At the end of the moon, You wake up and decide to make your way to the cardinals' room. Seraphine manifests and begins to speak with You.
Seraphine: Alright then… We know what our mission is for the moon, so I don't see a reason to hold this off any longer. I'm sure that the rest of the group is waiting for us anyways.
You nearly collide directly with Illona on your way to the cardinals' room, and You ask her what is wrong when You notice that she looks stressed.
Illona: Professor! Thank goodness you're here! The monastery is under attack! We're going into defense mode!
You nod and say that You will do everything that You can to join the other Blue Lions as soon as possible.
Illona: Got it! I'll see you outside soon!
Before You have a chance to say anything else, Illona runs away, and You frown to yourself. Seraphine speaks to You once again.
Seraphine: So much for our plan to invade Goneril territory… Alright, Professor. Let's go and get into defensive position. We know what we have to do, and we can't hold it off any longer.
You make your way to the front of the monastery and see that the army is bustling about madly to prepare for the coming invasion. You do the same thing before falling into place once preparations are complete. You turn to Magnolia when the battle gets closer to beginning.
Magnolia: It's good to see that everyone managed to get here in time. Our invasion of Goneril territory is going to have to wait a while longer. Malice forces are outside of the monastery gates, and we have to be ready to fight back against them. Come on, everyone! It's time for us to move!
You nod your understanding as You glance out over the battlefield. You are surprised at how crowded the space is, and your eyes go wide. There are too many soldiers to be counted, and the battle reminds You a bit too much of what happened the last time the monastery was invaded five years prior. You shake the thought away and ask Magnolia what You will be doing next.
Magnolia: We've only got one option. It's time for us to charge! Don't let anyone get through the monastery gates! We have to hold the line!
You nod your understanding as the battle begins. The Blue Lions fight fiercely against the onslaught of Malice forces, but You find that there are too many enemies for your forces to be able to eliminate. You can tell that You will need reinforcements to deal with the consistent stream of foes marching in your direction.
At the start of turn two, the following dialogue plays out.
Falon: There are so many of them! I don't know how we're supposed to keep this up!
Karim: We have to try no matter what! We can't let them break through us!
Illona: I don't see a commander around here… They have to be hiding.
Nora: You're right. They wouldn't be able to lead an invasion this large without a leader.
Cassia: We should go and see if there's anything we can do to discover who it is then.
Aestlyn: But there's no way we'll be able to break through the enemy line!
Kyle: There are simply too many of them. We have to find another way to win.
Reese: We'll hold out for as long as we can manage then. Don't let anyone get past!
Luciana: I agree. We can focus on matters involving the commander later on in the fight.
Magnolia: I hope that Raithius doesn't start moving towards Goneril territory… Damn it, we could really use his help right about now…
At the start of the third turn, the following dialogue plays out. Raithius and the Golden Deer appear from the back of the map directly behind the enemy forces. Note: all dialogue not said by Raithius and Novalee only plays out if the specific character was not added to the party before the war began. Conrad and Calypso are also present with them.
Raithius: Phew! I sure am glad that we decided to come here before marching on Goneril lands!
Novalee: It appears that Malice got to them before we could though… At least we're here now.
Wolfgang: Hey there, everybody! You seem to be having a bit of trouble here, so let us lend you a quick hand!
Sofia: Garreg Mach… Man, it sure has been a while since I saw this place.
Conrad: The monastery is just as impressive as I heard it was… The enemies are new though.
Adeline: I don't why Malice thought storming this place would be a good idea, but we're here to make sure nothing bad happens.
Calypso: There are so many enemies… We'll have to give our all to this fight if we want to break through.
William: We have to make sure that our friends inside of the monastery aren't hurt!
Lev: They could certainly use the reinforcements as soon as possible.
Cedric: My lance is ready for whatever needs to be done.
Raithius: I'm glad that we've come to the same conclusion. Now, let's show these Malice soldiers why you should never cross the Alliance!
Raithius' team joins the fight as allied units, though they are out of your control. Their assistance helps to cut down on the numerous reinforcements, but there are still far too many foes for your team to manage without issues.
At the start of turn five, Cordelia, the Knights of Seiros, and members of the Church of Seiros appear at the top left segment of the map. All Knights of Seiros who have not been recruited will be with her. Note: all dialogue not said by Cordelia only plays out if the specific character was not added to the party before the war began. Nesreen, Niko, Adrian, Yuliya, Kaeta, and Derric have no dialogue here due to their plot-based recruitment from Part One.
Cordelia: I'm glad that we were able to catch up with them… I was terrified when I saw that there were Malice soldiers marching on Garreg Mach, but we've managed to reach them.
Piers: It's been too long since we were last here…
Rodain: I wish we could return on better terms.
Wynne: They aren't going to know what hit them.
Miriam: If these miscreants truly wish to begin conflict, they will feel the consequences of their actions.
Herwig: It's truly a relief to see that this building is still standing…
Reese: How incredible it is to see familiar faces.
Cordelia: Knights of Seiros, we move! Aid the Leicester army at once!
Magnolia: Captain Torryn! I didn't realize you were going to be coming!
Cordelia: Of course I'm here. You needed my help whether you mentioned it or not. Now, how about we go on and bring this fight to an end? These guys seem to be giving you a bit of trouble.
Magnolia: We could use the assistance for sure. Thank you so much for coming when you did!
Cordelia: There's no need to thank me. I'm just doing my duty.
The Knights of Seiros and their church-affiliated allies charge into battle soon afterwards. The battle is starting to shift in your favor, but there are still too many enemies for You to count flooding onto the battlefield. You cannot help but think about how lucky You are to have already run into so many old friends in such a short period of time.
At the start of turn seven, the following dialogue plays out as Eli, Quinn, and the Ashen Wolves appear at the bottom of the map. Note: this dialogue only appears if Cindered Shadows has been completed. Note: all dialogue not said by Eli or Quinn only plays out if the specific character was not added to the party before the war began.
Eli: Garreg Mach is in a state of chaos… I'm glad that we arrived when we did.
Quinn: I pray that nothing has happened to Abyss in our absence…
Grey: The fight already seems pretty damn intense.
Taiyin: I hope nobody's gotten hurt…
Saias: We'll do what we can to lift the weight on your shoulders!
Ansel: Let's see what this battle brings…!
Tsubasa: This is bound to be an interesting experience.
Gabriel: I was looking forward to coming back home, but I suppose this fight has to take priority.
Magnus: They're all fools for crossing me, and I'll have to show them with brute force!
Ernst: It seems we have no choice but to fight.
Eli: Magnolia, is there anything we can do to help you out?
Magnolia: Eli! We could use any help that you can offer us. Thank you so much!
Eli: Of course. We're here for you no matter what!
The battle continues, and the Ashen Wolves continue towards your party, breaking through the enemy lines that separate your two groups. You cannot help but feel relief at seeing even more old faces brought back to the monastery after all this time.
At the start of turn nine, Aisa and Roy arrive from the bottom left corner of the map.
Roy: Lady Aisa, a battle has broken out… Are you going to join?
Aisa: I believe it would be for the best… Let us go.
Magnolia: Lady Aisa…!
Raithius: I can't believe you're alive!
Cordelia: I knew you'd show up… You couldn't hide forever.
Aisa: You were right. I had to stop hiding. Allow me to dedicate my strength to the remainder of this battle.
Magnolia: That would be greatly appreciated. We can talk about this more later. For now, let's make sure this battle ends!
You cannot help but smile at seeing Aisa and Roy return. You cannot believe that Aisa is truly standing before your very eyes after You were so sure that she had died in the Battle of Garreg Mach years beforehand. Relief floods through You, but You make sure not to get too distracted in the heart of the fight.
At the start of turn eleven, the Black Eagles appear at the bottom right corner of the map. Chris and Polly lead them, and the unrecruited Black Eagles are accompanied by two figures: Liram and Morgana. Note: all dialogue not said by Chris, Polly, Liram, or Morgana only plays out if the specific character was not added to the party before the war began.
Chris: The journey here from Enbarr was far longer than I would have liked… I'm just glad that we were able to get here on time.
Polly: It appears that Malice forces got here before we could reach the monastery proper.
Morgana: There are fighters on the other side… I think it's the Faerghus army.
Liram: In that case, we'll just have to break through to them.
Zelhira: I heard that the Blue Lions had taken up residence inside Garreg Mach…
Aquillus: We have to do what we can to save them from the invaders.
Hegias: They're counting on us to make sure that they're safe.
Callisto: I don't know who they think they are, but they aren't getting away with this.
Florence: I hope they like tasting the other end of my lance!
Tuncay: There has to be a weakness in the enemy lines for us to take advantage of.
Magnolia: Chris! What are you doing here? I thought that you were…
Luciana: It seems that we've found the answer behind the salvation of the Empire… The heir was responsible all along.
Raithius: Go on and color me surprised about that.
Chris: We can discuss this later. There's too much at stake right now, and I don't want to waste any time.
Magnolia: Point received. Don't expect to get away from this though. I want all the details I can possibly get when this is over.
Chris: Of course. For now, the battle awaits.
You focus on getting through the remainder of the battle. The enemy reinforcements continue to come in waves for quite some time, but You manage to navigate the battlefield with ease at some points, giving You the chance to speak with a few members of the other groups that You have missed.
If you speak with Raithius, the following dialogue plays out.
Raithius: Would you look at that? I came through for you just like I said I would, and everything's been taken care of. Well, not exactly quite yet since we're still under attack, but… Oh, you know what I'm talking about. I'm here, and I'm going to fight with you until this fight is over once and for all. This might not be what we expected, but we'll charge through it regardless. The world is counting on it!
If you speak with Novalee, the following dialogue plays out.
Novalee: We're back together just like years before… I didn't think that the circumstances of our reunion would be so similar to the time when we were divided in the first place, but I suppose that we don't exactly have much of a say in the matter. Let's simply take care of the battle before it grows to be out of hand. There are too many enemies on the field as it is. Consider my power yours. Lead us to victory, Professor.
If you speak with Cordelia, the following dialogue plays out. Note: Cordelia can only be spoken to after Aisa and Roy appear on the map.
Cordelia: I heard that you were back, but I never got the chance to stop by and see you… We Knights of Seiros were really busy trying to find Lady Aisa, and we found her just before we came in your direction. It's good to see both you and her again. I'm going to do what I can to help you from here on out, and that's a promise. I hope that your skills are just as sharp as they were the last time we saw each other!
If you speak with Eli, the following dialogue plays out.
Eli: I'm sorry that it took us so long to see each other once again. I wound up being incredibly busy taking care of business outside of Abyss, you see… Still, now that I'm finished with everything else, I'm free to stand by your side on the battlefield once again. I'm going to be counting on you, and I'm hoping that you'll be able to rely on me just the same.
If you speak with Aisa, the following dialogue plays out.
Aisa: Professor… I didn't think that I would see you here today… I understand that you must have many questions about what has happened these past few years, and I would be happy to answer your inquiries after the fight ends. Until then, we have more important matters to attend to.
If you speak with Roy, the following dialogue plays out.
Roy: I spent a lot of time trying to find Lady Aisa before coming here, and it was only recently that I was able to find her once again. I'm sorry I couldn't be here when you appeared once more. Still, it's all worked out fine now, so I guess that's what matters most. I'm looking forward to talking with you again after the battle ends.
If you speak with Chris, the following dialogue plays out.
Chris: It's good to see you, Professor. It's been far too long since we last met. I've been rather busy as of late, but now that everything has been taken care of, I'm going to be fighting alongside you and Magnolia for the time being. Please try to stay safe for the rest of the battle. None of us want anything to happen to you. If you need help, feel free to call for me. I'm at your service.
After fifteen turns have passed, the enemy forces retreat.
Magnolia: Everyone, we did it! The enemy forces are leaving!
Luciana: Hold on a moment… There's one person approaching us…
Magnolia: Who in the world would think that coming here on their own is a good idea? We just sent all of the other Malice soldiers running in the opposite direction, so who could that be?
Luciana: Ah… I believe I understand. That would be the enemy commander. We never saw them during the fight, and they're coming towards us now. I don't understand why they would approach us alone though. What do you think we should do, Magnolia? Should we attack?
Magnolia: Hold for a moment… Be ready, but don't lash out quite yet. I want to see who they are and what they have to say about everything that's happened. Blue Lions, stay here and make sure that no surprise attacks take place. I'll be back soon.
You follow Magnolia and Luciana away from the monastery towards the enemy commander. You keep your blade in your hand due to a fear that something could happen. Your confusion regarding the foe turns to shock soon afterwards when You find that You recognize the one who led the attack on the monastery from five years prior when You were working at the monastery before the Battle of Garreg Mach.
Magnolia: You… Who are you? Where have I seen your face before? I swear that we've crossed paths, but I don't remember where specifically…
Marcus: The queen of Faerghus… I've been waiting for the day we'd see one another this way.
Magnolia: I understand now… I remember hearing about you five years ago. You were one of the people leading an attack within Faerghus territory that we had to put down… Word had it that you were involved with the death of my father. And more recently, we saw each other in passing on the battlefield before I came to the monastery. Let me guess… You're the one leading these troops to attack the monastery.
Marcus: Good to know that you understand that much. I don't know why you think that you can walk around being the person that you are, but I'm not going to stand for it.
Magnolia: You're Albinean… Why are you doing this?
Marcus: Faerghus nearly destroyed my entire country. Your father led hunts against my people. I believe that you know exactly why I'm doing this.
Magnolia: …
Marcus: You have no room to speak in such a way against me. Step aside unless you wish to perish. I won't hesitate to fight you if I must for the sake of my people.
Magnolia: I'm trying to help Albinea. I can't stand the suffering that they've been subjected to. You deserve better than that, and so do all of the people that come from your nation.
Marcus: Pretty words mean little. You haven't done much in the past five years to help the battle. Other nobles have been freely sending troops into Albinea, and nothing has changed.
Magnolia: I understand your grievances with me, but please trust me when I say that I want this to end well for all of us. I'm trying to change the world for the better so that this is no longer a problem. Albinea and Faerghus can live in harmony if troops pull out of your land. I'll do what I can to help that future to become a reality.
Marcus: Silence! You have no idea what my people have endured, and I don't expect you to ever comprehend what your father has done. Faerghus has a habit of conveniently ignoring history in the name of glory, and your words claiming change do little to change my opinion.
Magnolia: I…
Marcus: This conversation is over. I will be pulling out for now, but the next time that we meet… I won't be holding back in the slightest. Your country has caused irreversible damage to Albinea, and my people have been little more than pawns in the grand game of Faerghus. I refuse to allow such mistreatment to stand. Your father had it coming to him.
Magnolia: I agree.
Marcus: Trying to appease me isn't going to work. Faerghus is far too poisoned for me to ever bother listening to someone like you. Your bloodline makes you my enemy, and I won't give you the chance to try and change such a fact. I will retreat with my troops for now, but you won't be so lucky when we next meet. I toppled a king once, and I won't hesitate to do it with a queen as well.
You watch as Marcus pulls away from the battlefield, and concern festers on your face as You turn to Magnolia. You can tell that she is bothered by the conversation, but You are unsure of how to help.
Luciana: Come on, Magnolia. Let's go back to the monastery. We should speak with the others if we can. We have a lot of talking to do with the new people that have returned to us, and we can discuss this a bit later when emotions aren't as high. I believe that you could use the distraction as well.
Magnolia: Yeah… You… You're right. Come on.
You watch with a frown as Magnolia and Luciana begin to walk away. Seraphine speaks in the back of your mind.
Seraphine: She isn't going to get away with hiding this… But I think she knows that. For now, I think it's for the best if we just give her a bit of space. We'll be able to talk to her again soon, and… I hope that we'll be able to keep her from suffering under the weight of this alone.
You nod your agreement as Seraphine stops speaking. You walk to the monastery alongside Magnolia and Luciana, and You make your way up to the cardinals' room. You already find Raithius, Novalee, Aisa, Roy, Cordelia, Eli, Quinn, Chris, and Polly there. The rest of the troops are continuing to take care of business in the aftermath of the battle, and You take this as a chance to speak with the leaders of the factions alone. Note: Eli and Quinn's dialogue will only play out if Cindered Shadows was completed prior to the five year time skip.
Magnolia: Thank you all for coming here. I believe that we have much to discuss.
Raithius: Are you alright, Maggy? Something seems off about you.
Magnolia: I'm fine. Let's just talk about what's been going on in the past five years. We haven't been together like this since before the Battle of Garreg Mach, after all. Raithius, why don't you start? What have you been up to?
Raithius: I've been trying to get rid of Malice influences in Leicester. Everything's been all taken care of now, so I'd say that this is a positive. I took care of the lingering pieces of business that I mentioned having last time we were together, and I believe that I'll be more than ready to help you from here on out.
Novalee: You can consider our strength yours. We haven't been able to take care of House Goneril on your side of the border yet, but I'm sure that we'll be able to get there soon enough.
Magnolia: If not for the invasion of the monastery, we would have taken care of that today… We'll do that next, I swear. For the time being, I have to ask what the rest of you have been up to in the past few years.
Eli: Quinn and I have been trying to track down members of Malice who caused problems for Abyss five years ago. We were able to take care of it all, and we're going to be in the monastery from here on out as well.
Quinn: Precisely. If you have any need of us, we'll be more than happy to lend you our aid.
Cordelia: I feel like you already know about what I've been up to lately. I didn't exactly try to hide it. In fact, we've communicated at least a bit about my quest to find Lady Aisa.
Roy: I was with the Knights of Seiros for a while, and we managed to find Lady Aisa just before coming here, but… I didn't think that she was going to come to help.
Aisa: I… I did not wish to be a burden in the fight to come. I have many issues with this war, and I was hoping to isolate until the fighting drew to a close.
Cordelia: But you did the right thing in the end regardless. I think that's what matters most. Thank you again for coming to assist us in the battle.
Aisa: I did what I believed would be for the best. There is no need to praise me for basic decency.
You turn to Chris and Polly and ask if they were behind the resistance that took place in Adrestian territory.
Chris: It seems that you caught us. Yeah, we were the ones behind it. We had to make sure that the Empire didn't stay under the control of Argades forever. I'm glad that we were able to get him off the throne.
Polly: Pardon our secrecy, but we had to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible. Now that the Empire has been reclaimed, we'll be more than happy to stand by you.
Chris: I've been looking forward to reuniting with everyone, after all. It might not have been possible sooner, but it's possible now, and that's what matters most.
Magnolia: It seems that we've all come to the same conclusions about what is to come… We're going to be working together from here on out until we can defeat the final traces of Malice.
Raithius: Perfect. All three nations of the continent are together and working for one goal… Imagine that.
Chris: Magnolia… I do have to say that I still feel like something is going on with you. Are you sure that you're alright?
Magnolia: I will be. There's no reason to worry. We can talk about it later on. For the time being, you should all focus on settling into the monastery. I can tell that you've been through quite a bit since you were last here.
Cordelia: That would be for the best. Plus, our defenses are going to need to be fortified to make sure that there isn't another invasion this way.
Luciana: Do as you must in order to feel comfortable here. Please understand that we're all allies here, and we'll be more than happy to help you if the need arises.
Raithius: Thanks for everything, you guys. We'll do what we can from here on out.
Chris: Exactly. From now on, we'll fight as one to rid this continent of the evils that plague it.
Magnolia: I'm glad we all agree. Meeting dismissed.
You watch as the others leave the room save for Magnolia and Luciana. When everyone is gone, You ask if Magnolia wants to talk.
Magnolia: I think I just need a bit of time to think all of this over. I'll bring it up with the Blue Lions during our next meeting. Sorry for not wanting to talk, but… I need a bit of peace to ponder what was said.
Luciana: We understand… Just don't close yourself off from the world along the way, alright?
Magnolia: Of course. I'll speak with you both another time.
You watch as Magnolia leaves. Luciana lingers for a moment longer.
Luciana: I have faith that she'll be alright soon enough… Don't worry about her. We'll make sure that she's fine. I promise.
Luciana leaves soon afterwards, and Seraphine speaks to You.
Seraphine: I'm glad to have everybody back here, but I'm still worried about what Magnolia heard from the enemy commander… Marcus was his name, I believe. I hope that this doesn't bother her too much…
You say that You feel the same way.
Seraphine: We should talk to Lady Aisa about Janae tomorrow… She was the one keeping Janae alive with magic, so she has to know something about what's been going on since we last saw her. I didn't see her before now, so… I bet that she's still asleep…
You tell her that You assume that as well, and You begin to leave the cardinals' room to head back to your room for the night.
Seraphine: She'll wake up soon though… That's what I'm hoping for, at the very least. For now, we can be happy since Chris and Lady Aisa are still alive. It's nice to know that they're alright… I suppose that we can sleep easy tonight.
You nod as You settle down for the night.
Seraphine: Tomorrow, we'll do what we can to catch up with them again. I know that I could use it for sure.
You close your eyes, and You find that slumber takes You incredibly easily. The day passed by in a hazy blur, and You can hardly believe that it has only been a day since all of this began. Still, your dreams are filled with delightful images involving the reappearance of old figures, and You find yourself smiling at the idea that perhaps the past has truly returned with the arrival of your former companions and comrades. Together, You will march to a brighter future, and that much You are positive of without any shadows of doubts plaguing your mind…
Only a few weeks of updates are left for this path! Woo!
-Digital