Your meeting with Milos seems to have lifted Sphene's spirits, and she proposes buying a gift for your friends in the Backroom. However, your shopping is interrupted when an unfamiliar voice uses Alexandria's loudspeakers to inform one and all that neo regulators will no longer be distributed to the populace. The news sparks unease among those nearby, and you decide to make haste and return to the Backroom immediately. Shale greets you with a mixture of concern and relief, but shortly thereafter you are informed by Nostalgia that one of Alexandria's citizens was killed by a rogue mechanical soldier. Before your comrades can process this news, Erenville contacts you via linkpearl, reporting a similar incident in the outskirts. He then breaks contact after saying he will try to lead a group of soldiers away from a nearby settlement. Shale entreats you to go to his aid, and you quickly assemble a group to investigate Erenville's last known location.
When you arrive at the settlement in the outskirts, Erenville is nowhere in sight. Wuk Lamat instructs Sphene and Gulool Ja to search the settlement while you, she, and Alisaie search further outside for your missing ally.
You scour East Yyasulani until you finally catch sight of a group of mechanical soldiers assaulting a pair of Shetona. The faulty sentries fall quickly before your wrath, and luckily the two frightened men appear to be unharmed.
Not soon after you help Erenville and the other Shetona to their feet, Alisaie and Wuk Lamat join you. As you share your experiences and observations, it becomes clear that there is no rhyme or reason to which soldiers are hostile, and which are friendly. Erenville wishes to check on the other civilians, and together you return to the settlement.
Your allies are gathered near the aetheryte along with a familiar face: Malachite. He tells you he came to the settlement to retrieve the slain citizen, but when he arrived, the body was nowhere to be found. The usher returns to Solution Nine, and not soon after, you and others present are contacted by others via linkpearl. From G'raha Tia in the city, you learn of an incident caused by malfunctioning machinery─one of many similar instances of Alexandrians being hurt by machines and soldiers, it would seem. Upon hearing of the developing situation, Sphene rushes towards Solution Nine, and Wuk Lamat follows close on her heels. Leaving Erenville in the care of the other Oblivion members, you and your companions head toward the city, uncertain what awaits. The familiar sounds of combat fill the air as you enter Solution Nine and spy scattered fires in the distance. You come upon Wuk Lamat caring for a wounded citizen, and she bids you go ahead and catch up with Sphene. Fighting your way through rogue soldiers and malfunctioning machines, you find the former queen kneeling before the lifeless body of an Alexandrian. While Sphene is overcome with emotion by this senseless slaughter, she is determined to fight on, and together you go to reunite with your allies in the government sector. There you learn that the machines seem to have ceased their rampage, and none of your companions were injured in the chaos. Alas, the same cannot be said for Alexandria's people, and Sphene asks that you help render aid. You and your allies pledge to do so, and all present make ready to commence rescue and relief efforts, while G'raha Tia bids you return to the Backroom and inform Shale of all that has transpired.
While the tidings you bring Shale are far from good, she is quick to form a plan to have Oblivion's people keep watch over Alexandria's machines. Amidst this uneasy peace, you and your allies must hone your skills and search for Calyx, whose whereabouts and future schemes remain a mystery.
The funeral was meant to give everyone the chance to come to terms with loss. To grieve and move forward together...
But everyone who was wearing a regulator had their memories of that moment erased.
And to see those oblivious, happy souls, those who remembered must've wondered if it might not be better to be like them. To go back to a time when death didn't exist.
All the neo regulators have been distributed, and potentially five thousand Endless are about to be born. What does Calyx hope to achieve with these killings?
Does he seek to frighten people into registering them? Or perhaps...
The party receives a linkpearl call from G'raha Tia.
Alphinaud had a similarly troubling report for me. Apparently, a riderless machine in the government sector came to life near a crowd clamoring for neo regulators.
It proceeded to mow down several citizens, causing serious injuries.
The machine rampage seems to have been only temporary. Soldiers and vehicles alike ceased to operate all at once, as if they had fulfilled their purpose.
The mechanical soldiers don't only serve as guards. They also perform various vital tasks, like providing medical treatment and managing food production.
If we shut them down, we'd struggle to render aid to the citizens, let alone restore their lives to normal.
It pains me that the people were made to suffer even more after so much hardship and tragedy...but you and yours saved many lives. I cannot thank you enough.
It's been a trying day, but it seems the worst is behind us. What's the situation out there now?
You've moved quickly to restore things to normal. Thank you. Yet while disarming the soldiers is indeed prudent, it is a far from comprehensive measure when vehicles can be commandeered to inflict damage and sow chaos...
For the time being, I'll set our people to keeping a close watch on machines. I also have a mind to consult the authorities about enlisting hunters to our aid.
We've set up patrols outside, so I came back here to see how things are.
Unfortunately, although we stopped the rampaging hover cargos, now we have to deal with delays in electrope transport and slowdowns in production. The complications will likely continue for some time...
I will dedicate myself first to healing magicks so I may help treat people's wounds.
It will be a time-consuming process to reacquire my abilities, but a necessary one that I dare not rush. Even though there's no telling when Calyx will make his next move...
Gossan is helping us coordinate efforts with the administration here in Alexandria. We have to work hand in hand to ensure that the people can get back to their normal lives.
I worry about Gulool Ja, though. I know he's still frustrated that he couldn't do anything to stop the machines... If only there was a way to take his mind off things.