The Awakening of the Shadows
After the dissolution of the Herald of Silence , Akihiko , Lirea , and Yoru stand in the heart of a transformed city. Peace seems to have arrived, but something still lingers in the air. The Combined Void has dissolved the distortion, but a shadow still moves through the cracks of the new reality. Akihiko senses that the Void is no longer just his power, but part of the city itself, a persistent echo that will never cease to exist. In the darkest corners of Edenfall, long-forgotten memories whisper, waiting for something, or someone, to awaken them.
The Prophecy of the Void
As the sun rises over the reborn city, Akihiko walks the streets with Lirea and Yoru , observing the changes. Edenfall has regenerated, but regeneration does not mean oblivion. The city's inhabitants begin to remember what had been lost, but some are not ready to confront what they have forgotten. In the distance, a new structure begins to rise, a tower that seems to defy the laws of nature, built upon the ruins of the Iron Temple. Akihiko senses that something new is taking shape, something beyond comprehension, as if the city itself is reclaiming its own destiny.
III. The Herald of Oblivion
Akihiko finds himself in a darkened room, before a table covered in ancient documents. Among the papers, he finds a familiar symbol: the Herald of Oblivion , a name that echoed in past conflicts. However, this Herald is unlike any before. It is a being capable of erasing not only history, but identity itself. As he reads further, Akihiko realizes that the Herald of Oblivion has an even more sinister goal: it not only wants to control the future of Edenfall, but to rewrite the very nature of its memories. In doing so, it intends to erase the city's collective memory forever, obliterating all traces of the events that defined its existence. The battle against the Herald will be different. It will be a fight for identity.
The Encounter with the Shadow
The city begins to darken once more. A sudden chill runs through the streets, as if the city itself were trembling before the arrival of the Herald of Oblivion . Lirea , exploring the Edenfall market, feels a shiver run down her spine. The Herald 's presence is palpable, though she cannot see him. In an empty alley, a figure emerges from the shadows: it is the Herald of Oblivion , now taking form. His face is not visible, but his presence is unbearable, as if everything she had been were vanishing at the mere sight of him. Lirea confronts him, but her mind begins to distort. The memories of her own life fade, as if they had never existed. Akihiko and Yoru feel the same pressure, as if their very identities are being ripped from their being.
The Void in the City
The entire city begins to slip into a state of amnesia. People start to forget what was once important to them. Memories fade, and the faces of loved ones blur. Akihiko , Lirea , and Yoru face an internal struggle, trying to hold onto what remains of their memories. The Combined Void technique seems to be their only remaining defense. Together, the trio invokes a new version of the technique, one that must keep the Void at bay as they battle the shadows of the Herald of Oblivion . The battle becomes a fight to preserve the very essence of the city.
The Fall of the Mask of Oblivion
Upon confronting the Herald , Akihiko discovers that the true nature of its power is darker than he imagined. The Void can not only destroy, but also create. Serah V. had learned to use Void energy to give life to what no longer exists, but in a twisted way. Akihiko struggles to reconfigure Void energy and free it from the Herald of Oblivion's control . At the climactic moment of the fight, Lirea uses the power of Reflective Resonance, reflecting the city's lost memories back into the Herald 's heart . The Herald of Oblivion 's mask falls away, revealing its face: it is not a being, but a manifestation of the city itself, an echo of collective forgetting.
VII. The Rewriting of Destiny
With the fall of the Herald of Oblivion , the cycle seems to have reached its end, but Akihiko knows he cannot rest yet. The Prophecy of the Void is not just a bad omen, but a warning. The city's memories are fragile and must be preserved to prevent a new distortion from erasing them. Akihiko and Lirea begin working on a new technique, something capable of rewriting the narrative of Edenfall without altering its essence. The city must be rebuilt, but this time, with the memories intact, preserved in their true form.
VIII. The Rebirth of the Forgotten City
As the city begins to heal, its citizens reclaim what they had lost. Akihiko , Lirea, and Yoru realize that the battle wasn't just against the Herald of Oblivion , but against the very nature of the city. Edenfall is not just a place; it is a reflection of the struggle between memory and oblivion, between existence and disappearance. The city begins to shine with a new light, one that reflects both its history and its future. Akihiko and his companions understand that the cycle of the Void is eternal, yet it grows stronger each time , more capable of adapting. Edenfall has been reborn, but the mark of the Void will always remain.
The Link that Unites the Void
In the days following the fall of the Herald of Oblivion , Akihiko finds himself alone, gazing at the horizon from the edge of the city. The Void remains a part of him, but now he understands it better. The essence of Edenfall, what makes it unique, is that it has learned to live with the Void, not fear it. The city is now connected by a force that is both destructive and creative. And Akihiko knows that, even though he has defeated the Herald , what comes next will be far greater: the rebirth of a new Edenfall.
Epilogue – The Last Cycle of Emptiness
The city is at peace, for now. But Akihiko knows the cycle isn't over. The Void always returns. Yet, in this moment, it's possible to see a glimmer of light amidst the shadows, a ray of hope. Edenfall has become more than just a city: it's a reflection of all that it has been and all that it will be. The Void has left its mark, but Akihiko knows that, in the end, it will be the power of memory that keeps the city alive. And with that certainty, he gazes at the horizon, where the future begins to unfold.