Zena/Stories

General Stories Misc

Quotes

When Obtained (Japanese only)

共に参りましょう、こちらの兄様！悔いなき未来を迎えるために! (Let's come together, my brother! To reach a future without regret!)

On Sortied

I shall correct the beginning!

On Entering a Room

I shall save the future!

When Quest Begins

Let us be off to change the future!

Are you prepared to challenge fate?

Response to Beginning of a Quest

Verily, let us change this world.

Let us seize victory!

When Controlling Character in Quest

I shall change fate!

When Receiving a Heal

My thanks.

It cannot end here.

When Entering a Boss' Room

We shall have victory here, even at the cost of my life!

This is the battle to decide fate!

Response to Entering a Boss' Room

I'll not accept failure.

I know the power of our bonds will see us to victory!

Upon Getting to Low Health

I near my mana's limit...

I cannot stop here...

Upon Opening a Chest

This is the will of the Goddess Ilia.

Let us share this amongst everyone.

Boss on Low Health

Just a little more—a brighter future is within our reach!

Let us end this detestable struggle!

Boss Enters Break State

Now! Deliver us to victory!

This is a golden chance— do not let it slip away!

Rare Enemy Spawns

We've certainly happened across an unusual creature here.

I can scarce believe this twist of fate...

Upon Death

Brother...forgive me...

Am I...unable to change fate...?

Upon Revival

My journey continues!

When Using Weapon/Shared Skills

Damage: A crushing blow!

Buff Self: By the power of the Auspex!

Buff Ally: Blessings of the Auspex upon you!

Debuff Enemy: The tally of your sins comes due!

Heal Ally: May your wounds be soothed!

Heal Self: My thanks.

Player Uses Damaging Skill

That strike could well alter the future!

A blow for righteousness!

When Shape Shifting is Ready

I hear the dragon's call!

The time has come to unleash the might of the dragon!

Shape Shifting into Dragon

I call upon the power of the dragon's blood!

Idle During Quest

We can do this. Let us move forward!

I await your decision.

Quest Clear

I will change the future!

Quest Failure

Is it my fate to fail?

Home Screen Walking

This world is special.

I shall also aid you.

We draw ever closer to the future...

I act to change fate.

I bear my promise to my brother ever in my heart.

I mustn't cry...

Home Screen Inside

Though the places we return to may differ, let me undertake this journey with you.

In this world, I both am and am not Zethia.

If I ever see my brother again, I'm certain I shall burst into tears on the spot.

Only when I lost the ability to be with him did I realize how special it was.

My brothers and sister in this world seem quite lively. Maybe I'm only imagining it?

All of them entrusted me with my future, so I must become stronger.

Home Screen Portrait

The crimes of my brother and I are too great for us to atone for them alone.

My brother was at my side from the moment I was born. As such, I have never been alone.

My life is one of endings and beginnings. One day, I pray for a beginning that continues forever.

Though I'm no longer the Auspex, I still pray. And yet I cannot simply wait for salvation.

I believe a miracle can be brought about by the meeting of our two worlds.

Collection Portrait

The me who stands before you is but an astral form, my true body lies in another world.

These clothes serve as a reminder of atrocities I committed, and made me never forget my sins.

The decisions we make determine who we are. I have made many faithful choices across multiple worlds.

I hold two forces within me: the remains of the Other's power and my own abilities as Auspex.

Hopes and dreams have been entrusted to me, which is why I am not alone.

At The Halidom

I recall the royal palace from the old days.

The warmth in this place reminds me of days past...

I've found myself wishing I could stop time right at this point...

New Mana Circle Unlocked

I shall change the future!

On Mana Circle Fully Unbound

So many have fallen to see me made safe, but now I know I can protect those I love.

Adventurer Story Episodes

Episode 1

The Other Zethia

I remember the first time I saw her, just before the Dragon Choosing...

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Why have you come here? If you knew the powers you were trifling with... I will stop you from forging this dragonpact, no matter the cost!

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But that would not be the last time she appeared before us...

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Forgive me. My journey ends in failure; I was unable to avert a future of misery. But next time... If I might be granted just one more chance... Etch these words into your heart, Brother, for there will come a time when you must decide. Do not worry about my life. Seek the Dawnshard for your own. And please...live. Zethia?! ZETHIA!

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I saw that second Zethia disappear before my eyes, and yet... Stop! You musn't use that power further! That voice...

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Since I am not of this world, it seems only right that I be the one to change my name. ...Zena. You should call me Zena. Now she's appeared before us again, and has a new name—Zena. Zena is Zethia from another world. But what possible business could she have HERE? On OUR world?

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You're a Zethia from another world. That much I understand. But why are you here? What do you want? And how did you even get here in the first place? Repeatedly visiting one specific world is no easy matter. And then there is the issue of your mana. What's wrong with Zena's mana? She is... Well, I was going to say "enveloped in mana," but that is not quite accurate. Better to say that she IS mana. She's comprised of mana? It's as if she's a ghost... Okay, lady. What's your deal? I have come here from another world; one that has proceeded on a different path than your own. On that world, I used the Dawnshard— The Dawnshard?!

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Do not worry about my life. Seek the Dawnshard for your own.

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You told us to go after the Dawnshard. I know little of the Dawnshard, but I do know that the space between worlds connects to a vast multitude of worlds. To locate and reach a specific world from among that number would be a monumental task. Does this Dawnshard truly possess this level of power? Yeah, yeah, we all wanna hear about the magical widget, but first, I wanna know where the heck you've BEEN! I mean, you just sorta vanished from the Binding Ruins, and now you're here? Seems like a long trip to just come visit us, ya know? Gimme all ya got, is what we're sayin'. And yeah, I get that some'a this stuff might be uncomfortable, but we gotta know what we're puttin' our butts on the line for here. I understand. If we are to fight together, it is only fair I tell you everything. So I will share my story now, but would ask you to steel yourselves. Er, why? Because there are parts you may wish you had never heard. Nevertheless, I swear that all I am about to say is the truth. It is an unvarnished account of events that have transpired in worlds apart from your own. Pray bear that in mind as you listen. We will. Then I shall begin my long and lonely tale. And tell you of the many worlds I visited on my way here...

Episode 2

Zena's Past

I decided to tell my new friends the truth—
the ENTIRE truth—of my story.
Alternate worlds of infinite possibilities... What if someone made this decision? What if a certain event unfolded thusly? Such possibilities form the roots of the alternate worlds of which I speak. At this moment, I am projecting my consciousness to you from another world. But does your body not stand before us? It is but a simulacrum created from mana. When that mana is no more, it will vanish. Ooooh, so THAT'S what happened!

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Whoa, the look-alike went all...flickery! You all right, lady?! My mana nears its limits. Go! Waste no time on me. I will follow as soon as— Gone again. Ain't nothin' about that woman what makes a damn bit of sense.

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Hey, I remember that! This certainly explains why I perceived you as being composed from mana. So you winked out back then because you emptied the ol' mana tank? No. When the Other's power reawakened, the channel I used to reach this world was severed. Without a channel, I could not even send my thoughts here, let alone manifest this form. So this "channel" you use to cross the space between worlds acts as a bridge of sorts between existences? That is certainly one way to attempt an understanding of it, yes. But under normal circumstances, it is not possible to reach a specific alternate world of your choosing. Yeah. I mean, there's gotta be about a zillion of these things, right? How would you even sift through 'em? Locating any specific one would be akin to finding the proverbial needle. Which is why it was thought impossible. ...But the Dawnshard changed all that. Do you mind telling us more about the Dawnshard? The Dawnshard is a Sacred Shard that possesses the power to alter causality. Its power is extraordinary, and its limits— if it even has any—are not yet known. Even having wielded it, I do not know the full extent of its capabilities. You always mess around with dangerous doodads like that? Big hobby for you? If an item will help me slay the Other, I care not about the consequences it may have on myself. ...You're a bit different from our Zethia. The Zethia I know is...less intense. The two of us have led very different lives. After all, the situation on this world is very different from that of my own. What's it like on your world? It has been devastated utterly. On my world, the New Alberian Army was routed by the Dyrenell Empire.  ! We LOST?! You did. The Dyrenell Emperor was able to manipulate dragons into laying waste to all of humanity. I assume this emperor of yours was actually Morsayati? In this world, the Other was using my sister as his vessel, but what happened in yours? I mean, since you're here, he must be using someone else. He is using my brother. That was how the Dyrenell Empire was able to take control of the dragons. Because his vessel—my brother—was pactbound with so many of them. By the Goddess! Wait. So the person who destroyed your entire world was...me?

Episode 3

He Promised Me

Pray permit me continue my story. My world did not have the benefit of mystical travelers. There was no other version of myself that appeared to grant us aid and succor. And that is where the futures of our worlds begin to diverge. What specifically changed? Hmm... Perhaps it would be easier to understand if you consider what would have happened had I not come to you. Well, for one thing, we probably never would have gone to the Binding Ruins.

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No... A fourth pact is sworn. You're the woman from the forest. Know that I am not your enemy. Why do you have a problem with me and the dragons? What's your aim in all this? I must see fate thwarted. But with so many dragons pactbound, my options are limited. Make for the Binding Ruins. Victory there may yet see this tragedy averted.

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I remember that! At the time, I was pretty sure we couldn't trust you. But Euden said that even if it WAS a trap, he'd risk it for his sis. It's hard to imagine how things would have unfolded had we not gone to the ruins. Yeah, I'm guessin' she's about to tell us. It is a subtle thing, but like a pebble rolling down a hill, so too can one tiny change bring down a mountain. And in my world, my dear brother...

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*pant* *pant* I'm impressed you made it—and at the expense of your friends, no less! I didn't think you had it in you. Let my sister go! A bold demand from a man who can barely keep his feet! Nevertheless, I will grant you a choice. On your last legs as you are, there is but one way you can save your sister. And what is that? Offer yourself to me as my vessel, and I will grant your sister's freedom. You want ME?! The choice is yours: Die at my hands now, or become my vessel in exchange for your dear sister's life! I've fought for so long to save Zethia... And I would gladly trade my life for hers. Let it be done! Free my sister and claim me in her place! Bwaaaa ha ha ha! Then, my dear brother, let us begin the ritual! Huh?! My body... I can... AAAAARRRGGGH! Brother, no! NOOOOOOO! W-we'll meet again, Zethia... I swear... Euden! Heh... Ha! Bwaaaa ha ha ha ha! Finally, I have control of a vessel overflowing with dragonpacts! Are you bearing witness, Alberius? Behold the fate of the descendant you placed such faith in! NOOOOOO!

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...And with the prince as his vessel, he seized control of all dragons. They had no choice but to become unwilling minions of the Empire. So what happened after that? After that, I...

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Murderer! You're a murderer! Please, calm yourself. Your wounds are dire—you must let me heal them. And why would you have me live? Does our suffering please you? I'm merely trying to save your life. The Empire slaughtered our families! Killed our friends! Burned our homes! Everything that mattered has been taken from us, and you would have us LIVE?! That's not what I... It would be an easy thing for you to kill me now, would it not? You've killed so many people already! Why stop now? What's one more corpse added to your bloody tally?! I am so sorry... No... NO! DON'T HEAL ME! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE! GET AWAY FROM MEEEEEE!

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*pant* *pant* What am I supposed to do now? (Saving lives is no salvation—not in world that has changed so much as to choose death over life) (I may not have been acting of my volition, but as the Other did evil while inside me, the sin is mine to bear.) I'm a murderer... I did such horrible things... But I know what those people feel. Everything that matters has also been taken from me, and it would be so easy to just let it all...drift away. But... W-we'll meet again, Zethia... I swear... He promised me. (And until he lives up to that promise, I must do all that I can.)  ! Who's there?! Zethia... It's you!

Episode 4

Proof That I Am Me

At a point in which my brother's promise was the only thing that kept me going... My father paid me a visit. King Aurelius?! Our father is still alive in your world?! Yes. In our world, my brother never went to the Binding Ruins. Therefore, my father never lost his life. Having been banished from the kingdom, he set out to find a way to save it. You mean...? Specifically, he sought a way to stop the Other's resurrection. To this end, he planned to use the Dawnshard to open channels to alternate worlds. When my father approached me, he already possessed the Dawnshard. But using it would require vast amounts of mana. That is why he had been searching for me: Because of the mana I possess in my role as the Auspex. The Auspex is a person of pure heart who possesses divine mana. Perhaps only one blessed by mana itself can hope to wield the Dawnshard. So where is this Dawnshard, anyway? I mean, you got the one from your world, but where's the one from OURS? A wise question, Luca; it would indeed be dangerous to let so powerful an artifact fall into enemy hands. Plus if WE have it, we can totally use the sucker to win the day! Alas, my father chose not to share the knowledge of where it could be found. He seemed to believe it better to keep it secret. And while I wondered at his reluctance, I did not press the issue. Then let's put aside the question of the Dawnshard's whereabouts for now. So if I'm understanding this correctly, you used the Dawnshard he gave you to create a bridge between our worlds. Yes—but there is more to it than that. I have visited numerous worlds besides this one. I can't even imagine! The journey was indeed brutal. So much so, I nearly lost myself.

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Notte... Open your eyes... Zethia... I'm sorry... Notte! Noooo! Once again I failed to save them. Once again, I watched them die. (Sometimes they passed before my eyes. Sometimes...while in my arms.) (No matter where I went, it always ended in death.) I can't save anyone or anything. Yet somehow I continue to live. Dear brother, I don't understand! What meaning can there be in the survival of one so useless as I? How much better would things be if only I could die in their place! ...A dragon?! It's come all the way here?! (If this dragon is here, it means the others who were fighting to buy me time...) ROOOOOOAR! ...... (If I sustain enough damage here that I am unable to project my consciousness back to my home world...) (My empty body will perish soon after.) (That would be the end result of all that I have fought for. If I think of it in such terms, it doesn't seem so bad.) I am so sorry, Euden. This will not do! Ah! Are you this world's...me? Hah! Haaah!! GRRAWWRGGH! Quickly! This way!

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*pant* *pant* Let's hide here for now. We just have to hope it moves on. Why did you save me? Do you know who I am? You fight against fate, do you not? It is not so hard to figure. After all, I am here, yet you are also me. You certainly pieced that together quickly. I have been making a study of all the possible ways I could save this world. Alas, I failed to locate "the Sacred Shard with the power to change causality." I do not know from whence you hail, but I am glad to have met a version of me who managed to cross between worlds Your mission is a crucial one; I cannot permit it to falter here! Ah, words are so easy. What do you mean?! What is the difference between us? Why don't YOU travel between worlds?! I have been doing this for so long, and yet have accomplished nothing. I am weak. Useless. ...Pathetic. My brother protected me, and everyone sung my praises as the Auspex—but no one knew how truly powerless I am! No matter how many worlds I visit, nothing changes—I lose everyone I care about and end up alone! It's naught but pain and misery. I have lost myself, and no longer even know why I walk this path. Why is this MY burden to bear?! You are Zethia as much as I, so why can YOU not take it up?! ...Even I do not truly know you. We may both be "Zethia," but that does not mean I know you. You have seen things— done things—that I can only imagine. Is that not proof we are in fact different? So it proves that...I'm me? Even when you are at the very end of your own self, you still cling to a hope that you would see realized. Ah... Don't worry, I got this! Go and keep your promise to Euden! I'm puttin' all of my chips on ya, so go save the future from the Other! No one ought to be alone, so go find the people you care about! Protecting the Auspex is a Paladyn's sworn duty. So in death—as in life— I shall ever be your shield. Haaaah! Hey, you KNOW I'm always with you! Alive, dead, whatever—ol' Notte's gotcha. So don't cry, okay? All that does is fog up your eyes. W-we'll meet again, Zethia... I swear... At first, this was a hope all my own. But I suppose things are different now. And though I am weak and alone, I am not TRULY alone. For those I've lost—in all the worlds— have entrusted their hopes in me. Only the weak can wish to be strong. So grow strong—strong enough that you will never lose anything again! ROOOOOAR!  ! That is a different dragon than before. If it gets inside, the castle will be lost. Then it must be stopped. Yes—but you need not be the one to shoulder that duty. It is time for you to quit this world. And leave you to fight alone? No! That is madness! It may be madness, at that. And yet, it will be done! We may both be Zethia, but you are YOU, and I have my own duties to bear. Your wish is the same one we all share. That's why we entrust our hopes to you. Heavy lies that burden on your brow. At times you may resent it, or wish to abandon it. But do not let despair win the day. For this burden is what proves that you are not alone in this fight. It is proof that among all Zethias, you are truly special. ROOOOOAR! Now begone, I beg of you! Thank you, Zethia. Go, Zethia. Save my brother... and the future!

Episode 5

The Present She Reached

After that, I continued my travels through all the worlds before arriving at this one.

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Why have you come here? If you knew the powers you were trifling with... I've no time to bandy about words. I will stop you from forging this dragonpact, no matter the cost!

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I had begun to suspect this world was something of an anomaly. But in that moment, I knew it for true.

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That grand transformation begins now! I will right this twisted world and reforge it into the one it was meant to be! You are wrong. Stop this madness... No right can come of...such suffering... Wait. Is that...the other Zethia?! You... Aaah ha ha! What do you think you can do, broken and powerless as you are? I have lost...everything... But I have power enough left to send them far from here! Forgive me. My journey ends in failure; I was unable to avert a future of misery. But next time... If I might be granted just one more chance... Etch these words into your heart, Brother, for there will come a time when you must decide. Do not worry about my life. Seek the Dawnshard for your own. And please...live. Zethia?! ZETHIA!

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With the power of the Other restored, my channel was severed. In all the worlds I'd visited, that had never happened. Frankly, it baffled me. But it DID help to highlight how truly unusual your world is. After that, I resumed my efforts to project my consciousness here. I believed I would find my way back one day...and I was right.

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And thus you've appeared before us once again. Yes. And my channel being severed is not the only peculiar thing. There are powers besides the Other that are emerging here. Our older siblings act upon schemes of their own... Most importantly, the Other's power has entered a new, third vessel. In all of the worlds I have visited, that has never happened. This world follows a different path, and it gives me hope we may yet find a way to defeat the Other here. ...And that I will finally find a way to not lose everyone. Must have been awful to have been by yourself for so long. Though I have endured many dark times, I do not endure them alone. I carry with me the hopes of all whose sacrifices brought me to this point— and that is why I cannot lose. One day, I WILL free my brother from the Other and save my own world! Hmm... Seriously, man? That's all you got? I kinda expected a response with a little more zest. I just can't get over how very like Zethia she is—and yet how different. Heh. I know exactly how you feel. To me, you are every bit my brother, and yet not my brother at all. You guys are gonna break my brain. I understand it on a logical level, yet it still somehow confuses me. Which is why I would ask you all to refer to me as "Zena." The princess you seek to save is Zethia, so it is Zena who will fight at your side. I suppose different names make sense for different people. Indeed. So if all of you feel the same, it should make things a good deal easier for everyone involved. Now THAT'S easy enough for me to understand! Can't say I'm a hundred percent on board, buuut... Eh, what the hey. Let's do it! Sounds good. ...The Other poses a dire threat to everyone, so let's work together to save all of our worlds and all of our futures! Thank you very much! Well, now that we got THAT outta the way, it's time for a welcome party! Does this mean you officially acknowledge me as part of your team?! Are you kidding me? You're all in! Couldn't have been easy to spill your guts like that, you know? Thank you for putting yourself through that for us. You have our gratitude. It's all right. I must be strong. For each world I have visited and every past I have relived, I must grow stronger. Then let us get some proper nutrition into you. I will make something truly special in your honor tonight. Wait, hang on. She's a spiritual mana projection or something, yeah? Can she even eat? Hell yeah! More for Ranzal! Is there no limit to your gluttony? ...... Oh man, I bet it's been a long time since you've seen happy people! Sorry, but it's always kinda like this around here. I actually remember this quite fondly. (Yet I cannot help but fear I might lose it all anew.) (Nevertheless, I must persevere.) Come on, Zena! This way! Coming! (One day, that promise will be kept: I will transcend time, causality, and even destiny itself to see my dear brother once more.) (But for now, my journey continues.)