Magatia/Story

AreaStory

Magatia's Secret

A Deal with the Broker

In the streets of Magatia, an Alliance member ran into a strange man named Han the Broker, who noted that they seemed to be a skilled traveler who often found themselves in thrilling situations. The Alliance member was surprised and asked how he knew that, to which he told them that it was because they seemed overly curious, as the fact that they had casually stuck a conversation with a broker showed that they were fearless. He then told them that he was willing to do business with them if they wanted. The Alliance member asked to learn more about Magatia, to which Han told them that information came at a cost. The Alliance member paid him a sum of 10,000 mesos, after which Han told them that long ago, after the Black Mage had disappeared from Ossyria, a group of alchemists had formed Magatia, whose town motto was, “Ultimate knowledge is only an experiment away.” He explained that Magatia was very wealthy as a result of many alchemical products created from experiments were sold at a high price. In spite of this, however, Magatia was isolated from the world because of the introverted nature of its alchemists. He added that it was good for brokers such as himself, especially since the town was in conflict. He told them that Magatia was split between two societies, the Zenumists and the Alcadno.

He explained that Zenumists were pure alchemists that had successfully blended science and magic, while Alcadnos had added mechanical engineering into the mix, with the differences in their two ideologies having caused them to detest each other, resulting in the already-insulate alchemists to have withdrawn even further. He then told the Alliance member than an outsider wouldn't learn anything substantial in Magatia and suggested joining a side.Han asked the Alliance member whether they truly thought that Magatia was a town full of scholars with pure intent on research. He told them that there was no other town like Magatia which bickered over territory, adding that the days of scholars purely searching for the truth was long gone, though it was perfect for brokers. The Alliance member asked whether there was a conflict in the town, which Han confirmed. He told them that people were in so much conflict between one another that it would be hard to join either organization because of the mistrust. He told them that there were still ways of joining those guarded inner circles and asked them which society they wanted to join.

Joining the Zenumists

The Alliance member told Han that they wanted to be a Zenumist, to which he told them that it would not be easy to join, as the Zenumists believed themselves to be true scholars and kept their sect exclusive. He explained that they would need to present their work as an alchemist in order to gain entry, though he would arrange the membership for a fee. The Alliance member paid Han, who then fabricated alchemical research and peer review that met the Zenumists' standards. Han gave a strange bottle of water to the Alliance member and told them to drop it on the blue alchemy pillar in front of Carson, the leader of the Zenumists, which would create a new object that they would then need to give to Carson. Upon placing it on the pillar, the bottle transformed into a regular tree branch, which the Alliance member gave to Carson. Carson was impressed by their alchemy skills and gave them a Zenumist cape, thereby inducting them into the society. He told them that alchemy, the union between magic and science, was not merely a scholastic union, adding that it was uncharted territory, and so discovery was important, and that the Alliance member's studies would affect the entire continent in one way or another, citing the airship as an example of how the inventions of alchemists enriched the lives of everyone in the world. However, he emphasized the importance of doing so without disturbing nature's course, unlike the questionable methods of the Alcadnos.

Soon after, the Alliance member encountered Bedin, who recognized them as the new Zenumist recruit. Bedin introduced himself, explaining that he was in charge of making Mana Rocks for the Zenumists, which was a device that allowed one to gather up mana. He told the Alliance member that inside the Mana Rock, there was a core that allowed one to register a spell. Doing so transformed the Mana Rock into the Magic Rock, allowing people who had never mastered spells to perform them. He explained that the most important ingredients for creating Mana Rocks were silver and Lidium, with silver being used to register spells and Lidium being used to store mana. He added that every Mana Rock had a core made out of silver and a power device made out of Lidium. He told them that Lidium was easy to obtain, as it was produced in Ariant, though silver was difficult to find, likely because the mines of El Nath were abandoned and devoid of life. He then asked the Alliance member to gather Flaming Desert to refine the silver with. The Alliance member brought the materials to him, to which Bedin thanked them and joked that they were more like a traveler than an alchemist. He also told them to keep in mind that silver was always used to infuse an object with magic, reminding them to keep that note of basic alchemy in mind.

Some time later, the Alliance member met with Bedin once again, where he recognized them as the same alchemist who had helped him with the Mana Rock. He then asked them to help him with a secret project if they weren't busy. He told them that he wanted to do something to disrupt the Alcadno and asked them to destroy the Reinforced Mithril Mutae that the Alcadno had made. After the Alliance member did it, Bedin laughed at the thought of the Alcadno being furious and told the Alliance member not to feel guilty, as the Alcadno had done much worse to them. Soon after, Bedin greeted the Alliance member and asked how their project was going. He then realized that he had never asked what they were working on and assumed that it was top secret. He then asked them to enter the Alcadno laboratory and obtain a document, as he was curious about “that incident” and believed that only the Alcadno had records of it. He told them to go to the Dark Lab from Lab Area B-3 in the Alcadno base. As it was quite late, Bedin believed that there would be no one there and told the Alliance member that they would need to make their way through the dark and search for the Secret Document, promising to tell them more about “that incident” if they brought it back, as he believed that they deserved to know the truth as a member of the Zenumists.

The Alliance member entered the Dark Lab and obtained the document, which they brought back to Bedin. Bedin read through the document, but found that there was no record of “that incident” on it. When the Alliance member asked what “that incident” was, Bedin told them that Carson didn't like to discuss it and was keeping it secret, though Bedin disagreed, believing that all alchemists of Magatia ought to know about it. He explained that it was a catastrophe unlike any other caused by the foolish experiment of an alchemist, which had affected the entire town of Magatia. He explained that a few years ago, an Alcadno alchemist had made a grave error in their experiment, which had caused a huge explosion that had triggered an earthquake, which had broken the Magic Pentacle of Magatia. Though no one except perhaps Carson knew, the one thing that everyone knew was that the alchemist responsible for the incident was missing.

The Alliance member then met with Carson, who thanked them for their hard work in helping the Zenumists. However, he told them that he was concerned that they had been investigating “the incident” and cautioned them to stay away from it, claiming that he didn't believe that they were ready to handle the darkness of the alchemists in Magatia. However, the Alliance member insisted that they were strong enough to handle it. Carson admitted that Bedin had spoken of their strength and agreed to accept their help in investigating “the incident”. He then asked them to search the home of Dr. De Lang, the missing alchemist. Before that, however, he decided to test them and asked them to go to the Closed Lab and defeat the dangerous Homuns in order to demonstrate their strength. He explained that controlling Homuns could be done through the Pentacle of Alchemy, which was located in the center of the Closed Lab. He told them to defeat the Homuns and recover the Magic Device that they had stolen, after which they were to throw it in the Pentacle of Alchemy, which would then activate and control the Homuns. As proof of their success, he asked them to bring back the Lightless Magic Device. The Alliance member successfully obtained the device and activated the Pentacle of Alchemy before returning to Carson. Satisfied by their success, Carson told them to search Dr. De Lang's house, the place where the accident had occurred. He explained that they had searched the house many times, but they had likely missed many clues. He believed that a new alchemist such as themselves would have a fresh perspective to uncover the mysteries behind “the incident”. The Alliance member entered the house and after searching, they found writing behind cobwebs, which detailed a story about a pendant. They reported it to Carson, who found it to be significant. The Alliance member asked whether there was a special meaning to the word “pendant”, though Carson strongly denied it and asked them to excuse him.

Joining the Alcadno

The Alliance member met with Han and told him that they wanted to be an Alcadno, to which he told them that it would not be easy to join, but he could help them pass the entry test for a fee, explaining that they would need to write a research report and submit it to Maed, the leader of the Alcadno. He added that it was merely the first step, warning that the Alcadnos were all mechanical engineers with foul tempers. The Alliance member paid Han, who then fabricated alchemical research and peer review that met the Alcadnos' standards. Han gave the report and explained that he had acquired the report from one of his alchemist partners through jewel trading. However, he warned that Maed believed more in first impressions than the report, and so they would need to pass his interview. He reassured them that he had also included the answers to the interview, which had been covered with the fee that they had given him. He told them that the answers to the three questions were Lidium, Grendel the Really Old, and Alcaster.

The Alliance member went to the Alcadno headquarters, where Maed greeted them and explained that the Alcadno were not only creating new things through magic, but they were also formulating ways to incorporate machinery into the union of magic and science. He then began the interview process. He first explained that Alcadno was always looking for ways to turn machines into life, which had created many mechanical dolls such as Roids and Neo Huroids. He then asked what the source of power for such mechanical dolls were. After the Alliance member answered correctly, Maed asked them Alliance member which book they would use to make the basic equation that would allow the Magic Pentacle to control the movement of the dolls. The last question Maed asked was to name the great alchemist who created the first Magic Rock, built the foundation for the airship, proved the extent of the effect that mana provided on life, and served as the third president of the Magatia Alchemy Society. After passing the test, Maed asked the Alliance member whether they were willing to conduct studies with the pride of Alcadno in their heart, knowing that they would face obstacles as a result of Alcadno's area of studies not being fully accepted by the public. The Alliance member agreed, after which Maed gave them an Alcadno cape.

After joining the Alcadno, the Alliance member went to the Alcadno laboratory, where they met with Russellon, who introduced himself and explained that he was conducting experiments on finding out the cause of all sickness and finding a cure for it, though his expertise was in creating poisons. He then asked the Alliance member for help in obtaining Lumo's Leaves from Rumos and Triple Rumos in the Zenumist basement. The Alliance member brought the leaves to Russellon, who thanked them and explained that the leaves were like the ultimate form of life, which would help him make more powerful medicines. Russellon then realized that Rumos were strong and wondered how the Alliance member would be more powerful than the other alchemists of Alcadno after having only been a member for such a short time. However, he decided that it was a good opportunity to test them and asked them to defeat the powerful Roids created by the Alcadno. After the Alliance member returned, Russellon was impressed and asked them to come back later, as he had something else in store for them.

The Alliance member returned to Russellon, who told them that he wanted to reward them for their work and asked them to collect some pills which he had concocted and take them before returning to him so that he could see their effect. The Alliance member went to Russellon's desk in Laboratory Area B-1 and took the pill, which made them feel queasy. Russellon was pleased to see that they were pale, which meant that the pills were working. He explained that he wanted to test the pills on someone strong enough to defeat the Roids, and that it proved that it was possible to temporarily change the human body state. He noted that it would now be easier to work on Life Alchemy, which may finally make “his” wish come true. The Alliance member asked who “he” was, to which Russellon explained that he was referring to the most brilliant alchemist that he had ever met and the best at Life Alchemy, though he was missing. He explained that the man had been getting antsy during the days before he had gone missing, conducting secret experiment that he refused to divulge information. Russellon explained that the man had been fervently experimenting like a madman until his experiment had created an explosion on an unprecedented scale. He explained that Maed had searched his house and likely learned the truth on what he was planning, but that he refused to reveal it. Russellon explained that even his own experiment with the pills had started as a joint experiment with the man, and though he was continuing it on the man's behalf, he still didn't understand what the point in conducting a study on altering the state of the body was for.

The Alliance member decided to ask Maed, who told them that they were referring to Dr. De Lang and asked them not to delve too deep into it, as he had concocted an experiment that had endangered many lives. The Alliance member told Maed that a true Alcadno alchemist would do anything to uncover the truth, but Maed told them that they had no right to know, just as he had no right to divulge it. The Alliance member replied that it was wrong to cover up the truth, which Maed grudgingly agreed with. He told them that it was perhaps time to start looking for the truth. He then asked them to prove themselves before he shared what he knew about Dr. De Lang and asked them to eliminate the Homunculus monsters of the Zenumists, who used the creatures to secretly attack the Alcadno in the middle of the night. Maed was impressed and put them in charge of the investigation on Dr. De Lang. He told them that he wanted them to see Dr. De Lang in a third person point of view, unaffiliated with the past of the Zenumists and the Alcadno. He explained that right before he had gone missing, he had been in close contact with Han the Broker and asked them to speak with him for information. Han told the Alliance member that Dr. De Lang had visited him frequently before his disappearance and asked for a fee of 50,000 mesos in exchange for information.

Han explained that Dr. De Lang had taken drastic measures to ensure that no one came close to his house, the site where he was conducting his dangerous experiment, by installing many booby traps, which had likely been removed by the alchemists who had come searching his house. In spite of his secrecy, Dr. De Lang had been close friends with Eurek the Alchemist, with whom he would speak constantly. The Alliance member went to meet Eurek and told them that they were investigating Dr. De Lang's disappearance. Eurek was surprised to hear that De Lang was missing, claiming that he had known that De Lang had been struggling for some time, though he had no idea that he would go so far as to disappear. The Alliance member told Eurek that they needed his help in learning what had happened to Dr. De Lang, to which Eurek told them that they didn't seem like an alchemist, which was why he felt that they could trust him, as Magatia was plagued with the violence and mistrust of alchemists. He explained that he didn't know too much about Dr. De Lang, but he did know that he had a meticulous personality that compelled him to record all his research and experiments. The Alliance member asked whether he knew where it was, but Eurek told them that no alchemist would ever share that kind of information, even to their best friends. However, he told them that the key to the place where Dr. De Lang's secret notes would be was made out of silver, as De Lang was an expert in putting magic into layers of silver, which would allow it to react with other types of magic. He then suggested using silver to open the door. He asked them to let him know what they found out about Dr. De Lang, explaining that in spite of become a wanderer, he had never forgotten about Dr Lang, adding that he wanted to help De Lang when he hadn't been able to when the alchemist had been at his lowest.

Parwen the Ghost

The Alliance member soon heard a disembodied voice that told them to come and find him. They entered a secret Alcadno research laboratory and met a ghost who introduced himself as Parwen, an Alcadno researcher. Unaware that he was a ghost, Parwen told them that it had been a long time since he had seen a person, as no one seemed to drop by anymore. Parwen explained that he had been living in fear over the last several days, as the room was full of Saitie spirits and asked them to eliminate them. After the Alliance member defeated them, Parwen told them that they were much more useful than the last alchemist who had come to see him. The curious Alliance member asked about the alchemist, whom Parwen described as a man who had come to conduct experiments in the hidden laboratory. As he had seemed highly determined and focused, Parwen had chosen not to disturb him, though he had wondered why the man would have worked on Life Alchemy with such disdain for his safety. The Alliance member asked what had happened to the man, but Parwen told them that he didn't know, as he had stopped coming and all the reports on his experiments had been taken away by others, after which no one had come to the laboratory again.

Parwen told them that he had forgotten about the man and suggested that they speak with him directly instead. He then sent the Alliance member to Dr. De Lang's Lab, where the Alliance member encountered Dr. De Lang himself. Dr. De Lang asked the Alliance member what they were doing in his private lab, explaining that an alchemy lab wasn't merely just filled with explosions and excitement. He added that if they thought that it was bad for humans, then they should imagine how it was for fairies, such as his wife and daughter. However, he resigned himself and said that he had devoted himself to his research, and so he must stay true to it. He added that once he had finished, he could spend the rest of his days with Phyllia. He then showed them a pendant and told them that he had never gotten the chance to send it to her explaining that it was meant to be a surprise gift hidden behind the frame. He then apologized for his rambling and asked them to leave.

The Alliance member returned to Parwen, who asked them whether he had sent them to the right person, explaining that he had merely sent them to speak with an afterimage of him from the past. However, he told them that he had no idea where Dr. De Lang was in the present. Realizing that Phyllia was Dr. De Lang's wife, the Alliance member went to speak with her. However, Phyllia refused to speak with them, claiming that she could not stand people gossiping about him as though he were a monster. The Alliance member told her that they had met Dr. De Lang and had even spoken to him. Phyllia was intrigued and asked whether they knew Dr. De Lang from the past, adding that she found it hard to believe when he had been missing for quite some time. The Alliance member explained that they had been able to speak with him through Parwen's afterimage to the past, but a confused Phyllia thought that they were merely pretending to be nice so that they could turn him into a pariah. She then demanded proof of their words in order to believe them.

Dr. De Lang's Notes

The Alliance member then went to Dr. De Lang's house and took out the silver pendant that Dr. De Lang's afterimage had told them was hidden in the corner of the picture frame. The Alliance member returned to Phyllia, who was amazed that they had found it. She explained that the pendant had a rose engraved on it, representing the rose that Dr. De Lang had given her from the snowfield. She realized that if they had found it in his house, then they must have spoken with him. She agreed to tell them what she knew, though she admitted that she knew very little of his studies, believing it to be possibly dangerous. However, she added that the behavior of the presidents of both societies was unnerving, as they had sealed off his house to everyone, including her, his own wife. On top of that, they had searched the house and had decided to keep quiet, as though they had signed a confidential agreement. As a result, many had begun spreading rumors that tarnished his image, with some even saying that he wanted to become the Black Mage. However, she told them that she believed that Dr. De Lang was a peaceful man who wanted to help others through Life Alchemy, and that she didn't believe that he was conducting his experiments for the wrong reasons. She told them that the Zenumists and Alcadnos were both cooperating on hiding the truth about Dr. De Lang when they normally detested each other, adding that she couldn't trust people who did so. Though she didn't know what the truth held, she had a feeling that it was tied to the existence of Magatia itself.

Phyllia told the Alliance member that even if Dr. De Lang was guilty, she would still love him. The Alliance member then asked for her blessings to investigate more on Dr. De Lang. Phyllia explained that no one in Magatia would prove her husband's innocence and told them that if they could launch an independent investigation into Dr. De Lang's research, it would be helpful to her. She told them that there was one thing that she hadn't told the presidents about, which was that rotating the door handle of Dr. De Lang's house in a certain way would open a path to a secret underground study which only she and he knew about. She told them that they wouldn't find anything special in there, as she herself had gone through it many times, adding that it had been made for personal use, rather than experiments. However, she told them to look through the study anyways and told them to mess with the pipe, as it would prompt a password once they hit the right spot, with the password being “My love Phyllia”. The Alliance member went to Dr. De Lang's house and turned the pipes in the house and entered the password.

The Alliance member then entered the study, where they found a strange book. Upon opening the book, they found a circular hole in the center of the book pages. Believing that they needed to place Phyllia's pendant, the Alliance member returned to see her. The Alliance member told Phyllia of the strange book and suggested using her pendant. She gave them her pendant, which the Alliance member then used on the book, which activated a spell circle. Upon opening the book again, the Alliance member found a small note hidden inside. Upon reading the book, the Alliance member learned about how Dr. De Lang worried about his short human lifespan, and how he was afraid of having to say goodbye to Phillia, as she - a fairy - would outlive him for centuries. In the next entry, the Alliance member read about how Phyllia had revealed that she was pregnant, and how the rare union between a fairy and a human was a rare blessing from the Goddess. However, Dr. Dr Lang worried that since the baby was half-fairy, he would have to say goodbye to both his wife and their child.

As a result of this fear, Dr. De Lang began to research how to extend his lifespan, which no alchemist had ever achieved - with even Alcaster's success stemming from his magic, rather than his talent as an alchemist. Within the notes, the Alliance member read how Dr. De Lang had written how, unlike magic, alchemy was a fiend that required one to pay a price in order to achieve a result, for which he had decided to put all his hope into the power of the Alcadno. Unsure of where to start, Dr. De Lang had begun working with Russellon on developing potions and medicine. In the next pages, the Alliance member read about how Dr. De Lang had met a wandering alchemist who held radical beliefs, such as changing the human body into a machine. However, De Lang had continued encountering failures, as any organism converted into a machine ceased to be human. As Phyllia's pregnancy continued developing, he had grown increasingly frantic over his fears. Soon after, Phyllia had given birth to their daughter, Keeny, who looked exactly like Phyllia, including her wings. Dr. De Lang then resolved to find a breakthrough, with the rest of the pages in the diary remaining suspiciously blank.

The Truth About Magatia

Realizing that the notes contained Dr. De Lang's secret research, the Alliance member brought them to Eurek, who was surprised to read the notes, realizing that love had painted Dr. De Lang in the corner, forcing him to resort to extreme measures. He then noticed that there was a huge blank space at the end of the section, with some signs of a solution being applied to write a secret message. He told them that Alcaster would be the only one with the knowledge of how to uncover the message. In Magatia, the Alliance member met with Alcaster, who looked through the notes and told the Alliance member that it had been cast with a sophisticated set of alchemy, meaning that only a highly-trained alchemist could have done it. Though it would take some time to break through the enchantment, he told them that there was a much simpler way if they were strong enough, explaining that Homunculus' Blood contained the power to uncover any hidden truth, though it would be difficult to extract the blood from such a formidable monster. The Alliance member obtained the blood and gave it to Alcaster, who poured it over the note.

Alcaster was shocked to see that the note contained information on the founding of Magatia, which he explained was a truth that had been kept from the public for centuries. However, he then gave the Alliance member the journal and told them that if they had come so far, then they deserved to know the truth. Upon reading the previously blank pages, the Alliance member learned about how Dr. De Lang had discovered an ancient passageway that not only linked the Zenumist and Alcadno buildings, but it also led further underground. Intrigued, he had followed the tunnel deep underground and found a mysterious cave that held traces of an experiment and a wealth of old data. Eventually, he had learned that the laboratory had once belonged to the Black Mage himself. However, Dr. De Lang had come to believe that the Black Mage's research held the key to extending one's lifespan. He had then begun to use the Black Mage's research in the hopes of extending his lifespan, despite knowing that following in the Black Mage's footsteps was wrong. As he had continued delving into the records, he had realized that there were unmistakable similarities between the Black Mage's alchemy and that of Magatia.

Dr De Lang had soon concluded that Magatia had been founded based upon the alchemy of the Black Mage, which explained why a town situated in a deserted, dry land could thrive as it did. He had also realized that if the world were to find out that he had extended his lifespan with the research of the Black Mage, he would become the object of scorn. Despite that, he had still somehow held the hope that things would work out if his experiment were to succeed. With Dr. De Lang's secret revealed, Alcaster confirmed to the Alliance member that Magatia had been built right above the laboratory of the Black Mage, which was a truth that almost no one in Magatia was aware of. He explained that Dr. De Lang's experiments were risky and reckless. Though he may have believed in the power of the Black Mage, the Magic Pentacle that the Black Mage had created was centuries old and had likely considerably weakened over time.

The Alliance member realized that the explosion caused by Dr. De Lang's experiment had likely destroyed the Black Mage's Magic Pentacle, thus destroying the foundation of Magatia itself. Alcaster then gave the Alliance member a Magic Stone of Humility and told them that it was one of three Magic Rocks that had been extracted from the Black Mage's Magic Pentacle. He then tasked them with finding the other two and fixing the Pentacle, explaining that the Magic Stone of Honesty could be obtained from Homunscullo and the Magic Stone of Trust could be obtained from D. Roy. In order to activate the Magic Pentacle, he explained that they would need to activate it in the order of top, left, and right, followed by pressure in the center. The Alliance member entered the Secret Passageway and placed the Magic Stones in order to activate the Magic Pentacle. They then returned to Alcaster, who thanked them for bringing peace back to Magatia. Alcaster told them that Magatia had been established over the Black Mage's laboratory, not literally above it, but based on his studies. He told them that Magatia wasn't working on evil spells like the Black Mage, but rather, they were referencing his work purely from an academic standpoint. He explained that since they had only recently come to Ossyria, they likely wouldn't know that there were still many forces who opposed the Black Mage. He added that if word got out about the history of Magatia, the reputation of the town would be ruined, which would be disastrous given how heavily its research impacted Ossyria. In spite of that, however, he believed that after the incident with Dr. De Lang, he felt that the truth ought to come out in order to clear his name. He then gave Dr. De Lang's notes to the Alliance member and allowed them to decide what to do with it, as they were the only unaffiliated and unbiased party.

For Zenumist

The Alliance member gave the notes to Carson, who asked them not to give them a look of anger before admitting that Dr. De Lang had done no wrong, and the fact that he shouldn't have taken the blame for the war between the two societies. However, he told them that the alchemists of Magatia had done no wrong either, as they didn't know about the true history of Magatia, and told them that he couldn't reveal the truth and ruin the reputation of so many brilliant minds. He then took the notes to destroy and made them a Senior Alchemist of Zenumist.

For Alcadno

The Alliance member gave the notes to Maed, who told them that he deserved blame for what had happened with Dr. De Lang by not quelling the rumors about him. However, he told them that the ones who spread the rumors were not to blame either, as they had no idea about the origins of Magatia. He asked them to limit their blame to himself and asked them to understand where he was coming from, even as he tried to hide the truth. The Alliance member gave the book to Maed, who told them that he was going to burn the book in order to keep the truth hidden forever, even though he acknowledged that he was doing the wrong thing. He then took their Alcadno cape and gave them a higher level one. He added that he had hoped for someone to prove Dr. De Lang's innocence, but even after that happened, he had managed to hide the truth again. He wondered aloud how he would live it down for the rest of his life.

For Phyllia

The Alliance member returned to Phyllia with a sad face and gave her Dr. De Lang's notes. Though Phyllia was afraid to know the truth, she decided that she was ready to accept it, no matter whether it was that her husband was guilty or not.

Dr. De Lang's Fate

The Alliance member met with Parwen, who told them that he had the answers to their questions about Dr. De Lang and sent them to meet his afterimage. Dr. De Lang noted that they were a trespasser, but said that it didn't matter, as he was in a great mood. He explained that though he had learned that it was impossible to transmute the human body with all their memories intact, he had stumbled upon a medicine for his daughter Keeny, with which he could correct her weakness from a genetic trait. Though he couldn't change humans into machines, he could give strength to the weak, which was his great contribution to the world. He then asked the Alliance member to leave, as the lab was in disarray. The Alliance member then went to see Maed and told him about their encounter. Maed told them that he didn't know whether the afterimage was real, but regardless, he explained that there was no potion or medicine found in his house. However, he paused and told them that perhaps Humanoid A knew something about it.

The Alliance member went to see Humanoid A and asked whether he knew anything about Dr. De Lang. Humanoid A told them that despite not knowing him, the name sounded familiar. They asked whether he knew about Keeny's medicine, to which he expressed shock about her sickness. He then told them that he had a strange medicine. He explained that he had been in possession of the medicine since he had first awakened, and that something had made him believe that he ought not to discard it. He then gave the medicine to the Alliance member and asked them to check with Maed on whether it was safe to give to Keeny. After studying the medicine, Maed concluded that it was designed for Keeny, and that it ought to completely cure her sickness. Maed then revealed that after Dr. De Lang's failed experiment, the first thing they had discovered in the laboratory had been Humanoid A, who had no memories of his past, except for his conviction that he needed to keep the medicine safe. He then shared his belief that Dr. De Lang had succeeded in eternal life, at the cost of his memories. The Alliance member then gave the medicine to Keeny, who was happy that Humanoid A had cured her sickness, thus allowing her to concentrate on her studies and experiments.

Reporting to the Alliance

Note: This section only takes place if the player chose to give Dr. De Lang's notes to Phyllia.

Having found a vital clue about the Black Mage, the Alliance member decided to notify the Maple Alliance and traveled to Ereve, where they met with Neinheart. Neinheart noted that he had heard rumors about Magatia being built upon on the Black Mage's research, though he added that if the story was true, it explained why the alchemists were trying to hide the truth. He then wondered whether Dr. De Lang would be happy to know that he had achieved his dream after having lost his memory, though he added that his honor would at least be restored now that Phyllia knew the truth. He added that though Magatia had only borrowed the theory of the Black Mage's research, the Alliance would nevertheless resolve to keep a closer eye on the alchemists, after which he thanked the Alliance member for their help.

Humanoid Just Wants to be Human

Humanoid A stopped the Alliance member and told them that he wanted to give a Snow Rose to Phyllia. He asked them to collect Gelatin and Pieces of Mithril in order to combine with his Snow Rose seed that he had previously obtained from another adventurer. The Alliance member gave it to him, he said that for some reason, he feels as though Phyllia would like it. Some time later, he told them that he planted the Snow Rose and asked the Alliance member to pick it, as only a warm human hand could take it without shattering it. He then told them to obtain May Mist in order to make the flower bloom, and then to give it to Phyllia. The Alliance member picked the Snow Rose and gave it to Phyllia, who was flattered, but wondered why Humanoid A gave it to her, as she already had a husband.

Life Alchemy

Russellon asked the Alliance member if they had noticed the Scorpions outside town and explained that only a trained Alliance member could take them on. He told them that Scorpions had taken his right eye, though he had replaced it with a mechanical one that looked just like a normal eye. However, he explained that he hadn't yet learned how to fully integrate it into daily life, as he needed to take pills to augment his sight. He then asked them to eliminate Scorpions and obtain their Stings, as the poison was useful in medicine. He thanked them and noted the irony in using the same poison that had taken his eye in order to save it. He explained that he used to be Zenumist, but after he had lost his eye and was unable to continue his studies, the Zenumists had kicked him out, as eyes were everything to an alchemist. In spite of that, however, the Alcadno had accepted him, as the Maed himself had lost an eye. He noted that Life Alchemy was dangerous, but the risks were worth it in order to benefit people. He added that though there was a time when the Zenumist studies were considered the best, they were now basking in their past glory, stuck in their comfort zone that led to stagnation.

Soon after, Bedin told the Alliance member that the Sand Rats were getting more violent, as well as the Scorpions and Dark Sand Dwarves. He explained that their numbers were growing as the Alcadno picked up their research. He added that things had taken a turn for the worse, especially since the incident with the alchemist from Alcadno. He said that the nature of their studies went against the fundamental rules of nature by creating imitations of life that stood as mockeries to living things. He realized that he was off track and said that the Sand Rats were munching off the bottoms of half-completed airships, and so he asked them to handle the rats. He thanked them and said that the problem was caused by the Alcadnos experimenting with the Sand Rats. He added that while Life Alchemy sounded good in theory, it wasn't something that humans ought to control, especially with a union of machines and living beings.

The Secret, Quiet Passageway

Parwen told the Alliance member that he knew everything in Magatia, including a secret passageway that alchemists that had been conducting barred experiments had been using for years. He then told the Alliance member to obtain the entry pass from the Saitie spirits. The Alliance member collected pass, but found that it was useless. They returned to Parwen, who realized that the pass was outdated with the new security system. However, he promised to give them entry and asked them to collect Entry Passes from the Saities in order to calculate the Master Code. Parwen soon calculate the Master Code. The Alliance member then went to both the Zenumist and Alcadno sides of the passageway, thus opening it up.

Keeny's Research

Keeny greeted the Alliance member and told them that she was studying to become a great alchemist, despite people saying that fairies shouldn't be alchemists. She then asked the Alliance member to collect Wires from Roid monsters for her studies, as the Zenumists refused to help her investigate Alcadno research. Soon after, she asked them to get Plugs from Neo Huroids in order to learn how to deliver power from the source to the body in an efficient manner. After the Alliance member returned, she thanked them and asked them to promise not to tell the Zenumists that she was research Alcadno stuff. Some time later, Keeny thanked them for helping her master the mechanism of Roid and Neo Huroids before asking them to obtain a Broken Mechanical Heart from D. Roy. After the Alliance member returned, she thanked them profusely, as it would help in her experiment. She explained that one day, she would be able to fulfill Humanoid A's wish. She explained that Humanoid A, unlike Roids, was capable of thinking, and that unlike most mechanical dolls, he wanted to become human. She then told the Alliance member that Humanoid A's gentle nature made him seem like a human already, and that she wanted to do everything in her power to help fulfill his wish.

A Present for Keeny

The Alliance member encountered Humanoid A and was surprised to meet him. He explained that he was the only Humanoid in Magatia, and that he couldn't recall his past, though he was satisfied with his life. He told them that was friends with Keeny, with whom he always had lots of fun. He asked them to help give her a present and asked for Pieces of Steel and Hardened Pieces of Steel. Using the materials, he created a model Mute and asked them to give it to Keeny. Keeny was grateful and wondered how Humanoid A knew that she wanted one.