Arknights story · Retracing Our Steps
OS-10 By Kjeragandr
Enciodes climbs aboard the Gloriana alone to represent Kjerag in negotiations with the Duke of Caster. Enya and her retinue see a giant Kjeragandr statue and frozen Saintesses in the hidden cavern, before everyone is pulled into an illusion.
2 scenes, 675 lines
1. Before Operation
263 linesThe rock wall collapses with the first blast, revealing a deep cavern to the spelunkers.
Just like I thought. Looks like you really can go deeper.
Can't see much further than the tunnel entrance... We'll need to go down if we want to explore.
Enya?
Her question echoes through the cave. The Saintess does not answer, for she is watching the babbling old man purse his lips tight.
'Seek not my temple, but my heart.'
...I await you, Elder Adso.
...
His legs are like wizened tree roots, his dried-out throat like a shallow pool in the dry season.
There he stands, unmoving.
...I shall stay here and keep watch, while you enter to do what you must do.
But didn't you make a vow with Enya that you'd prove whatever's inside isn't Kjeragandr?
If you don't come with us—
I have already made myself clear. I shall keep watch outside.
If She truly does exist, then She should come out Herself to greet me.
Elder...
It seems as though, rather than learning the truth, you would much rather be blind to evidence of Her.
...I... no, I would not... I would never...
There are no answers here...
Then why did you bring us here, yet refuse to bear witness?
...
No, She does not exist.
Daughter of Silverash, and you, and you too, do not pretend you have not seen.
The hunters who tan furs with frozen fingers, the gleaners who choke upon dust, and the Oripathy-haunted with their torn skin.
Have you not seen them, they who kneel upon the dirt until their knees bleed, all to beg and plead to Kjeragandr for salvation... No, to end their miserable lives early, even...
While you huddled together in your warm houses making merry, it was I, and the Vine-Bead Court, who would go where you were unwilling to even look at, to the homes of the impoverished and destitute.
It was I who soothed them, I who kept preaching to them that 'none shall be abandoned'... 'Even if you were born into a lifetime of suffering, there is still a god who loves you'...
It was we who built the nation where people can greet their ends with a smile, but you, but Kjeragandr—
This arbitrary liege lord, this king who sees all as Her cattle! She can, should, save these people, save all of Kjerag.
Yet She is aloof, magicking up some 'miracle' every once in a while to show her power...
Why is it only ever barely a handful of people saved?!
Now, you even wish to go see this monster, this tyrant, to ask Her to deny me, to deny the order we have so painstakingly built.
I... I cannot—
What more is left that could support this old man? He collapses into the dirt, crying out in anguish, as if his frail body were struck by some invisible hammer.
...Speak, tell me.
Why does She not know? Why does She not understand?
Why do you stay silent...?
Um...
Great Elder... Why is he so upset?
Elder Adso... I understand where you are coming from.
We are not allowed to witness the true face of God. Only through Her admonishments, Her creations can we describe Her.
But I still wish to believe...
That no matter what I see at the other end of this cave, my faith shall not be swayed. The virtues and commandments, the knowledge and wisdom She has conferred upon us. They have meaning.
I merely wish to see clearly...
what road the children of Kjerag have followed.
Enya turns and walks into the deep cavern without the slightest hesitation, towards where her faith lies.
...How long has it been now?
It has been five hours and fifty-seven minutes since we sent our ultimatum, Your Grace.
Hmm...
I must say, I did not expect Enciodes to choose to respond this way.
'Tis a pity things had to end like this.
Relay the order, all men are to—
That...
Your Grace! We've sighted one of Kjerag's high-speed battleships!
You don't mean... How many?
Just... the one, Your Grace.
Even without the aid of binoculars, those standing atop the deck can see it.
In the distance, a battleship slowly emerges from a snow-draped valley, its hue that of silver ash.
Perhaps everyone is thinking the same thing at this moment: This ship, no matter if you compare it to the fleet it is facing, or the mountains behind it, is rather on the small side...
Silverash...?
Your Grace, the ship is hailing us on a public frequency.
Their message states that this is Kjerag's high-speed battleship, and her captain is Enciodes Silverash.
He sends his greetings to the Victorian Duke of Caster...
Oh...?
But does this stunt of his mean he is here to negotiate, or to start a war?
He says he hopes he can have a pleasant discussion with Your Grace... and he hopes that discussion can take place aboard Your Grace's Gloriana.
...Very well.
Welcome our guest aboard.
It has been a while, Most Esteemed Duke of Caster.
I trust you have been well, Enciodes... It truly has been quite a while.
Whenever a youth such as you stands before me, it reminds me that time is fleeting. Oh, how is one meant to endure such a thing?
Though much time has passed, I shall never dare forget the aid you gave me at the time, alongside your kindness towards Karlan Trade.
Haha... You were far too hasty when leaving Victoria. You only remembered to bring along Caster's aid with you, while leaving our friendship behind.
I had even hoped that, one day, you would invite me to Kjerag as your guest.
But since you are here, then I should extend you a host's courtesy.
'A host's courtesy', you say?
I find myself rather curious. Since you have been expelled from Karlan Trade, and the Silverash clan is branded as traitors in bed with Victoria...
Then who have you come to me as?
It is simple.
I am here as the sole authority of Kjerag.
I shall speak for this nation as we discuss matters.
By Kjeragandr, this place is huge...
It's beyond imagination... Was this place really an artificial refuge?
At the very least, it was hidden by human hands.
Do you see any ruins the Court may have hidden here, Enya?
No, I don't—
Wait, did you hear that?
The sound like rocks falling onto snow?
No, it's more like... Based on these readings, it's rhythmic, like...
...A heartbeat.
Even this stone here...
These veins on it are like actual blood vessels, fluorescing to the pulse of the sound...
How would you explain it?
...My instruments are picking up biosignals.
It's going to be hard to believe, but there's only one answer.
We are inside the body of a living being.
...But how can that be?
...
Whoa!
What is this? Nearly tripped over it.
Seems like there's some sort of statue here, I nearly bumped into it too...
Let me turn my emergency light on.
The shimmering light dispels the darkness, revealing the thing that is blocking their path.
Huh? An ice sculpture? Why's it crawling across the ground?
It's not the only one.
Look, there's another one there... Hmm, seems like there's even more of them this way...
They're clothed the same way the ancient peoples of Kjerag are described in historical records, but did those people have the technique to sculpt like this?
Craft and sculpture of the time were cruder. Enya, what do you....?
Enya?
...
I am afraid that these are not statues.
They're not?
They are... past Saintesses.
They are from the last time Kjeragandr vanished. They who offered themselves up as sacrifices to beg Her to return to Kjerag.
Enya brushes her fingers against a 'sculpture's' face. Her wrinkles. Her flesh. Her cheeks puffed up by gritted teeth. Her eyelashes. Her tears staining her cheeks, unevaporated.
A girl dead from hypothermia, her delusional relief and trembling from the cold merged into a single expression.
They were encased in ice after their deaths, preserving their faces and postures. They were... all looking in the same direction.
They were all looking for Her... answer.
The women follow the gazes of the 'sculptures', turning to look behind them.
...What is that? I've never seen anything shaped like that in Kjerag...
It is Kjeragandr.
It is what the people of the past saw... and also—
...
Its height and scale are far beyond ancient techniques. It couldn't possibly be a relic of the past...
But this cave has been sealed off for ages. Who did this, and why...?
A frigid wind from nowhere, laden with fine snow, slams into them.
Enya, look out!
The statue is... calling me.
The sound of a beating heart gradually becomes an ear-splitting din. She cannot hear the shouts of her companions, not even her own breathing.
The only thing her senses take in is the statue's icy radiance, alongside an irresistible urge—
The moment the Saintess's hand strokes the base of the statue, a great shock envelops all present. A vibrant scene rushes into the Saintess's mind...
...Gah, where'd it go hiding now?
I just saw it—its shadow darted through the grass and vanished. Did I lose track of it again?
Past experience advises her to stoop down. She was still a child the first time she set foot into the forest. What was it her father taught her then?
'Listen up, Joanna.'
'Hunting isn't easy. You need to be careful, you need to be brave, you need to be determined, and you need to be merciful.'
'You need to pay attention to the tracks left by every animal.'
'Footprints in the snow, scratches on bark, fallen hairs, spoor and traces of buried food...'
She walks by an expanse of snow, trees and bare soil. Still no sign of her prey.
Her gigantic prey, nearly the size of a small mountain, seems to have disappeared into thin air.
'Don't rush, even if you can't find anything. Don't rush... Joanna.'
'You're a hunter. You'll find your game.'
'For She has promised you that you may enter the forest with bow and crossbow, and the forest shall give you the meat and fat you require. You—'
——!
I see it, over there!
The shadow fleeing out from the underbrush is swift, shooting out over the trail towards the depths of the forest on the other side.
The girl waves her arm behind her as she shouts.
Dad, head into the forest from the side, let's pincer it!
A voice replies from the empty forest.
Go, Joanna! You and me, we'll catch it!
'Go, you'll catch it.'
'You're such a faithful girl, never missing prayers or ceremonies, always concentrating when you carve statues of Her, even telling Her your thoughts every night.'
'She will grant you a full belly, happiness, and a tomorrow to wake up to. Because of your piety, and the time you have given Her.'
If... Hah, if I can actually hunt that thing down....
We won't have to go hungry this winter!
It'll be enough to feed my brothers and sisters, and I can even... I can even give some to the old lady next door, and the lady who just had a baby across the road...
The horns can be carved into figures of Kjeragandr, and the skin can be made into a new set of clothes for my sister.
There is a warmth in her chest to go with her joy, as if something were swelling within, fit to burst.
Her legs are faster than ever. Her hands do not tremble. She closes in on her prey.
Nearly... Nearly got it!
Please, bless my hand, Kjeragandr...
Her crossbow bolt flies through the air, its scream shattering the serenity of the snowfield.
The girl sprints after her quarry into a bush. She can almost reach its thick fur—
Ah...
There is nothing in her grasp.
Only a chunk of Originium crystal in her arm, growing like wildfire.
What use is your faith?
Kjeragandr will not protect you. The land shall have its fill, and you are but its prey.
...
This room is very familiar to me. Though I have never seen it, I am well aware of what this is.
The cramped, gloomy room is filled with the scent of pine oil, thick to the point you can barely walk through it. It is joined with a dry heat that resists description.
This is one of my thoughts.
The old man gets up from his chair. He steps forward, as if he were about to measure the size of the room with his feet.
One step, two steps, five steps, ten.
Ten steps. Ten is enough.
A narrow compartment. Soundproofed, insulated, unknown to others. Suited for clandestine discussions.
If I had put it that way, if I had extended the invitation that way, then the Silverashes...
...
What did I say when Luca came to meet with me?
Did I advise him to not commit this unpardonable sin, or did I not? Did I advise him to return to the righteous path, or did I not?
Did I agree with him, or did I not? Did I believe the new things that couple brought with them would destroy the soul of Kjerag, or did I not?
Did I tell him how to build a hidden room within the parlor of the Browntail manor, or did I not...?
...Did I tell him how to store pine resin, flammable materials, dry wood and firestarters, or did I not?
The fragrance intensifies, to the point that it stings the nose.
You forgot our deal.
Brother...
You were supposed to take control of the Vine-Bead Court and work with me, so that all of Kjerag would serve under the Browntail name.
Why are you always such a do-nothing coward?!
No... It wasn't supposed to be like this...
You know how much blood is on our hands just getting us to this point.
Look at these two girls, Ratatos and Sciurus. They're your own flesh and blood.
You're not going to close your eyes as the Silverashes and Paleroches put them to the sword when they grow up, are you?
...
All my life, I have told many lies, cheated many people.
Including those I love, and those who love me. Those I trusted, and those who trusted me...
I once sincerely believed that great power was the answer to everything.
But I was wrong.
My decades in the Hall of Writings washed my heart clean of my arrogance and stupidity. I understood that the only thing left in my life was a mission.
A mission to serve the truth, the very virtue that Kjeragandr carved upon each and every one of our souls.
And so, to repent deeply...
For the injurious plots against my neighbors. For my despicable tearing away of parent from child. For my lust for power. For the lies that poured from my deceitful tongue.
...
If... If Kjeragandr truly existed, how could She ignore all I did?
Fire. A fire from out of nowhere.
Or rather, it is a fire lit decades ago. A well-crafted trap that has finally found its prey.
A fire that has burned for thousands of days finally sweeps in furiously, engulfing all that Adso sees.
...Get out of here. It was us who found this unfreezing lake first!
Nonsense, we were the ones who found it first. Our brains and agility let us look out from atop the tallest branches, so we're the real masters of the lake!
Sure, you've got good eyes, lets you spot water and fruit, but you've got weak limbs. You can barely do anything without wobbling like a baby.
If it wasn't for our strong arms smashing those rocks to open up the mountain pass, nobody would be able to get here!
And what about us?
It was us who crossed the streams, us who led the way for you, and us who guard the lake day in and day out. We're the ones who make sure parasites don't dirty the water, so we're the ones who should own the heart-lake!
Why must you fight among yourselves again...?
There is enough water here for all to drink, and enough forest for all to build homes.
My word... These fruits and crops... How are they growing out of nothing?
Is this one of your miracles? We should make you our leader.
From now on, we wish to hear your will, to follow your teachings.
It was all of you together who awakened me.
I have seen all the hardships you endured as you came here from every corner of the land... Your instincts tell you to slay one another, and your instincts tell you to aid one another.
But what can be achieved through strife can also be achieved through sharing and communication. It is already so difficult to survive upon this land. Must you add harming each other to the mix?
From here on, you need not regard each other as enemies. Enjoy what this land has to offer as equals.
It was the beginning of it all.
She appeared amidst the people, worked Her miracles, resolved their disputes.
The three clans began to live together. From then on, this land had a name.
Your Majesty... This book recording the history of Kjerag is complete. Pray, look over it the once.
We do not dare forget a single line of Your teachings. We shall abide by Your every commandment.
No... No need.
You must remember my words, and the road you have followed here, but most importantly, remember the first kindness you felt in your hearts.
You must reflect upon yourselves, see clear your own hearts, and make them clean. So long as you hold goodness within your hearts, you shall not walk down false paths.
I have nothing more to teach you. The road ahead is yours alone to walk.
I believe... It is time for me to rest.
Her Majesty has left...
She told us to live as we have, but if there is nobody to command the Three Great Clans, how can we have faith in others?
No... We must hurry back to our lands and warn our people. We must beware invasion from the other clans!
Kjeragandr left, and as She did, She returned authority to Her people.
The wheel of history turned back to the beginning, and it seemed that the peaceful days of the past were but a fleeting dream...
Humanity returned to where it started.
What? I...?
Indeed. You are the next Saintess. Please prepare your luggage.
My family still needs me. It's sowing season, after all. They won't be able to till the soil without me, and if that happens, they'll starve come winter.
What about the lady from before? Where did she go after she came back from the mountains? Didn't you say that only she needed to climb?
...
We need an answer, and need someone to bring that answer back to us. She was unable to fulfill her duty, and so the task falls to another.
It is a great duty. The weight of the lives of all Kjerag rests upon your shoulders. Please come with me, Saintess.
Rubbish! Complete nonsense! I can't believe you would lie to a little girl like that!
Don't listen to him! Go tell your family that you shouldn't throw your life away like that!
O watcher above the clouds, god of Kjerag, Kjeragandr...
I ask... Hah... I ask that You, return to us...
I beseech you... Respond to my voice...
...Cold... Mama... So cold...
What must we do, Kjeragandr... Mmf...
Seriously... I keep shivering so much... If the bells bother Kjeragandr, if She gets mad... What do I do...?
No matter... No matter the wrongs we have done, I beg You, do not abandon us...
O Great Kjeragandr...
Enough... Enough.
Don't come any further! You'll die!
Why... Why all this for a lie...?
Kjeragandr... has never—
So you saw.
You're...
Kjarr...?
Did you really only just figure it out?
Enya... You're more muddle-headed than I thought at times.
2. After Operation
412 linesThe icy wind slowly comes to a stop.
An azure lake gleams above the vast, tranquil snowfield.
Kjerag's winters are cold, and the water freezes over naturally, yet its surface remains a mirror, softly reflecting the blue of the sky.
A figure appears at the center of the lake.
Kjarr...
Kjarr? Is that you?
Enya...
Kjarr...?
What should I call you... Kjarr, or Kjeragandr?
Oh you... Surely you haven't forgotten?
Kjeragandr is what the people of the past named me.
But Kjarr? Kjarr shall always be head maid to the lady Enya.
...
Enya thought of many things she wanted to say during her long journey here.
These thoughts sway through her mind alongside all the questions she wants to ask, like a cup filled to the brim. From time to time it would make some noise, but now that she looks inside after her eternity of waiting, she finds it dry, long dry.
What should she say? What could she say?
The friend she was searching for stands before her, her warm hands caressing her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Just like she always did.
While I can't say it's entirely unexpected, I am still pleasantly surprised you managed to find this place in the end.
I was really worried about you, Kjarr...
I didn't know where you went, and the people were terrified after the Catastrophe struck. I had no choice but to go on the Pilgrimage as the Saintess.
I went by many places... before ultimately discovering these ruins atop Mount Karlan.
Did you say... you went on the Pilgrimage? In this season? You... You idiot!
Well...
Ah, forgive me. As a maid, I should not speak to the Saintess in such a manner.
Enya... I'm just glad you're alright.
Her friend's voice is still as dear as it ever was.
Kjarr...
Those visions I saw just now, were they the Kjerag of the past?
They were. Those were my memories.
Memories of when I walked the land alongside the people countless years ago. The tale of how the Kjerag of then became the Kjerag of today.
You are here in the forbidden land of Kjeragandr's body, and so through her eyes, you may witness history a thousand years past.
I'm... in Kjeragandr's body?
How should I explain it... You started in my arm and crawled your way into my chest.
This lake... Is it an illusion?
Is this the Heart of Karlan?
The Heart of Karlan is actually the name of this lake. What you see is how it was a thousand years ago.
At the time, in the depths of the mountains, there was a lake that remained unfrozen year-round.
Desperate wanderers discovered this precious source of water, and here they took root and multiplied. In time, they came to see it as a heart.
'The heart pulsed, and Karlan's flesh began to grow.'
And so the people built an altar here, so that they may honor the miracle that Kjeragandr blessed them with...
I saw the statue in the ruins. It was huge, exquisite.
Completely unlike the statue by Lake Silberneherze that we referenced ancient texts for. Was it something only people who have seen the real 'you' could have made?
What... are you, Kjarr?
Hooh... Now that's a question and a half. What a headache...
A very, very, very long time ago, I only knew that my body was massive, no different from the mountains and rivers themselves.
The land once teemed with my kin. Before that darkness descended, they already had names assigned to them by beings of the past.
'Feranmuts', 'children of the planet', 'lords of the land'...
In comparison, I am not that much older than your most ancient civilizations.
If you were to ask me, I prefer to see myself as a form of life. Really, I much prefer the name Kjeragandr.
Unfortunately, I am not what the people crave. I am not a 'god' who has power over all.
But they still treat you as one. They believe in the commandments you have given, and ascribe everything to you, good and bad.
And those Saintesses, they...
That was not my intention.
I once went to sleep for a time, but apparently, my departure terrified the people. As they tried to search for me, to rouse me, they became lost.
I sealed this place away, in the hope that the people would forget this terrible mistake of the long past.
I know that, of course I do!
You're not some evil, sinister spirit who would smile in the face of innocent girls freezing to death...
Enya raises her hands, holding onto the warm hands cupping her cheeks.
I am not the god the people need... nor have I ever given any commandments.
I am nothing but another one of the lives born upon this land, born without rhyme or reason. How could I possibly have any wise words of survival to pass on?
But when I took the form of man and walked among you, I discovered to my surprise that though your people are frail, you possess an innate, near-instinctual power.
One that allows you to help one another, to overcome all difficulties and survive upon this dangerous land.
In your language, this power is known as 'virtue'.
So... that's how it all came to be...
It was not I who taught you, but rather, it was you who taught me the meaning of life.
As for the name of Kjeragandr, and the form that represents Her, those are creations of men.
But I do not believe them to be lies. The name of Kjeragandr is how the power you wield manifests itself. Nothing more.
I think... this is the Kjeragandr you seek.
'And so She said: my path is, in the end, your path...'
People tried to confirm Her appearance, but ultimately, they were only attempting to see clearly who they themselves were.
But the paths people walk are for the most part not level roads. Most of the time, they are like confused burdenbeasts, circling about the same place, over and over...
The people of Kjerag once brought you back among us, and so our faith was steadied...
...
Kjarr... Will you come back?
Enya...
I think... I can't stay by your side, this time around.
...But you promised me.
You told me that you wouldn't just leave all of a sudden, that She wouldn't simply spirit you away...
Enya... Listen to me, Enya.
I'm afraid I have to break my promise this time... but I never meant to lie to you. Never.
You are my friend. Out of countless years and countless people, my one and only friend.
I wanted to accompany you forever, until the end of your days... I even thought I would be the one left behind, to endure our separation.
But... what happened?
What could possibly have happened to force you to leave?
There is no such thing as an eternal union. Parting is simply a matter of time.
And my time has come... That is all.
...
I just didn't want the day to come so quickly.
Things happen at their most suited hour.
You are unlike the other children who call out my name. You are not some helpless girl waiting for my answer as you are pushed about.
...I started out the same as them.
But now, you walk the path of your own choosing.
You were able to find the solution in your own heart. You have braved great trials I know nothing of, experienced great danger I could not help you with. And now, you stand before me.
You are my Enya. My sweet, sweet Enya.
You are the little burdenbeast who managed to jump the fence. You have a heart that resists all discipline and a bright, witty mind. You are the first Saintess to come pray with resentment and bitterness in her heart.
The snows of Karlan are tall and far, as pure white as stacked clouds. The wind blows from deep ravines, gently sweeping by the great land of Kjerag.
Snowflakes fall from the wind's embrace and melt with spring. They travel through Karlan's streams into the lake, then seep into the depths of the earth.
From there, the sun's rays lift the water, the mists returning to the horizon. They pile up into clouds, before turning into the next round of snow.
Their hands refuse to let go of each other. The warmth as they lean upon one another lights a spark in their bodies.
Go, Enya.
...But where?
Go drive away the last of the darkness, and usher in a new tomorrow.
...
...
The illusion disappears, like waking from a dream. The cave is still as gloomy as it was earlier. The Saintess of Kjerag turns to the massive statue.
...Drive away the last of the darkness, usher in... a new tomorrow.
Broken clumps of snow spiral around her, before being dispersed by the wind.
A single snowflake remains in the palm of her hand. A perfect, flawless hexagon.
It does not melt, nor flit through the air. It simply waits quietly like a guardian, unmoving for eons.
Not even asking me my opinion before giving this to me... You know I don't like taking the spotlight...
You're just so willful...
AHHHH—!
Thank goodness, you're finally awake!
Did I... pass out?
You did! Both of you did when Enya touched the statue. You've been out for about five minutes.
I didn't think it would be that short a time...
Did you... see it?
I did!
I had a terrible nightmare. I was chasing down some game, when my illness suddenly got a lot worse. My entire arm turned to stone...
But then I saw someone who looked a lot like Kjeragandr, and she cured me in my dream.
Then she comforted me, telling me the stone disease isn't Kjeragandr's punishment, and that I'm not a bad girl...
Saintess! Could she have... been Kjeragandr Herself? We... We found Her, right?
We did. That must have been Kjeragandr you saw.
What are you two talking about? How come I'm the only one who didn't see anything?
Don't worry about it.
She simply gave each of us the answer we needed.
Enya... I...
Maybe... Maybe I need to revise my hypothesis and calculations.
If it wasn't a special vein of ore that protected Kjerag from Catastrophe for a millennium... Add to that all we've seen in this cave...
Though I still can't bring myself to believe in things like Feranmuts, which are completely incompatible with our scientific system...
But... having eliminated everything false, then the only possibility left must be the truth, no matter how absurd it may be.
Enya, could you tell me...?
The Kjeragandr you saw... What was...?
...
The Saintess stretches out her hand, softly stroking the perplexed woman's head, treating her like any other devotee who has come to her for confession.
I can't explain what the Kjeragandr in our hearts is, in scientific terms...
But as a scientist, how could you possibly fear the unknown?
I would never—
Kjeragandr might not be something completely incompatible with science.
Perhaps you have discovered a little corner of a field that science has yet to set foot on?
...Oh, shoot.
What is it?
When we were climbing the mountain, the Catastrophe warning went up another level.
Basically, within the next three hours, there's a seventy-two percent chance Kjerag will be hit by a second Catastrophe.
Enya, we need to go and tell everyone to evacuate right away—
We won't make it in time...
...I still have one last thing I must do.
Wait, where are you going—
Elena and Joanna follow along behind Enya, the three of them running through the passage they came through.
At the entrance of the cave, they see a familiar figure once again.
They are unsure why, but in the short time they were away, the old man seems to have aged ten years.
I saw...
I saw Her, and Her footprints in the snow...
I was... an unforgivable, faithless man... all along...
The elder of the Vine-Bead Court falls to the ground, as if all the strength has been sapped from him.
...
...I once endured the tangling of love and pain alongside a friend, as we waited for daybreak to wash over the mountains.
The road we walked was far longer than the road leading up Karlan.
You...
The Saintess's finger traces out a shallow arc across the old man's forehead, from left to right.
Her fingertip streaks across his graying brow, anointing him with unmelted snow, like how the most pious of Kjerag clerics would dispel spirits and make prayers for newborn babes.
I still remember her. The girl who would ask me to teach her, even when it came to darning clothes.
How the living should be saved, how order should operate... You did not know, but She... was also learning from you.
She watches all you do. She wishes to walk with you, whether you walk down the right path or the wrong.
She never meant to deny you.
...
Her Saintess has heard your confession, and in Her name, absolves you of your sin of disbelief.
By Kjeragandr, you walk with Her.
Unstoppable tears flow from his aged eyes. They seep into the earth, like fallen snow.
I must admit, I once looked down upon you, and upon Kjerag.
That battleship behind you is the result of over a decade of painstaking nation-building.
Although I am not entirely sure why you changed your mind on keeping your 'secret weapon' here concealed...
But no matter. If one were to survey the entirety of Terra, how many people who could do all this would one find?
You have earned my praise, Silverash.
I thank Your Grace for your approval, but as I see it, what is more regretful is that...
If Victoria were still the mighty empire it once was, you would not pay much heed to the profit you could extract from a measly speck such as Kjerag.
Who would have thought the prediction that arrogant youth gave during that one banquet would become so dangerously accurate?
In the end, there are none who can save Victoria from its misfortunate decline.
Though it is not hard to see where history's river is taking you, to change its course requires the hand of fate on your side. There is pride to be had in your foresight.
I have never been scornful of your talent. In all truth, I have had my fair share of wondering how things would be now had I kept you in Victoria back then.
Would you be a general with the name of Caster, or perhaps a famed marquis? A future where... I would not have curtailed whatever achievements you acquired.
Regardless of the details, it would have been much better than the situation we find ourselves in now.
If this is what Your Grace truly believes, then I hope there is still the opportunity to accept such an invitation.
Oh, don't make that sort of joke, or I might just start expecting it.
Haha...
I presume you have exhausted all the words of rancor in your heart to curse my dastardly cunning?
I never had any in the first place. If you lose the wager, you must pay. This is the most basic of preparations any player of this game would have made.
Besides, you are simply here to retrieve the profits you are owed from the many years of trade between Victoria and Kjerag.
But no matter. I must thank you for coming here in person today to sign this agreement with me. You will be giving Kjerag a priceless opportunity.
Haha... A priceless opportunity?
Let us return to the topic at hand. You being here must mean you agree to all contents of the pact.
All contents? I am afraid not... I must dissent with the agreement's particulars.
Oho, you still wish to bargain, even at this hour?
Alright then, let's hear it. Which clauses do you disagree with?
I know you intend for Caster and Kjerag to start a joint mining program, so that you may partake in forty percent of the extraction of Kjerag's minerals, including Originium and Oriron.
By my reckoning, this number could be increased to eighty percent.
Oh...?
Kjerag has ample mineral wealth, enough for the development of both our nations.
Victoria will offer mining equipment and specialist training to Kjerag as a means of aid, and we are more than happy to welcome in the workers and technology consultants you send.
However... we will, from now on, not allow a single Victorian soldier to pass our borders.
...
Ah, yes, the one clause regarding 'the distribution of mineral extraction profits between Victoria and Kjerag as dictated by equal negotiation'. I have my issues with that as well.
Kjerag shall have complete and absolute sovereignty over all resources within our borders. Victoria has no right to interfere.
In regards to Victorian aid, we give our thanks. Victoria shall enjoy preferential prices for all commodities Kjerag sells her.
Naturally, the aid you have offered shall be repaid in equivalent value, so Victoria must import a sufficient amount of goods from Kjerag on an annual basis—the amount of which shall also be decided by Kjerag.
Don't be like this, Enciodes.
Such unreasonable demands ill behoove one conceding defeat.
'Conceding defeat'? I do not recall ever uttering such words during my time aboard the Gloriana.
Hah.
Why exactly do you think I would agree to your revisions? You've lost your mind.
I have faith that you will agree.
...What in the...?
This is the bargaining chip I have brought with me today.
I am terribly sorry. We are of the belief that using military force to dictate a bilateral agreement is hardly reasonable.
But this may be the only form of negotiation you are willing to accept.
What was that?!
Who's firing at us?!
It's that battleship! Dammit, there's only the one, how can it have that much firepower?!
No, that's not it!
It looked like the cannonfire came from the mountains!
Keep them coming!
Keep those hands moving, don't give the Victorians a chance to breathe!
You there, big guy. Can't you load these shells any faster?
On it, ma'am!
You shouldn't be moving about so much, Rus. You need to mind your health—
Shut it!
Enciodes stashed some lovely little things up here in the mountains, and I finally have a golden opportunity to play with these new toys!
On my order! Aim at Caster's flagship, then fire!
Let them get a taste of Kjeragandr's protection!
Madam Sciurus, the mission Sir Enciodes entrusted us with was intimidating Caster's fleet. Please keep in mind that he is still aboard the Gloriana.
If you do not follow the plan, I shall be forced to stop you.
I know, I know... Sheesh, can't even take a joke.
These are the secrets my sister and Enciodes had been keeping quiet about this whole time.
You really are something, Weiss. The Victorians were scouring the mountains for Enciodes's arsenal, but they never would've expected it was right in front of their eyes, in our logistics vehicles.
I can't believe she'd hide this even from me... Ratatos, the next time I see you, I'm going to—
This was the most... crucial mission Sir Enciodes gave me.
These weapons... Their scale, their very existence, is Kjerag's greatest secret. Even now.
We still need to keep quiet about them. Our biggest trump card is that the Victorians have no idea how much military power we have.
We need to keep Caster's judgment off-balance.
Nobody can really say what would happen if her fleet really did take one step forward, after all...
I am well aware of the situation right now. You don't need to explain it to me bit by bit.
Ratatos... This time, make sure you take care of yourself...
(Whispers) Your Grace, we still have no way of confirming the artillery's whereabouts.
We have informed all ships to enter defense mode—
No need for your report. All you need to know is that, at this very moment, there are enough large-scale cannons in Mount Karlan to shred the entirety of your fleet.
All your ships are within range.
...You think two shells is enough for me to believe you have the power to annihilate my fleet?
D5, east, two hundred meters.
The moment Enciodes speaks, a precision shell lands by the eastern flank of the Gloriana. The blast wave lifts up the hems of the pair's clothes.
...
It seems there is no need for further proof.
Surely this weaponry is not the product of your own research?
Which of them has been helping you, Gododdin? Normandy?
Is that really such an important question right now?
You may cut off Kjerag's connections to our allies, but we have our ways of finding new ones.
Such painstaking effort just for your opening...
Merely tactics we were forced to use.
With such limited time, Kjerag's military development had no choice but to pursue another specialization.
Even if we were given another ten years, I fear Kjerag would still be unable to muster up a fleet that could stand against yours.
But it seems your formidable vessels have made you forget that the battlefield is not only a clash between warships.
Kjerag only means to defend ourselves, and we have no intention of robbing other nations of their coin. So compared to high-speed battleships, we went for a more suitable option.
Our mountains form a natural barrier. When lined with artillery, they serve as a natural shield, an aegis you have no hope of breaking.
But when all is said and done, if you had not prematurely treated these 'negotiations' as a surrender, you would not have fallen into such passivity.
Hmph...
Then... You are determined to open hostilities with me today.
Hardly, hardly.
Just as how your fleet did not come here with intent to wage war with Kjerag, my goal today is simply to facilitate a discussion.
I too have prepared an agreement for you. It contains various clauses on things such as tariffs between Victoria and Kjerag and our joint mining projects. You may look over it now.
Once you have signed it, Kjerag will be happy to escort you back safely to Victoria.
You think you can threaten me like this, child?
Too radical a stance at the negotiating table will only serve to betray your lack of confidence.
If I call your bluff and order my ships forward, then things will get ugly.
It would be an incredible shame.
I had considered this possibility before I came to these talks.
It's just that, if people far in the future were to discuss how the Duke of Caster and some insignificant nobody died fighting each other in the snow, why, that would certainly bring shame to the Caster name, perhaps even all Victoria.
But in Kjerag? If I am gone, there are countless others who will do what I would have done. They will continue developing Kjerag until she has become a nation none can sneer at.
...
I know that accepting such an unfair agreement must also be a difficult choice for you.
I can give you half an hour—but know this. For every minute you hesitate, all energy prices mentioned in the agreement will increase, just a little. A condition Victoria cannot refuse.
This is the price you must pay for trampling across our land.
Ah!
There's... There's just... so much blood...
Degenbrecher!
She needs emergency treatment. You got any more bandages here?
I... I'll go find some!
Degenbrecher... How did you get so hurt?
She held off seventeen Trilby Ashers by herself. She's something, alright.
The enemy's retreated for now, so my team will take over guarding this place from her.
But there's still so many Victorian soldiers out there... What will you...?
I'll keep going until my mission is complete.
You...
More people are going to get hurt...
Is something going on outside again?
Let me reconfirm: orders are to... carry out a frontal assault on the Vine-Bead Court?
Assault the Vine-Bead Court and rescue the abducted Victorian citizen.
...And capture Ratatos, who might be carrying key military secrets of Kjerag.
...Acknowledged.
...
All hands, load live ammunition.
We storm the Court.
You...
Before you is holy ground. None may enter as they please.
Please leave.
If you don't wish to be harmed, then let us through. That is an order.
Are you... refusing?
You have obeyed your orders in coming here. So too, do we obey Kjeragandr's commands as we do the same.
Let us follow our hearts, and do what we must do.
Enya has changed into her most solemn of clothes, treading once more onto the road that tested the Saintesses.
She thinks of the countless Saintesses of a millennium ago who walked this rocky path. Her every step echoes with theirs across the ages.
What wishes did they carry with them when they met with the Kjeragandr of their hearts? Did any of them question the existence of their god, and did any of them receive Her favor?
As for her... How did she climb this mountain the first time around?
It was such a long time ago. The emotions she felt have become hazy. Her memories of the time have begun to deform.
Enya never thought this road could be so smooth, so friendly.
As if she were taking a relaxing walk home, or preparing to go meet a dear friend whom she had not seen in a long while.
Almost there...
The gray-yellow sky is covered in thick clouds, streaked with faint lightning. The chill winds have picked up.
She finally reaches the summit.
Enya kneels, shuts her eyes, and begins to pray.
If... you can still hear my voice.
If you are still the merciful Kjeragandr who loves all men who live here...
My beloved Kjeragandr, this is the last time... I ask that you hear my prayer.
I have asked countless times what made Kjerag Kjerag, what made us the way we are.
Your existence might not be the answer to this question, but it is still a... small miracle, one to rejoice in.
I want to believe that the things you left upon this land are blessings, not shackles.
Throughout the centuries, you have accompanied our civilization as it grew, as a loving and wise teacher.
And centuries from now, the people of this land will have the power to move mountains and touch the sky, yet they shall still praise your name.
We will remember your kindness. We will thank you for your companionship. We will leave the cradle of your protection.
I ask that you allow me to be your vicar, so that I may protect Kjerag one last time.
This is my... final prayer...
Light shines from her palm. A gentle force calms the raging wind, stilling even the flow of time itself across this ancient land.
The Catastrophe clouds begin to scatter. The dread disaster about to strike the land has been subdued by some awesome might.
The clouds part, showering the devout woman in a kindly radiance.
The wind stops.
A Catastrophe alert?!
That's some good timing. We only just installed this warning device, and it's already coming in handy!
We need to inform the government to evacuate people right away... Oh no, the danger level—
The alert... stopped all of a sudden?
But how...? This steep drop in Originium energy fluctuations... Are the monitors broken, or...?
By Kjeragandr...
...
The old man hobbles along the rugged trail, walking towards the depths of the mountains. It is where he has consigned himself to.
He stops by the side of a cliff.
Why do you wish to jump?
All my life... I have lived a lie.
I should have been Her servant... but I deceived Her. Deceived myself.
It was my arrogance, my impiety, that led me down this undignified and evil road.
I cannot... forgive myself. All I can do is end this sinful life.
But if this is how you go, all the snows can do is bury your body. They can't cover up your mistakes.
No confession comes too late. You need only repent in your heart, and you will be reborn.
You know, I can't quite recall... Kjeragandr, is that what She said?
As Kjerag's most knowledgeable elder, there is still much you can do, right?
You...
The sky suddenly clears, the fierce sunlight dazzling the old man's eyes.
He sees the rays of light tear through the clouds. His chest, too, seems to burn.
Is this... a miracle...?
Just this once, Enya... From now on, everything really is in your hands.
Sorry. When the time is right, I'll come see you.
This is your final warning. This operation is not targeted at Kjerag's civilians. Please leave immediately!
If you refuse to cooperate, we cannot guarantee your safety.
The officer raises his blade high as he gives the civilians a stern warning, but none of them budge.
Soon, more and more people begin to gather.
Clerics, craftsmen, herdsmen, merchants... They stand across from the soldiers by their own accord, forming a silent wall.
One person squeezes out from the crowd. She raises her hands, walking between the two groups.
Several operators dressed in Rhodes Island uniforms follow behind her.
I'm... the 'hostage' you said you were going to rescue.
The people of Kjerag never abducted me. In fact, it was Victorian agents who trapped me in there, trying to destroy the evidence I have of Victorian operations in Kjerag. They even harmed the people trying to protect me.
All the evidence, that evidence you want so badly, is hidden somewhere you cannot touch. If you make any further moves, it will be immediately released to the public.
If you still want to silence me, then do as you will.
But these crimes you have committed on sovereign Kjerag land, under the banner of 'nobility'... You will never be able to cover them up.
We're not any sort of superior civilization. We're just better at cheating and swindling.
Just stop it already... This farce.
You...
The gloomy sky suddenly clears. As one, everyone lifts their heads.
The clouds covering the heavens disperse, replaced by a rainbow spanning the horizon.
And so, all cruelty and fear are wiped from the hearts of men.
The sunlight dazzles the eyes, as if it were advice, or perhaps deterrent.
The soldiers cannot help but lay down their arms.
Time is short.
I am afraid that things will not turn for the better, if you delay.
What is Your Grace's decision?
I am suddenly reminded of something you once said...
I could never imagine what sort of power a united nation might possess... Is today the day I get to experience it for myself?
What you see is but one minute aspect of it. If you ever have the chance to deepen your understanding of her, I believe you will be very much pleasantly surprised.
In truth, this is a topic I only fully understood long after I left Victoria. Perhaps it can also answer the question you posed me.
Why once-great empires become feeble, and how poor lands can stand tall.
A nation's government, its institutions... Whether its leader is the Lord of Lions or Parliament, whether Saintess or the Clans.
These are important things to consider, yes... but the crux shall forever be the people.
Just as a great navigator cannot hope to lead a hole-pocked flotilla forward, no leader can change the fate of a nation using solely their own strength.
You say that, yet your words do not agree with your actions.
Were you not prepared to change the destiny of all Kjerag with your own two hands?
I believe in the people who live upon this land. People of faith.
I know you have devised all sorts of means to confirm if the mysterious power of the famed Kjeragandr truly does protect Kjerag.
What you see, what blocks your way, is indeed Kjeragandr's might.
Haha... You are the same as you ever were.
Still so full of mettle, so eager to display yourself... Impressive.
This little gamble of yours has managed to get the better of me... But this time, I will not let you off easy the way I do with mediocre men.
And so—
...Huh?
What... is that?
The people on deck look to the distance.
They see the thick clouds layered across the sky be torn open by some divine power. They see the ancient Mount Karlan, bathed in radiance.
It is a beautiful sight. Enough to stir the hearts of people, and inspire reverence.
Is it Her wroth, or Her mercy?
The word 'holy' might never have come to the minds of the irreligious, but at this moment, the same thought blooms in the hearts of all.
This is a pure land, one that must not be violated.
Your Grace... Our intelligence indicates that this 'Kjeragandr' has already vanished from Kjerag.
But we cannot confirm what is causing this phenomenon in the sky.
What should we do, Your Grace?
I had wanted to see this gamble through...
But unfortunately, they have added one last weight to the balance, and we cannot stop the scales of victory from pointing their way.
What more can we even do?
Sound the retreat.