When Gran and the crew find Yggdrasil Malice, Orchis offers herself to the primal beast. This causes the Black Knight to snap out of her catatonic state and save her old friend. The crew then prepares to fight against Yggdrasil Malice once again.
After dispatching the corrupted soldiers, Gran and the crew finally come face-to-face with Yggdrasil Malice once more.
Yggdrasil
...
Katalina
Urgh... Her power is overwhelming...
Lyria
But I think she's in pain. She's close to her breaking point...
Yggdrasil
...!
Like a beast backed into a corner, the primal gives off a panicked and terrifying howl. The crew take that moment to arm themselves.
Orchis, however, pushes in front of her allies to address their adversary.
Orchis
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
Orchis
I never thought you might be destroyed...
Orchis
I can feel it all. All of your pain. All of your sorrow.
Orchis
If only I had given it some thought before I woke you up. This might not have happened.
Yggdrasil
...
Orchis
I know it's too late to apologize.
Orchis
But I had to do something. And this is all I could do.
Orchis
Is there any way you can forgive me?
Yggdrasil
...!
Yggdrasil Malice seems to have taken notice of the girl, sending out sharp, sinister roots to attack her.
Orchis
...
Orchis doesn't move; she simply closes her eyes.
Lyria
Orchis!
Black Knight
...!
Orchis
...?
She opens her eyes when she realizes the vines should've pierced her by now.
She sees an armored back and a sword-wielding arm holding back the primal beast's onslaught.
Black Knight
Damn it! You fool!
Orchis
Apollo...
Black Knight
What were you thinking! Do you hate me that much?
Orchis
N-no...
Orchis
I-I... am of no more use to you. So I thought I could be helpful here.
Black Knight
And you'd be helpful by sacrificing yourself? Don't be ridiculous!
Black Knight
It's true that my plans are all ruined...
Black Knight
No, the truth is... I was just being manipulated from the start.
Orchis
Apollo...
Black Knight
But that doesn't matter now!
Black Knight
Even though my plan failed, even though there was never any chance of succeeding―
Black Knight
Do you think I would just let you sacrifice yourself like this, Orchis!
Orchis
...!
Black Knight
What are the rest of you waiting for! Stop standing around and help me fight this thing!
Eugen
Apollo!
Rackam
She's right! That's what we came here to do in the first place!
Rosetta
Vyrn should be able to suppress the dark essence's influence...
Rosetta
But first we'll have to release the energy pent up inside the core. That's priority one.
Vyrn
Hehe! No problem! This is the moment we've all been workin' so hard for!
Vyrn
C'mon, Gran! We're not gonna lose this time—show 'er what you can do!
The crew defeats Yggdrasil Malice and returns Yggdrasil to normal. While they're taking a well-deserved break, Pommern is busy working under Freesia's orders elsewhere in the forest.
Yggdrasil
...
Yggdrasil
...
After pummeling Yggdrasil Malice into submission, the crew approach the primal beast's core.
Vyrn uses his power to purify the core and free Yggdrasil from the dark essence's influence.
Several black crystals fall from Yggdrasil's core, and the primal beast turns back to normal.
Rosetta
Did I do it? Was I able to protect you this time?
Orchis
Yggdrasil...
Yggdrasil
...
Lyria
Yggdrasil's worn out, so I think she's resting now.
Rosetta
I see... At least she'll be able to have good dreams now, right?
Lyria
Yeah! I'm sure she will!
Orchis
I'm glad... Truly...
Black Knight
Humph.
Katalina
Well... Things certainly could've been planned a little better, but all's well that ends well.
Rackam
Don't forget we've still got problems up to our eye balls, what with the prime minister and this Loki fella.
Io
That can all wait—for now we should celebrate a job well done!
Lecia
You're right... It's important to slow down and appreciate things once in a while!
Eugen
Right! All work and no play makes for dull skyfarers!
Sturm
And that's why you guys will never learn...
Drang
C'mon, Sturm! What's a story without a little denouement? Right, little lizard?
Vyrn
A day-new-what? And I'm not a lizard!
Drang
Sure you're not! Anyway, good hustle out there, Gran!
Drang
Now that things have calmed down a little, I've got some good news to share!
Black Knight
And that is?
Drang
Well, as you know, we're married to our work. If we're told to find something, we won't rest until we've found it.
Black Knight
Spit it out already. What did you get ahold of?
Drang
Eeh, it's probably not life-or-death kind of news...
Drang
But the prime minister is still trying to hide something from us.
Drang tells the Black Knight about the current situation, complete with his overly dramatic embellishment.
Meanwhile, Pommern and his troops busy themselves in another part of the forest.
Pommern
Carefully, carefully! I don't want this trip to be wasted!
A group of imperial soldiers are hauling a giant crystal toward a ship, almost buckling under the weight of both its heft and Pommern's stern commands.
Imperial Soldier
Captain! Preparations to bring the crystal aboard are complete!
Pommern
Well done. How is the search going?
Imperial Soldier
Sir! The scouting parties have returned. They report that they've found nothing out of the ordinary.
Pommern
Excellent. It wouldn't do to be interrupted by those meddling kids again.
Imperial Soldier
Captain... What is this thing?
Pommern
Well... It is the core of the primal beast known as Akasha. Prime Minister Freesia personally requested it.
Imperial Soldier
What kind of power does this one have?
Pommern
In truth, I didn't ask. All I know is that it is essential to the war effort. And that's all you need to know.
Pommern
(What in the heavens could she be up to?)
Pommern, taking a deep breath, looks into the distance and ponders the prime minister's motives.
It seems that although Gran and the crew have overcome one major obstacle, another will soon rise to take its place.
52: Evil's Downfall 
