After landing on Starke Island, the crew runs into Monika and Lecia, who are fighting aberrant monsters. They surmise that Gilbert is planning to use a teleportation circle in the palace ruins to enter the Great Wall. Leaving some members behind to deal with the monsters, the rest of the crew heads for the ruins.
Gran and the others are pursuing Gilbert in hopes of recovering Pholia.
They discover his airship moored on Starke Island, once the proud capital of Torhid Kingdom.
As the crew disembarks from their own airship, they take in the solemn wreckage caused by divine retribution.
Katalina
So ruins like these are what's left after divine retribution...
Vyrn
It practically flipped this place upside down.
Vyrn
I bet this island didn't look this bad before.
Cain
Not bad at all—even though it was a step behind Groz Island, economically speaking.
Cain
Still, the Torhid Kingdom placed their capital here, so it was home to a lot of people.
Rackam
Despite that, there's not a soul to be seen on this cursed island.
All of the remaining dwellings on the island seem to be in an absolutely desolated state, evidence of the calamity that befell the city.
Eugen
Huh? You all hear that weird racket?
Drang
Yup. Been hearing it since we landed. Sounds kind of like fighting, huh?
Io
How does that make sense? Nobody lives on this island.
Reinhardtzar
Maybe it's Gilbert fighting off a monster?
Drang
Nah, probably not. Too many footsteps to be that.
Sturm
It's getting closer—over there, from the shadow of that building.
Gran and the others find two familiar figures who pop into view.
Monika
Grr! Where do these things keep coming from?
Lecia
I'm not sure, but there must be a reason their numbers rose so quickly that—
Lecia
What... Is that you, Gran?
Lecia
But this is Nalhegrande Skydom...
Lecia
What are you all doing on this island?
Vyrn
You took the words right outta my mouth! What are you two doing on this island?
Monika
What does it look like! Here they come!
Otherworldly Being
...
Lyria
Huh! This power... It feels like Gilbert's!
Monika
What?
Lecia
Haaah!
Otherworldly Being
...
Lecia
Whew... That was all of them that followed us. And it doesn't look like they'll get any more reinforcements.
Lecia
But they were definitely coming from those palace ruins.
Monika
I see... So that magic circle is the key, is it...
Having fought with the pair of Enforcers before, Gran decides to detail the crew's predicament to Monika and Lecia.
Monika grips the brim of her cap and smiles at Lecia, ready to divulge their own mission in return.
Lecia
A-are you sure? We were asked to make the investigation top secret...
Monika
Captain Walfrid acknowledges Gran's excellence as a skyfarer crew captain.
Monika
And from listening to their story, it sounds like we could easily align our goals.
Lecia nods in agreement, and the two sides begin exchanging information.
Cain
The sins of Nalhegrande, huh?
Monika
One can assume that this phrase refers to the Great Wall.
Monika
Our client must have predicted Gilbert's wanton actions.
Monika
Whoever hired the Enforcers for this request knew that—if worse came to worst—we'd be able to stop Gilbert while investigating.
Reinhardtzar
That does make sense.
Reinhardtzar
Makes me wonder who that client of yours is...
Monika
We've got bigger fish to fry right now.
Monika
But there's no need to worry. Captain Walfrid fielded this request himself, and he wouldn't associate with unscrupulous types.
Monika
Besides, we've already found something veeery interesting on this island.
Cain
You don't say?
Lecia
We found what looks to have been a hidden room inside the palace ruins. There was a magic circle inside.
Lecia
It seemed quite old, but looking at its components, I surmised that it was used for teleportation.
Lecia
I wanted to study it a bit longer, but huge numbers of those bizarre creatures appeared and chased us all the way back here.
Monika
It was all too quick for comfort...
Monika snaps her head toward Lyria, her tone turning serious.
Monika
Earlier I heard you mutter something. Did you say that those creatures had a power that reminded you of Gilbert's?
Lyria
Yes... It might've been a coincidence, but that's what I felt...
Orchid
It was no coincidence. I felt it too.
Monika
Hmm. That's another piece to add to the puzzle.
Monika
Maybe there's some connection to Gilbert and the sudden influx of those creatures.
Monika
And what's more, it's like they were attached to the magic circle. If its true function is teleportation, then where were they trying to go?
Monika paces around the area, her steady gait helping her concentrate as she considers a theory.
Monika
We know that the Great Wall was already hanging in the sky by the time the War erupted.
Monika
That's not a complete mystery; we do have some information from that time. But who originally gave us that intel?
Monika
Perhaps the political higher-ups of Torhid knew about the Great Wall's true purpose?
Monika
Or, rather, what if they were investigating it? What if they had control of it?
Monika
If that's the case, then of course they would need a method to travel up there.
Dialogue Option
So that's what the magic circle's for?
Monika
I suspect that possibility is likely.
Cain
That explains why Gilbert didn't go to the Great Wall directly.
Cain
He knew about the magic circle linking Starke Island to the Great Wall.
Rackam
Pretty smart. No regular airship could survive climbing to the Great Wall's altitude.
Hearing Monika divulge her hypothesis, Gran and the others begin sharing thoughts of their own.
Io
Well, if all this talk turns out to be true, then I guess we'd better head to that magic circle on the double!
Sturm
It would be nice if we could wrap up this mission without having to track down Gilbert across this island.
Drang
Normally I love to be the bearer of bad news, but, uh... Looks like we should cut the chitchat short.
His voice devoid of its usual frisky mischief, Drang stares toward some figures in the distance.
Otherworldly Beings
...
A horde of otherworldly beings are quickly clawing their way toward the crew.
Sturm
Humph. You all go ahead. We'll do something about this trash.
Cain
Huh?
Sturm
You've got a brother that's waiting on his revenge, right? You don't have time to waste.
Sturm
Drang agrees with me. Don't you?
Drang
Aww... But I really wanted to see the Great Wall up close...
Orchid
We'll protect your backs.
Orchid
You can proceed without worry, Gran.
Monika
Lecia, draw them a map to the teleportation circle. We'll stay here and provide assistance.
Monika
After all, it's impossible to focus on what's ahead if you're worried about what's coming at you from behind.
Lecia nods before scribbling a hasty map for Gran.
Lecia
Here, Gran...
Dialogue Option
Thank you.
Lecia
You've probably already guessed this, but those strange creatures will likely be drawn to the magical circle.
Lecia
If anything goes wrong, well, we'll keep the way clear so you can make a retreat.
Lecia
Be careful out there. Our journey's not over yet, Gran.
Dialogue Option
No need to worry.
Lecia
Hehe. You're right—that's why we always rely on you.
Dialogue Option
You be careful too, Lecia.
Lecia
Thanks, but you can count on me. I never skip my daily training.
Gran grasps Lecia's map and nods to the other members of the crew.
They turn and make haste for the palace ruins, leaving the area in the collective hands of two powerful Enforcers and three equally strong agents.
108: Gathering Will 
