Nier POV:

Yonah, Kaine, and I are on the bridge leading to the temple, looking at the mountain where Mom wished to have her ashes spread.

Yonah: So that's the mountain.

Kaine: I've seen this thing several times but I still can't get over how big it is.

Nier: Well, getting closer and arriving at it are different things.

Kaine: Yep.

Brok: If it isn't the white-haired siblings. And what's your reason, lady?

We turn around and Kaine brings out her blades. Brok then looks at Kaine's swords as if he was familiar with them.

Brok: Those blades.

Kaine: What about them?

Brok: I made them.

Kaine: (Sarcastic) Yeah right.

Brok: There's half a brand on the bottom part of the hilts.

Kaine then looks at me to keep an eye on Brok as she checks her swords. She looks at the hilts and sees that Brok's half of the brand is there.

Kaine: The fuck?

Brok: I made them for someone years ago. Her name was Kali. One of the toughest bastards I knew. She made it clear she was not to be fucked with. And that's what I liked about her. Where'd you get them?

Kaine: I got them. When Grandma died by Seraphim and his demons.

Brok looks horrified and closes his eyes.

Brok: She was your grandma? I'm sorry. As I said, she was one of the toughest people I knew.

Kaine: I know. She did tell me she got them from someone who meant a lot to her.

Brok: Well, come on in. I got something for you three.

Yonah: How did you get here?

Nier: Yeah, the lake just got lower a few minutes ago. How did you already get in there?

Brok: None of yer fuckin' business. Now get in here, I got something for ya! And don't go makin' pig eyes at my spot... I saw it first!

Kaine: Yep, he's definitely one of my grandma's friends.

Brok opens the doors all the way and the three follow him into a room that as seaweed over it and with a forge.

Nier: Looks nice.

Brok: When words gets out about my new shop, folks'll finally come out of hiding. They'll be clawing all over each other just to catch a whiff of my wares - You watch!

Nier: It's nice to meet you again Brok, but do you know the way to get to the mountain from here?

Brok: Oh yeah, just walk past the other entrance to the room and keep heading down that path

Yonah: Thanks.

Kaine: It was nice to get out of the cold for a bit.

The three of us begin to walk away and Brok calls for us.

Brok: Catch!

Brok tosses a glowing gem and I catch it.

Brok: The pile of rocks there - with that key of Yggdrasil you can open a magic door to the branches of the World Tree - a shortcut 'tween the realms. If y'ever see 'em out in the world, use it to get back to me quick. But it's only one-way - straight back here and nowhere else. And whatever you three do, never, never, EVER, never, ever, throw yourself over the edge of the path... lest you want death

Nier: Yeah, I don't see us wanting that.

Yonah: Thank you.

We begin walking and Kaine joins us.

Brok: Lady, what's yer name?

Kaine: Kaine.

Brok tosses something to Kaine and it's a vambrace

Brok: During the times I ran into Kali, most of what she talked about was you. I can tell she raised yer right.

Kaine: I think most people have a different definition of that phrase.

Brok: We'll none of us are like most people. So why should we care?

Kaine looks at the vambrace and puts it on her left arm.

Kaine: Thanks

The three of us leave Brok's shop and continue heading for the mountain. Another hike and going through more monsters and Draugr, they come across a pair of doors leading to another area.

Yonah: Okay, why do these Draugr's choose to fight the spirits that are there to bring them to Valhalla?

Kaine: Cause they're bloodthirsty dickheads. Not that I'm much better.

Nier opens the doors and they enter an area that is foggy.

Yonah: Woah... Sure is foggy here.

Kaine: No shit.

We hear muttering and look to see a dwarf working on something.

Yonah: Another dwarf. Should we-

Nier: We should leave him alone.

Kaine: So long as he minds his own fuckin business.

The dwarf then walks in front of us and asks us questions.

Dwarf: Excuse me, but... how did you two come by that axe and that hilt?

Nier: It's a secret, sir.

Dwarf And while I won't dispute that... I know that blade. It was one of ours. But we didn't make it for you.

Kaine: Shorty, you better get the fuck out of the way.

Dwarf: I can't. See, the woman we made it for... I was, well... I am... quite fond of her. And I would be somewhat ...displeased if it turns out that ...you did something to her.

Dwarf holds his fists out ready for a fight. But I won't fight him. Since it's clear he's the other one who made mom's axe and my new sword

Yonah: Our Mom. She gave them to us before she died.

The is shocked by the news.

Dwarf: Faye's dead? I'm... very, very sorry to hear that. She was a fierce warrior... and a good woman.

Nier: She was.

Dwarf takes a minute before calming himself down.

Dwarf: Okay... I will make improvements to the axe.

Yonah: You sure? Nobody asked you too.

Dwarf: True. But knowing your mother, she would have insisted that I repair that act of vandalism perpetrated against her axe by my brother.

Yonah: I knew it! You are Brok's brother.

Nier: When Brok mentioned he had a brother, I kinda expected someone with a personality similar to his. No offense.

Dwarf: None taken. He's always been more prone to... Colorful words than I am. I can assure you my talents are vastly superior. No boast - Swear to Freya.

Me and Yonah look at each other for a bit and hold out their weapons.

Nier: Don't undo Brok's work. Just improve it.

Dwarf: Okay. If you two can just place them on the table there.

Yonah: Sure thing.

Kaine: Ugh, great. A neat freak blacksmith. You got a name?

Dwarf: Yeah. Sindri.

Nier: Okay Sindri.

Yonah and I place our weapons on the table and Sindri begins to work on them.

Yonah: So what were you working on?

Sindri: Oh, that... I call it they "Sky Mover." Just up that mountain waits a treasure trove of rare resources. Once I mine it, I'll need a way to bring it all down...

Yonah: And you know how to fix it?

Sindri: Not even a little.

Kaine: How innovative. Are you sure you made improvements to those things? You just gave them a quick brush.

Sindri: Dwarven magic. It can explain it, but I'm not sure you'd understand, miss.

Kaine: Yeah, I wouldn't.

After our weapons were done, Sindri explained how they made the axe for Mom. Apparently she sought him and Brok out long ago so they can make a weapon for her. Sindri said Faye wanted to help people and she spoke their native language, so they made her axe. She then met them again a year ago and asked they make my sword. So he and Brok decided to work together one more time and made the blade.

Nier: Thanks, Sindri.

Yonah: See you later.

Sindri: Take care you two. Oh ma'am, It's going to get colder the more you travel. I have a set of winter clothes that you can keep.

Kaine: I don't care for that. Or not right now at least. We'll be leaving now.

The three of us continue our trip to the mountain. After a climb, we end up coming across a group of monsters that were pale and emitting a green gas from their bodies. We end up fighting them and, though we took a few poisonous hits, we manage to wipe them out. Unfortunately, an ogre arrives and tries to crush us. Kaine rushes in without a second thought and slices at the Ogre while still shouting a lot of colorful swear words. I give her a hand and Yonah provides support with her arrows. It took some tricky maneuvering, but we manage to take the thing down. I land the final blows by using my blade to decapitate it.

Kaine: *Panting*. How the fuck do these things never get tired?

Nier: I don't know.

Yonah: We're getting closer to the mountain.

Kaine: No crap, genius.

We continue walking and see the mountain getting closer than ever.

Nier: Kaine, you can head back to where you live since we're almost to the mountain. And we haven't come across any demons lately.

Kaine: I'm still sticking with you two. Something tells me it's still not going to be a straight shot to the top of this thing.

I look in front of me and seeing a black cloud coming out of a carving of a face, as if it's vomiting it.

Yonah: Is it... puking black smoke?

Kaine: It's hurling something that might be worse.

We get closer and we get revolted by it.

Nier: Yonah, don't go near that.

Yonah: Ugh... what is that?

Nier: We're going to have to find another way up the mountain.

Yonah: You think Emil and his mom can get us past this? They were pretty gifted with magic.

Emil: Unfortunately, our magic is useless against the Black Breath, and there's no way around it.

Mage: Odin saw to that long ago.

We turn to see Emil and his mom. Yonah was excited, so she run up to him.

Yonah: Emil. What are you and your mom doing here?

Mage: Emil somehow managed to convince me to help you and your brother complete your journey.

Nier: How's Hildisvnini doing?

Emil: He'll live. Also, sorry for not mentioning about the Black Breath when you three were at our house.

Kaine: You know this shit?

Mage: It's a corruption of magic even we can't dispel. Only the pure light of Alfheim is strong enough to break through it.

Kaine: That's real?

Mage: More than you think. More than I thought when I first arrived to this realm.

Emil: The road will be longer should you pursue it. So if you do, make sure you have no regrets.

I think for a moment, but know that I will fulfill Mom's wish. It's the least I can do for everything she's done for me and Yonah.

Nier: Where do we go?

Mage: To a realm beyond yours.

We follow Emil and his mother as they begin taking us through what I assume is a path leading back to the temple. However, there's a moving platform, so it's a bit easier.

Yonah: Alfheim? Like the actual Alfheim?

Emil: Yep. The realm of the Elves.

Yonah: Me and big brother came across some elves during our visit to another land.

Nier: Yep. Some of them were friendly.

Mage: The ones here are not the same. Those you saw were native to that world. The elves in Alfheim are much different. Be prepared to fight if you are determined to get the light.

Kaine: So how the hell do we get to another realm?

Mage: Tyr's temple is at the center of the lake. It's from there you can get to Alfheim.

Yonah: Tyr's Temple? I knew that statue seemed familiar. Wait, you're not coming with us?

Emil: I want to. But mom's condition for helping you three make it to the mountain was that I don't travel with you to the other Realms.

Kaine: Real fuckin helpful. Then again, I'd really be a piece of shit if I didn't see that she does want to keep you safe.

Mage: At least you can see that.

Nier: By the way, do you two know why Jormungandr is in the lake?

Emil: No one knows. He just appeared one day. Soon after, Thor attacked him and their battle could be felt across all the realms. Or so the story goes.

Yonah: What happened then?

Mage: It ended in a stalemate and Thor returned to Odin empty-handed. The serpent stayed and grew so large he now spans all of Midgard.

Kaine: So not the other parts of the actual world itself?

Mage: Just Midgard. And I consider that a good thing.

Emil: Jormungandr and Thor despised each other ever since and they are said to be destined to kill each other when Raganrok arrives.

Kaine: The fuckin apocalypse and end of the Nine Realms.

Emil: Yep.

Yonah: Me and brother understand the basics of many languages. But when Jormungandr speaks, we can't understand any of it.

Mage: No one can. He speaks a dead tongue.

Yonah: Oh. He must be lonely.

Emil: I think so too.

We end up arriving through the area where we met Sindri and enter through the gates.

Kaine: Lady, we've been through here before. If you're saying the way to Tyr's temple is past that gap, neither of us can jump that far. Not yet anyway.

Emil: Well, the Elves didn't jump across this either. They made this.

Emil pulls out his staff and prepares a spell.

Emil: Ljosta!

Emil shoots a beam of light at a crystal and a bridge forms across the gap.

Yonah: Woah. It's solid.

Emil: Elven Architecture. As long as the crystal has the light, it'll remain solid my staff was soaked with the Light of Alfheim. But that was before I was born. And over the years I have used it, it's fading. I only have a few uses left.

As we continue through the cave, we end up coming across something made by the Vanir. Mom never said much about them, other than that they've been at war with the Aesir.

Emil: I don't like favoritism, but I prefer them over the Aesir.

Yonah: Yeah. Compared to Odin and Thor, they're the good guys.

Nier: I don't think that concept is black and white.

Kaine: Yeah. There are no good gods.

Kaine's voice reaches to me and I am in no position to say otherwise. I ever since Mom told me who I really was, I began to remember more. All the lives I took. All the people I drowned in their own blood. I destroyed the home of my past self and at the end, I saw what I really became. But the concept of my godhood is too strong to forget.

Nier: Kaine, you sure about coming with us to Alfheim? I don't think there are any Demons to fight there.

Kaine: One thing I know about the Demons is that they have a habit of being in the most unexpected places. Besides, as long as we encounter demons, I'll be patient.

Nier: Okay then.

We arrive at the temple and see Jormungandr resting on some of the mountains. Emil and Yonah also talk about how Tyr built the temple to travel to other realms and keep the peace. Apparently, it was once filled with people that would walk through it. But that time has long past. After that, the Mage told me I had to put an axle back into place and push it so the bridge so it can align with the gates. It took effort, but I managed to fix it from the outside.

Kaine: Fuck. I'm surprised you did that.

Yonah: Did you hurt your back?

Nier: Surprisingly, no.

Yonah: Okay. This is so, exciting. We're going to be using Tyr's temple.

Emil: Yeah. It was built by all races of the Nine realms. The last great act of cooperation before the peace vanished.

We enter the temple and Emil uses his staff to activate another light bridge.

Emile: Yonah, may I ask for your hand?

Yonah: Oh... really? ...O-okay then.

Yonah holds out her hand and Emil holds it. He then transfers the magic from his staff into Yonah.

Emil: Your bow can use what remains of the Light I had. Once you reach the Light itself, make sure infuse some of the light into your magic. Understood?

Yonah: Yes.

Emil: Good.

We enter the center of the temple and see roots leading to a mechanism that seems to have something that looks like an incomplete tree. The Mage explains that these roots are part of Yggdrasil, the world tree that connects to all realms and makes travel between them possible. Emil then hands me an object that seems to resemble a small mirror or a lantern.

Kaine: Is that a key?

Emil: Of a sort. You'll need a Bifrost to travel between the realms. It can capture, hold, and transfer the Light of Alfheim. And also the safer way of infusing Yonah's magic with it. No way she's going to get it directly. 

Mage: Unless she preferred her arm to be burned away.

Emil: MOM!

Mage: I didn't mean it. Either way, Alfheim has been in a state of constant war for centuries. So don't expect a friendly reception.

Emil: And unfortunately, Mom is serious about it burning. But the only way to get it is to literally step into the light and come back out.

Nier: Got it.

I put the key in a slot made for it and the mechanism. Emil and his mother explain how the World Tree allows realm travel and then how to use the mechanism. I rotate the device to connect with the Alfheim gate before the Mage explained that the Bifrost will need to be replenished with the light if we are to return again. She and Emil then leave the temple.

Emil: Good luck you three.

Mage: Try not to get stabbed by elves.

The door closes behind them and Kaine flips the woman off.

Kaine: Yeah, fuck you too, lady.

Nier: Okay, here we go.

I activate the mechanism and the Bifrost is channeled through a crystal and into the Alfheim gate. The roots form a bridge to it and I walk up to open it. Instead of Midgard, we see a fantastical realm with what appears to be the Light in the distance.

Kaine: I'm guessing the beam of light is what we need to get back and past that Black Breath?

Yonah: That's what Emil and his mom said.

Nier: Don't worry, Kaine. I'm rowing the boat.

Kaine: I'd worry more about the company we're about to have soon.

True to Kaine's worries, we are attacked by several elves. But like the Mage said, they're not like the ones we came across before. They had blue skin and insect-like wings. One elf tried to impale me from behind, but I block their attack and hold them for Kaine to decapitate them. Yonah then uses her axe to attack. Out last fight have improved her strength a little and she chops of one's limb and decapitates them. Me and Kaine finish up the rest and we get on the boat to head for the light.

Yonah: That might have been a bit tougher than usual.

Kaine: What did you expect?

Nier: Okay, I see a boat.

We head to the dock and get in the boat. I push us away and start rowing down the path leading to the area closer to the Light.

Kaine: What the hell is this crap? I mean it looks like a plant, but it seems more organic than regular ones are.

Yonah: It seems almost... alive.

I continue rowing us and see some kind of dock. I head for that and put the boat near it. We get on and see some kind of bridge. However, the strange matter covers a light crystal and causes the bridge to vanish. Dark Elves then arrive.

Yonah: They covered the crystal. Why?

Kaine: Guess they really don't want visitors to go near their precious light.

Nier: Well, not like we belong here.

We fight off the Dark elves and then find some kind of wheel on the docks. I check it out and turn it, which causes it some structure to extend upward.

Yonah: Those look like they're part of a Rune. Maybe the rest is in front of it.

Kaine: I think I did see a dock when we were half way to the bridge. Might as well check it out. We get back in the boat and start heading to the other dock.

Yonah: I know things are more complicated than they seem, but it's sad the Elves can't work things out. Alfheim is such a beautiful place but war makes it ugly.

Nier: I don't mean to sound grim, but we've only seen part of Alfheim that the gate is located.

Kaine: Yeah, we haven't seen the full realm.

We dock the boat and see the pillars forming a rune in front of a bowl of sand.

Yonah: Look, the pillars and ring form an elvish rune.

Kaine: Is it a stupid riddle. What is it?

Nier: "Without me or within me death is sure."

Yonah: "Yet within you I am life most pure."

Kaine: Can you two make any sense of it? I want to hunt Demons as soon as I can.

Yonah: Water.

Kaine: What?

Yonah: The answer is water.

Nier: You can't live without water. We need it to live, both drinking it and it being part of our bodies.

Kaine: Oh. Well then, write the damn answer.

I lift Yonah up and she carves the answer into the sand. The platform begins descending and  the something opens up in the lake. Soon I hear voices and judging by Yonah reaction, she hears them too.

*Unitelligible*

Yonah: Did you heat that?

Kaine: Hear what?

Nier: It sounded like something was calling us.

Kaine: I didn't hear anything. Although it looks like we got more company.

Several dark elves come flying, and they are led by one with a large mask. There was another long fight, but we managed to kill most and drive the leader off. We then continue making our way through the structure and begin destroying the hive matter that is covering the Light Crystal. I mean an Ancient appeared and attacked us, but we got rid of it. Soon we end up taking a lift heading up.

Yonah: How is Emil doing? I hope he's okay.

Kaine: I'm sure he's alright. His mom seems pretty protective. And I'm sure he's more safe than we are now.

Nier: At least we got the bridge back. Let's enter the temple.

We walk across the Light bridge and make it to the gates. But they don't appear to be opening for us. Kaine and I try to pull it open, but no luck.

Kaine: Well shit.

Yonah: Why put a gate if it won't open?

Kaine: I'm starting to think they aren't the ones who built this place. Or at least not these Elves.

Nier: Let's find another way around.

We walk and hear the sounds of hammering. Upon getting closer, we see it's Sindri in a temporary shop.

Yonah: It's Sindri

Kaine: How the fuck did he get ahead of us.

Nier: Probably a secret. Let's just check our gear real quick.

After Sindri gets us set, we find an opening and crawl through it. Since alerting the rest of the Dark Elves to our presence is a bad idea, we try to be as silent as possible. When we enter, the whole temple looks like it's been converted into an a hive. Soon more climbing is required.

Kaine: Nier, how the hell do we get the light into the Bifrost?

Nier: Emil said it. By walking into it.

Yonah: Wasn't he and his mom serious about the light being similar to a blazing fire?

Nier: I'm going to be the one stepping in.

Kaine: Are you fucking crazy?

Nier: Not like we have any other options.

Kaine: You're going to get yourself killed.

Nier: You're one to talk, Kaine.

Kaine flips me off and we continue climbing. Once we get to the top, a Dark Elf attacks and we end up tumbling down into a room with several dark elves and surrounding by hive matter. IN the middle was the large pillar of light we saw outside.

Yonah: Okay, this is scary.

Nier: We just need to get rid of this stuff, and maybe they'll go away.

Kaine: I think I see another one of those hive core things.

I hear the voices again and this time they were calling for help. Kaine noticed this, and was annoyed. Soon the elves began to leave, and an explosion appears. Several demons enter the temple and fight the Dark Elves.

Nier: Demon bastards.

Kaine: You literally took the words right out of my mouth. Let's go while they're both occupied.

We begin heading for the Hive Core, but several Demons end up in our way. And Kaine was all too eager to fight them. Me and Yonah give her a hand and fight the Demons. Yonah has been getting better with the axe bit by bit. Kaine kills the Demons with immense fury and expresses her hatred toward them.

Soon we get to the core and I use my Frost Sword to strike it until it breaks. The matter begins to disintegrate and falls apart.

Nier: Kaine, we better brace for a rough landing.

Kaine: Yep.

I grab Yonah and I use My sword to slide down what remains of the Hive matter with Kaine following. We descend as much as we could before the remaining matter breaks apart and we land on the platform.

Kaine: Well that went better than expected.

I let Yonah go and she walks closer to the Light.

Yonah: Wow, it's beautiful.

We up and see the sky clearing up and showing the stars. Soon it begins spreading through the temple and awakens it.

Yonah: The Light... It's making the whole temple reappear.

Nier: I guess it's the source of all of it.

Yonah: Wait - It's... it's singing.

I begin hearing what Yonah describes.

Nier: Yeah, I hear too.

Yonah: I... I hear mom. But how?

Kaine: My grandma told me about this. Well part of it.

Nier: What did she say?

Kaine: Assuming the dwarf she got this from was Brok, She heard that the Light of Alfheim was some sort of afterlife. I don't more beyond that.

Yonah: Is mom in there.

Yonah touches the light, but it ends up burning her hand.

Yonah: Ow! Emil and his mom were not lying. Felt like my hand was on fire.

Nier: ...I'm going in.

Kaine: Again, are you out of your fucking mind?

Nier: Just trust me.

I pull out the Bifrost and touch the Light. It hurts but I'm not going to give up. I punch it again and hold out the Bifrost, but the light ends up pulling me in. I end up in some strange void that had little color.

Nier: Is this the light?

Soon the pouch containing Mom's ashes begin to float and I go after it. Strange things begin to happen. The first one is that my surroundings begin to change the further I travel. The second is that I hear Yonah and Kaine talk as if I ended up leaving them for dead.

Nier: Come back, please. I need to get back to Yonah. She needs me.

After following it for a bit, I end up coming across a bridge leading to the ashes, which are glowing. I see it resembling Mom and wonder if Yonah was telling the truth. I hold out my arm and try to reach it.

Nier: Mom.

Suddenly, something grabs me and pulls be back. I emerge from the light and end up hitting something. I look to see a Dark Elf corpse.

Nier: AH!

I get up and see the room is filled with them. Along with Kaine and Yonah exhausted.

Nier: What the? How? How long was I gone?

Kaine: Hours! You've been gone for fucking hours!

Kaine then walks and pulls her sword of a corpse. Yonah walks up to me and expect her to hate me. But her words say otherwise.

Yonah: Brother, are you okay?

Nier: Not really.

 Yonah: Did you get the light?

I hold out the Bifrost and it begins to glow.

Nier: Yeah. Whatever Dark Elf comes out way. I'll handle it. It's the least I can do.

Kaine: You better not abandon us this time.

We look at a light stone and I give Yonah the Bifrost. She touches it and it appears the light flows into her. She gives it back to me and uses her bow and arrow to activate the stone. We walk and end up coming across the gate at the entrance. The seam is visible on this side, so I am able to open it. Soon a group of Light Elves float past us and enter the temple. They don't pay us any mind and just walk past us.

Yonah: Not even a thanks?

Kaine: Not everyone is going to be grateful just because we got their property back. Well, at least the realm looks brighter now.

Soon we arrive on the other side of the light bridge and see the divide is still there.

Yonah: Oh no. the boat's still back at the other side of the lake.

Kaine: Dammit!

Nier: Then we back the way we came.

Yonah: Cool, we're taking the lift again.

We take the route we used to get to the gate and head back to the boat. Suddenly it began to get dark, but the Bifrost acted as a lantern due to the Light contained inside it. The High ranking Dark Elf appeared with allies and began to attack.

Yonah: They're still fighting?

Kaine: Some fuckers just don't know when to quit.

Nier: Leave them to me. I'm not putting you both at risk again.

Kaine: Okay look, I take back a little of what I said. You can explain to me why you've been gone for so fucking long after we kill these bastards.

Nier: Alright then.

The three of us begin fighting the Dark Elves. I end up dealing with their leader. He attacks with strength and fury, so I was on the defensive for most of the fight. But the struggle caused me to get angrier and I end up tapping into my powers. I end up hitting with more strength and cause the Elf slide backward a little. He tries to fly away, but I grab his staff, slam him to the ground, and use the staff to impale his torso. Realize what I've done and back away.

Dark Elf: *Elf Language*

The Elf then dies and fades away.

Nier: What?

Yonah: That can't be right. Can it?

Kaine: What did it say?

Nier: He said we made a grave mistake.

Kaine: Not our problem. We got what we came for.

Nier: Yeah. Let's head back to Midgard. We may have overstayed our welcome.

We get back to the platform with the bowl of sand and Yonah etches the answer to the riddle in it. It moves up and the lake seems to reform.

Yonah: Imagine the effort it took to make a lake split apart like that.

Kaine: Imagine how many gave their lives to make it.

We walk to the boat and Yonah gets in first.

Kaine: Nier, what's on your back belt?

I check it and see an amulet glowing like the Bifrost.

Nier: I guess it got stuck on my belt the first time we fought that Dark Elf.

Kaine: Keep it. Never know how much people will pay for it.

Nier: Okay.

We get in the boat and I start rowing. The environment felt different now that the light wasn't overtaken by that Hive Matter.

Yonah: Brother, are you okay?

Nier: *Sigh*, not really. I ended up abandoning you both.

Kaine: What the fuck happened in there? We had to fight a Legion of Dark Elves trying to reclaim the light.

Nier: When I was in there, I thought I saw my mom. I followed her. But I only felt a few minutes pass. I didn't mean to leave you guys.

Yonah: I know you didn't.

Kaine: If you did, we still have a long ways to go till we get to the top of the mountain. So you'll have plenty of opportunities to make it up.

Nier: Okay.

I continue rowing the boat and we begin arriving at Tyr's Temple. We still have a long journey ahead of us. But I know we'll be ready to face it on. Kaine, if she wants to leave, then so be it. I'll protect Yonah and fulfill my promise to Mom.