Zofia Castle

Alm: ……

Celica: So this is where you were.

Alm: Huh? Oh, hey, Celica.

Celica: You aren’t going to be late to your own coronation, are you?

Alm: No. …Of course not. I’m just still wrapping my head around sitting on your father’s throne. None of it feels real.

Celica: …It isn’t my father’s throne. This isn’t Zofia any longer, Alm. It’s the One Kingdom of Valentia. And you’re going to be its first ruler.

Alm: Celica…

Celica: Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t bear him any grudge. Not now. I just think he was a very sad man. Perhaps if I’d been there with him, I might have helped him change. If I have any regrets, it’s that.

Alm: I know what you mean… Neither of us got the chance to stand by our fathers. If we’d been given the opportunity to learn more about each other, maybe things would’ve turned out differently for us.

Celica: Perhaps it was the same for Mila and Duma.

Alm: Hmm… I wonder. They’d been fighting for centuries, right? Seems like a lost cause to me.

Celica: Alm! That’s a terrible thing to say!

Alm: Ah, sorry! I didn’t mean any disrespect. But they’re at peace now, you know? Asleep. …Together.

Celica: Yes. They’ll look down over this new Valentia forever from their mountaintop graves. …And the trees. Do you know of them, Alm? They say that where divine dragons sleep, sacred trees take root and grow.

Alm: Wow. Must be some trees.

Celica: In time, yes. They grow for hundreds, even thousands of years. Who can say what Valentia will look like once they’ve matured? Will man’s endeavors continue without the grace and strength of the gods?

Alm: They won’t continue on their own. We have to make it happen. We’ll forge a land where we can do just that. All of us—together.

Celica: That sounds lovely, Alm. And you’re right. I know we can do it.

Alm: We can…and we will. I think Mila and Duma gave us one last gift… The strength to trust in our own abilities. …Anyway, it’s time. Let’s go, Celica.

Celica: Gladly.

(Image of the masses welcoming Alm and Celica)

Narrator: And so the long war drew to a close. After countless sacrifices, at last, a new peace dawned in Valentia. Was it inexorable fate that saw this conflict erupt? No man or woman alive can say. Only one truth is clear: War will come again, when man grows proud and slothful once more, and its flames will devour one and all, raging until the very earth itself lies scorched and bare of life. For whatever madness lay in the hearts of gods… a darkness deeper still beats wild in the hearts of man…

Character Endings

Alm

As first king of the One Kingdom of Valentia, Alm spent his life restoring the continent to glory. He would be remembered fondly by later generations as Saint-King Alm I, who cast off the gods’ oppressive yoke and founded a dynasty that would last a thousand years.

Celica

In marrying Alm, Celica became the first queen of the One Kingdom of Valentia, and aided her king with wisdom and compassion. Believed by the people to be a reincarnation of Mila, she was universally loved for her work fostering peace within the nascent kingdom.

Mycen

As the One Kingdom’s new chancellor—and right-hand man to King Alm I—good Sir Mycen worked tirelessly toward the kingdom’s restoration. Despite his formal standing and title, the king and queen continued to love him like a grandfather.

Nomah

After spearheading the unification of the Mila and Duma Faithful, Nomah became the new sect’s high priest. Despite being adored by a congregation numbering in the tens of thousands, his friends attest that he retained his playful, lighthearted nature all his life.

Lukas

Lukas joined the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights, and after retiring, founded a school where he devoted himself to his students’ education. His calm, intellectual mien won him many friends, and he never longed for companionship throughout the rest of his days.

Kliff

With the war over, Kliff bid Alm farewell and vanished—with some speculating that he left for a new continent. Decades later, a young man claiming to be Kliff’s son arrived in Valentia to serve the king. The boy was said to have a tremendous gift for magic.

Tobin

As one of the most scrupulous knights in the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood, Tobin spent his life serving his friend King Alm. The king, in turn, placed a great deal of trust in Tobin, eventually granting him both a title and his own castle.

(If Gray died)

Unable to move past Gray’s death, Tobin abruptly vanished before reappearing just as suddenly several years later. At King Alm’s suggestion, he joined the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights. The talkative, playful Tobin of old, however, was gone forever.

Gray

As a member of the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights, Gray worked diligently at restoring the continent. He applied himself equally to winning Clair’s heart, and beat Tobin out in the end. As he was heard to say, “Pick the guy with the big heart, not the pretty face.”

(If Tobin died)

Devastated by Tobin’s death, Gray was nearly lost to the demon drink until Clair convinced him to clean up. After declining knighthoods in the One Kingdom, the two married and lived out quiet lives. Gray was especially fond of his son, whom he named after his friend.

(If Clair died)

Having lost the woman he loved, Gray surprised even himself by embracing the life of a vagabond and setting off for parts unknown. His friends spared no effort in attempting to track him down, but it was to no avail.

Faye

Unable to get Alm out of her mind, Faye returned to her old life in Ram Village. Eventually, she met and married a suitor who claimed he did not mind her pining for the king, though her habit of vanishing without notice for days at a time continued to worry her new family.

Clair

As a knight of the One Kingdom, Clair worked hard on behalf of the continent. In time, Gray’s tenacity won her over, and she became his wife and then a mother. But Clair never stayed grounded—she and her pegasus continued to race across the sky, gawkers be damned.

(If Gray died)

Gray’s death left Clair feeling betrayed and alone, but she joined the knights of the One Kingdom and contributed greatly to their growth. The people were enamored with her melancholy beauty, which was a splash of color amidst the mostly dour men of the Brotherhood.

Clive

Clive was appointed the first captain of the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights. His talent and honesty made him popular with commoners and nobles alike, and under his leadership, the knights flourished. He and his lovely wife were objects of the people’s envy.

(If Mathilda died)

His heart still heavy from the loss of Mathilda, Clive was appointed captain of the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights. A few short years later, he was killed in a skirmish with pirates. The people grieved deeply over the young loss of so fine a knight.

Forsyth

Forsyth joined the One Kingdom’s knights after the war, working hard to bring order back to the land. Time took off some of his more caustic edges, and he served many years alongside Clive as a poised and thoughtful lieutenant.

(If Clive died)

Forsyth joined the One Kingdom’s knights after the war, and he lived his life for them as the late Clive would have wanted. Time took off some of Forsyth’s more caustic edges, giving him a poised and thoughtful demeanor that reminded many of his old commander.

(If Python died)

Forsyth joined the One Kingdom’s knights after the war. The loss of Python left him empty, which is perhaps why he volunteered to go to the borderlands to bring the king’s peace. He met and wed a woman from the area, and the two never returned to the capital.

Python

While the One Kingdom offered him a knighthood, Python chose a quieter life as head of a frontier militia that defended villages and towns from brigands. His old friend would visit now and then, often with a bottle the two would use to wile the night away.

(If Forsyth died)

Python accepted a knighthood from the One Kingdom, growing into a new man who worked diligently— almost as if possessed by Forsyth. Sadly, he died a few short years later while fighting to suppress a rebellion, his wounds claiming him while he was far too young.

Mae

Mae returned to Novis and resumed her work at the priory with Boey. The two bickered endlessly before— and after—their wedding, while managing to raise many children during the pauses between barbs. Both of them often remarked that they couldn’t possibly be happier.

(If Boey died)

After the loss of her verbal sparring partner, Boey, Mae fell into a deep depression—but the encouragement of her friends eventually helped light return to her life. She spent her days helping others at the priory, where she was beloved for her kindness and wicked humor.

Silque

The war left Valentia with many wounded, and Silque traveled to the former Rigel to heal all that she could. Her exact path is difficult to retrace, but anecdotes survive across the continent telling of the countless lives she saved.

Genny

After falling in a most unlikely love, Genny wed a man no one would ever expect. As for whom she married, exactly, no one can say—whenever her friends asked, she replied only with a smile and an enigmatic laugh.

Boey

After returning to the priory on Novis, Boey weathered a trying courtship with Mae until the two were wed. Children came soon and in plentiful number, giving the pair a host of new excuses to argue. Joy takes curious forms at times, but Boey was a happy man indeed.

(If Mae died)

Only after losing Mae did Boey realize the nature and intensity of his feelings for her. Wracked with regret, he poured himself into his work, ultimately succeeding Nomah as high priest of the priory. He spent his life there aiding the poor in humble—yet rewarding—service.

Conrad

Post-war, Conrad put down his lance and took up a quill, beginning a long career as a civil servant. Following Mycen’s retirement, he became chancellor, shepherding Valentia’s prosperity for years. Despite an endless chain of suitors, he remained single all his life.

Kamui

Intrigued by Jesse’s idea, Kamui helped to found a kingdom of mercenaries, and lived there happily for a time. In the end, however, his wanderlust prevailed—one day he went for a stroll and simply vanished, never to be seen again.

(If Jesse died)

Kamui established a new kingdom of, and for, mercenaries in what was once Grieth’s territory. Relations with Valentia were favorable, with Kamui often aiding the king in times of need. In later life, his efforts earned him fame and respect as “the Steel Amidst the Sand.”

Leon

Welcomed into the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights, Leon remained at Valbar’s side until an injury ended his fighting career. He then took up work as a merchant in the city market, where he lived free, happy, and dauntlessly true to himself to the last.

(If Valbar died)

Dealt a grievous blow by Valbar’s death, Leon disappeared for a time before returning to join the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights. There, he fought with the strength of a hundred men, and later served as an instructor to new recruits, contributing greatly to the order.

Valbar

Valbar joined the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights at Alm’s request, where he worked to train the next generation. Well-loved for his open and honest nature, he spent his years happily surrounded by friends and admirers.

Mathilda

Mathilda cast her armor aside and wed Clive. She was rarely seen in public after that, having perhaps chosen to support her husband behind the scenes instead. However, her legendary exploits as a knight are sure to live on forever in Valentian history.

(If Clive died)

Clive’s death forced Mathilda to carry on in his place as captain of the One Kingdom’s Brotherhood of Knights. The grief in her heart steeled her, and she became a key figure in the kingdom’s growth. Her legendary exploits are sure to live on forever in Valentian history.

Atlas

After returning to the mountain home where his brothers waited, Atlas resumed life as a lumberjack— though his work defending the village from bandits continued to win him admiration. While retired from the army, he was always first to aid the queen in times of need.

Jesse

After successfully founding a mercenary kingdom in Grieth’s former land, Jesse then proved successful at ruling it. In times of strife, he worked with Alm to secure peace. Tales of his valor are told even now, in which he’s reverentially called “the Steel Amidst the Sand.”

Sonya

Sonya’s search for a cure for women turned into witches took her across the land. Her trail ended in a remote region, after which she was never seen again. Rumors fly, however, that shortly thereafter a new witch took up residence in Nuibaba’s abode on Fear Mountain.

Deen

Shortly after the war, Deen vanished without a trace, along with the Brave Sword. No record exists of his whereabouts thereafter.

Saber

Along with Jesse, Saber helped build the foundation for a new kingdom of, and for, mercenaries. He continued working as a sellsword for years to come and aided the One Kingdom on many occasions— always with his stunning bride by his side.

(If Jesse died)

Along with his stunning bride, Saber toiled to rebuild Valentia. Though he never officially enlisted as a knight, he put his mercenary skills and experience to work traveling the land and mediating local struggles—either with a fist of steel or a pint of ale.

Luthier

Painfully aware of the inadequacy of his magic, Luthier journeyed across the sea. What he did there is unclear, but stories tell of a steady stream of angry ruffians who later came to Valentia with a bone to pick with an eccentric mage…

Delthea

After the war, Delthea decided to lock away her magic and pursue a wild and happy life as an ordinary woman. She found herself the perfect husband at court, but made a point to return to her village often, where she would liven things up with tales of her brother.

Tatiana

Tatiana prayed that Zeke’s memory would remain hazy, and the two eventually did live something of a happy life. Though they were parted at times, Zeke always returned to Tatiana’s side in the end.

(If Zeke died)

Her true love lost, Tatiana holed up in her priory and devoted herself to prayer. One old friend could not bear to see her alone in such a way, and he made it a point to woo her. Eventually, his efforts overcame her grief, and they were wed.

Catria

Having rescued Est as planned, Catria returned home in triumph. Tales of her further exploits line the pages of Archanea’s history books.

(If Palla or Est died)

Though painful loss hung over her return home like a dark cloud, the annals of Archanean history are replete with tales of Catria’s glorious exploits later in life.

Palla

Having rescued Est as planned, Palla returned home in triumph. Tales of her further exploits line the pages of Archanea’s history books.

(If Catria or Est died)

Though painful loss hung over her return home like a dark cloud, the annals of Archanean history are replete with tales of Palla’s glorious exploits later in life.

Est

Successfully reunited with her sisters, Est returned home in triumph. Tales of her further exploits line the pages of Archanea’s history books.

(If Palla or Catria died)

Though painful loss hung over her return home like a dark cloud, the annals of Archanean history are replete with tales of Est’s glorious exploits later in life.

Zeke

The fires of war had illuminated the dark recesses of Zeke’s memory. But he loved Tatiana too much to burden her with his tortuous past, so he chose to bear it in silence as they lived out their lives together.

(If Tatiana died)

The loss of Tatiana, the woman who had loved him deeply and unconditionally, shook Zeke with grief. He abruptly vanished from Valentia shortly after the war ended, and while some claim to have sighted him in Archanea, none of those sightings were confirmed.

(Image of the Mila Tree)

The End