Give Her Memories

...Maybe she overslept?

I don't know... That has never happened before.

Did anyone see her on the way here?

We're here! Huh? What's got you all looking so worried?

Miss Nilou isn't here yet.

Oh, maybe she's just running late?

That's not like her. She's come early every other time we've met. Besides, Cyno went to the Grand Bazaar to meet up with her before the meeting...

But, I was told she had left first thing this morning.

And now, Cyno's here, but Nilou's still nowhere to be found...

That's exactly why we're worried.

Any progress with the robbery case?

We interrogated the people in charge of the caravan on the day of the incident...

But, they were technically the victims of the case, and all their goods were lost, so there was no evidence to investigate.

Their goods are certainly suspicious, but until we recover them, all we can do is to observe the caravan under the guise of protection.

We contacted the original seller of the gem. Apparently, he sold the other half to a young man in the desert, but that's all he could tell us.

So, to summarize — the location of the "hazardous materials" and the second gem are a complete mystery, and now Nilou is missing as well.

Wait, you think Nilou's disappearance is connected to all this?

We're still not sure if the three events are connected, but if they are... It would probably have something to do with Nilou's Dance of Sabzeruz.

The Dance is a key part of the Festival. If someone was trying to sabotage the celebrations, Nilou would be a natural target.

...

여행자, Candace, there's no time to waste. Let's try to follow her trail.

Tighnari, can you stay back and explain the situation to everyone when they arrive?

Of course. It's still possible Nilou was simply held up by something urgent. I'll wait here.

Mr. Zubayr!

Oh, hello. Did you need something?

We're looking for Nilou. Do you know where she is?

Nilou? She left bright and early this morning. Said she had to help out a friend.

Was she by herself? And did you happen to see which gate she used to leave the city?

She definitely left alone. As for the direction... I think she left through the gate to the north.

...So, the complete opposite direction of Pardis Dhyai.

Did something happen? This is no time for practical jokes, you know.

Mr. Zubayr, could you send word to Pardis Dhyai if Nilou comes back to the Grand Bazaar?

Of course. I'm sure she just got caught up in something. Still, let me know when you find her.

We will.

Alright, let's leave through the north gate and see what we can find.

Miss Nevida, have you seen Nilou this morning?

Nilou? Oh, yes! I saw her head out of the city. She was wearing the prettiest outfit...

Which way did she go?

That way, I believe.

Was there anyone following her? Did everything look okay?

I mean, it looked like she was in a good mood. She even stopped to say hello. And no... I didn't see anyone else.

Alright, thank you.

Excuse me, have any of you seen Miss Nilou from Zubayr Theater come this way?

Yes, General. I saw Miss Nilou cross the bridge after leaving the city this morning. There was a man waiting for her on the other side.

Wait, could that be the person who bought the second gem!?

Did you see the man's face?

Unfortunately, no. He was too far away.

...Understood. If she comes back this way, tell her to find me at Pardis Dhyai.

Yes, General!

Let's keep going.

The trail ends here... and there's no one else we can ask for clues.

There are intersecting sets of footprints on the ground. We could try tracking some of them...

With this many traces, it's easy to get mixed up. Let me take a closer look...

(Wait! That figure, it's...)

Excuse me for a moment, you two.

Sure. We'll continue analyzing the footprints over here.

Tell us right away if you find anything.

Arasaka! It's you!

...Eek! It's the nice Golden Nara! Arasaka... must hide!

Huh? Why would you need to hide? We're friends, aren't we?

Friends... Arasaka is friends with the Golden Nara, but... Arapas said Arasaka can't talk to too many people right now.

Oh, why?

He thinks Arasaka will let everything slip by accident...

Eek! Arasaka shouldn't say any more!

Let things slip, huh... Okay, we just have one question. Did you see a girl walk by?

A red Nara who's pretty like a padisarah? Yes, Arasaka saw that Nara!

Really? Which way did she go?

She went towards a messy pile of rocks with another Nara, but Arasaka doesn't know them.

A messy pile of rocks?

Probably the ruins near the Fane of Ashvattha.

Oh! That makes sense. Thank you, Arasaka!

Arasaka is happy to help kind Golden Nara. Kind Golden Nara has helped Arasaka in the past.

Arasaka, about the other thing you mentioned...

Eek! Arasaka doesn't know anything! Arasaka won't say anything else!

Ah...! Guess that ends this conversation...

Well, let's tell Cyno and Candace what we learned.

...The Fane of Ashvattha?

The footprints lead in that direction as well.

Where did you get this information?

Well, uh... we were tipped off by some friends. We can vouch for the information!

Alright, I trust you.

Let's go after them. Hopefully... Ugh! Ah...

Another vision?

Yes... But this time, I only heard faint voices.

What did they say?

It sounded like two people having a conversation... There was someone asking, "will she find out," and something about "following the tracks"...

Was Nilou one of the voices?

I couldn't tell. The voices were too muffled.

Hmm... Let's head towards the ruins for now. The vision could mean we're on the right track.

We should be getting close.

This area is usually full of Treasure Hoarders. Nilou could be in danger...

Look over there!

It's Nilou! Heyyyyyy!

I don't think she can hear us. We're too far away.

C'mon, let's go!

Wow, can't believe we've walked this far already...

We should be getting close, right?

Nilouuuuuu!

Huh!?

Nilou! We knew there was a bad guy with you! Leave her alone, you... Huh?

Uh, by "bad guy"... Do you mean me?

...What are you doing here?

Am I not supposed to be here?

What are you guys doing here?

Can't we stick to one question at a time? Oh, wait... that one doesn't count...

What dreadful cacophony! Are we not allowed a quiet place to practice?

Sorush!?

Good to see you again!

Ah, Pale Floater! And my Yasnapati!

You know this red floating being?

Excuse you! I, Sorush, am a noble Pari, and the Bloomguard of Khvarena!

Uh... Sorush is a Pari we met in the Vourukasha Oasis. She's really nice. You just have to get used to the way she talks.

Huh? Mr. Sethos, that item on your person...

Oh, you mean this cracked Wedjat Eye?

So, you were the one who bought the other gem!

A Wedjat Eye, Pari... Sounds like something I've read about before...

Then, you can probably guess what really happened.

Now's not the time for riddles. Everyone in the city is still worried about Nilou.

Worried about me? But, I left a message for everyone...

Message? What message...?

We never received anything like that.

Don't tell me Rashnu fell asleep halfway there... again!

Hearing that name, this is all starting to check out...

Who's Rashnu?

The Pari that was supposed to pass on my message. She did look really tired earlier...

Hold on! Let's take this one thing at a time... First, what are you guys doing here?

Well, that explanation starts with the first time I met Sorush.

Sorush, they're here.

Hmph! I've had enough of these insufferable rascals! Wreaking havoc in the desert right and left!

*snore*... *snore*... *snore*...

Wake up, Rashnu! We need to teach them a lesson, or we'll never get another good night's sleep!

*snore*... *snore*... *snore*...

...

I'll trap them with my thorns when they pass by, and you can take care of the rest.

Perfect! They don't stand a chance!

Let's give them a taste of sheer terror!

...

Agh! What in the... Thorns!?

Boss! The wagon is stuck!

...Huh?

Now!

Hmph, perish, you scoundrels!

They've probably had enough, don't you think?

Who might you be?

The name's Sethos. I was out for a walk when I heard the commotion, so I came to check it out.

Since you already destroyed their goods, I'd say you can stop here. These kinds of situations can easily get out of hand.

Brazen youth, have you any idea to whom you speak?

The Bloomguard, Sorush — renowned among the Pari. All children of the desert know your name.

So, you're not entirely ignorant after all... Fine — I'm willing to call it a day.

But if those scoundrels continue to disrupt the peace of this land, I will show no mercy!

The two of us really hit it off after that, so I became her guide in Sumeru City.

You really can get along with anyone, huh...

Sethos fulfilled his duty well. I have come here for a monumental task!

What task?

I heard Lesser Lord Kusanali is currently celebrating her birthday in the city. As her familiars, the Pari have decided to bestow upon her a special gift!

As decided by Elder Zurvan, the Bloomguard of the Pari — that would be me — will present the Dance of Sabzeruz to Lesser Lord Kusanali, a tradition passed down over the centuries.

I told Sorush the dancer was already decided, but she insisted on meeting Nilou in person.

Good thing I did! How was I to know the current version is nothing like the original!

Well, there are bound to be changes over the centuries...

I was so excited to see the original version, I begged Miss Sorush to teach me.

It's such a rare opportunity! If I present this special version at the Sabzeruz Festival, I'm sure the Dendro Archon will love it! And all the spectators, too!

I appreciated young Nilou's determination, so I invited her here to practice in peace.

So, that's what happened...

Feels like we've been chasing bad guys for days, but in the end, there were no bad guys at all! It was all for Nahida's surprise!

Hold on, don't forget about the guys with the "fireworks." You still haven't figured out what they were up to.

Wreaking havoc in the desert, trying to turn a profit by illegally excavating ruins and tombs... That's my guess.

That would explain why they chose a remote path away from Aaru Village. They're lucky you didn't catch them in the act...

Heh, a few moments with me, and they'd be begging for their days of baking in the hot sun...

Okay... remind Paimon not to get on Candace's bad side...

By the way, Miss Candace, I noticed you're carrying the other half of the Wedjat Eye.

Oh yeah! What exactly is this thing?

It was a gift from King Deshret to Lesser Lord Kusanali.

(It probably belonged to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, actually. But, given what happened to Irminsul...)

That's right. So you've read the legend, too.

I only know the basics. I never thought these two gems could be connected to the relic from the legend.

I only bought the gem because it seemed like there was something special about it. The legend didn't come into play until I checked certain texts back at the Temple of Silence.

Legend has it that King Deshret and the Goddess of Flowers, Lady Malikata, both prepared surprise gifts for Lesser Lord Kusanali during the first Sabzeruz Festival.

They scattered candy along a path to lead her toward the site of the banquet.

Eventually, she arrived at a lake, where she heard the sound of music. Lord Al-Ahmar was plucking the strings of an instrument while Lady Malikata performed a beautiful dance.

Together, the two extended their heartfelt wishes to their dear friend, and each bestowed upon her a precious gift...

Lady Malikata gave her the Khvarena to protect the rainforest, and Lord Al-Ahmar gave her the Wedjat Eye to record the moments they shared together.

But, the Wedjat Eye was lost after the cataclysm in Khaenri'ah, buried deep beneath the sands.

And Lesser Lord Kusanali turned the Khvarena into a divine bird, tasked with guarding the border between new birth and death... until the bird shattered into pieces and gave rise to the Pari.

So, Candace actually saw things recorded by the Wedjat Eye!

I was definitely surprised it still has the power to record events after all this time.

Its power seems to only resonate with the people of Al-Ahmar, also know as the descendants of King Deshret.

Despite the damage, it still holds many scenes from the past.

(The faint voices I heard earlier... Could it actually have been Lord Al-Ahmar and the Goddess of Flowers?)

What do you plan to do with the two pieces of the Eye?

If you don't mind, I'd like to place them under the custody of the Temple of Silence.

I agree with that decision.

Technically, the Eye belongs to Lesser Lord Kusanali. Why don't you just give it back?

(...)

I'm not sure that would be wise...

Even if she remembers the story, I fear all that remains in this fragmented piece of memory... is grief.

(A record of sad memories... As Nahida's friend, I don't want her to feel sad on her birthday.)

I don't fully understand your reasoning, but if this is the decision of the group, as well as my Yasnapati, then I shall object no further.

Well, are you going to let me teach the girl the Dance of Sabzeruz, or do you intend to drag this on incessantly!?

She's got a point. Now that we know it was all a false alarm, let's go back and tell everyone what happened. They're probably worried.

I'll tell the other matra to keep an eye out for that caravan. If we find any evidence of any misconduct, we won't let them off lightly.

Guess I'll stay here, then. There's a bunch of monsters nearby, so it's always good to have someone stand guard.

Sorry to make you worry, everyone! I'll head back and help once I'm done learning this dance.

Focus! No more distractions! Now, follow along!

Yes, Master Sorush!

You're finally back! I was so worried! I was THIS close to sending some mercs after you!

Nothing bad happened, right?

Nope! It was all just a misunderstanding!

...That's a relief. I'm glad it's all taken care of.

How are the preparations going?

Well, Kaveh's diagram is done. It looked like he pulled an all-nighter to finish it, so he went home to sleep.

We built the frame of the tower while you were gone.

I think I'll check it over later, though. We were so worried about you all, it was kind of hard to focus...

In any case, there's not much left to do. If we all work together, we'll be done in no time.

Great! We don't have to worry about missing the Parade!

Speaking of the Parade, could I ask you for a favor, 여행자?

The Akademiya wants the representatives from each Darshan to nominate someone to serve as the Knight of Flowers for the Parade.

After some discussion, we all agreed you would be the best person for the job. What do you think?

It would by my honor.

Great! You're the hero of Sumeru and a personal friend of the Dendro Archon. We all thought you were the best candidate.

Make sure you knock it out of the park!

Hey, don't stress him out!

Wait, aren't you also in the Parade this time, Candace? You're... playing the tanbur, right?

Yes. I'm providing the background music for Miss Nilou's dance.

Whoa! Paimon's never heard you play music before!

Heh... If you like it, you're welcome in Aaru Village any time. I'm more than happy to lull you to sleep.

You can count on it!

Actually, I have a favor to ask as well.

These are the decorations for the Flower Carriage. Could you bring them to the Sanctuary of Surasthana and hang them on the Carriage?

It would mean a lot to have the Knight of Flowers personally decorate it!

My pleasure.

You can count on us!

That should be good! All we need to do now is to wait for the parade tomorrow!

...

(Everyone's been avoiding me lately. They're acting squirrely... like they're hiding something.)

(I have to get to the bottom of this after the Parade!)

(But first... birthday celebrations, with delicious candy, a beautiful Flower Carriage, and...)

Ah...!

Sorry to keep you waiting, dear Archon.

...Time to head out, dear Knight of Flowers!

(All the preparations are done. Wait until the start of the parade tomorrow?)

Here's to a successful birthday surprise!

Cheers!

Hah, I knew it! I knew you had it in you!

Kaveh, you truly are a genius architect!

Um... Madame Faruzan, I think you might have had a little too much to drink...

She hasn't been able to contain her excitement since she saw the candy tower hit the Flower Carriage. I even saw her sneak a few extra drinks just now...

Hey, we all deserve to loosen up once in a while! That's what festivals are for!

By the way, Candace, your playing was amazing out there! How come you've never showed us before?

Oh, it's just something I do in passing. When the night watch is calm, and the stars are out, I like to play a few tunes to pass the time.

You're saying the stars in the sky get to hear you play more than us? No fair...

Honestly, I think Miss Nilou's dancing was the real star of the event.

Wait, when did this become about me...?

I see. So, the Wedjat Eye is now under the custody of the Temple of Silence.

You can borrow it for research, if you want.

No need. Certain objects merely represent a period of history. Once the events they exemplify are brought to light, there's little value in further study.

Huh, I thought you'd at least want to see it. A legendary gem like that is sure to be a wonder to behold. Couldn't hurt to take a look...

I'm not about to make the trip to the Temple of Silence for that. It's too far.

You and your hermit tendencies, I swear...

Although, if someone ever brings it to the Akademiya for appraisal and certification, I wouldn't mind taking a look.

On that topic, I wonder how much it's worth...

I've never really thought about it... It's kind of like an ancient palace, in a way. Not many people are going to break off a piece of the wall and send it for appraisal...

Uh, that actually sounds like something my Darshan would do. I've heard some of the underclassmen have quite the sense of curiosity...

Well, if that does happen, write a report and send it to my office.

Huh? Is that protocol or something?

No. I just like to know when interesting things are brought back to the Akademiya. I might want to check it out...

Why did I even bother asking... I should just keep my mouth shut.

Interesting... You use reports as a sort of alarm clock system...

An alarm! Yes, that's what I heard just now. Dear friends, a critical moment has arrived...

Wait, I didn't hear anything. It's not like Hermanubis would call on you and not me...

It is time... to come together... and play Genius In—

Is that Collei calling me? Sorry, gotta go...

*sigh* Genius Invokation this, and Genius Invokation that... When's Collei gonna give me an excuse to leave...?

Everyone seems to be having a lot of fun.

What about you? Are you having fun?

Yeah! I just know... this will be the most unforgettable birthday I'll ever have!

Great Archon, you have a long life ahead of you. Isn't it too early to draw such a conclusion?

Not at all! Sometimes, a single moment is all it takes to know you'll remember something for the rest of your life!

Your name is Sorush, right? Would you and your friends ever consider coming to live in Sumeru City?

Um... Thank you for your kindness, great Archon, but we Pari have our own duties... And we find the city a bit too noisy.

Is that so? If you spend more time among people, you might start to enjoy the commotion, hehe.

Well, that's also true. I have fond memories of my adventures with Pale Floater and my Yasnapati.

Aw, really? Paimon's happy to hear that!

It felt like this year's Sabzeruz Festival had surprises for everyone!

When you called out the Aranara, Paimon nearly fell out of the sky in shock!

Hehe, I'm glad you liked it! I told them to stay hidden so no one knew what was coming.

No wonder Arasaka was so flustered! He was trying to keep it a secret!

Paimon's sure everyone in Sumeru loved the surprise. It felt like a dream!

A dream, huh...

Nahida?

Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering... if this whole thing might be a dream...

(...)

Then, we should do our best to remember it!

Huh?

(That must have been what Al-Ahmar wanted when he gave Rukkhadevata the Wedjat Eye.)

(Even though we don't have anything that powerful, we still have our own way to stop time.)

But... How can we do that?

(Hehe...)

Alright, everyone, closer together, please! People on the left, make some room!

...Someone is stepping on my shoe!

Ah! Sorry, Madame Faruzan! There's not a lot of space...

Pale Floater! This spot is reserved for the mighty Pari!

Hmph! Paimon's the only one allowed to float next to him!

So, that's what you meant... A picture! Haha... I never thought about it that way before.

From now on, every time you look at the photo...

I don't have experience with this kind of stuff, but... I trust you.

I believe with all my heart that time will stop for us in this moment.

Get in the picture, Kaveh!

Just need to set the timer, and... We're good!

Everyone ready? In three, two, one...!

Happy birthday!

Let's take another look at the Flower Carriage.

You should go. I'll wait here.

Be on your way, now. Don't waste any more time.

Judging by the traces, they must have turned left...

It's easy to get mixed up with this many footprints. We need to be thorough.

Watch closely — one and two and...

One and two and...

You all go ahead. I'll stay here.

*snore*... Nilou's... not coming anymore... *snore*...

She's... dancing... *snore*...