Twilight Perion/Story

AreaStory

Story (Post-Remaster)

Note: The Twilight Perion storyline was remastered under the KMS story team's new continuity in the KMS Fall 2023 Update (Spring 2024 for Non-KMS Servers).

Main Story

The Second Future

Soon after the investigation into the Gate to the Future, the Alliance held an emergency conference, which was attended by the top leaders of the Alliance, as well as the Alliance member who had first entered the Gate to the Future. As Athena Pierce began the meeting, Claudine impatiently noted that the proceedings were taking forever, and that so many had not attended. As she wondered whether theirs could truly be called a proper meeting, Neinheart testily replied that everyone had their own work to do, and that it wasn't as easy to gather all the warriors of Maple World in one place as she believed. Claudine retorted that it was the duty of the Alliance to carry out the impossible, as otherwise, there was no point to their existence at all. Neinheart replied that Claudine was talking without thinking, reminding her that the Alliance had been created through the hard work of many people vowing to defeat the Black Mage, to which Claudine sarcastically asked him whether she was actually hearing a lecture about promises from the Cygnus Knights.

Athena Pierce then cut in and urged them both to stop their wasteful debate. Cygnus agreed and added that the purpose of the Alliance was to protect the future of Maple World, with internal bickering being inappropriate for their mission. She then explained that the reason why they had gathered was to discuss the grave events happening as of late – nightmares of the ruined future plaguing the people of Maple World. Lady Syl noted that the Alliance had already proven that such a future was merely an illusion, which Neinheart confirmed, though Claudine pointedly added that the possibility wasn't completely zero. Mihile angrily demanded to know how dare Claudine could insinuate that they would be involved, to which Belle asked Mihile what he planned to do about it. Athena once again ordered everyone to stop fighting, while Claudine added that she simply meant that they needed to keep all possibilities in mind. The Alliance member then noted to themselves that it would take some time before the Alliance could start working together properly.

Athena explained that the situation was quite serious, for while she had already warned the people of Henesys about the false rumors at Neinheart's behest, she had never thought that she herself would experience such dreams. Neinheart added that the situation was much different from when rumors were merely circulating, as the false future within the Gate to the Future was actually flowing into the dreams of Maple World's people. Grendel the Really Old wondered whether such a thing was even possible, as that kind of dream control would be next-to-impossible for even the most highly-trained magician, which made him wonder how powerful their enemy really was. Cygnus then explained that it wasn't just Henesys that was being affected, as the nightmare was spreading like a plague.

Athena noted that while the enemy's purpose in spreading the nightmares throughout Maple World was unknown, they couldn't just stand by and do nothing. She added that Perion, in particular, had an unusual atmosphere, surprising Claudine, who believed that it would have been Henesys. Athena explained that the people of Henesys had already been prepared for the nightmares involving their ruined town, but the people of Perion had been having entirely different nightmares altogether. Evan asked Athena what measures the Alliance was taking to remedy the situation, to which Athena explained that the Silent Crusade had already begun taking measures, though she feared that it wouldn't be enough. Neinheart added that the Grendel - who was an expert on magic - was joining together with the Cygnus Knights, Claudine, and Athena Pierce to investigate the matter, adding that it was the least that they could do to justify the Alliance's existence.

He then turned to the Alliance member and explained that the Alliance was still planning to continue investigating the Gate to the Future, and that he hoped that the Alliance member would continue lending their support. As the meeting concluded, Athena asked the Alliance member to speak with her about their mission, explaining that she hoped that in the meantime, the other Alliance leaders would take care of their respective regions and calm their citizens. After the meeting ended, the Alliance member spoke with Athena, who told them that their first order of business was to calm their citizens from the nightmares plaguing them, and that Perion, especially, was their top priority. She explained that the people of Perion were steadfast and great warriors, and that they were especially sensitive to such omens. As their nightmares were different from the one plaguing the rest of Maple World, she believed that Perion would be even more on-edge than expected. She then asked the Alliance member to visit Dances with Balrog and hear his story about the nightmares.

In Perion, the Alliance member met with Dances with Balrog, who told them that while the warriors of Perion were fearless, the nightmare continually plaguing their minds was exacting its toll on them. He explained that though he had already received Neinheart's warning about the false future, their nightmares were completely different, as they had been seeing a sunless, bleak Perion under the subjugation of the Black Mage, which was making them doubt whether such a future was truly an illusion or not. He then asked the Alliance member to help prove to their people that their nightmare of the future wasn't real. The Alliance member then reported back to Athena Pierce and told her what they had learned from Dances with Balrog. Athena realized that the only way to put Perion at ease was to return back to the Gate to the Future and see Perion's future for themselves, as they could prove that the nightmare was false if it matched up with the illusion within the Gate to the Future.

Unsettling Future

The Alliance member then traveled inside the Gate to the Future, which warped them directly into Twilight Perion. The Alliance member noted to themselves that they must have reached the false future of Perion, which was filled with the sound of hard labor and pain echoing through the rush of cold wind. They also noted that the city itself was covered in soot and dust, causing them to wonder what had happened there in order to learn the truth, the Alliance member first met with an older, exhausted Christopher and asked him what had happened to the town, to which Christopher explained that the whole town was being forced to build an enormous statue of the Black Mage, which towered over them in the distance. He told the Alliance member that Perion was the highest area in Victoria Island, and that the completed statue would be visible from anywhere. He also told the Alliance member that thousands of Perion citizens were working on it, and that he himself – though originally an Explorer – was helping its construction so that he could make enough to eat and scrape by. He then told the Alliance member to talk to someone else to get their questions answered, as he would be punished for slacking off.

The Alliance member then met with Stands with Bulls and asked him about what had happened to the warriors of Perion. Stands with Bulls noted that based on their phrasing, they were someone who remembered Perion when it used to be a town of warriors. As he began coughing, he apologized and explained that his tuberculosis made it difficult to speak. He then began telling the Alliance member that after the Black Mage had seized control of Maple World, the warriors of Perion had fought bravely until the very end. Because of their resistance, the remaining townspeople had been enslaved as punishment, conscripted into hard labor by building the Black Mage statue, while the rest were living in shelters, barely surviving and attempting to keep the culture of Perion alive. He then revealed that Dances with Balrog had perished in the final battle, survived only by his young son, Wrestles the Wolves. Looking closely at the Alliance member, however, Stands with Bulls noted that they didn't seem to be old enough to remember Dances with Balrog.

The Alliance member then headed to the Warriors' Sanctuary and met with Wrestles the Wolves, who greeted them and explained that after Perion had been taken, the Warriors' Sanctuary had been torn down in order to destroy the memory of Perion's brave fighters. He told the Alliance member that he had been unable to protect the sanctuary, and that he hadn't even been able to die honorably on the field of battle, as their destroyers had believed it more beneficial to let him live in shame than to kill him, adding that the Alliance member would see for themselves if they took a look around the town. After exploring Perion, the Alliance member was shocked to find Claudine and Elex sitting at the top of the rocky mountainside, adorned in gilded clothes and overseeing the construction of the Black Mage statue. The Alliance member asked Claudine in surprise whether she was still part of the Resistance, to which Claudine laughed and noted that there was a time when it used to be called the Resistance, though in order to properly meet the demands of the changing times, she preferred to think of herself as a pioneer.

She explained that after the Black Mage had taken over, their world was finally changing for the better, pointing out how even Perion – which she described as a barbaric place, far from the reach of civilization – was also starting to evolve. She added that by betraying the Alliance early-on and siding with the Black Mage, they had been able to garner all sorts of special treatment, laughing that while the miserable laborers below aged away with such little dignity, she would stay young and beautiful forever. The Alliance member was shocked to realize that the Resistance had betrayed the Alliance by siding with the Black Mage, wondering how Claudine would react.

With their investigation of the town complete, the Alliance member decided to look into the monsters around Perion in order to see whether they had mutated like the ones around Henesys. At the outskirts of town, the Alliance member fought the Swollen Stumps and realized that the monsters of Perion had indeed mutated like the monsters of Henesys. With Perion enslaved and its monsters turned into vicious creatures, Alliance member realized that it was no wonder that even the brave warriors of Perion had grown afraid of such nightmares assailing them. They then returned back to the real Perion and met with Dances with Balrog in order to assure him that the future in his nightmares wasn't real. In order to see whether Twilight Perion truly matched up with their nightmares, Dances with Balrog decided to quiz the Alliance member to make sure.

After the Alliance member answered all his questions correctly, Dances with Balrog was convinced that they had indeed seen his nightmares, which finally put his fears to rest that the ruined future of Perion was nothing more than an illusion. However, he noted that even though they could be sure that the nightmare wasn't real, the fact that the nightmares were continuing was still causing anxiety throughout the town. Soon after, Athena Pierce contacted the Alliance member and thanked them for finishing their investigation into the Gate to the Future. However, she explained that the situation had taken a turn for the worse and asked them to meet her at the Magic Library in Ellinia. At the Magic Library, the Alliance member met with Athena, Neinheart, Claudine, and Grendel, who told them that while the Alliance member had been investigating the Gate to the Future, people all across Maple World had begun exhibiting serious symptoms of dream addiction, which left them unable to discern dreams from reality.

Athena explained that the people were repeatedly declaring that there was no future for them as long as the Empress still lived, and that they were convinced that the Resistance had betrayed them, as well as that the Alliance couldn't be trusted. Neinheart added tha he had been concerned about such a phenomenon, and that he had been hoping that proving that the nightmare wasn't real would prevent such symptoms from manifesting. Athena reassured Neinheart that it was likely because of his efforts that the symptoms had been delayed until now, though Claudine pointed out that the situation had reached a point that they could no longer stop it. Grendel explained that dreams were the realm of the subconsciousness, and that no matter how actively one tried to reject it, the subconsciousness could become an effective tool in steering one's conscious mind. He noted that by being inflicted with the same nightmare over and over again, many who didn't possess strong mental fortitude could be hypnotized into believing things such as the Empress being evil or the Resistance being traitors.

Neinheart asked whether there was a cure for dream addiction, to which Grendel explained that the only cure was Lucid Matter, which could only be harvested in dreams. Athena then asked the Alliance member to return to the Gate to the Future, to which they immediately agreed. Grendel told the Alliance member that he would instruct them on how to harvest Lucid Matter, though he asked the other Alliance leaders to try and calm their people in the meantime. Grendel then told the Alliance member to return to Twilight Perion and collect Lucid Matter from the monsters around the area, adding that he would reach out once they finished. After the Alliance member finished gathered the Lucid Matter, Grendel told them that it would help them treat the dream addiction. However, he explained that it was only a temporary solution, as the only way to truly stop the nightmares was to cut them off from the people of Maple World, though he admitted that he had no idea how to do so.

The Dream Master

He told the Alliance member that if they had more information on the Dream Master, they might be able to learn more about the dream. However, as the Dream Master was neither a known Commander nor a member of the Black Wings, he had no clues as to their identity. Just then, Grendel had a realization that there may be some trace of the Dream Master within the dream itself. He explained that dreams were a reflection of the subconscious mind, such as how a scary experience with a sparrow in one's childhood might result in sparrow monsters appearing in their dreams. Because of this, he believed that the Gate to the Future – which was made from the dreams of the Dream Master – may contain their subconsciousness, for which he asked them to obtain Slumbering Fragments from the monsters around Twilight Perion.

After the Alliance member obtained the Slumbering Fragments, they returned back to the Magic Library and gave them to Grendel. Using the fragments, Grendel crafted a Piece of Memory, which he explained would allow the Alliance member to see a small glimpse of the Dream Master's mind, though he warned them to take caution, as accessing another's subconsciousness was a dangerous technique. Upon using the Piece of Memory, the Alliance member was transported into a dreamscape. Wandering through the area, the Alliance member though to themselves that it felt as though time and space were meaningless where they were. Suddenly, they began to hear the voice of a girl crying out, which they recognized as that of the Dream Master. The distraught girl wondered to herself how long she would continue sleeping for, lamenting that she couldn't stand the frustration of being trapped any longer.

Suddenly, the Dream Master felt a powerful force guiding her somewhere. She called out to the presence and asked whether they had been watching her the whole time. The Black Mage' voice then called back out and noted that the girl had an interesting talent. The Dream Master asked the Black Mage who he was, noting that he didn't seem to be from her dreams. The Black Mage told the girl that she had accidentally stumbled upon his subconsciousness, to which the girl asked whether that meant that she had entered his dream. The Black Mage then ordered the Dream Master to come to him, promising that he would grant her eternal life, infinite knowledge, and everything that she could ever want. The girl noted that his energy seemed ominous, but nevertheless, she wondered whether he was the one whom she had been waiting for. The Alliance member then watched as the Dream Master went deeper into the Black Mage's subconsciousness, finally looking upon his towering form for the first time.

Suddenly, the memory was cut short as a Wightmare appeared and cursed the Alliance member for daring to trespass upon his master's memories. The Alliance member then fought and defeated the Wightmare, who once again cursed them for looking into his master's memories. The Alliance member asked the Wightmare whether his master was the girl from the memory, to which the Wightmare simply replied that it would back down for now, though it promised them that with his master putting her plot into motion, they would not sleep comfortably again, laughing that they could look forward to that in the future.

The Alliance member was then expelled from the memory and appeared back in the Magic Library, where they told Grendel everything that they had learned. Grendel explained that dream magic was a benign form of magic, though it was quite difficult, with only a few people being capable of handling it. He told the Alliance member that his theory was that the Dream Master had just been an ordinary girl who could use dream magic until the Black Mage had given her his dark power. He explained that he had wondered whether the Dream Master was a being beyond their comprehension, such as the Black Mage, though from the sound of it, that didn't seem to be the case. He noted that because of this, there had to be limits to the dream world created by the Dream Master, which meant that by identifying those limits, they might be able to break the link to the nightmares. He asked the Alliance member whether they had gone to any other places in the future aside from Ereve, Henesys, and Perion, believing that there had to be a clue to breaking the nightmare in a place yet unvisited within the dream.

The Fog of Oblivion

Recalling their time in the Gate to the Future, the Alliance member recalled seeing a path to Sleepywood at the Six Path Crossway Ruins. Upon entering Future Sleepywood, the Alliance member found themselves in a barebones, disjointed version of Sleepywood, which was composed of just the entrance to the jungle, which led to a dreamscape, and a glowing, fragmented version of The Rememberer meditating at the top of the entrance. The Alliance member was surprised to find Sleepywood in such a state, as it seemed as though the area had just been made, causing them to wonder why this was the only place which appeared to be so. They decided to speak to the Rememberer, who immediately realized that the Alliance member wasn't a resident of the dream, though he nevertheless wondered how they had managed to arrive in Sleepywood, adding that he had never thought that anyone would come there. He explained that they were in the back of the dream, which was a part of the dream which had not yet been created. Because of this, residents of the dream could not enter such a place, which had led him to realize that the Alliance member was not a dream resident.

When the Alliance member asked why the back of the dream looked so fragmented, the Rememberer explained that it was because the dream world was limited in size because of its creator, who was only mortal, which meant that it was beyond their power to create an entire world by themselves. Because of this, they had only been able to replicate a small part of the world by drawing upon the subconsciousness of others, resulting in the back of the dream being highly imperfect. The Rememberer told the Alliance member that he was a resident of the dream and explained that most residents had no idea that they were part of a dream, which made him believe that he was either lucid dreaming, or that his realization came from a manifestation of his subconsciousness from the outside world, adding that he was likely not the only one experiencing such a thing.

He noted that the fact that the Alliance member had come this far meant that they, too, wanted something from there. He noted that since there were things that couldn't be achieved, even in dreams, it meant that that they had essentially reached the back of their own dreams. However, he was surprised to know that there was nothing that the Alliance member wanted aside from find a way to break the link between dreams and reality, which he noted was perhaps beneficial for all of them. He explained that as the nightmare of reality grew, the dream world also grew worse off, for it wasn't just reality being affected by dreams, but dreams being affected by reality. He told the Alliance member that if the link between the two were cut off, peace would return to both worlds. He added that while dreams and reality were connected and inseparable, it was still possible to weaken that connection without separating them. He noted now dreams, no matter what happened in them, were often forgotten like a fog in the morning.

He explained that there was a Fog of Oblivion between dreams and reality which made them forget each other, though that fog was not currently not present, which was why the dream world was affecting reality. He then asked the Alliance member to obtain the Fog of Oblivion so that those in the real world would forget their nightmares. Believing that the Fog of Oblivion had something to do with time, the Alliance member traveled to the Temple of Time and met with the Temple Keeper, who was relieved to learn from them that the Gate to the Future hadn't actually opened, and that the future within was merely a fabrication. When the Alliance member asked him whether he had the Fog of Oblivion, the Temple Keeper explained that the temple didn't have it, as they had no need of it, though he added that he knew who could craft some for them.

He told the Alliance member that the Sorcerer was an expert in crafting things, particularly things related to oblivion, and suggested that they speak with him. The Alliance member met with the Sorcerer, who told them that he had Fog of Oblivion, and that he would be willing to give it to them if they helped him with his research. However, he was surprised to know that they needed enough Fog of Oblivion to cover several towns, adding that nobody had enough fog with that level of potency. After learning that the Alliance member needed to spread it across the dream world, he explained that in order to create such powerful Fog of Oblivion, they would need to craft it from scratch. He then led them to his refinery, where the Alliance member began harvesting Pieces of Oblivion from the Eye of Time monsters in the smelting room. After placing the Pieces of Oblivion in the magic refiner, the Sorcerer crafted a highly-potent Fog of Oblivion, which he described as the Essence of Oblivion itself.

The Alliance member then returned back to Future Sleepywood and met with the Rememberer, who told them to spread the Essence of Oblivion throughout the dream world, adding that only someone who wasn't part of the dream could handle touching the fog, as residents of the dream would simply forget. The Alliance member then spread the Essence of Oblivion across Future Henesys, Ereve, and Perion, after which they returned back to the Rememberer. The Rememberer told the Alliance member that when those in the real world woke up, they would forget everything about the nightmare, including the residents of the dream. He added that though he wished that the Alliance member could forget them too, doing so would be difficult, as the dream world was like another reality to them. He then asked the Alliance member not to leave the dream behind, and to face reality. The Alliance member then met with Grendel, who congratulated them on breaking the link with then nightmare and invited them to attend another Alliance conference.

At the conference, Athena told the Alliance member that the nightmare was slowly fading away from the minds of everyone in Maple World and asked them how they did it. The Alliance member explained how they used the Fog of Oblivion, to which Grendel noted how impressed he was by their solution. Claudine told the Alliance member that they had gone through a lot of hardships trying to stop the nightmare, adding that their efforts had taken the Alliance one step closer to stopping the Black Mage. Neinheart – and a reluctant Claudine – both admitted that it was fortunate that the Alliance had been able to successfully save Maple World, with Cygnus noting that their people could finally stop believing in the false future and suffering from nightmares.

She added that she believed that she would have good dreams that night, thanking the Alliance member for all their help. However, Neinheart noted that though the incident had been resolved, there was still the matter of the Dream Master, whom they could conclude was a new Commander of the Black Mage. He added that despite the Alliance forming and growing stronger, the Black Mage was also steadily gaining strength by recruiting new Commanders on top of his old ones. He added that the Alliance would continue looking into the identity of the new Commander and thanked the Alliance member for helping them with their initial investigation.

Side Quests

In Twilight Perion, the Alliance member decided to try and help the townspeople suffering under the rule of the fallen Resistance. They first met with Christopher, who told them that he was quite dehydrated, as the guards refused to give him a drink until he finished his work. In order to help him, the Alliance member obtained Fresh Sap from the Swollen Dark Stumps. Next, they met with River, who told them that Perion had gotten much colder since the Black Mage had taken over Maple World, which made it difficult for him to sleep. In order to feel warmer, he asked the Alliance member to obtain Giant Firewood from the Swollen Dark Stumps and Swollen Axe Stumps. The Alliance member brought the firewood to River, who thanked them, adding that he now wished only for dreamless sleep, as even his dreams about better days wore him out.

After helping River, the Alliance member went to see Wrestles the Wolves, who lamented that monsters continued attacking his people, while he remained unable to help. In his stead, the Alliance member fought and defeated the Swollen Axe Stumps and Pillaging Wild Boars terrorizing the townspeople. The Alliance member then met with Sophia, who apologized and explained that she didn't have much in the way of hospitality, as they barely had enough food for themselves after the recent famine. She told the Alliance member that the Resistance kept them working night and day, never giving them enough to eat. To help the townspeople, the Alliance member obtained Giant Porkchops from the Giant Boars.

Soon after, the Alliance member caught the attention of Elex, who noted that he hadn't seen them before. He began complaining about how the townspeople were making no progress on the Black Mage statue, but upon seeing that the Alliance member appeared to be able-bodied, he ordered them to obtain Strong Armor Fragments from the Pillaging Iron Hogs. When the Alliance member asked him whether he truly needed as much as he was asking for the statue, Elex began stammering about how it wasn't for the statue before stopping himself and ordering them to hurry up. After the Alliance member brought back the armor for Elex, they met with Claudine, who noted that their face seemed vaguely familiar. However, she decided to ignore it and told them that they would be of use to her in turning Perion into a tourist town, with the Black Mage statue as its crowing jewel. She explained that thanks to the foolish warriors of Perion, the Black Mage had destroyed the town for its resistance, because of which, there was nothing useful to make for decent souvenirs.

As there were plenty of ‘sentimental fools' who still remembered the old Perion, Claudine believed that obtaining a stock of Strong Wild Boar Teeth from the Pillaging Fire Boars would sell well with those tourists, laughing that one of the Perion ‘savages' could carve faces into them to make them more appealing souvenirs. After the Alliance member brought her the fangs, Claudine told them that she would put the tribeswomen to work on decorating the fangs, though she noted that having just one type of souvenir seemed rather pathetic. The Alliance member soon met with Wrestles the Wolves, who told them that he was thinking about what he could do to help his people. He explained that his father, Dances with Balrog, knew how to protect his citizens, though his secrets had been lost in the final battle. As he began wishing that there was a warrior from that era whom he could speak with, the Alliance member realized that an elder from the Henesys Ruins might know something.

They traveled to Henesys and spoke with Chief Alex, who told them that he was unsure how Dances with Balrog protected his people, though he added that his father must have known. The Alliance member then spoke with Chief Stan's ghost, who explained that monsters had once raided Perion when he had gone to visit, and that Dances with Balrog had chased them away by playing a flute. The Alliance member returned back to Wrestles the Wolves and told him about the flute, which Wrestles the Wolves recognized from the elders' stories as a tribal treasure called Pachamama's Quena, which had been taken by Ghostwood Stumpy. The Alliance member fought and defeated Ghostwood Stumpy before bringing the flute back to Wrestles the Wolves, who thanked them profusely for helping him keep his people safe, adding that it was the first glimmer of hope which he had experienced since his father's passing.

Soon after, Wrestles the Wolves asked the Alliance member for help in protecting the town once again. He explained that with the flute, Perion was relatively safe from monster raids, with the guardsmen setting up a better defensive position. He told them that he believed that the flute cloud be more useful in a more dangerous area, for which he asked them to bring the flute to Ayan at the Tribal Refugee Camp, which was home to the weak and old members of their tribe. At the Tribal Refugee Camp, the Alliance member met with Ayan, who was grateful to them for bringing them the flute, which would finally turn away the monster raids on their camp. She explained that the camp was quite dangerous, as they had no idea when the nearby monsters would attack, causing them to live in fear. In order to better protect them, the Alliance member obtained Cursed Planks from the Sinister Wooden Masks to build fences around the perimeter.

The Alliance member then spoke with an elderly Blackbull, who told them that he used to easily destroy monsters in his prime. He then laughed that the Alliance member seemed quite scrawny, to which they replied that they were an experienced warrior. In order to have them prove their words, Blackbull told them to fight Sinister Rocky Masks. After the Alliance member returned, Blackbull noted with impressment that looking at them made him feel like he was staring back at his old self. He told them that they were a great warrior like he once was, and that they should be proud. After proving themselves to Blackbull, the Alliance member met with Stands with Bulls back in Perion, who told them that his granddaughter, Hard as Stone, would be having her birthday soon, adding that his late son had named her. He explained that he didn't know what to get her for her birthday, and as he wasn't able to see it, he asked them to speak with her at the Tribal Refugee Camp on his behalf.

The Alliance member met with Hard as Stone, who told them that she missed her grandfather dearly. She explained that for her birthday, she wanted to hear her grandfather's bedtime stories about the great warriors of Perion. The Alliance member returned to Stands with Bulls and told him about his granddaughter's request, to which he explained that before Perion's fall, he used to tell her countless stories on his lap by the campfire until she fell asleep. As he wasn't permitted to visit the Tribal Refugee Camp while he was still able-bodied, he explained that he wouldn't be able to see his granddaughter at all. However, he then realized that he could make a storybook for her, noting that there was a book containing tales of Perion's greatest warriors, which had been stolen by the monsters in a raid.

The Alliance member then collected the missing War Journals from the Sinister Steel Masks and brought them to Hard as Stone, who looked crestfallen upon receiving the gift. She thanked them for the book, though she explained that she didn't really want the stories so much as just seeing her grandfather again, as he was the only family he had left. The Alliance member returned back to Stands with Bulls and told him what his granddaughter had said, to which he told them that he felt ashamed for being forced to work for the Black Mage, though he added that working was the only way that he could take care of her, as he needed to pay for her medicine. As he began crying, he told them that he had thought that he had shed his last tears while watching his allies fall in the final battle, though he thanked them for showing him that his heart was not yet turned to stone, though he began coughing once again from his sick lungs.

Soon after, Elex told the Alliance member that he needed more materials to complete the statue and ordered them to obtain Thick Cursed Plates from the Sinister Steel Masks, insisting that he only needed them for the statue. After the Alliance member brought the metal to him, Elex began admiring the plates, noting to himself that they would fetch him a handsome sum, though he quickly told them to leave, promising that he would make sure to tell everyone how much they loved the Black Mage in exchange for their service. The Alliance member asked Elex whether the money was for Edelstein, to which a confused Elex asked them what Edelstein was before dismissing them. This caused the Alliance member to realize that Elex not knowing about Edelstein was because of him being a pawn of the Dream Master.

The Alliance member then met with Claudine, who told them that she had decided that no one would want to visit a gift shop with just one souvenir, and so she told them that they needed to come up with a new item. She then ordered the Alliance member to obtain Radiant Ancient Rubble from the Ancient Golems, noting that decorated fangs and old rock fragments would be fitting souvenirs for a remote warrior settlement. However, after the Alliance member brought back the Radiant Ancient Rubble, Claudine noted that the rock seemed more unpolished than she had expected, though she decided that she could put someone to work on it, believing that the tourists would enjoy the rustic look of it. She then had another idea and explained that they could sell the same product, but in different colors, which would drive up sales by having a limited quantity of each.

In order to stock up, she ordered the Alliance member to obtain Radiant Dark Rubble from the Ancient Dark Golems. After the Alliance member brought back the rubble, Claudine noted disdainfully that the rocks were quite boring, though she nevertheless resolved to find a way to earn money with them, after which she dismissed the Alliance member. The Alliance member asked Claudine what she was planning to do with the money, to which a confused Claudine asked them why that mattered before explaining that she didn't need to think that far ahead. She added that they all had their roles, and that the less they thought about them, the better.

Some time later, Ayan contacted the Alliance member and told them that Manji had been protecting the Tribal Refugee Camp for some time by guarding the entrance to the Spirit Zone. As she was worried about his condition, she asked them to check in on him for her. In the Spirit Zone, the Alliance member met with Manji, who noted that they seemed to be quite powerful and asked them to help him with the area. He explained that Stumpy used to guard and protect Perion until the Black Mage had corrupted it into Ghostwood Stumpy, which began threatening their borders. In order to protect the town, Manji asked them to defeat Ghostwood Stumpy.

After the Alliance member returned, Manji noted with impressment that they seemed to be strong enough to help him further. He explained that the Golems in the area were endless, and that they needed to be eliminated regularly, for which he asked them to defeat the Ancient Dark Golems. After the Alliance member returned, Manji told them that he had realized that the reason why the Golems were causing so much trouble was because of the spirits of Perion's fallen warriors, which persisted after the final battle. He then asked them to obtain the Warrior Hearts of the fallen Perion warriors from the Ancient Mixed Golems, and to bring them back to Blackbull. The Alliance member brought the Warrior Hearts to Blackbull, who thanked them for their help and used the hearts to conduct a memorial service for the fallen warriors and put their spirits to rest.

Story (Pre-Remaster)

The Second Future

Soon after the formation of the Alliance, the Black Mage ordered Lucid to create yet another illusion to sow discord amongst the members of the Alliance. Lucid expanded her illusion of the ruined Victoria Island to include a destroyed Perion and spread that vision in the form of a nightmare that all the people of Maple World continually experienced whenever they slept. In order to solve the crisis, the Alliance held an emergency conference, which was attended by the top leaders of the Alliance, as well as the traveler who had first entered the Gate to the Future. As the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights bickered amongst themselves, Athena Pierce attempted to keep the peace and moved the discussion forward to the nightmares about the Gate to the Future that plagued the people of Maple World.

Grendel pointed out that such a level of dream control would be next-to-impossible for even the most powerful magicians. Athena explained that the Silent Crusade had already attempted a remedy, though she added that it wouldn't be enough. She asked the Alliance member who had first entered the Gate to the Future to speak with the warriors of Perion. There, Dances with Balrog shared his premonition of the future with the Alliance member and told them that he feared that it would soon come to pass. After reporting back to Athena, the Alliance member was tasked with finding proof in the Gate to the Future that Dances with Balrog's vision was only an illusion. In Twilight Perion, the Alliance member learned that the warriors of Perion had been killed by the Black Mage's army, and that the survivors had been enslaved by the Resistance, who had betrayed the Alliance. The Alliance member returned to Dances with Balrog and told him about what they had seen. As their experience matched his vision, Dances with Balrog accepted that his vision was false future created by the same one who had created the Henesys Ruins.

Soon after, the Alliance member returned to Ereve and described the future that they had seen, which shocked the Resistance. As they continued arguing with the Cygnus Knights, Athena did her best to hold the peace and explained that the people of Maple World had gone half-crazy from insomnia, brainwashed into believing the false future. Grendel believed that they were suffering from dream addiction and asked the Alliance member to gather rare Lucid Matter from Twilight Perion in order to stop the nightmares. The Alliance member successfully obtained Lucid Matter and brought it to Grendel for his cure. They then decided to stay and help the people of Perion suffering under the Black Mage's rule.

Twilight Perion

They first obtained Fresh Sap from the Swollen Dark Stumps for Christopher, the exhausted beginner Explorer who was still just as clumsy in the future. Next, they obtained Giant Firewood from Swollen Dark Stumps and Swollen Axe Stumps for River. They then went to see Wrestles the Wolves, the son of the late Dances with Balrog, who asked them to hunt the Swollen Axe Stumps and Pillaging Wild Boars terrorizing his people. Wrestles the Wolves then asked for them to help Sophia feed the town, which had recently been hit with a famine, and so they brought her Giant Porkchops from the Giant Boars. The Alliance member then caught the attention of Elex, who ordered them to bring Strong Armor Fragments from the Pillaging Iron Hogs as materials for the giant statue of the Black Mage being constructed at the top of the village. Next, Claudine ordered them to find Strong Wild Boar Teeth from Pillaging Fire Boars in order to turn them into gift shop items.

Soon after, Wrestles the Wolves summoned them and explained that his father's secrets of how to protect his people had been lost in his final battle. The Alliance member then decided to return to the Henesys Ruins, where they reunited with Chief Alex. When asked how Dances with Balrog had kept his people safe, Alex suggested asking the spirit of Chief Stan, who explained that Dances with Balrog had a special flute that could chase away monsters. The Alliance member returned to Twilight Perion and told Wrestles the Wolves about the flute, who recognized it from the stories of the elders as Pachamama's Quena, which had been taken by Ghostwood Stumpy. The Alliance member recovered the flute for Wrestles the Wolves, who asked them to deliver it to the Tribal Refugee Camp, the home of the weak and the old members of the tribe, as they needed the protection more.

The Alliance member brought the flute to Ayan, who thanked them and asked them to collect Cursed Planks from the Sinister Wooden Masks in order to build fences. Next, they met with Blackbull, who asked them to prove their strength by hunting Sinister Rocky Masks. Soon after, Grendel contacted them with an idea about how to find the mysterious Dream Master and asked them to find Slumbering Fragments, which were reflections of the Dream Master's subconsciousness within the scope of the dream that enveloped the Gate to the Future. The Alliance member collected the Slumbering Fragments and delivered them to Grendel, after which they continued to help the people of Twilight Perion. Stands with Bulls asked them to ask his granddaughter, Hard as Stone, what she wanted for her birthday. She explained that she wanted to see her grandfather again and asked to hear his stories about the great warriors of Perion. The Alliance member gathered War Journals stolen by the Sinister Steel Masks and delivered them to Hard as Stone on her grandfather's behalf.

Soon after, Elex ordered them to bring Thick Cursed Plates from the Sinister Steel Masks in order to continue construction on the Black Mage statue, though he intended to pocket the materials for himself. Claudine then ordered them to collect Radiant Ancient Rubble and Radiant Dark Rubble for her gift shop. After helping them, Ayan contacted the Alliance member and asked them to check on Manji in the Spirit Zone, who asked them to take care of the Golems, as well as a reformed Ghostwood Stumpy. He then asked them to collect the Warrior Hearts from the spirits of Perion's warriors and return them to Blackbull, who used them to hold a memorial service.

The Dream Master

Grendel then contacted the Alliance member and explained that he had used the Slumbering Fragments to form a Piece of Memory. Upon using it, the Alliance member was transported into a dreamscape. Wandering through the area, the Alliance member though to themselves that it felt as though time and space were meaningless where they were. Suddenly, they began to hear the voice of a girl crying out, which they recognized as that of the Dream Master. The distraught girl wondered to herself how long she would continue sleeping for, lamenting that she couldn't stand the frustration of being trapped any longer. Suddenly, the Dream Master felt a powerful force guiding her somewhere. She called out to the presence and asked whether they had been watching her the whole time.

The Black Mage' voice then called back out and noted that the girl had an interesting talent. The Dream Master asked the Black Mage who he was, noting that he didn't seem to be from her dreams. The Black Mage told the girl that she had accidentally stumbled upon his subconsciousness, to which the girl asked whether that meant that she had entered his dream. The Black Mage then ordered the Dream Master to come to him, promising that he would grant her eternal life, infinite knowledge, and everything that she could ever want. The girl noted that his energy seemed ominous, but nevertheless, she wondered whether he was the one whom she had been waiting for. The Alliance member then watched as the Dream Master went deeper into the Black Mage's subconsciousness, finally looking upon his towering form for the first time. Suddenly, the memory was cut short as a Wightmare appeared and attacked the Alliance member for daring to trespass upon his master's memories, forcing them out of the dreamscape.

Back in the real world, Grendel explained that dream manipulation was a benign form of magic, though it was quite difficult, with only a few people being capable of handling it. He told the Alliance member that his theory was that the Dream Master had just been an ordinary girl who had been warped into a dark sorceress by the Black Mage's influence. Athena then thanked the Alliance member for their help and explained that the Alliance would begin investigating the Dream Master immediately. She also warned them that the Black Mage was likely displeased by the formation of the Alliance, meaning that he would be recruiting more Commanders in the future to stop them.