Night of Phantasms/Story

Story

Luce's Crystal Ball

The Adversary was contacted by a Cygnus Knight, who urgently reported that the Alliance had detected suspicious activity near Tallahart. As the Alliance was still investigating the city, the Knight told them that Neinheart had personally requested for the Adversary to investigate the intruders. As the Adversary traveled to Tallahart, Baz and his team of Seekers snuck past the patrol of Alliance soldiers by hiding in the snow. After the patrollers left, Blanc noted that they had almost gotten caught, while Baz wondered why soldiers who weren't from the Flora army were attempting to stop them from entering the city. Nell pointed out that from the soldiers' earlier conversations, it didn't seem like they were trying to do any harm. However, Blanc reminded them that they needed to hurry, as they would be beaten to Tallahart by another group of Seekers if they waited any longer. Looking up at the storm zone around Tallahart, Blanc expressed her amazement at the ancient city being brought back to life. Nell noted that there were certainly many interesting artifacts, though he wondered whether there were any dangers lurking within. Baz asked Nell whether he was scared, reminding him that only those who jumped straight into the fire would emerge with the treasures they sought. Just as they moved forward, however, the Adversary arrived and stopped them, warning them that the area was dangerous. The Seekers were surprised to see the Adversary, who quickly explained the situation in Tallahart. Blanc realized that the Alliance soldiers were keeping them out for their own safety and noted that the Adversary was truly incredible for using their power to revive Tallahart. She explained that there were stories circulating throughout Grandis about new forces rising up against the High Flora one by one. Blanc added that he had been scared for a while that they would have gotten tangled up with the Flora, while Baz added that there were certainly perks to knowing someone as famous as the Adversary, who could escort the Seekers safely into the city.

The Adversary asked whether they were planning to finds relics of the Ancient Gods inside the city, which Nell confirmed, adding that it was worth facing the phantoms of the fallen gods' power. Though the Adversary pointed out that they couldn't simply wander around the city, Blanc presented a crystal ball to them and explained that she had found it in the desert, and that it had started glowing after Tallahart had reappeared. She explained that the crystal ball had something to do with Tallahart, and that, as a Seeker, she couldn't simply ignore the prospect of investigating it. Suddenly, however, the crystal ball began reacting to the Adversary, who began examining it and realized that it looked quite similar to Noctis's crystal ball in Tallahart. Believing that Aoe could explain what the crystal ball was, the Adversary agreed to lead the Seekers into the city. At the city center, Aoe greeted the Adversary and noted that the Seekers didn't seem to be part of the Alliance investigation team which had arrived earlier. The Seekers were astonished to see a ghost and wondered whether he was an Ancient God. After the Adversary introduced the Seekers and Aoe to each other, Aoe noted that the Seekers searching for the relics of the gods made them rather similar to the priests who served Tallahart's gods. He then welcomed the Seekers as friends of the Adversary, to which Blanc replied that she had never thought that she would be able to talk to someone who had lived so long ago. She added that ever since Karote, strange things seemed to happen whenever she got involved in the Adversary's business. Baz noted that it was fortunate for them, as they would be able to find many relics in the city. When Nell asked Aoe whether it was okay for them to take the relics of the gods, Aoe explained that with no gods left in Tallahart, those relics were nothing more than empty shells, which they were welcome to take. However, he added that with Noctis having left the city, there was nothing worth taking.

Blanc then presented the crystal ball to Aoe, who was shocked to see it and explained that the crystal ball had once belonged to Luce, and that it had been created as the counterpart to Noctis's crystal ball. He explained that Luce had lost it long ago on a battlefield, and that Blanc must have found it in the desert ages later, to which Baz noted in satisfaction that they had indeed found a relic of an Ancient God. Aoe explained that the crystal ball was reacting to Noctis's crystal ball, as the two shared their power. The Adversary recalled how Noctis's crystal ball was capable of storing illusions, and so they met with Nona in order to ask her more about it. Nona explained that the two crystal balls were reacting to each other, and that new records would appear when they were both filled with Noctis's power. When the Adversary began filling the crystal balls with Noctis's power inside the World Heart, the crystal balls immediately began reacting and created an enormous illusion of falling stars throughout Tallahart, filling the city with beautiful lights and greenery. As the Adversary and the Seekers marveled at the sights, Aoe explained that Tallahart had been transformed with the same illusion that Noctis had once cast for Luce during the Ancient War. He revealed that the illusion contained the memories of many different gods and mortals who had witnessed the Night of Phantasms. As the illusion's power had dispelled the vengeful spirits around the Tallahart, Aoe believed that it would be safe for the Seekers to freely explore the city for a time. Though he revealed that he had something to tell the Adversary in private, he invited them all to admire the illusion, which had been created for the purpose of bringing Luce peace and joy.

Memories of Noctis

Some time later, the Adversary met with Aoe, who asked them whether they were enjoying the illusion, adding that he had never thought that he would be able to see it again. He explained that while it was all just an illusion held within Luce's crystal ball, the illusions that Noctis created were powerful enough to be felt and touched, adding that the strongest illusions were the ones that echoed memories of things that had actually happened. He then revealed that other records had appeared in Noctis's crystal ball and invited the Adversary to speak with Nona about them, believing that they may prove useful in the Adversary's future missions. The Adversary met with Nona, who revealed that with the crystal ball fully charged, they could see two new memories which had appeared. The Adversary accessed the first memory and witnessed Noctis finding Luce hiding in a remote corner of Tallahart. Luce asked Noctis whether the battle had ended, with Noctis reassuring Luce that they were all safe. However, Luce pointed out that the Adversaries would soon return, to which Noctis crouched down and gently asked her sister what she was afraid of. Luce hesitated before asking Noctis whether she could remember the last time they had left Tallahart. Realizing that Luce was distraught about being stuck in the city, Noctis asked her to wait just a little longer, promising that the war would soon be over. Upon seeing her sister's sad face, however, Noctis used her power to cast a grand illusion before taking Luce outside to see the Night of Phantasms, which was filled with all of the beautiful sights that Noctis and Luce had seen during their travels before founding Tallahart. Amongst them, Noctis pointed out the countless shooting stars in the sky, a mighty river filled with the beautiful water of life, and a forest filled with the warmth of spirits. She reassured Luce that she hadn't forgotten about any of it and told her sister to enjoy it all, as she had made it all for her happiness.

Soon after, however, Prague seethed in anger that even at such a critical time in the war, Noctis still entertained her sister's whims. However, Noctis coolly reminded him that Tallahart was hers to do as she pleased and told Prague that he should speak up if he had a problem with what she chose to do. Prague then told her that Jupiter had invited them to a meeting, where he sought to form an alliance between the Ancient Gods. However, Noctis merely scoffed and told him that she would never understand those who lacked the confidence to trust in their own strength. She then told Prague to inform Jupiter that she would gladly take him into Tallahart if he swore allegiance under her, just as Prague had once done, believing that any other kind of discussion was a complete waste of her time. As Prague left, however, he noted in quiet fury that he would surely make Noctis regret her arrogance. The Adversary then accessed the second memory, in which Gob led his own meeting with several gods: Archelon in his robot body carrying Gob's disciple, Melian, on his back, Noctis, Prague, Keira, a silent Enki hiding in the corner, and the eagle god Garuda. Gob expressed his surprise that everyone who had agreed to attend had actually shown up, to which Archelon noted that he would go wherever his friends did. Keira explained that she had agreed to attend because it was Gob who had invited her, adding that she would rather hear him out than Jupiter. However, she pointed out Archelon's robot body and asked Gob whether he had created it. Archelon explained that it was his new body that allowed him to walk on two feet, to which Gob told Keira not to worry about him. Noctis then noted that it was interesting to see so many immortals gathered together in one place and wondered when they had all gotten so weak. Though Prague reminded her that it wouldn't hurt to simply be aware about the ongoing situation, Noctis scoffed and asked how it would help them to be aware about all the immortals who ran and hid like weaklings. Garuda then noted that even Noctis had shown up to the meeting, which made him realize that Mitra really wouldn't be attending. Noctis asked Garuda whether he was afraid and invited him to run away, adding that it would be amusing to see the great gods shrinking like cowards.

As Garuda began retorting in anger, Gob attempted to diffuse the situation and asked everyone to calm down and hear him out. Prague agreed and reminded Noctis that Luce hadn't wanted her to attend the meeting simply to fight. Gob then went ahead and began summarizing the situation, explaining that the immortals had originally began fighting amongst themselves with their own strength and laws in order to realize their own personal goals. However, it was only when the Adversaries had appeared in the world that the immortals had realized that there were beings on a higher level than them: the Overseers. With the Overseers actively interfering in the world, the immortals had started another war in order to ensure their own survival. However, Gob noted that the immortals were not united in their goals, with many being sealed away in slumber at the hands of the Adversaries' immense power. He reminded them that they had all received an invitation from Jupiter, adding that he had recently learned that Jupiter already had a great number of followers. Because of this, the only immortals left were either those who had gone into hiding, disappeared completely, or those like Mitra who refused to communicate. With the war against the Adversaries soon reaching its climax, Gob told them that they all had a decision to make, which was why he had gathered them all to discuss whether they should join Jupiter's alliance or find another option. Noctis admitted that while the Overseers' puppets were strong, she didn't think that the situation was precarious enough to warrant an entire meeting about them. Noting that Noctis had already defeated countless Adversaries, Gob asked her whether that was her assessment about the situation, though Keira pointed out that not all immortals were as powerful as her. Noctis retorted by asking whether that meant their solution was to band together when the immortals had only just been killing each other not too long ago. Prague pointed out that Jupiter had already boasted the strongest force amongst the immortals, and that they were now uniting more immortals together against their common enemy. However, he asked whether they could truly make an alliance with Jupiter and remain on equal footing with him, pointing out that Jupiter could simply be using them and aiming to lead them into a trap for his own gain.

Upon hearing Prague's words, Noctis declared that she refused to entrust her sister's safety to anyone else, to which Gob – realizing that their opinions were all dissenting – proposed attempting to negotiate with the Adversaries through dialogue. However, both Prague and Garuda dismissed Gob's idea as a joke, claiming that the Adversaries had already defeated far too many immortals to make a truce now. Gob replied by saying that he had expected such a reaction, causing Prague to ask him whether he truly believed that the immortals had no chance of winning the war. Gob confirmed Prague's accusation and told him that the immortals were going to lose, whether or not they worked together or alone, adding that Noctis would be no different. Noctis and Keira were both intrigued and asked Gob why he believed so, to which Gob explained that he had come to that conclusion after attempting to make weapons and methods to amplify his power in order to face the Adversaries. However, he noted that it was clear that their power had limits in the end, though Noctis retorted that those limits were Gob's, not hers. Nevertheless, Garuda pointed out that Gob's problem wasn't just exclusive to him, while Keira added that they could surely find a different way by working together. Noctis laughed that she had no need to join forces, adding that whoever threatened her or Luce would be soundly defeated. She then went as far as declaring that she would pull down the Overseers themselves to the material world if that was what it took to destroy them. She then told the other gods that though she didn't need them as allies, she would nevertheless welcome them if they chose to serve under her, much to Garuda's annoyance.

Suddenly, Melian spoke up and told Gob that she had a way to win if only he would leave things to her. However, Gob scolded her and instructed her to remain silent, adding that he wouldn't tolerate her nonsense, even if she was his disciple. Prague was intrigued by Melian's comment and noted that it seemed as though Gob had been up to something interesting, to which Gob merely remained silent. Noctis then noted that the discussion seemed to be over, as the other gods' choices were to either join Jupiter or hide their power and flee. Realizing that negotiations had fallen sideways, Keira thanked Gob for arranging the meeting, though she told him that she wouldn't be joining him, adding that she would find another way to protect those who followed her. Gob realized that in the end, all the gods would follow their own paths, to which Archelon replied that he was perfectly suited to do so in his new body. Meanwhile, Garuda declared that he would follow Jupiter, believing that it would be better than fighting alone. As Noctis's memory ended, the Adversary returned to Tallahart, with Nona noting that she was surprised that the crystal ball had contained more than just Noctis's memories with Luce. She added that since the power inside the crystal ball hadn't fully disappeared, there would likely be new records that would soon appear inside. Though the Adversary was curious to know what happened next, Nona told them that she would summon them once the crystal ball's power had fully recharged.

Echoes of the Gods

Soon after, the Adversary met with Blanc, who thanked the Adversary for allowing the Seekers to explore Tallahart, adding that she had also been able to bring her younger sister, Riche, whom she had told them about earlier. She explained that Riche had wanted to become a Seeker ever since she was little, which was why Blanc had brought her to see Tallahart while the city was still safe to explore. The Adversary asked whether they had found any ancient relics yet, to which Blanc showed them a crystal that she had found near the Illusion Tree at the center of the city. Though it contained mystical power, Blanc noted that she didn't know how to use it, as the crystal was merely the shell to the spark of power in the core. Believing that Aoe might be able to help, the Adversary presented the crystal to him. Aoe inspected it and explained that it was a byproduct of Noctis's illusion, having captured the voices and feelings of several Ancient Gods who had originally witnessed the Night of Phantasms. As the illusion had long since slumbered, Aoe believed that the divine fire in Tallahart's central brazier could melt the crystal and release those memories. The Adversary then returned to Blanc and told her about what they had learned. Blanc believed that she would get closer to finding an ancient relic if she were to hear the conversations that the gods had in Tallahart, and so she asked the Adversary to melt the crystal and tell her about anything pertaining to the ancient relics. Upon melting the crystal, the Adversary heard several different voices. They first heard the voice of several small-winged gods. The first god told the second that they should run away and escape the war in Grandis, as Tallahart couldn't protect them when Noctis was fighting solely for Luce. The first god also noted that Prague was no better, pointing out what had befallen all the gods who had fallen for his tricks. The second god hushed the first, reminding them that Prague was listening, thought the first god assured their friend that Prague couldn't hear them when they were hiding their voices in the illusion. They added that tonight was their only chance, though the second god asked where they could go with their tiny wings. Nevertheless, the first god reminded the second that they needed to leave, as Tallahart was being targeted by the Godsphere bearers. When the second god asked who would take them, the first replied that they should go to another land entirely, where there was a god with enormous wings who would protect them.

The Adversary next heard the voice of a god who told their friend that the beautiful sights in Noctis's illusion existed all across the world. They noted that the Night of Phantasms was similar to the ceremony in the area where they ruled. The god's friend recalled that the god ruled the highest forest in Eastern Grandis, to which the god explained that on the night when the forest stars shined brightest, the mortals would pray to them and ask for their blessings. The god's friend asked what kind of prayers the mortals made, to which the god noted that they prayed for a good harvest or stopping disease from ravaging their town. The god explained that they had once gotten so bored that they had disguised themselves as a mortal and blended in with the crowd, which had amused them quite a bit when they had joined in on the mortals' prayers. However, they had been annoying to learn that the mortals had given cheap liquor as their offerings while keeping the high-quality ones for themselves after the ceremony. The god explained that they had briefly considered setting everything ablaze in anger, though they had ultimately let it go because the mortals' prayers had been sincere enough. The god's friend laughed and noted that the mortals were quite fortunate, as the god's flames burned eternally. The god's friend then wondered whether they should try blending in with mortals as well, adding that they would perhaps become a wandering bard who roamed the world and passed down countless stories. They noted that there were already other gods who had cast aside their power and chosen to live as mortals, intending to hide their power until the age of the immortals returned once more.

The Adversary then heard the voice of a black-fanged god who noted in disgust that to waste divine power on something so trivial as a giant illusion was laughable. Nevertheless, they believed that the gathered immortals should amuse themselves when the Overseers' puppets would be scattered like dust before their power in the end. The black-fanged god noted that only those steeped in doubt felt fear, and that even calling those puppets “Adversaries of the gods” was an insult to the immortals. They believed that in the end, the only true adversaries of the immortals were other immortals, and that it was time to bring their tedious struggle to an end. They noted that the time had come to prepare for the real war, and that their final enemy would be Jupiter after all. They added that only the last one standing would claim everything, and that the time was drawing near for them to become the masters of a new myth. Finally, the Adversary heard the voice of a god who had lost their weapon speaking to their friend. The god told their friend that their sword had broken in the last battle they had fought in, to which their friend suggested getting a new sword. However, the god replied that their weapon had been created by Erion himself, and that they would take no other weapon unless Erion had personally forged it. The god noted that they constantly asked Erion to craft them a masterpiece like Azor, though Erion had nevertheless provided them something so crude. Their friend laughed that Azor was only so strong because it contained Mitra's own power, after which they noted that they hadn't seen Erion in a while. The god explained that Erion – despite having craftsmanship on par with Gob – had chosen to run away and hide. Nevertheless, they resolved to find Erion and have him construct a new weapon for them before the Adversaries found him first, adding that it wouldn't take long, as Erion was sure to be hammering away somewhere. After hearing the voices of the gods, the Adversary returned to Blanc and told her what they had learned. Though she was disappointed that there were no clues about the ancient relics, she nevertheless resolved to keep searching.

Jupiter's Last Stand

Soon after, Nona summoned the Adversary and informed them that a new record had appeared in the crystal ball after it had fully recharged. However, she added that the memory seemed oddly ominous and told them to be careful when they witnessed it, though she added that as someone who wielded the power of the gods, they would likely be fine. The Adversary then accessed the crystal ball and witnessed a memory of Prague severely wounded in a battle against the Adversaries. As he looked around, Prague wondered whether there were no other surviving gods who could help Tallahart. Suddenly, Gob arrived and asked Prague whether he was alright, explaining that he had heard that the Adversaries had laid siege to Tallahart. He noted that he had thought that Noctis could hold out longer, but upon seeing Prague's uncomfortable silence, Gob realized that the true enemy had come from within Tallahart itself. He then mocked Prague by claiming that he shouldn't have run away like a coward if he had truly stolen Noctis's power, to which Prague angrily retorted that he wouldn't hear such words from someone who was hiding away from the war. Gob replied that he wanted to make sure that the one-sided conflict finally came to a close, noting how no other gods had survived the battle. Just then, however, a wounded Jupiter arrived at the scene and told them that there were still those who remained. Gob noted that Jupiter seemed worse for wear and realized that even, who had led so many immortals, couldn't handle the Adversaries. Jupiter laughed bleakly and agreed that none of them could handle the monsters that the Overseers had created, adding that the Adversaries had crushed them so easily that none of the immortals had stood a chance against them. He noted that immortal beings such as them had fallen at the hands of mere mortals, gesturing to the battlefield and claiming that the age of the immortals was coming to a close.

Gob replied that such an ending had always been destined, as the immortals had been fighting amongst themselves for far too long. He pointed out that even before the Overseers had intervened, the immortals had been slaying each other, and that such a catastrophe had been inevitable, though he lamented that he had never expected it to end so bleakly. Jupiter lamented that he had gotten it wrong from the start, believing that the crisis could have been averted if the immortals had allied together when the war had first begun. Prague then interrupted and reminded them that the Adversaries would soon return and finish what they had started, for which he urged Jupiter and Gob to return to Tallahart and recuperate so that they could plan their counterattack. However, Gob refused to join Prague, claiming that he had work to do and adding that after expelling his disciple, Melian, he had no choice but to do it all alone. Jupiter also refused to go with Prague, explaining that if he was going to go down, he would rather do so fighting on the graves of the other immortals. As he walked away, Jupiter wondered whether they could have put a stop to the war if they had joined forces from the beginning. Realizing how the immortals had fallen at the hands of mortals, Jupiter wished that he had been given another chance. After the memory ended, Nona told the Adversary that the memory had been the darkest amongst all the records in the crystal ball, speculating that it was perhaps because, rather than the memories of Noctis herself, it had contained the memories of Prague, who had been filled with Noctis's stolen power. When the Adversary asked her about Jupiter, Nona explained that she didn't know much about him and suggested that they speak with Aoe. The Adversary met with Aoe and told him about what they had seen in the memory. Aoe was surprised and explained that though he had known that the gods of Tallahart had been at odds with other immortals, he had never expected something like that to have taken place.

He explained that from the stories that his ancestors had passed down, the gods had once been in constant war with each other long before the founding of Tallahart, which had been known as the War of the Immortals. Though there were always different reasons for each war, all of it ultimately boiled down to a struggle for power. As the gods had fought each other over countless years, their numbers had dwindled down as the surviving gods had gained power and gathered other strong gods to serve under them. Amongst them, Jupiter was said to have been the strongest god, with many immortals following him. Aoe explained that when the Adversaries had appeared to seal the gods away, the War of the Immortals had come to an end. Though Jupiter had joined forces with the other gods, he was rumored to have been defeated and sealed away alongside the other gods. Aoe told the Adversary that dozens of gods had followed Jupiter, though not all of them were renowned. He explained that at the height of the war, Jupiter commanded around 30% of all the immortals who still remained in the world, which was still a considerable number after factoring in how many gods had been killed in the war of the immortals. However, Aoe clarified that not all the gods had followed Jupiter out of loyalty, as some had freely joined him, while others had only joined for their own survival. He added that even in Tallahart, there were minor gods who had opposed the war, though regardless of their choices, the age of the gods had come to an end no matter what. Though Jupiter's forces had been sealed away by the Adversaries, there was no concrete information about Jupiter's fate itself. Aoe admitted that while he had been killed before the Ancient War had ended, he felt certain that Jupiter had been sealed away, as there was no way that someone who ruled such a large territory would remain silent if he was still awake. However, he added that Jupiter wouldn't have been sealed away easily, recalling how even Noctis herself had once told Luce not to engage with someone as stubborn as Jupiter.

After learning from the Adversary that Jupiter was forming an alliance of gods in the present day, Aoe warned the Adversary to be careful, as he was certain that Jupiter was plotting something. Having finished telling them everything he knew about Jupiter, Aoe informed the Adversary that there were people looking for them, and that they weren't part of the Alliance or the Seekers. The Adversary began searching the city center and soon came across Ailene and Kelly. Ailene told them that Tirnog had been acting strangely, and that she had come outside to Tallahart shining bright. She noted that the Flora army couldn't possibly be responsible and demanded to know what the Adversary had done. After the Adversary explained everything that had happened, Kelly told them that Tirnog had informed them that the situation hadn't been dangerous, noting that the illusion was truly beautiful. However, Ailene reminded Kelly that they needed to return back to base soon, causing the Adversary to wonder whether something was going on. Ailene explained that Iker and Khafdi had gone on a mission to obtain information about the Flora army from an informant. As the situation seemed rather suspicious, Ailene told the Adversary that the pair had gone to meet them in person. She also explained that Gob had recently gone missing and remained unreachable. Kelly explained that it was the reason why they had sought out the Adversary, as they had spoken to Gob in Tallahart not long ago. She revealed that Gob had started behaving strangely after that meeting, and that he had disappeared completely some time later. Though she knew that Gob was an Ancient God, Kelly noted that she still worried about him when she hadn't been able to contact him in so long, for which Ailene explained that they had hoped that the Adversary could fill them in on their conversation with Gob in order to get a clue about where he had gone. The Adversary then told them about what Gob had revealed about Jupiter and his alliance, to which Ailene realized that since Gob had been wary about Jupiter, his disappearance must certainly be linked to it.

Kelly suddenly recalled Gob's final words to her, in which he had asked her whether she was able to control Tirnog on her own. Though Kelly had admitted that Tirnog sometimes disobeyed her, she could get things under control with the help of Gob's robots. Gob had marveled at Kelly's ability to control systems without even fully understanding their internal structure, claiming that he had never met anyone like her before. Kelly had noted that all of Gob's machines operated in a similar way, adding that though she still had a long way to go in fully understanding everything, she at least had a handle on it. Gob had then asked her to watch Tirnog for him, explaining that he was setting off to meet someone that he really didn't want to see. After Kelly told the Adversary what Gob had said, Ailene noted that Gob had certainly gone to meet someone, though it remained unknown whether that was Jupiter or someone else. As the Adversary didn't know who it was either, Kelly realized that they had no choice but to wait for Gob to contact them. Ailene promised to let the Adversary know when they found out more and asked them to inform them if they learned anything else. When the Adversary asked about Iker and Khafdi's mission, Ailene explained that they had gotten a tip from an informant about the Apostles' movements, and so the captain and Khafdi had gone to meet them. Though she didn't know much about the meeting, she explained that the informant had been bragging to them about being a great monarch of some kind, adding that she would let them know once they learned more.

The Shadowdealers Arrive

Soon after, the Adversary met with Ailene, who told them that she had just been looking for them. She explained that Kelly had informed her that Tirnog had detected someone rapidly approaching Tallahart and asked them to check on the new visitors. At the city outskirts, the Adversary was surprised to see the Shadowdealer Seya transporting two passengers on her alpaca, Lepa. The Adversary was surprised to see the Shadowdealers and asked them what was going on. Seya's passengers then removed their hoods and revealed themselves to be Gen and a human named Tara. Gen introduced himself as the leader of the Savage Terminal branch of Shadowdealers, while Tara introduced herself as the second-in-command of the Shadowdealer organization. Gen explained that though he hadn't expected to meet them in such a way, he and Tara had indeed come in search of them. Tara told the Adversary that while gathering information about Tallahart's sudden reappearance, they had discovered that the legendary Adversary was in the city. She explained that as the representative of the Shadowdealers, she had important information to relay to them, after which she asked that they speak privately in Tallahart. Though the Adversary remained hesitant, Gen promised them that they really did want to just talk, adding that they weren't stupid enough to pick a fight with someone as powerful as the Adversary. After the Adversary led the Shadowdealers into Tallahart, Ailene asked them who the intruders were, noting that one was a Nova and the other was a human. She was furious to hear that the pair were Shadowdealers and immediately demanded to speak to them. The Adversary met with Gen and Tara, who were marveling at the immense city. They then informed the pair that someone wanted to speak to them, with Tara asking whether it was Ailene, who was pointing her rifle at them. As she wanted to speak to the Adversary as soon as possible, she decided to clear up any obstacles in her path and agreed to speak with them.

The Adversary then introduced Ailene to the Shadowdealers, with Gen wondering who she was, noting that she surely couldn't be an Ancient God. He informed her that they had business with the Adversary and told her to leave, though Ailene refused, claiming that they had even fought alongside the Adversary before. Realizing that they must have fought against the High Flora, Tara deduced that Ailene belonged to the Primacy, adding that she never would have expected to meet them in such a place. Ailene retorted that if Tara knew who they were, then she would know why they hated the Shadowdealers. Pointing her rifle at them, she demanded to know why the hyenas who ate the High Flora's scraps would come to Tallahart. Though Gen told Ailene to watch her mouth, Tara told Gen to stand down, noting that Ailene wasn't completely wrong. She admitted that the Shadowdealers were an organization that would do business with anyone who could pay the price, to which Ailene scoffed and asked whether getting a good deal was their justification for selling the secret of Vision Bombs to the High Flora. Upon hearing Ailene's words, Tara noted that Ailene wasn't an ordinary sniper to have access to such information. Though she told Ailene that the Vision Bomb deal wasn't something they were proud of, she added that it wasn't the reason why they had come. She explained that they had come to Tallahart in order to broker a deal with the Adversary by trading information about the High Flora's activities. However, she told them that her deal was with the Adversary alone, though she added that it may prove helpful to the Primacy as well. When Ailene claimed that she was lying, Tara asked her why they would lie, noting that only she, Gen, and Seya had come to Tallahart, and that it would be a fool's errand to start a fight with just the three of them. Begrudgingly admitting that Tara was right, Ailene agreed to leave, though she warned them not to do anything stupid. After Ailene walked away, Gen noted that she was rather cheeky, adding that she reminded him of someone else in his branch.

Tara then told the Adversary that they would agree to give information about the Flora army if they agreed to make a deal, adding that they would be waiting in the city if they wished to speak. The Adversary then met with Ailene, who told them that though they and the Alliance would probably figure things out on their own, she asked that they share anything they uncovered with the Primacy. When the Adversary asked about Kelly, Ailene explained that she had found a clue regarding Gob's location, and that she was busy looking into it. As neither Iker nor Khafdi were at base, Ailene decided to keep the information about the Shadowdealers' arrival to herself for the time being. The Adversary then met with Tara and Gen, who told them that they suspected that Tallahart's revival had something to do with the Adversary. Tara explained that while the Shadowdealers didn't know much about the Ancient Gods, they had learned that the High Flora were targeting the Ancient Gods' power. Though she hadn't initially believed the stories, seeing Tallahart had made Tara realize that the rumors were true, and so she told the Adversary that the Shadowdealers wanted their help in figuring out what was going on in Grandis. When the Adversary asked her what she meant, Tara began by explaining that she had taken over as the Shadowdealer second-in-command by succeeding Mr. Hazard. She explained that Mr. Hazard had been expelled from the Shadowdealers for his treachery, as he had conspired with the High Flora to seize control of the entire organization. Because of this, Tara's first act as the second-in-command had been to redistribute resources within the Shadowdealers. After learning that Mr. Hazard had already built up quite a large force of his own, the Shadowdealers had immediately set to work on flushing out all of his rats, though this had resulted in turmoil with those branches which had been deeply intertwined with the High Flora, jeopardizing the entire organization.

Though the Shadowdealers didn't normally care about the High Flora, they had nevertheless conducted an investigation into the High Flora's activities. However, Tara explained that since the Shadowdealers were merchants, not soldiers, they needed outside help to get more information on the High Flora, for which Gen had recommended seeking out the Adversary, who had already slain one fallen Transcendent and now stood against the Flora army. The Adversary asked Tara whether she wanted to make an alliance, to which she laughed and explained that trading information would be enough for now. She explained that in exchange for what she was about to tell them, she wanted them to investigate what the High Flora was doing. She began by explaining that Mr. Hazard had secretly taken control of various Shadowdealer branches with connections to the High Flora, intending to mobilize them all at once to take control of the organization. Though the Shadowdealers had already dealt with most of the hidden traitors, some branches who were far too under the High Flora's control had broken away from the Shadowdealers, openly serving the High Flora and making it highly difficult for even the Shadowdealers to reach them. With the High Flora freely utilizing the supplies and information of these rogue branches, Tara explained that those branches were effectively no longer Shadowdealers. After having rescued several members who had been forcibly conscripted into these rogue branches, the Shadowdealers had learned that the High Flora had wanted access to the secret trade lanes across Grandis that the Shadowdealers controlled. She explained that the High Flora had seized control of the portals and tunnels that transported goods and people, and that the Shadowdealers' investigation had unearthed something shocking. She explained that the High Flora were using the trade lanes to transport some sort of magical stone, with the Shadowdealers having found traces of an enormous concentration of magical power passing through. She also revealed that adjacent to the trade lanes, entire towns' worth of people were disappearing completely – particularly isolated Anima tribes and minor races who lived in obscure areas. She added that there were no traces of any sort of battle taking place in those towns, as though the townspeople had simply vanished in a puff of smoke.

Tara revealed that the Shadowdealers hadn't yet found any connection between the magic stone and the disappearances, though they had discovered that the disappearances and the trade lanes being used were all localized in Central Grandis. She added that this information made it clear that the Apostles were on the move, and that the fact that there were a surprising number of them absent was connected to this information. As they could only find out more by directly confronting the High Flora, Tara asked the Adversary to investigate and prove the link between the two incidents. The Adversary then asked about Mr. Hazard, to which Tara explained that the Shadowdealer High Council had incapacitated and expelled Hazard, believing that such a punishment would be more humiliating than execution. Though she was certain that Hazard wanted to take revenge on them, she doubted that the High Flora would take him back after he had lost everything, for which she believed that he wouldn't show up again now that the High Flora had gotten what they had wanted from him. Having explained everything that they had confirmed so far, Tara told them that since the Shadowdealers lacked any concrete evidence, she wasn't expected a lot from the Adversary in return. She added that they could consider their meeting as nothing more than a courtesy visit so that they could put faces to names. However, she believed that the information would prove useful to them later, adding that she didn't mind making more information trades in the future. As they would be seeing more of each other in the future, she asked that they consider each other friends as they continued working together.

Some time after speaking with the Shadowdealers, the Adversary met with Aoe, who thanked them for bringing so many different people to Tallahart. Upon seeing his sad smile, however, the Adversary asked him whether there was something wrong. Aoe admitted that he was sad to know that he wouldn't see Tallahart so lively again, as the illusion would be dispelled very soon once the crystal ball ran out of Noctis's power. Though he wished to end the night with a bang, Aoe lamented that he couldn't do anything as an illusive phantom, and so the Adversary decided to help him by speaking with the Seekers. They first met with Nell, who began giving them complex instructions on how to keep the crystal ball's power going forever. Realizing that Nell's advice wasn't helpful, they next met with Baz, who told them that Aoe's worries were the struggles of one who was forced to be apart from their true love, after which he launched into an explanation of his girlfriend whom he had been forced to leave behind when he had become a Seeker. With Baz unable to help either, the Adversary met with Blanc, who suggested ending the night with a new memory and presented another crystal, explaining that it seemed different from the last one, as it had a far warmer aura. She then asked the Adversary to gather everyone at the city center as she put the crystal in the brazier. As Blanc melted the crystal, everyone watched in awe as brilliant fireworks lit up the night sky. Aoe immediately realized that the crystal contained the illusion of the fireworks that Noctis had once used to end the Night of Phantasms, which she had made not only for Luce, but for all her guests who had come to rejoice in Tallahart. He then thanked the Adversary warmly, noting that though the night would end, the memories would live on in their minds forever. However, he reassured them that just because they had sent up the fireworks, the illusion wouldn't end right then, as it would gradually go away as the crystal ball's power wore off, which would soothe everyone's memories gently. He then told the Adversary that he looked forward to working with them, addressing them as the new master of Tallahart.