'I arrived in this new land from my maritime home. There is no end to ghastly shock here, not a break in the tragic weave.'
'The clouds are far from as fine as told in legend, and both the land and sky are wrathbitten and hurting. Cities comparable to Ægir are all but prey to Catastrophe.'
'Moreover, the people of this dry land are plagued by an inscrutable sickness. I had learnt of Oripathy, of Originium, from many an academy record. Seeing it firsthand, though, the truth of how it has become an integral part of the land, its roots deep and stubborn, is made witheringly apparent.'
'Nevertheless, they still tenaciously live, pursue both technology and truth through their unique means, and seek to leave the mark of their continued existence.'
'Though I am lambasted a traitor, I do not regret my decision to come ashore. The Seaborn swarm is expanding; within a decade, Ægir will find itself besieged with no quarter. But someday, I will complete my travels and return to Iberia.'
'I will leave this memoir behind, for the Ægir to seek and decipher. I have no faith in the nobility; I am certain that those Ægir termed 'Islanders' today will find Iberia withdrawing its respect for them soon enough, whatever the reasons may be.'
'The Golden Dreadnought, the Eye of Culture, the Jurisprudence of Evolution, the Stele of Life. The Ocean and Land must form a united front to withstand the billowing waves.'
'It was never my intent to serve as a pioneer. All I am is one step ahead of fate.'
—From a copy of the notes of Breogan, famed Iberian architect and chief shipwright, written in cryptic Ægirian.
Ulpianus
This is a matter between the Ægir.
High Inquisitor
So long as you stand on Iberian soil, the law is watching you. And so am I.
Ulpianus
Hmph...
High Inquisitor
What is the relation between you and those three Abyssal Hunters?
Ulpianus
You've harmed Skadi. Strange. Surely she intended to avoid combat.
High Inquisitor
......
Ulpianus
Her blood is a special sort, more special than the rest of ours. I hope you've been diligent in cleaning your weapons.
High Inquisitor
I'm the one asking questions here.
Ulpianus
And I'm the one who decides whether to answer.
High Inquisitor
I gather the only Hunters granted freedom of movement by Lord Carmen were those who declared their interests during the Sal Viento conflict.
Ulpianus
...Mm. Seems it wasn't a coincidence you crossed swords with her then.
High Inquisitor
She was hardly weak.
Ulpianus
...Weak?
Ulpianus
What a naive appraisal. She's just unaccustomed to dry land. She lacks flexibility.
???
Don't move, Ægir.
Inquisitor Irene
Comply with the High Inquisitor's investigation. The Inquisition has already concluded negotiations with the Hunters. Your every move merely undermines the basis of our cooperation.
Ulpianus
...Cooperation?
Inquisitor Irene
I advise you to rethink your actions.
Ulpianus
Inquisitor, how many soldiers like you does Iberia have?
High Inquisitor
That is none of your business.
Ulpianus
Enough to amass an army three thousand strong?
High Inquisitor
......
Ulpianus
Then Iberia is still unqualified.
High Inquisitor
You're going nowhere!
Sea Terror
(Sharp chafing sounds)
High Inquisitor
What? Where did they come from?
Inquisitor Irene
High Inquisitor! Are you alright?
High Inquisitor
I'm fine. That Ægir...
Inquisitor Irene
This was my fault, sir!
High Inquisitor
He could easily have used that chance to take an arm from me, yet he chose to flee.
High Inquisitor
It seems we can't afford to give chase just yet.
Inquisitor Irene
They're headed for the city! They're hiding in the soil!
High Inquisitor
No.
High Inquisitor
This entire swathe of earth has been polluted.
Inquisitor Irene
H-How can that be?
High Inquisitor
Take a good look at that gray land, and the sinister miasma filling it.
Inquisitor Irene
Yes, sir!
High Inquisitor
Gran Faro is not being infiltrated by the Church of the Deep. It has already fallen to them.
High Inquisitor
Prepare to fight head-on. Ensure Lord Carmen is safe, ASAP.
Welp, this is just perfect. And here we thought we could find a little inspiration on our beach trip. Talk about a total wash.
Frost
(Riffs in agreement)
Dan
The sea's caressing the land. I can tell. This is bad gone badder.
Aya
Kal'tsit once said the Ægir won, and that the Abyssal Hunters are the orphans of that battle. But with how things look now, I'm starting to doubt there was ever a win.
Aya
Oh, speaking of Kal'tsit, did she give us the thing?
Alty
Yep.
Aya
Way to beat around the bush. Why didn't she just give it straight to that Ægir? Gladiia. That would've been faster.
Frost
(Riffs in doubt)
Alty
She wanted to use the key to draw us into this. And from that view, she definitely succeeded.
Aya
Or maybe, she was originally planning to make us retrieve or help out with something. And then she changed her mind.
Alty
Huh? Hasn't she always been, like, three hundred steps ahead? What could possibly force her to change her mind?
Aya
...I'm just saying it's possible. Sure, she knows a lot of things, but more than that, she's cautious. If not, how many times would she have died by now?
You lead a punctual march, Dario. Have you arranged what I asked of you?
High Inquisitor Dario
Yes, Lord.
High Inquisitor Dario
The Penal Battalion has readied a ship to leave for the Eye of Iberia. They've also evacuated the coast and surrounded this town by now.
High Inquisitor Dario
Those misguided fools have nowhere to flee.
Saint Carmen
There's nothing to fear in those petty villains, but the new threat they've brought forth is an astonishing one.
High Inquisitor Dario
Our technology is able to treat this much pollution.
Saint Carmen
Which is only a temporary victory, Dario. And this is 'Ægir technology,' not ours.
Saint Carmen
If for every second of every minute, every droplet and every grain of the tides beating against our sandy shores spreads the Sea Terrors and their ecology, how are we to defend our homeland then?
High Inquisitor Dario
We will find an answer before that happens.
Saint Carmen
Yes, most assuredly.
High Inquisitor Dario
The Inquisition is also prepared to do battle with the Abyssal Hunters. We will throttle them to death on this remote shoreline.
Saint Carmen
A fitting cemetery. We can only hope they make the wise choice, and that Kal'tsit can accomplish what she's pledged to.
Inquisitor Irene
......
Saint Carmen
So this is your apprentice, then. I'm familiar with her from her work.
Inquisitor Irene
Y-Yes! Inquisitor Irene, reporting in, Lord Carmen!
Saint Carmen
They say that when Dario found you in the ruins, a thick tome of classics had lodged itself in the beams of the caving roof. A miraculous equilibrium that saved your life.
Inquisitor Irene
Yes, sir!
Saint Carmen
Young one, you are here only because Dario has determined that you have the will to rush onto the frontline.
Inquisitor Irene
Yes, sir!
Saint Carmen
There is an immaturity to you, but you are eager to prove yourself. Your body is filled with vigor and tenacity.
Saint Carmen
But your duties in Gran Faro will be no easier than in Sal Viento. From here on, you will only be plunging ever deeper into the heart of evil. Are you prepared?
Inquisitor Irene
For Iberia's orderliness and integrity, I shall raise my sword and my lantern.
Inquisitor Irene
To me, this motto is more than just a rallying cry.
High Inquisitor Dario
She will be prepared.
Saint Carmen
Mm... I trust your judgment, but fate does not often give its people time to prepare.
Saint Carmen
Dr. Kal'tsit and I have matters to attend to still. The mission of guiding the Abyssal Hunters back to the Eye of Iberia is now yours.
Inquisitor Irene
The Eye of Iberia... High Inquisitor, what exactly is our task?
High Inquisitor Dario
...Establish a camp, safeguard the route, and ensure that our maintenance teams can safely reach the lighthouse.
Saint Carmen
The last piece of the Eye of Iberia is fifty nautical miles out from the nearest coast to Gran Faro.
High Inquisitor Dario
Assuming, of course, that it's still where the maps indicate.
Inquisitor Irene
Fifty nautical miles...
Saint Carmen
Once, our fleet could gaze far across the surface of the tranquil sea. But since the Profound Silence, the ocean has become like a boiling poison, melting all who touch it.
Saint Carmen
This is a daunting mission. But recapturing this final lighthouse is of tremendous importance to our people.
Inquisitor Irene
U-Understood, sir!
Saint Carmen
It is for this that we require the Ægirs' assistance.
Inquisitor Irene
......
Saint Carmen
You are skeptical.
High Inquisitor Dario
She has been to see the Inquisition's underground cages.
Saint Carmen
So, you have witnessed the truth of the Inquisition's search, in spite of the fact it cannot obtain an answer.
Saint Carmen
Go, young Inquisitor. Time will not wait. But if necessary, I will have you put time itself on trial.
Spare us your remarks. Let us hasten to the topic at hand.
Saint Carmen
Kal'tsit has recently suffered quite the ordeal on your behalf.
Gladiia
The aid she has given us will be forever carved into my memory. While what you've done... I will likewise never forget.
Skadi
......
High Inquisitor Dario
......
Gladiia
But this present situation is by her arrangement. A small coastal town, a simple meeting.
Saint Carmen
Then in honor of her efforts, may we set aside our grievances and begin the discussion?
Saint Carmen
What you seek is Breogan's legacy. You want to find the Stultifera.
Inquisitor Irene
—!
Inquisitor Irene
(Stultifera Navis, the 'Ship of Fools?' Wasn't that the flagship of the fleet wiped out in the Profound Silence? But how many years has it been?!)
Saint Carmen
What most piques my curiosity is how a foreigner can be so sure that it remains afloat.
Gladiia
Then, from the Iberian point of view, do you believe it to be sunk or not?
Saint Carmen
Hmm...
Saint Carmen
In all likelihood... it isn't.
Inquisitor Irene
—!
Saint Carmen
However, it has not once returned to port.
Gladiia
A ship, unsunk for over sixty years, yet never returning to dry land's harbor.
Gladiia
Can your people determine its position?
Saint Carmen
We could once. But not now.
Gladiia
In other words...
Gladiia looks to the statue beside them.
She has no recollection of such buildings. Perhaps they had already died their silent deaths before she came ashore.
Saint Carmen
The 'Eye of Iberia.'
Saint Carmen
These wonders were once the cornerstone of a magnificent project, but most of the lighthouses that form the Eye perished in the Profound Silence. Only one remains.
Gladiia
It does not belong to you. It belongs to Ægir.
Saint Carmen
...Breogan was indeed an Ægir, and he came from the ocean, but his devotion was selfless. He made ample contribution to Iberia's sea explorations.
Gladiia
After the disaster, you let your citizens pour their rage upon the Ægir—upon him. Indulging such folly paints you in an untrustworthy light.
Saint Carmen
Yet are the Ægir able to swear no implication in the Profound Silence?
Gladiia
......
Saint Carmen
......
Kal'tsit
Walls will be the death of us all. If the two of you are so determined to continue this conversation, then both Iberia and Ægir are as good as destroyed.
Kal'tsit
Civilizations do not die, they are merely endlessly replaced. But the next time it happens, humanity will have no hand in it.
High Inquisitor Dario
Dr. Kal'tsit, please mind your tongue with Lord Carmen.
Saint Carmen
I do not mind; we've certainly known each other long enough. But is this your usual method, Kal'tsit?
Saint Carmen
Surgically extracting the key individuals from the gargantuan body of fate, sitting them down in front of you, and convincing them of the rightness of your idea?
Kal'tsit
My idea is simply to save you. Iberia is free to refuse, as is Ægir.
Gladiia
......
Kal'tsit
If we count the untested young lady, then there are six at the table: three each for both the Inquisition and the Hunters.
Kal'tsit
The town square itself is an Iberian marvel constructed by an Ægir. It could not be more appropriate for such a conference.
Kal'tsit
At this very moment, the nethersea brand is still spreading. The Sea Terrors have built a nest in town, and their existence takes a vastly different form than before. A difference drastic enough to cause alarm.
Kal'tsit
If none present yet recognize the scale of this oceanic threat, then perhaps we really should adjourn. We can watch as the precious time bought by the sacrifice of the Abyssal Hunters is whiled away for nothing.
Skadi
Was our victory... meaningful?
Kal'tsit
Of course. Without it, then after the Profound Silence, Iberia would not even have a deathbed to struggle upon.
Kal'tsit
As for you, Lord Carmen, I hope you can put aside your prejudices against the Ægir. Use your—
Saint Carmen
—I'm so very old now, Kal'tsit. Let's get to the point, shall we?
Gladiia
......
Saint Carmen
I've aged past the inclination to win every argument, as well as the strength to uphold glory through speeches.
Saint Carmen
There is no greater glory than survival, and no one sees the situation clearer than I. You may rescind your words. The Inquisition is willing to fully cooperate with the Abyssal Hunters in finding the lost dreadnought.
Specter
The golden... dreadnought.
Inquisitor Irene
......
Gladiia
I have no objections.
High Inquisitor Dario
I would've thought contact between Ægir and Iberia would give you pause.
Gladiia
Contact? Ah... if you could breathe underwater, if you could visit our cities without the aid of equipment, then I would not mind showing you a true display of Ægir's technology.
Saint Carmen
We look forward to it, Madame Consul.
Saint Carmen
A Tercio of the Penal Battalion will immediately shore several dual-use warships at Gran Faro, establish a camp, and clean up the harbor in preparation.
Saint Carmen
Dario, Irene, go with the Abyssal Hunters. Prioritize securing a sea route to the Eye of Iberia. Pass your judgment on arrival.
High Inquisitor Dario
As you command.
Gladiia
Kal'tsit, should...
Gladiia
Should time be of the essence, I will prioritize reestablishing contact with Ægir.
Kal'tsit
A voyage to the deep sea is a treacherous affair to us all, but for you, it will simply be a trip back home.
Kal'tsit
You will find that ship, and you will find a way back to Ægir. I leave the details to your discretion.
Gladiia
Perhaps it will be far in the future when next we meet.
Kal'tsit
So long as you remember our words. We hope that once you've returned, you will be able to reevaluate all that Ægir has suffered.
Gladiia
......
Saint Carmen
Then let us make haste. We will—
Jordi
Ah—
Elysium
Sorry, Dr. Kal'tsit. Uh, ever since the part about the lighthouse, Jordi's been—
High Inquisitor Dario
The Ægir, perfect. I have much to ask you.
Kal'tsit
Wait.
High Inquisitor Dario
Who are you?
Jordi
I... I'm a resident of this town, my name is Jordi.
Inquisitor Irene
There shouldn't be any Ægir in Gran Faro! Our dossier says there are records of collusion between the Ægir and the Church of the Deep!
High Inquisitor Dario
Who are your parents?
Jordi
My... my parents were lighthouse technicians. They gave their lives for the Eye of Iberia.
Jordi
My house is filled with dusty blueprints, I... I may have never actually seen the lighthouse, but...
Jordi
I want to. The meaning of my homeland... the meaning of my parents' lifelong struggle... I, uh...
High Inquisitor Dario
You may not. The Inquisition must first interrogate you.
Gladiia
And why should I consider protecting a feeble civilian in a melee?
Kal'tsit
What if he were a descendant of Breogan?
Gladiia
What? But he looks nothing like the photographic records of Breogan.
Inquisitor Irene
Even if it's true, we should be demanding he turn over what's left of his family's legacy, and let the Inquisition take over the research.
Inquisitor Irene
High Inquisitor!
High Inquisitor Dario
......
Saint Carmen
What is your name, Ægir?
Jordi
...Jordi. Jordi Fontanarossa. My uncle told me that—
Saint Carmen
Then you should know what awaits you for voluntarily appearing before the Inquisition.
Jordi
I... I know.
Saint Carmen
Irene.
Inquisitor Irene
Yes, sir!
Saint Carmen
Seize him.
Saint Carmen
...And take him with you.
Inquisitor Irene
Yes... Er, what?
Saint Carmen
That was what you wished for, was it not?
Kal'tsit
Thank you, Lord. Nevertheless, my greatest hope is to see true, enduring cooperation between Ægir and Iberia.
Saint Carmen
Even the longest journey starts with a single step.
Kal'tsit
Then we don't have a moment to lose. We will let the Eye of Iberia gaze upon the desolate sea once again.
