Ceremonial Plaza

I don't see the ship.

That is a good sign. It proves they found what they were looking for.

Let's proceed. As long as this light is not extinguished, we will press forward.

(Slithers around the main door)

...Mon3tr.

(Screeches)

Clear the way. We're going in.

......

The Sea Terrors do not feel fear.

But they do know how to seek advantage and avoid disadvantage. Their base instincts have taught them to hunt cautiously.

...They have been taught fear. These creatures may not know what a country is, let alone laws and morals.

But they have learned to fear the High Inquisitor. They have learned to fear everything we have built on top of civilization.

Dario!

......

......

You've done well, Dario.

Be at peace now.

He was my finest student, Kal'tsit.

We have three minutes to mourn the death of this soldier. Once the flames go out, nothing will stand between the Sea Terrors and their nest. They will swarm this place.

Also, I didn't see the girl. At least his disciple survived.

Are there no higher-level Seaborn here?

Doesn't seem so, for the time being.

Their numbers are nothing to be feared then.

'For the time being.'

We ought to find a more permanent solution. The Eye of Iberia was built by Breogan. It has the potential to become the hub for establishing a link with Ægir.

Assuming they were able to find the ship... Wait, hold on.

Who reactivated the Eye of Iberia? Neither the Ægir nor Dario should've had any experience with this.

...Look up there.

Ugh... Finally...

*pant*... *pant*... Th-The control panel is fine...

Phew, I'm totally worn out...

(Hums curiously)

Hwaaaaah—!

Y-You're—

...I must admit, you've surpassed my expectations.

You managed to re-light the Eye of Iberia by yourself, restoring at least thirty percent of its functionality.

You did this, alone. Under these conditions.

You... You're the one Mr. Elysium mentioned. Oh!

Wh-What about Mr. Inquisitor?! He's been fighting for his life down there this entire time and I, I didn't dare get close to him since I wouldn't be able to help anyway, so all I could do was keep an eye on the control panel here...

He made the ultimate sacrifice.

What...?

But by no means was it in vain. He sacrificed himself for his faith, and as such, will now live on forever.

He died heroically as an Inquisitor, as a vindicator of Iberia. His ideal self shall be forever enshrined on the coasts of Iberia.

And then there is you, Ægir. You have defended the purpose of his sacrifice. You have persisted all this time, and never given up.

You've done well.

I-I never got to talk to him much, but... he... *sob*...

Um... what about Gran Faro? What's going to happen to my home?

...I usually don't answer every question from the general public.

But for now, I don't intend to lie to you. Gran Faro will soon be under the management of the Penal Battalion. The citizens will all come under their unified control, and contribute to the construction of frontline checkpoints.

Also... Thiago died at the hands of heretics.

No!

H-How could this happen? Uncle Thiago, is he really—?!

He had long been aware of the Church of the Deep's cultists, yet turned a blind eye to them. His cover-up thwarted the plans of the Penal Battalion, and delayed our ability to send support here.

Even if he'd escaped death, he would not have escaped me, child.

......

Uncle Thiago... Why?

...Mon3tr, guard the entrance.

(Obeys cheerfully)

Can you confirm where the Stultifera Navis was last seen?

......

Dame Kal'tsit.

Not that far. And the last signal came less than forty-eight hours ago.

What...?

She's still able to send signals?

Breogan helped the Iberian royal family construct lighthouses and fleets. Why, if not for restoring a connection to his homeland?

Be it the Eye of Iberia or some transponder hidden in a corner in the Stultifera Navis, they all use the Ægir's technology without reservation.

Of course, all of this assumes that the Seaborn haven't already destroyed the ship or turned it into their nest.

Alfonso... Garcia... Touré... Julia...

Are you still out there?

My captain and Gladiia pursued it into the sea.

We should go help them.

No, we'd be better off waiting here. The waters are restless, and the Seaborns' scents swirl together. There's probably more than just one.

......

Did you hear something, Skadi?

What? No, I didn't.

I see.

What have you done to this place?!

You, Ægirs, how'd you get in here?

I was the only one with the key, and when the ol' deadbeat kicked the bucket, I threw it into the ocean! It's been fifty years already!

If this is the power source for the vessel, wouldn't locking it up mean giving up hope?

The ol' deadbeat was the last engineer we had. When he died, we had nobody left who could fix the ship.

To make matters worse, we were already tangled up in the Seaborn, and couldn't get away. Didn't need anyone rocking the boat on my watch.

But answer me! How'd you find this place?!

Breogan. The captain followed the clues he left, which led to Iberia, then here.

You people... you know the shipwright?

Nope, not at all. I've always been more into the arts anyway.

But it really shouldn't come as a surprise. To return to Ægir, we must follow the trail of the Ægir—

—What's this?

Ah, you've even gotten your hands dirty digging up some of Breogan's personal belongings... Hasn't Ægir ever heard of respecting people's privacy?

......

What does it say?

Breogan's experiences on land. A travel log, I guess?

Is this what the Captain's been looking for?

No clue. Why don't you ask her yourself?

...Just a small part of it.

Returning empty handed, eh?

It disappeared.

Furthermore, the reason we didn't chase any further is because there were signs of other Seaborn nearby.

They came here following distant scents and the calls of their kin.

Now, I don't mind skipping straight to the slaughter. But we should resolve the problem of this ship first.

You dare treat my Iberia as a prize to be taken?

This ship is the only way for us to return to Ægir. And only it can contact our cities.

As for the issue of repairs, perhaps I might be more qualified than a handful of backwards Iberians who know little of Breogan's technology.

I can't pass up this opportunity, even if we must resort to force.

......

......

Two against four, eh?

(Howls vigilantly) —

Three against three.

...Captain?!

Not so fast, Gladiia.

Don't forget what I said.

...You never gave me a reason to give up on returning to Ægir.

I'm telling you, you don't know what it's like there now.

The Seaborn have never taken the initiative to attack our cities unless their nests and living spaces were threatened. Each act of slaughter, each act of destruction, has been fueled by the Ægir's degeneracy.

They thought we were dead. They lost contact with us. The blood of the Seaborn flow within us.

In all our long years of battling against these enemies, we finally have a prime opportunity.

And you think these few acts of 'degeneracy' have nothing to do with the scum we fight? Even if left alone, the Seaborn's living spaces will grow like a tumor until the entire ocean is devoured.

This and that are two separate issues.

Neither of which can be solved by heading home, rejoining the army, and marching forth once more.

Why don't we try thinking outside the box this time?

So you've chosen to listen to those lowly beasts, to walk with them, to understand them.

They call us their kin, but what do we know about them? Far too little.

I can hardly even understand what I've seen myself. Until we've obtained definite answers about their gods, everything we do is uselessly groping around in the dark.

What are you talking about, Captain?!

You... You and the Seaborn... How do we know you're still on our side? Why do you have to...

Every Hunter who thought they could get something out of the Seaborn has ended up disappearing.

Of course, you should understand that better than me.

Their whispers... resonate... They will invade your mind. Those are not your thoughts!

...Skadi.

That's... also a separate issue. I'll let Gladiia give you the specifics.

Ship captain, escort them away.

I was just thinking the same thing, Ægir.

...What a pity.

......

Hunters!

Th-The ship is sailing!

Nonsense, Old Iberian. Just how many years do you think—

No, I swear it's true! Something's pushing the ship, and... it might've been pushing the ship the whole time we were chasing after the Seaborn.

And... from the very beginning, um...

Our surroundings have been unusually quiet.

*Huff*...

Kin, gather. Take this cell, and go far away.

Follow... We will follow. We will find the end of the storm.

(Shakes head meekly)

The waves are fading.

Silence, is coming.

I don't hear anything at all. After so many years of the waves washing against us, why...?

Everything, is just like that day...

(Cowers in pain and suffering)

Garcia! Ugh... My hand, it's shaking... Damn it, if I didn't need it to hunt, I would've lopped this thing off a long time ago.

What's the meaning of this, Ægir?!

The scent of the Seaborn... The smell of the ocean, it's all gone. Look outside. It's way too peaceful.

How could this be?

Haah... What's going on? Why's it so quiet?

...Wait.

Did you hear that? What was that?

Was there something—

'The ocean sank into an unprecedented silence. Anomalies appeared across the shore, as violently ebbing tides and irregular waves heralded the coming of disaster.'

'All sounds were smothered. From waves crashing against the shore to the chiming of city clock towers, all noise faded away.'

Impossible, it's just like in the Inquisition's records. Are we facing... another Silence?!

......

Shark, where are you going?

Heading up to check things out.

I'll go with you.

Me too.

No, Skadi.

You and Gladiia stay here.

......

...Skadi.

Why?

Stay with Gladiia, and remember this one thing.

You will always be our Hunter.

Laurentina, let's go.

You and the captain have a keen sense of smell. Can you sense any Seaborn around us?

No, right now, there is little difference between here and the land.

Even though we're clearly floating out at sea. It's disconcerting.

I'll head the other way to see if we're really being pushed by a current.

...See you soon.

O starry sky.

This is the first time in many years I've seen the stars so clearly.

I had forgotten so many things. I forgot my home, was used by others, and what finally saved my life and awakened my memories was the part of me I hated most.

Accepting that I'm a freak actually wasn't as hard as it sounds. That's what makes me unique.

The one, final thing I am unable to let go of... is my home.

But have I really returned? Is this place on the sea's surface really Ægir? Is this still my home?

Just because Gladiia never said it doesn't mean I wouldn't realize. It wouldn't be the first time rifts have grown between Hunters, but between us and Ægir? We've been separated by the shore for too long.

...I remember something else.

When I was little, I once went with my parents and grandparents to watch the stars on the ocean's surface adorn the sky, on a day much like this. Even the most beautiful pearl geode couldn't compare to that splendor.

In retrospect, even after I became a Hunter, I was always leaving my home again and again, but never reaching anywhere else.

Haha... I suppose I'm getting a bit homesick.

Where are you going to take me this time, Amaia?

Nowhere, Laurentina. The ocean is boundless, and wherever we go is all the same.

I've always been able to hear your song, Amaia.

Laurentina, that is the name of our scaleless kin, the Liberi, the Iberian.

As I consumed her, she kept stroking my head. She spoke to me of many things. Time itself was like frozen dust, an eternity seeming to pass as I listened to her.

Until she could no longer speak, until even her bones were digested by our smallest kin, she nurtured me with both nutrition and time. She taught me everything I know.

Since when were you so sentimental towards your food?

Such was her request, I merely granted it. If there is purpose to such emotions, we are willing to experiment.

What of Ishar'mla? Gladiia? And... Ulpianus?

Are your kin ready to return to the great sea?

...We've had a bit of an internal disagreement.

Why? Your home is clearly right before your eyes. We many are clearly right here awaiting you.

You're homesick, Laurentina. Amaia told me that, of all the Ægir she ever made contact with, you harbor the greatest affection for Ægir itself.

Come.

Embrace me, and I will bring you back home.

You know, I've never touched a living Seaborn before. I prefer your kind dead.

Just as you prefer to give shape to inorganic matter, even though it offers nothing for your survival?

Do you have any other pursuits other than 'survival'?

Pursuits? Like your pursuit to return home?

The survival of our kind. The survival of more of us. The survival of we many.

All beings ought to form a single entity. Life should not be so disorderly.

You're a graceful one. Did Amaia teach you that as well?

It was just her request. A memento.

I suppose that means you'll be paying back both of our debts?

...Ah, before her death, Amaia entrusted you to me. I will make use of your life. I will also fulfill your requests.

Amaia thanks you. She said I should help you. Because of you, their work was able to take another step forward. Their 'research' and 'ideals' have all advanced greatly.

I can talk to you about Ishar'mla. I can take you back to Ægir. I can share with you where our kind are, and how they are doing. I can name your clansmen who are trying to become one with us.

Amaia begged me to help you. Only through helping you, will you accept us as kin.

...Hah.

In that case, my first request is...

Stop singing. I want to hear the wind of my hometown.

Very well.

Die.

What—?! It managed to block? —Nngh!

Ulpianus!

A sufficiently heavy blow. Our kin in the ocean will welcome his unconscious form. They will take him back to our nest, where we will spend time becoming one with him.

As for this floating box... it has been used to house our kin who have not yet adapted to the sea. But most of them died, and the rest have refused to become one with us.

Therefore, it is no longer needed.

(How did it manage to slice off that cannon? With its tail?!)

Shit—

Come, let us return to the sea.

Whether to hunt, or to communicate, or to evolve, we must all return to the sea.

Halt!

You trying to take apart my ship, you monster?!

Garcia!

(Roars) —!

Guh...?!

What a paradoxical being. You have consumed many of our kin, yet many more go hungry. You ought to feed them.

Turn into nutrients, and nourish our kind.

Garcia!

What are you doing to my chief mate?!

—Ugh!

Gaah... Goddamnit!

......!

Don't worry, I'm alright... *cough*.

......

Alfonso...

What is it...?

Wait, hold on, what?! Garcia, you—

Alfonso.

Today is... the last day... of our voyage.

All these years... I... always treated myself as... a monster. Easier... that way.

I know. If I die... you'll be lonely... and then you'll die. You shouldn't... die... so I'm... worthless.

Today is the last day... of our voyage.

I... I think I already... feel kinship towards it.

No! No!

Garcia! You can still talk! You're still yourself!

No.

Time... is up. The Stultifera... will soon sink. The fluorescent sea has already started... to corrode the ship.

I—

—Will fight to the death, as an Iberian. I will never... accept it as my kin.

......

(Iberian) My beloved... Remember... your duty.

......

(Roars) —

You are not fighting me, Garcia.

Graaaaah—

You are fighting we many inside your heart. You are on this ship, but you thirst for the sea.

Urgh— Hraaaagh—

But it doesn't matter.

Become sustenance, and nourish our kin. Or, become one with us.

What... What just happened?

How could it so easily—

Human, kin, and all living things in between.

Amaia wishes to correct you. And thus, it shall be done. I simply welcome back my kin, and welcome back Ishar-mla.

Protect the lives of our kin. Then, return to we many. 'Return home.'

Shark.

—

......

There are many among us who wish to see you. Ishar-mla. Ishar'mla.

—!

Our kind awaits you. We await you. We hope you will answer our call.

Filth, is there no end to your arrogance?

......

No good... What's happened to your body?

Soon, many kin, many kin in need, will reach my heights.

We are changing every day. Gladiia. We are one whole. You are of the strongest batch.

...Where's my captain?

Tossed into the sea. He was injured pretty badly.

......

Even their gods were unable to devour Ulpianus. He won't die so easily.

Its body seems to have undergone some changes. It's nothing like the trash we encountered in Sal Viento.

Swordfish? Treating an enemy with caution rather than contempt? Maybe I'm still missing some memories, but does that ever happen, Skadi?

No, you're right, it is rare. But Seaborn like this were also rare. What kind of prey stands before three Hunters and remains unscathed?

To be fair, I've barely done anything yet.

The ship won't hold out if we keep fighting like this, though. It's grown much stronger.

...Just the last few blows have already set the lowest deck on fire.

How dare you treat Garcia and my ship like this! I'll make you regret this, monster.

......

Please, my kin, even more of our kin call out to me, asking me to maintain the ocean's growth and tranquility.

If you get in my way, I have no choice but to consume you. I beg of you, return to our kind.

Hey, Amaia.

...If you insist on calling me that.

Sure do. Anyway, I just remembered something which REALLY should've been written into those Scriptures—

What?

She still owes me her life, and you're going to pay it back.

A debt? If you are willing to return to our kind, I will grant you that.

No can do.

......

...Minutes. Yes, your kind's conception of time. Amaia spoke of this before.

Ten minutes.

In ten minutes this box will be surrounded by our kin. It will 'sink.'