Eckhart

NPCMonster

Eckhart
CurrentStandingCalcified"Future"
Title	Chief Knight of Darkness
Hometown	El Nath
Current Residence	Ereve
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Affiliations	Cygnus Knights Empress Cygnus Neinheart Maple Alliance
Minions	Night Walkers
Enemies	Black Mage Black Wings Gerand Darmoor High Flora
Status	Alive (Lore) Fightable (gameplay)
Name (Other Servers)
KoreaMS	이카르트 (Eckhart; Ikareuteu)
JapanMS	イカルト (Eckhart; Ikaruto)
TaiwanMS	伊卡勒特 (Yīkǎlēitè)
Voice Actors
GlobalMS	Griffin Burns
KoreaMS	Jihoon Choi

World Archive

“Eckhart serves as the Chief Knight of Darkness among the Cygnus Knights' five leaders.
He often wears a mask, as his covert knights known as Night Walkers do.
He seems difficult to approach, so I've never even heard his voice, but among the Chief Knights themselves, they appear to interact with one another quite casually and amicably.”

― Chronicler Q

Eckhart is the Chief Knight of Darkness and the Night Walker instructor.

Story

Becoming the Chief Knight of Darkness

Growing up as an orphan in El Nath, Eckhart frequently stole in order to survive. One day, however, he encountered a woman who led a band of outlaws that stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The outlaw leader saved Eckhart from the streets and took him in as one of their own. She taught Eckhart everything that she knew, and she gave him a purpose beyond simply surviving. Over time, the wealthy El Nath residents began growing angry with the outlaws' activities and soon discovered their secret headquarters. While Eckhart was out on a mission, assailants hired by the wealthy attacked the base and began slaughtering the outlaws. Eckhart returned to find his teacher fighting off the assailants. His teacher ordered him to run and save himself, and when Eckhart refused, she told him to carry out their legacy and save those who suffered in the darkness. After giving him her mask, she explained that he could understand others' pain because of how he had suffered himself. She then teleported him away, leaving herself alone and surrounded by enemies. Following the incident, Eckhart returned back and attempted to search for her many times, though he was never successful, eventually coming to terms with the fact that she had most likely died. After spending time thinking about what to do next, he decided to join the Cygnus Knights in order to follow his teacher's last words and save others from darkness. Nevertheless, Eckhart would frequently leave Ereve and spend time at the site where his teacher fell in battle.

Over time, the Cygnus Knights continued to grow, with several other Knights - Irena, Oz, and Hawkeye - being recruited. Along with Mihile, the five of them investigated unusual behavior of Drakes in Sleepywood, which had gone berserk. In Sleepywood, the Knights were shocked to find the Drakes rampaging around the town. Hawkeye noted that the Drakes rarely emerged from their caves, which meant that they were either hungry or there was some problem with their territory. He also speculated that someone may have lured the Drakes into town on purpose. Eckhart immediately teleported over and began fighting the Drakes on the flat grounds of the town. The rest of the Knights then began evacuating the townspeople, after which they decided to split up and take care of the five Drake subspecies. Hawkeye suspected that Eckhart was taking care of the Dark Drakes in the caves. He explained that, contrary to their names, Dark Drakes used electricity, which made them less than ideal for him to fight. Mihile then ordered Oz to protect the townspeople from the Copper Drakes before tasking Hawkeye and Irena to eliminate the Ice Drakes and Red Drakes, respectively.

With everyone given their assignment, Mihile headed into the caves and took care of the frenzied Drakes. On his way out, however, he discovered a strange scale that emitted a purple gas. Believing that it was a clue, he decided to take it with him. Back in town, he rendezvoused with Oz, Hawkeye, and Irena, who all reported that the monsters in the caves were coming back to their senses. Irena wondered why the Drakes would act up when they weren't particularly intelligent creatures, to which Mihile explained that he had found a potential clue. As they prepared to head back to Ereve, Oz wondered where Eckhart was when the Night Walker suddenly revealed himself from the shadows. Back in Ereve, the five Knights reported their success to Neinheart and noted their concerns about the Drakes' abnormal behavior. Neinheart suspected that the Drakes' behavior was related to a related incident in Henesys, in which the Golems had started behaving erratically too. Mihile then presented the strange scale to Neinheart and explained that it seemed to have poison powder. Neinheart grew thoughtful and noted that it warranted its own investigation before congratulating the Knights on their successful mission.

Soon after, Eckhart received an emergency telegram from Neinheart, who who ordered all knights to return to Ereve immediately. Eckhart rushed to Ereve and met with Neinheart and the other senior Knights. Neinheart explained that several Cygnus Knights had inexplicably begun to turn on each other, as though they had been bewitched. Hawkeye noted that it seemed as though someone wanted to cause a division amongst them, causing Eckhart to wonder whether the perpetrators were spies. Neinheart told them that he believed otherwise, adding that Shinsoo was doing what she could to keep the rest of the knights pacified. Mihile then asked him where Cygnus was, to which Neinheart regrettably replied that he had lost sight of her. He then tasked the Knights with defeating the wayward knights and rescuing the Empress. While the other Knights defeated the ensorcelled knights of their respective divisions, Eckhart fought through the bewitched Night Walkers. After Mihile saved the Empress, Neinheart noted that the same thing which had happened to the Drakes had happened to the Knights, concluding that the same person had been responsible for both. He added that only the Black Wings would attack them so brazenly, but nevertheless, he expressed his relief that the crisis was over. With the situation resolved, Neinheart and Cygnus announced that they were planning to name the five Chief Knights who would lead each division of the Cygnus Knights. Cygnus then appointed each knight and blessed them with the power of an elemental spirit. Eckhart was then Chief Knight of Darkness and led the Night Walkers with the power of Umbra.

Some time after their appointments, Hawkeye asked Mihile to speak with Eckhart, who seemed quite out of place with the others. After Mihile agreed, Hawkeye told him to go to El Nath, where Eckhart spent a lot of his time. Mihile tracked Eckhart to a remote part of El Nath, where Eckhart reluctantly agreed to share his story, as it was his remembrance day. He explained that he had grown up without family or friends, and that he would steal in order to survive. One day, he had encountered his savior - a woman with beautiful, long hair who ran her own outlaw band that stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Eckhart explained that the woman had taught him everything he knew and that she had given him a purpose beyond surviving. Though they had happily continued stealing, the rich had grown angry that their money was being stolen for the poor, and they had soon discovered the outlaws' headquarters. Eckhart, who had been out on a mission, had returned to find their base being attacked by assailants. Eckhart explained that after his teacher had given him her mask and sent him away, he had looked for her many times, though he had never been successful, adding that he hoped that she was merely good at hiding. After spending a lot of time thinking, he had decided to join the Cygnus Knights. Having shared his story, Eckhart teleported away.

Hilla's Deception

In order to destabilize Cygnus's legitimacy as the Empress, Hilla posed as a noblewoman and publicly made a claim that she was the true heir to Ereve. With Shinsoo away for unknown reasons, an emergency conference was held in Ereve, where Hilla would testify for her right to the throne. Eckhart - alongside the other Chief Knights - attended the conference and listened as Hilla claimed to be the descendant of Empress Aria by presenting Skaia, the treasure of Ereve. Though Eckhart and the other Knights argued on behalf of Cygnus, Hilla continued overriding their arguments until Phantom himself appeared and exposed Hilla's treachery.

Training the Knight

Note: This section only takes place if the player is a Night Walker.

A Knight's Path

A descendant of the Noblesse - an ancient order of warriors who had sworn to uphold Shinsoo's ideals - was formally inducted into the Cygnus Knights by Empress Cygnus, after which they met with the five Chief Knights and chose their path, becoming a Night Walker under Eckhart's tutelage. After the Cygnus Knight successfully completed their first mission in Victoria Island, they were dispatched to investigate the Black Wings in Edelstein. As they were about to board the airship, Eckhart arrived and asked whether it was true that they had defeated Francis the Puppeteer. The Knight dismissed their actions as merely luck, and though Eckhart was pleased by their humbleness, he warned the Knight to remain vigilant, as darkness grew stronger even as they did. He then wished the Knight good luck on their mission, explaining that he had a mission of his own to complete. Before he left, however, Eckhart reached out to 10 Boogies in Edelstein and asked her to supervise the Knight's training while they were on their mission, for which 10 Boogies tasked the Knight with defeating the nearby Water Thief Monsters. After the Knight successfully completed their mission in Edelstein, they were tasked by Cygnus to seek out Eckhart, who told them that he was impressed by how much they had accomplished, especially given that they were only a Knight-in-Training. He then suggested that the Knight take the Official Knighthood exam. Once the Knight accepted, Eckhart asked them to go to the Second Drill Hall and defeat a clone of a Jr. Balrog, which was significantly weaker than the real one, though challenging nevertheless. The Knight defeated the clone and brought back a Proof of Knighthood, after which Eckhart promoted them to Official Knight. Soon after, the Knight began training in Maple World and growing stronger, after which Neinheart recommended that they try becoming an Advanced Knight. He sent them to meet with Eckhart, who agreed that they had become stronger. However, he explained that while their Official Knighthood exam had tested their strength, their Advanced Knighthood exam would test their faith. He explained that a Knight's faith was revealed when facing inner darkness, and so he sent the Knight to the Third Drill Hall, where the Knight faced their inner darkness in the form of a dark shadow. They then reported back to Eckhart, who was pleased by their success and sent them to meet the Empress. Cygnus was also impressed by their growth and unlocked greater power within them before promoting them to Advanced Knight.

Soon after, Neinheart reached out to them again and noted that they had grown much stronger. He explained that he had an urgent secret mission that he normally would have only entrusted a Chief Knight to undertake, but as all the Chief Knights were away on missions, he had decided to entrust it to the Knight on Eckhart's recommendation. He asked them to retrieve a special book from Wiz the Librarian at Helios Library, emphasizing that it was highly important. At the library, however, Wiz told them that a group of unidentified people with strange devices and animals had demanded that he give them the book shortly before the Knight had arrived. He explained that the book was ancient and had recently been found on an old bookshelf in Helios Library. As it had been written in a strange language, he had no idea what the contents of the book were, although he added that the Cygnus Knights had asked to retrieve it upon learning that the Black Wings were trying to take it. The Knight chased after the group and caught up with them near Ludibrium Station. They were surprised to find that the group was comprised of the Resistance leaders. 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, Eckhart 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. Eckhart then asked the Knight to deliver the book to Neinheart, who congratulated them on their successful mission.

Gate to the Future

Soon after, Neinheart contacted the Knight and noted that they had grown very strong, with few Cygnus Knights being able to match their strength. He told them that rumors had been circulating that Cygnus and the Knights had betrayed Maple World and joined the Black Mage. Though he believed it to be absurd, he acknowledged that rumors grew stronger as more people talked about them, regardless of how ridiculous they were. He also noted that since the rumors originated from the Gate to the Future, someone might have confused a hypothetical future with reality. He asked them to investigate the rumors, but as the Temple of Time was dangerous, he told them that they would work alongside Eckhart. He then sent them to meet with Della, one of their informants. At the Temple of Time, Eckhart and the Knight met with Della, who told them that the rumors about the Cygnus Knights betraying Maple World in the future were true, with Cygnus being known as the Axle of Evil. However, she explained that a strange black fog was coming out of the Gate to the Future, preventing both her and the Temple Keepers from entering. Eckhart decided that they would need to look into it themselves and asked Della about the fog. She explained that the fog pushed people away the further they entered, preventing them from catching anything more than a glimpse of the future. Eckhart and the Knight arrived at the Gate to the Future, where they discovered the thick black fog emanating from beyond the door. The Knight felt as though something was calling to them, and so they entered through the door and arrived in Future Ereve, where they encountered Future Cygnus and her corrupted Chief Knights. Suddenly, the Knight began to feel an unnatural drowsiness overtake them and lost consciousness.

They soon awoke back at the Temple of Time to the sight of Eckhart attempting to wake them up. Suddenly, the black fog formed tendrils of darkness that attempted to grab at the Knight. Eckhart immediately pushed them aside, but the tendrils instead ensnared him and dragged him into the Gate to the Future. The Knight rushed in after Eckhart, but they were soon engulfed by the same unnatural sense of drowsiness. As they felt their consciousness fade away, the Knight heard Cygnus's voice calling out to them and reminding them of who they were. The Knight was able to remain awake and found themselves in a dreamscape, where they discovered a Wightmare placing Eckhart into an enchanted sleep. The Knight quickly defeated the Wightmare and took Eckhart back to the Temple of Time. Eckhart awoke and thanked them for their help, explaining that the Wightmare had been trying to brainwash him by planting images into his mind. Suddenly, Della rushed over to them and explained that there was an emergency in Ereve, as the Empress had fallen. Eckhart and the Knight rushed back to Ereve, where they found that the black fog had engulfed the island. They found Neinheart and the others huddled around an unconscious Cygnus and asked what had happened. Neinheart explained that the black fog had suddenly appeared, causing Cygnus to pass out right after. He noted that the black fog was no simple attack, as it had been able to bypass both Ereve's barrier and Shinsoo's protection. Kinu, one of the Piyo training instructors, noted that Cygnus had fallen into an enchanted sleep, which the Knight realized was just like what had happened to them. Oz noted that Cygnus' power was fading and that she was in grave danger, since she had not yet fully accepted Shinsoo's power.

As the Chief Knights argued about what to do, Shinsoo sensed that the Knight had learned something significant in the Gate to the Future and asked them to share it with the others. After the Knight explained how they had been ensnared by the black fog, Neinheart realized that since Cygnus's power and that of the Cygnus Knights were intertwined, the Knight being affected by the black fog may have inadvertently resulted in Cygnus experiencing the same. Neinheart told the Knight that just as they had saved Eckhart, they now needed to save Cygnus within her dreamscape as well. Through the grace of Shinsoo, Neinheart sent the Knight into Cygnus's dreamscape, where they found her staring at her corrupted self through a mirror. Suddenly, Future Cygnus shattered the mirror, knocking the real Cygnus out, and emerged through the other side. The Knight immediately fought Future Cygnus and defeated her, sending both the real Cygnus and themselves back into the real world. Around them, the black fog dissipated as Cygnus awoke from her nightmare. Some time after the incident, Neinheart thanked the Knight for their valiant efforts and noted that based on everything that he and Eckhart had observed, the Knight had risen to become the epitome of a Cygnus Knight, both in power and valor. He then explained that Oz had discovered that the power of the black fog had been entirely foreign, after which he asked the Knight whether they had found any clues while fighting the Wightmare and Future Cygnus. The Knight told him that they were certain that the mastermind wasn't a Black Wings member, as the Wightmare's clothes had the pattern of a butterfly, not the Black Wings' symbol. Neinheart realized that they were likely facing a new enemy and resolved to look into them. He also told them that with the black fog having lifted from the Gate to the Future, he was planning on sending a full-scale investigation to investigate the rumors. He then told the Knight that Cygnus had something important to tell them. The Knight went to meet Cygnus, who noted that they had grown stronger while holding true to their beliefs, never once losing their heart while protecting the weak. Because of their valor, Cygnus promoted them to Chief Knight. Soon after, Eckhart congratulated them for their promotion and added that they expected great things from the Knight.

Helping the Resistance

After the Cygnus Knights learned that the Resistance was in need of Feather Plants to create a cure for a poison that was affecting its agents, Eckhart contacted a Resistance member and told them to come alone to the Edelstein Airport. There, he greeted them and introduced himself as the Chief Knight of Darkness. At the Resistance member's surprise, he explained that the Cygnus Knights weren't enemies with the Resistance. He told the Resistance member that the Cygnus Knights knew that the Resistance was trying to find Feather Plants, adding that since the herbs only grew in Ereve, the Knights would be more than happy to supply as many as they needed. The suspicious Resistance member asked Eckhart why they would give the Feather Plants to them for free, to which Eckhart explained that though it was a gesture of goodwill, the Cygnus Knights also wanted to clear up the misunderstanding between their two organizations, adding that the Knights hadn't abandoned the Resistance out of their own choice. Nevertheless, Eckhart explained that going into detail about it would only seem like further excuses, and so the Knights instead hoped that aiding the Resistance would remind them that they were all on the same side. The Resistance member then 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, adding that she would have another agent return them to the Knights.

Cygnus Awakens

As part of an upcoming Alliance meeting away from Ereve, the Chief Knights were assigned to serve as Cygnus's security detail. Eckhart and the other Chief Knights rendezvoused at the Six Path Crossway, when suddenly, an injured Kiku arrived at the station and explained that Ereve was under attack, and that though Shinsoo was fighting off the invaders, the situation was looking grim. Neinheart asked Kiku who had attacked Ereve, to which he explained that it was an unknown man with grey skin and purple hair. Cygnus immediately decided that she would return along with the rest of the Chief Knights, as their forces would otherwise be split between protecting her and reinforcing Shinsoo. Neinheart agreed with her, explaining that there was a chance that the attack on Ereve could be a ruse to draw them away from Cygnus. He decided that it would be best for them to all return to Ereve together, adding that he would postpone the Alliance meeting as well. As they prepared to debark, Neinheart began wondering what the enemy's goal could be in attacking Ereve. The Knights then reached Ereve, only to find the entire island in ruins. For an instant, they saw Damien smirking in front of Shinsoo's body before he teleported away with Alicia. The Knights rushed ahead and found Shinsoo lying motionless, causing Cygnus to burst into tears and cry over Shinsoo's body. Suddenly, a surge of power welled up inside her, causing a large water barrier to envelop around herself and Shinsoo. Mihile rushed forward in an attempt to save the Empress, but found that his attacks did nothing. Neinheart was shocked at the sight of Cygnus constructing a barrier with her own power, and not with Shinsoo's, which he had believed to be impossible. Within the water barrier, Cygnus experienced an awakening and a transformation. With her new powers, she touched Shinsoo's body and restored vitality to the divine beast. Over the next few months, the Knights rebuilt Ereve after Damien's attack, with Shinsoo leaving Ereve to a refuge in Leafre. Soon after, the Knight whom Eckhart had trained was called to Leafre by Shinsoo, who revealed that Cygnus had prematurely awakened as a Transcendent-in-waiting.

Arcane River Expedition

After the Arcane River was created, the Alliance began making preparations to begin the final battle against the Black Mage. At Neinheart's request, Eckhart was dispatched to the Black Mage's laboratory deep beneath Magatia. There, Eckhart noted that there didn't seem to be anything left, with Neinheart replying to him over the comms to explain that almost everything there had already been recovered by the Alliance in previous missions. However, with the Black Mage having created the Arcane River as part of his endgame, Neinheart explained that he had dispatched Eckhart in order to find any clues that he could, as the Black Mage's laboratory was the only place where they may be able to learn about his true intentions. Eckhart asked Neinheart about the Adversary's status, to which Neinheart replied that they had just received another letter from the Adversary, and that the Alliance needed to continue doing what they had to do. However, he added that he would cease investigating the Black Mage's laboratory if they didn't find anything, as the current investigation was merely his last-ditch hope that the sharp eyes of a Chief Knight would find something that they had overlooked. Eckhart noted that finding something with no clues to go on was impossible, though just as he spoke, he had an idea. To Neinheart's shock, Eckhart destroyed the altar in the laboratory, revealing that the clue they were missing was that if they had found everything that they could see, they needed to look for something that they couldn't see.

Though Neinheart chided Eckhart for his recklessness, Eckhart told Neinheart that there was no harm done, as he had just revealed a secret passageway behind the altar. As he walked through the darkness, Eckhart noted that the passageway ran quite deep, especially given that the laboratory itself had already been deep underground. Soon enough, Eckhart arrived at a hidden lake deep within the underground caverns. Looking down, he was surprised to find entire bookshelves underground, with pages floating beneath the surface of the water. Eckhart wondered whether the books were records left behind by the Black Mage, just as he noticed a lamp nearby. Upon turning on the lamp, a starry image of Kao riding the Flame Bird in the Vanishing Journey was projected into the air, with Eckhart realizing that the lamp had been enchanted by the Black Mage, though not for offensive or defensive purposes. Activating the lamp a second time, Eckhart saw an image of Tana chained in Kritias. Though he had no idea what he was seeing, Eckhart began to wonder whether he was viewing events that had been recorded from history. However, he noted that something seemed off, and so he turned on the lamp one more time to view an image of the giant in Limina looming over the Arcane River. Eckhart then began suspecting that, rather than the records being historical events, they were instead something else. With the lamp no longer functioning, Eckhart decided that they would instead need to gather the paper records under the lake in order to analyze them.

Tenebris

During the final assault of the White Spear to reach the Black Mage, Eckhart 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. Cygnus then addressed the Black Mage and declared that the Maple Alliance would never support him before she rallied the Chief Knights into attacking. After the Adversary and the Alliance defeated the knights, 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.

Aftermath

In Ereve, Empress Cygnus addressed her Knights and thanked them all for their bravery. She then asked if they were willing to continue following her in the fight against evil, which garnered a rallying cry for Cygnus.

Note: This section only takes place if the player is a Night Walker.

Eckhart told the Knight that he'd skip the greetings and instead said that they had exceeded his expectations, and that they had fought well. The Knight replied that Eckhart was giving them too much praise, as it was he who had opened the path of the Night Walker to them, to which Eckhart laughed and told them that they had done good work.

Cosim's Infiltration

A few months after the events of Cernium, Cosim infiltrated Ereve, prompting Eckhart and the Chief Knights to chase after him. As they did, Neinheart found a set of rabbit-like footprints leading in the opposite direction. He then ran into Cosim who told him that some of the answers that the Alliance sought about the Ancient Gods could be found amidst the deserts of Grandis, after which he disappeared. As the Chief Knights returned, Cosim overlooked them on a cliff, watching them speak with Neinheart.

High Flora Skirmish

After Maple World and Grandis became one, Eckhart and his Night Walkers were deployed to the border between worlds, where they engaged in skirmishes with the High Flora and the Specter army, where they learned that the Apostle Limbo and his adjutant, Albaire, were High Flora officers at the forefront of the Specter army. During these brief altercations, several Alliance soldiers were abducted by the Flora and brought to the High Flora capital of Aboris, where the Apostle Ypsilon extracted their memories to learn more about the Alliance. From these memories, Ypsilon reported to Darmoor that Cygnus was a Transcendent-in-waiting, and that Shinsoo was an Ancient God, prompting Darmoor to make preparations to invade Maple World and take Cygnus and Shinsoo's divine power. Soon after the expedition to Hotel Arcus, Eckhart attended a meeting with Neinheart, the Adversary, and the Chief Knights, where he reported that the Night Walkers had confirmed that the High Flora army was expanding, and that there were reported sightings of High Flora scouts having crossed the forgotten sea to Maple World. After a few skirmishes, Eckhart had also learned that the Specters, the primary force that made up their army, were different from normal soldiers because of their unnatural recovery rate. Eckhart added that he had a bad feeling about the Specters, and so he would be away from Ereve for some time in order to investigate further.

Arteria Invasion

After the Apostle Reina invaded Maple World aboard the battleship Arteria, Eckhart continued repelling the Flora army at the border between worlds. As he did, Shinsoo - sensing that the Empress was in danger - left her refuge in Leafre and brought Eckhart and the Night Walkers to reinforce the Cygnus Knights in Ereve. Alongside Shinsoo, Eckhart and his Knights arrived just in time to save Irena and Oz, who were overwhelmed by the enemy forces. After learning that Reina had kidnapped Cygnus, Eckhart volunteered to board Arteria alongside the Adversary and Gaon. Eckhart noted that it wouldn't be an easy mission, as they were heading straight into the heart of enemy territory. Before they could leave, however, Shinsoo stopped them and gave a portion of her divine power to the Adversary and the World Heart, causing everyone to realize that Shinsoo was an Ancient God. Nevertheless, Eckhart noted that Shinsoo being an Ancient God changed nothing, as Shinsoo was just Shinsoo, which was all that he needed to know. Meanwhile, the Alliance airships landed in Arteria's hangar, which Eckhart noted was unfortunate, as it was where the greatest number of enemies would be gathered. Upon looking around at all the airships, Gaon noted that it must be how the High Flora army had descended upon Maple World. The Adversary pointed out that if they stopped the enemy in Arteria, the High Flora would be unable to reach Ereve anymore, to which Eckhart laughed that the Adversary had guts. Gaon added that once their base on Ereve was secured, their reinforcements would grow. Eckhart decided that they would undergo the mission until enemy reinforcements arrived, for which he ordered them to search the battleship. As the rescue party continued searching, they quickly realized that Arteria was so massive that they would never find the Empress with how few soldiers and little time they had, especially since they could be done for as soon as they picked the wrong route.

Suddenly, the Adversary began to hear Cygnus's voice in their head. Though neither they nor Cygnus was sure of how it was happening at first, the Adversary quickly realized that Shinsoo – who shared a connection with the Empress – had given them her powers inside the World Heart, which Cygnus had unconsciously been able to form a mental link with. Cygnus realized that it was the most likely explanation, as even Reina had sensed Shinsoo's powers earlier. She then added that thanks to Shinsoo sharing her power, she could now deliver her message to the Adversary. Cygnus told them that, assuming that she hadn't been relocated since losing consciousness, she was on the topmost floor of the battleship. She added that she could vaguely feel the Adversary's presence, and that they should be able to feel hers through their connection. With their bond, the Adversary was able to confirm that Cygnus was still on the top floor, though Cygnus soon began losing energy and fell unconscious. After informing Eckhart and Gaon about what they had learned, Eckhart ordered the Knights to move forward towards the top floor. Suddenly, a large bulkhead fell onto the ground, cutting the rescue party into two groups. As it would take too long to move the bulkhead, Eckhart and Gaon asked the Adversary to lead the front line towards the Empress while they found another way around. Soon after, Eckhart and Gaon arrived with their forces, having found another way to reach the Adversary. After being warned by a Cygnus Knight to take caution, as the enemies were getting stronger as they pushed forward, Gaon wondered whether they could keep going, as they had sustained heavy losses from their forces being split apart. Eckhart replied that they had no choice and asked the Adversary to help them push forward, explaining that he had contacted Ereve, who was sending reinforcements.

The Adversary then thinned out the enemy's numbers before the rescue party pushed ahead. As more and more High Flora soldiers arrived to repel them, Eckhart noted that the Adversary was right, as the high volume of enemies likely meant that the Empress was indeed on the top floor. However, he wondered whether they would be able to break through with the number of soldiers that they currently had. Nevertheless, as they had no choice, he began ordering the Knights to advance, just as Lystor flew down behind them and cut through half their forces by opening his wings to launch a powerful dash attack. Lystor commended the Knights for their bravery in coming aboard Arteria, though he declared that they hadn't thought things through, as their plans would all be for naught once he killed them. However, Eckhart laughed and asked Lystor whether he truly thought that the Knights would undertake such a mission without knowing that they could lose their lives. He then rallied the Knights into pushing forward and ignoring the enemy's line of defense, reminding them that their sole mission was to get the Adversary and Gaon to the top floor, much to the pair's shock. Declaring that he believed in them, Eckhart asked them to save the Empress before rushing into battle. Despite Eckhart's efforts, however, Lystor managed to slip past him and caught up to the Adversary and Gaon. Eckhart rushed ahead and found an injured Gaon, who apologized for being unable to hold off Lystor while the Adversary pushed ahead. However, Eckhart replied that he should be the one apologizing for putting Gaon in danger by involving him in their situation, though he added that it was because of Gaon that they had been saved, as he had helped fend off the enemy for so long. Just then, Lystor arrived and noted that he was surprised that the Alliance had managed to hold out with such a small force. However, he told them that it made no difference, as his forces held the advantage in numbers, and that they would soon be wiped out.

Eckhart then told Gaon that he would buy time for him to escape, noting that Gaon surely hadn't left Shangri-La just to die in such a place. However, Gaon refused, claiming that no matter how briefly, they were comrades who had each other's backs, for which he could not leave Eckhart behind. Eckhart replied that he didn't mind dying in such a way, as it had always been his dream to die fighting for Ereve. Just then, Irena – along with Claudine and their reinforcements – arrived and jokingly told him that while it was rather cool of him to have such a dream, it wasn't his time yet. 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. 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. Reina then escaped with Lystor, who detonated a Vision Bomb that sent poison gas throughout the ship. Together, the Alliance soldiers escaped Arteria with Cygnus, who was rendered comatose from her injuries and her Transcendent powers being drained.

Investigating Arteria

Soon after the battle with Arteria, the Adversary went to the command center and met with Eckhart, who explained that he had just been about to ask them for help. He told them that his ears had begun to hurt from how often Neinheart kept emphasizing that gathering information about the High Flora was crucial. As there was important information about the enemy soldiers aboard Arteria, he asked them to investigate the battleship and report their findings. He added that they would most likely be able to find it in a place that the enemy soldiers visited frequently, such as the upper floor of Arteria. The Adversary entered Arteria and made it to the upper floor, where they were surprised to find countless High Flora soldiers completely frozen and kept in glass tanks. They also found several hidden notes scattered throughout the room. In the first note, the Adversary read that the writer was a knight of the snowfield. Though their territory was filled with cold and hunger, the importance of their role had spurred the knight to push forward and carry out their duty. However, they noted that the peace hadn't lasted long. In the second note, the knight wrote that they didn't know where to begin, explaining that it was the first time that they had seen a Syaman between a God and a Priest.

As there was typically an enormous power gap between a God and a Priest, such duels rarely ever happened. However, the knight wrote that it was a different story when the Priest was a direct family member of a God, as the difference in power was almost negligible. The knight noted that in most cases, magic was inherited from bloodline, and that they had seen this first-hand with the kind of power that ‘she' had wielded. In the final note, the knight wrote that their God, the lord of their territory, had been killed in the Syaman, with their opponent taking their place as the new God and lord. However, in the hearts of many people, including themselves, they only recognized the former God as their one, true lord. The knight wrote that following the Syaman, they didn't remember what happened – only that they had all challenged the new lord and had ended up frozen after being defeated. They explained that they felt a strange pain every day, which took more and more of their memories. They added that they were leaving notes behind before their mind and body froze, hoping that they would be able to read what they had written and remember their past if they ever managed to get free. After reading through all the notes, the Adversary returned to Eckhart, who wondered whether the frozen soldiers aboard the ship were the knights of the former lord, though he added that it was likely that not all the frozen soldiers were knights. The Adversary explained that Reina had called them her ‘prisoners', noting that many things had likely changed after she had ascended to lordship. Eckhart replied that the knights of the former lord must indeed be prisoners if they had been forced to obey her. He added that he hadn't expected to gain much information about the frozen soldiers, though he thanked the Adversary for obtaining it, noting that Neinheart would be pleased.

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, Neinheart asked Eckhart to accompany them on their mission. Edea then explained that the Nova would not be able to send their people, as most of them were busy reinforcing the barrier around Pantheon and Heliseum. Realizing that they would need to ask the Resistance for help, Neinheart requested that Belle join the mission, believing that her quick movements would complement Eckhart's. However, 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.

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. Gaon told him that though it had been a long time since he had been there, the area likely wouldn't have changed at all, as it was a hidden place in the corner of the continent. He explained that Carcion surrounded a large river that flowed into a sea, consisting of an archipelago called Pinjar and a tropical rainforest called Laguna, with the river separating them being called Ishfira, all of which collectively made up Carcion. Eckhart noted that the terrain sounded quite dangerous and asked why Keira had chosen to remain in such a place. Gaon explained that the waters of Ishfira were extremely pure, and that it was said that the river had existed since the creation of the world itself. He noted that Keira, as a river goddess, had wished to take up residence around such a pure source of water, adding that it had also been a paradise to the Anima subspecies that lived near water, such as himself. 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.

Suddenly, Eckhart told them to focus, explaining that their destination was in sight. As the Glory Guard looked down, they were amazed to see the beautiful greenery of Carcion. However, as they got closer, they were shocked to find several High Flora battleships, identical in appearance to Arteria, which had already landed on the beach. In order to avoid being detected by the enemy, the Glory Guard landed a safe distance away and decided to travel by foot. Arriving at the beaches of Carcion, the Glory Guard encountered several Specters and Specterized creatures. Eckhart pointed out that the Specterized monsters' 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. Arriving at the beach, Eckhart noted that there were fewer Specters in the area compared to the mainstream parts of Carcion. Based on his experience fighting Specters at the border between worlds, he explained that it likely meant that it hadn't been long since the troops had expanded their reach to the outskirts. Suddenly, he realized that there were still Specters in the area, 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.

Soon after, Eckhart arrived at a laboratory in the jungle, where the Glory Guard and Duhan had been investigating and learned that the elders who had betrayed Shangri-La had been experimenting on Anima children. Claudine was furious 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. Eckhart and the Adversary proceeded through the Specter-infested rainforest, remaining hidden in the treetops as they did so. However, Eckhart noted that there was no reason why so many Specters ought to be in the area. He also noted that the Specters in the rainforest appeared to have more intelligence than the ones he had encountered before. He asked the Adversary to collect the Specters' armor for him to study, and so the Adversary fought through the Specters and collected crystal fragments. Eckhart observed that the crystals, which had been used to infect the rainforest, had already been used, which meant that it had been quite a while since the Specters had taken over the area. He told the Adversary that he had found a trace of the snake Anima while they had been collecting the crystals and led them deeper into the rainforest towards a waterfall. The Adversary noted that the waterfall, which flowed all throughout Carcion, was the source of all the pollution in the water, as it was filled with the same energy as the crystals that the Specters were holding onto. However, Eckhart pointed out that just because the Specters were the ones who had polluted the water, it didn't necessarily remove the snake Anima from suspicion.

Suddenly, Hinya and her warriors surrounded the pair, whom she called lackeys of the High Flora. When the Adversary denied being affiliated with the High Flora, Hinya retorted that the Flora army must be terrible at deception. She bitterly noted that stealing the water source and polluting the waters hadn't been enough for them, as they were now targeting her people as well. Eckhart attempted to explain that they weren't part of the Flora army, to which Hinya told them that she didn't believe them, as she had already seen them working with the turtle Anima, who had sided with the High Flora. The confused Adversary asked her what she meant, as the turtles had claimed that the snakes were the ones working with the High Flora. Just as Hinya's second-in-command, Ropa, asked for permission to execute them, the Adversary, thinking quickly, asked Hinya whether she had people who had been infected from the water. They then offered to heal her people, to which Ropa immediately told Hinya that she couldn't possibly listen to them. Just then, a horde of Specters appeared and surrounded the group. After the Adversary helped the snake Anima defeat the enemy, Hinya reluctantly agreed to trust them and brought them back to her village. Though Ropa protested, Hinya told him that the fact that the Specters had attacked the Adversary and Eckhart meant that they couldn't be affiliated with the High Flora. She also added that since they claimed to have the power to heal the infected, she had no choice but to take the risk in order to save her people. Back at the village, Hinya gathered the incapacitated snake Anima before the Adversary, who used the World Heart to absorb the polluted energy from within them.

After healing the Anima, the Adversary told Hinya about the World Heart and the Alliance, as well as what the turtle Anima had told them. Hinya explained that the turtles were lying, and that they were the ones who had called the High Flora after realizing that Keira had awoken from her slumber. She told the Adversary that not long ago, an enormous flash of light had appeared in the west, with Keira awakening shortly after. However, she explained that Keira hadn't been able to speak with them, as she was likely weakened from being in the seal for so many ages. Since then, the snake Anima – who had been in control of the water source – had been trying to find a way to cure Keira, which was when the High Flora battleships had invaded Carcion. The Adversary realized that the flash of light in the west must have come from the convergence of Maple World and Grandis, which had awoken Keira and the other Ancient Gods. Hinya explained that the snakes had been prepared to give their lives in order to stop the enemy, which was when the turtles had shown up. She noted that despite being at war with the turtles, the snakes had hoped to unite in order to protect their home. However, the turtles had suddenly turned against them, attacking the snakes alongside the High Flora and forcing them to fall back and abandon the sanctuary. She added that the turtles had even worked with the Flora army to kidnap their wounded and incapacitate their warriors, noting that the pollution must be their doing as well. Eckhart realized that the snake Anima must also have been kidnapped alongside the turtle Anima, causing Hinya to express her surprise that the turtles had been captured by the enemy as well. Upon learning that Duhan was leading a rescue party, Hinya believed that her people must be amongst the prisoners. The Adversary asked Hinya for her help in reinforcing the rescue party, to which Hinya reluctantly agreed, explaining that she was choosing to trust them after they had cured her infected people. Eckhart then noted that it had been a while since the rescue team had reported in, causing the Adversary to suspect that something had happened. They then led the snake Anima towards the caverns in order to reinforce their comrades.

Meanwhile, the Adversary, Eckhart, and the snake warriors arrived at the caverns and began fighting through the Specters in order to reach their comrades, whose energy they could sense up ahead. At the same time, Gaon and the others - trapped by the enemy with the water level rising - attempted to break the force field, which refused to budge. Gaon realized that the barrier had also been created by the elders and that it had been designed to absorb any attack that they made from the inside. Just as the water threatened to drown them completely, the Adversary arrived and attacked Albaire. Meanwhile, Eckhart arrived and attempted to free Gaon and the others. Gaon told Eckhart to aim for the corners of the force field, explaining that its weakness was any external force applied from the outside. Meanwhile, Albaire was pushed back by the Adversary, surprised at how powerful they were. He noted that even with a barely-filled World Heart, their strength was too much for him. With no other choice, Albaire called the Specter army and ordered them to finish things before flying away. Realizing what Albaire was planning to do, the Adversary warned everyone to get back. Suddenly, all the Specters denoted themselves, unleashing a powerful explosion throughout the cavern. After the dust cleared, the Adversary found that Gaon had protected the Glory Guard and the Anima with a barrier created from Keira's power imbued into his spear. The Adversary rushed to their allies, and after ensuring that they were okay, they explained that Albaire had escaped amidst the blast, having had enough strength to move after their fight, even through the explosion itself. Eckhart noted that the Adversary, too, was something else to had withstood the explosion as well.

Facing Limbo

With the enemy gone, 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 and asked Eckhart to target the Specter commander. The Glory Guard and their allies then charged towards the beach, where they found Albaire ordering the Specters to finish off the prisoners. Eckhart immediately took out the Specters, while the Anima secured the captives. Opening his wings, Albaire flew into the air and commanded the Specters to wipe out the enemy. As the battle raged on, a dark energy emanated from Keira's tree, causing them to realize that something was happening. Declaring that they were too late, Albaire flew off towards the tree, with the Adversary and Gaon in pursuit. After the Adversary defeated Limbo, Eckhart and the others arrived at the scene, where they discovered the wounded Adversary and Gaon. As Claudine treated them, Eckhart told them to let him handle it and began approaching Limbo, who was crawling on the ground and attempting to get up again. Limbo seethed in fury at being reduced to such a state by the likes of them, to which Eckhart dryly told Limbo to spare him the pointless resistance. 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. Eckhart then approached Limbo in order to secure and interrogate him. With the elders and Albaire having already left, the Adversary and the others followed Eckhart in order to confront Limbo. Eckhart reminded Limbo that he was completely powerless and that he ought to answer their questions if he valued his life. Though Limbo seethed at having been defeated, Eckhart ignored him and instead demanded to know why Darmoor was targeting the power of the Transcendents and the Ancient Gods. At his words, Limbo immediately growled at Eckhart not to speak Darmoor's name so flippantly, adding that lower lifeforms such as them would never be able to comprehend Darmoor's grand purpose. Realizing that they wouldn't get a straight answer, the Adversary instead asked Limbo what the purpose of the elders' experiments was with the captured Anima. However, Limbo merely laughed and claimed that such experiments were nothing more than idle distractions for Darmoor to pass his time, declaring that their sole mission was the destruction of all life. Gaon was furious to know that the captured Anima had been killed for nothing more than a pastime, though Eckhart simply noted that Limbo could still afford to offer some clarification, adding that he would hear the rest of his explanations in the dungeons of Ereve. Suddenly, however, a flash of red lightning struck down from the sky, forcing Eckhart to jump back. Havoc then 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.

Interrogating the Knights of the Einherjar

After the battle of Tallahart, Eckhart was dispatched to take possession of a captured Knight of the Einherjar from the Adversary. After taking the knight to Ereve, Eckhart began interrogating him for information about the High Flora and the knighthood. Though they were unable to get much information about the great culling, Eckhart nevertheless obtained key information about the Knights of the Einherjar, Baldrix, and Veronica.

Story (FriendStory)

Eckhart's Friends World counterpart is a loner who hangs out regularly with Mihile and Hawkeye.

Cygnus and the New Kid

After Elwin inadvertently opened a portal between Maple World and Friends World, a traveler from Maple World agreed to switch places with a transfer student who had stumbled into Maple World and wished to explore their new surroundings. In Shinsoo International School, the traveler encountered Eckhart, Hawkeye, and Mihile, who recognized the traveler as the one who had beaten up another student. All three of them tried recruiting the traveler to their clubs, though all of them were rejected. Undeterred, they exchanged numbers and left the traveler to report back to Neinheart. The trio then began discussing the traveler and how Cygnus was infatuated with them. Just then, the bully - whom the traveler had beaten up - arrived and claimed that he was the transfer student whom Cygnus loved. He then declared that, as the ruler of the school, he claimed the school rooftop for himself, though the three completely ignored him and decided to leave. Only Eckhart remained long enough to fight the bully at his request and utterly defeated him before catching up with the others. Soon after, Cygnus met with Neinheart and told him that she had overheard a rumor that she had kissed someone with crazy hair, whom she interpreted to be the traveler, though she was confused why anyone would describe the traveler as having crazy hair. Neinheart promised to investigate the matter and called the traveler, asking them to meet him on the school roof. There, they found Neinheart with Mihile, Irena, Oz, Hawkeye, and Eckhart. Neinheart explained the rumor to them and said that though they all agreed that the rumor referred to the bully, he doubted that the bully was clever enough to have started it, which made him suspect that someone was trying to discredit Cygnus. Mihile and the others worked with Neinheart and the traveler to discover that Areda was responsible for trying to ruin Cygnus's reputation.

Damien and the Spirit of Rock

After special Motes formed from the power of rock and roll appeared and began infecting the students, the traveler fought the Motes to the roof, where they encountered Eckhart, Hawkeye, and Oz. Just then, Damien and his band revealed themselves atop a makeshift stage made up of stacked-up desks. The traveler and Damien then engaged in a rock battle, though Damien's sound overpowered theirs. Damien revealed that they were using the school as a stepping stone in order to move on to bigger heights. Just then, Irena appeared and claimed that Damien's band was weak, vowing that she would decimate them. She and Damien then made a bet that the losers would have to moon the entire school. Over the next month, Eckhart practiced with Irena and the others and defeated Damien in the battle of the bands.

NPC

Ereve

Eckhart
Function	Chief Knight of Darkness
Quests involved	[Cygnus Knights] The Path of a Night Walker [Cygnus Knights] After the Edelstein Mission [Night Walker] [Cygnus Knights] Night Walker Knighthood Exam [Theme Dungeon] Ellinel Fairy Academy [Night Walker] [Cygnus Knights] Proof of Faith [Night Walker] [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Darkness [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Darkness [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Darkness [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Darkness [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Darkness [Cygnus Knights] A New Chief Knight [Night Walker]
Location	Ereve

Phantom Tutorial

Eckhart
Function	Chief Knight
Location	Ereve Grand Pavilion

Edelstein

Temporary Airport (Resistance Quest)

Eckhart
Quests involved	[Resistance] Cygnus Knight Favor [Resistance] Decline
Location	Temporary Airport

El Nath

Wolves' Territory 3 (Mihile Quest)

Eckhart
Quests involved	Trails of the Dark
Location	Wolves' Territory 3

Grand Athenaeum

Calcified Empress (The Black Witch)

Eckhart
Location	Calcified Empress

Arteria

Operations Center

Eckhart
Location	Operations Center

Supply Depot

Eckhart
Location	Supply Depot

Hangar

Eckhart
Location	Hangar

Bottom Deck Passage 1

Eckhart
Location	Bottom Deck Passage 1

Bottom Deck Passage 6

Eckhart
Location	Bottom Deck Passage 6

Carcion

Carcion Shores

Eckhart
Location	Carcion Shores

Giant Coral Colony 1

Eckhart
Location	Giant Coral Colony 1

Giant Coral Colony 3

Eckhart
Location	Giant Coral Colony 3

Calm Beach 1

Eckhart
Location	Calm Beach 1

Pinjar's Armor

Eckhart
Location	Pinjar's Armor

Hidden Laboratory

Eckhart
Location	Hidden Laboratory

Enfolding Forest 2

Eckhart
Location	Enfolding Forest 2

Laguna's Fangs

Eckhart
Location	Laguna's Fangs

Coastal Treeline 2

Eckhart
Location	Coastal Treeline 2

Somewhere Deep Inside the Cave

Eckhart
Location	Somewhere Deep Inside the Cave

Sacred Tree Summit

Eckhart
Location	Sacred Tree Summit

Tallahart

Ruins

Eckhart
Location	Ruins

Shinsoo International School

Cygnus's Office

Eckhart
Function	Outsider
Location	Cygnus's Office

School Roof

Eckhart
Function	Outsider
Location	School Roof

Auditorium

Eckhart
Location	Waiting Room

Gallery

• 
  NPC Sprite of Eckhart (Water Wars Event)
• 
  Artwork of Eckhart (Ignition)
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• 
  Concept Art of Eckhart
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Eckhart (FriendStory)

Trivia

• Eckhart is modeled after T.O.P of Big Bang.
• Eckhartroid is modeled after Eckhart.