Episode 43

The party celebrates their victory with a feast in the meadows. Lily can be seen flying with the other aasimar, but her wings don’t disappear as they usually do. As the group drinks and lounges together, they decide to share their reasons for why they started adventuring.

K says he decided to join so that he could bring honor to his name.

Anthos admits he joined for the fighting and booze.

Lily’s family would have been homeless, so she started adventuring for the chance to earn gold.

Seipora wanted a change of pace, and she thought adventuring would be fun!

Ingred joined because she desired freedom and wanted to pursue new knowledge.

Seipora brings up the fact that those who join Basalt don’t really have freedom due to the debts they acquired as trainees. Ingred seems surprised. It’s also brought up that Basalt is able to track their adventurers with the stones they were given.

The party eventually notices that Mixy is gone. They ask Remiel where she went. He says that she has left with Nikinen and decides to lead them further down the foyer into a new, severely bright hallway. They are guided through an archway, revealing an open grove that spreads into a glade of some sort. An enormous golden-leafed tree rests in the center of this glade, branching out similarly to that of a cherry blossom tree. Nikinen is with Mixy, who appears to be talking to the unique plant. Nikinen welcomes them and introduces the group to the heavenly tree. Anthos appears to recognize the plant, and he speaks of how the orchards of these trees would sing. He asks Nikinen if they can be propagated on this plane, which she responds by saying that Mixy may be able to do so if the tree decides to fruit. He approaches the tree and has a private moment with a very still Mixy. She seemingly is absorbed into the tree, becoming one with it. As petals rain down from the tree, they hear Mixy’s voice, soft and angelic, echo through the glade. She announces that she will be staying with the tree, and her butterfly flutters over to give each party member a kiss on the nose.

As the party tries to digest the loss of another member Nikinen offers to answer one more question for each of them.

Lily whispers her question to Nikinen, but asks louder if she may have a symbol of The Father to carry. Nikinen gives Lily the eye from her staff, which is promptly replaced by a new one.

K asks if Zariel is still alive. She answers that Zariel descended to become a god of hell. They don’t have to worry about her, only the cult of Ebony Wings. He also whispers a question to her, and is given a hug before he goes back to the rest of the group.

Seipora asks her question in a similar manner and is also given a hug by Nikinen.

Ingred asks where she can find Rosa. Nikinen says that she cannot see the woman, but Ingred might have luck looking for her in the Tian Region.

The choir of aasimar return to Nikinen, and she proposes that Anthos may be given a memory back. He decides to re-claim a memory of his traveling companions. After Anthos spaces out for a while, Nikinen clarifies that most of his companions are gone, aside from one by the name of Hokthis, the demon. He can be found in the Tyvia Region.

The party says their thanks and goodbyes to the prophet. Seipora draws out a dimensional circle on the ground and teleports the party to the liceum. As they apparate into the room the lights quickly change into a bright shade of red, the sounds of shouting can be heard outside the room about releasing defensive protocols. The group is slammed into the ground with a gravity spell as a mage slams open the doors, their hands prepared to cast a spell at the sudden intruders. The mage recognizes the party and releases them from the spell. To prevent future confusion Seipora is taken away by two other mages. After a while of waiting for the bard the group chooses to talk to her through their stones. Seipora says to get Press, and the party watches as the archmage of the liceum passes by looking rather frustrated. Lily and K decide to follow him. After a short while everyone meets back in the lobby, their issues apparently settled.

The party heads back to Basalt. After taking a brief look at Iridescent Soulfire’s banners they run into Press’s assistant, who seems to be very flustered. She is glad to see the party safe and sound, and already knows that Mixy is no longer with them. The party returns to the company and wakes Press up from his nap to speak with him. He admits that they may or may not get another party member due to their strange habit of losing members. Ingred asks Press about the fees, pushing that the lack of details is rather shady. She shuts up after Press warns her to keep her peace, or he will tell them about her time in Aima. Seipora discusses the issues that occurred in the liceum. The meeting is short, and afterwards the party splits up. Lily offers to take Seipora and Ingred to her family’s home, and Anthos and K leave to do their own private errands.

As everyone returns to the common room they decide it would be best to hold a goodbye ceremony for their deceased party member, Emilia. Ingred doesn’t join them, instead retiring for the night.