declaring that he knows exactly who holds the true codex fragment. Though Wedge and Biggs make a valiant effort to divert the goblins' attention while you escape with Mide, their plan comes to naught when the moving platform on which you are standing stops without warning, catapulting the codex fragment out of the treasure hunter's grasp. With grim inevitability, it lands on Quickthinx's still-functioning platform, and he gleefully departs the scene.

• You return to Bigwest Shortstop in low spirits, but take solace in the fact that two of Alexander's cores have now been disabled, ensuring that the primal will remain immobile. Backrix, however, seems nonplussed by your return. Speak with the confused goblin, and inquire as to the cause of his unease.

• Backrix claims that not nearly enough time has elapsed for you to have completed your mission, given that you departed mere moments before returning. What could be the cause of this bizarre discrepancy? Could Backrix's heretofore steel-trap-like braincase be playing tricks on him...or is something more sinister afoot?

Dialogue

Accepting the Quest

Backrix: Pssshkoh... Treasure hunter truly believes soul of lost love sleeps in metal giant... Madness. But Backrix does not doubt resolve to rescue Roundrox.
Backrix: Go with Mide deep into Midas, and deactivate second core. But do not underestimate Illuminati! Day and night, they bring supplies into steel fortress─Backrix suspects Illuminati are tinkermaking new weapons!

System: You now have access to the Burden of the Son. Midas can be accessed via the entrance at the Thaliak River.

Optional Dialogue

Mide: Our path is clear. We shatter the Illuminati's last lines of defense, and disable the core housed within Midas.
Mide: In the depths of my despair, with the loss of my friends still fresh in my mind, I would have given anything to take back what we had done. Even if it meant my own life.
Mide: But the world does not work like that. And even if it did, it is not what my beloved would have wanted.

Biggs: They tell me the Illuminati have been up all hours ferrying raw materials to Alexander. Seems the thrashing you gave old Quickthinx didn't do much to dampen their spirits.
Biggs: I reckon that means we're in for a battle and a half when we get to the core. Still, there's naught those goblins can build that you can't break, lass/lad—at least I hope there isn't! We'll soon see, I s'pose... Lead the way when you're ready. Me and Wedge will follow with Mide.

Wedge:  cannot bear to think what the Illuminati might be doing to Roundrox... But as long as Mide has the final codex fragment, she shouldn't be in any real danger... should she?
Wedge: I expect the Illuminati will have seen through Mide's ruse by now. But if they dare to try and take the real codex fragment, I will—I will—I will jolly well stop them, one way or another!

Entering the Burden of the Son

Duty Dialogue

Alarum: Combat protocols restarting... All weapons free... Lethal force permitted!
Alarum: Initiating combat protocol... Eliminate intruders!
Alarum: Initiating new combat protocol...
Preparing link... Begin synchronization!

Post Duty Cutscene

Biggs: The second core, I do believe! Once that's out of commission, Alexander won't be going anywhere!

Mide: Dayan... Would that I could see you just once more... Mide is pressing buttons and then hesitates
Mide: Farewell, my love. Mide sighs as she presses the final button

Mide: You! Quickthinx arrives and the party is surrounded

Wedge: Too frightened to face us alone, I see! Not that I blame you! We all know what [Forename] did to you last time!

Quickthinx Allthoughts: Pshhhkohhh... To usher in future that has been writ, even strongest gobbie must sometimes pretend to be weak, and let enemies win.

Biggs: Ohhh...pretending, were you!? And I s'pose losing this core was all part of your plan! Don't make me laugh! You know as much about the future as we do!

Quickthinx Allthoughts: Quickthinx knows all. For example, Quickthinx knows one among uplanders carries true fragment of Enigma Codex.

Wedge: It seems the game is up, Biggs. There's no hiding the truth from Quickthinx!
Very well, I admit it: I have the fragment. But I won't be handing it over to the likes of you!
the goblins begin to chase Wedge
Biggs: Oi, Wedge, didn't you hear him? He knows all!
Biggs: ...Which means he knows that what you're carrying's a worthless rock, while I've got the genuine article tucked away in me smallclothes! the goblins turn around to chase Biggs

Quickthinx Allthoughts: Pshhhkohhh... Quickthinx already knows conclusion of uplanders' childish games.

Mide: He's coming for me!

Biggs: Eh? What's he waiting for?

Quickthinx Allthoughts: Long ago was outcome decided. Uplanders think they are victorious, but luck is no friend to them today. The platform shakes and stops, and Mide falls over, dropping the Codex fragment.

Wedge: >> What!? <<

Quickthinx Allthoughts: And now Enigma Codex belongs to Illuminati. All pieces fall into our hands. Quickthinx flies away

Biggs: Far as I can make out, the thing's in good working order. No damage, no signs of tampering... I can only think it was an energy fluctuation that did it. Just bad luck.

Wedge: Bad luck!? You're saying it was pure chance that the platform stopped at that exact moment? Then what about Quickthinx? There is no way he could have predicted something like that! The odds would be infinitesimal!
Wedge: Well...however he did it, the fact remains that he did. B-But that doesn't mean we have to stand for it! When someone takes something from you, you just have to take it back!

Optional Dialogue

Mide: ...Forgive me. Through my incompetence, the Illuminati have all they need to control Alexander. And though the beast is now immobile, I cannot help but feel that matters are worse.
Mide: ...Nor do our troubles end there. In our absence, Backrix seems to have taken leave of his senses...

Biggs: What a bunch of bleedin' dolts! Why didn't we just leave the fragment here with Backrix!?
Biggs: Still, we did do one thing right, I s'pose. The second core's out of action, and that primal's going nowhere.

Wedge: Try as I might, I cannot think of a logical explanation for what happened back there.
Wedge: Not only did the platforms malfunction at precisely the right moment, but Quickthinx was on the only one that didn't. And it just happened to be in exactly the right place to catch the codex fragment. Do you know how difficult it would be to orchestrate something like that, much less predict it!?

Reporting to Backrix

Backrix: Pssshkoh... Do uplanders forget something? Matters are too urgent for such foolish doings!
Backrix: ...What? Tongueflaps of uplander make Backrix almost to laugh. Uplander claims already to have stopped core and lost fragment to Quickthinx? Pssshkoh... Look here, uplander: Backrix has braincase like steel trap─catching all heard things, all seen things─and he saw uplanders leave but few moments ago.
Backrix: Pssshkoh... Backrix senses something is amiss...