At the conclusion of the moon, You rise from your slumber and begin to make your way to the cardinals' room. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.

Seraphine: I'm worried about what we're going to be doing next… We might actually come to clash against Evenor at long last, and that… I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous. We're going to have to put forth as much effort as possible to make sure that we're alright.

You nod your agreement as You start to walk to the cardinals' room.

Seraphine: But all we can do for now is face this issue. There has to be a reason for all of this to happen, and we're going to have to see how the pieces come together soon. It's just a matter of time… That's what I'm hoping for, at the very least.

Seraphine's voice ceases its echoing when You arrive at the cardinals' room. The Knights of Seiros can be found there, and Cordelia is pointing to a specific portion of the map on the table for the rest of the occupants of the room.

Cordelia: Alright, everyone. Right here, you can see our destination for the moon. We're going to be doing what we can to determine what it is that's been happening in this area.

Cassia: I presume that this is the area where Evenor was last spotted as well… What a troublesome woman.

Yuliya: She's been responsible for human experimentation for years now. I could hardly expect her to be pleasant, and you shouldn't either.

Rodain: Then we'll simply have to show her what it is that she's going up against. I doubt that she'll see reason, but it will help our cause.

Piers: We don't know what it is that we're going to be up against… I'm hoping it's only Evenor's personal forces.

Wynne: You aren't the only one. I don't want to have to put up with the emperor's army while we're out there.

Derric: That would only make things more difficult for us… We don't know what it is that the emperor is willing to do with intruders.

Miriam: Tensions are only growing higher thanks to the resistance force that's pushing through the Empire.

Kaeta: I heard recently that the rebellion was able to defeat Bazler… The one and only Thaddeus Bazler, now dead on the ground.

Cordelia: I learned of that as well… I didn't want to bring it up in professional terms until we had gotten confirmation, but the truth is clear as can be now. Bazler is dead, and with him, quite a few old dangers within the Empire.

Piers: That should make it at least a bit safer to travel through the Empire… At least to some degree.

Derric: We might not have to worry about fighting off against Bazler anymore, but that doesn't mean that we're going to be safe

Kaeta: This is probably just going to put the emperor in a worse mood, and now, we really don't want to run into him.

Yuliya: All the more reason for us to swoop in and out to get our business done and then leave as soon as possible.

Cassia: Then we might as well get this over with. There's quite a bit riding on this mission of ours, it seems.

Wynne: Beyond that, we have to make sure that we can reach Evenor before she slips out of our grasp again.

Rodain: I agree on that. She's certainly been slippery enough to get away from us each time up to this point.

Miriam: Then we'll move fast, and soon enough, she won't know what it is that she's up against… Assuming that she's even still there.

Cordelia: This is the only lead that we have right now. Our search for Lady Aisa hasn't gone anywhere in years, and this is what we have to do if we want to make anything similar to progress. Even if we don't find her, we could get our hands on something resembling a clue regarding where she could be. That's helpful as well, so we might as well consider that a victory if we wind up in that position.

Kaeta: But we won't know what's going to happen until we set out to face it ourselves.

Cordelia: Precisely. And that would be exactly why we're moving out at once. We have a lot to take care of before we can consider our work finished, and it would be best for us to get Evenor out of our way sooner rather than later. A lot is riding on this mission, and we have to be ready. Let's go.

You nod as the Knights of Seiros start to leave the room. Cordelia places a hand on your shoulder on her way out.

Cordelia: We're getting closer to answers than ever before. Call it a gut instinct of sorts. I know that we're going to find the truth soon. It's just a matter of time. For now though… You know what it is that we have to take care of. Let's go and see what this mission is going to have in store for us.

You thank her for the encouragement, and she walks out of the room. Seraphine speaks to You once she is gone.

Seraphine: I can tell how much she sympathizes with us and our cause… She just wants the best for us because she's been in the same position for so long. She's been through all of this time and time again, and now… She's doing so much to help us because she understands what this means to her, so it's easy for her to see it in us as well. I don't know where we would be without her… Probably nowhere near close to finding the answers that we've been searching for, that's for sure.

You nod your agreement.

Seraphine: But enough of that. We've only got one way to find answers, and that involves going out there to figure out what's been happening ourselves. We're going to be fine… We can do this. Now, let's get to it.

Seraphine's voice falls silent in your mind, and You walk out of the room. From there, You make your journey to the front of the monastery, and then, your journey into the Empire begins.

When You arrive in the area in question, You glance around carefully. The space is tucked away far from the rest of civilization, and You must admit that You are surprised with the location seeing it in person. It simply doesn't seem like the proper destination even though You know that Cordelia is not the type to make such reckless mistakes.

Yuliya: Is this it? I don't think that this looks anything like the destination that I was originally keeping in mind when we set out for this place.

Miriam: This is what we were looking for, yes… But it hardly looks the way that I was imagining it to, I must admit.

Cordelia: This is where she was seen… But I don't see what it is that could be out of the ordinary about this place either.

Derric: Hold on a moment… Do you guys feel like we're being watched? I can't seem to shake the sensation that there are other people around us too…

Rodain: I feel it as well… You don't think that we could be under attack, do you? We've only just arrived.

Your eyes go wide when You hear the whooshing of an arrow spiraling through the air. You step to the side, Your eyes going wide as the arrow slams into a tree trunk nearby.

Piers: That seems like evidence to me that we're most certainly under attack. We have to get ready to fight.

Wynne: We don't even know what it is that we're going to be up against! How are we supposed to fight against them if we barely even know what we have to defend ourselves from?

Cassia: We'll have to stay close and look after one another. That much is clear as can be. What are your orders, Captain Torryn?

Cordelia: Just as you said. Stay close to one another and be careful to not go too far out of our range.

Kaeta: It's getting hard to see… Is that fog rolling in? If so, I can certainly see why our enemies would choose this place as a base.

Cordelia: It is fog… Alright, everyone. Be as careful as possible as we fight back. We don't know where our foes are, but they have to be around here somewhere. Let's get ready, everyone. That's our only option if we want to survive this.

You fall into a defensive position as You look around the area, wary of what it is that You could find in the region. You can tell that something is amiss, but You still cannot see any of your foes. You frown to yourself, Sirius pressed firmly between your hands as Cordelia continues to speak.

Cordelia: Show yourselves! I would like to know who it is that we're fighting against before we ultimately have to carve through you as per the laws of the battlefield.

A man with incredibly pale skin shows himself to You, and it doesn't take long for You to recognize him as being similar to Evenor. He barely even seems human, and it catches You by surprise. He goes by the name of Kemp.

Kemp: You have trespassed onto our territory. You will face the punishment of intrusion soon enough… Your lives.

Cordelia: Your territory? There are others like you.

Kemp: We are the only ones who have occupied this land for quite some time. You children of the goddess have always been too afraid to come out this far.

Cordelia: Children of the goddess? What are you on about? Where's Evenor Hepius?

Kemp: Not here. Evenor hasn't been here for a while, off taking care of some other piece of business or another. Her work keeps her rather busy, you know. It's part of her profession within our society.

Cordelia: Your society? You had better start answering my questions soon, because if you don't, I'll simply have to show you how I earned the title I currently possess.

Kemp: Titles mean nothing at a time like this. You won't be leaving this place alive, so I suggest making peace with your goddess and preparing to retreat to the afterlife

Cordelia: You're a frustrating one, aren't you? Fine then. Knights of Seiros, the time has come! We fight as one!

You start to fight soon afterwards, using every ounce of skill at your disposal to push back against your foes. It takes much more effort than You were originally expecting, and it becomes clear as could be that Your enemies have more than a little bit of experience when it comes to fighting in this terrain. This land is notably theirs as per Kemp's words, and they fight as such as well. It takes quite some time for You to be able to make some headway into defeating your foes, and the process is slow and agonizing on all fronts.

Eventually, You hear Kemp's voice come out of the fog once again.

Kemp: What are you doing? You two, get back here! That's an order from your commander!

Cordelia: Issues, Commander?

Kemp: It's none of your damn business!

Cordelia: What a curious thing to say in the heat of a battle.

Kemp: Damn it, traitors! You should know better than to betray us at a time like this!

Cordelia: That certainly seems to play into our favor… I'm not entirely sure what's taking place on the enemy's side, but we might as well take advantage of it. Knights of Seiros, continue pushing forward! We're getting closer to the end of this battle!

You continue to press onward as Cordelia instructed, but your mind swirls with endless curiosity at the idea of whatever could have brought Kemp to say such suddenly vulgar things at the center of the battle. You can surmise that a few of his soldiers have gone against him, but that is all that You are able to determine from the exchange on the other side of the fog for the time being.

Eventually though, Kemp appears through the fog, and You continue to push forward against him, eventually engaging in combat with him alongside the rest of your forces.

If You initiate combat with Kemp, the following dialogue plays out.

Kemp: You have an awful lot of nerve making it this far and doing so much to push back against us… You simply don't know how to understand when something isn't yours, do you? Typical and frustrating… So be it then. It all ends here and now one way or another!

If Cordelia initiates combat with Kemp, the following dialogue plays out.

Cordelia: You still haven't answered any of my questions.

Kemp: I don't owe you anything! You need to get out of here before I force you to leave!

Cordelia: How well is that going for you? We're getting the upper hand easily.

Kemp: You won't be winning for long!

Cordelia: You could have avoided all of this by just answering my questions… Where is Evenor Hepius now?

Kemp: Hell if I know. That woman never stays in one place any longer than she has to.

Cordelia: I've noticed. It's an unfortunate habit of hers.

Kemp: But that doesn't matter. You chose to raise your hand to me, and as such, you must pay the consequences. Turn back or see death!

Cordelia: We'll have to see about that!

If Hegias initiates combat with Kemp, the following dialogue plays out.

Kemp: You… You're one of us! What makes you fight with our enemies in a time like this?!

Hegias: I made my choice! I'm sorry, but… This is the way that it has to be.

Kemp: Pathetic…

Hegias: Where's Evenor?

Kemp: Not here. She's been gone for quite some time.

Hegias: Of course…

Kemp: You should have come with us when you had the chance. Instead, you're going to see what we're capable of in full… I'll make an example of you if I have to.

Hegias: I'm sorry that it had to end this way… Goodbye.

If anyone else initiates combat with Kemp, the following dialogue plays out.

Kemp: I don't know why you would want to find Evenor Hepius at a time like this, but she isn't here. Make this easier on yourselves and surrender before you wind up underneath our heels… You won't like that, but then again… You've made your choice. Now you must die by it.

When Kemp is defeated, the following dialogue plays out.

Kemp: No… Damn it… I can't fall to people like you… It shouldn't have… Ended this way…

After the battle, You stand with the Knights of Seiros at the center of the foggy region, maintaining your defensive positions in case another attack takes place. With Kemp taken care of, You scan the region for any other signs of life.

Cordelia: Stay alert. I don't know if we can trust that we're going to be alone in this area for too much longer.

You hear a stick snap somewhere else in the area, and You immediately perk up.

Cordelia: Who goes there? Show yourself or face our weapons!

You see two figures come out of the fog. Much to your surprise, You recognize them as Cyrus and Druilla as they get closer.

Cordelia: It's you two again… I didn't think that we were going to be crossing paths again. I was under the impression that we were never going to be seeing one another after what happened previously.

Cyrus: We aren't here to fight you. We have no weapons, and we don't want to do anything to fight any of your forces.

Druilla: We're simply here to talk… As it stands right now, you have no idea what it is that you're getting into.

Cyrus: If it would be alright with you, we would prefer to have a conversation alone with you.

Cordelia: With me? No. I'm not going to go into anything alone around enemy forces.

You volunteer to stand with her during the conversation to ease the tension slightly.

Druilla: That's passable. The rest of you should remain on your guard to ensure that there are no other enemies in the area. This is hardly an area you will wish to linger in.

Kaeta: Captain Torryn, you can't truly mean to agree to this… Right?

Cordelia: ...You all know me better than to be played for a fool by my foes. I won't allow anything to happen to any of you. Patrol the area and ensure that we truly are alone. Until then, I'm going to speak with these two about whatever it is that they wish to talk about.

The other Knights of Seiros all look to each other hesitantly, not wanting to protest direct orders but still finding it peculiar that such a thing is unfolding in the first place. Eventually though, they do disperse and head their separate ways to look around the vicinity. Meanwhile, You approach Cordelia, Cyrus, and Druilla silently.

Cordelia: I don't see any weapons on you… If you try to cast any magic against me, you're going to wind up dead before any attack can hit. Surely you're aware of such a fact.

Cyrus: Of course we know. We aren't going to start anything against a foe that we clearly have no chance of defeating.

Cordelia: I'm glad that we understand each other then. Now, what is it that was so pressing for you two to betray the rest of your allies to come and speak with us?

Druilla: How did you-

Cordelia: Your commander was being rather loud about it. You didn't want anything to do with fighting against us previously, so I think that it's safe to assume that you came back solely because you wanted to talk with me. Am I correct?

Druilla: Yes… You are. We are here because we come with important information regarding the enemy that you are up against.

Cordelia: We're currently pursuing Evenor Hepius. Do you know anything about her?

Cyrus: About where she is specifically? No. But Evenor is just one of many people like us… And they're involved with all of this.

Cordelia: So what exactly is happening?

Druilla: We are known as Agarthans. We occupy the underground territory of Shambhala. The entrance to the city is in this area, but I would not suggest traveling there at this time. It is far too dangerous for you to descend there at this point, and it will hardly end well for you.

Cordelia: We've used up more than enough energy on that last battle. Believe me when I say that we aren't going to be risking anything of that nature right now.

Cyrus: Good… Anyway, the Agarthans have been alive for a long time. They've existed since the days of the Nabateans.

Cordelia: The children of the goddess… They were wiped out a long time ago, were they not?

Druilla: This is true. They were killed in a massacre at a place called Zanado. The Nabateans and Agarthans had been fighting for quite some time, finding differences in their lifestyles that ultimately clashed to the point of causing widespread conflict.

Cyrus: The Agarthans turned away from the goddess in favor of technological developments, you see. They hid themselves away in their own territory as they grew stronger, eventually challenging the goddess herself with the strength that they had gathered.

Druilla: This was when Seiros, the daughter of the goddess, charged into battle against them for their defiance. The Agarthan territory was wiped out, and from there, the Agarthans retreated to Shambhala.

Cordelia: I believe that I can conclude easily enough what came next. The goddess attempted to heal the land as per the legends of human tradition, and that was when she fell into a deep slumber… Only to be killed by the one and only Nemesis, sparking the greatest conflict of the continent's history.

Druilla: Precisely. The Agarthans retreated to Shambhala in the aftermath of the war that followed after having been destroyed by their foes, and from there, they continued to develop their technology.

Cordelia: Evenor is one of them, and so are you two and many of the others that we've been fighting against up to this point… Is all of this about revenge for something that happened centuries ago?

Cyrus: Yes. Druilla and I… We don't want to be involved with this though. The more that we thought about just leaving, the more that we couldn't do it without at least telling you what you were up against. Evenor is just one of many people involved with all of this.

Cordelia: And the technological advancements of Shambhala are something for us to take into consideration from here on… That's how Evenor was able to conduct all of her Crest experiments, if I had to guess. That was how all of this seemed to start, and from there, it spiraled out of control.

Druilla: We aren't sure of who is truly pulling the strings behind Malice as a whole, if that's what you're wondering. The mastermind is someone out of our reach, but this has been planned for a long time, much longer than any of us have been alive. This entire war… It's all the work of someone much stronger than anyone has the power to recognize.

Cordelia: I appreciate the information that you've provided… Evenor is going to return to Shambhala one of these days, and when she does, we're going to be ready for her. That's our only option at this point.

Cyrus: Now that we've told you about all of this, it's time for us to go. We've seen more than enough of this war, and we're finished.

Cordelia: There's nothing that I can say to convince you to fight on our side of the conflict, is there?

Druilla: We've made our decision already. You simply have to choose which path you wish to follow to the end of this war.

Cordelia: I believe that we both already know what it is that I'm going to be doing from here.

Cyrus: Then go on. For now, we have elsewhere to be… We won't be seeing one another again after this. Good luck in trying to stop all of this.

Cordelia: Hold on. Before you go… I have to ask… Why are you turning against your own homeland? Did you see that all of this is dark and too much?

Druilla: ...Shambhala has been focused on revenge for as long as anyone can remember. Evenor's experimentation is an attempt for her to find an incredibly powerful warrior that will lead us into the battle against the humans to take what the Agarthan leaders claim is rightfully ours. She has been trying for decades… And she has failed each time.

Cordelia: ...I understand. You two were some of the test subjects, were you not? You're here at all because Evenor is your enemy as well, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Cyrus: Don't think that we're going to be fighting alongside you though. We're not going to be doing anything like that. We've told you everything that we were going to, so we're heading out somewhere else… Somewhere safer.

Cordelia: Thank you for all of this. We'll do what we can to end this war for the sake of everyone involved… May you find peace from here on.

Druilla: The same to you.

Cyrus and Druilla retreat, and You turn to Cordelia to ask her what is going to happen next.

Cordelia: We're going back to the monastery. We might not have found Evenor, but we found something even more valuable, and this is going to be what leads us to the end of the war. That much I can say without a shadow of a doubt.

You nod as You prepare to gather the Knights of Seiros for your retreat to Garreg Mach. You aren't sure of what will be coming next, but You are confident that there is much to discuss with the other members of the Knights of Seiros…

When You arrive back at the monastery, You make your way to the cardinals' room with the other Knights of Seiros to discuss the matters at hand. From there, Cordelia explains everything that was heard up to that point from Cyrus and Druilla, and You are met with a room full of shocked expressions on the part of the other knights.

Kaeta: Wow, I… I don't know what I was expecting to hear when it came to all of this, but… It certainly wasn't that.

Rodain: I'm not sure what to say to that either… I can't believe that there's a single mastermind behind all of the chaos across the continent.

Miriam: Up to this point, we had been led to believe that there were specific faction leaders that were behind the actions of Malice, but now…

Derric: There's a specific mastermind that has been working with the Agarthans to cause all of this… I wonder who it could be.

Yuliya: It seems like we can deduce that the one behind it isn't one of the Agarthans, at the very least.

Piers: I'm inclined to agree. After all, if it was one of the Agarthans, Cyrus and Druilla would have been aware of it.

Cassia: I'm hardly fond of the idea that there is another mastermind out there out of our reach, but for now, we have our goal.

Wynne: This Shambhala place… It sounds like that's going to be where our final major battle takes place.

Cordelia: This isn't going to be anything like our previous battles though. After all, we know that the Agarthans have special technological advancements on their side to make this battle easier for them.

Miriam: Beyond that, there remains the mystery of this powerful warrior that they've been trying to create…

Wynne: I don't think that they have this person at their disposal. Surely we would have been aware of that if it was the case, right?

Derric: And that person can't be the mastermind for the same reasons that we stated just a moment ago.

Piers: There are quite a few questions around all of this, but we do know where our final destination is going to be.

Kaeta: Shambhala… That's bound to be a bigger battle than anything we've faced up to this point.

Yuliya: We should start getting ready as soon as possible. This isn't going to be easy, so we have to be prepared.

Rodain: So be it then. We'll put everything that we have into our upcoming charge to the heart of Shambhala.

Cassia: I somehow doubt that it will be quite so simple… This is a daunting task that we've been given.

Cordelia: I agree that it won't be easy. However, we still have to try. We owe that much to ourselves and the rest of the continent. The Agarthans have been harming the people of Orsterra, and that much cannot be denied. We must defeat them for the sake of restoring the peace that we have been searching for. We can find out more about them and the mastermind as soon as the chance arises, but for now, we know what we have to do. Until then, we should do what we can to recover from this battle and get ready for the upcoming encounter. Meeting dismissed.

The Knights of Seiros stream out of the room, and Cordelia offers You a shake of her head.

Cordelia: I'm sorry that we weren't able to find any answers regarding Evenor this time… It seems like each time we try to find her, we just barely come up short. Still, I have every confidence that we're getting closer. It's just a matter of time. Shambhala is in our sights, and after we fight through our foes there… We'll find your answers. I'm sure of it.

You thank her for her kind words and retreat to your room. Seraphine manifests and speaks to You upon your arrival.

Seraphine: We're so close… I can feel it. Hearing about Shambhala… In a way, some of it seems to spark a distant memory for me, but… I don't know what it could mean. Regardless, now isn't the time to consider those matters. We know what we have to do, and soon, we're going to accomplish it.

You nod your agreement.

Seraphine: Evenor and Shambhala… We're coming. Be ready for that or else.

Seraphine disappears as You close your eyes and sit down on your bed. Sleep claims You easily, your mind swirling with thoughts just out of reach. You wonder distantly if perhaps the past experimentation that You seem to have endured was a byproduct of everything that Evenor was searching for in a perfect warrior. Your answers remain as elusive as the woman herself though. Your dreams are filled with tales of the war of ages long past, wonders of an era that continues to whisper in your ear even a thousand years later…

Sorry about this chapter being late by the way aaa

-Digital