PART IV: AFTER THE DEFEAT OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 15: Tallahart, Tomb of the Gods

• Neinheart summoned the Adversary to Ereve, where Hawkeye reported that with Havoc having revealed himself in Carcion, his original goal to track down Havoc’s location after the battle of Cernium had shifted to him tracking down the Apostles’ movements. He reported that the Apostles had conducted raids to take the power of the Ancient Gods from many areas across Grandis, though the High Flora army had remained stationary in a wasteland near the Arcus desert, at the center of the continent that brushed the border of the High Flora nation.

• Believing that the Flora army was investigating something in the region, Neinheart sent Hawkeye to gather information with the Seekers in Hotel Arcus while sending the Adversary to meet with Carlisle about Seren’s lead. In Cernium, Carlisle told the Adversary that his research about “the place where the world starts again” had pointed him to the legendary city of Tallahart, the Tomb of the Gods, where the Ancient War was said to have begun, and where the gods of Tallahart had met their end, with the city being destroyed overnight.

• As the Adversary reported back to Neinheart on their findings, a mysterious girl named Rue watched the Adversary from afar and resolved to follow them and enlist their aid. The Adversary then met with Hawkeye at Hotel Arcus, where they spoke with Archelon about Tallahart. They learned that Tallahart was where a supreme Ancient God had ruled over the other gods, with mortals eventually revering them and beginning the practice of worshiping them as gods.

• After learning that the ruins of Tallahart were in the same wasteland region that the High Flora were investigating, Neinheart approved a small investigation mission to the ruins. Immediately upon arriving, however, the World Heart began reacting to the dormant power of the gods, causing a powerful storm to manifest over the ruins as Tallahart slowly began reawakening.

• This attracted the attention of the Knights of the Einherjar, which was under the command of Vice Captain Veronica. Veronica was tasked by Captain Baldrix, the Apostle of Darmoor who had attacked the Primacy’s hideout, to proceed as planned while he entered the city, noting that the Adversary and the World Heart had grown much stronger since the Adversary’s battle against Limbo in Carcion.

• Meanwhile, the Adversary and Hawkeye were approached by Rue, who claimed to be a Seeker and offered to help them get past the illusion spell blocking their path in exchange for guiding them into the city, claiming that she wished to claim the ‘godly treasure’ within. Together, the group fought past the vengeful traces of the Ancient Gods, whose residual power had mixed with their hatred towards the Adversaries who had defeated them in order to create powerful monsters.

• At the bridge to the city, the Glory Guard was ambushed by Veronica, though the World Heart reacted to the Adversary’s willpower and instinctively created a protective shield with its divine power. With Veronica having entered the city and left behind powerful rejuvenating golems with Baldrix’s power, Hawkeye stayed behind to hold the golems off while the Adversary and Rue entered the city.

• Inside Tallahart, Rue revealed that the godly treasure could only be obtained by breaking the three seals at the altars of the lesser gods. As they fought past the vengeful spirits of the gods’ power, the pair witnessed echoes of the gods’ memories, in which they witnessed the Ancient Gods of Tallahart being defeated by the Adversaries of Odium.

• On the way to the first altar, they were stopped by Veronica, whom the Adversary easily defeated with the power of the World Heart. After a furious Veronica was forced to retreat by one of Baldrix’s portals, the pair arrived at the first seal, where Baldrix revealed himself and immediately sensed a strange aura from Rue, causing him to change his plans and attack the Adversary with a draining crystal.

• Immediately, the World Heart reacted and shattered the draining crystal with its greater power, breaking the seal as Baldrix disappeared. As the World Heart began absorbing the power of the gods of Tallahart inside the seal, the Adversary witnessed memories of the supreme Ancient God of Tallahart, Noctis, whose immense power allowed her to easily defeat the Adversaries of Odium sent to destroy her.

• Meanwhile, the Primacy arrived at Tallahart and used special bullets created by Gob to defeat the rejuvenating golems, saving Hawkeye’s life before ordering him to tell them where the Adversary was. The Primacy confronted the Adversary and demanded that they surrender the power of the Ancient Gods, claiming that they wished to make weapons with that power, though Rue was enraged that the Primacy believed the power of the gods to be nothing more than tools for them to exploit. Hawkeye then brokered a deal to lend the Adversary as a weapon against the Primacy’s enemies, with the Primacy offering their aid against the Knights of the Einherjar.

• The group then reached the second seal, which the Adversary broke by absorbing more of the divine power within. They then witnessed memories of the Ancient Gods of Tallahart confronting Noctis, expressing their fear of the Overseers now that their immortality was under threat from the Adversaries. Though Noctis remained unconcerned by the Overseers, believing that her supreme power would allow her to keep herself and her twin sister safe, the other gods secretly conspired to steal Noctis’ power in order to save themselves.

• Meanwhile, Baldrix and Veronica monitored the situation from the skies, with Veronica frustrated that Baldrix had changed plans and was allowing the Adversary to keep stealing the power of the gods. However, Baldrix scolded Veronica and told her to remain patient, after which he ordered her to standby and separate the Adversary and Rue from the others while he prepared to face them personally.

• With the others cut off, the Adversary and Rue made their way to the third altar, where Rue expressed her surprise at the Adversary for their compassion towards the Ancient Gods, in stark contrast to their predecessors, who had been puppets created for the sole purpose of being godslayers. After the Adversary absorbed the power of the final seal, they witnessed a memory of the gods forcing Noctis to make a contract, in which she would surrender her power in exchange for the life of her sister, Rue.

• However, the gods betrayed Noctis once again by stripping Rue of her power and banishing her from Tallahart, with Rue vowing to save her sister - whom she called her treasure - as the gods stole Noctis’ power. However, the gods were unable to handle Noctis’ immense strength, resulting in Tallahart’s destruction and the gods’ defeat at the hands of their Adversaries.

• With the seals broken, Rue rushed to save her sister, though Baldrix defeated her and captured her power into a draining crystal. The Adversary soon found Rue dying, with her body scattering away without her power. The Adversary then worked with the Primacy to ambush Baldrix, with the Primacy swearing revenge on him for his earlier massacre of their allies.

• The Adversary then fought and defeated Baldrix, who was impressed by their strength and revealed that a large-scale selection would soon take place, and that only worthy lives - such as the Adversary - would survive and live under Darmoor’s rule. Promising that they would have a proper fight later, Baldrix gave them the draining crystal containing Rue’s power before disappearing as the seal on Noctis broke.

• Recognizing her sister’s stolen power inside the crystal, Noctis fought the Adversary, who managed to defeat her with the power of the World Heart and Noctis’ weakness from the seal aiding their efforts. However, the Adversary refused to take her life and claimed that they would choose a different destiny, surprising Noctis with their decision. After learning that they had actually been helping Rue, Noctis abandoned her desire for revenge against the gods and made a deal to give her remaining power to the Adversary in exchange for Rue’s power, with which she hoped to use their connection as twins to find a way to bring her back to life.

• With their deal concluded, the Adversary and their allies were sent outside Tallahart, where the Primacy reminded the Adversary of their earlier deal to use them for their future missions before returning back to base. The Adversary and Hawkeye then returned back to Ereve, where they reported their findings to Neinheart, who planned to call an Alliance meeting to discuss Darmoor’s selection.

• Meanwhile, Baldrix and Veronica returned to Aboris, where Baldrix noted that the Adversary - whom he called the Vessel - was in more stable condition than anticipated, and that Darmoor’s plans would be possible if the World Heart was completed. After Darmoor thanked him and left to begin the selection, Veronica - angered and frustrated by Baldrix’s decisions - secretly plotted to overthrow him and replace him, not only as the Captain of the Knights of the Einherjar, but to secure an even higher position altogether.