The Dream of the Forgotten City
The streets of Edenfall are plunged into a darkness that seems eternal. The buildings, though still standing, feel empty. It's not the lack of light that makes them desolate, but the emptiness of purpose. The citizens walk in silence, like shadows of themselves, aimless, without destination. In the central plaza, the echo of footsteps resonates, but there are no words. The echoes of the past have been absorbed by the stillness, and no one remembers the sounds of the vibrant city. Akihiko watches from the shadows, noticing that what was once his home now seems like an empty shell, a collective dream that never awakened.
The Ruin of the Iron Legacy
Beneath the ruins of the Iron Temple , a remnant of a forgotten mafia, Akihiko, Lirea, and Yoru find the marks of what remains of the former guardians. Their bodies have become statues, but their souls seem still present. Each of their footprints left a memory etched into the metal. The air thickens. Lirea feels that the memories of those souls still struggle to surface. An icy wind sweeps through the temple's depths, as if the dead are crying out to be heard. Yoru places his hand on one of the statues, but at the touch, he receives not a vision, but a weighty sensation, as if the memories cannot be released. The city has learned to forget, and the memories of the dead never find their way.
III. The Echo of the Lost Mask
Inside the temple's main hall, a shattered mask lies on a table. Akihiko approaches slowly, his reflection distorted in the broken fragments. As he touches it, a deep rumble echoes throughout the temple. A gust of wind forms within the broken mask, and from it emerges a spectral figure. It is not human, but something that seems to be part of the city itself: the Echo of the Lost Mask , an entity born from the souls that were unable to find rest. It speaks in whispers, a forgotten language that cannot be fully understood. Akihiko feels a heaviness in his chest, as if he is being invaded by the shadow of oblivion.
The Call of the Shadows
The Echo of the Lost Mask is not merely a figure, but a force that manipulates perception. Its words are not heard, but felt. Yoru attempts to attack, but her movements are slowed, her senses disoriented. Lirea , hearing the Echo's whisper, begins to recall her own inner darkness: her mother's sacrifice, the weight of betrayal. But Akihiko is unwilling to yield. He uses the Void to create a mental barrier, preventing the mask's shadows from penetrating his mind. The mask begins to disintegrate, but before vanishing completely, it leaves a word etched in the air: "Who are you? "
The Return of the Combined Void
The Echo fades, but the impact of its presence remains. Akihiko , now with a greater understanding of himself, knows he cannot face the darkness consuming Edenfall alone. Lirea watches him as his mind processes what has transpired. Together, they invoke a combined technique: the Combined Void . A state where they both merge to create an unbreakable form of energy. This energy does not seek to destroy the enemy, but rather to erase the very root of their existence, the place where darkness is born. The Combined Void envelops the city, absorbing all that remains of the memories of the dead.
The Test of Infinite Oblivion
After freeing the trapped souls, the trio ventures into the heart of the city. There, they encounter a structure that resembles a portal, a gateway to the unknown. Lirea places her hand over the entrance, and as she does, a wave of forgotten memories surges forth. She sees Edenfall's past, its founding, and the dark pacts the city has concealed for generations. The portal seems to feed on these memories, erasing them. Akihiko senses that the portal is not merely a step into the future, but a test. If they are to save what remains of Edenfall, they must confront the darkness of their own memories.
VII. The Gravity of Unreleased Feelings
Upon crossing the portal, the group finds themselves in a space suspended in time. Everything is still, as if the past never existed. Yoru , exposed to this void, begins to feel the absence of everything that had been important to him. Repressed emotions rise around him, and he cannot avoid confronting his greatest fear: the idea that he had never truly been free. Lirea , like him, also begins to doubt her own actions, the sacrifices she made to get here. Time seems to stop, and for a moment, they all feel trapped by their own memories.
VIII. The Sacrifice of Living Oblivion
end of the space, a familiar figure appears: Serah V. She has returned, not as an enemy, but as the embodiment of Living Oblivion . She is the manifestation of what Edenfall had forgotten: the unmade choices, the broken pacts. Serah V. speaks to them of the sacrifice necessary to restore balance: they must leave behind everything they are, their memories, their pasts, so that Edenfall can exist again. But Akihiko knows that this is not the solution. He confronts Serah, using his power of the Void to eradicate the very root of oblivion. The fight is not physical, but a battle of the mind. And in the climactic moment, Akihiko faces the truth: he must let go of the city he knew, so that it can be reborn.
The Rebirth of the Combined Void
By accepting the sacrifice, Edenfall begins to transform. The Void that Akihiko and Lirea had unleashed now begins to purify the city. It doesn't destroy, but rather cleanses what was broken. The shadows of the mafias fall away, forgotten memories dissipate, and Edenfall is reborn in a state of calm. However, Akihiko and Lirea 's sacrifice does not go unnoticed. The world stands still for a moment, but something in the air shifts. The future of Edenfall now rests in the hands of those who remain.
The Mark of the New Way
On the horizon, a new mark appears in the sky. A dark figure emerges from the void, the figure of the new enemy, the one yet to be revealed, but whose presence will shape the future. Akihiko and Lirea watch from afar, knowing their journey has reached a critical point. The final cycle has begun. The end of oblivion is only the beginning of the next chapter.