Edea

Edea
Title	Supreme Commander Ice Witch
Hometown	Heliseum
Current Residence	Heliseum
Gender	Female
Race	Nova
Affiliations	Nova people
Enemies	Gerand Darmoor Magnus
Status	Alive
Name (Other Servers)
KoreaMS	이데아 (Idea)
JapanMS	イデア (Idea)
TaiwanMS	伊黛亞 (Yīdàiyà)
Voice Actors
KoreaMS	Jeonghwa Yang (Tenebris) Hyeon-jeong Jo (Cernium)
JapanMS	Rina Honnizumi

Edea, also known as the Ice Witch for her frosty temperament, is the Supreme Commander and chief strategist of the Nova army. After the Nova join the Maple Alliance, Edea becomes the official Nova delegate and accompanies the Alliance to their first official Western Grandis mission in Cernium.

Story

Guardian of Heliseum

Edea was one of the three Guardians of Heliseum who protected the Nova royal family, serving alongside Victor and Treglow. Edea was also the disciple of the great sage Eurenth, from whom she learned her powerful lightning magic. During the Flora Civil War, Eurenth continually cautioned the Nova to prepare for imminent attack and advised them to work together with the other races, though his words were disregarded by many. However, just as Eurenth had warned, Magnus soon corrupted Victor and Treglow to his side, allowing him to seize control of Heliseum. Following Kaiser's sacrifice, Edea and the other survivors took refuge in the sanctuary city of Pantheon, which was protected by the four sacred stones. Bitter and jaded by the Nova ignoring his counsel, Eurenth exiled himself in the Forbidden Forest, causing him and Edea to grow estranged.

Siege of Heliseum

Pushing into Downtown

Decades after the fall of Heliseum, the Nova prepared to retake their capital with the help of the Maple Alliance. With Edea appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Nova army and Piston as her second-in-command, their forces were able to push into Heliseum and establish the Heliseum Reclamation HQ. However, the Specter army quickly began to attack them as the Nova attempted to keep their foothold in the outskirts of the city. During one such attack, Edea and Piston rushed in to rescue the besieged soldiers, causing them to get cut off from the others. Just then, a member of the Alliance rushed into battle after being dispatched by Beldar, where they encountered Edea and Piston holding the line. Edea recognized the Alliance member as the reinforcements from Maple World and asked them to help defeat the Specters. After retaking HQ, Edea thanked the Alliance member for their help and noted that their battle prowess was incredible, especially after hearing that the Alliance had sent only its most elite soldiers.

Edea and Piston then introduced themselves before explaining the situation at HQ. Edea explained that the Specters had been attacking quite frequently, though the most recent attack had caught them off-guard with the sheer size and scale of the surprise operation, which made her believe that it was due to a lack of intel on their part. As HQ was lacking in many other things, Edea explained that their first priority was to reestablish their operations before continuing the fight. The Alliance member then helped free the supply lines and eliminate threats by defeating the Specters nearby. With the Forest of Choices opened up, Edea asked them to check with the quartermaster, Harpoon, about their supply problem. After the Alliance member helped restock on rations and armor, they returned back to Edea, who told them that with their supply lines and rations secured, she hoped to focus on strengthening the soldiers. She explained that though their soldiers had been trained in Pantheon, none of them had ever faced someone as strong as the Alliance member, and so she asked them to spar with the soldiers in order to help them grow stronger. The Alliance member began sparring with the soldiers, which strengthened their skills and resolve to keep fighting.

Soon after, Edea told the Alliance member that the Nova had a powerful weapon called the Blue Dragon Cannon, which was capable of breaking down a city wall in a single blow, though most of it had been lost years ago during the first battle against Magnus. However, she explained that Eurenth, once known as the Great Sage of the Nova, knew how to restore the weapon. Edea asked the Alliance member to speak with Eurenth, though she warned him that he was rather eccentric, for despite once being a great sage, he was now a recluse who never left his hut in the Forbidden Forest. She also warned them not to mention her name to him, as he would grow even more upset because of it. The Alliance member successfully convinced Eurenth to help them restore the cannon and brought back his notes to Edea.

After looking through the documents, Edea realized that the cannon, which converted willpower into energy, would be difficult to restore with the lack of supplies at headquarters. She explained that the amplification device couldn't be built with their current resources, as the required materials would need to be obtained outside Pantheon. As the Nova had cut off all trade routes with external merchants after the fall of Heliseum, Edea realized that only way to obtain the materials without establishing a new trade route would be to work with the Shadowdealers. She explained that the Shadowdealers were black market merchants who worked in the shadows. However, she revealed that the scale of their operations was huge, as they had even handed the secret of creating Vision Bombs to the High Flora. Though the Shadowdealers weren't directly allied with the High Flora – only siding with the highest bidder – Edea told the Alliance member that she had wanted to avoid dealing with them unless it was absolutely necessary, despite the fact that they had reached out to the Nova several times in the past. She then gave the Alliance member a Heliseum Communicator and told them to work with the Shadowdealers to obtain the amplification device for the Blue Dragon Cannon.

The Alliance member met with Tonero of the Shadowdealers and negotiated a transaction with them before bringing back to amplification device to Edea. After learning that the Shadowdealers sought to form a trade agreement with the Nova, Edea explained that she had been worried about the Shadowdealers taking advantage of their war, for which she decided to speak with the Heliseum Council in order to decide their next move in regard to an alliance with the Shadowdealers. Soon after, the Nova successfully restored the Blue Dragon Cannon, after which Edea contacted the Alliance member and informed them that all the necessary preparations had been made for launching the weapon. However, she explained that though the weapon had immense power, the true operation would begin after launch. Kaiser then activated the Blue Dragon Cannon, after which the Nova and the Alliance fought to drive back the remainder of enemies. With Piston's guidance, the Alliance member continued driving the Specter army into the valley near the outskirts of Heliseum, where Edea unleashed a massive wave of lightning to destroy them all at once.

Facing the Guardians

With Magnus' forces in shambles, the Nova were able to push forward and establish a new base camp in Downtown Heliseum. Edea and Piston then told the Alliance member that before they could push forward to retake Tyrant's Castle, they would first need to properly setup their new base in the black-market district. After clearing out the Specters in the downtown district, the Alliance member returned back to Edea, who told them that based on Tiron's investigation, she could conclude that the reason why Magnus had left Heliseum overrun with Specters was because he had no interest in the city itself, as his true goal was the Outrigger, which she explained was a holy relic that the Ancient Gods of the Nova had left behind to protect their people. She then told the Alliance member that their next mission was to scout out Tyrant's Castle in order to confirm that Magnus was inside. She asked them to check the castle, though she noted that they would likely be unable to enter the throne room due to a barrier. However, she warned them not to enter if they found themselves able to enter, as Magnus and his defenses were too dangerous for them to handle alone without preparation. The Alliance member infiltrated Tyrant's Castle and arrived at the throne room, which they found to be locked. They reported back to Edea, who realized that the locked door meant that the three Guardians of Heliseum were still active. She explained that the three Guardians were responsible for keeping the keys to the throne room, and that Magnus had swayed two of the three Guardians to his side when Heliseum had fallen, which was how he had been able to take the castle so easily.

In order to take the keys from the Guardians, Edea devised a plan and asked the Alliance member to defeat the Purple Reagent Rocks and Red Reagent Rocks in the eastern part of the castle. After the Alliance member defeated them, they reported back to Edea, who revealed that Treglow, the eastern Guardian, had created the creatures long ago, and that they still appeared to be active. She then asked the Alliance member to investigate the basement, which they found to be locked with a chemical seal. Edea explained that Treglow would often lock his laboratory in order to block out distractions, though she had several books which he had lent to her, which outlined the creation of his chemical seal. After looking through the books, Edea told the Alliance member to obtain Purple Reagent and Red Reagent in a 3:2 ratio, which would break the chemical seal. The Alliance member used the reagents in order to melt through the seal before reporting back to Edea. Edea explained that Treglow had been a genius scientist adept in various fields, though chemistry had been his greatest. Despite being celebrated by the Nova, his thirst for achievement had been insatiable, which Magnus had taken advantage of by sending spies to support his research for a long time, procuring books and materials from the High Flora that were difficult to obtain. Eventually, Magnus had given Treglow a cursed reagent several days before the fall of Heliseum, which he had claimed was extremely useful. Because of the cursed reagent, Treglow had lost his mind, resulting in him obeying Magnus' orders blindly in his madness. The Alliance member then entered Treglow's lab and defeated him, taking his key in the process.

With Treglow's key, the Alliance member returned back to Edea, who noted that though she couldn't sympathize with Treglow, she was relived that her old colleague's suffering had been put to an end. She then told the Alliance member that though she was surprised that Treglow had been alive, she was certain that the western Guardian, Victor, was dead. However, she told them to check his workshop in order to see whether his creatures were still there, which would prove that he was actually alive. In Victor's workshop, the Alliance member defeated the Red Totem Staffs and Blue Totem Staffs before reporting back to Edea, who was shocked that Victor was still creating minions, despite his death. She asked them to check Victor's workshop to see what condition he was in, as she was curious to know how he had seemingly survived. The Alliance member peeked through the door and saw that Victor was nowhere in sight. They reported back to Edea, who asked them to obtain the key. Inside, however, they encountered a magical canvas that began attacking them. After they defeated the creature, the Alliance member obtained Victor's key and his diary. They gave the diary to Edea, who read through it and learned that long ago, Victor's fiancée had passed away after falling ill, leaving Victor so heartbroken that he refused to see anyone else, only painting pictures obsessively. Soon enough, an anonymous sender had given Victor a magical canvas said to bring anything painted upon it to reality. Victor had earnestly drawn his fiancée, though the canvas continued creating only dolls of her. Over time, Victor had felt his soul being bound to the canvas as he compulsively kept drawing upon it. Edea explained that the diary ended with Victor declaring that he would end his pain by taking his own life. She told the Alliance member that she felt rather shaken to know the fates of her fellow Guardians, and that the magical canvas which they had fought must have been Victor, with his soul trapped inside it. Nevertheless, she took Victor and Treglow's keys and began combining them with her own.

Facing Velderoth

Just then, however, a Nova soldier arrived and reported that Piston had been seriously injured. At the infirmary, Edea and the Alliance member met with Piston, who explained that Velderoth - a former knight and a friend of Kaiser and Tear - had attacked them, and that he had become a new Guardian of Heliseum, replacing Edea. Soon after, Edea met with Kaiser and noted that he had once been close friends with Velderoth, to which he told her that he had never thought that Velderoth would join Magnus. However, Edea reminded him that they were at war, and that he needed to focus, as such things sometimes happened in war, just like how she was facing her former friends, Victor and Treglow. Though Kaiser apologized, Edea told him not to be sorry and admitted that a letter had come for him some time ago, which she now realized had been from Velderoth. She explained that in the letter, Velderoth had challenged Kaiser to a one-on-one, and that he had claimed that he would withdraw the Specter army if he lost. Though Kaiser realized that it was likely a trap, he asked Edea to let him follow through with it so that he could reason with his old friend. A hesitant Edea asked him whether he was ready, to which Kaiser vowed that he would handle Velderoth personally if he confirmed that Velderoth had sided with the enemy.

Some time later, Edea met with Angelic Buster and noted that she had seemed quite surprised to hear about Velderoth. Edea then asked whether she knew anything about him, to which Angelic Buster explained that she had once been close friends with him. Edea sympathized with Angelic Buster, though she also reminded her - just like Kaiser - that they were at war, and that she needed to focus, pointing out how facing old friends could sometimes happen, just as she had faced Victor and Treglow. Though Angelic Buster apologized, Edea told her not to be sorry and admitted that a letter had come for Kaiser some time ago from Velderoth. She explained that in the letter, Velderoth had challenged Kaiser to a one-on-one, and that he had claimed that he would withdraw the Specter army if he lost. Edea noted that it was an obvious trap to separate Kaiser from the rest of their forces, and though she had faith that their forces would be ready for the ambush, Edea asked Angelic Buster to follow Kaiser in order to ensure that he remained safe.

Edea then realized that the Specters would be launching another attack while Kaiser was drawn away, and so she ordered Tiron to locate the Specter army so that the Nova could attack first, which she believed would deal a huge blow to Magnus. Together, the Nova and the Alliance member successfully launched a counterattack that wiped out the remaining Specters. After facing Velderoth, Kaiser rushed back to Downtown Heliseum and attempted to warn Edea, who revealed that she had already expected the attack and had used their reinforcements from Maple World to launch a counterattack. Soon after, Angelic Buster returned as well and met with Edea, who explained that Kaiser had already told her the full story. Angelic Buster then revealed that she had dispatched Velderoth's reinforcements, to which Edea noted in relief that it was fortunate that she had been sent to follow Kaiser, adding that it was thanks to her that they hadn't lost him.

With little resistance left, Edea hoped to launch the final attack on Tyrant's Castle. However, she first asked the Alliance member to defeat Velderoth, who was a formidable opponent as the third Guardian of Heliseum. The Alliance member fought and defeated Velderoth, who quickly fled the scene. They then reported back to Edea, who noted that while Velderoth may remain a thorn in their side, his injuries meant that he would be out of the picture for some time. She then explained that she had combined the keys and unlocked the throne room. She warned the Alliance member that Magnus would likely be trying to absorb the power of the Outrigger, though the fact that his door had remained locked likely meant that he was encountering trouble. As Magnus taking its power would spell disaster, Edea asked the Alliance member to stop him while the Nova held off the Specters.

Retaking Heliseum

The Alliance member successfully managed to defeat Magnus, who was soon pulled through a mysterious vortex alongside the Outrigger after his failure. The shocked Alliance member returned back to Edea and told her everything that had happened. Though Edea was surprised to learn of Magnus' fate, she nevertheless thanked the Alliance member profusely for helping them retake Heliseum, explaining that she had never thought that she would see the day that the Nova would regain their capital. As part of the celebration, the Nova arranged for a festival headlined by Angelic Buster, who agreed to put on a performance for both the Nova and the people of Maple World. After the concert, however, Edea met with the Alliance member and noted that despite her early happiness, there was still a lot of work to do, as Magnus was still alive, the Outrigger was missing, and Heliseum was barely up and running.

She also noted that their true enemy, Gerand Darmoor, had remained completely absent throughout the conflict, which made her wonder whether their struggle to retake a single city was beneath his notice as the ruler of all of Grandis. However, she explained that it was possible that the Nova would fight him one day, and that the people of Maple World may be involved in that battle as well. She told the Alliance member that though his goals remained unknown, it was possible that for someone who already ruled Grandis, it was possible that he would covet to rule another world. In order to prepare for the coming fight, 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.

Soon after, Edea reached out to Kaiser and explained that after the operation, the Council was planning to make him Knight Captain, as Piston was still injured, causing great uncertainty amongst the Nova knights. She told Kaiser that having him as the new captain would add more stability to the situation, adding that it was a reward for his valor in the battle. However, Kaiser refused and claimed that he was still too inexperienced to have the position. A surprised Edea asked him to spend time thinking about it, as she hoped that she would reconsider. After some time, Kaiser returned to Edea and told him that his position still hadn't changed. He explained that their true fight was against Gerand Darmoor, and that, just as the Nova were growing stronger through joining with the Alliance, he also needed to grow stronger, which he could only do by traveling the world, rather than being locked in place due to his position. Edea was impressed by Kaiser's maturity and told him that she would convey his message to the Council.

Arcane River

Shortly after the Arcane River expedition, Neinheart contacted Edea and asked her to conduct a background check on Melange in order to verify his trustworthiness. Though she normally considered Neinheart distrusting his allies to be ridiculous, she soon realized that Neinheart's suspicions were correct in Melange's case. Edea followed up on Melange's claim of being a disciple of a great magician and learned that he had been expelled for practicing forbidden magic. Upon discovering that he was extraordinarily powerful and highly skilled in several branches of magic, Edea cautioned Neinheart to remain extremely vigilant, fearing that Melange would prove a dangerous enemy. Because of Edea's warning, Neinheart decided to keep a close eye on him, though he took no action against him, fearing that losing Melange's trust would also lose a valuable source of information about the Transcendents.

As the final battle against the Black Mage drew near, all Alliance forces gathered at the Outpost in preparation for their attack. In order to boost morale, the Alliance began distributing emblems of the Alliance to its members. As Edea arrived at the Outpost, Athena Pierce met with her and gave her an emblem, thanking her for the Nova's help. Edea replied that she should be the one thanking Athena, as the Alliance had played a major role in retaking Heliseum. She then confessed her worries about the Black Mage's influence in Grandis and added that she needed Athena to remain in Maple World and lead the soldiers in her place while she was away at Tenebris. After the Alliance fleet launched and arrived at Moonbridge, Edea sensed a powerful soul in the fog and recommended that they wait and prepare. Cygnus then ordered all the ships to hold while they investigated the new threat. In order to assess the nature of the threat that they were facing, the Adversary collected Wicked Soul Remains from the monsters in Moonbridge, which Edea analyzed, allowing her to learn that a dark entity within the fog was crafting the monsters from pure Erda. Edea also told them that the fog was surrounded by a powerful barrier, as though the entity had formed a shell around itself.

As the Alliance attempted to push through, Edea reported that she sensed a great evil just beyond the fog, where the Giant Monster Gloom appeared. From its eye, a large laser beam shot out and destroyed the majority of the fleet. Cygnus immediately used Shinsoo's gemstone to create a giant shield, which repelled Gloom's attack enough for the White Spear and a few nearby ships to survive. Edea soon assessed the situation and determined that Gloom's next attack would happen in twelve hours, with which the Alliance began to search for survivors. The Adversary arrived on Edea's ship to assist here, where they watched her take care of several monsters. Using fragments from the monsters, Edea triggered a reaction with the remnants attached to the ship, allowing her to learn that the remnants were acting as homing beacons for the enemy to pursue them. They then destroyed the remnants, thus preventing the enemy from learning their location, after which they returned back to the White Spear. Following their victory at Moonbridge, Edea and the Nova continued battling the Black Mage's forces at Tenebris, leading to the Alliance's ultimate victory. Following the battle, Cygnus thanked Edea and the Nova on behalf of the Alliance and reaffirmed their commitment to helping Grandis in the fight against Gerand Darmoor.

Mission to Cernium

Entering the City

Following the convergence of Maple World and Grandis, Edea and the other Alliance leaders gathered at the Outpost, where Prince Carlisle of Cernium had requested an audience. 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.

Several days later, the Glory Guard - composed of the Adversary, Edea, Hawkeye, and Checky - gathered at the Barrier Between Worlds in order to travel to Cernium, with the Alliance having approved the mission. There, Neinheart reminded the Adversary that above all else, their primary goal was to learn more about the Ancient Gods' power. As neither the Resistance nor the Cygnus Knights were in a fit state to run additional missions, Neinheart explained that Pantheon would serve as the Alliance's staging ground for reinforcements, with Edea taking command of the Glory Guard. Neinheart also told the Adversary that though Edea was a level-headed tactician, her deep resentment of the High Flora could hinder her objectivity, and so he asked them to ensure that she remained rational when engaging with the Flora. Carlisle then approached them and reported that they had set up the magic in the seal to allow them to teleport across the forgotten sea. With preparations complete, Carlisle activated the spell and transported them to the outskirts of Cernium. After arriving, Checky marveled at their surroundings and noted that Grandis was a nice place. Edea agreed and added that she had never been to Western Grandis before. She explained that though many people often referred to the continent and islands collectively as Grandis, the name actually referred to the continent on which they now stood. She added that it was called a continent because, like Maple World, it was home to many different races and nations, likening the continent of Grandis to Ossyria. Checky was surprised at Edea's words and asked whether Savage Terminal, Verdel, Pantheon, and Heliseum were also part of the continent of Grandis. Edea replied that Verdel wasn't confirmed to be part of the continent, and that it was likely the desolate moon that floated in the sky. However, she added that Pantheon was an island close to the mainland, and that the others were part of Eastern Grandis. She then explained that the High Flora had been spreading their influence across Central Grandis, though they were now pushing towards the east and west as well.

One of Carlisle's knights then reported that they hadn't arrived at the correct landing site, to which Carlisle asked if they had gotten redirected somehow. Just then, a horde of hooded soldiers surrounded the group and began attacking. Edea asked if they were Flora soldiers, but Carlisle explained that they were heretics who were enemies of Cernium's god and faith. After fighting off the heretics with the help of Seren - the guardian of Cernium's holy sword - the Glory Guard arrived in the city, where the Adversary began overhearing the people whispering about them, many of whom noted that they were younger than expected. Seren and the Adversary found Carlisle speaking with the Grand Master, who told Carlisle that his father, the king, was resting, due to his illness. Carlisle then introduced the Glory Guard and the Adversary to the Grand Master, who was underwhelmed by the Adversary's ordinary appearance. He warned Carlisle that the Alliance could be lying to him, but Carlisle coolly asked if the Grand Master intended to question his judgment in front of guests. The Grand Master apologized, but nevertheless urged action, reminding him that the Alliance didn't even share their faith.

After he left, Carlisle apologized to the Glory Guard for the Grand Master's behavior and went to make preparations for their lodging. Edea noted that between a frail king, an upstart prince, an overzealous order itching to take over, and a group of heretics, their mission would likely be even more difficult than forming the Alliance itself had been. However, she conceded that Carlisle seemed competent in politics and decided to give him a chance to smooth things over. She then asked the Adversary if they had overheard the people talking about them. The Adversary told Edea that the gossip must have been why Carlisle had insisted on an armed escort. Hawkeye and Checky then left to scout the city, though Edea was certain that they had gone sightseeing. She suggested that the Adversary also tour the city and help anyone in need in order to show Cernium the best side of the Alliance. As the Alliance began exploring the city, Edea and Carlisle began watching an altercation between a Flame Priest and a Dawn Priest. A court knight immediately threatened exile for both of them if they refused to break up their argument. Edea was surprised that the knight would threaten exile for mere name-calling, but Carlisle explained that between the heretics both outside and inside the city, he needed to be strict, so as not to lose control of Cernium. He elaborated that the heretics would slip into the city in small groups, disguised as ordinary citizens, in order to stir up trouble between the different Orders.

The Holy Sword

After the incident, Edea told Carlisle that it seemed that he had more problems than he had originally let on. Carlisle replied that he had a solution in mind and escorted her and the Adversary to the palace. There, Carlisle took them before the Holy Sword Azor, where the Templars told him that Seren would be furious to know that he had brought outsiders, though they acknowledged his right to do so as the prince. After sending the Templars away, Carlisle told them that Azor was the holy sword of Mitra, which was said to be able to summon a divine light that could smite evil. Edea noted that aside from its exquisite craftsmanship, she couldn't sense any special power coming from it. Carlisle explained that all of the relics had lost their light after the era of the Ancient Gods had come to an end. However, with the Transcendents all but gone and the fusion of Maple World and Grandis, he believed that the light of Mitra would soon return to the sword. Edea realized that the reawakening of Azor could inspire the people of Cernium to unite together. Carlisle told them that there was a prophecy amongst Mitra's Order: “The glory of the heavens will be restored by the grasp of the Chosen One.” The Adversary then noticed that both Carlisle and Edea were pointedly staring at them. Edea told the Adversary that they were a special type of hero, the kind who could defeat a Transcendent, and asked them to take up Azor.

Upon touching it, the Adversary had a vision of themselves back at the border between Maple World and Grandis, where they heard the voice of Mitra telling them, “The sun's flames will have vengeance.” Immediately letting go of the sword, the Adversary fell unconscious and Edea, in her attempts to wake them, zapped them with lightning. After they regained consciousness, Edea asked if they had felt anything after picking up the sword, to which the Adversary told her that they had felt a huge surge of hostility emanating from the sword, as though it was furious that they had dared to touch it. Carlisle noted that it was safe to say that the Adversary wasn't the Chosen One, but he added that Azor had never reacted in such a way before. Just then, Seren stormed in and immediately ordered them to leave, warning them that outsiders weren't allowed. Edea told her that they didn't mean any harm, but Seren immediately raised her sword at them. With no other choice, the three left the chamber and returned to the main hall. There, a court knight came up to Carlisle and showed him a pamphlet with a sigil that Carlisle recognized as that of Ebonstar, the heretics who were threatening the city.

The pamphlet claimed that the Ancient Gods had abandoned them all, and that Ebonstar rejected the evil carried out in the name of the gods, claiming that only the absence of the gods would allow the people to be free. It then warned them to flee Cernium, as Ebonstar would not rest until the memory of the gods had been wiped from the land. The knight explained that such pamphlets had been posted all over the city, and Carlisle realized that it would only be a matter of time before it came to war. The knight also reported that a cache of black powder had been stolen from the Flame Priests, who were claiming that the Dawn Priests were the thieves. Carlisle told Edea and the Adversary that he needed to deal with the situation and promised that he would smooth things over with Seren. In the meantime, he suggested that they continue looking into the Chosen One, though he asked that they keep their involvement as outsiders secret from the Order and recommended that they seek out his friend, Aaron, a librarian knowledgeable in history and theology, at the Cernium Royal Library. He confirmed to Edea that Aaron was trustworthy, though he asked her not to judge him by his appearance.

Aaron the Librarian

At the library, Edea and the Adversary encountered Aaron, and Edea immediately moved to attack, recognizing him as a High Flora. A knight arrived to assess the situation and Edea yelled for him to arrest Aaron, who asked her to calm down, explaining that not all High Flora were monsters. To prove his point, he manifested his wings, which they were shocked to find had been torn to shreds. He explained that he hated the High Flora just as much as the Nova did, and though he had attempted to tear his wings off out of disgust, they would nevertheless grow back. Though Edea was still wary, she admitted that she had overreacted. Aaron told her that he was used to it and suspected that Carlisle had failed to mention it as a joke. He surmised that they had come searching for information about the Chosen One and asked why they were interested. The Adversary told him that they were trying to find out more about Mitra in order to enlist his aid. Aaron was intrigued that anyone would seek to form an alliance with the divine and realized that they were the Adversary. He told them that he had heard that they were planning to fight Gerand Darmoor, even if it meant plunging all of Grandis into war. Upon learning that they had made up their mind, he told them that he shouldn't be surprised, as they had already vanquished one Transcendent. Satisfied with their answer, he agreed to help them in their research and suggested that they start with the ancient writings about Azor. However, he warned them that the section that held the writings was haunted by ghosts.

The Adversary fought through the ghosts and collected the relevant writings before bringing them back to Edea and Aaron. Edea found that the prophecies all hit the same major points, but the details were impossible to pinpoint. However, all the writings agreed that Azor had always been wielded by a Celestial. Aaron explained that Celestials were demigods who had joined Mitra when he had descended from the heavens. After the defeat of the Ancient Gods, the Celestials had lost their powers and had been trapped on Grandis ever since. Edea mentioned that she had heard that High Mountain, the home of the Celestials, had fallen some time ago and asked what had happened to the Celestials after that. Aaron explained that the surviving Celestials had scattered and gone into hiding, and with the exception of Seren, they were rarely seen anymore. With so much information to process, Edea decided to focus on Azor's reaction to the Adversary wielding it. The Adversary explained that it had been extremely hostile, to which Edea noted that since Transcendents were akin to gods, it was possible that Mitra was angry with the Adversary for having killed a fellow godlike being. However, Aaron disagreed and explained that his understanding was that the Adversary carried the power of the Seal Stone. He then revealed that the Seal Stone had been created by the will of the world in order to seal away the Ancient Gods, and so it was more likely that Mitra had shown hostility towards the Adversary because they held the same power that had sealed him away.

Both Edea and the Adversary were shocked to learn about the origin of the Seal Stones. Edea then realized that if the Order of Mitra learned that the Alliance's champion wielded the same power that had sealed away their god, any hope of a partnership between the Alliance and Cernium would be lost, and so she asked Aaron to keep it to himself. She added that they would also need to be particularly cautious around Seren, who may threaten far worse than exile if she were to learn about it. Just then, Seren herself arrived and told Aaron that she had come regarding her earlier request. She then noticed Edea and the Adversary and told them that she wanted to apologize for earlier. She explained that Carlisle had claimed that they were trying to find the Chosen One and added that though they were outsiders, the Order would be grateful for any help in finding the Chosen One after it had searched in futility for so long. In order to aid their search, Seren told them that she had recently learned that High Mountain had continued to hand-pick the Chosen One, long after Azor had lost its light in the Ancient War, and so she had come to see Aaron for any information regarding it.

After fighting through the library ghosts, the Adversary collected more writings on the Chosen One. They learned that the Order would carefully select every recipient of Azor, as each was a paragon of the Holy Knights devoted to their faith. Believing that the return of the Ancient Gods would allow them to recover Azor's light, the Order would give a special emblem to the Chosen One. In the writings, they also learned about a second, less ornate emblem, which Seren recognized as an emblem for the Templars of Mitra, revealing that she had one herself. She believed that there had to be other survivors of High Mountain, and that one of them must possess the emblem of the Chosen One. Edea pointed out that it would be difficult to find such a survivor, especially if they didn't want to be found, but Seren remained hopeful that the Chosen One wouldn't stray too far from Azor. Edea suggested that Seren herself could be the Chosen One, but Seren told her that she didn't have the emblem of the Chosen One. Edea countered that the only thing that should matter was that she had Mitra's blessing, but Seren explained that she wasn't worthy, as she was unable to even spread her wings, having been injured when she had brought the sword to Cernium long ago. Overwhelmed by her emotions, she decided to leave. Edea then suggested that the Adversary head back to the city square, as she wanted to do more research.

Soon after, the Adversary, Edea, and Carlisle found Seren praying to Mitra. Edea asked the Adversary if they were sure that the feather didn't belong to Seren. Carlisle wondered whether it belonged to the Chosen One, but Edea asked how a Celestial could have made it into the city without being noticed. Carlisle surmised that it was likely in the same way that Ebonstar had been slipping past them. Edea then expressed her belief that Seren should be the Chosen One, not some stranger. Edea told them that Seren believed that the Celestial who had the emblem of the Chosen One was hiding in Cernium, and that she was determined to find them. She asked Carlisle what his plans were, to which he explained that he was busy with the Ebonstar heretics in the city, whom he believed had stolen holy water from the Dawn Priests the day before. Edea asked why Ebonstar would want holy water, to which Carlisle explained that it was a very effective medicine when used on its own, but when it was mixed with the Flame Priests' black powder, it could create massive explosions. He then asked Edea if she would help him track down the Ebonstar operatives and asked the Adversary to guard Seren.

Ebonstar's Attack

Carlisle and Edea soon learned about the location of the Ebonstar hideout from their contact, but found it empty upon arriving. While searching for clues, Carlisle found black powder scattered on the floor and believed that Ebonstar had changed its location. Noticing scorch marks, he believed that Ebonstar had also been experimenting with the new compound created by mixing the powder with holy water. Edea then noticed a communique from the High Flora addressed to Ebonstar, which thanked them for placing explosives at the temples of Nerota and Spisa. It instructed them to use the explosion in order to incite a war between the Flame Priests and Dawn Priests, after which the High Flora army would arrive to deal Cernium's deathblow. Edea also found another Celestial feather, causing them to realize that the Celestial whom they were searching for was in league with Ebonstar. Edea rushed back to Cernium, where she found Seren and the Adversary being confronted by Seren's old comrade, a Celestial named Roland, who was working with Ebonstar. As Seren and the Adversary defeated the Ebonstar soldiers, Roland attempted to retreat when Edea and the court knights blocked his path and ordered him to surrender. Roland merely laughed and told them that it was too late, just as a large explosion was set off in the city. Roland told them that the two Orders would turn on each other and destroy the city unless the knights intervened, though that would leave the city defenseless when the High Flora army appeared at the gates. Roland then spread his wings and took to the air, telling Seren that she could still escape before the city was destroyed. He warned her that Darmoor was sending his First Apostle, the same one who had destroyed High Mountain, before flying away. As Edea attempted to shoot a lightning spell at Roland, Seren stepped between them and asked her not to kill him.

Before Edea could argue, the knights reported that Ebonstar had breached the city, forcing them all to let Roland escape while they returned to the city square. There, Carlisle told them that he had been close to stopping the explosions, though he hadn't been able to stop it in time. A knight then reported that Flora soldiers were climbing over the eastern ramparts. Edea told Carlisle that the Glory Guard would defend the ramparts while he rallied his troops. The Adversary and the others arrived at the eastern ramparts and fought off the Flora soldiers. There, Roland - despite Seren's belief that he was the Chosen One - rejected her entreats and sacrificed himself to detonate the city walls. As Edea arrived to check on Seren's condition, Seren told Edea that she had long held onto the hope that Roland would be the one to restore Azor. When she had found out that he was alive, she had believed that he had come to fulfill the prophecy. Edea yelled that it was no time to wallow, as enemies were flooding into the city, but Seren told her that they had already lost, as there was no holding the city with the gate fallen. Realizing that she was right, Edea told Seren to take Azor and escape while they held the Flora army off. As the Glory Guard reassured Seren that they would be fine, Carlisle arrived and told her that though it wasn't time for the prophecy to come true yet, they owed it to the future to keep fighting. Realizing that Carlisle was right, Seren rallied the troops, who could sense the steel behind her voice as that of the Guardian whom they all believed in. The knights and the Glory Guard, against impossible odds, managed to stop the Flora army at the gates.

Some time later, Edea and Carlisle spoke at the city ramparts about their victory. Carlisle was pleased that the Orders had all been able to set aside their differences to achieve victory. Edea was surprised that the High Priests had been released, and that the exiled priests had been pardoned at Seren's insistence. Carlisle told her that Seren had even gotten on her knees in front of her own Order, beseeching them not in the name of the gods, but the people of Cernium, not to throw the High Priests' lives away out of spite. Edea was worried that the Order would lose trust in her because of her actions, but Carlisle told her that when Seren had first arrived in Cernium, she had arrived with not only Azor, but all the swords of her fallen comrades, carried from halfway around the world. Because of that, he was confident that every single one of Seren's men would risk their lives to follow her, even if she had knelt on behalf of a heretic. Edea told Carlisle that though she didn't put much stock in prophecies, Mitra would be foolish not to recognize Seren as the Chosen One. After the battle, Edea gave the Adversary a Sacred Symbol, which contained Sacred Power that was tied to the Ancient Gods, and explained that Cernium had created it in order to counteract the strange, debilitating energy settling over the land. With it, the Adversary was able to utilize more of their true potential for the battles to come.

The Holy Relics

Following the battle, Edea continued researching information about the Chosen One in the royal library with Carlisle's help. The Adversary soon arrived at the library, where they noticed that Edea was being possessed by the library ghosts, for which Carlisle asked them to bring holy water. After she recovered, Edea explained that she had gone to the haunted section of the library in order to find several documents, though Aaron had asked her not to use her lightning attacks on the ghosts, as one spark could burn down the whole library and destroy the priceless ancient writings and artifacts. Carlisle told them that the library was special to Aaron, who had found it abandoned when he had first arrived, and that he had restored it to what it was today. Edea was surprised that such a treasure trove had been abandoned, but Carlisle explained that no one had known its true value, since they couldn't read the ancient language, as well as because they had been too busy keeping the peace between the different Orders. He added that there had nearly been mass panic in the city when a High Flora had appeared, though there had thankfully been no major incidents since then. After Aaron had introduced himself and explained that he had come to see the library, Carlisle had appointed him as librarian and had allowed him to research uninterrupted, provided that he clean up and organize the place. He was impressed that Aaron had managed to catalogue tens of thousands of books in just a few short years.

The Adversary then told Carlisle and Edea about what they had learned about Seren and her trauma from others in Cernium. After they explained that Seren was unable to open her wings due to her trauma, Edea expressed her belief that Seren may still be able to use her wings if she got past her mental trauma. Carlisle told them that from what he had gleaned from Seren's reports, it appeared as though some part of her had decided long ago that she would never spread her wings again, as though she had lost faith in herself. He explained that after what had happened to High Mountain and the Celestials, people claimed that she was never the same again, as she blamed herself for failing to protect her people. Edea told them that emotional trauma wasn't something that could be healed overnight. Carlisle agreed and added that even if Seren regained the use of her wings, it still wouldn't guarantee that she could become the Chosen One. He then told them that he had to leave, but he added that Aaron was coming back to help them in his place.

After Aaron arrived, Edea asked where they should start with their research. Aaron decided to start with the basics and explained that he would begin by explaining the creation of the holy relics. He told them that according to his research, everything that mortals considered to be supernatural, from the Overseers to the Ancient Gods to the Transcendents, were all a form of higher being that existed outside the physical limitations of the universe. Because of this, mortals were unable to truly harm them, which was why, since ancient times, it had been said that only gods had the power to challenge other gods. Edea realized that it meant that in order to fight a god, one either needed to be a god themselves or use something containing their power, such as how the Adversary had used the Seal Stone to kill the Black Mage. Aaron confirmed her words and explained that the Seal Stone was imbued with the power of higher beings, and that it was now a proven threat to the very existence of the divine. Edea then realized that if the holy relics had been created to fight higher beings, just like the Seal Stone, the way that they both operate would be similar, which made her wonder whether learning more about the Seal Stones would provide clues about Azor. The Adversary obtained several documents about the Seal Stones and read how, to defend against the Ancient Gods' chaos, the will of the world had created weapons known as the Godspheres. The Godspheres had then fused with beings called the ‘noble ones', whose confrontation with the gods had begun the Ancient War. They also read that the Godspheres could only be awakened by the will and determination of the people, and as such, the godly power contained within the relics could never be limited to a single individual. Furthermore, the Godspheres themselves would choose their Vessels to bond with, similar to how the holy relics operated.

From the document, Edea concluded that the relic's power went to whomever the people deemed worthy to wield it, which explained why the Chosen One needed the Order's approval to take possession of Azor. She then noted that Seren already had the support of all three Orders of Mitra, Spisa, and Nerota, which meant that she satisfied the condition of Azor requiring the people's faith to wield. She also realized that there was now a very concrete reason behind the idea of a noble hero saving the world, which was so often romanticized in stories. Just as she wondered what Seren would do if she learned about the truth, Seren herself arrived at the library. Seren told them that she wanted to help find the Chosen One, as she felt that it was unfair to leave all the work to the Alliance. She then noticed that Edea looked unwell, to which Edea explained that she had been possessed by the library ghosts, and that the holy water which she had drank was still taking some time to take effect. Edea added that she hadn't been able to use her lightning spells on the ghosts, which would have burned down the library otherwise. Seren then asked Aaron about the magical fire extinguisher, which could put out fires without using water. Aaron told her that it was meant as a last resort, as the device worked by removing all the oxygen in the area, which would kill anyone still trapped inside. The four of them then searched the library for more information on the Chosen One and found a book that contained a prophecy, “When the scattered lights unite, the sun's radiance shall descend from the heavens”, along with the same phrase that Roland had mentioned was written on Azor, “Alvationsay inway Andhay”, as well as a line that said, “The Chosen One will be revealed for all to worship. Only then will the people find their salvation.” As they pondered about the meaning of the words, Edea told Seren that she should consider taking ownership of Azor herself, but Seren refused, claiming that she couldn't spread her wings, and that she didn't have the emblem. Edea told Seren that even prophecies needed help coming true, adding that the Nova would have been wiped out if they had waited for a prophecy to save them. Seren continued protesting and explained that taking Azor would be blasphemy without proper qualifications.

Infiltrating the Flora Encampment

Soon after, the Alliance discovered that the High Flora had captured the Chosen One, for which Seren formed a rescue party composed of the Adversary, Edea, Checky, and Hawkeye. From the top of a cliff, they looked down at the encampment and were awestruck at how immense it was, with Checky asking if there were really that many High Flora soldiers. Edea explained that most of the Flora army was composed of common mercenaries, with only officers and above being High Flora. Edea then asked Seren why she had betrayed her Order, as it seemed unlike her. Seren explained that returning light to Azor was her calling, and that she would do whatever it took to make that happen. However, she told the others that they weren't bound to her fate, and that she wouldn't ask them to die for her, as she was content with fulfilling her mission alone. Edea reminded her that there was still another way and asked her once again to become the Chosen One, but Seren told her that she couldn't do it. Edea regretted that it would have been the perfect time to try something if she had agreed, explaining that mother eagles pushed their young off a cliff in order to teach them how to fly, and that she had been thinking about doing the same to Seren in order to help her spread her wings again, though she ultimately decided that it was a bad idea. Seren then told them that she would take the lead and headed down the cliff. Checky asked Edea why she hadn't stopped Seren if she knew that it was a trap, to which she replied that Seren already knew it as well, which was why she had insisted on continuing alone.

They then split into three teams and pushed past the Flora soldiers deeper into the encampment. Meanwhile, Seren continued on alone and encountered the Chosen One - her old commanding officer, Gilmore - who revealed that he had sided with the High Flora in order to regain his Celestial powers. As he pointed his blade at Seren, Edea created a contaminant spell to trap Gilmore and shot dozens of lightning bolts from the sky at him. As the Flora soldiers discovered them, Edea told the Adversary to cover their escape and to get the emblem of the Chosen One from Gilmore. After reaching safety, Seren told Edea that she had seen the emblem of the Chosen One shining for Gilmore, meaning that he was the true Chosen One. Edea told her that she knew that already, to which Seren asked why Edea had attacked him anyways. Edea reminded her that Gilmore had vowed to destroy the holy land, not preserve it. Though she knew that Edea was right, Seren nevertheless insisted that Cernium would fall the same way as High Mountain had if Azor wasn't reawakened. Edea told Seren that from what she had read in the library, she believed that she knew how to activate a holy relic, explaining that all records of the holy relics mentioned a ‘noble one', a ‘righteous one', a ‘pure one', a Celestial, and so forth. However, there was no mention of a Chosen One, meaning that the emblem could shine for anyone worthy of wielding Azor, including Seren. She then asked Seren to stop waiting for fate to step in and instead take action, as she was the best savior that Cernium could hope for.

Nevertheless, Seren refuse to heed Edea's words, for which Edea - upon realizing that Seren was dead set on giving - told Carlisle that as acting commander of the Glory Guard, she was formally terminating the partnership between the Alliance and Cernium, much to everyone's shock. Carlisle urged Edea to change her mind, but Edea told him that she needed to keep the Alliance safe, which couldn't happen if Gilmore took possession of Azor. As Edea walked away, the Adversary urged Seren once more that it wasn't too late to take up the sword. Seren reluctantly agreed to try and took hold of Azor, which didn't react to her at all, just as she had suspected. At Carlisle's request, the Adversary decided to speak with Seren one more time and met with Edea, who told them that Carlisle had given her new information. According to him, Seren had asked the Grand Master that she be relieved of duty when she had first arrived in Cernium with Azor many years ago. Edea had her suspicions about why Seren believed that she couldn't be the Chosen One, and so she asked if she could accompany them to visit her.

At the memorial, Seren was pondering over what Roland had asked her about finding her salvation in Cernium. She silently replied to herself that no matter where she went, she couldn't find any salvation. She voiced aloud that she should be used to losing everything that she loved, including her home, her old compatriots, her new friends, and even her faith. Just then, the Adversary and Edea found her amidst the swords of her fallen compatriots. Edea told Seren that she understood why she refused to become the Chosen One, explaining that she believed that Seren was using her injury as an excuse. The Adversary added that the reason why she refused to accept that she could be the Chosen One and why Azor didn't react to her was because she had lost her faith in Mitra when Havoc had attacked High Mountain. They explained that she had likely lost her faith because at the very moment when she had needed Mitra the most, she had been abandoned by her god. Edea then asked Seren why she continued serving the Order of Mitra if her faith had been broken. Seren told Edea that as the only survivor left, she felt that her comrades' sacrifice in the name of Mitra would have been in vain if she had abandoned the Order. The Adversary then understood Seren's predicament: she couldn't be the Chosen One, but she also couldn't leave the faith either, all because she couldn't acknowledge that her people had died fighting for a god who had abandoned them. Seren then asked for them to leave her, adding that the light needed to return to Azor.

That night, the Alliance prepared to leave Cernium when Aaron greeted them and revealed to them a hidden truth about Cernium - that all the various gods that the different sects worshiped were actually one and the same, with the truth being obscured over the ages. Edea realized that the other sects would never accept it, as doing so would force them to acknowledge that every terrible deed that they had ever committed in the name of their god had been unjustified. However, it also meant that the Chosen One had been selected long ago, as the criteria for being chosen was that they needed to be worthy of the power, as well as to have the support of all three Orders, meaning that Gilmore was unworthy of awakening Azor without their full support. Edea then rushed to check on something, just as several Alliance soldiers warned that they needed to leave soon. Edea asked them to go on without her, as she would be back after confirming something that she had realized, and told Aaron that he was welcome to come with them to Maple World. Aaron thanked her, but declined, as he wished to continue watching over the library.

Learning the Truth

As the battle of Cernium commenced, Ebonstar was ordered to attack the library after the High Flora learned that Edea was close to learning the truth about Gilmore. in the library, a court knight arrived and warned Edea to immediately retreat, as lightning had stuck the palace and had started a massive fire. Edea told the knight that she needed ten more minutes and asked them to tell Aaron to use the fire extinguisher if she was not out in that time. Soon after, she found the book that she was looking for, which detailed how, in the time of the Ancient Gods, mortals had attempted to find a way to end the chaos wrought by the gods' disregard for the natural order. Their research had led them to investigate previously forbidden studies, but the horrifying beasts that they had spawned were abominations that despised humanity. Nevertheless, the inhumane experiments had continued until finally, after years of failure, they had succeeded in creating a monster with many souls contained within a single body. Against the will of the gods, those creations had been able to wield weapons containing the gods' own power used against them.

From the information in the book, Edea was able to confirm that Gilmore was indeed a fake Chosen One. Just then, Ebonstar soldiers surrounded her amidst the growing fire. With no need to worry about the library burning down when it was already set aflame, Edea was free to use her lightning attacks on the soldiers. Soon after, Aaron learned from the court knight that Edea had gone missing, and that she had asked him to use the fire extinguisher after ten minutes, which had long since passed. Though Aaron wanted to use the extinguisher before the library burned down, he decided to go after Edea, as removing all the oxygen from the room with the extinguisher would kill her. At the same time, the Adversary arrived at the library and the court knight explained that Aaron had gone after Edea. After fighting through the Ebonstar soldiers, the Adversary caught up with Aaron. The two eventually found Edea, who told them that she needed to speak with Seren in the chamber of the holy sword. However, she warned the Adversary to keep their distance once they arrived, as the activated sword would channel Mitra's consciousness, and since the Ancient Gods were hostile towards Adversaries, it would likely turn on them.

As the Adversary headed off, Aaron told Edea that he had translated the inscription on Azor, “Alvationsay inway Andhay”, and had learned that it didn't mean “Salvation is in Cernium” like what Roland had claimed. Instead, it meant “Salvation is in your own hands”, as it was the people who needed unconditional faith, not the gods. Edea then rushed to the chamber of Azor, where she found Gilmore attempting to seize Azor from Seren. Gilmore quickly drew his sword on Edea and told her that he would destroy her for sullying their sacred ground. Seren immediately drew her blade and parried Gilmore's attack, yelling at Edea to run. Nevertheless, Gilmore managed to shatter Seren's blade before wounding Edea. As he prepared to strike Seren down, Edea used the last of her strength to create a magical seal around Gilmore, allowing Seren to deliver the final blow. Defeated, Gilmore dissipated into thin air as Seren lamented that Azor would never find its light now with the Chosen One destroyed. Edea then revealed to her that Gilmore hadn't been the Chosen One, but rather, he has been a special type of Specter, filled with countless souls that had given him enough power to appear as though he was the Chosen One, which would have allowed him to trick Azor into choosing him to wield the power of Mitra.

Edea then gave Seren the emblem of the Chosen One that Gilmore had dropped and told her that she had earned the trust of the people. Seren protested that the emblem didn't glow in her hands and wondered what more everyone expected from her, as she couldn't change basic facts. Just then, the Adversary arrived and told her that they understood what it was like to feel helpless, as they had been filled with doubt throughout the battle with the Black Mage, just as she was now, and explained that it wasn't until the very last moment that someone had helped them see the light. Edea then told her that Aaron had properly translated the inscription on Azor and revealed to her that it meant “Salvation is in your own hands”. The Adversary asked her not to wait for the prophecy to fulfill itself, but to instead fulfill her destiny with her own two hands, while Edea asked her to try putting faith into herself for once. To Seren's surprise, the emblem began glowing in her hands as she began to believe in herself once again. Awakening as the Chosen One, Seren used her powers to defeat Havoc, allowing the Alliance to drive back the Flora army once and for all.

Darmoor's Deception

A few days after the battle, Edea met with Aaron and profusely apologized for all the countless knowledge that had been lost, though Aaron told her not to apologize, as it was nothing compared to all the lives that they had saved. Edea arrived to meet the Glory Guard and Carlisle as they watched the Grand Master formally recognize Seren as the Chosen One. Just then, Aaron arrived at the palace and approached Seren. Seeing Carlisle's surprise, the Adversary asked if Aaron wasn't supposed to be there, to which Carlisle explained that his surprise was because he had never seen Aaron willingly walk in to a crowd before. Aaron congratulated Seren and asked if she had heard the voice of Mitra since becoming the Chosen One. Seren told him that she hadn't had that honor yet, to which Aaron offered to show her how. Aaron then whispered something in Seren's ear, causing her to suddenly be consumed with divine energy as Mitra himself possessed Seren's body. The audience was shocked at the devastating power that emanated from Seren, from whom Mitra declared, “The wrath of the sun is upon you,” exactly as he had done in the Adversary's vision when they had attempted to wield Azor. Seren then turned to face the Adversary, within whom Mitra recognized the power of the Seal Stone, and the two engaged in a fierce battle. The shockwave of their battle wounded everyone in the audience, and the Adversary barely managed to win by shattering Azor. Seren, having regained her senses, was shocked at the destruction of the holy sword, just as Aaron approached the wounded Adversary. To everyone's shock, he extracted the Seal Stone from the Adversary and told them that he had warned that it would only bring death, after which he shattered it. As he walked away, Edea asked who he really was, to which Aaron, his eyes glowing red, replied, “I am the one who tires of the folly of lesser lifeforms,” thus revealing himself as Gerand Darmoor.

Soon after, the Glory Guard returned to Maple World, where the Alliance held a meeting to cover the shocking events that had transpired. Edea explained that she had tried to protect the Adversary, but Mitra's power had badly injured everyone. She confessed that things could have been far worse if Seren hadn't been able to take control of her body back. Neinheart was surprised that the holy sword could have broken so easily, to which Edea echoed Aaron's words that only a god could challenge another god, and that Adversary and the Seal Stone were matched in power with Mitra and Azor, which was likely what Darmoor had intended all along. When Cygnus asked what had happened to Seren, Edea explained that Seren had left Cernium in order to fix Azor. She explained that after the Adversary had broken the holy sword, the city was in an uproar, and that it had been a miracle that they had been able to leave without getting hurt. Neinheart then summarized that they had learned nothing of the Ancient Gods, the alliance with Cernium had failed, and the Adversary had lost the power of the Seal Stone. Edea agreed that it was 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 stolen from Chronica. 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.

High Flora Invasion

Shortly after Reina's invasion of Maple World, an emergency Alliance meeting was held, which was attended by Edea and several other leaders. There, the Adversary arrived with Gaon - one of the Four Symbols who had left Shangri-La to help the outside world. Edea was surprised to learn that Gaon was a black tortoise Anima, which were one of the strongest amongst the Anima subspecies that possessed special powers. After Neinheart summarized their current situation, he began outlining the three goals of the Alliance: first, to recover Empress Cygnus' 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.

Edea asked Neinheart whether he meant to say that Darmoor's objective was something beyond Cygnus' Transcendent powers, which Neinheart confirmed, adding that Edea must have some idea about it as well, given that she was part of the Alliance mission to Cernium, where they had first begun to gain an understanding of Darmoor's actions. He pointed out that Darmoor – disguised as Aaron – had spent quite some time researching the Ancient Gods in the Cernium Royal Library. He also noted that in Arcus, Darmoor had confirmed the power of the Ancient Gods by using the Angler Company, while in Odium and Shangri-La, he had used Kaling to obtain the World Heart, which had the ability to steal the powers of the Ancient Gods. A surprised Edea realized that Neinheart was suggesting that Darmoor's goal was to obtain the power of the Ancient Gods, to which Neinheart replied that he understood her concerns, as there were certain things that still didn't fully make sense, such as why Darmoor had used the power of time to restore the burnt library in Cernium, which had given vital information to the enemy. Neinheart then asked the Alliance leaders to gather information about the gods, tasking Edea with gathering information from her contacts in Grandis. Just then, Gaon's spear lit up with watery energy that pointed towards Grandis. After Gaon explained his history with the Ancient God Keira and the land of Carcion, Edea noted that the light from the spear was likely a sign that Keira was calling to him, possibly because something had happened to her. Because of this, the Alliance decided to mount a rescue attempt. While looking to gather forces for the mission, Edea 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. Because of this, Claudine and Eckhart were dispatched instead.

NPC

Heliseum

Commander Barracks

Edea
Quests involved	[Heliseum] Trouble at HQ [Heliseum] Edea and Piston [Heliseum] Quartermaster Harpoon [Heliseum] Military Might - Soldier Sparring [Heliseum] Military Might - More Soldier Sparring [Heliseum] Petulant Eurenth the Sage [Heliseum] Restoring the Blue Dragon Cannon [Heliseum] Shadows of Grandis [Heliseum] Trust Matters [Heliseum] Blue Dragon Cannon Test Operation [Heliseum] Blue Dragon Coordinates [Heliseum] Blue Dragon Cannon Maintenance [Heliseum] Firepower Matters
Location	Commander Barracks

Path to City Center (Quest)

Edea
Quests involved	[Heliseum] Edea's Magical Surprise
Location	Path to City Center

Downtown Entrance

Edea
Quests involved	[Heliseum] Heliseum or Bust
Location	Downtown Entrance

Downtown Black Market

Edea
Quests involved	[Heliseum] Heliseum or Bust [Heliseum] Castle Reconnaissance [Heliseum] Castle Guardian [Heliseum] Eastern Castle Situation [Heliseum] Underground Passage [Heliseum] Goodbye Seal [Heliseum] Mad Scientist Treglow [Heliseum] Western Castle Situation [Heliseum] Breaking and Entering [Heliseum] Melancholy Victor [Heliseum] Three Keys [Heliseum] An Obvious Trap [Heliseum] What Happened to Friendship? [Heliseum] Counterattack [Heliseum] Velderoth the Traitor [Heliseum] The Final Battle [Heliseum] A Time to Celebrate [Heliseum] Alliance of Two Worlds [Heliseum] Leader Kaiser? [Heliseum] Cursarium [Heliseum] Uncursing Kaiserium [Heliseum] Kaiserium Grows Legs [Heliseum] Whereabouts of the Cursed Kaiserium
Location	Downtown Black Market

Outpost

Edea
Location	Outpost

Cernium

Cernium Square

Edea
Quests involved	[Cernium (Before)] Cernium Unified
Location	Cernium Square

Rocky Overlook Entrance

Edea
Location	Rocky Overlook Entrance

Palace Main Hall

Edea
Location	Palace Main Hall

Royal Library

Edea
Location	Royal Library

Sacred Symbol

Edea
Location	[Cernium] A Divine Power [Cernium (After)] Burning Sky

Near the Flora Encampment

Edea
Location	Near the Flora Encampment

Arteria

Supply Depot

Edea
Location	Supply Depot

Dark Sea

Door to the Depths

Edea
Location	Door to the Depths

Temple of the Radiant Star

Edea
Location	Temple of the Radiant Star

Azure Ruins

Edea
Location	Azure Ruins

Gallery

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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea
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  NPC Portrait of Edea