Gate of Memoirs/Someone to Protect

For the sake of his former companions, and to protect the will of his beloved, Ark bars the Summoner's way at Hydra Geyser.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Valtan Fortress"	Music: "Valtan Fortress"
 	
*Lugina: Hey there, aren't you looking sharp?
 	
*Lugina: You really captured that sense of tragic heroism, like, "I fight to live even against great adversity."
*Lugina: Surely you don't think you're the hero this world revolves around, do you?
 	
*Lugina: Hate to tell you, but you're just a supporting role!
*Lugina: Am I right, Ark?
 	
*Ark: I...
 	
*Karl: Hey! Lugina!!
 	
*Lugina: Hmph, took you long enough.
 	
*Ark: ......
 	
*Seria: That's...
 	
*Karl: We finally found you. It's good to see you're looking well...
*Karl: ...Ark.
 	
*Tilith: Ark, I'm glad you're all right! I was worried!
 	
*Ark: ......
 	
*Lugina: So? For you to show up at a time like this...
*Lugina: ...that means that you've become an enemy to us "humans," doesn't it?
 	
*Tilith: Huh? What do you mean?!
 	
*Ark: I wish to honor Ilia's... I mean, Oracle Maiden Ilia's wishes. That is all.
 	
*Seria: That doesn't tell us anything!
*Seria: What do you want to do?
*Seria: What happened to the Oracle Maiden who was sealed here?!
 	
*Ark: ......
 	
*Paris: I don't intend to pry into anyone's affairs.
*Paris: But we do have a right to ask your reasons, if you intend to get in our way.
*Paris: We did fight with Lucius, after all.
 	
*Ark: ......
 	
*Karl: I know you, Ark. You probably agonized over it yourself, so it's not my place to say anything.
*Karl: But won't you at least tell us your reasons?
 	
*Seria: Karl, you're too soft!
*Seria: Who cares what reasons he has, if you know something you should tell us!
*Seria: , you're with me on this, right?
 	
*Ark: ....
*Ark: It would appear that you are still proceeding down the path of your own choosing.
*Ark: I was worried. I'm glad to see you haven't ended up like me.
 	
*Tilith: Ark...
 	
*Ark: Yes, it's only natural that I share with you...
*Ark: ...the reason I'm here...
 	
*Karl: ......
Music: "Honor" 	Music: "Honor"
 	
*Ark: It's a long story, so bear with me...
*Ark: After arriving in this land, I sensed Ilia's power immediately.
*Ark: But it wasn't in one place. It was from many locations.
*Ark: Unsettled by this, I set out to investigate each location one by one.
 	
*Paris: ......
 	
*Ark: As I investigated, it became clear.
*Ark: I understood why Lucius sealed Ilia when he sealed away Karna Masta.
 	
*Seria: So it wasn't just a coincidence?
 	
*Ark: Yes, I thought so too.
*Ark: I thought that amidst the fevered battle with Karna Masta, Lucius just didn't have room to focus on anything else.
*Ark: And that Lucius used her to make me obey, since Ilia just happened to be sealed.
 	
*Ark: That's what I had always assumed...until I came here.
 	
*Karl: So, that wasn't really the case?
 	
*Ark: He had always planned to seal Ilia away along with Karna Masta!
 	
*Paris: What do you mean?
 	
*Ark: As I investigated, I met a demon named Kalon that protects the seal.
*Ark: According to Kalon, when the demons sealed Karna Masta...
*Ark: ...Ilia apparently helped in secret.
*Ark: Then, later, during my battle with Lucius...
*Ark: ...Melord, who had descended into this land, was the one managing the seal...
*Ark: ...and he must have used Ilia.
 	
*Seria: Um, was Ilia's power that incredible?
 	
*Ark: No, Ilia has almost no power in battle.
*Ark: What she has is power as an Oracle Maiden.
*Ark: The power to seal gods.
 	
*Paris: The power to seal gods?!
 	
*Ark: Yes, although we didn't know it at the time.
*Ark: Actually, Ilia probably didn't even know about that power, herself.
*Ark: But Lucius's disciple Melord knew.
*Ark: And he was probably aware of Lucius's objective...
*Ark: ...as well as the reason why Ilia and himself were sealed, at the same time as Karna Masta.
 	
*Karl: In short, Lucius intended to use the power of an Oracle Maiden...
*Karl: ...to seal Karna Masta in this land, in the truest sense of the word.
 	
*Ark: Exactly.
*Ark: Melord realized that. He combined the powers of the demons with Ilia's...
*Ark: ...and attempted to seal Karna Masta.
*Ark: It would seem Melord thought that after Karna Masta was sealed, only he would be able to return.
 	
*Lugina: Hmph, getting fooled completely and ending up like that. What a pathetic disciple.
 	
*Lugina: That was a close one for you, too, goddess!
 	
*Tilith: Th-There's no need to worry about me!
 	
*Tilith: Because I have !
 	
*Seria: But why did Ilia keep silent and obey the demons?
 	
*Ark: I don't know. But knowing her...
*Ark: ...she probably saw Karna Masta rampaging this land, and decided to help on her own.
 	
*Seria: She was so kind...
 	
*Karl: So, Ark, what have you decided, now that you found this out?
 	
*Ark: I said this at the start: I wish to honor her wishes.
*Ark: Her wish to keep Karna Masta sealed away.
 	
*Paris: So if I understand this correctly, you're our enemy because we're trying to defeat Karna Masta?
 	
*Ark: I don't intend to become your enemy. I just want to stop you.
 	
*Seria: That's the same thing!
 	
*Seria: ...oh, forget it.
 	
*Seria: Anyway, by the looks of things, you haven't found Ilia yet, have you?
*Seria: Don't you have any idea where she is?
*Seria: Isn't it a bit of a big assumption to say, "I wish to honor her wishes," without actually speaking to her?
 	
*Ark: A big assumption... It may be.
 	
*Ark: Just as you say, I haven't seen Ilia yet.
*Ark: She's sealed away, along with Karna Masta's true power.
*Ark: In order to get to where she is, one must defeat not only Karna Masta...
*Ark: ...but also all of the shadows that seal away his true power.
 	
*Seria: Then we just need to defeat all of them!
 	
*Karl: Seria's right.
*Karl: Ark, why not work with us to defeat Karna Masta?
*Karl: If you do that, it will set Ilia free too, right?
 	
*Ark: I thought of that...
*Ark: But you don't understand. You don't know Karna Masta's power.
 	
*Ark: I once fought Karna Masta, alongside my comrades...
*Ark: ...and I lost all of them. We barely managed to create an opening in his defenses.
*Ark: Fighting him head-on and winning is impossible, even for all of you.
 	
*Lugina: Don't tell us what we can't do.
 	
*Lugina: Maybe your comrades or whoever back in the day were just weak, huh?
 	
*Ark: ......
 	
*Ark: My comrades were powerful.
 	
*Ark: I was the only one who was weak...
 	
*Ark: I was the one who used Lucius's power in the past to seal Karna Masta!
*Ark: To do that, I sacrificed my comrades, and Ilia, too!
*Ark: And to this day Ilia continues to keep him sealed away!
*Ark: I will not let all their wishes, Ilia's wishes, be in vain!
 	
*Ark: The seal this land has only just been broken, and Karna Masta has only partially awakened.
*Ark: If all of you leave now, Kalon will likely seal this land again.
*Ark: But if you do battle with Karna Masta, he may awaken fully.
*Ark: My comrades' deaths will have been for nothing.
*Ark: And it will place Ilia, who seals away his true power, in danger.
 	
*Ark: That is why I have decided to take a stand before you.
*Ark: In order to stop you here.
 	
*Tilith: Ark...
 	
*Ark: I do not wish to fight with you. I want to avoid meaningless battle if I can.
*Ark: So... , my challenge is only for you.
 	
*Paris: What do you mean?!
 	
*Ark: If you lose, the others will likely understand as well.
*Ark: You will understand just how foolish this thing you are attempting is.
 	
*Lugina: Well, that makes life easier for me, so I like it. , give it your best.
 	
*Lugina: I won't shed a tear if you lose, though.
 	
*Seria: I'll leave it to you, too.
 	
*Seria: I just don't feel like I could fight my best, not against Ark...
 	
*Paris: ...... , I don't think this will be easy, but good luck.
 	
*Paris: I'm sorry. I know it's hard on you, but that's all I can say...
 	
*Karl: , you've got this.
*Karl: You go and show Ark. Show him our potential.
 	
*Tilith: You'll be just fine, !
 	
*Tilith: Help Ark. Maybe this will help ease his suffering.
 	
*Ark: , I would've preferred to face you under different circumstances.
*Ark: Now face me, and don't hold back.
 	
*Ark: I will show you the power of the Oracle Knight!