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-A New Home-
Video: Act 3 Scene 5, Torn Asunder
Who's right?
Cicero! You need to hear this.
Someone's been quite the artist.
Oli.
What?
His name.
Are you... joking?
I think it suits him. He was a p-p-person, once before, after all.
Vasco, enough, please, we have more important things to talk about.
What's the matter?
What Oli saw at the Misted Aisles triggered something. A m-m-memory.
He patched it up?
And more. There was text that had been inscribed onto it. His memory is returning.
Who was he, that he knows so much?
I can ask when he w-w-akes up.
... He's sleeping?
Don't worry. Just a nap.
Well, what does it say, then? Anything about the artefacts?
It essentially reads a warning, written by the ruler of the empire during the months before it fell.
Is this the same emperor who won the civil war?
The one that championed that the artefacts should be hidden, yes.
If this is to be believed, then he admitted that the war had been a mistake.
A strange turnaround.
Not after you witness the crumbling of your empire. The artefacts were separated, hidden, and the Dimenticate empire fell.
Nothing new, there.
No, listen to this. "And, one by one, unprotected by our celestial boon, our cities fell to the other gods. The chaos of the land bred, and the war of the divine raged on."
Other gods?
In the scroll that Lucia gave you, we learned about a chaos that consumed the lands, that we suspect led to the Cataclysm.
Well there have been no reports from the neighbouring regions about rampaging divines, and Ombre is a godless city, so...
"To those in times not yet past, if, among the bones of my people, you find our legacies... if those legacies give you strength... know that the Schemer, Bre-Ag, still lives. And if one god can survive, know that he might not be alone. Do not follow my mistake. Reclaim the Schemer's gifts."
Their legacy...? The Mascherines?
The artefacts were a part of their god. It isn't a stretch to believe that the Mascherines draw their power from him as well.
And if he's still alive, somewhere...
He might not be the only one.
And the threat of a Cataclysm is real.
Ages... Lucia was right.
There's more, Cicero. The images.
... The artefacts?
Yes. Look.
A... tree?
It might explain how it's been alive for so long.
We have to go. Two of you, stay here. Look after the fey and-
Oli.
Oli. When he wakes up, get him to tell you where the last artefact is. The rest of you get ready.
quote:
Fey(Oli)
Seeing this fey, birthed from my memories and given life by my experiences, brings about a strange sensation. It is at once a part of me yet apart from me. It is independent in its action, but I cannot help but feel connected to it, and it's more than just because of the fact that I created it. As it exists and acts, I feel like I can read it, or at least sense its intentions.
I have read nothing about this connection, and no one else has spoken of anything remotely similar. It leaves me wondering if there might be something more to this bond between us, something more that tethers us together, or if I am just imagining it.
These are not questions for the present, however. For now, there is more important work to be done.
He'll be all right. Takes after you quite a b-b-bit, actually.
Why do you say that?
There's a... determination in the way he moves, an authority in the way he speaks.
Is that a compliment?
He's rather malodorous, too, in case I haven't m-m-mentioned. How's that for a compliment?
Almost too kind, from you.
Go on, Cicero. I'll be ready in a bit.
What, gods?
It's quite a discovery. That they might still live. Whatever that means.
I might perhaps be more affected if it were more... affecting.
They're gods we're talking about.
And I know nothing about them. How am I supposed to let an idea influence me if it's still cloaked in questions? Whatever it is, we should leave soon. I don't quite enjoy sitting around like this.
Gods coming back, end of the world, whatever, let's just go kill shit.
I'm sorry?
You look a little pale.
I was just... Gods, Cicero.
Gods?
Alive. What does that even mean? That they walk among us? All the gods in the foreign religions are all just... concepts, and now...?
You can't be sure the term means the same thing to the Dimenticate as it does to us. For all you know, Bre-Ag could've simply been a talented mortal.
A talented mortal who gives part of himself to create artifacts that allow us to bend the elements of the physical realm itself? Perhaps your idea of 'talented mortal' needs a little redefining.
Listen, Amadea, we don't know enough to make any judgments. What we do know, however, is that out there are powerful artefacts that we need to secure, and that's all that matters right now, all right?
... Of course. You're right, I shouldn't be straying.
Good. Now let's get ready.
You were right. You said yesterday that you were concerned about how much bigger this investigation might get.
Now you see what I mean.
Do you think it might be true? That gods might exist?
What do you mean?
If they do... then religions can't all be lies, can they?
You're thinking about your brother?
Maybe there is a promised land. Maybe the Illisians got it right, with Asharimal. Maybe I'll get to see him again.
Perhaps. But until then...
Right. We have work to do.
-Cicero's Theme-
I am. The Hall of Songs, please.
Right away.
Defeating Judgemaster Fedelta is a major milestone: it's where you reach forty skill points.
Why does that matter? Because maxing out any one skill costs eight points, and each party member can have five skills in play at any one time--four attacks and their passive. That means forty is the highest amount of skill points you can have in play at any one time.
You actually end up with forty-five skill points altogether, which you could invest in a fifth attack skill that won't need a full respec to swap in, but on NG+ with its unlimited respecs those remaining five points are...well, pointless. So we can think of this as max level. 
In the mural it seemed like the artefact was inside the Singing Tree itself. How are you intending on confirming that?
If there is anyone who can tell us the history of the Singing Tree, it's Mira Bas. Hopefully she can tell us more.
But do you think she even knows if-
Wait. Is that-
No.
-Destiny in the Hall of Songs-
NO!
Damn it!
Orlana!
Maskrunners!
Maskrunners. They swarmed the Hall. I don't know why or-
Mira Bas. Where is she?
Over there, at the Tree.
Get those you can to safety.
But-
Look around you, Orlana, the Hall is lost!
I... All right. Take care of her, Cicero.
quote:
Songstresses and Mecantare
Mecantare, the Media practiced by Songstresses, is not too different from Merumento. Both involve music, but the instrument wielded by the Songstresses is their voice.
Research into Mecantare has been significantly less compared to the other Media, partly because of the recentness of its discovery and party due to the low numbers of people able to practice the Media. Mecantare seems to be the only Media that cannot simply be learnt - there is some degree of aptitude that seems to be required for one to become a Songstress, and for a strange reason, that aptitude has yet to be found in a male member of society. Again, the reasons for this being so are not clear - the Vegilus have tried to study Mecantare in greater depth, but the ephemeral nature of its practice has made answers difficult to glean.
Though Songstresses do not often find themselves in battle, they are well-equipped should the need for self-defence arise. The abilities of a Songstress involve emanating waves of elemental energy that have the ability to spontaneously set opponents aflame, or cover them in sheets of ice.
Mira Bas!
The Tree, Cicero!
What?
Their leader - she's ascending it. They're here for something.
The artefact.
What?
Stay here. I'm going up.
Cicero-
Tend to your Songstresses, Mira.
... Be safe, Cicero.
Get them!
Lucia, stop.
she has the power of updog
Impossible...
Do you see, now, what you could have gained?
It doesn't have to be this way.
Yes. Yes it does. Do not let him follow me.
Lucia!
Mira.
Mira's voice fades in & out of the background music as she battles with Dactites offscreen.
Hang in there, Mira.
Argh!
Come on, Mira, don't stop, please.
That should be the last of them.
Good. Now quick- No... NO!
-Silence-
NO!
-Requiem for the Bells Unrung-
Mira.
My boy.
Hold on-
My time is long over.
Mira, please-
... Sing a good song for me.
Mira?
Mira!
No... No!
-Destiny in the Hall of Songs-
-It Begins at the Ending-
Lucia!
Don't stop.
You were right!
What...?
... You understand.
I don't want there to be another Cataclysm.
We are on the same page, you and I. I knew you would see it!
Our goals are the same, yes... but you cannot achieve them this way.
No, no, no, no, no! You are so close to understanding-
Wake up and look at the fires, Lucia! What will you be saving? A ruined city?
And you believe your ways will be better? The ways of you who fled?
Yes.
Then you are wrong!
Mira Bas is dead because of you!
The Lady has-
The Lady does not have it figured out! You said she has a plan for me. How can you believe that when I am standing against you? She is not a god, Lucia. She is as fallible as you and I. You know she was born mortal.
No. You are wrong. She plans to unite the Citte-
You have just destroyed the one thing holding it together!
You are wrong! Why is the Seed in my hands and not yours?! Get to the White Spire. Give the command. Seal the streets and don't let them follow me.
No!
*BOOM*
Damn it!
You've seen the power she wields, Cicero, we cannot-
We must try!
But the coach-
The coach cannot move through the collapsed streets. We go on foot. Tell the twins to find a way to the Registry and meet us there.