PART III: AFTER THE UNSEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 25: Knight Stronghold

• The Alliance member continued investigating the Gate to the Future and began working with Chief Alex, the son of the late Chief Stan, to infiltrate the Knight Stronghold of Ereve. Inside the stronghold, they encountered an imprisoned Neinheart, who revealed that he had been held prisoner after refusing to follow Cygnus and the Black Mage.

• Neinheart explained that the Cygnus Knights - who drew their power from Shinsoo - had been turned into mindless puppets after Shinsoo’s corruption, leading them to blindly obey Cygnus’ orders. He then asked the Alliance member to kill Cygnus, believing that it was the only way to restore peace to Maple World.

• With the help of an adult Jay and Anne, the Alliance member infiltrated the Cygnus Garden with a Dream Key, where they fought and defeated the corrupted Cygnus, Shinsoo, and the Chief Knights.

• While lamenting the future that awaited Maple World, the Alliance member heard the voice of the real Shinsoo, who explained that she had been trying to reach them ever since they had first entered the Gate to the Future. Shinsoo revealed that the ruined future was nothing more than an illusion created by the Black Mage’s Dream Master in order to demoralize the Alliance.

• Back in Ereve, Neinheart told the Alliance member that all across Maple World, people were suffering from nightmares of the illusion within the Gate to the Future. Though the crisis they now faced was immense, Neinheart thanked the Alliance member for proving that the ruined future wasn’t real, as it would give them the strength to overcome their new adversities.