Dialogue Masterpost

[beaffrayed]

Our End

Fray ...Is this it? Is this all that awaits?
Fray No... No more. Enough...
Fray Open your eyes. Look. Do you see now? Do you see?
Fray [Player Name]...[Player Name]!
Fray ...I've been waiting for you to open your eyes.
Fray You all right? You were moaning in your sleep and sweating buckets besides.
Fray Name's Fray, by the way. And no, I'm not a heretic.
Fray Try convincing a Temple Knight drunk on authority of that, eh? Shame the pompous arse got the better of me.
Fray But how about you? You touched it, yes? That couldn't have felt good.
Fray A voice, eh? And a rather distressed one besides...
Scream Please, someone─anyone!
Fray Not so fast. We need to talk about what's happening to you─what's growing within you, before you get carried away.
Fray There's a darkness within us all─nothing dangerous, mind. In fact, it's quite healthy. But the crystal changes you─gives you the power to channel it.
Fray Do it without proper training, however, and...well...it might hurt.
Fray So go ahead─ask me to teach you. Ask me to instruct you in the ways of the dark knights, and I will.
Fray I know you're still worried about that screaming woman, so I'll keep this brief.
Fray We dark knights don't care one whit for prestige or pedigree. We are free to follow our hearts─to defend the weak and punish the guilty as we see fit.
Fray The law of the land? The authority of a name? These are tools cowards use to escape harm. We have no need of shields figurative or literal.
Fray Here─my blade is your blade, my soul crystal your crystal. Go on, take them. You'll need them soon enough.

Ishgardian Justice

Journal:
Fray speaks to you of the first dark knight─a goodly knight who sacrificed all in order to bring an untouchable man to justice. Too many fear the consequences such actions will bring, and innocents suffer for our indecision, s/he says. Consider her/his words as you seek out the source of the earlier scream.

Oh, how they screamed when you came for them. How their cries of anger turned to fear! How you bathed in the fires of your hatred to bring them to justice. Fray's words were music in your ears as they echoed in the Tribunal, as you promised them a reckoning should they dare speak of this day again...

As you tend to the girl afterwards, you ask if she recalls who it was that screamed your name when she was taken. She tells you, however, that only her grandmother cried out. Thanking you a final time, she hurries back towards the Brume, leaving you alone with Fray.

“You have done well,” Fray tells you. Far better than s/he could have hoped. But the risks will only increase as you walk further along the path. “Trust in me,” s/he asks, and you want to. You know that you need to...and that, when the time is right, s/he will be waiting for you where you first met.

Quest Script:
Fray Well, well, don't you look the part. Ready to harness the darkness within to set the wrong things right.
Fray Now, bear in mind that while the darkness gives you strength, that strength comes at cost. That is but one sacrifice, though─and justice demands many.
Fray Say a man─a venerable, untouchable man─harms a child in unspeakable ways. He strides through the Hoplon, secure in the knowledge that he is beyond punishment. But for one who cuts down that vile beast as he flaunts his freedom, who knows how many others will suffer?
Fray Such was the dilemma faced by a goodly knight long ago. He knew that he would be stripped of his titles and denounced for the deed.
Fray The threshold we refuse to cross is a line we draw for ourselves. We fear the consequences, and people suffer for our indecision.
Fray Everyone who held that crystal came to conquer that fear, and became who they wanted to be. That knight was the first. Will you be the next?
Fray Think on that while we look into the commotion down below.

Fray Ah, Ishgardian justice.
Fray They might spare the girl, you know. Leave her with a few scars and a lifelong lesson.
Fray ...Or we could beat every last one of them to within an ilm of their lives and rescue the girl. You'd like that, wouldn't you?
Fray I knew you would.
Fray Everything is going to be all right, madam. When I'm through with those knights, they will not dare trouble you ever again.

Fray Assuming they didn't just drag her into an alley, they've taken her to either the Congregation or the Tribunal.
Fray The honorable Ser Aymeric wouldn't suffer such reprehensible behavior under his roof. The inquisition, on the other hand...well.
Fray So that leaves the Tribunal.
Fray If the girl is still alive, I imagine they'll make all manner of threats. “Come any closer and she dies,” and so forth. If so, we'll need to make something perfectly clear to them...
Fray We're not here for her; we're here for you.
Fray Once they understand she means nothing to us, they'll attack us or flee. I don't know about you, but I'm eager to find out which.
Fray Just the one sword between the two of us, I'm afraid. You keep it─I daresay it fits rather snugly in your hands.
Fray But don't worry about me─I'll do my part to keep you on your feet.
Fray Now, should things turn violent─as I expect they shall─you may need to tap into your darkside to survive.
Fray It's not unlike drawing upon your own aether to weave magic.
Fray Fear, pain, rage─that which lies in the deepest depths of our soul makes for a potent fuel.
Fray But be warned: burn too much too quickly, and you risk being consumed.
Fray Do not worry, [Player Name]. The first step over the threshold is always the hardest.
Fray ...Ah, yes. I should've known you'd do that.
Fray Right, then. Let's find the girl.

Fray Feels good, doesn't it? Strange, maybe─but a good strange, I'll wager.
Fray You tapped into something primal. A power nestled within you, yearning to be free.
Fray As your understanding of this power grows, so too will your skill as a dark knight.
Fray You have done well─far better than I could have hoped, in fact. But there is still so much more to learn─so much further to go.
Fray I won't lie to you, [Player Name]. The risks will only increase. So if you want to keep going, you have to trust in me. Can you do that?
Fray Good. That's a promise.
Fray Circumstances being what they are, it might be best if we parted ways for a while. Think of it as an opportunity to hone your skills in my absence.
Fray But don't worry─we will meet again. When the time is right, I'll be waiting where we first met.
Fray It's only natural to have doubts. I appreciate your honesty.
Fray Give some thought to what I said. When you are ready, come and find me. I'll be waiting where we first met.

The Voice In The Abyss

Quest Journal:
The voice, some say, is a beacon, guiding the dark knight to her/his true calling. As you grow more accustomed to drawing upon your darkside, you will come to hear the voice more clearly. Such are Fray's words to you when you ask her/him of the voice. Communion will hasten this process, s/he continues─but it cannot be conducted in Ishgard. Journey with Fray to Little Ala Mhigo in southern Thanalan.

“I want you to kill something for me,” Fray asks. “Something fearsome, which will push you to your limits.” She/He wants to watch you thrive in that moment. And you want to show her/him.

Fray bids you approach and begin the rite of communion. Close your eyes and hold out your hand. Breathe deep through your nose─let the air fill your lungs, then let it pass from your lips. Slower, slower...

In the abyss, a wanderer's voice sings to you. Forever moving, without rest or respite... Though its meaning yet eludes you, Fray tells you not to be discouraged, further adding that it might belong to an individual whom you are fated to seek out. If so, none can say how long it might take to find them...but the mere thought of the journey stirs something within you...
Quest Dialogue:
Fray I had a feeling you'd come by [time of day], [Player Name]. And sure enough, there you are, eager to pick up where we left off.
Fray Let's start with a question, then. You must be burning with several after that last affair.
Fray Ah, yes, the voice. The one you heard when you first touched the crystal. An excellent question, but a difficult one to answer.
Fray Some say it is a beacon, guiding the dark knight to her/his true calling.
Fray Whose is it, you ask? Only you can discover that, for each knight must hearken to a different voice.
Fray As you grow more accustomed to drawing upon your darkside, you will come to hear it more clearly.
Fray Communion will hasten this process─but we dare not conduct the rites here, under the watchful eye of the Holy See.
Fray We will make for southern Thanalan. For Little Ala Mhigo.

Fray ...Why do you think I was detained by zealous Temple Knights who see heretics around every corner?
Fray There was a girl. An innocent. They wanted her, and I objected.
Fray Now then, are you ready to stop dancing around the real question and just ask?

Fray Oh, for the love of─ They're fine, both of them. You solved all of their problems. Happy?
Fray Now then, are you ready to stop dancing around the real question and just ask?

Fray Punctual as ever, I see.
Fray Communion, lest you worry, is rather simple. It is a ritual in which one nurtures the darkness within so that s/he may channel it more effectively in battle.
Fray Do not, however, presume the risks to be any less than before. Should you partake of it in excess, you will die. Or worse. So before we begin, I want you to do me a favor.
Fray I want you to kill something for me.

Fray Ah, they're close. I can feel their eyes upon us...
Fray Well, we're here. Show me who you are, [Player Name]. Show me what you can do.
Fray I'm waiting.
Fray They're just peistes, [Player Name]. Don't pretend you haven't done this before.
Fray That wasn't so hard, now was it?
Fray To mete out justice─to protect the weak from the strong and so forth─you yourself must be strong.
Fray Strength is pain. Strength is suffering. Strength is sacrifice.

Fray One foot...in front of the other...over and over again...
Fray To the ends of the world...and back again...
Fray And if time has no end...still forward and onward...over and over again...
Fray ...So. What did you hear?
Fray Interesting...but not terribly informative.
Fray But do not lose heart. That you were able to hear it once more is progress enough.
Fray I believe you will come to understand its words, and its will, in due time.
Fray ...I should mention that, in some instances, the voice is said to be that of another─one whom the dark knight is fated to seek out. If that is the case, you may have a long journey ahead of you...
Fray Heh, so you would welcome such a journey?
Fray There is something to be said for it─and for travel, for that matter. To roam free and help those in need...
Fray Yet no good deed goes unpunished, does it?
Fray ...I knew a woman/man once. Wanted to be a hero, do great things. And so s/he did.
Fray The songs always end there. But life doesn't, does it?
Fray ...There are temptations more deadly than the darkside, [Player Name]. You should've learned this by now, but you haven't. You will.
Fray The communion is ended, and with it, our time together. But we shall meet again, as we did before.

A Heroic Reprise

Quest Journal:
Something is lacking, but you cannot say what. Well, it is done. Perhaps Fray will be satisfied.

A flicker of annoyance spasms across your face. How pointless, you think, and Fray smiles, for s/he knows your heart. Remember this feeling. Treasure it. It will serve you well in your next communion in Camp Drybone.

How dare Isembard interrupt our communion! As if pilgrims have not been kidnapped before! Yet here you are again, forced to risk life and limb to rescue fools who should have armed themselves. All because there is no one else. So be it. Raid the Amalj'aa encampment and rescue the prisoners.

Fortunately, Amalj'aa are far better sport than peistes, eh!? And the beastmen were happy to keep coming, howling with rage for their fallen kin, no matter how many you slew! Fray's chuckling is infectious, and you find yourself sharing her/his grin.
Fray suggests you refrain from cleaning the blood from your equipment. Let Isembard see what you accomplished firsthand.

Isembard's eyes wander to the bloodstains, only to flee a moment later. You can hear the fear in his voice as he thanks you for saving the pilgrims. Fray ought to find that amusing.

Those who have never known true sacrifice quake at the sight of it. You know this because Fray knows this. Extend your hand and prepare for communion.

“Serve... Save... Slave... Slay...” The voice drones on, each word resounding in your heart as the tapping of hammer and chisel. “Sacrifice is to renounce that which binds you,” Fray says. “To recognize that which matters─and forsake all that does not.” Serve... Save... Slave... Slay... Fray knows you cannot continue to carry all these burdens. Heed her/his warning, before it is too late.
Quest Dialogue:
Fray You look well, [Player Name]. More determined.
Fray You have not heard the voice since last we spoke. I know. But worry not.
Fray If your affinity with your darkside is as strong as I believe, then communion is all you require.
Fray Come with me to the Burning Wall. You know what you must do.
Fray It begins, as always, with blood. A confirmation of your identity.
Fray There are axe beaks here which have grown ferocious beyond reckoning. Vile creatures, eager to prey on man and beast alike.
Fray Offer yourself to them. They will come.
Fray Then make an offering of them to me.
Fray No more words, [Player Name].
Fray Ahhh, now that is the [Player Name] I've longed to see!
Fray You resent this, don't you? This “pointless” trial.
Fray Perhaps you even resent me for subjecting you to it.
Fray Remember this feeling. Treasure it. I want it smoldering within you when we commune in Camp Drybone.
Fray Close your eyes and hold out your hand towards me. Breathe deep through your nose─let the air fill your lungs, then let it pass from your lips. Slower, slower...
Fray Listen to my voice. Listen to your heartbeat. Listen for the other...

Isembard Ah, but this isn't the time to reminisce! I sought you out because I need your help!
Fray ...Do tell.
Isembard Not long ago, an Amalj'aa raiding party attacked a caravan on the road and abducted several pilgrims!
Isembard We reported the incident to both the Brass Blades and the Immortal Flames, but it seems neither is in a position to muster forces at present.
Isembard You know what lies in store should they not be rescued soon. Please, [Player Name]─there is no one else!
Fray Really? Charge into an enemy encampment filled with Amalj'aa warriors and free some fools who should've armed themselves!?
Fray Risk life and limb to do the work of a dozen men all because you bloody asked!? Is that it!?
Fray But that's what we do, isn't it? Every godsdamned time. Fine. We'll bring them back.
Fray But what choice do we have, eh? Like you said─there's no one else. We'll bring them back.
Isembard I...I... Thank you for... They were bound for the encampment to the southeast...
Fray Then so are we.

Fray The nerve of some people, after all you do for them...
Fray They're inside, just as Isembard said. Mere moments away from being tempered, I'm sure.
Fray Well, what are you waiting for? It's time to play the hero!
Fray Heh heh, just didn't know when to leave off, did they?
Fray Neither did you though, eh? I mean, look at yourself. Most of that's not even your blood!
Fray Leave it. You've nothing to be ashamed of.
Fray Let's go and give Isembard the good news.

Fray Those who have never faced death do not scruple to condemn others to it. They know nothing of true sacrifice, and are weak for their ignorance.
Fray In sacrifice there is strength. In sacrifice there is liberation.
Fray Close your eyes and hold out your hand towards me. Breathe deep through your nose─let the air fill your lungs, then let it pass from your lips. Slower, slower...
Fray On a throne of bone s/he waits...
Fray Serve... Save... Slave... Slay...

They come to entreat her/his judgment...
Fray Serve... Save... Slave... Slay...

One by one, in solemn procession...
Fray ...So. What did you hear this time?
Fray Hm. And there I was thinking you were on the verge of discerning the truth...
Fray Your affinity with your darkside grows stronger by the day. And yet...there is a hesitation.
Fray Listen to me, [Player Name]. You have performed great deeds and saved countless people. You are a hero to the realm...
Fray But you are no dark knight.
Fray A dark knight accepts that s/he cannot save everyone─that sometimes, s/he is fortunate just to save herself/himself.
Fray Sacrifice, [Player Name], is to renounce that which binds you. To recognize that which matters─and forsake all that does not.
Fray At the very least, you must realize that you cannot continue to carry all these burdens...
Fray Unless you wish to die a slave.
Fray ...I'm fine, just a little...just a little tired.
Fray The communion is ended, and with it, our time together. But we shall meet again, as we did before.

Declaration of Blood

Quest Journal:
"Fray looks how you feel─utterly spent and in need of a rest. “Finish it,” s/he says. “Finish what we started...”

Madness! Utter madness! That spineless sack of shite actually demanded compensation for his property! The nerve of these people, after all we do for them! But Fray was not about to let that pass, oh no! It was a thing of glory, Fray giving voice to our feelings. Our words tumbling from Fray's mouth. But why did s/he have to leave? Where could s/he have gone?

Fray fears for us. She/He knows we cannot go on like this. The voice...we must hearken to the voice...

Fray is right, of course. Fray has always been right. Only when we have renounced everything are we free to do anything. We can leave it behind─all of it. The Scions. The Alliance. Even Hydaelyn. All we have to do is ask, and s/he shall set us free."
Quest Dialogue:
Fray ...I'm beginning to question your commitment, [Player Name].
Fray You haven't heard the voice since our last communion, which means you haven't taken my lessons to heart.
Fray You know I'm trying to help you, don't you? All of this is for your benefit.
Fray You listen, but you don't understand─
Fray ...Never mind.
Fray You're the stubborn type. I know that. We'll just have to keep at it until you open your eyes.
Fray Moraby Drydocks. That's where we'll head next.

Fray ...Never much cared for the ocean, myself.
Fray That friend of mine─the one I told you about after our first communion. We came out here together, once.
Fray Long story short, we ended up doing something ridiculously foolish and were lucky to make it out alive.
Fray I tried to talk her/him out of it, but s/he just had to get on that damn boat...

Fray If this Qiqirn isn't everything he promised, I'll take it out of his hide...
Fray Let's make the most of this, [Player Name]. No style, no guile, just chaos. Mark your limits, then push yourself beyond. Let the darkness guide you and set you free.
Fray Heh...heh... You did well...
Fray All that's left...is to return the goods to their owner...
Fray ...Finish it... Finish what we started...
Fray The hard part is over... Now finish it...

Fray Fifty percent? FIFTY PERCENT!?
Fray I slaughter a gang of Qiqirn bandits for your precious goods and this is the thanks I receive!?
Fray You spineless sack of shite. I kill your enemies. I fetch your things. I do what you people can't or won't do yourselves.
Fray You're helpless. Weak. All you do is want and need.
Fray I should've left you all to drown in Leviathan's tidal wave. At least then I would've been spared your constant bloody whining.
Fray Do not speak to me of this ever again.

Fray We can't keep doing this, [Player Name]. You must see now what it's doing to us... What they're doing to us...
Fray These...these people...
Fray Yes...yes, you are right. You must hearken to its words and discover your true calling.

Fray You are close, [Player Name]─so very, very close...
Fray I wish I could tell you. I wish I could make you see.
Fray But all I can do is guide you on your journey...
Fray Not entirely true, [Player Name]. They have helped you to cultivate the darkness within, in a way. But their help is no longer needed.
Fray All that remains is to hearken to the voice─to grasp its words and discover your true calling.
Fray I wish I could tell you. I wish I could make you see.
Fray But all I can do is guide you on your journey...
Fray Hah...hahaha! Right you are, [Player Name]! Right you are!
Fray Felt good, didn't it? Seeing that sniveling wretch tremble. I think he nearly pissed himself!

Fray You're finally starting to see them for what they are now, aren't you? Good, good.
Fray All that remains is to hearken to the voice─to grasp its words and discover your true calling...
Fray A chorus of voices cries out for a hero, and s/he comes.
Fray She/He smiles. She/He nods. And s/he remains silent...
Fray But s/he too has a voice...
Fray I will be heard...
Fray ...[Player Name].
Fray ...You stand at the precipice, but do not fear the fall.
Fray Cast yourself into the abyss, and you shall soar above, free at last.
Fray There are other lands than these, [Player Name]─lands where we are not known. Ask, and we shall quit this place forever.
Fray Only when you have renounced everything are you free to do anything.
Fray When we meet again, you will give us your answer.

Our Answer

Quest Journal:
" Fray knows what is best for us, so we will do as s/he asks. We will wait for her/him outside the Gates of Judgement and say her/his name so s/he will know we are here.
A pair of knights hailing from Whitebrim Front overhear your summons and recognize you as the Warrior of Light. Seizing the opportunity to exploit the good nature of the fool who could not wait for her/his comrade and put this nonsense behind her/him forever, the knights convince you to help them deal with a band of giants. Head to Daniffen Pass and get it over with.

While your courageous new friends distract the dross, you will seek out and slay the leader. What a brilliant plan! Nothing like the countless other times we slew someone else's enemies.

You killed them. Well done. Can we go now?

Serve... Save... Slave... Slay... You struggle to hear the words of the knights over the pounding in your head. It would seem that Lord Drillemont has summoned you to Whitebrim Front to discuss allegations which have been made against you, including the rather disturbing charge that you were observed conversing with a corpse. Nothing for it, then. Journey to Whitebrim Front and kill them all.

Darkness dwells within us all, but few are forced to confront it as you are. One moment, Fray stands before you, and in the next, it is your twin. As you wrestle for control with your darkside, the voices of Whitebrim Front cry out to you in support, even as your own voice belittles your struggle. And then...as quickly as it began, it ends. Your soul is in your keeping once more.

By Lord Drillemont's command, none will speak of what they saw─a gesture you find more comforting with every passing moment. Even after regaining your faculties, your memories of Fray are still muddled...and though your darkside has been subdued, it remains your constant companion, yearning to be free. Yearning to set you free. You need only ask."
Quest Dialogue:

Fray I knew you would come to your senses, [Player Name]. Now, let us...let us go...
Fray ...If I never see snow again, it'll be too soon.
Fray We should go somewhere warm─at least for a little while...
Fray Wait for me near the Gates of Judgement. When you are alone, call out and I shall join you.

Fray Hah hah...“surrender your weapon”? After what happened in Ul'dah? They must be mad.
Fray Pay attention, [Player Name]. This could be the greatest moment of our life...
Fray That is, if you could stop denying the truth that's been staring you in the face since the moment we met.
Fray Say my name. Say it. My real name. Our real name!
Fray Come now, you knew Fray was dead from the beginning, but you didn't care!
Fray You had a sword and a soul crystal. But what you wanted was a mentor.
Fray A mentor with the gifts and the knowledge. A dark knight who could guide you on the path─who you could aspire to become.
Fray A woman/man who was free to say and do the things you would not.
Fray ...Even now, you continue to deny it. Well. Deny me all you want. You cannot deny what we have done.
Fray Have I not been good to you? Have I not given you everything I promised?
Fray Did I not help you to hear the whispers of our very soul!?
Fray Open your eyes. Look. Do you see now? Do you see?
Fray Everything up to now has been your story...
Fray ...And everything after now will be mine!

Fray It would seem I underestimated myself... But no matter.
Fray They have borne witness to the darkness within us...
Fray To what lies beneath the mask...

Fray A fantastic display of willful ignorance...
Fray Wipe the slate clean. Forgive and forget!
Fray Convince yourselves that s/he can be controlled...
Fray The Warrior of Light! Our Weapon of Light!
Fray It isn't too late, [Player Name]. We...we can still be free...
Fray [Player Name]?
Fray So this is your answer...
Fray Listen to my voice. Listen to our heartbeat. Listen...
Fray ...If this is how it must be, then so be it.
Fray But know that when you tire of this charade, I shall be here...waiting to take the reins...
Fray You need only ask...

In Memories We Walked

Quest Journal:
For all your victories, for all your accomplishments, you cannot turn your mind from the failures. From the mistakes and missteps, and the lives forever extinguished. For those we have lost... For those we have lost...

The deception is lain bare. Ignasse was naught more than a simulacrum born of Millie's memories and your soul crystal's aether. As the memory fades, so too does the magick, and so the knight has been reduced to a swirling abyss. Deep within, you catch sight of a faint, flickering flame, and on the edge of hearing, a whisper speaks of secrets and sins and lies...

That which was taken has been reclaimed, but we are not yet whole. Myste has returned only a portion of your aether. Once more he entreats you for forgiveness, so desperately he desires it. Four more times must he do this. Four more times must he employ his powers to make broken men and women whole, so burdened by his deeds he is. Again you consent to the plan for...reasons. Sidurgu, defeated, bids you all return to Falcon's Nest to discuss your next step.

Sidurgu bemoans his lot as guardian of not one but two youths. Yet times are changing, and perhaps dark knights must change with them and seek new ways to follow their creed. Four more times must you humor the boy to reclaim the remainder of your aether. But, for now, Sid could do with a drink. Or a nap. Or one, and then the other.

The Widow And Her Love

Quest Journal:

Fate is ever the trickster. You overhear the most pious and venerable proctor berating his charge, and when you at last lay eyes on the prisoner, you realize it is none other than the woman who led the protest against the peace conference at Falcon's Nest, and poisoned your drink, which was not very sporting at all. Dear little Myste is moved by her plight and resolves to conjure her dead husband, even though she should know it for an illusion immediately. On the bright side, it falls to you to deal with the proctor while Sidurgu spirits away the prisoner.


No one can accuse you of not giving the man a chance. Fortunately, he was foolish enough not to take it. Do be sure to wipe the blood from your boots before meeting Sid.
Lowdy smiles and speaks of all the things she wishes she could say to her dead husband, but knows she cannot. A lie, however sweet, is nevertheless a lie. At her behest, Myste dispels his magick. But she is not upset. On the contrary, she understands and appreciates his kindness. Turning to you with a newfound sense of peace, she admits she once looked on you with hatred, but no longer. Fight, if it be your will, and if the gods show you favor, then so be it. And when we are called to account, so be it.
Her/His heart knows naught but guilt. Seeks naught but forgiveness. Ware the penitent, for theirs is a compulsion all consuming.

It is done, it is done. And, in spite of Lowdy's recognition of the farce, somehow effective. Myste is nevertheless troubled, as is his wont, though at least he is grateful. And you are still a good person, apparently. That's nice.

In the wake of events in the forest, Myste seems disinclined to continue his search at this time. Once more Sidurgu must play at being a surrogate father to the two children─or at the very least, a surly older brother.

The Orphans and the Broken Blade

Quest Journal:
"Myste remains inconsolable, unable to turn his thoughts from Lowdy and her plight. And so, in a fit of what can only be described as temporary insanity, Sidurgu has proposed that you return to Moghome. Apparently he hopes that the fresh air and the quiet might cheer the boy. Alternatively, he may long to punch a moogle in its furry little face.

After sparing a moment to put the fear of the gods into Moggie, Sidurgu suggests you go and look for Myste, who has wandered off somewhere to take in these familiar sights.
Myste stares out at the endless expanse and speaks of loss, which we know all too well. So, so many friends and loved ones. Close your eyes and you can see them pass, one by one, in solemn procession. A lesser woman/man would be tempted to forget, but we know better.

After reflection, Myste is ready to resume his search, and so Sidurgu declares it time to leave Moghome and never, ever return. Rielle, however, is unwilling to say good-bye, and over Sidurgu's protestations she takes Myste and heads north. Needless to say, you cannot abandon them to the wilderness and the three-headed goobbues that may be wandering about.

Well, at least Sid got to enjoy a spot of revenge by severely beating a few moogles half to death. Rielle and Myste are nowhere to be found; Sidurgu suggests you head directly to Asah while he circles around in case they strayed from the road.


You find the two children in a familiar place: the clearing where you and Sidurgu once fought a party of moogles who had pretended to kidnap Rielle for questionable reasons. Myste listens intently as Rielle tells him of how the dark knight loved and admired Ser Ompagne, his former master and caretaker, and when Sidurgu at last arrives, Myste asks him if he would like to see the fallen knight again. Sidurgu tells him yes, too late realizing the boy's intentions, and moments later you are confronted with another memory given form...

Sidurgu has long wondered why Ser Ompagne chose to adopt Fray and Sid, two orphan children, and train them as dark knights. After a spirited test of strength, the conjured memory reveals the truth that Sid has always known deep within his heart: that the former Temple Knight saw in him and Fray a chance to redeem himself for the countless young boys who fought and died under his command. A chance to create a lasting legacy and ensure that the world would be a better place for him having been in it. A chance for...forgiveness.
Now comes your part.

To cloak yourself in the fiction. To breathe life into the dead. To give words to the voiceless.

Mark well this moment, for s/he will learn from it...

The abyss is ours again, but again the boy holds back. Again he apologizes profusely. To his credit, Sid shows remarkable restraint, though that may be solely due to the many injuries inflicted upon him by Ser Ompagne...

As feared, Sidurgu will require some time to recover from his wounds. So poor is his condition that he is not even fit to make the journey back to Ishgard. Alas, this means that he must enjoy the company of the moogles at Moghome for the foreseeable future. But all is not lost─he did give you leave to punch a moogle for him."

We Can Never Go Home

Quest Journal:
"
In the depths of a cave by a flickering fire, a man sits alone, waiting to die. Gallien, an Ala Mhigan refugee for whom you once made medicine long, long ago, reveals that he shared it with another refugee, ensuring that the man lived...and that he would not. His friend Houdart went on to fight for the Griffin and even served as his body double, but ultimately died at Baelsar's Wall with his mad master and so many others. They made their choices, and such are the consequences, but Myste cannot help but meddle. He conjures a simulacrum of Houdart to comfort the dying man, who bids his dead friend to go to Rhalgr's Reach and pray for their fallen brothers.

The shade born of Gallien's memories tells you of how he always wanted to meet you, a larger-than-life hero...unaware that he eventually did at Little Ala Mhigo. He laments his fate, wishing he could go back and convince his former self not to place his trust in the Griffin...but if such things were possible, you wouldn't have a broken shield, now would you?

You rescue Houdart and Myste from wild beasts, but though they are unharmed, the shade abruptly stumbles and grips his head. Dizziness, he claims, and nothing more, before imploring you to hurry. He is as poor a liar as the boy.

Again Houdart falters, suddenly weak and in pain. A man's memories cannot outlive him, he says, and Gallien is running out of time. He will try his best to carry on, but in the end, it is not up to him...

Look how he burns with fervor, with desperation, with faith. How he sings of his homeland and wills himself to stand. How he marshals his strength to put one foot in front of the other. In that moment he lives again.

The spell is broken. Houdart is no more, which can only mean one thing: we are one step closer to ending this charade.

She/He is not the first, nor will s/he be the last to betray you. She/He will implore you to see reason, to seek solace in the fiction. And when you refuse, s/he will have no recourse but one. As I did not. Be ready.

The dead are forever beyond our reach, and we have no choice but to accept the inevitability that everyone we know and love will join them in time...or do we? Distraught by his failure to see Gallien's final wish fulfilled before his passing, Myste muses on the possibility of a world where time and death hold no power of us. A world you could share. You need only ask. But we know better.

Sidurgu is concerned that Myste's failure will spur him to deeper depths of depression. Even more concerning is the fact that the boy has yet to return to Ishgard, though you believed he would. Why, I do not know. The aether wanes, and he has but one chance left. Be ready, damn you. Be ready."
Quest Dialogue:
Myste ...What good are prayers to the dead. They have not ears to listen.
Myste Nor eyes to see or hearts to console. Naught remains of them save fleeting recollections soon lost to time and to the abyss...
Myste We are left only with pain.

A lingering sadness for names and faces consigned to oblivion.
Myste How are we to withstand this relentless onslaught which threatens to consume us? Is there no truth but this, that all men must die?
Myste Is this our world to suffer, or to shape?

Myste ...Indeed. We are only bound by the gods' law by choice.
Myste ...But it need not be ours, do you see?
Myste We cannot save everyone, can we.

Sometimes, it is all we can do to save ourselves.
Myste Does any of it matter? What, if aught, have we wrought by our own hands?
Myste One last time. I gave you my word, and I mean to keep it.
Myste But know this. Every intervention has come at cost. A sacrifice. When I have finished, naught will remain of me.
Myste But...it does not have to be. For all our faults, for all our failures, we have made a difference. All the lives we have shattered, we can make them come together again.
Myste Time and death, our true enemies, need hold no power over us. I can make a place for you in my world. You need only ask.
Myste We should go back to Ishgard. You must miss Sid and Rielle...

Our Compromise

Quest Journal:
"Two beasts, dead, with no discernable injuries. Now where have we heard that before? Sid finally realizes that the boy must have sucked them dry of their aether, in the same way that he stole our aether. Needless to say, he is far, far more dangerous than he appears. A pity it took you all this long to see it."

Wrong way, wrong way! He'll kill Sid and Rielle if we don't hurry!

And now, the betrayal. Myste believes that the only way we can atone for our sins is to “undo” them with his simulacra. Every life we took, every death that weighs upon our soul, he would make amends for it all with his beautiful lies. I can end this charade, godsdammit, I can end it! Now is the time! You need me! YOU NEED ME!

...So it goes. If you would not forsake me, then of course you would not forsake him. And so...neither can I. He is a fool, but he is our little fool. The little girl/boy who wanted to make this cruel, twisted world a better place, futile as that is. She/He's going to get us killed one of these days...but what can I say? I love her/him. I forgive her/him. And you...

Do you recall how we came to this place? At a friend's behest, in the midst of a raging blizzard? As we drew closer the gates faded into vision, and the towering spires...the man bowed low and bade us follow him, up the winding stair, from still smoldering ruin to untouched splendor. There we found a warm home and warm hearth, and warm hearts...

At the Last Vigil, as you reflect once more on the path you have walked, you are surprised by Lord Edmont, who greets you warmly. News of your exploits is delivered to Fortemps Manor daily, and you remain always in the thoughts of the former count and his family. Though a part of him wishes that you would remain in Ishgard, he knows that your destiny leads you elsewhere, for you are still a hero. You are still a good person."
Quest Dialogue:
Fray Serve... Save... Slave... Slay... I've sins aplenty, aye, but regrets? Not so much.
Fray And if s/he wouldn't listen to me, the embodiment of good sense and pragmatism, then what hope could you possibly have?
Fray A house divided cannot stand, you know. This childish rebellion ends now.
Sidurgu What in the seven hells is this!?
Fray ...A compromise, I suppose? Our dear friend here refused to let me take the reins, but I wasn't about to stand idly by while that imbecile tries to do...whatever it was he was trying to do.
Fray No hard feelings about Whitebrim, eh? Promise not to stab you in the back.
Fray It'll be just like old times.
Myste No... No... This is wrong... This is all wrong...
Myste I offer you peace! Restitution! A chance to make amends! Do not think you are above it! Do not think that a reckoning will be postponed indefinitely!
Fray When it comes, I shall welcome it with open arms...
Fray But today will not be the day, and you will not be the judge!

Myste Forgive me, forgive me... I ask, I beg, I pray, but it never comes...
Myste Again they go to join the multitude in the black oblivion of the abyss...
Fray Such is our lot. Such is the fate of all who are born─to suffer and to die.
Fray Do not seek forgiveness, for it will not ease the burden. It weighs as it should.

Rielle No one likes having to say good-bye. But it's...it's a part of life. That's what makes the time we share together so precious...
Rielle You can't obsess over the mistakes of the past, or you'll lose sight of the future. Of the people still with us, who need us more than ever.
Sidurgu The greatest strength is born of the flame in the abyss...
Fray Listen to my voice. Listen to our heartbeat. Listen...

I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you...
Myste Thank you. That is...that is all I ever wanted...
Myste So...this is it. One last parting. One final farewell...after a fashion.
Myste In your darkest hour, in the blackest night...think of me...and I will be with you. Always. For where else could I go? Who else could I love but you?

Our Closure

Quest Journal:

They will tell you you are one and you are two. You can choose.

But if you're reading this, then you know how the story goes, don't you? So now comes the choice: hold the crystal close that we may enjoy these moments together. Or put it away and pretend I was never a part of it. That I was never really here.

The cryptic letter speaks for itself. Perhaps Lunnie, the woman who delivered it to Sidurgu, might be able to shed light on this mystery─or at least help you to go through the motions and put one foot in front of the other. Over and over again. Off you trot.

She didn't know, of course. How could she? She's not even sure how many of you there were that day. Are you? But never you mind that. You have a search to continue.

Do you remember Ser Patrounade? I do. Not by name, of course─he didn't have one when the tower fell. That's how these things so often go─you do your bit, only later to fill in the gaps, to piece together the picture in distant hindsight. What will your legacy be tomorrow, and the day after, and in the days after that...?

And Orella's just another step in your own journey. Will you remember her? What about the names in her ledger─Conrad Kemp? Meffrid Noward? “Ah, but they were doomed from the first,” a part of you whispers. “Inevitable deaths on the road to a foregone conclusion,” sayeth the hardened heart, in retrospect. You'd be wrong, of course. It never had to be this way. This world is exactly as we choose to make it.

Now Gundobald, he's seen you at your best and at your worst. He's seen you when you were one and when you were two. He could tell you someone else wrote the letter, if that's what you'd like to believe. It'd be a turn, sure, but we've seen stranger things. Or he could continue to regard you with that same mixture of concern and fear that bubbles to the surface when the topic of us comes up, and say nothing of the sort. And you─you could go to Red Rooster Stead, with the answer of your choosing. See if it's all to your satisfaction.

Another nameless face, now named. Then conniving, now humbled─as well he should be, no? I gave him a right talking to─or you did. Your choice. And after a string of bad luck, he's since turned over a new leaf...and found a flower. Suitable for funerals and farewells. I told you before you know how the story goes, didn't I? Come and see, [Player Name]. Come and see.

It's been a long, strange journey, filled with all kinds of ups and downs. Your journey, to be sure, but like I wrote before, I'd like to pretend I was an important part of it. Vanity, aye─but how can I not think of legacy, now, when we've been to the First and witnessed firsthand the lengths to which man will go to be remembered? I want to believe─I need to believe that this was not for nothing. That I changed you for the better, as you changed me...

Time to go. I don't know when we'll do this again─if we'll ever do this again. The little trick you've learned doesn't count, you know. But even if this is our end, it won't change what we had. I love you more than you'll ever know. Be well.
Quest Dialogue:

Fray Clever, clever, clever. Or are we just playing it by ear? No matter.
Fray I wanted this, once. More than anything. A chance to speak and be heard...
Fray But neither of us needs it anymore. And if we were to look deep within ourselves, we would realize that we never did.
Fray We are the stories we tell ourselves. The brave hero, the tortured soul, the altruist, the pragmatist. They will tell you who they see, but you and you alone know who you are.
Fray For I speak only for myself. If you find comfort in my words, they are yours for the taking, but that is your choice. Now and ever after, as it has always been.
Fray "Now comes your part,
To cloak yourself in the fiction, To breathe life into the dead, To give a voice to the voiceless...“
Fray As we did together that day, when you gave us our answer.
Fray Was it ever mine...?

>프레이에 대해서 묻는다
>Ask about Fray.

왜 그걸 지금 묻는지는 모르겠군…….
I can’t fathom why you’re asking me now...


좋다, 지난번에도 말하긴 했지만 다시 떠올려보도록 하지.
Alright. I already told you last time, but I suppose I’ll reminisce again.


스승님께서 날 거두신 후, 프레이도 바로 내 후배로 들어왔다.
After our teacher saved me, Fray immediately got taken in as my junior.


내가 분노와 힘으로 타오르는 불꽃과 같다면 녀석은 잔잔한 호수와 같다고 스승님께서 말씀하셨지…….
Our teacher said that if I were wild flames fueled by rage, then that guy was a serene lake…

그는 지식에 목말라했고, 암흑검뿐 아니라 환술까지 쓸 줄 알았다.
They had a thirst for knowledge, and knew not only how to handle a Dark Knight's arm, but conjury, as well.

리엘에게 특이한 마력이 있다는 것을 알아채고 스스로의 몸을 지키도록 치유술을 가르친 것도 프레이였지.
Fray was the one who saw Rielle's unique potential in magic and taught her conjury to protect herself, too.

……한번은 왜 환술을 배웠는지 물은 적이 있었다.
... I asked them why they learned conjury, once.

그럴 시간에 차라리 암흑검을 단련하는 것이 낫지 않았을까 해서.
I thought that time would be better used training with a Dark Knight’s arm.

그랬더니 그는 이렇게 말하며 쓴웃음을 짓더군.
When I did, they scoffed, and said:

"당신들이 계속 다쳐서 오는데 별 수 있습니까?" 하고 말이야.
"You all keep coming back hurt- What other recourse do I have?"

종종 신세를 지던 나로서는 할 말이 없었지…….
I wasn’t able to object- They’d patched me up again and again, after all.

아무튼 프레이는 그런 사람이었어.
Anyways, Fray was that kind of person.

네가 만났던, 어두운 감정의 화신이 된 프레이와는 다를지도 모르지만.
Who knows, they may have been different from the Fray that you met who became an incarnation of dark emotions.

translation source

Sidurgu: He had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and pursued the study of conjury in addition to our dark arts. It is well he did, for otherwise he might not have been able to sense Rielle's potential and train her as a healer.
Sidurgu: "Why conjury, of all things?“ I once asked him that...
Sidurgu: Fray shrugged and smiled in that way of his, and said, “When you're coming apart at the seams, who else will make you whole again?”
Sidurgu: That was who he was to me. Who he was to you, though... Well. You'd know better than me.



HEALERMOOGLE02063
Why do you want her back so badly, kupo!?

SIDURGU
What kind of question is that!? You kidnapped her!

HEALERMOOGLE02063
But you don't seem to like having her around that much anyway, right? She's just a burden to you. So why do you care what happens to her?

SIDURGU
I...I swore an oath. To protect her. That's what we dark knights do...

ATTACKERMOOGLE02063
You think that will give you strength enough to protect her!? Duty and honor? I'll tell you what you need, kupo!

BUFFERMOOGLE02063
Whence comes true strength to defend the meek?♪
Is it honor? Is it justice? How blaaand!♪
Could it be that the darkness is born of a light?♪
A flame burning for another? How graaand!♪
'Tis love! 'Tis love!♪
All-powerful, shining loooooove!♪

MOGGIE
...Rather blunt, I'll admit, but subtlety doesn't seem to be your strong suit, kupo.