PART III: AFTER THE UNSEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 44: Moonbridge

• With the final battle approaching, the Adversary and the Esfera base camp were called back to Ereve, where the Adversary was filled in on the situation by Neinheart. Neinheart explained that immense chains were pulling Maple World closer into the Arcane River, with powerful Erda monsters attacking various parts of the world.

• He revealed that the Alliance had recovered several prophecies from the Black Mage’s laboratory in Magatia, which foretold many key events in Maple World’s history, such as Black Heaven and the Dark World Tree incident. Neinheart then showed the final prophecy written upon it:

  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.

• Consumed with nightmares about their predetermined destiny, Empress Cygnus had sought out Shinsoo in Leafre, where Shinsoo had given her a diadem containing her divine power. Following this, Cygnus had put out a call to the Alliance to gather for the final battle.

• Neinheart took the Adversary to the Outpost, a large floating island where the White Spear - the Alliance flagship - was docked. Neinheart also revealed that a mysterious divine light had transformed into the Goddess Statues, which responded to the Alliance’s determination. He then told the Adversary that there was a final writing by the Black Mage recovered from Magatia, which simply stated: “Only the Adversary can counter immortality’s fate with the strength of a Seal Stone.”

• The united Alliance fleet then launched alongside the White Spear through a portal that led to the Arcane River. The fleet then set sail along Moonbridge, the name that the Alliance had given to the path that bridged Esfera and the Black Moon, before it had become the Black Sun. Along the way, they began battling the Erda creatures which had been assailing Maple World.

• Soon enough, they encountered the giant monster Gloom, whose eye unleashed a powerful laser that decimated a large majority of the fleet, despite Cygnus’ attempts to create a shield of light with her unawakened Transcendent powers and Shinsoo’s strength.

• Though Cygnus’ resolve was fading, the Adversary helped her regain her fortitude, allowing them to rescue the Alliance fleet and face Gloom once again. Together, the Adversary and Cygnus defeated Gloom’s core, which was recovered for study, as it had been formed from the Black Mage’s soul. During transportation back to the Outpost, however, the core exploded, leaving Ollie - who had been in charge of recovering it - missing.