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littlesailorinthesun · 4 years ago

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elf primer

As part of a larger joint project (a lore reading order timeline), I wanted to write a post documenting all of the elf and kindred-related weirdness in the story. Once you start diving really, really deep into trying to piece elfkindred information together, you'll find that lots of things contradict each other or become jumbled. This is in part due to our server's translation and in part just because the story legitimately retcons itself. There were also a lot of theories and misconceptions which I wanted to spend some time discussing. So here is some information that will help those who are interested in reading.

By the way, huge spoilers ahead for the newest CN hell event, which has been given the fan nickname “Moonless Voyage”. The translations I used are linked at the end!

Main Cast

Chloris: The duty-bound Prince of Forest Elves. He participated in the war between kindred and elves a thousand years ago. He has very few desires as he's very focused on the well-being of the forest. He's also very powerful. Has been kept in the dark about his family history.

Cesare: The brother of Chloris and the current Lord of Kindred. He was exiled to Shadow City, the world within Lake Bovaly, a thousand years ago. Strongly wishes for Kindred to be simply allowed to live in the forest again, after that right was stolen from him when he was young, and secretly wishes he and Chloris could be normal brothers. Now, he also wants to break the Blood Curse because it affects all Kindred even if they just have the desire to hurt others (not for the same reasoning as Nidhogg).

Lakris: The second Prince of Forest Elves. Stated by Cesare to simply be "a part of him" that was taken. Looked just like Cesare.

Elven Queen: The mother of Chloris and Cesare. Anti-war and fiercely protective of the elves even at the cost of her own Kindred loved ones.

Helsin (Blood Lust): The Lord of Kindred who served as the leader of Shadow City while Cesare was missing. Her primary goal is to break the seal of Shadow City once more.

Evelyn (Flickering Pistill): An elf who was invited to Shadow City by Helsin and subsequently tortured. She became the final seal for Shadow City, never truly dying. Her story is well-known among those in the Pigeon Forest and Shadow City.

Timeline

(Note: Next to the occurrence, I wrote where you can find the source/a more detailed description of the lore.)

Many years ago: Forest Elves (Chloris' kind) guarded the Pigeon Forest since it came into existence. (Chloris 1)

Elves who sought to cleanse the world were corrupted by the miasma they encountered, and became the Kindred. (Moonless Voyage)

>1000 years before Year 680, New Era: Chloris and Cesare were born to the Elven Queen and the Lord of Kindred, who were lovers but could not be together. The two twins did not meet. (Jealous Phantom)

~1000 years before Year 680, New Era: Tensions broke out between Kindred and Elves. The Elven Queen persuaded the Lord of Kindred to take all of the Kindred out of Pamir Forest (north of main Pigeon Forest) and bring them to Shadow City so there would be no more war. Lord of Kindred obliged, and opened up Shadow City, an action that took most of his strength and ultimately killed him. Every Kindred in Pamir Forest went to Shadow City. (Jealous Phantom)

Cesare's father died, Cesare became the new Lord of Kindred, and the Elven Queen made one last visit to him to say her final goodbye. Cesare pleaded with her to change her mind, but she turned her back on him and left. (Jealous Phantom)

The Elven Queen died (as was told to Cesare) or went missing. (Jealous Phantom/Wake Up from Dream)

Cesare would occasionally watch Chloris play the harp from the other side of the lake, aware that Chloris was his brother. (Jealous Phantom/Flower Feather)

Cesare continued to fight the elves. During a fight, the Elven King (Cesare's uncle on his mother's side) told him that his mother had left some words for him before she died. This was a ploy to distract him and disarm him. Elven King then picked up Cesare's sword, Dark Verdict, and stabbed him with it. Cesare sank to the bottom of the lake. (Moonless Voyage)

Lakris appeared under the Tree of Life for the first time. However, he was asleep during the war. (Wake Up from Dream/Chloris 4)

At some point, the King also died in battle. (V2: 4-2)

[Assumption] Any remaining Kindred that were in Shadow City left, and so did Elaine, leaving the elves and her sister Rachel behind in the forest. The seal between Shadow City and Pigeon Forest formed. (Minstrel of Time)

Helsin became the Kindred Lord and the most powerful person in Shadow City and amassed many followers that feared her but respected her. (Moonless Voyage)

Helsin, who wants to break the seal between Shadow City and Pigeon Forest, invited Evelyn to Shadow City to torture her. Evelyn doesn't die; instead, she ends up becoming the final seal, believing it to be atonement for everybody who participated in the war. (Blood Moon)

Year 670, New Era: Cesare stayed at the bottom of Lake Bovaly for nearly a thousand years until Nidhogg one day swam down and retrieved the Dark Verdict sword, stabbing him and releasing him from the seal that the Elven King had placed on him that trapped him there. (Mentioned in Ice Abyss Echo, Dark Verdict suit, and V2: 4-SS2. The year and more clarification on what happened is given in the Miraland Civilization Files book.)

Cesare returned to Shadow City, to the surprise of Kindred there, who worshipped Helsin and viewed Cesare as only a legend considering how long he had been in the lake. (Moonless Voyage)

Infighting began between Kindred who were loyal to Helsin and Kindred who were loyal to Cesare, but Helsin declared her loyalty to Cesare, who went forth and did his best to improve the quality of life in Shadow City. (Moonless Voyage)

Year 680: Cesare and Kindred spirits gather power in Pamir Forest again, using Noah as an agent to stir up chaos and attract the attention of Chloris. Chloris and Lakris go to investigate, and Lakris disappears into a heavy fog as they walk. Chloris goes to the Kindred castle alone and meets Cesare for the first time. It's implied that Lakris was the elven part of Cesare all along, and Cesare reclaims Lakris. Cesare disappears in the light of the Dawnblade. (Chloris 4)

Nikki, Mela, and Momo accidentally get hoodwinked and sent into Shadow City where they nearly get eaten alive by some hungry Kindred. Chloris finds this out and makes the decision to remove the seal between Shadow City and Pigeon Forest to save them. (V2: Chapter 3)

Most of Chloris's strength is used in removing the seal. Cesare escapes Shadow City and bites Chloris, transferring his memories and weakening him further. (V2: 3-SS2)

Elaine and Rachel (boat lifetime sisters) along with Nikki and co attempt to find a way to heal Chloris but he falls unconscious. (V2: Chapter 4)

When the seal is removed, Evelyn (Helsin's prisoner) disappears. Helsin goes mad with desire and experiences severe backlash from the Blood Curse, so she asks to be restrained. (Moonless Voyage)

At some point, Chloris wakes back up. (That one Pigeon welfare suit)

Cesare decides to break the Blood Curse. He recruits Helsin for help and they leave Shadow City and go back to Pigeon Forest. Helsin fights off Elven soldiers with her whip while Cesare tries to remove a giant crystal within the Tree of Life that binds Kindred under the Blood Curse. Chloris approaches and Cesare explains his reasoning for trying to remove the crystal, also dropping the bomb about the secrets behind their parentage. (Moonless Voyage)

Chloris conducts some elfin glowing crystal magic that renders the Kindreds immobile. Peace falls over the entire forest. The backlash of the Blood Curse that the Kindred constantly experienced disappears. (Moonless Voyage)

Cesare orders all the other Kindred to return to Shadow City. He does another bonding ritual with Chloris which seems to transfer energy to Chloris. Though it's not over between them, Cesare returns to Shadow City once more. (Moonless Voyage)

NOTE: Some assumptions had to be made for this timeline. The biggest one is that even after Shadow City had been opened, the war between Kindred and Elves continued until the seal was formed at a later date. Without this assumption, multiple events described in the story do not make sense.

FAQ

How much time passed between the war and the year 680?

Certain parts of our translation refer to it as "thousands of years", but truthfully, it was actually just a thousand years that passed. (Thank you Athena for clearing this up!)

This is almost definitely not an exact number, especially given everything else that was happening with the timeline across Miraland, as well as how many different events were written as occurring a thousand years ago.

Are Chloris and Cesare half brothers?

For a long time, this is what most people (including myself) believed. This is at least in part because of a few lines within the story suit Jealous Phantom which stated:

"Cesare often think[s] about his mother while sitting on bough in the forest, imagining how his brother, who has the blood of the Elven Guardian, spends days with mother under the bright sunlight."

This seemed to indicate that Chloris had some elven parentage that Cesare did not, which both made him a "full" elf and afforded him privileges Cesare couldn't have.

However, we learned recently that this is not true. With the release of the most recent hell event, both Chloris and the fandom was confronted with the truth, which is that Chloris is also born of Kindred and they are full brothers.

Cesare: “and you, the great Elven King, my fated twin, are also born of kindred blood.”

[...]

(a truth he has tried to ignore revealed, Chloris felt dizzy. He closes his eyes tightly.)

(Translation: RavenBlue)

We also learn that the old Elven King was actually Chloris' (and Cesare's) uncle, not his father.

What if Cesare was lying? To tell you the truth, it is highly unlikely that that's the case. Firstly, even Chloris himself recognizes the truth that he was born from a kindred. Secondly, it's very uncommon for half-sibling twins of different parentage to occur, to the point where even fans were second guessing and wondering if this was really what the writers meant to imply. Thirdly, we now don't even have another candidate for Chloris' dad now that we know the king was his uncle and not his father.

Does this make Chloris kindred, per se? Not really. He doesn't display any of the symptoms of being a kindred. The most likely explanation is that he just "didn't get the Kindred gene" while his fraternal twin Cesare did.

How did Cesare fall to the bottom of the lake?

There are now three different versions of this, only one (the most recent one) which actually seems canon-compliant:

First Wind: The Elven King stabs Cesare with the Dawnblade; his body is later dropped in the bottom of the lake.

Jealous Phantom: Cesare was watching Chloris play the harp when his sadness and the light overwhelmed him and he toppled into the lake. (This one could be metaphorical, even though the metaphor doesn't match the other explanations.)

Moonless Voyage: The Elven King stabs Cesare with his own Dark Verdict; his body falls to the bottom of the lake.

The most canon-compliant one is the Moonless Voyage one, which matches the other bits of interconnecting lore about how Nidhogg acquired the Dark Verdict.

Is Evelyn the mother of Chloris and Cesare/the Elven Queen?

This is a long one so buckle in. (Yes, I touched on this briefly in my last post.)

First of all, I want to reiterate that this was never explicitly stated anywhere. Evelyn was never called the queen and was never described as having children, and the Queen's name was never given. I still believe this is up to interpretation. So here, I'll just lay out all the evidence for both sides. Right now, I don't think it's possible to say one way or another.

Some of the evidence for this theory includes the following:

In Chloris' fourth Dreamweaver, Moon Night Poem, Chloris' mother is mentioned by Cesare.

Duke Cesare: "He was so brave and fearless... even when all hope was lost, he refused to surrender, going so far as to put his life on the line. I simply obliged him... nothing more. That's typical of the forest elf, just like your mother."

This indicates that Chloris' mother had sacrificed her life or was self-sacrificing in some way. Of course, Evelyn is also well-known for her sacrifice, as she became the final seal of Shadow City, and her sacrifice is discussed throughout volume 2, chapter 4:

Nikki: "Those Kindred and elven specters in the Shadow City... They longed for sunlight even they knew it would burn them. Evelyn wanted no bloodshed and she sacrificed herself for peace."

Does Cesare and Chloris' mother make a sacrifice? Well, it's said in Jealous Phantom that it's a very difficult decision for her to banish the Kindred, including her lover and Cesare, to Shadow City for the sake of the elves. That's the only thing I can think of that would qualify as a sacrifice.

One potential hint that Evelyn could have been the queen is from this line from Flickering Pistill:

Evelyn guards the quiet Pigeon Forest. When she bleeds, the reflection of stars will turn to white flowers.

However, in my opinion this is pretty weak evidence because pretty much every forest elf is said to guard the forest (as stated in basically any Chloris dreamweaver you look at).

As well, their circumstances also seemed to line up. In the spirit items from Chloris' fourth dreamweaver, Destined Twins and Wake Up from Dream, it's stated:

Every generation, elves will have 2 guardians who protect the Pigeon Forest in turn, a Sword and a Moon.

Chloris is the first guardian and Lakris didn't appear under the Life Tree till Elf Queen went missing.

We also know that Evelyn herself leaves Pigeon Forest to go to Shadow City forever and act as the seal. However, this is largely viewed as a choice (a "sacrifice") and Evelyn herself was willing to take this on. Again, it's really up to how you read it.

Here's the evidence against Evelyn being their mother:

In the most recent CN hell event (Moonless Voyage), we get confirmation that Helsin was the Lord of Kindred while Cesare was in the bottom of Lake Bovaly for nearly a thousand years. Now that Cesare has been woken up, Helsin is subservient to him. The story of Evelyn is mentioned to him, and he knows about it, but he simply does not care. It's explicitly stated that he has no interest and only cares about Helsin for her power.

Cesare’s Underling: “Ever since the seal of Shadow City was broken, Evelyn, who was previously imprisoned, disappeared. Since then, master Helsin’s desires became more and more cruel, and the backlash on her body became stronger and stronger…..”

(Cesare has heard of the struggle between Helsin and the elf she imprisoned. But he holds no interest in this. All he needs is Helsin’s power.)

(Translation: RavenBlue)

Cesare was told that his mother was dead (mentioned in both Jealous Phantom and Moonless Voyage). In the year 680, he also still seems to believe his mother sacrificed her life for something (see the quote from Chloris 4 I posted above). It's incredibly weird that he would show no interest in this development if she was his mother; it's displayed elsewhere in Moonless Voyage that he still showed interest in his mother even after she abandoned him. But it makes perfect sense narratively if Evelyn is not actually his mother and is just the self sacrificing elf of legends.

The next part is that the timeline does not line up.

It makes much more sense if everything regarding Evelyn, and all of Blood Moon, happened after Cesare fell to the bottom of the lake.

The war between Kindred and Elves already seems to be over as described in Flickering Pistill, as Evelyn is "atoning" in part for the winners of the war.

Helsin is described as the Kindred Lord in Blood Lust, but we know from Jealous Phantom that Cesare inherited the position from his father. Considering we know Helsin was the one in power while Cesare was at the bottom of the lake, it only seems logically consistent that she would only obtain that title after he disappeared.

Lastly, there is simply no reason to not say so if Evelyn is Chloris and Cesare's mother. The story of Evelyn is well known in both Shadow City and Pigeon Forest, and even Cesare who has been asleep for a thousand years knows it. If Cesare knows they are the same, and a great deal of Kindred lore is told from Cesare's perspective and centered around his character development, I literally see no point in continuing to talk about both Evelyn and their mother and not just say they are the same. The same is also true for Chloris, who would also have heard of Evelyn. There is nobody left who cares about Chloris and Cesare's mother to reveal the plot point to. But LN definitely seems to be fond of pulling stunts like this, so it's still hard to say.

What about Wind's Whisper?

There is another character called Evelyn in Wind's Whisper. Evelyn is described as a tree spirit in this, and it distinguishes her from "Pigeon Elves" because she hibernates. However, after asking about the original Chinese text, I have learned that there was a word left out in our translation; Evelyn is a tree elf/spirit, but she hibernates unlike other Pigeon elves.

The words for spirit and elf in Chinese are related, and it's possible that Evelyn is the same type of elf as Chloris even though it's written differently in Chinese.

While I'm not really sure if the Evelyn from Wind's Whisper has anything to do with the rest of the story, it's a moot point to me because whether it does or doesn't, it doesn't add any additional understanding or insight.

Thank you to Athena, RavenBlue, and bamboo snek for clearing this up!

Translation Credits

RavenBlue#2752

for their wonderful and speedy translations of the new hell event stages

for their official Miraland timeline translation

As well to athena#2202 and bamboo snek#3897 for sharing and explaining the original Chinese meaning for parts where our translation got butchered! (Noted above)

#love nikki #love nikki lore #love nikki theories #elves #character: chloris #character: cesare #character: evelyn

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nidhoggssoultrap · 4 years ago

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Suits I managed to get today! Suit at Lake Bovaly and the Bounty Hunter for Proyas(he is the only one who has it. As for the event, well, it’ll be something like this:

Dora Vee(115146769)—No Pope, No diamond charge suit, free suit (so skip)

Sarah Luc(115672621)—No Pope. Will get the two suits. Will be broke in diamonds again. Oh well...

Nersei Proyas (117168251)—Will BE the Pope as it is perfect for him, free suit, NO diamond recharge. In 4 days, he has over 3000 diamonds and climbing. Oh, and for Proyas, the Pope will be the first and last recharge suit. For Sarah, Rose Heart will be the last one. All future recharges will be for Dora only. In case anyone cares.

#love nikki #lnduq #love nikki suits #love nikki stylings

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Hephaes: Flames of Dawn

Designer's Reflection: Flames of Dawn

Obtained: Tides and Flames hell event

Rarity: UR

Attribute: Green/Fresh

Awakened Suit: Silence of Twilight

Story - transcripts from Designer's Reflection

Chapter 1 - Birth of Starfire

Chapter 2 - Lakelight Mirage

Chapter 3 - A Time of Trial

Chapter 4 - A Moon of Change

Chapter 5 - To Ashes

Story - summarized

Hephaes was the youngest of the Elf Gods to be born. Materializing at the Tree of Life, They were greeted and blessed by all the other Elf Gods.

One stood off to the side. It was obvious that the other elves would not let this one join the ceremony. "Arionus was not born at the Tree of Life," they all said. "They are an outsider."

That didn't stop Hephaes from approaching Arionus the Water Elf. No one had ever reached out to Arionus, so this was a shock to the older Elf God. Nonetheless, They blessed Hephaes in Their own way.

As Hephaes grew in age and power, They noticed strange things surrounding Arionus - mainly that the Water Elf always disappeared during the New Moon. Determined to find the truth, Hephaes searched the depths of Lake Bovaly, where Arionus had hidden. Hephaes' power still wasn't strong enough to fight back the tides, and They almost drowned.

Arionus saved Them, scared and concerned that someone had followed Them. It turned out that Arionus was cursed with pain and darkness from the Abyss, and They were trying to deal with the curse and break it by Themself. Above all, Arionus did not want to hurt anyone.

Hephaes promised to always be there to help. Even when it came time to design the Elf Gods' Holy Instruments, Hephaes was adamant that the Holy Grail would never be used as a weapon, and instead serve like a lighthouse: it would guide the lost back home.

With their Holy Instruments in hand, Hephaes and Arionus returned to the Tree of Life, eager to start their new lives as guardians of the holy tree - Hephaes became a guardian, while the other elves still disregarded and abused Arionus as a curse and an outsider.

That didn't stop the two friends from working hard to protect the elven forest and all the creatures. But the Abyssal Power was getting worse and racking Arionus with intense, excruciating pain. Hephaes opened the pathway to the holy tree's Source Spring, where Arionus could find Their Seed of power and use it to close off the Abyss; while the Tree of Life was connected to the Ocean of Memories, it meant it was also connected to the Abyss.

But the Wind Elf saw Hephaes open the passage, and They immediately summoned the other Elf Gods. Hephaes was trapped far away from the holy tree, and by the time They broke free and rushed back to the Tree of Life, it was too late. The Elf Gods had confronted Arionus, and now Arionus was in deeper pain.

The Elf Gods blamed Hephaes for everything and tried to convince Them to kill Arionus. But They would never kill Their friend. Instead, Hephaes summoned Arionus back to the Altar of Fire, where They used the power and strength of a sun to seal both Themself and Arionus away in the Holy Grail.

Connections

-During the Moon Memories leading up to the hell event, Ophelia finds the Altar of Fire, where not just fire emits from the Holy Grail. When the young queen disappears into the Holy Grail, Arionus is released.

-The Elf Gods never let go of their bigotry. When Nikki, Momo, you, and Loen enter the meadow leading to the Tree of Life, the Wind Elf accuses you all of serving the "traitors" and tries to root you in place, just like with Hephaes.

-Neither Arionus nor Hephaes betrayed the other. Hephaes' Reflection and Arionus' Reflection Lost Tides work together to show the duplicity of the other Elf Gods: forcing the Fire Elf away, ambushing the Water Elf and telling Them they were sold out, antagonizing the issue of the Abyss, and trying to get one friend to kill the other.

-Hephaes ends Their story by deciding to share Arionus' fate, to keep Them from being alone. One of the turning points in the hell event is Hephaes deciding to use up Their Fire Seed. As the two Reflections explain, giving up one's Seed meant one would eventually become mortal. And at the end of the Tides and Flames event, both Hephaes and Arionus fade away.

-Even though the Fire and Water gods are dead, they aren't truly gone. First, Leonid's Prophecy explains that all gods go through a cycle of death and rebirth. And second, their powers and colors intertwined to create the Flower of Eberne, an important item in Love Nikki in one of Orlando's memories.

Fun Facts

-Hephaes' name is taken from the Greek god Hephaestus, who was the God of Fire and Crafting.

-The Wind Elf called Hephaes' friendship with Arionus "self-righteous" and "blind trust." If anything, Fire Elf Hephaes is the only one who saw clearly: understanding Arionus' plight, learning as much as They could about the forest, seeking solutions beyond just violence. The other elves were self-righteous, arrogant, and blindly hateful.

-Only Hephaes and Arionus get names. The other Elf Gods are just referred to by their nature element, like Rock or Wind.

-In the Reflection and event, Hephaes is presented as gender-neutral, but Their voice actor is masculine.

-The other Elf Gods claimed that Arionus was an outsider and didn't belong at the Tree of Life... but Arionus' Seed was already at the Source Spring. The Tree of Life already recognized Them as an Elf God and a guardian.

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Loen: Woodsy Adventure

Designer's Reflection: Woodsy Adventure

Obtained: Vol. 2 Chapter 6 workshop

Rarity: SR

Attribute: Pink/Sweet

Awakened Suit: Forest Tune

Story - transcripts from Designer's Reflection

Chapter 1 - Emergency Meeting

Chapter 2 - Between the Trees

Chapter 3 - Good Company

Story - summarized

The organization Savior has been monitoring the situation in Pigeon Forest for a while. Cangwu, the mysterious group of figures in black-robes, has been sighted near Lake Bovaly. But they always destroyed any monitoring cameras or devices, so no one knew what they were up to.

Loen leads a team into Pigeon Forest, where Cangwu is expected to be. He goes alone up ahead to check the area - he finds Flower Fairies. They're timid and hide, so Loen presents one of them with a flower crown as a gift. In exchange for his kindness, she gives him the power to understand Flower Fairy language.

They warn him about the "scary men in black robes," and how they use scary, unknown devices. Loen promises to help them, but first he has to get to the devices before anyone can destroy them.

Using quick thinking, he ambushes Cangwu and brings down two members before summoning the rest of the Savior squad. The fight doesn't last long, as Cangwu ditches the devices and flees.

Now Savior can analyze all the data from the dark faction! But when a storm pierces Pigeon Forest, Loen stays behind to help the forest creatures. One of them tells him of some humans and a talking cat that took shelter at a rest stop.

He recognizes them as Nikki, Momo, and the rest. Loen takes off through the forest to come find us.

Connections

-Loen had already gathered data on Mercury's work with Cangwu in his Reflection for Glint in the Night. Mercury's cruise ship was the only one that could survive the increasingly dangerous ocean tides, so Loen was sent to investigate.

-This Reflection explains how Loen got to Nikki and co. as easily and quickly as he did in Chapter 6, Episode 6.

Fun Facts

-I couldn't find a direct meaning for Cangwu, other than it's the name of a county in China.

-Even though Loen can now communicate with Flower Fairies, the effect doesn't seem to spread to the Shroomies, as he still needs Momo to translate their cooing.

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 2: Between the Trees

Narrated by Loen.

Narrator: At dusk, the Pigeon Forest was unusually quiet. An ominous damp mist slowly drifted in the air.

Narrator: The detector suddenly buzzed, and everyone snapped into a state of alert.

Loen: Relax. The energy signal's very weak. It's probably just a group of little elves.

Narrator: After carefully checking the readings on the detector, I brushed away a huge falling leaf and found myself looking at a group of translucent elves.

Little Elf: ...!

Narrator: Donning skirts made of colorful petals, the little elves were huddled together, nervous and anxious, as they made a flute-like sound.

Loen: Don't be scared. I mean you no harm.

Narrator: I approached them gingerly, squatted down, and opened my palm to reveal a bunch of small bright-colored flowers.

Choose "Is that a magic trick?"

You: Is that a magic trick?

Narrator: I learned it from an old friend in the guild, although he's more into magic pranks.

Loen: My name is Loen. I'm a mercenary.

Narrator: A bold elf looked curious and let herself come closer. Suppressing a smile, I deftly weaved the flowers into a ring and put it on her head.

Narrator: The elf paused and widened her crystal eyes. Then she joyfully flapped her wings and did a spin in the air before bringing a blue glowing leaf to my mouth.

You: She wants you to eat the leaf?

Narrator: It's just their way of being friendly... that's what I heard at Encounter with Nature. They call those Flower Fairies.

Narrator: Most of their kind are shy and don't talk much, but they will give friendly people an herb that allows them to understand their language.

Narrator: I put the leaf in my mouth. The other fairies gingerly came out of hiding behind the tree and flew over to my ear. Their voices were soft and fearful.

Flower Fairy: The things they carry with them look so scary...

Narrator: I looked at the scientific devices carried by the others. Most of them were turned off and looked perfectly innocuous.

Narrator: I motioned the other members to step back a little, and the fairies finally felt safe.

Flower Fairy: Thank you, Loen.

Narrator: In a display of gratitude, they danced around me like flowers swaying in the wind, ethereal and intoxicating.

Loen: Why are you so afraid of those machines? Did something happen in the forest lately?

Flower Fairy: A few days back, a group of scary people came to the forest with robotic monsters and made camp near Lake Bovaly, occupying our home.

Flower Fairy: Their devices emitted a strange energy signal that made us weak... Can you help us?

Loen: That's exactly what we're here to investigate. Can you take us there?

Flower Fairy: Sure!

Narrator: To avoid attracting attention, I let the others stay behind and went with the Flower Fairies to track down the intruders.

Narrator: The sun was slanting westward and the forest was turning dark. We kept walking until we reached Lake Bovaly, whose glimmer illuminated the trees around it.

Narrator: The wind carried the faint sound of chatter into my ears. Through the gaps between leaves, I saw dozens of black-robed figures on guard duty by the lake.

Loen: They're all hiding here.

Narrator: I soften my steps and threw a pebble at the center of the clearing. The moment it hit the ground, a poisonous arrow flew toward me.

Black-Robed Figure: Who's there?!

Narrator: Taking advantage of the confusion, I leaned over and tossed out a smoke bomb, releasing a cloud of smoke that quickly obscured everyone's sight.

Black-Robed Figure: Protect the devices, fall b-

Loen: It's too late for that.

Narrator: In the midst of the heavy smoke, I relied on my memory and dashed to the two nearest black-robed figures, then I raised my hand to hit the backs of their necks before they could react.

Narrator: The two fell immediately. The others quickly raised their poisonous arrows and fired away at me.

Narrator: As I dodged, I drew the dagger from my waist to cut down an arrow flying my way, and then knocked out another enemy with the back of the blade.

Narrator: Through the smoke, I saw a golden crow embroidered on the lifted corners of their clothes.

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

#loen #shining nikki #chapter 2 #transcript #between the trees #sr designer #apple #apple federation #pigeon forest #flower fairies #elf #anniversary #tides and flames #gift #machine #lake bovaly #mystery #intruder

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 4: Black Tide Rising

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: Flo took one last longing gaze at the crumbling altar and murmured his final prayer to the ancient god.

Flo: Great Arionus, I will follow you to the ends of the world, 'til the forests die and the oceans dry up...

Narrator: With every word that fell from his lips, Flo's misty form dissipated bit by bit into specks of deep blue floating lights, like warm, passionate teardrops.

Narrator: The swaying sparks gathered around Mercury's hand, bleeding bit by bit into the azure gem.

Flo: Great Arionus, heed my prayers...

Narrator: Flo's last words faded away into the mist. The wisp that only remained for so long due to obsession finally accepted its demise.

Narrator: Elves, after all, were destined to come back to nature. Flo's dedication brought him prolonged pain, but he never stopped seeking his god even to the very end.

Narrator: What he never realized, though, was that the person who brought him the ray of hope was never a believer of the God of Water to begin with.

Narrator: Mercury's New Moon gem began to gleam, more brightly than ever before. A wild force surged in it as the ancient powers were finally ready to be awakened.

Mercury: The time has come to prepare.

Narrator: As the light dimmed, calm returned to the space. The last tear fell to the ground, trampled beneath uncaring feet on the way out.

Narrator: Mercury Group has always been highly efficient. Viper and his men fished the stele out of Lake Bovaly quickly, and Alan soon translated it.

Narrator: Hymns singing the praises of Arionus, the God of Water, were etched upon the stele, and contained many more clues toward awakening the god.

Narrator: The songs and poems of old are often nothing more than idle grasps at romance, but a sharp eye can divine the truth within them.

Narrator: The explorations of Lake Bovaly opened a viable path for Mercury, and the gates of the abyss shall likewise open for him with Arionus' awakening.

Narrator: Mercury heads to the open sea, to tell the Elves of Water that he has found where Arionus is sealed.

Narrator: Mercury vowed to the leader of the Water Elves to wake up Arionus, to break the blood oath between the Elves of Water and Light with the aid of the gods...

Narrator: ...and to lead them in a conquest to retake the continent.

Water Elf Leader: The friend of my people shall bring back our great ancestor, and reclaim our long-lost glory.

Narrator: The tribe, desperate for anything that would further their vengeance, has no reason to turn down his aid...

Narrator: ...and thus Mercury receives the scepter, passed down through the generations, from the leader.

Narrator: At the same time, Alan gives Ophelia the ancient Pigeon codex, which records Glory originates from flame.

Ophelia: The road ahead may be littered with thorns and traps, but I will forge ahead regardless and recover Pigeon's glory at the road's end.

Narrator: The puppet queen who will do anything to restore her kingdom's glory will not give up this opportunity...

Narrator: ...and will soon venture into the Mist Forest alone, in search of the altar of the Fire Elf.

Narrator: Everything is proceeding according to plan. All he has to do now is wait.

Narrator: The altar deep in the Mist Forest quickly lights up with blue and red flames.

Narrator: The Pigeon coast is beset by tidal waves as the Elves of Water await the return of their ancestor.

Narrator: The tides may be enough to rouse those slumbering nobles from their idle fancies, if only for a moment.

Narrator: Yet Pigeon's glory shall not be destroyed in this disaster.

Narrator: The Elves of Water are too proud, too strong. They've been broken down by too much despair, and are all too willing to place their trust in others.

Narrator: Sequestered away in the deep sea for centuries, they have precious little knowledge of the state of the world.

Narrator: The stronger their desire for revenge, the further they stray from their goals.

Narrator: Everything is prepared. Arionus, the God of Water, shall open the connection between Pigeon Forest and the Ocean of Memories.

Narrator: It lies there, in the heart of the forest, where the elven prince is already headed.

Narrator: As he's said from the beginning, this is all but an experiment to peer into the Abyss.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

#mercury #shining nikki #chapter 4 #black tide rising #tides and flames #anniversary #lake bovaly #arionus #elf #god #water elf #power #abyss #promise #transcript #ssr designer

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 3: Forgotten Sagas

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: That was a long time ago. So long that records barely exist anymore in history.

Narrator: When all living beings were newly created, Flo was awakened by Arionus, the God of Water, and appointed as a guard of the altar.

Narrator: Back when the nine major Elf clans were still guardians of the Pigeon Forest...

Narrator: Flo roamed the woods and the lands as a follower of Arionus, painstakingly carving the achievements of Arionus on the stone slabs in the altar.

Narrator: Arionus traveled via water currents and waves. Arionus guided the clan with great powers while sharing Their wisdom and benevolence with the weak humans.

Flo: O great God of Water! You are far more powerful than the other eight Elves. Why, then, have you chosen to befriend the treacherous God of Fire?

Narrator: Arionus' kindness was repaid, sadly, with endless suspicion and distrust.

Narrator: In the end, the other elves launched war on Arionus, and the entire forest paid for it.

Narrator: The God of Fire betrayed Their best friend and lured Arionus into a trap. The two of them ended up sealed together in the center of the forest.

Narrator: As Flo narrated the devastating story, the dark mist came rolling over once more, encircling the Elf of Water.

Narrator: Sources of chaos in the abyss would always attract each other and blend together to increase in power.

Narrator: Now that it was clear that the dark mist was attracted to Flo and Flo was attracted to the New Moon gem...

Narrator: It must mean that this Elf of Water held the remnants of Arionus' powers.

Flo: I remained beside Arionus at all times throughout the devastating war. I was there, too, when Arionus perished.

Flo: I witnessed the moment Arionus' scepter fell, as flames sprouted from the Holy Grail of the Fire Elf.

Flo: I wanted to help Arionus, but the rolling waves struck me down. I tumbled into the lake, into eternal slumber.

Flo: When I awoke, the lake was frozen... trapping me for eternity.

Narrator: Flo's voice trembled. He believed that he was still alive, but no living Elf of Water would appear in the form of vapor.

Narrator: Flo had long been dead. What Mercury was seeing now was the last wisp of his spirit, only existing due to his dedication to revenge.

Flo: I know Arionus must still be alive! ...But how shall I rescue Arionus?

Flo: I have been trapped here for too long, with darkness and rue as my only company. There is nothing I can do...

Narrator: The ancient Elf sighed. As his memories gained clarity, he was consumed with endless pain. The god he worshiped was no longer with him... and would never respond to his prayers again.

Narrator: But that's when Mercury reached out towards him. The mark on his hand, a sign of his pact with the Elves of Water, gleamed softly.

Mercury: I am an ally of the Elves of Water. I, like you, wish to awaken Arionus, the God of Water.

Narrator: After the war ended, the ancestors of both Water and Fire Elves were sealed together in the center of the forest, shrouded by a mist.

Narrator: The powers of both faded away with time, but once the powers returned, the seal would be opened again.

Narrator: Arionus' powers were once concealed in the New Moon Scepter, while the body was trapped in the Holy Grail.

Narrator: If Mercury wished to open the channel to the Abyss, the awakened Arionus would be the best person to help him do it.

Narrator: And now, the remnants of Arionus' powers were right here in front of the eyes of Mercury.

Mercury: Water Elves have preserved Arionus' scepter, seeking to awaken its power. But the powerful New Moon Gem continues to lie in deep slumber.

Mercury: Recently, Water Elves have been defeated by the descendants of the Fire Elves and exiled from the forests.

Mercury: All hope for reviving Arionus has been further diminished.

Mercury: I am an ally of Water Elves, here to pursue the powers that will revive Arionus.

Narrator: Flo's dark, murky eyes seemed to light up at this final ray of hope as he rushed towards Mercury.

Flo: Can you really awaken Arionus, my dear ally?

Mercury: That's right. However, I need power to restore my New Moon gem first.

Narrator: The ancient wraith suddenly smiled, a wan, grim smile. He extended his evanescent vapor fingers and ran them gently over the gem in Mercury's hand, as if reminiscing over something.

Narrator: He had revered Arionus ever since birth... nay, Arionus was the only reason he was born for, the only reason his dedicated spirit still remained in this world.

Narrator: And now, for Arionus' awakening, his next step would naturally be to sacrifice himself.

Flo: If it is power you need, I can help you light up your gem.

Flo: But, my ally, do vow to me, to the forest and the gods that you will indeed break the curse set by the traitors and save the great Arionus.

Narrator: Flo's gaze was calm on the surface, yet tumultuous underneath. Mercury knew this look only too well. It was the look of the truly desperate, ready to risk it all.

Narrator: He had seen the same look in the eyes of the Elves of Water, exiled to Evernight Sea.

Narrator: Those Elves, out of desperation, fell for an ambiguous lie. Just like Flo here.

Mercury: I promise.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 4

#mercury #shining nikki #ssr designer #chapter 3 #forgotten sagas #transcript #tides and flames #anniversary #lake bovaly #arionus #water elf #hephaes #fire elf #god #war #betrayal

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 2: Spirits in the Lake

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: He tread on, the soft path underneath his feet swallowing the sound of his steps.

Narrator: Back at the lake, the hole remained visible, water flowing around it in a stilted manner.

Narrator: The silent passageway was filled with broken whispers, sometimes giving way into wretched sobs, sometimes turning into shrieks of rage.

Narrator: Condensed by the pressure of the water and the stifling darkness, the voices became increasingly twisted, gradually forming dark mist in front of Mercury.

Narrator: It's said that remnants of Arionus' power could be found in the abyss... at Arionus' altar. If these rumors were true, could it be where these voices are coming from?

Narrator: The waters of the lake closed up over the path behind Mercury's back as soon as he reached the dilapidated altar at the end of the passageway

Narrator: The dark, enclosed space was now empty save for the never-ending whispers.

Narrator: The air was damp, clinging to the hair of clothes of the visitor, seeping into his skin with his every breath, as if in an attempt to figure him out.

Narrator: The blue thread on Mercury's hand dissipated into foam. All around him, the waterlogged particles in the air trembled at his arrival.

Narrator: The vapor condensed in front of Mercury, forming an opaque mist.

Narrator: The mist drifted closer, fading in and out of existence. As if in sync, the countless voices seemed to thrum along to it... yet the mist was not what's producing them.

Mercury: ...

Narrator: The mist swirled gently around the gleaming New Moon gem, as if attracted.

Narrator: And then, bit by bit, a sleek, finned silhouette of a body appeared within the mist.

Narrator: Mercury recognized it as the shape of the Elves of Water who inhabit the deep seas under the New Moon. But there were slight differences, too...

Mercury: Are you an Elf of Water?

Narrator: As if triggered by his question, the person-shaped vapor attempted to reply... yet all it managed to produce was a cascade of small sparkles in the mist.

Narrator: The whispers faded away to silence in an instant.

Mist: Elves... curse... lake... war...

Narrator: The shattered sparkles surrounded the New Moon gem, and the swirling vapor emitted tuneless syllables in the form of an indistinguishable ancient Elven language.

Mercury: Is this what you're seeking?

Narrator: The mist did not reply and simply continued to swirl and caress the dark blue gem, all the while emitting vague noises. What was it searching for?

Mercury: ...

Narrator: Mercury decided to stop wasting time after the failed attempt to communicate.

Narrator: He continued on to the Water Elven altar standing in the center, its faded patterns telling stories of the olden days.

Narrator: He crouched down to see cracked stone slabs scattered all around the altar.

Narrator: The inscriptions on them were still somewhat legible, perhaps due to them having been stored underwater.

Narrator: He recognized the words "Arionus" and "abyss." As for the rest, he would need to consult Alan.

Narrator: The mist had approached from behind without his noticing. It didn't circle the mark this time, and instead wrapped itself around the inscriptions...

Narrator: ...as if in a prayer towards an ancient spirit that was no longer around.

Mercury: ...

Mist: The great... God of Water...

Mercury: Are you a believer of Arionus?

Narrator: The mist seemed to suddenly gain a distinct form at the mention of this name. It released an anguished shriek that seemed to penetrate not only space but also time.

Narrator: The thick melancholy and despair in the voice surged like the tide as the desolate wail became a shrill scream.

Narrator: As if in response, the soft whispers were stirred up once more.

Narrator: The voices, released from the binding currents, formed countless sharp blades that devoured the misty form and came flying towards Mercury, shrilly, aggressively.

Narrator: Instead of backing up, Mercury simply studied the advancing shadows, a rare hint of excitement in his eyes.

Narrator: The voices and the dark mist seemed to him a certain chaotic power, not much different from the force in the rift of the Royal City of Ninir.

Narrator: As the dark mist surged closer, bright light flooded in from behind Mercury, forming both a protective barrier and a sharp blade pointing towards his adversary.

Narrator: The burst of light met the menacing dark mist halfway, freezing it instantly in the air. The mist screamed, shrieked, but could not move an inch.

Narrator: More dark mist continued to pour in, but with every forward step Mercury took, his blinding light left a scorching mark on the shadows.

Mercury: It's over.

Narrator: Following his words, the thick dark mist finally dissipated into nothingness, along with the ear-piercing shrieks.

Narrator: The floating vapor form appeared once more. It didn't seem to comprehend any of these extraordinary powers and simply stared at Mercury in confusion...

Narrator: ...as if seeking protection... as if seeking an explanation.

Narrator: But Mercury was not here to protect nor explain.

Narrator: He merely gazed at the vapor figure in silence, like a just, emotionless god.

Narrator: The vapor figure finally accepted the situation. It drifted towards Mercury and sighed, long and despondent.

Mist: I am Flo, a subordinate of Arionus, the God of Water.

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

#mercury #shining nikki #transcript #spirits in the lake #tides and flames #water elf #god #arionus #memory #ocean of memories #magic #new moon #ur designer #chapter 2 #lake bovaly

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 1: Beneath the Ice

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: Lake Bovaly remained frozen. The dim sunlight shone on the ice, obscuring the colors sloshing underneath.

Alan: Mr. Mercury.

Narrator: Alan saluted the silver-haired man stepping out of the carriage. Mercury was holding a dark-blue moon gem in his hand.

Narrator: It glowed with a bright but cold light, as if resonating with the icy lake in front of him.

Narrator: There were tons of secrets hidden in this lake, but right now they were all being sealed away because of the absence of the Original Crystal.

Narrator: The back of Mercury's hand still ached from being carved with the emblem that symbolized his sworn alliance with the Water Elves.

Narrator: Mercury ignored the pain and clenched the gem in his hand.

Narrator: A faint golden light oozed from his palm and spread upward to cover the dark-blue gem.

Narrator: An oppressive force spread out of Mercury and soaked the transparent crystal, turning it from light golden to dark blue. The gem slowly awoke.

Narrator: The cold light of the moon gemstone quietly cast a moon shadow on the frozen lake.

Narrator: Since the Ninir Queen's coronation, Mercury had been exploring the power of the Abyss.

Narrator: The descent of the Goddess of Desire only served to open a dark window. More unimaginable secrets lay hidden in the unfathomable depths of the Ocean of Memories.

Narrator: Since he made a contract with the Water Elves banished to Evernight Sea, the Water Elf leader had been providing Mercury with books and data on Pigeon.

Narrator: According to an excerpt translated by Alan, last month the expedition dug up several ancient slates where Pigeon intersects with the wasteland.

Narrator: The slates recorded the legend of the Water Elf Arionus, with "deep sea" and "abyss" being the key words.

Narrator: Arionus used to have an altar in the Pigeon Forest. Now They lay dormant in Lake Bovaly.

Narrator: Not long ago, Mercury got from the Water Elf leader the key to the altar: a moon gem once embedded in Arionus' staff.

Narrator: The radiance of the moon gem poured onto the lake, swaying and rolling as it converged to a point.

Narrator: A gaping hole slowly opened up on the layer of ice, like the eye of a black hole. Frigid, raging winds came pouring through it.

Narrator: As if rejecting visitors with ulterior motives, the damp, chilling gust breezes through the forest, sending tangible ripples in all directions.

Narrator: The group waiting at the lakeside, horses and all, were sent tumbling amidst screams and neighs.

Alan: ...What's going on? Mr. M-Mercury?

Narrator: Mercury was completely unfazed. The furious wind barely even lifted the hem of his shirt.

Narrator: The soft, azure gleam on his hand seemed to provide him protection and safe access into the passage that had just opened up.

Narrator: Face impassive, Mercury gazed into the opening. It led into a misty path, winding away towards impenetrable depths.

Narrator: Chaotic, eerie whispers came floating out, ardent suppressed, mostly indistinguishable words from a certain ancient language.

Awaken: Water... revenge... Elves...

Narrator: The whispers formed a thin, light blue thread, which entwined itself around Mercury's arm, extending towards the mark on the back of his hand.

Mercury: Did you hear anything?

Narrator: Alan frowned at the question and focused hard before shaking his head.

Mercury: Wait here for further instructions, everyone.

Narrator: Following the guidance of the blue thread, Mercury soon disappeared into the boundless darkness.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

#mercury #shining nikki #ssr designer #tides and flames #transcript #chapter 1 #pigeon #pigeon forest #beneath the ice #arionus #elf #water elf #lake bovaly

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shiningdesignersreflections · 1 year ago

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Chapter 2: Lakelight Mirage

Narrated by Hephaes.

~Content Warning: near death experience (drowning)

Narrator: The other elves told me Arionus' "Seed" was corrupted by a shadow that came from an unfathomable abyss beyond the forest.

Narrator: But I thought, if the Tree of Life created and accepted Arionus' Seed, shouldn't Arionus be recognized as one of us?

Narrator: Plus, Arionus was such a powerful and respectable elf!

Narrator: Arionus could manipulate water at will and turn vapor into a drizzle.

Narrator: Arionus also wanted to preserve the clear water source for eternity, inspiring me to hone my fire magic.

Narrator: Arionus didn't talk much. But when I pestered Arionus with questions, I always got perfect answers.

Narrator: Arionus seemed to know every secret of the forest and took me to a lot of hidden lakes and creeks.

Hephaes: Arionus, have you been exploring this forest alone?

Narrator: With half of Arionus' body submerged in the water, Arionus gazed thoughtfully in the direction to which the river flew.

Arionus: Yes. I can get to places inaccessible to others.

Narrator: Arionus dove into the water with a splash.

Hephaes: ...Ah, there Arionus goes, disappearing again.

Narrator: Every time the New Moon rose, Arionus would disappear for a few days.

Narrator: But this time, I searched all the waters of the forest and finally detected Arionus' presence in Lake Bovaly.

Narrator: I rarely came to places heavy on water elements by myself. But looking at the unusual blue glow on the lake, I had a hunch that it had something to do with the disappearance of Arionus.

Narrator: I shielded myself with fire, took a deep breath, and jumped into the lake.

Narrator: I dove deeper and deeper, following the dim light. I sensed an undercurrent of emotion hidden in the periodic sound of water.

Narrator: The flames were quickly diminishing, and I frantically tried to go faster, until I finally saw Arionus at the end of the dim light.

Narrator: Arionus was wreathed in a gray fog. The water orb in Arionus' palm was the source of the dim light. An unknown powerful force was fast expanding.

Narrator: A mix of concern and curiosity drove me to get closer. But the budding power of fire in me was being overwhelmed, and a drowning sensation was dragging me down.

Narrator: I found myself in a bottomless abyss of water, and my stomach churned with dread like never before.

Narrator: I flapped my wings in panic, and what was left of my weak consciousness commanded me to open my mouth and scream.

Hephaes: A-Arionus...

Narrator: The rapid torrent of water poured into my chest and strangled my throat like an invisible noose. I felt that my head was about to explode.

Narrator: The water suddenly became heavy and stagnant, and the last bit of strength was gone. My wings went limp.

Narrator: I let the cold water drag my body and mind into the unfathomable darkness...

Narrator: The moment the flames went out, a soft stream of water shielded me from the murderous dark tide and quickly lifted me to the surface.

Hephaes: *cough*

Narrator: I got back on the shore, panting. Arionus used fingertips to draw the cold lake water out of my body.

Arionus: What are you doing out here alone? Don't you know that the power of fire is easily weakened by the element of water? What if I were not here?

Narrator: I blinked without a word, surprised that Arionus would ever lose calmness.

Hephaes: I knew you were here. I recognize your aura.

Narrator: Realizing the loss of composure, Arionus bit down on Their lips and sat slumped down.

Arionus: ...Were you not scared when you saw it?

Narrator: I thought of the blue glowing orb at the bottom of the lake and shook my head.

Hephaes: I used to worry every time you disappeared, but not anymore. I don't know what that fog was, but your glowing orb was dispelling it.

Hephaes: If it's that hard to deal with, I don't want you fighting alone. I may not be half as powerful as you are, but we can figure something out together.

Narrator: I waited in silence until I finally heard Arionus' usual calm voice, like a canoe floating across a moonlit lake.

Arionus: In my earliest memory, there's this sea of chaos.

Arionus: There's the sound of labored breathing in my ears, and there's a dark tide before my eyes. Dim stars twinkled above my head, beyond my reach...

Hephaes: The sea you described sounds very similar to what I saw at the bottom of the lake.

Arionus: I sensed in Lake Bovaly a power that shared the same source as mine, which is proof that it's connected to that sea.

Arionus: And Lake Bovaly's also connected to the Tree of Life.

Narrator: It turned out that Arionus had understood the concern of the other elves and had been searching for a solution by Themself.

Arionus: I know there's a dark power inside me, and it's getting stronger and harder to control by the day.

Narrator: Arionus' face scrunched up in pain, and a barely visible mark appeared on Arionus' arm like a shadow made of water seeping into Arionus' body.

Arionus: The New Moon night is not over yet, and this power is still brewing inside me. Go back. Even if you're not scared, I don't want you seeing me at my worst.

Narrator: Arionus turned Their face away, with the long hair cascading down to cover the black mark. Arionus hid the briefly revealed emotion again.

Narrator: I snapped my fingers, and two small flames turned into a pair of butterfly wings that flew toward Arionus and perched unexpectedly on the tip of Their nose.

Arionus: Oh! What is this?

Hephaes: Little butterflies I conjured using my flames. Cute, huh? With their help dispersing the heat, no one will get burned.

Hephaes: I knew your secret, and I wanted to share in your pain.

Arionus: You...

Hephaes: Fire can burn filth, but I don't know how well I can do it.

Narrator: I held Arionus close to my side. The fire butterfly flew from Arionus' body and perched on mine. Its flame enveloped us, forcing the dark mark to appear.

Narrator: The lurking power refused to succumb to the invasion force. A gray mist oozed out to wrap itself tightly around the flame.

Narrator: The heated struggle quickly consumed my strength. Arionus, too, was painfully torn by the two forces.

Narrator: Sweat dripped down Arionus' forehead and fell on Their eyelashes. Arionus' eyes flitted between chaos and clarity.

Hephaes: It must hurt, doesn't it?

Narrator: For a moment I couldn't bear to continue, but Arionus held my hand and rested Their forehead on my shoulder. Arionus' words were clear over Their labored breathing.

Arionus: It's okay... I can handle it.

Narrator: Yes, the power of fire had gained the upper hand now. I steadied Arionus and mustered more power.

Narrator: A golden beam of light pierced through the night. A clear stream of water lit up in flames.

Narrator: The gray fog trembled and finally succumbed to the two entangled forces and vanished into the night.

Narrator: The silver-white moonlight bathed everything in the forest in a soft glow. The light spots floated on Lake Bovaly like stars.

Arionus: I wish it could be cleansed once and for all. But unfortunately, it can't. It will come back when the new moon rises again.

Hephaes: Turned out I was better than I thought. Come to me anytime if you need help. I will save half of my flames for you!

Arionus: Haha.

Narrator: Amused by my sudden display of confidence, Arionus burst out laughing, dampening my feigned excitement.

Arionus: Can't say I was impressed, though.

Narrator: A floral fragrance filled the cool night air. The dim stars suddenly turned brighter, as though they were attracted by the rare noise in Lake Bovaly.

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

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shiningdesignersreflections · 2 years ago

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Mercury: Snowy Song

Designer’s Reflection: Snowy Song

Obtained: Christmas 2021 event

Rarity: SSR

Attribute: Green/Fresh

Awakened Suit: Frosty Song

Story - transcripts from Designer’s Reflection

Chapter 1 - Legend of Ice Lake

Chapter 2 - Safe Distance

Chapter 3 - Frost-Stone’s Arrival

Chapter 4 - Choice of Life or Death

Story - summarized

Content Warning: death

Bane is a half-elf who is proud of his heritage, but he always grew up uncertain. Did he fit in more with humans or elves? Why were half-elves so hated in Pigeon Capital? Could he really be accepted anywhere? The granny that cared for him at the orphanage assured him he was loved and cared for. She would tell stories of the Snow Elf that blessed everyone at Starsnow. She represented the elves’ love for humans.

As an adult, Bane still had questions. But he now worked for Duke Darrell, a high noble of pure elven blood. He had spotted Bane among a crowd of people, for half-elves have a particular scent. He told Bane he would give him the respect and dignity of an elf - all he had to do was complete a list of tasks for the duke.

Bane embarks on his latest quest: to oversee the mining of a rare ore by Lake Bovaly. He was to make sure the smugglers did their job and that no one else took the ore. Rumor has it that the mysterious ore is the legendary Frost-Stone, a gift left behind by the Snow Elf when she left Pigeon Forest.

Besides the smugglers’ group, there is Bane and a mysterious man named Issa, who also bears the scent of a half-elf. Bane tries talking to him, but Issa remains aloof. The two half-elves work together in the mine. Soon, the conversation switches to the topic of the missing half-elf prince from Pigeon Capital. Bane wonders if the boy was okay, and he muses if half-elves count as elves or humans.

Issa finally speaks up, saying that he doesn’t think half-elves are either, and that they may not find acceptance from either group. Before Bane can respond, the two of them notice a shift in the air: snowflakes fading in and out of existence, a chill that leaves them warm. They finally find the Frost-Stone!

Bane feels that Issa is going to run off with the stone that night, so when he leaves the tent, Bane follows close behind. Issa had started a fire by the smuggling leader’s tent. While everyone is distracted, Bane makes it to the Frost-Stone’s box first. It’s still there.

Issa arrives. Bane tries to stab him - he realizes it’s actually Mercury. He tries to tell Bane that Duke Darrell never liked or accepted him and was just using him for labor, never once willing to make Bane the equal of an elf. Bane is hurt to hear this, and he even thought it was true, but he still wants to hang onto the hope of being accepted finally.

Mercury says that no one can make him fit into elf or human civilization, that only Bane could make that decision for himself. He tries one more time to give Bane a chance to join him and change how half-elves are seen in Pigeon Kingdom.

Bane runs away with the stone - only to get shot by a mysterious person. The person berates Mercury for being too slow. As Bane lies dying in the snow, he could’ve sworn that Mercury was furious with the voice and sad about his death. How could someone as cold and distant as Mercury ever care for someone like Bane?

The last thing he hears is the soft voice of the Snow Elf, welcoming him back to the forest.

Connections

-Duke Darrell is the elf noble who died in Vol. 1, Chapter 10. Mercury barged into the funeral ceremony showing little respect for the late duke.

-While the Snow Elf is associated with the Ninir holiday Starsnow, it’s actually a part of Pigeon legends. Ninir sees elves as benevolent ones that can bless humans. This is why Mercury doesn’t believe in the Snow Elf, since he knows how vile the elves can be toward other elves, let alone humans.

-Lake Bovaly is a major location in Love Nikki. It’s a sacred place to the elves, and the Wood Elf Prince Chloris watches over it as one of his duties.

Fun Facts

-Two more kinds of elf are introduced in the game: Wood Elf and Snow Elf. The original elf types in the game are Light and Water.

-Mercury’s fake name Issa most likely comes from the Futhark rune “isa,” which represents winter, cold, and waiting.

-So far, Mercury and Bane are the only half-elves mentioned in the game, although there could be more.

-The Snow Elf is left ambiguous as to whether she exists or not. However, her final appearance in the Reflection makes her seem more like a god or spirit that watches over all.

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