Claudine

Claudine
ResistanceResidental"Future"
Hometown	Edelstein
Current Residence	Edelstein
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Family	Ulrika (younger sister)
Affiliations	Resistance Maple Alliance
Minions	Elex Brighton Belle Checky
Enemies	Black Wings Orchid (formerly) Gelimer Black Mage Gerand Darmoor High Flora
Status	Alive
Name (Other Servers)
KoreaMS	지그문트 (Sigmund; Jigeumunteu)
JapanMS	ジグムント (Sigmund; Jigumunto)
ChinaMS	吉格蒙特 (Jígéméngtè)
TaiwanMS	吉可穆德 (Jíkěmùdé)
Voice Actors
GlobalMS	Laura Post
KoreaMS	Jeonghwa Yang
JapanMS	Riko Kohara

World Archive

“A doctor at the Edelstein Medical Center. Though she appears cold and composed, she's actually a warm and caring person, always concerned about the health and safety of Edelstein's citizens.
Perhaps because of her younger sister Ulrika, she shows a particular kindness toward children.
She seems to make frequent house calls, as the hospital is often left unattended.”

― Chronicler Harper

World Archive

“The instructor and leader of the Resistance, a secret organization formed to liberate Edelstein. Her role as a doctor was merely an identity she assumed as cover. Even with a mask concealing her eyes, her charisma and care for her fellow Resistance members remains unmistakable.
Some people occasionally refer to her mask as a sleep aid, but under no circumstances should you say 'Your sleep mask looks great.' within earshot of her.”

― Chronicler Harper

Claudine is the leader of the Resistance and the town doctor of Edelstein.

Story

Childhood

As a child, Claudine grew up in Edelstein with her younger sister, Ulrika, and became close friends with four others - Elex, Belle, Brighton, and a young boy with whom she played M-Forcers with. Despite playing as heroes, the group realized that there was no evil in town to fight against, leading them to simply shout the slogan and pretend to fight enemies instead. One day, Claudine borrowed the young boy's dagger in order to make a sheath for it. After the group dispersed to go home, the boy was kidnapped by Gelimer, with Claudine returning back soon afterwards to return the dagger to him. However, with Gelimer having stolen him for his Xenoroid experiment, the boy was never seen again, with Claudine keeping the dagger to remember her lost friend by.

Forming the Resistance

Decades later, Claudine became the town doctor of Edelstein, with the Black Wings soon invading in order to seize control of the city and its resources. In order to liberate their home, the headmaster of the local school - Ferdi - founded the Resistance, with Claudine and her childhood friends - as well as another man named Checky - becoming key figures in the movement. Claudine became the leader of the Resistance, working alongside her friends to train the citizens of Edelstein to fight the Black Wings from the shadows. Despite being adept at infiltration and reconnaissance, Claudine chose not serve as a job instructor, as the Resistance's policy forbade thieves in its ranks. Instead, Claudine dedicated herself to serve as the head of operations, guiding the Resistance to undertake various missions to disrupt Black Wings operations. In order to protect her sister, Claudine hid her involvement in the Resistance from Ulrika, making her believe that she simply served as the town doctor.

The Black Witch

Over time, the Resistance grew in numbers and soon decided that it was time to take back their city. They reached out to the Cygnus Knights, proposing a joint operation to remove the Black Wings from power. However, due to the interference of a Black Wings officer named Eleanor the Black Witch, the Cygnus Knights were forced to remain in Ereve in order to handle the threat. As a result, the Resistance went into battle expecting reinforcements that never arrived. The failed attack resulted in heavy casualties, and the Resistance was forced underground once again. Believing that the Cygnus Knights had betrayed them by going back on their word, the Resistance vowed that they would take back their city alone, and this event sparked heavy animosity between the two. In order to further sow discord amongst them, the Black Wings intercepted the Cygnus Knights' attempts at communication, leading the Resistance to believe that the Cygnus Knights had completely cut themselves off from Edelstein.

The Kidnapped Child

As Mercedes began fighting against the Black Wings, Orchid kidnapped a child from Edelstein - Cutie - as well as an elf child - Moonie. After Mercedes saved the children, she returned Cutie to Claudine in Edelstein, believing that she was merely a doctor. Soon after, Mercedes went to Edelstein to check on Cutie and asked Claudine if there was any way that she could help. Claudine told her that she had already done enough to help them, but at Mercedes's insistence, she asked Mercedes to collect Nependeath Seeds in order to create a nutrition pill for Cutie. After Mercedes brought her the seeds, Claudine thanked her and noted that both Mercedes's strength and her hatred of the Black Wings made her wonder whether their paths would cross again.

A Knight from Ereve

In order to investigate the Black Wings, a Cygnus Knight was dispatched alongside 10 Boogies, where they faced heavy antagonism from the citizens of Edelstein. While helping 10 Boogies recover her belongings which the children of Edelstein had stolen, the Knight spoke with Checky, Brighton, Elex, and Belle, all of whom immediately recognized them as a Cygnus Knight and rebuffed them. They then spoke with Claudine, who told them that one of the children who had stolen 10 Boogies' belongings was her sister, Ulrika, who had told her that the Knight had claimed not to be a Cygnus Knight. When Claudine asked whether that was true, the Knight decided to be honest and revealed themselves as a Cygnus Knight, claiming that they just wanted to help the people of the town. Annoyed, Claudine took them to a back alley in order to speak more freely. Claudine told them that the Knights didn't understand Edelstein's circumstances, and that lies and secrets only led to unnecessary complications while staying vigilant around the Black Wings. She then asked why the Cygnus Knights had come to Edelstein, to which they told her that they had come to gather information on the strange activities in Victoria Island.

Claudine told them that they were free to do so, but warned them to give up on befriending the people of Edelstein. The Knight asked to get in contact with the Resistance, but Claudine merely scoffed and asked how they planned on allying with the Resistance when they couldn't even get the townspeople on their side. She added that for the sake of security, none of the citizens even knew about the identities of Resistance members. She also added that there was nothing to say to those who broke their word without even giving a proper justification as to why. The Knight replied that there must be some misunderstanding, as the Resistance had been ignoring all of Ereve's attempts at communication. However, Claudine retorted that it was the Cygnus Knights who had cut off communication. She then told the Knight that they were wasting their time and warned them to go back to Ereve. As the Knight walked away, Claudine called the Resistance headquarters and told them that she had acquired their target. However, she also added that she had something that she wanted to confirm.

Soon after, the Knight saved Ulrika and her friends from Black Wings henchmen after the children's failed attempt to prank the Knight. To repay them for their heroism, Checky passed along a note from Claudine to the Knight, instructing them to wait for a call at an abandoned phone booth in Edelstein Park. As soon as the Knight finished reading, the words on the note vanished. Soon after they entered the booth, the phone began to ring, and they picked it up to hear the modulated voice of Claudine, making the Knight unable to decipher who was on the other end. Claudine asked them what they wanted, to which the Knight explained that the Black Wings were active on Victoria Island, and that they wanted to know why. When Claudine asked if they expected the Resistance to share that information with the Cygnus Knights, the Knight pointed out that they had a common enemy. Claudine replied that she had no intention of allying with them, but as they had saved the children, she would share the information in order to make them even. She explained that the Black Wings were directing all of Edelstein's energy towards a single spot, which had been causing rolling blackouts in the city. The blackouts were affecting the city's power plants, fish factory, lighting system, and even their water supply.

She believed that the Black Wings were gathering large quantities of energy in order to fuel their top-secret experiment. She explained that the Resistance didn't know what the experiment was, but they did know that the Black Wings were stealing Seal Stones from Maple World, and she believed that the two were likely related. The Knight confirmed the Resistance's suspicions about the experiment by telling her what Francis had said in Perion about gathering energy. They also told her that the Black Wings were using children as test subjects, which they had learned while saving Ulrika and the others from the Black Wings henchmen. Claudine noted that they seemed to know a lot about it, but told them that she had shared enough and ordered them to leave Edelstein as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Brighton reported to Claudine that the Black Wings might indeed have cut off communications. He noted that the Black Wings had a presence all across Maple World, and that it would be easy for them to cut communication lines or intercept letters in areas that they physically controlled. Claudine thanked him for the information, though she added that their primary focus was still to protect Edelstein.

Soon after, Claudine led the Resistance leaders to save the Knight, who had been lured into a trap by Baroq and Francis. After reaching safety, the Knight told the Resistance what they had overheard from the Black Wings. The Resistance was pleased with the information, as it not only confirmed that Gelimer's experiments were related to resurrection, but that there was a schism within the Black Wings as well. However, they were less pleased by how the Knight had obtained that information, admonishing them for their reckless behavior, as the Black Wings would retaliate by cracking down on the citizens of Edelstein. Though Claudine agreed with the others, she also noted that the Knight had obtained valuable information. As the other Resistance leaders headed back to base, Claudine stayed behind to let the Knight know that she had merely owed them personally a favor, not the Cygnus Knights, and that they were now even. Before she left, she also told them that she had learned that the Black Wings were the ones who had been blocking communication between the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights. However, she added that she had only investigated in order to correct the facts, and that the Resistance had no intention of reconciliating with the Cygnus Knights. She then told them to report back to Ereve that the Cygnus Knights would never earn their trust.

Ancient Research

After learning that the Black Wings were after a research journal that detailed the powers of the Ancient Gods, Claudine led the Resistance to recover the book at Helios Library. On their way back to Edelstein, however, the Cygnus Knight who had met with them previously chased after them, as they had been tasked with recovering it by Neinheart. At Ludibrium Station, the Knight asked them to hand the book over, but Claudine refused to give it up, claiming that the Cygnus Knights would only hide the book away, rather than use it against the Black Wings. However, the Knight refused to give up, explaining that it was their mission to bring the book back to Ereve. As tensions grew higher, Black Wings henchmen suddenly arrived to seize the book. The group switched focus to fighting the Black Wings henchmen. During the battle, Claudine was injured, and just as more enemies closed in, the Knight's Chief Knight and a legion of Cygnus Knights arrived to reinforce them. As the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights began squabbling over the book, Claudine unexpectedly ordered the others to retreat and gave the book to the Knight, claiming that it would be safer in Ereve than in Edelstein, which the Black Wings had made their base. She added that she now knew that the Knight was powerful and admitted that the Resistance wouldn't have been able to protect the book without their help. She told the Knight that, as the Resistance still didn't trust them, they would be keeping watch from afar.

The New Agent

A young citizen from Edelstein, after accidentally stumbling across Gelimer's laboratory in the Verne Mine, was saved alongside one of Gelimer's test subjects, Vita, by a Resistance agent named J. Following the incident, Claudine and the other leaders were informed about the citizen's actions, for which they decided to monitor them from afar. At the behest of Headmaster Ferdi, the citizen decided to help the residents of Edelstein and soon met with Claudine, who asked them to bring her some acorns, which she wanted to use in order to make medicine. After collecting them, Claudine asked them what the most important thing that the citizens of Edelstein ought to do in order to stay safe. The citizen replied that they should try to stay out of places that could lead to injury or illness. Claudine agreed, though she told them that Edelstein was far from such an ideal. After helping the townspeople, the citizen returned to Ferdi, who gave them a special invitation. Upon opening it, the kid was transported to the Secret Plaza of the Resistance. There, they were surprised to see the familiar faces of Claudine and all the other townspeople whom they had helped. Claudine explained that while they pretended to be ordinary and meek in public, all of them fought secretly in the Resistance. After speaking with each of the different leaders and learning about their specializations, the citizen chose their path and became an official member of the Resistance.

After completing Headmaster Ferdi's training program, the Resistance member was assigned their first mission by Claudine, which was to eliminate Patrol Robots and bring back their memory chips so that she could analyze the surveillance footage. After bringing the chips back, Claudine analyzed them and learned that the Black Wings were closely watching one of their allies, an old man named Surl. Claudine believed that the Black Wings were suspicious of the items that Surl was purchasing on the Resistance's behalf and asked the Resistance member to warn him. She taught them one of the secret codes of the Resistance, which was to substitute ‘Black Wings' with ‘Roaches', ‘surveillance tapes' with ‘Dances', and ‘supplies' with ‘naps'. After they gave Surl the coded warning, the old man responded with his own code and instructed them to deliver it to Claudine. The Resistance member unscrambled the code and told Claudine that Surl needed to purchase supplies for the Resistance, but he wanted to ask for her advice, since the Black Wings were watching him closely. Claudine told them that the Resistance used special potions that allowed them to transform into each other, allowing them to provide alibis for members out on missions. Using one of Surl's hairs, Claudine created a potion that would allow the Resistance member to transform into Surl. While they distracted Watchman Bavan using the potion, the real Surl was able to purchase supplies without Bavan keeping an eye on him.

After the Resistance member returned from their mission, Claudine told them that Vita had awoken and gave them permission to see her. Soon after, the Resistance member reported back to Claudine, who told them that the Resistance had decided to look after Vita, as she had no recollection of her life before the lab. Thrilled that Vita would be staying with them, the Resistance member rushed back to see her. Vita was excited to become a member of the Resistance and explained that though she couldn't fight, she used to watch the Black Wings closely while she had been imprisoned and had learned how to make medicine. In order to make a special medicine for the Resistance member, she asked them to bring her Serpent Tails. She then created a medicine that could boost one's strength, although she admitted that she didn't know what the side effects would be. The Resistance member offered to test the medicine for her by defeating one of the special training robots with ease, after which they reported back to Claudine and told her about the effects of the medicine. Claudine told them that she would consider using the serum on the other Resistance members, but only after thoroughly testing it.

Soon after, Claudine gave the Resistance member their second mission, which was to help Surl. In code, Surl explained that the Water Thief Monsters were stealing his supplies and asked them to recover the water that they had taken. After returning with the water, Surl thanked them and explained that he now had a surplus of water. Though he wanted to sell the excess, he knew that there were too many Black Wings around, and so he asked the Resistance member for their help. He told them that he normally sold water to distant regions in Maple World and asked them to deliver his shipment to Ace at the Edelstein Airport. There, however, the Resistance member encountered a Black Wings ambush. After defeating the Black Wings henchmen, they successfully delivered the water to Ace and took back one of the Black Wings henchmen's pins to Surl. Surl was furious at the Black Wings and told them to show the pin to Claudine, who was equally furious that the Black Wings had stooped so low as to steal the citizens' supplies in spite of the heavy taxes that they levied. She thanked them for their work and resolved to formulate a plan to deal with the Black Wings.

Some time later, Claudine told the Resistance member that she had decided to distribute Vita's medicine and asked them to deliver the supplies to an undercover Resistance agent at the drop-off point. She explained that the agent was typically away from Edelstein doing other missions, and since that was part of his alibi, he couldn't publicly enter Edelstein, even if he wanted to. At the drop-off point, the Resistance member was surprised to see J, who told them that the medicine would be popular with the Resistance's secret agents because of its effectiveness, though he added that the medicine seemed a bit strange. After taking the shipment, J told them that he had a feeling that their paths would cross again. Just then, Claudine contacted the Resistance member and told them that the Black Wings were planning to rob Surl and asked them to protect him. Arriving just in time, the Resistance member drove off hordes of Black Wings henchmen before returning to the Secret Plaza.

The Poison Medicine

Some time later, J asked the Resistance member to meet him at the drop-off point and told them to keep their meeting confidential. There, J asked them to help him with an investigation and gave them a small package, which he instructed them to bring to Lisa in Orbis. After analyzing its contents, Lisa explained that though she had originally thought that the contents of the package were medicine, she was now sure that it was poison. She explained that the poison would initially cause positive effects, but after the user developed a dependency on it, the poison would drain their life force cleanly away. She gave them her report to give to J and warned them that though she had no idea what he intended to, do with the medicine, she recommended that he get rid of it as soon as possible. After reading the report, J's suspicions were confirmed and he told them that Vita might be a spy. He explained that he had first grown suspicious after seeing the effects of Vita's medicine, but as he doubted that a kid could make something that potent, he had kept quiet because he hadn't wanted to cause trouble for her in case he was wrong. He had then begun watching the Black Wings closely to see what their next move was, but he had been surprised when it seemed as though they weren't even trying to get Vita back. The Resistance member attempted to defend their friend and told him that it was likely because Vita was hidden in the Secret Plaza, but J countered that even if that were true, it didn't change the fact that the medicine was poison. He told them to inform Claudine that they needed to keep a closer watch on Vita and that they needed to plan their next moves very carefully. As the Resistance member had helped uncover the truth, J knew that he could trust them, but he added that if the Resistance were to show its hand too early, the Black Wings would simply pull Vita out, and the Resistance would learn nothing.

The Resistance member returned to the Secret Plaza and told Claudine what J had said. Claudine was surprised by the news and told them that she hated to think that their comrades were spying on each other. However, she knew that if J was right, they couldn't afford to disregard it as a coincidence. She told them that she would keep a close eye on Vita and that she would analyze the medicine a second time, just to be sure. Some time later, Claudine contacted the Resistance member and told them that she had confirmed that the medicine was poison. After having met with the other Resistance leaders, they had decided to lock Vita up and recall all her medicine. The Resistance member protested that there must have been some kind of misunderstanding, to which Claudine replied that she hoped that that was the case. She told them that they were more than free to visit Vita. Since they were her closest friend, Claudine hoped that Vita would tell them the truth, as she was currently claiming that she hadn't meant to make the medicine poisonous. The Resistance member went to visit Vita, who sobbed and told them the same story that she had told Claudine. They reassured her that they knew that she hadn't meant to hurt anyone and told her that they would make sure that she would be set free. Vita thanked them and explained that even after what had happened, she still believed that her life with the Resistance was wonderful, and that she had no regrets. She told them that Claudine was trying to make an antidote and asked them to help her with it. The Resistance member returned to Claudine and told her that Vita was sticking to her story, adding that there was no way that she could be a spy. Claudine replied that she was inclined to agree, but told them that the evidence was stacked against her.

Feather Plants

Claudine then explained that for the antidote that she was working on, she would need Feather Plants, but as they didn't grow in Edelstein, they would need to find some on Victoria Island. She asked them to speak with the Dark Lord in Kerning City, as she had been told that he had a stash of Feather Plants. After making a trade with the Dark Lord, the Resistance member returned with a pouch containing about half the Feather Plants that the Resistance needed, with the Dark Lord adding that Ereve had stashes of Feather Plants and that they might be able to get the rest from there. The Resistance member brought the plants to Claudine, who thanked them, but since they were still missing half, she wasn't sure about what to do. When the Resistance member suggested that they ask Ereve, Claudine grew angry and told them that any self-respecting member of the Resistance would rather stay poisoned than beg the Cygnus Knights for help, explaining the story of how the Cygnus Knights had betrayed them. With no other option, she decided that she would try to pad the Feather Plants with some other herbs and thanked the Resistance member for their help.

A few days later, the Resistance member was contacted by Eckhart, who told them to come alone to the Edelstein Airport. There, he told them that Ereve's information network was the most powerful in the world, and that he knew that the Resistance had asked the Dark Lord for Feather Plants. He explained that Feather Plants only grew in Ereve, and that he would give them to the Resistance as a gift in order to demonstrate the Cygnus Knights' commitment towards working together. The Resistance member brought the Feather Plants to Claudine, but after learning how they had obtained them, she told them that she refused to be bought off by traitors. Though she appreciated the Resistance member's intentions in accepting the gift, she explained that she still couldn't take them. As it wouldn't be fair to ask them to return the same gift that they accepted, she promised them that she would ask someone else.

Demon Awakening

In the Verne Mine, J saved the Demon, whose strength had been drained by the Black Wings as they sapped the energy inside his protective egg for Gelimer's experiments. After the Demon awoke at the Secret Plaza, the Resistance leaders began questioning him about his organization, his background, and the wings on his back. The Demon explained that he was a former Commander of the Black Mage and that he had been born with his wings, as his father was a pure-blood demon. Claudine was shocked and asked the Demon how he could be a former Commander when the Black Mage had been sealed for centuries. This, in turn, shocked the Demon, who realized that not only had the Heroes succeeded in defeating his former master, but quite a large amount of time had passed since then. Claudine asked the Demon why he had betrayed the Black Mage, but the Demon merely told her that it was a personal matter. He then asked Claudine who the Resistance and the Black Wings were, to which she explained that the Resistance was an organization formed to drive the Black Wings, a group trying to revive the Black Mage, out of Edelstein. The Demon was pleased to know that the Black Mage may yet return, as it meant that he could finally get his revenge. Just then, Headmaster Ferdi appeared and asked him to join the Resistance, as they both had a common enemy. After considering it, the Demon decided to accept their offer and thanked them for rescuing him.

After awakening his old power, the Demon returned to Claudine, who recommended that he enroll in Headmaster Ferdi's training program in order to get stronger. After passing the training courses, Claudine told him that a Black Wings spy had infiltrated the Secret Plaza. With everyone on high alert, the Demon decided to find the spy himself. The spy was surprised that the Demon had found him, as he had been using the power of darkness to cloak himself. The Demon explained that his demon bloodline allowed him to see through such tricks and proceeded to easily dispatch him, much to Claudine's astonishment. Soon after, Claudine told him that there were too many Streetlight monsters around Edelstein, which made it difficult for the Resistance to conduct their operations at night. Because of this, the Demon eliminated the nearby Streetlight monsters in order to aid the Resistance.

The Vita Incident

Soon after, Claudine reached out to the Resistance member and told them that Vita had gone missing. As she doubted that someone in her frail condition could have destroyed the cell door, Claudine feared that the Black Wings might have discovered the Secret Plaza. She begged them to go to the Verne Mine in order to see whether Vita had gone there. She also asked them to convince Vita to come back, if possible, believing that Vita would listen to a close friend. The Resistance member rushed to the Verne Mine, where they found Vita standing at the entrance with a dazed expression. Vita then monotonously declared that all enemies of the Black Wings must be destroyed and summoned Black Wings henchmen to attack the Resistance member. After defeating them, the Resistance member tried to snap Vita out of her daze, but nothing that they said seemed to work. Just then, Gelimer arrived to see what was causing Vita's delay. The Resistance member demanded to know what he had done to Vita, to which Gelimer replied that ‘the creature' had completed its mission and was awaiting its next orders. The Resistance member snapped at Gelimer not to treat Vita like a robot, to which Gelimer clarified that she wasn't a robot, but rather, a perfect brainwashed slave. He explained that he had called her back, as it had been some time since he had given her a check-up, but he was pleasantly surprised that she had brought the Resistance member along as well. Though he yearned to use them as his new lab rat, he knew that Hiver wouldn't allow it. However, he still decided to run one small experiment and told them to take the road behind the mine to his lab, promising to return Vita if they made it. He also warned that the guards would be dangerous and recommended that they bring as many friends as possible for backup.

The Resistance member rushed back to Claudine and explained that not only was Vita innocent, but Gelimer had also been using her for his schemes. Claudine apologized for suspecting Vita, but she told them that it was too dangerous to go after her, since she couldn't spare any agents to back the Resistance member up. After arguing back and forth, Claudine finally agreed to let them go after Vita, but she warned that no one would be able to rescue them or Vita if things went wrong. Claudine then wondered to herself whether she should have accepted the Cygnus Knights' help earlier. Around the same time, the Cygnus Knight who had investigated Edelstein arrived to meet with Claudine and attempted to give her Cygnus's invitation to the Continental Conference, but Claudine refused and claimed that she wouldn't accept any correspondence from Ereve. However, the Knight was persistent, and though Claudine acknowledged that they were strong and willing to do what was right, she claimed that she couldn't trust the rest of Ereve, especially when Cygnus remained unwilling to come down from her perch of safety and fight for the cause.

The Knight protested that the Cygnus Knights had made sacrifices, but an annoyed Claudine asked whether they even knew the meaning of sacrifice. She then asked them to accept a dangerous mission without hesitation. After the Knight accepted, she told them to go into the Verne Mine and identify the location of the laboratory where Vita was being held, as the Resistance had no idea of the mine's internal structure. Despite knowing that they were going into enemy territory alone with incomplete information, the Knight accepted and entered the mine. Meanwhile, the Resistance member entered Gelimer's lab, where they discovered that Gelimer had rigged Vita's cage to explode. Though Vita was able to save the Resistance member with a return scroll, she ultimately perished in the explosion. The Resistance member returned to the Secret Plaza and sadly told Claudine what had happened. Claudine immediately blamed herself, believing that she should have kept a closer eye on Vita and realized what Gelimer had been up to. She also regretted that she had been too prideful to accept the Cygnus Knights' help, as she had believed that the Resistance could have taken down the Black Wings on its own, though in the end, Gelimer had still beaten them, and Vita had paid the price. She then asked the Resistance member for some time alone to reflect, adding that they likely needed the same. Meanwhile, the Cygnus Knight returned to Claudine with several children they had found in another facility. After Claudine treated them, she told the Knight that the children would be fine. She explained that the Black Wings had kidnapped the children from other regions of Maple World for experimentation. The Knight apologized for being unable to find the laboratory, but Claudine told them not to worry about it, explaining that they had done the right thing by helping the children. She sadly added that it hadn't been too late for them, though she refused to elaborate on her cryptic words. She then agreed to read the letter and told them that she would discuss it with the other Resistance leaders first.

Investigating the Verne Mine

At Headmaster Ferdi's request, a traveler arrived in Edelstein to help the townspeople in their struggle against the Black Wings. While helping the citizens, the traveler obtained key information about Gelimer's experiments from Gabrielle, the kidnapped daughter of the former town president, who compiled together a report on everything she had learned. At Claudine's behest, J invited them to the Secret Plaza, where Claudine welcomed them to the Resistance's hideout and thanked them for helping Von - Gabrielle's brother - return safely to town, noting that it must have been very dangerous for them in the Verne Mine. The traveler then delivered the information to Claudine, who began to look over the information. After going over the information, Claudine told the traveler that, based on Gabrielle's information and the Resistance's own knowledge, they could conclude that Gelimer was planning to create a superhuman creature that went beyond just a simple android. She explained that outside of their cruel biological experiments, the Black Wings were also engaging in environmental destruction, such as the mining and resource extraction in Riena Strait. She then added that these projects had all been for Orchid, who was revealed to be the founder of the Black Wings. As Orchid was also a Commander of the Black Mage, Claudine suspected that the Black Mage's resurrection was imminent and noted that it was possible that Gelimer's experiments may be for the Black Mage as well. She told the traveler that it was a terrifying prospect that the Black Wings were working for the Black Mage, and that his destructive reign might soon happen once again. Claudine also told the traveler that the Resistance's intelligence suggested that the Black Wings were collecting the Seal Stones, which were said to have been used to seal the Black Mage. Though Claudine had initially believed the Black Wings' acquisition of the Seal Stones to be part of Gelimer's experiments, she wondered whether it was also their way of eliminating any future threats or complications to their operations in advance. Nevertheless, she thanked the traveler for helping them uncover such vital information.

The Xenoroid

Gelimer's Secret Facility

After learning about Gelimer's secret research laboratory outside the Verne Mine, Claudine, Belle, and Brighton infiltrated the facility in order to investigate. Though Gelimer was relieved that Orchid hadn't discovered the facility, he was still irritated that the Resistance had found it. However, he decided to use the situation as an opportunity to conduct a field test for Xenon - the Resistance leaders' childhood friends who had been kidnapped decades ago and turned into a cyborg. Gelimer dropped down a cage to capture the Resistance and sent Xenon to eliminate them. However, Claudine managed to push Brighton and Belle away before the cage dropped down on her. Xenon then arrived to eliminate the Resistance, but the sight of his old friends began triggering his latent memories, causing his head to throb in pain. Just as Gelimer and his other Xenoroid, Beryl, arrived, Brighton and Belle retreated in order to formulate a rescue plan. Gelimer then ordered Xenon to guard Claudine while he and Beryl chased down the others. Perplexed by the strange memories in his head, Xenon decided to visit Claudine in her prison. There, he encountered his friend, Roo-D, a rabbit-fox hybrid Xenoroid, who asked him whether he had remembered anything from his past. In order to jog his memories, she gave him Claudine's dagger, believing that it held the key to his memories. While she kept a watch for Gelimer's return, Xenon asked Claudine about the dagger, explaining that it almost felt familiar to him.

As Claudine wondered whether Xenon could be her old childhood friend, Roo-D returned and warned them that Gelimer was coming back. She told Xenon that the only way for him to regain his memories was to escape with Claudine before Gelimer erased the last vestiges of his memories. She explained that long ago, she had made a promise to keep him safe during a time before Gelimer had taken away his memories. In order to protect him, Roo-D had hidden her true nature from Gelimer by acting like one of his loyal underlings. Choosing to betray Gelimer, Xenon broke Claudine out of her cell and began to escape. Just then, Beryl appeared and turned on Xenon after witnessing his betrayal. Though Xenon managed to defeat her, Gelimer arrived and activated his control circuit in order to freeze him in place. However, Xenon's strong will to recover his memories helped him override the circuit, allowing him to resist his programming and slowly walk away. Just as Gelimer ordered Beryl to destroy Xenon, the Resistance rescue party arrived and helped them escape.

A Lost Friend

Back at the Resistance base, the leaders were in disagreement about what to do with Xenon and Roo-D. As Checky and Brighton believed them to be Black Wings agents sent to infiltrate the Resistance, Roo-D offered to remove Xenon's control circuit as a show of good faith, although she warned them that it would weaken him to the point of near-death. Nevertheless, Xenon told Roo-D to proceed, as he didn't want to be a danger to those around him. Roo-D removed the control circuit, which severely weakened Xenon, but left him immune to Gelimer's control. Claudine then welcomed him into the Resistance and suggested that he speak with the other Resistance leaders in order to gain their trust. She asked him whether he had any memories, but Xenon told her that he couldn't remember anything about his old life. When Claudine asked if he knew anything about the Black Wings, Xenon explained that he had never heard of them. This surprised Claudine, as Gelimer's research was funded by the organization, and Gelimer himself reported to Orchid, the leader of the Black Wings. Xenon apologized and told her that he had only ever seen Gelimer and the other Xenoroids as far as he could remember. Claudine told him not to be sorry, as she realized that she had likely placed too much importance on the secret facility that they had found him in, though she was certain that Orchid or the other Black Wings must have paid him a visit. Xenon told her Roo-D would likely know more about the topic, explaining that she was Gelimer's assistant who had helped oversee the Xenoroid combat training program. Claudine thanked him for sharing what he knew and told him to rest for a while.

After Xenon gained the trust of the other Resistance leaders, who came to suspect him as their missing childhood friend, he returned to Claudine, who officially introduced herself and explained that she was in charge of assigning missions to Resistance members. For his first mission, she told him to get to know Edelstein and its people. Belle then called him over and explained that she had never seen Claudine act so emotional, as she had been staring wistfully at her dagger all day long. She then asked him to go to the empty house near the giant mansion at the center of town, explaining that the house used to belong to her friend, who had left behind a photograph that Belle wanted him to retrieve. Xenon found the photo, which showed a young Claudine eating lunch with a child who looked just like him. He returned the photo to Belle and told her that he was feeling an unfamiliar sensation of nostalgia and longing, which confirmed Belle's suspicions that Xenon was indeed their childhood friend. However, she was surprised at the fact that Xenon had been kidnapped by Gelimer, as the Black Wings hadn't even been formed at the time.

Belle asked him to show the photo to Claudine, explaining that the boy in the photograph was her close friend. Claudine was filled with wistfulness and told Xenon that the dagger he had asked her about in Gelimer's lab had belonged to her friend. She explained that she had borrowed the dagger to make a sheath for it, but her friend had disappeared before she had ever gotten the chance to return it. Since that day, Claudine had continued holding onto the dagger in the hope that she could one day return it to him. Xenon asked what she would feel if her friend came back, to which Claudine told him that she would like that very much. He asked if she would still feel the same way if her friend had become a different person, but Claudine explained that it didn't matter to her, since everyone changed, adding that people made the best of their situation. She believed that her friend was a good person, which was all that mattered to her. Claudine then told Xenon that she knew of a place that could help him regain his memories and told him to take the path to the outskirts of town from Edelstein Park, explaining that it had once been a popular place for children to play when she was younger.

Pulse Disruptors

There, however, Xenon encountered Beryl, who had come to capture him. As Beryl's inner circuitry had been damaged during their earlier fight in the lab, Xenon was able to easily defeat her, even in his own weakened state. He asked Beryl how she had been able to follow him, to which she responded that she had followed his Pulse. Though she was forced to retreat, Beryl warned him that there was nowhere he could hide from her. Realizing that his presence endangered the Resistance, Xenon decided to leave Edelstein and asked Ulrika to pass on the message to Claudine, as he worried that returning back to the Secret Plaza would expose the Resistance's location. Just as they reached the outskirts, Claudine caught up with them and explained that Ulrika had told her that he was planning to leave Edelstein. She asked if things were moving too fast for him, but Xenon only told her that it was a personal problem that necessitated him to leave. Claudine offered to help, but Xenon told her that she and the Resistance would be in danger if they stayed too close to him. Realizing that his mind was made up, Claudine decided to give Xenon her dagger as a reminder of his time with the Resistance, explaining that she was returning it to its original owner. Though he was touched by the gesture, Xenon told her to keep it, as she needed it more, promising that he would take it back once she no longer needed it after Edelstein was safe again.

During Xenon's absence, Claudine - with the help of the Resistance Research Command of Veritas - discovered the reason why Xenon had left. In order to help him mask his Pulse, Claudine tasked the researchers of Veritas with finding a way to create Pulse Disuptors. She then called Xenon to Veritas by paying the Shadowdealers of Grandis to send an encoded message to him. After Veritas installed the Pulse Disruptors across Maple World, Xenon was tasked with installing the last one in Edelstein so that he could visit his friends. After installing the disruptor, he reunited with Claudine, who was overjoyed to see him again. She then told him that Ulrika was asking for him, though she didn't know why. Back in town, Ulrika reminded Xenon that he still owed her a souvenir for delivering his message to Claudine and told him that, as compensation, she wanted Jr. Necki Skins. Xenon went to Kerning City and collected the skins for Ulrika, who planned to use them to force Checky to take his costume off. Having been reunited with his friends again, Roo-D told Xenon that he ought to bring the others gifts, as he hadn't seen them in a long time. While thinking of what to get Claudine, Xenon remembered that Claudine still had his dagger and decided to get her a new one, believing that she really liked that type of weapon. He realized that his Whip Blade changed shape in battle, and so he got her a training blade from Edwin in Veritas. Claudine was surprised to get his gift and told him that she liked her dagger better, but promised to keep his gift safe.

Birth of an Alliance

Some time later, Claudine called the Resistance member to a secret meeting with the other Resistance leaders. She explained that the reason why they were gathered was because the Resistance had been invited to a Continental Conference in Ereve in order to prepare for the Black Mage's return. Though many of them were in favor of blowing off the Cygnus Knights, Claudine asked them to remember Vita, as well as the knowledge that the Black Wings founder was a Commander. Elex reminded them that they had previously decided that the so-called founder didn't exist, but Claudine assured him that Orchid definitely existed, and that she had been proven to be a Commander based on the Resistance member's intel. She reminded them that the Black Mage was an evil Transcendent who had almost destroyed Maple World hundreds of years ago, and that various Heroes had made countless sacrifices, just to barely seal him away. She then told the others that there were reports that the Black Mage had returned. Brighton asked whether it meant that Orchid was also working for the Black Mage, to which Claudine noted that it was highly likely, as the Black Wings had taken over Edelstein and conducted cruel human experiments to create something, which made her wonder whether the Black Mage might rule Maple World once again. Brighton commented that it sounded like Claudine believed that they should join the alliance.

Claudine told him that it was a difficult decision, though she added that if the Black Mage was involved, they needed all the help that they could get. Elex asked whether they could trust Cygnus, while Brighton asked if the Resistance was really so weak that they needed to ask their enemies for help. Claudine reminded them that even the Heroes from centuries ago hadn't been strong enough to defeat the Black Mage, which was why they had needed to use the Seal Stones to seal him away. She noted that the Resistance was also too weak to face the Black Mage on their own, and though she admitted that she didn't fully trust the Cygnus Knights, she added that she didn't want another tragedy like Vita's to befall them again. Belle took Claudine's side and asked the others whether they hated the Cygnus Knights so much that they couldn't look past their anger to fight the Black Mage. Elex agreed that though he didn't like the Knights, they needed to defeat the Black Wings. Checky added that they could always leave the alliance if Ereve turned on them. Brighton begrudgingly agreed, and with a unanimous vote, they agreed to attend the conference. Claudine then asked the Resistance member to deliver their response to Ereve. Cygnus greeted them in earnest and told them that she was looking forward to their attendance.

Soon after, Claudine called the Demon to Edelstein and told him that while he had been away, the Resistance had received an invitation for a Continental Conference, which was intended to form an alliance between the Resistance, the Cygnus Knights, and the Explorers in order to fight the Black Mage. She explained that the Resistance had decided to attend the conference, for while she still didn't fully trust the Knights, she knew that the Black Mage was too dangerous for them to fight on their own. She then asked the Demon's opinion on the alliance from the perspective of a former Commander, to which he explained that the Maple World from centuries ago was comprised of independent, insular nations who held strong hostility for each other. He added that by eliminating the Empress, the factions of resistance had devolved into ragtag groups that couldn't work with each other, making it easy to conquer them. He noted that in comparison, the Black Mage had been a corrupted Transcendent with god-like abilities, and that his followers had also received a share of that power, which was why he believed it to be a wise choice for the Cygnus Knights to form an alliance against such a formidable foe. Upon hearing the Demon's words, Claudine realized that she had been correct in her decision to attend the conference and decided that it was time for their fight to truly begin.

Some time later, Claudine also reached out to Xenon and told him that the Resistance was standing at the crossroads of a major change. She explained that the Cygnus Knights had invited them to form an alliance between the Resistance, the Cygnus Knights, and the Explorers in order to fight the Black Mage. She told Xenon that the Black Mage was a corrupted Transcendent who had driven Maple World to the brink of destruction hundreds of years ago, and that five brave Heroes had managed to seal him away with the Seal Stone of the great mage, Freud. However, she revealed that the Black Mage's seal had been broken, and so the Resistance had decided to join the alliance in order to band together and fight such a dangerous foe. She then asked Xenon to join the Alliance, adding that he would soon receive a call from the Cygnus Knights to attend the conference.

Around the same time, Evan and Mir arrived in Edelstein in order to get revenge on Hiver. However, they were tricked into an ambush in the Verne Mine, where they encountered Claudine, who had been on a mission in the Black Wings hideout. Though the pair had a brief stand-off, Claudine quickly realized that he was a civilian and disappeared. Though Evan wondered whether she was affiliated with the Black Wings, Mir recognized her as Claudine, the town doctor, claiming that his perception as an Onyx Dragon could be trusted. In town, Evan confronted Claudine, who denied having met them in the mines. When Mir spoke aloud and insisted that he recognized her, Claudine was surprised to know that a lizard could talk. Evan explained that Mir was an Onyx Dragon, to which an intrigued Claudine asked them to meet her in Edelstein Park in order to speak surreptitiously. At the park, Evan told Claudine that he held a grudge against the Black Wings. When Claudine asked Evan whether the Black Wings had taken over his town like they had with Edelstein, Evan explained that a Black Wings officer named Hiver had tricked him, and that he was trying to revive the Black Mage, the enemy of the Onyx Dragons.

Claudine noted that Hiver was quite high up in the Black Wings hierarchy and wondered how far the Black Wings' conspiracy extended. She then revealed to Evan that she was a member of the Resistance against the Black Wings, though she warned him not to speak on the matter any further, as she was hiding her identity. However, Evan pointed out that they were both on the same side and suggested that they could team up. However, Claudine told them that she couldn't trust them yet, as they might be a spy or might be too weak. In order to have them prove themselves, she told them to take the secret route to Gelimer's laboratory and bring back Black Wings emblems from his henchmen. After they brought the emblems back, Claudine told them that even though they might have gotten them from their commanders, she felt as though she could trust them, not only because of their actions, but also because of the intelligence that the Resistance had stolen from the Black Wings, which detailed their dealings with the Onyx Dragons. She told Evan that since he had proven his strength, it made sense for them to ally with each other. She noted that the Heroes had banded together centuries ago to fight the corrupted Transcendent, and that they had only been able to seal him away with Freud's Seal Stones. However, she added that things were different now, as all of Maple World was banding together to fight the Black Mage. After learning about the upcoming Continental Conference, Evan and Mir decided that they needed to attend in order to join the fight.

After receiving unanimous confirmations, the First Continental Conference took place, and the Maple Alliance was officially created.

The Missing Instructor

In Edelstein, Headmaster Ferdi summoned the Resistance member back to the Secret Plaza for an emergency meeting. There, Claudine informed them that their instructor had gone missing while completing a mission, explaining that they had gone to investigate rumors of a new weapon that Gelimer was creating for the Black Wings. Claudine asked them to rescue their instructor and gave them a return scroll to the Secret Plaza so that they could quickly escape. The Resistance member was then able to rescue their instructor and destroy Gelimer's secret weapon, a Poison Gas Generator.

Nova Alliance

Having increased their strength since repelling Magnus's invasion of Pantheon, the Nova began their operation to retake Heliseum. In order to gather allies, Kaiser delivered a letter to Neinheart, who told him that the Alliance needed to hold a conference to discuss the matter. At the conference, Claudine and Athena Pierce were informed by Neinheart about the Nova. Athena noted that though she knew about Grandis, it was strange to work with people from an entirely different world. Claudine pointed out that if the Nova were asking for help in defeating Magnus, a former Commander, it was inevitable that the Alliance would want to aid them. Neinheart agreed and added that he felt uneasy about the fact that Magnus knew about Maple World, even though they knew almost nothing about Grandis. He explained that it may even be a good opportunity to gather information about Gerand Darmoor. Though the Alliance remained in agreement to send help, Claudine pointed out that it would be difficult to mobilize a large number of troops, to which Neinheart explained that he wasn't planning to, as it would be too difficult to send a large force to another world. He also noted that the Nova themselves wouldn't want many troops from a foreign power in their homeland when trust hadn't yet been fully established. Because of this, Neinheart explained that he would send only volunteers and the Alliance's most elite soldiers to assist the Nova in their operation.

Following the reclamation of Heliseum, Edea decided that the Nova would officially join the Maple Alliance, for which she traveled to Ereve in order to finalize the details. There, she spoke with the Alliance leaders, who were pleased with having new allies. Though Claudine was wary about committing to a fight against another enemy when the threat of the Black Mage still remained, Edea noted that she had learned that their two worlds were connected, and that the enemies of one world were the enemies of the other. Cygnus welcomed Edea and hoped that their alliance would make them all stronger.

Evolution Lab

Shortly after Gelimer completed Lotus and drained Orchid of her Wing Master powers, the Resistance discovered the Evolution Lab and found an unconscious Orchid, whom they brought back to the Secret Plaza. Claudine briefed the other Resistance leaders on what had happened between Orchid and Gelimer, adding that Orchid was now just like a normal little girl without her powers. She explained that she hadn't put Orchid in prison because of her fragile condition, though she hoped to make Orchid pay for her crimes soon enough. In order to learn more about what Gelimer was plotting, Claudine decided to send Belle to investigate the Evolution Lab. Several days later, Brighton rushed urgently to Claudine and informed her that Orchid had managed to escape. Meanwhile, Orchid traveled to the Evolution Lab, where she encountered a hologram of Lotus, which had been created as the interface for the Evolution System. Orchid quickly realized that the hologram was an AI created by Gelimer and grew angry, causing the last remnants of her Wing Master power to manifest. The AI detected Orchid as a threat and attacked her, immediately knocking her out. The Resistance then discovered Orchid and brought her back to the Secret Plaza, where Claudine treated her injuries.

Soon after, she spoke with Brighton and explained that though she had done all that she could medically, Orchid had fallen into a coma. Just then, Belle arrived from the Evolution Lab and explained her findings. She told them that the Evolution System had evolved by itself without any changes to its internal system and begrudgingly admitted that Gelimer was a genius, despite how much it pained her to say. She explained that the system was capable of making its own judgements, allowing it to evolve into a stronger model on its own. Having recognized Orchid as a strong enemy, it had enhanced its own system to accommodate. As they wondered what this would mean, Orchid suddenly called out to Lotus from her coma, surprising the group. As the Alliance continued to use the Evolution System in order to learn more about it, the system recorded the combat data of countless Alliance members and imprinted it onto Lotus in order to have him analyze and enhance his own battle algorithms, thus making him even stronger.

Gate to the Future

Soon after the Cygnus Knights invested the Gate to the Future, the Resistance sent their own scout, where they learned that the Cygnus Knights would betray Maple World. At an Alliance conference, Claudine furiously reported the results of the Resistance's investigation, to which Cygnus asked Claudine to calm down, explaining that the future which they had witnessed was nothing more than a fabrication created by the Black Mage. Neinheart agreed, adding that he would never have led the Knights into such an obvious trap. However, Claudine retorted that Neinheart was only saying that now with the benefit of hindsight, adding that his arrogance wouldn't save them from what could be. Neinheart then demanded to know whether she truly trusted the enemy's illusion over her own allies. Athena Pierce attempted to keep the peace, reminding them that they couldn't allow the enemy to divide them, and entreated them to stop fighting.

Some time later, the Alliance held an emergency conference, which was attended by the top leaders of the Alliance, as well as the Alliance member who had first entered the Gate to the Future. As Athena Pierce began the meeting, Claudine impatiently noted that the proceedings were taking forever, and that so many had not attended. As she wondered whether theirs could truly be called a proper meeting, Neinheart testily replied that everyone had their own work to do, and that it wasn't as easy to gather all the warriors of Maple World in one place as she believed. Claudine retorted that it was the duty of the Alliance to carry out the impossible, as otherwise, there was no point to their existence at all. Neinheart replied that Claudine was talking without thinking, reminding her that the Alliance had been created through the hard work of many people vowing to defeat the Black Mage, to which Claudine sarcastically asked him whether she was actually hearing a lecture about promises from the Cygnus Knights. Athena Pierce then cut in and urged them both to stop their wasteful debate. Cygnus agreed and added that the purpose of the Alliance was to protect the future of Maple World, with internal bickering being inappropriate for their mission. She then explained that the reason why they had gathered was to discuss the grave events happening as of late – nightmares of the ruined future plaguing the people of Maple World.

Lady Syl noted that the Alliance had already proven that such a future was merely an illusion, which Neinheart confirmed, though Claudine pointedly added that the possibility wasn't completely zero. Mihile angrily demanded to know how Claudine could dare insinuate that they would be involved, to which Belle asked Mihile what he planned to do about it. Athena once again ordered everyone to stop fighting, while Claudine added that she simply meant that they needed to keep all possibilities in mind. The Alliance member then noted to themselves that it would take some time before the Alliance could start working together properly. Athena explained that the situation was quite serious, for while she had already warned the people of Henesys about the false rumors at Neinheart's behest, she had never thought that she herself would experience such dreams. Neinheart added that the situation was much different from when rumors were merely circulating, as the false future within the Gate to the Future was actually flowing into the dreams of Maple World's people. Grendel the Really Old wondered whether such a thing was even possible, as that kind of dream control would be next-to-impossible for even the most highly-trained magician, which made him wonder how powerful their enemy really was. Cygnus then explained that it wasn't just Henesys that was being affected, as the nightmare was spreading like a plague.

Athena noted that while the enemy's purpose in spreading the nightmares throughout Maple World was unknown, they couldn't just stand by and do nothing. She added that Perion, in particular, had an unusual atmosphere, surprising Claudine, who believed that it would have been Henesys. Athena explained that the people of Henesys had already been prepared for the nightmares involving their ruined town, but the people of Perion had been having entirely different nightmares altogether. Evan asked Athena what measures the Alliance was taking to remedy the situation, to which Athena explained that the Silent Crusade had already begun taking measures, though she feared that it wouldn't be enough. Neinheart added that the Grendel - who was an expert on magic - was joining together with the Cygnus Knights, Claudine, and Athena Pierce to investigate the matter, adding that it was the least that they could do to justify the Alliance's existence.

After the Alliance member investigated Twilight perion, they met with Athena Pierce, Neinheart, Claudine, and Grendel at the Magic Library, where Grendel explained that while the Alliance member had been investigating the Gate to the Future, people all across Maple World had begun exhibiting serious symptoms of dream addiction, which left them unable to discern dreams from reality. Athena explained that the people were repeatedly declaring that there was no future for them as long as the Empress still lived, and that they were convinced that the Resistance had betrayed them, as well as that the Alliance couldn't be trusted. Neinheart added that he had been concerned about such a phenomenon, and that he had been hoping that proving that the nightmare wasn't real would prevent such symptoms from manifesting. Athena reassured Neinheart that it was likely because of his efforts that the symptoms had been delayed until now, though Claudine pointed out that the situation had reached a point that they could no longer stop it. Grendel explained that dreams were the realm of the subconsciousness, and that no matter how actively one tried to reject it, the subconscious could become an effective tool in steering one's conscious mind. He noted that by being inflicted with the same nightmare over and over again, many who didn't possess strong mental fortitude could be hypnotized into believing things such as the Empress being evil or the Resistance being traitors. Neinheart asked whether there was a cure for dream addiction, to which Grendel explained that the only cure was Lucid Matter, which could only be harvested in dreams. Athena then asked the Alliance member to return to the Gate to the Future, to which they immediately agreed. Grendel told the Alliance member that he would instruct them on how to harvest Lucid Matter, though he asked the other Alliance leaders to try and calm their people in the meantime.

After the Alliance member lifted the nightmare, another Alliance conference was held, where Athena told the Alliance member that the nightmare was slowly fading away from the minds of everyone in Maple World. Claudine told the Alliance member that they had gone through a lot of hardships trying to stop the nightmare, adding that their efforts had taken the Alliance one step closer to stopping the Black Mage. Neinheart – and a reluctant Claudine – both admitted that it was fortunate that the Alliance had been able to successfully save Maple World, with Cygnus noting that their people could finally stop believing in the false future and suffering from nightmares. She added that she believed that she would have good dreams that night, thanking the Alliance member for all their help. However, Neinheart noted that though the incident had been resolved, there was still the matter of the Dream Master, whom they could conclude was a new Commander of the Black Mage. He added that despite the Alliance forming and growing stronger, the Black Mage was also steadily gaining strength by recruiting new Commanders on top of his old ones. He added that the Alliance would continue looking into the identity of the new Commander and thanked the Alliance member for helping them with their initial investigation.

Black Heaven

Aerial Battle

In order to investigate what Black Heaven was, Neinheart arranged a meeting with the Resistance at the Secret Plaza to see Orchid, who was still in a coma after being attacked by the Evolution System. There, the Resistance members joked that perhaps hitting her would cause her to wake up, prompting an argument between them and Cygnus, who believed that Orchid deserved to be treated with respect. Claudine intervened and told Cygnus that everyone in the Resistance had lost loved ones because of Orchid, and that they would not allow her any sympathy. Grendel the Really Old then arrived with a magic mirror, which would allow one to access another's memories. The Alliance member entered through the mirror and arrived in Orchid's memories, where they witnessed Gelimer getting Orchid's approval to build Black Heaven, a giant airship with the power to destroy Maple World. Upon reporting back to the Alliance, Neinheart and Claudine both agreed that they needed a robust defensive plan. However, Cygnus disagreed and told them that it was their chance to show Maple World that the Alliance could protect them. She then proposed that the Alliance meet Black Heaven in air combat.

The night before the operation, Claudine gave a speech to all the members of the Resistance in the Secret Plaza that they would be fighting against Gelimer, whose forces were heading for Henesys. She gave everyone the choice to back out if they were afraid or unwilling to fight, but she reminded them that the battle would be a turning point in their struggle to free Edelstein. In the name of freeing their city, all the members of the Resistance rallied together to fight. After the Alliance took off aboard the Lumiere, Claudine and Cygnus began preparing for battle in the conference room by discussing the thick fog in the air.

After Black Heaven forced the Lumiere to retreat, Claudine pointed out that the Alliance had been reckless and that they should have had clearer plans. Neinheart remarked that their plan had been sound, based on the given information, and snidely asked what the Resistance had been doing all the time while Gelimer had been constructing Black Heaven. As tensions continued to rise, Athena attempted to maintain the peace. Just then, the Alliance member heard a noise and began to investigate. They discovered dozens of puppets sent by Francis the Puppeteer, who had infiltrated the Lumiere in order to search for Orchid. After engaging Francis, the Puppeteer managed to escape to the deck. As the Alliance member reported to the leadership about Francis' infiltration, they discovered him attempting to flee in a barrel on deck. After getting captured, Francis demanded that they release Orchid, claiming that she was helpless after her powers had been stolen by Lotus, and attempted to trade the blueprints for Black Heaven in exchange for her release. Neinheart accepted the offer and took the blueprints, though he told Francis that he could only see Orchid after the war was over. He then ordered Francis to be detained.

Throughout the night, the Alliance leadership developed a strategy to combat Black Heaven. With the blueprints they had obtained from Francis, Neinheart was able to identify two critical weaknesses in Black Heaven: first, its massive size would inevitably create blind spots to attack; second, it only had one centralized power source. Neinheart was curious to find out what exactly could be powering such a large airship. With those two weaknesses in mind, he devised a plan to infiltrate Black Heaven and destroy the power source. While the Cygnus Knights protected the Lumiere and the Nautilus handled the head-on air attack to draw the Black Wings' attention, Belle, Brighton, Checky, and the Alliance member would infiltrate through the blind spot on its side. After fighting off the invading Black Wings, the Alliance member went to the top deck, where they rendezvoused with Belle, Brighton, and Checky for their mission. Claudine gave them a signal flare to fire off once they landed on Black Heaven so that the main force could be sent in.

The four then flew through the enemy combatants and managed to arrive at the landing point on Black Heaven. Just then, Gelimer's voice rang out to let them know that he had been expecting them. Belle, Brighton, and Checky suddenly crashed into the shields around Black Heaven, immobilizing them in place, just as several cannons shot them down. The Alliance member rushed back to the Lumiere and informed Claudine about the missing Resistance leaders. She immediately ordered all missions to be aborted so that they could find their missing allies. The Alliance forces scattered out and located Belle and Brighton falling, just as a large Black Wings airship shot them down, much to Claudine's horror. Aboard the control room of Black Heaven, Gelimer laughed at the foolishness of the Alliance as Lotus' operating system efficiently targeted and shot them down.

At the Pilothouse, the Alliance member and Claudine returned to Neinheart and Cygnus. Though Claudine wished to continue searching for her allies, Neinheart gently told her that it was unlikely that anyone could have survived such a fall. Nevertheless, he left the choice to save her allies to Claudine, who ultimately realized that she couldn't afford to sacrifice any more of the Resistance. Because of this, she decided that she would commit her forces to stop Black Heaven and save Edelstein, trusting that her friends were strong enough to survive and return. She then asked Neinheart what his plan was, to which Neinheart explained that their plan was still to infiltrate Black Heaven. However, he noted that based on their first failed attempt, it seemed that Black Heaven had defenses that weren't covered in the blueprints, which meant that they would need someone who knew the airship well. Because of this, Neinheart and the others visited Francis in his cell in order to interrogate him further about Black Heaven and its design. In the prison, they found Francis' cell on fire, with a Resistance soldier explaining that Francis' escape attempt had caused the fire. Francis begged the Alliance to save him from the fire, to which Neinheart and Claudine told him that they would help him in exchange for information, noting that such a small fire didn't pose any immediate danger at all.

Francis reluctantly agreed and explained that Black Heaven was being controlled by Lotus, who had been turned into a Xenoroid by Gelimer. Lotus' own powers, along with the other half of the Wing Master powers that he had stolen from Orchid, allowed him to effortlessly maintain control over Black Heaven, which was like an extension of his body. Because of this, there were no weaknesses or blind spots anywhere in the ship. However, he also revealed that there were no troops stationed aboard Black Heaven, as they were being summoned from somewhere else. After interrogating Francis, the Alliance decided to let him loose from his burning cell. Immediately, however, Francis disappeared and set out to rescue Orchid. Knowing what his target was, Claudine decided to deploy additional troops to guard Orchid in Edelstein. Cygnus then realized that if the troops aboard Black Heaven were being teleported, it meant that there was a way to infiltrate Black Heaven. Claudine noted that though she wasn't too sure, it was possible that the androids were being teleported from Edelstein's Scrapyard. Neinheart dispatched the Alliance member to investigate the Scrapyard, where they managed to find a way to infiltrate Black Heaven.

Infiltrating Black Heaven

Aboard Black Heaven, the Alliance member was chased by an immense Pulverizer, which cornered them at the edge of the ship. Suddenly, Claudine arrived aboard her flying vehicle and began shooting at it. She told the Alliance member to flee while she covered them, just as cannons began firing at her. Claudine struggled to keep her craft afloat until the cannons were destroyed by Checky, Brighton, and Belle, who had miraculously survived Gelimer's attack. With their combined firepower, the Pulverizer was easily destroyed. The Alliance member, who had been knocked out in the explosion, awoke to find that the Alliance had boarded Black Heaven with the help of Pilot Irvin. They were also overjoyed to find that Irvin had also helped Checky, Brighton, and Belle, who had worked together with Claudine to save them from Black Heaven's cannons. The Alliance boarding party - comprised of the Alliance member, Pilot Irvin, Neinheart, Claudine, Belle, Brighton, Athena Pierce, and the Piyo siblings - began traversing through the labyrinth of Black Heaven and eventually ran into Orchid and Francis. The Alliance was shocked to see Orchid, whom they had believed was still in a coma. Likewise, Orchid was furious to see the Alliance member, causing Francis to ask her whether she knew them. Orchid angrily claimed that she recognized them as the one who had looked inside her mind. Neinheart and Claudine were both confused by Orchid's extreme reaction, causing them to wonder what it was that the Alliance member had seen. Though the Alliance member tried to explain that they had merely seen her memories, Orchid refused to believe them and angrily ordered Francis to fight them on her behalf, as she had no powers left.

Neinheart attempted to keep the peace when Gelimer appeared on a monitor and showed Lotus to Orchid in order to rub in the fact that her brother was now his puppet. Lotus, detecting the intruders, manifested a Pulverizer to drop down onto the elevator, scattering the group on different levels. Eventually, Claudine, Athena, and Neinheart rendezvoused with the Alliance member and began chasing after Orchid and Francis. As they did, Neinheart began to wonder what Black Heaven had been built so largely for, as it didn't hold the android army, which was being teleported as needed from the Scrapyard. As they arrived near the core, Neinheart's question was answered when they found that thousands of large bombs were being stored in the area, guarded by Xenoroids modeled after Xenon and Beryl. As they proceeded deeper into Black Heaven, the Alliance member, Neinheart, Claudine, and Athena Pierce fought past the Xenoroids that attacked them. Claudine and Athena also used their whip and arrows, respectively, in order to bring down several platforms that had been raised up, which was cutting off their route forward.

Deeper into the ship, the group noticed that strange green gas was permeating the further in they went, requiring them to wear gas masks. They soon found themselves in Gelimer's lab, where a dying Admiral Martini begged them to stop Gelimer and his mad plans. He explained that he had been dying from an incurable illness, and that Gelimer had offered a solution. However, he told them that he now saw that Irvin had been right to leave. As Martini passed away from the toxic fumes, Neinheart noted that Gelimer must be quite ruthless to backstab an ally. The group then began searching Gelimer's lab and obtained several research notes. After learning that Gelimer planned to rain down Retoxin bombs upon Maple World, Neinheart told the Alliance member and Athena Pierce to stop Gelimer while he returned with Claudine in order to formulate a plan.

After the Alliance member defeated Gelimer and Orchid destroyed Black Heaven, the Alliance began celebrating their victory. However, their celebration was short-lived when they learned from Athena that the Alliance member would most likely die from the Retoxin that they had ingested while fighting Gelimer. However, at Cygnus's behest, the Alliance used the Seal Stone of Ereve to save the Alliance member's life, inadvertently turning them into an Adversary. In the aftermath of the battle, the Alliance member spoke with the leaders of the Alliance as they returned to Ereve. The Alliance member met with Claudine, who told them that the Black Wings were done for, as their leaders and their power base had been demolished, with a free Edelstein being only a step away. The Alliance member asked her what she would do once Edelstein was freed, to which she told them that she had never thought of it before. Claudine explained that she was considering listening to what Irvin had once told her to start dating before telling the Alliance member that she had told Irvin about Gelimer and Martini's deaths. She explained that he had simply noted that it had been quite appropriate, adding that he likely needed time to process. She then thanked the Alliance member for everything before saying goodbye.

Arcane River Expedition

As the Alliance prepared to enter the Arcane River, Claudine attended an Alliance conference in Ereve, where Edea arrived with a magician named Melange. Edea revealed that Melange had developed a way to defeat the Erda monsters in the Arcane River by imprinting a disintegration spell upon an external substance other than a person, thereby temporarily breaking down the magical Erda barrier around monsters in the Arcane River. She then presented a special blue ore that she and Melange had developed together, revealing that the disintegration spell imprinted upon it would help the user deal normal damage to the Erdas of the Arcane River. However, Edea noted that there were three main drawbacks to the technique that they had developed. She explained that firstly, the disintegration spell would be less effective than if the power of Erdas had been imprinted onto a body, such as the Adversary, though she added that a sufficiently powerful person would be able to overcome that drawback with enough strength through physical training. She revealed that the main issue was that the ore which they were using was incredibly rare, as the Nova had only been able to find ten with all their resources. Finally, she added that the third drawback was that the spell wasn't permanent, and that the ore needed to be replaced periodically.

Edea explained that with their limited resources, they would only be able to move a small team of soldiers into the Arcane River, rather than being able to mobilize all their forces. Neinheart noted that a small team was better than nothing, though it would prove to be an obstacle when it came to an enemy as strong as the Black Mage. He asked Edea how there could be such a limited number of ore available on Grandis, to which Edea explained that the Nova had closed their borders and trading lanes for quite some time before opening them recently. Just then, Claudine asked to examine the mineral, and upon seeing it, she revealed that its sheen had made her certain that it was Rue Ore, found in the Verne Mine. She explained that Rue Ore was an Edelstein specialty, and that the Black Wings had taken over their town specifically for the Rue Ore, which held a great amount of energy and could be used for a versatile number of purposes. With the mineral being extremely common in Edelstein, Claudine explained that the Resistance could provide an ample amount of it from the Verne Mine so that the Alliance could mobilize. Cygnus thanked Claudine earnestly, to which Claudine smiled and replied that it was only natural to help an ally. Athena Pierce then offered to solicit the help of Grendel the Really Old and the Magician Association so that they could help the Nova imprint the disintegration spell upon the ore.

As preparations for the expedition wrapped up, Claudine traveled to Ereve, where she was surprised to see flashing lights in the distance. She then met with Neinheart, who asked her whether something was wrong. Claudine explained that she had come to report that construction of the fleet was nearly complete. However, she noted that the Empress was absent and asked Neinheart about the light which she had just seen. Neinheart explained that Cygnus was currently training, revealing that she had been working to gain control over the new abilities that she had gained upon awakening as a Transcendent-in-waiting, as she had believed that they would be needed during the fight against the Black Mage. Claudine was shocked that Neinheart was planning to send Cygnus into battle, reminding him that she was a civilian with no combat training and a frail body. However, Neinheart revealed that it had been Cygnus's own decision to go into battle herself. He reassured Claudine that he himself would have argued against letting Cygnus go into battle if he had thought that the risk outweighed the benefits. However, he explained that he had seen Cygnus' abilities first-hand, and that he was convinced that they would be crucial in the fight ahead. He then added that it was the Empress' decision, and that he would stand by that decision, adding that the Cygnus Knights would fulfill their responsibility to keep the Empress safe in the battle. Claudine replied that if that was indeed the Empress's decision, there was nothing that anyone could do about it. However, she noted that the Resistance had no intention of hiding behind a young girl on the battlefield, as they had been waiting for the moment to fight the Black Mage for a long time. She then told Neinheart that the Resistance would do their very best during the battle as well.

Tenebris

Moonbridge

As the Alliance fleet prepared to leave the Outpost, Neinheart met with Claudine, who asked whether the time to embark had arrived. Neinheart confirmed her suspicions and gave her an emblem, to which she noted that they were all once again setting off into battle together for the Alliance. She added that though Edelstein had been liberated, a dark curtain still covered the world, and that their freedom was not yet complete as long as the Black Mage still lived. She then told Neinheart that though they had once been enemies, they were now part of the same Alliance, which had overcome many hardships together. Brighton then noted that an expedition that transcended dimensions was quite exciting and asked Belle whether she agreed. Belle reminded him that they weren't going to a picnic and told him to be more serious, to which Brighton replied that being lax was better than quaking in their boots. Neinheart laughed and noted that they were still the same, jokingly likening them to a pair of cockroaches. Belle quickly grew furious, while Brighton laughed awkwardly, with Checky attempting to calm Belle down. Neinheart then assured her that he was joking before asking the Resistance leaders to take care during the battle.

As the fleet entered Moonbridge, Kyrin reported that the Nautilus had encountered heavy turbulence ahead, with monsters emerging from the thick fog to attack the fleet. Just then, Edea and Claudine reported that powerful monsters had just attacked the Nova and Resistance fleets as well. Disturbed by the turbulence behind the fog and the monster attack, Neinheart asked the Adversary to handle the incoming enemies first and obtain samples from them. The Adversary returned with Wicked Soul Remains, which Edea began analyzing. As she did, the Adversary reported that there seemed to be no shortage of monsters, which seemed to be coming out of the fog. Just then, Kyrin reported that a thick wall of fog was blocking the fleet's path, with Cygnus realizing that it was the source of turbulence. Neinheart realized that it would be difficult to pierce through, while Claudine added that she was certain that the monsters were being created from behind it.

Edea soon finished her analysis and revealed that a dark entity within the fog was crafting the monsters from pure Erda. Neinheart asked whether it was coming from Tenebris, to which Edea replied that it was difficult to say without piercing through the fog. Claudine suggested focusing their firepower on a single point, to which Neinheart replied that the White Spear's cannon was currently charging up, though the monsters were swarming around it, making it difficult to get a clear shot. Kyrin explained that she had learned that the monsters were being drawn to strong energy, which was likely why they were swarming around the cannon. In order to handle the threat, Neinheart proposed scattering the fleet and having each ship generate enough power to draw the monsters towards them, thereby clearing a path for the White Spear's cannon to pierce through the fog. Claudine decided to lead the charge, claiming that disruption and baiting were the Resistance's specialty. Together with Checky, the Adversary worked to set off the charges and finish off the drawing throng of monsters. Soon enough, Neinheart reported to Cygnus that their line of fire had been secured. On Cygnus's command, the White Spear fired its cannon and created a large hole in the fog, allowing the Alliance fleet to push through.

Labyrinth of Suffering

Soon after Gloom's defeat, Claudine and the other Alliance leaders gathered on the deck of the White Spear, where Ollie revealed that exposure to Gloom's core had allowed her to see the Black Mage's memories of when he had awakened as a Transcendent of Light in defiance to the Overseers. Though Claudine and Edea were disturbed to know that the Black Mage wasn't merely a madman out to destroy the world, Cygnus asked them to focus, as they were fighting to ensure their survival.

In the Labyrinth of Suffering, the Adversary was filled with visions of a destroyed Maple World as they began watching scenes of Athena Pierce dying in a ruined Henesys, a wounded Claudine being surrounded by the undead spirits of her fallen Resistance comrades, as well as a horrified Cygnus watching Neinheart succumb to his injuries, while the Cygnus Knight soldiers around them revived into monsters and swarmed around the wounded Empress.

Limina

As the Alliance fought against the giant in Limina, Claudine ordered an Alliance soldier to request immediate reinforcements. As the Adversary headed over to help them, Neinheart contacted the ship and told Belle to take point on the assault. Belle grew furious at Neinheart's orders, as not only was their ship damaged, but Neinheart was also keeping the White Spear and its escorts out of firing range. As she and the other Resistance leaders began demanding to speak with Cygnus, Claudine arrived and told them that they needed to follow orders in order to win the battle. Neinheart thanked her and explained that reinforcements would soon arrive. The Resistance leaders were outraged to find a single one-man ship arriving until they realized that the Adversary was aboard. Claudine assigned the Adversary to the starboard deck, where they rescued the soldiers and stopped the monsters from destroying the ship's cannons. After helping the Resistance retake the ship, the Adversary received orders to return to the White Spear in order to get Grendel's analysis of the core fragment.

As they headed out, Claudine briefed the other Resistance leaders on Neinheart's plan to have them get as close as possible to the giant and fire directly into its heart. The Resistance leaders were taken aback by Cygnus' plan, as she never usually put them in such a dangerous position, but Claudine told them that they needed to trust that she had a good reason. They then began firing on the giant, damaging its exterior and leaving it exposed. As Claudine ordered a retreat back to the White Spear, a massive wave of light emanated from the Genesis Crux. The soldiers who were caught in the Light of Annihilation immediately scattered into Erdas. Though dumbstruck by their heavy losses, Claudine decided that they would hold a memorial for their fallen soldiers later, as they had no time to mourn in the middle of a war. The Resistance leaders agreed that they wouldn't let their sacrifices be in vain, and that they would make the Black Mage pay.

During the final assault of the White Spear to reach the Black Mage, Claudine accompanied the greatest warriors of the Alliance to the Temple of Darkness. There, the Adversary and their allies confronted the Black Mage, who addressed the Alliance from the Throne of Darkness and declared that their path had always been preordained, and that they were only quickening their pace to its end. Claudine told the Black Mage that the Resistance finally stood before him, and that the people of Edelstein, who had once been oppressed, had found freedom. She declared that they would not allow that freedom, which had been born of countless sacrifices, to disappear in vain. She then vowed that they would create a better future where their children would not have to make the same sacrifices.

After the Adversary and the Alliance defeated the Aeonian Rise and Tanadian Ruin, Eckhart noted that the battle had been difficult. Hawkeye jokingly asked Eckhart whether he was tired already, with Irena reminding him that they still had a long way to go, as they had only beaten the gatekeepers. Oz encouraged everyone to keep going, reminding them that they still had the strength to fight on. Cygnus agreed and pointed out that the true battle was now beginning. Phantom then yelled at the Black Mage to show his face, to which the Black Mage got up from his throne and addressed them, claiming that he had seen a world constricted by chains in the name of balance, an indolent god, and mankind that had lost the meaning of its own existence. Luminous immediately warned everyone to be wary of the Black Mage's chains, while Claudine scoffed at the Black Mage's claim that humanity had lost its meaning.

When the Adversary collapses into despair at the realization that they had been unable to escape the Black Mage's destiny, Tana uses the power of creation to craft an enormous maple leaf, from which a voice of someone close to the Adversary spoke to them, helping them find the strength to keep fighting. For Xenon, the identity of this voice is Claudine.

After the Black Mage was slain and the Adversary scattered into Erda, Cygnus fell to her knees in anguish as the Chief Knights reported that the giant was moving, with Claudine urging her to retreat. With Cygnus remaining unmoving, Claudine told Cygnus not to let the Adversary's sacrifice be in vain, to which Orchid asked everyone to lend her a portion of their magic, as it was her first time teleporting so many people. Back with the rest of the fleet, Claudine and the others were shocked to see that the Adversary and all the soldiers who had been scattered into Erda were restored to life. The Adversary appeared before the astonished Alliance leaders, with Edea wondering whether the Black Mage had used the power of creation to resurrect them. However, Claudine happily declared that it didn't matter, as the only important thing was that the Adversary was alive.

After the final battle, the Adversary will return back to the Outpost and speak with Neinheart and the other leaders of the Alliance. For the Cygnus Knights and Mihile, Neinheart tells them that everyone in Maple World is grateful to them, adding that it's thanks to them that the Alliance was able to rally around Cygnus, who led them to victory. Cygnus agrees and notes that it's thanks to them that they were able to gain everyone's trust and unite as one. Claudine then admits that they were reliable, to which Neinheart laughs that if Claudine is saying that, then they must already know what everyone else is thinking. As Claudine bickers with Neinheart, Cygnus laughs and notes that Claudine and Neinheart seem to be getting along well, to which both of them are flustered into silence.

For the Resistance classes and Xenon, Claudine proudly calls them a valued member of the Resistance. She explains that everyone else has already returned to Edelstein, and though they had all wanted to go back with the Resistance member, she hesitates before explaining that they had needed someone to stay and clean up. Neinheart laughs and tells Claudine to be honest, reminding her that she had insisted that she would stay and meet with the Resistance member on behalf of everyone. Claudine gets embarrassed, though she quickly recovers and tells the Resistance member that it's time to go home, as everyone is waiting.

For the Demon, Neinheart tells him that all of Maple World owes him a debt that can never be repaid. Claudine adds that no matter what he did in the past, he's always been at the Resistance's side. Cygnus tells him that he no longer lives under the shadow of the Black Mage and that he's a valued member of the Alliance.

Aftermath

At the Secret Plaza, Claudine gave a speech to the entire Resistance, reminding them of everything that they had accomplished, from driving out the Black Wings to rebuilding the Edelstein Council. Declaring that true freedom had come at last, Claudine then presented the Resistance member, introducing them as one of the Resistance's greatest heroes. After the assembly clapped for the Resistance member, Claudine told everyone that it was time to return to the city in order to celebrate, though the Resistance member and their job instructor stayed behind to talk for a moment. At the town square, all the people of Edelstein cheered as fireworks lit the sky over a free Edelstein. Claudine then turned to the Resistance member and asked whether they could see the freedom that they had all created together, noting how they could finally leave their painful past behind and write their own history from now on. After a pause, Claudine admitted that she also wanted to liberate others from persecution if possible, explaining that there was another world where people's freedom had been taken away just like Edelstein's. She then asked the Resistance member whether they would be willing to join her in the future, to which the Resistance member agreed. A pleased Claudine noted that she knew that they would before suggesting that they join the others in their crazy antics as they all celebrated their victory together.

Mission to Cernium

At the Alliance meeting following the convergence of Maple World and Grandis, Claudine and the other leaders marveled at how unbelievable it was that Grandis and Maple World were now one. However, they acknowledged that the fusion of their worlds meant that fighting Darmoor, who had a similar goal to remake the world as the Black Mage, was now an even higher priority, though Claudine pointed out that they were still recovering from the war against the Black Mage and asked how they were supposed to fight Darmoor. Neinheart then arrived with Carlisle, who reassured them that it wouldn't come to that if they helped him. He told them that Darmoor was waging war against all of Grandis, and that though his army was formidable, resistance fighters had forced him to spread his resources thin. Because of this, Carlisle believed that Darmoor was far from capable of crossing the forgotten sea to Maple World. Edea asked Carlisle why he had come to see the Alliance, to which he explained that Cernium was on the verge of invasion, and so he had come to request that the Alliance take on Darmoor while the High Flora army was still weak. Claudine noted that it would be helpful to have new allies, especially ones who had an intelligence network on the High Flora army. However, Carlisle clarified that Cernium didn't plan to join the Alliance, as they were only interested in protecting the holy land, rather than getting involved in a fight against a Transcendent.

Claudine was furious and demanded to know what kind of leader would abandon their allies just to save themselves. However, Cygnus told Claudine to calm down and reminded her that they couldn't force everyone to join their fight. Neinheart concurred and added that they would be no better than the enemy if they were to ignore a request for help. However, Claudine and Edea both protested that the Alliance wasn't prepared to fight in such a way, to which Neinheart told them that it was an opportunity to build a friendship with Cernium, which would not forget their aid. Carlisle agreed and told them that as a holy land, Cernium was frequented by countless pilgrims, whose patronage had made the land quite wealthy. He explained that in exchange for the Alliance's aid, Cernium would reward them handsomely. Though she conceded that it was a generous offer, Claudine pointed out that it wouldn't do them much good if they didn't survive the battle. Just then, an Alliance soldier arrived with urgent news for Cygnus, who adjourned the meeting and told everyone to consider what had been discussed in order to work out a plan the next day.

After the disastrous mission to Cernium, the Alliance held a meeting to cover the shocking events that had transpired. Edea agreed that the mission had been a disaster, but she explained that there was no way that they could have known that Aaron was Gerand Darmoor. Claudine asked why Darmoor had not only allowed the Adversary and the other Alliance members to escape, but had also restored the library using the power of time. Athena Pierce supposed that it meant that he didn't consider the Alliance a threat anymore. Edea added that he was a Transcendent, and that there was no way to know what he was thinking. However, she noted that everything had seemed too well-coordinated for it to have merely been a move against the Alliance or even the Adversary. She also added that even though it may have been an act, she couldn't help but think that it had something to do with what he had told her when they had first met, which was that he hated the High Flora more than anyone else, despite being born as one.

Repairs on Cosim

Some time after the mission to Karote, the Adversary was called to Edelstein by Claudine, who explained that she had something important to share. At the Secret Plaza, Claudine greeted them warmly, noting that it had been a while since they had last spoken. She then laughed and added that she would have thought that they would be less busy after saving the world. Nevertheless, she thanked them for their actions, as Edelstein was now at peace because of them. Claudine then explained that the Resistance had been trying to keep Edelstein safe and quiet. She told the Adversary that even after the Black Wings had been driven out of Edelstein following the Black Heaven incident, the threat of the Black Mage had forced them to divert their attention from rebuilding the town, despite them having reclaimed Edelstein and the Verne Mine. She explained that they had been putting off taking care of the city because of that, but with the Black Mage's defeat, everyone was now working together to finally start the rebuilding effort. However, Claudine admitted that they would never have everything quite the way it had been. She explained that aside from the property damage, the looting, and the mine having output issues, the people themselves had changed. She told the Adversary that many of their colleagues had gone missing, been injured, gone rogue, or been killed in the fight against the Black Wings and the Black Mage, with all of them leaving empty chairs, both big and small. Nevertheless, Claudine added that they still had to keep going anyway, vowing that they would fix and recover whatever they could. She explained that no matter how hard it was, they now had their freedom and their peace, and so she believed that everything would be okay.

Just as she noted that they had many people to thank for securing that freedom, she caught herself and laughed that she was talking as though everything was over when the Adversary was still out fighting. The Adversary explained that even with the Black Mage's defeat, there were other threats that still existed. They added that any help from the Resistance could make a great difference, just as it had during the war against the Black Mage. Claudine paused hesitantly before explaining that the Resistance had come together for individual freedom, not for any great cause. She added that they had only just gotten that freedom back, and so asking them to help outsiders now was just too soon. However, she conceded that it would be good to think about bringing freedom outside Edelstein together, as no one could empathize with oppression better than they could. Claudine then realized that she had gotten off track and explained that the reason why she had called them was because the Resistance had finished their check-up on Cosim, whom the Adversary had brought in after the mission to Karote. Claudine and the Adversary then went to the medical room, where the other Resistance leaders greeted them. After discussing Cosim's injuries and his connection to the Angler Company, Claudine told the Adversary that, according to rumors, the Company had been facing a run of bad luck. She then asked whether Neinheart had told them anything about it, to which the Adversary replied that Neinheart had mentioned that the Cygnus Knights were also looking into it. Claudine explained that when they had attempted to interrogate Cosim, he hadn't provided any clear answers, especially about the Company. However, she believed that he might talk to them and allowed them to speak with him privately.

Arteria Invasion

Following the invasion of Odium, the High Flora - under the command of the Apostle Reina - invaded Maple World, attacking every part of it, including Edelstein. Claudine led the Resistance to drive out the High Flora from their town. As the Cygnus Knights mobilized to rescue Cygnus after Reina kidnapped her, Claudine informed the Adversary that the Resistance had come to reinforce them after learning about the attack on Ereve. She added that with Lystor having retreated, they were all heading for the top floor, for which she asked them to keep holding on. At the same time, Reina was contacted by Lystor, whom she ordered to wipe out the Alliance forces, causing the Adversary to warn Claudine that the enemy still had something up their sleeves. On the lower floors, Claudine and Irena arrived with the Alliance, where Claudine noted grimly that there were more injured soldiers than she had anticipated, and that she hadn't thought that the situation would be so dire. Irena realized that Eckhart, Gaon, and the Adversary were fighting up ahead, because of which Claudine decided to push their forces ahead and pave the way forward.

Claudine and Irena then pushed forward to help Eckhart and Gaon drive off their enemies. Eckhart was shocked to see Irena and the Resistance, to which Claudine explained that they had rushed over as soon as they had received word that Ereve was in danger. Eckhart thanked her for saving them, though Claudine told him that she hadn't done it to be thanked, or for a reward, as they weren't on such bad terms that the Resistance would turn a blind eye to the Knights at such a moment, adding that they were comrades in the same Alliance, and that they would never turn away from a comrade in need. Together, the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights began pushing forward to the top level in order to reinforce the Adversary. As they did, they heard the Adversary's words of shock through the radio at Cygnus taking a mortal blow in their place and were horror-struck to hear that the Empress had passed away. However, all of them refused to believe it until they saw it with their own eyes, declaring that the Empress was too strong to be killed. Claudine addressed the Alliance soldiers and told them that though they must all have heard what had just happened, she urged them not to lose hope, despite whatever thoughts they must be having, and ordered them to advance.

The rescue party then pushed forward and reached the topmost floor, where they began charging forward towards the powerful ice soldiers. Claudine called for back-up from the Resistance and ordered them to push through at all costs, declaring that they didn't have a moment to lose. With all their combined efforts, the Alliance broke through the defensive line, allowing Gaon, Eckhart, Irena, and Claudine to enter the throne room, where they found Reina confronting the Adversary, who was barely standing between Cygnus' body. Shocked to find that the Empress had fallen, the Alliance leaders immediately surrounded Reina. Enraged at having been pushed to her limits, Reina decided that she had no other choice but to use her last resort. Using her draining crystal, Reina unleashed its divine power to boost her ice magic with a strange red energy, which she used to freeze the Alliance leaders and the Adversary's feet in place, though she immediately kneeled over in great pain as a result. As Claudine wondered what sort of power Reina had used, the Adversary attempted to break free from the ice in order to continue fighting Reina, despite Gaon warning them that they were reaching their limit, to which Reina noted that the Adversary had been holding on for a surprisingly long time. Irena furiously declared that what Reina had just done to Cygnus was nowhere near the same as when she had ambushed Ereve, vowing that she would never forgive her.

Suddenly, Lystor flew into the room with his wings and quickly pulled Reina into his arms before taking her a safe distance from their enemies. Lystor desperately asked Reina whether she was alright, to which she replied that their mission was complete, and that the God-King would be satisfied. She asked Lystor whether he had made preparations for the Vision Bomb, which he confirmed, explaining that the gas would soon fill up the ship, and that they should hurry and leave. Reina then looked back at the Alliance and grudgingly admitted that she had underestimated them all and that she looked forward to the day that they would meet again. As they fled from the throne room, the Alliance leaders managed to break free from the ice. Gaon yelled that the enemy was getting away, to which the Adversary attempted to force themselves to pursue them, declaring that they had to avenge the Empress. However, Claudine pointed out that they were grievously injured and that it would be far too dangerous for them to pursue Reina in their current state. She also reminded them that the Empress wouldn't have wanted them to hurt themselves like that. Just then, all eyes turned to Cygnus' body, whose finger had just briefly moved. Claudine immediately rushed to her side and noted that Cygnus was still alive, though she was extremely weak and severely injured. She explained that she would provide as much emergency treatment as she could, though Cygnus needed proper medical care as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Irena realized that poison gas had begun to fill the ship from the Vision Bomb, causing Gaon to wonder how the High Flora could do such a thing when their own mercenary soldiers were still on board. Irena then noted that with the poison gas spreading throughout the ship, they couldn't go after Reina with no plan and so many casualties, as they needed more time to recover their strength. The others accepted her idea, after which the Alliance leaders began gathering their soldiers in order to escape. After fighting their way through the soldiers, the Alliance managed to escape Arteria and return to Ereve. Back on the ground, Claudine began treating Cygnus with her medical knowledge as Edelstein's town doctor, though she told them that they needed Shinsoo's help if possible. Thanks to Claudine's efforts, Cygnus's life was saved, though she nevertheless remained in a coma at Shinsoo's side.

Mission to Carcion

Alliance Conference

Following the invasion of Ereve, an emergency Alliance meeting was held, where Neinheart summarized the situation. He then explained the three things that the Alliance needed to do: first, to recover Empress Cygnus's stolen powers; second, to determine the reason why Darmoor had been after the powers of a Transcendent; and finally, to take the initiative once they learned Darmoor's true goal. The Alliance leaders were surprised to hear that Neinheart intended to attack Darmoor first, with Claudine and Edea noting that it was quite a bold strategy compared to his usual standards. Neinheart clarified by explaining that he didn't mean to suggest that the Alliance would attack Darmoor, but rather, they would go after what Darmoor was really after and obtain it first. Soon after, he asked the Adversary to present the World Heart, which they took out and showed to the Alliance. Claudine asked the Adversary whether it was true that the World Heart could absorb the power of the Ancient Gods, which the Adversary confirmed, explaining that it currently held a portion of Darmoor's Transcendent powers within Kaling, as well as the power that Shinsoo had given them. Neinheart added that the World Heart was the only thing that could stand up to Darmoor and that if Darmoor truly intended to gather the power of the Ancient Gods, then restoring the World Heart was in the same vein as his objectives. Claudine noted that it was clear that the Alliance needed to secure the power of the Ancient Gods as soon as possible, which Neinheart agreed with, though he added that they were severely lacking in information regarding the gods. He also pointed out that they needed to determine the movements of the High Flora army before mobilizing the Alliance, as they didn't have many forces that were capable of moving out at the moment.

After the Alliance moved to rescue Gaon's friend, the Ancient God Keira, Claudine volunteered herself for the mission, explaining that there was something that she needed to confirm. She also added that they would need a doctor on board. She admitted that she understood what it meant for the representative of the Resistance to abandon her post at such a time, but she explained that it was in precisely such a time that the leaders of the Alliance needed to step forward, just as the Empress had. She added that she wanted to see for herself exactly what kind of enemy they were facing, as well as what they needed to do in order to stand up to them. The other Resistance instructors accepted her reasoning and wished her luck on the mission.

Helping the Turtle Anima

Above the skies of Grandis, the Glory Guard flew full speed towards Carcion. As they sat in silence, the Adversary noted that Gaon seemed uneasy and asked whether he was worried about Keira. Gaon explained that when the beam of light had emerged from his spear, he had been able to feel Keira's heart shaking. He noted that Keira was strong enough that he couldn't imagine her being defeated, but nevertheless, he was quite uneasy. Claudine told him to try not to worry too much, as it would hurt his decision-making. Gaon realized that she was right, noting that they could only do what they could. He pointed out that it would take a while until they arrived and asked whether they ought to plan out their attack formation once again. Eckhart replied that their current plan ought to be sufficient, adding that he was more curious about Carcion itself, such as its terrain and layout. As Gaon began explaining more about Carcion, Claudine noted that Keira hadn't fought in the Ancient War, to which Gaon explained that Keira despised war and destruction of any kind, likening the world to a cycle, just like the flow of water, which was most beautiful in its natural state. Believing that the war had broken the natural cycle, she had taken in the Anima refugees in order to protect them as much as she could.

Arriving at the beaches of Carcion, the Glory Guard encountered several Specters and Specterized creatures surrounding several turtle Anima warriors. Claudine noted that they needed to hurry, as there was someone injured amongst the warriors. After the Glory Guard defeated the Specters, Claudine approached the turtle Anima, who immediately raised their weapons at her. Claudine assured them that she wasn't their enemy and asked them to let her treat their wounded, explaining that she was a doctor. However, the leader of the warriors, Duhan, replied that he would never leave the life of one of his own in the hands of a stranger and ordered her to identify herself.he monsters' general structure seemed different from usual Specters, which made him believe that rather than being Specters themselves, they were merely animals corrupted by Specters, which Claudine speculated may have been because of the polluted waters.

After bringing the injured warriors to Pinjar, the Glory Guard learned from Duhan that in order to hinder the turtles' own recovery, the High Flora had also polluted the waters of Pinjar with a strange substance, incapacitating those who had drunk from it. Claudine realized that the injured turtle Anima in the village were those who had drunk from the polluted water. Duhan soon grew angry at Gaon being absent when the High Flora had attacked and angrily demanded to know where Gaon had been all these ages when their ancestors had called him Keira's guardian, adding that it wasn't just the snake Anima who had forsaken her. At Gaon's guilty expression, Duhan declared that he had nothing more to say to them. He then ordered them to tell him why they had sought him out, adding that, depending on their answer, he might chase them out for good. Eckhart retorted that they wouldn't simply accept Duhan's words lying down, to which Claudine cautioned him to remain calm.

As the incapacitated Anima had gotten even worse. Duhan and the Glory Guard rushed over to the wounded, where Claudine immediately took out her supplies and began assessing their condition. After a moment, however, she regretfully told them that there was nothing that she could do for them anymore, as the water that the Anima had ingested was polluting their bodies from the inside. She explained that in order to cure them, she would need to remove the polluted water from inside their bodies or neutralize the pollutant with another substance. However, she added that they didn't have enough time or the right materials to treat them. Gaon asked Claudine whether there was really no other way, to which Claudine explained that just as the Adversary had said before, if the pollution had come from the power of an Apostle, there was nothing that they could do. Suddenly, Claudine's words caused the Adversary to realize that the power which had polluted the waters stemmed from a higher being.

Upon examining the injured Anima closely, the Adversary began sensing the two different powers inside them. They then had an idea and approached the incapacitated warriors with the World Heart. Though Duhan was immediately suspicious, the Adversary asked everyone to trust them. By channeling their strong will, the Adversary consciously controlled the World Heart in order to absorb Darmoor's power inside the polluted water that the Anima had ingested. As the Anima warriors began recovering, Claudine was amazed to find that the Adversary had absorbed the power of the gods from within the Anima to save them. Eckhart noted that it was quite a spectacular sight and asked them whether their body were alright after performing such a feat. Gaon was shocked and told the Adversary that they had truly managed to bring the World Heart under their control for the first time.

After the turtle Anima agreed to work with the Alliance, Claudine expressed her relief that, after such a difficult process, they had finally managed to join forces. However, Eckhart told her that it was still too early to be relieved, as they still had very little information about the enemy, including the Flora army's objective. Just as Duhan began explaining that his scouts had been sent to find the kidnapped Anima, a warrior arrived and reported that the scouts had been attacked by the snake Anima. Duhan immediately ordered Eto to prepare for battle, declaring that they would be leaving at once. Together with the turtle Anima, the Adversary fought through the Specters in order to break the enemy lines. They then found the turtle scouts facing off against snake warriors. Just as Duhan arrived at the battlefield, the leader of the snake Anima, Hinya, arrived to lead her forces against the turtles. As the two leaders began to fight, Claudine noted that they wouldn't be able to convince the Anima with words. Nevertheless, the Adversary ran between the two forces and asked them to listen. Immediately upon seeing the Adversary, however, Hinya ordered her warriors to retreat.

The Elders' Laboratory

As the snakes ran back into the rainforest, Gaon wondered why they had fallen back. Claudine noted that the snakes must have been wary of them, especially the Adversary. However, Eckhart realized that the fact that the snakes hadn't expected them in the first place was suspicious. He pointed out that the snakes had very few warriors, as though they had only expected to meet the turtles. The Adversary then realized that if the snake Anima had truly been allied with the High Flora, they would have already known about the Alliance's involvement. Duhan then called to them and explained that with the injured being sent back to the village, they would begin pushing into the rainforest of Laguna. Gaon asked Duhan whether he was no longer planning to find the kidnapped Anima, to which Duhan explained that even if they were to rescue their people, the snake Anima would not halt their assault, meaning that before they could attack the temple and rescue the kidnapped turtles, they needed to destroy the snakes once and for all. Upon seeing Gaon's expression, Claudine told him that though she agreed with him that destroying the snakes wasn't the answer, it was also true that they needed more information about the kidnappings. The Adversary agreed, adding that they ought to try talking to the snakes one more time, as there was something bothering them about the whole situation. They then asked Eckhart to scout ahead in order to see if the missing Anima were being held at the temple, to which Eckhart agreed, adding that he would regroup with them in Laguna.

At the beach, Duhan told the Glory Guard that the snake Anima village was deep in Laguna, and that even the turtle Anima had no idea where its exact location was. However, he explained that Laguna was already under the control of the High Flora, which meant that they had no choice but to act quickly before the snakes' trail would get washed away. He suggested that they divide their forces into two, with one squad diverting the High Flora, while the other scoured the rainforest. Claudine replied that such a plan was reckless, as splitting up would only increase the risk of being attacked. Duhan told her that it couldn't be helped, as it was their only option with the limited amount of time that they had. Gaon then volunteered to act as bait and asked Claudine and the Adversary to search Laguna in his place. Duhan sardonically asked Gaon whether he was finally planning to act like a proper guardian before telling the Glory Guard that he would leave the mission in their hands.

The Glory Guard then entered Laguna, which was filled with Specters, and attempted to follow the trail of the warriors who had retreated. Soon enough, however, they realized that the snake Anima's tracks had completely disappeared. As they wondered what they ought to do, Claudine noticed a strange building in the woods. Inside, they were shocked to find that the building was an abandoned laboratory filled with test tubes and computer monitors. Duhan wondered what something like that was doing in the rainforest and realized that it must have been built by the High Flora. Upon examining the tools in the laboratory, Gaon realized that the entire place was filled with technology from Odium and that the kidnapped Anima must have been taken to the laboratory. The Adversary asked Gaon whether he knew what kind of experiments had taken place, though Gaon replied that the details of the experiments were outside the scope of his knowledge. Duhan was enraged to know that someone had been experimenting on his people, while the Adversary grimly realized that the presence of the laboratory meant that the elders who had betrayed Shangri-La were here in Carcion.

Claudine was equally furious as Duhan to know that the High Flora would stoop so low as to experiment on Anima children, declaring that they needed to change their plans and put all their efforts into saving the test subjects. Suddenly, Eckhart appeared and explained that he had finished scouting the central island. He revealed that just as he had thought, the sanctuary had been taken over by the High Flora, with the enemy soldiers mostly being Specters. He also added that he had felt a powerful energy from the top of the tree, which he believed must be an Apostle of Darmoor. The Adversary immediately realized that the presence of Specters meant that the Apostle who had invaded Carcion was Limbo. Eckhart then noted that there was something strange going on and told Duhan that, despite his claim that the snake Anima were working with the High Flora, he hadn't seen a single one at the enemy base. However, Duhan retorted by claiming that it didn't matter before asking where the kidnapped Anima were. Eckhart explained that he had found some clues, though he didn't know their exact location, as they were likely being held elsewhere. As Duhan cursed the snake Anima, Claudine declared that they needed to hurry, adding that she was all too familiar with the High Flora's type, with how they kidnapped and experimented on innocents. She vowed that she wouldn't fail at saving them this time, causing Eckhart to look curiously at her. As the others began leaving the laboratory, Eckhart called after Claudine to stay behind. Claudine asked him what was wrong, to which Eckhart asked her whether she was still bothered by the fact that she hadn't been able to save Vita, reminding her that it wasn't her fault. Claudine paused before telling Eckhart that she hadn't forgotten about any of them, explaining that it wasn't just Vita whom she mourned, but all the countless others like her who had been killed by Gelimer, adding that she would never forget their names.

High Flora Trap

Claudine and Eckhart then left the laboratory, where Duhan asked Eckhart what clues he had found about the missing Anima. Eckhart explained that while most of the Flora army was concentrated around the temple, there were several forces that kept moving back and forth between one location. Give how inconsistent that was with the enemy's objective, Eckhart speculated that those forces were being redirected to guard a secondary location away from their primary objective. He explained that the location was a sea cavern in-between the border of the shores and the rainforest. Duhan noted that he had originally ruled out the caverns as the place where the captured Anima were being held, as the tides were normally too high for them to be accessed. When Gaon suggested that they move out together, however, Duhan replied that Eto would lead the rescue party, while the others would push ahead and find the snake Anima. Gaon immediately began protesting that they didn't have time to waste, to which Duhan explained that now that they knew where the missing Anima were being held, time wasn't an issue anymore. However, he explained that they only had one chance to wipe out the snakes, adding that as long as they still lived, more turtles would continue to be attacked and captured in the future.

Realizing that Duhan would not give up his reckless plan, Claudine asked the Adversary what they, as the leader, believed they ought to do. The Adversary noted to themselves that Duhan couldn't make a rational decision because of his need for revenge. Claudine suggested that Duhan and Gaon join the rescue team, as they knew the geography of Carcion best, and volunteered to accompany them, as there would likely be injuries amongst the captured Anima. She then asked the Adversary and Eckhart to lead the assault team into Laguna. With their missions assigned, everyone split off and headed towards their assignment. In the caverns, Duhan began to sense the presence of the captured Anima as they proceeded deeper into the cave. However, he noted that the energy was quite faint, to which Claudine speculated that it may be a result of the experimentation, reassuring him that she would be able to treat them. However, Gaon noted that it was quite strange that they hadn't seen even a single guard inside since they had entered the cave, wondering why the enemy would be sending troops back and forth if they didn't intend to guard the area.

Proceeding deeper inside, the group found the captured Anima trapped behind a force field. Though they were surprised to know that both snake and turtle Anima had been taken prisoner, Gaon decided that they should free the captives first and used his power to break open the force field. Claudine immediately rushed ahead in order to treat the prisoners. However, upon sensing a strange energy emanating from them, she yelled at everyone to fall back, warning that it was a trap. Suddenly, another force field appeared around the rescue party, trapping them where they stood. Claudine then revealed that the prisoners weren't Anima, just as the Anima transformed into Specters. Duhan was shocked to see that his people had been turned into Specters, to which Gaon explained that it was the opposite, and that the Specters themselves had been disguised as Anima. He added that the Specters had been able to replicate not only the shape of the Anima, but their scent and bioenergy as well, noting that the only ones capable of such a feat were the elders. Just then, Albaire and two of the elders - Shensung and Xula appeared before them. Claudine asked him what he planned to do with them, to which Albaire asked her whether she really had no idea what awaited her. He declared that the High Flora eliminated their obstacles, and he then ordered his forces to begin the extermination. Suddenly, the water levels in the cavern began to rapidly rise, threatening to drown the rescue party, which was still trapped in the force field.

Facing Limbo

After the Adversary arrived with the snake Anima to rescue Claudine's team, Hinya and Duhan immediately raised their weapons at each other, demanding to know where each had taken the other's people. Claudine attempted to remind them that the kidnapped Anima were at the sanctuary, though neither warrior would put down their weapon. Eventually, after Keira's projection encouraged the two tribes to put aside their differences, the Alliance and the Anima worked together to rescue Keira. There, the Adversary asked Claudine to take care of the injured in the rear. After the Adversary defeated Limbo, Claudine and the others arrived at the scene, where they discovered the wounded Adversary and Gaon. Claudine began treating Gaon and explained that while his life wasn't in danger, his wounds were quite serious, for which she would give him emergency treatment. She then checked on the Adversary, who told them that they were fine, adding that they needed to secure Limbo first. However, Limbo - refusing to be beaten - decided to detonate himself and create an explosion large enough to wipe out all of Carcion and everything in its vicinity. A shocked Claudine realized that there was nothing that they could do to stop it, as attacking him would result in them setting off the detonation themselves.

In order to stop him, Keira began to channel every ounce of her power into defeating Limbo. As she pushed with all her might, Eckhart marveled in awe at the incredible amount of power that she was producing. However, Claudine was shocked to realize that even in spite of Keira's immense strength, Limbo was still pushing her back. Realizing that they needed to do something to help, the Adversary suddenly recalled that the World Heart had absorbed some of Keira's power throughout their time in Carcion. Summoning all their willpower, the Adversary controlled the World Heart in order to expel all of Keira's power that it had stored within itself, giving it back to its owner in order to help her defeat Limbo once and for all. However, Havoc soon arrived to drain Keira's power and evacuate Limbo, after which Claudine asked the Adversary whether they could stand, while Eckhart noted that the High Flora had disappeared, alongside their battleships. Eckhart then suggested that they return to Ereve, to which the Adversary asked Keira to come with them. Claudine agreed with the Adversary's suggestion, noting that without her powers, it would be best for her to stay in Ereve for her protection. Though Keira was hesitant, Gaon's reassurance about the Alliance's integrity convinced her to agree.

False Future (Gate to the Future)

In the illusory future created by Lucid in the Gate to the Future, Claudine and the Resistance betrayed the Maple Alliance even before Cygnus had been corrupted by the Black Mage, taking over Perion and establishing an authoritarian rule over its people. After the Alliance member entered Twilight Perion, they were shocked to find Claudine and Elex sitting at the top of the rocky mountainside, adorned in gilded clothes and overseeing the construction of a Black Mage statue. The Alliance member asked Claudine in surprise whether she was still part of the Resistance, to which Claudine laughed and noted that there was a time when it used to be called the Resistance, though in order to properly meet the demands of the changing times, she preferred to think of herself as a pioneer. She explained that after the Black Mage had taken over, their world was finally changing for the better, pointing out how even Perion – which she described as a barbaric place, far from the reach of civilization – was also starting to evolve. She added that by betraying the Alliance early on and siding with the Black Mage, they had been able to garner all sorts of special treatment, laughing that while the miserable laborers below aged away with such little dignity, she would stay young and beautiful forever. The Alliance member was shocked to realize that the Resistance had betrayed the Alliance by siding with the Black Mage, wondering how Claudine would react.

While helping the people of Twilight Perion, the Alliance member met with Claudine, who noted that their face seemed vaguely familiar. However, she decided to ignore it and told them that they would be of use to her in turning Perion into a tourist town, with the Black Mage statue as its crowning jewel. She explained that thanks to the foolish warriors of Perion, the Black Mage had destroyed the town for its resistance, because of which, there was nothing useful to make for decent souvenirs. As there were plenty of ‘sentimental fools' who still remembered the old Perion, Claudine believed that obtaining a stock of Strong Wild Boar Teeth from the Pillaging Fire Boars would sell well with those tourists, laughing that one of the Perion ‘savages' could carve faces into them to make them more appealing souvenirs. After the Alliance member brought her the fangs, Claudine told them that she would put the tribeswomen to work on decorating the fangs, though she noted that having just one type of souvenir seemed rather pathetic.

Soon after, the Alliance member met with Claudine, who told them that she had decided that no one would want to visit a gift shop with just one souvenir, and so she told them that they needed to come up with a new item. She then ordered the Alliance member to obtain Radiant Ancient Rubble from the Ancient Golems, noting that decorated fangs and old rock fragments would be fitting souvenirs for a remote warrior settlement. However, after the Alliance member brought back the Radiant Ancient Rubble, Claudine noted that the rock seemed more unpolished than she had expected, though she decided that she could put someone to work on it, believing that the tourists would enjoy the rustic look of it. She then had another idea and explained that they could sell the same product, but in different colors, which would drive up sales by having a limited quantity of each. In order to stock up, she ordered the Alliance member to obtain Radiant Dark Rubble from the Ancient Dark Golems. After the Alliance member brought back the rubble, Claudine noted disdainfully that the rocks were quite boring, though she nevertheless resolved to find a way to earn money with them, after which she dismissed the Alliance member. The Alliance member asked Claudine what she was planning to do with the money, to which a confused Claudine asked them why that mattered before explaining that she didn't need to think that far ahead. She added that they all had their roles, and that the less they thought about them, the better.

Mirror World

In Mirror World Edelstein, Claudine maintains her role as the leader of the Resistance and the town doctor of Edelstein. After Arsen was severely injured following his failed attempt to sever ties with the Transcendents, Claudine began treating his injuries. Alpha and Beta went to see Arsen in the hospital, but they were stopped by Claudine, who told them that Arsen wasn't in his right mind, due to Will's brainwashing. As Arsen had received irreparable damage from the brainwashing, Claudine recommended that they erase his memories in order to save him. She asked them to obtain Poison Concentrate from the Poison Gas Generator in the Verne Mine, which she used to make a medicine that would erase his memories. After Claudine gave the medicine to Arsen, Alpha sadly wondered whether any of it would have happened if he had just stayed in Shadowvale.

NPC

Edelstein

Claudine
Function	Doctor
Quests involved	[Resistance] Request from a Doctor [Cygnus Knights] Friendship is Impossible [Edelstein] I Need Some Fresh Air [Edelstein] Finding an Oxygen Respirator [Edelstein] The Unexpected Problem [Edelstein] Big Sister's Birthday Party 2 [Edelstein] Finding the Runaway Girl [Edelstein] A Gift For Sis [Mercedes] Medicine for Cutie [Alliance] Invitation [Alliance] Gesture of Good Will [Alliance] Claudine, Lady of Mystery
Location	Edelstein

Secret Plaza

Claudine
Function	Resistance Instructor
Quests involved	[Resistance] Mysterious Invitation [Resistance] The Resistance and You [Resistance] Headmaster Ferdi [Resistance] Black Wing Spy! [Resistance] Joining the Resistance [Resistance] The First Mission [Demon] [Resistance] The First Mission [Battle Mage] [Resistance] The First Mission [Wild Hunter] [Resistance] The First Mission [Mechanic] [Resistance] The First Mission [Blaster] [Resistance] Eliminate the Patrol Robots [Resistance] Sending a Warning [Resistance] Surl's Request 1 [Resistance] Surl's Request 2 [Resistance] Awakened Test Subject [Resistance] Request of the Test Subject 2 [Resistance] The Second Mission [Resistance] Abuses of the Black Wings [Resistance] A Gift for the Test Subject [Resistance] Delivering the Test Subject's Medicine [Resistance] The Third Mission [Resistance] Protecting Surl [Resistance] Darkness on Our Side [Resistance] The Outside World [Edelstein] Reason Behind Her Busy Schedule [Resistance] Spy or Victim? [Resistance] An Unsettling Discovery [Resistance] Truth and Lies [Resistance] In Search of an Antidote [Resistance] Feather Plant [Resistance] Decline [Resistance] Vita's Disappearance [Resistance] Gelimer's Trap [Resistance] I Repent! [Verne Mine] Those Who Resist [Verne Mine] More Investigating [Verne Mine] Their Purpose [Alliance] Time To Make a Decision [Alliance] Continental Conference [Demon] [Alliance] Continental Conference [Xenon] [Resistance] Special Training Emergency Roundup [Battle Mage] [Resistance] Special Training Emergency Roundup [Wild Hunter] [Resistance] Special Training Emergency Roundup [Mechanic] [Resistance] This is Not a Drill [Blaster] [Resistance] Find the missing Job Instructor [Resistance] Find the missing Job Instructor [Resistance] Find the missing Job Instructor [Resistance] The Missing Instructor [Blaster] [Temple of Time] Seeking Lost Memories [Normal Resistance] [Xenon] A Warm(er) Welcome [Odium] Contact from Edelstein
Location	Secret Plaza

Power Plant Security (Evan Quest)

Claudine
Location	Power Plant Security

Secluded Corner in the Park (Evan Quest)

Claudine
Quests involved	[Alliance] A Common Foe? [Alliance] More Allies
Location	Secluded Corner in the Park

Xenon's Past

Claudine
Location	None

Conference Room of the Alliance

Claudine
Location	Conference Room of the Alliance

Twilight Perion

World Archive

“The corrupted leader of the Resistance. It's said that when the Black Mage came to rule Maple World, this leader withdrew from the Alliance and sided with the Black Mage instead. He styles himself as a pioneer of a new age.
Apparently, he plans to turn Perion into a tourist destination. He has become a despicable figure, who casually mocks Perion as a village of foul-smelling brawlers.”

― Chronicler J.K.

Claudine
Function	Resistance
Quests involved	[Twilight Perion] Unsettling Future 3 [Twilight Perion] Unsettling Future 4 [Gate to the Future] Perion's Specialty 1 [Gate to the Future] Perion's Specialty 2 [Gate to the Future] Perion's Specialty 3
Location	Twilight Perion

Outpost

Claudine
Location	Outpost

Moonbridge

Resistance Flagship

Claudine
Location	Resistance Flagship

Limina

End of the World 2-1

Claudine
Location	End of the World 2-1

Arteria

Operations Center

Claudine
Location	Operations Center

Carcion

Carcion Shores

Claudine
Location	Carcion Shores

Giant Coral Colony 1

Claudine
Location	Giant Coral Colony 1

Giant Coral Colony 3

Claudine
Location	Giant Coral Colony 3

Calm Beach 1

Claudine
Location	Calm Beach 1

Pinjar's Armor

Claudine
Location	Pinjar's Armor

Coastal Treeline 1

Claudine
Location	Coastal Treeline 1

Enfolding Forest 2

Claudine
Location	Enfolding Forest 2

Hidden Laboratory

Claudine
Location	Hidden Laboratory

Coastal Treeline 2

Claudine
Location	Coastal Treeline 2

Somewhere Deep Inside the Cave

Claudine
Location	Somewhere Deep Inside the Cave

Sacred Tree Summit

Claudine
Location	Sacred Tree Summit

Mirror World Edelstein

Claudine
Function	Doctor
Location	[Mirror World] Edelstein

Gallery

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  NPC Sprite of Claudine (Water Wars Event)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (Citizen attire, 2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (Citizen attire, 2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (Citizen attire, 2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Claudine (2014 - 2022)
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  World Archive Illustration of a young Brighton, Belle, Claudine, and Elex, as well as Checky
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  World Archive Illustration of Checky, Brighton, Elex, Claudine, and Belle

Trivia

• In KMS, JMS and CMS, Claudine is named Sigmund. However, this name is a male German name, and it was changed in GMS into Claudine. This name fits well the character, as it's French, with the Resistance itself being a reference to the real life French Resistance who fought against the Nazis in World War II.