When the next moon arrives, You rise to your feet, and Seraphine manifests beside You. She laughs as You turn your head in her direction.
Seraphine: I still can't believe that this is actually real… I'm standing here, and you're right there. Against all odds, we're here and breathing at the same time.
You nod and say that the end of the previous moon brought many surprises.
Seraphine: I finally feel as if we understood Magnolia for the first time since we were last here in the monastery. Everything has changed around us, but… At least she's come to trust us once again. I think that's a significant step for us to take, wouldn't you agree?
You say that You feel the same.
Seraphine: For now, let's go and see what we can hear about for the coming moon and its mission. I think that would do us some good.
Seraphine retreats to hide inside of your mind, and You say that You are happy she is agreeing to such a thing. You know that You will have to explain her presence to others sooner or later, but for the time being, You are content to keep her presence quiet at her request.
You make your way to the cardinals' room and find the Blue Lions there as expected. Magnolia is looking down at a map of the continent, and You find that she is far less tense than she was prior to the previous mission. You realize that a weight has been taken off her shoulders since You conversed with her about all that has transpired in the past few years.
Magnolia: Good morning, Professor. We were just planning our next mission into other territories, and we've run into… Well, let's just say that we've found a problem or two.
Luciana: The charge through Leicester has caused a few nobles to attempt to flee to Faerghus. Because of the coup taking place in the Empire, nobody feels safe to go there. Many nobles and high-ranking officials are being targeted by the rebels, after all.
Aestlyn: And so, we have one group of invading fighters moving in our direction. They haven't breached the border yet, but it would be for the best if we intercepted them before it can grow to be a larger issue.
Reese: The territory that you have circled is House Admoderor… They certainly are moving quite a way to get away from the Alliance. The Empire would have been an easier target for them, but they decided to come our way instead.
Falon: We'll do what we can to stop them then. It's the least that we can do at this point. We need to make sure that nothing happens on either side of the border, and Raithius likely has more than enough to focus on right now.
Illona: I understand. We'll stay on our guard, and if they manage to go over the border and pass into Faerghus territory, then we'll lash out with all of the force that we have to make sure that nothing bad takes place.
Nora: Perfect. We can wait to see if anything else happens in other territories as well. There's not much left for us to move through as far as I can tell… I'm sure that you've already heard the report from the informants.
Cassia: I have, as a matter of fact. Other Malice troops have been left to retreat because of our actions in Schweighen territory. The previous moon's battle certainly helped to spur a quick retreat as well.
Karim: I bet that a lot of the Malice forces are terrified of what could happen to them if they stick around. I think we've made it pretty clear that we aren't going to be playing around from here on out.
Kyle: I think that one thing we've learned from this endeavor is that the battle isn't over for us. Stopping the assassins isn't where it all ends here. There are more things for us to take care of, and there's probably another leader out there that we have to stop.
Magnolia: That's the other thing that I wanted to bring up. I believe that there's a greater commander behind all of this as well. We're going to have to keep our eyes peeled to make sure that they don't come slithering out of the shadows when we aren't paying attention.
Luciana: I'll focus our attention on gathering information this moon as well. We're going to need it if we want to make sure that the Admoderor nobles are staying on their side of the border in the coming weeks.
Reese: I think that we have a few other things to go over regarding information, as a matter of fact. We know that charges have been taking place in both the Empire and the Alliance. Do we have any updates on either one?
Falon: Well, we already know that the Alliance is so far seeing success in its charges. The Admoderor nobles wouldn't be on the run right now if that wasn't the case. I think we can expect backup from Raithius' forces soon enough.
Cassia: Perfect… The Empire appears to be going through much the same. Some are even starting to believe that perhaps the rebellion will reclaim the capital at this rate. Enbarr has been under strict patrol for the past five years…
Nora: Given the morale of the rebellion, all it could take is one afternoon to shift the tides of everything that we've known in the past five years. We should try to arrange a meeting with the one behind this.
Kyle: That'll be easier said than done. As far as I can tell, they're incredibly secretive and have been holding tightly to the truth behind their identity. All that we have access to at this point are rumors.
Karim: We'll get the chance to work it out soon enough, I'm sure. For now, I think that we should go to take care of our separate business. Battle or not, we've got quite a few preparations to take care of.
Aestlyn: Karim has a point. We'd be happy to listen once again if you happen to find out anything else about what's going on in the world, Magnolia. Please fill us in on any extra details that arise.
Illona: I'll do what I can to go searching as well. I don't know how much success I'll see, but I still want to at least make an attempt. I like to think that I've gotten pretty good at it in the past five years.
Magnolia: Thank you. I'll do what I can to tell you as soon as we hear something new. Meeting dismissed.
You nod as You leave behind the cardinals' room alongside the other Blue Lions. Only Magnolia and Luciana stay behind. Seraphine speaks to You.
Seraphine: It seems like talking to her during the previous moon really did the trick… Seeing her mother probably helped to ease all of the weight caused by her queenly duties as well.
You say that You assume the same.
Seraphine: We can see how she's doing again a bit later. For the time being, let's start our rounds of the monastery. They weren't kidding when they said that we had quite a bit to take care of yet.
You nod your understanding. After You arrive back at your room, You decide to start looking around the monastery just as Seraphine suggested. Her voice is brought to a halt in your mind as the exploration session begins. You move to the Officers Academy first, and You find Illona in the courtyard there.
Illona: House Admoderor isn't exactly one known for its pleasant nature. In fact, that's far from being the case. During the invasion led by Raithius' forces, the lord and lady were separated from their son. I guess he got fed up with their policies and decided to make his own place in the world… I can't say I blame him.
You also find Kyle standing in the Blue Lions classroom.
Kyle: It still doesn't feel real to me, you know… Thinking that we actually managed to get rid of the assassins that killed my parents so long ago. I didn't realize that I needed to find peace in such a topic until after we started searching for them, but all of that is in the past now. Everything is okay now… And I love being able to say that.
You make your way to the training hall next. Inside, You find Karim.
Karim: The assassins from before being defeated means that we're going to be able to press on without worrying about covering our backs in Faerghus. That's a serious relief, you know… Perhaps I'm a bit biased because my home was almost targeted, but… I still stand by my statement.
You also find Rodain in the training hall.
Rodain: I wonder what's going to happen if Lady Aisa does wind up being found by the Knights of Seiros… Captain Torryn still has a large number of forces on her side, and I suspect that she'll be able to accomplish this. If anybody can do it, then it's her… But it really does make you wonder about what the future could hold.
Finally, You cross paths with Derric.
Derric: Enbarr has been held within Imperial territory for more than five years now. The current emperor seized his position by force, and he's kept a tight grip on the city ever since. To think that it could be finally toppled in a matter of just a few moons… It's ridiculous to imagine, and yet, here we are.
You make your way towards the bottom row of dorms next. You see Florence standing in the area.
Florence: I don't know how I feel about the idea that nobles are starting to flee into other territories because of the invasions of Leicester and Adrestia. Well, I say invasion, but it's more of just… Pushing back after all this time. I hope that we don't have to put up with more of this after the coming mission.
Further down the row, You also run into Niko.
Niko: All of this constant activity has been exhausting… I'm no longer quite as obsessed with sleep as I once was, but I still wish that I had a moment or two to breathe. I guess that I'll just have to make that time for myself… So much has been happening. It's almost dizzying to think about.
You make your way to the second floor of dorms. There, You cross paths with Adeline.
Adeline: As soon as I heard about the push in Leicester, I came to the conclusion that something of this nature was going to happen with my parents… I thought that Raithius would defeat them himself, but instead, here I am… I'm going to have to be involved with their downfall… This isn't going to be easy, but I'm going to follow through with it. You have my word on that much.
You move back down to the main level of the monastery. You enter the greenhouse next, and You find Nora inside.
Nora: It's almost strange how shady the rebellion force in Adrestia is being. I understand wanting to be cautious, but it feels… I don't know, almost unnatural. Normally, you would expect news of their leader to spread rapidly, but we know nothing. It's weird… Just something to think about, I guess.
You also find Nesreen in the greenhouse.
Nesreen: No matter how much searching I do, I can't figure out who the leader of the resistance of the Empire is. I'm sure the answer will come to us soon enough, but for now, it's a mystery… It's frustrating to not know this. I hope that the truth comes out as soon as possible. I'm getting sick of not knowing.
You make your way to the fishing hole. You find Grey standing there.
Grey: I got a letter from Eli and Quinn recently, you know. They're going to be coming back soon. As far as I can tell, they finished their previous mission and are moving this way. Abyss has missed them… I think we all have, actually.
You also find William in the fishing hole's general vicinity.
William: It's great to know that the Alliance is going to be freed soon enough. I'm confident that Raithius will be more than able to take care of what's been causing us issues. I think that we all know about how efficient he is. Soon enough, we'll be able to fight alongside him… That's what I'm hoping for, anyways.
You make your way to the area of the sauna next, and You find Yuliya standing there by herself.
Yuliya: I wonder who the leader of all this is… There has to be somebody. I bet that it's not the assassin that we just finished taking care of either. We would already be aware if that was the case, and Malice hasn't completely fallen apart yet. We'll have to be ready for whatever comes next.
Your next destination is the dining hall. You find Zelhira there.
Zelhira: I think that the resistance in the Empire will be marching towards Enbarr later this moon… Imagine if something happens so that this time next moon, we're talking about the victory of the resistance forces. That sure would be something special… I never thought it would come to something like this. None of us did.
You also cross paths with Aestlyn in the dining hall.
Aestlyn: House Admoderor… At one point, they shared a Crest with my family, but since I'm the only survivor of House Aster, that means that the Crest is only with them now. I don't like the idea that they're on the side of Malice, but there's nothing we can do about it now.
Finally, You see Cedric.
Cedric: Thinking about House Admoderor bothers me quite a bit, you know. They were alright with turning on the people that they were meant to serve as soon as times grew to be difficult for them. How cowardly… I don't understand how anyone can simply abandon others this way. It's nothing short of obscene.
You move towards the marketplace next. There, You find Tuncay.
Tuncay: I'm hoping that the resistance will have taken care of the current emperor by this time next moon. I've never been fond of the guy, and many nobles have been eliminated along the way. The continent is on the verge of entering a new era, and I can't wait to see what it holds. Imagine how incredible this could be… I'm excited for it, and I think everyone else should be too.
You also find Taiyin in the marketplace.
Taiyin: I heard from Grey that we're going to be able to see Eli and Quinn again soon. I can't wait for that. Things in Abyss simply aren't the same without them around. I think that everyone else feels the same way. It'll be nice to see them again after all this time.
You make your way towards the stables next. There, You find Lev standing with his wyvern.
Lev: I'm looking forward to potentially meeting with Raithius once again. If Captain Torryn finds Lady Aisa as well, that will bring everything back to the way that it was before the invasion took place… Well… For the most part. I love the idea regardless though.
You also find Miriam in the area.
Miriam: I have to say that Captain Torryn's determination is nothing if not admirable. I don't know how anyone can hold onto hope for so long despite there being minimal evidence of what you're searching for. She's always been a special one, I suppose… I shouldn't be too surprised.
Your next target destination is the knights' hall. You find Piers in the area.
Piers: Times have been chaotic as of late, but at least the enemy forces are starting to grow frazzled. We hit hard last moon, and we're going to keep on with it until the war is over. There are others for us to defeat next. Soon, all of them will go down… I can't wait for that day to arrive.
You also cross paths with Wynne there.
Wynne: It feels weird not having Captain Torryn in here… I know that it's been ages since she was last in this area, but it still bothers me quite a bit. I miss seeing her, I guess. She's nice to be around. But I know that she has important things to focus on right now, and I'm not going to get in the way of that.
You walk to the entrance hall next. There, You find Callisto standing by herself.
Callisto: Imagine what will happen if the resistance truly does defeat the current emperor… Maybe we'll finally wind up with a good ruler. It seems like that hasn't happened in ages. The previous emperor certainly didn't apply. He was terrible, and… Pardon me for being crass, but I think that he almost deserved what happened to him.
You find Hegias standing nearby.
Hegias: I still don't know about what could have happened with Evenor… I've been trying to not bother anybody by bringing it up, but it bothers me that she's still out there somewhere. What if she's hurting people right now? I don't have any evidence when I say something like that, but it still bothers me.
Finally, You cross paths with Adrian.
Adrian: I've started thinking about what we'll all be doing when the war ends… I know that we all have our separate paths to follow, but I can say that I'm going to miss everyone too. This is a comforting environment even if the world outside of the monastery's halls is terrifying. It's a strange paradox, but… I like it here.
You walk up towards the reception hall. You find Wolfgang inside.
Wolfgang: I've been in contact with my spies throughout the Alliance, and I'm pretty sure that no other nobles have managed to get away from Raithius and Novalee. They've been strikingly thorough, you know. They're going to be finished with their battle soon. That much I'm positive of.
You also find Saias in the area.
Saias: Peace is finally returning to the Alliance. It isn't a safe place by any stretch of the imagination, not compared to how it used to be, but this is still progress, and that's what matters most to me. We've been so afraid for so long, but… We won't need to be soon enough.
You make your way towards the cathedral next. You find Aquillus on the bridge.
Aquillus: I'm looking forward to seeing the Empire freed of Malice influence. So much has changed there in the past five years, and the people living there most certainly deserve peace. Soon, they'll understand what they've been missing out on. That's my hope, at the very least.
You find Cassia inside of the cathedral itself.
Cassia: Faerghus' Malice forces are both frazzled yet calm in the face of our continued charge. I believe that there are two conflicting forces among our foes. One half fought on the behalf of the nobles who wanted to see Magnolia eliminated to fit their own goals. The other half has entirely different aims… We'll simply have to wait to see what their purpose could possibly be. We don't have any leads yet, but I get the feeling that will all change soon.
You also find Sofia there.
Sofia: I've been communicating with my brother quite a bit since House Ruden fell, you know… He's currently with Raithius and Novalee. I didn't think that he would want to stay so close to them, but life is full of surprises, I suppose. At least he's safe. That's all I can really ask for at this point.
With your business on the first floor of the monastery finished, You head down below to Abyss. You find Ernst in the library as anticipated.
Ernst: It's almost strange to think about it this way, but… I believe that what's happening right now will wind up in the history books one day. It's just a matter of time before people are studying our actions throughout this war. Imagine how strange that will be… We'll be abstract figures of the past… Fascinating how time works, isn't it?
Magnus is also in the library.
Magnus: The fall of the assassins is certainly a good thing for us, but we can't let ourselves be caught up in our victory. There will always be another attack. There always is. Weakness only opens us up to the next strike. I'll be working to refine my magic until well after the war draws to a close. That's the only way that we can make sure everyone remains safe and alive. Caution is key in this current era.
You cross paths with Tsubasa on Burrow Street.
Tsubasa: I still don't think that I can properly express how happy I am that Bazler is gone. The change is growing more noticeable each day. Everyone just seems so much happier around here… It's sickening that someone like that was given the chance to grow so powerful in the first place… At least he's gone now.
You find Gabriel in his room on Chrysalis Row.
Gabriel: I've grown more comfortable with exploring the monastery as of late because of the downfall of Bazler, but I still come back here at the end of the day… I don't think I'll ever be able to leave even if I am technically free now. Abyss is my home, and nothing is going to change that now.
Finally, You find Ansel in the Ashen Wolves' classroom.
Ansel: Oh, Eli and Quinn are finally about to come back… It's been lonely without them. You never realize how much space two people can take up until they aren't there anymore. Abyss feels different with the two of them out elsewhere, but at least they'll return here soon. I'm looking forward to it.
You move to the second floor of the monastery. You find Kaeta standing in the audience chamber.
Kaeta: I still can't believe that Lady Aisa might be alive… Captain Torryn is getting closer than ever to figuring out what's going on, and I can't wait to hear about what she finds. After searching for so long, something might finally come of this… Imagine that. It just gets me so excited to think about!
You find Herwig inside of his room.
Herwig: There hasn't ever been a rapid shift of power like this in the Empire before, you know… Three rulers in five years is unheard of, but I suppose that this situation is much the same way. None of us realized this was going to happen until it did, after all. This was bound to happen given how chaotic everything has been, I suppose…
You see Jill in her room as well.
Jill: All that was found following Lady Aisa's disappearance was a lock of her hair. It was in the last place where anyone saw her before the monastery began to crumble under Imperial influence. We all jumped to conclusions when we thought that meant she was dead and gone, it seems.
You make your way to the commons' room next. You find Reese inside.
Reese: Raina sent me a letter about how she's already getting settled down in the capital. She's received the information that she was looking for too, and… She wants to spend more time with me after the war is over. I don't know what to say about it all… After so long, my dreams are finally coming true…
You also find Falon in the area.
Falon: Everyone seems to be doing better after the previous mission… War has taught us all to take things one day at a time, one foot in front of the other, but we're finally able to take advantage of joy now. After spending so long struggling, we think we're going to be okay… I'm glad to have this feeling, I have to say. It's been so long since we last saw peace…
Finally, You find Magnolia and Luciana in the cardinals' room planning for the coming moon.
Luciana: You know, Magnolia… You've been acting rather strangely as of late.
Magnolia: Have I now?
Luciana: Yeah… You've been happier since the last mission ended. It's nice to see you this way… It's like how you were on the few occasions we met years ago, back before you were queen.
Magnolia: I guess that I've just finally started to allow myself to open up again.
Luciana: I'm glad to hear it… I like this side of you a lot better than the version that hides everything.
Magnolia: Thank you, Luciana.
Luciana: Of course.
With your exploration of the monastery finished, You head back to your room. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.
Seraphine: I don't like the fact that we're going to have to put up with an invasion from an outside territory, but I guess that we don't really have much of a say in the matter… Oh, well. We'll deal with it to the best of our ability.
You nod your agreement as You settle down for the night. You hope that the coming mission ends with success the way that previous battles have. You feel an unexpected lightness this moon, and You realize that it is because of a combination of Magnolia opening up and Seraphine's newfound presence. You close your eyes and fall into a pleasant slumber at this revelation, and You think about what could come within the weeks to come. You vow to defend your comrades no matter what comes, and You decide that Malice will fall soon enough. As soon as the chance arrives, You will topple your foe's forces once and for all…
Update time again!
-Digital