PART IV: AFTER THE DEFEAT OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 12: Battleship Arteria

Tai Yu called the Adversary to the pavilion, noting that they likely must be making preparations to leave, now that their business in Shangri-La had been wrapped up. At the pavilion, Tai Yu bade farewell to the Glory Guard, warmly adding that the Adversary didn’t need any advice from him, and that he didn’t need to worry about Gaon, as he had faith that Gaon would return back safely. He told Gaon that he ought to take the opportunity to meet people in the outside world, reminding him that all the sages had left some trace behind in the world below. Gaon admitted that he was right and told Tai Yu that he would keep it in mind. After Oz and Brighton thanked Tai Yu for all his help, Tai Yu used his powers to send them back to Maple World.

(A/N: Hoyoung gets some exclusive dialogue right before leaving. Tai Yu asks Hoyoung to take good care of the world in his place, to which Hoyoung replies that he’ll be fine, jokingly reminding Tai Yu that he’s his disciple. Tai Yu laughs and tells Hoyoung to come back and visit him once in a while before sending him on his way.)

Meanwhile, aboard the High Flora battleship Arteria, an Apostle of Darmoor named Reina arrived and met with her adjutant, Lystor, who greeted her and asked how her meeting at Aboris had gone. Reina told him that she had been reporting in to the God-King, who had entrusted her with a red crystal containing a strange, eye-like pattern, which she explained contained the power of a god. As the crystal glowed with energy, one of Reina’s purple eyes turned icy blue as her frost powers emanated out of her.

(A/N: This crystal is the exact same one that appears before Sino at the end of the Fox Valley storyline. The Carcion storyline reveals that there are many such crystals in Darmoor’s possession, and that each of them has the power to absorb the power of a higher being, similar to the World Heart. Sino teased in Shangri-La that she knows the identity of the Apostle who attacked Shangri-La based on the crystal, and although that might’ve been a tease for Reina in this storyline, I’m personally inclined to disagree, as Reina’s ice powers don’t match up with the storm that devastated Fox Point Village.

While it’s possible that the storm might have been caused by the divine power inside the crystal, the fact that Reina tells Lystor that Darmoor has just given her the crystal, and the fact that the crystal from Fox Valley was recovered by Sino, makes me believe that Reina had nothing to do with the attack on Fox Valley, and that it was actually Havoc who used his lightning powers and attempted to use the crystal to drain Sino’s powers until Sino stopped him and recovered the crystal that he was going to use.

The details of Reina’s meeting at Aboris were revealed in an animated cutscene, which showed Ypsilon, Havoc, and Limbo reporting to Darmoor alongside several other hooded Apostles. Ypsilon told Darmoor that he had extracted the memories of a captured Alliance soldier, in which he had seen memories of the final battle at Tenebris, with Cygnus using her partially awakened Transcendent powers to create a giant shield of light, as well as memories of Shinsoo in Ereve.

Darmoor immediately gives the order to capture Cygnus and take her Transcendent powers, to which Ypsilon nods in affirmation. Just then, however, he and the other Apostles turn to find that Reina has gotten up, and that she’s ascending the steps of the throne room, freezing the ground around her as she walks. It’s left ambiguous as to whether Darmoor had ordered Ypsilon to invade Ereve before Reina stepped up, or whether Darmoor had always been pointing to Reina, with Ypsilon just misunderstanding and assuming that Darmoor had asked him. We don’t see Darmoor giving Reina the crystal in the animation, but we can assume that it happened off-screen.)

An apprehensive Lystor asked her whether she planned to use that divine power, noting that he had heard that it required a heavy price to wield. He began expressing his worry that, despite it being an order from the God-King himself, wielding such a dangerous power may harm her, but Reina quickly cut him off and asked him whether he thought of his commander as someone who wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Lystor immediately retracted his statement and told her that there was nothing that she wasn’t capable of, to which Reina replied that his answer would suffice. She then told him that she had already made the necessary preparations before asking him if he had any further questions. When Lystor replied that he had none, Reina ordered him to depart for Maple World, leading an army of frost-enhanced Flora soldiers behind her.

Meanwhile, the Glory Guard was teleported to the Six Path Crossway. As Gaon began looking around in curiosity, Brighton noted his impressment that Tai Yu had managed to send them back to Maple World all in one go. Gaon then explained that even though it had been quite a long time since he had left Shangri-La, Maple World didn’t seem to be too different from the Grandis that he remembered.

Just then, however, he noticed a fight happening in the distance. The Glory Guard was shocked to find Flora mercenaries attacking a squad of Cygnus Knights. After they defeated the mercenaries, the Cygnus Knights thanked them for their help before explaining that the High Flora army had invaded Maple World.

At the shocked reaction of the Glory Guard, the Knights explained that though they didn’t know much about the specifics, several areas of Maple World were currently under attack, and that the Cygnus Knights had been mobilized in order to fight off the invaders. Brighton asked whether Edelstein was also under attack, which the Knights confirmed. He then turned to Oz and apologized, explaining that he needed to head back home immediately, entrusting her and the Adversary with delivering their mission report to Ereve.

(A/N: Main Resistance classes (but not Xenon for some weird reason) get some exclusive dialogue here, in which Brighton speaks with them just before he leaves. He tells them not to worry and asks them to move out with Oz. Upon seeing their expression, he asks them whether they’re worried about him, or about the Resistance, before reassuring them that there’s no way that the Resistance, which had overcome both the Black Wings and the Black Mage, would collapse over something like the High Flora’s attack. He then tells them not to worry about Edelstein, and to keep moving forward while the Resistance took care of the rest.)

After he left, Oz contacted Neinheart in order to report that the Glory Guard had returned back to Maple World. She informed him that they had heard the news about the High Flora invasion and asked whether the Empress was safe. Neinheart noted that she seemed to be caught up on what was currently happening and asked her to return to Ereve immediately with the Adversary. As they prepared to head out, Gaon asked whether he could accompany them, as the situation seemed quite serious, to which Oz agreed, explaining that she had just been about to ask him the same thing.

Together, the three of them traveled to Ereve, where they found Neinheart and Cygnus at the command center overseeing the battle with a holographic projection of the city. The pair greeted the Glory Guard, though Neinheart was confused upon seeing Gaon. Oz introduced Gaon as a resident of Shangri-La and handed Neinheart a report that she explained contained more details.

Neinheart briefly skimmed through the report, including the details on the World Heart, and noted that they seemed to have had their hands full during their mission, especially the Adversary, who had gained a new power. He then told the Adversary that they would speak more on the matter later before turning to Gaon and welcoming him to Maple World. As Oz and the Adversary had placed their trust in him, Neinheart explained that the Alliance would welcome him as a friend, though he added that now was not the time for pleasantries.

Oz asked Neinheart what was happening in Maple World, to which Neinheart explained that, as they knew by now, Maple World was under attack from the High Flora army, and that the Cygnus Knights were doing everything that they could in order to stop their advance. When the Adversary asked what the situation was like, Neinheart explained that the Knights had been able to hold their defenses in each region, with the Explorers working together with the Knights in order to defend Victoria Island, and with the Resistance protecting Edelstein.

He also explained that the Knights were working to minimize casualties in other regions, while Ereve was raising a defensive barrier around the newly-constructed command center. When the Adversary asked about the barrier, Neinheart told them that he had created it for just such a situation, in which the Chief Knights were away on various missions and unable to protect the Empress. He explained that four barrier stones had been placed in the north, south, east, and west regions of Ereve, with the barrier being created from all four activated stones.

(A/N: This barrier is different from the one that’s been mentioned in previous storylines. Earlier storylines explained that Ereve has a magical barrier created through the power of Shinsoo, which prevents evil energies from entering the boundaries of the island. This barrier was circumvented on three known occasions throughout the lore, with all those cases being a result of a loophole being exploited.

The first time was during the Black Witch storyline, when Eleanor tricked a Cygnus Knight into bringing a cursed object inside the island for her. As the barrier didn’t prevent the people of Ereve from bringing in evil energies, Eleanor was able to successfully bring her curse to Ereve and turn everyone to stone. The second time was when the Cygnus Knight protagonist was infected by Lucid’s dark energies in the Gate to the Future. As a result of the bond between Cygnus and her Knights, the Empress was cursed by Lucid and fell into a deep nightmare, similar to how Eleanor’s curse was invited into Ereve.

The third time is probably the most pertinent to this storyline, as it was when Damien and his demon army invaded Ereve and kidnapped Alicia. It was explained in the Empress in Training storyline that Ereve’s barrier requires an Empress to channel Shinsoo’s power, which is why Ereve was unguarded for so many centuries after Empress Aria’s death. When Cygnus left Ereve in order to travel to an off-site Alliance meeting, Damien was able to take advantage of the barrier being disabled in order to siege Ereve.

This would also be similar to why Ereve’s barrier is currently disabled, as Shinsoo left Ereve shortly after Cygnus’ awakening, meaning that Cygnus can no longer channel Shinsoo’s powers to maintain the barrier. This is likely why Ereve has been fortifying its defenses and creating an artificial barrier in the absence of their original one.)

However, Neinheart told the Adversary that he hadn’t anticipated that they would need to use it so soon, to which Cygnus added that they couldn’t afford to be negligent simply because their allies were on the move, as they had no idea when the enemy would attack again. She then asked Oz and the Adversary to enter the battlefield, apologizing for asking it of them so soon after they had just returned. Oz immediately obliged, noting that it was her duty, before asking where she should go. Neinheart ordered her to take charge of the Blaze Wizard squad outside and team up with Irena.

After Oz headed out for her assignment, Neinheart asked the Adversary to join Eckhart at the most dangerous battlefield, at the border between Maple World and Grandis, adding that they would be a great help by joining him. (A/N: Mihile gets exclusive dialogue here, in which Neinheart notes that he and Eckhart have worked together many times before.) He explained that they could head for the Sky Ferry once they were ready, where Kiriru would prepare a ship for them to depart.

He then asked Gaon what he wished to do, explaining that remaining in Ereve would be the safest thing to do if he wished to avoid danger. However, Gaon replied that he would join the Adversary on the battlefield, as he wished to repay them for their help in Shangri-La. Neinheart then noted that he was one of the Four Symbols who protected Shangri-La, and that according to Oz’s report, he was a person of considerable strength. After he entrusted the mission to them, the Adversary and Gaon headed to the Sky Ferry, where Kiriru greeted them and explained that he had been waiting.

Just then, the Adversary turned to Gaon and asked him whether he was really okay with accompanying them to the middle of a battlefield, reminding him that it would be dangerous. Gaon noted that he could feel the tremors and the distant sound of gunfire from afar. He told the Adversary that they were right about the war not being over yet, adding that though he had never thought that he would witness it with his eyes so soon, he was relieved to be able to face the battlefield head-on. He asked the Adversary to be careful and told them that he would do his best not to be a burden to them.

Noting that the two of them were ready, Kiriru began preparing the ship. Suddenly, however, he stopped and told the Adversary that there was a strange airflow preventing him from getting the ship afloat. Just then, Arteria appeared in the sky, causing them all to look up in shock at the massive battleship, which unleashed a powerful laser that decimated the shield around Ereve.

Neinheart immediately contacted the Adversary and explained that with the shield down, a large number of enemy soldiers were descending onto Ereve. Cygnus added that though Irena and Oz were keeping them at bay, they didn’t have enough manpower to repel them. The Adversary asked Neinheart where they ought to go, to which Neinheart explained that the situation was changing so quickly that he hadn’t received any reports on the current status. Because of this, he asked them to head to the Supply Point and meet with Kidan, who would guide them on where to go next.

The two then traveled to the Supply Point, dodging the heavy bombardment raining down from Arteria’s cannons. There, Kidan asked them to support Irena and her Wind Archer unit, which was fighting on the northern battlefield nearby. The pair then rendezvoused with Irena before reporting to Neinheart that they had arrived on the scene.

Neinheart explained that the barrier surrounding Ereve had been destroyed, and that the enemy had invaded the island. He told them that the situation was dire, as their main forces in Ereve consisted only of Irena, Oz, and the Adversary, with Oz explaining that both Mihile and Hawkeye were in Grandis, and Eckhart - who was still fighting at the frontlines - likely wouldn’t be returning from his battle for some time.

(A/N: If the player is Mihile, Oz will omit mentioning that he’s in Grandis. Mihile being in Grandis is interesting because he and the Dawn Warriors are supposed to be on the hunt for Will. Assuming that they’re still chasing after him during the High Flora invasion, it suggests that Will has escaped and gone to Grandis for some reason. Although there’s nothing much that we can glean from just that, it’s an interesting setup for future storylines.)

Oz then explained that something was bothering her, as it felt like too much of a coincidence that the High Flora would launch such a massive attack on Ereve when almost all the Chief Knights were away. Neinheart agreed and realized that the enemy had made a feint attack, with the High Flora soldiers being bait to split up the Cygnus Knights’ forces and reduce Ereve’s manpower, causing the Adversary to realize that it meant that Ereve had been the High Flora’s objective from the beginning.

Cygnus asked Neinheart what the statuses of all the Knights sent elsewhere were, to which he explained that he had received a report that most of the Flora soldiers had been defeated. However, Cygnus realized that as long as the enemy hadn’t been completely wiped out, they couldn’t risk recalling the Knights back to Ereve and leaving the rest of Maple World undefended. Though Irena protested that it would leave her in danger, Cygnus replied that it was only for a short time until the Knights could be recalled, adding that if they could withstand the High Flora invasion, it would their victory.

Neinheart then realized that once their forces returned, they would be able to launch an attack on Arteria and seize the battleship. He decided that they would follow Cygnus’ orders, emphasizing that in the meantime, they needed to be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to hold their ground. The Adversary asked Neinheart what they should do first, to which he explained that the enemy barrage had stopped temporarily after their initial attack, which meant that they needed to repair the barrier around Ereve before the bombardment resumed.

As all four barrier stones had been deactivated, and with the High Flora likely having figured out the barrier’s structure, Neinheart realized that the enemy would likely have been stationed around all four stones. He then dispatched Irena to take back the northern and western barrier stones, while Oz handled the southern and eastern areas. He also asked the Adversary to help Irena first, and to reinforce Oz right after.

Irena then noted to the Adversary that they were working together again and suggested that they head out immediately, adding that she would make the High Flora regret setting foot in Ereve, and that she wouldn’t let them get away. After arriving at the northern barrier stone, Irena began gathering her mana in order to reactivate the barrier stone, while the Adversary and Gaon defeated the Flora mercenaries. She then transferred her mana into the barrier stone, which lit up a bright blue beacon into the sky.

Irena then looked around in shock at the bodies of all the Cygnus Knights littered around them, noting regretfully that though she had been prepared for it, the Knights had suffered many casualties. As she lamented their situation, however, she reminded herself that they didn’t have time to wallow. She noted that with the northern barrier restored, the enemy wouldn’t be able to enter the area. She then suggested that they hurry to the western barrier stone and defeat any enemies that they encountered along the way in order to prevent any further casualties.

The three of them then began fighting through the Flora mercenaries towards the western area. Suddenly, Gaon pointed out that the southern barrier stone had been activated by Oz, causing Irena to realize that Ereve’s barrier would be fully restored if they could finish reactivating the final two barrier stones. Just then, however, a large battalion of enemy soldiers began marching towards them. Neinheart contacted the Adversary through the radio and explained that as the enemy’s paths were growing narrower, they were concentrating their forces into the remaining unfortified regions.

He then asked them to reactivate the western barrier stone as fast as possible before reinforcing Oz in the east. Irena asked the Adversary and Gaon to help Oz in the east while she activated the barrier stone in the west, explaining that while she and her Wind Archers had been able to fend off the enemy because of their help, Oz and her Blaze Wizards were likely struggling without any support.

She reassured them that she would be alright, as their presence had brought a tailwind to her side. She explained that even while standing alone, she wouldn’t be stopped, for once the wind began to blow, it wouldn’t settle down easily. Meanwhile, Oz and her forces pushed through the enemy line in the east, where she began preparing to reactivate the stone, hoping that it would give Irena and the Adversary enough support to push through with reinforcements.

As she began preparing to activate the stone, a Cygnus Knight urged Oz to get out of the way, as the enemy was preparing to bombard them. However, Oz refused to move, believing that she could reactivate the barrier stone before the bombardment, emphasizing that it was critical that she succeed for everyone’s safety. Just as she was about to finish activating the barrier stone, however, the enemy bombarded the area, shattering the stone, killing many Knights, and critically wounding Oz.

From the air, Lystor flew down with his wings and noted that Oz was still alive. Using his sword, he casually slashed through the last Cygnus Knight still standing with Oz before ordering the Flora army to wipe out any survivors. As Oz struggled to stand, Lystor noted that the will of the Cygnus Knights, whom he called the pillar of the Alliance, was quite impressive if its members could still fight while on their deathbed.

In her weakened state, Oz ordered him to get back, to which Lystor scoffed and asked her what she could possibly do to stop him while she was so severely injured. He told her that though he didn’t enjoy fighting someone who could barely hold their weapon, his work was another story. Just then, the Adversary rushed in and attacked Lystor, who immediately teleported back.

Noting that reinforcements had arrived, Lystor mockingly told Oz that it was her lucky day. He then addressed his soldiers and told them that the situation was still under their control before ordering them to advance as planned. Turning to one of his officers, he told them that they could use as many mercenaries as needed, though he warned them not to let Reina’s plan fail at any cost. After he walked away, Oz noted that there were too many soldiers. Gaon reassured her that he would fend them off and asked her to call for backup in the meantime.

While Gaon held off the enemy, Oz contacted Neinheart, who asked her whether she was alright before explaining that he had already sent the Adversary to join her. The Adversary reported in and told him that they had already joined with Oz, and that Irena would follow as soon as she reactivated the western barrier stone. In pain, Oz weakly told Neinheart that she hadn’t been able to protect the eastern barrier stone, and that they needed a change of plans, as their frontlines had been thrown in disarray by the enemy.

Upon hearing how weak Oz’ voice was, Cygnus realized that she was badly hurt, though Oz reassured the Empress that she was fine. Neinheart asked Oz not to push herself and added that Irena had just reactivated the western barrier stone, and that she would soon arrive. However, Oz replied that they wouldn’t be able to hold out, as the Flora soldiers were flooding in. Though disturbed by their precarious situation, Cygnus told the Adversary that she was glad that they were by Oz’s side and asked them to protect her, despite how hopeless the situation seemed.

As the Adversary held off the Flora soldiers, Lystor contacted Reina and informed her that the structure of the barrier was just as they had anticipated, and with one of the barrier stones destroyed and the other three activated, the enemy had been gathered into one place, just as she had anticipated, to which Reina congratulated Lystor for his good work.

Meanwhile, as the Adversary and their allies struggled to repel the enemy, Oz noticed that the western barrier stone had been activated, which meant that Irena and her forces would soon arrive, for which they needed to hold out just a bit longer. She thanked the Adversary and Gaon for helping them reorganize their forces, to which Gaon noted that they had managed to break the enemy’s momentum before asking whether they should push ahead.

Oz asked them not to push themselves too hard, as she didn’t want them to get hurt. She also added that there was something else that she was suspicious of, and that though she hoped that she was wrong, she asked them not to push so far ahead that they wouldn’t be able to quickly retreat. As the battle continued, Lystor noted to himself that that their forces were struggling much more than he had anticipated before wondering whether there was a variable that they had overlooked.

Just then, a High Flora officer reported in to Lystor and informed him that the state of their frontlines wasn’t looking good, as the Alliance had a monster who was tearing through their forces. Realizing that the Adversary had entered the field, Lystor told the officer to merely keep them restrained, reminding them that their objective wasn’t to catch a monster. He then added that in just a short while, the next phase of their operation would begin.

Meanwhile, Irena and her Wind Archer reinforcements arrived on the scene after lighting the western barrier stone. Oz then pointed out Lystor to Irena and told her that they needed to defeat him, as he was the one commanding the enemy’s forces. As the Knights pushed forward, Lystor approached the group and noted that the Adversary really was a monster to have pushed their forces so far. However, he then laughed that the mercenaries had also earned their pay as well, having managed to stall them for so long.

Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of icy magic was unleashed by Reina, who arrived on the scene and froze both the Adversary and all of their allies in ice. Reina asked Lystor whether she had kept him waiting, noting that he had done well, as keeping the enemy restrained was no easy task. She explained that thanks to his actions, she had been able to conserve her strength so that she could easily wipe them all out at once. Lystor accepted her gratitude and replied that it was the least that he could do.

Noting that there ought to be no more disruptions, Reina ordered Lystor to kill all the Alliance members frozen in ice while she headed towards her objective. As Reina left, the Adversary and their allies struggled to break free from her ice, which remained study with her powerful magic. Suddenly, they noticed which way Reina was headed and immediately realized that Empress Cygnus was in danger.

At the command center, Neinheart and Cygnus desperately attempted to contact the Adversary, Irena, and Oz, but found that none of them were replying. Though Cygnus feared that something terrible had happened to them in the massive wave of ice magic that had just been unleashed, Neinheart reassured her that they would be fine, as the Adversary and the others had survived such dire odds before.

Suddenly, Reina arrived and used her powers to freeze all the Cygnus Knights guarding the Empress and Neinheart. Reina noted that it was unfortunate for Cygnus, as the Adversary and their allies’ lives were about to be snuffed out like candles in the wind. Recognizing Reina as the commander of the High Flora invasion, Neinheart demanded to know what her objective was, just as Reina teleported in front of Cygnus and used her ice cane to slash her.

Turning back to Neinheart, Reina replied that her objective ought to be obvious from her having come all the way to Ereve, explaining that she had come for only one thing – his Empress. Neinheart immediately raised his book and attempted to attack Reina, who quickly cut down Neinheart as well before telling him that he was in her way.

As Neinheart collapsed painfully on the floor, Cygnus cried out in shock. Critically wounded, Neinheart weakly told Cygnus to escape. However, Cygnus replied that she couldn’t do so when she was the Empress, as she could never make a choice to abandon someone just to save herself. She explained that standing alongside everyone on the battlefield was the sole reason why she could lead everyone as their Empress.

Impressed with Cygnus’ bravery, Reina noted that she could understand how Cygnus had been able to lead the Alliance, despite her young age, adding that Cygnus was a leader who truly deserved the loyalty that her soldiers had for her. However, she then added that such a story could only be true in a world at peace, as it had no place in a world ravaged by war like Grandis.

Despite her painful wounds, Cygnus asked Reina what she wanted from her, adding that the Alliance wouldn’t surrender and wouldn’t lose, even if she were killed, for the people who loved their world would remain, even after her death. Reina commended Cygnus for her courage in standing up to her, as her decision not to run was a good answer, though she warned that it was a foolish decision, and one that Cygnus would forever regret. Taking out the red crystal that Darmoor had given her, Reina used its divine power on Cygnus, unleashing a wave of frost throughout the area.

Elsewhere, Lystor ordered his soldiers to wipe out the enemy, telling them not to waste the opportunity that Reina had given them. Before they could attack, however, the Adversary and their allies used all their might to break free from the ice. Oz then asked the Adversary and Gaon to head to the command center while she and Irena held off the Flora army.

After the pair headed off, Irena asked Oz whether she could fight, to which Oz replied that she would be fine. However, Irena noted that Oz was badly hurt and asked her if she truly would be alright. Oz laughed that she couldn’t fool her, though she told Irena not to worry about her, as she was still one of the Chief Knights who protected the Empress, for whose sake she would risk her life to keep Ereve safe. Irena then declared that just as Oz protected Ereve, she would protect Oz. The two then stood together, vowing to survive and see the Empress again.

Meanwhile, the Adversary and Gaon arrived at the command center to find the Cygnus Knights encased in ice and Neinheart critically injured. Nevertheless, Neinheart – in a panicked frenzy – told them that the enemy had kidnapped the Empress, and that they needed to save her. As he struggled to stand, the Adversary asked Neinheart to calm down, pointing out that he was badly injured.

However, Neinheart dismissed their concerns and told them he needed to order Oz to rescue Cygnus, though he quickly realized that with Oz injured, he would need to send Irena instead. However, he then quickly changed his mind yet again and noted that with Irena likely injured as well, he needed to find other forces to form a rescue party. In a daze of anxiety and dread from losing Cygnus, Neinheart struggled to think of what to do and berated himself for his sluggishness in finding a solution until the Adversary snapped Neinheart out of his stupor and told him to get a hold of himself.

Regaining his senses, Neinheart apologized for losing his composure and agreed that they needed to remain calm. He noted that their first priority was to save the Knights, as there was no hope of saving the Empress without them. Just as he began turning to Gaon in order to ask him to help the Adversary, Neinheart suddenly stopped upon hearing a sound in the distance.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Irena attempted to defend Oz, who had lost all her strength due to her injuries and from expending all her mana. As Oz began to lose consciousness, Irena began to panic about how she could save everyone with the High Flora soldiers surrounding them. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings was heard from above, with a large shadow passing over them from the sky.

As it did, a powerful magic formed a shield around all the Cygnus Knights in the area, healing Oz’s injuries. Oz immediately recognized that the energy belonged to Shinsoo, while Irena rallied the Knights with the knowledge that Shinsoo had returned back to them. Just then, Eckhart and his reinforcements arrived on the scene and began driving back the High Flora.

At the command post, Shinsoo landed in front of Neinheart and noted that they were in a difficult moment. Neinheart apologized for being unable to protect the Empress, though Shinsoo told him not to blame himself, as no one could have predicted such a situation. She then told Neinheart that what was more important was what they needed to do next. Neinheart agreed and explained that the enemy commander must have returned to their battleship after kidnapping the Empress. Shinsoo noted that she could feel Cygnus’ presence from within Arteria, to which Neinheart added that if kidnapping her was their only objective, the battleship would likely leave right away.

Suddenly, Gaon pointed out that, just as Neinheart had said, Arteria was indeed beginning to move. Shocked, Neinheart asked Shinsoo in a panic whether she would be able to stop the ship, to which Shinsoo used her power to freeze Arteria in place, though she warned that she would only be able to hold the battleship in place temporarily.

Neinheart then began to make a plan for their counterattack and asked the Adversary to handle infiltrating the battleship. He then asked Gaon to accompany the Adversary, apologizing for throwing him into one treacherous situation after another when they had only just met, though Gaon replied that he would gladly lend his aid. Neinheart noted that with Shinsoo’s help, the Knights around Ereve would be able to join them as well. Eckhart then arrived and volunteered to join them, adding that Irena and Oz were both safe due to Shinsoo’s timely intervention.

He explained that with the enemy commander withdrawing, morale had returned to the Knights, and that while there were quite a few enemies left, they were simply a pack of mercenaries with no leader, meaning that they would soon fall. Because of this, he told Neinheart that though it may take time, there was no danger of the tides turning back on them, which meant that the other Chief Knights would be fine without him.

Neinheart then approved the mission and ordered them to use small airships to reach Arteria and save the Empress, adding that it was imperative that they succeed, no matter how many sacrifices it would take. Eckhart noted that it wouldn’t be an easy mission, as they were heading straight into the heart of enemy territory. Before they could leave, however, Shinsoo stopped them and addressed the Adversary.

(A/N: Each class gets a different title that Shinsoo uses to address them:

Explorers: You who walk the path of adventure.

Cygnus Knight: Brave knight of the Empress.

Mihile: Shield of the Empress.

Heroes: Hero of Maple World.

Resistance classes (except the Demon, who sadly doesn’t get a title): Freedom Fighter.

Grandis classes and Kinesis: You who’ve come from another world.

Zero: Transcendent of a new era.

The Explorer, Cygnus Knight, and Zero titles are nearly the same ones that the White Mage gives them at the end of Limina.)

Shinsoo told them that they would need more power in order to save the Empress, and that they ought to be able to take her power in their current state. Suddenly, the World Heart began glowing and absorbing Shinsoo’s power. As Shinsoo left the task of saving the Empress to them, the Adversary expressed their shock at the fact that the World Heart was absorbing Shinsoo’s energy, causing them to realize the truth.

(A/N: Mihile gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which Shinsoo wonders how long it’s been since they’ve spoken like this. She notes that it’s only been a short time for her, but it must have been a long time for a human like him. She adds that the small shield, which was once barely large enough to protect the Empress, has grown enough that it can now shield the entire world. She then asks him, as always, to use that power to protect Cygnus.)

Shinsoo explained that though her power would not be able to turn every situation around, it would still be enough to save them from peril. Upon witnessing the World Heart’s abilities first-hand, Neinheart realized that based on what Oz had written about the World Heart having the ability to absorb the power of higher beings, it meant that Shinsoo was an Ancient God.

(A/N: This is one of those cases where it feels like the writers added a retcon for the sake of a shoe-horned tie-in to the current lore, rather than because it makes sense. Shinsoo’s existence as an Ancient God doesn’t really make any sense at all with everything that’s been established, as the Ancient Gods are supposed to have fallen into dormancy during the age of the Transcendents

The other main issue with Shinsoo being an Ancient God is that there’s an issue of power-scaling brought up with how certain higher beings like her are presented in the story. In the Cygnus Knight storyline, is explained that Shinsoo had used up most of her energy to create Ereve and the Piyos, which is why she’s always asleep. As a side note, her fatigue could also be a result of her being awake while also feeling the effects of the Transcendents forcing her into slumber like the other gods.

The thing that’s really weird is the inconsistency in how the power of the gods works. We’ve seen the idea that only a god can kill another god being referenced constantly throughout the Grandis story, which is why only the Adversary could kill the Black Mage, why only the Adversary could shatter Azor with the power of the Seal Stone, and why only the Adversary had the power to destroy Kaling’s contaminated Godsphere buttons.

The main issue is that there seem to be two conflicting presentations in how the power of the gods actually works. On one hand, we have instances like the Black Mage, the superweapons in Hotel Arcus, Azor, and Kaling’s buttons, which can’t even be so much as scratched by mortals. On the other hand, we have characters like Shinsoo and Tana, who can be wounded by mortals, but can’t actually die.

Tana can be hurt by regular weapons, but she’ll just regenerate if the wound is fatal, and Shinsoo was heavily injured twice in the story – once by Orchid and Lotus when they ransacked Ereve, and once when Damien kidnapped Alicia. Contrary to popular belief, it’s said multiple times that Damien never actually killed Shinsoo, which lines up with her being immortal as an Ancient God. Damien’s sword was said to have similar powers as that of a Transcendent, which would explain why Shinsoo was able to be wounded, although that still doesn’t explain how Lotus and Orchid damaged her.

If I had to speculate on why these two specifically can get hurt by normal people, even though every other god in the story will only flinch at best if they’re not being attacked with a divine relic, I’d say that it’s a matter of mental fortitude. Every time that we’ve seen Tana get killed, it’s because she had almost no control over her powers or her mental state, and Shinsoo is constantly fighting against her fatigue and power deficit. In contrast, people like the Black Mage are at the top of their game, and objects like the holy relics are at full strength in every instance that we’ve see them.

I’d imagine that most gods would have a shield of some sort that protects them from mortal attacks, which would line up with the Demon destroying the Black Mage’s shield during the battle at the Temple of Time centuries ago, which is why the Heroes were able to deal some small amount of damage to him, as seen with Luminous’ fight with him at the very end, especially since the Black Mage’s powers were already weakened as a result of the backlash from him stealing Rhinne’s powers. In the case of Tana and Shinsoo, they’re likely so exhausted that they can’t put up that shield, which is why they can be wounded, but their divine power prevents them from fully dying.)

Gaon noted that despite Shinsoo being an Ancient God, she had a warm enough heart to sacrifice her own power to protect what was most precious to her. Nevertheless, Eckhart noted that Shinsoo being an Ancient God changed nothing, as Shinsoo was just Shinsoo, which was all that he needed to know. Neinheart then asked the Adversary to lend their aid once again by saving the Empress.

Meanwhile, Cygnus awoke in Reina’s throne room aboard Arteria. Severely wounded, Cygnus weakly asked Reina whether she had targeted her because the Alliance was a threat, reminding her that even if she - or even the Alliance itself - were to fall, there would always be people who would stand up and fight to protect Maple World.

Reina asked Cygnus whether she was still going on about the Alliance in her current situation, noting that she certainly had the qualities of a true leader. However, she explained that she had no interest in the Alliance, as what she was truly after were Cygnus’ powers. She noted that Cygnus possessed the qualifications of not only a leader, but a Transcendent as well, though she added that someone like Cygnus could never compare to Gerand Darmoor.

Just as Cygnus expressed her shock at Reina’s true goals, the battleship began shaking before being frozen in place. Reina noted that the Cygnus Knights were interfering once again, though she then turned to Cygnus and asked whether she was the one who had done it. She wondered briefly whether Cygnus had been hiding her abilities earlier, or whether Cygnus had been unable to use them at the time, before realizing that it was the work of Shinsoo.

She explained that she knew about who Shinsoo was, though she had never imagined that her powers would be so strong. As a shocked Cygnus realized that Shinsoo had returned, Reina noted that Cygnus’ underlings still lived. Cygnus warned Reina not to underestimate the Alliance, vowing that things wouldn’t go according to her plan.

In response, Reina merely used her ice powers to knock Cygnus out before contacting Lystor, who used his wings to fly down to her location. Reina told Lystor that she was going to begin extracting Cygnus’ powers, to which Lystor warned her that the process would cause a strain on Arteria’s energy supply, which meant that they wouldn’t be able to use their cannons.

Reina replied that they already had the Empress in their hands, and since they had no need to destroy the barrier anymore, they had no need to use the cannons. However, she warned him to take note of the enemy’s movements, as they would undoubtedly try to rescue Cygnus. She reminded him that the God-King wanted the Empress’ power and ordered him not to let the enemy seize her before they extracted it.

She then added that as long the enemy had Arteria frozen in place, stopping them was Lystor’s top priority. As Lystor began preparing Cygnus for extraction, Reina recalled Cygnus’ bold words, warning her not to underestimate the Alliance. Though Reina conceded that she admired Cygnus’ willpower, she noted to herself that willpower was useless without the strength to protect oneself before dismissing Cygnus as pitiful and foolish. Taking out her crystal, Reina turned to an unconscious Cygnus, whom Lystor had placed on a table, and began draining her powers.

Meanwhile, the Alliance airships landed in Arteria’s hanger, which Eckhart noted was unfortunate, as it was where the greatest number of enemies would be gathered. Upon looking around at all the airships, Gaon noted that it must be how the High Flora army had descended upon Maple World. The Adversary pointed out that if they stopped the enemy in Arteria, the High Flora would be unable to reach Ereve anymore, to which Eckhart laughed that the Adversary had guts.

Gaon added that once their base on Ereve was secured, their reinforcements would grow. Eckhart decided that they would undergo the mission until enemy reinforcements arrived, for which he ordered them to search the battleship. As the rescue party continued searching, they quickly realized that Arteria was so massive that they would never find the Empress with how few soldiers and little time they had, especially since they could be done for as soon as they picked the wrong route.

Suddenly, the Adversary began to hear Cygnus’ voice in their head. Though neither they nor Cygnus was sure of how it was happening at first, the Adversary quickly realized that Shinsoo – who shared a connection with the Empress – had given them her powers inside the World Heart, which Cygnus had unconsciously been able to form a mental link with. Cygnus realized that it was the most likely explanation, as even Reina had sensed Shinsoo’s powers earlier. She then added that thanks to Shinsoo sharing her power, she could now deliver her message to the Adversary.

Cygnus told them that assuming that she hadn’t been relocated since losing consciousness, she was on the topmost floor of the battleship. She added that she could vaguely feel the Adversary’s presence, and that they should be able to feel hers through their connection. With their bond, the Adversary was able to confirm that Cygnus was still on the top floor, though Cygnus soon began losing energy and fell unconscious.

After informing Eckhart and Gaon about what they had learned, Eckhart ordered the Knights to move forward towards the top floor. Suddenly, a large bulkhead fell onto the ground, cutting off the rescue party into two groups. As it would take too long to move the bulkhead, Eckhart and Gaon asked the Adversary to lead the front line towards the Empress while they found another way around. The Adversary then proceeded ahead and rendezvoused with a Cygnus Knight, who informed them that they had cleared the area, though he admitted that it would be hard for them to press forward on their own.

The Adversary replied that they would go together, to which the Knight rallied the other soldiers by informing them that the Adversary had arrived to help them. As they pushed ahead, the Knight thanked the Adversary and explained that they had saved him once before during Tenebris. Upon seeing the Adversary’s confused expression, the Knight laughed and noted that they must not remember him based on that, as they had saved quite a number of people. He then entreated them to save the Empress, as it was the very reason why all of them had come so far.

The Adversary then pushed further in and met with another Cygnus Knight, who reported heavy casualties on their side. As they began noting that they needed reinforcements to push through, Eckhart and Gaon suddenly arrived with their forces, having found another way to reach them. The Knight warned them to take caution, as the enemies were getting stronger as they pushed forward, to which Gaon wondered whether they could keep going, as they had sustained heavy losses from their forces being split apart.

Eckhart replied that they had no choice and asked the Adversary to help them push forward, explaining that he had contacted Ereve, who was sending reinforcements. The Adversary then thinned out the enemy’s numbers before the rescue party pushed ahead. As more and more High Flora soldiers arrived to repel them, Eckhart noted that the Adversary was right, as the high volume of enemies likely meant that the Empress was indeed on the top floor. However, he wondered whether they would be able to break through with the number of soldiers that they currently had.

Nevertheless, as they had no choice, he began ordering the Knights to advance, just as Lystor flew down behind them and cut through half their forces by opening his wings to launch a powerful dash attack. Lystor commended the Knights for their bravery in coming aboard Arteria, though he declared that they hadn’t thought things through, as their plans would all be for naught once he killed them.

However, Eckhart laughed and asked Lystor whether he truly thought that the Knights would undertake such a mission without knowing that they could lose their lives. He then rallied the Knights into pushing forward and ignoring the enemy’s line of defense, reminding them that their sole mission was to get the Adversary and Gaon to the top floor, much to the pair’s shock. Declaring that he believed in them, Eckhart asked them to save the Empress before rushing into battle.

Gaon bitterly noted that everyone was prepared to die fighting just for their sake, to which the Adversary apologized for getting him involved. Gaon told them not to worry about him before adding that he had merely been thinking whether their current situation was how it had always been for the Adversary. He noted that there were so many people’s wills and expectations on the Adversary’s shoulders and asked them how they withstood such a heavy burden.

The Adversary replied that it was something that they had to do, as there was no one except them who could accomplish it. Gaon explained that he had always done everything that he could to fulfill his duty of protecting Shangri-La, though, as the Adversary now knew, that duty was now meaningless, which was why he had come to the outside world, as he had wanted to find some other cause that needed his strength.

However, he admitted that at the same time, he hadn’t realized the weight of what it meant to protect an entire world. Though he was embarrassed to say so, he promised that he wouldn’t run away, just like the Adversary never would. He then apologized for talking too much at such a time and suggested that they move forward.

(A/N: I’m convinced that at this point, the writers are trying to make it a contest of making the Adversary more boring in each storyline than the last. It’s times like these when I realize that we were so blessed with Cernium that it just steadily started going downhill from there. The Adversary’s conversation with Seren where they talk about their trauma of wanting to end their lives to stop the Black Mage until Tana helped them find the will to survive, and then using that to kickstart Seren’s pivotal moment where she chooses to take back her own salvation is one of the top moments in the entire story.

Comparing that with how the Adversary’s gone back to the usual status quo of “head empty no thoughts” is almost embarrassing to watch. This conversation with Gaon could’ve gone an entirely different direction where we actually admit to him how much we’ve gone through in order to protect the world, and how we still hate how people are ready to sacrifice themselves just for us, even though we’re not even an Adversary anymore, but that would require the writers to actually put some level of effort into what they do.

At this point, I don’t even see why the Adversary is still so generic. If their goal was to make them a general protagonist that any class could be, they’ve already failed miserably at that because half the classes in this game don’t even share any personality traits with them. They might as well just commit to treating the Adversary as their own separate character at this point. That way, they’d at least be able to salvage some of their terrible story decisions by developing the Adversary as a person instead of this half-hearted, poorly-executed attempt at being class-agnostic.)

The pair then fought past the High Flora soldiers and proceeded ahead until Lystor suddenly appeared and attacked them with his sword. The pair managed to dodge the attack and jumped back, though Gaon immediately realized that if Lystor had managed to get to them when he had been fighting Eckhart, it meant that Eckhart may have fallen.

Lystor told the Adversary that they were persistent, if nothing else, as they simply didn’t know when to give up. However, he declared that things would finally end here, and that he would make them realize how powerless they were. Gaon told the Adversary to go on ahead, to which the Adversary immediately protested. However, Gaon replied that he wished to help bear the duties and expectations placed upon them, reassuring them that they didn’t need to worry about him, as he was one of the Four Symbols for a reason.

As Lystor moved to attack, Gaon intercepted the blow, allowing the Adversary to rush past them. As the pair fought, Lystor told Gaon that he was testing his patience, to which Gaon replied that he couldn’t give up. However, Lystor retorted that Gaon would regret not giving up, explaining that while the Adversary seemed incredibly strong, they would be no match for Reina. He mockingly asked Gaon whether he could still speak of hope after seeing the Adversary frozen to death, to which Gaon replied that it wouldn’t be happening, as the Adversary was stronger than Lystor realized.

Meanwhile, the Adversary took the elevator to one of the upper levels, where they noted that the air was much colder, with frost covering the windows. Realizing that the space had been created to keep the chill inside, they began wondering why such an area existed on the battleship. As they proceeded ahead, they suddenly encountered soldiers made completely out of ice, which made them realize that the purpose behind keeping Arteria so cold was to keep the ice soldiers intact.

As they fought through and destroyed the ice soldiers, they noted that the soldiers were quite strong, and that they were getting closer to Cygnus’ location, with her voice encouraging them as they went on. Cygnus then apologized to them for putting everyone in danger, explaining that it was all her fault, as the enemy was after her unawakened Transcendent powers. Before losing consciousness once again from the immense cold, Cygnus managed to warn the Adversary to be careful, as the enemy was powerful.

Reaching the top level, the Adversary entered the throne room, where they found an unconscious Cygnus and Reina draining the last of her powers into her red crystal. Reina declared that they were too late, as she had already extracted the power that she wanted, leaving Cygnus as nothing but an empty husk. When the Adversary refused to believe it, Reina replied that she had heard about them, and how they were an Adversary who had killed a Transcendent.

Believing that it would be a waste to leave without them, Reina offered them a chance to join her, declaring that it was a good opportunity for them to join the winning side, as an Alliance without its leader would soon dissolve into nothing, with Darmoor reigning victorious and undefeated. However, the Adversary retorted that they wanted no such opportunity before attacking.

Reina teleported to dodge their attack before using her ice powers to create an ice shield in front of the Adversary. She then took out her red crystal and attempted to use its divine power to kill the Adversary, though she was surprised when the crystal remained unresponsive, causing her to wonder whether the Adversary had destroyed her prisoners.

The confused Adversary wondered what prisoners she was referring to, and whether it could be the ice soldiers that they had defeated on the way to the throne room. Reina lamented that it was a shame, as she could have made more use of her prisoners. Turning back to the Adversary, she noted in annoyance that with them having destroyed all her prisoners and refusing to defect, she would have taken them out first if she had known that the situation would have turned out in such a way.

Just as she launched an attack, Shinsoo’s power inside the World Heart created a protective shield around them, which blocked Reina’s attack. A surprised Reina realized that it was the same power which had frozen her ship. She noted that they were quite impressive, and that she could see why their talents had caught Darmoor’s attention. However, she declared that it was too late before unleashing a torrent of ice spikes, though Shinsoo’s divine shield continued protecting the Adversary from all her blows.

Suddenly, Arteria began shaking, much to the Adversary’s surprise. Reina told the Adversary that Shinsoo’s power, which had been holding the battleship in place, had run out, and asked them how they hadn’t yet realized it, despite having received a portion of that same power. She explained that just as she had said, they were too late. Just then, however, a large crashing sound shook the airship once again, causing Reina to wonder whether they were under attack.

The Adversary’s radio then began ringing, with Claudine informing them that the Resistance had come to reinforce them after learning about the attack on Ereve from Brighton. She added that with Lystor having retreated, they were all heading for the top floor, for which she asked them to keep holding on. At the same time, Reina was contacted by Lystor, whom she ordered to wipe out the Alliance forces, causing the Adversary to warn Claudine that the enemy still had something up their sleeves.

On the lower floors, Claudine and Irena arrived with the Alliance, where Claudine noted grimly that there were more injured soldiers than she had anticipated, and that she hadn’t thought that the situation would be so dire. Irena realized that Eckhart, Gaon, and the Adversary were fighting up ahead, to which Claudine decided to push their forces ahead and pave the way forward.

On the upper floors, Eckhart met with an injured Gaon, who apologized for being unable to hold off Lystor. However, Eckhart replied that he should be the one apologizing for putting Gaon in danger by involving him in their situation, though he added that it was because of Gaon that they had been saved, as he had helped fend off the enemy for so long.

Just then, Lystor arrived and noted that he was surprised that the Alliance had managed to hold out with such a small force. However, he told them that it made no difference, as his forces held the advantage in numbers, and that they would soon be wiped out. Eckhart then told Gaon that he would buy time for him to escape, noting that Gaon surely hadn’t left Shangri-La just to die in such a place as the one that they were in.

However, Gaon refused, claiming that no matter how briefly, they were comrades who had each other’s backs, for which he could not leave Eckhart behind. Eckhart replied that he didn’t mind dying in such a way, as it had always been his dream to die fighting for Ereve. Just then, Irena – along with Claudine and their reinforcements – arrived and jokingly told him that while it was rather cool of him to have such a dream, it wasn’t his time yet.

Eckhart was shocked to see Irena and the Resistance, to which Claudine explained that they had rushed over as soon as they had received word that Ereve was in danger. Eckhart thanked her for saving them, though Claudine told him that she hadn’t done it to be thanked, or for a reward, as they weren’t on such bad terms that the Resistance would turn a blind eye to the Knights at such a moment, adding that they were comrades in the same Alliance, and that they would never turn away from a comrade in need.

Together, the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights began pushing forward to the top level in order to reinforce the Adversary. As the Alliance began breaking ground, Lystor reported to Reina that their defenses had fallen, and that the enemy had broken through the soldiers on the lower floors. He then told Reina that it seemed as though they would need to use the Vision Bomb after all, as they would be able to destroy all their enemies in one fell swoop if they overlooked the casualties that it would cause for them. Reina then gave Lystor her permission to activate the Vision Bomb and ordered him to get rid of all the Alliance forces.

(A/N: This conversation is meant to coincide with Reina’s call with Lystor in the throne room, which happens at the same time as Claudine contacting the Adversary.

I was so excited to see Vision Bombs get referenced in the game, as they were first mentioned way back in 2012 during Kaiser’s Heliseum prequest, then later in 2015 during Cadena’s class story, and now 8 years later, we’ve finally seen them in use. Unfortunately, they’re a bit underwhelming because they just release poison, but it was still cool to know that Vision Bombs haven’t been forgotten.)

Lystor then addressed his officers and told them that their final mission was to activate the Vision Bomb and wipe out the enemy. He explained that it didn’t matter how many mercenaries were killed, as their sole objective was to evacuate only High Flora soldiers, and to complete the mission. As his officers left to carry out his orders, Lystor wondered to himself whether Reina would be alright, as the crystal that she was using could hold the power of a god, and that - even for someone for her caliber - she wouldn’t be able to avoid the recoil from it. Because of this, he decided to rush to the throne room, praying that she would be safe until he got there.

Meanwhile, in the throne room, the Adversary – upon realizing that reinforcements were on the way – decided that they needed to hold Reina off until help arrived. As they fought against Reina, Cygnus began regaining consciousness, and though she was barely able to open her eyes, she saw that Reina was overpowering the Adversary.

Reina quickly surmised that the Adversary was stalling until help arrived, and though she admitted that the end was approaching, she told them that it wouldn’t be the end that they were hoping for. She then launched another attack on the Adversary, who collapsed on the floor as the divine shield created from Shinsoo’s power inside the World Heart faded away.

(A/N: One of the several reasons why I don’t like this storyline is the terrible sense of power-scaling that it has. The Adversary has beaten plenty of the Black Mage’s Commanders before - both before and after their 5th job advancement - and all of them were boosted by the Black Mage’s Transcendent powers, just like the Apostles. Here, the Adversary is facing off against Reina with not only our 6th job advancement and the power of the World Heart, but Reina also isn’t using her draining crystal here, either. We should’ve won this battle effortlessly, but we somehow end up losing for no other reason except because the plot demanded it.)

As the wounded Adversary struggled to stand, Cygnus looked on in horror as she realized that the Adversary was about to die because of her. The Adversary defiantly told Reina that they couldn’t lose here, to which Reina replied that it was unfortunate, as their life was about to end here. Just as Reina stabbed the Adversary, Cygnus used the last of her strength to rush forward and take the fatal blow in the Adversary’s place.

The Adversary looked up in shock at Cygnus, who smiled back sadly at them as she collapsed. The horrified Adversary asked her why she would sacrifice her life for their sake, telling her that she may never awake if she lost consciousness here. Dying by the minute, Cygnus weakly told the Adversary that she was alright, and that because of them, everyone in the world would be able to live on. Struggling to stay conscious, she told the Adversary that she was leaving the Alliance and the world in their hands.

(A/N: Mihile gets some exclusive dialogue in place of this. He tells her not to lose consciousness, as she may never wake up if she closes her eyes. Cygnus replies that it’s alright, explaining that even though he’s the one who protects her, he doesn’t always accept help back. She then tells him how glad she is that he wasn’t hurt. She explains that though he’s the Knight of Light whose duty is to defend the Empress, because of him, everyone else in the world will be able to live on. She adds that from now on, she’ll leave the Alliance and the world in his hands.)

As her vision began blurring, Cygnus noted to herself that it felt as though she was falling into a deep expanse of water. Though she was unable to hear anything anymore, she could still see the Adversary crying over her, making her wonder whether this was what dying felt like. Cygnus asked the Adversary not to cry and apologized for everything, regretfully telling them that if she had been more capable, she could have been of more help to them, and that they wouldn’t have had to bear such heavy burdens. She then apologized one last time for leaving them with yet another burden.

(A/N: Grandis classes and Kinesis get exclusive dialogue here, in which Cygnus tells them that they’re too kind for having come to save her people from another world.

Phantom gets some exclusive dialogue that replaces the last few lines of the original dialogue. After Cygnus tells him that he wouldn’t have had to bear such a heavy burden if she had been more capable, she adds that she had always wanted to show herself as strong and healthy in front of him. She then reminds him of the promise that he had made her when he had first joined the Alliance - to become a true hero, not simply one hellbent on revenge - and asks him to keep it.

In yet another instance of why having a generic protagonist is a stupid idea, consider this POV: you’re a Bishop who’s mastered the art of healing for 280 levels by the time of this storyline, and you’re blankly staring back at Cygnus, completely at a loss for what you could possibly do to turn this situation around. Suddenly, you remember that there’s still something that you can do. You cast Heal once. Twice. And by the twentieth time, you have no idea what’s going on. But suddenly, a chill runs down your spine. You realize what happened, and why none of your spells are having any effect.

“Oh god, Cygnus, no! Why didn’t you accept my party invite in time?? Why?!”)

As she closed her eyes for the last time, Reina asked the Adversary whether they were finished with their goodbyes, reminding them that their Empress had given everything to save their life before asking whether they were planning to let that go to waste. As the Adversary furiously turned to face Reina, she noted that they seemed much sharper now and challenged them to see which of them would fall first.

On the lower levels, Claudine and the Chief Knights heard the Adversary’s words through the radio and were horror-struck to hear that the Empress had passed away. However, all of them refused to believe it until they saw it with their own eyes, declaring that the Empress was too strong to be killed. Claudine addressed the Alliance soldiers and told them that though they must all have heard what had just happened, she urged them not to lose hope, despite whatever thoughts they must be having, and ordered them to advance.

The rescue party then pushed forward and reached the topmost floor, where they began charging forward towards the powerful ice soldiers. Claudine called for back-up from the Resistance and ordered them to push through at all costs, declaring that they didn’t have a moment to lose. With all their combined efforts, the Alliance broke through the defensive line, allowing Gaon, Eckhart, Irena, and Claudine to enter the throne room, where they found Reina confronting the Adversary, who was barely standing between Cygnus’ body.

Shocked to find that the Empress had fallen, the Alliance leaders immediately surrounded Reina. Enraged at having been pushed to her limits, Reina decided that she had no other choice but to use her last-resort. Using her crystal, Reina unleashed its divine power to boost her ice magic with a strange red energy, which she used to freeze the Alliance leaders and the Adversary’s feet in place, though she immediately kneeled over in great pain as a result.

As Claudine wondered what sort of power Reina had used, the Adversary attempted to break free from the ice in order to continue fighting Reina, despite Gaon warning them that they were reaching their limit, to which Reina noted that the Adversary had been holding on for a surprisingly long time. Irena furiously declared that what Reina had just done to Cygnus was nowhere near the same as when she had ambushed Ereve, vowing that she would never forgive her.

Suddenly, Lystor flew into the room with his wings and quickly pulled Reina into his arms before taking her a safe distance from their enemies. Lystor desperately asked Reina whether she was alright, to which she replied that their mission was complete, and that the God-King would be satisfied. She asked Lystor whether he had made preparations for the Vision Bomb, which he confirmed, explaining that the gas would soon fill up the ship, and that they should hurry and leave.

Reina then looked back at the Alliance and grudgingly admitted that she had underestimated them all, and that she looked forward to the day that they would meet again. As they fled from the throne room, the Alliance leaders managed to break free from the ice. Gaon yelled that the enemy was getting away, to which the Adversary attempted to force themselves to pursue them, declaring that they had to avenge the Empress.

However, Claudine pointed out that they were grievously injured, and that it would be far too dangerous for them to pursue Reina in their current state. She also reminded them that the Empress wouldn’t have wanted them to hurt themselves like that. Just then, all eyes turned to Cygnus’ body, whose finger had just briefly moved. Claudine immediately rushed to her side and noted that Cygnus was still alive, though she was extremely weak and severely injured. She explained that she would provide as much emergency treatment as she could, though Cygnus needed proper medical care as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Irena realized that poison gas had begun to fill the ship from the Vision Bomb, causing Gaon to wonder how the High Flora could do such a thing when their own mercenary soldiers were still on board. Irena then noted that with the poison gas spreading throughout the ship, they couldn’t go after Reina with no plan and so many casualties, as they needed more time to recover their strength.

The others accepted her idea, after which the Alliance leaders began gathering their soldiers in order to escape. After fighting their way through the soldiers, the Alliance managed to escape Arteria and return to Ereve. Back on the ground, Claudine began treating Cygnus with her medical knowledge as Edelstein’s town doctor, though she told them that they needed Shinsoo’s help if possible.

Elsewhere, Lystor worriedly asked Reina if she was alright. Though severely weakened, Reina noted that she was alright, commending Lystor for his quick thinking in saving her. Lystor noted that he was merely doing his duty, adding that he was particularly worried about her body, as he had noticed that the prisoners who had been holding back the recoil of using the crystal’s power had been destroyed.

Reina confirmed his suspicions and explained that she was simply paying the price, adding that it was nothing but cheating in the end, as such a price couldn’t be helped if she was forcibly channeling the power of a god. Lystor asked Reina whether the enemy had been strong enough to warrant her using so much of her power, which Reina confirmed, explaining that after facing the Adversary, she could say for certain that the story about them killing a god was true.

As Lystor began regretting that he should have stopped them, Reina warned him that he was overstepping his bounds, reminding him that there was no chance that he could have faced an enemy that even she couldn’t defeat. Lystor apologized for his presumption, to which Reina reminded him that the purpose of their mission had been to take Cygnus’ Transcendent powers, and that they had accomplished their goal, which was enough. Though she admitted that it was a shame that they had lost their prisoners, she added that they could gain something far better, for the sake of their nation.

Soon after the battle, the Adversary met with Neinheart, who asked them whether they were doing okay. He explained that though Cygnus hadn’t yet regained consciousness, he believed that she would soon recover. He noted that it was fortunate that Claudine had been present, as her emergency treatment had helped them avoid the worst. He explained that as per the Chief Knights’ request, they had placed Cygnus by Shinsoo’s side at her refuge in Leafre, as Shinsoo’s powers would help the Empress recover her strength better than anything else.

He told the Adversary that following the battle, most of the Flora soldiers invading Maple World had been wiped out, as they had merely been bait for the enemy’s true goal. Though there were a few remaining, Neinheart hoped to capture them in order to gain intel from them, rather than kill them, believing that it would be easy to interrogate the soldiers, most of whom were merely common mercenaries with little loyalty to the High Flora.

He explained that from the information that they had already gathered through interrogation, they had learned that Reina was a God of the High Flora, as well as an Apostle of Darmoor. He noted that she seemed to be the lord of a snowy region – one of the six High Flora territories – and that she had only recently gained the position and title from a Syaman with the previous lord. However, he added that as the information had come from mere mercenaries, they couldn’t be sure of its true authenticity.

(A/N: Given that Reina took the position of lordship recently, it might be that she only recently became an Apostle of Darmoor, as it’s unlikely that a Priest could’ve gotten Darmoor’s attention. Khali’s storyline had her meet with someone from the snowy mountains, who left because they believed that their lord - while being a good person - was too focused on the immediate problem of saving their people from the cold, rather than joining the Central Army and conquering a better land for their people.

It’s left ambiguous in regard to whether Reina is that lord or the one who replaced that lord. In the former case, it’s likely that she decided to lead Arteria to attack Maple World after finally deciding to join the Central Army. In the latter case, which I think is more likely, Reina defeated the former lord in a Syaman in response to their ineffectual leadership. If so, it might be that the former lord was an Apostle of Darmoor until Reina defeated them and took their position, or that Darmoor gave her the position after seeing how powerful she was.)

He also told the Adversary that Arteria had been completely quarantined, and that there were still several soldiers inside, despite the interior being flooded with poison gas and damaged from multiple explosions. Though he had considered destroying it by attacking it from the outside, he had ultimately decided to leave it intact in order to capture and interrogate the High Flora soldiers still inside, adding that they may need to call on the Adversary for help in gathering information soon.

Having caught the Adversary up on the situation, Neinheart suggested that they visit the Empress and offered to take them to Shinsoo’s refuge. In Leafre, the Adversary met with Shinsoo and found a comatose Cygnus lying at her side. Shinsoo greeted them as the one who held the power and confirmed that Cygnus was in stable condition.

(A/N: Mihile gets some exclusive dialogue that has Shinsoo instead greet him as the Empress’ guardian. Cygnus Knights also get some exclusive dialogue that has Shinsoo greet them as the Empress’ knight.)

When the Adversary began apologizing for failing to protect Cygnus, Shinsoo told them not to blame themselves, as it had been her responsibility to keep the Empress safe, lamenting that she had been unable to do anything to help, even while knowing that Cygnus was a child who had possessed power far beyond what her body was capable of handling.

The Adversary asked Shinsoo whether Cygnus would ever wake up again, to which Shinsoo explained that Cygnus would need time – far more time than the Adversary could even imagine. The Adversary replied that they couldn’t let Cygnus stay in such a state for that long and asked whether there was any way to quicken her recovery. Shinsoo explained that the power of a higher being would be of help, whether that was the power of a Transcendent, or the power of the Ancient Gods, as her kind was now known as in the present day.

The Adversary then realized that in the search for that power, they would undoubtedly need to face Gerand Darmoor in the end. Shinsoo sadly noted that they bore a heavy burden on their shoulders once again, for which she explained that there was only one thing that she could do. She asked the Adversary to come close, upon which the World Heart immediately began reacting to Shinsoo and started absorbing her powers.

Shinsoo explained that while she had very little power left, she would offer whatever remained of it in order to help them on their journey. She told the Adversary that she planned to fall into a deep sleep alongside Cygnus, as someone needed to be there to guide her within her dreams. She then prayed that the Adversary remained safe until they met again, falling into a deep slumber soon after.

Elsewhere, Limbo reported that things were going smoothly, and that they could move on to the next stage of the plan.

(A/N: Although it was left unknown who said this in the Arteria storyline, as the illustration that accompanied this dialogue was a generic shadowed face without any identifier, the Carcion story heavily implies that it’s Limbo, given that he’s the main villain of that storyline.

I’m assuming that the reason why the writers decided to make Cygnus comatose is because they needed to give the Adversary a reason to find the power of the Ancient Gods, but I would’ve thought that wanting to stop a space elf Nazi from destroying the world would’ve been enough of a reason already. I feel like Arteria overall was decent on paper, but just poorly executed overall.

There were a lot of changes made between its release on the KMST test server and its official release, with most of them being dialogue changes, as the original dialogue was fairly cringeworthy. The Adversary yelled out “I’ll avenge Empress Cygnus” twice like they were buffering worse than Internet Explorer, which quickly became a meme for KMS. Most of the other lines got a touch-up, some of which was warranted, while some of it was honestly better in the test server.

I think that even now, however, the dialogue isn’t the problem so much as the execution. Arteria, as a story, just doesn’t feel particularly compelling to me. It started out exciting enough, but a fourth of the way in, it started falling flat for me with how the Alliance was being completely overrun by the High Flora. It’s really weird for me because on one hand, it makes complete sense that the Alliance - which is already bankrupt and fragmenting - would be ill-equipped to face a planetary invasion, but when I see it happen in the story, it feels less like the High Flora is overpowered and more like the Alliance is just really weak.

It feels a little frustrating to watch because we’ve seen the Alliance in similar odds against Black Heaven, but the Black Wings being overpowered felt more earned with how much of an influence they’ve had in the story. We’ve seen little to none of the High Flora army outside Cernium, as even the Flora classes had their stories far-removed from the actual High Flora nation, with the sole exception of Khali. After rooting for the Alliance and seeing them reign victorious at Tenebris, I found myself getting kinda annoyed at them for losing to an enemy that appeared with little buildup and little time for the audience to get warmed up them.

Outside of that, it just felt like this story was just a bunch of events happening and nothing else to substantiate it. Cernium also had an invasion of the High Flora, but there was so much more to the story because of all the themes and symbolism that they introduced to make it more compelling than just watching a bunch of explosions and people fighting.

Arteria came really close to it with the idea of the Adversary carrying the weight and expectations of an entire world, but like I’ve mentioned before, the writers haven’t done anything substantial with the Adversary’s character in years. There was a moment when they really could’ve capitalized on it, when we don’t recognize that one Alliance soldier that we saved in Tenebris, which could’ve explored a really interesting idea with how, in contrast to how we made personal bonds with the people that we saved in earlier theme dungeons and storylines, we’ve become disjointed from the people that we now help as the Adversary, as our allies are just faceless masses to be saved, and we’re just a legend that people only hear about but never truly know.

It would’ve been a good chance for us to explore how being the Adversary has changed our relationship with others, and it could’ve added to the idea of burden and expectation with Reina, who similarly has the loyalty of her people, but unlike us, she uses her ice prisoners as meat shields to avoid having to carry the burden of using the power of the gods inside her crystal.

That’s also why I feel like Cygnus should’ve actually died in this story so that it adds more weight to her burden being passed down to us, instead of a cop-out where the writers wanted to exploit her death for emotional damage and motivating us to find the power of the Ancient Gods, but without having to actually commit to actually killing off a beloved character, even though there’s nothing that they gain from leaving her comatose, rather than putting the emotional weight of her death onto the Alliance, rather than just her being stable but comatose. I think that overall, Arteria could’ve been decent, but it felt too much like a story draft instead of a polished narrative.

Below are a series of side quests that can be completed after the main storyline.)

The Frozen Soldiers’ Final Words:
At the command center, the Adversary met with Eckhart, who explained that he had just been about to ask them for help. He told them that his ears had begun to hurt from how often Neinheart kept emphasizing that gathering information about the High Flora was crucial. As there was important information about the enemy soldiers aboard Arteria, he asked them to investigate the battleship and report their findings. He added that they would most likely be able to find it in a place that the enemy soldiers visited frequently, such as the upper floor of Arteria.

The Adversary entered Arteria and made it to the upper floor, where they were surprised to find countless High Flora soldiers completely frozen and kept in glass tanks. They also found several hidden notes scattered throughout the room. In the first note, the Adversary read that the writer was a knight of the snowfield. Though their territory was filled with cold and hunger, the importance of their role had spurred the knight to push forward and carry out their duty. However, they noted that the peace hadn’t lasted long.

In the second note, the knight wrote that they didn’t know where to begin, explaining that it was the first time that they had seen a Syaman between a God and a Priest. As there was typically an enormous power gap between a God and a Priest, such duels rarely ever happened. However, the knight wrote that it was a different story when the Priest was a direct family member of a God, as the difference in power was almost negligible. The knight noted that in most cases, magic was inherited from bloodline, and that they had seen this first-hand with the kind of power that ‘she’ had wielded.

(A/N: The implication here is that Reina is a direct descendant of the former lord, which likely means that she’s their child or grandchild. It also confirms that caste rank isn’t inherited from family, as the children of Gods will still be Priests. Given how caste is so intertwined with position throughout the story, the God caste is almost certainly reserved for high-ranking members of High Flora society, such as lords of territories.)

In the final note, the knight wrote that their God, the lord of their territory, had been killed in the Syaman, with their opponent taking their place as the new God and lord. However, in the hearts of many people, including themselves, they only recognized the former God as their one, true lord. The knight wrote that following the Syaman, they didn’t remember what happened – only that they had all challenged the new lord and had ended up becoming frozen after being defeated. They explained that they felt a strange pain every day, which took more and more of their memories. They added that they were leaving notes behind before their mind and body froze, hoping that they would be able to read what they had written and remember their past if they ever managed to get free.

After reading through all the notes, the Adversary returned back to Eckhart, who wondered whether the frozen soldiers aboard the ship were the knights of the former lord, though he added that it was likely that not all the frozen soldiers were knights. The Adversary explained that Reina had called them her ‘prisoners’, noting that many things had likely changed after she had ascended to lordship. Eckhart replied that the knights of the former lord must indeed be prisoners if they had been forced to obey her. He added that he hadn’t expected to gain much information about the frozen soldiers, though he thanked the Adversary for obtaining it, noting that Neinheart would be pleased.

The Armory’s Vision Bombs:
The Adversary met with Irena, who asked them whether they remembered the day when the Empress had fallen. She reminded them that there had been a strange, purple poison gas that had flooded Arteria, forcing them all to retreat. She explained that it had begun leaking again, and that it would cause harm to the soldiers who were investigating the ship. The Adversary agreed to help her, and so they traveled to the lower deck of the ship near the armory.

There, they found an injured Cygnus Knight, who explained that poison gas had begun leaking while he had been investigating the armory. He told Irena that he had already sent the other soldiers back to base, and that he had stayed behind in order to block off the entrance. Irena thanked him for his help and asked him to return back and get treated, promising that she could handle the rest. After the Knight left, Irena and the Adversary entered the armory, where they detected gas faintly leaking out.

The Adversary began to investigate the room and found frozen weapons used by the Flora army, which had strange symbols mixed into them. Though they believed that the symbols were significant, they were unable to learn anything more about them, and so they continued searching. (A/N: Cadena gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which she recognizes the symbol as the Shadowdealer insignia.) They also found cavalry shields, which they noted were very different from the ones that they had seen the Flora army use in Cernium.

(A/N: Cadena gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which she realizes that there’s a clear correlation suggesting that these weapons came from the Shadowdealers. However, while she determines that the weapons didn’t come from the Heliseum or Savage Terminal branches, she’s unable to figure out where they did come from. She also notes that though the Shadowdealers would do anything for profit, this is the first time that she’s seen such open collaboration with the High Flora.)

Finally, they encountered a bomb, which Irena recognized as a Vision Bomb. She explained that Neinheart had mentioned them several times in his past reports about Heliseum and Savage Terminal, and that it was considered a dead weapon because of how it painfully killed enemies and allies alike over a widespread area. She added that it was quite an inhumane weapon, which she would send specialized experts to carefully remove from Arteria.

The pair then returned back to the command center, where Neinheart was surprised to hear that the toxic gas had come from a Vision Bomb. He explained that he hadn’t originally considered that the Vision Bomb and leaking gas would be related, and that he hadn’t expected to see that they were one and the same. He added that it was well-known that some members of the Shadowdealers had sold the secret of Vision Bomb technology to the High Flora, though he hadn’t thought that he would see it aboard Arteria. He then revealed that it was Mr. Hazard of the Shadowdealers who had given Vision Bombs to the High Flora, and that he doubted that Mr. Hazard’s affiliation for poison was a coincidence.

(A/N: Cadena gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which she affirms his statement and notes that she had gone through a lot of trouble because of it. She then notes that the poisonous gas aboard Arteria is very similar to what she had smelled while fighting Mr. Hazard, and that she suspects that there’s some relation between the two.)

Irena asked Neinheart whether he intended to track down Mr. Hazard, to which Neinheart explained that there was likely no way that he could, as all news about him had disappeared after he had been handed over to the Shadowdealer High Council. However, he added that given how many weapons were in the possession of the High Flora, it was highly likely that it was an entire branch of the Shadowdealers – not simply Mr. Hazard – who were working with the High Flora, and that investigating them may yield a lead about Hazard. He resolved to investigate the Vision Bombs himself and asked Irena to handle removing the bombs from Arteria. He then thanked Irena and the Adversary for their help, though he added that there was much more information aboard the battleship that was yet to be uncovered.

The Soldier Who Didn’t Escape:
Aboard Arteria, the Adversary encountered a Cygnus Knight, who was relieved to see them. He explained that his comrades had gone into a nearby room, and that they still hadn’t come back out. Suspecting that they may have been ambushed, the Adversary agreed to accompany them inside. In the room, they were shocked to find a wounded Flora mercenary standing over a dead Cygnus Knight, with another Knight confronting them.

As the mercenary ordered them to stay back, the Adversary noted that they were injured, and yet they were still trying to fight. The mercenary replied that he had no choice, as he was conscripted to fight all enemies of the High Flora, including members of the Alliance. The Knight who had asked the Adversary for help was horrified and enraged, telling the mercenary that he had just killed a close ally who had saved a coward like him many times before. He added that his friend wasn’t supposed to have died and raised his weapon to fight, vowing that he would never forgive the mercenary.

However, the Adversary asked the Knight to wait, reminding him that the Alliance’s policy was to capture enemy soldiers for interrogation. The mercenary told the Adversary to let him die with honor, rather than being taken captive. The Adversary then asked the mercenary why he fought so fiercely for the High Flora, even being willing to give his life for them, adding that every mercenary that they had encountered had been loyal to the end, even though the High Flora had abandoned them.

The mercenary explained that he was well aware that the High Flora had retreated and abandoned them, even as they had taken the commoner soldiers, who were weaker and more useless than any mercenary. The Adversary persistently continued questioning the mercenary, who noted in annoyance that this was the first time that he was seeing an enemy who wanted to talk this badly. He finally relented and explained that as they likely already knew, the mercenaries of the Flora army were conscripted to fight, while the commoners worked in the middle between them and the officers.

He added that there was currently a shortage of soldiers due to the high number of colonies, and that most mercenaries were members of other races, many of which were commonly known throughout Grandis. He explained that their nations had been subjugated by the High Flora, who had forcibly conscripted them. He addressed the Cygnus Knight and explained that just as he had loved ones that he fought for, so too did the countless mercenaries whose family, friends, and countries were being held hostage by the High Flora. He told the Knight that running away wasn’t an option, and that the only way to keep their loved ones safe was to die an honorable death in service to the High Flora.

(A/N: Wow, that might be one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in this game. It makes killing Flora mercenaries in the game that much more depressing, with how we’re essentially fighting a slave army.)

Upon seeing the Adversary’s expression, the mercenary told them that he didn’t need their pity, as there were many others, including children, in a far worse situation than him. After hearing the mercenary’s story, the Knight asked the Adversary for permission to escort him back to Neinheart. Soon after, the Adversary checked in with Neinheart and learned that the Knight had indeed safely escorted the mercenary back to Ereve, where they had learned a great deal of information from him. He thanked the Adversary for reminding the Knight about their policy, as the Knight had told him that he didn’t know what he would have done with the mercenary if the Adversary hadn’t been there.

(A/N: Unlike most quests, you can trigger a “bad” ending by choosing “no” when you wonder to yourself whether you should ask the mercenary why he fights so hard for the High Flora. If you do this, you task the Cygnus Knight with bringing the mercenary to Ereve and then leave. After that, you meet with Neinheart and ask him whether the mercenary was successfully escorted. Neinheart will tell you that he hasn’t heard of any mercenary being escorted to Ereve recently, but he has heard of a Cygnus Knight who avenged his dead friend. Big thanks to the people on the lore server for finding this.)

Mihile’s Return:
(A/N: I was curious at first to see how they handled Mihile doing this quest, but it turns out that they just made this quest inaccessible for Mihile characters. I don’t really know what I was expecting them to do, but it’s either the laziest or most brilliant solution ever.)

Oz reached out to the Adversary and asked them for their help. She explained that Mihile would soon be returning from his mission, and that she needed them to help break the news to him about the Empress. The Adversary noted that it would be a big shock to Mihile, which Oz explained was why she and Neinheart were worried about how he would take it. Because of this, Oz asked the Adversary to stay at Mihile’s side while he processed everything.

Soon after, Mihile returned to Ereve and reported to Neinheart that the Dawn Warriors had been tracking Will, and that they had found a clue regarding his location. He added that he had returned back early after being told that something major had happened, and that he had left the task of recapturing Will to his unit, which would likely be capturing Will fairly soon. He then asked Neinheart where the Empress was, as he hadn’t seen her since coming back.

After a pause, Neinheart asked Mihile not to be shocked, and to listen. He explained that the Empress had been mortally wounded by an enemy Apostle, and though the Adversary had saved her life, she was currently asleep in a coma. A dumbfounded Mihile asked Neinheart to repeat what he had just said before asking when Cygnus would wake up again, adding that she surely had to be waking up soon. Neinheart gently replied that he didn’t know yet, as Shinsoo had mentioned that it would be a very long sleep.

Soon after, the Adversary met with an aghast Mihile, who was still attempting to process the devastating news. Upon seeing the Adversary, Mihile thanked them for saving the Empress’ life, explaining that he had just heard the news from Neinheart. He explained that they had done his job to protect the Empress in his stead, for which he was grateful. After a pause, he asked them whether they could do him one more favor. He requested that they be with him as he visited the Empress, which the Adversary agreed to.

Together, the two of them traveled to Shinsoo’s resting spot in Leafre, where they found both Shinsoo and Cygnus asleep together. After taking in the sight of the comatose Empress, Mihile noted that she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He then cast his gaze down for a moment before asking the Adversary if they could recount how the Empress had fallen. He apologized for making them recall such a painful memory, but he explained that it was something that he needed to hear.

The Adversary explained how they had infiltrated Arteria in order to rescue Cygnus, who had been captured by Reina. With the help of the Alliance, they had managed to reach Reina’s throne room, where they had fought her in order to save Cygnus. Despite their best efforts, however, they had been defeated by Reina, who had been preparing to finish them. In that moment, Cygnus had rushed forward and taken Reina’s attack in their place.

After a pause, they admitted that they had kept hoping that the memory of that day had all been a dream, but no matter how much they wish it wasn’t, it had all really happened. They also added that as time went on, the memory wouldn’t go away, but instead, it continued growing even sharper with each passing day. They apologized for being powerless, and for being unable to save her, to which Mihile immediately told them that it wasn’t their fault, and that it was his duty to protect the Empress – a duty which he had failed.

He regretfully admitted that if he had been faster in completing his mission, he might have been able to be there when she had needed him. However, he then caught himself and realized that even if he had been there, there may have been no stopping it, as he admitted that he just couldn’t solve everything. He added that if anything, he felt more guilty about leaving them with his emotional baggage.

(A/N: Mihile: “Sorry for trauma dumping on you”
Also Mihile: proceeds to trauma dump even harder

You know what, though? Same.)

After a moment, he told them that he had just one last thing to ask. He asked them how the Empress had fared during the battle, to which the Adversary explained that, as always, she had tried to protect everyone. Mihile noted that the Empress had always been that kind of person, and that both in the past and even now, helping as many people as she could was something that she would do as long as she was able to.

He told the Adversary that Cygnus had helped many people quite often, including him. He explained that even on days when he had lost his meaning to live, the Empress had always been there to guide him, showing him the way ahead. He added that even when his destiny had been just to live as a boy trapped in a forest, it was Cygnus who had first discovered him and given him a purpose. He added that even now, he wished that Cygnus could tell him what to do now, and what to fight for.

As his face turned grim, the Adversary reassured him that the fight was not over yet, and that Shinsoo had told them that Cygnus would reawaken faster if she regained her strength. They added that even though they weren’t the Empress, they could speak as a member of the Alliance and asked Mihile to fight with them all together in order to open the Empress’ eyes again. After a moment, Mihile’s face turned dark as he asked them whether they had mentioned that the Apostle who had attacked Cygnus was named Reina. He then declared that he would never forgive her for what she had done.

Soon after, the Adversary and Mihile returned back to Ereve, where Oz was relieved to see them both safe. She explained that everyone had been worried after they had disappeared so suddenly. When Mihile remained silent, the Adversary quickly explained that they had gone to see the Empress. Upon seeing how distressed Mihile was, Oz asked him not to shoulder all the burden himself, reminding him that they were Knights, and that they were stronger together.

She then asked him to tell her when things were hard if he felt that they were hard, and to ask her for help if he felt like he needed help. She added that she knew that he was the type of person to shoulder burdens alone, but she explained that she, Neinheart, Irena, and everyone else sincerely cared about him, to which Mihile gave both her and the Adversary a heartfelt thanks for everything that they had done for him.

(A/N: Goddamn wow, this quest came at me like a truck doused in kerosene going full-speed into a children’s hospital. As much as I hate Mihile as a playable class, his relationship with the Empress is one of my favorites in the game, and seeing the writers actually get his character is such a nice, cathartic moment. They also showed images from Mihile’s class story when he first meets Cygnus and when Atan dies, which adds yet another gut punch while he’s stabbing us with words.)

The Need for Change:
Claudine called the Adversary and told them that Neinheart was looking for them, adding that it was important. The Adversary met with Neinheart, who explained that all the Chief Knights had returned from their missions, and that he had finished speaking to them about their opinions on the war. He told the Adversary that he wished to speak with them about it and asked them to accompany him on a walk. As they walked through the forest, Neinheart asked the Adversary for their opinion on why they had lost the battle. The Adversary replied that just as he had said before, the Alliance had been caught off-guard by the enemy’s attack.

Neinheart agree and noted that it was perhaps the first time that he had ever been caught off-guard in such a way before. He explained that the Empress, as always, had moved to protect all of Maple World when it had fallen under attack, moving troops and even the Chief Knights out of Ereve in order to help other regions. He added that though they had perhaps made too many complacent judgements, there was one critical detail that everyone had overlooked, which was that the fundamental difference in strength between the Alliance and the enemy was not military size.

He explained that the enemy had moved as though it had known all about the Alliance, which may have made their defeat inevitable. He told the Adversary that the real difference between them and the enemy was the amount of information held, as the enemy had been able to predict all their actions after knowing everything about them. The Adversary realized that that was why Neinheart had grown so obsessed with learning everything that they could about the High Flora, to which he replied that though it may be too late to catch up, he still couldn’t stay still and give up on trying, as the Alliance would continue to evolve and eventually catch up to the High Flora.

The Adversary suddenly asked Neinheart whether he was feeling okay, as he didn’t look very good. Neinheart explained that he was still processing the shock of losing Cygnus, with him being unable to do anything about it. He told the Adversary that one thing that Reina had said kept going around in his head, which was her claim that Cygnus’ story only fit in a world at peace like Maple World, and that it had no place in a world filled with endless war like Grandis. He explained that they had been dealing with Darmoor just as they had with the Black Mage, treating the enemy as one single evil, without any other complications, as even many of the Commanders themselves had been working against the Black Mage the whole time.

In contrast, Gerand Darmoor had many different factions, including the Apostles, all moving together meticulously and systematically. He explained that as proof of that, he had a report from Eckhart, who had been facing the Specters at the border between worlds, which the Adversary recalled from the Alliance meeting before their mission to Odium. Neinheart revealed that several soldiers from Eckhart’s unit had gone missing, causing the Adversary to wonder whether the enemy had been extracting information from them.

Neinheart explained that according to the Flora mercenaries whom they had interrogated, the captured Alliance soldiers had been brought to Aboris, the High Flora capital. He added that it was certain that Ypsilon, an Apostle of Darmoor, had used his power to extract in order to extract the memories from the Alliance soldiers. Neinheart explained that whereas the enemy knew all about them, they had almost no information about the High Flora at all.

He added that they couldn’t keep fighting the enemy as they were currently, as they needed to work closely with each other and cover each other’s weaknesses. The Adversary was impressed and noted that Neinheart had changed, to which Neinheart explained that he had to change, as the Alliance had been losing because they hadn’t been changing at all.

The Adversary asked Neinheart what their future strategy was, adding that they were worried, as the Cygnus Knights drew their power from the Empress. Neinheart admitted that the power of the Knights and Ereve were linked to the Empress, and that the Cygnus Knights had gotten weaker since the Empress had fallen asleep. However, he explained that their weakness was not crippling, as the root of the Cygnus Knights’ power was the divine power of Shinsoo, not the Transcendent powers of the Empress.

(A/N: During the Moonbridge storyline, Cygnus developing her Transcendent powers is what upgraded one of the Cygnus Knights’ 5th job skills from “Empress Cygnus’ Blessing” to “Transcendent Cygnus’ Blessing”. Although that power boost has canonically gone away, the actual skill doesn’t get downgraded after Arteria. There’s already some precedent for in-universe events not correlating to game mechanics, such as all the Cygnus Knight revamps in 2013 and 2022.

When the Cygnus Awakens update was first announced in 2013, Cygnus Knight character creation was temporarily disabled, with the reasoning being that a massive water shield has been created around Ereve as the Empress awakens her new powers. The suggestion is that Cygnus’ awakening is, in-universe, meant to upgrade Cygnus Knight skills from their original version to their revamped version.

However, given that we already start out with the revamped skills in the story, the explanation about her awakening revamping our skills doesn’t really make sense. Similarly, us not going back to using the pre-revamp skills from before Cygnus awakened doesn’t line up with the given explanation, but all that’s just a reminder that game mechanics and lore are two separate things that shouldn’t be treated as hard and fast canon together.)

With both the Empress and Shinsoo alive, he believed that they were safe, and that Ereve – which floated in the sky because of Shinsoo’s power – would not fall, adding that he had been temporarily worried that they would need to evacuate. He told the Adversary that Ereve could continue to serve as a major base for the Alliance, though he admitted that they were facing the worst crisis in the Alliance’s history with the damage to their forces and the loss of their leader.

However, he added that there was a silver lining to it all, which was that in the face of the High Flora attack throughout Maple World, there was an opportunity to unite the people once again to serve a common goal. He explained that it was because of the Empress’ commitment to protecting all of Maple World by scattering their troops that had given them such an opportunity.

He added that though there was no one set policy or strategy for the future, he explained that they would need to change in order to defeat the High Flora. He then apologized to the Adversary for constantly relying on them, noting that if the Alliance had continued to grow and change like them, their current situation may never have happened. He added that though he was currently lacking as a strategist, he asked that they stay with him as they moved ahead.