At the end of the moon, You rise from your slumber and begin to prepare for the day ahead. You still feel anxiety pulling at the back of your mind, and when Seraphine speaks, You can hear it in her voice as well.
Seraphine: I hope this leads us to the truth… We have no idea what we're going to find when we finally track down Evenor's old laboratory.
You shake your head and say that You are determined to see this war through to the end no matter how long it takes.
Seraphine: I can only imagine how confused everyone is… Everyone outside of the monastery, that is. To them, it must seem like the war should be over. After all, Argades is gone, and Magnolia and Raithius managed to reclaim control over the Kingdom and Alliance respectively. That feels like it should start the recovery process, but… There's still more for us to do.
You nod and tell her that You fight for the sake of those who do not understand.
Seraphine: I know… And I'm glad to have you here. I know that you can do this. It's just a matter of how long it'll take us to finally reach the end of this journey… I'm afraid it will bring more pain to the masses in the meantime.
You tell her that You will continue to fight no matter what that means.
Seraphine: And for right now, that means going to find the people who were hurt by her experimentation. It's not going to be easy, but… We have to do what we can to help them.
You hesitate before saying that You are not sure as to how they will respond to learning of their freedom.
Seraphine: I don't know either… Mostly because it's impossible to say for sure what Evenor did to them when we weren't there to see it.
You shake your head, saying that You believe You went through that same experimentation years ago but simply do not remember it.
Seraphine: That's what Evenor made it sound like when she was talking to us before her death, at the very least… But that's not what the paperwork we found implies. I suppose we should talk to Chris about it now that we know she's alive, right?
You nod at that, though You are afraid of the answers You are going to find when You approach her.
Seraphine: I understand that… I would be lying if I said that I wasn't afraid. In fact, I'm terrified of what she's going to tell us. It could be something terrible well beyond our imagination, and we wouldn't know it until it was too late to back out of hearing it.
You say that You need to talk to her whether You like it or not.
Seraphine: I suppose we can make that our incentive to get through this mission as quickly as possible… She probably won't want to say anything as long as other people are around.
You nod, agreeing that she has seemed much more closed off and secretive since returning to the monastery.
Seraphine: I can't say that surprises me… She had to lead a rebellion against Argades for months, and even the smallest bit of information getting out without her permission could have ended all of that. I think it would make anyone in her shoes pretty clammy.
You take in a deep breath and say that You will not let her hide the truth forever.
Seraphine: I know… And I'm going to be here for you whenever it's time to talk to her. I promise.
You thank Seraphine for her kindness.
Seraphine: Of course… Now, let's go and see the rest of the group. I bet they're all pretty anxious just sitting there waiting.
You nod and start to make your way to the front of the monastery. Sure enough, the Ashen Wolves are all there along with the other members of the army. You smile to yourself at the sight of seeing all of your old allies here once again, still not quite past the stage of glee that came with reuniting with your friends, before approaching Eli and the rest of his inner circle.
Eli: Ah, Professor, there you are. I'm glad to see you. We should be ready to leave within the hour.
Ernst: We've received a report that says there are a few soldiers gathered in that building she was using as a base.
Gabriel: I had been hoping we wouldn't need to deal with that since we took care of so many of the enemy groups, but…
Saias: That's not the case. Evenor left behind a few guards in case she didn't end up going back there.
Taiyin: It's so easy to jump to optimism these days… But I guess we'll just have to fight through this bunch of soldiers anyway.
Ansel: If I had to guess, I would assume that they're lacking in leadership and gathered there for the sake of its familiarity.
Cyrus: I agree. If Belenio and Tagusol aren't there to command them, then they're probably going at it alone.
Tsubasa: That makes our job considerably easier… Though we'll have to see if that's actually the case in practice or just in theory.
Grey: We don't really have much of a choice around it even if we wanted to avoid a battle at this point.
Magnus: They made their decision. We need to help the people being held there. It's the least we can do.
Druilla: Then we can set out for the abandoned building and do all in our power to free the people left behind.
Quinn: I agree. After that, we can search the area and interrogate the remaining soldiers for any information about Belenio or Tagusol's current locations.
Eli: We have a plan then. We set out at once. Prepare yourselves, everyone… I have a bad feeling about this already.
You and the rest of the army set out from there, and You follow the same path that Evenor would have used to reach her laboratory. The longer the road stretches on, the more anxious You get. Your stomach twists itself into a knot, and by the time You arrive, You feel as if You are going to be sick.
Seraphine: I hope there's still something to find there… I'm afraid we're going to arrive only to find that all the people who were once held there have already been…
You shake your head and say that pessimism will not help the circumstances at all.
Seraphine: You're right… It's a lot easier to say that than to actually put it into practice, but we should focus on the matter at hand. We can investigate the building after we arrive.
You nod and turn your focus to the path ahead once again. Soon enough, the building comes up on the horizon, and You frown at the sight of it. The building is practically falling apart, though You can tell it saw recent activity. If you had to wager a guess, You would have said that the true danger of the building could be found beneath the earth. After all, Evenor always seemed to enjoy conducting her experiments beneath the ground.
You hold back a wince when You see soldiers beginning to buzz around the area. You doubt that they knew You were coming, but You are once again reminded of the reality that this will end in a battle no matter what You try.
Seraphine: It's a shame we're going to have to fight… That could cause issues for any hostages being held down there. We'll just have to try and push through the enemy forces as soon as possible. It's not a foolproof solution, but it's the best option we have.
You nod your agreement and turn to the rest of the Ashen Wolves to seek their thoughts on the matter.
Eli: Alright… I hope you're all ready for this. I have a feeling this battle is going to be a bitter one.
Magnus: You make it sound as if something like that has stopped us before. Besides, how bad can it be?
Grey: At this point, they're running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off since they have no commander.
Tsubasa: I would still argue that all of us know better than to underestimate a rogue faction just because they're fighting out of desperation.
Taiyin: We should hope that desperation isn't going to find a way to hurt us in the long run… Though fighting them is the best way to ensure that.
Cyrus: We'll need to act quickly once we get down there. I'm sure there are other soldiers waiting inside the building.
Saias: It's a plan then. We'll get rid of everyone outside and then rush inside to take care of everyone left behind.
Gabriel: Alright… We don't know how many hostages are in there, so we can't give them a chance to use that against us.
Ansel: I agree. Time needs to be prioritized above all else. We must be fast, but we cannot resort to recklessness along the way.
Quinn: Of course. Once everyone is prepared, we can march. The battle will truly begin when we make ourselves known.
Druilla: Then let's get it over with. The sooner this fight ends, the better off all of us are going to be.
Ernst: I'm counting on all of you… And I need you to stay safe during all of this for the sake of our futures.
Eli: I agree completely. Do what you must, but don't cross any lines that could place you in danger. Now… Let's go. We have a battle to win.
You nod and follow the rest of the Ashen Wolves down to the battlefield fully. There are many soldiers gathered around the building, but You are confident the Ashen Wolves were right in assuming there are more waiting inside. You just need to find a way to push through to help the people who are being held within. You can only hope that You are not too late to stop the soldiers from hurting the hostages.
You survey the battlefield carefully once You are in position. The soldiers are guarding the entrance to the building, and that means something of value is waiting inside. You frown at the sight, and You vow to break through as soon as possible. If You are too slow, the hostages inside will surely suffer, and You refuse to put them in that position. Time is of the essence, and You will not allow it to slip out of your control.
At the start of the first turn, the following dialogue plays out.
Soldier: Hey! There's an army marching closer! We had better get ready to destroy everything we can!
Eli: Gods above… They know what we're trying to do, it seems. We'll need to get rid of them before they have the chance to destroy the building. If it burns completely, we'll lose our chance to find Belenio and Tagusol. Beyond that, the hostages… Be careful, and be swift. I'm counting on all of you.
You take that as your cue to charge forward alongside the rest of your allies. You fight with swift ferocity, cutting down every enemy that crosses your path as soon as You get the chance. Many of the soldiers are standing their ground in an attempt to fend off your forces, but others are fleeing for the inside of the building to try and destroy the evidence left behind by Evenor. You do your best to defeat those that are trying to escape, though a few of them manage to get away despite your best efforts.
When You and the rest of your allies have cleared out the area outside the building, the following dialogue plays out.
Eli: And now it's time for the second part of this fight… Be careful to not fight any civilians that might be used as shields once we get inside. We need to be cautious no matter what. Stop them from hurting anyone or destroying any evidence.
You nod your understanding as the doors to the building open. Every soldier that managed to escape into the building over the course of the battle's first half is there inside. Beyond that, each escaped soldier is standing with a hostage at their side. Defeating the soldier near the hostage will set them free, giving them the chance to escape from the battlefield in full.
When You defeat the soldier looking after the first hostage, the following dialogue plays out.
Hostage: Am I… Saved…? Thank you for everything! I can't say it enough!
When You defeat the soldier looking after the second hostage, the following dialogue plays out.
Hostage: Hold on… Are you trying to help me? That hasn't happened in a long time… Thank you for everything! I owe you my life!
When You defeat the soldier looking after the third hostage, the following dialogue plays out.
Hostage: I-I thought I was going to die when he grabbed me… T-Thank you for stopping him… Truly.
When You defeat the soldier looking after the fourth hostage, the following dialogue plays out.
Hostage: I never thought I would get out of here! I won't forget this! Thank you so much!
When You defeat the soldier looking after the fifth and final hostage, the following dialogue plays out.
Hostage: Finally, someone has come to stop them… We've been here for so long… Thank you for all of this. I'll find a way to tell you again after the war ends. I promise.
You continue to push through the enemy soldiers from there, striking down each and every foe that crosses your path. With time, You and the Ashen Wolves manage to clear out the building in full. Afterward, You survey the area to ensure each of the soldiers has been defeated. When You are certain there is no one else there to challenge your forces, You allow yourself to sigh in relief, all of the tension leaving your body on the spot.
When the battle is over, the Ashen Wolves approach You, and the following dialogue plays out.
Eli: At long last, it's over… That was certainly a difficult battle, but we were able to clear out each of the soldiers here.
Ernst: Beyond that, we were able to free the hostages brought out here to the battlefield… Though I suspect there are others down below.
Ernst points to a staircase leading underground, and You nod your agreement.
Gabriel: We should be careful before we go down there. I don't want us to end up caught by surprise and attacked.
Taiyin: We can be cautious. Besides, I doubt there are enough soldiers left to make a stand against us even if they tried.
Ansel: Some of us can go down to free the hostages while the others stay up here to look around. There's a lot to be found here.
Ansel gestures at the surrounding area, and You nod your agreement. There are many papers and files spread throughout the main space, though some of them are torn or otherwise damaged. You can only assume that was the byproduct of the battle, though You hope that was not enough to completely ruin the files You were looking for by coming here to begin with.
Tsubasa: That sounds like as good a plan as any. There has to be something here or down there that can help us.
Saias: I have to wonder how many people are going to be waiting for us down in the basement of this place…
Quinn: We should go down and find them. Standing up here won't help to free any remaining hostages.
Grey: Then let's get to it… But first, Professor, are you alright? You look pretty pale all of a sudden.
You glance over to Grey, and the rest of the Ashen Wolves look at You as well.
Magnus: Grey is right. You look like you've seen a ghost… And in a place like this, that's probably not too far off base.
Eli: You should stay up here. The rest of us can handle it.
Cyrus: I think Druilla and I would prefer to wait up here as well, if that's alright. Going down there…
Druilla: It'll bring back a lot of things I know we would rather forget. You couldn't pay me enough money to go down there.
Eli: I understand. We'll handle everything and come back when we're finished. Look after yourselves while we're gone, okay?
You nod and watch the Ashen Wolves go down into the basement. You turn to Cyrus and Druilla and ask if they think You will find anything relevant in the notes in the main part of the building.
Druilla: There has to be at least something around here… It's just a matter of figuring out which one of these papers can help us.
Cyrus: We should get the rest of the army to help us with sifting through this paperwork. There's a lot more of it than I was expecting.
You nod once again and go back to the rest of the group to ask them for help. Along the way, Seraphine speaks to You.
Seraphine: This could be the chance we've been waiting for… We could step away and talk to Chris about everything that happened in the Imperial capital years ago.
You hum your agreement before You turn your attention to the rest of the army. Over the course of the next few minutes, You tell them about what needs to be done, and they agree to help. Various members of the expanded army spread out in the building and search through the many files Evenor left behind.
Once everyone has turned their attention to the paperwork Evenor once filled out, You approach Chris and tap her on the shoulder. She turns to face You.
Chris: Ah, Professor… Did you need something?
You nod and say that You were hoping to speak with her for a few minutes.
Chris: …Let's step outside. I believe I already know where this is going, and I think we need all the privacy we can get.
You walk outside as she suggested, and You close the door to the building behind her. You turn to her and say that You have come up with many questions since she was last in your life, and You need to hear the answers to them.
Chris: Let me guess… You want to know first and foremost if I was a victim to experimentation at any point.
You nod and ask how she knew You would ask that.
Chris: It was written all over your face. Besides, with how much you've been investigating the experimentation recently, it was a given.
You ask if she truly was a victim of Evenor's research in the Imperial capital.
Chris: No. It was my arrival in the capital that caused her to stop working with Hendrix. I was never in the palace at the same time as her. She couldn't have done anything to me, and I know that for a fact.
You nod to yourself and thank her for the explanation even though You still have many questions on the matter.
Chris: …If I had to guess, I would say that you saw something in Evenor's things that said a person by the name of Crescent von Faixnoye was the target of experimentation in the past. Is that correct?
You confirm her suspicions.
Chris: That wasn't me. There was someone else who went by that name before me, and that was the one who suffered so many injustices at Evenor's hands. I'm sure you know where this is going too… You didn't want to go into that basement for a reason no matter how much it will help people. You're afraid of what you're going to find if you go down there.
You hesitantly ask if she knows how You met Evenor all those years ago.
Chris: It was because of the experimentation. You were one of her test subjects in the Imperial capital. She took a particular interest in you after you survived the experiments that killed so many others. That's how you wound up with her. That's why she was so interested in you when she saw you again five years ago.
You question her about why You were in the Imperial capital, specifically the palace, at the point in time where Evenor was working with Hendrix.
Chris: I think we both know the answer to that. The papers Evenor left behind should tell you everything you need to know. I wasn't there at all, but I replaced someone who would have been the ruler of Adrestia under different circumstances… It's funny how fate works things out, isn't it? I never would have thought I would meet with the person I replaced so many years after they went missing.
You look down at the ground solemnly.
Chris: …I know this must come as a shock to you, but everything I've told you is true. I'm confident you'll hear the truth from Janae as well.
You ask about Janae and what Chris knows about her.
Chris: Janae was the mother of Crescent von Faixnoye… But she was not my mother. In truth, my mother died many, many years ago. When Janae first came to the monastery five years ago, I thought she would be able to give me the truth about my history, but she knew I was not her child… I may have held that name, but I was not the one she had been hoping for. However, she was hoping for you.
You hesitate before thanking Chris for the information.
Chris: Of course. I'm more than happy to tell you about your history. If anything, I'm shocked it took you so long to ask me about it. I would have thought you would have come to me sooner than you did, as a matter of fact. At least we were able to address it eventually.
You question her about what she intends to do with all of this information once the war ends.
Chris: …I'll take over the Empire. I somehow doubt you want anything to do with the position I inherited all those years ago.
You shake your head and say that You want the future to take You elsewhere.
Chris: Then I'll gladly fill the place you left behind. I can only hope I do your name proud… Even if it's become mine over the years.
You nod and say that You have complete faith in her.
Chris: I'm glad to hear it. I would hardly want to disappoint my predecessor, after all.
You watch Chris start back toward the nearby building, and You follow her carefully. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.
Seraphine: That doesn't answer every question I had… But it certainly tells me enough.
You nod and say that You wish You could be surprised at what she had to say.
Seraphine: I get the feeling there's much more to this story than meets the eye… But we don't have time to investigate the truth right now. I think we should see what the others have found.
You nod, though You cannot stop thinking about Janae. Chris knows of your relationship to her and even confirms that Janae was your mother. Your desperation to hear the truth from Janae rises even more at the thought, and You do your best to stay focused despite your wish to return to the monastery and wait for her to rise from slumber.
When You arrive back in the building, You find Eli walking up from the basement alongside the other Ashen Wolves. You see a wide variety of people behind them, and You can only assume they are the hostages left behind by the experimentation Evenor did. Just looking at them makes You feel sick to your stomach.
Eli: After the war ends, we'll do everything we can to support you moving into your new lives. For now, you can come to the monastery. I cannot say we will be able to accommodate you perfectly, but now that we have other means of support, we can at least extend a helping hand. As long as you need us, we will be here. I promise.
Cyrus and Druilla approach Eli before he has the chance to continue, and You see quickly that both of them are holding small stacks of paper.
Cyrus: I found what we were looking for. As it turns out, the letters we found before weren't the only correspondence between Evenor and others among the enemy ranks.
Druilla: In fact, this most recent letter claims that Evenor knew exactly where Belenio was taking up a position. He's waiting for us even now… Or at the very least, that's what I assume.
Eli: So we know where we can search for him if we want to find him… Good. That will certainly make our lives much easier.
Cyrus: As far as I can tell, it should take us close to the entrance of Shambhala… I have no doubt that Tagusol is waiting for us there.
Quinn: It sounds to me like they're waiting for us. They have to know that we're going to come after them soon.
Druilla: It wouldn't surprise me. They're smart, and they won't be afraid to fight back bitterly for the sake of winning a fight.
Eli: Even if they're waiting for us, we need to be ready to push back against them. I refuse to give them the chance to take any more lives as long as there's something we can do to stop them.
Cyrus: Then I suppose we'll be setting our sights there next… And we should be able to handle that with relative ease.
Druilla: I was most afraid of the two of them taking the remainder of their forces and barricading themselves in Shambhala to make our next steps much harder. This is certainly a favorable outcome.
Quinn: Even so, defeating them and storming the city won't be easy. We don't know what to expect when we head in their direction.
Eli: I have no doubt that Cyrus and Druilla can guide us in the right direction. Having informants who used to be on the inside certainly helps us a lot.
Druilla: All that remains for now is to figure out when we're going to make our first move. We have a lot to plan out from now on.
Eli: …I want to wait a little bit. Not too long, of course, but a little while. We have many other people coming back to the monastery with us now, and we need to look after them.
Quinn: It won't be easy to care for so many people… But now that we have the extra resources from the Kingdom and Alliance, it will be much simpler than it would have been before.
Cyrus: Then we can plan everything out once we've done our part to help everyone settle down. That's as good a strategy as any.
Eli: I'm glad we all agree… For now, we should take every file we can get our hands on and return to the monastery. We have a lot of information to look through, and even if there's a strong chance most of it won't help us in the fight against Belenio and Tagusol, it never hurts to have it on hand.
You nod your agreement. Inwardly, Seraphine speaks to You.
Seraphine: Good… If we're going back to the monastery, that means we'll have a chance to speak with Janae a little bit sooner. I need to hear what she has to say about all of this. It's not that I have much of a reason to doubt what we already learned, but… It will be different to hear it from her lips.
You nod once more and begin the necessary preparations for your return to the monastery. Once the rest of the army is ready, You march back to the monastery, though anxiety boils as a pit in your stomach. You are unsure of what to expect when it comes to facing Janae, and You do not know when she will even awaken for You to speak with her in the first place. That reminder hits You much harder than You anticipated, so as soon as You return to the monastery, You set a course for the infirmary so You can at least pay her a visit.
You settle down at Janae's bedside, staring at her motionless form with a small frown on your face. If not for the subtle rise and fall of her chest, You would have thought her dead, though You suppose she came close thanks to Evenor five years ago. You are unsure about how Janae will react to hearing about Evenor's death, but You decide to put it out of your mind for the time being. Musing about what You cannot understand will not help anyone, and You know it.
Seraphine: I know we haven't been waiting all that long for her to wake up, but… It still hurts to know that we have no idea when she'll come to again.
You shake your head and tell her that even if Aisa has only been at the monastery for a month, You have been waiting for Janae for much longer than that.
Seraphine: I suppose you're right… It's tragic, isn't it? No matter what, it seems like the goddess refuses to give us her blessings again. It seems your survival was the only gift she was willing to offer.
You sigh, almost ready to give up and return to your room for the night. You still feel miserable after being forced to fight in a building where Evenor killed and hurt so many people, and You know that You need rest after witnessing the aftermath of such horrors. Just when You are about to stand up, You hear Janae groan, and your eyes go wide.
Seraphine: Is that…?!
You watch as Janae finally opens her eyes. She blinks a few times to ground herself before she catches a glimpse of You.
Janae: I… I'm so glad you're safe…
You cannot help the tears that well up in your eyes at the sight, and You reach for her before You can stop yourself. Janae is more than happy to return the gesture, and You stay there for a long time just holding one another. You feel your heart racing in your chest, and You struggle to find the words to express yourself after everything that has happened.
Janae: It's alright… You don't need to say anything… It's okay…
You pull away from Janae slowly and ask how she is feeling.
Janae: Exhausted… I've certainly been better, but I'm glad to be awake again… Though I get the feeling it's been a long time since I was last conscious.
You nod and say that five years have passed since she was last awake.
Janae: F-Five years?!
You tell her that You would be happy to fill her in on everything that happened.
Janae: I… I would appreciate that… I never would have thought that much time would have gone by…
You tell her that a lot has happened to put it simply.
Janae: I can only imagine… Tell me everything. Don't spare me a single detail.
You launch into an explanation of everything You have come to know as your reality over the course of the last five years. The story is a lengthy one, but You are happy to share it for her sake. By the time You have said everything, Janae seems considerably less confused, but her fear is written across her face plain as can be. You ask if she is alright.
Janae: I should be asking you that… I can't believe you went through so much while I was asleep…
You shake your head and say that You understand how she feels, but she has nothing to worry about now. You will be there to help her through everything from now on.
Janae: I know… And I'm very happy to have you here.
You hesitate before saying that You know what You are to her now. You may not have known five years ago, but You have uncovered the truth now.
Janae: You… You know?
You nod and tell her that You are her child.
Janae: …I had been hoping I would be able to tell you when the time was right. I don't know when that moment would have been, but… You didn't remember me when we saw one another again. I can't say I was surprised, but it still hurt. I had been searching for you for so long, and then when we crossed paths once more…
You tell her that even though You forgot what happened between You when You were a child, You will not forget her this time.
Janae: I know. Now that you're here with me… We can finally make up for all that lost time. We can finally care for one another the way we should have all those years ago.
You say that You have no intention of leaving her side ever again. You did not want to separate from her in the first place, and now, You will stay with her to the bitter end.
Janae: I'm glad to hear that… I failed you many times in the past, but I will not fail you this time.
You shake your head and say that she never failed You.
Janae: I should have looked after you. That's what mothers should do. I wish I had been there to keep you safe when danger came for you, and the fact that I couldn't defend you… I regretted it every single day we were not together.
You assure her that everything will be alright now.
Janae: I know… And I'm glad to hear it. No matter what, I'll be here for you. I promise. I love you more than I could ever hope to say, and I'll do what I should have been able to from the start.
You nod and take her hand in your own. You say that You are glad to have such an incredible mother.
Janae: I'll do my best to live up to your expectations from now on. It's the least I can offer.
You pause before realizing that You should probably call in Aisa and Jill to look after her injuries. You say that You are going to tell them to help her before turning in for the night.
Janae: I understand. Thank you for speaking with me… It means a lot.
You nod once more and rise to your feet. From there, You walk out into the hallway, and You find Aisa on her way to the infirmary.
Aisa: Ah, Professor. Do you need something?
You tell her that Janae is awake and needs to be checked on.
Aisa: I understand. I will go and see her at once. Thank you for telling me.
You start to walk back to your room, and Seraphine speaks to You along the way.
Seraphine: I could cry knowing that she's finally awake… I'm so happy to see her okay.
You say that You feel the same way.
Seraphine: I'll do everything in my power to make sure she stays safe now that she's awake again. I know we can't go back and fix everything that happened, but we can establish a relationship now, and I think we deserve that much.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: But we can talk to her again tomorrow. For now, we need to rest.
You arrive at your room as she says that, and You say that You intend to enjoy tonight's slumber. You have drawn nearer to the truth behind Belenio and Tagusol's absences from the last few battles, and Janae is awake at last. You settle down to sleep easily, not realizing just how exhausted You are until your cheek hits the pillow. You fall asleep almost immediately, and when You descend into your own dreams, You are met with images of Janae smiling to You kindly. You cannot wait for the following day to arrive so that You can see her again… Your mother, awake at last…
this is a formal announcement that after this path ends, alternative still stop being updated on ffn. check my ao3 (digitaldreams) if you want to keep reading
-Digital