Silent Crusade/Story 1

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Story (Post-Remaster)

Note: The Silent Crusade storyline was remastered under the KMS story team's new continuity in the KMS Spring 2023 Update (Fall 2023 for Non-KMS Servers).

The Crack in Time

An Alliance member was contacted by Jake, a subway worker in Kerning City, who explained that a girl had followed several shady figures onto the subway. Worried about her safety, he asked them to check if she was okay and sent them a ticket that would immediately teleport them to the subway. Upon arriving, the Alliance member found the girl, Starling, who explained that her leg had been injured. Just then, Black Wings henchmen appeared and began attacking the Alliance member, who dispatched them easily. Starling then got up and thanked the Alliance member, who was confused about how she could stand despite her injury. She casually dismissed it and asked them to find her bag, which had been taken by a monster. At the empty platform outside, the Alliance member fought a Crimson Rock, but found no bag upon defeating it. They told Starling that they couldn't find the bag, but she dismissed that, too, and told them that she was impressed that they had been able to defeat the Crimson Rock. She then gave them a ticket and explained that it would allow them to meet her at the Relic Excavation Site in Perion before disappearing.

The Alliance member then used the ticket and met Starling at the Relic Excavation Site. There, Starling told them that she had heard from an excavator named Shawn that a strange crack in time had been found in the area, which might be the reason why the monsters in the excavation site had grown unusually violent. The Alliance member agreed to help Starling investigate, and so the two entered the crack, which led them to an area that looked quite unlike the rest of the ruins. Upon examining the area closely, the Alliance member realized that the bricks and columns matched the architecture of Sharenian. Starling explained that the same architecture could be found in the ruins, though she found it strange that the section of the ruins that they were currently in was so well-preserved when the other ruins were barely standing, with the kingdom of Sharenian having supposedly disappeared without a trace. The Alliance member wondered whether they had entered Sharenian of the past, to which Starling suggested that they continue investigating.

Suddenly, the ground began rumbling as a powerful monster named Lord Skeleton appeared, wounded Starling with a powerful attack. After the Alliance member defeated it, Starling thanked them for their help and explained that while she didn't know why they had entered Sharenian of the past, the kingdom had been known for its advanced magical knowledge, and so it was possible that Sharenian still had unearthed secrets which may have allowed them to maintain the past. However, the Alliance member pointed out that they had sensed devil-like energy from Lord Skeleton, noting that since the skeleton monsters in the Excavation Site were soldiers of Sharenian reanimated by the power of a devil, there should be no way that a skeleton monster could have existed before the fall of the kingdom. Starling noted to herself that their surroundings definitely indicated that they were in the past, with Lord Skeleton's clothing indicating that he was a Sharenian commander. She then told the Alliance member that they ought to escape, as the space around them was breaking down.

The Silent Crusade

After they returned back to the Excavation Site, Starling asked if they were interested in protecting the peace in Maple World and instructed them to find Bastille in Edelstein. There, Bastille welcomed the Alliance member and took them to a hidden room. He explained that he needed to test their strength, and so he had them fight his puppy, Coco, which had the power to project a monstrous shadow of itself to fight. After passing the test, Bastille welcomed them to the Silent Crusade, a special branch of the Alliance whose purpose was to collect information from the shadows regarding the Black Mage's return, as well as to fight powerful monsters that appeared around Maple World. He told them that Starling had mentioned that they had investigated the strange crack in the Excavation Site together, to which the Alliance member explained that it had taken them to a past version of Sharenian, where they had fought a skeleton monster from the present day. Bastille told them that he wasn't surprised and asked them whether they knew of the Black Mage's Commanders, who had once thrown the world into chaos. He explained that the Silent Crusade had always kept a close watch on them until their disappearance after the Black Mage had been sealed away, though with the seal now being broken, the Commanders were starting to return.[1]

The Alliance member then asked Bastille whether he believed that the Commanders were the cause for the strange crack in Perion.[2] Bastille explained that as they may have guessed, the place which they had seen inside the crack was indeed Sharenian of the past. However, he explained that no matter how magically advanced the kingdom was, it was impossible to materialize monsters from the future. Because of this, he believed that the rift had been created by a time magic practitioner, though he added that there were only a handful of people in Maple World powerful enough to bring back a kingdom that had disappeared long ago. Bastille told the Alliance member that the Silent Crusade had managed to track down a mage who was not only a powerful time magic user, but had also been in hiding for a long time. He then explained that the one responsible for the rift had been Commander Arkarium.[3]

Bastille explained that Arkarium had once been the snake-like High Priest of Goddess Rhinne, though he had betrayed her and joined the Black Mage. He told the Alliance member that they needed to investigate Arkarium's activities in Leafre, near the Temple of Time. The Alliance member then noted that though Arkarium had created a copy of Sharenian from the past, the fact that the monsters there were like the skeletons of present-day Perion made them believe that Arkarium's time magic wasn't perfect. Bastille confirmed their theory, though he warned them not to grow complacent just because of that. He reminded them that they had taken on an important responsibility and hoped that they would do their best to protect the peace of Maple World, adding that he would call on them when the time came.

Investigation in Leafre

Soon after, Starling contacted the Alliance member and asked them to come to headquarters. There, Bastille told them that the monsters of Leafre were on a rampage, and that their intelligence pointed towards Arkarium being the culprit. He then asked the Alliance member to work with the other agents in order to remedy the situation. On Bastille's instructions, the Alliance member arrived in Leafre and met with an agent named Crow, who immediately dismissed them as weak and told them that their job was to defeat the powerful monsters around Leafre. The Alliance member grew annoyed and told them that they already knew that without him saying so, to which Crow, in response to them talking back to him, ordered them to defeat Master Hoblin, adding that he wasn't the type to work with others, especially clueless rookies. The Alliance member then traveled to Master Hoblin's hideout and defeated him. As they began to leave, however, several of Arkarium's snake minions appeared and laughed that Arkarium's spell was now complete, thanking the Alliance member, whom they addressed as an “unknown hero”, for buying them time.[4][5]

Upon hearing their words, the Alliance member immediately realized that they had walked into a trap. Claiming that the Alliance member had done their part, the snake minions declared that it was now time for them to lay down their life for the sake of Arkarium's plan. As the snake minions attacked the Alliance member, Crow suddenly rushed in and saved them. As the two retreated, the snake minions told them that it was too late to stop Arkarium, now that his spell had been activated. Back in Leafre, the Alliance member told Crow that though they had managed to defeat Master Hoblin, the snake minions had unexpectedly arrived and attacked them. To their surprise, Crow offered a rare compliment and told the Alliance member that they must be strong, to which the Alliance member asked him why he had come to save them when he couldn't be bothered earlier. Crow stammered that he had come to watch them because it would've been harder for him to fix things if they had messed up, though the Alliance member immediately saw through his words. Crow then reluctantly admitted that they deserved credit for the way that they had handled things. He told the Alliance member that the situation with Master Hoblin had merely been a trick in order to buy Arkarium time for his plans.

The Alliance member gave him a scroll with Arkarium's eye-like symbol on it, which they had found after defeating Master Hoblin, adding that the snake minions also had the same symbol on their heads. Crow realized that it had to be related to Arkarium, noting that other agents had also found similar scrolls after defeating the powerful monsters around Maple World. Just as he began wondering what Arkarium was up to, the ground suddenly began rumbling violently. Crow realized that it was coming from the Temple of Time and told the Alliance member that since none of the other agents had returned from their missions, he would need them to investigate the Temple of Time, as he couldn't trust the safety of the other agents to anyone but himself, especially since the Alliance member couldn't do anything to help when they couldn't even recognize the other agents by face yet. The Alliance member traveled to the Temple of Time, where they met with Bastille, who had heard the situation from Crow. The Alliance member noticed another crack in time inside the temple, which Bastille speculated led to the past. In order to put a direct end to Arkarium's plan, Bastille asked the Alliance member to enter the crack in time alongside Starling and Lora.

Leafre of the Past

Inside the crack, the Alliance member entered another part of the temple, where they encountered the spirit of Rhinne. Rhinne greeted them and explained that she was merely an echo created with a weak portion of her power. As she couldn't manifest long when she was so far from her physical body, she asked them to quickly listen to her story. She explained that Arkarium had created a crack in time to enter the past, from before the Black Mage had been sealed, in order to eliminate the Heroes. As they were running out of time, she asked them to stop Arkarium from succeeding. After Rhinne's spirit disappeared, Bastille rushed in and asked them what had happened.

After the Alliance member explained what Arkarium planned to do, Bastille wondered whether Arkarium planned to stop the Heroes from sealing the Black Mage, though he noted that it seemed pointless when the Black Mage had already returned. However, he also noted that the Heroes had been the greatest threat to the Black Mage, which made him wonder whether Arkarium was trying to kill the Heroes so that they wouldn't be able to seal the Black Mage again in the present day. Though he couldn't be sure what the reason was, Bastille reaffirmed that Arkarium was still trying to harm the Heroes, and that he needed to be stopped. He then asked the Alliance member to travel into the past with Starling and Lora in order to confront Arkarium. The Alliance member entered the crack in time and traveled to Leafre of the past, where they encountered Lora, a Wild Hunter who rode a jaguar named Sun. Lora noted how strange their surroundings were and explained that though she had come into the crack with Starling, the two of them had gotten separated.

The Alliance member decided to search for Starling and proceeded ahead. They soon encountered an injured Starling surrounded by monsters. Starling explained that though she wasn't seriously injured, she still couldn't move for a while, and so she asked the Alliance member to help. The Alliance member thought to themselves that whereas Starling had merely pretended to be injured when they had first met, she really had ended up getting injured now. Nevertheless, they agreed to help Starling by defeating the nearby monsters while she recovered, after which she asked them to go on without her. The Alliance member proceeded ahead and soon encountered an unconscious Aran, with the spirit of Maha floating beside her. Maha was surprised that the Alliance member recognized Aran, adding that for some reason, it seemed as though the Alliance member wasn't from his world. Nevertheless, he decided to trust them, as the look in their eyes made him believe that they were a good person.

Maha explained that he was the spirit of the polearm, and that he and his master had worked together to defeat the Black Mage and seal him forever. However, he told the Alliance member that the Black Mage had used the last of his strength to curse Aran, which was why she was lying unconscious. As he feared that Aran might never awaken if she continued succumbing to the curse, Maha had decided to take Aran somewhere safe. The Alliance member was surprised to learn that they had arrived in a time after the Black Mage had been sealed, as they had been under the impression that Arkarium had intended to travel even further back in time. Nevertheless, they decided to help Maha first before stopping Arkarium.

Maha told them that he hoped to take Aran to Rien Island in order to seal her in the ice there, as he hoped that it would slow down the Black Mage's curse. However, as he had been weakened from unleashing his full power in order to protect Aran, he was unable to teleport her to Rien. In order to help repair Maha, the Alliance member collected his broken polearm pieces from the Corrupted Kentauruses and brought them back to him. Maha thanked them and added that he wished that he could give his regards to Afrien before he left, to which the Alliance member offered to speak to him on Maha's behalf.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

The Alliance member then went deeper into the forest, where they discovered Afrien, along with an unconscious Freud and Mercedes. Afrien thanked the Alliance member for saving Aran and Maha, recognizing them as a traveler from the future. The Alliance member told him that Arkarium had opened a crack in time in order to kill the Heroes. Afrien noted that such a plan befitted a former Guardian of Time, though he added that Arkarium hadn't yet appeared. He explained that he and the Heroes had stood against the Black Mage, and though he had sensed the Black Mage's strong malice, he had also noted that the Black Mage's power had been scattered because of the Demon, who had betrayed his master for killing his family. Though the Heroes had managed to seal him away, the Black Mage had reversed that power and cursed all the Heroes, which Afrien had accepted in Freud's place, causing him to slowly start freezing. The Alliance member asked whether there was any way to break the curse, to which Afrien explained that only the Black Mage's unsealing could free the Heroes, though he believed that it would never happen, as Freud had designed the seal to last forever.

Afrien then used his powers to cast an enchantment around them in order to shield them all from Arkarium's eyes. He then explained that the Black Mage's curse had also affected all the Onyx Dragons, who had been cursed after they had refused to side with him. Because of this, the Onyx Dragons would slowly die out and go extinct. However, he explained that the Black Mage's curse wasn't perfect, which was why he had been able to redirect it towards himself in Freud's place, explaining that a king who had lost his entire race could have done nothing less without losing his honor. Though Onyx Dragons lived near-infinite lives, many had been killed in the war, while the younger dragons had been killed by the Black Mage's curse. However, one egg had survived the curse, as it hadn't yet hatched. Afrien explained that the egg had gotten lost somewhere in Leafre during the final battle, and though he had originally hoped to ask Freud to recover it, with Freud still unconscious, he asked the Alliance member to recover it in Freud's place.

The Alliance member found the egg deep in the forest and brought it back to Afrien, who thanked them, explaining that Freud would later hide it in a safe place. Afrien then asked them to save Mercedes, who appeared even more injured than Freud. Afrien explained that with Mercedes carrying the fates of all the elves on her shoulders, the curse affected her more strongly than the others. As Mercedes' death would spell the end of the elves, Afrien asked to borrow some of the Alliance member's strength in order to save her. After extracting a portion of their strength, Afrien noted that their power was as strong as any hero that he'd met. Afrien then gave the Alliance member a crystal, which they used to restore Mercedes' vitality.

Afrien thanked them for their help, though he explained that he had also felt a dark presence for a moment, which he believed was Arkarium entering the Temple of Time. He told the Alliance member that he and Freud had set up a safety measure, such that space and time itself had grown twisted around the moment when the Black Mage had been sealed, preventing anyone from traveling back in time any further. However, he explained that things were different when it came to Rhinne, the Transcendent of Time. Despite Freud's talents, Afrien explained that he was still a mortal, which meant that Rhinne's power could easily override Freud's time barrier, which was likely what Arkarium was after. He asked the Alliance member to travel to the Temple of Time, where Rhinne was sealed, in order to stop Arkarium's scheme.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Before the Alliance member left, they began wondering why Arkarium had made no attempt to kill the Heroes when they were currently unconscious and at their most vulnerable. Afrien supposed that even if Arkarium couldn't kill Luminous, who had been sealed along with the Black Mage, Luminous' nature was such that he would likely have just disappeared quietly without a fight, meaning that attacking the Heroes now was the most reasonable. However, Afrien also added that Arkarium was like a snake, meaning that he must have ulterior motives. The Alliance member then began heading towards the Temple of Time when they unexpectedly ran into Bastille, who told them that Lora had successfully saved Starling. When the Alliance member told him that Arkarium was on his way to the Temple of Time, Bastille noted that they had reached the truth faster than anticipated. Declaring that he couldn't let them reach Arkarium, Bastille unleashed Coco against them.

After the Alliance member defeated him, Bastille came to his senses and realized that he must have fallen under Arkarium's spell. After thanking the Alliance member for saving him, he asked them whether they remembered what he had told them about the Silent Crusade being a special branch of the Alliance. He explained that in reality, the Silent Crusade had been founded by the former Empress long before the Alliance had been created, in the hope of creating unity.[22] However, the Empress had ultimately lost her life to the Commanders of the Black Mage's army, for which the Silent Crusade had vowed revenge.[23] Though they had worked in the shadows for centuries, they had finally emerged publicly with the formation of the Alliance. He regretted having fallen victim to Arkarium's brainwashing when he was meant to be the head of the Silent Crusade, though he realized that other agents may have been compromised as well.

Stopping Arkarium

While Bastille checked on the other agents, the Alliance member proceeded ahead and soon encountered Tamil, who had the power to transform people into dragons. Tamil told them that she would transform them in exchange for defeating the monsters that were trapping her there. After defeating the monsters, Tamil transformed them into a dragon, allowing them to fly to the Temple of Time. At the entrance to the temple, they encountered the spirit of Rhinne once again. As they were now closer to her physical body, Rhinne explained that she could finally tell them what she didn't have time to explain before. The Alliance member recalled that she had told them that Arkarium had been trying to kill the Heroes, though they noted that he hadn't made a move against them, despite now being the perfect time to strike. Rhinne explained that Arkarium intended to kill not only the Heroes, but also anyone who had helped them seal the Black Mage, such as the Demon.[24]

Though Arkarium was cunning and wicked, Rhinne told the Alliance member that he was also driven by jealousy, which made him short-sighted. She noted that Afrien must have told them about how Freud had warped spacetime in order to prevent anyone from traveling back further than when the seal had been created, to which the Alliance member replied that it was likely the reason why Arkarium was attempting to steal her powers. As she was still sealed away, Rhinne asked the Alliance member to stop Arkarium from succeeding in his plans and returning the world back to darkness. The Alliance member rushed ahead and found Arkarium standing at the entrance to the Black Mage's throne room, which had been sealed shut. Arkarium cursed the Alliance member for interfering, noting that he had tried to steal Rhinne's powers before she would be passed over to Commander Will in the future.[25]

The Alliance member demanded to know what Arkarium was scheming, as they were under the impression that he wanted to kill the Heroes. Arkarium retorted that he was so close to succeeding, though he had been foiled by the Alliance member, whom he noted was just as irksome as the betrayer. As he didn't plan to let them live, he supposed that there was no harm in telling them his plans. He explained that while he had indeed tried to eliminate the Heroes who would pose a threat to the Black Mage, he was more interested in the Demon, whom he called a traitor. As he had been unable to find the Demon alongside the unconscious Heroes, he had decided that he would instead steal whatever power that Rhinne still had left in order to go back even further into the past, believing that if he could kill the Demon before he turned on the Black Mage, the Black Mage's defensive barrier would be safe, and the Heroes would tire out even faster, which would make them easier to eliminate. However, he lamented that he had run out of time in the end, which he noted was the cost of him messing with time. The Alliance member then fought and defeated Arkarium, who then disappeared.[26]

Rhinne's spirit then appeared and thanked the Alliance member for stopping him. However, she explained that they had merely defeated a clone of Arkarium, while his real body had returned back to the Dimensional Schism where he hid. As he had consumed a great deal of power in warping time, and with his clone defeated, Rhinne told the Alliance member that now was the best time to strike. The Alliance member then returned back to the present, where Bastille told them that he had confirmed that no other agents had been compromised. After hearing what had happened, he asked the Alliance member to defeat Arkarium once and for all. The Alliance member then traveled through the Dimensional Schism, where they confronted Arkarium and managed to defeat him, forcing him to retreat from his hideout.

Story (Pre-Remaster)

A Cry for Help

A traveler was contacted by Jake, a subway worker in Kerning City, who explained that a girl had followed several shady figures onto the subway. Worried about her safety, he asked them to check if she was okay and sent them a ticket that would immediately teleport them to the subway. Upon arriving, the traveler found the girl, who explained that her leg had been injured. Just then, Black Wings henchmen appeared and began attacking the traveler, who dispatched them easily. The girl then got up and thanked the traveler, who was confused about how she could stand in spite of her injury. She casually dismissed it and asked them to find her bag, which had been taken by a monster. At the empty platform outside, the traveler fought a Crimson Rock, but found no bag upon defeating it. They told the girl that they couldn't find the bag, but she dismissed that too and told them that she was impressed that they had been able to defeat the Crimson Rock. She then gave them a ticket and explained that it would allow them to meet her at the Relic Excavation Site in Perion before disappearing.

The traveler used the ticket and met the girl at the Relic Excavation Site, where she asked them whether they had seen a strange gate in the area, to which the traveler replied that they had seen one in the Prohibited Area during their adventures. The girl told them that it was likely the reason why the monsters around the gate were behaving strangely and led them inside, where they encountered Lord Skeleton. After the traveler defeated it, the girl asked if they were interested in protecting the peace in Maple World and instructed them to find Bastille in Edelstein. There, Bastille welcomed the traveler and took them to a hidden room. He explained that he needed to test their strength, and so he had them fight his puppy, Coco, who had the power to project a monstrous shadow of itself to fight.

Chapter 1: Qualification

After passing the test, Bastille explained that their organization was called the Silent Crusade, a special group whose purpose was to collect information from the shadows regarding the Black Mage's return. He gave the traveler a special ring that identified them as a Silent Crusader and introduced the girl from the subway as Starling, explaining that she would help them get started on their missions until they became skilled enough to operate alone like the other members. Starling told the Crusader that their current operations revolved around investigating the Mystic Gates that had been popping up throughout Maple World.

For their first mission, the Crusader traveled to Ariant and met with Lora, who explained that a Mystic Gate had popped up in the Royal Cactus Desert. Lora explained that she had been keeping an eye on the Nihal Desert with her jaguar, Sun, when she had come across the Mystic Gate. As the Crusader had prior experience with the Mystic Gates, she asked them to go inside and deal with whatever they found. Inside, they defeated Deo Ghameq and witnessed a strange shadow when he was defeated. They returned to Lora and reported what they had found. Lora made a note of it and told them that Starling had called to give them their next mission.

The traveler went to Lab - Unit 102 inside the Zenumist headquarters in Magatia, where they discovered the new Mystic Gate that had popped up. Upon entering it, they defeated Rurumo and returned to report back to Starling. Starling was interested in learning that the Rurumo inside the gate was much more aggressive than a regular Rurumo. She explained that there were many gates popping up around Magatia and the Silent Crusade was scrambling to get them under control. She mentioned that one of their agents was on the scene, and that he likely needed backup. She then asked them to rendezvous with him in Lab - Unit 203 and finish clearing the rest of the Mystic Gates in Magatia.

The Crusader traveled there and encountered Crow, who dismissed them as weak and told them not to get in his way. He then told them to go into the Mystic Gate to deal with the monster on their own, claiming that he wasn't a babysitter. He explained that the monsters in the Mystic Gates were similar to the ones in the Nihal Desert, citing Deo and Rurumo being stronger versions of their usual selves. The Crusader went into the gate and defeated Homunspeculler. After returning, Crow refused to praise them, claiming that it was something that any Crusader could do. He then told them to meet him in Lab - Area C-3 at the Alcadno headquarters. There, Crow told them to deal with the monster inside the gate, just like before.

The Crusader successfully defeated Deet and Roi, and after returning, Crow told them to meet him in Lab - Area B-1 after investigating the Iron Mutae and Mithril Mutae first. After hunting them down, the Crusader met up with Crow, who told them that he had found traces of the Black Wings on his way there, which led inside the Mystic Gate. After they entered the gate and defeated Chimera, Crow noticed that the energy inside the gate was chilling and wondered whether the Mystic Gates were empowering the monsters inside. They explored the area inside to uncover clues and discovered research notes. The Crusader reached out to grab them, but Crow immediately pulled them back, just as the notes exploded. Crow realized that there was something lurking within the Mystic Gates and told them to first get stronger while he went over his findings, as the Crusader couldn't be of any more help at their current strength.

Chapter 2: Test of Skill

Some time later, Starling reached out to them and explained that Crow had been impressed with their work in Magatia, which in turn had impressed Starling, as Crow was difficult to please. She told them that just like in Magatia, Mystic Gates were popping up in Leafre and dark energy was seeping out of them. She instructed them to go to the Cranky Forest in Leafre and deal with the Mystic Gate there. Inside, they defeated Master Hoblin and returned to Starling, who told them that some monsters could even escape from the Mystic Gates given enough time, and so she thanked them for preemptively stopping Master Hoblin. She told them that she had sent her report back to headquarters, and that they would contact her with their next mission. Sure enough, Bastille reached out and told the Crusader that he had an urgent matter to discuss with them. He recapped how the Mystic Gates were appearing across Leafre and asked them to join Starling in her investigation.

In Leafre, Starling told them to go to the Sky Nest and deal with a new kind of Harp monster inside the Mystic Gate. There, the Crusader fought Master Harp and returned back to Starling, who explained that the monsters around the area were becoming more violent because of the Mystic Gates. Starling then received news that the Manon and Griffey copies inside the Mystic Gates had gone berserk, and that they would soon break out if they weren't stopped. The Crusader rushed to the Mystic Gates and defeated them both before reporting that the situation was under control. Soon after, Crow reached out and told them that the Kentauruses, who held a grudge against the Halflingers, were staging an uprising. He told them that since he had saved them back in Magatia, he expected them to repay the favor by stopping the Kentauruses. After putting down the uprising, the Crusader returned to Crow, who told them that another Mystic Gate had appeared. He also told them that the Halflingers in the village were strangely dazed and sleepy, with some even falling asleep on the road. He asked them to check on a Halflinger named Ito in order to determine what was happening.

Ito explained that ever since he had licked a Mystic Gate, he had begun to feel exhausted, as though something had sucked the energy right out of him. He told them that he would be fine and asked them to tell Crow that he needn't bring hot soup for him. Crow was unusually impressed by the Crusader's kindness and told them that they had done a good thing, adding that he would call them again if needed. Meanwhile, Starling told them that the Mystic Gates' appearance in Leafre had coincided with the new Kentaurus King, and that she was afraid that it was leading up to something major. She then asked them to enter the gate and defeat the Kentaurus King. Just as the Crusader defeated him, a Wightmare appeared from within the Kentaurus King and immediately vanished. The Crusader returned to Starling, who realized that the Wightmare was a servant of the Black Mage, which confirmed that the Mystic Gates had something to do with him. From what had happened to the Halflingers, Starling concluded that the Mystic Gates controlled nearby monsters and drained the life out of anyone who got near them. She asked them to report to Bastille while she wrapped up her investigation.

At the Silent Crusade headquarters, the Crusader gave their report to Bastille, who was troubled to learn that the Black Mage's servants were controlling the Mystic Gates and wondered what the Black Mage's goal could be, believing that it had to be more than simply causing chaos. Just then, Crow arrived at headquarters and frantically reported that Arkarium had been sighted in the Temple of Time. The Crusader asked who Arkarium was, to which Bastille explained that Arkarium was one of the Commanders of the Black Mage who had disappeared after his master had been sealed. The Crusader asked whether Arkarium's return meant that the Black Mage had returned as well, but Bastille merely told them that he couldn't be sure, as the only thing that he could be sure of was that Arkarium's return and the appearance of the Mystic Gates signified that evil forces were in motion. However, he rewarded the Crusader by promoting them to a Silent Crusader Officer.

Chapter 3: The Long Road

Soon after, the Crusader received a strange letter decorated with the symbol of the Silent Crusade. Upon opening it, they read that it was a message from Starling, who ordered them to return to headquarters immediately. There, Starling explained that more Mystic Gates had been discovered and asked them to go speak with Sodane at the Crossroad of Time in Ludibrium. Sodane explained that the Mystic Gate had been releasing strange energy and asked them to check it out. Inside, they defeated Over Time and returned to Sodane, who was impressed by their skills. Just then, he received an encoded message from Krag, a legendary Crusader in El Nath. Sodane explained that Krag never called for backup, meaning that it had to be something significant. Though he wished that he could accompany the Crusader, he still had work to finish in Ludibrium, and so he told the Crusader that they would need to go alone. The Crusader traveled to the Forest of Dead Trees, where Krag was waiting for them. He explained that he had heard a lot about them from Crow and asked them to check out a nearby Mystic Gate, from which he had felt bad energy.

Inside, the Crusader defeated the Lich and returned to Krag. He was impressed by their strength and asked them to go see Lora in the Virtuous Forest near Mu Lung. There, the Crusader helped Lora investigate the nearby Mystic Gate, where they defeated King Sage Cat. Lora then explained that the next Mystic Gate was in the Isolated Swamp, which was on the way to Herb Town. The Crusader defeated King Centipede inside the Mystic Gate and returned to Lora, who thanked them for their help and sent them to reinforce Sodane, who seemed to be having trouble in Ludibrium. Sodane told them that a new Mystic Gate containing a version of the powerful monster Papulatus had appeared deep inside the Clocktower. After defeating Papulatus, the Crusader returned to Sodane, who thanked them for helping him with his work and explained that Bastille was looking for them at headquarters. Upon arriving, Bastille told the Crusader that he had been pleased by their work and promoted them to a Silent Crusader Commander.

Chapter 4: The Hunter

Some time later, the Crusader received a letter containing a ticket and a signature from Lora, who wrote that she was waiting for them at the Dangerous Cave. After using the ticket to teleport there, Lora greeted them and explained that Krag had found something while investigating the Lion King's Castle, and so he had summoned reinforcements to look further into it. However, this meant that there was a shortage of Crusaders available to investigate the Mystic Gates, and so she had called them in order to deal with the Mystic Gate that she had uncovered, though she warned that they might encounter a Pianus, the King of the Sea. After the Crusader defeated Pianus, Lora told them that she needed to send a report to Starling. The Crusader asked where Starling was, to which Lora explained that Starling was investigating a new Mystic Gate in Leafre. The Crusader decided to reinforce her and traveled to Leafre, where Starling greeted them and thanked them for helping Lora. She explained that a new Mystic Gate had popped up in Wyvern Canyon, and that she was certain that Leviathan was hiding inside. The Crusader went to the valley in order to investigate the Mystic Gate and successfully defeated Leviathan.

Just as Starling began to congratulate them, she received a scrambled message from a Silent Crusader. Though she was unable to decipher it, she determined that it had been sent from the Resting Spot of Memory in the Temple of Time. The Crusader decided to investigate and arrived at the Resting Spot of Memory, where they were surprised to see Wence, the merchant from their warehouse. Wence explained that he had sent the message because he needed backup. The Crusader realized that Wence wasn't just a merchant, but a veteran Crusader as well, one even more legendary than Krag. Wence told them to go to Memory Lane and defeat the Dodo inside the Mystic Gate. After defeating Dodo, the Crusader returned to Wence, who explained that ever since Rhinne had been sealed, time had grown distorted and strange monsters had begun appearing in the Temple of Time. He then told the Crusader that they had just defeated one of the three most powerful among them and asked them to go to the Road of Regrets and defeat Lilynouch inside the Mystic Gate. After defeating Lilynouch, they returned back to Wence, who asked them to defeat Lyka inside the final gate.

Once they defeated Lyka, the Crusader returned back to Wence, who explained that the reason that he had made them complete the trials was because Krag had told him that the Crusader had unparalleled skill, and so he had wanted to see for himself. He also told them that Krag had needed them to eliminate the Lich inside the Mystic Gate during their first meeting because he had found traces of the Black Mage at the Lion King's Castle, where he was still investigating. He also revealed to them that the Silent Crusade was a secret organization that had been formed by the former Empress many generations ago, adding that they were secretly part of the Maple Alliance, and that their purpose was to collect information on the Black Mage and to prevent disasters before they happened.

Arkarium Prequest

Soon after, the Crusader met with Bastille at the Silent Crusade headquarters when Starling arrived and explained that something strange was happening at the Temple of Time. She told them that time was rippling outward, as though someone had created a crack in time. Bastille realized that Arkarium was the final piece of the puzzle, and that his messing with time could have dire complications. He took the Crusader to the Temple of Time in order to investigate, where they discovered a hidden part of the temple. Upon entering, the Crusader was greeted by the spirit of Rhinne, who explained that Arkarium was trying to break the Black Mage's seal by traveling to the past, and that he had drawn energy from the Mystic Gates in order to create a crack in time. She then asked the Crusader to travel back to the past and stop Arkarium. The Crusader explained to Bastille what had happened, and Bastille agreed that they needed to stop Arkarium. He instructed them to go to the past, where Crow and Starling would meet them soon.

Upon arriving, the Crusader met Crow, who told them that he felt an unpleasant aura in the area. He explained that he and Starling had entered the crack in time together, but that they had gotten separated. The Crusader went ahead to find Starling while Crow continued to investigate. They went deeper into the forest of Corrupted Wyverns and discovered an injured Starling. She explained that she had gotten separated from Crow and had dropped in the forest, where she had been fighting off the Corrupted Wyverns, though their numbers had overwhelmed her. She then asked them to finish off the monsters while she gathered her strength.

After they defeated the monsters, Starling told them that she was impressed by how strong they had gotten, and as she couldn't go on, she asked them to finish her mission. As they continued forward, they discovered an unconscious Aran and Maha floating next to her. Maha explained that Aran had been cursed by the Black Mage, and so he was planning to take her to the frozen land of Rien in order to slow down the curse. However, Maha had broken while Aran had been fending off the Black Mage's army, and so he was too weak to take her there. He asked the Crusader to find his broken pieces to repair him. The Crusader defeated the Corrupted Kentauruses and recovered the missing pieces of Maha. He thanked the Crusader and told them to find Afrien.[27][28][29][30][31]

The Crusader went deeper into the forest, where they discovered Afrien, along with an unconscious Freud and Mercedes. Afrien sensed that the Crusader had come from the future and explained that he and the other Heroes had fought the Black Mage, capitalizing on the fact that the Demon had fought and weakened his former master in retaliation for the deaths of his family. He told the Crusader that the Black Mage had cursed the Heroes, and that he had taken the curse in Freud's place, which would only lift when the seal broke, though he added that he and Freud had created the seal to last until the end of time. He added that the curse had also affected the Onyx Dragons, making it so that no more of their descendants would ever be born. He explained that he had protected Freud from the curse on the Onyx Dragons by taking it fully in his place, in exchange for his promise to keep the last Onyx Dragon safe, which had been safe from the curse in the egg.

However, he told the Crusader that the egg had been lost during the fight with the Black Mage, and that he was concerned that it may be in danger from the corrupt monsters of Leafre. The Crusader found the egg deep in the forest and brought it back to Afrien, who thanked them and explained that Freud would keep the egg safe once he awakened. He then explained that Mercedes had been gravely injured during her battle, and that she was slowly dying. The Crusader offered some of their vitality, which Afrien used to create a crystal that would restore Mercedes to health. Afrien thanked them for their sacrifice, but explained that he had felt a dark presence for a moment. He told them that the energy was concentrated in the Temple of Time and asked them to ensure that the seal on the Black Mage still held.[32][33][34][35][36]

The Crusader headed towards the Temple when they met Bastille, who unexpectedly began to attack them. After defeating him, Bastille came to his senses and realized that Arkarium had possessed him. He decided to head back and ensure that the other agents hadn't been compromised, leaving the task of defeating Arkarium to the Crusader. They continued deeper into the forest and met Tamil, who had the power to transform people into dragons. Tamil told them that she would transform them in exchange for defeating the monsters that were trapping her there. After defeating the monsters, Tamil transformed them into a dragon, allowing them to fly to the Temple of Time.

Upon arriving, they were met by the spirit of Rhinne, who confirmed that Arkarium was trying to break the seal. The Crusader asked why Arkarium didn't just prevent the seal from being created in the first place, to which Rhinne explained that Freud had created a barrier to prevent anyone from traveling back further than the point when the Black Mage had been sealed. She then asked the Crusader to stop Arkarium before he succeeded. The Crusader arrived at the entrance to the Black Mage's throne room, where Arkarium was quietly muttering incantations. The Crusader halted Arkarium, who was enraged that his work had been disrupted. After a fierce battle, the Crusader managed to defeat him and returned to Rhinne, who explained that they had only defeated a clone of Arkarium, whose real self had had fled back to his hideout in the Dimensional Schism, but as most of his power had gone into creating the Crack in Time, Rhinne explained that it was the perfect opportunity to defeat him.

The Crusader returned to the present and met Bastille, who confirmed that no other agents had been compromised by Arkarium. The Crusader told him of their battle with Arkarium's clone and what Rhinne had said about Arkarium's weakness. Bastille then told the Crusader to enter the Dimensional Schism and stop Arkarium. After a fierce battle, the Crusader succeeded in defeating Arkarium and forced him to abandon the Temple of Time. By defeating Arkarium, the Crusader also freed Rhinne from her seal in the Dimensional Schism. Rhinne thanked the Crusader for freeing her, explaining that though she hadn't fully regained her powers yet, she soon would in time. She told the Crusader that over the centuries, the Heroes had slowly begun returning one-by-one as a result of the Black Mage's seal weakening from Arkarium's manipulations. Warning that the Black Mage would soon return, she asked the Crusader to get stronger, adding that she would also prepare in whatever way she could.

References

  1. ↑ The Demon gets exclusive dialogue here, in which Bastille adds that the Silent Crusade is also monitoring him, for while it's said that he had betrayed the Black Mage, he had still served as a Commander at one point. He explains that the reason why he hasn't rejected the Demon from their organization is because the Alliance trusts him. As the Silent Crusade is a branch of the Alliance, he adds that he'll trust the Alliance's decision and accept the Demon as a member.
  2. ↑ The Demon and all the Heroes except for Aran and Evan get exclusive dialogue, in which they wonder whether it's time to face such an ill-fated challenge such as the Commanders once again.
  3. ↑ Most classes say "Arkarium?" in confusion, but the Demon, as well as all the Heroes except Aran and Evan, say "Arkarium?!" in shock.
  4. ↑ The Demon gets exclusive dialogue, in which the snake minions note that since betraying the Black Mage, the Demon's skills have gotten rusty, as he hadn't even noticed that it had all been a trick to buy them time.
  5. ↑ For all Heroes except Evan and Shade, the snake minions address them directly by name. For Evan and Shade, however, the snakes minions address them with the generic “unknown hero” title, as Evan was not one of the original Heroes and Shade's existence was erased.
  6. ↑ The Demon and several Heroes get exclusive dialogue while talking to Maha that replaces the regular script.
  7. ↑ For the Demon, Maha immediately recognizes him and asks him why he's come before wondering whether he's here to take advantage of the Heroes' weakened state. The Demon tells him that he's come from the future, and though Maha is dubious, he also notes that the Demon is exuding a strange energy. As the Demon doesn't seem to be lying, Maha hesitantly decides to believe him. He explains that he needs the Demon's help because of some trouble that had come up while fighting the Black Mage, to which the Demon immediately agrees to help. The rest of the dialogue is the same as the regular script, with the exception of the ending. When Maha asks the Demon to speak with Afrien on his behalf, he notes that Afrien will likely believe the Demon's story about coming from the future, especially since the Demon had genuinely helped him save Aran without causing any trouble.
  8. ↑ For Aran, after encountering Maha floating over her unconscious past self, she expresses her shock at seeing him, while Maha is shocked to see two Arans and wonders whether it's another trap of the Black Mage. Aran tells him that she's come from the future after traveling back through the crack in time created by Arkarium. Maha is relieved to hear that she's from the future, as it means that she won't die from her injuries in the present. Though Aran is surprised that Arkarium hasn't gone back further, she decides to help Maha first. Maha tells her about his plan to seal her past self on Rien and asks her to collect the broken polearm pieces. After Aran collects them, he thanks her and jokes that it seems as though his master really can be useful once in a while. Aran retorts by asking him whether she needs to remind him who the boss is around here, to which Maha tells her not to get grumpy with him, adding that she's just not seeing things from every angle. After he asks her to find Afrien, Aran notes that what had been a brief moment in time for her must have been centuries to him. She then apologizes to him, regretting that things could've been different if she had been stronger. Maha then blesses Aran with one of her old skills, which the player obtains after completing the quest. The skill is called “Regained Memory”, which increases Attack Power by 5%, Defense by 300, and Speed by 10. The player also receives a chair called “Chair of Aran the Guardian”.
  9. ↑ For Evan, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, he expresses his shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha mistakes Evan as Freud and wonders in surprise how he's become so much younger. Evan explains that he's not Freud and introduces himself and Mir, to which Maha notes that it seems strange, as their energies are nearly identical to those of Freud and Afrien. Though Evan is surprised that Arkarium hasn't gone back further, he decides to help Maha first. Maha tells them about his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. When Evan asks him whether there's anything that he and Mir can do, Maha tells them that he knew that they were good people, just like Freud and Afrien, and asks them to collect his broken polearm pieces. After they collect the pieces, Maha asks them to find Afrien, adding that Mir ought to know Afrien fairly well.
  10. ↑ For Mercedes, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, she expresses her shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha is relieved to see Mercedes safe and asks her how she had managed to escape the Black Mage's curse. Mercedes tells him that it's a long story, and that the short answer is that she hadn't, as she's been recuperating from the curse for some time now. Maha is confused by her words, though he dismisses it as her being cryptic as usual. When he laments that Aran is still unconscious, Mercedes reassures him that Aran's strength will return in time, as she's seen it with her own eyes. Maha asks her why she keeps saying weird things as though she's been to the future, after which he tells her that if she's going to say things like that, then she might as well help him while she's at it. Though Mercedes is surprised that Arkarium hasn't gone back further, she decides to help Maha first. Maha tells her about his plan to seal his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. Mercedes assuages him by telling him that everyone knows how much he loves Aran, to which he shushes her, explaining that he can't have his reputation getting ruined. After she collects the broken polearm pieces, Maha asks her to see Afrien, explaining that Freud ought to be with him.
  11. ↑ For Phantom, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, he expresses his shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha is relieved to see Phantom safe from the curse, as he didn't know where Phantom had been during the fight against the Black Mage. Phantom tells Maha that he had indeed been under the curse, though he had come from the future where the curse had been lifted. Maha asks Phantom how Aran is in the future, and whether she's alive, and he's relieved to know that she's safe. Though Phantom is surprised that Arkarium hasn't gone back further, he decides to help Maha first. Maha tells Phantom about his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. When Phantom asks him whether there's anything that he can do, Maha asks him to collect his broken polearm pieces. After Phantom collect the pieces, Maha asks him to find Afrien, adding that everyone will be glad to see him back in action.
  12. ↑ For Luminous, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, he expresses his shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha is relieved to see Luminous safe, though he immediately senses the Black Mage's darkness inside Luminous and asks whether he's been cursed by the Black Mage. Luminous simply tells Maha that it's a long story, and that it's all that he can say for now. Maha notes that Luminous seems well otherwise, adding that he wishes that Aran wasn't in such bad shape. Luminous assures Maha that Aran's strength will return in time, to which a confused Maha replies that it sounds as though Luminous has seen the future, though he dismisses it as the quirkiness of a magician. Though Luminous is surprised that Arkarium hasn't gone back further in time, he decides to help Maha first. Maha tells Luminous about his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. When Luminous asks him whether there's anything that he can do, Maha asks him to collect his broken polearm pieces. After Luminous collect the pieces, Maha asks him to find Afrien, adding that everyone will be glad to see him back in action.
  13. ↑ Unlike the other Heroes, Shade does not get any exclusive dialogue with Maha.
  14. ↑ The Demon and several Heroes get exclusive dialogue while talking to Afrien that replaces the regular script.
  15. ↑ For the Demon, Afrien immediately recognizes the Demon, who remains quiet. Afrien tells the Demon that he doesn't have to feel sorry, as their efforts to seal the Black Mage would've failed if the Demon hadn't broken the Black Mage's defensive barrier. He also notes that since the Demon comes from the future, he must've been atoning for the past the entire time. The Demon notes that even the word atonement is too much for him, though he realizes that Afrien had immediately sensed that he had come from the future, to which Afrien merely smiles warmly. The Demon then explains that he's come at Maha's request, and that he came back through a crack in time while following Arkarium, who planned to destroy the Heroes in the past. Afrien replies that it's a plan befitting a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn't seen Arkarium around. After he casts a protective barrier around them, he explains that the Black Mage has cast a curse on the Onyx Dragons, which will slowly die out without any more descendants. The Demon notes that the Onyx Dragons were the Black Mage's greatest enemy, and that they had proven to be powerful, even for the Commanders. However, he expresses his shock that the Black Mage would wipe out the entire race of them. Afrien explains that one member of their race had been spared from the curse, as it had been protected inside its egg. He reveals that due to the imperfect nature of the curse, he had been able to take Freud's share of it in his place. Upon seeing the Demon's grim expression, he tells him not to make such a face, explaining that he has no doubt that his choice had made the world a better place, and that he could see the proof of that in the Demon standing before him, working to save the past. He then asks the Demon for help in recovering the last member of his family, to which the Demon agrees, explaining that he understands the importance of family better than anyone. After he recovers the egg, Afrien tells him that Freud will hide it somewhere safe and adds that he may even meet the child that hatches from the egg in the distant future. He then tells the Demon that he doesn't have to look away in embarrassment, as his actions have helped the will of the Onyx Dragons continue. The rest of the dialogue is then the same as the regular script.
  16. ↑ For Aran, Afrien recognizes her and notes that she looks well. Aran greets Afrien and replies that it's been a while. Afrien agrees with her, adding that it's been several centuries in her case, revealing that he knows that she's come from the future. He asks her how she managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible. Aran tells him that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn't expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium's plot, which she explains is to eliminate the Heroes in the past. Afrien notes that it made sense, given that Arkarium was a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn't seen Arkarium around. After he casts a protective barrier around them, he asks for a favor and explains that while she may already know, there was a young Onyx Dragon who had survived the Black Mage's curse while inside its egg. As the egg had been lost during the battle, and as Leafre was filled with dangerous monsters, he asks Aran to find it and return it back to him. After Aran brings the egg back, Afrien thanks her and explains that her courage provides a powerful shield. He adds that even after centuries, he finds himself in admiration of her, explaining that the Onyx Dragons owe her a debt that they can never repay. Aran tells him that there's no need for such a sappy thanks, as friends naturally help one another. Afrien then tells her that the child was meant to be protected by Freud, though he fears that she and Freud may never meet again, as such events simply aren't to be. However, Aran replies that it's enough that she got to see him one more time. He then tells her that they need to see to Mercedes' safety, whose energy is fading. Aran offers to lend her strength to Mercedes, to which Afrien calls her noble as always. After Aran heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  17. ↑ For Evan, Afrien greets him as his future friend, explaining that his great knowledge as an Onyx Dragon had allowed him to determine that Evan was from the future. He then greets Mir and silently notes to himself that the last descendant of the Onyx Dragons has grown quite a bit. He then tells them that the hands of fate truly are out of their control for him to be asking his future successors for a favor. He then asks Evan to recover the missing egg, causing Evan to realize that inside the egg is Mir. After Evan finds the egg, Afrien explains that he'll give it to Freud to protect until it hatches. He then gives his blessing to Evan, which the player obtains after completing the quest. The skill is called “Inherited Will”, which increases Magic Attack and all stats by 10. Evan thanks Afrien for his gift, after which Mir notes that he gets a strange feeling while looking at the egg, as his heart beats faster each time that he does. Evan is also shocked to realize that he was the one who had saved Mir in the past, though he keeps it secret from Mir. Silently, Afrien notes to himself that though it seems like a bizarre coincidence, such a great moment makes him believe that every struggle that they had faced in the past was worth it. He then passes on a chair that Freud had often used during his travels, which gives the player a chair called “Chair of Evan the Guardian”. After blessing Evan, Afrien adds that Evan's help is still needed to save Mercedes, to which Evan notes that Mercedes seems to be in even worse condition than Aran and offers his strength to heal her. Afrien extracts some of Evan's health and notes that Evan's strength is incredible, and an easy match for Freud, adding that he can feel the power of the Dragon Master inside him. After Evan heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks him and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks Evan to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  18. ↑ For Mercedes, Afrien is shocked to see her and asks how she managed to travel back in time, as he had believed it to be impossible. Mercedes explains that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn't expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium's plot. She tells him that Arkarium planned to kill the Heroes in the past while they were weakened, to which Afrien replies that it's a plan befitting a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn't seen Arkarium around. After he casts a protective barrier around them, he asks for a favor and requests that Mercedes save the last child of the Onyx Dragons, causing her to wonder whether the child is the dragon that travels with Evan. After she brings back the egg, she asks Afrien whether Freud will take over its safety. Afrien tells her that he hopes for Freud to awaken soon so that he can protect the egg, to which Mercedes reassures him that the will of the Onyx Dragons continues in the future. He then explains that she will need to use her strength to reawaken, causing Mercedes to wonder what he means, as she's already awakened from the curse. Suddenly, she realizes that Afrien is referring to helping her past self regain consciousness. Afrien asks her whether she remembers anything about the past from before she arrived, to which she replies that she doesn't. He then takes a portion of her strength and creates a crystal, which he asks her to touch her past self with gently without waking her, warning her that causing her past self to see her would create a ripple in time that would cause grave repercussions for her. After Mercedes heals her past self with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  19. ↑ For Phantom, Afrien recognizes him and notes that he looks well. Phantom greets Afrien and replies that it's been a while. Afrien agrees with him, adding that it's been several centuries in Phantom's case, revealing that he knows that he's come from the future. He asks Phantom how he managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible, even for him or the other Heroes. Phantom replies that as expected, nothing can fool the King of the Onyx Dragons. He explains that someone had once told him that he was a thief who couldn't even steal time, and though he doesn't like how that sounds, he can still protect that time, even if he can't steal it. He then tells Afrien that he's come to save their time. Phantom's line about him being unable to steal time comes from the original KMS dialogue between Luminous and Phantom during Luminous' tutorial, in which Phantom shows up late to the battle and Luminous snubs him by saying how the world's greatest thief can't even steal time. That line was changed in GMS to “You're late. Typical. One would think that the greatest thief in the world could steal a watch, at least." Despite this, the GMS localization in the Silent Crusade storyline was unchanged to account for this. Afrien then realizes that if their enemy is one who can use time magic, then it has to be Arkarium. Phantom explains that Arkarium is trying to kill the Heroes, and that he's come back through the crack in time that Arkarium had created in order to stop him. Afrien replies that it's a plan befitting a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn't seen Arkarium around. After he casts a protective barrier around them, he asks for a favor and explains that since Phantom already knows, he won't give a lengthy explanation. He then asks Phantom to rescue the last Onyx Dragon, which had escaped the Black Mage's curse inside its egg. As the egg had been lost during the battle, and as Leafre was filled with dangerous monsters, he asks Phantom to find it and return it back to him. Phantom agrees to help save his descendant, explaining that he knows the sadness of losing someone precious better than anyone. The rest of the dialogue is then the same as the regular script.
  20. ↑ For Luminous, Afrien recognizes him and realizes that his inner darkness must be because of the Black Mage. He senses that it must be a long story, and so he decides not to probe too deeply about it. However, he asks Luminous how he had managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible, even for the greatest magician next to Freud. Luminous explains that Arkarium had created a crack in time in order to go back and destroy the Heroes, and that he himself had gone back in time to stop him. Afrien replies that it's a plan befitting a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn't seen Arkarium around. After he casts a protective barrier around them, he asks for a favor before noting that Luminous likely doesn't know about the curse, having been sealed with the Black Mage. Luminous replies that he understands the situation roughly, noting that the curse that the Black Mage cast on the Heroes had also cursed the Onyx Dragons as well. Afrien then tells him that since he already knows, he won't give a lengthy explanation. He then asks Luminous to rescue the last Onyx Dragon, who had escaped the Black Mage's curse inside its egg. Luminous agrees to help save his descendant, explaining that he knows the desire to protect loved ones better than anyone else. The rest of the dialogue is then the same as the regular script.
  21. ↑ For Shade, Afrien doesn't recognize him and asks him who he is. Shade is shocked to find Afrien so weak and explains that he's come at Maha's request. Afrien asks him whether Maha and Aran are well, to which Shade reassures him that both of them are fine, and that Maha had taken Aran to be sealed away on Rien. Afrien notes that Shade seems strange, and that while it may be because of his own weakness, he can't sense anything from Shade at all. Shade asks Afrien whether he's okay, to which Afrien explains that he and the other Heroes have been weakened from the Black Mage's curse. He adds that the curse will lift once the Black Mage breaks free, for which he prays that he and the other Heroes will stay lost forever, as they had made a tremendous sacrifice to seal him away. After Shade finds the lost Onyx Dragon egg, he explains that Arkarium has come to kill the Heroes in the past, and that he's followed Arkarium to the past in order to stop him. Afrien then tells him that Freud will hide it in a safe place, to which Shade thinks "Freud..." in his head before Afrien asks him to help Mercedes, whom Shade notes looks exactly as she had on the day when he had last seen her. Afrien extracts a portion of Shade's strength and notes that it's quite astonishing, as the energy inside him is quite unique. Just as he begins to say more, he stops himself and gives Shade the crystal. After Shade heals Mercedes with it, Afrien thanks him and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks Shade to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  22. ↑ Phantom gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which he notes that though it's surprising to hear, it's just like Aria to have done it.
  23. ↑ Phantom says “…” after hearing how Aria was killed.
  24. ↑ The Demon gets some slightly different dialogue here, in which Rhinne refers to the Demon directly, rather than referring to him in third person like she does in the generic script when she talks about Arkarium wanting to kill him.
  25. ↑ The Demon gets some exclusive dialogue when he meets Arkarium. Arkarium recognizes him and calls him a traitor before adding that he has no business with him, unless it's the past version of him. He then notes the irony that the Demon, who had once helped seal the Goddess, is now trying to save her.
  26. ↑ The Demon gets some exclusive dialogue here, in which he curses Arkarium and asks aloud whether he's escaped once again.
  27. ↑ Several Heroes get exclusive dialogue while talking to Maha that replaces the regular script.
  28. ↑ For Aran, after encountering Maha floating over her unconscious past self, she expresses her shock at seeing him, while Maha is shocked to see two Arans and wonders whether it's another trap of the Black Mage. Aran tells him that she's come from the future after traveling back through the crack in time created by Arkarium. Maha is relieved to hear that Aran came from the future, as it means that she won't die from her injuries in the present. He then tells her about his plan to seal her past self on Rien and asks her to collect the broken polearm pieces. After Aran collects them, he thanks her and jokes that it seems as though his master really can be useful once in a while. Aran retorts by asking him whether she needs to remind him who the boss is around here, to which Maha tells her not to get grumpy with him, adding that she's just not seeing things from every angle. After he asks her to find Afrien, Aran notes that what had been a brief moment in time for her must have been centuries to him. She then apologizes to him, regretting that things could have been different if she had been stronger. Maha then blesses Aran with one of her old skills, which the player obtains after completing the quest. The skill is called “Regained Memory”, which increases Attack Power by 5%, Defense by 300, and Speed by 10. The player also gets a chair called “Chair of Aran the Guardian”.
  29. ↑ For Evan, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, he expresses his shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha mistakes Evan as Freud and wonders in surprise how he's become so much younger. Evan explains that he's not Freud and introduces himself and Mir, to which Maha notes that it seems strange, as their energies are nearly identical to those of Freud and Afrien. After introducing himself, he tells them about his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. When Evan asks him whether there's anything that he and Mir can do, Maha tells them that he knew that they were good people, just like Freud and Afrien, and asks them to collect his broken polearm pieces. After they collect the pieces, Maha asks them to find Afrien, adding that Mir ought to know Afrien fairly well.
  30. ↑ For Mercedes, after encountering Maha floating over an unconscious Aran, she expresses her shock at seeing Aran knocked out, while Maha is relieved to see Mercedes safe and asks her how she had managed to escape the Black Mage's curse. Mercedes tells him that it's a long story, and that the short answer is that she hadn't, as she's been recuperating from the curse for some time now. Maha is confused by her words, though he dismisses it as her being cryptic as usual. When he laments that Aran is still unconscious, Mercedes reassures him that Aran's strength will return in time, as she's seen it with her own eyes. Maha asks her why she keeps saying weird things as though she's been to the future, after which he tells her that if she's going to say things like that, then she might as well help him while she's at it. He tells her about his plan to seal his plan to seal Aran on Rien, as well as the fact that he's too weak to take her there. Mercedes assuages him by telling him that everyone knows how much he loves Aran, to which he shushes her, explaining that he can't have his reputation getting ruined. After she collects the broken polearm pieces, Maha asks her to see Afrien, explaining that Freud ought to be with him.
  31. ↑ Phantom, Luminous, and Shade do not get any exclusive dialogue with Maha.
  32. ↑ Several Heroes get exclusive dialogue while talking to Afrien that replaces the regular script.
  33. ↑ For Aran, Afrien recognizes her and notes that she looks well. Aran greets Afrien and replies that it's been a while. Afrien agrees with her, adding that it's been several centuries in her case, revealing that he knows that she's come from the future. He asks her how she managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible. Aran explains that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn't expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium's plot. Afrien then tells her that while she may already know, there was a young Onyx Dragon who had survived the Black Mage's curse while inside its egg. As the egg had been lost during the battle, and as Leafre was filled with dangerous monsters, he asked Aran to find it and return it back to him. After Aran brings the egg back, Afrien thanks her and explains that her courage provides a powerful shield. He adds that even after centuries, he finds himself in admiration of her, explaining that the Onyx Dragons owe her a debt that they can never repay. Aran tells him that there's no need for such a sappy thanks, as friends help one another. Afrien then tells her that the child was meant to be protected by Freud, though he fears that she and Freud may never meet again, as such events were simply not to be. However, Aran replies that it's enough that she got to see him one more time. He then tells her that they need to see to Mercedes' safety, whose energy is fading. Aran offers to lend her strength to Mercedes, to which Afrien calls her noble as always. After Aran heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  34. ↑ For Evan, Afrien greets him as his future friend, explaining that his great knowledge as an Onyx Dragon had allowed him to determine that Evan was from the future. He then greets Mir and silently notes to himself that the last descendant of the Onyx Dragons has grown significantly. He then tells them that the hands of fate truly are out of their control for him to be asking his future successors for a favor. He then asks Evan to recover the missing egg, causing Evan to realize that inside the egg is Mir. After Evan finds the egg, Afrien explains that he'll give it to Freud to protect until it hatches. He then gives his blessing to Evan, which the player obtains after completing the quest. The skill is called “Inherited Will”, which increases Magic Attack and all stats by 10. Evan thanks Afrien for his gift, after which Mir notes that he gets a strange feeling while looking at the egg, as his heart beats faster each time that he does. Evan is also shocked to realize that he was the one who had saved Mir in the past, though he keeps it secret from Mir. Silently, Afrien notes to himself that though it seems like a bizarre coincidence, such a great moment makes him believe that every struggle that they had faced in the past was worth it. He then passes on a chair that Freud had often used during his travels, which gives the player a chair called “Chair of Evan the Guardian”. After blessing Evan, Afrien adds that Evan's help is still needed to save Mercedes, to which Evan notes that Mercedes seems to be in even worse condition than Aran and offers his strength to heal her. Afrien extracts some of Evan's health and notes that Evan's strength is incredible and an easy match for Freud, adding that he can feel the power of the Dragon Master inside him. After Evan heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks him and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks Evan to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  35. ↑ For Mercedes, Afrien is shocked to see her and asks how she managed to travel back in time, as he had believed it to be impossible. Mercedes explains that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn't expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium's plot. Afrien then asks Mercedes to save the last child of the Onyx Dragons, causing her to wonder whether the child is the dragon that travels with Evan. After she brings back the egg, she asks Afrien whether Freud will take over its safety. Afrien tells her that he hopes for Freud to awaken soon so that he can protect the egg, to which Mercedes reassures him that the will of the Onyx Dragons continues in the future. He then explains that she will need to use her strength to reawaken, causing Mercedes to wonder what he means, as she's already awakened from the curse. Suddenly, she realizes that Afrien is referring to helping her past self regain consciousness. Afrien asks her whether she remembers anything about the past from before she arrived, to which she replies that she doesn't. He then takes a portion of her strength and creates a crystal, which he tells her to touch her past self with gently, warning her that causing her past self to see her would create a ripple in time that would cause grave repercussions for her. After Mercedes heals her past self with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
  36. ↑ For Shade, Afrien doesn't recognize him and asks him who he is. Shade is shocked to find Afrien so weak and explains that he's come at Maha's request. Afrien asks him whether Maha and Aran are well, to which Shade reassures him that both of them are fine, and that Maha had taken Aran to be sealed away on Rien. Afrien notes that Shade seems strange, and that while it may be because of his own weakness, he can't sense anything from Shade at all. Shade asks Afrien whether he's okay, to which Afrien explains that he and the other Heroes have been weakened from the Black Mage's curse. He adds that the curse will lift once the Black Mage breaks free, for which he prays that he and the other Heroes will stay lost forever, as they had made a tremendous sacrifice to seal him away. After Shade finds the lost Onyx Dragon egg, Afrien asks him to help Mercedes, whom Shade notes looks exactly as she had on the day when he had last seen her. Afrien extracts a portion of Shade's strength and notes that it's quite astonishing, as the energy inside him is quite unique. Just as he begins to say more, he stops himself and gives Shade the crystal. After Shade heals Mercedes with it, Afrien thanks him and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks Shade to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
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