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'I arrived in this new land from my maritime home. There is no end to ghastly shock here, not a break in the tragic weave.'

'The clouds are far from as fine as told in legend, and both the land and sky are wrathbitten and hurting. Cities comparable to Ægir are all but prey to Catastrophe.'

'Moreover, the people of this dry land are plagued by an inscrutable sickness. I had learnt of Oripathy, of Originium, from many an academy record. Seeing it firsthand, though, the truth of how it has become an integral part of the land, its roots deep and stubborn, is made witheringly apparent.'

'Nevertheless, they still tenaciously live, pursue both technology and truth through their unique means, and seek to leave the mark of their continued existence.'

'Though I am lambasted a traitor, I do not regret my decision to come ashore. The Seaborn swarm is expanding; within a decade, Ægir will find itself besieged with no quarter. But someday, I will complete my travels and return to Iberia.'

'I will leave this memoir behind, for the Ægir to seek and decipher. I have no faith in the nobility; I am certain that those Ægir termed 'Islanders' today will find Iberia withdrawing its respect for them soon enough, whatever the reasons may be.'

'The Golden Dreadnought, the Eye of Culture, the Jurisprudence of Evolution, the Stele of Life. The Ocean and Land must form a united front to withstand the billowing waves.'

'It was never my intent to serve as a pioneer. All I am is one step ahead of fate.'

—From a copy of the notes of Breogan, famed Iberian architect and chief shipwright, written in cryptic Ægirian.

This is a matter between the Ægir.

So long as you stand on Iberian soil, the law is watching you. And so am I.

Hmph...

What is the relation between you and those three Abyssal Hunters?

You've harmed Skadi. Strange. Surely she intended to avoid combat.

Her blood is a special sort, more special than the rest of ours. I hope you've been diligent in cleaning your weapons.

I'm the one asking questions here.

And I'm the one who decides whether to answer.

I gather the only Hunters granted freedom of movement by Lord Carmen were those who declared their interests during the Sal Viento conflict.

...Mm. Seems it wasn't a coincidence you crossed swords with her then.

She was hardly weak.

...Weak?

What a naive appraisal. She's just unaccustomed to dry land. She lacks flexibility.

Don't move, Ægir.

Comply with the High Inquisitor's investigation. The Inquisition has already concluded negotiations with the Hunters. Your every move merely undermines the basis of our cooperation.

...Cooperation?

I advise you to rethink your actions.

Inquisitor, how many soldiers like you does Iberia have?

That is none of your business.

Enough to amass an army three thousand strong?

Then Iberia is still unqualified.

You're going nowhere!

(Sharp chafing sounds)

What? Where did they come from?

High Inquisitor! Are you alright?

I'm fine. That Ægir...

This was my fault, sir!

He could easily have used that chance to take an arm from me, yet he chose to flee.

It seems we can't afford to give chase just yet.

They're headed for the city! They're hiding in the soil!

No.

This entire swathe of earth has been polluted.

H-How can that be?

Take a good look at that gray land, and the sinister miasma filling it.

Yes, sir!

Gran Faro is not being infiltrated by the Church of the Deep. It has already fallen to them.

Prepare to fight head-on. Ensure Lord Carmen is safe, ASAP.

This fluorescent nethersea brand... It's akin to their own city.

It beggars belief. They're born from it, they proliferate and migrate through it...

(Ominous slithering sounds)

Not all lives thirst for independence. It's no wonder these filthy things were able to hide in this town.

...But who brought them ashore?

Welp, this is just perfect. And here we thought we could find a little inspiration on our beach trip. Talk about a total wash.

(Riffs in agreement)

The sea's caressing the land. I can tell. This is bad gone badder.

Kal'tsit once said the Ægir won, and that the Abyssal Hunters are the orphans of that battle. But with how things look now, I'm starting to doubt there was ever a win.

Oh, speaking of Kal'tsit, did she give us the thing?

Yep.

Way to beat around the bush. Why didn't she just give it straight to that Ægir? Gladiia. That would've been faster.

(Riffs in doubt)

She wanted to use the key to draw us into this. And from that view, she definitely succeeded.

Or maybe, she was originally planning to make us retrieve or help out with something. And then she changed her mind.

Huh? Hasn't she always been, like, three hundred steps ahead? What could possibly force her to change her mind?

...I'm just saying it's possible. Sure, she knows a lot of things, but more than that, she's cautious. If not, how many times would she have died by now?

Uh, what are you dancing around for? Dan?

This chapel would work great for a concert!

Skadi, Shark.

We wiped out every enemy we could see.

...Formless wisps of waves are spreading here, as the tide on sandy shores.

An inauspicious omen. We—We should not be here.

It seems cleaning up some trash wasn't enough to bring her back to her senses.

What do we do?

Once this area is spotless, we borrow the Iberian's assistance in finding that ship.

There are things we don't recognize on their bodies.

Perhaps a part of the Sea Terrors themselves.

...I've been wondering for a while now.

How can they still evolve so fast? How are they still so full of life?

Even though we've already...

That's precisely the question we intend to shed light on. It is also the reason I was willing to cooperate with Kal'tsit.

Dr. Kal'tsit...

A fine woman, to be sure.

Rouse yourself, Hunter. End this before the sun sinks below. Sea Terrors who cannot hear the ocean's call are but inferior lifeforms.

Understood.

You... Gladiia? You've come. I will listen, then.

...Shark.

Do you find it unwieldy in your hands?

This? I often forget the weapon is in my grasp. As if I'm dancing with it.

That is your past, and it has almost caught up to you.

We'll be waiting.

(Shuddering gargles)

You lead a punctual march, Dario. Have you arranged what I asked of you?

Yes, Lord.

The Penal Battalion has readied a ship to leave for the Eye of Iberia. They've also evacuated the coast and surrounded this town by now.

Those misguided fools have nowhere to flee.

There's nothing to fear in those petty villains, but the new threat they've brought forth is an astonishing one.

Our technology is able to treat this much pollution.

Which is only a temporary victory, Dario. And this is 'Ægir technology,' not ours.

If for every second of every minute, every droplet and every grain of the tides beating against our sandy shores spreads the Sea Terrors and their ecology, how are we to defend our homeland then?

We will find an answer before that happens.

Yes, most assuredly.

The Inquisition is also prepared to do battle with the Abyssal Hunters. We will throttle them to death on this remote shoreline.