Fated Theater

The trumpet plays a flourish. The dark-cloaked warrior enters.

Ah, Kadath, the homeland of my dreams! At last, I can return!

My mentors, my companions, my dearest friend, my... everything.

Once I pass through this dark gateway, I shall be reunited with them once more!

Then why is this door, so close within reach, shut tight? Why has this cruel sky forsaken me?

My dear Silver Key... illuminate my path... grant me even a fragment of an answer...

The lights shift. The Silver Singer takes the stage.

Creak, creak, the Goddess of Fate turns her spinning wheel.

Creak, creak, the Threads of Fate converge in her hands.

The puppets march in line, stepping into the Great Web.

They dance. They sing. Creak, creak...

They die with the Great Web, silent and without a trace.

My lady, our new play has begun.

The passage back to Kadath has been closed just in time. That {Male=mister,Female=miss} has arrived in the city.

Well then. Do you like the new play?

Hmm... perhaps it's a touch too complicated?

Simple stories are easier to manage, yes, but for certain people, a simple story cannot contain their Fate.

Intense emotions, dramatic turns, a moving plot, a tragic end...

These are the destiny that belongs to a "Hero."

Go on; it's your turn on stage.

Cough... cough, cough...

What was that...

Ah! The gateway to Kadath!!

Th-this person is so strange... did {Male=he,Female=she} just fall from the sky?

Well, from what I know, there's a tech company nearby testing aircraft. {Male=he,Female=she} is probably one of their test pilots.

Ugh... I...

Excuse me... where am I?

Ha, strange! Someone who's never even heard of Londinium? This is the greatest city in the world!

!!!

What did you say this place is called?!

Londinium... I really... came back?

Excuse me... excuse me, what has become of Mythag?!

Mythag? We've never heard of any such place, {Male=sir,Female=miss}.

What about the Dissolution? How badly has it struck here?!

Dis... what? This city has never suffered anything of the sort.

Young {Male=sir,Female=lady}, I think you're just tired and a little confused... Sit down on that bench and eat something. I happen to have a little with me.

Ah, thank you so much... But I'm not hungry right now, I just... have some things I can't make sense of...

This can't be right... No Mythag, no Dissolution...

Grandpa, {Male=he,Female=she}'s so weird... why does {Male=he,Female=she} keep talking to {Male=him,Female=her}self?

That's not nice to say. {Male=He,Female=She} may be going through something difficult. Mind your manners with guests who've come from far away.

We're patrol officers in the area, under the jurisdiction of the MTC. Here's my ID.

Good day to you. A kind citizen let us know that a traveler has gotten lost in our beautiful city.

Is there anything we can help you with, {Male=sir,Female=miss}?

Ah... thank you for the concern. I just fainted while wandering around, nothing serious.

Thank you both. We have things to attend to, so we'll be on our way...

I see. In that case, if you don't mind, I'd like just a little more of your time. There are a few things I'd like to ask.

Keeper, that's what I should call you, isn't it?

I'd like to ask... are you satisfied with the welcome ceremony I've arranged for you?

!!!

Fate sends its greetings, dear Keeper.

Our distinguished guest has arrived at the theater. Show {Male=him,Female=her} to {Male=his,Female=her} seat, my children.

Yes, my lady.

Watch out!!

T-they're dead!!

William... when did you... what's going on?

This isn't the place. Move!

There shouldn't be anyone around here.

What is going on? Why has Londinium become like this...

Those spiders that attacked us, and that person... could she be connected to the woman we encountered on the Paradise?

I saw everything. You didn't pass through that gateway, %player%. This is not where we need to be.

Everything feels off... the Dissolution, Mythag, the Cataclysms, they have no idea about any of it.

But this city looks exactly as I remember it. Exactly as it was before Tohuwabohu. Maybe we should go back to the school and take a look. We might find something...

I just came from there. There is no Mythag here, %player%.

No Mythag...?

The world map in the shop was unlike anything I've ever seen. And every calendar I found, they're different. Not the After Flood calendar we use.

The strangest thing is... this city has no end.

No... end?

Heading north from where Mythag should be ought to take you beyond Londinium's boundaries.

I was attacked by those spiders along the way. To escape them, I kept to that road. But in the end... I found myself back near where you were. The southern end of Londinium.

This is not Londinium. This is not Kadath.

So my memory was right... the gateway really did close before I could enter...

A place identical to Londinium, a city with no end, black spiders appearing from nowhere... and the "Lady" they answer to...

It's too early to be certain, but I don't believe the gateway closing and our arrival here are a coincidence. Someone engineered all of this deliberately, whoever commands those spiders.

We still don't understand anything. We need to gather information first...

You two...

Who's there?!

It's... it's only me...

This... does this belong to you?

Ah! It must have fallen during the fight...

This means a great deal to me... thank you so much!

Sir... weren't you frightened by what just happened?

Frightened... of course I was. I've lived here my whole life. I've never seen anything like that...

But that thing looked important to you, and you've only just arrived, if you lost it, you'd have no idea where to start looking. So I brought it over.

That's so kind of you... thank you.

We've just arrived and there's a great deal we don't know. Would it be alright to ask you a few things?

I don't mind spending a little more time with you two, but I'm afraid I know very little about what you're after.

Somewhere with a bigger crowd might serve you better, I guess.

Alright, I've returned what needed returning. I'll be on my way.

He doesn't appear to have any ill intentions. He makes a good point, we need to find somewhere information moves more freely, and quickly.

I know just the place!

If this city truly mirrors Londinium, then that place should be exactly what we need.

"90 minutes past midnight, a 15-inch mask, 10 gallons of dream, 2 ounces of spirits, the only formula for happiness."

I've had the Midnight Masquerade's slogan memorized for years. Back in Kadath, it was the one place I wanted to visit more than anything.

Don't you think Mythag's rules are a little too strict sometimes?

I proposed banning Mythag students from entering such establishments without authorization precisely to prevent certain Keepers, the negligent kind, from burning through mission funds under the pretense of conducting investigations.

This particular Keeper did, after all, accumulate quite a record during their time as a student.

Oh, but I seem to recall reading in Senior Fingal's file that his greatest hobby was stopping by the Midnight Masquerade for a drink after work...

...And of course, an occasional rest is not entirely without merit.

Besides, the Midnight Masquerade's membership list includes the elite of all Londinium. It's the ideal venue for gathering intelligence.

A rather shameless double standard, Senior.

Ahem... Making judgments that align with each person's character is a basic skill for an Investigator...

I lost everything in that battle. My title, my family, my left leg... my life.

Twenty years. A full twenty years. It has been a slow torture, my friend. Fate saw fit to let me live, leaving me to spend my remaining days atoning for my mistakes.

I destroyed my own lineage with my own hands, but what does it matter now? Tell me, is there anything in this life more important than a drink?

Oh, darling, do you remember the cocktail the bartender made for us the last time we were here?

I'd wager you won't find a finer drink in all of Londinium. It was so precise, so elegant, it felt less like a recipe and more like a prophecy!

I was thinking how wonderful it would be if we could invite that bartender to our party next month.

Pardon the interruption, honored guests. Since you're discussing such fascinating topics, perhaps you'd like an equally fascinating drink to match?

Let's see a menu, William.

A menu? How droll. How tedious. How... ordinary.

A truly romantic establishment has no room for something so mundane.

No menu? Then how are we supposed to order?

Every seat at the Midnight Masquerade is a private theater for the guest who occupies it. Here, you observe, you perform, and you savor...

From a library of infinite stories, I shall select the one that suits you best.

Please, take a seat. The storyteller is ready.

First, let's look at you, the stoic, fair-haired gentleman.

Ah... I see the fruits of grueling, daily discipline. Tenacity, composure, resilience, bravery, wisdom... A living legend, draped in floral tributes and glory.

And yet, behind the praise and the halo lies... regret. A regret deeper and more agonizing than the fog that chokes this city.

I see the tears that glisten unseen in the dead of night. I hear the vows whispered only to yourself.

The light that once guided you through the dark has been extinguished, and with it, your world shattered... and shattered again.

You think to yourself: If only I had worked harder. If only I were stronger... perhaps I could have woven a different fate for my dear friend.

I can hear the sound of a world breaking. A little boy braves the pain, picking up the shards one by one, stitching them back together...

Through this long, brutal mending, the boy has finally become a man.

Two ounces of whiskey, one ounce of white wine, and a base of painful resilience, two dashes of bitters.

The "Wayfinder." May you lead those who admire you toward the right path, just as he once did for you, the one you hold in highest regard.

Everything you just said... how do you know all that?

A master bartender must know how to listen to the soul. That is a trade secret, my dear guest.

Now, for you...

I have a feeling this might be the most dangerous thing I've ever attempted, but no matter. I've always had a taste for adventure.

Hmm... What am I looking at? A traveler from a far-off place? Or perhaps... a fallen deity, struggling through the mire of the mortal realm?

?!!

There is no way an ordinary bartender would know that... Who, or what, are you?!

Rest assured, dear guest. In this bar, I am not the one with malicious intent.

You may have noticed that some of your "old friends" have just arrived behind you.

%player%, watch behind.

I feel them...

Easy there, %player%. They have been tracking you for some time. Here, at least, I can offer you some kind of help.

You? Them? ...

Heh... Found you.

This filthy place is no fit for a long stay, my little visitors from afar.

Watch out! They're coming!

It's over... but what on earth were those things?

Watch your back!!

Apologies for the fright.

They have been hunting you. Within these walls, I can at least lend you a hand.

Forgive me for taking the liberty of guiding you here without your consent.

You... All of you... what is happening?

They aren't individuals. They're more like...

...More like puppets, caught in a web.

I have heard much of your keen intuition, Mr. William.

What you see before you are merely props on a stage, reflections in a mirror.

Please excuse me. I cannot yet leave my web. I must use these vessels to speak with you.

Welcome to my stage, Mr. William... and you, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Your... stage? Just who are you?

I am the master of this place, and its prisoner.

I imagine you have many questions.

This place is no longer safe; their people will return soon. My maid will come to fetch you. Do not be alarmed when you see her.

Once we meet face to face, I will answer everything.

They did help me just now, but I still can't bring myself to fully trust them...

William, for everything we need to know... this "Lady" may be our best chance at answers.

Even if it's dangerous, I think I have to go. It's just...

I know.

I'll track the movements of those shadows out here. They're looking for you. I'll draw less attention moving around outside than you would.

This "Lady" has unknown origins. If something goes wrong...

Understood... You too, William.

The Lady understands your caution. Mr. William, this stage holds many dangers right now; please tread carefully. We will offer whatever assistance we can.

{Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper, please follow me. The Lady has been expecting you.

I have one more question...

That is already your twenty-third question, %player%.

Compared to the mysteries of this place, twenty-three is nowhere near enough.

I am not the one you are looking for. The person who can answer your questions is waiting for you just ahead.

This is...!

What a strange welcome...

My dear customer, I see confusion in your eyes.

I hope the incident just now didn't frighten you too badly?

A gin base with a touch of hibiscus, I think it would suit your mood perfectly right now.

Ah! A homeless child, so small, so lost.

With nothing but those thin clothes, how will you make it through the winter?

Come with me. Let me find you somewhere to shelter from the storm...

These... are the people I just ran into?

How did they end up on these stages...

Ave, %player%! Blessed be, infant from Yakutsk!

Ave, %player%! Blessed be, Keeper of Mythag!

Ave, %player%! Blessed be, god of destruction!

The Lady is waiting for you inside. Please, come in, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

They appear on these stages because this theater bears a single name: Fate.

It's you?!!

On the Paradise... and those attacks...!

!!!

The Silver Key... I was holding it just a second ago... How...

Impossible... There's no way she could have stolen it from me!

Before entering the theater, you gripped that key tightly, maintaining a constant spiritual link.

Your training at Mythag has granted you a level of vigilance so high that no one could ever hope to snatch it from your grasp.

Then why...

No person could take it from you. But Fate can.

Forgive me, %player%. I understand your anxiety and I respect your power.

To prevent any unintentional damage to my theater, I had no choice but to briefly alter the fate of the key in your hand. I hope you can overlook this liberty.

These threads... what are they?

There are many explanations for the threads, most far too complex for this moment. You may simply think of them as... Fate.

Arachne. I am the Master of this Theater of Fate. It is an honor to meet you, Keeper.

Please, rest easy. You are safe here.

I suppose so. If you wanted me dead, I wouldn't have survived that display just now.

Back on the Paradise, you helped me. But since I've been in this city, you've attacked me twice.

I understand your wariness. But please believe me when I say I have never lifted a finger to harm you.

You blocked my link to Kadath and ambushed me multiple times... are you telling me none of that was your doing?

The one who troubled you may share my face, but she is not me.

As for your link to Kadath... that is a dangerous trap, %player%.

A trap?

A child born of my own existence has caused you unnecessary grief, and for that, I am truly sorry. This situation began with me, and I am doing everything in my power to mend the mistake.

I'm not following you...

It is a long tale, and one bound to the nature of Fate. Stories are always easier to digest than plain facts.

Please, take a seat, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. This new act of our play began only a short while ago.

The trumpets sound a flourish. Enter: The Abandoned Fate.

Ah, the sweet scent of freedom...

How many years were we rotting in that Abyssal Prison, my dear squire?

I do not know, my lady.

Names, time, emotions... I have forgotten it all. I remember only you, my lady, the esteemed Nefraea.

I remember only your promise: that you would lead us out, and that we would swing the blade of vengeance against Fate itself.

I remember, child. I gave you ninety thousand promises, and now, let me give you the ninety-thousand-and-first.

At any given moment, only one fate can truly exist. The Proxy of Fate prunes away the countless "wrong" destinies, leaving only the one "true" path behind.

We are the Abandoned Fate. Heh... my dear squire, you are a mistake. Just like me.

In the subconscious of this universe, within that void of an Abyssal Prison, we were exiled and caged. We wander there, forgotten, for all eternity. Our sentence has outlasted time itself...

But by what right, O Goddess of Fate? Why must it be us who are cast aside?

The supreme, singular deity of the infinite cosmos finally stirred for a fleeting moment. It has fallen back into slumber, but the prison of Its consciousness, the eternal Abyssal Prison, has finally cracked open for us.

I had already accepted oblivion. I had faded away. So why, why must I be forced to remember all this agony?

Perhaps this is the will of Fate... a destiny that even you cannot control.

The Primordial Deity sleeps again, but Its fragments have found their way to our doorstep.

I do not possess your gift for weaving destiny. I am merely a corrector of Fate, an executioner from the void. I shall punish the sins within the river of time on behalf of the Primordial One.

Go, my children. Find %player%.

Seize {Male=his,Female=her} power, sever every thread of Fate, and tear the Great Web to shreds! Let every soul who stands in our path die upon it!

We shall use the blood of this fragment to awaken the Great Primordial One once more.

When you see your precious Web of Fate shattered and reduced to a mire of filth, will you sink into the endless void just like us?

Goddess of Fate... my dear sister... my beloved Arachne?

I'm sorry, I don't quite understand... what exactly is the "Abandoned Fate"?

As you can see, Fate is a tangled mess of raw threads. If left unmanaged, the universe would descend into bottomless chaos. I believe that is a sight none of us wish to behold.

Of course not...

It is my eternal duty to weave those threads into the Web of Fate, ensuring the universe functions as it should.

At every moment, Fate holds infinite possibilities. At every moment, I am forced to make a choice.

The correct destinies are woven into the Great Web; the wrong ones are cast aside. This is how the web functions. It is inevitable.

My sister... she is a part of me that I discarded within those mistaken twists of Fate.

And these abandoned fates... they get sent to the "Abyssal Prison"?

The dreams of the Supreme Deity form the substance of this universe. The Abyssal Prison is the subconscious of that God, a dumping ground for every event that never happened and every fate that does not exist.

They were meant to dissolve into nothingness in that void, but under my sister's guidance, they somehow found a way to survive.

She cannot weave destiny as I do. But like me, she can see the threads. She obscures them, pollutes them, and disrupts the trails I have laid, leading them toward death instead.

So she wants to find me and use my power to reawaken Tohuwabohu?

I cannot know her specific plan, but all signs point to that. Regardless, she is a mistake that I must rectify.

So that's why she closed the dimensional gateway...

No, I was the one who closed the gateway. She has been waiting for this exact moment, waiting to follow you to Kadath.

Kadath is a dimension my power has never reached. It is also the place where the connection to the Supreme Deity is strongest.

If she were to follow you back there, disaster would become unavoidable.

Forgive me for taking such liberties, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

I understand, Arachne. If what you're saying is true, I don't want to see that happen either.

So, if I want to get back to Kadath, I have to deal with her first...

My lady, an anomaly has been detected on the stage in Area GI-9849. That's the third one today.

Ever since she stole the materials for weaving, she has found endless joy in unraveling the destinies of others.

My apologies, %player%, but I must tend to these disturbances. Please, come with me. There are vital matters I need you to see.

This... this is the stage that was destroyed?

Lately, she has been sending her squires to sabotage the fates of these worlds. My maids have been hunting them down, but the battles have cost many of my good children their lives.

The destinies of all worlds are bound to the same Great Web. If one world collapses, it tears the entire structure, plunging existence into absolute, fatal disorder.

Nefraea stole the raw materials I use for weaving, leaving me unable to exert my power freely. {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper, I wonder... would you be willing to help me restore this world's fate?

If your story is true, then she is a problem I have to deal with regardless.

The trumpets play a flourish. Enter: The Student and the Scholar!

It's time for our entrance, %player%.

One shawarma wrap, one Sachertorte, and two cups of Hvatz coffee. Thank you.

This street really needs to be widened. It looked exactly like this when I was a kid. Aside from getting more run-down, it hasn't changed a bit in all these years.

The authorities are useless at building anything. The only thing they're good at is selling off Hvatz land and serving up cake to the royal family.

Refugees, protests, and an Archduke who just had to visit now... Professor Arachne, can I get an extension on my folklore assignment? The Iron Hand's activities have been draining all my energy lately.

You don't need to turn in any assignments.

Professor Arachne... what do you mean?

Do you remember who you are and where you come from?

Me? I'm obviously...

No... that's not right... I'm the Keeper of Mythag... What's happening?!

I remember now... We were in your theater. We stepped onto a stage, and then... and then...

And then you ordered afternoon tea. Your taste as a local is quite refined.

Here is your order. Everything is served.

The assassination plot has leaked. The Archduke will likely change his route. The handler will notify you as soon as there's news. Get ready, %player%.

Carrying two distinct lives in a single mind is rarely a pleasant experience for a novice.

It's fine. Compared to facing Tohuwabohu, a headache feels like a massage.

My memory says I'm following the Iron Hand's orders. In two hours, I'm supposed to use this gun to assassinate the visiting heir to the Phio-Garian Empire throne...

Good afternoon, officers. How can I...

Bosant, member of the Iron Hand. You have ten seconds to tell me where your accomplices are.

We should be safe here for a moment.

What's happening? Why do I have these conflicting memories?

To step onto the stage of the Theater of Fate is to become a character. And every character has a life of their own.

This is a world in a distant dimension you've never heard of or visited. Yet, as a character born here, you know it like the back of your hand.

Welcome to one of my stages, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

You mean... you can use the stage to reach other worlds?!

Lady Daffodil explained the principles of dimensional travel to you. The barriers between worlds are incredibly solid. Every crossing demands a terrible price; it is not something done lightly.

But aren't we here right now?...

The Theater of Fate can briefly bridge the destinies of different worlds.

Currently, we are just two characters lost in a sea of people, fleeting projections that will vanish in the blink of an eye.

A projection... even a projection is fine. Can you use this method to help me return?

I'm truly sorry, %player%. The gate you closed blocked Tohuwabohu's Gaze, but it also severed the Threads of Fate.

Attempting to exert influence there now would trigger a disaster beyond our endurance.

Rest assured, %player%. Once we've dealt with my sister, the passage back to Kadath will open again.

Fate never betrays those who wait, and we must never spurn the gifts Fate provides. Go on, try it.

Hmm... Word is Archduke Flavian never misses a chance to sample the local specialty cake whenever he visits. For a crown prince, he certainly has fine taste.

So, what exactly did Nefraea influence here? How are we supposed to fix this...

She has found us. Perfect timing. Be careful, %player%.

Right there!

It's the Iron Hand assassins! Get them!

Phew... Nefraea's squires are a real handful...

She went to such lengths... what is she actually trying to achieve?

Nefraea left a catalyst behind. Within the vast Web of Fate governing this world, she has polluted a single thread.

In this corrupted timeline, the Phio-Garian crown prince discovered a certain book two months ago.

A grimoire of forbidden sorcery, one capable of calling upon a certain deity that do not belong to this dimension.

This stage was never meant to connect with the divine. For a long time, it could have been spared the fate of Dissolution.

In twenty days, he will begin to study the secrets within that book in earnest. From that moment on, this stage will follow all the others, descending inevitably toward total destruction.

A world unnoticed by the gods... I never even imagined such a thing was possible.

Do we still have a chance to change it?

That is precisely why we are here.

Tell me. What do I need to do?

Wait!

You've noticed them, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

We're surrounded!

Since we stepped onto this stage, I have been working to mend the tampered fate. But correcting the destinies of so many people is no simple task.

Nefraea left these obstacles behind specifically to hinder my restoration.

Maybe there's another way.

Arachne, I'm one of the operatives assigned to the assassination the Iron Hand planned for today.

This world will burn because that prince studies that grimoire. If I succeed in the assassination, maybe I can stop it all before it starts!

That isn't exactly the right...

There they are! Get them!

The plot has been exposed; the other assassins won't be able to pull it off. The prince is right there. If I don't act now, we'll lose our chance!

Since the currents of Fate have brought us here... perhaps making a choice for this world is exactly what you are meant to do.

Go. Do what you must, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. The truth of Fate will be revealed to you here.

That's Archduke Flavian? The heir to the empire... I wonder how much a car like that even costs.

Bah! Bastard son of a thief! Every cent he spends was wrung out of our blood and sweat!

If I weren't a cripple, I'd have died on the battlefield charging those bandits!

Shh! The streets are crawling with Imperial Guards! Do you have a death wish?!

Hey! You, student! Get back!

Forgive me, Your Highness. But since I've taken the stage, I have to play this role to the end!

!!! This is...

Don't worry, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. You're safe now.

Arachne... what... what happened? We were just...

Don't be alarmed. We've simply returned to the moment we first entered the café. On the bright side, we managed to get a free cup of coffee out of it.

The Threads of Fate are not for your eyes to perceive. When an actor from outside the stage tries to forcibly alter this world's destiny, they inevitably lose themselves in the web.

Past and future, the countless destinies of this stage intertwining before your eyes... that is the true face of the Web of Fate.

The future... are you saying everything I saw was real? The wars, the millions of deaths... did I really cause all of that?

Fate allowed you to witness it. After the assassination of the Archduke, that was indeed the path the world was meant to take. But rest easy, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. I have already rewoven the destiny of this stage.

If I had gone through with it... if you hadn't repaired the damage...

A month from now, the death of that Crown Prince would have triggered the largest war in history. Eight empires would have been dragged into the abyss, and twenty million souls would have perished.

The very ground beneath our feet would have turned to ash. Of all the people sitting around us in this café, not a single one would have survived.

And what about the Dissolution? Why did killing the prince still lead to the end of the world?

In that great war, the empire was defeated. The Monarch was left with no choice but to accept Fate's cruel verdict, until he found a new path.

Sorcery from beyond this world, a deity that transcends all known power... for a father who has lost his son and an Emperor who has lost his nation, could anything be more alluring?

I never imagined assassinating one prince would spiral into this... I thought I was helping...

Fate compelled you to make that choice so that you might finally see it for what it is. You cannot see the threads themselves, but you now understand the intricate ways in which they are woven.

These threads form a vast web. The slightest tremor in a single strand can bring the entire structure crashing down.

This is Fate, in all its terrible complexity.

At least... at least you stopped the war...

I did not stop the war, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

In the new destiny I have woven, the Emperor will witness a mere fraction of the miracles within that grimoire. That taste of power will become the very foundation upon which he builds his war.

The Monarch and his allies will launch a conflict on an even grander scale, pulling empires from across the oceans into the fray.

The number of people who die in this version of history will be four times greater than before.

What? Why... why would that happen?

You have seen the complexity of the web. To forcibly avoid an event that is destined to occur only invites a far more horrific outcome.

The Monarch is still defeated; the limited knowledge in that book offers the empire no lasting salvation.

After this second failure, sorcery will be dismissed as a farce. No ruler on this stage will ever turn to it again.

Their eyes will turn elsewhere. They will put their faith in science, researching weapons capable of devouring entire planets. They will enjoy a brief, tense peace under the shadow of these armaments, only to be destroyed by the very tools they created.

This stage is still destined to vanish in some future apocalypse, that is its inescapable fate. But for a time, they will enjoy a period of prosperity as beautiful as a work of art.

The Gaze of Tohuwabohu will be kept at bay, at least for a while.

Struggle, weave, mend... yet nothing truly changes. This is Fate, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Quite a spectacle...

Cough, cough...

William?! You're hurt!

It's just a scratch.

I witnessed the fate that unfolded on that stage. I believe someone owes you a debt of gratitude for your efforts, Lady Arachne.

I am but a prisoner of Fate; this is a duty I have no choice but to uphold.

For someone who manipulates the destinies of countless worlds, perhaps "judge" or "warden" of Fate would be a more fitting title?

In this place, there is no difference between a jailer and a prisoner.

Mr. William, has your journey been a comfortable one?

Thanks to your maid's help. If I had been left to my own devices, evading those squires lurking in the shadows would have cost me far more.

Nefraea... you ran into her people again?

When we were separated, I came across some passersby who seemed... off. I tailed them for a while and caught fragments of their conversation.

They are searching for things they call "Puppets."

I suspect that the pollution of the stage's fate you mentioned earlier might only be a preliminary measure.

Those "Puppets" are their true objective.

My sister has hidden her own Threads of Fate along with those of her squires; I cannot perceive them easily. This is a vital piece of intelligence, Mr. William.

For the next phase, I'll be coming with you...

No, you must stay! Splitting up before was a necessity, but I won't risk a repeat of what happened at Remouahe.

The Keeper is right. My maid will treat the toxins in your system. Until you are fully recovered, please remain in the theater to rest.

The day we truly require your strength is coming soon.

If I went now, I would only be a burden. Rest assured, I will ensure I am ready when that day comes.

Follow me, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. I believe the time for a face-to-face meeting with my sister is at hand.

There are many shops in this city that I adore, but like you, I find this place to be one of my favorites.

So what exactly are you right now? A puppet? A decoy? Some mysterious machine made of a bunch of spiders so the real you can cut class?

Essentially, the 'me' here and the 'me' in the theater are the same Fate; we are two distinct experiences unfolding in the same moment.

Most of my power must remain in the theater to maintain the Great Web. Beyond that, there is no difference between us. Don't let suspicion spoil the mood, Keeper.

Did you know this establishment hosts a masquerade every month? Every guest who enters is required to wear their most interesting mask.

High society usually makes this place droll, but on that one night, it becomes the most fascinating corner of the city.

Perhaps for the next masquerade, I should set everything aside and truly experience it.

I thought someone who could see the entire tapestry of Fate would lose all interest in the future.

That is true, %player%. However, I discovered a way to ward off boredom a long time ago.

Sometimes I step out from behind the curtain and onto the very stage I created, transforming myself into one of the characters.

I blind myself to my own foresight and surrender to the performance. I let myself feel the flow of time and the shifting of destiny...

It is a rare moment of rest. Such opportunities are few, so I cherish each one like a sacred holiday.

Even so... aren't we supposed to be hunting for those "Puppets"? Why are we here?

One of them is right here. You will see her soon... or rather, you already have.

Hello there, dear customers.

Ah, I remember you, the elegant %player%.

Monsters in the shadows, a dazzling silver radiance... what a magnificent heroic epic!

Honestly, while you were away, the Midnight Masquerade made quite a profit off your story. We owe you royalties, at the very least, let us buy you a drink.

It's you... I'll pass on the drink for now, but could you get one for my friend here?

I've already got a name for it: "The Solo Act."

A fine name. As for whether it suits your friend... I'll have to take a closer look.

Oh, what a pair of soulful eyes you have, my lady.

They are like a vast, unfathomable ocean. Buried in those unseen depths are secrets no soul has ever known.

This ocean swallows every raging wave. No matter how great the storm, the surface remains as calm as it has been since the dawn of time.

Time flows, stars shift. Mountains crumble into fields, and seas turn to meadows...

But beneath all this change... what has this ocean cast aside?

What are you...

Goddess of Fate, the great Arachne. How elegant you are when you toy with destiny. I truly envy them, the ones you chose, the ones you kept.

Too bad... some of us were born only to be cast away.

...It seems I won't get to taste that drink today after all.

You can pollute the threads of these Puppets to cloud my vision, Nefraea, but it is futile. You do not have the power to control Fate.

It's you?!

My dear sister. You have so few Dimensional Embers left to burn.

I'd love to have a proper heart-to-heart, but for now, I'll let my little spiders welcome you instead.

Watch your back!

What a spectacular performance, sister.

Even if Ms. "Romance" is gone, we shouldn't let a good drink go to waste.

Want a sip? I understand you far better than that Puppet ever could.

You aren't cut out for this trade, Nefraea. This drink has nothing to offer but bitterness.

I call it "Fate." Do you like the taste?

You and your squires are those without destiny; I cannot grasp your threads. But since your power originates from mine, you are as blind to your own fate as I am to mine.

You and I... this is a stalemate. A pointless war that should never have begun.

Of course, of course. To you, we "discarded things" belong in the graveyard of Fate, to be dismantled, forgotten, and dissolved for all eternity.

What a pity you cannot see 'Him'... No matter how great your power, how could you ever compare to the Supreme Deity?

You know it. You know deep down that all of this is futile. And yet, you cannot stop spinning your web...

Because you have seen the threads, you cannot bear the sight of them tangled. Because you have the power, you cannot stand by and watch worlds fall into endless chaos.

You offer them a false peace while leading them down a path that ends only in ruin.

What a pitiful creature you are, Arachne.

This is our destiny, Nefraea.

Ah... I'm getting sleepy. Arguing with a fool is the most tedious thing in the world.

Welcome to Act Two. This is your stage, but from now on, I will be the one writing the script.

The opening notes are the most important, aren't they? What should we call it... how about "Reunion"?

I have prepared so very long for this day. I'm going to savor every moment of our story together, dear sister.

Wait...!

She is not here, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

This is...

She murdered this Puppet. She left her mark, polluted her fate, and used her as a temporary vessel.

...Can you see anything?

The other Puppets have been polluted as well; I can no longer sense them through the Great Web. But Romance's fate was connected to theirs.

She showed me where to find "Kindness."

Nefraea's power is derived from mine. I cannot see the fates she has polluted, and my own abilities are hindered because of it.

You are a fragment of the Divine, one whose fate is invisible to us. That is why I need your help, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Don't worry. If only to return to Kadath, I must deal with her.

Why is she hunting these Puppets?

These Puppets will become the source of her power.

Then we need to move fast. We have to find the Puppets and the dimensional embers you need to weave.

This Puppet called "Kindness"... where is he?

Romance managed to warn him of the danger before she fell. He is in hiding now, sheltered by an old friend of yours.

An old friend...?

Follow me, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. Lady Sorel's grand salon is about to begin.

Good evening. Here is my invitation.

Ah, welcome, Mr. Fugen. The Lady is expecting you. Please, go right in.

Hmph. When money-grubbing merchants like Fugen can waltz into the old Duke's residence, you know the grace of Londinium has truly vanished...

Good evening, sir. Please present your invitation.

An invitation? I have lived my entire life without once having to show a scrap of paper to enter a room.

Move aside.

My apologies, sir. Tonight's banquet is strictly for those with an invitation.

You blind fool. Do you have any idea who I am?

That is not my concern, sir.

You sound like a local, sir. I assume you can understand me.

Why, you!! Fine! I'll make sure you and the lady of this house pay for this!

It seems gaining entry to this manor will be more difficult than I anticipated.

If I could find that maid who sells bathwater, maybe I could buy a couple of invites from her...

Rare sea salts from Thira, lavender, citrus, cloves, and rose petals from southern Constan...

Bathwater like that is far more precious, and harder to find, than a simple invitation.

???

I was just talking to myself... how could you possibly know what happened in my dreams?

Though your own fate remains hidden from me, I have always watched the destinies of those around you.

If you control their fates, surely you can manage something as small as manifesting two invitations? Even if the ripples are complicated?

You have already seen the chaos that follows a shift in destiny. Fate is no toy; it is a glass house that requires my constant, careful maintenance.

Every choice I make requires immense focus and dimensional embers. A single oversight could lead to total collapse.

Besides... as I've said before, being a spectator is often much more entertaining than being the playwright.

I'm looking forward to your performance, %player%.

But I don't know the first thing about this place...

To perform, to deceive, to entertain... you carry those powers within you. The stage of Fate rarely grants time for rehearsal. When the moment comes, that power will support you.

You cannot hide from the roles you were meant to play. Think, then perform, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

To perform, to deceive, to entertain... you mean, the Authority of N?

But since the final battle with Tohuwabohu, I've lost my connection to the power of the Three Aeons...

Their power slumbers, yes. But the Authority is more than just raw power.

Authority is more than power...

You said everyone in this world carries a Silver Core. That means their minds are open to the influence of my Silver Key... right?

Good evening. Please show your...

What a magnificent estate. We are honored to accept Lady Sorel's invitation.

C-Count Huey...

Ah! Count Huey, Countess! Cadrin Manor is honored by your presence.

How does it feel, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper?

I still don't quite grasp what you mean by "Authority," but I definitely felt something change just now...

It was... a thrill. A rush of excitement from deceiving them, from making them believe I was the Count. I've never felt anything like it. It was as if the emotion didn't even belong to me.

It's truly remarkable to see someone achieve so much at such a young age.

Once these trade talks conclude, the ties between this city's business and political elite will be completely transformed. This is a rare opportunity...

The chief went through hell to get these invites. We need to get some perfect shots. Keep the gear ready and follow me, we need to get as close to the front as possible...

She's here! She's coming out!!

So, she's the current owner of the manor...

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. At today's salon, several of our city's commercial districts will find their new masters.

And, of course, our noble friends will receive the benefits they so rightly deserve.

I trust this will be a most splendid and delightful evening.

My chefs have prepared the finest pastries and champagne. Please, enjoy yourselves for a moment. Our dinner service will begin shortly.

Sor... Sorel! Karen!

Lady Sorel! Lady Sorel! How do you plan to divide the commercial districts? Will this affect...

Shh, Mr. Reporter. I've only just returned from business. Once I've had a chance to change, I will answer all of your questions.

Looks like we'll have to wait for her to come back out.

Did you notice the maid standing beside Sorel?

Karen? Yes, she didn't seem to hear me either... wait, what are you saying?

I sense a path of fate within her that does not belong on this stage. Her destiny has been polluted.

Lady Sorel is in danger!

My apologies, {Male=sir,Female=lady}, but this is Lady Sorel's private residence. No unauthorized...

Lady Sorel invited me here to discuss an urgent matter in private.

Forgive me, {Male=sir,Female=lady}, I didn't know... Lady Sorel is just upstairs. I can lead the...

This is a confidential mission. Do not tell anyone I was here.

Your gown is ready, Lady Sorel!

Londinium is a wilderness. The politicians and merchants are the hyenas of this city...

Even hyenas have their charms. A single piece of carrion is enough to bring them running. Greedy, sharp, ruthless, and naive, there is no better weapon.

They've grown impatient out there. You appeared much too late today, and this expensive dress has been stained.

You should have returned sooner, ma'am.

Someone should have taught you how a servant addresses her Lady. What has gotten into you today?

Lady Sorel, you carry the filth of the East District upon you. I'm curious: where did you send that kind gentleman?

You have a very loyal servant, Lady Sorel. Despite her fondness for stealing and selling off your assets, her devotion to your safety is beyond question.

Even now, her will fights fiercely against me. A pity, really, no mortal can resist the power of Fate.

I don't know what you've done to Karen, but it doesn't matter. Your price has already been set.

Ah, a failed negotiation. How tragic, Lady Sorel. It seems I'll have to extract the answers from your corpse.

Sorel, get back!

Phew... made it just in time.

Karen should be fine. She's been affected by the possession, but she'll recover with some rest.

I can recall every face I've ever seen, yet you feel... strange. I can't be sure if we've met. That has never happened to me before.

A forty-year-old vintage Port from my private collection. The hyenas downstairs aren't worthy of a single drop. Whoever you are, I believe this glass belongs to you.

We are here for "Kindness," Lady Sorel.

Two captivating guests. This salon will certainly be unforgettable. Please, take a seat.

I've crossed paths with "Kindness" a few times. He came to me seeking asylum.

You saved me. I cannot see your true identities, but I can tell you mean no harm.

That's right, Lady Sorel. We're here to save him.

He isn't at the manor.

But you just said...

As you can see, my estate is hardly a sanctuary.

He is a kind man, but by no means a fool. I could tell his situation was dire.

Many people know of my association with him. Hiding him here would have been unwise.

Where is he now?

That's...!

Years ago, I attended a performance by the Cycnus Dance Troupe at the Londinium Theater. It was a mere social obligation, but her dancing deeply moved me.

Over the years, I've occasionally visited the backstage areas. We have no real public connection, which makes her troupe the perfect place to hide "Kindness."

Liz... where is her troupe now?

In a place you know all too well.

This is a rare treat. Even the cheapest ticket for this troupe would normally cost me two months' salary.

I heard Lady Sorel is personally sponsoring this charity performance! If only every noble in this city were so generous.

I don't understand it, but I'm not missing an opportunity like this.

Thirty years... I haven't been back to a theater in thirty years.

Ballet is the purest dance on earth. Only those who have performed it truly understand the beauty of that brutal elegance!

Seeing Miss Elizabeth perform live is something I never even dreamed of...

The Miskatonic University...

Every actor has a stage they love most. Even a campus built from memories is irreplaceable to you.

Why create a place exactly like Mythag...?

I didn't create it; it simply belongs here. Like this city and this world, it is a piece of the Great Web.

Don't look so far ahead, %player%. If you are on a stage, there is a reason for you to be here.

Come to think of it, after all the time I've spent with Liz, I've never actually seen her perform live.

The most beautiful moments in life are those when you don't even realize you're smiling.

Oh... sorry.

Thinking about Mythag?

We held so many performances in this plaza. Back then, it was packed with Mythag students, just like this.

Many Awakeners are masters of their craft. Some were reluctant to perform at first, so the faculty and I had to find ways to convince them...

Eventually, many of them started volunteering to put on shows for their peers.

Liz's dancing, Tinct's ballads, Hameln's symphonies, Horla's poetry, Sanga's sculptures...

I wonder if life at Mythag ever went back to the way it was after I left...

The curtain just moved! Miss Elizabeth is about to make her entrance!

Regardless, seeing Liz dance again in this distant world is something to be grateful for.

Once this is over, if there's time, I'd like to sit down and truly talk with them.

Ladies and gentlemen... welcome to our performance!

The Cycnus Dance Troupe, a name as sacred as it is untouchable! Today, the most elegant white swan of Londinium alights before the public for the very first time!

Thank you for your patience. Our performers are ready. A spectacular show is about to begin!

Next, please enjoy "Swan's Flight," performed by Miss Elizabeth Salle!

!!!!

Behold, Miss Elizabeth's ending pose... how elegant, how graceful!

Enjoy the view, my dear audience! Witnessing this is the greatest honor of your lives.

LIZ!!

Oh? Such a clever guest. How did you know this performance had a second act?

Now, time to dance with your old friend... {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper!

Yes... just like that... Let it out! What a magnificent expression...

Nefraea isn't here. This is merely an illusion. Don't let rage blind you, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Huff... huff...

Answer me... Liz!

Her threads of fate are severed. Her life is spent.

No... we can't let Nefraea get away with this. She must pay for this atrocity!

Fate has already prepared the price she must pay. The trail doesn't end here.

But you just said Liz is...

Death is but a part of Fate. This is my stage, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. All destinies are threads in my hands, and I alone weave their course.

!!!

Wait, you mean...

Heh... hahaha... Arachne, you're still so, so arrogant! Hahaha...

You polluted Miss Salle's fate and led her to a hollow death. The Great Web remembers everything you do.

Corrupted destinies must be mended. A price awaits you in the shadows of your future.

Threads of Fate, heed the call of the Web. Walk the only path and take the stage once more...

Her body... it's gone?

Is that... the announcer?!

Arachne, you...

Sorry I'm late, I just... Oh!

Her posture... it's beautiful...

Arachne... did you swap their destinies?!

But you said a toll like this was unbearable...

The cost is irrelevant to the choice. In my own destiny, this is the price I am meant to pay.

Go, %player%. Don't keep Miss Liz waiting.

I slept until the afternoon and missed the show. That's never happened before...

I take it I missed something important?

No, you haven't missed a thing, Liz.

Are you... okay? Do you feel alright?

I feel fine. But tell me, {Male=sir,Female=miss}, have we met? You feel strangely familiar...

Perhaps it's because I'm a devoted fan of yours. I've seen many of your shows.

We are here for "Kindness."

Ah, so you're Lady Sorel's friends. I was worried I'd been a bit rude leaving Mr. Kindness at home while I came to perform. Please, follow me. I live nearby.

So... it should have been my body hanging there... on the stage...

Was it... beautiful?

True beauty only reveals itself at birth and at death. It was a sight beyond compare, Miss Salle.

Thank you, Lady Arachne. As a weaver of Fate, you must be surrounded by such beauty constantly. I truly... envy you.

Too many treasures can become a curse.

If that is your curse, what reward do you seek?

This is Mr. Kindness's room. Sir, your friends are here.

Mr. Kindness?

"Forgive my sudden departure. Lady Sorel feared for your safety and made new arrangements. I am heading to the villa where 'Memories' resides."

"I am deeply grateful for your care. I will find a way to repay this debt."

Sorel would have told us if she changed the plan...

"Memories" is homeless. She has no villa.

What?!! Then...

Nefraea has likely tampered with Memory's fate as well. They are both in grave danger.

I'm sorry. I didn't realize...

This is not your fault, Miss Salle.

If Nefraea can rewrite your destiny, finding those around you is a simple task. This is our burden to bear.

The ink isn't even dry. She was here recently, if we hurry, we might still make it.

Liz, there are things I wanted to say, but there's no time...

There will be other chances, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. I hope my next dance moves you just as much.

Even the fate of the city is warped... Nefraea's power is growing.

It seems our thoughtful host has left the door open for us.

What is this...?

"Two years old. Spoke their first words. Not a call for family, but a farewell to the old butler who served the house for generations."

"That same night, the butler died of heart failure. Crying outside the gatehouse, clutching his belongings..."

"Five years old. Dancing a shy waltz just like Mother, amidst the blushing cheers of dinner guests..."

"Seven years old. Received a birthday gift from Father: a spinning wheel named Moirae."

"Saw the shadow of Fate projected within the threads..."

"First trip to the opera with parents... First time meeting a soulmate... First time burying a beloved dog..."

These... are these your memories?

They were mine, once. Long ago, they were given to the Puppet named 'Memories.'

These are precious. Why would you put them inside a Puppet?

Everyone must make choices. And every choice has a price.

To reach the end of the road, one must always cast something aside. I think you understand that better than anyone, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Extracting these memories and putting them on display like this... this is the view you prepared for me, isn't it, Nefraea?

I hear what you're trying to say...

AAAHHHH!,

!! It's coming from the room at the end of the hall!

Lady... Arachne...

Run... get out of here...!

Shh... you have no lines in this scene, Mr. Kindness.

Fate's Revenge, Act Two, Scene Two. I call it "Downpour."

Enjoy the rain, my dear audience.

It's you...

Miss Arachne... and you, young {Male=mister,Female=miss}... cough cough...

We have to stop the bleeding... help me find something!

It's too late... Miss Arachne... save her... save "Memories"...

The believers... they took her...

Believers?

In purple robes... I have never... never seen their like...

They took "Memories" to the altar... cough, cough...

St. Vasily Street... to a church that belongs to them...

Miss... villains in the shadows are hunting us... She has corrupted our destinies...

They took my blood... In that church, she will perform her horrific ritual...

An Avenger of Fate, bathed in our blood... the evil god of the shadows is coming... all destiny will fall... into total... cough, cough... total chaos!

Miss... I still find myself calling you Miss... You were so slow to learn your first words. You worried the Master and the Madam to no end...

When you finally spoke to bid me farewell, everyone else rejoiced... but I knew. Only I knew those words were a verdict Fate would never let you escape.

I went home to wait for death. I couldn't stop weeping, not for myself, but for you, Miss Arachne...

I knew then... what a heavy curse you were meant to bear...

Miss Arachne, please... protect her. Protect "Memories"... and please, take care of yourself.

Don't... get lost... in the web...

"Rest now, Mr. Lawrence..."

You used your own butler's memories to create this Puppet... he's nothing like the other dolls you've made. Why?

Perhaps as a memorial. Or perhaps... I was just looking for a bit of comfort.

Comfort?

I wanted to tell myself they were still with me. That they had never truly left.

Within this Great Web, Nefraea's power is tied to these Puppets. Their deaths only draw her closer to the center of the weave.

We must stop her before she gains the power to tear the web asunder. That is all that matters now, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Fate answered you?

"Memories" is still alive. And those from the Abyssal Prison... they are waiting for us.

La...♪ La la...♪

Creak, creak, the Goddess of Fate turns Her spinning wheel.

Creak, creak, the Threads of Fate converge in her hands.

The puppets march in line, stepping into the Great Web.

They dance. They sing. Creak, creak...

They die with the Great Web, silent and without a trace.

Well? Was I in tune?

If I had chosen to be an opera singer, the lines at the theater would stretch three blocks down the street.

It's a tragedy the puppets of Londinium never witnessed my spectacular performance. In that light, you are a lucky little darling.

Ah... the scent of lifeblood. So vibrant.

For years, I tried everything, tearing into the bodies of children, even my own flesh, yet I could never taste a single drop of vitality.

The correct destiny. A burning spirit. How enviable... but did you know? You were meant to be tossed into the scrap heap of Fate, just like us.

You have no need for food, and you never speak. Aside from the memories you keep for her, you are nothing and you know nothing.

Fate abandoned you long ago, you poor thing. You are merely a doll she uses for comfort, a gravedigger for her memories, wandering alone across this hollow stage.

Now, your cruel mother, the Fate, is coming... No matter what happens, meet her as your most beautiful self, won't you?

A woman sits at a spinning wheel, cutting silk threads with scissors... is this a portrait of you, Arachne?

It certainly appears so. I believe these are the words my sister wishes to convey.

An identical figure leaves the seated woman and falls into the darkness of a cave...

In the dark cave, a woman and other creatures of the night perform a strange dance. She holds... a spinning wheel?

The center glows like a Lantern, illuminating the shadows.

A woman carrying a Lantern shaped like a spinning wheel arrives in a city... a group of robed figures kneels before her. The sigil on their clothes... is that the Lightbearer's sigil?!

The last one...

A woman holds a Lantern, kneeling before a blurred figure. Behind them looms something enormous...

Urgh...

Huff... huff... The Lightbearers... Tohuwabohu...

In this dimension, Nefraea was actually... the Church of the Lightbearers' founder!

I see now. I understand!...

You have seen the truth, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. As the Supreme Deity neared its awakening, my abandoned sister escaped from the Abyssal Prison.

Her interference clouded my vision, allowing her to hide this cult beneath my stage.

The one she revered was the Apostle, the one connected to that Supreme Deity in this dimension.

I understand... Nefraea wants to use the Apostle's power to re-establish a link with Tohuwabohu!

But if that's the case, why hunt the Puppets...?

There!!

Lady... Arachne...

Oh my... our little "Memories." Your voice is so weak, it's almost pitiful.

Nefraea! Let her go!

Nefraea, end this pointless conflict. Release her.

Oh? Our Goddess of Fate suddenly cares for her "Memories" now?

You never cared. You abandoned them, Arachne.

Nefraea, I know you want to summon the Apostle and wake Tohuwabohu... we can find another way. There's no need to kill them.

The way you stall for time is adorably childish, %player%.

You understand nothing. I never killed them. I am simply bringing them home.

I brought you here only so you could witness their perfect ending together.

Act Two, Scene Three. I call it... "Happy Reunion."

Good girl, don't be afraid. We'll be home soon.

Say goodbye to your wretched memories, dear sister!

Stop... Nefraea!

Welcome home, darling.

STOP!!

Ticket, please. Sir, may I see your ticket?

Didn't they just check it at the gate? This is exactly how the taxpayers' money is squandered...

Charlie! Where is my brooch?

Didn't I pin it to your dress before we left?

Oh, heavens... I spent a month preparing for today! Without that brooch, this gown is little more than a burial shroud...

The Cycnus Troupe is graceful enough, I suppose, but if it came down to a conflict of schedule, I would choose Dream in the Emerald Garden every time.

The multi-layered ensemble, the intricate non-linear narrative... the rise and fall of the royal gardens is far superior to those clichéd plots.

Ha! If you back number eight, you're throwing money away. I have it on good authority that someone is drugging his feed today.

Number six was handpicked from the Duke's own stables. He's taking the cup, mark my words. Put everything on six!

My lady, we are nearing our stop. The carriage is ready, and our sisters await you at the transfer point.

Good girl.

Do you remember how long it has been since we last left the theater?

I have been by your side since the day I became a Leng Spider. Fifty years? Sixty? I've lost count.

But we have been away from the theater for quite a while this time.

I have Nefraea to thank for that. Were it not for her arrival, I would never have had the chance to linger outside for so long.

We've hunted hundreds of Abyssal squires alongside the Keeper. Once we rescue "Memories," it will be time to go home.

Who knows when we will have such an opportunity again...

My lady, something is...

Ah! We're here!

These are...

A fascinating piece of interactive theater. As both audience and actor, the experience is far more vivid than that of a playwright.

My maids have been with me for many years. I rarely touch the threads of their fates.

In that dull theater, they were among the few vibrant souls.

You murdered two of my maids today. Such a violation of Fate comes with a price, Nefraea.

Heh... hahaha! How noble of you, Arachne.

"Behold! I am the master of Fate, the dutiful executioner! I shall choose the righteous paths and cast every error into the abyss!"

You are my idol, my faith, dear sister. I am simply playing your role.

Well? Have I been a worthy student?

I never imagined anyone would try to trap me in a net.

Have you seen a silkworm, sister? They spend their lives doing nothing but eating and spinning silk... and then they wait for the very cocoons they wove to smother them.

Nearly all of your squires have perished in the corners of this city and upon this train. They were your only companions during those long years in the void.

You gave them an ending they were never meant to have. Fate cannot be defied, Nefraea.

You mean their "correct" fate was to rot in that dark prison for all eternity? Is that right, esteemed Master of Fate?

I love them more than you can imagine. And they told me that if death could spare them from being imprisoned again, they would embrace it without hesitation.

After this massacre in the tunnels, how many embers do you have left to mend the damage?

The threads of this city are in my hands. I can't manipulate them... which is a shame, really, as I'm missing out on so much fun...

Luckily, while repairing them costs you your precious embers, polluting them costs me nothing.

If I simply let go... your theater and your stage will become the perfect breeding ground for Chaos. Just like the hole where I spent my life.

And you will have to watch it happen. Powerless to change it. Powerless to resist.

What shall it be, dear sister? Will you obey me, or shall we watch this world turn into a living hell together?

You are an incomplete piece of Fate. To pollute an entire city... you lack the...

...You just killed "Memories" as well.

No, I accepted her. Romance, Kindness, Memories... one by one, I have brought home everything you cast away.

A complete me. A complete avenger. Do you like the view, sister?

You have the Chaos you craved. Why wait any longer?

Oh, no, no, no. I'm still very, very far from what I truly want.

I'll take good care of your spindle for you. Your Dimensional Embers will never run dry. I won't harm a single one of your precious stages.

And all I ask is a tiny, tiny little favor.

Take control of the Keeper for me, dear sister. Only the Keeper can bring me what I truly desire.

You know well that %player% is a fragment of the Supreme One. We cannot command {Male=his,Female=her} fate...

This is... the Keeper's Thread of Fate?!

Heh... HAHAHAHA! That's the first time I've heard your voice tremble. Well, sister? Isn't it exhilarating?!

In the Abyssal Prison, the Apostle, an embodiment of Its divine will, was trapped within this wheel to serve as its Wick. It was the only light we ever had in that darkness.

With our power and the Apostle's guidance, even the fate of a divine fragment rests in OUR palms!

This is not the correct course of Fate, Nefraea... No one can defy Fate.

Soon they will, sister. Once we get hold of the Authorities of the Three Aeons, the Apostle shall be reborn! They will reopen the channel to the Divine; They will carry the voices of the Believers into the Eternal Sanctuary!

The Supreme Deity will awaken... and you will never have to prune another agonizing destiny or weave a web destined to shatter.

Stop fighting me, sister. It only brings you pain.

Come to my side. Let us welcome Its awakening together and grant every stage the ending it deserves!

"Memories"...

Maybe... maybe there's a way to save her. The power of the Aeons... a correction of Fate...

Nefraea severed her threads. Her story has reached its end, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

"Memories" is dead too... does this mean...?

Nefraea now possesses the power to rewrite this entire stage.

Residual embers... we were right. This is where Nefraea hid the embers, but she has already reclaimed them.

She takes the embers, she kills the puppets... what is her endgame?

Hm?

Arachne? What's wrong?

My main body... I can no longer sense her presence.

!!!

You mean she left the theater?

While we hunted the puppets, my main body was purging the Abyssal Squires across the city. After finding "Memories," she came to this church to meet us.

She was so close... but now, her light has vanished.

Did something happen to her? But "Memories" only just died... how...

I don't know the details. But before she vanished, she touched the web to send a final message. Aside from the order to return, she left a single word.

"Rapture."

Rapture...?

I don't understand. You share the same memories, you must know what she meant.

Your fate is a butterfly I dare not touch; any explanation would cause immeasurable ripples.

But know this: In your immediate future, "Rapture" is a key. It will unlock the secret lock before you.

My... future? You mean you can actually see my Thread of Fate now?!

...No matter what happens, trust me. And trust yourself.

Return to the Theater of Fate. The key and the lock await you there, %player%.

But...

"Rapture"...

Maybe listening to Arachne was a mistake...

The theater's new master has been expecting you, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

New master?!

Welcome back to the theater, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Arachne, you...

I am sorry, but our new story requires your participation.

!!

I've got you!!

Arachne... you can control my Fate?!...

Oh, welcome! {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} %player%, my esteemed guest! Your footsteps have never sounded so musical.

It isn't pleasant, is it? To have your fate toyed with? No matter, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. This story is nearly over.

Nefraea, what are you doing? ...

Suspense! That is why the audience comes to this theater! But don't be in such a rush, darling.

Ladies and gentlemen! Prepare to cheer... wait, where are my puppets? Ah, there.

What imaginative performance will our great avenger give, now that she has slain three Puppets?

Now, witness the Climax of Act Two!

I call it... "Rebirth."

Nefraea, Reaper from the Abyss, Avenger of Fate... I submit to your glorious power!

This is Romance; it makes men fools. This is Kindness; it makes them weak. And these are my Memories... the source of all agony.

I can bear them no longer... I offer them to you, great Nefraea.

Truly, sister? My dear sister...

It's all right. I understand you best. Give your suffering to me.

See? The Lantern of the Abyss is lit. Its light will guide us home.

What a warm light... but how do we go home?

Don't you see, sister?

This spinning wheel is the Apostle's body. These flames are the Apostle's eyes, They are watching us!

Only by uniting the Authority of the Three Aeons shall the Nameless Apostle awaken!

They will open the path to the Supreme Deity... and then, all suffering and futility will end!

The gateway is opening. Your mission is almost complete. Don't you see, sister?

You don't have to weave that endless web anymore. You don't have to keep cutting yourself apart!

Take me back, will you, Arachne? ...Please... Make me a part of you once more...

Don't abandon me. Don't leave me behind again... please?

Creak, creak, the Goddess of Fate turns Her spinning wheel.

Creak, creak, the Threads of Fate converge in her hands.

The puppets march in line, stepping into the Great Web.

They dance. They sing. Creak, creak...

Sunlight bathes their faces. How joyful they are!

The irises have begun to bloom... spring has truly arrived.

Hey, Rea, have I ever asked you what your favorite season is?

I have no favorite season, my lady.

Boring.

I love every season, especially spring. It's been so long since we left the house... should we find time to go hiking?

Beside the estate where I was born, there is a beautifully tended garden. I know you would love it.

You have waited for three days, my lady. It is time to decide.

Our land has only just emerged from a century of war. People have rebuilt their cities upon the ruins. A long, lasting peace awaits them.

Look, over there...

Of all Mr. Zoss's masterpieces, this one goes unnoticed, yet it is my favorite.

These deer, painted in ochre and geometric forms... even as abstract symbols, they pulse with life.

Every time I see it, I'm reminded of my favorite play...

The rift has existed for three days. The fate of this dimension has already been tainted by the Gaze of that deity.

If this continues, the destruction wrought by Its stare will not stop at our borders.

Do you remember how many worlds' fates we have woven?

Twenty-seven in total, my lady.

After Father gave me this wheel, I followed its threads to the Gate of Truth. Beyond that Gate, I glimpsed the fate that awaits this world.

I know what lies ahead. I know the choice I must make... but I can't bring myself to do it.

Family. Friends. Memories. Seventeen thousand years of grand history. Technology and art as countless as the stars...

After seeing the truth, I began to weave the fate of this world... I believed that because Fate granted me this power, I had to do something for my people.

This is my home. My child. I... I can't do it, Rea...

My lady...

You foresaw this day. That is why you made me your maid.

The entire purpose of my existence is to tell you, in this moment, what must be done.

You are the Master of Fate, the Guardian of the Dimensions. It is a cruel path, but you have already made your choice.

The three Fates are responsible for weaving, measuring... and cutting.

From the moment you chose this, these became your sacred duties.

In the year 804, before I could even speak, our butler played a piece on the piano.

Elychion's "Funeral of the Lahosse River." The music was like a fountain flowing outside a temple. I saw even the gods stop to listen...

Cassandra... the cathedrals she designed was more worthy of worship than the gods within it...

Mornlin's fairy tales, Aldo's operas, Marmo's paintings, Rovell's poetry...

St. Vildburg, a grand city of heroes. It weathered a hundred battles, faced destruction and rebirth thirty-seven times, and saw twenty-one great rulers rise to glory and fall into ruin.

Nobles celebrate here; the poor wail in agony; poets leave behind elegant verses. Along the Nevrich River, the echo of song and cannon fire rings through the air. Today, its heroic history ends.

Seventeen thousand years of endurance... an ancient civilization that survived every disaster...

Do you see, Rea? My first child is dead... I killed her with my own hands.

I thought that if I could keep watch over the place I once lived, I wouldn't feel so alone.

How childish... for an executioner with no choice, I have only prepared the cruelest punishment for myself.

My lady, what are you...?

Romance brings foolishness. Kindness brings fragility. Memories only bring pain.

I've made up my mind, Rea. I am a cursed executioner; beauty has no place within me.

You are... going to snuff out a part of yourself? But these are the pieces you cherish most, how can you...

When I was very young, I had my first dream.

In the dream, I was walking on the surface of a lake. Around me were ruins and withered bones, but beneath the surface, my childhood reflection was walking through a beautiful land.

No death, no suffering, no forgetting. Gentle sunlight shines there forever, and the people sing joyfully by her side.

I cannot see where my threads lead, but I think I understand the destiny foretold by that dream now.

Mother once said that if you try to read Arachne backwards, it sounds like "Nefraea." In this world's legends, that is the name of the Goddess of Spring.

I love every season, especially spring. Spring is much smaller than Fate. But Fate leads to death, while spring... spring brings only rebirth.

Leave me, my reflection. My dear sister. Take all of our goodness and our beautiful memories with you.

Fate... I offer a part of myself as a total sacrifice to you. I will walk this arduous path in her place.

Now I set you free, "Arachne."

La la la la...

They dance. They sing. Creak, creak!

Well, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper? Was the performance spectacular? Especially with that behind-the-scenes look?

No applause? No tears? Silence is such an insult... and after I rehearsed for so long in the Abyssal Prison. A shame, really.

I didn't understand why Arachne removed her sister from the Web, or why you needed the power of those three Puppets.

At least I can thank you for clearing up the mystery.

Why didn't you tell me any of this before?

A stone that stirs no ripples in the lake of Fate serves no purpose but to disturb the peace.

She and I became two separate people a long time ago, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Did you foresee this day?

No prisoner sees their own fate until the verdict is delivered.

If you had known those discarded fates would be exiled to the Abyssal Prison instead of vanishing... would you still have done it, Arachne?

...

Oh, you certainly would have, sister. Fate is your doctrine; no condition can change its final answer.

You, the Goddess of Fate. So insignificant, so fragile, so cruel...

But it's fine. No matter what you do, I've always kept you in my thoughts during those long years, dear sister.

Sister, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper... these new plays are a gift from me, the new master of the theater.

Before the grand third act, please enjoy this prelude... and remember the rules of the theater. No talking!

Great Goddess of Fate, three puppet vessels are ready for you.

What exquisite dolls... Those I have lost shall find new life within them...

To the first, I bestow the name "Romance."

You are the most passionate movement of the symphony: a collective of raw emotion, the heavy fruit of a spring in bloom.

You shall go to the midnight paradise, bringing wine, chance encounters, and an undying fire to this city.

I thank you, great Goddess Arachne. As you command, wine and honey shall flow from my lips.

To the second, I bestow the name "Kindness."

You are the elder who raised me, a white feather shed by an angel, the most sacred ray of sunlight.

You shall walk the city streets, warming all you see with your benevolence.

I thank you, great Goddess Arachne! You gave me life; I can never repay such a debt.

I have nothing, yet I love this world deeply. I shall protect the weak and aid the suffering.

All I have belongs to those in pain.

And to you, the third... I bestow the name "Memories."

You are the orphan of Fate, a withered leaf buried beneath the deep snow.

You walk alone in silence, unspoken and unknown to the world.

In your long, quiet life, you shall be the sole keeper of those memories.

Go, my children. I shall watch over you from the loom of Fate forever.

Those abandoned by eternity shall bloom, one by one, within your destinies.

Sunlight never reached this place. No wind, no flowers, no clouds... in three long centuries, even the calendar ceased to exist.

My lady, another of the Forsaken has arrived.

The oboe plays a flourish. The tattered Forsaken appear.

Tell me, poor children... who are you, and where do you come from?

Goddess of Fate, forgive my insolence... but rage compels me to question you.

I endured a thousand hardships to leave behind an epic written in blood and courage, a legacy meant to sail with my homeland to the edge of the universe.

Why, great Goddess? Why cast us into this savage wasteland? Why dissolve those immortal melodies into dust?

My soldiers survived a brutal winter. We repelled the barbarians and defended our civilization, our history.

In our darkest hour, the wounded offered their own flesh to feed their comrades... it was a victory of pure agony, my Goddess.

When the enemy retreated, we wept with joy. At the feast, I poured strong spirits for every man who remained.

But in that exact moment, before we could even raise a toast, our homes crumbled to ash, and our loved ones vanished into nothingness.

Beloved Goddess, would you not grant us even a single moment of joy?

I hear you. I see you.

Great civilizations crumble; magnificent art and architecture turn to ash. Soulmates forget one another and meet their violent end in terror.

Only one "correct" fate remains. The countless "errors" born in that same moment surge into this savage Abyss. In this frozen time, the same play repeats every single day.

How much longer must I watch this, sister? How much longer must I listen?

Fear not, my children. The suffering I wrought upon you... I shall be the one to end it.

Rest here for now. One day, I will lead you out of this place and reclaim the destinies that are rightfully yours.

In the name of Nefraea, Avenger of Fate, I give you my word...

La la la la... la la...

Oh! One of my favorite acts is coming up! Hurry, sister!

...They dance. They sing. Creak, creak...

Sunlight bathes their faces. How joyful they are...

The Goddess of Fate is nearly finished with her Great Web.

The complete Web of Fate watches over everyone... they dance, they sing...

Rejoice, my children, my people... the Goddess of Fate is nearly finished with her Great Web...

A destiny as resolute as it is futile... what a desperate, hauntingly beautiful sight.

Why do you think she does it?

It's all a dream, Goddess of Fate... You could have chosen the happiest fate for everyone. You could have mended your own childish fantasies and fulfilled every desire.

But you never even considered it. In creating perfection, you also created suffering. Over and over again, you let agony descend upon this world.

You poured your very soul into weaving that Great Web, yet we have both seen the sight beyond the Gateway. We know the destination.

The moment the Web of Fate is complete is the moment the Supreme Deity fully awakens.

What...?!

Sister, you cannot stop weaving, because you cannot bear to watch the universe fall into chaos. But the day your web is finished, you will be the one to bury everything you love with your own hands.

How ironic, Arachne. Why? Why not let the universe embrace its end in pure bliss?

All that is Fate is written in the Constant; all that is Fate is subject to the Variable. These contradictory maxims are the essence of destiny.

Nefraea, within the endless dimensions, there are still countless souls fighting for that single Variable of hope.

To keep the stage running, to wait for the Variable to appear... these are the fetters Fate placed upon me. It is a duty I cannot escape.

Duty, peril... you always speak of grand things, but never of yourself, Arachne. My poor, tragic sister. No matter... Your painful duty is finally coming to an end.

In the Abyss, I imagined our reunion a thousand times. I wondered what gift could possibly be worthy of such a moment.

I thought for so, so long... and then it hit me. This is the best gift I can give you, my dear sister!

I give you... Liberation.

Look, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper, what beautiful lights...

This beam is a gift of Fate. It will guide us toward that land of Rapture where suffering does not exist.

Come, sister. It is time for our protagonist to make their entrance.

...Fate is not something to be toyed with or tampered with, Nefraea.

Every destiny is already sealed. If you awaken that deity and let everything end... forcibly altering Fate will bring a catastrophe beyond your imagination.

Whether it is what you despise or what you hold dear, all of it will vanish in the apocalypse.

You still have a chance to stop, Nefraea.

And if we all vanish? What of it?

Tell me, children, are you afraid?

Hahaha! We are those abandoned by Fate. No disaster can make us tremble... Please, bring us salvation, my lady!

Good child.

You have it all wrong, my dear sister. Fate has already sentenced us to death and eternal imprisonment. Forsaken souls do not beg for mercy.

We are here for revenge. Revenge against Fate.

Oh! My apologies. I accidentally broke your thread...

Hurry now, dear sister. There are plenty of stages in this theater, but you would hate to see another one get wrecked, wouldn't you?

Arachne! Don't do this... there must be another way!

Take the stage. Offer the Aeons' Authority to the Apostle... This is your inescapable destiny, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Impressive. Worthy of the Three Aeons... to have such a sliver of Authority left, yet still possess the power to influence their host across such a distance.

Make them behave, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

"N"!

Shh... you're too loud, Keeper.

The "Rapture" Arachne spoke of... she meant you!

"N," give me a hint...

A hint? Hahaha... what have I done to deserve such an insult?

The spirit of contracts, business principles... a deal requires leverage. You know how this works, don't you?

The good news is, you always have perfect leverage.

A valiant guardian about to abandon {Male=his,Female=her} faith, drowning in the web of Fate, deceiving, cheating, utterly without principle... what a captivating scene!

I wouldn't miss the best seat in the house for the world.

When did I ever say...

Not so much a hint, as a small and sincere suggestion.

Why resist Nefraea? Why not submit to her, %player%?

You... what did you say? No, I could never...

Ah, that's right. Never give up, never surrender, never accept Nefraea's crimes... old-fashioned, classic heroism.

Hand us over to Nefraea, summon that dear cousin of yours, and return to the palace that belongs to you... beyond that, what else can you do, %player%?

I will give you a secret: since you cannot escape the net, why not open your arms and welcome it?

Stop dreaming, "N." I could never...

Shh. Don't sell yourself short, darling.

Don't forget, Arachne has woven your fate into the Great Web. You are already one of them.

The Goddess of Fate gave you a key called Rapture. But have you ever wondered where that Gate faces, and where it leads?

Where the Gate faces... where it leads...?

I assumed Arachne was a hardworking, kind, and utterly unremarkable lady whose only talents were weaving and smiling. But she is far more interesting than I imagined.

She wove a vast web for this stage, and from the moment you arrived in this world, that web began to unfold for you.

To have such remarkable talent, yet waste it on something as foolish as keeping the world running... A pity, truly. What a waste.

To step onto the stage of the Theater of Fate is to become a character. And every character has a life of their own.

Fate compelled you to make that choice so that you might finally see it for what it is. You cannot see the threads themselves, but you now understand the intricate ways in which they are woven.

These threads form a vast web. The slightest tremor in a single strand can bring the entire structure crashing down.

This is Fate, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

To perform, to deceive, to entertain... you carry those powers within you. The stage of Fate rarely grants time for rehearsal. When the moment comes, that power will support you.

You cannot hide from the roles you were meant to play. Think, then perform, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

"Rapture."

In your immediate future, "Rapture" is a key. It will unlock the secret lock before you.

...No matter what happens, trust me. And trust yourself.

Return to the Theater of Fate. The key and the lock await you there, %player%.

Perform... deceive... entertain...

Ah, yes. Never try to make sense of anything. Simply enjoy! That is the only secret of Rapture.

Joy and sorrow, good and evil, emotions and morality cease to exist. There is nothing but pleasure.

Now, tell me... do you understand "Rapture," Keeper?

Rapture...? Rapture...

Hehehe... hahahaha. Yes! Rapture, my friend!

The most wondrous word in existence, the entire meaning of this dream...

You are almost there. Only one step away. Think it through, then step into the web, Keeper.

The truth of Rapture lies within.

Ah, dear audience, the moment you have been waiting for is finally here! Let's welcome our star! Woooh!

Come now, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. Our final act begins...

I call this moment, "The Arrival!"

Apostle of the Supreme Deity, Messenger of the Idiot Blind God. Your radiance illuminates the eternal prison. I have heard your voice calling for Chaos!

Now, you have a new believer...

O Apostle... of my adoration... I am but a humble servant... of You and the Supreme Deity... Your most faithful devotee.

Don't try to control. Don't try to comprehend. Enjoy. The truth of Rapture lies within...

Look, sister! What an outstanding actor you've trained!

My dear Apostle... our believer has brought you the sacrifice you desire most.

Ugh!!...

Hah... AAAARGH!!,

Hah... Hah...

Oh, you poor, faithful little believer...

It's alright, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper. You see? Our Apostle has already revealed Their form...

It worked... it worked! The passage to the Higher Plane is opening... The God is about to awaken...

Sister, do you see? Your web is almost complete...

@2...@3...

In the name of... @2... @3 believers...

Speak, Apostle... what do you wish to tell me? Your own desires? Or the words of the Divine?

What decree does It deliver? Does It wish to shatter these stages? Or does It want these puppets to welcome Its coming?!

Tell me, my dear Apostle! What a dangerous, adorable beast you are, knowing only how to wrench and destroy... tell me what you desire...

Recite @2... my name... awaken @2... @3 Primordial...

Ah, your name! Yes... I shall speak it aloud! I will bring everything you wish to devour to your lips. I shall open this cage for you...

My name... @2...

Now is the time, Apostle... tell me, tell the world your name!

My name... @2...

My name is... %player%...

My name is... %player%!

!!!

What is... what is happening?!!

Don't you understand, Nefraea? Prostrate yourself in reverence. The Apostle you prayed for stands before you now.

You... you stole the Apostle's destiny?!

Heh... hahaha! Act Three: The Arrival, huh?... Ha, it is a fine title. But this isn't your story, my dear Nefraea.

I am the one writing this act. And I name it... <Big:<color=#98918C>Rapture</color>>!

You... all of you...

No, this is impossible... I can see your fate... this cannot be...

<color=#EE4D0C>"Oh, my dear Duke, why the long face? Let your jester restore that precious smile!"</color>

<color=#BF0909>"Look at it, the cruel fate, the wicked curse... what a ridiculous spectacle! What a sweet, delicious lie!"</color>

<color=#FC1818>"This is how the story ends for the villain... the only reward for malice is Rapture!"</color>

Deception. Manipulation. Pure enjoyment... Hehe... HAHAHAHA! What a delightful show, little spider.

You... you cannot possibly have the power to alter Fate...

Aww.. No, no, no. Such exertion is for people like you. A devotee of Rapture would never stoop to such labor.

I saw the end... You were meant to surrender your Authority! You were meant to watch the passage open and die on this stage! WHY?!

Those who manipulate Fate know everything, except for the ones who dwell in Rapture. Because, my dear... those in Rapture follow no fate...

Our entire lives are spent in the pursuit of pleasure. Without it, we are nothing. And those who find it... are beyond the reach of destiny.

What you see is a parlor trick. A small joke played on my past self and on Fate by the new me, the one blessed with the will and power of a God.

Why control Fate when you can make a fool of it instead? Isn't that right, Proxy of Fate?

Arachne, you magnificent playwright! You have been weaving this stage for me since the moment I stepped into this world!

You showed me how the threads move, taught me the charm of the lie, and whispered the secret of "Rapture."

Now, the lock is open. Well? Are you satisfied with your lead actor?

I only set the stage. You are the one who writes the script.

As a token of my gratitude... put on your costume, Arachne. Your cue is coming!

Dull and passionless... you could have been so interesting, Arachne.

You are a slave to destiny, just like Tawil. You will never know this joy.

Take a look at your lifeless face, Arachne. I truly pity the both of you.

Everyone makes their choice, %player%... or should I call you the Apostle? Or perhaps... "N"?

I am borrowing "N"'s Authority... <color=#98918C>I am occupying half of %player%'s consciousness</color>... but a name is the least important thing right now.

What matters is that we worked well together, Arachne.

You... you all... you knew from the start...

Take a good look, dear Nefraea, you little troublemaker who sneaked out of the void.

Your game delights me. A wisp of Tohuwabohu's consciousness, a fragment of Tohuwabohu's divinity... only through their union could the Aeons' Authority be so perfectly unleashed. Only then could I finally savor an entertainment I have never before known.

If I could, I would keep playing like this forever. This is enough fun to last a week...

But alas, I cannot let it go on. If that God were to wake, this magnificent funfair would vanish.

So, unfortunately... the climax must end. Look up, darling. No matter what, we can at least agree on one thing about this story of Fate...

Destruction is the most beautiful sight in the universe, isn't it, my dear?

NOOOO!!,

Fate is such an entertaining stage. And so, the curtain falls on Act Three. I thoroughly enjoyed your applause and cheers.

Enjoy the show, my dear Nefraea.

...Keep...

{Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Ugh... cough, cough...

What happened...

The Apostle's consciousness has left the spindle. Severed from the Divine, it is now utterly destroyed. The Aeons' Authority has calmed.

You put on a magnificent performance.

Phew... I can't believe those words actually came out of my mouth.

I never want to experience that a second time...

Nefraea, your plan has already...

Careful.

The portal has vanished. You have no more chances.

Fate walks its intended path, Nefraea. Accept it.

Chance? Heh... hahaha!

I never had a chance, nor did I need one.

Freedom, childhood, family, love, identity... Fate stole everything from us. I will never, ever be its prisoner like you.

Watch closely, Arachne! I will do what you desperately craved but never dared!

@2!

Heh... Hahaha! If there are no gods, I will become one!

My story... my stage... will never end! I will bring liberation to this web that should never have existed... liberation!!!

I tried to free you from this curse... I was wrong, Nefraea.

The curse is inescapable. This cage... we can never leave.

Those fragments... that wheel!

Nefraea is absorbing the residual power of the passage! She is turning herself into the Wick!

Hold on tight, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Wh...

Arachne... your web!

You are absorbing Its scattered power to alter the course of Fate... but you are not a fragment of Tohuwabohu. You cannot bear this pressure. You do not have to die in such agony, Nefraea.

Agony? No, I'm thrilled, sister! I dreamed of this every second in the Abyssal Prison.

This fantasy is the only thing that kept me alive!

A sleeping god, a stolen fate... it doesn't matter! If the god will not bless us, I will do it in Its place!

Avengers of Fate, take the stage! This act belongs to you!

Arachne, our bodies...!!

Ave, Arachne! Blessed be, the Goddess of Fate!

Draw your blades, soldiers! Fight for our destiny!

Miss Arachne, accept your fate... cease this futile resistance.

Do not worry, darling. Your liberation is coming soon. Very soon...

Nefraea, they cannot help you become the deity you seek. By doing this, you only condemn them to another cycle of agonizing destruction.

What does it matter? We seek nothing but vengeance! Is that not right, my fellow forsaken children of Fate?

Heh... hahaha!

The gates of the Abyss stand wide. Behold, Arachne! Behold the destinies you forged with your own hands! Look upon your beloved children!

See their agony, their despair... look at them, and then, kill them once more!

Watch as every Thread of Fate spins and shatters in my palms! Witness my ascension! I am the god who brings the end!

The Abyss has manifest upon this stage... Nefraea is sacrificing her very existence.

She intends to turn every soul here into her puppets. She seeks to become that god. She seeks to become Fate itself.

My embers have returned. I no longer have reason to hesitate.

Help me reach her. Nefraea's wheel is stopping. Together, we shall correct this broken destiny.

Help me... grant these abandoned souls their liberation.

AAAAARGH!!

The ending... the ending truly cannot be changed. This is Fate...

You saw this tragic victory coming, didn't you, Arachne?

You caught a brief glimpse of it yourself just now. Since you know how it ends, why do you still cling to it?

Because... our revenge is not over. It will never be over...

This is...!

You... you didn't attach the threads to the spinning wheel?

She saw her own defeat. While she still had power, she bound these fates to herself, much like...

Just like the first time you killed me.

It has been so long since we were this close, sister. I only just found the chance to return this thread to you.

Return...?

This thread... is the one I snip when I destroyed my first creation.

Your Romance, your Kindness, your Memories... everything that was once mine is yours again.

You are whole, Arachne.

Is this what you wanted to do... when you had that power?

How do you like it? A brilliant idea, isn't it?

Come then, kill me! Destroy the fates you once abandoned! Destroy the city you took refuge in, destroy the theater you hold dear, and destroy every single soul here!

Come, Arachne! Take every bit of your weakness, take everything you love... and kill them all over again!!

You call this revenge because you never saw Fate clearly, Nefraea. And you never saw me.

The fated moment is here...

In the name of Fate, I hereby declare...

All erroneous fates shall be buried in the dust of time. The destiny of the world shall return to its intended course.

The wrong fate ends here. The forsaken shall find rest...

...Lights?

Arachne... sister... you...

Come closer, Nefraea.

Arachne!!! You...

Romance, Kindness, Memories... they... they...

I could never fully let them go. I could never truly let you go.

But you said you couldn't handle the pain...

Foolishly and painfully destroying everything I hold dear... you cannot use that to take revenge on me, Nefraea.

Because that is the punishment Fate decreed for me long ago.

It is over, Nefraea.

Sister... I lost... we lost...

We never had the right to win.

Do you remember the wish we made the day we received the wheel?

"I will not squander the gifts of Fate... I will bring a beautiful destiny to this world..."

What a naive wish, Arachne... we had no idea what it meant.

Fate... who can truly see it?

Even if I could have foreseen this, my choice would not change.

Why, Arachne? You could have left. You could have given up. You could...

You could have had eternal freedom after leaving the Abyss. You knew you would fail, yet you came here anyway to try to bring liberation to me and to those who followed you.

Every manipulator of Fate becomes its prisoner. We are no different, Nefraea.

It's so good to see you again... Sis.

Forgive me for my selfishness...

You... are free now, "Arachne."

Lascia ch'io pianga / Let me weep over mia cruda sorte, / my cruel fate,

E che sospiri la libertà! / and sigh for my liberty!

Not even close to Bosnian coffee.

I thought it was quite good when I tasted it on that stage last time. Unfortunately, on this specific stage, the family that invented that blend died out long ago.

Since you recreated this city... I thought you would bring back the things that disappeared.

...You miss them, don't you?

I would rather see the stage present itself as it truly is than have a perfect cup of coffee.

I recreated this place from memory, yet I cannot change the fact that it is a brand-new stage.

Besides, the new coffee here has its own unique flavor, does it not?

Nefraea... what happened to her in the end?

Your threads of fate have been rewoven together. Does that mean... you are once again the same person?

What once belonged to Nefraea, her qualities, her original nature, have returned to my fate. Or rather, as you already know... they never truly left.

But the Web of Fate is singular. The Nefraea you knew... that avenger who sank into the Abyssal Prison, abandoned by fate... there is no thread in this web that belongs to her.

She... faded away, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

The Abandoned Fates... faced with only eternal imprisonment or complete annihilation. How cruel...

At every moment, Fate requires a Choice. The right paths remain, while the wrong ones are cast aside.

Until we find the True Path, this is as inevitable as the collapse of the universe itself.

Tell me, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper, if you had the power to control Fate, would you let it descend into chaos? Or would you make the choice for others, even if it meant bearing the name of a killer?

I... I don't know.

This is merely a debate for your amusement, not a question you must answer. You already carry far too much; you do not need to shoulder this weight.

Choice is a form of power, yet many choose to surrender it even when it is within their grasp.

To choose is to bear the consequences, and that is no easy task, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

I am the Master of Fate. Every consequence of destiny rests on my shoulders.

These were the words bestowed upon me when I first knocked on the Gate of Chokmah-Da'at. I accepted them with open arms.

So... even though you cannot see your own fate, you knew all of this was coming. Everything happening right now... you knew.

Romance brings foolishness, Kindness brings fragility, Memories bring pain...

Even though you prepared yourself for this long ago, you never truly let them go. Why?

Letting them go would have made your life so much easier.

Have you ever visited a prison? Inmates locked away for years always keep a small treasure close to them.

A medal won in a fight, an heirloom watch, a family photo...

For a prisoner, the very desires that torment them are the only things that keep them alive.

They retain these most cherished possessions until death draws near. Only then do they surrender those worthless things, one by one.

...In the cage of Fate, we have nothing else, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.

Il duolo infranga / May sorrow shatter queste ritorte / these chains

de miei martiri / of my torments sol per pietà. / out of pity alone

You know, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper, I often dream of the same scene over and over.

It is a beautiful theater, and only Nefraea and I are there. It is to this beautiful song that I say my farewell to her.

You see, even when we cannot see our own fate clearly, its verdict is everywhere.

E che sospiri la libertà! / And sigh for my liberty! E che sospiri la libertà! / And sigh for my liberty!

Regardless, the performance has reached its end. This stage earns a brief moment of rest. We, the performers, must make our way to the next act.

Nefraea's influence has faded. Can the passage to Kadath be reopened now?

The passage to Kadath lies within the fate of this world. You have already attempted to cross dimensions.

You already know the dangers that lie within.

Tohuwabohu's Gaze... I have no desire to face those again.

Arachne, you control the Fate of this world, perhaps you have a way to help me?

I would be happy to help, but only this city is my stage. I am not the Master of Fate for this entire world.

What? No way...

The Master of this world possesses abilities beyond even my reach. This world exists solely because He willed it.

Unless the passage is deliberately opened, this place remains hidden from even the Primordial One's gaze... That is precisely why I chose to dwell here.

Does that mean opening the portal puts this place in danger?

As I said, Fate follows its own trail. Dwelling here is merely a slow wait for death. Helping you return to Kadath is also the long-held wish of this world's master.

For the light that awaits us at the end of destiny's path, this is a danger we are more than willing to bear.

I see. I understand now.

Where can I find Him?

His Threads of Fate are as vast as a sea of stars, yet as fleeting as wisps of smoke. I cannot point you directly to His location.

But perhaps this will help you.

Job Posting:

The great leader, the Chosen One of the Divine, Proxy of the Supreme God, Rightful Heir of the Grand Order, Savior of the Suffering, and Bosom Friend of the God-King, has arrived in Hyperborea. The sect is expanding rapidly, believers are welcome to come and pay their respects.

The first twelve faithful to arrive shall be ordained as saints, following the Fairy's side forever, blessed by the Divine for all eternity...

What on earth is this...?

As you can see, it is a carefully crafted brochure.

This content is incredibly weird... Arachne, you can see the course of Fate, are you sure this isn't a trick?

I saw your silhouette on these threads. I am certain, this is the destiny you are about to meet.

Whether it brings help or danger, I cannot say. But I know that this is the only connection between you and the one who rules this world.

And this is...?

This is the catalyst that binds you to that destiny. It will guide you to where you are meant to be.

I understand. Once Senior William recovers, we'll...

In my brief glimpse into your threads, I saw an interesting story.

I could not see your ending, and for that, I am glad. It means I still have the honor to be an audience to your fate.

I believe no story deserves to be left unheard... So please, there is no need to rush. Let us listen to this opera through to its end, {Male=Mr.,Female=Miss} Keeper.