Upon reaching the beach near Poisson, Arlecchino led Luna to the entrance of the ruins they had discovered.
"This is it. Let's go in."
The ruins were desolate and barren.
Water. Luna peered down at the pool beneath the floor, its depths concealed.
It appeared to be ordinary seawater, not the primordial waters of the Primordial Sea.
Arlecchino surveyed their surroundings.
"If the water level continues to rise, this entire area will likely be submerged. We can't afford to waste any time."
"The dilapidated structures might collapse at any moment, but with our strength, that's hardly a threat. Let's move forward."
Luna smiled. Of course. A mother-daughter team, joined by a "father"-daughter bond—no one could stand against them. Besides, neither of them were Fontainians.
Arlecchino had once confessed that she was merely a "Fontainian" by upbringing.
Though she never revealed her true origins, that alone was enough.
As they advanced, Luna shared her earlier speculations with Arlecchino.
"Indeed," Arlecchino agreed. "We grew up hearing these ancient prophecies, yet we've never truly grasped their full scope... And Childe's disappearance in the Fortress of Meropide is also deeply troubling."
Perhaps Childe had become entangled in some unforeseen incident.
The Fortress of Meropide itself was shrouded in mysteries. Why was it built underwater in the first place?
Underwater...
If the Primordial Sea were to rise, which place would be the first to feel its impact?
"...The Fortress of Meropide."
"Any ideas?" Arlecchino asked.
"I've always been intrigued by the history of the Fortress of Meropide," Luna replied. "I heard it was originally designated by the former Hydro Archon, Egeria, as a place of atonement for sinners. Over time, it evolved into the fortress we know today."
"Why would the Hydro Archon choose that specific location?"
Luna answered earnestly, "You mentioned that the Fortress of Meropide hides a secret. Perhaps the place itself was created to safeguard that secret."
"And if the Primordial Sea were to resurface from the depths beneath the surface and rise again, the Fortress of Meropide would be the first place affected."
Arlecchino narrowed her eyes, understanding Luna's implication. "Are you suggesting that the secret of the Fortress of Meropide is the Primordial Sea itself?"
"It's just one possibility," Luna nodded. "The Primordial Sea is an ancient entity. The former Hydro Archon couldn't have simply ignored it."
Perhaps the Fortress of Meropide was originally established to guard the Primordial Sea, Luna mused.
Arlecchino slowed her pace slightly, a thoughtful glint in her eyes.
"No... you're likely right," Arlecchino conceded.
"I want to obtain the Hydro Archon's Gnosis, but as you know, it's not with Furina. I've considered two possibilities:"
"1. It's with Neuvillette."
"2. It's hidden within the Fortress of Meropide."
Either it's inside someone else's body, or it's concealed in a place no one would ever think to look, beyond anyone's reach.
"Honestly, though, the possibility of the Gnosis being with Neuvillette seems slim. I don't think he's Fontaine's Hydro Archon."
Luna's speculation eliminated another possibility.
Where could the Gnosis possibly be?
Luna continued, "Do you really think the Gnosis can help Fontaine face this crisis?"
"It's hard to say."
After all, no one truly understands the nature of this impending crisis.
But one thing is clear: this crisis cannot be resolved through human efforts alone.
"Still, it's better than waiting for our doom," Arlecchino remarked. "Besides, the Tsaritsa needs the Gnosis of other Archons."
Luna nodded in understanding.
The two continued their journey without incident. Their steps were as light and swift as a cat's—Arlecchino's honed through countless killings, Luna's a natural aptitude inherited from her "Father."
Finally, a slightly dilapidated tower loomed before them.
"Be careful as you ascend," Arlecchino warned. "This seems to be the end."
They climbed the outer staircase.
Arlecchino led the way. "If the secret of the Fortress of Meropide is the Primordial Sea, then its purpose might be to suppress the Fountainhead, acting like a sea-stabilizing pillar to block the Primordial Sea's encroachment."
But the rising seawater hinted that the fortress was nearing its breaking point.
No one knew how much time remained.
Reaching the summit, they activated a mechanism and used a teleporter, which transported Arlecchino and Luna to a larger chamber.
Three stone tablets adorned the walls, with clear traces suggesting there had originally been four, but one was now missing. The walls themselves were heavily damaged.
"Looks like this is the end of the line," Arlecchino murmured, a slight frown creasing her brow, as if she wasn't entirely satisfied.
Still, it was better than having no leads at all.
Arlecchino and Luna turned their attention to the stone slabs.
"The first slab is missing, and the second depicts..."
"...Celestia," Arlecchino whispered.
She pondered aloud, "This is the former Hydro Archon, Egeria. The depiction perfectly matches historical records. She's kneeling in supplication, confessing her sins and repenting—toward Celestia. Could she have violated the Heavenly Principles?"
The Heavenly Principles... Luna mused thoughtfully.
What crime could the former Hydro Archon have committed to warrant such a transgression?
"These lightning bolts undoubtedly represent divine wrath," Luna observed.
"Indeed. And the third slab shows..."
Furina.
Furina was curled in on herself, her figure appearing to collapse downward, surrounded by numerous shadowy figures. Wavy lines indicated a body of water.
"Hydro Archon Focalors, surrounded by the masses in the water?" Arlecchino murmured.
Luna also struggled to decipher the abstract imagery.
It was rather abstract.
The final panel depicted Furina slumped in her seat, her head bowed and tears streaming down her face.
"This is the final verse of the prophecy," Luna said. "Everyone will dissolve, leaving only the Hydro Archon weeping on her Divine Throne. It seems these stone tablets are recording the very prophecy that has been circulating for countless ages."
So what we've heard is only a fragment of the full prophecy, Luna thought.
Luna reviewed the prophecy aloud: "It states that all Fontainians are born with an ineradicable 'sin.' Ultimately, everyone will be submerged by the sea, leaving only the Hydro Archon weeping on her Divine Throne."
"Only through this will the 'sin' be cleansed."
Simultaneously, she and Arlecchino turned their gaze to the missing first stone tablet.
"Perhaps it recorded the innate 'sin' that all Fontainians are born with," Arlecchino mused.
And that sin was likely connected to the previous Hydro Archon, Egeria.
The secret to the Fontainians' dissolution into water must lie within their bodies.
Bodies... sin... dissolving into water... Luna pondered, feeling as though she was on the verge of grasping a crucial connection, yet still missing that final piece of the puzzle.
She could venture bold guesses, but without any way to verify them, she couldn't rule out any possibilities.
Luna pressed her fingers to her forehead, a faint headache beginning to throb.
"Don't force yourself," Arlecchino said softly.
Luna looked up as Arlecchino gently stroked her hair. "You've already done exceptionally well. You truly have a unique talent for uncovering the truth."
Luna obediently accepted the caress, but her thoughts remained distant. Her gaze drifted to Furina on the third and fourth stone tablets.
"You seem quite concerned about her?" Arlecchino noticed Luna's line of sight.
"I think anyone would be," Luna replied.
"They care about the truth; you only care about Furina."
Because of this, her child might very well make a completely different choice.
Arlecchino fell silent for a moment, noticing the inscription on the wall.
"'This is a nation destined to fall. I will record its future history in the past'—it's practically saying Fontaine deserves to be destroyed."
Future history implied everything was predetermined. This was the consequence of defying Celestia.
If everything was fated, what could they possibly do?
Luna looked up at Arlecchino, just as she had when she was a child, posing her a question.
"Throughout history, only those who defy fate have ever earned what they deserved. Even if the outcome is inevitable, we still have the power to choose. I taught you that myself, Luna."
Luna grasped Arlecchino's hand. Her warmth brought Luna a sense of comfort and ease.
Arlecchino said softly, "Let's go. When Freminet returns, I'll have him search for the first stone tablet. Like the truth itself, it might be submerged beneath the water."
Freminet was the best diver. If the first tablet existed, he would surely find it.
"Okay."
Luna cast one last glance at the weeping Furina on the stone tablet before striding forward to catch up with Arlecchino.
"Also, Luna, I want to know the truth," Arlecchino stated firmly.
"...I know."
Leaving the ruins, Luna inadvertently glanced down at Poisson Town on the hillside.
If the Primordial Sea were to contaminate the seawater and the water level rose again, Poisson's low-lying terrain would likely suffer severe consequences.
I should keep a closer eye on things.
Luna averted her gaze, focusing on the moon's reflection on the sea.
"..."
No words, no expression, just a silent, unwavering stare.
But Arlecchino knew what Luna was thinking, or rather, who she was thinking about: Furina.
The moment a child's attention shifts beyond their family, Arlecchino was once again acutely aware that no matter how much Luna might appear the same, she was fundamentally no longer the little girl she remembered.