At the end of the moon, You awaken from your slumber earlier than You usually do. Seraphine yawns within your mind before speaking.
Seraphine: You can feel it too, can't you? We shouldn't stay asleep any longer than we already have. There's something wrong.
You nod and say that You are confident that something has changed and gone wrong since You were last conscious.
Seraphine: I feel like we can already guess what it is without heading out of here, but we're going to have to see what the rest of the world is thinking of this soon.
You open your mouth to respond, but You are cut off by a sharp knock to the door.
Roy: We were right about the Empire launching an attack, Professor. Get ready. Everyone is preparing to defend the monastery. We'll meet you in front of the monastery as soon as you're finished.
You tell him that You will be there soon.
Seraphine: I knew it… I wonder if Argades will be the one behind this. It wouldn't surprise me if that's the case. We could certainly use the chance to get back at him after all that he did five years ago.
You nod and grab your sword before leaving your room and making your way to the front of the monastery. When You arrive, You see that Roy was right about the attack. There are more troops than You would have expected, and You stare out over the invading forces that march ever nearer to the monastery as the rest of your close allies close in around You.
Reese: There are more of them than I thought… I suppose that's what I get for having any expectations of what the enemy invaders were going to be like.
Jill: There aren't as many as there were five years ago… And I don't see Argades anywhere among the enemy forces.
Adrian: It would be rather easy to pick him out, I would imagine. He's the emperor, and I imagine that he would be well defended with that title, but…
Niko: If you ask me, somebody else has to be leading these forces, but I'm not quite sure who could be behind it.
Aisa: It is her.
You and the rest of your allies turn to look at her.
Roy: You're talking about the leader of the Malice forces, aren't you?
Aisa: I am. She is here… And she seeks nothing less than complete destruction of our forces.
Roy: Then we'll simply have to show her that we have no intentions of falling here.
Cordelia: She'll see soon enough that we won't go down so easily. She shouldn't have come here to begin with.
Nesreen: But as long as she's here, we might as well take advantage of this and try to end our strife here and now.
Herwig: I doubt that will come as easily as we would have liked, but I suppose that having high hopes never hurts.
Aisa: We will not be able to defeat her here… I am certain of that. She is the strongest warrior that still lives. We will have to fight with our all to simply maintain the monastery after today.
Cordelia: Either way, we know what must be done, and I'm not going to let her walk over us if there's something I can do to fight back.
Roy: You're right. We still need to defend the monastery and the people around it. Into your defensive positions, everyone!
You nod before falling into your position. You look over to see Aisa staring down at the forces still, and something about her gaze is detached and concerned. You ask how she is feeling about it.
Aisa: I would have preferred it if we never had to fight her… But I suppose that there are some things that we simply cannot change.
You ask for the name of your foe.
Aisa: …Samiya.
You nod quietly to yourself.
Aisa: Do all that you can in order to survive this battle, Professor… Victory will not come easily to any of us.
You watch as Aisa walks away to find her own position, and You frown at her retreating back. Seraphine's voice echoes in your mind.
Seraphine: She's still not willing to share anything beyond the bare minimum with us, I see… If that's what she wants to do, then so be it. She's right about there being some things that we can't change, and right now, she can't fix the way that she's hidden so much from us. We're going to find the truth soon… And this battle will be the start of it. I can sense it.
You prepare Sirius for the battle at hand as the forces of the Empire continue to gather around the monastery. Just as the others have said, Argades is not among the enemy forces. Instead, there is a single woman standing at the front of the soldiers. She is the embodiment of power between her long mint green hair tied into a loose yet refined braid. Her eyes are the same shining green color. Her armor is white with golden patterns, and You cannot help but muse on how she looks like the goddess in some unexpected ways. Everything about her exudes strength, and You know that Aisa was being honest when she said that their foe would not be an easy one to defeat.
Seraphine: Samiya… The mastermind behind the Malice forces…
You tell Seraphine that You intend to defeat her regardless of her reputation.
Seraphine: You're right. This is the only choice that we have, and I refuse to let us be defeated here.
You nod as You continue to scan the battlefield. There are many enemies gathered throughout the area, all of them incredibly strong. Their intention is to claim the monastery for themselves, and that means that You and the rest of your allies must do all in your power to fend them off. You will need to defeat Samiya in order for salvation to come though. This will not be an easy feat, but You refuse to let this stop You when there is so much on the line.
When turn one begins, the following dialogue plays out.
Samiya: Atropos! I know you are here!
Aisa: …
Samiya: Though I suppose you have not gone by that name in a great many years… Aisa, is it? Hmph. It matters little. You sealed your fate centuries ago. Today, I will finally get my revenge and end this battle once and for all.
Aisa: I knew that you would come to fight me eventually… You have no purpose beyond revenge anymore.
Samiya: I have you to blame for it. You should not have pushed me in this direction… But as long as this is where you have wound up, then I am more than happy to end this the way it should have been resolved generations ago.
Aisa: …My apologies for all that has transpired… Though I suppose that matters little now.
Samiya: Yes… Anything you can say now is too little too late. You have no right to even live now… And before the sun falls today, I will complete my goal at long last. Prepare your last rites to a goddess that will never dare to listen to your kind!
The battle sparks to life in full at those words, and the waves upon waves of Empire forces begin to collide against the monastery. You and the rest of your allies do all that You can to hold them off, but that is much easier said than done. Samiya's forces are much tougher than any enemies that You have fought up to this point, and everyone's abilities in combat are pushed to the limit simply to survive the onslaught.
After the first two turns end, the following dialogue plays out.
Cordelia: These soldiers are much stronger than I would have expected them to be… Where are they getting their power from?
Aisa: They are Samiya's personal guards. She would only pick the best for an invasion of this scale.
Roy: Samiya… It matters little what she has chosen to do here today. We'll still defeat her before all is said and done!
As the battle drags on, You and the rest of your forces manage to clear out the reinforcements as You make your way to Samiya herself. She begins to approach You, murder and vengeance shining brightly and darkly in her eyes.
If You initiate combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Samiya: You are familiar… I can feel the pulse of the gods within you… Tell me, just who are you?
You hesitate, unsure as to how You are meant to answer.
Samiya: I believe I know the truth either way… So be it. I would not have wanted it to come to this, but as long as this is where we stand, I will do all that I must in order to subdue you and uncover the truth for myself!
If Aisa initiates combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Aisa: It has been quite a long time since we faced off against one another.
Samiya: I had been hoping that you would have the decency to die in the darkness in the time since then… It seems I was wrong.
Aisa: I have no desire to fight you. I simply wish–
Samiya: For peace across Fódlan. You said that was your mission, but I know that is not the case. If it was, then you would have done more to resist the pull of those monsters.
Aisa: I have no way to make amends for my past to those who were directly wronged. The best I can do is try to uphold the peace that you and your allies fought for all those years ago.
Samiya: It should no't be you standing here today. It should have been anyone else. You deserve this the least out of all the scum that live on this continent.
Aisa: I will not dispute that… I will simply fight in the name of preserving the peace of this land.
Samiya: I have disgraced myself in every way that I have deemed necessary in the name of defeating you and tearing that power from your cold, dead hands… I will not falter now. Prepare yourself to meet the goddess and the hellfire she visits upon your kind!
If Roy initiates combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Roy: You… Samiya is your name, yes?
Samiya: It is… And you are the one who has chosen to sit at the archbishop's side. How foolish of you.
Roy: What do you know of Lady Aisa? What's going on here?
Samiya: You should ask her yourself when the battle is done… But the simple way of putting it is that she is little more than a monster. She should not be standing here today. You should have never agreed to fight for someone who would never dare to share the truth with you.
Roy: Lady Aisa does have her secrets, yes, but she does everything in her power to help people across Fódlan.
Samiya: Then is that why she ran? Why she abandoned all of her people and left them to fend for themselves in the face of an oncoming war?
Roy: Well–
Samiya: You have no counterargument, and I can see it in your eyes. You have been losing faith in her as well, and you cannot resist the truth any longer than you already have… But if you will not admit it, then I would be more than happy to force you to understand the mistakes that you have made in believing in a false cause!
If Cordelia initiates combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Cordelia: You're the one… The mastermind of Malice we've heard so much about.
Samiya: Is that what the archbishop has told you? Pathetic. She could not even dare to share the truth of my intentions with her closest allies.
Cordelia: You're the one behind all of this. That's all I know, and right now, that's all I need to hear from you.
Samiya: But is that really the truth? Atropos has not shared with you even a scrap of honesty about the war that has raged for the last five years. I am the one who can answer your inquiries… But you ask nothing of me.
Cordelia: After this battle, I'm more than happy to ask all the questions I need to from Lady Aisa. But right now, I've already made up my mind about pushing back against you, and I'm not going to stand back and watch as you raze the monastery to the ground.
Samiya: You can fight me as much as you so please, but it will not end in success for you. The truth is out of your reach as long as that monster sits upon the highest throne in Fódlan, and you know it. Perhaps you will wake up to the truth one day.
Cordelia: …I grow weary of your talk. Ready your blade and prepare for the fight of your life.
If Hegias initiates combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Samiya: You… You are one of those monsters. I would recognize that stench from anywhere.
Hegias: What are you talking about?
Samiya: The Agarthans. They are the reason for this land being thrown into such turmoil. If they had simply remained peaceful, then none of this would have happened.
Hegias: I–
Samiya: I have stooped to unbelievable lows by siding with those of your kind, but the fact of the matter is that I detest each and every one of you. I wish for nothing more than your complete destruction, and once this war ends, I would be more than happy to turn on that disgusting leader of yours once and for all.
Hegias: …Evenor. You're talking about Evenor Hepius, aren't you?
Samiya: She is a powerful woman, but her strength will not save her. She has done much to degrade the people of this world in the name of her own ambitions. People of her ilk disgust me… And you bear the same stench as the rest of them.
Hegias: I don't know who you are or what contempt you hold towards my kind, but… I fight now in the name of peace across Fódlan, and if you will not step aside in that name, then I will simply have to cut you down.
Samiya: I invite you to try… As if one of those worms could ever stand a chance against one with the power of the goddess herself.
If anyone else initiates combat with Samiya, the following dialogue plays out.
Samiya: You do not know who you are siding with or what you are defending. The woman you know as Aisa deserves none of your praise, and you will see it one day… And if you stubbornly refuse to see reason, then I will force you to understand it with my own two hands!
When Samiya is defeated, the following dialogue plays out.
Samiya: I see that humanity has grown strong in the many years since I have fought them… So be it. This is the end of our battle for now, but winning in one fight will not be enough to win the war. When we next meet, your kind will fall, and I will be the arbiter of your destruction.
After the battle, You stand in front of the monastery with the rest of your allies. Samiya's forces are retreating, and You watch them as your body sags with raw, unfiltered exhaustion.
Cordelia: Finally… We managed to survive.
Roy: The invading forces were certainly much stronger than I would have liked, but we're still here.
Cordelia: And because we are…
Cordelia turns to face Aisa.
Cordelia: I think it's high time for you to tell us the truth.
Aisa: C-Captain Torryn–
Cordelia: I've been tired of sitting around here and waiting for you to be honest with us for a long time, and I know that I'm not the only one. You know what's going on here, and I'm not going to let you clam up and hide it from us for any longer than you already have. We've been fighting on your side of this war for months up to this point, and I've had enough of this. You're going to tell us the truth, and you're going to tell us now.
Roy: That woman… She called you Atropos. That's your true name, isn't it?
Aisa: I…
Roy: We want to understand what we're fighting for so that we have the power to stand at your side in the future. Please… Tell us what's going on.
Aisa: I knew that the truth would not be hidden forever… But it seems that the time has come for me to share the depth of my knowledge with you.
Cordelia: Then let's retreat to the monastery proper and hear it. I've had enough of secrets, and I know that the others feel the same way. Please… Tell us everything.
Aisa: …If that is what you desire.
You and the rest of your allies retreat to the monastery, and You end up in the audience chamber. Somehow, the light that streams through the stained glass feels much more ominous than usual, and You frown out the window as Seraphine's voice echoes in your mind.
Seraphine: Finally… It's so late for us to finally understand what we're fighting for, but I suppose it's better that we find out now rather than not ever finding out at all. So be it. I believe the time has finally come.
You stand with the other members of the Church of Seiros when Aisa lets out a careful sigh, breaking the heavy silence easily.
Aisa: In order to understand the depth of this war… I must ask you all to retreat with me into the ancient times of our world… The days when Nemesis and Seiros still walked this earth and fought in wars for the fate of Fódlan.
Cordelia: That's when Samiya was first alive, yes? She bears a striking resemblance to the saints of old.
Aisa: Yes… In those days, I was little more than a young peasant in what would one day become the Adrestian Empire. I was a devout follower of the Seiros faith with incredibly powerful magic. Because of my power, I was visited by Saint Seiros herself lifetimes ago, and she granted me a blessing from the goddess… The Crest of Flames and a dagger imbued with the power of the ancient Nabateans who once lived at the goddess' side.
Nesreen: The dagger you always carry with you… It's the very same, is it not?
Aisa: It is. Alongside that blessing, I was granted immortality, and I have walked this land ever since then. For many years, I worked alongside Saint Seiros, doing all in my power to aid the people of Fódlan and bring guidance and assistance to those who were suffering. We worked and fought as one in the name of this realm and its peace… Atropos and Seiros were allies to the end.
Herwig: But that did not last, did it?
Aisa: Nothing pure can ever stay for long. Nemesis broke into the Holy Tomb and slaughtered the goddess, using her body and blood for the sake of creating the first Crest not found in one of the Nabateans… The Crest of Flames.
Reese: And it would be the first of many.
Aisa: In the days of old, the only ones who held Crests were the Nabateans, the race the goddess herself gave rise to. Their hearts contained power unknown to the rest of humanity, and they held more strength than anyone could have ever anticipated… Until Nemesis killed nearly each one of them in the name of granting himself more power.
Jill: I was under the impression that the beliefs of the church insisted that Crests were gifts from the goddess.
Aisa: They were… Gifts to the Nabateans, that is. Nemesis and his closest companions took the power from the bodies of those they had killed and used that strength to create twisted weapons from their bones, drinking the blood of the fallen to gain the power of the Crests. In those old days, the Crests fought against the armies of the goddess rather than working at her side.
Niko: Things changed though… These days, Crests are praised for all that they can do for our society.
Aisa: Yes… Around the time that the Crests were twisted to such extremes… I was as well. The allies of Nemesis, the Agarthans and ancestors of Evenor Hepius and those like her, managed to capture me. The early stages of the war are a haze in my mind… They did all that they thought was necessary in order to make me their puppet, an army all my own with the power of a blessing from the goddess herself.
Adrian: You… You fought alongside Nemesis?
Aisa: I cannot say what came over me, but it was some unknown dark power that has since been lost to time. I fought against the armies of Seiros, and when Nemesis was defeated and the war ended… We met once more.
Roy: …You lost your Crest, didn't you? You've never shown any signs of having a Crest since then.
Aisa: Seiros intended to execute me, but my immortality made that impossible for her. My blessing was stripped away instead, but my lengthy lifespan remained. Each time I fall, I am able to pull myself together once more because of the gift the goddess granted me more than a thousand years ago. With no way to reverse the extension of my lifespan, Seiros banished me to the mountains in the north, never wanting to see me again… And that much was true. We never did cross paths after that.
Cordelia: But… You wound up here again even after all of that.
Aisa: Yes… I did. After the war ended, the Church of Seiros fully settled in as a prominent power across Fódlan, and the monastery became a haven of love for the goddess and all of her followers. Seiros… She sought to return that which she had lost, to revive the mother Nemesis had stolen from her… And so, she attempted to revive the goddess.
Your eyes go wide with shock at her words.
Aisa: It was a dangerous ritual, one that involved blood from four incredibly powerful Crest bearers… Their blood would be placed into a sacred chalice said to have the power to return the fallen to life, but… But the soul of the goddess did not return.
Niko: Then… Then what did happen?
Aisa: A monster rose from the chalice and slaughtered Seiros as well as the Four Saints that had worked alongside her during the war. Information about the ritual was buried by the church, but with no one to lead… The continent fell into a state of disarray… And that was when I returned.
Herwig: You came back to take up the mantle that Saint Seiros left behind… Without her death, you would have remained hidden forever.
Aisa: That is true… With Seiros' death, I knew that this world needed guidance. No one else could step up and retake her place, so I decided it would fall to me. I had failed her once before… The least I could do was ensure that I did not fail her again.
Reese: You've been the archbishop all that time then… Eternal and unchanging.
Aisa: Such is the curse of my lifespan. I did all that I could to pacify wars before they could get to be out of hand. The last thing I wanted was for war to consume this land the same way it had when Nemesis and Seiros fought centuries ago… That was the one blessing I could offer after Seiros' fall.
Jill: So when the war started, you disappeared out of guilt. Is that it?
Aisa: I was a fool for believing this peace would last. There have been signs for years that our fragile stability was slated to shatter, but I did not intervene out of fear it would spark a war… Only for the greatest conflict of them all to come because of my inaction. My shame was too much to bear, and so… I ran.
Niko: This was when the people were searching for stability more than ever though… You disappeared when everyone needed you most.
Aisa: I will not attempt to justify my actions. I was a coward, and I see that. I have known it all along.
Nesreen: What about Samiya? Where does she fit in with all of this?
Aisa: She is a Nabatean, the same as the other children of the goddess. She survived Nemesis' slaughter since she was not present at the time of the attack, and she sided with Seiros during the war. After Seiros and the Four Saints passed on… She retreated into hiding, bittered by her isolation as the final survivor of her race. She has likely been planning her vengeance against me ever since then for daring to fight against her during the war… I can hardly blame her for the way she loathes me so. I made a great many mistakes years ago, and I will never be able to erase that truth.
Cordelia: Perhaps not… But we can't keep living in the past forever.
Aisa: I know… You are correct the same as you always have been.
Adrian: The people of Fódlan have suffered greatly over the last five years, but we have the power to end the war.
Roy: Samiya's wish for revenge was no doubt a factor in starting this war given how she brought together so many people to fight at her side. Regardless of what is pushing her forward or the past you've been running from, we have a duty to fulfill in the name of the people who have spent the last half a decade agonizing over this conflict.
Aisa: I have had enough of running… I know that no conflict can end without the desire to fight back, and I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that this is Fódlan's final war.
Cordelia: Now that we know the truth, we can fight together without any fears. I've had enough of waiting, and I know that many others have as well… But we can leave that behind us in favor of fighting Samiya, Evenor, Argades, and every other monster behind this conflict.
Aisa: Yes… Today is the start of a new era for our forces. I am sorry for all that has happened to drive us to this position, but… I will do what I can to change my actions in the future.
Cordelia: I'm glad that we all understand one another now… From this day forth, we fight as one.
Aisa: Yes… We will.
Roy: For the time being, we should do what we can to inspect the damages of that battle. Samiya's forces were strong, and we need to be ready to fight back if she ever leads a charge of that scale in our direction again.
Cordelia: You're right. We've gotten the answers we were looking for, and we can decide how to apply them later. For the time being, we have a lot to resolve. Everyone, let's go.
Aisa: Thank you… All of you.
You watch as your allies depart, and You make to follow after them when Aisa stops You by placing a hand on your shoulder.
Aisa: Please… Hold a moment.
You turn to face her and ask what she needs.
Aisa: There is something about you that I noticed the first day we crossed paths… There is a power within you that is familiar to me.
You hesitantly ask what she is referring to.
Aisa: Centuries ago, I received a blessing from the goddess herself. Her power has since been taken from me, but I remember the sensation of her kiss each time I close my eyes… And I can feel an echo of her spirit deep within you.
Your eyes go wide with surprise.
Aisa: I am uncertain as to what this could possibly mean, but… I will do all that I can to help you to uncover the truth with time. Thank you for fighting at my side… I pray I will make it worth it to you.
You nod and say that You will ensure the war ends one day.
Aisa: I have no doubt about it… I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Aisa presses her hands to her chest in silent contemplation. She undergoes a promotion from Archbishop to Sacred Lady at this time.
Aisa: From one who holds the power of the goddess to another… I grant you strength.
You kneel before Aisa, your body seemingly acting on its own. Your eyes fall shut. You undergo a class change from Enlightened One to Godly Instrument at this time.
Aisa: With you at my side, I have every faith that we will find a way to end this war… May Fódlan never again see a conflict on this scale.
You nod as You rise to your feet, retreating from the room. You make your way to the cathedral in silence, your body barely even under your control. You stare up at the collapsed statue of the goddess, everything about the world around You hazy and distorted. You can feel an unfamiliar but cozy pulsing sensation in the back of your mind, and your eyes fall shut as You take it in.
Seraphine: You… You can feel it as well, can't you?
You nod to yourself, closing your eyes for a brief whisper of a moment. When You open them again, light gathers around You. It comes together to form the familiar silhouette of Seraphine, standing before You in the flesh.
Seraphine: I… I can do it again… I can make myself physical again!
You smile and say that You are happy to be able to see her this way again.
Seraphine: I am as well… It feels like it's been much too long since I've had the chance to do this.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: But… I can't help but be worried about what we heard before from Aisa… She said that she felt an echo of the goddess inside of you. What do you think that could possibly mean?
You hesitate before admitting that You do not know.
Seraphine: I suspected you would say as much… But at the very least, there's a lot that we do know now. Aisa spent a lot of time hiding the truth of her past, but we understand it now. She lived in the same age as the goddess and her children, and she tried her best to protect this land from war as a way of making it up to Saint Seiros… But she also fought against the saints, and that's the reason that Samiya hates her so much.
You say that You are certain that You will be learning more from Samiya in the future as well.
Seraphine: I suspect that will be the case as well… But for now, I think that we're finally getting close to understanding the truth behind this war. There's a lot that we still don't understand, but we're going to uncover it all with time… Both about ourselves and the rest of the world.
You nod and say that You will fight to find the truth with her at your side.
Seraphine: I wouldn't ask for it any other way.
You stare up at the fallen statue of the goddess that crumbled five years prior, a small frown on your face. Aisa's words about the power of the goddess living on within You still linger in your mind, and You wonder what secrets could have been placed inside of your body before your amnesia sealed away the past. Beside You, Seraphine stares up at the statue's collapsed form as well.
Seraphine: One day… One day we'll understand. I'm certain of it.
You nod, relieved that You were at least able to take one step closer to the truth today. You think of turning to leave, but You pause, sensing that Seraphine still has one more question to ask.
Seraphine: Out of curiosity… How do you feel about Aisa now that you've heard about her past? She used to fight alongside Nemesis, the one who destroyed the goddess to begin with.
You shake your head, saying that You still wish to fight alongside her.
Seraphine: It didn't take long for you to come to that conclusion.
You say that the past holds many unfortunate truths and secrets, but You can see in the present that Aisa wishes to end the war. You can sense her genuine passion for peace, and You wish to see that dream to its conclusion.
Seraphine: I see… At the end of the day, regardless of where we come from, all of us are still seeking that same peace. It won't be easy to achieve it, but that's the reason that we're working together to reach that point to begin with.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: I'm certain that Aisa didn't share everything with us today, but… I pray that she will find the strength to tell the full story one day. I hope that we can see that day arrive soon.
You say that You will do everything You can in the meantime to bring peace to Fódlan.
Seraphine: Good… It's what this land deserves. And as long as you fight for that… I will as well.
Seraphine fades from existence once more, manifesting in your mind a moment later. You take that as your cue to leave the cathedral, and You head back to help with the reconstruction effort elsewhere in the monastery. You feel oddly at peace despite the heaviness of the day, and You are determined to fight with everything You have in the name of a brighter future when the next battle arrives as well.
By the time that night falls, You have worked many long hours to restore the damages left behind by Samiya's attack, and exhaustion claims You quickly when You return to your room. There is still much that You do not understand about yourself and the world that surrounds You, but You are sure that the truth will come to light with time. Until then, You will fight for a brighter world alongside your allies, leaving the past behind You in favor of a future that seeks and needs the guidance of kind hearts found in those around You…
the plot!
-Digital