Main Story: Arc 3: An encounter with Skuld ~ Seeds of Hope
Credit goes to goldpanner for the translations!
[Arc 1: Introduction ~ The Dream Chirithy Showed]
[Arc 2: Meeting Ephemer ~ Unchained]
[Arc 3: An Encounter with Skuld ~ Seeds of Hope]
[Arc 4: End of the World ~ Luxu's Goal]
[Arc 5: Wasteland Battleground ~ Finale]
STORY 22-1
Reward: Potion x 3 | Ripe Kupo Nut x 3 | Raise Ticket x 3
Let's go to the Fountain Plaza in Daybreak Town!
| (You and Chirithy exit out of a Dark Corridor into Daybreak Town, Fountain Plaza) | |
| Chirithy: | Nice job. |
| (You let out a sigh.) | |
| Chirithy: | I know, gathering Lux has been pretty tough lately, hasn't it? |
| (You protest.) | |
| Chirithy: | No, it's just how it is. All the Unions are really going at it hard with gathering right now. |
| (A voice calls out.) | |
| ???: | I wonder why we're competing? |
| (You turn around in surprise. A scowling girl wielding a Keyblade appears out of a portal to confront you) | |
| ???: | All the Unions share the same goal: to protect the light. |
| But we've found ourselves wanting to rise above the others, to gather more light than the others. | |
| At some point our goal changed, didn't it? It isn't right. | |
| (Chirithy approaches the girl.) | |
| Chirithy: | Who are you? |
| (The girl smiles and dismisses her Keyblade, and sits at the edge of the fountain right beside you. You’re surprised by her advancement and change in demeanor.) | |
| Skuld: | I'm Skuld. |
| You're [Player], aren't you? | |
| (You nod.) | |
| Skuld: | Nice to meet you. |
| (You shake hands and sit beside her.) | |
| Skuld: | By the way, do you know someone called Ephemera? |
| (You and Chirithy are shocked that she knows of Ephemera.) | |
| Skuld: | I guess you're wondering why I'd say that. |
| I was in the same party as him. | |
| Well, that said, it was back when I'd only just become a Keyblade Wielder. | |
| He's a bit of a strange one, and after a while, one day he quit the party. | |
| Now, and this is where it gets real, okay, just the other day, he appeared in my dreams, and told me to go with you. | |
| (You’re surprised.) | |
| Chirithy: | Why? |
| Skuld: | I wonder? |
| I've brushed with him several times even after he left the party, but we never moved past the level of exchanging basic greetings, so I have no idea why he'd appear in my dreams either. | |
| As you can imagine, I don't know his reasons for telling me to go with you, either. | |
| Actually, I came here hoping that if I asked you you'd know something. | |
| (You mention your dream about Ephemera.) | |
| Skuld: | Huh? He appeared in your dreams, too? |
| Did he say anything? What sort of dream was it? | |
| (You explain. Skuld seems upset.) | |
| Skuld: | Oh… that's… |
| He told you he was waiting, then… | |
| (She hops off the fountain.) | |
| Skuld: | What about going to the place you were meant to go with Ephemera one more time with me? |
| (You're surprised by her request.) | |
| Chirithy: | No, you can't! Lady Ava told you to stay away from there! |
| Skuld: | She told you to stay away specifically because there's something there, then, right? |
| I'm sure this is what Ephemera meant when he told me expressly to go with you. | |
| And, one more thing-- | |
| (A huge boom sounds in the distance and the ground shakes, interrupting you. You all turn in that direction, shocked and confused.) | |
| Skuld: | What!? |
| Chirithy: | That sounded close, didn't it... |
| (Skuld summons her Keyblade.) | |
| Skuld: | I'll go and check it out! |
| (She runs off. You summon your Keyblade and chase after her, leaving Chirithy behind.) | |
| Chirithy: | Huh? Huh? |
Battle Between Foretellers
| (You all run into the town and gaze up at the rooftops to see the Anguis and Ursus Foretellers fighting against each other.) | |
| Skuld: | Why!? |
| Chirithy: | Oh... |
| Skuld: | Why would Foretellers be fighting amongst themselves? |
| (You and Chirithy turn to Skuld, not answering.) | |
| Skuld: | What Ephemera was saying is true after all... |
| (Her words take you aback.) | |
| Skuld: | What I was about to say before. |
| Actually, Ephemera said one more thing to me at the end of the dream. | |
| He said the end of the world is near... | |
| Chirithy: | What does that mean? |
| Skuld: | I don't know. |
| But, an ending would come suddenly, without prior warning. | |
| The same way Ephemera vanished. | |
| (You think for a moment, and make your decision.) | |
| Player: | Let's go. |
| (Skuld and Chirithy are surprised.) | |
| Chirithy: | Huh? |
| (Skuld smiles and nods.) | |
| Skuld: | Okay, |
| Chirithy: | Huh? |
| (You and Skuld head off.) | |
| Chirithy: | Huhh? |
Mysterious Black Garment
| (You and Skuld run into town. A portal opens in front of you and strange dark creatures appear from it to block your way.) | |
| All: | ！ |
| (One by one, the creatures approach you.) | |
| Creature 1: | …..ux…. |
| Creature 2: | …...Lux…. |
| Creature 3: | Give us….lux…. |
| (You and Skuld prepare to fight.) | |
| Skuld: | What are you! |
| Creature 1: | Hand the Lux over! |
Defeat the 3 Mysterious Black Garments and aim for the Lux!
Nightmare
| (You manage to push the creatures back and force them to retreat. Before you can chase them down, Nightmare Chirithy appears before you.) | |
| Chirithy: | Who are you? |
| Nightmare: | Hey. |
| (Chirithy recognizes the Nightmare, as the Chirithy who had been meddling with you before.) | |
| Chirithy: | You're... |
| Nightmare: | In the end Lux is the source of the fighting, so I think you'd better just hand it over to us. |
| Oh well, you can hang on to it a little longer if you like. | |
| (Chirithy steps forward, still in disbelief.) | |
| Chirithy: | Those colours... |
| (The Nightmare shows off his new form proudly. Chirithy is upset.) | |
| Nightmare: | What do you think of my new form? |
| Chirithy: | The darkness has completely tainted you, hasn't it... |
| Skuld: | The darkness... |
| Nightmare: | Why do you hate the darkness so much? |
| Just like the world has night and day, you guys have light and darkness inside you. | |
| What are you afraid of? | |
| Chirithy: | Those three just now, they used to be human, didn't they... |
| Nightmare: | Yep. |
| Player & Skuld: | ！ |
| Skuld: | Keyblade Wielders… like us? |
| Nightmare: | Weak-hearted people fear the darkness, and get swallowed up by it. |
| Accept the darkness, control the darkness, and you can gain true strength. | |
| Those guys aren't using fragments of the power of the Tome of Prophecy, like you are. They fought you with their own abilities, you know? | |
| How incredibly... | |
| Chirithy: | This isn't the Master's teaching... |
| Nightmare: | Teaching? That's got nothing to do with this. |
| The truth about the world isn't something you can just be taught by someone. | |
| It's something you learn for yourself. | |
| Chirithy: | Who on earth is your player? |
| (Nightmare laughs.) | |
| Nightmare: | Heh heh heh… |
| They're close by, you'll find out soon enough. | |
| (The Nightmare disappears.) | |
STORY 22-2
Reward: 300 Mog Medals, Ether x 10, Moogle SR+ x 5
Let's go check out the underground waterway where we last met Ephemera!
| Skuld: | This is where you last saw Ephemera? |
| There's something secret up ahead, I'm certain of it... | |
| (Chirithy goes to stand in your way.) | |
| Chirithy: | Are you really going to keep going in? What with the Black Garments and the dark Chirithy just now… |
| I've got an awful feeling about this... | |
| (Chirithy looks down as you pat his head. Skuld suddenly speaks up, and he’s taken aback.) | |
| Skuld: | Hey you, you know the layout of the inside of this tower, don't you? |
| Chirithy: | Y-yeah... |
| Skuld: | Well then, lead us. |
| Chirithy: | All right already... |
| But going in there really is forbidden, so we're coming right back after just a quick peek. | |
| Skuld: | I promise we will. |
STORY 22-3
Proceed through the clocktower to the Foreteller's Room.
Reward: Potion x 10, ULT ATK Moogle x 2, ULT ASS Moogle x 2
Let's look for Ephemera inside the clocktower!
| (The three of you make your way into the room you saw in your dream.) | |
| Skuld: | What is this place? |
| Chirithy: | This is the last room… The Foreteller's room. |
| Skuld: | I wonder if Ephemera made it here? |
| Chirithy: | Well as you can see, nobody's here. There's nothing here… |
| And since we're not going to go fiddling around with the things left in here, let's go back already, like we promised. | |
| We'll be in huge trouble if anyone finds us... | |
| Skuld: | Yeah… |
| So there's nothing here, huh… | |
| I almost feel like we've been sidestepped. What on earth did the dream of Ephemera mean... | |
| (A voice calls out from behind you.) | |
| ???: | What are you doing. |
| All: | ! |
| (Chirithy turns around and addresses them.) | |
| Chirithy: | Master [~].... |
| (The Foreteller enters. The Foreteller who appears is the one in charge of your Union unless you are in Vulpes, in which case it will be Ira.) Ursus Foreteller: Aced Anguis Foreteller: Invi Leopardus Foreteller: Gula Unicornis Foreteller: Ira) |
|
| Skuld: | Excuse us! We are looking for a friend. |
| Foreteller: | Chirithy, how were they allowed to get in here if you were accompanying them? |
| Chirithy: | I'm sorry... |
| (The Foreteller walks past you, speaking aloud.) | |
| Foreteller: | There was another trespasser in here a few days ago. Your friend, perhaps? |
| Player: | Yes. |
| Skuld: | Do you know him, then--Ephemera? |
| Foreteller: | The union he belonged to was gathering Lux in direct conflict with the goals of we [Union]. |
| He got close to you in order to gather intelligence on our union. There's no way you will be seeing him again. | |
| Skuld: | You didn't… |
| Not Ephemera... | |
| Foreteller: | ...I had him disappear. |
| Chirithy: | [Player]... |
| Skuld: | You won't get away with this... |
| Foreteller: | What do you think you're going to do? |
| (Chirithy stops Skuld.) | |
| Chirithy: | No, Skuld, you can't! |
| Master [Foreteller]! | |
| I'm the one responsible for everything that's happened today! | |
| Please forgive these two! | |
| (You step in front of Skuld and Chirithy.) | |
| Chirithy: | [Player]... |
| Player: | Master, until today, I have devoted myself to the union, to gathering light, in order to save the world. |
| I've even competed against fellow fighters I think of as friends. | |
| I thought it was just what had to be done to save the world, and I've tried not to dwell on what that means. | |
| But, in the middle of that, someone asked me that same simple question. | |
| That person was Ephemera. | |
| My encounter with him only lasted a moment, and he even broke a promise to me, so my memories of him aren't exactly fun, but they are huge and important in my heart. | |
| I'm sure that's because he is my friend. For a friend like that to be snatched away.... | |
| Even if these feelings, anger and sadness, signify darkness, pushing them down is proving impossible. | |
| Even if I cross Keyblades with you, Master, I don't think I will come away from this with any kind of peace. | |
| Maybe I'll disappear, too. | |
| But even so, I'm sure that if Ephemera were here, this is what he'd do… | |
| (You get into a battle stance.) | |
| Player: | Master [Foreteller], raise your Keyblade. |
| (The Foreteller summons their Keyblade.) | |
| Foreteller: | Come. |
| Skuld: | [Player]!! |
Let's fight the Union Master!
| (You put up a fight but are easily defeated by the Foreteller, and are engulfed in a blinding light. When the light fades, you find yourself back in the waterways.) | |
| Foreteller: | You avoided being swallowed by your anger and sadness--you fought well. |
| (The Foreteller glows and reveals themselves to be Master Ava.) | |
| Chirithy: | Lady Ava... |
| Ava: | [Player], Skuld. |
| You allowed me to determine the strength of your hearts. | |
| The Master you were just fighting, as well as the location, was an illusion I created here. | |
| Skuld: | What is the meaning of this? |
| Ava: | As Ephemera told you in your dream, the end of this world seems to be upon us. |
| If all of us are swallowed up by the end of this world, that will be the end of Keyblade Wielders. | |
| That must be avoided. | |
| I began carrying out my own missions. | |
| I've been preparing so that superior Keyblade Wielders, regardless of Union, will last in the next world. | |
| Chirithy: | Last… in the next world? |
| Skuld: | This is all happening too fast… |
| What happened to Ephemera, then? | |
| Ava: | As I just said, this world is facing its end. |
| Perhaps in a way, he felt doubt and started to make inquiries because he began to feel that. | |
| He got close to the truth faster than any other. | |
| So, I asked him a favour. | |
| I asked him to guide the dandelions in my stead. | |
| Chirithy: | Dandelions? |
| Ava: | The Keyblade Wielders that will last in the next world. They are the dandelions. |
| They who shall not witness the end of the world. | |
| My duty is to establish those dandelions. | |
| However, I must witness the end of the world. | |
| Thus, so that he may guide those who are left for me once I'm gone, I decided to have Ephemera wait ahead somewhere else. | |
| Skuld: | Somewhere else… |
| Ephemera is safe, then, right? | |
| Ava: | This world will end because among the Keyblade Wielders are some who have been swallowed by darkness. |
| I'm sure you've met the dark Chirithy. He is proof. | |
| So that the power of darkness will not persist into the next world, I give the hearts of you Keyblade Wielders a shake, and choose those who cannot be swallowed by a little darkness to be dandelions. | |
| And so, I wish to ask you, too. | |
| Will you join the dandelions? | |
| Skuld: | I understand. |
| (You stay silent. Skuld turns to you.) | |
| Skuld: | What's wrong, [Player]? |
| Player: | But what will happen to all the other Keyblade Wielders who don't get chosen to be dandelions? |
| Ava: | At the end, this world will face a Keyblade War. |
| Skuld: | A Keyblade War... |
| Ava: | It's already unavoidable... |
| Player: | Please let me think over your offer to join the dandelions. |
| Skuld: | [Player]! |
| Ava: | I understand. You are under no obligations. |
| However, so that we don't fall into chaos, please don't speak of this. | |
A Talk with Skuld
| Chirithy: | Why are you holding back on joining in? |
| If you'd said yes, you probably could be with Ephemera right now. | |
| Player: | Ephemera is an important friend, yeah. |
| But, the Keyblade Wielders I've fought alongside all this time are important to me, too. | |
| Chirithy: | Oh... |
| (Skuld glances over.) | |
| Skuld: | Can I say something? |
| The truth is, back when I became a Keyblade Wielder, I made a party, but no one would join me. | |
| And then, Ephemera did. | |
| For a while, it was just the two of us in the party, actually. | |
| The party did grow in members after a bit, and we all got so involved in collecting Lux together... | |
| I had less and less chances to talk to Ephemera one-on-one, and then one day, he told me he thought I'd be okay now, and left the party. | |
| After that, I lost myself in collecting Lux with my party members. | |
| But, I realised my party was losing members, and in the end, I was alone again... | |
| I think Ephemera probably kept on worrying about me even after leaving the party. | |
| I think that's why he told me to try and meet you. | |
| (Skuld turns to you.) | |
| Skuld: | I've realised a lot of things, thanks to you. |
| But, I want to see Ephemera, and thank him. | |
| That's why I'm going to join. | |
| (Skuld prepares to leave.) | |
| Skuld: | Let's meet again. |
| (You and Skuld shake hands, and you watch her leave.) | |
Seeds of Hope
| (Later, Skuld and many other wielders gather in the plaza to meet Ava.) | |
| Ava: | Today too will involve training imitating all the missions you've completed until now. |
| You will relive things you have already experienced, only in a world just like a dream, in a space separate from here... | |
| ...You are the hope. | |
| (Everyone is shocked by her words.) | |
| Ava: | Soon, the conflict will begin. |
| Fighters who share the same wish to protect the light, divided by nothing but a difference in Union, will make enemies of the friends they once competed with. | |
| I myself do not know how long I can continue to guide them true. | |
| Perhaps I will be swallowed by my own darkness, and swing my own Keyblade in the middle of the strife. | |
| However, this battle will have no victor, everything will only be annihilated. | |
| But, I want you, as seeds of hope, to last on. | |
| After this, when that conflict breaks out, I want you to not participate in the battle, and instead depart for the outside world. | |
| That is why I want you to repeat separate training every day like this. | |
| To you I entrust the future of the Keyblade Wielders, the Realm of Light. | |
| With your hearts guided by the key. | |
