ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

The background to this is that you are tasked by the Memory Keeper to find Kao, the amnesiac temple keeper, within the Door of the Present.

Watch the animated sequence here!

A city with no name. (BGM)

...Everything is...over... The tree of memories... My precious memories...

Outsider... This is all your fault...

You’re... that person from before... No.

You look the same, but...

I have to find my memories.

The villagers’ glares of resentment... Their cold attitudes... The pale village... It wasn’t always like this.

They confirm their own identities with what little memories they have...

It’s all my fault. I ruined everything.

I should say this first. Did you see the wide lake outside the village? The villagers call it the Lake of Forgetfulness. If you fall in it, you lose your memories.

Also... Due to the influence of the lake, the villagers lose a little of the memories each day.

And so this Tree of Memories was made. You hang your precious memories on the tree and look into it everyday. Even until it weathers away...

When I heard of this tree from the villagers, my heart pounded. I wondered if there were any memories related to me. I decided to investigate the tree immediately, but...

I don’t know what happened, but when I put my hand on it...

Memories... The villagers’ precious memories... They all scattered away.

The villagers became broken-hearted, and ceased to do their everyday routines. The boat that crossed the Lake of Forgetfulness even stopped as well.

You wanted to pass through here? The boat has stopped... I... I just wanted to find my memories... but I took away someone else’s precious memories and hindered you from... 

It’s all my fault. I don’t know what to do...

You’re the one who arrived earlier... Ah, nevermind. You look the same, but you’re not them.

Hmm, so what brings you here? What did you need from me?

(You tell him that you want to return the tree back to normal and cross the river.)

It scattered along the outsides of the village... But strong monsters have already swallowed it. Even if we wanted to find it, we can’t...

But you look strong enough. Not them, but you.

(He asks you to collect the memories from the monsters.)

You brought back the memories that were scattered from the tree.

With this, all the memories have... Now, to put it back into place...

Look, because of you, all the memories have returned to its place.

It has regained the bright light it had. Now the broken hearts of the villagers will heal again. Thank you for helping.

Because of you, everything is back to what it once was. Every one is living each day, doing their part...

Ah, you said you wanted to cross the Lake of Forgetfulness. The captain should have recovered, so you can probably pass. Everything has been resolved, but...

It weighs on my mind. That person who looks exactly like you, with the lost memories... 

They said that they lost all the memories, right? They put their hand on the tree to find out...

I was hoping to find something related to them within the tree, but there was no such thing.

I’ve heard that there is a spring outside of the village that reflects one’s own past.

I was hoping you could tell them this. Can you do it for me? 

Please tell them of the spring that reflects their memories. I hope they can recover what was lost.

(You tell him of the spring.)

A spring within the Lake of Vanishing... I might be able to find my lost memories.

I will leave this village to find the spring. I’ll cross the Lake of forgetfulness with you.

If you cross this river, there’s a giant cliff... I don’t know what else is there after that...

If you ever come back, tell me about it...

(You decide to climb the cliff.)

We’ve only crossed the river, but this is a whole different place than the city with no name.

We did manage to climb the cliff, but how do we continue...?

Looks like there’s a bridge. We’ll be able to walk to the other side.

Lano: Wait!

You can’t cross that bridge!

This is one of the most dangerous places of the Lake... That blue mirage is created by the flames of vanishing! 

If you are tricked by the mirage, then you’re going to get eaten by the flames!

You look like newcomers... So what brings you here?

(You tell her about how you need to cross.)

...But you two have little information around these parts.

It’s dangerous to roam around without accurate information!    

(She tells you that the Road of Vanishing is incredibly dangerous, and makes you promise that you’ll never make any haste decisions and only follow her lead.)

A safe passage through the Flames of Vanishing... But there’s something more important to me than safety: finding my memories... Even if the road is dangerous...

...This might be where we say our farewells.

(You feel Kao’s determination. Should you mention the spring that reflects memories to Lano?)

She... Lano might know something. But I feel... She...

A spring that reflects memories... I know where that is. But why... I thought you wanted to pass through this area?

(You tell her why Kao came here.)

I understand. I’ll take Kao to the spring safely. But you have to help me too.

There is only one way to pass through these parts. You must ride the flame birds that reside in this area.

(You collect all the materials needed to ride the flame bird).

(You ask him if he found his memories from the spring.)

It was only a fragment, but I was able to find my other memories.

Now that I’ve found it, I have no other reason to stay here. When the flame bird arrives, I’ll return back to the city with no name.

(He looks surprisingly calm considering he just recovered his memory. Does Lano know anything?)

He didn’t look that great after he recovered his memory... Looks like maybe it was a bad one.

The memories reflected on the spring can only be seen by the owner. I don’t know what Kao saw.

Now then, to call the flame bird...

If we blow hard on this shell...

The flame bird answered our call. We’ll be at the end of the Road of Vanishing in no time.

Ah, did you say you wanted to return to the city, Kao?

Flame birds have a tendency to go straight. You might have to stay with us on the way.

Now, let’s get on the bird.

You said you wanted to return back to the city, right? Then you have to turn at that peak.

.....

Kao?

Wait, if you do that...

Please, stop! We’re going to fall! Why are you doing this?

......

At the spring... I saw...

My past... And even yours... [Player Name]...

What’s that supposed to mean?!

...Do we really need two of the same soul?

Ahhhhhhhh!!!

You’re awake... It’s a miracle that we were able to land on the sand.

Oof, the wound from the fall... Ah, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it. Let’s figure out how to get out of here.

(What happened with Kao bothers you, but this is not the time to be thinking about that.)

This is the final destination of the Road of Vanishing... The Cave of Rest. The cave’s end connected to the end of the road, so we’re almost there.

It’s almost like a maze, but I know a shortcut. 

We’re finally at the exit. Thankfully, the monsters aren’t blocking the road.

Now, come this way...

,..Stop!

...You can’t go that way!

[Player Name], listen to me. It’s a trap. You can’t follow her.

The spring... I recovered my lost memories and found out the truth about Lano.

...And why I tried so hard to find my own memories!

The Spring That Reflects One’s Own Memories

We’re here. Look into the spring carefully.

Ah... My head feels like it’s going to burst....

...The Black Mage? The end of Arcane River... A crucial power... The future...

I get it. I’m...

...I’m [Player Name] from the future... I fought at the end of the river against the Black Mage... And lost...

I didn’t have the crucial power to defeat him completely...

Because I was deceived by Lano, Aruma’s underling!

I returned to the past with my leftover powers... to tell myself from the past not to make the same mistakes...

Lano... Aruma... I can’t let this happen again!

I won’t let you do whatever you want..!

I knew something was wrong... Your energy was consumed by Aruma before losing your memories, wasn’t it?

Ugh...

Don’t do anything reckless. You can’t even help yourself.

Your friend will be a good source of nutrition to Aruma. You... You’re finished. Get out of my sight.

Hmm... I can’t have them be suspicious, so I’ll need something to replace you. But i’s probably too late to call anyone.

Bye. From now on, my clone will take your place.

So you’ve returned... I should have taken care of you properly. Well, no matter.

You’re all dead anyways... Hehe...

Aruma! Give me power!

Ah, no... [Player Name]!

(You proceed to fight Aruma.)

(You have to escape the cave with Kao.)

Kao, Kao!

Ugh....

..I haven’t disappeared yet. That’s a relief. I had something I needed to say.

I’ll probably vanish after telling you this.

Don’t be sad.

I had to do it eventually.

...Remember what I’m about to tell you right now. 

You’ve protected your power from Aruma. You’re different from me. Now you can receive the full power from the Arcane Symbol.

You’re going to meet lots of different kinds of monsters along the river. Collect more Arcane Symbols and grow your power.

It’ll be dangerous, but remember that there will be those who will help you.

When I disappear, take the Arcane Symbol and jump into the waterfall. Then...

Sigh... There isn’t much time left. It’s up to you now. 

I’m counting on you. Goodbye, [Player Name]. Stop the Black Mage and protect this world.

Someone’s clothes - Looks like someone was here.

(You pick up the Arcane Symbol: The Road of Vanishing.)

Lucid is one of the commanders that has the ability to control dreams. She rules over the city of dreams Lächeln within Arcane River that holds festivals every day. Those who realize the truth are referred to as the ones whose eyes are open; when they are found out, they are turned into butterflies and condemned to death by Lucid’s underlings. 

She was asleep for hundreds of years until she was led into the Black Mage’s consciousness. She became a commander after believing that the Black Mage was the one she was waiting for all this time. The door of the future that foresaw the corruption of Cygnus and the betrayal of the Resistance was her creation (therefore false), along with her involvement in Eunwol’s storyline. Her ability to control dreams allows her to bring in outsiders into a dream that she created.

Lucid tries to find the player character in Lächeln as they are the ‘nightmare’ of the dream and cannot be controlled by Lucid herself. The player, along with the help from the ones whose eyes are open, tries to fight her inside the clock tower. (lv. 220+)

(I’ve translated the information on the Korean wiki page here)

The first record of Kao in the game begins from the Elin forest questline, where the NPCs refer to you as Kao (except for NPCs like Athena Pierce, who catches on that you’re not actually them). It is speculated that he was an original resident of the forest.

With the new addition of quests in the Temple of Time, it is revealed that Kao is actually the amnesiac temple keeper who lost his memory. He was found by a temple keeper in front of the Door to the Past. The Memory Keeper describes him as the one who lost his time. 

At the end of the quest, he regains his memory from a potion and remembers his name, ‘Kao’. When he takes off his hood, it is revealed that his face is identical to your own.