The morning sun broke through the snow-filled clouds that resided above Flamesgrace, coating the arctic town in a thin veil of pristine white illumination. Within the chapel of Flamesgrace, curtains were drawn open by thin, delicate hands, and Ophilia Clement stood in front of the glass with a gentle smile spreading across her lips.
Ophilia brushed a strand of golden hair away from her face as she allowed the light to fill her soft cerulean eyes. Ophilia's white dress and matching cloak seemed to glow in the sunshine, and her sleek black gloves reflected the glimmer in a way that seemed almost ethereal. She let out a dreamy sigh. Morning had always been Ophilia's favorite time of day. There was nothing quite like greeting the sun and enjoying the scarce beams that made their way through the skies of the Frostlands to touch the ground below.
A pair of telltale knocks came to Ophilia's door, and she turned around to face the entryway of her room. She knew who was behind the sound without even needing to ask. "Come in," Ophilia's dignified voice instructed kindly. She chose not to shut the curtains, giving a heavenly glow to her soft and sweet features.
The newcomer was a girl with light brown hair tied into a simple ponytail. A few loose strands framed her face and brought attention to her deep and soulful eyes. A headband sat atop her head, crowning her presence with something perfectly fitting and elegant. She was wearing a similar dress to Ophilia, and her cloak and gloves matched as well. They were different at a first glance, but everything about them seemed to come together like perfectly matched pieces of a puzzle.
"May the Sacred Flame light your path on this fine day," Lianna Clement told Ophilia as she bowed her head and clasped her hands in a prayer formation. Her eyes slipped shut, and she waited patiently for Ophilia to return the favor.
It only took a moment for the blonde woman to follow suit, her hands pressed together firmly in front of her chest. "And may it ever shine its warmth upon you," Ophilia finished, offering the second half of the greeting that had come to be known as traditional in the town of Flamesgrace.
For a few long seconds, the two girls were silent. Lianna was the first one to show signs of slipping, and she bit down on her lip to unsuccessfully try and halt the laughter that was already starting to rattle in her lungs. It didn't take long for Ophilia to join in, and less than a minute later, the two were openly giggling as if they had partaken in the most amazing inside joke to ever be created.
After Ophilia had managed to calm her laughter, she shook her head and spoke. "How many times have we said those words? And yet, they seem to take on a whole new meaning now," she said to Lianna, resisting the urge to gesture back and forth between them. It had been tradition for them to exchange the words for as long as Ophilia could remember, but times had changed since the idea was first placed in motion.
Lianna nodded, and a newfound resolve formed in her posture. "Each day is one day closer to my departure. Perhaps I'm more nervous than I thought I was..." she commented, releasing a nervous laugh despite her body putting on a show of confidence.
Ophilia took a small step closer, one hand reaching out to grace the other woman's shoulder. She ultimately retreated before the contact could be established, and she swallowed dryly, her anxiety manifesting itself in the back of her throat. "Lianna?" she managed to whisper.
Lianna shook her head to dismiss the thought. "You needn't worry about me. I was born to make the pilgrimage," she said a moment later, her demeanor shifting once again into a display of assurance regardless of her true opinions. Lianna turned and took a step towards the window, allowing the morning sun to spread across her pale skin. "My father did the same twenty years ago. As his daughter, I cannot let him down."
Ophilia let out a small sigh. "You really are incredible, Lianna. I don't know how you do it," she confessed, her voice overflowing with wonder. When Lianna turned to face her, one eyebrow arched in confusion, Ophilia continued. "As the archbishop's only true born daughter, everyone expects so much from you. And yet, you never fail them. Each of your sermons is more inspiring than the last. And now, the pilgrimage... So much is placed on you alone."
Lianna laughed, the sound caring and sympathetic despite its dismissive dimension. "Don't be silly. I'm not alone. I have you, don't I? And everyone at the cathedral... Why, you're the one who helped me think of a topic for that last sermon, Ophilia. You even stayed up for nights with me to draft it."
"A willing set of ears and a few pretty words, that's all I could offer you..." Ophilia murmured as she moved towards her bed. She began to busy herself with placing the covers back in their organized state, unwilling to meet Lianna's eyes. She already knew that she was in for a lecture regarding her lack of confidence, and Ophilia wasn't sure if she would be able to endure the same song and dance again. "I wish I could do something that would truly help you."
Lianna scoffed. "Oh, abandon such worries and come, my sister. Father is expecting us in the chapel," she said simply. Ophilia sighed with relief internally that she had managed to escape the lecture, though she suspected that Lianna would be returning with a vengeance soon enough. It was only a matter of time.
Still, Ophilia took this chance for what it was and trailed after Lianna away from her bedroom and towards the chapel of the Flamesgrace cathedral. Beneath their feet, a red carpet unfurled itself, the very pinnacle of elegance and grace. The stones of the cathedral held a dark and ancient aesthetic, and yet, Ophilia couldn't have imagined a better place as her home.
The tale of the Flamesgrace cathedral, and the religion that surrounded it, was one that Ophilia had heard a thousand times and told a thousand more. In the beginning, the thirteen gods created the land. They shaped the mountains, filled the seas, and gave life to mighty trees and myriad beasts. Then, they created humanity, who would become the masters of the land.
Yet one god, Galdera, was too greedy to part with his creations. And so, the twelve gods of heaven were forced into a desperate struggle with the cruel Galdera, lord of the most infernal magicks. In the end, the conflict was brought to a close by Aelfric, the Flamebringer, goddess of all that is holy. Aelfric called astral fire made of light down from the skies upon Galdera, sapping his strength. Then, Aelfric sealed him away in the afterworld. Aelfric had created a divine flame to chase the shadows. This was the Sacred Flame that shone down upon Orsterra, bringing warmth and guidance to its people.
The selfsame Sacred Flame burned at the center of a hearth found at the back of the chapel, and Ophilia found herself hypnotized by its familiar dance. She had always found the flare to be captivating, and its white-blue glow roused a smile to her face. Ophilia had always adored the ancient tales of the gods, and the Sacred Flame's origin had to be her favorite by far. Aelfric's courage was admirable even more than a millennia and a half later, and Ophilia wished that she possessed the same strength that the goddess had been known for once upon a time.
Standing in front of the Sacred Flame was none other than Josef Clement, Ophilia's adoptive father and caretaker. His hair was the same gentle brown color as Lianna's, but his was streaked with occasional traces of gray. He wore the traditional white robes of the clergy, and the Sacred Flame's precious glow reflected upon his time-worn face. Ophilia couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. Josef's kindness was something that she doubted she would ever be able to forget, and she held it dear to her heart even years later.
When Josef recognized that Ophilia and Lianna had arrived, he turned to face them with a warm smile of his own. "Ah, there you are, my girls," he said softly. His expression was filled to the brim with soft and tender affection that could only be reserved for a parent watching their child.
Ophilia bowed her hand and clutched her palms together over her chest. "Your Excellency... May the Sacred Flame ever light your path," she responded, using the regular title for the archbishop despite their close connection. It had been a habit for Ophilia for as long as she could remember. Josef had long insisted that he call her by the name of 'Father', but she couldn't bring herself to do it. They shared no blood, and part of Ophilia almost believed that she wasn't worthy of such a graceful offer. Instead, she kept to using the title, pulling in her adoptive father and sister without ever giving them the chance to get close enough to show them the truth of the insecurity resting beneath the surface.
Lianna was used to Ophilia's habits, and she took a small step towards her father. "Have you need of us here, Father?" she questioned. Her eyes were kind and curious, but concern could be seen glazing over behind the surface brightness.
Josef's smile faltered briefly, but he corrected himself before either one of the girls could comment on it. "I wished to see you, that is all. Do carry on with your duties," he instructed.
Ophilia kept her expression as gracious as possible, trying not to show that she was aware of the brief crack in his mask. "As you wish, Your Excellency," Ophilia responded. She glanced up to the flame crackling behind him, listening to the gentle hum of the flare. The Sacred Flame had always soothed even her darkest fears, and she felt as if every worry that existed meant nothing in comparison to the beauty waiting before her.
Josef shook his head as he continued to address his daughters. "It is as if the two of you have become women grown in the blink of an eye," he told them softly, carefully considering every syllable before he dared to speak it. He pondered his next statement for a moment before going on. "How long has it been, Ophilia, since you came to us?"
Ophilia swallowed dryly around the lump that had appeared in her throat. "Fifteen years, Your Excellency, or near enough so," she replied. It had been a decade and a half since her arrival in Flamesgrace, and yet, her mind still strayed back to times of the distant past more than she cared to confess. Josef mentioning their initial encounter did little to help her settle her score with completed events.
Josef's face tilted downwards to the ground. "Fifteen years... I suppose it is little wonder that you have grown so," he remarked, melancholy bitterness finding its way into his features. He still refused to meet Ophilia and Lianna's eyes.
Ophilia took a hesitant step forward. Fifteen years had passed since she first crossed paths with Josef and Lianna, and it had been just as long since she had become part of their family and taken their shared name. Prior to that, Ophilia had been nothing more than a shadow in the grand scheme of Orsterra's design, yet another war orphan left to suffer and crumble under the weight of the world. Josef had met her parents in times long gone, back before either Lianna or Ophilia had been born, and following their passing, he had happily accepted Ophilia as part of his heart and family. "I could never thank you enough for what you and Lianna have done for me," she murmured. If not for their actions, Ophilia knew that she would not have lived to see the present day. It was a reality that she had accepted many years ago.
Josef let out a humored chuckle. "No need for such words, my child. We all follow the path the Sacred Flame illuminates for us," he told her, repeating the same words that he had each other time that Ophilia thanked him for his kindness.
Lianna came up behind Ophilia and swung an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Come on, Phili. We're family! You, Father, and I... There's no need to be so formal about it," she chastised. "Why should you have to thank us for being with you? That's what family's for!" Her bright smile made it so easy for Ophilia to forget that she wasn't the same as they were, that she was the thumb that stuck out among the crowd of Flamesgrace.
Ophilia hadn't originated from the Frostlands, something that always seemed blatantly obvious when citizens of the town came to visit the church. She was used to the strange gazes that she received, a child of the Riverlands with pale hair and bright eyes. Her parents had lived in a small village on the border of the Riverlands and the Cliftlands. Creek was located near the splendid city of Saintsbridge, and it was in that very city that Josef crossed paths with them two decades prior. When war broke out between the Riverlands' Lievan and the Cliftlands city of Edolas, Creek had been decimated in the process. Ophilia, orphaned and alone, was brought back to Flamesgrace when Josef heard of her parents' passing. Ironically enough, both Lievan and Edolas were destroyed in the process, absorbed as part of Saintsbridge and the Cliftlands merchant town Quarrycrest respectively. It was as if the war had never happened at all except to those with a long memory.
Ophilia would never be able to thank Josef and Lianna enough for taking a chance on her, for accepting her when no one else would. She was an outcast even in her own home, and despite her loyalty to the church, townsfolk still wondered why she was there at all. She could feel it in every judgmental gaze that looked her way. Ophilia had heard other clergymen giving Josef grief for his willingness to accept a foreigner into the church, and it was what had prompted her to grow so distant from them in the first place. She was a burden in the eyes of others, and Josef and Lianna had taken a step below their station to take her in fifteen years prior. Even as a grown woman, Ophilia had not truly outgrown the insecurity that she was unwanted and unneeded in the eyes of Flamesgrace and Orsterra as a whole.
But she said none of this. Instead, Ophilia allowed a falsified smile to spread across her face and thanked Aelfric that she had become such a talented actress to keep from weighing on others more than she already did simply by drawing breath. "Of course... You're right, Lianna," Ophilia said, knowing that Lianna was right but unwilling to truly internalize her words.
Satisfied with the response she received, Lianna took a step back and chuckled. "Besides, Father may be a great archbishop in here, but we both know he's just an old layabout at home. Isn't that right, Father?" Lianna questioned, her eyes turning sharp and teasing as she looked to Josef.
Her father returned the laughter. "An old layabout? You wound me, Lianna!" he continued to chortle.
Lianna sighed with forged exasperation. "I know your duties at the cathedral keep you busy, Father, but honestly! You're no help at all when it comes to keeping a household running!" Just to prove her point, Lianna stepped forward and smoothed out the collar of her father's robes upon noticing that it had been sitting off-kilter. "Would it kill you to cook a meal or dust the bookshelves from time to time?"
Josef laughed and shook his head. "Oh, my... When you put it that way, I suppose I am quite useless, after all," he muttered to himself. Lianna playfully rolled her eyes to show that she was only poking fun.
Ophilia snickered along with them. "So even the great and beloved archbishop falls short in the discerning eyes of his daughter," she concluded. She took a small step back, knowing that this was a personal moment for father and daughter. She was not like them, and she was fully aware.
"So it would seem, Ophilia," Josef remarked. "So it would seem." He adjusted the length of his gold-lined robes, looking up with the same kind tenderness that had come to be his trademark as archbishop. Lianna laughed before Josef went on. "Now, tell me, Lianna... Are you prepared for your journey to the Cave of Origin?"
"But of course, Father. I am ready," Lianna confirmed with eyes as determined and sharp as steel. She turned to face the Sacred Flame, prompting both Josef and Ophilia to follow suit moments afterwards.
"In the deepest recess of that cave is where you will find the First Flame," Josef went on. "You will take the ember to the churches across the realm, where it will serve to light the sacred fires that warm and protect all the lands. This is the Kindling, the time-honored rite held every twenty years since the days of old."
Ophilia closed her eyes as she imagined the Kindling. Every twenty years since Aelfric's initial battle against the Fallen, a member of the Flamesgrace church had followed in her footsteps to perform the sacred act. Legend had it that the Sacred Flame was what kept the beast at bay and brought Orsterra safety every two decades. She had been born just as the previous Kindling came to a close, but this time, she would be able to see Lianna complete her quest in full glory.
"Your journey will not be an easy one. As soon as you step foot into the wilderness, you will be met with lawless villains and savage beasts. Many a servant of the church has made this journey throughout our history. Some... Some have never returned," Josef murmured, his voice growing soft and sentimental. He shook the thought off a moment later. "But I know you can do this, my daughter. Everyone has put their faith in you."
Lianna bowed her head. "You have my word, Father. I won't let you... I won't let anyone down. I will carry out the rite just as you did twenty years ago," she assured him. The flame reflected on her face, making her seem just as heavenly as the goddess Aelfric herself.
Josef nodded carefully. "Very good, my child. Very-" Before Josef could finish, he was cut off by an explosive series of coughs that wracked his body. One palm pressed against his chest, ruining the fixed collar that Lianna had doted over a few minutes prior, and Josef's body hunched over to force the wheezes free.
Lianna took a step forward and braced a hand on his shoulder. "Father?" she questioned, agitation quickly seeping into her voice.
"Are you alright, Your Excellency?" Ophilia asked carefully, all insecurities cast aside for a brief moment as fear formed a solid rock at the core of her body.
Josef shook his head to dismiss their concerns. "It's nothing to worry yourselves over. Just my years announcing their advance," he assured them as he moved over the final few coughs from his episode.
Ophilia's stomach dropped into her feet despite his sincerity. She had thought that her birth parents were going to be safe as well fifteen years prior, and she would never be able to forget the tragic way that everything fell apart in the blink of an eye with a few simple slashes of steel. "Oh, you mustn't sound so gloomy, Your Excellency!" she cried out, trying to move past her own desperation that he was wrong about his steady aging and resulting downward spiral. "There is still so much we would learn from you before you call yourself archbishop emeritus!"
"Ophilia is right, Father!" Lianna asserted confidently. Her gaze lingered on her adoptive sister for a moment longer, a smile appearing in the place of her concern. Ophilia missed the silent display of affection, too focused on their father to notice. "Like she always is. You should retire for the day and let your body recuperate. We can handle things from here." Her hand was already finding its way around her father's back to guide him in the direction of his room.
"We will let the pontiff know that you are resting in your chambers," Ophilia assured him, giving him a pointed yet caring glance to show that she wouldn't be backing down. Lianna followed suit, leaving no room for him to object.
Josef let out a laugh, but unlike his previous hearty chuckles, the sound seemed hollow and lacked substance. "When my two girls insist, who is this old man to deny them? I will leave the preparations for today's service to you."
Ophilia nodded firmly. "We will take care of everything, Your Excellency," she told him, continuing in her attempts to ignore the anxiety that was quickly mounting at her core.
"I'll see Father back to his chambers," Lianna began, taking her first step to guide Josef in the right direction.
"Thank you, Lianna. I will see to our duties here," Ophilia replied firmly. She watched carefully as Lianna walked with Josef around the corner, and the pair vanished from sight soon afterwards. Once she was alone, Ophilia let out a small sigh and closed her eyes in contemplation. "I suppose I had best start preparing for the next service at once..." she whispered under her breath.
The sound of footfall drew Ophilia's attention elsewhere, and she glanced up to see a young child moving through the center aisle of the chapel. It was a boy no older than seven ambling along with tears in his eyes. "Oh my... What is a child doing here all alone?" Ophilia questioned. She watched as the boy glanced back and forth nervously before she walked closer, careful to not move too suddenly and frighten him. "What is the matter?"
The boy was unable to hold his tears back when he saw Ophilia, and a sob broke free of his lips. "I-It's my mama! She's gone, and I can't find her anywhere!" he cried out. His sobbing grew louder as he rubbed haphazardly at his eyes. "Come back, Mama! Don't leave me here all alone!" The boy practically threw himself at Ophilia, eyes still overflowing with tears.
Ophilia pulled the boy away from her dress and crouched down so that she was on his level. She gently pressed her hands against his, allowing him to meet her eyes. "Now, now... Let's dry those tears. Why don't I help you look for your mother?" she asked gently as a personable smile festered on her face.
It took a few moments for the boy to wipe his tears away and get out the last of his sniffles. "Can you really find her?" he questioned, eyes full of dashed hopes and fear.
"Of course," Ophilia replied immediately. "The Sacred Flame will show us the way." She rose to her full height and took the boy's hand in her own. She gave a passing thought towards the service before ignoring the idea. Helping the boy was far more important as far as she was concerned, and when she looked down to see how anxious he still was, Ophilia knew that she had made the right decision. She would have time to work on the service later. For the time being, the boy had to be her priority.
As Ophilia guided the child out of the church, she saw another member of the church standing against the wall and rehearsing an upcoming sermon. A set of flashcards could be found between his fingers. "The holy white fire of Aelfric protects us and leads us through the darkness. There are rumors of heretics who worship a black flame of evil. However..."
Ophilia didn't hear anything that came after that as she pushed her way through the grand doors of the church. A blast of cold wind met her face, and she heard the boy sniffle once again from beside her. She descended the steps carefully as snow continued to drift down from above, creating a resplendent aura of beauty around the pair.
At the base of the stairs to the cathedral, a woman with blonde hair and warm clothing could be found. Distress was painted on her face, and she was moving frantically from person to person, asking a question before shifting to another target. When she turned to face Ophilia, her face melted into relief.
"Mother!" the boy cried out as he ran towards the woman and embraced her with everything that he had. His tears were dried away almost immediately as his mother began to wipe gentle fingers across his face.
"There you are!" the mother exclaimed. She pulled her son in close and hugged him as tightly as she could stand before pulling away and glancing in Ophilia's direction. "Sister Ophilia! How can I thank you for taking care of my son?"
"There's no need to thank me," Ophilia assured her. She tried to place the woman's face, and a moment later, she realized that the mother held features notably found in the Coastlands from her light brown hair to her freckles and sun-kissed skin. Another foreigner, just like her. "We all follow the path the Sacred Flame illuminates for us." She effortlessly repeated the words that she had heard so many times from Josef as a gracious curtsey overcame her body.
"You are too kind, Sister Ophilia. Thank you for helping us," the mother responded as her fingers curled gently around the shoulders of her son. The boy continued to sniffle from beside her, and the mother pulled him in a bit closer. "It is no wonder the archbishop is so proud of his two daughters."
"Two... Daughters?" Ophilia echoed. After the doubts of the morning regarding her connections to Josef and Lianna, that was the last thing Ophilia had expected to hear. It both relieved her and left her feeling even sicker than she thought possible over a handful of words.
"Surely, you must know that he is forever boasting of you and Sister Lianna both!" the mother exclaimed. Her son retreated into her skirt silently, his expression soft and shy as he watched Ophilia with admiration.
"He... He does?" Ophilia questioned, trying speak around the mass that had formed in her throat. She was used to insistences of family from Lianna and Josef, but hearing it from someone on the outside was an entirely different experience, and it left her feeling strangely breathless.
"But of course! Almost every time I speak to him!" the mother replied. She turned her attention back to her son, completely missing Ophilia's stunned silent expression. "Thank Sister Ophilia. We should be getting home."
"Thank you," her son said quietly as a pink formed of embarrassment crept into his cheeks. He stepped away from his mother's side to bow to Ophilia before returning to his precious position pressed at the woman's hip.
"It was my pleasure," Ophilia replied, slipping effortlessly back into her mask of performance to keep anyone from noticing just how surprised she was to hear that the archbishop referred to her as his family to outside parties.
The mother and son nodded their thanks to Ophilia before leaving her behind at the steps of the cathedral. Even with the general bustle of people going about their morning routines, Ophilia felt as if she was the only person in the world. The lump in her throat was back since she no longer needed to put on a show of composure, and she looked down at her gloved hands. It was only after she blinked and her vision blurred that she realized there were tears in her eyes.
Ever since she first arrived in Flamesgrace, Ophilia had feared that she would never be able to stand up to the beautiful legacy that both Josef and Lianna had created. She was an outsider, something almost unheard of in Flamesgrace due to so few people choosing to brave the elements of tempestuous cold to arrive in the city. For years, she had grown used to people whispering when they thought she wasn't listening, wondering if she would ever be able to stand up to the shadow that she had been placed in the instant that Josef decided to give her a chance.
After a while, Ophilia had started to believe that they were right. She was an imitation of Lianna and an echo of the person that Josef would have wanted her to be. No matter how hard she tried, Ophilia believed that she would never be good enough for them. She pushed herself to perfection to cover for her own insecurity, placing a mask of grace to ensure that nobody noticed the doubts that were whispered on the darkest of her nights. Ophilia, the outsider of Creek, would never have a chance to hold a candle, scarcely even an ember, to the splendid torch of Lianna and the radiant flame of Josef.
But for a moment, standing there in the bitter cold of Flamesgrace, Ophilia hoped to Aelfric that she might be able to try. She was going to do her best, and she had been temporarily empowered with the strength to believe that perhaps it was something she was capable of. Her fears had been buried for a brief moment, and all that mattered were the woman's words about how Josef truly did consider her to be part of his family. Ophilia treated herself as a burden, but for a few shining seconds, she was able to think that perhaps others didn't believe this the way that she had been convinced they did for so long.
Ophilia swallowed back her tears as she turned back to the cathedral. She thought gently of how beautiful hope was as the doors of the Flamesgrace cathedral closed behind her. Even though it was cold outside, Ophilia felt nothing short of perfect warmth inside.
This chapter is coming a lot sooner than I thought it would. Surprise?
I got motivation, and then I just started going. Once I started writing, I couldn't stop. Sound familiar? Yeah. Maybe I'm a bit more dedicated to this story than I thought at first. No objections here.
First off, I want to say something that I forgot to mention last time. Aelfric is a man in canon, but I did some gender swapping for this. Aelfric is a woman now because I said so. It keeps the gender ratio among the gods even, and plus, it just makes Aelfric a bit more badass in my eyes. You go lead the gods and cast down heavenly fire onto Galdera, Aelfric. You do that and you own it.
Next up, I want to bring up the mention of Ophilia's hometown of Creek. This is something that is mentioned in the official guidebook for Octopath. The timeline at the back of the book explains that she originates from Creek, a Riverlands town that was destroyed in war. I decided to solidify it here since it wasn't ever confirmed in the canon game. So there's that.
The final thing I wanted to bring up is pretty obvious in this chapter. Even though I'm mostly following the game script loyally, I did add in a healthy dose of creative liberty. That's where the explicit mention of Ophilia's insecurity comes from. It was implied in canon but never fully stated, so I explained it in full here. Some dialogue is changed as well for the sake of removing info dumps and making the scenes flow more naturally. Woohoo for that spicy stuff! Expect more of that in the future, especially when we get into the segments with multiple party members. I'm throwing in a bunch of other interactions between the teammates, so there will be more of this later down the line. Yay for that!
That should be about it for this chapter. I can't promise that the next update will come quite so quickly, but it's here for now, and that's what matters most. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. Have a nice day, everyone!
-Digital