After Freesia reveals that she used the Black Knight to draw Lyria to her, she orders Orchis to activate Akasha. But Orchis breaks free from her control, and the crew use the ensuing confusion to escape.
Imperial Soldier
Ugh... Cough... Y-Your Excellency...
Imperial Soldier
W-with all due respect, Ma'am... When Malice attacked earlier, our troops suffered many casualties...
Freesia
And?
Imperial Soldier
Ma'am...
Freesia
What of it? I don't care how many useless pawns I lose. They're expendable.
Imperial Soldier
What!
Black Knight
Cough... This... This is preposterous...
Freesia
Oh... I see you're still breathing.
Black Knight
Not like this... All of the conditions for Orchis's revival have been met...
Black Knight
And yet... No. I can't lose! Not here!
Freesia
Haha! You don't give up easily, Black Knight.
Black Knight
What?
Freesia
Those who wallow in their despair always jump at the first carrot that's dangled in front of them.
Freesia
They don't stop to think about whether it might be too good to be true.
Freesia
But then again... Perhaps that is simply what they have to do to keep their hope alive.
Black Knight
What are you saying?
Freesia
It is true that Lyria has the ability to bring someone back from the brink of death.
Freesia
But I'm afraid that ability is not nearly as versatile as you'd like it to be.
Black Knight
What...
Freesia
Lyria, as the vessel, is able to fuse with a skydweller to tap into the power of the sky realms.
Freesia
But after she's fused... Well, there is no second fusion.
Freesia
Let me put it in terms you'll understand: your Orchis is never coming back.
Black Knight
That... can't be...
Eugen
Hey! Hang in there, Apollo!
Rosetta
...
Freesia
Now then. Shall we put an end to this world?
Freesia
Orchis. Activate Akasha.
Orchis
...
Orchis gives a small nod and begins to walk toward Lyria.
Lyria
Orchis?
Katalina
Wait! I won't let you lay a single finger on Lyria—ngh!
Katalina
No... My body won't move!
Freesia
Hehe. Looks like the fight with Malice took quite the toll on you.
Lyria
Katalina!
Lyria
Orchis, stop! You can't do this!
Lyria
If you use that primal beast, then both you and I... We'll die!
Lyria
...
Katalina
Lyria!
Orchis
...
Orchis
I request, under protocol of Arcus, the activation of the primal beast Akasha.
Lyria
Administrative authentication complete. Request to activate the primal beast Akasha accepted.
Vyrn
Hey, Lyria! What's the matter with you? Snap out of it!
Lyria
Transferring full administrative privileges from Byleistr Arcus...
Complete.
Lyria
Activating the primal beast Akasha.
???
...
Freesia
This is Akasha...
Orchis
...
Lyria
...
Freesia
Now, give it a command, Orchis. Tell it to delete the Astral from this world's history.
Orchis
...
Orchis
...
Rackam
So, uh... What're you doing here, little miss?
???
I'm not.
Rackam
What?
Orchis
I'm not a little miss. My name is Orchis.
Lyria
Orchis, you say?
Lyria
It's a pleasure to meet you, Orchis! I'm Lyria and this is Gran!
Orchis
What's a pleasure?
Lyria
Huh? Come to think of it, why do we say that when meeting people, Gran?
Io
Basically it means let's be friends! My name's Io and it's a pleasure to meet you!
Orchis
You want to... be friends... with me?
Black Knight
Tch... We're leaving.
Orchis
...
Black Knight
What's going on with you? Out with it.
Orchis
I... I want to stay with Lyria and the others. For just a little longer...
Lyria
Orchis... Why would you do this? It was sleeping so quietly...
Orchis
...
Lyria
Why are you with the Black Knight? Why won't you come with us?
Orchis
...
Lyria
Can you not hear us anymore, Orchis?
Orchis
...!
Orchis
N-no.
Orchis
I won't!
Lyria
What was I...
Orchis?
Freesia
What?
Vyrn
Lyria's back to normal!
Katalina
Thank goodness! And she's moving!
Rackam
What the hell just happened?
Katalina
Let's just focus on getting these two out of here, Gran!
The crew escapes Freesia's clutches, but imperial soldiers are close on their heels.
Imperial Soldier
Damn it! We won't let you escape!
Rackam
Despite how much they've been through, they just won't betray the empire, will they?
Katalina
Sorry, but we don't have time to waste on you! Smash through them, Gran!
Freesia orders Yggdrasil Malice to capture the fleeing skyfarers, but a mysterious primal beast appears and halts its rampage. This buys enough time for the crew to escape. Just as the Grandcypher is about to lift off, Rosetta announces that she must stay behind on the island.
With Lyria and Orchis in tow, Gran and the crew make their way back to the entrance of the temple.
Lyria
Katalina... What was I doing?
Orchis
...
Katalina
I'll spare you the details for now! First we flee!
Freesia
Not another step! Did you think I would allow you to waltz out of here so easily?
Rackam
Argh... How'd she catch up to us...
Freesia
This is certainly not how I planned for things to go... But I will not let you vermin escape!
Freesia
Capture them, Yggdrasil Malice!
Yggdrasil Malice
...!
Katalina
Tch... Not that primal again!
Freesia
This time we won't concern ourselves with sparing casualties. So long as Orchis and Lyria remain alive—
???
Oh, you're an awful one, aren't you?
???
...
Katalina
A primal beast?
Freesia
Argh! Where did this primal come from! Crush it, Malice!
Yggdrasil Malice
...!
Imperial Soldier
Your Excellency! At this rate, Yggdrasil will disintegrate!
Imperial Soldier
If this keeps up, it'll be dangerous to keep using Yggdrasil Malice!
Freesia
Damn it!
Rackam
Whew! Looks like our lucky break! Let's get outta here, Gran!
Rackam
Everyone, on board the Grandcypher now! We're takin' off pronto!
Rosetta
...
Katalina
Rosetta, what's wrong? Come quickly!
Rosetta
I'm sorry. I can't go with everyone...
Io
Rosetta! What do you mean can't go?
Rosetta
I must stay behind for a very good reason.
Rosetta
But promise me that you'll come back to rescue her...
Lyria
Her?
Rosetta
Yggdrasil's dormant core has been overloaded with power from dark essence.
Rosetta
And not pure, Astral power, but an inferior imitation...
Rosetta
So she's on the brink of collapse. Someone ought to be at her side...
Rosetta
So... promise you'll come back...
Rosetta
You all have the power to save her. In fact no one can save her but you.
Rosetta
And, Vyrn, you probably don't want to remember... But... please...
Vyrn
Huh! What am I s'posed to do?
Rackam
Wh-what the! The Grandcypher's takin' off on her own! Hurry up and get on!
Rosetta
Hehe...
Io
Rosetta!
As the Grandcypher soars above the Lumacie Archipelago, the figure of Rosetta gets smaller and smaller until she is a mere speck on the island.
Although the majority of the crew has escaped the Lumacie Archipelago, a somber feeling creeps across the airship.
40: The Plot Thickens 
