Irena

NPCMonster

Irena
CurrentGrandisOriginalAngryCalcified"Future"
Title	Chief Knight of Wind
Hometown	Leafre
Current Residence	Ereve
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Affiliations	Cygnus Knights Empress Cygnus Neinheart Maple Alliance
Minions	Wind Archers
Enemies	Black Mage Black Wings Gerand Darmoor High Flora
Status	Alive Fightable ("future" counterpart, Gameplay)
Name (Other Servers)
KoreaMS	이리나 (Irena; Irina)
JapanMS	イリーナ (Irena; Irīna)
TaiwanMS	伊麗娜 (Yīlìnà)
Voice Actors
GlobalMS	Sarah Anne Williams
KoreaMS	So-eun Lee
JapanMS	Maaya Uchida

World Archive

“Irena serves as the Chief Knight of Wind among the Cygnus Knights' five leaders.
She always leads her members with calm composure, showing a knightly demeanor that is cold toward enemies and kind toward allies. In a way, she can be called the spiritual pillar of us Wind Archers.
After I took her advice and changed the way I held my bow, my accuracy improved significantly. She really is the best!”

― Chronicler Q

Oz is the Chief Knight of Wind and the Wind Archer instructor.

Story

Becoming the Chief Knight of Wind

Irena grew up with the Haflingers of Leafre and worked as a forester. One day, she encountered a boy defending a girl from a Rash in Minar Forest. After saving them, she learned that the two were siblings, and that they were on their way to Ariant. Believing that it was too dangerous for the children to be traveling alone, Irena decided to escort them to the Leafre station. On the way to the station, Irena learned that the siblings were born in Ariant, and that their father had sent them to the forest in order to protect them from the harsh taxes and punishments that Queen Areda levied on her citizens. Because of this, Irena decided to accompany the children all the way to Ariant, where they reunited with their father. Irena was shocked to find that their father had lost his arm in a mining accident, as Areda had been forcing her people to mine for jewels. Though she did whatever she could in order to help the family, Irena was disappointed to find great suffering all across Maple World. Hoping to make a difference, Irena decided to join the Cygnus Knights. Over time, the Cygnus Knights continued to grow, with several other Knights - Oz, Eckhart, 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, Irena received an emergency telegram from Neinheart, who who ordered all knights to return to Ereve immediately. Irena 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, Irena fought through the bewitched Wind Archers. 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. Irena was then Chief Knight of Wind and led the Wind Archers with the power of Ventus.

Some time after her appointment, Irena met with Mihile and suggested that they walk in order to break the monotony. The two headed into a remote forest in Leafre, which Irena revealed had been where she had grown up with the Halflingers as a forester. She then decided to tell Mihile about how she had joined the Cygnus Knights and explained that she had one day come across a boy defending a girl from a Rash. Upon learning that the two were heading to Ariant, Irena had agreed to escort them to the Leafre station. Irena told Mihile that Queen Areda of Ariant's greed was legendary, and that she had levied harsh taxes and punishments upon her citizens. Because of this, the children's father had sent them to the forest for safety, though he had been forced to remain behind. Because of this, Irena had decided to accompany them all the way to Ariant, where they had reunited with their father. Irena had been shocked to find that the father's arm had been severed in a mining accident, as Areda had been forcing the townspeople to mine for jewels. After their father had expressed their regret in sending his children away, Irena had done what she could to help them. Nevertheless, she had been filled with sadness that she couldn't help the rest of Ariant, and so she had decided to leave Leafre and travel the world, where she had been disappointed to find great suffering all across Maple World. Hoping to make a difference, Irena had joined the Cygnus Knights. Irena then told Mihile that Oz was looking for him in Ereve, and so Mihile returned to find that Oz was celebrating her birthday.

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. Irena - 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. Irena argued on behalf of Cygnus, claiming that there were no historical records of Skaia's powers, to which Hilla replied that the people of Ereve were the only ones in Maple World who had seen pictures of the gem, and so she claimed that their own knowledge of Skaia's appearance would allow them to see that her gem was real. Hilla then continued overriding the Knights' arguments until Phantom himself appeared and exposed Hilla's treachery.

Training the Knight

Note: This section only takes place if the player is a Wind Archer.

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 Wind Archer under Irena'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, Irena arrived and asked whether it was true that they had defeated Francis the Puppeteer. The Knight dismissed their actions as merely luck, and though Irena was pleased by their humbleness, she warned the Knight to remain vigilant, as darkness grew stronger even as they did. She then wished the Knight good luck on their mission, explaining that she had a mission of her own to complete. Before she left, however, Irena 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 Irena, who told them that she was impressed by how much they had accomplished, especially given that they were only a Knight-in-Training. She then suggested that the Knight take the Official Knighthood exam. Once the Knight accepted, Irena 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 Irena 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 Irena, who agreed that they had become stronger. However, she explained that while their Official Knighthood exam had tested their strength, their Advanced Knighthood exam would test their faith. She explained that a Knight's faith was revealed when facing inner darkness, and so she 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 Irena, 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 Irena'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, Irena 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. Irena 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 Irena. He then sent them to meet with Della, one of their informants. At the Temple of Time, Irena 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. Irena 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. Irena 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 Irena attempting to wake them up. Suddenly, the black fog formed tendrils of darkness that attempted to grab at the Knight. Irena immediately pushed them aside, but the tendrils instead ensnared her and dragged her into the Gate to the Future. The Knight rushed in after Irena, 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 Irena into an enchanted sleep. The Knight quickly defeated the Wightmare and took Irena back to the Temple of Time. Irena awoke and thanked them for their help, explaining that the Wightmare had been trying to brainwash her by planting images into her mind. Suddenly, Della rushed over to them and explained that there was an emergency in Ereve, as the Empress had fallen. Irena 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 Irena, 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 Irena 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, Irena congratulated them for their promotion and added that they expected great things from the Knight.

Cygnus Awakens

As part of an upcoming Alliance meeting away from Ereve, the Chief Knights were assigned to serve as Cygnus's security detail. Irena 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 Irena had trained was called to Leafre by Shinsoo, who revealed that Cygnus had prematurely awakened as a Transcendent-in-waiting.

Tenebris

During the final assault of the White Spear to reach the Black Mage, Irena 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 Wind Archer.

Irena told the Knight that they had brought a breeze in the storm, to which the Knight told her that it was all because her wind had cleared the way. Irena thanked the Knight and hoped that the wind of good fortune would surround them in the future.

Investigating Hotel Arcus

Ramshackle Desert Hotel

A few months after the events of Cernium, Cosim infiltrated Ereve, prompting Irena 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. Soon after, Irena traveled to Hotel Arcus in order to rendezvous with Neinheart, Belle, and the Adversary, who had also traveled to the Arcus desert to investigate. As Archelon poured the others a drink, Irena revealed that she had already arrived at the hotel and told them that they were late. Archelon then offered to make them fried eggs and activated a Cookbot, which loudly proclaimed that it was engaging its egg preparation protocol and launched a fried egg on Belle's face. Just then, a boy named Rusty appeared after hearing the noise and introduced himself as the hotel manager and mechanic, asking what had brought them all the way out to the desert. Neinheart explained that they were investigating traces of an Ancient God, but Rusty told him that he hadn't heard about anything like that before. Realizing that Cosim's tip was likely a dead end, Neinheart decided to find the nearest Alliance base to get a transport back. However, Rusty warned that a sandstorm was coming and recommended that they stay indoors. Deciding that it would be best for them to rest, Neinheart booked four rooms for himself and the others.

The next day, the Adversary and the others found a note from Neinheart, which explained that he was heading back to the Outpost, as their fastest airship only had room for one, and that he was entrusting them with finding information on the Ancient Gods. Furious at Neinheart's treachery, Belle punched a wall and created a massive crack. Hearing the noise and fearing that the marauders had returned, Rusty rushed over and yelled at the Glory Guard for trashing his hotel, demanding that they pay for the damage. Belle tried to explain that they didn't have the funds to pay him, as their nations were teetering on the edge of bankruptcy after the war against the Black Mage, and asked if he could let it slide, promising that she would leave immediately to have Neinheart repay him. Irena reminded her that they needed to investigate the Ancient Gods, but Belle snapped and asked what Ancient God would want to live in such a wasteland. Rusty agreed and told them that if an Ancient God were out in the desert, then he would have known about it, as he had spent his whole life in the hotel. In order to repay him, Rusty made the Glory Guard peel potatoes. Belle fumed that she was stuck doing chores while on a mission, but the Adversary reminded her that Rusty had threatened to tell everyone that the Alliance would rather run away than pay their debts. Furious, Belle decided that she was going to head back to the Alliance, but in the lobby, she ran into Senya Angler wearing a cowboy outfit and followed by three Senyabots. Though Irena and the Adversary immediately recognized Senya, a clueless Belle asked who she was. After being reminded by Irena about the Alliance reports, Belle recognized both Senya and the Angler Company. Senya laughed that she hadn't realized that the Company's reputation had made it all the way across the forgotten sea to Maple World. Rusty then arrived after hearing the commotion, and Senya introduced herself to him, explaining that she had come to buy the hotel. However, Belle called her bluff and told Rusty that Senya was from the Angler Company, which was still rumored to be active, despite having been wiped out in a massive explosion several years ago. From the Alliance reports, Belle read that Senya had recently been sighted in Savage Terminal, where she had been believed to be conducting acquisitions on the Company's behalf, with T-Boy being one of her known associates. Belle also read that Senya was currently regarded as missing and flagged report-on-sight, causing her to note that the Alliance considered her to be important. The Adversary then pointed out that Senya likely had some ulterior motive behind buying a run-down hotel in the middle of the desert and suspected that her plan had something to do with the Ancient Gods.

Both Irena and Belle agreed that they needed to stop Senya from buying the hotel. They then spoke to Rusty and explained who Senya was, adding that he shouldn't sell her the hotel. However, Rusty told them that he would be crazy not to take her offer, as she was offering quite a lot of money, whereas they couldn't even pay for the damage that they had done to the hotel. Irena asked Rusty why he hadn't immediately taken the deal, to which he explained that he wasn't sure why she would be offering so much money for a run-down hotel. Because of that, he was planning to sleep on the offer for a few days, and so Irena suggested to the others that they look for clues on the Ancient Gods in the meantime. Rusty then explained that he had an old treasure map which might be useful to them, though he couldn't remember where he had gotten it. However, Rusty told them that he had lost the treasure map long ago, likely to the outlaws who frequently raided the hotel pantry when they ran out of food. As the trio headed into the desert, they discovered that a robot named Toogi was following them. Just then, the leader of the Ironshots appeared and warned that they were on Ironshot turf. Toogi then voiced that they were hotel guests, causing the Ironshot leader to back off, as the Ironshots weren't permitted to touch hotel guests. Belle asked him whether the Ironshots had ever stolen a treasure map, which he confirmed. He offered to give the map in exchange for them fighting off the Sandblade Marauders so that the Ironshots could expand into their territory. After fighting off the Marauders, the Adversary returned to the Ironshot boss, who told them that the Puxillians had seized much of the Ironshots' territory, where the map had been left behind. As they moved to go find it, the boss realized that there must be a great treasure where the map led and began to get aggressive. The Ironshot gangsters then started to attack them, causing the Glory Guard to retreat. However, they soon realized that they had left Toogi behind. Belle wanted to go back for him, but Irena told her that it would be dangerous and claimed that broken machines could be replaced. Belle argued that no two robots were the same and rushed back in to save Toogi.

Repairing Toogi

Belle was able to save Toogi and bring it back, but she found that Toogi had been damaged. Irena asked Belle why she had risked her life to save a robot, to which Belle replied that Toogi had only been in danger because of them. They then brought Toogi to Rusty and asked if he could repair the robot. Rusty told them that his robots were more complex than a typical machine and that they were just as difficult to repair. Belle explained that she was an expert with machines, which she worked with every day for the Resistance. However, Rusty told her that he had been building robots for his entire life, and that there was no way that she could fix something that was difficult for even him. Belle was annoyed at his words and attempted to argue, though Irena quickly shut her down. Rusty then told her that they would be able to find the part that they needed at the old drive-in theater in Puxillian territory. The Adversary was surprised that there was a theater in the middle of the desert, to which Archelon explained that Rusty used to go to the theater all the time until Kelly, the other mechanic who had worked on the trains, had left the city. Irena suggested that Belle rest and recover from her injuries while she and the Adversary went. They then asked Rusty where Senya was, to which he explained that she had gone for a walk. Suspecting that Senya was searching for something, Belle noted that they had an edge over her, as they knew where the treasure map was. She then asked the Adversary to look for the part that she needed to fix Toogi while they were searching for the map at the drive-in theater, vowing that she would fix Toogi on her honor as a member of the Resistance.

As they headed into Puxillian territory, Irena told the Adversary that she felt bad that someone as young as Rusty was managing a hotel that no one ever came to. At the drive-in theater, they found that the Puxillians were actually primitive lizard creatures. With no way to communicate with them, the Adversary decided to fight off the Puxillians while Irena looked for the map. Their search took them deeper into Puxillian territory, where they found that the creatures had fashioned apparel from broken-down cars. The Adversary realized that if the Puxillians could do something like that, then they were likely intelligent enough to communicate. They then sheepishly asked a Puxillian about the map, but the Puxillian pointedly ignored them for having attacked them. The Adversary then began fighting the Puxillians again when the Senyabots suddenly appeared to fight the monsters as well. The Senyabots explained to the confused pair that they were programmed to protect Senya's friends from danger. Using the robots' arrival as an opportunity, Irena decided to search the Puxillians' dens for the treasure map. The pair then found the map inside one of the abandoned cars that the Puxillians were using for their dens and opened it up. Irena found it strange that the map depicted an island when their surroundings were merely a vast desert. They discovered that the treasure was located north in an area that was drawn on the map as a snake-like twisting shape. Irena decided that they needed to speak with Rusty and headed back alone, even as the Adversary reminded her about the part that Belle had asked them to find.

Soon after, the Adversary returned to the garage with the part that Belle needed. At the garage, Belle expressed her relief that they had finally returned. Irena apologized to Belle that she hadn't been much help, to which Belle replied that it was concerning that she couldn't even tell a crosshead screwdriver from a flathead. Irena retorted that though that might be common knowledge in a group obsessed with machines like the Resistance, it wasn't something that the Cygnus Knights concerned themselves with. The Adversary then gave the part to Belle, who was unable to determine how to even begin installing it. She explained that she had never seen a robot like Toogi before, explaining that its internal structure was incomprehensible. She added that she had checked the structure of the other robots as well, all of which were similarly complex. Because of this, she suspected that the robots were all artifacts of an Ancient God, though she added that it was merely a hypothesis. As she attempted to remove the damaged parts, she accidentally triggered a recording of Toogi's memories of Rusty from over the years. Rusty then arrived and was impressed to see that Belle had actually managed to fix Toogi, although he was less impressed when Toogi fell apart again. Soon after, the Adversary asked Rusty if he knew about the train station, as it was likely where the treasure was. As they weren't merely kids playing make-believe, Rusty decided to believe that their treasure hunt wasn't just a fantasy and chose to tag along with them. At the train station, Belle was irritated to know that the train never stopped and wondered how they would board it. To their surprise, they found Senya hanging onto the side of the train. She extended her hand for them to grab and helped them climb to the top of the train, where they asked Senya why she was helping them. Senya replied that she just wanted to be part of the team, though no one except Rusty believed her.

The Secret of Hotel Arcus

They then realized that they needed to get to the locomotive, just as the Conductorbots and Houndbots detected unauthorized passengers. Rusty explained that he had assumed that the robots on the train would have broken down without Kelly to maintain them, but they had merely gotten out of control. Suddenly, the Ironshot gang appeared and claimed that they had come for the treasure, while the Puxillians appeared and spoke unintelligibly, though Irena surmised that they had come for revenge. The Senyabots then appeared and began attacking the Ironshots and Puxillians, and Senya told them to keep going while she handled the enemies. However, Belle begrudgingly remained with Senya, claiming that it wasn't in her nature to leave an ally behind. While Belle and Senya handled the enemies up top, the Adversary, Irena, and Rusty arrived at the locomotive to search for the treasure. Rusty told them that, according to the movies that he had seen, hidden treasure was always in a secret compartment, and so he figured that it would be the result of pulling one of the three levers in front of them. After the Adversary pulled one of the levers, a secret compartment opened, just as Belle and Senya arrived. Inside the compartment, the Adversary pulled out a bomb, which immediately activated. Meanwhile, the Ironshot boss and the Sandblade Marauders' Overlord, who had also arrived, decided to team up and split the treasure, just as the haywire train robots chased after them. Suddenly, Archelon appeared out of nowhere and explained that he had arrived to retrieve Rusty. As he struggled to activate his combat mode, the Ironshot boss attacked Archelon and broke him. With the bomb about to detonate at any moment, Rusty grabbed it from the Adversary's hand and threw it at the two gangs. The Adversary grabbed Archelon, and they all jumped off the train before returning to the hotel.

Senya began to work on fixing Archelon, though Rusty feared that it was his time, just like Toogi. To his surprise, Senya appeared and presented a perfectly repaired Archelon and Toogi, with both their quirks fixed as well, explaining that she had used the advanced technology of the Angler Company to fix them. Grateful to Senya, Rusty decided to sell the hotel to her and told Archelon that Senya would be his new owner. The Glory Guard then watched the ownership transfer, dejected that they hadn't been able to stop the sale in the end. Belle was particularly upset, as there was no way that they could have done anything without making themselves look like the villains. Rusty apologized to them, though he told them that he had no reason to stay anymore. After Rusty left, Belle began demanding answers from Senya, asking why she had spent so much money buying the hotel when there were no clues about the Ancient Gods that any of them had uncovered. Senya told them that she didn't know any more than they did, though that was about to change. She revealed that she had made some adjustments to Archelon after taking ownership of him, explaining that he was in charge of the most vital part of the hotel. She then ordered Archelon to deactivate all the robots in the hotel and activate the hotel defense system. When Archelon failed to do the latter, she asked him to bring up the surveillance system, which he also failed to do. Irena realized that Senya hadn't fixed the robots so much as made them subservient to her. Just then, Toogi returned, shocking the Glory Guard with its new appearance. Senya then ordered Toogi to attack them, but Toogi hesitated and explained that they were its friends. Senya realized that an outdated robot would always remain so at heart, no matter how refurbished it was. She then summoned her loyal Senyabots and ordered them to attack the Glory Guard. As they fought the Senyabots off, Senya ordered the robots to self-destruct. She then thanked the Glory Guard for giving her the opportunity that she needed and ordered Archelon to initiate aggression mitigation protocol. As Archelon complied with the order, the ground began to shake violently. Senya revealed that the hotel used to be a fortress long ago, and that an ancient weapon was stored underground, with its key being Archelon himself. From the ground appeared massive robots, which effortlessly defeated the Glory Guard. Rusty soon rushed to the scene and found the Glory Guard collapsed on the ground. The Adversary explained that Senya had used Archelon to summon the ancient weapons, whose armor had repelled all of the Glory Guard's attacks. Meanwhile, Archelon was attempting to resist Senya's commands and override the ancient weapons, but he found that he couldn't do so. When he refused to obey Senya's orders to cease his attempts, she decided that she would simply destroy him and rebuild him again. She then had one of the ancient robots destroy Archelon, much to Rusty's horror.

Rusty sobbed over a broken Archelon, claiming that he never should have sold him to a stranger. He then showed Archelon a rusty screw that he had found inside the bomb and promised to fix him, just as Senya gave Archelon his final command to self-destruct. Archelon warned Rusty to get away, but Rusty refused, claiming that a defender of justice never abandoned their captain. At his words, Archelon was able to regain control over himself and used the missing screw to instantly repair himself. He then declared that he had been asleep for long enough and that it was time to wake up, warning Rusty and the others to be wary of falling debris. Archelon then held on to Rusty as an immense, fortress-like tortoise emerged from beneath the hotel. Archelon then ordered the ancient weapons to return to the ground. Senya was impressed to learn that the entire town had been built on top of a slumbering Ancient God, and that the old screw was the key to awakening him. Rusty then told Senya that he wanted to use the card that she had given him, which was capable of buying anything, in order to buy back his hotel. Senya readily agreed, explaining that she had no use for a defense system that she couldn't control. However, she was confused about how the robots could have defied her, as there was no one more skilled at manipulating machines than her. Rusty laughed and asked why a robot that had never once listened to him after a lifetime together would ever listen to her. He told her that that was the meaning of family, where no one did what they were told, even as they all went through everything together. After a pause, Senya told him that his experience with family and hers had been very different. With that, she took her leave before the Glory Guard could stop her. Back in the hotel, Archelon calculated an exorbitant cost for their final fees. Belle asked if there was a special discount for friends, but Archelon promptly replied that friendship had no monetary value. However, he decided to take into account that the Adversary had helped him learn about love, allowing him to learn how to ‘brew with love'. He explained that the human heart was something that he had long been curious about, which was why he had originally decided to live alongside humans. He explained that his robotic body had been constructed long ago by an old friend in order to ensure that he wouldn't forget, as well as to ensure his awakening after his physical form fell into a deep sleep. The Glory Guard realized that Archelon had the consciousness of the same Ancient God upon whom the city had been built. Archelon then told Rusty that the hotel's primary clientele, the Seekers, had returned. Belle asked Archelon what the Seekers were searching for, to which he replied that they were searching for ancient artifacts all over the world. As the Glory Guard discreetly slipped away, Rusty watched in amazement as dozens of new guests poured into the hotel.

Mission to Karote

Soon after the expedition to Hotel Arcus, Irena attended a meeting with Neinheart, the Adversary, and the Chief Knights, where she reported that the Wind Archers had been coordinating with their informants and told the Adversary that one of their sources, Rusty, had told her about a story circulating amongst the Seekers, which spoke of a tower that hid something that even the gods feared. In order to investigate the rumors, Irena, Neinheart, Belle, and the Adversary traveled to the train station at Arcus. There, Neinheart and Irena recounted the legend of Karote, the Unending Tower, to Belle and the Adversary, explaining that it was a self-building tower that hadn't stopped growing since it had first been created. The tower took over a lifespan to build, and the day of its completion would reveal to the world a secret that even the gods feared. When the Adversary asked why the tower built itself endlessly, Neinheart explained that when the tower reached a certain height, a force from above would blast it apart, as though it would not permit the tower to build itself any higher. Irena added that even though it had merely been a popular legend amongst the Seekers, the fusion of Maple World and Grandis had resulted in the tower resurfacing, with an eyewitness even having seen the tower with their own eyes. Irena then told the others that the eyewitness was currently staying in Hotel Arcus. The Adversary recalled the part of the story that mentioned how the tower's completion would reveal something that even the gods feared, causing them to wonder whether it could be a clue about the Godsphere, which they knew as the Seal Stone. At Hotel Arcus, the Glory Guard met with a Seeker named Nicky, who offered to lead them to Karote, revealing that his father had desperately wanted to see Karote completed. Nicky, Irena, Belle, Neinheart, and the Adversary then used the Arcus Gate and arrived at the entrance to Karote, which stood nearly complete. Nicky realized that they had arrived at the wrong time, as the tower had grown too high. Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck and caused the tower to crumble into pieces. Neinheart realized that they could be certain that the power that wanted to keep the tower from growing was still active even now.

They went inside the ruins to investigate and found an unscathed statue, which they realized had been mentioned by the Seekers. Neinheart asked Nicky if there was anything special about the statue, but when Nicky told him that there wasn't, Neinheart asked the Adversary for their perspective and told them to look closely. Irena and Belle noted that it seemed to be an ordinary stone statue. However, as the Adversary touched it, the statue glowed and teleported the Adversary to a subspace filled with robotic Guardians, where they learned that the tower's creator had been an experiment to create an Adversary. The Adversary then returned to the tower and found the others standing around a new statue and a new mural that depicted Karote emerging from the ocean at sunrise. The Adversary told them about the shocking revelation that they had learned from the creator's memories and noted that Neinheart wasn't surprised. Neinheart told them that the clues had always been there, and that the Adversary themselves had seen the results firsthand in Cernium with the experiment to transform Gilmore into a special Specter, which would have allowed him to trick the holy sword Azor into believing that he was the Chosen One. He then summarized that the creator had built Karote in order to escape the sea, and that he hadn't stopped building, even after reaching the surface. Belle noted that the fact that there was a large laboratory in the sky meant that the experiments to create an Adversary hadn't been a singular occurrence with the creator and wondered who could have conducted the experiments and what their purpose might have been.

Neinheart then asked Nicky why his father had been looking forward to the completion of the tower. Nicky explained that his father didn't talk much about his plans because he knew that the world ridiculed geniuses, and he didn't even trust his own children not to follow suit. He explained that, unlike his genius father, he was merely a Seeker and a disappointment in his father's eyes, and that his only goal was to see the completed tower and what had been destroying it. As Belle and Irena began to console him, Nicky snapped at them not to treat him like a child, though he quickly realized that it wasn't the time to get angry when they were almost at the top of the tower, with the attack from the sky possibly coming at any minute. The group then ascended to one of the top levels and found a statue of the creator falling. Upon touching the statue, the Adversary was transported back to the subspace, where they encountered more Guardians and witnessed more of the tower creator's memories. Soon after, the Adversary was then sent back to Karote and found that it had been completed at last, and that it hadn't been immediately destroyed like it normally would be upon completion. After they explained the situation to the others, Neinheart realized that the creator had been using the tower in order to reach the laboratory in the sky, and that the Guardian had been responsible for destroying Karote. Belle realized that the only reason why the Guardian had allowed for the tower to finally be completed was because the Adversary, a worthy Vessel, had come at last. However, Neinheart found it strange that the creator, who had been confident that they were a worthy Vessel for the Adversary and stronger than the ones who had created him, had been deemed a failure, with even Karote itself remaining unfinished until the Adversary had appeared.

He realized that the creator was a defective Vessel and that he had manipulated them into helping him reach the laboratory. He warned the Adversary that it would be dangerous to investigate further, as the creator, whom he believed wasn't a normal person, may soon appear and become a threat. Just as he recommended that they retreat, Nicky grew frustrated and decided to climb to the top himself. The Glory Guard decided to go after him and found themselves higher than the clouds. In the sky, they found a citadel floating in the sky, which they recognized as the laboratory. Belle was shocked at the kind of technology that could hide something so enormous in the sky, as well as its power source, fuel, and why no one had encountered it until now. They then encountered Guardian Kalos, who revealed that he had been responsible for destroying the tower for ages. He then recognized Nicky as an unworthy Vessel created with materials from the laboratory of Odium. Frustrated, Nicky claimed that his father would be disappointed after finding out that Kalos had seen through his schemes, especially when he had spent so much time recreating Nicky's body with technology from the laboratory. Upon being confronted by Neinheart, Nicky revealed that his father was both the creator of Karote and a defective Vessel before revealing himself as T-Boy.

The Glory Guard immediately recognized T-Boy as a member of the Angler family from the Alliance reports that detailed the events of Reverse City. They also recalled that his sister, Senya, had been responsible for trying to buy Hotel Arcus, causing them to wonder whether her true goal had been to lead the Adversary to Karote, as she had given up her schemes too easily. Neinheart immediately realized that the situation was dire and suggested that they retreat, as T-Boy wasn't an enemy whom they could defeat with no preparation. When Belle protested that they couldn't allow T-Boy to escape and carry out his plans, Neinheart reminded her that their opponent was the sentinel of the very laboratory that had created artificial Adversaries. He pointed out that the odds that they were facing were just like what they had experienced at Tenebris, when they had faced a threat almost indistinguishable from a god that only the Adversary could face. Though Belle and Irena conceded that Neinheart was right, they reminded the Adversary that they had nevertheless been able to defeat the Black Mage back then, adding that it hadn't been because of the Seal Stone, but because of their determination and the full support of all their allies standing together. Neinheart acknowledged their point, but he reminded them of the lesson that they had learned in Cernium when Aaron had explained to them that only a god had the power to challenge other gods. Suddenly, Kalos prepared to launch an attack, though they noted that his mind was still resisting T-Boy's control. The Adversary realized that now was their only opportunity to free Kalos from T-Boy and stood with the rest of the Glory Guard in order to defeat him. Following the battle, Karote was destroyed and Nicky plummeted to the bottom of the ocean, while Cosim saved Irena and the others from their fall.

Arteria Invasion

Attack on Ereve

Soon after the Alliance's mission to Odium and Shangri-La, the High Flora invaded Maple World and launched a coordinated attack on all major regions. As the battleship Arteria descended upon Ereve, Irena and the Wind Archers coordinated the city's defense as Oz and the Adversary returned from their mission to Shangri-La. Arteria's heavy cannons launched a bombardment on Ereve's barrier shield, allowing the Flora army to invade Ereve. Irena and Oz were then directed to keep the Flora footsoldiers at bay. Neinheart explained that the barrier surrounding Ereve had been destroyed, and that the enemy had invaded the island. He told them that the situation was dire, as their main forces in Ereve consisted only of Irena, Oz, and the Adversary, with Oz explaining that both Mihile and Hawkeye were in Grandis, and Eckhart - who was still fighting at the frontlines - likely wouldn't be returning from his battle for some time. Oz then explained that something was bothering her, as it felt like too much of a coincidence that the High Flora would launch such a massive attack on Ereve when almost all the Chief Knights were away. Neinheart agreed and realized that the enemy had made a feint attack, with the High Flora soldiers being bait to split up the Cygnus Knights' forces and reduce Ereve's manpower, causing the Adversary to realize that it meant that Ereve had been the High Flora's objective from the beginning.

Cygnus asked Neinheart what the status of all the Knights sent elsewhere was, to which he explained that he had received a report that most of the Flora soldiers had been defeated. However, Cygnus realized that as long as the enemy hadn't been completely wiped out, they couldn't risk recalling the Knights back to Ereve and leaving the rest of Maple World undefended. Though Irena protested that it would leave her in danger, Cygnus replied that it was only for a short time until the Knights could be recalled, adding that if they could withstand the High Flora invasion, it would be their victory. Neinheart then realized that once their forces returned, they would be able to launch an attack on Arteria and seize the battleship. He decided that they would follow Cygnus' orders, emphasizing that in the meantime, they needed to be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to hold their ground. The Adversary asked Neinheart what they should do first, to which he explained that the enemy barrage had stopped temporarily after their initial attack, which meant that they needed to repair the barrier around Ereve before the bombardment resumed. As all four barrier stones had been deactivated, and with the High Flora likely having figured out the barrier's structure, Neinheart realized that the enemy would likely have been stationed around all four stones. He then dispatched Irena to take back the northern and western barrier stones, while Oz handled the southern and eastern areas. He also asked the Adversary to help Irena first, and to reinforce Oz right after.

Reactivating the Barrier Stones

Irena then noted to the Adversary that they were working together again and suggested that they head out immediately, adding that she would make the High Flora regret setting foot in Ereve, and that she wouldn't let them get away. After arriving at the northern barrier stone, Irena began gathering her mana in order to reactivate the barrier stone, while the Adversary and Gaon defeated the Flora mercenaries. She then transferred her mana into the barrier stone, which lit up a bright blue beacon in the sky. Irena then looked around in shock at the bodies of all the Cygnus Knights littered around them, noting regretfully that though she had been prepared for it, the Knights had suffered many casualties. As she lamented their situation, however, she reminded herself that they didn't have time to wallow. She noted that with the northern barrier restored, the enemy wouldn't be able to enter the area. She then suggested that they hurry to the western barrier stone and defeat any enemies that they encountered along the way in order to prevent any further casualties. The three of them then began fighting through the Flora mercenaries towards the western area. Suddenly, Gaon pointed out that the southern barrier stone had been activated by Oz, causing Irena to realize that Ereve's barrier would be fully restored if they could finish reactivating the final two barrier stones. Just then, however, a large battalion of enemy soldiers began marching towards them. Neinheart contacted the Adversary through the radio and explained that as the enemy's paths were growing narrower, they were concentrating their forces into the remaining unfortified regions. He then asked them to reactivate the western barrier stone as fast as possible before reinforcing Oz in the east. Irena asked the Adversary and Gaon to help Oz in the east while she activated the barrier stone in the west, explaining that while she and her Wind Archers had been able to fend off the enemy because of their help, Oz and her Blaze Wizards were likely struggling without any support. She reassured them that she would be alright, as their presence had brought a tailwind to her side. She explained that even while standing alone, she wouldn't be stopped, for once the wind began to blow, it wouldn't settle down easily.

After Irena finished lighting the western barrier stone, she and her Wind Archer reinforcements arrived on the scene to assist a besieged Oz. Oz then pointed out Lystor to Irena and told her that they needed to defeat him, as he was the one commanding the enemy's forces. As the Knights pushed forward, Lystor approached the group and noted that the Adversary really was a monster to have pushed their forces so far. However, he then laughed that the mercenaries had also earned their pay as well, having managed to stall them for so long. Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of icy magic was unleashed by Reina, who arrived on the scene and froze both the Adversary and all of their allies in ice. Reina asked Lystor whether she had kept him waiting, noting that he had done well, as keeping the enemy restrained was no easy task. She explained that thanks to his actions, she had been able to conserve her strength so that she could easily wipe them all out at once. Lystor accepted her gratitude and replied that it was the least that he could do. Noting that there ought to be no more disruptions, Reina ordered Lystor to kill all the Alliance members frozen in ice while she headed towards her objective. As Reina left, the Adversary and their allies struggled to break free from her ice, which remained sturdy with her powerful magic. Suddenly, they noticed which way Reina was headed and immediately realized that Empress Cygnus was in danger.

Some time later, Lystor ordered his soldiers to wipe out the enemy, telling them not to waste the opportunity that Reina had given them. Before they could attack, however, the Adversary and their allies used all their might to break free from the ice. Oz then asked the Adversary and Gaon to head to the command center while she and Irena held off the Flora army. After the pair headed off, Irena asked Oz whether she could fight, to which Oz replied that she would be fine. However, Irena noted that Oz was badly hurt and asked her if she truly would be alright. Oz laughed that she couldn't fool her, though she told Irena not to worry about her, as she was still one of the Chief Knights who protected the Empress, for whose sake she would risk her life to keep Ereve safe. Irena then declared that just as Oz protected Ereve, she would protect Oz. The two then stood together, vowing to survive and see the Empress again. However, Oz and Irena were quickly overwhelmed with the sheer number of enemies, with Irena struggling to defend Oz, who had lost all her strength due to her injuries and from expending all her mana. As Oz began to lose consciousness, Irena began to panic about how she could save everyone with the High Flora soldiers surrounding them. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings was heard from above, with a large shadow passing over them from the sky. As it did, a powerful magic formed a shield around all the Cygnus Knights in the area, healing Oz's injuries. Oz immediately recognized that the energy belonged to Shinsoo, while Irena rallied the Knights with the knowledge that Shinsoo had returned to them. Just then, Eckhart and his reinforcements arrived on the scene and began driving back the High Flora.

Infiltrating Arteria

With Oz critically wounded and Cygnus kidnapped by Reina, Neinheart arranged for the Adversary, Gaon, and Eckhart to infiltrate Arteria and rescue the Empress. Soon after, Claudine brought the Resistance to support the overwhelmed Cygnus Knights, with Irena leading the Knights alongside the Resistance to reinforce the Glory Guard. On the lower floors, Claudine and Irena arrived with the Alliance, where Claudine noted grimly that there were more injured soldiers than she had anticipated, and that she hadn't thought that the situation would be so dire. Irena realized that Eckhart, Gaon, and the Adversary were fighting up ahead, because of which Claudine decided to push their forces ahead and pave the way forward. They soon found Gaon and Eckhart fighting Lystor and the Flora army. 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. As Claudine wondered what sort of power Reina had used, the Adversary attempted to break free from the ice in order to continue fighting Reina, despite Gaon warning them that they were reaching their limit, to which Reina noted that the Adversary had been holding on for a surprisingly long time. Irena furiously declared that what Reina had just done to Cygnus was nowhere near the same as when she had ambushed Ereve, vowing that she would never forgive her. Suddenly, Lystor flew into the room with his wings and quickly pulled Reina into his arms before taking her a safe distance from their enemies. Lystor desperately asked Reina whether she was alright, to which she replied that their mission was complete, and that the God-King would be satisfied. She asked Lystor whether he had made preparations for the Vision Bomb, which he confirmed, explaining that the gas would soon fill up the ship, and that they should hurry and leave.

Reina then looked back at the Alliance and grudgingly admitted that she had underestimated them all and that she looked forward to the day that they would meet again. As they fled from the throne room, the Alliance leaders managed to break free from the ice. Gaon yelled that the enemy was getting away, to which the Adversary attempted to force themselves to pursue them, declaring that they had to avenge the Empress. However, Claudine pointed out that they were grievously injured and that it would be far too dangerous for them to pursue Reina in their current state. She also reminded them that the Empress wouldn't have wanted them to hurt themselves like that. Just then, all eyes turned to Cygnus' body, whose finger had just briefly moved. Claudine immediately rushed to her side and noted that Cygnus was still alive, though she was extremely weak and severely injured. She explained that she would provide as much emergency treatment as she could, though Cygnus needed proper medical care as soon as possible. Suddenly, Irena realized that poison gas had begun to fill the ship from the Vision Bomb, causing Gaon to wonder how the High Flora could do such a thing when their own mercenary soldiers were still on board. Irena then noted that with the poison gas spreading throughout the ship, they couldn't go after Reina with no plan and so many casualties, as they needed more time to recover their strength. The others accepted her idea, after which the Alliance leaders began gathering their soldiers in order to escape. After fighting their way through the soldiers, the Alliance managed to escape Arteria and return to Ereve. Back on the ground, Claudine began treating Cygnus with her medical knowledge as Edelstein's town doctor, though she told them that they needed Shinsoo's help if possible. Soon after, Shinsoo took Cygnus under her care, with the Empress having fallen into a coma.

The Armory's Vision Bombs

Soon after Arteria crash-landed on Ereve, the Alliance began investigating the battleship to learn more about the enemy. The Adversary met with Irena, who asked them whether they remembered the day when the Empress had fallen. She reminded them that there had been a strange, purple poison gas that had flooded Arteria, forcing them all to retreat. She explained that it had begun leaking again and that it would cause harm to the soldiers who were investigating the ship. The Adversary agreed to help her, and so they traveled to the lower deck of the ship near the armory. There, they found an injured Cygnus Knight, who explained that poison gas had begun leaking while he had been investigating the armory. He told Irena that he had already sent the other soldiers back to base and that he had stayed behind in order to block off the entrance. Irena thanked him for his help and asked him to return and get treated, promising that she could handle the rest. After the Knight left, Irena and the Adversary entered the armory, where they detected gas faintly leaking out. The Adversary began to investigate the room and found frozen weapons used by the Flora army, which had strange symbols mixed into them. Though they believed that the symbols were significant, they were unable to learn anything more about them, and so they continued searching. They also found cavalry shields, which they noted were very different from the ones that they had seen the Flora army use in Cernium. Finally, they encountered a bomb, which Irena recognized as a Vision Bomb. She explained that Neinheart had mentioned them several times in his past reports about Heliseum and Savage Terminal, and that it was considered a dead weapon because of how it painfully killed enemies and allies alike over a widespread area. She added that it was quite an inhumane weapon, which she would send specialized experts to carefully remove from Arteria.

The pair then returned to the command center, where Neinheart was surprised to hear that the toxic gas had come from a Vision Bomb. He explained that he hadn't originally considered that the Vision Bomb and leaking gas would be related, and that he hadn't expected to see that they were one and the same. He added that it was well-known that some members of the Shadowdealers had sold the secret of Vision Bomb technology to the High Flora, though he hadn't thought that he would see it aboard Arteria. He then revealed that it was Mr. Hazard of the Shadowdealers who had given Vision Bombs to the High Flora, and that he doubted that Mr. Hazard's affiliation with poison was a coincidence. Irena asked Neinheart whether he intended to track down Mr. Hazard, to which Neinheart explained that there was likely no way that he could, as all news about him had disappeared after he had been handed over to the Shadowdealer High Council. However, he added that given how many weapons were in the possession of the High Flora, it was highly likely that it was an entire branch of the Shadowdealers – not simply Mr. Hazard – who were working with the High Flora, and that investigating them may yield a lead about Hazard. He resolved to investigate the Vision Bombs himself and asked Irena to handle removing the bombs from Arteria. He then thanked Irena and the Adversary for their help, though he added that there was much more information aboard the battleship that was yet to be uncovered.

Emergency Alliance Meeting

Alongside the other Chief Knights, Irena attended the emergency Alliance meeting following the Arteria invasion. There, Neinheart proposed his plan for the Alliance's counterattack against the High Flora. Following a distress call from the Ancient God Keira, Irena and the rest of the Alliance leaders moved to send the Glory Guard to Carcion.

Story (FriendStory)

Irena's Friends World counterpart is the captain of the archery team. She is often seen with Oz despite being different year levels.

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 accompanied Cygnus around the city, where they encountered Irena and Oz at a food truck. Oz asked Cygnus if she could pay for them, as they had forgotten their wallets. However, the vendor refused to accept the check that Cygnus wrote, and so the traveler decided to pay for everyone. Oz and Irena thanked them and gave them their numbers, promising to pay them back. Oz recommended that they check out a tarot card reader on the other side of the overpass. The next day, Cygnus met with Irena and Oz for lunch when a bully - who was another transfer student - arrived to flirt with Cygnus. Irritated, Irena pummeled the bully and warned him to watch himself before all three of them left. Just then, Areda arrived and berated her son for his ineptitude. She then decided to handle the situation herself. After school, 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 Irena, Hawkeye, Mihile, Eckhart, and Oz. 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. Oz and the others worked with Neinheart and the traveler to discover that Areda was responsible for trying to ruin Cygnus's reputation. Following this, the bully became enamored by Irena after she had beaten him up.

Orchid and the Stalker

After Francis left his confession of love for Orchid to find, Orchid - a successful teen pop star - arrived and found the love letter, though she ordered her manager to deal with it. As he left with the letter, Orchid suddenly changed her mind and asked him to bring it back. Upon reading it, she was shocked to find that it sounded like a stalker's note. Soon after, Neinheart called the traveler and asked them to meet him in Cygnus's office. There, he told them that a stalker had placed a threatening letter on Orchid's desk. The traveler recognized Orchid as being with the Black Wings, and Neinheart confirmed that she was indeed signed by Black Wings Entertainment. Though he conceded that she had a terrible attitude, he nevertheless asked them to recover the letter. After obtaining it, they brought it back, and everyone agreed that it was clearly a threatening letter. Oz asked them to find a fingerprinting kit in the science lab, where they encountered Elwin in dog form. Elwin told them that they would need Aluminum Dust and a Brush, which they could obtain from the Motes. With all the pieces of the kit obtained, Oz told them to give her time to find the culprit. The traveler went back to the first-year classroom, where they told Francis about the threatening letter that Orchid had received.

Some time later, the traveler met with Francis, who had fainted after being sweated out as the stalker. In the infirmary, Francis began telling the traveler about why he had fallen in love with Orchid. He compared himself to the Greek mythological figure, Pygmalion, whose only love was a statue, just as he himself only loved his figurines. However, he explained that he had fallen in love with Orchid one day when he had found her standing in the rain. As he finished recounting, Oz and Irena arrived and told Francis how cringeworthy his story was. When replaying this chapter, there is a chance that the Motes will also drop a love letter that the Hoodlum wrote for Irena. If the player finds the love letter before Irena first appears in this story, they can give the letter to her, who expresses her distaste for the Hoodlum. However, she notes that the Hoodlum did come around to being alright, despite still being creepy. She decides that she'll tell him that he has no chance whatsoever and thanks the player for bringing her the letter. The player then gets a unique title from completing this quest.

Soon after, Oz and Irena watched Francis confess his love to Orchid, only to be brutally rejected. After Francis passed out from his emotions creating a Forever Alone Troublemaker, Oz and Irena took him to the school infirmary and called the traveler to come see him. There, everyone began consoling him, though Francis refused to give up and resolved to find the right way to approach Orchid. Everyone was impressed by his dedication until he revealed his Orchid doll. He explained that he had realized that he had put Orchid on a pedestal instead of treating her like an actual person, and so he had decided that he would practice talking to the doll in order to get better at talking to her.

Hilla and Magnus, Sittin' in a Tree

When the traveler attempted to figure out how to set Magnus and Hilla up together, they met with Irena, who told them that trying not to think about someone would make one think about them more.

Students in Crisis

Oz and Irena visited Hugh Head the tailor, who told them how there had once been a boy who had attended Shinsoo International School years ago, and that he had been so handsome that every boy around him had turned into a squid in comparison. However, Oz and Irena told him that his story was ridiculous, though Hugh stuck with it and explained that the handsome student was getting a degree in education in order to become a teacher. Irena told him that she wanted to see that student in person, as she couldn't believe that anyone was really that attractive. Just then, Cygnus came into the store. After hearing the story of the handsome student, she confirmed that he was real, and that he was joining the faculty soon as a student teacher.

After the White Mage disappeared from Shinsoo International School, Hugh told Oz and Irena that the handsome student had black hair and tanned skin, confusing the girls. Just then, Blackbull walked into the stop, and Hugh introduced him to them as the handsome student who was to begin his student teaching. Cygnus and Neinheart then walked in and told Oz and Irena that when they had contacted the White Mage's university for his credentials, they had been told that there was no such student who had ever been enrolled there. Neinheart also told them that he had found all the letters and flowers that the students had given to the White Mage in the trash.

Damien and the Spirit of Rock

After special Motes formed from the power of rock and roll appeared and began infecting the students in the wake of Damien's arrival, Hawkeye suggested that they make their own band to beat Damien, though Irena was less than enthusiastic about the plan. At the school rooftop, the traveler and Damien 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. They also made fun of Boogie, claiming that she had no talent. 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. The next day, Oz called the traveler and told them to come for practice on the school roof. While determining which song to perform, Irena asked them to collect music sheets from the music room so that they could practice each song. As the band needed money to book their practice rooms, the group performed various odd jobs, though Damien would frequently outdo them. At Elex's construction center, Irena - unwilling to be outclassed again - attempted to lift all the sacks that they needed to pick up, though she soon fell in the process and was fired.

Dejected, they decided to go to Granny's food stand, where they found Damien working there as well. After his shift was over, Damien walked away, and the others noticed that his fingers were bandaged up, showing his dedication to practice. Upon learning that everyone was willing to give up, Irena apologized for selfishly dragging them into the situation and told them that she would work out the bet with Damien herself. After she walked away, they realized that Irena was dejected because she was graduating that year, and that it was her last chance to leave a mark. Feeling ashamed, they decided to make it up to her. The next day, Neinheart called and asked what they had been up to, as Elex had complained about their actions at the construction site. The traveler asked him about where Irena was, to which he replied that she would soon be dropping by the infirmary. There, the traveler met Neinheart and Boogie waiting for him. Neinheart asked them to get fever medicine, as Hilla had stepped out. After the traveler recovered it from the Motes, Neinheart administered it to Boogie, just as Irena arrived. At Neinheart's insistence, Irena decided to tell the traveler the truth. She told them about how she had comforted Boogie about graduation by telling her that they could make good memories before they left by performing her song at the festival. After hearing how Damien had trashed her song, she had decided to outclass him in the concert in order to avenge Boogie. The other members of the band then arrived and agreed to help as well. Boogie also agreed, provided that Irena perform her song. Over the next month, the band spent all their time practicing and improving, elevating Boogie's song to new heights. With their new sound, they successfully cured Cygnus of her rock fever and took a group photo.

On the day of the festival, Hawkeye called and told the traveler to meet in the auditorium. At the front of the school, the students were enjoying the festival, and rumors were flying that Irena's band would face off against Damien's. In the auditorium, the band was nervous about performing when they noticed that Boogie was missing. Just then, Stan arrived and ordered someone to help collect pamphlets from the library. The traveler decided to help and took back the pamphlets from the Motes. As they made their way back to the auditorium, they heard Damien's bandmates discussing how Boogie had run off. The traveler asked Damien what his problem was, to which he explained that he had devoted his whole life to music, adding that the traveler couldn't expect to be the hero with clever one-liners. After the band found out about Boogie, Irena realized that she would be at the Drizzling Strolling Path, as she always went there when she felt upset. There, the traveler found Lily, who told them that several students had been possessed by the Motes. After freeing the students, they found Boogie and put Irena on the phone. Irena told Boogie that she would support her decision no matter what. The traveler then returned to school, where Damien and his band gave a spectacular performance. Though it was time for their band to perform, Irena kept holding it off in the hope that Boogie would come. Sure enough, Boogie came to cheer Irena and the rest of the band on. With Boogie's support, Irena and the others gave an even better performance that won the contest. Realizing that he had lost, Damien's anger caused the ground to quake as he summoned a Proud Troublemaker, born from the unwillingness to lose. Lily and Elwin immediately used their magic to blind everyone, giving the traveler enough time to defeat it. After Damien came back to his senses, Irena told him that she would cancel the bet as long as he apologized to Boogie. Damien refused to apologize, claiming that her band's performance was inferior. However, he admitted that Boogie's song wasn't half-bad before walking off.

NPC

Ereve

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

Phantom Tutorial

Irena
Function	Chief Knight
Location	Ereve Grand Pavilion

Leafre (Mihile Quest)

Irena
Quests involved	Trails of the Wind
Location	Leafre

Grand Athenaeum

Calcified Empress (The Black Witch)

Irena
Location	Calcified Empress

Hotel Arcus

Hotel Arcus Saloon

Irena
Location	Hotel Arcus Saloon

Railroad Way Station

Irena
Location	Railroad Way Station

Nameless Wastes

Irena
Location	Nameless Wastes

Renovated Garage

Irena
Location	Renovated Garage

Nostalgic Drive-in Theater 1

Irena
Location	Nostalgic Drive-in Theater 1

Nostalgic Drive-in Theater 4

Irena
Location	Nostalgic Drive-in Theater 4

Hotel Arcus 2nd Floor

Irena
Location	Hotel Arcus 2nd Floor

Karote

The Unending Tower

Irena
Location	The Unending Tower

Bottom Floor

Irena
Location	Bottom Floor

Halfway Up

Irena
Location	Halfway Up

Top Floor

Irena
Location	Top Floor

Summit

Irena
Location	Summit

Arteria

Operations Center

Irena
Location	Operations Center

Northern Outskirts

Irena
Location	Northern Outskirts

Western Outskirts

Irena
Location	Western Outskirts

Eastern Outskirts

Irena
Location	Eastern Outskirts

Lower Right Corridor

Irena
Location	Lower Right Corridor

High Flora Armory

Irena
Location	High Flora Armory

Shinsoo International School

Cygnus's Office

Irena
Function	Archery Team Captain
Location	Cygnus's Office

School Infirmary

Irena
Function	Archery Team Captain
Location	School Infirmary

School Roof

Irena
Function	Archery Team Captain
Location	School Roof

City Center

Irena
Function	Archery Team Captain
Location	City Center

Third Floor Classroom

Irena
Function	Archery Team Captain
Location	Third Floor Classroom

Auditorium

Irena
Location	Waiting Room

Sunset Lot

Irena
Location	Sunset Lot

Gallery

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  NPC Sprite of Irena (Water Wars Event)
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  Artwork of Irena (Ignition)
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  Concept Art of Irena
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2022 - present)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2021 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2021 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2021 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2021 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (2021 - 2022)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)
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  NPC Portrait of Irena (FriendStory)

Trivia

• Irenaroid is modeled after Irena.