With the support of Drang, Sturm, and Orchid, the crew takes out the empire's titan suits, but soon enough another wave of titan suit soldiers replaces them. Among the waves is a golem girl with red eyes who announces that she will kill Orchid to become her.
With the help of the newly arrived reinforcements, the crew fights off the squad of titan suits.
However, just as many appear and replace their fallen comrades.
Titan Suit S. 1
You're not getting past us! Just give up Golonzo already!
Rackam
Tch... Sheesh, did they build enough of these things or what!
Katalina
The initial report stated that new weaponry was used to take over both Golonzo and Valtz.
Katalina
Which would suggest that they needed the islands to mass produce the titan suits.
Io
So we'll be fighting more of them in Valtz? This is taking a lot out of me...
Rosetta
While those suits aren't quite on the level of the innermost teachings, their numbers pose a problem.
Eugen
We don't need to tackle 'em head-on.
Eugen
If we can just secure the command center of their ship, we can force them out of the docks.
Drang
Okay then! Sounds like a job for us! Teamwork with large groups never was our thing anyway.
Sturm
We'll break through from a single point.
Orchid
Please... watch our backs.
Orchis
J-just don't do anything reckless...
Pommern
I'm sure those agents will be just fine. They've tangoed with death more than a few times, it would appear...
As Drang and friends prepare to move out, Vyrn raises an alert from above.
Vyrn
Hey, I think someone's coming out. Could that be...
Just as Vyrn trails off, the empire's soldiers quickly clear a path by forming two lines.
Io
Huh? What's happening? Are they letting us pass?
Rackam
No way... Not in a million years...
As equally perplexed as Io is, Rackam points his gun toward the end of the open path.
Coming out with a graceful poise to her step is a red-eyed golem girl.
???
Good day. Nice weather we're having, don't you think?
Orchis
You're...
Orchid
...
Orchis takes a step forward, but Orchid keeps an arm out in front of the queen, urging her to remain cautious.
Orchid
She's dangerous... You don't want to approach her.
Orchis
Orchid, could she be...
???
Haha, ahahaha...
???
So that's what you think of me, huh, Original?
???
Well? C'mon, don't you have anything more to say?
???
Go on—spill your thoughts about me. Tell everyone how perfect I am.
???
I'm the superior one... I am sublime—the finest piece of work... Say it with me.
???
You know it to be true, Original.
Orchid responds to the self-centered girl with a single question.
Orchid
Who... are you?
???
I'm Orchid, and Orchid's me. I'm the only one worthy of the name.
???
That's why I'm going to become Orchid! By killing you, Original!
Orchid
...!
Orchid
Lloyd!
Lloyd
...
Orchid quickly summons Lloyd to her defense.
Orchid
Why... are you doing this?
???
You just don't get it, do you? You're pathetic, Original.
???
Of course you wouldn't get it.
???
There's no friggin' way the original would ever understand my feelings!
Orchid
Rgh!
Orchis
Orchid!
Orchis
(That girl, the way she moves... And that body...)
Drang
As nice as it'd be to get to know each other better, I'm sorry to say I can't let this go on any further.
Drang stands beside Orchid, guarding her.
???
...
Sturm
This is a battlefield. Did you really expect we would just let you attack our ally unhindered?
Sturm
Ngh!
Sturm
Tch, almost forgot there were more of them remaining.
Titan Suit S. 2
Humph. Need I remind you that we have the numbers?
Titan Suit S. 2
Augh!
After a dramatic display of force against the enemy troops, Gran turns to Orchid.
Dialogue Option
We'll handle the titan suits.
Katalina
Do as Gran says. This golem isn't here to pick a fight with us.
Dialogue Option
She's all yours.
Katalina
Do as Gran says. This golem isn't here to pick a fight with us.
???
...
Drang, Sturm, and Orchid continue facing off against the girl while the crew deals with the soldiers.
Orchid
Tell me... Who are you?
Orchid
How are we related?
???
...!
???
Humph, you still dare call yourself "Orchid"? The ultimate, sapient golem with a heart of compassion?
Orchid
I am definitely Orchid. There's no mistaking it.
Orchid
It was through everyone's love and collective efforts that I was given birth.
Orchid
That's why I can never give you this name.
???
No, Orchid is me. Or rather, I'm going to become Orchid.
???
I am the supreme golem, made possible only by Erste's superior technology... I am my master's magnum opus!
Orchis
(Made by Erste technology? Her master, she says...)
???
Only by killing the original can I become truly authentic...
???
A miraculous golem needed and loved by the masses...
???
I will...
???
I will be "Orchid"!
Drang
Eep, here she comes, Orchid!
Orchid
Lloyd, let's go!
Drang, Sturm, and Orchid manage to defeat the golem girl single-handedly. Furias exchanges Golonzo's liberty for the golem girl and then orders his troops to evacuate. Orchid learns that this golem girl is made from her trial parts, leading everyone to suspect both the Violet Knight and the True King's involvement with the Holy Erste Empire.
A fantastic display of teamwork between Drang, Sturm, and Orchid allows them to corner the golem girl.
Drang
There!
???
Huff... Puff...
???
Wha...
Sturm
It's over. Don't move.
???
Urgh!
A sudden flash of light causes the golem girl to shut her eyes. Opening them up again, she finds the dull glint of a pointed edge before her.
???
...
Orchid
Wait, Sturm...
Sturm
I'm not waiting. She's obviously very valuable to the Holy Erste Empire.
Sturm
We capture her now. There's no reason to let her go.
Sturm
We'll listen to what you have to say later. But for now, you're finished.
???
Mm... Aah... Aaaargh!
Sturm
What the...
???
No... No, no, no, no, no!
???
This can't be happening! I'm supposed to be different! Why! How could this be?
???
Can't you see I'm special? I'm not just any lowly trash! This isn't over yet! Like hell I'd let it end like this!
???
O-ri-gi-naaaal! Why... Why did you have to be born!
???
No, no, no! I'm the one meant to come out on top! How dare you get in my way! This is all your fault!
Orchid
...
Sturm
She's pretty unhinged. Why don't we just knock her out?
Drang
Sturm!
Sturm
...!
Sturm jumps away at Drang's sudden warning.
A puddle of liquid lands at her feet, instantly bursting into a pillar of fire.
Titan Suit S. 1
Tch. Missed, eh?
???
Pant... Wheeze...
Furias
I'm sorry to say that she's coming with us. We can't have you making off with her.
Sturm
Furias!
Drang
Didn't think I'd be seeing your face here.
Drang
What's gotten into you? You've changed.
Furias
As if I'd actually indulge you with an answer.
Drang
You know, you used to suffer a serious case of blabbermouth—going on and on about irrelevant gibberish.
Furias
Yeah, I can imagine.
Drang
Heh, you say that as if I were talking about someone else.
Drang
Wait, maybe you are someone completely separate from Furias...
Furias
...
Furias
I'm definitely Furias, all right. But the Furias you knew is no longer around.
Drang
Hm?
While Drang and Furias are locked into an antagonistic gaze, the crew wades through the imperial troops, stopping when they arrive before the argumentative pair.
Furias
You made it...
Gran immediately starts off with a question.
Dialogue Option
What are you thinking!
Furias
...
Dialogue Option
What's gotten into you?
Furias
...
Instead of answering, Furias simply relays orders to his troops.
Furias
Fall back. Keep damage to the titan suits to a minimum. We are giving up Golonzo Island.
Titan Suit S. 1
Yes sir!
Vyrn
Wait up! You haven't answered Gran's question yet!
Furias
I decide which questions I answer. Don't expect me to respond to every stupid thing that comes out of your mouths.
Vyrn
Grr...
Having secured the recovery of the golem girl, Furias turns and gives the signal for his troops to retreat.
Like an ebbing tide, the conflict in Golonzo comes to a swift conclusion.
Gran and company finally get a chance to catch up with Drang's group.
Pommern
Whew... Finally something to be relieved about, I do say.
Katalina
Yes, but we must keep in mind that they still possess a great number of titan suits.
Rosetta
Perhaps they gave up Golonzo because they produced all of the suits they need.
Io
We'll probably have to deal with them again in Valtz... We'd better be ready for it...
Sturm
Those things are a real pain. They certainly don't fight like the average soldier.
Rackam
Yeah, Furias mentioned something about the face of war changing, didn't he...
Eugen
After seeing what those suits are capable of, I get the feeling he wasn't exaggerating.
Drang
But how would they, of all people, have the foresight to capitalize on this latest technology?
Drang
Who could possibly be pulling the strings from behind?
Orchis timidly raises a hand.
Orchis
That girl who fussed about becoming Orchid... I noticed something about her.
Orchis
Her skin coating is definitely that of the golems created in Erste.
Pommern
Oh? In that case, Prime Minister Adam might know a thing or two, I do say.
Orchis
Nuh-uh. When I asked Adam about it, he seemed to have no idea.
Orchis
But I do have a theory about how she might have been born.
Orchis recalls previous assaults on Agastia and Mephorash.
Pommern
Yes, I do remember those...
Pommern
The parts stolen at that time were scheduled to be disposed of anyhow, so we never really saw the need for a thorough investigation.
Rackam
And after that the Violet Knight headed to North Vast.
Rackam
Where he saw fit to take our Grandcypher and transport it all the way to the Rhem Kingdom.
The discussion calls back memories for Rackam as well.
Orchis
It's true that the stolen objects from Mephorash were meant to be disposed of.
Orchis
They were secret materials sealed deep within the city.
Orchis
And the lot of them, they were trial parts used to build Orchid.
Orchid
My parts?
Orchis
Yes. Multiple test components were fabricated during the creation of your frame.
Orchis
And looking at her today...
Orchis
I was able to confirm for myself that her body uses those same trial parts.
Orchis
Of course, you can't build a golem with just spare parts. Someone skilled must have put them all together...
Chewing on Orchis's story, Eugen comes to a realization.
Eugen
So you think the Violet Knight is behind this new empire?
Rosetta
One of the Seven Luminary Knights...
Rosetta
That can only mean the mastermind behind this all is...
Dialogue Option
The True King.
Gran and company shudder at the thought of the True King's possible involvement—his machinations akin to that of intricately woven spiderwebs.
The crew finds itself being entangled in a plot with consequences that could transcend both time and place.
117: A New Menace 
