Knoll/Supports

C Support

 * Natasha: Master Knoll...
 * Knoll: I know you... You're Natasha, from the temple.
 * Natasha: Yes. I remember seeing you many times back in Grado. But this is the first time we've ever actually spoken.
 * Knoll: I don't know what it is, but clerics and mages seem to be like oil and water. And we mages can be an enigmatic bunch at times. Shadowy and sinister... Or at least, that's how I've always imagined you clerics saw us.
 * Natasha: Oh, no! I never-- Well, no. You're right. We had a few dealings with the mages. But that's in the past. I have a question for you, Master Knoll.
 * Knoll: I think I can guess. It's about the Sacred Stones and Prince Lyon, is it?
 * Natasha: It is. My mentor died...trying to warn us about the threat our Sacred Stone posed. I want to know the truth. What is Emperor Vigarde up to? What is Prince Lyon's role in this?
 * Knoll: There are as many truths out there as there are people to tell them. Perhaps it's best simply to choose the truth with which you are most comfortable.
 * Natasha: .......
 * Knoll: In the eyes of your mentor, I would have imagined we must have seemed quite evil. He imagined our magical studies using the Sacred Stones were sacrilege. I suspect he quite loathed the ancient magics he called "dark."
 * Natasha: You're wrong... *steps forward* My mentor wasn't like that at all! And isn't this war the direct result of all your dark magic research?
 * Knoll: ......
 * Natasha: ......
 * Knoll: Hm... Well, I suppose you are right about that. Your magic stems from faith in the unknowable, the divine presence. In contrast, dark magic stems from knowledge, from understanding. we distrust what we do not understand and we strive to know the unknowable. Perhaps our disciplines truly are incompatible.
 * Natasha: .....

B Support

 * Knoll: ...Our researches ended in miserable failure. Grado's Sacred Stone was shattered. Prince Lyon, corrupted... And this whole tragedy that unfolds around us even now. It's true. We mages have triggered this age's greatest calamity.
 * Natasha: But why? What was it all for? What did you hope to accomplish with the power of the Sacred Stone?
 * Knoll: All Prince Lyon wanted was to help people...and we are his servants.
 * Natasha: Help people?
 * Knoll: We read of a spell entitled the time shear. it causes, in effect, a hole in time. This spell warps time, punches a hole through cause and effect.
 * Natasha: ......
 * Knoll: we lack the knowledge to reproduce this ancient spell today. Prince Lyon, however, was convinced that we could unravel its secret. He felt that we could use it to predict--and even prevent--future events.
 * Natasha: ...Prevent...the future?
 * Knoll: Oh, we dedicated years to studying this spell. You see, the greater the disaster, the farther it sends ripples through time. We learned how to read these ripples from the future, hoping to save lives. If we could know when a disaster would strike, we could evacuate people. We could save millions of lives.
 * Natasha: But... It seems so, so blasphemous. That worldly creatures should take control of fate, it--
 * Knoll: Are you saying that, knowing the future, we should do nothing? We should simply allow people to die in order to preserve "fate"?
 * Natasha: I...
 * Knoll: I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound hostile. Prince Lyon himself was troubled by these same doubts, you see. But we pressed on with our studies. We felt it was our duty, in the interest of all Grado's people.
 * Natasha: ......
 * Knoll: Perhaps we were bitter that we receive no credit for aiding Grado. That we receive no accolades for our research, for the benefit it brings. I don not know. But we pressed on, nonetheless. The misconceptions linking the ancient magics to "evil" die hard and slow. Prince Lyon sought to change that. He wanted, as we all wanted, to prove that our magic had good uses.
 * Natasha: Prince Lyon would never--
 * Knoll: With our aid, Prince Lyon predicted a great storm rising in the south. He barred ships from leaving port, and oh, how the people complained. But the storm came, and the seas raged. We saved countless lives. And Prince Lyon cared not at all if the people loved him for it. He only wanted them to be safe.
 * Natasha: ......
 * Knoll: And now, I see it all so clearly. All our research amounts to nothing. All I can do now is lament our hunger for knowledge. Our greed.

C Support

 * Duessel: Don't tell me you've joined up here as well, have you?
 * Knoll: ...General Duessel. Prince Lyon no longer hods the capital. My reason for remaining is gone...
 * Duessel: Knoll, I have something I would ask you. What exactly happened to His Majesty and Prince Lyon?
 * Knoll: ....... Do you have the courage to hear that answer? I think perhaps that it will not be an answer you want to hear.
 * Duessel: What does that mean?
 * Knoll: Are you familiar with a certain foreign anecdote of comedic nature? It involves two starving men and a single loaf of bread. If they break the loaf in two, both men will die of starvation...
 * Duessel: Knoll, I'm not asking for a riddle. Let's not waste any more time here. I'm ready to hear the truth. Nothing you tell me could surprise me.
 * Knoll: If that is your wish, General Duessel... I will speak frankly. This is something that Prince Lyon does not know. Something that no one should know.

B Support

 * Knoll: We students of ancient magic, along with Prince Lyon himself, were researching certain arcane techniques lost long ago. We were able to reproduce one...phenomenon, but only briefly.
 * Duessel: ......
 * Knoll: I should be more concise. Prince Lyon and I pierced the veil that clouds our futures.
 * Duessel: What? You...could see into the future? How is that possible? What magic is powerful enough to--
 * Knoll: Time is like the water of a river: it flows ever on, never stopping. Certain disturbances can cause ripples that speed swiftly downstream. If you can see the water, you can read the flow, the ripples, the waves.
 * Duessel: Hmm...
 * Knoll: It is possible, General. Possible and, at times, easy. Just think of it: If you knew a storm was coming in advance, you could evacuate everyone in its way. If you could see what was to come, you could help those who might have died. Prince Lyon explained this to us with much joy in his voice and heart. His power would, at long last, be able to help the citizens of Grado.
 * Duessel: ......
 * Knoll: We continued our work. There were ceremonies, rituals--such horrors... And then we saw it. In the near future, Grado would be ravaged by a catastrophe.
 * Duessel: A catastrophe? Do you...
 * Knoll: No, it's not the conflict in which we are currently embroiled. This event is still in our future. We saw Grado. We saw the earth crumble. We saw our people dying. We saw the shape our future would take.
 * Duessel: What? That's madness... Idiocy! I've lived a long life, and I've never heard of anything like that. Not ever.
 * Knoll: I am not surprised that you do not believe me, General. We could not believe it, either. We tried to disprove what we had seen. But nothing could shake the vision. In this disaster, Grado would be destroyed. Countless would die. Those who died quickly would be spared the slow horror of starvation. This was when the emperor died, by the way. Lyon was shattered by despair. He devoted himself to research, and then came the Dark Stone...
 * Duessel: So that's what happened? Is that when the decision to invade Renais was made?
 * Knoll: I don't know. Only one person knows the truth behind that.
 * Duessel: ......
 * Knoll: I have told you only the truths I have seen.

A Support

 * Knoll: ......
 * Duessel: Knoll.
 * Knoll: Is that you, General Duessel?
 * Duessel: You're tired, aren't you? Worn to the bone. I understand how you feel, but on the battlefield, this only invites death.
 * Knoll: You are probably right... And yet that might be best.
 * Duessel: What are you planning to do from here on?
 * Knoll: I do not know... I have lost my way. Perhaps I should have been executed in the capital.
 * Duessel: ......
 * Knoll: I once studied dark magic alongside Prince Lyon. He was such a gentle soul. You could see it--he was too kind to survive. Prince Lyon dreamt of finding happiness for all of Grado's citizens.
 * Duessel: ......
 * Knoll: And now, Prince Lyon is no more. I have lost everything.
 * Duessel: I have also lost everything. And we have both lost our ways. We are dead men who have stayed too long away from our graves. But remember, Knoll... You cannot see the future, but you can look back at your past. Look and learn. And remember. What gave your life meaning, and what has taken meaning from you now?
 * Knoll: ......
 * Duessel: If you still hold the convictions that guided you in Grado, you can start anew. That... That is what I must do. We may be diminished by our shame, but we are not dad yet, my friend.
 * Knoll: General Duessel... I am not as strong as you. Still, I believe you are right. I, too, shall search for a new path. A path that guides me to realizing the dreams Prince Lyon once held so dear.

C Support

 * Lute: ......
 * Knoll: Er...
 * Lute: ......
 * Knoll: Er, excuse me... If at all, uh... would you mind not stalking me like that?
 * Lute: You noticed, huh?
 * Knoll: What did you expect? You've been at my back for days. I can't help but notice! What do you want from me?
 * Lute: *steps forward* Aaagh!
 * Knoll: *steps back* Hey! What was that for?
 * Lute: *steps back* You dodged, huh? I knew your presence would be dangerous to me.
 * Knoll: Hm? What do you mean by... *steps forward*
 * Lute: *steps forward* Gah!
 * Knoll: *steps back* Stop! P-please! Stop!
 * Lute: *steps back* You did it again. Hm. This isn't good. Nobody else has dodged me twice.
 * Knoll: Wh-what are you saying-- *exit Knoll*
 * Lute: You're quick at escaping, too. You're dangerous. I'm afraid I can't let you threaten my natural superiority.

B Support

 * Knoll: You must be...
 * Lute: You must be Knoll. I've been researching you. I also plan to find out your Achilles' heel before too long.
 * Knoll: ...Why would you do something like that?
 * Lute: Because there's no one better than me.
 * Knoll: I'm sorry?
 * Lute: I said there's no one better than me. And if there is, I have to stop him. I can't have you threatening my natural superiority here.
 * Knoll: Threatening your--
 * Lute: I've seen you. You use magic, and that makes you competition. And you use dark magic, which makes you the enemy of light.
 * Knoll: That's a common misconception, actually, about dark mages. And besides, we're allies here.
 * Lute: No, not until we make it clear who is superior.
 * Knoll: Oh, fine...
 * Lute: What, you think you're better than me?
 * Knoll: I never said that! Look, we're on the same side here. Does it matter who's better?
 * Lute: Matter? Of course it matters! How could you possibly think it doesn't? Personally, I think I'm clearly superior to you. Don't you agree?
 * Knoll: Do what you like.
 * Lute: ...... That was close. You were trying to trick me, huh? That's dirty pool.
 * Knoll: ....... What I'm saying is...
 * Lute: It's not safe for me here. I must retreat...for now.
 * Knoll: ......

A Support

 * Lute: ......
 * Knoll: Lute...
 * Lute: Can I--I just wanted to say I'm...sorry.
 * Knoll: Gotten over yourself, have you?
 * Lute: No, but I've been watching you, and I've noticed something when you fight. Suffice to say that I am now convinced that there's no one better than me.
 * Knoll: I...see...
 * Lute: I must have miscalculated your abilities at first. I don't know why I thought you could have been better. Anyway, I'm sorry that I overestimated your skills. well, if you'll excuse me. *exit Lute*
 * Knoll: You know, I think you may have missed the point.
 * Lute: *comes back* ......
 * Knoll: What seems to be the problem?
 * Lute: ...No, nothing. See you...
 * Knoll: ...Oh, hold on. Lute.
 * Lute: Yes?
 * Knoll: Why don't you stay and chat for a moment? Now that I'm not a threat to you, we can relax and talk. If you don't mind, of course...
 * Lute: Hm... All right. As long as we're in agreement about who's superior around here.