PART III: AFTER THE UNSEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 43: Moonbridge

(A/N: The Moonbridge storyline was revamped during the NEXT update, which made several minor alterations to improve story cohesion and streamline the quests to fit better as a singular narrative. The main changes made were adding a bit more dialogue with the members of the Alliance in order to emphasize the fact that all the different factions of the Alliance are working together to fight the Black Mage, as well as condensing the actual battle against Gloom with a slightly different strategy in order to give Cygnus a clearer character arc. If you want to see the original version of the story, see the pre-Destiny page here.

One of the major things that originally used to exist in the game is a mysterious divine light which guided the Adversary through Tenebris. This light was initially heard at the start of Moonbridge and helped the Adversary during their time in the Labyrinth of Suffering by manifesting as the voice of someone close to them, as well as clearing a path for the Alliance to reach the Black Mage in Limina. For various reasons, this concept was removed from the game, and its various roles were repurposed with a couple of other things that gave the story a much stronger narrative.)

With the fusion of the Black Moon and White Sun, a storm zone was created over the Arcane River that grew stronger with each passing day, eventually making its way to the Esfera base camp. Knowing that the time had come, Neinheart ordered all Alliance forces in Esfera to return to Ereve in order to prepare for the final battle against the Black Mage. The Adversary accompanied Neinheart across the storm zone by airship, where Neinheart explained that he was taking them to the Outpost, which was the center of the Alliance’s preparations for the final battle.

He told the Adversary that not long after they had departed for the Arcane River, immense chains with an ominous aura had begun to appear across Maple World, pulling their world closer into the Arcane River. Neinheart explained that it was a sign that the dimensional collapse had reached critical levels, but just as he was about to continue, large purple meteors began falling from the storm zone, with Neinheart realizing that the strange creatures which were invading Maple World had found them.

The attack quickly destroyed the airships, causing the Adversary and Neinheart to plummet to the ground. Upon awakening in Ereve, Neinheart noted that it was fortunate that they had gotten close enough already before the airships had been destroyed. The Adversary then looked around in awe at the massive chains which had fallen from the sky, with Neinheart warning them not to get too close. Just as he spoke, several Wandering Soot Glare monsters were summoned and began to attack. Together, the Adversary and Neinheart fought through the monsters, with Neinheart using a heavy book to whack the monsters away, joking that he couldn’t be the one who always got hit.

After defeating them, the pair encountered Kiriko, Kizan, and Kidan patrolling the area. They reported that the Soot monsters, which had begun appearing around Maple World, were appearing with greater frequency each day, with more and more chains falling from the sky. However, they also noted that the Adversary’s return to Maple World must signify that the final battle was coming. Neinheart then asked them whether they had seen Ollie, Shubert, and Melange, tasking the scouts with informing the trio to meet at the Outpost.

After the scouts left, Neinheart told the Adversary that the Arcane River had been created from the collision of worlds, and that dimensional collapse had reached critical levels, which had resulted in the chains and monsters appearing. As all of existence would cease to be if the Black Mage succeeded, he emphasized that even with the Alliance preparing countermeasures, it was imperative that they stop the Black Mage once and for all before his new destiny was completed.

At the Adversary’s confusion, Neinheart began leading them on foot towards the Outpost as he explained. As they walked, the Adversary noted that they couldn’t see any people in Ereve, with the Cygnus Knights gone and only the Piyo scouts remaining. Neinheart explained that everyone had gone to the Outpost to prepare for the final battle, and that he had left behind only the minimum number of troops to defend Ereve. He told the Adversary that when they had gone into the Arcane River, he hadn’t simply sat idly by, and that he had done everything in his power to learn more about the Black Mage and his goals.

As they arrived at the Conference Pavilion, Neinheart explained that after he had resolved to look deeper into the Black Mage’s past following the Black Heaven incident, Eckhart had recovered an important clue from the Black Mage’s laboratory in Magatia. He then presented the Scroll of Destiny to the Adversary and revealed that inside the laboratory, Eckhart had discovered writings that suggested that the Black Mage had been able to predict events before they happened, as he had foreseen not only the creation of the Adversary, but also the birth of the Arcane River and the fusion of the Black Moon with the White Sun. He then showed the Adversary the final prophecy written on the scroll:

They who cross the breath of twilight and turn towards the sun,
on broken wings will be crushed and undone by despair.

A light whose brilliant glory is lost
will face the soul of the world whilst steeped in mire and rot.

A crimson tear will spawn a giant that swallows hearts,
and when determination is swallowed by the deepest dark,

a new destiny will be written, a destiny apart.

(A/N: The first stanza refers to Moonbridge, the second refers to the Labyrinth of Suffering, and the rest is for Limina. There’s also an alternate version of the prophecy written in the Black Mage: Origin webcomic:

The first adversaries will be lost to time.

When the fallen throne rises once more
the final adversaries will reach the sea of beginnings.

Once darkness swallows all and the end approaches
A new destiny shall be written!

The original line in Korean was actually, “The first adversaries will be encased in ice”, referring to the Heroes. The word ‘adversaries’, as written here, is meant to be taken as a word that just means ‘opponent’, rather than the in-universe title of Adversary with a capital A, as the actual title of Adversary refers to someone who’s bonded with a Seal Stone, which isn’t the case with the Heroes at the time when they fought him centuries ago.)

Neinheart explained that he had been able to interpret most of the other prophecies in the scroll based on what the Alliance knew of the Black Mage, but he added that the final prophecy which he had just shown them was still unclear. He also added that he was uneasy about the prophesied new destiny, as a destiny written by the Black Mage could only end in disaster. However, he explained that the Alliance had already begun preparing for it, adding that thanks to the Adversary’s paper boat, their warning had given him enough time to begin researching the Black Mage in the first place.

He revealed that the Cygnus Knights had sent letters to summon the leaders of the Alliance, who had all agreed to make a final stand against the Black Mage, though he added that the Empress had been uneasy about the decision. He explained that Cygnus had the power to see the future as well, and that she had been plagued by nightmares every day about the Alliance falling in battle ever since the massive chains had begun appearing across Maple World.

He added that Cygnus’ nightmares had been very similar to the Black Mage’s final prophecy, and that no one had been sure whether it had been because of stress or her ability to see the future. Fearing that she would be leading her people into a destruction that she would be too weak to protect them from, Cygnus had sought out Shinsoo at her refuge in Leafre. There, Shinsoo had noted that a dark shadow had fallen, blotting out the brilliant light. Neinheart explained that Cygnus had confided her nightmares and worries that she kept buried deep within to Shinsoo.

Upon hearing her troubles, Shinsoo had asked Cygnus who ruled the world, to which Cygnus replied that it was all the people who inhabited it. Shinsoo had then asked Cygnus what she would do if someone threatened to destroy their world, to which Cygnus had hesitantly replied that they would fight, though she admitted that she nevertheless had fears about what would happen in such a battle. Shinsoo asked Cygnus whether she believed that their destiny had already been decided by the Black Mage’s prophecy, and whether that meant that everything which they had done up until that moment was rendered meaningless.

After reflecting, Cygnus noted that their efforts had not been in vain, with Shinsoo encouraging her to put aside her fears. She then created a jeweled bracelet upon Cygnus’ wrist, explaining that the wings of the Divine Beast had the power to protect and embrace the weak. However, she admitted that her body was in such a weakened state that she no longer had the power to do so.

She then explained that she had bestowed her strength upon Cygnus and asked her to use that power to protect the determination of the Alliance, as only Cygnus had the power to do so. Shinsoo then told Cygnus that humans were delicate and fragile beings, as they had moments of weakness when fear could easily grip their hearts. However, she revealed that Cygnus was the light of hope that would save them all in the depths of their despair.

After finishing recounting the story, Neinheart told the Adversary that Shinsoo had also revealed that the determination of countless warriors would become their strength to fight in the coming battle. He explained that after Cygnus had returned with a shield imbued with Shinsoo’s divine power, Shinsoo had fallen back into slumber at her refuge in Leafre. With her resolve having been strengthened by Shinsoo’s counsel, Neinheart revealed that Cygnus had sent letters to all members of the Alliance, announcing the great expedition into the Arcane River.

He added that since that time, everything had gone exactly as prophesized, though he admitted that it had helped them get a timeframe of when exactly the full-scale battle would take place. As he spoke, the pair arrived at the Sky Ferry, where they began flying towards the Outpost on airship. At the Outpost, a large floating island in its own right, Neinheart explained that it was the center of the Alliance’s operation, and the place where its commanders would unite the determination of its warriors. He then showed them the White Spear, explaining that the massive airship would serve as the Alliance’s flagship, modeled into a spear to symbolize their will to carve out their own destiny, and large enough to shield their allies, embodying the Empress’ will perfectly.

As they landed, Neinheart explained that warriors from all over were still gathering at the Outpost, including the Nova and the Guardians of Time. Just then, two Cygnus Knights arrived to greet them, with Neinheart ordering them to let the Empress know about their arrival. At the center of the Outpost, the Adversary noted a brazier with a brilliant blue flame, which Neinheart explained was a divine flame created from the determination of countless warriors. He noted that just as Shinsoo had said, that fierce determination would become the strength to overcome the darkness that they faced.

(A/N: Before the Moonbridge revamp, this brazier originally used to be the divine light that guided the Adversary through the Tenebris storyline. During the original Tenebris event, the divine light would gradually transform into the three Goddess Statues, representing the Goddesses of Maple World, Grandis, and Tynerum. This transformation, as well as the expedition to Tenebris, was all part of the Journey of Destiny, which progressed with the amount of determination collected by the players on their respective servers.

When the Tenebris event was adapted into permanent content, the progression of the divine light’s transformation into the Goddess Statues had already happened off-screen for the sake of story progression, and these Goddess Statues would eventually shoot out a beam of energy during the Limina storyline in order to clear a path to the Black Mage. The revamp removed the Goddess Statues and replaced it with a brazier that glows with the determination of the Alliance, although this brazier has no real role in the revamped storyline, instead just existing to highlight the fact that a great amount of determination is needed to awaken the full power of the Seal Stone.)

Just then, Ollie, Shubert, and Melange greeted them, noting that they had heard how the monsters had attacked them on the way from Esfera. Ollie explained that they had been some distance away from the enemy’s attack, and so they had managed to evacuate unharmed. Meanwhile, a dozing Melange began mumbling in his sleep about a crux bursting forth, with Shubert wondering in confusion what he was dreaming about. With that, the three prepared to head off to their respective assignments, noting that their mission with the Adversary had finally come to an end.

Neinheart then told the Adversary that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to speak to the warriors of the Alliance now that they had returned back to Maple World. He pointed out Athena Pierce in the distance and explained that she had been handling the various monster attacks across Maple World, noting that the worlds were facing disturbances from the dimensional collapse. Believing that the return of the Alliance’s ace would boost morale, Neinheart asked the Adversary to speak with the soldiers in order to help motivate them as the final battle approached.

The Adversary first met with Athena, who noted that the soldiers seemed to be getting nervous. She admitted that even she was getting nervous herself, despite having lived for centuries and experienced many crises in her life. At her request, the Adversary met with a Nova soldier, who told the Adversary that it was an honor to meet them, and that he was ready to go. He explained that he had thought that he’d had enough of boring battlefields, though he added that it felt strange to fight in another world, with their enemy being a Transcendent at that.

Though he claimed that neither he nor any Nova soldier would be afraid, he admitted that he was still nervous after seeing the immense black chains falling down across Maple World, with their immense size and terrible power making him believe that an invisible hand was manipulating the world from above. He noted that if they didn’t stop the Black Mage, Maple World itself would be dragged into those chains, for which he resolved to do his part and protect his allies’ world from the threat of the Black Mage.

The Adversary then met with a Resistance soldier, who greeted them and explained how he had heard that the Adversary had already gone into the Arcane River. The Adversary then asked the soldier about his concerns, to which he admitted that he was worried about the state of Maple World, as things had been quite chaotic when he had arrived. However, he noted that it was expected with the chains and the mobilization of the entire Alliance. He added that the Alliance was also working to dissuade panic amongst the citizens. He explained that Ariant, in particular, was said to be on the verge of collapse, as the Alliance had little presence in the area and its queen was rumored to be incompetent. He told the Adversary that only the Black Mage’s defeat would restore peace to Maple World, for which he vowed to fight his hardest.

Finally, the Adversary spoke with a Cygnus Knight, who reported that preparations had completed, adding that he hoped that the expedition would begin soon. He admitted that he was more worried than nervous, as he had seen something terrifying while standing watch near some of the chains across Maple World. He explained that everything that came near the chain turned to dust and disappeared, with the Magician Association in Ellinia having explained that it was because their Erdas were disappearing.

Upon hearing the Knight’s explanation, the Adversary realized that it must have been the reason why Neinheart had warned them not to get too close to the chains. The Knight then told the Adversary that he knew for certain that all life would disappear from Maple World if the Black Mage wasn’t stopped, and that he was committed to doing his part in the battle. He then asked the Adversary to protect Maple World, adding that everyone would clear the way for them, even if it cost them their lives.

After speaking with the Alliance soldiers, the Adversary returned back to Neinheart, who escorted them to meet Empress Cygnus, dressed in full battle armor and carrying an ornately-crafted sword. She thanked the Adversary for their instrumental role in pushing forward through the Arcane River, revealing that they had paved the way for the Guardians of Time to investigate the area, which had set the stage for discovering the Black Mage’s prophecy and all their countermeasures, including the White Spear itself.

However, Cygnus added that the Adversary themselves were the greatest symbol of hope for the Alliance and asked them to lend their strength once again. She noted that the final battle was far more dangerous than anything they had ever fought, for which she would not force them to fight, though the Adversary readily accepted her request. Cygnus thanked them for their bravery and told them that she would engrave their determination deep inside her heart.

At Cygnus’ command, Neinheart took the Adversary aside so that Athena could brief them on the situation. As they waited, Neinheart began to summarize the Adversary’s journey through the Arcane River, and how they had bested Commanders Lucid, Arkarium, and Will in their travels. After summarizing, however, Neinheart pointed out how Will had called them an Adversary, revealing that they had found one more writing in the Black Mage’s laboratory that stated: “Only the Adversary can counter immortality’s fate with the strength of a Seal Stone.” Though Neinheart admitted that he didn’t want to immediately trust it, given who had written it, he felt that they needed something to believe in while waging war against a god.

(A/N: The game has always been pretty loose with throwing around the word ‘god’, but in this case, it’s being used more poetically to say that the Black Mage has gotten immensely powerful, rather than making any sort of lore revelation about him becoming an Ancient God or something. In the continental Grandis storyline, they’ll sometimes use ‘god’ as a catch-all term for both Ancient Gods and Transcendents, and sometimes they’ll just use the term ‘higher being’. It’s just one of those side-effects of having a ridiculously convoluted pantheon.)

Just then, Athena Pierce arrived, with the Adversary greeting her and asking whether she would be coming with them. Athena explained that Maple World was suffering from critical dimensional collapse, and that she needed to remain behind and manage the situation, as there would be no world to get back to otherwise even if they defeated the Black Mage. Neinheart told the Adversary that regional leaders like Athena were remaining behind to keep Maple World safe as the rest of the Alliance fought the Black Mage.

He then told the Adversary that what he wanted to discuss with them and Athena was determination, noting how the Flame of Determination was emitting special power as the determination of warriors gathered. He explained that the determination which Shinsoo had spoken of wasn’t simply a metaphor, and that the Alliance had concluded that it, alongside the Seal Stone and the Adversary, were the three elements to secure their victory. Because of this, he asked Athena and the other regional leaders to remain behind and keep that flame alive. After Athena agreed, Neinheart asked her to take care of things on Maple World while the Alliance prepared to embark on their mission.

Athena Pierce then told the Adversary that she planned to distribute emblems of the Alliance to each ship before departing in order to boost morale. She gave the Adversary their own emblem and asked them to give one to Kyrin aboard the Nautilus, explaining that Kyrin would represent the Explorers in her place while she remained behind on Maple World. Aboard the Nautilus, the Adversary gave Kyrin the emblem, as well as a letter from Athena Pierce reminding her that they were all in the fight together.

(A/N: This was a nice callback to Athena and Kyrin’s shared history, as Athena raised Kyrin after the deaths of Destonen and Yuris, since Tess had gone in search of a way to break their blood curse.

Pathfinder gets some exclusive dialogue when Athena asks her to give the emblem to Kyrin. Athena realizes that the Pathfinder is about to embark to save the world and explains that it’s a new feeling entirely. She notes that the Pathfinder always manages to surprise her each time that she shows up looking more mature. She then adds that she’s looking forward to reuniting once the fight is over.)

Meanwhile, Athena met with Edea and explained that she had come to see the expedition off. She then gave Edea an emblem, thanking her for the Nova’s help. Edea replied that she should be the one thanking Athena, as the Alliance had played a major role in retaking Heliseum. She added that the Nova would wear the emblem with gratitude and determination to protect the world.

She then told Athena that the Black Mage’s influence covered not only the Arcane River, but Maple World as well. Though she had prepared countermeasures with the help of Maple World’s leaders, including Grendel, she feared that their efforts may not be enough, as their enemies had been created from the Black Mage’s thoughts. For this reason, she asked Athena to lead the soldiers in her place while she was away at Tenebris.

Elsewhere, Neinheart met with Claudine, who asked whether the time to embark had arrived. Neinheart confirmed her suspicions and gave her an emblem, to which she noted that they were all once again setting off into battle together for the Alliance. She added that though Edelstein had been liberated, a dark curtain still covered the world, and that their freedom was not yet complete as long as the Black Mage still lived. She then told Neinheart that though they had once been enemies, they were now part of the same Alliance which had overcome many hardships together.

Brighton then noted that an expedition that transcended dimensions was quite exciting and asked Belle whether she agreed. Belle reminded him that they weren’t going to a picnic and told him to be more serious, to which Brighton replied that being lax was better than quaking in their boots. Neinheart laughed and noted that they were still the same, jokingly likening them to a pair of cockroaches. Belle quickly grew furious, while Brighton laughed awkwardly, with Checky attempting to calm Belle down. Neinheart then assured her that he was joking before asking the Resistance leaders to take care during the battle.

Back at the White Spear, Cygnus told the Adversary that the emblem of the Alliance represented their mutual trust and the courage to stand against evil. She showed them the jewel on her wrist that Shinsoo had given her and explained that as commander, it was her duty to nurture that trust and courage, adding that she was determined to do just that. (A/N: Cygnus Knights get exclusive dialogue here, in which they vow that they’ll protect the Empress with that same determination.)

Cygnus then announced that it was time to launch all Alliance ships to Tenebris. Before they launched, however, Neinheart told the Adversary that he had something to give them. He presented them Tana’s necklace which they had recovered in Sellas, explaining that it would be helpful for them to keep it with them, as it was an item which had once belonged to the Transcendent of Light. (A/N: If the player hasn’t completed Sellas, Neinheart will merely state that Tana’s necklace had been recovered from the Origin Sea without going into detail about the operation.) With that, Cygnus commanded the Alliance fleet to take off, with hundreds of smaller ships launching alongside the White Spear, including the Lumiere and the Nautilus, heading straight into a large portal that would take them into the Arcane River.

Several hours later, Neinheart reported that they were passing over the Esfera base camp, which had vanished without a trace. He told the Adversary that they would soon be arriving at Moonbridge, which was the Alliance’s name for the path that had bridged Esfera with the Black Moon, before it had become the Black Sun.

As they entered Moonbridge, Kyrin reported that the Nautilus had encountered heavy turbulence ahead, with monsters emerging from the thick fog to attack the fleet. Just then, Edea and Claudine reported that powerful monsters had just attacked the Nova and Resistance fleets as well. Disturbed by the turbulence behind the fog and the monster attack, Neinheart asked the Adversary to handle the incoming enemies first and obtain samples from them. The Adversary returned with Wicked Soul Remains, which Edea began analyzing.

As she did, the Adversary reported that there seemed to be no shortage of monsters, which seemed to be coming out of the fog. Just then, Kyrin reported that a thick wall of fog was blocking the fleet’s path, with Cygnus realizing that it was the source of turbulence. Neinheart realized that it would be difficult to pierce through, while Claudine added that she was certain that the monsters were being created from behind it.

Edea soon finished her analysis and revealed that a dark entity within the fog was crafting the monsters from pure Erda. Neinheart asked whether it was coming from Tenebris, to which Edea replied that it was difficult to say without piercing through the fog. Claudine suggested focusing their firepower on a single point, to which Neinheart replied that the White Spear’s cannon was currently charging up, though the monsters were swarming around it, making it difficult to get a clear shot.

Kyrin explained that she had learned that the monsters were being drawn to strong energy, which was likely why they were swarming around the cannon. In order to handle the threat, Neinheart proposed scattering the fleet and having each ship generate enough power to draw the monsters towards them, thereby clearing a path for the White Spear’s cannon to pierce through the fog.

Claudine decided to lead the charge, claiming that disruption and baiting was the Resistance’s specialty. With the Nova taking the rear, Neinheart asked the Adversary to protect the Resistance ships as they drew in the monsters. The Adversary met with the Resistance leaders, who explained that Checky was planning to set off detonations to draw in the enemy. Together, they worked to set off the charges and finish off the drawing throng of monsters.

Soon enough, Neinheart reported to Cygnus that their line of fire had been secured. On Cygnus’ command, the White Spear fired its cannon and created a large hole in the fog, allowing the Alliance fleet to push through. As the Alliance began celebrating taking their first step towards Tenebris, Cygnus thanked the Adversary for their help, though she warned that they didn’t know what dangers awaited them on the other side of the fog.

Some time later, the Adversary found Cygnus collapsed on the deck of the White Spear. They quickly rushed to her side and asked her whether she was okay, to which Cygnus apologized, noting that a commander shouldn’t be showing weakness during a battle. She admitted that she was still afraid, as she feared what awaited them after getting past their first major hurdle. She added that she couldn’t stop having such negative thoughts, and that she worried whether they would be able to defeat the Black Mage at all.

The Adversary reassured her that they would prevail, to which Cygnus confessed that her fears made her wonder whether she would be able to fulfill her responsibilities as a leader and bring her people back home safely. Realizing that Cygnus was afraid of showing weakness to her allies, the Adversary consoled her and assured her that her fears were unfounded, and that she should focus on doing what only she could do. (A/N: Here, the player gets a choice between telling Cygnus that she doesn’t have to carry the burden alone, or that it’s natural to be afraid.)

Elsewhere, a Nova ship began entering an even thicker fog, where the Nova aboard the ship began hallucinating chains and thousands of terrible eyes staring through the fog, with several Nova being consumed by their despair and negative feelings, just as Cygnus had. Aboard a Resistance ship, the Resistance leaders noted that the fog had grown even heavier, and that they could feel an ominous chill in the air. Suddenly, a Resistance soldier arrived and reported that new enemies were appearing out of the fog and disappearing, leaving behind a feeling of dread and helplessness.

On the White Spear, Neinheart explained that the Nova ships were reporting an emergency, for which the Adversary was dispatched to investigate. Arriving at the Nova fleet, the Adversary saw immense chains wrapping tightly around the ships. They rushed aboard, where they found one Nova soldier barely conscious amidst his unconscious comrades. At his request, the Adversary destroyed the chains, feeling the presence of a powerful soul as they did. Realizing that something was wrong, the Adversary reported back to Edea and met with the Alliance leaders remotely.

With all the Alliance leaders reporting that their soldiers were seeing chains and thousands of eyes, as well as losing their will to fight, Neinheart noted that they needed to find a way to respond to the threat. Edea replied that all the enemies were emitting strong thoughts, which meant that it had to be linked to the Black Mage. Neinheart realized that they needed to get closer to Tenebris in order to find the source, but just as he spoke, the Giant Monster Gloom emerged from the fog and loomed ominously in the distance.

Edea noted that Gloom had been created from the malevolent thoughts of the Black Mage, which were strong enough to sweep any ordinary person away. Because of this, she explained that the ominous aura and feelings of despair were spreading from the monsters being created by Gloom with those malevolent thoughts. She noted that they would likely need to reach Gloom’s core in order to destroy it, though she warned that it would be difficult to reach it. The Adversary immediately volunteered to reach the core, for which Neinheart ordered the fleet to regroup.

Cygnus then declared that the White Spear would take point and lead the charge, replying to a surprised Neinheart that it was the very reason why the flagship had been made. On her command, the Alliance fleet began to regroup as the soldiers fought through the incoming wave of monsters for the Adversary to get closer to Gloom. Though Cygnus herself led the charge to boost morale, Neinheart reported that the front lines were falling as the Alliance soldiers began succumbing to the despair of the Black Mage’s powerful thoughts.

Refusing to let her allies give up, Cygnus used Shinsoo’s bracelet to create a powerful shield of light in order to defend them from the onslaught. Emboldened by Cygnus’ leadership, the Alliance soldiers pushed on behind her, with Cygnus noting to herself that her allies had protected her with bruised hands like hers were now, and that it was now her turn to protect them. From the distance, the Adversary saw the brilliant light from the White Spear and felt as though Cygnus was calling to them to keep pushing forward.

Suddenly, however, Gloom emitted its own light as it shot a powerful beam of energy that easily shattered Cygnus’ shield and unleashed a barrage of devastation on the White Spear. Cygnus quickly attempted to create another shield, but found that Shinsoo’s power appeared to have been depleted entirely from it. Though she prayed to be granted the strength to protect everyone, Cygnus found that the shield had lost its light as she fell into despair herself. As she collapsed, Cygnus heard the morale of the soldiers dwindling as their allies began succumbing to their injuries and their helplessness.

In the depths of darkness, however, Cygnus recalled the Adversary’s earlier words of encouragement to her, reminding her to do what only she could do. Remembering the determination which had led the Alliance to where they currently were, Cygnus inscribed those feelings upon her heart and vowed to do whatever was in her power to lead her people to victory, declaring that it was her duty as the Empress to shoulder the burdens of her people and become a shield to protect their determination.

Resolute in her own determination, Cygnus stood up and empowered the Alliance soldiers to fight alongside her. Upon seeing the Empress still fighting, the others around her stood up and fought the monsters in spite of their injuries, just as the Adversary arrived at the White Spear. Relieved to see that they had managed to rendezvous with the flagship, Cygnus asked them to finish off Gloom while the others cleared a path to the core. The Adversary then confronted Gloom and destroyed its core, causing the giant monster to disintegrate into pieces.

With Gloom defeated, the Adversary returned back to the White Spear and met with Edea, who reported that the path to Tenebris would soon open up. They then encountered Ollie standing beside a chest leaking with ominous energy. Ollie explained that the chest contained a fragment of Gloom’s core, and that she had been tasked with transporting it back to the Outpost for analysis, as the Alliance leaders believed that they could learn something important from the core, which had been formed out of the Black Mage’s thoughts.

The Adversary then met with Kyrin, who told them that they had all seen a beacon of light shining as a ray of hope in the midst of their despair, and that it had been through the Alliance’s collective determination that they had secured victory. The Resistance leaders then congratulated the Adversary for their work in defeating such a powerful foe, adding that they would soon be moving ahead towards Tenebris, though they added that Cygnus wanted to speak with them first.

The Adversary then met with Cygnus, who thanked them for their hard work and encouragement, adding that it had been their words of advice which had brought her back from the brink of giving up when Shinsoo’s shield had broken and she had believed that all was lost. She explained that she had finally learned what it was that only she could do: to never give up and to lift others’ spirits up, even in the most desperate moments. She added that she would not waver again, as their collective determination was stronger than the darkness that sought to drag them down. Neinheart then reported that they would take a short break before resuming the operation to head towards Tenebris. Just he spoke, however, a Cygnus Knight reported in that an explosion had taken place while transporting the core fragment, and that Ollie had gone missing.

(A/N: At the end of the Moonbridge storyline, Cygnus Knights get an extra quest with Neinheart, who asks them if they had seen the light that the Empress had wielded to block Gloom’s attack. He notes that her power was much stronger than what she had used to save Shinsoo after Damien’s attack. He reminds us that the Cygnus Knights’ power is directly linked to that of the Empress, to which we note that we can feel a surge of strength within us. Neinheart explains that though he doesn’t know what this means for the future, the boost in power is nevertheless helpful for their current situation. Following this conversation, Cygnus Knights’ 5th job skill “Empress Cygnus’ Blessing” gets upgraded into “Transcendent Cygnus’ Blessing”.

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

The scene between Shinsoo and Cygnus early in this storyline, as well as its connection with this exclusive quest, is somewhat recontextualized by the Arteria storyline, which reveals that Shinsoo is an Ancient God. This revelation elaborates a bit more about the kind of power that Cygnus wields throughout the game, whether it’s Shinsoo’s Ancient God powers, her own partially-awakened Transcendent powers, and sometimes a combination of the two.

Based on everything we know from past storylines, combined with the Arteria storyline and a bit of headcanon, Shinsoo was tasked by the Overseers with watching over the Empress’ bloodline until the day that a new Transcendent is needed to replace one that’s disappeared, whether that’s Rhinne or Alicia (or possibly the Black Mage, but the mechanics for mortal-born Transcendents have gotten pretty wonky over the years, so I’m not sure how the specifics for that would work.)

Since Zero replaced Rhinne and Alicia is still technically alive, Cygnus’ unexpected awakening at a moment when all the Transcendents are around puts her in a limbo state as a Transcendent-in-reserve until Zero or Alicia die, allowing her to replace them as a fully-awakened Transcendent. Zero dying is never gonna happen for obvious reasons, and Alicia dying may or may not happen depending on what Darmoor has planned, but given that he’s harvesting the power of higher beings, rather than killing them outright, it’s unlikely that Cygnus fully awakening is in the cards at this time.

In regard to Cygnus and her powers, the only power that the Empress is meant to wield is Shinsoo’s, which Shinsoo can’t manifest on her own, likely because the Transcendents suppress her powers as an Ancient God. As a result, each Empress spends years in a state of weakness until their adult body can handle the power of the gods flowing into them. Through Cygnus as a medium, Shinsoo can manifest her powers in order to strengthen the Cygnus Knights and create the protective barrier around Ereve.

After Cygnus prematurely awakened as a Transcendent-in-reserve, the Knights got an added power boost through Cygnus’ new abilities, which is independent of Shinsoo’s. After Shinsoo left Ereve, Cygnus likely stopped absorbing Shinsoo’s powers without the two of them being in close proximity to each other, until Shinsoo gave her the diadem that contains a portion of her Ancient God powers. Because of this, Cygnus - who’s now reached adulthood - can fully command Shinsoo’s powers, on top of the Transcendent powers that she’s awakened, allowing her - and the Knights, by extension - to grow even more powerful.)