The Crimson Spark
One day, Yuel and her friends relax aboard the Grandcypher while reminiscing over tea. When the topic shifts to Yuel's past, she recounts the story of how she discovered her foxflame powers and left her village. Hearing the dancer lament about how little she knows about her ancestry, Kou suggests visiting somewhere connected to the third sovereign.
One relaxed afternoon aboard the Grandcypher, (Captain) and companions enjoy a spot of tea with Yuel and her fellow dancers.
Yuel: Ah... Nothin' like a good cup of hot tea... You two really know yer way around a teapot, don'tcha!
You: Hehe, we made sure to choose something we knew both you and Societte would like!
Kou: With Sui's help, we were able to secure some fairly special tea leaves for you.
Vyrn: It's no wonder you knocked it outta the park! Too bad she couldn't be here to try some herself, though...
Sui is another crew member chosen by fate to wield a thousand-year-old power, much like Yuel and friends—however the circumstances behind her gaining it are vastly different.
While usually she would be alongside the group, lute in hand, she has instead taken a short sabbatical from the Grandcypher to spin yarns by herself on the road.
Lyria: She did promise she'd be here next time! We'll just have to make sure we do this again soon!
Yuel: You said it! 'Specially 'cause there's been nothin' to rain on our parade lately! We can take a tea siesta just about any time we like.
Societte: Right? Feels like we've finally got a bit of a break for once.
Yuel: We were chasin' after Ninetails forever and a day—I'm not the least bit surprised we're enjoyin' not havin' that pressure on us!
Yuel: Now that I actually have time to stop and process stuff, my legs feel like I've been runnin' a marathon!
Vyrn: I mean anyone would be tired after finding out their old legends were a lie, on top of Ninetails being evil and possessing Societte!
Societte: Y-yeah... Sorry 'bout that again. I couldn't see any other way out than lettin' myself get taken over...
Kou: You did nothing wrong! It's my fault for not standing up to Ninetails...
Yuel: No one's at fault for anythin' here 'cept Ninetails! That stuck-up good-fer-nuthin'... Hellfire and damnation on her!
Yuel: But we crushed her good, didn't we, guys? Finally, everything's startin' to come up roses!
You: B-but, Ninetails also managed to trick me, too...
Kou: If we're going to go down that route, I've caused plenty of trouble myself...
Yuel: You two could worry yourselves outta a free meal if you were left by yerselves! C'mon, this oughta help ya get outta the dumps!
Yuel: Coochie-coochie-coo!
You: Wah! Th-that tickles, Sis Yuel!
Kou: G-give us a warning next time, geez!
Yuel: That's what happens when you don't focus on the here and now! You're not getting away from me!
Yuel's hug only grows tighter—despite Kou and You's protests—and she motions for Societte and the crew to join in.
Yuel: Societte! (Captain)! Lyria, Vyrn! This party's got room for four more! Don't be shy!
Societte: Oh! Hehehe!
Vyrn: Hgh! Is there ever a second when you're not bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?
Yuel: How could I not be when my family's gotten this much bigger!
Yuel: Yer not wrong 'bout our journeys so far bein' wildly tough, but every hurdle's been worth it.
Yuel: Not that I expected half the things that've happened!
Yuel: When I stumbled out my little village, I had no plan—just some vague notion of reviving the royal family. Then everything ballooned out of control!
Lyria: That's right! When we first met, you were in the middle of your hunt for sacred treasures, weren't you?
Yuel: That takes me back! I had no idea what they were for back then. Oh, I was still learning the third dance, too!
Yuel: In hindsight, I was basically just wandering around without a clue. That's why meeting you guys was the best thing ever!
Vyrn: Huh... Hearing it put like that makes me wonder.
Vyrn: Didn't you used to think all that stuff about a lost royal family was some kinda fairytale? Even though Societte thought it was true.
Vyrn: I remember you telling us that you'd found out your powers came from your ancestors, but why'd you set off from home without learning more about them first?
Yuel: Oh, you're right! I ain't even talked about that with y'all yet.
Yuel: Do ya wanna hear 'bout my wild tales of adventure from long, long ago?
You: Ooh, I do, I do! Kou does too, I bet!
Kou: I must admit I'm curious. You've never mentioned anything about the time before we met you.
Yuel: Well, sounds like it's high time I did then! All right you guys, everyone gather 'round! It's time I learned you 'bout the old me!
With that, Yuel stands up and looks around at her rapt audience, launching into her story with all the energy and enthusiasm of an actor on the stage.
Yuel: Way back when, before all this "royal families" and "ancient powers" business, I was just a li'l ankle-biter scamperin' around my village out in the boonies.
Yuel: Ma and pa weren't successors themselves, so they never taught me about bein' one, nor the third dance or anythin'.
Yuel: But then, when I got a bit older, I had a really wild dream one night.
Yuel: In it, there was this powerful-lookin' lady with two swords, dancin' with flames all around.
Dream Lady: Awake... awake...
Yuel: Wh... whuzzat...
Dream Lady: Awaken! Open your eyes!
Yuel: ...!
Yuel: Wh-what in the heck was that? That dream was buck wild!
Yuel: And that's when I saw it—that fire from the dream, but coming from my own fingertips.
Yuel: What in tarnation!
Yuel: My finger's on fire! On fiiiire!
Yuel: I was more shocked than a lightning rod in a thunderstorm! I ran hither and yonder, wakin' up every adult I could to see if they could help.
Yuel: I tried explainin' to them about the dream and such, but then one of the older villagers got us all together and started speakin' all serious.
Elderly Villager: What I'm about t' say is very important, y'hear? Yuel, this fire is a sign that you have the old royal line's blood flowin' in yer veins.
Elderly Villager: We ain't had someone with the power of foxflame in this here village fer many, many years... Never would've guessed it'd've been in you.
Elderly Villager: Long ago, one of yer ancestors must've had these powers, I reckon. You've been blessed by Lady Ninetails herself, missy!
Yuel: The old feller told me that my village had been founded by the descendants of the servants and helpers of the old royal family.
Yuel: While he was givin' his spiel, I found myself grippin' onto his hand, hangin' onto his every word.
Yuel: Ya mean... This is all true? Royal blood... Ancient power? All inside of li'l ol' me?
Elderly Villager: I know this is an awful lot to take in, Yuel. Just remember, we're here for ya—
Yuel: Yer tellin' me I'm a princess! Like, fer real?
Elderly Villager: I-I reckon so?
Yuel: Yer yankin' my chain here, right? Ya don't mean the "lost royals" from the fairytales?
Yuel: Ya mean the sacred treasures from them stories are real too? Really real?
Elderly Villager: I-I guess so? We don't got any in our village—but I'll bet they're somewhere out there in the skies...
Yuel: I'm gonna find 'em, mark my words! If I'm one of them royals by blood, then I'm gonna restore 'em to the throne!
Yuel: Bein' the successor to a whole kingdom is crazy! I can't just stand around doin' nothin', y'know?
Elderly Villager: Hahaha! I should've known this wouldn't be enough to rattle yer nerves! Ya really are somethin' else, Yuel!
Kou: That's... about the kind of reaction I'd expect from you.
You: You were super cool, even back then!
Yuel: Ha! Keep them compliments comin'! The great and mighty Yuel thanks ya for yer kind words!
Yuel: Anyhoo, I spent a couple of weeks messin' about with my new powers, then I immediately hightailed it outta there.
Societte: I tried to tell her that it'd be dangerous and we shouldn't rush into things, but there she went...
Yuel: Haha... Now that I think about it, we got into a buncha trouble, didn't we? But we made it through all right in the end!
Vyrn: Sigh... I'm surprised the villagers even let you leave... Successors are s'posed to be super important, aren't they?
Yuel: Well, they knew I wouldn't let anyone stop me. Besides, it's not like my parents were against it either.
Yuel: That reminds me, I ain't been back home since who knows when. Next time I go, I should bring y'all with me.
Yuel: Been a blue moon and a half since I've seen my ma and pa too. It'd be nice to catch up.
Lyria: Huh? You haven't seen them at all?
Vyrn: Y-you serious? They're probably worried sick about you!
Yuel: Naw... If I know them, they're not even home right now. Always traveling around, them two, even when I was younger.
Yuel: Bet the only comment they'd have is that adventuring's good for me.
Kou: You're saying they wouldn't be worried at all?
Yuel: My parents? Worried? Nah! They let me wander wherever the heck I liked ever since I could stand on my own two feet!
Yuel: Why, I don't even 'member their faces anymore!
I'm jokin'! That's a joke, haha!
Societte: That tracks with what I remember. They were always so confident you'd be home safe...
Societte: But I'm not so sure they'd react the same if they found out everything we've been through...
Yuel: They'd be beside themselves! But, seeing as we came out the other side okay, they'd just say it's another lesson from the school of hard knocks.
Vyrn: I'm starting to see how you turned out the way you did.
- Sounds like a nice pair of folks!
- They're as carefree as you are, Yuel!
Choose: Sounds like a nice pair of folks!Yuel: They are! I'd move heaven and earth for them, no doubt about it!
Yuel: I wouldn't be here havin' all these fun adventures if they hadn't taught me to live free and be true to myself!
Choose: They're as carefree as you are, Yuel!Lyria: No wonder you've got such a free spirit if your parents are like that!
Yuel: Hehe, that's the origin story of another one of my charms laid bare before (Captain)!
Yuel: And don't you go forgettin' 'bout it! I worked hard tellin' that story—you'd better remember it 'til the end of time!
Continue 1Yuel puffs herself up pompously before taking another sip of her tea.
Thanks to her stories, the conversation remains lively for the rest of the crew's tea break.
Yuel: Oh, look at me flappin' my gums for goodness knows how long! 'Fraid Yuel's store of stories is startin' to run dry!
Yuel: Wish I could've given 'em a li'l pizzazz, like how Sui does.
You: I don't know, it'd feel different if Sui was telling them. And anyway, I like hearing you tell your stories!
Societte: Me too. They're full of a kinda charm we can only get from you.
Yuel: Haha, well, I'm not one to start denyin' anyone any of that!
Vyrn: So I guess that clears up how your journey started...
Vyrn: But is that really all you know about the third family? Considerin' who you are, shouldn't you have a little more info?
Yuel: Yeowch, talk about hittin' a sore spot... I mean, I never really got a chance to! Those kinda stories never got passed down in my neck of the woods...
Kou: Oh, if you're curious, I can take you somewhere to learn more!
Yuel: Wait, you can? Let's hear it then!
Yuel practically leaps at Kou in excitement, her tail whipping back and forth.
Chuckling at the sight, Kou begins to speak of their destination.
The Crimson Flame of Ages
Arriving at a distant island, the group visits a village where the legends of the old royals still remain—but notice the island itself is withering away. The apparent cause is an ancient miasma, the very same that the third sovereign purified a millennium ago. Yuel agrees to don her ancestor's robes and try to repurify the land, but finds out her flames are not strong enough.
After listening to tales of Yuel's past and wrapping up their tea party, the group now follows Kou through the woods.
He is guiding them toward a place that could help shed some light on Yuel's ancestry.
Yuel: Ya really sure this island's got some link to the third royals? This place is nothin' but trees as far as the eye can see!
Kou: I'm certain. In my search for sacred treasures, I stopped at this island before, as it was connected to the third sovereign.
Kou: The people here seem to revere her pretty strongly, so they were very welcoming when I arrived.
Societte: We never did get the chance to learn more back then...
Yuel: Exactly! But now that everythin' with Ninetails has cooled down, we have a mountain of time on our hands!
Yuel: I was thinkin' it was about time I learn more about my family, considering I know next to nothing!
Yuel: Kou, yer a real lifesaver, knowin' exactly where to go and stuff! I wonder what kinda awesome stories we're gonna hear!
With Kou leading the way, the group pushes onward through branches and brambles.
However, the farther they go, the more disconcerted Kou starts to appear.
Kou: Strange... I don't remember it being like this...
You: Something wrong, Bro Kou? Have you gotten lost?
Kou: No, this is definitely the way I came before... It feels like the forest was far more lush the last time I stopped by, though...
Yuel: I didn't wanna spook anyone, but I've been noticin' way more dead trees than normal—and that's not mentionin' how there's no birds or critters about...
Societte: Hmm... Wonder if something's happened? We should ask around the village when we get there.
Kou: That would be for the best. I hope nothing serious has happened though...
Vyrn: Whew, looks like we finally made it... This place is pretty far out, huh?
Yuel: Bet that person over there's a local!
'Scuse me! Mind if we trouble ya for a sec?
Villager: Now, who'd be coming all the way out here...
Villager: L-Lord Kou? But that must mean... Everyone here with the ears and tails...
The gears visibly spin in the man's head as he points from Kou to Yuel in particular, and his voice begins to tremble in reverence.
Villager: I'll be damned... I never thought the day would come. Is it really... you?
Yuel: Huh? There somethin' on my face? Or are ya just bein' taken in by my stunnin' good looks?
Villager: N-no, that's, uh...
Villager: Let me go get the elder! Please wait here a moment!
Yuel: Well that's just bad hospitality! He's just ignored my li'l joke and rushed off like his tail's on fire!
Vyrn: The guy moves fast! Here he comes again—that must be the elder with him.
Villager: L-look, I'm not mistaken, right? It has to be her!
Village Elder: Pant, pant... You're right...
My apologies for not being first in line to welcome you to our humble village.
No sooner has the village elder acknowledged the group's existence than he falls to his knees before Yuel in supplication.
Village Elder: We have long awaited your arrival, O Sovereign of the Third Family! Please, we are in dire need of your assistance!
Yuel: What in the heck is all this hooey for? Get off the ground, gramps! I know I'm a successor and all, but you don't hafta throw yerself at my feet!
Yuel: At least look at me instead of the floor! You said ya need help with somethin', right? What's goin' on?
Village Elder: M-my apologies, Sovereign! I mean—sorry, you said you were her successor...
Village Elder: Well, if it pleases you, my lady, I would like to preface our request with a little bit of context about our village.
Village Elder: It's said that our ancestors arrived here as pioneers and established our village long ago, even before the War.
Village Elder: But this was a frightful place back then—rife with monsters, and bereft of arable land. Those that weren't hunted down were on the brink of starvation as winter grew near.
Village Elder: Then, one day, the village received an unexpected visitor: the third sovereign, traveling from land to land with her sacred treasure in tow.
Third Sovereign: So Ninetails' foul miasma has reached even this sheltered corner of the skies... I vow that my flames shall clear this filth from this island.
Third Sovereign: If this might deprive her of even a fraction of her power, then it is something I must do.
Village Elder: The third sovereign wreathed the entire island in purifying crimson flames, and burned the foul presence here right down to the root.
Village Elder: The earth soon returned to its full vitality, our crops grew, and the people were able to weather their way through the cold.
Village Elder: The sovereign's blessing has ensured our continued existence here for over a thousand years since.
His story finished, the old man looks up at Yuel and reverentially offers her up a single piece of clothing.
Village Elder: This ritual garb was bequeathed to our village when the third sovereign left us all those years ago.
Village Elder: Ever since, we have protected these venerated garments, along with a portrait of their owner.
Village Elder: The resemblance you have to the sovereign is uncanny, my lady, and so I mistakenly believed you had returned after centuries of absence...
Yuel: Ya really think I'm the spittin' image of the sovereign? Other people have told me I might be her reincarnation...
Yuel: Welp, that's six and two threes to me! More importantly, yer face is so long it's scrapin' across the ground! Just what kinda pickle are y'all in?
Kou: If I had to hazard a guess... this is related to all the changes within the forest, isn't it?
Village Elder: It is exactly as Lord Kou surmises. Over the past few years, our island has been overrun with monsters and rot.
Village Elder: I fear the cause is the same miasma told of in our ancient records. If it really is, then there is nothing we can do to stop it.
Village Elder: And then who should appear in our time of need but you—the spitting image of our savior of yore.
The village elder fixes his gaze upon Yuel before bowing his head low.
Village Elder: On behalf of my village, I beseech you: Rid our land of this rot, and save us once more!
Yuel: What the heck, sure! I've got no idea what's goin' on, but leave the savin' stuff to me!
Village Elder: You really will? Oh, thank you, thank you! Praise be to the sovereign's heir!
Vyrn: Hey, you sure you should agree before you know exactly what you're dealin' with?
Yuel: I can't just leave them sufferin' like this! C'mon gang, we've got some miasma to clear!
Yuel: Would ya mind if I borrowed that garment thingy you've got there, mister? Gotta look the part if I wanna follow in the old sovereign's footsteps!
Village Elder: Use it as you please, my lady! It's yours to take!
Yuel dashes away and returns moments later, fully clothed in her ancient ancestor's vestments.
Yuel: Feast yer eyes! Ain't this perfect on me?
You: Whoaaa! You look so cool! Not that I'm surprised—everything looks good on you, Yuel!
Yuel: Hehe, bet it'd look cute on ya too, You!
Yuel: By the by, I dunno how, but this outfit's basically drippin' with a crazy amount of power!
Yuel: Let's get goin' already! I wanna start cleanin' this place up while I'm still ridin' high!
The village elder guides Yuel and the crew to an entrance to the great forest nearby.
Village Elder: This way leads directly to the center of this island—where the third sovereign is said to have enacted her cleansing of the land.
Yuel: Then let's give it whirl, huh? Get a load of this!
Yuel: Crimson Dance!
The dancer whirls and bounds through the air, her scarlet foxflame alighting on the ground and spreading outwards in a conflagration of purification.
However, try as she might, Yuel's power is simply not enough to bathe the entire island in flame.
Yuel: (I need more... Concentrate, Yuel! Let's try turnin' up the heat!)
Yuel: Hyaah!
Vyrn: Yuel, snap out of it! Yuel! You're setting fire to the trees!
Yuel: Huh!
Yuel: Oh sh-shoot, yer right! Gonna be nothing left to cleanse if I burn it all down!
Societte: L-leave it to me!
Societte: Alabaster Dance!
This time, Societte's dance releases her own flames, immediately calming the potential blaze.
Yuel: Whew, that was a close one! Thanks fer thinkin' on yer feet, Societte!
Societte: No problem... But, more importantly, yer fire wasn't enough...
Yuel: Weeeell, yeah... Seems like purifyin' this whole island might be a li'l bit harder than I thought...
Yuel's voice trails off as her bravado is somewhat shaken.
The expectant villagers all turn to look at each other, their own hopeful gazes starting to waver.
The Crimson Flame of Ages: Scene 2
The evening following the failed ritual, the crew tries to come up with a plan to purify the miasma. Coming up blank, Yuel jests that maybe it would've been better to be born with the old sovereign's memories and personality instead of her own. All her friends protest this sentiment, giving her a little more faith in herself.
Begged by the villagers to perform the dance that will clear this island of its cloying miasma, Yuel gives it her best shot.
However, her flames lack the reach to cleanse the entire land at once.
Yuel: Weeeell, yeah... Seems like purifyin' this whole island might be a li'l bit harder than I thought...
Villager: B-but you're the chosen one! The successor to the third sovereign of old...
Yuel: Trust me, I know... But y'all sayin' that doesn't mean I've got the same powers as her.
Yuel: I don't have a single memory of actually bein' the sovereign either, and I came up with most of the dances myself.
Yuel: I know I was talkin' up a big game before, but I'm no perfect copy of her or anythin'...
Village Elder: No... It can't be... A-are we doomed?
Villager: Well... I did feel like there was some purification going on for a moment there...
Yuel: I'm so sorry...
Village Elder: N-no, no, no! It is us who should take the blame. We shouldn't have placed such expectations on you, just because you're a descendant of our hero.
Villager: You appeared right in our hour of need, so we jumped to conclusions and put all the pressure on you...
Village Elder: We have no right to act so distraught when you've only gone out of your way to assist us... I deeply apologize for our insolence.
Societte: Please, you don't need to throw yourself on the ground... No one's done anything bad here—not you, and not Yuel.
Kou: I agree. But it's also true that something needs to be done about the miasma...
Right as a pall of gloom settles over the group, a sudden energetic shout pierces through.
Yuel: C'mon, y'all! There's no need to look so down in the dumps! We're gonna get this done!
Societte: Yuel?
Yuel: Ya really think I can't figure out a way to clean up this island? For real?
Villager: But you just said—
Yuel: Oh, that was just me talkin' about right here, right now!
Yuel: I'm gonna cleanse this island, or I ain't the successor of the third sovereign! So you'd better buck up and buckle up, bucko!
Villager: D-do you really mean it?
Village Elder: A thousand thanks to you, my lady! Those words alone give us strength!
Village Elder: But you have already done so much for us today! Let us prepare a place for you and your entourage to rest—and please, do not hesitate to ask us for anything you need!
After getting their new lodging set up, the crew assemble to discuss what they should do next.
Yuel: Hmm... I know I was all bluster before, but I don't actually have a single idea where to start. Ya got any ideas, Societte?
Societte: Me? Uhh, I guess, maybe...
Societte: We could... split the island up into a buncha smaller areas, and go through 'em one by one each day?
Yuel: Mmhmm... That's why yer the brains of this operation! Why, I should be done with that by the time I die... hopefully!
Vyrn: Wait, why are you acting like that's a good idea?
Kou: By the time we've done a sweep of the island, the miasma in the first area will have come back... We need to get it all in one shot.
Kou: Doing it piece by piece will get us nowhere. One night of rest, and it'll have spread all over the place again.
Kou: There's nothing else for it—we'll have to attempt something similar to what the third sovereign did.
Societte: You're right... but how...
You: What if we did the dance alongside Yuel? Surely that'd make the flames more powerful?
Kou: Your Void Dance would definitely be a help, but I don't know about the Alabaster and Ebon Dances...
Kou: Unlike that time where all of our dances helped to seal Ninetails, only Yuel's foxflame has the power to purify the land.
Kou: I don't know if us trying to combine our power would really have that much of an effect this time...
You: You're right... Hmmmm...
Yuel: Darn it! It's been hours, and we still can't come up with any foolproof ideas!
Yuel: The more I think about it, the more I realize the sovereign was in a whole nother league!
Vyrn: I'll bet. 'Specially since these guys are still worshipping her over a thousand years later...
Yuel: Ya got that right... Man, if I just had a fraction of her presence, I'd be able to make all the villagers feel totally safe...
Yuel: Y'know, for inheriting her looks, what I really could've used was her powers.
Yuel: Life woulda been much easier if I had her memories and personality goin' for me, I bet.
Yuel: Wouldn't that've been somethin'?
- Absolutely not!
- How could you say that...
Choose: Absolutely not!The captain sharply interrupts Yuel's musing, cutting her off.
Lyria: What (Captain) said! I like you as you are, Yuel!
Societte: I know you're jokin', Yuel, but... I wouldn't want that...
Societte: The sovereign's not the one that's come all this with me. It's always been you—kind and carefree as can be.
Societte: We've only made it this far as successors because you were you!
Choose: How could you say that...The captain cuts Yuel's musings short with a dejected mumble.
You: (Captain)'s right! I get sad even thinking about how things would've been if I'd never met you...
Kou: The sovereign wasn't the one that saved us. It was you—kind and strong in your own way.
Kou: If you hadn't forgiven me, allowed me to atone for what I'd done... then You wouldn't be here today.
Kou: Who you are as a person is far more important than any powers you could've gotten from the third sovereign!
Continue 1Yuel: Y'all... (Captain)...
Yuel: (Shoot... I was just tryin' to lighten the mood, but they all got really mad at me...)
Yuel: (Now that I think about it, that joke wasn't even funny... This ain't like me at all.)
Yuel: (Still, it's nice to hear that they care that much about me.)
Yuel: (I've gotta get it together. I won't solve anythin' hemmin' and hawin' here forever!)
Yuel: Sorry for scarin' y'all! I guess I lost my nerve for a second there... Didn't really feel like myself.
Yuel: Time to put our heads together! Less fixatin' on how the sovereign'd do it, and more focus on how I'm gonna fix this instead!
Yuel: I promised 'em I'd take care of everything this time, so it's my job to get it done.
Kou: Right. But please don't ever say those things about yourself again.
Kou: If you're feeling ready to give this another try, we should look around the island and see if we can't learn anything useful.
Yuel: Good idea! This stuff's gotta be comin' from somewhere—can't hurt to poke around and see if we can't come up with a plan!
Yuel: Everyone better hit the hay hard tonight, 'cause tomorrow we're goin' to explore every inch of these here woods!
Vyrn: Haha, there's the Yuel we know and love!
With their friend back to her peppy, chipper self, (Captain) and the crew feel confident once more.
After a little more back and forth, they all turn in for the night, preparing themselves for a long day once morning comes.
The Crimson Flame of Ages: Scene 3
The crew ventures into the forest and finds the source of the miasma beneath a dried up lake bed, apparently caused by excessive logging. Yuel purifies the source, causing the lake to fill anew, the water carrying her power through the island. The villagers regret their overreliance on the sovereign's protection and offer Yuel the ancient robes as thanks for her help.
The following morning, Yuel and friends all set off into the tree line near the village.
Yuel: Wonder which way we should look first? Thisaway, or thataway, or over yonder-way?
Societte: W-we can't spend the day just wanderin' around the trees—we gotta search properly, Yuel.
Vyrn: I thought the point of actually going into the forest was so we could come up with a plan? You're treating this like we're out rambling!
Yuel: Of course I'm gonna think of a plan! I just... keep seein' things that catch my eye, y'know?
You: Look at that bunny! I wanna pet it...
Yuel: Whuh, where! Oh! Aren't you just the cutest thing! Wait up!
Lyria: H-hold on, Yuel! Come back!
Vyrn: There she goes...
Societte: If getting distracted was a sport, Yuel'd be the champ, haha...
Yuel rushes off in pursuit with the crew doing their best to keep up, fighting their way through the undergrowth.
Lyria: We're pretty deep in the forest now... Where is this bunny going?
Kou: If I had to hazard a guess, it's headed toward its warren, which is most likely up this stream.
You: Is it just me, or is that rabbit acting kinda weird? It keeps jumping out in front of us every time we think we've lost it.
Yuel: Seemed like it was makin' sure we were still followin' it or somethin'... Did y'all see how it looked at us, too?
Societte: It was leadin' us here, wasn't it? Maybe it wants to show us somethin'.
Yuel: I reckon! Feels like the miasma's gettin' thicker too, which can't be a coincidence.
Vyrn: I can't believe you running off ended up working out in our favor.
Societte: S-see, I told y'all Yuel's a champ!
Vyrn: You meant it differently earlier, and you know it...
(Captain) chuckles at the absurdity of the scene before looking closer at their surroundings.
The trees are far more sparse and spindly here than back by the village, and there are no animals to be seen—even the very air seems to be still.
Yuel: Get a load of those stumps! Looks like there's been some serious cuttin' goin' on 'round here...
Kou: Hmm... This appears to be a logging operation, but if so, they've really been lagging behind with planting new saplings.
Yuel: Sheesh, we gotta make sure the villagers know about this. Won't be much point savin' the forest if they kill off what's left of it!
After some more wandering upriver, the group finally arrives at the stream's headwaters.
Yuel: Is this what ya wanted to show us, mister rabbit?
Wind Rabbit: ...!
The wind rabbit bobs its head as if in agreement before bounding off into the grass.
Vyrn: Looks like this used to be some sort of lake... But it's almost entirely dried up!
Yuel: Look at the water down there and the mud around it... I'm sensin' all kinds of miasma comin' from it.
Kou: I'm starting to understand what happened... Whatever is causing the rot has been hidden under the lake this whole time.
Kou: That would explain why the miasma has returned, despite the third sovereign's efforts.
Kou: Her flames never reached the impurities deep in the ground, and now it's resurfaced all these years later.
Societte: This definitely feels like Ninetails's miasma...
Societte: Maybe her comin' back is what set this patch back into motion?
Yuel: So then it got into the water here, spread into the forest through the streams, and caused all that damage...
Yuel: Well butter my biscuit, I think there might be somethin' I can actually do here!
Not wasting any time, Yuel faces the lake and takes a deep breath to calm her restless spirit.
She looks down at the ritual garb of the third sovereign she wears and whispers to herself.
Yuel: Please... I know I'm askin' for a lot, but... Let me use yer power just fer a li'l bit!
Yuel: ...
Crimson Dance!
Lyria: Look, the water! It's clearing up!
Societte: And not just that! Look over there!
Societte points over to the dried-up lake bed, where a fountain of fresh, clean water now bubbles to the surface in a raging torrent.
The lake is refilled in mere moments, and the surge thunders down the river channel, spreading throughout the forest.
Kou: With the source purified, the water spreading out carries the cleansing properties of your power...
Yuel: Whew! Hehe, that means I can get the forest healed up even if my flames don't cover the whole island!
Yuel: Looks like my work here is done! Let's get ourselves back to the village and let 'em know their problems are over!
Making their way back, the crew inform the villagers that the corruption has been successfully purged from their land.
Villager: We cannot thank you enough! You truly are just like the third sovereign!
Yuel: You don't gotta be so stuffy with me! I'm not just a successor either! My name's Yuel, okay?
Villager: O-of course, my... my lady Yuel! Thank you again!
Villager after villager prostrates themselves before Yuel offering their thanks, and in return the successor to the third royal family desperately tries to get them to stop.
Once the last of them has been lifted back onto their feet, the village elder approaches the group.
Village Elder: Lady Yuel, you struck out into the forest by yourselves and swiftly discovered the root of our problems.
Village Elder: Such a task should have been up to us—the people of this village—but our fear blinded us...
Yuel: Hey, you don't hafta be so hard on yerself...
Village Elder: It is likely that the wellspring drying up was solely down to the fact we had cut down too many trees in the area—not all evils in this world are supernatural.
Village Elder: We have grown complacent in our forest-felling, taking the blessing of the third sovereign for granted. Thanks to you, the scales have now fallen from our eyes.
Village Elder: Even when we realized something was wrong, we buried our heads in the sand and forced you to help. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us.
The village elder bows deeply before Yuel.
The easygoing dancer gingerly reaches out a hand to his trembling shoulder and gives it a reassuring pat.
Yuel: You ain't got anythin' to apologize fer! We got it done without breakin' a sweat! All's well that ends well, right?
Yuel: And now that the hard part's over, y'all've just gotta keep truckin'. Some days ya might feel like yer not getting' anywhere, but ya just gotta push on, okay?
Yuel: Just like there's stuff I can do that the old sovereign couldn't, there's stuff y'all can do she'd never be able to pull off, either!
Village Elder: Oh, Lady Yuel!
As if to stifle his outburst, the old man bows his head quickly once more.
Village Elder: Thank you for all you've done for us. We vow that we will treat our land and forests with more care from now on.
Village Elder: And as proof of that, we would like you to keep the ritual robes of the third sovereign... if it pleases you.
Yuel: Y-ya sure about that? Ain't these one of yer treasures?
Village Elder: Of course. Those robes were a symbol of the sovereign's blessing upon our land.
Village Elder: If we are to take responsibility for our own prosperity from now on, I feel that it is best that we let go of that which embodies our old ways.
Village Elder: Most importantly, you are the successor to the third royal family—you are far more worthy of having these vestments than we ever were.
Yuel: Huh...
Yuel: Well then, don't mind if I do! I'll make sure to take real good care of 'em though, promise!
Not longer after, Yuel and the crew depart the island, taking to the skies once more.
The heiress struts around the Grandcypher in her new outfit, showing it off to everyone she can.
You: Isn't that outfit supposed to be super important, Sis Yuel? Shouldn't you be keeping it safe?
You: Not that you don't look good in it, but it'd be a shame if it got damaged somehow...
Yuel: Tsk, tsk, ya just don't get it! What's the point of havin' a set of glad rags if ya can't show 'em off?
Yuel: In fact, I think should wear 'em every day! No reason not to shine as bright as I can, right?
You: Really? Every day?
Societte: Hehe, that's just who she is, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Kou: I suppose that's true enough.
Yuel: What's with the moody look, Kou? Y'know what happens when ya get grouchy, don'tcha?
Yuel: Coochie-coochie-coo!
Kou: Whoa! I told you to give me a warning before you do that!
But it is too late—Yuel has already pulled Kou into a hug. She looks up at the rest of her friends, beaming proudly.
Even with new clothes on her back and a new feather in her cap, her zest for life and the adventures it brings remain unchanged.
![Fox Spirit Yuel [月華]](/File:RoB_Yuel_1-1.jpg)
![New Year's Fox Spirit Yuel [迎暁]](/File:RoB_Yuel_2-1.jpg)
![Thousand Years Old Fox Spirit Yuel [燐炎]](/File:RoB_Yuel_3-1.jpg)
