Scenario:Main Quest - Chapter 40: The Plot Thickens - Episode 4

Act 1: Girl in Blue - Chapter 40: The Plot Thickens - Episode 4

After Freesia reveals that she used the Black Knight to draw Lyria to her, she orders Orchis to activate Akasha. But Orchis breaks free from her control, and the crew use the ensuing confusion to escape.

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Imperial Soldier: Ugh... Cough... Y-Your Excellency...

Imperial Soldier: W-with all due respect, Ma'am... When Malice attacked earlier, our troops suffered many casualties...

Freesia: And?

Imperial Soldier: Ma'am...

Freesia: What of it? I don't care how many useless pawns I lose. They're expendable.

Imperial Soldier: What!

Black Knight: Cough... This... This is preposterous...

Freesia: Oh... I see you're still breathing.

Black Knight: Not like this... All of the conditions for Orchis's revival have been met...

Black Knight: And yet... No. I can't lose! Not here!

Freesia: Haha! You don't give up easily, Black Knight.

Black Knight: What?

Freesia: Those who wallow in their despair always jump at the first carrot that's dangled in front of them.

Freesia: They don't stop to think about whether it might be too good to be true.

Freesia: But then again... Perhaps that is simply what they have to do to keep their hope alive.

Black Knight: What are you saying?

Freesia: It is true that Lyria has the ability to bring someone back from the brink of death.

Freesia: But I'm afraid that ability is not nearly as versatile as you'd like it to be.

Black Knight: What...

Freesia: Lyria, as the vessel, is able to fuse with a skydweller to tap into the power of the sky realms.

Freesia: But after she's fused... Well, there is no second fusion.

Freesia: Let me put it in terms you'll understand: your Orchis is never coming back.

Black Knight: That... can't be...

Eugen: Hey! Hang in there, Apollo!

Rosetta: ...

Freesia: Now then. Shall we put an end to this world?

Freesia: Orchis. Activate Akasha.

Orchis: ...

Orchis gives a small nod and begins to walk toward Lyria.

Lyria: Orchis?

Katalina: Wait! I won't let you lay a single finger on Lyria—ngh!

Katalina: No... My body won't move!

Freesia: Hehe. Looks like the fight with Malice took quite the toll on you.

Lyria: Katalina!

Lyria: Orchis, stop! You can't do this!

Lyria: If you use that primal beast, then both you and I... We'll die!

Lyria: ...

Katalina: Lyria!

Orchis: ...

Orchis: I request, under protocol of Arcus, the activation of the primal beast Akasha.

Lyria: Administrative authentication complete. Request to activate the primal beast Akasha accepted.

Vyrn: Hey, Lyria! What's the matter with you? Snap out of it!

Lyria: Transferring full administrative privileges from Byleistr Arcus...
Complete.

Lyria: Activating the primal beast Akasha.

???: ...

Freesia: This is Akasha...

Orchis: ...

Lyria: ...

Freesia: Now, give it a command, Orchis. Tell it to delete the Astral from this world's history.

Orchis: ...

Orchis: ...

Rackam: So, uh... What're you doing here, little miss?

???: I'm not.

Rackam: What?

Orchis: I'm not a little miss. My name is Orchis.

Lyria: Orchis, you say?

Lyria: It's a pleasure to meet you, Orchis! I'm Lyria and this is (Captain)!

Orchis: What's a pleasure?

Lyria: Huh? Come to think of it, why do we say that when meeting people, (Captain)?

Io: Basically it means let's be friends! My name's Io and it's a pleasure to meet you!

Orchis: You want to... be friends... with me?

Black Knight: Tch... We're leaving.

Orchis: ...

Black Knight: What's going on with you? Out with it.

Orchis: I... I want to stay with Lyria and the others. For just a little longer...

Lyria: Orchis... Why would you do this? It was sleeping so quietly...

Orchis: ...

Lyria: Why are you with the Black Knight? Why won't you come with us?

Orchis: ...

Lyria: Can you not hear us anymore, Orchis?

Orchis: ...!

Orchis: N-no.

Orchis: I won't!

Lyria: What was I...
Orchis?

Freesia: What?

Vyrn: Lyria's back to normal!

Katalina: Thank goodness! And she's moving!

Rackam: What the hell just happened?

Katalina: Let's just focus on getting these two out of here, (Captain)!

Act 1: Girl in Blue - Chapter 40: The Plot Thickens - Episode 4: Scene 2

The crew escapes Freesia's clutches, but imperial soldiers are close on their heels.

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Imperial Soldier: Damn it! We won't let you escape!

Rackam: Despite how much they've been through, they just won't betray the empire, will they?

Katalina: Sorry, but we don't have time to waste on you! Smash through them, (Captain)!

Act 1: Girl in Blue - Chapter 40: The Plot Thickens - Episode 4: Scene 3

Freesia orders Yggdrasil Malice to capture the fleeing skyfarers, but a mysterious primal beast appears and halts its rampage. This buys enough time for the crew to escape. Just as the Grandcypher is about to lift off, Rosetta announces that she must stay behind on the island.

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With Lyria and Orchis in tow, (Captain) and the crew make their way back to the entrance of the temple.

Lyria: Katalina... What was I doing?

Orchis: ...

Katalina: I'll spare you the details for now! First we flee!

Freesia: Not another step! Did you think I would allow you to waltz out of here so easily?

Rackam: Argh... How'd she catch up to us...

Freesia: This is certainly not how I planned for things to go... But I will not let you vermin escape!

Freesia: Capture them, Yggdrasil Malice!

Yggdrasil Malice: ...!

Katalina: Tch... Not that primal again!

Freesia: This time we won't concern ourselves with sparing casualties. So long as Orchis and Lyria remain alive—

???: Oh, you're an awful one, aren't you?

???: ...

Katalina: A primal beast?

Freesia: Argh! Where did this primal come from! Crush it, Malice!

Yggdrasil Malice: ...!

Imperial Soldier: Your Excellency! At this rate, Yggdrasil will disintegrate!

Imperial Soldier: If this keeps up, it'll be dangerous to keep using Yggdrasil Malice!

Freesia: Damn it!

Rackam: Whew! Looks like our lucky break! Let's get outta here, (Captain)!

Rackam: Everyone, on board the Grandcypher now! We're takin' off pronto!

Rosetta: ...

Katalina: Rosetta, what's wrong? Come quickly!

Rosetta: I'm sorry. I can't go with everyone...

Io: Rosetta! What do you mean can't go?

Rosetta: I must stay behind for a very good reason.

Rosetta: But promise me that you'll come back to rescue her...

Lyria: Her?

Rosetta: Yggdrasil's dormant core has been overloaded with power from dark essence.

Rosetta: And not pure, Astral power, but an inferior imitation...

Rosetta: So she's on the brink of collapse. Someone ought to be at her side...

Rosetta: So... promise you'll come back...

Rosetta: You all have the power to save her. In fact no one can save her but you.

Rosetta: And, Vyrn, you probably don't want to remember... But... please...

Vyrn: Huh! What am I s'posed to do?

Rackam: Wh-what the! The Grandcypher's takin' off on her own! Hurry up and get on!

Rosetta: Hehe...

Io: Rosetta!

As the Grandcypher soars above the Lumacie Archipelago, the figure of Rosetta gets smaller and smaller until she is a mere speck on the island.

Although the majority of the crew has escaped the Lumacie Archipelago, a somber feeling creeps across the airship.