PART III: AFTER THE UNSEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 47: Limina

(A/N: Limina is the plural form of Limen, which is what the region is called outside GMS. Limen is a Latin word that means ‘threshold’, which not only refers to us standing at the threshold of where the Black Mage awaits us, but it also refers to our world standing at the threshold of Genesis and the new world that the Black Mage will create.

At the time of its release, Limina had an extremely negative reception for a great number of things, such as poor pacing, bad dialogue, character flanderization, and a lack of resolution to the main story. Since the time that the KMS story team was formed during the Destiny update, various story changes were made to Limina in order to strengthen the storyline and fix a lot of the issues that existed in the original version. The Kao timeline did a pretty good job of creating a cohesive narrative in terms of the Black Mage’s previously ambiguous goals, and the NEXT update did a lot of fine-tuning to fix a lot of the other issues in terms of pacing, dialogue, and mischaracterization. If you want to see the original version of the story, see the pre-Destiny page here.) 

At the Labyrinth Core, the Adversary demanded to know why Orchid had been hiding her identity from them all along. Orchid revealed that after Black Heaven, she had gone to see Guwaru in the Forest of Spirits in order to reclaim her original power as a Spirit of Darkness, as she had learned that the Black Mage had been manipulating events for centuries, including the events which had led to Lotus’ death. She explained that Guwaru had agreed to grant her power, but only on the condition that she lend her strength to the Adversary at the final battle. Guwaru had also given her a mask to hide her identity from those who would take revenge on her, which would also allow her to communicate with him.

She then told the Adversary that in order to face the Black Mage, they would need to destroy the Labyrinth Core. The Adversary expressed their doubts about whether they could trust her, causing Guwaru’s spirit to manifest from Orchid’s mask. Guwaru told the Adversary that Orchid’s words were correct, to which the surprised Adversary asked him whether he was the one who had given Orchid back her power.

Guwaru revealed that he hadn’t bestowed his power upon her, but rather, he had merely shown her some of the powers that spirits could use, as she would need it to aid them in the final battle against the Black Mage. He revealed that only the Adversary had the power to escape the Path of Destiny that the Black Mage had set, and that they needed to destroy the labyrinth and face the Black Mage.

The Adversary suddenly noticed that the Labyrinth Core was glowing and wondered whether it was because Hilla had been defeated. Guwaru explained that the core contained the power of the Transcendents, and that it could not be destroyed through normal means. He revealed that only the power of the Adversary could destroy the core, to which the Adversary paused. Orchid asked them why they were hesitating, believing that it was because they still didn’t trust her. Frustrated, she attempted to use her powers to destroy the core herself, though her attack did no damage.

Guwaru told Orchid that just as he had said, the power of the Transcendents could not be damaged through normal attacks, causing Orchid to note in frustration that she couldn’t avenge Lotus with her own power. Guwaru then told the Adversary that the great power to bend causality had been granted only to them, though the Adversary replied that they had no idea how they could draw out that power for themselves. Guwaru told them that they already knew the answer and asked them what it was that drove them.

He explained that for himself, he had fought with great willpower centuries ago, driven by his desire to protect nature. However, he added that he lacked a sense of direction, as he himself had been a product of nature as well, and that it was for that very reason why he had become a minion of the Black Mage as the shifting balance of the Transcendents had shifted his own balance as well. He then asked Orchid what drove her, to which she explained that in the past, she had originally only wanted to have ignorant bliss and fun, as she had been too naive to know what was precious to her and what wasn’t. However, she revealed that what motivated her now was vengeance, as she would do whatever it took to avenge Lotus’ death.

Guwaru then asked the Adversary what drove them, to which they began thinking back to their journey. They admitted that there were still too many things for them to know for sure, though they noted that what they wanted most was to protect the lives of their loved ones, their own life, and the world itself, and that they knew for certain that they would sacrifice their own life if they had to. Guwaru told the Adversary that risking their own life was a powerful drive, and that it would certainly be enough to draw out the power of the Adversary. By focusing on their strong determination, the Adversary summoned a small portion of the Seal Stone’s power, shattering the Labyrinth Core and collapsing the labyrinth to reveal Limina, a cascade of waterfalls.

(A/N: The idea that the Seal Stone’s power can be activated to a partial degree is a fairly new concept in regard to the Limina revamp. In the original storyline, the Adversary is unable to activate the Seal Stone, although it’s not really shown how we attempt to draw its power outside of just a small animation showing a golden glow around us that turns into black smoke. Frustrated with our failure, Orchid - while unable to destroy the core - is able to compress it into a different space with her gravity powers, resulting in the labyrinth collapsing.

For a good while, it seemed like using the Seal Stone was an all-or-nothing type of deal, as the huge focus of Limina was the Adversary’s own character arc in turning away from their mindset of taking on the heavy burden and sacrificing their own life for others, instead choosing to value their own life alongside the people they’re sworn to protect. However, a lot of the Grandis storyline goes deeper into the lore about Adversaries, which has slowly created a soft system for how the power of the gods works.

Please note: the following text contains major spoilers for the continental Grandis storyline. If you don’t want spoilers, skip to the end of the author note.

At the end of the Cernium storyline, the Adversary has to fight a Mitra-possessed Seren, which ends with the Adversary breaking Mitra’s holy sword and severing Mitra’s connection to Seren. It’s explained that the reason why this was possible is because of the principle that “only gods have the power to challenge other gods”, meaning that the Adversary’s Seal Stone and Mitra’s sword were evenly matched as relics containing divine power.

A question that got raised here is how the Adversary could casually draw out the Seal Stone’s power when they could only do so in Limina under the most difficult conditions, with their strongest desire having to match up with the Alliance’s strongest desire to live. It didn’t really make sense with the fact that there were like ten Alliance soldiers in the room, which seemed to have cheapened the narrative tension of Limina.

Since that time, there have been a lot of soft explorations of the strength of divine power, such as the idea of blessings and holy relics. Throughout the story, we’ve seen that holy relics contain an immense amount of divine power, enough to wound or kill another god, and that the power of these relics disappear if the god who created them is sealed away. Meanwhile, the blessings of Ancient Gods can be seen in the case of the Black Nova, who were given Malice by Satiras, or the Anima of Carcion, whose water source was blessed by Keira to give strength and heal injuries.

The fact Satiras and Keira’s blessings didn’t disappear when they were sealed away suggests the fact that there’s a correspondence between the strength of divine power and its longevity. Blessings are easily accessible and persist even with the gods are sealed away, but their strength is far too weak to deal any damage to higher beings. Meanwhile, holy relics have difficult activation criteria and are inherently tied to the status of their creators, but their strength is enough to be used as weapons against other higher beings.

Because of this, it stands to reason that the Seal Stone also obeys this unofficial principle. Here, the Adversary drew a bit of its power with their individual determination, which was enough to break the Labyrinth Core, but that individual determination that’s unaligned with the greatest wish of the people is later shown to be insufficient to deal a killing blow to the Black Mage. In the case of our battle with Seren, we have the strength to destroy Mitra’s sword, but it’s extremely unlikely that we could have wounded Mitra without drawing out the Seal Stone’s full power by having our strongest desire embody the strongest desire of the people.) 

Immediately, Tana’s necklace which Neinheart had given them earlier began shining, with Guwaru recognizing the red jewel as an anti-magic stone. However, he noted that there was something different contained inside it, to which the Adversary revealed that it had belonged to Tana. Orchid recognized Tana as the Transcendent of Light and wondered whether the necklace was responding to the presence of its owner.

The surprised Adversary realized that Tana must be close by, with Guwaru adding that the Black Mage must be there as well. He warned the Adversary that the Black Mage would soon create the Genesis Crux, explaining that it was a seed from which the new world would blossom and replace what came before. He explained that the Adversary would need to destroy the Genesis Crux, as the Genesis Ritual would not stop otherwise.

Just then, several Alliance soldiers found the Adversary, with Orchid quickly pulling her hood up to hide her face peeking out from the shattered mask. The Alliance soldiers were relieved to find the Adversary and explained that with communications back online, everyone had been ordered to return back to the fleet immediately in preparation for the final assault. Suddenly, Orchid spoke up and told the Adversary that they couldn’t leave, as they had barely managed to make it as far as they had. She asked them whether they were truly going to turn back when it was their destiny to face the Black Mage, after which she told the Alliance soldiers to leave without them.

Recognizing Orchid as a dangerous foe, the Alliance soldiers prepared to stand off against her, to which an unconcerned Orchid reminded the Adversary that only they had the power to defeat the Black Mage, and that everyone else who couldn’t help would only get in the way. However, Guwaru then spoke up and told Orchid that she was wrong, as everyone’s collective determination was needed to defeat the Black Mage.

The Adversary then asked the Alliance soldiers to return back and inform the Alliance that Orchid was on their side. They also explained that they were planning to go with her to face the Black Mage themselves, for which the soldiers reluctantly agreed before Orchid used her power to teleport them back to the White Spear.

The Adversary and Orchid then proceeded to move ahead, following the trail of red light from Tana’s necklace leading to the Genesis Crux. As they made their way past the waterfalls, Guwaru warned them that he was sensing pure Erdas up ahead. They soon discovered several strange monsters, which Guwaru explained were primordial creatures which had sprung from the raw power of creation. He added that though the creatures had no egos, they would instinctively attack anyone attempting to scale up the waterfalls.

(A/N: All these abstract creatures in Limina are meant to be the first life forms of the new world. Personally, I’m really curious to see what type of world the Black Mage would have made, and I guess that Will wanted to see the same thing, too. We get to see it distantly from space during Kao’s flashbacks, but I was really hoping for a closer look.) 

He also warned the Adversary to take care, as the waters of the Arcane River were different from those of Maple World. As the Adversary fought past the monsters, they took care to hide from the Erda Surge that occasionally washed away all the monsters. Scaling up the waterfall, Orchid noted that Tana’s necklace was glowing even brighter, meaning that she must be close by. Suddenly, they were stopped by Guard Captain Kellad, who warned them that they would not be permitted to go any further.

Though Kellad appeared human, Orchid warned the Adversary to be on their guard, as she could sense the Black Mage’s energy inside him. She explained that though Kellad may have once been human, he certainly wasn’t anymore. Kellad admitted that it filled with him sadness to hear that, claiming that though his body and the power inside him weren’t human, the emotions that he felt very much were. He then warned the Adversary to heed his words, claiming that the more they raised their blade to protect others, the more their future and everything they sought to protect would crumble before them. He added that having experienced that first-hand, he could say that with more certainty than anyone else.

Suddenly, Kellad transformed into Guard Captain Darknell and told the Adversary that he would test the will in their blade. Declaring that he would stop all his liege’s enemies, Darknell summoned the five Elite Bosses to face the Adversary and Orchid while he disappeared to guard the Genesis Crux. Realizing that they had little time, Orchid teleported herself and the Adversary to the top and ordered them to reach the Genesis Crux while she handled the Elite Bosses, claiming that they needed to save their strength for the final battle. She also gave them her mask, claiming that Guwaru’s power would mask their presence from the Elite Bosses.

Orchid then teleported back to face the Elite Bosses alone, declaring that they would not be able to defeat her so easily. Though the Adversary was worried about Orchid, Guwaru assured them that she would be fine, as she was stronger than before. The Adversary was surprised, as they had believed that Orchid couldn’t use her powers without Lotus. Guwaru told the Adversary that they were correct, and that Orchid was instead drawing out her original Spirit of Darkness powers. However, he revealed that since Orchid now had a human body, the cost of using her spirit powers in such a way was her lifespan, adding that perhaps there may even be a greater cost than that.

Meanwhile, Orchid began facing the Elite Bosses, who quickly began gaining the upper hand. In order to pursue the Adversary, the Bad Brawler, the Mad Mage, and the Black Knight broke off from the battle, leaving behind the Vicious Hunter and Rampant Cyborg. Nevertheless, Orchid refused to be beaten, explaining that she hadn’t felt alive ever since Lotus had died, and told the pair to attack her with everything they had using their weapons, not their words.

(A/N: Orchid’s characterization is something that was heavily changed in the revamp. The original storyline featured her berating and insulting the Adversary quite a bit more, even going as far as to say that they haven’t lost anything at all compared to her losing Lotus. The end of the storyline even featured a really cringe tsundere scene where she mutters “See you around, dummy,” really quickly and quietly before smiling and saying it aloud.

A large number of people complained about how stupid it was that characters like Phantom or the Resistance would behave like that with Orchid, not only because they’re mortal enemies, but also because it’s stupid for Orchid to say that they’ve lost nothing when she’s the literal reason why Aria was killed and why the Black Wings systematically oppressed and murdered everyone’s friends and family in the Resistance. The KMS Spring 2022 update attempted to address this by giving Phantom and Resistance classes exclusive dialogue in Limina, but the root problem with Orchid’s character still persisted until the Limina storyline was revamped as a whole in the NEXT update.)

As she fought them, the Adversary defeated the other three Elite Bosses as they scaled up the waterfall before finally reaching the Genesis Crux at the top. Guwaru told the Adversary that they could still avoid the worst by destroying it before the Genesis Ritual began. Just as he spoke, however, Darknell appeared and congratulated them for reaching the top. As he struck the Adversary with his blade, Guwaru used his spirit powers to create a shield around the Adversary, blocking Darknell’s surprise attack before it could reach them.

With the magic in the mask fading, Guwaru told the Adversary that he had something to say before the connection severed. He explained that mortals were always wandering, adding that even he had made a wrong choice and regretted it once. Because of this, he urged the Adversary to make the right choice, and to not be confused on their true goal. He then asked them to step off the Path and save the world before disappearing.

Darknell noted his impressment with seeing their power and walking along the path that the Black Mage had chosen, for which he offered to show them their destiny. He introduced himself as the captain of the Black Mage’s personal guard and declared that out of respect for them, he would fight with all his heart without yielding. Suddenly, the Genesis Crux activated and began absorbing the Black Sun, turning the waters crimson red. As darkness fell upon them, the five Elite Bosses appeared to reinforce Darknell, who issued them their combat orders.

After a fierce battle, the Adversary managed to defeat Darknell and the Elite Bosses. As the Elite Bosses turned back into their human forms and perished, a mortally wounded Darknell warned the Adversary that they would not escape the Light of Annihilation, adding that everything transpired according to the Black Mage’s will. Darknell then returned back into his human form and collapsed as Orchid arrived and realized that the Genesis Ritual had already begun. Orchid noted in frustration that even if they were going to die, she wanted to hit the Black Mage at least once, to which the Adversary told her that even if the ritual had begun, they could still stop it by defeating the Black Mage.

Realizing that they still hadn’t given up after everything, Orchid realized that they truly were the Adversary destined to stop the Black Mage. She then told the Adversary that she couldn’t guarantee their safety if they were to get caught up in the ritual, for which she decided to use the last of her strength to send them back to the Alliance. She tasked the Adversary with preparing alongside the Alliance for a final offensive while she delayed the ritual for as long as she could. As she refused to give up on her revenge, Orchid told the Adversary that she would trust them because they hadn’t given up either, after which she told them to be sure to escape the Path.

After Orchid sent the Adversary back to the White Spear and left to confront the Black Mage, a dying Kellad looked around to see all his comrades fallen. With all the people of Sharenian finally dead, Kellad realized that their curse of servitude was finally broken at last. Noting that he had followed Prince Sharen’s final command until the very end, Kellad noted that though nothing in the sky could last, loyalty was eternal. With that, Kellad and the Sharenian Knights scattered into Erda and disappeared.

Meanwhile, the Adversary was teleported back to the White Spear, where they found the Alliance bombarding an enormous giant whose heart was the Genesis Crux. With the Alliance’s barrage too out of range, the giant released a wave of energy that began rocking the White Spear. Neinheart then turned to see that the Adversary had returned, expressing his relief that they were safe. He explained that the giant had burst forth from the crimson waters flowing out of the Genesis Crux, which had stained the Origin Sea red. He explained that the next part of the prophecy, “A crimson tear will spawn a giant that swallows hearts,” had come to pass, with the giant serving as the Black Mage’s declaration that he had become a god.

Realizing that they had just been in the heart of the giant, the Adversary was shocked to realize that Orchid had just been in the midst of the wave of energy that the giant had just emitted. Cygnus then ordered another barrage against the giant, which once again emitted a wave of energy in response to the ineffective cannon fire. Neinheart then ordered all Alliance forces to clear a path for the Adversary to return to the Genesis Crux., adding that he had something important to tell them in the meantime.

He then turned to Edea and Kyrin and finished relaying his orders to them, warning them that their job wouldn’t be easy. After the pair left to carry out their mission, Neinheart wondered to himself whether sending their allies to their possible deaths was a necessary risk. He then turned to the Adversary and explained that he wanted to tell them more about the Black Mage’s true goals. Neinheart began by telling them that the Black Mage’s ideal world was one without Transcendents. In order to achieve this, he had not only defeated Rhinne, Alicia, and Tana, but he had kept the first two from passing on their powers while absorbing the latter.

Neinheart was intrigued that he had managed to do so under the most unfavorable conditions. Bound by the laws of the Overseers that even he could not break, the Black Mage was unable to battle the other Transcendents directly, which was why he had recruited the Commanders to aid him. However, the Commanders had their own agendas, and so the Black Mage had needed to manage them carefully in order to ensure that they wouldn’t turn against him to advance their own goals.

In order to do so, he had needed to convince the Commanders that their goals aligned with his, while simultaneously hiding his true intentions from them. The Adversary then recalled how Damien had planned to betray the Black Mage by stealing Alicia’s powers, while the Heroes had stood against him. Though none of the parties involved had supported his goals, the Black Mage had still been able to emerge victorious.

Neinheart then recalled what the Black Mage had told Cygnus in her nightmares: “Your fate is sealed.” Though he had initially believed that the Black Mage had merely been boasting, Neinheart had come to realize that the Black Mage was speaking literally, referring to the Path of Destiny. Neinheart told the Adversary that Grendel’s analysis of the core fragment would soon be completed, allowing them to find the missing element in the puzzle.

Just then, an Alliance soldier reported that one of the Resistance ships needed immediate reinforcements. As the Adversary headed over to help them, Neinheart contacted the ship and told Belle to take point on the assault. Belle grew furious at Neinheart’s orders, as not only was their ship damaged, but Neinheart was also keeping the White Spear and its escorts out of firing range. As she and the other Resistance leaders began demanding to speak with Cygnus, Claudine arrived and told them that they needed to follow orders in order to win the battle. Neinheart thanked her and explained that reinforcements would soon arrive.

The Resistance leaders were outraged to find a single one-man ship arriving until they realized that the Adversary was aboard. Claudine assigned the Adversary to the starboard deck, where they rescued the soldiers and stopped the monsters from destroying the ship’s cannons. After helping the Resistance retake the ship, the Adversary received orders to return back to the White Spear in order to get Grendel’s analysis of the core fragment.

As they headed out, Claudine briefed the other Resistance leaders on Neinheart’s plan to have them get as close as possible to the giant and fire directly into its heart. The Resistance leaders were taken aback by Cygnus’ plan, as she never usually put them in such a dangerous position, but Claudine told them that they needed to trust that she had a good reason. They then began firing on the giant, damaging its exterior and leaving it exposed.

As Claudine ordered a retreat back to the White Spear, a massive wave of light emanated from the Genesis Crux. The soldiers who were caught in the Light of Annihilation immediately scattered into Erdas. Though dumbstruck by their heavy losses, Claudine decided that they would hold a memorial for their fallen soldiers later, as they had no time to mourn in the middle of a war. The Resistance leaders agreed that they wouldn’t let their sacrifices be in vain, and that they would make the Black Mage pay.

(A/N: I still can’t believe that they actually plagiarized the Thanos snap for this storyline. In the original Limina storyline, Claudine is furious at Cygnus for sending the Resistance into the line of fire while the White Spear remains in the rear, for which she goes to confront her. This devolves into a really terrible scene that ruins Cygnus’ character, in which Cygnus refuses to tell Claudine about the larger plan of the White Spear piercing the giant and opening a path to the Black Mage, and on top of that, threatens to throw Claudine in prison for refusing to blindly follow orders.

Claudine then grabs Cygnus and pins her by the wrist in an extremely famous illustration, which is when she notices that Cygnus is injured from fighting on the front lines. Realizing that Cygnus is fighting alongside the rest of them, Claudine lets the subject go and doesn’t even ask Cygnus the original question she came to discuss, which is why the Resistance is being used as cannon fodder at the front.

There was a very similar scene that happened in Black Heaven, which involved Claudine being furious at the presumed death of the other Resistance leaders, which results in her calling for a trial against the player, as she blames their deaths on us freeing Francis, believing that he had told Gelimer about the Alliance’s surprise attack that resulted in her friends’ deaths. The game has a pretty infamous history of dragging out the Resistance-Cygnus Knight feud across the story, and in order to address this, the story team made changes to the Black Heaven scene in the Dreamer update to have Claudine put aside her personal feelings and work with the Alliance, which is basically identical to what they did in the Limina revamp.

Personally, I think that they made a mistake in removing that scene in Black Heaven, as the whole point of that storyline is that the Alliance is filled with tensions and infighting at the point they were at back then. However, it’s a much-needed change in Limina, since Claudine’s feud with the Cygnus Knights should be resolved by this point, not to mention how stupid the situation was in the first place between Cygnus’ poor communication and Claudine weirdly dropping the main issue she had in the first place.)

Back on the White Spear, Grendel told them that he had finished his analysis of the core fragment. The Adversary then asked Grendel to explain what destiny the Black Mage had in store for them. Grendel noted that he could tell that the Adversary was afraid that the Black Mage’s destiny would swallow them whole and lead them to ruin. He explained that mortals tended to regard fate with a mixture of awe and fear because of how unpredictable the future was.

Though there were some mortals who could see the future, such as the Empress, Grendel explained that they could only see fragments, rather than the full scope and the process by which their vision would come to pass. Though the future was determined by the present, there were so many variables in any given present, such as fate, chance, and free will, that countless futures were constantly being created and erased. Grendel claimed that it was impossible to process such vast possibilities, likening it to a two-dimensional creature perceiving a three-dimensional world. However, he revealed that the Black Mage had somehow managed to perceive destiny, allowing him to change it.

Grendel cited how the Black Mage’s choice to praise the Demon had set off a new destiny by putting Arkarium on the path to destroy the Demon’s family, which had resulted in everything that had happened, from Black Heaven, to Damien, to Aeona, thus placing the whole world on the Path to Genesis. Though he conceded that everyone had behaved according to their own free will along the way, he explained that they hadn’t realized that the Black Mage had been influencing their decisions. He then showed them the core fragment from Gloom and explained that within the fragment were futures that had once existed before being erased by the Black Mage.

Having examined the timelines within the fragment, Grendel noted that the single great constant was that the ones who had done the most damage to the Black Mage’s grand design had been his own Commanders. He added that the only Commander who had fully known the Black Mage’s plan and had embraced it was Will, while the other Commanders had inevitably betrayed him in order to ensure their own survival.

Grendel pointed out how the Black Mage had manipulated events perfectly, such that the Commanders would serve him until they were defeated by the Alliance before they could interfere with his plans. The Adversary asked whether it was possible to stop the Black Mage after having learned of the Path, but Grendel pointed out that even the fact that they had realized the existence of the Path was part of the Black Mage’s plan. He then told them that he could see no action that would allow them to change the fate laid out by the Black Mage.

As the Alliance prepared to counterattack, the Adversary was left speechless by the revelation that everything they had done had all been predetermined by the Black Mage, even up to their current moment. As they began wondering whether they could really defeat the Black Mage if their destiny had already been decided, Cygnus snapped them out of their stupor and told them that she was afraid just like them, as she feared whether she even deserved to be the Empress if everything had already been preordained by the Black Mage.

However, she told them that despite those fears gnawing away at her, she would continue to fight no matter what, as she couldn’t back down when there were so many people depending on her. She then asked the Adversary to continue lending their strength to the Alliance once again, reminding them about how they had already done the impossible many times before, and that if there was anyone who could defy destiny, it was them.

Just then, Neinheart reported that the giant’s exterior layer had been shattered, and that the path to the Genesis Crux had been opened. Realizing that the time had come, Cygnus ordered all the core members of the Alliance to gather for the final battle. She then turned to the Adversary and told them that she trusted them, for which she asked them to trust her as well. She told the Adversary that together, they would prove that they were not merely pieces on a chessboard, and that they could live with their own free will, not as puppets of the gods.

(A/N: In the original version of Limina, the conversation between Cygnus and the Adversary was a little different. Rather than pointing out how the Adversary had done the impossible before, she instead asked them who they were the Adversary of. When the player tells her that we’re the Adversary of the Black Mage, Cygnus reveals to us that we’re the Adversary of Destiny itself, and that we have the power to go against his predetermined future. This line created a lot of confusion later down the line, as the continental Grandis storyline revealed a lot more lore about the Adversaries which seemed to go against the idea that Adversaries are inherently capable of going against a predetermined destiny.

Please note: the following text contains major spoilers for the Shangri-La storyline. If you don’t want spoilers, skip to the end of the author note.

In the Shangri-La storyline, it’s revealed that the destiny of every Adversary is to die upon fulfilling their purpose, as the Overseers had wanted to ensure that such powerful, uncontrollable beings like the Adversaries wouldn’t remain to cause the same chaos that the Ancient Gods had wreaked upon the world once the gods were sealed away. Because of this, the idea that the power of the Adversary is the ability to defy destiny is something that doesn’t really make sense, especially since the Odium storyline reveals that the Adversaries were originally called the Adversaries of the Gods.

In all fairness, Cygnus calling us the Adversary of Destiny is likely something that she herself made up in order to help us stop emotionally spiraling, as she had no idea about the origins of the Adversaries or their predetermined destiny. Later down the line, the idea that we’re an Adversary who goes against destiny is a theme that gets echoed not only in Shangri-La, but Tallahart as well. Because of this, I think it’s still fair to say that our unique title as the Adversary of Destiny is still appropriate, especially given that the elders of Shangri-La even call us that in an NPC dialogue chat as well.)

Aboard the White Spear, the greatest heroes of the Alliance assembled together: the Explorer, Tess, Olive, and Rondo, the Chief Knights, the Resistance leaders alongside the Demon and Xenon, the Heroes, Edea and the Nova, the Flora, the Anima, Kinesis, and Zero. Cygnus then addressed the gathering and told them that the time had come to defeat the Black Mage, who had cast darkness upon all of Maple World. She explained that their fight had begun centuries ago when the Black Mage had first tried to destroy the world, resulting in the death of Empress Aria as she moved for peace.

Though it had felt as though the world itself had been ending, the sacrifice of one lone mercenary - Ryude - had become a spark to signal the crisis on Ossyria, gathering together brave Heroes who had risked their lives to seal the Black Mage away. She added that though the Heroes had fought alone hundreds of years ago, things had changed considerably, as there were brave heroes from Maple World and other dimensions who had gathered together. Though she noted that they all seemingly had nothing in common, they had all united together under one Alliance to save the world.

She explained that they all had something that they would risk their lives to protect, and that they would fight for that very reason. She then declared that it was time to commence the final operation with determined minds by facing the Black Mage together alongside all their allies. She explained that the White Spear would pierce through the giant and open the way to the Black Mage, with the flagship serving as the transport vessel for the Alliance’s heroes to reach him safely.

(A/N: In the original version of Limina, the Adversary heads towards the giant’s heart alone in a small airship, which quickly explodes during the aerial battle. The Flying Fish then arrives to catch us and takes us the rest of the way before he scatters into Erda after sustaining heavy injuries. Although I love the Flying Fish’s involvement in the story, I think that the trade-off of having all the classes fighting together makes his removal well worth it, as I personally consider it to be the best change that the story team ever introduced. A huge criticism of the Adversary storyline is that the player is the only person who actually fights the Black Mage, while all the other classes who had a major stake in the battle are just conveniently absent.

I think it’s a really nice addition for everyone to be fighting together, and for every class to even have their own unique dialogue when they face the Black Mage together, as you’ll see below. The dialogue that plays out below remains the same no matter which class the player is, but one interesting thing to note is that while the Cygnus Knight and Resistance protagonists don’t have a default spite, the Explorer will be represented with a Hero if the player isn’t an Explorer, which adds to my ever-strengthening theory that the canon Adversary is meant to be Hero.)

The White Spear then pushed forward into the giant’s heart, where the Alliance arrived at the Temple of Darkness. There, the Adversary and their allies confronted the Black Mage, who addressed the Alliance from the Throne of Darkness and declared that their path had always been preordained, and that they were only quickening their pace to its end.

Facing the Black Mage, the Explorer noted to their allies - including Sugar, who had appeared as the Goddess of Maple World - that they had finally made it to the end of the road at last. They declared that they would stop the Black Mage no matter the cost before he destroyed the Maple World that they loved so dearly. The Goddess of Maple World then blessed the Explorers as they charged into battle. Cygnus then addressed the Black Mage and declared that the Maple Alliance would never support him before she rallied the Chief Knights into attacking.

As they did, Claudine told the Black Mage that the Resistance finally stood before him, and that the people of Edelstein, who had once been oppressed, had found freedom. She declared that they would not allow that freedom, which had been born of countless sacrifices, to disappear in vain. As they vowed that they would create a better future where their children would not have to make the same sacrifices, Edea agreed and told the Black Mage that it was her first time seeing him. She declared that the Nova understood the meaning of sacrifice, which was why they had all gathered to stand before him, as fighting corrupted Transcendents like him mattered greatly to them.

Edea added that the people of Grandis would not go down easily, to which Kaiser added that if the Black Mage wasn’t stopped, it would impact not only Maple World, but Grandis as well, for which he vowed never to stand down. Kain then asked the Black Mage how a fallen Transcendent could talk about a predetermined destiny, declaring that his Malice did not follow any preordained path, and that he would not relinquish the freedom that Luska had given him.

Cadena then wondered whether it was just her who was feeling gloomy, noting how she had no choice but to run away in the past when she had no power, though she added that things were different now. Angelic Buster agreed with Cadena and vowed that she wouldn’t cry anymore, and that she would fight proudly. Cadena was pleased to hear Angelic Buster’s response and noted how cool she sounded, to which Kaiser called upon the Nova ancestors to grant them strength, with the Nova and the Resistance charging in together.

Adele then declared that no path would stop her convictions, and that she would wake him up from his perfect dream. Illium agreed and noted that whether it was the Black Mage or Darmoor, arrogance would certainly be their downfalls, as there was no place in the world for corrupted Transcendents. Khali declared that destiny could always be changed if even a single person had a strong enough will, just as Rasha had taken the fate meant for her. Ark told the Black Mage that it was time to end things once and for all, and that he would no longer tolerate such cruelty anymore.

As the Flora jumped into battle, Lara declared that their path was not always set, just like when she had followed the Mountain Kids to the restricted sanctuary, which had proven that she had always had the choice to step off any predetermined path. Hoyoung then chimed in and asked the Black Mage whether he was so certain that he was correct before telling him to open his ears and listen to a sage’s words when he said that even small, seemingly inconsequential choices could easily change their destiny, as everyone forged their own path.

With the Anima charging in, Alpha scoffed at the Black Mage’s predetermined path, noting that it was just like the fate which had failed to keep him and Beta imprisoned. Beta added that they had broken through and come out on the other side, with Alpha declaring that they would get off the Black Mage’s path as well. As they charged in, Kinesis noted that whether it was the Black Mage or the White Mage of Friends World, both of them were the same. However, he pointed out that the White Mage of his world had failed, and that it would be the same for the Black Mage as well.

As Kinesis jumped forward, the Demon declared that it was time to put an end to their long history. He noted that while they had stood alone centuries ago, things were different now, as he would use the same power that he had once wielded for the Black Mage to destroy him, adding that winning the battle wasn’t just for him, but for Damien as well. Mercedes noted that it felt strange to be fighting alongside both former enemies and countless allies, to which Luminous added that though the fight had been long, they would soon put an end to what had been started hundreds of years ago.

Phantom agreed and noted that he had made mistakes in the past while blinded by revenge, though he would seek vengeance no longer and instead protect the world, just as Aria had asked of him. Aran then told the Black Mage that paving a path ahead had always been her specialty, and that she would definitely defeat him this time. Mercedes added that though Freud was no longer with them, those who carried on his legacy still were, and that the Black Mage would not escape them.

She turned to look at Evan, who remained silent for a moment as he prayed for Freud and Afrien to watch over them. At Mercedes’ concern, Evan laughed embarrassedly and explained that he had simply been praying for a moment, and that he wasn’t afraid. He then told Mir that they would stake it all on the honor of the Dragon Master and the Onyx Dragons before declaring that he would fight in the name of Freud and Maple World.

Luminous then told the Black Mage that he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. He declared that for everything that the Black Mage had done to Maple World and to the members of Aurora who had followed him, he would wipe the world clean of the Black Mage’s darkness and make him regret the day that he had left him behind.

Meanwhile, Shade noted to himself that he wasn’t sure what would happen to him if the Black Mage were to disappear, as his existence might disappear as well. However, he vowed that even if no one remembered him, he would put an end to his long history with the Black Mage once and for all. As the Demon and Heroes charged in, the Black Mage then used his power to create his two knights of light and darkness, the Aeonian Rise and the Tanadian Ruin.

(A/N: In non-GMS translations, these knights are called the Aion of Creation and the Demiurge/Yaldabaoth of Destruction, which are figures of good and evil in Gnosticism. I prefer these names over what we got in GMS because Aeona and Tana are titles that refer to the Transcendent of Light and their reserve, not the power of light and darkness.)

After the Adversary and the Alliance defeated the knights, Eckhart noted that the battle had been difficult. Hawkeye jokingly asked Eckhart whether he was tired already, with Irena reminding him that they still had a long way to go, as they had only beaten the gatekeepers. Oz encouraged everyone to keep going, reminding them that they still had the strength to fight on. Cygnus agreed and pointed out that the true battle was now beginning. Phantom then yelled at the Black Mage to show his face, to which the Black Mage got up from his throne and addressed them, claiming that he had seen a world constricted by chains in the name of balance, an indolent god, and mankind that had lost the meaning of its own existence.

Luminous immediately warned everyone to be wary of the Black Mage’s chains, while Claudine scoffed at the Black Mage’s claim that humanity had lost its meaning. Evan agreed, declaring that there wasn’t a single unnecessary person in the world. Edea them told the Black Mage that even if humanity had no meaning, it wasn’t his place to decide that, with Aran adding that she couldn’t listen to his nonsense any longer. Shade declared that the Black Mage had no qualifications to exact his plan, to which Cygnus then warned everyone that the battle was about to begin, just as the Black Mage invited them to approach and meet their destiny.

The Adversary and the Alliance then began fighting fiercely against the Black Mage. As their battle intensified, the Black Mage declared that the end of the world was approaching as an unknown energy burst forth from him and swallowed the Temple of Darkness, transporting the exhausted Alliance into an ethereal, galaxy-like realm, where the Adversary was surprised to find Orchid. Orchid revealed that after the Genesis Ritual had begun, she had found herself within the inner realm, where she had been fighting the Black Mage the whole time. She explained that her attacks seemed to have no effect, and that the Adversary would have to end things after all.

She revealed that the best time to finish off the Black Mage was now, as things would change as the time of Genesis approached. She told the Adversary that if such a time came, their only chance was to destroy the Genesis Crux before the ritual completed. As the Adversary vowed to do whatever it took to destroy the Black Mage - even sacrificing their own life - the Black Mage suddenly manifested before them as a powerful being of light, having ascended to become a god in his own right. The Black Mage then told the Adversary to risk everything they had as the Adversary and Orchid worked together to fight the Black Mage and his godlike powers of creation and destruction.

The overwhelming energy from their battle soon engulfed everything in the surrounding area and created a void of black and white, where the Adversary found that the rest of the Alliance had vanished. They realized that Genesis was about to begin, just as Orchid had warned, and that they would need to summon the power of the Adversary in order to win. They noted that everyone would die if they failed to stop the Black Mage, and that they would risk everything they had for it, just as he had asked of them.

Vowing to sacrifice their own life if necessary, the Adversary fought the Black Mage alone in a fierce battle, just as the Genesis Crux appeared before them. Realizing that the critical moment had arrived, the Adversary began to summon the full power of the Adversary by focusing on their strong determination to sacrifice their own life, but to their shock, the small amount of divine power drawn from the Seal Stone proved to be insufficient in destroying the Genesis Crux.

The Black Mage mocked them for believing that they had escaped the Path of Destiny. He declared that they would not live to claim the true power of the Adversary, and that their destiny had already been decided. He then entered the Genesis Crux, leaving the Adversary aghast that even this very moment had been preordained. As the time of Genesis approached, the Adversary collapsed in exhaustion and found themselves in a dreamscape filled with crystals containing scenes from their own memories. They began lamenting how, even at the end, they had been unable to defeat a Transcendent who had become a god.

Looking up at a crystal containing the memory of them fighting Hilla, the Adversary realized that she had been so much stronger than before, and that they had only managed to beat her through pure luck. Upon seeing a crystal with Cygnus’ face, they noted how Cygnus had trusted them and apologized for betraying that trust. Finally, looking at the memory of Tana, they began wondering whether saving her life had truly been the right choice, though they noted that even now, they still didn’t regret saving her.

As they began wishing that they could turn back time, they thought back to their journey through the Arcane River in reverse, recalling how Jean had been smiling until the very end in the Morass. They wondered how the Rock Spirits were doing in Arcana after the Song of the Forest had been returned, and they began apologizing to Protective Mask in Lachelein for failing to win their freedom on their own, just as he hadn’t. Looking back on Chu Chu Island, they realized that the villagers had lived bravely, even without knowing their identities.

Finally, they thought back to the Vanishing Journey and realized that they finally understood Kao, as both of them had now failed to protect their world. Though they wished once again that they could turn back time like Kao had, exhaustion quickly began overtaking them as they realized that there was nothing left to do but rest until the end came for them. As they closed their eyes, however, a formless white light appeared and spoke with Tana’s voice, asking them whether this was truly the end that they wanted. She reminded them about how they had saved her in Esfera when she had called out for Jean to help her and asked whether they were giving up now after everything.

The Adversary weakly looked up at Tana and told her that they didn’t want to give up, though it was too late now. Tana then revealed to the Adversary that the world didn’t want them to die, with memories of Athena Pierce, Neinheart, Claudine, Cygnus, and others speaking aloud to the Adversary from within the crystals, reminding them of the Alliance’s commitment to surviving together. Tana then used her power of creation to craft an enormous maple leaf, from which a voice of someone close to the Adversary spoke to them, helping them find the strength to keep fighting.

As the Adversary got up, Tana asked them whether they were still choosing to give up, to which the Adversary vowed that they understood the truth now. They explained that they had been prepared to sacrifice themselves all the while that they had faced the Black Mage, but what they had instead needed to believe was that they needed to survive and save everyone, including themselves, not to give up on themselves and die for the sake of a world that wanted them to live.

(A/N: In the original Limina storyline, Tana never brought us into the crystalline space, but instead just emerged from the Genesis Crux and told us that we needed to choose to survive, rather than focusing on out determination to end our life. The concept of someone close to us motivating us to keep fighting was originally implemented in the Labyrinth of Suffering, where their voice helped us break out of our despair and defeat Hilla. However, I think that this concept does work really well in Limina too, since this is meant to be the pivotal moment where we need all the determination we can get.

The whole idea that we need to choose to live, rather than sacrifice ourselves, is hands-down my favorite scene and favorite message in the entire game. A lot of stories emphasize that true commitment can only be demonstrated by the willingness to give up one’s own life, but few ever really say that your own life is worth just as much as everyone else’s, and that you shouldn’t throw it away carelessly. I think that it takes a special kind of courage to lay down your life, but I also think that the idea of dying for the greater good is an idea that’s almost been weirdly romanticized in a sense.

Self-sacrifice has been deified for a long time in our society, and we can see it in our media, our religion, and our cultural values. However, I feel like there’s an undercurrent that’s taken root in the idea of self-sacrifice, which is a somewhat toxic emphasis on minimizing yourself for the sake of others. Obviously, there are moments when sacrifice is unavoidable, but I think that something has gotten lost in translation in what’s actually being conveyed through the depictions of sacrifice that we see in media lately.

In a way, self-sacrifice is framed as more of a duty than a choice. Heroes depicted in media are presented as these paragons of virtue who are always willing to lay down their lives for others, and I feel like there’s almost something damaging in showing a person who only ever does the right thing without hesitation, even if it means giving up everything that they have.

I think that the glorification of self-sacrifice without a second thought instills a belief that you don’t really matter at all. It’s true that self-sacrifice is one of the greatest acts of service that we can do, but I think that its importance comes from the fact that you have a choice of whether or not you want to do it. It’s common for heroes to be portrayed as absolutely selfless because all the selfish parts of them have been abstracted from sight.

As a result, the takeaway becomes that there’s no question of whether we’re willing to sacrifice or not. It’s no longer a choice when you think that there’s just one option. Consequently, we internalize the belief that in order to be a good person, we have to rid ourselves of the idea of “I want”. Subconsciously, there’s a rewiring of our morality that keeps us thinking that being selfless and sacrificial means hurting ourselves over and over again for the sake of someone else’s comfort.

Most of us will obviously never be in a situation in which we have to die for the sake of others, but this type of mentality still pervades in everything else that we do - social obligations, work, and relationships. The need to be a good person is so great that we tell ourselves that it’s okay that we’re carving out pieces of ourselves for others. We start seeing pain as just the symptom of our selflessness. After a while, we don’t feel comfortable being whole anymore. Somewhere along the way, putting ourselves last went from a bad habit to a compulsion. Sacrifice stops being a choice and instead becomes a product of our conditioning.

That’s why I think that depictions of sacrifice like what happens in this storyline are important in order to break that mentality. I think that remembering that you matter as much as the people that you care about is an important distinction that changes the connotation of what sacrifice means. What gives meaning to sacrifice is that you always have the choice to say no and walk away. Sacrifice inherently comes from the feeling of “I want”, not the absence of it. If you don’t think that what you want is important, then you’re not really giving up anything at all.

This idea is also the culmination of the Adversary’s own character arc. Throughout the storyline, the Adversary constantly tells themselves that they have to take on the heaviest burdens because they’re the strongest. When they found out that the Black Mage was at the end of the Arcane River, their first instinct was to rush in alone and take him on by themselves without even thinking of contacting the Alliance for help.

They’ve been hailed as a hero so many times that they’ve made it their entire identity, and it’s the same idea of, “I am a hero, which means that I have to be strong for everyone else. I have to do everything alone and put myself through the hardest and most traumatic situations without question.” They’re so willing to believe Orchid when she tells them that they have to be ready to die for the world because that thought just comes to them without instruction at this point.

They’re so shocked that their determination to die isn’t enough because they forgot that they first changed destiny by refusing to take Tana’s life. They were willing to let the Black Mage become practically undefeatable because they had the conviction that they would never give up on trying to save everyone, no matter the odds.

Through all of their trauma, the Adversary has subconsciously decided that they’re expendable, and that their life only has meaning if they can save everyone, even if they have to die in the process. And in the moment when the Adversary is so desperately channeling their desire to end their own life, it’s Tana who comes back to help the Adversary by reminding them that they have to live, just like how they helped her live when she finally chose survival over wanting to die, and in the process, the Adversary finally remembers the value of their own life and chooses to survive too.

That mindset - the determination to protect all life, including our own - is what finally awakened the Seal Stone. At its core, the Seal Stone is an object that will only ever work for a population, and the Adversary is nothing more than a Vessel embodying the world’s deepest desire. The Adversary’s mindset and the world’s determination need to be synced in order to activate its power. At this point, the entire world wants to not only win, but they want the Adversary to come back to them safely, just as their desperate wish to save the Adversary’s life at Black Heaven was what had resulted in the Adversary becoming one in the first place.

Because of this, the Seal Stone will fundamentally never awaken if the Adversary was only determined to die, no matter how good their intentions, because the world cares about them so deeply that that they refuse to allow the Adversary to give up on themselves, just like how the Adversary never gave up on them. It’s a level of pure symbiosis capable of channeling divinity itself, answering the artificial machinations of a god with a human instinct to survive, which is just a fancy way of saving that the Power of Friendship™ always saves the day.)

As the divine power flowed through the Adversary, the Genesis Crux began to shake, creating a powerful golden glow from within the giant’s heart that the exhausted Alliance fleet saw from the distance. With Tana sending them back to the Genesis Crux, the Adversary confronted the Black Mage and declared that it was time to end things. Channeling their fierce determination to survive, the Adversary awakened the full power of the Seal Stone and summoned a divine blade, with which they prepared to deal a decisive blow to the Black Mage.

(A/N: The divine blade is where the name “spear of god” comes from, which got bizarrely localized as the Godsphere in GMS. The name “spear of god” is probably intended to be stylized, as the blade that we summon is a sword, not a spear. It’s basically all but confirmed that the canon Adversary is meant to be Hero, as the default Explorer who appears with other classes in this storyline is Hero, and the attack that the Adversary uses when charging up the divine blade is literally just an augmented version of Hero’s Worldreaver skill.

As far as the divine blade being a spear, not a sword, swords are usually associated with the idea of knighthood and chivalry, whereas spears are much more primordial, being associated more with Greek heroes and legends from a time before knights. While it makes sense for the divine blade to physically be a sword for the sake of suggesting a canonical Adversary, calling it a “spear of god” instead of a “sword of god” invokes a sense of grandness through the imagery of Adversaries being these legendary demigods, reminiscent of Hercules or Achilles. It also ties into the idea behind the White Spear, which was created as a symbol of the Alliance’s commitment to carving out their own destiny, as well as Cygnus’ declaration that they would become the spear that would pierce the gods themselves.)

The Adversary declared to the Black Mage that there was no fixed fate, which was why they stood now before him. The Black Mage retorted that their hopes were futile, to which the Adversary vowed that their collective determination would bring forth a miracle. They explained that they could hear the voices of many people inside them - Jean telling them that they needed to win, the Small Spirit crying that he didn’t want to disappear, Protective Mask asking them to bring freedom to the world, Simia promising to make them delicious food if they survived and came back, Rasol telling them that they would see the sun together in Friends World, and Legato affirming that the Adversary would win.

With the voices of everyone filling them with strength, the Adversary vowed to defeat the Black Mage and return back to those who were waiting for them to come home alive. Tana’s voice then called out and told the Adversary that their determination was finally fully attuned to the determination of the world, revealing that the world was crying out that it didn’t want to disappear, and that she would leave the rest to them. The Adversary then the memory of Kao asking them to create the future that they themselves couldn’t, to which the Adversary promised their future self that they would carry on that will.

With the full power of the Seal Stone, the Adversary cleaved the Black Mage and the Genesis Crux in half, returning Cygnus and the other heroes of the Alliance back into the giant’s heart. Orchid noted that the Genesis Crux had vanished, while Oz realized that she couldn’t sense the Black Mage’s aura anymore. As everyone began celebrating their victory, Cygnus outstretched her hand and asked the Adversary to come back with her, as everyone was waiting. To her shock, however, the Adversary suddenly scattered into Erdas and vanished.

(A/N: Shade gets some exclusive dialogue here as he scatters into Erda. He thinks to himself that this is really the end for him, and as he disappears, he breaths a sign of relief that he’ll finally be with Freud again.) 

As Cygnus fell to her knees in anguish, the Chief Knights reported that the giant was moving, with Claudine urging her to retreat. With Cygnus remaining unmoving, Claudine told Cygnus not to let the Adversary’s sacrifice be in vain, to which Orchid asked everyone to lend her a portion of their magic, as it was her first time teleporting so many people. Meanwhile, Neinheart watched in earnest as ten minutes passed since the giant had fallen silent. Suddenly, Cygnus reported that the Genesis Crux had been destroyed, causing the soldiers to begin cheering. However, she struggled with how to break the news that the Adversary had been destroyed.

Elsewhere, in the Erda Flow, the Adversary awoke and wondered whether they had died before finding that the White Mage was standing before them. The White Mage explained that their body had been annihilated, and that their soul would dilute and disappear after some time. He then congratulated them on their victory, explaining that they had saved the world.

The Adversary asked why he had appeared before them if the battle was over. The White Mage replied that he only wanted to share a few words, as he had been waiting to speak with them for a long time. The Adversary was surprised that he had been waiting for them, to which he explained that they were the only one who could save him from the prison of immortality. He noted the irony that the very nature of a Transcendent prevented them from destroying themselves. The Adversary then realized that his ideal world without Transcendents also included erasing himself. The White Mage confirmed their suspicions and explained that it was the very reason why he had needed them.

(A/N: Zero gets exclusive dialogue here, in which he notes that only a Transcendent could stand against him. He explains that the other Transcendents had simply accepted their fates, whether they were their original fates, or the ones that he had set upon them. He adds that he knew that Alpha and Beta would turn away from that, or at the very least, that they would fight back.

This line is extremely confusing, as Transcendents are incapable of killing each other. I think what he means is that only someone as strong as a Transcendent could stand against him, whether that’s another Transcendent or a mortal with a Seal Stone. Zero being able to kill the Black Mage likely either stems from them not constituting as a proper Transcendent, or from the Seal Stone allowing them to override their limitations as Transcendents.

The White Mage talking about Zero resisting their fate is told from the perspective that Zero is the Adversary, and so it retroactively means that the White Mage’s plan had always revolved around having Zero destroy him from the very beginning, and so his exclusive dialogue was written to match this setting. In actuality, there’s no canon Adversary, and so I wouldn’t take anything from this exclusive dialogue with much weight, as its inclusion isn’t worth the mental gymnastics that we need to do in order to make it all fit.

Luminous also gets exclusive dialogue here, which is similarly told from the perspective that he’s the Adversary. The White Mage explains that Luminous has always had the power to face him, as he was once part of the White Mage and the light itself. He then reveals that he had deliberately chosen not to destroy Luminous upon their separation, despite having had the power to end him right there. He explains that in a sense, Luminous was the light that he had sought, as Luminous had his own destiny. He notes that Luminous has just seen that destiny through, adding that he’s always believed in him.)

The White Mage revealed that as a result of their actions, they had shattered the fate that had bound them both. He explained that the axis of fate had been tilted the moment when they had refused to take Tana's life. He then asked what had led them to make that decision, to which they replied that it had been because Tana had cried out for help, and that she hadn’t wanted to disappear.

(A/N: Shade gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which he says that he had thought that he’d been prepared for his fate too, but when the moment had come, he had realized that even in spite of being prepared, he had realized that he still didn’t want to disappear, just like how Tana hadn’t either, and so he couldn’t do that to her.

Kain also gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which he says that Tana hadn’t wanted to disappear, just like his sister, Luska.

Lara also gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which she says that Tana hadn’t wanted to disappear, and that it must have been the same for Gri’s brother, Gru.

Through some stupid convoluted thought process, GMS somehow managed to localize, “Because she asked for help. She didn’t want to disappear,” to “I couldn’t take her life, no matter the cost. That’s not what a hero does. Our doom wasn’t certain. And as long as there was a way to save her and everyone else, I had to try.”

First of all - where the hell did they pull those extra twenty-seven words from? Second of all - how is it that even with those extra words, they couldn’t even manage to properly capture the nuance of something that could be conveyed in ten? In KMS, you have the Adversary’s motivations being something as simple and powerful as just, “She didn’t want to die,” because that’s all the motivation we needed.

We saw just how miserable Tana’s life was, and how she was constantly being used and exploited by other people, whether it was the Overseers, Hekaton, or the Black Mage. We saw how Jean was the only person in her life who cared about her, and how she called out to him for help in Esfera, even after he died, because in her mind, there was literally no one else in existence who would ever care about her enough to help her again.

Her desire to be saved, and our desire to save her, both came from the same primal human will to live, and the simplicity of saying, “She asked for help,” is supposed to convey just how instinctual that desire to live was. It didn’t need any long-winded heroic explanation - it’s completely self-explanatory because anyone hearing that would immediately understand what the Adversary means, because it’s an instinct shared by all living things, encoded intrinsically into our design.

GMS’ localization not only cuts out that entire nuance, but it just has to make everything all about us. The focus in GMS is on us deciding what a hero would do, us weighing pros and cons about what it would mean for the world, and it takes away from the fact that this isn’t about us - it’s about Tana, and it should’ve been about Tana after she’s spent centuries being a plot device for everyone else’s needs.

In KMS, we acted simply because we wanted her to live, and having us go into this whole explanation in GMS about how we spent all this time thinking about ourselves and what it means for us to kill her, rather than us just saying that we acted instinctively because we care about her, makes it so that we end up becoming just another person who saw her as a tool for our own personal agenda, whether that was for saving the world, or even just us using her as a stepping stone for our own character development as a hero or whatever.)

After a pause, the White Mage told them that though he been the one to ask them why they hadn’t killed Tana, he had perhaps known the answer all along, explaining that he had been in a similar situation. He revealed that the moment that he had awakened as a Transcendent, he had also become a pawn of the Overseers. He explained that while trapped in his destiny set by the Overseers, he had tried going against them and had eventually succeeding in carving out the future that he had desired. He noted that it was ironic that the same destiny that he couldn’t accept had been forced upon the Adversary. He explained that even if someone had set the path of destiny, a soul like the Adversary’s, which had been forged from the belief engraved in their heart, could not waver or bend to another’s will.

He told the Adversary that such a soul was the result of having lived a life and added that they really were just like him, as they were both people who had fought against destiny. He noted that as the Adversary had traveled, they had likely experienced the beauty of the world, and that they must have met and walked alongside many others. He explained that those experiences had made them evolve into a being who didn’t forget to live with harmony, even in the face of despair, and one whose heart could lead the way by shining a light in the darkness.

The White Mage then told the Adversary that life was precious because it was finite, and that, having lost sight of the value of life, he believed that he wasn't qualified to realize his grand ideals. He explained that he had believed that he couldn't change fate as a mortal, and so he had sought to borrow the power of the divine by becoming a Transcendent. He then wondered whether he had lost his qualifications to realize his ideals from the moment that he had cast aside his humanity.

The Adversary suddenly felt a strange sensation as their body began disappearing from their fingertips, to which the White Mage told them that it couldn't have been stopped for long. The Adversary then asked him why he had kept fighting if they had already won when they had changed fate in Esfera. The White Mage replied by asking what they had felt as they had walked the Path of Destiny, when they had begun to question their own free will.

After considering it, the Adversary replied that they had felt a sense of helplessness, as they had known that mortals didn’t have the power to change their destiny, as those destinies had been set by gods who were too powerful to overcome, just as the White Mage himself had learned firsthand. The White Mage then asked them why they had gone ahead anyways, to which they replied that they couldn't give up simply because it was difficult.

(A/N: If the player has completed the Ellin Forest storyline, they note that they had become convinced that destiny couldn’t be changed when they had gone back in time to change history and found that they couldn’t. When the White Mage asks them why they had gone ahead anyways, the player replies that they could have settled things in Ellin Forest easily if they had told people about the future, but they note that the people of the past had decided not to hear it, vowing that they would create their own future instead, rather than someone else deciding it for them.)

The Adversary then noted that what they had really felt upon learning about the Path of Destiny was both anger and the will to live, all at once. They added that their desire wasn’t some grand dream of wanting to protect the world, but merely the will to fight for what they believed in, their free will, their belief, and their unwavering faith. They told the White Mage that destiny wasn't set by anyone, but rather, it was shaped by them simply living in the present. The White Mage then noted that the higher beings whom they fought against would see their resistance as futile and asked if they still wouldn’t give up, even while knowing that. The Adversary agreed that those higher beings would regard them as pathetic and weak, but nevertheless, they believed that they shouldn’t accept their destiny without question.

The White Mage was satisfied with their answer, after which the Adversary noted that they now had a better understanding of his thoughts and goals, as being deprived of one's free will and being forced to live in accordance with someone else's destiny was a painful existence. However, they told the White Mage that even though they understood his suffering, it still didn’t justify his evil deeds.

(A/N: Honestly, there are some classes who I really can’t see sympathizing with the White Mage at all. Kinesis, for example, absolutely hates the White Mage of Friends World for destroying his city and hurting his friends, and I don’t see him entertaining the White Mage’s tragic backstory for even a second, as he’d probably just straight up tell the White Mage that he couldn’t care less about any of his justifications because all he cares about are his friends. Similarly, I don’t see Phantom sympathizing with the White Mage when his only motivation is to protect the world that Aria loved, and so I strongly doubt that he would’ve sympathized with why the Black Mage wants to destroy the world, only that he’s putting Aria’s dream at risk.)

After a pause, the White Mage told them that when he had first learned about the chains of destiny, he had likely felt the same as them. Though he had felt rage when he had realized that he had been losing his free will, he had still felt uncertainty. As he had been alone for all his life, he had tried deciding his own path himself, but the moment that he had stopped believing in himself, he had been shaken.

In contrast, he told the Adversary that making connections with countless people must have helped them during moments when their faith in themselves had been wavering, which made the Adversary recall Empress Cygnus and Tana. After a pause, the White Mage told them that even though his plan had been perfect, he had started questioning it. He cited how Kao had lost to him in the past, and how he had sent them back in time, adding that such a risky action of sending a variable back in time could only be done once. (A/N: I’ll get more into this in the next section.)

He then revealed that it was then that he had begun to think deeply and had actually begun to notice the Adversary and the world more closely, noting that so many things had changed since he had first tried to take over the world centuries ago. He explained that unlike the selfish people of his time, so many good people had banded together in order to try and change the world. He added that the one who would lead them was not one who lived in fear, but rather, someone who could unite everyone, unlike himself.

He then told them that their anger, the answer to his question about what they had felt upon discovering the Path of Destiny, was enough. He explained that life was full of trials and tribulations, but if people like the Adversary could come together and work together, they would be able to overcome any ordeal. He then told them that if the feelings that they had felt were real, then it was enough. As the Adversary began disappearing from the Erda Flow, the White Mage told them to never forget their anger. After a pause, he told them that the world which good-natured beings like them would create would be more perfect than anything that he could have made, and so he was content with leaving it all behind to them.

(A/N: As the scene fades out, the White Mage bids the Adversary farewell by referring to them with a special title that’s unique to their job:

Explorers (including Special Explorers): The One Who Walks Down the Path of Adventure. Before the Destiny revamp, their title used to be “Explorer of Legend” in GMS, although this was a mistranslation of the actual KMS title, “Brave Explorer From Another World”. The KMS title was a reference to the original Explorer storyline, in which it was said that Explorers came from another world. In the Destiny revamp, the backstory for the Explorer was changed so that they were native to Maple Island instead, which explains why they changed it to what it is now.
Cygnus Knights and Mihile: Brave Knight of the Empress
Main Resistance and Xenon: Bold Liberator of the Shadowed City
Demon: Resilient Soul
Aran: Undying Warrior
Evan: Heir of the Great Mage
Mercedes: Ruler of the Elves
Phantom: Thief of Destiny
Luminous: Light of the World
Shade: Forgotten Hero. After he gives this title, the White Mage tells Shade, “Be at peace. She will remember you now,” with ‘she’ referring to Moonbeam.
Kaiser, Angelic Buster, Cadena, and Kain: Descendent of Dragons
Illium, Ark, Adele, Khali: Mystic of a Distant World
Zero: Transcendent of a New World
Kinesis: Hero of the Mysterious World
Hoyoung, Lara: Conqueror of Destiny

Additionally, while these classes aren’t canon, I’ll list them here in case anyone is curious, although I’ve added them in the GMS-verse section:
Jett: Far-flung Avenger
Hayato: Honorable Warrior
Kanna: Fated Master of Spirits
Beast Tamer: Hero of Nature

The Black Mage and his goals have gone through quite a number of revisions throughout the game, and even the current iteration has a bunch of ambiguity and subtext that needs to be analyzed in order to fully understand. At the time of Tenebris' release, the conversation that we had with the White Mage was extremely short. The only thing that he really discussed with us was him wanting to create a world without Transcendents, the idea of us changing destiny by refusing to take Tana's life, him losing sight of the value of life and consequently losing his qualifications to realize his ideals, and him telling us to never forget the anger that we had when we felt helpless on the Path of Destiny.

The original version of the story got a lot of flack because there wasn’t really any exploration into what the White Mage wanted outside of destroying the Transcendents, especially in regard to his plan to create a new world. Because of this, people wondered for a long time about why he wanted to create a new world if his only goal had been to destroy the Transcendents, as well as why the Adversary choosing to spare Tana’s life had been the moment when his predetermined destiny had been foiled.

One of the first things that the KMS story team did upon their formation was to create a much more cohesive narrative in regard to the Black Mage’s motivations, as well as fixing a lot of plot holes and contradictions in regard to Kao’s timeline. With all the information available from Kao’s timeline and the White Mage’s own words in Limina, we have a much clearer understanding of what the Black Mage hoped to accomplish by creating a new world and erasing the Transcendents, which I’ll do my best to summarize here.

The White Mage had originally set out to find the ultimate light, which he believed to be an abstract, divine power that could complete and evolve humanity into a perfect state without suffering or evil. At the end of his experiments, he reached the divine realm and attempted to claim the ultimate light when the Overseers forcibly held him back and prevented him from achieving his dream. The reason for this is because the Overseers exist solely for the purpose of maintaining order, which they define as certainty and predictability, rather than creating peace in the world.

As a result of this, the White Mage concludes that the Overseers are selfish, indolent beings who left humanity on a predetermined path to extinction by choosing to do nothing as billions suffered from war and injustice. He comes to believe that the Overseers have manipulated the universe’s destiny so completely that their world is predetermined for extinction no matter what anyone does. Because he thinks that the world is fated to end no matter what, the White Mage decides that the only way to change things is to create a new world with a new destiny that the Overseers have no control over.

For this reason, the White Mage chooses to accept the Overseers’ destiny for him and becomes the Transcendent of Light, believing that the only way to gain the strength to fight a god is by discarding his humanity and becoming a god himself. The Overseers are abstract entities with physical forms, and their only way to influence the universe is by compelling the Transcendents to adhere to their commands, which is why the Black Mage decides to create a new world without Transcendents, thereby making it free from the Overseers’ influence.

Everything he does from that point onward is part of his two-fold plan to create a new world and erase the Transcendents. With the help of his Commanders, he seals away Rhinne, Alicia, and himself, thereby causing Maple World to slowly start fusing with Grandis. With the White Mage of Friends World seemingly aiding him as well, the collision of these three worlds creates the Arcane River, while he uses Tana to take the power of creation alongside his own power of destruction.

In terms of removing the Transcendents, the Black Mage removed Alicia in such a way that she’s still technically alive, meaning that the Overseers can’t choose a replacement for her. This allows him to start siphoning the Erdas of Maple World that were once under her protection to create the Arcane River. Meanwhile, he engineers events so that Alpha and Beta have lost a majority of their Transcendent powers maintaining Mirror World, which effectively removes them as viable Transcendents, as well as making them candidates to become the Adversary that he needs to end his own life.

With all the pieces of his plan assembled, the Black Mage manipulates everything so that the player will kill him at the exact moment that the Genesis Ritual is enacted, thereby making it so the three criteria - his death, the destruction of the world, and the creation of a new world - happen simultaneously. However, the problem that happened in Kao’s timeline is that he was unable to meet the first criteria - his own death - with the reason for this being something that involves a bit of explanation from the Convergence storyline.

As it gets explained, the concept of how predictability works comes from the amount of power and influence something has. If there are fewer variables on the field, you can make a reasonable prediction of how they’ll behave while interacting with each other. But when you have bigger variables with more power and influence, it becomes significantly harder to predict how they’ll behave or interact with other variables.

In the case of the Black Mage, you can treat mortals as small variables, with his enhanced Transcendent perception allowing him to predict what mortals will do. As it gets mentioned in Convergence, the Overseers exist to maintain a predictable universe without uncertainty, which is why they removed big variables like the Ancient Gods and replaced them with the Transcendents, who are meant to exist solely under the Overseers’ control, thereby making it so that the Overseers are effectively the only beings who can manipulate the world in big strokes.

The Black Mage, in resistance to the Overseers’ chains of law, started using chains as his own weapon, which is meant to symbolize how he weaponized the Overseers' own rules against them. He took advantage of the fact that they created a fixed destiny in order to have tactical knowledge of everything that would happen in the future, giving him the ability to change things as he saw fit. He also took the Seal Stone, which held the Overseers' own power, and used it to destroy their hold on the universe by having the Adversary end his life.

In the case of Tana, however, the Black Mage was unable to predict how another big variable would affect the world, such as how her unstable power resulted in Arma draining Kao’s power, putting into motion the events that led to their choice to kill Tana. Because of this, the Black Mage - upon learning that it was Tana’s unpredictable influence which led to Kao being unable to kill him - sent Kao back in time in order to make it so that we, the player, would be able to kill him and have his plan succeed.

The one big caveat to this that arose here is something that the Black Mage himself mentions during our conversation in Limina. He explains how, after sending Kao back in time, he began to reevaluate his plan from the beginning in order to find any other weak points. During this time, he started to notice that humanity of the present day had come together in a way that the people of his time would never have dreamed of. As he continues reflecting, he slowly starts wondering whether his belief that humanity is predestined to end is really something that’s certain and unchangeable, especially if the Overseers’ influence is gone.

By the time things roll around in our current timeline, the Black Mage is already having second thoughts after hitting the redo button. However, things start changing even more than he could’ve predicted in Esfera, where we make the choice to spare Tana’s life. This is the pivotal moment where our actions changed destiny, but the actual details about this are something that involves a lot more subtext that isn’t explicitly spelled out for us.

A big thing to note is that the Black Mage and Will had both anticipated that our choice to kill or spare Tana had no actual consequence - if we had tried to kill her, we wouldn’t have been able to summon the power of the Adversary at that moment, meaning that the ritual would have taken place no matter whether or not we did anything. However, the biggest thing that came out of our choice to spare Tana is something that the Black Mage had already once failed to see - namely the fact that Tana’s power would manifest in ways that he couldn’t predict.

From the Black Mage’s perspective, the reason why Kao had failed to kill him was because they hadn’t been able to summon enough determination to activate the Seal Stone. By ensuring that Ollie never died, he believed that the player would have no problem using the Seal Stone’s power, as we had already gone through the trials of determination in Moonbridge and the Labyrinth of Suffering to refine and sharpen our resolve.

However, what he didn’t expect is the fact that our determination had been focused on the wrong thing all along, and it was only thanks to Tana’s intervention that we were able to figure out what we needed to do in order to summon the Seal Stone’s power. This is something that Kao didn’t have in their timeline, as we learned in the Morass that Tana loses her memories each time her body is destroyed and reformed, meaning that she would have no idea who Kao was and what the Black Mage was trying to do.

Effectively, the reason why us sparing Tana changed destiny is because Tana and her unpredictable influence as a Transcendent existed in the Black Mage’s blind spot, and though his plan succeeded by sending Kao back in time, the Black Mage had done it to address the wrong issue, effectively making it so that he got the right answer by doing the wrong steps. However, there’s one more major reason why the player was able to defeat the Black Mage, and this is more of a personal interpretation than a hard fact, which ties back into the Black Mage’s own hesitation when it came to his faith in the grand plan to create a new world.

Personally, I like to believe that in addition to us changing destiny on a literal level by sparing Tana, we also changed it figuratively as well. The Black Mage had long believed that humanity was doomed to fight each other into extinction out of selfishness and greed, which is something that he slowly started to reevaluate upon seeing how Maple World was under the leadership of brave and selfless leaders like Cygnus, Athena Pierce, and Claudine.

With the Adversary being the beacon of humanity’s strongest hope, I think that when we chose to spare Tana’s life, that moment cemented the Black Mage’s belief that humanity was indeed being led by good and strong leaders capable of leading the world to a much better place than he could have made with the power of the gods. When we finally killed the Black Mage in Limina, he had successfully met all three criteria for enacting his plan, as he just needed to enact the ritual at the moment he died. However, because he had given up on his plan to create a perfect world, our choice to spare Tana changed the world’s destiny by changing the Black Mage’s mind for good, resulting in him choosing not to enact the Genesis Ritual.

Although it isn’t explicitly stated, it’s likely that the reason why the Black Mage needed the Adversary to kill him was because he couldn’t be killed by the the ritual while inside the giant’s heart, as it’s shown in Kao’s timeline how both he and the Adversary - who were both inside the giant’s heart at the time - survived the ritual and existed within the new world. However, we can safely assume that the ritual would’ve erased everyone else, including Darmoor and the other Transcendents.

Knowing that the Black Mage had given up on his plan to create a new world, the continental Grandis storyline gets recontextualized a little bit more, as Darmoor’s goals and the Ancient Gods’ reawakening are things that he didn’t initially expect to address. The fact that he chooses to spare humanity means that everything has now gone completely off-script, with things like him leaving behind the Genesis Weapon being his form of last-minute damage control so that the Adversary is better equipped to handle threats to their world from Darmoor, the Ancient Gods, and the Overseers.)

Back aboard the Alliance fleet, all the soldiers who had been scattered into Erda were restored to life. As the Adversary returned back into the material world, they heard the White Mage’s final words congratulating them for their victory in having escaped the destiny that he had set for them and finding a new path. He told them that the future was now in their hands, adding that though he didn’t know what kind of enemies they would face next, he trusted them to face it. He then asked them once again to keep persevering, and that he would give his blessings for the future that they would create.

The Adversary then appeared before the astonished Alliance leaders, with Edea wondering whether the Black Mage had used the power of creation to resurrect them. However, Claudine happily declared that it didn’t matter, as the only important thing was that the Adversary was alive. A teary-eyed Cygnus asked the Adversary to never disappear like that again before thanking them for coming back. With everyone in the Alliance slowly returning back to life, the Adversary spoke a final farewell to the Black Mage once and for all.

After getting some much-needed rest, the Adversary soon returned back to the Outpost, where Cygnus greeted them and asked if they had gotten some rest after defeating the Black Mage, to which the Adversary replied that it had been ages since they had been able to sleep as well as they had. Neinheart then told the Adversary that he had several things to report, with the first being that Orchid had disappeared after the battle. He explained that he had attempted to ask Guwaru about her whereabouts, though Guwaru had refused to cooperate.

Neinheart added that the Alliance was continuing to track her down, and that though she had helped the Alliance during the Arcane River and Tenebris expeditions, they could not ignore all her past crimes. Nevertheless, he admitted that they would have to think about how to handle her if she had truly changed her ways. He then added that there were others waiting to meet them, causing the Adversary to worry whether there was another threat. Just then, several other leaders of the Alliance arrived, causing the Adversary to realize that Neinheart had merely been joking.

(A/N: Each class gets a unique script for this part.

For Explorers, Athena Pierce, Grendel, and Kyrin arrive and congratulate the Explorer for all that they’ve accomplished. They reminisce about how curious and wide-eyed the Explorer had been when they had first met, and how much has changed since then. If the Explorer is a warrior or a thief, Athena Pierce will tell them that their job instructor couldn’t make it, though they send their best regards. Dances with Balrog, the Dark Lord, and Lady Syl got completely sidelined from the entire story and I’ll forever be salty about it.

For the Cygnus Knights and Mihile, Neinheart tells them that everyone in Maple World is grateful to them, adding that it’s thanks to them that the Alliance was able to rally around Cygnus, who led them to victory. Cygnus agrees and notes that it’s thanks to them that they were able to gain everyone’s trust and unite as one.

Claudine then admits that they were reliable, to which Neinheart laughs that if Claudine is saying that, then they must already know what everyone else is thinking. As Claudine bickers with Neinheart, Cygnus laughs and notes that Claudine and Neinheart seem to be getting along well, to which both of them are flustered into silence.

For the Resistance classes and Xenon, Claudine proudly calls them a valued member of the Resistance. She explains that everyone else has already returned to Edelstein, and though they had all wanted to go back with the Resistance member, she hesitates before explaining that they had needed someone to stay and clean up. Neinheart laughs and tells Claudine to be honest, reminding her that she had insisted that she would stay and meet with the Resistance member on behalf of everyone. Claudine gets embarrassed, though she quickly recovers and tells the Resistance member that it’s time to go home, as everyone is waiting.

For the Demon, Neinheart tells him that all of Maple World owes him a debt that can never be repaid. Claudine adds that no matter what he did in the past, he’s always been at the Resistance’s side. Cygnus tells him that he no longer lives under the shadow of the Black Mage, and that he’s a valued member of the Alliance.

She then asks what he’ll do now, to which he says that he’s not sure. He thinks to himself that there’s nowhere to go home to and no one that’s waiting for him. Cygnus then tells him that no matter where he goes or what he finds, the Alliance will always be there for him. The Demon is overwhelmed by the overwhelming support of everyone and jokes that this is one way to make new acquaintances.

For all the Heroes except Evan and Shade, Neinheart tells them that everyone in Maple World is grateful to them. Cygnus notes that they’ve been keeping Maple World safe for so long, and now they’ve saved the world from the greatest threat that they’ve ever faced. She then thanks them and vows that the Alliance will continue protecting the world that they’ve given everything to save.

For Evan, Neinheart tells them that everyone in Maple World is grateful to them. Cygnus thanks Evan for everything that he’s done for them. Athena Pierce then adds that she’d never thought that he’d grow so much, to which Evan laughs in embarrassment and says that he still has a lot to learn. Cygnus smiles and tells him that he doesn’t need to be so modest, as he’s already the hero of the Alliance. Athena agrees with Cygnus and adds that they have no doubt that he’ll become a great Dragon Master, and perhaps even greater than Freud.

For Shade, Neinheart tells him that all of Maple World owes him a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus adds that they’ll never forget his part in the battle, or his sacrifice. Neinheart agrees and calls Shade a hero for the ages. Shade is lost for words and chuckles awkwardly before thanking everyone. Cygnus then asks Shade what’s next for him, which causes Shade to think that he hadn’t even thought about that.

He then wonders to himself what heroes do once their villains are gone before supposing that he should be happy that he’s still alive to wonder that. He then thinks to himself that there must be more before telling Cygnus that he’s planning to go on a quest to find himself. Cygnus then wishes him a safe and fulfilling journey.

For Zero, Neinheart tells Alpha and Beta that all of Maple World owes him a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus explains that the world has found peace thanks to the two of them, adding that they’ve done so much. She then asks what they’ll do now, to which they reply that they’re planning to sleep for a few weeks. They also think to themselves that they need to think about what they’ll be doing from now on. Cygnus then tells them that they’ve done just as she’d hoped.

For all Grandis classes, Neinheart tells them that all of Maple World owes them a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus adds that the Alliance’s allies in Grandis played a major role in bringing peace to Maple World, for which they have her utmost gratitude. Edea notes that they were fortunate enough that the situation on Grandis was quiet enough for them to come. She adds that there’s no telling what will happen next, though this was a nice enough break. Cygnus then promises that Maple World will be there when Grandis needs help, just as the Adversary was there for Maple World.

For Kinesis, Neinheart tells them that everyone in Maple World is grateful to them. Grendel adds that he was surprised when Kinesis had arrived on Maple World, but he believes that Kinesis has grown a lot. Cygnus then asks him what he’ll do now, to which Kinesis replies that he’s going to visit his friends, as he hasn’t seen them in a while. He then laughs that they’ll know why once he tells them. Cygnus then tells him that a lot of other people on Maple World will miss him too.

For Hayato and Kanna, Neinheart tells them that all of Maple World owes them a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus adds that peace has been brought back to Maple World because of people from other worlds like them, for which they have Cygnus’ utmost gratitude. Princess Sakuno then arrives, much to Hayato/Kanna’s surprise, and replies that they stand together as one Alliance.

She explains that Maple World has accepted them, and so it’s only right for them to return the favor. She then turns to Hayato/Kanna and notes that they’ve saved the world yet again, adding that she couldn’t be prouder. Cygnus thanks Sakuno and promises that the Alliance will be there when the Sengoku Warriors need help, just as Hayato/Kanna and the Sengoku Warriors have done. Sakuno replies that she doesn’t need a reward for helping her comrades, though she adds that she appreciates the sentiment.

For Beast Tamer, Neinheart tells her that all of Maple World owes her a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus thanks her once again for everything, while Athena Pierce tells her that she had never imagined that she would grow to such heights, adding that it’s truly impressive. Chase replies that she still has a long way to go, adding that she’s just happy that she could fight alongside the five Heroes. Cygnus tells Chase that she’s already a hero to all of them, and that she can enjoy the feeling a little, to which an awestruck Chase marvels at the fact that she’s now considered a hero.)

Meanwhile, at the Aboris Royal Palace, Melange presented the book that Will had dropped in Esfera and recited the Black Mage’s prophecy of the final battle to Gerand Darmoor. Melange noted that Darmoor must be pleased to have received such a useful book, as well as to have detected the seed of the new world that the Black Mage had left behind. Darmoor then ordered Melange to find Aeona and the Seed, claiming that all would be ‘there’.

(A/N: I was so shook when this was first revealed, I never expected Melange to be a traitor. Originally, Melange said that he had found a way to thwart destiny, not that he had detected the seed of the new world. This was changed a few months after Tenebris was released, although for some reason, it still hasn’t been changed in GMS. The GMS localization makes it sound like the Seed is the Tower of Oz, which is what the Seed is called outside GMS, and it’s also where Alicia’s soul remains after her physical body was destroyed.

Because of this, a lot of people in GMS speculated that Darmoor wants Alicia’s soul, and the fact that he said that “all would be there” likely meant that Tana would somehow be in the Tower of Oz too. However, it’s clear from the KMS translation that Darmoor really just wants the seed of the new world, which probably refers to the Genesis Crux, and that honestly makes a lot more sense when you consider that Tana had emerged from the Genesis Crux to help us, explaining why she and the seed of the new world would be in the same place.

The end of Limina also marks the end of the Black Mage arc, which spanned for roughly eleven years from 2007-2018. GrandisStory officially began a year later with the Glory update in 2019, which we’re currently in the midst of. There’s no telling how long it’ll last, but given how many open plot points there are, I can easily see it lasting for at least five to ten more years at minimum.

I have mixed opinions about the Grandis storyline, but that’s a topic for a future section. For now, I’ll end this section with a bittersweet sendoff for Maple World and its finale, and a huge thanks to the playerbase for protesting vocally enough for the story to be rewritten enough time that it’s finally turned into something that’s pretty decent. To commemorate it, here are my feelings on the Maple World vs Grandis debate in the form of a meme video.)