The party fought through Vanguard, encountering a man named Zander that transformed himself with the soul of a serpent.
After dispatching their foes, Estinien seemed downhearted.
The Warrior of Light only noticed Estinien's off demeanor due to their many adventures together, and thus questioned the dragoon.
"Zoraal Ja initially thought that only by conquering the world would he be recognized beside his father. I informed him of the Dragonsong War to dissuade him from such foolish action. Perhaps it is I who have caused the man to seek the combination of beast and man," so Estinien muttered.
"His actions are his alone," the Warrior of Light simply replied, to which Estinien nodded.
They entered the zone of Heritage Found, and began exploring the area. The whole zone was strangely filled with lightning aether.
They passed through a settlement named Yyasulani Station, and after queries, continued heading northward towards a settlement referred to by the locals as The Outskirts.
Most unsettled along the way was Erenville, who's mother originally lived in this region prior to the appearance of this purple dome.
When they entered The Outskirts, their eyes were drawn to a tower to the north that rose to the sky, of black metal and neon purple.
"How wondrous," Alphinaud said.
"The whole zone is primarily lightning aether," Y'shtola noted. "They rely on various appliances to transform this lightning aether for use. I need closer examination to fully discern their methods."
They would soon be shaken by an approaching figure.
"I saw her wandering form during the attack on Tuliyollal!" Wuk Lamat was in disbelief that this woman dared to approach in such an open manner. It was incomprehensible for this woman associated with Zoraal Ja to not immediately alert their army.
"Welcome to my domain, royal guests," the woman spoke. She was of a kind and gentle disposition, in a lovely dress of soft yellow, white frills and bluish glow. "I have been expecting you."
"You have?!" Wuk Lamat was visibly shaken. The Warrior of Light felt rather unnerved as well, and a tension filled the air.
"Indeed. I am Queen Sphene. Long have I waited."
"What for?" Wuk Lamat was filled with agitation.
"For… I…" Queen Sphene's appearance suddenly flickered. The party took a half step back, startled.
Her appearance quickly stabilized.
"What was I saying again…? Hmm…" Queen Sphene softly smiled with a tinge of confusion. "Oh yes! I came here to ensure that my subjects are living well. Would you like to accompany me? You must be guests that I must welcome!"
The original tension that filled the hair transformed into that of uncertainty and bewilderment.
The Warrior of Light locked eyes with each companion and they nodded silently. Something was certainly off here.
"Her existence…" Y'shtola's eyes glowed as she scrutinized Queen Sphene's form. "She is but an automaton with the appearance of this… Queen Sphene."
Queen Sphene giggled, not minding Y'shtola's words. When another pink screened automaton walked past, Queen Sphene 'jumped' and the other automaton became her.
"When we first arrived, many here thought so too! I am certain that once you learn more of our way of life, you will understand that my existence is very real!"
"Wait!" Wuk Lamat squinted her cat eyes. "Earlier, you said you had waited a long time for our arrival. What do you mean?"
"I did? Hmm…" Queen Sphene tilted her chin downwards in thought.
"Yes. We came because of Zoraal Ja," Erenville himself was desperate to find his mother. "I am also in search of a viera named Cahciua."
"Oh yes! Zoraal Ja has ruled alongside me for many years. Recently, I have begun to feel uncertain as to whether his influence on my people has--" At this point, Queen Sphene's image flickered once again!
The Warrior of Light suddenly felt many burning pairs of eyes drawn to their group. Examining the surroundings, The Warrior of Light identified it was the automaton guards patrolling that had suddenly stopped in their tracks to fixate upon them!
"Yes! Cahciua is also a highly valued member of our society. I am certain that you will come across her soon enough!" Queen Sphene continued as they strode into the center of The Outskirts. The automaton guards returned to their patrols.
"It's the Queen!"
A citizen with a device attached on her head yelled in joy, and soon, those in The Outskirts gathered around Sphene, all beaming in happiness.
The party observed silently as Queen Sphene went out of her way to speak to every single individual. Her memory of every single individual's history and recent situation was perfect. It was obvious as to why she was so welcomed and beloved by the people.
Bakool Ja Ja was speechless as he was swamped by questions of relation to Zoraal Ja. Apparently, his kind weren't seen here often, and many assumed he to be some distant relative. Bakool Ja Ja's two heads barely had any openings to reject their claims.
Wuk Lamat looked on, conflicted emotions in her eyes. The Warrior of Light only frowned, sensing something nefarious at work from years of experience.
Eventually, Sphene proposed for the party to explore how Alexandrians lived their daily lives. It was truly eye opening. Alexandrians had the very concept of death erased from their minds-- none could even recall those who had passed!
The party naturally attempted to further probe Sphene along the way, but was repeatedly met with obstacles. Any question that strayed too close to Sphene's assessment of Zoraal Ja would cause her image to flicker. Of course, they only probed when no other robotic guards had them in sight. A 'confused' Sphene would return, recalling their identity and their journey but distracted from the subject of Zoraal Ja.
"You would do anything to protect your people?" Wuk Lamat asked.
"Anything to preserve Alexandria, yes. As I am sure that you would for Tuliyollal," Sphene smiled in reply.
"Including the lives of innocents outside your domain?" Krile probed.
"Of course not," Sphene lightly smiled. "We Alexandria was once embroiled in a war against a kingdom named Lindblum. They created a weapon that brought Alexandria to the brink. Luckily, our mastery of electrope allowed us to form a protective dome for our people."
"To carelessly begin a conflict against another is foolish. My people's happiness is my happiness. I would never seek a conflict that could potentially destroy my own citizens' lives," Sphene concluded. "Oh yes! I require your assistance. Zoraal Ja--"
Her image flickered once again, and once stabilized, Sphene veered off to an irrelevant topic.
"Do you have a heaven?" Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic asked bluntly. He had come because of an agreement with the Yok Huy, to end his father's imprisonment up the mountains. The Yok Huy's previous generation had suffered, fooled by the dreams of heaven that were delivered to their minds by who they now know to be the Alexandrians.
"Of course! There is no death. When the flesh is at an end, we are all sent to a heavenly realm where our memories live on for eternity. As long as you become a full-fledged citizen, we will install a regulator device to your head. Much like lovely Wuk Lamat's!"
Wuk Lamat's regulator device had been heavily tampered with by Koana, and Gulool Ja Ja's soul and memories slumbered within.
Bakool Ja Ja, nor any others, dared to have a regulator provided by Alexandria equipped. They all feared that their minds would no longer be their own.
Eventually, Sphene bid them farewell and expressed that she would arrange for their visit to a place called Solution Nine.
Wuk Lamat groaned.
"That got us nowhere," Alisaie harrumphed. "Krile. Perhaps the mammets your grandfather sent in might have collected some useful data?"
"I created a device to track them down, based on the records left behind by Gulool Ja Ja when he and my grandfather attempted to explore the City of Gold through the portal in Skydeep Cenote using mammets. So far, it hasn't-- wait!" Krile suddenly exclaimed as she fiddled with a compass-like device in her hand. "There's a response!"
The party followed Krile and they headed east out of The Outskirts. Their eyes soon came upon a technological monitor with a roundish translucent body and floating hands.
"Is that… that doesn't look like a Sharlayan mammet." Wuk Lamat felt confused. Though her visit to Old Sharlayan was brief, she somewhat knew the aesthetics of the nation's technologies.
"My device is leading us towards it…" Krile took a curious guess. "Perhaps parts of that mammet might have been used for this… new form?"
They chased down their target.
When they finally caught up to the odd-floating technological monitor, Erenville's heart was sent into turmoil by the words that came to his ears.
"Oh Elene'shpya, my fussy little bun bun! I didn't know that you'd come!" So the technological monitor spoke.
"M… mother?" Erenville exclaimed. "Why… where are you?"
"Oh, don't you worry, my little bun bun. I am safe and sound in a secret location. Oh! Elene'shpya's friends-- I am Cahciua. This is called an Outrunner, which I use as a foil. Furnished from the scraps of sharlayan technology that I luckily came across. Probably some mammet an old friend sent in here."
"Let's go!" Cahciua gave Erenville no chance to further inquire as the outrunner sped off.
The whole party soon found themselves entering Solution Nine, taking in the sights before eventually going through a secretive doorway into a hidden room. Luckily, Sphene had done as she said, and they passed into the high-tech Solution Nine with no difficulties.
"I lead the Resistance. We go by the name, Oblivion." Outrunner Cahciua proceeded to introduce them to Oblivion's members present in the secret room. A pair of bob-haired twin ladies were particularly eye-catching.
"You must have questions…" Cahciua said, to which the party nodded emphatically.
"It is good to see you again, old friend," Wuk Lamat suddenly said. Her head ached with strain and pain. Her voice was not her own. It was Gulool Ja Ja's head of resolve! "I am relieved that you are here to guide them. Thank you."
Wuk Lamat's headache gradually cleared.
"To retain his mind and soul while existing within the regulator… as reckless as ever," Cahciua seemed to be recalling their adventuring days.
"I believe my father only wishes to see my brother one last time. And to assist me in overcoming Tuliyollal's current predicament," Wuk Lamat explained. "Koana and the scions had long determined that if this state lasts for too long, my mind may become lost."
They proceeded to inform Outrunner Cahciua of the events that had befallen Tulliyollal, and their experiences through Heritage Found. The Warrior of Light was hopeful that this supposed past companion of Gulool Ja Ja, might be able to provide them proper answers and valuable information.
"Queen Sphene…" Outrunner Cahciua sighed. "She truly cares for her people. However, she is ultimately a recorded memory injected into Alexandrian automatons. Judging by her personality, she truly would not wish war upon others or her own people. However, she is not truly free."
"The flickering," Y'shtola noted.
"Yes. The Preservation." Outrunner Cahciua bobbed her head. "They created Solution Nine. They created the electrope technology necessary for separating memories and soul from the lifestream. They are the true controllers of Alexandria. The Sphene you encounter-- whenever her thoughts strays towards going against the Preservation's commands, she gets, you could say, reset in a way."
"There may even be multiple versions of Queen Sphene with adjusted temperaments," she added. "Alexandrian history has it that she was originally lost in the war, but The Preservation somehow gathered her memories. It is even possible that some of those memories may have been meddled with."
Sphene is Sphene but not Sphene.
"Yet you don't seem affected," Alphinaud pointed out.
"Many thanks to Gulool Ja Ja and Galuf. Though it may not have been their intention, the Sharlayan mammets they sent in but weren't able to retrieve… Well, one of them was found by me when I was enveloped in the dome many years ago. The foreign components of the Sharlayan mammet allowed me to create the Outrunner, capable of functioning outside of the Preservations' purview."
The Warrior of Light took a quick glance at the other resistance members-- none wore any regulators.
As for the 'number of years', the party had already determined that around thirty years had passed, based on their conversations with the inhabitants they had encountered along the way.
"Then Sphene…" Wuk Lamat muttered in sorrow. "Can she be said to be truly alive?"
Cahciua paused, unsure as to how to answer this question. The others, too, had this question lingering in their minds.
"I suppose… for one to truly be alive, they need to be more than a collection of memories," Cahciua delicately expressed her viewpoint. "They need to not only be capable of thought but to reflect on experiences and learn, such that their perspective may change overtime. To grow as an individual."
"Yet their identity must still remain theirs," Zero interjected. She had mostly remained silent throughout the journey, meticulously examining any Alexandrian tech related to the souls along the way.
"Indeed," Outrunner Cahciua displayed a big joyous smile on its monitor.
"I come from the void. The thirteenth," Zero herself desired solutions. "A world where the cycle of the lifestream was broken. I came here, hoping to gain a better understanding of soul and memories. My world may yet be saved."
"So this dystopian existence of a society may still be of benefit to another…" Outrunner Cahciua turned to the other resistance members. "Provide her with all of our current understanding. It is unfortunate, but some critical details remain out of reach."
"Mother," Erenville's patience wore thin. "How have you been all these years? I…"
"Shush, my dear," Outrunner Cahciua placed a floating finger to its monitor. "We may meet in due time. Look at you, all grown up, having made so many lovely companions. Your mission alongside them is far more important, and demands your complete attention and focus. I am but a distraction-- I am safe, and will remain so, that I can assure you."
"And now back to you, child," Cahciua returned her attention back to Krile. "I once accompanied your grandfather alongside Gulool Ja Ja. In some ways, I can be said to be a grandmother!"
"Indeed," the Warrior of Light could not resist saying to Krile. "That would make Erenville your uncle. Stepfather perhaps?"
"This…" Erenville sputtered. "They are not blood-related."
"Nonetheless, it falls to me to assist you, dear," Cahciua ignored the Warrior of Light's jibe. "Galuf sent a number of mammets in, each with a mission parameter. As for the one that I found and used to create this Outrunner? That mammet's goal was to determine the identity of the two lalafells that delivered you unto Galuf."
"My… my parents?" Krile was simultaneously filled with hope and nervousness.
"Indeed. By the time I found the mammet, it was at the end of its life-cycle, having entered hibernation. It is my belief that the primarily levin environment caused its failure-- all five mammets sent in would not have been able to replenish their more balanced magical aether, and thus failed to last."
"I was able to access the stored information that it had discovered. The identity of those lalafells is Robor and Alayla, of a lalafell tribe called the Milalla. The mammet was able to discover that those two were once members of the Preservation."
Her words caused many ears to twitch. The Preservation's hands are everywhere.
"Supposedly, at some point in time, the two defected from The Preservation and created this very resistance group, Oblivion, to stand against The Preservation. I'm sorry, child, but I was unable to find the other four mammets. Perhaps you will be able to." Outrunner Cahciua patted Krile's head.
"No. Thank you," Krile's hand played with her four leaf clover earring. "It is comforting to know that even now, my grandfather still watches over me."
"Mm. And now, to the primary topic at hand," Cahciua turned to Wuk Lamat. "Your brother, Zoraal Ja."
"He was placed in this position by The Preservation. I have no doubts regarding that. As such, he must have been determined to be of use to The Preservation. As to why, it must be of relation to the procurement of souls. To our understanding, The Preservation has primarily employed Queen Sphene to negotiate agreements with those outside the dome, to collect souls to power their society. However, they have now turned to Zoraal Ja, whose methods are much more direct."
"I believe that the Preservation has grown desperate. Otherwise, they should not have entered into an agreement with Zoraal Ja… who is…"
"A loose cannon." Alisaie bluntly said. Wuk Lamat clenched her teeth, but had to accept Alisaie's judgment. Clearly, Wuk Lamat was still internally conflicted.
"I cannot say that I have any understanding of Zoraal Ja's own personal motive, beyond the barrage of the disdain from Mamook that he may have experienced in his growth, when compared to his two-headed father." The party was certainly aware of the darkness in Mamook.
Bakool Ja Ja was most discomforted by these words, his two heads looking away. If only there was a hole to hide in.
"Now, during his reign, Zoraal Ja heavily militarized Alexandria-- using feral souls to augment a soldier's combat capability was an idea of his." Outrunner Cahciua then paused as a thought occurred to her. "Wait. Is Tuliyollal safe?"
"Worry not," Wuk Lamat said. "My brother Koana, alongside the other members of the scions, have arranged for foreign assistance." The Warrior of Light nodded. Vrtra was certain to help, capable of lightning-quick response.
"Good. That will give us time." Outrunner Cahciua's monitor displayed a pair of narrowed eyes. "Zoraal Ja stands between us and The Preservation. Thus, Zoraal Ja must first be dealt with. Now, I will tell you of another major problem. Over these years, we Oblivion have been unable to truly pinpoint how The Preservation can be dealt with."
"You mean…." Alphinaud tilted his head down in thought. "You mean The Preservation is no physical existence and cannot be destroyed?"
"What about their so-called heaven?" Bakool Ja Ja's mind remained primarily focused on the visions of the Yok Huy.
"Their so-called heaven is where the eternal live," Outrunner Cahciua explained. "The Preservation is somewhere hidden, and has not been found." She seemed certain that The Preservation was not in this so-called heaven.
"And so, perhaps Zoraal Ja may provide some clues as well." The Warrior of Light nodded.
"Perhaps some of the malfunctioning automatons sent in by Galuf may as well," Outrunner Cahciua said then turned to Wuk Lamat. "But now comes the important question."
"Wuk Lamat. What will you do when you confront your brother? Tell me."