I find myself looking back on those events often, during my most difficult times.
'Sand Soldier'
Whenever I grow tired of striking the iron, whenever I am unsatisfied with inferior materials that result in products less than satisfactory—The events I witnessed that day immediately come to mind.
Sesa
—So you took care of all those mercenaries by yourself—?
Heavyrain
No, he planted those weapons beforehand... and they self-destructed.
Sesa
I'm surprised you could bring yourself to actually do it... Didn't you make all those things yourself...?
'Sand Soldier'
What kind of craftsman has lingering affection for their creations? The reason we pour our emotions into our work is to create an even more refined product, not to be tied down by our feelings.
Heavyrain
So you had it all figured out beforehand, eh?
'Sand Soldier'
I eliminated all the factors unbeneficial to us. What is wrong about that?
Sesa
—Ugh, this burnt smell stinks...
'Sand Soldier'
Don't tell me Rhodes Island claims to be pacifist.
'Sand Soldier'
Though I can certainly tell you two are not.
Sesa
So... what did you see that day again...?
'Sand Soldier'
Ah, has either of you personally seen her in combat?
'Sand Soldier'
It is as though she had a birds-eye view from up in the sky. Everything was under her control.
Sarkaz... Devils... She won. She won indeed. Old Isin knew this is exactly how it would turn out...
Elliot
Ahem, do you have to follow me around?
Old Isin
Of course, Lady Kal'tsit asked Old Isin to. Until the moment she steps out of Sargon, her wish is Old Isin's command.
Elliot
Hmm, is that her over there...?
On the other side of the hills, the smell of Originium gunpowder and blood yet lingers in the sandstorm, a phenomenon that has become all but natural to Elliot.
A gust of wind blows past, carrying away with it the dust. Under the clear sun, the strange creature's large stature appears as though it is distorting even the sunlight.
You could've become a warrior, nameless mercenary. A Sarkaz Warrior.
Sarkaz Mercenary
My death... is for a greater purpose, Caster.
Sarkaz Mercenary
Not going to finish me?
Kal'tsit
Let's see—
Mon3tr
(Angry low roar)
Sarkaz Mercenary
Tsk... This monster... I'm more than ready to die. Are a few extra scratches that much to ask for?
Mon3tr
(Roars)
Kal'tsit
Enough, Mon3tr.
Kal'tsit
He's a dead man with those injuries.
Mon3tr
(Dissatisfied hisses)
Sarkaz Mercenary
Hah... Looks like we saved the padishah some trouble...
Kal'tsit
Sarkaz... What's your name...?
Sarkaz Mercenary
Pfft... Which one?
Sarkaz Mercenary
Tell me, Caster. The Kazdel you were talking about... How does it look now?
Kal'tsit
Terrible still.
Kal'tsit
But the Sarkaz are rebuilding their homes.
Sarkaz Mercenary
Home...? How could us devils... us Infected possibly have one...
Sarkaz Mercenary
I've never left Sargon...
Kal'tsit
The Sarkaz have tried to rebuild 'Kazdel', their home for centuries, though they have never succeeded.
Kal'tsit
Everyone has a different idea as to what the term 'homeland' means, but as it stands right now, Kazdel is perhaps as close as you can get to the term's original meaning.
Kal'tsit
The 'Teekaz' deserve a home.
Sarkaz Mercenary
Tsk... That does...
Sarkaz Mercenary
...have a nice ring to it...
Kal'tsit
......
Old Isin
Poor devil, poor devil. He is gone, no longer with us.
Kal'tsit
You two shouldn't have come.
Old Isin
You made quite a ruckus here. Old Isin thinks this place could use some cleaning to avoid catching anyone's attention...
Elliot
You took all of them down by yourself...?
Mon3tr
(Shakes head in dissatisfaction)
Elliot
Um, okay. You two... took down a whole mercenary squad? How many of them were there?
Kal'tsit
It was no easy task. I would've been in quite a tight spot if they weren't as afraid of Mon3tr as they were.
Kal'tsit
Let's pick up the pace. We've already found ourselves in seven skirmishes since we left Redhorn.
Kal'tsit
And now we have an entire Sarkaz mercenary squad. We'll likely face the lord ameer's guards next or the padishah's elite troops. No matter the case, the more we run, the more fierce our enemies become.
Old Isin
Old Isin gets the impression that you didn't want to kill them?
Kal'tsit
You're not wrong.
Old Isin
You seem to have special feelings for Sarkaz... Oh, pardon Old Isin. Old Isin should not have asked.
Old Isin
The sun is setting soon, Lady Kal'tsit. We must bury these bodies right away. It looks like their sand buggy will save us quite a bit...
Can knowledge be a means to buy over a person's heart? Elliot has never so much as thought about that. He used to be naive, but he was also gifted precisely because of this. Of course, he cannot understand why Old Isin would follow everything Kal'tsit says after that exchange of theirs.
It is as though he lives in the distant past. He merely gazes at the far end of Sargon's golden sands, waiting for someone to come give him the answer he has always sought.
Is knowing what the answer is all that he ever wanted?
Old Isin...? I thought you died in the golden sands!
Old Isin
Old Isin is fortunate to survive.
Black Market Resident
Hm, are those two behind you Columbians...? Columbians on the run. That box they have gotta be worth some money, then.
Elliot
...!
Black Market Resident
Oh, relax. Why so tense? I'll give you 400 gold coins for that box.
Kal'tsit
Sorry, but it's not for sale.
Black Market Resident
Ah, that's too bad...
Black Market Resident
No worries, I'm sure we'll have more chances to do business with each other. Isn't that right, Old Isin? Haha.
Old Isin
Please don't let it get to you, Lady. This happens often here.
Old Isin
She isn't actually that curious about the box...
Kal'tsit
If she actually had her mind set on it, we well wouldn't be getting much sleep in the future.
Elliot
She opened at 400 coins...?
Old Isin
This is the Reefsteep Black Market. The vibrant heart of Ibut.
Elliot
How long are we staying here...?
Old Isin
This will be a long journey. It will take Old Isin time to prepare. Perhaps two weeks.
Kal'tsit
Isin, I'm counting on you.
Old Isin
Mm, what is this for...? Gold coins? Old Isin needs no money at all...
Kal'tsit
Our enemies are still coming after us. We need to get the preparations done as soon as possible.
Old Isin
Old Isin understands, but please keep your coins. Old Isin is in no place to take them... and Old Isin still has much to ask you.
Kal'tsit
Very well, I understand... Feel free to ask me any time. Even now.
Old Isin
Thank you... Old Isin is far too old... Old Isin has forgotten far too many important things.
Old Isin
Alas, most of those who remembers what I wish to know have come and gone. That is why Old Isin is looking for clues...
Old Isin
Lady, you are young. Normally, Old Isin would not hold out hope for those your age... but you know of that city, the secrets that disappeared in those great winds long ago.
Kal'tsit
What do you want to remember, old Savra?
Old Isin
Old Isin once served a padishah... The Padishah of the Land of Reefsteep. The padishah saw Old Isin as a friend and would even die for Old Isin. An honor Old Isin can never fully repay...
Old Isin
Yet... it has been far too long. Old Isin has forgotten the words of the padishah. Before Old Isin dies, Old Isin must remember his words.
Kal'tsit
The disaster that destroyed the city left you directionless.
Old Isin
It has been too long, Lady. Look, you remember even that Catastrophe—
Kal'tsit
The padishah who ruled Reefsteep doesn't show up in the history books much, but, at the very least, the written accounts and folklores do not mention a Savra fortune teller.
Kal'tsit
It will probably take some time if you want to figure out who you are.
Old Isin
Oh, that's fine—Even if you must leave this place behind and there is still a long wait ahead, Old Isin will patiently await your return.
Old Isin
Old Isin dares not to die. Old Isin only asks you to remember this.
Kal'tsit
I promise you.
Old Isin
Please, come with Old Isin. Old Isin has a home here. An old dwelling...
A black market always starts out as a normal underground bazaar. It's a fairly common sight for areas barraged by Catastrophes.
Kal'tsit
When nightfall comes, the lights are moved underground.
Elliot
......
Kal'tsit
Something on your mind?
Elliot
I've been on the run with you for a while now, but you're still keeping me in the dark for a lot things. Like that old Savra with amnesia.
Kal'tsit
Long ago... there used to be a city here. The only nomadic city in Ibut's vast territory.
Kal'tsit
The building of a city is a miracle in itself, but, before the Reefsteep Padishah, no one had managed to unite all of Ibut. And the symbol of that unity? That city among the golden sands.
Kal'tsit
That was what inspired everyone to unite under his rule. That era was not that long ago, and I believe there are still a fair amount of people out there wallowing in their homeland's former glory.
Kal'tsit
Unfortunately, it was not meant to last. The city met its fate during a Catastrophe. Supposedly, after the padishah had evacuated all his citizens and workers, he simply lamented and lashed out at the gathering storm.
Elliot
Lash out... at the Catastrophe?
Kal'tsit
That's how it was recorded in history, at least, but it most likely actually happened.
Kal'tsit
The Catastrophe laid waste on the padishah's grand achievement in a brief moment. In just one night, all its citizens became refugees. They very well could have built a new home together, but with the destruction of the city... everything was left behind in that sandstorm, forgotten.
Elliot
......
Kal'tsit
Old Isin was among them. The lords ameer and the new padishah didn't want to spend a huge sum of money to rebuild the city. Thanks to that, their descendants likely had no idea where to begin to rebuild their homeland.
Kal'tsit
This filled them with grief, and this is also why they give all those who still respect the 'Land of Reefsteep' the same amount of respect.
Elliot
So... Is that why they're helping us...? Because it's like helping out their countrymen?
Elliot
From the looks of it, we'll get to leave Sargon soon, right?
Kal'tsit
If everything goes well, we should be leaving Sargon territory within the month.
Elliot
And we're going to Ursus?
Kal'tsit
That's right.
Elliot
Why?
Elliot
I don't get it. Did you really abandon everything you had in Columbia and came to Sargon just to keep our research from becoming the powder keg that sparks a war?
Kal'tsit
None of you could've possibly foreseen what the chain of events would eventually lead to.
Elliot
And you can...?
Kal'tsit
If you really want me to give you an answer, I'll say yes.
Elliot
It would be so much easier for you if you killed me and destroyed the box now... but, here you are, letting me hold onto it.
Kal'tsit
Do you want me to do that?
Elliot
No...
Elliot
At first... I was really bothered that I was the only survivor, but I don't feel that way anymore.
Elliot
Kal'tsit... If I give you this box now, will you do something for me... for us?
Kal'tsit
You know the Ibuti Lord Ameer was dragged into this mess. From Sargon to Columbia, the accomplices of this conspiracy are everywhere.
Elliot
But I still want them to pay the price...
Elliot
See, this box—It's my one and only trump card.
Kal'tsit
But once it's destroyed, you'll have nothing—
Elliot
—Nothing?
Elliot
Actually... Kal'tsit, ever since the beginning, I've always felt I didn't need this box.
Elliot
I remember all the details, and I can replicate our past results.
Kal'tsit
You...
Elliot
Of course, it'll take a long time, and there's probably going to be lots of difficult issues... but I think I can do it.
Elliot
If, just like you said, there's some kind of way to turn this Originium energy source into a weapon—
Kal'tsit
......
Elliot
This is the first time you are looking me in the eyes, Kal'tsit. The first time you aren't treating me as a kid or someone to be protected, but as a scientist, a Columbian.
Kal'tsit
Perhaps I've been underestimating you because of your age, Elliot.
Elliot
Relax, I won't let these bad guys use the Professor's research as they please. I won't.
Elliot
But I will use it to finish one last thing.
Kal'tsit
You don't understand how Professor Thorne's research came to be.
Elliot
I heard him say before that the basis of the technology came from a set of ancient ruins that archaeologists found in Sarkaz, and it could provide nomadic cities an entirely new and convenient energy source—
Kal'tsit
—I'll say it again. If misused, this could easily bury half of Sargon under its golden sands.
Elliot
Hmm...
Elliot
Well, you were the head of the mercenaries to begin with. You probably have a few other tricks up your sleeve just to be safe, don't you, 'Adviser?'
Elliot
Such as... taking me out right now. The way you people like to take care of things.
Kal'tsit
......
Mon3tr
(Happy sounds)
Elliot
......
Kal'tsit
...
Kal'tsit
Go back inside...
Elliot
You—
Kal'tsit
Enough with the tough act, Elliot. With the way you are now, you can't make a sensible decision.
Kal'tsit
You should really think about what it is that you want to do carefully.
—Leithanian Arts Units' parts are nice and all, but they're such a hassle to use, and they are usually pretty rough. The Columbians make much better stuff.
Black Market Resident
I got some new wares here... Originium weapons straight from Minos. They...
Black Market Resident
—Once you place the order, you gotta buy it. What about it don't you understand—
Old Isin
How lively... Old Isin doesn't hate this place at all.
Kal'tsit
If you have wealth and status here, why roam the streets elsewhere in Ibut?
Old Isin
Old Isin wants to help Sargonians. This ideal helped Old Isin move forward and helped support his many lifetimes.
Kal'tsit
Compared to the average lifespan of a Savra, you have lived quite a long time. Is this an effect of your Originium Arts?
Old Isin
Old Isin... has forgotten even what his Originium Arts could do... Old Isin can fiddle with this Originium crystal ball, but Old Isin does not remember what kind of tricks it conjured up back in those grand, radiant days.
Kal'tsit
This isn't a normal physiological disease. Your brain and body are under the influence of some kind of Arts.
Old Isin
Lady Kal'tsit... Old Isin thinks that, with the Reefsteep lost to the storm, perhaps there are no more clues to be found anywhere but in the centermost areas of Sargon...
Old Isin
Have you been to that fabled golden city?
Kal'tsit
You mean the capital of Sargon?
Kal'tsit
Though its industrial prowess has been advancing day by day, Sargon's capital has never once opted to relocate its nomadic city.
Old Isin
In the winds, the sands ceaselessly beat against Sargon's walls as time goes on and on...
Kal'tsit
Even Catastrophes cannot rock Sargon's core.
Old Isin
Old Isin thinks what he has forgotten is there. Old Isin can remember everything there... but that is a place that Old Isin can never reach...
Kal'tsit
Only the padishahs and a few lords ameer who were granted the royal privilege may see that city hidden deep within the sandstorms.
Kal'tsit
You said you wanted an answer.
Old Isin
Old Isin remembers nothing but a dream... In the dream, amid those boundless hotlands, the armies simply charged toward the horizon devoid of people...
Kal'tsit
—!
Old Isin
All Old Isin remembers of it is that the Iron Heels hoisted a scarlet web and charged toward the southernmost horizons of Sargon.
Old Isin
But this has nothing to do with the Reefsteep. Is this perhaps a key that could lead to Old Isin's past?
Kal'tsit
Hang on a second. Could you—
Kal'tsit
Wait...
Kal'tsit
You could not have known that... The conquest of the Kheshigs of Nightzmora took place over a thousand years ago... How does this have anything to do with Reefsteep?
Old Isin
Kheshigs... The Nightzmora's royal debt... Old Isin knows. Old Isin knows... but why?
Kal'tsit
...
Kal'tsit
Did you serve a Nightzmoran offspring?
Kal'tsit
The king of Sargon created a Kuranta of Nightzmoran blood padishah?
Old Isin
Old Isin... seems to...
Old Isin
Padishah... Reefsteep Padishah... Old Isin's master a Kuranta? A descendant of Nightzmora?
Kal'tsit
The two of you made for the Watchman's walls together, and he must have recounted to you the exploits of his bloodline... something that he must've taken pride in.
Old Isin
—!
Old Isin
Walls, yes, but no mere city walls. It was to the south. Yes, the south! Atop the hotlands that not even Sargonians would set foot on, there stood the entrance to lands yet undiscovered by man—
Kal'tsit
Nightzmora... A Nightzmoran was created padishah, and the Ibut region was once the center of his political exploits.
Kal'tsit
He didn't choose to merely wallow in the luxuries promised to him by the lords ameer. Instead, his thirst for conquest drove him to...
Old Isin
...to conquer these deserts, yes... The padishah wanted to conquer these golden sands. He led the people, and built an entirely new city... A nomadic city...
Kal'tsit
According to the history books, he almost succeeded.
Kal'tsit
As for you, even though he treated you with nothing but benevolence, even though he passed away long ago... you remain lost in his life.
Old Isin
Old Isin...
Old Isin
Old Isin remembers now...
Old Isin
Old Isin is not a gatekeeper... and certainly not the padishah's close friend... Old Isin was... just a jester before them...
Kal'tsit
......
Old Isin
No... Old Isin remembers now... No, no, no... Was it those summer nights?
Old Isin
*Cough*—
Kal'tsit
Please, calm down a little.
Old Isin
......
Old Isin
Right... Age has left Old Isin's memories in a muddle... You are right... Once upon a time, the padishah would hold a banquet at his palace every starry night and address all those in attendance.
Old Isin
No... No... *Whimpers*... Old Isin... was undeserving to bask in his glory and radiance... *Whimpers*...
Kal'tsit
You've been under his Originium Arts' influence, and the long nightmare has twisted your thinking... Though this is not something he had done to you deliberately.
Old Isin
His subjects went voluntarily. There was none who could resist those extraordinary fantasies, curiosity, longing, and thirst for knowledge. All of it worked to keep us enthralled by the padishah's charm.
Kal'tsit
You were lost in your own dreams.
Old Isin
No... It shouldn't be... Old Isin shouldn't...
Kal'tsit
......
Old Isin
Please... Allow Old Isin a brief moment of peace... Please... leave Old Isin alone...
The Nightzmora had been tormenting him for way too long. He's been trying to embrace the past in his dreams.
Elliot
I don't get it...
Kal'tsit
We have no use for the box anymore.
Kal'tsit
It was our final trump card, but now that we are leaving Sargon behind us, it makes no difference to us anymore.
Elliot
This is mine...
Elliot
The last thing I still have.
Kal'tsit
That's why I'm leaving the decision to you...
Kal'tsit
What will you do?
Elliot
...!
Elliot
You're forcing me to make a decision...
Kal'tsit
I'm not forcing you to do anything. Even if you are actually able to replicate technology behind it and break away from its original... form, with where the Originium industries are currently, that will do you no good at all.
Elliot
Tsk...
The young researcher sets the box down after hesitating briefly.
He has almost completely forgotten what is inside the box despite the fact he has kept it on his person for the entire journey.
Elliot
This...
The blue Originium crystals are discharging tiny, stable sparks.
Elliot
It's beautiful...
Elliot
Is this... really as dangerous as you've been making it out to be?
Kal'tsit
A simple sample such as this won't help explain why. Once you master the core principles behind it, you will be able to craft from it a grenade capable of wiping out an entire city with ease.
Kal'tsit
What do you think will happen if the Ibuti Lord Ameer or Padishah Murad got their hands on this technology?
Elliot
The technology is still being developed. The bad guys will get their hands on it sooner or later.
Kal'tsit
The truth is... this Originium crystal sample is the only one of its kind.
Kal'tsit
As an Originium crystal, it actually isn't particularly special on its own. It is how it came to take its current form that makes it special. It was found in an excavation.
Elliot
You can always count on the archaeologists to discover new secrets...
Kal'tsit
The Columbians only ever found three Originium samples like this one. Without exception... they all came from the surroundings of a certain Sarkaz ruin.
Elliot
What's going to happen if you destroy them?
Kal'tsit
The sample's explosive range is hardly comparable to the electrical devices we use in experiments. However, because of its nature, it will nonetheless put us in danger—the danger of being infected with Oripathy.
Elliot
Well, alright.
Elliot
You said it's one of a kind? Well, then. I know how to take care of it now.
